WEBVTT 00:00:01.600 --> 00:00:04.559 Welcome to this week's message from the Church at Chelsea Westover. 00:00:04.879 --> 00:00:10.800 Our core values are vibrant worship, intimate fellowship, fulfilling service, and clear biblical truth. 00:00:11.039 --> 00:00:13.279 We pray that this message changes your life. 00:00:13.519 --> 00:00:17.600 Let's tune in to today's message and see what God has in store for you. 00:00:19.679 --> 00:00:21.519 Let's win the race. 00:00:22.079 --> 00:00:24.800 The Christian life is a race. 00:00:25.679 --> 00:00:28.320 God gives us a course. 00:00:28.800 --> 00:00:30.800 God gives us a purpose. 00:00:31.120 --> 00:00:32.880 God gives us direction. 00:00:33.520 --> 00:00:36.560 God calls us for a purpose. 00:00:36.799 --> 00:00:39.520 Folks, he didn't save you for you to sit. 00:00:40.399 --> 00:00:42.399 He saved you to serve. 00:00:42.719 --> 00:00:43.920 He's got a purpose. 00:00:44.159 --> 00:00:46.399 He's got a place for you. 00:00:46.719 --> 00:00:48.159 And then guess what? 00:00:48.399 --> 00:00:56.719 When you fulfill that purpose and that place here on earth, he's got a place for you in heaven awaiting. 00:00:56.960 --> 00:01:01.840 What an exciting ending this Christian life really is. 00:01:02.320 --> 00:01:15.840 So, Paul, in fact, you know, as we look, in fact, in the introduction on your outline, I said, our responsibility as Christians is to run the race and achieve the goals God has set for us. 00:01:16.239 --> 00:01:21.680 And we see that in the book of Philippians, especially in chapter 3. 00:01:21.920 --> 00:01:44.560 You know, most people read biographies to gain from the people that have been successful, whether it's missionaries, whether it's athletes, whether it's famous businessmen, and they look for that secret that those men or women that have been so successful in their fields, they look for that one secret. 00:01:44.719 --> 00:01:52.719 I can remember at Liberty when I was going to school there, one of the physicians of one of the presidents, I think it was George Bush, I'm not sure. 00:01:52.959 --> 00:01:59.280 He was there and he was telling us and sharing his testimony about the secret to a long life. 00:01:59.519 --> 00:02:04.719 And bam, we were all sitting there hanging on every word, waiting, waiting. 00:02:04.799 --> 00:02:10.240 And after about 40 minutes, we thought ourselves, he hadn't told us squat yet, you know, he hadn't told us anything yet. 00:02:10.400 --> 00:02:11.199 What's the secret? 00:02:11.360 --> 00:02:15.520 So then he said, Oh, by the way, you wanted to know the secret to longevity, right? 00:02:15.759 --> 00:02:19.199 Yeah, the whole student body roared, yeah, we waiting. 00:02:19.360 --> 00:02:19.840 What is it? 00:02:20.000 --> 00:02:27.919 Now he had gone through about living right, you know, and and your body's the temple of the Holy Spirit, but we're still hanging on that one secret. 00:02:28.240 --> 00:02:32.560 In fact, he had written a book, The Secret of Long of a Long Life. 00:02:32.719 --> 00:02:34.800 And it had a lot of great Christian principles. 00:02:34.960 --> 00:02:36.000 But here's what's the secret. 00:02:36.080 --> 00:02:43.360 He says, now here's the one secret you all gotta do if you want to have a long, hey, healthy Christian life. 00:02:43.599 --> 00:02:46.319 Drink eight glasses of water every day. 00:02:47.840 --> 00:02:48.960 Seriously. 00:02:51.199 --> 00:02:54.719 I thought to myself, what in the world? 00:02:55.599 --> 00:02:56.319 Do I do it? 00:02:56.400 --> 00:02:57.599 Yeah, I try to do it. 00:02:57.759 --> 00:02:59.280 I try to do it. 00:02:59.599 --> 00:03:04.719 But but but anyway, what I said that to say this is Paul's biography. 00:03:04.879 --> 00:03:15.280 Chapter 3 is Paul's biography, and he's given us the secret to live that dynamic Christian life. 00:03:15.680 --> 00:03:22.240 In fact, we see in Philippians 3, Paul's given us that uh biography about his past. 00:03:22.400 --> 00:03:23.919 We looked at that last week. 00:03:24.159 --> 00:03:30.639 Today, his presence, verses 12 through 16, and then verses 17 through 21, his future. 