Something in the Layaway 11-7-2021

7 years ago, is that what it was when that happened? Oh, I thought you still me. Save it some time ago. When her husband was he coded in the end? I was going from eight minutes and he came back and the gods are. He's a miracle worker. Promise keeper, praise God, praise God. I know Mike mentioned about our veterans. Do we have any better engine here in the service? A man? Let's I want you to stand. I want you to stand. Hey, man, let's give praise God. Thank you for your service. Thank you for your service. We can have service services like this because of the service you did for our country and we have so many other freedoms because of that. So we thank you so much. Praise God, praise God. I I have been so excited this morning ever since we had three young kids coming to church this morning. That excites me that excites me that it gives me some new energy when I see them. Kids come in the door. So, I I'm so thankful for them and and appreciate him so much for being here. This morning. I'm going to be reading this morning from 2nd, Timothy chapter 4 and this passage of scripture. I I want to be able to say this when I passed on from this world. It's such a powerful passage of scripture. It excites me every time I read it and you know, we had something great in store for our future as a child of God. We have something exciting in store. And Paul talks about that here in 2nd Timothy chapter 4. It says I have fought the good fight. I have finished the race. I have kept the faith. Now there is in store for me. The crown of righteousness was the Lord. The righteous judge will award to me on that day. And not only to me, but also to all who have longed for his appearing. Praise God. Title my messages, something in the layaway. I remember, as a young boy. I remember putting a bicycle in layaway. And I was so excited about that bicycle and my dad. If it would, my Dad could have bought that bicycle for me and got it for me, but I put it in layaway and he wanted me to pay for it and I add more yard or do something and in set money aside in the boy, the day that I had enough money to pick that thing up. I was so excited. I was excited and I want you to know that there is something waiting for you. And I on the other side. Jesus has something exciting for each one of us. This week we had a a friend of ours and he was a deacon of the Church in Lexington. Missouri. We we spoke there several times they was without a pastor for quite some time and we spoke there several times and this man passed away and he was a great man of God. I went out to his shop and and was working and and evidently had a heart attack out there and and passed away. And I saw how sad I was. So, so bothered by the loss of him. And and thinking about his wife and having what she was having to go through. And then I got to thinking he's in heaven, this morning. He was in heaven that very morning. Praise God. He went from this world to that world. Hallelujah. Can't be any more excited about something like that than that. But this passage of scripture with it. We just read is talking about Paul. Here is telling us about Paul. Now this man Paul he was anointed man of God. I love to read about Paul. I love to hear the stories about Paul. He was the first missionary he chose to follow the leading of God. And going to Macedonia. I thank God for this man, Paul, but I want to remind you that he was no different than you and me. He was transformed by the power of God. He was changed. He was make brand new and an instant, he was made brand-new now where you hear about Paul's past, it was not a good past. It was an it was not good at all. You might remember how Paul had stood and have held the coats of the young man, that was stoning. The Deacon Steven, and how they had Stone Steven, the death You might also remember how Paul had sent out threatenings and warnings against the early church and how he fought against the church early, early church. He did everything he could to come against the early church. He was the most vibrant, an early opponent of the church, Paul did everything. He could against the church. He did not want to see the church scoreboard. You'll also remember that one day Paul was on the road to, to meet some Christians and bring them back captive. You remember how he is the worst of the worst roommate. His name was saw but Jesus met him on that Damascus, Road that day and he fell from that high ride. He was on and said, Lord. And when you say Lord church, that means he is supreme over everything in your life. And when you say, Lord, he becomes master of your life. And his name was changed from Saul to Paul that day and posted. Lord. What will you have me to do? There was something exciting that happened on that Damascus Road that day. I could tell you, those of you that I met Jesus. You know what I'm talking about. You know what I mean? When I talk about a Damascus Road experience, if you had a Damascus Road experience, where you fell from that high ride, you was on and you got down on your knees and said, Jesus would you come into my life and change me? I want to tell you. If excited. I remember my Damascus Road experience. Jesus changed my life, and I'm so thankful church. I'm so thankful for what he did for me. And I can tell you, I'm still thinking him today, for what, he did for changing me. For setting me my feet on Solid Ground. I would have went through things. I, I grew up in a, in a church, I grew up in a in a Christian home, but I want to tell you, I was Go away from God. I didn't do the things I should be doing. I think God, he came into my life and he changed me. I think it does as good a time to remember our past, just so we can look back and see how far God has brought us from. He's brought many over the Red Seas. Hallelujah. He's brought many through the Wilderness. Praise God. He has me. He's brought you through water. When you was, he gave you water when you was thirsty. How he's brought you food when you was hungry and how he was a companion to you, what you was lonely. You know, Israel, Israel, I never forgot it's past. They never forgot their past over and over again. They would remember where they had been and how they were delivered. You could hardly read a book in the Bible without Israel, going back and remembering where they came from and what God did for them, that day. You start out with Exodus how they were brought out. And when you get over in the numbers and Deuteronomy, they're still talking about and Joshua, they're still talking about it songs. You're still talking about it. Then you get over in the Hebrews and they're still talking about it. They never forgot it. They never forgot it. And I got a feeling Church. Hallelujah. I got a feeling we get to heaven. We're going to have the privilege of in a sitting down and hearing, brother. Moses talk about it again and Joshua will talk about it and Caleb talk about it at all. Interesting. To you. Remember went where God brought us from Hallelujah, I thank God for where he brought me from. I want you to know I'm thankful for what God has done in my life and the lives of others. It's by his mercy and his grace and I, thank God for Hallelujah. You look at David. He remembered his past, he looked back and he said, I remember a bear, and I remember a lion. And then he got on over. And after he'd killed Goliath, when he said, I have a sword. I have a sword in his. He said, I have a sword in his hand. He came to the priest and he said, all I have in this is here. And here is a store that I can add bologna and pickle. Ian. He said I remember that sword. He said, I remember that stored. Well, and he said, there's none like him. He remembers the bear. He remember the lion. He remember Goliath. And he remembered when he fell from that, and it went when you roll it, Psalms chapter 35, R23 three, he restoreth my soul. He restoreth my soul. He wrote the song. 51 Kathleen. Out away from my presence and take, not the Holy Spirit from me and restore unto me Lajoie. A my salvation. Will you begin to look back Church, you're going to remember your shortcomings, but I want to caution. You don't look at your shortcomings to low. Don't dwell on those things. Don't dwell on the sin. But dwell on the mercy and dwell on the grape growing apart and willing the glory of God. Hallelujah.

