I appreciate that. All right, and praise God for the glory that thrills our soul as believers and for the joy that is ours. We'll dismiss the children to go to class with Mrs. Schor. What age is Mrs. Schor? Seven and under, all right. So if you're seven, six, five, four, three, two, or one, you can walk. I think, William, you're just not quite qualified to go to that class. All right, we'll dismiss them there. Acts chapter 10 in your Bibles. Good to see you this morning. Praise God for our church. And these are exciting days, really fun days for us and really special times that we're going to look back on and say, hey, remember when? And we're going to have all those memories made together in this place that God's given to us and in the work that God's doing as God's growing the church and working in our hearts and lives. I've shared before that my boys and I enjoy watching documentaries, how it's made, Legos factory, or helicopters, the carbon fiber blades and things that go into them, or expensive automobiles like Bentleys, handcrafted, wood stored at certain temperatures, and then each dash is just custom designed, all that kind of stuff. I saw a TV documentary, and I think I've told you about it before, but it's about the President of the United States and an airplane that he flies on. The airplane is called Air Force One. And I kind of gave it away by the way I said that, but if I were to ask you what is Air Force One, most people would say that it's the President's plane. And that's partly true, but it's actually the plane that the president is on, when he steps on that plane, it becomes Air Force One, because there's actually two identical planes. And so if you look at the hangar where Air Force One supposedly is kept, which it's not Air Force One when he's not on it, but they're sitting there, identical planes, everything about them is the same, he can get in either one. One, I guess, could be a decoy or one could fly ahead if there's turbulent weather and find the ideal place to fly and things like that as they go on these trips. It's really interesting, you know, to get on that plane and to see it, the president's office, you know, to see the staff that are there, to see the soundproof conference room that they have on board so they can have very important high-level meetings in the air. As they're flying there's 40. I think so 40 phone lines. They're there some are encrypted some are not you got all the people down there You know doing the encryption on those lines as it's happening Military pilots military staff. It's all it's all military, but they they fly in civilian clothes so they kind of blend in when they get to whatever destination that they're going to It's got a full kitchen with real knives and real fire. They actually have real food and things like that, not airplane food that they're eating. And as you watch this documentary, I think I'll show it to you sometime, you can come over to my house. But one of the amazing things is that All the work that goes into getting ready for something. I kind of thought about it, you know, with the building here. We're going to put in all this work and somebody's going to come and they're just going to see a wall that's beautiful and they're not going to think about it. Not going to realize everything that went into making that wall beautiful or the work that went in outside or things like that. Sometimes we just don't really think about what goes into something. And to get ready for a presidential trip, There's 200 people that fly ahead a couple weeks ahead to that location, whatever that nation is. And they begin to prepare for the arrival of the president and that plane. They mark out on the tarmac the exact point where that front wheel is going to stop. The plane, by the way, arrives right at that moment. It pulls up right at that moment. It parks right at that moment. Everything is done very to the clock. There's undercover food purchases that take place. civilian clothes that they go out in to shop for the food that they're going to prepare. They test the jet fuel. They lock it up, you know, and secure it, make sure nobody can tamper with it, things like that. And then they've got C-130 cargo jets that bring over everything, including all the vehicles that they're going to use, including the beast, the President's limo, that's also a blast shield in case there's an attack or something like that. And so you look at this thing, and you just go, wow, I didn't realize. I just thought maybe he went to that place, he arrived, and that was it. That went into it. And so we don't think about things like that. But without preparation, the president's arrival would be postponed. And you might think, well, big deal. This is the president of the United States. But when one of the premier world leaders arrives in a country, he's there. to negotiate deals with that nation, and it's to the benefit of that nation that he's there. So say they're not ready, and they say, hey, we're not ready, then the president can't come, can't come, can't be a blessing or help, or whatever negotiation that needs to take place with that nation. It doesn't happen because whatever was not prepared was not ready. You know, this warning I believe this. I believe God desires to come to Lone Head and do a great work at SFBC as well as in our community. That there are things that he desires to do that would be really good for our area. If I asked today, how many of you think it's important that God come to Lone Head? You know, in the sense that I'm speaking about, that God do a significant work here, that he really show himself as in the idea that he has arrived here, that he is here, that he is present, that he's working. I think all of us would say, hey, Lone Head really needs that. You know, I know that this area needs the gospel. I know that this area needs God to do a significant work. But I also do not believe that God is going to do the work that God, I believe, intends to do or desires to do if as a church or as a people, as believers, we don't get ready. There has to be groundwork that goes into this idea like, hey, we desire God to do great work. We really want God to come here and to do something very significant in this area. But if we don't leave the work and don't get ready, I just wonder if God, even though he desires to come, he can't really come in the way that he desires to because we're not prepared for God to work. And so that's the idea I wanna look at with you