1 00:00:01,500 --> 00:00:02,700 Can you meet me in the book of 1st? 2 00:00:02,700 --> 00:00:06,900 Timothy, please this morning. And we will be taking off where 3 00:00:06,900 --> 00:00:12,000 we left off in chapter 2. Put your finger on verse 8 for 4 00:00:12,000 --> 00:00:20,300 now. in a letter that is, Written for the purpose of 5 00:00:20,300 --> 00:00:23,600 giving God's blueprint for the church for the local body. 6 00:00:24,900 --> 00:00:27,000 What you are part of right here, right now. 7 00:00:28,000 --> 00:00:29,800 And throughout the week and throughout your lives. 8 00:00:30,700 --> 00:00:34,200 It helps us to understand that the Church of Jesus Christ is 9 00:00:34,200 --> 00:00:37,900 made up of men. And woman. 10 00:00:39,300 --> 00:00:40,900 That's not deep Revelation, is it? 11 00:00:41,900 --> 00:00:43,600 And you might be think that's pretty obvious. 12 00:00:45,800 --> 00:00:47,900 But what may not seem so obvious. 13 00:00:49,000 --> 00:00:52,100 Is that though, the church is made up of men and women. 14 00:00:53,300 --> 00:01:02,000 God has assigned unique specific roles to a man and to a woman in 15 00:01:02,000 --> 00:01:06,900 the context of the church and in the context of the family. 16 00:01:08,200 --> 00:01:11,600 And though there are many responsibilities that overlap 17 00:01:11,600 --> 00:01:16,700 between the two Sexes. One thing is for certain that 18 00:01:16,700 --> 00:01:25,700 God in his wisdom. has ascribe certain tasks to the man and to 19 00:01:26,000 --> 00:01:32,200 the woman that must be honored and submitted to And if honored 20 00:01:32,200 --> 00:01:35,000 and trusted know this, God will be glorified. 21 00:01:36,300 --> 00:01:40,200 God will be glorified through our obedience and we will 22 00:01:40,200 --> 00:01:44,900 experience as a church and as families are starting and 23 00:01:44,900 --> 00:01:48,400 couples are coming together. And as a family, you will know a 24 00:01:48,400 --> 00:01:53,000 joy. You will know Harmony, you will 25 00:01:53,000 --> 00:01:56,100 know fruitfulness. You will know the fullness of 26 00:01:56,100 --> 00:02:01,900 God's blessing when you and I choose to comply to his design. 27 00:02:03,500 --> 00:02:07,400 of what he has in mind for a man and a woman and though equal in 28 00:02:07,400 --> 00:02:13,100 dignity and though equal in value, we must understand that 29 00:02:13,100 --> 00:02:16,800 they complement each other with their respective 30 00:02:17,000 --> 00:02:21,200 responsibilities that are attributed to their genders. 31 00:02:22,700 --> 00:02:27,900 It all begins here in this letter where we see now is split 32 00:02:27,900 --> 00:02:32,600 and Paul's thought where he wants to now describe those 33 00:02:32,600 --> 00:02:37,200 roles and he wants to speak to men separately, and he wants to 34 00:02:37,200 --> 00:02:40,700 speak to women separately. And he speaking to a pastor 35 00:02:40,700 --> 00:02:44,700 named Timothy to instruct men and women separately, and we're 36 00:02:44,700 --> 00:02:47,600 not going to discuss all those roles and this letter doesn't 37 00:02:47,600 --> 00:02:52,900 contain All of that but there is a concern that Paul has and he 38 00:02:52,900 --> 00:02:57,200 wants to hit on those points. And there are unique temptations 39 00:02:57,200 --> 00:03:00,000 that face a man in their roles and their unique temptations, 40 00:03:00,000 --> 00:03:04,600 that a woman faces in her roles. And sometimes the temptation of 41 00:03:04,600 --> 00:03:09,700 either one is to switch roles And to pursue the other person's 42 00:03:10,100 --> 00:03:16,200 god-ordained task. But look at two words in verse 43 00:03:16,200 --> 00:03:18,400 8, with me this morning, see what Paul says. 44 00:03:18,800 --> 00:03:20,700 He says, I desire. You have a different 45 00:03:20,700 --> 00:03:23,700 translation. Probably says, I will, I desire, 46 00:03:24,200 --> 00:03:26,800 that's how this all begins as he begins to instruct. 47 00:03:26,800 --> 00:03:30,000 Now, the different genders. Why is that important? 48 00:03:30,800 --> 00:03:33,000 Why is Paul saying I desire important? 49 00:03:33,100 --> 00:03:36,200 Here's why it's important because Paul's not speaking in 50 00:03:36,200 --> 00:03:42,700 subjective impulse. He is declaring a message with 51 00:03:42,700 --> 00:03:47,600 Apostolic Authority. When Paul says I desire, we have 52 00:03:47,600 --> 00:03:52,500 to understand that he is laying down The rules as a mouthpiece 53 00:03:52,600 --> 00:03:55,800 mouthpiece of the Holy Spirit. He's not an opinionated 54 00:03:55,800 --> 00:03:58,400 self-govern leader that saying, you know, I kind of think this 55 00:03:58,400 --> 00:04:01,900 is how it should happen. Paul is an ambassador of Christ 56 00:04:01,900 --> 00:04:03,900 speaking on behalf of headquarters in heaven. 57 00:04:05,200 --> 00:04:08,800 He is an apostle. He is a man amongst other 58 00:04:08,800 --> 00:04:11,400 Apostles that were given the role. 59 00:04:11,400 --> 00:04:16,700 The Holy Spirit, Divine role of what laying down, the Bedrock of 60 00:04:16,700 --> 00:04:21,700 the church, establishing the foundation of the church for all 61 00:04:21,700 --> 00:04:24,400 ages. So we have to get this clear 62 00:04:24,400 --> 00:04:27,000 from the beginning. Paul is not speaking primarily 63 00:04:27,000 --> 00:04:29,900 to a culture and just to a culture. 64 00:04:30,800 --> 00:04:34,600 Paul is not even speaking these rules that pertain merely to a 65 00:04:34,600 --> 00:04:38,400 specific time in history. What Paul's about to say is for 66 00:04:38,400 --> 00:04:42,400 all ages and for all churches of all, cultures of all, nations of 67 00:04:42,400 --> 00:04:46,800 all time. So when pauses I desire, we have 68 00:04:46,800 --> 00:04:48,800 to filter that by understanding, he's a representative. 69 00:04:48,800 --> 00:04:51,900 So it's not Paul's desire. It's God's desire through Paul. 70 00:04:53,300 --> 00:04:56,600 No this this morning. If you haven't known it already, 71 00:04:56,600 --> 00:05:00,100 you will know it. Soon enough that Paul's desire 72 00:05:00,300 --> 00:05:05,500 which is God's desire has been and will continue to increase 73 00:05:06,400 --> 00:05:10,200 and being challenged by other people's desires and their ideas 74 00:05:10,600 --> 00:05:15,100 of what a man should be in terms of responsibility and tax within 75 00:05:15,100 --> 00:05:16,200 the church and within the family. 76 00:05:16,200 --> 00:05:20,900 What a woman should be in terms of biblical Womanhood in terms 77 00:05:20,900 --> 00:05:22,700 of responsibilities within the church. 78 00:05:23,200 --> 00:05:26,900 And her primary role in the family, it's going to be 79 00:05:26,900 --> 00:05:30,900 attacked more and more just give it a few years and you're going 80 00:05:30,900 --> 00:05:33,000 to see well. We're going to describe the next 81 00:05:33,000 --> 00:05:37,300 couple of weeks, be assaulted like a tsunami. 82 00:05:39,700 --> 00:05:41,300 But that's not our concern, is it? 83 00:05:42,700 --> 00:05:46,000 Because we want to know what God's desire is and we want to 84 00:05:46,008 --> 00:05:50,400 trust that God is all-wise. God is all-knowing. 85 00:05:51,000 --> 00:05:54,700 God is love. And God is in charge of his 86 00:05:54,700 --> 00:05:59,400 church. Not man, not a charismatic, 87 00:05:59,400 --> 00:06:04,500 pastor. Not what the general Community 88 00:06:04,500 --> 00:06:08,800 believes or the popular vote. Is when Paul says I desire, he's 89 00:06:08,800 --> 00:06:12,400 setting the tone. This is what the Lord desires, 90 00:06:12,600 --> 00:06:16,500 this is what God has in mind and trust that it is for His glory 91 00:06:16,500 --> 00:06:19,100 and for your good. So Paul Begins by saying I 92 00:06:19,100 --> 00:06:21,000 desire. And what he's about to do now is 93 00:06:21,000 --> 00:06:23,400 address the men he's about to speak to the men of the 94 00:06:23,407 --> 00:06:26,100 congregation. So I will do that this morning. 95 00:06:26,100 --> 00:06:27,900 I'm going to look in the eyes of men this morning. 96 00:06:28,700 --> 00:06:32,000 I'm going to address the men. What does Paul say to the men? 97 00:06:32,600 --> 00:06:35,500 I desired then that in every place the men should pray. 98 00:06:38,400 --> 00:06:40,200 Lifting. Holy hands without anger or 99 00:06:40,200 --> 00:06:43,000 quarreling. Now we got to understand this 100 00:06:43,000 --> 00:06:45,000 carefully or else we're going to fall into some confusion. 101 00:06:45,600 --> 00:06:47,400 If you were here a couple weeks ago we understood that we 102 00:06:47,400 --> 00:06:52,000 discussed a whole message on the church's needs to pray. 103 00:06:52,200 --> 00:06:55,200 That the church, the local body needs to prioritize the ministry 104 00:06:55,200 --> 00:06:59,800 of prayer, that we can't afford to neglect, such a privilege 105 00:06:59,800 --> 00:07:02,500 that God has given us and the power source of all other 106 00:07:02,500 --> 00:07:05,900 Ministries and all other longevity in the church. 