[0:01] Good to have you with us. And it's a beautiful, sunny day.
[0:12] Good, good to have you with us this morning. And I have our visitors with us and just great to be in the house of Lord, isn't it? We got people, I'm sure, sure. I'm still on vacation and going to and fro and everywhere. So good to have Jack back with us this morning after his surgery and said he's doing good.
[0:30] Not ready to do any cartwheels yet, but doing good. Ms. Donna is recovering from surgery. Ms. Shirley has had her surgery and done well.
[0:39] So we're just praising the Lord for all that. Just continue to keep him in your prayers as they heal and all that. So we will have Wednesday night Bible study this week. We're going through Hebrews. We're in chapter eight, is that right?
[0:56] Chapter eight. I'm doing the class and don't even know. So I think that's what we're at. Well, actually this Wednesday night, I'm going to back up and cover some stuff. So we're getting through it and having a good study.
[1:09] The Youth and Children's Services will start September the 14th and the youth will start back on September the 14th. So just keep that in mind and we'll be there every second and fourth Wednesday. Okay. So you're just going to do it twice a month.
[1:34] Okay, let's see. And then the Truth Seekers class will begin a new study next week on their Sunday school lessons. So come for Sunday school. Jack's having Sunday school with them and have Sunday school for children and Sunday school for truth seeker. We got Sunday school for anybody who wants to come, so just keep that in mind.
[1:57] Also, we are going to well, we're not, but we're sort of sponsoring or hosting this Friday at 600. We will begin to there'll be a group that will meet here. Winfrey is going to lead it up. You want to tell us about it a little bit, or do you want me to just tell him? Yeah, he don't like talking that much.
[2:23] Now, as you know, Winford works with Bridges of Hope. And so what we've done is I talked to him when he came before and we've talked about the deacons meeting, but every Friday at 06:00, they will have a support group meeting for those with addictions to alcohol or whatever, drugs, whatever, a support group meeting that they will meet here at 06:00. So if you know someone that would get some benefit out of that as a church, we're just going to let them have access to the fellowship. Paul it's open to anybody who wants to come to be part of that. So just being prayer about that ministry, winford leaves that and some of them.
[3:08] So just keep that in mind. If you know somebody get with Winford or whatever, invite them, tell them they're open to come 06:00. So we'll begin to have that for them every Friday at 06:00. Is that pretty good winford. I got that all covered.
[3:33] All right. So yes, ma'am.
[3:37] I'm sorry.
[3:44] 15 years. All right.
[3:48] He's not just doing something he doesn't know something about. He's been there, done that, and able to help others. So we're excited about it. I'm not doing it, but I'm glad to sponsor and help the people in the community and someone has been in their shoes, can relate to them. Let the Lord lead in whatever way he can and let us be a light in this community for these people.
[4:12] So just being prayer about that ministry. Anything else as far as announcements go? Deacons meeting will have on the 12 September. We'll have a deacon meeting? Because next Monday is Memorial Labor Day.
[4:29] Excuse me, not Memorial Labor Day. So I doubt anybody want to show up then. So we'll have the 12 September. We got the meeting we'll be hosting just coming up in October the 18th. We'll be hosting the annual Western Baptist Associational meeting here.
[4:46] So we got some things to talk about for that and invite you to come to that. That'd be good. Be interesting for you. Good singing and some preaching, I think, and going over some things. So that's coming up.
[4:59] We want to have some discussion about that. There was something else that just went through my mind.
[5:08] The activity building, we've got some lot of painting done. We started putting up ceiling grid. It's coming together. It's starting to look like a building, starting to look like classrooms. We're praising the Lord for that and for supplying the needs of those who come and help.
[5:25] Thank you so much. And we're just going to keep chugging along bit at a time and it'll get there. So just keep that in your prayers as we go through that. Anything else as far as announcements that I'm missing?
[5:42] I think everybody's good. I think you are. Like I said last week, you all see your faces from up here.
[5:52] I'm sorry.
[5:56] Yeah, there'll be several things. We've got fall festival coming up. We're going to do probably adult trip to the mountains in the fall, so there's a lot going. We've got our sportsman dinner coming up, so we got some things coming up to get busy for and prepare for. But I can't give you too much of the lead way.
[6:15] You just forget about it like I do. It's good to have our visitors with us this morning and good to have you with us, to be with us. So let's just go to the Lord in prayer. Father, we thank you for your blessings and for your goodness to us. Father, I pray that you would just be with us this morning as we sing praises to your name, as we study your word, Lord, that you get all the honor and glory and praise.
