Untitled Sermon (2)

Philippians 1:6

“He’s still working on me”

there’s a word I want to lift in your hearing found in Philippians at chapter number one in verse number six Philippians chapter 1 in verse 6. I want to talk about “he's still working on me” “he's still working on me”.

I wonder how many of us this morning will honestly admit that we are a work in progress. I'm not all that I ought to be but I thank God I'm not what I used to. He's still working on me. Paul greets these Philippian Believers with a prayer of Thanksgiving He is thankful upon the slightest remembrance of them. These people who had proven to be a very special blessing to Paul in his ministry in the gospel. Paul takes the time to to tell them how much he appreciates their friendship......he appreciates how they have ministered to him. They sent an offering to him....they have met his needs and so he writes them a thank you note and sends it by his emissary Epaphroditus......to tell them how much he appreciates having them in his life. Brothers and Sisters this morning it's important to let people know when they've been a blessing to you.

You ought not wait...you ought not let a moment pass....you ought not let a day go by....if there's somebody who has shown you a kindness....if they're somebody who has meant much in your spiritual maturation....if there's been somebody who's given you a helping hand....who's done something for you that they didn't have to do....somebody who has gone out of their way to be kind to you....you ought to say thank you to them while they can hear it.

There are those people who meant much in our growing up.....ecause I can scarcely think of where or who I would be right now if somebody had not gone out of their way to be kind to me.

Paul takes the time to write this letter to them.....he says every time I think about it....every time you run across my mind....every time I remember you....I give you thanks....I give God thanks for you for your labor...for how you work with me in the gospel Ministry and then

Paul encourages them in verse number six he says I am confident of this very thing that he who has begun a good work in you will perfect it....will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ. I want you to look with me brothers and sisters walk with me around the text and I want you to look with me

