Sunday Evening Worship 12/29/2024

Channel: Bible Baptist EL RENO

Transcript

Language: English (original, YouTube automatic captions)

[0:00] [Music]

[0:37] for

[1:01] [Music]

[2:13] good evening thank you for joining us

[2:15] again this evening it's good to see

[2:16] youall with us if you are able to would

[2:19] you join us as we stand together if

[2:21] you're able to as we turn to

[2:23] 216 song number 216 dwelling in bua land

[2:29] song number

[2:31] [Music]

[2:39] 26 far away the noise of strife upon my

[2:46] ear is

[2:48] falling then I know the sins of Earth be

[2:54] set on every

[2:57] hand doubt and fear and things of Earth

[3:03] in vain to me are

[3:07] calling none of these shall move me from

[3:14] bu

[3:16] land I'm

[3:18] living on the

[3:20] mountain underneath the cloudless

[3:25] sky I'm

[3:27] drinking at the fountain

[3:30] that never shall run dry oh yes I'm

[3:36] feasting on the

[3:38] Mana from a bounty full supply for I am

[3:46] dwell in

[3:49] bu

[3:51] land far below the storm of Doubt upon

[3:58] my world is

[4:01] be sons of men in battle long the

[4:08] iny

[4:10] withand safe am I within the castle of

[4:17] God's word

[4:18] [Music]

[4:20] retreating nothing then can reach me t

[4:30] I'm

[4:31] living on the

[4:34] mountain underneath the cloudless

[4:38] sky I'm

[4:40] drinking at the

[4:43] fountain that's never shall run dry oh

[4:48] yes I'm

[4:50] feasting on the

[4:52] Mana from a bount full supply for I am

[4:58] dwelling

[5:00] in

[5:02] bu

[5:05] land let the stormy breezes blow their

[5:10] cry cannot alarm

[5:14] me I am safely sheltered here

[5:20] protected by God's

[5:23] hand here the sun is always shining here

[5:29] here there's not can harm

[5:33] me I am safe

[5:37] forever in

[5:40] bu

[5:42] land I'm

[5:44] living on the

[5:46] mountain underneath the cloudless

[5:51] sky I'm

[5:53] drinking at the

[5:55] fountain that never shall run dry oh yes

[6:01] I'm

[6:02] feasting on the

[6:05] Mana from B full supply for I am

[6:12] dwelling in bu love and viewing here the

[6:17] works of God verse number

[6:19] four Vie here the works of God I sink in

[6:26] contemplation

[6:30] hearing now his blessed voice I see the

[6:36] way he

[6:38] play dwelling in the spirit here I learn

[6:45] a full

[6:48] salvation gladly will I

[6:52] ter in

[6:55] bu

[6:57] land I'm living

[7:00] on the

[7:01] mountain underneath the cloudless

[7:06] sky I'm

[7:08] drinking at the

[7:11] [Music]

[7:14] fountain oh yes I'm

[7:18] feasting on the

[7:20] Mana from a bounty full supply for I am

[7:27] dwelling in

[7:35] land and then if you would join me as a

[7:37] turn to song number

[7:39] 91 song number 91 what a day that will

[7:44] be song number

[7:55] 91 there is

[7:58] coming a

[8:00] when no

[8:02] heartache shall come no more clouds in

[8:07] the sky No More Tears to dim the eye all

[8:13] is peace forever more on that happy

[8:19] Golden

[8:20] Shore what a day glorious day that will

[8:28] be what but a day that will be when my

[8:34] Jesus I shall

[8:36] see and I look upon his face the one who

[8:42] saved me by his grace when he takes me

[8:47] by the hand and leads me to the promised

[8:53] land what a day glorious day that will

[8:59] be

[9:00] on that

[9:01] last there'll be no sorrow there no more

[9:08] burdens to bear no more

[9:12] sickness no pain no more

[9:16] parting over there and

[9:20] forever I will be with the one who died

[9:26] for me what a day a glorious day that

[9:32] will

[9:35] be what a

[9:37] day that will be when my Jesus I shall

[9:43] see and I look upon his face the one who

[9:49] saved me by his grace when he takes me

[9:55] by the hand and leads me through to the

[10:00] promised land what a day glorious

[10:06] day that will

[10:10] be and at this time I'm going to ask

[10:12] brother Glenn if he could pray for our

[10:14] offering this evening

[10:34] amen you may be seated

[10:38] [Music]

[11:25] if you're able to would you join me one

[11:27] last time again as we stand together if

[11:29] you're able to for song

[11:31] 191 song number

[11:33] 191 count your

[11:36] blessings name them one by one song

[11:39] number

[11:42] [Music]

[11:47] 191 when upon light belows you are

[11:51] Tempest TOS when you are discouraged

[11:55] thinking All Is Lost count your your

[11:59] many blessings name them one by one and

[12:04] it will surprise you what the Lord have

[12:08] done count your blessings name them one

[12:12] by one count your blessings see what God

[12:18] has done count your

[12:22] blessings name them one by

[12:26] one counter many blessing see what God

[12:32] had

[12:34] done are you ever burdened with a load

[12:39] of care does the cross seem heavy you

[12:43] are called to Bear count your many

[12:48] blessings every doubt will

[12:51] fly and you will be singing as the days

[12:55] go by count your blessings name them one

[13:01] by one count your blessings see what God

[13:07] ha done count your

[13:11] blessings name them one by

[13:15] one counter many blessings see what God

[13:21] has

[13:24] done when you look at others with their

[13:28] L and and gold think that Christ has

[13:32] promised you his wealth

[13:35] Untold count your many blessings money

[13:39] cannot buy your reward in Heaven Nor

[13:44] your home on high count your blessings

[13:50] name them one by one count your

[13:55] blessings see what God ha done

[13:59] count your

[14:01] blessings name them one by

[14:05] one count your many blessings see what

[14:10] God ha done on that last so amid the

[14:16] conflict whether great or small do not

[14:21] be discouraged God is

[14:25] overall counter many blessings angels

[14:28] with will

[14:30] attend help and comfort give you to your

[14:34] Journey's End count your blessings name

[14:39] them one by one count your blessings see

[14:45] what God ha done count your

[14:51] blessings name them one by

[14:55] one count your many blessings see what

[15:00] God has

[15:04] done and then if you would join me as we

[15:06] turn for our last song number

[15:09] 149 song number 149 the greatest

[15:12] blessing is our Salvation made possible

[15:15] because Jesus came to Earth to be born

[15:18] live a perfect sinless life die on the

[15:21] cross and then on that third day rise

[15:24] again because he lives song number 149

[15:28] we'll sing that first and the last verse

[15:30] this evening on that first

[15:35] [Music]

