Kerwin Baptist Church Daily Broadcast

Welcome to the Kerwin Baptist Church broadcast today. Our desire is for the word of God spread throughout so that all may know join is now for a portion of one of our services here at Kerwin Baptist Church located in Kernersville, North Carolina in Corinthians chapter 4 where we just read, obviously, and I want you to know this.

While you and I might not know all that will enfold in our lives this year or next year or the year after that. I do know this one thing is a constant. One thing is for sure we will have problems, you know that Archie left the encouragement this morning using good news. You have problems.

That's just one thing that happens every year I look back in every new year and and I'm sure many of you have had more than I have some of you had less than I've had, but I know that every year of my life. There's been some problems.

There's been some things that have come our way, that were unexpected and there's been some you don't get me wrong, there's been some victories in there been some amazing things in. There's been some wonderful things and there's been some encouraging things but we do have problems and we can either handle our burdens or our burdens can handle less.

That's just the way it's going to be. We can either handle them with God's help, he said. Greater is he that is in me than he that is in the world and we can handle our problems or they will handle us and so as we begin this new year, we realized that in the first Sunday that we are privileged to have this ministry that God is given and I'm not just talking about Kerwin Baptist Church. I mean that the opportunity for you to serve the Lord and what he has led you to do in your life and the doors that he's opened and whether you work a full-time job.

Whether you work as a plumber or carpenter or you work in an office or maybe you work in a ministry. Whatever the case might be that you don't have to be a full-time minister to have a ministry and and we found that this is a privilege for us and we been given that privilege and we been given that ministry and then we found out last week that as we minister to people he is given a specific message for us to share. Not there's about three or four. Five things we can share or hundred things that were to share with people. There's only one message that the gospel of Jesus Christ is given, but I want you to notice in verse eight I find this interesting. We are troubled on every side. Wow you feel better about yourself. I mean, obviously apostle Paul probably one of the greatest men ever lived in all these things, he had trouble to.

Not only that he had trouble on every side, and he is writing this to us to let us know that there will come. Trouble and while we might not all know all that's going to go on, you can guarantee the fact that there will be trouble this year.

Now number one I want you to notice this this morning as we talk about the subject of the means we have been given, it would be unfair for God to give us a ministry and to give us a message and ask us to go do that and then to not give us what we need to do it.

That would be so unfair. It would be like me giving my son Daniel, a toothbrush and say now scrub the floor nice and what can be done well yeah it can be done in about a years time, especially as thorough as 10-year-olds do things. You know how that goes. After he got done. The broadbrush deed with her nose if him and ask him to do something that I need to given the tools to do it. By the way. Bible says fathers, provoke not your children to wrath. I do want you know sometimes that sometimes dads are guilty of asking their children to do things that they not equip them to do and then they get mad and frustrated and that does nothing but drive your children away from you. Everybody understand that that's a freebie number one want you to see this number one we must plan for the valleys. We must plan for the valleys. Now I want you know. Here Paul is speaking primarily of the persecution of the believer. Notice in verse eight we are troubled on every side, yet not distressed. We are perplexed, but not in despair persecuted, but not forsaken, cast down, but not destroyed that he is talking here about suffering for the cause of Christ.

Now often in our lives.

You and I will suffer not for the Savior, but because of our own sins. Now there sometimes that you and I we go through things and suffer because we caused it and you and I need not confuse these two now often times that we will experience the chastisement of God in our lives because of disobedience because of foolish decisions and this is not the focus of these verses. Now I want you understand if you're suffering today because of your sins or your shortcomings or because of the decisions that you've made.

I encourage you to repent and to seek God and get his forgiveness and fix that fracture in your fellowship with Christ and get your life right but were talking this morning about suffering for the cause of Christ. These speak to those that suffered for their faith and suffer for their faith and to those that are bearing burdens that represent not just the natural problems of life, but because we are believers we must plan for these valleys. First off I want you to understand this number one they are painful. If you would it verse eight and verse nine.

Again, we are troubled on every side, yet not distressed. We are perplexed, notices persecuted, but not forsaken cast down that is painful.

Now, what are all these things mean will in these verses, Paul uses some very descriptive language and hold on getting ready to probably describe your life in my life. Number one he says troubled that were troubled in the Greek means. It means to be pressed to be squeezed to be under pressure any of you been there any good there now just pressure distressed it it's like squeezing toothpaste out of out of the toothpaste tube it you just get to the point you just don't think there's anything left. He says this.

We are troubled on every side that word every side as you as you can't get that out the Greek.

It literally means in every way place and occasion. It means everywhere. He we turn everywhere we go there something staring us in the face. He says his word perplexed it means to be at a loss to be confused to wonder which way I should go anybody been there. He says this we have been persecuted it this this connotation errantly literally means to be hunted down like an animal. And that's exactly by the way what Satan is doing. The Bible says he's as a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour you and I are being hunted as Christians uses this word, which I thought was very itching is cast down it means to literally be beaten down.

