R1525 Obedient Courage

And and here's the reason why want to speak to us because many of us have seen Jesus. We we've seen him at work. Many of us, we we've seen. I've seen Jesus I want you to know that I have seen him obscene. The Lord Jesus, obscene, obscene them in the live so that distinctive voice is the voice of Dr. Don Wilton and if he talks about this affirmation were about to launch into. You need to know we are here to affirm a complete and courageous life for you. Part of what we do is bring together for each other for something we can pray for in your life. Want to let us know you're on this Monday edition of The Encouraging Word will be talking about obedient courage since of obedience is sometimes oppressive but instead it can be freeing as we step into the obedience God calls us to. And we receive the blessing. It's exciting here at 866899 word to pray with you that 866-899-WORD 9673 or online@theencouragingword.org and now after Donald look at an incredible passage of Scripture. We're in acts chapter 8 beginning at verse 26 this is a story about an encounter between two people, one of the people had a personal relationship with Jesus Christ.

The other one did not and then an encounter took place.

So let me just read verse 26 of the book of acts and chapter now an angel of the Lord said to Philip, rise up and go toward the south to the road that goes down from Jerusalem to Gaza. This is a desert place so Philip rose up and he went and there he found an Ethiopian eunuch I court official of Candace queen of the Ethiopian.

Was this Ethiopian he was in charge of all of her treasure so he was not an insignificant man.

He was a man with great responsibility and he had come to Jerusalem to worship and he was returning, seated in his chariot and was reading the prophet Isaiah, could you just don't look at me just a second. Everybody went to Jerusalem to worship church was the kind of thing that you do you ever been around someone who just wonderful people, churches, that's what we do we we go to church.

Bob met many people that say you know that's the way I was born and raised by the way, from the age of six I fell into that category. That's what we do. You know the right thing to do go to church this man went he went to the temple. This was what you did. Look what happened here so he was returning.

Seated in East chart, and he was reading this word member. We are instructed by his word he was reading specifically the prophet Isaiah, and the spirit said to Philip over and join this chariot, so Philip ran to him and hurting reading Isaiah the prophet. So for the boss. Do you understand what you're reading. And he said how can I unless someone guides me so he invited Philip to come up and sit with him. Now the passage of Scripture that he was reading was this one like a sheep he was led to the slaughter like a lamb before it sure is silent, so he opens not his mouth. His humiliation justice was denied him who can describe his generation for his life is taken away from the earth. By the way, you can read that yourself. It's in Isaiah 53 and verse seven and eight, Isaiah 53 and verse seven of this man.

The Ethiopian eunuch in East charity was just sitting there riding along coming back from Jerusalem.

He'd been in worship. He did the right thing and he opened the Scriptures and he was reading Isaiah 53 Philip jumps into his chair existing do you know you understand. Already support how can I know I don't understand the song I've somebody doesn't tell me how my supposed to understand these things verse 34. So the eunuch said to Philip about whom are skewed as the prophet say this about himself or about someone else. Then Philip opened his mouth and beginning with this Scripture. He told him the good news about the Lord Jesus, and as they were going along the road, they came to some water in the eunuch said, see there is water. What prevents me from being baptized, by the way of you being baptized. You need to be all help you will help you. That's why we hear what prevents me from being baptized, say, come on Jared to stop.

They both went down into the water. Philip and the eunuch and he baptized and then they came back up out of the water. That's biblical baptism. Baptism by immersion. That's what Jesus did. He went down under the water. The water closed over him like death closes all of us over Jesus.

Jesus was put in the grave, and he died completely. But he didn't stay under the water, because God raised him up to walk in newness of life. He brought him back from the grave he conquered. He defeated so when you give your heart to Jesus baptism is exactly that. It's a picture that's why we've got to do what Jesus told us to do when you get into the water you go under the water or another personal take you project under the war. The water close symbolizing identifying with the day burial and then resurrection raised up we sold at the beginning of our worship today with Rosa. What a beautiful picture incredible picture. It's the most amazing celebration is exactly what happened here. So when they came up out of the water. The spirit of the Lord carried Philip away. The eunuch saw him no more went on his way rejoicing. And of course they intersected later on wanted to speak to you little bit about obedient courage and and here's the reason why want to speak to us because many of us have seen Jesus. We we've seen him at work. Many of us, we we've seen. I've seen Jesus I want you to know that I have seen him obscene.

