Bible Study 3-31-26

The following presentation is a First Baptist Church of Vinard International production. Heat. Heat. Heat. Heat. N. Hey, hey, hey. Heat. Heat. Heat. Heat. Heat. Heat. N. Heat. Heat. N. Yeah, hey. Heat. Heat. Heat. Heat. N. Heat. Heat. N. Heat. Heat. N. Heat. Heat. Hey hey hey. Oh yeah.

Morning. Hey, heat. Hey. Heat. Heat. Heat. Heat. Heat. Hey, heat. Hey, heat. Hey, hey, hey. Heat. Heat. Heat. Heat. Praise the Lord. Everybody, wherever you are, just stand up on your feet and give God the highest praise. Put your hands together. High praise. High praise. >> High praise. >> High praise. >> Oh, high praise. >> High praise. >> High praise. >> The Lord is high above the head. >> The Lord is high above the head. >> And his glory above the nation. and his glory above the nation. >> The Lord is high above him. >> The Lord is high above the hill. >> And his glory above the nations. >> And his glory above. >> Give God the highest praise.

Hallelujah. And all the people sing halle hallelujah. I am my >> Holly Holly Holly. >> I am my >> Holly Holly Holly. >> I am my >> Holly Holly Holly. >> The Lord is high above the heaven. >> The Lord is high above the head. >> And his glory above the nation. >> And his glory above the nation. >> The Lord is high above the head. >> The Lord is high above the head. >> And his glory above the nation.

So give God the highway. Hallelujah. And all the people sing halle hallelujah. Hallel hal hallelujah hal hal hallelujah. Holly hal hal hal. >> Oh sing hal hallelujah. Hallelujah. >> Hallelujah. >> Hallelujah. >> If the Lord be good to you, shout yeah. >> Oh, if the Lord be good to you, shout yeah.

Say hallelujah. Hallelujah. We give you the glory. We give it all. You been so good and you been so high. Hallelujah. Hallelujah. Hallelujah. Hallelujah. Hallelujah. Hallelujah. Hallelujah. Hallelujah. Hallelujah. Lift your voice. Hallelujah. Hallelujah. Hallelujah. Hallelujah. Hallelujah. Hallelujah. Hallelujah. Hallelujah. Hallelujah. Hallelujah. Hallelujah. Hallelujah. Hallelujah. Hallelujah. Hallelujah. Hallelujah. Hallelujah.

Hallelujah. Hallelujah. Hallelujah. Hallelujah. Hallelujah. Hallelujah. Hallelujah. Hallelujah. Hallelujah. >> Good evening. Good evening. Praise the Lord everybody. Thank you for joining me tonight. God bless you. Thank our praise and worship team for leading us into the presence of God. I'm always again I I tell y'all all the time how blessed I am u for our praise and worship team leading us to the presence of God.

So, thank you for joining us and let me thank everybody from all of the cities and states and countries all over the country for joining us tonight. I am humbled and honored by your presence. We're getting ready for uh this is um resurrection Sunday and we're getting ready for resurrection Sunday.

I want to remind you, I want to say this again at the end. This uh Friday night we are having glory to glory. That's just a tremendous production. Uh even if you've seen it before, the music is phenomenal. I look forward to seeing it every every uh every year.

Uh and it'll be a blessing to you and it'll be a really insightful for you to bring your your unsaved friends and relatives and co-workers and neighbors uh to see this uh great production. It's it's amazing. So, I want to encourage you to come. That's on Friday night 7:00 at the worship center.

And if you're not in the area, you can zoom. We'll be uh streaming it. Hope you can be a part of that. And then also on Saturday, uh we're going to have a Saturday night service 7 6 p.m. Uh this is new for us. We have never we've never had this 6:00 p.m. service before, but we're hoping uh and is my prayer that many of you will come to make room for many people to come on Sunday.

The the problem that we've had over the last uh couple of uh uh seasons is hasn't so many people coming for Sunday morning that we haven't been able to accommodate them all and many of them have to go to overflow rooms and I'm trying to make room for them that they can be in the sanctuary.

Some of you know how powerful it is to be in the sanctuary and sense the presence of Almighty God in the sanctuary. So, we're believing God's going to give us a great harvest of souls of people who need the Lord in their life, who who want to walk with God, who want to meet the Lord Jesus.

And it's my prayer. And I'm praying that many of the uh people who normally come on Sundays would some people who already know your walk with God and all that all of that will come on s Saturday night 6:00 p.m. uh so that we can make room for so many so many other unchurched people who don't normally attend church.

That's my prayer. And then on Sunday we have 6:00 a.m. 8:00 a.m. 10:00 a.m. and 12 noon. So, we're going to have uh a multitude of um people um coming and we want you to uh help us by making room for them uh when we meet together. So, uh pray for Sunday that is it is impactful uh and that it will make a big big difference in people's lives.

