Wednesday Night Bible Study
by Billy McCool
First Apostolic Church of Knoxville (Knoxville, TN)
Kind: Bible study
Scripture: Acts 1:1-8, Matthew 10:22, Micah 7:8-9, Romans 7:14, Romans 8:8, Romans 8:17, Romans 14:17, Romans 5:20-21, Romans 6:1-12, Acts 2:38-39, Romans 7:1-4, Romans 7:24-25, Romans 7:18-19, Mark 6:31

Source: https://acts238.life/repository/sermons/billy-mccool--wednesday-night-bible-study-96
Published by Acts 2:38 Life from the sermon transcript on that page.
Free to copy and share with attribution.

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praise the Lord everyone we greet you tonight in the wonderful name of the Lord Jesus Christ what a joy it is to be in the house of the Lord and see such a beautiful crowd here on Wednesday night welcome to each and every one of you and those who are coming back home we're glad to see you back and as pastors already said we're sure happy to see brother Anthony and sister Kelly and those two babies back with us and uh sorry that they had to go of course because of the death of her grandmother but then while they were down there they got to celebrate Christmas with the family but we're glad to have them back and we're glad to have each one of you here tonight and I guess this would fall into the category of Unfinished Business and it's a birthday card it says happy 86 th birthday my life is better because you are part of it my life is better because you're part of it it is a rare gift to be able to improve the lives of others just by being yourself time passes too quickly and life can be hectic we often take things for granted and fail to take the time to appreciate the people around us and what they bring to our lives I think we should let the ones closest to us know how much they mean and how grateful we are for them so I'm giving you this card today I treasure you underlined and exclamation mark and I'm thankful that I know such a warm kind-hearted Soul you are considerate selfless and generous in every way my life is better because you are a part of it and oh how I love you your preacher now and forever love bill that's her 86th birthday [Applause] and also I didn't write uh such a touching card for Sister Jamie but she's had a birthday Ashley or Anthony and Kelly's had an anniversary make a pardon the 30th of January all right the third of January so anyway to all of you who have had birthdays and anniversaries and and a special time to celebrate we wish to join with you and say happy birthday happy anniversary and so forth we're beginning a the a new uh session uh this series is called the work of the spirit and this is actually for January the 1st which would be this coming Sunday and the title of the lesson is Victory through the spirit Victory through the spirit if you think you can have Victory any other way than through the spirit you are sadly mistaken I want to call your attention to acts the first chapter and uh uh verse the first verse the former treaties have I made o Theophilus of all that Jesus began both to do and teach until the day in which he was taken up after that he was through the Holy Ghost had given Commandments unto the apostles whom he had chosen to whom also he showed himself alive after his Passion by many infallible proofs being seen of them 40 days and speaking of the things pertaining to the kingdom of God and being assembled together with them commanded them that they should not depart from Jerusalem but wait for the promise of the Father which saith he Ye Ye have heard of me for John truly baptized with water but ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost not many days hence when the therefore will come together they ask of him saying Lord will thou at this time restore again the Kingdom of Israel and he said unto them it is not for you to know that times are the seasons which the father hath put in his own power but ye shall receive power after that the Holy Ghost has come upon you and ye shall be Witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem and in all Judea and in Samaria and to the uttermost part of the Earth but ye shall do not depart from Jerusalem but wait for the promise of the father but ye shall receive power after the Holy Ghost has come upon you the very time of our lesson Victory through the spirit and lets us know that the Holy Ghost is for something more than just speaking in another language that is a exuberating it's exhilarating it's a exciting to see the Holy Ghost take over I remember the night I received the Holy Ghost I was only 11 years old and they were praying around around me and over me as a matter of fact brother Chuck gray who actually he's a brother uh Jeremy moppin or um brother Michael Maupin married into the gray family and uh Chuck Ray would be probably his great uh uncle-in-law whatever but anyway he was he got the Holy Ghost the night before I did he was the leader of a hillbilly band they called him Hillbillies back then but now they call them contrabands but it was Chuck gray and the Missouri Mountaineers and they were on uh chaosian um and uh Blytheville Arkansas they were in kboa Kent Missouri and uh they came on every day with their show and the Chuck grape is uh had developed bleeding ulcers and was just about to