this morning from the Word of God, Acts chapter 10, is we need to get ready for God to work. As a church, we really desire to see God do something significant. And I think there's some things that we can look at in Acts chapter 10 where God is working incredibly. Because what you see in Acts chapter 10 is a revival that takes place, not just in the family of a man that gets saved, but in the surrounding area as neighbors get saved, other people get saved. God does something significant, but there were some things going on ahead of time. that made it possible for God to work. So I want to clue in on those things today and really kind of look at those things and say, are those happening? Or if they're not, can we make them happen? All right, can we look at that and say, all right, I'll take that on board. I can do that, I can do that, I can do that, because that's gonna help God to work in our area. So let's pray. I say, Spirit of God, help us to become the Word of God. Father, thank you. for your grace to us. We've had a fun morning already. We had a fun day yesterday at the work day and I just want to praise you for the work that was accomplished yesterday and each one that came out and participated in that and the fun and the camaraderie and the things that we enjoyed. I thank you for all your working today. Lord, there's so many blessings already in our hearts that our hearts are full of the goodness of God and it's been a blessing already to be in the house of God. But finally, as we look at this text and we consider what is happening in Father, I ask that the Spirit of God would help us to look out in our area and say, you know what, God needs to work here. We really need God to come and to do a dynamic work. But I think, Father, in my own personal study, you spoke in my heart about some things in this text that we can look at and say, you know what, if God's gonna work, then I've gotta get ready for God to work. And I pray that on a personal level, Lord, as individuals before you, I pray that on a family level, I pray that, Father, as a church, as the local assembled body of Christ here in this area, I pray, Lord God, that we be everything that we could be for you. I can't speak without your enablement. I do ask that the Spirit of God would guide me as I speak, that what I say would be pleasing in your sight is in Christ's name I pray, amen. All right, so we need to get ready for God to work. So to get ready, we need to get in step with God, all right? Get in step with Him. So Peter's in Caesarea at Cornelius' house. We're kind of jumping into this story where we've already read it, that Cornelius was praying, God said, send for Peter. He sent for Peter, Peter came. Peter's there at Cornelius' house because Peter was in step with God. The Bible says in Amos 3.3, can two walk together except they be agreed? You're not going to go with anybody anywhere. You're not going to walk down the street with anybody that doesn't want to go where you're going. They're not going to be walking with you. Dr. Doolittle had a fictional, you know, that story. Dr. Doolittle, there's a fictional character called the Push Me, Pull You, and it's got two heads. It's going two different directions. It doesn't really work. I mean, that's not together. Together it's like I'm in step with you, and obviously God walks with us when we walk with Him, right? God's going somewhere. He's gonna be walking a certain way. The path of righteousness is where Jesus is going to be. So really, it's us agreeing with Him. And to get there, we've got to get in step with God. How do we do that? Well, Peter was in step with God because Peter was teachable. He was somebody that was teachable. Look at verse 25. It says, and as Peter was coming in, Cornelius met him and fell down at his feet and worshipped him. But Peter took him up, saying, Stand up, I myself also am a man. And as he talked with him, he went in and found many that were come together. And he said unto them, You know how that is an unlawful thing for a man that's a Jew to keep company or come unto one of another nation. But God hath showed me, he's teachable, that I should not call any man common or unclean. You know, for Peter to get into that Gentile man's house, God had to overcome tremendous prejudice that was in the heart of Peter. It was from his culture. I mean, the Jews were separated, and part of that was God-ordained. Part of that was real Old Testament come out from among them, be separate, say, but Lord, touch not the unclean thing. There are gonna be differences. Judaism took that to another level where there was a real separation from anybody that's a Gentile, that there's gonna be uncleanness about that. But God began to work in Peter's heart in such a way that even though it's a little bit like rubbing a cat the wrong way, Peter's like, okay. He submitted to it. Why? Because he is teachable. Now God did it very clearly. God gave him a dream, if you know the story. It's a dream, and Peter's in a trance in the middle of the day. You could say a daydream. He's up on the rooftop. He's hungry, and God lures down in his dream a sheep that has all these unclean animals in it, and God says, Arise, Peter, kill and eat. And there's pork there, there's pigs there. Peter goes, no, no, no, I'm a good Jew. I've never eaten anything that's unclean like that because God had said you're not to eat these that are, you know, the clove and hoof thing, or if they chew the cup and they don't do this. And there were all these dietary rules that they had to follow. That's called the ceremonial law. It's not the moral law. The moral law is that sin, all right? The ceremonial law is God said to do this. You gotta obey God because God said to do this. And there are a lot of kind of almost ritualistic things that they did in obedience to God, but God said, hey, that ceremonial law that's done. Arise, Peter, kill and eat. Praise God. If you're having pork today for lunch, that's okay, because God said it's okay. Arise, Peter, kill and eat. And so God gives Peter this dream, and he looks at it and says, okay, God has showed me that I should not call any man common or unclean. You know, let me ask you this morning, will you do what's against the grain for you to do if God says that's what you're supposed to do? It might be against the grain for you to knock on somebody's door. I mentioned the tracks that are back there. It might be against the grain for you to give somebody a track. That's not really