R1546 A People Worth Witnessing To

Welcome to midweek addition of The Encouraging Word featuring the Bible-based preaching of Dr. Don Wilton today as we open the word of God, the Bible, together with Dr. Walter will be talking out of people witnessing to change in our perspective on those around us and the people that need Jesus.

Some that are close to us and some that are further away is a powerful change when we look at it to the eyes of Jesus today will gain more insight as we study the word together, but Dr. Wilson wants me to remind you that as we study we love to pray with you and for your keyboard to keyboard on our website@theencouragingword.org or the phone line 8668. That's 866-899-9673. We love to pray with and for you. Now today's message Dr. Don Wilton people worth witnessing father so many times you speak to us really were all feel so weak they know words that can really describe to you the majesty and glory of who you are. Thank you for loving us.

Thank you for speaking to us. Thank you for being there for us and we worship you today, both in the spirit because you are spirit in you and well our hearts, and you speak to us by your spirit and in word because we stand firmly upon the promises of your word, every word from Genesis to Revelation. We believe in this Encouraging Word.

It's in Encouraging Word speak to us today. Encourage all hearts. We pray this prayer in Jesus name together. A man I just love you today. That's all just in many ways.

That's my message.

I just want you to know that and actually, that message comes through me. I'm saying to you that I love you and I really do. I'm so happy to see you and to be with you the fellowship like this. But that love which I have in my heart, comes to me because God loves me he loved me so much that he gave his only son, the Lord Jesus to die for me and I now parse that on to you and I want you to hear something this morning as we open our Bibles to the book of acts, and chapter 19 I want you to hear something. This is a very important statement. I want you to know from my heart is Don Wilton let you are a people worth witnessing to you all worth it. I want you to just think about that statement from I'm saying to you is one person I'm parsing on. I want you to know that I'm not any love you, but I believe very implicitly in my heart that you are worth sharing this wonderful message with. I want you to just think of the enormity of that statement's out of the thousands and thousands and potentially millions. By the way of The Encouraging Word television broadcast. I want you to think who I am saying this to and everything I say to you right now. I promise you is true. I'm saying that to Republicans.

I'm saying that the Democrats independence. I'm saying that to men and boys. I'm saying that to ladies and girls and get this, I'm saying that to many people who have been blessed financially and in business and who seemingly have very few warriors in that department, but I'm also saying that to a lot of my friends who really are desperate to have nothing and they got nowhere to turn you with my saying that I'm saying that to someone right now who is in prison who committed a crime and is playing the consequence.

I'm saying that for someone who needs to be forgiven and someone who has been forgiven not only by the Lord Jesus, but by your fellow man saying that potentially I'm saying that to somebody who just absolutely reject God and Jesus. In fact, I'm saying that to you right now and right now you in your heart you hate me because I'm telling you about Jesus. I'm telling you you worth. I'm saying that to somebody today who is a great athlete and I'm saying that to someone who's has no athletic ability.

I'm saying that to someone who has a thousand PhD's and I'm saying that to someone who hasn't had one day of the privilege of much education you worth is why you worth it because Jesus makes all the difference. I just want you to know I want you to know that he's changed my life with.

So take a look over here with me because we must understand how worth it.

It is what pole did so on Lucy's third journey just God came to this man who Bob by the way in and get this today.

Paul himself was a sinner.

He was a bad one.

I mean, he persecuted the church and he met Jesus on the road to Damascus. Annie's whole life changed.

All of a sudden he had joy, peace, forgiveness, and God came to him and say damn I want you to go and tell all people about me because everybody's worth.

Now there's anything that that Satan is going to try and do to you right now he's going to try and convince you that you're not with that you be on guard your beyond Jesus and so what happened here was that he left Antioch, where he was member his home church. He always went back to base and he left, Johnny traveled through this whole region, and he he's first real stop of any significance and we got a zooming yeah is this place called Ephesus write your sunny jump of my finger.