die and um I my the Fiddler in the band was Carl didn't he my brother-in-law and uh I told him about this revival I'd been going to at the little Pentecostal Church in pascicola Missouri and Chuck gray went to that meeting and and turned his life over to the Lord got the Holy Ghost and God healed him of bleeding ulcers and he was praying with me the very next night and I've been seeking the Holy Ghost four years and he got it the first night he went to the altar and but when he was praying with me I heard somebody say as they was praying they said he's got the stammering lips and that was uh the Bible says with stamming lips in another tongue with his speech to his people and something about that just encouraged my heart and I began to praise God with everything that was in me and my tongue started going and and I didn't know what I was saying and I it was as though I was listening to a radio and they just turned it down every the loud noise just just backed up and and I was when I came to myself I was on my feet dancing speaking in other tongues and the first thing I thought is I I wish my twin brother Bob had this because he needed it and when uh when I opened my eyes and looked he was wishing I had it because he had got the holy I don't know how come him to come to the altar he he did his job of trying to cause me to lose out with God because they thought that was fun back then the other boys to try to get a Christian boy to call him a and so forth but he was speaking in tongues himself but that was such a great and wonderful experience but the Holy Ghost is not just something for you to speak in another language Jesus said and you shall receive power after the Holy Ghost has come upon you and and we should all realize tonight that the holy ghost that God gave us is not just something you get one time speaking to them well you got it well it's it is a ever abiding spirit that if you will keep it fresh and allow it it will help you to overcome and you will have many things to overcome I promise you you will have many things to overcome I remember my brother-in-law Carl didn't even got offended at my mother because brother brother Carl did anyone he got the Holy Ghost you can just point your finger at it and you start talking in tongues and I'm not just saying that you you just touch him unexpected and he was so full of the Holy Ghost and and he just he couldn't hardly keep them speaking in tongues and my mother told him Carl that is so wonderful that is so wonderful but it's not always is going to be that way you're gonna you're gonna find out that you don't always just speak in tongues there's going to be some trials and it offended him at first because he didn't realize how true it was but the Holy Ghost is is for it's more than just something to display another language Jesus said and you shall receive power after the Holy Ghost has come upon you and we should keep this in mind and realize that the Holy Ghost is there to help you uh when when you are have trials when the rough times come your way when somebody uh does something against you when you're tempted to retaliate with somebody that says something mean to you and you want to say something meaner back to them the Holy Ghost if you'll just listen to it'll say don't do that a soft answer turneth away wrath when you're about ready to say something you look out uh I remember a little thing happened many years ago uh Pastor Mark was just a young boy and and he put a quarter or whatever it was in this uh machine that dispenses candy bars or whatever drink and when he put that in the the machine was messed up and it starts spitting out several items and maybe he's making money too came back and he got the money and the product took it to the proprietor and told him that the machine was fouled up and this money had come out and the proprietor was very impressed because a young man normally when somebody does that they'll put another quarter in to see how much more will come out you know but his holy ghost said this is this is not right this is not right so you you need to take it back so remember what I'm saying if we have the Holy Ghost it's one thing to to testify to the Holy Ghost but it's something else when it says a soft answer turneth the way Wrath and and one of the biggest things I I believe this is my personal belief I don't think I have exactly a scripture to prove it but I believe the the the Lord chose the untameable member and I said that uh small Rudders which will turn a huge ship and he said the horses can put bits in the horse's mouth and you can turn him but the tongue no man can tame no man can tame that tongue but when you get the Holy Ghost the holy ghost tames that tone that tongue belongs to God from then on and you remember when somebody does something against you and aggravates you and angers you you you're ready to retaliate to remember the Holy Ghost says a soft answer turneth away wrath pray for them that despitefully use you and keep just just keep keep that in mind and remember this and uh Matthew 10 22 and ye shall be hated I I apologize to the technicians upstairs I'm going to Hopscotch through our lesson tonight it's not going to be in in the the proper order but I feel like doing what I'm doing