Sunday, September 15th, 2019 - AM - Church in the Park

Stand about right here. I'll know when it's about time to be done preaching by the time. I'm in the stay then I'm sorry, you're halfway through. I'm just kick Philippians chapter number 4 on a draw your attention to three verses in particular as we have our time in the world today Olympians chapter 4 look with me if you would adverse number 11. Bolsas here right in the church at Phillipi from prison remind remind us of that. He's in prison and he can still write these words pull says not that I speak in respect of want. I have learned. In whatsoever State I am therewith to be content. I know both how to be abased.

And I know how to abound. Everywhere and in all things I am instructed both to be full and to be hungry both to abound and supper mean rebirth 13 out loud with me. Would you I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me a little clearer today, perhaps then we have before I pray the Lord that you would speak through me as you've worked in me and for thank you for these precious words from this man that gave his life to follow you and serve you and no doubt had concerns for his own nation and yet still wrote and encouraged Christians to be in submission under the authority over them. Lord we have great concerns for our country and all the things that we're going through then right now Around the World Lorde there seems to be so much unrest I need your word we can find peace and we can find Hope and we praying that we would understand the power that Paul speaks of here the capability to do all things through Christ, maybe understand it can text. Julie may be applied to her heart as we walk with you daily and will thank you in Jesus name. Amen. A man, these are some powerful words that Paul writes here. Now, we've done a study for the book of Philippians. Mr. Mike has gone through this book with us even recently and I brought various messages from the book of Philippians. It's it's a treasure. This book is in the New Testament. You learned so much did Jesus Christ. I studied this. This was the text of the scripture that we used as I studied about missions and what it was for the local church to be involved in a game of gospel to the ends of the Earth. And so as you approach the book of Philippians you to read it as we would read one of the missionaries that's written a letter from a field from the field from afar and written it from abroad and riding back to encourage us to serve the Lord. Now the difference is Pauls words were given by inspiration of God and their props. And so we don't equate, you know missionary letter with scripture unless they quoted scripture which many of them do we have brother Wayne start updates from a mission and when he begins his letters, it's almost like he said giving us an encouragement to charge account from the scriptures. I love that. I'll go to start does that any sets our minds on the scriptures first and foremost as a missionary letter that here is Paul the Apostle. He's a Missionary Church plant has been sent out of a local church to go into use of God to establish so many local churches in the Asia Minor area. And now as we serve God, he stays such persecution that where he's gone to free people has been so upset that they've actually arrested him and put him in prison for speaking the name of Christ openly. By the way, there be a good place for somebody to say. Thank God for America.

We can do what we're doing without fear having to go in the ground right now on this soil and that came at a at a great great cost. The price has been paid. Only the only from our forefathers and those that have given their lifeblood to those are serving even right now as we sit here. There are people defending our right to do what we're doing here to open the Bible and a study that in a public park in open forums it take little children and teach them to Bible without fear of someone coming to take it to wait for it.

