1 00:00:09,880 --> 00:00:12,880 Welcome to the podcast of the White Church in Adelaide, South 2 00:00:12,880 --> 00:00:14,960 Australia. Amen, Amen. 3 00:00:14,960 --> 00:00:17,200 Awesome Father, we also thank you for the word that's going to 4 00:00:17,200 --> 00:00:20,800 be shared by Dave this morning. This is a living and active 5 00:00:21,080 --> 00:00:25,040 powerful word that is sharper than any 2 edged sword. 6 00:00:25,360 --> 00:00:27,880 And so we just pray Lord as it's spoken this morning, would it 7 00:00:27,880 --> 00:00:29,440 Pierce our hearts? Would it? 8 00:00:29,440 --> 00:00:32,159 Would it encourage us and stretch us to be more like you? 9 00:00:32,600 --> 00:00:34,760 In Jesus name we pray. Amen. 10 00:00:34,760 --> 00:00:36,920 Amen. Thank you guys. 11 00:00:37,640 --> 00:00:40,320 Wow, he's so good, isn't he? He's so good. 12 00:00:40,320 --> 00:00:43,320 What an amazing day to be together to worship him, to lift 13 00:00:43,320 --> 00:00:45,880 him high. It's Mother's Day. 14 00:00:45,880 --> 00:00:48,120 But like it's not just about mums, is it? 15 00:00:48,120 --> 00:00:50,120 It's like it's always about him first. 16 00:00:50,600 --> 00:00:52,760 We can celebrate. Sorry, my voice is a bit shot 17 00:00:52,760 --> 00:00:55,680 from singing. We can always celebrate things 18 00:00:55,680 --> 00:00:59,440 like Mother's Day, but it's like it's Jesus first, right? 19 00:00:59,480 --> 00:01:02,080 And it's like the Lord 1st and then everything falls into 20 00:01:02,080 --> 00:01:03,800 place. So we can, we can celebrate 21 00:01:03,800 --> 00:01:06,880 Mother's Day because we, we put the Lord in his rightful place. 22 00:01:06,880 --> 00:01:10,320 Amen. We're going to talk about some 23 00:01:10,320 --> 00:01:11,760 mothers. We're going to talk about some 24 00:01:12,280 --> 00:01:13,600 some. We're going to talk about the 25 00:01:13,600 --> 00:01:15,200 church. We're going to talk about women. 26 00:01:16,320 --> 00:01:20,800 The sacrifice mothers make is an incredible sacrifice, something 27 00:01:20,800 --> 00:01:25,720 that I've learned in the past almost seven years, which is 28 00:01:25,720 --> 00:01:28,640 amazing because you know, on days like this, you'll remember 29 00:01:28,960 --> 00:01:33,800 like what the sacrifice that my mother made for me, right? 30 00:01:34,280 --> 00:01:38,000 And, and you learn that through being a father and, and watching 31 00:01:38,000 --> 00:01:41,640 mum, you know, work hard to raise children. 32 00:01:41,640 --> 00:01:45,080 It's an amazing thing. But mums give up their bodies 33 00:01:45,800 --> 00:01:49,640 for the life of another. You know, they, they, these 34 00:01:49,640 --> 00:01:53,600 babies grow up inside the mums and they, they sacrifice their 35 00:01:53,600 --> 00:01:58,560 bodies to raise children that children could grow and not just 36 00:01:58,560 --> 00:02:01,280 during the pregnancy either. It's like once the baby comes, 37 00:02:02,480 --> 00:02:05,680 it's just, it's just the beginning right now. 38 00:02:05,720 --> 00:02:09,120 The sacrifice just continues on. And if anything, it gets harder 39 00:02:09,479 --> 00:02:13,240 from what I've seen, you know, your bodies, these the ladies 40 00:02:13,240 --> 00:02:15,240 bodies become beds for the babies. 41 00:02:15,680 --> 00:02:19,240 You know, they become pillows. You know, they're they're doing 42 00:02:19,240 --> 00:02:21,080 weights all day. They're like carrying these 43 00:02:21,080 --> 00:02:23,120 little ones around. You know, they're working out 44 00:02:23,240 --> 00:02:25,240 everyday all day. It would seem. 45 00:02:25,680 --> 00:02:28,160 They sacrifice their sleep, they lose their sleep. 46 00:02:29,280 --> 00:02:32,360 It just has to be done. They give up their free will. 47 00:02:32,760 --> 00:02:35,000 They can't just, you know, and this is for us as parents as 48 00:02:35,000 --> 00:02:36,120 well. But we're talking about mums, 49 00:02:36,120 --> 00:02:38,080 right? But they they can't just do 50 00:02:38,080 --> 00:02:41,120 whatever it is that they want to do anymore because they've got a 51 00:02:41,120 --> 00:02:44,880 dependent on them. And so their life is just now 52 00:02:44,880 --> 00:02:48,880 sacrificed for to, you know, to raise a baby that can't take 53 00:02:48,880 --> 00:02:51,720 care of itself. It's an amazing thing. 54 00:02:53,080 --> 00:02:55,240 And it takes humility to walk this out. 55 00:02:55,920 --> 00:02:57,920 Yeah. Mamas, Mamas must be humble. 56 00:02:57,920 --> 00:03:01,440 They must humble themselves and just go this, this life isn't 57 00:03:01,440 --> 00:03:04,360 about me. You know, that takes humility. 58 00:03:05,000 --> 00:03:08,280 And it's such a picture of Christ, isn't it? 59 00:03:08,280 --> 00:03:11,400 Like motherhood and, and being a parent and stuff like that, Such 60 00:03:11,400 --> 00:03:17,640 a picture of Christ. And it's only in mums, you know, 61 00:03:17,680 --> 00:03:21,080 this, this desire and this will and these instincts to do this. 62 00:03:21,200 --> 00:03:24,240 It's only in mums because it was found in him first. 63 00:03:25,000 --> 00:03:28,440 Because we were, we were made in God's image and mums were made 64 00:03:28,440 --> 00:03:32,360 in the image of God. And so you know, Jesus, like 65 00:03:32,360 --> 00:03:34,920 when you, you know, I said, this is a picture of Christ. 66 00:03:34,920 --> 00:03:40,440 If you look at Jesus, he, he'd like adopted these 12 men, and 67 00:03:40,440 --> 00:03:42,200 we call them men because they were men. 68 00:03:42,680 --> 00:03:44,400 But they were. Completely dependent on him. 69 00:03:45,000 --> 00:03:48,080 They were basically, he basically carried them for three 70 00:03:48,080 --> 00:03:51,200 years, right? And he protected them and he fed 71 00:03:51,200 --> 00:03:53,720 them. And I was thinking about this 72 00:03:53,720 --> 00:03:56,920 during the week and it's like no one could touch these men while 73 00:03:56,920 --> 00:03:59,840 Jesus was there. And it made me think about, you 74 00:03:59,840 --> 00:04:02,360 know, the scripture that says that you're talking about fools 75 00:04:02,360 --> 00:04:07,400 and it says, you know, better to to come before a, a, a mother. 76 00:04:07,760 --> 00:04:11,960 What does it say? Like I took it out of my notes. 77 00:04:11,960 --> 00:04:14,040 I should not have done that. A mother and her Cubs. 78 00:04:14,400 --> 00:04:17,040 You'd be better off to, you know, like standing in between a 79 00:04:17,040 --> 00:04:19,560 mother and her Cubs. That is very foolish thing to do 80 00:04:19,920 --> 00:04:23,160 because the, the mother, the mother bear, she will tear you 81 00:04:23,160 --> 00:04:26,560 apart right. And it's they couldn't touch 82 00:04:26,560 --> 00:04:28,080 those men while. Jesus was here. 83 00:04:28,960 --> 00:04:31,520 He was protecting them. He sent them on their way, you 84 00:04:31,520 --> 00:04:33,520 know, like he, he, he took care of them. 85 00:04:33,520 --> 00:04:35,120 They couldn't touch him while Jesus was there. 86 00:04:36,040 --> 00:04:40,040 And so, you know, and then when the time was right, Jesus sent 87 00:04:40,040 --> 00:04:44,880 them away to fend for themselves, to, to, to go and do 88 00:04:44,880 --> 00:04:47,000 this thing on his own. He taught them how to live. 89 00:04:47,480 --> 00:04:48,800 And this is something that parents do. 90 00:04:48,800 --> 00:04:50,000 This is something that mothers do. 91 00:04:50,000 --> 00:04:53,880 They raise their children. And one day, just close your 92 00:04:53,880 --> 00:04:55,600 ears for a second, babe. One day we're going to have to 93 00:04:55,600 --> 00:04:59,800 send these kids away, you know, to, to live lives of their own, 94 00:04:59,800 --> 00:05:01,680 to have their own families. And that's tough. 95 00:05:02,560 --> 00:05:05,520 But that's a part of this thing, You know, that's a part of being 96 00:05:06,080 --> 00:05:08,200 humbled to be a, to be a mum and a parent. 97 00:05:08,960 --> 00:05:12,640 And Jesus, it says he humbled himself to come and be on the 98 00:05:12,640 --> 00:05:15,840 earth. You know, I said, like Jesus 99 00:05:15,840 --> 00:05:18,680 basically raised these 12 babies and raised them up to be 100 00:05:18,680 --> 00:05:21,400 leaders, to be strong men. Right. 