You Have Work to Do

0 (1s): There, God has just brought you into the space. We just laid down everything that's said of us and we just put our eyes on Jesus. But horizon view right now, the author and finisher of our faith, I just argued. Jesus is our S Jesus, your savior. You are, are, you are the one who made a way for us to come into the presence of God. And so I just, that's just what we're doing right now is Jesus made a way for us to just approach his throne, just approach God's throne. And so, so God is asking to do what only you can do this morning. 1 (37s): Jesus, 0 (40s): We're going to sing an Oli, but it Katie to start it. And I want, this is like, we need some, some clapping. So like in time, you know, if you got rid of them, great. If you don't look to the person the next year, they might have rhythm one, two 1 (59s): . 1 (9m 33s): beautiful. Beautiful. 1 (10m 16s): 2 (16m 20s): That's terrible. That is terrible. I thought I turned that thing on. Oh, well I did. 2 (17m 3s): Yeah. Oh, because, oh, because my mic was off. Was it? Yeah. That's what he said. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Oh, that's all right. Hey, they get me. They get the Rami, no matter what. So it's all right. It's all right. Hey, Michael. 1 (17m 31s): we'll go. 2 (17m 37s): Steven Agee harvest. Yeah. Sounds good. Welcome. Come on back. We're in second Timothy chapter four second, Timothy chapter four. So before we get to the second Timothy chapter four, if you look around on your chairs around you, there are information cards, info cards. If you did not fill those out last week, we're going to take a moment now to give you an opportunity to just go ahead and fill those things out. It's just helping to update our database so that we can get everybody kind of there and know who we're serving and ministering with and praying for. So it's, it takes typically three weeks to get everybody insurance to do something. 2 (18m 17s): So we talked about it last week and we're talking about it this week and we will talk about it next week. So I'm just giving you an opportunity to be a part of our database. So you can be a part of the communication that we send out weekly and be a part of what we're doing here week to week. Amen. So sometime during the service, if you can fill that out and then put it in one of the offering boxes here, there's offering box in the sanctuary on both wall to walls, and then I'm in the loft. There's a box and on the patio, there's a box as well. So good stuff, Lord, as we get into your text today, speak to us, lead us because so many of us are already doing this stuff that we're talking about, Laura, but there's there. 2 (18m 59s): I believe there's more to do by your grace as you call us and empower us Lord. So help us to do the stuff that you're calling us to do to be about the stuff that you're calling us to be about. Lord God, be glorified innocent with us. And through us, we pray in Jesus name. Amen. I titled the message today you have work to do so. I thought that's off putting right work is like a four-letter word. It's like, we think it's a curse word, right? It's like when we talk about work that needs to get done, we got to get all nervous about it and anxious about it. But really this is what we're put in the earth to do, to accomplish stuff for the kingdom work. Isn't something to be avoided. 2 (19m 40s): Work is something to be in. It's often where we find our greatest sense of purpose. It's where we get our provision from it's where doors of opportunity are opened up to us. Grow those new experiences. Some of us need to think differently, reframe work and think about it differently because God does his best work through us. When we're humble and submitted and obedient to do what he's called us to do. One coach said this hard work, beats talent when talent doesn't work, work hard. So some people are just gifted with all kinds of abilities academically or whatever it may be. 2 (20m 24s): But this is the case, hard work, beats talent. It beats that out when talent doesn't work hard. So even if you've got talents, you need to work hard to develop your talent, to develop your gift set and to develop who you are. As a person, Colin Powell said this, there are no secrets to success. It is the result of preparation. hard work and learning from failure. We're all going to fail in life. We're all going to fail at work and the things that we attempt, but that is just part of the process. And I think sometimes we're afraid to fail. So we're afraid to step into those things that got us calling us into someone else said hard work, spotlights, the character of people, some churn up their sleeves, some turn up their noses and some don't turn up at all. 2 (21m 11s): So, so we're going to be talking about work today and what God has called us to do. And so again, we've held the message you have work to do. We all have work to do. This is what Paul told Timothy in his letters to Timothy in this letter. And specifically in this chapter, Paul told Timothy, you have worked to do this is what Jesus told his disciples, especially before sending to the father, you have work to do this is what the Bible is telling us from. Start to finish the old Testament, new Testament. The Bible tells us we have work to do so. Let's take a look at a second. Timothy chapter four. These are the last anointed words that Paul penned before his execution. 