1 00:00:07,440 --> 00:00:11,520 Turn with me to 1st Corinthians chapter 16, First Corinthians 2 00:00:11,520 --> 00:00:17,120 16. Now tonight's little study 3 00:00:17,120 --> 00:00:20,720 together I'm calling what kind of man are you? 4 00:00:21,360 --> 00:00:26,200 And this is both what kind of man are we now, but also what 5 00:00:26,200 --> 00:00:30,600 kind of man is God transforming us into. 6 00:00:31,680 --> 00:00:35,760 Some of us are young in age, some of us are older in age. 7 00:00:36,080 --> 00:00:39,840 Some of us are young in the Lord, even though we might be 8 00:00:39,840 --> 00:00:44,280 older in age, but the Lord is transforming us and what a, what 9 00:00:44,280 --> 00:00:46,440 a blessing that is. Sometimes, what a challenge that 10 00:00:46,440 --> 00:00:50,120 is the right, sometimes transformation can be, can be 11 00:00:50,120 --> 00:00:55,680 hard. 1st Corinthians 16, we're actually just going to read 2 12 00:00:55,680 --> 00:00:58,200 verses together. It's verses 13 and 14. 13 00:00:58,560 --> 00:01:05,840 Now this, this, this portion is right in the midst of Paul's 14 00:01:05,840 --> 00:01:08,880 final instructions to the church in Corinth. 15 00:01:09,680 --> 00:01:15,360 And it's where he gives his greetings to to the people in 16 00:01:15,360 --> 00:01:17,640 Corinth from different people that he's ministered with. 17 00:01:18,040 --> 00:01:22,240 And right in the midst of that, we get these two powerful verses 18 00:01:22,240 --> 00:01:26,200 of exhortations for us. And my prayer is that it'll, 19 00:01:26,280 --> 00:01:28,640 it'll hit you as it hit me this week. 20 00:01:28,640 --> 00:01:31,360 I'm going to read it for you. And then we're going to pray as 21 00:01:31,360 --> 00:01:36,320 we come to the word 1st Corinthians 16, starting at 22 00:01:36,320 --> 00:01:40,600 verse 13. Watch, stand fast in the faith, 23 00:01:41,200 --> 00:01:46,120 be brave, be strong. Let all that you do be done with 24 00:01:46,120 --> 00:01:48,320 love. The Heavenly Father, as we come 25 00:01:48,320 --> 00:01:52,120 to your word this night as men we ask you, Lord, that you would 26 00:01:52,960 --> 00:01:57,560 challenge us, that You would encourage us if we need 27 00:01:57,560 --> 00:01:59,680 nurturing. Lord, that you would nurture us. 28 00:02:00,960 --> 00:02:05,640 We ask this night that each one of us that you would speak 29 00:02:05,640 --> 00:02:09,320 something into our hearts and into our lives tonight from your 30 00:02:09,320 --> 00:02:11,880 word. We pray in the Lord Jesus Christ 31 00:02:11,880 --> 00:02:14,800 name and all God's people said Amen. 32 00:02:15,960 --> 00:02:21,400 So I want us to imagine a reality and I'm not being 33 00:02:21,400 --> 00:02:25,720 fanciful here, but imagine a reality where where actually 34 00:02:25,720 --> 00:02:29,280 these verses are true. Watch. 35 00:02:29,600 --> 00:02:33,240 Stand fast in the faith. Be brave, be strong. 36 00:02:33,400 --> 00:02:36,520 Let all that you do be done with love. 37 00:02:36,600 --> 00:02:43,760 Imagine a place where all the people of God are actually doing 38 00:02:43,960 --> 00:02:46,080 those things. We're watching. 39 00:02:46,400 --> 00:02:48,040 We're standing firm in the faith. 40 00:02:48,360 --> 00:02:50,440 We're being brave, we're being strong. 41 00:02:50,680 --> 00:02:53,320 We're doing all things with love. 42 00:02:53,320 --> 00:02:56,200 I don't know about you guys, but sometimes within the church, 43 00:02:56,640 --> 00:03:01,480 even we're not very good at loving each other well. 44 00:03:02,240 --> 00:03:06,040 And that's a real challenge, especially when conflict arises. 45 00:03:06,280 --> 00:03:10,840 But if we did these things, what would our families look like? 46 00:03:11,520 --> 00:03:16,200 What would our church look like? What would this church look 47 00:03:16,200 --> 00:03:18,480 like? What would our communities look 48 00:03:18,480 --> 00:03:23,400 like if we were genuinely doing those things as believers? 49 00:03:23,400 --> 00:03:27,600 But instead, when we look around, what do we see? 50 00:03:27,600 --> 00:03:30,640 I'm going to read to you Matthew 24, verse 12. 51 00:03:30,640 --> 00:03:32,000 I'm going to jump around a little bit. 52 00:03:32,000 --> 00:03:35,520 Don't feel like you need to follow in your Bible because we 53 00:03:35,520 --> 00:03:38,000 are going to keep coming back to that verse that you've got up. 54 00:03:38,240 --> 00:03:39,920 So stick with me there. But I'm going to read to you. 55 00:03:39,920 --> 00:03:43,760 Matthew 24, verse 12 says this. And because lawlessness will 56 00:03:43,760 --> 00:03:48,400 abound, the love of many will grow cold. 57 00:03:50,120 --> 00:03:54,680 This is the character of the the age of the tribulation period, 58 00:03:54,680 --> 00:03:57,280 but it honestly, it's the character of this age we're in 59 00:03:57,280 --> 00:04:01,960 now in the lead up through that love within within our country, 60 00:04:01,960 --> 00:04:05,800 within our towns, within our communities, and sadly at times 61 00:04:05,800 --> 00:04:09,720 even within our church is growing cold. 62 00:04:11,600 --> 00:04:15,800 Don't know if you guys feel that Two Timothy 31 says this, but 63 00:04:15,800 --> 00:04:20,560 know this, that in the last days, perilous times will come 64 00:04:20,839 --> 00:04:23,720 for men. Doesn't matter how old you are, 65 00:04:24,120 --> 00:04:29,000 but this is you and me for men. And I want you to try to see who 66 00:04:29,000 --> 00:04:32,000 you are in this because we're all a little bit broken. 67 00:04:32,800 --> 00:04:35,040 And God, God reaches in where we're at. 68 00:04:35,040 --> 00:04:37,840 But I want you to be real with yourself tonight. 69 00:04:37,880 --> 00:04:42,840 For men will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, 70 00:04:43,280 --> 00:04:49,160 boasters, proud blasphemers. Have you seen yourself yet? 71 00:04:50,360 --> 00:04:53,960 I've already seen myself disobedient to parents, 72 00:04:54,320 --> 00:05:00,480 unthankful, unholy, unloving, unforgiving, slanderers without 73 00:05:00,480 --> 00:05:07,400 self control, brutal despisers of good traitors, headstrong, 74 00:05:07,440 --> 00:05:12,200 haughty, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God having 75 00:05:12,200 --> 00:05:15,240 a form of godliness but denying its power. 