101 00:05:22,120 --> 00:05:25,960 And Philippians 2 says says this. 102 00:05:25,960 --> 00:05:28,520 It says, let this mind be in you. 103 00:05:28,720 --> 00:05:34,360 Everyone say, let this mind be in me, let this mind be in you. 104 00:05:34,960 --> 00:05:39,120 Which was also in Christ Jesus, who, being in the form of God, 105 00:05:39,120 --> 00:05:43,440 did not consider it robbery to be equal with God, but made 106 00:05:43,440 --> 00:05:49,120 himself of no reputation, taken the form of a bondservant, and 107 00:05:49,120 --> 00:05:53,480 coming in the likeness of men. And being found in appearance as 108 00:05:53,480 --> 00:05:58,120 a man, he humbled himself and became obedient to the point of 109 00:05:58,120 --> 00:06:00,440 death, even the death of the cross. 110 00:06:01,320 --> 00:06:06,200 And Paul says that we must think about our lives this way, that 111 00:06:06,240 --> 00:06:09,360 Jesus humbled himself and laid down his life even to the point 112 00:06:09,360 --> 00:06:11,560 of death. So when we consider the life 113 00:06:11,560 --> 00:06:15,880 that we live, we're told to think about what Jesus did and 114 00:06:15,880 --> 00:06:18,600 live a life in accordance with that truth. 115 00:06:19,720 --> 00:06:24,120 So we must represent, you know, the sacrifice that Jesus has 116 00:06:24,120 --> 00:06:26,200 made. For us, that's the life that you 117 00:06:26,200 --> 00:06:28,520 and I live now. We're not living for ourselves 118 00:06:28,520 --> 00:06:30,840 anymore. We're living for one another 119 00:06:31,360 --> 00:06:35,160 because Jesus did that first. It's not enough to tell people 120 00:06:35,160 --> 00:06:40,920 about Jesus. They must encounter Jesus in US. 121 00:06:43,040 --> 00:06:47,680 Is that true? Like it's no good me telling the 122 00:06:47,680 --> 00:06:52,640 world how wonderful Jesus is. And this, you know, that he 123 00:06:52,640 --> 00:06:55,640 humbled himself and that he died for us and that he lived a life 124 00:06:55,840 --> 00:06:59,040 if I'm just living for myself. And that's the example that they 125 00:06:59,040 --> 00:07:03,280 see we need. To show people who Jesus is by 126 00:07:03,280 --> 00:07:09,520 the life that we live. We read in Two Timothy 1/5 it 127 00:07:09,520 --> 00:07:14,200 says when I call to remembrance the genuine faith that is in 128 00:07:14,200 --> 00:07:17,720 you, in Timothy. Which dwelt first in your 129 00:07:17,720 --> 00:07:23,400 grandmother Lois and your mother Eunice, and I am persuaded is in 130 00:07:23,400 --> 00:07:27,960 you also. So genuine faith was was seen 131 00:07:27,960 --> 00:07:32,480 and witnessed by Timothy's grandmother and his mother. 132 00:07:32,800 --> 00:07:35,080 And then it was seen in Timothy as well. 133 00:07:35,080 --> 00:07:38,560 Paul believed that that same faith that he saw in in that his 134 00:07:38,840 --> 00:07:40,880 grandparents and his mom was in him also. 135 00:07:41,240 --> 00:07:44,480 That's genuine faith being passed down. 136 00:07:44,480 --> 00:07:50,160 Through a life lived. And that's, that's the call. 137 00:07:50,960 --> 00:07:55,920 That's the call as parents, as mums, as dads, that's the call 138 00:07:56,000 --> 00:07:59,840 that you and I have in the body of Christ in the church. 139 00:08:00,760 --> 00:08:05,760 That the life that we lived and, and live displays Christ and 140 00:08:05,760 --> 00:08:10,120 people could see Christ in US and that could be passed on to 141 00:08:10,160 --> 00:08:13,480 others, that they could receive Christ, that they could start to 142 00:08:13,480 --> 00:08:17,600 now represent Christ needs to pass through the generations. 143 00:08:17,920 --> 00:08:21,920 We are not a, we're not a people that live for us now for this 144 00:08:21,920 --> 00:08:23,840 generation. We got to live for the 145 00:08:23,840 --> 00:08:28,880 generations to come. And you know, the, the, I've 146 00:08:28,880 --> 00:08:32,000 said this a number of times, but the only reason that you and I 147 00:08:32,159 --> 00:08:35,919 are in this room as, as Saints, as believers is because people 148 00:08:35,919 --> 00:08:41,600 before us lived faithful lives serving the Lord, displaying who 149 00:08:41,600 --> 00:08:44,159 Jesus was. And it got passed down from one 150 00:08:44,159 --> 00:08:48,600 generation to the next. And now you and I and this 151 00:08:48,600 --> 00:08:52,160 church and the body of Christ all over the world, now it's our 152 00:08:52,160 --> 00:08:55,160 turn. Now it's our turn to represent 153 00:08:55,160 --> 00:09:00,440 Christ so that those beyond us can know who He is, so that they 154 00:09:00,440 --> 00:09:03,440 could pick up their cross and they could follow Him and they 155 00:09:03,440 --> 00:09:06,360 could continue to pass this on to the generations to come. 156 00:09:06,760 --> 00:09:08,800 Salvation is not a passive thing. 157 00:09:09,080 --> 00:09:11,640 It's not a now we get to be saved and just wait for the King 158 00:09:11,640 --> 00:09:15,440 to come. No, we are, we are ambassadors 159 00:09:15,440 --> 00:09:19,040 of the King. We are to pass on, you know 160 00:09:19,080 --> 00:09:23,120 this, the knowledge of Christ, who he is to the generations to 161 00:09:23,120 --> 00:09:24,640 come, and that is a that is a high. 162 00:09:24,640 --> 00:09:28,320 Calling that is a wonderful calling that we get to be a part 163 00:09:28,320 --> 00:09:32,520 of. And so you know this picture of 164 00:09:32,520 --> 00:09:35,920 a good woman in the Bible, you know that the the church is a 165 00:09:35,920 --> 00:09:38,560 woman. It's the bride, right? 166 00:09:38,600 --> 00:09:42,880 It's and, and when you look at good women in the Bible, it 167 00:09:42,880 --> 00:09:46,120 always points to the bride. It always points to Jesus, 168 00:09:46,280 --> 00:09:48,280 right? Go and look at good women in the 169 00:09:48,280 --> 00:09:50,520 Bible. It's always looking, it's always 170 00:09:50,520 --> 00:09:52,440 pointing to to Jesus and his bride. 171 00:09:52,720 --> 00:09:56,160 Bad women in the Bible, a picture of, you know, the world 172 00:09:56,160 --> 00:09:59,440 and where what a what a woman could be if she was, you know, 173 00:09:59,440 --> 00:10:03,960 taken away and and influenced and and LED astray, right bad 174 00:10:04,000 --> 00:10:05,320 the bad woman and the good woman. 175 00:10:05,320 --> 00:10:07,640 It's sort of like the story through most of the scripture. 176 00:10:08,040 --> 00:10:10,280 We got to find the good woman. We got to look for the good 177 00:10:10,280 --> 00:10:11,800 woman. We've got to be be the good 178 00:10:11,800 --> 00:10:14,240 woman because we are the bride of Christ. 179 00:10:15,520 --> 00:10:18,400 And so we're going to look at, you know, you guys are going to 180 00:10:18,400 --> 00:10:21,120 laugh, but like we're going to look at Proverbs 31 this morning 181 00:10:21,840 --> 00:10:23,400 and everyone goes, well, of course we are because it's 182 00:10:23,400 --> 00:10:24,680 Mother's Day and that's what we do. 183 00:10:25,640 --> 00:10:27,560 But I've never done this, so this is new for me. 184 00:10:27,560 --> 00:10:30,240 So let's do this. Proverbs 31. 185 00:10:30,240 --> 00:10:33,840 I'm going to give us 7 principles for building a 186 00:10:33,880 --> 00:10:35,840 healthy bride or a healthy church. 187 00:10:35,840 --> 00:10:38,080 OK. And we can apply these in our 188 00:10:38,080 --> 00:10:43,360 togetherness, but we also must apply these personally because 189 00:10:43,600 --> 00:10:47,040 you and I, whether you are a man or whether you're a woman, we 190 00:10:47,040 --> 00:10:50,440 make up the bride here. And so all of these principles 191 00:10:50,440 --> 00:10:52,880 are for us, and we need to apply these to our lives. 192 00:10:53,280 --> 00:10:57,240 But more than that, we need to apply these in our togetherness 193 00:10:57,560 --> 00:11:01,400 so that the bride of Christ can represent Jesus well, so that we 194 00:11:01,400 --> 00:11:03,160 so that people could know him and see him. 195 00:11:03,160 --> 00:11:05,040 Amen. Excellent. 