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[0:00] One thing of many years preaching in Africa, I never had to wear any of these. But anyways, I'm glad we have them.

[0:19] But I often think of that, where's the greatest message going to be preached this weekend, Sunday morning, around the world? I would guess probably somewhere where it's not recorded, just in a little shack somewhere was a man of God that met God.

[0:39] I don't know. It could be somebody with a sound system in a big church. It could be. But I often wonder what is never recorded that would be such a blessing.

[0:53] And anyways, greetings to you all again, and good to see you. Come out.

[1:06] Tonight I'm going to preach on stable or unstable. I'm glad that Enos reminded us that are we committed when God puts a finger on us?

[1:31] I think this is a message that could. And maybe it should. Because I know it's very challenging, stable or unstable.

[1:47] Are we stable, settled, established, strengthened in Christ? Or are we unstable? And it's amazing scripture here.

[1:59] And we're going to just break in a couple of verses in Genesis 30, 49. Genesis 49, verse 3 and 4. It breaks in here.

[2:09] I explain a little bit more about that. Reuben. Thou art the firstborn. My might, the beginning of my strength. The excellently of dignity.

[2:21] And the excellently of power. Unstable as water. Thy shall not excel. Because thy went is up to thy father's bed.

[2:34] And that if thou thou it, he went up to my couch. So in other words, he committed incest. And so he was called unstable as water.

[2:49] And that he will never excel. Very sobering words. And so that is the reason. Unstableness is the reason many people don't excel.

[3:04] In life. It simply doesn't work. And so we want to look at that tonight. Stable or unstable.

[3:15] Are you established, strengthened, settled? Unstable. We know that. How that might look. But unstable as water.

[3:28] I was thinking about this message. On the way up here. I was flying from Denver to Missoula. And I was watching over the Rocky Mountains. And I was watching down below all the little streams.

[3:42] Why do they go this way? Because they follow the path of least resistance. They submit to the world surrounding them.

[3:58] They do not make a path of their own. They follow the path of the least resistance.

[4:08] How do I do? How do I stand up? In this culture today. Where do I stand?

[4:19] Well that would be easier. They wouldn't criticize me for this. I don't think anybody cares. I'll just make this a little. It's easier. It is why I'm not excelling.

[4:31] In my spiritual life. Or my responsibility. Living the life here on earth. So it was interesting to watch that.

[4:42] Through the Rocky Mountains. Of all these little scribbles. It's like somebody put his finger down. But. It is following the path of the least resistant.

[4:56] Unstable as water. If I would ask you to bring me a handful of water. Would it work? We put it in a cup.

[5:11] Because it cannot be contained. It will. Flow out. Evaporate. On all that. But we need it.

[5:23] So then. For real water. But here. He gives that illustration. About Reuben. It's very sobering. And we'll get to more things in the Bible here tonight.

[5:35] James 1. James chapter 1. Verse 6. 7. 8. But let him ask him faith. 2. Why don't you ever think? 3. 4.

[5:46] Pierre 1. 4. 5. 5. 7. 5. 6.

[6:00] Lord, a double-minded man, is unstable in all his ways. Ouch.

[6:14] You're allowed to say ouch. I remember those days when you were tossed to and fro like a wave of the sea.

[6:29] But thank God that he brings a subtleness into us as we surrender to him. But I remember not knowing what's up.

[6:45] It's like, yes, I believe this. No, maybe I don't. Yes, I think I do. It's not fun. So, I'm not criticizing or preaching against any one of you.

[7:00] I'm preaching to you to help you. It is real. And yet, it is so deadly. A double-minded man is unstable in all his ways.

[7:15] And don't think you're going to get an answer. It's very strong. You know, in a sense, sometimes we wish it wouldn't be that way.

[7:27] So strong. So clear-cut. Because it would maybe benefit me if he would accept unstableness. But he doesn't.

[7:39] I didn't write the book. I'm only the deliverer of the message. And I accept it.

[7:50] I believe this. I have seen it. In my own life. And I have seen it in the life of others. I cannot deny that it is true.

[8:02] And I know that. Reuben was the elders of the son of Jacob. And his responsibility was for his brother's safety and all that.

[8:14] He was going to be inheritance down to him like they do to the oldest son. And he was responsible for his brothers below him.

[8:27] The blame for loss would have fell on him. And when he sold Joseph, what did Reuben do to repair his sin of failing to protect his brother?

[8:44] He could have ran after the slave traders and got Joseph back. Instead, he sided with the conspiracy.