107 00:07:06,400 --> 00:07:11,100 And so for Paul to say something such as I desire meant to pray 108 00:07:12,100 --> 00:07:14,400 This word man is not a neutral term. 109 00:07:14,800 --> 00:07:17,600 This is not equivalent to. I desire mankind to pray or 110 00:07:17,600 --> 00:07:20,500 Humanity to pray. We know that to be true because 111 00:07:20,500 --> 00:07:22,700 in verse 9 is going to address the woman separately. 112 00:07:23,900 --> 00:07:27,100 So he's not saying men, meaning a term for all people to pray, 113 00:07:27,200 --> 00:07:30,900 he speaking specifically to males and then he's going to 114 00:07:30,907 --> 00:07:32,800 address the woman and the next verse. 115 00:07:32,900 --> 00:07:39,000 And so this is focused on the boys. and we think to ourselves, 116 00:07:40,400 --> 00:07:44,000 Why? Why is he telling men to pray? 117 00:07:44,000 --> 00:07:47,500 We just spent a whole week discussing how the church needs 118 00:07:47,500 --> 00:07:49,200 to pray. Wasn't that enough Paul? 119 00:07:51,000 --> 00:07:53,400 Let's understand what he's not saying number one. 120 00:07:53,500 --> 00:07:56,300 What Paul is not saying in this verse as that men should pray 121 00:07:56,300 --> 00:08:00,400 and woman shouldn't. This isn't this isn't a way for 122 00:08:00,400 --> 00:08:03,600 Paul to narrow the command of prayer within the church to say 123 00:08:03,900 --> 00:08:06,200 it is the spiritual responsibility of men to pray 124 00:08:06,200 --> 00:08:08,700 and woman should be caught up in other spiritual disciplines. 125 00:08:09,900 --> 00:08:11,800 This isn't? This is a thing that woman can't 126 00:08:11,800 --> 00:08:13,500 touch. This is something that is not 127 00:08:13,500 --> 00:08:16,200 necessarily a call for the ladies. 128 00:08:17,100 --> 00:08:19,900 If that was the interpretation Paul would be severely 129 00:08:19,900 --> 00:08:23,400 contradicting himself because there are many scriptures that a 130 00:08:23,400 --> 00:08:26,600 test otherwise and so you know this one we discussed that when 131 00:08:26,600 --> 00:08:31,400 we talked about prophecy First Corinthians 11 verse 4. 132 00:08:31,400 --> 00:08:35,299 What does Paul say every man who prays or prophesies with his 133 00:08:35,299 --> 00:08:39,700 head covered, dishonors his head but every wife who prays or 134 00:08:39,700 --> 00:08:43,299 prophesies with her head uncovered dishonors her head 135 00:08:43,400 --> 00:08:45,900 since it is the same as her head were shaven. 136 00:08:47,200 --> 00:08:49,300 I know that just reading that verse, so many people like just 137 00:08:49,300 --> 00:08:52,000 tell us what that means. Please, when we talked about 138 00:08:52,000 --> 00:08:54,100 this last time, people just want to know what Paul meant by 139 00:08:54,100 --> 00:08:55,800 covering. We'll get to that one day. 140 00:08:57,000 --> 00:08:59,600 But let's focus on the fact that they were praying here, that in 141 00:08:59,600 --> 00:09:04,400 the public sphere, the woman were praying just as much as the 142 00:09:04,400 --> 00:09:08,600 men were in the public gathering of the church, when Jesus 143 00:09:08,600 --> 00:09:10,600 Promised the coming of the Holy Spirit. 144 00:09:10,700 --> 00:09:14,400 And before he ascended into heaven, he looked at a number of 145 00:09:14,400 --> 00:09:17,400 disciples as you wait in Jerusalem to receive this 146 00:09:17,500 --> 00:09:19,600 promise before you go and do anything else. 147 00:09:20,100 --> 00:09:22,000 And so, they all stuff themselves in the upper room, 148 00:09:22,000 --> 00:09:24,200 120 of them. And we have to understand that 149 00:09:24,200 --> 00:09:29,700 it wasn't 120 disciple males. What does acts 1:14 tell us all 150 00:09:29,700 --> 00:09:32,700 these with one Accord were devoting themselves to prayer 151 00:09:32,900 --> 00:09:36,300 together with the women and Mary, the mother of Jesus and 152 00:09:36,300 --> 00:09:39,000 his brothers. So here's a mixture of mingling 153 00:09:39,600 --> 00:09:42,400 of both male and female praying and seeking the face of God 154 00:09:42,400 --> 00:09:45,700 together. So this morning, we're one step 155 00:09:45,700 --> 00:09:47,500 closer to understanding what Paul is saying here. 156 00:09:47,500 --> 00:09:50,700 When he says I desire, that men should pray in every place. 157 00:09:51,500 --> 00:09:55,700 What does he mean by this? Remember we dealt with the first 158 00:09:55,700 --> 00:09:58,300 few verses of this chapter about how the church should pray. 159 00:09:58,700 --> 00:10:01,600 That's clear. That's understandable. 160 00:10:02,500 --> 00:10:07,100 So this verse following tells us that it is very likely that Paul 161 00:10:07,100 --> 00:10:10,500 had in mind to bring order to that public gathering of prayer. 162 00:10:11,300 --> 00:10:15,100 That when the church has an official meeting to seek the 163 00:10:15,100 --> 00:10:19,600 face of God, what Paul is saying with this versus that men should 164 00:10:19,600 --> 00:10:22,800 be the one officiating and leading and guiding in that 165 00:10:22,800 --> 00:10:25,000 meeting. That's exactly what he's saying. 166 00:10:25,100 --> 00:10:28,700 It's a very simple as that that the men should assume the role 167 00:10:28,700 --> 00:10:32,500 of leadership in such a way. Way that he would guide and 168 00:10:32,500 --> 00:10:36,700 steer the meeting and officiate that expression of worship on 169 00:10:36,700 --> 00:10:40,700 the public sphere. And that is consistent with 170 00:10:40,700 --> 00:10:43,700 Paul's understanding of the role of a man within the church. 171 00:10:43,700 --> 00:10:46,800 And within the home that he is, the initiator that he is, the 172 00:10:46,800 --> 00:10:50,700 leader that he's the head. And that is something that we 173 00:10:50,700 --> 00:10:53,300 experience on a weekly basis. If you come here on a Wednesday 174 00:10:53,300 --> 00:10:57,200 night when we pray, you see that you see male leadership starting 175 00:10:57,400 --> 00:11:00,600 and navigating and closing the meeting and everything in 176 00:11:00,600 --> 00:11:03,700 between that is men and sometimes woman, praying more. 177 00:11:04,900 --> 00:11:08,700 And so, this is not to say men are better prayer warriors than 178 00:11:08,700 --> 00:11:10,300 woman. Hannah is a woman in the Old 179 00:11:10,300 --> 00:11:14,300 Testament that would attest. Otherwise, And different woman 180 00:11:14,300 --> 00:11:16,800 in scripture. This is not even saying that 181 00:11:16,800 --> 00:11:19,900 woman when they come together, just as woman, can't pray, 182 00:11:19,900 --> 00:11:21,700 unless a man is present, that's absurd. 183 00:11:22,300 --> 00:11:24,900 All this is saying is that when there is an official Gathering 184 00:11:24,900 --> 00:11:28,400 of the saints that the man should assume the role of 185 00:11:28,400 --> 00:11:32,700 leading, that public expression of worship and conduct the 186 00:11:32,700 --> 00:11:35,600 exercise of a leader. Very simple. 187 00:11:37,400 --> 00:11:39,700 But we have to understand this command and a broader scope. 188 00:11:40,900 --> 00:11:43,200 That's the narrow understanding in terms of the context of the 189 00:11:43,200 --> 00:11:45,600 church. But I think there's another 190 00:11:45,800 --> 00:11:50,800 heartbeat behind this. We can understand it to say that 191 00:11:51,100 --> 00:11:52,900 since men are called to be leaders. 192 00:11:55,000 --> 00:11:59,600 In the home. In the church, you better 193 00:11:59,600 --> 00:12:02,100 believe that that comes with a load of responsibility. 194 00:12:03,700 --> 00:12:05,900 You better believe that in the general sense, you are now 195 00:12:05,900 --> 00:12:10,900 called my brother's to be the provider and the protector. 196 00:12:12,200 --> 00:12:16,500 Of your communities and your respective families, to provide, 197 00:12:16,500 --> 00:12:20,600 not just physical bread, but spiritual bread to protect, not 198 00:12:20,600 --> 00:12:22,900 just in the physical sense. But in the spiritual sense, what 199 00:12:22,900 --> 00:12:25,200 you allow in your home, will you allow your children? 200 00:12:25,200 --> 00:12:28,800 Your wife should be exposed to you are the priest of your home. 201 00:12:31,800 --> 00:12:36,500 and knowing that and teaching on that and Paul as a man, though, 202 00:12:36,500 --> 00:12:40,900 not a husband understanding that Makes an interesting command 203 00:12:40,900 --> 00:12:43,100 here with that significant role assigned to a man. 204 00:12:43,900 --> 00:12:47,200 No matter what you do and no matter how much you pursue 205 00:12:47,300 --> 00:12:51,400 biblical manhood, do not forget to rely on God. 206 00:12:53,300 --> 00:12:56,600 In your pursuit of being a true man of God. 207 00:12:58,400 --> 00:13:01,500 It's an encouraging thing. It's as though this command is a 208 00:13:01,500 --> 00:13:08,000 nudge to men to saying, listen, don't forget to draw from the 209 00:13:08,000 --> 00:13:11,200 grace of God. As you desire, to be a better, 210 00:13:11,200 --> 00:13:16,600 father, a better husband even as a single man, just a better 211 00:13:16,600 --> 00:13:20,400 disciple. Don't forget to know how to 212 00:13:20,400 --> 00:13:23,900 receive his help. Don't forget to receive his 213 00:13:24,200 --> 00:13:28,000 imparting. Mercies don't think that you can 214 00:13:28,000 --> 00:13:30,700 just live this life independently from him as manly 215 00:13:30,700 --> 00:13:33,700 as you are or as manly as you think you might be. 216 00:13:35,700 --> 00:13:39,000 You know the pursuit of biblical man has its own Temptations. 