1 00:00:00,200 --> 00:00:05,760 Psalm 12/1 states that help, O Lord, for the godly man ceases 2 00:00:05,760 --> 00:00:09,360 to be. That was our text on Father's 3 00:00:09,360 --> 00:00:13,280 Day and continues to be our text even today. 4 00:00:13,800 --> 00:00:19,120 And my plan is to to finish that outline this morning. 5 00:00:19,680 --> 00:00:24,520 We trust that that will happen, but the the verse itself is very 6 00:00:24,520 --> 00:00:29,200 convicting. It's very challenging because 7 00:00:29,360 --> 00:00:36,200 the living and abiding Word of God applies to every generation, 8 00:00:37,480 --> 00:00:39,520 no matter when that generation is. 9 00:00:40,480 --> 00:00:44,160 And it is true that that the godly man ceases to be. 10 00:00:44,160 --> 00:00:47,680 And so we need to understand what God is looking for when he 11 00:00:47,680 --> 00:00:51,520 looks for someone to stand in the gap or someone to intercede 12 00:00:51,520 --> 00:00:54,320 for him as he looks for a man to do that kind of thing. 13 00:00:54,320 --> 00:00:57,040 And so are are we that kind of man? 14 00:00:59,240 --> 00:01:06,600 What does a godly man look like? You see, my greatest concern as 15 00:01:06,600 --> 00:01:12,240 a pastor is, is not that you, you fail. 16 00:01:14,040 --> 00:01:18,080 My greatest concern is that you will succeed at doing the wrong 17 00:01:18,080 --> 00:01:21,480 thing. That's my greatest concern, 18 00:01:22,520 --> 00:01:25,760 because fail you will. But that's not my greatest 19 00:01:25,760 --> 00:01:29,240 concern. It's that you'll succeed at 20 00:01:29,240 --> 00:01:34,080 doing the wrong thing. And there are many people who 21 00:01:34,080 --> 00:01:39,960 are successful at doing that which is wrong or that which is 22 00:01:39,960 --> 00:01:44,240 not the best. What is best is that you, you be 23 00:01:44,240 --> 00:01:48,640 the kind of man that honors and glorifies the name of God so 24 00:01:48,640 --> 00:01:58,200 that the godly man is here in his family, in his church, in 25 00:01:58,200 --> 00:02:03,200 the workplace. When I was growing up as a as a 26 00:02:03,200 --> 00:02:07,800 young man, my father instilled certain principles in me. 27 00:02:09,440 --> 00:02:12,360 Those principles have been with me to this day. 28 00:02:12,720 --> 00:02:17,280 I hold on to them dearly because it is what led is what led me to 29 00:02:17,280 --> 00:02:23,040 where I am even even today at at my age and where I am at Christ 30 00:02:23,040 --> 00:02:27,320 Community Church. They were principles that that 31 00:02:27,320 --> 00:02:33,480 governed his life and he wanted me to understand them in such a 32 00:02:33,480 --> 00:02:37,000 way that I would be able to follow them. 33 00:02:38,600 --> 00:02:40,480 So by way of introduction, I'm going to give you those 34 00:02:40,480 --> 00:02:42,000 principles. There are six of them. 35 00:02:42,000 --> 00:02:46,040 It will lead us into the completion of our outline this 36 00:02:46,040 --> 00:02:49,760 morning. He used to always tell me, Son, 37 00:02:49,920 --> 00:02:55,520 if if you want to be a a man of God, you must number one, find a 38 00:02:55,600 --> 00:03:04,560 glorious church, you must find a glorious church, that is a 39 00:03:04,560 --> 00:03:11,080 church that gives glory to God. Ephesians 321 says, let there be 40 00:03:11,080 --> 00:03:19,080 glory in the church from generation to generation. 41 00:03:20,920 --> 00:03:23,320 But the theme is, let there be glory in the church. 42 00:03:23,320 --> 00:03:26,840 In other words, let there be a display of the magnificence of 43 00:03:26,840 --> 00:03:30,480 Christ. May Christ always be on display. 44 00:03:30,480 --> 00:03:34,440 May may the the majesty and splendor and beauty of God be 45 00:03:34,440 --> 00:03:40,880 seen in the church. Let there be glory in the church 46 00:03:42,120 --> 00:03:46,080 and in Christ Jesus from generation to generation. 47 00:03:47,800 --> 00:03:49,880 The church is to give glory to the Lord. 48 00:03:50,800 --> 00:03:54,120 Some people say, well, well, this is a good church, or this 49 00:03:54,440 --> 00:03:56,080 church over here is a good church. 50 00:03:56,080 --> 00:03:59,920 So a good church can only be a good church if it's a glorious 51 00:03:59,920 --> 00:04:01,920 church. How do we know that? 52 00:04:01,920 --> 00:04:05,360 Well, in Exodus chapter 34, when when Moses said, Lord, show me 53 00:04:05,360 --> 00:04:08,320 your glory, and God said, I can't let you see my glory and 54 00:04:08,320 --> 00:04:15,360 live, but I will let all my goodness pass before you, and I 55 00:04:15,360 --> 00:04:17,240 will proclaim the name of the Lord. 56 00:04:18,320 --> 00:04:22,079 In other words, the goodness of God describes the glory of the 57 00:04:22,079 --> 00:04:25,600 Lord. So a good church is a church 58 00:04:25,600 --> 00:04:29,920 that gives glory and honor to God, that puts God on display. 59 00:04:30,520 --> 00:04:32,960 That's a glorious church. That's a good church. 60 00:04:33,920 --> 00:04:38,480 A good church can only be good if it glorifies the name of God. 61 00:04:39,800 --> 00:04:45,480 It's so important. John MacArthur, who said that 62 00:04:45,480 --> 00:04:50,760 the only reason to choose a church is to choose it based on 63 00:04:50,760 --> 00:04:53,640 the preaching of the Word. No other reason. 64 00:04:54,200 --> 00:04:58,280 That's a quote. The only reason to choose a 65 00:04:58,280 --> 00:05:02,520 church is to choose the church that preaches the word of the 66 00:05:02,520 --> 00:05:05,240 living God. There is no other reason to 67 00:05:05,240 --> 00:05:06,280 choose the church. Why? 68 00:05:06,920 --> 00:05:10,240 Because when you proclaim the name of God, you glorify the 69 00:05:10,240 --> 00:05:12,880 person of God. You put him on display. 70 00:05:14,000 --> 00:05:17,920 That is so important. And so you preach the word of 71 00:05:17,920 --> 00:05:18,880 God. And how do you know? 72 00:05:18,880 --> 00:05:20,600 The church preaches the word of God. 73 00:05:22,240 --> 00:05:26,200 It practices the word of God. It lives it out. 74 00:05:28,080 --> 00:05:31,560 First Timothy 315 says that the church is the pillar and the 75 00:05:31,560 --> 00:05:35,920 foundation of the truth. Everything about the church is 76 00:05:35,920 --> 00:05:39,800 about the truth of God, nothing else. 77 00:05:41,880 --> 00:05:44,320 So how would you know a glorious church? 