[8:56] He said he wasn't there when they sold him. But he still worked with them. He still sided with the conspiracy that his brother was murdered. And dipped his coat in blood.

[9:10] Sending it back to his father. He was so unstable. He couldn't stand up and say that isn't right. If he claims he wasn't there, which I believe he said the truth.

[9:22] But he fell right into it. With it. He was unstable. He didn't pursue the slave traders and bought Joseph back.

[9:35] Instead, like I said, he joined the conspiracy. He could not make up his mind. So like I was saying earlier, water always flows the path of least resistance.

[9:51] What are you doing in this culture today? How often is it? Well, it would be easier just not to. It would be easier.

[10:02] Sometimes we think of not living the gospel completely or explain it completely, truly. Right. Because some people might get upset if I say it how it is.

[10:13] I have surrendered to Jesus Christ and it should not concern me. What people think.

[10:23] Because will we find it easy to adapt to ways of what is commonly accepted without questioning it. We just accept it.

[10:36] We just. Well, yeah, that's good. I agree with you. But I, you know, you can have your beliefs. I can have mine. That's not in the Bible. But that's a common theory, even if we say it or not.

[10:51] I don't want to confront you and say, no, according to the Bible, that's wrong. So I accept it. I just adapt to this way. I adapt to that way. Next day, somebody else comes along and throws me another false doctrine.

[11:06] And I accept that too. That could be true. We were just not raised that way. I don't care how you were raised. In a sense.

[11:17] I hope you were raised good. And I hope you appreciate it. But it's not how you were raised. It is how you come to Christ and then live it out.

[11:31] And that is what's important here. Because we can be thrown around like a feather in the wind. Everything that comes along.

[11:43] Here I go. What is the new thing you're running after? I know people. It's almost weekly. Oh, they found some other quick, get rich quick scheme.

[11:56] And they're all excited. This is the real thing. You were scammed last week. Now you believe you found it this week? Gotta be kidding. Like a feather.

[12:11] The wind kicks up. Here you go. I almost caught it. There you go. Unstable. Unstable. Unstable. Unstable.

[12:22] Not committed to anything. Now I add the last two words I have written down. In the church. Not committed to anything. I'm not willing to commit myself.

[12:34] Then you can't accuse me of not doing it. I'm really getting smart now. That's how people. That's how I think.

[12:45] You know, they don't want to commit. Because then they can't be held accountable. I commit so I can be held accountable. And not. I'm not ashamed of the gospel. I commit to it.

[12:58] And I don't want to be unstable. Because then I have no reason not to think that I can excel if I'm unstable. I said that backwards probably. But if I'm unstable, I have no reason to believe that I can be excelling in life.

[13:15] We're always looking at our neighbors. Their grass is always a little greener. Chasing greener grass. Always something else.

[13:31] Think about those things. What are you doing? Have you found Jesus Christ as the ultimate source? And the very plan of salvation for your life? And the walking that way?

[13:42] Because in the end of life, you're going to be judged. In everything you did. You won't get away with one word. Unless you surrender now.

[13:56] And send that all before you. And let God judge it already. Amen. I had two people in my lifetime that told me this.

[14:11] There's a lady that told me one time, I believe there's a God. I believe he's going to judge. But I don't believe he will take me quick that I wouldn't have a chance to get it right.

[14:25] Amen. I couldn't believe that people think they can control what God's going to do.

[14:38] I have no control over. I don't want control over. The end of my life will come at the appointed time.

[14:49] I will not choose to do that myself. And so we see this.

[14:59] We're always chasing things. And we think we can... God's going to judge us. There is a judgment day coming. We're going to meet the Lord. Every knee will bow.

[15:11] Every tongue will confess. So let's make sure that we're latched on to in Christ and he in us.

[15:23] We draw an eye to him. He draw an eye to us. We sup with him. He sup with us. That should be a real testimony, ongoing, daily lifestyle in Jesus Christ.

[15:36] It's not a question. And so we don't want to be unstable. We want to be solid, settled. You know, you imagine when people come up to you, how do you believe on this?

[15:47] This is how I believe. Oh, you're crazy. Does that blow you like a feather? No. You just... No. This is what I believe.

[15:59] You know, when you're settled and established, it somehow makes you look like in this modern culture today, like you're so set in your ways.

[16:12] I'm not set in my ways. You don't want to know my ways. I'm set on Jesus Christ. I'm settled in what he spoke, what the word shows.

