0:18 So in the youth meeting, we saw one verse where it says the people of Israel were far away from God, far away from the priest and far 0:36 away from the word of God. So I asked the young people to write down how far they are close to God. How far they are close to godly 0:55 men or God sisters, godly sisters, how close they are to the word of God. And especially we have to thank God immensely that God has given 1:15 brothers and Zach who teach the word of God accurately without leaning to left or right without any desire for popularity any desire for money fame 1:33 became nothing from a real burden that we have to go close to God that we are to be attached to God with that burden we are taught the 1:52 scriptures. So God has given good Bible teachers who expose. Jesus taught the word of God like that. So much so that the hearts of the disciples were glowing and it opened the spiritual 2:15 eyes. But then we the teaching should take us close to God's word. We ourselves to should go to the word of God very closely. It is not enough if we just read. Since I am 2:34 teaching I'm in the teaching profession reading remembering is the very basic level of learning which is the capital of India which is the capital of UK 2:54 remember so that's a basic level and then next level is understanding So after reading a portion this from the scripture we have to ask ourselves have I understood have we understood what I 3:11 have read just now on which context it is written who has written it who are all the characters coming and then I'll have to the third level of learning is apply how it applies to my personal life what needs to be changed what are 3:30 the things I have repent at the end of my time with the word of God. And then I am very close to the word of God. The word of God should bring in repentance. James 1:21 3:48 says, I'll just read that verse. Now the word of God, we need to receive. And what is the outcome? James chapter 1 and verse 21. Therefore, putting aside all 4:16 filthiness and all that remains of wickedness in humility receive the word implanted which is able to save your souls. So the very purpose of receiving the word of God or going to the word of God 4:32 is that our souls should be saved. We need to repent some aspect. My soul should have been saved from from some darkness from worldly thing from lustful thing from my fleshly 4:52 desire. Otherwise simply reading and understanding there's no purpose. So we are very thankful that we have good brothers God has 5:11 given who can teach the word of God. Good elders week after week who teach you. In Leviticus 10th chapter 10:11 we find God telling give the law to the priest so that they can teach the people and the 5:31 purpose is that they should know what is holy, what is unholy, what is righteous, what is unrighteous, what is clean, what is unclean. They should be able to discern and cling on to what is clean, cling on to what is holy, cling on to 5:45 what is righteousness. So that's a purpose the word of God is given to us. So sometimes you may be very close to the Bible teacher or you may be attending all the meetings but are you close to the word of God and are you 6:02 close to God himself. These two things should take us close to God to see the glory of God. Brother prayed let all the mountains be brought low and let all the valleys be filled. Why? So that the glory of God may be revealed. So we listened to about Moses, 6:28 Job, Elisha, many Old Testament saints. Compared to Jesus, we heard how they fall short. But at the same time in some area they are exemplarely 6:46 good. For example Abraham father of faith. Even in the New Testament we are there. Even to us he's the father of faith. We read in the book of Romans chapter 5 and also Hebrews. It's a father of 7:05 faith. Abraham's blessings comes to us. Moses, no other man is so meek like Moses. God himself will give certificate. To all others, God speaks with visions but Moses face to face. So 7:24 he excelled in that area. Similarly, every Old Testament saint we can find something where they excel. Might be in that particular area they are very high to challenges. Similarly, John the Baptist, yeah, he is not able, he was not able to trust Jesus 7:42 and he got offended with Jesus when Jesus could not come and deliver him from the prison. But in humility, he's a he can be a great example to us. He said he must increase, I must decrease. One who comes after me is 7:58 mightier than I said. And he says about Jesus, I am not even worthy to untie the latches of his sandal. I was thinking about 8:17 it. When I thought about it, my mind went back to the country where I was working for few years. Ethiopia. It's an African country. And in that border lot of fights between 8:35 tribes went on and uh many parents were killed. Lot of children left as orphans and they all migrated to the capital city Adisaba. It's a big issue. Even United Nations could not provide solution 8:53 though they try so many things. So much of children, small children and they don't beg, they want to work and live. They have some dignity. But easily available work is that they will take a plastic bucket. 