217 00:13:39,900 --> 00:13:41,400 And here's one of The Temptations. 218 00:13:41,400 --> 00:13:44,900 The goal of that is to be a leader and to be a leader 219 00:13:44,900 --> 00:13:46,600 doesn't mean you just tell people what to do. 220 00:13:46,600 --> 00:13:48,500 That's not the biblical description of a man being a 221 00:13:48,500 --> 00:13:50,800 leader. The better term is a servant 222 00:13:50,800 --> 00:13:55,200 leader sacrificial, love being expressed through practical 223 00:13:55,500 --> 00:13:59,700 means of Grace and love. You are now laying down your 224 00:13:59,700 --> 00:14:05,400 life in every way possible and that includes Great Lengths of 225 00:14:05,500 --> 00:14:08,600 Suffice. That includes days where you 226 00:14:08,600 --> 00:14:11,000 don't eat, as much as you want, or you want to sleep as much as 227 00:14:11,000 --> 00:14:15,300 you wanted, that includes you just carrying your cross. 228 00:14:15,600 --> 00:14:17,800 Because you are carrying your family. 229 00:14:18,000 --> 00:14:22,400 On your shoulders, you are serving your community as a man. 230 00:14:23,900 --> 00:14:26,000 You're not flimsy and your commitment. 231 00:14:26,100 --> 00:14:29,400 You're a man of your word. You get your hands dirty, you 232 00:14:29,400 --> 00:14:34,200 serve, you set an example for others, including women. 233 00:14:35,300 --> 00:14:39,800 Young children as it comes. And here's the temptation as you 234 00:14:39,800 --> 00:14:42,000 pursue that. And as your mind is fixed like I 235 00:14:42,000 --> 00:14:44,000 want to be a man of God. I want to be that kind of a 236 00:14:44,008 --> 00:14:47,100 person. You can build up, such a 237 00:14:47,100 --> 00:14:52,300 understanding of being a person to be relied on Right. 238 00:14:53,200 --> 00:14:56,500 You want your shoulder to be something that your wife can 239 00:14:56,500 --> 00:15:00,300 rely on and lean on and your children to come to, and you 240 00:15:00,300 --> 00:15:04,400 build up, such an understanding and such a mindset of being 241 00:15:04,500 --> 00:15:06,700 relied on that. You forget to rely on God 242 00:15:06,700 --> 00:15:14,100 yourself, that almost this idea of being strong means that in 243 00:15:14,100 --> 00:15:17,100 some sense though, you wouldn't admit it, I don't really need to 244 00:15:17,100 --> 00:15:20,900 pray. I don't really need to pray. 245 00:15:22,600 --> 00:15:27,100 And that's a dangerous thing. Because before anything else. 246 00:15:27,100 --> 00:15:30,500 My brother. Before a father, before a 247 00:15:30,508 --> 00:15:35,000 husband, before a disciple, a brother to sisters or brother to 248 00:15:35,000 --> 00:15:37,900 her brother as your single at this point before anything else? 249 00:15:37,900 --> 00:15:44,100 No, this you're a man of God. You walk with God. 250 00:15:45,100 --> 00:15:49,200 You commune with God? You studied the word of God. 251 00:15:49,700 --> 00:15:52,800 You discipline yourself to fellowship with God, to 252 00:15:52,800 --> 00:15:56,300 represent God. You like Enoch walk with him. 253 00:15:57,000 --> 00:16:02,900 That's your primary identity. And God desires you to be a 254 00:16:02,900 --> 00:16:07,300 leader, not in the sense that you live independently from any 255 00:16:07,300 --> 00:16:11,500 source of help. That you would know something of 256 00:16:11,500 --> 00:16:15,100 his molding and is melting, as you rely on him in that place. 257 00:16:16,100 --> 00:16:22,400 And so here's the understanding that you and I as men Desiring 258 00:16:22,400 --> 00:16:25,500 to be a provider and protector for others, have to understand 259 00:16:25,500 --> 00:16:27,900 that God wants to provide and protect you. 260 00:16:30,600 --> 00:16:33,100 God wants to impart something and you deposit, something and 261 00:16:33,100 --> 00:16:36,400 you so that you can be a vessel that will overflow into others. 262 00:16:36,400 --> 00:16:39,900 That is not possible. Unless prayer is a reality in 263 00:16:39,900 --> 00:16:44,800 your life. And there's so many examples to 264 00:16:44,800 --> 00:16:48,300 think of in the scriptures and I think of one, I think of a 265 00:16:48,308 --> 00:16:52,800 husband who had a wife that was Barren and she couldn't produce 266 00:16:52,800 --> 00:16:56,800 children year after year, after year and all that added was more 267 00:16:56,800 --> 00:17:00,500 sorrow, more sorrow and more sorrow upon our heart because 268 00:17:00,700 --> 00:17:03,100 she's looking around and she sees another wife having babies 269 00:17:03,100 --> 00:17:08,300 at your she is empty. Fruitless James Hannah. 270 00:17:09,800 --> 00:17:14,300 Her husband's name is elkanah. The Bible tells us very clear 271 00:17:14,300 --> 00:17:19,300 that elkanah loved his wife, he cared for her and you almost get 272 00:17:19,300 --> 00:17:23,200 a snippet of his attempt to meet her emotional needs. 273 00:17:23,200 --> 00:17:25,900 When he sees that she's clearly distressed of the fact that 274 00:17:26,000 --> 00:17:28,400 here's another year that I can't, I can't have my own 275 00:17:28,400 --> 00:17:31,400 offspring. So, what does it tell us? 276 00:17:31,400 --> 00:17:36,000 In 1st Samuel. 18 and I'll Kana her husband set there. 277 00:17:36,000 --> 00:17:38,700 Hannah. Why do You Weep? 278 00:17:40,300 --> 00:17:44,100 Why do you not eat? And why is your heart sad? 279 00:17:45,700 --> 00:17:48,000 Am I not more to you than ten Sons? 280 00:17:49,300 --> 00:17:50,600 You see what he's trying to do here. 281 00:17:50,900 --> 00:17:54,200 He's taking his wife by the shoulders gently saying, honey, 282 00:17:54,200 --> 00:17:58,000 listen, Stop looking at the negative in life. 283 00:17:58,100 --> 00:17:59,700 Look at the positive. Look, you have me. 284 00:18:01,300 --> 00:18:04,400 Am I not worthy more than ten Sons is that? 285 00:18:04,400 --> 00:18:06,000 You can tell this is a man, right? 286 00:18:07,700 --> 00:18:10,800 And he's trying to he's trying to console her and we can praise 287 00:18:10,800 --> 00:18:15,300 him for that and we can applaud that some say the elkanah was 288 00:18:15,300 --> 00:18:17,100 insensitive I don't see it that way. 289 00:18:17,900 --> 00:18:22,100 I think he's trying his best to really redirect her and to focus 290 00:18:22,100 --> 00:18:26,500 on the brighter side of things. But I can't help but think that, 291 00:18:26,500 --> 00:18:29,400 as much as elkanah was trying to do his best, he could have done 292 00:18:29,400 --> 00:18:31,900 more. And you might be thinking how 293 00:18:31,900 --> 00:18:35,000 can you say such a thing? This is literally outside of elk 294 00:18:35,000 --> 00:18:37,200 on his hands. He can't give life. 295 00:18:37,900 --> 00:18:41,500 It's only God who can do that. So how can you, how can you say 296 00:18:41,500 --> 00:18:42,800 that all kind of could have done more? 297 00:18:42,800 --> 00:18:46,200 Because I backtracked in my Bible and I realized that there 298 00:18:46,200 --> 00:18:48,400 was another man and the same predicament as elkanah and 299 00:18:48,400 --> 00:18:52,600 Hannah, another woman who is Barren, in fact who didn't have 300 00:18:52,600 --> 00:18:54,900 a child for the first 20 years of her marriage. 301 00:18:55,800 --> 00:18:57,600 She was empty and void of children. 302 00:18:59,500 --> 00:19:03,200 But she had a husband. And his name was Isaac. 303 00:19:05,000 --> 00:19:09,800 And in Genesis 25, verse 20 we read and Isaac was 40 years old 304 00:19:09,800 --> 00:19:15,300 when he took Rebecca. and in verse 21, it says, and Isaac 305 00:19:15,300 --> 00:19:21,100 prayed the Lord for his wife because she was barren. 306 00:19:23,400 --> 00:19:25,200 And the Lord, granted his prayer and Rebecca. 307 00:19:25,200 --> 00:19:32,600 His wife conceived. I see a man who saw a need 308 00:19:33,300 --> 00:19:36,100 something that was outside of his hands, and we don't know if 309 00:19:36,100 --> 00:19:39,500 he consoled her on a verbal level, like elkanah that. 310 00:19:39,500 --> 00:19:41,400 I'm sure he did. But he took it to the next 311 00:19:41,400 --> 00:19:47,100 level. he looked at his wife and he looked at his inability, he 312 00:19:47,108 --> 00:19:51,900 gets on his knees in his room, he gets before God He says, oh 313 00:19:51,900 --> 00:19:56,000 God. Give my wife a child. 