Alright, well we’re there in 1st Corinthians Chapter 9. I just wanna say again, thank you to everyone who was praying for us as we’re traveling, and we’re glad to be back! We had a great trip! We flew into San Antonio on Tuesday, and then we were there for a couple days, I preached there. And at Old Past on Thursday night.
On Thursday night, on Thurs day we started noticing that at every gas station there was about 30-40 cars and we were like what is going on? They actually, I don’t know if you follow the news but they ran out of gas in Texas because of the hurricane and all of that and we had a problem because I was preaching at Old Past in San Antonio on Thursday and then I was supposed to preach at Steadfast in Ft. Worth on Friday, which is about four hours away and we needed to just make sure we had enough gas to get there and so about one in the morning we were at a gas station and it took about an hour but we finally got in there and got some gas and the Lord took care of us in that way and had a great meeting and so I appreciate your prayers. There was a little bit of a scare there with the gas situation and I didn’t’ know if we were gonna end up living in Texas or something but it was good. We had a good time.
At the Steadfast meeting there was about 140 people there for their marathon and there was people there from Canada, from Pennsylvania, from New Jersey, all over Texas and they had a great turnout so we appreciate your prayers in regards to all of that.
Well there in 1st Corinthians chapter 9 and we’ve been going through a series on Sunday nights entitle The Victorious Christian Life, we’re living principles on how to win in the Christian life and how to succeed in the Christian life and if you remember when we started the series a couple of weeks ago, it started with a sermon titled Destined For Victory and we’re looking at our position in Christ and how God has already given us a victory through our position. We’ve already been predestined to walk in victory and that doesn’t mean that we’re all gonna walk in victory but if we don’t walk in victory it’s because of our own failure because God has already given us the victory. We talked about that. Last week we looked at this idea of defining victory. What does it mean to win at life? And we looked at the words of the Apostle Paul and of course tonight we’ll be looking at the words of the Apostle Paul as well but what we talked about being ready, to be offered, to depart and how he was ready for that and how we can get ready for that day of judgment as well.
Tonight I want to speak to you just for a few moments on the subject of discipline for victory and where the goal or where the idea of discipline comes in in the victorious life. We’re gonna be here in 1st Corinthians 9, that’s our passage for tonight but I’d like for you to just quickly go with me to the Chapter Luke, Luke Chapter number 14 and look at verse number 25, Luke chapter number 14 and verse number 25, Luke chapter 14 and verse 25.
I’d like you to notice what the Bible says here, these are well known verses, you’ve seen them before, but let’s look at them again together. Luke chapter 14 and verse 25, the bible says “and there went great multitudes with him and he turned and said unto them” notice what Jesus says, “if any man come unto me, and hate not his father and mother and wife and children and brother and sisters, you hate his own life also, we’ve dealt with that. Not too long ago so I’m not gonna comment on those phrases. He said, but I want you to notice this last phrase of that verse says “he cannot be my disciple.”
And what I want you to understand is that when you get saved it is not a given that you will be a disciple of Jesus Christ.
Speaker 2: Amen
Speaker 1: You may be saved and not a disciple because there are certain things that will disqualify you from discipleship. He says “you cannot be my disciple”. In verse 27 “and whosever does not bear his cross and come with me, cannot be my disciple.” The word disciple comes from this idea of discipline. The dictionary describes discipline as behavior that is maintained by training and control and if you and I are going to be disciples of the Lord Jesus Christ we’re going to have to learn to live a disciplined life. And that’s what the Apostle Paul is talking about here in this passage in 1st Corinthians 9. Look that up, verse 24, that’s where we’ll begin for tonight. 1st Corinthians 9 and 24 and I could write down several statements of course I always try to give you some notes and hopefully you take down some note and you don’t just throw them away on the way out. Hopefully you’re saving them somewhere, put them in your Bible, put them in a folder, review them later. You can use them to confirm and exhort to continue your converts in the faith, right.
1st Corinthians 9:24 I want you to notice, I’d like you to write down this statement if you’re taking notes tonight if you don’t have a baby on your lap or something like that. As we talk about this idea of discipline I’d like you to notice first of all, the prize of discipline, the prize of discipline. Notice what Paul says about discipline in verse 24. He says “know ye not” and Paul, Paul is a lot like Brother Stuckey, you know he uses a lot of sports analogies. Do you ever notice Brother Stuckey, he uses a lot of sports analogies? He’s a real sportsy guy, that’s how the apostle Paul was. He says “know ye not, that they which run in a race run all, but one receiveth the prize.” He says “so run that ye may obtain”. He uses analogy of a race yet later on here he’s gonna use another analogy of like boxing and fighting. And he says “know ye not that they which run in a race, run all”. He said, he said when people run in a race they’re all running. They’re all involved, but one receiveth the prize. And then he says this, so run that ye may obtain.
Here’s what he’s telling you, he’s saying if you’re going to run in the race of the Christian life, he said don’t run just to run, he says run to win, he says run that ye may obtain. Notice in verse 25 that every man that striveth for the mastery. The word striveth there, he’s referring to striving or to exhorting. He says every man that striveth for the mastery, is temperate in all things. Now they do it, notice the prize. He says they do it to obtain a corruptible crown, but we an incorruptible. He says they do it to obtain a corruptible crown, but we an incorruptible.
And here’s what he’s saying, athletes get up early. Athletes work hard. Athletes, if you started studying the lives, and I’m not endorsing anyone but if you started studying the lives of people like Kobe Bryant, like Michael Jordan, like all of these famous football players, and basketball players and golfers, you know what you’re gonna notice is that they live very disciplined lives. And they do that because they have a goal in mind.