76 00:05:16,400 --> 00:05:21,000 And from such people turn away. Did you see yourself in those 77 00:05:21,000 --> 00:05:29,360 verses, men? First Corinthians 11/3 I want 78 00:05:29,360 --> 00:05:31,680 you to know that the head of every man. 79 00:05:31,680 --> 00:05:34,400 This is totally the opposite of what I just read to you. 80 00:05:34,400 --> 00:05:38,080 First Corinthians 11/3 I want you to know that the head of 81 00:05:38,080 --> 00:05:40,480 every man is Christ. You aware of that? 82 00:05:40,480 --> 00:05:44,280 That the head of you is Christ. You're no longer your own 83 00:05:44,280 --> 00:05:46,360 anymore. You're not in control of your 84 00:05:46,360 --> 00:05:48,240 life. Christ is. 85 00:05:49,680 --> 00:05:53,360 The head of every woman is man and the head of Christ is God, 86 00:05:54,240 --> 00:05:56,360 man. Just as we are under Christ's 87 00:05:56,480 --> 00:06:00,200 headship. In the same way you are the head 88 00:06:00,200 --> 00:06:03,120 of your family. If you don't have a family or 89 00:06:03,120 --> 00:06:06,680 you're too young to have a family, one day you will be the 90 00:06:06,680 --> 00:06:09,880 head of your family. For the young ones among us, up 91 00:06:09,880 --> 00:06:13,360 the front and up the back. This is who the Lord is calling 92 00:06:13,360 --> 00:06:19,280 you into as a man. We are called to be spiritual 93 00:06:19,280 --> 00:06:23,480 leaders of our families and we're called to be spiritual 94 00:06:23,480 --> 00:06:27,680 leaders of the family of God. That's really important that we 95 00:06:27,680 --> 00:06:30,680 understand that. So let's let's start with this 96 00:06:30,680 --> 00:06:32,640 together. And this is a little bit odd 97 00:06:32,960 --> 00:06:37,400 even for me, but we're going to, we're actually going to start 98 00:06:37,400 --> 00:06:40,680 with the end 1st. And you'll see as as we go 99 00:06:40,680 --> 00:06:44,640 through why I'm doing that. But let all that you do be done 100 00:06:44,880 --> 00:06:47,760 with love. Let all that you do be done with 101 00:06:47,760 --> 00:06:51,160 love. Turn with me to Matthew 22 verse 102 00:06:51,160 --> 00:06:52,480 36. If you've got your Bible, 103 00:06:52,800 --> 00:07:08,120 Matthew 22, verse 36. Teacher, which is the great 104 00:07:08,120 --> 00:07:12,480 commandment in the law, Jesus said to him, You shall love the 105 00:07:12,480 --> 00:07:16,920 Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul and 106 00:07:16,920 --> 00:07:21,040 with all your mind. This is the first and great 107 00:07:21,280 --> 00:07:23,880 commandment, and the second is like it. 108 00:07:24,640 --> 00:07:27,720 You shall love your neighbour as yourself. 109 00:07:29,880 --> 00:07:35,080 We are called to love God with all of ourselves, and we're 110 00:07:35,080 --> 00:07:38,880 called to love our neighbours as ourselves. 111 00:07:38,880 --> 00:07:41,880 So let's look at this together, because what we just read, men, 112 00:07:41,880 --> 00:07:46,760 is that we are called to be the spiritual leaders in our homes, 113 00:07:46,760 --> 00:07:48,720 in our families, in our churches. 114 00:07:50,200 --> 00:07:54,720 This starts with yourself. You see what that says there in 115 00:07:54,720 --> 00:07:58,480 in Matthew 22? We are to love God. 116 00:07:58,560 --> 00:08:00,520 That's the first, that's the great commandment. 117 00:08:00,520 --> 00:08:04,440 We are to love God. So that's about your spiritual 118 00:08:05,000 --> 00:08:07,600 relationship with the Lord, if I can put it that way. 119 00:08:07,880 --> 00:08:09,440 This is loving the Lord your God. 120 00:08:09,440 --> 00:08:15,040 But then after that man, we're called to love and spiritually 121 00:08:15,040 --> 00:08:19,640 lead our wives, and then after that spiritually lead our 122 00:08:20,120 --> 00:08:25,960 children and then after that spiritually lead our family of 123 00:08:25,960 --> 00:08:29,920 God, our church. I would argue in that order very 124 00:08:29,920 --> 00:08:33,799 clearly, very plainly. So let's start with your own 125 00:08:33,799 --> 00:08:38,480 spiritual growth to start with your, your loving the Lord your 126 00:08:38,480 --> 00:08:39,960 God. What does that look like? 127 00:08:41,520 --> 00:08:45,880 Because you can't lead anyone to somewhere that you haven't gone 128 00:08:45,880 --> 00:08:47,320 yet. That make sense? 129 00:08:47,720 --> 00:08:50,320 If you haven't gone there, you can't lead anyone there. 130 00:08:50,960 --> 00:08:54,280 And Jesus says the greatest commandment is to love the Lord 131 00:08:54,280 --> 00:08:56,120 your God. So I've got some questions for 132 00:08:56,120 --> 00:08:58,200 you tonight and I'm going to leave you with some of those 133 00:08:58,200 --> 00:09:01,160 questions. I'm I'm going to answer some of 134 00:09:01,160 --> 00:09:04,280 them, but I want you to sit with some of them. 135 00:09:04,880 --> 00:09:08,840 The first one is this. Are you personally? 136 00:09:08,880 --> 00:09:10,160 And I don't want you to answer me. 137 00:09:10,240 --> 00:09:11,920 OK? So don't embarrass yourself or 138 00:09:11,920 --> 00:09:15,920 anyone else. Just think it in your head. 139 00:09:16,000 --> 00:09:21,680 Are you personally pursuing A deeper relationship with God 140 00:09:22,560 --> 00:09:25,600 through His Word? Is that something that you're 141 00:09:25,600 --> 00:09:28,040 doing? Are you doing that? 142 00:09:28,320 --> 00:09:32,120 Does your family see that you're doing that daily? 143 00:09:32,360 --> 00:09:38,080 Are you seeking God daily in His Word and through prayer? 144 00:09:40,600 --> 00:09:44,160 Why is that such a hard thing? Who here, and this is a genuine 145 00:09:44,160 --> 00:09:47,120 thing, show of hands, Who here has struggled with that at some 146 00:09:47,120 --> 00:09:49,200 point in their life, at some point? 147 00:09:49,800 --> 00:09:51,800 Have a look around, guys, keep your hands up, have a look 148 00:09:51,800 --> 00:09:54,120 around. This is a real struggle. 149 00:09:54,280 --> 00:09:57,320 We all struggle with this, but why is that? 150 00:09:59,000 --> 00:10:02,800 It's a struggle, isn't it? I want to challenge you guys 151 00:10:02,800 --> 00:10:04,920 tonight and ask you this question. 