0:07 So, usually when we have a number of sessions like that like this week conference in the past I try to speak on one theme in one session and that means if you have nine sessions 0:23 we speak on nine different subjects. But the way I believe that the Lord has led me this time is to speak on a number of small small points uh all new covenant truths 0:41 that many of you have heard which need to be emphasized again. And I written them down so that I don't forget. And I call them 0:59 new covenant proverbs. You know how the book of Proverbs is? Each verse is something different from the previous one. And we think about each of those verses. It's not like many other passages in scripture where which is a continuous 1:18 stream of thought. So, that's what I want to call this new covenant proverbs. And these are many of these are truths that we have emphasized through the years because our distinct emphasis in all our CFC new covenant churches 1:38 is to emphasize the new covenant mainly because very little of that is being preached in a lot of Christendom. In fact, many Christians I believe live under the old covenant. The old covenant 1:57 was abolished on the day of Pentecost. The old covenant is the way people lived in Israel. And one of the primary characteristics of people who lived under that covenant was they were defeated by sin. So, think of these let's think of these new 2:17 covenant proverbs. I want to begin by quoting a verse before I get into those proverbs themselves. And that is Proverbs chapter 4 if you'll turn with me in your Bible to Proverbs 4 and verse 18. This 2:40 this is the path that God wants you to walk every day of your life. The path of the righteous. The righteous is the person who's been declared righteous by Christ sins forgiven 2:58 clothed with the righteousness of Christ declared righteous and progressively becoming righteous. And for such people it says the path of the righteous is like the light of dawn. That's the sunrise 3:20 that shines more brighter and brighter until the noon day position. So, this I want to say to all of you if you don't if you haven't believed it start believing it now that God's will for you and for all of his children from the day they are born 3:38 again till the day they end their life on earth or Christ comes whichever is earlier is to be like the sun at sunrise that's when you're born again symbolically and God's will is that progressively at least year by year 3:58 just like we grow older one year two year three years like children grow the our path must be like the sun rising in the sky brighter and brighter and brighter our Christian life becoming brighter means more Christ like 4:13 less of self and more of Christ the sun rises rises rises until the noon day position which is when Christ comes back. That is God's will. And you know the sun never backslides in the sky. 4:32 It's continuously steadfastly it's the movement of the sun is not visible to the eye because the movement is so slow as we look at it. And spiritual growth is like that. It's not always visible it's slow but 4:51 if you look at a person after a year you should have grown. You look at that sun after 1 hour it's not in the same place. So, this Proverbs 4:18 is a perfect description of how our spiritual life should be. And if it's not like that our goal in 5:08 this conference is to try and be gripped by this truth and hopefully that all of your lives will become better changed to be more Christ like when you go back. Which will be seen primarily if you're married by your 5:28 partner. The testimony of your wife or husband is one of the finest tests of whether you're growing spiritually. Not the testimony of your elder brother who sees less than 10% of your life. 5:46 But your wife your husband and your children if they are bold enough to tell you they are the ones who can discern whether you're growing spiritually or not. Remember that 6:04 because they see us all the time. People in the office the factory in our home in our church sees 10% they see 10% of your life and the 10% of our life that they see they can be deceived and we can be 6:21 deceived by their opinion about us. So, let's begin. The first one new covenant proverbs. That's the first promise in the New Testament Matthew 1:21. 6:41 Jesus came to save his people from their sins. On the very first page of the New Testament we have this written in bold letters the very first promise it's not a 7:00 command distinguish between commands and promises. The Old Testament was full of commands. The New Testament is not doesn't begin with you shall not sin but a promise Jesus 7:20 will save his people from their sins. So, that is the difference between the old covenant and the new covenant that we are not just forgiven. The old covenant was the promise was your sins will be 7:38 forgiven Psalm 103 verse 3 bless the Lord oh my soul who forgives all your sins. Every single one of your sins is forgiven. So, if we have only forgiveness we haven't experienced a new covenant 7:57 because they had that in Psalm 103 1,000 years before Christ came David said that. So, in the new covenant if we are at that level we are in the we're living at an old covenant level even though we claim to be new covenant 8:13 Christians. So, salvation from sin is more than forgiveness of sins. When I say I'm saved it's a very common expression among believers I'm saved. So, many people it is only saved from hell. But do you know that the expression of 8:31 being saved from hell is never found in the New Testament. It's it's a expression a lot of believers use but the God's not interested in saving us from hell as much as he's interested in saving us from sin. God Jesus came to save us from sin. 8:48 Hell is the end result of people's lives. So, let me turn