2 (21m 57s): So this is what Paul wrote right before he was going to be executed. And he knew that his time was short. He knew that he would be executed. And so imagine the urgency in his heart to make sure that he's communicating the right message before he expires and goes to be with the Lord. It was important to him that he finish. Well, a good friend of ours. That's been at the church here for the last six or seven years. Don gainer passed away this Tuesday. I don't know if everybody heard that Don was 82 years old. And he, I remember talking to him in the weeks leading up to his passing. 2 (22m 37s): He said, man, I just want to finish. Well, I just want to make sure that I finished well. And to him that meant he wanted to see some things in his family happened. He wanted to experience some things, but mostly he wanted to make sure that his life represented Christ and that he died as a follower of the Lord, Jesus Christ taking his last breath and then going to be with the Lord. And that's what he did. He was an incredible man, 82 years old, worked until the end to doing the work of the ministry that God called him to. He was in the process of writing a book. Didn't get a chance to finish that. But he also founded a grandparenting mist ministry here on the central coast. And now we're going to be hosting a grandparenting seminar here on the central coast here in the next couple of months. 2 (23m 20s): And so it's an opportunity for grandparents to be encouraged in the work that they have to do with their grandkids, helping to disciple the next generation, helping to be an encouragement to the next generation. So this is some of the fruit of Don's life. Very little bit of the, the fruit from 82 years of pouring himself into life and ministry as a follower of the Lord, Jesus Christ. He understood the value of hard work and now he's receiving his reward. Amen. So what Paul wrote, I solemnly urge you in the presence of God's will Paul wrote to Timothy, I solemnly urge you hear the urgency, the importance of his statement. 2 (24m 1s): I saw calmly urge you the seriousness of it in the presence of God and Christ Jesus in front of God and everybody. This is what I'm communicating. This is what you need to do. I solemnly urge you in the presence of God and Christ Jesus, who will someday judge the living and the dead. When he comes to set up his kingdom, he said, in verse two, preach the word of God, preached the word of God in Bible college, we'd go around saying, preach the word because we're learning how to preach the word, you know, and we, so we quote second Timothy four, two preach the word of God. And that was just something we did. And, and it was preparation for something that we planned to do for the rest of our lives. It's it's God's plan for each of us to be preachers of the word of God in our sphere. 2 (24m 44s): In our context, in the, with the people that we come in contact with, it's our job to communicate the gospel, to preach the word of God, be prepared. Paul said whether the time is favorable or not, and this is what you're supposed to do. Patience, correct? Rebuke and encourage. That's what Paul means. When you, when he says patiently preached the word of God, do build patiently with correction, rebuke and encouragement. Why did he say patiently? Because people change slowly, right? So I thought about this over the last 18 years of being pastor here at this church. And I thought, man, it's just, it's a long haul assignment. 2 (25m 25s): Like I changed slowly. People change slowly. And it's just a process of being consistent, teaching God's word and watching what the holy spirit will do in somebody's life to bring that person along, convicting them of sin and of righteousness and making them more and more like Jesus and less and less like their old man. So Paul understood, Hey Shanley, correct. When necessary. Correct. Every time I opened up the word, I feel like the Lord's correcting me or, or even subtly rebuking me for something that's going on in my life. Whether it be a thoughts, a word, an action, some kind of deed. And there's this loving correction and rebuke and then follow it up with encouragement. 