A Good Report

through to verse 13.

1 Thessalonians chapter 3, starting at verse 6, it's on page 1187.

1 Thessalonians 3 · chapter mention

Let's hear God's word.

But Timothy has just now come to us from you and has brought good news about your faith and love.

He has told us that you always have pleasant memories of us and that you long to see us just as we also long to see you.

Therefore, brothers and sisters, in all our distress and persecution, we were encouraged about you because of your faith.

For now we really live, since you are standing firm in the Lord.

How can we thank God enough for you in return for all the joy we have in the presence of our God because of you?

Night and day we pray most earnestly that we may see you again and supply what is lacking in your faith.

Now may God and Father himself and our Lord Jesus clear the way for us to come to you.

May the Lord make your love increase and overflow for each other and for everyone else, just as ours does for you.

May he strengthen your hearts so that you will be blameless and holy in the presence of our God and Father

when our Lord Jesus comes with all his holy ones.

Daniel.

Daniel.

Thank you.

I'm going to pray for you.

Let's pray for Daniel and for us.

Father, again we thank you so much for people that you bring to us and people that you gift,

enabling them to handle your word and to be able to speak it.

And we thank you for Daniel and pray for him that you would empower him and fill him with your Holy Spirit.

That he may be able to speak to us with clarity and passion the truth of your word.

And that for us as we listen that we would be hearing your words and that they would change us and transform us.

Changing us into the church that you would have us to be.

And transforming us as people to be more like you.

So we pray your blessing on us all.

In Jesus name we pray.

Amen.

Amen.

Thanks man.

Amen.

Amen.

Amen.

Amen.

Amen.

Amen.

Amen.

Amen.

Amen.

Amen.

Amen.

Amen.

Amen.

Amen.

Amen.

Helps if you have the right PowerPoint and such.

Good morning.

I want to say thanks very much for the privilege of coming this morning.

Sorry, no.

Do you want a little adjustments?

I have knocked these things over in the past so I don't want to do it halfway through.

I'm not going to start hitting it or anything.

It's just to get the distractions out of the way now rather than in 10 minutes.

Okay.

Okay.

So again, thanks for the invitation and the opportunity to come this morning.

Just for those who are interested in these things, the three girls who are with us this morning,

two of the girls are our daughters, Evie and Emily, the younger two.

The taller girl is actually my niece.

Many people think we have three daughters because they look so similar.

My niece is Jasmine.

And they love coming.

They're actually getting quite into the summer months of going around visiting all the other churches.

And we'll get a full report of when we go back what creche was actually like.

So...

I'm going to pray.

I know Johnny's prayed.

I always feel we can never pray enough.

Father, I do thank you for this time this morning.

It is a privilege to be involved in your service, Lord.

You gave us the greatest example of service, Lord.

For how you gave up heaven to come to us.

How you walked with us.

How you washed your disciples' feet.

And how you went on the cross.

And suffered and bled and died for our sins.

And rose again and opened the way to heaven.

Help us to do everything in our lives in the light of who you are.

Guide us this morning, Father.

Lord Jesus.

Lord Holy Spirit.

Show us the way.

Amen.

Well, I know that as a church you've been looking at the message of 1 Thessalonians for a number of weeks.

So I have an introduction that if I see them I'm going quite quickly, I will start to really slow down.

So it's a quick introduction to recap a little bit and try and see where we've got to.

Now I know that Ralph gave you a reminder.

A reminder to welcome the trustworthy message of the gospel of Jesus Christ.

He laid out for us the picture of the church.

The believers as a chosen people.

And it's God who calls us.

And it's not only God.

It's not only that he calls us.

But the call is based on his son leaving heaven to come into a broken world to rescue and deliver us from the coming wrath.

And it's just like an echo of so many other verses in Romans 6.23.

For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life through Christ Jesus.

Or Colossians 1.13 and 14.

For he has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son Helos, where we have redemption and forgiveness of sins.