78 00:05:44,440 --> 00:05:47,400 The Bible says in Matthew 4 man should not live by bread alone, 79 00:05:47,400 --> 00:05:50,680 but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God. 80 00:05:50,800 --> 00:05:55,480 How do you live each and every day by the word of God that 81 00:05:55,480 --> 00:05:59,360 proceeds from the mouth of God? That's it. 82 00:06:01,320 --> 00:06:04,480 Psalm 138, verse #2 says thy word, O Lord, is magnified even 83 00:06:04,480 --> 00:06:11,520 as thy very name, the word of God, is magnified to a level of 84 00:06:11,520 --> 00:06:14,240 the name of God. And one day at the name of 85 00:06:14,640 --> 00:06:17,240 Christ, every knee will bow and every tongue will confess that 86 00:06:17,240 --> 00:06:19,600 Jesus Christ is Lord to the glory of God the Father. 87 00:06:21,840 --> 00:06:25,960 So how do you know a church is a glorious church if you have to 88 00:06:25,960 --> 00:06:29,640 find a glorious church? And this is my, my dad's biggest 89 00:06:29,640 --> 00:06:35,080 beef throughout his life. It became my biggest beef as 90 00:06:35,080 --> 00:06:38,880 well. How do you know you have found a 91 00:06:38,880 --> 00:06:41,320 glorious church? And there are many facets to 92 00:06:41,320 --> 00:06:42,560 that. We, we wrote a little booklet 93 00:06:42,560 --> 00:06:46,160 called How to Choose a Church and in there are a lot of 94 00:06:46,160 --> 00:06:50,160 descriptions on how do you know a church that glorifies and 95 00:06:50,160 --> 00:06:51,640 honors the Lord. But let me just give you a 96 00:06:51,640 --> 00:06:53,200 couple of things by way of suggestion. 97 00:06:55,120 --> 00:07:02,600 Think of it this way. God is is holy, holy, holy. 98 00:07:05,160 --> 00:07:10,680 God wants his bride to be holy. When he saves us, he sanctifies 99 00:07:10,680 --> 00:07:11,800 us. He sets us apart. 100 00:07:11,800 --> 00:07:14,080 That's what it means to be sanctified. 101 00:07:14,080 --> 00:07:16,400 We're set apart under God for his purposes. 102 00:07:17,480 --> 00:07:21,280 We are, we become holy children of the living God. 103 00:07:23,920 --> 00:07:28,720 And so a holy God wants a holy church. 104 00:07:30,240 --> 00:07:32,320 A holy God doesn't want an unholy church. 105 00:07:34,200 --> 00:07:38,240 He wants a holy church. So how do you get there? 106 00:07:39,520 --> 00:07:44,280 You get there by understanding the very first instruction that 107 00:07:44,280 --> 00:07:51,720 Jesus gives about the church. If if Jesus gives us 108 00:07:51,720 --> 00:07:56,520 instructions about the church and he gives them an order of 109 00:07:56,520 --> 00:08:01,520 priority and he gives them as #1, then it should be the number 110 00:08:01,520 --> 00:08:06,720 one element in the church itself to know whether that word, that 111 00:08:06,720 --> 00:08:08,640 church is preaching the Word and living the Word. 112 00:08:10,760 --> 00:08:13,160 And so the very first instruction that Jesus gives 113 00:08:13,160 --> 00:08:17,680 about the church is before the church is ever born. 114 00:08:18,720 --> 00:08:23,400 The church is born in Acts 2. But before the church is ever 115 00:08:23,400 --> 00:08:31,960 born, Jesus says these words. If your brother sins, go and 116 00:08:32,320 --> 00:08:35,880 show him his fault in private. If he listens to you, you have 117 00:08:35,880 --> 00:08:39,400 won your brother. But if he does not listen to 118 00:08:39,400 --> 00:08:43,000 you, take one or two more with you, said by the mouth of two or 119 00:08:43,000 --> 00:08:45,320 three witnesses. Every fact may be confirmed. 120 00:08:46,520 --> 00:08:55,200 If he refuses to listen to them, tell it to the church, the 121 00:08:55,200 --> 00:08:59,200 church. And if he refuses to listen even 122 00:08:59,200 --> 00:09:04,200 to the church, let him be to you as a a Gentile and a tax 123 00:09:04,200 --> 00:09:06,640 collector. And truly I say to you that 124 00:09:06,640 --> 00:09:09,080 whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever 125 00:09:09,080 --> 00:09:11,040 you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven. 126 00:09:11,200 --> 00:09:14,280 And again I say to you that if 2 of you agree on earth about 127 00:09:14,280 --> 00:09:17,960 anything that they may ask, it shall be done for them by my 128 00:09:17,960 --> 00:09:20,320 Father who is in heaven. For where two or three are 129 00:09:20,320 --> 00:09:23,120 gathered together in My name, I am in their midst. 130 00:09:23,760 --> 00:09:26,920 This is the Lord's first instruction to the church. 131 00:09:28,080 --> 00:09:31,000 If her brother sins, you go to him in private. 132 00:09:33,000 --> 00:09:35,680 If he does not repent, you take two or three witnesses, that 133 00:09:35,680 --> 00:09:38,400 they might be witnesses to your confrontation, that it might be 134 00:09:38,480 --> 00:09:40,720 true and honorable before the Lord. 135 00:09:40,920 --> 00:09:44,840 And if he your brother doesn't repent, you tell it to the 136 00:09:44,840 --> 00:09:48,280 church. So the church then goes after 137 00:09:48,280 --> 00:09:51,720 that brother, that they might learn to hear the word of God 138 00:09:51,720 --> 00:09:55,400 and repent, and that person doesn't repent after the church 139 00:09:55,400 --> 00:09:57,880 has gone after them. Christ says you treat him as a 140 00:09:57,880 --> 00:10:00,200 task, gather as a Gentile. You treat him as if they don't 141 00:10:00,200 --> 00:10:02,440 know the Lord because they manifested the fact that they 142 00:10:02,440 --> 00:10:07,680 don't know the Lord. You see here, here is Christ 143 00:10:07,680 --> 00:10:09,600 concerned about the purity of the church. 144 00:10:09,600 --> 00:10:13,920 Let the church be holy. This is his first instruction. 145 00:10:14,000 --> 00:10:18,280 It's got to be the number one. So if a church is not involved 146 00:10:18,280 --> 00:10:21,400 in disciplining its members who live in sin, that's not a 147 00:10:21,400 --> 00:10:23,560 glorious church. That's a bad church. 148 00:10:24,760 --> 00:10:27,120 That's a bad church. Don't go to that church. 149 00:10:27,440 --> 00:10:29,800 Why? Because they're more concerned 150 00:10:29,800 --> 00:10:31,680 about popularity than they are purity. 