152 00:10:04,920 --> 00:10:07,040 Do you give your first fruits to the Lord? 153 00:10:07,040 --> 00:10:09,720 When you wake up, think to yourself, what is the first 154 00:10:09,720 --> 00:10:12,240 thing that you do? And if the first thing you do is 155 00:10:12,240 --> 00:10:17,760 pick up your phone and check Insta or whatever it is that you 156 00:10:17,760 --> 00:10:21,160 do. If the first thing you do is go 157 00:10:21,160 --> 00:10:23,640 and get a cuppa, sometimes a cuppa with the word of God is 158 00:10:23,640 --> 00:10:27,760 nice, but are you giving God the first fruits of your day? 159 00:10:28,200 --> 00:10:29,480 That's the first challenge for you. 160 00:10:29,880 --> 00:10:32,800 We should be starting our day with the Lord first before 161 00:10:32,800 --> 00:10:35,520 anything else. I'm going to read to you some 162 00:10:35,520 --> 00:10:38,120 lyrics Who he has heard of Josiah Queen. 163 00:10:38,320 --> 00:10:40,480 Some of the young fellas might. Yeah. 164 00:10:40,480 --> 00:10:44,320 OK, everyone note the hands came from the back corner. 165 00:10:45,960 --> 00:10:49,560 Josiah Queen. He he sung sung a song called 166 00:10:49,720 --> 00:10:53,320 Dusty Bibles says this. I've been struggling to find 167 00:10:53,320 --> 00:10:56,840 some Peace of Mind. It's the problem of our nation 168 00:10:56,840 --> 00:10:59,320 and in our generation. We're too. 169 00:10:59,600 --> 00:11:03,440 We're too busy and can't find the time. 170 00:11:04,240 --> 00:11:10,240 Are we busy or is it all a lie? We got dust on our bibles by 171 00:11:10,240 --> 00:11:14,480 brand new iPhones. No wonder why we feel this way. 172 00:11:14,960 --> 00:11:21,480 We walk with our eyes closed, blind leading blind folks and 173 00:11:21,480 --> 00:11:24,280 I'm done with these idols and dusty Bibles. 174 00:11:25,000 --> 00:11:27,880 You only get this one life. I don't want to sit and watch it 175 00:11:27,880 --> 00:11:31,880 pass me by. I'm so done being complacent. 176 00:11:32,120 --> 00:11:37,840 There ain't no replacement. How true is that in our lives? 177 00:11:38,360 --> 00:11:44,400 Sometimes the phone never gets dusty, does it always gets used 178 00:11:44,400 --> 00:11:50,640 but the Bible a little more so I want to encourage you guys. 179 00:11:50,720 --> 00:11:55,600 I, I did this at, I did this last year and I was horrified 180 00:11:55,680 --> 00:11:58,160 when I did it. You will be equally horrified. 181 00:11:58,800 --> 00:12:03,480 Do a screen time audit on your phone, maybe tomorrow, not when 182 00:12:03,480 --> 00:12:06,160 you go home tonight. Do a screen time audit on your 183 00:12:06,160 --> 00:12:07,880 phone. You're going to be horrified by 184 00:12:07,880 --> 00:12:13,040 how much time in a given day do you spend on that phone. 185 00:12:13,440 --> 00:12:19,040 When you extrapolate that out to a year, it'll be days that you 186 00:12:19,040 --> 00:12:25,880 spend glued to that screen, days in your year, not just hours, 187 00:12:25,880 --> 00:12:28,320 but days. The question is, can we say the 188 00:12:28,320 --> 00:12:32,160 same about God's Word? Genuinely? 189 00:12:34,680 --> 00:12:38,600 Two Timothy 316 says all Scripture is given by 190 00:12:38,640 --> 00:12:42,960 inspiration of God, and it's profitable for doctrine, for 191 00:12:42,960 --> 00:12:46,680 reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, 192 00:12:46,680 --> 00:12:52,240 that the man of God, that's you and that's me, may be complete, 193 00:12:52,600 --> 00:12:57,440 thoroughly equipped for every good work because we can't do 194 00:12:57,440 --> 00:13:01,440 anything apart from God, we can't do anything. 195 00:13:01,640 --> 00:13:05,280 Psalm 100 and 19105 Your word, we know this one. 196 00:13:05,280 --> 00:13:10,000 Your word is a lamp to my feet and a lot to my path. 197 00:13:12,840 --> 00:13:18,960 My question is, have you snuffed out that light or is the word of 198 00:13:18,960 --> 00:13:23,480 God truly lighting up your path? Which is it for you? 199 00:13:24,240 --> 00:13:28,680 Does your family? As a man, I'm talking about the 200 00:13:28,680 --> 00:13:33,800 older men here, and as a young man, I'm talking about who you 201 00:13:34,240 --> 00:13:37,920 growing to be. Does your family see your 202 00:13:37,920 --> 00:13:40,840 relationship with God being your highest priority? 203 00:13:42,080 --> 00:13:44,960 If you're young, you don't get a free pass here, all right? 204 00:13:45,280 --> 00:13:47,480 And if you're old, you don't get a free pass here either. 205 00:13:48,840 --> 00:13:53,400 Does your family, whatever stage you're at, see your relationship 206 00:13:53,400 --> 00:13:55,440 with God being your highest priority? 207 00:13:55,960 --> 00:14:01,400 Do they see you actively owning and putting your sin to death, 208 00:14:01,840 --> 00:14:05,800 even if it means admitting it, confessing it, repenting of it, 209 00:14:06,640 --> 00:14:12,200 asking for forgiveness? Men, until we own our own 210 00:14:12,200 --> 00:14:17,080 spiritual growth, until it's a priority in our lives, we're not 211 00:14:17,080 --> 00:14:18,600 going to be able to lead anyone else. 212 00:14:18,600 --> 00:14:23,360 And honestly, it starts and ends to a certain extent in the word 213 00:14:23,360 --> 00:14:30,200 of God. Till we abide with God, we can't 214 00:14:30,200 --> 00:14:32,640 do that. We can't leave lead others 215 00:14:32,760 --> 00:14:35,960 spiritually. So what about for those who have 216 00:14:35,960 --> 00:14:39,280 wives? What about our wives now? 217 00:14:39,680 --> 00:14:42,840 Because after loving God, what's the next thing that we have to 218 00:14:42,840 --> 00:14:43,840 do? Not rhetorical. 219 00:14:44,000 --> 00:14:49,400 Love God with all that you are. And then is anyone awake? 220 00:14:49,520 --> 00:14:52,640 What's the next thing? Love your neighbour. 221 00:14:52,800 --> 00:14:55,800 OK, For the men that are married, there's no closer 222 00:14:55,800 --> 00:15:01,160 neighbour than your wife. No one is closer than your wife. 223 00:15:02,120 --> 00:15:04,040 My question for you is, are you pursuing her? 224 00:15:04,560 --> 00:15:08,760 Are you pursuing your wife? Do you know what's going on in 225 00:15:08,760 --> 00:15:14,760 her life right now? Her cares, her victories, her 226 00:15:14,760 --> 00:15:19,160 concerns? Do you know what's wrestling for 227 00:15:19,160 --> 00:15:22,840 ground in her heart and her mind right at the moment? 