2:24 [music] [music] >> This thing is smarter than me. I have no 3:06 idea how to turn it. I don't know how to turn it. I'll either use my Why is Um it doesn't go on or is it just not charged? >> So, let's all gather in, brothers and sisters, and find our seats. 3:23 >> This works. >> Let's go ahead and stand, prepare our hearts to to sing the Lord's praise, to put aside all other distraction, to >> It's okay. >> bring our eyes and our focus to the Lord. And I was 3:43 I was thinking about how in the world the process of asking God for something is is a lot more detailed and lengthy compared to the gratitude and the praise that comes after that prayer is answered. Um our prayer requests are a lot lengthier 4:01 than our than our gratitude after the prayer is answered, and that's human nature. That's our sinful nature. And Jesus recognized that in Luke 17 when he healed the lepers. And I'll read from verse 15, "Then one of them, when he saw that he was healed, 4:18 turned back, praising God with a loud voice, and he fell on his face at Jesus' feet, giving him thanks. He was a Samaritan." And Jesus answered, "Were there not 10 cleansed? Where are the nine? Was no one found to return and give 4:33 praise to God except this foreigner?" And he said to him, "Rise and go your way. Your faith has made you well." Everybody asked for the healing. If you If you look a few verses above in in verse 13, they lifted up their voice 4:47 and said, "Master, have mercy on us." It was a very thought-out prayer and and a very desperate prayer, but when he answered it, some of them didn't even return to to thank him, and that's that's human nature. That's how we all are. 5:00 When we are in a moment of need, we ask. But then human nature is not very thankful. We're not grateful people. But that's not how those of us who are redeemed, who are who are born again, who are seated at his table should behave. 5:19 The Bible says, "Let the redeemed of the Lord say so." We are meant to be a grateful people, and this morning if we can come with grateful hearts, we've we've prayed so many prayers in the past weeks. We prayed for the for the singles 5:31 conference. We prayed for healing. We've prayed as we walk through our trials, and the Lord has answered so many prayers. And this time of praise and thanksgiving on Sunday morning, not just now, but but this can be a start of saying, 5:44 "Lord, we want to be like that one leper for all that you've done, For all the prayers you've answered, Lord, we've asked every Sunday that your presence will be in our midst, that you will speak to each one of us and you have 5:55 faithfully. We don't even have to look back um at this past year or the decade gone by, just this past week. The number of things the Lord has done, the number of ways he's kept us from stumbling into sins that that we could have fallen into if we 6:11 were on our own. The Lord sustained us. So many triumphs of his grace in our lives and our children's lives. There's works that he started. So many reasons to thank him. I always think of that s- when we sing that song 10,000 reasons. Maybe I can't 6:26 list down 10,000, but I can list down so many even this morning. So let's bring our attention to him even as we think of our Lord. Let's realize that he is in our midst through his spirit. That we're not just singing songs that 6:41 we're famil- familiar with or songs that we like the tunes of, but we're singing to our Father. We're singing to our Lord Jesus who's redeemed us, who has sustained us, who's been faithful even at times when we've been unfaithful, 6:56 who's been a good father, who's given us good things, who's given us his Holy Spirit when we asked him, and has brought us to higher ground. Let's sing as we as we sing, let's sing with gratitude, [music] with praise in our hearts for 7:11 what he's done and for who he is. >> Who is he >> [music] >> yonder star? [singing] And who did the shepherds >> [music and singing] >> fall? Who is he in deep distress, >> [music and singing] >> fasting 7:31 in the wilderness? >> [music] >> 'Tis the Lord, a wondrous story. >> [singing] >> 'Tis the Lord, >> [music] >> the king of glory. >> [singing] >> And who is he feet >> [music] >> we humbly fall. Crown him, crown him, Lord 7:50 >> [music and singing] >> of all. Who is he the people bless >> [music and singing] >> for his words of gentleness? Who is he to him they bring [music and singing] all the sick 8:08 and sorrowing? Tis the Lord of wondrous story. [music] Tis the Lord the King of glory. At his feet we [music and singing] humbly fall. Crown him, crown him, 8:26 Lord of all. Who [music] is he that stands and weeps at [singing] the grave where Lazarus sleeps? Who is he >> [music] >> the gathering throng [singing] greet with 8:44 loud triumphant [music] song? Tis the Lord of wondrous story. >> [singing] >> Tis the Lord the King of glory. [music] >> [singing] >> At his feet we humbly fall. Crown [music] him, crown him, Lord of all. Lo, at midnight, 9:07 who is he >> [music] >> in [singing] dark Gethsemane? Who is he >> [singing] >> on yonder tree dies in grief and agony? >> [music] >> Tis the Lord of wondrous story. [singing] 9:25 Tis the Lord the King of glory. [music] At his feet we humbly fall. Crown him, crown [music and singing] him, Lord of all. all. >> [music] >> Who is he who from the grave unto succor, 9:45 >> [singing] >> help, and save? >> [music] >> Who is he who from [singing] his throne rules [music] Tis the Lord, oh, wondrous story. Tis the Lord, the [music] King of glory. 10:04 At his feet we humbly [music] fall. >> [singing] >> Crown him, crown him, Lord of all. >> [music] >> Tis the Lord, oh, wondrous story. >> [music and singing] >> Tis the Lord, the King of glory. At his feet >> [music] 10:23 >> we humbly fall. [singing] Crown him, crown him, Lord of [music] all. >> Even to praise you need the Holy [music] Spirit. Jesus said in John 16 that he will glorify me. He will take of what is mine and reveal [music] to you. 10:42 And that leads us to praise. Father, we pray, Lord, that >> [music] >> uh you'll pour out your Holy Spirit, Lord, on each one of us this morning even as we praise, Lord. We're incapable of giving you anything that's worthy [music] eternity, Lord, 10:54 without your spirit. So, I pray that you'll give us your spirit, Lord, that you will reveal [music] more of Jesus to us even as we sing, even as we sing the same words, Lord, that you're familiar with, that a new revelation, Lord, that we 11:07 will have of Jesus. [music] And that our praise will be sweeter, purer this morning because you're worthy [music] of all our praise, Lord Jesus. >> There's within [singing and music] my heart a melody. Jesus whispers sweet and low. 11:25 >> [music] >> Fear not, I'm with thee. Peace, peace, [singing and music] still in all of life's ebb and flow. Jesus, [music] Jesus, [singing] Jesus, sweetest name I know. >> [music] 11:44 >> Fills my >> [singing] >> every longing, keeps me singing [music] as [singing] I go. All my life was wrecked by sin >> [music] >> and strife. This world filled my heart with pain. Jesus swept across [music and singing] 12:04 the broken string, turned the storm to gold >> [singing] >> again. >> [music] >> Jesus, Jesus, Jesus, sweetest name [music and singing] I know. Fills my 12:21 every longing, keeps me singing as [music] I [singing] go. Though sometimes the way leads to waters >> [music] >> deep, trials [singing] cross my way. Though sometimes the path seems [music and singing] rough and steep, 12:41 Jesus brightens all the way. >> [music] >> Jesus, Jesus, Jesus, >> [music] >> sweetest name I [singing] know. Fills my >> [music] >> every longing, keeps me singing >> [music] 13:00 >> as I go. Feasting on the riches of His grace, >> [music] >> resting in the sheltered way. Always looking on >> [music and singing] >> His smiling face, that is why I shout and sing. >> [music] 13:20 >> Jesus, Jesus, Jesus, sweetest [music and singing] name I Fills my >> [singing] >> every longing. Keeps me singing >> [music] >> as I go. 13:37 Soon He's coming back to welcome [music and singing] me. Far beyond the starry sky. I shall wing my [music and singing] flight to worlds unknown. I shall reign with Him [music] on [singing] high. Jesus Jesus 13:57 >> [music] >> Jesus sweetest name [singing] I know. Fills [music] my every longing. Keeps me singing >> [music] >> as I go. Jesus Jesus [singing] Jesus sweetest [music] name I know. 14:20 Fills my [music and singing] every longing. Keeps me singing [music and singing] as I go. >> Lord, [singing] You are 14:39 more precious [music] than silver. [singing] Lord, You are >> [music] >> more costly than [singing] gold. Lord, You are 14:57 more beautiful [music and singing] than diamonds. Nothing [music] >> [singing] >> I desire compares to You. Lord, You are >> [music] >> Lord, You are [singing] more precious 15:17 [music] than silver. Lord, You >> [music and singing] >> more precious than gold. >> [music] >> Lord, you are more beautiful >> [music] >> than diamonds. 