The Sermon Give Courage by David McGee
Dec 27, 2015
Give Courage (36:20)
Referenced Scriptures: Acts 9:19-27; James 3:1-18
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The scriptures below are from the WEB Bible.
Acts 9:19-27
19) He took food and was strengthened. Saul stayed several days with the disciples who were at Damascus.
20) Immediately in the synagogues he proclaimed the Christ, that he is the Son of God.
21) All who heard him were amazed, and said, "Isn‘t this he who in Jerusalem made havoc of those who called on this name? And he had come here intending to bring them bound before the chief priests!"
22) But Saul increased more in strength, and confounded the Jews who lived at Damascus, proving that this is the Christ.
23) When many days were fulfilled, the Jews conspired together to kill him,
24) but their plot became known to Saul. They watched the gates both day and night that they might kill him,
25) but his disciples took him by night, and let him down through the wall, lowering him in a basket.
26) When Saul had come to Jerusalem, he tried to join himself to the disciples. They were all afraid of him, not believing that he was a disciple.
27) But Barnabas took him, and brought him to the apostles, and declared to them how he had seen the Lord in the way, and that he had spoken to him, and how at Damascus he had preached boldly in the name of Jesus.
James 3:1-18
1) Let not many of you be teachers, my brothers, knowing that we will receive heavier judgment.
2) For in many things we all stumble. If anyone doesn‘t stumble in word, the same is a perfect man, able to bridle the whole body also.
3) Indeed, we put bits into the horses‘ mouths so that they may obey us, and we turn about their whole body.
4) Behold, the ships also, though they are so big and are driven by fierce winds, are yet turned about by a very small rudder, wherever the pilot desires.
5) So the tongue is also a little member, and boasts great things. Behold, how much wood is kindled by how small a fire!
6) And the tongue is a fire. The world of iniquity among our members is the tongue, which defiles the whole body, and sets on fire the course of nature, and is set on fire by Gehenna.
7) For every kind of animal, bird, creeping thing, and thing in the sea, is tamed, and has been tamed by mankind.
8) But nobody can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison.
9) With it we bless our God and Father, and with it we curse men, who are made in the image of God.
10) Out of the same mouth comes forth blessing and cursing. My brothers, these things ought not to be so.
11) Does a spring send forth from the same opening fresh and bitter water?
12) Can a fig tree, my brothers, yield olives, or a vine figs? Thus no spring yields both salt water and fresh water.
13) Who is wise and understanding among you? Let him show his deeds done in gentleness of wisdom by his good life.
14) But if you have bitter jealousy and selfish ambition in your heart, don‘t boast and don‘t lie against the truth.
15) This wisdom is not that which comes down from above, but is earthly, sensual, and demonic.
16) For where jealousy and selfish ambition are, there is confusion and every evil deed.
17) But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceful, gentle, reasonable, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality, and without hypocrisy.
18) Now the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace.
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We have that. That chorus that you put up. That had the stars in the sky. Is that too hard to throw that up there. There was a song we have what they had stars is the background. Yeah. Overcome. To see the stars. There is this. Old Farmer who went out camping with this young. Geologist. No geologist. Astrologists There we go and. So he takes them out and they're camping and so on and he wakes up in the middle of the night. And they you know. Look at the stars and he wakes up the stroller just says what do you see. He says while that's astronomically we see the stars in the skies in the solar systems. Theologically we see the hand of creating all this and he's going through all this stuff. Then he looks at the old farmer and says What does it mean to you. The old farmer says. Somebody stole our tent. Oh look. This. Sometimes I just get inspired you know. I see things you know. That you would call that inspiration that would do. So. Well today. I thought we were going into the new year. One of the most important things that we can give you know. Talk about New Year's resolutions and news the year's this and other things. One of the greatest things we can give is encouragement. And the le of the message is give courage. Now giving courage or encouragement is not instructions let me tell you what you need to do with your new with the new year. Sorry that's not it. And encourage means that we find. We find reasons and we find the good in what's going on you know. I think this year is going to be one of our best years as a church. And I'm not just saying that because it's. This Sunday and there's hundreds of people waiting in line to get in the door. But I'm. I believe that that it's going to be a good year a great year for the church and for our church family and for the whole perspective because you just have that feeling you have that. Kind of an inner. And inner peace and inner understanding and you know if I'm wrong next year at this time you say Pastor you were wrong OK well they're not believer for next year. But. But the idea is that. We give ourselves courage. You know David says that. David encouraged himself in the Lord. That he had reached a point in his life that. Things had gone wrong and people had deserted him he's annoying to be king of Israel. And he's fleeing for his life and. Everybody that was surrounding him and helping him or he's gone and he's by himself with his dreams and. Somebody stole his tent. You know. Everything's gone. Except his understanding that was with him. And the Bible says He encouraged himself in the Lord meaning he picked himself up by his own bootstraps. So we have this idea of courage and being courageous. Doesn't mean that we don't see things for what they are you see. Being blind. Doesn't make us courageous. Not seeing obstacles. Doesn't make us courageous you know just. It's like to have told you this one but. The Sunday school teacher was talking to the cl and saying you know about how a lot. And his wife. Left. Sodom and Gomorrah. And she looked back and she turned into a pillar of salt. You know a little boy he says well that's nothing. My mom look back and she turned into a telephone pole. So. So. This too well. So anyhow. We look at these things. Not seeing something doesn't mean we have courage. All right. So being blind to the events around us. Does not mean we have courage in courage mate is we see things. And we understand things that we under the complications or. The simplicity but that we see them and with what. With what we see. We also understand something else. And the understanding of something else is understand that has a will and purpose his word that he speaks to our hearts and minds and we accompany the two of those together. And so in the midst of the difficulties. We have hope. We have courage. We have the ability to face it to deal with it too. In all things give thanks for this is the will of in Christ Jesus meaning that we are thankful that is with us. In this crises are in this point. This place. So I am your looking at how that is going to. He is going to speak his word into our life. To help us in this moment or in any moment that may come. That we're going to be safe we're going to be taking care of. And it's all OK. So we are then looking at that now in Acts Chapter nine. Beginning of verse nineteen. We have. A The great