Because our position is based completely on the work of Christ.

And Ralph reminded us that the message at the time was turning the world upside down.

That the Christian gospel was turning the world upside down.

And the question was, how do we live in light of that?

And maybe it should be turning our personal world upside down.

And turning the world around us upside down as well.

And then Kevin came and he talked about our motives.

And he reminded that our motives should be to live to please God.

To examine ourselves carefully and make sure that our motives are kept in balance at all times.

For the appeal we make does not spring from error or impure motives.

Nor are we trying to trick you.

On the contrary, we speak as those approved by God to be entrusted with the gospel.

We are not trying to please people, but God who tests our heart.

And that applies in life and in ministry and all our Christian living.

That our motives are to please God.

And then to remember that we are to labour.

To work always with right motives.

And then Tom came and he talked about great expectations.

What a wonderful title.

Great Expectations.

And he reminded us that great expectations can be easily dashed.

But that our expectations have to be based on the good news of the gospel.

And we also thank God continually.

Because when you received the word of God which you heard from us.

You accepted it not as a human word, but as it actually is.

The word of God which is indeed at work in you who believe.

So we have to rely on God's work at work with the Holy Spirit.

Because it's a living word.

And even though they suffered and they knew trials, that's exactly what they did.

They trusted God's word.

And Tom challenged us to be different.

And he challenged us to be prepared to suffer.

And to be careful and cautious when we are in a difficult time.

And in the struggle.

And not to be so sure about trusting our feelings.

Because our feelings can trick us.

Not to switch off our feelings.

Not to switch off our emotions.

Our emotions are a beautiful gift from God.

The full range of emotions that we've been given by God are a gift to us.

How we enjoy life.

How we share time with each other.

How we enjoy his nature, his beauty.

How we enjoy God himself.

How we love God.

They all come from our emotions.

But not to always trust our emotions.

Because in difficult times, they can trick us.

And we can let circumstances overcome us.

So we have to trust God in all circumstances for the outcome.

And then last week, Alex was giving a message.

Reminding us.

And you notice I keep saying us.

Even though I wasn't here.

Because as you might have figured out, I've listened to those messages.

Reminding us.

And at that point, I'll remind you that those messages are still on the website.

And there are good messages on the website.

So if you did miss them, go back and listen to them.

It will encourage you.

So Alex reminded us that to be strengthened and encouraged in the faith.

Especially in those times of trial.

But in many ways, that every day is a time of trial.

As the tempter, as Satan or enemy, seeks to lead us astray.

We will face trials.

Alex reminded us that we need to encourage and remind each other of the truth.

That we may be strengthened.

And that our focus, just like Paul and Timothy in silence, would never be removed from the spread of the gospel.

The good news of Jesus Christ.

He encouraged us, every one of us, to live together in full Christian fellowship.

Bringing the guiding truth of the living word and the power of God's living word.

The gospel.

Into our lives.

And when I was listening to those messages and preparing, it reminded me of something that I came across a while ago in a daily devotional from Spurgeon.

And he said,

The love which the early Christians felt towards the Lord was not a quiet emotion which they hid within themselves in the secret chambers of their souls.

And which they only spoke of when they met on the first day of the week.

And sang hymns in honor of Christ Jesus the crucified.

But it was a passion with them of such vehement and all-consuming energy that it was visible in their actions, spoke in their commonest talk, and looked out of their eyes even in their commonest glances.

Love to Jesus was a flame which fed upon the core and heart of their being, and therefore, from its own force, burned its way into the outer man and shone there.

So that's a quick recap that's brought us to where we are today.

And I hope I've been faithful to what the other guys were trying to bring you.

And I believe that I have.

And today we're at 1 Thessalonians chapter 3 and verses 6 down to 13.

1 Thessalonians 3 · chapter mention

So we're going to read them again.

But Timothy has just now come to us from you.

And has brought good news about your faith and love.

