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thank you
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thank you
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you good morning I'm gonna be reading
from Psalms chapter 32 as everyone is
finding their seat blessed is the one
whose transgressions are forgiven whose
sins are covered blessed is the one
whose sin the Lord does not count
against them and in whose spirit is no
deceit when I kept silent my bones
wasted away though my groaning all day
long for day and night your hand was
heavy on me my strength was sapped as In
The Heat Of Summer then I acknowledged
my sin to you and did not cover up my
iniquity I said I will confess my
transgressions to the Lord and you
forgave the guilt of my sin therefore
let all the faithful pray to you while
you may be found surely the rising of
the mighty Waters will not reach them
you are my Hiding Place you will protect
me from trouble and Surround Me with
songs of Deliverance I will instruct you
and teach you in the way you should go I
will counsel you with my loving eye on
you do not be like the horse of the mule
which have no understanding but must be
controlled by bit and bridle or they
will not come to you many are the woes
of the wicked but the Lord's unfailing
love surrounds the one who trusts in him
rejoice in the Lord and be glad your
righteousness seeing all you who are
upright in Heart Sing Sing Sing we have
so much to sing about today even if you
don't think you can sing sing I want to
hear you I want to hear you yelling out
there and I hear your voices this
morning because the Lord tells us to
sing and so we should do it with joy and
gladness because he has saved us and
redeemed Us Praise the Lord I want to do
a couple of thank yous
um that are well well due here uh first
off I just want to thank our Sunday
school teachers if you don't know we
have Sunday school at nine o'clock on
Sunday mornings and um so I just want to
thank all of our Sunday school teachers
we have Miss Marilla helps and Miss
Corinne helps with the little small ones
and well they're not all little small
don't don't get mad at me boys
but one of them's a little small and so
we just want to thank uh thank them and
um for a grant and Becky for all that
they do with our elementary kids they
are teaching them and middle school kids
they are teaching them all the way from
Genesis to Revelation and I think
they're just about through the Bible
like you guys are getting pretty
ax okay they're getting close they're
getting close so yeah that's exciting
stuff right there
um and then Rod uh and then my husband
uh Pastor Ryan teaches the adults uh
Sunday school so just appreciate all of
our Sunday school teachers
um next thing is we had an incredible
rummage sale this week and
um just amazing the funds were raised to
go towards the kitchen and I want to
thank everyone involved and I'm telling
you if you just came and looked at some
stuff you have no idea they've been here
like all week long I mean some of these
ladies have been here all week long
getting this prepared
um and just long hours lots of work we
appreciate all the women who put into
that we appreciate all the guys who came
and gave some muscle and picked things
up and carried things around and and all
of that we appreciate Gwen and her team
for just organizing and doing such an
incredible job in you know you guys
sometimes just don't know how much
organization goes into things like this
it's lots of hours of brainstorming and
thinking and planning and writing and
just getting it all together calling
people so we just want to thank all of
you because it is so appreciated
um what went into this and uh we had a
lot of people come out and so what
everyone is wondering I know everybody
is is uh sitting here wondering how much
did we make
that is the question
so I'm gonna tell you
tell you in a minute
um we did awesome praise the Lord God is
good the total that came in was
2022.25 cents
yes
incredible job and our teens also helped
they did a bake sale with Miss Ginny and
baked some Goods Elijah baked some
cookies and some of the other guys help
Michael helped out selling so if you
want to bring that up
you want to bring it up you want to
bring it up Elijah
um this is what was made off of the
youth helping out they just a couple
cookies and muffins raised 125 dollars
uh to add to it so we appreciate that
and the time and effort that they put
into that and that Miss Janine helped
them with that we appreciate that
um so super exciting stuff with that
said
um everything outside that you see out
here
um on the end of the parking lot
this left over is free okay if you want
to take a look at it take something home
take it to a friend take it to a
neighbor you know drop it on the
doorstep now it's okay don't do that
um it is free uh the rest of everything
in here we have being taken down to a
local shop that's going to be selling it
for a Ministry
um so uh take a look out there
um welcome welcome if you're new welcome
we're glad to have you we have a card in
the seat in front of you you can fill
that out and we can get to know you we
have a kids church right after the tithe
and offering somebody's hungry over here
so uh
uh we have a kid stretched after ties
and offering
um we have prayer tonight at six o'clock
and there's a Bible study at 4 30 in the
fellowship hall as well
um family night we have classes at 6 30.
um we have youth Cafe at uh 5 30
upstairs and lots of fun Bible quiz
t-shirts uh everyone should have got one
if you haven't talked to me
um and I do uh as you are able
um they're ten dollars each so if you
can just get me that is ten dollars each
for the t-shirts to reimburse us that
would be awesome
um and uh so talk to me about that you
can put the ten dollars in an envelope
in the offering that says jbq t-shirt
and that would be great ten dollars each
for that
um
luncheon today and uh looking forward to
all those yummy flavors and next Sunday
is southern foods yes
that is my favorite you guys I'm so
excited this Texas girl needs some
southern food so uh yeah so um next week
the theme is Southern food so I'm real
excited about that uh so we always have
fun everyone's invited to come to the
lunch today next week every week and we
enjoy fellowship with everyone and just
love that a big thing coming up Harvest
Festival is coming up and everyone loves
Harvest Festival it's always so much fun
um the theme this year is farm animals
okay so dress up in your best farm
animal costume I want to see lots of
little cows and Piggies and chickens and
all sorts of things running around here
adults you're welcome to dress up too
and
yeah we're gonna dress up
Little Joe's over there talking about
dressing up all right so
um there will be a prize for the best
dressed farm animal there's a couple
prizes
um that I've got and then
um chili cook-off as usual so get your
best chili recipes going and we'll be
having some fun prizes for our chili
cook-off winners as well Bounce House
hayride face painting crafts games the
whole deal invite friends
um
we are asking as far as like the prize
candy that the kids win for the games if
you want to just donate money and we can
get something
um that would be fantastic
um so just put on your envelope Harvest
Festival candy
um and we'll just go get that candy that
would be the best way to do it you know
if you see a sail of candy like I'm all
for that go ahead and grab some candy we
don't want like year old candy from last
Harvest Festival
uh you know Easter whatever
um so but you know if you do see an
awesome sale I'm not going to turn your
candy away you know and you can bring
that or donate money for the candy
um so we appreciate that
um
we have a quick little need in the
library we're in need of tall bookcases
like sturdy tall bookcases or someone
that could fix maybe two of our
bookcases up a little bit so if anyone
is just out and about their own
Marketplace whatever you see some tall
bookcases and you want to pick them up
for us we would really appreciate that
um and we are looking for something
fairly sturdy not those like real flimsy
like Walmart cardboard ones that like
fall over
um you know I mean they're great in a
pinch but uh definitely something a
little sturdier or if you're just handy
handy handy and you want to build us
something that's cool too so bookcases
is what we need for our library uh you
can we should get some measurements you
know we can get some measurements for
that
um as well uh Pastor appreciation is
coming up October 8th is our lovely uh
children's director Julia that is her
day to appreciate her and all that she
does because she's up there with the
kids almost every week and just doing a
fantastic job and she's also helping us