So, thank you. I believe in God for a harvest. Uh, I want to I'm going to talk tonight about discerning God's timing. That's what the lesson is tonight. Timing. How to recognize God's timing. How to know God's timing. How to uh uh uh uh discern that God is opening up the door.

And it's this is an important lesson because you know I I believe that it's possible and I believe the enemy wants us to be uh exposed uh prior to our rightful time. The devil wants you to get out there before it's time. Uh and one of the lessons I learned early in my life, I don't want to be put on a platform that I'm not ready for.

I don't want to be put in a place that I have not been adequately prepared and it's not my time. Uh, I've learned over the years as I've seen God work in various areas of my life, uh, that I want to I want to be in God's timing.

And the Bible speaks to this in so many ways, so many avenues, so many words about uh, making sure that you're functioning in what is the time of the Lord. And if it's not that God's time, then I want to encourage you. Just don't let the enemy push you out there before it's your time.

So that's true. Let's uh that's what the lesson is tonight. I want you to pray with me. Father, I pray that you take these next few moments and just make us understand through all of the multitude of scriptures that you speak to this matter of timing. Help us to be patient and to learn and discern when it is our time, when you want us to move forward, when the doors will be open, when the anointing will be ever present in our life, uh that we can function and do what it is you called us to do.

That is my prayer and pray that you would just speak speak to your your sons and daughters as they listen to this teaching tonight. Let it be clear in Jesus' name we pray. Amen. All right. So, we're talking about the timing of God. That's what I want to spend tonight tonight talking about understanding God's time.

What I recognize that one of the most important decisions uh one of the most important elements in our life is to understand and fulfill our purpose by doing it in God's timing. Understanding God's timing for your life is critical to achieving and fulfilling your purpose. The scripture gives us insights to the issue of timing.

This thing is talked about so many times throughout scriptures and I want to I want to spend some time talking about it and and not not that this is an allout uh effort to make you fully understand all of the everything but uh let's let's try to um get an understanding of what uh uh God is saying to us and what God wants us to know.

So let's let's begin by this. So I'm going to start let me begin by just saying that everything has a time. This is ever so present and true uh in scripture. Ecclesiastes chapter 3 verses 1 through 11 and then I'll read verse 17. It says in in Ephes in Ecclesiastes every to everything there is a season a time for every purpose under heaven.

A time to be born and a time to die. A time to plant and a time to pluck what is planted. A time to kill and a time to heal. A time to break down and a time to build up. A time to weep and a time to cry.

A time to mourn and a time to dance. A time to cast away stones and a time to gather stones. A time to embrace and a time to refrain from embracing. A time to gain and a time to lose. A time to keep and a time to throw away.

A time to tear and a time to sow. A time to keep silent and a time to speak. A time to love and a time to hate. A time of war and a time of peace. What profit has the worker from that in which he labors? I have seen the god-given task with which the sons of men are to be occupied.

He has made everything beautiful in its time. Also, he has put eternity in their hearts except that no one can find out the work that God does from beginning to end. Leave that scripture there for a second. Um God has put everything everything is beautiful in its time.

You when you are functioning in the time that God created you is beautiful. It's wonderful. Yeah. And you you want to be you want to function. You want to be in the place that God has for you for your time and season. And and that's that's the thing I want you to pray that God would make it the right time for you.

Let's go to verse 17 of just Ecclesiastes chapter 3:1 17. I said in my heart, God shall judge the righteous and the wicked, for there is a time there for every purpose and for every work. There is a time for every purpose and for every work. And and part of what this lesson is tonight is to make us understand what is God's timing for you.

Uh so many people get frustrated and defeated because things don't come around as quickly as they want them to come around. They they don't they don't see God functioning and flowing. And and I'm I I have learned about God that there are times that I thought I was ready, but I wasn't ready.

And I'm grateful that God kept me out of out of the limelight, out of being recognized, out of being elevated, out of opportunities that I was not ready for. And that's the hardest lesson for a person to learn. It's very hard for a person to learn, but it's true.

It's what God wants us to learn. Even the scripture says in Jeremiah 8:7, I'm going read this real quick, that animals understand their time issues, but not us. Uh Jeremiah 8:7 tells us clearly without un without question. It says this that even the storks in the heavens know the her appointed times.

And the turtle dove, the swift and the swallow observe the time of their coming. But my people do not know the judgment of the Lord. Animals know when it's their time. They understand when they're when it's their time to do what they're supposed to do. when they are to fulfill their purpose, when they are called to do what it is God called them to do.

But the scripture says, "My people don't know." And so many people have ruined and been messed up because they didn't know what was their time. God's view of time is different than ours. God shows us and demonstrates for us and wants us to understand that our time is different.

Let's read second Peter chapter 3 verse 8. It says this, "But beloved, do not forget this one thing that with the Lord one day is a thousand years and a thousand years has one day." So God just gives us a quick insight that he he measures time. This what this verse is saying that God measures time different than us.