15:36 Nothing [music] I desire compares to you. >> [music] >> Wonderful, [singing] wonderful >> Wonderful [music] Jesus, >> [singing] >> who can [music] compare 15:56 with thee? Wonderful, [singing] wonderful [music] Jesus, fairer [singing] than all thou >> [music] >> art to me. Wonderful, wonderful [singing] Jesus, 16:19 oh, >> [music and singing] >> how my soul loves thee. Fairer [singing] than all >> [music] >> the fair, Jesus, [singing] art thou to me. >> Wonderful. 16:37 >> Wonderful, [singing] wonderful [music] Jesus, who can [music and singing] compare with thee? Wonderful, [music] wonderful Jesus, >> [singing and music] 16:56 >> fairer than all thou >> [music and singing] >> art to me. Wonderful, wonderful Jesus, oh, how [singing] my soul >> [music] >> loves thee. Fairer [singing] than all 17:17 the fair, >> [music] >> Jesus, all the fairest, >> [singing] >> Jesus, art thou to me. Fairer [music] than [singing] all the fairest, Jesus, [music] [singing] art thou 17:35 to me. >> And if trials or >> [music] >> cares of this world have have dimmed our view of Jesus, if our first love has grown cold [music] a little, and some of the words that we're singing were finding hard to sing, 17:55 that he's more [music] precious than gold or silver or our jobs or our situations, our families, our church, >> [music] >> maybe we need a reminder of Gethsemane this morning. Maybe we need a reminder of Calvary, a place that we should come to often 18:11 >> [music] >> and see our Savior who dropped the sweat drops of blood for us, >> [music] >> carrying our sin and our sorrow, knowing that it would cost him everything. Our bleeding, dying Savior on the cross, maybe we need to come there [music] 18:23 more. Maybe we need a fresh revelation of Gethsemane this morning, during the week >> [music] >> when temptation seems so strong. Father, I pray, Lord, that you would show [music] us more and more with each passing day what the sacrifice meant, Lord, what it 18:40 meant for Jesus to sweat [music] drops of blood for me. What it meant for him to groan on that tree, Lord, for that sacred head to be wounded, for that face that transfigured and shone like a sun to be spit upon. >> [music] 18:56 >> Forgive me, Lord. Forgive us for taking sin lightly. Help us, Lord, to [music] to constantly come there. Help us, Lord, to turn our lives around and love you, Lord, like you asked to be [music] loved, keeping your commandments 19:10 in gratitude for all that you've done, Lord. even if you'd done nothing else for us, eternity would be too short to sing your [music] praises, Lord, for Gethsemane, for Calvary. Help us to realize that, Lord. >> [music] 19:22 >> Open our eyes a little more to see the greatness of that sacrifice this morning. In Jesus' name. [music] >> King [singing] of [music] my life, I crown Thee now. I shall the glory [music and singing] 19:41 be. Lest [music] [singing] I forget my Lord, crown me. Lead me to Calvary. [music] >> [singing] >> Lest I forget 19:59 Gethsemane. [music] Lest I forget Thine agony. >> [music and singing] >> Lest I forget Thy love >> [music and singing] >> for me. Lead me to Calvary. >> [singing] 20:18 [music] >> Show me the tomb where [singing] Thou was >> [music] >> tenderly borne and laid. Angels in robes [music and singing] of light guarded Thee [music] well 20:40 as Thou slept. Lest I forget [music and singing] Gethsemane. Lest [music and singing] I forget Thine agony. >> [music] >> Lest I forget >> [singing] >> Thy love 20:59 >> [music] >> for me. Lead me to Calvary. >> [music] >> Let me like to the to the >> [music] [singing] >> tomb. Come with a gift to >> [music] >> him. Show [singing] to me now 21:18 the empty tomb. Lead me to Calvary. Lest I forget Gethsemane. >> [music] >> Lest I forget [singing] thine >> [music] >> agony. 21:38 >> [singing] >> Lest I forget thy love for me. Lead me to Calvary. >> [singing and music] >> May I be willing, [singing] Lord, to bear [music] daily my cross 21:57 for thee. Even [music] thy cup [singing] of grief to share, thou has borne all for >> [music] >> me. >> [singing] >> Lest I forget Gethsemane. >> [singing] >> Lest 22:16 I forget thine >> [music] >> agony. Lest I forget [singing] thy love for [music] me. Lead me >> [singing] >> to Calvary. >> [music] >> Tell me, [singing] oh Lord, with thine 22:35 eyes are for all that know >> [music and singing] >> not thee. Then touch my lips [singing] with holy fire >> [music] >> to speak of [singing] Calvary. >> [music] >> Lest I forget >> [singing] 22:55 >> Gethsemane. >> [music] >> Lest I forget >> [singing] >> thine agony. Lest I >> [music] >> forget >> [singing] >> thy love for me, lead me to >> [singing] >> Calvary. Lest [music] 23:15 I forget Gethsemane, lest I forget [music and singing] thine agony, lest I forget thy >> [music and singing] >> love for me, lead me to Calvary. 23:34 >> [music] >> Even Jesus took time to be holy. After a busy day, he would either rise up early in the morning or go away [music] by himself to be with his father. How much more do we need that? >> [music] >> Even what we just sang. 23:52 To meditate on Gethsemane, to meditate on the cross, to take time >> [music] >> to be holy, take time with God's word. It's a word that spoke to me strongly this week. Take more time >> [music] >> in our busy work lives, 24:05 all the things that are going on, all the events, to take time to be with the Lord. Let's make [music] this our prayer, even as we sing through these words. Lord, we want to be people who take time away from our day to spend time with [music] you, just 24:19 like you did, Lord Jesus. >> [music] >> Take time to >> [singing] >> be holy. >> [music] >> Speak often with the Lord. Abide [music] in 24:39 him always and feed [singing and music] on his word. Make friends [singing] of God's children. >> [music] >> Help those [singing] who are weak. Forgetting [music] 25:00 nothing this blessing to see. Take time to >> [music] >> be holy, >> [singing] >> ere the world rushes on. Spend [music] much time in secret 25:23 >> [singing] >> with Jesus alone. >> [music] >> By looking to Jesus, >> [music and singing] >> like Him thou shalt be. Thy friends [music] in thy >> [singing] 25:43 >> conduct, >> [music] >> His likeness shall see. Take time to be >> [music] >> holy, let Him be thy guide. >> [music] >> And 26:01 run not before Him, >> [singing] [music] >> whatever betide. In >> [music] >> joy or in sorrow, still follow the Lord. And 26:22 looking to Jesus, still trust in His word. >> [music] >> Take time to be holy, calm in thy soul. >> [music] >> Each 26:43 thought and each [singing] impulse >> [music] [singing] >> beneath His control. Thus led by His Spirit [music] through fountains of >> [music] >> love, 27:04 thus you shall be filled for service [music] above. Purify >> [music] >> my [singing] heart, 27:23 let me be as gold and precious [music and singing] silver. Glorify my [singing] heart, let me be as gold. >> [music] >> Your [singing] 27:43 gold, refine >> [singing] >> and inspire. >> [music] >> My heart's one [singing] desire is to be >> [music] >> holy, 28:01 >> [singing] >> set apart for You, Lord. >> [music] >> I choose to be holy, >> [music and singing] >> set apart for You, >> [music] 28:20 >> my Master, ready to do Your will. >> [music] >> Glorify [music] my heart, cleanse me from within >> [music] >> and make me 28:40 holy. Glorify my heart, cleanse me from my [music] sin. >> [music] [music] 29:10 [music] [singing] [music] [music] [singing] 29:30 [music] [music] >> Yes, Lord. This is our prayer. A prayer that each one of us wants to lift to you, Lord. Our one desire is to be holy, to be set apart for all that you've done, Lord Jesus, 29:49 for the sacrifice you paid, Lord, for Gethsemane, for Calvary. Lord, this is our response, Lord, not just praise and gratitude, but worship, Lord, through the week. Our one desire is to be holy, Lord, to bring pleasure to your eyes, Father, just like Jesus 30:04 did. May that be true, Lord, of each of us here, even the children. And we need your Holy Spirit, Lord, through the week. In Jesus' name. Amen. Please be seated. >> Good morning. 