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Source: https://www.sermonindex.net/speakers/john-fitzpatrick/maintaining-testimony/
It's a privilege to have been invited to the conference, and I'd like to mention that Christianity is not a dull, drab thing. It is thrilling to be saved and to know one that wants to guide us and direct us and help us all along life's journey.
I had a unique incident at home. I got home from Canada, and I wanted to visit one of the brethren that has brain cancer. Believe it or not, I couldn't find the place, and the GPS wouldn't bring me to the place, and it was a rich neighborhood, and nobody wanted to talk to me.
So there was a little white car on the side of the road with tinted windows, and I beeped the horn, and to my surprise, there was a lady there, an Oriental lady, and I says, ma 'am, you won't believe this.
I can't find where I want to go. My friend has brain cancer, and the GPS is not working. She says, tell me the address. Follow me. I followed her. The address I was given was the wrong one. She looked it up again on the Internet.
She says, we're two miles away. Follow me, and I'll get you there. I was hesitant, parked away from her. I brought her a little Bible paper. She says, you know the Lord Jesus? I says, I sure do. She says, I know the Lord Jesus, too, and you give your friend the word of God and help him.
I said, you're my guardian angel, and brought me where I wanted to go. Well, we've got a wonderful Savior, and so I'd like to talk a little bit about testimony and what does it mean, and how does it apply in our lives, and how can we radiate the love of the Lord Jesus to a lost and a perishing world.
So turn with me to John's Gospel, chapter 13, please, and verse 34, 34th verse, 13th chapter of the Gospel of John, a new commandment I give unto you, that ye love one another, even as I have loved you, that ye love one another.
By this shall all men know ye are my disciples, if ye have love for one another. The power of influence is found by our love to one another. The power of influence is found by testimony. I want to suggest that testimony is making God look great in the eyes of the Lord, eyes of the world.
Love is the oil of the machinery that's going to enable a local assembly to go on in the right ways of the Lord, with a desire and a care for one another, and a care for the lost and the perishing. In Micah, chapter 6, we read, he has showed the old man what is good.
What doth the Lord require of thee but to do justly, love mercy, walk humbly with thy God? 2 Corinthians, please, chapter 2 and verse 8. 2 Corinthians, chapter 8, my apologies, and verse 21, the 21st verse and the 8th chapter of 2 Corinthians, providing for honest things, not only in the sight of the Lord, but also in the sight of God.
1 Corinthians, chapter 6, verse 6 and verse 7, there's a technical problem in the assembly of Corinth, verse 7, now there is utterly a fault among you because you go to law one with another. Why do you not rather take wrong?
Why do you not rather suffer yourselves to be defrauded? As the people of God, if we want to build testimony for God, honesty is not optional in any way, shape, or form. Whether it be in business, whether it be in society, God is expecting that integrity would be maintained, that testimony might be maintained.
I was thrilled when I listened to two elders one time tell me about buying a van for the Sunday school work of one of the assemblies. They said, we saw it advertised, we went and looked at it. It was a single mom with a little child.
She said, I need to sell it. And they says, we whittled the price down and we whittled the price down. And they says, we'll be back tomorrow with the money. And they got thinking, we whittled the price down, but we can pay the full price.
We will go back tomorrow with the full price and tell her, we realized that you can use the funds and we have them. Testimony was gained and testimony was built rather than getting the last drop of the bargain.
And so God is reminding us that we as believers have obligations in every realm of life to make God look great in the eyes of the world. What a tragedy it would be if brother goes to brother with law one to another.
Both would be wrong. The one that was wrong and the one that went after him with the law would be wrong. And he says, the Lord will make up the difference. Turn to Romans chapter 13, please. Romans chapter 13 and verse one.
Let every soul be subject unto the higher powers, human government. There is no power but of God. The powers that be are ordained of God. Verse two, whosoever therefore resisted the power resisted the ordinance of God.
And they that resist shall receive damnation themselves. Verse seven, render therefore to all their dues, tribute to whom tribute is tribute, due custom to whom custom is due, fear to whom fear, honor to who honor.
Oh no man anything but to love one another, for he that loveth one another hath fulfilled the law. Now, as the people of God, we have an obligation to obey the powers that be. We do not have the right to rewrite the laws in our mind.
