The Day of Small Things

[0:00] Small things. Small things. That's my message just now.! Think about small things.

[0:11] ! Small things in your life.! Small people. Small actions that we can make or not make. Zechariah 4 verse 10 says this. Zechariah 4 verse 10 says this.

[0:24] Zechariah 4 verse 10 says this. For who have despised the day of small things? Now, God's people have been exiled in Babylon 70 years.

[0:36] And when they returned to Jerusalem, they saw a devastation before them. Everything was in ruins. And they were so discouraged. They come back from this time of exile to see Jerusalem, a pile of ruins.

[0:48] And the temple, the wall, it was a wasteland. And they were despairing. What would they do? Where would they start? And the prophet caused them to be part of building something.

[1:00] Something greater. Solomon's temple had been so majestic. And now it was just a pile of rubble. A foundation. But nothing more to show. And they had to start from this small beginning.

[1:14] The temple needed many individual stones. One small stone upon another. To make up that large building. And without the individual stones, there could be no temple.

[1:27] And it's the same for you and me. Brothers and sisters, we have to start somewhere. We have to start building. One stone at a time. So really, an important point to make here is little things are important.

[1:42] Little things are important. Every stone, every believer in the house of God, in the household of God, in the temple of God that we are as the church.

[1:52] Every one of us, while we might feel ourselves small and insignificant of ourselves, every stone, every one is useful and valuable.

[2:04] I mean, a great building, a great skyscraper is built of individual blocks, isn't it? It's the same with the temple that Zechariah was talking to the king here, that Zechariah was telling that we've got to not despise the day of small things.

[2:23] The next verse in chapter 4, verse 6, in part it says, Zechariah challenges the people. He says, it's not by might, it's not by power, but by my spirit, saith the Lord of hosts.

[2:37] When we think through the word of God, we see, for example, Matthew 18, verse 20, our Lord tells us two or three gathered. For where two or three are gathered, he says, together in my name, there am I in the midst of them.

[2:53] Two or three gathered. We might think that might be a small number. Some people might think that a small church doesn't amount to much. Some would reckon this is a small church by their standards.

[3:04] But a church that's small in numbers can be mighty in God. Amen? We can be mighty in God, even though we're few. As the others might reckon, we are mighty in God.

[3:16] And the Lord Jesus says that even two or three gathered together in his name, that can be powerful. Mighty in God. A small number with God is strong and powerful.

[3:29] Our Lord called his early church the little flock. It's interesting, isn't it? That he would call his church the little flock. In 1 Samuel 14, 6, Jonathan told his armor bearer that it made little difference with God, whether he's saved by the few or by the many.

[3:49] Do not despise the day by small things. You know, you might think for yourself, what am I doing? Do not persevere with the small ministries, with those small steps, those small actions of faith.

[4:02] The souls that you are reaching one by one. It matters to God. That small work that you do, you might think that little that you can do might not amount to much.

[4:13] But in God's sight, you are a mighty man. In Judges 7, Gideon was getting ready to fight the Midianites. And the Lord reduced his army from 32,000 down to 300.

[4:27] 300 soldiers. And that small army of 300 got victory over this overwhelming mass of the enemy. God wanted Gideon to humbly trust him.

[4:39] So he reduced that army down. That the small could do mighty things because God was in it. Consider the power of small things.

[4:51] I know just yesterday afternoon, I got a small bee that stung my eyebrow. And I'm still feeling the effects of it today. I feel like my face is all puffed up.

[5:03] I know it's not noticeable, but I'm feeling it. That small sting made a big difference. And it can happen for us, can't it? We think of the atom. It's small, but it has nuclear energy.

[5:16] We think of a sea that can become a mighty forest. Think of small things. Honeybees, bedbugs. They can be small, but you don't want to have them, do you?

[5:28] Think of the small virus. A coronavirus, or you name it, a kind of virus. It can be small, can be just insignificant, but can have a big impact.

[5:39] Worldwide impact. Think of the small thing, of a baby, of a little child. A small one, a little one, can be such a treasure. A puppy dog. Words of encouragement.

[5:51] A hug. Small things. Amen. Small things are powerful, aren't they? Someone has said, one small step can change your life. You know, the journey of a thousand steps, it begins with one or two, a few small steps.

[6:06] God can surprise us about the small things that he can use in your life. Small things that are great in his sight. What does he say about faith?

