Address—Bernie Roossinck
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Well, let's, uh, I know that everybody's getting settled in and it's been a long day and a warm day, but let's start by singing together #259.
#259.
Let's, uh, look to the Lord in prayer.
Dear Heavenly Father.
We come before thee this evening to quiet our hearts before they.
And to open Thy word, our Father, we pray that there would be blessing.
Father, as we consider each person in this room, how we marvel at the value that thou to see in each one.
Lord, there's many needs here.
We pray for an encouragement from Thyself. We ask that Thy Spirit would put the words that He has into my mouth.
Father, I need your help.
And I just.
Come before you at the beginning of this message.
Independence Word Each of these children and young people need the and we just pray that we would find encouragement, comfort together from thy word.
We ask this in Jesus precious name, Amen.
So when Tim asked me to talk.
I got on my knees.
And I asked the Lord.
Lord, what shall I say?
These are.
Difficult times, young people that you're growing up in.
These are tough times in our assemblies and we need encouragement, and the Lord put that on my heart as a burden to try to encourage you.
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And I have before me a number of young people in the scriptures.
That I hope we can be comforted by and encouraged by.
But the Lord gave me another burden tonight.
So before we get into.
The encouragement and the comfort.
The Lord gave me this burden.
As I look at you.
Young people, I just.
I hardly know how to.
Tell you.
How I love you.
I believe that almost everybody in this room knows and loves the Lord Jesus.
But this came upon me very strongly. They have not all believed the gospel.
Turn with me to Second Samuel 18.
This is a young man.
Name Absalom.
And Absalom was born into a kingly family. He was a Prince in Israel.
Absalom had tremendous opportunities.
And instead of walking with the Lord, he rose up in rebellion.
And in the course of trying to overthrow and steal the Kingdom from his father, David.
He was killed in battle.
Read verse 32. I have often set in gospel meetings beloved young people and asked myself this question.
The king said unto Kushiyaki, Is the young man Absalom safe?
Of course you answered the enemies of my Lord the King, and all that rise against thee to do thee earth. Thee is, that young man is.
Oh, what a what an answer.
And the king was much moved.
And went up to the chamber over the gate and wept. And as he went he said, Oh my son.
Absalom, my son, my son. Absalom, what God I had died for thee.
Oh, absolutely, my son.
I ask you boys and girls and young people tonight.
Are you safe?
I know that you were raised in a Christian home. I know that.
You were brought up to hear the gospel, but I ask you tonight, with all the sincerity that I can, is the young man I want you to put your own name in this. Is the young man Isaiah safe?
Is the young man Daniel safe?
Oh, what a question.
Start over to Ecclesiastes Chapter 11.
Verse 9.
Rejoice, oh young man, in thy youth.
Unless thy heart shear thee in the days of thy youth, and walk in the ways of thine heart, and in the sight of thine eyes. But know thou that for all these things God will bring thee into judgment. Therefore remove sorrow from thy heart, and put away evil from thy flesh.
For childhood and use their vanity.
Remember now thy Creator in the days of thy youth, while the evil days come, that nor the years draw nigh, when thou shalt say, I have no pleasure in them.
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Here is a young person.
That is walking in their own way.
Are you doing that tonight?
Rejoice, O young man or young woman in your youth. We like to do that, don't we?
Left eye heart, shear thee all the days of thy youth, and walk in the ways of thine heart and the sight of thine eyes, But know thou that God will bring you into judgment.
I want you to look at your knees right now. Just look at your knees.
You see those knees?
Your knees, those knees are going to bow before the Lord Jesus Christ one day, maybe tonight.
And you're going to meet that man.
As your Savior or as your judge, your knees are going to bow your mouth. Think of your mouth. You will confess Jesus Christ is Lord.
Is it gonna bring supreme joy to your heart to say my Lord and my God, or are you going to say it with hatred?
Jesus, Lord.
Young people, your eyes, the eyes that you're looking through right now are going to look at that man.