sumolean they're working together on
getting the Harvest Festival together
this year I'm pretty much hands off and
just they're taking it and going for it
so that's a lot of work so we appreciate
her so the eighth you can bring cards
gifts things like that just to let her
know how much you appreciate her and
then October 22nd is our big past
appreciation that's going to be the
potluck where everyone can bring lots
and lots and lots of food and that'll be
Pastor Ryan and I's day so bring what
you want and uh I think that's it um oh
I was going to say something about the
church app but it is not working right
now it is
okay you can't you can't purchase it in
the store right now or you can't uh
download it in the store we're working
on that so if you are trying to find the
church app and you can't find it that is
why
um there's a little glitch going on uh
Bracey I think that does it for
announcements uh so everyone wants to
stand up we are going to get into some
worship
um
and uh once again last week I talked a
little bit about the Altar and just
wanting to be here because this is like
what the area that we call our altar
space
um and it's just a place to get with the
Lord and uh one one thing I want to say
about that is why in the world do we
call it an altar you know you think
about the altars in the Old Testament
where they sacrifice things and the
actual name Hebrew for altar is Ms Baya
and it means a place of Slaughter or
sacrifice so you're thinking why in the
world would I want to come up to the
place of Slaughter
that just sounds really horrible
um but when you think about it what are
we sacrificing what are we slaughtering
what are we getting rid of and that's
our sins that's our self you know and
this altar this place up here is a place
where you can come and lay down your sin
die to yourself and pick up Jesus Christ
because his cross is so much lighter
than all of that sin that we're we're
carrying so I just want to encourage you
today if there's a time during the
service when there's an invitation or
during worship come to the altar lay
down those sacrifices and just get with
the Lord all right so let's lift our
hands in Praise we're going to get into
some praise and worship to our Heavenly
Father Lord we love you we worship you
we thank you we thank you that we can
come to the altar that we can lay it
ourselves down and we can pick you up
Lord Jesus that we can have your
righteousness covering us Lord and that
we don't have to live in guilt and sin
any longer but we can live in Freedom in
Jesus name Hallelujah
these are the days
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restored
and all these are days
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still we are the boys
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and these are the days
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and these are the days
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and these days
and we are the rivers
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shining like the sun
because
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holy cows
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there is no God like Jehovah there is
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salvation
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shining
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us hallelujah
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he is coming on the Clouds Of Glory I am
so ready for that day praise you Jesus
Hallelujah
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a thousand Generations
Falling Down In Worship
to sing the song
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and all you've gone before us
and all who will believe
will sing the song
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your name is the highest your name is
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[Applause]
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oh
holy
holy forever
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his name
is
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it's your name is the highest
your name is
remember
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all friends and dominions
all powers and possessions
your days
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[Applause]
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our creations
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foreign
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holy
forever
name is the highest
your name
is
your name
stands above them all
all powers and possessions
your name
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is
the greatest
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understand
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able
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all Thrones and dominions
full powers
your name stands
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oh
my God
holy forever
crazy Jesus as I sing this song I was
just thinking of how the Lord wants us
to sing and praise and worship every
single day of the week we could put on
worship music in our living room we can
put on worship in our kitchen and we can
just lift our hands before the Lord we
can take time to just sing out to him
every single day of the week it doesn't
have to just remain here it can go with
us throughout the week
thank you
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isn't the name of Jesus
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so beautiful
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so wonderful
isn't the name of Jesus beautiful
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May Lord Jesus
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isn't the name of Jesus
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thank you
isn't the name of Jesus
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and we will sing the glory
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thank you
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by Jesus
there is
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together
isn't the name of Jesus
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isn't the name of Jesus
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Hallelujah he is all we need he is all
that you need right now I just want to
say as Pastor Ray is coming up that
there's so many times when I'm so
distracted so distracted with the phone
so distracted with life with bills with
all the things
and when I lay it down
and I say Jesus I just need you I just
need you there is something that breaks
in my life there's something that
happens in my life there is some power
there is some life there is some love
and I can't tell you how many times I go
to grab it and I'm like and I'm like
nope nope Jesus I need Jesus I need
Jesus you are all that I need
Hallelujah
he's the name above all other names
he is the king of kings the Lord of
lords
the Bible says that at the name of Jesus
every knee will bow and every tongue
will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord
and the scriptures when they encountered
him his Brilliance was so great that
people Shook and Fell In Fear
he is the holy Eternal one
he is our God
and even in that position of uttermost
power and insurmountable Glory
he loves us
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he sees us
and he wants to meet with us
we could come with so many different
needs across the place today we can come
from with so many trouble so many
maybe we were here this week and we're
just exhausted
maybe we're here this week and we're in
pain
maybe we're struggling with grief
maybe we're on the other side maybe this
week has been amazing maybe there's just
so much joy and New Life this week
no matter what it is that we are facing
or that we're going through we get the
beauty of going to God
and coming and meeting with him here and
allowing him
to meet with us in this place let's bow
our heads Heavenly Father we come before
you and we praise you
you are exalted and you are the Glorious
one
Lord we lay down everything that we have
gone through this last week
Lord our busyness our our exhaustion our
pains our troubles our fears our
anxieties we lay them all down before
your throne father we come and we lay
down our Joys before you and we exalt
you and we worship you we thank you for
the victories that we may have
experienced we praise you for the new
life that we praise you for the new
things that have occurred we lord we
just worship you this morning
You Are Holy you are righteous we
magnify you and we exalt you father As