The Lord Jesus obscene him obscene him in the lives of so meant I see him in you, many of us have ever read about him. I have two.

I've read all about Jesus and many of us really believe in him, I do. I really believe in him.

I got all the ingredients of obscene him and know him a British document.

I have them living in my heart but I'm going to tell you that I really battle actually go and take him to people it's it's easy, and in a way, if I can say this very lovingly.

It's a lot easier stand you matzoh. I'd rather you know that I've thousand deaths enough to stand up there where you are. It's easier for me to stand here and talk to thousands of people by way of The Encouraging Word Rd. Ministry in our own beloved congregation in downtown Sparta but I'll tell you to get up or do over the road going to talk to someone who doesn't know Jesus. Now you made me, and there are a thousand times that I have not had the courage please forgive the eruption will be back with so much more of Dr. Wilson's message just a moment, but if you're in that battle just like Dr. Don confessed in one of the great joys of the body of Christ as we can move through that battle together, we can hold your arms up we can lift you up, through prayer for connecting right now online@theencouragingword.org that's the Encouraging Word.org or this phone number it's 866899673866899673 would love to connect with you and connect with resources that will help grow your faith Palestine back in today's message obedient courage with Dr. Don Wilton want you to listen to something that happened to me just going to share a personal story because it happened right here in the city and if you haven't heard the story. I just going to remind some of you wonderful story. This was the Monday off to my first Sunday with you.

So we talking a long time ago I was brand-new I didn't even know where Walmart was in our city had no clue in my office here at the church was just boxes all over the place brand-new. My wife and I now three younger children and just Onset God's cold moved here from the great city of New Orleans, Louisiana, just hearing my Louisiana accent for the first time and I walked into my office on Monday morning and the next minute one of the most dearest precious man I've ever met walked into my office. He's name is Bill Adams and I love Bill Adams. If you have made Bill Adams, you need to faithful servant encourager. He and Ms. Shirley as precious as anybody could have been and she's in the presence of Jesus. Today, well will Adams walked in to my office negotiating all the boxes just came to say hello and welcome any walked over, took me by the hand he said Dr. Wilton in his wonderful southern accent. So glad you're here.

And by the way pasta would you pray with us all a certain gentleman. I said well you are asking me to pray a man of my caliber for someone who is. He said Willy's name is Paco Sam Sam Rhodes. I said really would tell me about this man.

He said well if you open up the blind, the curtain of your office and you look across town on St. John's you see little breakfast place.

Dominic will pop a sand yeah I see that over the said will Amanda learns that name is Sam Rhodes he's affectionately known as Papa Sam and he said you know he someone well known, but he he doesn't know Jesus is no relationship with Jesus.

We've been praying for him for you Vincent for years and for years that he would give his heart to Jesus. I want to just tell you something folks.

I wish that I could tell you that this was natural to me but God taught me a lesson on the first day that I was privileged to be loved by you. I can't explain it to. But I turned to Bill Adams and I say dim brother Bo really you been praying for him for how he's at all years and years and years.

I said will come on let's go for. We went marching out of my office all the way down the elevator across the parking lot up and down market down to St. John. There was no bonnet parks will nothing else was they were just pushing against jungle and everything else. Back in those days I just went down then just walked into this place and Bill Adams was trying to keep up me as we got to the door. Bo turned to me and he said no. Notwithstanding Sam is a fine man. He don't Black preachers. I said well thank you very much. Thanks for telling me that you know this is like inviting me to have a personal conversation with a Rottweiler you know I mean this is getting worse and worse. When we walked in there and you remember Bo, he was standing right there at the doorway and is my memory serves me. He was a big man and he had on these, over rolltop things in Eddie's fingers in the straps and go see this is our new pasta that's it's like would you like a meal.

Now you want to just you want to eat him and gobble them alive. Later on, folks.

Could you understand I'm the new kid on the block here and I'm nervous. My heart is a pure I can only tell you God had something to do this because I looked at this man never made them before. Didn't I am. I've never been into that place and I say dim. Mr. Rhodes could we meet somewhere privately he looked splattered looked down at me.