me, Pastor. It's kind of uncomfortable for me to confront somebody, or it's uncomfortable for me to speak to them about the gospel, or it's uncomfortable for me to dress differently in the world. I'm going to go out in the world, and they're going to see me, and they're going to go, who are you? You must be a Christian, because you don't dress like we dress. It's uncomfortable maybe to change our language, change our actions, the places we go, the places that we don't go. But if we're so unteachable, God says, hey, this is what I want you to do. We go, all right, God. It's all right. And so he was teachable. He got in step with God. And then Peter was in step with God because he was guideable, if that's a word. Guideable. Verse 29. Therefore came I unto you without gain, saying, I didn't argue about it. As soon as I was sent for, I asked therefore for what intent you have sent for me. Okay, Peter responded immediately to God. Okay, God said, you're to go with these men, you're not to ask any questions, just go with them. And so he did, he gets there and he goes, what is this about as he got there? Now again, with Peter, God had to prove it to him that was God. I mentioned the dream that Peter had, but I refer to that again here in verse 17. If you look at it, Peter saw that happen, but after it happens, he kind of begins to question, is it my hunger that's causing me to think this, or what's going on? So verse 17, now Peter doubted in himself what this vision which he had seen should mean. Behold, the men which were sent from Cornelius had made inquiry for Simon's house, and stood before the gate, and called and asked whether Simon, which was surnamed Peter, were lodged there. While Peter thought on the vision, the Spirit said unto him, Behold, three men seek thee, arise therefore, and get thee down, and go with them, doubting nothing. I have sent them. All right, so God's Peter doubted himself. What's what's going on here? And then the Bible says that he thought on the vision again He's trying to figure it out But then God very clearly says go with them doubting nothing for I have sent them again as God speaks us if God makes it very clear Am I somebody that's guideable? You know somebody that says hey this I know what David said I will run the way of thy commandments When thou shalt enlarge my heart God, if you make it clear that it's of you, then God, I will. I will do this. Hudson Taylor did this when he got saved. The great missionary that went to China. This is about him after his conversion, there was peace and joy in Hudson's heart and in his gratitude, he offered himself to God to work wherever he might. Then go for me to China, God said. The call seemed as clear as if God had spoken in an audible voice and the young man did not hesitate. He told a Sunday school teacher of his call and was encouraged and given a copy of the gospel of Luke in a Chinese dialect. He tried to prepare himself in every possible way for the life of a missionary. He gave up his feather bed and other things he had enjoyed so that he would be used to a rugged life. Plenty of outdoor exercise made him stronger in body and Christian work strengthened his soul. He felt that if he wanted to win souls in China, he must begin at home. So he distributed tracts, taught a Sunday school class, called in the sick and the poor, and did everything he could to find to do for God. He went doubting nothing. As God spoke to his heart, he's like, right, I'm on that path, I'm gonna follow that completely. Again, as we look at our life, somebody that's teachable, God says, this is what I say, and we go, I got that, God. Somebody that's guideable, God says, this is where I want you to go, this is what I want you to do, and we go, right, that's where I'm going to go. What is that? That's getting in step with God. Again, as we look at our church, we say, God, There's a great need for you to work in Lone Head, and we really desire, God, that you do a great work. Well, part of that is us just saying to God, God, I am going to be in step with you. And then secondly, to get ready, we need to get serious with God. We need to get serious with God. You know, do you really want God to work in your life, in your family? in your community, in your church? I mean, we gotta ask ourselves that question. Do I really desire that? I mean, is that even on my radar? Is that something that I really desire God to do? When we look at Hudson Taylor, we know he's serious about what God's gonna do in his life, because you see things changing in his life. On a physical level, he's preparing himself. On a spiritual level, he's preparing himself. You know, somebody can know if somebody's earnest about sports, right? Somebody can know if somebody's earnest about hobbies, if they're earnest about their work, if they're earnest about, you know, their garden, if they're earnest about their dress or the way they look or things like that. You can tell that that is really something that somebody is in earnest about. I was wondering this morning, what spiritual evidence can we offer to show that we're sincerely desirous of God's working? I mean, what can we say to God? God, you can tell that I'm really serious about seeing you work because this is something that is in my life. And let's look at this story, because I think there's things that we can look at about Cornelius' life that we go, you know, he is serious about seeing God work. And so get serious with God by fasting. It says in verse 30, and Cornelius says, four days ago, I was fasting until this hour. He's not even a New Testament believer. He's not even born again at this point. He's kind of like an Old Testament believer that believes the Messiah is coming, he's praying to God, he's devout, he's got this walk with God, but he doesn't know about Jesus Christ, he doesn't know about salvation by faith in Christ and Christ alone, and he's crying out to God, and he's fasting as he does that, he sets aside food to seek God. Now let me just say, there's a fast that does not please God, and that's this, if I fast but I'm not in obedience to God, right? Like, I can't kind of earn favor with God, get bonus points with God, if I'm just fasting and there's things in my life that aren't right with God. That doesn't please God anymore. You know, what God wants to obey is better than to sacrifice, right? To hearken than the fat of rams. But if I'm right with God, then fasting is great to say to God, God, I'm serious about seeking