We do not have the right to make excuses and say it doesn't apply to me or any of those realms. But we have the privilege and the responsibility to obey the powers that be. The exception would be when the powers of be are constraining us to do that which is a contrary to the Word of God, then we obey the Word of God.
You would remember that the time where this was written was the day of Nero and the Christians were being burned at the stake. And so we would realize that the powers that be are ordained of God and he is longing that we as the people of God would be obedient to the laws of the land for his honor and for his glory.
We read in the Word of God that we're to owe no man anything. Love is to constrain us, love is to restrain us, love is the strongest factor you might say that will constrain us to desire to live for the lovely man of Calvary who gave himself for us.
We thumb into Nehemiah chapter 5 and verse 15 and Nehemiah makes an astounding statement, so did not I because of the fear of God. He could have and he could have taken a different path but because of the fear of God and holy and reverend is our God, there was a decision made as to what path he would trod.
I'd like you to turn over the Proverbs chapter 6, please. I'm going to have you thumbing a little bit in your Bible. Proverbs chapter 6 and verse number 16, Proverbs 6 and 16, these are all well-known verses.
These six things doth the Lord hate, yea, seven are an abomination unto him. A proud look, a lying tongue, hands that shed innocent blood, a heart that devises wicked imaginations, feet that be swift in running to mischief, a false witness that speaketh lies, he that soweth discord among his brethren.
I was thinking of the lying tongue. I was thinking of the necessity of honesty. You might say that seems like a strange thing to touch on or to speak on and yet it is an essential in the believer's life that every movement we make is in honesty.
Can believers lie? Do believers lie at times? The Spirit of God is reminding us two times in these little verses the abomination of it. The word abomination means it's morally disgusting to God. The father of lies was the devil we read in the garden.
And there's many snares that the devil has to trip us and to cause us to lose testimony for the honor and the glory of the Lord Jesus Christ. I realize I'm in a city area, so perhaps not many here are familiar with snares that would be used in the north country.
When a snare is set in the bush maybe to catch the link or to catch the rabbit, it is put there so cunningly between the little branches that it's difficult for the eye to see. And yet when the prey goes through, it's caught and the damage is done.
The enemy has snares, finer the finest monofilament line that would be used by the fishermen. And oftentimes those snares are set to trip us and to hinder our growth and development for the people of God and for our own profit.
It could be possible for many years to have a sterling testimony, thank God for it, and just one little snare could come in and take away that testimony that might never be built again like it was for the honor and the glory of the Lord Jesus Christ.
I speak to myself, beloved. I entreat each one here to be careful and cautious of the enemy's snares that can trip us and trap us and hinder growth and development for God and take away testimony in a community for the honor and the glory of the Lord Jesus Christ.
In Newfoundland one time they loaned me a little Volkswagen rabbit. You had to put earplugs in. The muffler was so loud. And I plugged it in because it was a diesel. Knocking at one of the doors in the morning, somebody said, I see you plugged in your car this morning.
I said, how would you know that? He says, John, in this little village everybody knows everybody and they'll know everything about everybody and I know you plugged your car in today. Testimony in the little area or the big area of the community is to bring honor and glory to the Lord Jesus Christ.
Honesty is a refusal to lie, steal, or deceive in any way. Integrity is trustworthiness, being honest, and strong in moral principles. I was talking to one of the brethren here before the meeting, looking at the school and looking at the facilities, and I said, imagine the school doesn't teach morals today.
I remember in high school when President Kennedy was shot and it came across the loud speaker and the teacher in the Latin class said, students, you may bow your heads now and pray for the president at this time.
Most public schools would not have that announcement come today. Trust is fairness, respect, and responsibility. Ethics is a standard of moral principles, right, wrong, obligation, and fairness. Our moral code as the people of God must dovetail with the teaching of the Word of God.
No practice and no path is correct if the path is not doctrinally correct. Whether it be in the home, whether it be in the business, whether it be in the school, or whether it be in the assembly, no practice or path is correct if it isn't correct in doctrine.
Times change, people change, places change. We're so thankful the Word of God never changes. Could you turn with me to the book of Genesis chapter 12, please? Verse 11, Genesis chapter 12 and verse 11.
They tell me not to start speaking until I don't hear the rustling of the leaves anymore. Verse 11, and it came to pass when he was come near to enter into Egypt, that he said unto Saria's wife, behold, now I know that thou art a fair woman to look upon.