196 00:11:05,480 --> 00:11:11,120 So Proverbs 31, if we look at Proverbs 31 verse one, can I 197 00:11:11,120 --> 00:11:13,000 just ask before you look there, just close your eyes. 198 00:11:13,000 --> 00:11:15,920 Don't look. Proverbs 31 it was written by a 199 00:11:15,920 --> 00:11:22,640 king Lemiel. Lemiel very good king Lemiel 200 00:11:22,640 --> 00:11:25,160 wrote this. Where did he get this wisdom 201 00:11:25,160 --> 00:11:29,320 from His mother, his mother, he got it from God. 202 00:11:29,320 --> 00:11:32,760 Where'd his mother get it from God ultimately, but it says here 203 00:11:32,760 --> 00:11:38,720 in in Proverbs 31 verse one, it says the words of King Le Manuel 204 00:11:38,840 --> 00:11:42,480 Le Manuel, whatever the utterance which his mother 205 00:11:42,480 --> 00:11:44,480 taught him. Isn't that cool? 206 00:11:45,560 --> 00:11:49,360 His mother taught him this. And again, this is like I've 207 00:11:49,360 --> 00:11:53,080 already said, but like Timothy was this wisdom, this 208 00:11:53,080 --> 00:11:55,840 understanding of of godliness was passed down. 209 00:11:56,280 --> 00:12:00,040 So this king, he learned it from his mother and he wrote it in 210 00:12:00,040 --> 00:12:03,040 the Scripture and it was God breathed and it's full of life 211 00:12:03,040 --> 00:12:06,480 and it's for us today. So I guess you know, my first 212 00:12:06,480 --> 00:12:10,960 point, which isn't a point is sons, listen to your mum's Amen. 213 00:12:10,960 --> 00:12:15,080 My mum's here somewhere like, you know, every man in here is 214 00:12:15,080 --> 00:12:20,320 someone's son and every woman in here is someone's daughter. 215 00:12:20,480 --> 00:12:22,000 Anyway, listen to your mum's men. 216 00:12:22,520 --> 00:12:25,120 That's a, that's a really good principle for life. 217 00:12:25,120 --> 00:12:29,760 Now we're going to start here. Number one, she, I'm saying she, 218 00:12:29,760 --> 00:12:32,000 she's the bride. She must fear the Lord. 219 00:12:32,840 --> 00:12:37,520 The bride must fear the Lord. I won't say that we don't like 220 00:12:37,520 --> 00:12:39,920 to say this. I like to say this, I like to 221 00:12:39,920 --> 00:12:41,440 say that we should fear the Lord. 222 00:12:42,440 --> 00:12:47,600 He is God, he he created all things he answers to no one. 223 00:12:47,960 --> 00:12:51,240 I'm going to fear him. You know, Jesus even says fear 224 00:12:51,240 --> 00:12:53,040 the one that can throw your soul in hell. 225 00:12:53,120 --> 00:12:56,680 If Jesus says that I should, maybe I should have a healthy 226 00:12:56,680 --> 00:13:02,400 fear for, for a God who you know is almighty and, and, and you 227 00:13:02,400 --> 00:13:05,360 know, it's all his guys. Our lives are not our own. 228 00:13:05,360 --> 00:13:08,600 So we must fear she, she must fear the Lord. 229 00:13:08,600 --> 00:13:13,760 Proverbs 3130, it says a woman who fears the Lord, she shall be 230 00:13:13,760 --> 00:13:16,400 praised. That's pretty good, isn't it? 231 00:13:16,720 --> 00:13:20,480 Like that We're going to be rewarded for fearing the Lord. 232 00:13:20,480 --> 00:13:23,840 She's going to be honored. She's going to be praised not 233 00:13:23,840 --> 00:13:27,120 for her own good, but just because she positioned herself 234 00:13:27,120 --> 00:13:30,080 in a rightful place of having a reverent fear for God. 235 00:13:30,720 --> 00:13:33,920 So that's pretty good. You think, You would think that 236 00:13:33,920 --> 00:13:37,960 that would be an easy thing to do, but I don't know that it is 237 00:13:37,960 --> 00:13:42,480 because like, you know, if you look around people's lives, how 238 00:13:42,480 --> 00:13:46,080 we're living like the US that claim to be followers of Jesus, 239 00:13:46,080 --> 00:13:47,320 I don't know how much we fear him. 240 00:13:47,320 --> 00:13:49,720 Sometimes. I think that we're willing just 241 00:13:49,720 --> 00:13:53,200 to live like, oh, he knows my heart now He, you know, he knows 242 00:13:53,200 --> 00:13:55,120 that I fail sometimes. He knows this and that and 243 00:13:55,120 --> 00:13:59,400 that's true, but where's the fear of God to say, I don't want 244 00:13:59,400 --> 00:14:02,160 to dishonor my Lord, He's my king, He's my savior. 245 00:14:02,160 --> 00:14:04,240 He, he laid down his life for me. 246 00:14:04,240 --> 00:14:06,360 I don't, I don't want to lay down my life for him. 247 00:14:06,840 --> 00:14:09,560 You know, there's a fear of the Lord and we're talking about 248 00:14:09,560 --> 00:14:14,080 having good character here. Way back in Proverbs one, it 249 00:14:14,080 --> 00:14:17,600 says it lays this foundation. It says the fear of the Lord is 250 00:14:17,600 --> 00:14:19,520 the beginning of wisdom and knowledge. 251 00:14:20,160 --> 00:14:23,280 It's like you could know nothing outside of having a healthy fear 252 00:14:23,280 --> 00:14:27,000 for the Lord. It starts there and and again, 253 00:14:27,000 --> 00:14:29,240 like if we don't have that healthy fear and we're just a 254 00:14:29,240 --> 00:14:31,320 bit flippant with it and just say, oh, you know, he knows my 255 00:14:31,320 --> 00:14:34,360 heart and well, you know what? You're going to struggle to 256 00:14:34,360 --> 00:14:38,280 receive wisdom and understanding from the Lord because it starts 257 00:14:38,280 --> 00:14:41,360 in a healthy place of fear to the Lord, Amen. 258 00:14:42,680 --> 00:14:49,440 So we must start our lives as new, new believers in Christ 259 00:14:49,440 --> 00:14:51,480 with him seated on the throne of our hearts. 260 00:14:51,480 --> 00:14:54,840 That's like where it begins. Like when you get saved, you're, 261 00:14:54,840 --> 00:14:58,440 you're humbled because you realise that you've been living 262 00:14:58,440 --> 00:15:03,240 a life outside of God's, God's desire and God's will and, and 263 00:15:03,240 --> 00:15:06,760 he's God and it humbles you. And then there's repentance. 264 00:15:07,160 --> 00:15:11,120 And from that place, when, when Christ becomes king and your 265 00:15:11,120 --> 00:15:13,400 Lord and your Savior, now he's seated on your heart. 266 00:15:13,400 --> 00:15:16,600 It's just like now I have this reverent fear of who he is. 267 00:15:16,600 --> 00:15:19,280 It starts there, guys. It's not something you have to 268 00:15:19,280 --> 00:15:22,000 grow into. That's like a salvation moment. 269 00:15:22,400 --> 00:15:25,800 You got to live from that place. If you if you start there and 270 00:15:25,800 --> 00:15:27,920 then move away from that place, you've missed it. 271 00:15:28,200 --> 00:15:31,560 You're off on some other Rd. You're not following Christ. 272 00:15:31,880 --> 00:15:33,640 It starts there. Amen. 273 00:15:34,760 --> 00:15:36,640 It's complete service to the king. 274 00:15:36,880 --> 00:15:38,480 If we miss that, we miss everything. 275 00:15:39,960 --> 00:15:43,880 So this church must It can't be built on our talents and our 276 00:15:43,880 --> 00:15:46,920 abilities. It can't be built on like it's 277 00:15:46,920 --> 00:15:50,880 flashy appearance, like it looks like the life of God is here. 278 00:15:50,880 --> 00:15:53,480 It can't be built on amazing programs. 279 00:15:53,840 --> 00:15:58,160 It must be built on the truth that Jesus is Lord and Saviour, 280 00:15:58,360 --> 00:16:01,680 that he is our king. That's what this church is built 281 00:16:01,680 --> 00:16:04,200 on. Christ is the foundation, not 282 00:16:04,200 --> 00:16:06,840 all the stuff. And, and I sort of started by 283 00:16:06,840 --> 00:16:09,880 saying that, you know, we can celebrate Mother's Day if Christ 284 00:16:09,880 --> 00:16:11,720 is in his rightful place. And that's great. 285 00:16:11,920 --> 00:16:15,240 We can have all the programs, we can have all the flashy music, 286 00:16:15,240 --> 00:16:18,640 we can have all the stuff if Christ is in his rightful place. 287 00:16:18,680 --> 00:16:21,640 Otherwise, we're just trying to do this in our own strength and 288 00:16:21,640 --> 00:16:25,280 Christ isn't in it. God's not in that if he's not 289 00:16:25,280 --> 00:16:29,200 seated in his rightful place. So we build this church on 290 00:16:29,200 --> 00:16:33,360 Christ, reverent to God, His Holiness, obedience to His Word, 291 00:16:34,080 --> 00:16:37,640 fear of the Lord leads you into a place of obedience to the 292 00:16:37,640 --> 00:16:39,760 Lord. That's where we want to live. 293 00:16:40,000 --> 00:16:42,000 That's where this church needs to be built from. 294 00:16:42,840 --> 00:16:47,120 Jesus says, why do you call me Lord, Lord, and you don't do the 295 00:16:47,120 --> 00:16:51,240 things that I say. Jesus said that guys like he's 296 00:16:51,240 --> 00:16:54,080 just like he's going to, he's going to say that to people 297 00:16:54,800 --> 00:16:58,320 that, you know, people are going to live their lives and, and, 298 00:16:58,320 --> 00:17:02,520 and leave this place and stand before him thinking that, you 299 00:17:02,560 --> 00:17:05,160 know, oh, God knows my heart and he knew that things were hard 300 00:17:05,160 --> 00:17:07,400 for me to go. Why do you even call me Lord if 301 00:17:07,400 --> 00:17:09,040 you're not willing to do the things that I've said? 302 00:17:09,839 --> 00:17:12,520 And that's not legalism. That's just having Christ seated 303 00:17:12,520 --> 00:17:14,839 in the throne of your heart, right? 