30:35 Thank God for us being here. It's always a blessing to be in your midst. Uh in the midst of God and his people. We heard a lot of um uh, deep things today as we sang and uh, songs of consecration and 30:53 uh, that may not be true uh, in in our lives. Uh, but something that has really um blessed me and to think about how good God is is that there is a scripture uh, in I believe it's 2 Corinthians 8 uh, talks says that if there be first a 31:13 willing mind is accepted according to what a man hath and not according to what he doesn't have. Um, and for me uh, there's a there's a prayer that I pray uh, quite often and that that A.W. Tozer 31:31 had um that he was saying that he didn't have a longing for God. Uh, but in that prayer he said I long to be filled with longing. Um, and I want to want you uh, and he said I'm thirsty to be thirst more thirsty. Um, he didn't have that longing at that 31:50 time but he had a longing to be filled with longing. Um, and the Lord can take that. That's how good God is that he will accept that and then he can lead us to uh, that life of consecration where he's the most important thing and 32:04 uh, that is what I'm seeking in my life. Um We thank God for those who are online joining us. We always appreciative of you being with us online and and your prayer and your prayers for us and we thank you so much for that. 32:23 Uh, let us be mindful of our book of the month uh, which is all that Jesus taught and we we can find that at rclcf.church and just go to the this month and then you'll find a link there that's links to the CFC India website and it'll give you 32:40 a uh uh where you can read that all that Jesus taught and you also can go to YouTube as well uh for I believe there's 80 series um uh short series uh short uh verses or short messages by brother Zach uh that you can also go along with um 32:59 uh in addition to reading this. Uh all that Jesus taught by brother Zach. Uh this Wednesday at 6:30 we'll have our family fellowship in the park. So we'll be at North Lake Park um instead of here at the church. We normally have during 33:16 the summer as you know we normally have fellowship in the park um and then once we get uh once school starts again then we have we normally hear from brother Zach on the first uh Wednesday but uh since we're in the summer time we have the fellowship in 33:31 the park and it'll be in North Lake Park. And also on your uh bulletin you'll see uh brother's prayer meeting uh this Saturday but uh we uh will not be having that. So that'll be canceled. Uh no brother's prayer meeting uh this 33:47 Saturday. I believe that's all for announcements. If anyone wants to say their memory verse >> please come forward. >> Whoever 34:04 Whoever does the will of God is the my brother, sister and mother. Mark 3:35. >> Romans 8:28. God causes all things to 34:23 work together for good for those who love God. Romans 8:28. >> [applause] >> Romans 8:28. God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God. Romans 8:28. >> [applause] 34:42 >> Romans 8:28. God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God. Romans 8:28. >> Romans 8:28. God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God. Romans 8:28. >> Romans 8:28. God causes all things to 35:04 work together for good to those who love God. >> Matthew >> Romans 8:28. >> [applause] >> Whoever does the will of my father is my 35:23 father and mother, sister, and brother. Mark 3:35. >> [applause] >> Whoever does the will of God is my 35:44 brother, sister, and mother. Mark 3:35. >> Whoever does the Whoever does the will of God is my brother, sister, and and mother. Um Mark 3:35. >> [applause] >> Whoever does the will of God will be my 36:01 brother, sister, and mother. Mark 3:35. >> Whoever does the will of God is my brother and sister and mother. Mark 3:35. 36:20 >> [applause] >> Mark 3:35. Whoever does the will of God is my brother, my sister, and my mother. >> [applause] >> Mark 3:35, whoever does the will of God is my brother and sister and mother. Mark 3:35. >> For whoever does the will of God, he is 36:43 my brother and my sister and my mother. Mark 3:35. >> Whoever does the will of God is my brothers and my sister and my mother. Mark 3:35. >> Whoever does the will of God is my 37:01 brother and my sister and my mother. Mark 3:35. >> Whoever does Whoever does the will of God is my brother, sister, and mother. Mark 3:35. >> Whoever does the will of God is my brother and my sister and my mother. Mark 3:35. 37:22 >> If you cling to your life, >> If you cling to your life, >> you will lose it. >> You will lose it. >> But if you give up your life, >> But if you give it for my for me, >> you will find it. >> You'll find it. >> Matthew 10:39. 37:37 >> Matthew 10:39. >> [applause] >> Whoever does the will of God is my brother and sister and mother. Mark 3:35. >> Mark 3:35, whoever does the will of God 37:57 is my brother and sister and mother. Mark 3:35. >> Whoever does the will of God is my brother and sister and mother. Mark 3:35. >> Whoever does the will of God is my mother, 38:15 is my brother, my sister, and my mother. Mark 3:35. >> Romans >> Romans 8 2:28 We all know >> that God >> God >> works >> works together >> for the good >> for the good 38:34 for our >> those >> those >> who >> who love >> and >> and >> and >> and >> have >> have >> been >> been >> called >> called >> according >> according >> to >> to >> his >> his >> purpose >> Remember this. 38:52 Romans 8 2:28 >> [applause] >> Whoever does the will of God is my brother and sister and mother. Mark 3:35 Whoever does the will of God is my 39:10 brother, sister and mother in Mark 3:35 Whoever does the will of God is my brother and sister and mother. Mark 3:35 Whoever does the will of God is my 39:30 brother and sister and mother. Mark 3:35 Whoever does the will of God is my brother, sister and mother. Mark 3:35 God causes all things to work together for good for those who love God. Romans 39:47 8:28 If you cling to your life you will lose it. But if you give up your life for me 40:05 you will find it. Matthew 10:39 Mark 3:35 Whoever does the will of God is my brother and sister and mother. Mark 3:35. >> Whoever does the will of God is my 40:27 brother and sister and mother. Mark 3:35. >> Whoever does the will of God is my brother, sister, and mother. Mark 3:35. >> If you cling to your life, you will lose 40:46 it. If you give up your life for me, you will find it. Matthew 10: 39. >> [applause] >> Matthew 10:39. If you cling to your life, you will lose lose it. But if you give up your life for me, 41:03 you will find it. Matthew 10:39. >> [applause] >> Mark 3:35. If you do the will of God, you you are my brother, sister, and mother. Mark 3:35. >> Mark 3:35. Whoever does the will of God 41:21 is my brother, sister, and mother. Mark 3:35. >> Mark 3:35. Whoever does the will of God is my brother, sister, and mother. Mark 3:35. >> So, we'll see the 41:42 verse reference, the verse, and then the reference again. Second Corinthians 2:11. We forgive so that no advantage would be taken of us by Satan. Second Corinthians 2:11. Thank you, Father, for allowing us to be here on this I don't want to take it for 42:01 granted that you've allowed brought us into this place uh with you and your people, Lord, in such a precious place for us to be. Pray that you will speak to our hearts and fill us with the Holy Spirit. Lord, we want to hear from you, the spirit of 42:16 wisdom, revelation, and the knowledge of the Lord Jesus. We ask that you would do this for us in the name of Jesus. Amen. >> There's a interesting expression that 43:00 comes in Exodus. If you turn with me to Exodus, it says in Exodus 40, the end of verse 32, it says, "Just as 43:20 the Lord commanded Moses." And then it goes on at the end of verse 33, "Thus Moses finished the work." Everything that Moses did was as the Lord had commanded. He didn't go by what he felt was right, but he asked 43:39 whatever the Lord had spoken to him. He built the tabernacle according to what God had commanded. And because of that, it says in verse 34, "Then the cloud covered" Exodus 40 verse 34, "Then the cloud covered the tent of meeting, and the 43:56 glory of the Lord filled the tabernacle." And for us also, the Lord is calling us to do just the Lord has commanded us today as well and in that context I was thinking about what 44:15 we read in Matthew chapter 28 verse 18 to 20. Matthew 28 verse 18 to 20. And Jesus came up and spoke to them 44:34 all authority has been given to me in heaven and on earth. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit teaching them to obey or observe all that I've commanded you 44:53 and lo I am with you always even to the end of the age. And so Jesus also he's commanding us saying go and make disciples of all nations baptizing them. Who is the them? The disciples in the name of the Father, Son and the 45:13 Holy Spirit. And observe and teaching them to observe all that I've commanded you and so one of our callings is is to do this in the church. Every single one of us must be a disciple. 45:31 Jesus did not go and say go into the world and make believers. He said go into the world and make disciples. And so if God has commanded just like he commanded Moses, I want you to do it exactly as I commanded. So I say Lord, I 45:49 want to do it exactly as you commanded. You commanded to go and make disciples. And for each one of us, brother, sister, young person we must be a disciple of Jesus. We must know what it means to be a disciple of Jesus 46:06 and then be a disciple of Jesus. Some of us may have been disciples in the past and maybe today we are not a disciple. We read in John John chapter 6. You can turn with me to John chapter 6. Verse 60. 