228 00:15:23,600 --> 00:15:28,080 Do you know those things? Are you leading her to God's 229 00:15:28,080 --> 00:15:34,920 Word to encourage her? Are you leading her to prayer to 230 00:15:34,920 --> 00:15:40,280 navigate and wrestle with the concerns but also the victories? 231 00:15:40,440 --> 00:15:42,320 Are you initiating that with her? 232 00:15:42,600 --> 00:15:49,600 Ephesians 525 Husbands love your wives just as Christ also loved 233 00:15:49,600 --> 00:15:51,200 the church. If you're not married, guys, 234 00:15:51,200 --> 00:15:52,840 this is what you're working towards. 235 00:15:55,560 --> 00:15:57,920 Verse 28. So husbands ought to love their 236 00:15:58,080 --> 00:16:03,240 own wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves 237 00:16:03,240 --> 00:16:08,880 himself, for no one ever hated his own flesh, but nourishes and 238 00:16:08,880 --> 00:16:12,360 cherishes it, just as the Lord does the Church. 239 00:16:12,760 --> 00:16:15,400 Many of you nourishing and cherishing your wife. 240 00:16:17,400 --> 00:16:21,040 Are you giving yourself? Are you sacrificing of your own 241 00:16:21,040 --> 00:16:26,960 wants and needs? A good friend of mine said to me 242 00:16:26,960 --> 00:16:29,520 one time and I, I've latched onto it. 243 00:16:31,120 --> 00:16:35,200 He said to me one time, Mike, when I get home, he's got a big 244 00:16:35,200 --> 00:16:38,040 family. He has a number of kids, five I 245 00:16:38,040 --> 00:16:43,160 think, maybe 6. Whenever he walked, whenever he 246 00:16:43,160 --> 00:16:48,600 got home, before he walked through that door, he would take 247 00:16:48,600 --> 00:16:54,520 a deep breath. You try and lay aside all of his 248 00:16:54,520 --> 00:16:57,240 stresses, all of his concerns from the day because as soon as 249 00:16:57,240 --> 00:17:00,520 he walks through that door, he has no idea what his wife's been 250 00:17:00,560 --> 00:17:04,440 going through today. She may need to just thrust the 251 00:17:04,440 --> 00:17:07,160 kids upon him because she's had a rough 1. 252 00:17:07,880 --> 00:17:11,119 He would take a deep breath and walk through that door ready to 253 00:17:11,119 --> 00:17:13,440 take on whatever the Lord had before him. 254 00:17:14,000 --> 00:17:17,040 Are you doing that kind of thing for your wife? 255 00:17:17,839 --> 00:17:23,200 Are you sacrificing your own needs and wants for your spouse? 256 00:17:24,079 --> 00:17:28,600 And I want to say before your kids, before your work, before 257 00:17:28,600 --> 00:17:33,520 your ministry, before your church ministry starts with your 258 00:17:33,520 --> 00:17:37,120 wife, then your kids. But it doesn't end there, and 259 00:17:37,520 --> 00:17:41,160 we're going to get to that soon. Next comes your kids, and for 260 00:17:41,160 --> 00:17:43,880 the more mature among us, your grandkids also. 261 00:17:47,400 --> 00:17:54,760 We have a foundation that we set when we love the Lord, when we 262 00:17:54,760 --> 00:17:58,120 love our wives. If we're doing that, that lays 263 00:17:58,120 --> 00:18:03,760 an incredible foundation to then love our kids, to raise them up 264 00:18:03,760 --> 00:18:06,040 in the ways of the Lord. I'm going to read a few verses 265 00:18:06,040 --> 00:18:11,440 to Ephesians 64. And you, fathers, do not provoke 266 00:18:11,440 --> 00:18:15,720 your children. My son frequently references 267 00:18:15,720 --> 00:18:19,320 this verse to me. Do not provoke your children. 268 00:18:20,320 --> 00:18:24,000 He forgets the next bit, which is classic. 269 00:18:25,320 --> 00:18:28,240 Do not provoke your children to wrath, but bring them up in the 270 00:18:28,240 --> 00:18:31,160 training and the admonition of the Lord. 271 00:18:32,080 --> 00:18:35,040 Is that something you're doing with your kids? 272 00:18:35,680 --> 00:18:38,320 The blessing and curse of parenting is that you've got to 273 00:18:38,320 --> 00:18:42,200 be consistent. It's not rocket science, but 274 00:18:42,200 --> 00:18:48,400 it's consistent, consistently training and and admonishing 275 00:18:48,400 --> 00:18:52,000 them in the Lord. Deuteronomy 66 And these words 276 00:18:52,000 --> 00:18:54,560 which I command you today shall be in your heart. 277 00:18:54,800 --> 00:18:59,480 You shall teach them diligently to your children and shall talk 278 00:18:59,480 --> 00:19:01,080 of them when you sit. Now listen to this. 279 00:19:01,080 --> 00:19:04,320 This is amazing. Deuteronomy 6-7 we're at now. 280 00:19:05,280 --> 00:19:10,600 You shall talk of the commands of the Lord when you sit in your 281 00:19:10,600 --> 00:19:15,880 house, when you walk, by the way, when you lie down and when 282 00:19:15,880 --> 00:19:21,960 you rise up. That's quick. 283 00:19:22,560 --> 00:19:24,400 Who did that? How does that happen? 284 00:19:27,960 --> 00:19:33,080 That's amazing. Does that not cover every part 285 00:19:33,080 --> 00:19:35,640 of your life? When you sit, when you walk, 286 00:19:35,640 --> 00:19:40,920 when you lie down, when you rise up, those are all the times we 287 00:19:40,920 --> 00:19:46,160 are to speak of the commands and the ways of the Lord with our 288 00:19:46,160 --> 00:19:48,800 children. Proverbs 22 Six. 289 00:19:48,800 --> 00:19:54,560 Train up a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he 290 00:19:54,560 --> 00:20:01,320 will not depart from it. Are you praying for your kids 291 00:20:01,320 --> 00:20:04,760 regularly, men? Sometimes we're like, oh, my 292 00:20:04,760 --> 00:20:08,120 wife's, my wife's praying for, for our kids. 293 00:20:08,120 --> 00:20:11,120 That's enough, right? Are you praying for your kids? 294 00:20:11,280 --> 00:20:14,280 Kids. Are you praying for your dad? 295 00:20:16,480 --> 00:20:19,560 Yeah, awesome. Because we need your prayers 296 00:20:19,560 --> 00:20:21,800 just as much as you need our prayers. 297 00:20:22,880 --> 00:20:29,520 Are you teaching your kids, your grandkids, the truths of God's 298 00:20:29,520 --> 00:20:33,280 word? Are you asking them how they're 299 00:20:33,280 --> 00:20:36,040 doing in their spiritual walks? We're we're very good. 300 00:20:36,480 --> 00:20:39,480 I love my brother, but we talk a lot about the weather, a lot 301 00:20:39,480 --> 00:20:43,200 about football, a lot about basketball, and not nearly as 302 00:20:43,200 --> 00:20:49,440 much as I'd like about the Lord. Are we asking each other about 303 00:20:49,440 --> 00:20:52,040 our spiritual walks with the Lord, how we're travelling? 