Thou Shalt Catch Men
Pastor David T. Elms 7/8/2025
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48:33
Summary
Pastor David T. Elms encourages the congregation to embrace the call to be 'fishers of men,' teaching that God uses our broken nets and feelings of inadequacy to bring in a miraculous, last-days harvest.
Key points
- •The Harvest is Sovereign: Using the miracle of the great catch in Luke 5, Pastor Elms emphasizes that revival is a sovereign act of God that often follows periods of fruitlessness and toil.
- •Adequacy is Not a Requirement: Like Peter's broken net, our own feelings of inadequacy, brokenness, or lack of expertise do not prevent God from filling our 'ships' with souls.
- •Bible Study is Relationship, Not Information: Teaching a Bible study is not about being a theological expert; it is about intertwining one's personal testimony with the structure of Scripture to share hope.
- •Character over Conquest: Effective ministry prioritizes genuine vulnerability and integrity over manipulative tactics or 'viral' headcounts.
Scripture
Evangelism
Bible Study
Revival
Discipleship
Spiritual Readiness
Life application
Identify one person in your circle of influence this week and invite them to a simple, one-hour Bible study or a conversation about your journey with God, trusting that your testimony is enough to start.
Reflection questions
- In what ways have you felt like you have 'toiled all night and caught nothing' in your spiritual life or outreach efforts?
- Pastor Elms spoke about the 'broken net' still being effective. How does your own brokenness actually help you connect with others seeking God?
- What 'rabbits' or distractions usually keep you from sharing the simple gospel of the death, burial, and resurrection?
- Who are the 'partners' in the church you can call upon to help you as you begin to reach out to others?
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Full transcript
0:00yet they are ripe for a Bible study.
0:00And uh that's why I want to bring to you
0:01this word tonight about catching men. Uh
0:05I'm reading from John Luke the 5th
0:07chapter. And it came to pass that as the
0:09people pressed upon him to hear the word
0:11of the Lord, he stood by the lake
0:13Ganesseret and saw two ships standing by
0:16the lake, but the fishermen were gone
0:18out from them and were washing their
0:20nets. And he entered into one of the
0:23ships, which was Simon's, and prayed for
0:25him that he would thrust out a little
0:27from the land. And of course, he sat
0:30down and taught the people out of the
0:31ship. Sounds like a good day. I would
0:33love to hear Jesus speaking and teaching
0:36from a boat. uh perched on the edge of
0:38the uh of the bank. Now when he had left
0:41speaking, in other words, it was the
0:43done the finishing up the evening just
0:45like several p people in the church.
0:48They come to church and then they go to
0:49work when church is over. Okay. Uh when
0:52he had left speaking, he said unto them,
0:53Simon, launch out into the deep and let
0:55out your nets for a draw. Now, here's
0:59the thing. These guys had already been
1:02fishing. They were exhausted with
1:04fishing. And so Simon answered and said
1:07unto him, "Master, we have toiled."
1:09Everybody say, "Toiled."
1:10Toiled.
1:11Toiled all the night and have taken
1:13nothing. Nevertheless, at thy word, I
1:16will let down the net.
1:19Notice what did the Lord say in verse
1:22four? Let down your
1:25nets. Some of y'all been around
1:27Pentecost long enough. You've heard this
1:29message. I'm not preaching that message,
1:31but I've got to point out that it says
1:32it.
1:34Let down your how many nets?
1:37More than one
1:39plural.
1:41And Peter answers and said, "Okay, I
1:44love you. I'm obedient. Nevertheless,
1:48nevertheless,
1:50at thy word, I will let down the net."
1:55And when they had done this, they
1:57enclosed a great multitude of fishes,
2:00and their net break.
2:04And they beckoned unto their partners,
2:06which were on the other ship, that they
2:08should come and help them. And they came
2:11and filled both ships with a broken net.
2:14Remember this net is broken. And they
2:17filled Oh my Lord.
2:23Okay. Lord, help me. Help me. I'm just
2:26going to go go ahead and tell it to
2:27because I'm not going to preach this
2:29message a long time tonight. I'm going
2:31to get to the point. But how many times
2:33do you feel like your effectiveness in
2:35reaching people is broken?
2:40Oh, I know who I'm talking to. I'm
2:42talking to me.
2:45How many times do we always feel like,
2:47okay, I I I wanted to believe God, but I
2:49didn't trust him enough. I should have
2:51trusted him more, but you know what? At
2:52least I'm cooperating. And when I
2:55cooperate, I realize what I've got is
2:57broken. But the Bible says, "In spite of
2:59the broken net, they filled both the
3:02ships so that they begin to seek." When
3:04Simmons when Simon Peter saw it, he fell
3:06down at Jesus's knees, saying, "Depart
3:08from me, for I am a sinful man, O Lord."
3:12For he was astonished.
3:15and all that were with him at the draw
3:18of the fishes
3:21which they had taken. I know some people
3:23are bothered by the uh litter litter uh
3:26literary uh word fishes.
3:31I acknowledge you. You've been
3:33acknowledged. Moving on. Fishes which
3:37they had taken. And so was also James
3:41and John, the sons of Zebedee, which
3:44were partners with Simon. And Jesus said
3:46unto him un Jesus said unto Simon, "Fear
3:50not, from henceforth
3:54thou shalt catch men."
3:58Thou shalt catch men. Turn to your
4:02neighbor and say, "Thou shalt catch
4:03men."
4:06Some of you girls got too excited about
4:08that. I'm just telling you right now. I
4:10felt it. I felt it in the house.
4:14I'm not going to point in any particular
4:16directions.