[15:43] 149 God sent his

[15:47] son they called him

[15:52] Jesus he came to

[15:57] love heal and

[16:02] forgive he lived and

[16:06] died to buy my

[16:11] Parton and empty grave is there to prove

[16:18] My Savior

[16:21] Lives Because He

[16:26] Lives I Can f

[16:32] tomorrow because he

[16:36] lives all fear is

[16:41] gone because I

[16:46] know he holds the

[16:51] future and life is worth a living just

[16:58] because because he

[17:03] lives and then one

[17:07] day all cross the

[17:13] river all fight Li

[17:18] FAL war with

[17:23] pain and then as death

[17:29] gives way to

[17:32] Victory I'll see the light of glory and

[17:39] I'll know he

[17:43] lives Because He

[17:47] Lives I Can Face

[17:53] tomorrow because he

[17:57] lives all fear is

[18:03] gone because I

[18:08] know he holds a

[18:11] [Music]

[18:13] future and life is worth a

[18:18] living just because he

[18:25] lives you may be seated at this time

[18:27] brother Ted in will come this evening

[18:29] with a message from the Lord

[18:36] tonight good

[18:38] evening how are you

[18:40] all how are y'all we're in

[18:43] Oklahoma good to see you again boy we

[18:46] had a good time this morning I enjoyed

[18:48] being here two folks got saved this

[18:50] morning I don't know if you heard that

[18:51] so that's a blessing and I heard from

[18:54] your pastor and he was excited about

[18:56] that and so praise the Lord for that

[18:59] that's awesome so open your Bibles to

[19:04] the Book of

[19:05] Ecclesiastes I got to find there we go I

[19:09] use modern technology I hope that's okay

[19:13] but you live by it and you die by it in

[19:16] other words if everything blows up I I'm

[19:18] just sitting down I don't know what to

[19:19] say Ecclesiastes in chapter number nine

[19:24] I promis this morning to tell you about

[19:27] my wants in a life time motorcycle trip

[19:30] I took last year so I want to do that

[19:34] and then uh you you'll see right away

[19:36] how this ties in with Ecclesiastes in

[19:39] chapter number nine and these verses I

[19:42] want to read starting at verse number

[19:45] 10 Ecclesiastes 9 verse 10 says

[19:51] whatsoever thy hand findeth to do do it

[19:55] with their

[19:56] might for notice how he's about to

[20:00] really twist the knife in there's no

[20:03] work nor device nor knowledge nor wisdom

[20:08] in the

[20:09] grave whether thou

[20:12] goest other words you get what he's

[20:14] saying when you're dead you ain't doing

[20:18] anything look at verse 11 now remember

[20:22] Solomon very wise man he's helping us I

[20:26] returned and saw under the sun

[20:30] that the race is not to the Swift well

[20:35] that doesn't make sense I thought the

[20:37] Swift person wins the race but he said

[20:41] no look what look at else he said nor

[20:44] the battle to the strong well that

[20:46] doesn't make sense I thought the strong

[20:47] wins the

[20:48] battle neither yet bread to the wise

[20:52] that doesn't make sense nor yet riches

[20:55] to Men of

[20:57] understanding nor yet favor to Men of

[20:59] skill those things are all opposite I

[21:02] thought that doesn't make sense but then

[21:04] what look what he says time and chance

[21:08] happeneth to them

[21:11] all for man also knoweth not his

[21:16] time as the fishes that are taken in an

[21:19] evil net and as the birds that are

[21:21] caught in the snare so are the sons of

[21:24] men snared in all in an evil time when

[21:26] it falleth suddenly ly upon

[21:30] them some wise and some pretty pointed

[21:35] words from Solomon let's pray and ask

[21:38] God to bless our time together tonight

[21:41] heavenly father I want to thank you so

[21:43] much for the opportunity to be here and

[21:45] to be able to be with these good folks

[21:47] here in eleno and I pray you continue to

[21:50] bless this church bless their Pastor uh

[21:53] and his work here may they continue to

[21:56] see Souls saved and I pray pray you'd

[21:59] bless them as they make their way home

[22:00] keep them safe and would you just uh

[22:04] gain our attention to what you have for

[22:07] us tonight may we listen to the words of

[22:10] Solomon in Jesus name

[22:15] amen well I took a motorcycle trip as I

[22:18] told you on a Honda

[22:22] scooter not on a Harley on a

[22:27] Honda I had been in my mind for probably

[22:32] maybe six months to a year I'm not sure

[22:35] that there were some people in my past

[22:38] in my life that had a great impact on

[22:43] me these were people that meant a lot to

[22:47] me and had really helped me and guided

[22:50] me and instruct me instructed me and

[22:53] discipled me and most of them were part

[22:56] of my life during uh really what all of

[22:59] us would say is an important and

[23:01] influential part of our life during our

[23:03] teenage years when we are really uh you

[23:07] know we can go one way or another and

[23:09] all of you can probably point to some

[23:11] people who really helped you uh through

[23:14] that

[23:15] time and I begin to think about some of

[23:18] these people you know I'm I'm 63 years

[23:21] old and some of these people that had

[23:23] helped me when I was a teenager uh

[23:27] they're getting up there

[23:29] and I had an enemy and I have the same

[23:31] enemy that all of us have and that enemy

[23:33] is

[23:35] time and most of us say things like this

[23:38] well one of these

[23:40] days boy I'm gonna do this and one of

[23:43] these days I'm GNA go there and I'm GNA

[23:46] one of these days I'm GNA go see that

[23:49] person and I'm GNA when when I get the

[23:51] time when when I get around to it boy

[23:54] I'm going to and and you know what

[23:57] happens that that time seems to never

[24:00] arrive because life gets in the way

[24:03] doesn't it hey we're busy we got stuff

[24:06] to do and we think in our minds there's

[24:09] always going to be time to do this or

[24:12] that there's always going to be time to

[24:14] go there to see that to do something

[24:16] that you thought about doing for a long

[24:18] time but the truth is our time is

[24:21] limited and we may die saying one of

[24:24] these days I'm going to do that

[24:29] Jesus gave a parable that was very

[24:32] similar to that about a man who Saidi

[24:35] got plenty of time and I'm going to

[24:37] remember the story he said I'm going to

[24:39] build down my barns I'm going to build

[24:40] bigger barns I'm going to relax and I've

[24:43] got all this time to relax and retire

[24:45] and rest in what I've done and Jesus