There is a prize. There is a world cup or there is world series or there is a super bowl or there is something that they are attempting to win, something they’re trying to get at and the apostle Paul here is telling the church of Corinth, they’re saying you ought to live a disciplined life In the same way that athletes do because you have a prize. He says if you’re gonna run, run that ye may obtain. And then he said they do it to receive a corruptible crown. And here he’s referring to the Olympic athletes, of the Greeks, back at the time when Paul was living and how they would receive a crown when they would win a race or how they would receive a crown when they wold win an event and he said their crown is gonna fade away.
Their crown is a corruptible, he says we run that we may receive an incorruptible crown. Keep your place at 1st Corinthians 9, that’s our text for tonight, go to 1st Corinthians chapter 3, let me show you a couple of things. I want you to understand, you say what’s the prize of discipline, why, why be motivated for, to live a disciplined life? What is the prize that we’re gonna receive? Well I want you to notice there’s a couple of prizes that I want to highlight for you, one of the prizes is a physical reward itself. 1st Corinthians chapter 3. We saw these verses not too long ago, if you remember 1st Corinthians 3 is dealing with the judgment seat to the Christ, this is where believers there are two judgements that are mentioned in scripture, one for believers and one for unbelievers. Believers will not stand at what Revelation calls the Great White Throne.
That’s where people are judged and they will be cast into Hell. You and I, will never stand at that judgment, but we will stand at the judgment seat of Christ. And this is where we will be rewarded for the works that we have done in our lives.
1st Corinthians 3, notice verse number 6, notice what the apostle Paul says, 1st Corinthians 3 and verse 6, he says I have planted, Paul has watered but God gave the increase. So then neither he that planteth anything, he that planteth, anything, neither he that watereth, but God hath given the increase. Now he that planteth and he that watereth are one. And every man, notice what it says, shall receive his own reward according to his own labor. Look down at verse number 12, same chapter, just skip down for sake of time, notice verse 12. Now any man, build upon this foundation, now he’s kind of changing, he’s talking about the things that we build in life. He says now if any man build upon this foundation, use this illustration, gold, silver, precious stone, wood, hay, stubble, he says every man’s work.
Listen to me, if you are saved tonight, you will stand at the judgment seat of Christ. You will have to go through this judgment and He’s not gonna bring up your sins and He’s not gonna bring up your past, but He is going to bring up your works. Notice in verse 13, every man’s work shall be made manifest. The word manifest means it will be made obvious. We will see it, we will be able to see it. He says every man’s work will be made manifest for the day shall declare it, for the day of judgment, the judgment seat of Christ, because it shall be revealed, notice, by fire. Now look, I’m not sure if this is figurative speech or if this literally is going to happen.
I don’t see why God couldn’t literally do it. God can do whatever he wants. But the idea that he’s saying here, is that God is going to take all of the works that you do in your life, everything that you invest yourself into. Everything that you give yourself to. Everything that you work hard at, He’s gonna take those things and some of those things are going to be, like he says here, gold, silver, precious stones, those are the things that have eternal value. That’s when you see, when you do anything, and it has eternal value associated with it, God sees gold, silver, precious stones. When you go knock on a door and preach the gospel to someone, that’s gold, silver, precious stones. But you know, I also believe when you show up and clean a building so that someone can come here and hear the gospel preached and their marriage can be helped and their children can be helped and maybe they get saved here or they begin to grow here, I believe that God will reward you for that work that you are doing and it’s gold, silver, precious stone.
But there are lots of things that we do in life that God says, they’re not bad things, they’re not sinful things, they just have no value. You’re in a bowling league, people say they want to organize, we’re gonna go plant trees somewhere, now look, there aint nothing wrong with trees, I like trees, but you know trees have no, there’s no eternal value there. And God says well that’s great, I’ll take all of that, that’s hay, wood and stubble, none of this is sinful, it’s just what we invest our lives into.
Notice in verse 13, I’m sorry, verse 14, if any man’s work abide, I’m sorry verse 13, every man’s work should be made manifest for the day shall declare it for it shall be revealed by fire, and the fire shall try every man’s work of what assort. The word assort meaning what kind it is, meaning what kind it is. He’s gonna take all your work. Some of it’s gonna be gold, silver, precious stone, some of it’s gonna be wood, hay, stubble and he’s gonna throw it into the fire and the fire is going to determine what type of sort it was. Now look, when you throw wood and hay and stubble into a fire, what’s gonna happen? It’s gonna burn up. When you put gold, silver and precious stones into a fire? Nothing it’s gonna get refined if anything. Notice verse 14, if any man’s work abide, which he has built there upon, he shall receive a reward. See here’s what he’s saying, you’re only going to get rewarded for the things that have eternal value.
So I’m gonna take all of the works you’ve ever done, and some of them are gonna have eternal value, some of them are gonna be temporal, they’re not bad, they’re just, they’ve got no eternal value, I’m glad you organized that bowling league and I’m glad you went out and planted those trees and I’m glad you did that toys for the deployed children or children of the deployed, you know, active duty members, nothing wrong with any of that, there’s just no eternal value there. And he says I’m gonna throw that in the fire and whatever is left over, that’s what you will get rewarded for. Notice verse 15, if any man’s work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss. Here’s what he’s saying, there’s some Christians, when they get to the judgment seat of Christ, God’s gonna get all their works together? But all of it’s gonna be wood, hay and stubble. None of it’s gonna be gold, silver, precious stone.
And by the way, let me say this, I also believe, and I believe the Bible teaches this and I won’t get on that right now, but I also believe that if you do spiritual things, with the wrong motives, if you do spiritual things to be seen of men, God says, that’s wood, hay and stubble. That’s gonna get burnt up, cuz you already got your reward. Didn’t He say that? You already got your reward here on this Earth if you did it for the sake of being seen of men. But here’s what I want you to notice and this is what doesn’t make sense for the people that think, oh well you gotta live a good life. If you’re saved, a lot of formal baptists will say, well we don’t believe in work salvation but we believe if you get saved there will be works.