[6:17] A mustard seed. That's all you need. A mustard seed to cast a mountain into the sea. You might think that your small contribution doesn't amount to much, but God sees your heart.

[6:29] He knows what's happening for you. And just those few talents that he has given you, he just wants you to use that, that you have. A few talents. All of us can have influence more than we realize.

[6:41] The words that we say now to a child can stick with them long after we're dead and gone. Amen. I can think of a few words that my principal said to me when I was probably seven years old, and I remember those words still today.

[6:57] You might say some words to a child, and those words will stay with them. Small words. Words of challenge. Words of uplift. Words of comfort. Words of love.

[7:08] Small words can be powerful. Amen. Consider the power of small things. The Lord commends the giving even of a cup of water. As we read in Matthew 10, 42.

[7:20] The Lord commends giving even a cup of water. Cup of cold water. It says, Matthew 10, 42. And his word shall give to drink unto one of these little ones a cup of cold water.

[7:34] I was going to read to one to demonstrate, but there's not one there. A cup of cold water. Imagine it here. In my name, in the name of a disciple, very long as I say unto you, he shall in no wise lose his reward.

[7:47] Just a cup of cold water. The Lord says that's important. That's powerful. That's a good thing to do, to give. Our Lord commends the widow for her giving of just two small coins.

[7:59] You know, whatever you put in the offering bag, even though it's tiny, might be just a few cents. God knows what you're giving and what your heart is. That's what counts.

[8:10] It doesn't matter the amount. Mark 12, 42. And there came a certain widow and she threw in two mites. These are the smallest coins you can find which make a father.

[8:21] Of course, in her economy, that was all that she had. She gave sacrificially. The Lord counted that giving of that small gift as mighty, powerful.

[8:34] There's a story told of years ago of a Sunday school in Philadelphia. It was overcrowded. They had space problems. It was so full that they actually had to turn some of the children away.

[8:46] And there was a little girl that was actually turned away. And from that day on, she began to save her pennies to help the church build a Sunday school with more room. Two years after the day she was turned away, she died.

[9:01] They went through her possessions and found her pocketbook, a little purse with 57 pennies in it. And a little scrap of paper which said this was to help the church build a bigger Sunday school.

[9:17] The pastor told his congregation. He took that note and he read it out to the people. And people's hearts were touched. And a man gave the church a piece of land. He said he just wanted a down payment of 57 cents.

[9:32] Others rallied to give to the need. And now there stands a church there that seats 3,300 people. A very large Sunday school plus a university plus a hospital.

[9:43] And at Temple University, there's a room there where this little girl's picture is on the wall. And the note that reminds that she gave 57 cents.

[9:55] And the amazing result. Small things. Amen. Small things can be powerful. God can do wonders with such a small thing. Our Lord calls us too to be faithful with the small, with the little.

[10:08] In Luke 16, verse 10, it says, Here that is faithful in that which is least is faithful also in much. And here that is unjust in the least is unjust also in much.

[10:22] Be faithful even in the little things. The little things. Little things make big things. Friends, it's telling us here, our Lord is telling us here, That nothing and no one is too small for God to use for his purposes.

[10:41] It's been said, if you feel weak, limited, or ordinary, Then you are the best material through which God can work. Don't discount yourself.

[10:53] God can use you. God chooses the little people. As that familiar one says in 1 Corinthians 1, 27, God chooses the fullest things of the world to confound the wise.

[11:05] And he chooses the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty. And more along that line as well. God chooses the little. The little people.

[11:17] Think of the little shepherd boy David. As he went down the brook and he gathered five small pebbles. And with his homemade swing, he felled the giant Goliath.

[11:28] In 1 Samuel 17, 39 through 40. It was just a small David. David, just a boy. Just a youngster. And one small stone plus the power of God.

[11:44] Little things. Little people. Small people. Moses was called the meekest man in all the world. In Numbers 12, verse 3. He was poor in speech. People would have discounted him.

[11:56] He wouldn't amount to much. But God chose Moses. God chose Moses to lead the people. God looks for one who will yield himself in humility. When Moses said, Lord, they won't believe me.

[12:08] They won't listen to me. They won't hearken to my voice. Moses, what is that in your hand? Said God. The Lord. And Moses replied, a rod.

[12:21] Here was Moses holding a rod. And the Lord said, cast it on the ground. And Moses' rod became a serpent. In Exodus 4, we read. It was just a sting.

