R1546 A People Worth Witnessing To

God has an encouraging word for you and me today about something we already have, but we need to be sharing that's coming up next. You may or may not know the story in the Bible of a friend was carried by four other friends to the feet of Jesus's friend was paralyzed because of his buddies faith the ones that carried him. Jesus was, is there somebody in your life that needs the healing of Christ in unity. Carrington to him witnessing to them all people worth witnessing to his our message today from Dr. Don Wilton well-known evangelist and author here at The Encouraging Word we want you know we pray for you right now but what's going on your life.

It 866-899-WORD even as we study the Bible, 866-899-9673 or me this online and The Encouraging Word.org fellowship like this 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 gone willing to let you already people worth witnessing to you all worth it 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 it. 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, beyond God, 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 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 emphasis 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, who all the people I just spoke to you about my role there. I mean, he just walked into this humanity I role there. You know we got some very dear friends with us today who are actually worshiping with us. They serve the Lord.) This part of Turkey they write to after the with us and I'll tell you this is a uninteresting part.

This is right on the western border of Turkey back in that time a radio 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 city you can see it right there on the GMC so you got a lot of port 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 a lot of ships land right there and you coming to the port city and there are 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 seeing maintenance group.

There were those who were Connor Roman. Then there were those who would Turkish and there were those who came from this persuasion and it was kind of a racial attitude that was present Roger in Ephesus. I mean, you know, I believe this but they were actually people who didn't like other people just because of the color of their skin that that waiting 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 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 owner there and I'll make sure you get the base business bribery and corruption. I know we've never heard of that in America, but I'm just saying that care in Ephesus.

What was there not. Oh by the way they both 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 set of Ed all but is that all tape of the Temple of Artemis I RT EMISIRT EM is the temple of Artemis.

She was the goddess known as Diana to the Romans and she was the goddess of fertility chaps to see childbearing. Don't mess with the 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 going to do is we forget about God is God we worship cults with pagans we worship, brick and mortar and so God has nothing to do with this. So what we gonna do is we going to take even the very sanctity of life and we going to translate it into the fabric about human genius and 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 in 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 countries my goodness what a glorious inning to a powerful message from Pastor today and the challenges real for me and real for you. Will we be the one we take that stand. Sometimes the stand is is is going to be very subtle work in our families, we have to say we know this is right. So let us speak out about. I think the way we speak out is critical as well. If you like to have someone praying about how to share the truth about how to be that the men and women of God. We need to be whether Jeanette's morning situation or business families. Let us pray with you and for you to do that 24 hours a day, 866899 word is 866-899-WORD 967 to connect all hello my friends want to personally speak to you today. My heart to yours. You know, it seems to me that throughout the wound people from every walk of life, both churched and unchurched struggle with questions just like this one is salvation is my salvation will I go to heaven. What happens when arson. Most of you know that I had a long wonderful personal relationship with Dr. Billy Graham how much he impacted my life and millions of people around the world. You know on one of our occasions back in the early 2000's.

Mr. Graham looked at me and he said Don there to critical things that we need to deal with someone. The question of salvation people giving their lives to Christ. I see dear Mr. Brian what's the second he said that those people have given their lives to Christ no, that they belong to him.

And so it is that he encourage me to write a wonderful book quote totally secure the people all across the country have been in a position today. In fact, even wrote the forward for me.

I want you to have that assurance that we write about from God's word that you are going to heaven. Please pick up the telephone write-down: number and request a copy encouraging board cost wound is is supported by viewers and listeners like you want to make a difference in our world.

So thanks for requesting my book totally secure your financial support enables us to continue forward. Christ, our time is gone, but as your story is unfolding. 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 it's read about it. Just a few verses, just a few excerpts that starting next chapter 18 verse 24 now June 9.

The policy made up of Alexandria, came to Ephesus. He was an eloquent man competent in the Scriptures. Verse 26 he began to speak boldly in the sun the ball 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 three miracles by the hands of Paul by the way, they didn't have the Bible close it. God used him in every way.

I got on verse 20 I'm gonna fill in the gaps for you in just a minute. This 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 destined 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 all 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 E 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 and I do 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 where all individuals and then to 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 to mess 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 pulled it 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 but then chapter 19 I've I've 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 but 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 greater 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 is 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 is 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 so son believed sincerely and wanted pull do your ride. Then he said let me tell you about Jesus.

Number three. Some resisted stubbornly Bible tells us in verse eight, 10, that 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 campuses but 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 broth, 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 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 God you got on I know it one day, but right now you just going to get stubborn somewhat touched miraculously on I love this in verse 11 and 12. Bible says the Lord was doing extra three 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 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 to miracle in your life.

Don't put a limit on God is that cannot just say that.

Don't tell God not identify what it is.

Give yourself to prayer and fostering bring into 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.

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 Hilty's hand just prayed with him. He's been very you somewhere in my oppressive Lord I pray for the spray loves you Mrs. being in church can't be a 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 doesn't. 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 with our 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 to pray for you. I'm praying for you because I love you in the name of Jesus I put my hands on you.

I'm at a price you lost God to hear you. That's what he did when he came to Ephesus. It doesn't matter if you're Republican or Democrat. It doesn't matter 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 verse 13 through 20 somewhere delivered mightily that lost part 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 and powerful. He provided what happened people were delivered mightily so the word of the Lord continue to increase and provoke you mightily. I like that don't you. So now where all we what I wanted to share with you today you are well worth sharing with because God loves you. The only difference between the best of us in here with their mouth is the grace of God my friend. You bow your heads with me this morning's out team comes and joins me. I want you to consider your verdict today. Give your life to Christ.

I want to invite you to turn your heart over to Jesus. I time just about gone before we go on remind you one more time that phone number is 866-899-WORD.

That's 866-899-WORD 9673 and were connecting keyboard to keyboard online as well. At The Encouraging Word.org come into the beginning the program and already we have folks texting and if you are interested in receiving an email from Dr. Wilton every single day. A daily Encouraging Word a touch of Scripture an opportunity to see how that unfolds. Maybe another live by. And then see how to I want to say something to you. You ready for this. Thank you. The powerful word is small one powerful. I want to thank you you see the sun hardly rises or states in a day that we don't see people come to know Christ through this bold cost ministry every day and you make that possible through your prayers. Most of all, and through your financial giving. God is doing something great and in our world today.

This medium of television very important folks. This is very very important. God is allowing us to going to more and more homes across the United States of America. Thank you for helping us make this possible. And let's never stop praying that people would come to know Jesus. God bless you. Our time is gone.

The remember our website, The Encouraging Word.org and this phone number, answer 24 hours a day. Would love to speak with you. Pray with you connect with resources at 866899673