Let me make sure oh, whoo. All right. There we go I'm already breaking stuff. Amen Wow, I'm not used to that is really loud All right Kenya you just use your voice. Amen So I'm trying to get civilized again Alright, so I just want to thank y'all again for having I say we but my family's recoup or recovering and I'm struggling English recovering in the hotel room. I don't think they're sick with anything contagious It's just we've been it's hard to believe we've been there a year and a half now, but our food is so We like to use the word organic here, but it's really organic there And it doesn't have anything added to it that like being back now the food is great But the after part is not so great so we've been struggling with headaches and just everything because all the sugar and everything and so they're just Recovering tonight from I think a diabetic coma so pray for them amen, but I have Jeffrey is almost 10 now Hannah just turned recently 8 and Then I actually had to ask her this morning how old she was I forgot and then Esther is Six and so they are just I didn't realize how big they were until we come back and they're with their cousins now It's just incredible. But um, so I want to give an update kind of what has happened over the last year and a half our first year half on the field and then Attempt to preach for you tonight. Amen So I told Jeff there on the mission field. I'm so in the habit and so comfortable now teaching everything I do is teaching teaching them Just the basic doctrines teaching them false doctrine So we're now coming back to the states and having to have a nice polished message Message, I'm all nervous. Amen, but we'll work through it. Um so pretty much a day one we landed January 26th of last year and And for about the first month was really just getting acclimated. Our team members just really encouraged us to adjust. And so we were helping one of the families out that planted a church in what's known as Riru, which is the outskirts of Nairobi. And so we helped there. And then I was able to take a trip up country to meet several national pastors. And so that was definitely an eye opener. The first meeting we had, was with my team leader and we had about 15 pastor take that back about 12 pastors in that first me and Typically, we try to have it only independent Baptist pastors or sometimes Southern Baptist that that were Southern Baptist what they used to be back in the day and so we work with with those but this pastor that we were with had every church you could think of families of God Pentecostal SDA So I had the opportunity to witness my team leader for three days Cover and teach and go over eternal security We don't think about that here, but that's what we had to go over there and at the end of three days He finally said okay who here still believes if you get saved you can still lose your salvation and every single one of them other than to raise their hand So he said and this I kid you not this is how it works in Kenya. He said alright I've been up here three days. I've been teaching I showed you all the scriptures He goes who then wants to get up and show me according to the Word of God how we can lose our salvation and those ten passers went And nobody got up Because they only go off of what somebody else has told them They don't go off of what this book says what the Word of God says and so I realize there's a problem here We have and that's not just these pastors, but that's Kenya as a whole 90% of Kenyans don't own a Bible They don't have a Bible and so they go into a church and here's some guy that flips open I say guy cuz he's not a pastor flips open the Word of God picks one verse and then we'll preach an hour and a half on the wall and How we have to keep the law in order to go to heaven and so they have so much false doctrine thrown at them every day They're very religious. They love God But they don't realize that without Jesus Christ and Jesus Christ alone They're on their way to hell and what we'd call the lake of fire. Amen. And so that was a huge eye-opener to me Thankfully the the second meme we had was about another 15 pastors and those were all solid pastors and since then we have started what is known as pastors practical training Academy and so from Tuesday and Friday usually the first week of every month we have about right now we have 15 to 20 pastors that come down all over Western Kenya and We train them and we teach them to better equip them and help them be able to teach their own people Proper doctrine and the truth of the Word of God and so it's been exciting to see their growth last month we just finished a 12 week series on soul winning and we've already had several reports of them going out and seeing others saved and even going out together with the other pastors in their area and That come in for these these meetings and so that's been exciting. So I do that once a month With our team leader and then the other member on our team, so that's been exciting So that that was really the first month then the second month on the field I got to do a medical missionary trip and we went again to the western Kenya area and we had a Medical team I didn't get to do the soul winning part, but I got to do the ultrasound and the vital signs part But what I love about this ministry is that the other missionary we work with in Kenya. He's based out in Nakuuru He has enough men in his church that he's trained He's been about 25 years now that every single person and we're talking hundreds of people throughout the week that had come through to be seen Didn't just get sat down 50 to 100 a time and have the gospel preached. I don't know it was one-on-one confrontational soul winning where they go through the word of God, they go over the scriptures that are needed, and they make sure that the person has a clear understanding, and we were able to see several people make decisions, and now those churches have seen growth through that ministry in their churches, and people starting to grow in the Lord. So I'm so thankful for that opportunity. And then there was language school. So someone this morning asked me, how would you describe language school? So we did 12 weeks, we took three weeks off, And then we did another 12 weeks. So the first 10 weeks was me hitting my head against the wall and saying, this is dumb, it doesn't make any sense. And then the 11th week, all of a sudden, I said, huh, that makes sense now. I don't know why, but it makes sense now. So now I can come in here today and say, see, now I'm going to choke. Habarizade Jioni Kanisaweinu. So I just said, good afternoon or good evening church. Thanks for having me. My name is Pastor Brandon. I have a wife, her name is Allie, and I have three children, their names are Jeffrey, Hannah, and Esther. I'm to the point I can carry on a basic conversation with people. I can read for the most part I can translate But teaching preaching in it. I'm not quite there yet. So I'll get to that part in a minute how the Lord's blessed me with Another man around my age that translates for me, but if you would pray that I'll get past that next hurdle I really want to get to the point where I can teach and preach in it and then the hardest part right now the last hurdle is is hearing it if I'm around like people that I've practiced with a lot, I can grasp it. But if I'm talking to someone I've never spoken to before, it just sounds like one long word. It'd be like I was talking to someone in English, and they can't make out that it's several words. And so that's where I'm at