SPEAKER_00: 1 Samuel chapter 14.
SPEAKER_00: After you've been a parent for a while, you do grow eyes in the back of your head.
SPEAKER_00: Amen?
SPEAKER_00: First Samuel chapter 14.
SPEAKER_00: We got everybody in?
SPEAKER_00: I'm gonna give you something uh probably a little bit short tonight, but I think you'll see the point in where we're at as a church.
SPEAKER_00: And thank you for being in church on this three-day weekend.
SPEAKER_00: I I don't know if you have to work tomorrow or not.
SPEAKER_00: If you have the time, spend a little time with God in the morning.
SPEAKER_00: If you don't have to work, and uh make sure you take some time, family, or whatever else.
SPEAKER_00: First Samuel chapter 14 tonight.
SPEAKER_00: We had a good morning this morning.
SPEAKER_00: And uh you know, uh interesting testimony is uh is Chris here tonight, Chris Wiseman?
SPEAKER_00: Are you here anywhere, Brother Chris?
SPEAKER_00: I don't know if you're huh.
SPEAKER_00: Oh yeah, brother Chris.
SPEAKER_00: Hey, listen, uh Brother Chris, I'm gonna let you get nervous.
SPEAKER_00: I want you to come in just a little while and give a little testimony.
SPEAKER_00: All right?
SPEAKER_00: You plan on that, all right?
SPEAKER_00: And uh wherever that other microphone, we'll get that real quick.
SPEAKER_00: Uh, brother Chris has an interesting testimony.
SPEAKER_00: Any salvation is interesting, amen?
SPEAKER_00: Look at 1 Samuel chapter 14.
SPEAKER_00: Look at verse 1.
SPEAKER_00: It came to pass upon a day that Jonathan, the son of Saul, said unto the young man that bare his armor, come and let us go over to the Philistines' garrison that is on the other side.
SPEAKER_00: Uh, but he told not his father.
SPEAKER_00: Look at verse 6, if you would, of 1 Samuel 14.
SPEAKER_00: And Jonathan said to the young man that bare his armor, come and let us go over unto the garrison of these uncircumcised.
SPEAKER_00: It What's the next two words?
SPEAKER_00: Maybe.
SPEAKER_00: Sounds like there was uh some unsurety there.
SPEAKER_00: He said, It may be that the Lord will work for us.
SPEAKER_00: I don't know if it was so much unsurety, other than he was probably understanding to his armor-bearer, I'm not sure how the Lord's gonna work for us, but I believe he's going to work for us.
SPEAKER_00: For there is no strength restraint to the Lord to save by what?
SPEAKER_00: Many or by what?
SPEAKER_00: Hey, little is much when God is in it, amen?
SPEAKER_00: The idea here was the leader said to the follower, listen, now, it may be that the Lord will work for us.
SPEAKER_00: I'm not sure exactly, follower, how this is all gonna work out, but I want you to know something.
SPEAKER_00: There's something to know about the Lord.
SPEAKER_00: It doesn't take a lot, it doesn't take many to get something going for God.
SPEAKER_00: It can just be a few, and right now, armor better, it's me and you.
SPEAKER_00: I want to talk to you just a couple minutes tonight about a relationship here between a leader and a follower, and a follower and a leader.
SPEAKER_00: Look at verse 7.
SPEAKER_00: And his armor bearer said unto him, Do all that is in where?
SPEAKER_00: Thine heart.
SPEAKER_00: Turn thee.
SPEAKER_00: Behold, I am what?
SPEAKER_00: I'm with thee according to whose heart.
SPEAKER_00: The follower said to the leader, Listen, I trust you, leader.
SPEAKER_00: I'm with you according to what's in your heart.
SPEAKER_00: The way God's leading you, I'll tell you what, I'll follow your faith.
SPEAKER_00: Whose faith follow, amen?
SPEAKER_00: Hey, you ladies in here that are married to men that are doing something for the Lord, you don't know how much respect I have for you.
SPEAKER_00: Because you have to be submissive to his heart's leading of the Lord.
SPEAKER_00: I have a lot of respect for Sarah in the Bible.
SPEAKER_00: God said to Abraham, get up and go.
SPEAKER_00: I'm not gonna tell you where you're going, just get up and get away from your kindred.
SPEAKER_00: Now, you've got to think about that for a minute.
SPEAKER_00: Where are we going?
SPEAKER_00: Don't know.
SPEAKER_00: How long are we gonna be there?
SPEAKER_00: Don't know.
SPEAKER_00: How are we gonna get there?
SPEAKER_00: Don't know.
SPEAKER_00: All right, I'll go with you.
SPEAKER_00: And Sarah went, amen.
SPEAKER_00: I got a lot of respect for Sarah.
SPEAKER_00: She followed the faith of her husband.
SPEAKER_00: And what this follower here does, this armor bearer, he says, hey, whatever God's put in your heart, I'm with you.
SPEAKER_00: I'm gonna follow you, I'll follow your leading.
SPEAKER_00: He said, Hey, I know we don't know exactly what's gonna happen, but I'm in.
SPEAKER_00: Now, if you know anything about leadership and followership, if you're a follower in a church that's doing something for God, sooner or later a leader's gonna stand up and say, I don't know exactly how it's gonna work out, but I believe God's gonna do it.
SPEAKER_00: Somewhere along the line, you've got to buy in by faith.
SPEAKER_00: Amen.
SPEAKER_00: Then said Jonathan, behold, here's the plan.
SPEAKER_00: We will pass over unto these men.
SPEAKER_00: Here's what we're gonna do.
SPEAKER_00: We're gonna discover ourselves unto them.
SPEAKER_00: We're gonna stand up and we're gonna say, Hey, here we are.
SPEAKER_00: They're gonna put themselves at risk.
SPEAKER_00: Okay, now here's the plan.
SPEAKER_00: If they say thus unto us, Tarry until we come to you, then we'll stand still in our place, and we'll not go up unto them.
SPEAKER_00: But if they say thus, come up unto us, then we will go up.
SPEAKER_00: For the Lord hath delivered them into our hand, and this shall be a sign unto us.
SPEAKER_00: Remember when he said, It may be the Lord will work for us?
SPEAKER_00: You see, this leader doesn't know exactly how it's going to work.
SPEAKER_00: He just wants something to happen.
SPEAKER_00: And he says to the father, listen, if it happens this way, then we'll do this.
SPEAKER_00: If it doesn't happen that way and they say this, then we'll do this.
SPEAKER_00: And you know what I like about that?
SPEAKER_00: Honesty.
SPEAKER_00: I like leadership that's honest.
SPEAKER_00: Hey, if you're a if you're a husband here, be honest with your wife.
SPEAKER_00: Tell her the truth.
SPEAKER_00: Tell her sometimes.
SPEAKER_00: I don't know what I'm doing.
SPEAKER_00: I don't know how it's all gonna work out, but I believe God's in it.
SPEAKER_00: Amen.
SPEAKER_00: You parents sometimes, you've got to be honest with your children.
SPEAKER_00: You gotta tell the children sometimes, I don't know how it's gonna work out.
SPEAKER_00: You pray and let God work it out.
SPEAKER_00: The armor bearer bought into the whole thing.
SPEAKER_00: He said, All right, man, I uh I'm with you, Jonathan.
SPEAKER_00: Let's go get it done.
SPEAKER_00: God sent them two by two.
SPEAKER_00: Uh you think about uh Gideon.
SPEAKER_00: Well, he said, Okay, I uh I'm still a little afraid.
SPEAKER_00: Who's gonna go down with me?
SPEAKER_00: Furah went down.
SPEAKER_00: Two by two.
SPEAKER_00: When God sent those apostles out, he sent them two by two.
SPEAKER_00: Priscilla and Aquila, two by two.
SPEAKER_00: God's excited about two by two, but often in two by two, look up here.
SPEAKER_00: Someone's the leader.
SPEAKER_00: And someone's the follower.
SPEAKER_00: It's hard to have two leaders.
SPEAKER_00: And it's hard to have two followers.
SPEAKER_00: There has to be an Elisha or Elijah and Elisha.
SPEAKER_00: There has to be a Moses and there has to be a Joshua.
SPEAKER_00: Are you listening to me?