151 00:10:32,760 --> 00:10:35,240 If they're more concerned about popularity than they are purity, 152 00:10:35,320 --> 00:10:37,240 it's always going to be detriment to the people in the 153 00:10:37,240 --> 00:10:40,480 church. You got to love the people 154 00:10:40,480 --> 00:10:43,240 enough that you want them to honor the Lord and serve the 155 00:10:43,240 --> 00:10:46,200 Lord and glorify His name and live pure and holy lives. 156 00:10:47,840 --> 00:10:51,240 And so you go after them. They might live a righteous and 157 00:10:51,240 --> 00:10:56,960 pure and holy life. The Word of God has preached, 158 00:10:57,480 --> 00:10:59,000 and the word of God is a cleansing agent. 159 00:10:59,000 --> 00:11:01,840 Anyway, you've been made clean through the word I preached to 160 00:11:01,840 --> 00:11:05,840 you, Christ says in John 15. Then then we know that that the 161 00:11:05,840 --> 00:11:08,440 members of the church are concerned about the purity of 162 00:11:08,440 --> 00:11:08,920 the church. Why? 163 00:11:09,400 --> 00:11:12,720 Solomon tells US1 Sinner destroys much good. 164 00:11:13,360 --> 00:11:18,040 Just one, one little leaven leavens the whole lump of dough. 165 00:11:19,200 --> 00:11:22,760 So if there's one person living in sin, living in disobedience 166 00:11:22,760 --> 00:11:25,920 to God, not wanting to honor God, you go to that brother. 167 00:11:26,440 --> 00:11:29,080 You plead with that brother to repent and turn from their sins. 168 00:11:29,200 --> 00:11:31,640 If he doesn't, you go and take two or three witnesses with you 169 00:11:31,840 --> 00:11:34,640 that they might hear you as you plead with your brother. 170 00:11:34,760 --> 00:11:37,160 And then if they don't repent, you take you to the church. 171 00:11:37,800 --> 00:11:41,520 Tell the church. Let the church pursue them 172 00:11:41,520 --> 00:11:46,000 relentlessly because you care about the spiritual condition of 173 00:11:46,000 --> 00:11:50,760 their soul. The church must be concerned 174 00:11:50,760 --> 00:11:54,800 more about your spiritual condition than anything else. 175 00:11:57,240 --> 00:12:03,840 So you find a glorious church. That church is seen by its 176 00:12:03,840 --> 00:12:08,680 desire to make sure its members live pure and holy lives. 177 00:12:09,600 --> 00:12:12,760 Therefore, they are engaged in church discipline if need be. 178 00:12:12,760 --> 00:12:17,520 I remember when, when Kate went off to Indiana State play 179 00:12:17,520 --> 00:12:21,920 football, Lori went out with him to help him find a church. 180 00:12:24,000 --> 00:12:27,000 They found a church and and he went to the pastor and he asked 181 00:12:27,000 --> 00:12:28,880 him, do you guys practice church discipline? 182 00:12:30,720 --> 00:12:34,400 And the pastor said no, Kate was out of there, he was gone. 183 00:12:35,920 --> 00:12:39,040 Didn't want to be a part of a church that's not concerned 184 00:12:39,040 --> 00:12:43,400 about the purity of the church. That has to be the number one 185 00:12:43,400 --> 00:12:45,440 concern. It was Christ's first 186 00:12:45,600 --> 00:12:50,600 instruction to the church. It must be our first priority as 187 00:12:50,600 --> 00:12:53,320 a church. That's why Acts 5 is so crucial. 188 00:12:53,400 --> 00:12:57,640 And anasses of fire were killed in church because they lied 189 00:12:57,760 --> 00:12:59,680 about how much they sold their property for. 190 00:13:00,200 --> 00:13:03,840 It wasn't like they committed immorality or idolatry or 191 00:13:03,840 --> 00:13:06,000 involved in fornication with other people in the church. 192 00:13:06,000 --> 00:13:09,080 No, they just lied to the Holy Spirit about how much they they 193 00:13:09,080 --> 00:13:12,360 sold their property for and they died in church. 194 00:13:13,520 --> 00:13:17,120 And what happened? Great fear came upon the church, 195 00:13:18,080 --> 00:13:21,200 and great fear came upon the community in Jerusalem. 196 00:13:21,920 --> 00:13:23,880 I don't go to that church. You might die. 197 00:13:25,560 --> 00:13:31,360 But the church grew immensely because that's the kind of 198 00:13:31,360 --> 00:13:38,000 church God wants and to honor so important. 199 00:13:39,720 --> 00:13:43,480 Here's another one. Here's another one. 200 00:13:44,360 --> 00:13:49,240 Paul says it this way, First Timothy chapter 2. 201 00:13:51,240 --> 00:13:55,200 He says I do not allow a woman to teach or exercise authority 202 00:13:55,200 --> 00:13:59,240 over a man, but to remain quiet. For it was Adam who was first 203 00:13:59,240 --> 00:14:02,760 created and then Eve, and it was not Adam who was deceived, but 204 00:14:02,760 --> 00:14:05,560 the woman being deceived fell into transgression. 205 00:14:06,040 --> 00:14:09,640 But women will be preserved through the bearing of children 206 00:14:09,920 --> 00:14:14,040 if they continue in faith, love, sanctity and self restraint. 207 00:14:17,360 --> 00:14:22,720 Women pastors are characteristic of an unglorious church, not a 208 00:14:22,720 --> 00:14:27,920 glorious church. I permit not a woman to teach 209 00:14:27,920 --> 00:14:29,320 nor your super authority over man. 210 00:14:30,760 --> 00:14:34,320 All the qualifications for elder are in the masculine tense. 211 00:14:36,880 --> 00:14:41,720 If you have a woman pastor, you're in a unglorious church, 212 00:14:42,360 --> 00:14:45,120 not a glorious church. Read the Book of Revelation, 213 00:14:46,240 --> 00:14:49,320 Revelation chapter 2, Church of Thyatira. 214 00:14:50,560 --> 00:14:54,440 They had a woman pastor and God said that corruption has 215 00:14:54,960 --> 00:14:59,320 permitted the entire church and God was concerned about that. 216 00:15:00,840 --> 00:15:02,640 So you must understand these these are things that are 217 00:15:02,640 --> 00:15:03,960 important. Why? 218 00:15:04,040 --> 00:15:07,320 Because the church that preaches the word practices the word and, 219 00:15:07,320 --> 00:15:10,760 and, and what what Paul does, the first thing to do is if he 220 00:15:10,760 --> 00:15:13,880 crosses all cultural bounds, he says, I permit not a woman to 221 00:15:13,880 --> 00:15:15,320 teach no usurp authority over the man. 222 00:15:15,320 --> 00:15:21,960 Why wait? Because 4000 years ago this was 223 00:15:21,960 --> 00:15:26,800 set in motion. It's not about culture, it's 224 00:15:26,800 --> 00:15:30,640 about creation. And in the very beginning when 225 00:15:30,640 --> 00:15:33,680 God created a male and female, he created Adam first because he 226 00:15:33,680 --> 00:15:36,440 was the leader. And it was a woman who was 227 00:15:36,440 --> 00:15:37,960 tempted and fell into temptation. 