R944 Just 3 Strategies PT.1

We all could use some encouragement and will fight it together today. The Bible-based teaching of Dr. Don Wilton on this edition of The Encouraging Word strategy we hear that a lot in sports, we hear that in business, but you know, as we go in there, there could be spiritual strategy as well. Three strategies from Dr. Welter coming up in our next two daypart series is Dr. Don Texas to acts chapter 11. This time of Bible study, but so glad to have you with us would love to connect with you on our website at tewonline.org G or perhaps as we study the word is a way we can pray for you where here to pray 24 hours a day at 866899.the number down. Start your cell 866-899-9673 will always connect with one.

I was happy to talk some pray connect with great resource. Now today's message with Dr. Don Wilton, he has you in mind and he wants to bless you and he has a strategy plan in place. One of the great joys that we have is being able to pray for one another and even this week I had the privilege of going into some homes and just visiting with people, particularly those who have particular needs and you know every time I meet people. It seems to me that I hear our people talk about prayer and about the power of prayer and how grateful they all that they know that there are those who are praying for them literally for decades, our churches, being a praying church and that is a wonderful privilege parents praying for children for one another we can guarantee one another. There is at least one person who is praying for you. Praying for church praying for the things that we deal with praying for God's presence in our lives, but I want to just pray for you this morning, and particularly those who are a part of this particular emphasis. Father, we thank you for the power and for the privilege of prayer, where would we be without the countless numbers of people who have prayed for us in every circumstance of life and father tonight. Building on years of faithful intercessory prayer in this church there is a concerted strategic effort to pray around the clock, seven days a week 24 hours a day, that someone is pray. Father we pray that you would bless this initiative that you would bless every participant and a bubble that father you would be pleased to look down upon us as a people here in our nation. In the circumstances in which we find ourselves here in our church and our hopes in our places of worship places of service and father that we might say and say renewed spirit of the living God upon us.

Father, we submit ourselves to you. Praying these things together in Jesus name, amen. I'm going to ask you once again to turn in your Bibles to the book of acts. In chapter 17. As we tried to lay the groundwork of what Paul had to say to the church in first Thessalonians. We believe that God has a special word for all of us, but we still stuck in the book of acts because it's important to lay the table before we eat from an incredible meal that God is providing for us through his word and I know that you going to be blessed and continue to be blessed. We come to a fresh understanding of what it means to be just one man, one person, one lady, one boy one girl, pull, as he began to minister to this group of people believed very deeply number one that all people need Jesus. I'm so grateful to the Lord for that I'm grateful that Jesus Christ is broken down old barriers.

Don't you number two that Jesus Christ is the only one who can reach all people, you know, I really believe that the apostle Paul if he was standing in this pulpit right now. He would certainly not downplay the need for government, not by any means we've got to have government God's word talks about and we pray for government but I think he would put it all in its rightful perspective don't you because he was just one man who understood just to absolutes that old people need Jesus and that Jesus Christ is the only one who can reach all people I tell you he would look at us and he would say, despite the fact that the New York Giants are going to whip up on the New England Patriots dining room.

The perfect season and that these going to be a lot of rejoicing going on in certain parts of the community.

He saying that to modeling people wake up with exactly the same leads. He looks at us and he says so you going to receive a tax rebate dog. I think Paul would say that's one.

We will need a little extra pocket money and we all need to look for solutions to economic crises, but I I think the more we understand the apostle Paul. Perhaps what he would say is, even if the government agreed to cut $1 million check every American citizen.

We would still wake up tomorrow morning with that same empty hole that same need that same search that same desire for peace would still be looking for the Onset to life because people continue regardless of who they are married to their circumstances, people have the same need people need Jesus and Jesus Christ is the only one who can reach all people, and today I want to speak to you about just three strategies just three strategies. What do you look with me in the Bible it acts chapter 17 is what the Bible says that when my boss through Amphipolis and Appalachia Apollonia, they came to Thessalonica, where there was a Jewish synagogue, and as his custom laws pull went into the synagogue in this town called Thessalonica about 250,000 people. Rarely, a metropolitan city for that day or night sitting right on the Aegean Sea, the hub of trade and commerce, the seat of sport connectivity and he went into the synagogue and on three Sabbath days. He reasoned with them from the Scripture explaining and proving that Christ had to suffer and rise from the dead. This is what he said people at Thessalonica this Jesus, I am proclaiming to you is the Christ. That's what Paul said that was the centerpiece on the mantelpiece of what Paul was doing and as we begin to unfold this wonderful reservoir of information that Paul gives the spiritual food based upon some fundamental issues in it seems to me that Paul had three strategies what is a strategy anyway. You've got to have a strategy to do something.

A strategy is the science of the art of planning property with a goal in mind it is a plan or a method designed to achieve a specific goal. So if you deciding that you want to establish a business. For example, you are most deeply encouraged to have a strategy because the strategies a plan or a method to achieve a goal. The first thing I would obscure if I was a consultant, which I'm not and you were about to do something I would say to you what your goals what you have in mind what is your mission, measure what you want to produce what you looking at one of the many questions I would Oscars what you strategy are you going to get you my have team strategies. One strategy for strategies but the number that counts. I believe had three strategies are. I remember many years ago Karen I just newlyweds and run the campus of the New Orleans Baptist seminary and we bankrupt. We just didn't have any money and so I had to get money from somewhere.