4:18You may be seated in Jesus name.
4:22Hallelujah.
4:23Oh, it doesn't feel good in the house of
4:25the Lord.
4:27I want to say that as I move forward,
4:28we've got fellowship starting this
4:30coming Sunday at the conclusion of
4:32church at 12:30. We're going to do
4:33fellowship. It is a core essence
4:37training system uh which we give you the
4:40essence or the beginning core values of
4:42the Cathedral of Pentecost. I cannot
4:44wait to be with you in that class. It
4:47always flies by. It's a great thing and
4:51of course it is just scratching the
4:53surface of this journey of living for
4:55God. I have been serving the Lord all my
4:59life. I've been a full-time pastor since
5:021992
5:03and I have got credentials for
5:06accomplishments in academic pursuits. My
5:09point is this. It doesn't matter how
5:11long you serve the Lord or how much you
5:13wrap your heart and mind around this
5:15word. You will never feel adequate
5:20you will never feel adequate
5:23for the carrying of this book to people.
5:28But I am here to come against the
5:30feeling of adequacy and say with broken
5:33nets you can fill ships.
5:35And so
5:37some people look at Bible teaching and
5:40Bible study teaching with skepticism of
5:42a man who's seen too many infomercials.
5:45And whenever the pastor starts talking
5:46about teaching Bible studies, their eyes
5:48begin to glaze over because what they
5:50have in their vision is uh I want the
5:52church to do that. I'm going to leave
5:54that to the professionals. Uh, I'm going
5:55to leave that to the people who are bold
5:57enough to say I can teach a Bible study
5:59and certainly that's not for me. Uh, so
6:02and I'm not trying to dictate to
6:04everyone that it is for you except I
6:07have to go to the Bible
6:09and tell you that he commissions
6:11everyone.
6:12After that you receive the Holy Ghost,
6:15you shall be my witnesses.
6:18So I want to remove the concept of you
6:21teaching Bible studies from being only
6:24the aspect of the experts to
6:27understanding that if you have many
6:29quandries and questions yourself, you
6:31are still needed to teach Bible studies.
6:36It's not an inome an infomercial that
6:38the pastors come to try to promote. The
6:41only reason the church is here is
6:42reaching the lost. That's it. The only
6:46reason we're here. We are not here to
6:47create a conclave of the prestigious.
6:50We're not here to create some safe zone
6:53just for our families. We are not here
6:55to just try to become experts on
6:57scriptural interpretation. We are here
7:00to reach the lost. And it is easy to
7:05become ingrown to our comfort zone and
7:08find our idiosyncrasies and the things
7:11that are interesting to us instead of
7:13always remembering the simplic the
7:15simplicity of reaching lost people. You
7:20shall be fishers of men. You shall catch
7:25men. And the wise person, the Bible
7:29says, "He that winth souls is wise."
7:33Deducing that verse down, many times
7:35it's been used as the bludgeoning club
7:39to try to make people be driven to teach
7:42Bible studies. I want to reveal to you
7:46that it is not a club to hit people over
7:48the head. It is just a simple
7:51explanation. The reason The reason
7:54you're here tonight is because you love
7:56Bible studies. Some of y'all heard me
7:59preach Sunday and I see you here
8:01tonight. And I love you for that because
8:04it shows you're hungry. You're hungry.
8:08But the thing that I want you to be
8:09hungry for ultimately is hungry to love
8:13people. And the way you show love for
8:16people is not an abstract softness of
8:19heart as you observe. It's by
8:21interlacing your heart with their heart
8:25and realizing that even though you're
8:27going to have a broken net and you're
8:29going to feel like what you are is
8:31insufficient that the Lord can use your
8:34brokenness to do the revival that he is
8:38sending to the world. The wise person is
8:42compelling souls to choose the life of
8:47the Lord. And they are doing so by
8:50emulating life lessons with their
8:54stories. And essentially all of Bible
8:56study is is being willing to take the
9:00structure of scripture and intertwine
9:04your testimony
9:06with the structure of scripture to share
9:09it with another person who's trying to
9:12find a story of hope in their life. You
9:16don't have to be able to execute
9:17scripture. You don't have to be able to
9:19explain all things. You have to be a
9:21witness.
9:23Amen.
9:24A witness that means say what you have
9:28experienced.
9:30And so, uh, teaching Bible studies is
9:32not something that's supposed to be done
9:34by the experts. It's supposed to be done
9:37by everyone. The Bible says the
9:39righteous produce a life that
9:43righteousness produces a life-giving
9:45tree and the wise are those who partake
9:49of its fruit. Leading souls into
9:52conversion is not as pullpit down as it
9:56is horizontal. You know they talk about
9:59how sheep must be get sheep. And I have
10:02been a soul winner in my life and I
10:05remain a soul winner. But I want to tell
10:07you the winning of souls is not the duty
10:09of the pastor. It is the duty of the
10:12church.
10:14And how do you win souls? You have to be
10:17wise. But you've also got to care enough
10:20to want to know about their life and be
10:24willing to be vulnerable enough with
10:26your life to share your stories, your
10:30blunders, your fumbles, your doubts,
10:33your discouragements, your victories,
10:36your wins, your losses, and you
10:39intertwine yourself with those people to
10:43do what the Bible says. Let your light
10:45so shine. Whose light shines?
10:49Your light. It's not Jesus's light.
10:52Well, it's Christ in me. No, let your
10:55light. Why your light? Because it's his
10:58miraculous flow through the story of
11:02your life.
11:03And it's it's learning how to just be
11:08what you already are. You don't And
11:11that's so redundant. What I just said
11:13sounds so ridiculous. I mean, if I could
11:15press the tape and go back.