9:11 They will buy a soap, the brush and uh other cleaning things, polish and they will sit in a roadside corner some prominent places and they will put a one or two stones. So people walking they want to 9:30 polish the shoes they will go there they make you sit on the stone you need not remove your shoes they will unlatch untie the latches lace shoelaces and uh take and give something else so that you can keep your feet it socks and 9:50 all won't get dirty and they will first apply light water soap and do a thorough work very sincerely they do because they want more and more orders, more customers. They wash with soap once, twice and then they with with a towel they wipe it very 10:07 clean and then they applies apply the polish and neatly polish and they get two beer or five beer and they put the shoes back. That's how they earn their living. Night time they go to some place where out of outside the house they made 10:26 lot of with wood or sheets um compartments and when they pay 10 B they can sleep there in the night because of severe cold morning they go and take bath and they start their work. So I remembered the slaves who were in 10:47 Jew Jewish time when guests come they do that work. They untie the sandal laces and remove it. Maybe they will wipe it also. Wash that also. But before that they wash the feet of the guest so that 11:05 they can go into the house. They do a thorough job. And John the Baptist was thinking first he thought I should humble myself like a slave. So he would 11:22 have thought to write it I am not even worthy to wash his feet and then a thought comes no no I am not even worthy to do that job. There are so many stages in that work. 11:40 The first stage is to remove the lace and he says that maybe 20% or 10% of the work of slave to wash the feet and he says that 10% work of removing the lace I'm 11:59 not worthy. He felt that and he has written the word of God. So like that we can read lot of lessons from the saints from the old testament and today I would like to take you with 12:19 me to the saint job we heard in the morning that Zach was sharing. He had a lot of new covenant characters though he lived in the old testament. We read in the 31st chapter that he is a person who made a covenant with his 12:37 eyes. A old covenant man making a covenant with his eyes that I will not lust after a virgin. What a man. one area if we follow how much blessing it will bring to our lives. Being pure 12:57 in our look, pure in our eyes which affects our thoughts. The thoughts become become pure. The heart we can become pure. And another example we read is that his children used to have birthday 13:14 celebrations. After the celebration is uh when the celebration is coming to end, he will start another celebration. This is prayer celebration, sacrifice celebration. He thought maybe my children would have talked unwanted 13:31 things. Might be hurting words or bad words or useless words. We don't know. Might be they would have talked. Might be they would have sinned. So for them he's praying and offering sacrifices to God. Lord please please 13:49 forgive my children. Lord maybe the first son maybe the second son he's had 10 children maybe name by name he would have prayed and offered the sacrifices a concern for his children. So as parents do we have the concern for our 14:06 children when they go out and come when they go for some celebration and come might be sports day celebration or school day celebration or any other function we can find out from them what happened they may not tell everything 14:24 but we can pray for them. I got a light and I thought Lord I have not done it. Please forgive me. I think is Acts chapter 2 and verse 14:39 39. Acts chapter 2 and verse 39. We read about a promise for the people who are I'll just read that verse. Acts 14:58 chapter 2 and verse 39. For the promise is for you and your children and for all who are far off as many as the Lord our God will call to himself. And in Joel also we read the promise you and your sons and 15:17 daughters will prophesy will be anointed with the Holy Spirit. Here it says this promise of the Holy Spirit is for you and your children. And how many of us have prayed Lord this promise is for me and for my 15:34 children. Lord anoint my children also. Let them be anointed Lord. Let them be useful vessels for you. So we learn lessons from Job how to pray for our children and I would like to 15:54 share few lessons from Job chapter 23. Job chapter 23. I read uh this portions and sometimes it is difficult in to 16:12 understand. So sometimes I go to easy to read version. I read it in Tamil and then I read it in English also. So we are able to have some glimpse 16:30 about how it he has written about the life of Jesus uh life of Job. The first thing the 11th verse Job chapter 23 and verse 16:45 11 so I'll read it in the east to read uh version. I have always always lived the way God wants. I have never stopped following him. 17:03 In other versions, I want always wanted to please God. Always wanted to please God. I wanted to walk live the way God wants me. How God wants me to live. There is always living a life that is pleasing in 17:22 the sight of God. We read 29th chapter Job chapter 29 and verse 2. He says, "I wish my life could be the 17:46 same as it was a few months ago when God watched over me and cared for me." Third was God's light shined above me so I could walk through the darkness. And again fourth verse he says I wish 18:09 for the days when I was successful when I enjoyed God's friendship and blessing in my home and all powerful God was still with me then and my children well were all around 18:27 me. So he had a life that is pleasing to God and he felt the presence of God. The children were all around me and God was very near. And we read how Jesus lived a life that is pleasing in the sight of God. 18:47 That is recorded in Matthew after he lived 30 years of his life. Before he started min ministry, he heard a voice from heaven. After he took baptism and came out, a voice out of heavens said, "This is my beloved son in whom