I love you ever been there but these words pretty much accurately describe how we can feel sometimes these valleys. These trials these burdens. This trouble, that is at every side that Paul is talking about their painful number two, they are planned now. While troubles and trials and valleys hurt us. Sometimes there's there's there's a word that kinda changes things in verse 10 and 11.

I find this very very interesting to me. Look at verse 10.

This is what Paul said after describing the trials. He says I've been I've been troubled.

I been perplexed. I've been persecuted I been cast down. The verse 10. Always bearing about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus always bearing what these trials always bearing these trials in life and in the body, and he says I'm constantly going through these things.

But notice this word. After that, in verse 10 that he said I'm going through all this, that the life of Jesus might be made manifest in our body. Look at verse 11.

For we which live and are always delivered unto death for Jesus sake, that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our mortal flesh. What that word that means is that he's connecting to things I'm going through this and the reason is because of this I'm going through these trials that orcs so that I can glorify Christ that means this. These things are planned.

Paul tells us that he endures these things for one reason.

That reason is that Jesus can be seen in him different. I want to understand some of the things that you might go through and I might go through. While they might be painful to us.

There planned by God. It doesn't always mean that he caused it, but it means that he always has a purpose for allowing you to go through it and that purpose is that Jesus can be seen in your life and I challenge you this morning. You and I need to realize things don't just happen to a believer. It's not just circumstance. There's always a purpose. There's always a plan. If your save. There's no such thing as bad luck there's no such thing as unfortunate events. There is only the will of God seeking to glorify God. What you know this morning that God doesn't just inflict pain on you to be mean, but sometimes in life. Trials happened in Burns happen it we go through valleys, but it's done and God allows it so that as we go through it, that the grace of God can be evident in our life when she noticed number three that their privilege no him and preachers. One thing for you to say I got to go to plan what you mean a privilege. If you would.

Verse eight all way down to verse 11 and if we read those. Look at verse 10 again is it always bearing about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus.

Why, that the life also of Jesus might be manifest in my bodily verse 11. For we which live he's talking about are delivered unto death for Jesus sake, that the life of Jesus might be made manifest in our mortal flesh to verses in a row that he might be made manifest in my bodily verse 11. For we which live are always delivered unto death for Jesus sake, that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our mortal flesh. Notice this, you and I are mortal.

He's eternal. What a privilege for us as merely mortal beings to be able to give eternal glory to the eternal being. I know that I might be a little bit heavy for your mind. Sunday morning, but let me redneck it a little bit. We are privileged to be able to suffer for Jesus sake. Here's why the Bible says the best we can do our filthy rags. That means is there's nothing that I can physically do to glorify God. The only way God gets glory is if Jesus is seen in me. Did you get that put it this way if the good person and when people see that they see me. It hasn't helped them a bit and if I'm a good person and people see me God and get the glory for that no sexual Daniels a great person.

The only way God gets glory in our life is if Jesus is seen that's a privilege I get to be the display for Jesus.

I think sometimes you and I work so hard on trying to be a good person so that people will think we're a good person and what we should work harder on is to display Christ to others so that they can see what a great Savior. He is that makes sense. What you notice these words that Paul uses in verse eight and nine. I thought this is interesting. He says that you know what I he gives the bad side.

He says I'm troubled on perplexed. I'm persecuted and I'm cast down, but what is interesting in verse eight he says I am troubled, yet not distressed that were distressed means to be crushed under pressure. You see, when he said at first that here I am.

I'm troubled on every side, it means literally to be pressured to be pushed, but he said this. I'm not distressed which means this while at this trial is pressing me and pushing me. I am not cracked under the pressure. I'm not exploded. I'm not ruined I'm not destroyed while expressing me. I didn't crack under the pressure different.

It is up it is entirely possible for you to be so burdened and so trialed and go through such a big Valley that it a little depressed in it and in pressure you in your life but through the grace of God. It doesn't have to destroy you. That means this I can be pressed. But I don't have to be ruined.

That's why Paul said I'm troubled on every side, yet I'm not distressed. Secondly, he uses the word despair notice.

If you would verse eight he says we are perplexed, but not in despair that word perplexed means to be confused to be at a loss. That word despair.

It literally means to be hopeless with no sense of confidence or security do I wonder which way to turn. Yes, I am without hope know that means this that first phrase is I don't know where to go. I don't know which way to turn. But when he says in verse eight that I am not in despair. It means that I don't have to wonder which way to go. While the trials might be confusing I know which way I'm going through the trials we put it this way. I don't know why this is happening to me but I know that God's purpose is that he gets the glory you might not know why some the things happen you in your life are going to happen you. You might it might not make reason. You might not have a good reason why you know I hate to bring it up again but is heavy on my wife and my's heart here.