encourage are. And we're going talk about him a. Briefly. And so we'll read it. Saul spend a few days getting acquainted in with the Damascus disciple so. Saul is had he is his. Damascus Road experience. He has been knocked to the ground by the light and Christ spoke to him and his life has been changed to blind his blindness has fallen off of his eyes and. He has been prayed for and he recognizes Jesus as the Messiah. And he was on his way to Damascus to persecute the church. To imprison those who believed in Christ and he was going to you know. Continue to wreck havoc on the church. But after he met Jesus. And he began to his life changed completely. From being an opposition to the church. As now being a disciple of Christ. So he became acquainted with the Damascus disciples by. But then he went right to work wasting no time preaching in the meeting places that Jesus was the Son of . He had an immediate change. That Christ came to him and say oh Saul Saul why or why do you kick against the s Why do you keep kicking against me. You know. Why do you keep kicking against the truth and you know. And he. And he US KNOW WHO ARE YOU LORD IT'S ONE Jesus. I'm the one you persecute. So the disciples then in Jerusalem. They are scuse me in Damascus they were caught off guard by him. This and. Not at all sure that they could trust him. OK so they thought Paul's. Paul's got a plot here this solve to me it's all. He has a plot here. He's trying to preach. And get us all the in one place and then he's going to rest a song kill us you know so I thought Saul was up to no good. They kept saying. So these are the disciples and people in Damascus. Isn't this the man who wrecked havoc in Jerusalem and all believers. And didn't he come here to do the same thing arrest us and drag us off to jail in Jerusalem. For sentencing by the High Priest. But they're suspicious. Their suspicions. Didn't slow. Saul down for even a minute. His momentum was up. And now he was plowed straight into the opposition disarming the Damascus Jews and trying to show them that this Jesus was the Messiah. After this had gone. After this. Had gone on quite a long time some Jews conspired to kill him. OK so if. If he's really one of these disciples. We always got a solution for that will kill him. But Saw got wind of it. They were watching the city gates around the clock so they could kill him. Then one of the then one night the disciples engineered his escape and lowered him over the wall in a basket. So the guys who plotted to kill. Solve waited at the gate you know you there's no way to get out unless you go through the gate. While. Saul and. Over the wall in a basket. Well meantime back in Jerusalem like that. You know that in Jerusalem. He tried to join the disciples. But they were all afraid of him. They didn't trust him one bit. Then. Barnabas. Barnabas took him under his wing. He introduced him to the Apostles and stood up for him. Told them how Saul had been how how Saul had seen and spoken to the Master on the Damascus Road. And how in Damascus itself. He had laid his life on the line with his bold preaching in Jesus' name. So we have the. We have Saul. Here with a change of heart. Meeting up with. Barnabas and Barnabas is this. This guy who is known as the encourager. You know if you. My friend or one of my teachers from. From seminary and professors and. Over the years he had what he called a Barnabas ministry. And his Barnabas ministry was he traveled all over the world with teams. And that's the guy I went to Africa with two different times. He traveled all over the world. With different teams can bring different preachers together and taking them the. Different places throughout Africa and South America. To minister to the local people. To the local preachers and things so. He had what he called Barnabas ministries and. He had his difficulties. One night. Traveling back from some remote village. He was broadsided by a train. And almost killed so here he is out in the middle of nowhere. Car demolished and he's laying alongside of the road. So he survived that finally. Hours later someone. Someone found him. And he survived that but he didn't stop. Going back to to Africa. And so on so but that was his ministry is his name was David wins. But encourage means to find courage and courage means to find courage. So where do we find courage. It's under the book on the shelf an left hand side there's a pamphlet you pick it up and. Courage you pick that up and. Where do we find courage. How do we come up with courage. Well maybe we should maybe I should ask the question how do we find a fear that. Just let your imagination go. You know. How do we find that things are impossible. While we see what's going to go wrong. How are we going to be able to do this how is this going to work out we start questioning. And it's good to find questions. It's good to answer our questions and doesn't have a problem with us asking questions. It's whenever we allow our questions. To develop into fears and our fears to develop into a paralyzing moment. You know. Deer in the headlight type thing. So. Encouragement then is to find courage to find a way to look at something you know. A perspective. I think that. Our fear. Comes from a perspective. Fear comes from a perspective. But so does courage. See doesn't say. To be blind. And pretend that something doesn't exist. He says no this doesn't exist now what we're going to do about it how we're going to do this. How are we going to approach this how we're going to solve this. And you know when. When the children of Israel found themselves at the. At the sea. And there was no way around when the Egyptian army is behind them and the seas in front of them and. Moses. You know the people became frightened and they're. You know. Would we should died back in Egypt in. What is Moses to. He prays. And gives him. A sense of direction. So it isn't in our fears. But it's in our faith that we find courage and courage. Is dealing with the situation in a way that is healing for us. I remember the story of these missionaries they were I think they. I don't know if they were in Africa or South America or something. They were captured by a tribe. That they had gone to minister to. And of course the tribe was going to kill them. So bombed them up and. You know had them in their hands and feet bound and they had them bent over. You know. To cut their heads off. And while they're bent over. With their heads cut off the other one says. So instantly imagine our heads rolling down the hill and hoping against those logs Donaire. And they started laughing. That. They're there. That you know they started laughing and joking about their heads rolling down the L.. And running into a log. And they were laughing so much that people thought they were insane and they couldn't kill them then. Yeah. The there in saying we can't the. Then their spirits will come and get us if we kill them. And they had to let them go they let him go because they thought these two guys were insane and. You know but they're in the moment it was you know they're going to die how do we get out of this god well. You know start laugh and. You know right. But they. You know. So we see that. Sometimes our courage. Flies away from us because we don't see that is with us. And or we don't see that. The hand of can sustain us. Isn't it odd that having courage is not. Or not having courage it has little to do with the things around us as much as. As it has with the things about us. How we think about these things. You know. Our fears are generally. Surrounding our thoughts. You know. There have been people afraid to go out of their house. I mean. I've had I've had counsel people years ago member counseling people that. While they were afraid to go out their house so their friend came to see me so that I