I am well 19:07 pleased." When you read above verses, what are the things he would have done to please God? He wanted to fulfill all righteousness. John is asking him, you should not be baptized. In fact, I 19:24 should be baptized by you. And he says, "No, no, no. Don't prevent. Permit it at this time. For in this way it is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness." And then he was baptized 19:44 with the power of the Holy Spirit. The Dao came upon him. Anybody who had who has the desire, I want to fulfill all righteousness. What are the righteousnesses he fulfilled? might be submission to the parents. That's what 19:59 is recorded. He lived in Nazareth in submission to his parents, obedience to his parents, obedience to authority or submission to authority. And then he read the word of God. He understood the word of God. He had a great desire for 20:14 the word of God. We read about that. So all righteousness if we want to if we have a desire to fulfill then God will say to such people you give the power of the Holy Spirit to such person you send the anointing in the full 20:31 measure. We read in acts 5 and verse 32 and the Holy Spirit which God wants to give to them who wants to obey. The previous verses if you read Peter and other apostles they were caught by 20:51 the senadine and the council the chief priest and all they say you should not preach on this name Jesus Christ already we have warned you they were threatened we would kill you like we have killed Jesus but what was the answer of Peter 21:07 it is better for us to obey to God than to men see the zeal he had And God from heaven saw it is not possible for such a person to obey. So let us give the Holy Spirit so that he can obey fulfilling 21:25 the righteousness. God is seeing whether you have the desire and the willingness to obey it is very difficult because when they obey God and preach Jesus Christ they they would be imprisoned even they would have been killed. But he was not 21:42 afraid. He wants to obey God in spite of death. Taking risk and obeying Jesus. So obedience to such people God says we will anoint the Holy Spirit. Don't stop immediately give. And we read in Acts chapter 15 and 22:03 verse 8. God saw their heart, what was in their heart and testified by sending the Holy Spirit. So God saw the heart of Jesus. What was there in the heart of Jesus? I 22:22 want to fulfill all righteousness. I don't want to miss even a single one, Lord. Then God said, "Send the Holy Spirit." So Jesus received the Holy Spirit and then it is told about him. He plea yeah I am well 22:41 pleased. I am well pleased. Another favorite verse for me John 8 and verse 29. John's gospel chapter 8 and verse 29. 23:01 And he who sent me is with me. He has not left me alone. For I always do the things that are pleasing to him. So this is the life of Jesus. He wanted always the presence of the 23:17 father. For that he had to pay a cost. He had to pay a price. What is that? I always do the things that are pleasing to him. I don't want to please my will. I don't want to please myself. Whenever there's a cross, either you want to 23:35 please yourself or please the heavenly father. He said I want to please the heavenly father. That's a cross. And because of that cross he carried the presence of God was always with us. In the morning we listened how Jesus 23:47 entered into the presence of God. The joy of God. The fullness of the presence of God. Fullness of the joy of the Lord by tearing his flesh. The taring is flesh is I always want to please my father at times of temptation it is 24:07 difficult but it is possible that's why god says I will give you the anointing of the holy spirit I will give you the strength so that you can live this life lead this life so the first lesson we learn is job he says I want to please god in 24:23 everything I do the same verse second thing is I want to follow God. In other versions, it says I want to follow the exact footsteps of God. That's what he says. Job Job 23 and 24:43 verse 11. I have kept his way and not turned aside. See following are different ways you can follow. You can turn aside and walk this way or that way and follow. But what Job 25:03 says, I have not even turned to this side or that side. I I have followed in his footsteps following Jesus. Have we committed ourselves to be a disciple? Jesus said follow me. Follow me in the footsteps. We read in 1 Peter 25:20 chapter 2 and verse 22 and 23 Jesus was our example. He left the footsteps for us to follow. And what is that footstep first Peter 25:36 chapter two known verse but repeatedly when we see the verse it gets imprinted in our mind. He committed no sin, nor was any deceit found in his mouth. And while being reviled, he did not revile in return. While suffering, he uttered no 25:56 threats, but kept entrusting himself to him who judges righteously. See, usually when somebody scolds you or when somebody gives you some problem, what is our desire? We will commit that person to God. 26:15 Lord, you are righteous God. You deal with him. But here, what did Jesus do? When he was reviled, he committed himself to God. Lord, I don't want to sin. I don't want to have any bad thought about me, 26:33 about him. Morning, we heard Lord. might be while dealing with Judas he would have prayed to God Lord I don't want to call him as enemy I want to call him as my friend from the depth of my heart not from the tip of my lips easy to call 26:53 from the tip of the lips but from the heart my friend until the hand end he loved them. We also read in John's gospel chapter 27:21 18. How Jesus wanted to protect Judas. He