Good morning and God bless you. Turn your Bibles to the book of 1 Thessalonians. We've taken about a month off from Thessalonians but now we're back in 1 Thessalonians chapter 1. If you would stand for the reading of the word. I'm only going to read verses 7 and 8. And we're going to title today's message. You became an example. 1 Thessalonians 1 7. This is the Apostle Paul telling the Thessalonians why he knew they were saved. But this is also the Holy Spirit speaking to you about what God has done and what will happen to you when you are. So that you became an example to all the believers in Macedonia and in Achaia. For not only has the word of the Lord sounded forth from you in Macedonia and Achaia, but your faith in God has gone forth everywhere so that we need not say anything. Well, Lord, we're going to say some things. We're praying now for some things that you would heighten our spiritual awareness to take in. We may not even comprehend it, but we can apprehend it and apply it. Help that to happen to us today for your glory and in your name, Lord, you have won the war. Help us today to win the battle in Jesus' name. Amen. You may be seated. Well, school is starting again. That was all the mothers that said, woo-hoo. And all the children collectively said, groan. Maybe not. When you're in kindergarten, my little five-year-old granddaughter, Olive, is going into kindergarten. Of course, she went to three-year-old and four-year-old school, too, so she's used to it. And then Vera. is going into second grade. And you're thinking, oh, it's wonderful, it's wonderful. But right by the time I got to about sixth or seventh grade, and that song, Short People, came out, and then I discovered that I really was the smallest kid in any class. I didn't like school as much. And you had to concentrate and work hard. And this thing called homework came around. And we had a principal when I was in fifth grade that says, homework builds character. And I decided to show him what for, and he decided to put the Board of Education to the seat of my understanding. Of course, they don't do that anymore, but I think that might have started the bullying thing, but the fact that they don't do it. But I'll get away from that. But we're starting school, and there's lots of work to be done, and we're back on a tight schedule. Can I watch this? No. But Bobby and Susie? No. And there's always the most important thing, that's always the hardest thing, the pressure to perform. It's only six weeks away, or however long they do it now, to your first report card. And yes, they can tell when you take that D and make it a B. And they do it online now, too, and you're not old enough to hack into that anyway. Pressure to perform, and then you go to the PTA meeting, or the children, and then little Bobby and Susie's mother and father are all shiny and bright, because their kids get all As, and yours can't even get their shoes on, and whatever. Pressure to perform. And when you hear today's title, you became an example. You say, that's not me. He's talking about people in text. That's not me. But we all are examples. But let me say this, and I said it before we came on air, and I'll say it again. When you hear today's message, it's not how far you've gotten, it's the direction you're heading. And it's not how fast, but which way. So sometimes examples are examples of how to get back up when you've fallen down. How to turn around, and when you turn around, that's what repentance is. You don't get there automatically, it's you're heading the right way. And if you keep dropping the football, Keep picking the football up. All right, let's get going. Anybody with us? Amen. You are an example to others. Everyone's a role model of some sort, whether they want to be or not. There was a famous athlete, and he said, I'm not a role model. And that's a lie, because you're a person, so you are a role model, whether you want to be or not. He might be saying, I'm not a good role model. Don't follow what I do. Do as I say, not as I do. But children, learn what you live, period. People are watching and learning from your example, even if you're absent. Now think about that. You need to go to church, you need to go to church, and you don't go. People are watching and learning from your example, even if you're absent. Think about that. Children learn by watching adults and by watching other children their age and a little older. And we say, why would you listen to them and what they say about this before marriage and all these other things? Why would you listen to that about drinking or this or that? They're your age. They don't know. They don't have any wisdom. If they've got it all figured out, they've got no room to grow. But you don't find those things out until you're at least 47. Get that. Used to be when I, you know, I love that, you know, Congress 25, Senate 30, President 35. You know, there's a reason those things are in place. And you can't rent a car until you're 25. Hopefully that's still the same. We think we got it all figured out. But here's the thing on the other side. You are an example. You can't say pay attention to good people when you're not one of them. And I didn't say how far or how fast. Which direction are you headed? Can you hear me? And just as children learn from what you live, younger believers are learning how they should live by watching