2 (26m 7s): So we're not meant to just kind of beat people up with the word and with the truth of God's word, because God's word is filled from start to finish with God's encouragement for his people. There's correction, there's rebuke, but there's encouragement. Everything he does is to build us up to Edify us in our most holy faith. So preach the word of God, be prepared, be prepared. So just be prepared. How do you get prepared? We just, there's something about the Bible that you don't understand, begin to understand it. Take the time to open up the word of God and get some good commentaries, your good counsel about what you're struggling with and watch God open up your mind to the things of God. And as he opens up your mind to the things of God, watch the confidence. 2 (26m 50s): That's, you know, we're not talking about arrogance. That's not helpful, but confidence is good confidence in your ability to communicate the truth so that people understand what you're saying. And so, you know, understand. So you understand what you're trying to communicate so patiently, correct? Rebuke and encourage your people with good teeth aging. 3 (27m 7s): So Paul Timmy, this is like, I'm about to perish. This is what I'm telling you. Jesus. 2 (27m 14s): After his earthly life and ministry, after his crucifixion, his burial, his resurrection, and before he goes to the father in Matthew 28, he said something very similar. Jesus came and told his disciples. I have been given all authority in heaven and on earth. Therefore go and make disciples of all the nations, 3 (27m 36s): Baptizing 2 (27m 36s): Them in the name of the father and the son and the holy spirit, teach these new disciples to obey all the commands I have given you and be sure of this I'm with you always, even to the end of the age. And so as Jesus was getting ready to ascend, what does he say? Go make disciples, right? Baptizing them. It was been, it was so exciting on Friday night. I don't know. I can't remember if Jeremy told this story, but there was this family you showed up from Southern California. Maybe he told a story. I'll tell it again, came up from Southern California. And they were just hop. These happened to be at the beach, you know, like, you know, by accident, right. No such thing. So they happened to be at the beach and they're seeing this group of people. And then they realize that people are going to get baptized. 2 (28m 19s): We're praying, worshiping, and we're heading out to the waters of baptism to baptize people. And so they've got this, their son chase who's 10 years old and they've been trying to figure out a way to get chase baptize, but they haven't had the opportunity yet. So they're like, Hey, let's get chase baptized today. So chase went out there with the crowd and of course we didn't know who he was. And we said, Hey, what's your name? Chase. Have you given your life to Jesus? Yes. Would you like to get baptized? Yes. And so we got a chance to baptize him and get, get, got to meet his parents and give them a shirt, a harvest church shirt, and a harvest church towel that would give out to those get baptized and really got a chance to bless him. 2 (28m 60s): You know, it's that type of thing that God wants to do when we, when we say yes to him, you know, at the beginning of this church service. Yes, yes, yes. Lord, the Lord will do so much. If we just say yes to him, we were challenged about a year ago that we weren't doing making baptism kind of a big enough priority. And so we began to think about how can we make a baptism more of a priority at our church, because it was used to be like, we do baptisms at Easter or special events, you know, two or three times a year, which was great. But ever since we started making baptism available, like pretty much anytime anybody wants to get baptized, we'll fill up the tank and baptize people. We've baptized almost 40 people this year already. 2 (29m 41s): So more than we've ever baptized in a single year. And we're only in what month are we in? Like August or September? What month is this? Is this still August losing track? It's summer's over. So when we're intentional about being used by the Lord and doing what he's asked us to do, fruitfulness begins to follow. And it's just a beautiful, beautiful thing. So Jesus, okay. As the living word and Paul is the guy who spent his life writing the inspired word of God, and then their last instruction to us was to preach the word of God. So Jesus and Paul, and they're like, Hey, we're getting ready to go to the Lord, preach the word. 2 (30m 22s): Paul was ready to go long before this, like when I say ready to go, like he was ready to go. Like he had been stoned memory drug outside of the city left for dead people gathered the believers, gathered around him. He got up, went back to the city. Remember he was shipwrecked at one point, remember he got snake bitten at another point, like he was, he has been through it in the earth. Like he had been suffering persecution for his faith. And he said, Hey, it's, it's, I'm ready to go. And Philippians 1 23 and 24, I'm torn between two desires. I long to go be with Christ, which would be far better for me. But for