11:19Learning how to do what you already know
11:21how to do,
11:23that seems ridiculous.
11:25It's just interpersonal relationships.
11:29And when you teach a Bible study,
11:30obviously uh it would be it doesn't
11:33require brilliance to know it's got to
11:35be appropriate. It's got to be within
11:37the reason of the scope of the kind of
11:39friends that one would have. uh you know
11:42you you unless there's open doors, you
11:45always have people around you to assist
11:47you to say is this an appropriate kind
11:49of Bible study. I don't need to get off
11:51on what is inappropriate.
11:54I'm not going to run down that one, but
11:55you know, if if
11:58I could have a lot of fun with that
12:00right now. Uh but teaching a Bible study
12:02is also not manipulative tactics of
12:05persuasion.
12:07You're not trying to manipulate people.
12:09You're trying to share with them the
12:11story of your life. So, you've got to be
12:13interested in them. That's what the
12:15enemy doesn't want. Selfishness is just
12:18being interested in me.
12:22And to be interested in them, you've got
12:24to stop and find out something about
12:27them and reconfigure
12:30your conversation to fit
12:33what they're interested in. I have
12:36become all things to all men that by all
12:38means I might save
12:40some.
12:42So it's not about being the greatest
12:44manipulator. We're not in this thing to
12:46try to get about headc counts. We're not
12:49in some race that souls that are to be
12:51tallied with likes and clicks. We're not
12:54trying to find something that went
12:56viral. Bible study is saying, "I'm
12:59willing to take time to get to know you
13:02and you can sit with me in a safe place
13:05and we can talk about salvation." Not
13:09about just Harley-Davidsons or horses.
13:12Not just about flying kites or kittens.
13:15No, it's about saying we're going to
13:17have a formal aspect and make it a
13:20pursuit of the Lord. And so in this
13:22journey of learning how to teach someone
13:25a Bible study or at least embracing the
13:28quest of teaching someone a Bible study,
13:31we must prioritize character over
13:34conquest.
13:36Character. If you're teaching someone a
13:39Bible study, you got to let them into
13:40your heart a little bit.
13:42And if you're willing to let them into
13:44your heart a little bit, it's because
13:46you understand that in this process,
13:49you're going to walk in character
13:51character and integrity. You know, some
13:53people don't do not want others to get
13:55close because they cannot stand the
13:58light of revelation. When you get close
14:01to them, they've got things that they
14:02just don't want you to know. So, you
14:03stay right there. winning souls is
14:06saying, "No, I am vulnerable, too." And
14:10we are going to find a way to walk
14:12together to heaven. He that winth souls
14:17is wise. Human worth is the most
14:21valuable thing on this earth. For God so
14:24loved the world that he gave his only
14:25begotten son. Why? Not for the animals.
14:29He gave it for humanity.
14:32There are going to be animals in heaven.
14:34Oh yes. I don't know how many animals I
14:37have rebuked every mosquito.
14:40I've rebuked the mosquitoes,
14:43but who knows? They might feed the bats.
14:45And who knows, the bats may have a song
14:46to sing. I don't know.
14:49But you know, there's all these
14:50nocturnal animals that, you know, in
14:53fact, when I was preparing for Sunday's
14:54message, one of the there was so many so
14:57much vivid imagery in those first five
14:59verses. And forgive me for going back to
15:01Sunday, but it's still radiating in my
15:03spirit. And and when I read where
15:05they're going to take their idols and
15:06they're going to feed them to the bats
15:08and moles so that when the sunrise comes
15:11that those bats will go to their hidden
15:13craigs and the rocks and the moles will
15:15go to their hidden spots in the ground.
15:17That's how ashamed of their idols
15:19they'll be. I just thought, my goodness,
15:21that's vivid. Good night, what a
15:24description. I don't even know where a
15:26mole is around here. I would have said
15:29bats and rats.
15:31But you know the the thing about it is
15:33there's coming a day that this is going
15:35to matter. It matters right now. Okay?
15:39It matters right now. But there is
15:41coming a day where the reward is going
15:43to be so great that you will be so
15:46thankful that you took tonight's service
15:49to heart. You will be so glad that you
15:53didn't look at this as another night to
15:54play dodgeball with the sermon.
15:59I didn't bring water water balloons.
16:02Would have been a lot of fun though,
16:03wouldn't it? If Kevin would have been
16:05hit first.
16:08No, it's not a matter of trying to put
16:10you under guilt. I am convinced that the
16:12revival that is coming is going to be so
16:14great that we will not be able to have
16:17common usual church as we know it right
16:19now. I am convinced that the revival is
16:22going to be so miraculous. Oh, help me,
16:24Holy Ghost. Listen, did you read what
16:27the Bible said about those fish coming
16:28into a broken net?
16:31I think that was the picture of the Lord
16:33showing the last day revival and what
16:36they had in the book of Acts was just a
16:39beginning portion. I am convinced the
16:42grand finale will be so much larger than
16:45you've ever anticipated in all your days
16:49that we sit here and we feel like we're
16:51beating the air. But I promise you in
16:54the last days it's going to be so
16:55sovereign that he's going to say, "Will
16:57you go out and get in that boat again
16:59and go out?" And we're gonna somehow
17:03hopefully not do it, but we're probably
17:05going to let down our net when the Lord
17:08said, "Let down your nets."