somehow wanted to wanted Judas to repent till the last moment because that was the father's desire. No one should perish. So 18th 27:39 chapter we read in third verse Judas then having received the Roman cohort and officers from the chief priests and Pharisees came there with lanterns and torches and weapons. So Jesus, knowing all the things that were coming upon 27:56 him, went forth and said to them, "Whom do you seek?" They answered him, "Jesus the Nazarene." He said, "I am he." See, Jesus knew that Judas is going to betray. But he didn't want Judas to betray him. Why should I give a place 28:15 for Judas to betray me? Let me tell myself, I am Jesus. I am he. So there was no need for Judas to betray. I am he. Two times he says and Judas also who was betraying him was standing with 28:32 them. So when he said to them, I am he. They drew back and fell to the ground. Again he's asking whom do you seek? So see the intention of Jesus. I don't want Judas to betray me. I myself let tell them that I am Jesus. So there was no need for the the some of 28:51 the Pharisees would have thought unnecessary we gave 30 silver coins and it's a loss he himself has told his name. So Judas didn't do any work maybe we should get back 50% at least. So Jesus wanted 29:08 to pray to the father Lord I don't want to have any bitterness. So he committed himself. When somebody reviled, he committed himself. So when somebody scolds us or does something bad to us, how do we 29:26 react? We are our flesh. There's a temptation. Commit him to Jesus so that Jesus will teach him a lesson. No Lord, I commit myself so that I don't have any evil intention about the other person. It is really difficult. 29:42 See many occasions I have uh during uh sharing I have told this when the neighbor puts the garbage into your compound now we have to forgive them and we should not 30:00 fight and uh but literally when that happened to us then we could see the flesh how it reacts they don't put garbage But they put bottles after drinking four or five bottles they throw in the place where we park 30:17 car. So at the time committing ourselves to god not them lord I want to cleanse myself. I don't want to have any bad or spirit of vengeance against them lord. I want to love them lord. So we read 30:34 walking in the footsteps of Jesus is when I am treated unrighteously I have to commit myself and it's also good to pray for the other person Lord bless them bless their children I find sometimes when somebody does some bad 30:49 thing initially I that's a struggle why he's doing like this and that but then I ask Lord what is the solution how can I love him I'm not able to love him then I start praying for him for praying for his wife and children Lord bless them, 31:03 bless them, let not any harm come to them. When you start praying for them, yeah, your heart is protected from taking revenge or from the evil intentions. That's why Jesus says, "Pray for those who persecute you, bless those who curse 31:19 you." That's all to protect us. That's a life Jesus lived and then he's teaching us. He would have blessed so many people who have cursed Jesus. So many people persecuted. But he He didn't intend bad for them. For example, Luke 9, we read people of 31:38 Samaria, they refused to accept Jesus. They refused to offer. He did not ask them you, you uh surrender this house to me. Give all the deed and all. I am the Lord. No, he's not asking their houses. Just one night to lay his head so tired 31:53 might be legs of paining just wanted to take rest. Not even one family was willing to accept. And what was the reply of reaction of the disciples? Lord, shall we pray and bring fire like Elijah brought fire on this city on this 32:08 village? Jesus rebuked the disciples. Now you submit yourselves to the righteous God and check your spirit. What type of spirit you have? Jesus, the son of God, came to save the lost, not to destroy people. 32:28 and following Jesus. Another area where Paul says so sometimes we may say yeah Jesus how can I follow you you are a son of God yeah God has provision for that also so he raised Paul and gave the um inspiration 32:47 to Paul to write this might be Paul before writing that he would have thought oh if I write that it may be because of pride or I'm arrogant or I'm thinking too much of myself all those thoughts would have come but spirit of 33:02 God said no no no you put it so he writes in the 11th chapter 1 Corinthians first verse as I follow Christ you follow me so Paul is a good example and what did he teach us and what he did what did he practice if you 33:20 read the previous chapter you can understand the context always when you read a verse some verses before and some verses after when we read we understand the context. So 1 Corinthians chapter 33:36 10 and verse 32 10:32 33 in English in Tamil it is 32 just as I also please all men in all 33:54 things how he is pleasing you can take it in different way also in one place Galatians 1:10 he says If I please men, I am not a servant of God. That pleasing is different. That pleasing is to promote yourself, to seek favor, to seek fame, to seek popularity. 