To be a fear Monger or anything, but if we're going to keep up and make sure that it doesn't get taken away from her. I'm so we've got to do that in these vs. He's riding from prison. He's riding through a church that has a heart for Missions to get the gospel to the ends of the Earth. And the Beast would be known in the book of Acts chapter 8. I'm sorry in 1st 2nd Corinthians 1st Corinthians chapters 8 and 9. These would be known as the Believers in Macedonia. Owen is missionary journey. He came to a place intro as and had a mind to go eat with the gospel by the holy spirit is not allowed by God at that time to go eat into Asia Minor proper. It said during the night while he was at relax. He had a dream and across the sea from where he was. It was a man of Macedonia. It's not a Macedonian lifted up his voice and full streaming and said come help us some help. And so that was the Turning Point a 180 degree difference in Po's Direction. He was headed east and the Holy Spirit told him to go Northwest across the sea so he gets across the sea there in Lansing in a up in the Macedonian area begins to preach as it gets just a little way Sandlin becomes to the city of Phillipi and just outside the city do the river and is a prayer meeting happening down at that River and there's some ladies that are gathering for prayer down there. And they're having a worship service. They're praying. Call Joyce in and there's a lady there named Lydia as he's able to leave the Christ and she gets saved. Not only while he's in a something else happened. There was there was there that was caught up in sorcery in different things and begin to worship Jesus Christ in jail number that in the Midnight Hour and in Silas and that jail cell and they were just I'm sure they were doing better than I was up there earlier, but they were singing and praising God worshipping in. And through the night and so much. So I guess they're music had the effect on the Jailer that he just kind of nodded off. You know, I do that. Sometimes I have that effect on people. I don't know probably not I would guess they're singing hymns. But you know what you just kind of thing for the hours and you seen those precious precious Fruit Stand song. Maybe singing some songs with you sing some hymns and the Jailer checked out and he's fast asleep and then an earthquake happens and And the doors of the jail cell open and Paul and Silas and those with them they could have just walked right out of that jail cell, but they didn't they stayed right there with the daler got up and saw the other prisoners gone. Nobody else would be, you know, dumb enough to stay in the jail. The Paul and Silas State because it was the right thing to do and through that. He was getting ready to dinner was getting ready to take his own life because he knew that if he didn't hit the authorities were going to have him put to death for falling asleep on the watch and let the prisoners escape and he got to give an account for that ride is the the Act was about to be done his voice since his don't do that, basically. I'm dumbfounded the man looks the pole and after everything they've done to that worship service at night. He said sirs. What must I do to be safe. So here we have Lydia we have that that young lady who was caught up in sorcery and Witchcraft and only God knows what else with all the drugs and things that go along with that and you have this Jailer who's just making ends meet and working. This is jobby my Call of the Dead End job. I don't know he's having to do it and if he's there at the end of his life in a Lolo play so mean the man was already down this road. I guarantee you. Why would he be contemplating what he was constantly that night and through not only them but a nucleus of Believers begin to form their at Phillipi and they just love God with everything they had they served him. And they went through times of great distress and difficulty just for serving God. Sometimes they would show up to meetings and there might be just a few in number other times. Maybe they have some more Gathering but they they gave of their want. And they were the keepers of Macedonia that Dave sacrificially and every need that Paul had they found out some way that they could try to meet his need even when they didn't have it themselves. They would give to take care of all because they knew he was doing exactly what he did at Phillipi everywhere else you went and so they stood behind him and they find a time again. It's so when we re promises like Philippians 4:19 my God shall supply all your need according to his riches and Glory. We must keep it in context. The condition to having that bursts fulfill that having that promise met is it you are to the place where you are giving and sacrificially giving yourself to the Lord first and then focused on others rather than yourself. That's when that verse comes into play in post as I have. No doubt. God will supply all your needs according to his riches in Glory by Christ Jesus. So what's not lift verses out of context? I'm afraid that Philippians 4:13 is just so one of those verses that it's easy to apply to every circumstance under the sun when it might not exactly fit every single circumstance Under the Sun 12 and verse 13 Is Paul getting some words about? The roller coaster of Life how many of you know that life is like a roller coaster? Some of them are a little more twist and luthien crazy than others right? Some of them they just Pedal to the metal and then boom it stops and it's done others making you get a little coasting in there. I don't know what kind of roller coaster first person you are. My favorite was always the Great American Scream Machine and I grew up riding that and Six Flags Over Georgia, and it was one of those old wooden coasters. Remember those you just go up that big mountain and then plummet to your death. I'm still alive. I didn't really know it takes everything from you. I tried to do some of those really twisty turbie ones and then I had to go to the chiropractor all the equipment and everything and stop walking around sore for a week and a half after that. Yeah life is full of ups and downs and Paul says here he's been through though and through every circumstance through every situation. He says there is a temperate there is a place where I can know that I'm safe. There is a peace that passes understanding he writes that in this letter by the way about the peace that passes understanding because there's this place in the midst of all of the the up and the downs and all of the prosperity and all of the lack. There's a constant there's a steadiness that carries us through no matter what's going on around us and so we can face the external From the street that we have in the internal go back to that fateful night where the Jailer got saved that was a horrendous circumstance from that man's perspective so much so that he thought life wasn't worth living anymore and yet through it all Paul reminded him of the constant know there's a better answer. There's a better way you don't need to do that. You don't need to go to that extreme. How would I be able to praise God in the middle of the night in the prison cell? It was because of what they knew inside the strength. They found in the Inner Man now think about Philippians 4:13. I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me. He wants more once more with you.

Not that I speak in respect of want the word want means lack for I have learned. Phrase by phrase here. There's a couple of ways that we can learn we can learn by education edumacation what we learned by experience.

Sometimes it's better to learn by education. Sometimes you can't learn education what you need to learn by experience. I can illustrate both of those for you very easily. Oh, I have you know, I've watched and observe children and if there's one that gets in trouble before another they learn this the other one that didn't get in trouble learns from education while the other one learns from experience. Felt I was thinking in a minute.

I would also it was created this way. I spent many years in a classroom studying the Bible learning how to study the Bible. I went through Seminary classes that we theorized about what we would do in situations when we show up The Pavilions and power doesn't work and when when things aren't working exactly like we'd like them to we only see about that, but if we get into the experience of it My pastor that I served under in Pensacola before we moved out here. He said that he had written a manual to help his inference, which would she helped me tremendously and the title of that was please avoid my mistakes some suggestions suggestions for doing so in there. He had a statement that he said what you cannot get I don't I don't know her exact that one, but it was basically what you cannot learn from the center of classroom, but what the first two weeks of ministry will require you to know.