[12:32] It was just a humble sting. A shepherd's staff. Yet that rod of Moses became the rod of God. And was used of God to deliver a nation.

[12:43] And we can feel like, Moses, what have I got? What can I offer to God? What can I use to serve him? But if we're just willing, if we're just willing to let God get a hold of us, to use us, to use us, and the ordinary person that we are, the insignificant, ordinary things of our life, for his glory, he's able to work wonders.

[13:06] He's able to use people with limited training and talent to serve his purposes. That's who he chooses. 2 Kings 4, verses 1-7, God used a poor widow woman.

[13:19] She was in great poverty. They were about to take away her children to pay her debts. As slaves. And Elisha came and asked her, what do you have in the house?

[13:31] And she says, oh, nothing. Nothing, really. Just a small pot of oil. And Elisha told her, gather from your house, from your neighbours, gather all the empty vessels you can get hold of.

[13:46] And fill them. And she did. And she poured. And she poured. And she poured. And they filled all the pots. The Lord used that little, that small cruise, that small vessel of oil.

[13:57] The Lord used that little that she had available. God's power can make a small thing very valuable. He meant a need.

[14:10] What do you have? Oh, nothing, really. Actually, the little that you have, you can use for God. And I thank God, there's folk that use their car for the glory of God.

[14:23] Picking people up for church. And I think it's just a little car. But God can use you to bless people. Thank you for that. The one who is the greatest came from the least of all people.

[14:36] And the smallest of places. Bethlehem. We read of that in Micah 5, verse 2. And our Lord himself, he knew what it was to be despised. He was small in the scheme of things.

[14:47] He came from a small country town, you could say, of Bethlehem. And it says, But thou, Bethlehem, Ephrathah, though thou be little among the thousands of Judah, yet out of thee shall come forth unto me.

[15:01] That is to be ruler in Israel. Whose going forth have been from of old, from everlasting. Our Lord's very life, it was filled with small acts of service.

[15:12] Think of our Lord as he stood down, as he held the children, as he cooked fish, as he washed the feet of his disciples, as he comforted the sick, as he took time for people.

[15:24] He is our model. He did small things. And God worked greatly. Our Lord miraculously multiplied the food and fed thousands of hungry people.

[15:38] What did he use? A little boy's lunch. You know, they said to him here, John 6, verse 9, you know, that they heard of the need. And the disciples said, there's a lad here.

[15:50] He's got five barley loaves and two small fish. But what are they among so many? It's nothing. Just a little boy's lunch. But it fed the thousands from the master's hand.

[16:04] The Lord is able to bless the little that you have. Yield it to him. The ordinary, the small things. He can use you to accomplish his will.

[16:16] Our Lord can and he does. Use little people to do great things. Don't ever discount yourself. Don't ever put yourself down. God has got a plan for you.

[16:27] A purpose for your life. For your Lord to take hold of you. In 2 Kings 5 we see of Naaman, a general of the Syrian army.

[16:38] He was an important man. But he had this incurable disease. She was leprous. She was covered with this leprosy. With this plague. This skin disorder of leprosy.

[16:49] It was dreadful eating away his flesh. And this little Jewish maid servant spoke up and told General Naaman of Elisha the prophet. This little girl.

[17:00] She was a little girl. She was a messenger of God. To this mighty Syrian general. You might feel you're just a little girl.

[17:11] You're just a little boy. In the scheme of things. But God wants people who are big enough to be small. Let God take a hold of you. James tells of the power of small things in James 3.

[17:25] He tells of the bit in the horse's mouth. By which the rider controls a moose. This powerful animal. He tells of the small rudder. That controls that huge vessel. In the waters. And then he tells of the least member of our body.

[17:40] But the most influential. Our tongue. It's a small thing. But it can do big things, can't it? It can cause much damage. Think of the power of the tongue.

[17:51] Of words you're saying. Of gossip. Of slander. Of cursing. The tongue. It's powerful isn't it? It's a small thing. The small things we do.

[18:01] And they say. They can have power. It can be a powerful thing for good too. Paul says this in 1 Corinthians 10. 31. He says. Whether therefore you eat or drink. Or whatsoever you do.

[18:13] Do all to the glory. Of God. Paul. A double L. Your life is filled with moments.

[18:24] With moments. Small acts. Actions. Those small actions. Are your life. As God's people. We can live every moment. For God's glory.