they could tell them how to to get out of their house. You know. But it was just one of those things people were afraid to get out of to move beyond their little Bond series because they thought. The world was going to end. You know the chicken little mentality. Sky is falling you know. Well. There are people who live like that and. We all have those types of fears. To some degree it's. In some ways. And generally it's about. Our thoughts and our thoughts that have come to us and maybe legitimate situations you know. People are afraid to fly. Why because there's been crash there's been there's been planes that crashed or people who are afraid to go across bridges. There are people who are afraid to go through tunnels there are people who are. You know. Afraid to ride in cars people are afraid to remember I had one individual. He was afraid to make left turns. Because if he had to stop at a light if he ran into a place where there was a stop light that things were going to happen and so they he always had to get somewhere by making right turns. And if he couldn't get there by making right turns he wouldn't go. So. And what was his reasoning while he heard about or experienced something at some point in his life and made a great big phobia. Out of it. OK. Well. In our lives. What we think we make these things up. And there are Strewth to it and see in the Bible is giving us the truth. Of the Scriptures to help us overcome these things. They overcame by the blood of the Lamb in the word of their testimony. Saying that. OK. They overcame by the blood of the Lamb and the word of their testimony. The blood of the Lamb is the blood of Jesus Christ. Shed for the room. Mission of our sins so are our salt in our life is clean. We have eternal life. And the word of our testimony is our. Our experience with god. And how that has done something in our lives. And through us in helping us or helping others. He is more so in Proverbs Chapter three. Twenty three verse seven says for as he thinketh in his heart so he is. So as a man thinketh in his heart. It's below and that's what we become. So our thoughts are what we think what we say and what we do. They're all connected. And so this is not about you just think the right things everything will go well. No it isn't that. It is allowing. The Word of . Our faith in . Our understanding of. That has a plan for our life. And our trust that is going to work this out now we don't. You know it's like holding up a piece of a puzzle. And saying. I know what the puzzle is you know I can solve this puzzle with one piece. You know. And it's a thousand piece puzzle. It's like a work. But as you put the pieces together we begin to see a pattern and that there's something being accomplished here. All things work together for good. To those who love and are called according to His purpose. can put all of these things together in a picture in a puzzle. To work out to a divine good. So we don't understand the puzzle we just trust the person who is. We have put our life in contact with were and trust ourselves to which is Christ. So what do you think what you say and what you do are all connected. Like this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus how do you think Jesus thought. You know what were the thoughts of Jesus. You know. He doesn't he doesn't tell us his thoughts he says I've come to do the will of the Father. I've come to give. What the teachings of the Father. Are the Word became flesh and dwelt among us. So Jesus is this and we said this in Sunday School that. In the Old Testament we had all of these pieces of the puzzle of what a Messiah is to look like and be. You know when we studied about it in the. The appearance of Melchezidek this morning and Sunday school that that Christ is a priest after the order. As a tick. So we have this piece of a puzzle. That Christ is going to be like this. Melchezidek. The priest of the mountain doesn't have a beginning doesn't have an end. So you take that piece and then you put another piece and you put the pieces of. Born in Bethlehem born of a virgin you take all these pieces of the puzzle. And you have all stacked up and then you have the life of Jesus. And you have the life of Christ and all these pieces that were collected throughout the Old Testament. Now become the picture in the image of Jesus. And in our life. I think of it in the text that has these pieces all together. And we're living our life. Obedient to . Asking for direction asking him for help. Asking for his and him. The import of. The word in the spirit. And is helping us to put this puzzle together and. He is there working in our life and. And he saw. So we're there to. Allow the Spirit to teach us. Allowing the Spirit to work on our life. Now. Judging . Charts the course. He's the one who puts the course inside of us he's the one who helps us with our dreams and our aspirations and things in. James Chapter three. I've put this one in here because I think of. And I don't want us to. I'm not one of those who says. You know whatever you say you know it's. It's gospel. And there was a teaching. Years ago. That. 's word is eternal and Christ is in my life. Therefore I am eternal. Therefore what I say. Is the same as saying it. And it's like I'm speaking 's word and. What I say goes. That was garbage and. That's not what it means. It means that whatever we have to put our lives in alignment with we have to put our vocabulary. In alignment with what 's vocabulary is now. You know. I have a cold. Whenever I've been sick. OK. So how are you doing. I'm getting better. What because I'm expecting to get better. And I well know. But I'm getting there. You know when I was sick people say Are you sick. Yeah but I'm getting better. So if there is an expectation so our words then become our expectations. So if. If you if you if you see Jesus. Oh this is what this. This where this thing was. If you see me. Do you see Jesus. Now that's a pretty high lofty. Thing you know if you. If you hear me preach you're just like listening to Jesus. Well that would be pretty good that's my goal but I'm not there. Now what happens is that we have this goal. Of what. What is. What is the Word of saying to us and how does the Word of . Influence our thoughts about what we believe. Like for the coming year for tomorrow. What do we believe. Do we believe well you know this is going to be the worst year of my life. And let me tell you how it's maybe the worst year. And so we can go through this whole thing and outlined it and where our expectations our expectations are in disaster. And we are believing and working towards. Things family. Now where in the Bible does it say to us. Belief or destructive behavior and. Try and find it. You know. It doesn't tell us that the Bible says that we are to do the work of to the will of where is the will of in Christ where is it ever been destructive in destroying and tearing people apart and ripping their lives apart and gossiping and. You know. Nowhere. So it's a good thing for us to seek. Good things. It's a good thing for us to speak. And to believe for good things like in James to have two or three verse one and two. Don't be any rush to become a teacher. I wasn't talking about. Teacher teacher. As in history science algebra. Those types of teachers. Don't think you are doing rush to become a teacher meaning. A teacher of the word. The scriptures. In the in the early days of the church. After Jesus had ascended to heaven. The disciples were the primary teachers. While Then there begin there was a whole. Onslaught of individuals who consider themselves. Teachers. Of the gospel. And of the word. So they were running around teaching and and. Sometimes on the the History Channel and those things they have the. The Gospel of Mary the Gospel of Judas the gospel of this guy the Gospel