17:12And yet God is going to be so good and
17:15so dynamic and so sovereign that even
17:19though we only had one net, he's going
17:22to fill it so full that both ships are
17:25going to sink with the residue of one
17:28broken net because that is the
17:31description of the revival that he's
17:34sending. And he said from that he used
17:36that whole illustration, that whole
17:38miracle, that whole amazing. I mean, I
17:41would love just to make a laugh joke
17:44laughing at Peter trying to get those
17:47nets in. I mean, listen, if you've ever
17:49been fishing with Greg or Mike, okay?
17:52Uh, these are guys that um in church you
17:56don't hear them an awful lot. All right?
17:58I've tried to get here and I'm talking
17:59about the Leonard boys, okay? I'll make
18:01it plain. Uh uh I I try to hear them. I
18:05want to hear them during the service. I
18:07But Mike, you know, he'll say an amen.
18:09And Greg, he he says it, but he says it
18:11a lot on the stringed instruments, but
18:13not on the organs. Uh he plays his bass
18:15for the Lord. Okay? But if you go
18:17fishing with them,
18:23it can be calm, collected.
18:26But when a fish is on the hook,
18:32ladies and gentlemen, it's not calm,
18:34cool, and collected.
18:36There's a level of excitement that
18:38Right. Get the net. Get the net. This is
18:40a big one. Get Can you imagine when
18:44Simon Peter realized that that net was
18:46full? I mean, he was already bombastic.
18:50He was already very expressive and that
18:54his eyes lighten up. I mean, he's weary
18:56from the night before where he's toiled.
18:59He said, "I we've toiled all the night
19:01and caught nothing."
19:03And the Lord said, "Come on, cast your
19:05net out, your nets." And they I will get
19:08the net. Puts it out. You know the
19:10story. I would I can't wait to see the
19:13excitement on his face when he realizes
19:19because here's the thing. It's not those
19:21fish were not just a catch. There was
19:25big monetary stuff in those nets, too.
19:27Okay? They saw a trip to the market,
19:30too. Okay? Don't don't think for a
19:32minute they didn't have two boats full
19:34of fish and they were just going to
19:36leave them there. No, it was straight to
19:38the market and they were going to have a
19:40nice little haul that day and mama's
19:42going to the mall
19:46because of the revival of the miracle of
19:49the draw of fish. I am convinced that
19:53all the benefits and blessings and joys
19:56and thrills that one gets
19:59when they catch a fish.
20:04It's going to be tenfold that when we
20:07realize
20:09that this is the miracle harvest that
20:12we've heard preached about. I don't
20:14think it's going to be a little drip
20:16drop, little drudge, a little drag. No,
20:19I think when it happens, there's going
20:21to be a fever of expectation that's
20:25going to go through the entire church.
20:28And I'm talking about some of you who
20:30the devil has told you you can never
20:32teach a Bible study. It's going to be
20:34like a gold rush that's going to sweep
20:37over the body of Christ. And you're
20:39going to say, "Good night. Let me go get
20:43my Bible. It's working for that one and
20:46that one and that one." And it's so much
20:48fun.
20:52I am convinced that this is not me using
20:55a metaphor to get excited. The latter
20:57rain shall be greater than the former
21:00rain. There shall be light in the
21:03evening time. When they say it's night,
21:07don't look too much because day is
21:09coming. Day, not the night. Because the
21:12Lord is going to use his people. So,
21:15this lesson tonight could be could be
21:19the most used sermon you will hear all
21:22year
21:25because I want you to lean into the
21:28truth that he's calling you
21:30to catch people.
21:34True influence is not coercive rhetoric.
21:37You're not going to win them because you
21:39said everything perfect. you're not
21:40going to win them because you had the
21:42perfect nets to cast out. And I So I
21:45when you say I don't have a good I'm not
21:48qualified. My my my chart isn't good
21:50enough. My my choice isn't good enough.
21:52All of that is Let me I want to debunk
21:54it tonight because honestly it it you
21:57can print them out online. You can take
22:00if you have an iPad, you can show it
22:02from your iPad like that. If you got a
22:04computer, you can teach it from your
22:05computer screen. Just open it up at
22:07Starbucks page page. I teach from
22:11pictures. I don't even use the teachers
22:13manual. Of course, of course, I know I
22:15have an advantage.
22:17So, please, I'm not trying to say it
22:18like that. But the the bottom line is is
22:21that there are so many Bible studies out
22:24there that for one, and they've got to
22:26teach the truth, though. Okay? There are
22:28too many. And all of them don't take
22:29them to the death, burial, and
22:31resurrection of Jesus Christ.
22:33We're not just trying to get them to say
22:34Jesus. Okay? I've been around those who
22:36say I'm a great commission preacher. So
22:38what what does that mean? What does
22:39great commission mean? It's well I just
22:40get them to praying in Jesus name. Well,
22:42good night. I guess Peter was was
22:46terribly wrong.
22:48Why did he say more on the day of
22:50Pentecost? He should have just said save
22:53Jesus.
22:54No, we want to get them the whole gospel
22:57to the whole world by the whole church.
22:58You must be baptized in water by
23:01immersion in the name of Jesus. You must
23:04be filled with his spirit. And it's
23:06going to in that last day, you know how
23:08people sometimes, well, I'm having a
23:09hard time. I think it's going to flow so
23:12fast and so pure and so real that you're
23:15going to just there's going to be time
23:17you just reach out and touch them and
23:18they start talking in touch. It will be
23:20like this draw of fish that was coming
23:23in so great that they had to call help.
23:26Help. Listen, I've got a church full of
23:28LX. I think we've got over 46. I don't
23:31know, Johnny. Do we know our roster? How
23:33many do we have here now? Yes. That
23:36about 43 that are in our church. Every
23:38Lexmer has had to teach Bible studies or
23:41they cannot graduate. Okay. They have to
23:43teach them first. They teach them one to
23:45another. And if you have never taught a
23:47Bible study, grab your best friend in
23:50church and teach them a Bible study.
