Kerwin Baptist Church Daily Broadcast

Welcome to the Kerwin Baptist Church broadcast today. Our desire is for the Word of God to be spread throughout the world so that all may know Christ.

Join us now for a portion of one of our services here at Kerwin Baptist Church located in Kernersville, North Carolina. Fulfill ye my joy, the Lord says basically through inspiration of His Word, that ye be like-minded, having the same love being of one accord, of one mind. Obviously Paul was writing in the book of Philippians. Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory, but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves. Look not every man on his own things, but every man also on the things of others.

Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus. Lord, as we look at this checklist and kind of do a little inventory today in our own personal lives, Lord, I pray that you'd help us not to do inventory on everyone else's life. Not to look at things and think, boy, my wife sure needs that in her life.

Not to hear something said and think, boy, that's something that my husband is lacking. Not to do our own inventory today. Maybe look at ourselves objectively, not through our eyes, but through your eyes. And I pray that you'd bless us on this Sunday morning. In your name we pray. Amen.

I must make a little bit of an admission. I think that this is probably a type of message that I would normally do on a Sunday night. But God has led me to do this. In fact, I had it ready I guess Friday and took the same passage and just totally redid the whole thing.

Totally different points because God seemingly was determined that this passage was to be preached on this morning. I believe in checklist and I believe in list kind of things. I think it's good at times in your life to kind of make a list and see some things that you're struggling with. And if you're honest with yourself, most of you know those things. I know other people can see things in your life sometimes when you can't. But if you're like me, I know a lot of my faults.

I don't tell everybody that, but I know a lot of my faults. And a lot of times you can make lists and things and it helps keep things to-do lists. I have those just about every day. And it just seems that whenever I don't finish that day I'll put on the next day. And I sometimes don't even have room for the day to do what I need to do that day because of all that's left over from the last five days that I didn't get done. It's just I told my wife I just can't get everything done as hard as I'm trying. It's just a different sort of a list.

And we're going to show them to you, but I want to start off. I like sometimes when you go out to eat for a special meal, I like special meals. You know why? Because normally you get an appetizer. How many of you honestly enjoy appetizers? How many of you sometimes just get appetizers for your meal? Isn't that wonderful? I'm not talking about food.

I'm sorry. I get a little bit lost in translation there. Look at verse 2.

I want you to notice this first thing. Fulfill ye my joy, notice this, that ye be like-minded. Look at verse 3. Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory but in lowliness of mind. Look at verse 5. Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus.

So we have three things given immediately. Number 1 God says for us to be like-minded in verse 2. Number 2 He says for us to be low-minded in verse 3. And then He says for us to be lord-minded in verse 5. Now let's see what He has to say about that.

What do you mean like-minded? Look at verse 2. Fulfill ye my joy. This is what God says. What makes me happy is when my children are like-minded. Now He did not say when my children fulfill ye my joy that ye be just alike. We're all different. And we're all different because God's made us all different. And our backgrounds make us different. Our family upbringing makes us different. I mean just all the influences that have been in our life, I've had different influences than you've had and you've had different influences than the other person has so we're all different.

We all have different opinions and different things. But God says what makes Him happy, what gives Him joy is when His children are like-minded. How many of you have more than one son? How many of you have more than one child?

Does it not make you happy as a parent when your children are like-minded? Now my sons aren't here this morning. Well they're here. They're downstairs.

They're not in this building. I have three sons. And two obviously are old enough where they have full personality and they're able to talk. They're able to talk back and communicate that I know how they feel.

I know a few things of what make them tick. But they are as different as night and day. My two children. My two boys.

The oldest. They're as different as night and day. Different things make them tick. Different things bring the best out of them. Different things bring the worst out of them. And they're ever changing.

They're ever growing different. Rarely do they get along when they are discussing their own interest. When Daniel wants what Daniel wants and when Hudson wants what Hudson wants rarely will they get along. So for I as a dad to have them get along I've got to find something that both of them like. I'll find a game.

Or I'll have an activity. Or if they both like basketball. Or if they both. What you have to do is you've got to keep them busy doing something that they both like because if they get bored then they start to think about what they like themselves. And then one doesn't like that and one does.

And one wants this and one wants that. And have you ever been in the car driving down the interstate and you're doing this number? I still have bad problems out of this shoulder because one time I was trying to get to the one child that was in the seat directly behind me while I'm driving and I'm hitting something. I can't get them.

Any other parents been through that? I know you. You pull off and pray and get down.

Count to ten. Whatever. Let me tell you something. You put a whole bunch of people in one church and ask them to be like-minded.