There is there this place called Ephesus and and a remarkable city and some of you will remember that Ephesus was really a cosmopolitan city fullback in that day and I drumming you might as well of landed in Chicago or New Orleans Atlanta in your city in my city, my town and he came here into Ephesus and there they were well all the people I just spoke to you about payroll. There, I mean he just walked into this humanity. I roll their you know we've got some very dear friends with us today who are actually worshiping with us. They serve the Lord.) This part of Turkey. They right hip to the with us and I'll tell you this is a an interesting part.

This is right on the western border of Turkey back in that time a really a Greek city in many ways, but it was under Roman governments and even Caesar Augustus had seen to it that the prosperity that he had in mind for the Roman provinces would would find its expression in Ephesus, so they were very prosperous. They so guess you really wanted to live in Ephesus business people by open businesses.

Prosperity was very, very prominent.

This is a port so you can see it right there on the GMC so you got a lot of poor traffic coming in and out merchants shops just love to go there. I mean, just a lot of things here. Even today, you can go there.

Lotta ships land right there and you coming to the port city and there were just shops ad infinitum in the city that really is the entrance way into the city of Ephesus today is as we know it beautiful and I mean the restaurants and everything. Some of the best food you've ever eaten in your life.

Well, way back in this place you was just like a gathering of prominent people, business people, I mean they would deals going on in the course every time you have prosperity you have poverty everywhere you got prosperity I'll guarantee you will have poverty they they just coexist all the time everywhere all around the world. So you had massive poverty. Yet the working class at the bottom of the list and by the way they became a lack of segmented group. There were those who were kind of Roman and they were those who would Turkish and they were those who came from this persuasion and it was kind of a racial attitude that was present Roger in Ephesus. I mean you don't believe this, but they were actually people who didn't like other people just because of the color of their skin that that wing on the insert racial attitudes rule over the place. Haves and have-nots, rich and poor ROI. By the way, did I mention this, you talk about politics, see the Romans were involved in so the business community, and many others. They wanted to be in the good books of Romans that everybody who was anybody wanted to run for office. So you had to do jet business people backing people running for office. And when they ran for office.

They got up and said you liked me. I promise you I'll open your shop right up on that strategic corner there and make sure you get the best business so bribery and corruption.

I know we've never heard of that in America, but I'm just saying that in Ephesus. What was there not there. Oh, by the way they built this incredible library.

These were learned people they were academics.

I mean, they went to school there.

They studied the medical University was ball. None may send people all over the place and then to actually sit of Ed, but there is that all tape of the Temple of Artemis I RT EMISIRT EM R is the temple of Artemis.

She was the goddess known as Diana to the Romans and she was the goddess of fertility Chester see childbearing. Don't mess with a lady and her body so they translated even the very issues related to those things that belong to God into the political arena of their lives. I said what we gonna do is we forget about God is God we worship cults with pagans we worship, brick and mortar and stone. God has nothing to do with her. So what we gonna do is we going to take even the very sanctity of life and we got to translated into the fabric about human genius going to turn it into a political weapon. Ephesus, here comes Paul, I think. I'm not trying to put words in the polls mouth, but I think pull many what it's and if you read his letter to the church at Ephesus. I think he did the sobbing pole stood up and said excuse me hello excuse me everyone. I'm not sure to talk about your Republicans and your Democrats in your issues or your businesses or your up so your downs. I want to tell you about Jesus you're listening to Dr. Don Wilton who speaks very boldly does not. And don't we aspire for that sense of confidence and boldness and insight. Each of our different temperaments. The ability to share our faith to witness the other day. Dr. Wilton mentioned about the importance of just telling our story about being a witness either called to the stand in a court of law. They just asked us to tell what you saw. If you tell people what you're seeing in your own life by the power of Jesus that could be your greatest witnessing tool that can empower you to be bold. It's also an opportunity we have to pray you through that boldness. Maybe there someone in particular you're praying to witness to her family or group. Let us pray specifically for you gets a call hello spray right now at 8668.