[16:25] I do not want it. There's there for a reason. We need to know. We need to study. We need to seek God in those areas. I want to know. It's not going to be half-heartedly.

[16:38] I want to know. Social media comes along. That really helps unstable notes in many ways. Again, you can use it right.

[16:49] But if I have to know everything about your fleshly life or watching your Facebook posts, I'm sorry.

[17:07] I don't get a good picture. You can do good stuff. You can post good things.

[17:18] And by all means, I cannot, I will not control that. But I will warn. I need to know it. I need to hear it. And we all need to hear it.

[17:31] It does not have to be that way that it brings unstableness. Any person today can publish anything, what they think themselves personally, and just blow it out there.

[17:45] If they have followers, I always look when I see a very bad post. Who liked it? I'm usually not so much concerned about the person that posts it, but I'm wondering.

[18:00] Because you're a friend with that person, you have to like it. Remember what you're tying yourself to. I will not like somebody's post unless I'm totally willing to be accused of that statement.

[18:16] In a good way or bad way. But in a good way. It's the only way. Because the beliefs, anybody has the right today to have, we have a voice.

[18:29] Every one of us have a voice. Everyone in the world has a voice to go public and spoo. Out. The filth. And garbage. But we could use it for a good tool.

[18:43] And I'm telling you, be very careful. Think ahead. Think through. Because it shows a lot of, if I'm not settled, this is wrong, and this is right.

[18:56] The first thing that God awakens us to is knowing right and wrong. I pray for an awakening. An awakening is when people are awakened. Unbelievers.

[19:08] Revivals for the church. But an awakening is, I pray for an awakening, that we are so revived, that it awakens our neighbors to right and wrong.

[19:19] And then I pray, that they will feel the fear, shame, and guilt of their own sins. not their neighbors. Their own.

[19:31] And that they'll come to the church to seek out a ways of deliverance and find Jesus Christ. Jesus Christ. Are we that church?

[19:44] Every one of you are part of it? Are you that church? What if they would come to you, the least of the ones in here that we think can come? How do you get right with God? I'm not going to point at somebody and ask them to explain it because I can embarrass a lot of people.

[20:06] Even if you're comfortable with where you're at, and yet you don't know how to answer that. But think about that. Are you ready? Are you ready? Settle.

[20:17] This is the way it is. You must die to yourself. It's not selfish. It's not self-pity.

[20:28] It is not, I deserve it. No, God gave mercy. And we can be so settled. I know what it takes. I take up the cross.

[20:40] It's not an image. It's not a metal to hang around your neck either. A cross. The way I picture a cross, what I went through in life, if I would take a cross and put nails out both ways, one inch nails, or two inch, pound them through completely full.

[21:01] You can hardly pick it up. I never did it. I thought I want to make one. Both sides. And then embrace it. That is more of a picture of a cross than I ever saw yet.

[21:19] Because we can say, just embrace the cross. Oh, that's so sweet. That's how it is. It is. Because we have to deal with ourselves.

[21:32] And if we, all of us want the fullness of Christ here tonight, I don't doubt that. I don't doubt that in the world. But we just think we can actually live our kind of Christian life.

[21:48] No, you cannot. You can only live His way. Jesus Himself. His life. It's the only way. always trying to do this or that all over the place.

[22:05] Do all things but nothing for very long. You know, I'm over here. I'm believing in this. I never finish anything. I'm just running around.

[22:16] Oh, that sounds more exciting. I'll do that. And sadly, we see those things in church at times. Proverbs 25, 19. Confidence in an unfaithful man in a time of trouble is like a broken tooth and a foot out of joint.

[22:36] I know how it is when I have a toothache. It is not fun. If I want to depend on somebody, it's like a broken foot out of joint.

[22:52] That means you're not excelling. Number one. You're not moving on because you can. You're crippled. We don't have confidence.

[23:03] The answer would be this. We don't have confidence in that. Elijah, 1 Kings 18, 21. Elijah came unto all the people and said, How long hold you between two opinions?

[23:17] If the Lord be God, follow him. But if Baal, then follow him. And the people answered him, Not a word. Hold it between two opinions.

[23:34] You said this. They say that. Settle the thing. So I'm over here. I believe this. Then you tell me something else.

[23:46] Huh. I like that better. But you go to the Bible and find out what is the truth. If we're battling around with people all the time, you know, this is what it says.

[23:57] And then the next guy has a better version of it. I like that one better. That is unstableness. It's not funny. It is not something you look up to.

[24:08] Because I know there's so much then we can bring it down to a better, even lower place. My wife needs a stable husband.