you. I'm serious about finding you. You know, if you ask most people, When's the last time you did without food? What would they probably say? Well, hey, it's either been a long time or I had this medical thing that was happening and I had to fast or maybe it's a diet that I'm on and there's some diets right now where you fast and you only eat between certain hours, maybe something like that. But I wonder where are the believers that would say, you know, I'm so desirous of seeing God working by himself, my family, my church. my community that I have set aside food for 24 hours, 48 hours, 36 hours, whatever to seek God and to see God work. You know, I'm concerned as we look at the church in our day that we've forgotten that this is biblical, that there are times that we need to fast. And even recently, you might remember the message that we looked at of Ezra and Ezra's taking all that money and all those people through a wilderness journey to get to Jerusalem to rebuild the temple. He doesn't want to ask the king for help because he's talked to the king about how great his God is, how capable God is. And so the Bible says that they fasted for three days by the river. They got serious about seeking God's blessing upon that trip. Remember Esther, before she entered into King Ahasuerus and risked her life, but there was a lot at stake. The Jews' lives were at stake. Her life was at stake if she walked in, but all the Jews were gonna be killed because wicked Haman had made this ungodly law about exterminating the Jews, and she's gotta go in there. What'd she say? She says, let's fast, because this is vital, that we have God's blessing. You know, if I ask the average Christian today, do you see any need to fast? If I were really to ask that question, do you see any need to fast? I'm just scared that a lot of believers are like, it's fine, it's okay. And maybe, and I hope that our church understands this aspect of what I say, but somebody can say, I'm fine with the way the church is. I'm fine about people hating God. You know what I'm saying? Like we could as a church just be used to it. That's the way it is. It's the last days. You know, it's fine, but we got to ask ourselves, you know, kind of like, it's time for thee, Lord, to work, for they have made boy thine long. We're living in an incredibly ungodly day. We're living in a day where Christianity even has become very shallow, very kind of, if I could just say this, Sunday morning only. It's like, well, that's enough. Listen, there's a lot of unbelievers that give God that much, so I understand they're not really giving it to God. There's no heart for souls. There's no real passion to see God work. Does that make sense? And so if we looked at around today, I think we could look at families that are being destroyed by sin, Christian families. Christian families that are ending in divorce, Christian families where the young people are not growing up to be godly and to live for God. There ought to be something in our heart that says, God, we've got to see you work. But there we could say, am I serious about seeing God work? When's the last time I said, I'm just going to give up some food so that I could show God I am serious about that. We have got to see God work. Get serious with God about fasting. And then get serious with God by prayer. It says that at the ninth hour I prayed in my house. And behold, a man stood before me in bright clothing and said, Cornelius, thy prayer is heard. Acts 10 verse 2, a devout man, one that feared God with all his house, which gave much alms to the people. And he prayed to God always. And so Cornelius is earnestly seeking God's help by fasting and what? He's praying. And he's getting on his knees. He's seeking the face of God. He is absolutely desirous of seeing God work. You know, the ninth hour that it speaks about, he was praying until, that's 3 p.m. I imagine he started in the morning. That he's been praying all day, seeking God. God, we've gotta see you work. You gotta work in my family. You gotta work in my neighbors, in this area. And he's seeking God by prayer and fasting. I don't want you to answer this question out loud, but does it really matter how long we pray? It's kind of an interesting question, isn't it? It doesn't really matter how long we pray. Our family has enjoyed going to the Dunhill League's golf tournament, and we haven't done it for a few years. I don't think since COVID, but you go there, and it's a pro-am tournament. There are major professionals that are in that tournament, and when they're done with their rounds, you can get their autographs. And so people queue up there to get those autographs. My boys and I, we enjoy doing that, so we'll be standing there having them sign hats, sign different things. Don Dillman, if you know him, Pastor Dillman from Livingston, he's not that interested in that. He might stand there for a second with us, and then he goes and gets a coffee. There's other guys that, that's their business. They get those autographs, they sell them on eBay, they make a ton of money. And I mean, those guys get there probably super early. They stay super late. The golfers know them by name or something like that, because they're always there, you know, to get those autographs from them. You know, what person of the three, my boys, Don Gilman, or those autograph hounds, are going to get the most autographs? The guys there, they're the longest, right? Because they're earnest about it. They're there. And so if they're there, they're going to get the autographs. Why? Because they're present and asking and requesting those things. You know, if I asked this morning, who's going to get more answers to prayer? Somebody that prays five minutes and with hardly a thought or somebody that's serious about seeking guidance, beginning to put some time into prayer. Somebody that's serious and saying, hey, I gotta get to God, I gotta see God work. You know, Jesus was serious about prayer. Matthew 26, verse 40, he cometh unto his disciples, he findeth them asleep, he saith unto Peter, what could ye not watch with me? You remember the answer? One hour. And see, a lot of us would say, pastor, are you serious? Are you asking us to spend an hour in prayer? And Jesus just kind of comes back to his men. These men were leaders in the church. He said, hey guys, could you not watch with me one hour? No, they were tired and they were struggling, but Jesus is gonna have a three hour prayer meeting right before he goes