We would love to pray for you. That number is 866-899-9673, and of course that number and other ways to connect on our website@theencouragingword.org. We love to be a part of your support system to encourage you in God's word. Now that today's message with Dr. Don listen. These people believe man go then worship pagans go ballistic. Do whatever you want to do but don't come here with Jesus, man.

I we going to get to.

It got so bad they went into a writing frenzy.

Eventually that's read about it. Just a few verses, just a few exits that starting next chapter 18 verse 24 now June 9 the policy and native of Alexandria, came to Ephesus. He was an eloquent man competent in the Scriptures.

Verse 26 he began to speak boldly in the synagogue.

Chapter 19 in verse one. As it happened while Paulus was at Corinth ballparks through inland country and he came to Ephesus and they he found some disciples and he said to them, did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believe they should not. We've not even heard that there is a Holy Spirit when he said in the damning today. What then were you baptized by sitting to John's baptism and Paul looked at them and said, man what a great man, but your believing sincerely not knowingly your belief is misguided said even John was telling the people to believe in the one who was to come off to him that is Jesus got out of the site, then the end of the synagogue for three months he spoke boldly reasoning persuading them. Here it is again about the kingdom of God go down to verse 11 zoning Ephesus and God was doing extra ordinary miracles by the hands of Paul father why they didn't have the Bible pull was it God used him in every way. I got out of verse 20 I'm gonna fill in the gaps for you in just a minute.

Verse 20.

So the word of the Lord continue to increase and prevailed mightily now just say this to you again my name is Don Wilton and I'm a Christian man in Jesus came into my heart.

I didn't deserve that I'm a sinner. Sin grievously against God. I was best to be separated from him for all time and eternity, but because he loved me he revealed himself to me and I gave my heart and life to Jesus and he kind my heart and he forgave me for all of my son and he restored me reconciled me number one to God. Number two to my fellow man and then get this in my life. The he said to me, I want you to get up from your Antioch. I want you to go to the world and has what I want you to do.

I don't you to preach politics or business at all. I want you to do is just to love all people in the name of Jesus until them about me. That's what Paul was doing. That's what you are not, and it's hard to stick to this because we all have stuff. We all have feelings we all have emotions we all have persuasions we we are all individuals, and then make it even better. We live in the greatest country in the world and we now know we got our right to live to do to say whatever we want to because that's my right. I miss with my rights and that's my problem and Jesus came into my heart and because the spirit has come into my life. I am submitting myself to his spirit by his help in my life is following Jesus. That's what pole did so, what we find in the city of Ephesus. What we find that there were some people who spoke boldly. We read about a polished. That was going on amongst those people.

We find that some people believed sincerely. I think chapter 19 I Bob never met a more American a few verses in all my life like and we can even exist.

But it's like every time I read that I think of me and my people and us of who I am. These people believed sincerely, they weren't saved.

How can you be saved because John can't save anybody listen hello you know how many unbelievably precious, wonderful, deeply sincere people there all in every city in every community and on West surrounded the cannot tell you something. Folks of the love they are no grade of people on the face of the earth, and the American person. You won't find a more generous person openhearted more hospitable and we got a slew of men and women who have sacrificed their lives for this country.

You can be as genuinely lovely and a sincere and is wonderful. I want you to know that what I had to do was to give my heart to Jesus because this Bible tells me that it's at the name of Jesus, that every knee will bow and every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, not drawn, the Baptist.

It's not Billy Graham is not Don the Wilton. Not Abraham's not the Pope's not to priest your bishop Jesus and don't get me wrong I mention my name, jolly nice person to you. I think I'm I'm quite frankly, I think I'm or let's get on the next subject to soaked son believed sincerely and wanted pole do your ride. Then he said let me tell you about Jesus. Number three.

Some resisted stubbornly Bible tells us in verse eight, 10, they were stubborn resistance to the gospel. This during these weeks I'm I'm thinking so much about students on two many of already arrived on campus as I book frames you went and unpacked their sons and daughters in our college campuses and are still doing high school students kindergartners love our students proud of it. Promise you on those campuses. All of this is going to be there.