with that. But it's definitely been a blessing. But language school, definitely hitting your head on a wall for 10 weeks, and then it somehow just makes sense. And then after that, We were praying Lord. Where do you want us to go and start a ministry? What do you want us to do? What what is exactly the ministry you want us to do? Is it plant a church if it is we're at and so we originally thought we're gonna go to an area known as utah wallow Which is is on the outskirts of Nairobi It's an area that's vastly growing And we started making the preparations for that but the Lord just slammed the door shut It was really hard. We didn't understand why but now I do praise the Lord so we just prayed again Lord where you want us to go and my wife found a home in Keating Gala and Just like you I said, where is Keating Gala? Keating Gala is about an hour Southeast of Nairobi heading towards the coast and it's literally in the middle of a desert That's the best way to describe it. So right now everything's green cause we're heading into our winter time, which is a rainy season. So we've been getting rain every day, everything's green. But if you come in October, everything is just dirt. It's just sandy and it's dirt and it's 95 degrees. Uh, but I love it. Um, everything we were looking for, we were able to find. And the best thing about Keating Gala is. is when COVID happened, everybody left the city because there's nothing to do. There's no work. They went back to what we call the shambles, which would be their, their homes or their homeland up country. And so when that happened, many people decided, you know what? I don't like the busyness of the city. I don't want to live in the city. So they'll commute to the city, but they've been building all these compounds is what we call them, their own own fenced in or bricked in compound. Over the area and so even since we've been there from October to now Just going down our main road to where house that we've seen several houses already go up just from October to now and so it's an area that is vastly growing and so our our desire burden is is to get a Solid church started there and as the area grows try to reach the people and just see it grow with the area So that's our our desire our burden. In January, we started a Bible study. I was already committed to a church plant that we had just seen earlier in the year in Lavington, which is right in Nairobi. That missionary couple was part of our team. They started six months before our family did, but unfortunately due to health with the wife and the husband, they had to come off. And so me and my team leader have already committed to keeping that church going. by filling in Sunday mornings until they find an intern pastor. And so thankfully, they just found someone that's going to fill in until they find a more permanent pastor. Am I OK? Am I messing this up? We're good? OK. And so Sunday mornings, that's what I would do. I'd drive an hour into town, teach and preach Sunday morning, drive an hour back, have about an hour to prep, and then do our Bible study. So from 3 to 5 in the evening, we start our Bible study. The first week I think we had two people and then the next week we had nobody and then the next week we had three and then the next week we had nobody so it was just the blessings of starting a ministry a man and so But I really started praying Lord. I need you need to bring someone along that can translate with me because of my my limit ability and kiss wahili and Where we're at most of the people speak their mother tongue, which is their travel language and they speak kiss by Healy but they speak very little English and so there is a limit a limit ability there and The week before January 29th, I gotta get my notebook out here the Lord brought Daniel along and Daniel was a little bit older than me, but he has a wife and four kids and he came to our Bible study and I was able to ask him to come back and on January 29th. He came back to our house We sat in the backyard and I just after talking with him a little I said Daniel What would it take for you to go to heaven? And he was like, well, I have to I have to believe in Jesus Christ and I have to do good works Which is like 99% of what every Kenyan tells you or they'll say I have to I have to believe in Jesus Christ Let's keep the law So I just simply said could we look at what the Bible says and see what conclusion we come come down to and he said of course So on January 29th as far as I know Because only the Lord knows our hearts. Amen Daniel put his trust in Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior Right after that we immediately started meeting for discipleship every Wednesday evening and the fourth lesson in our discipleship program is sowing Daniel went through the soul winning lesson and I just thought hey, maybe he'll get excited I did not realize what was about to happen and the Lord Moved so much on Daniel's heart that he came back to me. He said pastor Can we go out so I can introduce you to a few people from the neighborhood? And so I was thinking the American concept hate we're gonna go out for two hours And so I got my Bible we found out Saturday would be the best day to work for us and we met at 10 a.m and we didn't get home till 730 at night and Then we met the next Saturday and we went out from 10 a.m 730 at night and then we went out the next Saturday 10 a.m. To 730 night and Daniel I kid you not Every week is texting. How are we gonna reach Kenya with the gospel? How is it that they don't know the truth of God's Word and he's just on fire to want to reach everybody Can I just keep encouraging we just do it by reaching one soul at a time. Amen. I And so again, I say this everywhere I go, I don't keep track of the numbers because I don't want it to ever be about the numbers. Amen. But I write down in my notebook the names of everybody we've sat with and that we've seen as far as we know make a decision. And it reminds me. That moment where I sat in their house and that relationship or that bond we've built as you see someone come to know Christ And so I want to share with you the names of those That we've seen since Daniel's gotten saved or just the times mean Daniel gone out together. And so Daniel was January 29 since then These are the names Shem Sharon Winnie Christine Lucy Christine Noreen Alfred Dominic Snyder Evelyn Josephine Livingston Sam Sharon, Allison, Diana, Gentrix, Elias, Brazil, Quintar, Mama Davis, Margaret, Jackson, Brian, Douglas, Genwell, Christopher, David, Isabella, Belinda, Pacific, Elvis, Faith, Lillian, Christine, Agnes, Mary Grace, Abigail, Priscilla, Keith, Henry, Zaina, Moses, Alice, Samuel, Margaret, and Jonathan. And that's all been because of Daniel, taking soul winning serious and have a bird having a burden to want to reach his own people the gospel and Listen, i'm limited to what I can do But if god can stir the nationals hearts up and then we can train them what to do There's so much more that they could do that. I could ever do in my lifetime Amen, because they already know the language. They know the people they know the culture. Um, The best example I had was the last the last home we went to just before we came here Uh, he wanted me to meet it was his his Cousin's house. And so it was her husband and her kids and I spent on probably 45 minutes Trying to get the husband understand. It's Jesus Christ alone what she'd say. Yeah. Yeah, but then he'd say but baptism is a more sure plan of salvation Can't have both you can't have oh, it's a more sure