We Lay these things down before you we
ask right now Lord God that you would
meet with us here in this place God that
you would be exalted here that you would
meet with us here Lord for those who
need a healing touch may you heal them
for those who need to be refreshed renew
them for those who need new joy and
strength in you Lord be their Joy Lord
that you and me with us in this place
and we thank you for what you're doing
in this heart in this place and in our
hearts Lord we worship you and we thank
you and we praise you for all the things
that we have gone through all the stuff
that we have faced we know that you are
greater than whatever wonderful thing or
whatever terrible thing we've gone
through this week you are greater than
it all and we exalt you and we praise
you for what you are doing in this place
as you minister to our hearts Lord we
love you and we worship you
Lord we just thank you so much that we
can gather here
and meet with you in this
father meet our needs we ask
as we glorify your holy name
in your mighty name and everyone says
amen amen praise God
you may be seated this morning we're
going to go continue our worship with
our tithes and our offerings
um
Josiah that's not how you sit kid but
that works
upside down is cool upside down praise
God we got the lips out of the
praise God we're going to do our worship
with our tithes and our offerings this
morning and we're so thankful for your
faithfulness how many are so thankful
for our community coming up together for
the garage sale the rummage sale we had
this last weekend amen
praise God
the kitchen committee we're going to be
meeting this week uh I I'm announcing it
some of you know some of you don't know
but as a kitchen committee we're I have
a meeting I'm going to let remind
everyone uh kitchens meeting we're going
to meet on Wednesday uh at five o'clock
before the discipleship to
um get some finalized plans before we
literally start knocking holes in walls
how many are you excited to see that
happen church amen
so it'll be really wonderful and we are
well on our way and it's going to come
real soon so I'm so thankful for that
once more we are so thankful to be able
to support our missionaries across the
field
um our Rush is already ready but I'm
going to believe it a point for just a
little bit I was an evangelist and
missionary that we that we love uh
shared a photo of him on Facebook and it
was him in uh I want to say it was in
Africa and he has to cross this River
now you would think about crossing a
large river that you would get on the
ferry and take the ferry or a boat
across right
it's him on a log raft
with his wife beside him as this person
with a stick is pushing the raft across
the river to get to where he was going
to have his services and it is wonderful
another missionary that we do support uh
Alan Michelle Ambrose have just in the
last week and a half have arrived in
Salzburg Austria and they're back on the
missions field and so we are so thankful
for them to be out there ministering in
the nation where God has called them and
so Church we're able to keep these
missionaries on the field and obeying
the work of God because of our faithless
and worship amen and so God is so good
let's pray over these tithes and these
offerings together and let's just give
God the glory for it all Hallelujah
Heavenly Father we thank you so much
for how you meet our needs Lord we
praise you that you have provided for us
all things that we need and Lord that
you are so glorious we want to honor you
we want to Worship You So father we take
these treasures and we place them in
your hands for you to use for your
purposes Lord to support the
missionaries and the evangelists across
the field to support the ministry in the
local church and Lord we just thank you
so much that you are doing a great thing
in this place in order across the globe
you're sending the word forth and we
just glorify you that we get to be a
part of such a mission Lord we just ask
that you would just bless the gift and
The Giver a like Lord that you would
cause these things to multiply and that
we would increase our Effectiveness as
we labor for you we thank you so much
from father we ask right now your
blessing upon this gift and Lord we
thank you for it in Jesus name everyone
says amen
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foreign
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yes
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he turned our eyes
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together
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give us your eyes
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foreign
thank you worship team praise God
uh
the four-year-old under the chair is
there
the 12 and under crew has Departed the
room they're upstairs and so praise God
for our young kids amen
they rush out here because they have so
much fun up there they want to use every
minute of it they can get
praise God
Hallelujah I'm going to warn you we're
going to read a whole book of the Bible
now you can either celebrate or you can
groan
it depends on if you want me to read
psalms or a smaller book
praise God if you have your Bibles turn
with me to the book of Philemon
Philemon the title of today's message is
to be useful
see now you're off breathing a cyber
Leaf he's reading from Philemon and not
Psalms oh praise God
it's okay we can laugh in church
in the book of Philemon it is between
Titus and Hebrews so if you open your
Bibles first second Timothy Titus Phi
Lehman Hebrews James and so it is right
there in the middle
Philemon I'm going to start reading
obviously with verse one since we're
going to read the whole book
Paul a prisoner of Christ Jesus and
Timothy our brother
two Philemon our beloved fellow laborer
and to beloved epithea and to archipus
our fellow Soldier and to the church in
your house
grace to you and peace from God our
Father and the Lord Jesus Christ
I thank my God always mentioning you in
my prayers whenever I hear of your love
and faith which you have toward the lord
Jesus and for all the saints that the
sharing of your faith may be most
effective by the acknowledgment of every
good thing which is in you from Christ
Jesus
for we have great joy and encouragement
on account of your love because the
hearts of the Saints are refreshed
through you brother
verse 8 says therefore though I might be
very bold in Christ to command you to do
that which is proper yet for Love's sake
I rather appeal to you I Paul an old man
and now also a prisoner of Christ Jesus
I appeal to you on behalf of my son
onesimus whose father I have become in
my imprisonment and who in the past was
unprofitable to you but now he is
profitable to you and to me
I have sent him back therefore receive
him as my own heart I wanted to keep him
with me so that in your place he might
serve me during my imprisonment for the
gospel
but without your consent I would do
nothing so that your goodness would not
be forced but given willingly
perhaps this was why he departed for a
while that he might you might receive
him forever no longer as a slave but
more than a slave a beloved brother
especially to me but how much more to
you both in the flesh and in the Lord
if then you consider me a partner
receive him as you would me if he
wronged you or owes you anything charge
this to my account ipal have written
this with my own hand I will repay it
not to mention that you owe me even your
own self
yes brother help me rejoice in the Lord
refresh my heart in the Lord being
convinced of your obedience I write to
you knowing that you also you will also
do more than I say
but in addition prepare also lodging for
me for I hope that through your prayers
I shall be graciously restored to you
epaphras my fellow prisoner in Christ
Jesus greets you as do Mark aristocus
Demas and Luke my fellow laborers the
grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with
your spirit amen
let's pray Heavenly Father we thank you
so much for your word Lord we ask that
it takes roots in our hearts and our
lives today father that you would speak
through us and speak to us right now
Lord God that you would be glorified in
our midst and that through this time
together we will be transformed by the
renewing of our minds Lord we praise you
and we glorify You In This Moment In
Jesus Name everyone says amen
I've had this message
in my heart that I'm going to present to
you this morning for a while and I have
I have labored how do I express this in
such a great and wonderful way and so I
would like to comment to you with this
message the same way that Paul uh
presented his own request to Philemon
and he comes with this his leather to
his fellow brother and he says in verses