34:12 But here, I also please all men in all things, not seeking my own profit, but the profit of the many, so that they may be saved. Pleasing others so that they may be saved with unrighteous money. Make friends. How can I uh please others so that I can 34:32 save them? But I should not seek my own. So following Paul like he followed Christ is not seeking my own. I don't want to seek my own comfort, own convenience, own opinion, what I say you have to do. No Lord, I may be wrong 34:49 sometimes. husband and wife wife is telling something immediately you something comes up with high pressure didn't you do that no lord I don't want to immediately blame her I want to judge myself what she said is it true in my life if it is 35:09 true lord let me cleanse myself let me judge myself thank you for giving me wife like that thank you for giving me a husband who corrects me at the time of correction he Paul uh Hebrews we read 12th chapter at the time of correction 35:26 at the time of discipline it will not be sweet it will not be pleasurable it will be difficult but when we practice yeah it is for my good is for my good then we grow we are children he's our heavenly 35:43 father he disciplines us how he will discipline through the people around maybe through elders, maybe through our wives, our children, our husbands, they will correct us. God will use them. We should not lose our heart. 35:58 Lord, it is for my good. Immediately my flesh, it bubbles and comes out with pressure. Put it to death. Put it to death. Then unity and the fellowship will remain. Otherwise when you start accusing and the fellowship is lost, 36:14 peace is lost. And next time when she or he finds something wrong in you, I don't think they'll be free to tell. So it is better for us to ask is my life partner free to correct me. Have I given that freedom? Or I say no no I am the head of 36:34 the home. I don't want any correction from you. You mind your business. You have a lot of things to correct yourself. You first set your things and then come to me. No Lord I want to please you. I don't want to seek my own. 36:48 I want to seek the good of others. And Job 23 12 the third good thing we learn from Job is I always obey his 37:06 commands. I always obey the commands. Obedience. Job was very very careful to obey all the commandments of God. Whatever uh he knew to be the commandment of God because he didn't have 37:22 Bible. He lived long before Moses uh got the commandments. So we don't know what all the things he had but he wanted to obey to God in everything. And Job 6 and verse 37:42 10 he says I never refused to obey the commandments of the holy one. I never refused to obey the commandments of the holy one. So there are lot of uh types of 38:00 obedience. I was reading through psalms. I could find how many types of obedience are there. Psalmist just written and you can find in other portions also unconditional obedience even if the Lord does not deliver us we will not bow down to this 38:19 idol complete obedience John 14:23 reverent obedience because of his piety Jesus obeyed like that he obeyed unto the uh until the death on the Cheerful 38:37 obedience and zealous obedience. So many types of obedances are there. At least 10 types are there. So how is our obedience? Are we obeying only when it is convenient and comfortable? When it gives pain, we don't want to 38:55 obey. So obedience to the commandments of God. people of Israel they left obedience and they held on to sacrifices it is easy for us God is telling one thing to obey we may ignore and we may try to compensated by praising singing 39:14 by giving offerings by attending more meetings Lord I don't want to obey but I'll read two more chapters no compensation like that for our disobedience disobedience is disobedience and delayed obedience also is disobedience but there are certain 39:30 areas where if If you don't have the conviction, it is better to wait for the conviction from the Lord. If you're not very clear to do this or that, better to wait for the Lord. God will not condemn you. But having known that it is the 39:42 will of God and if you don't want to obey, that is a disobedience. We read how Saul disobedience is worse than witchcraft. So God sees our obedience. Jesus obeyed through suffering. He 40:00 learned obedience through suffering. He learned obedience through suffering. So young people, children, you have to start in your young age. This obedience is a good lesson, tough lesson, but try every time. Even if 40:18 there is some inconvenience, obey. Obedience. Sometimes my dad and mom they will go for some meetings. They'll tell me you take care of your siblings. I have two brothers and two sisters. So I will hold the fort and uh all of all of them have 40:37 to obey to what I say. And so my last sister she was a small girl and she will say anana I want to go and play in the next home with my friends. Then I will tell her if you assure me that you will obey then I will send. Yeah I will obey 40:55 now. Will you really obey whatever I say? Yes I will obey. She will give assurance then she will go up to the gate. I will call come back. Just now you assured that 41:12 obey. That's how sometimes we are to God. Lord I want to go my own way but Lord I will obey you. I will give all assurance to God. But when God calls Lord what Lord so children learn obedience immediate obedience your 41:31 parents God will bless you and when you grow to youthful stage might be obedience is bit difficult. You think that you know everything because you know some uh programming and this and that which your parents don't know. No, 41:48 that is knowledge but your parents have more wisdom. So obey to your parents not when they say something against the word of God. The youth meeting we saw how one king king's mother advised in a wicked 42:05 way and he obeyed. No no no no. Especially those who are going to get married. After your marriage, your mother says something which is trying to divide you and your wife. Then you politely refuse. No mommy, it is our turn to live this 42:24 family life. You have to be firm. There are