Therefore it shall come to pass when the Egyptians shall see thee, that they shall say, this is his wife, and they will kill me, but they will save thee alive. Say, I pray thee, thou art my sister, that it may be well with me for thy sake, and my soul shall live because of thee.
And it came to pass when Abram was come unto Egypt, the Egyptians beheld the woman, that she was very fair. The princes also of Pharaoh's honor commended her before Pharaoh, and the woman was taken at the Pharaoh's house.
And he treated Abram well for her sake, and he had sheep and oxen and he asses and menservants and maidservants and she asses and camels. And the Lord plagued Pharaoh with all his house with great plagues because of Saria, Abram's wife.
Pharaoh, the man, the ungodly man, you might say, knew more what was right than Abram knew what was right. And he said, what is this that thou hast done unto me? Why didst not thou tell me she was thy wife?
Abram here left the altar. Abram, with the famine, didn't wait for a word from God. Abram had gotten cold to God and the things of God, and one bad step led to another bad step. And he had the test of honesty.
Turn over to chapter 20, please. The test came 20 years later. Might we never say, I'll never do that again. But might they say, by God's grace, I'll never do that again. Because we will be tested and tested on different points in our lives along the journey.
Verse 1 of chapter 20. And Abram journeyed from hence toward the south country and dwelt between Kadesh and Shur, and yearned to Gir. And Abram said of Saria's wife, she is my sister. And Amalek of Gir sent and took Sarah.
But God came to Amalek in a dream and said to him, behold, thou art but a dead woman, for this woman which thou hast taken, for she is this man's wife. Verse 6. And God sent unto him in a dream, yea, I know that thou didst this in the integrity of the heart.
For I have withheld thee from sinning against me, therefore suffered I not to touch her. Abram was learning and going to be ultimately learning to obey God and to follow God. And the supreme example, of course, is take now thy son, thine only son.
One bad step leads to another bad step. And testimony is lost and testimony is breaking, broken. And making God look great in the eyes of the world is removed. Chapter 27, please. And verse 6. The divided home, the marriage that was made of God, heirs of life together, distance had come in.
Verse 6. And Rebekah spake unto Jacob her son saying, Behold, I heard thy father speak unto Esau thy brother saying, Bring me medicine and make me savory meat that I may eat. And bless thee before the Lord before my death.
Verse 19. And Jacob said unto his father, I am Esau, thy firstborn. I have done according as thou badest me arise. I pray thee sit and eat of my venison that my soul may bless me. And Esau said unto his son, How is it that thou hast found it so quickly, my son?
He said, Because the Lord thy God brought it to me. His father didn't have the nose of discernment. Moral standards were set aside. When we put moral standards aside, we are playacting as a Christian and walking as men.
That God, in the day that we live, will enable us that the fear of God will not be gone. That we might, by his grace and joy, a close communion and walk with him. The greatest pearl to be in is the pearl of sin.
You would remember Peter. He doubted his word. You would remember that he warmed himself with the fires of the world. We rub shoulders with the world, but we're not to be of it or in it. Neither do we have unequal yokes that will hinder and bind and trip and trap us.
God's way is always the best way. And he's not asking us to figure it out or to understand it all the time, but he's asking us to follow it by faith. Peter was sleeping. Peter took things in his own hand.
He took the fisherman's dirk, most likely according to the original, and cut the man's ear off. He followed afar off. Could I ask a question and want no comments at all, even after the meeting? Is there anyone here cold of heart and afar off?
And things aren't right that could be right. Could I encourage you? Confess it. Forsake it and move on for God. Peter began to sit with the ungodly. He denied the Lord. Acts chapter 5 is in Ananias and Sapphira.
They lied to God, and they lied to the Holy Ghost. We have three enemies. I don't have any enemies on the streets of Phoenix that I know of, but we have the world, the flesh, and the devil. And the devil has a bag of tricks.
You might say it's just a small thing. It doesn't really matter. I come to 2 Timothy chapter 2, and it says, flee youthful lusts which war against thy soul. Resist the devil, and he'll flee from you. But he says, flee youthful lusts.
Run away from it. Maybe you'll have to change your job. Maybe you'll have to change classes. I don't know what the ramification would be. Preserve your testimony. Because the one that paid it all for us there on the cross at Calvary Romans chapter 12 says to abhor that which is evil.