314 00:19:56,900 --> 00:20:01,500 Oh God, I pray for her. And I intercede for her. 315 00:20:03,400 --> 00:20:04,900 And he's doing what men should do. 316 00:20:06,000 --> 00:20:07,900 And that's know how to take the needs. 317 00:20:08,200 --> 00:20:10,900 Whether he is able to perform that need or not. 318 00:20:10,900 --> 00:20:15,100 And come before the Lord and say, Lord, I pray for her, I 319 00:20:15,100 --> 00:20:17,100 pray for my children. I pray for my church. 320 00:20:18,200 --> 00:20:22,000 And God tells us in this verse that the basis of the answer 321 00:20:22,000 --> 00:20:28,100 came from a man's cry. And I look at elkanah L kind of 322 00:20:28,100 --> 00:20:32,300 story and I wish almost that he would have prayed that he would 323 00:20:32,300 --> 00:20:36,200 have got before God. But what do you see? 324 00:20:36,200 --> 00:20:38,700 You see what many women are experiencing in their day? 325 00:20:40,000 --> 00:20:41,900 There's a void in a relationship. 326 00:20:43,000 --> 00:20:45,100 Between them in their husbands of knowing how to come together 327 00:20:45,100 --> 00:20:49,100 before God or the man coming before God for herself or even 328 00:20:49,100 --> 00:20:51,400 for himself. And you know what she does is 329 00:20:51,400 --> 00:20:53,600 says in the very next verse there in first Samuel chapter 330 00:20:53,600 --> 00:20:57,500 one that she gets before God. And she weeps bitterly before 331 00:20:57,500 --> 00:21:00,800 God. And God answers her prayer. 332 00:21:03,600 --> 00:21:05,900 I find that many wives are in that predicament. 333 00:21:07,100 --> 00:21:09,900 That they can't find the grace to grab ahold of their husband. 334 00:21:10,000 --> 00:21:12,700 And the husband can't initiate that knowing how to bring things 335 00:21:12,700 --> 00:21:14,700 before the Lord. And so, she finds herself alone 336 00:21:14,900 --> 00:21:17,200 and know this. If that is your situation, God 337 00:21:17,200 --> 00:21:21,200 will hear your prayers just as much as his He's no respecter of 338 00:21:21,200 --> 00:21:24,500 persons but men miss out on the privilege and the honor of 339 00:21:24,700 --> 00:21:27,100 operating in that role as a priest and seeing the blessings 340 00:21:27,100 --> 00:21:31,300 of God flow in and through his life into his family's life Men, 341 00:21:31,400 --> 00:21:33,600 You're called to be prayer warriors, as much as anything 342 00:21:33,600 --> 00:21:41,500 else. And we see that this is Paul's 343 00:21:41,500 --> 00:21:43,100 desire for men. You know what, the desire for 344 00:21:43,100 --> 00:21:46,300 this church is, here's the desire that husbands would know 345 00:21:46,300 --> 00:21:49,800 how to get together within the church and pray together as 346 00:21:49,800 --> 00:21:53,200 husband's to be better husband's better fathers in their 347 00:21:53,200 --> 00:21:56,100 families. That current and future 348 00:21:56,100 --> 00:21:58,600 business. Men of this church, we know how 349 00:21:58,600 --> 00:22:01,600 to get together and seek the face of God, that they may be 350 00:22:01,800 --> 00:22:05,900 honorable in their workplace and that they may be profitable, not 351 00:22:05,900 --> 00:22:08,900 just in the financial sense but with their influence to be a 352 00:22:08,908 --> 00:22:13,500 testimony to those around them that men would know how to get 353 00:22:13,500 --> 00:22:21,800 together and seek God. And I can tell you this, there 354 00:22:21,800 --> 00:22:23,700 is nothing more beautiful than seeing that. 355 00:22:25,500 --> 00:22:28,000 I was reminded of a testimony of a man who was speaking at his 356 00:22:28,000 --> 00:22:30,300 father's funeral. I was watching it live stream 357 00:22:30,300 --> 00:22:32,600 because I was familiar with the family, to some degree, big 358 00:22:32,600 --> 00:22:35,900 funeral, and the son got out there to testify about his 359 00:22:35,900 --> 00:22:39,700 relationship with his dad, and he had set up one part and it 360 00:22:39,700 --> 00:22:43,100 warm my heart so much that when he was in high school as a 16 361 00:22:43,100 --> 00:22:45,900 year old boy, he would wake up very early to get to practice on 362 00:22:45,900 --> 00:22:49,100 a daily basis and he remembers one particular morning where it 363 00:22:49,100 --> 00:22:51,100 was still dark outside. Like it was this morning when 364 00:22:51,100 --> 00:22:56,300 you woke up early, hopefully, when you woke up early, And as 365 00:22:56,300 --> 00:23:01,200 he tips toes through his hallway and he comes down the stairs in 366 00:23:01,200 --> 00:23:04,600 the discreet Silence of that early morning, before the sun 367 00:23:04,600 --> 00:23:07,700 would even come up. He heard something behind the 368 00:23:07,700 --> 00:23:11,200 walls of one of the rooms on the main floor and it was always 369 00:23:11,200 --> 00:23:13,300 muttering but you couldn't make make it clear. 370 00:23:13,300 --> 00:23:16,600 So here he is with his gym bag ready to leave and as he comes 371 00:23:16,600 --> 00:23:20,900 closer to the door, he hears his father on his knees weeping. 372 00:23:24,100 --> 00:23:26,900 For specific people that he knew needed to be saved. 373 00:23:30,400 --> 00:23:35,500 And here's a 16 year old boy. Now in his 50s testifying before 374 00:23:35,500 --> 00:23:38,600 a Congregation of the godliness of his dad. 375 00:23:39,500 --> 00:23:42,000 Now, he was a man who knew how to come before God on behalf of 376 00:23:42,000 --> 00:23:45,400 his family and behalf of his ministry and seek the Lord. 377 00:23:47,600 --> 00:23:49,000 Do you think he would have forgot that when he went to 378 00:23:49,008 --> 00:23:50,700 basketball practice? He didn't forget it years later 379 00:23:50,700 --> 00:23:55,100 when he was at his funeral. I believe a lot of problems 380 00:23:55,200 --> 00:23:58,500 within the home within the church can be solved when men 381 00:23:58,500 --> 00:24:02,200 begin to pray. The problem is many either don't 382 00:24:02,200 --> 00:24:07,900 see the need to pray. or men have convinced themselves that 383 00:24:09,400 --> 00:24:12,000 Energy should be given to otherwise and that's fine. 384 00:24:12,000 --> 00:24:15,300 We need spread ourselves in all practical means. 385 00:24:16,200 --> 00:24:18,300 But Paul saying, you don't understand what's ahead of you 386 00:24:18,300 --> 00:24:20,900 as a leader, it's time to get on your face before. 387 00:24:20,900 --> 00:24:26,300 God, And we talked about the priority of prayer and we talked 388 00:24:26,300 --> 00:24:31,200 about how God desires men to pray and the church to pray, but 389 00:24:31,200 --> 00:24:33,600 he wants him to pray in a specific way and we talked about 390 00:24:33,600 --> 00:24:35,800 how important it is and why people don't prioritize it. 391 00:24:35,900 --> 00:24:39,700 But here at this point, if you're convinced as a man and as 392 00:24:39,700 --> 00:24:42,000 a woman that you want to pray, you really want to be a woman of 393 00:24:42,000 --> 00:24:46,400 prayer, man of prayer because this is principal for both Paws. 394 00:24:46,400 --> 00:24:49,300 Now going to describe the effective way to pray and how 395 00:24:49,300 --> 00:24:52,500 even though you want to pray you cannot experience answers to 396 00:24:52,500 --> 00:24:54,400 your prayer based on a certain On premise. 397 00:24:54,500 --> 00:24:57,400 And so here's what he says, I desire that in every place. 398 00:24:57,400 --> 00:25:00,300 The men should pray lifting, holy hands. 399 00:25:02,200 --> 00:25:04,900 Lifting. Holy hands is Paul saying that 400 00:25:04,900 --> 00:25:06,400 every time you praise you have your hands up. 401 00:25:07,500 --> 00:25:09,700 And the moment you bring them down you're not really praying. 402 00:25:11,000 --> 00:25:17,200 This posture of worship was a very known custom in the Old 403 00:25:17,200 --> 00:25:19,800 Testament. You see that even described in 404 00:25:19,800 --> 00:25:22,400 certain acts of prayer through those pages. 405 00:25:23,400 --> 00:25:26,500 You see that there was a lifting of hands to express something of 406 00:25:26,500 --> 00:25:32,600 neediness and desire, In a receiving and a surrender before 407 00:25:32,600 --> 00:25:34,800 God. And so we have every right to 408 00:25:34,800 --> 00:25:38,700 express that kind of physical manifestation of a heart Posh 409 00:25:38,700 --> 00:25:41,300 that says, I need you. God, and you lift your palms 410 00:25:41,300 --> 00:25:43,100 towards having you say I'm empty. 411 00:25:43,100 --> 00:25:45,700 I need you to fill these hands with Grace. 412 00:25:46,800 --> 00:25:50,900 Provision need help wisdom. But it's not saying that that's 413 00:25:50,900 --> 00:25:52,900 the only way to pray because here's how you. 414 00:25:52,900 --> 00:25:55,300 And I have to understand what Paul is saying here, Paul is not 415 00:25:55,300 --> 00:25:59,300 concerned as much with the posture of hands and prayer. 