how you live and what you do or don't do. You may not want to be an example. You may think you're not much of an example. Listen up, we're going to help you today. And you may want to escape being an example, but you might as well embrace being an example, because when you became a Christian, you became an example. Now, in the text here, he's talking about the Thessalonians being a good example. They became a good example, and he shows why, and why he knows they're saved. And we'll talk a little bit about that, and we have been in the previous message, and we will continue to do so as he continues this thought. But all Christians When you became a Christian, you became an example. You can't escape it. And you can't evade it because absence and avoidance are still an example. I mean, we need good examples. You need to follow the right kind of thing. If the joke is, you know, if you just want to stay away from everybody and all that, you can't do that. You've heard me say before and I'll say it again. And I said that before and I'll say it again. And I just did say it before and I'll say it again. But you see the movies, you see books and things like that, and they go for the one that has wisdom. He's up on a hill somewhere by himself. I don't need to listen to that guru. He don't know how to live life amongst the rest of us in the trenches. I don't want to get the guy that knows how to do his kata. I want to get the guy that's going to help me when I'm on the street getting my butt beat. Does that make sense, anybody? Do the kung fu? You get my idea? Okay. Linear or circular, whatever you're doing. You get my point. A lot of people can talk a good game, know a lot of Bible verses, but they're trying to stay away from people half the year. That's not the right example. People can do what they want to do. There's freedom in Christ. I understand all that. But you can't avoid being an example. You are an example. You are leading people. Which way are you leading them? Now this isn't about perfection, this is about direction. And even, listen, listen, listen, first bell, bing, bing, bing, bing, even if you've taken steps back, or you don't even think you've even started, you can be an example of how to take steps forward. Right? Praise God, I don't want to discourage you today. I want to encourage you today. I want to equip and inspire and inform you today. The Thessalonians were idolaters who became imitators. And then they became the imitated. They followed Paul's example of Christ and became examples of themselves. That is the discipleship. And that's a process. All Christians are disciples and they are in a process. And becoming a good example isn't about reaching some pinnacle point. A good example is someone who's turned around and is growing. And when they turn back and they turn away, they turn back around. That's what it is. We're not here to judge you. We're here to help you. example of getting back up again. See, when you're doing bad, if you think you've got to clean yourself up before you come back to church, you don't understand grace. And if there's people here that are looking at you that way, they don't understand it either. That's not what we're doing here. Anybody? Anybody? Right? Do you get it? This is the way that it is. If you think you've got, you know, when you're doing bad and you stay away because, well, everybody will know when you hide, you are exposed. An example is, I own it. I admit it. God's grace is with me. Help me. Hallelujah. We need forward-moving parts, disciples on every part of the path. You become good examples as you grow. And that's what Paul told Timothy in 1 Timothy 4, 15 and 16. Make sure you listen to the message. Last page is a shocker. In 1 Timothy 4, 15 and 16, and I remember a call we got on Wednesdays, a text we got, and I was sitting here, and this person told me this about me, and I was like, praise God. Yeah, it's you again, yeah. Practice these things. Immerse yourself in them, so that all may see your progress. Keep a close watch on yourself and on the teaching. Persist in this, for by so doing you will save both yourself and your hearers. That holds true for you too. Being a good example helps others stay out of trouble. Following good examples helps you stay out of trouble. You don't graduate out of this process. Being and following good examples is crucial for your discipleship, no matter who you are. I've said many times, I am in the pulpit, but I'm not beyond the pulpit. And that's what the Thessalonians were doing. And that's where they were becoming. In 1 Thessalonians 1, 6 through 10, the apostle Paul discusses what he had seen and heard about the Thessalonians. And he gives them several lines of evidence that demonstrate why Paul knew that God had saved them and why we can know whether we're saved or not. In verse 6, we saw the first two evidences. The first evidence of salvation was community. Paul says, and you became imitators of us and of the Lord Jesus. Walking with Jesus means walking with others who walk with Jesus. Walking with Jesus means walking with others who walk with Jesus. Amen. And the second evidence was perseverance He said for you receive the word in much affliction with the joy of the Holy Spirit Clinging to God in faith and the power of God to give you joy in Jesus despite a hard situation That's another evidence of salvation. You