8 and 9 he says there though I might
make a very bold in Christ I might be
very bold in Christ to command you to do
that which is proper but he says in
verse 9 yet for Love's sake I rather
appeal to you I Paul an old man and also
a prisoner for Christ
he's going to make a bold request and he
does it not on the sake of of commanding
but he does it from a position of love
his request is particularly large and it
is
it is and I want us to kind of
understand the scope as we look at this
particular letter
he is making a petition for a one
onesimus onesimus is being sent back to
Philemon and so Paul is making this
request to him you see onesimus has a
particular history
that is very very troublesome
namely onesimus is a runaway slave
he is the one that had ran away he has
gone his own ways and not only that but
particularly onesimus belonged to
Philemon
so here's this runaway slave that
belongs to a brother in the faith and he
finds himself and illness had fled from
that place now Philemon lived in
colossae it's where the book of
Colossians was written to the people of
the Colossians Philemon was a part of
that major city right there and he lives
in that place colossae was under Roman
law now I want to explain to you just so
you understand the scope and the
importance
the Romans loved their I I say it kind
of tongue-in-cheek they loved their
slaves okay not my like oh I'm gonna
treat you so nicely I'm gonna get you a
bouquet of flowers no no no it means
they liked having that possession
and so for to keep their slaves in line
if a slave were to flee or to run away
in any way it was punishable by Death
so now the lights are going on and you
begin to see that onisimus is a runaway
slave
and somehow this runaway slave in his
journeys encounters Paul
and now finds himself in this amazing
position following along Paul where he
encounters the Gospel of Jesus Christ
so enisimus goes from being in one place
and a runaway slave where he and then he
encounters Paul and through his journeys
with Paul comes to understand the gospel
and it allows his life to be completely
changed
and so he Journeys with Paul's life has
changed and after a particular season
occurs it is this the season of
discipleship his life has changed we
find onisimus
yes being sent by Paul but also willing
to go back to Philemon
regardless of the reception
this is this is the fascinating part is
Paul is sending back onesimus going back
to Philemon where under Roman law it
could cost onesimus his life
and he is so changed that he's willing
to go back willingly into that place
now Paul being led of the Holy Spirit
writes a letter to Philemon to inform
him of the change in onisimus and to
encourage a new relationship
we read this in the passage where he
says he was once uh not of prophet to
you some of your Bibles might say he was
of no use to you
and then Paul makes his heads he goes
he's become useful to me he's become
profitable to me now this is really kind
of a fun art of fun play on words right
here because the name onismus means will
be useful
so Paul is even have a little play with
words here with his letter this is this
the the the literary Brilliance of Paul
okay
he says this man who was once useless to
you
has been found of great usefulness to me
and I love Paul's response because he
even goes so far to say I would rather
like to hold on to him myself
I'd like to keep this guy working with
me I don't want him to go anywhere I
want him right here with me
but for your sake and for your good
graces I'll send them back to you that
maybe you might be willing to send him
you can see this this longing because
onismus has proven himself to Paul
and with this new proven Behavior to
Paul Paul is now sending him back to
Philemon and he says by the way when he
comes to you
I want you to know this he's not coming
back to you just as a slave
he left you a slave he left you and fled
from you as a slave but now he's
returning to you more than a slave now
he's returning to you as a brother in
Christ Jesus
do you see this a wonderful comparison
brother and slave and so he's going back
to a position because legally under
Roman law enus is supposed to be in that
previous relationship in that previous
uh
Master servant role he finds himself in
that place yet Paul is making this
admonition to Philemon says look he's
more than that now
he is so much more
and so he finds himself in this amazing
place
where Paul now has the understanding
from two positions we read in the book
of Philemon that he had a previous
relationship with Philemon and you can
see that in his request prepare also
lodging for me for our hope to be
restored to you through your prayers
that's this previous relationship so
Paul understood Philemon and I like to
think of it this way that he probably
even had this level of understanding
that he might have even recognized
onesimus when Anonymous came to Paul
and this whole idea of knowing where
onismus was supposed to be and so Paul
now has this amazing responsibility this
amazing opportunity to correct a broken
relationship
and so he gets to speak
both to the offender and to the offended
he finds himself with this means of
being able to address both parties to
make restoration
and when he does this he disciples the
one and then one grows he goes from
being used useless to useful but then he
must send them back to the offended
individual and when Paul does this he
makes the he he makes the request in his
petition
not to hey if I leave and go and good
luck whatever comes your way comes your
way
Paul also writes a letter and says hey
fine Lehman
I'm sending you onesimus please receive
them this way
and I'm not commanding when you read
that in verse 8 and 9 you can almost
read this I'm I could command you and
say you have to receive them this way he
goes but I'm not going to do that I'm
petitioning you out of Love's sake
receive them this way
so do you see this this whole admonition
is not because we're commanded to it's
because I love you
do you see that now from the rest of
this message if you got anything please
get the rest of this book of this
message through that lens of I could
command you but rather I love you
I want to present to you something that
is so beautiful so lovely that something
that God has given us on this Earth to
help every single one of us
and that word is accountability
to God it is wonderful Honorable in its
function but to man it is abrasive
is that fun don't we just love that word
accountability
it is a lovely beautiful powerful tool
of God but to man it is utterly abrasive
proverbs 17.
27 17 excuse me Proverbs 27 17 says this
iron sharpens iron so a man sharpens the
countenance of his friend
or as some text might say as iron
sharpens iron so one man sharpens
another
you see that text there
iron sharpens iron this level of
accountability is that abrasive nature
now I forgot to bring it down for me but
I've got a whole uh a set for a knife
sharpening kit and it's it's beautiful
and it's got different stones for
different levels of sharpening
you start with the most roughest Edge
and you go to the smoothest sapphire
stone to get this really beautiful
Cutting Edge on your knife
when it comes to usefulness and function
a blade requires a razor sharp edge
and we said
for use and function
the blade must be Sharp
over time and with use the edges of a
blade dulls and The Cutting becomes
harder and harder
the Precision wanes until finally we
just can't use that tool anymore
do you know it's no different with our
spiritual lives and with our Humanity
lives if we don't allow ourselves to be
continually sharpened we just get duller
and duller and duller
oh come on that's supposed to be a joke
but anyways okay
without with over time if we don't keep
ourselves sharp if we don't keep our
spiritual lives sharp and maintained
then what happens is we initiately find
ourselves into a place where we have
just dulled over time or with use
you know what's so amazing is how many
pastors get burnt out and leave the
ministry simply because they have not
been continually sharpened
and so it's so important that God has
given us the means of accountability
I'm talking about I'm talking about
accountability is something bigger than
just calling out sin okay
I'm talking about something bigger than
just calling out sin I'm talking about
something bigger than that I'm talking
about the full purpose and function of
accountability
that God has given us such a powerful
tool to come alongside us and to shape
us and to mold us and to keep us sharp
so that we can continue in our useful
function amen
there's more coffee coming later
it's okay we can we're alive in this
church right amen
now the only way for a blade to maintain
its Cutting Edge its usefulness is it