304 00:17:15,480 --> 00:17:18,040 Amazing. It's a good thing, guys. 305 00:17:18,040 --> 00:17:20,839 Like it's like we've got to step it back into that. 306 00:17:20,839 --> 00:17:23,359 If we don't find ourselves in this place challenge, be 307 00:17:23,359 --> 00:17:26,640 challenged by this this morning. If not, if that's not, you don't 308 00:17:26,640 --> 00:17:31,360 just don't just shrug it off and just go, Oh well, no, Oh well. 309 00:17:31,360 --> 00:17:33,960 Like we're running out of time here, guys. 310 00:17:33,960 --> 00:17:36,520 We are going to stand before the Lord one day, and we are going 311 00:17:36,520 --> 00:17:43,480 to give an account. Help us, Lord #2 She serves 312 00:17:43,560 --> 00:17:47,080 faithfully. Proverbs 3113. 313 00:17:47,280 --> 00:17:49,840 She works willingly with her hands. 314 00:17:50,240 --> 00:17:54,000 Proverbs 3127. She does not eat the bread of 315 00:17:54,000 --> 00:17:57,760 idleness. She works consistently. 316 00:17:57,880 --> 00:18:01,960 She works with a humble heart. She works diligently. 317 00:18:02,800 --> 00:18:05,760 She's a busy worker. She's not lazy. 318 00:18:06,480 --> 00:18:08,840 She's not just leaving it up to everyone else. 319 00:18:09,320 --> 00:18:11,960 She's not just like again, like she's not just going, oh, well, 320 00:18:11,960 --> 00:18:13,920 I'm saved. I'll just someone else will just 321 00:18:13,920 --> 00:18:16,200 like preach the gospel to the next generations. 322 00:18:16,600 --> 00:18:18,600 Someone else will, you know, pass this on. 323 00:18:18,600 --> 00:18:22,480 No, she, she will be diligent in the work of the Lord. 324 00:18:22,720 --> 00:18:26,280 She will make sure that she's playing her part in the Great 325 00:18:26,280 --> 00:18:30,600 Commission in seeing the gospel go to the ends of the earth to 326 00:18:30,600 --> 00:18:33,400 to our city. She's going to work hard with 327 00:18:33,400 --> 00:18:35,840 her hands. She does not sit idle. 328 00:18:37,120 --> 00:18:43,760 Most of the service that we do for the Lord goes unnoticed like 329 00:18:44,080 --> 00:18:47,160 you know, I, I thank you guys for your service like so it's 330 00:18:47,160 --> 00:18:51,000 not unnoticed right now, but most of what we do for the Lord, 331 00:18:51,000 --> 00:18:53,000 there's no earthly reward for this. 332 00:18:53,880 --> 00:18:56,120 It's like the Lord sees your heart. 333 00:18:56,120 --> 00:18:59,600 The Lord sees the sacrifices you make as a mum, like where we are 334 00:18:59,600 --> 00:19:02,280 today. The Lord sees the sacrifices 335 00:19:02,280 --> 00:19:04,600 you're willing to make to raise godly children. 336 00:19:04,760 --> 00:19:06,800 Do you see it? We're going to be rewarded for 337 00:19:06,800 --> 00:19:08,600 these things, for laying down our lives. 338 00:19:08,600 --> 00:19:12,680 But in this life now, we are not called to live for a reward. 339 00:19:13,160 --> 00:19:15,040 We're not called to live for a thank you. 340 00:19:15,040 --> 00:19:17,920 It's like, I'll do it, but so long as someone notices and if 341 00:19:17,920 --> 00:19:20,440 they don't say thank you, then I'm not doing it this next week. 342 00:19:20,840 --> 00:19:22,080 Like, do you see what I'm saying? 343 00:19:22,080 --> 00:19:26,000 Like we, we, we got to, we got to, we got to serve faithfully 344 00:19:26,400 --> 00:19:28,960 and we're serving the Lord. We're not serving one another, 345 00:19:29,640 --> 00:19:31,880 but as we serve the Lord, we serve one another. 346 00:19:32,000 --> 00:19:33,880 It's like it's both right, isn't it? 347 00:19:34,800 --> 00:19:38,120 And can I say that like this faithful service, it's not easy. 348 00:19:38,800 --> 00:19:41,000 It's hard work. She works hard. 349 00:19:41,000 --> 00:19:44,600 She works diligently. And you know, it's scary to say, 350 00:19:44,600 --> 00:19:48,720 but it's not going to end soon. Guys like you got to keep 351 00:19:48,720 --> 00:19:51,880 working until, until the day of when you're not here to work. 352 00:19:52,880 --> 00:19:55,840 You know, that's like you don't retire Dudley, if you're retired 353 00:19:55,840 --> 00:19:57,960 from serving the Lord yet. Amen. 354 00:19:57,960 --> 00:20:00,080 Nada. Have you, have you retired from 355 00:20:00,080 --> 00:20:02,120 serving the Lord? We don't get to retire. 356 00:20:02,880 --> 00:20:05,560 Like we don't get to retire. We are a vessel for his Holy 357 00:20:05,560 --> 00:20:07,160 Spirit and there's work to be done. 358 00:20:07,160 --> 00:20:11,200 So we work diligently until the day that he comes for us or, you 359 00:20:11,200 --> 00:20:13,400 know, just keep working diligently. 360 00:20:13,400 --> 00:20:16,760 It's not over. I don't say that to to to put a 361 00:20:16,760 --> 00:20:19,080 hardship on us, but it's just that's the call. 362 00:20:19,640 --> 00:20:24,560 That's the self selfless life we've been called to to live and 363 00:20:24,560 --> 00:20:28,520 it is a it is a wonderful life. It is a strengthening life. 364 00:20:28,560 --> 00:20:31,920 It is a fulfilling life. There is no other life out there 365 00:20:31,920 --> 00:20:33,880 that can be more fulfilling than serving the Lord. 366 00:20:33,880 --> 00:20:37,920 Can someone say I am ended up. It is the most rewarding life 367 00:20:38,080 --> 00:20:39,920 one of us, any of us could ever live. 368 00:20:40,240 --> 00:20:42,800 And the reason that it's rewarding is because it's what 369 00:20:42,800 --> 00:20:46,320 you and I were created for. He puts his spirit in us now 370 00:20:46,320 --> 00:20:48,320 we're we're, we're where we're supposed to be. 371 00:20:48,960 --> 00:20:52,120 And it's, it's, it's hard, but it's rewarding. 372 00:20:52,400 --> 00:20:55,200 And we get to engage with our king again. 373 00:20:55,840 --> 00:20:57,960 Amen. Thank you, Lord, Lord, we thank 374 00:20:57,960 --> 00:21:00,720 you for service. We thank you that it's not hard, 375 00:21:00,720 --> 00:21:03,000 but you give us what we need to see it through. 376 00:21:03,240 --> 00:21:05,760 You're an amazing God and we serve you with our hearts in 377 00:21:05,800 --> 00:21:09,280 Jesus mighty name, Amen. Thank you, Lord, thank you that 378 00:21:09,280 --> 00:21:12,880 you are building a house here that serves faithfully, Lord. 379 00:21:13,560 --> 00:21:15,120 All right, so I'm going to keep moving. 380 00:21:16,200 --> 00:21:17,800 Yeah, I just, let me just say this as well. 381 00:21:17,960 --> 00:21:21,720 Like the the ladies that followed Jesus served him 382 00:21:21,720 --> 00:21:24,160 faithfully. Like the the ladies weren't sort 383 00:21:24,160 --> 00:21:27,440 of off to the side, just, you know, he's got his 12 and those 384 00:21:27,440 --> 00:21:29,280 are the ones that are serving with the Lord. 385 00:21:30,000 --> 00:21:33,920 If you read about the the ladies that followed the Lord, they 386 00:21:33,920 --> 00:21:37,640 were serving him wholeheartedly. They laid down their lives to 387 00:21:37,640 --> 00:21:39,200 serve him. They followed him. 388 00:21:39,520 --> 00:21:43,240 It says that they provided for him out of their own substance. 389 00:21:43,800 --> 00:21:48,040 It's not just left up to, you know, to, to leaders or to it's 390 00:21:48,080 --> 00:21:51,520 all, it's all of us guys. The picture is the bride, every 391 00:21:51,520 --> 00:21:55,160 single one that is a part of, of the bride of Christ has a 392 00:21:55,160 --> 00:21:57,720 purpose. And they serve their, their king 393 00:21:57,720 --> 00:22:00,480 wholeheartedly. And they are generous and they 394 00:22:00,680 --> 00:22:03,280 bring offerings and they, they make sure that the work can be 395 00:22:03,280 --> 00:22:05,520 done together. It's a, it's a body. 396 00:22:05,600 --> 00:22:10,920 We do it together. So #3 she is compassionate for 397 00:22:10,920 --> 00:22:12,360 people. She has compassion. 398 00:22:13,080 --> 00:22:18,240 Proverbs 3120 says she extends her hand to the poor. 399 00:22:18,920 --> 00:22:23,720 So this bride, this good, good woman, she cares for the needy. 400 00:22:24,200 --> 00:22:28,280 She supports hurting people. She shows compassion. 401 00:22:28,920 --> 00:22:34,520 She practices generosity. And not just the financially 402 00:22:34,520 --> 00:22:36,360 poor. Jesus, Jesus. 