[24:21] Yours does too. And we need a stable wife. Yes. But since I'm called to lead and I don't communicate with her, there's not much.

[24:45] You know, I can, oh, okay, let's do this tonight. And when I, and I do something else. No. Be stable. We need to be stable people in this world.

[24:59] It's a godly thing. And so, you know, I let my wife have tremendous freedom. I don't worry about her.

[25:11] I don't have a tracker on the phone either. She always comes home in the evening. But usually, there's one way I can track her.

[25:24] I can go online and check the credit cards. Don't worry. She doesn't do it badly. But I don't worry about her.

[25:37] She has her things. In the morning we talk. In the evening we talk. We know our day. We go about our day. Because I trust her. Because she's stable. She trusts me.

[25:50] And in the end of the day, we can fill in a couple gaps and go over to the next day. I don't have to, I don't want to misuse her.

[26:03] I want to be stable leader. There's things, what are we going to do Friday night? What are we going to do tonight? I forgot. It's Friday night. But, you know, we plan stuff and sometimes things change.

[26:18] We talk it through. We communicate it. Not just all of a sudden, we're going to do this. No. She is my helpmate. Why?

[26:30] Because God said so. And because I need one. A helpmate. Sometimes we men are, we're the men.

[26:42] Big, strong bullies. We make the money and do everything. But God said he needed to help me. Men.

[26:53] Men. You couldn't do it yourself. That's what he's saying. That's why you guys will get married. Because you need help.

[27:10] God gives grace to some for not marriage. I get that. I don't want to belittle anybody here. And that is true too. You can choose that life.

[27:22] And some people don't want to choose that life. But they have that life. And I pity you. I know. That's hard. I have daughters. But anyways.

[27:35] We're not holding between two opinions. That's where I got off track. Okay. We're not holding between two opinions. We're not thrown about and thrown this and you know when you ask a child what do you want?

[27:48] Or when we went out to a restaurant we asked the children when we had five, six of them in the car what do you want? Every time. We didn't even have to ask them.

[27:59] We want chicken nuggets and french fries. They were satisfied. There was no waffling on that. They want nothing else. Now our granddaughter is macaroni and cheese.

[28:14] We should have better influence I guess. But we would ask them and then if something else would come up oh no I want that.

[28:26] But usually on that angle they were good but at home sometimes they would change their mind. Became a nuisance. You had to tell them no this is what we have tonight.

[28:39] And so but again I want to go back to that. That was not in my notes but communication in marriage and communication in your life with brothers and so I'm not skipping anybody.

[28:54] Because that's really a sign of stableness. I want to make sure we're on the same path. And I need to make sure God has put that responsibility on me.

[29:11] And so communicate communicate and communicate again. That does not mean you have to do a lot of talking. Some people do a lot of talking. It's like please just shut up.

[29:25] but communicating it's getting the point across. If you can do it in two words or two sentences that's fine. And not in a rude way.

[29:38] I'd treat her because God gave her because I needed her. How do you treat Jesus? Did we ever have just did it the wrong way?

[29:56] Sure. We did. We communicate. We repented to each other. We apologize. This is really deep but I'm not teaching on that but it's one of the things.

[30:14] We communicate about everything and keep us on and sometimes we don't talk that much. We're at that old age that we go out to a restaurant and when you see couples that are dating they're sitting there talking.

[30:31] We are not talking. We're watching people. I always make sure my wife can sit where she can sit the whole restaurant.

[30:45] That makes her happy. but we do our talking not just in a restaurant. Okay?

[30:58] But that creates a stableness in our lives and sometimes it frustrates our own children. Why don't you change that? Well we have no reason to.

[31:10] We have no reason to. Because even in common things of life stableness is very good. It strengthens.

[31:21] It builds up. And spiritually that's what we need in the church. I'm committed. I surrender to it. I'm in a commitment that is so strong.

[31:34] I know it's right. Some people do it a little different way but fine. You know I'm not talking about violations. I'm talking about people can practice something a little different.

[31:44] But they're not avoiding it. But we came and we told our children we sat down with our children last summer and told them sometimes you disagree with us.

[31:56] But me and my wife we said that this is what we found in our lifetime that we believe that we searched out that we were tried in and we were not one to change in those areas.

[32:12] it was a very open conversation. They don't see it most some of our children don't see it our way and that's fine.

[32:23] We said we love you but we don't see it that way and we would want you to see it our way but you're still our children and we still love you.