your sake, it's better that I continue to live. 2 (31m 7s): Why? So that he could continue the work. That four-letter word, that word that got to call them to that work that we so often try to avoid because it's uncomfortable. And it requires something of us before leaving Paul had worked to do. And now in this passage, she is passing the Baton to us. Now we have, or to do number one in your notes, do what you're called to do. Now do what you're called to do now. Why, why must we do this work now? Because verse three says for a time is coming. When people will no longer listen to sound and wholesome teaching, 3 (31m 49s): They won't have an appetite for it. They won't want to listen to it. The 2 (31m 56s): Same and wholesome teaching that brings correction, rebuke and encouragement. They will follow their own desires and will look for teachers who will tell them whatever their itching ears want to hear. This is going to be the attitude and the perspective of people in church and people in the world. They're not going to want to hear correction, review and encouragement. So while we have the opportunity, we have this responsibility to preach the word of God, to correct rebuke and encourage with all truth filled with the holy spirit. As God leads, they will follow their own desires and will look for teachers who will tell them whatever their itching ears want to hear. 2 (32m 38s): They will reject the and chase after myths. This is what is happening in our day and age. Now it's going to happen with increasing normalcy. It's just going to be the thing for the next two weeks. We're gonna be talking about work and we're going to be giving you an opportunity to work within the church. Beginning next week, Christie Suiza will be up here and she'll begin to present work opportunities for people within the body of Christ. And then, because it takes a while for people to kind of think about it and sign up. We're going to do it the following week as well. And there's going to be opportunity for everybody to sign up for a particular ministry, whatever you're gifted or called or whatever you feel like you're led to do. 2 (33m 24s): I talked with a gal after service and she said, how can I get involved? I said, what do you want to do? I said, how about teaching Sunday school? She said, that scares me to death. I said, well, maybe that's a good place for you. Then she said, well, what else do you have? I said, well, how about if you clean, you want to clean the church. She sat in London and cleaned the church. So I said, well, go talk to Jolene and she'll get you on the cleanup list. And so there's going to be opportunity for a platform ministry where you're playing an instrument or helping to lead worship behind the scenes ministry, where you're at the computers or the soundboard doing that sort of thing, or doing live feed in another space. All together, you can clean, you can work with youth. 2 (34m 5s): You can work with kids. You can work with young adults. You can work with college-age ministry. These are all areas, fifth and sixth graders there. These are all different ministry opportunities. You can be involved in men's leadership, women's leadership. There's all kinds of opportunities for people to get involved with. So next week and the following week, there's going to be up opportunities. And so be ready to get plugged in as the Lord leads into the area of work that God has called you to be involved in. So do, as you're called to do now, like we tend to put off these important things. Maybe you're kind of your new year's resolution for 2021 was to get busy doing the work that God's called you to do. 2 (34m 51s): But now here, we're halfway through over halfway through and you still haven't done that. Now. It's an opportunity for you to be involved. It's really going to be very, very good, especially if you're new to the church, because you're going to get a chance to meet all kinds of new people, people that you can work with and be encouraged by and encourage. And it's just going to be really good. So number one, do what you're called to do now. Number two, do, as you were called to do without fear, this is what Paul wrote for a second, Timothy four, five, but you should keep a clear mind in every situation. Don't be afraid. 