[24:47] said you're

[24:49] foolish so I became convinced in my

[24:53] heart that I was going to do before it

[24:56] was too late something that I kept

[24:59] hoping that I would do

[25:02] someday and I was going to see

[25:05] people in my past in my life that meant

[25:11] so much to me at difficult stages in my

[25:14] life and I just wanted to say thanks to

[25:16] them I just wanted to shake their hands

[25:20] and say thank you and I knew time wasn't

[25:23] on my side and I'm not getting any

[25:25] younger and some of the people I want to

[25:27] see at least one of them those uh one of

[25:30] those men that I wanted to see is well

[25:33] into his

[25:35] 80s and so I thought if I'm going to do

[25:37] such thing I need to do it I can't wait

[25:43] around so if you're wondering well

[25:46] brother Ted you just wanted to get on

[25:48] your motorcycle for seven days

[25:51] true there's a part of that if you ride

[25:54] a motorcycle you would know part of it

[25:57] that was definitely a attractive to get

[25:59] on the motorcycle for a week but I did

[26:03] have a greater purpose and I was

[26:05] committed to see it

[26:09] through

[26:11] so my wife at that time was having

[26:14] problems with her knee and she couldn't

[26:17] ride with me and she eventually she had

[26:21] her knee replaced this year but at that

[26:23] time she was just struggling with her

[26:25] knee and um so I knew she couldn't ride

[26:29] and this trip was really going to be a

[26:31] different one anyway and so I put her on

[26:33] an airplane and sent her to

[26:35] Indianapolis to stay with her brother

[26:37] for a few

[26:39] days and on a Tuesday I went to

[26:43] Heartland to teach a class and when I

[26:45] came home I changed my clothes and my

[26:48] bike was ready and I took off on a 7day

[26:52] 7 State 2500 mile motorcycle trip

[26:58] and in that trip I wanted to see some

[27:01] people most of them I had not seen in 40

[27:06] years well I did some dumb things one I

[27:10] didn't tell anybody I was

[27:12] coming I didn't tell one person that I'm

[27:14] going to come see you most of them I

[27:17] didn't even know if I had the right

[27:19] address I Googled them you know you can

[27:22] Google people I just said I'm gonna

[27:25] google this guy and see if he's alive

[27:28] see where he lives I found addresses for

[27:30] him that I hoped were

[27:32] right and I just took off on my

[27:35] motorcycle and I just wanted to see can

[27:38] I see these people I just felt like I

[27:41] had to

[27:42] try so with these addresses I got off

[27:44] the internet and hopes that these people

[27:46] were home were around were in the

[27:49] country were I don't know what I just

[27:52] got on my motorcycle and I headed out

[27:54] and I left on Tuesday morning and I

[27:57] headed to Kansas City

[28:00] and in Kansas City I wanted to see my

[28:03] high school principal and teacher now I

[28:06] graduated high school in

[28:10] 1979 and I last saw this man in

[28:14] 1984 I think about 1984 he was at

[28:18] teaching at a teachers convention and in

[28:21] St Louis and my wife and I were there

[28:23] and can I tell you he had such an impact

[28:26] on my life it was

[28:28] I just can't explain how much he meant

[28:31] to me at a time in my life where I was a

[28:33] knucklehead and he was so patient and

[28:36] kind and and helpful and he he taught in

[28:40] the Christian School I was attending in

[28:41] my last few years of high school and

[28:44] just a great man of God and a great

[28:46] man and I just showed up at his house

[28:49] the next morning and knocked on his door

[28:52] out of the blue can I tell you it was

[28:55] hilarious and I tried to remember I had

[28:58] one principal and he had hundreds of

[29:00] students so I'm not sure if it took a

[29:02] while for him to figure out who I was we

[29:05] sat on the couch and I got to we got to

[29:08] talk for a good while and and just visit

[29:10] and I told him of what Lord had done in

[29:13] my life and and it was really a special

[29:16] time he had spent he had uh spent some

[29:20] time as a professor at a Christian

[29:22] University in Kansas City and just a

[29:25] great guy he retired well up in his 80s

[29:27] now but man I just wanted to look him in

[29:29] the

[29:30] face and I was able to do that he was

[29:34] home and so then I got back on the bike

[29:36] and I headed to Lincoln

[29:39] Nebraska now in Lincoln Nebraska I knew

[29:42] my high school basketball coach

[29:46] lived and I knew from Facebook that he

[29:50] worked at

[29:51] a um hardware

[29:55] store now my high school basketball

[29:58] coach I had seen probably at at the same

[30:01] teachers convention some 40 years ago

[30:04] and really because of him and my

[30:07] principal uh and the impact they had on

[30:10] me I went to Bible College uh as an

[30:13] education major I want to be a teacher I

[30:16] want to be just like those two men so I

[30:20] headed to Lincoln Nebraska I've never

[30:21] been to Lincoln Nebraska I don't know

[30:23] anything about Nebraska it's flat I can

[30:25] tell you I've it is flat

[30:28] but I got to Lincoln Nebraska and I just

[30:30] went to a hardware store I thought and

[30:33] no he don't work there and I drove to

[30:35] another hardware store do you have it no

[30:37] he do work here third hardware store I

[30:40] caught

[30:41] him I walked in and and we got to talk

[30:44] and and we just had an amazing visit I

[30:47] got to look him in the eye hadn't seen

[30:49] him in 40 years and it was

[30:53] incredible so after Nebraska I went to

[30:57] went home went to Pur

[31:00] Illinois that's my hometown I headed

[31:02] that way and and I got to go I just

[31:05] knocked on the door of one of my sisters

[31:07] who lives there and and she let me stay

[31:10] at her house for a couple

[31:12] days so I got to visit with both my

[31:14] sisters and a

[31:16] nephew and I went in search then of two

[31:19] of my best high school

[31:21] friends and you all know you have

[31:24] friends in high school and you have such

[31:26] a bond

[31:28] and then you go other

[31:30] directions and you may not hardly see

[31:32] him after that that's kind of how we

[31:35] were there were three of us that were

[31:36] the Three Amigos and we were just so

[31:39] close they were in our wedding both of

[31:41] them and I probably hadn't seen them in

[31:44] close to 40 years and I went on a search

[31:48] for them I knew they lived in that City

[31:51] or in that metro area and one I couldn't

