6:29 I am so glad that the father [music] in [singing] heaven tells of his love in the book he [music] has given. Wonderful things in the Bible [singing] I see. This is the dearest that [music] Jesus loves me. I am so glad that Jesus 6:48 [music] loves me. Jesus loves me. Jesus [music] loves me. I am [singing] so glad that Jesus loves me. Jesus [music] loves even [singing] me. Let's raise our voice. [music] Though I forget him and [music] wander 7:09 [singing] away, still he does love me wherever I stray. Back to his dear loving arms would I flee. [music] When I [singing] remember that Jesus loves me. I [music] am so glad that 7:25 Jesus loves me. Jesus loves [music] me. Jesus [singing] loves me. I am so glad that Jesus loves me. Jesus loves [music] even [singing] me. Oh, if there's only one song I can 7:44 [music] sing, when in [singing] his beauty I see the great King, this shall my song in [singing and music] eternity be. Oh, what a wonder that Jesus [singing and music] loves me. I am so glad that Jesus loves me. Jesus loves me. [singing and music] 8:04 Jesus loves me. I am so glad that Jesus loves me. Jesus loves [singing and music] even me. Jesus loves me and I [singing] know I love him. Love brought him down. My poor 8:22 souls were redeemed. Yes, it was love waiting [music] die on a [singing] tree. Oh, I am certain that Jesus loves me. I am [music and singing] so glad that Jesus loves me. Jesus loves me. [music] Jesus [singing] loves me. I am so glad 8:42 that [music] Jesus loves me. Jesus loves even me. [music] If one [music] should ask of me, [singing] how can I tell? Glory to Jesus. I know very well. God's Holy 9:00 Spirit with my death agree. [music] Constantly [singing] witnessing Jesus loves me. I am so [music and singing] glad that Jesus loves me. Jesus loves me. Jesus [singing] loves me. I am [music] so glad 9:17 that Jesus loves me. Jesus loves even me. In this assurance I find sweetest [music and singing] rest. Trusting in Jesus I know I am blessed. Satan dismayed [music and singing] from my 9:35 soul now death flee. When I just tell him that Jesus loves me. I am [music and singing] so glad that Jesus loves me. Jesus loves me. Jesus [singing] loves me. I [music] am so glad that Jesus loves me. Jesus loves [music] 9:55 you and me. Please be seated brothers and sisters. We're glad that Jesus loves you. Let's clap our hands and sing. >> Clap your hands together and praise the 10:13 [singing] Lord. Clap your hands together [music] and praise the Lord. Join together and sing. [singing] Joy [music] to the whole world. Bring. Clap your [singing] hands together and 10:30 praise the Lord. Lift [singing] your hands together [music] and praise the Lord. Lift your hands [singing] together and praise the Lord. Look into [music and singing] his face. 10:48 See his wondous grace. Lift your hands [music] together and praise the Lord. [singing] Clap your hands. >> [music] >> Clap your hands together and praise the Lord. [singing] Clap your hands [music] together and praise the Lord. 11:07 Join [singing] together [music] and sing joy to the whole world. Bring clap your [music and singing] hands together and praise the Lord. Hallelujah. [singing and music] Salvation and glory, 11:27 honor and power [singing] belong [music] to our God. Hallelujah. [singing] Salvation and glory. [music] [singing] Honor and power 11:45 belong to our God. Praise the Lord. Ye servants of the [singing] Lord. [music] You who fear his name, lift him up. Both [singing] the small and the great. [music] 12:05 Praise the Lord. Ye servants [singing and music] of the Lord. You who fear his name, lift him up. Both the [singing and music] small and the great. Praise [singing] the Lord. [music] Hallelujah. [singing] 12:27 Salvation and [music and singing] glory. Honor and power belong [music] to our God. [singing] Hallelujah. Salvation [music and singing] and glory. Honor [music] 12:46 and power belong to our [singing] God. [music] Praise the Lord. Ye servants [singing and music] of the Lord. You who fear his name, lift [music and singing] him up, both the 13:03 small and the great. Praise [singing] the Lord. [music] Ye servants of the Lord. You who fear [singing and music] his name, lift him up, both the small and the great. 13:22 Praise [music and singing] the Lord. This is the day that the [music] Lord [singing] has made. We will rejoice as we lift his [singing] name. This [music] is the day 13:40 that the Lord has [singing] made. Come and rejoice. We will rejoice [music] and be glad in it. Whether the sun [singing and music] will shine, whether the skies will rain, I know that you [music] are [singing] 13:59 good. This is the day you've made. Whether in [singing and music] life or death, whether in joy or pain, I know the truth remains. [singing and music] This is the day you made. This is [singing] the day 14:17 that the Lord [music] has made. We will rejoice [singing] as we [music] lift his name. This is [singing] the day that the Lord has made. Come and rejoice. We will rejoice 14:33 [music] and be glad in [singing] it. Now I can walk [singing and music] in faith. You will protect my way. Your every [singing and music] work is good. This is the day