[18:36] Think of it. Even the smallest acts of our life. Can be for this purpose. To honour and glorify our God. That's what he wants for you. Do all.

[18:47] To the glory of God. Don't discount even the moments. Of your life. We can feel sometimes. We don't amount to much. Even amongst us here.

[18:57] There's just a few of us. We're in really a humble kind of place. You know. Can anything good come out of Elizabeth? You know. I mean. It's a humble place. It's a humble setting. But God can do mighty things.

[19:10] To a people of God. He'll be humble enough. To trust him. Paul found that God works in weakness. His very name. Paul. It means little. That's the name.

[19:21] That's his name. I'm little. He said. Paul. That's what God renamed him. And God works through the weak. He works in the weak. As we read in 2 Corinthians 12.

[19:32] Verse 9. The Lord said unto me. My grace is sufficient for thee. For my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities.

[19:42] That the power of Christ may rest upon me. God works in the weak. Says Paul. That's what God told him. My grace is perfecting in you.

[19:52] My strength is perfect in your weakness. You might say. Who am I? He says. My strength is made perfect.

[20:03] In weakness. The men and women of God. Of old. God used them. In humble settings. Humble beginnings.

[20:14] Hudson Taylor. A pioneer missionary to China. Said. When God sought me out. And called me. To do his work in China. He must have said. This man is weak enough. He will do.

[20:26] We've got to be weak enough. To say. God. Do your work in me. Get a hold of my life. I want to be weak enough. So you can be powerful in me. The seeker of spiritual power.

[20:38] Great spiritual power. God. Is that in our weakness. We draw on God's strength. Little things can be negative.

[20:49] As well. Little things can be negative in our lives. Don't despise the day of small things. Think of the small things that.

[21:01] Can hinder. Little things can be powerful in a negative way. Unfaithfulness in the little things. Can bring great trouble. We heard of David. He felled that great huge giant with something little.

[21:14] Didn't he? A stone. David brought down a giant with something little. But he himself was brought down. By a lingering lustful look. That led him to adultery.

[21:26] Deception. And even murder. It all started. With a little look. Little things matter. Don't they? Little things matter when it comes to Christian faithfulness.

[21:38] Addiction to drugs begins with just a little sample. You know they'll give you a freebie to get you started. Don't they? Just a taste. A little sip. You know a cigarette is a small thing.

[21:55] But doesn't it have a devastating impact over a lifetime? They reckon a smoking habit will burn up a million dollars. That's a lot. Isn't it? A little from a lot from a little.

[22:06] There's a heavy cost. In terms of dollars. And cost to your health. It's just a little thing. It's just one example. There's much, much more telling things we could talk about. Now it's been said the deadliest animal in the world.

[22:19] It's not a tiger. Or a bear. Or a stampeding elephant. Or a rhino. It's been said really that the most dangerous, deadliest animal in the world is a mosquito.

[22:33] A mosquito. This tiny beast kills some three million people a year through the spread of malaria. Think of that. It's a little thing.

[22:45] Deadly. Some experts reckon it's caused the death of one out of every two human beings who have ever lived. A little thing, isn't it? But mighty. Friends, we underestimate a mozzie because of their size.

[23:00] Thank God we don't have too much deadly diseases carried here. But in other nations they do. The Bible tells us that the little foxes spoil the vines.

[23:13] Now those little foxes are going to be rounded up and put to death. The little foxes. In other words, the little things. The little sins. We might consider them trifles. Just little words.

[23:26] Thoughtless words. Words of hate. Careless words. Little thoughts. Little actions. Maybe it's laziness or selfishness. Little things.

[23:37] Can have a big impact, can't they? Friends, don't discount the day of little things. When you think about it, we live on a bit of a hill and there's a little gully.

[23:51] But there's not much water in that little creek. It's just a rivulet, you could say. Just a trickle. Just a trickle. When it starts to rain, it's just a trickle where we live on the high part.

[24:07] But as it gets down the hill, it becomes, potentially can become a raging river, can't it? It's the same with the little things in our life. If you went to the doctor, as I did, to get some little spots checked out.

[24:22] And if the doctor found some small spot of leprosy, he might say, oh, it's nothing to worry about. It's just leprosy. It's only a little piece of leprosy. Only a little bit of leprosy. Imagine if you went to a doctor and they said, oh, yeah, just, yeah, you'll be right, mate.