He has told us that you always have pleasant memories of us and that you long to see us, just as we also long to see you.

Therefore, brothers, in all our distress and persecution, we were encouraged about you because of your faith.

For now we really live, since you are standing firm in the Lord.

How can we thank God enough for you in return for all the joy we have in the presence of our God because of you?

Night and day we pray most earnestly that we may see you again and supply what is lacking in your faith.

Now may our God and Father himself and our Lord Jesus clear the way for us to come to you.

May the Lord make your love increase and overflow for each other and for everyone else, just as ours does for you.

May he strengthen your hearts so that you will be blameless and holy in the presence of our God and Father when our Lord Jesus comes with all his holy ones.

So let's take a look at these verses before we begin to apply them to ourselves.

But Timothy has just now come to us from you and brought us good news about your faith and sight.

Paul is happy.

Put simply, he's happy with the report that has come back.

Because he's concerned.

He was concerned that they might have been led astray.

And Paul, as a Jew, probably had good reason to fear.

Because he knew the history of his own people.

They had been repeatedly called by God and repeatedly turned and gone their own way.

Whether it was in the desert after coming up out of Egypt.

Or whether it was their refusal to take the land when they were told to take the land.

Or in the time of the whole period of the judges.

When they repeatedly rejected their God and turned to idols.

Paul knew the history of his own people.

And he knew how the devil, how Satan, the tempter, can get in and destroy the work.

So he had good reason and good experience to know.

But he got a good report.

And he was happy to hear about their faith and love.

And he got a good account as well of their attitude towards themselves.

Their attitude towards Paul and Timothy and Silas.

They had pleasant memories.

And they were anxious to see them.

It's a good report.

I'm repeating that, aren't I?

There's a reason.

It's a good report.

And he says to them,

Therefore, brothers, in all our distress and persecution,

we were encouraged about you because of your faith.

Well, the outcome for him, for them, for Paul, for Timothy and Silas,

was that in their struggles,

the steadfast faith of the Thessalonians had encouraged them,

had buoyed them up,

had bolstered them in their position,

and his joy outflows from that into verse 8.

For now we really live.

We really live since you are standing firm on the Lord.

And how can we thank God enough for you

in return for all the joy we have in the presence of our God because of you?

Paul is so grateful, so thankful,

even though they've had huge difficulty.

And Paul's taken the time to remind them

that they've been in difficulty themselves.

He doesn't focus on it.

He doesn't make it the main factor of his communication.

He is happy to leave it behind

and focus on the joy that they all have together

in the presence of God,

in their heavenly reward,

because of their steadfast holding to the faith.

Night and day we pray most earnestly

that we may see you again

and supply what is lacking in your faith.

You're ceaseless, never-ending, never-stopping prayer.

Even though Paul and Silas and Timothy

have been involved in fostering their growth

and have brought the word to them

and have prayed with them and care for them,

he's saying to them,

we still haven't stopped.

We continue night and day to pray

that we may spend time with you again

and help you where you are,

help you where you are struggling,

with you to help you make up the things

that are missing in your life of faith.

And come into verse 11,

where he says,

Now may our God and Father himself

and our Lord Jesus clear the way

for us to come to you.

Paul's reliance on God.

Even though it is his desire to get there,

to be there to help them,

he's clearly saying that he cannot do it,

they cannot do it,

unless God clears the way.

He's committing the journey to the Lord.

Don't start the journey

unless you commit it to the Lord.

I don't know Peter and I don't know Maeve,

but they are starting their journey.

That struck me this morning.

They came up here and with you,

they are committing their journey to the Lord.

And in verse 12,

and you know,

I keep thinking when I come to verses like these,

we are told in so many places,

in so many ways,

how can you understand the Bible?

You know,

the Bible is so hard to understand.

And this verse,

verse 12,

is one of those very, very tricky,

complicated,

oh,

very, very difficult verses to understand.