first of all at the confidence that belongs to the Saints the confidence that belongs to the Saints Paul uses a 8:00 strong word to describe the hope that he has in Jesus Christ 8:06 the verb confident is in the perfect tense and it actually 8:13 refers to a subtle persuasion of mine that was the continuing zolt a result of 8:18 a crisis in the past that God has made future and given you hope in the present 8:26 Paul is saying to these Believers he's exalting the fact that the Saints can have an absolute assurance 8:35 that they are saved without a doubt he wishes to emphasize brothers and 8:42 sisters that his certainty is grounded on God's creative and God's sustaining 8:49 activity the Bible literally overflows with verses that 8:57 tell the believer that we can know for sure that we are saved 9:05 tonight I'm confident I'm not diffident I'm not equivocating 9:11 I'm not nervous I'm not unsure I am confident 9:18 that he who has begun a good work will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ 9:24 I'm not guessing about my salvation I know that if I don't wake up in the 9:31 morning when I open my eyes I'm going to see Jesus Christ 9:38 I know that there is a poem waiting for me on the other side 9:44 I know that I'm confident I am assured and I don't have any doubt that I'm 9:50 saved and I need to say to somebody in here tonight people ought to guess how old you are 9:58 [Music] people ought to guess how much you weigh but they ought not have to guess if 10:04 you've been born again you ought to be confident 10:10 you're not looking at nobody you don't care what anybody says after church is over if God has been good to you if God 10:17 has opened the door for you if God has made a way for you if God has written 10:23 your name in the Lamb's Book of Life whatever it takes to express how glad 10:29 you are that you know that you're saved don't care who you're sitting by I don't 10:34 care what they think if God has saved you be confident 10:40 that he who has begun a good one will complete it 10:46 until the day of Jesus Christ if you've traveled on our side of town 10:52 um on 288 right around Blodgett and sophomore if you're using your cell phone if 10:59 you're on 288 at blockchain and sophomore there's a dead spot in that area 11:05 and uh if you're talking on the phone or got your Bluetooth in your your call will drop because there's a dead spot 11:11 right there on 288 at at Blodgett and sophomore uh tonight 11:19 in The Church Without Walls it may be a dead spot 11:25 where you're sitting you saved sanctified 11:31 filled with the Holy Ghost and somebody next to you might say it don't take all of that 11:38 you don't have to do all of that you don't have to make all that noise the man ain't said nothing yet and you 11:43 hollering and screaming he haven't gotten to the end yet and you making all that noise you might be in a dead spot 11:49 right in this church tonight but you have my permission in the middle of this message to get up from where you seated 11:55 get away from them dead people and find somebody who is confident 12:03 sure without a doubt that he who has begun a good work 12:09 will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ [Applause] 12:16 the Bible is running over with verses to give us confidence 12:22 first John chapter 5 and verse 1. says whosoever believeth that Jesus is 12:32 the Christ is born of God first John 5 and 13 says these things 12:39 have I written unto you that believe on the name of the son of God that ye may know 12:46 that you have eternal life second Corinthians 5 and 17 says 12:54 therefore If any man be in Christ he's a new creature 12:59 All Things Are passing away and behold all things 13:06 are become new Romans chapter 5 and verse number one says therefore being justified by faith 13:13 we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ 13:22 Romans chapter 8 and verse number one says there is therefore now 13:28 no condemnation to them that are in Christ Jesus who 13:34 walk not after the flesh but after the spirit I will let nothing 13:39 separate me from the love of God for we know 13:46 that all things work together for good to them that love 13:51 God and to those who are recalled according to his purpose I am confident 13:57 that he who has begun a good word will complete it 14:06 until the day of Jesus Christ the brothers and sisters it is not my 14:12 grip on God but it is God's grip on me 14:17 that makes the difference in my salvation I am not confident in my goodness 14:24 I am not confident in my character I am not confident in my history 14:32 I am not confident in my ability to persevere but I am confident in God 14:40 one of my favorite hymns is Blessed assurance Jesus Is Mine 14:49 oh what a foretist of Glory divine 14:57 I'm an heir of salvation I'm purchased by God born of his spirit 15:02 and washed in his blood perfect submission all is at rest 15:10 happy and blessed I'm watching and waiting 15:20 looking above filled with his goodness lost in his love this is my story 15:26 this is my song I'm praising my savior all the day long I am confident 15:33 that he who has begun a good work will complete it 15:43 until the day of Jesus Christ I'm not nervous about it 15:49 I'm not iffy about it I don't always look saved 15:54 I don't always act saved I don't always sound saved 16:00 I don't always feel saved but thank God my salvation is not based on how I sound 16:07 how I feel how I look my salvation is based on the fact that Christ died to 16:15 set me free [Applause] 16:22 I'm I'm trying to get through with this so I can go fellowship with with my young friend Ralph 16:28 um but let me make you blush here at The Church Without Walls like the blush that Lily Grove 16:35 I ever commit ment I enjoy [Applause] 16:42 come on help me brother because it doesn't make sense to sin 16:55 if you're not going to enjoy [Applause] 17:02 I started preaching at 18. pastoring at 20. 