to the cross. And when he finds the future of the church, these men are there and he challenges them in their prayer life. And so he gets serious by fasting, gets serious by prayer. and they get serious with God by generosity, by generosity. It says, and thy alms are had in remembrance in the sight of God. Okay, alms are donations to God or to others. It said, be benevolent and to be generous in that which we have. Acts 10, verse two, it says about Cornelius, a devout man, and one that feared God with all his house, which gave much alms to the people, and he prayed to God always. He was a generous man, for God and for God's work, he would take what he had and he would use that for the Lord. It's interesting that God sees this man's testimony of his giving, isn't it? As God comes to him and looks at him and says, I see you're serious, you're fasting, you're praying, and he notices that he is benevolent in that which he is giving to God and to God's word. You know, Matthew 6, 24 says no man can serve two masters. For either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will hold to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God in manhood. There are some that would say, I really want to serve God, but I really like these things, or I really focus on this about earning money or earning an income, and I just don't have time to do those things. The Bible says no man can serve two masters. One of those things is going to be preeminent. Back in the days when they kept checkbooks and ledgers, I heard creatures say, show me a man's checkbook and I'll show you what that man loves. It's true. You can look at somebody's checkbook and say, hey, they love sports. They love things. You just look there and say, what has captured my heart? What I invest in is the thing, the very thing that has captured my heart. How does what I give show that I'm serious about the things of God? Praise God. I praise God for our church and the giving that is in our church. We had Barry Webb, evangelist here. We had Fausto and Maria Pia that were with us going to Italy. And I just praise God for the generosity of God's people that gave. But how did you respond when it was an opportunity to give? Is that exciting to get to give to God and give generously to God's work? We've got tithes and offerings here at our church. The tithe is the Lord's. God's blessed us with 100%. And it's good for us to give back 10% to God and to God's work for the local church. You know, how do I view that? Does God see that I am generous with what I give to God's work? And again, somebody could say, well, pastor, surely, you know, money isn't connected to my heart. You're trying to say that there's a spiritual aspect about finance, but Jesus absolutely connects it to our heart when he said to the rich young ruler that he lacked one thing. He said, go and sell what you have and give to the poor. And then he said, come and follow me. Why? Because where your treasure is, there will your heart be also. And I'll tell you this, as a preacher, would I love to see God's people being generous. And if you think that as a pastor, that my primary idea with that is that I'm burdened to see, you know, get somebody's into somebody's pocketbook or something like that for the church, that would be incorrect. Because as I, as you look at the word of God, what you find is that if God's really got our hearts, then he's got our finance. that they're intertwined. And I know this too, that God will bless those that take of their resources and invest it in God's word. Given it shall be given unto you good measure, pressed down and shaken together. gentlemen given to your bosom for with the same nature that you meet with all it shall be measured to you again and again the Bible says for where your treasure is there will your heart be also and God loved the cheerful giver and I would say this if anybody hears that you know me preach ever on finance or anything like that thing I don't want to give anything to God I would say that person do not give anything to God because that's not what God desires God desires us to look at and say you want I am a part of this I want to invest in this This is for God and for God's glory. And I love the things of God. And so this morning, again, we want God to work, get serious with God by fasting prayer and by generosity. Then thirdly, this morning, To get ready with God, for God to work, we need to get in the house of God. We need to get in the house of God. You know, we're living in a day where hearing from God is not exciting or interesting. It's not something that really thrills a lot of people today, the idea of going to a church or something like that. Sports is interesting. We get excited about that, right? Yesterday was a big football game, I guess, here in Scotland. And I mean, there are a lot of people you saw, William was with me, we're driving around and you see the guys in their kilts. They're all excited about that. But I bet today, as you go by the church houses, that you're not seeing cars parked that deeply, you know, because there's not a lot of excitement about that. News is interesting to people. Entertainment is interesting. They can take hours to follow entertainment. If I were to ask today, why is God's house so unappealing? I think the answer would be we've lost our appetite for it. We've lost that desire for God's word. Matthew 5, 6 says, Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness, for they shall be filled. Katie and I went on a date on Thursday night, I think it was, and it was the 13th anniversary of our arrival in Scotland as a family. You know, we ate at a place called Bread Meets Bread. Have you eaten there? All right, it's at Fort Kinnear. This is a little bit of a commercial. It was awesome. And the sandwich I got was called the Luther Burger, and it was a glazed donut on the top, meat, cheese, some honey mustard, and a glazed donut on the bottom. And it was really, really good. I've got an appetite for that, and I have a desire to go back and to eat that again. And I just again, as we think about spiritual things this morning, blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness. If you ask me, Pastor, you want to go eat that again? Absolutely. But do you have an appetite for the word of God? Do you get excited at night? It's time to go to bed. I'm read my Bible when I go to bed. I'm looking forward to that. It's hey, church day. Church is open. I'm excited about that. I want to get to the