Good luck with that. But there's got to be something that we all like. And that something is this. And God said what brings him joy is that all these people that are different getting together to worship and learn the one thing that they all love. God says it gives me joy when you are like-minded. Second He says this in verse 3, Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory but in lowliness of mind. He says I need you to be low-minded. What does it mean to be low-minded preacher? It means this that whenever you and I, low-minded is the principle of humility. It's the principle of putting others ahead of you.

And in that first phrase in that verse He lets us know what often occurs when we're not low-minded. Strife and vainglory. Me wanting the glory for everything. Me wanting the attention.

Me wanting to get the credit. Or strife because I want this and they want that. It's the opposite of like-mindedness. We need to be low-minded. The opposite of being like-minded is when we all want what we want.

It's called pride. God says I want you to be like-minded because that gives me joy. And I want you to be low-minded because you'll never get along.

You'll never be able to be what I want you to be as long as there's pride in your life. I want you to notice thirdly in verse 5 He says, Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus. You and I have got to be Lord-minded.

So preacher what does that mean? We've got to think totally outside the box from the way we normally think. We cannot think in terms of what we want, what we've learned. We've got to think in terms of how the Lord looks at this situation. If you look at something and you say well I don't know if this is right or wrong. Look at it through God's eyes. And how do you think God would feel about it? Don't even ask, hey I wonder how Brother Haughtry feels about it.

You can come ask me. But let me tell you something. What would be more convicting and really more solid is if you would just look at something and say how does God feel about that? Normally you know. Normally I know how God would probably really feel about that. So God says this, the beginning, the start of this checklist really is this. And it's where everything starts. It's in the mind.

That's the devil's battlefield. Your mind and my mind. And if we will learn to be like-minded, low-minded and Lord-minded we won't have that many problems.

A lot of our decisions will be made for us. All God's people said, okay I'll move on. Thank you.

Because I know we're done with that. In verse 12 as we go down I'm not going to forsake of time. But I want you to look at verse 12.

It's kind of this chapter separated in different categories. I want to look at verse 12 if I could through verse 16. Let's look at this. Wherefore, my beloved, is ye have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence. Work out your own salvation with fear and trembling. For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of His good pleasure. Do all things without murmurings and disputings, that ye may be blameless and harmless, the sons of God, without rebuke, in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation, among whom ye shine as lights in the world, holding forth the word of life, that ye may rejoice, that I may rejoice in the day of Christ, that I have not run in vain, neither labored in vain.

This is our checklist. Alright, what is it preacher? Number one, we find that Paul deals with their stability. Look if you would at verse 12. Wherefore, my beloved, is ye have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence. It's the word consistency here. He said this, what's important is that you do right not just when I'm watching, not just when I'm around, not just when I'm there to give you instruction, but what's important is that you are stable enough that you're going to do right even when nobody's watching.

You all agree with that? Now you know why this is more of a Sunday night message. You know you got people that will come on a Sunday morning and you know what they don't under...

Some of this stuff almost sounds like you're mean, you're trying to get on, you're trying to tell me what to do. The Bible tells us what to do. And dear friend, the reason a lot of people have not much use for church nowadays is because church people don't have these things in their life. They see a church individual that acts all high and mighty at church and boy they look good, act good, talk good, hey how you doing? It's good to see you. God bless you sister.

Isn't the Lord mighty in His works today? And then they're around you at work. And then as a neighbor they see you hollering, screaming, kicking the kids everywhere you go, living no different and in fact sometimes worse than everybody else and they see you act one way here and they see us act another way there and they see us do right over here and then they see us, we don't give a flip who's watching over here and people have seen that over the years and they find out that there's no stability in that individual and the Bible says this, you've got to be stable, you've got to do right even when I'm there and you've got to do right when I'm not there and dear friend you and I have got to realize God is everywhere. You and I have got to be stable when people are watching.

You've got to be stable when they're not. Look at me and I think you'll understand this. If every Christian determined that they were going to do exactly what they would do as if everybody was watching.

Are you looking at me? There would be nobody hooked on pornography. Nobody. There would be nobody looking in inappropriate things on a computer. There would be no affairs. There would be no running around on your husband or your wife.

Just that principle would take care of how many things. And yet we say well God's kind of hard. Oh no listen. God's way is easy. The world's way is hard. You just do this.

This is going to eliminate so much hardship and stress out of your life. I don't think I'm getting anywhere. Our own walk should be consistent. Listen to me. There shouldn't be duplicity in how we live. It ought to just be us.

It ought to just be who we are. Stability. May I ask you this morning how stable are you?

How stable do your children see you? And I know that we all and listen to me folks I think you understand I'm a little I understand I'm not being ridiculous. We all act a little different in our house than we do here.