228 00:15:40,240 --> 00:15:44,120 And therefore, it's important to realize that the order of 229 00:15:44,120 --> 00:15:48,920 creation determines the order of conduct in the church, no matter 230 00:15:48,920 --> 00:15:52,960 what the culture. People say, well, today's 231 00:15:52,960 --> 00:15:54,240 culture is different. No, it's not. 232 00:15:55,200 --> 00:15:56,760 No, it's not. You don't base your decision 233 00:15:56,760 --> 00:16:00,360 based on culture, you based it on the scriptures and what God's 234 00:16:00,360 --> 00:16:02,640 Word says. So that's why He goes back 4000 235 00:16:02,640 --> 00:16:05,520 years to show you the order of creation, to make sure you 236 00:16:05,520 --> 00:16:09,480 understand that men are to lead in the church and be pastors and 237 00:16:09,480 --> 00:16:14,120 shepherds in the church. That's a glorious find a 238 00:16:14,120 --> 00:16:17,760 glorious church, a church that preaches the Word, that honors 239 00:16:17,760 --> 00:16:21,320 the Word, that practices the Word that does not compromise 240 00:16:21,440 --> 00:16:24,680 the truth of the living God. That's where it all begins. 241 00:16:24,680 --> 00:16:29,000 As a father, you need to realize this as you lead your family and 242 00:16:29,120 --> 00:16:31,040 your own children. Where do your children go to 243 00:16:31,040 --> 00:16:33,040 church? Are they going to a glorious 244 00:16:33,040 --> 00:16:36,240 church? If not, what are you doing about 245 00:16:36,240 --> 00:16:38,720 that? Do you show them what the Word 246 00:16:38,720 --> 00:16:41,960 of God says? Teach them the truth of the word 247 00:16:41,960 --> 00:16:44,280 of God. They might not, they might not 248 00:16:44,280 --> 00:16:47,000 accept it, but you least you're held accountable for that 249 00:16:47,880 --> 00:16:51,600 because you know that's not the best and you want the best for 250 00:16:51,600 --> 00:16:54,520 your children. And so you teach them. 251 00:16:54,520 --> 00:16:56,960 I don't care how old they are, you still have to to teach them 252 00:16:56,960 --> 00:17:00,000 the truth of the Scriptures. That's so important. 253 00:17:00,240 --> 00:17:03,280 Why would you let your family member go to a church that's an 254 00:17:03,280 --> 00:17:06,560 unglorious church when they could go to a glorious church? 255 00:17:08,440 --> 00:17:10,640 Why would you have them go to church that's not good when they 256 00:17:10,640 --> 00:17:14,960 can go to a good church? As parents, we we still are 257 00:17:14,960 --> 00:17:18,200 protectors and providers and prophets and priests of our 258 00:17:18,200 --> 00:17:21,160 homes to lead and guide our children no matter what their 259 00:17:21,160 --> 00:17:24,560 age is. That's our responsibility. 260 00:17:24,560 --> 00:17:28,760 That's a godly man. Man, stand strong. 261 00:17:30,640 --> 00:17:34,520 You know, it's so important to realize that, that when a 262 00:17:34,520 --> 00:17:38,800 psalmist says help Lord, the godly man ceases to be that. 263 00:17:38,800 --> 00:17:43,520 That is just so true. You got to be strong. 264 00:17:44,600 --> 00:17:49,080 You got to stand firm on the truth of the living God without 265 00:17:49,080 --> 00:17:57,160 compromise. Find a glorious church #2 follow 266 00:17:57,440 --> 00:18:02,640 a godly man in that church. Find a glorious church. 267 00:18:02,640 --> 00:18:07,360 You follow a godly man in the church, follow that passionate 268 00:18:07,360 --> 00:18:11,480 person wherever they go. You go if they're there on 269 00:18:11,480 --> 00:18:14,280 Wednesdays, you're there on Wednesdays, they're there on 270 00:18:14,280 --> 00:18:16,240 Sunday for two services, You're there on Sunday for two 271 00:18:16,240 --> 00:18:18,520 services. They're in a Bible study, you're 272 00:18:18,520 --> 00:18:21,040 in a Bible study. You follow them wherever they 273 00:18:21,040 --> 00:18:24,960 go. You follow that godly man and 274 00:18:24,960 --> 00:18:27,840 you can see that the godliness of that man exercised in the 275 00:18:27,840 --> 00:18:29,440 life of his wife and his children. 276 00:18:30,240 --> 00:18:32,000 His children are in submission to his authority. 277 00:18:32,120 --> 00:18:35,160 His wife loves him and clings to him and is around him all the 278 00:18:35,160 --> 00:18:37,120 time. That's that's a godly man. 279 00:18:37,120 --> 00:18:38,520 That's the man you want to follow. 280 00:18:39,200 --> 00:18:41,880 See, that's why that's why Paul said follow me as I follow 281 00:18:41,880 --> 00:18:42,960 Christ. That's why in second 282 00:18:42,960 --> 00:18:45,280 Thessalonians are, excuse me, First Thessalonians chapter 2 283 00:18:45,960 --> 00:18:48,680 that they that those in Thessalonica became mimics and 284 00:18:48,680 --> 00:18:51,520 imitators of Paul and Silas. I'm sorry, that's that's first. 285 00:18:51,520 --> 00:18:53,720 That's one six. They they became imitators of 286 00:18:53,720 --> 00:18:56,280 them because they saw and fallen Silas something they didn't see 287 00:18:56,280 --> 00:18:59,360 anybody else. Godliness, holiness, purity, 288 00:18:59,480 --> 00:19:04,280 steadfastness, perseverance. They say I want that they follow 289 00:19:04,280 --> 00:19:07,680 them. Remember my father used to take 290 00:19:07,680 --> 00:19:10,520 me to prayer meeting on Wednesday nights and I was the 291 00:19:10,520 --> 00:19:11,960 only high school student in prayer meeting. 292 00:19:13,040 --> 00:19:14,160 You know, the high school student was there. 293 00:19:15,480 --> 00:19:17,480 My parents made me go. Parents today don't make their 294 00:19:17,480 --> 00:19:20,240 children do much, if anything. I don't, I don't understand 295 00:19:20,240 --> 00:19:21,360 that. I don't get that. 296 00:19:21,440 --> 00:19:24,120 If you're in that category, I feel sorry for you. 297 00:19:27,600 --> 00:19:29,800 You need to tell your children what they can and cannot do. 298 00:19:30,400 --> 00:19:33,360 They live in your house. They're under your authority. 299 00:19:34,480 --> 00:19:38,280 You're in charge, and God holds you responsible if they live 300 00:19:38,280 --> 00:19:42,440 under your roof. And so my parents said, you're 301 00:19:42,440 --> 00:19:44,320 going to primary and I was the only high school student there. 