Well you’ve got a problem with 1st Corinthians verse chapter 3 cuz according to the Holy Word of God, there is a possibility that any man’s work will be burned, he shall suffer loss, but he himself shall be saved, yet so as by fire. So here the Bible tells us there is a possibility of someone being saved and having no works.
Speaker 2: Amen
Speaker 1: Everything got burned up. They did nothing that was of eternal value. But look, he himself shall be saved. They’re still in Heaven. But it says, yet so as by fire. It says you get nothing. You did nothing. You say, what is the point of living a disciplined life, well look I don’t know about you, but I don’t want to get to Heaven and stand there at the judgment seat of Christ and God literally say, your life was a waste?
Speaker 3: That’s right.
Speaker 2: Amen
Speaker 1: There’s nothing that you did that had any eternal value? God is saying, there’s nothing that you did that I cared about? There’s nothing that you did that I was interested in. There’s nothing that you did that I told you to do. You may have done a whole lot of nice things, you may have done a whole lot of good things, you may have done a, you gave out turkeys during thanksgiving, and you gave out gifts during christmas and you did all sorts of things, but listen to me, you and I have to live a disciplined life because of the fact that there is a prize. What is that prize? Well first of all there is a physical reward. We will literally receive crowns in Heaven. We will receive that incorruptible crown, which is why Paul said I am now ready to be offered, the time of my departure is at hand. He said I’ve fought a good fight, I’ve finished the course, I’ve kept the faith, therefore, there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness. Which the Lord, the righteous judge shall give me on that day.
So there’s actually a prize, there’s actually a reward, there’s actually a day of judgment, but let me say this, not only is there a reward with the judgment seat, but the prize is actually Jesus Christ himself. Go to 2nd Corinthians chapter 5, 2nd Corinthians chapter 5. Look at verse number 9. 2nd Corinthians chapter 5 and verse 9, 2nd Corinthians 5:9, notice what the Bible said, you say, cuz, you preach like this, cuz the real lazy ultra spirituals, you know, there’s what they say, well I don’t want to do things for a reward. You’re just motivated cuz you want to get a reward. Okay, well listen to me ultra spiritual, here’s a good spiritual reason for you, look I don’t know about you but if i play a game, I want to win.
Speaker 2: That’s right
Speaker 3: Amen
Speaker 1: If I’m gonna run, I’m not just out for a jog, I want to win. That’s why I don’t run with Brother Stuckey cuz he always wins. I try to run with Brother Oliver, no I’m just kidding. I’m just kidding, Brother Oliver’s faster than I am too. 2nd Corinthians 5, look at verse 9, notice what the Bible says`, 1st Corinthians 5, verse 9, notice it says, wherefore we labor. Notice what he says, 1st Corinthians 5:9, wherefore we labor that whether present or absent, notice what it says, that we may be acceptant of him. For we must all appear, notice the context. For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ. That every one may receive the things done in his body according to that he had done whether it be good or bad. You say the judgment seat of Christ is about rewards, but it’s more than rewards. It’s about, notice, it’s about being accepted of Him. It’s about being and measure the fact that you actually love Jesus and you actually work for Jesus, that you actually did the things that Jesus asked you to do and it allows Jesus to be able to say, I accept you, I am proud of you, I am glad that you were on my side. I am glad that you are in my team.
Go to look at Matthew, Matthew chapter 5, just real quickly, Matthew chapter 5, I know you’ve seen these verses, Matthew 5, I’m sorry, Matthew 25, excuse me. Matthew chapter 25 and look at verse number 21, Matthew chapter 25, I know that you know this but I just want you to note it, understand, it’s not just about reward and it’s not just about a crown, it’s about being accepted of Him. It’s about Him giving us His acceptance. Matthew 25 and verse 21, the Bible says, his Lord said unto him, you know these words, well done thou good and faithful servant. Thou has been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things and to thou and to the joy of the Lord. Look and this is referring to the judgment seat of Christ.
Look do you think if God puts all your works in the fire and it all gets burned up, you think he’s you know, Jesus is not like the public school system, whether it, you know, it’s not no child left behind, and no matter how you did, it’s good job. Look if he puts your works in the fire and it all gets burnt up it’s just gonna be this awkward silence. You know Jesus is gonna be like shifting his eyes and just go, just go. Next. You know but when He puts your works there and it’s burnt up and what’s left over is this great, and He can reward you, you know what He’s gonna say? He’s gonna say well done. Well done thou good and faithful servant. Thou has been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler of many things. That’s the millennial reign of Christ. We’re gonna rule and reign with Christ and it’s dependent, it is based on how well you do at the judgment seat of Christ.
Here’s what I’m trying to help you, you say, why live a disciplined life? Here’s why you should live a disciplined life, because there’s a prize at the end of the race. Because there’s judgment. Notice in verse 23, his Lord said unto him, well done, good and faithful servant. Thou has been faithful of a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things, enter thou into the joy of the Lord. Go to revelation, revelation chapter 22, revelation, the last book of the Bible, should be fairly easy to find. Revelation chapter 22, look at verse number 12. Revelation 22, and verse 12, notice what Jesus said. This is the Lord Jesus Christ speaking. Revelation 22:12, see Jesus can’t, you say I don’t care about rewards, but you know who does care about the rewards? Jesus does.
Speaker 3: That’s right.
Speaker 1: Notice what he says revelation 22:12, and behold I come quickly and my reward is with me. And behold I come quickly and my reward is with me. To give every man as according to his works. Work shall be, do you see how consistent the Bible is? You say, why work? Why be disciplined, why give ourselves to the ministry? Go back to 1st Corinthians 9, you say why do that? Well first of all because there’s a prize. You say what’s the prize? The prize is a reward, it’s the actual rewards that we will see in Heaven but it’s the actual reward of Christ himself.