17:07 I never had a young adult life so I had to do all my sinning in church 17:15 somebody ought to help me preach here I had to do all my sinning in church I 17:22 never been to clubs I never smoked dope I've never been drunk I've never liked to be out of control of my environment 17:29 and so I've always been in control of myself so I never got a chance to do a whole lot of young adult things and I 17:36 envy that I wish I would have had an opportunity to do that but but I've been a preacher just about all of my life 17:42 longer than I haven't been I've been a preacher I've been a pastor longer than 17:49 I haven't been and every sin I committed in church I enjoy 17:54 now just like I enjoyed myself in my sin 18:01 I enjoy myself in my salvation and I am not about to let you or anybody 18:07 else dictate to me how I ought to thank God for my salvation 18:14 I wish I had one or two more Believers here if you don't like the noise I'm making go sit somewhere else 18:21 if me waving my hand is getting on your nerves find you a dead spot to sit in 18:28 but I've come here tonight on purpose to tell God thank you for saving me 18:33 thank you for setting me free thank you for writing my name in the Lamb's Book 18:39 of Life thank you for going to the Cross dying in my he took my place and I came 18:45 here tonight on purpose to give God my best Hallelujah 18:51 my best thank you Jesus my best praise the Lord I am confident 18:57 [Applause] that he who has begun a good word 19:03 [Applause] will complete it will perfect it 19:09 until the day of Jesus Christ that's the confidence 19:17 of the Saints but the confidence of the Saints brothers and sisters 19:23 is based on the commitment of the savior 19:29 is right here in the text I'm confident of this very thing 19:35 that he Jesus who has begun a good working man 19:41 we all know what God did for us the day he saved us 19:48 but what we fail what we failed brothers and sisters to consider 19:55 the fact that our salvation began long before we realized 20:01 as much as I shot over the fact of Christ going to the cross and dying in my place at a spatial temporal time and 20:10 relationship in the universe as much as I celebrate what he did on the cross I 20:19 celebrate even more that he did it before I even knew it 20:24 he saved me before I knew I needed to be saved 20:31 [Applause] let me see if I can help us with that 20:36 Jeremiah chapter 31 and verse 3 says I have loved you 20:41 with an everlasting love he chose us in Christ 20:46 and prepared a savior for us before the world was even framed 20:54 listen the very faith we needed to trust in him 21:02 he provided Ephesians chapter 2 21:07 verses 8 and 9 says for by grace come on help me quote it here are you 21:13 saved through faith and that not of yourselves 21:18 it is the gift of God not of works less any man 21:24 should boast s our good works have not resulted in 21:31 Salvation but rather our good works come from salvation 21:37 you cannot work your way to heaven you can never be good enough 21:44 because when will you know when you're good enough 21:51 you can't sing enough you can't pray enough you can't preach enough 21:57 salvation is all Grace is the gift of God lest any man should 22:03 boost our good works don't don't don't don't don't don't save us but we work 22:11 because we have been saved uh brothers and sisters the same God who began this 22:16 good work is able to perform it he will bring it to an end 22:23 this God of ours is able to complete it he's able to accomplish it and if we 22:31 trust him he will keep us until the day of redemption 22:37 he's faithful to his promises and he's faithful to his purposes 22:42 FB Meyer says we are sure that the work which his grace has begun the arm of his 22:48 strength will complete let me run that by you one more time FB Meyer says we are sure that the work 22:55 which is Grace has begun the arm of his strength 23:04 will complete the Holy Spirit never loses sight of the 23:10 end of his work his work will not end until he has made us just like Jesus 23:15 he will continue working on us until he has made us presentable enough 23:22 to pass with praise through the final test of judgment and fit to walk into 23:27 the presence of God and stand by Jesus whom God sent to save us so that when we 23:34 walk with Jesus in heaven the Angels won't be able to tell the difference [Applause] 23:41 ah brothers and sisters Jude says it like this now unto him 23:49 who is [Music] he to keep you from falling 23:58 and to present you faultless before the presence of his glory with 24:05 exceeding great joy you're here tonight not because you've 24:13 been dieting and exercising [Applause] you're here tonight not because you've 24:18 been going to the doctor and following your prescription you're here tonight not because you read 24:24 the Bible and you've kept the Lord's commandments so closely Jesus Christ through his holy spirit is 24:30 just able to keep us and to present us faultless even in our sinful flesh 24:37 now let me help somebody tonight am I Born Again soul 24:46 will never die nor ever sin 24:52 but I sin in my flesh every day 24:57 talk back to me if you can uh do you do you hear who are so holy 25:03 that that you answer your phone praise the Lord and and you two blessed to be stressed 25:09 and you blessed and highly favored and come on talk back to me if you can 25:18 you you know some people like that you you hate to talk to them because they're so Ultra spiritual that if they take 25:23 their coat off or their dress you can see their wings because they they are so pure and so Chase but there are some of 25:30 us in here about three or four hundred of us in here who don't mind testifying 25:37 that some days I get up on the wrong side of the bed sometimes I'm just full of hell I don't 25:42 