house of God. I want to feed on the word of God. I want to take it in and let God work in my heart. Jeremiah 15 verse 16 says, Thy words were found and that I did eat them. And that word was unto me, the joy and rejoicing of my heart. For I am called by thy name, O Lord, God of hosts. I didn't eat them. It satisfied me. It was what I needed. You know, I praise God as a preacher. I don't, as your pastor, I don't want to be dull or unprepared or, you know, I want to give my best as we come to the services. But I can take comfort in the fact that God has spoken from a donkey before. God has spoken from babies before. Out of the mouth of babes and sucklings hast thou ordained strength. that God uses weak things, things that are not to bring to naught, things that are. I want to do my best as pastor and pray for me, please, as I prepare to preach God help pastor to understand the word of God and be able to give us the food of the word of God. But what I can't ever give to our church is an appetite for the things of God. If you ever try to Just think about trying to get somebody to really desire something if there's no desire there that that we got to ask God God give us in our church that Desire the appetite for the truth of the Word of God that just wants to take in the truth of the Word of God And so if we want to get ready, we need to get to the house of God get ready for preaching and It says in verse 32, send therefore to Joppa and call hither Simon, whose surname is Peter. He's lodged in the house of one Simon of Tanner by the seaside, who when he cometh shall speak unto thee. Yeah, as he called for Peter, Peter wasn't going to come with a praise band. He wasn't going to come, you know, with a truth that we're going to put on a play or something like that, a drama. He wasn't going to come and try to physically excite the people and whip them up into some frothy emotion. Peter was coming with a message from God. He was going to stand there. He was going to say, let me tell you about Jesus Christ. I've noticed at times that people don't like preaching. I don't mean that in our congregation here. I mean that in witnessing. You ever speak to somebody about the gospel and they say, don't preach at me? Don't preach at me. And this happened yesterday as I was witnessing to somebody here in our church. As soon as I would quote scripture, there's a reaction and aversion to that. It just wants to step back from that. Why? Because they don't want to hear an authoritative message from God. 1 Corinthians 1.18 says, for the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness, but unto us which are saved is the power of God. There's something that as a believer, like the preaching is preeminent, the lifting up of the word of God is preeminent. 1 Corinthians 1.21, for after that in the wisdom of God, the world by wisdom knew not God. It pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe. There ought to be some excitement again in our hearts that we just, God, by your grace, I want to be there in the house of God to hear the word of God. We're coming up to men's camp in the 13th through the 15th. We're going to have opportunity to have something like three to four sessions a day of preaching. One of the greatest things about men's camp is sitting under the word of God, assembling before God. It says in verse 33, It says, immediately, therefore, I sent to thee, and thou hast well done that thou art come. Now, therefore, are we all here present before God? Cornelius wasn't just there by himself, but he had assembled his friends and his neighbors to come and to hear the word of God. Verse 24 says, And tomorrow, after they entered into Caesarea, and Cornelius waited for them, and had called together his kinsmen and his near friends. Cardenas is like, we're going to hear from God tomorrow. This man's coming. I know this. He's been praying. He's been fasting. You got to come. You got to be here to hear the word of God. You know, we're reading as a family about God working on the Isle of Lewis, and they spoke about the Wednesday prayer meeting was more attended than the Sunday morning service before the revival took place, when the revival happened. That their midweek service had a greater congregation than the Sunday morning service used to have because people just got burdened about assembling to hear from God. They're all present before God. Sadly, right now, there's a lot of churches that are canceling services. Nobody comes. Why have a Sunday night service? Why have a Wednesday night service? You know, and why have a Sunday school hour? And pretty soon, why have a weekly meeting? You know, it's just like churches are cutting back and cutting back. And yet the word of God says that we're to do the otherwise when it comes to the last days. The Bible says in Hebrews 10, 25, not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together as a manner of some ends, but exhorting one another and so much the more as you see the day approaching. God's Word teaches us that we ought to say, by God's grace, we're going to keep the services. That we're going to be here in the house of God. They were assembled, and they get ready to hear from God. It says in verse 33, to hear all things that are commanded thee of God. All right, we're here not to hear partial truth. We're not here to hear a little bit of truth or truth that makes us feel good, maybe about ourselves, but we are here because we desire to say, what does God say about this? What is God's message to us? In the Southern United States, they're very verbal in the way that they respond during the preaching of the word of God. They'll say things like, preach it, when it gets a difficult truth. They'll say, come on preacher. They'll say amen. They'll say basically encourage the preacher to in a sense step on our toes. If that's what we need, step on our toes to help us to be more like Christ, to help us to get that message from the word of God. 2 Timothy 4.3 says, for the time will come when they will not endure our sound doctrine. shall they heap to themselves teachers having itching ears. You know, in our day, do we stand in a day where people really say, preach or preach it as it is, or are there a lot of people today that would say, I don't want to hear about sin, I don't want to hear about faithfulness to God, I don't want to hear about really having a life that's dedicated to God, I don't want to really hear a message that says, my life needs to change, or I need