We got an open heart surgery for our three-year-old coming somewhere March and April and there still that part says God why are you putting us through this. Why are you putting that little three-year-old through this wire will AAN you feel so pressured and you feel pushed and you feel backed into a corner and you feel confused. Why is this happening that you know it. All these things that could happen. And yet in the midst of all that during the pressure. I don't have to crack under the pressure and while things are confusing. I don't have to be confused what you notice he says this in verse nine he said persecuted, but not forsaken that were persecuted means to be hunted like an animal. This is great As were persecuted. He says I'm literally fly come hunted like an animal.

But you know what that word forsaken means. It means an ever present help in time of trouble. It means this in my life. It might be that Satan is hunting me down like an animal. But God has a forsaken me, and I don't have to fight Satan. God can do that for me this while I'm being hunted, God's watching over me during the whole thing in different sayings out to get you, but he doesn't have to get you. Satan is hunting you like an animal, but he doesn't have to catch up.

God is there.

You're not forsaken.

You're not gonna do this by yourself what you notice this last phrase he says I'm cast down, but I'm not destroyed. Remember that were cast down meant to be smitten or beaten down that were destroyed means to perish means to die.

Here's what's interesting. The worst thing that can happen in your life. The worst trial that you could possibly think of, probably, is that something would take your life and here's what's interesting about that. He says this. I'm not destroyed.

That means when your life is taken. That's when your life really begin in heaven when you're saved and your earthly life is taken your life didn't end it actually just started. That means this that you know what I can be literally cast down or being down. That's what death looks like. To the average person but we that are believers in Christ that a put our faith and trust in Christ were not destroyed because it's not death for us. Absent from the body is present with the Lord, hope you're getting this this morning really do what Paul is saying is that the trials in the valleys are tough in their heart and their painful but they are the perfect arena for us to demonstrate to the world that God loves us and that the God we serve is worthy and able we are walking billboards for Christ.

When we go through valleys, what you notice. Secondly, number one, we must plan for the valleys number two. We must prepare with the vision you say okay preacher, I gotta prepare for these trials.

I gotta prepare for these things are probably not me this week this year because it happened last year, things happen in all the think so how is it that I'm supposed to plan for these things. And Paul gives us the absolute means that we look at verse 13. We having the same spirit of faith, according as it is written, I believe, and therefore have I spoken. We also believe and therefore speak. That means this Paul makes it very clear that for us to plan for our valleys that we must have faith notice. If you would. We having the same spirit of faith, according as it is written in other words, what is written. What is in God's word. I have faith and I believe it can ask a question, do you believe in God's word you believe it's true. I number one see the plan of God would verse 15 for all things. What were all things all the things he's mentioned all these trials always valleys for all things are for your sakes that the abundant grace might through the Thanksgiving of many redound to the glory of God. Notice that all things are for your sakes. It is hard for us to understand this but that includes our valleys all things is all things. That means there's good things that benefit us and some of the bad things in our life benefit us. I think of the life of Joseph. He was betrayed by his brothers. He was sold as a slave. He was accused and cast into prison. I could go on and on and on with the things and yet later on in his life. It was all done for one reason and it took Joseph to the palace where God wanted in the whole time and God looked at his brothers that had done all those bad things to him and he looked at his brothers and he said what you meant for evil God meant for good for good. See the plan of God. Dear friend in your trials and in your valleys and I gotta do the exact same thing somewhere in a you and I have got to have faith to know that somewhere in here is the plan of God. God has not forgotten me and just let these things happen to me for no reason. There is a plan. Second, I want you to see not only the plan of God. Number two.

Seeing the praise of God. Verse 50. He said for all things are for your sakes, why, that the abundant grace might through the thanks giving of many redound to the glory of God that means this your Valley, your trial is a fantastic time for you to praise God. Why the darker the Valley. The louder the praise the brighter the light water testimony when you and I can sing praises to God in the midst of our deepest valleys.

He says this that this is for our sakes that the abundant grace.

Notice that abundant grace when I praise God in my Valley that is testimony that God's grace is sufficient.

I commit in person a person a person in this church gone through some unbelievable things, these past couple years and yet the more they praise God in the midst of that. The more that gives God the glory and the brighter that testimony is to us. See the plan of God, seeing the praise of God. Sometimes that when bad things happen to good things come out of it. You all know that I enjoyed playing golf and I like golf and would like to get to play much been months. It's a plate and but I enjoy playing golf and years ago, bro John Worley here in our church through his work. They got tickets to the U.S. Open at Pinehurst years ago, I found it was 99 remember what year was and they just recently had it that last year at the Pinehurst and on. I got he gave me tickets to give me two tickets and so took the young man that was on our golf team with me and we went to the U.S. Open at that. I think it was the Friday round Thursday or Friday around for you. It was, and of all people that they are just off all different golfers and then I just found a spot and sat and watched a lot of them come through but I followed a governing pain steward that day and I didn't realize he that he wanted that year at Pinehurst and he was killed in an airplane crash.