must be regularly addressed with
something equally if not more harder
than itself
do you catch that
in order for it to be continually useful
to maintain that Cutting Edge it must be
regularly addressed with something
equally as abrasive as hard as itself
and not just to sit there and smile at
each other but to actually do something
to reveal its Edge
oh Lord Jesus
and I want you to see the comparison in
the text
so one man sharpens another
so one impacts the countenance of the
other
as a Believer it's vital to our Edge
that we meet and bring the stone that
the build is rejected be in Christ and
apply the pressure to our lives so that
we maintain our fighting Edge
this is where
standard uh Sunday only Christianity
does not
cut it
pun half intended
this is where that standard Sunday
morning Christianity just doesn't meet
the match it doesn't come up
it's not enough
to sit there come sit up you smile at
each other deal with pastors stepping on
your toes and then get up and leave
it's not enough
that's like taking and I I left it over
there that's too small you won't even
see it anyways I should have brought my
big one and like
right my big one my big my boar knife
that's in the car
I should have brought that in
because then you can actually see it
it's big anyways
Sunday morning Christianity
that kind of equivalent when it comes to
sharpening our blades
we go to the show we show off our piece
see how nice it looks look how clean it
is it's so good isn't it wonderful but
then you got to use it and it does not
have any function at all
it's a great showpiece
but it's worthless when its function has
to come up
Sunday morning Christianity is a great
showpiece
I've got my weekly attendance card
stamped I'm good I can come to church I
can lift my hands with the rest of them
I'm good I can smile and look pretty
with the rest of them I'm good and we
have that great show peace
but we're not called to be showpieces
we're not called to sit there and to
look pretty on Sunday morning we're not
called to sit there and to have the best
sounding Choir in the universe we're not
called to any of that
God has given us a knife sharpening tool
an accountability because God doesn't
God wants us more you know what our
concern should be our concern should be
beyond our Earthly lives and considering
into our eternal life
it's good to have wonderful things on
programs and social uh institutions and
and wonderful programs to help man on
this earth now and it's wonderful to
have a good life on this earth now and
I'm wonderful I'm not delayed I'm not
belaboring that what I'm trying to tell
you though is that the eternal life
matters greater than your Earthly life
and we have to recognize that part of
our ability to get there is dependent
upon our our our sharpened Edge
that's not even my notes that was all
for free
so when we see this a brave abrasive
nature of accountability we cringe many
of us would rather slam our head in the
head that's supposed to say hand
this is what happens when I actually
read word for word when I write
many of us in in opposition to
accountability we would rather slam our
hand in the door or as I also have right
here or break our arm while slipping on
the ice in the office parking lot
upstairs
I would rather slip on the ice and
and walk around with a brace on their
hand for over a year just just you know
I would rather do that than deal with
accountability that's the mentality that
we take
I would rather deal with the issue than
to have something correct said issue
Paul took full advantage of situations
and in his letters to remind us to
remind people of the Eternal nature of
accountability
oh this is huge there's there's
something
internally eternally impacting when we
realize what accountabuse function is
Galatians chapter 2 verse 11 through 14
but when Peter came to Antioch I
withstood him face to face because he
stood condemned before certain men came
from James he ate with the Gentiles but
when they came he withdrew and separated
himself fearing those who were of the
circumcision that's a particular type of
theological event that they had
verse 13 and the other Jews likewise
joined together in hypocrisy with him so
that even Barnabas was carried away by
their hypocrisy
but when I saw that they were not
straightforward with the truth of the
Gospel I said to Peter before them all
if you being a Jew live like a gentile
and not like a Jew why do you compel the
Gentiles to live like Jews
I love this
Peter just Paul just comes out of the
Peter and says hey buddy
you don't follow all the law like you're
like like a regular Jew does you live
like a gentile why why could he say that
because Peter understood Grace and what
Christ had taught him and Peter was
right in that following the law does not
bring somebody's salvation
faith in Christ Jesus Does
what those are the circumcision they're
also called judaizers the judaizers
taught that for a gentile to be saved
they have to follow every bit of the law
so when it says those of the
circumcision what he's saying is if you
want to be saved you got to go under the
knife
but that was not in line with the gospel
and so what happens is here's Peter
and Peter begins to do something so
dramatically different these individuals
come and Peter separates them now Peter
preaches the truth Peter stood upon the
truth
what was the truth that faith in Christ
alone saves you not by obeying every
word of the law
faith in Christ Jesus that's what Peter
proclaimed Peter had good Doctrine
but his actions were off
when it came time to affirm the doctrine
instead he finds himself siding with
those of the circumcision group
and in so doing his actions begin to
propagate the wrong message
this his prop he began to sit there and
his actions begin to send the message
says hey what these guys say is valid
this this is what they do and they are
they are in this place he validates the
message by association he says these
guys are good
and Paul correctly and biblically calls
him out on it he holds Peter accountable
for the hypocritical words that he was
doing
look you're off this is not what you do
if you who live like a gentile
why are you doing this
praise God Peter
was essentially missing the mark
regarding that gospel and when I say
regarding missing the mark regarding the
gospel he was sinning thankfully he
corrected himself
he corrected himself
he was Guilty By Association because by
association he was propagating what
their false teachings were
and some accountability again that
sharpening of the edge had to occur
we view it like it's a bad thing to call
things out no it's a Biblical it's a
good we're sharpening that edge to make
it useful and to its function amen
Luke 17 Jesus puts it this way in Luke
17 verse 3
take heed to yourselves if your brother
sins against you rebuke him if he
repents forgive him
I love this if they sin rebuke him you
know what that's fun
call it out
hey by the way you wronged me when you
did this
hey you you wronged you wronged so and
so when you did this
this was this was not right
you need to make amends
and then if he repents if they repent
then you forgive him
I love that
now here's the thing church we need to
recognize this
when it comes to these missing of the
marks we need to recognize and prior to
that verse verse three prior to that
Jesus says that missing the Mark is
bound to occur
sin is bound to occur what matters is
when we are faced with the truth do we
change our actions to line up with the
truth
here's the key for the sentence here's
what repentance is repentance is made up
of two areas
two key areas is repentance you have the
inner compulsion and the outer Behavior
now accountability is going to go with
repentance because again accountability
is to make this whole corrective steps
okay
now please bear with me true repentance
is the inner compulsion
and the outer Behavior
now I want to touch on this because this
is so key I just leave it on that slide
there for a while brother and I
appreciate that
I want you to understand this church
the most interesting thing is about
inner compulsion
two things about inner compulsion
this is what I have discovered in my own
life and my own observation
you can manipulate inner compulsion
by that I mean this
you can fool everybody that you are
repenting
do you catch this
you can fool everybody that you're
repenting
yet if your heart is still over here
there's no inner compulsion that's not
true repentance
okay
I'm deceiving myself
I don't have that inner compulsion
what am I doing
I'm sitting and I'm like I'm tricking
everybody else that I truly want to
repent
I'm tricking everybody else
but my heart is still over here
the other thing about inner compulsion
is this the one that is also the one