May the Lord make your love increase

and overflow for each other

and for everyone else,

just as our does few.

Hands up if you don't understand that verse.

It's not that complicated really,

is it?

But it's a prayer.

It's not a castaway statement.

May the Lord,

again,

that reliance on the Lord,

Paul is saying to them,

reminding them that your reliance is on the Lord,

which will make your love increase and overflow.

Just as his does,

as Timothy does,

as Silas does.

And verse 13,

may he strengthen your hearts

so that you will be blameless and holy

in the presence of God,

our Father,

when our Lord Jesus comes with all his holy ones.

And he's saying to them there,

and if you look at the beginning of the sentence,

may he,

because of the way we speak English,

may he has a little bit of a,

oh,

he could like,

you know,

he could,

it's possible,

but it's more definite than that.

That sentence is more definite than that.

It could easily be translated,

so as,

to establish.

If you look at different translations,

you'll even see they use the word establish.

But what he's saying to them is,

that you would be set up firmly,

that you would be so solid

in your heart and faith foundation,

that you will be blameless

and holy in the presence of our Lord.

And he is talking about the sure completion of the work.

We talked about it already this morning,

talking about the sure completion of the work that was begun,

and it's in the same spirit as Philippians 1,

Philippians 1:6

verse 6.

God,

who began a good work in them,

will bring it to completion.

It's the same spirit as in Colossians 3,

Colossians 3:4

verse 4,

when it says,

when Christ,

who is your life,

appears,

then you also will appear with him in glory.

It's about the completion of the work that had begun,

and it's not just about their daily walk,

and their daily sanctification.

It's about the completion of the race.

Running the race well.

When Johnny started talking this morning,

I thought,

oh,

do I need to go home?

Is he going to actually give my whole message?

But I think we're okay.

It's about the holding fast,

and running of the race well,

and the perfect completion of God's work.

When we come into glory with Jesus,

and he is saying,

as we've been reminded,

keep your eyes focused,

the Lord is coming back,

and he goes on to talk more about this later in his letters,

but that's where we come to today.

He's saying to them,

be set up towards the goal,

the goal that is set for you.

So that's what he's been saying to the Thessalonians,

a quick rundown through.

So what's he been saying to us?

Well,

we have time to do so much.

There is so much in these verses,

you could come back to them time and time again.

And as I was praying,

and reading through these verses,

this is the way it came to me to work through it this morning.

There is a view to what's coming.

There is a view to the glorious heaven.

There is a view to what the completed work is.

When we leave this realm,

we leave this earth and we go to heaven.

And we are reminded in so many places

that we are to have our hearts and minds set on heavenly goals.

But this morning,

I want to talk about what I see in these verses

that bring us along that path,

along that journey.

In verse 6,

there was a good account.

Well then surely,

as Paul got a good account back,

we surely have to ask,

if somebody came to bring an account of us back

to the first people

who brought us the word of God,

what would their account be?

For me,

the Lord led me to Lee Valley Bible Church

in Ballin College where I go now.

And,

through God's grace,

people opened the word to me.

And very quickly I realised I was born again.

And I went on.

But there was people there

who spent time with me,

teaching me,

fellowshipping with me,

praying with me,

and praying for me.

Who brought me deeper

into a relationship with Jesus,

with the work of the Holy Spirit.

So what would the report be of me now

back to those people?

What would the report be

of you

back to the person,

to the people

who first shepherded you

in the way of Christ?

Would their joy

be the same as Paul's?

As I woke this morning,

I thought,

don't use an Olympics example.

Don't use an Olympics illustration,

but I can't help it.

It's one of my favourite illustrations.

When we talk about this,

what would the report be back?

I don't want anybody

to get into a frame of mind

where something's gone wrong

this week

or this period in your life

and you feel down

and you feel low

and you feel that

I'm setting a target

that's so high for you

that you can't reach

and that you feel like

I'm taking out a stick

to beat you with.