23:52They first have to teach them one to
23:54another. And you usually they'll teach
23:56one to some that has taught them before
23:58and they'll kind of give them a little
23:59critique when it's done. Then they got
24:01to go in pairs and then finally at the
24:04end they're teaching alone. And this is
24:06an assignment. They get graded for this.
24:08If they don't do it, they can't get
24:09pinned. They don't get their stole.
24:12They're not going to be graduating
24:14because the entirety of getting the
24:16story of Jesus to people is the only
24:19reason why we are here.
24:22Lex Emmers who have graduated, are you
24:25teaching Bible studies?
24:30Please keep it up. We've got people
24:33coming to this church right now. We've
24:35got one coming on Sunday morning who
24:37comes with her baby because there was
24:39some LX emmers in the Denny's right over
24:42there on university that after a class
24:44they got hanging out stood to stay late.
24:46I'm glad I don't put a curfew on them
24:48curfew on them and they're just old
24:50enough to sort of bump their parents'
24:51curfew for some reason. Uh but they they
24:54all got in a circle at Denny's and
24:56prayed in a circle at Denny's. And this
24:59girl was a waitress there at Denny's. It
25:03was one year later after the hills and
25:05valleys of life shows up that she calls
25:08somebody. I think it's Sister Olga and
25:10said, "You know what? I think I'm ready
25:12to come to your church." She hasn't
25:14missed now for four weeks. She's going
25:16to Somebody might already be teaching a
25:17Bible study, but our church is really
25:19literally on Sunday mornings, it is full
25:22of men who need to have another man
25:25embrace them and say, "Hey, let's meet
25:28down at Charlie's uh uh Harley-Davidson
25:31shop and teach a Bible study with a cup
25:33of coffee. Let's meet at the church
25:35benches down by the lake on the church
25:37lake and teach. If you want to meet with
25:39Sister Alms, she'll meet you at the
25:41chicken coupe and show you who Eleanor
25:44is." I'm just telling you the the bottom
25:46line is it's just a matter of getting
25:48together and talking that we will
25:51journey to heaven in truth together.
25:58And here's the thing about Bible
25:59studies. It's not a quick fix. That's
26:02the thing about a Bible study. It's not
26:03a relationship you go and you done and
26:05move on. No, it's it's I'm telling you,
26:07it will be lifetime. It doesn't mean
26:09you'll always meet lifetime, but you
26:11will have a connection for life that is
26:13forever tied into those moments that are
26:15intimate. That the Holy Ghost doesn't
26:18invade. He's welcomed. And when he shows
26:21up, tears flow. Laughter fills the room.
26:24It becomes a holy gathering.
26:28The world is always enamored with quick
26:30fixes, you know, and I I appreciate
26:33quick fixes. Quick fixes. Sometimes we
26:37can bring in a special preacher and
26:38he'll pray 20 people through. As my
26:41heart as a pastor is I'm so glad we can
26:43put out on on Twitter we've had 20
26:44people get the Holy Ghost but in one
26:46month I want to know where's any of the
26:4820
26:49did because at then those numbers become
26:53between you and I please nobody's
26:54listening online. It becomes fraudulent
26:56to me because what am I am I just trying
27:00to throw out quick fixes and likes and
27:02virals and so we have a revival that
27:04went viral. I I mean that sounds good.
27:06But did we walk together? Did we talk
27:08together? Did we become as a communion
27:11of of love and fighting one for another
27:14and standing with one another in the
27:16valleys and on the hilltops because that
27:18is winning a soul
27:21that winth soul. Soul winning isn't just
27:23about leading people to Jesus Christ.
27:26It's about helping people to keep
27:29walking.
27:31So four points I'm going to bring. four
27:34points simply. First of all, LXM, when
27:38we have altar call, I still need you to
27:41become altar workers. I still need you
27:43to I know we have assigned groups, but
27:45we need people that are sensitive to not
27:47just when I say altar work, I'm not just
27:49saying here. I'm saying, why don't you
27:50walk to the back? There's people sitting
27:51back there that's about to break through
27:53the Holy Ghost. They just need somebody
27:54to think the altar extends all the way
27:56to the back.
27:57When the revival pours out, the altar is
27:59going to be in the in the parking lot.
28:01Yes,
28:02people's going to be getting the Holy
28:03Ghost all over this city because the
28:05draw of fish is going to be so
28:07miraculous. I I'm going to preach it
28:09until I die or I see it. But I promise
28:13you, it's coming. It's coming. And woe
28:16be me if I don't prepare you for a day
28:20that you don't have encouragement in
28:22your spirit. You're wore out. You've
28:24toiled so much in times before and
28:27nothing seemed to work. You're as wore
28:29out as Simon Peter was. Jesus used this
28:33illustration to say this is how you're
28:36going to catch men. And I think it
28:38wasn't just for the day of Pentecost,
28:40but it was also for us in this hour that
28:43Pentecost is going to become small time.
28:50Oh, I've got people in relationship. And
28:52that's what I really believe. And I I I
28:54just I mentioned to brother Ricky today
28:56as he was interviewed by the chief to
28:58become the fire department chaplain and
29:00there are times in my chap I just feel
29:02like I'm beating the air. You know I
29:04love the appreciate and I appreciate the
29:05relationships and God's given me great
29:07favor. I have so much favor. There's not
29:09a table I can't sit at. Okay. In fact I
29:12feel like the chiefs at times wonder why
29:14in the world I won't sit at their table
29:16because I've got that kind of
29:17relationship with Chief Poland and Chief
29:19Kinsey. They're just wonderful men. I
29:21love them. I literally love them. I love
29:23their families. They're unbelievable.