[32:34] verse first Peter 5 10 but God of all grace you have called you unto his eternal glory by Christ Jesus after that you had suffered a while making you perfect establish strengthen and settle you.

[33:04] Christ will himself restore you confirm you strengthen you establish you allow him the culture doesn't help you God does the Holy Spirit does because if we look at what's going on you know the news cycle is so unstable if something pops up six hours later you didn't see it you probably never will it's all it's again something else it's always moving you hardly can put a finger on it but God is here to establish you settle you and then to continuously strengthen you in every stage of your life continue to strengthen you in 1st Corinthians 15 5 58 therefore as my beloved brethren be you steadfast unmovable always abounding in the work of the

[34:13] Lord for as much as you know that your labor is not in vain in the Lord again be you steadfast unmovable always abounding now I'm concerned about that I don't want to paint the wrong picture I strongly believe in being unmovable if there is another thing that makes people unmovable is stubbornness so I want to make sure that's not what we're talking about if you're stubborn you have to repent and then to be unmovable in the spirit in the gospel in the word no this is what we believe this is what the bible says and I'm not saying I can't get along with people that do it a little different than me no I have a lot of friends outside of how

[35:16] I see it but I'm not ashamed of it and we can talk about it and we have friends very close friends like our own children and but they know how we believe they're not ashamed of us and we're not ashamed of them do we agree with everything they believe probably not but stubbornness I found out I was very stubborn at one point I call it bashfulness and I was bashful in the son very shy bashful but there was a point in school I would use that as stubbornness if I didn't want to do it I'll lock up there was not much communication about it

[36:17] I'm not doing it that's all it meant and so I see sometimes I've seen that in other people over the years I've seen some people that seem kind of shy but they're just stubborn but there is a real shyness out there so I'm not belittling that but I also know people that aren't shy that are stubborn so but we're unmovable we need to be that is in the gospel always abounding always going deeper always God is so big that if I live for the rest of my life every day finding many new things out about God encounter many new things from God he still is bigger than that if you figured him out I'm sorry it's only one you can figure out is the one you made yourself Daniel was stable settled on what he believed and was willing to die for it there was no compromise

[37:24] Daniel was said he's going to go to throw in the he shouldn't pray they're going to throw him in the lion's den well he went back home and did it and he was going to the lion's den but he could not compromise he was doing it for the right purpose he was doing it according to the word of God in the old testament he was doing it right he was not going to shut the door he was going to let them see him do it they threw him in the lion's den but that night the king couldn't sleep in the morning he called in there Daniel maybe a couple times the God that you serve continuously did he deliver you something like that the king knew he served this

[38:29] God continuously there was no unstapleness in Daniel he did it every time he had a pattern I'm sometimes accused of having such a rigid pattern that if you want to rob me you could watch me for a week you would know exactly where I'm at tomorrow morning at that time maybe it would vary for a couple minutes but you know I was always early for church and my children would complain so I try hard to be a little more closer to time every time I try to be closer to time I was still 20 minutes early I'm not saying that however you want to take but it's funny right now me and my wife are alone and empty masters and we go to church Sunday morning

[39:33] I said we're going to go a little later we were still there at the same time you know if I sense it's a little later I'd drive faster I'm not saying you have to follow that example to the extreme but some of you might need some help in that like a ship in a storm bought to safety by a small helm yes storms but angered in the truth you know as we anger ourselves in the truth and storms come it's still a ship can behold in place in the midst of a storm I have seen so many people go through hard times in churches through some things that shouldn't happen in church but there's sometimes disagreement and they went through a hard time themselves

[40:33] I should say and then through this time they're just seeking I want we don't have it anymore and I just I just want some you know I feel miserable you know one thing sometimes when God is dealing with us he has a finger on you and so the night you come home from work and you're all all edgy and then let's order in a pizza some things that we can forget I'm feeling miserable let's go to Walmart I don't know what you go around here in the mountain I didn't see any but we go and do something in Africa I found out for the first time in my life God was dealing with something in me and there was nowhere to go you can only walk along the ocean so long you could only and that just made it more miserable

[41:44] God was there too and you just needed to do something and I tell you that was such a good experience I had to deal with it but how often do we do things to detour or to avert the dealings of God and I just want to sometimes when you feel that way make a purpose there's something unrest in me what would it take to settle that not spending money or doing something different that you had committed you're never going to do just to find some relief in your flesh that should be on the cross Joseph Genesis 49 22