And look at where the Lord has brought you from. Look at where the Lord has brought you how he is brought you through and over and across and that will build your strength that will build your face to go on tomorrow. How he brought you through yesterday. And in times past Israel, kept bringing it up over and over again. In fact, when they crossed over Jordan, you'll probably remember how they said, said bring 12 Stones. They spent he said bring $12 out of the middle of that River and put them over there on the side. Stack them up right over here on the side. There was those that asked why in the world would we do that? Why would we carry those 12 Stones? Why are you doing this Joshua? Why do you want us to do this? He said we're doing it because there's going to be others that are going to come along that. Did not get out of Egypt, in bondage. Ben did not cross. The Red Sea that did not go through the Wilderness and did not cross the Jordan and they're going to come along and their ass. What does he? Well Stones mean and when they do you can sit down with them and you can explain them and you can tell them and let them know how God brought us through how God has brought us through.

Moms and dads and grandparents.

We need to start telling our kids and our grandkids. You need to let them know how God has brought you through. We need to let them know how God has brought you through, and where he has brought you from. Don't let them go through life. Just thinking it's just something that happens because I want you to know it's a miracle of God. When we get say, it's a miracle of God. When we get safe. There are many today. That all the way are doing is going around him and wanting to see signs and wonders. And that's all they're wanting to look for. That's all. They're looking for signs and wonders. Jesus said, I'm not going to show you another sign except the sign of Jonah. And the sign is June. It was Jonah was on mind Revival salvation. And that's the greatest Miracle can happen in any church. Today is the miracle of Salvation. You'll you'll see you'll see that Miracle is the greatest thing. You'll see. There are there might be some of you in this service today and you say preacher, you don't understand because when I look back over this last year and we have a lot of things that happened over. Last year, year-and-a-half two years. There's been a lot of things in this happen and it's a lot of those things has broken her heart. We've lost some loved ones. And this during this time, there have been some rough spots along the way. I have had some loved one pass away. You have had some loved ones passed away. There has been disappointments and Family's plans. It was supposed to return it out differently. If it did not There might be all kinds of things that have happened in your life.