many many Christian families where the mother-in-law gives advice and they separate the families, struggles, fights, tears, evil advice. So we have to grow in 42:43 discernment also. We should not obey to everything what they say. You have to find out children obey your parents. Fill up the blanks. Children obey the parents in the Lord. Outside the Lord, you need not obey. But you 43:02 cannot be rough with them politely in a dignified way with respect. You have to tell them, "I'm sorry, mommy. I cannot do that. It is I feel it is against the word of God, against what our Sunday school teachers taught." So Sunday school teachers have 43:17 a responsibility. You have to teach only what the Bible says. Otherwise if you see teach something which not in the Bible the children will misrepresent and parents will get confused. You know one day uh I was working in university my 43:31 chancellor called me and he was talking he said he's not a Christian. He said don't send your children to Sunday school. What he talking about Sunday school? Don't send your children to Sunday school. Why sir? What happened? 43:48 He said, "My brother is a Christian. My brother's wife is also a Christian. She is not obeying to the husband." So she says she learned from the Sunday school. What a bad testimony. So many people think that when you go to Sunday school, they teach 44:07 disobedience. Rebellious nature is being taught in the Sunday school. No, we don't teach. But through our lives, we proclaim this is what we have learned. No, no, no. We have to learn submission, obedience. 44:23 And next thing we learn in Job's life is the same verse 20 and verse 12. I love the words from his mouth more than I love my 44:41 food. What a revelation he's got. More than my food, I love the word of God. It is exactly the opposite of what happened in the garden of Eden where Eve loved fruit more than the word of God. God has clearly commanded don't eat the 44:59 fruit but she loved the fruit more than what God had commanded. But here Job says, I have loved the word of God. So in our lives, what do we love more? food for the body or food for the food for the spirit. So are 45:22 we showing interest in the word of God? How close is the word of God to us? Are we meditating the word of God? Are we asking Lord you speak to me? Jesus is a very good example. He even would have refused food 45:40 for learning the scriptures. See I remember I imagine like this we have heard from Zach also when he was 5 years up to the age of 12 7 years he regularly went to the synagogue the temple of god and he was hearing the 46:00 word of god and rest of the days also he would quickly finish helping mother in the home in the household work and he would have told mom today I'll go to the temple to hear the word of God and all the brothers or sisters would have made 46:16 fun of him. Oh, he's a very spiritual uh you only know how to uh hear the word of God. Are we not all spiritual? So many things. But he did not reply to them. He did not revile when he was reviled. And he would have been very happy to run to 46:34 the synagogue. He wanted to save time very quickly. Mother would have told you'll be here before 12:00. So ran and he meets the rabbi. Rabbi, rabbi, please can you read to me the scriptures because it was not available for others 46:50 to unscroll and read. He has to do that. And he said he would have told no I am busy for half an hour. You go home and come back. And Jesus would have sat there itself. Maybe he would have meditated what he read the previous day. 47:07 Like that he remembered what he read the previous week and after half an hour are you free? Oh what this fellow come come and he would have read the word of God and he would have listened slowly like that he had a desire to read the word of 47:22 God. You read that in Luke chapter 2 and he started discussing with them about the scriptures. He start discussing with them. When some brothers come to your home or children, how do you receive them? Do 47:42 you wish them whatever way your your parents have taught? You wish them. Don't sit, oh, let them come and go, nothing to do with me. No, don't be like that. Come say praise Lord uncle or praise Lord auntie or you are welcome. 47:56 Wish them and spend few minutes with them. Might be when they are speaking something about the word of God or something God has done about ministry. Listen. As long as your parents permit, listen. I started listening. Many uh 48:11 ministers and servants of God used to come to my home. I will carefully listen what they are speaking, how they are speaking. And like that I spent some time with the different ministers of God. Then I went to college and there 48:26 you know what work they have given me. They said you have to teach these subjects. Okay. Thank you. Then another work was also given to me. Whenever we send some preachers to this university it's a Christian college. Whenever some 48:39 send some preachers you have to receive them take care of them till they leave. So when they come, I'll receive them, put them in the guest house and serve the food and sit there and ask some questions, listen to them. There was one 48:56 preacher who came and some his assistant was putting socks and shoe for him. I was really shocked what this preacher is sitting in the chair and with the Bible and somebody is putting shoe and socks for him. I asked him the attendant is 49:12 another brother who came with him. Why you do that? No, no. He's having fellowship with God. He's listening to God speaking. How? What's a what a deception it is? Will Jesus would have done like that? No. No. Jesus