00:03:30.879 --> 00:03:34.719 So last week we saw Paul as the accountant, if you remember. 00:03:34.879 --> 00:03:54.879 He he kind of listed two lines, and he had the prophet and the lost, but basically what he had, he said, and it was so awesome, he says, I've learned, and he says that, hey, all those worldly and earthly things I attained were no good compared to what Christ has given me. 00:03:55.439 --> 00:04:11.439 And then in this passage, verses 16 to 12 through 16, we see Paul as the athlete, with that spiritual vigor, pressing toward the finish line in the Christian life and in the Christian race. 00:04:11.599 --> 00:04:13.840 In fact, read with me, verse 12. 00:04:14.080 --> 00:04:24.480 Not as though I had already attained, either were already perfect, but I follow after if that I may apprehend that which also I am apprehended of Jesus Christ. 00:04:24.720 --> 00:04:31.360 In other words, Jesus turned me upside down, and now that he's grabbed me and turned me upside down, I want to follow him. 00:04:31.519 --> 00:04:32.800 That's what that means. 00:04:33.040 --> 00:04:34.319 I want to follow him. 00:04:34.560 --> 00:04:51.600 And then he goes on, brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended, but this one thing, underline that, this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forth unto those things which are before, I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in and through Christ Jesus. 00:04:51.839 --> 00:05:10.879 So we see this powerful, unbelievable, un should I say, attainable, sometimes we think, principles of God working through Paul so that he can finish what God had called Paul to do after he saved him on the road to Damascus. 00:05:11.120 --> 00:05:12.800 Tremendous insight here. 00:05:12.959 --> 00:05:21.040 In fact, in each of these experiences, Paul as the accountant, Paul as the athlete, and next week we'll see Paul as the alien. 00:05:21.279 --> 00:05:22.879 He was not of this world. 00:05:23.040 --> 00:05:23.600 Amen. 00:05:23.839 --> 00:05:25.519 He was not of this world. 00:05:25.680 --> 00:05:35.120 But we see all these experiences here that one key issue was that he was looking at these things with a spiritual mind. 00:05:35.279 --> 00:05:36.480 Can I get an amen? 00:05:36.959 --> 00:05:38.000 In fact, how many times? 00:05:38.079 --> 00:05:43.680 I tell you, nine different times in this four short chapters, he talks about us having the spiritual mind. 00:05:43.839 --> 00:05:45.759 He says, let not this mind be in you. 00:05:46.000 --> 00:05:48.959 He says, Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus. 00:05:49.120 --> 00:05:50.240 Philippians 2, 5. 00:05:50.399 --> 00:05:52.399 We have to have the mind of Christ. 00:05:52.560 --> 00:06:04.240 And with that mind, Paul gives us these applications as an accountant's view, as an athlete's view, and as an alien, not of this world's view. 00:06:04.480 --> 00:06:06.079 So we're going to look at it today. 00:06:06.240 --> 00:06:22.160 In his letters, and I love this, as a result, Paul having this spiritual mind did not allow anything to detour him or to hinder him from completing God's will and God's course for his life. 00:06:22.240 --> 00:06:24.240 In fact, I want you to see a couple of verses. 00:06:24.319 --> 00:06:27.920 I want you to, one of my favorite verses is Acts 20, 24. 00:06:28.079 --> 00:06:29.680 Listen to what Paul said. 00:06:30.000 --> 00:06:32.639 But none of these things move me. 00:06:32.879 --> 00:06:40.240 In other words, none of the things that are around me in this present time, none of the things that are in my past. 00:06:40.480 --> 00:06:41.839 Can I get an amen? 00:06:42.480 --> 00:06:52.879 And none of the things in the future are going to detour me from completing my course with the joy of God in my heart. 00:06:53.040 --> 00:06:56.160 In fact, these move, nothing move me, neither can I myself. 