403 00:22:36,360 --> 00:22:39,200 And when he talks in the Sermon in the Mount, he says that he 404 00:22:39,200 --> 00:22:43,480 talks about the poor in spirit. It's not just poor financially, 405 00:22:43,480 --> 00:22:45,760 it's people that are poor in spirit that don't know their 406 00:22:45,760 --> 00:22:48,680 worth, right? The poor in spirit, she, the 407 00:22:48,680 --> 00:22:53,040 bride takes care of the poor and the church because we're 408 00:22:53,040 --> 00:22:56,800 together, we have all things in common and we look after one 409 00:22:56,800 --> 00:22:59,240 another first. You know, like when it comes to 410 00:22:59,240 --> 00:23:02,680 taking care of the poor, you know, we've got a heart for the 411 00:23:02,680 --> 00:23:06,960 community around us and we, we play our part in food ministry 412 00:23:06,960 --> 00:23:09,480 and stuff like that. But it has to start here. 413 00:23:09,760 --> 00:23:12,400 The bride takes care of the bride first. 414 00:23:12,640 --> 00:23:14,440 It's like we have all things in common. 415 00:23:14,680 --> 00:23:18,640 None of us should have no food on our table or all of us should 416 00:23:18,640 --> 00:23:22,760 have no food on our table. Do you see what I'm saying all? 417 00:23:22,760 --> 00:23:25,400 Things in common. We take care of one another. 418 00:23:25,400 --> 00:23:29,280 We take care of the bride first because we're a body, one body. 419 00:23:29,560 --> 00:23:34,040 And then out of the out of the overflow of what God has given 420 00:23:34,040 --> 00:23:37,880 us and, and, and brought into this house, it flows out to the 421 00:23:37,880 --> 00:23:41,280 community that we could make a difference where, where God's 422 00:23:41,280 --> 00:23:42,720 got this lamp stand. Amen. 423 00:23:43,480 --> 00:23:48,200 All right, So you know, our Christmas, Christmas and Easter 424 00:23:48,200 --> 00:23:51,320 and our hampers and all of these things, these are way that we 425 00:23:51,320 --> 00:23:54,200 get to take care of the community beyond ourselves, 426 00:23:54,200 --> 00:23:58,120 beyond this family here. And we don't charge for these 427 00:23:58,120 --> 00:24:00,200 things. We don't want to charge for 428 00:24:00,200 --> 00:24:03,160 these things. We want to be a generous church. 429 00:24:03,520 --> 00:24:06,720 And again, that that when people look at us, they see the heart 430 00:24:06,720 --> 00:24:09,000 of God. We serve a generous God. 431 00:24:09,400 --> 00:24:13,400 So we want when people look at us and the community looks in at 432 00:24:13,400 --> 00:24:17,600 what we're doing here, we want them to see God's generosity and 433 00:24:17,600 --> 00:24:20,880 that we we won't charge to take care of the needs of the people. 434 00:24:21,080 --> 00:24:26,800 But the only way that this church can be generous is if we 435 00:24:27,000 --> 00:24:30,400 are generous. That's the only way, because 436 00:24:30,400 --> 00:24:32,720 this is how the Lord takes care of his house. 437 00:24:32,720 --> 00:24:35,240 He takes care of his house through us. 438 00:24:35,840 --> 00:24:39,640 So if we believe that we are called to be a generous house 439 00:24:39,880 --> 00:24:42,200 and if you believe that we should be taking care of the 440 00:24:42,200 --> 00:24:45,520 needs of the poor around us, reach into your pocket. 441 00:24:45,520 --> 00:24:49,320 And but that sounds terrible. But we we got to we got to be 442 00:24:49,320 --> 00:24:50,920 generous. We got to give. 443 00:24:51,280 --> 00:24:55,360 It takes money to buy food to give to someone. 444 00:24:56,240 --> 00:25:00,000 It takes money to pay to stand in this space. 445 00:25:00,600 --> 00:25:03,720 It's like, you know, when people say, oh, the church just wants 446 00:25:03,720 --> 00:25:05,120 all of our money and all the rest of it. 447 00:25:05,520 --> 00:25:08,200 We don't want your money. We want to serve the Lord the 448 00:25:08,200 --> 00:25:12,120 way that God calls us to. We want for when people to look 449 00:25:12,120 --> 00:25:16,280 at this house to see that the heart of God is here, they're 450 00:25:16,280 --> 00:25:20,400 generous because He is generous. We got to be a generous people. 451 00:25:21,280 --> 00:25:25,600 All right, all right, 22 Corinthians 9, we've got to go 452 00:25:25,640 --> 00:25:28,200 back to Scripture. Don't take my word for it. 2 453 00:25:28,200 --> 00:25:32,920 Corinthians 9 verse 6 it says, But this I say, he who sows 454 00:25:33,040 --> 00:25:36,440 sparingly will also reap sparingly. 455 00:25:36,840 --> 00:25:40,880 He who sows bountifully will will reap bountifully. 456 00:25:41,240 --> 00:25:46,120 So let each one give as he purposes in his heart, not 457 00:25:46,120 --> 00:25:51,600 grudgingly or out of necessity. For God loves a cheerful giver. 458 00:25:51,600 --> 00:25:53,520 Why does God love a cheerful giver? 459 00:25:54,000 --> 00:25:56,880 Because God is a cheerful giver, right? 460 00:25:58,080 --> 00:26:01,120 He doesn't love himself, but he knows he's good, right? 461 00:26:01,120 --> 00:26:04,760 It's not arrogant for God to say I'm good because he is good. 462 00:26:05,440 --> 00:26:09,200 Goodness comes from God, right? So he loves a cheerful giver 463 00:26:09,200 --> 00:26:12,720 because he is 1. And God is able to make all 464 00:26:12,720 --> 00:26:17,120 grace abound towards you, that you always having all 465 00:26:17,120 --> 00:26:21,840 sufficiency in all things, may have an abundance for every good 466 00:26:21,840 --> 00:26:26,320 work as it is written. We believe that this is the Word 467 00:26:26,320 --> 00:26:28,400 of God. We believe these words are true. 468 00:26:28,680 --> 00:26:32,320 If you wanted, if you wanted to, for God to provide abundantly 469 00:26:32,320 --> 00:26:35,480 for you, that you could provide abundantly for others. 470 00:26:35,600 --> 00:26:38,840 We better be a cheerful giver. We better give with a good 471 00:26:38,840 --> 00:26:41,000 heart. We better be generous, Have to 472 00:26:41,000 --> 00:26:45,440 be, because Christ is generous. This is how the Bride reflects 473 00:26:45,440 --> 00:26:49,920 Christ #4 She has strong households. 474 00:26:50,400 --> 00:26:54,440 Proverbs 3115. She also rises while it is yet 475 00:26:54,440 --> 00:26:57,000 not and provides food for household. 476 00:26:57,000 --> 00:26:59,920 This is what the the bride does for our house. 477 00:27:00,240 --> 00:27:03,920 Like this has to be true for us as individuals, for our house, 478 00:27:04,480 --> 00:27:08,040 but this has to be true for this house as well, right? 479 00:27:08,040 --> 00:27:10,680 She has healthy families. We got to raise healthy 480 00:27:10,680 --> 00:27:13,560 families. We got to raise a healthy family 481 00:27:13,560 --> 00:27:15,880 here. We have to be healthy. 482 00:27:17,120 --> 00:27:20,120 You know, she, she is active in discipleship. 483 00:27:21,040 --> 00:27:25,720 That means that she is active in discipleship, not that the 484 00:27:25,720 --> 00:27:28,760 leaders of this church are active in discipleship. 485 00:27:28,760 --> 00:27:33,040 That she, that means you and I and everyone in this room, we 486 00:27:33,040 --> 00:27:36,520 play a part in discipling, in raising people up to know the 487 00:27:36,520 --> 00:27:40,000 Lord. She does this, she is active. 488 00:27:40,520 --> 00:27:45,120 She's, she provides spiritual nourishment, but she, she 489 00:27:45,120 --> 00:27:48,280 provides spiritual numbers. She speaks words of life over 490 00:27:48,280 --> 00:27:50,720 one another. I hope that when we're together 491 00:27:50,720 --> 00:27:54,320 and I see some of this, that words of life are spoken over 492 00:27:54,320 --> 00:27:56,320 one another. We nourish one another. 493 00:27:56,840 --> 00:28:00,480 We don't allow each other to stay in a place of brokenness 494 00:28:00,480 --> 00:28:03,280 and hurting. We, we nourish one another with 495 00:28:03,280 --> 00:28:05,240 the word of God. We speak words of life. 496 00:28:05,240 --> 00:28:08,240 We gather together. We, we, we make sure that we're 497 00:28:08,360 --> 00:28:10,800 taking care of one another. We're reaching out, we're 498 00:28:10,800 --> 00:28:13,640 sending texts, we're picking up the phone, we're knocking on 499 00:28:13,640 --> 00:28:16,760 doors. We're together in our own homes 500 00:28:16,760 --> 00:28:20,200 and, and here as well, you know, it's easier to stay home some 501 00:28:20,200 --> 00:28:23,720 nights, especially in winter. It's easier to stay home this 502 00:28:23,720 --> 00:28:25,840 morning and stay in bed when it's cold. 503 00:28:26,400 --> 00:28:28,360 You know, when it's raining, it's easier. 