Being accepted of Christ, having his acceptance on our life, where he would say well done. Well done. There’s a prize. That’s why the apostle Paul said there’s a brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended. He said but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are left behind. And by the way, that’s good advice for some of you, some of you just constantly just beating yourself up about the past, and I did this, and I did that. You know what Paul, Paul persecuted the church of God. The bible says he had, he had, the church the God, but you know what he said? Forgetting those things which are left behind, and reaching forth to those things which are before, he said, I pressed toward the mark. Why? For the prize of the high calling of God and Christ Jesus. See he understood the idea that the Christian life is a race and there is a prize to be obtained. You say why, why live a disciplined life? Well because of the prize of discipline.
But secondly tonight, go back to 1st Corinthians 9, not only is there the prize of discipline but I’d like you to notice what Paul teaches in this passage. There’s a prize of discipline and there’s a practice of discipline. What does discipline look like? Notice 1st Corinthians 9, verse 25, 1st Corinthians 9 and verse 25, notice what the bible says, 1st Corinthians 9:25, every man that striveth for the mastery is temperate.
See that word temperate? Every man that striveth for the mastery is temperate. Next week we’re gonna be talking about denying self and being filled with the Holy Spirit. One of the fruits of the spirit, the bible says but the fruit of the spirit is love, joy, peace, long suffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance, against such there is no law. When you are living in your life, walking in the Holy Spirit, being filled with the Spirit, denying self, and that’s what we’ll talk about next week. Denying self for victory. But when you’re living that life, you will learn to walk in this idea of being temperate. You say what is this word temperate mean? It simply means this, self control. Self control.
Notice what he says, 1st Corinthians 9 verse 25, he says no ye not that they would try and race for an all, but one receives the prize, so run that ye may obtain and every man that striveth for the mastery. Every man that’s exhorting himself cuz he wants to win, cuz he wants to get the ministry, notice is temperate in all things. See these Olympic athletes, when they’re training to run or swim or whatever it might be, look they exercise a lot of self control. They’ve got to get a certain amount of sleep. They’ve got to get up at a certain time and they’ve got to go to bed at a certain time. And they’ve got to get a certain amount of workout in and they’re not gonna stop and get a kit kat.
They’re not stopping at an in and out for a milkshake. You say why? Because they’re temperate in all things. They’re self controlled in all things. Why? Because they’re striving for the mastery. And look, I’m not preaching about exercise, although that’s great, bodily exercise, profited little the bible says, but you know it profits something. And I’m not down on that but I just wanted you to understand, if they will do it, if they will do it for a pigskin why would you and I not live a disciplined life for the Glory of God?
Speaker 3: Amen
Speaker 1: For the corrupt, the incorruptible crown, that he will give, notice he says no ye not that they which run a race run all but they that receive a prize so run that ye may obtain. Every man that striveth for the mastery is temperate, is self controlled in all things. Now they do it to obtain a corruptible crown, but we an incorruptible. I therefore so run. Not as in certainly. You say I’m not running and I just kinda don’t know where I’m going. He said I’ve got to go, I pressed toward the mark. He says, either for run, not as in certainly, so finite, not as one that beateth the air. He said I don’t do that, what do they call that when you’re just kind of going like, is that shadow box? Is that what that’s called?
Paul said I don’t do shadow boxing. I like Paul. He says if I’m gonna throw a punch I’m gonna hit somebody. He says, now they do it to obtain a corruptible crown but we an incorruptible. I’m sorry verse 27, notice what he says, here’s the practice of discipline. But I keep under my body and bring it into subjection, lest that by any means when I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway. What does it mean to live a discipline life? Well discipline is self control. Discipline is the behavior that is maintained and self control. Heres what he’s saying, I keep under my body and bring it into subjection. Here’s what the apostle Paul is literally saying, I my flesh, doesn’t want to get up and read the bible, but I make it. But my flesh doesn’t want to get on my knees and pray to God. But I force it to. My flesh maybe doesn’t want to go to church on a Sunday night, but I just bring it into subjection and I make it do what I tell it to do.
You say why would you do that Paul? Because there’s a prize at the end. Because I want to obtain the prize, because I want to get it. Look he’s saying there’s a practice for discipline, you say how do I develop discipline? You develop discipline by bringing your body into subjection. And by the way, this doesn’t just work for spirituality, this works for any area of your life. You want to succeed financially? Learn to control your spending. You want to succeed with health? Learn to control your eating. You want, whatever area you want to succeed in life, there’s one key to success. It’s discipline. It’s being self controlled. It’s being temperate and look in the Christian life, there are certain areas, and I think they’re basic areas but there are certain areas that you have to learn to develop some discipline in your life.
Let me share a few of those with you tonight, go to 1st timothy chapter 4, 1st timother chapter 4, when you get to 1st timothy, do me a favor and put a bookmark or a ribbon there, we’re gonna leave 1st timothy but we’re gonna come back in that direction. 1st timothy chapter 4, and the first area that you need to strive to develop discipline in, I’m speaking spiritually now, is in the area of daily bible reading.
In the area of daily bible reading. 1st timothy chapter 4 and verse 15 says this, and put a ribbon there, we’re gonna come back in that area. 1st timothy 4:13, the bible says til I come, give attendance, see that word attendance? It means to give attention to. It means to serve, to give time to, til I come, give attendance, that’s what he says to reading, to exhortation, to doctrine. The bible tells us that we are to have a discipline where we give ourselves to daily bible reading. Go to the book of acts. I know you know these verses but let’s just look at them together. Acts chapter number 17.
Acts chapter number 17, acts chapter number 17, and let me say this, and let me be very clear, if you’re here tonight and you don’t have a daily discipline of bible reading, I love you and I’m not mad at you, I’m trying to help you out right now. But if you’re here tonight and you do not have, you do not have a daily discipline of bible reading, just mark it down, remember this ugly face and that I said it. You will not succeed in the Christian life. You will fail. Anyone who does not discipline themselves for daily bible reading will not make it. Just mark it down. It is that important.