that god. These are ancient writings that. Have inside information as to what and who Jesus was and all that kind of stuff. They may have been written. But they were not written about Christ. And they do not have a revelation. About Jesus and there is reasons why the ancient fathers in the in the. Establish what the canon was the canon the context of the scripture and. James is addressing this idea about Don't Ask Don't don't any of you rush out to become a teacher. Don't rush out and think that you've got a corner on . You've got this revelation on this understanding the Jesus the Messiah. I got to go tell somebody and everything that comes to my mind it's in. They wrote it down and there was kind of all different kinds of things. All wrote about them. But that's neither here nor there. Don't be in any rush to become a teacher my friends teaching is highly a response. His. Is highly responsible work. Teachers are held to be the straight to the strictest of standards. OK. So if you're going to do this you're going to run out there and be a teacher. You're going to be held to a different standard. Now. None of us is perfectly qualified. So there is no there is no such thing as a perfect teacher. There's no such thing as a perfect person. There's no. Not one of us who has the entire Gospel. Of the Revelation of Jesus Christ. Incarnate in me and. You all need to send me ties and money and. You know that doesn't happen. There are people who have. Just like in the New Testament their writers and Paul who has different insights and John has different insights and Peter has different insights. And so there are preachers. On the T.V. and around that have have the same thing. So. If you find someone whose speech was perfectly true. You'd have a perfect person. And perfectly. In perfect control of life. So we don't have the perfect person the perfect control of life. But what is he saying here is that how we fake and say and do what we say we are we are looking to be an control of our life. How do we arrive at control of our life. Through what we think what we say what we do. So if our thoughts are betraying to the Gospel of Jesus Christ. If our thoughts are betraying us. OK. Some of the thoughts are. Remember where we came from doesn't remind us of where we came from. Who reminds us of where we came from. Generally the devil. Evil. Whatever. Because if we can be disheartened. We won't continue to strive on for what is good doesn't remind us of our past because has forgiven us of our past. If has forgiven us why did it why would he bring up the past. State to . It's gone. So I'm set free. So then is. If we want to be in control of our life then we have to allow the Word of to speak to us in the way that we let go of our failures in our past and all the things went wrong we learn from them. We've learned from them but we are not perfect in. Neither is our past ever going to be used against us again. So now. What is it go by. Very important lesson here in verses three a bit. In the mouth of a horse. Controls the whole horse. A small rider on a huge ship. In the hands of a skillful captain. Sets a course in the face of the strongest winds. So you see. What we have here is what we say. Now. As a bit. In the mouth of a horse. You can correct me on this ferry if I'm wrong. A bit to the how orses mouth. Was a do. It guides. You know. She has a horse. This is not your husband it puts a bit in his mouth and makes are gonna. Now she has a horse. She has a horse. So the bit. Will give the direction so our words will give directions. Our words are like a ship in the fierce huge sailing into the wind. You know sailing into the wind it takes a tact. Titian. Being able to use the wind is blowing at you. To go in the direction of the wind. You have to use it in such a way that you go back and forth. And go. In the direction of the wind so our words. Are ways in which we will use to guide our life. Even in the worst of times. We will be a skilful captain in the use of our words. To help us go in the direction of the wind blowing in our face. I think. So our words. Is the wind blowing your face yes it is and it's going to blow me over and blow me off course and I'm never going to see the light again. You know in the midst of the storm we are safe in the midst of the storm is with us he will give direction to our life so on. So a word. Out of your mouth. May seem of no what count. But in accomplishes nearly anything. Or destroy it. So whatever we are talking. Who is it and where my own three minutes left. I'm not close to being done. Part two will be next Sunday. But. But this is. This is such an important thing to to look over and to read. Because a word. A word. Will be something that will give us direction give us hope. Will give us courage. Now. It giving courage just don't worry it will be OK. That's not that's not giving courage. Because number one. Who's going to make it OK. Fate. The Stars. Me. Know. is. So whenever we pray. And we're asking to help us. We're going to pray what we believe the Word of says All things work together for good god this. If we only know ONE scripture. We know that is going to work this out. We've got it in place. is going to do it. It only takes a spark. Remember to set a force the fire spark. Can burn millions of acres. One word. Can Build and help. Lots of people. It can destroy. We don't think of the words you like our society thinks nothing of destroying people's lives. You know on hearsay. You know. While it was said did you hear. You know we have any inside information we can't quote it. But they get all this stuff going on. Of what has been said in the. People didn't say it where you just make it up. Let him prove that it's not true. And. And so in our lives we need to recognize that our words are part of who we are. And we want our words to be healing for us and for other people. And if it didn't happen don't scion of a did happen. And it's not building somebody up. We don't need to talk about it. And if somebody says something that we want they're going to trying to destroy someone. We don't need to hear that. We don't need their garbage dumped in our lives. So we're looking at how that we are to be courageous. Be courage. To give be courageous. To add courage. It's by. It's by listening to what we say. And you know. Again. It's being it's. Listening to what we say. Combined with the Word of . Combined with the Holy Spirit. See it isn't mind over matter. It isn't. The FI speak this. I create this. Know . In Me and his life in me. Gives me hope and from the place of hope. I speak about my faith. And I believe for these things to happen. I'm trusting that they will happen. Well what if they don't. Well what if they do you know. If they don't happen then didn't. Didn't want it to happen. And he'll give me something else that will go in that direction. So our faith in our words. Are learning what the script what the truth of the scripture is. Verse seven and I'll close with this one. This is scary. You can tame a tiger but you can't tame your tongue. The tongue runs wild I want to own a wanton killer. With our tongues we bless our Father and with the same tongues we curse the very men and women. He made in His image. Curses and blessings out of the same mouth. You see. We can't be both you can. If has put something in your heart. Then we've got to talk about it and love and forgiven. And be able to do the right things for the right presence. And my final thought is going back to. I had made his name here. Plays there correctly. Jordan Smith who in the last week saying. Mary did you know well today. He is going to sing for us. Climb Every Mountain. Because with the tongue. We determine the direction of our life. And the destiny. And overcoming is very much a part of the Christian life. Overcoming. And it is you