Later on that year I followed him.

Most of that day and watched him. He was always one of my favorite golfers, and on October 25 of of 99 pain steward was killed in that plane crash and there are some things that came out about that some of you might remember that in fact when I recently had my shoulder reconstruction done in my bicep tendon repair and all that stuff.

The doctor that did that Dr. Weller was a very close personal friend of of pain steward and there was another friend of Dr. Weller's.

It was on that plane with him that got killed and Dr. Weller was actually supposed to be on that plane with them that day and so we always gonna talk about that when when when I have a surgery. You know it's we been talking quite a bit lately. I got to know him very well and those of us that heard about this. We knew the news about that this aircraft had lost control and crashed in that pain steward died in all those on board did and that's what was reported about their debt there some things that we were really told about pain steward pain steward was apparently a very dedicated Christian. He was a member of First Baptist Church there in Orlando, Florida, and his funeral was preached by Manning Dr. Jim Henry and pain steward's memorial service was literally broadcast live on local stations on ESPN, CNN, the golf channel and as soon as the service was over there. First Baptist Church, not just think about the opportunity because of this man's life.

The fact that he died.

Nobody likes the fact that he died. And that's not really good for anybody but in that funeral service at a very doctrinally correct church for that preacher to get on and literally give the gospel and I watched a portion of that service and and amaze me that this is happening on live TV that we could not pay for advertisement like this for the cause of Christ and literally the world was watching and at First Baptist Church in Orlando that day.

As soon as the service was over the phone at First Baptist Church begin to ring off the hook's callers from all around the world. They begin they wanted to know how they could come to faith in Jesus Christ as was described in that service. Callers from around the world began to call emails began to flood in God literally use this Valley in the life of the Stewart family forth. The house's to come to Christ in one afternoon say is it good that pain steward God, no, not at all as it makes sense and and we Christians will say here's a man it's a Christian, why did God take one of these golfers is always drinking and boozing and shall have the golf course drunken and drugging and all these other things and sleep around with women at all. Why didn't God take one of them out exactly what because boy he got the glory would pain steward died and lives literally came to Christ. Why, because when you have the plan of God.

And when you go through a Valley as the Stewart family did.

And as his wife got up and gave testimony, and that service of the grace of God. After just losing her husband found wanted what she had what you notice.

Number three, not just to see the plan of God and sing the praise of God. Number three survive on the power of God, we give you whatever. 16.

For which cause we faint not what how do we faint not well. But though our outward man perish, yet the inward man is renewed by day by day. You know how you keep from Quitman.

You know how you keep from literally fainting is the outside gets tired but you gotta keep the inside renewed. That's called the power of God as you go through a trial it'll wear you down and break you down and Paul even mentioned it will cast you down, it'll beat you down, but the way you don't stop in the middle that is you getting God's word and you let God remove you day by day.

It's not about who's better not about stronger, it's about to spend more time with God. That's what makes a difference in a Christian want you to notice. Fourthly, to stand on the promise of God. This is good I'm almost done to stand on the promise of God see the plan of God, sing the praise of God survive on the power of God. Paul tells us how to do it. I'm just telling you how to get through these valleys, as you minister and give the message notice. If you would. Verse 17 for our light affliction, which is but for a moment working for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory stand on the promise of God, is it what you mean promise of God, preacher, what are you talking about all this excited me in verse 17 we are given to promises of God about our trials. This is great, number one, we see that he controls the load in our Valley and number two, we see that he controls the length of the valley. Notice the first phrase for our light affliction light affliction that means this God will not put on us more than we can bear. That means is that literally as you go through your Valley God controls the weight of the burden that you will carry. He will not let it get too heavy for you. He will not let it overtake you if it overtakes you is because we didn't depend on the power of God. God controls the load and our Valley that excites you. That means is you can walk out of this building. I don't care what happens at 2015.

That's not to be too heavy for you. With the help of God. He controls the load number two controls the link. Notice this for our light affliction, which is but for a moment guess what whatever trial you go through is not to last forever. So what if it takes me to death. It stops to death. Thank you for listening to you received a blessing from our broadcast. The current Baptist Church is located at 4520 Old Hollow Rd. in Kernersville, NC. You may also contact us by phone at 33699351924 Kerwin Baptist Church.com enjoy our services live all Armenian on her website and church. Thank you for listening. Kerwin broadcast God bless you