you made. I am [music] a 14:51 child of [singing] yours. You are the one who saves. I am redeemed by [music and singing] love. This is the day you've made. This is [singing and music] the day that the Lord has made. We will rejoice [singing] 15:09 [music] as we lift his name. This is [singing] the day that the Lord has made. [music] Come and rejoice. We will rejoice and be glad in. [singing] This is the day that the king [singing] 15:31 reigns. For the Lord now reigns on the throne [singing] of grace. [music] Soon is the day he will bring [singing] us home and we have [music] this hope for we [singing] are his day. This 15:51 [music] is the day. Come and sing [singing] your praise. For the Lord now reigns on the throne [singing] of grace. [music] Soon is the day he will bring us [singing] home and we [music] have this 16:09 home. For we are [singing] his own. [music] This is the [singing and music] day that the Lord has made. We will [music and singing] rejoice as we lift his name. 16:27 This is [singing and music] the day that the Lord has made. Come and [music and singing] rejoice. We will rejoice and be glad in it. Come and rejoice. Come and rejoice. We will rejoice [music and singing] and be glad in it. 16:46 Whether the sun [singing and music] will shine, whether the skies will rain, I know that you [singing and music] are good. This is the day you've made. >> Dead in transgressions [music] and sins, [singing] 17:05 without God, without hope [music] in this world. Then [singing] the glorious light of your gospel [music] broke in. Father stood up from this [singing and music] throne. Opened his 17:23 arms as he called out my name. [music] Grace irresistible [singing] through me. Opened [music] my eyes to see. You [singing] are the way. You [music] are the truth. You are the 17:42 [singing] life. Jesus, [music] the only [singing] way, the only truth. You [music] are my [singing] life. Jesus. You [music and singing] are the source 18:02 of new life, the giver [singing] of every [music] good thing. Withholding [singing] nothing, you lavished your kindness on [music] me. You emptied yourself, [singing] became poor, 18:21 [music] humbled and poured out to death. No highly [singing] exalted above all. Your name [music] alone can save. You [singing] are the way. You are [music] the truth. You 18:39 [singing] are the [chant] life. Jesus, [music] the only way. The only [music and singing] truth. You are the life. Jesus, you are the [singing] way, the truth, 19:01 the life. You are [singing] the way, [music] the truth. You are the way, the life. You are [singing] the way, the truth, the life. 19:21 [music] You are [singing] the way, the truth. You are [singing and music] the way. You are the truth. You are the [music and singing] life. Jesus, the only way, the only 19:39 [music and singing] truth. You are my life. Jesus. Jesus shall take the highest honor. Jesus [music and singing] 20:02 shall take the highest honor. Jesus [music and singing] shall take the highest praise. Let all [singing] earth join in heavenly [music] exalted. [music] The name [singing] 20:23 which is above all other names. Let us bow [music and singing] the knee in humble adoration. For at his [singing and music] name 20:39 every knee must bow. Let every [singing] tongue [music] confess he is Christ God's only son. [music] Glory Lord, [singing] we give you glory now 20:58 for [singing and music] all honor and blessing and power belong [music and singing] to you. Belong to you. >> [singing] >> All honor and blessing [music] 21:16 and power belongs [music and singing] to you. Belongs to you, Lord [music] Jesus Christ. [singing] Son of the [music] living God. [music] 21:39 Jesus shall take the highest [singing] honor. [music] Jesus shall take the highest place. [music] Let all [singing] earth join heaven in exalted the name which [music and singing] is 22:01 above all other names. has [singing and music] bowed the knee in humble adoration. [music] For at [singing] his name every knee must bow. Let every tongue confess 22:22 [music and singing] he is Christ, God's only son. Sovereign [singing] Lord, we [music] give you glory now for all [singing] order and blessing [music] and power [singing] belong [music] to you. 22:43 Belong [singing] to you. All honor and blessing [singing and music] and power [music] belong [singing] to you. Belong to you, Lord [music] Jesus Christ, 23:02 son of the living [singing and music] God. So stand up and sing. All hence [singing and music] declare 23:25 the glory [singing] of the risen Lord. Who can compare [music] with [music] the [singing] beauty of the 23:43 Lord forever [singing and music] you will be. >> Forever you will be. >> The [singing] lamb upon [music] the throne. >> The lamb upon the [singing] throne. I gladly [music] 24:02 bow my knee. >> I [singing] gladly bow my knee and worship [music] you, oh Lord. I [singing] will proclaim [music] the [singing] beauty of my way. 24:26 Lord, [music] who [singing] once was slain to reconcile [music and singing] a man to God [music] forever. [singing] 24:45 You will be you [singing] will be [music] the lamb upon the throne. The lamb upon [music] the door. I gladly [singing] bow my knee. >> I gladly bow [music] my knee and worship 25:04 [singing] you alone. >> Forever. [singing] You will be. >> Forever. You will be the lamb [singing] upon [music] the throne. 