He's not as anxious as we are. We are so quick, so anxious to to move and to to get something ready and get something done. But God's that's not God God takes his time. He He's not stressed by time. He's not trying to rush the deal. He's got everything under control and he wants you and I to understand he has everything under control.

So he wants us to understand he has a time. That's the point here that I'm trying to make. Everything has a time and our job is to discern what that time is and let's be ready when the time come. God desires for us to understand his timing. He makes uh uh efforts for us to understand and get the flow of what his time is.

Uh first uh first uh Chronicles 12 verse 32 talks about the sons of Issachar. And here's what it says. Of the sons of in of Issachar who had understanding of the times to know what Israel ought to do. Their chiefs were 200 and all their brethren were at their command.

Here here's the point. the sons of Issachar understood um the times and what the people of Israel were to do when they faced certain circumstances. And that's what you and I want to be. We want to be people who are are able to discern what's what's supposed to happen at this point and at this season and at this time and not to operate outside of that parameter.

Amen. That's so true. Uh that's what God wants you and I to understand and to know. Uh these guys were considered wise because they knew that they had to be sensitive to what God's timing was. And Jesus, even Jesus understood his time. Now, I got a string of verses here I want to read through real quick.

I want you to understand uh clearly that there was some people in in uh in the scriptures. there's at least Jesus in the scriptures when people try to get him to to to go before his time. He understood he understood his time was not yet. And so he he he was slow to what he had to do until it was his time.

Uh John, all these verses I'm going to give you is in the Gospel of John chapter 1 verse uh 1-4. It says on the third day there was a wedding in Canaa of Galilee and the mother of Jesus was there. Now both Jesus and his disciples were invited to the wedding.

And when they ran out of wine, the mother of Jesus said to him, "They have no wine." And Jesus said to her,"Woman, what does your concern have to do with me?" Here's what he says. "My hour has not yet come." He understood at that season and that that time for him to to do to be manifested to be brought to the forefront.

He made a statement. This ain't my time to be manifested. It's not my time to be glorified. That's very very significant. Jesus understood it wasn't it wasn't yet the time. Let's go to John 7 verse 6. John chapter 7 verse 6. Here's what he says. Then Jesus said to them, "My time has not yet come, but your time is always ready."

So Jesus, again, the point I'm driving home here is Jesus understood that he he wanted to remain where he was until it was his time. What this same John chapter 7, let's go to verse 30 again. He's repeating this. Therefore, they sought to take him, but no one laid a hand on him because why? his hour had not yet come.

So that's John. Let's go to John 8:20. All these verses I'm just repeating this all this all this through John. He he wanted to be willing to wait until his time. These words Jesus spoke in the treasury as he taught in the temple and no one laid hands on him for his hour had not yet come.

It wasn't time for him to be manifested or be brought to the forefront. for chap chapter 9 verse4 chapter 9 vers4 I must I must work the works of him who sent me while it is day the night is coming when no one can work Jesus said now this something I'm supposed to do now while it's day because there's going to come a time when I'm not going to be able to do what I'm called to do I'm not going to be able to function when it's when it's dark when it's night 12 verse 23 chapter 12 vers 23 but Jesus answered them saying the hour has come that the son of man should be glorified.

He was waiting for his moment to be glorified, exposed, brought to the forefront, put to the front cuz he knew he'd be a certain number of things would occur and happen that he would be manifested and he would ultimately be crucified and he would be glorified. He says the hour has come.

Now is that when you get to chapter 12, he said the hour has come that the son of man should be glorified that y'all will realize who he is. that the that the world would realize who he was. Chapter 13 verse one, this is the last verse. Now before the feast of the Passover when Jesus knew that his hour had come that he should depart from this world for the to the father having loved his own who were in the world he loved to the end.

The point here I'm want you to see uh his hour had come his time had come. Now, the ultimate question that I'm trying to drive home here is, how do you know when your time is? How do you know when your hour is? When God wants to manifest you, when God wants to expose you, when God wants to elevate you?

I remember seasons of my life when I uh wanted so badly to p be a pastor. I was applying around to every church I could, trying to be uh a pastor. But the truth of the matter was I wasn't ready. God had to teach me some things. There was some some lessons I had to learn.

There was some maturing I had to do. Here's what happened. I had to I had to be matured. God had to elevate me and teach me some things before that. So how how do you un how do you know when it's your time? That's what the next part of this lesson is I want to teach you is how do you know when it's your time? how you discern God's timing for your life.

And and and this is this is a a a a thing that I think is very critical and that very important that I want everybody to comprehend and understand and get a hold of this point of you understanding what God's timing was. What are the keys? I'm glad you asked the question.