Because it is the equivalent of feeding your spirit. And feeding yourself physical you know what happens? You die. And some of you are in spiritual life support cuz the only bible you ever get is on Sunday morning and on Sunday night and on Wednesday night and when pastor Jimenez is preaching the bible to you, you think that’s good enough. Try that physically. Try to fit all week long going just three meals. See how well you do. See how healthy you are. See how strong you are. You’ve got to develop a discipline of bible reading. Acts 17 verse number 11, you know the verses, let’s look at it, acts 17, verse 11, these were more noble than those and Thessalonica and that they receive the word without readiness of mind.
They were listening to the preaching, but the bible says and search the scriptures daily, whether those things were so. Notice these people were searching the scriptures, not weekly, not monthly, but daily. And I’m here to tell you if you’re going to make it through the Christian life, you at least, at the very least, there are many disciplines that you can develop like fasting and giving and all sorts of things but listen to me, you at least have to develop the daily discipline of bible reading.
And I would encourage you to do it first thing in the morning. The first thing that you do when you get up ought to be to spend time in the word of God. Go to 1 Thessalonians, if you kept your place, actually not 1 Thessalonians, Hebrews. Go to Hebrews chapter 10. Hebrews chapter 10. In your new testament. You know one of the sweetest times that I have in my day is my wife and I every morning, we get up before the children get up, which makes it already sweet right there, but we get up before the children get up and she makes coffee and whatever we’re eating that morning, yogurt or whatever it might be, and we just sit there. We don’t even, we barely even talk to each other, we just sit there and spend about an hour just reading the bible. And just starting your day off that way. I would encourage you, you need to, I’m not saying, maybe that doesn’t work for you, you can’t get up at that time, or you’ve got things, but I would encourage you to make sure that you discipline yourself, that you set a place and you set a time and you begin to work out a routine where you are daily disciplining your life to be in the bible. You will not survive if you’re not daily reading your bible.
The second discipline that I would like you to notice is the discipline of prayer. And I’m not gonna have you turn there, you know the verse, 1 Thessalonians 5:17, pray without ceasing. God tells us that we ought to pray without stopping. You and I need to develop a life of prayer. And let me say this, if you’re not reading your bible everyday you’re not making the Christian life. If you’re not praying everyday, I will say this, you will make it in the Christian life as far as you can make it to the end, but you will not have a successful christian life, because you’re not tapping in into the power of God. You have to read everyday to just to make it in the Christian life, but you have to pray every day if you want to live with the power of God upon your life. We have to connect with God and we have to involve God in our life and if you don’t have a daily discipline of prayer, if you don’t have a daily discipline of spending time with God and prayer I want to encourage you to develop that discipline. These are just basic but they’re musts. You must read the bible everyday. You must develop a discipline of prayer.
Here’s another one, Hebrews 10:25. Hebrews chapter 10 and 25, I know you know this one and we’re gonna come back to Hebrews so if you want to put something there, that would be a good idea. Hebrews 10:25 the bible says this, not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together. As a manner of some is, the word manner means custom or habit. Some people have a custom or a habit of forsaking the assembling. And God says don’t be that way. Don’t be the person, and you can apply this however you want, don’t be the person that is just constantly quitting churches, you’re just a church, you know, you’re just going here and going there, God says don’t do that but then he says don’t just be the person that’s constantly skipping out on church. Cuz people, I’ll preach this passage and people will say to me that’s not about church abundance, that’s about quitting church, but here’s the thing, how can you have a manner of quitting church? You know once you quit it you’re gone.
So I think it’s right to apply this to people constantly skipping out on church. For any excuse, any reason, I’m not gonna make it this Sunday, there’s people in our church like that now. They’ll go weeks without coming to church, hey God is not for that. The bible says not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together as the manner of Sundays but exhorting one another and so much the more as you see the day approaching. Some of these people say to me, well do you really think you need a Sunday night service? Cuz the new fad is to get rid of your Sunday night service. You really think you need a Sunday night? You really think you need a Wednesday night? You really think you need a Sunday morning? But you know what, the bible says? So much the more. The closer we get to the day that’s approaching, the judgment of God, you need more church not less. You need more encouragement not less. You need more, I just want to encourage you, I just want to encourage you, develop, and I know I’m preaching to the choir and you’re all here on Sunday night but you ought to develop a discipline, you ought to develop a discipline of just being in the house of God.
When I was growing up, the rule was if the doors were open of the church house, we were gonna be there. Sunday morning, we’re gonna be there, Sunday night, we’re gonna be there, Wednesday night, we’re gonna be there. And if there’s special revivals, we were gonna be there. I grew up in a Spanish church. Spanish church is all like you’re blessed. You ought to praise the Lord everyday that you come to Verdi baptist, you know you go to a Spanish church and the service is twice as long. And when they have revivals, it’s like seven days or something. It’s like fourteen days, something crazy like that. But you know we just had a rule in our house. We never thought, oh are we gonna go to that event, if there is an event at church, we were gonna be there.
Speaker 3: Amen
Speaker 1: If there’s something going on at church, we were gonna be there and if we weren’t there it’s because the providence of God did not allow us, we were sick or something like that, but look, you need to develop a discipline of just being in the house of God. Don’t be that guy or that gal that’s just always sick, you’re always sick, you always have a reason, you know something I want to tell people, oh you know we’re not gonna make it, we’re not feeling well.
I think some people don’t understand. I don’t know that I ever feel well. I didn’t feel well this morning. You know what would have felt good this morning? To just sleep in. You say, why did you come to church? Because it’s a habit. You came to church because you’re a pastor, I came Sunday morning, Sunday night, Wednesday night, for years and years and years before I was ever a pastor. At our house, we would miss school before we’d miss church. We’d miss work before we’d miss church. Cuz church was a priority cuz in all things, he should have the preeminent. I just want to encourage you, you need to develop a discipline of bible reading, you need to develop a discipline of prayer, you need to develop a discipline of church, and let me say this you will not make it, you will not make it in the Christian life if you are not reading the bible everyday and you will not succeed in the Christian life if you are not praying everyday but let me tell you this, you’re not even in the Christian life if you’re not going to church.