I just want you to think.

What would the report be?

And like the high jumper,

I think I used this example here

before.

I use it a lot,

maybe because I did

a little bit of high jump

in school.

But you don't set the bar

down low

and go,

yeah, look,

I got that.

One metre ten.

A high jumper wants to set it.

You're going for the high jump.

We're trying to reach high.

But the great thing

about the high jump

in the Olympics

is if you do miss it,

there's a great big mat

to catch you on the other side.

When you're examining yourself,

do not let the devil

drive you down

with self-examination.

Let the report be good.

If you see something

working it,

the mat to catch you

are the loving

outstretched arms

of Jesus Christ.

But would the report say

that your faith

has deepened

since those first days?

Are we striving in prayer

and study of the word

and in meditation

of the word

and calling on God

to have our faith

grow in love

and not just love

for each other,

so often

when we encounter

that word

and the word love,

people start talking

about the love

we have for each other.

But we have to think

about the love

we have for the Lord.

Are we in love

with the Lord?

When you first came

to the Lord,

did it consume you?

Does that love

still consume you?

Are you growing steadily

and strengthening

that love constantly

in faith and love?

It says.

And I almost want

to find the word

hope here.

But Paul has hoped.

He has hoped

for a good report

and that he has hoped

that their faith

would hold fast

based on the gospel.

So we have faith

with hope and love

and we have to live

in the light

of that hope.

And that hope

is stored up for us

in heaven

which is the love

of Christ

shown for us

in the gospel

of our Lord Jesus Christ

shown for us

in nail-pierced

hands and feet

shown for us

by the stripes

on him

by which we are healed.

So could we strive

that there would be

a good report of us

a good report of us

as faithful servants

and not that it would

just be a good report

of what a great character

we are.

You know like something

you know you get

Josephine Sofa

she's great crack.

She's great in the night out.

Or Joseph

oh do you know what

now if you need

your wall fixed

or you need

the place cleaned

Joe's the man to go for.

They're great

to have that character.

But a report

that says

you love

the Lord Jesus Christ

above all else.

That you serve

God the Father.

That you seek

the Holy Spirit

and his way.

And that it is

all that you are

and all that we are

and all that we live

and is clearly visible

in our lives.

Do we value

reports like this?

Do we value

that that's what we think

of other people

and that's what

we should put first

when we want

to think about them?

And that's what

we should put first

in the idea of ourselves

when we want people

to think about us

so that we have

pleasant memories

of people.

It breaks my heart

and I don't say

this lightly.

It breaks my heart

the number of times

I have had it said

to me

when I mention

somebody's name

and the response

goes along

oh yeah yeah

you know

but they're always

bringing everything

back to the Bible

or they're always

trying to spiritualize

everything

or talk about

spiritual things.

It breaks my heart

when that's the response.

To me

that's the greatest

report

that could be made

about someone.

If that's what

somebody was saying

about me

I'd have to tell you

I would be pleased.

I don't know

any of you here

maybe that is not

a problem here

but it is one

I have encountered.

But if it is a problem

we need to do

something about ourselves

if our memories

of people

are tainted

by the fact

that they're spiritual

and properly

spiritual.

If we truly

have faith

and love

growing

and love

for the Lord

feeding out

into a love

that we have

for everybody else

then surely

our memories

will be pleasant

of our brothers

and sisters

because we

will remember

that we

are sinners

saved by grace

and we have

the same grace

poured out on us

and the same mercy

given to us

and just

like everybody else

that not one of us

is perfect.

Not one of us

got in here

clean this morning.

we are all sinners

and if we would

keep that in mind

and take the time

to look

to look in love

at everyone

around us

and you know

the expression

to look through

rose tinted glasses

could we look at people

with righteousness

tinted glasses

not self-righteousness

certainly not our own

self-righteousness

but the righteousness

that they are clothed

in

by the completed

work of Jesus

the righteousness

that God sees

covering

each other

because

of what Jesus

has done

so that we will

see that

and we will

take pleasure

in each other's

company

and miss each other

and long to see

each other

like they did.