Roth even on a campus going to be somebody gonna speak boldly the word of God. The gonna be some who just sincerely, all religious salt of the earth. Many of them in the gonna be some who resist stubbornly that's what happened in these verses here Bible tells us very clearly entered then reasoning with them, persuading them.

Some became stubborn continued in their unbelief. You know that there's someone listening to me right now you are stubbornly going to just walk away from Broadman you got is all I know it one day, but right now it's going to get stubborn somewhat touched miraculously on I love this in verse 11 and 12. Bible says the Lord was doing extra ordinary miracles through pool and in this regard. Even handkerchiefs aprons that it touched the skin were carried away to the sick. Paul was there Bible.

He was to them.

The carrying over of the gospel, God used it. God came in the God will use you.

I want to encourage you something because I think there are some precious friends right now, you need a miracle.

Don't what is America miracle, something that only God can do a lot as it's not a miracle but let me tell you, God will use anything at his disposal.

Listen to your doctor, God will use your doctor.

Listen to your best friend who loves Jesus seek off to that you want a miracle in your life. Don't put a limit on God is that cannot just say that none tell God not identify what it is. Give yourself to prayer and fostering bringing to your circle.

A small group of very godly people to pray with you. Anticipate what God's going to do and then trusting tie committees would, and you receive God's miracle never find yourself getting to the point at which you say I'm done. Nothing can be done. I it's hard. I prayed with a dear man yesterday.

Both Karen and I did. We both prayed with him and for him just love it sprayed with Jodi's hand just prayed with him. He's been very somewhere in my oppressive Lord I pray for the spray loves you Mrs. being in church concrete precious man. I pray for God's miracle Rick Smith, God's miracle. We prayed for you brother. I'm go around this place.

Everywhere I start naming one person after another. Where you been down you being almost dictated out and a miracle is something that God does and that's the part that we go to race ourselves in him, whether he does, whether he does it brings the big Y when God doesn't heal, why, why, Lord, why didn't you heal my husband you my friend.

Why did you do this that's not a criminal question God knows that of course because it brings us in conflict without emotions.

I can't explain it to you why, but I do know that God does. I want to trust him, don't you, I'm pray for you. I'm praying for you because I love you in the name of Jesus I put my hands on you.

I meant to pray for you all ask God to give you. That's what he did when he came to Ephesus. It doesn't matter if you're Republican or Democrat doesn't know whether you got enough money or don't have enough it doesn't matter.

God loves you give your life to Jesus what happened just somewhat touched miraculously and as a consequence in this 13 through 20 somewhere delivered mightily that blossom popped there about the presence and power of the evil one. The desire of Satan to sift us as we did get a hold of the hearts about people in our nation and our young people but God is sovereign and mighty powerful.

He provided what happened, people would delivered Mike so the word of the Lord continue to increase in mightily and as we understand that love of God. It's life-changing were ready to talk with you, answer questions, pray with you at 866899 word that's 866-899-9673 or online@theencouragingword.org. Before we get away another powerful fall from Dr. Don Wilton are you ready to give your heart and life to the Lord Jesus Christ. Why don't you pray this prayer with me right now. Dear God, I know that on the center and I know that Jesus died for me on the cross today, I repent of my sin and by faith I receive you into my heart. In Jesus name, my friend.

I welcome you today into the family of God. This is exciting news for a bit. If God has stirred your heart through the power of his Word the Bible itself, and his messenger Dr. Don Wilton that you wouldn't let this moment just silt physical way is Dr. Don would say, take action, draw a line in the sand. Let us help you do that by praying with you and for you. Maybe putting some resources in your hands like beginning a new time of Bible study with the daily Encouraging Word. It's free for the asking. If you call us at 866899 help you spend discipline time five or 10 minutes to start with that encouraging. Watch God again asked for as you call 866899673.

Sign up online and being in foraging were.org one of you teacher friend of mine came that day and was having a film she really needed so I gave her.

She took it as a treasure shortening the time, praise the Lord she needed thing and I know that every day draws high God's word