302 00:19:45,080 --> 00:19:47,120 But my dad said, I want you to follow the men. 303 00:19:47,240 --> 00:19:48,920 Follow these godly men in the church. 304 00:19:49,160 --> 00:19:51,400 When they pray, you pray. When you, when, when they 305 00:19:51,400 --> 00:19:55,640 preach, you listen. So I did, I just followed them 306 00:19:56,720 --> 00:20:01,080 and I heard and I saw and I watched their families and I 307 00:20:01,080 --> 00:20:03,280 watched their impact in the church. 308 00:20:04,520 --> 00:20:07,360 And I realized that they they were setting an example for for 309 00:20:07,360 --> 00:20:11,360 others to follow. And so I gleaned from that 310 00:20:11,360 --> 00:20:14,560 experience that I learned from them when, when, when they went 311 00:20:14,720 --> 00:20:17,120 out witnessing, I went out witnessing. 312 00:20:17,120 --> 00:20:19,560 When they went out in visitation, I went out in 313 00:20:19,560 --> 00:20:21,960 visitation. When they did this or did that 314 00:20:21,960 --> 00:20:25,400 in the church, I went along with them just to observe, to watch, 315 00:20:25,400 --> 00:20:31,600 to follow them. I begin to learn, I begin to 316 00:20:31,600 --> 00:20:39,080 grow simply because I had found a glorious church and began to 317 00:20:39,080 --> 00:20:47,760 follow the godly men in the church #3 foster your growth 318 00:20:48,040 --> 00:20:52,280 spiritually, foster your growth spiritually. 319 00:20:54,920 --> 00:20:57,760 We're to grow in the grace and knowledge of Jesus Christ our 320 00:20:57,760 --> 00:21:01,960 Lord. Second Peter 3 verse #18 We're 321 00:21:01,960 --> 00:21:04,920 the kind of people God, God has given us His Word, the inspired 322 00:21:04,920 --> 00:21:07,960 word of God. That's profitable, that the man 323 00:21:07,960 --> 00:21:10,480 of God will be thoroughly furnished, thoroughly equipped, 324 00:21:10,800 --> 00:21:13,960 totally put together. You want your life put together. 325 00:21:14,040 --> 00:21:17,080 If your life is like Humpty Dumpty and you falling off the 326 00:21:17,080 --> 00:21:19,320 wall and it's everywhere, the only thing that's going to bring 327 00:21:19,320 --> 00:21:22,920 it back together is the word of God, not some kind of therapist. 328 00:21:24,040 --> 00:21:27,840 It's the word of the living God, that the man of God will be 329 00:21:27,840 --> 00:21:31,680 thoroughly furnished, totally equipped, totally put together 330 00:21:31,800 --> 00:21:36,160 for the glory and honor of God. Only God's Word can do that. 331 00:21:38,240 --> 00:21:40,360 So you must foster your growth spiritually. 332 00:21:40,680 --> 00:21:43,680 You must be in the Word. You must be on your knees. 333 00:21:43,920 --> 00:21:46,840 You must be understanding that God is doing a great work in and 334 00:21:46,840 --> 00:21:48,840 through your life. And so you begin to grow 335 00:21:48,840 --> 00:21:53,360 spiritually by being in the Word of God, on your knees, learning, 336 00:21:53,800 --> 00:21:57,920 growing step by step, moment by moment, day by day, as you walk 337 00:21:57,920 --> 00:22:04,160 with the Lord and you grow in the knowledge of His Word so 338 00:22:04,160 --> 00:22:10,920 incredibly important. When Paul left the church in 339 00:22:10,920 --> 00:22:15,000 Ephesus, he said in Acts chapter 20 verse #32 I commend you to 340 00:22:15,000 --> 00:22:20,680 God and the word of his grace, which is able to build you up, 341 00:22:21,480 --> 00:22:25,080 make you strong. I commend you to God and the 342 00:22:25,080 --> 00:22:27,920 word of his grace. I'm going to leave you with 343 00:22:27,920 --> 00:22:30,280 this. Just God and His grace, God and 344 00:22:30,280 --> 00:22:36,000 His Word, because that's all you need to be the men God wants you 345 00:22:36,000 --> 00:22:38,440 to be for the glory of His Kingdom. 346 00:22:40,280 --> 00:22:43,120 Find the glorious church. Follow a godly man in that 347 00:22:43,120 --> 00:22:45,000 church. Foster your growth spiritually 348 00:22:45,640 --> 00:22:51,440 #4 fulfill the Great Commission as you go. 349 00:22:51,600 --> 00:22:56,960 Matthew 28. As you're going, make disciples. 350 00:22:57,680 --> 00:22:59,320 The assumption is you're going to be going. 351 00:23:00,000 --> 00:23:02,680 Why not? As the Father has sent me, so 352 00:23:02,680 --> 00:23:04,280 send I you. John 2021. 353 00:23:05,720 --> 00:23:08,440 We are ambassadors for Christ. We're ministers of 354 00:23:08,440 --> 00:23:11,600 reconciliation. We had this great calling where 355 00:23:11,640 --> 00:23:14,040 we're representative of the Kingdom of God. 356 00:23:14,560 --> 00:23:18,640 So as you go, make disciples. As you're going, baptize them in 357 00:23:18,640 --> 00:23:21,520 the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. 358 00:23:21,880 --> 00:23:24,680 Teach them to observe all that I've commanded you. 359 00:23:25,200 --> 00:23:28,600 And lo, I'm with you always, even to the ends of the earth, 360 00:23:29,520 --> 00:23:33,160 fulfill the Great Commission. So many times we, we forget 361 00:23:33,160 --> 00:23:35,160 about the opportunity that God puts before us. 362 00:23:35,520 --> 00:23:37,520 How many times have I told you over the years that the only 363 00:23:37,520 --> 00:23:40,520 reason God leaves you here after you're saved is for one reason 364 00:23:40,520 --> 00:23:43,160 and one reason only? And it's not to worship him, 365 00:23:43,720 --> 00:23:45,440 because when you get to heaven, your worship's going to be 366 00:23:45,440 --> 00:23:49,800 better is to share Christ, to be a living testimony to the 367 00:23:49,800 --> 00:23:53,440 testimony of, of what Christ has done in your life, to make 368 00:23:53,440 --> 00:23:57,920 disciples that others will hear the gospel and respond and 369 00:23:57,920 --> 00:24:01,680 follow the Lord. That's why God leaves you here. 370 00:24:01,680 --> 00:24:03,640 You're his representative, You're his ambassador. 371 00:24:03,840 --> 00:24:05,400 You're the minister of reconciliation. 