now also to in the same connection to in Matthew 7:14 where we read the gate is small 9:06 and the way is narrow that leads to life. And few there be that find it. Do you really believe that there are only very few who find the way to life? It says here there's a gate 9:28 and there's a way. The gate is forgiveness. The way is being saved from sin. We start with forgiveness. You you have to come through that that's the gate. But if you're only forgiven you're at the gate. 9:47 You come through the gate it's like coming to the starting line of an Olympic marathon race. That itself is a great honor if you're asked to represent your country at the marathon race and you get to the starting line, you can stand there and 10:03 glory in the fact that I was selected to represent my country in the marathon race. But if you just stand there, that's not why they sent you there. A lot of Christians are like that. They come to the starting line and say, "Boy, 10:14 I got here." But that's just to be the beginning of our life. The gate The narrow is the The gate is small and the way is narrow that leads to life. So, where is life? Picture this in your mind. Uh small gate 10:32 a narrow way and at the end of it life. That small gate is forgiveness. The narrow way is the way of a life of progressively overcoming sin. Every step takes you closer to the goal. The goal is becoming like Christ. 10:49 So, the picture of a race is very clear. Every step be more and more like Christ. And finally we become completely like Christ. That's the finishing line. So, when we say that Jesus is my savior, I've asked sometimes people this 11:08 question. Um what's your experience with sin? Well, he says, "I fall. I get up and I'm forgiven. And then I fall again sometimes in the same area and I ask the Lord to forgive me and I'm forgiven." Then I say to such a brother or sister, 11:27 then say Jesus is my forgiver. He's not my savior. Because he's not saved me from my anger. He's not saved me from lusting after women. He's not saved me from getting upset with people. He's not saved me from hardly anything. But he's forgiven 11:40 me. Every day forgives me. I sin, I get up and he forgives me. And I probably I sin 10 times a day. I get up 10 times and I'm forgiven. Be honest and say Jesus is my forgiver. He is not yet my savior. Because he's not saved me from 11:55 lusting. He's not saved me from anger. He's not saved me from the love of money. I'm running after the money. I'm not being saved from it. So, sometimes we fool ourselves using the wrong words. There are Christians who watch 12:10 pornography. What What does Jesus save them from? Maybe they repent after it is over and say, "Oh Lord, forgive me." So, we must be honest and say, "Lord, you're my forgiver, but that's not what you came to be. That's I'm living in 12:22 Psalm 103. So, here is the first promise that we must begin here and say, even if you've never taken this seriously, I hope it will be from this conference onwards that you will say, "Lord, I want to enter into this new 12:37 covenant life beginning today. Please help me. Give me faith to believe your word. Matthew 1:21. He came to save us from our sins. And if you have believed in a Jesus 12:56 who's not able to save you, I want to tell you that is another Jesus. It says in 2 Corinthians in chapter 11, if someone comes and preaches another Jesus, 2 Corinthians 11:4, if someone comes and preaches another 13:15 Jesus whom we have not preached, and you have re- take received a different gospel, well, then you're being deceived. So, it's possible it says here there's a possibility of somebody preaching another Jesus. What is the other Jesus? 13:33 The other Jesus is the one who can forgive you, but he can't save you. That's another Jesus. The real Jesus saves us from our sins. The real gospel is not only forgiveness, but salvation. Okay. I want to go to the next point. 13:56 Luke chapter 6 and verse 31. The second point is God treats us in the same way as we treat other people. If we encourage others, he will encourage us. If you are hard on others, 14:14 God will be hard on us. Luke 6:31. Treat others the same way you want to be treated. So, all you need to ask yourself is, how do you treat 14:34 your wife? How do you treat your husband? How do you treat the other people in your office when they do something wrong? We all We are all failing people. Husbands do wrong. Wives do wrong. We sometimes speak a wrong word or 14:51 do something foolishly. How do you treat them? Do you jump on them and say, "Boy, you do that again." "You did that again." How would you feel if the Lord spoke to you like that? "There again, you went and did that." I thank God that 15:08 my heavenly father doesn't speak like that. We must treat others the way God treated us. That's a very, very important principle to bear in mind. Okay. Some of these things I don't need to spend too much time on. 15:27 You can think about it more yourself. The third thing The third proverb I want to say is, don't preach a gospel to the world that has not saved you from sin in your own home. 15:45 Now, why do I say in your own home? Because Jesus told us how to preach the gospel. He said in Acts chapter 1, he said in verse 8, in the last part, you shall be my witnesses first in Jerusalem. 