00:06:56.560 --> 00:07:02.000 In other words, it's not about me anymore, so that I might finish my course with joy and the ministry. 00:07:02.160 --> 00:07:09.360 Every one of us have a ministry, which I have received of the Lord Jesus to testify of the gospel of the grace of God. 00:07:09.600 --> 00:07:10.240 Wow. 00:07:10.560 --> 00:07:15.120 Hey, it's one thing to finish the course, but you want to finish it with joy. 00:07:15.279 --> 00:07:15.839 Amen. 00:07:16.000 --> 00:07:21.680 That's the whole precept of the whole four chapters of the book of Philippians, the joy book of the Bible. 00:07:22.000 --> 00:07:22.560 Joy. 00:07:23.040 --> 00:07:31.199 Folks, listen, when I look at people and they don't have the joy of the Lord, I get upset, not for, hey, me, but for them. 00:07:31.360 --> 00:07:34.560 They're missing the joy of the Lord, which is our strength. 00:07:34.720 --> 00:07:36.160 Nehemiah 8.10. 00:07:36.319 --> 00:07:37.199 There's a joy. 00:07:37.360 --> 00:07:49.120 When you have that joy, nothing hinders you, nothing detours you, nothing defeats you, nothing discourages you, because the joy of the Lord is your strength. 00:07:49.279 --> 00:07:50.240 Can I get an amen? 00:07:51.040 --> 00:07:51.920 That's it. 00:07:52.240 --> 00:07:54.959 And so this is what Paul is talking about. 00:07:55.199 --> 00:08:03.839 In his letters, Paul uses many mil uh, many, many worldly illustrations to show us how to run our course. 00:08:04.079 --> 00:08:07.680 If you remember military, he uses the military. 00:08:08.000 --> 00:08:10.560 He says, put on the whole armor of God. 00:08:10.800 --> 00:08:11.439 That what? 00:08:11.600 --> 00:08:14.639 You may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. 00:08:14.879 --> 00:08:16.160 Ephesians 6.11. 00:08:16.319 --> 00:08:19.040 Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, Ephesians 6.10. 00:08:19.439 --> 00:08:23.199 And then, secondly, he uses the architecture. 00:08:23.439 --> 00:08:24.800 The architecture. 00:08:25.199 --> 00:08:25.600 Temple. 00:08:25.759 --> 00:08:26.319 He says, What? 00:08:26.480 --> 00:08:30.720 No, your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit, which is in you. 00:08:30.959 --> 00:08:33.120 You have a God, you're not of yourself. 00:08:33.360 --> 00:08:37.039 And then we see he uses the agriculture. 00:08:37.279 --> 00:08:43.200 He says, He that soweth, he that soweth, he that planteth, be not deceived. 00:08:43.360 --> 00:08:44.159 God is not mocked. 00:08:44.240 --> 00:08:47.279 Whatsoever man soweth, that shall he reap. 00:08:47.759 --> 00:08:50.240 And then he uses athletics. 00:08:50.320 --> 00:08:52.399 And this is what we're going to be looking at. 00:08:52.559 --> 00:09:01.759 Now, a lot of Bible students here are kind of disagree on what he's talking about, but about is he talking about a foot race? 00:09:02.399 --> 00:09:04.960 Or is he talking about a chariot race? 00:09:05.200 --> 00:09:10.399 Because, see, back in the Greek games, how many of you have seen um Ben Hart? 00:09:10.639 --> 00:09:11.360 No, Ben Hur. 00:09:11.840 --> 00:09:12.480 Ben Hur. 00:09:13.440 --> 00:09:17.679 Remember Charleston Heston many, many years ago Ben Hur in the little chariot. 00:09:17.919 --> 00:09:21.600 Well, see, a little chariot was just a little two-wheel platform. 00:09:22.320 --> 00:09:26.000 I mean, it was just wasn't much larger than really this pulpit. 00:09:26.240 --> 00:09:27.120 That's a good size. 00:09:27.279 --> 00:09:36.399 And you'd stand there, and that driver of that chariot in the Olympic Games, so they had chariot races, he would have to stretch way out just like that and balance himself. 00:09:36.480 --> 00:09:39.519 There's a going around, you've watched Ben Heard and them do that. 00:09:39.679 --> 00:09:45.360 Because it wouldn't take much for him to fall off or to get out of the way and run into the other chariots. 00:09:45.600 --> 00:09:56.080 So he had to he had to stretch his all the way over that little rail there and balance himself as he's running those horses, pulling that chariot. 