to put some, the rubber meet the road in my Christian walk. There's a lot of people that would just draw back from that and say, that's not why I go to church, I just want to hear about God, I want to hear about who God is or how great God is. I want a message of hope. I want a message of love. And yet so many times as believers, what we really need is by the grace of God, maybe a coaching session where God speaks to us and say, look, you could be so much more for God. And God just begins to work in our hearts about these areas, about being more for Christ. You know, again, this morning, is that something that's in my heart where I can just say to God, God, I'm assembled to hear everything that you desire to teach me. To get ready, we need to be in the house of God. And then to get ready, we need to be in tune with God. We need to be in tune with God. I don't have time to preach Peter's message this morning, but Peter preaches a message of peace and of power and of purity and of pardon. And I think what we'll do for sake of time that maybe we'll come back to this text next week and look at it and study it more out, but to consider this message that Peter had to preach that there is strength that our world needs. We'll put up a sign that asks that question, is there really peace? Is there really hope? We met somebody this past week that came and said, My life got shattered last year. There was an incident that happened in this man's life that just kind of destroyed him, put him on a path that took him to drink and just shattered his life. As I heard what he said, I just thought, you know, there's a lot of people that in our area that need Christ. And they need the message that Peter had to preach. They ought to be the person that's fasting. They ought to be the person that's praying. They ought to be the person that is absolutely seeking after God, saying, God, you've got to work in my life. And you know, they're probably out there somewhere that there's someone crying out and saying, I'd love to have God just kind of break through in my life. But they don't have that message that we preach. And so this morning, I'll just, I'll end here this morning. We'll come back maybe to this text next week. But as I watched that video and see the president coming and what he's gonna do and realize everything that goes into that, for that to take place, how important it is that they get ready. And as I look at this text this morning, I look at a story and I go, wow, God, you've worked incredibly in coordinating us in this life. But there were things that were taking place that they were getting ready for God to work. And so this morning, am I in step with God? Am I something that is teachable, where the Spirit of God says something, I say, God, I get that, I see that. Am I guideable, where the Spirit of God speaks to my heart, like, okay, that's where I want you to go, that I say to God, okay, God, that's where I'm gonna go. Am I serious with God? Is there fasting taking place in my life? God, we've gotta see work in our family, we've gotta see work in our church. What about prayer? What about generosity giving? and then getting to the house of God, assembling and encouraging others to attend and giving attention to the word of God. And again, I praise God for our church. What my desire would be this morning is not to discourage us, but encourage us. Not to tear us down, but build us up and say, you know what, by God's grace, God desires to do a great work in this area, but for God to do a great work, we as a church got to get serious. We as a church got to get ready. We as a church need to be everything that we can be by God's grace so that we can see God. And so may God just take that message to our hearts here this morning. Let's pray and ask God's blessing upon him. Father, I thank you for the word of God this morning. I thank you for the story and life of Cornelius. I feel like I presented it not as well as I'd like to present it. Because Father, as I look at this text, it stirs my heart. Father, it reminds me that God is able. And Father, in our church, I know that we're still growing as an assembly, we're still really gathering some steam, as it were, and there's some great things that are happening, and I do not want to discourage us this morning. But Father, I pray that there would be something in our heart that says, you know, God desires to do a great work in this area. And Father, just to stop and think, what can I do to help God with that? Well, am I teachable? Am I guideable? And Father, to answer that, we'd have to answer the question, well, what have I done that I didn't really want to do, but I did it because God said to do it? And then Father, to think about, you know, am I serious about it? How's my prayer line? Do I fast? Am I generous to God and to God's work? Am I investing in what God desires to do? And Father, and then, am I assembling? If we knew that tonight at 6 p.m. the Spirit of God was gonna do an incredible work in those that were gathered here, Father, would we call our friends, would we invite our neighbors and say, I'm gonna be at the house of God, I want you to be there with me because God's gonna do a great work, we're gonna hear from God? And it wasn't the preacher, it was just the message of the truth of God. And Father, is there a desire in our hearts to say, you know, go ahead, step on my toes, it's okay. It's okay, because I want to hear from God. Father, I pray that as a church, there'll be something in the hearts of our people that would just cry out for that and say, you know what, I don't want pastor to tone it down. And Father, I want to be a gracious preacher. I want to be a loving preacher. but I don't wanna feel like I have to hide the truth of the word of God ever from our church, because I know that maybe somebody would come to our church and they really don't wanna do that, or they really don't wanna follow that, and so I'm gonna hide what God says in his word. But Father, if we seek to please men, we're not pleasing God. I pray that you'd help me be gracious. I pray that our church would be burdened to pray for me as pastor, and I need it. Oh, I need it. And Father, I confess I need it. Father, rather than maybe preaching a good message this morning, I really desire us just to, in our hearts, just look at the Word of God and say, that's New Testament. God could do that here. God could save souls here. Father, when's the last time we saw somebody saved in our church? When's