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Well, good morning to you all. 
I hope you are all well and 

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enjoying the summer. 
And who likes a good story? 

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Anybody. 
Everybody likes a good story. 

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So I'm going to tell you a story
this morning. 

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So if you're sitting comfortably
children, we shall begin. 

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But we're starting our series on
parables and I'm going to be 

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doing a parable this morning, 
which you will recognize very 

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well indeed. 
But what is a parable? 

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Well, first and foremost it is a
story, as I've already 

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mentioned. 
But it could be seen as sort of 

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a fable, couldn't it? 
A story with a bit of a moral to

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it. 
But like Esop's fables, if you 

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remember those the parables, the
parables are a bit more than 

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just a moral story. 
They have a bit of depth to 

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them, don't they? 
They have wisdom in them and 

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they have revelation. 
What do I mean by that? 

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I mean, well, wisdom obviously 
comes from God. 

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So Jesus gave us that story, 
those stories, those parables. 

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But he also, it reveals 
something of his Kingdom to us, 

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doesn't it? 
A lot of the stories about, a 

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lot of the parables about the 
Kingdom of God, but it also 

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reveals something in us. 
And that's what I'm hoping for 

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this morning, that as we look at
this parable, it will reveal 

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something in you. 
They speak about the human 

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condition. 
Don't they? 

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So that's what we're going to be
looking at. 

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But let me just pray. 
Start with Father God. 

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I just thank you, Lord, that you
have guided me with this 

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parable. 
And Lord, I pray that you will 

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just let your Holy Spirit settle
on us now. 

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Let our ears and our hearts be 
open. 

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So what you have to say? 
And Lord, I pray that everything

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that you have in this talk goes 
into the hearts of men and women

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here. 
And anything that is just of me,

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I pray you leave behind. 
I pray that all in Jesus name. 

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Amen. 
So let's have a look at the 

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text. 
It's from Matthew 7 and 21 that 

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will be coming up on the screen 
and welcome everybody online. 

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We've got to say hello earlier. 
Just wanted to welcome. 

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You are very welcome with us and
this should be coming up on your

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screen as well. 
Let's have a read. 

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And now let me just Simply put 
this in context. 

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Jesus has taken a whole lot of 
people who've been following him

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around because he's been doing 
miracles. 

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All around the holy lands. 
And he thinks, right, let's take

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them up the mountain, and then I
can have some chance to speak to

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them and teach them. 
And he goes through a whole load

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of subjects, and at the end of 
that he comes with this parable.

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Therefore, everybody who hears 
these words and puts them into 

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practice is like a wise man who 
built his house upon the rock. 

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The rain came down, the streams 
rose, the winds blew and beat 

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against the house. 
Yet it did not fall because it 

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had its foundation on the rock. 
But everybody who hears these 

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words of mine and does not put 
them into practice is like the 

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foolish man who built his house 
on the sand. 

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The rain came, the streams rose 
and the wind blew and beat 

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against the house, and it fell 
down with a great crash. 

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But what a great story. 
And I know we love to teach the 

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children this story, and there's
a song, and I did think about 

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singing it, but you don't want 
to hear that. 

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But like most parables, we've 
heard them before, haven't we? 

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Get the gist of what Jesus is 
talking about. 

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And of course this parable is 
not really talking about 

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physical houses, is it? 
It's a metaphor by like so many 

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things that Jesus spoken as 
parables. 

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It's a parables about 
foundations in our lives, both 

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good and bad foundations. 
So we're going to start with the

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bad, just like Mark spoke in his
series on the gospel, The Bad 

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News 1st and followed by the 
good. 

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So let's have a look at building
on the sand. 

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When we think of sand, we think 
of the beach, don't we? 

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We live in an island nation and 
we think sand or I love going to

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the beach. 
I love the lovely soft feeling 

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of the hot sand between my toes.
Or if you're like me, I don't 

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like sand between my toes. 
I like that where you on the 

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squishy wet sand. 
And you leave the footprints. 

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You have sort of lovely feelings
of that. 

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You go there for a holiday or 
for a day out. 

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You're near the ocean, aren't 
you? 

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Or an estuary. 
And it's a place where you feel 

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relaxed and you enjoy your 
holiday and your time with your 

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family. 
But. 

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And we build sandcastles, don't 
we? 

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We often bury Dad in the sand, 
We have ice cream, we enjoy some

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fish and chips. 
It's a great place, isn't it? 

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But sand is not also not always 
at the the seaside, is it? 

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A lot of sand. 
In fact, I would say the 

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majority of sand on this planet 
is in the desert. 

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And the desert is a desolate 
place, a place of isolation, a 

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place where there is very little
water and very little life 

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indeed. 
Let's have a take. 

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Let's firstly have a look at a 
few pictures of some structures 

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built on sand. 
There we are, Sandcastle. 

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How lovely. 
Next one, please. 

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And there we are. 
We'd love to go to the beach and

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build on sand. 
Next one, please. 

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Chantelle And then, of course, 
the waters come and the 

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sandcastle start to disappear 
very quickly, don't they? 

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And that's sort of part of this,
this story. 

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Next one, please, Chantelle. 
Then some people do some 

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beautiful structures, and the 
next one, and the next one, 

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lovely. 
And then this one is the largest

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sandcastle ever built, 
apparently built in Germany by a

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bunch of artists. 
And in fact, it would have gone 

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in the Guinness Book of Records,
but it fell down before they 

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turned up. 
There's a story, isn't there? 

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So I want to look at three 
things That is like building our

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lives on sand, those foundation 
stones on sand. 

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Well, of course. 
The easiest one to pick, of 

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course, is sin. 
The stuff that we shouldn't do 

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but we end up doing, don't we? 
Mark spoke about this in the in 

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the series on the gospel, didn't
he? 

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He explained sin was a bit like 
having a pet snake and going to 

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a cage and go get in the pet 
snake and having a little play 

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and hopefully it won't bite. 
You put its venom into and then 

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you stick it back in the cage 
and you think got away with 

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that. 
And there's no harm done really 

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in some respects as long as we 
go to God and and repent and say

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Lord, I'm sorry. 
But when sin becomes habitual, 

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it becomes a bit of a problem, 
doesn't it? 

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We keep going back to it, we 
keep going back to that place 

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that we know we ought to do, and
it becomes a bit of a problem. 

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Habitual sins then become 
addictions, don't they? 

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And addictions are like building
on sand. 

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In fact, I would say addictions 
can be like building on 

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quicksand, because sooner or 
later they might suck you down. 

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And then where are you? 
But of course that sort of thing

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doesn't happen straight away. 
And we are talking about 

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foundations. 
And if you've seen a builder 

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build a house, you will have 
seen that they will dig a big 

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hole, they will put some 
concrete in and then they will 

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lay 1 brick at a time. 
And that's what it's like in our

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lives. 
We lay 1 brick at a time and we 

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choose to lay those bricks on 
sand which is not solid, or we 

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get to choose to lay them on the
rock which is Christ Jesus. 

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Let's have a look at Galatians 
6-7 to 9:00. 

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But whatever a man sows, he will
also reap, because the one who 

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sows to his flesh will reap the 
corruption from the flesh, but 

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the one who sows to the Spirit 
will reap eternal life from that

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spirit. 
So we must not get tired of 

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doing good, for we will reap up 
to proper time if we don't give 

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up. 
So what am I? 

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Why have I built that scripture?
And we were talking about 

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foundations, weren't we? 
But there's a principle here 

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with reaping and sowing. 
We often think of sowing and 

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reaping. 
We often think that we sow into 

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good things and then we will 
reap a harvest. 

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And there's lots about that in 
in the Bible, isn't there? 

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But we can also sow into bad 
things. 

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And the more we do something, 
the more we're sowing. 