He said sure I'll be here. I didn't do this. I can't explain it to you.

It's like I just walk straight pasta and went into his office. I sat in his chair and invited him to sit down. When he sat down, I turned to him I didn't know what to say what you say and I turned to him and I sent him. Sam would you like to give your heart to Jesus. He looked at me boo and look back at me began to seemingly looked like he was tearing up and he said I sure do preacher, I didn't know what to do. I reached into my jacket pocket. I was looking for notes. What was my next point to where do I go which is the next verse, how my going to say this property. I looked over and Bill Adams a single aiming Bo and Bo say to me, will I am in back to you.

And I said will aiming to you, and I am in back and we went a man backing and forth and finally I didn't know what to say and we were all standing there so then I see Tim will Sam, why don't we just get down on on the you don't office a big man like that. I mean, he got down on his knees with us like this and I said to him, Sam, to just tell Jesus all about it folks never lost a man who hasn't spent a lot of time praying just to have a public prayer, or so I thought, and he began to pray the most discombobulated mixed up, not in order didn't have any kind of just began to flow from this man's heart and in between what he was saying were what I would call not entirely the most savory use of language that you would use overtly bad, but just conversational.

Not the best kind of language and it the first time it came out of his mouth. I was like this. Have you ever seen a peeping preacher and the first time I heard blanketing blank come out.

I went like this, and I looked at Bill and I called him he was looking at me and I said I am a member and boasted payment I realized all while I was a meaning unsavory language he would say something and then I would cover because I was the pause.Amen amen amen like God would forgive him right there on the spot.

You know what, that's exactly what God was doing, I tell you and that precious man got up from his feet, tears were flowing and God was in the house and it was something I couldn't even begin to imagine. And that Wednesday night we had a prayer service in the dining wall of First Baptist Church in Spartanburg and the place was full with people and I was the brand-new parts of this was my first Wednesday and I had to impress everybody at the church and all I did was at the end was to close it and I got up on that rickety little step open area down there in the dining hall and I leaned up against it and I thought now go to say something to impress these people and I said it said just before we close to Mark. I wonder if there's anyone here who would have a word of testimony to share with us and all of a sudden in the Back Rd., Sam roadster and started to come down and I went into a state of panic.

I wanted to say to him excuse me, you go back to your seat right now, this minute no in a Baptist Church comes for endlessly singing just as I am. I don't even hear the instrumentalist Steve Skinner is silent. You go back right now.

Don't come don't come down, he came all the way up to the platform.

Any Olympic Games that open and I knew he was going to do it and he linked on that pulpit and many of you were there and he said I just want to tell you I can't thank you enough for praying for me. I can't thank you enough for this preacher and Bill Adams come to my place because I gave my heart to Jesus and I want you to know I have never felt so blankety-blank good in all my life I came around I said Bill Adams did and I could just see the newspaper the Spartanburg Herald Journal with headlines that say new posture of First Baptist Church terminated the first week. Well it wasn't too long off the this beloved man lay on his day. Just before he died he said Bill Adams, who want you to make sure you go back to their pasta just say thank you because this loss stretch of my life since I gave my heart to Jesus and being the most wonderful of mine, said I want you to know something is a gave my heart to Jesus, I'm about to go to heaven and he did. That's what happened here.

Look at what happened here folks. First of all, we can affirm that God does direct God does. God points God direct is the commander-in-chief angel of the Lord came to this man said I want you to walk the parking lot going make a visit to the walkover the street you to sit down with that person that works with you. God does direct.

He always does because it's the work of the Holy Spirit. God by his spirit goes ahead of us. You know that I know that I believe it.

That's why you're listening right now. That's why you hear he has this Ethiopian Jerusalem and the Temple and he's on a charity knees on a dusty road and here's Philip, and God brings all of these little circumstances and he brings them together for his divine purpose. Have you found yourself many times which we all have inside you know I'm just I would never afford it but I'm just so glad that I went you know when and how many times do we even say that with when it comes to church. I'll guarantee these at least one person sitting in church today that quite frankly, you did not feel like being here today. Of course not. Lots of reasons why you don't feel you could not sleep properly. You could be not feeling too good. You could have had too many other things you really, I mean we could unload every reason and then you come and you're in this place you in worship your in that last group you you're sitting right there in the right place at the right time and you look back and you just know God intended. That's you, my friend. That's why you are listening today. This is not just let's go to the temple in Jerusalem because it's the right thing to do all the proper thing to do. It is God engaged in your life, because he loves you. This is according to his purpose. Questions do matter, they do matter.

