Thank God he reached down for us, amen? Well, it is an honor and a privilege to be here on this special night to have just a short way of letting Pastor Baker know how much we appreciate him and being over there in Europe for all those years, I learned a French word. I am a protege. I am a protege. of what I saw and learned from Preacher Baker. Your pastor is a protege. And before you get nervous, let me tell you what that means. Protege means a person that is guided and supported by an older, more experienced, or influential person. Amen? So I am a protege. Your pastor is a protege. of Pastor Baker and Miss Baker. Well, Lord blessed this afternoon. I didn't know how I was going to get down here. Lord worked everything out and I was changed my service around to get on the plane and left the credit card on the floor somewhere. Someone found it and lost my iPad on the airplane and just all kinds of things. But the Lord blessed, amen. And I do appreciate Brother Bill Cook and Miss Diane for taking care of picking me up and so forth, appreciate them. We do have a family CD that our family made, and I am in the CD, and I am on the CD, amen? And my picture's on it. You couldn't have a Pinson family CD without Mike Pinson, amen? So I had to beg my family to get on but I'm not going to tell you where I'm at But some of you already bought it online you can validate that I am in the CD now to what extent? You'll have to buy one to figure it out. Amen as far as that goes But we do have those here for you to have and it's Christ on in music. There's no drums It's a blessing on to the Lord and everything as far as that goes and thank God for that Open your Bibles if you would please the book of Philippians chapter number two, please Philippians chapter number two I'm going to preach tonight on Having the right kind of character traits and I hope and pray as I preach this message. I do want to honor the Lord Pay respect to pastor Baker miss Baker But also help us all tonight as well to get a blessing from the Word of God So if you got your place there in Philippians chapter number two, that's all stand for the reading of God's Word Please thank God for the Bible. Amen I'm glad your pastor mentioned that thing happened here in King down there in Georgia. I heard about that Just dumb as a stick what they did. Amen. So you just get behind your pastor. Amen Thank God for folks that are going to take a stand for old-time religion. Amen. That's important. It's important Not many pastors do that nowadays. So thank God that he's doing that you support him and be behind him on that Be a blessing chapter number two of Philippians verse number 19. The Bible says But I trust in the Lord Jesus to send Timotheus Shortly unto you that I also may be of good comfort when I know your state For I have no man like-minded who will naturally care for your state For all seek their own not the things which are Jesus Christ. I But you know the proof of him That as a son with the father he has served with me in the gospel him therefore I hope to send presently so soon as I shall see him how it will go with me With this thought with this patch of scripture. I want to preach on Having the right kind of character traits or what kind of traits do you have in your life? Heavenly father. I pray you'll bless now the reading of thy word. Thank you for the bible Well, thank you for working everything out to get us here tonight. Thank you for Pastor Boyhill and his dear wife, Lord, and thank you for them honoring, as a church family, Preacher and Miss Baker. Give honor to honor due. Thank you for that. Let's pray tonight. It will go well. I pray, Lord, you'll speak to hearts. And I pray tonight, something said tonight will draw people closer to you, Lord, tonight. I pray if someone here is not sure they're saved tonight, or they get saved, they go ahead and get in. Give us a good service now, I pray. Now, in Jesus' name, Lord, and amen. You may be seated, please. And thank you for standing. the reading of God's own word now Tonight I want to go through the Bible and pick out certain Bible characters and their character traits and how a young preacher boy many years ago and as your pastor already mentioned to that we were able to Look at a man that was guided by God to help us where we are today There's several guys. I want to preach on tonight about this here and drawings of the character traits then applying them to a the life of Pastor Baker, then also to each and every one of us tonight. First of all, here at chapter number two of the book of Philippians, the Apostle Paul was always on the lookout, always on the lookout for young Timothys. people that he could see how God did a work in their life, how they believed, how they changed, and how they were able to adapt to do the work of God and the call of God in their lives. Many are called, but few are chosen. Many aspire to want to be a pastor a missionary evangelist but going through that that process and going through the Holy Spirit of molding and making and then being willing to Sacrifice and change and alter all for the glory of God many do not get to that place now here we see in these scripture verses the Apostle Paul is talking about Timothy but before I get into this passage right here I want to go back real quick and show you what the Apostle Paul saw in the beginning with Timothy keep your finger here and open your Bible to Acts 16, please Acts chapter number 16 Brother Scott Vernon, that's