29:25And it's an honor to work with them, but
29:27I I just want to do my duty. And then
29:29when I leave, I stop and I ask the hard
29:31question.
29:33What was fruitful?
29:38Did anything get people to the Lord?
29:44Was any of this doing the work of God?
29:50I believe with all my heart that when
29:52this revival happened, all of those
29:56seeds,
29:58all of those relationships
30:01that I can't begin to tell you about
30:03mine, but by the same token, my
30:07relationships
30:08are not any greater than your
30:12relationships.
30:14Don't diminish
30:16the impact of where God is walking with
30:20you and talking with you. You thought
30:22that was just a job and God took you
30:25there. You thought that was just
30:26somebody at the grocery store and God
30:28got you there. Because there's coming a
30:31day in the last hour when those
30:33relationships, they're going to come up
30:35to you and say, "I know you."
30:40And y'all, there's times I go to
30:41conference and people walk up, they know
30:43me, and I feel terrible because I don't
30:44know them. I know most of y'all most of
30:47the time. But
30:51I am convinced that on that day, every
30:54one of you are going to have people who
30:56are going to walk up and they're going
30:57to know you. And you're not going to
31:00know who they are because in your life,
31:03you were so caught in the grind of just
31:05trying to get through the toil. But God
31:09put you there for that moment. And when
31:12this last day revival happens, we're
31:15going to have to everybody
31:17get your saddle on the horse. That's the
31:20wrong metaphor. Let me see. Saddle up
31:22and ride. That's a cowboy metaphor. You
31:25better put on your put on your helmet
31:27and start your motorcycle. That's the
31:29wrong metaphor. What
31:32I want you guys not to think it's for
31:35others. And so the best way to get
31:37situated for this is to take these four
31:41simple points I'm about to give you.
31:43Number one, I'm telling you, uh
31:47I hate this. I All the Lexmers know
31:50right now this is a pet peeve. All
31:53right, listen. I I I got in trouble with
31:57all of y'all. They all preach next
31:59Tuesday night. You don't want to miss
32:00it. First, go prayerful and prepared.
32:05Prepared doesn't mean So that's number
32:06one. Prayerful and prepared. If you're
32:09not going in the spirit, what are you
32:11doing?
32:12We're a spiritual church.
32:14Doesn't mean you've had to lay out and
32:15pray like brother Hail prays. Listen, I
32:19can't pray like brother Hail prays.
32:21He's a Titan. But I remember when he was
32:25my age and he didn't pray then like he
32:26prays now. He was a prayer man, a
32:28praying man. But his life has continued
32:31to ascend.
32:33Oh Lord, let that be ours. Huh?
32:36Let not out of guilt. Not out of not out
32:39of us trying to be become some
32:40superstar. No, just the drawing and the
32:43wooing and the hunger. The Lord just
32:46draws you and you start saying, "Well, I
32:48can't stay away. I got to I got to check
32:50in. I got to check in more." First, go
32:52prayerful and prepared even for
32:54questions you do not know.
32:58Is the world round or flat?
33:05How long? We're not going to discuss
33:06that right now.
33:10Here's the thing. Those that's those are
33:12tricks of the enemy to get you chasing
33:14things other than the gospel.
33:17If it's flat or round, I don't know. I
33:19just need to go up.
33:22It's round. I've flown around it. All
33:24the way around it. Starting in New York
33:27to London. All the way around it. from
33:30the Philippines and around to Hawaii.
33:32I've flown all the way around it. Uh so
33:35anyway, my point is this. You cannot
33:39chase those rabbits. And that's where
33:41your prayerfulness will get you to say,
33:43"Okay, let's get back on this lesson."
33:45So number one, go prayerfully prepared
33:47even for questions you do not know.
33:49Number two, have a formal start. You
33:51can't just get together and say, "Well,
33:53let's just get together and talk." No,
33:54there needs to be a plan. Okay, this is
33:57the time we're going to have it and
33:58we'll start at this and such a time.
34:01Okay, have a formal start. It's
34:03important to have a formal start. Uh
34:07prayer. You can open with prayer. Always
34:10open with prayer. This isn't the long
34:11drawn out your preparation. No, this is
34:14thank you Lord for this day. And ask
34:16prayer request, you know, if they've got
34:17a prayer request and pray for it right
34:19then. Lord, you know, they're battling
34:20this situation. They got the black widow
34:22fighting them at work. And Lord, so
34:24we're praying that they'll be delivered
34:25from the black widow in Jesus name. And
34:28uh we're going to find victory because
34:29we walk together and not alone.
34:33You've helped them just like I helped
34:35somebody in this church right then. I
34:37brought joy to their life. Uh and so
34:40have a formal start. That's number two.
34:42Number one, go prayerful and prepared.
34:44Number two, have a formal start. Number
34:46three, stress to maintain
34:50an ending point.
34:53You say, "Brother Roman, you're not
34:54teaching me content." I am not teaching
34:57you content right now. You got a
34:58thousand million options. You got the
35:01core Bible study. You got exploring
35:03God's word. You got search for truth.