know. Not only is it a moving song for us. Physically and. You know. But spiritually. says those very same things to was. Don't give up that. There's the mountains in front of you if you have faith as a grain of mustard so you can say to this mountain Be Moved. Climb Every Mountain. You see. We're looking at and seeing the obstacles but. From inside we're hearing the voice of . And the voice of is His Spirit and His Word. Saying. I can do all things. Say on to this mountain. Be moved. That. It is not the will of than any should perish but all should come to repentance. I mean we're looking at how they're gone is that work in our lives. To touch us. And to touch the lives of others. And sometimes that touch. Is just a hug or is a word of encouragement. A touch and saying you know what will be with you and help you through this. And the flood of 's presence. Comes over that person. And it's a moment. What did we do. We gave the word of encouragement. And was able to break into that the song. Is able to break into our soul. Hearts and give us that moment. Of moment. That things are going to be OK. Amen. Let's stand. So Father. We thank you. That there is no mountain too high. No valley too low. No river that is too wide no obstacle that is too great. There is no difficulty that cannot be solved there is only you who speaks hope and peace and direction to our lives and so Lord let our minds. Our hearts our spirits. In our words are words oh god align with your spirit in your word. To speak the truth of your love within us. About Us. And about our family. For It is your will that. That we be saved. And our household. We believe these truths Lord. And we pray for our families. We pray in Jesus name Amen Amen Amen. Climb the mountain.We have that. That chorus that you put up. That had the stars in the sky. Is that too hard to throw that up there. There was a song we have what they had stars is the background. Yeah. Overcome. To see the stars. There is this. Old Farmer who went out camping with this young. Geologist. No geologist. Astrologists There we go and. So he takes them out and they're camping and so on and he wakes up in the middle of the night. And they you know. Look at the stars and he wakes up the stroller just says what do you see. He says while that's astronomically we see the stars in the skies in the solar systems. Theologically we see the hand of creating all this and he's going through all this stuff. Then he looks at the old farmer and says What does it mean to you. The old farmer says. Somebody stole our tent. Oh look. This. Sometimes I just get inspired you know. I see things you know. That you would call that inspiration that would do. So. Well today. I thought we were going into the new year. One of the most important things that we can give you know. Talk about New Year's resolutions and news the year's this and other things. One of the greatest things we can give is encouragement. And the le of the message is give courage. Now giving courage or encouragement is not instructions let me tell you what you need to do with your new with the new year. Sorry that's not it. And encourage means that we find. We find reasons and we find the good in what's going on you know. I think this year is going to be one of our best years as a church. And I'm not just saying that because it's. This Sunday and there's hundreds of people waiting in line to get in the door. But I'm. I believe that that it's going to be a good year a great year for the church and for our church family and for the whole perspective because you just have that feeling you have that. Kind of an inner. And inner peace and inner understanding and you know if I'm wrong next year at this time you say Pastor you were wrong OK well they're not believer for next year. But. But the idea is that. We give ourselves courage. You know David says that. David encouraged himself in the Lord. That he had reached a point in his life that. Things had gone wrong and people had deserted him he's annoying to be king of Israel. And he's fleeing for his life and. Everybody that was surrounding him and helping him or he's gone and he's by himself with his dreams and. Somebody stole his tent. You know. Everything's gone. Except his understanding that was with him. And the Bible says He encouraged himself in the Lord meaning he picked himself up by his own bootstraps. So we have this idea of courage and being courageous. Doesn't mean that we don't see things for what they are you see. Being blind. Doesn't make us courageous. Not seeing obstacles. Doesn't make us courageous you know just. It's like to have told you this one but. The Sunday school teacher was talking to the cl and saying you know about how a lot. And his wife. Left. Sodom and Gomorrah. And she looked back and she turned into a pillar of salt. You know a little boy he says well that's nothing. My mom look back and she turned into a telephone pole. So. So. This too well. So anyhow. We look at these things. Not seeing something doesn't mean we have courage. All right. So being blind to the events around us. Does not mean we have courage in courage mate is we see things. And we understand things that we under the complications or. The simplicity but that we see them and with what. With what we see. We also understand something else. And the understanding of something else is understand that has a will and purpose his word that he speaks to our hearts and minds and we accompany the two of those together. And so in the midst of the difficulties. We have hope. We have courage. We have the ability to face it to deal with it too. In all things give thanks for this is the will of in Christ Jesus meaning that we are thankful that is with us. In this crises are in this point. This place. So I am your looking at how that is going to. He is going to speak his word into our life. To help us in this moment or in any moment that may come. That we're going to be safe we're going to be taking care of. And it's all OK. So we are then looking at that now in Acts Chapter nine. Beginning of verse nineteen. We have. A The great encourage are. And we're going talk about him a. Briefly. And so we'll read it. Saul spend a few days getting acquainted in with the Damascus disciple so. Saul is had he is his. Damascus Road experience. He has been knocked to the ground by the light and Christ spoke to him and his life has been changed to blind his blindness has fallen off of his eyes and. He has been prayed for and he recognizes Jesus as the Messiah. And he was on his way to Damascus to persecute the church. To imprison those who believed in Christ and he was going to you know. Continue to wreck havoc on the church. But after he met Jesus. And he began to his life changed completely. From being an opposition to the church. As now being a disciple of Christ. So he became acquainted with the Damascus disciples by. But then he went right to work wasting no time preaching in the meeting places that Jesus was the Son of . He had an immediate change. That Christ came to him and say oh Saul Saul why or why do you kick against the s Why do you keep kicking against me. You know. Why do you keep kicking against the truth and you know. And he. And he US KNOW WHO ARE YOU LORD IT'S ONE Jesus. I'm the one you persecute. So the disciples then in Jerusalem. They are scuse me in Damascus they were caught off guard by him. This and. Not at all sure that they could trust him. OK so they thought Paul's. Paul's got a plot here this solve to me it's all. He has a plot here. He's trying to preach. And get us all the in one place and then he's going to rest a song kill us you know so I thought Saul was up to no good. They kept saying. So these are the disciples and people in Damascus. Isn't this the man who wrecked havoc in Jerusalem and all believers. And didn't he come here