got something you just can't you can't you can't let go of it won't let go of you You walk the hard narrow road with others They're walking with Jesus. You're walking with them because they're walking with Jesus. And when the going gets tough, we keep on going together with mercy and grace, helping each other like wind in our sails towards Christ likeness. And you see more lines of evidence in verse seven. So that you became an example. This is living as a witness. And this is growth. They had become imitators of faithful believers and now they had become examples of faithful believers. That's the way it works. Don't worry about where you are because we're all on both of those cycles. I'm trying to follow preachers that I know. Most of them are old dead guys. You know, Puritans and others and say, OK, they're there this way. This is what when this happens and and getting people even modern and trying to think about it and, you know, working with the text and all of this. And how do other people do that and everything? And then also trying to be a good example to, you know, Peter and Steve and others that are here and all of you. This is what I like to call the discipleship chain. Disciples produce disciples. Disciples follow other disciples, which develops disciples. Now through affliction, God uses the believer as a powerful witness. You know, it's easy when you've got everything going the right way to say, oh, God is good. But when things are not, when you've got gravel and ashes in your mouth and your lips still praise his name. That's an example. That's powerful. That's something that other people don't have. That's something that when we say we have something money can't buy, poverty can't lose, no one can steal, death can't stop, the devil can't touch, and I can't mess up. I mean, you can mess up in the sense of you're down on your, you know, spirituality, but you're looking back up. They're like, why would you do that? Because I'm looking at Jesus. I'm seeing my situation through the lens of God instead of seeing God through the lens of my situation. So God gave them joy. Paul knew they were chosen by God because the Holy Spirit had worked conviction to stay the course and gave them joy, even in affliction. And this made them a powerful witness to the worth of Jesus. They had assurance and growth and joy in afflictions. Paul was suffering, and so were the Thessalonians. Remember, he got kicked out after a couple of weeks. And he sends Timothy back to find out how it's going. And Timothy's like, this thing took hold. They're telling everybody. Paul was suffering and so were the Thessalonians. They followed the Lord in the example of Paul and became examples themselves. Jesus is the one who makes your life a witness. See, this is not just this imperative where you do this or else. It's this indicative. God is doing this or else. You know what I'm saying? And not perfect, not perfect, but you start feeling, you start thinking, I want to investigate this. I like ding ding. Not how far, not how fast, which way you're going, which way you're growing. That's what's going on here. and says to all the believers in Macedonia and Achaia. Macedonia is Philippi, Thessalonica, Berea. Achaia is Athens, Corinth, northern Greece, southern Greece, all of Greece. He said you became an example to everybody. It was obvious that the Thessalonians had truly believed the gospel. No one had to ask. Their lives spoke the truth they believed. They lived out what they say they believed in. And when you do that, your actions give weight to your words. Living as an example of faith, as a witness to the worth of Jesus in a way that is vibrant and growing, this is more evidence of salvation. I love it. We've had some people here that have been here going on three years. Yes, it's you. And, you know, there's some Catholic action there. There's some secularism there. They lived in the burnout district up in New Hampshire, which nobody saved up there. Oh, did I do that? This is God's country. Come to us. And they talked to their pastor. The pastor looked online around this area and said, there, there, there. Just because they have a good statement don't mean nothing. Didn't that guy tell you he would always take care of you? Oops, sorry, I'll let that go. Didn't you say those words yourself? You're like, whoops. But you change, and I've seen it time and time again, and I'm watching it right now. Just that little bit. The light gets brighter and brighter and brighter. And then suddenly, you're a Jesus freak. And people go, how did that happen? I didn't become a hardcore addict overnight. Right? And my boat didn't turn around overnight either. A lot of starts and stops. It wasn't like, I shall never do it again. I've seen the light. No, you've got to feel the heat. You know? Bonus, I'll say this again, repentance means turning around. Oh my mind, this thing, just turn it around. But when you're riding a bike, when you're walking, you can just turn around real quick, unless you're getting older, you know? Just like that. When you're riding a bike, it takes a little, you gotta stop the bike, and then kinda turn the bike, and then go. If you're in a car, you know, you got to wait for the stop sign, put on your blinker, do this. You know, the turn ratio is never that good. Sometimes you need it to be that good when you're in a parking lot, but