It says every eye shall see him and they also that pierced him. You're going to see your savior or you're going to see your judge, I ask you.
What's it, What's it? What is it tonight? Are you safe?
Proverbs tells us there is a way that seemeth right to a man.
But the end thereof are the ways of death.
Even in laughter the heart is sorrowful, and the end of that mirth is heaviness.
You know Satan wants to tell you put it off.
Have a good time, live for now. Rejoice in your youth. There's plenty of time for that later. Don't listen to that.
There is a way that seemeth right to a man, but what a critical word. But the end thereof are the ways of death.
We read in Luke chapter 12 of the rich man whose goods were increased, right? And he, he says, uh, what shall I do? I will tear down my barns and build greater.
And what did God say to him? That night? Thou fool, this night thy soul shall be required of thee. And then who shall those things be?
Oh, young people, I just, I just look at you and I just, I long for you to.
Do you love the word Jesus?
Is he real to you?
You can fool me. I'm easily fooled. You can fool your parents. You never fool the eye of God, young people, He looks into your heart and he knows right now.
Are you real? Are you safe or not?
Think about the work that the Lord Jesus did on the cross for you. I know you all weren't here on Sunday, but a lot of you were. What did you want to do?
When Kyle came up here and took Cameron's punishment, what did you want to do? You know what I wanted to do 2 Things. I wanted to weep.
And I did do that and I wanted to stand up and clap.
I didn't do that.
But Christ is real.
Lord, Jesus loves you.
You believe that? Believe it, young people, of all of the chaos in this world, of everything that's going wrong.
There's one person that can anchor your soul.
One person that can take away all of the guilt, all of the penalty, one person that is absolutely, totally trustworthy. You're going to put your faith and trust in him. Please do that.
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Think about the heart of the Lord Jesus right as he's walking through the land of Israel, and he comes to Jerusalem and he's looking out over the city, and he begins to weep.
Because how often would I have gathered your children as a hand gathers her six under her wings? And you would not. Oh, don't let that be you.
You would not, it says in the Psalms. The fool has said in his heart, no God.
Is that where you are tonight? I hope not. I, I hope that I'm wasting my time here. But I just have this burden on my heart that they have not all believed the gospel. Oh dear children and young people and older ones too.
Believe in the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved. He loves you. He went to Calvary's cross and died to take all of the blame for every wicked thing that you and I have ever done. The blame was poured on his blessed head and God had to say, I blame you for all that stuff that Bernie did, and here's the punishment that you get for it.
You accept that, You believe that. Oh, believe it, young people.
It's such a marvelous thing. Believe it. Trust him.
Here's another question that came before me this evening, another question that King David asked. There was a man named AB uh, Abner, who was a good man and he was about to, uh, help bring the divided Kingdom of Israel under David, God's man. And in the course of battle, uh, a person was killed.
And that man's family was angry, of course, and they began to plot and pursue to take Abner down.
And God gave the city of refuge right, And Abner was right at the gate of Hebron, city of Refuge. And Joab, says Abner, just a minute before you go, in just a minute, I have somewhat to say today. Stand up, Lucas, please.
Let's go and tell you something. Just took us sword and he's right there. Laid him down dead. Thank you, Lucas.
This.
This is what King David what meant was Diet Abner is a full diet.
Right at the door.
There he was, dead, right at the door of the city of Refuge. He could have went in.
Diet Abner is a fool that Can I ask you young people, are you going to die as a fool? Well, we have to say that at your funeral.
This person dies a fool that they say no God and you may say in your heart, I'm going to get to that later or soon. I just need to get this thing done or that. Do it now. Do it now.
OK.
I just really have that pressed on my soul.
So Lord, Jesus loves you.
Yeah, when you stand before God.
That's the center.
There may be a lot of little Sims on the list, but you know the sin that's going to condemn you to a lost eternity? It's unbelief.
And the question is posed to you, What have you done with my son Jesus?
I don't believe.