so please forgive me but I will be hopscots and I'll tell you where my scripture is but you have them but it won't be in the order in which I'll be reading tonight Matthew 10 22 and ye shall be hated of all men for my namesake but he that endureth to the end the same shall be saved remember this is a long distance race this is not a hundred yard dash he that endureth to the end the same shall be saved we're not just starting and and uh sometimes we start out fast but sometimes we don't last very long and we need to remember he that endureth to the end the same shall be saved uh here's one of my favorite scriptures and and Micah 7 8 and 9. if you'll excuse the carnality implication I call this The Gospel According to Andy Griffith and I'll tell you why because you you maybe heard me give this illustration before in Micah 7 8 and 9 he said Rejoice not against Me O Mine enemy when I fall he didn't say if I fall he said when I fall when I fall I shall arise when I sit in darkness the Lord shall be a light unto me now get the picture when I fall I shall arise and then he said the Lord shall be a light unto me and I want you to notice verse 9 I got to reading this I never heard anyone else get this uh Revelation or this interpretation of this scripture but this resonated within my heart he said I will bear the ending indignation of the Lord because I've sinned against him Micah said when I fall I'm going to rise but he said I'm going to Bear the indignation I know the Lord's going to be mad at me the Bible said God is angry with the wicked every day and I will bear the indignation of the Lord because I've sinned against him and then he said until he plead my cause now I have sinned against him and he is going to plead my cause and execute judgment for me he will bring me forth to the light and I Shall Behold his righteousness and for those of you who've never heard me give this little uh illustration in that in that very very popular uh program many years ago Andy Griffith he was kind of a home it was a HomeTown and very clean show that cleans from on TV I guess but he was the hometown Sheriff and he was a HomeTown of uh justice of the peace and he was the Jailer and um so if he if he arrested you and brought you into jail and there was a sheriff Andy Taylor but then when he got ready to judge you he turned that sign around and said Justice of the Peace Andy Taylor so the same guy that arrests you is going to be the guy that's going to be your judge brother you ain't got much chance of getting out of that because he's the one arrested you and now he's going to be your judge well of course they had a a a mellow bunny uh Hometown flavor to it but I noticed what Micah said I will bear the indignation of the Lord because I have sinned against him until he plead my cause and and I got a picture of of me being arrested by by the policeman and then he brings me in and he uh he hangs his police cap on on the the coat tree and then it goes and sits down and he arrests me and then he looks and turns around and he's my judge and oh my goodness I don't have much of a chance because the same God that arrested me is the guy that's going to judge me but then when it comes time for me to go to trial he gets up from the the the desk and goes over and puts on his lawyer outfit and he's he's my prosecuting attorney he's going he's going to show how mean I am but then he lays that down and picks up the briefcase of a defense attorney and he said now then I am going to plead his cause he arrested me he's my prosecuting attorney and now then he's going to become my defense attorney well Hallelujah and then he said until he plead my cause and then he not only pleads my cause he says the judge pronounces me guilty he is absolutely guilty in the end of the grave but he said I sent the Jew to die on an old ragged cross and now then he says I'll go to the cross for him Hallelujah I'm going to fall I'm going to rise I'm going to be tried I'm going to be found guilty I'm going to be sent this to the Cross but I want you to know he went to the cross for me would you give him a handicraft praise laughs I have on a cool evening in the spring of 1909 two heavyweight boxers entered the ring in Paris France to fight for the World Heavyweight Championship on one side stood Joe Genetti at 185 pounds across the ring was Sam McVay at 205 pounds Not only was the championship on the line but so was a purse of six thousand dollars roughly 175 000 today such events of that era were often billed as a fight to the Finish in other words there was no 10 or 15 round affairs there would be no judges decision if both men were still standing at the end predefined to him no there was not going to be a a split decision no these two combatants would continue until one of them simply could not go on on that night in Paris this fight proved to be quite the contest of wills and stamina until janetti won the fight when McVeigh refused to come out from his corner for the 49th round beyond the sheer strength of the match and the physical stamina required to endure Spectators were amazed at the outcome because generi had been knocked down 27 times prior to winning the victory don't ever stop don't ever give up Micah said when I fall I'm going