to do the same thing arrest us and drag us off to jail in Jerusalem. For sentencing by the High Priest. But they're suspicious. Their suspicions. Didn't slow. Saul down for even a minute. His momentum was up. And now he was plowed straight into the opposition disarming the Damascus Jews and trying to show them that this Jesus was the Messiah. After this had gone. After this. Had gone on quite a long time some Jews conspired to kill him. OK so if. If he's really one of these disciples. We always got a solution for that will kill him. But Saw got wind of it. They were watching the city gates around the clock so they could kill him. Then one of the then one night the disciples engineered his escape and lowered him over the wall in a basket. So the guys who plotted to kill. Solve waited at the gate you know you there's no way to get out unless you go through the gate. While. Saul and. Over the wall in a basket. Well meantime back in Jerusalem like that. You know that in Jerusalem. He tried to join the disciples. But they were all afraid of him. They didn't trust him one bit. Then. Barnabas. Barnabas took him under his wing. He introduced him to the Apostles and stood up for him. Told them how Saul had been how how Saul had seen and spoken to the Master on the Damascus Road. And how in Damascus itself. He had laid his life on the line with his bold preaching in Jesus' name. So we have the. We have Saul. Here with a change of heart. Meeting up with. Barnabas and Barnabas is this. This guy who is known as the encourager. You know if you. My friend or one of my teachers from. From seminary and professors and. Over the years he had what he called a Barnabas ministry. And his Barnabas ministry was he traveled all over the world with teams. And that's the guy I went to Africa with two different times. He traveled all over the world. With different teams can bring different preachers together and taking them the. Different places throughout Africa and South America. To minister to the local people. To the local preachers and things so. He had what he called Barnabas ministries and. He had his difficulties. One night. Traveling back from some remote village. He was broadsided by a train. And almost killed so here he is out in the middle of nowhere. Car demolished and he's laying alongside of the road. So he survived that finally. Hours later someone. Someone found him. And he survived that but he didn't stop. Going back to to Africa. And so on so but that was his ministry is his name was David wins. But encourage means to find courage and courage means to find courage. So where do we find courage. It's under the book on the shelf an left hand side there's a pamphlet you pick it up and. Courage you pick that up and. Where do we find courage. How do we come up with courage. Well maybe we should maybe I should ask the question how do we find a fear that. Just let your imagination go. You know. How do we find that things are impossible. While we see what's going to go wrong. How are we going to be able to do this how is this going to work out we start questioning. And it's good to find questions. It's good to answer our questions and doesn't have a problem with us asking questions. It's whenever we allow our questions. To develop into fears and our fears to develop into a paralyzing moment. You know. Deer in the headlight type thing. So. Encouragement then is to find courage to find a way to look at something you know. A perspective. I think that. Our fear. Comes from a perspective. Fear comes from a perspective. But so does courage. See doesn't say. To be blind. And pretend that something doesn't exist. He says no this doesn't exist now what we're going to do about it how we're going to do this. How are we going to approach this how we're going to solve this. And you know when. When the children of Israel found themselves at the. At the sea. And there was no way around when the Egyptian army is behind them and the seas in front of them and. Moses. You know the people became frightened and they're. You know. Would we should died back in Egypt in. What is Moses to. He prays. And gives him. A sense of direction. So it isn't in our fears. But it's in our faith that we find courage and courage. Is dealing with the situation in a way that is healing for us. I remember the story of these missionaries they were I think they. I don't know if they were in Africa or South America or something. They were captured by a tribe. That they had gone to minister to. And of course the tribe was going to kill them. So bombed them up and. You know had them in their hands and feet bound and they had them bent over. You know. To cut their heads off. And while they're bent over. With their heads cut off the other one says. So instantly imagine our heads rolling down the hill and hoping against those logs Donaire. And they started laughing. That. They're there. That you know they started laughing and joking about their heads rolling down the L.. And running into a log. And they were laughing so much that people thought they were insane and they couldn't kill them then. Yeah. The there in saying we can't the. Then their spirits will come and get us if we kill them. And they had to let them go they let him go because they thought these two guys were insane and. You know but they're in the moment it was you know they're going to die how do we get out of this god well. You know start laugh and. You know right. But they. You know. So we see that. Sometimes our courage. Flies away from us because we don't see that is with us. And or we don't see that. The hand of can sustain us. Isn't it odd that having courage is not. Or not having courage it has little to do with the things around us as much as. As it has with the things about us. How we think about these things. You know. Our fears are generally. Surrounding our thoughts. You know. There have been people afraid to go out of their house. I mean. I've had I've had counsel people years ago member counseling people that. While they were afraid to go out their house so their friend came to see me so that I they could tell them how to to get out of their house. You know. But it was just one of those things people were afraid to get out of to move beyond their little Bond series because they thought. The world was going to end. You know the chicken little mentality. Sky is falling you know. Well. There are people who live like that and. We all have those types of fears. To some degree it's. In some ways. And generally it's about. Our thoughts and our thoughts that have come to us and maybe legitimate situations you know. People are afraid to fly. Why because there's been crash there's been there's been planes that crashed or people who are afraid to go across bridges. There are people who are afraid to go through tunnels there are people who are. You know. Afraid to ride in cars people are afraid to remember I had one individual. He was afraid to make left turns. Because if he had to stop at a light if he ran into a place where there was a stop light that things were going to happen and so they he always had to get somewhere by making right turns. And if he couldn't get there by making right turns he wouldn't go. So. And what was his reasoning while he heard about or experienced something at some point in his life and made a great big phobia. Out of it. OK. Well. In our lives. What we think we make these things up. And there are Strewth to it and see in the Bible is giving us the truth. Of the Scriptures to help us overcome these things. They overcame by the blood of the Lamb in the word of their testimony. Saying that. OK. They overcame by the blood of the Lamb and the word of their testimony. The blood of the Lamb is the blood of Jesus Christ. Shed for the room. Mission of our sins so are our salt in our life is clean. We have