372 00:24:05,400 --> 00:24:10,720 And God says I've sent you into the world to be my 373 00:24:10,720 --> 00:24:16,800 representative of my Kingdom. And when you represent me and 374 00:24:16,800 --> 00:24:19,120 you speak about me, you glorify my name. 375 00:24:19,680 --> 00:24:25,200 That great fill, the Great Commission #5 I love this one. 376 00:24:25,200 --> 00:24:30,000 Fear God and keep his commandments enthusiastic 12/13 377 00:24:30,000 --> 00:24:32,400 right? Fear God and keep his 378 00:24:32,400 --> 00:24:36,120 commandments that that's a summation of everything that 379 00:24:36,120 --> 00:24:38,160 that was Solomon's summation of life. 380 00:24:38,720 --> 00:24:44,640 It all comes down to 1 phrase. Fear God and keep his 381 00:24:45,400 --> 00:24:50,120 commandments. You want to be a godly man? 382 00:24:51,680 --> 00:24:55,760 Find a glorious church. Follow a godly man in that 383 00:24:55,760 --> 00:25:00,080 church, foster your growth spiritually, fulfill the Great 384 00:25:00,080 --> 00:25:05,000 Commission. Do that and the next thing you 385 00:25:05,000 --> 00:25:12,440 know you'll be fearing God and and keeping His commandments. 386 00:25:14,360 --> 00:25:27,200 Then lastly #6 fire up the next generation that they may serve 387 00:25:27,480 --> 00:25:31,440 the Lord. Fire up the next generation 388 00:25:32,120 --> 00:25:37,240 because now you can. Now you're well on your way to 389 00:25:37,240 --> 00:25:41,640 fire up the next generation to live for the Lord. 390 00:25:43,520 --> 00:25:46,120 Let me take you back to to the book of Deuteronomy and listen 391 00:25:46,120 --> 00:25:49,080 to what Moses says. It's so good he says, See, I 392 00:25:49,080 --> 00:25:51,760 have taught you statutes and judgments, just as the Lord 393 00:25:51,760 --> 00:25:53,640 might. God commanded me that you should 394 00:25:53,640 --> 00:25:56,680 do thus in the land where you are entering to possess it. 395 00:25:57,200 --> 00:26:00,720 So keep and do them, for that is your wisdom and your 396 00:26:00,720 --> 00:26:04,280 understanding in the sight of the peoples who will hear all 397 00:26:04,280 --> 00:26:09,760 these statutes and say surely this great nation is a wise and 398 00:26:09,800 --> 00:26:17,200 understanding people. Wow, just keep the statutes. 399 00:26:17,720 --> 00:26:22,760 Just just obey the statutes and everybody will know that you're 400 00:26:22,760 --> 00:26:28,800 a wise and understanding people. For what great nation is there 401 00:26:28,800 --> 00:26:33,040 that has a God so near to it as the Lord our God whenever we 402 00:26:33,040 --> 00:26:35,560 called on him? Or what great nation is there 403 00:26:35,560 --> 00:26:40,000 that has statutes and judgments is righteous as this whole law 404 00:26:40,200 --> 00:26:41,520 which I am studying before you today? 405 00:26:41,520 --> 00:26:45,320 Only give heed to yourself and keep your soul diligently set. 406 00:26:45,320 --> 00:26:49,240 You do not forget the things which your eyes have seen and 407 00:26:49,240 --> 00:26:52,360 they do not depart from your heart all the days of your life, 408 00:26:52,640 --> 00:26:57,960 but make them known to your sons and your grandsons. 409 00:26:59,520 --> 00:27:02,320 What are you made known to your sons and grandsons? 410 00:27:03,960 --> 00:27:11,600 They says this in chapter 5 of Deuteronomy verse 29. 411 00:27:11,600 --> 00:27:15,800 Oh, that they had such a heart in them that they would fear me 412 00:27:15,800 --> 00:27:20,400 and keep all my commandments always, that it may be well with 413 00:27:20,400 --> 00:27:24,880 them and with their sons forever. 414 00:27:26,360 --> 00:27:31,720 What a testimony that it may be well with them and their sons if 415 00:27:31,720 --> 00:27:35,960 they just hear the Word of God and keep the Word of God. 416 00:27:38,560 --> 00:27:42,640 And then he says over in Deuteronomy 6 verse #1 Now this 417 00:27:42,640 --> 00:27:45,440 is the commandment, the statutes and the judgments which the Lord 418 00:27:45,440 --> 00:27:48,200 your God has commanded me to teach you, that you might do 419 00:27:48,200 --> 00:27:52,680 them in the land where you go or where you are going over to 420 00:27:52,680 --> 00:27:54,680 possess it. Excuse me, so that you and your 421 00:27:54,680 --> 00:27:59,840 son and your grandson might fear the Lord your God and keep all 422 00:27:59,840 --> 00:28:02,520 His statutes and His commandments which I command you 423 00:28:02,520 --> 00:28:05,720 all the days of your life and that your days may be prolonged. 424 00:28:05,720 --> 00:28:09,160 O Israel, you should listen and be careful to do it, that it may 425 00:28:09,160 --> 00:28:13,240 be well with you and that you may multiply greatly, just as 426 00:28:13,240 --> 00:28:16,240 the Lord the God of your Father's has promised you in the 427 00:28:16,240 --> 00:28:17,640 land flowing with milk and honey. 428 00:28:17,640 --> 00:28:21,200 He says God, God wants to make you well in the land. 429 00:28:21,600 --> 00:28:23,680 He wants it to be well with you in the land. 430 00:28:25,000 --> 00:28:28,640 That's why he goes on to say in verse 24, he says the Lord has 431 00:28:28,640 --> 00:28:31,760 commanded us to observe all these statutes, to fear the Lord 432 00:28:31,760 --> 00:28:39,200 our God for our good always and for our survival as it is today. 433 00:28:39,840 --> 00:28:43,560 This is the key to surviving in this generation. 434 00:28:44,120 --> 00:28:48,280 It's the key to surviving in any generation, in any community, in 435 00:28:48,280 --> 00:28:50,720 any culture. It's learning and listening to 436 00:28:50,720 --> 00:28:54,240 the laws of God and keeping the statutes that it may be well 437 00:28:54,240 --> 00:28:56,960 with you. No matter how bad the culture is 438 00:28:56,960 --> 00:29:00,240 around you, no matter how bad the city is around you, no 439 00:29:00,240 --> 00:29:03,280 matter how bad everybody is at your school or at your work, 440 00:29:03,520 --> 00:29:07,000 keep the commandments. Love the Lord, honor the Lord, 441 00:29:07,160 --> 00:29:12,200 worship him, serve him. It will be well with you. 442 00:29:12,200 --> 00:29:21,160 This is for your survival. Wow, such great words. 443 00:29:23,720 --> 00:29:29,360 Having said that, let me go back to my outline and say this. 444 00:29:31,520 --> 00:29:39,600 The godly man goes to God incessantly in prayer #2 obeys 445 00:29:39,880 --> 00:29:46,920 God instantly without reservation and hesitation. 446 00:29:49,080 --> 00:29:54,080 The godly man disciplines himself implicitly. 