in the New Testament brother. Amen Acts 16. Amen. I Know he needed that help a little bit. That's why I blessed him. Amen. I Verse number one of Acts 16, it says here, then came he to Derbe in Lystra, and behold, a certain disciple was there named Timotheus, the son of a certain woman which was a Jewish and believed, but his father was a Greek, which was well reported of by the brethren that were at Lystra and Iconium. him would Paul have to go forth with him, and took and circumcised him because of the Jews which were in those quarters, for they all knew that his father was a Greek." Now I want you to see here when the Apostle Paul saw Timothy he saw a couple things here about it right off first of all in order to be a someone to come alongside and learn from the Apostle Paul and God used them you first of all you needed to be a believer and And we see here in the text here, verse number one, that Timothy believed in the word of God, amen? He believed in Jesus Christ here, okay? We see there, verse number one, then came to him, Deuteronomy, Iconium, Lystra, and behold, a certain disciple was there, named Timotheus, the son of a certain woman, Which was a Jewish and believed so we see Timothy put his faith and trust in Jesus Christ Not only if you're going to follow the Apostle Paul and see what God was going to do Paul had the trait of always trying to find people that had a desire and a good testimony look at verse number two and which was well reported of by their brethren that were at Lystra and Iconium. Not only did they need to be a believer, but they needed to be able to have a bare record of the fact that they were a good testimony. They had a good testimony. And there are a lot of folks, let me tell you something, a lot of, when I was called to preach in 1984, Pastor Boyhill, 23 men walked that aisle in Faith Baptist Church in Brumswell, England. Today, right now, there's just three left. out of 23. You have to be well-reported of. You have to have a, and that word well-reported gives the idea to have a honorable testimony. So not only you have to be a believer, you have to have a good bear record, but also, verse number three, you have to be able to behave cautiously. Now here we see, because his daddy was a Greek and his mama was a Jew, there's going to be some problems come down the road. I remember when I was in Bible college and Pastor Baker would talk to me about certain things. He said, now men, these things are going to happen and you're going to have to be willing to change some things and separate yourself and be different. And not everybody was willing to do those things. But he said, I love you enough to tell you. So the Apostle Paul told Timothy, he said, Timothy, I want you to come alongside me. I'm always looking for Timothy's. I'm always trying to pour my life into somebody else. What a great character trait, not only for Paul to do to Timothy, but for each one of us to do to somebody else in the church. Amen? You know the older women are supposed to teach the younger woman. Amen. That's what the Bible says You know trying to bring alongside somebody and trying to encourage them to go further in the Lord So here we see he behaved cautiously to squash any problems Here in verse number three him would Paul have to go with Paul wanted to go him to go with him And here we see verse number three took and circumcised him because of the jews Now circumcision didn't make timothy a believer. No, he was saved because he put his faith in christ. Amen But in order to be effective in a great testimony, because of what's going on there, he had to behave cautiously. And therefore, he was circumcised. So here we see Paul looking for Timothy. He's always looking for a young man. And that reminds me here, preacher, you always are on the lookout for young men that trust in Christ, have a good testimony, and be willing to do what needs to be done for the gospel's sake. I tell you in that a blessing that preacher Baker Started Calvary Baptist Bible College and now is many men all over the world preaching the gospel But there's been many men that no doubt came to Bible College to come but all of them didn't make it through Not that he didn't want him to not that he wasn't there to pour stuff But the problem was sometimes a lot of them didn't want to do what it takes to go in through it. I What do you do when you've got a person at work or at home, or maybe a loved one, you're inviting to church and trying to get them to church and so forth? Sometimes, if we're not careful, we want to give up, because it's just not working right. Let me tell you something, folks. People need to know that someone loves them and someone cares for them. Amen? Boy, it was a blessing tonight to see Judy Andrews here. I walked in there, and there she was. Amen? I praise God on that, amen? Here's Ronnie right beside, my old boss, amen? What a blessing on that. I was telling the preacher, he said, and then I guess one of the sons are in the choir, right? Praise God on that, amen? Isn't that a blessing? What that means is that someone didn't give up. Thank God for that. What a blessing it is. So the Apostle Paul's always, his character trait was always to look for young people, not only to Look for Timothy's, but back to chapter number two of Philippians, look here. He also was willing to not only look for Timothy's, but he also wanted to labor with Timothy's. He wanted to spend some time to labor with them. Chapter number