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And yes, we will reap a harvest 
of those bad things. 

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If you've had any form of 
addiction or any form of habit 

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that you can't get rid of, you 
know it's really difficult 

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because you keep sowing the 
seeds. 

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Into that habit in the other 
habits are also a distraction 

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that maybe not quite as serious 
as some of the scene I've been 

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talking about. 
We can get into our habits 

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around our pastimes. 
I mean, what is your what's your

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favorite thing to do? 
Do you like celebrities? 

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Do you like sport? 
Do you like fashion, Shopping, 

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films, theater, music, maybe 
online gaming? 

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We're all into something or 
other, aren't we? 

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And there's nothing wrong with 
any of those things. 

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Now, there's nothing evil about 
them in themselves, but when 

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they become a little bit 
obsessive, when we end up 

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spending a lot of time on those 
things, that's when they become 

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a bit of a problem. 
When they become a bit of an 

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addiction, that's us laying 
another foundation stone on the 

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land, on the sand, We start to 
identify ourselves with them. 

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We wear the clothes, don't we? 
We speak the lingo. 

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We buy items that attach us to 
the things that we. 

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Love and we spend our money on 
them, don't we? 

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Things that we find that we 
spend all our time on, we also 

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spend our money. 
And you know, in Matthew, Jesus 

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said your treasure is where your
heart is. 

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So if you want to examine what 
you spend your time or what 

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you're perhaps got in your life,
that's too much for you. 

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Just look where you spend your 
money. 

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Let's give an example of that. 
Anyone here like football? 

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Yep, only three. 
Three people. 

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Only three people. 
Simon, you didn't put your hand 

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up Simon. 
He actually works in a Christian

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charity that that teach the the 
gospel through for playing 

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football. 
Fantastic, the work they do. 

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But football is a bit of an 
obsession for many people in 

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Britain, isn't it? 
And in fact when you watch 

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football on the TV you see the 
masses of crowds. 

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And they are cheering away at 
their favorite team and they 

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often have a favorite player and
they're all in the in the gear, 

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aren't they got all the gear, 
They got hats. 

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They got everything and they 
sing the chance and there's 

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nothing wrong with that in 
essence. 

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But. 
But wearing the clothes and and 

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and and worshipping the team as 
I see it is is like, it's almost

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like an idol, isn't it? 
Or it can be. 

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I'm not saying there's anything 
wrong within yourself. 

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I mean, they call it the 
beautiful game. 

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I'm not sure it's the beautiful 
game. 

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As I like rugby, I think that's 
much more beautiful. 

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Thank you. 
But you know, if you look in 

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those crowds, you see the 
enthusiasm, just look at those 

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bunch of those guys. 
When a goal is scored, they're 

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all over each other. 
They're cheering, they're 

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shouting, they're having a 
wonderful time. 

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I just, it always makes me 
think, if we were that enthusic 

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enthusiastic about Jesus, how 
quickly could we change the 

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world? 
We really would, wouldn't we? 

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Entertainment is also a big 
draw. 

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You know, we have what we used 
to call when I was a child, a 

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little black box in the corner. 
The TV has now turned into the 

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big 86 inch flat screen square 
in the middle of the lounge. 

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Taking prior to place in some 
cases, isn't it? 

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And I worked in TV for 33 years,
so I know TV and I know how much

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of A drawer it is. 
Let me tell you one little fact 

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about TV. 
You know that addict. 

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Let's get the right word, that 
phrase. 

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But that says the camera never 
lies. 

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That is the biggest lie on the 
planet. 

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Every camera lies. 
Just look at Photoshop. 

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But you know TV and 
entertainment become become just

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as much an idol as anything 
else. 

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So we just have to watch our 
time, how much time we spend. 

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We get into the box sets, don't 
we Get into crime, drama, 

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whatever it might be. 
It sucks us in and in essence as

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00:12:27,700 --> 00:12:29,380
I said all these things that we 
that we. 

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That we enjoy and we spend our 
time doing. 

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In essence, there's nothing 
wrong with them. 

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00:12:33,910 --> 00:12:37,630
But let's have a look at 
Corinthians 1, Corinthians 10 

229
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and 23. 
Everything is permissible. 

230
00:12:41,470 --> 00:12:43,910
This is Paul speaking, but not 
anything. 

231
00:12:43,910 --> 00:12:47,630
Everything is beneficial. 
Everything is permissible, but 

232
00:12:47,630 --> 00:12:53,110
not everything is constructive. 
And then he says in 612 also 

233
00:12:53,470 --> 00:12:56,390
everything is permissible for 
me, but not everything is 

234
00:12:56,390 --> 00:12:59,000
beneficial. 
Everything is permissible for 

235
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me, but I will not be mastered 
by anything. 

236
00:13:03,160 --> 00:13:06,160
And there's the key, isn't it 
not being mastered by something?

237
00:13:06,160 --> 00:13:09,320
So I encourage you examine 
yourself. 

238
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Is there anything that takes my 
time too much? 

239
00:13:14,600 --> 00:13:20,600
I mean, one of the things that I
think does take our time is the 

240
00:13:20,600 --> 00:13:22,920
mobile phone. 
We've all got one of these. 

241
00:13:22,920 --> 00:13:24,520
If you've got a smartphone, 
let's say we will. 

242
00:13:24,680 --> 00:13:26,440
Some of you may not. 
If you haven't, I'm sorry. 

243
00:13:27,820 --> 00:13:30,020
There's lots and lots of apps on
there that can take our time. 

244
00:13:30,020 --> 00:13:33,820
We can spend a lot of our time 
on games or on social media. 

245
00:13:34,860 --> 00:13:36,780
Can't wait. 
I'll talk about that in a bit. 

246
00:13:41,340 --> 00:13:46,140
So let us use the things that 
God has blessed us with as tools

247
00:13:46,140 --> 00:13:51,260
for good, tools for relaxation, 
tools for fellowship, and tools 

248
00:13:51,260 --> 00:13:54,060
for learning. 
But not so they become the 

249
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foundations of our lives because
we are building on. 

250
00:13:57,770 --> 00:14:04,370
Sand So #2, we've talked about 
things that just detract from us

251
00:14:04,370 --> 00:14:05,530
and we've talked about 
addictions. 

252
00:14:05,530 --> 00:14:08,610
And by the way, we just had a 
wonderful interview, haven't we,

253
00:14:08,610 --> 00:14:13,370
with Joe and Restore, Restore 
deals with things that are very 

254
00:14:13,370 --> 00:14:16,170
deep in our hearts. 
And when we get addicted to 

255
00:14:16,170 --> 00:14:21,250
things like alcohol or drugs or 
pornography or things like that,

256
00:14:21,730 --> 00:14:24,690
then that draws us away from 
God, doesn't it? 

257
00:14:25,210 --> 00:14:27,010
And then we often do that 
because. 

258
00:14:27,330 --> 00:14:30,170
We're medicating for something 
that we're hurting, something 

259
00:14:30,170 --> 00:14:32,530
that's deep in our soul that 
we've been hurting. 

260
00:14:32,890 --> 00:14:36,090
And Restore is about getting to 
the roots of things that hurt 

261
00:14:36,090 --> 00:14:38,210
us. 
So if you're considering that 

262
00:14:38,370 --> 00:14:41,050
you got something that you just 
can't get past, something that 

263
00:14:41,050 --> 00:14:44,130
just comes back to you again, 
and maybe you do medicate for 

264
00:14:44,130 --> 00:14:46,730
it, then consider going on 
Restore. 

265
00:14:48,290 --> 00:14:53,810
So let's have a look at #2 #2 is
money or the love of As it were.

266
00:14:54,750 --> 00:14:57,310
The Western world is obsessed 
with money. 