[6:40] Lord. We just ask that your Holy Spirit would lead and guide and direct and everything that we say and everything that we do pray Father to just open our eyes and ears and understanding of your word as we study it just be with us and everything that's said and done here this morning that you get all the honor of the glory and the praise in Jesus name I pray amen all right. Let's take our handles and turn to page 391 know that it's the Spirit of the Lord there are sweet expressions on each face and I know they feel a present alone sweet Holy Spirit sweet heavenly filling us with your love and for these blessings we lift our hearts in grace without doubt we'll know that we have been reminded when we shall leave there's a sweet sweet Spirit in this place expression on each place as I know they feel presence of sweet Holy Spirit stay right here with mine filling out with your heart eyes for these blessings we lift our hearts in praise without a doubt we'll know that we have been revived when we shall leave all right. Let's turn to page 343 they are I burst me through many dangerous doors heavenly Father is such a privilege and honor to be here today father. We ask that as we gather and assemble that you'll be in this house and Father that you'll be with the pastors he brings the message that reaches out and touches each and everyone here father.
[13:36] As we come to this part of the service that we take up the offering we ask that you'll bless it and use it for the building of Thy kingdom or it's in your Son's holy name we do pray amen last week Robin asked me if I sing a song you all know I'm batchable so good thing about getting asked to sing a song I get to sing what I like and this song I've always loved and I hope you do too feel the touch of hands so kind and tender impact that I must draw I'll have no fear when Jesus walks beside me or I'm sheltered they are the God soulless the storms rage high the dark clouds rise they don't faith within the arms with me and out of earth can harm me for I'm sure the cause you must trust fall asleep and waking God new heaven sheltered sight with within the arms of God so let the storm break the dark clouds rise they don't won't worry me for I sheltered slave with it he walks with me and not over can harm me for I'm sheltered in beyond with me thank you and all of earth can harm me for I'm sheltered safe where then they armed of God thank you David what a blessing have you felt the sheltering arms of God our children go out with Miss Tiffany the children church I wish you all get as energetic as they are sometimes tough to do these days. Isn't it?
[20:51] Good looking group while they're going if you want to turn in your Bibles to John chapter 14. John, chapter 14. And this is going to be another one of these days where I'm all over the place. I know that's a surprise to most of you, but what I want to speak to you today is the work of the Holy Spirit. Now, from time to time I do a message on the work of the Holy Spirit and what he does.
[21:21] A lot of people just don't understand it and don't recognize what he's doing, who he is, what it is all about. But it's a promise from God. It is a promise that Jesus spoke about and we're going to look at those things of what he does and the things that he does for us. And many times I think people look at the Holy Spirit and they get a wrong interpretation of what it's all about. A lot of times you see that the Holy Spirit becomes a great and emotional thing for a lot of people.
[22:04] And yes, just as David saying, you could feel that the spirit of the Lord there is a sweet, sweet spirit in this place, obviously is the presence of the Holy Spirit among us, helping us to worship God. The Holy Spirit work is not to work us up into a tinsey or a fit of emotions, but as he leads us and reveals Christ to us and reveals God to us, we get into an act of worship, to worship for God. It's not a thing for ourselves, it's not a thing to edify to lift me up, but to lift up the name of God to encourage one another. So I would just want to speak to you something about that today. Like I said, I have before, but I think it's just good if you've heard it about the Holy Spirit and you know all about it and forgot everything I know about it, then just nod and humor me a little bit here.
[23:06] But I think it's good to just review and to really think about it because I think a lot of times people just don't recognize the Holy Spirit in their life. They don't know how to recognize it. I'm not sure what that's all about and frankly, as bad as it probably scares us to death, oh Brother Kenny is going to talk about the Holy Spirit this morning. He's not something to be scared to death. King James call him the Holy Ghost, a lot of people ghost, some mystical thing.
[23:40] Translation of the King James but in John chapter 14, verse 16 and 17, jesus is speaking and he gives the promise. He said, and I will pray the Father and he shall give you another comforter, that is the Holy Spirit that can be interpreted helper comforter and he may abide with you forever. Even the spirit of truth that's the Holy Spirit whom the world cannot receive because it seeeth him not, neither knoweth Him, but ye know Him, for he dwelleth with you and shall be in you, Father, as we study Your Word this morning. I pray, Father, now that the Holy Spirit will reveal to us who he is, what his work is in our lives and how that we recognize and we surrender and are obedient to the leading of the Holy Spirit in our lives as we go in and out of our businesses and jobs and the activities that we do from day to day. Help us, Lord, to see the Holy Spirit guiding us and leading us in all truth be within these next few minutes as we study Your Word.
[25:00] In Jesus name I pray. Amen. So Jesus is praying or not praying, but he's telling the disciples, I will pray to the Father. Then he'll send the comforter. I'll just give you one little extra tidbit right there.
[25:16] No extra charge. Those who don't believe in the Trinity, how do you explain that verse? Because you see it right there. Jesus the God the Son talking to God the Father praying for God the Holy Spirit Three in one. They're not three different persons, it's one God, three separate well, I've almost said persons, but three divided into three different parts equally.
[25:49] God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit. So Jesus is telling the disciples that he's going to pray to the Father that the comforter would have come and be with you forever. That's pretty important too, for understanding eternal salvation, that you can't lose your salvation when you are saved. The Holy Spirit, he says in verse 17, he comes in and dwells you and shall be in you. When you accept Jesus as your personal Savior, god sends His Spirit to indwell you and to be in you.