to get up one time and one time when the disciples was listening Jesus Peter said Lord how many times must I forgive my brother seven times in a day he said no 70 times 70. in other words it is innumerable well I want you to know God's love God's mercy and God's strength is extended on and on and on don't give up through the Holy Ghost you can endure you may be knocked down you may look like you're bleeding and can't get up but let me tell you God is going to be that and he'll pick you up again give him another hand clap praise Hallelujah Hallelujah just keep on getting up now remember this David nobody could do any worse other than Judas I would suppose then then David he was uh guilty of of committing adultery and he was guilty of sending an innocent man to uh battle to get killed uh he followed a child out of wedlock and he he was a did just about as mean as anybody could ever do but the one thing David will always say he said I have sinned I have sinned and he came to grips with his own thoughts and failures and repentance when Nathan the prophet met him and told him the story about a a rich man that had plenty of sheep and there was a poor man lived up the road and said that at night there came a traveler to the poor man's house and the the the the poor man or the the the the rich man spared to take went to the rich man's house and the rich man spared The Tick of his own flock but he went down to the poor man Dave down the road had one little you lamb the Bible said that he raised up in his own bosom the rich man had the the the the the traveler that came to his house add that backwards but he went up the road to the poor man's house and got the poor man's one you lamb and and and he slew that for the traveler and when he when Nathan the prophet told David that probably his neck vein swelled out his face turned red he was a lover of sheep and and he said that man that did that shall surely die Nathan the prophet said Thou Art the man me me yes you spared to take of your own flock you have many wives you could have any woman you wanted but now then you caught a man off to war and you took his wife and committed adulterer with her and now then you're the man and then David didn't start denying he didn't Elevate he admitted his sins now remember Micah said when I fall I will arise and let me say to each one in this audience tonight it's not if you fall it's when you fall the Bible says there is none good no not one all have sinned and come shorten the glory of God is there a one Among Us that could stand up and step forward say I've never sinned I've never fallen I'm I'm perfect well there's no man that could do that and be be truthful so what we're saying now is through the Holy Ghost you get this Holy Ghost not just to speak in tongues and to give a message in tongues but you've got this Holy Ghost to give you power now one of the things that gives you a power to do he said and you shall receive power after the Holy Ghost to come along and you he didn't say you might be but it said and you shall be Witnesses unto me in Jerusalem Judea Samara and the uttermost parts of the earth you know I guess if there's probably probably one of our weaknesses one of our weaknesses and our weak sponsors is being able to witness and knowing how to witness you don't you don't slap somebody in the face with Acts 2 38 and you don't slap somebody in the face from with that with Holiness you present it as a witness uh you've heard me give several examples of of experiences I've seen of people that that um don't use good wisdom in dealing with people they don't even know uh one brother there was a man came in and sat down had his cap on and a a gentleman in our church was coming to the church he got up and went to him and told him to take his cap off well years ago that that was a that was very very uh very possible but we we all took our hats off when we went in the house it's not like you would never see anybody go and sit down and arrest her and leave their hat on her cap on that that just that was a no no it just didn't it wasn't in Vogue it wasn't in style it wasn't and but things have changed and he went and told the man to take a cap off of the man said he would never come back to this church again you heard me tell about the the waitress at the sister McClure and I met at the Western Sizzlin Steakhouse and she was crying and she was heartbroken she was in very much trouble we invited her to the church and she came to church and she sat down and a lady now these examples I'm telling you are not folks that was really on fire for God I might I might have had that but when this lady came in a certain place she had been sitting she came to that waitress never been to our church before she was there because she had a a broken life and that lady told her get up said this is my seat this is where I sit and that lady left never to come back again now what I'm saying now please listen ye shall receive power after the Holy Ghost to come upon and you shall be Witnesses unto me to know how to witness to individuals whatever you do I say this if we have to stand around the walls and let Sinners take the pews and we'll do it they absolutely because we want them to be made welcome we want them to feel like