Says in John three, he that hath the Son hath life.
He that hath not the Son hath not life, not the verse. I was thinking of John 3.
He that believeth on the sun hath everlasting life, and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life. That's you, friend.
You stand before God and he has to say, I never knew you depart from me. Oh, don't let that be you friends, please.
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Believe.
He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life.
You want that tonight, It's yours right now. Do not wait till 8:30 if you do not belong to the Lord Jesus Christ. Friend, I don't care who's looking at you right now. Bow your head and open your heart to Christ, please. He loves you, He died for you.
OK, another young man turned to March 13.
By the way, ladies.
I couldn't find very many examples that were women. And I'm sorry, but I want you to hear me say this. I love you and the word loves you. And these examples that we're using of young people are just as applicable to you, OK? Just know that the person that died in Calvary's cross for you is the object.
He loves you. Never mind that I'm using young men here. God loves young women.
Mark 13.
14 I'm sorry.
This story This is an incident that's already mentioned once in the scripture.
The scene is the Lord Jesus is being carried away to be tried and to be sent to the cross of Calvary. All of his disciples had just took off and forsook him in flood. Verse 51 There followed him a certain young man having a linen cloth cast about his naked body, and the young men laid hold on him, and he left the linen cloth and fled from them naked.
The linen cloth here speaks about.
Practical righteousness.
So that's Speaking of the salvation of the soul. I don't believe. And here's a young person.
That follows the Lord and when times got tough, when he was challenged on it, He dropped it and ran and there was absolutely nothing underneath, nothing naked. The scripture tells us in Hebrews chapter 4 all things are naked and open unto the eyes of him with whom we have to do. You will face Christ as your Savior or your Judge. You have to do with Him.
Now you can have a linen garment on today. You can speak in meeting. You can.
Fool everybody in this room, but you never fool the eye of God, friends. And here this young man, when he's challenged, all of his righteousnesses were gone in a split second, and it was revealed that there was nothing there of reality. Oh, young people.
Don't do that. Be real.
Be real.
In Luke 24, there's a feast talked about, and we're not trying to read this, but uh, there's a marriage feast and the invitation goes out for supper. Come for all things are ready, right? And they begin with one, uh, consent to make excuses. Well, I have to, I just bought this. I have to go check it out. I just did that. I got married. I can't all these excuses, right? And the Lord says, go out into the highways and hedges and compel them to come in.
Umm, let's turn over to this just for one verse. Loop 14.
Verse 24. Oh.
Friends, let this sink into your soul.
For I say unto you, that none of those which were bidden shall taste of my supper.
Think about that.
None of those that were bidden that didn't come will taste of my supper. You may think I'll get saved later. I'll have a second chance, friend. Scripture teaches that we are expecting the Lord Jesus to come at any moment and ****** us away. I hope that if the Lord came in the next moment that there would be everybody here gone.
But I ask you.
If that happens.
And you are still sitting here.
What are you going to do?
It's too late, You will pass eternally ruined into Sinner cell. And I say that with as much love as I can, because I don't want anybody in here.
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To fall into this verse, none of them will taste it by supper, that one no second chances.
You can't fool God. You may look pious, you may know the verses, you may give out songs in meeting, whatever.
And believe me, young people, it thrills my heart when godly young people are growing in the truth and they are participating. It's a beautiful thing. But I ask you in all sincerity, are you this young man? Are you clothed in a linen garment with nothing on it underneath? I hope not.
OK, now let's get to the positive.
I want to share first a young person that I've really been enjoying in the last few months in Jeremiah.
Now.
If you haven't read Jeremiah Young People.
It is fairly heavy reading at times.
But do it. There is a ton of encouragement for you in this book and I'm going to give you just a couple of things that I have enjoyed by this by no means an exhaustive list. And I want you to I want a Wester appetite is what I'm trying to do here. OK, and encourage you OK, Jeremiah 1.
The words of Jeremiah the son of Hilkiah, of the priests that were in.
