Here's an important announcement now from Meredith Shepherd. Hello, Destined for Victory family. This is Meredith Shepherd, Pastor Paul's wife. This is the first time you're hearing from me since my beloved husband went home to be with the Lord. And I want you to know your prayers have carried me.
Your letters, your messages, cards, books, the ways you've reached out during these months, they've strengthened me through the shock and the grief in ways I can't fully express. Thank you from the bottom of my heart. You know, Paul often said that he wanted to be the black J. Vernon McGee. He'd say it with that grin of his, but behind the humor was something deeply serious.
Yeah. A vision to create a teaching library that would outlive him, that would keep speaking biblical truth long after he was gone. And that's what he did. For decades, Paul poured himself into building destined for victory. not just as a radio programme, but as a legacy.
He wanted to make sure that timeless truth would be available to help people live victorious lives no matter what generation they're in. That's why I'm talking to you today, because what Paul worked so hard to build needs your help to continue. Recently, we experienced a change in one of our major funding sources, and for the first time in this ministry's history, we're at risk of losing radio stations, of having to pull back from communities where people depend on this teaching. I don't want my husband's voice silenced. I don't want the work he dedicated his life to building to disappear because of funding.
We need to preserve what Pastor Paul poured himself into creating.
So I'm coming to you, this family that's already been so supportive, and I'm asking, will you help us? if destined for victory has encouraged you, challenged you, or helped you grow in your walk with God, would you consider giving to day? A monthly gift would especially help us stabilize our funding and keep Paul's teaching on the air in every community that needs it. You can give at pastorpaul. net.
And as our thank you, we'd love to send you Paul's hardcover book, Becoming an Excellent Steward, a collection of his last year of teaching that our family just finished editing. It's a beautiful reminder of his heart and his wisdom. Thank you for your prayers. Thank you for standing with us. And thank you for your generosity in helping to preserve this legacy.
God bless you. Thank you, Meredith. Becoming an excellent steward is available today as our thank you for your best gift of twenty five dollars or more. Your gift will help us address the current financial deficit and keep Pastor's teaching legacy alive on this station. Please don't forget about the brand new book based on Pastor Paul's final messages.
It's called Becoming an Excellent Steward and it's reserved for you when you make your most generous year-end gift of $25 or more. Your generosity will help Destin for Victory through the current financial deficit and keeps Pastor Paul's teaching alive on this station. More details are available at pastorpaul.net. That's pastorpaul.net, or you can make your best year-end gift now by calling 855-339-5500. 855-339-5500.
God put principles in the earth to bless our lives. And Mary qualified because she was righteous. Elizabeth and Zachariah qualify because they are righteous, not because they're more loved. But because they have said yes to God's way.
Sometimes God blesses us for no reason at all, but some of His greatest gifts are conditional. We'll explain today here on Destined for Victory with Pastor Paul Shepard.
Well, we can learn plenty of lessons from the Christmas story. One that often goes overlooked is that God rewards righteous living. It was true for Zechariah and his wife Elizabeth. It was true for Mary, the mother of Jesus. And as you'll see today, it can be true for you as well.
Remember to visit pastorpaul.net to listen to Destined for Victory on Demand. That's pastorpaul.net. You may also want to subscribe to the podcast at Apple Podcasts at Spotify or wherever you enjoy podcasts. Today's Destined for Victory message is called Life Lessons from the Christmas Story, and it starts right now. I want to let you know, we ought to make it our aim to please God.
That's what Paul said in 2 Corinthians 5, verse 9.
So we make it our aim, our goal to please God. You got to set out every day, Lord. I want to please you. I want you to be happy. I know that I have so many blessings, and I want to respond to your love by walking in a way that pleases you.
Righteousness matters to God. Bible talks about people whose righteous life mattered to God. There was a man named Enoch back in Genesis. You know very little about him, but the one sentence we know about him was he walked with God until he was not. The man walked with God.
His aim was to please God, hang out with God. That was his life's mission, to spend time in the presence of God. He loved God. It was as though he befriended God. The Bible says, in commentating on that in Hebrews chapter 11, it says that he pleased the Lord.