46:26 Therefore, many of his disciples, when they heard this, said, "This is a difficult statement. Who can listen to it?" These were disciples of Jesus who are following him and then when Jesus shared this word Jesus says to them, 46:46 "Does this cause you to stumble? Does this cause you to be offended? You are a disciple, but now the words I'm speaking to you are offending you." And then it goes on verse 66. John chapter 6 verse 66. As a result of 47:04 this, many of his disciples withdrew and were not walking with him anymore. At one point in time they were disciples. They were walking and following after Jesus. But something caused them to stumble. And so today it's good for us to make 47:24 sure and examine ourselves. Lord, am I a disciple today? And Jesus said, "Baptizing them." Baptize the disciples. And so today I I want to share about 47:43 one of the things that Jesus taught because he said, "Go and teach them all that I've commanded." And one of the first things that he's taught, which is found in Matthew 4:4. You can turn with me to Matthew 4:4. And if you have a Bible, it's good to 48:00 open up your Bible and find where these verses are. Matthew 4:4. But Jesus answered the devil and said, "It is written, man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that 48:18 proceeds out of the mouth of God." So Jesus said first, "A J, you must obey that word, and then you must teach others also to obey that word. You must go first and receive God's word and seek to teach others also 48:39 to receive it as well." But I did want to speak on this because Jesus said, "Go make disciples and baptize them." And as over the years, I've met different people 48:57 which have had different baptism experiences. Some were sprinkled, some were different traditions. Some didn't even know the Lord. Some did it because their friends did it. And it's good for us to know when Jesus commanded disciples to be baptized. It's 49:17 good for us to examine and see the baptism that I took, if we take in some other baptism, is it in lines with what Jesus commanded? If Jesus commanded to take baptism immersing us in water and coming out of the water, then we should 49:36 obey just as Jesus commanded. And so I want to encourage every one of us to read this book, The Good Foundation. When I was a teenager and I first came to know the Lord, this was one of the books I read. And it taught me about repentance, about 49:53 faith, about justification, about what it means to be a disciple of Jesus, and what baptism in water meant. And so I would encourage every single one of you, if you know how to read, it's a very simple book. And I believe that as as I spoken to 50:11 others as well, who are not sure, is the baptism I took genuine or not? As they read the book, most of them got a clarity. Yes, I needed to be baptized genuinely. And so, like Jesus said, 50:30 make disciples and baptize the disciples. And so, it's good for us to remember, what is a disciple? So, if you turn with me to Luke chapter 14, Luke chapter 14, verse 25. Luke chapter 14, verse 25. 50:54 Now, large crowds were going along with him, and he turned and said to them, verse 26, "If anyone comes to me and does not hate his own father, mother, wife, and children, and brothers, and sisters, yes, even his own life, 51:14 he cannot be my disciple." If I love anyone else, father, mother, brother, sister, more than Jesus, Jesus tells me, "Ajay, you cannot be a disciple. You love your children more than me, you love your wife more than me, you love 51:32 your parents more than me, some other relative you love more than me, you just cannot be my disciple." And so I take Jesus' word, and I say, "Lord, am I your disciple? Am I willing? And for me the test has been 51:51 if Jesus tells me to do something, and when I became a Christian from a non-Christian home, there were times where Jesus would tell me to do something, and I knew for sure if I did this, all of these people are going to get 52:07 offended at it. And I had a choice. Do I love all of these people or do I love Jesus? Am I willing to offend all of these people, or am I willing to offend Jesus? I have to make the choice. And you will, too. 52:26 Every disciple will have to make that choice. Who means more to them? Whoever does the will of God is my brother and sister and mother. I must, and there's going to be situations like that where we have to 52:45 make a choice. And who can be a disciple of Jesus? Is only the adults can be disciples of Jesus? What do you think? It's interesting. Jesus quotes the Old Testament. Even that verse that we read in Matthew 53:05 4:4, Jesus was quoting the Old Testament saying man shall not live by bread bread alone, but by every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God. There are very few verses that Jesus quotes in the in the scriptures. Um and one of them is found in John 53:22 chapter 6. This is a verse that I I take as a promise in the Old Testament, but it was wonderful to see that Jesus quotes this exact verse. John chapter 53:46 Actually, it's not John chapter 6. Uh it's John chapter Oh, actually it was John chapter 6. 54:05 John chapter 6 verse 43 onwards. John chapter 6 verse 43. Jesus answered and said to them, "Do not grumble among yourselves. For verse 44, no one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him, and I 54:25 will raise him up on the last day." Verse 45, "And it is written in the prophets, and they shall all be taught of God." And they shall all be taught of God. Jesus was quoting Isaiah 54:13. 54:43 Isaiah 54:13, and we'll turn there. But Jesus quoted the scripture that all shall be taught of the Lord. And so it just encouraged me that among all the verses in the Old Testament, this is one of the verses that Jesus knew very well, and he himself quoted. 55:02 And so I can say, "Lord, I I remember the time when you quoted this verse in the Old Testament." And so I can take this verse and say, "Lord, you yourself quoted this. Make it true." And if you turn with me to Isaiah 54 55:17 verse 13, and this is a verse that we can claim for our children, for each one of us, but especially for our children. In Isaiah 54:13, the verse that Jesus himself quoted. Verse 13, "All your sons 55:37 and daughters will be taught of the Lord. And in the margin of my Bible, verse 13, it says or disciples. Disciples. All your children will be disciples. 55:54 Go into the world and make disciples. Lord, you said to go and make disciples. You yourself quoted this verse saying that all your children shall be disciples. And it doesn't stop there. And their well-being of your children will be 56:12 great. And so I say this, Lord, you've called us to make disciples. You were the one who said all authority has been given to you to make disciples, and we want to obey you and make disciples not for just the old, but even for our children, 56:29 that they would be disciples of yours. And as I think about discipleship and baptizing disciples, I think about that first condition. Do I love Jesus more than everyone else? And so if you can turn with me to Ruth 56:46 chapter what? Ruth chapter 1. This is the time where Naomi, after losing her husband and losing her sons-in-law, has the two daughters-in-law, Ruth and 57:05 Orpah. And both of them say, "We're leaving Moab to come with you uh Naomi." And so if you turn with me to verse 6, and Naomi arose with her daughters-in-law that she might return to the land of Moab from the land of 57:23 Moab, for she had heard that in the land of in the land of Moab that the Lord had visited his people and giving them food. So she departed from that place where she was and her two daughter-in-laws with her and they went 57:37 on the way to return to the land of Judah. And Naomi said to her two daughter-in-laws, "Go, return to you each to his mother's house. May the Lord deal kindly with you as you have dealt with me and the dead. May the Lord grant you that you might 57:55 find rest in each of your house of your husband." Then she kissed them and they lifted up their voices and wept. Verse 10, and they said to her, "No, but we will surely return with you to your people." So, these two daughter-in-laws, after 58:14 spending 10 years with Naomi, they saw something about Naomi and the God that she served despite all the adversity that Naomi faced and they themselves faced. They saw something and that that made 58:31 them decide, "We also want to go back with you to be with you, your people, and follow after your God." And then Naomi goes and tells them, "But remember, if you go with me, you will not get a husband. 58:51 You'll have to stay probably single for the rest of your life." And she painted this bleak picture for both of them. And it says here later in verse 14, "And they lifted up their voices and wept again." They were very emotional. 