25:21 The lamb upon the [singing] throne. I gladly bow my knee. [music] >> I [singing] gladly bow my knee and worship you [singing] alone. Let's bow our heads in prayer. 26:00 [clears throat] Blessed are the pure in heart, they shall see God. uh help us to 26:19 [clears throat] have a pure heart Lord. Let's turn to turn our eyes of our heart to the Lord. Anything which distracts us, blinds us [sighs] [snorts] 26:37 may be put aside. Come to his presence. with deep need and gratitude. He's on the throne. He wants to help us 26:56 remove the specs and all that blocks our eyes. He wants to help us to remove that. Let's concentrate on him. Keep our eyes, our mind and our heart 27:19 from all distractions. He deserves all our attention and praise and worship. Let's quieten our hearts before him. 27:54 He longs to help us, guide us. Paul with [clears throat] great burden he prays in Ephesians 1 18. 28:13 I pray that you will begin to understand how incredibly great his power is to help those who believe him. It is that same mighty power that raised 28:31 Christ from the dead and seated him in the place of honor at God's right hand in heaven. Same power. Incredibly great power above any other king or ruler or 28:53 dictator or leader. Yes, his honor [clears throat] is far more glorious than that of anyone else either in this world or in the world to come. And God has put all things under his 29:13 feet and made him the supreme head of the church. May the Lord help us to see. [snorts] Blessed are the pure in heart. They shall see the Lord seated on the throne this morning. 29:33 And let's expect from him. He is the king and captain of our salvation. He deserves all our praise and and worship. Let's give him thanks and praise, brothers and sisters. 29:50 Jesus, thank you, Father. Thank you. Thank you very much. Thank you. Thank you, heavenly father. Lord Jesus, Lord Jesus, thank you. You're exalted. Thank you. You humbled yourself, Lord. You loved us with an everlasting love and 30:08 you came down. Came down, humbled yourself and Lord to raise us up, Lord. Lord, you loved the church and gave yourself. Lord, you shed your blood, Lord, to give us a new life, make us a new creation. Thank you. Thank you. 30:24 Thank you very much. Thank you, Lord. Thank you. Thank you, Father. Thank you, Father, for this great privilege that we can experience on this earth. Thank you, Holy Spirit, for your presence and helping us to gather like this. 30:42 Lord, thank you for the freedom. We pray father that our eyes will be opened to see you and also expect from you to speak to our heart. Anoint your servant. Give us word from heaven. Challenge us. Encourage us. Open our 31:00 eyes to understand you better. Be thou glorified Lord in our midst Lord. Challenge us. Help us in Jesus name we pray. Amen. Please be seated brothers and sisters. We look into our memory verse. [snorts] We had a promise from 2 Peter chapter 2 31:23 verse 9. Please [snorts] repeat after me. 2 Peter chapter 2:9. The Lord knows how to rescue the godly from temptation. 31:40 wonderful promise. Um we can claim that in every morning. Jesus said pray that um lead us not into temptation. Jesus taught that prayer. Every day our 31:56 longing can be Lord help us help us and rescue us from the temptation and so that we may not fail or fall. and he is faithful. And uh this week we have a command from 32:14 Hebrews chapter 12. Please repeat after me. Hebrews 12:5. Do not regard lightly the discipline of the Lord. We say it again. Uh Hebrews 12:5. 32:37 Do not regard lightly the discipline of the Lord. We are happy to hear the word of the Lord from brother Suresh today. Uh we have some baptisms after the main 32:54 meeting. Brother Sur over to you. Good morning brothers and sisters. 33:19 I want to begin with uh a word that Jesus spoke to his disciples in John chapter 17:1 17. Jesus said, "Sanctify them in the truth. 33:38 Your word is truth." This was a prayer that Jesus prayed to his heavenly father about and for his disciples. Sanctify them in the truth. Your word is truth. So sanctification means a process of being separated unto the Lord. I'm set 33:55 apart for him who is the holy one. He's the one who sanctifies me. He separates me. He sets me apart for his plan and purpose. And he does this through the word. And especially the prophetic word or the word of the cross. 