SPEAKER_00: Hey, by the way, you say, Well, you're pastor, you're just always the leader.
SPEAKER_00: Oh no.
SPEAKER_00: You don't understand.
SPEAKER_00: The last couple of weeks with the lady's banquet, I've been the follower.
SPEAKER_00: You say, who's been the leader?
SPEAKER_00: The one who's seven months with child.
SPEAKER_00: So, what'd you do?
SPEAKER_00: I just said, hey, I'll help you.
SPEAKER_00: What do you need?
SPEAKER_00: How can I help you?
SPEAKER_00: Amen.
SPEAKER_00: Hey, it takes a leader and it takes a follower, and sometimes you reverse roles even the marriage.
SPEAKER_00: Oh.
SPEAKER_00: Did I say it now?
SPEAKER_00: You know what?
SPEAKER_00: I appreciate the men in this church that have let their wives be leaders.
SPEAKER_00: They sacrifice to let those wives be leaders.
SPEAKER_00: I'll name names.
SPEAKER_00: Melissa Northcutt.
SPEAKER_00: Scotty sacrifices so she can be a leader of our nursery.
SPEAKER_00: Phil Burks.
SPEAKER_00: Phil sacrifices as Mary leads in that beginner's department.
SPEAKER_00: I could go on and on and on.
SPEAKER_00: Sometimes there's times when the men are following to support the leadership in the area of her wife.
SPEAKER_00: You say, oh, never like that.
SPEAKER_00: Then you're hindering what God can do in your team.
SPEAKER_00: Amen.
SPEAKER_00: Say it.
SPEAKER_00: But there has to be leadership and there has to be followership.
SPEAKER_00: By the way, if you're ever going to be a good leader, you've got to learn to be a good follower.
SPEAKER_00: So the follower says, All right, well, let's do it.
SPEAKER_00: Two by two.
SPEAKER_00: Verse 11.
SPEAKER_00: And what's the next word?
SPEAKER_00: Booth.
SPEAKER_00: That's two.
SPEAKER_00: Not one.
SPEAKER_00: Okay, you stand up and then I'll stand up.
SPEAKER_00: Alright, ready?
SPEAKER_00: Ready?
SPEAKER_00: You ready?
SPEAKER_00: No, they just both stood up together and discovered themselves into the garrison of the Philistines.
SPEAKER_00: And the Philistines said, Behold, the Hebrews come forth out of the holes where they have hid themselves.
SPEAKER_00: Now listen, you've got to know right here, God resisteth the proud.
SPEAKER_00: He giveth grace unto the who?
SPEAKER_00: The humble.
SPEAKER_00: And the men of the garrison answered Jonathan and his armor-bearer and said, What are the next two words?
SPEAKER_00: What?
SPEAKER_00: Come up! You know what that was?
SPEAKER_00: That was like God saying, Here we go, boys.
SPEAKER_00: Remember what he said?
SPEAKER_00: If they say, Come up, we're going after them.
SPEAKER_00: And the first thing they say is, Come up.
SPEAKER_00: That's like the shaking of the mulberry trees.
SPEAKER_00: That's like the little hand that looked like in the shape of a cloud, a little hand, like rain coming.
SPEAKER_00: That's like Gideon hearing the sword of the Lord and Gideon.
SPEAKER_00: That's like saying, go, green light.
SPEAKER_00: It's on, amen?
SPEAKER_00: And by the way, every once in a while as leaders, we need that.
SPEAKER_00: Oh, I know, I know.
SPEAKER_00: We don't seek after a sign.
SPEAKER_00: You liar.
SPEAKER_00: Every once in a while we say, God, show me something.
SPEAKER_00: Make sure I see it.
SPEAKER_00: Show me that it's real.
SPEAKER_00: You start going off to the mission field and you'll say, God, I need to know for sure.
SPEAKER_00: You need to show me something.
SPEAKER_00: I've got to know that this is what you want me to do with my family.
SPEAKER_00: Hey, brother, we didn't just come to this building without knowing God's in it.
SPEAKER_00: You don't do things haphazardly when you got five, six, seven, eight hundred people and their potential for the Lord leaning on it.
SPEAKER_00: You can't make a lot of mistakes.
SPEAKER_00: So you say, God, I need to see something from you.
SPEAKER_00: I'm not talking about handwriting on the wall.
SPEAKER_00: I just need to know that you're gonna be in this thing that we're trying to do.
SPEAKER_00: Amen.
SPEAKER_00: So he says, All right, they say, Come up to us and we will show you a thing.
SPEAKER_00: And Jonathan said unto his armor bearer, come up after me.
SPEAKER_00: Now I'll make a statement to you.
SPEAKER_00: The leader can't do it without the follower.
SPEAKER_00: And the follower can't do it without the leader.
SPEAKER_02: That's right.
SPEAKER_00: You get in this thing long enough and you're a leader, you can't do it without followers.
SPEAKER_02: That's right.
SPEAKER_00: And follow, you can't do it without good leaders.
SPEAKER_00: It's both very necessary.
SPEAKER_00: Or if you're in business, it takes leadership, it takes followship.
SPEAKER_00: If you're in ministry, it takes leadership, it takes followership.
SPEAKER_00: Both are vitally important.
SPEAKER_00: Come up after me, for the Lord hath delivered them into the hand of Israel.
SPEAKER_00: And verse 13.
SPEAKER_00: And Jonathan climbed up upon what?
SPEAKER_00: His hands and upon his feet.
SPEAKER_00: Brethren, uh, you know what?
SPEAKER_00: It was rough going just to get to the battle.
SPEAKER_00: Have you ever noticed that?
SPEAKER_00: I mean, they had to climb on his hands and feet just to get where they could start swinging the sword.
SPEAKER_00: May I say something to you?
SPEAKER_00: If you've ever been around this church, there is a battle before the battle.
SPEAKER_00: There's a battle coming before you ever get to the big day.
SPEAKER_00: You're going to do something for God in a big way?
SPEAKER_00: You may as well plan on there's going to be a battle before you ever get to the field.
SPEAKER_00: There's going to be a battle before you ever get to the place where you can start swinging the sword.
SPEAKER_00: There's a battle sometimes just to go soul winning.
SPEAKER_00: There's a battle just to get to church sometimes.
SPEAKER_00: There's a battle to get to the bus ministry sometimes.
SPEAKER_00: There's a battle to get to the ministry.
SPEAKER_00: There's a battle to get to the Spanish.
SPEAKER_00: There's a battle leading up to the big day.
SPEAKER_00: It's coming.
SPEAKER_00: It's on.
SPEAKER_00: So they climb upon their hands and their feet.
SPEAKER_00: And his armor bearer after him.
SPEAKER_00: And they fell before Jonathan.
SPEAKER_00: And his armor bearer slew after him.
SPEAKER_00: Make a statement.
SPEAKER_00: They both gave each other courage.
SPEAKER_00: Hey, you know, two by two is a good way to go.
SPEAKER_00: The one encourages the other.
SPEAKER_00: The leader encourages the follower, the father encourages the leader.
SPEAKER_00: The leader gives courage to the follower, the father gives courage to the leader.
SPEAKER_00: The leader gives momentum to the follower, and the follower, because he's faithful, gives momentum to the leader.
SPEAKER_00: Amen?
SPEAKER_00: And that and that first slaughter which Jonathan and his armor bearer made was about how many men?
SPEAKER_00: How many?
SPEAKER_00: Say it.
SPEAKER_00: Twenty men.
SPEAKER_00: You know what?
SPEAKER_00: Remember what he said that there is no restraint to the Lord to save by many or by few?
SPEAKER_00: Two men slew twenty men, within as it was a half acre of land, which a yoke of oxen might plough.
SPEAKER_00: Look if you would at verse 15.
SPEAKER_00: And there was a trembling in the host, in the field, among all the people, the garrison and the spoilers.
SPEAKER_00: They also trembled.
SPEAKER_00: This is the Philistines.
SPEAKER_00: And the earthquaked.
SPEAKER_00: So it was a very great trembling.
SPEAKER_00: And the watchman of Saul and Gibe of Benjamin looked, and behold, what was going on?
SPEAKER_00: The multitude melted away.