[26:24] For how long? Forever. Forever. So that sort of wipes out losing your salvation, doesn't it? So I got off on a little rabbit there.
[26:35] I hope I caught it. But this Third Person of the Trinity is not a what? It's not a ghost, it's not some supernatural power. It is a he is a person of the Godhead. He is part of the Godhead.
[26:53] The word comforter means to come alongside.
[27:00] What does he do? There's many things he'll do we'll look at. But I'll just give you a highlight just to sort of give you where I'm going today. We cannot even interpret the Scriptures we're reading today without the Holy Spirit. That's why you have so many different ideas floating around and out there.
[27:20] And men with you can put every kind of letter after their name you want to and get all the education they want to. But if the Holy Spirit is not teaching and not guiding and not leading in the study of Scriptures, they're not going to get it. Unsafe people cannot understand all of Scripture because they don't have the Holy Spirit. That's what he says here. The world cannot receive him.
[27:46] They don't see him, they don't understand him. He's not in them, he doesn't dwell them. That's only for the believers. That only happens once you accept Jesus as your personal savior. So without him, there's all kinds of things.
[28:00] If you don't believe it, just get on the internet for a minute and just start looking up what people come up with. I didn't know people could mess the bible up so bad. I mean, it's just crazy what's out there today. So you can't interpret scriptures, you can't live the Christian life without the holy spirit. Galatians 516, he says this, I say, then this is Paul speaking to the people of Glacier.
[28:27] Walk in the spirit and you will not fulfill the lust of the flesh. So we can't even live our daily lives. We can't live the Christian life. He said, brother Kenny is just so hard to be a Christian. And I feel like I just mess up all the time.
[28:42] And I try and I try and I try, and the harder I try, the more I mess up. Why don't you quit trying for a minute and let the holy spirit do it through you? We'll talk about that maybe some today. And so we can't live the Christian life. We can't serve the Lord effectively without the holy spirit.
[29:03] Those who know me well, and Robin tells me often after church, I just can't believe that you're standing up there in front of a church. This is not me. I'm the guy who wants to sit in the back and be quiet. I know you all are having a hard time believing that, but I love to study God's word. I love to share it, I love to help people understand it.
[29:33] Because Kenny no, because the holy spirit that indwells me. He's given me that desire for that. That's the holy spirit in me. That's not Kenny. Kenny doesn't like talking in front of people.
[29:47] Honestly, I will if the holy spirit leads me. So we can't affect you. You can't teach Sunday school without the holy spirit. Sunday school teachers, you're preparing you and you're doing all your studying and all that, and that is great. You need to do that.
[30:05] But if you're relying solely on what's written in your little Sunday school book or what some commentary said somewhere to teach a Sunday school class, you're probably not going to get it. You've got to rely on the holy spirit. I studied for this, and many times it takes hours and hours and hours and hours to study and prepare for a sermon. And I think that I got it all together. And then I get up there and I just wonder, wow, what did I do there?
[30:36] What do I do wrong? Probably just wasn't mentally set to listen to the leading of the holy spirit. You have to rely on him for even service. Acts one, four and eight. It says, Jesus is telling the disciples as he is resurrected.
[30:56] He is about to ascend back to heaven. And he says, and being assembled together with him, jesus being assembled together with the disciples and the witnesses, he commanded them that they shouldn't not depart from Jerusalem but wait for the promise of the Father. What's the promise of the Father? The Holy Spirit says he, ye have heard of me, but ye shall receive power after the Holy Ghost has come upon you and you shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem and all Judea and Samaria and to the uttermost parts of the earth. Now, Jesus is telling the disciples and those that were with him go into Jerusalem and wait for the Holy Spirit to come and dwell them.
[31:48] Jesus understood, even though the disciples had been with him for three years, even though they'd been through Bible college for three or four years, they were not ready. The Holy Spirit was not indwelling them. The Old Testament, the Holy Spirit would come on an individual and then go to another individual. He was not with indwelling everybody all the time, just to put it in simple terms. But after Jesus left, every believer received the entwelling of the Holy Spirit.
[32:22] We'll look at some verses. Jesus was saying, if I don't go away, the Spirit will not come. So it's important for Jesus to leave for the Holy Spirit to come to indwell us. There may follow me so far, sort of, kind of. So he's telling these disciples, the Holy Spirit is not indwelled yet.
[32:41] I know you've seen a lot of miracles. I know you've seen me resurrect. I know you're about to see me as sin into heaven and you think that would be good enough, right? They'd go tell everybody and they'd do it just right. Jesus said, no, I know you've seen all that, but you don't need to understand what you've seen.
[33:00] How many times did Jesus talk to the disciples and tell them something and they're going, Lord, are you telling us in a parable or is this the real thing? We don't understand. Many times they didn't understand. I believe that after his resurrection and ascension, they did exactly what Jesus said. They went to Jerusalem and they sent the upper room.