34:12 The cross separates me from this world. It's painful. It involves suffering in my flesh. But there's a joy that is set before me of fellowship with Jesus, of a resurrection life, of partaking in his glory. And this is Jesus's prayer for his 34:28 disciples. In John 17:16, he says of his disciples, they are not of the world even as I am not of the world. They are separated from the world as unto you. And his prayer is to keep them 34:44 that way. Keep your children separate from the world for your glory. Uh and that is my prayer for myself and and even for all of us today. I want to speak for the benefit and encouragement of those who are taking baptism today 35:01 but I believe it will help all of us who are born again children of God. This uh what I want to share is not about how to be born again or how to know that you are born again or why you should take baptism. Uh all these are 35:19 very good questions and [snorts] if you have those questions I praise God for that. Um but I believe those who have chosen to take baptism you know have understood the answers to those questions that's why they're taking 35:31 baptism. For all of us who are born again um as I meditated on these things u it was a challenge and encouragement to myself and I believe it will be to all of us to remember what baptism really means so that we can continue to grow uh along 35:50 that path. One of the things I've heard from brother Zach u is about something that Jesus said seven times slightly differing differing words but he said seven times in the gospels uh and that is really understood very 36:09 little in in most of you know christendom and uh I'll I'll leave it to you to look up each of the seven references. This is in practical disciplehip. There's a book by Brother Zach called Practical Disciplehip. It's in chapter 1. Uh we 36:26 can look at one of those references. Lukeapter 9 24. Luke 9:4. For whoever wishes to save his life will 36:46 lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake, he is the one who will save it. And in other translations, it sometimes says, "Whoever hates his life or or whoever loves his life will lose it, but whoever hates his life will will 37:05 gain it unto life eternal." So again and again Jesus spoke of losing our life hating our life and uh it's it is this self life this life that desires to do my own will 37:22 and Jesus said if you love that self life you preserve it you try and get your own way you will lose your life but if you are willing to hate that life and lose it for my sake and for the sake of the gospel you will gain it unto life 37:37 eternal. And and that is what is pictured in baptism that I am willing to surrender or lose myself uh and because I believe that Jesus Christ will raise me up. Now I'm willing to go down into death in every area of 37:56 my life from head to toe or actually I should say from toe to head because the head is the the hard you know tough part and to die to my self-life so that the Lord can raise me up by his power give me a new life with him 38:14 and it's the word of God that acts together with the spirit of God that puts to death this selfife where I understand that this self-life is going to lie, is going to cheat me from what is really precious, what is eternal, what is of eternal value. And 38:32 it's the word of God acting together with the spirit of God that raises me up into a new life of fellowship with Jesus and and with his other children or brothers and sisters in Christ. So we can look at a a wonderful picture 38:47 of this in in the Old Testament story. This is the story of Daniel chapter 3. We can all turn there. Daniel chapter 3 verses 17 and 18. 39:05 I believe you know this story. It's it's a true story. It's a historical incident that has been recorded for us. But it's a picture of what it means to lose our life and and have fellowship with Jesus in our trials. So, Chadrach, Mishak, 39:22 Abednego, they, you know, were commanded by the king. He said, "I'll play all sorts of music." No, whether it's in the world or it's in the church, so-called church. When you know, 39:39 uh, the kings of this world want want us to bow down to false gods, then they play all sorts of music. [snorts] And, uh, he says, "I'll play all sorts of music." And then you bow down to these false gods. And uh it's an image 39:53 that I have made. And they said, "Yeah, we we don't need to think about this. Our God is able to deliver us from the furnace of blazing fire, and he will deliver us out of your hand, O king. But even if he does not, let it be known to 40:11 you, we are not going to serve your gods or worship the golden image that you have set up." And we know that everybody else compromised, bowed down, you know, because they didn't bow down, the king gave them one more chance. 40:27 Uh we don't hear anything about Daniel. We believe that he was absent. I think perhaps the king sent him on a journey somewhere. You know, go go do something because you'll spoil my plan. I don't want to lose you. I don't want to spoil 40:41 the plan also. Uh so Daniel wasn't there and uh and it was a test and uh but these three people Shadrach, Meshach, Abednego, they said no, we are not going to bow down. Why? Because they knew the word of the Lord. They knew the 41:00 command. You shall worship the Lord your God and him alone shall you serve. You will not bow down to idols. And uh perhaps they knew the promise from 1 Samuel 3 uh 2:30. There's a beautiful word. Those who honor me I will honor. 41:18 And we know what happened after that, right? Uh this is this is Nebuchadnezzar's testimony in verse 25. Daniel 3:2. He says, "Look, I see four men loosed walking about in the midst of 41:37 the fire without harm, and the appearance of the fourth one is like a son of God or son of the gods." [snorts] Brothers and sisters, this is what Jesus will do for us when we are willing to lay down our life in the trials of life. 41:55 that he will stand with us and walk with us and give us victory. And it may not be through some miracle that is evident to the eyes of men, but from an eternal perspective, it is guaranteed. 