00:09:56.320 --> 00:09:58.399 Or the runner, we've seen that. 00:09:58.480 --> 00:10:01.440 We love the hundred-yard dash and all the sprints. 00:10:01.600 --> 00:10:04.240 How the what do they do at the end of the race to win it? 00:10:04.399 --> 00:10:08.559 Especially somebody they stretch everything they've got. 00:10:09.440 --> 00:10:18.240 So this is the picture that Paul is painting about pressing and stretching for the prize. 00:10:18.399 --> 00:10:22.000 He's saying you got to give it everything you got. 00:10:22.720 --> 00:10:23.279 Amen. 00:10:23.519 --> 00:10:24.559 Everything you got. 00:10:24.720 --> 00:10:27.200 Hey, first of all, you got to get in the race. 00:10:27.600 --> 00:10:28.480 Remember what I said? 00:10:28.639 --> 00:10:30.000 You got to get in the game. 00:10:30.799 --> 00:10:32.080 You got to get in the race. 00:10:32.159 --> 00:10:33.600 So this is what we see. 00:10:33.759 --> 00:10:37.440 Now, Paul's not telling us that we're working for our salvation. 00:10:37.519 --> 00:10:38.799 We saw that last week. 00:10:38.960 --> 00:10:42.159 Not by works of righteousness which we've done, but according to what? 00:10:42.399 --> 00:10:44.320 God's mercy, he saved us. 00:10:44.559 --> 00:10:45.519 Titus 3, 5. 00:10:45.679 --> 00:10:50.799 In fact, when you look at verse 2, he says that you can't get in the race. 00:10:50.879 --> 00:10:53.200 You're not eligible for the race. 00:10:53.440 --> 00:10:54.480 Now watch. 00:10:54.720 --> 00:10:58.159 Unless you are a citizen of Greece. 00:10:58.480 --> 00:10:59.120 Amen. 00:10:59.600 --> 00:11:03.840 So you can't get in the race as a Christian if you're not already saved. 00:11:04.000 --> 00:11:05.039 Can I get an Amen? 00:11:05.600 --> 00:11:07.679 So we're not talking about salvation here. 00:11:07.840 --> 00:11:11.600 We're talking about sanctification here, becoming more like Jesus. 00:11:11.759 --> 00:11:12.879 Can I get an Amen? 00:11:13.440 --> 00:11:16.080 So we see this unbelievable truth. 00:11:16.320 --> 00:11:23.039 In fact, in Philippians 2, 12 through 13, he talks about, we saw it last week, work out your own salvation. 00:11:23.279 --> 00:11:26.799 For it is God which worketh in you, every believer. 00:11:27.039 --> 00:11:39.120 It's God which works in you to give you your race, to give you your course, to give you your purpose for you to run and for you to participate. 00:11:39.360 --> 00:11:45.120 So we see each believer, I wrote this to me, each believer is on a track. 00:11:45.360 --> 00:11:48.559 We're all on the track, ready to run the race. 00:11:48.639 --> 00:11:49.039 Amen. 00:11:49.120 --> 00:11:49.600 Come on. 00:11:49.919 --> 00:11:50.720 Say this with me. 00:11:50.799 --> 00:11:51.679 I'm on the track. 00:11:52.799 --> 00:11:55.759 Now, if you're not saved, you're not on the track. 00:11:56.080 --> 00:11:56.720 Amen. 00:11:57.279 --> 00:11:58.960 But if you're saved, you're on the track. 00:11:59.039 --> 00:12:01.279 Now we got to get you fired up to run. 00:12:01.759 --> 00:12:03.600 But you, hey, you're on the track. 00:12:03.840 --> 00:12:05.039 You're on the track. 00:12:05.279 --> 00:12:07.279 And we got to show you where you're going to run. 00:12:07.360 --> 00:12:09.679 We got to show you which lane you're in. 00:12:09.919 --> 00:12:12.879 Everybody, say this with me, everybody has a lane. 00:12:14.399 --> 00:12:15.919 Everybody has a lane. 00:12:17.679 --> 00:12:19.759 Hey, and you got to stay in your lane. 00:12:19.840 --> 00:12:21.519 Don't get in my lane. 00:12:21.840 --> 00:12:24.399 Rod, don't come over in my lane. 00:12:25.360 --> 00:12:26.799 You stay in your lane. 00:12:26.879 --> 00:12:28.080 I stay at my lane. 00:12:28.159 --> 00:12:29.519 We both have a lane. 00:12:29.679 --> 00:12:31.360 We all have a lane to run. 00:12:31.600 --> 00:12:32.240 Amen. 00:12:32.639 --> 00:12:36.000 And we all have a finish line to cross. 