[31:54] find and finally I reached out to him on

[31:56] Facebook and found out he was out of

[31:58] town I really wanted to see him because

[32:01] his wife died of

[32:03] covid about three years ago and I just

[32:06] wanted to hug his neck that I felt so

[32:09] bad that he he lost his wife and he got

[32:11] married just about the same time we did

[32:15] but I did find my other friend one I

[32:17] spent so much time with as a

[32:20] teenager I and I we got made an

[32:23] appointment to go to his house and this

[32:26] is the truth I sat down on his couch at

[32:28] 6:30 one evening and I didn't move until

[32:33] 1:30 in the morning we just talked and

[32:37] laughed and talked I mean we had such a

[32:40] great

[32:42] visit from Indiana or from Illinois I

[32:45] went to Indiana Indianapolis and and and

[32:48] spent the night there with Samy's

[32:50] brother and her family and then I wanted

[32:53] to go to St Louis

[32:55] Missouri in St Louis

[32:58] there's a pastor who's retired and he's

[33:00] living in St Louis and he was my pastor

[33:04] when I went to Baptist Bible College in

[33:06] the fall of

[33:08] 1979 and he was my pastor for two years

[33:12] while I was a single student and can I

[33:15] tell you I was so green I didn't know

[33:18] anything and he was such a kind man and

[33:22] he was such a uh godly man he was so

[33:26] influential in my life

[33:28] I got to knock on his door and he he was

[33:31] there he lives alone his wife died of a

[33:34] car accident about three years

[33:37] ago his name is Bill Co some of you may

[33:39] be familiar with him and he let me into

[33:42] his house and and we got to visit and oh

[33:45] it was just a really a sweet time he was

[33:48] so

[33:49] special then from St Louis I went to

[33:52] Springfield Missouri because I knew I

[33:53] had an old college friend who I hadn't

[33:56] seen I think since

[34:00] 1981 but I knew he worked at a car

[34:02] dealership in town it's weird I just

[34:05] walked in there and said is so and so

[34:07] working here and they go yeah there he's

[34:09] over here and so they bring him out I

[34:10] hadn't seen him since

[34:11] 1981 and we laughed and had a great time

[34:15] I saw a few other people in the course

[34:17] of that I had some weird experiences you

[34:19] can imagine for seven days I camped out

[34:23] three times believe it or not I survived

[34:27] and camped out the weather was

[34:30] perfect no schedule just ride and see

[34:33] these people and I'm just so glad I was

[34:36] able to do something before time got

[34:39] away and I'm not holding myself as any

[34:42] example because I can procrastinate with

[34:44] the best of them but this one time I was

[34:48] able to do something important before

[34:50] it's too late you know we

[34:53] are as westerners you know what I mean

[34:56] by westerners we're we're so obsessed

[34:58] with time aren't we we don't make a move

[35:02] without acknowledging time what time is

[35:05] it what time is this going to start and

[35:06] if you've ever been to a a third world

[35:08] country you'll know the difference in a

[35:11] hurry if you say church service is going

[35:13] to start at 9 that has no meaning in

[35:17] many parts of the world but for us we're

[35:21] time

[35:24] oriented when told the reason for

[35:27] daylight savings

[35:29] time this old Indian replied this way

[35:33] only a white man would believe that you

[35:35] can cut a foot off the top of a blanket

[35:39] and sew it to the bottom of a blanket

[35:41] and have a longer

[35:44] blanket that's how we view our

[35:48] time

[35:49] Solomon this book we're reading he wrote

[35:53] about time in fact the word time is used

[35:57] 39 times in the Book of

[36:01] Ecclesiastes and Solomon knew what it

[36:03] meant to have time slip through his

[36:05] fingers if you know his story uh he

[36:07] spent a good part of his life pursuing

[36:10] uh things that lab later he labeled as

[36:14] vanity they were empty there was no

[36:16] purpose I've Wast in other words he's

[36:18] saying I've wasted time I know what I'm

[36:21] talking about and he gives us this

[36:24] warning he gives the readers us this

[36:27] warning about using the time that God's

[36:30] given you because it's going to slip

[36:32] through your fingers and it's going to

[36:33] be gone faster than you really believe

[36:36] it's going to be

[36:37] gone and so this text these three verses

[36:40] with your

[36:41] permission or not I'm going to go ahead

[36:44] and do it I'm going to look at them in

[36:46] reverse order I want to look at verse 12

[36:48] verse 11 and verse

[36:51] 10 look at verse 12 number one you don't

[36:54] know how much time you have

[36:59] all of us in this room have been

[37:02] impacted by the sudden Unexpected death

[37:05] of people that you care about everyone

[37:09] has been touched that

[37:11] way and the truth is this nobody knows

[37:16] how much time we really have and he says

[37:21] in this verse even look he says no man

[37:24] also knoweth not his time

[37:27] he's saying listen reader listener you

[37:30] don't know you think you got all the

[37:33] time in the world you act like you've

[37:35] got all the time of the world but you

[37:37] don't even know how much time you have

[37:39] and he gives two examples he says think

[37:41] of a fish who's mining his own business

[37:44] and swimming around doing fish stuff and

[37:47] all of a sudden he's caught in a

[37:49] net and then a bird is flying around

[37:51] minding his business doing bird things

[37:53] and look what it says he's all of a

[37:55] sudden he's snared

[37:59] and all of us in our mind expect I'm

[38:01] going to live a long time and then when

[38:03] I'm really really old at a ripe old age

[38:05] I'm going to make my way to heaven but

[38:07] we also know in our back of our mind and

[38:09] we may not acknowledge it that's not

[38:11] always the

[38:14] case and every now and then aren't we

[38:16] thrust into

[38:18] reality you tend the funeral of

[38:21] someone and in your heart or you say out

[38:24] loud man they were young

[38:28] and to be quite honest that's getting

[38:30] any funeral I go to anymore I think boy

[38:33] they sure were

[38:35] young and he says not only do we not

[38:38] know the time of our death he's also

[38:40] saying this there are calamities there

[38:42] are circumstances that could come our

[38:44] way that could change our life he says

[38:47] there's an evil net and it could be just