59:10 They showed that they had a concern. They really wanted to go, but when the cost was laid down, "No more future for you. No more marriage prospects for you if you follow after me." Now Now had to count the cost. Was it worth following after this God 59:30 and these people are going back. And for each one of us, I believe that same choice comes when we put down the cost. When Jesus said, "Sit down and count the cost. Do you have enough money to build up this tower?" For Orpah, 59:53 again, emotional. Verse 14, "And lifted up her voices and wept again. Orpah kissed her mother-in-law and said goodbye. I'm going to go back. I'm going to go back to my family. The cost is too high. I'm going to go back." 1:00:10 And I love the verses. It It says here, "But Ruth what?" "Clung to her. Then she said, 'Behold, your sister-in-law has also gone back to her people and her gods. Return after her sister-in-law.' Verse 16, "But Ruth said, 1:00:24 'Do not urge me to leave you or turn back from following you. For where you go, I'll go. Where you lodge, I'll lodge. Your people shall be my people and your God my God. Where you die, I will die. There I will be buried. May the Lord do 1:00:41 to me and worse if anything but death parts you and me.' When she saw that she was determined to go with her, she said no more to her. You can tell which one was a disciple and which one carried along as long as the cost was not too high. 1:01:00 Once I do not and she said, "You know what? This is a disciple. This is not going to leave me. She's going to follow me wherever I go. God means to more to her than her family, everything she has." And I believe that says here in in 1:01:15 chapter 2, verse 11, "Does God notice when a person is a disciple and leaves everything to follow him? What do you think? Verse 11. Ruth chapter 2 verse 11. Boaz replied to her, "All that you have done to your mother-in-law after the 1:01:34 death of your husband has fully been reported to me. How left you How you left your father, mother, and the land of your birth and came to a people that you did not previously know." And this is the testimony of every disciple. 1:01:52 Verse 12. And she said, "I have found favor in your Oh, no. Verse 12. May the Lord reward your work for you have Your wages will be full from the Lord, God of Israel, under whose wings you have come to seek refuge." And for each one of us, brothers, 1:02:10 sisters, and young person, this must be our testimony. And if you go back and see in Matthew Matthew chapter 13. The message of the gospel, the message 1:02:29 of discipleship, is not just sell everything you have. If you turn with me to Matthew chapter 13. And I'm going to read this a little differently, but it says here Matthew 60 Matthew 13 Matthew 13. Verse 44. 1:02:55 And I'm going to misread it just to show you what I I'm emphasizing here. The kingdom of heaven is like a man that goes and sells all that he has. Is that what what it says? No, it doesn't say that. It says the kingdom of heaven is like a treasure 1:03:14 hidden in the field which a man found and hid again, and then from joy over it, he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field. Ruth found that hidden treasury in God. And that's why she was willing to give 1:03:34 up everything else. It wasn't The message wasn't leave everything. Full stop. No, it's leave everything not for It's You found the treasure. And that's why you leave everything. It goes on to say, "Again, the kingdom of 1:03:49 heaven is like men that seek fine pearls, and upon finding one pearl of great price, he went and sold all that he had and bought it." And as I read about pearls, 1:04:05 a pearl is usually found in 1 in 10,000 oysters. So, you if you open up 10,000 oysters, if you have time to, after 10,000 oysters, you'll find a pearl. And it even those pearls of great price 1:04:23 are even more rare. 1 in 10,000. And it's beautiful. It says here in Song of Solomon, chapter 5. If you turn with me to Song of Solomon, chapter 5. When it speaks of the bridegroom, Song of Solomon, chapter 5, 1:04:42 verse 10. Song of Solomon, chapter 5, verse 10. "My beloved is dazzling and ready, outstanding among among 10,000." And for those who have seen him to be 1:05:00 outstanding among 10,000, who have seen him to be the pearl of great price, they're the ones who will sell everything for him. Mother, father, any possession, anything will not be too much of a price because they've seen 1:05:17 the one who's more beautiful than 10,000, chief of 10,000. If you turn with me as well to John chapter 9, leaving father, mother, and hating their own self. And if I think of John in John chapter 9, John chapter 9. 1:05:37 If you This is the blind man after he's been given sight. What would you do if all through your life you were blind and you got sight? What would you do? I know one of the thoughts that came to 1:05:55 my mind. I got sight now. There's so much of this world I have not seen yet. The lake of Galilee, I've to go and see all of these people, my parents, all of these things. There's so much to see and I've I've I've wasted so much of my years not 1:06:12 seeing all the things that I need to see. Let me go and see the world. Let me go and enjoy all the things that I missed out for all these years. And I see that those who Jesus has bought, I bet you've 1:06:29 been bought with a price. Therefore, glorify God with your body. And I see that this man, what did he seek for? He got his eyes. He could have gone and done so many things and saw all of the world. What did he want to see? 1:06:47 Verse 35, John 9:35. Jesus heard that they put him out of the synagogue and finding him, he said, "Do you believe in the Son of man?" And he answered, "Who is he that I may believe?" My eyes are for my savior. I want to see him. 1:07:06 Yes, all the other things can wait. These eyes that you have given me, you've restored. I want to see you. In verse 37, Jesus said to him, "You have both seen him, and he is the one who's talking to you." Who does Jesus reveal himself even 1:07:25 today? Who's the one who's He speaks to? It's the ones who are disciples of His, the ones who have taken their eyes and their ears and gave it back to Him. To say, "Lord, these eyes are for you." This tongue that you've given, it's for 1:07:40 you, Lord. And when I think about these eyes, this man had a pure eyes. Free from all its in brand new eyes. And when I look at these little babies, few week old babies, and I see their eyes, what purity. I wouldn't be surprised if they can see 1:07:57 the heavenlies because of their eyes are so pure. When I look at them, I say, I say, "Lord, it says, 'Cleanse yourself from all filthiness of flesh and spirit in the fear of the Lord.'" Second Corinthians chapter 7. I think it's verse 1 and 2. 1:08:16 Cleansing our eyes with all filthiness. And because of what Christ did to our eyes, can these little children, when they look at our eyes, what do they see? Do they see pure eyes? I say, "Lord, make my eyes pure so that 1:08:31 they can have fellowship >> [laughter] >> with me." And so the bodies that God has given us, we don't live for ourselves and our soul. He who We heard from the children, he 1:08:48 who saves his life will lose it. But the one who finds life is the one who lost it. They gave up their eyes, they gave up their tongue for the Lord, and they'll find that they have And it says that verse 39 and this is a 1:09:05 promise that we can all take up. When you say this person is blind, you'll say there's a they the only way they can see again is if God does a miracle. What if we're spiritually blind? Oh, yeah, that they can we'll take them 1:09:20 to a a meeting, a special meeting, a and then they'll get to their spiritual eyes will be open. I say no. Unless God does a greater miracle and opens their eyes. We none of us can see spiritually. And it says here verse 39, 1:09:40 And Jesus said, "For judgment I came into this world so that those who do not see may see. And those who are see may be blinded. I say, "Lord, do that for each one of us. Open our eyes that we may see you. 1:09:59 Let us see that one who's chief among 10,000. The one that Stephen saw. The look that Peter saw. All of this once they saw Jesus, their lives were never the same again. And I say, "Lord, do that, Lord. 1:10:17 Do that for each one of us. It takes a miracle and only God can open up the eyes of the blind. In Luke 24, two disciples walked with Jesus along the road. And it says in Luke 24, it says their eyes were 1:10:41 verse 16, Luke 24:16, but their eyes were prevented from recognizing him. They had physical eyes. They heard Jesus speaking to him. Yet, even though they were walking and heard Jesus himself, they saw the physical Jesus, 1:11:00 they could not recognize him. Mary also thought he was the gardener. Many people, they could not recognize him even if Jesus was there in front of them. What makes me think that I'm going to recognize Jesus? Unless God reveals him to me. 1:11:17 It's impossible. When John was standing in the shore, he said, "It's the Lord." The song we sang, "It's the Lord." When he saw the catch of fish, God must do that for us. We must be able to also say, "This is the Lord." 1:11:37 And it says there in verse So, that was They weren't able to recognize him and then when they pleaded with them, "Stay with us." It says verse 31, "Then their eyes were opened that they may recognize him." And he vanished from their sight. 