SPEAKER_00: What do you mean?
SPEAKER_00: Hey, the Philistines began to withdraw, and they went on beating down one another.
SPEAKER_00: Huh.
SPEAKER_00: Isn't that interesting?
SPEAKER_00: Look if you would at verse 20.
SPEAKER_00: And Saul and all the people that were with him assembled themselves, and they came to the battle, and behold, every man's sword was against his fellow.
SPEAKER_00: Hey, the Philistines, brother, were fighting each other now, and they were melting away and they were destroying each other.
SPEAKER_00: There was a very great discomfort.
SPEAKER_00: Moreover, the Hebrews that were with the Philistines before that time, which went up with them into the camp of the country round about, watch it, even they also turned to be with the Israelites that were with Saul and Jonathan.
SPEAKER_00: Likewise, all the men of Israel, when they, which had hid themselves in the Mount Ephraim, when they heard that the Philistines fled, even they also followed hard after them in the battle.
SPEAKER_00: You say, what's going on?
SPEAKER_00: Jonathan, please look up here, and his armor bearer went up together by faith, in risk, did God's work, killed 20 guys, and God was moved to move more.
unknown: That's right.
unknown: Amen.
SPEAKER_00: Sometimes it doesn't take a whole big, great deal to move God.
SPEAKER_00: Sometimes, brother, look up here.
SPEAKER_00: It's just a mustard seed faith.
SPEAKER_00: It's a little thing.
SPEAKER_00: It's a little thing somebody does.
SPEAKER_00: It's a little thing two people do.
SPEAKER_00: It's a little thing a ministry does.
SPEAKER_00: It's some efforts, it's prayer, it's faith.
SPEAKER_00: And something happens, and guys start uh doing something for God, and ladies start doing something for God.
SPEAKER_00: And God says, I like what's going on down there, and it begins to tremble, the whole host and the field, and the earth begins to shake, and the Philistines begin to draw back, and they start killing each other, and God says, I'm in this thing now.
SPEAKER_00: You know what it took?
SPEAKER_00: Just two men that said, Let's do it together.
SPEAKER_00: Just two men, just two people.
SPEAKER_00: Huh.
SPEAKER_00: Well, you know what happens?
SPEAKER_00: Success breeds success.
SPEAKER_00: And verse 20, all the people start, hey, we can do this thing, and they're where they were hidden away, they all start coming out and they assemble and they start picking up their swords and they start charging after these Philistines.
SPEAKER_00: Verse 23.
SPEAKER_00: So the Lord saved Israel that day.
SPEAKER_00: Who saved Israel?
SPEAKER_00: The battle is the Lord's, isn't it?
SPEAKER_00: Oh, yeah.
SPEAKER_00: But God expects us to do something.
SPEAKER_00: I'll regress a little later on, but may I say this to you?
SPEAKER_00: One ministry in our church that gets excited for the Lord can move God in a great way.
SPEAKER_00: Just a few people in a ministry that gets excited in soul winning.
SPEAKER_00: You get excited, ladies, in our ladies' soul winning.
SPEAKER_00: And watch God move in a great way.
SPEAKER_00: You get excited in that men's Saturday soul winning.
SPEAKER_00: Ten, fifteen, twelve men.
SPEAKER_00: Get excited and go out.
SPEAKER_00: See what God does.
SPEAKER_00: Just a few men or ladies in the bus ministry.
SPEAKER_00: Just a handful in the Spanish ministry.
SPEAKER_00: Get excited.
SPEAKER_00: Watch what God does in the Spanish ministry.
SPEAKER_00: We have some Spanish-speaking people here tonight.
SPEAKER_00: Where are y'all at?
SPEAKER_00: Hold up your hand.
SPEAKER_00: Just you right here tonight.
SPEAKER_00: Get excited for something that God wants to do and watch what God does on the big day.
SPEAKER_00: Now, if you're sitting here saying, How long is he going to say this?
SPEAKER_00: You got a problem.
SPEAKER_00: You know what your problem is?
SPEAKER_00: You're lazy.
SPEAKER_00: If you're just sitting back and going, well, oh yeah, this is all fine, but I come to get fed.
SPEAKER_00: I'm feeding you.
SPEAKER_00: This Bible's feeding you.
SPEAKER_00: Jump in somewhere.
SPEAKER_00: Get involved with somebody.
SPEAKER_00: Just becomes him in a wheelchair.
SPEAKER_00: It's still burning inside of me.
SPEAKER_00: You're in the church that's on the move.
SPEAKER_00: You're in the church that's pressing towards the mark.
SPEAKER_00: And look at the changing just because you can.
SPEAKER_00: What about changing because you can get a fifteen leaders?
SPEAKER_00: And then you move up to your video.
SPEAKER_00: Let me be the leader.
SPEAKER_00: Find somebody go out with you and get going for the lord.
SPEAKER_00: But it could take two in the middle of the starts knocking doors, and a whole section of this city could get said.
SPEAKER_00: I don't believe all that.
SPEAKER_00: That's because you don't have faith as a grain of a mustard seed.
SPEAKER_00: I'm not putting anybody there because if you're not on that side of the fish, you're just sitting there going, you know what?
SPEAKER_00: We don't want 20% involved.
SPEAKER_00: We don't want 30% involved.
SPEAKER_00: We don't want 40% involved.
SPEAKER_00: That's not our church.
SPEAKER_00: We have a church where 80 or 90 or 95% of the people are involved.
SPEAKER_00: I wouldn't go that everybody got involved.
SPEAKER_00: Sign up, bring a turkey, serve some food, do something for God.
SPEAKER_00: Invite somebody to church, pass out some tracks, drive a bus, be an usher, be a greener, work a parking lot, sit together, bring somebody to church.
SPEAKER_00: Do something, amen.
SPEAKER_00: What if God comes at the end of the year?
SPEAKER_00: Well, I've been pretty faithful for the last nine years.
SPEAKER_00: Yes, God has used me in a great way.
SPEAKER_00: I think I'll sit this one out.
SPEAKER_00: You better redeem the time.
SPEAKER_00: Redeem all you can.
SPEAKER_00: I'm talking to teenagers tonight.
SPEAKER_00: I'm talking to young people tonight.
SPEAKER_00: I'm talking to singles tonight.
SPEAKER_00: I'm talking to older people tonight.
SPEAKER_00: Hey, it doesn't matter your age.
SPEAKER_00: You can invite somebody to church.
SPEAKER_00: Get involved in this prayer.
SPEAKER_00: You say, well, I can't get out as much as other people.
SPEAKER_00: Then jump in on the prayer sheet and get that 15 minutes and take two 15 minutes a day.
SPEAKER_00: Pray for it in the morning and pray for it in the evening.
SPEAKER_00: And go all the way through to the big day and see what God does.
SPEAKER_00: You say, you know what?
SPEAKER_00: I'm from a church that they don't they don't quite talk this loud.
SPEAKER_00: I'm not used to this.
unknown: Come on.
SPEAKER_02: Come on.
SPEAKER_00: All right.
SPEAKER_00: Would you please do something for God before you die?
SPEAKER_00: Or before the rapture comes.
SPEAKER_00: God didn't save you to be lazy.
SPEAKER_00: God saved you to serve.
SPEAKER_00: And even if you don't want to do anything else, put some money in the offering plate.
SPEAKER_00: So others can run buses.
SPEAKER_00: And others can go to military bases.
SPEAKER_00: Pay for a postage stamp.
SPEAKER_00: Something.
SPEAKER_00: Are you awake up there in that balcony?
SPEAKER_00: Hey, this is big day time, amen.
SPEAKER_00: You say, what is this?
SPEAKER_00: We're kicking it up into the next gear.
SPEAKER_00: Hey, listen, I'm easy on you.
SPEAKER_00: Wait till Glendy comes.
SPEAKER_00: You're going to wish I was preaching again, amen.
SPEAKER_00: The idea behind it, brethren, it's the times when kings go out to battle.
SPEAKER_00: It's time to set in the battle on the way.
SPEAKER_00: And you know what's so great about this?
SPEAKER_00: I'm talking to 95% in here that are ready to go.
SPEAKER_00: All you gotta do is just get wound up a bit.