two of Philippians, it says here, verse number 19, but I trust in the Lord Jesus to send Timotheus Shortly unto you that I also may be of good comfort when I know your state Paul wanted Timothy to come along here to see what was going on and so They're in act 16 to now Philippians chapter 2 we see a change happening here now First of all the Apostle Paul brought Timothy alongside him to see and witness all that God was going to do Timothy came, but now we see not only Timothy Paul looking for Timothy But now we see Paul laboring with Timothy because now who does he send? Who does he send to see what's going on? Look at verse number 19 I trust, Lord, it is sent unto you that I also be of good comfort when I know your state." The Apostle Paul, his willingness here to trust Timothy's judgment and perception to go in there. I got a phone call yesterday. There's a church in Tennessee that needs a pastor really bad, and they got a lot of problems. Someone was calling me and asking me what I thought and so forth and I said well All I can tell you is from what you're describing to me not being there what's going on. They need a man of God Churches need men of God's amen a pastor, someone that God has called there to look over for the well-being of the flock. Here we see Paul here, not only to bring Timothy by the witness, but also Paul is willing to share and to say, alright Timothy, I can't go right now, you go in my stead and you let me know what's going on. He wasn't going there to count the blocks on the walls. Amen. He was going there to see Spiritually the condition of them people Paul wanted to know the state of them people what's going on? So we see here the witness of the wilderness, but also here look down here in verse number 20 chapter number 2 of Philippians for I have no man like-minded who will naturally care for your state. That word like-minded gives the idea of equal in soul, and then the word naturally talks about genuinely and faithfully. Paul is saying that Timothy worships with the same spirit and authenticity that I do. So the Apostle Paul, when he sent Timothy down there, he realized what was going on. That reminds me of Preacher Baker and how When I graduated from Bible college, and the church here at Calvary ordained me to go out, and then when Pastor Boyer here went down to Lenore for all those years, and then so forth, when he sent us out, he knew that we were like-minded like he was. We had the same spirit that he did, that we wanted to honor God, we feared God, and we wanted to stay true to old-time religion, amen? He knew that. We were like-minded. Now, by the way, Preacher Baker and myself are not The same on everything, amen? I am a Buckeye fan. Amen? And, I gotta say it, I'm a Duke fan. I know what your pastor is, and I definitely know what his daughter is, amen? We were there in California one day with my boys, visiting my boys, and Emily was there. I took us all out to eat to, um, What's that place called again? That chicken wing place. Wingstop. We were there talking, and I had no idea who Emily liked, but boy, I found out real quick, amen? She said, I'm a Carolina Tar Heel fan from the top of my head to the bottom of my shoe, amen? I said, well, pay for your own food then, amen? Amen? No, I didn't. I didn't. No, I didn't. No, no, no. I did not say that, amen? You know? But the word like-minded here doesn't mean that you believe it doesn't mean what it means is when it comes to the gospel and when it comes to spiritual things you're going in the same direction you want God so Paul said he not only did he look for Timothy's Pastor Baker did as we all should do but also he labored with Timothy He was willing to send him out to go out there and honor just as you have missionaries now there in Merced brother And he does and his wife been there several times preaching. He's there in your stead Amen to preach the gospel and be true to the Word of God He's like-minded in that and we know that naturally No one's going to care for their state like he was going to make your spiritual state. So we see here Paul was Listening he was laboring looking but also number three. He was listening to Timothy and By the way, when it comes down to worship the Lord, as Paul was trying to tell about Timothy here, about being like-minded naturally, I hope and pray that when people see you, just as Paul was laboring with Timothy, I hope and pray when people see you, they desire to have what you have. They see something in you and see the Apostle Paul That's what he was looking for when he would call people alongside of him folks that would desire to have what they have I Remember long. This is I wrote this down preacher Baker has a special ability to display his zeal and love for the Lord so that foster the desire and thirst for To want the same thing for themselves? I think a young preacher boys being around him and so forth and then I think about my own men in my church and Pastor boy he'll hear and how he his love for the Lord Fosters people to have a closer walk to the Lord because they see his desire and his love it false and so it's kind of we are a protege and of Pastor Baker. Pastor Baker's a protege of Brother Law, amen, many, many years ago. God bless Brother Law, amen. I still remember him, what a blessing he was and everything, you know, and going up to his church in Virginia and preaching there, what a blessing, amen, so forth, and Mrs. Law, too, amen. And so number three here, we