267
00:14:57,310 --> 00:15:00,830
I hope you agree with me. 
I think it is investments, 

268
00:15:00,910 --> 00:15:06,550
equities, pensions, annuities, 
interest growth, hedge funds, 

269
00:15:06,990 --> 00:15:10,550
EBITDA, markets, stocks and 
shares, all those words and 

270
00:15:10,550 --> 00:15:14,790
plenty, plenty more. 
We have a world based around 

271
00:15:15,190 --> 00:15:19,510
what they call business, which 
is really means busyness, 

272
00:15:19,510 --> 00:15:21,070
doesn't it? 
But I don't think it is 

273
00:15:21,070 --> 00:15:23,590
business. 
I think it's really about. 

274
00:15:23,930 --> 00:15:28,050
Facing money because money 
really is one of the things we 

275
00:15:28,050 --> 00:15:31,050
can get caught up in. 
And if we lay foundations in our

276
00:15:31,050 --> 00:15:35,690
life based on our wealth, we are
definitely putting our 

277
00:15:35,690 --> 00:15:40,850
foundations in the sandy land. 
The more richer we get, the 

278
00:15:40,850 --> 00:15:44,450
happier life will be, won't it? 
Not sure about that. 

279
00:15:45,010 --> 00:15:48,290
The modern mantra of health, 
wealth and happiness. 

280
00:15:48,530 --> 00:15:49,690
That's what it's all about, 
isn't it? 

281
00:15:49,690 --> 00:15:52,090
The more money you've got, the 
healthier you will be and the 

282
00:15:52,090 --> 00:15:53,130
happier you will be. 
But. 

283
00:15:53,820 --> 00:15:56,180
Just examine someone you know 
who's filthy rich. 

284
00:15:56,860 --> 00:16:00,300
Are they really happy? 
Often we see stories, don't we? 

285
00:16:00,300 --> 00:16:04,020
On on the TV or in the news of 
people who've got into something

286
00:16:04,020 --> 00:16:06,660
they should have got into 
because actually they've got too

287
00:16:06,660 --> 00:16:11,060
much money. 
The Bible has 500 or more 

288
00:16:11,060 --> 00:16:17,260
verses, you know, on prayer and 
faith, but it has around 2000 on

289
00:16:17,260 --> 00:16:19,580
money. 
Interesting. 

290
00:16:19,940 --> 00:16:23,980
God wants to make us. 
Very aware of what money does to

291
00:16:23,980 --> 00:16:28,860
us and how it can consume us. 
Let me tell you a story. 

292
00:16:29,380 --> 00:16:33,740
I went out to Nigeria. 
Anyone here from Nigeria up 

293
00:16:33,740 --> 00:16:36,180
Nigeria. 
I went out to a place called 

294
00:16:36,220 --> 00:16:37,940
Ashok Bowl. 
Anyone from Ashok Bowl? 

295
00:16:37,940 --> 00:16:40,420
I probably. 
I probably announced it wrong. 

296
00:16:40,500 --> 00:16:43,260
No, I went out there many years 
ago. 

297
00:16:43,260 --> 00:16:45,500
I told you I was in filming and 
we were out filming. 

298
00:16:45,780 --> 00:16:49,940
It was a crusade actually and we
did it for three or four days. 

299
00:16:50,930 --> 00:16:52,010
Can't tell you how many people 
came. 

300
00:16:52,010 --> 00:16:54,730
It was wild. 
Ask me if you want to know the 

301
00:16:54,730 --> 00:16:58,730
story, but at the end of the job
we had a crew with us of about 

302
00:16:58,890 --> 00:17:04,569
10 people and the producer was 
paid for the job in cash. 

303
00:17:05,890 --> 00:17:09,970
And she called me to her room in
the hotel and said Trevor, 

304
00:17:09,970 --> 00:17:14,369
Trevor, because I used to run 
the crew, we've been paid in 

305
00:17:14,369 --> 00:17:16,010
cash. 
But I was just wondering, do you

306
00:17:16,010 --> 00:17:18,089
think we could drop the rate for
everybody? 

307
00:17:18,089 --> 00:17:19,849
Do you think we could pay 
everybody less? 

308
00:17:20,670 --> 00:17:23,550
And I looked at her and I said, 
you've got to be joking, you'll 

309
00:17:23,550 --> 00:17:25,950
have a riot on your hand. 
But the problem was, she had 

310
00:17:25,950 --> 00:17:29,110
this stack of £50 notes in front
of her face. 

311
00:17:30,070 --> 00:17:32,510
And if you've got a stack of 
money in front of you, you want 

312
00:17:32,510 --> 00:17:34,790
to keep it, don't you? 
There's a draw there. 

313
00:17:35,110 --> 00:17:41,030
That is not good. 
Jesus said in Luke 1613, no one 

314
00:17:41,030 --> 00:17:44,870
can serve 2 masters. 
Either you will hate the one and

315
00:17:44,870 --> 00:17:49,030
love the other, or you will be 
devoted to the one and despise 

316
00:17:49,030 --> 00:17:52,990
the other. 
You cannot serve both God and 

317
00:17:53,030 --> 00:17:54,750
money. 
You serve money. 

318
00:17:55,270 --> 00:17:56,950
You place your foundations on 
the sand. 

319
00:17:57,390 --> 00:17:59,950
You serve God. 
You place it on the rock. 

320
00:18:01,550 --> 00:18:03,310
In Timothy. 
It says, for the love of money 

321
00:18:03,310 --> 00:18:06,110
is the root of all kinds of 
evil. 

322
00:18:08,190 --> 00:18:12,110
Some people, eager for money, 
have wandered from the faith and

323
00:18:12,110 --> 00:18:15,270
Pierce themselves with many 
grieves. 

324
00:18:15,270 --> 00:18:18,310
They have pierced themselves 
with many grieves because of the

325
00:18:18,310 --> 00:18:19,920
root. 
Of evil, of money. 

326
00:18:21,280 --> 00:18:24,160
And in Hebrews it says keep your
lives free from the love of 

327
00:18:24,160 --> 00:18:26,560
money and be content with what 
you have. 

328
00:18:26,720 --> 00:18:30,440
Be content with what you have. 
Because God has said never will 

329
00:18:30,440 --> 00:18:32,920
I leave you and never will I 
forsake you. 

330
00:18:33,320 --> 00:18:36,280
And that's a really great 
scripture, because being content

331
00:18:36,440 --> 00:18:41,400
with what we have is about 
knowing the truth, which is the 

332
00:18:41,400 --> 00:18:46,240
foundation on the rock that God 
will never leave us or forsake 

333
00:18:46,240 --> 00:18:49,370
us or we can pick. 
Non truthful. 

334
00:18:49,450 --> 00:18:51,890
Oh yeah, I'll be okay if I have 
enough money. 

335
00:18:52,850 --> 00:18:54,650
The scriptures speak for 
themselves, don't they? 

336
00:18:55,130 --> 00:18:58,170
The love of money is like 
building on sand, because when 

337
00:18:58,170 --> 00:19:04,130
the storm comes, when the rain 
comes down and the waters rise 

338
00:19:04,130 --> 00:19:07,370
and the wind blows. 
In other words, when that 

339
00:19:07,370 --> 00:19:12,250
money's gone, or when you've 
lost it all, or you've been made

340
00:19:12,250 --> 00:19:14,690
redundant, whatever it might be 
and you don't have an income 

341
00:19:14,690 --> 00:19:18,330
anymore, where do you stand if 
your love? 

342
00:19:18,560 --> 00:19:21,240
It's with the money. 
But if you stand on the rock, 

343
00:19:21,240 --> 00:19:24,840
right Jesus, you will know he 
will never leave you or forsake 

344
00:19:24,840 --> 00:19:28,720
you. 
OK, #3 identity. 