It begins with number one, understand your purpose. Everybody here has a purpose. And the first thing you got to do is understand why God created you. What what did God create you for? You know, unfortunately, some people are waiting to be manifested to be uh they're waiting for their time to come for to do something that God never created them to do.

What did God created you? What did he create you to do? What is his purpose for your life? Jeremiah chapter 1 verse 12, it says, "Before I formed you in the womb, I knew you." That that's a powerful verse. If this if this is not highlighted in your um uh anywhere in your uh um uh Bible, highlight this verse because it's it's a it's a significant verse.

It says, "Before I I formed you in the womb, I knew you. Before you were born, I sanctified you. I ordained you a prophet to the nation." This is the word to Jeremiah. And God said to him, "Before you were formed, before there was conception in your womb, I already knew about you.

And before you were born, before you came out of your mother's womb, I had already sanctified you. And he is powerful. I ordained you to be a prophet to the nation." Jeremiah got ordained to be a prophet to the nation. God had already saw what he had, what purpose he had for his life, what the anointing was that God has assigned to him.

And I think you need to understand that God already knew what his assignment for your life was. It's not a surprise to him. It doesn't shock him. He already knows that he has an assignment for your life. And he's just matter of fact, here's here's what I'm persuaded of.

God knows what he's called you to do. He knows what he's ordained you to do. He knows what he's anointed you to do. He knows. And that's that's great news that God has already made that determination. And everything that's happening in your life is designed to prepare you for his assignment for you, his purpose for you.

And I think it's important that we need to try to get a an understanding of what our our purpose is. Galatians chapter 4 verses 1 and two says this. Galatians 1, it says, "Now I say to now I say that to I say that the heir, as long as he is a child, does not differ at all from a slave, though he is master of all."

Uhhuh. But is under guardians and stewards until the time appointed by the father. And and what this verse is saying is God says what? When you are a child, before it's your season and time, he puts you under the authority of somebody who has the responsibility, guardians and stewards, he calls it here, until it's been the time for you to come forth.

Uh, you know, again, some people God got you under the toutelage of somebody. God has you under under the disciplehip of someone, someone to train and guard you. Uh what I see that's frustrating is so many don't want to stay under the toutelage of a steward, under the guardian, somebody who's been given the the burden and the responsibility of preparing you for your life.

So many don't want to do that, but yet that's what God has called them to do to to be under the control of somebody else. Jeremiah knew that that's what that that he had a purpose and assignment and he was able to know that because God ordained him from his purp before he was born and and and guided guided him and prepared him uh and he and he he God spoke to him to say to you before you even came in the womb I uh ordained and called you to do an assignment I gave to you and also Galatian is is saying to us that a child is under advisement of his father or his steward or his guardian until the time that they are appointed.

Now, some of you I'm going to tell you, don't try to leave before it's your time. I'm going close talking about this for just a moment. So, before your time, if you if you leave ahead of time, you're going to miss out on what God has for your life and your purpose and your assignment.

God has something for you. So, what do you do? You Here's here's the next part. I want you to observe and understand processes and events. Make it your business to take careful observation of the doors God opens, the opportunities God provides. Because what whatever God has prepared you for, whatever his call on your life is, it's important that you observe it, that you understand the events, the doors that are open, the opportunities God gives to you, the training he provides.

Luke 12:54-56, it talks about observing some things. Let's let's read that real quick. Luke 12:54. Then then he also said to the multitudes, "Whenever you see a cloud rising out of the west, immediately you say, a shower is coming." And so it is. It is so. And when you see the south wind blow, you say, "There will be a hot wet weather."

There will be hot weather. And there it is. Hypocrites, you can discern the face. You can discern the face of the sky and of the earth. But how is it you do not discern this time? You know, this is a verse talking about the the the understanding that you can look at nature and tell when it's going to be a storm.

You can tell when the weather's going to be hot by your observation. And what he's what uh this this this verse is somehow trying to get us to understand that God wants us to be a discerner of what going on around us. The doors that God's opened, the relationships he's forged, the doors he's opened, they all are pointing to an assignment for your life.

And it becomes a critical thing when when when when uh uh this this is something I want you to understand. N nature gives us this signal about timing and God wants us to understand that the processes going on around us prepares us for our purpose. Prepares us for what God has for us.

And we can see this demonstrated in the life of some of the people in the scripture. David for example was anointed as king when he was a teenager. He was anointed. The prophet came to his house and anointed him as a teenager that he would be the king.

He was 17 years old, but he was too young to be the king then, but it took 15 years before he ascended to the throne. So, it was it was a long time between when he got he got acknowledged as the king. The prophet came to his house came and and his father marched out all his other brothers think it was the other brother that was going to be the king, but it was David.

He asked for David, brought David out, and the prophet said, "Yep, this is the one." He was 17, but it wasn't his time. He had 15 more years to go before he would have that opportunity to come to him. Uh before that's such a true true thing to understand.