want to talk I don't want to speak I don't want to do right I know what the right is I don't want to do what the 25:49 Bible says I don't want to live right but then the Holy Spirit constrains us 25:55 and brings us back to our senses because in our flesh we sin but thank God his 26:01 Spirit keeps us that when we get to church he revives our soul again 26:08 I I can't testify for you I can only be a witness for myself 26:20 that I need the Lord every day [Applause] I need him to keep my mind 26:27 keep my heart I wish I had two or three Witnesses here I I want the Lord to keep on working on 26:35 me and I want you Christians here to be patient with me God ain't through with 26:42 me yet be patient with you listen whenever you see a person fall 26:48 don't judge him because you don't know how long he tried to stand 26:55 and maybe had you been walking in his shoes you might have fallen a long time before 27:03 somebody gonna help me preach it every time you point the finger at 27:10 somebody the scripture says Brethren if a man be overtaken in a fault ye who are 27:16 spiritual restore him in the spirit of meekness considering yourself lest you 27:22 be overtaken in the same fault my salvation ain't based on what I do it's 27:28 based on what's already been done for me Christ did it for me Christ died for me 27:34 and his commitment to me keeps me saved [Applause] 27:41 that's the confidence that the saint has 27:48 based on the commitment of the savior finally 27:53 broadened by the comfort given to us in the scriptures 27:59 our brothers and sisters hear me there is comfort in knowing 28:05 that this Earthly life will not last forever 28:10 there is coming a day when the saints of God 28:17 will leave this world with all of its pitfalls 28:22 all of its hardships all of his sorrows 28:27 all of this will be over after a while you hear who over 50. 28:33 can help me and Ralph to testify I remember when our hair was black 28:40 [Applause] when we were slender and good looking 28:47 before y'all wore all the pretty off of us When We Were Young and and vibrant 28:52 full of life and energy but now Ralph and I and many of you in 29:00 here tonight Are Over 50. and you can help me testify 29:06 that when you get over 50 when you wake up in the morning 29:11 you sound like a bowl of rice krispies 29:17 snap Crackle 29:26 and pop [Applause] if it ain't your shoulder is your knee 29:31 if it's not your knee it's your elbow [Applause] somebody ought to help me talk it 29:37 you get out of the bed and stand up on your feet and your feet hurting and you ain't walked on them all night 29:43 I need somebody over 50 to help me shout here you're looking for your car keys and in 29:52 your hand you're looking for your eyeglasses and you got them on 29:58 you go in the room and say what in the blank that I just go in here for 30:04 somebody ought to help me talking um because there's a leak in this 30:10 building somebody gonna help me close here in a minute and sooner or later my soul 30:15 has got to move I wish I had one or two witnesses here I get tired of ugly words from people at 30:24 the church Come on talk back to me some of the most hurtful things that have ever been said 30:32 about you and I have been said by people who go to church some of the meanest people in Houston 30:38 Belong To The Church Without Walls some of the nastiest people in Texas 30:45 sing in the choir at Lily Grove some of the ugliest acting people in the 30:52 world go to church every Sunday morning if there was such a thing as a bus 30:58 loading up to go to hell it could pick up his first load at the church 31:04 I get tired of folk lying on me I get tired of folk criticizing me I'm 31:12 doing the best I can and they don't appreciate it somebody'll help me talk here I'm giving 31:19 God my best sermon and they say he could have done better than that you sing your best song and they said 31:25 that was too loud you could have toned it down you come to church and just try to give God glory you've had hell all 31:33 the week long hell in your family mess on your job a no good supervisor a silly 31:40 child a crazy husband or wife don't you get tired of that 31:49 [Applause] yeah 31:54 sickness stress 32:00 heart attacks struggles strain 32:06 don't you get sick of that [Applause] medicine 32:13 IVs shots doctor's appointments 32:18 funeral homes graveyards I'm getting tired of that 32:25 young man Pastor talked about a moment ago shocked by some fool here in Houston 32:31 for no good reason I saw on the news this morning too young babies burn one of them was burned left 32:37 in the house by mother and a father another child was beaten to death two years old I'm tired of that 32:44 I'm sick of women being raped and and young children being sexually assaulted 32:51 I'm sick of blacks being beaten up and shot by the policeman I'm tired of white 32:57 folks walking all over us and Negroes walking all over us somebody ought to help me talk here 33:02 because sometimes the problem ain't coming from the outside the problem is in our own house 33:09 I'm tired of that I'm sick of the world and the mess that it's become but one of 33:15 these days I am confident that he who has begun a good work in me 33:21 will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ 33:27 I'm going to my seat now but that day of Jesus Christ is not talking about judgment 33:34 because my judgment was handled at Calvary 33:42 I need somebody to help me close right here when I stand before God brothers and sisters I'm going to be confident 33:47 not in my history not in my goodness but confident that what Jesus did once and 33:54 for all will take me before the father without a spot or blemish 33:59 I need somebody to help me close right here I know that one day when I stand before God it won't be because of the sins that 34:05 I committed because he nailed my sins to the