It's so that was your mistake for me to tell we were able to learn by education, but then for the internship I learned so much by experience. So Paul says here. I have learned what kind of education did Paul have?

Cream of the crop of his day religious beliefs as a Pharisee of the Pharisees the man had the educational knowledge. He knew the scriptures. And that comes down all of his right and she wrote 14. I say 14. Maybe you say such as I say 14 books of the New Testament she wrote them and we have such record of his knowledge of the scriptures.

And I'd only just knowing them he knew how to apply them to life and how to bring Christ out through the Old Testament scriptures time, getting to see him doing that. I have work. All the education in yet. Paul says I've learned. There's some things he experienced while serving God that he would have never learned. I do not follow the Holy Spirit where he did what if he would have gone to Asia Minor instead of the Macedonian. Well, you can scratch Philippians possibly out of the New Testament to the Asia Minor is I don't know. How do you say I just made that up but it said of the book. And it's so tight he writes them and he says I have learned in whatsoever State I am therewith. Here's the key you want contentment? Contentment be content with such things as you have. Godliness with contentment is great gain that desire. They that want to be rich and pursue that pierce themselves through with many Sorrows. They're not the victims. They did it to themselves because they got their priorities that a lot godliness with contentment be content with such things as you have dogs been good. So Paul at times we had plenty Paul had times where he probably had a lot of whack and he's praying Lord. Where's he going to come from? I don't know where the next meal is going to happen man. It's cold here. And he says make sure you bring the Scrolls. I need my books and I need my coat. It's cold in here, and I'm bored. I need to read and so help me there were times when Paul had great great lack and he suffered persecution and yet through it all he remained content. We remain in that constant in that study. He says I have learned in whatsoever State. I am therewith to be content to be found. When were satisfied in Jesus Christ vs. You satisfied. Have you found that satisfaction that only Christ can give there is a strength. I can do all things through Christ, which strengtheneth we learned to be content with the things we have when we learn to be to abound and abase and all of these things when we come to that meeting when we find that constancy satisfaction that come I don't have to try to please God anymore because Christ did it for me I can stop trying to work. To get in good with God and I can just trust Jesus and All His blessings are mine. There's the satisfaction that comes from knowing your sins are buried Beneath the Sea the deepest sea as far as the East is from the West so far if you removed our transgressions from us satisfied number 12.

What did you learn to be content? That's what you want first will I know so now he moves learned but I know it and so now I know I know couple of things I know both how to be abased. That's so slow time that's down here. Your basement is humility. I know how to be abased and I know how to abound that's up here. That's the prosperity. So in times of want and Times of whack and Times of humble. I know how to abound it and then in times where he found in the prosperity, he knows what to do with failure as well as he knows what to do with success. It's not about us. It's about trust and see about the Lord Jesus. He said he's everywhere and in all things. I am instructed. This is really interesting. He's learned in verse 11 now. He knows I have been instructed nephew. Look that word up. You'll find out that that word instructed means he learned the secret.

Where was the instructions? Well, if you study other portions, you'll find out this man sat at the feet of Jesus Christ himself. Friendly's 3 years on the backside of the Arabian Desert before he was ever in Ministry from the time to the time he went for about 14 years, so don't think it happen overnight. Paul says I am instructed have found out the secrets of this thing. There is there is something to this. I have been instructed to found out the secret. This isn't some Gnostic secret knowledge that's didn't necessarily that you have to have a special key to unlock know it's right here. It's available to anyone who will seek the Lord they can find the same Secret. From. You since I know both how to be abased and I know how to abound everywhere in all things. I am instructed. I found out the secret in every area of my life. Here's the secret of how do I live? I am at the same time. And I'm at the same time hungry.

I can do both. I don't know about you, but you're just a few moments when our lunch shows up. I'm looking forward to stopping at 2 to not being hungry anymore. And I'm looking forward to being full and then I'm going to have to take a nap in the shade somewhere because that's usually the effect that has on me. I have to go find it.

Houses in everywhere, you know thinks I'm hungry and yet I'm full.

how to be full and how she hungry how to abound and how to suffer knee I don't have all the answers. But in every situation this is the secret are you hungry? And at the same time? Are you full?

I'm going to let the scripture be descriptive because if your minds like mine, it's already racing in in so many ways about how to be full and hungry at the same time. I'm full of God's blessings my cup runs over and yet I hunger for the righteousness of God. I thirst after what Jesus Christ would do in improving and yet I'm So Satisfied God has been so good to me. He's blessed me beyond anything that I could ever drink. I'm full and I'm hungry. I'm yearning for more and yet I'm content and I just count my blessings and say how good God has been. Hostess that's the secret in other words don't stagnate. Don't find that mediocre place where you're neither full North hungry. You're just kind of. Bible reading I can take it or leave it there life. I can take it or leave it search. Okay, I'll go if it's all right. I take it or leave it. That's not where you're going to find the speaker.