you know what I'm saying. Well, when you get one of the big, huge cargo ships, it takes miles for that big old thing to turn around. So you've got these habits, you know, you pray for it to go away right away, but there's underlying root things that happen that are still being worked out. And when you start thinking, oh, this isn't going, he will hold me fast. Right. When I fear my faith may fail, Christ will hold me fast. Yes. You are an example to others. And people learn from your example. What kind of values you have? Which way you're going? What kind of goals you have? What kind of things you allow or don't allow? What do you do with your time? What do you do with your money? What do you do with things aren't going right for you? Ding, ding. People may not even realize that they're learning from others, but they are. Of course, there's all sorts of people on this spectrum of good and not as good in different areas of your life. But you can improve. We should not only strive to be good role models, but strive to help others see and follow good role models. You can be reading your Bible every day and doing everything right, and then you'll cheat at work and steal the pencils. No one sees. God sees. Your heart sees, and you're training yourself to be a thief. You already are. I'm just throwing this in. You don't need a title. I don't know why I'm throwing that in, but you don't need a title, and we're on the prayer team, and we're to praise this, and I'm the apostle queen of this, and stop it. Just stop it. We'll get to that at the end. You can't just call yourself stuff and then that means I've achieved this level. It's not level, it's a relationship. And we have ebb and flow in all of us in different areas of our life. And no, we're not perfect examples, but we can be example of even though we're not perfect, we're following the one who is and we're getting better at it. And when we're not doing so good at it, we still become an example because someone else is going to fall down, too. And then you're helping them on the way. I can't I can't do enough myself, but. Keep listening, you can improve. Find good role models, follow them, and then you become one. This is why I'm consistently insistent on promoting those who teach good doctrine and warning so heavily and hard against those who teach bad or false doctrine. I worry like a parent who doesn't want their child hanging around the wrong crowd. Here we go, school, anybody catch me there? That was huge, that was potent, that was powerful. Like, I got this new friend. I'd like to meet their parents. Well, they don't have any parents. Well, you know, God bless them. Bring them over here. Let's let's help them. I mean, you know, there's a lot of things going on there. But don't you worry about things like that? I do. That boy ain't right. Of course, then you have Eddie Haskell. Oh, there we go again, 50s and 60s. Hello. And you have Eddie Haskell, who's saying the right things, but we all knew he wasn't right. But I worry about a parent who doesn't want their child to hang around the wrong crowd. Of course, you want to train your children in such a way and bring them up that they know the difference for themselves. Still, even then, you want to nurture and protect those in your care. And doctrine is only part of the equation. Practice is also a big component. You want to have good doctrine and good practice. Not just saying the things, but living the things. And people need to see both. The New Testament teaches us to follow those who are teaching and living right. We read this morning from Philippians 3.17. Find the example, follow the example, be the example. You are leading people. Where are you leading them? Now, hard questions. What kind of example are you? Do people know that you know your Bible or that you're learning it? Do people ask you to pray? Do you talk to others about Jesus? Can others come to you for wisdom? You may be young in the faith, but are you growing? Do you have a desire? And if people follow you, will they grow? You could be just starting out, but other people need to have first steps. Other people have been knocked down a few pegs because of pride or whatever. They need to know how to get back up. And when trials come, when things don't go the way you wanted, when you're tired, because you get with Jesus and everybody's wanting to help you and everything's going good, then all of a sudden, boom, it's like the rug gets pulled out from under you. Zeb and Brooke aren't here today, but two years from now, or maybe sooner, the honeymoon period. Because for me and Margie, you know, it's been many, many, many years. And they say, well, no, no, you wait, you wait, you wait. And, you know, it can go good. Not everybody has to have this incredible testimony of how they did awful and then God did good. We're all short of the glory of God. So when things happen and they don't happen so well, even though you think you're doing right, They don't go the way you want. When you're tired and frustrated, like the first week of school, when you suffer affliction, what do people see? How do you react, respond, repent, renew? Do you make excuses, or are you a good example? Let me set you free a little bit here. This isn't about everybody liking you. Don't worry about disrespect from people you ought not to respect. Because when we talk about being an