Speaker 3: That’s right
Speaker 1: And I’m saying that for all the online listeners. If you’re church is live stream, you’re not even in the fight. You’re not even in the race, you didn’t even make it to the practice. You’re not on the team, you’re not even on the bench. I mean, you’re just not even there, you never got a jersey, you got cut. Look because you just got to be in church to be in the Christian walk, to be in the race, you’ve got to be part of church, this God, Jesus said that he built the church and he died for the church and he’s the head of the church. You’re not at church, you’re not even in the game. So look you’ve got to be in church to be in the game and you’ve got to be reading the bible everyday to finish the game and you’ve got to be praying if you’re gonna succeed in the game.
Speaker 3: Amen
Speaker 1: Let me give you another one, go, actually go to acts chapter 20, acts chapter 20, look at verse 18, the apostle Paul, I think we would all agree that the apostle Paul is a very successful Christian. He’s the one that we talked about last week, he’s the one that got to the end of his life and said I’m ready. Acts chapter 20 and verse 18, notice what the bible says, and when they were come to him, he said unto them, acts chapter 20 and verse 18, notice what Paul said, ye know from the first day that I came into asia, after what manner, you see that word manner, what type, what custom, what habits I had. He said ye know from the first day that I came into Asia unto what manner I have been with you all seasons. I want you to notice that his emphasis was I have been with you at all seasons. And by the way, that includes football season, and baseball season, and any other season.
We used to have a guy that came to our church and it was like, he was coming to church Sunday mornings every week and then it was this big announcement, you will not see me for the next three months, cuz football seasons starting so I gotta go worship my idol. And it’s just like is your life that pathetic that you just give yourself? I mean, that, listen, that is a corruptible crown.
Speaker 3: That’s right
Speaker 1: That is wood, hay and stubble. That might not even be hay, wood and stubble. That might not even make it on the list alright? But Paul said look you know the manner of life that I led. He said I have been with you at all seasons, serving the Lord with all humility of mind and with many tears and temptations which befell me by the lying of the way of the jews. So there’s that connection to church. I want to encourage you to have a discipline of faithfulness to the house of God. Let me give you another one. You’ve got to have a discipline of soul winning. Notice verse 20 and how I kept back nothing that was profit onto you but I’ve showed you and I’ve taught you publicly and from house to house. Paul said not only was I with you at all seasons, but he said I was also out there preaching publicly and from house to house.
Go to acts chapter 5, acts chapter 5, look at verse 42, acts chapter 5, in verse 42, acts 5:42, acts 5:42 the bible says this, and daily and daily in the temple. Acts 5:42 and daily in the temple and in every house, they cease not to teach and preach Jesus Christ. I want you to notice that word daily. I don’t believe bible is teaching here that you and I have to necessarily go soul winning daily, although there’s nothing wrong with that. But I think as a church we should attempt to be out soul winning daily. Cuz he says in any temple and in any house notice they they cease not to teach and preach Jesus Christ, and you know, and by the way you don’t have to just do soul winning when its soul winning time. Just sometimes you get those divine appointments where you get the opportunity to preach the gospel to somebody you should take it. But I want to encourage you, you need to be a soul winner. You need to pick a time. Saturday morning, 10:00 am, that’s my soul winning time. Maybe Saturday doesn’t work for you. Sunday afternoon at 2 pm. You know, Thursday at 2 whatever it might be, maybe those times don’t work. Talk to us, we’ll try to work up a time that fits to your schedule and we’ll try to get your partner, but look you need to develop a weekly discipline of soul winning.
And I believe that weekly is the right number because If you’ll watch the apostle Paul the bible says that he went out every sabbath day, he went out three sabbath days. He wasn’t into once a month soul winning. And look, I think in your life, you need to have a daily discipline of reading your bible, you need to have a daily discipline of prayer, you need to have a discipline of church attendance, you need to have a discipline of soul winning. You say well sometimes its hard and sometimes I don’t want to go and sometimes my flesh you know is weak. But look, an athlete doesn’t always want to go out and exercise and doesn’t always want to say no to the soda, doesn’t always want to do those things but they make themselves, they control themselves, they bring themselves under subjection because they’ve got a goal, because they’ve got a prize. So tonight we saw the prize of discipline and we saw the practice of discipline that we must live temperate lives and we must bring our bodies, and he said but I keep my body I bring it into subjection.
Look you and I need to learn to tell our bodies what we’re gonna do. Tell our flesh what we’re gonna do and not have our flesh tell us what we’re gonna do. And look whatever area of life, tell your flesh, you tell your flesh what you’re gonna eat. You tell your flesh where you’re gonna go. You tell your flesh what you’re gonna look at because he says look, you must practice discipline. So we saw the prize of discipline, we saw the practice, let me the last one tonight, go back to 1st Corinthians 9, 1st Corinthians 9, and I would say this, there’s many disciplines but at the least you’ve got to be reading your bible, at the very least you’ve got to be praying. At the very least you gotta be going to church. At the very least you’ve got to be soul winning, you need to be doing those things. 1st Corinthians 9 look at verse 27. We saw the prize of discipline, we saw the practices, let me give you the last one tonight. Point number 3 is the product of discipline, the product of discipline. You say what is it that we’re trying to accomplish.