447 00:29:57,240 --> 00:30:05,000 The godly man is the one who loathes his sin intensely, and 448 00:30:05,000 --> 00:30:08,640 the godly man is the one who yields to the Holy Spirit 449 00:30:09,040 --> 00:30:15,280 intently, and the godly man is the one who manages his own home 450 00:30:15,640 --> 00:30:20,040 impressively. That's how far we have come in 451 00:30:20,040 --> 00:30:23,400 the last three weeks. That's what we have covered. 452 00:30:24,440 --> 00:30:26,080 Let me give you the last two this morning. 453 00:30:27,200 --> 00:30:33,960 The godly man aspires to imitate the Lord intimately. 454 00:30:35,640 --> 00:30:40,400 He aspires to imitate the Lord intimately. 455 00:30:42,200 --> 00:30:46,520 The Bible says that if we say that we have come to know him 456 00:30:46,520 --> 00:30:50,680 first. John 26 that we are to walk as 457 00:30:50,680 --> 00:30:57,280 He himself has walked first. John 2 verse #6 In Ephesians 458 00:30:57,280 --> 00:31:00,960 chapter 5 verses one and two, it says that we are to be follows 459 00:31:00,960 --> 00:31:03,760 the Christ, we are to be imitators of Christ, and we are 460 00:31:03,760 --> 00:31:09,880 to walk in love. We, we are to mimic the Christ, 461 00:31:10,760 --> 00:31:13,960 and the godly man wants to imitate the Christ. 462 00:31:14,240 --> 00:31:18,960 Listen, every one of us imitates somebody or someone in some way 463 00:31:19,120 --> 00:31:22,480 throughout our lives, but we should be focused on imitating 464 00:31:22,920 --> 00:31:30,920 the Christ and walking with him. That requires that you walk very 465 00:31:30,920 --> 00:31:37,040 closely with the Lord. Remember Peter in Mark's gospel, 466 00:31:38,800 --> 00:31:41,720 it was they, they had left the, the upper room and they, they 467 00:31:41,720 --> 00:31:44,480 ascended the Mount of Olives, having crossed the kids run, 468 00:31:44,840 --> 00:31:47,200 kids run Brooke and they ascended the Mount of Olives 469 00:31:47,200 --> 00:31:49,400 and, and, and Christ takes his men there. 470 00:31:49,440 --> 00:31:52,240 He takes Peter, James and John a little further into the garden 471 00:31:52,240 --> 00:31:57,240 and says, stay with me, stay with me and, and, and pray with 472 00:31:57,240 --> 00:32:01,920 me for one hour. And Christ then goes a little 473 00:32:01,920 --> 00:32:04,760 further into the garden, begins to pray, and comes back to his 474 00:32:04,760 --> 00:32:11,560 men, and they're asleep. And he says to them, Could you 475 00:32:11,560 --> 00:32:16,480 not pray with me for one hour? I'm about to die for your soul. 476 00:32:17,400 --> 00:32:21,560 I'm about to give my life for the sins of man, but you 477 00:32:21,560 --> 00:32:23,600 couldn't pray with me for one hour. 478 00:32:24,280 --> 00:32:27,560 Pray, he says, lest you enter into temptation. 479 00:32:27,560 --> 00:32:30,040 So he says, you know what? I'm going to go away again and 480 00:32:30,040 --> 00:32:32,800 just just pray, lest you enter into temptation. 481 00:32:32,920 --> 00:32:34,440 So he goes away. He comes back again and guess 482 00:32:34,440 --> 00:32:37,200 what? They're still snoozing. 483 00:32:39,480 --> 00:32:44,960 It's like, really, fellas, you've got to be kidding me. 484 00:32:47,720 --> 00:32:53,920 But they couldn't stay awake. So listen to the words of Mark's 485 00:32:53,920 --> 00:33:05,760 Gospel in the 14th chapter when it says in verse 53, they led 486 00:33:05,760 --> 00:33:09,920 Jesus away to the high priest and all the chief priests and 487 00:33:09,920 --> 00:33:12,120 the elders and the scribes gathered together. 488 00:33:13,760 --> 00:33:19,960 Peter had followed him at a distance. 489 00:33:22,320 --> 00:33:29,400 That phrase right there was a killer for Peter, and Peter 490 00:33:29,480 --> 00:33:33,320 followed him from a distance. It says earlier that all the 491 00:33:33,320 --> 00:33:35,200 disciples had already forsook him and fled. 492 00:33:36,200 --> 00:33:40,160 They'd already left the scene even though they had seen the 493 00:33:40,160 --> 00:33:42,120 power of Christ in the Garden of Gethsemane. 494 00:33:44,720 --> 00:33:51,480 Peter followed at a distance. If you aspire to imitate the 495 00:33:51,480 --> 00:33:54,000 Lord intimately, you cannot follow the Lord from a distance, 496 00:33:54,000 --> 00:33:58,120 from afar. You must follow Him up close and 497 00:33:58,120 --> 00:34:01,400 personal. You must be with him, communing 498 00:34:01,400 --> 00:34:05,760 with him, praying with him, reading His word, being close to 499 00:34:05,760 --> 00:34:08,440 him every day. Christ had told Peter, Peter, 500 00:34:08,719 --> 00:34:10,520 Satan, his ass has sift you like wheat. 501 00:34:10,960 --> 00:34:17,880 But I prayed for you that after you fall you will come back and 502 00:34:17,880 --> 00:34:21,520 strengthen your brethren. Christ had prayed for him. 503 00:34:23,320 --> 00:34:27,440 In spite of all that, Peter couldn't stay awake to maintain 504 00:34:27,719 --> 00:34:32,920 intimate communion with the Father of the Universe in spite 505 00:34:32,920 --> 00:34:38,280 of great turmoil. And so you end up following from 506 00:34:38,280 --> 00:34:41,840 a distance. You can't do that. 507 00:34:43,520 --> 00:34:46,520 You got to follow close Christ up close and personal. 508 00:34:47,920 --> 00:34:49,679 You must be with Him all the time. 509 00:34:49,679 --> 00:34:52,080 You must walk in the Spirit so you don't fulfill the lust of 510 00:34:52,080 --> 00:34:56,400 the flesh. You must live in communion with 511 00:34:56,400 --> 00:35:01,440 the true and living God. For every godly man aspires to 512 00:35:01,440 --> 00:35:04,840 imitate the Lord intimately, to walk with God. 513 00:35:04,840 --> 00:35:10,040 Remember Noah, Genesis 6? He walked with God, He did. 514 00:35:10,440 --> 00:35:15,360 And the culture he lived in was more corrupt in our culture. 515 00:35:17,040 --> 00:35:19,400 How do we know that God destroyed that culture? 516 00:35:20,120 --> 00:35:25,000 It was so bad, But the flood, so it can be done. 517 00:35:25,000 --> 00:35:27,080 It can't. You can't walk with God in 518 00:35:27,080 --> 00:35:29,480 intimacy. You can walk with God closely 519 00:35:29,600 --> 00:35:33,520 like Noah did because he did it in a culture that rejected God. 520 00:35:36,600 --> 00:35:40,600 The Bible says in Genesis 6 that the Lord looked upon upon man 521 00:35:41,200 --> 00:35:49,280 and saw that his heart was only evil continually and every 522 00:35:49,280 --> 00:35:54,920 thought of a man was only evil continually, and sin had run 523 00:35:54,920 --> 00:36:00,680 rampant throughout the world. But Noah, he walked with God. 524 00:36:01,880 --> 00:36:04,120 He aspired to live close to his God. 525 00:36:05,480 --> 00:36:10,720 He was a righteous man. That culture was so bad that God 526 00:36:10,720 --> 00:36:16,840 destroyed everyone and everything except that which was 527 00:36:16,840 --> 00:36:22,720 on the ark. Enoch was another who walked 528 00:36:22,720 --> 00:36:29,120 with God. He also aspired to live first. 