I don't wear at the pulpit what I wear around the house. You should be very thankful for that. I have three boys. Thank God I am free at home. If I had girls it'd be a little different. But you know what I don't just come up here and preach just a pair of shorts. We all act different at home.

I mean we're all a little more relaxed at home. That's not what I'm saying. I think you understand what I'm saying. It's the fact of if we're going to serve God somewhere we ought to serve God everywhere. And if God's been good to us and He has then we ought to be good to God.

Number two. He deals with our surrender. Look if you would at verse 13.

He says okay I've noticed you've been stable. Look if you would at verse 13. For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of His good pleasure.

He talks about our surrender. Paul says this listen. God is working in you and through you. God is the one that does it. God is the one that organizes events. God's the one that opens doors. God's the one that parts waters. God's the one that puts streams in the desert. God's the one that does the work. And what God is doing, what He is working towards is for you to do His good pleasure. His will. Listen to me.

Why don't you get this. God works in us to do His will. When you and I work against His will we work against Him. And dear friend you and I have got to make sure that you know what we don't want to spend so much effort working against God thinking we're doing right. You better just find God's will for your life and head that direction and then God takes care of the rest.

It's amazing how God opens doors, makes provision when you're doing His will. But if you and I are not surrendered to Him and we are determined to do what we want to do then you are working against God. And I don't know if at some moment it'll flip in your mind. It'll click.

All of a sudden you'll get this. God is doing a work in you but it is only a work to get you to His will. That's the only work God does in you. God works in you according to His will.

It's all centered on what He wants, where He wants you to go. It's all about His will. But when God's working in you and you go a different direction now you are working against God. That's why the most miserable individual is a backslidden Christian. Because when you backslide you go your way not only are you now on your own but now you are literally fighting against the work that the Holy Spirit is doing in you.

What would stop all that is if you just surrender. Paul says God is working in you to will and to do. Notice this. I'm trying to hurry.

I want you to get this. He says two things. God is working in you to do two things. To will His pleasure and to do His pleasure.

I don't know if you've ever noticed that. Two different commands. God is working in you both to will and to do. That means you and I if we are surrendered we have to will and do. That means this. This is great. Hey listen.

This is like rocket science. You won't do if you don't will. So many times people struggle with their Christian life because they're trying to do God's will. But they've never given their will. They're still so stubborn to do what they want. But on the outside they say well I want to do God's will.

No. There's got to be the will to do God's will. There's got to be that will. It's a choice of the will. That's what puts into action obedience. Listen to me folks.

This is great. I want you to get this. When you will God's pleasure that's the work done in your heart. When you do God's pleasure that's the work done with the body. In other words until the heart's right the body won't do right. Does that make sense? That's as simple as I can make it.

I don't know if it's confusing to you. That means this dear friend. The heart is the will. The body is the do.

You're looking at me like I hope you get this. If you're surrendered you give God your will. You give God your heart. That's why the Bible says out of the heart are the issues of life. If you give God your heart now your will is to obey God and when you obey God you automatically do His will. You're surrendered.

Third. So much more I want to say about that. He deals with our spirit. Look at verse 14. Do all things without murmurings and disputings. When you find yourself constantly debating with co-workers, family, husband, wife, it seems like there's always problems, always something constantly going.

You can assure yourself that they are not the problem. God through inspiration of His word tells us, gives us the command do all things without murmurings or disputings. That's a command. He did not say I will tell them to do all things.

He says this is an understood subject of you. Do all things. Do all things without murmurings and disputings. Listen to me.

This is a big one in the checklist. There's stability. There's surrender. But you've got to have the right spirit. Dear friend do you have the right spirit? Do you come in the church just looking for something to complain about?

Preacher are there people here like that? Yeah. Do you know who they are? No.

No I don't have anybody in mind. But I'm going to tell you something. There's always going to be people like that.

I mean I don't care what happens. You know I can't believe the preacher preached about that. I can't believe you know. I mean this particular day why would he preach that? I don't understand that.

Why would he do that? I don't know about that. Well my Sunday school teacher I don't know about that. You know God blesses us and our church and man allows us to.

And I'm going to tell you something. If you could see this auditorium exactly the way it was two years ago and then see the way it looks now with a new addition, with a sign, with you know. I don't know if you all remember this was all wood paneling. All wood paneling. Where all this drywall is and it's bright and clean. All wood paneling. And we literally had people criticize that we took down wood paneling. Why would you not want God's house to look nicer? Well I don't think it looks nicer. Well dear friend it does look nicer. Other individuals sometimes you can't even get a foyer done.

We were redoing the foyer. We got a lot more yet to do out there. We got to criticize and criticize. Well I don't know why you're doing this or why you're doing that. I'll tell you why because you're not in charge. And I'm not in charge.