[33:24] They just sat there in the room and waited, prayed. Now, let me tell you something. You and I would say, Wait a minute now. We just saw Jesus crucified three days later, come out of the tomb and he come back and talk. He walked through the door, for Pete's sake.
[33:43] He didn't open the door. He walked through it and come and showed himself to Thomas and then he ascended into heaven. We saw him go up in the clouds. Do you think it would be easy to just go up and okay, we're not going to tell anybody? I'd be blabbing my mouth to everybody I know, I think but I'll probably blow it because I'd be blabbing my mouth about what I thought I saw, what we need to be blabbing our mouth is what the Holy Spirit tells us we saw.
[34:16] Does that make sense? Jesus saying, the Holy Spirit is not there, he can't guide you. How many times did Israel see the plagues, the parting of the Red Sea, moses coming down from Sinai with the Ten Commandments glowing, all these wonderful things that God did for them, and yet they'd go right back to where they were after seeing many mighty miracles. Why was that? Because the Holy Spirit didn't dwell.
[34:47] The Holy Spirit wasn't on everybody all the time after the Resurrection, you remember the disciples and Peter denied Christ. The disciples all scattered and ran and they're all hiding out in room. And Peter says, I'm going fishing, I'm going back to what I know. Why would Peter say that there was no presence of the Holy Spirit? He was not ready.
[35:17] That's what Jesus was telling you're, not ready. He says. After that, the Holy Spirit is gone. You will receive power. This is what there are many people say after the resurrection and before the Resurrection, the disciples hiding up and scared to death and Peter going back fishing and all that.
[35:38] And then all of a sudden, wow, they're on fire. They're spreading the gospel everywhere. What's the difference? And I've heard people say, well, they saw the resurrection, well, they saw the ascension, they saw the miracle. Now.
[35:54] I'd argue with that. What made the difference was the Holy Spirit came and they had the power. They went boldly and preached the Gospel, and it had been beginning in Jerusalem and Samaria and the uttermost part, it was the Holy Spirit that makes a difference. What am I trying to tell you today? You cannot do anything without the leadership and help with the Holy Spirit.
[36:19] You just can't do it. Do you understand that? I believe a lot of Christians don't. Yes. Well, we got Jesus, we got God, and the Holy Spirit is very rarely talked about, but he's very essential in our everyday lives, very essential.
[36:38] So I got way ahead of my notes and I don't even know where I'm at anymore. I just was talking.
[36:54] So what does he do? What does the Holy Spirit do in our lives? First, he indwells the believer. As I said, when you are saved, the Holy Spirit comes to indwell you. Romans 811 but if the spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, he that raised up Christ from the dead also quicken your mortal bodies by his spirit that dwelleth in you.
[37:23] So when you accept Jesus as your prayer, you understand that you are a sinner. Christ died for your sins and you possess Him as your Lord and Savior. Immediately the Holy Spirit comes in and indwells you. It's not to be confused with feeling. You dwelling and feeling are two different things, and dwelling depends on the promise of the Father.
[37:48] The Father says, you trust my son, you get the Holy Spirit. But the feeling depends on us. We'll talk about that a little later on. The feeling is our obedience, complete obedience to the Holy Spirit. So the Holy Spirit indwells the believer.
[38:06] He seals the believer ephesians 113, in whom he also trusted that you heard the word of truth, the gospel of salvation, and whom also after that you believed you were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise. Another thing the Holy Spirit will be with you and in you forever and he seals you. Now, David knows and some of the others know. When a tractor trailer takes a load of materials, they shut the door and they put a seal on it. Who can break that seal?
[38:48] David the rightful owners, right? Only the people that it's being shipped to. If David breaks it, he's got to answer why that seal was broken in transit. That seal is there for a purpose. Once it's put in there, it's sealed and cannot be opened until just his destination to the rightful people.
[39:10] They are the only ones that could ever break that seal. So if God sends His Holy Spirit and seals me and you, can you break it? No. Can I break it? No.
[39:25] We're not the rightful owner. It's him that breaking. He says, I'm not going to break it. I steal you forever. You are mine.
[39:33] The Holy Spirit is a gift from me to you forever, and you are sealed by the Holy Spirit. Does that sort of explain the ceiling of the Holy? That's the earnest of our salvation. That's how we know we are saved. We have the Holy Spirit that indwells us, that seals us.
[39:57] The Holy Spirit helps us to pray. We all know that verse in Romans 826. He says likewise the Spirit also helps our infirmities, for we know not what we should pray for as we ought, but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us. And the groanings which cannot be uttered. I'm so thankful for that.
[40:23] Have you ever been at a time where you just didn't understand? Or maybe you were hurting so bad you tried to cried out to the Lord? And if you sound like me, it's a lot like real better than you.
[40:37] And always Prince says, Father, this is what he's trying to say.