304 00:20:52,240 --> 00:20:55,360 We've talked about brotherly love here tonight. 305 00:20:58,040 --> 00:21:00,960 When was the last time you went up to a brother in this 306 00:21:01,120 --> 00:21:04,720 sanctuary right now and said, hey, how are you going with the 307 00:21:04,720 --> 00:21:08,360 Lord right now? I want to challenge and 308 00:21:08,360 --> 00:21:11,360 encourage you to do that at the end of this night. 309 00:21:11,560 --> 00:21:15,960 Seriously, don't just do it for, for, you know, just for kicks. 310 00:21:16,080 --> 00:21:20,320 Actually be serious about it. Are you having hard 311 00:21:20,320 --> 00:21:24,640 conversations when with your kids about sin in their lives? 312 00:21:24,680 --> 00:21:27,240 Are you teaching them how to handle their sin? 313 00:21:28,080 --> 00:21:33,080 Are you having family times that include His Word and praying 314 00:21:33,080 --> 00:21:35,280 together? Are you prioritising? 315 00:21:35,320 --> 00:21:40,680 You ready for this church attendance and church 316 00:21:40,720 --> 00:21:44,240 involvement? Are you prioritising those 317 00:21:44,240 --> 00:21:47,680 things? Are you involving your children 318 00:21:47,680 --> 00:21:52,240 in serving the Lord? This is all what it means to 319 00:21:52,240 --> 00:21:58,360 love and to do all things in love towards our children. 320 00:21:59,280 --> 00:22:02,560 And of course, this leads us to the next step and that's being 321 00:22:02,560 --> 00:22:05,640 spiritual leaders of the family of God. 322 00:22:05,880 --> 00:22:10,760 And we here are brothers in the family of God because it is 323 00:22:10,760 --> 00:22:16,000 critical that you are plugged in to our solid Bible teaching 324 00:22:16,000 --> 00:22:19,160 church and praise God you have that here. 325 00:22:19,920 --> 00:22:29,480 Not everyone can say that the the back story of our fellowship 326 00:22:29,480 --> 00:22:34,200 in Busselton is that there was not a a solid Bible teaching 327 00:22:34,200 --> 00:22:36,360 church in Busselton. Sadly. 328 00:22:40,240 --> 00:22:46,200 But you know, so many of us don't know about you guys, and I 329 00:22:46,200 --> 00:22:49,600 pray that it's not the case in this church, but so many 330 00:22:49,960 --> 00:22:52,960 Christians and I can see it from here. 331 00:22:52,960 --> 00:22:54,640 Keith can see it. Israel can see it. 332 00:22:54,640 --> 00:22:57,040 When you're standing here, we can see it in your face, your 333 00:22:57,040 --> 00:23:00,800 resting face. Man, this guy is ready to leave. 334 00:23:01,080 --> 00:23:06,440 Oh, that guy looks angry. So many people want the in and 335 00:23:06,440 --> 00:23:09,200 out worship experience. You with me. 336 00:23:10,080 --> 00:23:12,520 So many people want that experience. 337 00:23:12,520 --> 00:23:15,760 Get in, get out so that you can get on with the rest of your day 338 00:23:15,760 --> 00:23:22,240 like churches and inconvenience. Oh man, some guys that come 339 00:23:22,240 --> 00:23:25,080 through our fellowship irregularly, I'm sitting there 340 00:23:25,080 --> 00:23:29,720 and even the amount of time that they sit in that back row, I 341 00:23:29,720 --> 00:23:32,120 know they're not listening and they're only sitting in that 342 00:23:32,320 --> 00:23:36,200 back row for half the time. They just want the in and out 343 00:23:36,200 --> 00:23:39,080 experience. Almost like as I said, it's, 344 00:23:39,320 --> 00:23:42,840 it's just a an inconvenient part of their day. 345 00:23:44,040 --> 00:23:51,640 What's interesting is the thought of what if God was like 346 00:23:51,640 --> 00:23:55,400 that with us? What if God just wanted the in 347 00:23:55,400 --> 00:23:57,320 and out experience with His children? 348 00:23:58,840 --> 00:24:02,200 When we call out to God in the trial that we're going through, 349 00:24:02,240 --> 00:24:06,800 the sickness, the persecution, the grief, the heartache, 350 00:24:06,800 --> 00:24:10,440 whatever it is that we're experiencing, imagine if God 351 00:24:10,440 --> 00:24:14,880 said, man, I'm with you son, but only for the next hour. 352 00:24:15,760 --> 00:24:19,760 After that you're on your own. Imagine if God did that with us. 353 00:24:23,480 --> 00:24:28,040 I want to challenge and encourage you guys to be so 354 00:24:28,040 --> 00:24:32,720 thankful to the Lord for this body that you call a family in 355 00:24:32,720 --> 00:24:36,320 Christ. It is such a gift from the Lord 356 00:24:37,080 --> 00:24:40,640 and I want to challenge you and ask you, does your family men 357 00:24:41,000 --> 00:24:45,400 see you serving this body with joy? 358 00:24:45,680 --> 00:24:47,560 Do you serve together as a family? 359 00:24:48,200 --> 00:24:51,560 And guys, I'm not just talking about Sunday either. 360 00:24:53,560 --> 00:25:00,720 You know, you come on Sunday and the job of a number of people in 361 00:25:00,720 --> 00:25:07,000 this fellowship, their job is to equip you for the work of the 362 00:25:07,000 --> 00:25:10,640 ministry. The equipping in part happens on 363 00:25:10,640 --> 00:25:13,600 Sunday. When does the ministry happen? 364 00:25:15,280 --> 00:25:20,880 In part on Sunday, but it also happens on Monday and Tuesday 365 00:25:21,080 --> 00:25:25,200 and Wednesday. Thursday, Friday, Saturday, you 366 00:25:25,200 --> 00:25:30,320 get in the picture. Are you serving the Lord every 367 00:25:30,320 --> 00:25:33,840 single day of the week? And that because that looks like 368 00:25:33,840 --> 00:25:36,400 different things for different people at different times. 