Joseph in the Bible had a dream that his brothers would bow down to him. Uh he he had a dream. He told his brothers a dream. Uh but it took 15 years before it was manifested, before it came to pass. 15 years before he was marched, before his brothers were marched before him.

A whole bunch of things had to happen. But God had to take him through a long course of events and challenges and issues. I guess what I'm telling you today is is don't be so anxious because God wants to prepare you so that when you get to that place, you will be ready.

Don't try to get there before time. Learn to walk and be a discerner of the things. Even Jesus himself, Jesus was the son of God, born the son of God, but he was 33 years of age before he w his ministry began. He was 33 years of age before Jesus began his ministry.

And that's the son of God. So he he had some things to go through. It wasn't he had to wait for the time for him to be to be manifested. So here's the thing I want to I want to tell you to ask yourself for for the timing because we all are in the process that God uses to prepare us for that for for the journey.

Ask yourself the question. Ask yourself a series of question. You ask yourself, what does God want me to learn? Where I am today? What do what do I have to learn? Have I become an expert? Have I have I learned the lesson well of where I am today?

And what it is God wants me to learn? Have I learned what God wants me to learn? Where did I fail? What what what is it that I failed at that God wanted me to do? And who are the people that I am to learn from or who who are the people are to make a deposit in me or or that I'm to make a deposit in them.

Uh let me let me let me learn who that is. Let me find out who the people are. Because you know, one of the things I'm persuaded in that everything you need to become what God wants you to become and to walk in the assignment that God has for your life, God puts those people around you.

God puts them somewhere in the the sphere of your influence. God has them somewhere nearby. God has them somewhere around. And and his the lesson I'm I'm trying to say to you is your job is to pull it out of them. Let them make that deposit in you.

And maybe God has you someplace because he's he wants you to make a deposit in somebody else. So pour into the people God wants you to pour into. That's what God has called for you. What character trait does God want to be developed in you? What what is it that he wants you to learn?

What is it what what is it that he's trying to shape in you, develop in you, create in you? What is it that God wants to do? He wants to do something. If you ain't if you haven't arrived, if you haven't gotten there yet, he wants to develop something in you.

And ask yourself the question, what is it? Okay, now let me keep let me keep going to my next screen here. Here's the thing. Timing issues are related to your purpose. So when when things are slowed down, it's because of your purpose. If things are not going as rapidly or as quickly as you want, God is having that centered around what it is he wants you to do for your purpose.

God because cuz as I've already said, God knew your purpose before you were conceived, before you were born. He already knew what he wanted you to do. And so, uh, we may we judge things based on the immediate moment. That's what we're looking at, what we can get done right now.

But God looks at things through the eyes of his purpose for you and eternity. The long run. God wants to look at things based on the long run of things. Not just the immediate moment, but how and when will you become what it is he wants you to become.

The long run. The long run. the the the the the matter of fact, one of the things I try to tell people that I think is important I think it's important that I try to teach people to look at life from a 30,000 foot point of view. Look at it from way up in the sky.

Not just right down on the ground where you are, but look at it from an eternity standpoint. Yes. So what God whatever he's trying to do, he wants it to be done from a eternity standpoint. So ask yourself that question. That's that's that's just an important thing to look at.

Look at it based on what my purpose in life is and what my eternity is. That's what God wants us to to look at and recognize. So uh let me keep going here. Uh finally, not finally, but next next time. God, fulfillment of timing can be proceeded by pain.

I'm running ahead of myself, I think. Yes. Proceeded by pain. That's true. Proceeded by pain. God, when you know that your purpose is about to be assigned, sometimes something's going to bring pain in your life. before before you reach it, you're going to see something that brings forth pain.

Let's go to John 16 and read this. John 16, beginning at verse 16- 22. 16- 22 says this, "A little while you will not see me, and again a little while, and you will see me because I go to the father." Mhm. Then some of the disciples said among themselves, "What is this that he says to us," a little while and you will not see me and and again, "A little while and you will see me."

And because I go to my father, his disciples asked Jesus, "What does all this mean about him going away?" They said, "Therefore, what what is this that he says a little while? We do not know what he is saying." his disciples talking to Jesus. Now Jesus knew that they desired to ask him and he said to them, "Are you inquiring among yourselves about what I said a little while and you will not see me and again a little while and you will see me?"

Mhm. Most assuredly I say to you that you will weep and lament, but the world will rejoice and you will be sorrowful, but your sorrow will be turned into joy. >> A woman when she is in labor has sorrow because her hour has come. But as soon as she has given birth to the child, she no longer remembers the anguish. for joy that for the joy for joy that a human being is being born into the world.

Therefore, you now have sorrow, but I will see you again and your hearts will rejoice and your joy no one will take from you. So Jesus is talking to them about he's he's going to be taken away. He's going to be crucified. He's going to die. He's going to be buried.