[40:42] We don't even know what we ought to pray for. We don't know how we should pray. An unbeliever they struggle with prayer and I get what's the right word? I want to be politically correct here. I guess it's interesting to see some people that profess to be preachers and they stand up in public things and they stand up and say, oh Lord, we thank you for this day.
[41:09] And they're reading some prayer. They don't even know how to pray. Why? Because there's no Holy Spirit to reveal to them. Praying is just talking to God.
[41:22] Through his spirit as an unbeliever. What do you pray? Lord, I'm a sinner. I believe that Jesus died on the cross for my sins, and I acknowledge Him as my Lord and Savior. Once that happens, the Holy Spirit comes and then you know how to pray, you know how to talk to God, because the Holy Spirit helps you to do that.
[41:44] He teaches us to pray. He teaches us the word of God. As I said, he reveals God's word. Verse 26 of our text. But the comforter which the Holy Ghost and the Father will send in My name, he shall teach you all things the Holy Spirit teaches you.
[42:02] He helps you. These verses. This Wednesday night we're going to go over some verses that are pretty controversial, that people really struggle with a lot of times. And boy, there are all kinds of ideas out there about it. But the Holy Spirit has said, no, this is not what it's about.
[42:20] A lot of people saying, you can lose your salvation. That's not what it's about. But you understand that as the Holy Spirit leads you as you study His Word, he teaches you His Word brings all things to your remembrance of what that's important too. Well, I just don't really need to study the Word of God. I don't need to go to Sunday school.
[42:42] Wait a minute, back up. What did they just say? He brings all things to your remembrance. So if I remember it, that means I've done it before, right? That means I studied, that means I read it.
[42:56] I might not have understood it, I might not have got it all, but it's just amazing to me. Sometimes I'll be out morning and have my Bible. I did it on vacation all the way up in Alaska. I was just out messing around. I saw something and God's Word just start pouring into me and talking to me.
[43:14] It wasn't because I had my Bible, it's because of what I read in God's Holy Spirit saying. You remember when you read that, Kenny? That's what you're seeing right here. What a mighty God we serve, how great thou art. All these wonderful things that God's Word tells us about in his creation and all that he's given, these scriptures just kept come flowing through the Holy Spirit.
[43:40] Bring into remembrance those verses that God had shown me. Let me move on. But one of the main things that people need to understand the work of the Holy Spirit is to reveal or to bring to Jesus. That's his job. In all that he does.
[44:00] The Holy Spirit is not going to magnify himself.
[44:05] That's contrary to what a lot of people think. Oh boy, they get all been out of shape about Holy Spirit. And I won't get into that too much. John 1526 but when the comforter, the Holy Spirit is coming, whom I will send unto you from the Father, even the Spirit of truth. That's the Holy Spirit, which proceeded from the Father, he shall testify of me.
[44:37] So if you want to put a lot of influence on just the Holy Spirit and just talk about the Holy Spirit all the time, that's directly against what God's word says. That's directly against what Jesus says. The job of the Holy Spirit is to bring you to Christ, to show you Jesus and what he looks like, what he acts like, what he talks like, what he did for you on the cross. That's the work of the Holy Spirit to reveal and testify of Jesus. Jesus says he testifies to the Father.
[45:12] So the Holy Spirit testifies of the son. The son testifies of the father. Okay. He guides us, the Holy Spirit guides us. John 1613 howbeit when the Spirit of truth has come, he will guide you in all truth, for he shall not speak of Himself.
[45:32] There you have it again.
[45:35] But whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak, and he shall show you things to come. So Jesus says, Those things I do, those things I say is what the Father told me. The Holy Spirit is the same way. The things that the Father says through the Son, the Holy Spirit reveals. So it's the same thing.
[46:01] And he speaks of Jesus. He doesn't speak of himself. He gives assurance of salvation. Romans 816 the Spirit itself bears witness with our Spirit that we are children of God. Do you ever struggle if you're saved?
[46:21] I've known people get baptized by 18 times hoping it's going to get them saved. They just want to be sure, and that's okay, be sure.
[46:32] But the Holy Spirit within you will reveal that to you. The Holy Spirit, the Satan would like to come and deceive you and bring you down and tear you down and make you question even your own salvation. But the Spirit within you say, yeah, you remember the day, you know, in whom you have believed. You ought to be persuaded that he's able. The Holy Spirit reveals that to you that you have been saved.
[47:00] He brings those things to your remembrance, so he gives us assurance of salvation, and then you have the gifts of the Spirit for service. Now, I'm not going to get into all those days because that would probably take about two weeks of lessons just to go through each gift of the Spirit. Some say there's seven, some say there's nine. I've got a list of 15, some say there's 21.
[47:30] My list that I have here, romans twelve tells us that one of the gifts of the Spirit is encouragement to be a person that encourages others, exhorts one another. Lift up. You ever met anybody? It just seems so encouraging. And every time you saw them, they were just happy and they could just lift you up and make you feel good.