42:12 Now many wonderful saints, men of God have faced the fire, have faced lions, have gone singing to their death and they have an eternal reward that we must see and long for by faith. That is the path that Jesus has called 42:30 us. And and we can see that this is a fulfillment of Isaiah 43:1. We can turn there and take it as a word to ourselves. Isaiah 43:1. But now, thus says the Lord, your creator, 42:49 and he who formed you, O Israel. Do not fear, for I have redeemed you. I have called you by name. You are mine. When you pass through the waters, I will be with you. through the through the rivers. They will not overflow you. When 43:06 you walk through the fire, you will not be scorched, nor will the flame burn you. For I am the Lord your God, the Holy One of Israel, your Savior. Brothers and sisters, this is, you know, what we can take to heart for ourselves. 43:23 that if I'm willing to stand apart from this world and lose any part or the whole of my life to obey his word in life's trials then I will gain something of eternal life 43:42 and I will have fellowship with the son of God a sense of his presence and I'll gain something of eternal value and and going back to uh Daniel it says says this is Nebuchadnezzar's testimony in verse uh 28. He says, 44:08 "Blessed be the God of Shadrach, Meshach, Abednego, his servants who delivered his servants who put their trust in him and yielded up their bodies [snorts] so as not to serve or worship any god except their own God." They put their 44:24 trust in him. They yielded up their bodies so as to not serve or worship any idol except their own god. So brothers and sisters, this is where we must, you know, judge ourselves. Are we willing to lose our life? 44:41 And uh if we say that I am willing to lose my life, then there is a serious contradiction. If I'm not willing to lose some popularity among men, if I say I'm willing to lose my life, then how can I say that? Oh, but I care 45:00 so much about my what my friends think about me. If I say that I am willing to lose my life for the sake of Jesus, for the sake of the gospel, then how can I say I'm holding on to some money or some comfort? If we say like Shadrach, Mishak, Abet 45:19 that I have yielded up my body, then how can I say I'm not willing to yield up a part of my body? How can I say that I'm not willing to yield up my eyes? and sisters, this is a a simple message, but we have to take it to heart. This is 45:36 what it means to go down into death in baptism and trust the Lord that that he will raise us up. And and we know that we don't have to fear. God will not test us beyond what we are able to bear. But this is the path. And he who is faithful in a little 45:53 thing is faithful also in much. Shadraat, Meshach, and Abednego had seen, you know, Daniel's example where he chose not to defile himself with food. They stood with him and they saw the deliverance of God. And God is working in our lives through our 46:11 circumstances and through the word that that he speaks to us to write this faith in our hearts. And he wants us to follow Jesus by going down to death in every area. allows him allow him to raise us up by the power of his resurrection life. And this happens 46:30 when we take his word to heart and allow it to sanctify us. I want to turn to first Peter and uh chapter 2:2 it says like newborn babes long for the 46:48 pure milk of the word so that by it you may grow with respect to salvation. Like newborn babes, long for the pure milk of the word word so that you may grow with respect to salvation. I was challenged to examine my life and see if 47:06 I still have that hunger for God's word, a longing for God's word. I I hope that those who are taking baptism today have discovered that newfound hunger, longing for the pure milk of of the word of God. But brothers and sisters, I don't want 47:23 any of us who are born again, who are children of God to to lose it because we will always be ch children in in the Lord's eyes. And that longing for the pure milk of the word of God must always be there in in our hearts 47:37 [snorts] and uh that is how we can grow with respect to salvation. Yeah. So we you know long for the milk of the word. we continue to obey God with we grow with respect to salvation. But I I want to take a few steps, you 47:54 know, back and see uh what goes along with this command to long for the pure milk of the word and and and who it's given to. So firstly, what goes along with it? Uh verse one, 1 Peter 2:1. 