they're the honored guests of this house now I don't want to be that person that offends somebody Hallelujah well you shall receive power and you shall be Witnesses unto me in Jerusalem Judea Samaria and the uttermost parts of the Earth Romans 7 14 said we know that the law is spiritual but I am carnal sold unto sin that's the trouble right there that's my problem I know that the law is spiritual but I am carnal Soul understand I need the Holy Ghost to overcome that Romans 8 and 8 so then they that are in the flesh cannot please God you'll never please God by operating in the flesh by obeying what the flesh is trying to get you to do it'll break up your marriage it'll break up your home it'll divide the neighborhood if you obey the flesh so then they that are in the flesh cannot please God that's why we must operate through the spirit Romans 8 17. and if children then heirs you know what Aries that's someone that inherits something and they didn't work for it but they because of their relationship with someone else their heir and if children then heirs Heirs of God and Joint heirs with Christ you mean the Holy Ghost does that for me yes sir that's what I'm saying right now it makes me an heir of God and Joint heirs with Jesus Christ if so be that we suffer with him that we may also be glorified together Romans 14 and 17. for the kingdom of God is Not meat and drink but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Ghost oh what a benefit of the Holy Ghost more than just me dancing a barefooted boy and talking in another language and momentarily enjoying the the excitement the thrill of being filled with the Holy Ghost it gives me power that I am going to have peace and joy now it don't mean that I will never have any trouble I may be like the the fella and the fight that got knocked down 27 times but he kept getting up and he won if we'll just keep getting up that's what's important all right and Romans 6 what shall we say then shall we continue well let's go back to Romans chapter 5 verses 20 and 21 and then we'll go to verse 6. Romans chapter 5 starting in verse 20. moreover the law entered that the offense might abound but for sin abounded Grace did much more abound that has sinneth reigned unto death even so might grace Reign through righteousness unto eternal life by Jesus Christ Our Lord now now notice this uh as Sin reigned unto death even so might grace reign now Paul anticipated uh what some folks would say for he said in chapter 6 of our next chapter in the first verse he's already said that as Sith reigned unto death even so my grace reigned through righteousness unto eternal life now Grace is going to cover it but notice how he answers the question in the first verse of chapter six what shall we say then shall we continue in sin that Grace May abound God forbid how shall we that are dead to sin live any longer therein how shall we that are dead live in sin you can't do it and a few years ago and down at the end of this Pleasant Ridge Road there's a cemetery and folks got to going in there and kicking over tombstones and Stephen brass faces and and uh it got to be quite a problem and and they put a fence around it and I got to thinking about that you don't they didn't put that fence around that Cemetery to keep the living folks or the dead folks in or out they put that to keep the living folks out from getting in now uh the dead don't sin the dead don't steal one another's vases and flowers it's the living that do that now that's why we've got to die out to sin because when we die out to sin we no longer do those things and I tell this little story that happened to us and and Dallas Texas many many many many years ago we were called in the middle of the night to come to the household to a family that the elderly gentleman there they thought he was at the point of death and they wanted us to come and pray for him and the pastor and my father and Bobby and myself we went to that home when the night and when we got there they were just kind of whispered and kind of that's kind of quiet and and we stepped in and they said um Uncle so and so Grandpa he's already passed and so we just was very quietly and respectfully came in and and we had prayer with the family because they had the the cover pulled up over his face and uh they were waiting for the doctor to get there to pronounce him dead and so we stood around for a few minutes as ministers we try to be as comforting as we can and respectful and a little while here came the doctor he had that little black bag and I I was knew he was going to take that stethoscope out and put it in here and go to listen to his heart and and wouldn't get a sound and he he'd he'd pronounced him dead but to my surprise the doctor just sat down the the little black bag and as he went by the foot of the he's in a little single like a cot of a thing and when he went by the foot of his bed he reached down under the cover and picked up his foot and it was it had a set of car keys and he started raking on the bottom of the old man's foot and there was an immediate Resurrection the old man began to kick he didn't have to use the the stethoscope I mean has he began to rake on the bottom of his foot he'd began to kick an aching and and you know in