not only see that Paul looking for Timothy's, as Pastor Baker has in his life and ministry, as you and I should also look to help and encourage folks along in the gospel. But also we see here, chapter number two of Philippians, how he labored with Timothy's. He took time, and then it got to the place to where the apostle Paul not only was willing to bring him alongside, but he would send him in his stead and get the situation going on. But number three, he also listened to Timothy. First number 21 22 the Bible says here for all seek their own not the things which are Jesus Christ But you know the proof of him that I was a son with the father He has served with me in the gospel here. I see a couple things here when the Apostle Paul would Talk and listen to Timothy. He realized that Timothy was not in this for himself and He Timothy was not seeking a name for himself. He was seeking to honor and glorify God Here we see in verse number 21. He says for all seek their own not the things which are Jesus Christ And I tell you what, isn't it a blessing to know that you and I can also realize that we're not in this, when you sing a special, it's not to bring attention to you. If it does, you've lost it, you've lost the picture of it. When you sing a special, it's supposed to, yes you're singing, God's using your vocal cords, but also they ought to go from here right up to Him, amen? I'm saying through the ear gate I gate go back to where the Lord is and so many times if we're not careful People get so and I think you should do the best you can for God I'm not saying that but it's when it's all said and done whether you do the best It all goes back to the Lord. Amen. Paul said Timothy. He's not seeking his own Not only that he said Timothy was a great specimen of a child of God verse number 22 says here, but you know the proof of him that Here we see that word proof. What a great word. It gives the idea that it validated Timothy It gave Timothy worth because Paul could say I've been with him. I've walked with him I've talked with him and I want to tell you something. He's got the proof. He's got the goods He's a good man of God. Amen. That's what he was saying here a great specimen a Verse number 22 then he says you're not only that we see that Timothy didn't seek his own he was a great specimen, but look at the Closeness here that Paul brought Timothy to him verse too much 22 But you know the proof of him that as a son with the father he has served with me in the gospel here we see Paul revealed the closeness of the relationship as a son and father and And by the way, I thank God that I've been able to be around Preacher Mrs. Baker. And of course, she fed me many meals, amen? Hardly half of them were invited to. I just showed up, amen? Amen, that's what preacher boys. Do we're single a man. I remember going brother Vernon's house when he was married Miss Debbie I'd go to her house. I would hit certain houses I would know and I would know what time it was a man as far as that goes to a me So, you know and she never tore me away, but I'm sure after now that I'm married got five kids and everything else Hey, I'm sure oh my here. He comes a man turn off the lights and close the door a man, you know and She never said that but now that hey, hey, you know But not only seated closest here, but look at also 2 verse 22 of the companionship. He has served with me in the gospel. And that's the goal of having a church. A couple weeks ago, we went out knocking on doors, and this lady came to church. And it's amazing. We went and knocked on these doors in this neighborhood, but the person didn't come from that neighborhood. It came from a different one, and we didn't knock on the door at all. Amen? They came, and Nicole, at the end of the service, Shows that the gospel still works. Amen. She got saved. Amen We got but we have 170 bus kids every week bringing them in and I tell you it's it's a it's always a challenge But boy, it's good to have every now and then you get those bus kids to get saved Amen, and you never know what's good what god can do with their lives. Amen. What a blessing that is But we see here in this part of listening to timothy preacher Baker had the way that you listen to those of us that you've trained and how you take their struggles, listen now, and conflicts, and communicate to them in such a way That is the part of their spiritual growth. When I remember when I was here, and I first came here, I didn't think I needed Bible college, praise God. I wanted to, I mean, people were dying and going to hell, all those different things, and I wanted to go out there and preach, amen? And by the way, Preacher Becker, that's what he wanted me, he wanted me to go out there and preach, amen? But he wanted me to do it in an effective way. That could be a blessing and a help to people. And so he listened to those things. I know you want to preach. And I remember when Freddie Fire was the assistant pastor, I'd always pray. I'd say, Dear Lord, you know you called me to preach. I pray that you make preacher Baker sick today. Amen? And then also Freddie Fire, make him sick too, amen? So I can preach, amen? You know, I mean, I just wanted to preach, amen. And he knows that because he got the same in him. He wanted to preach, too. So I remember one time I said, preacher, I want to preach. He said, well, you can't preach here. This is my pulpit, amen. So I went over there to King Pharmacy, amen? And old Tonda, I got over