345
00:19:29,800 --> 00:19:31,600
I want to talk about identity 
because it's really quite 

346
00:19:31,600 --> 00:19:34,880
fundamental that we place our 
identity in God. 

347
00:19:35,440 --> 00:19:38,480
Identity is fundamentally who we
are. 

348
00:19:38,800 --> 00:19:42,120
It is the place that our soul 
resides. 

349
00:19:42,520 --> 00:19:47,280
It is a place where we feel we 
can feel peace and security and 

350
00:19:47,280 --> 00:19:49,780
love. 
But it's also a place where we 

351
00:19:49,780 --> 00:19:54,260
can feel isolated, insecure and 
troubled. 

352
00:19:55,460 --> 00:19:59,740
So where we place our identity 
is vitally important to who we 

353
00:19:59,740 --> 00:20:03,380
are as human beings and how we 
find our place in the world. 

354
00:20:03,620 --> 00:20:07,660
You know, I often think the 
angst of being a teenager is all

355
00:20:07,660 --> 00:20:10,380
based around identity. 
When you're a child and you grow

356
00:20:10,380 --> 00:20:13,860
up with your parents or parents 
or your guardians, then. 

357
00:20:14,420 --> 00:20:15,540
They do everything for you, 
don't they? 

358
00:20:15,700 --> 00:20:18,580
From starting out when they 
change a nappy and feed you, to 

359
00:20:18,660 --> 00:20:21,580
bringing you up and taking you 
to school and clothing you and 

360
00:20:21,580 --> 00:20:23,220
teaching you what is right from 
wrong. 

361
00:20:23,660 --> 00:20:26,300
Sometimes they get it right, 
sometimes they get it wrong, but

362
00:20:26,300 --> 00:20:29,020
that's what they're there for. 
But you get to adolescence, 

363
00:20:29,020 --> 00:20:30,460
which is what we call teenage 
now. 

364
00:20:31,700 --> 00:20:35,380
You get to a point where you are
trying to find your place in the

365
00:20:35,380 --> 00:20:36,500
world. 
What's my purpose? 

366
00:20:36,500 --> 00:20:39,780
I'm an individual. 
I'm no longer just my parents 

367
00:20:39,780 --> 00:20:41,730
child. 
I'm an individual. 

368
00:20:41,730 --> 00:20:44,210
I need to find my place in the 
world, and that's where identity

369
00:20:44,210 --> 00:20:47,850
sits for a teenager, which is 
why they join clubs and they 

370
00:20:47,850 --> 00:20:50,370
like the famous band or whatever
they like to wear a brand. 

371
00:20:50,690 --> 00:20:53,370
All that stuff is based around 
trying to find an identity and 

372
00:20:53,370 --> 00:20:56,810
purpose. 
It's not much difference really 

373
00:20:57,330 --> 00:20:59,370
with adults, is it? 
It really isn't. 

374
00:20:59,970 --> 00:21:04,530
And much of adult anxiety is 
based around identity as well. 

375
00:21:04,850 --> 00:21:07,650
Let's have a look at the 
dictionary definition of that, 

376
00:21:08,890 --> 00:21:13,500
our sense of who we are. 
As individuals and as members of

377
00:21:13,500 --> 00:21:18,180
social groups, that's what the 
the Cambridge Dictionary says. 

378
00:21:18,180 --> 00:21:23,260
I think our sense of who we are 
as individuals and our members 

379
00:21:23,260 --> 00:21:24,500
of groups isn't that 
interesting. 

380
00:21:25,700 --> 00:21:29,020
Our sense of who we are, in 
other words, who we are for me 

381
00:21:29,180 --> 00:21:33,620
in God and who we are in groups,
how we love one another. 

382
00:21:33,620 --> 00:21:35,140
There's some real truth in that,
isn't it? 

383
00:21:36,420 --> 00:21:39,380
This the mistake that many and I
think would nearly say that 

384
00:21:39,380 --> 00:21:45,940
everybody make is identity is in
what we do and it just is not. 

385
00:21:46,700 --> 00:21:50,100
We get mixed up with our we get 
it mixed up with our ego, our 

386
00:21:50,100 --> 00:21:55,420
position in society, our 
purpose, our self worth, our 

387
00:21:55,420 --> 00:21:58,780
self esteem, our self 
fulfillment. 

388
00:21:59,660 --> 00:22:03,940
Not just the word self in those 
God tells us we are. 

389
00:22:05,410 --> 00:22:09,730
And wonderfully made, isn't it? 
In Psalm 139, great Psalm to 

390
00:22:09,730 --> 00:22:14,250
read, he says that we are his 
treasured possession. 

391
00:22:14,610 --> 00:22:19,730
And you see that many times in 
Deuteronomy and in one pizza it 

392
00:22:19,730 --> 00:22:24,970
says we are a royal priesthood, 
a holy nation, his treasured 

393
00:22:24,970 --> 00:22:27,890
possession again. 
So that's who we really are. 

394
00:22:28,530 --> 00:22:32,970
We are His, We are His creation,
and we are his sons and 

395
00:22:32,970 --> 00:22:37,740
daughters, and we belong to Him.
And nothing that we do or any 

396
00:22:37,740 --> 00:22:42,460
position that we hold is going 
to change that If we love God. 

397
00:22:44,100 --> 00:22:48,420
God gave us a choice to lay down
our foundations on good or bad 

398
00:22:48,420 --> 00:22:51,660
ground. 
He also gave us his creativity 

399
00:22:51,660 --> 00:22:53,180
because he's a creative God, 
isn't he? 

400
00:22:53,500 --> 00:22:57,100
So He made us in his image and 
our creative mind. 

401
00:22:57,100 --> 00:22:59,820
We choose other paths. 
We naturally do that because 

402
00:22:59,820 --> 00:23:01,860
we're creative. 
The creative spirit is 

403
00:23:01,860 --> 00:23:03,260
something. 
Oh, I'll go and do something. 

404
00:23:03,500 --> 00:23:06,340
I'll go and make something. 
And that is all fantastic. 

405
00:23:06,900 --> 00:23:10,540
But it also steers us away from 
who our identity is because we 

406
00:23:10,540 --> 00:23:12,420
think we are what we make and 
what we do. 

407
00:23:14,620 --> 00:23:18,580
So we choose our identity, we 
choose position, we choose 

408
00:23:18,580 --> 00:23:24,580
power, we choose notoriety, we 
choose being seen as somebody of

409
00:23:24,580 --> 00:23:28,660
importance and anything else 
that might pop up into your mind

410
00:23:28,660 --> 00:23:30,340
that you might have chosen over 
God. 

411
00:23:31,430 --> 00:23:35,150
Which is a purpose that makes us
feel wanted and connected with 

412
00:23:35,150 --> 00:23:39,190
others first, before we choose a
connection with God. 

413
00:23:39,630 --> 00:23:42,510
And that's like laying our 
foundations on the sand. 

414
00:23:43,070 --> 00:23:46,470
We're relying on our position, 
our purpose, and perhaps our 

415
00:23:46,470 --> 00:23:49,670
talents and giftings. 
Let me give you some examples of

416
00:23:49,670 --> 00:23:54,030
that first one career in what we
do. 

417
00:23:54,030 --> 00:23:58,110
I said we often place our 
identity in our career. 

418
00:23:58,670 --> 00:24:02,430
Because our careers often span 
the whole of our lives, don't 

419
00:24:02,430 --> 00:24:05,110
they? 
And so when we're made 

420
00:24:05,110 --> 00:24:09,670
redundant, perhaps, or maybe 
when we retire, we then find 

421
00:24:09,670 --> 00:24:13,030
this big vacuum in our life of 
our purpose. 