In this last year, 18 months, whatever. It's been Shattered Dreams in her. And as we look in the past, we need to remember the past. And as I said earlier, you're not for the terrible, but for how God has brought us through, how God has brought us through, and carried us through each and every situation. Paul spoke from prison. Paulsboro from prison and from this horrible Drury dungeon from this terrible place, that Paul was in this saying, a god list of testimony in the midst of everything that was going on. He list of testimony and the middle of your heartache, in the middle of your sorrow, in the middle of your jail. You can lift a testimony. No matter how bad it gets, you can lift the testimony and say I know my redeemer liveth any rain forever and ever and ever. Hallelujah, you need a lift of testimony wherever you are no matter what you're going through because the Lord will be there with you. No matter what the circumstance might be. He'll be there to lead you through. We need to learn from this man, Paul. Who was not even and should not have even been in that prison. He shouldn't have been there. He shouldn't have been there. We need to learn the same lesson that we must testify. When we have, we must testify when we don't have

You need a testimony. That is. Just proof Church. You need a testimony that a Jailhouse Rock. You need a testimony that mounts with cares are on your shoulders. Cannot break you down. You need a testimony to divorce. Cannot alter your your relationship with God. You need a testimony that scares the devil. Every time he starts to Ward. You need it. I want to tell you something today. Your testimony can and will shake the gates of hell. It will shake the gate to hell and you need to stand on that testimony tales of the grace and the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Now, Pastor Paul. When you read here after Paul gives his testimony. He starts a series of I Has here. Paul said, first of all, and verse 7. He said, I thought he said I fought and I can tell you, he did fight. He I would have hated to come up against this saying a guy he didn't fight with this V. Not with a sword, not with the spear, but he did fight church. He did fight and I will assure you that you will have a fight on your hand. When you start doing something for God or the devil feels, he's losing ground in your life. He's going to fight against you. He's going to come against you with everything he has. Did try bring you down.

Paul stayed in there. And fought. He was Shipwrecked. And every time he was Shipwrecked, he floated up on a piece of wood on Shore and he start. Preaching the gospel. That wasn't going to deter him just because he got Shipwrecked he was going to keep right on going. He did not let the circumstances take him under, but he stood, and he stayed and he fought, there are so many to think just because they got saved, it's quitting time. They feel the rough journey is over with but I will assure you today that there are going to be many, many, many things that you're going to encounter that. You never had to before. Plus a lot of the same old thing, you had dealt with before. But you know what the difference is, you know, have his grace to carry you through the rough times and the difficulty there. I want to tell you something, and you need to realize this, the closer we get to the coming of the Lord, the more you're going to have to fight. It's just that simple. The more you're going to have to fight the more, you're going to have to battle. It's not going to be an easy rolls sliding in the glory. It's not. It's going to be a battle. You're going to have to water get there. You're going to have to want to get to heaven. You're going to have to desire to get to heaven. And what you need to understand is that you fake given the weapons to fight with. It's not for just, not Spears, or guns or knives. Our weapon is the word of God. It's the word of God is sharper than any two-edged sword. It will whoop the devil anytime you want to quote it. Hallelujah. I'm thankful for that promise 2nd Corinthians. 2:4 tells us for the weapons of our Warfare are not carnal But Mighty through God to the pulling down of strongholds. The remaining stronghold in the world. We live in today. There's many strong. I'll just make sure things are trying to come against us as the church. In every way we seen things happen in our church in the last couple of years. They're trying to take the freedoms of the church away and we got to stand our ground as the church. And I'm going to tell you something. There are many people are watching your lines that are watching the church and we need to leave the way. Church, I want you to know, when you begin calling the word of God. I can tell you it will work. It will work. I sent it will work. And I only do we fight our battles to the word of God, but we fight our battles on our knees. We fight our battles on our knees. You might not know what to pray, and I can tell you there where there's been times over the last several months. I didn't know how to pray, but I just prayed I just pray.

You might not know how to pray for the answer that you need just prey but prey just pray. It might be a simple prayer as a child would pray but pray because it will work. It will work, God hears and he knows what you have need of. He knows what you have need up before you pray for it. You whip the devil through prayer. You with the Enemy through prayer, the enemy may try to stop you from praying, but he can't make you stop playing. Just pray, just pray. I want you to know that governments have been made the fall priorities have been made to crumble. Why? Because somebody went down on her knees and pray. They went down or even Frank. Be ironed Kirk think about church. The Iron Curtain came down because somebody was on their knees praying. The Soviet Union collapsed because somebody went down on your knees and pray. Payroll had to let the children of Israel go, because somebody was on their knees praying. Hallelujah, church. That excite me, that excites me and there are still a few that are here today. And the only reason you were here in his service today. It's because you had a mom or a dad or a husband or wife or somebody to stay on your knees for you until God brought you Victory into your line. Hallelujah, I'm telling you it takes prayer. We got to pray. I'm so thankful this church. Praise on Monday night. I'm telling you guys going to touch this church, through the prayers of you as the people, in the congregation of his church. He's going to touch this church. This church is going to be a lighthouse. I'm telling you. I see that's a vision that I have for this church is it's going to be a lighthouse and Raymore, Missouri.