And they will be sorrowful, but there will come a moment that he will be elevated and they will be happy. And this is a process. This is one of those processes I'm talking about. You will go through pain. Pain before he elevates you and brings you to a place of celebration.

Uh that and God wants us to understand that. And and in verse 21, it was saying that a woman when she's given birth, she goes through pain. But that pain only lasts for a short period of time. It it'll last for a brief period of moment of time.

But after she's given birth to a child, she's she's she's rejoiced and she's happy. I ain't never given I ain't never given birth to a child. So y'all know I don't I don't know. But I salute Let me salute all the women who's given birth to children. You are to be celebrated cuz when I went through all of those kids with my wife, she is the champion.

My wife is the champion. all six kids that she bore and went through the pain and the labor pain. But now here we are. Our kids are born and and grown and achieving great things in life and doing wonderful things. We we we're rejoicing. And that's the same way it is.

You're going to have a season of of of labor and pain and sorrow that leads up to where God's going to take you. Please understand that. That's hard people to comprehend that there will be a season of pain. And the pain is this is the recognition that you're entering into what God has for you.

It's going to be some some kind of pain. Matter of fact, I've learned that people that have the greatest celebration in life, who do the greatest things in life, have great pain. The most powerful ministries have gone through excruciating pain. Most people don't want to. They don't they do not want to experience pain.

They don't want to go through the challenge of pain. They don't want to deal with suffering. We try to avoid. We make choices to avoid pain. But my assignment is to tell you, get ready for when the pain comes. Jesus is telling us today, your season's not yet.

Right now, you may not have no pain, but the pain is coming. When the pain comes, you know you're getting close to your assignment. You know that your time is about to come through. And on the other side of the pain is celebration is rejoicing. You weep before but on the other side you will come out on the other side rejoicing.

That's absolutely so true. And thank God be to God. And this is demonstrated through many verses of scripture. Joseph, we talked about Joseph earlier, was rejected by his brothers. They sold him into slavery. They tried, they was going to kill him, but they sold him into slavery. He was cast into jail.

Uh but but he went through the pain of being rejected by his family. He went through the pain of being sold into slavery. He went into the pain of being rejected by his fellow inmates in jail. Uh uh he he he he went through all of that. But eventually God brought him to a place, Joseph was brought to a place where he was elevated to the the the over all of the land, all of Egypt.

He went from pain, forgotten, rejected, hated to celebration to being the number two man. Y'all get ready. God has a time for you to do something great for you. David the same way. A cycle is here's the cycle. He was rejected by King Saul before he ruled the land.

Before he became the king, he went through the the pain. And then there's this woman named Esther. Esther who cried before the decree to kill the Jews. Here the king Mori decide to kill the to kill the Jews. And she was a Jew. She she was a Jew but he didn't know she was a Jew.

And he uh be but before her time came to approach the king. She she she had a a moment of pain and sorrow because the king was going to kill the Jews and she was a Jew. Esther 4:3. Look let me read this real quick. Here's an interesting passage here.

Esther 4:3. It says, "And and in every province where the king's command and decree arrived, there was great mourning among the Jews with weeping, fasting, weeping, and wailing, and many lay in sackcloth and ashes." This is where uh Esther was married to the king. Uh here's here's verse um number four.

And in every province where the king Oh, verse four, I'm sorry. So Esther's maid and Unix came and told her and the queen was deeply distressed. Then she sent garments to the to clothe Mori and take his sackcloth away from him. But he would not accept them. This this is uh a time of of the of the nation crying because the king had been tricked into killing all the Jews and and and and somebody one of the Jews approached the the king queen Esther and said look you're going to die too you you need to approach the king and she did verse 14 this let's close with verse 14 it says this for if you remain completely silent at this time this is the the the Jew talking to the to to to to uh Esther, if you remain silent, completely silent at this time, relief and deliverance will arise for the Jews from another place, but you and your father's house will perish.

Yet, who knows whether you have come to this kingdom for such a time as this? her whole purpose, one of her whole purposes in living is to approach the the king who had married her and made the determination that she would approach the king and tell him not to kill the Jews.

And somebody came to Esther and said, "Who knows whether God created you for such a time as this?" This was her purpose was to approach the king to save the people from being crucified again. cycle. Hear hear me talk about cycle. Cycle. It is a cycle. It is a process.

It is a cycle and a process that God takes you through pain ultimately to bring you out to use you for his glory and for his honor. Finally uh let me mention uh again that Jesus went through uh crucifixion. He was crucified. He again models this cycle. He is crucified but then he got resurrected.

God will crucify you and then bring you to a place of resurrection. Now this whole section that I'm talking about here deals with understanding God's timing. And the point I'm trying to get you to understand through all of this that your fulfilling God's role for your life will be preceded by some type of pain.