16:05 Jerusalem is the place they were living in. So, for us Jerusalem is our home. So, he said, "You shall be my witnesses first of all in Jerusalem." Treat that as your home. And then the immediate area around Jerusalem, which is Judea, 16:23 and Samaria, and the other most parts of the earth. So, don't try to be a witness out there to somebody who doesn't know how you live at home. It must begin in Jerusalem. The Holy Spirit will come upon you and you shall be my witnesses in Jerusalem 16:42 first. So, if I'm trying to preach the gospel somewhere else which has not worked in my own home, I'm a deceiver. I mean, if you were giving a gift to somebody, say a Supposing you love somebody very much 16:59 and you want to gift them with a laptop or an iPad or something like that. Would you give them a iPad or a laptop that does not work? I mean, you used it and it's backed up and you want to give that as a gift to somebody. I don't think any of us would 17:14 do it. So, that's the thing need to we need to ask ourselves. Am I preaching a gospel to others which has not worked in my own home? The iPad the computer is not working in my own home, so I thought let me give this as a gift 17:28 to somebody else. I don't think any of you would do it. Are you preaching a gospel to others that has not worked in your Jerusalem? Don't go to Judea, Samaria, the other most parts of the earth before you start being a witness. You shall be my 17:46 witnesses in Jerusalem, in your own home, then you go to the other places one by one. This is the way God wants us to preach the gospel. Okay. Here's another proverb. God is seeking for worshipers. 18:05 John chapter 4 and verse 23. Very often in the Christian life, the emphasis on service, service. Be a witness. But there's to be a preparation for that. Unfortunately, a lot of people think that 18:24 the way to prepare for Christian service is by going to a Bible school. I thank God I never went to a Bible school. And I learned that from the disciples of Jesus. Jesus never sent any of his disciples to a Bible school. 18:39 In fact, the Pharisees went to the Bible schools. And they're the ones who crucified Christ. The greatest Bible scholars in Jesus' time killed him. And he picked up people who never went to a Bible school and he never sent them 18:52 to one. And he filled them with the Holy Spirit and made them his witnesses. So, go God is seeking for us to worship him before we can John chapter 4, Jesus said, it's an amazing word. 19:09 The last part of verse 23, John 4:23 and 24, the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and in truth. And here's the important statement. 19:27 Such people the Father is seeking to be his worshipers. Think of that. In heaven, God is seeking among us who will worship me 19:46 in spirit and in truth. I remember an Old Testament story where David was wandering in the wilderness and he said, "I wish somebody would get me water from my well in Jerusalem." Sorry, in Bethlehem. 20:06 He grew up in Bethlehem. I remember the water I drank from the well in Bethlehem and here he was in the wilderness far away from Bethlehem. And those areas in Bethlehem were Saul and his army were there waiting to kill David. 20:20 And it says some of David's men just heard that longing in David's heart to have a drink of water from his hometown well in Bethlehem and some of them took the risk of going right into that enemy territory where Saul was 20:36 sitting with his soldiers and when they were sleeping they he they went to that well and took the water and brought it and gave it to David. And I say, "Lord, how what a longing they had to satisfy David's heart." Now here I apply this to 20:51 this verse. God is in heaven longing just like David. I wish there'd be people who will worship me in spirit and in truth. That's not because God is selfish. He's that for it's for our our benefit he says that. 21:10 And if I were like David if I'm like David's soldiers I say, "Lord, if that's the longing of your heart, I want to do it. I want to satisfy that longing of your heart to be one of those who worships you. Not just when you hear this message 21:23 and you forget about it tomorrow, but all of my life to worship you in spirit and in truth." You say, "We don't I say I don't understand it. Lord, teach me." Now why is this important? Because remember the words of Jesus which he 21:40 said to the devil in the third temptation in the wilderness. In the third temptation in the wilderness, Matthew chapter 4 when the devil asked Jesus to worship him as a temptation. 21:57 Matthew 4:10 Jesus said these words. You shall worship the Lord and serve him only. You see the order? You shall worship and then you shall serve God. You shall not serve God before 22:14 worshiping him. Now I never knew this for many years because nobody taught me this when I was a young Christian that before I try to serve him I must worship him. I thought the important thing is go out and be a witness and serve the Lord. 22:32 But the order is thou shalt worship and thou shalt serve. Not thou shalt go to a Bible school and thou shalt serve. That's a human way. They become Pharisees. God's way is become a worshiper and then your service will have 22:46 fruit from it. And the quality quality of your service will be Christ-like and powerful. The emphasis very often is on quantity. How much have I served the Lord? How many people have I witnessed to? How many tracts have I distributed? Quantity 23:02 means nothing in God's eyes. In Jesus' life out of 33 and a half years about 12 of those years he was a carpenter. From the age of 18 to 30 he was making stools and benches and things like that. And 3 and a half years he was in 23:21 full-time Christian work. What proportion was that? But he fulfilled the Father's will. He was a worshiper first. He was worshiping the Father when he was a child. He was worshiping the Father when he was in the carpentry shop. He was worshiping all 23:35 the time and then he was in full-time ministry for 3 and a half years. Thou shalt worship and then thou shalt serve. And one of the best expressions of worship that I have found in the Bible is in the words of 23:52 the psalmist in Psalm 73. If you turn with me there, Psalm 73 and verse 25 where he says, "O God, whom have I in heaven but you? And besides you I desire nothing on earth." 