[38:51] around the corner for all of us and you

[38:53] one minute you think you're younger or

[38:55] you think you're healthy and you have

[38:57] more more than enough time to do all the

[38:58] things that you have on your list your

[39:00] bucket list all the things you want to

[39:02] do you think you've got it but it just

[39:04] takes one

[39:05] incident one accident one one Health

[39:10] something to come your way that's health

[39:12] related one doctor visit one unexpected

[39:15] event and all of a sudden your life is

[39:17] on hold that's what he's

[39:20] saying and Jesus told us about that man

[39:22] who had great

[39:24] wealth so much I'm going to store up all

[39:28] my stuff I'm going to build bigger barns

[39:31] to hold it I've got so much stuff and

[39:33] I'm going to enjoy the rest of my life

[39:35] and Jesus called him a fool not because

[39:37] he was wealthy and not because he wanted

[39:39] to prepare for his future he was a fool

[39:42] because he didn't think that the

[39:44] unanticipated could come my way and the

[39:48] unexpected could come my way and it

[39:52] did and that man who thought he had

[39:55] plenty of time to do what he wanted and

[39:58] joy learned this there's no guarantee of

[40:05] Tomorrow we don't know how much time we

[40:08] have and my wife and I were talking on

[40:10] the way here about some of you know the

[40:13] name of Floyd

[40:14] Schnider who was music director at

[40:17] Southwest Baptist for about 25 years and

[40:20] he was what 54 I

[40:23] think 54 Young

[40:28] that's

[40:29] young and when he hit the ground with a

[40:32] heart attack he was gone

[40:36] 54 you don't know none of us know that's

[40:40] what Solomon said now look at verse

[40:44] 11 he says listen the fastest is not

[40:47] guaranteed to win the

[40:48] race he says the mightiest could lose

[40:51] the battle the skillful could possibly

[40:54] go hungry the man who's diligent and

[40:56] shrewd may not gain wealth great

[41:00] knowledge or perception may not lead to

[41:03] being accepted or having fa uh favor uh

[41:07] try as you might put all your knowledge

[41:10] to work give your best effort and still

[41:13] what he's saying is you're not in

[41:16] control of what may happen to you I try

[41:20] to be in control I like to be in control

[41:23] I like to think I'm in control of my

[41:26] life and my future but we deceive

[41:28] ourselves because you cannot control you

[41:31] cannot control circumstances you cannot

[41:33] control time you cannot control things

[41:36] that come your way and time that one

[41:40] thing that all men have in common and

[41:44] we're all ruled and affected by the

[41:47] passing of time it doesn't matter your

[41:49] race doesn't matter your age where you

[41:52] come from all of us all of us deal with

[41:56] the passing of

[41:58] time and things take place that are out

[42:01] of our

[42:03] control and we can do all we can to be

[42:05] the strongest and the swiftest and the

[42:08] smartest the most skilled but that

[42:10] doesn't guarantee success that doesn't

[42:12] guarante you come out on top because the

[42:16] evil as he's put it the

[42:20] Calamity the Affliction the

[42:23] adversity somehow we think it's going to

[42:26] miss us

[42:30] think about

[42:32] 9/11 think about 9/11 the people that

[42:36] went to their offices that day

[42:40] businessmen with briefcases hurrying to

[42:42] their office

[42:44] secretaries restaurant workers people

[42:48] delivering packages and mail custodians

[42:51] maintenance workers people of all kinds

[42:53] just ran to their office as they do on

[42:56] any normal noral day and went to their

[42:58] normal workday routine they took phone

[43:01] calls they had meetings they met

[43:02] schedules never no one had any

[43:07] inkling that the unforeseen and

[43:11] unexpected would take hundreds into

[43:14] eternity that day and all of us have

[43:16] been

[43:19] changed some of you remember in May of

[43:22] 2011 tornado went through Joplin Joplin

[43:26] Missouri

[43:28] my wife and I I preached at Camp there I

[43:30] think two weeks after or something like

[43:33] that and drove through that area that

[43:36] had been hit by the tornado it's just

[43:39] and you've seen tornado damage it's

[43:41] really

[43:44] unimaginable people in Joplin that

[43:48] afternoon they went through their normal

[43:50] Sunday afternoon

[43:52] stuff things that they did their routine

[43:55] some at church

[43:58] and then about 6

[43:59] o' tornado came

[44:04] through one man by the name of

[44:07] Bruce Bruce cing

[44:10] good he says the story about him goes

[44:14] this way he sat on the ledge of what

[44:16] used to be the front window of his

[44:19] business quality jewelry and

[44:23] repair his business specialized think of

[44:26] this an antique grandfather and Mantle

[44:30] clocks and he had 21 of them at the time

[44:35] the storm

[44:37] hit some dated back to the

[44:40] 1800s he sat there in a blue hard

[44:45] hat with stitches in his right elbow

[44:49] that he got as a little mishap from

[44:51] searching through his

[44:53] store and as he's talking to the

[44:55] reporter he pointed to the wall that

[44:59] remained standing and he said this whole

[45:01] wall was full of

[45:05] clocks now he said they've just flown

[45:07] off to Parts

[45:10] Unknown actually he said this I was

[45:13] going to change the name of my store to

[45:17] it's about

[45:20] time but he said it's a little

[45:24] late we don't know

[45:27] none of us knows how much time or what

[45:30] may come down our path and then verse

[45:36] 10 whatsoever thy hand findeth to

[45:40] do whatever it is that God wants you to

[45:45] do can I encourage you this

[45:48] way do it

[45:51] now listen to how Paul put it in

[45:54] Romans and that knowing the time

[45:58] that now it is high time to wake out of

[46:00] sleep for now is our Salvation nearer

[46:03] than when we believed the night is far

[46:07] spent the day is at

[46:10] hand all of us are heading to a time

[46:14] every one of us is heading to a time

[46:16] when our opportunities to accomplish or

[46:19] to build relationships or to fulfill

[46:22] what God's will is for us on this Earth

[46:25] or to talk to that person or to regain a

[46:28] relationship with that person or to look

[46:30] someone in the face and just say thanks

[46:33] all of us are are opportunities to do

[46:36] all of those

[46:37] things are getting smaller and

[46:40] smaller because the way he put it in