SPEAKER_00: The potential is there.
SPEAKER_00: Just stretch the rubber band out, get it ready to go again.
SPEAKER_00: And let it go.
SPEAKER_00: You know what was a blessing?
SPEAKER_00: Those sheets this morning for our turkeys and the bus and all that, they're filling up.
SPEAKER_00: I'm expecting those prayer sheets when they get to the back.
SPEAKER_00: I'm expecting to be three-quarters of the way full.
SPEAKER_00: We'll pass them around again, though.
SPEAKER_00: You know what?
SPEAKER_00: There's committed people in this church.
SPEAKER_00: And that's what it takes.
SPEAKER_00: Some leaders and some what?
SPEAKER_00: Say it.
SPEAKER_00: Some followers.
SPEAKER_00: But may I say this?
SPEAKER_00: In our church, there is mutual respect between the leaders and the followers.
SPEAKER_00: Hey, look up here.
SPEAKER_00: I myself am a man also.
SPEAKER_00: God chose me to be pastor.
SPEAKER_00: That's all.
SPEAKER_00: But I've got to do the same work that you have to do.
SPEAKER_00: You don't have to bow down to me.
SPEAKER_00: You don't have to kiss my ring.
SPEAKER_00: You don't have to hold me in awe.
SPEAKER_00: I am just a person.
SPEAKER_00: That's been laboring here with you for 12 and a half years as a pastor and been in this church for over 15 years.
SPEAKER_00: I'm just like you.
SPEAKER_00: Are you listening to me?
SPEAKER_00: We're working together.
SPEAKER_00: But somebody's got to lead and someone's got to follow.
SPEAKER_00: Amen?
SPEAKER_00: There's been many times I said, Lord, I'll just be a follower again.
SPEAKER_00: I'd be happy with that.
SPEAKER_00: Somebody's got to lead out.
SPEAKER_00: I don't mind being a follower.
SPEAKER_00: In fact, I kind of enjoy it.
SPEAKER_00: I kind of liked it last week watching my wife stress out.
SPEAKER_00: You say, why'd you like that?
SPEAKER_00: Because I saw her growing.
SPEAKER_00: I saw her growing.
SPEAKER_00: I saw her pick up the phone and ask people to do things.
SPEAKER_00: You say, what's the big deal about that?
SPEAKER_00: Patty Fisher, ten years ago, would have never done that.
SPEAKER_00: She should, she should, she would say, now, Doug, I we need this done, and uh, I'd say, I'll take care of it.
SPEAKER_00: And now she's on the phone.
SPEAKER_00: I ever heard her say to somebody, no, I don't like that, we're gonna do it this way.
SPEAKER_00: Revival, revival.
SPEAKER_00: I don't, you don't have a bossy pastor's wife.
SPEAKER_00: You haven't figured that out yet.
SPEAKER_00: She doesn't like to be in that leadership role.
SPEAKER_00: But she needs to be once a year.
SPEAKER_00: You know what she likes to do?
SPEAKER_00: Sing in the choir.
SPEAKER_00: Teach her class.
SPEAKER_00: Be my wife.
SPEAKER_00: She doesn't like to be in the spotlight.
SPEAKER_00: Maybe we released an animal this week.
SPEAKER_00: I doubt it though.
SPEAKER_00: Because last night she said, Oh, I'm glad that's over.
SPEAKER_00: It was a blessing, but I'm glad it's over.
SPEAKER_00: She just wants to get back into her role as a member of the congregation again.
SPEAKER_00: Amen?
SPEAKER_00: It takes leaders, it takes followers.
SPEAKER_00: You know what we need in this big day?
SPEAKER_00: We need some people to step up.
SPEAKER_00: Some of y'all need to step up and say, hey, looks like we need more greeters, more ushers.
SPEAKER_00: Looks like we need uh more ladies serving.
SPEAKER_00: Looks like we need uh more of this, more of that.
SPEAKER_00: Just need some people to step up.
SPEAKER_00: And by the way, if you haven't jumped in yet, hey, there's room.
SPEAKER_00: Somebody says it's a big church, there doesn't seem to be anything to do.
SPEAKER_00: Are you crazy?
SPEAKER_00: Make yourself available, but don't tell too many leaders.
SPEAKER_00: Our leaders, I used to do a lot of recruiting.
SPEAKER_00: I don't do much anymore.
SPEAKER_00: Our leaders do.
SPEAKER_00: You better be careful.
SPEAKER_00: If you say I'm available, if you stood up in the service right now and said, I'm available to do something, I'll guarantee you four leaders would be on you by the end of the service saying, Would you like to do this?
SPEAKER_00: Would you like to do this?
SPEAKER_00: We need help over here, we need help over there.
SPEAKER_00: Because we're not a stagnated church, we're a growing church reaching out for Lord Jesus Christ, and we need more laborers in the harvest.
SPEAKER_00: If you're a lady in here and you say, I'd like to work somewhere, I'll guarantee you three ladies right now and say, Me, me, me, me, me, make it work for me.
SPEAKER_00: And if you're a man, you might get tackled, amen.
SPEAKER_00: Especially if you say something like, I think I'd like to drive a bus.
SPEAKER_00: Oh! You'd probably have 12 bus captains come to you.
SPEAKER_00: Brother Proc and Brother Sturgard all in one night wanting to take you out to eat, amen.
SPEAKER_00: And by the way, we need bus drivers.
SPEAKER_00: Desperately, we need bus drivers.
SPEAKER_00: Somebody that would go out and get a license.
SPEAKER_00: I mean, we can't move to single runs because we don't have the bus drivers.
SPEAKER_00: We need three more drivers.
SPEAKER_00: Man, if you ever want to step up, now's the time.
SPEAKER_00: You say, what do I gotta do?
SPEAKER_00: You gotta get a bus driver's license.
SPEAKER_00: Oh, you say that sounds hard.
SPEAKER_00: I don't know if my wife did it.
SPEAKER_00: She'll probably drive a shuttle on the big day.
SPEAKER_00: So, sir, you could do it.
SPEAKER_00: We could use you.
SPEAKER_00: You know, a little is much when God is in it.
SPEAKER_00: And it doesn't take a lot to move God.
SPEAKER_00: Just two guys that decided they were gonna do something for God.
SPEAKER_00: Now, I need to show you something in all reality.
SPEAKER_00: There were some repercussions.
SPEAKER_00: Look if you would at verse 17.
SPEAKER_00: Stay with me.
SPEAKER_00: Verse 17 of 1 Samuel 14, and there's a principle here.
SPEAKER_00: Everybody there, okay?
SPEAKER_00: Everybody doing good tonight?
SPEAKER_00: Hey, I'm not trying, hey, listen, I'm not trying to offend anybody.
SPEAKER_00: I hope this kind of preaching doesn't offend you.
SPEAKER_00: You know what I'm supposed to do?
SPEAKER_00: Please look up here.
SPEAKER_00: I'm supposed to provoke you to love and good works.
SPEAKER_00: And we're coming up to a big day, and my job is to poke just a little bit.
SPEAKER_02: That's right.
SPEAKER_00: If somebody gets offended, I'd rather offend one or two people if two or three people get poked and say, I'm getting going.
SPEAKER_00: Getting going.
SPEAKER_00: That comes from being down south, amen.
SPEAKER_00: Look if you would at chapter 14, verse 17.
SPEAKER_00: Then said Saul to the people that were with him, watch it.
SPEAKER_00: Number now and see who's gone from us.
SPEAKER_00: When they numbered, behold, Jonathan and his armor bearer were not there.
SPEAKER_00: Huh?
SPEAKER_00: Well, look at verse 38.
SPEAKER_00: May have to flip a page.
SPEAKER_00: Saul said, Draw ye near hither, all the chief of the people, and know thee, know and see wherein this sin has been this day.
SPEAKER_00: Something's not right here.
SPEAKER_00: For as the Lord liveth, which saveth Israel, though it be Jonathan, my son, he shall surely die.
SPEAKER_00: There's not a man among all the people that answered him.
SPEAKER_00: Well, they draw lots if you know the story, and Jonathan and Saul are taken, and finally Jonathan is taken.
SPEAKER_00: Verse 43.