Not those kind of attitude. It's not a take-it-or-leave-it kind of mentality as we serve Christ as to be I'm so hungry for him and I'm famished to see God moving my family and in my home and in my life same time, I am full and how God has been to me. He is been so good to me. So as Paul says here, he's learned the secret. Let me summarize it for you this way. Not only is there straight. And being Satisfied by Jesus Christ, there is strength to be found in being edified by Jesus Christ. Say that with me their strength and being Satisfied by Jesus Christ posted. I have been instructed to use edified in this knowledge of how to be hungry and how to be full of the same time built up rooted and grounded in Christ growing into the statue in the maturity of him. So I ask you are you satisfied content? Are you being edified? Are you learning a price for he's making Lotus continually being built up in him running over and yet hungry to see God do more in your life. Certainly. I want to look at verse 13 and keep the contacts in your in your mind which satisfied in Christ ratified in Christ in their strength in that but there's a third one. He says here I can do all things through Christ, which strengtheneth me. Now I looked at it and I read it roughly in the original and and it just spoke to me volumes and you have a wonderful translation to read it literally all. ability He works all ability and it's by.

the strengthening

Jesus Christ Think that through work by word with me all ability. Through or by through the strengthening that comes by Jesus Christ. As we read the translation that makes sense why they would put it the way they did right? I can do all things all ability. Ability for what ability to be hungry ability to abound and ability to be full of bility to be satisfied. You can find that strength in your life and it's only through one source. We showed up this morning. We tried every way we could we plugged into every hour we can find except for the right one. Is right back there in the lady walked in with her tester plug the singing in Boots you had power is that one hour? Cuz she got plugged into the power source. And then we had to find out what's going on. I would I would assume that she had to go put the breaker something behind the lock in the back and when she did that it opened up the rest of the circuitry and we were able to have power all the way up here. It came through somewhere now. It came from the grid. I know we're not running our own solar and we don't have generators and we're not going to run a windmill to generate our own power here to wear on a grid. We get our power from the city today have to make power from somewhere burning coal or or fire or four different means windmills over here me we have all kinds of ways and we try to generate electricity box and come to your Outdoor Equipment then we turned it into town. It's about sounds better than others.

But it's all to the glory of God. I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me think about that as we illustrate this. All ability comes through one source. Are you tapped into that or is it in your life like you're walking up and be out with might be there and you're trying to plug in but there's no juice. There's no energy flowing. Well, then something happened somewhere and the breaker got flipped or the power station went down the problems. Not with God. He's omnipotent. He has all power. So will the problem ever be that? The power station went out? Know the powers going to be probably on our end or somewhere in between us and God. Think about that Jesus Christ is the mediator. If you're not safe, then you're not right with God you are disconnected from life. You are disconnected from the life-giver. You must be born again. You must come through Jesus Christ and that way you have the Holy Spirit in you and that's where the source of power begins to move in your life. But as you walk with God we can have things come in our life that that maybe trip the breaker. I mean, we still have the circuitry of things in place, you know, we're on our way to heaven know. That's Grand but we're not walking and free things happen and we're hungry. We don't know what to do about we wind up making decisions in our own strength rather than relying on Christ. What's the real reason why you're hungry at this time? And what's the reason for do basement? What's trust God that he's working? Something bigger than us. I can do all things through Christ. Which strengtheneth me. Are you satisfied? There's a strength to be found and being Satisfied by Jesus Christ. There's a straight to be found by being edified in Jesus Christ built up in him under the perfect man wisdom and stature. There's also thirdly a straight to be found in. This is the last one for you. Think about this morning and being fortified by Jesus Christ. the fortification that comes all ability Peru the strengthening for the enabling the strengthening dunamis is the root word under that power the dynamite explosive power. I don't know what that does to the Greek word exactly all the Justice set that word entails but I mean dynamites pretty capable stuff in it.

What's up, when Jesus says about casting mountains into the sea and having faith of a mustard seed and nose thing. That's the kind of faith that moves mountains. That's only going to come through one source. It's going to come through Christ by means of Jesus Christ. The anointed one is gone. And so are you safe today? Are you walking and sweet harmony fellowship with God and trust in him. Are you plugged in so that power source and able to do all things now doesn't mean that I can walk out here and lift up to know a car if I felt like that I can do all things through Christ. Long, I'll be in the hospital very quickly. I try to do something like that what the learning the secret of contentment and that that even killing life that temper success let your moderation be known unto all men. For the Lord is at hand. There's a way that we can walk in our life.

I'm getting caught up in something. I love it.

amen I think if you get the message satisfy edified fortified think about that as you go from this place, and remember there's only one source to that godliness with contentment.

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