[24:36] She'll be right. You'd expect the doctor to take some action, to treat it. You don't overlook the small cancer, you cut it out. Small habits can become big addictions.

[24:53] I was out in the garden lately and there's a solid piece of timber there that my hoses hung on. And as I looked, I could see this mud and these little evidence of some little creatures there.

[25:09] Termites. I've seen a house after the termites have done their work. For instance, those small termites, they can eat up a whole house, isn't it?

[25:24] Think of it spiritually now. Don't overlook those small things. God wants to deal with those small things in our lives. I can remember that as a school kid down at, we used to live near the Tee Tree Plaza.

[25:40] And we used to get on our push bikes and ride around with the lads from school. And I was with this band of children in my school days. We were in grade five, six, seven.

[25:51] When it was safe for little kids to drive around on their own. And we were riding around on our bushy's. And some of my mates there, they started pilfering sweets at the shops.

[26:02] They started, you know, just helping themselves to the lollies in the shops. And maybe they graduated to bigger and worse crimes. Who knows?

[26:14] Thankfully, I did not join in with them. I don't think I was particularly moral. I think I was just scared of getting caught. But, you know, we can join in and take those small things, those small steps that are things that are wrong for us.

[26:30] The small things can lead to bigger things. Stealing lollies. Stealing cars. Robbing banks. Who knows? It's the small, isn't it? We overlook the small.

[26:41] The small sins can become bigger. So, friends, still not despite the day. The small things. I trust I'm getting that point home here. We can discount where we are.

[26:52] I feel like nothing is happening. We can feel like him and I. I'm a nobody. But God is at work in you. And through you. There was a youngster, just at age 16, in a cobbler shop in Northampton in the UK.

[27:11] He was the cobbler. He fixed shoes in the days when you didn't go and buy a new one. You just fixed the one in your hand. And he would fix the shoes, the shoe leather, and get the shoes fixed for people in the village.

[27:25] And he was just 16 years old. For 12 years, he worked in that shoe shop. His name, William Kerry. He didn't have a great education. He was largely self-taught.

[27:37] He didn't have much money to show. And he wrote an essay one day on the task of the church to take the whole gospel to the whole world. And soon he left England, never to return, spending the rest of his life in India.

[27:52] For seven years, he labored there. Seven years without seeing a single native person say. Then there came a triple of converts. And he translated the Bible into many Indian languages.

[28:06] He became a professor of oriental languages in Calcutta. They were the days of small things in that cobbler shop for young William Kerry. Days of small things.

[28:18] What about you? It might seem a time of small things in your life. Do not despise the day of small things.

[28:29] We could reckon, as some have listed different things that we should not despise. Don't despise the smallest time in prayer. Don't despise the least work that you can do for God.

[28:40] Don't despise reading your Bible, even if only a few minutes a day. A few minutes a day will build your knowledge of the Bible. And staking those few minutes consistently, day by day, can make a lifetime of impact.

[28:58] Don't despise speaking with love to others. Speaking with love to your children. With love to your spouse. Small things matter. Do you feel small?

[29:10] Do you feel ordinary? We? Incapable of any great thing? For God. We think of these missionaries we've talked of. They were just ordinary. God did great things.

[29:24] You are just the kind of person the Lord is looking for. If you feel ordinary and weak today. If you feel small today. God can do great things through you. Your life. If you will.

[29:36] Give it to Him. We could talk more of many stories of small people. Weak people. But God used to do unbelievably great things.

[29:49] In Hebrews 11.34 it says, Out of weakness were made strong. These are the heroes of the faith. This is Hebrews 11. These are the men and women of God.

[30:01] And He stood out from the crowd. The giants of the faith. Moses, Abraham, Isaac, Joseph. Out of weakness they were made strong. You're feeling weak.

[30:12] You're in good company. Out of weakness you can be made strong by the power of God. God ceased to take pleasure in using the weak. The small. He chose aging and childless Abraham and Sarah.

[30:25] To bring a nation to birth. Others would have written them off. There was no hope. No way. No. Impossible. God used them. The most unlikely. He used Joseph.

[30:36] Sold into slavery. By his jealous brothers. To rule Egypt. And provide food. For God's people. He used 12 uneducated men. To turn the world upside down.

[30:48] Think of them. The 12. God used them. He delights in the small. To use the small. To do big things for him. Where the little jawbone.