He was pleasing. That's your goal. That's my goal. It ought to be to please God. When God sees us living our lives, a smile ought to break out on his face.
That's my beloved son. That's my beloved daughter, in whom I'm well pleased. Righteousness matters to God. Folks Say what you want to, but the Bible says in Psalm 34:15, the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous. and his ear is attentive to their cry.
God is listening out. God is looking upon and listening to the righteous again. Doesn't mean He doesn't love people who are unrighteous. Of course, He loves us. How could we ever get straight if God didn't love us?
But we've got to begin to emphasize our response to his love. Don't talk so much about how much God loves you. Talk some about how much you love Him. And that love has got to demonstrate itself. in righteous obedience to his will.
Life lesson number one, righteous living matters to God. There is a point God established that is right. The Bible is God's divine word. It teaches us what is right. And you know it's amazing, God put it in the earth.
Have you ever had a compass? God put in the actual earth. The way for people to know which way was north. And you get a compass. Just a a little needle.
Magnetic system very very very elementary But it points north. Why? Because God put it in the earth. This way is north. And long before we had GPS satellite systems.
Long before we had that tracking, electronic satellite tracking, God put in the earth this way is north so that mariners wouldn't be out in the middle of the water, can't see shore anywhere. Saying, uh let's go this way. All they had to do was pull out An ancient compass. There's north. And if that's north, The Nat South.
Then that's east, then that's west. No debate.
Well see, your north is not my north. See, that's the problem. You all are trying to define north for everybody. Doesn't that sound stupid? All right, fine.
Go west, go southwest, and call it north all you want. Knock yourself out. There is a way that seems right.
Well, I'm comfortable. I'm not convicted about going in this direction. That doesn't make it not southwest. Conviction isn't the end-all.
Well, my conscience doesn't bother me. Who said your conscience was God? God has established North in his word. And he says, walk in this way. And if you walk that way, you'll be blessed.
If you don't walk that way, you disqualify yourself. Don't blame it on God. You disqualify yourself. Abel and Cain both had the opportunity to please God. Abel gave fat portions of the first fruit of his flocks to God.
That's the way you ought to give, by the way. Fat portions liberally, first fruits, give first. You're saying to God, you matter more than anything else. I give liberally. And I give to you first.
And the Bible says that Cain, on the other hand, in the course of time, gave some. of the fruit of the ground. to the Lord. And next verse there in Genesis 4. God was pleased with Abel's offering.
God was displeased with Cain's offering. You have the opportunity to please him, you have the opportunity to displease him. It's up to you. And when you displease God, don't blame him. Because he's given you the opportunity.
To walk before him in righteousness. You need the power? Go before him and say, Lord, I need you to give me the power. to do what you've called me to do, but my heart says amen to your will. Righteous living matters to God.
Life lesson number two. God answers prayer. Did you notice beginning at verse 17? That, what happens is, it says, although these people were righteous in their living, Zachariah and Elizabeth. They were barren.
What does that tell you? That tells you that righteousness brings blessings, but the blessings aren't necessarily immediate. In fact, we got to understand blessing is a state. of living before God long before it manifests in stuff. In answers, you are blessed when you're righteous.
You are blessed when you are in obedience, pleasing the Lord. You're already blessed. You can be blessed and broke. Isn't that good news? You'll be blessed and broke.
See, in our day, we think you're blessed when you get the manifestation. That's why we love testifying once we have the manifestation. We need to learn to testify before we get any of God's blessings. and to say, I'm blessed because I'm at the bus stop. I'm where God wants me to be.
So, whenever He's ready to bring a bus by with my blessings, I'm ready to get on. Got my fare right here. See, you're already blessed. You're blessed while you're waiting on God. You're blessed while you're anticipating what he will do.
We call the blessing the manifestation. I grew up, as many of you do, in churches where folk can testify, especially midweek service. You know, get up, testifying.
Some churches they get up and sing a verse of your favorite song, then you'd launch into your testimony. Come on, some of y'all who grew up in them kind of churches. You get up and you sing a little verse of your song, and then you say, Giving honor to God, to the pastor, and members, and friends. And then you go on into your testimony. And oh, I heard so many testimonies of God's blessing, but they're always talking about the manifestation of something.