48:11 Therefore, putting aside all malice, all deceit, all hypocrisy and envy and slander. So these things go together. I long for the pure milk of the word and I put aside all of these things. We we have to go slowly here, brothers and sisters. It 48:28 it really challenged me to think of each of these words, you know, slowly. Jesus said, "Sanctify them in the truth. Your word is truth. If I long for the pure milk of the truth that is only there in the word of God, then I must turn away 48:43 from lies, from the lies of the devil. So what is malice? Malice is wishing evil for someone, for some human being. Who is this person? Someone for whom Jesus died. someone about whom it is written that God so 49:01 loves him or her that he gave his son. So when I have an attitude of ill will towards anyone, that attitude is a lie. It's a deception and uh I am I'm lying in my attitude towards that person. How can I wish evil 49:19 for anyone for whom Jesus died? What is deceit? Deceit we know is lying in my words. What is hypocrisy? It's lying in my actions. I do things that give people a wrong impression. [snorts] What is envy? Envy means I look at 49:36 somebody else and I imagine that they are better off than me for some reason. Now, if I'm a child of God and God the Father loves me as he loves Jesus, how is that possible? How is it possible that anyone in this world is 49:54 better off than me? That is a lie. That is a lie of of of the devil. And I have to fight against these lies in my thoughts. What is slander? Slander is telling lies to hurt somebody. No. And and God's primary motive is is never to hurt 50:14 anyone. God is love. So then my motive is wrong. If I am saying something, you know, saying something that is not true, even if I say something that is true and my primary motive is to hurt someone, then you know, I am wrong. I'm lying. I'm not 50:31 in line with the truth in my motives. So God is love. He commands us to speak the truth in love. And if I have a longing for the truth of God and I want it to purify me, sanctify me, then automatically all of these lies, you 50:46 know, will will go out of my life. And I will I will have a a hatred for them. And I want the pure milk of the word. We you know see in in in many places that the milk of the word is diluted and there's a false comfort that you give 51:03 people. You know it's like milk and water lies and truth together. No, I want that pure milk that makes me holy that sanctifies me. Who is this command given to? It's given you know the verse [snorts] uh 1 Peter chapter 2 verse one 51:19 we know it starts with therefore. So whenever we see the words therefore we have to look and see what it is there for or who it is there for. [snorts] This is the word which was preached to you. What is the word that was preached 51:33 to me? You have been born again not of seed that is perishable but imperishable. That is through the living and enduring word of God. So it says how are we born again that the word of God was preached to us and it's not just a word. It's not just 51:51 something that I that I understood. No, the Holy Spirit took that word and it was a like a seed of life planted inside me and there's a new life inside of me. It's not an it's not a you know seed perishable seed but it's an imperishable 52:06 seed. And uh and in verse 24 we contrast it contrasts the glory of the son of god with the glory of all flesh. It says all flesh is like grass that withers and the flowers fade and die. All these seemingly attractive things that we see 52:23 around us. Rich, beautiful, talented people, successful people, all of these things outside and separate from God will fade and die. But Jesus alone has an everlasting glory. And uh 52:41 yeah, it it says in verse 21 that we are believers in God who raised Jesus from the dead and gave him glory so that our faith and hope are in God. So we believe that what God did for Jesus, he will do for us. He will raise 52:57 us up from the dead. And verses 15 and 16 say like the holy one who called you be holy yourselves also in all your behavior. Verse 16 it is written the word of God says you shall be holy for I am holy. See that is what it means to be 53:15 born again to turn away from the lies and the fading glory of of our fleshly nature and to long for that everlasting eternal glory of the Lord Jesus Christ. Yeah, [clears throat] I think we've all heard from from brother Zach about how every day in in 53:34 creation uh when the Lord, you know, spoke at the beginning of the world, how he spoke and the spirit of God moved and there was a separation that God wanted to make. No, and this is how he wants to work in our lives as well. It's a wonderful picture. 53:52 On the first day, there was a separation between light and darkness. Repentance is a picture of turning away from darkness, from hiding, from lying and coming into spiritual light, coming to Jesus as we are. But every day 54:10 there is a picture. The next day is a picture of separation between heaven and earth. Just as we turn away from the darkness and come into the light, we have to turn away, repent of seeking after an earthly kingdom and turn 54:23 towards a heavenly kingdom and turn towards heavenly riches. And the third day we see a separation between sea and land. The sea is a picture of unrest and wickedness and land is a picture of peace and stability and fruitfulness. [snorts] 54:39 And uh sisters, I was reading 1 Corinthians chapter 15. We can we can just look at that. Uh I I think we may remember what happens on each of the days of uh of