369 00:25:36,880 --> 00:25:42,800 There's no one size fits all. But are you serving the body of 370 00:25:42,800 --> 00:25:46,360 Christ that you're a part of? I was having this conversation 371 00:25:46,360 --> 00:25:51,120 earlier around the fact that what does it, what does it look 372 00:25:51,120 --> 00:25:55,520 like to serve the body? And part of that is, hey, let's, 373 00:25:56,480 --> 00:26:00,960 when is the one time that for whatever reason, we've set up 374 00:26:01,400 --> 00:26:04,640 that we all come together and gather as a body? 375 00:26:04,800 --> 00:26:08,560 We do that on Sunday, right? Typically that should be our 376 00:26:08,560 --> 00:26:11,760 baseline. That's where we start serving 377 00:26:11,800 --> 00:26:14,800 the body of Christ. But that's that's only one day. 378 00:26:16,840 --> 00:26:20,320 I want to ask you if you celebrate your local church or 379 00:26:20,320 --> 00:26:24,480 do you tear it to shreds? Do you show your family that you 380 00:26:24,480 --> 00:26:29,640 really value worshipping the Lord as you stand and sing, as 381 00:26:29,640 --> 00:26:32,960 you follow along with the sermon, as you prioritise 382 00:26:32,960 --> 00:26:38,200 serving the body in humility Sundays and all the days? 383 00:26:38,960 --> 00:26:43,720 Because if we don't fully commit to the local church, fully 384 00:26:43,960 --> 00:26:49,720 commit to the local church, how then do we deal with a whole 385 00:26:49,720 --> 00:26:52,000 stack of verses in the Bible? I'm going to give you a few. 386 00:26:52,240 --> 00:26:53,480 Let's see how quickly they come up. 387 00:26:53,600 --> 00:27:01,960 First, Peter 410. It was a little lagging that 388 00:27:01,960 --> 00:27:05,320 happened there first. Peter 410 As each one has 389 00:27:05,320 --> 00:27:09,960 received a gift, minister it to one another as good stewards of 390 00:27:09,960 --> 00:27:12,440 the manifold grace of God. OK, let me ask you this 391 00:27:12,440 --> 00:27:14,160 question. If you're not fully committed to 392 00:27:14,160 --> 00:27:16,600 the body of Christ, of being with the body of Christ, being 393 00:27:16,600 --> 00:27:20,320 alongside the body of Christ, how then do you minister your 394 00:27:20,320 --> 00:27:27,400 gift to one another if your pastor's gift was not used to 395 00:27:27,400 --> 00:27:31,240 minister to you on Sunday? If he decided, you know what, I 396 00:27:31,240 --> 00:27:35,920 don't want to minister my gift today, what would that look 397 00:27:35,920 --> 00:27:39,040 like? But your pastor's gift is only 398 00:27:39,040 --> 00:27:42,440 one gift. We've all got gifts. 399 00:27:43,120 --> 00:27:48,520 And when you exclude yourself from the body, the body loses 400 00:27:48,520 --> 00:27:50,440 out. You lose out because you lose 401 00:27:50,440 --> 00:27:53,760 all the gifts, but the body loses out because we lose your 402 00:27:53,760 --> 00:27:56,880 gift. You each, no matter your age. 403 00:27:57,600 --> 00:27:59,920 OK, who's the youngest in our fellowship here? 404 00:28:01,160 --> 00:28:04,160 How old? 6 Anyone younger than six. 405 00:28:04,960 --> 00:28:07,120 No. OK, anyone older than six. 406 00:28:07,280 --> 00:28:08,920 Who's the oldest in our fellowship here? 407 00:28:09,880 --> 00:28:12,040 No pressure. How many, Keith? 408 00:28:13,280 --> 00:28:14,840 Fair bit. Fair bit. 409 00:28:14,840 --> 00:28:17,280 It doesn't matter the age. We all have gifts. 410 00:28:17,640 --> 00:28:19,080 Like I just moved on there, Keith. 411 00:28:19,440 --> 00:28:23,240 Well played. We all have gifts that we need 412 00:28:23,240 --> 00:28:25,360 to use to minister to one another. 413 00:28:25,560 --> 00:28:31,120 It's so important Romans 12/4 for as as we have many members 414 00:28:31,120 --> 00:28:35,040 in one body, but all the members do not have the same function. 415 00:28:35,400 --> 00:28:40,680 So we being many are one body in Christ and individually members 416 00:28:40,840 --> 00:28:43,680 of one another. Having them gifts differing 417 00:28:43,680 --> 00:28:45,920 according to the grace that is given to us. 418 00:28:46,200 --> 00:28:50,120 Let us use them men. Let us use the gifts that God 419 00:28:50,120 --> 00:28:53,280 has given us. I was speaking to a man earlier. 420 00:28:54,920 --> 00:28:55,880 Ian. Where are you? 421 00:28:55,880 --> 00:28:59,920 Ian. Yes, Ian is the groundsman here, 422 00:28:59,920 --> 00:29:04,560 Are you not, Ian? Guys, doesn't matter what your 423 00:29:04,560 --> 00:29:07,800 gift looks like, you've got to use it for the Lord. 424 00:29:09,640 --> 00:29:13,800 He decided to use his to beautify what's around here. 425 00:29:14,160 --> 00:29:17,480 How are you going to use yours for the body at the moment? 426 00:29:17,720 --> 00:29:23,360 There's so many verses in the Bible that refer to command us 427 00:29:23,520 --> 00:29:28,480 to use our gifts for the body, to build up the body, to 428 00:29:28,480 --> 00:29:31,880 minister the body. Therefore, therefore, my 429 00:29:31,880 --> 00:29:39,960 brothers, 1st Corinthians 16 verse 13, watch, watch. 430 00:29:40,800 --> 00:29:44,800 It means to wake up or stay awake, to live, to give strict 431 00:29:44,800 --> 00:29:49,400 attention to, to be cautious, to be on God lest you be led to 432 00:29:49,400 --> 00:29:52,800 forsake Christ or fall into sin first. 433 00:29:52,800 --> 00:29:55,840 Peter 58. Be sober, that is self 434 00:29:55,840 --> 00:29:59,120 controlled. Be vigilant, that is watchful, 435 00:29:59,800 --> 00:30:02,560 because your adversary, the devil, walks about like a 436 00:30:02,560 --> 00:30:06,640 roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour. 437 00:30:07,160 --> 00:30:12,520 Acts 20, verse 29. I, Paul speaking, know this, 438 00:30:12,520 --> 00:30:16,680 that after my departure savage wolves will come in among you, 439 00:30:16,960 --> 00:30:20,560 not sparing the flock also from among yourselves. 440 00:30:20,560 --> 00:30:24,960 Men will rise up, speaking perverse and misleading things, 441 00:30:25,120 --> 00:30:27,520 to draw away the disciples after themselves. 442 00:30:27,720 --> 00:30:33,040 Therefore watch and remember that for three years I did not 443 00:30:33,040 --> 00:30:36,560 cease to warn everyone night and day with tears. 444 00:30:36,880 --> 00:30:42,000 Watch Christian, Be watchful, be on guard, be self controlled, be 445 00:30:42,000 --> 00:30:44,640 disciplined in your walk with the Lord. 446 00:30:46,120 --> 00:30:49,360 Watch. Stand fast in the faith. 447 00:30:49,600 --> 00:30:53,480 Stand fast in the faith. That means to stand firm, to 448 00:30:53,480 --> 00:30:57,640 persist, to persevere in godliness and righteousness. 449 00:30:59,720 --> 00:31:05,440 And in the faith is a strong belief in Jesus Christ as 450 00:31:05,440 --> 00:31:11,720 Messiah, through whom alone we obtain salvation. 