00:12:36.159 --> 00:12:37.039 Say that with me. 00:12:37.279 --> 00:12:40.240 We all have a finish line to cross. 00:12:40.480 --> 00:12:41.440 All of us. 00:12:41.759 --> 00:12:43.679 All of us that are saved. 00:12:43.840 --> 00:12:45.679 And what a joy that is. 00:12:45.840 --> 00:12:59.279 So in order to do that, hey, and by the way, if we don't cross the finish line, if we don't run, hey, in our lane, if we don't run our course, if we don't run our race, guess what? 00:12:59.600 --> 00:13:02.159 We will not win the reward. 00:13:02.559 --> 00:13:04.480 We will not win the prize. 00:13:04.639 --> 00:13:08.000 In fact, I want you to see this in 1 Corinthians 3. 00:13:08.559 --> 00:13:15.919 He says in verse 11, for there's really no other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ. 00:13:16.159 --> 00:13:22.000 Now, if any man build upon this foundation, gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, stubble, see? 00:13:22.240 --> 00:13:29.360 Now, one there is running the right race, running God's race for his life, because he's building it with gold, silver, and precious stones. 00:13:29.519 --> 00:13:31.759 The other guy's not even in the race. 00:13:32.000 --> 00:13:32.320 Okay? 00:13:32.879 --> 00:13:40.879 Or hey, he's just not even gotten in the race at all because he's doing it his way with wood, hay, and stubble. 00:13:41.039 --> 00:13:42.159 Look at verse 13. 00:13:42.480 --> 00:13:53.360 Every man's work shall be made manifest at the beam of judgment seat, for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire, and the fire shall try every man's work of what sort it is. 00:13:53.440 --> 00:13:57.279 In other words, how he ran his race, did he run the race? 00:13:57.440 --> 00:14:00.639 If he ran the race, how did he run the race? 00:14:00.879 --> 00:14:10.240 And then verse 14, if any man's work abide, which he hath built thereupon, upon Christ, the solid rock, he shall receive a war reward. 00:14:10.399 --> 00:14:12.720 But now watch, verse 15, very key verse. 00:14:12.879 --> 00:14:22.720 If any man's work shall be burned, in other words, if he ran the race his way, if he ran it not according to the rules, he didn't run it according to the judge's standards. 00:14:22.960 --> 00:14:23.840 Now watch. 00:14:24.000 --> 00:14:29.279 If any man's work shall be burned, it shall suffer loss, but he himself shall be saved yet so as by fire. 00:14:29.440 --> 00:14:30.879 Now, guess what? 00:14:31.120 --> 00:14:35.279 That didn't mean he lost his citizenship, but he didn't win the prize. 00:14:35.440 --> 00:14:36.320 Does that make sense? 00:14:36.559 --> 00:14:37.039 Amen. 00:14:37.360 --> 00:14:40.240 He didn't lose his salvation, he just didn't win any prize. 00:14:40.320 --> 00:14:41.360 Can I get an amen? 00:14:41.759 --> 00:14:43.200 No, let's get an O me. 00:14:45.120 --> 00:14:47.120 So it's important that you understand that. 00:14:47.279 --> 00:14:50.080 You gotta run the race God's way, not your way. 00:14:50.240 --> 00:14:51.200 Can I get an amen? 00:14:51.840 --> 00:14:54.159 I have a tendency sometimes to want to run it my way. 00:14:54.399 --> 00:14:55.360 Anybody like that? 00:14:56.080 --> 00:14:58.879 And say, hey Lord, if I need help, I'll holla. 00:14:59.679 --> 00:15:01.759 We holla in South Georgia. 00:15:02.000 --> 00:15:02.639 Amen. 00:15:03.120 --> 00:15:05.039 So we're a lot like that. 00:15:05.120 --> 00:15:08.240 And when we do that, that's that wood, hay, and stubble. 00:15:08.480 --> 00:15:09.679 And it's not gonna last. 00:15:09.840 --> 00:15:11.600 We're not gonna be rewarded for it. 00:15:11.840 --> 00:15:13.440 Whatsoever. 00:15:13.759 --> 00:15:17.279 So we must be winning Christians. 00:15:17.440 --> 00:15:20.480 The same idea is to be a winning Christian. 00:15:20.559 --> 00:15:23.519 Now, so if we're gonna be a winning Christian, say this with me. 00:15:23.679 --> 00:15:24.960 I want to be a winning Christian. 00:15:26.480 --> 00:15:28.639 All right, there's five things we got to do. 00:15:28.799 --> 00:15:31.279 The essentials of being a winning Christian. 