504 00:28:29,040 --> 00:28:31,800 But this says that she's she's up while it's still not. 505 00:28:32,480 --> 00:28:34,840 She's willing to get up. Jesus was up all night. 506 00:28:35,160 --> 00:28:37,680 You know, this is the picture that we have. 507 00:28:37,880 --> 00:28:41,840 Healthy families are together. We are together. 508 00:28:42,080 --> 00:28:46,120 It's easier not to be together, but when we are together, that's 509 00:28:46,120 --> 00:28:49,520 when the life of God can really start to move and stir in our 510 00:28:49,520 --> 00:28:51,200 hearts and and innocent through US. 511 00:28:51,640 --> 00:28:55,600 Amen. Hebrews 10 verse 24 and let us 512 00:28:55,600 --> 00:29:00,040 consider one another in order to stir up love and good works for 513 00:29:00,320 --> 00:29:04,520 not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together as is the 514 00:29:04,520 --> 00:29:06,720 matter of some. This is like this not Paul. 515 00:29:06,720 --> 00:29:10,840 This is someone was writing this in Hebrews, right and he was 516 00:29:10,840 --> 00:29:15,440 saying don't forsake the assembling together as is in the 517 00:29:15,440 --> 00:29:18,360 matter of some. He's writing to believers and 518 00:29:18,360 --> 00:29:20,400 just going. It's already happening then that 519 00:29:20,400 --> 00:29:22,800 people wouldn't think that it's important to be together. 520 00:29:23,000 --> 00:29:26,480 I can tell you right now the church needs to get another 521 00:29:26,480 --> 00:29:29,600 revelation of the importance of being together because I think 522 00:29:29,600 --> 00:29:31,960 we're we're we're sort of fitting that category more than 523 00:29:31,960 --> 00:29:34,000 the we want to be together category. 524 00:29:34,320 --> 00:29:40,400 We need a greater revelation. Lord help us and so not 525 00:29:40,400 --> 00:29:43,200 neglecting the assembling of ourselves together as is the 526 00:29:43,200 --> 00:29:47,840 matter of some, but exhorting one another and so much more as 527 00:29:47,840 --> 00:29:50,240 we see the day approaching. What day is that? 528 00:29:51,600 --> 00:29:56,920 The day of the Lord so much more as we see the day approaching, 529 00:29:57,120 --> 00:29:59,120 right. That means that we need to be 530 00:29:59,120 --> 00:30:04,080 together more. We do like, and it's a good 531 00:30:04,080 --> 00:30:06,880 thing like we, we can do like maybe we need to look at our 532 00:30:06,880 --> 00:30:09,800 schedules, see the things that we've put in place and seeing 533 00:30:09,800 --> 00:30:12,200 the things that we consider to be more important than being 534 00:30:12,200 --> 00:30:16,600 together because of the Scripture is clear, even more so 535 00:30:16,680 --> 00:30:20,520 until the day of the Lord. All right, so we eat together. 536 00:30:20,520 --> 00:30:23,920 We open up scriptures together. There's food for us when we're 537 00:30:23,920 --> 00:30:27,560 together. We're eating together right now, 538 00:30:27,560 --> 00:30:29,480 aren't we? What are we eating? 539 00:30:30,440 --> 00:30:33,400 Spiritual food? It's good for us. 540 00:30:33,400 --> 00:30:37,360 We have to be together in our meetings, our community groups, 541 00:30:38,000 --> 00:30:41,360 you know, these need to be LED. Well, we can't, we got to be 542 00:30:41,360 --> 00:30:44,200 intentional, right? We can't just come together in 543 00:30:44,200 --> 00:30:45,880 our homes. And this is, this is not just 544 00:30:45,880 --> 00:30:49,240 for a community group. This is for when you ask another 545 00:30:49,240 --> 00:30:51,600 family or something or a friend to come to your home. 546 00:30:52,160 --> 00:30:56,880 Intentional guys, like we need to be intentional about that. 547 00:30:56,880 --> 00:30:59,960 You know, that doesn't just become a hangout like we let's 548 00:30:59,960 --> 00:31:03,200 just come together because if I'm honest, I've fallen into 549 00:31:03,200 --> 00:31:06,360 this, even when we planted the church, I'm catching a 550 00:31:06,360 --> 00:31:10,040 revelation of intentionality, if that's a word, right, because 551 00:31:10,080 --> 00:31:12,720 I'm just like, Oh, we'll just come together as the, as the 552 00:31:12,720 --> 00:31:14,120 bride and we'll just see what God does. 553 00:31:14,960 --> 00:31:17,280 It just doesn't work. Like we, we need to be 554 00:31:17,280 --> 00:31:21,000 intentional when we're together. We need to intentionally open up 555 00:31:21,000 --> 00:31:23,960 the word of God. We need to intentionally speak 556 00:31:23,960 --> 00:31:26,680 to one another about our struggles and about what we're 557 00:31:27,120 --> 00:31:30,760 where we need help and pray for one another, prayer and the word 558 00:31:30,760 --> 00:31:33,720 and communion and eating. We need to be intentional. 559 00:31:33,720 --> 00:31:36,480 So I say all that to say that when we're together in our 560 00:31:36,480 --> 00:31:38,920 community groups, we need to be intentional. 561 00:31:39,400 --> 00:31:42,560 Bring your Bibles along, be prayed up, ask the Lord to give 562 00:31:42,560 --> 00:31:46,000 you a word for someone, but more so than that, because we're 563 00:31:46,000 --> 00:31:49,160 going to be together even more so until the day of his coming, 564 00:31:49,400 --> 00:31:53,360 anytime that you're together, be prayed up, bring your Bible, ask 565 00:31:53,360 --> 00:31:56,800 God to speak, come together intentionally that the that the 566 00:31:56,800 --> 00:31:58,080 Lord could work. Amen. 567 00:31:58,080 --> 00:32:03,760 All right #5 she is wise and kind in speech. 568 00:32:04,520 --> 00:32:09,640 Proverbs 3126 it says that she opens her mouth with wisdom, and 569 00:32:09,640 --> 00:32:12,560 on her tongue is the law of kindness. 570 00:32:13,000 --> 00:32:16,680 She speaks wisdom, she's gracious, she speaks the truth 571 00:32:16,680 --> 00:32:19,920 in love to encourage and to build up. 572 00:32:20,800 --> 00:32:23,600 Ephesians 415 I'm just moving fast now guys. 573 00:32:23,600 --> 00:32:27,080 I just looked at the time, but speaking the truth in love may 574 00:32:27,080 --> 00:32:31,240 grow up in all things to him who is the head Christ from the for 575 00:32:31,240 --> 00:32:35,000 the whole body being joined and knit together by what every 576 00:32:35,000 --> 00:32:39,280 joint supplies according to the effective working by which every 577 00:32:39,280 --> 00:32:43,280 part does its share and causes growth of the body for the 578 00:32:43,280 --> 00:32:47,400 edifying of itself. That's sort of well encapsulated 579 00:32:47,400 --> 00:32:48,520 there, isn't it? It's all there. 580 00:32:50,080 --> 00:32:52,120 Sometimes our lives need challenging. 581 00:32:52,640 --> 00:32:55,760 I'd say that quite regularly. We need to be challenged by the 582 00:32:55,760 --> 00:32:59,040 Word of God. To be challenged doesn't feel 583 00:32:59,040 --> 00:33:01,640 good. It doesn't feel good for someone 584 00:33:01,640 --> 00:33:05,480 to challenge you with the word of God sometimes, but it's 585 00:33:05,480 --> 00:33:09,280 necessary for the building up. We need to become Christ like so 586 00:33:09,440 --> 00:33:13,560 you know when when leaders and when people more mature than you 587 00:33:13,560 --> 00:33:16,720 gather around you and, and, and highlight something to you or 588 00:33:16,720 --> 00:33:19,720 even just brothers and sisters just see something that you're 589 00:33:19,720 --> 00:33:22,960 missing and they bring it to your attention and we must bring 590 00:33:22,960 --> 00:33:24,960 it to each other's attention in love. 591 00:33:26,280 --> 00:33:31,040 We got to take that with humility to know that if it's 592 00:33:31,040 --> 00:33:34,280 from the word of God, if it's not just someone's opinion, if 593 00:33:34,280 --> 00:33:37,360 it's from the word of God, we need to yield to the word of 594 00:33:37,360 --> 00:33:39,040 God. We need to be shaped by the word 595 00:33:39,040 --> 00:33:42,960 of God. And I say that just to prepare 596 00:33:42,960 --> 00:33:45,480 us. Prepare yourself, guys, because 597 00:33:45,480 --> 00:33:49,640 when correction comes, it's not going to feel good and you're 598 00:33:49,640 --> 00:33:52,000 going to want to push back and you're going to want to isolate 599 00:33:52,000 --> 00:33:53,720 and you're not going to want to hang out with that person 600 00:33:53,720 --> 00:33:56,280 anymore and you don't want to listen to the pastor anymore. 