that is most is is is is the one that
can be easily missed in this regards and
this is what I mean on the other side so
one we can deceive it and trick other
people that we have it the other is when
we have the intercompulsion and but
we're having trouble with the outward uh
the outward actions
the inner compulsion is there so we are
so quick to judge by the hour experience
and so we tell people oh they're truly
repentant but the inner compulsion is
not there oh that person's not repentant
but the inner compulsion is there
it requires both end to go it right
there so we have to see that those two
things come in with repentance the outer
Behavior must come alongside the inner
compulsion why because I'm aligning the
inner man with the outward expression
see here's this inner compulsion it can
be covered up or hidden as in it's not
there but it's portrayed as this if it
is it can be the most sincere a strong
a strong feeling but denied by our
actions
amen
therefore
in light of all those things God has
given us such a great tool he's given
the church such a marvelous tool what is
he doing he has given us each each other
so that we might sharpen one another
do you see that
why it's so that when it comes to our
repentance we're both sharpening one
another in this as iron sharpens others
so one man sharpens another
that's accountability
do you guys get this
listen to this
why do we must sharpen one another we
are going to sharpen against anything
that threatens our true Heavenly reward
come on that's supposed to be an amen in
there somewhere
we are supposed to sharpen one another
against anything that's going to
threaten our true our true Heavenly
reward
this is this is what happens see
sometimes we become so dull
that we find ourselves susceptible
to sin
we find ourselves so susceptible to
false doctrines we find ourselves so
dulled that we begin to walk away from
the truth because we are not holding one
another to the flame we're not holding
one another to that accountability we're
not sharpening one another we're not
building one another up we're not
encouraging one another we're not coming
along this Faith journey together
and so we begin to lose out and we can
miss that Heavenly faith that Heavenly
reward that Christ has for us so we
sharpen one another against anything
that's going to threaten that in
Ecclesiastes he says this two are better
than one because if there is a good
reward for their labor together for if
they fail fall one will lift up to help
His companion but woe to him who is
alone when he falls and has no one to
help him up also if two lie together
they can keep warm how can one keep corn
by himself if someone might overpower
another by himself two together can
withstand him a three-fold horde is not
quickly broken
it's not in my notes but it should be in
Hebrews do not forsake the Gathering
Together as someone in the habit of
doing but as you see the day of the Lord
approaching gather all the more
why is he saying that just because we
got to sit there and like get around the
campfire and Kumbaya everything you know
no he's saying look you got to encourage
you got to sharpen one another you got
to strengthen one another you got to
hold the accountability to one another
it's not just on the leadership to do it
it's but it's for everybody to come
alongside do that
to that end we see that on that day we
will be held to account not by man but
by God
the accountability at the end of the day
we get to have the opportunity right now
to help one another and hold one another
accountable here today but at the end it
is God who's gonna have the final say in
all things
in second Corinthians 5 10 we read first
we must all appear before the Judgment
seat of Christ that each one may receive
his recompense in the body according to
what he has done whether it was good or
bad
I don't know about you but I would
really like to make sure that whatever
recompense we get it's on the good side
amen
how many of you would rather have and so
if I had the opportunity to say hey
let's encourage this let's encourage
this response let's encourage this
Behavior why because I see this and I'm
like you know what God can we can be
blessed by God if we have a recompense
towards Good Deeds
towards Godly Deeds
amen
what would be the impact
if we had a a a a a loving uh a loving
iron on iron Happening Here and Now
instead of putting everything off for
fun for a later day
do you catch this what if I stopped
looking at that verse and saying okay
we're going towards the heaven I want to
sharpen iron sharpensed iron but oh you
know what when I'm abrasive it offends
when this happens you know hey I you
know I'm not gonna hold people
accountable let them live their own
lives God will sort it all out
but
if we have the means to say and reveal
something in the moment that would help
somebody else benefit from that
shouldn't that be the loving thing to do
amen
when we notice a particular pattern of
behavior beginning to occur in our lives
and we say yes that might be fun and
easy and fast in the moment but at the
end of the road if this kind of behavior
keeps on occurring it's going to lead to
death
this this this is going to get us kicked
out this is going to lend us in jail
this do you see what I'm saying here
church this kind of behavior we have to
watch it and so what do we do we call
out and address the small foxes so that
those small foxes are dealt with in the
easy so they don't grow big and
monstrous and we have to deal with a
beast later on
and the Crickets are chirping
but this is what we do we don't want to
deal with foxes we don't want to deal
with issues and so instead of addressing
them in the moment when it's easy we let
it slide
not realizing it by letting that thing
slide it's going to get much much bigger
later on
I don't know how relatable this is
when my grandfather was working at a
tree farm
the owner of the tree farm they had a
barn they raised goats and fish and all
that kind of stuff was it was a farm and
they also had a tree farm there as well
and they noticed that their goat numbers
were dwindling soft Footprints are not
but they saw the blood trail and the
dragging as something had drug a goat
out of the barn
and so they had this fun idea
of well let's put a live trap let's put
a cage inside the barn the barn doors
are shut I have no idea what's going on
and so they put this barn and they put
this cage this live trap cage inside the
barn and the doors were there and
um
one night
it was probably about I don't know what
time it was nearing midnight I suppose
and there was such a Ruckus that my
grandfather was living he worked on that
tree farm he was living on a trailer on
the property and
um
the noise was so loud it woke him up so
he's like okay I'll go figure out what
this is so he grabs a flashlight and he
he goes out to the barn to see what's
making this noise and he opens the door
and as you open this door this this
massive cougar crashed the edge of the
cage right there in front of him and
landed on the floor
this animal had found an easy meal
and the farmers they could have Let It
Go and like okay well it's fine but they
were wanting to take care of their goats
and so they had to trap the animal in
that moment
church this is the same thing for us we
have these moments where these little
foxes try to get into our lives and
they're kind of minor minor irritants in
the moment but if we let those minor
irritants continue to grow pretty soon
we're going to find ourselves with an
instrumental beast in our lives that we
have to deal with
and so we've sharpened ourselves now so
that we don't have to worry about the
bigger Beast later on Amen
and so it's why accountability is so
important to the church
in Hebrews 12 Hebrews 13 17 even leaders
God has given us in that place our
leaders submit obey our leaders and
submit to them for they watch over your
souls as those must give an account
listen to this even I'm going to be held
accountable
that's and that's intimidating I'm going
to be held accountable let them do this
with joy not complaining for that be no
profit to you I like how he puts it that
way James three my brothers not many of
you should become teachers knowing that
we shall receive the greater judgment
no pressure right
and so God fascinatingly gave us
these the the he knew they were going to
be in these dilemmas and so he put
individuals in place to help with the
accountability and even then they're
going to be held accountable we are
going to be held accountable unto God
our ability to heed counsel is so vital
to accountability
our our whole our whole ability to heed
counsel is vital to this all we said
this in Sunday school proverbs 17. uh
Proverbs 7 12 excuse me Proverbs 12 15.