24:10 If you can say that sincerely you're a worshiper. When I get to heaven I'm looking for you. That means I'm not looking for the golden streets or the mansions or the freedom from sickness or the freedom from troubles and problems. A lot of people 24:30 are go looking for heaven for that. Oh, then I'll be free from all trials and problems and sicknesses and all that. I'm not looking for that. To tell you honestly, if I'm with Jesus I don't mind if I'm sick for all eternity. 24:42 I won't even be bothered by it. I don't it won't bother me what type of problems there are around me if Jesus is there. To me heaven is Jesus. So, whom have I in heaven but you? That's a true worshiper. 24:58 And there's nothing and no one on earth I desire beside you, Lord. If you can say that you're a worshiper. And then everybody else, your wife, your children all take second place because you worship God. 25:17 And it's so very important because Jesus said you cannot serve before you worship. You shall worship and then you shall serve. So please keep that in mind. And I want to say one more thing about worship and that is 25:37 there are three steps to this. Thanksgiving is the first step. Praise is the second. And the third is worship. Now many people don't see those steps. Thanksgiving is being grateful to God for what he's done for you or what he's 25:57 going to do for you, the things he's given, salvation and many other earthly gifts and spiritual gifts. It's expressing gratitude for what God has done for us. Even for earthly gifts, for food. We thank God for the food he's 26:12 given us. For the fact that he's given us a job where we can earn our living. All these things we have to be thankful for. Praise is one step higher. When I praise God I'm not thinking of what he gave me. That I finished with 26:28 that step. I thank God for all the things he's given me. Then I go to the next step of praise is to praise God for who he is. He's such a loving father. I'm not thinking what I get now. In In thanksgiving I'm thinking of what I get, what God can give me. 26:44 In praise I'm not thinking of myself at all. I'm thinking of who he is. Holy holy holy the Lord God almighty a loving father I thank you. I praise you for who you are. O God, I praise you for 27:02 what you have done but primarily for who you are. And then the third stage is worship. Worship is very difficult to describe in words. It's something where you are on your face whether physically spiritually 27:21 you're on your face before God. Like that song says not like that song. Father of Jesus says, "Father of Jesus loves reward. What rapture will it be? Prostrate before thy face to lie 27:40 and gaze and gaze on thee." Do you want to Do you know what it means to gaze and gaze on God? You're not saying anything. You're not asking for anything. You're just looking at God's face prostrate in wonder 28:00 amazement and worship. You're not You're not even saying anything. Very few Christians have done that even once in their whole life. They've done thanksgiving. Maybe they have done praise. Oh God, we praise you for who you are and how wonderful good. 28:16 But worship in lot of worship is pure silence. My God, how wonderful thou art, thy majesty how bright. How beautiful thy mercy seat in depths of burning light. Father of Jesus loves reward. What rapture will it be prostrate before thy 28:36 throne to lie and gaze and gaze on thee. Maybe I'm sharing something with you which you've never experienced in your whole life. Okay, I'll tell you. Start with thanksgiving. Stop complaining. 28:54 You'll never get to worship if you still are in that low level of complaining and grumbling and why haven't God why haven't you given me this and why haven't you given me that. Finish with that. Develop the habit of thanksgiving. 29:08 And graduate from there to the place of Lord you've enough done enough for me. I but ask asking is even the lower level asking. We get past asking and thanksgiving and then we occupy to the greatness and the wonder of our heavenly 29:23 Father. Praise praise praise. And then we go to worship which is silence. I believe worship we can do only only on our own. Because we're when we're conscious of other people it's difficult to worship. 29:41 I can thank God along with other people. I you can praise him also. But I personally have found worship I'm very I'm conscious of others, I can't worship God. And it's very difficult to be completely unaware of people around us when we are 29:55 with others. So, I find my best times of worship are when I get up in the morning. When I'm all alone, when even my wife is asleep, and the house is quiet. It could be in the middle of the night. You can True worship is when you're all 30:13 alone. And when we become really spiritual, when we get to heaven, then we'll be able to worship God along with all the others. But I find it very difficult here because when I'm with others, I However hard I try, I'm conscious there are 30:28 people here around me and watching me, listening to me. But when you're all alone with God, think of those times when you're woken up in the middle of the night and you're all alone, everybody in the house is asleep, and you're awake. 30:42 Think of God then. Put your face down on your pillow and be a worshiper. Ask the Holy Spirit to make you a worshiper. You shall worship and you shall serve. That's what Jesus said in Matthew chapter 4 and verse 10. And that's what we need to learn. 