there. I said, Tonda, you going to sing? And we started a ministry at King Pharmacy. We had the police come over there. We had people come over there, roll their windows down and everything, and listen to preaching. Old Don Lane sang over there. I tried to sing, you know? And then old Don Lane said, man, this is good. We had about 20 cars there one time. He said, can I preach? I said, no, this is my pulpit. Get your own pulpit, amen? Amen! Amen! You know what I'm saying? Hey, you know. And I was just looking back as a protege of Pastor Baker and so forth. God wants us to look for Timothys. He wants us to find someone that believes and has a good report and pour our life into them so they can grow up and do something for God. Not only looking for Timothys, but also laboring with them. And when you labor with somebody, you're going to see some shortcomings. You're going to see some things that they don't always do the same. I was telling Reverend Scott a minute ago that I have a daughter-in-law now. And she is Yankee. I mean, Yankee. I'm a Yankee, but she's Yankee Yankee, amen? You know? But I tell you what, man. She said, she said, she said, Dad, I love Joel, and I'm going to follow him anywhere he goes. I said, well, hey, can't beat that, amen? Thank God. Thank God there's young women that will get married and follow their husbands, amen? What a blessing on that. That's the way it's supposed to be, amen? So anyhow, Timothy. Paul was looking for him. Then also he labored with him. And we saw you in the Bible, where not only he labored, but he was able to send him apart from himself. Because Timothy had grown, because you don't see it all here, but no doubt there was a lot of struggles there with Timothy. By the way, the Bible says in his book there, Paul told him, hey, just because you're young, Timothy, it's okay. It's okay, you're young, whatever. So I'm just trying to say is that as we come together and we take just a time and just come to church tonight and of course we're going to have a celebration of the birthday party afterwards and everything. Thank God that the Apostle Paul had some good character traits that we can apply to our own selves. Always be on the lookout of helping somebody, encourage somebody. Always be willing to labor with somebody. Now I tell you sometimes, When I ask someone to do a job, they always don't do it like I want them to, and they don't do it when I want them to do it. Sometimes people wait till the last minute. And you just never know what's going to happen. I like to get it done quick now. Now, when I first started preaching, I was a procrastinator, I have to admit, Amy. But now I'm not a procrastinator, because I've got a clock, I've got schedules, everything I've got to do, and all the buses got to run. And so sometimes it might be just easier to do it myself. But if you do it yourself, you miss the blessing of labor with people so one day they can get a hold of that. Amen. So the apostle Paul, he looked for Timothy's, he labored with them, but also he listened to them. He would listen to them in such a way to encourage Timothy to keep on going on. And first, second, Timothy is a testament to that, how the apostle Paul poured his life into that. God help us by the way. I notice you're something to you know what about this issue about listening to people God gave us two years in one mouth Amen listen more and talk less Yeah, and at works in church families. You don't always have to have the last word Sometimes you don't have to say no word trying to keep peace in the family and the church family or in your own family and A lot of times we see here that these folks in the Bible that God used and how Timothy worked with the Apostle Paul and then went out on his own, Timothy would have never got there without a protege like the Apostle Paul. And I want to say tonight, thank God for my protege and Pastor Broyhill's protege that spent time with us, poured his life into us. But he didn't do it for us. He did it for the love of Jesus Christ. That's what he did it for. So when you look about your own life, it's not about how many houses and cars you have and what do you have in the bank account that makes a difference. Do you make a difference in someone's life tonight? Do you make a difference? I was in Germany in December preaching there to gypsies in different places. And I went to a brand new church, never preached there before, American Military Church, and I walked in. And there was one of my families that were in Belgium that rotated in that place. And I can't tell you what a blessing it was to preach the Bible, and they are still going on for God. If I could tell you how I met them and where they were at, spiritually speaking, what a blessing how God... And then I found out the other day, I talked to the pastor, he baptized his oldest daughter the other day in church, amen? And that's what it's all about, pouring your life into some people. And if I could sum up, Tonight the Apostle Paul poured his life into Timothy and we saw the results Preacher Baker poured his life into your pastor and myself You see the results and now you see what we're doing. What are we doing? We're pouring our lives and other people as well trying to impact them trying to influence them for the things of God Amen for the cause of Christ. It's all standing our feet. Please every head bowed and every eye closed no one looking around tonight What a what a great testimony from the Apostle Paul