[30:58] Samson slew an army. It was just something little. It was in his hand. The jawbone. Honestly. God can use the small. With just a little faith.

[31:09] God can do great things in us. Gideon. He said. Lord how can you use me? I'm the least in my father's house. David said. I'm the least. I'm just a shepherd boy. Paul said. I'm just the least of the apostles.

[31:21] That's why God could use them. Because they saw how little they were. Next to him. Friends. Don't despise the day. Of small things. Don't neglect the little things.

[31:31] It's the little things that matter. Ways you can bless others. Think of it. As our Lord tells. Of the time. In Matthew 25. As the king calls them.

[31:42] The blessed of my father. To inherit the kingdom prepared for you. From the foundation of the world. Excuse me. He says. Matthew 25. 35. For I was unhungered.

[31:53] And you gave me me. I was thirsty. And you gave me drink. I was a stranger. And you took me in. Naked. And you clothed me. I was sick. And you visited me. I was in prison. And you came unto me.

[32:06] Interesting isn't it? These are all small things. Aren't they? Small things that you can do. That we can do. Get someone some food. A drink. Some clothes.

[32:19] Some care. Some time. Notice it's not the great and grand things our Lord talks of here. It's the small things. The small things that he recognises.

[32:30] And then we see verse 40. It says. Our Lord. The king. In picture of our Lord. He says. Verily I say unto you. And as much as you've done it unto one of the least of these my brethren.

[32:42] You've done it unto me. Now God uses the nobodies. People quietly serving. The nobodies. The ones who faithfully put out the church signs.

[32:54] Or the ones preparing the communion time. For the church tea and coffee. Making sure the paper towels are in the dispensers. The ones who come here early to help. The ones who neaten up.

[33:05] The chairs. The ones who vacuum the carpets. The ones who clean the toilets. The ones who dust. The ones who keep the libraries sorted. The ones who are keeping the tech systems running.

[33:17] And getting them ready. The ones who are preparing for music and song. The ones who are neaten up the crates. And taking care of tidying up. The ones who help count the offering. And deposit it.

[33:28] The list goes on and on. They're all little things. They're little things. The dustbin. Yeah. Have we got a ministry for you? Putting the dustbin out.

[33:39] You know. The little things count. Amen. The little things that you do for God. They can count. And they make the church function. Without them we'd say. Oh. Someone forgot this or that.

[33:51] There's an African proverb that says. If you think you're too small to make a difference. You haven't slept with a mosquito. You know. Little things matter people. And you can do anything.

[34:02] That God wants you to do. Think of that 80 year old shepherd in the desert. God made him into a Moses. He picked that teenager called Jeremiah. And the rough and ready disciples.

[34:15] And he looks at you. And he sees your potential. He sees what you can be. And we can overlook the potential of others too. Even in the younger ones here. These little girls here.

[34:26] The little boys in our church. The Sunday school children. The little ones in our lives. Our children. Our grandchildren. You can't look at a child and see his future.

[34:38] What will they become? Let's have that in mind. Of little ones. Of younger ones in our lives. Let's be a blessing to them.

[34:50] See them grow. It's been said that anyone can look at an apple and count the seeds. But only God can look at a seed and count the apples. Do not despise the day as small things.

[35:04] Friends take the time to give small acts of kindness. Maybe Michael wake up. Wake up Michael. Someone wake him. We need to wake up.

[35:14] Because we do not despise the day as small things. A little snoring can be very annoying. Ask Julie about that. Take the time to give small acts of kindness.

[35:26] To do those small things that matter. A small faithfulness that can bring great rewards. Maybe it's a time to think about what are the decisions I can make about the small things in my life.

[35:38] The small actions that I can take. The small changes I can make. You could say, I thought of this one myself. That diets are successful when we take small bite-sized pieces.

[35:51] To make positive changes. Can I think? It's the bite-sized pieces that make the diet work, isn't it? And it's the same with the small changes in your life, in mine. It's bite-sized.

[36:02] It's small. Bit by bit. It's the same spiritually. Now I think of our church's witnessing efforts as we go out. And sometimes I have to laugh when someone says, we're praying for the witnessing team.

[36:13] Thinking of some great, huge number of people. But sometimes it's very small in number. But our church's witnessing team. Our church's witnessing efforts.

[36:24] Can seem like this is just such a huge field to cover. But by one house at a time.