It takes seeking God. We need to pray. The Bible tells us the effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much, and it does Paul. Look back over all the things that has happened and he says, I fought a good fight. He said, I fought a good fight. He looks back and he says I had a fight on my hands. I really had a fight on my hands and I bought it. Well. I want to tell you this morning. I want to buy the time. I leave this world to be able to say I have fought a good fight. And I bought it. Well. And I did all I could do.

I want to be able to say, I did. All I could do.

Now, then Paul comes to the second. I have.

and he says, I finished my course. That denotes completion right there. I have finished, my course. He finish. What God asked him to do. He did not start and then stop. You know, I can remember when I years ago, several years ago. I was going to paint our house. When we lived in Odessa. I went and bought the paint. I got excited about going to Lowe's and buying the paint. I bought all the brushes. I bought all the rollers. I bought everything I needed and an even more. I thought all that it was exciting to get started, but I don't want to tell you, I got probably half of the side.

It's easy to start. It's hard to finish sometimes. It's hard to finish.

The pasta he completed. What was put before him. He completed it. He stayed in there. Anybody, he completely, I ain't telling you, it's one thing to start and it's altogether. Another thing to finish it. Is, anybody can start with takes a real man. It takes a real woman. It takes a real teenager to finish what God has placed before them and they get all the way from here to Glory. Because there's many teachers. There's many teachers just going to get in front of you and I will be days and times when you're going to feel like quitting. I've been there, I've been there and I'm sure you have to go be days that there be many days you want to just throw in the towel and stop? But just keep on going and finish what God has placed before you God is great, has great things in store for each. One of you for this church, and for each one of you and your family,

James J. Corbett that won the world heavyweight boxing championship many years ago from John F. Sullivan. Some of you might know about that after Corbett's retirement. He made this state. He said fight one more round when your feet are so tired that you have to shuffle back to the center of the Ring. White one more round when your arms are so tired that you can't hardly lift your hands to, come on guard. He said fight one more round. White one more round when your nose is bleeding, in your eyes or black and you're so tired. You wish your opponent would track you on the job and put you to sleep. White one more round. Remembering that the man that finds one more round is never whipped is never whipped. I just came by to tell you today. You need to let the enemy know you need to put him on guard church. We need to put the enemy on guard to the fact that you're going to keep coming back. No matter what, he throws your way. No matter how many times he throws things your way because greater is he, that is in you than he that is in the world. Hallelujah. I want you to understand. God did not call you. And I to do a half job. He didn't call us to do. I have job, it would have been easy for Paul to a stop many times. It would have been easy and people wouldn't blame them for stopping and for all he went through. But he kept right on going, he kept right on going. He stayed the course. Paul said I fought a good fight. He said, I finished my course, then he goes on to say, the third I had he said I kept the faith. Hallelujah, there are so many things in this world. We live in today. That makes it hard for us to hang onto anything. The Paul says, we can keep something. We can keep something. We can keep the faith church. We can keep the faith. We can hang on to our faith in God. I know there are times when I think things are crashing it all around you and it seems like your your world is falling apart. Just keep the faith. Keep trusting God when you don't know which way to turn, keep the faith. When you don't know how you're going to pay your bills. Just keep the faith. When you seen everything you dream for and hope for a walk out the door, keep the faith. You need to keep the faith in the midst of your storm when you're in the middle of that storm. Keep the faith. Keep that faith in your trial. Protect your faith in God, you're going to need that Faith to get through. You're going to need it. The closer we get to the Kumon the Lord's, you're going to need that Faith to get you through. When it comes down and he says, henceforth, praise God, we're at the exciting part now.