And in Austin, the land of Benjamin, to whom the word of the Lord came in the days of Josiah son of Ammon, king of Judah, in the 13th year of his reign. It came also in the days of Jehoiakim, the son of Josiah king of Judah, unto the end of the 11Th year. Of Zedekiah the son of Joe, Josiah king of Judah, unto the carrying away of Jerusalem captive in the 5th month.
That's the background.
The time that Jeremiah was living is very much like the day we're living in today, right at the end.
Uh, Jeremiah lived through several Holocaust, if you will. When the Babylonians came twice and thousands of people were killed. We read in the book of Jeremiah, there will be nobody to bury these people. They'll lay there on the ground.
Anyway, what I'm trying to say to you is this young man.
Was living his life at a time very much like ours. OK, verse four. Then the word of the Lord came to me saying, before I formed thee in the belly, I knew they think about that for a minute. Before I formed you in the belly, I knew you.
Let's speak to the sanctity of life, by the way.
How could you argue that?
Before I formed thee in the belly, Melissa, that child you have 10 years ago, Laura could say I knew you.
What a great thing. Hey, Tom.
Before thou came, as forth out of the womb, I sanctified thee, and I ordained thee a prophet unto the nations.
Now, young people, I'm not suggesting that you're going to be a prophet to the nations, OK? Don't miss don't take that from what I'm reading. I'm I want to encourage you as a young man that received a call from God and he did it with.
With the passion and obedience.
Verse 6 then said, I Oh Lord God, behold, I cannot speak.
For I am a child and that day, uh, you would be considered a child until probably your mid 20s. And if you trace back the history of this young person, he was probably around 14 when this call came to him. OK, any 14 year olds in here?
Or higher.
Right, OK. Oh Lord God, behold, I cannot speak Brian, a child.
But the Lord said to me, say no, I am a child.
For thou shalt go to all that I shall send thee, and whatsoever I command thee, thou shalt speak.
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Be not afraid of their faces, for I am with thee to deliver thee. Set the Lord. Then the Lord put forth his hand, and touched my mouth. And the Lord said unto me, Behold, I have put my words, and I mouth.
Young people.
God has left you in this world. I'm speaking now to believers. If you are still in your sins, bow your head and take care of that please. Now I'm speaking to those of you that know and love the Lord Jesus.
God has left you here to do something.
God is not surprised with your circumstances.
There's work to do.
We don't in today's times often get a message directly from God like.
They did in in the Bible times, but yet I can say based on Romans where it says the things that were written the 4th time were written for our learning that we through patience and comfort of the scriptures might have hope. They just quote that right.
That's why we're reading about this young man, because God is giving him to you as an example.
And here he says.
I have set you into where I want you to be. Before you were born, I had a plan for your life. You believe that?
OK.
Don't be afraid and by the way, here might have lost to be afraid about.
Let's read the rarity red verse 8-9. The Lord is giving him protection. Now did Jeremiah have a, uh, swimmingly easy life? And, uh, he kinda meandered around the swimming pool area and mentioned Jehovah's name and the people were glad and they brought him food and is that how his life went? No.
But Jeremiah obeyed God. He's called the weeping prophet.
Sometimes they think that I'm a weeping prophet too. I'm sorry, rather, and it means a lot to me.
Turn over to Chapter 3.
This is a question the word asks.
Verse 4 Wilma, thou at this from this time cry unto me, my father, thou art the guide of my youth.
All young people, we need a guide. You need a guide when you're young. You need it a lot more when you're old.
Life is complex and here the Lord says, take it on your knees and cry to me, say Father.
Thou art the guide of my youth. I need you. And he says I will guide you. You believe he will do that. He will, Young people, he will.
Get on your knees and say, Lord, I want you to be my God. I need you.
I can't do this alone.
Chapter 15.
So I know I'm just skipping through the book and possibly cover this book in a month of meetings like this. Chapter 15, verse 16.