416 00:26:01,100 --> 00:26:03,600 Paul is much more concerned about the Holiness of those 417 00:26:03,600 --> 00:26:06,400 hands. Concerning how it affects 418 00:26:06,400 --> 00:26:09,900 prayer. Hens in the Bible, often 419 00:26:09,900 --> 00:26:14,000 symbolize our daily Affairs. The things we touch the things 420 00:26:14,000 --> 00:26:18,000 that we do. What Paul is saying here is that 421 00:26:19,200 --> 00:26:23,800 Holiness in your hands are the keys to answered prayers from 422 00:26:23,800 --> 00:26:29,300 heaven. I want you to turn to a certain 423 00:26:29,300 --> 00:26:32,400 scripture in the Old Testament to help clarify that go to the 424 00:26:32,400 --> 00:26:36,300 book of Zechariah Zechariah is the book before, Malachi and 425 00:26:36,300 --> 00:26:38,500 Malachi's. The book before that page that 426 00:26:38,500 --> 00:26:41,200 says New Testament. So it's a second last book of 427 00:26:41,200 --> 00:26:44,400 the Old Testament and go to chapter 7, I want you to read 428 00:26:44,400 --> 00:26:48,500 something with me that is emphasizing this point. 429 00:26:49,300 --> 00:26:55,200 Go to chapter 7 and then go to verse 9 and see a prophecy that 430 00:26:55,200 --> 00:26:58,800 was made rather prophetic Declaration of judgment. 431 00:27:01,800 --> 00:27:07,000 Let's see what the Bible says. Zechariah 7, verse 9 says, thus 432 00:27:07,000 --> 00:27:09,900 says, the Lord of hosts rendered. 433 00:27:09,900 --> 00:27:13,200 True. Judgments show, kindness and 434 00:27:13,200 --> 00:27:17,100 mercy to one another. Do not oppress the Widow, the 435 00:27:17,100 --> 00:27:21,300 fatherless, the soldier nor the poor and let none of you devise 436 00:27:21,300 --> 00:27:23,600 evil against another in your heart. 437 00:27:23,600 --> 00:27:25,900 Do you see what he's saying? He's calling for righteousness. 438 00:27:26,300 --> 00:27:29,200 He's calling for practical righteousness. 439 00:27:30,000 --> 00:27:32,800 But look at the indictment verse 11, but they refuse to pay 440 00:27:32,800 --> 00:27:36,600 attention and turn a stubborn shoulder and stop the ears that 441 00:27:36,600 --> 00:27:39,300 they may not hear what descriptive language. 442 00:27:39,300 --> 00:27:41,900 It's almost like somebody's tapping on your shoulder to get 443 00:27:41,900 --> 00:27:43,200 your attention. This is what you're doing. 444 00:27:44,400 --> 00:27:46,000 That's what he's saying about. The people topping your 445 00:27:46,000 --> 00:27:47,100 shoulder, you're going. Don't touch me. 446 00:27:47,100 --> 00:27:50,000 I'm busy here. They turned a stubborn shoulder. 447 00:27:50,100 --> 00:27:52,600 And what is he saying? Here verse 12. 448 00:27:52,600 --> 00:27:54,900 They made their hearts. I like this translation. 449 00:27:54,900 --> 00:27:59,500 Diamond hard. Diamond hard, who made their 450 00:27:59,500 --> 00:28:01,000 hearts diamond-hard. The people made their hearts 451 00:28:01,000 --> 00:28:04,300 diamond-hard less. They should hear the law. 452 00:28:04,600 --> 00:28:08,000 And the words that the Lord of hosts had sent by his Spirit, 453 00:28:08,000 --> 00:28:12,400 through the former prophets. So he's saying they plug their 454 00:28:12,400 --> 00:28:15,200 ears and saying, I don't want to listen to God's word on this 455 00:28:15,200 --> 00:28:18,700 particular issue. So what is the indictment? 456 00:28:18,700 --> 00:28:21,500 What is the Judgment there for great anger came from the Lord. 457 00:28:21,500 --> 00:28:23,700 You want to know how God manifests his anger and one way, 458 00:28:23,700 --> 00:28:26,800 here's one way. Great anger came from The Lord 459 00:28:26,800 --> 00:28:30,100 of hosts and he says, in verse 13, as I called meaning, as I 460 00:28:30,100 --> 00:28:34,600 gave my word. And they would not hear so they 461 00:28:34,600 --> 00:28:41,300 called, and I would not here. Says the Lord of hosts. 462 00:28:42,700 --> 00:28:46,000 That's the judgment. I gave my word. 463 00:28:46,000 --> 00:28:48,400 I gave my standard. I gave my commands and that is 464 00:28:48,600 --> 00:28:51,500 God's way of speaking that Bible in your hands is how God speaks 465 00:28:51,500 --> 00:28:54,100 to you and me. And God says, I've given my 466 00:28:54,100 --> 00:28:57,600 words through the spirit through the prophets and they willfully 467 00:28:57,600 --> 00:29:00,200 disobeyed. Here's my judgment. 468 00:29:00,700 --> 00:29:04,900 I call you don't answer. Call me all you want. 469 00:29:05,100 --> 00:29:09,500 I'm not going to answer. Wow. 470 00:29:09,800 --> 00:29:12,100 Now if we know the value of prayer, we realize that this is 471 00:29:12,100 --> 00:29:15,400 a great great cost that this is not a light thing. 472 00:29:15,800 --> 00:29:18,300 Now, this doesn't strike your heart or mind if we have not 473 00:29:18,300 --> 00:29:21,400 experienced the glories in prayer, if you have not come to 474 00:29:21,400 --> 00:29:25,100 the place where you have commune with god with such intensity as 475 00:29:25,100 --> 00:29:27,000 he's revealed himself, this isn't mean much to you. 476 00:29:27,000 --> 00:29:30,000 If you haven't seen God, miraculously answer prayers as 477 00:29:30,000 --> 00:29:31,500 you've got on your face before him. 478 00:29:31,700 --> 00:29:33,900 This doesn't mean much to you. So it's not much of a threat to 479 00:29:33,900 --> 00:29:36,300 say, okay, I call he doesn't answer. 480 00:29:36,300 --> 00:29:37,900 What's the big deal? Let me move on with my life. 481 00:29:38,200 --> 00:29:41,700 That's a sad way of living. That's a very sad way of living 482 00:29:41,700 --> 00:29:44,800 to not know the blessings from prayer but if you know the 483 00:29:44,800 --> 00:29:48,500 blessings of prayer, if you know the power and prayer, you read a 484 00:29:48,500 --> 00:29:50,700 verse like that and it takes your breath away. 485 00:29:52,600 --> 00:29:57,100 And you go. If I don't answer he won't 486 00:29:57,100 --> 00:29:59,700 answer if he calls my phone over and over as I get to this word 487 00:29:59,700 --> 00:30:02,400 as he preaches it from the pulpit and I don't obey then if 488 00:30:02,400 --> 00:30:07,500 I call he's not gonna answer. That's right. and so, when Paul 489 00:30:07,500 --> 00:30:10,400 says lifting holy hands, you know what he has in mind that if 490 00:30:10,400 --> 00:30:17,400 a person lives in conscience willful unrepentant sin, You can 491 00:30:17,400 --> 00:30:20,900 stretch your hands 24/7. Tilt, your elbows are sore. 492 00:30:21,100 --> 00:30:24,300 You can shout till the veins in your neck are about to burst in 493 00:30:24,300 --> 00:30:28,200 your blue in the face. There is a brass above your head 494 00:30:28,400 --> 00:30:31,000 and heaven will be sealed from your voice. 495 00:30:36,200 --> 00:30:38,900 That makes a lot of sense in light of the context of First 496 00:30:38,900 --> 00:30:40,800 Timothy, why? Because he's dealing with the 497 00:30:40,800 --> 00:30:44,000 public sphere of worship. He's dealing with the church 498 00:30:44,000 --> 00:30:47,200 Gathering and prayer in that environment. 499 00:30:47,200 --> 00:30:50,800 So he says he has something in mind when he talks about holy 500 00:30:50,800 --> 00:30:52,000 hands. There's a lot of things that we 501 00:30:52,000 --> 00:30:54,500 can come to when we understand how hands being holy are dealing 502 00:30:54,500 --> 00:30:57,600 with people money ourselves. But this is what he has in mind. 503 00:30:57,800 --> 00:31:05,900 He says lifting holy hands without anger or quarreling with 504 00:31:05,900 --> 00:31:09,500 who With the people that you're sitting beside this morning. 505 00:31:11,200 --> 00:31:14,600 What's the idea picture this for a moment that on a Wednesday 506 00:31:14,600 --> 00:31:17,000 night we come together to pray and hear. 507 00:31:17,000 --> 00:31:20,900 You have one man against another that just argued 10 minutes 508 00:31:20,900 --> 00:31:22,900 before the meeting and did not reconcile. 509 00:31:23,100 --> 00:31:25,500 And then another part of the room, you have one sister 510 00:31:25,500 --> 00:31:28,000 against two, three other sisters because those sister spoke 511 00:31:28,000 --> 00:31:30,000 behind her back, and she found out and they haven't talked for 512 00:31:30,000 --> 00:31:32,500 the past two weeks. And here, we are now conducting 513 00:31:32,500 --> 00:31:34,700 a prayer meeting. Say o, God, give us Grace. 514 00:31:35,000 --> 00:31:38,400 And, oh God, forgive us for our sins, and O, God answers, and oh 515 00:31:38,400 --> 00:31:41,600 God reconcile, the Lost. To you. 516 00:31:42,000 --> 00:31:44,900 You know what God is saying? I'm not going to do anything 517 00:31:44,900 --> 00:31:46,800 until your first reconciled to one another. 518 00:31:49,500 --> 00:31:54,900 That's what he's saying. And so again it's another part 519 00:31:54,900 --> 00:31:58,300 in the Bible that emphasizes a Biblical truth, from cover to 520 00:31:58,300 --> 00:32:02,100 cover horizontal relationships affect the vertical one. 521 00:32:02,300 --> 00:32:05,100 And so we better understand our, my hands clean in my dealings 522 00:32:05,100 --> 00:32:07,500 with one another. It's going to affect how your 523 00:32:07,500 --> 00:32:13,000 hands are lifted up before God. And this is another way of 524 00:32:13,000 --> 00:32:15,000 understanding it to do. You understand that there's 525 00:32:15,000 --> 00:32:17,000 another danger when you come into a public prayer meeting 526 00:32:17,000 --> 00:32:20,500 with anger in your heart. I'm taking my anger, I'm not 527 00:32:20,500 --> 00:32:23,300 talking about mere emotion. I'm talking about a resentment. 