example, you know, you start following Jesus, there's going to be people, maybe even in your own family, that say, well, you know, Don't worry about disrespect from people you ought not to respect in the first place. Don't worry about criticism from those you wouldn't ask for advice. Don't worry about criticism from those you wouldn't ask for advice. Here's the issue. Do people see in you what Paul saw in the Thessalonians? Do you exhibit faith, full conviction, community, perseverance, and joy in the Holy Spirit? If not, why not? And perhaps more importantly, what now? Anybody hear me now? We're making our turn here. Well, you can learn, you can grow, you can improve, and you can turn to God in repentance and faith so that even when you're not really doing so well, anybody having a hard time? I'll stick up hands for all of you. Yeah. Even when you're not really doing so well, you can show yourself to be a good example of how to get it better. People need to see good examples of what repentance and faith looks like. Repentance means you turn around. That's all. You get back up after following down. Now the Thessalonians had heard about Jesus from Paul. Then they began to follow Jesus after the manner of Paul, Silas, and Timothy. Then they became examples to others just as Paul had been an example to them. They were hearers of the word, then they were doers of the word, and then their lives became teachers of the word. And from among those people, because they didn't have elders, Paul didn't have time to find out who's who and set elders in the churches. He left! He got kicked out! They forced him out. A lot of places, he'd just come from Philippi in jail, and he says, I'm okay. Even though I got kicked out, look what's happening. But from among those who had followed this pattern, knowing, doing, teaching with your life, pastors, teachers, elders, deacons, and leaders would emerge. Now let's apply this to you. Anybody with me? This isn't about perfection. This is about direction. This is about a pattern for your practice. And we see the same pattern with Ezra. Remember we talked about Ezra and Nehemiah last week. Ezra the scribe and priest. He served the Jewish people during their exile in Babylon and as they returned to Jerusalem. And as the religious leadership to help generate a revival As they reset it reset his religious leadership helped lead them as they resettled the land And notice the pattern in ezra 7 8 through 10 Let me read that and ezra came to jerusalem in the fifth month, which was the seventh year of the king for now on the first day of the first month he began to go up from Babylonia and on the first day of the fifth month he came to Jerusalem why for the good hand of his God was on him why for Ezra had set his heart to study the law of the Lord and to do it and to teach his statutes and rules in Israel there it is again study do teach not get everything down Get something in your soul and start living that thing and that will teach. You learn the faith, then you live the faith, then you're a lesson in the faith. You learn the faith, you begin to live the faith, and then your life begins to be a lesson in the faith. And then you can teach lessons in the faith. Think of what Paul's saying about the Thessalonians here. He's not only saying that the Thessalonians had become an example to others of faithfully following Jesus, he was also saying that they had become a model for other churches to follow. Paul mentions them as a model again a few years later. In 2 Corinthians 8, Paul mentions Macedonia, which again we talked about. Thessalonica's in there. As an example to the Corinthians, who are in the lower part of Greece, of good stewardship and sacrificial giving. This was a fledgling church with no mature leadership when they started in a region dominated by paganism. They weren't perfect, but they were heading in the right direction. Repentance means you turn around. You can do that today. It's not how far and how fast and what we think about it. Jesus said if someone in Luke 17 if someone comes to you seven times in a day and saying I repent you forgive them If it was seven times in the same day say I'm sorry. I don't want to do it again I'd start not to believe them and they even said increase our faith Think I'm happy to have you say I'd know sinner. I need a saver man. I've been in such bad straits I did it again. I dropped the football again. I'm gonna say pick it up. I Now let's look at verse 8. For the word of the Lord has sounded forth from you in Macedonia and Achaia. In other words, all of Greece. Your faith in God has gone forth everywhere. So we don't say anything. The Thessalonians have become an example of persevering in the faith with joy despite affliction. But they didn't just hold on. to their faith. They actively spread the faith. The word of the Lord sounded forth from you in Macedonia and Achaia. Here's another line of evidence of your salvation. The Thessalonians had become enthusiastically evangelistic. Now here's the thing now. When we get to verse nine which if Lord willing to be next week or it'll be soon when he says you turn from idols to serve the living and true God. This is process. They don't get it all right. You see it right here and I'm reading it and you become enthusiastic evangelistic. I haven't talked to anybody about Jesus ever. I must not be saved. Not