601 00:33:56,280 --> 00:34:00,320 All of these things, but it is necessary for the building up of 602 00:34:00,320 --> 00:34:02,000 the body. So we have to be opened to 603 00:34:02,000 --> 00:34:05,400 correction. Word ABS getting the word of God 604 00:34:05,400 --> 00:34:09,280 spoken over us in love. Two more number six. 605 00:34:09,639 --> 00:34:12,920 She is a good steward. She stewards well. 606 00:34:12,920 --> 00:34:17,880 Proverbs 3116 She considers a field and she buys it. 607 00:34:18,400 --> 00:34:23,159 Proverbs 3124 She makes linen garments and she sells them. 608 00:34:23,639 --> 00:34:27,960 She works hard. She, she produces, she stewards 609 00:34:27,960 --> 00:34:31,719 her resources. Well, she develops, you know, 610 00:34:31,719 --> 00:34:34,880 this isn't just money, right? This she develops people's gifts 611 00:34:34,880 --> 00:34:37,159 and callings. She develops them. 612 00:34:37,159 --> 00:34:39,760 She invests, she sows, she raises them up. 613 00:34:40,159 --> 00:34:44,400 She thinks long term, you know, she buys a field, she considers 614 00:34:44,400 --> 00:34:46,480 the field and she buys it. What's she considering? 615 00:34:46,480 --> 00:34:50,239 She's considering how she can sow in this field and how it can 616 00:34:50,239 --> 00:34:53,880 produce a harvest. You know, she's, she's wise in 617 00:34:53,880 --> 00:34:57,040 what she's doing. And so we need to think long 618 00:34:57,040 --> 00:34:58,600 term. It's sort of how we started. 619 00:34:58,600 --> 00:35:01,960 We need to think for the generations behind us and not 620 00:35:01,960 --> 00:35:05,240 just think about this little happy time that we get to have 621 00:35:05,240 --> 00:35:07,520 now. It's for the generations. 622 00:35:07,520 --> 00:35:11,720 It's long term. She works with with wisdom and 623 00:35:11,720 --> 00:35:14,960 with vision from the Lord. She can see where the Lord is 624 00:35:14,960 --> 00:35:17,360 taking her and she heads in that direction. 625 00:35:18,560 --> 00:35:21,240 So, yeah, again, it's not just about money, but it is about 626 00:35:21,240 --> 00:35:25,880 money, you know, like we need to be wise with our money, you 627 00:35:25,880 --> 00:35:28,000 know, earning money and making money. 628 00:35:28,240 --> 00:35:32,640 You know what's, you know, just as when it comes to saving and 629 00:35:32,640 --> 00:35:36,000 building up wealth and, and, and getting ahead to provide and all 630 00:35:36,000 --> 00:35:38,840 these things, saving money is as good as earning money. 631 00:35:39,320 --> 00:35:41,560 So if we're wasting all of our money and things that don't 632 00:35:41,560 --> 00:35:46,080 matter, it's it's just, it's not wise stewardship, right? 633 00:35:46,520 --> 00:35:50,520 And churches, like for us as people and churches, we 634 00:35:50,520 --> 00:35:52,160 shouldn't be overwhelmed with debt. 635 00:35:52,920 --> 00:35:55,720 Debt should not be a thing. And you know, in the, our 636 00:35:55,760 --> 00:35:59,800 society is like absolutely enslaved to debt. 637 00:36:00,640 --> 00:36:02,520 You know, we're sitting on couches, we don't own, we're 638 00:36:02,520 --> 00:36:04,960 watching TV's, we don't own, we're getting our, in our cars. 639 00:36:04,960 --> 00:36:07,200 We don't own, we're in our houses, we don't own. 640 00:36:07,560 --> 00:36:08,760 We're do you see what I'm saying? 641 00:36:08,760 --> 00:36:11,400 We're washing our car, our, our clothes in things that we don't 642 00:36:11,400 --> 00:36:13,080 own. It's like no one owns anything. 643 00:36:13,400 --> 00:36:17,120 We're going to the shops, we're buying things in Afterpay and we 644 00:36:17,120 --> 00:36:19,120 still don't own them. So now we're we're now we're 645 00:36:19,120 --> 00:36:22,240 walking around in clothes that we don't own like the the our 646 00:36:22,280 --> 00:36:27,520 society is in such a place of debt and debt is not God's will. 647 00:36:28,640 --> 00:36:32,280 Deuteronomy 28 says the Lord will open to you is good 648 00:36:32,280 --> 00:36:35,760 treasure in the heavens, to give rain to your land in the season 649 00:36:36,040 --> 00:36:37,640 and to bless all the work of your hands. 650 00:36:37,880 --> 00:36:41,160 You shall lend to many nations, but you shall not borrow. 651 00:36:41,480 --> 00:36:46,080 That's what the Lord says. Proverbs 22 says the rich rule 652 00:36:46,080 --> 00:36:49,800 over the poor, but the borrower is slave to the lender. 653 00:36:49,800 --> 00:36:52,400 Are we slaves? We are not slaves. 654 00:36:53,000 --> 00:36:57,080 We have to consider our finances wisely anyway. 655 00:36:57,080 --> 00:36:58,560 We're going to leave that alone, but that's it. 656 00:36:58,560 --> 00:37:02,080 That's a tough one, guys, because we could easily conform 657 00:37:02,080 --> 00:37:05,400 to the ways of this world just because that's how it's done. 658 00:37:05,760 --> 00:37:09,440 But the word has a different direction for us, so we need to 659 00:37:09,440 --> 00:37:11,320 submit. All right, I'm going to leave 660 00:37:11,320 --> 00:37:15,760 all that alone #7. Her life brings honor to her 661 00:37:15,760 --> 00:37:19,280 husband. Proverbs 3123. 662 00:37:19,280 --> 00:37:21,640 Her husband is known in the gates. 663 00:37:21,840 --> 00:37:24,520 Let me just unpack this term, the gates for us really quick. 664 00:37:25,480 --> 00:37:28,080 In the time that this was written, the gates were like the 665 00:37:28,080 --> 00:37:33,360 centre of the city government, like you know, the legal sector, 666 00:37:33,360 --> 00:37:35,440 the business affairs took place there. 667 00:37:35,760 --> 00:37:38,960 Various leaders, prominent people were found at the gates 668 00:37:39,080 --> 00:37:43,800 in the city. In the book of Ruth, Boaz goes 669 00:37:43,800 --> 00:37:47,480 to legalize a marriage and and and set some things in in order 670 00:37:47,480 --> 00:37:51,360 for some land details. He goes to the gates and he 671 00:37:51,360 --> 00:37:53,040 meets the elders of the city there. 672 00:37:53,040 --> 00:37:56,320 So this is the picture. The gates are where, you know, 673 00:37:56,320 --> 00:38:00,480 the where leadership is, where the governance is, where the 674 00:38:00,760 --> 00:38:06,200 elders are. And to say that her husband is 675 00:38:06,200 --> 00:38:09,760 known in the gates is to say that through the conduct and the 676 00:38:09,760 --> 00:38:13,760 reputation of the bride, her husband has a place of 677 00:38:13,760 --> 00:38:16,240 prominence and is well respected. 678 00:38:17,120 --> 00:38:21,280 Do you see, like we are the bride, who is the husband that 679 00:38:21,280 --> 00:38:24,560 we're lifting in high regard, Jesus our Lord. 680 00:38:24,840 --> 00:38:28,920 And so that means that when, when when society looks at our 681 00:38:28,920 --> 00:38:32,080 church, when outsiders look at the church, they see Jesus 682 00:38:32,080 --> 00:38:36,960 lifted high, that Jesus is in a place of prominence, right? 683 00:38:36,960 --> 00:38:40,320 So the way that we conduct ourselves needs to be in a way 684 00:38:40,320 --> 00:38:45,280 that that makes sure that Jesus is lifted high and that his name 685 00:38:45,560 --> 00:38:49,680 is not tarnished, right? And so obviously, like this is 686 00:38:49,680 --> 00:38:52,520 the closing point. Then through all of these other 687 00:38:52,520 --> 00:38:57,360 six points, our husband, who is Jesus needs to be held in high 688 00:38:57,360 --> 00:39:01,200 regard. He we need to have a good 689 00:39:01,200 --> 00:39:06,120 community reputation. We need to represent our king 690 00:39:06,120 --> 00:39:09,200 well in a real way that shows the goodness of God. 691 00:39:10,320 --> 00:39:15,480 Jesus was the image of God. Hebrews 1/3 it says who being in 692 00:39:15,480 --> 00:39:20,120 the likeness, sorry, who being the brightness of his glory and 693 00:39:20,120 --> 00:39:23,960 the express image of his person. Jesus was the image of God. 694 00:39:24,600 --> 00:39:27,240 Jesus says, you know, how can you say, show me the Father? 695 00:39:27,240 --> 00:39:28,680 You've seen me, you've been with me. 696 00:39:29,240 --> 00:39:33,160 Jesus represented the image of God the Father. 