[46:43] verse number 10 there's no work device

[46:47] knowledge or wisdom in the grave whether

[46:50] thou

[46:51] goest the whole point Solomon is trying

[46:54] to make simple

[46:57] but

[46:58] profound you don't know how much time

[47:01] you have you have no control over time

[47:05] and

[47:06] circumstances and after you're dead your

[47:10] opportunities are

[47:12] over

[47:14] therefore do it now what God has for you

[47:20] and don't squander the time that you've

[47:23] been

[47:25] given and Jesus who had that mindset

[47:30] said this in John N9 I must work the

[47:33] works of him that sent me while it is

[47:37] day because the night cometh when no man

[47:42] can

[47:44] work so

[47:46] now I don't know what it is God's put on

[47:50] you for you to do I don't know what his

[47:52] will is for your life I know in general

[47:55] what God's will is for for all of us but

[47:58] specifically I don't know what God is

[48:00] has for

[48:01] you but don't you appreciate

[48:04] people in in our world who attack their

[48:10] work with great energy and fervor

[48:14] passion now an athlete you know that we

[48:18] all are familiar with on television uh

[48:21] or a businessman and that all of us may

[48:24] know and we can see them from afar at

[48:27] their profession and we appreciate what

[48:29] they do and how they go after it and how

[48:31] they have great passion for it we like

[48:33] to hear stories don't you about people

[48:36] who start with nothing and they build

[48:38] these great financial Empires or they

[48:41] keep plugging away Against All Odds and

[48:43] they they finally become famous as a

[48:46] musician or an athlete or something and

[48:48] or an actor we like to hear those

[48:50] stories but can I tell you you we have a

[48:53] far greater calling than any business

[48:56] businessman or sports or athlete or

[48:59] Entertainer God's chosing you to do

[49:01] something for

[49:03] him to accomplish his purpose for you in

[49:06] your life and where you live and you

[49:09] have the opportunity but you need to do

[49:12] it now and do it with your

[49:15] might as Jesus said because the time's

[49:18] going to

[49:19] come when there will be no more working

[49:23] CU we're all headed to that grave and we

[49:25] could all face some unforeseen

[49:27] circumstance that could change our

[49:29] ability to do and to work and to serve

[49:33] so we should do it for him

[49:37] now when I thought about people I wanted

[49:40] to

[49:42] see I had to ask myself do I want to

[49:45] look

[49:45] back in maybe just a few years from now

[49:49] and say boy I wish I would

[49:51] have I wish I would have been able to

[49:53] see that person who meant so much for me

[49:56] and he probably doesn't even know

[49:58] it do I want to look back and say I I

[50:01] wanted to go do that but I just never

[50:02] fit it

[50:04] in we look back on your life all of

[50:09] us do we regret things wasted

[50:12] time expectations that we were going to

[50:15] do and we didn't do things we know God

[50:19] put on our heart to do we didn't do

[50:22] things we wish we' done

[50:24] differently choices we wish if we could

[50:26] go back and make

[50:28] again one wise man said this time is

[50:30] free but it's

[50:32] Priceless you can't own it but you can

[50:35] use it you can't keep it but you can

[50:38] spend it and once you've lost it you can

[50:41] never get it

[50:45] back when the

[50:47] time have spent all of us it can never

[50:50] be regained and I think Solomon if he

[50:53] were here and it's obvious in word he is

[50:55] here he's telling us listen um it's

[50:59] never too

[51:00] late to the young people he would say

[51:03] listen spend your life doing God's will

[51:05] and you're not going to look back with

[51:06] any

[51:08] regret and to the rest of us and I'll

[51:10] let you put yourself in whatever

[51:11] category you want he would say stop

[51:14] looking back at the time that youve may

[51:16] be wasted but look forward to the time

[51:18] you still have to spend for

[51:21] him don't live your life as if you have

[51:24] all the time in the world you

[51:28] don't is there someone in your life just

[51:31] you personally I don't know is there

[51:33] someone in your life that one of these

[51:35] days you're going to make amends with

[51:36] that person one of these days I'm going

[51:38] to sit down with that person and we're

[51:40] just G to we're just gonna man we're

[51:42] going to bury the hatchet we're going to

[51:44] get this right we've been at odds for a

[51:46] long time and there's been Old Wounds

[51:49] and and one of these days oh we're going

[51:51] to we're going to get it together okay

[51:54] what are you waiting on

[51:57] and maybe right here in this church

[51:58] God's been speaking to some of you about

[52:00] a specific item to serve him some way

[52:02] that God wants you to serve him right

[52:04] here in this church and one of these

[52:06] days you're going to get around to it

[52:07] can I ask you what are you waiting

[52:11] for and who is it in your life you want

[52:13] to just

[52:15] thank just express your

[52:18] appreciation just to look him in the

[52:20] face and just say thank you for meaning

[52:21] so much to me well what are you waiting

[52:23] for

[52:27] what is it that God maybe there's a lost

[52:28] person in your life in your world in

[52:30] your family in your workplace and and

[52:33] you've been thinking about one of these

[52:35] days I'm going to share the gospel with

[52:36] him one of these days I'm going invite

[52:37] him to church I've been one of these

[52:39] days I'm gonna get around to that well

[52:42] what are you waiting

[52:43] for and you remember the Old Testament

[52:46] story those four lepers who sat Outside

[52:48] The City Gate and they couldn't go in

[52:50] the city because there city was under

[52:52] siege and there was nothing to eat and

[52:54] they couldn't go uh to the Army that

[52:57] waited out out there in the desert

[52:59] because you know they would probably get

[53:01] killed so they just sat there and

[53:02] finally they looked at each other and

[53:03] they said we can't go in because there's

[53:06] nothing to eat if we go out there

[53:07] they're going to kill us so let's just

[53:09] take a chance if they kill us they said

[53:12] we'll just be dead what difference does

[53:15] it make so they headed across the desert

[53:17] can you see him walking over the dunes