just a little while the old man was doing much better and I thought about that if you're really dead to sin you're going to quit your kicking dead folks don't kick they don't steal vases and they don't steal flowers because you notice or what it what it what it was said what shall we say then shall we continue and send the grace of God forbid how shall we that are dead to sin live any longer therein no you're not that so many of us as we're you're gonna have to excuse me because I I get a little excited when I get to this know you're not so many of us as we're baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death that's why we are baptized we are we are taking advantage of his death as he was was buried in a tomb we are buried with him in baptism therefore verse 4 we are buried with him by baptism into death that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the father even so we should walk in newness of life for if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection knowing this that our old man is crucified with him that the body of sin might be destroyed that his forth we should not serve sin for he that is dead is freed from sin I want you to know they didn't dig up one of the corpse and tried for stealing his neighbor's flowers or brass face they knew it wasn't the dead folks that was doing the Steven it's those that were not dead that's the problem we have still yet now now notice this now if we be dead with Christ we believe that we shall also live with him knowing that Christ being raised from the dead dieth no more death have no more dominion over him for in that he died he died unto sin once but in that he liveth he liveth unto God likewise reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin but alive unto God through Jesus Christ Our Lord let not sin thou for reign in your mortal bodies that you should obey it in the lust thereof now what we're saying is through the Holy Ghost we are going to have the old man to die and a new man is going to come forth now when we baptize you in this watery grave by faith that is the the greatest Act of Faith you can do is go on that water to be baptized and Peter said repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission to remit wash away get away to report the remission of sins and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost for the promise is unto you and to your children and to all that are far off even as many as the Lord Our God shall call now we're teaching tonight that through the Holy Ghost and what I am trying to get across to us tonight is that you don't just come and make a profession get the Holy Ghost what is over with them or like the old fell in Johnson City the night was having a Revival and and he was inebriated and he was hanging around the front door and causing disturbance and ushers uh tried to get him to come in so come on in and and listen to the service and and get something from the Lord now he said I got religion 20 years ago and they told me then once saved always saved he said you can't beat a deal like that well sad to say there's no such a deal as that no such a he that is dead is freed from sin you stop your sinning and you start a new life Paul said in Romans 7 18 well let's go with eight and one there is therefore now this is after you repented he said in Romans 7 all wretched man that I am who shall deliver me from the body of this death now he had just gone through the the the book of Romans I I keep one thing open as the doors are something else uh but it starts out the book of the Romans of the seventh chapter of Romans he said brother I speak to them that know the law how did the law hath dominion over man as long as he liveth and the man that has the wife is bound by the law to a woman that's got a husband is bound by the law choice but as long as he liveth if you can put the Romans chapter 1 and verse one can you put that on the screen uh rather than quoted uh Clumsy uh we'll read it if I can but what he's saying the woman the chapter husband is bound by the law to a husband as long as you're living and I said I speak to them that know the law don't don't miss it now how about the law have the dominion over a man as long as he liveth so the woman was at the husband is bound by the law to her husband as long as he liveth now he wasn't teaching on marriage and divorce he was teaching on being born again but it said it's bound by Allah has been so long as he liveth but if her husband be dead she is loose from the law of that husband so that she is no adulteress though she be married to another man now let us sink in get this the woman which at the husband is bound bubble all her husband so long as they liveth but if her husband be dead she's loose from the law of that husband so that she's no adulteress though she'd be married to another man then he said that you also uh so then if while her husband liveth she'd be married she if I'll become dead to the law by the body of Christ that ye should be married to another even to him who is raised from the dead that we should bring forth fruit unto God now notice this so then if while her husband liveth she'll be married to another man she shall be called an adulteress but if her husband be dead she is freed