Sister would get up and say, ooh, Saints, let me tell you what God did. I came home the other night from work. I was tired, just got off the bus. Walked in the house, and my husband's standing there. You know how stingy he is, don't you?
Husband standing there and handing me the keys to a brand new Thunderbird. Hallelujah. See, that's what we call the blessing. Come on, baby. She got to know she was blessed before she got the Thunderbird.
And you gotta know you're blessed afterward because if he don't keep the payments up, they're coming to get it. We got to learn, I am blessed. Before I look blessed. I am blessed. Before my prayer is answered, I am blessed.
Before I see God come through, I am blessed. I'm blessed because I'm in the place. of righteousness. Where God can answer my prayer. And God answered these folks' prayers.
Now, but that verse is very important. Verse 7 of Luke 1, it says, while they were righteous, they were also barren. Don't let the enemy put a guilt trip on you. And don't let him Question God to you. The enemy loves doing both things.
He'll put a guilt trip on some folk. And so you know there still must be something wrong with your life. Because you see everybody else is blessed, don't you? And look at you. You got the worst clothes in the church.
That the enemy loves that. Look at you. Still living, still can't find a house, still can't find the place you want, still can't get your basic thing together. And he'll say there must be something wrong. With your life.
He'll put a guilt trip on you. You got to cast away. His guilt trip. You say no? I'm blessed.
Was and and read the Bible to the devil. He talked to you too much. If he got all that to say, he said, Well, I mean, you want to hang out a while. Why don't we just go and have a Bible study? You know, you here.
Why don't we just have Bible study? Let's see. Let's see. Was Job blessed? While he's laying there in misery, family dead, wealth gone, multi-millionaire, now a pauper, was he blessed?
Devil, would you read these verses right here, please? You got to talk back to him. Use the word. That's what Jesus did. Use the word against him.
The Bible says the word is a sword of the spirit. What about your s your sword? and defeat his plan. You got to cast away his accusations. And then the other thing he'll do is he'll question God to you.
He loves taking God's statements and turning them into questions. Are you really blessed?
Well, if you were blessed. Then why would God treat you like this? Why would you serve a God? Who, here you are, righteous, living blamelessly, following all of his decrees and commandments, doing everything he's called you to do. And look at this.
You don't even have a child. People snickering at Elizabeth every time she goes to Albertsons. Gotta bring it up to modern day so y'all understand. Because in Bible days it was disgrace for a married woman to not have any children. And she would be laughed at and ridiculed.
And people would be whispering, see her coming down the the the aisle with her cart. And no baby. And they say, ps, see that? That's mm-hmm. She's cursed.
God has cursed her. He won't open her womb. And she had to endure all that, and then the enemy. will come along and capitalize on that. You ever had the enemy come along and say, if God were good, No, no, wait!
Don't question God. God is good. But he'll turn it in. If God was so good. Why?
Are you still barren? You know the answer to that? I don't know. That's the answer. I don't know.
If you had asked Elizabeth before this occurrence, before this time in her life, her answer should have been: I don't know. He is good. I don't know why he's chosen to keep me barren. While I'm walking uprightly before him, I do know it's not a curse. I do know it's not out of disobedience.
Because God doesn't put you on punishment and you don't even know it. Yes, yes, yes. Come on now. God doesn't punish you.
Well, God must be after me for something. Listen, if God were after you, you'd know exactly why. God doesn't drop hints. He knows the wrong folk would pick him up. You can't drop hints.
You know those people you can't drop hints with? Because if you drop a hint and you speak to the whole class, there's only one person you're trying to get straight, and you speak to the whole class, that one person is so clueless, they don't know who in the world you're talking about or why you're wasting our time.
Meanwhile, some little overly sensitive somebody is sitting over in the corner. It's over there to me, now that must be me. Because see, now that, now it, Paul, now it all comes together. 'Cause he did look at me a little funny. When he first walked in, and I had a feeling then.