[47:52] That's a gift of the Holy Spirit. People that don't have the Holy Spirit and I know there are some people like that, maybe like that a little bit in the world, but for the most part, people in the world are like, this is crazy. And if you listen to them, all the stuff going on, you get depressed right along with them. But the Holy Spirit says, hey, God has got it on his plan. He's got it all under control.
[48:20] And you can be an encourager the gift of giving. And I'm not talking about just money. I'm talking about your time, your talents, all that God has blessed you. The gift to want to give to others, to want to help others, is a gift of the Holy Spirit of leadership, is a gift of the Holy Spirit of mercy, is a gift of the Holy Spirit of prophecy. And it's oh boy, here we go.
[48:50] Prophecy. Prophecy means just to proclaim. Let me make it clear, there are no new prophecies apart from the Word of God. Everything God wanted us to know, everything he wanted to tell us is right here. If anybody tells you, oh, I've got a new prophecy from God, just run, just run as fast as you can because I promise you it's not from God.
[49:19] God said what he wanted to say here. Now, God may reveal some things, but there are no new prophecy. Anybody that adds to this book or takes away, let Him be a curse, the Bible says so. The word prophecy here means to proclaim. I'm prophesying today, I'm proclaiming the Word of God.
[49:40] That's the prophecy. That's a gift, the gift of service. And I'm thinking of each and every one of you as I say these. I know several people right now in here that have the gift of service. I know some have the gift of mercy.
[49:54] But the one that wants to serve all the time, they don't want to be in leadership, they don't want to be in life. They just serve and they just have a passion to serve others. That's the gift of the Holy Spirit, the gift of teaching, the gift to be a pastor, to be an evangelist. And there's a difference between a pastor and evangelist. An evangelist comes and he proclaims the Word of God and steps all of your toes and tells the pastor, bandage their toes.
[50:24] That's the difference. You understand that the pastor is like the shepherd of the sheep who cares for the sheep. And you have an evangelist that just come in and just cut all her toes off and then the pastor's got to fix them all. That's just sort of a funny way of putting it, but evangelists is more just proclaims the gospel of what it is. But a lot of times you see in evangelists, and nothing against them, but they're not very compassionate, just too much of the pasture kind of stuff that bogs them down.
[51:02] They would just rather put claim it's sort of way. I see that? And that's Ephesians four, one, Corinthians twelve, the gift of administration, the gift of discernment, the discerning, the spirit of discerning, what is truth and what's not. You ever heard anybody say something out of Scripture and you just go, wow, where in the world do you get that? How do you think you knew that?
[51:27] How do you think you had that impression within you? The Holy Spirit is probably telling you, no, that's not true. I have a new prophecy. Oh, my goodness. Where'd you get that?
[51:38] The old period just said, no, there is no new prophecy. So the gift of discernment, the gift of wisdom. He never gave me that gift. Sorry, but the gift of wisdom. Did you know faith is the gift of the Holy Spirit to increase our faith?
[51:57] The Holy Spirit helps us in our faith when we all have a measure of faith. But it seems that some just wow that person just wow what faith they have. That is the gift of the Holy Spirit, the gift of help, wanting to help, wanting to always have. This goes along with maybe service and the gift of knowledge. These are all gifts of the Holy Spirit.
[52:24] And I'm not going to say that's all of them, but that's some of them. But you to understand things that you do. And I'm not just talking about everything you do, and I'm not talking about talents, I'm talking about gifts of the Holy Spirit, something that's just above and beyond your normal, maybe oftentimes are like, I really don't want to, but I sure would like to. I know. I need to.
[52:48] That's the gift of the Holy Spirit. So those are the gifts of the Holy Spirit, and these in the last few minutes. What do we do with the Holy Spirit? So now we sort of understand who he is, where he came from, and the things that he does. What do we do with Him?
[53:05] Well, the scriptures tell us to walk daily, depending on Him, listening to Him, being obedient to Him.
[53:18] There's a lot of people get caught up. Remember, these bracelets come out WWJD every cute little bracelet. What would Jesus do? Well, the Holy Spirit is in you. He'll tell you, you don't need a bracelet.
[53:30] Okay, the bracelet is neat. It's cool. I think I even wore one for a while. It's all right. But the Holy Spirit will tell you exactly what Jesus would do, and he'll remind you and reveal that to you as you daily depend on Him, as you daily listen to Him and be obedient to Him.
[53:51] See, the Christian life is a life of a person who the Holy Spirit is indwelling, and through the person that the Holy Spirit is expressing the life of Jesus. Remember, I said Jesus said he's going to talk of me. He's going to express to you the life of Jesus. What would Jesus have done? The Holy Spirit will tell you exactly who that is.