422
00:24:13,030 --> 00:24:15,950
Oh, I used to do this. 
This is what was me. 

423
00:24:16,310 --> 00:24:21,550
I am a Carpenter, for example. 
For me, it was I was a cameraman

424
00:24:21,550 --> 00:24:24,950
originally. 
And I remember when I retired 

425
00:24:24,950 --> 00:24:27,670
from my role and took this role 
on. 

426
00:24:28,450 --> 00:24:30,530
That unpicking of that was 
actually quite difficult. 

427
00:24:30,970 --> 00:24:34,610
It was a brain ache for a start,
but I knew that my identity was 

428
00:24:34,610 --> 00:24:37,090
in God, so I knew I'd get 
through that. 

429
00:24:37,570 --> 00:24:40,450
But if you if you get there with
your career and you put your 

430
00:24:40,450 --> 00:24:44,170
career first before everything 
else, then you will find your 

431
00:24:44,170 --> 00:24:48,450
building on the sandy land. 
And that could be eventually a 

432
00:24:48,450 --> 00:24:52,050
bit of quicksand and it will 
take you down if suddenly your 

433
00:24:52,050 --> 00:24:58,610
career is gone secondly. 
We could put our identity in 

434
00:24:58,610 --> 00:25:02,450
being a mother or a father, 
bringing up children, and then 

435
00:25:02,610 --> 00:25:04,090
in essence, there's nothing 
wrong with that. 

436
00:25:04,090 --> 00:25:07,890
Of course we have to be good 
mothers and fathers, but if it 

437
00:25:07,890 --> 00:25:11,090
becomes the only thing we are, 
what happens when the children 

438
00:25:11,090 --> 00:25:14,050
leave home? 
What have we got left? 

439
00:25:14,410 --> 00:25:17,050
We feel a sense of emptiness, a 
hole in our life. 

440
00:25:17,370 --> 00:25:19,130
Some people try and keep hold of
the kids, don't they? 

441
00:25:19,170 --> 00:25:21,730
Some kids won't actually go 
away, will they? 

442
00:25:21,730 --> 00:25:24,410
I'm sure there's some of you. 
What do they call it? 

443
00:25:24,410 --> 00:25:26,810
Semi fledged, I think it's 
called. 

444
00:25:27,460 --> 00:25:29,980
If you've got children that are 
semi fledged, let me give you 

445
00:25:29,980 --> 00:25:33,300
one quick thing. 
When an eagle wants to get rid 

446
00:25:33,300 --> 00:25:36,540
of the Eaglets from the nest, 
they don't make it nice and 

447
00:25:36,540 --> 00:25:38,340
comfy. 
They start taking all the 

448
00:25:38,340 --> 00:25:41,420
feathers and all the fluff out 
until then, until the sticks 

449
00:25:41,420 --> 00:25:44,380
start to stick in the side of 
the eaglet and then it wants to 

450
00:25:44,380 --> 00:25:46,180
go. 
Just take that one on board. 

451
00:25:49,460 --> 00:25:51,140
Yeah, you're laughing. 
I know it's in the room. 

452
00:25:55,060 --> 00:25:59,360
Well, there's a bit of wisdom. 
So #3, #3, and perhaps this 

453
00:25:59,360 --> 00:26:02,680
one's a little bit bit more 
nuanced, and that is position. 

454
00:26:03,240 --> 00:26:08,040
We often think that our identity
is based on our position, and 

455
00:26:08,040 --> 00:26:10,560
that could be a position in your
company or your career. 

456
00:26:10,920 --> 00:26:13,280
It could be a position in 
organization you get involved 

457
00:26:13,280 --> 00:26:15,000
in. 
It could be who you are in the 

458
00:26:15,000 --> 00:26:19,280
local football club or whatever 
your pastimes are, and it could 

459
00:26:19,280 --> 00:26:21,960
also be a position in church. 
It could be something that 

460
00:26:21,960 --> 00:26:25,000
you've perhaps attained or 
you've chosen to do. 

461
00:26:25,520 --> 00:26:28,040
And you make it bigger than it 
really is. 

462
00:26:28,040 --> 00:26:30,560
And what do I mean by that? 
It's good to serve. 

463
00:26:30,720 --> 00:26:33,240
Of course it's good to serve and
it's good to help others. 

464
00:26:34,080 --> 00:26:37,360
But when we make that our 
identity when we go, no, I am 

465
00:26:37,560 --> 00:26:40,480
the guy that greets at the door.
I run the parking team. 

466
00:26:40,480 --> 00:26:43,760
You know, I I, I'm with the 
prayer team, whatever it might 

467
00:26:43,760 --> 00:26:45,080
be. 
I work with the children's work.

468
00:26:45,280 --> 00:26:49,520
If that becomes your position, 
that your identity, then you're 

469
00:26:49,520 --> 00:26:51,480
in trouble. 
That's a very nuanced thing, 

470
00:26:51,480 --> 00:26:53,680
isn't it? 
Laying a foundation over here on

471
00:26:53,680 --> 00:26:56,250
the sand. 
Rather than laying our identity 

472
00:26:56,690 --> 00:26:58,970
in God, so just watch out for 
that. 

473
00:26:59,890 --> 00:27:04,050
We start to believe that who we 
are is based upon our talents 

474
00:27:04,450 --> 00:27:06,650
and giftings. 
And there's nothing wrong with 

475
00:27:06,650 --> 00:27:09,330
talents and giftings. 
In fact, God gives us good gifts

476
00:27:09,650 --> 00:27:13,690
and He gives us a talent. 
But let's not base our identity 

477
00:27:13,730 --> 00:27:15,890
on that. 
We start to believe that who we 

478
00:27:15,890 --> 00:27:18,530
are is based on what we've 
achieved as well. 

479
00:27:19,050 --> 00:27:21,710
I've achieved this. 
It's not a good place to go. 

480
00:27:21,910 --> 00:27:23,830
We are taught to be humble, 
aren't we? 

481
00:27:23,950 --> 00:27:27,270
It's great that you achieve, and
you should thank God for it, but

482
00:27:28,230 --> 00:27:32,510
identity is definitely in Him, 
because all those things are 

483
00:27:32,510 --> 00:27:34,750
counterfeits for who we really 
are. 

484
00:27:35,510 --> 00:27:40,310
We are first and foremost, 
children of the Most High God. 

485
00:27:40,750 --> 00:27:45,110
We are coerced with Christ and 
we are eternal beings. 

486
00:27:45,550 --> 00:27:47,830
And Mark talked about this quite
a bit in the last series. 

487
00:27:49,240 --> 00:27:52,120
And we would take our place in 
eternity before long. 

488
00:27:52,360 --> 00:27:55,000
The Bible says we are here for 
the blink of an eye. 

489
00:27:55,640 --> 00:27:59,600
So let's not invest in what we 
have here, but let's invest in 

490
00:27:59,600 --> 00:28:02,440
our future, which is putting our
foundations in God. 

491
00:28:03,320 --> 00:28:05,880
A simple test on whether you're 
laying your foundations is to 

492
00:28:05,880 --> 00:28:10,400
ask yourself if my career was 
suddenly gone, if my children 

493
00:28:10,400 --> 00:28:14,520
flew the nest, if I didn't have 
this gifting or this position, 

494
00:28:14,520 --> 00:28:17,640
if someone said to me you can't 
do that anymore, where would I 

495
00:28:17,640 --> 00:28:20,420
be? 
How would I feel that? 

496
00:28:20,420 --> 00:28:23,460
You might feel a little bit 
bereft, but if you've got your 

497
00:28:23,460 --> 00:28:28,260
identity based firmly on the 
rock, then you will go, well, 

498
00:28:28,340 --> 00:28:31,700
Jesus, I understand that this is
now gone, but you have something

499
00:28:31,780 --> 00:28:35,340
new for me because my identity 
is firmly in you. 