2 (35m 32s): Don't be afraid of suffering for the Lord. Work at telling others the good and fully carry out the ministry. God has given you. As for me, my life has already been poured out as an offering to God. And the time of my death is 3 (35m 50s): Near. So Paul 2 (35m 52s): Works and Paul suffered persecution, but he didn't allow the fear of persecution to hinder his work. He worked fearlessly as a follower of the Lord. Jesus Christ. You and I most likely will not suffer for serving the Lord. Although we prayed for Afghanistan because the underground church is suffering persecution. This very moment, Christians are being killed and heard the story that the Taliban are going into homes. And if you have a Western phone number in your phone, in your contacts list, they will kill you on the spot, any connection to the west, which would be the us and you are killed on the spot. 2 (36m 37s): This is real stuff that's happening like right now today. And so Paul understood persecution. We don't understand it yet, but I have a few failing. We will be understanding it soon. Not to fear, put fear into anybody, but just the reality of the situation. It's not going to get better. It's going to get worse for the church in the west has, for me, Paul said my life has already been poured out as an offering to God. The time of my death is 3 (37m 5s): So don't 2 (37m 6s): Be afraid of stuff from persecution for the most part. Now, unless you go to another country or somewhere else where the persecution is real right now, but I would say you should be afraid of being 3 (37m 18s): Inconvenience. 2 (37m 20s): You shouldn't be. I should say you shouldn't be afraid of being inconvenienced. That's really the biggest obstacle to our serving is that we don't want to be inconvenience, right? We live 3 (37m 31s): In a pretty posh part of the country where 2 (37m 36s): We can much do what we want to do. And a big part of our freedoms here is just the conveniences that we enjoy. And honestly, when you sign up for, to serve, you're going to be inconvenienced, 3 (37m 49s): Right? And that's a pretty small price to pay, to 2 (37m 54s): Be a part of what God is doing here in the earth. So I'd say don't be afraid of being inconvenienced. Don't be afraid of the work involved. You can handle the work he can handle it. Don't be afraid of commitment. That's another big thing by sign up to usher or greet on Sunday morning. That means I have to actually be there at church on Sunday morning. And what if I wake up on Sunday morning and I'd rather go to the beach or I'd rather go to breakfast or I'd rather do whatever it is. If I'm committed, that means I've got to go. And so don't be afraid of commitment, embrace commitment, and know that God will bless you for doing it. And don't be afraid of failure. Either often we were afraid to up or commit because we're afraid that we won't do a good job. 2 (38m 40s): Well, that's all right. If you don't do a good job, go back and try again, right? We're not talking about rocket science stuff you were saying, do you want to clean? Do you want to change a diaper? Do you want to, whatever it may be, you know, keep them rounds cleaned. They're their opportunity. And often the enemy will say, wow, can't do that. Cause you, you know, you're not skilled or you're not going to follow through or whatever. Don't let, don't be afraid of failure. Don't be afraid of responsibility. Be afraid of missing out fearful Mo FOMO, fear of missing out. Don't be afraid of that. If you're going to be afraid of anything, fear, that's right. Be afraid that you're going to miss out and be afraid of falling short of fulfilling your potential, right? 2 (39m 22s): Be, be afraid of that. Like if you've got potential in life, you need to realize, you need to realize that potential. If you're old and you still haven't realized your potential, you need to be out there realizing your potential is one thing to say to a little guy. He is full of potential or she is full of potential, but to be older and still have unrealized potential man, don't let your life in that way. Be afraid of falling short of fulfilling your potential. She'll be afraid of not being fruitful. Be afraid of slipping into selfishness. Be afraid of disobedience. Be afraid of standing before God, one day and giving an account for your life. Or how about, how about not living with fear at all? 2 (40m 6s): How about God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of sound mind. How about if we out of obedience to God live without fear because we know we're doing everything that he's called us to do. Like there's nothing that we won't say yes to. How about living that life where we say, Lord, whatever it is that you call me to do, I am saying yes to you. And with that kind of life, there's no fear because God is on the throne of your life. And you know, you're doing what God has called you to do before full obedience. Keep your conscience clear by saying yes, Lord, before I even know what the ask is, Lord, the answer is yes. 2 (40m 47s): Why wouldn't it be Lord? You're the Lord of my life. You're the king of my life. You're in charge of my life. I'm submitted to you. We all have work to do that was talking to a guy before a second service started. And he's like, Hey, there's this guy. I want to go minister to him. Is it all right? If I go minister to him, I said, yes, the answer is yes, go minister. But he didn't want to. He didn't want to step out. He didn't want to be out of line. And I said, listen, from here on for a minister to anybody that you want to