[54:17] So daily, depending daily listing daily obedience, what does that look like? I went all the way back to the Old Testament and sons of verses about the Holy Spirit, believe it or not, all the way back in Jeremiah 721 through 26, for time, I probably won't read them all, but it said, the Lord is telling. Jeremiah says, let's say, if the Lord, the God of Israel, put your burn offerings under sacrifices and eat flesh, for I speak not into your Father's, nor commanded them in the day that I brought them out of the land of Egypt concerning burned offerings or sacrifices. Listen, verse 23 of chapter seven. But this thing commanded I them, saying, obey My voice, and I will be your God, and you shall be my people.
[55:11] Walk you in the ways that I have command you, that it may be well with you. You said, well, what's that got to be to do with the Holy Spirit? That's what the Holy Spirit tells us obey God, love God, love others. Jesus said, if you love me, you'll obey me. If you love Me, you'll keep My commandments.
[55:35] The Holy Spirit within you tells you want to love God, you want to love others, you want to keep his commandments. This is what Jesus told them in the Old Testament. But what did Israel do? They harken not nor inclined their ear, but walked in the council and the imaginations of their evil hearts and went backwards and not forward. You don't want to listen to the Holy Spirit within you.
[56:04] Scripture says you're going backwards. You're not listening. What he's saying? You're not being obedient. You're not listening.
[56:11] You're not being obedient to you're, not trusting daily in. You can't expect to get any further in your Christian life than where you're at. As a matter of fact, you probably go backwards. But then, contrary to that, that is living in the flesh. And this is what Israel was doing, rather than living by the Spirit.
[56:31] And in Ezekiel 36 26 or 27, listen to this. Now, what I just read you was living in the fresh. This is living in the Spirit God promises, even way back in Ezekiel, he says, a new heart also will I give you, a new spirit will I put within you. This was a prophecy of the Holy Spirit that God said he was going to sinned. I will put it within you.
[56:56] I'm going to give you a new spirit, and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh and will give you a heart of flesh. Nor do you trust Jesus, your personal Savior, the Holy Spirit come, you have a change of heart. Life looks a lot different. Your desires change, and the things that you want change, they look different to you because the Spirit that lives within you, and he says in verse 27 of Ezekiel 36, and I will put my spirit within you and cause you to walk in my statues, and you shall keep my judgments and do them. Numerous said to you, struggle.
[57:37] Being a Christian, I fall flat on my face all the time. Are you listening to the leadership of the Holy Spirit? Are you letting him guide you? Or are you trying to do it all on your own?
[57:51] We need to learn to listen to the Holy Spirit. We're sort of a disadvantage. I don't know if you like my mom or maybe some of the parents I see nowadays. We are trained and we're programmed when we really don't want to do something, we don't do it until a stream happens. Right, Kenny?
[58:12] Do your homework.
[58:18] Kenny, do your homework. Okay.
[58:23] So as little children, we're sort of trained to listen to that screen before we want to act. And we're expecting a loud voice to come from heaven and tell us what to do. But the truth is, the voice of God is a still, small voice. And you're not going to hear it if you're not listening. You're not going to hear it if you're not being obedient to the Holy Spirit within you.
[58:50] I know when me and Robin first got married, she told me everything I was supposed to do. And really, nothing's really changed too much.
[59:04] But you know what? I find myself now where I do things that I know she wants without her telling me.
[59:15] It just comes out of nowhere. I know that's Robin and I know that's what she's going to want me to do. They just got engaged. Listen up. It's going to be tough, buddy.
[59:27] She's going to holler and scream, but eventually, if you stay together we've just celebrated 39 years. In 39 years, I finally began to hear that little small voice of Robin. And I'll do things before she ever says it. Why? Because I know her.
[59:49] I've stayed with her. I've learned to listen to her. I know her wants. Her desires as Christians is the same way. Don't expect to get saved and automatically know you're going to listen to the Holy Spirit.
[60:02] No, it's a process. It's a learning thing that you need to learn to listen to know what he wants. And as you grow in your spiritual walk, you'll find yourself just, wow. It's come a little easier. I'm just letting the Holy Spirit do I'm doing what he wants to do.
[60:20] It's a spiritual walk that grow. Don't expect it to happen overnight, much like me and Robin have done. You need to set your mind on things above. Now, what does that mean? Caution.
[60:35] Three two says, set your affections on things above and not on the earth. What does that mean? Well, here's a test for you. When you wake up in the morning, what is the first thing you think of?
[60:53] What's the first thing that comes to your mind if you wake up every morning?
[60:59] What I want. What I need to do today, what I wish I had, who I don't like, who I wish I didn't have. What goes through your mind the very first thing every morning? Now, obviously, somewhere you're just you're not going to do this every morning, but if you are listening and you're setting your mind on things above, I find myself a lot of times I'll wake up, and not that I'm not patting myself on the shoulder, I'm saying, this is the Holy Spirit within me. I wake up and I just say, thank You, Lord, for another day.
[61:47] Thank you for another day. Lord, how can I serve you today?
[61:56] How can I be a witness for you today? How can I please you today? Thank you, Lord, for another day.