35:05You got uh you got uh insight Bible
35:07study. I'm telling you, you just ask
35:09brother Justin. Ask sister Crystal. Ask
35:12sister Vicki who there's so many others
35:14that Brother and Sister Garfinkle have
35:15taught Bible studies for years. I I I'm
35:17I'm stuck with exploring God's word. you
35:20know, you get one in your wheelhouse
35:21because it's not about the material. You
35:24know, the material is going to take them
35:25to death, burial, resurrection. Believe
35:27me, that obviously that's the only way
35:29they can be saved. I can't save him. I
35:31got to get them to the cross. The cross
35:34is his death, his burial, his
35:35resurrection. That's the cross. The
35:38preaching of the men that perish, it's
35:40foolishness. But to them that are the
35:42saved, it's the power of God unto
35:44salvation.
35:46And so, first of all, go prayerful and
35:48prepared. Number two, have a formal
35:50start. Number three, stress to maintain
35:53a close, not a cold end. I'm talking
35:57about ending it. You know, you decide,
35:58I'm going to go only an hour. Period.
36:02And I know they'll get you caught up in
36:03conversation. Then you'll chase this
36:05rabbit and you'll get off on politics
36:06and whether you agree with them or not
36:08agree with them, you better be careful.
36:10You got to stay on focus.
36:13Have a formal start. Formal start means
36:16we're talking about the Bible. Not
36:18anything in the Bible. We're talking
36:20about salvation.
36:22And so you have a formal start, have a
36:24formal close. Let's pray. Lord, thank
36:28you for this word. I know you're working
36:30on me. Thank you for the tears that
36:31handicapped me just a minute ago. You
36:33know, you can admit things and people
36:35are shocked that you pray real prayers.
36:38You know, they think you're supposed to
36:39come with this high sounding prayer and
36:41you just admit that you liked that
36:42lollipop in the middle of your prayer.
36:44it it throws them off guard because what
36:47are you doing? You're walking with them.
36:49You're not trying to impress them.
36:52You're letting your light so shine
36:53before men. Number one, go prayerful and
36:56prepared. Number two, have a formal
36:57start. Number three, have a formal
37:00close. Doesn't mean y'all can't hang out
37:02the rest of the night, but if it's a
37:04group, you got to say, "We're done.
37:07We're finished." And you, if you're at
37:09their house, please leave.
37:14Please leave. I don't care how much you
37:15like their their video games or
37:18whatever.
37:19Leave. It's got to go on. You don't want
37:22to wear them out in one day.
37:25So, you've got to have a close. The
37:28longest would be an hour. Not a two-hour
37:30Bible study. An hour. And I know young
37:33people get hanging around, but I'm just
37:34telling you, the formal part needs to be
37:35an hour. And then finally realize
37:41God
37:43sends the miracle.
37:50God,
37:52you may be toiling with broken nets.
37:55You may feel like you dropped the ball.
37:58And you will have Bible studies that
38:00will not
38:03seem to be fruitful.
38:05But I'm telling you,
38:07you've got to stay at it. Do you know
38:10the story of Jesus turning the water
38:11into wine?
38:13You know, it's second John. It's the
38:15first miracle of Jesus.
38:18They said unto them, Jesus said unto
38:20them, "Fill the water pots with water."
38:23And so they did so. And the Bible said
38:25they filled them to the very brim. And
38:27then Jesus said, "Take the water to the
38:30governor of the feast." It doesn't look
38:32like Jesus is doing anything but
38:33talking. There's no abracadabra. There's
38:36no waving of his hand. There's no
38:38touching of the barrels. The servants
38:40had to find the barrels. The servants
38:42had to fill the barrels. And then as
38:44soon as the barrels were in front of the
38:45Lord, he didn't do a twirl. He didn't
38:48talk in tongues. He just said, "Now take
38:51the barrels to the governor of the
38:52feast." And when the ruler of the feast,
38:54the Bible says, had tasted the water.
39:02This isn't water. This is wine.
39:06and knew not whence it was. In other
39:08words, he never knew that it was water.
39:11And then in parenthesis, the book of
39:12John tells us, "But the servants which
39:14drew the water knew." Jesus didn't draw
39:16the water. The servants drew the water.
39:19Some think that God is going to do this
39:21by revival all by himself. And when I
39:24look at my Bible and see the miracles of
39:27God, the Lord didn't get the net. He
39:31didn't get the boat. The Lord didn't
39:34cast the net out. The Lord wasn't the
39:37one that went to help them when the draw
39:39of fish came. They called for their
39:42friends to come help them. And it was
39:44the Lord's backup boat. It was their
39:46friend's boat that helped them. God sent
39:50the miracle, but it was their net that
39:53broke. It was their boats that brought
39:55it all in. And so it was with the water
39:57being turned to wine. It wasn't the Lord
39:59bringing the water. It wasn't the Lord
40:01getting the barrels. It wasn't the Lord
40:04tasting the water. God did the miracle.
40:08And when it was all said and done, the
40:11servants had done every bit of the
40:14efing,
40:16the toiling. It was all the work of the
40:19servants. But when the work came forth,
40:23the miracle made it happen. When Jesus
40:26asked for prayer for the revival of the
40:27last days, he said, "The harvest is
40:30plenteous." Sister Elms, come. I'm
40:32finished. The harvest is plenteous, but
40:34the laborers
40:37are few.
40:39Why
40:41are the laborers few?
40:44Because the devil is very effective
40:46at accusing the brethren.
40:50He's very effective at accusing the
40:52brethren. And you know what he accuses
40:53you of? You're illprepared.
40:56You don't have that kind of personality.
40:59You you your life is full. You don't
41:02need to have time for that. Listen, just
41:04going to church is enough.
41:06And I'm asking you not to teach 10 Bible
41:09studies. I'm asking you to teach.
41:22Will you
41:25start by throwing your net out?
41:30I know we got people that teach five and
41:34more.