SPEAKER_00: Then Saul said to Jonathan, Tell me what thou hast done.
SPEAKER_00: And Jonathan told him and said, Here's what I did.
SPEAKER_00: I did but taste a little honey with the end of the rod that was in mine hand.
SPEAKER_00: And lo, I must die.
SPEAKER_00: You know why?
SPEAKER_00: Because Saul had given a commandment that nobody should eat that whole day.
SPEAKER_00: And Saul answered, God, do so and more also, for thou shalt surely die, Jonathan.
SPEAKER_00: Hey, you know what the point of this is?
SPEAKER_00: Every time you go out and get ready to do something for God and you're victorious for God, you better plan on something happening.
SPEAKER_00: Something comes along to rob our joy.
SPEAKER_00: Something comes along to try to get us discouraged.
SPEAKER_00: And the people said unto Saul, Shall Jonathan die?
SPEAKER_00: Who hath wrought this great salvation in Israel?
SPEAKER_00: God forbid.
SPEAKER_00: As the Lord liveth, there shall not one hair of his head fall to the ground.
SPEAKER_00: For he hath wrought with God this day.
SPEAKER_00: You know what they said there?
SPEAKER_00: For he, hey, Saul, he, Jonathan, had wrought with God this day.
SPEAKER_00: You know what's happened?
SPEAKER_00: God worked with Jonathan this day, Saul.
SPEAKER_00: Don't you see that?
SPEAKER_00: God worked with Jonathan.
SPEAKER_00: Why you had us all hid away and scared and weren't leaving us.
SPEAKER_00: Jonathan launched out and did something, and God worked with him.
SPEAKER_00: Why in the world is he dying, Saul?
SPEAKER_00: Jonathan learned something.
SPEAKER_00: Look at verse 24.
SPEAKER_00: Watch it.
SPEAKER_00: And the men of Israel were distressed that day.
SPEAKER_00: For Saul had adjured the people, saying, Cursed be the man that eateth any food until evening.
SPEAKER_00: Stay with me.
SPEAKER_00: That I may be avenged of on my enemies.
SPEAKER_00: So none of the people tasted any food.
SPEAKER_00: And all they of the land came to the woods, and there was what?
SPEAKER_00: Say it, honey upon the ground.
SPEAKER_00: And when the people were coming to the wood, behold, the honey dropped.
SPEAKER_00: But no man put his hand to his mouth, for the people feared the oath.
SPEAKER_00: But Jonathan heard not when his father charged the people.
SPEAKER_00: Why?
SPEAKER_00: Because Jonathan was already out working with God.
SPEAKER_00: Wherefore he put forth the end of the rod that was in his hand and dipped it in his honeycomb.
SPEAKER_00: Watch it.
SPEAKER_00: And he put his hands, uh put his hand to his mouth, and his eyes were what?
SPEAKER_00: Enlightened.
SPEAKER_00: Hey, it didn't just say his strength returned unto him, his eyes were opened.
SPEAKER_00: He saw something, he understood something.
SPEAKER_00: Then answered one of the people and said, Thy father straightly charged the people with an oath, saying, Cursed be the man that eateth any food this day.
SPEAKER_00: And the people were faint.
SPEAKER_00: Well, now watch what Jonathan learned, verse 29.
SPEAKER_00: Then said Jonathan, my father hath troubled the land.
SPEAKER_00: See, I pray you how mine eyes have been enlightened because I tasted a little of this honey.
SPEAKER_00: You know what?
SPEAKER_00: Because Jonathan stepped out by faith and did something with his follower, he learned something from the whole process.
SPEAKER_00: God taught him something.
SPEAKER_00: God showed him something.
SPEAKER_00: Oh, yeah, there was an attempt to rob his joy, but God showed something to Jonathan that day.
SPEAKER_00: And look at this statement that Jonathan makes later because of what he saw that day.
SPEAKER_00: Look at 1 Samuel 23.
SPEAKER_00: 1 Samuel 23.
SPEAKER_00: Oh, yeah.
SPEAKER_00: Jonathan saw through the whole thing that day.
SPEAKER_00: Because God was working with him.
SPEAKER_00: Look at it.
SPEAKER_00: 1 Samuel 23, almost finished tonight.
SPEAKER_00: And verse 16.
SPEAKER_00: And Jonathan, Saul's son arose.
SPEAKER_00: Verse 23, chapter 23, verse 16.
SPEAKER_00: And went to David into the wood and strengthened his hand in God.
SPEAKER_00: Watch what he says.
SPEAKER_00: And he said unto him, he says unto David, Fear not, for the hand of Saul my father shall not find me.
SPEAKER_00: And thou, hey David, shall be king over Israel.
SPEAKER_00: And I shall be next to thee.
SPEAKER_00: And that also Saul my father knoweth.
SPEAKER_00: Brethren, there was a series of events that happened that opened Jonathan's eyes to what his dad was doing.
SPEAKER_00: It wasn't just one time in the woods, but it was the javelin thrown at David.
SPEAKER_00: And then it was the javelin thrown at Jonathan.
SPEAKER_00: And then it was the situation there in the woods where he said, Hey, don't you see what my father did?
SPEAKER_00: My eyes have been enlightened.
SPEAKER_00: And he came to the point, look up here, and he came to the conclusion, you know what, David?
SPEAKER_00: You're going to be king.
SPEAKER_00: And I'll be next to the end.
SPEAKER_00: And my father knows that too.
SPEAKER_00: Statement.
SPEAKER_00: When we do something for God by faith, even though it may seem small to us, and God begins to move, there's going to be times when our joy is going to try to be robbed.
SPEAKER_00: But if we stay at it long enough, please look up here.
SPEAKER_00: Not only are we going to rot great victory with the Lord, but we're going to learn some things along the way.
SPEAKER_00: I want to make a statement to you.
SPEAKER_00: Sometimes people say, I wonder why this church has a big day.
SPEAKER_00: Why do you have a big push?
SPEAKER_00: I mean, shouldn't we try to win souls all the time?
SPEAKER_02: Yeah.
SPEAKER_00: Yeah.
SPEAKER_00: But every once in a while, you know what?
SPEAKER_00: It's good that everybody collectively gets together and pushes ourselves just a little bit more.
SPEAKER_00: You mark it down.
SPEAKER_00: Every leader in this church has learned something through the years, every big day.
SPEAKER_00: And if you've been a follower here, you've learned something every big day, something about God, something about yourself, something about doing something by faith, and you've got joy out of a big day.
SPEAKER_00: You've got joy out of a push day.
SPEAKER_00: You've got joy when you see, you say, but man, I don't know if it's worth it.
SPEAKER_00: Here we go again.
SPEAKER_00: Look at all the things that come up and the battles, and when you need this and you need that.
SPEAKER_00: Hey, it's called spiritual growth.
SPEAKER_00: It's called reaching our potential.
SPEAKER_00: It's called learning something from the Lord Jesus Christ.
SPEAKER_00: It stirs us up again to do something for God.
SPEAKER_00: Statement.
SPEAKER_00: We started our big days and held them over in the Amherst property in that auditorium.
SPEAKER_00: I'll never ever forget, I was the military director.
SPEAKER_00: I'll never forget when we packed in and the whole auditorium over there was filled with military guys and nobody else could get in.
SPEAKER_00: Now you know what's interesting?
SPEAKER_00: We fed those guys at the colony house.
SPEAKER_00: That's where this started years ago.
SPEAKER_00: We fed them at the colony house.
SPEAKER_00: I remember driving over the colony house, which is a house we own for the military.
SPEAKER_00: Jonathan and Daryl Schultz lived there at that time.
SPEAKER_00: And when I pulled up, there were guys in a line wrapped around the house and around the block.
SPEAKER_00: Not the whole block, but wrapped around, and neighbors were looking as these guys kept filing into this house.
SPEAKER_00: We did that way a couple of years, and finally it just was no doubt that we had to do something else.
SPEAKER_00: The neighbors were wondering what was going on in there.
SPEAKER_00: You have a hundred guys in there, 200 guys in there, and they just keep filing through.
SPEAKER_00: And then guys, you know, and we were trying to take them back, and we didn't have all the rented buses at that time.