in fact washed the 49:30 feet of the disciples. He would have done that work. So different people how they do, what they do, why they do. I used to ask questions, move with them, what is their uh desire, what they preach. so many workers even from inland 49:45 and other countries. So God exposed me to so many preachers what they speak. So have a desire to know not being curious but you should discern is it from the scriptures and uh when you know the scriptures only you'll be able to 50:02 discern. So taking the word of God is a very very good thing. Read the word of God, eat the word of God. I somebody says I think David Wilkersonson immerse yourself in the word of God. Immerse yourself in the word of God. Small card I was sharing with the 50:19 youth. Youth can practice small card you write every day. Whatever word you are reading a portion some word comes powerfully pops up. Write that word and put it in your pocket. Now and then you can read it. Nowadays you can type it in 50:33 your mobile. You can read it now and then whatever way is convenient for you. So your mind is refreshed and uh it it becomes pure. I think one uh man of God 50:48 uh George Wervar or William I don't know he uh one brother was asking him whatever I read the word of God it is not staying in my mind I forget. Then he said okay you come here take that basket bamboo basket go to the river take water 51:08 and pour it in the this vessel uh what what you are telling yeah you do it so he went to the river carry the take the water by the time he takes all will leak very fast he'll run and come a few drops like that he kept on 51:26 doing water was not all collected maybe after 10 12 trips. Uh he called him. Okay, stop. So have you filled the tub? No, it was all leaking. All my efforts were in vain. No, no, you see the basket now. Oh, when he sees the other basket, this 51:44 basket looks very clean. So many times immersed, immersed, immersed in water, it become clean. He said that's what will happen when you immerse yourself in the word of God. It may not be filling your mind. It may not be retained but it 52:00 will wash. So how much time we spend with the word of God. There are so many distractions nowadays. Very powerful distractions. Bazak was telling about the gadgets. So many gadgets which pulls us away from the word of God. But at the 52:15 same time these gadgets have so many things which help us to meditate the word of God. So many study materials, tools, understanding the scriptures. How are we making use of those things? Then 23rd chapter fourth 14th 52:32 verse what is Job is telling he will do to me what he planned and he has many other plans for me. There's a beautiful Tamil song also. Whatever he has planned for me, he will do. He will fulfill what he has planned 52:51 for me. Such a faith job had in God's plan. How about we that is doing the will of God. Lord, you have a plan for my life. I don't want to destroy that plan by giving out myself to this sin and that sin, this worldly practice, that worldly practice, 53:09 this lust. No Lord, I don't want to destroy your plan, Lord. Lord fulfill your plan for me. I I am available every day, every week. Lord, what is your plan for my life? That's why we need to listen to God. Lord, what shall I do today? What is your plan 53:26 regarding this? What is your plan regarding my job? What is plan regarding my marriage? What is the plan regarding how I spend money? What is your plan, Lord? You have a plan for me. Do you do you believe that God has a specific plan 53:37 for you? Unless and until you believe, how can God execute that plan? Jeremiah 29:11, we read, "All the plans God has for us are for good, not for bad." God's plan for every one of us for good. Don't think that coming to 53:55 church and praising God, spending time hearing the word of God, reading the word of God, all waste of time. Devil will say, "What have we achieved?" So much so many times you have gone to the church, what have we achieved? I was 54:08 asking one brother so many times you were eating what have you achieved eating rice curry what have you achieved? Yeah the very fact that you are alive and you are healthy or walking it is the result of that the same way 54:22 spiritually read the word of God may not always give you grilled chicken and this and that and all but yeah simple rice whatever carbohydrate you need whatever protein fat you need the word of God can give you. So read regularly 54:39 systematically. I went to one of our churches and met the youth and asked them one question. Can you name the gospels in the Bible? I was sharing the youth youth meeting. And they all blinking. They are seeing one of the other what question 54:58 tough question. They don't know except one brother. That one brother is very sick. He's taking treatment. He reads the word of God. He understands. But all except I'm not exaggerating. Except that one brother all others they do not know what is what 55:17 are the gospel books. I felt very sad. I said Lord we are to be blamed. I am to be blamed. Lord people do not know. So now wherever I go I check with the youth what is their state with respect to the word of God. Do you know what are the 55:33 poetical books? I have some interest in the word of God scriptures. Then I asked them, do you have the regular practice of reading the Bible? No brother. So they are close to the Bible teachers but they are not close to the 55:47 word of God. They are not close to God. Deceiving. They think that every week they come to the church having fellowship with them. That is important. That is not a substitute for you reading the word