And I I want to say one other things that that that goes along with this point. When you are being persecuted, when you are being challenged, my and I'm going to say this more than once, it's important that you never violate biblical principles. You will always be tempted to compromise.

You will always be tempted to quit to to to to not fulfill what it is God called you to do. You will be tempted to do that. And my thing is to tell you, don't compromise. Stick to what God called you to do. Stay loyal to the truth of God in your life.

When when opportunities come that they want to get you to do something contrary or get you to avoid pain or get you to try to disobey where God wants you to go, stay the course and don't violate biblical truth. I think that's an important uh reality that God wants you to do.

Now, there's here's here's another thing I want to tell you about it. Uh again, here's something else that precedes you fulfilling God's course for your life is maturity. God wants you to be mature. He wants you to be uh go through the process that you you you're not you you're you're uh mature.

That's that's the best word I know to use. You are you're you're true. Let's read 1 Timothy chapter 3 because in 1 Timothy 3 this talks about the requirements for leadership he and it's telling us that that that the person that's going to be in a leadership role has certain responsibilities that they need to uh fulfill and a part of it is maturity.

They're going to be mature. 1 Timothy 3:es 1-10 talk about the man of God. This is a faithful train saying if a man desires the position of a bishop, he desires a good work. A bishop then must be blameless. This is all maturity. the husband of one wife, temperate, sober minded, of good behavior, hospitable, able to teach.

Mhm. Not given to whine, not violent, not greedy, not greedy for money, not gentle, but gentle, but gentle, not quarrelome, not covetous. one who rules his own house well, having his children in submission with all reverence. For if a man does not know how to rule his own house, how will he take care of the church of God?

Not a novice, that's important. Verse six, not a novice, lest being puffed up with pride, he fall into the same condemnation as a devil. That word novice means that he's he's mature. That's what that word means. He's not just starting. He has a level of maturity to him.

Moreover, he must have a good testimony among those who are outside, lest he fall into reproach and the snare of the devil. Likewise, deacons must be reverent, not double tongue, not given to much wine, not greedy for money. holding the mystery of the faith with a pure conscience.

But let these also first be tested, then let them serve as deacons being found blameless. So this establishes the criteria of leadership in the church of a bishop, pastor uh and a deacon, a servant of God. Uh and and I would say and and for them too it is also true they must they can't um they they they can't they have to be a viol not not be a novice but they also must be um uh uh uh uh tested.

They must be put to the test and they must not violate biblical principle. They will can't compromise. They'll stay the course. And that's that's that's what I want to appeal to you for you to always stay the course. Now, uh maturity, that's what I'm talking about. You got to go through some stuff.

You got to shed some tears. Uh and come out on the other side positive. That's what it all boils down to. Now, let me close this lesson with this one huge challenge. This is my last point I want to make. I want you to understand that the devil wants you to get exposed prematurely.

He wants you. He wants to see you out there before it's your time. I went through all of these verses trying to show you Jesus waited until it was his time. When certain situations occurred, he he did his best not to uh be exposed before his time. He understood the importance of waiting until it was time for him to be manifested.

He understood something that so many people don't get. He waited until his time. The devil wants you to be exposed prematurely. Um he matter of fact, Satan tried to expose Jesus prematurely. Let me look at Luke 4:es 5-8. Let me let me read that. Uh the devil wanted him to to do some things.

Luke 4 verse 5-8. Then the devil taking him up on a high mountain, the devil took him, him is Jesus, showed him, that's Jesus, showed him, all the kingdoms of the world in a moment of time. This is what the devil did. And the devil said to him, "All this authority I will give you and their glory.

For this has been delivered to me, and I give it to whomever I wish. That devil's a liar. Therefore, if you will worship before me, all will be yours." He tried to get Jesus to worship him. And Jesus answered and said to him, "Get behind me, Satan. For it is written, you shall worship the Lord your God, and him only you shall serve."

The devil tried to get him to act before God's time, before it was his time. That's what he's trying to get him to do. He's trying to get him to compromise, too. He's trying to get him to compromise. The devil will try to get you to compromise. And my my job is to try to tell you, don't compromise.

Stick to the course. Stick to what God has assigned. Be faithful in what God says he wants you to do. And then this is my final point here is the the prodical son in Luke 15 was was exposed to his inheritance before he was mature enough to handle it.

Y'all know the story of the prodical son. He came and asked his father for his inheritance. Luke 15. Let's let's go there real quick. We got time. Luke chapter 15 verse 11. The devil tried to go go to him uh uh to uh he wanted his father's inheritance and so he got his inheritance.

Uh then a certain man then he said a certain man had two sons. >> And the young of them said to his father, "Father, give me the portion of goods that falls to me." So he divided to them his livelihood. Stay right there for just one second. Go back to verse 12 for just one second.

Um he I believe the devil suggested to to the prodical son for him to go and get his inheritance before time. It wasn't his time. He wasn't ready but he wanted it. I believe the devil suggested to him to get it. Uhhuh. So the father gave it to him.