Maybe that leads us

naturally into

verse 7

where he says

therefore brothers

in all our distress

and persecution

we were encouraged

about you

because of your faith

in all their distress

and persecution

they were tied up

and I don't mean

tied up

in what most of us

call being tied up

today

like with

you know

I'm so tied up

with my schedule

it wasn't just

a hectic life

that kept them busy

they were in real

real trouble

and they're letting

the Thessalonians

know that they were

in real trouble

and in that trouble

what encouraged them

the steadfast faith

of those

in Thessalonica

they were

uplifted

and the other thing

that I see

is remarkable

in this

and again

maybe you have

this figured out

and you have

taken me aside

afterwards

and speak to me

more severely

Paul was in

serious trouble

when he wrote

this letter

but where

is his focus

his focus

is on faith

and love

and his focus

is on seeing

them

his focus

in his trouble

is on the gospel

his focus

is on his love

for them

he's not wallowing

in self pity

he's not getting

so wrapped up

in his own concerns

that he's forgetting

about them

so I believe

there is a reminder

for us here

to not get lost

in our struggles

it is so easy

for us to feel

depressed

it is so easy

for us to feel

troubled

and I don't

think that where

we live today

we're persecuted

much

not in the way

these guys

were persecuted

we can have

difficulties

in our families

we can

if you're very

vocal about your

faith

where you work

you certainly

can have

difficulties

but in the kind

of persecution

where you're

taken from your

home

without warning

you're beaten

you're arrested

you're put in prison

you're executed

we don't have

those kind of

struggles

but we do

have life struggles

but don't get

lost

in the struggles

is a message

to us here

there are

other people

around us

and we are

building lives

based on the

gospel

in faith

hope

and love

as Alex

said

look around

be encouraged

and be encouraged

helping each other

to grow

in that faith

as we hold

these things

important

and keep a focus

on what is right

the things that

people do

in service

of the Lord

will encourage us

in our difficulties

and as we serve

we'll encourage people

and we'll keep

moving forward

so that's just

two things

have a good account

that people

would have a good

account of us

and that we

wouldn't get lost

in the struggle

the third thing

I want to move

on to this

morning is

he tells them

now we really

live since you

are standing

firm

in the struggle

there will always

be a temptation

to quit

my wife

will tell you

this is one

of my biggest

struggles

when things

start to go

wrong

the temptation

to quit

comes down

on top of me

the devil

knows where

my weakness

is on this

I come from

a long line

of quitters

it is ingrained

into me

and I struggle

with this

but this has

encouraged me

so much

everybody's going

to have different

areas

fight the temptation

to quit

in whatever it is

don't quit

loving

don't quit

hoping

don't quit

looking at

each other

with righteousness

tinted glasses

remembering

how much

you've been

saved from

in grief

in trouble

in difficulty

there will always

be a temptation

to hide

but we do

need to remind

each other

that God

is sovereign

and he knows

where we are

he knows

where we've

come from

and he knows

where we're

going to be

we need to

run that race

well

it all

feeds in

together

their steadfast

stand

encouraged Paul

Paul's joy

in their

steadfast

stand

encouraged

them

we need

to talk

to each

other

about

what's

really

going

on

Paul

has let

them

know

how he's

doing

how he felt

about them

and that

lifted them

up

it's a

two way

thing

he's

communicating

with them

they're

communicating

back

and it

seems very

open and

honest and

frank

so as we

stand firm

we encourage

others by

taking a

stand but

we need to

speak to

each other

really really

speak to

each other

to let each

other know

how we feel

really feel

about what's

going on in

our lives

we can fall

into the trap

that really

godly people

paint on a

smile

and everything

is

hunky

dory

it's not

hunky

dory

some of

the greatest