SPEAKER_00: We just had a bus and a van, a couple vehicles, something like that.
SPEAKER_00: So those guys would kind of lounge around all afternoon.
SPEAKER_00: We had first run back, second run back, third run back.
SPEAKER_00: Do you understand what I'm saying?
SPEAKER_00: Then we decide, all right, we better do it now at the Amherst property, big time now.
SPEAKER_00: So we fill it up again.
SPEAKER_00: And we fed them at the Amherst property.
SPEAKER_00: Oh, that was so much better.
SPEAKER_00: We could get them all fed and everything, get them back and everything.
SPEAKER_00: And then we say, well, man, what do we do next?
SPEAKER_00: I'll never forget when we made the decision to go to the community center.
SPEAKER_00: I remember who I was talking to, I remember the place, I remember the time, and I said, Do you think we could we could we could have services like the community center with La Mesa?
SPEAKER_00: And I'll never forget moving it there for the first year.
SPEAKER_00: Oh man, it was a big endeavor.
SPEAKER_00: Huge! Do you remember?
SPEAKER_00: With a lot of problems.
SPEAKER_00: Oh, we had guys show up for the meeting on Saturday night.
SPEAKER_00: We were there till midnight.
SPEAKER_00: Just waiting to get in.
SPEAKER_00: That was the second year we went over there.
SPEAKER_00: Why?
SPEAKER_00: Somebody was having this big affair, fiasco dance, and they danced till one and we were waiting.
SPEAKER_00: And they danced till 1.30 and we were waiting.
SPEAKER_00: I don't know when we finally got in there.
SPEAKER_00: I know some guys stayed up all night to get set up in the community center.
SPEAKER_00: But we had in the community center.
SPEAKER_00: You saw a picture of that, and by the way, more room, more people came, more military, more friends, more visitors, and more people got saved.
SPEAKER_00: And what we would do is we would bring everybody in, then take everybody out, set up tables, bring everybody in again.
SPEAKER_00: I thought, wow, this is something.
SPEAKER_00: Then it got to the place where he said, Man, we need more room.
SPEAKER_00: God brought us here.
SPEAKER_00: Last year, for the first time, we did it here.
SPEAKER_00: Please look up here.
SPEAKER_00: It was pretty full last year.
SPEAKER_00: We'll be able to do it again this year here.
SPEAKER_00: But I'm already thinking about the future.
SPEAKER_00: Say, what do you got in mind?
SPEAKER_00: Please look up here.
SPEAKER_00: I don't know.
SPEAKER_00: I have no idea.
SPEAKER_00: All I know is we we can't do it here forever.
SPEAKER_00: We're gonna do it here this year, maybe next year.
SPEAKER_00: You say, what kind of leadership is that?
SPEAKER_00: I'm in good ranks with Jonathan.
SPEAKER_00: What do you mean?
SPEAKER_00: Hey, armor bearer, let's go up.
SPEAKER_00: It may be God will work for us.
SPEAKER_00: I don't know exactly how He's gonna do it.
SPEAKER_00: I'll tell you what.
SPEAKER_00: If this happens, then here's what we'll do.
SPEAKER_00: And if that happens, here's what we'll do.
SPEAKER_00: Are you with me?
unknown: That's good.
SPEAKER_00: And Armor Bear said, okay, sounds good.
SPEAKER_00: I'll be with you.
SPEAKER_00: Let's do it.
SPEAKER_00: Now, may I say this to you?
SPEAKER_00: I don't think this is the first time Jonathan and Armor Bearer ever went out to battle.
SPEAKER_00: I think they'd had some victories before.
SPEAKER_00: I think they had some successes before.
SPEAKER_00: I think they worked as a team before.
SPEAKER_00: And you know why we talk about past around here?
SPEAKER_00: So you can see that there's been past victories.
SPEAKER_00: So you can see that it's worked in the past.
SPEAKER_00: Because there's always skeptics.
SPEAKER_00: Ah, I don't know about this thing.
SPEAKER_00: You know, did where are those a hundred that got saved?
SPEAKER_00: Well, God knows their hearts, sir.
SPEAKER_00: And God knows their heart, ma'am.
SPEAKER_00: And all of a sudden I know is they heard the gospel and they went out there and they heard the clear presentation again, and they bowed their head.
SPEAKER_00: What happened in their heart?
SPEAKER_00: I don't know, but we did what God told us to do.
SPEAKER_00: That's all we're supposed to do.
SPEAKER_00: I can't save anybody, nor can you.
SPEAKER_00: But when God's in it, he moves.
SPEAKER_00: What do we do next?
SPEAKER_00: Brother, I have no idea.
SPEAKER_00: Hey, when we have meetings now, we don't invite any other churches.
SPEAKER_00: There's no room.
SPEAKER_00: If you all show up, that's crowded enough.
SPEAKER_00: Amen?
SPEAKER_00: Come on.
SPEAKER_00: We're not out soliciting churches to come and hear Glendy, although I think it would be good for them.
SPEAKER_00: Somebody ought to say something.
SPEAKER_00: Amen.
SPEAKER_00: Stir them up.
SPEAKER_00: We just don't have the room.
SPEAKER_00: And we just can't go out and rent a big auditorium just for a meeting.
SPEAKER_00: We're going to have the meeting here.
SPEAKER_00: If you all show up, that's all we can have.
SPEAKER_00: Oh, by the way, may I say this to you?
SPEAKER_00: Don't in your heart and mind say, well, I better not invite anybody because there's not going to be any room for them to come.
SPEAKER_00: Oh, don't do that.
SPEAKER_00: You know what the commission is?
SPEAKER_00: To go and do it.
SPEAKER_00: Let God worry about all the who's going to show up and how they're going to show up and how they're all going to fit in and how we're going to do this and how we're going to do that.
SPEAKER_00: Bring as many as you can bring and see what God will do.
SPEAKER_00: Hey, you say, well, but you know what?
SPEAKER_00: They're going to feel uncomfortable.
SPEAKER_00: They come, they can't get a seat, or it's crowded.
SPEAKER_00: May I say this to you?
SPEAKER_00: If they come and it's crowded and they get a seat and they hear the gospel and they get saved, they won't be worried about how crowded it was.
SPEAKER_00: They'll be rejoicing that they got squeezed in and that they heard the gospel and they'll come up and hug you and say, Thanks for bringing me.
SPEAKER_00: I don't care if the food runs out, they'll still say thanks for bringing me.
SPEAKER_00: Amen.
SPEAKER_00: Brother Chris, come on up here.
SPEAKER_00: This is Chris Wiseman.
SPEAKER_00: Brother Chris.
SPEAKER_00: You don't mind me doing this, do you?
SPEAKER_00: I'm gonna do it anyway.
SPEAKER_00: Brother Chris, grab a chair here for a minute.
SPEAKER_00: I want you to be comfortable up here.
SPEAKER_00: Don't worry about that.
SPEAKER_00: There's 700 people looking at you.
SPEAKER_00: Doesn't matter.
SPEAKER_00: Okay.
SPEAKER_00: Brother Weisman, uh, why don't you just first of all tell everybody what happened between last week and this week?
SPEAKER_03: First of all, um, I give glory to God.
SPEAKER_03: Um, I wouldn't be here without him.
SPEAKER_03: Um today I was looking forward to be baptized.
SPEAKER_03: I wanted it very much, very much.
SPEAKER_03: It's being saved, like I said last week, it's changed my whole life.
SPEAKER_03: A lot of people was asking what's the water coat.
SPEAKER_03: I don't know.
SPEAKER_03: All I know was I was looking forward to be uh buried, uh resurrected, and rise again.
SPEAKER_03: Um Chris Wiseman's gone, the new one's here.
SPEAKER_03: Uh love the Lord.
SPEAKER_00: Um, this is my new home.
SPEAKER_00: Amen.
SPEAKER_00: Last Sunday, Chris came to church.
SPEAKER_00: Now, the little bit that I know, uh Brother Chris grew up uh and thought he was saved years ago and came to church last Sunday and received Christ as Savior.
SPEAKER_00: And uh today, he said after the service, he said, Man, I was sitting there listening to you preaching, and it was like you were just talking to me.
SPEAKER_00: Like nobody else was here.