the last time we saw Scott saved? When's the last time we saw the Spirit of God just break through in our ministry? Father, what about our prayer meetings on Wednesday night when we gather together to pray? Father, this last Wednesday night, we couldn't have our Bible study, we didn't have people. And Father, I don't say that against anybody. I understand there's gonna be times we can't come. I understand there's gonna be sickness, there's gonna be conflicts with work, there's gonna be maybe a broken down vehicle, there's gonna be all sorts of things. I understand that. But I believe that you want us to have Wednesday night. I believe you want us to have Sunday night. And Father, I believe you want us to have Sunday school. And Father, I confess, I am weak. I am so weak. Father, these days that we've gone through, and I want to praise you, you brought us out into a wealthy place, but I confess before the church this morning that in the last three months, I've had the toughest days of my ministry ever. And Father, I've been tested and tried. I don't know if I've succeeded in everything, but I mean, just the responsibility of taking on this facility, the pressure from the community against our church and against our position. And Father, my burden is not even so much our ministry. My burden is the fact that Midlothian needs Christ. Father, my burden is that everyone needs Christ. And Father, I pray, my greatest prayer would be just, Spirit of God, please, I pray, help us. Work in our hearts. I love our church family. I love every single one. I love them, I do. I love them to death. I pray, God, your richest blessing on them individually. I pray your richest blessing on their families. I pray, Father, that they would have a great life. I pray they'd have great finances. I pray they'd have great houses. I pray they'd have great things. But my prayer, God, make us godly. God, give us grace to really just be on fire for God. Father, we need deacons in our church. We need leadership. Father, the early church, we can study it out. Acts chapter one, they was in need. They had to have people to provide for the feeding of the Grecian widows. But there were men that were called of God to that ministry. morning but when God works there's extra work to be done we did that yesterday you worked you gave us a building well there's a lot of extra work with that but I didn't come with a gardener it didn't come with a secretary it didn't come with somebody to clean it it didn't come with anything other than here's the building it's our responsibility but you worked praise God by the minibus. The lights out this morning. The tire was flat last week. We're thankful for it. You gave it to us, but it's a blessing from God. God, you worked, but it's a responsibility, and so there's work to be done. And so Father, even as we cry out this morning, and again, I feel inept this morning. I feel inadequate this morning. But Father, when we pray and say God save our neighbors, God save these little girls like Kamiah and these kids and people that desire to come to church. It takes work, Father, to get them here. It takes work to disciple them. It takes work to minister to them. It takes work to be faithful and to get to the house of God and to be somebody that could be accounted upon. And Father, I'm a pastor, but I'm a person. My wife is a pastor's wife, but she's a person. Father, we are not SC super Christians because I've been called to preach, or I've been led into the ministry, or God has guided us here, or God, you have answered prayer, providing this excellent facility. Father, we are nothing without God. And Father, it's the same for everybody. We stand on equal ground today. Father, I'm not greater than anybody in our church, and I'm not better prepared to be a godly person than anybody other in our church, except by the grace of God and the maturity that you've given me through personal Bible study, personal decisions, personal consecration, personal commitment. And Father, I am what I am by the grace of God, and I'm not beyond or above anything. And so I just pray this morning, my greatest prayer. Father, my biggest prayer is revival. My biggest prayer is, oh God, work. I pray, oh God, work. Father, I would love it. I would love it, Father, to have the hearts of God's people rise up and say, I am gonna be counted for Christ. And I, again, I'm not looking down at anybody this morning and thinking they are not what they should be for God. I know we are at different levels of spiritual experience and understanding, but I pray, oh God, that your spirit would just touch the hearts of this group. Here we are, Father, before you. I pray 10 years from now, Father, if we look back and say that's the leadership of our church, because God worked, because God did something incredible, because the Spirit of God stirred. I would love it, Father, if some that are here right now would be called of God into ministry, that your Spirit would just speak to their heart about serving God. Father, I'm just maybe burying my heart a little bit this morning, and again, I just I want to challenge us. I want to help us because someday I'm going to stand before God and I'm going to give an account to God for how our church is responding. It is not okay for me ever to look at our people and say I'm just going to accept that that's the way we're going to be as Christians. But I got to look at it and say, what does God expect? What does God say in His word? What is the standard of God's truth? And so Father, again, I'm just baring my heart a little bit. But Father, we got to see work. I pray God send it. Father, we have prayed, we have waited, Father, for 20 years. We're praying for revival. But I wonder sometimes, I wonder what would happen if we get ready. Father, what would happen if we said, you know, pastor, we've got to see God work. Father, I'd love it if anybody in here ever says to me, Pastor Robert, we need to spend more time in prayer, then I am there. Lord, I am there. And Father, give me wisdom. I need to lead in that. I need to guide in that as pastor. I need to say, hey, we're gonna have a prayer time. We're gonna have this or that. But I pray, Spirit of God, give us that desire. God, give us that burden. Father, we're asking, please. Father, only you can do it. And so I just lift it up to you today, again, to share my heart a little bit. But Father, would you work by your grace, help us, Lord, help us. It's in Christ's name I pray, amen.