528 00:32:23,300 --> 00:32:27,000 I'm talking about even hatred. Almost a bitterness because 529 00:32:27,000 --> 00:32:29,100 there has been an issue that has not been solved or at least 530 00:32:29,100 --> 00:32:32,500 communicated that kind of a thing unresolved issues. 531 00:32:33,200 --> 00:32:35,100 You know, what happens in a prayer mean that that's a 532 00:32:35,108 --> 00:32:37,200 potential risk. At least the prayer meeting 533 00:32:37,200 --> 00:32:39,000 isn't a prayer meeting. It becomes a preaching meeting. 534 00:32:42,200 --> 00:32:44,400 Saying what do you mean? I'm saying that people take 535 00:32:44,400 --> 00:32:47,500 advantage of the fact that they are praying out loud to not. 536 00:32:47,500 --> 00:32:49,600 Pray to God, a preacher of the person that is in the room that 537 00:32:49,600 --> 00:32:51,600 they want to hear what they want to say. 538 00:32:51,600 --> 00:32:56,300 Oh God, forgive us for being Liars. and for being gossips 539 00:32:56,300 --> 00:32:59,700 Lord you see it all, you hear it, all you're aware of it all 540 00:33:01,000 --> 00:33:04,000 Give us the fear of God, especially if he done it this 541 00:33:04,000 --> 00:33:08,500 past week. And we begin to what? 542 00:33:08,900 --> 00:33:13,500 Preach to each other. Rather than pray to God. 543 00:33:15,900 --> 00:33:17,200 You know people pray like that, right? 544 00:33:17,200 --> 00:33:18,600 It's not prayer. It's actually preaching. 545 00:33:18,600 --> 00:33:22,100 They're giving a sermon and they're really talking to people 546 00:33:22,100 --> 00:33:23,900 not talking to God and doesn't, what are you doing? 547 00:33:26,500 --> 00:33:29,000 We minimize that risk. When we come with hearts that 548 00:33:29,000 --> 00:33:32,400 are clean and hands that are clean knowing that horizontally 549 00:33:32,400 --> 00:33:36,000 on a human to human level, there isn't anything there. 550 00:33:36,400 --> 00:33:39,000 I'm I'm a clean slate. So I'm going to come before God 551 00:33:39,000 --> 00:33:41,500 with that Purity in that innocence and just I'm able now 552 00:33:41,500 --> 00:33:46,400 to focus on him. Clean hands, holding hands, 553 00:33:46,400 --> 00:33:48,500 lifted up before God. Listen, your hands. 554 00:33:48,500 --> 00:33:51,200 Have to be clean before yourself before. 555 00:33:51,200 --> 00:33:56,200 Man before they can ever be considered as a site before God. 556 00:33:57,300 --> 00:34:00,700 Very simple truth. And now after Paul deals with 557 00:34:00,700 --> 00:34:06,100 men, being men of prayer, men, assuming the role of leadership 558 00:34:06,100 --> 00:34:08,400 within the church and conducting the service of worship and 559 00:34:08,400 --> 00:34:11,000 prayer. He now turns his attention to 560 00:34:11,000 --> 00:34:14,500 the woman so now guys, you're off the hook. 561 00:34:15,100 --> 00:34:18,500 It's time for the ladies. Let's read verse 9 together. 562 00:34:19,300 --> 00:34:22,500 Likewise also that women should Adorn themselves in respectable 563 00:34:22,500 --> 00:34:25,500 apparel with modesty and self-control. 564 00:34:25,900 --> 00:34:29,800 Not with braided hair and gold, or pearls or costly attire. 565 00:34:31,400 --> 00:34:33,400 So, we just went from prayer to outfits. 566 00:34:36,900 --> 00:34:40,300 And after reading a verse like that you and I might think that 567 00:34:40,300 --> 00:34:46,100 Paul's main point here deals with your dress and nothing 568 00:34:46,100 --> 00:34:48,900 less. Is that what Paul is concerned 569 00:34:48,900 --> 00:34:53,300 about? Here's Paul's case not 570 00:34:53,500 --> 00:34:59,000 concerning the rules of how a Christian woman should Adorn 571 00:34:59,000 --> 00:35:02,000 herself. Well Paul is about to get at 572 00:35:02,300 --> 00:35:05,900 though it includes that to some measure is what a woman's true 573 00:35:05,900 --> 00:35:10,600 focus and life must be. We're her attention and her 574 00:35:10,600 --> 00:35:14,100 priorities, and our purpose should be in life. 575 00:35:14,300 --> 00:35:16,400 And here's here's the Temptation, right? 576 00:35:16,400 --> 00:35:18,800 Men face. Their own Temptations as leaders 577 00:35:19,100 --> 00:35:21,600 in the place of prayer, not being dependent, upon God or 578 00:35:21,600 --> 00:35:24,400 Walking with God thinking like, Macho, I can do this myself, 579 00:35:24,400 --> 00:35:27,200 that's a Temptation, they face. Here's a Temptation, a woman 580 00:35:27,200 --> 00:35:31,600 faces, the pressures of this world, To conform in a certain 581 00:35:31,600 --> 00:35:34,500 way to look in a certain way to expose yourselves in a certain 582 00:35:34,500 --> 00:35:36,900 way. And to blend in, with what the 583 00:35:36,900 --> 00:35:40,000 culture says true beauty, is when God himself has a 584 00:35:40,000 --> 00:35:41,600 description of what true beauty is. 585 00:35:44,300 --> 00:35:47,800 And so he's about to break this down and very practical terms. 586 00:35:48,900 --> 00:35:53,200 He wants to address his sisters. And some have abused the verse 587 00:35:53,200 --> 00:35:57,800 that I just read to mean, that woman should not properly take 588 00:35:57,800 --> 00:36:01,900 care of themselves or that in the physical sense. 589 00:36:02,200 --> 00:36:05,800 They should not attempt to be attractive in their apparel or 590 00:36:05,800 --> 00:36:07,800 in their address, that is nonsense. 591 00:36:09,700 --> 00:36:11,500 There's no biblical ground for that. 592 00:36:11,900 --> 00:36:16,200 In fact, if you want a verse, here's one in Proverbs 31, we 593 00:36:16,200 --> 00:36:19,300 left proverbs 31, don't we? A virtuous woman, a wise woman, 594 00:36:19,700 --> 00:36:22,900 an excellent wife, who can find. And here's a description that 595 00:36:22,900 --> 00:36:25,800 many Passover or many have interpreted in a different way 596 00:36:25,800 --> 00:36:27,700 but I think it's planning. Clear. 597 00:36:27,800 --> 00:36:30,300 It's in Proverbs 31 verse 22. What does it say? 598 00:36:30,600 --> 00:36:33,500 She makes bed coverings for herself and look what it says 599 00:36:33,500 --> 00:36:36,300 about herself. Her clothing is fine, linen and 600 00:36:36,300 --> 00:36:39,800 purple. Before you pull out the credit 601 00:36:39,800 --> 00:36:43,300 card. Let's understand this in 602 00:36:43,300 --> 00:36:47,200 context. This is an insight to show that 603 00:36:47,200 --> 00:36:49,000 a woman has a right to give attention to an outward 604 00:36:49,000 --> 00:36:53,800 appearance. They should take care of 605 00:36:53,800 --> 00:36:56,400 themselves, especially in light of a relationship with a 606 00:36:56,408 --> 00:36:58,400 husband. You should, you should pursue to 607 00:36:58,400 --> 00:37:01,500 be attractive for your mate. That's okay. 608 00:37:02,700 --> 00:37:08,200 And you should pursue to be in dignity and respect a person 609 00:37:08,200 --> 00:37:11,300 that's put together in the public sphere of life. 610 00:37:12,100 --> 00:37:14,700 So let's just, let's just dismiss and shoo away. 611 00:37:14,700 --> 00:37:20,400 The concept that Holiness and godliness is equivalent to 612 00:37:20,400 --> 00:37:25,800 somehow being shabby and being disfigured to prove that you 613 00:37:25,800 --> 00:37:31,600 focus on spiritual things. That's just not the case at all. 614 00:37:33,400 --> 00:37:38,400 But as a father who has daughters God wants to speak to 615 00:37:38,400 --> 00:37:42,100 his own daughters and provide a framework for this area of their 616 00:37:42,100 --> 00:37:43,900 lives. Let me think. 617 00:37:43,900 --> 00:37:45,800 Are we really going to talk about this on a Sunday morning? 618 00:37:45,900 --> 00:37:52,100 Listen, it's important to God. This isn't a man coming up here, 619 00:37:52,100 --> 00:37:54,600 giving his opinion. This is a verse in the Bible. 620 00:37:55,100 --> 00:38:00,300 So it's important to God. And here are two dangers that 621 00:38:00,300 --> 00:38:06,700 Paul sees concerning dress, particularly for a woman, ready. 622 00:38:06,800 --> 00:38:11,000 Number one is immodesty. And number two is extravagance. 623 00:38:13,400 --> 00:38:18,500 It is not rocket science. ladies and gentlemen, to understand 624 00:38:18,800 --> 00:38:27,700 that a woman, can use her body, or can arrange her outward 625 00:38:27,700 --> 00:38:33,600 appearance in a way that lures men not to be attracted, but to 626 00:38:33,600 --> 00:38:37,900 lust after them, there's a big difference there. 627 00:38:39,400 --> 00:38:43,200 It's not rocket science and I can almost hear the objections 628 00:38:43,200 --> 00:38:45,800 because I've even heard them and different different places. 