the way the fool is right in his own
eyes but he who listens to counsel is
wise
listen to this
the fool rejects accountability
why because he is wise in his own eyes
he's always right he does nothing wrong
I don't see what's going on I don't see
what's going on I don't I I you're
missing the point there pastor
the fool has said in his eyes there is
no God
the fool listens to nobody but
themselves
now comparison to that where it says
that the wise heed the wise they heed
accountability so the fool rejects
accountability but the wise welcomes it
I love this the fool says nope I don't
want to be held accountable the fool
says nope I'm going to reject it I'm not
going to listen to that I'm right in my
own eyes you're wrong you know the ten
times on
but the wise man listens to that
we the wise listen to the word of God
the wise listen to the accountability
the Bible also says if we don't fear God
I won't say the beginning of that let me
back up
it happens
another thing about the wise is that
wisdom begins with the fear of the Lord
and this fear is not the awe of God
it's the legit fear of God Christ tells
him don't fear man who can kill the body
but let the soul live rather fear God
who can kill both body and soul and Hell
so when I hear pastors talk about well
fear of the Lord is not really fear it
just means to be an awe of God no even
Jesus said
you should fear God who can kill both
your body and your soul
that doesn't sound like being in awe of
the power of God that sounds like Mighty
yep I should be very respectful of who
I'm going to go to
what we think we need to recognize
church is that if we don't fear God
accountability is powerless
if we don't fear God accountability is
powerless even in this life fear is a
good thing healthy fear Keeps Us within
the boundaries meant for our benefit
do you know that did you know that you
can walk in love and in fear at the same
time and not violate the other
yes the Bible says that perfect love
drives out all fear but do you realize
that we are to fear the lord and that if
I am to love the Lord God with all my
heart my soul my strength but I'm also
to fear the lord thy God at the
beginning of the beginning of wisdom is
the fear of the Lord that that fear and
love can go hand in hand together
is it an amazing church that fear and
love can go hand in hand in such a
beautiful and Powerful way
so I can love the Lord your God
but the fear of the Lord keeps me within
the boundaries meant for my benefit
you don't want to ruin a good thing so
we adjust our behaviors to keep it amen
see the anti-thesis to all of this is
through our own Pride the anti-thesis
of accountability is pride
can I say this
pride is the antithesis of
accountability
our own self-deception Creeps in and
says you're good
do you catch this I want you to see this
your own self-deception that is caused
by pride comes in and says you're fine
you're good you can deal with it later
you don't have an issue
and that self-deceptive nature comes in
and it tricks us
accountability says Hey do you notice
anything in my life that needs to be
dealt with
accountability get this is the beauty
thing about accountability when it comes
to growth when it comes to spiritual
growth physical growth accountability
says hey am I off do you see something
I'm missing
do that
I'm going to somebody else and saying
hey hear peer into me make sure there's
something I'm missing why accountability
causes us to bypass the track of Pride
so that we can dealt deal with what
needs to be dealt with
not to give excuse for it but so that I
don't let Pride run my life
so accountability that's hard because
again that abrasive Stone has got to
come out and sharpen that edge and
remove all those things that don't
belong there
do you catch this
I love sharpening a good tool I love
sharpening my knives and it's really fun
and you get there but that at the end of
a good sharpening session there's this
wonderful fine powder that I've scraped
off of my knife blade
this fine chipping away that removed all
the dullest parts and resulted in a good
sharp edge do you realize that that
accountability is like taking that that
abrasive Edge sharpening the knife and
removing the dross of Our Lives
removing that sin
that accountability
that's that God does the Forgiveness God
does the work but somebody's got to
reveal to us that there's something to
be removed and then I'm allowing that to
be removed off my life which is hard
because we don't like people pointing
fingers at us
right we don't like it when somebody has
to come back back at us but when we
realize that it's for our benefit that
I'm going for a razor sharp edge so that
I can be effective
grinding all those things away and we
have to recognize too that with
accountability and with a deceptiveness
of pride
it is so important that we recognize
that moving that iron sharpening iron
we're removing those things that do not
belong
now this is the hard part because when
we're removing these things church we
have to recognize that we're removing
those things that even no matter how
much I want those they don't belong
no much how much I enjoy it
it doesn't belong
do you know that sin is enjoyable
it doesn't take a rocket scientist to
make that claim
I'm removing that doesn't belong
look at that
do what we want it there's sometimes we
really just want those things but they
don't belong gotta grind It Off
you know the whole idea it's even harder
when it's something that we've worked
for
but we've got to grind It Off
why because there's something
Eternal that God wants to do in
producing us and accountability is going
to expose that
but see this is what's amazing it helps
us bypass pride and help us bypass our
selfishness pride and selfishness how
many of those things we love it we enjoy
it we want it we work for it Etc how
many of those things can be so
self-satisfied and accepted through the
self-deception of pride
well I worked for this it's mine well I
enjoy it I don't need to get rid of it
well I want it so I'm going to hold on
to it do you see the emphasis in that
moment
accountability says hey is there
something that does not belong that's
got to be dealt with amen
that's the whole power of accountability
right there God uses the church and the
word to reveal these areas in our lives
that accountability to one to another is
to help motivate and strengthen us to
deal with such things appropriately
listen to Galatians chapter six in
Galatians chapter six brothers if a man
is caught in any transgression you who
are spiritual should restore him such a
one in the spirit of meekness watching
yourselves lest you also be tempted bear
one another's burdens and so fulfill the
law of Christ that sounds really good
like accountability doesn't it Church
it says right there
for if someone thinks himself to be
something when he has nothing he
receives himself that is pride right
there in the moment
I talked about the self-deceptance I
wrote self-deceptiveness of Pride before
I put that on on in my notes
but let each one examine his own work
and then he will have rejoicing in
himself alone and not in another for
each one shall bear his own burden but
do you realize go back up right there
you should restore one another in
spiritual Spirit of meekness watching
yourselves lest you also be tempted
verse Two Bear one another's burdens and
soul fulfill the law of Christ
you know the Bible says
come alongside one another pray for one
another
confess your sins to one another there's
something beautiful that when we are
accountable to one another that we carry
one another up that we strengthen on one
another and we fulfill the law of Christ
in those matters
isn't that amazing Church
that God brought us together for a
purpose not just that we can sit there
and try to go through our faith life on
our own and try to get to heaven on our
own accord but he is surrounded with us
with a with a church family he
surrounded us with the word of God to to
hold us accountable to say this is the
way of Truth walk thee in it and that
God says this is how you do this carry
one another in this matter
this is a huge Church carry one another
in that matter to sit there and and to
to Bear one another
you who are spiritual should restore
such and one if they're caught in the
Sin you who are spiritual should restore
them do you realize it's not about
casting them out it's about restoration
the word you who are spiritual that that
word spiritual is the word pneumaticos
it's where we also get the word spirit
in pneuma but it's also of pneumaticos
means non-carnal not carnal regenerated
spiritual
or in a word
mature
you who are not of a carnal fleshly mind
you who are not given to deeds in the
flesh you who are strong in the spirit
of God restore those who have fallen
isn't that amazing Church how God puts
all these in place for us so that we can
grow and receive the benefit of it all
amen
it is beautiful when we see this the the
this body working together for a goal to
all arrive at that one place as Paul
says follow me as I follow Christ amen
back to Philemon
onesimus
desires to make things right
and for the sake of unity in the church
and in Christ there is an opportunity
There's an opportunity here
he's talking to the family and sometimes
Bible words are really fun and this is