from that law so that she has no adulterers though she be married to another man wherefore my brother now get this wherefore my brother ye also are become dead to the law by the body of Christ that ye should be married to another even to him who is raised from the dead that we should bring forth through to God now what he's saying is and you've most you've heard me say this before is is if uh if if I should die I'm free for the law I've been married to a sister McCool and if I could come back alive I'm not on the law because I'm so I made the statement if I died 10 times I'd marry her every time when I come back and to one night she woke up she said I'd have something to say about that well but the point is the person is loose from the law at death now what is really teaching he's teaching that you and I are bound by the law until we die out to sin and we're buried in water in the precious name of Jesus and now then we we are buried with him by baptism into death that like as Christ was raised up from the dead to the glory of God even so we should oh you see you and I are are it's an emblematic act for us to be baptized in water and it's like going to the tomb and then rising up you're a new person and you're now the the bride of Christ well so much and then and uh on down in Romans 7 he gives a sad a story he said I want to do right he said if then I do that which I would not I could sit into the law that it is that is good he said for what I want to do not that which I knew I would not if then I do I wish I would not I could sin of the Lord and Lord I want to do good but I just can't do it I I'd say I'm going to do better I'm going to change my life but I just keep on doing it over and over again then he said oh Wretched Man that I am who shall deliver me from the body of this death and then he gives the answer I thank God through our Lord Jesus Christ now with the mind of the flesh I'll serve the flesh but the spirit I've now turned it over to God because I'm now a brand new creature in Christ Jesus all right Verse 18 and 7 I know that in me that's in my flesh dwelleth no good thing for to will this present with me but how to perform thou which is good I find not for the good that I would I do not but the evil which I would not that I do now I want to to go back a little bit here David with all of his um shortcomings his enemies his turbulent life I've got to visualize one day David stand there looking a little Dove flew in and doves are very quick to fly a lot of hunters like the hunt does because they'll go and covers them and they'll be in a in a a bunch of a brush and and they have dogs that point and dogs that'll flush them and they'll they'll fly out in a hurry and they shoot among them well but during the time that they are down here there they represent peace and and here's what David said oh and I said oh that I had wings like a dove for then would I fly away and be at rest low then would I wonder off far far off and remain in the wilderness see law I would hasten my Escape from The Windy Storm and The Tempest oh that I had the wings of a dove now the Holy Ghost is going to get you now several times through this lesson we have read the terms that it gives you peace and and that's what the Holy Ghost through the we're teaching that through the Holy Ghost now uh in Mark 6 31 I believe it is uh he he it tells his disciples He said Come Ye yourselves apart and rest a while for the Bible said they had no leisure not even time enough to eat so Jesus even told them and to you that feel condemned over taking a little Christmas vacation I'm not trying to give you a license to prolong your Christmas vacation but Jesus said to his disciples Come Ye yourselves apart and rest a while for they had no leisure not even time to eat sometimes people make a mistake by not taking time to recuperate and and re get rejuvenated themselves she had been shopping with her mom in Walmart she must have been six years old this beautiful red-haired freckle-faced image of Innocence it was pouring outside the kind of rain that gushes over the top of rain gutters so much in a hurry to hit the earth it would has no time to flow down the spout we all stood there under the awning and just inside the door of Walmart we waited some patiently others irritated because nature messed up their hurried day I'm always mesmerized by rainfall her voice was so sweet as she broke the hypnotic trance we were all caught in Mom let's run through the rain she said what Mom asked let's run through the rain she repeated no honey we'll wait until it slows down a bit mom replied this young child waited another minute and repeated Mom let's run through the rain we'll get soaked if we do mom said no we won't Mom that's not what you said this morning the young girl said and she tugged in her mom's arm this morning when did I say that we could run through the rain and not get wet don't you remember when you were talking to Daddy about his cancer you said if God can get us through this he can get us through anything the entire crowd got dead silent I promise you couldn't hear anything but the rain we all stood silently no one came or left the next few minutes the mom pauses though for a moment about what she would say now some