minister to pray for people, encourage people. You are released in Jesus' name to minister in Jesus' name. 2 (41m 28s): Now, if you start doing weird stuff, we'll call you on it. But pray for people. Love people, work with people, encourage people, do the work that God has called you to do and do it. Number three, 3 (41m 41s): Faithfully, faithfully. So it just means 2 (41m 45s): Laura. I think you're calling me to do this. 3 (41m 48s): I'm going to go do this. And if 2 (41m 51s): You're not called to it, got to make that clear heal. If you've misheard, God we'll make that clear, but you I'd rather go down swinging and miss the ball. Then not swinging at all. When I played little league baseball and I'd strike out, my buddies would be all excited. Hey, where do you go down and swinging? I'm like, I struck out. They're like, but you didn't go down without swinging. And it began to, I began to realize it matters. The effort that we put into it. If we go down swinging, at least we went down trying, even if we missed the Aw it's okay right now, if you are playing golf and you miss the ball, that's not celebrated. 2 (42m 32s): That's just like, you lifted your head and you didn't keep your eye on the ball and you didn't do good. So there's some things we don't celebrate, but so do, as you're called to do faithfully. So this, I fought the good fights. I finished the race and I have remained 3 (42m 53s): Faithful. You know, you remain faithful. Just keep saying yes to God. Just keep saying yes, Lord. Yes, Lord do it now. 2 (43m 5s): Deal without fear and do it faithfully say yes, Lord. And now Paul wrote, right? And now the prize awaits me the crown of righteousness. This is all what, this is what we're all headed for right here, which the Lord, the righteous judge will give me on the day of his return. And the prize is not just for me, but for all who eagerly look forward to his appearing. And then we see Paul's final words. And in his final words, we begin to see what keeps us from doing the work we're supposed to be doing fall. Paul was faithful, but others around him struggled with faithfulness. 2 (43m 46s): This is what he writes. Timothy. Please come. As soon 3 (43m 50s): As you can, Demas 2 (43m 53s): Has deserted me because he loves the things of this life and has gone to a festival. Annika creations has gone to Glacia and Ty, this has gone to Dalmatia loving the things of this life will keep us from doing the work that we're supposed to do. So there are things, real life obstacles to our success in doing the things that God has called us to loving the things of this life is part of it. Now I think we're supposed to love this life. I think we're supposed to love what God is doing in our lives. Love the people in our lives. Love the relationships, love the work and hobbies and all that kind of stuff. But if the love of world, the love of this life is hindering our ability to love God, fully being fully obedient, to do what God has asked us to do. 2 (44m 41s): Then our love is misplaced. We need to seek first, the kingdom of God and his righteousness and everything else will be added unto us. So we need to seek first God loved first God and trust him with everything else. Verse 11 says only Lucas with me, bring mark with you. When you come for, he will be helpful to me in my ministry. I sent tickets to Ephesus. And when you come be sure to bring the coats I left with carpus at shero as also bring my books and especially my 3 (45m 10s): Papers, my parchment 2 (45m 13s): Alexander, the coppersmith did me much harm, but the Lord will judge him for what he has done. Be careful of him for. He fought against everything. We said something else that keeps us from doing the will of God. And the work that God has called us to do is opposition Alexander. The coppersmith was opposing Paul's work. He recognized that it was an opposition. He recognized that he was a problem and that he was trouble. He warned others about Alexander, the coppersmith and Paul went about his business, doing what God had called him to do often we're derail because there's opposition. There's always going to be opposition. 2 (45m 54s): When we're trying to do what God has asked us to do, whether it be real human opposition, a guy like Alexander, the coppersmith, or it's other opposition, relational opposition, time, confinements and restrictions. We might need to re assess our lives and do some other things less so that we can invest ourselves more in the kingdom. My daughter was super, they've been super busy lately. And I told Jolene my wife. I said, why does Leslie always so busy? 3 (46m 31s): And she's just, and she said, because she takes after you. 2 (46m 35s): I said, ah, that got hurt. But the reality is that we can get so busy that we can miss the best that God has for us. So what is it that we need to eliminate from our lives? Seemingly good things, busy things that are keeping us from doing the very best that God has called us to do. The enemy is really good at keeping us busy, doing, you know, 3 (46m 56s): Things but missing 2 (46m 58s): The very most important things that God is calling us to Alexander. The coppersmith did me much harm Paul Rowe, but the Lord will judge him for what he has done. Be careful of him for. He fought against everything. We said the first time I was brought before the judge, no one came with me. Everybody abandoned me. May it not be counted against them? I love Paul's heart. 