creation. So if you look at 1 Corinthians chapter 15, it talks about the resurrection of the 54:59 dead. [clears throat] Now the first three days I thought the picture was quite clear. After that you know it wasn't so clear. But in 1 Corinthians 15:41, it says, "There's a glory of the sun, there's a glory of the 55:17 moon, there's another glory of the stars, and star differs from star in glory." So on the fourth day, the Lord made the sun, the moon, and the stars. And the Lord is saying that they're not all the same. You can go from glory to 55:31 glory. There's a difference. Um, you know, seek seek for the greater glory. And we know that, you know, Jesus is our example in all things. So there's a call here to press on. It's not not not everyone in heaven is going to have the 55:48 same glory. We can have share the glory of Jesus Christ. We can share in his nature. There is a there is an upward calling there, a richness there. And and then in verse 39, it says, "All flesh is not the same flesh. There is one flesh 56:03 of men, another flesh of beasts, another flesh of birds, another of fish. And we know on the fifth and sixth day, these are the four, you know, categories of things that were made. You have the fish, you have the birds on the fifth 56:16 day, and then on the sixth day, you have the beasts, and then you have finally man who is made in the image of God. And uh this verse says that you know the flesh of all these is not not the same. And and all of this is in the context of 56:32 verse 37 that there is a seed that is sown and there is a raising to eternal life. And there also I see a call to be separated to press on to bear the perfect image of of God. And if we examine ourselves, if we look 56:51 at men and women around us, so-called believers, there are many, many who are just totally tangled in the ways of this world like the fish in the sea. And we don't want to judge others, but we see the same tendencies in our flesh. You 57:05 know, to call myself a believer, but I'm just like everybody else. I'm doing things, you know, the way they do it. And then you see that there are others like the Pharisees who, you know, it looks like they're birds. They're, you 57:19 know, heavenly minded. They're soaring above, but they're looking down on everybody else. That's their nature, you know, and they're seeking their own. And uh and we see different types of of men like like various beasts, you know, 57:34 some better than others. But if we are honest brothers and sisters, it's a challenge for me and for us to take to heart that there are so few in whom we see, you know, the nature of Christ reflected. And I want to be such a person. And I 57:53 want to encourage those who are taking baptism today, maybe those of you who have taken baptism in the past recently or any of us who calls ourselves a child of God. Have I gotten stuck? Have I settled stopped short of the glory of 58:06 God? Have I stopped short of the upward call of of Christ Jesus to truly reflect his image? I'm not talking about gifts or abilities. Brothers and sisters, we know that, you know, animals can do some very cool things, but they don't have the 58:24 nature of a man. There's a huge difference. this no and and we know man with his machines can go into the sea deep under and he flies in the sky and uh I'm not talking about some you know AI accentuated show I'm talking about 58:42 our nature that God sees he's looking for a bride who has his nature it's not gifts it's not talents and I want to have this longing to press on towards the high calling as Paul said 58:57 knowing Christ Jesus my Lord and his resurrection life Philippians 3:10 we can look at that [clears throat] I may know him the power of his resurrection and he and and and how do I 59:16 do this he says this comes by faith in Christ faith comes by hearing the word of Christ by faith in Christ. What does that faith produce in me? It says, I want to share in the fellowship of his sufferings, being conformed to his death. 59:35 Yes, the word of God, I take it to heart and I allow it to purify me and separate me from this world. And I have a longing for the glory glory of Jesus. And day by day, the Lord spoke and he's still speaking. And he continues to 59:52 speak to us. And I don't want to become sluggish. This was a challenge to my own heart. We must value and treasure the word of the Lord, especially the prophetic word that we receive in the church. It says in Revelation 19:10, "The spirit 1:00:05 of prophecy is the testimony of Jesus." The prophetic word will exalt Jesus, will encourage us to follow in his footsteps. Uh I thought of John the Apostle. He spoke of seeing the glory of Jesus. This 1:00:21 is in John 1:14 says, "The word became flesh, dwelt among us. We saw his glory, full of grace and truth." 