529 00:36:29,120 --> 00:36:29,760 God. How about you? 530 00:36:29,760 --> 00:36:40,240 Do you aspire to imitate the Lord intimately, To walk in 531 00:36:40,240 --> 00:36:46,720 love, to walk in light as He is in the light, to walk in wisdom, 532 00:36:47,360 --> 00:36:55,680 to walk in humility? Lastly, to finish our outline, 533 00:36:57,280 --> 00:37:09,000 the godly man narrates the gospel instinctively as well as 534 00:37:09,000 --> 00:37:13,960 insightfully. Narrates the gospel 535 00:37:13,960 --> 00:37:20,520 instinctively and insightfully. He's like Jeremiah when Jeremiah 536 00:37:20,520 --> 00:37:24,960 said in Jeremiah 20 verse #9 but if I say I would not remember 537 00:37:24,960 --> 00:37:27,640 him or speak anymore in his name, then in my heart it 538 00:37:27,640 --> 00:37:31,840 becomes like a burning fire shut up in my bones, and I am weary 539 00:37:31,840 --> 00:37:34,320 of holding it in, and I cannot endure it. 540 00:37:35,680 --> 00:37:40,280 That that's the godly man. If I try to hold in what God has 541 00:37:40,280 --> 00:37:43,360 said, if I had to hold back the word of God, it's just like, 542 00:37:43,360 --> 00:37:47,400 it's like burning in my bones. I got to let it out. 543 00:37:47,400 --> 00:37:51,120 Jeremiah says even though he ain't letting it out, nobody 544 00:37:51,120 --> 00:37:52,720 paid attention and nobody listened. 545 00:37:52,880 --> 00:37:55,680 Jeremiah was still going to preach it and teach it because 546 00:37:55,680 --> 00:37:58,600 it was instinctive to his lifestyle, because he was a 547 00:37:58,600 --> 00:38:00,760 prophet of the living God. Amos. 548 00:38:01,320 --> 00:38:05,720 Amos said this way. Amos chapter 3 verse #8 The Lord 549 00:38:05,720 --> 00:38:11,240 God has spoken. Who can but prophecy? 550 00:38:12,800 --> 00:38:15,960 If God has spoken, how can you keep quiet? 551 00:38:17,280 --> 00:38:22,480 And the godly man just can't keep quiet about the truth about 552 00:38:22,640 --> 00:38:27,560 the holiness of God, about his his God and His Kingdom. 553 00:38:28,560 --> 00:38:30,480 He just can't keep quiet about it. 554 00:38:32,400 --> 00:38:35,320 So he narrates the gospel instinctively and insightfully 555 00:38:35,600 --> 00:38:39,560 because his whole life centers around the gospel of Christ. 556 00:38:40,680 --> 00:38:44,480 That's the godly man. That's the man that God's 557 00:38:44,480 --> 00:38:48,760 looking for, the stand in the gap, gap to, to, to stand as an 558 00:38:48,760 --> 00:38:54,400 intercessor on his behalf. The kind of man that God uses 559 00:38:54,680 --> 00:39:00,000 for the glory of His Kingdom. In my prayer, that God will use 560 00:39:00,000 --> 00:39:04,920 us in that capacity. As fathers, we have a huge 561 00:39:04,920 --> 00:39:09,600 responsibility. We have a huge responsibility. 562 00:39:10,480 --> 00:39:14,760 There is nothing greater than being a father. 563 00:39:16,000 --> 00:39:19,560 Again, my concern is not that you you will fail as a father, 564 00:39:19,560 --> 00:39:21,080 but that you succeeded doing the wrong thing. 565 00:39:21,400 --> 00:39:23,960 Outside of being a father, outside of being a husband. 566 00:39:24,760 --> 00:39:26,440 That's where you need to be great. 567 00:39:27,680 --> 00:39:30,040 I, you know, I don't care if you're, you're a great preacher. 568 00:39:30,040 --> 00:39:32,440 I don't care if you're, you're, you're a great coach. 569 00:39:32,440 --> 00:39:34,240 I don't care if you're, you're a great teacher. 570 00:39:34,240 --> 00:39:36,800 I don't care if you're a great doctor or great nurse. 571 00:39:36,960 --> 00:39:42,720 Those are a dime a dozen. But be a great father, be a 572 00:39:42,720 --> 00:39:46,760 great husband, be a godly husband, a godly father. 573 00:39:46,960 --> 00:39:49,880 Those are few and far between. That's what psalmist said. 574 00:39:49,880 --> 00:39:53,240 Help Lord, the godly man ceases to be. 575 00:39:53,560 --> 00:39:58,880 Where is he? That's what you need to pursue. 576 00:39:59,920 --> 00:40:02,760 You pursue that. Wow. 577 00:40:03,760 --> 00:40:12,080 Your life, your family, your legacy will live on for 578 00:40:12,080 --> 00:40:18,960 generations to come simply because you said I want to be 579 00:40:18,960 --> 00:40:22,800 that godly man. Let me pray with you. 580 00:40:24,720 --> 00:40:33,080 Father, thank you for today. Lord, You are a great God and we 581 00:40:33,080 --> 00:40:38,480 as your people want to represent you and honor you. 582 00:40:41,160 --> 00:40:46,080 And Lord, we do fail many times. We fail our families, we fail 583 00:40:46,080 --> 00:40:47,760 our church, we fail our workplace. 584 00:40:49,160 --> 00:40:51,240 Most importantly, we fail you so many times. 585 00:40:51,240 --> 00:40:56,480 But yet, yeah, you pick us right back up again that we might move 586 00:40:56,480 --> 00:41:00,240 on to maturity in Christ to live for the glory of your Kingdom. 587 00:41:02,560 --> 00:41:05,400 My prayer, Father, is that each and every one of us would 588 00:41:05,400 --> 00:41:10,000 realize the great responsibility we have before you are God. 589 00:41:11,720 --> 00:41:14,040 Sometimes we forget about that. We we think of our 590 00:41:14,040 --> 00:41:17,280 responsibility at home or our responsibility at work or at 591 00:41:17,280 --> 00:41:19,160 school. And those are those are all good 592 00:41:19,160 --> 00:41:24,800 things, but our responsibilities to you, primarily our God, our 593 00:41:24,800 --> 00:41:30,120 King, our Master, our Lord, and we want to represent you. 594 00:41:31,800 --> 00:41:36,120 That's the key aspect that we represent you and our 595 00:41:36,120 --> 00:41:39,040 communication. We represent you and our 596 00:41:39,040 --> 00:41:42,480 conduct. We represent you and our 597 00:41:42,480 --> 00:41:46,760 conversation. We represent you everywhere 598 00:41:48,160 --> 00:41:54,160 because you Lord are everything. Pray this in Jesus name, Amen.