2 451 00:31:11,720 --> 00:31:16,560 Thessalonians 215 Brethren, stand fast and hold the 452 00:31:16,560 --> 00:31:21,680 traditions which you were taught, whether by word or our 453 00:31:21,680 --> 00:31:27,400 epistle, how hard it is for us to stand firm on the commands of 454 00:31:27,400 --> 00:31:33,320 God when the world washes over us with all of their ways and 455 00:31:33,320 --> 00:31:36,200 pleasures that they do. Christians, stand firm. 456 00:31:37,080 --> 00:31:39,680 Persevere in your conviction of the truth. 457 00:31:42,400 --> 00:31:44,840 Persevere in your fellowship with the Lord. 458 00:31:45,640 --> 00:31:48,880 Watch. Stand fast in the in the faith. 459 00:31:49,160 --> 00:31:54,520 Be brave. That word brave means to make a 460 00:31:54,520 --> 00:31:59,600 man of to show oneself a man, to act manly. 461 00:32:00,240 --> 00:32:04,120 Notice that the Bible intrinsically links that word 462 00:32:04,680 --> 00:32:09,360 with men. It is described as a masculine 463 00:32:09,600 --> 00:32:12,240 character trait. Now this doesn't mean that women 464 00:32:12,240 --> 00:32:15,880 don't have it. It just means that men should 465 00:32:15,880 --> 00:32:17,720 have it. We're inbuilt with it. 466 00:32:21,000 --> 00:32:24,320 Now I just want to pick two things alongside each other. 467 00:32:24,320 --> 00:32:28,680 So you get it. Bravery means boldness or 468 00:32:28,680 --> 00:32:34,640 fearlessness. Courage means doing something 469 00:32:35,120 --> 00:32:38,960 even though you know the risk. Even though you may be fearful, 470 00:32:39,360 --> 00:32:41,320 you're doing it in spite of that fear. 471 00:32:41,560 --> 00:32:47,720 Bravery is a fearlessness. Courage is doing it even though 472 00:32:47,720 --> 00:32:50,600 you fear. Both typically work hand in 473 00:32:50,600 --> 00:32:54,680 hand. Bravery is more spontaneous. 474 00:32:54,680 --> 00:33:00,000 Typically boys have that thing. How often have you seen a a nine 475 00:33:00,000 --> 00:33:03,120 year old girl climb a tree and jump out of it and do dumb 476 00:33:03,120 --> 00:33:05,080 stuff? It doesn't happen that often 477 00:33:05,600 --> 00:33:09,160 because 9 year old boys have a fearlessness about them. 478 00:33:09,640 --> 00:33:13,360 That's bravery and sometimes it's stupidity, but that's what 479 00:33:13,360 --> 00:33:15,640 bravery is. There's a spontaneousness about 480 00:33:15,640 --> 00:33:19,440 it, but notice what the Lord uses. 481 00:33:19,440 --> 00:33:21,840 He, he, the word he uses is bravery. 482 00:33:22,000 --> 00:33:26,840 It's not courage. Be brave, be fearless, be bold 483 00:33:26,840 --> 00:33:29,600 for the Lord that is so important. 484 00:33:30,720 --> 00:33:34,120 Watch, stand fast in the faith, be brave. 485 00:33:34,160 --> 00:33:39,200 That is, be fearless. Guys, we have nothing to fear. 486 00:33:39,760 --> 00:33:44,160 Psalm 27 One, the Lord is my light and my salvation. 487 00:33:44,360 --> 00:33:48,280 Whom shall I fear? The Lord is the strength of my 488 00:33:48,280 --> 00:33:50,400 life. Of whom shall I be afraid? 489 00:33:51,720 --> 00:33:55,040 Romans 831 What then shall we say to these things? 490 00:33:55,040 --> 00:33:59,200 If God is for us, who can be against us? 491 00:34:00,800 --> 00:34:07,720 We have nothing to God has put in us this fearlessness that he 492 00:34:07,720 --> 00:34:11,360 nurtures as we grow in the Lord. Men, show yourself a man. 493 00:34:11,800 --> 00:34:14,199 Be bold for the Lord. Be fearless. 494 00:34:14,920 --> 00:34:18,719 No matter the consequences that may come, no matter the pushback 495 00:34:18,719 --> 00:34:22,400 from your peers, no matter the pushback from your family. 496 00:34:23,840 --> 00:34:26,159 Be brave. Watch. 497 00:34:26,159 --> 00:34:28,960 Stand fast in the faith. Be brave. 498 00:34:29,120 --> 00:34:30,760 Be strong. We're almost finished, I 499 00:34:30,760 --> 00:34:32,840 promise. Be strong. 500 00:34:34,400 --> 00:34:40,040 It means to strengthen, to be made strong, to grow strong, to 501 00:34:40,040 --> 00:34:44,199 be strong. Ephesians 610 Finally, my 502 00:34:44,199 --> 00:34:49,679 brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might. 503 00:34:50,239 --> 00:34:54,199 The words be strong there doesn't mean in and of your own 504 00:34:54,199 --> 00:34:58,680 strength. It means to be strong in the 505 00:34:58,680 --> 00:35:01,240 Lord. We must be empowered. 506 00:35:01,360 --> 00:35:05,520 We'll be strengthened by God. Our strength comes from Him, not 507 00:35:05,520 --> 00:35:12,000 from ourselves. Not be strong by the Lord of the 508 00:35:12,000 --> 00:35:17,080 Lord, but in the Lord. Our strength comes from being in 509 00:35:17,360 --> 00:35:20,520 Him, which comes full cycle back to the start. 510 00:35:22,920 --> 00:35:26,400 Abide in me. We've got to abide in His Word. 511 00:35:26,400 --> 00:35:29,480 John 15-4 Abide in me, and I in you. 512 00:35:31,200 --> 00:35:34,720 As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself unless it abides in 513 00:35:34,720 --> 00:35:39,080 the vine, neither can you unless you abide in me. 514 00:35:39,680 --> 00:35:41,440 I am the vine, you are the branches. 515 00:35:41,440 --> 00:35:44,560 He who abides in me, and I in him bears much fruit. 516 00:35:44,920 --> 00:35:47,040 For without me you can do nothing. 517 00:35:47,400 --> 00:35:50,680 All right, pop quiz. Let's see who's listening up the 518 00:35:50,680 --> 00:35:54,080 back there. Apart from Christ, what can we 519 00:35:54,080 --> 00:35:57,760 do? Shut it out. 520 00:35:57,760 --> 00:36:00,880 Nothing. We can't do anything apart from 521 00:36:00,880 --> 00:36:02,800 Christ. Nothing. 522 00:36:06,720 --> 00:36:08,400 I was chatting to a mate a while ago. 523 00:36:08,680 --> 00:36:13,360 He wrestles a lot with the Lord. He we had a laugh one time 524 00:36:13,680 --> 00:36:17,640 because he came to this realisation that this, this 525 00:36:17,640 --> 00:36:20,320 skill that he had, he was really good at something. 526 00:36:20,360 --> 00:36:22,760 He's not really good at a number of things, but he's really good 527 00:36:22,760 --> 00:36:27,320 at this something. But he came to the point where 528 00:36:27,320 --> 00:36:30,920 he realised that that something was actually from the Lord. 529 00:36:32,120 --> 00:36:35,000 He's actually not good at anything apart from the Lord, 530 00:36:35,480 --> 00:36:37,400 and that was a sad realisation for him. 531 00:36:38,280 --> 00:36:40,040 But that's the reality of our lives. 532 00:36:40,040 --> 00:36:42,400 Apart from God we can do nothing. 