Thy words were found, and I did eat them.
And thy word was sent to me, the joy and rejoicing of my heart, For I am called by thy name, O Lord God of hosts. OK, you know what happened here.
Uh, during the rain of Josiah, who was a godly king, they began to, they did, uh, quite how to say this, They, they were cleaning the junk out of the temple is what they were doing and refurbishing it. And they found the scroll in there and the priest dug it out of the dirt and the dust and he opened it up and read it. What was it?
It was the word of God, It was the first five books is what they had then.
And the scroll and the priest rent his clothes. He said we gotta read this to the king. They bring it into the king and he they read it to him and.
And, uh, he rents his clothes. Why? Because they realize we're so far off base.
What was Jeremiah's response? Thy words were found and I didn't eat them. Young people, eat the word of God. Not literally, figuratively. Open it up and pour it into your soul. Please do that.
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Moms and dads, it should not be a surprise to our kids to see you pouring over the Word of God. Thy words were found, and I did gobble them up.
And they were the joy and rejoicing of my heart. Oh, the word of God is so refreshing and so powerful and so important and so needed. And here's Jeremiah says, Lord, they found the scroll and I gobbled it up and it was great.
It's the same.
The Lord has given us much more than the first five books. Open the word of God and let it be the joy and rejoicing of your heart. It's worth it. It takes time. I get that to sit there quietly and it's and we're in it. We live in a world that is so filled with distractions. So a lot of you know that I work in agriculture, right?
So in April, May and June.
The phone starts ringing at 6:30 and it rings literally every two minutes, almost for the whole day.
It's very distracting and defiling sometimes not, not in a bad way, but just it's overwhelming. I'm thankful to the Lord for the work that I do. The Lord has given me work that I enjoy, but at that time I need time to.
Get washed up if you will, and the Word of God can do that.
So in the interest of time, let's keep going. I just want to whet your appetite. There's so much more here, so I'm not giving you an exhaustive list here.
Uh, chapter 17, verse 5.
Thus saith the Lord cursed thee, the man that trusteth in man and maketh.
Flesh his arm, and whose heart departed from the Lord, For he shall be like the heath of the desert, and he shall not see when good cometh, but shall inhabit the parts places of the wilderness, and assault land, and not inhabited. Blessed is the man that trusteth in the Lord.
And whose hope the Lord is, for he shall be as a tree planted by the waters that spread out our roots by the river.
And so not see when the heat cometh, but a relief shall be green.
And shall not be careful in the year of drought, neither shall cease from bearing fruit. You want a fruitful life, young people, I know that many of you do. And I want that for you too. Trust in the Lord.
It's so tempting, especially at our age, to say I got this.
Now, I'm not speaking against competency or.
Encouraging somebody to do a good job, but when the core of your being says I don't need God, I got this myself, you're going to find out that you don't.
Trust in the Lord.
And then your life will be blessed with endurance, the ability to stand through the hard times when you're trusting in the one person that's totally trustworthy. You know, if you trusted in me on anything, you'd be sadly disappointed by it. Probably tomorrow, maybe tonight, certainly by the end of the week, you would be. But you'll never be disappointed when you put your trust in the Lord, young people, and He guarantees that.
Chapter 19.
Sometimes we get in a spot where things are really tough.
Chapter 19 or Chapter 20, I'm sorry.
Verse 9 Jeremiah was in a place in his life where things are going very poorly for him.
Then I said I will not mention of him nor speak anymore in his name.
But His word was in mine heart as a burning fire shot up in my bones, and I was weary with forbearing, and I could not stay.
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Don't quit.
Sometimes you're tempted to quit, right? It's like, all right, Lord, I'm, I'm not going to try this anymore.
Young people, when the Spirit of God lives in your heart, it's a fire set up in the bones and it pours out. You can't stop it, and the Lord is in it.