[62:10] There's a little test for you and how much you listen, because I believe that's the Holy Spirit within us just thanking God for every day and want to be a servant of his, to follow his leadership, to do what is pleasing in his sight, let others see Christ in me. There's your little test. Do I do it every day? No, I don't. I'll be honest with you.
[62:37] Do I possibly? Oh, yes, I do. But I believe there's the older I get, especially the closer that I feel like I'm getting the Lord. One thing about the closer I get, Lord, the more I feel like I'm a sinner, but I also just want to stop and praise Him for my salvation. Then I put it all on his lap for his glory.
[63:05] It's not what I want, it's what he wants. There's your spiritual test of how close you are, how much you listen to the Holy Spirit, how much the Holy Spirit is guiding you and leading you. We always do what is in us. That is our strongest desire. Whatever you desire the most, that's what you're going to do.
[63:31] And there's probably many of them got up this morning and said, I know it's Sunday and I don't really want to go, but should I didn't say that. You heard that voice yourself. Who's the one that said you should your Holy Spirit within you. You may get a blessing out of those you do. I really found myself a lot of times.
[63:58] The times I really don't want to go the most is when I get the greatest blessing.
[64:06] It's that every day wake up. I know I need to do this today. Lord, help me, Lord. Guide me. Give me the strength, give me the wisdom to fulfill your desires.
[64:21] When our desires to do the will of God becomes stronger than my desires, then we are walking in the Spirit.
[64:46] Delight thyself in the Lord and he will give you the desires of your heart. What does that mean? Oh, I'm happy with you, Lord. Now I get a lamborghini. No, that's not what that means.
[65:02] What that means is, Lord, I want to serve you. Father, thank you for another day. Father, let people see Jesus in me. You know what thy desire that is, that's his desire. See, when I delight myself and the Lord, my desires go away and all I want is his desires.
[65:27] There's your test of are you listening, walking, letting the Holy Spirit guide you every day of your life? He's real, he's there and he's available just for the asking. If you're short and you have struggle with that, just ask Him to help you. I do it every Sunday morning. Well, you know, this is not me.
[65:52] You know I can't do this without you. I need the Holy Spirit to help me. And I believe he does a lot of times. Y'all probably really don't know how much he does help me many times. Just ask Him.
[66:10] Let Him lead you. Let Him guide you. Father, we thank you for this day. I pray for that you would just take these words that I've said that maybe scrambled to some maybe they don't really understand. But I pray Lord, there is one who does understand and that's the Holy Spirit within us.
[66:37] And I pray now that you just take all that's been said here this morning, the scriptures that's been read, that you would just put it all together and open our eyes and ears that we may see the truth of Your word, that we may see the Holy Spirit working within our lives. That we would be able to listen to that still small voice that we'd let Him guide us day in and day out, that our desires would become your desires, lord leading guide us in all that we say and do. Help us to be witnesses for you. Help others to see Jesus in us. In Jesus name I pray.
[67:21] Amen. Page 340.
[68:00] Turn your eyes upon deep love falling his wonderful place and the things of earth will grow strangely dim and the light of his glory and thank you for being with us today. Turn your eyes upon you. He'll help you. He's right there with you. Thank you for being with us.
[69:28] Kaylee, good to see you today. And her fiance, I guess you'd say congratulations on your engagement next March the 18th. I think you're going to get married. I remember. She's just a wee little kid around here.
[69:43] What's going on here? Yeah, so good to have you all with us today. Good to have you come with us. And brothers, good to have you with us this morning. Don't forget Wednesday night Bible study.
[69:55] Friday night? For those who would like to come with that and just share that. And if you need more information, let Winter know, he can tell you all about it. We're just glad we can open our doors to serve the community in this way. So keep that in your prayers, all the hearts of mind.
[70:12] Good. Yes, sir.
[70:17] Jack says Wednesday night, come and see. So we're having a good time with the Bible study. If you can come be with us and going to have an interesting one this Sunday or this Wednesday, we'll do Hebrews chapter six and they try to explain to help you understand that. So anything else? All hearts, mind clear?
[70:37] You sure? I'm telling you all need to come up here and look at these faces I'm seeing out here. All right, everybody. Jack, good to see you back. Just keeping somebody missing.
[70:49] Pray for them, give them a call, let them know we missed them. David, would you close us some prayer, please? I'm off. Gracious heaven, follow me. Thank you once again for this opportunity to come together as a body of believers and sing praises and worship your holy name.
[71:06] Father, we thank you for this message your brother Kenny has brought to us today to help us to focus on that still small voice that we need to be listening for. Lord, we thank you for brother Kennedy's dedication. And Father, we lift up Winford and all the folks from Bridges of Hope as they come this week and start reaching out to our community. Lord, we pray that the ones that our community need the help that they can give, we pray that you will send them this direction. Lord, be with us as we leave this place and keep us forever in your care.
[71:44] In Jesus precious, holy name, we pray. Amen.