31:02 Okay, we go to the next proverb. We give thanks for everything because everything is working for my good. I cannot give some thanks for something that's going to harm me. 31:20 How can I That would be foolish. But because I know, even though it looks as if it's going to harm, it's going to work for my good according to Romans 8:28. Romans 8:28 is an absolute promise that covers every single thing that can 31:34 happen in my life. Romans 8:28. God causes everything to work for my good, for the good of those who love him and who are called according to his purpose. It's God who causes it. 31:53 And some people read it as all things work together for good. That's half the verse. Many people quote it like that. You ask people what is Romans 8:28, they'll say, "All things work together for good to those who love That's not the verse. 32:07 Read it. God causes all things to work together for good to those who love him. See, the danger of quoting half a verse and we get it completely wrong. God causes all things to work together for good to those who are called according to his 32:26 purpose, and that purpose is described in the next verse. It's not that you should become richer or healthier or more well known, nothing like that. Not even that some spiritual desire of yours should be granted. No. It is so that, verse 29, that you might 32:42 be increasingly conformed to the image of God's Son, Jesus Christ. So, the good that God is working, all things work together for good. Which is the good? It's not that I'll be healthier or wealthier. No. That I might become a little more like 32:59 Christ. So, if you don't delink verse 29 from verse 28, the two go together. This is the danger of memorizing verses without knowing what's the next verse. So, Romans 8:28 leads on to verse 29, and because of that, 33:19 we give thanks for all things. See, there's a verse in Ephesians 5 which some people wonder, "How in the world can I obey this verse?" Ephesians 5 and verse 20. Always giving thanks for all things. 33:41 Just to ask yourself honestly, do you have that spirit? I'm not saying whether you are 24 hours you're saying, "Thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you." That can be a ritual. I'm not talking about repeating the word thank you, but do you 33:54 have a spirit of gratitude in your heart to God at all times? I can't be opening my mouth and saying, "Thank you, thank you, thank you." That is meaningless. But a spirit of gratitude in my heart 24 hours of the day, as long 34:09 as I'm awake, and even if I'm asleep, for everything that happens in my life, whether people call it good or bad or whatever it is, I have a spirit of gratitude at all times. How can I do that? Give thanks for all things unless those 34:28 all things God is making to work for my good. If I believe all things work for my good, then I can definitely give thanks for all things. But if I think some of those bad things are not going to work for my good, for for evil, I can't give thanks for it. 34:44 But because I believe in Romans 8:28, all things God causes all things to work for my good, which is to make me like Christ, then it doesn't matter if it causes me pain, it causes me financial loss, it causes me 101 problems on this earth. That's okay. 35:02 I can give thanks because it's going to make me like Jesus. I can always give thanks for all things in the name of the Lord Jesus. And this is connected to Ephesians 5:18, being filled with the Holy Spirit. So, one of the results of being filled 35:19 with the Holy Spirit, if you're really filled with the Holy Spirit, it will make you give thanks for all things at all times. The spirit in you, you don't open your mouth. It's very important for us to remember that. So, 35:33 this Ephesians 5 20 is connected with Romans 8:28. And it's also repeated in 1 Thessalonians in chapter 5. See, these are commands sometimes we don't take seriously. 35:50 1 Thessalonians chapter 5 and verse 18. In everything give thanks. Do you take it seriously, my brother, sister? We want to take some things really seriously in this conference. 36:08 And we want to go away transformed and conformed a little more to Christ's image before we leave at the end of this weekend. In everything. Can you think of something in your life 36:25 you cannot give thanks for? Or you have not given thanks for? Or some things you're grumbling about even now? Maybe some problem you had while coming here. Everything means everything. The flight got delayed. Everything did not work out as planned. 36:49 I remember the years when I always had some question, some doubt. By the grace of God, it's gone from my life. Not only if the flight is delayed, but if I even miss the flight and I can't even go. I've learned to give thanks for 37:04 everything. It's taken me many years to get here. Part of the reason is I did not have a spiritual father to speak to me and say, "This is what you should be doing." I wish if somebody had laid hold of me when I was converted 37:19 66 years ago at the age of 19 and taught me these things, it would have come much sooner in my life. But what I did not receive, I decided I'm going to give to the next generation and to the third generation. That from a 37:35 very young age, as soon as they are converted, they can learn to give thanks in everything. And if you haven't developed that habit now as so far, I'll tell you what. Go to God and say, "Lord, I want to obey your command, which says I must give thanks 37:53 for everything because I believe that everything works for my in my mind like 2 + 2 = 4. All things work together for my good, therefore I give thanks. This is a mechanical formula in my mind. You'll forget it. But Lord, fill me with the Holy Spirit. 38:11 That's what it says in Ephesians 5:18. Be filled with the spirit all the time, and then give thanks always. So, it's not by remembering a formula because you'll forget it tomorrow, or you'll forget it later on this evening. 