God's in charge. Let's just come in and look for something good. Dear friend, why don't you come into church determined that there will be nothing negative coming out of your mouth today.

Wouldn't that be great? If all God's people, that means whoever talks to you, whoever's around you, you got something good and nice to say. Spirit. When the Spirit is not right, your heart needs adjusted. Until you're surrendered, the Spirit will not be right.

Usually a negative spirit is a sign of inner turmoil. The Bible says a double minded man is unstable in all his ways. I want you to notice fourthly, he deals with our substance. Look at verse 15. That ye may be blameless and harmless, the sons of God, without rebuke, in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation, among whom ye shine as lights in the world.

Substance. You are in a crooked nation, he says here. And you've got to shine as lights among this crooked and perverse nation. You're the light. And you've got to be blameless. Notice this. Blameless and harmless.

Now you say preacher. What do you mean blameless? We're supposed to be perfect?

No. This word blameless is an interesting but important word. This word blameless means unsubstantiated. It means this, when you serve God and you go through life, you're always going to have people that are going to accuse you of something, talk about you, be negative about you, and say God says the only thing you have to worry about is to make sure that whatever they say, it's not substantiated. They might believe what they want to believe the rest of their life, but God wants you to make sure that what they're saying isn't true. Somebody accuses you of lying, somebody accuses you of stealing, somebody accuses you of cheating, you can't help that they accuse you, and it doesn't even really matter to you what they think about you, what ought to matter is God knows the truth.

And God says for you and I to be blameless, they might can accuse you of anything, but it's your job to make sure that the truth is you haven't done it. It'd be like brother Joe Myers, 50 years, here's the pastor. Anybody could have come up and said, hey, I, brother Joe, I think he's been having an affair, Mr.

Anybody could say that. But brother Joe's job is to make sure that that's not true. Now, brother Joe can't help if one person spreads that rumor and that goes here and that goes there and that goes there.

Brother Joe can't help that. And by the way, you're not even supposed to have to help that. God takes care of all that. Somebody spreads something that's not true, they've embellished, they've twisted facts.

God will make sure that that all comes back in their face one day. That's not your worry and it's not your job. Our job is to make sure that we are blameless and harmless.

And that means the substance, what was inside, what is real, what is there. You've got to make sure that that's not able to be substantiated. You and I have got to make sure that we keep ourselves right. We can't keep everybody else right. And we can't make everybody else treat us right. We've just got to make sure that we're right under God. And God will take care of the rest. Notice this verse if you would. In the midst of a crooked and perverse nation.

Now did you get that? God basically just lets you know you've got to keep yourself blameless because you're around crooked and perverse people. So that's a sign that they're going to try to make you crooked and perverse. It's also a sign because they are crooked and perverse they're going to say things about you that aren't true. Do you all get God's word this morning?

They're going to say things about you that aren't true because they can't help it because they are crooked and perverse. But you and I ought to be different because we've been saved by the grace of God. You and I just got to make sure that we're clear before God. Everybody else do what they're going to do.

It will all come out in the laundry as we've heard before. I want you to notice lastly he deals with our success. Look at verse 16 if you would. Holding forth the word of life that I may rejoice in the day of Christ. Notice this that I have not run in vain neither labored in vain. This is true success for you to finish what God has called you to do and to get to that point at the end and realize that everything I've done has not been in vain.

Look at me folks. You want to serve self or serve this world or get everything this world has to offer? Go ahead. At the end of the things that's going to be vain. You're going to be laying on a deathbed and realize it was vain. It doesn't even matter. Paul says what true success is is that I may rejoice in that day that I've not run in vain and I've not labored in vain.

Dear friend, I want to challenge you. The Bible makes it clear what true success is. Paul often uses metaphors in his writings and he often uses sports. Paul said this, holding forth the word of life. Paul's picture is like a runner crossing the finish line holding that lit torch as he goes over that finish line knowing that all the practice, all the labor, all the hours, all the eating right, all the training, all that was worth it because I have finished what I was supposed to do. And Paul is saying this, look at me, it might not always feel worth it until you get to that finish line. There might be some days as you're trying to do right and you say, well I don't really see where this is accomplishing anything. You've got to realize you're not to the finish line yet.

That's when it's worth it. Thank you for listening today. We hope you received a blessing from our broadcast. The Kerwin Baptist Church is located at 4520 Old Hollow Road in Kernersville, North Carolina. You may also contact us by phone at 336-993-5192 or via the web at kerwinbaptistchurch.com. Enjoy our services live and all our media on our website and church app. Thank you for listening to the Kerwin broadcast today. God bless you. .