[42:46] Joseph was a fruitful branch even a fruitful branch by a well where branches run over the wall no one was able to stop Joseph he stayed stable and settled you imagine you kind of try to stop you and they put a fence above you and you just flourish above the fence that's how Joseph was destroyed they put him in prison he became the prison guard they all those things he just always flourished he became to the top because God could God could work with a stable man Joseph could not be stopped by man he was not swayed he was not halted between two opinions he ran why did he run from that woman prodigal's wife only thing

[43:51] I can read he couldn't sin before God it said nothing about the woman it said why he where he was at that was before the Bible was written and that was before any instructions were given that way they they had teaching I mean I'm sure they had encounters with God and all that but he was stable he could not be stopped he was fruitful even if they put up a he was the he just went over the wall because he was able by God's grace nobody was able to stop Joseph now in Ephesians 4 chapter 13 and 14 this Ephesians 4 was often read today I'm going to do it again a little bit here two verses till we all come to unity of faith in the knowledge of the

[44:53] Son of God unto a perfect man unto the measure and the stature and the fullness of Christ that we henceforth be no more children tossed to and fro carried about with every wind of doctrine but a slay of man cunning craftiness whereby they lay in wait to deceive settled mature full not tossed to and for by every wind of doctrine I'm a great I love to seek out stuff in the doctrines and I'm aware of a lot of them that are going on it's crazy the amount of new doctrines that are thrown out there daily right now that are almost right but misleading I don't separate based on my friendship with people but

[45:57] I do but by my friendship with God I'm no longer my own you know I don't agree with you all probably on something I don't know I hope I do but my friendship does not change what I believe because my friendship is based first and foremost in Jesus Christ and that is because I'm no longer my own my friends come out of that relationship when we had a lot of friends and we got born again when we got born again over the years and started talking about it at least later we lost some friends that they were not willing to talk about it then we had this group of friends and God did a deeper work if you opposed me and my wife and the

[46:59] Holy Spirit and when we shared that testimony we lost some more friends and got some new ones it was always based on what God was doing and so remember God is always first and it's good to have a lot of friends but let it be based on God Psalm 62 2 he's only he only is my rock and my salvation he is my defense I shall not be greatly moved we are moved sometimes to tears and all that that's not what I'm talking about but he's our defense we don't need to be running here and there hauled between two opinions we don't need to waste our time wondering should

[48:01] I do this or should I do that pray about it and put it to rest put it on the altar and let God to your attention but we don't need to be great in this he's our defense Isaiah 26 3 thy will keep him in perfect peace who whose mind is stayed on thee because he trusts in thee are we at that perfect peace I don't care tonight you know if I'm settled and a new wind of doctrine comes along and blows past me I don't have to be on the popularity train but

[49:02] I do have to be in Christ stable and settled do we have that seek God first in everything you do seek God first is one of the things that we did years ago to settle in our home in our marriage in our family as we had a young family it was a lot of medical needs at the time when we got these foster children from cocaine addicts and we had a lot of sickness at first but we made a decision one day we're going to seek God first about everything and so my first trial came when our son got this time he got tight when we first time mowed grass in the spring he would be he couldn't so we put him in the shower and steamed and

[50:13] I mean not scald him steamed I don't want to get the wrong opinion here but I remember taking him to the doctor and he was sick with something and it was right after well that was one of them but I remember I was telling God what should we do so we prayed for him and I put him to bed next time and I go to the doctor and he says we're going to give this medicine you go to the drug store and pick it up I was already completely released of that worry before I got to the drug store why and God challenged me on that why are you already just like nothing happened because somebody told you what to do why don't you seek me first well next time came around we prayed for him put him to bed and

[51:25] I thought what if he's not living in the morning you know I fell asleep solidly asleep I slept and I woke up in the morning I mean everything was quiet I was scared to look over at the crib I looked up he looked back at me and smiled I don't claim to have miracles the only miracle we did was trust God that is all and we see in a couple one night shortly after that we woke up I think it was one o'clock in the morning in the summer storm and our daughter came down and she had a burning fever put my hand upon her forehead it was completely it was burning and I was so tired

[52:25] I rode around are you going to pray or should I give her I was too lazy I rode around bed and mumbled give her teleno thank God I chummed out of bed I said no no no wait I went over did my duty kneeled beside her put my hand on her forehead and started praying and all of a sudden her head cooled off under my hand I tell you what I might have not been awake before but I was then I was then and those are things we started doing we saw a lot of little miracles don't you know if you don't have faith don't try something big but try something those little headaches the little fevers pray be settled in those things we are going to see God first we are and then you can talk