And they are completely out in left field, and the one you were trying to get to pick up the hit just stepped right over it. Don't drop hints. The wrong people pick him up. Tell somebody what they need to know. And God is that way.
When God is convicting you, when God is punishing you. And God does put people on punishment. See guys old-fashioned. Yeah, we we came up with this new fangled stuff. The Bible says whom the Lord loves He disciplines.
God'll put you on punishment. God will chasten you out of love. To bring you in line, and you know exactly why. You know those old parents, they wouldn't just punish you without telling you why. They'd preach you a little message first.
Oh, come on, some of y'all, old timey, old-timey. They would preach you a message. They'd sit down. If you were still little, they'd crouch down, get right down in your face. And say now, what's about to happen to you?
Is because you remember when I told you, and they wanted to make sure you knew exactly why. And I mean, you know, sometimes it was a punishment, or, you know, you can't go out, you're grounded for two weeks. And some families had corporal punishment. I know that's the unforgivable sin now.
Now that's the unforgivable sin, but in some of our day that was just life. And they would just tell you, they would just tell you why you're about to get your little spanking. And sometimes they would say, now go out to the tree. Come on, old time, old time. Go out to the tree.
and get they my mama and them called it a switch. And get me a switch. And that meant you were to tear off. The instrument. Of your own discipline.
And bring it back in. And you know, you'd be walking and you'd hear the wind whipping.
Sometime you were crying for you, got back in the house. Oh, come on, somebody. Mm. Mm. I'm traumatizing some folks.
I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. Be healed in Jesus' name. I want to let you know.
God doesn't drop hints. When you're being disciplined, you know why. But you can be barren and blessed at the same time. They were in the place a blessing because they were in the place of obedience. For years their prayer had not been answered.
But that doesn't mean they shouldn't have prayed. And I want to tell somebody: don't stop praying. Because you haven't seen certain answers. Don't don't begin to question God. Know that when you're in the place of obedience, you're also in the place of blessing.
So ask. Seek and knock. And believe God. Stand in faith. When you don't know, don't act like you know.
You don't know. I don't know why God hasn't blessed me by now. I don't know why He hasn't answered this prayer, but I do know God is good. And I do know I'm in the place of blessing. I do know he'll uphold me with the right hand of his righteousness.
I do know that he's going to keep me until he blesses me. He'll keep me steady. And I do know that one of these days While I'm here in the place, a blessing. There's a bus coming. And it'll be whatever God's purpose is for my life.
The manifestation will come. For God answers prayer. I want to let you know righteousness matters to God. I want to let you know God answers prayer. Thanks so much for being here for today's Destined for Victory with Pastor Paul Shepard.
Today's message, Life Lessons from the Christmas story, as well as any of our recent messages, are available online on demand at pastorpaul.net.
Well, as followers of Christ, one of the things we learn early on is that everything we have belongs to God. In fact, the earth and everything in it belongs solely to Him.
So our money, our talent, even our very lives are not our own. During his final year of his life, just before being called home to be with the Lord, Pastor Paul Shepard preached an excellent series on this very subject. He spent several months talking about the importance of stewardship in every area of life, and to day we are pleased to announce that we have put these messages together in a special hard cover book. We'd love for you to have your very own copies our thank you for your best year-end gift of $25 or more today. Again, the book is called Becoming an Excellent Steward, and it's yours today as you make your best gift of $25 or more to Destined for Victory.
You can give by phone by calling 855-339-5500. That's 855-339-5500. or visit pastorpaul.net to make a safe and secure donation online. Or you can mail your gift to Destined for Victory, Post Office Box 1767, Fremont, California, 94538. And if you need prayer today, you're invited to use the contact feature at the top of our homepage, pastorpaul.net.
Share your request with us. Our ministry team is always happy to join you in prayer. That's pastorpaul.net. Let me tell you something, folks. God answers prayer.
Yes, we have mysteries. I got mysteries. You got mysteries. All God's children have mysteries. We all have mysteries and don't let your mysteries stop you from praying.
That's next time in our continuing message: Life Lessons from the Christmas Story. I hope you'll join us then. But until then, remember, he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion. In Christ, you are destined for victory.