not in the notes but it came up last
night in the discussion and it made for
quite a laugh
in Philemon when Paul says your your
faith and your actions have greatly
strengthened the heart of the church
right we read that in verse I believe it
was six
that you have your that you have
strengthened the heart of the church I
love this
because we read how he's finally even
has strengthened the hearts of of the
people
except when you really look at what the
word really means
you ready for this this is fun this is
going to blow your minds
the word translated heart
is the Greek word where we get the word
spleen
or intestines
so when I told my son this I'm like Paul
says if I leave in you have strengthened
the intestines of the church
the Bible can be funny
but the word in the Greek that he that
would translate heart in that passage
means the innermost parts
so when Paul writes to Philemon he says
you have strengthened the innermost
beings of the people
you have strengthened the core of the
church
isn't it beautiful
and he uses the word spleen to do it
anyways
but in this moment Philemon could
respond to Paul's accountability in two
ways
because again accountability is more
than just sin
it's about doing what's right it's about
doing what glorifies God that's
accountability it's about holding us
faithful to the truth amen
and so what we see here in this place I
know I'm wrapping up I'm getting there
brother please bear with me
finally even has an opportunity to
respond one of two ways
he could respond with welcoming onesimus
as a brother renewed in Christ Jesus
useful and Redemptive
or Philemon could stand upon his rights
as a Roman citizen and welcome onisimus
back as a wayward slave and unto death
he has a legal responsibility and a
legal opportunity to say onismus you
have wronged me here's the punishment go
be killed
he had every legal right to do that
legal I mean culturally acceptable
acceptable by the law I mean every
little tidbit right there
but Paul makes an unaccountability claim
Paul makes a claim that says look if
we're going to live in Christ Jesus if
we're going to walk according to Faith
then you can't do what's culturally
right you can't do it's legally
acceptable you must do what glorifies
God
and what does he say he says welcome
this man back as a brother he makes in
this admonition in this claim of
accountability amen
and so he does this to encourage and to
sharpen and Paul writes this letter
hoping that through accountability the
right actions can be done
church it's not just calling out sin
it's encouraging what's right
that's accountability
why that's that sharpening edge do
what's right do what glorifies God
remove the sin that so easily entangles
us let's praise him with everything that
we are let's glorify because how
wonderful and loving he is and God made
sure that with the word of God and with
the church that we would strengthen one
another up
amen
we get so offended well they're going to
touch my pet teacher they're going to
touch my pet project they're going to
touch my my they're gonna they're gonna
put their fingers at what I enjoy doing
they're gonna they're gonna address my
favorite politics they're going to touch
on these things church if it's not
submitted to God it's free game
because it's iron sharpens iron it's
strengthening one another why because we
have a Heavenly reward waiting for us
and now is not a time to grow dull and
useless it is now the time to be useful
amen
we praise God for that that we can be
useful to one another to encourage right
biblical behavior that glorifies God
Paul advocated for anissimus
Paul advocated for a brother he
advocated said look Philemon you didn't
do what's right I advocate for this man
I advocate for this church we can
Advocate one for another listen to this
this is accountability
but if you want to know more first John
chapter 2. first John chapter two my
little children I am writing these
things to you so that you do not sin but
if anyone does sin we have an advocate
with the father Jesus Christ the
righteous one he is the atoning
sacrifice for our sins and not for ours
only but also for the sins of the whole
world
I love this
because church I want you to see the
beauty of accountability
we can Advocate one for another for the
word of the Lord
we can advocate for what's right we can
Advocate and praise God
but to recognize that even when we fall
short there's an advocate for us who
sits at the right hand of the father who
makes intercession for us on his own
accord
there's somebody
do you realize the Bible even tells us
about the holy spirit that the holy
spirit is our counselor
you know what he's saying
the word of God the the Holy Spirit
Jesus
that that accountability partner
is to motivate us and to sharpen us so
that we can go into what the great
things and the reward that God has for
his people
why
because if we sin
God has made a way for us
amen
and that when we recognize
transgressions
when we recognize that something's gone
wrong
[Music]
we should go through restoration
the accountability comes up hey this is
what the word God says we notice this
one going on and this is not right for
you to do this let's let's take these
steps to make sure that that does not
happen again let's let's let's check
with the word of God and make sure that
hey this behavior is right this is
biblical this glorifies God and if it
doesn't then it's probably best time to
stop those things that don't
the word of God Is So accountable
it's ironing sharpening iron why because
God has got something so important for
us to do
that we can't be dull about it amen
[Music]
Philemon is such a beautiful book
and we recognize
the importance that it plays
in US
moving forward with what God has in
store for us amen
let's just stand across this place
and let's just give God the glory for a
moment
we consider this heavenly father we come
before you right now
we thank you for this moment we thank
you for your word
Lord we glorify you and we worship you
Lord your word says iron sharpens iron
so one man strengthens accountants of
another Lord I ask right now that you
just begin to move across this place and
then you begin to move in our hearts
[Music]
Lord Jesus
fathers we've gone through the word
right now I just ask that you just begin
to just impress Upon Our Hearts what you
desire for us this moment
I've gone through what you've laid upon
my heart and the rest I submit to you
church if for whatever reason you just
need prayer maybe a part of this message
just spoke to you maybe there's a part
that just rang in your ears maybe you've
been one of those who have rejected
accountability
maybe you've seen the self-deceptiveness
of Pride maybe you just you you want to
be that person who will stand strong in
accountability whatever the case may be
however the message spoke to you this
morning
I want you to know these moments that
these altars are open for us to respond
to the Lord
these altars the place of sacrifice
to lay these things down which need to
be laid down
never to be taken back up again if you
just need prayer if you want to just do
do do prayer with the Lord this morning
and open these altars up whoever wants
to respond however they will let's just
have a moment of prayer and seek the
face of God this morning Hallelujah go
ahead love you
thank you
[Music]
and we pray that our Unity will one day
be restored and they'll know we are
Christians by our love by our love and
they'll know we are Christians
[Music]
by our love by our love and
we are Christians by our love
we will walk with each other we will
walk and in hand we will walk with each
other we will walk hand in hand and
together we'll spread the news that God
is in this land and they'll know we are
Christians
[Music]
oh praise to the father from whom all
things
to Christ Jesus he is only son and all
praise to the spirit who makes us one
and they'll know we are Christians by
Your Love by our love and they'll go
away your Christians by your love
all praise to the father from whom all
things come and all praise to Christ
Jesus is only son and all praise to the
spirit who makes us
[Music]
sing this with me We Are One
we are one in the spirits we are one in
the Lord we are one in the spirits we
are one in the Lord and we pray that our
Unity May one day be restored and
they'll know we are Christians
[Music]
praying to Jesus
Christ
Heavenly Father we know that sometimes
love requires us to be truthful
Lord but I pray that every dealing that
we have with each other every dealing
that we have with the body of Christ
would be out of love it would be out of
kindness it would be out of Mercy Lord
that Grace would abound to our Brothers
and Sisters in Christ Lord as sometimes
we have to hold each other accountable
Lord I pray that it will be done in the
most sincere and most kind most Gentle
Way Lord and that when people repent
when people ask for forgiveness when
people come humbly Lord that they would
be accepted into the beautiful arms of
the body of Christ Lord Jesus and that
we would be a safe place for so many
people Lord that they would find the
love of Jesus here they find the
Forgiveness of Jesus among the saints
Lord Jesus and we're so thankful that
you found it in your heart to love us
you found it in your