option. Yeah, so I tried everything we went through several scriptures we went over a thing and I finally I literally started to close up my Bible and I put my notebook in my pen away and I said, well, I'm just gonna pray with y'all but I think it's probably time for me to leave. And Daniel jumped in and said some stuff in Swahili. I don't even know what he said. He might've said, hey, I'll pay for your dinner if you just say I don't believe in baptism. I'm just kidding, I don't believe that. But God used him to say it in such a way that I couldn't get through, but he could. And the next thing I know, the dad just got it. He had it. And he got so excited and eventually we seen him I don't ever make anybody pray a prayer after me I just let them pray in their own words to try to gauge if they've understood it and I'm telling you I just started almost crying right there in the living room because all of them had such a clear testimony from their own mouth and Now we realize it's by Jesus Christ alone and Lord. We thank you for the gift of eternal salvation and that we can't lose it It's forever and it was just the sweetest thing ever and then his youngest son had left and came back in the room He said pastor You can't leave until you make him get saved and I said I can't make anybody get saved He goes no, but what I mean is we have it, but he can't you can't leave until I know he has it What if we die right now and he doesn't have it? And so I got to witness to the the youngest son and we also got to see him make a decision But I'm again I just all that to say I'm so thankful for Daniel and just his testimony and just ask for you to pray for For him as that the Lord just continue to help him to grow and to strengthen and have a burden for his people. Amen So we also have Lewis and another young man named Frederick that we're investing in that we're hoping to see Grow and and who knows what the world doing their life And then I want to read to you just real quick I know I'm rambling on but I want to read you Daniel's testimony I asked him to put his own testimony together to send out to the churches this month Pastor Jeff said he didn't care so he didn't read it and I'm just kidding. He said he didn't see it in the email and But I really want to read this to you. And I want to say ahead of time, if this doesn't encourage you or get you excited, then I don't know what will. Amen. I called Pastor Summers. I couldn't wait. And so I called him to share in this testimony. And we both just started shouting over the phone. So I was at least in my home. He was in his office. So the people at church thought he was crazy. But it was great. But this is Daniel's own words. This is what he says. I am Daniel Wafula. I come from a God-fearing family. I know God through my dad and mom, who were members of the Kenyan Assemblies of God. I grew up in the church attending Sunday school classes, teen classes, youth class, and then as a main church member after marriage. I have one wife and four children. All of them are alive, thank God. I personally gave my life to Jesus Christ as my personal Savior while in high school. one of our Christian Union services. I started attending seminars, church services, house-to-house fellowships, crusades, and open-air meetings. I was taught and preached to by many pastors, evangelists, and preachers of the Word of God during this time period. I was an active youth, and at one time I served as a youth leader, an evangelist, and lastly as a secretary to the main church in our church denomination. During all this period, I lived to know and I was told that in addition to receiving Jesus into my life, I had to do good works to earn heaven. So I gave tithes and offerings, repented from time to time, attended church programs, and committed to church services every time to make sure that I was going to go to heaven. I was even baptized. After being married for several years, I had to look for a job to be able to take care of my family. So I came to the city of Nairobi. Here I joined a church which had a good praise and worship team and I liked it But things were not different here because they were more focused on giving tithes and doing righteous works to go to heaven While here, I met a bishop who happened to be from the same region and country and speak the same language. I That I did he asked me to join and work with him in his newfound international ministry I accepted not knowing much more about the new church I even worked as his administrator, which was well paid. But at last, it was a total mess. I think that it was the worst decision I had ever made in my life, and I regretted it. What the bishop did and preached, in my little knowledge of the Bible, was against God. He sacked six pastors for being spiritual, for not much prayer, and he baptized a member in the name of the Father, the Mother, and the Son. It's also here where I saw a Sunday school teacher marry a Sunday school kid. Let me stop there for now. My family and I decided to quit, but some other members also followed. The bishop accused me of trying to break up the church, which was just three years old. I decided to stay home and not to join another church. Thanks to Almighty God for allowing me to meet a man and his family. whom I did not know very well. I just used to see him in his evening walk and passing near our home. One day he gave my children a flyer which they passed to me. I read it and this is what it said. Please drop in and join us for our weekly Bible study. I was convinced but I did not call. I just walked there. He welcomed me inside and I found two other members studying the word and I joined them. After the lesson, I was given a sheet of paper to fill in my personal information, such as my name, phone number, and the best time of day to visit, which I did. We also enjoyed a cup of coffee and water. After the lesson, as he was walking us out of the gate, he asked if he could have a one-on-one talk with me. I was shocked, but I accepted. I chose the day and went to his home again. Both of us sat in the backyard around the table. With him were two Bibles and some paper in his hand. Then he asked, can I ask you an important question? I said, yes. Then he said, what do you think it would take for you to go to heaven? My answer was obvious because I knew I said by accepting Jesus Christ and doing good works and repenting. I did not know that I was wrong. He then said, can I take some time to show you what the Bible says? Not what I say or think. Yes, I replied. From that point on, my Christian life changed. He read many verses with me and I paid close attention to what he said and asked. He reasoned with me and persuaded me. And then I was convinced that what I was believing in before was wrong and would lead me to the lake of fire, which is the second death. I would have missed heaven, which is eternal life and the gift God gives to us who believe in the name of his son, Jesus Christ. Thank you, Pastor Brandon, for letting me know that it's only believing in Jesus Christ alone and not anything else. Not my good works, not myself, nor my righteous good works can earn me heaven, which is everlasting life. That evening I decided to give my life to Jesus Christ and believe only in Him. Praise God for a new beginning as a child of God. There are many people in Kenya today who claim they are Christians, but there are few true believers. A lot of people come to church to save their marriages, their careers, families, businesses, and children, but many souls are not saved. And I do not believe