So he divided to them his livelihood. Go ahead. And not many days after the younger son gathered all together, journeyed to a far country and there wasted his possessions with prodical living. He wasted. He wasn't ready. And do you think God's going to give you giftings to be manifested that you're not ready to handle?

No, he's not. And when he had spent all there he there arose a severe famine in that land and he began to be in want. Then he went and joined himself to a citizen of that country. And he sent him into his fields to feed swine. And he would gladly have filled his stomach with the pods that the swine ate.

And no one gave him anything. He wasted what his father gave to him. And God the Father is not going to allow you to waste what he's given to you before you're ready to handle it. He's not He's not going to let you use it, let you uh uh uh waste it.

He's not going to do it. So, he'll wait. God will wait until he knows you're mature and ready. Until he knows that you are at a place that you can deal with it appropriately. until he knows you're at a place that you that your your gifting and your maturity will be able to handle what he's about to put in your hands.

Cuz if you don't if you if you don't handle it right, you have you have the you have the the the the the opportunity to waste it and to hurt many many people. the devil will open it up for you and you you if you want to just like the prodical son, you can run and and utilize and waste it.

But I want God, my prayer is God to keep me out of situations before I'm ready. Keep me safe and matured from whatever I'm not ready for. And that's what God is capable of doing and he wants to do for you. I'm finished. Um I I want to thank you all for listen.

I I hope I made sense to you today. This is a lesson I've taught many times. But I I I want you all to understand and I want many people to understand uh the importance of acknowledging the opportunities, the doors, the seasons, the signs of when your time.

And one of those signs is when you begin to encounter pain and endure hang and know in in in right season and time, God's got something in store for you. Father, in the name of the Lord, I pray for the people. I know somebody's watching this broadcast right now.

Somebody is observing this right now who stands in the need of of of your encouragement. Who stands in the need of understanding their purpose? Somebody today, Lord, is doesn't know what their purpose is, but um I know you want them to understand. Help them to see the signs around them.

Help them to see the doors that has been open. Help them to see and understand the opportunities that you've granted to them, the relationships that you've put around them to so they can be everything you want them to be. In the name of Jesus, I thank you for hearing my prayer and I thank you for what you're going to do in the lives of your sons and daughter.

In Jesus name I pray. Amen. All right. Thank you for joining me again tonight. I I think I went a little bit over, but uh please know we love you. We we're praying God's richest blessings upon you. And uh if you don't know the Lord, there's a sign that's something that's going to come up on the screen that you can meet the Lord Jesus.

If you're backslid and you want to rededicate yourself to him, go ahead and write that uh click on that button or write that phone number down and call us. We would love for you to be able to be in the right place with God at his season and his time.

We love you. Be blessed in Jesus name. Amen. >> This is FBCG News. >> Be a disciple and make a disciple. Be a disciple and make a disciple. Here's what's happening on our church calendar. Join the First Baptist Church of Glenn Arden April 3rd through the 5th as we reflect on and celebrate the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ.

On Good Friday, April 3rd at 7 p.m., experience Glory to Glory, a production that tells the story of Christ's journey to the cross through powerful storytelling and original music. With only one chance to see it that weekend, it's a special opportunity to invite someone you care about to experience the message and hope of the gospel.

For the first time ever, we're offering a resurrection service on Saturday at 6:00 p.m. This is a great opportunity to avoid the crowds. We're encouraging our FBCG family to attend on Saturday as we make room for the many guests expected on Sunday. Then on Resurrection Sunday, invite your family and friends to celebrate the victory of Jesus with us at one of our four services at the worship center, 6:00 a.m., 8:00 a.m., 10:00 a.m., and noon.

All services will also be streamed online. Parents, give your students the opportunity to step away from their daily routine and grow in their faith at the FBCG youth retreat May 1st through the 3rd. This weekend is designed for middle and high school students to connect with God, build lasting friendships, and experience meaningful teaching and worship in a focused environment.

It's a chance for your youth to develop their spiritual foundation while spending time with other young believers. Space is limited, so register your youth at fbcg glennard.org/ youth retreat. Ladies, you are beloved, intentionally created, deeply known, and fully loved by God. Join the FBCG Grace girls as we step away and recharge May 20th through the 22nd in Norolk, Virginia.

We're stepping away to recharge. Throughout the weekend, you'll experience powerful teaching, worship, and moments designed to help you heal from whatever has hurt you. Break free from what has held you back and walk confidently in who God has called you to be. Hear inspiring messages from Dr. Kalita Forbes, Alexander Hoover, Pastor Mary Seight, and Reverend Shalita Fondi.

Register today at fbcglennard.org/getaway. That's the news for this week. To learn more about these events, monthly gatherings, and all things FBCG, visit fbc glennharden.org. One God.