Look at verse 27, but I keep under my body and bring it into subjection, lest that buy any means, notice what he says, I keep under my body and keep under subjection, that’s the practice of discipline. Heres the product, lest that by any means, here’s what Paul says, when I have preached to others I myself should be a castaway. You say Paul what is it you’re trying got accomplish? Here’s what he’s trying to accomplish, I’m trying to not be someone who was in the race and now is a castaway. Who was in the race and now is not in the race. Now is not serving God, now is not working for God.
go to Galatians chapter 5, if you’re there in Corinthians, 1st, 2nd, Corinthians, Galatians. Galatians chapter 5. And look in your life, you need to determine, say why live a disciplined life? So you’re not that guy, so you’re not that lady that you were a soul winner, you were in the fight, you were in the race but you’re not any more. Paul said I don’t want to be a castaway. Paul says I want to finish and praise the Lord that Paul did finish. Galatians chapter 5 look at verse 7. Galatians 5:7, notice what the bible says, Galatians 5:7 here Paul is speaking to the church in Galatia. Here’s what he says, notice the terminology, it’s similar to what we’ve been talking about. He said he did run well. Let it never be said of you, ye did run well. You used to go soul winning, you used to be faithful. You used to read the bible. He says you did run well and then he says this. Who did hinder you that ye shall not obey the truth? Look you need to be careful about allowing people to influence you or hinder you so that you’re no longer running the race.
It’s funny to me how people will come to this church not knowing people and then they’ll allow people to influence them to go do something else. And it’s like you met them here and now you’re gonna go follow them? You know, who did hinder you? You should not obey the truth. You did run well and you know Paul is saying, I live a disciplined life. I bring my body under subjection, I force myself to do things that I don’t want to do. I pray when I don’t want to pray. I read when I don’t want to read. I memorize when I don’t want to memorize. I go soul winning, people say well I just don’t feel like going soul winning. I think to myself, I never feel like going soul winning. You know when I feel, I’m just confessing our faults one to another, you want to know when pastor Jimenez feels like going soul winning? Right after I get somebody saved. Right after I get somebody saved I’m like Praise the Lord let’s go soul winning. From the moment my alarm clock goes off until the person gets saved I’m like man I don’t want to go soul winning,
Cuz look I’d much rather be at the donut shop than out soul winning. I’d much rather be in my warm bed than out soul winning. Say pastor, you’re not spiritual. No I’m just telling you, but I go soul winning every week. You say why? Because I keep under my body and I bring it into subjection. Lest that body mean when I preach to others I myself should be a castaway. I don’t ever want, look I don’t ever want to read the bible. I have a whole bookshelf full of books I like to read. You say but I always make sure I read the bible, you say why? Because I don’t want to be a castaway. Cuz when I have preached to others I don’t want to be a castaway. I don’t want to quit and mess up and be a failure and I don’t want somebody to look at my life and say he did run well. You did do a good job. Man when you were out there you were doing it. Who did hinder you, you should not obey the truth. Paul says look the product is a fact that we end well, that we finish well.
Go back to Hebrews, did you keep your place there? Go back to Hebrews chapter 12, notice how much this comparison running the race is brought up in scripture. Hebrews chapter 12, we’re almost done. Hebrews chapter 12, look at verse 1, Hebrews chapter 12 in verse 1, and obviously you know people will leave this church and go to other churches, that doesn’t mean that they fail, our church is not the only right church. Obviously there’s lots of great churches out there that you so, sometimes people leave our church to go to other churches, that doesn’t mean that they’ve, they, fail, but if you leave this church to go sit at a coffee shop, you failed. If you leave this church to just not go to church, you’re a failure. You did run well but you were hindered. You were in the fight, but now you’re a castaway.
Hebrews chapter 12, look at verse number 1. Hebrews chapter 12 and verse 1, wherefore seeing we also are encompassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses. You know that there are people in heaven watching you? Say what? Well that’s what it says. You know there’s people in Heaven cheering you on. You can do it. Go get it. Don’t quit. Wherefore seeing we are all encompassed about were so great a cloud of witnesses. Is it because there Is such a great cloud of witnesses, and by the way, you said that’s kind of scary. Let me make it scarier for you, the great cloud of witnesses, he went into it in Hebrews chapter 11. You know that great faith chapter? When all the people that did great things of faith. I mean, go to 11 an look at verse, just look at verse number 33. This is a great cloud of witnesses. Who threw faith subdued kingdoms, righteousness of taking promises, stop the mounts of lions, quench the violence of fire, it’s getting the edge of the sword. Out of weakness we’re made strong. Wax valley in flight, turn to flight and the armies of the airless, women see their dead and others were tortured. Not accepting deliverance that they might obtain a better resurrection and others have trials of cruel mockings, and scurging [inaudible 00:47:58]
moreover a bond of imprisonment. They were stoned, they were sought usunder, they were tempted, were slain with the sword, they wandered about in sheepskins and goat skins being destitute, afflicted, tormented of whom the world was not worthy they wandered in deserts, and in mountains and in dens and caves of the earth and these all having obtained the good report through faith, receive not the promise. God having provided some better thing for us that they without us should not be made perfect. Here’s the context chapter 12 verse 1, wherefore seeing we also are encompassed about in so great a cloud of witnesses. Do you understand that there are people in Heaven that were sought usunder and they’re now watching you, watching me, complaining about all our little, we live in the freest company in the world and I get sick of people just bad mouthing the united states of america. I understand america has problems. I understand america has issues. But you know what, I’m glad I live in Sacramento and not Moscow.
Speaker 3: Amen
Speaker 1: I’m glad I live in Sacramento and not Iran tonight.
Speaker 3: That’s right
Speaker 1: I’m glad I live in Sacramento and not Afghanistan, or whatever stan you want to talk about. We have a lot of freedoms in this country. We have the freedoms to be able to preach whatever, for whatever it’s worth we still have the freedom to preach what we want, to go where we want, to assemble, to preach the gospel and then we sit there and complain cuz some protestors showed up. Cuz somebody gave us a false a fake law suit and we’re gonna let that cause us to quit an dup in Heaven they’re like wow really. I was stoned, sought usunder, I was, you know these are the people that are cheering us on. And you know they’re not against us, they’re cheering us. They’re saying yeah go for it. Notice what he says in verse 12, wherefore seeing we are encompassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin that which so easily beset us. I want you to notice the weight and the sin are two different things. The weight is not a sin. It’s just something that’s slowing you down.