500
00:28:36,580 --> 00:28:38,980
This is what Jesus is talking 
about when he talked about the 

501
00:28:38,980 --> 00:28:42,100
rain and the wind and the water 
rising. 

502
00:28:42,820 --> 00:28:46,900
That we can stand firm when 
things are taken from our lives.

503
00:28:47,230 --> 00:28:49,950
And you know, if you hold on not
to say this to people, if you 

504
00:28:49,950 --> 00:28:53,070
hold on to something too tight, 
you find this in church a lot. 

505
00:28:53,390 --> 00:28:56,270
You hold on to some positional 
gifting or whatever that you 

506
00:28:56,270 --> 00:29:01,590
have so tightly, God will very 
gently come slowly ease your 

507
00:29:01,590 --> 00:29:05,150
fingers and take it away from 
you. 

508
00:29:05,150 --> 00:29:08,750
Why? 
Not Because just because it's 

509
00:29:08,750 --> 00:29:12,510
become an obsession, which 
perhaps it has, but also to show

510
00:29:12,510 --> 00:29:17,180
you that he is enough for you. 
In himself. 

511
00:29:18,020 --> 00:29:20,740
Your identity is him. 
Look at Job. 

512
00:29:21,700 --> 00:29:25,460
He lost everything, didn't he? 
But he still praise God. 

513
00:29:26,220 --> 00:29:28,820
OK, so there's all the building 
on the sand ones. 

514
00:29:28,820 --> 00:29:30,300
Let's have a look at building on
the rock. 

515
00:29:30,500 --> 00:29:31,860
How much time have I got? 
Not a lot. 

516
00:29:31,860 --> 00:29:32,980
We're going to whistle through 
this. 

517
00:29:33,380 --> 00:29:36,380
So what does it mean to build 
our house on the rock? 

518
00:29:36,380 --> 00:29:38,180
We'll build our lives on the 
rock. 

519
00:29:38,980 --> 00:29:42,220
Building our lives on the rock 
is based upon God's design for 

520
00:29:42,220 --> 00:29:43,280
our. 
Of our lives. 

521
00:29:43,280 --> 00:29:45,040
But let's have a look at a few 
houses. 

522
00:29:45,040 --> 00:29:47,720
Firstly built on the rock. 
When they whistle through these.

523
00:29:48,640 --> 00:29:52,800
Not sure that one is real. 
Firstly, next one. 

524
00:29:53,200 --> 00:29:55,960
That one's sort of building a 
house between the rock. 

525
00:29:55,960 --> 00:30:00,000
I think that one's sort of 
building it under the rock, I 

526
00:30:00,000 --> 00:30:01,680
think, although it's probably on
a rock as well. 

527
00:30:02,000 --> 00:30:05,240
I really like this one. 
I mean, but if you want 

528
00:30:05,240 --> 00:30:07,200
isolation, that's the place to 
go I guess. 

529
00:30:07,640 --> 00:30:10,240
And then this one that's down 
in, I think that's down in 

530
00:30:10,240 --> 00:30:11,720
Torbay. 
Beautiful, right? 

531
00:30:12,250 --> 00:30:15,690
You love a house like that, but 
none of those houses are going 

532
00:30:15,690 --> 00:30:17,570
to fall. 
Oh, and this one is a modern 

533
00:30:17,570 --> 00:30:21,090
design, but it'd be great to 
have a house like it's never 

534
00:30:21,090 --> 00:30:23,210
going to fall down, is it? 
It is just never going to fall 

535
00:30:23,210 --> 00:30:27,770
down because a rock is immovable
and Jesus is immovable. 

536
00:30:28,970 --> 00:30:31,650
So when Jesus asked what's the 
when Jesus was asked what's the 

537
00:30:31,650 --> 00:30:35,730
most important commandment, he, 
He answered this in in Matthew 

538
00:30:35,730 --> 00:30:38,170
22. 
And he took this from Isaiah. 

539
00:30:38,730 --> 00:30:40,610
Love the Lord your God with all 
your heart. 

540
00:30:41,170 --> 00:30:42,650
All your soul and with all your 
mind. 

541
00:30:43,170 --> 00:30:46,170
This is the first and the 
greatest commandment. 

542
00:30:46,730 --> 00:30:49,650
And the 2nd is like it. 
Love your neighbors as yourself.

543
00:30:50,130 --> 00:30:52,770
All the law and the prophets 
hang on these two commandments. 

544
00:30:53,250 --> 00:30:56,490
So laying our foundation is 
based on these two commandments,

545
00:30:56,810 --> 00:31:00,210
seeing God first and loving our 
neighbors. 

546
00:31:00,850 --> 00:31:04,370
So I'm going to look at three 
things on loving God and three 

547
00:31:04,370 --> 00:31:09,660
things on loving our neighbors. 
First thing and these, you'll 

548
00:31:09,660 --> 00:31:12,220
see these is repeat some of the 
stuff that Mark did when he was 

549
00:31:12,220 --> 00:31:14,100
doing the talk last week. 
I thought, oh, he's just picked 

550
00:31:14,100 --> 00:31:16,940
my points for next week, so I'm 
going to repeat them anyway 

551
00:31:16,940 --> 00:31:21,420
because they're worth repeating.
One read and study the word. 

552
00:31:21,860 --> 00:31:24,740
The word brings life and it 
brings freedom. 

553
00:31:24,980 --> 00:31:28,380
It's life changing. 
It's transformational because 

554
00:31:28,620 --> 00:31:32,260
it's a living word. 
Jesus, the rock is the living 

555
00:31:32,260 --> 00:31:34,500
word. 
So reading the word is so 

556
00:31:34,500 --> 00:31:37,180
important. 
Make that a stone you lay. 

557
00:31:37,660 --> 00:31:43,740
Every day in your life, on the 
rock in Jeremiah 31, it says, 

558
00:31:43,740 --> 00:31:47,060
this is my covenant which I made
with my people of Israel. 

559
00:31:47,380 --> 00:31:50,500
After that time, declares the 
Lord, I will put my law in their

560
00:31:50,500 --> 00:31:53,740
minds and write on their hearts,
and I will be there with their 

561
00:31:53,740 --> 00:31:55,500
God, and they will be with my 
people. 

562
00:31:55,820 --> 00:31:57,140
But am I? 
Why have I quoted that? 

563
00:31:57,420 --> 00:32:01,380
Because it says I will put the 
law in their minds and write it 

564
00:32:01,380 --> 00:32:03,540
on their hearts. 
The more we read the word, the 

565
00:32:03,540 --> 00:32:06,720
more he writes it on our hearts.
The more we start to understand 

566
00:32:06,720 --> 00:32:08,920
those timeless truths in our 
lives. 

567
00:32:08,920 --> 00:32:12,200
So reading the word is like 
laying each day an extra stone 

568
00:32:12,200 --> 00:32:15,160
on your foundation that will be 
strong because it's sitting on 

569
00:32:15,160 --> 00:32:19,000
the rock #2 pray without 
ceasing. 

570
00:32:19,640 --> 00:32:23,400
Praying is something that we 
need to make as a lifestyle, not

571
00:32:23,400 --> 00:32:26,440
praying when we need to, praying
when we're in trouble, or 

572
00:32:26,440 --> 00:32:28,800
praying when we come to a prayer
meeting or go to church. 

573
00:32:29,200 --> 00:32:32,280
But praying every day make it a 
habit in your life. 

574
00:32:32,280 --> 00:32:34,600
This is a good habit, not a bad 
habit. 