It it just absolutely intrigues me when Philip gets there and he sees this man and then he lost the question and what a simple question. Do you understand what you're reading. What a great question. We lost that question about everything and anything in life, how much more so when it comes to the things that are eternal significance.

My favorite question and I want to encourage you today.

Make your first question, always. Would you like to give your heart to Jesus try to do that because you can ask any person. Would you like to give your heart to Jesus, any person who knows Jesus will never have a struggle responding to, and it will tell you exactly where to go next. And here it is. Here we find God's servant, Philip being obedient being courageous following through just doing what God told him to do and has this man reading the Scriptures. Do you understand that well actually no I don't.

Would you explain it to me.

Would you like me to tell you about Jesus that is very interesting to me.

He was in Isaiah in the Old Testament, and Philip immediately takes him from the content. This zero point any puts him right there on the only person who could save Jesus, I am complete and courageous in Christ Jesus.

He's the one I'm saved by his grace.

It's at the name of Jesus, that every knee will bow and every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, my consternation personally is a personal thing is how many people have missed because I've lacked the courage of my obedience, they must be countless numbers of people that I have parsed, but that I haven't stopped and spoken to don't have the courage of my obedience, God is speaking to me and I'm asking the Lord to so compel me. You know I but I don't mean to be lighthearted in this manner, but I've often thought to myself, what is the worst thing somebody could do to me if Austin would you like to give your heart to Jesus. Cannot tell you what the worst thing they could do to me, pull out a gun and shoot me. Did and if that's the worst thing that can happen to me.

It's the single greatest thing if I am crucified with Christ if to live to me is Christ and dying is gain. I don't see that. But if that is the worst thing as a believer. It's the very reason why I'm asking a person if they give their heart to Jesus because it is appointed unto man once to die, and after that the judgment questions do matter. You know Gary is in verse 32 in verse 33 reading from Psalm 53 and God's word stands because this is God's inherent infallible word. It is truth without error. This is truth in a world in which people are desperately seeking trying to hundred down.

They looking everywhere to try and find out the relevancy.

Why do I exist.

What's my purpose what I'm doing, where my going. This got to be more than what I need truth in my heart and the word of God inspires me, because God's word is absolute truth and God tells me who he is and how I can become reconciled to him even though I am a center separated from him this change lives and that change starts your commitment, your affirmation, your openness, just like I did. Just like Dr. Don did to say okay God. I realize my sin has separated me from you if you like you can pray with me right now, if God is stored your heart to give your life to him. Let's do it right now, Lord God, I realize I am a sinner and my center separated me from you but the day. Lord I affirm with my mouth. I believe you are the son of God. I believe you went to the cross and died for my sins.

So I ask you Lord to save me. In Jesus name I pray. Sometimes if your heart is trying to get those words together. You just need to say me to me to talk with you. Let us pray with you, for connecting right now at 8668 word that's 866-899-9673 or let's get connected keyboard keyboard on our website The Encouraging Word.org. That's the Encouraging Word.org I mentioned resources.

Here are some of the resources are available right now there are different online lifetimes. And when it's not what you believe.

What does the Bible say when life really began joint that you will see teaches biblical transfer compassion straight from God's word is classic and timely methods, the sanctity of human life, you will receive two bonus gaps why pro-life and counterculture in a world of abortion. These powerful ministry resources will help you with the fact life to the lands of God's word human life. Classic and timely message on your gift of any amount to The Encouraging Word today right/PO Box 2110, Spartanburg, SC 29304 or call us toll-free@86689wheremytheencouragingword.org. Thank you for your support. Continue to proclaim God's truth around the world. That's all for today, but were connecting all the time online in Encouraging Word.org and be sure to tune in tonight at 630 Eastern on TVM the Trinity broadcasting network for the video version of The Encouraging Word Dr. Don Wilton