Morals is not optional. Morals is essential. And we live in a day today when the beauty of blush is very small. And we live in a day today when sin is not called sin. But God's standard is high. And by his grace, he can enable us in this wilderness scene to go on for him.
Proverbs chapter 1 says, when sinners entice thee, consent thou not. The power of influence is going to affect our testimony. We can have an influence in an ungodly world. Many of the days I worked aircraft mechanic in construction, rougher crews than the office probably.
And oftentimes people would come up to you and ask you, why don't you say certain words and why don't you do certain things? And God will bring tremendous opportunities by the path we live on the way we are.
I remember a neighbor across the street. He came over one time and he says, I want you to come to the house, John. And I want you to tell me what makes you tick. You watch out for me. You care for me.
I had a great time to tell him the one who loved us and gave himself for us. God is longing. First Peter, it says that we're to be in samples. And in sample refers to a man's character. An example could be an object.
No one lives to himself alone. If you're the youngest believer here or the oldest believer here, your life is an example to others. I didn't have the privilege of the Christian home. I would have loved it.
I followed what the Christians did. And I learned that sometimes what they did wasn't dovetailing with the teaching of the word of God. We get each one of us. We don't live to ourselves alone. In our baptism, we declared before those that watched us before heaven above.
We died to the world, its wants and its wishes. And I died to old John Fitzpatrick. God is not interested in our lives or lives of pleasure, but God is interested that our lives bring pleasure to the one who loved us and gave himself for us.
Our path we live should coincide with the steps and the words that we have taken. Titus refers to us about the influence of men and women, their teaching, teaching younger men. Turn to Romans chapter 14, please.
So I don't quote it wrong. Romans chapter 14 and verse 13. Let us not therefore judge one another anymore, but judge this rather that no man put a stumbling block or an occasion to fall in his brother's way.
Nothing that would hinder spiritual progress on development for God to trip his brother up. We're taught in Galatians that false teachers will come in among us. And we're taught that a little leaven will leaveneth the whole lump.
You would remember in Timothy, the grandmother of Lois, mother Eunice and Timothy. The influence of a mother and a grandmother. In second Timothy, you would read of the influence of words that a vain striving of words profits nothing.
Genesis 12, we read the example of lots influence. Abram steps the wrong way. In Acts chapter 20, we read that grievous wolves can enter in amongst the flock. Care and caution must be taken in the handling of the Word of God, because we have an enemy that would like to divide the people of God, like to divide and hinder the work of God.
Put a monkey wrench, if I could say, in the gears of the machinery to hinder growth and development in an assembly bearing testimony for the Lord Jesus Christ. First Timothy mentions chapter four, a seducing spirit.
I would like you to turn to Judges, please. Chapter eight. Judges chapter eight and verse 33. 33rd verse, eighth chapter of the book of Judges, please. And it came to pass as soon as Gideon was dead, that the children of Israel turned again and went a-whoring after Balaam and Babaroth their God.
And the children of Israel remembered not the Lord their God, who had delivered them out of the hands of all their enemies on every side. Neither showed they kindness to the house of Jeroboam, namely Gideon, according to all the goodness which he had showed, unto Israel.
There are beloved elders today that in the fear of God have taught the things of God, could I say, have held the line of what the biblical teaching would be. And perhaps when they are gone, there could rise, sadly, a younger element that wants a path contrary to the word of God.
God desires that we would obey the word of God, follow the word of God. The word of God never changes. The path of God and the ways of God never changes. That we might desire to hold fast that which is found, that at the judgment seat of Christ, perhaps, well done, thou good and faithful servant.
You would remember Joseph was 17, feeding the flock. They wanted to kill him. The Lord was with him. In every aspect in his life, he was morally pure. The Lord was with Joseph. And ultimately, the greatest picture of restoration aside from Calvary and the Lord Jesus, he takes his brothers aside and he says, I will care for you and provide for you all your days.
Moses, the first 40 years, learned to be a somebody. Pride was a problem. The second 40 years, he learned to be a nobody. And the last 40 years, he learned to try and help everybody. That God might help us to love one another with a pure heart fervently.
That God might help us to bear a testimony for the honor of the glory of the Lord Jesus Christ. That in some little way, the power of influence will help the gospel to flourish. That folks might take note we've been with the Lord Jesus, and they might long to know the peace that we have and the person of the Lord Jesus Christ as their own personal savior for his namesake.