necessarily true. Hopefully you've heard everything I've said up to this point so you can understand what I just said. It's not that you've got to go out there and tell everybody all the time. They weren't doing that. It's their lives were doing that. They become enthusiastically evangelistic. And it did have to do with the fact that I did want to tell people about Jesus. This phrase, sounding forth, is a strong compound in the Greek, which means a bold proclamation. It's a strengthened form of a weaker verb from where we get our word echo, echo, echo. In other words, their bold witness was stronger than an echo. It was like a trumpet blast or loud thunder. It was obvious they were boldly living and proclaiming the truth of Jesus to everyone they encountered. They were trumpeting the good news of the gospel all over Greece and beyond the borders. It says your faith in God has gone forth everywhere. Now perhaps some of the Thessalonians went on a mission. They traveled outside of Greece. But there was trade routes that went through Thessalonica. And that meant these believers were telling people about Jesus when they were at the train station. You know? The boat station. You know what I mean. These believers were telling people about Jesus and their faith about the faith was spreading out all over. Have you been to Thessalonica? They're going to talk to you about Jesus. Beware. Man, I need a shot in the arm. Man, go there. There's a bunch of Jesus freaks. As soon as you get off the boat, they're gonna talk about Jesus. I'm thinking about a friend of mine, and we went to his, he had over 20 years in the service, and he was having, his CO was the brother of a famous actor. And so we were at MacDill Air Force Base, and they had his going away party, and several other people. And the general, General White, invited him up, you know, and he was a sergeant, there was a major, lieutenant colonel, all this, but he was there. And they showed pictures of him, everybody passing out with the gas, and he's laughing, and stuff like that. And he said, soldier, you served two terms. Yeah. Well, it says here, you were amphibious, and you like went from land to sea and brought the weapons and all that. How come you changed that and then brought them all the way in? He goes, because I've got Jesus. He's sitting here today, by the way. And the crowd was just like, whoa. And he said, and I have a Lord and Savior, and that's why I did it, because I'm not afraid to die. What about you? You don't even remember you said that. Well, I remember. Margie remembers. I'll always remember that. Because here you are with all the brass. And he had the brass. It's Jesus, that's why. 1st Peter 3 15 says always be ready for the hope that lies within you apology and we say apologetics and all this the context for that is they're being treated bad by the boss they're still treating the boss good when everything around you is treating you bad and you still act good then people say what is the reason and you go it's Jesus that's a witness that's the kind of thing that was happening they were turning from paganism and all that and people going why we'll beat it out of you and every time they got hit they just yelled Jesus Right? Do you understand what I'm saying? They were talking about the faith and other people were talking about them. When you turn, people learn. I pray that our church and our people will be known as faithful examples. I pray that you and I will be faithful examples. And let's put legs to our prayers because whether it's at school, on the job, in the world, or with the church, people are watching you. So what you must do is watch Jesus. And as you do that, you'll walk with him and you'll be a good example. Even when people say bad things about you because you follow Jesus. Make no mistake about it, Jesus said that would happen. 2 Timothy 3.12, Paul told Timothy it would happen. All that live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution. And other Christians need to see what to do and how to live When people who don't know Jesus treat those who do know Jesus badly. You need to keep on living like Jesus is good even when your situation is bad. Amen. You need to keep on living like Jesus is good even when your situation is bad. Now let me. Kitchen eyes this. You know people often pray and we're told to pray. God use me. We need to get a bigger idea about a bigger God. Because He is using you. The Bible makes that abundantly clear. When you became a Christian, you became an example. God, capital I-S, IS using you. You get to really know God by really getting into what God is already doing. Instead of waiting for God to do some big thing first. Stop dreaming about being a celebrity Christian influencer. And start being a godly influence. You don't need to reach millions of people. You don't even got to know. You need to reach the many who you do know. I'm not telling you not to dream big. I'm saying you aren't dreaming big enough. Here's where you're going to learn about God. You see, the biggest dream is God's dream. But God's dream isn't really a dream like we think of dreaming. His dream isn't a hope or a wish. It's a continuing reality. It's His vision. It's His plan. It's His purpose. It's His power. And if you want to do this thing right, if you want to be a good, godly example, you need to make God's dream your dream. And