of God. One day I go for wedding eat lot of 56:03 biryani rest of the days you don't eat. Is it possible to survive like that? No. Everyday little bit you have to eat. Even if you are sick in the bed they say you have to eat. You meet the dietician morning to Italy some food. Some food. 56:17 Yeah we have to take the spiritual food. So the plan of God Acts 17:26 even God has planned where you should live your boundary of your life you are living in. You can have confidence in that. You have you can have security in that. I'm 56:33 well secure because God has planned everything for me. 23:15 he talks about the fear of God. Though that fear is an Old Testament fear. I'm afraid there are many other verses 28 28 that he has a reverence for 56:50 God. He's afraid of God. But a new covenant fear, a healthy fear is will I displease my God? Will I bring pain to my God? I have seen small children, they always see the father, is he happy with me? Is he happy with me? 57:10 Have I made something which grieves him so much sensitive heart? Twins, one twin is like that because always he has a fear whether God my dad will reject me, he will accept the other person. twins always. So we need not be in tension but 57:27 we should ask God Lord are you happy with me? Happy with the way I deal with others? Happy with the way I behave with my parents? Happy with the way I work? Lord, it is good to ask once in a while in Isaiah 11:3. So many things is explained in the 57:43 previous verse. But then God talks about the fear of God. Isaiah 11:3, we know that verse. The fear of Jesus. It it's a prophecy about Jesus how he feared God. So fear of God is wherever there is 58:01 no fear of God the lust is attracted. One man of God says I think David Wilson says lust is like a magnet which attracts uh yeah it the lack of the fear of God attracts all the lust like a magnet. So 58:20 any teaching you hear listen to any message you hear to hear find out whether the fear of God is there the reverence for God is there if not something is wrong. Today many people are committing so many sins without any fear of God. We hear shocking things. 58:39 Oh testimony worse than a worldly believer worldly person. Why? Where is the fear of God? So before teaching them the grace of God to our own children we should teach them the fear of God when you transgress what will happen what is the 58:57 punishment for sin it is not that we make them afraid but they should learn the fear of God there are many many many people who only talk about the grace of God ultra grace of God super grace of God no fear of God they fall into sexual 59:14 sins they fall into so many other sins disgrace. So we need to fear God and we need to fear the word of God. We need to honor God, honor the children of God. There should be a reverence, reverential fear. The last thing we learn from this 59:31 passage is the seventh verse is he talks about darkness. He talks about darkness. I'll just read that verse. What has happened to me is like a dark cloud over my face. But the darkness will not keep me 59:48 quiet. And 24th chapter 13th verse also he takes tells about this darkness. Some people rebel against the light. They don't know what God wants. They don't live the way he wants. So there are many places he talks 1:00:07 about light. So we need to live in light like children of light. We read in first John when we walk in light we have fellowship. We are to be witnesses. In him was life the life was light unto men. So Job says that the darkness will 1:00:25 not overpower me. The darkness will not overtake me. 38 and verse 15 I think. Evil people don't like the daylight. When it shines bright it keeps them from doing the bad things they do. So Job is a person who understood light 1:00:44 and darkness and he says darkness will not overpower me. Darkness cannot keep me quiet. So these are the precious lessons we learn from the life of Job and uh we need to have a simplicity of devotion, 1:01:02 purity of devotion to Christ. You know the simplicity the word came from Greek. The Greek word meaning is haplus. Haplus means u free from hidden agenda. My heart is simple means I don't have any hidden 1:01:21 agenda. I say somebody to come. Yeah come and eat. There's no hidden agenda. I don't want to plan anything in the dark. So some of the equivalent term is a folded sheet. That means the top I have written write something but 1:01:39 underneath something else is there. So people write big big things and small things they say conditions apply and some things which we usually don't read the hidden agenda because they don't want you to read so they put small 1:01:54 things then finally you go and ask you sir read the last line where where is the line see the lens yeah so that is not a simplicity the opposite of simplicity is duplicity duplicity doublemindedness so Job had a devotion 1:02:12 for God. And these are the qualities for a man who has got a devotion, a simple and pure devotion to God, pleasing God, following God, importance for the word of God more than food, God's plan and 1:02:28 will for my life, the fear of God, and finally darkness will not overpower me. For example, somebody is scolding me, I scold them back. Darkness has swore to me. His scolding makes uh makes me 1:02:46 scolding back. Darkness has over me. Somebody hates me, I also hate. Darkness has overpowered me. But Job says darkness will not to overpower me. So when somebody loses his control, we need not lose our control. We can be peaceful 1:03:04 and patient. So may God help us to have more devotion to God and uh give us a life like that. May God bless us. Thank you.