in Jesus Christ alone, but in other things like their good works, stopping their sinning, and repenting every time they sin to earn heaven, which is everlasting life. I regret that many people are heading to the lake of fire, for they know not the truth. Due to this truth, I now know that I am not condemned, and the wrath of God is not upon me anymore. He has given me eternal life, which cannot be taken away. I have to live a lifestyle witnessing to others and constantly looking for an opportunity to witness my new faith to others to encourage them to get saved. Just as Romans 10, 14 says, thanks very much, Pastor Brandon and Miss Allie for establishing, strengthening and making sure I grow in knowledge. And I promise to hold fast under this doctrine. Amen. Daniel Wafula. You read that and you're just, there's no doubt he gets it. Amen. And he's on fire to reach all that we can for the gospel of Jesus Christ. So please pray for him and then pray for our Bible study. My wife's not here, but on a Sunday afternoon right now, I have about 15 people on the adult side. She has 35 to 45 children for two solid hours, Michelle. Two solid hours. So I try to end right at five o'clock so I don't get a pitchfork in my head. But pray for us. We actually are outgrowing our space We can barely fit in the tent where we meet in my front yard She meets on the back porch and if we get a rainy day, they're all hovered trying to stay Dry and not wet and so we're actually praying Here soon. We'll be sending a letter out of Financially what we would need to purchase a property and then eventually the funds to build a building to have a more permanent place Right now we're doing the Bible study To teach them the core things. I feel we need to know we need to understand To then have a core group of people that can come together as a church And so when we go back, I'll be finishing up the series we're going through and then we'll be making that those next steps Hopefully by August or October to come together as a New Testament church and so pray for us on that I'm excited what the Lord's doing furlough could not have come at a better time though because I'm weary amen and So just pray the Lord will continue to sustain us give us the strength we need And then I don't want to take up the time in here, but if you have any questions I'll be again here afterwards. Please ask me any questions or anything you're curious about I want to be a blessing to you and answer any questions you have amen and so again on behalf of my entire family Thank you. We cannot we honestly cannot do it Not even the financial spec, but more so the prayers It's a battle. It's literally a spiritual battle and I could go more into that aspect But nobody wants to hear the sad side of missionary life But all I want to say is we can't do it without God's people praying. We've been under several attacks by Satan and His false prophets. That's what the Bible calls them. And so just pray that the Lord keep Daniel and his family safe and our family safe Just to share just for a couple minutes some of what's been going on I've lost two tires in the last two months because people have been throwing nails into our compound And into our into our the road outside our compound We've had to take diesel fuel Showers because someone somehow compromised our water source and poured diesel fuel into it And then the recent one and this is why I say pray for Daniel The church that we were just reading about that. He left that pastor is taking upon his himself to call Daniel to his church and to say if you don't stop going out with the mzungu, which is to say if you don't stop going out with the white guy Preaching what you're preaching which is the Word of God then he said you and your family are gonna face consequences So that's a direct threat. And so if you want to threaten me, I'm fine But when you threaten my people that's when I have to ask Lord for help So I filed a police report the police are already on our side with the whole situation but just pray that the Lord keep those at bay that want to do harm and Clearly he's not for the gospel because if he was we'd be on the same team. Amen, so I It's just missionary life. Amen. I already told Daniel I said we're not going anywhere I'm just gonna keep doing what I'm doing and it's God's battle. He'll take care of it I don't have anything to worry about. He doesn't have anything to worry about We just do our part and God will handle it. And so just just pray for God's protection If you have your bow night, let's go to Acts chapter 20. I already see the clock so I don't want to go too long I'm probably gonna cut out about half of what I went through this morning because like pastor Lynn was saying I preached this morning actually at my my family's home church down in Ohio on my wife's side and I just got lost in the message and preaching and the pastor looked up and said you better wrap it up the kids are ready to get out in the back and so I Didn't realize at that point. I was preaching 45 minutes. And so I just Gave them the last point and said let's pray Dismissed everybody. Amen. So we might have lost the church's support. I'm just kidding, but it'll be all good Acts chapter 20. I want us to look at verses 22 through 27 or in Kenya, we would say keep to boot shop My tendo yami to me Mungo isharini not Mungo. I hearing Billy Hottie isharina Saba so as to say acts chapter 20 In verse 22 through 27, it says, And now behold, I go bound in the Spirit unto Jerusalem, not knowing the things that shall befall me there, say that the Holy Ghost witnesseth in every city, saying that bonds and afflictions abide in me. But none of these things move me, neither count I my life dear unto myself, so that I might finish my course with joy in the ministry which I have received of the Lord Jesus, to testify the gospel of the grace of God. And now behold, I know that ye all among whom I have gone preaching the kingdom of God shall see my face no more Wherefore I take you to record this day that I am pure from the blood of all men For I have not shunned to declare unto you all the counsel of God. Let's pray Lord. We thank you for this day Lord, I just thank you for the time to be back here at Crossroads Baptist Church in Slippery Rock Lord I thank you for just a pastor laying in his family Or just their friendship throughout the years and I pray that you would continue to use Them and just the folks here this church to continue to be a lighthouse To continue to be a witness to the community to the folks that make up the area Would help us to continue to be a beacon of hope and more to to go forward Lord proclaiming the truth of your word if I pray as we open up your word right now help me to Lord be just to hide me behind your cross Lord and and use me to simply be your mouthpiece here this evening, Lord, to share the truth that is that you have for us. Lord, strengthen us. Lord, convict us where we need it. Lord, challenge us where we need to be challenged to be more like you. And Lord, help us to be drawn closer to you. And Lord, we love you, we thank you for all these things in Jesus' name, amen. So I wanna point out first, verse 26, Paul says here, it says, wherefore I take you to record this day that I am pure from the blood of all men, for I have not shunned to declare unto you all the counsel of God. Paul here is, he's called the elders together from the churches of Ephesus, and he's really saying goodbye to them. He's saying the Lord has made it clear, this is what's about to happen, I'm about to be