00:15:31.440 --> 00:15:36.480 Hey, hey, the essentials of winning the prize, the joy of winning that prize. 00:15:36.639 --> 00:15:40.559 Number one, you gotta be dissatisfied with where you are. 00:15:41.039 --> 00:15:44.799 Woo! See, a lot of us are, you know what's wrong with the church today? 00:15:44.960 --> 00:15:47.919 Now, I I've been in church 32 years. 00:15:48.000 --> 00:15:48.879 I love the church. 00:15:49.039 --> 00:15:51.120 In fact, I really believe. 00:15:51.279 --> 00:15:56.639 I love parallel organizations, I love all these other kinds of Christian organizations, but my heart's the church. 00:15:56.799 --> 00:15:59.519 Jesus ordained and established his church. 00:15:59.679 --> 00:16:00.639 Can I get an amen? 00:16:01.039 --> 00:16:03.200 Upon this rock, the church, Jesus. 00:16:03.360 --> 00:16:08.159 I'll build my church, and the gates of hell will not prevail against it. 00:16:08.399 --> 00:16:10.799 It's the church, the local New Testament. 00:16:11.039 --> 00:16:11.679 This community. 00:16:11.840 --> 00:16:13.279 We love this community here. 00:16:13.440 --> 00:16:17.200 You are part of a community church that wants to reach its community with the gospel. 00:16:17.360 --> 00:16:18.399 Can I get an amen? 00:16:18.799 --> 00:16:20.159 I thank the Hannah home. 00:16:20.240 --> 00:16:21.279 I thank the boys' home. 00:16:21.360 --> 00:16:21.759 I thank it. 00:16:21.919 --> 00:16:26.000 How we're reaching our community, just loving on people and helping people. 00:16:26.159 --> 00:16:27.919 That's what the church is all about. 00:16:28.559 --> 00:16:29.200 Amen. 00:16:30.240 --> 00:16:31.679 That's who we are. 00:16:31.919 --> 00:16:32.960 That's our race. 00:16:33.120 --> 00:16:36.399 That's our course that God has given to us. 00:16:36.799 --> 00:16:37.759 Now, watch. 00:16:38.000 --> 00:16:41.840 What I love about Paul, look at verse 12 and 13. 00:16:42.000 --> 00:16:46.320 Not as though I have or had already attained. 00:16:47.679 --> 00:16:50.960 Not as though I had already attained. 00:16:51.200 --> 00:16:58.879 This statement is of a great Christian, Paul, who never permitted himself to get complacent. 00:16:59.519 --> 00:17:04.559 Now, if anybody could have gotten complacent, the great apostle Paul could. 00:17:04.720 --> 00:17:05.599 Could he have not? 00:17:05.839 --> 00:17:06.400 Amen. 00:17:06.559 --> 00:17:10.160 I mean, look at all the accomplishments that he had done. 00:17:10.480 --> 00:17:16.160 But we see that he was not satisfied with where you are. 00:17:16.640 --> 00:17:19.599 Reminds me of Harry, a great salesman. 00:17:20.160 --> 00:17:22.480 He walked in, the boss had called him in. 00:17:22.720 --> 00:17:26.000 He walked in by the secretary and he said, Whoo, day's a great day. 00:17:26.160 --> 00:17:29.440 I led the, hey, last couple of months I've been the number one salesman. 00:17:29.599 --> 00:17:36.079 Woo! I know I'm gonna get a surprise or a prize or uh I'm just gonna get complimented. 00:17:36.160 --> 00:17:47.759 Well, about that time, you know, he goes in and spends about 20 minutes in the office, and he comes out and his head's hung down, and the secretary said, Harry, what happened? 00:17:48.079 --> 00:17:49.759 He said, Oh, that's bad. 00:17:50.079 --> 00:17:51.359 She said, Well, did you get fired? 00:17:51.440 --> 00:17:52.799 He said, No, no, didn't get fired. 00:17:52.880 --> 00:17:53.839 It's not that bad. 00:17:54.400 --> 00:18:01.359 But the boss just went in to me about my sales record, and I've led, you know, the last two months, I've been the number one salesman. 00:18:01.599 --> 00:18:02.799 I don't understand it. 00:18:03.119 --> 00:18:08.480 So later on, the boss came out and the secretary said, Boss, I was talking to Harry. 00:18:09.279 --> 00:18:10.799 He said, You just let him have it. 00:18:11.039 --> 00:18:12.160 He laughed, oh yeah. 00:18:12.240 --> 00:18:14.960 Oh, listen, Harry's the one of the best salesman we got. 00:18:15.119 --> 00:18:16.799 I'd hate to ever have to lose him. 00:18:16.960 --> 00:18:21.039 But you know, I just have to get him mad at me once a month so he'll keep selling. 