1:11:53 For us too as well, Jesus must break that same bread for us as well that we may recognize him. If we do recognize him, we [clears throat] will give up all for him. But the reason I share this with us this morning is >> [clears throat] 1:12:12 >> Jesus asked us to baptize those who were disciples. And when I was a new believer, I remember I was hesitant because I was a coming from a non-Christian home. Until now, my faith was inside my heart. Once I got baptized, it was an open 1:12:31 testimony that I was now a follower of Jesus. And I knew what the consequences may be from that day onwards. But the Lord cared for me and he knew that I was being disobedient to his word and he sent a traveling preacher who'd 1:12:47 come and after the meeting was over that Sunday, he came, took me to a room and spoke to me and said, "Ajay, are you born again?" I said, "Yes." "Is the old life is the old Ajay dead? The one who loved to sin, is he dead?" I 1:13:04 said, "Yes, he is." Then he asked me the question. "Are you baptized?" And I was waffling there and he says, "Ajay, since your old man your old Ajay is dead, why are you dragging him around? 1:13:21 You must bury him." He said that and he left. And after that the Holy Spirit was speaking to me. "Ajay, you decided to follow me. Your old man is dead. Why are you not getting baptized?" The Holy Spirit convicting me, convicting me. The preacher has long 1:13:39 gone, but the Holy Spirit was speaking to my heart saying, "Ajay, you're not been baptized." And then was baptized some time later in obedience to God. This morning, I don't know how many of you have been baptized who have what 1:13:57 type of baptism you've taken or you haven't been baptized. But I hope that you will do what Jesus said. That you would sit down and count the cost. Because Jesus said, "Make disciples and baptize them." Perhaps you're also waiting for the day 1:14:15 that somebody comes and knocks on your door and says, "Are you baptized? Why are you not baptized? Are you a disciple of his? Is your old life been crucified and buried? If not, what's preventing you from being baptized? 1:14:34 And if you haven't been baptized and it was not a genuine baptism, maybe today is the day the Lord is telling you to get baptized. I don't know, but you know. And as you read the book Good Foundation and read through the God's word, 1:14:53 if God is speaking to you to take baptism, be obedient to his word. There is one thing that 1:15:09 I see in scripture that Jesus often would observe animals and plants and tell parables. He'd say, "Can a camel go through the eye of a needle?" Can unless you um "Won't you untie the donkey and take it 1:15:29 to the water?" Many times he'd say, "See the lilies of the valley. See See the lilies. See the birds of the air." And so I I think that Jesus often would observe the animals and one spring I remember in our house we had some birds 1:15:48 that made a nest in our house. And as the birds uh grew up, the chicks grew up, within a few weeks the mother chick would go and then poke these little chicks. And I always remember that and I was like, "Is that so cruel? You You lay 1:16:08 these eggs. You hatch these chicks and and as these chicks are like little chicks, you're starting to poke them." And I'm like, "Why are you doing this?" And there was a lesson that I learned from those that that little that little 1:16:22 mother and father bird. The mother and father bird knew that these little chicks one day would need to go and feed for themselves. That they the mother father chick could not always get the food and give it to the chicks. 1:16:38 The chicks would have to learn to go and find the food and get it for themselves. And I never forgot that lesson. These birds know something about how their children need to spend for themselves than sometimes us parents 1:16:54 men. And I learned that the hard way because after 8 years of going to a church similar to ours every Sunday hearing God's word spoken to me. Godly brothers taking God's word and sharing it with me. They would spend throughout the week 1:17:12 hearing from the Lord then give it to me on Sunday. I'll take it and week after week I was like that little chick getting the food every week. But I didn't know how to feed myself. And there came a time in my life when I came to the United States and I 1:17:30 backslid and I got discouraged. And I was like, "Why, Lord? Why?" This was the reason. I did not know how to feed myself. I did not know how to get God's word for myself and read it for myself. Hear the Lord for myself. 1:17:49 And when God restored me and encouraged me there was two decisions I made. I said one I will always remember to learn to hear from the Lord myself. Yes, I want to hear on Sunday. I want to hear on midweek studies. I want that. 1:18:05 But I also need to learn how to hear from the Lord myself. Every single one just like Samuel did at a young age said "Speak, Lord. Your servant is listening." There's no age where you can't say "Lord, speak to 1:18:22 me. I'm listening. I'm My ears are open to what you have to say to me." And the second thing I decided that day is I'm going to tell others as well. Don't make the mistake I made of only listening on a Sunday 1:18:41 or a Wednesday meeting. Learn to hear the Lord for yourself. It's so important. The first one of the first things that Jesus said, "Man shall not live by bread alone, but every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God." 1:18:57 And so for each one of you, I remember when I came from California into Colorado, one of the first things that was on my heart, I saw that Jesus would slip away to go and be by himself. Often he said in John 18:2, he'd often 1:19:14 disappear and go and be with his disciples at the garden in John 18:2. I said, "Lord, you met often with your disciples." I pray that you'd do that for me. I'm your disciple, Lord. Let there be a garden where I can meet 1:19:31 with you as well. And it doesn't have to be a garden. It could be any place. And so when I came to Colorado, that was one of the first things I decided to I want to find a place. I always wanted to be near some river or 1:19:43 some water and go sit there, take my Bible, and just say, "Lord, speak to me." I want to hear from you. Jesus, you did that. Even though Jesus was staying in a house with his disciples, yet he wanted to find some time alone 1:19:57 with his father. Even though he was staying with godly people in his home, even in Nazareth with his mother, yet he took time to find a place alone. Whether it's in a room or whether it's in a place where you can go and spend 1:20:12 time alone with the Lord. I would encourage that. Every single one of us can find some place. I believe Jesus wants to speak to us. And he longs to speak to us. Are we going to meet with him? And there's a beautiful thing that I I 1:20:32 read in Luke I mean sorry Ruth Ruth Ruth chapter two verse 14 Ruth chapter 2 verse 14 and you can all claim this promise for yourself like I do. 1:20:50 At mealtime Boaz said to her come here that you may eat bread and dip your piece of bread in the vinegar. So she sat beside the reapers and she served and he served her roasted grain and she ate and was satisfied. And she had some left. 1:21:08 When the Lord feeds us we will be satisfied. When he speaks to us we'll be satisfied and we'll also have leftovers to give to others as well. And I say Lord do this for me. You said he who eats who who believes in me uh believes in me and thirst in me will 1:21:26 not be hungry and he'll not be thirsty and I say Lord I pray Lord that you would speak to me that I would be satisfied in you. And sometimes we go there and Lord I want you to speak to me. Maybe we come back and Lord I felt that 1:21:42 you didn't speak to me Lord. Do we give up? No. I say Lord I'm going to go again. I want to hear from you. Knock on that door again. And then I come back. Lord I felt like I didn't hear from you yet. Knock again. Elijah said to his servant go and see if 1:21:59 the cloud has come the rain has come yet. He went seven times. On the seventh time he saw that small cloud. Sometimes it takes time. But I just say Lord I want to hear from you. I want to hear from you until you speak. I I'm going to cling on to you. I'm not 1:22:15 going to let you go. And this beautiful promise he says this is what Boaz said. When she Ruth rose to glean Boaz commanded the servants saying, "Let her glean even among the sheaves, and do not insult her." Verse 16, 1:22:34 "And you shall purposely pull out for her some grain and some bundles and leave it for her so that she may glean. Do not rebuke her." Meaning, as she's going and gleaning, you go and take some of those grains and put it there so that 1:22:53 she thinks that she found that that grain there out of her own effort. She went and gleaned. But no, you go put there purposely. You put some grain there so that when she's going, she'll find the grain and she'll think that it was her own effort. 