SPEAKER_00: Do you remember that when that happened to you?
SPEAKER_00: Is that evidence of salvation?
SPEAKER_00: I mean, it was like you're talking to me.
SPEAKER_00: I remember when I first got saved, I don't know who else heard the message.
SPEAKER_00: I just knew that preacher had followed me around and he was talking to me.
SPEAKER_00: He got uh baptized today, and and uh brother Chris came up to me after the services and he said, uh, well, tell him what you do, Chris.
SPEAKER_00: Go ahead.
SPEAKER_03: Um I said, hi, my name is Chris Wiseman.
SPEAKER_03: Um I just got baptized today.
SPEAKER_03: Um I want to help.
SPEAKER_03: I'm a school bus driver.
SPEAKER_00: Now, if you don't have a church and say, why is anybody excited about the fact that he's a school bus driver smoking?
SPEAKER_00: If I'm gonna get some excitement because he got money.
SPEAKER_00: You see, we need drivers.
SPEAKER_00: And the Lord knows we need drivers.
SPEAKER_00: We'll take lawyers with money, we'll take doctors with money, we'll take anybody with money.
SPEAKER_00: But may I say this?
SPEAKER_00: Just because they have money doesn't mean they'll give it.
SPEAKER_00: Money isn't everything.
SPEAKER_00: I know churches that got so much money they don't know what to do with, they don't have any workers.
SPEAKER_00: Amen.
SPEAKER_00: Have thousands, hundreds of thousands in the bank.
SPEAKER_00: If you don't have workers, not much is going on.
SPEAKER_00: That's right.
SPEAKER_00: Except we're gonna buy new gold-plated carpeting for our church.
SPEAKER_00: He came up and told me that.
SPEAKER_00: Now, you wouldn't know this.
SPEAKER_00: But last night I called Chris Sturger and I said, Chris, now listen, we need to replace the driver.
SPEAKER_00: I've got to have this guy over here later in the church.
SPEAKER_00: And I'm gonna pray that God gives us, so I can give to you, a man that is just fresh, brand new, never been here before, a driver.
SPEAKER_00: And that's the guy that's gonna replace the guy that I want to jerk away from you to use over here.
SPEAKER_00: Where's Chris?
SPEAKER_00: I'm not saying it, but it may be God will work for us.
SPEAKER_00: You say, Why are you doing this with Chris?
SPEAKER_00: Because I want him to feel pressured to stay faithful.
SPEAKER_00: Say that say that you want them.
SPEAKER_00: Hey, amen.
SPEAKER_00: See?
SPEAKER_00: Hey, a real man wants that.
SPEAKER_00: A real man wants to jump in and say, let's go.
SPEAKER_00: I don't want to jump in and be that follower.
SPEAKER_00: Brother Chris, this is Chris.
SPEAKER_00: Brother Chris?
SPEAKER_00: Hold your hand.
SPEAKER_00: This is Chris.
SPEAKER_00: Right there.
SPEAKER_00: Chris.
SPEAKER_00: Yeah, Chris.
SPEAKER_00: That's the guy you want to see right there.
SPEAKER_00: Russ?
SPEAKER_00: Brother Russ?
SPEAKER_00: It's Chris.
SPEAKER_00: Chris is Russ.
SPEAKER_00: Russ will do everything he can for you, amen?
SPEAKER_00: You know what he said?
SPEAKER_00: He said, I want to do something.
SPEAKER_00: I said, Well, listen, you need to grow a little bit first.
SPEAKER_00: We want to over in the services for a little while on Sunday morning.
SPEAKER_00: Amen?
SPEAKER_00: Want to disciple him along, bring along.
SPEAKER_00: But by the big day, he's driving.
SPEAKER_00: I can't believe you're doing this.
SPEAKER_00: Doesn't this excite you?
SPEAKER_00: I mean, if you're just sitting there going, what?
SPEAKER_00: I don't get it.
SPEAKER_00: What are they so excited about?
SPEAKER_00: Pray ye that the Lord of the harvest will send laborers into the harvest.
SPEAKER_00: It may be God will work for us.
SPEAKER_00: Please look up here.
SPEAKER_00: It only takes a couple to get God moving.
SPEAKER_00: By the way, God will move without us.
SPEAKER_00: Please understand that.
SPEAKER_00: The rocks will cry out if we don't.
SPEAKER_00: But it's good when he uses us and uses people.
SPEAKER_00: I want to make a statement to you.
SPEAKER_00: I think it's a good statement.
SPEAKER_00: So many people are looking to get involved in the movement.
SPEAKER_00: Well, I'm looking, I want, I want to get involved in the big movement.
SPEAKER_00: May I say something to you?
SPEAKER_00: We're not as a church interested really in getting involved with the big movement.
SPEAKER_00: We just want to be involved where God is moving.
SPEAKER_00: Does that make sense?
SPEAKER_00: We're not trying to jump on any nationwide bandwagon.
SPEAKER_00: If it's going on, praise the Lord, it's going on, and we rejoice.
SPEAKER_00: But that doesn't mean we have to jump aboard to get us going.
SPEAKER_00: We're an independent, indigenous, local church.
SPEAKER_00: I was asked this morning by a guy.
SPEAKER_00: Been here for a while, kind of checking our church out.
SPEAKER_00: He may be here tonight.
SPEAKER_00: I won't embarrass him, point him out or anything.
SPEAKER_00: He said, Hey, I want to know something.
SPEAKER_00: Uh, do you have any church boards?
SPEAKER_00: I said, Well, not really.
SPEAKER_00: Uh we have uh, you know, our associate pastors or our trustees, and they're a multitude of counselors, there's wisdom, so they're kind of advisors.
SPEAKER_00: We have a couple men that we use in advisory capacities for for finances, and we make a team up there and everything.
SPEAKER_00: But I can't say we really have any boards, and he said, Good.
SPEAKER_00: I just want to make sure what kind of church you were.
SPEAKER_00: He says, Now, are are you a part of any, are you a part of any group?
SPEAKER_00: I said, Well, we're we're independent and our our people go different places to hear preaching or something like that.
SPEAKER_00: Well, we're not really part of any group, we're kind of an indigenous local New Testament church.
SPEAKER_00: He said, Good.
unknown: Good.
SPEAKER_00: He said, that's what I'm looking for.
SPEAKER_00: He said, I thought so, but I wanted to ask you.
SPEAKER_00: I said, well, I'm responsible to the congregation and to the and to the Lord.
SPEAKER_00: And I guess the only body above us is heaven.
SPEAKER_00: I think I gave him the right answers.
SPEAKER_00: And you know what?
SPEAKER_00: That's what he was looking to hear.
SPEAKER_00: The right answers.
SPEAKER_00: Brethren, please look up here.
SPEAKER_00: We don't have to be a part of a big movement to get us motivated.
SPEAKER_00: Isn't the word of God and the Holy Spirit enough?
SPEAKER_00: Now, I don't mind going to places and conferences and something going on and something, hey, I don't mind all that, but it doesn't take that for the right-handed church to do something for God.
SPEAKER_00: Nobody come up and up and say, what happened to a nationwide big baby on November 17th?
SPEAKER_00: You want to jump in?
SPEAKER_00: We're doing it because God has led us year after year to do it this way.
SPEAKER_00: I'm not against the nationwide stuff, but we don't have to wait for one of them to do something for God.
SPEAKER_00: You know what we need?
SPEAKER_00: Just more Chris Wisemans.
SPEAKER_00: And more of us who just stay faithful year after year after year after year after year.
SPEAKER_00: Now, uh, Brother Chris, I want to introduce you to Brother Sturger.
SPEAKER_00: He's your leader.
SPEAKER_00: Okay?
SPEAKER_00: Brother Proc over there, he's the mechanic, uh, leadership, and he's also leading, really leads the bus drivers.
SPEAKER_00: Uh, brother Chris leads brother Prc, and Brother Prc will lead you.
SPEAKER_00: Alright?
SPEAKER_00: But brother, brother, brother, brother Chris, he's the big cheese.
SPEAKER_02: So who do I see first?
SPEAKER_02: See me first?
SPEAKER_00: No, see Brother Rot.
SPEAKER_00: See Brother Proc.