eternal life. And the word of our testimony is our. Our experience with god. And how that has done something in our lives. And through us in helping us or helping others. He is more so in Proverbs Chapter three. Twenty three verse seven says for as he thinketh in his heart so he is. So as a man thinketh in his heart. It's below and that's what we become. So our thoughts are what we think what we say and what we do. They're all connected. And so this is not about you just think the right things everything will go well. No it isn't that. It is allowing. The Word of . Our faith in . Our understanding of. That has a plan for our life. And our trust that is going to work this out now we don't. You know it's like holding up a piece of a puzzle. And saying. I know what the puzzle is you know I can solve this puzzle with one piece. You know. And it's a thousand piece puzzle. It's like a work. But as you put the pieces together we begin to see a pattern and that there's something being accomplished here. All things work together for good. To those who love and are called according to His purpose. can put all of these things together in a picture in a puzzle. To work out to a divine good. So we don't understand the puzzle we just trust the person who is. We have put our life in contact with were and trust ourselves to which is Christ. So what do you think what you say and what you do are all connected. Like this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus how do you think Jesus thought. You know what were the thoughts of Jesus. You know. He doesn't he doesn't tell us his thoughts he says I've come to do the will of the Father. I've come to give. What the teachings of the Father. Are the Word became flesh and dwelt among us. So Jesus is this and we said this in Sunday School that. In the Old Testament we had all of these pieces of the puzzle of what a Messiah is to look like and be. You know when we studied about it in the. The appearance of Melchezidek this morning and Sunday school that that Christ is a priest after the order. As a tick. So we have this piece of a puzzle. That Christ is going to be like this. Melchezidek. The priest of the mountain doesn't have a beginning doesn't have an end. So you take that piece and then you put another piece and you put the pieces of. Born in Bethlehem born of a virgin you take all these pieces of the puzzle. And you have all stacked up and then you have the life of Jesus. And you have the life of Christ and all these pieces that were collected throughout the Old Testament. Now become the picture in the image of Jesus. And in our life. I think of it in the text that has these pieces all together. And we're living our life. Obedient to . Asking for direction asking him for help. Asking for his and him. The import of. The word in the spirit. And is helping us to put this puzzle together and. He is there working in our life and. And he saw. So we're there to. Allow the Spirit to teach us. Allowing the Spirit to work on our life. Now. Judging . Charts the course. He's the one who puts the course inside of us he's the one who helps us with our dreams and our aspirations and things in. James Chapter three. I've put this one in here because I think of. And I don't want us to. I'm not one of those who says. You know whatever you say you know it's. It's gospel. And there was a teaching. Years ago. That. 's word is eternal and Christ is in my life. Therefore I am eternal. Therefore what I say. Is the same as saying it. And it's like I'm speaking 's word and. What I say goes. That was garbage and. That's not what it means. It means that whatever we have to put our lives in alignment with we have to put our vocabulary. In alignment with what 's vocabulary is now. You know. I have a cold. Whenever I've been sick. OK. So how are you doing. I'm getting better. What because I'm expecting to get better. And I well know. But I'm getting there. You know when I was sick people say Are you sick. Yeah but I'm getting better. So if there is an expectation so our words then become our expectations. So if. If you if you if you see Jesus. Oh this is what this. This where this thing was. If you see me. Do you see Jesus. Now that's a pretty high lofty. Thing you know if you. If you hear me preach you're just like listening to Jesus. Well that would be pretty good that's my goal but I'm not there. Now what happens is that we have this goal. Of what. What is. What is the Word of saying to us and how does the Word of . Influence our thoughts about what we believe. Like for the coming year for tomorrow. What do we believe. Do we believe well you know this is going to be the worst year of my life. And let me tell you how it's maybe the worst year. And so we can go through this whole thing and outlined it and where our expectations our expectations are in disaster. And we are believing and working towards. Things family. Now where in the Bible does it say to us. Belief or destructive behavior and. Try and find it. You know. It doesn't tell us that the Bible says that we are to do the work of to the will of where is the will of in Christ where is it ever been destructive in destroying and tearing people apart and ripping their lives apart and gossiping and. You know. Nowhere. So it's a good thing for us to seek. Good things. It's a good thing for us to speak. And to believe for good things like in James to have two or three verse one and two. Don't be any rush to become a teacher. I wasn't talking about. Teacher teacher. As in history science algebra. Those types of teachers. Don't think you are doing rush to become a teacher meaning. A teacher of the word. The scriptures. In the in the early days of the church. After Jesus had ascended to heaven. The disciples were the primary teachers. While Then there begin there was a whole. Onslaught of individuals who consider themselves. Teachers. Of the gospel. And of the word. So they were running around teaching and and. Sometimes on the the History Channel and those things they have the. The Gospel of Mary the Gospel of Judas the gospel of this guy the Gospel that god. These are ancient writings that. Have inside information as to what and who Jesus was and all that kind of stuff. They may have been written. But they were not written about Christ. And they do not have a revelation. About Jesus and there is reasons why the ancient fathers in the in the. Establish what the canon was the canon the context of the scripture and. James is addressing this idea about Don't Ask Don't don't any of you rush out to become a teacher. Don't rush out and think that you've got a corner on . You've got this revelation on this understanding the Jesus the Messiah. I got to go tell somebody and everything that comes to my mind it's in. They wrote it down and there was kind of all different kinds of things. All wrote about them. But that's neither here nor there. Don't be in any rush to become a teacher my friends teaching is highly a response. His. Is highly responsible work. Teachers are held to be the straight to the strictest of standards. OK. So if you're going to do this you're going to run out there and be a teacher. You're going to be held to a different standard. Now. None of us is perfectly qualified. So there is no there is no such thing as a perfect teacher. There's no such thing as a perfect person. There's no. Not one of us who has the entire Gospel. Of the Revelation of Jesus Christ. Incarnate in me and. You all need to send me ties and money and. You know that doesn't happen. There are people who have. Just like in the New Testament their writers and Paul who has different insights and John has different insights and Peter has different insights. And so there are preachers. On the T.V. and around that have have the same thing. So. If you find someone whose speech was perfectly