3 (47m 23s): He's like 2 (47m 24s): I was abandoned by these people, but may the Lord not hold it against them? As I was worshiping the first service, I really felt challenged in my spirit that I was holding something against someone in my heart and I couldn't worship for service. I was like, Lord, why can't I worship? And I felt like Lord said, because of this. And I said, oh, 3 (47m 44s): I said, Lord, forgive me. I repent. 2 (47m 47s): I forgive. I extend grace. And it was like a load had been lifted off. We can never minister effectively. If our heart is not in the right place. If we're not being humble and extending the same grace that has been extended to us, to others, we can never minister effectively. And with longevity, the way that God has called us to effectively and fruitfully, unless our hearts are in the right place. And so whenever the Lord challenges your heart, don't be offended. Be humble. Say Lord. Yes, you're right. You're right, Lord. I don't want to be angry with that person or hold a grudge against that person or be disappointed with that person any longer. I just want to let that go. So there's all kinds of things that will keep us from doing what God has called us to do the work that he's called us to do in quitting quitting. 2 (48m 36s): When things get difficult. As part of that, that's what by me, Paul said, everybody's abandoned 3 (48m 39s): Me w may 2 (48m 41s): Not be counted against them. First time I was brought before the judge, he said, I'm being brought before the judge. And everybody left me when things get difficult, the temptation is to quit that by God's grace weekend, stay in the fights by God's grace. We can keep going by God's grace. We can finish well, but it's only done by God's grace. And so we've got to stay home. So 3 (49m 5s): Teachable available 2 (49m 7s): Well to God. And we got to stay in the word. We've got to be filled with the holy spirit. We've got to allow God to do what he wants to do in our lives. And then, and only then it will be, will we be able to do the work that he's called us to with longevity and with faithfulness? What will keep us from doing work? The work we're supposed to be doing? This one is common too, that we forget that God is the one who calls and strengthens his people for the work they are called to do. And I kind of been dancing around that tiptoeing around that first 17 Paul wrote, but the Lord stood with me now, everybody else abandoned me, but the Lord stood with me. 2 (49m 47s): You, you have this confidence, you have this assurance, you have this promise from the Lord that he will never leave you nor forsake you. He didn't leave Paul in his desperate times, the Lord stood with me and gave me strength so that I might preach the good news in its entirety for all the Gentiles to hear. And he rescued me from certain death. Yes. And the Lord will deliver me from every evil attack and will bring me safely into his kingdom, his heavenly kingdom or glory to God forever and ever. Amen. Then verse 19, give my greetings to Priscilla and Aquila. So there were people that stuck with him, a bunch of people left, but now he's recognizing who are faithful. 2 (50m 29s): Give my greetings to Priscilla and Aquila and those living in the household of Odessa for us arrest the state of current than I left trophy trophy, miss at a sick at Melissas. I gotta slow down. I'm trying to say too much, 3 (50m 42s): Do your best to get here before winter, 2 (50m 46s): You Melissa sends you greetings and SOTA, poutines, Linus, Claudia, and all the brothers and sisters may the Lord be with your spirit 3 (50m 53s): And may his grace be with all of 2 (50m 56s): You. These are Paul's last inspired pen words. He said, you have work to do, do it. Now, do it without fear and do it faithfully without let's go and stand up. We're gonna invite the worship team forward. We're going to sing some more and then we will have some fellowship afterwards, and then we can go have lunch and do all that kind of fun stuff. So thank you Lord. For this time, we love you. Lord, continue just to establish your truth in our hearts and minds, Lord, and as you establish that truth in our hearts and minds, Lord God, that we would be obedient to it. We'd say yes to it. Lord with big old smile on our face, we say yes, Lord. Yes, Lord. Yes. Yes, Lord. In Jesus name, we pray. Amen. Amen. 1 (51m 45s): need that. 1 (53m 54s): God .