Growing in Grace and Knowledge

praise God brothers and sisters um I'd like to start off with the verse from from Proverbs or wow I have this verse written down but not the place I'm just going to read it uh be very careful then how you live not as unwise but as wise making the most of every opportunity because the days are evil and uh here there there are a few areas we can bring up in regards to this first and one of the areas is that we need to be conscious of where we spend our time and we have to understand that our time is limited on this Earth and that it is sacred and our time doesn't belong to us um explicitly but to God and we also have to understand that all of our intellectual abilities belong to God as well and you know that is things like our talents and we have to use them to serve God in the church for testimonies for charity and and other things uh and also our finances also belong to God and it's also very important to consider Where We Gather our savings who do we bank with you know do we bank with the heavenly bank or is it with the Earthly bank so we need to have a reliable bank account and uh most importantly our hearts um you know the thoughts of our hearts should be directed towards God and brothers and sisters during this new week let's be extra conscious of where we spend our time and energy as it says in this verse and with that being said let's stand up and begin with prayer Lord God we thank you for this time G us Lord and we ask you to fill this service with the Holy Spirit God we ask you to bless Lord the singing the preaching Lord and help us to learn something today God and to take it away and bind it on our hearts Lord and to also walk well on this week God and to sacrifice our time and energy towards you God in Jesus name we pray Amen in the beginning of our service we'll be singing Love Lifted Me [Music] I was Sinking Deep in sin far from the peaceful Shore very deeply sing with him sinking to rise no more but the master of the sea heard my despairing cry from the waters Lifted Me Now save him I Love Lifted Me Love Lifted Me when nothing else could help Love Lifted Me Love Lifted Me Love Lifted Me when nothing else stood H Love Lifted Me all my heart to him I give ever to him I clean in his bless his presence live and his gra is SE love so mighty and and so true merits my soul b s faithful loving service to to him [Music] belong Love Lifted Me Love Lifted Me When I nothing else could help Love Lifted Me Love Lifted Me Love Lifted Me when nothing else could help Love Lifted Me souls and angels look above Jesus completely saves he will lift You by his love out of the angry way he's the master of the sea fow his will [Music] oy be your savior wants to be be Sav today Love Lifted Me Love Lifted Me when nothing else could help Love Lifted Me Love Lifted me love me when nothing else could [Music] help Lifted Me Love Lifted Me loveed me when I could out Love Lifted Me Love Lifted Me Love Lifted Me when nothing else could [Music] help [Music] bless the Lord oh my soul oh my soul I worship His holy name seeing like never before oh my soul I worship your Holy Name the sun comes up it's a new day Dawn it's time to sing your song again whatever may pass and whatever lies be before me and we be see me when may he bless the Lord oh my soul oh my soul I worship His holy name sing like never before oh my soul I worship your Holy Name you're rich in love and your soul toer your name is great and your heart heart is God for all your goodness I will give un see 10,000 reasons for my heart [Music] to bless the Lord of my soul oh my soul worship His Holy Name seeing like ever before oh my soul I worship your holy [Music] name on that day when my strength is failing he Ang and my time has come still my soul will sing your praise un 10,000 years and and forever more bless the Lord all my soul oh my soul worship His holy name seem like before all my soul I worship your Holy Name bless the Lord oh my soul oh my soul worship His holy name sing like never before oh my soul I worship your Holy Name Lord I worship your holy name praise the Lord brothers and sisters uh so today uh my sermon is going to be a little bit more different than usual and a little bit more interesting I would say uh because uh my sermon specifically is going to be uh just the Book of Proverbs exactly uh chapter 3 so specifically chapter 3 and I never knew exactly how to approach like how to say a sermon like this uh and or or like you know to speak about it but I'll try my best and I hope the Holy Spirit can guide me and so um let's open up or actually also and the reason why um I want to talk about this chapter is because uh so it's full of wisdom for a lot of the youth here and a lot of people who are starting out like spiritually in life and uh I'd like to open up so Proverbs chapter 3 and first I would like to start off from verse uh 1 to4 and it says here my son do not forget my law but let your heart keep my commands for length of days and long life and peace they will add to you let not mercy and Truth forsake you bind them around your neck write them on the tablet of your heart and so find favor and high esteem in the sight of God and man so as we can see here as uh right off the bat the Lord the first thing the Lord commands us is to keep his law right and because not only does the Lord promise us a long life but he promis us that will always be at peace and no matter hard you know times can get in our life and if we continue uh in verses uh from 5 to 8 it says here trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding in all your ways acknowledge Him and He Shall direct your paths do not be wise in your own eyes fear the lord and depart from Evil it will be Health to your flesh and strength to your bones so from verse five we can see that the Lord he also commands us to not lean on our own understanding and you know that could be very hard sometimes especially when there's you know problems and situations that happen in our life and and sometimes it feels like we can take uh like uh we can take everything into our own hands and you know it's and try to fix it but one thing I can tell you is your way will never be the better way so give your problems to God and let him lead the way and we can also see what happens when we fear the lord and depart from Evil it can give you health to your bones and flesh but a lot of people don't exactly understand what it means to fear the lord you know a lot of people think you know just like you know being scared of the Lord but then you're in sin but the when the Lord says to fear the lord it it means that you abide by his Commandments you abide by his law then that that is the true definition of fearing the Lord is when you abide by his Commandments and so uh let's also open up from uh or read from verse 9 to 10 and it says here honor the Lord with your possessions and with the first fruits of all your increase so your barns will be filled with plenty and your vat Vats will overflow with new uh with new wine and you know I like these verses a lot because uh so many of us know that money we earn we give a portion to God and cuz at this point you know um was giving you know money is sometimes it could be even difficult for many of us but you know the Lord the part of your paycheck it's it's his you know I would even say 10% that's his money you can't even look at it as yours you just have to give it and right over 10% I would say is when you actually give from your own heart your money like either to charity or to anything else and you know I've seen it's so interesting for me because I've seen every single person that is successful Christian or non-Christian they're very cheerful givers they love to give and I've seen it with everybody and it's so interesting that everybody has the same trait you know being a successful and uh so just be generous you know honor the Lord with your possessions and he will bless you and also I'd like to read from verse 11 to 12 and it says here my son do not despise the chastening of the Lord nor to test his correction from whom the Lord loves he corrects just as a father the son in whom he Delights so all of us here you know we're not all perfect we all can make mistakes and sometimes we can even fall into sin uh so the Lord you you know after you know falling into sin and you know making mistakes sometimes the Lord can punish us and it seems you know like like really but you know but through the trial and error that's when the Lord teaches us truly you know how to stay close to him and through like the hardest times in our life you know sometimes when we get so low down that's when God truly can test us and God can truly test us to get closer to him and so you know it also says in Proverbs that a righteous man falls and he will get up seven times but the wicked when they fall it will be their Calamity so just make sure you know to get up and be righteous so um let's also proceed from verse uh 13 to 18 and it says here happy is the man who finds wisdom and the man who gains understanding for her proceed are better than the profits of silver and her gain than fine gold she is more precious than rubies and all the things you may desire cannot compare with her length of the days is in her right hand in her left hand riches and honor her ways are ways of pleasantness and all her paths are peace she is a tree of life to those who take hold of her and happy are all who retain her so I've actually mentioned this in Bible study and I kind of find fascinating that every time the Lord describes wisdom he he describes it almost like as a woman he always describes as a her or even as a she um but as we can see here we can see how precious wisdom is and how much value it holds and obtains uh even says you know more uh more than silver more than gold and more valuable than rubies so the question is how do we obtain wisdom and the we obtain WIS it's really simple we obtain WIS uh wisdom by being in the word of God and being in the word of God and going through trials and that's when we start to truly um gain understanding and wisdom and being in our word daily and just imagine how much you could learn and how much more wiser you would be if you were in your word daily for five years right for five years imagine how much you can gain you know from being just in the word for 5 years it's incredible now just imagine your whole life you know so you know just remember to always be in your word and uh let's also read from verse 21 to 26 and it says here my son let them not depart from your eyes keep sound wisdom and discretion so they will be life to your soul and Grace to your neck then you will walk safely in your way and your foot will not stumble when you lie down you will not be afraid yes you will lie down and your sleep will be sweet do not be afraid of sudden Terror nor of trouble from the wicked when it comes for the Lord will be your confidence and will keep your foot from being caught so isn't this amazing like we could see uh how it describes uh when you keep your eyes on the Lord and you do not depart from him uh your foot shall not stumble in especially in difficult situations and when you lie down you will not be be afraid and how great is it that describes that when you sleep your sleep will be sweet so pretty much like you know we might have problems you know hard times in our life so much things can be going on around our lives just pure chaos but you know when you're right with God you know you know that God has everything in his hands and you can truly sleep at peace cuz you know everything will be okay cuz you got Jesus right so it's just amazing because if God is on our side then who can stand against us you know as it says in the Book of Proverbs and um Also let's uh read from 27 to 32 and it says here do not withhold good from those to whom it is due when it is in power of your hand to do so do not say to your neighbor go and come back and tomorrow I'll give it when you have it with you do not devise evil against your neighbor for he dwell by you for safety sake do not strive with a man without cause if he has done you no harm do not envy the oppressor and choose none of his ways for the perverse person is an AB Abomination to the Lord but his secret counsel is with the upright so through these verses you know it talks a lot about your neighbor which could be the relationships you have in your life and you know it's not like I don't think it's like physically your neighbor it's like just just all of us right and we could see uh what not to do with our neighbors and we can see that the perverse person is an Abomination to the Lord so how does a how does the bible describe a perverse person uh well it says here also in Proverbs that a perverse person has hotty eyes a ly tongue hands that shed innocent blood a heart that devises wicked schemes feet that are Swift and running to Mischief a false witness who utters lies and one who spreads Strife among brothers and as we can see that it's an we could see that this is an Abomination to the Lord and so when the Lord says Abomination pretty much what he's describing is he pretty much is disgusted by these actions he he he hates these actions he's disgusted and he hates it and so let us be wise with how we do things and how yeah just how we do things and also uh let's finish the last part of the chapter which is from verse 33 to35 and it says here um the curse of the Lord is on the house of the wicked but He blesses the home of the just surely he scorns the scornful but gives grace to the humble the wise shall inherit Glory but shame shall be the legacy of fools so also as we just read here we could see the consequences of being just and the consequences of being Wicked and so just be wise how you act try to be righteous in front of the Lord's eyes CU you know we're not all perfect we can all stumble but um we could see but we could see um that it's the wicked have a curse among the house among their their houses and be in your word daily pray to the Lord daily in everything we do and make sure that we're we're always doing it for the glory of God because sometimes we can forget about that and I hope you guys can take this word into consideration and even read over this chapter again because you know like my words are so little I would say compared to this chapter you know I love this chapter because it's so full of wisdom and yeah just praise God for everything in Jesus name we pray amen you for this service Lord God that we can all come together and hear your word Lord I just want to praise your name and I want to glorify your name and I ask you to bless the next word Lord and and bless the worship in Jesus name I pray amen amen and stand standing will be praying as the will be singing As the deer pans for streams of [Music] water the dear P for streams of water so much Soul Longs after you you Al alone are my heart desire and I long to worship you you alone Are My Strength my shield to you alone may my spirit you alone are my heart desire and I long to worship [Music] you you're my friend and you you are my brother even though you are a king I love you more than the others so much more than you are Lord are my strength my shield to you are Lord may my [Music] spirit you alone are my heart desire and I long to worship you I want want you more than gold or silver only you can sisy you are mother real Joy giver and the the love my [Music] God you alone Are My Strength my shield to you are Al here my [Music] spirit you alone are my heart desire and I love to worship you you alone Are My Strength my shield to you alone may my spir [Music] here you alone are my heart desire and I love to worship you [Music] praise God my dear friends right now it's time for announcements and um okay they're up okay so uh just before I start my announcements we got these uh Bibles so if if anybody knows a person that they want to give a Bible to or if you don't have a Bible this is the new King James um and I'm just letting you know they're free and you can take one or give them to your friends okay uh Lawrence you can go next okay so today's open gym the kids got what they wanted they've been I would say mildly harassing me for the past 3 months about their soccer so kids um today is your day uh we're going to have a little bit of kids soccer and then for those that are not soccer people well we also have something fun for you too um so Vlad and gima you guys have dodgeball um since uh so yeah if you don't like soccer there's going to be dodgeball so uh bring your kids um if we need to go past eight I think it's okay but um come over and from 8 to 10: p.m. of course it's the time for us volleyball and soccer and then we'll be kind of uh changing things around but at least for today volleyball and then soccer okay next so my dear friends we are doing local Outreach for our community and uh we're we're finally starting this um thing with our church I think this year is going to be a a very blessed year and um it's going to be a coffee Drive uh people love coffee including myself but it's free it's free you know and so it's going to be Sunday February 18th from 2 P.M to 5:00 p.m. and so um if you guys want to somehow help us with that we would love to have your help uh maybe you know take the orders and stuff like that the youth will be in charge I already spoke to Mark and Vlad about that and so they're they're kind of uh planning it out so it we're going to do a little bit of of advertising and we're going to have some signs up on the roads and so you know whoever God sends this way may he send them and um May people get to know about Christ through coffee amen okay next one so this one uh we're going to still kind of talk about it more maybe later on but it was just an idea so I know that um there's like on Easter for kids they do like Easter egg hunt well some people say well that's that's not Easter so I put egg hunt so no Easter egg hunt it's an egg hunt um but I was thinking this is already going to be for the the the March um the Saturday usually everybody has Easter egg hunts but what we can do is we can do one for our local community here too uh we can put some signs up do some advertising already talked with Vlad about that but like also um like Anna she she said maybe she can do a little uh performance for the people that are going to be here so so the egg hunt will be in the gym egg hunt will be in the gym and we can do a little performance for them maybe a little sermon uh like also there's going to be games for kids which Rosa and Emma they had some ideas uh for that and there's going to be food trucks which Zach he has uh friends that are willing to come out and so pretty much this is going to be another local Outreach for this year that we're going to try to reach our neighbors and Friends okay next one and then another one but this is all the way in April I'm giving you guys this ahead of time so we can kind of all prepare and have this on the back of our minds and uh pray about it to see where God guides us and maybe tell other people about it too so we've done these before but we're going to do this one this year clothing drive so the thing is that if you guys have any toys or clothes that are in good condition uh you guys can uh bring them to the gym and our sisters from the youth they will um kind of take care of that you know I know that some people want to be holy uh but if you're going to bring holy socks you can keep those holy things at home um and so and so you know over here is good clothing good toys um we don't want to give people from the church something that they're like garbage but yeah okay next one oh yeah and this is the last thing you know invite a friend uh friends neighbors co-workers to these Services I've been inviting people myself you know but so far nobody showed up but I'm texting them they already yeah like some of them already stopped replying to me I'm like hey Andy you better be there you know no show but it's okay you know as long as we invite people we're friendly uh and we say Hey you know there's something good for for you the truth of the word so invite your friends and families here so this is the announcements for today and we're going to have first a poem uh uh brother Ruben and then a song Jesus is the answer answer to the needs of our world today he is here to guide us and protect us along life's way he never will forsake us his love for us is real peace he says I leave with you my peace now ye Be Still Still Jesus is the answer we only need to pray and ask him to come into our hearts and walk with us each day he loves us more than anyone he made the sacrifice just put your faith in Jesus Through the blood he prayed he paid the price Jesus is the answer he died for you and me He arose again that we may live with him eternity so ask him into your heart today in his glory you'll abound because Jesus is the answer and through him true peace is found amen [Music] let me be f with kindness and compassion for the one the one for whom you love and gave your son for [Music] Humanity increase my love help me in love with open arms like you do a love that erases all the lines and sees the truth oh that when they look in my eyes they would see you even in just a smile they would feel the Father's Love oh how you love [Music] us from the homeless to the famous and in between you formed us you made us carefully cuz in the end we are your [Music] children so how me to love with open arms like you do a love that erases all the lies and sees the truth oh that when they look in my eyes they would see you even in just a smile they would feel the Father's Love let all my life tell of who you are in The Wonder of your NeverEnding love let all my life tell of who you are you're wonderful and such a good father let all my life de with who you are in The Wonder of your NeverEnding love let all my life tell of who you are you're wonderful and such a good father you are wonderful and such a good father so help me to love with open arms like you do a love that erases all the lines and sees the truth oh that when they look in my eyes they were see you even in just a smile they would feel the Father's [Music] Love praise God well good evening friends how's everybody doing it's good to see my little kids you know I was just thinking um I don't want to start off emotional already but I was the image here where you see like the Father's Love and I think Henry is representing that Pastor Henry so well right now and uh but he really is like if you think about us in here tonight we have some kids in here families you know brothers sisters cousins and that we have love for each other like how grateful can we we be for that that there's some people they don't really have anybody those people are also people that we need to minister to let them know that they have a home at church they might not have any family um so I'm just grateful to be up here with everybody here tonight and I'm going to have the media team uh go ahead and bring up an image now am I going to be the preacher that always brings up a picture when I start preaching the media team was laughing at me about that um now for brother Peter he's probably like I knew eventually he was going to bring up a picture of John bunan it was only a matter of time would it only just be his next sermon that he was going to going to preach and the reason I bring this up um so he's there with his daughter in prison um and his his uh bunan had a hard life um um but I think what's a powerful testimony about uh what's happening here he's in prison for 12 years and during that time they said that when he got out of the dungeon that if you were to prick him he would bleed the Bible and he said it was when he was in prison that that's when he grew his faith the strongest and he wrote many of the books that we know today like the Pilgrim's Progress um and and one of the key words that I just mentioned was growing in Christ because the message that I have tonight is going to be about growth last time I was preaching I was talking about the foundation built on Christ but I'm just wondering are we growing upon that as Christians we know of Christ he might be our savior but are we growing have you ever asked the question that are you in the same place as a Christian now that you were 5 years ago how about 6 months ago and I'm not trying to convict anybody here if if you haven't had any growth I'm saying this because out of Brotherly Love because I want to see you grow in Christ I want to see you grow as a Christian sanctification is one of the most beautiful things that we're gifted as Christians to be able to have have the Grace by God and to be able to sanctify and grow our spiritual walk let us open our Bibles to 2 Peter 3:18 if you have your Bible if not I'm sure you have an app or a phone now Tim was kind of joking because normally we're done at 6:00 and I have 15 minutes right now now anybody that knows me well 15 minutes might be a little bit short so he goes hey if you still need to use your full 25 minutes so if you have plans at like 610 tonight please take it up with brother Tim and not me uh the message tonight might take 20 25 um but I will keep it as short as possible 2 Peter 3:18 but grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ but grow in the grace and and the knowledge so a few weeks ago if you were here I preached on a firm foundation now building upon the foundation involves not only the ground to which we stand but also what follows that is growing in Grace and knowledge now growing in Grace doesn't necessarily mean acquiring more of God's free Grace let me explain this meaning the grace that was a part of your salvation however living under the grace of Jesus presents the opportunity for us to grow spiritually stronger John bunan writes it is profitable for Christians to be often calling to the mind the very beginnings of Grace with their souls I inquire with you tonight brothers and sisters are you walking closely with the Lord are you experiencing growth in your walk with him and I really want you to ask your hearts that whether you've been a Christian for one year 5 years 20 years raising a Christian family are you growing in Christ and as a Christian and I want you by the holy spirit's power to open your hearts to that because the message I preach tonight I'm going to try to dig deep I believe when I Was preparing this the Holy Spirit was speaking to me there's hearts that need to have growth they are stagnant they are not moving they are not growing and they are falling back into sin after sin after sin what sin holds you friends which one is it do you not believe that Christ can actually set you free from that but to do that we have to have growth and sanctification as Believers we are called to be in a state of growth a life marked by progress transformation and maturity growth is not a one-time event for a light it's a lifelong lifelong process sanctification is all the way till we go home to heaven and I'm not trying to call you to Perfection there's only one perfect one only one the Savior but sanctification is a beautiful thing that when you don't have the bondage of always falling back into the same sins and maybe it's not sin maybe it's your mind do you struggle with anxiety or depression interesting anxiety is rooted in fear think about that and I can speak on it because my youth was I I had that growing up because of my upbringing it's rooted in fear friends so what's the opposite of fear the love of God he can cover it he can conquer it what's the other thing you might struggle with depression you don't want to tell anybody probably does anybody in here maybe struggle with depression somebody does I know it I can f my heart move into it right now hope it's when you feel like you don't have it that you start to struggle into that but when hope can overcome all your circumstances and you can trust in God that depression will slowly fall away and I want to see that for all brothers and sisters every single one of you in here tonight including myself I hope hope that we can grow in sanctification now let me pause here for a moment and I'm going to ask this question another one have you ever fully comprehended the depth of God's grace mercy and love have you ever fully comprehended it I know we talk about it we might preach about it and before I maybe start preaching on that in a second um when when I was writing in my study last night something came to me and it it was interesting thing I can see why the powers of Darkness have taken this biblical truth even within the church I'm going to explain here in a second two things whether it's through watered down Grace or legalistic ideas ideas of Grace water down Grace often manifest as a come as you are stay as you are mentality a lot of churches are like that right now come as you are stay as you are it's all right brother the notion is that Grace will cover your sin making it seem as Sin doesn't matter Jesus went to the cross for our sin friends do you know the weight of that he had to die for it it's not watered down Grace is one of the most beautiful things that we will ever encounter This Side of Heaven when it's biblical Grace and I'll be honest not many people are preaching on biblical Grace anymore Romans 62 says this so shall we then continue in sin that Grace May abound Paul replies with a resounding God forbid now let me jump over real quick in legalistic Grace there's often the aversion to discussing Grace meaning they don't want to talk about it that we don't want to talk about Grace very much in church either because then we're kind of worried that it might be watered down or somebody's going to take it and abuse the grace and they have the inclination to claim all credit for their personal righteousness all of it everything they do that's good they want all credit for it Romans 5 20- 21 now the law came in to increase the trespass but where sin increased Grace abounded all the more so that as Sin reigned in death Grace also might Reign through righteousness leading to eternal life through Jesus Christ Our Lord let me back up real quick because I haven't heard many people talk about this because normally we're talking about Grace here okay so where sin increased Grace abounded all the more start at the first of that though now the law came in to increase the trespass also water down Grace will say ah the law doesn't even matter it's interesting here though the the law came in to increase the trespass friends you will never know how great your sin and then how great grace is is if you can't ever realize how great your trespass is I told you that I'm going to dig deep tonight where in your heart have you trespassed because see if you don't expose it out how can God fully heal it because you're be like well no I don't want to bring it here to the table maybe it's too heavy is it shame who in here is dealing with it somebody is I can feel it shame guilt the cross can cover it friend who am I preaching to no matter what you've done shame and guilt is bondage but where sin increased Grace abounded all all the more now both those verses Romans 52-21 Romans 6-2 churches or even Christians will take both those verses and they pick one they pick one and that's what happens where their theology gets distorted and let me tell you something theology what does it mean the knowledge of God and if you have a distorted view of God you will have a distorted view of Grace and sin and salvation and so much more those verses are married together friends they're married together shall we continue in sin that Grace May abound it no we definitely should not but we know that Grace is good and that it covers sin don't abuse it friends do not abuse the greatest gift it is because of Grace that I'm up here preaching to you it saved a wrench like me without Grace friends a true biblical Grace we will never or would have never known the Savior by grace through faith you are saved so if you don't want to approach the throne of grace at all then do you even truly know the Savior I'd like to read another quote by John bunan here oh the remembrance of my great sin of my great Temptations we've all dealt with Temptations and we will continue to by the way you will not defeat them by yourself I want you to grow closer to God because we can't do it without him and we need the holy spirit's help and his guidance and his conviction the Holy Spirit does that he convicts us of our sin so we can be set free from the bondage of it I preached on the foundation but if we don't sanctify upon that Foundation then what it's worth so many people are getting saved but they're not changing their life at all and whether they're truly saved or not that is not for me to fully judge that I don't know their heart there has to be some kind of fruit though some kind of fruit even if it's repentance like man I'm still struggling with sin like David or how about doubt like Peter and by the way when I'm speaking of that what with Jesus and Peter real quick it just came to me don't ever ever ever if you were called to minister to somebody give up on them because imagine if Jesus would have gave up on Peter think about that story there how many times did he deny him you guys know the story then he's going to build the church upon him it's an incredible story to continue with the bunion quote they bring aesh into my mind the remembrance of my great help my great support from Heaven and the great grace that God extended to such a wretch as I real quickly that's John bunan saying that John bunan is one of the most sound theologians I've ever known he lived a very Godly holy holy life yes I know he fell short but he is an incredible man of God that did a lot of great things where the holy spirit is working through him and look what that man said he lives such a righteous life and he said God extended to such a wrench as I I know bunny lived a much Holier life than I ever have but yet that's where his heart is at why I'll come back to that finishing up on point two knowledge Peter describes Jesus as both our Lord and savior to really know him we must continue to grow in our understanding and what it means to live in a relationship with him and submitting to his good will for our lives we must submit friends we must submit for the more we know Christ not know of Christ but actually with just our mind but know him in our heart too and by the way it's both remember this friends sanctification reaches its fullest and best potential when we walk closest with God hear what I'm saying here if you are struggling in life and you might not even be like well my struggles aren't that bad okay so I'm coming to church all the time but yet I don't have any Joy I feel like I'm just scraping by or how about yet I put my business way before the Lord but yet I don't even really notice it even though money is a huge thing for me much more than what God would call me to do which is seek Him First seek first the kingdom friends Holiness is a flower not a root the root is Christ so walk close we need to walk close to God we need to be walking walking close and how do we obtain more knowledge so we can grow as Christians first here we go through prayer prayer is so important friends asking God for his grace and mercy daily in our lives and seeking the Holy Spirit I know that I preach a lot on Christ and I'm always going to preach on Christ but do not think that I don't love God the father and the Holy Spirit just as much it's three in one brothers and sisters I don't favor Christ more than I favor father the god or Holy Spirit I need all three I am up here preaching by the power of the Holy Spirit I just love to preach about Christ the savior in case nobody knows who he is and God the Father just in case somebody might have forgot it says in John 3:16 for God so loved the world so I'm going to preach so much about how much Christ loves us so does the father he sent the son do not get too heavy weighted on just one side where it's all holy spirit or it's all only Christ or it's all only just the father and by the way I've met Christians that weigh on all those areas they only read the Old Testament it's only God the Father only the Torah they don't even live in the New Testament ever or vice versa or they don't believe in anything that the holy spirit's moving anymore healing does happen it happened to my mind friends I'm walking proof up here I told you one day I'll share my testimony it's not today I don't have time but it is a miracle it is an absolute miracle that I'm up here hay shelter home when I'm 13 years old that's where I was at with no hope no family at that time they had abandoned my sister and me God's grace is so good every time I come up here to preach I just want to weep because I'm like God not only did you save me but how did you put me in such an amazing church I love this church I love this church and I love the people in it these men here are like Brothers to me reading first through prayer it's consistent communication with God we align our will with his seeking his guidance and surren surrendering our worldly desires what else do we need we need to read the Bible friends we have to read the word of God the word of God is our spiritual substance immersing ourselves in scripture opens our minds and hearts it not only opens them it transforms them if you want your heart and your mind to be transformed and you think it will happen by not ever reading the word of God or praying you're deceived so many are you just you keep falling back into something falling back or there's not the growth I'm going to ask you right now are you praying and are you reading the word do not miss that question I just asked are you praying and are you reading the word I'm not trying to convict you friend I said that earlier I need we need to know this tell yourself I haven't read the Bible in six months I'm not trying to shame you by that I'm trying to tell you the key to a life of freedom and hope and peace and it will not happen it will not friends if we are not doing these things meditating on the word of God we need to meditate on it day and night by the way Romans 122 says do not be conformed to the world but be transformed by the renewal of our mind Peter points this out because without the transformed mind we will not have a transformed heart Worship in worship we express our gratitude awe and reverence for God a response to his grace and Holiness worship should foster humility reminding us of our dependence on God and I added this note today when I was going through this and friends in many churches today just how Grace is being distorted so has worship it's becoming more feeling focused than