00:18:21.119 --> 00:18:26.720 Because he has a tendency, after he gets ahead, he the last two or three weeks, he just sits back and does nothing. 00:18:28.559 --> 00:18:31.359 Now, I'm not sure that was total the way they handled that. 00:18:31.440 --> 00:18:33.279 I think there could have been a balance there. 00:18:33.519 --> 00:18:38.480 But uh, but what but what he didn't want, he didn't want Harry getting complacent. 00:18:38.559 --> 00:18:43.200 Because he'd go out the first two weeks and beat everybody, then the last two weeks he'd do nothing. 00:18:44.319 --> 00:18:45.920 We have that tendency, don't we? 00:18:46.000 --> 00:18:52.319 Sometimes we come out of the gate, whoo, we make the first 220 with everything we got, and then all of a sudden we start walking. 00:18:52.880 --> 00:18:55.440 Woo! I beat everybody on the first 220. 00:18:55.519 --> 00:18:57.039 I'll just take my time now. 00:18:57.279 --> 00:18:57.680 Yeah? 00:18:58.000 --> 00:18:59.200 Isn't that the way we are? 00:18:59.519 --> 00:19:01.279 Man, we we're excited about church. 00:19:01.359 --> 00:19:04.319 We come three Sundays in a row, then next thing we miss one. 00:19:04.799 --> 00:19:05.519 Miss two. 00:19:05.839 --> 00:19:10.319 We read a Bible every day for a week, then all of a sudden, skip one. 00:19:13.279 --> 00:19:15.279 That vigor, that that excitement. 00:19:15.519 --> 00:19:19.200 Man, it's there, and then all of a sudden it just kind of dies down. 00:19:20.000 --> 00:19:20.480 Hello? 00:19:20.640 --> 00:19:21.839 Y'all okay out there? 00:19:22.640 --> 00:19:23.920 You okay out there? 00:19:24.880 --> 00:19:25.440 Hello? 00:19:26.480 --> 00:19:28.000 You know it's true. 00:19:28.640 --> 00:19:34.880 Many Christians are self-satisfied because they compare their running with other Christians. 00:19:35.200 --> 00:19:35.839 Hello? 00:19:36.240 --> 00:19:39.599 Hey, I'm doing pretty good to me compared to you. 00:19:39.759 --> 00:19:42.799 Are you doing pretty good with you compared to me? 00:19:43.920 --> 00:19:44.559 Hello? 00:19:46.640 --> 00:19:55.680 Paul, if Paul had compared himself with all the other Christians, he would have been very proud and very pompous. 00:19:56.000 --> 00:20:03.599 But he never compared himself with other Christians, he compared himself with himself and with Jesus Christ. 00:20:04.640 --> 00:20:05.279 Wow. 00:20:05.599 --> 00:20:06.960 That's good, preacher. 00:20:07.599 --> 00:20:08.799 Man, that's good. 00:20:09.119 --> 00:20:11.200 So he was dissatisfied. 00:20:11.839 --> 00:20:13.599 He was dissatisfied. 00:20:13.920 --> 00:20:14.960 The word perfect. 00:20:15.039 --> 00:20:17.440 Look at verse 12 and verse 15. 00:20:17.599 --> 00:20:18.960 The word perfect. 00:20:19.359 --> 00:20:20.079 Teleios. 00:20:21.039 --> 00:20:24.160 And it means that Paul said, look at verse 12. 00:20:24.240 --> 00:20:25.200 This is awesome. 00:20:25.359 --> 00:20:28.960 Not as though I have already attained, either were already perfect. 00:20:29.039 --> 00:20:32.000 In other words, I have not completely matured yet. 00:20:32.640 --> 00:20:33.279 Amen. 00:20:33.920 --> 00:20:39.200 He said, but then he goes on in verse 15, though, but let us therefore as many as be perfect. 00:20:39.359 --> 00:20:42.559 He says, but I am in the process of maturing. 00:20:42.960 --> 00:20:44.480 I'm not mature yet. 00:20:44.640 --> 00:20:47.599 I won't be mature till I go to be with Jesus. 00:20:47.759 --> 00:20:52.799 But my heart and my goal is to constantly, every day, to be maturing. 00:20:54.240 --> 00:20:55.599 Wow, that's good. 00:20:56.079 --> 00:21:02.160 So often in the Bible, we are warned against a false estimate of our spiritual condition. 00:21:02.400 --> 00:21:09.759 The church at Sardis had a name in Revelation 3:1, a name that thou lovest and are dead. 00:21:09.920 --> 00:21:12.319 They thought they were alive, but they were dead. 00:21:12.559 --> 00:21:15.359 I know a lot of churches think they're alive, but they're dead. 00:21:15.519 --> 00:21:15.920 Hello. 