38:23 So, if I have to give thanks by remembering a certain formula, which is all things work together for my good, therefore I give thanks, I can do it mechanically and not even mean it from my heart. And that will not be the 38:33 spirit of gratitude. I can have a long face and say, "Okay, Lord, I'm going to give thanks." That's not being thank Thankful is Thankfulness is a spirit. And you can make out when you meet people who have a thankful spirit. 38:48 You mingle with someone long long enough and you'll find he never complains about anything. He never has a complaint against anybody who has done him any harm or He's always got a good attitude because he's learned that God is in control. 39:02 He's not quoting Romans 8:28. He's living in Romans 8:28. And he doesn't have to open his mouth and say, "I'm going to give Thank you, thank you, thank you, Lord." No, there's a spirit of thankfulness in him all the time. 39:19 Okay. We come to the next proverb, New Covenant Proverbs. One sure way that we can know that we are growing in grace 39:36 is when our conscience has begun to bother us about matters that did not disturb us earlier. Oh, now you're getting disturbed about something that never disturbed you last 39:55 month or last year or all your life. That means your conscience is now disturbing you about something that never disturbed you in your life till now. I mean something like raising your voice a little bit when you're upset at home. 40:11 Ah, you did that for all your life and it never disturbed you, but now you're suddenly get this getting disturbed about it. This is a small thing like raising your voice about something you did never disturb you for all your life. 40:24 Or getting upset because a little bit of money was lost somewhere. Or your husband or your wife were a bit foolish in wasting some money somewhere and you're getting all disturbed about it. But now he's not disturbing you. 40:38 Say, Lord, it's okay. We all make mistakes. It's okay. And what is money? It's not the make biggest thing in the world. You can always make up for it. And if we have less in our home, we'll just discipline ourselves a little and 40:50 live with a little less and be better Christians. See, our whole attitude changes if you are determined to walk like Jesus walked. Every proverb is to help us to obey the command which is found in 1 John chapter 2 41:13 and verse 6. 1 John chapter 2 and verse 6. The one who says he is in Christ. We all say that we receive Christ. Christ is in us and we are in Christ. 41:31 Anyone who says that must walk in the same way that Jesus walked. That's a very high standard. To walk in the same way as Jesus walked. And you young people, I love to see all of you young people sitting here. Imagine if yet your age you're gripped 41:50 by this. Boy, I would have been so happy if somebody had told me this when I was 20 years old. I got baptized when I was 21. And if somebody had got laid hold of me then and said, "Zac, you must learn to live like this. Seek to walk as Jesus 42:04 walked." Where I would have been today. I haven't got where I should have been because I had to struggle to learn all these things slowly by myself from the Bible. I hardly heard anybody preaching it. Go to YouTube and see if people are 42:21 preaching the type of things you heard this even this morning. Tell me if you find somebody preaching this type of stuff um in some sermon. I mean all these things, not just one or two things. I'd like to hear that man. I'd like to get 42:33 to know him better. Perhaps he can teach me something. Those are the people I want to hear and listen to. I don't want to hear people who just expound some verse of the Bible and interpret it what this commentary says that and that commentary says that. I've 42:49 heard enough of that. I want The Bible was not given to us to have understanding but to make us more like Christ. So, let's take that seriously. So, one sure way to know 43:08 that we are growing in grace is when our conscience has begun to bother us about some matters that did not disturb us earlier. I'm disturbed today about something that didn't disturb me in all my past life. Something. 43:26 That little bit of a wrong statement I make in my office to make a little more money. That little bit of unrighteousness unrighteousness in filing my tax return which didn't disturb me till Now now it disturbs me tremendously. 43:42 Or when I make a report about something, that slight falsehood that was there. It's not 100% false. 99% was right, but there was 1% of falsehood. Now it bothers me. I want to be 100% true. Wonderful. That shows that you're 43:56 growing. It shows that your conscience is disturbing you about something that did not disturb you earlier. Okay, here's another proverb. The purest joy of all joys on earth is found in 44:15 fellowship with God as your father. Psalm 16 and verse 11. Middle. Father, in your presence is fullness of joy. In the Old Testament they could only call him God, not father. But we can call him 44:33 dad my heavenly dad. In your presence there is fullness of joy. There is only one place in the universe where there is fullness of joy. In God's presence. There is joy in when the doctor gives you a checkup and says 44:53 everything's okay with you, you're in good health. There's a joy there. Your boss gives you a promotion you're get a higher salary, there's joy there. Legitimate, perfectly right. Or your children do well in the examinations and get good marks. 45:07 Joy, excellent. But fullness of joy is only in the immediate presence of God. And that is a far superior joy to all the other joys on earth. The purest joy that you can find on earth 45:25 is in the presence of God our father. Not in wealth not in health. And listen. Not even in overcoming sin. Even though that's a good thing. And I can have a certain joy that I Ah, 45:43 I overcame anger. I overcame lusting. Great. There must be a joy, but the fullness of joy, the greatest joy is dwelling in the father's presence. Not even in overcoming Satan. 