SPEAKER_00: Okay.
SPEAKER_00: And if you need to see the big cheese, you know, make sure you have something important.
SPEAKER_02: Okay.
SPEAKER_00: They don't kiss my ring, but they do his.
SPEAKER_00: Amen.
SPEAKER_00: Isn't it good to have a church where you can have a good time?
SPEAKER_00: This is family stuff, amen.
SPEAKER_00: Now, the great thing about Brother Proc, he's a great follower to Brother Sturger.
SPEAKER_00: They work as a team.
SPEAKER_00: Jonathan, armor bear.
SPEAKER_00: Just jump in.
SPEAKER_00: They'll help you, they'll disciple you, they won't burn you out, they'll love you, they'll care for you.
SPEAKER_00: If you need money, see Brother Big Cheese.
SPEAKER_00: Yeah, don't see Brother Proc.
SPEAKER_00: Brother Proc has no money.
SPEAKER_00: But if you need money, see Big Cheese.
SPEAKER_00: Don't see me, see Big Cheese.
SPEAKER_00: He's your leader, amen?
SPEAKER_00: All right.
SPEAKER_00: We get that?
SPEAKER_00: See, that's important.
SPEAKER_00: My suggestion is 20 at a time.
SPEAKER_00: Don't ask for too much, you'll you'll wear it out.
SPEAKER_00: You know what I mean?
SPEAKER_00: Three or four times a year, three or four times a year.
SPEAKER_00: Don't be easy, though.
SPEAKER_00: No, no.
SPEAKER_00: Three or four times a year, twenty bucks, he's easy going, amen?
SPEAKER_00: I tell you what you get here though, Chris.
SPEAKER_00: Mutual respect.
SPEAKER_00: There's nobody in this church that works that's not important.
SPEAKER_00: Everybody's important.
SPEAKER_00: The comely parts are important.
SPEAKER_00: Everybody that's working behind the scenes, you're important.
SPEAKER_00: Your name's never been mentioned.
SPEAKER_00: You're important.
SPEAKER_00: We couldn't do it without you.
SPEAKER_00: I'd love to trade places with you sometimes so you could sit up here and do this.
SPEAKER_00: But God's called me to my place, and God's called you to your place, and your place and my place are equally important.
SPEAKER_00: Because at the judgment seat of Christ, we'll be judged for what we've done in our bodies, whether it be good or bad.
SPEAKER_00: And have we reached our potential?
SPEAKER_00: Brother Chris, let me tell you something.
SPEAKER_00: The reason I brought you up here tonight is this.
SPEAKER_00: I want to help you be a good follower.
SPEAKER_00: If you're a good follower, I'll be a better leader.
SPEAKER_00: We will mutually push each other along.
SPEAKER_00: And when we reach our potential together, you know what will happen?
SPEAKER_00: You'll respect me and I'll respect you.
SPEAKER_00: Leaders and followers who work together over the years, the respect grows greater and greater and greater.
SPEAKER_00: The appreciation, please look up here, the admiration, and nobody around here is a demagogue.
SPEAKER_00: I don't expect you to put my picture up with candles and burn incense to it in your home.
SPEAKER_00: If you do, change the fruit every morning, please.
SPEAKER_00: And none of that peppermint incense.
SPEAKER_00: I can't stand that stuff, all right?
SPEAKER_03: No.
SPEAKER_03: Sure.
SPEAKER_03: I wouldn't be able to do this if it wasn't for God.
SPEAKER_03: I say I'm shy, but if it wasn't for him, I I wouldn't be able to talk to you like us like this.
SPEAKER_03: I mean, I feel comfortable here.
SPEAKER_03: My first time coming here, I was comfortable.
SPEAKER_03: I had fun here.
SPEAKER_03: I don't know.
SPEAKER_03: I mean, what else can I say?
SPEAKER_00: It's a family, Chris.
SPEAKER_00: The Holy Spirit brings to one accord.
SPEAKER_00: And yeah, you kind of feel like even though you have your own family and his mom was here this morning, she's saved.
SPEAKER_00: I just know this God's brought Chris to this church.
SPEAKER_00: For this message tonight.
SPEAKER_00: Oh, by the way, there are other Chris's out there.
SPEAKER_00: We need to reach him for the Lord Jesus Christ.
SPEAKER_00: Brethren, what you're doing, even though you think it's small, just a little bit of something moves God.
SPEAKER_00: Just a little bit of faithfulness.
SPEAKER_00: You say, oh man, it's tough.
SPEAKER_00: Climb on your hands and on your knees up to the rock to get to the battle and keep on going.
SPEAKER_00: Once you get up there, do what you're supposed to do with God and watch God move.
SPEAKER_00: I think I can say with all assurity, God's moved into Chris's life.
SPEAKER_00: Just at a time when we needed him.
SPEAKER_00: I needed a good illustration for tonight.
SPEAKER_00: Got the best.
SPEAKER_00: Amen?
SPEAKER_00: Chris, there's going to be a lot of people shaking your hands afterwards and welcoming you here.
SPEAKER_00: And I don't do this with everybody.
SPEAKER_00: If you say, Man, I got saved there.
SPEAKER_00: You never did that with me.
SPEAKER_00: God didn't leave me.
SPEAKER_00: But this afternoon, as I was thinking about Chris, God said, Write him down, bring him up.
SPEAKER_00: And all I could say is maybe God will work for us tonight.
SPEAKER_00: Come on up, Chris.
SPEAKER_00: I think he has.
SPEAKER_00: Brethren, it's worth it.
SPEAKER_00: If you've never received Christ as your Savior, tonight would be a good night to join Chris as a new Christian.
SPEAKER_00: If you've never jumped in and got busy, hey, Chris is.
SPEAKER_00: And if he doesn't show up, we'll all call him.
SPEAKER_00: Amen?
SPEAKER_00: Let's bow our heads for prayer.
SPEAKER_00: Father, I pray you'll bless tonight.
SPEAKER_00: We want to do your work your way.
SPEAKER_00: For Jesus' honor and glory.
SPEAKER_00: Would you all stand just for a moment, brother?
SPEAKER_00: And tonight, without much fanfare, don't go backwards.
SPEAKER_00: I'd like to call some people tonight.
SPEAKER_00: Let's all stand just for a moment.
SPEAKER_00: Would you begin tonight to pray for our big day?
SPEAKER_00: To pray that Chris will get involved and bear much fruit into the Lord.
SPEAKER_00: Drive some people in, maybe on the big day, and some of those people he drives in gets saved.
SPEAKER_00: And God starts adding fruit to his account.
SPEAKER_00: I'm asking some men to make some commitments to be out Saturday night to the men's meeting all day Sunday.
SPEAKER_00: You ladies come all day Sunday.
SPEAKER_00: Whole Heart Sunday next week.
SPEAKER_00: For our big day.
SPEAKER_00: Tonight.
SPEAKER_00: No fanfare.
SPEAKER_00: Some of you men climb out here on your hands and knees, go around, get around those pews.
SPEAKER_00: Come on down and have some prayer.
SPEAKER_00: Some of you ladies.
SPEAKER_00: Altar's open.
SPEAKER_00: Let's do some business with God tonight.
SPEAKER_00: And let's thank God for the opportunity to serve Him.
SPEAKER_00: If you'd like to get on your knees right where you're at, or pray right where you're at.
SPEAKER_00: You say it just doesn't seem like what I'm doing is very important.
SPEAKER_00: It is very important.
SPEAKER_00: Two men, Jonathan and his arm repair.
SPEAKER_00: Maybe God will work for us.
SPEAKER_00: If they say, come up, let's go up.
SPEAKER_00: They climbed on their hands and knees and they killed 20.
SPEAKER_00: But God wrought a work that day.
SPEAKER_00: And God worked with them.
SPEAKER_00: And their faith seems like God began to move.
SPEAKER_00: And then more got on board and more.
SPEAKER_00: And before long the the Israelites were chasing the Philistines.
SPEAKER_00: And a great victory was wrought that day.
SPEAKER_00: Oh, yeah, there were problems internally that Jonathan faced, trying to rob his joy.
SPEAKER_00: But he learned something that day which propelled him forward.
SPEAKER_00: We always learn something when we do for God.