00:21:16.079 --> 00:21:17.759 You say, how do you know the difference? 00:21:17.920 --> 00:21:19.680 Well, it's pretty obvious. 00:21:20.079 --> 00:21:21.599 Somebody's alive or dead. 00:21:21.680 --> 00:21:23.279 I mean, if they're alive, there's fruit. 00:21:23.519 --> 00:21:23.920 Amen. 00:21:24.400 --> 00:21:26.079 If they're dead, there's no fruit. 00:21:26.240 --> 00:21:28.480 I mean, if they're alive, people are being saved. 00:21:28.559 --> 00:21:29.599 People are getting right. 00:21:29.680 --> 00:21:30.720 People are being helped. 00:21:30.880 --> 00:21:33.200 I mean, hey, if they're alive, there's fruit. 00:21:33.279 --> 00:21:35.119 If they're dead, there's no fruit. 00:21:35.359 --> 00:21:36.960 If they're alive, there's joy. 00:21:37.119 --> 00:21:38.640 If they're dead, there's no joy. 00:21:38.720 --> 00:21:41.119 How can you have be dead and have joy? 00:21:41.839 --> 00:21:42.480 Hello. 00:21:42.799 --> 00:21:46.720 You ever seen a corpse smiling when they were dead? 00:21:47.759 --> 00:21:48.079 No. 00:21:48.559 --> 00:21:51.119 If there's no life, there's no joy. 00:21:51.839 --> 00:21:53.359 The life of the body. 00:21:53.599 --> 00:21:54.960 The life of the body. 00:21:55.119 --> 00:21:58.079 Hey, they had reputation without reality. 00:21:58.240 --> 00:21:59.839 What about the church at Laodicea? 00:22:00.000 --> 00:22:07.839 They boasted they were rich, but Jesus said in Revelation 3:6:17 they're wretched, miserable, poor, blind, and naked. 00:22:08.079 --> 00:22:09.759 They didn't even know their own condition. 00:22:10.559 --> 00:22:11.200 Wow. 00:22:12.000 --> 00:22:14.799 Folks, you have to examine ourselves. 00:22:14.880 --> 00:22:16.160 We have to examine ourselves. 00:22:16.319 --> 00:22:18.000 You know where you are spiritually. 00:22:18.160 --> 00:22:18.559 Hello. 00:22:18.720 --> 00:22:19.200 Come on. 00:22:20.079 --> 00:22:20.720 Come on. 00:22:21.039 --> 00:22:21.680 You know. 00:22:22.079 --> 00:22:23.920 You know where you are spiritually. 00:22:24.000 --> 00:22:26.240 You know if you have a hunger for the things of God. 00:22:26.480 --> 00:22:29.440 You know if you're lukewarm or you're on fire. 00:22:29.599 --> 00:22:30.319 And I don't know. 00:22:30.400 --> 00:22:32.240 I don't like the word lukewarm, but it's in the Bible. 00:22:32.400 --> 00:22:36.240 Revelation chapter 3 says, if you're lukewarm, Judge said, I'd spew you out of my mouth. 00:22:36.400 --> 00:22:40.160 He said, I'd rather you be cold or hot than be lukewarm. 00:22:40.799 --> 00:22:43.200 So you either get in and get on the line. 00:22:43.359 --> 00:22:48.640 Hey, get in the race and start running, or you'd be better off sitting on the sideline. 00:22:49.039 --> 00:22:49.599 Hello? 00:22:50.240 --> 00:22:50.880 Hello? 00:22:53.839 --> 00:22:57.279 So there was dissatisfaction. 00:22:57.680 --> 00:22:59.599 Now, self-evaluation. 00:22:59.839 --> 00:23:02.079 Examine yourself whether you're being a faith. 00:23:02.240 --> 00:23:03.039 Prove your own self. 00:23:03.200 --> 00:23:04.799 2 Corinthians 13, 5. 00:23:04.960 --> 00:23:07.359 And there's two problems with self-evaluation. 00:23:07.599 --> 00:23:08.400 You ready? 00:23:08.720 --> 00:23:13.920 Number one, making ourselves better than we really are. 00:23:14.960 --> 00:23:15.599 Hello. 00:23:15.759 --> 00:23:16.400 I like that. 00:23:16.559 --> 00:23:17.039 Mercy. 00:23:17.279 --> 00:23:17.759 Yeah. 00:23:18.079 --> 00:23:18.720 Amen. 00:23:19.200 --> 00:23:22.160 Hey, we think we're better than what we really are. 00:23:22.400 --> 00:23:23.359 I got news for you. 00:23:23.440 --> 00:23:30.079 So when you really get thinking you're pretty you're pretty spiritual, let me remind you of Isaiah 64, 6. 00:23:30.240 --> 00:23:32.720 All our righteousnesses is filthy rags. 00:23:36.000 --> 00:23:37.200 That's our best. 00:23:38.880 --> 00:23:43.599