46:00 Not even in casting out a demon. Not even in overcoming the world. The fullness of joy in your presence is fullness of joy. And you're at your right hand there are pleasures forevermore. Okay. 46:18 Here's another proverb. And this one is based on Matthew chapter 5 and verse 3. The poor The poor in spirit. You know, Jesus said 46:38 blessed are the poor in spirit for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Matthew 5 verse 3. The poor in spirit are those who are conscious of their own need primarily. Not the need of others. You know, as human beings we have a 46:56 tremendous temptation and tendency to see faults in other people. We were to ask a husband, "Can you tell me three or four things wrong in your wife? Or three or four things that disturb you in your wife?" Most husbands would be able to rattle 47:14 off more than four. You want only four? I'll give you 10. That's how it is. But And you know, but as you grow in grace you become less and less aware of those They They may be there. Your wife may still be like that. Your husband may be 47:30 like that. Your wife can say, "I I'll tell you what the weakness in my husband are. They 1 2 3 4 5 6." They're still there. They're not unchanged. They have not become Christ-like. But you're not so aware of it. It's like, you know, you see a a light 47:50 and then you look at the sun and you can't see anything. You know, say you keep looking at the sun and you a lot of things on the earth you become blind for a little while. Have you noticed that? If you're out bright out in the bright 48:00 sun, you come into a room and everything appears dark because you've been in the bright sunlight. And bright sunlight a lit room appears dark. Why is that? Because you came into that room after coming from bright sunlight. All of you 48:17 have had that experience. That That's a little example of how when we come into God's presence. So, the poor in spirit are those who are conscious of their own need primarily. So, they seek God for grace and thus they get his best always. 48:35 That's the meaning of blessed are the poor in spirit. For theirs is the kingdom of God. When you say kingdom of God, what does it mean? It means that that area of where God is king. God is the ruler. 48:55 And is described in Romans 14:17. You know, I used to think seek the kingdom of God first means I must go and preach the gospel. That's how I understood for years and years. You know, this is the problem of not having a spiritual father. 49:09 Not having a spiritual mentor. If I had had somebody had told me at the age of 20 when I was baptized at the age of 21, "Hey, Zac, the kingdom of God doesn't mean you go and preach the gospel. The kingdom of God, Romans 14:17, is righteousness, 49:24 peace, and joy in the Holy Spirit." So, when Jesus said seek the kingdom of God first, he doesn't mean go and preach the gospel first. It means seek for righteousness in the Holy Spirit. Seek for peace in the Holy Spirit. And seek 49:36 for joy in the Holy Spirit first. I wish somebody had told me that when I was 21 years old. That that's what it means to seek the kingdom of God. I had to find it out myself. Even though it's written in Romans 14:17, it's written in your 49:48 Bible, too. But perhaps for some of you, you never knew till today. Or if you heard me earlier, you knew it only when I told you. Why is that even though you've read Romans 14:17 umpteen times? And you never connected it with Jesus 50:04 says, "Seek the kingdom of God first." And Matthew 5:3, "Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of God." Kingdom of heaven, kingdom of hell, God is the same thing. Who gets this kingdom? Those who are 50:18 poor in spirit. That means those who are aware of their own need primarily. To be poor in spirit is to be aware of your own need primarily. You know, in India, we have many beggars who come to the gate. Many people with a leprosy and very poor 50:38 people who are absolutely hopeless and helpless. They'll come knocking at the gate of the Many houses in India have gates. Give me some money, sir. Okay, if you're a kind man, you give him 10 rupees. He'll be back tomorrow. 50:59 Sir, give me some money. What happened to what I gave you yesterday? Oh, sir, that was finished yesterday. You can give me 10 rupees. What can I do with 10 rupees? I had a very light meal and it's all over. I want some more. 51:15 This is poor in spirit. It's like that verse described in Proverbs which says, "Blessed is the man who comes to me daily, which watches at my gates." See if I can find that verse. Blessed is 51:41 the man who seeks at my gates daily for Yes, Proverbs chapter 8 and verse 34. This is I I picture the beggar in India like this. Blessed is the man who comes daily at my gate. 51:59 And I picture in my mind the beggar who's come every day to the gate. Every day I give him You ask him, "Where is the money I gave you yesterday?" Oh, sir, that's over. I need something again. Blessed is the man who comes daily to my 52:13 gate, waiting at my doorposts, waiting say, "Lord, give me your grace for today." What about the grace I gave you yesterday? Oh, that was for yesterday, Lord. Give me grace for today. This is the poor in spirit. The rich man will never come to your 52:32 gate. Rich people don't need to come to your gate. They got plenty. The poor person is the one who comes to the gate. Blessed are the poor in spirit. And those are the ones who live a overcoming life. They live in victory 52:44 over sin every day. Not because God gives them meaning that beggar comes to the gate, you don't give him a 10,000 rupees that he doesn't have to come for the next 3 months. No, just enough for the day. That's how God gives us. 52:59 Give us this day our What? Daily bread, even spiritually. Give me for this day, Lord. Moment by moment. This is how God wants us to live. It's a wonderful life. 53:18 Okay, I'll say one more proverb here. Matthew 12 and verse 34. Our speech reveals the true condition of our heart. 