would laugh it off and scold her for being silly some might even ignore what was said but this was a moment of affirmation and a young child's life a time when innocent trust can be nurtured so that it will Bloom into faith honey you're absolutely right let's run through the rain if God lets us get wet well maybe we just needed washing the mother said then off they ran into the rain holding hands and laughing we all stood watching smiling and laughing also as they darted past the cars yes through the puddles they held their shopping bags over their heads just in case needless to say they got soaked but they were also followed by a few who screamed and laughed like children all the way to the cars and yes I did I ran I got wet I needed washing circumstances are people can take away your material possessions they can take away your money they can take away your health but no one can ever take away your precious memories so don't forget to make time and take the opportunity to make memories every day to everything there's a season and a time to ever purpose under heaven my sister Ola sent this to me a number of years ago and she said I hope you still take time to run through the rain and the time to make good memories and this was my answer hey sis I love to run through the rain last Thursday was the Fourth of July Jamie invited Betty and me to come to their house at 2 pm for a cookout hamburger Mark and Jamie were having Jamie's folks over for a Fourth of July cookout since our driveways meet we have the joy of seeing them every day we thought they deserved to be with Jamie's folks once in a while without the two of us so we thanked Herbert told her we would probably go to Johnson City to see Betty's sister and very sick brother-in-law Thursday I hastily wash the motor home and Betty quickly loaded food and essential gathered shortly we found ourselves cruising up the interstate and our modern day covered wagon Tethered to a Jeep Cherokee we stopped the rest of our Betty fixed us a fantastic holiday Meal which consisted of a hot dog fresh cooked green beans slaw watermelon cantaloupe shortly we left the interstate and traveled the old Route 11 e to Johnson City I had about forgotten what it was like to travel without 18 wheelers screaming down on you as though they were going to overrun you we made sure we have plenty of time for sis and her family to have their fourth of July dinner with her family without us intruding we pulled up in front of sister's house and found them sitting on the front porch after a few minutes we invited them to go with us to Rock Creek North Carolina where Betty and her sister grew up brother-in-law Garner insisted that Cisco though he did not feel up to it himself the 460 Ford engine grown Faithfully pulling the motor home and Jeep Cherokee over Iron Mountain just before dark we pulled in front of the little church which met his father founded and pastored until his death there are paved pads and RV hookups beside the church prepared by Betty's Brothers they hooked up the hookups are on the spot where the large White House stood where Betty grew up her father built the house without the aid of Electric Tools he even hand planed the weather boarding on the outside of the house after looking up I looked up at beautiful roll Mountain and listen to Rock Creek whisper in the background and I thought I just returned from California Hollywood Las Vegas Grand Canyon The Painted Desert and the Petrified Forest and I never saw anything this awesome that night as we lay in bed even though it had been 90 degrees that day we had to run off they had to turn off the air conditioner and use light cover then I realized where our motor home was setting was the exact spot for 47 years ago Betty had walked me to the car after I'd taken her home from the Tent Revival I asked her when she'd be back to the Bible she said Thursday night if I can get my boyfriend to bring me to which I said if you have to bring him don't come this this is ancient history now but I got the girl that was my run through the rain a little and prompt you spur of the moment trip proved to be one of the most enjoyable I could ever have had excuse the lengthy story but says you started all of this l-o-m would you stand with me please take time for your family take time to enjoy your loved ones take time to enjoy your children they're not little brats they're not Rugrats the Bible said that there are Heritage of the Lord love them while the little they're going to be gone before you know it they're going to be up and you're going to wish they were there be sure you love your children love your wife love your husband take time this time of year to take a run through the rain father we thank you tonight for your blessings for your love and goodness heal the broken hearts those who are unable to be here tonight because of illness touch their bodies give them Comfort let the Holy Spirit be will their side be with them and give them strength to make it through the holidays and get back in the house of God for we can worship you and gain the strength of the Holy Ghost dismiss us from this place but not from your presence all this we ask in Jesus name amen you're dismissed in Jesus name Shake Hands and be friendly