bound, I'm about to be taken to jail. But he says, none of these things move me. He says, none of these things will stop me from doing what I know I'm meant to do, what God's calling is in my life, But before we get to all that again in verse 26 It says wherefore I take you to record this day that I am pure from the blood of all men now I don't know about you, but I'll just be honest and real for myself I can't stand here today and make such a bold statement Like Paul has said what Paul is saying is every time I've had an opportunity or every chance I had I didn't shun away I didn't avoid it. I shared the gospel with every opportunity that God has given He's saying my hands are pure From the blood of all men of those that he had the chance to share the gospel with amen And so I know in my life There's been many times where the Holy Spirit was moving or tugging on my heart to witness to somebody but for whatever reason my flesh Fought against the spirit and I didn't fulfill that time in my life. Amen when I was supposed to share the gospel somebody else And I said this this morning We we we always talk about how we can't wait to get to heaven because how glorious is gonna be we're gonna be able to Jesus We're gonna be able to worship God. Amen, and and all those things are great and all those things are true And this is where I'm gonna step away because this is just my opinion But I think for me personally, I think when I think of heaven, I think when I first get there it's not gonna be as exciting as I think it's gonna be I I think I'm gonna be revealed of all the times that I could have witnessed to somebody or all the opportunities that God gave me to tell somebody else about Jesus Christ and Their blood is gonna be on my hands I'm gonna have to give an account or they're gonna look at me like why did you not tell me? You had the truth and you didn't tell me. Why did you not tell me? I think there's gonna be a moment of time We're gonna be sorrowful because it's gonna be revealed how little we really did for the Lord It's just like the song I brought the hymnal up with me. We're reading so little time In verse two, I don't think many times we really think about those words, but verse two, this is what it says. How many times I should have strongly pleaded? How often did I fail to strictly warn? The spirit moved. Oh, had I pleaded for Jesus, the grain has fallen, lost ones not reborn. Did we really think about those words when we were singing the song? How many times God has given us an opportunity We didn't take it. We didn't we didn't yield to God's Holy Spirit, but I just want to say It has to be true because it's recording God's Word. Amen But Paul says I'm pure from the blood of all men May God give us that kind of compassion and that kind of boldness to want to tell others about Jesus Christ Amen the same way where I think I'm gonna go out for two hours and Daniel said no No, we're going out for eight hours every Saturday because he wants to see Kenya reach with the gospel. Amen So Paul Paul says here he says I count or he says none of these things movie neither count I my life dear unto myself in Galatians 2 20. He wrote these words. He says I am crucified with Christ Nevertheless, I live yet not I but Christ liveth in me and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God who loved me and gave himself for me We got to remember the Apostle Paul was beaten. He was stoned. He was thrown in jail He's ran out of town All these things happen. He says I don't even count my life dear It was more important to him to get the gospel to the next soul in need of Jesus Christ than his own life I think of the time where they drug him out of town and they stoned him and they think he's dead So everybody goes back into town and then Paul gets up and he brushes himself off now I'm gonna be honest if that happened to me in Kenya, I would look at Daniel and be like bro. We are out of here but Paul says alright, let's go do this again and He goes right back into town. He had a burden for the loss. He didn't care what happened He just wanted the next soul to hear the gospel of Jesus Christ. Amen And so we see he says I count not my life dear unto myself Now he says there at the very beginning verse 24, but none of these things move me He says none of these things move me. There are many people in the Bible that they said I will not I think of David let's go to Psalm chapter 16. We're gonna look at several verses you wrote but as you turn to Psalm 16 David we got to remember was fleeing from Saul He's hiding. He's trying to spare his life and the men that are following with him and many times he He could have been or was almost killed but yet he escaped and in Psalm Chapter 16 and look at verse 8. He pens these beautiful words. He says I have set the Lord always before me and Because he's at my right hand. I shall not be moved and then look at Psalm 21 in verse 7 Psalm 21 verse 7 He says for the king trusteth in the Lord and through the mercy of the Most High he shall not be moved Then let's see what he says in Psalm 55 Psalm 55 in verse 22 I'm gonna tell you what I tell Those that I teach in our bible study in kenya is that if there's one thing you will get to know your bible because we're going to look at many verses Psalm 52 verse 27 says cast thy burden upon the lord and he shall sustain thee he shall never suffer the righteous to be moved and then lastly in psalm 62 and verse 2 he says he only Meaning god is my rock and my salvation. He is my defense. I shall not be greatly moved Then in verse 6, he says again. He only is my rock and my salvation. He is my defense. I shall not be moved David said many times I will not be moved. I will stand for what is right. I'll stand for God. Amen And then I think of Paul. Not only did he say none of these things moving, but he even tells the churches Just real quick. I read Colossians 123 He says if ye continue in the faith grounded and settled and be not moved away from the hope of the gospel which it which ye have heard and which was preached to every creature which is under heaven whereof I fall and made a minister and then in first Thessalonians 3 3 tells the church of Thessalonica that no man should be moved by these Excuse me by these Afflictions for yourselves know that you were appointed there unto so he tells the churches don't be moved when hardships come with difficulties come Just stay put and just a faithful. Amen. Don't be moved So we see that when it comes to the gospel when it comes to serving Jesus Christ, we need to stand firm We need to stay implanted. We need to not be moved but there are a couple of things that I believe we see according to scripture that should move us or really motivate us to Into action. So let's look at Matthew chapter 9 Matthew chapter 9 Matthew chapter 9 in verse 36 Kitabucha, Matthaio, Mlango, Watisa, Naumstari, Wairoba, Thalathini, Nasita I could be wrong and y'all wouldn't know my wife usually will call me out on it, but she's not here All right, it says in verse 36, but when he saw the multitude, he was moved with what? Compassion. Moved with compassion on them because they fainted and were scattered abroad as sheep, having no shepherd. We could also look at Matthew 14.14, Mark 1.41, Mark 6.34, where it talks about Jesus being moved with compassion. You know what should move us? Is a compassion for the lost world, and seeing that without Jesus Christ, they're hopeless. They have no chance. We have no chance without Jesus Christ, and we have the truth. It should move us to want to