Richer Than You Think (cont'd)

Hello and welcome to this Monday edition of Destin for victory with pastor Paul Shepherd, Senior Pastor destiny Christian Fellowship in Fremont California. Thanks so much for making this part of your day just a few moments. Pastor Paul continues the series you've got mail.

But before you get started. He joins me now from his studio in California pastor love the name of this series, I remember AOL's you've got mail in that movie that came out you've got mail by the same title, but you've got mail is also the title of our series, and a great title for the message assuring about the seven letters that John wrote to the churches in Revelation 2 and three.

Now we all understand that Revelation is so much about the future but this is important mail for the church today. You believe that I do. I want people to get it that back in the first century of the church's existence. The apostle John got direct mail for the churches in Asia minor and he shared it when he was released from his exile on the Isle of Patmos. And as a result, we are able to be blessed because what I found out is that those messages were not just for those seven physical churches.

Those messages were for the church down through the ages. When you look at every message there something in there for each of us today. And so my attempt in this series is to unpack those things and help us understand that Revelation is in a scary book. It is a book to help you get your act together and become the person God has destined you to be.

And as we say so often hear the broadcast. In Christ, you are destined for victory. Thanks for the encouragement. Pastor Paul were looking forward to continuing this series of messages in just a moment. First, a quick reminder Destin for victory is a listener supported ministry when the depends on your prayers and financial support to keep these messages airing the whole year through for your generous gift today. We have a gift of her own to share with you a booklet from Pastor Paul called traits of a virtuous woman. Pastor Paul wrote this booklet to honor mothers in particular and godly women in general. As you follow along, you'll discover several important traits that all women should embody that's traits of a virtuous woman.

A booklet from Pastor Paul based on Proverbs 31 in our gift to you this month by request for your generous gift to Destin for victory call 855-339-5500 or visit Pastor Paul.net to make a safe and secure donation online.

You can also mail your gift to Destin for victory PO Box 1767, Fremont, CA 94538. Again, our address Destin for victory. Box 1767, Fremont, CA 94538 let somebody know I cannot tell somebody stance is define who you all just because you're going through what you're going through you not calling yourself what you're going through these things have I spoken unto you, that in me you might have peace in the world.

You shall have tribulation, but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world. Jesus spoke those words to his disciples, and by extension, he spoke them to you and me today are destined for victory. Pastor Paul reminds us that is who we go to know what we go through. It makes us who we are less joint. Pastor Paul knows he shares his message richer than you think you will remember. If you wonder a special thing on Saturday your path with God when long as you have done first. I did then you would get your chores off the refrigerator. They had a lift up on the refrigerator was held that magnet and you look and see what you do and often I have to do like say the living room and what have you may want to clean the whole thing due to blinds do the wood work around the windows and due to floor and you know back in the day that big old stereo sit in the living world. You will remember those days gone by big old paint man in the living room big enough to be a casket just about different math.com phone and we had one of those you got the clean monitor just want to print it all to go get you some lemon don't remember on their annual-make sure the wipe down the bottom in the basin makes on sweep all around and make sure that Rome is action within them. Many of them want to hang out all day. We got to be at Jimmy's house by nine get up early and cleaned and what have you. And so we put on a record to help us get through it in the middle of that big old console lift up the lid playwright in their back in the day there on it and then you put the handle on and they would take the rest of the automatic all and will start spinning around and then the thing would come on down, clean, and Michael Jackson would be an open meeting. Please see the one to read everything you love and recognition and all we had to try to help believers understand you do something in the family. Don't be so heavenly minded that you know but guess what these days. I'm finding that there are more people who need to be told you can't be so earthly minded, you're no heavenly.

We got a lot of folk today who think this is supposed to be utopia, and they get freaked out when they hit their first good trial Bible promised you.

It wasn't always going to be easy. Bible promised you always have a wonderful time in this life. Jesus said, you will have tribulation sometime but then he said that depression is be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.

What makes living that you don't change. If you have God be who can be against the chair even when you're going to because you is not been paying on a basketball team and you will play this other thing that has a big reputation.