629 00:38:45,800 --> 00:38:50,100 Not in conversation, just in Dialogue on a group level, not 630 00:38:50,100 --> 00:38:54,300 here, but in different places where the objection tends to, go 631 00:38:54,300 --> 00:38:55,500 something like this from a woman. 632 00:38:55,500 --> 00:38:59,900 Well, This whole thing about modesty and stuff. 633 00:38:59,900 --> 00:39:01,700 That's not a woman's problem. That's a man's problem. 634 00:39:02,700 --> 00:39:08,100 He just needs to stop lusting. Let him fix his brain before I 635 00:39:08,100 --> 00:39:12,000 fix my outfit, I have the right to dress however I want. 636 00:39:12,500 --> 00:39:15,700 And if man has a problem with lust the let him figure that out 637 00:39:15,700 --> 00:39:19,100 between him and God I ain't changing for nobody, something 638 00:39:19,100 --> 00:39:25,000 like that. and here's the thing, you ready for this woman ladies 639 00:39:25,700 --> 00:39:31,600 even you know, even you know, when another lady is dressing in 640 00:39:31,600 --> 00:39:34,400 a way where she's trying to draw attention to herself 641 00:39:34,500 --> 00:39:41,200 inappropriately, even, you know, so it's not time to blame men. 642 00:39:42,100 --> 00:39:47,000 You even know when somebody walks in the room and they have 643 00:39:47,000 --> 00:39:51,000 done something to themselves for eyes to be drawn to other places 644 00:39:51,000 --> 00:39:57,000 other than her face even, you know, So, with that being said, 645 00:39:58,000 --> 00:40:01,500 here's what God is concerned about modesty, and here's a 646 00:40:01,508 --> 00:40:04,000 wonderful truth, you can be attractive and modest at the 647 00:40:04,000 --> 00:40:08,600 same time. In fact, if you want to draw a 648 00:40:08,600 --> 00:40:12,400 godly man, talking about a real, not a guy that goes to church. 649 00:40:13,500 --> 00:40:16,700 Guys, go to church, not for God, by the way. 650 00:40:19,900 --> 00:40:21,500 You want to track the man who loves God knows. 651 00:40:21,500 --> 00:40:25,300 God, do you realize proverbs 31 was written by a mother to her 652 00:40:25,300 --> 00:40:30,500 son? No, that a Godly Man will 653 00:40:30,500 --> 00:40:34,800 consider. How you carry yourself with 654 00:40:34,800 --> 00:40:39,900 dignity? And know that a Godly Man will 655 00:40:40,000 --> 00:40:45,900 have a level of respect and you will win his attention towards 656 00:40:45,900 --> 00:40:48,700 you. That is affected in direct 657 00:40:48,700 --> 00:40:52,600 proportion with the honour that you give to yourself. 658 00:40:54,500 --> 00:40:58,000 That as you pursue character and classiness. 659 00:40:59,600 --> 00:41:02,100 As much as you might think that men might not have it all 660 00:41:02,100 --> 00:41:05,400 together here. They are aware of how to read 661 00:41:05,400 --> 00:41:12,000 that kind of language. And that's not limited to how 662 00:41:12,000 --> 00:41:18,100 you walk into church. That goes into every sphere of 663 00:41:18,100 --> 00:41:21,200 life outside of these walls, including your social media. 664 00:41:22,900 --> 00:41:25,200 And know that modesty is not limited to what you wear, it's 665 00:41:25,200 --> 00:41:29,300 how you carry yourself. The body language that you give 666 00:41:30,400 --> 00:41:36,800 Men can read that too. Be assured that a woman who 667 00:41:36,800 --> 00:41:40,500 fears God. Who fears God in this area. 668 00:41:42,100 --> 00:41:44,100 No, this she carries a confidence. 669 00:41:45,400 --> 00:41:48,900 And she carries a gentleness, a wisdom, a self esteem. 670 00:41:48,900 --> 00:41:50,900 That will glow with the purified. 671 00:41:50,900 --> 00:41:55,500 Beauty that will outshine any other fleshly goal. 672 00:41:56,800 --> 00:41:59,000 And trying to lure men with your skin. 673 00:42:04,600 --> 00:42:07,000 Modesty, you might be wondering, give me some rules. 674 00:42:07,000 --> 00:42:09,400 Give me some guidelines. Come on, I'm not going to do 675 00:42:09,400 --> 00:42:11,500 that because the Bible doesn't do that. 676 00:42:11,500 --> 00:42:15,800 You just know. We all know we all have a 677 00:42:15,800 --> 00:42:19,900 measure of understanding. You know. 678 00:42:21,800 --> 00:42:25,300 And God will guide you into this as you seek Him for wisdom and 679 00:42:25,300 --> 00:42:29,600 no this again, let me reinforce his Truth for a Godly Man. 680 00:42:31,700 --> 00:42:36,100 Modesty is beautiful. And let me say this again, 681 00:42:37,100 --> 00:42:40,600 modesty does not equal not being beautiful. 682 00:42:41,000 --> 00:42:44,200 I just have to reinforce that modesty is not you not caring 683 00:42:44,200 --> 00:42:47,900 about how you look. This is what clothing is all 684 00:42:47,900 --> 00:42:49,900 about. Whether for male or females, you 685 00:42:49,900 --> 00:42:52,400 know, clothing is not about what you can reveal clothing is about 686 00:42:52,400 --> 00:42:54,700 what you conceal. Right, we clothe ourselves to 687 00:42:54,700 --> 00:43:02,500 conceal not to reveal. and in that very practical measure, God 688 00:43:02,500 --> 00:43:06,900 gives you full license to be able to display yourself. 689 00:43:08,100 --> 00:43:14,800 Beautifully. But in modesty, And Paul second 690 00:43:14,800 --> 00:43:18,300 concern is extravagance, so we see a mini list here. 691 00:43:18,300 --> 00:43:19,200 Do me. What is this? 692 00:43:19,200 --> 00:43:23,100 A with modesty and self-control? Self-control deals with 693 00:43:23,100 --> 00:43:25,700 behavior. Not with braided hair. 694 00:43:26,000 --> 00:43:29,100 Oh, did you braid your hair this morning? 695 00:43:30,400 --> 00:43:32,700 And gold. Oh if it breaks along this 696 00:43:32,700 --> 00:43:37,200 morning, Or pearls or costly attire. 697 00:43:39,500 --> 00:43:42,600 So again, we might think that this is somehow God canceling. 698 00:43:44,000 --> 00:43:48,700 Another layer of how I should pursue some kind of Elegance and 699 00:43:48,700 --> 00:43:52,300 that I should be simple. And simple is good, there's a 700 00:43:52,300 --> 00:43:55,400 beauty and simplicity but not simple in the sense that it 701 00:43:55,400 --> 00:44:02,700 cancels out accessories and it cancels out the desire to match. 702 00:44:03,200 --> 00:44:06,300 That's okay. That's not what Paul is saying 703 00:44:06,300 --> 00:44:09,600 at all. Paul saying is that it's 704 00:44:09,600 --> 00:44:13,900 possible for a woman to get so caught up in this area of her 705 00:44:13,900 --> 00:44:18,000 life. That all becomes about her 706 00:44:18,000 --> 00:44:20,200 fashion, that's her purpose in life. 707 00:44:20,300 --> 00:44:24,900 And what happens is the church now becomes a model Runway 708 00:44:26,100 --> 00:44:28,000 Because we're dealing with a context of the local church 709 00:44:28,000 --> 00:44:30,900 where now a person can walk in. And all, she's really looking 710 00:44:30,900 --> 00:44:37,000 for is praised for her looks and the attention on what she has in 711 00:44:37,000 --> 00:44:39,600 the brands that she cares and what she bought and what's in 712 00:44:39,600 --> 00:44:41,700 her closet and all these different things. 713 00:44:42,400 --> 00:44:46,200 And Paul is trying to shift the focus from that place because 714 00:44:46,200 --> 00:44:49,800 now it's possible for a woman's main motivation and coming to 715 00:44:49,800 --> 00:44:53,200 the Gathering of the Saints. Not to come and worship God not 716 00:44:53,200 --> 00:44:57,000 to serve the people of God. But to draw, Attention to 717 00:44:57,000 --> 00:45:02,300 herself. And that her day is not made in 718 00:45:02,300 --> 00:45:04,600 the context of the church. Unless she leaves there with, at 719 00:45:04,600 --> 00:45:07,400 least three, approvals of how she looked that day. 720 00:45:08,700 --> 00:45:10,000 Is it wrong to receive encouragement? 721 00:45:10,000 --> 00:45:12,000 Is it wrong to be deemed as Butte? 722 00:45:12,000 --> 00:45:15,600 No, that's not the focus. The motivation of a Christian 723 00:45:15,600 --> 00:45:18,600 woman coming down to this point even to the point where she 724 00:45:18,600 --> 00:45:19,900 loses. This is what Paul is concerned 725 00:45:19,900 --> 00:45:26,500 about losing a self-restraint. In expenditures, even at the 726 00:45:26,500 --> 00:45:30,000 expense of you dismissing, all other Godly Pursuit so that you 727 00:45:30,000 --> 00:45:36,000 can, you can find your joy in that, I'll say hold on, you're a 728 00:45:36,000 --> 00:45:40,200 Christian woman. Your identity is much greater 729 00:45:40,200 --> 00:45:46,500 than that, it goes beyond that. You have great purpose in life, 730 00:45:47,200 --> 00:45:52,400 and life is more than fashion. That's possible. 731 00:45:52,400 --> 00:45:56,600 It's possible for a professing Christian to find more joy and 732 00:45:56,600 --> 00:45:59,700 when she gets in her closet next week, after a shopping spree, 733 00:45:59,800 --> 00:46:02,300 then coming closer to God and representing him rightly and 734 00:46:02,300 --> 00:46:04,500 being a witness for the gospel. It's possible passing. 