fathers of

the faith

right from

back as

far as

Peter

up to

now

have had

dark

days of

the soul

where it

all felt

like it

was falling

apart

don't think

you're alone

but if we

all look at

each other

and I'm going

to say it

again with

righteousness

tinted

glasses

we can

build a

trust that

allows us

to really

open up

with as

many people

as we

can

where we

don't look

at the

troubles

and the

faults

and everything

else

and we

really do

help each

other

and our

churches are

changing

we have

multicultural

churches

with people

from different

countries

and you know

what

for Irish

people here

some of

our brothers

and sisters

from different

places can

really help

us with this

one

because as

Irish

people

how are

you going

grand

how are

you in

Ireland

is not a

question

it's a

greeting

and our

reflex

is grand

one of

the simplest

things we

can start

doing to

each other

and again

I work with

a South

African lady

and when she

started working

with us

it was kind

of funny

I come in

the morning

how are you

and she

would start

to tell me

and she'd be

five minutes

into telling

me and she'd

go oh

sorry you just

were saying

good morning

weren't you

and I was

saying you

know what

you've taught

me something

so now I

make a point

when I actually

want to know

I say somebody

how are you

and I go

grand

no no no

how are you

and there's a

woman who goes

to our church

and she catches

me every Sunday

morning going

out the door

and she goes

how are you

and I do it

I go grand

and she's

how are you

and we have

learned so

much about

how God

works in our

lives

and those

times of

prayer

I've got

sidetracked

sorry

we have to

stand fast

we have to

come together

we have to

encourage each

other

and thank God

in all the joy

that we share

while we're doing

those things

we have to care

about the

spiritual welfare

of our brothers

and sisters

we have to

care deeply

does it

actually excite

us

does it thrill

us

when we see

our brothers

and sisters

going on

well in

our walk

does it

thrill you

when you see

your brother

and sister

come to a

difficult time

and they

stand fast

or does it

carelessly

pass you

by

we live

in a very

me

orientated

society

our whole

western world

is based

on the

I

the individual

as Christians

we have to

get past it

we really

have to work

to get past

it

our struggles

our joys

our triumphs

our losses

are shared

together

we are

united

together

in Christ

we are

fully

joined

together

in Christ

so that's

three things

a good

account

don't get

lost in

the struggle

stand firm

and pray

pray deeply

and never

stop

Paul has his

prayer section

here he does

it in all

his letters

he has a

prayer section

and he's

praying

and he is

pleading

and I'm

heavy on

the Spurgeon

quotes at the

moment because

I've just

read two

books on

Spurgeon

but Spurgeon

said that

prayer is

the throbbing

machine that

drives the

church

well pray

ceaselessly

day and

night

never ever

stop praying

and pray

that we

would build

churches that

look like

this

that we

would work

together with

the Holy Spirit

with God the

Father with

the Lord Jesus

to build what

is lacking in

each other's

faith

faith

we have to

build the

trust and

love together

so that we

can share

with each

other fully

so that if we

lovingly see

what the needs

are we can

speak into

the needs

that if we

truly care

we can get

alongside someone

and help them

and avoid the

trap of falling

into the

mindset of

going oh I

wish so and

so would just

insert your

own personal

gripe here

because that's

what can happen

to us we

can get into

that frame of

mind oh would

they ever just

do it my

way or why

aren't they

doing whatever

we have our

personal gripes

if we have to

pray endlessly

so we don't

even have to go

and talk to

people but if

we see things

that we will

pray pray pray

pray pray and

rely on the

Lord in that

prayer to make

your love

increase and

overflow for

each other and

for everyone

it's often said

to me if we

could just love

each other a

little bit more

we'd be doing

better but that's

starting from the

wrong end you've