We were intimidated when they were being introduced.

We look at them and see how big they were and who we are a little scrawny kid and then he will come West Philly or somewhere like they got Lebron James somebody over there and you know God is okay about whoever else is down the ball and get out the way and tribulation, he said, but be of good cheer, because I have overcome the know. I know you're probably all know that you're dealing with being slandered by those who are Jews who say they are Jews but are not understand the context there what was happening is here in Smyrna. Believers had to deal with troubled onto side. Number one, they had trouble dealing with Romans wanted to worship Caesar and then they had the trouble of dealing with Jews who wanted to persecute Christians had trouble coming onto side.

On the one hand, they live in the city was a city that was given over to what came to be called temple worship. What that means is they came to recognize Caesar so much already that it was required of citizens and smart they would go annually and offer incense to a shrine erected on behalf all in the name of in honor of Caesar and while since they were to say not Jesus, but Caesar is Lord. So if you're a Christian in Florida every year. They want you to go burn incense the Caesar and to say Caesar is Lord. What you know the Christians couldn't do that Caesar is not Lord Jesus is Lord and so the Christians couldn't do that. Now what happens all the minute they got a certificate and then do this annually certificate was good for year and it proved that you were a good citizen because you were living under the rule of Caesar, everybody who did not have that certificate to come to you and ask you where is your certificate question your loyalty and you could not produce the certificate you were subject to be jailed and possibly executed. So if you're Christian in Smyrna you have to deal with that then you have to deal with Jews who are zealously persecuting you in the same way that Saul used to persecute Christians before he met Jesus. You had people who were zealous were always picking on Christian thought to be a believer in this church were a person dealing with slander dealing with collection and often had an economic point where you beat and you would be you would not be blessed financially because they were picking on you trying get you to renounce your faith and Jesus wanted them to know even though you're going through this. He says in this passage number one, don't be afraid.

And in number to be faithful wisely tell them. Don't be afraid and be faithful. He says because from God's vantage point. You're not poor and afflicted and slandered from God's vantage point. You are written. I will let somebody know how I came to tell somebody do circumstances define who you are going through what you're going through, calling yourself what you're going through may only back in the Old Testament just because husband died and her two sons died. She said don't call me Naomi anymore, which meant gracious. She said, call me Mara because that means bitter. She read cell after her feelings remain yourself after you feeling got a remain yourself after your faith.

God said, I am doing what God said I can do my flexion poverty might be slandered by people that my but because God said it right here in the but you are actually written about your faith what God calls you let the devil see you swing. See you came in here because what you're going to the enemy of good that time all your tribulation and if they where is your God now that you will be so anxious to get the church now. I bet you will be what sometimes you worship times you worship just as a conviction brain heading still ahead. The second half of Pastor Paul's destined for victory message richer than you think. Remember you can always listen to the broadcast on demand on your schedule@pastorpaul.net that's Pastor Paul.net or subscribe to the podcast at Apple podcast it's modifying or where ever you get your podcasts well, it's not easy to praise God when we don't feel like when the world is beating us up wearing us down. That's why it's called a sacrifice of praise is Pastor Paul Shepard with the rest of today's message richer than you think when you will stay home. You're going to happen like getting people to stay home on a sitdown strike right and what if circumstances change. Not all you know what to do. Glad rags on you make your way to the house of God you don't like God at all in my mouth just to make the devil may because you don't name yourself after you trouble yourself after your faith, he said you all a rich, I know you will have a lot of money right now. I know you're being persecuted right now. He said, but you are rich I will tell somebody about the somewhat God for the batch you single women who believe in God for a husband you want a good godly man, and in your mind you just believe in for this one you can see he's all handsome and what have you and he loves God's kingdom first time any sermon in ministry. He loved God he pays the bill, treat the mama like the man about and that's what you believe in God you and what have you and so you believe and you have yet but don't let the devil make you remain yourself calling yourself alone because you haven't met the man of your dreams yet because when you get your Bible, your Bible says you're never alone when he said, look at your job ever since you been say you hadn't had anybody remind you people you had.