I will even have a home church is sponsoring church in America and so I got a job. Yep, I did.

I got employed as a painter on campus and I loved for three years. I painted the site painted what well everything that needed paint and everything on that campus needed by street signs, parking lots, classrooms, chairs every time a student moved out of one of those two-bedroom apartments outplaying crew would go with up to scrape all the wolves and clean a balance it would not be uncommon to see me there with a number in one hand and a spray gun in the other and I had to work were caught in between preaching and opportunities studying Greek and Hebrew. I would work all night nor Saturdays and public holidays and all afternoons and evenings and just to get money so that we could live in.

I was a painter and in fact I did so well. I became the paint supervise.

I just had to put that in.

This is important folks for you to know this.

And as the paint supervisor, I was able to hire a few fellow students to come onto the paint crew. We used to have more fun than you can shake a stick and we even had a paint truck. It looked like a paint truck to and one of the gentleman that Heidi's name was Buck never forget Buck.

Buck came from a place called Jackson, Tennessee.

If you know… Home of the great University, Jackson, Tennessee and the Buck arrived on campus and he began work on the paint crew ended very quickly became obvious to us that black had a very strange relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ.

Buck was a jolly nice fellow but what came out of these mouth didn't match.

Someone who belong to Jesus Christ. I mean he was a living contradiction when he didn't have any problem with and so they were many times that we would be cringing and wondering in looking at human, but just didn't seem to have any hunger for the things of God.

Have you ever met someone who goes to church on Sunday but on Monday, you wouldn't have any clue that they even belong to any church, let alone the Lord Jesus. Well Buck was, like that, but this was a seminary campus. I mean, he even got sponsored and saved five church and this really bothered me and two of my friends who painted with me and so we devised a strategy.

What was our goal was that we would find out whether or not in fact Buck was a Christian, good question number two. We would try to find out that giving fact he was a Christian hunger will be good. Being cold to become' a church or what ever I don't know that we were already praying for whatever church it was he was going to Boston.

What was our strategy was very simple, had a one point strategy everywhere I went. Buck went he painted with me driving the truck with me and one day we were in the bunion building stable. Remember, the bunion lecture mode and we were painting. I'm down there it's Saturday and the Eran painting away 930° heat and not the Buck and I said to him, Buck is good question. He said what's up Don I sit Buck would you like to give your heart to Jesus he said what are you talking about Saddam here on this campus at seminary. I said that's not what almost would you like to give your heart to Jesus. Buck he said man what you talking about I come from Jackson, Tennessee. That's not what I belong to this church, that's not what I'm asking you got a long story short, I will never forget Buck because God gave to me the privilege that day of leading Buck to trust Jesus as Savior. It was a dramatic experience in my life when we'd finished praying. He said what I do next. Gonna sit Buck you get up you go to Dr. Bob Neil's office, the registrar and you withdrawal from seminary withdrawal. Saddam just started my Masters degree arson you've got it done.

Withdrawal Buck he said why should I withdraw said will I sit on how you yeah you didn't even know God. So how did you get your he couldn't of called you to come in black and find out what it is. God wants you to do so. Buck went back to Jackson never saw him for about 10 years ago, preaching at an evangelism conference updating this young man walks up to me. 10 years later with a beautiful young lady. Since this is my wife Don said God gave me a beautiful Christian wife. I said what's going on in your life. Buck he said what you want believe it. He said I teach Sunday school in my church.

He said I became a deacon. This year I was elected chairman of the deacons in my own church I sit Buck that is wonderful. I said when are you coming back to seminary. He said I'm not God hasn't called me into the ministry, he said, but I want to tell you something Don Wilton I'm every churches dream. I'm every costumes dream because I'm serving the Lord Jesus with all my forgive the eruption will be back with the rest of today's message just three strategies part one Dr. Don Wilton Dr. Don Wilton remind you we are here for you.just presenting this broadcast with you listening on the radio and the podcast.

However, you might be listening today were also connecting 24 hours a day through our website and on our website right now. You'll see a remarkable loving connection for you and your sweetheart it's call 31 days of prayer for my husband and 31 days of prayer for my two wonderful resources, along with a message for better all of its available on our website at tewonline.org yes Valentines is passed, you know, there is never a bad time to begin to develop an even deeper relationship with the person that God provided for you all those details are on our website@tewonline.org ballots dive back into today's message Dr. Don Wilton had three strategies even just suddenly arrived one day in Thessalonica and say listen, let's see what we are about to do together recommendation. This unanimous recommendation in place, God's people's stamp on their blessing because it has to do with this issue of values and strategy: removing what is God saying to us why do we do what we do.