[53:37] I can guarantee you're going to see some miracles I had workers in my store that would be laid out with the youth at night and the next day they're eating talamo every four hours they asked me if I would supply them I said no no man I know why you have a headache get to bed so our home our work our church life I'm responsible of that and I know that ahead of time we're going to have church Sunday morning you know that you know that year ahead plan it carefully work you know you have work to do and you have church life do not let them interfere with each other settle that that's just a little fix it in place and don't let them interfere with each other because I'm amazed at how good things can interfere with good things that you really aren't successful in either unstable 2nd Peter 3 verse 16 and 8 to 18 also in all the epistles speaking in them of those things which are some things hard to understand which day that are unlearned and unstable rest as they do also the other scriptures unto their own destruction if you wrestle with one scriptures you are doing it with more than one

[55:30] I would say that was my quote there in verse 17 ye therefore beloved seeing that ye know these things before beware lest ye also being led away with the heir of the wicked from your own led away from your own step step fastness that it leads you away from that but grow in grace in the knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ to him be glory for his now and forever amen it says be on guard that you're not carried away by errors of unprincipled men who distort doctrines proverbs 12 3 a man shall not be established by wickedness but the root of the righteousness shall not be moved proverbs 12 12 the wicked desire the net of evil men but the root of the righteousness yields fruit

[56:39] I was I like to look at words to see what they actually mean I was really disappointed when I searched out righteousness because it means righteousness and it was like I wanted some greater just do right okay do right that's what it means that's what we are to be righteous Colossians 2 7 rooted built up in him established in the faith as you have been taught abounding therein with thanksgiving I am serving Jesus Christ I have given up my own life I'm no longer part of the world the system around me does not control me the Holy Ghost controls me and it stabilizes me Mark 4 17 and have no root in themselves so they adored but for his time afterward then the afflictions of persecution arise for the word's sake immediately they are offended that's unstable there's a seed that was sown and the heat came the persecution came and they were immediately offended what what you didn't know the word's sake in your life so what is it stable or unstable establish strength and settle you and sometimes we wonder why am I not excelling in life why

[58:14] I'm not excelling in the spiritual life unstable as water and that's why you will not excel how do you measure that today the world around us is so unstable children you know when you raise children you're raising children not childishness don't tolerate it even them if they understand I want to encourage your parents for let not the man think that he shall receive anything of the Lord if he's unstable we live by the whole counsel of God not not unbalanced counsel we preach the full gospel in in civility the devil's to us in civility in the church anything he can do don't let him be stable don't move be unmovable don't let something come in here and destroy you among yourself

[59:43] Luke 9 23 and he said to them all if any man will come after me let him deny himself take up the cross and follow me this is proof if you're living the free grace which you should be this is a verse I even pray every day about every day I try to because I think this is the fundamental the foundation of all Christianity denying ourselves or dying to ourselves taking up the cross daily following Christ willingly choosing to do it his way even if we don't understand it is it self centered or Christ centered which is it are you baptized in the Holy Ghost have he filled you are you seeking for more you need his help to walk because we're not created to be stable people naturally because everything around us is not helping so let's seek

[61:03] God that way that we are stable that we're unmovable always abounding continue to be strengthened established that God will continually give us strength for every step we take and that we let him deal with us in those ways that we're not holding between two opinions and just one thing to the next no I think I like that you know you overhear a lot of things you know what do you want to eat tonight I think this no I don't want that this this and you know there's so many things that's maybe sometimes can be a right a good discussion but in a sense in a sense in a church what do we believe is it this or that no it's Jesus Christ and did you ever hear that saying about Jesus that he is the same today yesterday yesterday today and forever and you have him in you yes what do your neighbors say about you you know some people say

[62:26] I never want you to be able to there's a saying some men are like this they don't let any green grass grow under their feet you can't pin them down I don't care how stable I look I want to be stable on purpose I want to be settled I don't want to be unsettled I remember years when God was dealing with me there was a lot of things I needed to settle and once in a while along the way there's always something maybe but it's no longer like that because I remember the first time when I decided I'm going to ask I'm going to commit myself fully to God and say Lord whatever you have for me I want you imagine me struggling with that for days I can't believe it myself how what but I remember that terror in me and I was here

[63:36] I was there and I was wondering what to do I needed to settle it and yes Lord whatever whatever I will follow you wherever you lead me and another story yet duh I used to listen to this radio station and it was politics and they had a three hour program on our area I would listen to him for three hours if I could and it was politics it was this and tearing this up you know politics is not a friendly sport whatsoever it's a sport and I was you know it it was just dealing with it and and so I loved it and I that was part of my life and then in church one time a preacher was there and he said is the