You were so glad to get rid of making you feel like you had it may get rid of all, you came to know Jesus came to church and pastor Paul TC got the word that you can live raggedy and walk with God that you got to clean up your life and be sexually pure and all that you taken the word the heart, letting the word speak into your life and now you know what you gotta let the word of God alone the Lord with you. I'll never leave you on the psychic that Isaiah 54 the Lord says don't be a shame that you live in shame.

The Lord, am your husband catch all by you telling about us as I got a man I gotta many things real good care of me my soul, my me somebody talk you believe in charge look at you leave all by yourself and people even with somebody with them and what have you, the devil is a liar you walking across the street from our trying to get to your car and see that you had a man shall manage the last time you saw all the things that you will met you saw the man jump out of my baby, is what you want and meanwhile minimize what God is doing for you call yourself by your faith, not just circumstances. God says I can do what God says I can do in my may say I am but God save the rich. He says what I let you go through it always goes on to tell them. Now I want you to not be afraid of what you are about to suffer. Give them a heads up that intense but brief persecution is coming into their lives. He says a good way to go through intense persecution about the suffer something you're going to be placed in prison. Some of you to be tested by the enemy. He says, but it's only will last a while. In this passage it says 10 days and that is symbolic of a brief period of time. God let his people go through intense persecution.

Sometimes the enemy will seem to be having his way with you, but gossip about it.

I'll make sure it doesn't let you know what you're going through.

You will go through always. So you gotta number one, don't be afraid they are not constantly through your Bible you see those words feel not. Don't be afraid.

Listen to what you gotta fight off is not so much the devil I don't know if I don't always the worst ever is going to happen what to do, not by sight.

By fear and you gotta say like David walk through the valley of the shadow of I refuse to fear evil. Don't let the devil see you sweat. Don't let the devil make you think that is all over you have the right to call the game in your life. He's not the referee God. And so I'm going to put my trust in him and I'm going to wait for him to turn my situation around, and in the meantime I refuse to walk in fear, he says fear not and he says be faithful, be faithful stay true to God. Stay focused on his word.

Stay in touch with his family don't drop off. Going to church because it borne not the time to stop hanging out with God's people have to time to get in there say pray with me encouragement walk with me. I'm going through some tough time believing and he says be faithful, even to the point of death. He says here he says in the Lord promises you will give you the crown of life. You know that even death. Sometimes the saints of old lay down their lives and sealed their testimony with their own blood. And if the truth be told, there are people today in parts of our world right now who are being killed and being persecuted and their only crime is they love Jesus. I will let you know was not just Bible times it's happening the day I will let you also know that being a Christian in America in the coming years is not going be quite as cute and popular as it has been in the past. I will let you know that the fires of persecution are heating up even in our land. I can see the signs. I can see the storm clouds gathering didn't tell you that are now trying to make it so that we follow Christ are not seen in such a great light, and I'm not quite sure that some of us will begin to taste a little bit of persecution. Unlike we have ever experienced before in this land, but let me tell you if that happens, the Bible says don't be afraid. Stay faithful to God, you have to lay down your life for serving God. He says no, that is a crown of life that the Lord said is going to be. That's what Paul said at the end of his life in second Timothy chapter 4, he said, I have fought a good fight, I have finished the course, I have kept the faith. He said henceforth there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge will give me and not to me only, he said, but to everyone who loves you. I want to let you know.

You're richer than you think might be going through a tough time. You might be going through a challenging season but don't fear stay faithful God is going to bring you through God's thanks so much for joining us for today's message richer than you think. If you'd like more information about the destined for victory ministry where this month special offer. A booklet from Pastor Paul called traits of a virtuous woman. Be sure to stop by your website.

Pastor Paul.net that's Pastor Paul.net for subjective features of relativism, foundational truths that God is the foundation of our true with everything that is that's tomorrow when Pastor Paul Sheppard shares his message. Don't buy the line until they remember he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion in Christ, you are destined for victory