575
00:32:35,270 --> 00:32:38,870
Get up each morning and if if 
there's anything you can pray is

576
00:32:38,870 --> 00:32:44,110
Lord, I give you this day. 
And if you've got no words, then

577
00:32:44,110 --> 00:32:46,950
speaking tongues. 
Because speaking tongues, God 

578
00:32:46,950 --> 00:32:51,470
has given us that heavenly 
language for our soul to 

579
00:32:51,470 --> 00:32:54,910
communicate directly with Him 
without our mind having to 

580
00:32:54,910 --> 00:32:59,070
distract us with other things. 
And if you don't speak in 

581
00:32:59,070 --> 00:33:03,550
tongues, and some of you may 
not, God desires for you to be 

582
00:33:03,550 --> 00:33:05,990
able to speak in tongues. 
Perhaps come out after service 

583
00:33:05,990 --> 00:33:08,190
to my right, your left. 
Ask someone to pray for you to 

584
00:33:08,190 --> 00:33:12,230
speak in time. 
Remember, prayer is a two way 

585
00:33:12,230 --> 00:33:14,830
street. 
So we pray and we ask God for 

586
00:33:14,830 --> 00:33:18,190
what we need and what we desire,
and we pray for others in 

587
00:33:18,190 --> 00:33:21,750
intercession and we pray for him
to look after the church. 

588
00:33:22,150 --> 00:33:26,150
But then when you've prayed, 
have some time just listening. 

589
00:33:27,230 --> 00:33:33,130
Give him time #3 worship. 
Mark put this down. 

590
00:33:33,130 --> 00:33:37,570
A surrender in adoration, 
praising God in all 

591
00:33:37,570 --> 00:33:41,210
circumstances. 
So we talked about the rock and 

592
00:33:41,210 --> 00:33:43,690
the sand. 
We talk about the storm coming, 

593
00:33:44,010 --> 00:33:46,970
the waters rising. 
Praising God in all 

594
00:33:46,970 --> 00:33:50,290
circumstances. 
When it's good and when it's bad

595
00:33:50,570 --> 00:33:53,650
is a real key to lay foundations
in our lives. 

596
00:33:54,410 --> 00:33:58,090
You know, there's there's a 
phrase in Isai 61 that says I 

597
00:33:58,090 --> 00:34:01,730
put on the garment of praise. 
And often when you come into 

598
00:34:01,730 --> 00:34:04,450
church and you've come and maybe
you've had an argument on the 

599
00:34:04,450 --> 00:34:07,250
way or someone's cut you up on 
the road or whatever, it took 

600
00:34:07,250 --> 00:34:10,730
time to get here and you're late
and you're not in the mood to 

601
00:34:10,730 --> 00:34:12,810
praise God, are you? 
Come in the first song, say, oh,

602
00:34:12,850 --> 00:34:14,530
I might get into it. 
I might get into it. 

603
00:34:14,850 --> 00:34:19,130
But, you know, we have to make a
choice to put on a garment of 

604
00:34:19,130 --> 00:34:21,210
praise. 
And that is like laying a 

605
00:34:21,210 --> 00:34:23,929
foundation. 
You know, you need to spend some

606
00:34:23,929 --> 00:34:27,170
time soaking or we need to spend
some time soaking in the 

607
00:34:27,170 --> 00:34:31,530
presence of God because. 
Soaking in, we will hear from 

608
00:34:31,530 --> 00:34:34,610
him and that is the place of 
healing and restoration. 

609
00:34:34,929 --> 00:34:38,810
You know, we do space every 
first week. 

610
00:34:39,010 --> 00:34:43,370
Tuesday night 8 till 10 we do 
space, which is a place to soak 

611
00:34:43,489 --> 00:34:46,130
in both in prayer and worship 
with God. 

612
00:34:46,130 --> 00:34:49,449
So if you've not been to that, I
encourage you to come to that. 

613
00:34:50,690 --> 00:34:54,929
But worship, of course is more 
than just singing. 

614
00:34:55,889 --> 00:35:00,090
Actually worship is submission. 
And it is surrender. 

615
00:35:01,410 --> 00:35:05,130
And the word submission is 
interesting because people think

616
00:35:05,130 --> 00:35:08,090
submission is about about 
getting submission from somebody

617
00:35:08,090 --> 00:35:10,090
else. 
But submission could not be got.

618
00:35:10,450 --> 00:35:13,450
It can only be given. 
Submission is a gift. 

619
00:35:14,170 --> 00:35:18,250
You own it and you can give it. 
No one can take it from you. 

620
00:35:18,250 --> 00:35:24,290
I could stray into marriage bits
here because it says wife submit

621
00:35:24,290 --> 00:35:28,320
to your husband's husband's. 
That doesn't mean you can ask 

622
00:35:28,320 --> 00:35:31,720
your wife to submit. 
It is a gift only she can give 

623
00:35:31,720 --> 00:35:33,560
to you. 
Remember that one. 

624
00:35:36,200 --> 00:35:41,440
Where am I? 
We worship with our hearts, we 

625
00:35:41,440 --> 00:35:45,560
worship with our time, and we 
worship with our resources and 

626
00:35:45,560 --> 00:35:49,320
with our money. 
So worship is more than just 

627
00:35:49,600 --> 00:35:52,080
singing. 
It is a part of our whole life 

628
00:35:52,800 --> 00:35:56,600
#4 Now we're on to the stuff 
about us loving one another. 

629
00:35:57,230 --> 00:36:01,710
Meet Together Fellowship and now
already mentioned it today and 

630
00:36:01,710 --> 00:36:04,270
we mentioned every week and I 
feel we bang on about it every 

631
00:36:04,270 --> 00:36:06,870
week. 
But it is so, so important to 

632
00:36:06,870 --> 00:36:11,270
get connected in church because 
if you don't get connected then 

633
00:36:11,270 --> 00:36:14,590
you will be isolated. 
In that desert I talked about 

634
00:36:14,590 --> 00:36:17,630
earlier, you'll be isolated. 
Even though you're surrounded by

635
00:36:17,630 --> 00:36:19,830
other individuals in church, you
will feel isolated. 

636
00:36:20,270 --> 00:36:22,630
Get into a group, get into a 
connect group. 

637
00:36:23,150 --> 00:36:24,990
At the very least get into a 
serving group. 

638
00:36:25,530 --> 00:36:27,730
Because then you will get some 
fellowship with one another. 

639
00:36:27,730 --> 00:36:31,170
It is so important. 
And secondly, keep coming to 

640
00:36:31,170 --> 00:36:33,890
church. 
Church is a place where we meet 

641
00:36:33,890 --> 00:36:38,170
as a body of Christ. 
Every part of us is important. 

642
00:36:38,410 --> 00:36:42,010
Not one of you is unimportant. 
Every single one of you has a 

643
00:36:42,010 --> 00:36:45,410
place in this church, in this 
family. 

644
00:36:45,770 --> 00:36:47,450
And when you're missing, we're 
missing you. 

645
00:36:48,050 --> 00:36:51,610
So don't do the whole oh, I 
might go once a month or you 

646
00:36:51,610 --> 00:36:52,930
know, I'll do it when I feel 
like it. 

647
00:36:52,930 --> 00:36:54,730
Oh, today, don't. 
Just just don't fancy it. 

648
00:36:55,320 --> 00:36:57,880
If you've got the time and 
you're not away, come to church.

649
00:36:57,880 --> 00:37:02,080
It's really good to finish it #5
love one another. 

650
00:37:03,080 --> 00:37:07,480
There are plenty of serving 
opportunities here at Vineyard 

651
00:37:08,360 --> 00:37:10,480
and Mark's talked about many of 
them. 

652
00:37:10,480 --> 00:37:13,760
You can join loads of different 
teams and that is the 1st place 

653
00:37:13,760 --> 00:37:16,160
where we love one another. 
We are serving the servant is 

654
00:37:16,160 --> 00:37:17,880
something that's not convenient 
to us. 