[53:19] and when they reach the camp of the

[53:21] soldiers the invading Army they'd all

[53:23] taken off they'd all run off

[53:27] because God put in their ears the sound

[53:29] of armies and chariots and horses and

[53:32] all it was these four

[53:34] guys four

[53:37] lepers Bible says they started eating uh

[53:41] you can imagine if you hadn't eaten in a

[53:43] long time and even if you just hadn't

[53:44] eaten since lunch you're going to go eat

[53:46] a little bit here and you're going to

[53:48] eat a little bit there and they got uh

[53:49] things that were worth money and they

[53:51] begin collecting and eating and just

[53:53] having the time of their lives and then

[53:55] the Bible says says this they said one

[53:58] to another we do not

[54:01] well they said this is a day of Good

[54:03] Tidings and we hold our

[54:05] peace and then I'm sure one of them said

[54:07] okay in the morning we'll get up and

[54:09] we'll go into town and tell them that

[54:11] there's food out here no no no if we T

[54:15] till the morning light some Mischief

[54:19] will come upon

[54:20] us now therefore come that we may go and

[54:24] tell the king's household they didn't

[54:25] even want to wait because you don't know

[54:28] what's going to happen you don't know

[54:30] what Mischief may come you don't know

[54:32] what circumstance may come they said

[54:33] let's do it

[54:36] now CS

[54:39] Lewis wrote this the future is something

[54:42] which everyone reaches at the rate of 60

[54:45] minutes an

[54:47] hour whatever he does and whoever he

[54:52] is Proverbs Solomon said boast not

[54:55] thyself of

[54:57] tomorrow for thou knowest not what a day

[54:59] may bring could be you be putting off

[55:02] salvation can I tell you uh don't wait

[55:05] today is the day of

[55:07] salvation why wait time is passing you

[55:11] don't have the promise of

[55:13] tomorrow so earlier this

[55:18] year we were having a church service

[55:20] just like you are Sunday

[55:23] night

[55:25] and I'm I sit over here you know

[55:28] everybody has their assigned seat I sit

[55:30] over here on this side and on the far

[55:33] side sat David and his family David

[55:38] milikin he's a man about my age and he

[55:43] teach fourth grade fifth grade boys

[55:47] Sunday

[55:48] school he was quiet quiet so quiet you

[55:53] just couldn't hardly get him to say two

[55:55] words

[55:57] but he was very

[55:59] faithful and there was a commotion over

[56:01] there and uh I went thought I better go

[56:05] see what's going on I went out to the

[56:06] forer and out in the forer David's on

[56:09] the ground and literally they're giving

[56:11] him

[56:13] CPR right

[56:15] there and the fire department was

[56:18] already

[56:19] there they're giving him CPR and oxygen

[56:22] and they're he's had a massive heart

[56:25] attack

[56:27] the kind of got his heart you know what

[56:30] happens many times is they get a

[56:32] heartbeat and they take him to the

[56:33] hospital later that night he went to

[56:36] heaven

[56:37] David what a just what a one of those

[56:42] men that we need more of in our

[56:45] church but every church has

[56:48] some and so David We Begin thinking

[56:50] about David and all the things he did at

[56:53] church and he was just a faithful Sunday

[56:55] school teacher one one Quirk he had was

[56:57] every Sunday morning he came to church

[56:59] early early early early I think his boys

[57:01] got on a bus route and so he was at

[57:04] church like oh 7:38 every Sunday morning

[57:08] and and rather than a box or a briefcase

[57:11] or or something to carry his lesson and

[57:13] he had snacks for his class he carried a

[57:16] blue bucket from

[57:19] Lowe's and if you've ever seen one of

[57:21] those Lowe's blue buckets on one side it

[57:24] says Lowe's and on the other side it has

[57:26] a

[57:27] slogan the slogan is do it

[57:30] right he carried that and people kind of

[57:34] chuckled at him that was his that was

[57:37] his briefcase and he'd get out of his

[57:39] truck and he'd have that bucket and he'd

[57:41] go to class and and he was just one of

[57:43] those faithful great Sunday school

[57:46] teachers well that his

[57:49] funeral had his funeral at church

[57:51] brother gtis preached funeral and it was

[57:53] just one of those it's tough because you

[57:55] know

[57:56] here he is with uh some of his kids are

[57:59] young he's got some that are newly

[58:02] married uh these boys and it was just

[58:04] one of those it's tough you don't know

[58:07] what the Day

[58:09] brings brother gtis had that

[58:12] bucket we began to start making a big

[58:14] deal about that bucket because it kind

[58:17] of represented a lot of stuff to us and

[58:19] brother gtis had that bucket and he put

[58:22] that bucket down in front right there by

[58:25] by the uh by his casket but brother gtis

[58:28] didn't know that it said on the one side

[58:30] do it right he preached that funeral

[58:33] about David and what he did at Southwest

[58:36] and what he meant to us and he set that

[58:38] bucket down and said do it

[58:41] right later I thought you know if I

[58:43] could add one word to that I

[58:46] will and David lived it because he got

[58:49] saved as in he got saved in his

[58:52] 30s and he just dedicated the rest of

[58:54] his life to whatever he could do for the

[58:56] Lord I'm going to add one word not just

[58:59] do it right but do it right

[59:02] now that was David because we only got

[59:06] so much

[59:07] time and we don't know what tomorrow

[59:10] brings and we don't know what may come

[59:13] our way in our health or anything else

[59:16] we have no

[59:17] promise serve the Lord while you can do

[59:21] those things that God puts on your heart

[59:22] while you have time to do them why wait

[59:27] do it

[59:28] now or Solomon might say hey what are

[59:31] you waiting

[59:32] for what are you waiting

[59:35] for let's bow and have a word of

[59:38] prayer maybe God spoke to you in some

[59:41] way I don't know maybe there's been

[59:44] something on your heart that you've

[59:46] thought about doing or wanted to do or

[59:47] been thinking about or you know God want

[59:50] you to do for whatever reason you've

[59:52] been thinking about about it but not

[59:54] doing it putting it off I I certainly

[59:58] understand but don't wait if you don't

[60:01] know Christ as your savior for

[60:03] sure don't put off today is a day of

[60:09] salvation heavenly father I want to

[60:12] thank you for using your word to speak