41:36All I want is if you'll just do what
41:39Simon Peter did.
41:41Oh, it broke.
41:45But with a broken net and too little
41:47boat,
41:49God
41:51did it. And so
41:54shall we stand?
41:57The miracle is unstoppable.
42:01Just as the sun will rise in the east
42:03tomorrow,
42:05this revival is coming. People you have
42:09loved and known for years, you are
42:11already positioned to win them.
42:14But what I want you to do is try to get
42:16positioned for people that you don't
42:19know yet.
42:21Because the ones you already know,
42:25they're coming. when the draw of the
42:28revival, the mass of souls starts
42:32happening at the last days. You know,
42:34our home teams are an attempt to get
42:37people more comfortable in that kind of
42:39a setting of talking about it. And
42:42that's really all it is. It's trying to
42:44get the message out of these four walls
42:47into your home. But I love that we've
42:50got people meeting people many places. I
42:53I I'm one of our right now and I'm going
42:55to brag on him just a little bit, but
42:56brother Justin has a Bible study going
42:59on that I I can't tell you how much my
43:02heart has rejoiced. You know, I'm his
43:03boss every once in a while. Will you all
43:05just go by and tell him and remind him
43:07that he forgets it really easy? You
43:10know just
43:12listen. My wife, she is always defending
43:15people. I'm sitting around trying to
43:17have fun and immediately No, no, no, no,
43:19no, no. Justin's awesome, but Justin
43:24tried to teach me how to play pickle
43:25ball.
43:27It's going to take Justin. We just got
43:29to get our second trip.
43:32I got to play pickle ball. But Justin
43:34has a Bible study going on right now
43:36with friends that he met playing pickle
43:39ball. And some of them are here tonight.
43:41I'm not going to point them out. But I
43:44just I I can't tell you.
43:47First of all, he and I will sit in the
43:49office or we'll talk about it at
43:51devotion. Sister Pam after she's rolled
43:54all the way across the front and twirled
43:57and danced and we just glow. Why? Why?
44:02Why do we glow? Is it that we're trying
44:05to put the Cathedral of Pentecost brand
44:07out? God forbid.
44:11There is no brand here.
44:14It's about people.
44:17who want power
44:19when that real devil comes beating down
44:23their door.
44:26And mark my words, he's doing it. Not
44:29him himself. He can only be one place at
44:32a time. But he does have a lot of
44:34minions,
44:35a lot of unclean spirits, a lot of
44:39demons. And all we're trying to do is
44:41get people the power.
44:44I I can't go on social media. I'm
44:46telling you, I I honestly it's so hard
44:49for me because it just inflames the
44:52brain, at least mine. And supposedly
44:55there's this this minister's wife in
44:57Texas that's out. I don't even want to
45:01repeat what she's saying, but now she
45:02just got fired, but she was saying
45:04something about these kids that have
45:05drowned. And
45:07anyway, I'm not going to repeat it, but
45:09I just sat there and I thought, "My God
45:11have mercy. How can people who say they
45:13were Christian ever get to a place where
45:15they can say that? And uh it's just it's
45:19demonic.
45:21I'm not saying that loud. I'm not saying
45:23that mean. I'm just telling you it's
45:26demonic. More Christianity is easier to
45:30assault verbally in this nation now than
45:35it has ever been since the inception of
45:38this nation. And this is probably the
45:43most Christian nation on the earth.
45:47Probably. I know it might be debatable,
45:50but I'm telling you when I talk about
45:53Christian and and I know Catholic is
45:55Christian. We're not the most Catholic
45:56nation, but I'm talking about people
45:58that Anyway, you understand what I'm
46:01saying? It's really it's in our bylaws.
46:02It's on our dollar bills. In God we
46:04trust. And when it's becoming so openly
46:07easy to say Christianity that all of
46:11them ought to die.
46:13I mean to say it out loud with your
46:14words. All of them ought to die. All of
46:18those that drowned should have drowned
46:20at a Christian camp.
46:22All they're going to do is grow up and
46:24be more Christians.
46:27Okay. Okay. Well, what am I to do on a
46:30Tuesday night about that? Well, I'll
46:32tell you what we're going to do. We're
46:34going to smile. We're going to show up.
46:39We're not going forth fighting with
46:41these.
46:43We're fighting on our knees.
46:46For the battle we win is because God
46:49gives the increase.
46:52I want us to pray just for a moment.
46:54Lord, send me.
46:58Lord,
47:00I want to be one of the laborers.
47:03For the harvest is ripe.
47:05The harvest is plenteest.
47:08Plenteous. But the laborers there are
47:10few. Let me be a laborer in your
47:13vineyard. Heavenly Father, throughout
47:17this building right now, allow there to
47:19be a willful decision. Oh Lord, I'm not
47:23asking for emotional decision right now.
47:25No, no, no. I'm asking for people to
47:27somehow reconfigure their calendar and
47:30find a spot on one day of the week where
47:34they set aside as a sacred time to teach
47:38your word. To teach your word, to teach
47:43the simplicity
47:45of the gospel of Christ. Not
47:47complicated, not difficult, not solving
47:51all the quandries of why do good people
47:53suffer. Not solving all the questions of
47:55what happens, all the things that happen
47:58in the disease and the sickness of life.
48:00Not solving all the arguments about
48:02whether the world was round in Da
48:04Vinci's day or flat in our day. No, just
48:08giving people the death, the burial, and
48:10the resurrection. The dynamic power of
48:14Jesus Christ.
48:18In Jesus name.
48:21In Jesus name.
48:24In Jesus name.
48:27In Jesus name.
48:30In Jesus name. In Jesus name. Put it