God's dream for you is happening right now. God is using you right where you are, wherever you are, whenever you are, however you are. In this life, your future is right now. You don't need to be big to be built. Big is what God says, how God sees, not how we see things. Walk by faith, not by sight. People want God to do something big for them, so they can do something big for God. But they have the wrong measure. God is interested in quality, not quantity. Be interested in quality, and God will take care of the quantity. Now listen up. The best preacher in the world is not someone the whole world knows. It's someone only his church knows. And it isn't if you have good quality that God will increase your quantity. It better not be your goal because this isn't about increasing the size and scope of your influence for God. This is about increasing the depth of God's influence on you. Again, this isn't about you getting increased. It's about God getting increased. Not you getting increased for God. God getting increased in you. Do you understand me? Your life can be a witness to the worth of Jesus. Not because everything always goes good for you, but because your life proclaims your faith that Jesus is worth it, no matter what is going on with you. This is what it's about. 2 Corinthians 5, I believe it's verse 12, Paul says, you know, I'm not trying to brag on me or what I've done. I'm trying to give you an example against those that would say it's all about what's on the outside, not what's in the heart. Because they were saying, you know, you're in prison all the time. You're this little short guy. You don't have good eyesight. People aren't listening to you. You got to try to prove you're an apostle. You do all these miracles and yet people still don't follow you. And he's like, I'm playing for the audience of one. And that's what matters. Not that you don't care about people. It's because you do care about people. I don't want to lead you to me. But I will say, follow me as I follow Christ. And I know we've got some people here that are following Jesus. And part of it is, when we drop the football, we pick the football back up. We don't look 20 years ago and say, well, remember when that thing happened. Do we? No, we say, hey, remember when this good thing happened. Yes, that's what we do. We have falling out with people because we're people. But what do we do? do the right thing. That becomes an example. You see, the devil can't win. Because even when we get knocked down, we keep getting back up. In the book of Micah, chapter 6, it says, don't laugh at me when I'm down, because I'll bear my iniquity because I went against you. But then the Lord will be my vindication, and he will bring me out. Hallelujah. Anybody going to heaven in here? It isn't just live like it because, you know, you're shiny and all. No, it's, okay, so I'm a little dirty and muddy and all that, but the ultimate mailman will get me to where I'm going, hallelujah. Again, it's not that your life proclaims everything is wonderful all the time. It's Jesus is wonderful all the time, even when my life ain't wonderful all the time, even when I purposely did it that way. Of course, you don't want to be perverse and say, well, I'll just turn away a little while, while I can have a little bit of fun, then I'll turn back. That's deception. He's not saying anything like that to the Thessalonians. He's saying, you're in the process. I see the process. Here's what that process looks like. Same thing happened with me. Same thing happened with Silas. Same thing happened with Timothy. Same thing is happening to you. Let's set an example and come to pray about it right here and right now. I never do this, but here we go. Get up. Stand up. Maybe some people can congregate around here. Maybe you can raise your hands and put them towards us. Let's think about what's going on here. I don't have to play just as I am 10 times and sing and say, if you come down, then you're saved. I'm not saying that. I'm saying that all of us in this place, no matter when you're listening, what's happening, have areas where we're still turning around. So we're gonna pray towards that, towards repentance towards God and faith in Jesus Christ. And I could have manipulated you and say, if you have enough guts, come up here. But let me pray. You know what I'm going to do? I'm going to pray and I'm going to have you pray after me. Heavenly Father, I pray that my life would be a good example, that it would point people to Christ and lead people to Him. that my witness would sound forth to your glory no matter what situation I am in. In Jesus name, amen. Amen. Father, I do thank you for that. Father, I know that, you know, we get challenged on this later, but maybe there'll be a voice and you'll say, this is the way. Walk in and we'll hear it in our hearts. Holy Spirit, speak to our hearts that this word is true, that we can turn towards you in all that we do, even when we have been turned around. We can always turn back. Help us to look at you and know that you're the most beautiful, exciting, and that holiness can mean happiness. and that we discover this and take these little steps and discover that you are very good, and we'll taste and see that you are good, and want to follow you. Even when we fall down, you help us back up and carry us. We thank you for that in Jesus' name. Amen.