take it to them, to want to share that truth with them, amen? And so we see that compassion should move us to a lost world. Let's look at Hebrews chapter 11 and verse 7. Hebrews 11, 7. Not only should compassion move us to a lost world, Hebrews chapter 11 verse 7 talking about those that had faith in God it says By faith Noah being warned of God of things not seen as yet moved with fear Prepared an art to the saving of his house by the which he condemned the world and became heir of the righteousness Which is by faith we see no it says was moved by fear I think if we have a fear or a holy reverence towards God it would move us to Do something listen if we're gonna stand up here and we're gonna sit in church and preach about how hell is real How the lake of fire is real how heaven is real how Jesus Christ down the cross is real Then it should move us to want to do something for Jesus Christ I think many people we sit under the preach and we say yeah, yeah, yeah But we think it's no more than a fairy tale because then we go out and we don't ever tell anybody else about Jesus Christ And I'm telling you when just like Daniel and just like many of the other Kenyans I've been able to see they've been told all these lies the whole life and then when you sit down and you have them read the verses and you have them answer the questions and they see for the first time oh It is by Jesus alone Then they get excited and they want to go and tell somebody else about Jesus Christ. Amen. Because they have a fear, they have a reverence towards God and they see the responsibility that, hey, I have the truth now. Now I have to go and tell somebody else. But so many times as Americans, we just sit in the pew and we don't do anything. I'm going to back off because I know I'm getting all touchy. I don't want to offend somebody. But I'm telling you, if we if we really, truly believe That hell is as real as we preach it is Then you can't you can't go through this life and not get excited and want to tell somebody else about the gospel And be moved by a reverence towards god Let's look lastly on what should move us second peter chapter 1 and verse 21 Here it says for the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man But holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost. Now this verse is talking about how we ended up with our Bibles. Amen? Men didn't just write what they felt or what they thought, but they were literally moved to pen the very words of God. Into what we call the Bible today, man And so but it says they were moved by the Holy Ghost and you know why? We don't really see the church doing much today It's because we do so much in our own strength and we do so much in our own light that we forget to ask For the Holy Spirit's lead in the guide I'm not saying let's be Pentecostal and speak in gibberish and hang from a chandelier, but I'm being serious We need to ask for God's help in our everyday life and ask for the Holy Spirit. I can tell you real quick I know when I'm just going about the week in my own strength because I get weird and I get tired But when I ask and I'm constantly praying Lord, I need you Lord. I cannot do this Lord I need you to work through me I go out there for eight hours a day and I'm thinking man, let's go another eight hours It's because the Holy Spirit gives us that strength and he guides us as we go throughout our life We need to ask for the Holy Spirit's leave. So we need the Holy Spirit to guide us. We need the Holy Spirit's movie Let's go back to Acts chapter 20 And now I want us to look at three things and I'll try to be quick even though I probably won't but I'm gonna try to Acts chapter 20 I want us to look at why why does Paul say none of these things? Move me. Why would he not be moved? And I believe there's three things we'll see here He says and now behold I go bound in the spirit under Jerusalem not knowing the things that shall befall me there Say that the Holy Ghost witnesses in every city saying that bonds and afflictions are behind me verse 24 But none of these things move me, neither count I my life dear unto myself, so that I might finish my course with joy, in the ministry which I have received of the Lord Jesus, to testify the gospel of the grace of God." So the first thing I think we see here, the first one I want to point out is that he says, in the ministry which I have received of the Lord Jesus. You know why Paul wouldn't be moved? Because of the ministry that God had given him. There's many people today that they think well, I don't have a ministry. God hasn't given me a ministry So that doesn't count to me. I want you to go to 2nd Corinthians chapter 5 verse 8 Because I believe according to what Paul says here Every single one of us if we're really a born-again believer for a child of God then every single one of us has a ministry 2nd Corinthians chapter 5 verse 8 Verse 18 I knew that didn't look right Preaching will always keep you humble 2nd Corinthians chapter 5 verse 18 other than your past. I know your pastor never messes up. Amen says in all these things are of God who has reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ and have given to us the ministry of reconciliation and to wit that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them, and have committed unto us the word of reconciliation. If we've been reconciled to Jesus Christ, which means we now have been made favorable, we now no longer have the wrath of God unto us, we're now in unity with God through Jesus Christ, then every single one of us in this room tonight, if that's us, have the ministry of reconciliation. That means our job is now to go to somebody else and try to show them the truth that they can be Reconciled unto Jesus Christ. Amen that they can be reconciled through Jesus Christ. I should say unto God the Father That applies to us if we're a child of God so we each have a ministry and you know why we should not be moved why we shouldn't throw the towel and why we shouldn't give up because that's our ministry God didn't call us and then just Call us home to heaven. He left us here for a purpose and our purpose is to glorify him And how do we do that? We do that by showing others the way unto Jesus Christ We do that by telling others what Jesus Christ did for them. So we see we have the ministry of reconciliation I'm gonna cut out that point to save some time. All right Ephesians chapter 4. Let's look at that one I want us to look at a little bit when it comes to the ministry Ephesians chapter 4 Verse 11 through 13, it says, And He gave some apostles and some prophets and some evangelists and some pastors and teachers. Why? For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ, till we all come in the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature and of the fullness of Christ. We see that God has given us a ministry. He's placed all these different people together for the perfecting of The body a man of the edifying of the body of Christ for the perfecting of the Saints excuse me the pregnant of Saints edifying of the body of Christ and Listen if all of us if any of us in this room are not doing our part if we're not coming together in the body of Christ and I really believe this and we're not doing what we should be doing, then the body's not fully functioning the way it should be. And it's not fully excelling the way that it should be. We all have to make sure we're coming together and doing our parts, amen? That we're all in our ministry, in our place that God has given us. And then I see what Paul says to Timothy in 1 Timothy 1 in verse 12 in regards to the ministry. 