It's one of the most exciting things we were in a meeting on Tuesday from 830 in the morning till 430 in the often we didn't even leave the conference room for lunch had sandwiches brought in the goal for us, telling us revealing to us giving to us a fresh vision in this church when he came into the church at Thessalonica. He came with a fresh vision and an understanding and a passion he could see the people and he knew that all people need the Lord Jesus Christ and that Jesus Christ is the only one who could reach old people, and God gave to him. A threefold strategy strategy number one. He reasoned with those people down there at verse two. Bible says as his custom was full waving to the synagogue. By the way and pulls day can't think of the synagogue blackout church with 7000 people done.

Think of it with three worship services and don't think of it in our modern-day terminology today. The synagogue was a very small place in a big city and it catered for very small segment of the population chose the synagogue because it was so important, and the wound literally reason the word reason. When the Bible says that he reasoned with them that word reason is the same word the we get our English word to dialogue. It's the it's an identical word he dialogue with them.

He entered into a conversation with them if I was to bring Eddie Robertson up there right now and say to him in this sense, let's reason together. I would be inviting Eddie to come and to dialogue with me. We understand what that is understood what that was. We understand that in terms of small groups will understood that in order to reach the city that God had put any's heart that people have to gather in small groups because that's where they would prepay to go out and become engaged in the world in which they live. A small group is just simply a gathering of people in conversation led by a leader. It doesn't diminish the role of the lead infected elevates the role of a leader because God always places leaders in whatever group you find yourself in our churches. Many small groups beginning with our Sunday school life groups Sunday night discipleship groups Tuesday morning ladies Bible study groups, prayer groups monster life groups experiencing God. That's why when we went through experiencing God.

We gathered together and then we broke into small groups. You see something spiritual happens in those groups and Paul understood the strategy and it is absolutely abundantly clear that they're all different benefits of spiritual conversation that takes place in the dialogue of reasoning according to that which Paul did in the synagogue. No different then than what it is today.

What are some of those benefits of spiritual conversation in small groups. Number one. It introduces people to one another. You want to be introduced to people you need to be in one of those small groups that's where you meet people. Did you know that by the way, did you know that our whole society rarely is broken up into small groups.

Everything we do subsists on small groups, it's the neighborhood get what he was doing as he was saying we need to put together a system based upon the neighborhood.

We need to bring the people in microcosm together to have a nice conversation. What a powerful message Dr. Don Wilton your own Encouraging Word and perhaps that concept of a spiritual conversation, something that already has begun with the Holy Spirit and use during your heart as you been listening to Dr. Don Wilton teach and preach the word of God, afraid you'd open your heart just as you have to him teaching and preaching to what he wants to share with you next. Are you ready to give your heart and life to the Lord Jesus Christ. I'm so happy to hear that wanted to pray this prayer with me today. Dear God, I know that you love me very, very much and I know that the Lord Jesus Christ came God on the cross so that I might be forgiven of my sin. Today, I repent of my sin. I confess my sins and I invite you to come into my heart into my life in Jesus name I pray, if you prayed that prayer. Let me be the first one welcome to the family of this one. I hope that you know how much I'm going to be praying how very important this is for. We can talk to Nick right place you can begin this wonderful journey.

And in just a moment I'm in a come back with the final if you displayed along with Dr. Don Wilton to give your life to Christ.

We dedicate your life to Jesus Dr. Don Wilton to pray for you. We want to pray for you and with you and we want to give you some resources doctored on his prepared to help grow and take next steps. Our phone number is 866899 word, that number will connect with one of us anytime 24 hours a day. Pray with you and to connect with the three resources. Dr. Wilson want you to have together. Numbers 866899967 as we connect to pray it actually resource we have a mirrored of resources right now so many are asking about one days spouse that's on our website tewonline.org as is the remarkable book from Dr. Wilton about his time 20+ years being the pastor of Dr. Billy Graham hello everybody you know my friends know me as Don Wilton pasta friend, neighbor, dad, husband, grandpa and Andre to tell you people around the world just like you know and identify Dr. Billy Graham is that man gone you reach so many people around the world. Jesus Christ, I had the privilege of knowing Mr. Brightman very personal, intimate, both as his friend and as he supposed. In fact, for many years I drove up to his home in Montreat, North Carolina and visited with every sector, just like frames to every reset together and ate together will we discussed politics frames cases people we loft kids will we needed everything one could possibly make. That's why I wrote this Saturday's, it's all about personal relationship and I pray that Saturday's policing willingness justice. Mr. Brian Carrick model change again this is one of many resources available on our website@cdwonline.org are time systematic on now that's just one of our many resources available on our website tewonline.org on and before you get away with closing thoughts from our you know before we go to the value you know you and I have in the middle of our hearts, our beloved nation but we how much I love America. I'm so proud to be an American. You know this bold cost is seen by so many of our Armed Forces across the world and we hear from many, many of them and we love them my name's they are our real heroes and I want you to join with me as we are praying for them that God would put them and their families and loved ones, let's do that right now showing just before we got wanting to join with the Lord Jesus, I'm joining with thousands of people right now I'm trying for our members. Our brave, brave members of our community and our world. Lori many overseas. Strange places families left behind bulges listing funding every way. Jesus times gone for today but will dive back into the same series on three strategies with Dr. Don Wilton tomorrow at the same time. I hope you join us and perhaps invite