cross 34:12 the handwritten ordinances Colossians says that were against me he nailed them to the cross and the hammer he used 34:18 doesn't have a claw on the end of it so that you can take those sins off the cross because he will never judge me 34:26 again for sin because that would be double jeopardy 34:33 in the court of law you can't be tried twice 34:40 for the same crime that's double jeopardy when I stand before God 34:45 is not going to be about my sins because Jesus paid for my sins on the 34:52 cross but when I stand before God it's going to be to get my reward because I born my burden In the Heat of 34:57 the Dead I've worked in the church all of my life I've given God my best service I've 35:05 tried to live a Christian life I've tried to be a Godly preacher and pastor 35:13 I've made some mistakes I've done some things right and I've done some things wrong but I still thank God that he 35:19 called me I still thank God that he saved me I still thank God that every Sunday he's 35:26 pleased to use me I'm not all that I ought to be and I'm not yet what I'm going to be 35:32 but I thank God I'm not what I used to be some of you who was raised in the church 35:40 I need somebody who was raised in the church who remember when those old deacons would get on their knees 35:46 and we would go home and pray just like we heard them praying because they would pray the same prayer 35:53 every morning I wish I had somebody who was raised in the church who can help me 36:00 close right here they said my Lord here I am 36:05 knee bent and body bound with my face bowed to the mother's dust 36:11 and my heart lifted to the throne of grace thank you that the bed I laid in 36:18 was not my cooling Bowl I wish I had somebody raised in the church and the 36:25 kivers that I laid in was not my wind and sheet thank you for a reasonable 36:30 portion of my health and stress thank you that when I woke up this morning you touch me 36:37 with a finger of love and my eyes spring wide open and I beheld a brand new day a day that 36:45 I'd never seen before and a day that I'll never see again and we used to 36:53 laugh at those prayers and we used to go home and mock them for those prayers but 37:00 now that some of us are over 50. we get down on our knees and say now Lord 37:05 I want to thank you that the bed I laid in was not my cooling Bowl I want to thank 37:13 you for a reasonable portion of my health and strength is there anybody 37:22 here no trouble don't last always it's a mess in this world right now but 37:28 I'm going home to be with the Lord that's troubled all over Houston right 37:35 now but that's a bright side somewhere there's Strife in your family that's 37:41 hurt in your relationships but after a while it's all going to be over 37:48 the scripture gives us the assurance that we know that when this Earthly 37:54 House of this Tabernacle is dissolved we have another building a house not made 38:00 with hands but Eternal in the heavens you're gonna help me close this won't 38:07 you let not your hearts be troubled if you believe in God 38:13 leave also in Me In My Father's House of many mansions if it were not so I 38:19 would have told you I go to prepare a place for you and if I go I'll come 38:29 again and receive you unto myself you're gonna help me close this won't you soon 38:38 I will be done with the Troubles of this world I'm 38:45 going home to live with God is there anybody here 38:50 confident tonight that he who began a good work will complete it until the day 38:56 of Jesus Christ is there anybody here know that your name 39:04 is in the Lamb's Book of Life if the Lord's been good to you and you don't 39:11 mind testifying if God has opened the door for you and 39:17 you don't care who's looking at you if God has made a way for you 39:23 and you're not embarrassed to testify why don't you grab somebody 39:28 why don't you shake somebody's hands tell them I know 39:34 I know and whom I believe and he's able 39:39 to keep that come on tell somebody else he's able to 39:46 keep that which I've committed unto him you're gonna help me talk about him 39:53 won't you call his name too much but let me call his name before I take my seat right now 39:59 I haven't said his name too much but I feel like calling his name right now 40:07 Y'all Gonna help me call his name feel like calling his name he's Adam's Redeemer He's Able 40:13 Vindicator he's Abraham's sacrifice he's Noah's Ark 40:21 Moses Bush on fire I know him don't you Joshua's battle ax he's Gideon's fleece 40:27 he's Samson's power David's music he's Solomon's wisdom 40:36 y'all know him don't you he's God's only son his marriage baby boy he's James and 40:43 Jude's older brother he's Matthew's King mock suffering servant Luke's great 40:51 physician John's word made flesh acts coming of the Holy Ghost the only 40:58 begotten of the father y'all know him don't you he's a rock and a weary land 41:05 he's a shelter in a time of stone he's a friend when you're friendly bad 41:11 when you're hungry but when you're fasting why don't you grab somebody 41:17 your neighbor tell him I know him for myself 41:25 I know it I know him I know him 41:31 [Music] know he's all right 41:36 [Music] 41:46 [Applause] 41:53 excuse me trust Without Walls I gotta tell you my testimony one more time the 42:03 doctor said I'd be dead in two hours that was three years ago and he said if 42:10 I live I'd have to go in a nursing home but here I am tonight 42:16 clothes and in my right mind with a reasonable portion 42:22 of my health and strength and if you don't mind help me tell God thank you 42:29 come on tell him thank you man thank you for all you've done for me thank you for 42:35 the many ways you've been thank you for the many doors you open 42:45 thank you thank you thank you thank you thank you 42:51 I know he's all right 43:00 [Music] 43:16 English (auto-generated)