got to love the

Lord first so

that love will

flow out the

Lord has to be

involved from the

very beginning

seeking the

Lord's way is

what we need

we have a

responsibility to

grow and work

we cannot

simply sit

still and

expect to

grow now we

can sit still

and know the

Lord and spend

time with the

Lord but growth

takes effort

and as a

plant needs

all the

elements for

growth the

correct soil

the right

temperature light

and moisture

we like the

plants need

the right

conditions for

growth we

need to

balance our

lives properly

with time

spent in

the word

in meditation

in prayer

in proper

Christian

fellowship with

one another

where we share

our burdens

in the light of

the gospel so

we build something

that is solid

and lasting

we need to

build a

solid wall in

our lives

and the

foundation

has to be

Jesus

so that we

will start to

look like what

we're supposed to

look like

like in Romans

in chapter 12

where we are

told be

devoted to

one another

flee from

evil cling to

what is good

it's by doing

all these things

in proper

balance that

the Lord will

set us up

firmly where

we are

and we

will know

the joy

of the

presence

of God

the Father

when the

Lord comes

with all

his holy

ones

we have

to be set

up

towards the

goal

there is

a lot

lot more

that can be

said about

these verses

some people

might have

wanted me

to spend

more time

focusing on

the last

verses

and talking

about the

heavenly things

where we

should have

our minds

and hearts

set

if you

want me to

continue for

another half

an hour

I'd be happy

to do that

now

no

but we've

had five

things

let the

account be

good

don't get

lost in the

struggle

stand firm

pray and

never stop

for everything

and everyone

we need to

keep our

eyes fixed

on that

point

on Jesus

the author

and perfecter

the author

and finisher

of our

faith

Jesus is

coming again

and all

this struggle

all this

life

all this

thing that

clutters up

our existence

will be swept

away

we live

in the certain

hope of the

coming of the

Lord

he will

return

and we do

not look at

the things

which are

seen

but we look

at the things

which are

unseen

and like

Paul

who longed

greatly

after heaven

we need

to know

that as

we groan

on this

earth

we have

a greater

finish

than the

beginning

we had

for while

we are in

this tent

we groan

and are

burdened

because we

do not

wish to be

unclothed

but to be

clothed

with our

heavenly

dwelling

so that

what is

mortal

may be

swallowed

up

by

life

the

life

that

is

in

the

resurrection

and

Jonathan

Edwards

said

in this

the apostle

Paul

acted

as

becomes

a

Christian

for

those

who

are

indeed

Christians

don't

belong

to

this

world

and

therefore

it

is

very

unbecoming

in them

to have

their

minds

taken

up

by

these

things

the

example

of

Paul

may

make

all

people

ashamed

whose

minds

are

occupied

chiefly

with

things

of

this

world

or

about

gaining

estates

or

acquiring

honours

we

have

feet

of

clay

and

we

look

down

so

easily

but

just

like

Stephen

when he

stood

in front

of the

Sanhedrin

and it

was

coming

apart

and

everything

was

coming

down

on top

of him

we

have

to

get

our

eyes

off

our

feet

we

have

to

get

our

eyes

off

our

difficulties

we

have

to

look

up

and

see

the

glory

of

God

and

the

Son

of

Man

seated

at

his

right

hand

side

and

we

have

to

know

that

power

and

seek

that

power

and

live

in

the

light

of

that

power

so

now

may

our

God

and

Father

himself

and

our

Lord

Jesus

clear

the

way

for

us

to

come

insert

here

for

you

to

go

to

each

other

in

love

may

the

Lord

make

your

love

increase

and

overflow

for

each

other

and

for

everyone

else

just

as

ours

does

for

you

may

he

strengthen

your

hearts

so

that

you

will

be

blameless

and

holy

in

the

presence

of

a

God

and

Father

when

our

Lord

Jesus

comes

with

all

his

holy

ones

Heavenly

Father

I

thank

you

for

your

word

I

thank

you

for

this

time

this

morning

I

pray

Father

that

it

will

be

used

and

that

I

have

been

faithful

to

your

message

Amen