1 Timothy 1. verse 12 down to verse 15 he says and I think Christ Jesus our Lord who has enabled me for that he counted me faithful putting me into the ministry who was before a blasphemer and a persecutor and injurious and But I obtained of mercy because I did it ignorantly and unbelief in the grace of our Lord was exceedingly abundant With faith and love which is in Christ Jesus This is a faithful saying and worthy of all exception that Christ that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sin of whom I am chief Paul says he enabled me. He put me in the ministry. We need to not forget to give God Thanks for what he's done our life. Amen. It's now I gotta be a little more careful here cuz Jeff will Amen, but I tell people if you knew who I was at 15, you would think man There's no way God is gonna use that idiot. Like I was such an idiot like Doing everything for the wrong reasons God saved me at 15 But then he allowed me to go down a really rough path to really just break me to get a hold of my heart But I'm telling you if you would have known me I'm 33 now. So that would be like 18 years ago now, which is hard to believe. Amen Wow, yeah, we're old man. Um You would have seen me at 15 and 18 you would think God is never gonna use this kid But there came a lot there came a time in my life where I literally said that's it. I'm done Whatever I do I make a mess of it and I just end up farther and in more heartache and more pain Especially with the world the world will always spit you off and chew you out They act like they're your friend, but they're never there for you But I had to reach that point and I said, Lord, I'm yours. Whatever you want to do with me, I will do it. And listen, that's not an easy prayer, but you have to get that point where you just say, if you want me to just stay faithful and work a job and be faithful in my church, that's what I'll do. But if you want to take me anywhere in the world, I'm yours. I'm tired of what I do when I have control of my life. Lord, just use me. And I would never imagine I'd be sitting in Kenya in a tin shack that's the size of like the men's first toilet room you go into and be sitting in 90 degree weather sweating with flies laying all over me and saying, would you please read John 3 23 for me? Would you please read Romans 6 23 for me? And I'm telling you I wouldn't trade it for the world, man. Many people can look at me and be like, wow, he doesn't have much look at what he's doing. He's suffering over there But i'm literally I feel like i'm living the dream And it's all because there came a point in my life where I said listen, it's not anything i've done It's not anything of me. I'm still stupid, but god chooses to use me because I said lord I'm yours And I still keep praying that every day lord use me for your glory Lord help me to know this book more help me to know you more that I can better teach others to know you more And it's we we have we cannot quit Because of the ministry just like the apostle paul said I will not be moved because of the ministry number two I need to move quickly here because we're already 10 past 7. Go back to acts chapter 20 And let's look at verse 24 again. I believe we see the second reason why paul said I would not be moved. Verse 24 again it says, But none of these things move me, neither count I my life dear unto myself, so that I might finish my course with joy in the ministry which I have received of the Lord Jesus. And then listen to what he says here to testify the gospel of the grace of God number two I believe Paul says I will not be moved because of the gospel of the grace of God Listen, there's one more soul that Paul knew need to hear the gospel There's one more person that didn't know the truth that he needed to reach and so he says I know what's about to happen But none of these things will move me I want us to see some things and these are simple truth. You probably know these verses But I want us to look at these things. What does God say when it comes to the gospel? So with that let's go to mark chapter 16 and verse 15 Number one, I believe we need to go back and we need to remember that it's a commandment God says go ye into all the world and preach and The what? The gospel to every creature. Our sole purpose, our job is to preach the gospel, to get the gospel of Jesus Christ to those that have not heard, amen? And so we need to remember it's a commandment. God doesn't say, hey, I'll do this for you if you'll do this for me, or hey, will you please do this for me? No, he simply just says, go, go, go and preach the gospel. Number two, Excuse me, we need to make sure we have the right response. Go to Acts chapter 16. Acts chapter 16 in verse 10. Luke is penning these words as God comes to Paul and it says, after he had seen the vision, immediately we endeavored to go into Macedonia Assuredly gathering that the Lord had called us for to preach the gospel unto them. Listen Paul's at a point He's tried to go to one area got slammed the door shut. He tries to go another area got slammed the door shut So then he starts praying Lord. Where do you want me to go? And God comes to him and what we call the Macedonia call he comes in a vision He says go to Macedonia and then as soon as he receives that call They decide to get around the campfire and have some s'more. Amen They decide to let's let's first hang out here a bit. No, it says a surely gathering they immediately Went to take the gospel. Amen. We need to have the right response. We need to immediately We need to be ready to go and again, we see that in Romans chapter 1 if you'll go there with me Romans chapter 1 And again, we're mostly talking about the Apostle Paul in the next several verses we're gonna look at The Apostle Paul writing these words as God leads him Romans chapter 1 in verse 15 and 16 It says so as much as in me is I am ready to preach the gospel to you that are at Rome also For I am NOT ashamed of the gospel Christ for is the power of God Unto salvation to everyone that believeth to the Jew first and also to the Greek two things here We need to we need to be ready Paul says I'm ready to preach the gospel we need to be ready for those times where people come to us and they say what is it about you that you have or when they're going through that time of life where their whole world is crashed and they see our faithful testimony and they come to us and say will you tell me about what you have we need to be ready to share the gospel amen but then to Paul says I'm not ashamed because it's the power of God that Under salvation or it's the it's Sorry, i'm gonna blame it on jet lag He said i'm not ashamed to preach the gospel I totally lost my spot. Oh For it is the power of god under salvation to everyone that believe it You know what makes soul winning so much fun and i've had to learn this once I got to the field not so much here but There's two things I've learned that take all the pressure on we get in this mindset of we have to save somebody We have to get them to understand we have to get them to see it We don't have to do anything other than present the facts to get them to see the truth That that's our job. Our job is just to try to show them the truth. We're trying yes to persuade them to convince them to But it's not even us doing that part. It's just shit simply sharing the fact Paul says here. It's the power of God unto salvation He's talking about the gospel this book right here. Amen. So there's two things I believe there's