53:37 You want to know what is in your heart? Let me listen to your conversation the whole day. If I could travel with you invisibly and listen to how you speak to people, how you speak to your children, how you speak to your wife, how you speak to 53:52 your neighbor, how you speak to that difficult person in the office or some cab driver who cheated you of money or something else or or somebody who treated you badly. Let me listen to you the whole day without your knowing that 54:07 I'm observing you. Then I will tell you what is the condition of your heart. Matthew 12 verse 34. The mouth speaks out of that which fills the heart. Last part. 54:24 You brood of vipers. If you're evil inside, how can you speak what is good? Because the mouth speaks out of that which fills the heart. So, when you say something, oh, you say, "Oh, that was a slip-up." No, no, no, no, it was not a slip-up, 54:40 brother, sister. It was what filled your heart. Like somebody said, if you shake a glass strongly, what spills out is what is inside. If bitter water came out, it's because the glass is full of bitter water. 55:00 If sweet water came out, it is because the glass is full of sweet water. It's not the shaking that made it bitter. You see, that person came and disturbed me, that's why I reacted like No, sir. No. That person shook you and what was 55:14 inside came out. Thank him. Thank him for revealing what is inside your heart. Thank you, brother. Thank you, sir, for shaking me up so that what's inside came out and I discovered what I never knew that there was so much of anger and bitterness 55:25 inside me. We should be thankful for a lot of people who provoke us to sin. Our speech reveals the true condition of our heart. And connected with that, same Proverbs, James 1:26. If a man cannot 55:45 control his speech, control his tongue, his Christianity is worth zero. Where do I get that? James 1:26. Middle. If a man cannot control his tongue, 56:04 he's deceiving himself. His Christianity is worth zero. That's the Bible. Not my Not my words. If a man cannot control his tongue, he's deceiving his own heart when he thinks he's spiritual. 56:21 His Christianity is worth zero. How much is your Christianity worth? Ask your wife. Ask your husband. Ask people in your office. Our speech reveals the true condition of our heart. If a man cannot control his 56:41 tongue, his Christianity is worth zero. I think we'll stop there. Dear brothers and sisters, I have not spoken to condemn anybody. No. There is no condemnation for those who 56:58 are in Christ Jesus. Romans 8 verse 1. But the Bible says the Holy Spirit convicts us of sin, of the lack of righteousness, in order to challenge us. Why does a doctor examine you 57:16 and tell you, "You got a high blood sugar. You can get a heart attack. Your cholesterol level is very high. I suspect there's a little cancer in your system." You get angry with him? Sir, 57:36 thank you so much. I never knew that. I never knew till you gave me this checkup. I'm deeply grateful to you. What are your fees? And if the doctor says, "No fees. You don't have to pay anything. I love you and that's why I gave you 57:53 that checkup." That's what a true servant of God does. We are grateful to doctors who immediately detect something and tell us what's wrong in our body and who tells us the cure for it. You should be grateful for every servant 58:11 of God you've ever known in your life who sincerely told you the truth and not just flattered you and paved the way for you to go to hell, but shook you up and warned you so that even on this earth you can be a little more Christ-like, 58:31 that your home can be a little more like heaven, and that your church can be a little more like heaven, too. May God help us all. May God help me. I'm a needy person. I'm constantly aware of that. That's why every day I cry out to God 58:47 for morning, "Lord, fill me with your Holy Spirit. I cannot do this job for you." I preached for 60 years. I started preaching when I was 23. But even today I say, "Lord, I cannot do it without your help." I keep asking other people, "Please pray 59:03 for me." When I speak, I can't do it. Dear brothers and sisters, we need to be filled with the Holy Spirit every day. Lord Jesus, fill me with the Holy Spirit. I pray to the Lord every day to be filled to fill me with the Holy 59:16 Spirit. We cannot live this Christian life. The moment I'm disconnected from the tree, the branch dries up. No more fruit. But as long as that branch is in the tree, even if you're a weak, teeny, weeny a branch, you'll always be fresh 59:33 if you're in the tree. Some of the bigger branches may be able to produce so much fruit. One day you'll come there also, but till then at least remain fresh. Maybe you're not a mature branch enough to bear fruit, but remain in the tree 59:47 and remain fresh. God bless you. Let's pray. Heavenly Father, I thank you for your word that challenges every day. And I pray that everyone here 1:00:06 will be encouraged. No one will feel condemned, for there is no condemnation to those in Christ Jesus. That we shall be challenged and encouraged to press on. Like the Apostle Paul said, "I press toward the mark for the prize 1:00:25 of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus." Help us to have that spirit, Lord, forgetting our past failures, pressing on to what is higher. We pray in Jesus' name. Amen.