[60:15] to all of

[60:17] us we all live our lives as if we got

[60:20] all the Time in the

[60:21] World to do the things that we know we

[60:24] should do the things that are on our

[60:26] list things that we talk about doing to

[60:29] serve you we just live as if we've got

[60:34] forever but you just give us so much

[60:36] time right here on Earth and even in

[60:38] that we don't know what could come our

[60:40] way that would hinder us from doing or

[60:43] doing all the things we'd like to

[60:45] do so right in this room's good people

[60:48] that love you no doubt they love this

[60:52] church maybe you've spoken to some

[60:54] hearts about such things

[60:57] however you spoken to Hearts I pray as

[61:00] we have just a time of

[61:02] invitation Lord that you would we would

[61:05] respond to you as you've spoken to

[61:09] us in Jesus name let's all stand I'm

[61:13] going to ask song leader sing a song

[61:16] verse or two of invitation however God

[61:18] may have spoken to your heart invitation

[61:20] to be

[61:22] open are

[61:24] youy and

[61:29] no light in the

[61:32] dark we

[61:34] see there's light for a look at

[61:42] theor and life more

[61:45] abundant and

[61:48] [Music]

[61:49] Free

[61:51] Turn Your Eyes Upon Jes

[61:58] look full in his

[62:02] [Music]

[62:04] wonderful and the

[62:07] things of Earth Earth will grow

[62:10] [Music]

[62:13] strange in the light of his glory glory

[62:21] and through death into life

[62:29] Everlasting he passed and we follow him

[62:35] there over us in no more

[62:42] half for more than conquerors we

[62:50] [Music]

[62:53] are altars are still open

[62:57] Jesus look full in his

[63:01] wonderful

[63:04] face and the things of Earth will grow

[63:11] strangely

[63:14] di in the light of his

[63:18] glory and

[63:22] grace his word shall not fa

[63:26] you he

[63:29] prised believe him and all will be

[63:34] [Music]

[63:35] well then go to a world that is

[63:42] dark his perfect

[63:45] salvation to

[63:49] tell Turn Your Eyes Upon Jes

[63:57] Jesus look full in his

[64:01] wonderful

[64:03] [Music]

[64:04] face and the things of Earth will grow

[64:10] [Music]

[64:14] strangely in the light of his

[64:18] glory and

[64:24] gra amen

[64:28] guys he said it all we're coming to the

[64:30] end of

[64:32] 2024 a new year getting ready to come

[64:36] in look back at

[64:39] 2024 think about what you've done for

[64:41] the

[64:41] Lord you know brother Ted thank you for

[64:44] that

[64:45] message

[64:47] uh I'm with you on that we're getting

[64:50] older and I can look back and see we've

[64:53] had some good times in in the Lord and I

[64:55] thank God for that but you're preaching

[64:56] out of a

[64:58] book that Solomon comes down to the

[65:00] point where he said anything outside of

[65:03] God is

[65:04] Vanity

[65:06] so if there's something that you need to

[65:09] accomplish and

[65:11] do do it now but it's what you have to

[65:14] do for God is what's going to

[65:17] matter outside of God anything that we

[65:19] do here on Earth is not going to mean

[65:21] anything to God except for what we do

[65:24] for him

[65:26] that's what we're going to get rewarded

[65:28] for in heaven what we do for our Lord

[65:31] and we're here tonight to hear a message

[65:34] like that to understand that God's got

[65:37] something for

[65:38] us but the best way to understand what

[65:41] God wants us to do is to get closer to

[65:44] him because the closer you get the

[65:47] easier it is for us to understand what

[65:49] he

[65:50] wants and we don't our time is running

[65:52] out we might not be coming back for we

[65:55] got Tuesday coming up New Year's Eve we

[65:59] might not make

[66:00] it but what did we do for God that's

[66:04] what's going to matter thank you sir for

[66:06] your me for the message tonight thank

[66:08] you both for coming and bringing Arizona

[66:11] you're a blessing to us in junior Church

[66:13] she got to walk out with a prize

[66:16] today so we thank you all for being here

[66:18] you were a blessing thank you for

[66:20] filling the pulpit while our pastor was

[66:21] gone I know he's thanking praising God

[66:24] for that we thank you so much please

[66:26] before you leave thank them if they're a

[66:28] blessing to you which I know they were

[66:30] let them know how you felt about it

[66:31] tonight and we thank God for everything

[66:33] he's done keep our pastor in prayer he's

[66:36] more than likely he's probably getting

[66:38] home uh but they've had a long trip and

[66:42] uh Tuesday if you haven't signed up we

[66:44] have a sign up sheet uh for anybody

[66:47] that's going to be attending Tuesday

[66:49] night uh Services we're going to have an

[66:51] intermission in between we're going to

[66:53] have first service early earlier and

[66:54] then we're going to have the one

[66:56] afterwards uh if you're going to be here

[66:58] for the one for the later and I know

[67:01] some of us are above our we're in the

[67:03] salt group I can say

[67:06] that what is it called salt okay what

[67:09] does it stand

[67:11] for

[67:13] uhhuh senior adults Li living not in

[67:18] therapy

[67:21] triumphantly so that's a salt

[67:24] group so

[67:26] uh if you ain't going to stay you know

[67:27] afterwards it's okay but if you're going

[67:30] to please come to the service Tuesday

[67:32] night uh and if uh you're going to be

[67:34] attending afterwards bring trainer foods

[67:37] and we're going to have a good time of

[67:38] Fellowship for those of you to stay uh

[67:40] we're going to have a good time and

[67:41] bring in the New Year's God willing so

[67:45] uh make sure you're here if you're going

[67:46] to do that but we're not going to have

[67:48] Wednesday night services if you guys you

[67:50] guys know that so um we'll go ahead and

[67:53] like I said Thank brother Inman and his

[67:55] wife for being here tonight and Samuel

[67:57] if you can lead us with a song dismiss

[68:00] it be dismissed with song

[68:03] 277 I am so glad that Jesus Loves Me

[68:07] Jesus loves even me song number 277 just

[68:11] that first verse in

[68:16] chorus I am so glad that our father in

[68:20] Heaven tells of his love in the book he

[68:24] has given one wonderful things in the

[68:27] Bible I see this is the dearest that

[68:31] Jesus loves me I am so glad that Jesus

[68:36] Loves Me Jesus Loves Me Jesus loves me I

[68:42] am so glad that Jesus Loves Me Jesus

[68:46] loves even

[68:49] me you are dismissed

[69:03] for