533 00:36:43,040 --> 00:36:45,360 And you know what, it's actually encouraging as well. 534 00:36:45,360 --> 00:36:51,080 You don't have to try, you just have to abide in Him and he's 535 00:36:51,080 --> 00:36:54,120 going to do it with you, in you, through you. 536 00:36:54,840 --> 00:36:58,720 True Christian strength comes from recognising our utter 537 00:36:58,960 --> 00:37:03,560 dependence on God. Philippians 413 I can do all 538 00:37:03,560 --> 00:37:05,280 things through Christ who strengthens me. 539 00:37:05,480 --> 00:37:08,080 Notice the opposite. I can't do anything apart from 540 00:37:08,080 --> 00:37:11,840 God. I can do all things through 541 00:37:11,840 --> 00:37:15,960 Christ who strengthens me. To be strong in the Lord means 542 00:37:15,960 --> 00:37:21,000 to abide in Christ. What's the best way to abide in 543 00:37:21,000 --> 00:37:26,240 Christ? Yeah, yeah, yeah. 544 00:37:27,160 --> 00:37:32,160 Every day, guys, every day. Pick up the word of God every 545 00:37:32,320 --> 00:37:35,440 single day. You won't always understand 546 00:37:35,440 --> 00:37:37,480 everything that you read. That's OK. 547 00:37:40,160 --> 00:37:44,320 I pick it up every single day. Abide in Christ, be strong in 548 00:37:44,320 --> 00:37:47,000 the Lord. I can't remember what verse out 549 00:37:47,000 --> 00:37:49,240 of Samuel you read earlier, but I'm going to read 1 right now. 550 00:37:49,240 --> 00:37:53,040 Two Samuel 1012. Be of good courage and let us be 551 00:37:53,040 --> 00:37:57,160 strong for our people and for the cities of our God. 552 00:37:57,520 --> 00:38:02,880 As men, we are called to be strong for God's people. 553 00:38:03,760 --> 00:38:06,400 That's Our Calling. That's the calling upon your 554 00:38:06,400 --> 00:38:11,800 life from as young as 6 to as old as many. 555 00:38:12,760 --> 00:38:14,880 That's the calling upon our life. 556 00:38:16,160 --> 00:38:22,440 Watch, stand fast in the faith. Be brave, be strong. 557 00:38:23,400 --> 00:38:25,320 Let all that you do be done with. 558 00:38:25,320 --> 00:38:31,920 Love everything guys, everything that you do, your words, your 559 00:38:31,960 --> 00:38:37,320 actions, the love of Christians towards Christians. 560 00:38:37,320 --> 00:38:44,720 We get this horribly wrong, but it's our witness guys, John 1335 561 00:38:45,200 --> 00:38:49,760 and we're going to close here by this all know that you are my 562 00:38:49,760 --> 00:38:53,120 disciples. If you have love one for 563 00:38:53,120 --> 00:38:59,040 another, How are you going with loving one another? 564 00:38:59,280 --> 00:39:04,720 How are you going with loving your wife, your children, your 565 00:39:04,720 --> 00:39:06,880 grandchildren? How are you going with loving 566 00:39:06,880 --> 00:39:10,440 your brothers? Brothers sharing with each other 567 00:39:10,440 --> 00:39:13,880 how we're going? That's not a natural thing for 568 00:39:13,880 --> 00:39:19,640 us, is it necessarily? But it's required of us to love 569 00:39:19,640 --> 00:39:22,040 one another. A level of vulnerability is 570 00:39:22,040 --> 00:39:25,720 required of us. You saw all the raised hands 571 00:39:25,760 --> 00:39:30,960 earlier about how we all struggle with how often we pick 572 00:39:30,960 --> 00:39:35,560 up God's Word sometimes. It's no different for all the 573 00:39:35,560 --> 00:39:37,280 other struggles that you're experiencing. 574 00:39:38,160 --> 00:39:40,080 There's a bunch of brothers here that are struggling with the 575 00:39:40,080 --> 00:39:42,320 same thing. We just need to open our mouth, 576 00:39:43,160 --> 00:39:47,000 make ourselves vulnerable, and love one another in all that we 577 00:39:47,000 --> 00:39:50,800 do. Men, as we close, watch, This is 578 00:39:50,800 --> 00:39:55,000 your challenge this week. Excuse me, this is your 579 00:39:55,000 --> 00:39:58,920 challenge this week. It's your challenge for your 580 00:39:59,040 --> 00:40:04,080 within your family, within this body of Christ. 581 00:40:04,080 --> 00:40:07,680 Here, take this challenge seriously. 582 00:40:08,600 --> 00:40:12,400 Watch. Stand fast in the faith, Be 583 00:40:12,400 --> 00:40:18,600 brave, be strong. Let all that you do be done with 584 00:40:18,600 --> 00:40:20,800 love. Let's pray together now, the 585 00:40:21,520 --> 00:40:26,200 Heavenly Father. Thank you so much that you love 586 00:40:26,200 --> 00:40:30,840 us, that you've forgiven us, that you're so patient with us. 587 00:40:31,960 --> 00:40:33,760 Lord, we don't deserve your patience. 588 00:40:33,760 --> 00:40:36,680 We don't deserve your mercy and your grace, but you gifted to 589 00:40:36,760 --> 00:40:41,720 us, Lord. Lord, we pray that you would 590 00:40:41,720 --> 00:40:47,160 strengthen us with your Holy Spirit because we can't do these 591 00:40:47,160 --> 00:40:49,880 things apart from you. We we just read that we can do 592 00:40:49,880 --> 00:40:53,600 nothing apart from you, but we can do all things through you, 593 00:40:53,760 --> 00:40:57,680 Christ who strengthens us. So Lord, strengthen us this 594 00:40:57,680 --> 00:41:02,160 night. Lord, our witness is our love 595 00:41:02,400 --> 00:41:05,920 one for another. Help us to do that. 596 00:41:05,920 --> 00:41:13,840 Well, Lord, help us to be the spiritual leaders of our homes, 597 00:41:14,280 --> 00:41:18,640 of our families, of this church, of our friendship groups. 598 00:41:19,480 --> 00:41:23,320 Lord, what would it look like for each of us to watch, to 599 00:41:23,320 --> 00:41:27,760 stand firm in the faith, to be brave, to be strong, and to do 600 00:41:27,800 --> 00:41:35,240 all things with love? Lord, that is the charge for us 601 00:41:35,240 --> 00:41:38,120 today. And I just ask here, Lord among 602 00:41:38,120 --> 00:41:41,480 us, that you would strengthen us for that challenge, that you 603 00:41:41,480 --> 00:41:47,840 would encourage us every time we fail, whether you'd pick us back 604 00:41:47,840 --> 00:41:51,480 up and we'd keep charging towards you in all the things 605 00:41:51,480 --> 00:41:55,000 that we do and say. Thank you, Lord, for this time. 606 00:41:55,000 --> 00:41:58,120 As men, we commit it into your hands in the name of the Lord 607 00:41:58,160 --> 00:42:02,960 Jesus Christ. And everyone said Amen, just to 608 00:42:03,000 --> 00:42:03,240 know you.