He says, henceforth, there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness. Hallelujah. What piece? What piece did Paul must have had knowing that there was a crowd of rights as waiting for him church, we can have that same piece. There is a crown of each one of you today. I'm telling you church. It's just about home time. Hallelujah. I said it's just about home time. Our course is just about completed. It's just about finished. It's just about done. And we need to keep on running, we need to keep on, finding, keep on marching, keep on singing. Keep on shouting church. We need to keep on, picking up boys and girls. We need to get turkeys and then his church. It's exciting to see these kids in this church. You're not going to do any wrong in my eyes. I can tell you moms and dads and grandparents. Those kids aren't going to do anything wrong with my eyes, aren't I? I'm just going to pray for him and be with them and and beside him. I want some of that energy. They have

what we need to keep telling the others about Jesus because one of these days the master is going to say it's quitting time. The day is over, in the night is past and the son of righteousness is coming. It's going to come back for each one of us. Hallelujah. And Paul said there's going to be a crown laid up for me and he said not just to me only but on the wall when they're looking for his appearing. I want to look for his appearing church. I want to be there. I want to be a part of that. I want to tell you. It is going to be an exciting time. There's going to be a camp-meeting like you've never saw before when we get there. Now. I'm telling you we've had some great camp meetings at the campground. We've had some great camp meetings at the campground. You can't kiss Camp men's Retreat and women's retreat. There has been some exciting things happen. God is healed. Miraculously. There has been known to have been saved and filled with the Holy Spirit. Ran the Isles of the church there. I want to tell you something. There's going to be a camping in heaven. Like we've never seen before. We have something to be excited about. We have something to be excited about because the word says henceforth, there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord will give me at that at that day. I have bought the fight. I finished my course. And I've kept the faith. I kept the faith and we need to do that. Heather about 9 to close father. Glory to God. Florida Godfather, this is serious business. The altar time. It's the most important part of any service is the altar time. And father. I thank you for this church. It's a Praying church. I thank you for this body of Believers there. Looking forward to your coming. And father, we just believe today. Right now, in the name of Jesus. We believe for the glory, in the power of God just to come down and minister right now, in this place, got touch from the front of the church to the back of the church in from side-to-side right now. Lord, for anyone, that might be listening. I'm praying God, that you would just begin to speak to their hearts today. Father, and you have made salvation. So simple a child could understand it. But if we would pray and we would ask for forgiveness of sins and invite you into our hearts and our Lord, you're standing there With Arms, Wide Open to receive us and I pray, the Lord. Is there somebody here in the service or somebody just listen online. I pray that they would pray that prayer today asking for forgiveness of sins and inviting you into their heart, and Lord your stand With Arms Wide Open to receive them. Glory to God the greatest Miracle can happen. The Lord. We thank you for that. We thank you for that glory to God. Why I had them about our bad nights are closed. If there's anyone here, that doesn't know the Lord Jesus Christ, as your personal savior here, here, this morning. And, and I don't like to to never close a service without asking that question. Because we never have any insurance if tomorrow. We, none of us have any insurance have tomorrow. If you're here this morning, and you're not absolutely sure you're ready to meet Jesus, if Jesus was to call you home. And you just flip up your hand. I make a promise you I'll not embarrass you in any way. I make that promise you, I will not embarrass you in any way, but if you're here this morning and your, you'd let that hand say I'm not absolutely sure. I'm ready to meet Jesus. Jesus. Just call me home You Slippin at it right back down and just say, pray for me. Praise. God, Lord. We thank you. We, thank you, Lord, for touching. We. Thank you. Lord, for ministering in this place. I pray, Lord, that you would continue to touch. Lord in just a few moments, we're going to open these altars and I just believe God that you want to touch. I believe that you want to do some healings in the house. This morning. Father. I'm looking forward to that day. When you come back, but right now, father. I believe you want us to do your business and Lord. Your business is to heal, your business is to deliver your business, is to do change lies in a moment's time, and I'm praying God. Did she would do that today? We live in a world where all kinds of diseases are going on, but father and the name of Jesus, you can heal instantly, you can heal progressively and you can heal through doctors. I realize that. But father, I'm praying for miraculous healings and this place today. Father, I'm praying for Sons and daughters, and grandchildren. Parents. Grandparents been praying for I'm praying God. That you would just begin to touch them right now, in the name of Jesus, as we pray and agree together. In the name of Jesus. I want us to stay in this morning, praise God. Praise God. Praise God. Dan's going to play something through the music him as he does. I, I want us to just come around these altars this morning and just, let's just spend some time in prayer around these altars. Again. I got such a vision in a heart for this community. God is just placed it something special in our sending eyes Hearts about this community and and we're believing with you for this community and I wants to come around these officers this morning. I was wanted to spend a little bit of time just praying for a community if you need special prayer and in Becky, we want to pray for Dean. We want to pray for this morning. If you want to come and sit up here. I know you might not be able to stay at or if you want somebody else. Is somebody else would come and stand in for Dean? I want as a church to pray. That God would just touch Dean this morning. Just give him a Special Touch in his body. But let's come around results for just a little bit and get some time to the Lord at these altars. Praise God.