1:23:09 But it wasn't. The servants went ahead and put those grain there so that she could easily pluck it out. And I was thinking, "Lord, for me also, when I go through your word, Lord, I pray, Lord, make it easy for me. Put the grain there so that as I go and I'm 1:23:25 seeking to hear from you, Lord, that it'll come easily for me." These are promises that we can ask, Lord. Sometimes you might go and say, "Lord, I find it difficult to hear from you." Say, "Lord, do what you did for Ruth. Go 1:23:40 ahead, Lord, and put the grain for me so that it's easy for me to pluck it out and hear from you." Do you believe God will do that for you if you ask him? It says "evil unbelieving heart." Would you con- con- consider an 1:23:58 unbelieving heart evil? That's what it says in Hebrews, chapter 3, "an evil unbelieving heart that leaves the living God." And I say, "Lord, I don't want to have an evil unbelieving heart. What you did for Ruth and made it easy for her to get grain, 1:24:15 how much more will you make it easy for me to get the grain from your word?" It says in um Genesis chapter 41 verse 49, in the days of plenty, you might remember Joseph had to collect the grain. It said that he collected so much grain 1:24:35 that they couldn't count it anymore. There was too much to count. That's how much abundance that he had. So that when the time of famine came ahead, they had plenty to spare. Brother, sister, young person, this is the time of plenty where we need to go 1:24:50 and say, "Lord, let me store up grain for the days ahead." Lord, let me hear my bridegroom. It says that Jesus was the one Why do we read God's word? Is it just to get some more knowledge? That's what Jesus said many people were 1:25:11 doing in the days of If you turn with me John chapter 5, how do we go to God's word? Is it to go get something something new? Like the people in Athens wanted to always hear something new. Is that something John chapter 5, 1:25:29 verse 39, "What's the reason I search the scriptures? You search the scriptures because you think that in them you have eternal life." Verse 39, "These that testify about me." Verse 40, "And you are unwilling to come to me so that you may 1:25:49 have life. You're unwilling. You want to come to God's word. You want to hear it, but you're unwilling to come to me." I say, "Lord, the reason I come to your word is because I want to come to you. I want to come close to you. I want to hear from 1:26:05 you. I want you to speak to me." And I say, "Lord, please do that for every single one of us. Every single one of us." In Song of Solomon, it talks about the bridegroom knocking on the door saying, "Open up to me. Open up to me. It's 1:26:22 raining out here. Please open up to me." And she delayed. She was waiting for the feelings to come up and get ready and say, "Okay, I'll come." And then by By the time the feelings arose for her to open up for the bridegroom, 1:26:38 do you know what happened? The bridegroom had all had already gone. And I said, "Lord, I never want that to happen. Where I'm hesitating. I'm delaying. You were waiting to talk to me. You were waiting to meet with me. And because I 1:26:55 delayed, you went away, Lord." It says in that That was in chapter five, Song of Solomon chapter five. In Song of Song of Solomon chapter three verse one and two, it says that she got up from the bed and she went and searched for him 1:27:12 whom her soul loves. And she went there and went and searched. Young brother, sister, maybe today you're feeling like that. I feel that the Lord is distant from me. I feel like I can't hear him like I once did. What should you do? 1:27:27 Get up from that bed and go and search. Don't wait for the feelings. Go and search for him who your soul loves. And you will find him. And it says that once she found him, she did what Ruth did. She clung onto him and said, "I will not let you go." 1:27:47 May the Lord do that for us as well. Just like that woman, the bride went and searched for her bridegroom. Let us also go and find that find our bridegroom. May he be the chief of 10,000. 1:28:05 May he be the pearl of great price. May the Lord open our eyes to see him and recognize him like he did with those disciples at Emmaus. And once he opens our eyes supernaturally through his Holy Spirit, may we follow him with all our heart. 1:28:24 Jesus said, "Make disciples, baptizing them, teaching them to do all that I commanded. And lo, with the church that does this, I will be with them. I will be in the midst of them till the end of the age." Let's pray. Heavenly Father, I pray for every single 1:28:43 one of us here, Lord. Lord, no matter how hard we try, we cannot see you unless your hope Holy Spirit comes and reveals the things of Jesus, we will be blind to spiritual things, Lord. There's more hope for people who are 1:28:58 physically blind to see than a person who's spiritually blind. But what is impossible, God, is possible with God with with What is impossible with man is possible with God. And I pray, Lord, that you would open up our eyes to see Jesus. Holy 1:29:13 Spirit, reveal Jesus to us, Lord. I pray, Lord, once we've seen the chief of 10,000, I pray that many of us will be disciples. We will be disciples, Lord, and we will obey everything that you've 1:29:29 commanded, Lord. Please do this miracle in our midst, Lord. In Jesus' name. Amen. Children, you may go to your Sunday school classes. >> Thank 1:30:48 Thank the Lord for what we've heard. Um just wanted to share something that the Lord has been pressing on my heart and um working with me on um this my >> [clears throat] >> my attitude and the use of my tongue 1:31:07 and how I can be a light in that area. A lot of times we [clears throat] hear about being a light in many different circles of believers, different denominations, different groups. Um 1:31:26 I think they have that in common to win the loss and to tell people about Jesus and to be a light. Um but it can mean a lot of things to depending on what group you're in. Um and 1:31:43 but I I see in the scriptures there is one place where it tells us clearly uh how to be a light. And in Philippians 2 starting with verse 12 Uh 12 through 16 it says, "Therefore, 1:32:09 my beloved, as you have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling. For it is God who works in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure." 1:32:28 And this particular verse in verse 14 says, "Do all things without complaining and disputing." Um and I sometimes I try to look up what a particular word means. Um and in those 1:32:48 those words uh complaining talks about a secret displeasure that is not publicly a- uh avowed or not publicly known. Um and disputing is a inward questioning. It's a deliberation with yourself in the heart. 1:33:07 Uh complaining can be something that is on the outside that a lot of people everyone don't know, but it could be known like you know, in my instance, it could be me, you know, hearing people talking about the boss and um how you 1:33:23 have a displeasure of what's going on and you know, we get together in little huddles and or one-on-one and talk about our displeasure. Or whatever the situation may be. Uh it's not something that's publicly known. And and the Bible says to do all 1:33:38 things without complaining or disputing, which is something that is inward. Uh inward uh a secret displeasure that is inward uh and you questioning things that are going on. Um so he said, "Do all things without 1:33:55 complaining and disputing. Verse 15, that you may become blameless and harmless, children of God without fault in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world. 1:34:15 And how we can do that is that we hold fast, as we heard today, holding fast the word of life. So that Paul is saying that I so that I may rejoice in the day of Christ that I have not ran in vain or labored in vain. Um and we see in in this particular 1:34:34 passage, in the context of this passage, the Holy Spirit says through Paul that we are to work out our salvation with fear and trembling uh in the area of complaining and disputing, both outward and inward. 1:34:50 But I believe that we're a a light to the Father first of all. Uh that before we are light to anyone else, I believe we can be a light, reverently speaking, a light to the Father first, uh who looks at a crooked and perverse world of 1:35:08 complainers uh and see a few shining lights uh from those who don't complain with the mouth or in the heart uh because of their present circumstances. I'm not sitting here as one who has fully achieved this um 1:35:26 but the Lord is really has really helped me in this area uh and it is my long aim and my pursuit that I would come to this area where I would do all things, no matter what it is, uh without complaining and without uh disputing. 