697 00:39:34,080 --> 00:39:38,960 You know, it has to be true for us as well because the church is 698 00:39:38,960 --> 00:39:42,840 the body of Christ. So the church is the image of 699 00:39:42,840 --> 00:39:46,360 God on the earth because Jesus is seated on the throne in 700 00:39:46,360 --> 00:39:49,720 heaven. And so how do we, you know, make 701 00:39:49,720 --> 00:39:53,480 sure that the Lord is well respected around? 702 00:39:53,600 --> 00:39:57,120 It's the life that we live. It's the way that we conduct 703 00:39:57,120 --> 00:40:02,160 ourselves as the body of Christ. Colossians 39 says, Since you 704 00:40:02,160 --> 00:40:05,680 have put off the old man with his deeds, and have put on the 705 00:40:05,680 --> 00:40:09,720 new man, who is renewed in the knowledge according to the image 706 00:40:09,720 --> 00:40:12,960 of him who created him, Romans 8. 707 00:40:13,040 --> 00:40:15,640 There's heaps of them guys Romans 8 verse 29. 708 00:40:15,920 --> 00:40:20,840 For whom he foreknew, he also predestined to be conformed to 709 00:40:20,840 --> 00:40:25,120 the image of his son. 2 Corinthians 3. 710 00:40:25,840 --> 00:40:29,600 Verse 18 But we all with unvowed face, beholding us in the 711 00:40:29,600 --> 00:40:33,680 mirror, the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the 712 00:40:33,680 --> 00:40:38,360 same image from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of the 713 00:40:38,360 --> 00:40:39,960 Lord. I'll give you one more. 1 714 00:40:39,960 --> 00:40:44,680 Corinthians 15 And as we have borne the image of the man of 715 00:40:44,680 --> 00:40:50,280 dust, that's your flesh, that your old man, we shall also bear 716 00:40:50,280 --> 00:40:54,400 the image of the heavenly man. It's all through the scripture, 717 00:40:54,400 --> 00:40:56,520 guys. Jesus was the image of God. 718 00:40:56,760 --> 00:40:59,560 We are the image of Christ on the earth. 719 00:41:00,480 --> 00:41:03,760 And so I get like if you were paying attention to what I read, 720 00:41:03,760 --> 00:41:08,280 you would see that it was to be conformed, being transformed. 721 00:41:08,360 --> 00:41:11,760 We shall bear the image like it's not just like bang, you're 722 00:41:11,760 --> 00:41:13,400 the image of God. We've been saved. 723 00:41:13,600 --> 00:41:17,920 Now everyone can see Jesus. It takes diligence, it takes 724 00:41:17,920 --> 00:41:21,600 hard work, it takes, you know, giving your life over to serve 725 00:41:21,600 --> 00:41:23,560 the Lord. It takes hard work to bear the 726 00:41:23,560 --> 00:41:26,720 image of the Lord. And one day when we stand before 727 00:41:26,720 --> 00:41:30,000 him, the word says that we shall be like him because we shall see 728 00:41:30,000 --> 00:41:33,720 Him as he is. So one day, you and I and the 729 00:41:33,760 --> 00:41:36,920 and the bride, the body of Christ, we will bear his image 730 00:41:36,920 --> 00:41:39,120 completely. We will be like him. 731 00:41:39,440 --> 00:41:43,480 But until then, we need to be conformed to his image by the 732 00:41:43,480 --> 00:41:45,960 Spirit of God. That means yielding to Him. 733 00:41:46,400 --> 00:41:49,560 That means that when the word of God convicts you and you just 734 00:41:49,720 --> 00:41:52,000 you know, I say things like we shouldn't be in debt. 735 00:41:52,400 --> 00:41:54,600 Well, you should probably shouldn't leave here and then go 736 00:41:54,600 --> 00:41:57,000 get ATV on credit. Like did you see what I'm 737 00:41:57,000 --> 00:41:58,640 saying? Like the Spirit of God should do 738 00:41:58,640 --> 00:42:01,400 something in here and just go. I'm going to choose God's way 739 00:42:01,400 --> 00:42:02,240 and not my own. I hope. 740 00:42:02,240 --> 00:42:03,960 No, none of you were planning to do that today. 741 00:42:05,200 --> 00:42:07,080 I've got an old TV at home. You can have my old one. 742 00:42:07,560 --> 00:42:10,120 I'll give you my good one if you need one anyway, whatever, just 743 00:42:10,120 --> 00:42:14,680 come and talk to me. And so, you know, this is the 744 00:42:14,680 --> 00:42:18,480 end of this of this preach guy. It's like this is the point is 745 00:42:19,160 --> 00:42:23,280 we must yield ourselves to him if this is going to be true for 746 00:42:23,280 --> 00:42:24,760 us. If we're going to be a church 747 00:42:25,040 --> 00:42:29,640 that you know, these things can be seen and reflected and show 748 00:42:29,640 --> 00:42:32,400 Christ, we're going to have to something's going to have to 749 00:42:32,400 --> 00:42:37,000 happen in here because I love you guys and I love this church, 750 00:42:37,160 --> 00:42:40,440 but we've got some work to do right with the the Lord needs to 751 00:42:40,440 --> 00:42:42,480 work on us, all of us. Me too. 752 00:42:42,480 --> 00:42:44,000 I'm here guys, I'm standing here. 753 00:42:44,000 --> 00:42:45,960 I'm saying, Lord, work on me, work on me. 754 00:42:45,960 --> 00:42:47,720 I need to be conformed into your image. 755 00:42:47,720 --> 00:42:51,080 There's work to be done, but all of us need to be front footed in 756 00:42:51,080 --> 00:42:55,000 saying, Lord, we want to represent you well that the that 757 00:42:55,000 --> 00:42:58,800 the community around us that the loss could see your goodness. 758 00:43:00,080 --> 00:43:01,480 Amen. Amen. 759 00:43:01,960 --> 00:43:04,360 Justin's just going to it's going to hand over to Justin. 760 00:43:04,360 --> 00:43:06,560 He's going to land and. Awesome. 761 00:43:06,840 --> 00:43:08,240 Cool. What a word. 762 00:43:08,240 --> 00:43:11,880 Hey, what a word. I want to just kick us off at 763 00:43:11,880 --> 00:43:15,080 the beginning of this word talks about this excellent woman and 764 00:43:15,080 --> 00:43:19,200 it says an excellent wife who can find God is looking for an 765 00:43:19,200 --> 00:43:21,880 excellent wife. He's looking for an excellent 766 00:43:21,880 --> 00:43:24,880 bride. She is far more precious to him 767 00:43:25,240 --> 00:43:30,480 than diamonds. The heart of her husband trusts 768 00:43:30,680 --> 00:43:33,040 in her. Then I want to be a person that 769 00:43:33,040 --> 00:43:35,680 God trusts. I want to be that excellent 770 00:43:35,680 --> 00:43:39,840 bride that he goes, man, I found my bride, the excellent bride. 771 00:43:41,680 --> 00:43:45,200 Father, we just, we reflect on the word that we've just heard 772 00:43:45,200 --> 00:43:49,080 about becoming an excellent bride and we know that that's 773 00:43:49,080 --> 00:43:51,440 what you're searching for. You're not searching for 774 00:43:51,440 --> 00:43:55,480 flashing lights and brilliant music and but you're searching 775 00:43:55,480 --> 00:44:00,000 for an excellent bride. And so we all commit ourselves 776 00:44:00,000 --> 00:44:03,520 this morning just a fresh to you to say that we want to be an 777 00:44:03,520 --> 00:44:06,280 excellent bride. We want to be trusted by you to 778 00:44:06,400 --> 00:44:08,680 carry the things that you want us to carry. 779 00:44:10,320 --> 00:44:14,040 So as we sit here right now, as we pour over our notes, as we re 780 00:44:14,040 --> 00:44:19,120 listen to this, Lord, would you stir something in us to grow and 781 00:44:19,120 --> 00:44:21,720 become the excellent bride that you've called us to be? 782 00:44:22,000 --> 00:44:27,560 That the world may know of you, that we may represent you well, 783 00:44:28,200 --> 00:44:31,280 and then we may say, look at him, our beautiful husband. 784 00:44:32,960 --> 00:44:36,640 Lord, we thank you that you have called us as your bride. 785 00:44:37,920 --> 00:44:40,160 You haven't just called us as servants, you haven't just 786 00:44:40,160 --> 00:44:44,840 called us as people just to follow you, but you've actually 787 00:44:44,840 --> 00:44:48,760 called us into communion and close fellowship with you as 788 00:44:48,760 --> 00:44:52,440 your bride. And so we want to be a bride 789 00:44:52,440 --> 00:44:54,480 that honours you in everything we do. 790 00:44:56,320 --> 00:45:00,320 Thank you for this day. Thank you for our mums who 791 00:45:00,560 --> 00:45:03,600 demonstrate to us something of what you've called us as a 792 00:45:03,680 --> 00:45:07,960 church to be, to pour out our lives, to honour you. 793 00:45:09,760 --> 00:45:12,760 And together all of us said Amen. 794 00:45:13,600 --> 00:45:15,480 Thank you for. Joining us for today's message. 795 00:45:15,840 --> 00:45:18,360 For more information about The Way Church, please visit 796 00:45:18,360 --> 00:45:21,480 ourwebsite@thewaychurch.com dot AU. 797 00:45:21,880 --> 00:45:22,640 Have a blessed day.