655
00:37:18,320 --> 00:37:20,200
It's actually quite inconvenient
in some ways. 

656
00:37:20,200 --> 00:37:23,880
But when we get to serving and 
we actually get some sense of 

657
00:37:23,880 --> 00:37:26,560
reward and achievement out of 
it, and that's the way God 

658
00:37:26,560 --> 00:37:30,520
designed it, we need to 
sacrifice for the people around 

659
00:37:30,520 --> 00:37:32,440
us. 
Sometimes we have to do things 

660
00:37:32,840 --> 00:37:36,320
that really are very 
inconvenient and take us away 

661
00:37:36,320 --> 00:37:38,480
from something else we really 
wanted to do. 

662
00:37:39,240 --> 00:37:42,480
But that is what sacrifices. 
And again, it's a gift that we 

663
00:37:42,480 --> 00:37:45,960
can give to the people around 
us, small acts of kindness. 

664
00:37:46,520 --> 00:37:50,000
We could just bake a cake for 
our next door neighbor and that 

665
00:37:50,000 --> 00:37:54,160
would be showing love to them 
and submit to one another in 

666
00:37:54,160 --> 00:37:59,880
love in one Peter, it says. 
In the same way, you who are 

667
00:37:59,880 --> 00:38:02,640
younger, submit yourselves to 
your elders. 

668
00:38:02,880 --> 00:38:06,400
All of you clothe yourselves 
with humility toward one another

669
00:38:06,640 --> 00:38:11,560
because God opposes the proud 
that shows favor to the humble 

670
00:38:12,280 --> 00:38:14,870
and hospitality. 
You know, we've got a great 

671
00:38:14,870 --> 00:38:17,110
opportunity in August. 
We've only got 1 service, 

672
00:38:17,110 --> 00:38:19,510
10/30/10. 
Thirty, everybody 10-30. 

673
00:38:19,830 --> 00:38:23,630
That means you've got some time 
afterwards to have perhaps 

674
00:38:23,710 --> 00:38:27,950
invite someone around, make them
some dinner or put on a BBQ or 

675
00:38:27,950 --> 00:38:31,390
perhaps just say, hey, let's go 
down to the park and have a 

676
00:38:31,390 --> 00:38:33,030
picnic. 
Hopefully the weather will be 

677
00:38:33,030 --> 00:38:35,950
beautiful. 
It's just about better shipping 

678
00:38:35,950 --> 00:38:38,870
together. 
And lastly, and I'm pretty much 

679
00:38:38,870 --> 00:38:41,950
out of time here, make 
disciples. 

680
00:38:42,360 --> 00:38:45,000
We need to make disciples of one
another. 

681
00:38:45,360 --> 00:38:47,520
That's why the connection is so 
important. 

682
00:38:48,600 --> 00:38:51,680
Empowered by the Holy Spirit, we
can make disciples of one 

683
00:38:51,680 --> 00:38:53,160
another and learn from one 
another. 

684
00:38:53,640 --> 00:38:57,000
First thing to do, I would say, 
is get on the equip course. 

685
00:38:57,000 --> 00:38:59,400
If you haven't been on an equip 
course, it's a good place to 

686
00:38:59,400 --> 00:39:05,440
Start learning discipleship. 
There are four courses this year

687
00:39:05,440 --> 00:39:07,480
as Mel mentioned. 
Have a look on the website and 

688
00:39:07,480 --> 00:39:09,840
you'll find out if you've not 
done any quick course before. 

689
00:39:10,120 --> 00:39:15,600
Then do introductions which 
introduction to vineyard eagerly

690
00:39:15,600 --> 00:39:17,720
desire the gifts of the Holy 
Spirit. 

691
00:39:18,840 --> 00:39:21,920
We should desire the gifts 
because God has freely given 

692
00:39:21,920 --> 00:39:25,280
them to us, particularly the 
gift of prophecies that all 

693
00:39:25,480 --> 00:39:29,200
should prophesy. 
And then practice the fruit of 

694
00:39:29,200 --> 00:39:32,080
the Spirit. 
What is the fruit of the Spirit?

695
00:39:32,280 --> 00:39:33,200
Love. 
Joy. 

696
00:39:33,200 --> 00:39:36,780
Peace. 
Patience, kindness, goodness, 

697
00:39:37,060 --> 00:39:40,620
faithfulness, gentleness, and 
self-control. 

698
00:39:40,980 --> 00:39:44,260
We could all do with a bit of 
self-control in particular to go

699
00:39:44,260 --> 00:39:45,420
along with all those, couldn't 
we? 

700
00:39:45,940 --> 00:39:47,940
So perhaps join others in a 
Bible study. 

701
00:39:48,500 --> 00:39:51,740
Be a lifelong learner. 
Don't stop when you when you 

702
00:39:51,740 --> 00:39:54,940
stopped learning before, when 
you left school or university or

703
00:39:55,260 --> 00:39:59,180
did a did some courses at work. 
Be a lifelong learner? 

704
00:39:59,180 --> 00:40:02,580
Get into the word. 
We're all called by the spirit 

705
00:40:02,580 --> 00:40:06,260
of God. 
Ask God what he has called you 

706
00:40:06,260 --> 00:40:08,860
too. 
I believe you all have a calling

707
00:40:08,860 --> 00:40:12,100
in God that, as I said, we're 
all part of the body here. 

708
00:40:12,420 --> 00:40:17,020
Every part is important. 
Ask God what he has called you 

709
00:40:17,020 --> 00:40:19,820
too, and why he has called you 
here. 

710
00:40:20,300 --> 00:40:24,140
And then listen and follow your 
godly passions. 

711
00:40:24,220 --> 00:40:28,620
He will desire something in you 
that will be godly, and you'll 

712
00:40:28,620 --> 00:40:31,380
want to do something. 
The only reason I'm up on stage 

713
00:40:31,380 --> 00:40:33,940
here preaching because I 
wouldn't choose to do this is 

714
00:40:33,940 --> 00:40:36,740
because God put something in me 
and said I want you to do that. 

715
00:40:36,740 --> 00:40:41,260
It's like a deep passion and I'm
learning how to do it hopefully 

716
00:40:41,780 --> 00:40:44,220
right. 
The band come up we have only a 

717
00:40:44,220 --> 00:40:47,420
minute we haven't got a lot of 
time Please while the band come 

718
00:40:47,420 --> 00:40:50,700
up and I just conclude, if 
you've got children, Please 

719
00:40:50,700 --> 00:40:53,100
remember you don't need to 
collect them. 

720
00:40:54,220 --> 00:40:59,530
So in conclusion. 
Laying foundations on sandy land

721
00:40:59,530 --> 00:41:04,730
may feel good for a while, but 
when trouble comes, the sand 

722
00:41:04,730 --> 00:41:07,810
won't stand. 
Laying good foundations on the 

723
00:41:07,810 --> 00:41:13,650
rock sets you up for life of 
freedom in Christ because God is

724
00:41:13,650 --> 00:41:16,810
more interested in your 
character than He is in your 

725
00:41:16,810 --> 00:41:21,170
comfort. 
It's a daily choice 1 brick at a

726
00:41:21,170 --> 00:41:25,890
time, the Holy Bit, Holy Spirit 
being the cement that cements 

727
00:41:25,890 --> 00:41:27,970
those truths. 
Into your life. 

728
00:41:28,730 --> 00:41:32,930
And when you look back, having 
laid those foundations, you will

729
00:41:32,930 --> 00:41:36,810
see God's faithfulness in life, 
and you will see that He has 

730
00:41:36,810 --> 00:41:40,290
built a beautiful thing with you
in Him. 

731
00:41:41,210 --> 00:41:41,650
I'm Em.