Boldly Preaching: God's Assurance in Our Challenges

1. "Do not be afraid. Look at it. Verse 9. The Lord said to Paul, In a night vision, don't be afraid. Keep on. Everybody say, keep on. That's where the title came from. The power to keep on. Keep on speaking, and don't be silent. We know the boldness of the Apostle Paul. He preached the gospel. He preached Jesus, his life, his death, his resurrection, that he was the only way to be saved. He was bold in his preaching. And he said, don't be afraid, Paul. You just keep on speaking. Keep on preaching. Keep on preaching, and don't be silent. And that's what God's calling us to do. In a culture that resists, in a culture that don't want to hear it, we got to keep on preaching Jesus, and he is the only way to God." [43:54] (49 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)


2. "Now, I don't know about you, but I don't think about the Apostle Paul as someone who struggled with fear or anxiety. That makes me feel better. He was human too. That he struggled with anxiety. Sometimes your emotions can get the best of you, am I telling the truth or not? Now, why was Paul afraid? I believe several reasons that he came to them in weakness, fear, and in trembling. First of all, he was alone in Athens. Remember last week? Alone. And when you're alone, you can easily become afraid. Now he's alone in Corinth, which is a sinful city. He's exhausted, walking all throughout Greece and traveling. He's out of money. You ever been fearful when you can't pay the bills, when the money is low? And so he had been in Athens. He's alone. He's without money. He's tired, physically exhausted. And he saw little results in Athens. Very few people believe. So he feels like he's a failure. He's dealing with failure, frustration, fatigue. And what does the Lord say to him? You keep on keeping on. Don't be afraid." [45:29] (71 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)


3. "Maybe for the first time you're going to have an empty nest at home. Just the two of you left. It may be that you're going through a health challenge or death of a loved one. Whatever it is, hear God's Word to you. Do not be afraid. I really believe this. I worked on that for two years. And it's just coming out now. I told you about it about a month ago and gave you an opportunity to receive it. And I began to get word this week that it's going into racks at Choice Books. And I got a picture from Wal-Mart. And I got a picture from a truck stop on 480. I hadn't seen it before. I haven't seen one yet. Every time I go to Walgreens to get medicine or pick up something, I'm looking for it. So I want you to tell me when you see it. Send me your picture at pastor at libertylive.church. And I'll know it's out there. You might even see your picture up here on the big screen. All right. But here's what I love about it. It sends this message. God's not giving you a spirit of fear but of power and love and a sound mind. And it is a, listen, it's an audience that is unchurched. In other words, it's not a church audience that we're getting this book out." [47:25] (85 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)


4. "So many people struggle with fear. And have you ever noticed this? What should be exciting times in life can also be fearful times. You know, you're starting school. Oh, you're excited. Oh, you're fearful. You know, you're getting married. You're having a child. You're changing jobs. You know, you're going through some type of transition. The exciting times in life can be fearful. I remember growing up in church. As a little boy, I remember hearing these words. What have I to dread? What have I to fear? Leaning on the everlasting arms. I have blessed peace with my Lord so near. Leaning on the everlasting arms of God. Here's the question today. Are you leaning on Jesus? Are you leaning on Jesus? If you're struggling with fear and anxiety, lean hard on him." [50:27] (55 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)


5. "Now, the Bible says if God be for us, who can be against us, right? People. I'll answer it. If God's for us, who can be against us? People. And Paul knew it. And so he gives this promise here that God's going to be with him. That's good to know that people are with you. You want people to be with you. Let me tell you what's more encouraging than knowing people are with you. Knowing God's with you. Emmanuel, God with us. Let me tell you, when your body's sick, he's with you. When your heart is broken, he's with you. When the burdens are heavy, he's with you. When your mind is confused. He is with you. I'm telling you, when the money's low, he's with you. When your strength is gone, he's with you. He gives you the power to keep on keeping on. When we go through the valley of the shadow of death, the 23rd Psalm says what? I'll fear no evil because you're with me." [51:17] (55 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)


6. "He gives you gifting. He gives you talents. He gives you ability, opportunity. Over time, you serve for weeks and months and years and you get good at it. But be careful. Note your neighbor right now and say, wake up. Be careful because you get so good at what you do and what God's given you, you get to thinking you're self-made. And that's when you're in trouble. Even in the service of God, we can hold things so tightly. This is my position. This is my area of ministry. Let me tell you, you better hold everything with an open hand because if you hold on to it, it's going to cut you like a knife. Whatever you have, it came from God. We use it for his glory. We hold it with an open hand. And even though we serve, listen, on a team and we have the same value, we have different roles. We have different titles. We have different positions. And we're going to give an account. Listen. Not for what somebody else was supposed to do but what you were supposed to do. We give an account for our own lives." [01:05:16] (63 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)


7. "The reason we go to the judgment seat of Christ, listen, because this is encouraging, is once and for all, every sinful, shameful thing that you've ever done, it will be burned up never to be brought up again. Somebody say glory. And then we'll be made like him. We'll see him. We'll be as he is. And he will have finished what he started that I just read to you from Romans chapter 8. So the Bible says, 2 John 1, 8, look to yourselves that we do not lose those things that we've worked for, but that we may receive a full reward. Are you with me? Revelation 14, 13, Then I heard a voice from heaven saying, Write, Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord from now on. Yes, says the Spirit, that they may rest from their labors, and their works follow them. Revelation 22, 12, Jesus said, Behold, I come quickly, and my reward is with me to give to everyone according to his work." [01:07:56] (69 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)


8. "How did Paul end his letter to the Corinthians? In 1 Corinthians, here's what he said. Maranatha. What does it mean? It means come, Lord. Come. And I'm just telling you, the Lord's coming. And it matters how you live your life and what you do with what God's given you. And one day we're all going to give an account for it. We're going to stand before him. And I want to hear him say, Well done. Don't you? And so right here, Behold, I come quickly. Maranatha, he's coming. But watch this. His reward is with him to give to everyone according to his work. So the real question is this. What are you doing with your life? What are you doing with what God's given you? And I ask you this question. Knowing the Lord is coming, are you ready? If he called you home today or returned today, do you have a relationship with him?" [01:08:54] (62 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)