Don't quit, go to the Lord on your knees. Say Lord, I love you, help me. And here it says Jeremiah was in this place where he says his word was in my heart like a burning fire. Shut up in my bones. It's a drive, it's a passion, a love for the Lord Jesus Christ that he will not disappoint.
It says he says here I was weary with forbearing. I couldn't stop myself. I had to.
I could not stay, don't stay in that place. I I get that some days are hard or you try to do something for the Lord and you meet with mockery or somebody's like, oh, you're crazy. I don't believe any of that.
Young people, the Lord will honor you. It's in your being. Let it come out. The fire set up in the bones.
Chapter 33.
And verse 3.
Call upon me, and I will answer thee, and show thee great and mighty things which thou knowest not.
That's the God that you are serving, he says. Call upon me.
And I will answer thee.
And show the great and mighty things that you didn't know.
Now, this is not a golden key. We already had that question earlier in the week. Obviously we are asking, uh.
In the minds of the Lord. But think about the times when you're in a quandary in your work or in school. You're not sure what to do. There's a fork in the road.
You just roll the dice. Is that seeking first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness? No, we had this the other night. Get on your knees, call upon me and I will answer and show you great and mighty things.
You know, I look back over my youth. I grew up in a in a missionary family.
And they were I I don't have time I'm I'm running out of time here to tell you things that we got on our knees as a family about in the Lord interacted intervene in such a tremendous way. That's the God you're serving.
Believe it, rebel, win it, love it.
He will not cast you aside. All right, a new young person now.
Matthew, Chapter 11.
This young person was spoken of by the Lord Jesus as the greatest born among women.
John the Baptist.
I know that some of you are not even teenagers yet, but John the Baptist ministry and his life were over when he was in his very early 30s.
That that means for me, I would have been in the grave.
For 13 years already down the Baptist ministry. Was that sure? This is a young person. OK, verse 2.
Now when John had heard in the prison the works of Christ, he sent two of his disciples, and said unto him, Art thou he that should come, or do we look for another?
Jesus answering, answered and said unto them, Go and show John again those things which he do hear and see. The blind received their sight, the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised up, the poor have the Gospel preached unto them. And blessed is he, Whosoever shall not be offended in me.
Now it's easy for us to beat up John the Baptist and go, what? What are you thinking, man? You were the guy who said, behold the Lamb of God that taketh away the sin of the world. You were the guy that said he must increase, but I must decrease.
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And now John is in prison, about to be murdered by Herod for the entertainment of a sensuous party.
So I'm not going to beat up you on the Baptist for that because I think John the Baptist have been reading in Isaiah and other places about all these things that have been happening, except one didn't happen and that was he would open the doors of the prison.
And so John is saying, Lord, don't forget about me over here.
But John's work was done.
And so the Lord didn't say you go tell John to toughen up.
No, he didn't say that. He said you go back and tell John about me and that will be enough.
Right you go tell them about me. Oh, young people learn to know and love the Savior.
Learn that says here, blessed is he whosoever shall not be offended in me. You know, you might sit in your assembly or in your home. Maybe, uh, there's a sickness in that you're dealing with that nobody knows about and you're thinking Lord, umm, don't forget.
Don't be offended in the Lord Jesus, He loves you. Don't be offended young people by him. Just think about who he is.
It's like the Lord said to John, he didn't beat him up. He says you go tell him about me. That's where we get.
Relief from depression, and I'm not minimizing depression. I think that there are people that really suffer. Umm, that's where we get peace. That's where we get occupy yourself with the Lord Jesus and who he is and what he has done and don't occupy yourself with your own circumstances. It's a deadly thing because it only goes down, down, down. So I don't want to beat up John the Baptist. I just want to.
Encourage you, don't be offended in the Lord Jesus.
Love him, think about him.
Soak up all that he is. Think of the moral perfection. Uh, think. Yeah, it's just everything about him is perfect. This is our savior.
OK, next young person, I hope I'm wetting your appetite. Third, John.
This is a a person that I have enjoyed meditating on a good deal.