[64:42] Holy Ghost teaching you anything is he getting to you are you changing are you able to listen to him the Holy Ghost is a teacher what is he teaching you sure enough immediately I heard this voice deep in my soul what are you going to do about that radio program you know I can't go cold turkey what do I do so I said well I go I'll cut back an hour just like he didn't hear me I heard him say again what are you going to do I just told him what are you going to do I cut it back to an hour I cut it back to once a week he didn't stop I don't know what the preacher was saying over that whole period finally I said it is over it is done with and it was true

[65:47] I said I can't do it you have to help me and that was another point of establishing something in your life God was not pleased with it in me and he didn't want to bargain and I tell you he doesn't bargain you're not going to cut a deal I asked you about it and it's up to you but you cut it out that was the only way he was satisfied why do I know that because I could do it not by myself I knew it was impossible but God brought a stableness in that that I trusted him I threw myself on his mercy he spoke to me and he brought me through and I don't care I got even pushback on that testimony years ago that I was self-righteous to share that no I wasn't it was real it's real and so that is a stableness that brought that in my life because God worked it in

[67:05] God has so much to do and he's the one that has the mercy to bring you to that place and I want to tell you in this group of people here tonight some of you really know what I'm talking about maybe some don't but you want to excel in life you want to be fruitful there is one way to do that I remember those years where everything seems to go wrong I was so unstable and true to the point but to just surrender to him just to trust it really brought stability and I'm sure my wife appreciates it she's not wondering where I'm at or 50 minutes later where I'm at I don't move very fast anymore it's stability not the moving part fast or slow but but that is so important

[68:13] I want to really encourage you as I close the service here tonight and went a little longer maybe I could have should have but but stable or unstable which is true they're so far apart they cannot be both let's stand if you can you know remember I said so many different points I do that type and I hope the one what did God speak to you and as we pray bring that before God and then if you need to open it up do so but I don't want to just an open confession I want you first to deal with it and then bring it you might have to share it with brothers or so that's fine or sisters because this is what I want to see a fruitful producing church and

[69:23] I'm not saying you don't have any at all you know that you're not doing that but I am sure there's more to be had because when I read this Bible I know I need more there's too many things in here that I really can't talk about knowing this is I saw this and I'm not condemning myself in some of these things either but there's more there's more I saw so much devastation in churches in the last couple years I'm sure there's more than that God is shaking it what is he shaking you what is shaking out of you and what is he bringing you into and don't neglect God don't disappoint him let him continue to work so we're going to pray and I ask you to open yourself up to that as you pray and and then whoever closes can if they want to ask if there's anything else

[70:29] I'm this is always remember water is unstable it goes to the path of least resistance and keep that in mind where are you fitting in into the gospel or into the world around you that would be called unstable Lord Jesus we just come before you tonight and we ask you to go through here with your Holy Spirit now release that upon this group search the hearts because your heart is also we can boldly reclaim it you want fruitfulness you want fullness you want stable you want unmovable people that believe you that trust you like Joseph like Daniel and Lord today we pray that there is some in here like that we thank you for that we thank you for every ounce of stableness and

[71:33] Lord Jesus in all our lives now we just ask for much more anything else in our lives that we're not dealing with that we're not stable that we that we're not satisfied upon you and living off of you supping with you eating with you as you're eating with us that we're in you and you're in us and and that you're that we seek you out as you seek us out and and Lord Jesus we just pray that you will bring that about tonight that every part of us that you will again bring us to the fullness of Christ that every part of us is full on fire in love in passion in the Holy Ghost in your gifts that you will bring us to that place that every part of us is longing seeking after you the living water thirsty hungry of your righteousness and Lord we pray for that we ask for that and Lord tonight if there's anybody that needs to repent bring that to them talk to them make it clear by your mercies by your

[72:38]  Holy Ghost you can minister deeper than any man can I ask you into every heart here tonight and Lord that they take this seriously in their marriage in their homes in their church in their personal lives in their work that they will display display stableness to the unbelievers around them and to the church around them also Lord we just pray we can commit this service to you and ask you to bless us continue to bless each one continue to talk to them minister to them let this word penetrate to the very depths of their understanding their hearts and open them up for even more and ask you minister to us in the hours and days to come Lord we pray that you will do what in the name of Jesus Amen