1:00:42 Jesus was full of grace and truth. And John says, "Of his fullness, we have received grace upon grace." How did John receive of the fullness of Jesus? Because he heard the words of Jesus and followed them. There's a you know prophetic reference 1:00:59 to Jesus in Psalm 45:2. It speaks of Jesus. It says, "Grace is poured out upon your lips. Therefore, God has blessed you forever." Well, sisters, we have to see that and kindle that longing in our hearts once again to hear these gracious words of 1:01:16 Jesus Christ that can save us. I think about the incident in John 7 where the Pharisees, you know, told the Roman soldiers, the officers, so these were senior soldiers. They said, "Go arrest Jesus and come." And the soldiers went, Roman soldiers, 1:01:36 you can imagine them toughened men of this world. They've seen all sorts of insub insubordination, crime, very disciplined people. They went, they listened to Jesus, they came back. The Pharisees asked them, "What happened to you? Why did you 1:01:50 come back empty-handed?" They said, "No man, never man, never has a man spoken the way this man speaks. Never has a man spoken the way this man speaks." Brother and sisters, this is something we've experienced in the church. When we hear genuine men of God 1:02:10 speaking with the fire of God, you say, "Oh, this is this is different. This is not this is not human eloquence. This is not the gift of the gap. It's the grace of God poured out upon the lips of a man. And we must covet to hear and to 1:02:24 speak that word." Know Paul talks about the gospel being the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes in it. um he says the righteousness of God is revealed in it from faith to faith. So Jesus is writing this faith in our 1:02:42 hearts and as we hear the words of God and treasure them he writes this faith in our hearts and this allows us to go further down into death or to self with Jesus and receive more of his grace because Jesus said whatever the Lord I 1:02:58 hear from my father that is what I speak. There is there is an upward calling, a glorious call. And and we see that you know the Pharisees didn't see it like that. They hardened their hearts. They looked down on others. They rejected the 1:03:12 words of Jesus. John 7 4849, they said, "Oh, you've also been led astray." You know, the Pharisees, the rulers haven't believed in him. This crowd which does not know the law is accursed. Everybody, all these people, they don't 1:03:28 know anything. Brothers and sisters, may the Lord save us from from that attitude. Help us to humble ourselves and and go down and see the glory of Jesus. [snorts] I was thinking of this chorus. Uh maybe it's been a while since we sung 1:03:46 it. From glory to glory, he's changing me. His uh he's changing me. He's changing me. uh his his likeness and image uh to reflect in me the love of God shown to the world. Brother and sisters, let's bow our heads 1:04:08 in prayer. If the Lord has spoken to you today as he has to me as I was thinking and sharing these things, let's commit ourselves once again into his hands to treasure the prophetic word. See to it that you did not do not refuse 1:04:22 the one who is speaking. Once again, he says that he will shake up the things that can be shaken so that what is unshakable will remain. Loving father, Lord, we thank you and praise you for your love. We thank you for this time. We thank you for your 1:04:38 word, your precious word. Lord, we want to judge ourselves. We want to examine our lives piece by piece and see if we're holding on to something, some lies and not longing for the pure milk of the word of God that you give us, Lord, that 1:04:56 can sanctify us and lift us up, Lord, to a closer walk with you. Fill us, Lord, with your Holy Spirit and help us to receive your word. We commit ourselves, we especially pray for those who are taking baptism. We pray in your mighty name, Jesus. Amen. 1:05:13 Amen. Yeah, we'll we'll have a song and after that we'll uh have the announcements, but don't go away. We have a baptism service after that. cons all I once held dear built my life 1:06:15 upon check check all I once tells [singing and music] you 1:06:33 built my life upon [music] all this world [singing] rears and war to [music] hold all I [singing] once thought gay I have counted [singing and music] 1:06:51 lost spent and worthless now [music] compared [singing] to Knowing [singing] you, Jesus, [music] knowing you, 1:07:10 there [singing] is no greater day. You're my all. You're [singing] the [music] best. You're my joy, my righteousness. And I love [singing] you, [music] Lord. Now my heart's [singing] 1:07:35 desire is to know you [music] more to be [singing] found in you and [music] know as yours to possess [singing] by faith what I could [music] 1:07:53 not awake. [singing] and gift of rightuousness. [music] Knowing [singing] you, Jesus, [music] knowing [singing] you, 1:08:12 there [music] is no greater [singing] thing. You're my all. [singing and music] You're the best. You're my joy, my righteousness. 1:08:26 And I [singing] love you, Lord. [music] Oh. Oh. to know the [singing] part of your 1:08:47 risen [music] life and to know you [singing] in your sufferings to become [singing] like you in your death my [music] Lord. 1:09:04 go with [singing] you to live and never die. [music] Knowing [singing] you, Jesus. Knowing [singing and music] you, 1:09:21 there is no greater [singing] thing. You're my all. [music] You're the best. You're [singing] my joy, my righteousness, and I love you, [music and singing] Lord.