[36:36] We're covering whole suburbs of our city. You know, I like to record that. And sometimes we might only cover a few houses. Not even a whole block. On a Saturday morning, we might just cover a handful of houses.

[36:51] Oh, yeah. Hopefully a block. But block by block. House by house, we're covering whole suburbs. And I like to look at the map that we're drawing. And it's gradually filling in.

[37:02] It's gradually filling in. Because the small things matter. But the small acts, the small faithfulness matters. We could look at the whole city and think, happily reach this city for Christ.

[37:16] It's one house at a time. One person at a time. Don't despise the day of small things. Of prayer. When you pray, God moves. Don't despise the small things.

[37:29] In service in your church, God is glorified. He sees those little things. Don't despise the small things when you work to bless others. I know sometimes I put the word out, someone needs help.

[37:39] Moving house. And I always get a particular person saying, oh, count me in. I'll help. Thank God for you. Thank God for you. I'd like to have a few more like that man.

[37:51] When I put the word out and say, someone needs some help. Count me in. I'll be there. I'll volunteer. Those small things of service can matter to people in need.

[38:03] God gets glory from it. You'll bless people. You'll show Christ compassion and love. Don't despise the small things like daily Bible reading. Take the time. Even if it's just a few verses.

[38:14] That daily habit will reap a lifetime of blessing. Don't despise the small things of daily obedience and sacrifice.

[38:26] Of putting sin to death. Of living out the victory that you have in Christ. Those small things. When you say, oh, that's sin. I'm not going to do it. When you could get away with it.

[38:38] You'll say, no, that's a small thing, but I'm not going to do that. Don't despise the small things like giving glory to God. Saying thank you. Could be a sentence prayer in your life, in your day by day.

[38:52] You say, thank you, Lord. I praise you, Lord. Don't despise the small things like not getting bitter about things. Actually letting God do a work in your heart.

[39:04] That you love people. That don't deserve it. Don't let bitterness take over. Walk in the Spirit. Don't despise the small things. Like daily loving, leading and uplifting your wife.

[39:18] Building a God-glorifying marriage. Don't despise the small things like respecting your husband. You showcase God's work in your marriage. Don't despise the small things like being a good worker.

[39:31] In the workplace when no one's watching. You want to do a good job because your ultimate boss is Christ. You want your life to be a testament for His glory. Don't despise the small things like sharing the gospel with others.

[39:44] Could be just a word. You might get knocked back. But someone might come to know eternal life. Don't despise the small things like worship. The joy of fellowship.

[39:56] Maybe you could commit to coming to one more meeting a week. But you don't normally come to. It's a small thing. But it can matter. You see, what opportunity to join in worship and fellowship and receiving God's word.

[40:11] The little things they can see so trivial but they're not unimportant. It's the small changes we can make that can make a huge difference.

[40:24] So friends, just to wrap up this time today. Think about those small things. Decide to do the small things. Consider the small things you can start doing and stop doing.

[40:38] Make some small changes for the glory of God. Small things can make a big impact. Read your Bible every day. Make it a discipline saying, oh, it's Bible time. Take that time.

[40:50] Get together with others. Take opportunity to get together with others. To study the Bible. To learn it. To hide it in your heart. It can be a life changer. Begin every new day with prayer.

[41:02] Commit the day. And yourself to the Lord. Do those little things. Write a little note. A little note of appreciation to someone. Encourage them.

[41:12] You don't know what a big difference that can make. Love a child. There's children that need your love. Volunteer. Hear. Hug a friend.

[41:24] They're little things. Pray. See what God does. Do not despise the day of small things. Let's pray. Lord, we thank you that everything that matters is built from something small.

[41:41] And just as that temple was rebuilt stone by stone. It seems so discouraging yet. The small things meant that a huge temple was rebuilt there.

[41:57] The very temple that you taught him. Lord, help us to see the small things in our lives.

[42:11] The things that are small that make us stumble. Take those small things from us, Lord. Help us to see the small things we can do for you.

[42:22] Lord, with our life in your hands. Lord, we pray. Each one might know. That simple trust. That simple trust. It's small.

[42:33] But it's eternity changing. To say, Lord, save me. I follow you. And Lord, help us to be challenged to think of the smallness of our life.

[42:44] That you can do your great work through each one. And that great work might be the small things of our life. That really count in your sight.

[42:55] Lord, be glorified in your church, we pray. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen.