August 18, 2024 ~ Christian Living ~ Rev. Ed Burns

I e for e e e than e for e good morning and welcome to the message Community Church we're so glad to have every one of you here today and we're thankful for those who are with us online today as well just want you those that are here if you would stand this morning we're going to Worship the Lord you know what that means all hands in the air hands like this whatever you do to Worship the Lord do it this morning we're going to Worship the Lord because he's worthy of Our Praise we're going to sing we bring a sacrifice of pra [Music] PR we bring a sacrifice of praise into the house of the Lord we bring sacrifice of praise into the house of the Lord and we offer up to you the sacrifices of Thanksgiving and we offer up to you the sacrifices of Jo we bring sacrifice of praise into the house of the Lord we bring sacrifice of praise into the house the Lord and we offer up to you the sacrifice of Thanksgiving and we offer up to you the saes of joy we bring the sacrifice of GRA into the house of the Lord bring sacrifice of praise into the house of the Lord and we offer up to you the sacrifices of Thanksgiving and we offer up to you the sacrifices of bless the Lord my soul and all that is within me bless [Music] his bless the Lord all my soul and all that is with bless [Music] his he has done great things he has done great things he has done great things bless Holy Name bless the Lord oh my soul and all that is with bless [Music] bless the Lord oh my soul and all that is within me [Music] bless he has done great things hasn't he he has done great things he has done great things he has done great things bless his bless the Lord all my soul and all that is within me he bless [Music] his in his pra there fullness of Jo and his right hand there's pleasure forever more oh what so Divine I am and he is in the presence of the Lord there's Jo are we in his presence today let's enter in in his his fullness of Jo and his right hand there's pleasure forever oh what Fellowship I am and he is m in the presence of the Lord there's fullness of joy let's do that one more time in his fullness of true and his right hand there's pleasure forever oh what Fellowship I am and he is in the of the Lord there's fullness of joy he's worthy of it all you're worthy of it all you're worthy of it all [Music] for from you are all things and to you are all things you deserve the glory you're worthy of it all you're worthy of it all [Music] for from you are all things and to you are all things you deserve the glory yes he does [Music] you are here moving in our I worship you I worship you you are here working in this place I worship you I worship you you are here moving in our mid I worship you I worship you you are here working in this I worship you I worship you you are way maker Miracle Worker promise keeper light in the darkness my God that is who you are you are way maker Miracle Worker promise keep in the darkness my God that is you are you are here touching every heart I worship you I worship you you are here healing every heart I worship you I worship you you are here turning Liv I worship you I worship you you are here Bing every heart I worship you I worship you you are way maker Miracle Worker promise Keeper in the darkness my God that is who you are you are way maker mirle worker prise Keeper in the darkness my God that is who you are that is who you are that is who you are that is who you are that is who you [Music] are even when I don't see it you're even when I don't feel it you're working you never stop you never stop working you never stop you never stop working even when I don't see it you're working even when I don't feel it you're working you never stop you never stoping you never stop you never stop work way maker Miracle work promise Keeper in the darkness my God that is who you are you are way maker miracle worker Pro keeper light in the darkness my God that is who you aren't you thankful that our God is a way maker this morning he's a miracle worker he's a promisee keeper he is light in the darkness and I am thankful for that this morning so glad to see all of you this morning in the house of the Lord on a beautiful Sunday morning uh we're thankful for those that are watching online and are part of the service uh this morning online uh we appreciate that let me uh just a few quick announcements uh don't forget this evening at 5:30 is our family ministry night so please remember that um the meal um is baked potato and salad and then we'll go into our um uh men's meetings and women's meetings from there and so please remember that this evening uh and then also um please be much in prayer uh for our Wednesday night Outreach on West 22nd Street uh we had our first night this past Wednesday night had a great attendance had I think it was 19 there in all with our workers and everything yes amen let's give the Lord a hand for that yes yes um so we're thankful for that uh and so we're just expecting this week to be uh even more um you say why are you expecting more because I'm not above bribing being a child um and we told them that if they brought a friend that um we'd give them I I mean we'd give them a one of those uh what are those called Susie those ice cream pop not ice cream the slushy things in the little you know what I'm talking about then the uh yeah put yeah there the little plastic things with flavored sugar in it and um um we're going to give them sugar and send them home and uh but anyway I don't mind I'll bribe a child so I expect more this week be much in prayer for that though it is an amazing Outreach then also be uh in prayer too as we um on September 25th will be our first night we'll be back here with the children so be much in prayer for that speaking of that we do need uh van drivers so if you have a um a valid North Carolina driver's license um and um you can drive a van uh then please sign up at the back uh of the church there's a signup sheet for that so uh we need uh help with that so and then I need you to put this on your calendars um October 12th uh is our annual barbecue sale uh barbecue fundraiser uh for Missions and local Outreach so be much in prayer for that uh you'll be hearing more about that in the coming weeks the things we need uh and so there'll be sign up sheets for that if you've not already please get a bulletin uh they're at the back of the church the weekly message one other thing I need to mention to you the students are having a meal on Wednesday night October 23rd I know we're sometime out from that but um um please uh put that on there they do need donations for that uh and so please remember that um this morning we to Lord go to the Lord in prayer and take our request of the Lord have several that we want to remember let's remember Sister Glenna uh this morning in our prayers she is home but uh and recovering but just needs a touch of the Lord this morning we also want to remember those that are listed in our bulletin under immediate concerns as well as continue concerns let also remember our shut-ins this morning uh that they need a touch of the Lord uh and so maybe this morning you have an unspoken prayer request you'd like to signify by the raised hand amen several of those this morning let's go to the Lord in prayer and let's lift our voices to the Lord this morning in prayer knowing that we're praying to a God who hears and answers prayer amen amen let's all pray together father we love you Lord we thank you for today we thank you for your grace your mercy well we're thankful that uh God we can gather together in your name and God we ask today that here this morning you touch Lord we've already experienced your presence and we are so thankful for that God we're thankful that we experienced you this morning already and Lord we're anticipating what you're going to continue to do in this service God we pray that you'll just Minister and that God you'll touch you know the needs you know every one of them and God we pray that you'll just touch those spoken needs and those unspoken requests those that were signified by a raised hand God we pray that you would just touch and that you would Minister that you would do what only you can do this morning and God we'll just celebrate you Lord we just rejoice in you Lord we just magnify you today for all that you have done and all that you are doing and all that you're going to do in our midst God we celebrate you today and God we rejoice in you we rejoice in the god of our salvation and Lord we just declare you are righteous and holy and just in this place and God we thank you for all these things in Jesus name amen and amen amen amen before we take up offering this morning I think we have something we need to celebrate this morning okay you know part of our core values is exuberant worship we also have core value of missions um and last Sunday we took up our Global Outreach offering okay uh now I was you know we had a kindly I had something in my mind what I'd like to see and you know we last year we took up $2,500 I thought well if we can just get just a little bit more than that I'd be man I'd be so happy about that but can I tell you we got done after church last week and they counted up our Global Outreach offering um and we we took in just our church here we took in $33,600 last week so I think we can give the Lord hand for that yes amen amen amen that's $1,100 more than last year I feel like a a Salesman but wait there's more as a conference now Global Outreach is one of those uh and again I it's we've said this before but you know Global Outreach is an amazing thing that our denomination does it goes above and beyond what our missions giving is uh and it goes you know 75% of that goes to special projects uh that the missionaries on these Foreign Fields have uh some of them need housing some of them need uh land to do the ministry and I mean so very many needs and uh and then 25% of that money stays here in the states to help with evangelism uh 100% of it goes to to the ministry 100% of it uh and as a conference which we have about 150 churches in our conference as a conference our goal uh for Global Outreach offering for the year uh was $350,000 uh dollar um and so um we've we've bumped up around 300 before uh in that offering we've never exceeded that to my knowledge we may have been a little bit more but anyway last Sunday when we went to the conference and we took up our Global Outreach offering are you ready for this we took up as a conference 358,000 46 I think the Lord deserves praise for that amen amen hallelujah hallelujah we thank the Lord for that this morning amen we just rejoice in that today uh and God is blessing God is moving in missions a church that gives to missions will always be blessed and I don't know if you picked up on this or not um but um our giving now our attendance is not 1% of the attendance of our conference but our giving is equaled 1% of that $358,000 amen isn't God good to us this morning God is so good to us today I'm going to ask our ushers if you will come this morning uh to help uh take up our tithe and offerings this morning uh if you have not uh if you don't give in tithe an offering let me just encourage you to give in tithe and in offerings uh I promise you you'll never be more blessed than when you obey that biblical principle and give and tithe in an offering it is a blessing to you it's a blessing to the church and I don't know how God does it uh but you can do more with 90% than you can with 100% just give that 10% to God and let God work the Miracles it's amazing to see him do that amen Amen brother Vernon won don't you to bless our offering this morning Father we thank you for another opportunity to be in your house today Father we thank you for all the blessings you bestow yes father bless this offering today let it beate to me all minist Church in Jesus name amen amen amen let's continue in worship this [Music] morning you are love you bring light to the darkness you give you restore every heart is [Laughter] broken great are you Lord your breath in ours so we pour out our praise pour out our praise into your bre in our lungs so we pour out our praise to you only [Music] you give life you are love you bring light in the darkness you give hope you restore every heart that is broken and great are you Lord it's your breath in our lungs so we pour out our praise we pour out our praise your breath in our lungs so we pour out our [Music] praise praise your name Lord Jesus [Music] and all the Earth Will shout your praise our heart will cry these bones will sing great are you and all the Earth Will shout your praise our hearts will cry these bones will sing are you Lord and all the Earth Will shout your praise our hearts will cry these B will sing PR are you Lord your breath with our so we pour out our praise pour out our praise bre in our lungs so we pour out our praise to [Music] you the Living God for fresh of the Living God oh fresh on me [Music] the Liv God fres on me of the Living God fresh on [Music] of the living godes [Music] of the Living God fresh on [Music] me is the this is the there I Brea your holy [Music] PR this is my daily [Music] breay this is my daily [Music] your spoken to me and Rec you [Music] one more is the I bre this is the air I bre your holy presence [Music] living this is my daily [Music] pray this is my da your word spoken to the [Music] and desate for and [Music] I'm lost without [Music] you is the [Music] church I don't know about you but I'm desperate for Jesus I'm lost without him I can't live without him I don't want to live without him I am desperate for him this morning he he is the the breath that I breathe that's how desperate I am for him today that without him I can't I can't do life without him this morning so this morning if you're in that same space you're at that same spot this morning these altars here are open and if you want to just come for a few minutes here and let's just spend a minute with the Lord that's okay Church they're going to sing this again and as they sing if you say you know what I'm in that desperate spot too I've got to have him I can't live without him I just need I'm desperate for himall I'm lost without him if that's you this morning they're going to sing this again and while they sing if you want to just gather here at the altar or if you just want to where you are you want to raise your hands and you just want full surrender to him and declare I'm desperate for you whatever it is Now's the Time will you do it this morning as they sing father we love you yes God yes Lord living yes Lord [Music] Jesus is my daily you're my daily bread oh my daily bread yes Lord this is [Music] myus I'm desperate for you [Music] Jesus we [Music] got Jesus we need youday come tell how much you got you can't live [Music] without is my come sing sing it this is my daily pray [Music] spoken [Music] and [Music] without and [Music] I'm lost without [Music] you yes is [Music] the Jesus thank you Jesus Lord we're just thankful for your presence Lord we can't live without you lord I can't function without you lord I don't want to live I don't want to function without you God I'm desperate for you Jesus God help us as a church as a fellowship of of Believers as a congregation God help us to have that desire that we are desperate for you today Jesus we thank you thank you Jesus thank you Jesus thank you Jesus Hallelujah Hallelujah Hallelujah Lord can we just can we just one more time maybe lift our hands maybe something this morning and just tell the Lord how thankful we are for his presence father we love you Lord we're thankful for your presence today God we're thankful for what you're doing here at the message what our name says what we're about we're about your message and God we're thankful for what you're doing here in this place not just today Lord we're thankful for that but Lord we're also thankful for all that you're doing here among the message people God help us to continue in a spirit of worship to continue with what you would have us do this morning and Lord we give you glory for it in Jesus name amen amen amen amen you love the Lord this morning church I'm In Love With Jesus today ain't nothing like it amen amen amen amen well this morning if you will uh remain standing with me and look in your Bibles to the book of Titus Titus Chapter 2 you say well where is the book of Titus well one hint is it's in the New Testament the other hint is it's uh um after Timothy and so keep looking and you'll find it amen amen while you're finding Titus Chapter 2 if you will just turn around and greet one another uh this morning let somebody know you're glad to see them and let them know that you're glad they're here Among Us and now if you're not glad to see them just smile and Nod your head okay um so Titus Chapter 2 starting with verse 11 uh reading down through verse 13 from the New Living Translation this morning Titus Chapter 2 starting with verse 11 here's what the word of the Lord says this is Paul writing to Titus one of his uh uh children if you will in the faith um a young pastor and Paul writes this to Titus he says in Titus 2:11 for the grace of God has been revealed bringing salvation to all people and we are instructed to turn from Godless living and sinful Pleasures we should live in this evil world with wisdom righteousness and Devotion to God while we look forward with hope that to that wonderful day when the glory of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ will be revealed may God add blessings on the reading of his word you can be seated this morning so at the dawn of Christianity when the when the church was in its infancy and and was just learning how to be what God wanted it to be the church developed a series of profound questions and these questions were well they were not just a formality but they were a crucial part uh of the Christian questioning if you will and question uh uh questions that they would ask it became part of the uh baptism process in the early church and would guide individuals towards a life of Christian Living these questions soon became uh what was called baptismal Creeds in the church and each question that was asked required an answer in the affirmative in other words you had to say yes I believe what you're asking of me and over time these Creeds became increasingly popular and eventually develop developed into what we have today as known as the Apostles Creed if you will this morning indulge me for a moment let me read to you the Apostles Creed here's what it says I believe in God the Father Almighty creator of Heaven and Earth I believe in Jesus Christ his only son our Lord who was conceived by the holy SP spirit and born of the Virgin Mary he suffered under Pontius Pilate was crucified died and was buried he descended to Hell the third day he he rose again from the dead he ascended to heaven and is seated at the right hand of God the Father Almighty from there uh he will come to judge the living and the dead I believe in the Holy Spirit the Holy Catholic church now let me clarify something here uh today we we have this idea that Catholic means the Roman Catholic Church that's not what this is referring to here it's referring to The Universal Church the Church of the Living God I believe in the Holy Spirit the Holy Catholic Church the communion of the Saints the forgiveness of sin the resurrection of the body and life Everlasting amen and that is the Apostles Creed and this Creed is a doctrinal statement uh for every for for the early Believers and even for us today um it's a declaration if you will of what we believe and that we will live according to the words of that Creed when Paul wrote to Titus in Titus 2 he was giving him a doctrinal basis for right living just as the Apostle Creed gave a doctrinal statement the the writings of Paul to Titus give us a doctrinal statement and the statement can be applied in our lives today as much as the Apostles Creed was applied in the early church and it can show us you and I today how to live a Christian Life So today we're going to talk about Christian Living and how we should live as Christians can I this morning starting off I want to say this okay there is a right way to live and live a Christian Life and there is a wrong way to live okay there are some things that have crept into Christianity that are not Christian there's some doctrines that have eased their way in and they have really and truly caused Great harm and damage to the Christian faith now I'm not going to dive into all of those this morning I don't have time for all of that and that's not the purpose of what I'm saying or not the purpose of my message this morning the purpose this morning is to say hey there's a right way to live and that's the way you should live okay now I want to look at this scripture in Titus and Paul really launches out here and he starts off with a wrong way to live he starts off with wrong living in verse 11 and there are two aspects of wrong living mentioned here okay he he mentions the King James says it this way uh and uses the words ungodliness and worldly lust the new king I excuse me the New Living Translation uses the words Godless living and sinful Pleasures those are two things that Paul says that Christians shouldn't have in their life that we have no business of having a Godless life and there is we have no business indulging in sinful Pleasures Jude says it this way but you my dear friends must remember what the Apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ predicted they told you that in the last time times that there would be scoffers whose purpose in life is to satisfy their ungodly desires these people are ones who who are creating divisions among you they follow their Natural Instincts because they do not have God's spirit in them wow that's what Jude writes he's like hey there's going to be people among you they're going to scoff at you they're going to they're going to cause divisions they're going to cause problems because they do not have the spirit of the Living God in them and we're commanded by the scriptures to get rid of worldly desires sinful pleasures and Godless living we're commanded in the scriptures it's Illustrated for us in Jude what happens if we don't and when Christians live immoral lives and they pursue ungodliness it it it erodes the effectiveness of Truth can I say that again when Christians live immoral lives and they pursue ungodliness it erodes the effectiveness and the influence of Truth in other words that if you claim Christ you say hey I'm a Christian I'm gonna live a I'm a Christian I love Jesus yet and but you don't act like you you're a Christian and you don't act like you love Jesus you erode the effectiveness and the influence of Truth in other words you bring Division and harm to the body that word the the word Godless living in the original language mean unrighteousness by virtue of not giving proper respect to God or God's institutions the word sinful Pleasures uh there's two words there and and one means sinful means characteristics of of the Earthly realm and Pleasures uh the an intense desire for some particular thing can I tell you this morning church the call the command of God to the Christians is to leave Godless living and sinful Pleasures out of our lives right get rid of them don't live that way don't live in such a way that your life is characterized by Godless living don't live in such a way where you satisfy sinful Pleasures worldly desires and you shun righteousness and Holiness because I've got to tell you this morning there are consequences to living a life of Godless living and sinful Pleasures there's consequences this morning and what escapes many people today is that there are consequences to their actions and some think because there are not immediate consequences to their sinful pleasures and and fulfilling the desires of the body and the the desires of the flesh because there's no immediate consequence they think there's no consequence at all but can I tell you that there's nothing further from the truth because there are consequences to living a wrong life your actions have eternal and far-reaching consequences wrong living will lull you into a false sense of security Godless living sinful pleasures and fulfilling that will lull you into this false sense of security like Samson where it says that he wished not that the spirit had left him in in other words he didn't even recognize that the spirit of the Living God had left him and that God had withdrawn his presence from him can I tell you today when you chase after Godless living when you chase after worldly lust and sinful Pleasures when you allow that stuff in your life and you're not actively trying to push it out of your life it will lull you to sleep spiritually speaking and it'll blow you into this false sense of security in thinking that everything is right all the while the Living God has left you when we're not living a right life as laid out in the Bible our Earthly affections will reign supreme in our life in other words it's all about me it's all about what I want it's all about what I desire it's all about what I think I should have it's all about me me me my emotions uh reain my emotions are the most important thing can I tell you today I am thankful that God made us emotional creatures I am thankful for the emotion of happiness and joy I am thankful that we can feel the sadness even and that we can feel those pains and I'm thankful for all of those emotions that we can feel but can I tell you today you cannot afford to allow your life to be ruled by your emotions and Godless living will lead you to a life of being ruled by your emotions and everybody around you is held captive by the whims of your emotions can I just tell you today that's a that's a horrible place to live to be ruled by your emotions that the ups and downs of your day are determined just because of your mood can I tell you today just because you get up in a bad mood doesn't mean you got to be in a bad mood all day nothing listen we're we're human and we have emotions and we have bad days but it's somewhere along the line we've got to break out of that and say wait a minute I Am Redeemed by the blood of the lamb and I will not be ruled by my emotions living a Godless life living a sinful life forces you to mold the plans for your life let me say that again living a Godless and sinful life forces you to mold the plans for your life and can I tell you this you I don't mean to hurt feelings but it's going to you are going to mess up your life I don't care how good you are I don't care how great you are and some of you are fantastic people you're wonderful in fact all of you are wonderful fantastic people [Laughter] but in reality this morning we're going to mess our life up we're going to mess it up spiritually we're going to mess it up and in the end if we don't have Christ then well then we're trying to make things happen on our own and we're going to make a mistake and when we live a Godless and sinful life we're forced to make the plans mold the plans for our own life God's got great plans for you that's what the book of Jeremiah says plans to bless you and plans to prosper you plans to make you what he wants you to be and when we live a Godless and sin sinful life then we don't get those plans and I don't know about you but I would much rather God's plans than my plans can I tell you this morning though not only are there consequences to living is sinful Godless life there's Earthly consequences can I tell somebody this morning there's Eternal consequences there's Eternal consequences to living the life that you want to live and to living life on your own terms there's Eternal consequences and the Eternal consequences called hell there's one way to peace and that's through the power of the cross of Jesus Christ you want peace in your life then you must surrender your life to Christ and if you don't surrender your life to Christ then you can't know peace true peace unadulterated peace and if you don't know Christ and you don't have that peace then when you die there is one Eternal destination for you and it is not heaven but hell and hell is a real place that real people will go to and no God does not send you there he's giving you a choice now for you to make now on this Earth will you live for him or will you choose your own sinful Pleasures that's that's the reality of it this morning and we can't talk about Christian Living Without addressing this one fact that hell is a real literal place that real literal people will go to and there is no fun there there's no party there there's no happiness there it is a place of complete and total separation from God is a place where there is tearing and nashing of teeth where the worm does not die it continually eats at the Flesh of the people that are there the Flames are not consumed and you are not consumed in those Flames they are continually burning forever and ever and ever and I don't know about you but I would much rather give up my plans for my life right now to live in his life for eternity and avoid hell amen somebody this morning I would much rather give up my plans for my life right now bend my knee and confess that he is Lord right now spend eternity with him forever spend eternity with Christ than the alternative of spending eternity in hell it's just not worth it this morning that's wrong living let me share with you this morning how to live let me share with you this morning how to live a Christian Life Paul gave Titus three things in Titus Chapter 2 verse 12 the second part of the verse says this we should live in this evil world with three things wisdom righteousness and Devotion to God in other words this world is evil this world is awful it's full of evil it's full of wickedness it is vile this world is awful but you can still live in this world with these three things wisdom righteousness and a Devotion to God this world may be evil but you don't have to be evil this world may be bad you don't have to be bad Paul told Titus he said live with wisdom the Bible tells us in the Book of James that that if anybody lacks wisdom all we've got to do is ask God and God will give it to them freely and liberally the problem today is that we've got a lot of people that have knowledge but don't have wisdom wonderful having knowledge knowledge is great church but you got to have wisdom too I heard this recently I think it's hilarious I hope you do too says you know the difference between knowledge and wisdom knowledge is knowing that a tomato is a fruit wisdom is knowing not to put it in a fruit salad you're welcome now you know the difference I mean I'm not going to eat either one of so it doesn't matter but I stayed in more trouble growing up because I wouldn't eat fruits and vegetables than I did about for anything just I agree with can I just tell you I'm a Segway here real quick and I'm gonna come back I agree with the Middle Ages about tomatoes you know what they call them in the Middle Ages poison apples and I'm there I think they're awful I had a dream last night that I ate a tomato I'm like what the world is wrong with me that I would eat a tomato this is awful and can I tell you in my dream I didn't like it either wisdom is knowing knowledge is knowing all that wisdom is knowing I need to get back on track can I tell you today church we need wisdom we need people that will function in the church with wisdom the wisdom of God my prayer has been my whole Ministry God give me the wisdom of Solomon and the character of John the Baptist it's been my prayer for my life and can I tell you we need to pray that God give us wisdom that we live in this evil world with wisdom in other words the world is is evil but I can live with Godly wisdom in this evil world yes we must live in this world no we don't have to live without wisdom and God says I Paul wrote to Tim Titus and he said live in this evil world with wisdom but not only live wisdom but live in this world with righteousness the word that's for righteousness that is used here in the original languages it's rarely used in the New Testament but it means it refers to a judgment outcome or behavior that is viewed as just correct or fitting in other words the Christian the call for the Christian to live their life like they have been declared righteous can I tell you today you've been declared righteous by Jesus Christ you don't have I need to tell somebody this this morning somebody needs to hear what I am saying you may have sinned in fact you have have sinned you have done wrong the Bible tells us that all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God everybody has sinned we've all sinned but you are not defined in Christ by your past sins that's right you are not defined by the life you were before Christ came in your life the devil would love to tell you that the devil would love to convince you that you are defined by your mistakes that you are defined by how you used to live and what you used to be in life but if you are in Jes Jesus Christ you are a new creature old things have passed away and all things have become new and you are not defined by your past in Jesus name somebody this morning understand that you can live a righteous life now and because you used to always make mistakes does not mean that you always will make mistakes when you are in Jesus Christ I said it before I'll say it again we all have a past every one of us and every one of us have a past that in our past there are things we have done that we are not proud of every one of us we wish we hadn't done it we wish we didn't do it but we did it and I've said this before I'll say this again I'll say it till Jesus comes back you cannot unring a bell but you can stop it from vibrating don't believe me I go here and hit that symbol and I just walk away and it'll ring and ring and ring but if I hit that symbol when I clamp down on it with my hand it stops the vibration of it and when Jesus Christ comes in your life when you are Redeemed by the blood of the Lamb when you are set free when you are C out of Darkness Into His Marvelous Light when you go from unrighteousness to righteousness in Jesus Christ it's like Jesus reaching up and grabbing that Bell and saying it will ring no more in your life somebody this morning understand that Jesus Christ comes along and he makes you righteous in him that my righteous is as filthy dirty rags but I go forward not in my own righteousness but I go forward in the righteousness that is provided to me by Jesus Christ the righteous and Jesus and Paul told us Paul told Titus to live in this evil world with wisdom with righteousness and a Devotion to God I'm going to say it later but I need to say it here Jesus is going to return not for the complacent but for the fully committed follower this morning we must have a Devotion to God we must have a Devotion to him you say well what does a devotion mean it means to show proper or fitting respect or reverence to it means that whenever you it comes the Sunday morning there's no question I'm going to the house of the Lord comes to Wednesday night I'm going to the house of the Lord I'm going to be uh that person who whenever it it's time to get up in the morning I get up and one of the first things I do is read my Bible I've got to be that person that does what it says in Thessalonians and praise without ceasing and not only that but I have and developed a prayer life of my own that I'm not dependent on the church prayer times to be the only time I pray Paul told Titus he said live in this world yes live in and yes this world is evil but live with wisdom live with righteousness and live with a Devotion to God but then he doesn't stop there yeah I feel like Paul Harvey let me give to you the rest of the story because Paul is writing to Titus and he's saying hey the world's e evil avoid these things avoid Godless living avoid sinful Pleasures live in the evil world with wisdom righteousness and Devotion to God and here's how you do it you ready this is how you do it I'm gonna give it to you this is how this is how you live in this evil world with wisdom righteousness and Devotion to God you ready for it looking forward with hope Titus 2 and 13 while we look forward with hope to that wonderful day when the glory of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ will be revealed look forward with hope yes this world is evil yes there's bad stuff that's happening yes it's going to be difficult times and you're going to struggle sometimes but can I tell you today if this morning if you will commit yourself that I'm going to live in this evil world and I'm going to live with Godly wisdom I'm going to live with righteousness I'm going to live with a Devotion to God and the way you do that is that you look forward with a hope a hope that is steadfast and secure a hope that does not fade a hope that changed my life a hope that will transform my life a hope that will transform my community a hope that will enable me to get up in the morning uh when I don't want to give get up uh a hope that will help me to keep on going when I don't want to keep on going uh a hope that will say Hey listen if you will hold on just a little bit longer uh Jesus Christ is going to return and Rapture you out of this world so hold on look forward with hope this morning church I hope the scripture tells us to to always be ready to give a defense for the reason of our hope I don't know about you this morning but I'm tired of this old world I'm tired of it I'm tired of the struggles I'm tired of the aggrav ations I'm certainly tired in our country of this election cycle hurts my heart gets on my nerves but can I tell you today my hope is not bound up in who gets elected as the president of this United States let me say it again and a little bit louder my hope is not bound up and who gets elect eled as the President of the United States my hope is not bound up and who gets elected as governor my hope is not bound up in our County Commissioners in our sheriff or any of those things my hope is bound Up in Jesus Christ and I must focus on the hope that I have in him and that hope only because if I hope in a man I am in all things most miserable but my hope is not in Jesus CH not in this world but my hope hope is in Jesus Christ the righteous this morning amen somebody today can I say this this morning I don't care I I care please understand what I'm saying today I understand that we talked all week last week about it the whole sermon was about church and politics and all that I get the importance of that and I know all that but can I tell you today my hope must be in Christ and not a political party amen it's Where My Hope must be because dare I say this neither party died for my sins but Jesus Christ did Jesus died for my sins so that I could live a life with wisdom righteousness and a Devotion to him let me finish this up if we'll do all of that if we'll not live the wrong Life we'll Live the right life and we'll look forward with hope you know what we'll have we'll had we'll have committed living a committed living committed Titus Chapter 2 and verse1 14 it says this he gave his life to free us from every kind of sin to cleanse us and to make us his very own people listen totally committed to doing good deeds when we go over here to West 22nd Street you know what that is that's being committed to doing good deeds when when you give in Global Outreach offering that's being committed to doing good deeds when we take up here in a few weeks and or like we have in years past we' you know we've taken up for for Thanksgiving to help those in need that's being committed to doing good deeds when we take up for Falcon children's home or or we take up gifts for the needy at Christmas that's being committed to doing good deeds gentlemen and ladies who help with the yard work around the church that's being committed to doing good deeds when you go out of these four walls and you proclaim the Gospel of Jesus Christ to a hurting world that is being committed to doing good deeds we are his people and he has called us to be committed to doing good deeds we're not called to do things just because well that sounds good may be good but we're called to do it because he's called us to live a life committed to doing good deeds the Bible has a story in Matthew and he says this then the king will say to those on his right come you who are blessed by my father inherit the Kingdom prepared for you from the creation of the world listen for I was hungry and you fed me I was thirsty and you gave me a drink I was a stranger and you invited me into your home I was naked you gave me clothing I was sick and you declared or and you cared for me I was in prison and you visited me and they said when did we do these things he said you've done it to the least of these you've done it to me and can I tell you that's being committed to doing good deeds that's committed living Jesus Christ is not returning for the complacent Church he's returning for those who are committed to doing good deeds he's not returning for those who sit back and say well I'll just let somebody else tell them about Jesus I tell you today if Christians don't tell the tell the world and tell people about Jesus the world is certainly not going to talk about it the devil's not going to inspire anybody to tell people about Jesus it's our responsibility to let the world know that Jesus Christ cares we cannot afford to be lazy in these last days Now's the Time to work Now's the Time you say but I'm but I'm tired some of you may say but I'm old some of you are older than me some of you are younger than me some of you are I'm not going never mind I'm reminded of Caleb Caleb looked at Joshua and he said this said hey you remember 40 years ago when we came into this land and you promised me then I could have that mountain he said I was 40 years old then and I'm 80 years old now give me my mountain in other words what the psalmist said I was old I was young and now I'm old and I've never seen the righteous forsaken nor a seed out begging bread in other words let me put it this way you are never too old to work and labor in the Kingdom your body may not be able to do what it used to do but you can still work the work of prayer you can still work the work of encouragement you may not be able to accomplish physically what you used to be able to accomplish but can I tell you today your work in the kingdom is not done Jesus Christ is returning not for the complacent but for the fully committed follower of Jesus Christ so when you go home today remember this remember this this morning church we are instructed and commanded to live Christian lives in an evil way world that's what it comes down to this morning won't you stand with me today this morning I believe the Lord is calling the church to live a fully committed life some of you are fully committed and that's evidence in your life you're fully committed to what Christ is doing you're fully committed to Christ and you're fully committed to living for him some may be on The Fringe there you may be like yeah I'm half in half out can I tell you today that's no place to live in fact in Revelation Jesus said if you're lukewarm I'll spit you out of my mouth because nobody likes lukewarm drinks Jesus is calling us though to live the Christian Life the life fully committed to him and I don't know about you church but I want to make sure that I finish as well as I began so this morning I want us all all who are willing all who will to gather these altars with me and say God I want you to help me to either start living or continue living the Christian Life will you meet me at these altars this morning and pray that prayer with me today will you meet me here will you come here this morning and say God I'm committed to you I'm recommitting God I need your help to continue to be committed will you pray that with me this morning they're going to sing and while they sing will you gather here with me will you pray this prayer with me God I need your help God I got to have you God I can't live this life without you and I need your help living a committed life will you pray that with me this morning as they sing father touch us God help me this morning to live the committed life the life that's pleasing to you the life that's acceptable to you God fully committed not wavering to the right nor to the left but pressing in deeper to you God Jesus touch us today Father move yes got [Music] touched Jesus all I got is you I don't have anything but you [Music] Jesus God my y Jesus touch us today help me God help me father to live a fully committed [Music] life been Hallelujah Jesus touch me God to live fully committed to you to live the Christian [Music] Life God yes Lord Jesus you're worthy today all my are for Jesus you're worthy today Jesus have magnified I've been washed oh and I'm thankful for it [Music] Jesus yes Lord Jesus Jesus touch God Minister touch us oh fori i' beened by [Music] the Hallelujah Jesus this morning church i' I'd miss it this morning if I didn't give somebody an opportunity maybe you're watching online today talk to you directly online if you're watching online today and you don't know us you you don't know Jesus as Savior today is your day now's your time don't wait till next week don't wait till tomorrow Now's the Time you're not promised tomorrow you're fact the Bible according to the Bible you're not even promised your next breath Hallelujah Jesus has obligated himself to one time you hearing the gospel of Christ and here's your chance now you're hearing it the book of Romans says that if you'll confess with your mouth and believe in your heart that Jesus Christ died on the the cross then you will be saved yes it's that simple I love salvation it's simple man it's so simple confess with your mouth and believe in your heart that Jesus Christ died on the cross and you will be saved acknowledge you're a sinner and you need a savior and that savior is Jesus Christ and that you can't save yourself that Jesus Christ is the only one that can save [Music] you and if you want to know Jesus today and you want to live this Christian life now it's your time day your day maybe you're here today and you need to recommit your life maybe you need to get saved the first time I don't know but I know this Jesus is stirring in these last days I know this that Jesus right now is calling the message Community Church to be a people who proclaim the message that Jesus says and give people every chance every opportunity out there to know him so this this morning I'm going to pray and maybe you're watching online and you need Christ I want you to accept Christ right now all you got to do said Jesus Come into my life be my savior I'm going to pray while I'm while I pray if you need Jesus you need to recommit your life Now's the Time while I pray I want you to pray maybe you're here and you need to recommit you have that stirring in your heart you feel Jesus calling you saying hey recommit father I pray we you pray with me Saints will you pray too this morning Jesus we love you I am thankful for salvation I am thankful for the message of Salvation the doctrine of salvation I am thankful for it I rejoice in it today I am glad today that we can be saved in Jesus I believe today you're you're warning to save I Know You Are Holy Spirit I believe you're calling people to know you so Jesus today save Souls give them the strength Holy Spirit knock on the door of their heart let them know you're you're there you're wanting in and help them to let you in Jesus to know you're a savior Jesus we thank you right now for the souls you have saved you are saving and you're going to save through the message church we thank you for it in Jesus name amen father every head's still bow and every eyes still closed nobody looking around please this morning maybe you're online maybe you're here you recommitted maybe you're online you got saved and or you recommitted that was you this morning can you just slip your hand up nobody's looking around I promise anyone this morning anyone amen amen amen thank you Jesus thank you Jesus amen can I tell you church we may not have had somebody raise their hand in person may not have anybody online I don't know yet but can I tell you we still put the message of Christ out there because we don't know what God's doing with it amen and we celebrate and we Rejoice that amen amen amen all right this morning I want to remind you don't forget this afternoon at 5:30 it's our family ministry night make plans to be here have the meal then we'll go to our men's meetings and our women's meetings also I want to put remind you of something else I want you to be much in prayer we talked about this already um starting September 1st we're going to have an emphasis for the fall called pray and go and it's going to be an emphasis to push us outside of our own Comfort zones to read God's word more and to invite more people to church okay we're going to launch that on September 1st and I need all the help I can get I I need a lot of help leave it alone just don't say nothing I need a lot of help on many levels but I really need a lot of help on this one and I'm going to be asking some of you to commit that day to a 30-day Adventure studying God's word and inviting people to church so you be getting your mind ready then I'm going to ask you that in two weeks not next Sunday but the next Sunday okay and it's going to be our fall push to to invite it's our fall push to get people in the four walls of the church to hear the message that you've heard that changed your life amen you in love with Jesus this morning I'm in love with Christ he's changed my life he makes the difference amen amen I'm going to ask our council member of the week brother Larry Phillips if he will dismiss us in prayer