OK, Third Gen. The elder unto the well beloved Gaius, whom I love in the truth. By the way, I have no idea how old Gaius was. He might have been 80, but we're going to call him young because he was younger than the Apostle John, apparently.
Is that OK? They yelled there. Until the well beloved Gaius by the way.
Uh, I think it's a terrible shame to wait to tell somebody that they're well beloved until their eulogy.
OK, they can't hear that. Tell them no and they can't. I'm not saying to boost people's ego and pump them up and and appeal to the flesh, but it's not wrong to just go to somebody and say I saw what you did there. I appreciate that. Well done, good job.
And here the apostle John could say to Gaius, You are well beloved. Isn't that nice?
Verse two Beloved, I wish above all things that thou mayest prosper and be in health even as thy soul prospers. OK young people, think how much time and effort and money is spent on.
Fitness and health, uh, any of you that, uh, live here in the US have, uh, for the past four years, we've gone through endless debates about health care and the cost and the fairness of it. You know what? How is your soul doing? I get that you need to be somewhat healthy, but what about your soul? And here the apostle could say to Gaius, I hope you're doing as well as your soul is.
Isn't that nice that he could say.
I hope you prosper in your health even as your soul is prospering. Oh, it's, it's so encouraging to go to a camp like this or a conference or go to a wedding or an you're on vacation. You go to another meeting and you see people that are prospering in their souls and they love the word Jesus and it means a lot to him and you. And the fellowship is so sweet, right?
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And here this person Gaius was prospering in his soul. What a great thing Covet that work at it.
Verse 3. For I rejoice greatly when the brethren came and testified of the truth that is in thee, even as thou walkest in truth. For I have no greater joy than to hear that my children walk in truth.
You know, especially you boys and girls.
So I'm just going to practice what I was preaching John and Rebecca.
I don't know how long you've been working downstairs, but good job. Thank you.
Many of you young people have set in this basement in this facility.
Or over at Camp Calvary.
Learning the truth? Are you walking in it?
Oh, it's a tremendous joy to go to a place or interact with with our brethren and see that they're walking in truth, especially with children. We love you guys.
The Lord loves you.
And it what a joy, what a joy. Verse 5 Beloved, thou doest faithfully whatsoever thou doest to the brethren.
And to strangers.
Which had borne witness before the Church, whom if thou bring forward on their journey after a godly sword, thou shalt do well.
I just want to encourage you young people to serve the Lord with gladness. It's an honor to serve. It's a blessing and do it not to be noticed by people. Do it for the Lord. Think of what he did. It says in the in the Gospels, even the Son of Man came to serve and not to be served. And here this well beloved, gayest the apostle could say.
Beloved, thou doest faithfully whatsoever thou doest to the brethren and to strangers.
That's a good encouragement for us. There's things to be done.
And do it for the Lord with joy. What an encouragement it is.
The last young person.
For sympathy for.
First Timothy 4, verse 12.
But no man despised thy youth but thee thou. An example of the believers in Word, in conversation, in charity, in spirit, in faith, in purity.
What does it mean when it says, Let no man despise thy youth?
I don't think it means to stand up in your assembly and elbow the elder brother out of the way and say this is the way it's going to be now. That's not what it's saying. What it's saying is.
What, uh, commendably as an example, so that when you as a young person they're contributing, they can say?
What a valuable addition to our assembly.
What a valuable addition.
Oh, the Lord loves that.
What no man despised that you are you living your life where when you walk in the door people say, oh, there's that guy?
In a bad way that's dishonouring to the Lord. I guess that people are in the tour because I was really in the tour when I was a kid. But strive young people, ask the Lord to help you in your life, that no one would despise your youth. What a blessing it would be if you walk in the meeting room door and say oh good.
Here's here's a young person that is just so on fire for the Lord and as an example of of the believers in love and faith and purity. Oh, what a what a commendation. I hope that's true in your life. The Lord Jesus wants that in your life. It's worth it. What a goal.
00:55:00
OK, let's go down a little bit more till I come give attendance to reading through exhortation to doctrine.
You know, you can invest your time and money on all kinds of things in this world. And believe me, the list is endless. All these voices calling pay attention to me do this, do that. If you're not eating this or drinking that, you can't possibly be happy, right? If you're not driving this car, then you're a loser. And all of the messages, the advertisement, the, the whole sphere of the world.
Is to say invest time in me, me, I'm important. Do this, do that.
You know, invest time in this.
Give attendance to reading. Oh, it's so valuable.
You have attendance to reading, to exhortation, and to doctrine. Invest time and what really matters.
I hope it's OK if I share this Joseph and Lydia.
And you have no idea what I'm about to say to you.
So recently we were at your wedding and two people made separate comments that really impressed me. I wanna thank you for these. And that was both of those young people were noted to be seen with their Bibles open.
Thank you.
Invest time, young people, in the Word of God. The Lord Jesus is worth it.
All that other junk that's being crammed down your throat will just drive you down. Invest in heavenly things. What really matters, what lasts forever. You know, you can sit there and go. You know, I achieved level 985 in Candy Crush. So what? Memorize the book of Ephesians that last forever. I I hope I'm not being overdramatic.
Invest in what really matters, the right things. You won't be disappointed.
You know, I so I'm at a point in my life where I'm watching my dad in his last years. That's hard to watch. Many of you have already done that with your dad's.
And you can't read very well. His eyesight is bad, but you know what comforts his soul?
All of the things that I word, if I hid in my heart, that I might not sin against Thee. You take the Word of God and you hide it in your heart, and then you're sitting there unable to do what you used to do. And the Spirit of God can minister to your soul, but you can't bring out what you never put in. Invest in what really matters. Your time is so valuable.
OK, the last thing about Timothy and we're done. Neglect, not the gift that is in the young people. I'm just thrilled to look across your faces and see the gift, the potential for the Lord Jesus, the potential for families, the potential for your assemblies, for the gospel for for so many things. Don't neglect it. The Lord has given you a gift you you may not know what it is, but he will show it to you. Get on your knees.
Say, Lord, I want to serve you. Show me what I should do. It might start. He might say, Sean, I want you to wash the forks for the next year at fellowship meal. He could say that, right?
Are you willing to do it?
I hope so. I don't know what the Lord would ask you to do, but He has something for you to do. There's a gift that He has for you to do Do it. Don't neglect it in the next epistle, if I still had to tell him. Now stir up that gift that you have.
Stir it up, use it. It's no good to have a gift all shoved under the bed, in the closet somewhere. Don't neglect it. You're valuable, young people. The Lord Jesus says work for you to do. You're so needed. You're so we love you guys.
This is the happy path.
Trust in the Lord.
With all thine heart.
The Lena and I know an understanding.
You may say I blew it. My life is already screwed up, and maybe it is. But you know what?
The Lord Jesus is there.
Best fixer of all that.
Love him, serve him, and one day when your knees are bowing before him and your face was lifted up and your eyes are looking at his.
01:00:05
Be worthless.
OK, I'm done now. I hope I've wet your appetite for this, and I hope that if you are like Absalom then you're not safe. But when you leave those doors that you will be. The Lord Jesus wants that for you too.
Let's close with #23.
Hymn #23.
That's great.
Our loving God and Father.
We pray for each one of these young people.
Oh Lord.
I pray that thy Spirit would convict their hearts of the value and the worth of the Lord Jesus your Son.
And that there would be none at FSA when their knees are bowed.
Would have to say in anger.
And confess his name by force. O Lord, we pray that our hearts should be knit together with the Lord Jesus. Lord, it's these are hard days.
There are many distractions, there are many discouragements, but Lord, we fix our eyes on you.
And we praise you for what's passed, and we trust you for what's coming.
Oh Father, I just pour out my soul.
For these young people.
That they would know they and love they.
We ask this in Jesus name, Amen.