Look some of you have weights that are slowing you down. They’re not bad, you’ve just got to lay them aside. They’re wood, hay and stubble. And then of course there’s sin, which does so easily beset you. You know you need to identify those sins in your life that are gonna cause you to quit. That are gonna cause you to stumble, that are gonna cause to beset you and you need to get rid of those sins. Look if you’re gonna serve the Lord and God will identify those sins for you and you’re aware of them but he says let us lay aside every weight and the sin which so easily beset us and let us notice, run with patience, the race that is set before us.
Go to revelation, revelation chapter 4, we’ll finish up right here. You say why live a temperate and disciplined life? Why force myself to do when I don’t want to do? Why make myself read the bible, make myself pray? Make myself show up to church, make myself give, make myself fast, make myself go soul winning. Why? Why do it? Why, because of the prize. You say well I don’t care about the reward. Well the reward is Christ and
Speaker 3: Amen
Speaker 1: And he’s how do we do it? The practice? Well you bring your body into subjection. You tell your body, you’re going to be in control that day and you’re going to tell your body to do like every morning you ought to just get up and tell your body I’m in charge today not you. Tell your flesh, you’re not running the show today. And the product will be the fact that you will finish the course, that you will finish the race.
Revelation chapter 4, look at verse 11, I want to show you two verses and we’ll be done. Revelations chapter 4:11. The bible says thou art worthy O Lord, to receive Glory, and honor and power for thou has created all things. That’s you and I, we’re in that all things. For thou has created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created. Do you understand you were created, I was created for the pleasure of God, to bring pleasure to God so that God would find pleasure in us.
Notice revelation chapter 3 verse 14. This is the last chapter, and verse we’ll look at tonight. It’s an interesting verse, I’ve always liked this verse. Revelation 3:14, and unto the angel of the church of the Laodicean right, and of course this is a famous passage about the lukewarm Christians, in these passages Jesus is constantly introducing himself as different characteristics.
I want you to look at what he says, he says and unto the angel of the church of the leodicians right, these things saith, cuz you know as he introduces himself to these churches he’ll say these saith the son of God, whose had his eyes like a flame of fire and his feet are like fine breasts or he says these things saith these that have the sharp sword with two edges, or these two say he that hold the center stars in his right hand and walk in the midst of seven golden counselors, he’s describing himself. Here in verse 14 and unto the angel of the church in Laodicea is right. These things saith, notice what he says, the amen. The amen. The faithful and true witness, the beginning of the creation of God. Jesus called himself the amen. We’re in church, I’m sure you are familiar with the amen. Some of our guys say amen, some of our ladies say amen, and they’re not supposed to, alright. The bible says that the women should be silent in the church.
Speaker 3: Amen
Speaker 1: For it is not permitted unto them to speak but it is commanded to be under obedience so sayeth the law. Ladies you’re not supposed to be saying amen, alright. That’s what the bible teaches. But you know amen is a word that we say, the word amen basically means this, when someone says amen, here’s what they’re saying, they’re saying I am in agreeance and I give my approval. I am in aggreance and I give my approval. So pastor gets up and makes a statement and one of these guys says amen, here’s what they’re saying, I am in agreeance with what he’s saying and I’m giving my approval as to what he’s saying. But I want you to notice that Jesus described himself as the amen. And after the church of the angel in Laodicea, these things say the amen. See here’s the thing, whether you understand it or not or whether you realize it or not, at the end of their life, only one person’s aggreance and approval for your life will matter and it’s the Lord Jesus Christ.
Speaker 3: Amen, that’s right amen
Speaker 1: And you know what he’s saying, here’s what he’s saying, when you get to the end of your life, when you finish the thing, when the judgment seat of Christ is over, when your works have been put in the fire, when they’re manifest, when we see them, there’s one person that you’re gonna want to agree and approve of what you did. And it’s the Lord Jesus Christ. You know what I want? I want God to put all my works in that fire and I want it to burn it all up and then with whatever’s left over I just want Jesus to look at me and say this, Amen. Amen. Jesus amending your life. These things saith the amen. Because at the end of the day it is his approval, it is his aggreance, it is his acceptance that we want so why live a disciplined life, why make yourself do what you don’t want to do? Why force yourself to practice discipline to have, to press toward that mark for the prize calling of God to have the product of not being a castaway, why? So at the end of the day, Jesus will say it of you and of me, Amen.
Amen. Let’s bow our heads and have a word of prayer. Heavenly Father, thank you Lord for your Word. Thank you for the Bible, Lord I pray that you would help us, as we study these passages, as we study these scriptures, Lord help us to live disciplined lives. Lord help us to understand that if we’re going to live in victory, if we’re going to live in the Christian life, we can’t only rely on the fact that we’re destined for victory.
We can’t only define victory and say well here’s what victory looks like, then we have to live a discliplined life and work towards that. Lord I pray that our church people here at the very least, at the very least, that they would go home and begin to work on the discipline of daily bible reading, if there’s someone here tonight that doesn’t read the bible everyday I pray that Lord they will go home and get a bible chart and get a bookmark and get a plan and read the bible. And I know there’s many here that do read their bibles everyday, but maybe they’re not praying. Lord I pray that you would help them to set up a structure to pray everyday. To pray without ceasing. Lord help us be faithful to the house of God. To this house of God, to another great baptist, bible teaching, preaching, soul winning house of God.
Lord I pray that you will help us to be faithful in soul winning, to be out there faithfully reaching people with the gospel of Christ. Help us to force ourselves, help us to lay aside the weight and the sin that’s so easily beset us and Lord I pray that the group that’s here tonight, that we would all be able to get to the end of our lives and just have Jesus say about our lives, Amen. Amen. And Lord we love you, I pray you to help us love discipline, I pray you to help us to walk in victory. In the name of Chris we pray, Amen
Speaker 3: amen