god- focused it's about how we feel and I could preach a whole sermon on that and I've shared that with the youth before friends it's it's not about us we're worshiping Him worship gratitude awe and reverence for God and gratitude is also Thanksgiving and the more thankful we are to God the more growth we also will have because if we're not thankful and we don't have gratitude then we have the opposite of that and what is that it's entitlement and entitlement does not work in the kingdom it also then starts with comparison because we feel we're entitled we should have had it should have got the promotion should have had this why wasn't I raised like that why didn't I have a Christian mom and dad but instead we Focus On Christ and the cross and we're like Lord I'm actually can be thankful for the trials and what you took me through think about that some of the things that we've seen or what we've went through it was all in God's Sovereign Grace there is people like John bunan in prison for 12 years falsely accused falsely imprisoned in a sense where well from preaching the gospel and so that's a man that sat that long in prison and I know of other men as you guys do where that's happened to as well but when they were in prison like John bunan what did God do to their hearts I've talked to one gentleman and I won't say his name that said going to prison there's things that God did in his heart that would have taken 20 years but God did it there trials aren't necessarily a bad thing people will be like do you do you hate it that your friends like were raised like this and they had this and you came from that Zach I don't I don't friends I just don't want to see other other people experience that and the only way that doesn't happen is that if people are walking with Jesus Christ the savior of the world if we want to see a community changed fathers mothers and children it is only going to be if they have a walking relationship and they're growing in the Lord just have a few minutes left here wrap this up so we have worship we also have Fellowship as a church in the body of Christ we are to Fellowship by the way I'm talking about all the key points to growth and this is still for all the Christians that are in here tonight you need to be doing this too prayer reading your Bible meditating on the word of God worshiping with gratitude do you ever just sit when you're worshiping and be like God I cannot even believe the grace that I've had so and and even if it's the grace that you didn't see you could find it like this all the time you could be thankful there's no days for us that we got to be complaining all day long this and this and that we're so blessed just to even know the Lord is a blessing somebody asked me one time like don't you want it's it's just like we're waiting for uh which I we pray for let's say we pray for more miracles we pray that there's Revival in this city that's what I am by the way praying for but just know this friends if you're a Christian God did enough at the cross he'll do more in our lives and he does we see that within the Bible but if he wouldn't have if you're sick the rest of your life if you never get another miracle the rest of your life as long as you know him and you're going to be spending eternity with him our savior that is enough and I say this because that is all a part of growth because one of the main things that will stunk growth I've seen it it's complaining it's entitlement and it's not understanding that you are a wrench that God saved by his grace and that's not to bring you down low friends but the reason I have to bring you down a little bit lower in case you think you're up higher is because if you bring yourself up too high and you forget that truth God's going to diminish he becomes lower because you keep getting higher your self-righteousness keeps growing we need to stay here in the valley because God is up here on the Mountaintop and by the way people be like well but Zachary if I'm down in the valley aren't I going to just be like oh well I'm kind of beat up and I'm it's not like that friends the valley of humility and the valley of Grace is the best place I love to be it's at the hilltop where I have found the most dangerous because at the hilltop I'm like Ah that's where all my pride is look everybody loves my commercials or my film or I'm making all this money I'm at the top I'm being worshiped I'm human I'll fall to that and so will you so when you go to the hilltop you stay there for a moment you stay there for a moment Billy Graham one of the greatest preachers to ever live and even after he had been preaching for 10 years I read this I've been reading his biography late lately because I know how much brother Tim loves Billy Graham as well even after 10 years he would be in the hotel room with three or four brothers praying over him listen to this because I know you've seen him preach why he was weeping we're talking about Billy Graham one of the most powerful preachers to ever live 10 years into his ministry and he's weeping I can't do it God I don't have it in me he's humble in the valley of humility friends that's not a bad place to be it's a humble heart we don't want a prideful heart I don't have time to turn to these other Bible verses I have I had a whole bunch I'm going to come down and I'm going to finish up with here because this is important what if we fall we got to finish here not all growth happens overnight my friends now listen to this maybe you're physically even here tonight so you're not the prodal but is your heart and your growth in the Lord far away and not growing closer to God is your heart almost a prodical I asked earlier where H where were you two years ago where are you now and we're going to go through seasons of life where our faith is going to be tested we're not always going to be here and be like my faith is this strong some of the greatest men of God that I've ever really befriended that are some of my closest friends some of them are in this church some of them outside of the church even them have had struggles with their faith and they wavering or maybe it's like spiritually they're here for two years and then they might have two or three months where they're not praying as much or they're not reading their Bible as much we've talked about and preached about it was like maybe in the really good times but they do it more in the trial we have to remember that even in the really good times you