the power of the gospel and then there's the power of the Holy Spirit as the Holy Spirit works on their heart and draws them under Christ and reveals unto them the truth Amen, we need the power of the gospel, which is the Word of God and then we need the power of the Holy Spirit revealing unto them showing them the truth But when we realize our job is simply to just share the truth, it takes all the pressure off. And we can have fun as we share the gospel as we witness to others, amen? And I'm telling you, it is, it's so exciting every time when I sit down in someone's home and we spend an hour going over how the wall can't save you, but then they finally reach that point where they go, I got it. I am saved by Jesus Christ alone and they get excited and it never gets old It's so exciting every time it's it's just new all over again, and we need to be ready I mean to realize it's the power of the gospel and the salvation. Amen, and then number Just a couple more verses. I'll read 1st Corinthians 9 16 Paul says for though I preach the gospel I have nothing to glory of for necessity is laid upon me and then he says yay. Whoa is is unto me if I preach not the gospel. Paul says, woe is me. Shame on me if I have an opportunity and I don't preach the gospel. And then lastly, he says here in 2 Corinthians 4, verse three and four, he says, but if our gospel is hid to them that are lost, in whom the God of this world, talking about Satan, had blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them. We can't hide the truth to ourselves. We need to share it with others, amen? So Paul says I will not be moved for the gospel and then I want you to see Philippians chapter 1 When looking at the gospel, I heard a pastor one time say, you know Paul was so foolish God was warning him and God was telling him that what was gonna happen. He didn't listen to God I don't think so much. He's foolish. I just think God had bigger plans than what we could see Philippians chapter 1 verse 12 through 14 look at what Paul writes here to the church of Philippi he says But I would you should understand brother that the things which happened unto me have fallen out rather unto the furtherance of the gospel so that my bonds in Christ are manifest in all the palace and in all other places and many of the brethren and the Lord waxing confident by my bonds are much more bold to speak the word of Without fear Paul says listen What has happened to me has happened so the gospel could go out even further So that more people could hear so that way more people could come to know Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior He says it's happened unto the furtherance of the gospel. Amen So we see that God had a plan in it all Paul says I will not be moved That one more soul can hear I will not be moved for the gospel of the grace of God and then lastly Go back to Acts chapter 20 and verse 24. Number one, Paul said, I will not be moved because of the ministry which I have received of the Lord Jesus. He said, two, I will not be moved to testify the gospel of the grace of God. And then number three, I believe from the text, we see he would not be moved. He says, so that I might finish my course with joy. Paul wanted to make sure when he got to the end of his life. He could look back and say no regrets He could look back and say I've done exactly what God would have me to do and As I was studying this out. I want you to see this blessing as well. Look at 2nd Timothy 4 7 and there this evening Because I don't want to lose a second churches support Second Timothy Chapter 4 I'm telling you this was such a blessing. So they're in Acts chapter 20 verse 24. He says so that I might finish my course with joy and Then he's writing to Timothy here. He's getting close to the end of his life. He says here in 2nd Timothy chapter 4 in verse 7. He says I Have fought a good fight. I have Finished my course I have kept the faith Them are some pretty encouraging words. Paul is writing to Tim and he says, listen, I have finished my course. I've kept the faith, I've fought the fight. You know why we can't be moved? So that way when we get to the end of this life and we finally wake up on that other side, we can hear Jesus Christ say the words, well done, thou good and what? Faithful servant. Listen, first he says, thou good servant. We don't have to be great We don't have to be anything excellent. The world doesn't have to think that we're anything great. We don't have to be the big time preachers that come in and say, oh, look at my cuff links. And I'm just making fun of certain people. But we just have to be good. We have to get in God's word and desire to know him more and be looking for opportunities to serve him. Amen. And then he says, thou faithful servant. He wants us to be faithful. Faithful wherever at if that means staying here at Crossroads Rapids Church in Slippery Rock then be faithful if it means going to Kenya East Africa go there and be faithful Amen, he's placed us exactly where he wants us, and he just wants us to be faithful Our team leader was talking to the pastors last month, and I was thinking of what he said He said you know one time a pastor or another missionary once said to a group of national pastors said Your ministry is not measured by years but the success of your ministry is measured by decades and I thought Man, that's a challenge, but that's also good listen if I go to Kenya or if we go to any ministry God calls us to and We serve for a year or two years or three years and then we burn out we throw the towel in that's not a success but if we Just stay faithful and we keep plucking along and we keep going and god keeps using us until he calls us home Or we just can't go on any further No matter what capacity we're at god can use us in some way until he calls us home. Amen And so if we just keep going that's someone that's lived a successful Ministry someone that has faithfully served the lord through the years So my challenge to us tonight as i'm closing my bible is just like the apostle paul We've got to stay grounded in the Word of God. Amen. We've got to stay grounded in the Church of God. We can't be moved. If we move, then Crossroads Baptist Church might not be. The ministry might be gone. We have to stay firm. We have to stay focused. We have to fight the good fight that people have a place where the truth is preached, where the gospel is preached. And then we have to stay, we cannot be moved. We have to stay on course. that the gospel can continue to go forward. And then most, well, not most importantly, but just as importantly, that we may get to the end of our life and hear God say, well done, thou good and faithful servant. That we can look back just like Paul said and said, you know what? I have fought a good fight. I've finished my course, amen. Let's pray. Lord, we thank you again for this evening. Lord, I thank you for the folks here in this church lord and i thank you for their testimony their their love and the desire not only to get the gospel around the world lord but even in their own town lord i just pray that you would use your word to continue to encourage us to challenge us lord to not lose sight lord keep our eyes upon jesus continue to look forward continue to be faithful lord when those times of affliction come when the trials come Help us to know that you're drawing us even nearer to you, and to just continue to, one step at a time, march forward. Lord, help us to be a witness to somebody. Help us to be a lighthouse to somebody through this week, through that