true. You'd have a perfect person. And perfectly. In perfect control of life. So we don't have the perfect person the perfect control of life. But what is he saying here is that how we fake and say and do what we say we are we are looking to be an control of our life. How do we arrive at control of our life. Through what we think what we say what we do. So if our thoughts are betraying to the Gospel of Jesus Christ. If our thoughts are betraying us. OK. Some of the thoughts are. Remember where we came from doesn't remind us of where we came from. Who reminds us of where we came from. Generally the devil. Evil. Whatever. Because if we can be disheartened. We won't continue to strive on for what is good doesn't remind us of our past because has forgiven us of our past. If has forgiven us why did it why would he bring up the past. State to . It's gone. So I'm set free. So then is. If we want to be in control of our life then we have to allow the Word of to speak to us in the way that we let go of our failures in our past and all the things went wrong we learn from them. We've learned from them but we are not perfect in. Neither is our past ever going to be used against us again. So now. What is it go by. Very important lesson here in verses three a bit. In the mouth of a horse. Controls the whole horse. A small rider on a huge ship. In the hands of a skillful captain. Sets a course in the face of the strongest winds. So you see. What we have here is what we say. Now. As a bit. In the mouth of a horse. You can correct me on this ferry if I'm wrong. A bit to the how orses mouth. Was a do. It guides. You know. She has a horse. This is not your husband it puts a bit in his mouth and makes are gonna. Now she has a horse. She has a horse. So the bit. Will give the direction so our words will give directions. Our words are like a ship in the fierce huge sailing into the wind. You know sailing into the wind it takes a tact. Titian. Being able to use the wind is blowing at you. To go in the direction of the wind. You have to use it in such a way that you go back and forth. And go. In the direction of the wind so our words. Are ways in which we will use to guide our life. Even in the worst of times. We will be a skilful captain in the use of our words. To help us go in the direction of the wind blowing in our face. I think. So our words. Is the wind blowing your face yes it is and it's going to blow me over and blow me off course and I'm never going to see the light again. You know in the midst of the storm we are safe in the midst of the storm is with us he will give direction to our life so on. So a word. Out of your mouth. May seem of no what count. But in accomplishes nearly anything. Or destroy it. So whatever we are talking. Who is it and where my own three minutes left. I'm not close to being done. Part two will be next Sunday. But. But this is. This is such an important thing to to look over and to read. Because a word. A word. Will be something that will give us direction give us hope. Will give us courage. Now. It giving courage just don't worry it will be OK. That's not that's not giving courage. Because number one. Who's going to make it OK. Fate. The Stars. Me. Know. is. So whenever we pray. And we're asking to help us. We're going to pray what we believe the Word of says All things work together for good god this. If we only know ONE scripture. We know that is going to work this out. We've got it in place. is going to do it. It only takes a spark. Remember to set a force the fire spark. Can burn millions of acres. One word. Can Build and help. Lots of people. It can destroy. We don't think of the words you like our society thinks nothing of destroying people's lives. You know on hearsay. You know. While it was said did you hear. You know we have any inside information we can't quote it. But they get all this stuff going on. Of what has been said in the. People didn't say it where you just make it up. Let him prove that it's not true. And. And so in our lives we need to recognize that our words are part of who we are. And we want our words to be healing for us and for other people. And if it didn't happen don't scion of a did happen. And it's not building somebody up. We don't need to talk about it. And if somebody says something that we want they're going to trying to destroy someone. We don't need to hear that. We don't need their garbage dumped in our lives. So we're looking at how that we are to be courageous. Be courage. To give be courageous. To add courage. It's by. It's by listening to what we say. And you know. Again. It's being it's. Listening to what we say. Combined with the Word of . Combined with the Holy Spirit. See it isn't mind over matter. It isn't. The FI speak this. I create this. Know . In Me and his life in me. Gives me hope and from the place of hope. I speak about my faith. And I believe for these things to happen. I'm trusting that they will happen. Well what if they don't. Well what if they do you know. If they don't happen then didn't. Didn't want it to happen. And he'll give me something else that will go in that direction. So our faith in our words. Are learning what the script what the truth of the scripture is. Verse seven and I'll close with this one. This is scary. You can tame a tiger but you can't tame your tongue. The tongue runs wild I want to own a wanton killer. With our tongues we bless our Father and with the same tongues we curse the very men and women. He made in His image. Curses and blessings out of the same mouth. You see. We can't be both you can. If has put something in your heart. Then we've got to talk about it and love and forgiven. And be able to do the right things for the right presence. And my final thought is going back to. I had made his name here. Plays there correctly. Jordan Smith who in the last week saying. Mary did you know well today. He is going to sing for us. Climb Every Mountain. Because with the tongue. We determine the direction of our life. And the destiny. And overcoming is very much a part of the Christian life. Overcoming. And it is you know. Not only is it a moving song for us. Physically and. You know. But spiritually. says those very same things to was. Don't give up that. There's the mountains in front of you if you have faith as a grain of mustard so you can say to this mountain Be Moved. Climb Every Mountain. You see. We're looking at and seeing the obstacles but. From inside we're hearing the voice of . And the voice of is His Spirit and His Word. Saying. I can do all things. Say on to this mountain. Be moved. That. It is not the will of than any should perish but all should come to repentance. I mean we're looking at how they're gone is that work in our lives. To touch us. And to touch the lives of others. And sometimes that touch. Is just a hug or is a word of encouragement. A touch and saying you know what will be with you and help you through this. And the flood of 's presence. Comes over that person. And it's a moment. What did we do. We gave the word of encouragement. And was able to break into that the song. Is able to break into our soul. Hearts and give us that moment. Of moment. That things are going to be OK. Amen. Let's stand. So Father. We thank you. That there is no mountain too high. No valley too low. No river that is too wide no obstacle that is too great. There is no difficulty that cannot be solved there is only you who speaks hope and peace and direction to our lives and so Lord let our minds. Our hearts our spirits. In our words are words oh god align with your spirit in your word. To speak the truth of your love within us. About Us. And about our family. For It is your will that. That we be saved. And our household. We believe these truths Lord. And we pray for our families. We pray in Jesus name Amen Amen Amen. Climb the mountain.