want to know what to do you want to know what to do in the really good times of course still be doing all these things we just talked about but also imagine if you're the ship on the ocean that is really waving it and you're going to hit the storm whether it's sickness whether you're falsely imprisoned someone what is it going to be that you go through as a trial do you lose a loved one a child your wife your husband are you attacked for your Fai because you're preaching the true gospel that's going to happen persecutions coming to the land where are you going to hold your ground preach the gospel friends you young men do that preach the gospel don't ever waver remember that if I'm not here preach it Brothers preach it we all are going to encounter struggle but when we are in those good times that boat what what we want to do is that's when we're patching up the holes in our boat we have all these holes where it's like hey Li's pretty good right now I have a good job I'm making good money I'm healthy church is really great here's my boat it's going to go out I know one day it's going out fully on on that water what should I do pray read your Bible stay devoted study be in the word help the community even in the good times because you're you're patching up the holes on that boat so then when it hits the storms you don't have all these holes in the boat where water's just coming in and you think the good times aren't a time for us just to forget about God it's a time for us to be thankful for him grow friends grow the message here grow are you growing in your walk with God please I want you to there's freedom in that I'm going to finish here the Horizon of growth ends at 2 Peter 3:18 which to him this was the verse we were talking about in the beginning to him be the glory both now and forever am in the now in our present state of growth Our Lives become a testimony to the transforming power of God's grace as we mature spiritually our character actions and relationships raise ring with the glory of God in the now what's happening right now in the forever our growth extends into eternity it is a journey that continues Beyond this world friends it's beyond this where we will experience the fullness of God's glory and love in his Everlasting presence and as I conclude I hope you go on with this are you growing in your walk with Christ what are you struggling with friend what could it be you have to draw close and near to him and by the way if it's shame or guilt or anything you're dealing with in that way in the Bible it says Jesus is waiting with open arms and will not refuse anyone that comes to him do you hear what I just said anyone in this room anywhere anybody in this Valley it says that in the Bible his grace is sufficient for all mankind all of human Humanity no matter what you've done so just know whatever you're dealing with and that shame bring it to him brothers and sisters the call to growth is a Divine thing is to become all that God has designed us to be so let us Embrace this calling recognizing that our growth occurs in the fertile for in the soil of God's grace and the knowledge of Christ and as we grow let our lives ReSound with the glory of God both now and forever and May the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God the Father And The Fellowship of the Holy Spirit Empower us on this journey of growth amen let us pray before we seing uh there's going to be tithing going around so if the Lord puts it on your heart to give may you do it cheerfully and we'll be seeing you in the last song Today onus [Music] [Music] day [Music] hallelu [Music] Hallelujah for the Lord God Almighty Reign Hal [Music] hallelu Hallelujah for the Lord God Almighty Reigns [Music] hallelujah ohly holy are you Lord God Almighty Worthy is the Lamb Worthy is the Lamb You Are Holy Holy are you Lord God [Music] Almighty Worthy is the Lamb Worthy is [Music] theen [Music] hallelu hallelujah for the Lord God Almighty Reigns hallelu [Music] Hallelujah for the Lord God Almighty [Music] RIS [Music] hallelujah [Music] holy holy are you Lord God Almighty Worthy is the Lamb Worthy is the Lamb You Are Holy Holy are you Lord God [Music] Almighty Worthy is the L Worthy is the [Music] Lamb amen my dear brothers and sisters well we came to a conclusion tonight and you know I think the Lord he's been teaching us he's been encouraging us through brother Dimitri and brother Zach you know and not like it let us not forget once we come out of these doors what has been spoken in this place and from Dimitri he was speaking that wisdom is found in the word and also give God's what's his you know don't be selfish in your time I would say also even though he mentioned about uh tithing but time as well because sometimes like we want all our day to ourselves but give God his time to him and that will go right into Zach's sermon to grow in Christ to grow in Christ if you do not give give God his time you will not grow in Christ you know and so let's leave with this in our hearts and in my and in our minds to grow in Christ um and uh brother Joel he's um he ended up in the hospital he was supposed to be speaking tonight um but he said Tim I actually just came out of the emergency room so we'll going to pray for him he's really sick um and we'll ask for healing upon him and also a lot of us are sick with our sore throats so we're going to pray for healing on that as well and does anybody else have anything we that you want us to pray for yes what was that again yeah well I don't speak baby language but um she's happy or he but okay well thank God for this night and let's pray Lord God we thank you Lord for speaking to us today and through the word and through the singing Lord God we praise and we glorify your holy name because you are worthy Lord who is worthy God to stand in your throne nobody Lord because nobody loves us the way you do Lord Lord God God help us to remember Lord to give our time to you God to grow in you daily Lord God God help us and put that on our hearts to not be lazy Lord and to seek wisdom Lord in your word thank you for this night in Jesus name we pray amen Our Father may heaven Hallowed Be Your Name Your Kingdom Come your will be done done on Earth as it is in heaven give us this day our daily bread forgive us our sins as we forgive those who sin against us lead us not into temptation but Deliver Us from the evil one for your kingdom your power and Glory forever are yours amen praise God