1:35:43 Um and the Lord can help us in this. And then we can be a light to the world also. Um recently a brother shared something with me. Uh, he was talking about how a particular person came to the Lord. Um, and he was saying that 1:36:00 uh, what brought him to the Lord was seeing a person at work. Day after day he was watching a person at work. Um, and how he behaved himself and how he carried himself and how he used his tongue and how his behavior and attitude in the 1:36:18 workplace. And that particular person said that no one could with words, no one could convince him to be a Christian because this guy was very smart. Um, and you couldn't talk to him in an intellectual way to convince him that 1:36:34 God was real and that Christianity was real. Uh, but he said watching this particular person day after day for years, um, he came to the Lord because of something he saw and um, and as we were hearing today that the Lord can open our 1:36:51 eyes to see uh, Christ-likeness. He can open our eyes to see Christ and that what can draw us to the Lord Jesus. And uh, and just one more verse in uh, first Peter uh, 21. First Peter 21, a 1:37:10 a passage of scripture that is really uh, I keep coming back to and it's uh, been near and dear to my heart um, I'll say over the past year or so. First Peter 2 and 21. It says, "For to you 1:37:30 for to this you were called because Christ also suffered uh, Christ suffered for us, leaving us an example that you should follow his steps. And he committed no sin nor was deceit found in his 1:37:48 Who when he was reviled did not revile in return. When he suffered he did not threaten. And he was able to do this because he kept committing himself to him who judges righteously. Uh and it talks about how Jesus was using his 1:38:09 tongue and his attitude in sufferings and attitudes and when certain things are happening in his life that could cause at that secret displeasure. Uh but he kept committing himself to him who judges righteously and he was able 1:38:22 to to not sin with his tongue. He said he committed no sin and there was no deceit that was found in his mouth. Uh and we see the glory of Jesus uh who was the light of the world when he was on this earth. Um and we can be transformed into that 1:38:40 image by the Holy Spirit from one degree of glory to another. And I thank God for that and how Peter was able to write this about Jesus. And he watched him day after day and he saw how Jesus was in so many different situations and he was 1:38:57 able to write that Jesus is our perfect example in this area. And I want to follow that and the Holy Spirit, as I said before, can show us the glory of Jesus. He show us the glory He showed us the glory of Jesus. Uh and something that is always I always 1:39:13 say that God doesn't have to do anything. Uh he always complete his work a work that he starts, he completes. So if he showed us the glory of Jesus, he doesn't just leave us there. He will complete the work by transforming us into that 1:39:28 image that he showed us. Uh and it may not happen all at once, but he can do it from one degree of glory to another. Uh and it's all done by the Holy Spirit and when we seek for For power of the Holy Spirit uh that we can come to this life 1:39:43 of of no complaint, doing all things without complaining or disputing. >> On Wednesday, 1:40:18 >> [clears throat] >> Wednesday night we heard this story of a missionary to Japan named Paget William, or sorry, Paget Wilkes. Um, and one of the things that we heard stood out stood out to me and that he said that uh the limiting factor 1:40:33 uh that unbelief unbelief can be the limiting factor in our Christian life and what God is able to accomplish. Um, and it made me think of this verse in Romans chapter 1. In Romans 1 verse 17, it says 1:40:54 about the gospel, for in the gospel the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith, as it is written but the righteous men shall live by faith. Um, and I was the phrase from faith to faith has been on my heart this week that I know that I 1:41:11 was born again by faith and when I first came to the Lord I was saved through faith. I called on God's name. I believed that he could save me. Um, but I need that same kind of faith to continue in the Christian life. It's 1:41:22 not just uh I believe Lord that you forgave me, um but now I need that same faith to have a daily salvation and I need uh faith for daily sanctification and to become more like Jesus and really change for him to change me. 1:41:37 Uh and second Sorry, first 1 Thessalonians chapter 5. 1 Thessalonians 5:23 1:42:03 says, "Now may the God of peace himself sanctify you entirely and may your spirit and soul and body be preserved complete without blame at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ." And then it says, "Faithful is he who called you and he will bring it to 1:42:17 pass." And this encourages me that the one who calls me is faithful and he will accomplish it that I can anchor my faith in God and what he'll do. Um and one thing I've been seeing is that God isn't pleased uh by me trying harder, having some more 1:42:34 clever way to approach the Christian life or a a better idea about how to overcome sin. Um in Hebrews 11:6 it says, "And without faith it is impossible to please God." And so even if I manage to by self-effort and cleverness remove some 1:42:49 outward sin, but inwardly I replace it with pride uh then it's not real victory in my life and it would be better that I learned humility uh than to become outwardly improved but then inwardly be full of pride and uh in James chapter 4:10 1:43:08 he says, "Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord and he will exalt you." And this is the thing that's been on my heart is that true faith is uh is evidenced by humility. It doesn't come to the Lord saying, "I can handle this now. I can do this." 1:43:24 Comes to the Lord saying, "I need you. Uh please save me, Lord. Help me." Verse Romans chapter 10:13 says, "Whoever will call on the name of the Lord will be saved." Um and I've been thinking about as a picture of this, I've been thinking 1:43:39 about the story of Peter sinking in the sea when he went to walk on water in Matthew chapter 14. And he didn't pull himself back up out of the water with a new idea or 1:43:58 uh some effort. He didn't have have some trick to get out of the water. He didn't have a plan. It says in Matthew 14 verse 30, "But seeing the wind, he became frightened and began to sink." And he cried out, "Lord, save me." And 1:44:14 it was just a simple prayer, "Lord, save me." And this uh this is the prayer that's been on my heart. And Jesus didn't stand far away just frowning at him. Um instead it says in verse 31, "Immediately, Jesus stretched out his 1:44:27 hand and took hold of him and said, 'You have little faith, why did you doubt?'" Um and yeah, the word immediately there encourages me that there's this immediacy. As soon as we cry out to the Lord, we say, "Lord, help me." 1:44:40 Uh that he's immediately there to reach down. And sometimes when I don't know how to uh resolve what's going on inside of me or uh whatever struggle I face, I can know that the Lord is there ready to help. Uh last Sunday when I shared that we 1:44:55 shouldn't see God as hard and austere and always frowning at us, and uh that helped me just to remember that the Lord is smiling at me, and the Lord is eager to help. And it can actually be a kind of unbelief uh if I see God as a hard taskmaster because I 1:45:15 may be reluctant to come to him and stay away from him. Uh but Peter's story shows that Jesus is eager and ready to reach out his hand. Um so God isn't pleased by my self-assurance, he's pleased by my faith. And that faith believes that God is good 1:45:30 and God is ready to help me. So, um yeah, that's what I want today in my life is just that not just when I feel strong, but even in moments of failure and maybe even more so in moments of failure to have faith that the Lord is 1:45:43 the one who can save me that I can come to him in humility and faith. >> Yeah, 1:46:15 as [clears throat] we were hearing about uh having faith um I was reminded of uh a situation this last week that uh um just a little troubled in my heart. I didn't know why. Uh and then this verse came to my mind 1:46:34 which was John chapter 14. Do not let your heart be troubled. Believe in God, believe also in me. And when our heart is troubled faith is what is going to help us during that time of troubling just like we 1:46:53 heard just now and and there was just a simple promise. In Malachi it says uh I love you, says the Lord. Simple promise. And then I was reminded of John 17:23. Lord, how much do you love me? The Father loves you just as much as he 1:47:11 loves Jesus and from a troubled heart God can encourage us through his promises if we have faith. And so I was just wanted to say that as a word of encouragement as we close. Uh let's pray. Heavenly Father, yes. 1:47:31 You're so appreciative when we have faith in you, Lord. Confidence on you. And dependence on you, Lord. You have such joy to believe your promises. Yes, Jesus loves me. Yes, the Father loves me as much as he did Jesus. 1:47:50 And I pray, Lord, that you would encourage every single one. I pray, Lord, that even today, Lord, that you would keeps as you keep speaking, I pray, Lord, that our hearts will be receptive to hear you speak to us personally. And I pray, 1:48:03 Lord, that we would come to know you as a bridegroom knows a bride knows her bridegroom. I pray, Holy Spirit, reveal the things of Jesus. Show us Jesus to us, Lord. I pray that you would do that. I know this is a miracle. 1:48:17 And I pray, Lord, that you would do this miracle in the lives of each of us in Jesus' name. Amen.