735 00:46:05,400 --> 00:46:08,600 Your life is much more than Gucci in this or that. 736 00:46:08,600 --> 00:46:10,900 I'm not start naming Brands. It's more than that. 737 00:46:10,900 --> 00:46:13,400 All those Brands evil in itself. No, but when you live for them, 738 00:46:13,400 --> 00:46:16,600 you've created a golden calf. That's what Paul is saying. 739 00:46:16,600 --> 00:46:19,800 That's all he's saying. And so he says in the positive 740 00:46:19,800 --> 00:46:21,800 sense, listen, if you're going to focus on anything, if you're 741 00:46:21,808 --> 00:46:25,400 going to display yourself in any way, let it be with good works. 742 00:46:27,100 --> 00:46:28,300 That's what he says right in verse 10. 743 00:46:28,300 --> 00:46:32,100 But with what is proper for women who profess godliness with 744 00:46:32,200 --> 00:46:37,300 good works, Because you adorning yourself with good works, is 745 00:46:37,300 --> 00:46:42,200 more precious than jewels and you displaying the character of 746 00:46:42,200 --> 00:46:44,600 Christ is more valuable than gold. 747 00:46:45,500 --> 00:46:52,100 And listen to this. As a Christian lady, your golden 748 00:46:52,100 --> 00:46:55,300 life is for people to see Christ in you. 749 00:46:55,300 --> 00:47:05,200 Not what's on you. And so Paul saying, just 750 00:47:05,200 --> 00:47:08,800 prioritize this area of your life and consider that as you 751 00:47:08,800 --> 00:47:12,700 come to the house of God, you're coming to a house of not just 752 00:47:12,700 --> 00:47:17,100 sisters but Brothers Take that into consideration. 753 00:47:17,700 --> 00:47:20,500 Take that into consideration whenever you come into the 754 00:47:20,500 --> 00:47:24,600 household of God. And this is part of denial of 755 00:47:24,600 --> 00:47:26,800 self. Is it not to put others before 756 00:47:26,800 --> 00:47:30,700 you and not just in cleaning up and doing different things even 757 00:47:30,700 --> 00:47:39,300 in the place of dress? So woman who professes 758 00:47:39,300 --> 00:47:42,300 godliness, you know what a preoccupation is with good. 759 00:47:42,300 --> 00:47:46,600 Works her ambition, her purpose, her drive, her fulfillment will 760 00:47:46,600 --> 00:47:48,700 be in the service to the body of Christ. 761 00:47:49,200 --> 00:47:50,400 That's what she's caught up with. 762 00:47:52,600 --> 00:47:58,500 And let's conclude with this point. as much as men are called 763 00:47:58,500 --> 00:48:04,000 to lead within the church, if you don't know it now, You will 764 00:48:04,000 --> 00:48:07,500 know it. Now the church apart from the 765 00:48:07,500 --> 00:48:10,100 participation of women, cannot know. 766 00:48:10,100 --> 00:48:12,000 Fullness of blessing and effectiveness. 767 00:48:13,800 --> 00:48:15,800 I want to say in an encouragement. 768 00:48:18,400 --> 00:48:22,000 That this church has been tremendously blessed by the good 769 00:48:22,000 --> 00:48:28,000 works of our Sisters in Christ. and I want you to understand 770 00:48:28,400 --> 00:48:35,200 that Paul writing this, As he saying about dress, don't make 771 00:48:35,200 --> 00:48:38,900 the mistake that Paul is a man that thinks that women don't 772 00:48:38,900 --> 00:48:41,500 have anything to offer the church except for babies and 773 00:48:41,500 --> 00:48:48,700 good meals. The same Paul who wrote these 774 00:48:49,500 --> 00:48:55,900 instructions and our culture that might seem extreme Also 775 00:48:55,900 --> 00:48:59,000 said, in many places. Including this one. 776 00:48:59,000 --> 00:49:00,700 I'm about to read from Romans 16. 777 00:49:01,000 --> 00:49:03,200 Paul knew the value that woman had. 778 00:49:06,200 --> 00:49:09,000 For the church and for his own Ministry. 779 00:49:10,300 --> 00:49:13,400 Romans 16 verse 1, he says I commend to you our sister 780 00:49:13,400 --> 00:49:16,700 Phoebe. A servant of the church. 781 00:49:17,600 --> 00:49:20,800 That's an cry. That you may, welcome her in the 782 00:49:20,800 --> 00:49:23,400 Lord, in a way worthy of the Saints and help her and whatever 783 00:49:23,400 --> 00:49:26,700 she may need from you. Now, look what he says for. 784 00:49:26,700 --> 00:49:30,500 She has been a patron of many out of myself as well. 785 00:49:32,300 --> 00:49:35,400 That's a wonderful thing for Paul to say Paul is not only 786 00:49:35,400 --> 00:49:38,300 recommending Phoebe as she's being sent to the churches in 787 00:49:38,300 --> 00:49:41,400 Rome. Paul himself is testifying this 788 00:49:41,400 --> 00:49:44,700 woman has been a blessing to my ministry as well and let me let 789 00:49:44,700 --> 00:49:49,700 me reinforce that in this church are Sisters in Christ have been 790 00:49:49,700 --> 00:49:52,400 a tremendous blessing and we pray that they will continue to 791 00:49:52,400 --> 00:49:57,400 be and we have our own Phoebe in the house, by the way, And this 792 00:49:57,400 --> 00:49:59,700 is what I want to say and I want to say loud and clear. 793 00:50:00,800 --> 00:50:06,600 The professionalism, the consistency, the dedication, the 794 00:50:06,600 --> 00:50:10,200 attention to detail. And the overall effectiveness of 795 00:50:10,200 --> 00:50:13,100 the many Ministries that represent United, Evangelical 796 00:50:13,100 --> 00:50:16,800 Church can be stemmed from the compassionate hands of dedicated 797 00:50:16,800 --> 00:50:22,400 woman. And so I can say confidently 798 00:50:22,400 --> 00:50:24,300 from this Pulpit that we are grateful for our Sisters in 799 00:50:24,300 --> 00:50:27,600 Christ. That continually take a verse 800 00:50:27,600 --> 00:50:30,800 like this seriously in their lives and I can speak on behalf 801 00:50:30,800 --> 00:50:32,200 of the brothers and say, thank you. 802 00:50:33,400 --> 00:50:38,200 So, thank you so much. So Paul, now, with these brief 803 00:50:38,200 --> 00:50:41,600 instructions is not finished with his instructions concerning 804 00:50:41,600 --> 00:50:43,700 the roles of men and women in the church. 805 00:50:44,400 --> 00:50:46,200 Next week, we're going to get into something that's a little 806 00:50:46,200 --> 00:50:48,200 bit more debated. Amongst people even within the 807 00:50:48,200 --> 00:50:51,100 church and that deals with the authority figures within the 808 00:50:51,100 --> 00:50:55,200 home and within the local body. But I think this suffice is for 809 00:50:55,200 --> 00:50:57,300 now. Let's seek the Lord as men and 810 00:50:57,300 --> 00:51:05,400 women of the church. Lord, we come before you and we 811 00:51:05,400 --> 00:51:07,900 humbly receive your instructions as men and women. 812 00:51:09,400 --> 00:51:12,800 And father, we are thankful for your wisdom to know what exactly 813 00:51:12,800 --> 00:51:16,200 we need to be more effective in our christ-like Ambitions. 814 00:51:17,000 --> 00:51:21,100 And so, as Menlo, we pray for a Grace to be men of Prayer. 815 00:51:23,600 --> 00:51:25,900 To know how to rely on you as people rely on us. 816 00:51:27,500 --> 00:51:30,000 And Lord. As woman. 817 00:51:31,300 --> 00:51:35,300 May you give every lady the wisdom to know. 818 00:51:36,700 --> 00:51:41,300 How even in the the fabric and even in the physical sense, they 819 00:51:41,300 --> 00:51:44,400 can honor and glorify. You may you be considered even 820 00:51:44,400 --> 00:51:48,000 in their planning of dress. And may they be more preoccupied 821 00:51:48,000 --> 00:51:51,600 in this life with things that thieves cannot steal and moth 822 00:51:51,600 --> 00:51:55,900 cannot destroy. Me the adornment made the beauty 823 00:51:55,900 --> 00:51:57,600 of every young lady in this place. 824 00:51:58,700 --> 00:52:04,300 Be glistened by a christ-like conviction and a desire to serve 825 00:52:04,300 --> 00:52:09,900 the body of Christ. And Lord May the harmony of. 826 00:52:11,000 --> 00:52:13,300 The blend of men and women. In this church continue to be 827 00:52:13,300 --> 00:52:15,500 experienced. As we honor our roles and 828 00:52:15,500 --> 00:52:18,700 respect one another God, we worship you in the very 829 00:52:18,700 --> 00:52:21,900 practical sense of how you give these instructions, because you 830 00:52:21,900 --> 00:52:25,500 care about how your church is displayed before the world solo, 831 00:52:25,500 --> 00:52:28,400 we give you thanks. As we sing to you in Jesus name 832 00:52:28,400 --> 00:52:29,800 we pray. Amen. 833 00:52:11,000 --> 00:52:13,300 The blend of men and women. In this church continue to be 834 00:52:13,300 --> 00:52:15,500 experienced. As we honor our roles and 835 00:52:15,500 --> 00:52:18,700 respect one another God, we worship you in the very 836 00:52:18,700 --> 00:52:21,900 practical sense of how you give these instructions, because you 837 00:52:21,900 --> 00:52:25,500 care about how your church is displayed before the world solo, 838 00:52:25,500 --> 00:52:28,400 we give you thanks. As we sing to you in Jesus name 839 00:52:28,400 --> 00:52:29,800 we pray. Amen.