Faith For Service

[0:00] Thank you for choosing to listen to today's message by Rev. Dr. David Entry. We know you will be blessed as you seek and serve God. We believe that this message will stir up a desire for more of God even as you listen.

[0:14] Be blessed. James chapter 2 verse 26 For us the body without spirit is dead.

[0:25] So faith without works is dead also. It said when God created man, Bible says that God made man from the dust of the earth.

[0:43] So he took the dust of the earth and formed it into man. Genesis chapter 2. And that wasn't the end. That was not the end.

[0:55] After that, God did something for man to start to talk, to start to walk, to start to see, to start to feel, to start to think, to start to eat, to start to cry, and to start to laugh.

[1:12] God, it was just an inanimate object. When God took the clay and made it, it was an inanimate object.

[1:23] It was not a living thing. God breathed. God breathed. God breathed. God breathed. God breathed. God breathed. God breathed. God breathed.

[1:37] The breath of life into his nostrils. And man became a living being. He then had bios.

[1:47] Biological life. Which science can now study about life. And since that time, life has not ceased. Life has passed on from generation to generation.

[2:02] You cannot be alive without a mother and a father. You can only, or every living thing is a product of another living thing.

[2:15] So that same life that was in the tree was passed on into the seed. And that life in the seed, when the seed was planted, brought out the life into another tree.

[2:31] And the life of that tree is in its seed. And when that seed is planted, the life gets another expression. Whilst the original tree is there, it has now produced another tree by virtue of the life in the seed.

[2:47] And it's the same thing. Your mother is there, but you are also there. There was a time you were not there. It was only your mother. But now you are there. Your mother is there. And your child is also there.

[2:58] And your mother can look at her grandchild and say that, I didn't give birth to this, but this one is from my life. The life came through me and got you, and through you got your child.

[3:09] And your child is about to have a child. And your child's child will have children. And it continues. So from Adam, this life that was breathed into man keeps multiplying.

[3:20] But it's the same life. It must be traceable to somebody. Same life. So you cannot be authorized to be on earth without having this natural life.

[3:33] That's why for God to become a man, he has to tell us who his mother is. Because you need a mother. You need to be born.

[3:45] You need to be conceived and born to legally exist on earth. So even God needed somebody to grant him the natural life.

[4:01] Jesus didn't have human life. He had divine life. But he needed human life. So he had to be born by a human Mary. So from that time, the life has been growing.

[4:13] But it started with what God, the work of God, the breath of life. That life, we are all a product of it. Whether we know it or not, we admit it or not, we like it or not, it doesn't change the fact.

[4:25] It doesn't change the fact. It doesn't change the fact. Whether you like your skin color or not, it doesn't change. It doesn't change who you are. Praise the Lord.

[4:37] So it is the life. God created an inanimate object, breathed into inanimate object. And suddenly it became life.

[4:48] So when people die, the life in them has left the body. When the life leaves the body, it's a corpse. It's a corpse.

[5:01] A body without the spirit is dead. The Bible says that in the same way, faith without works.

[5:13] It's not faith. It's fake. It says it's dead. That means it's non-existent. It doesn't work. You have sat yourself.

[5:28] Okay, I believe. But it does not work. It's dead. It's dead. Faith without works is fake. Faith without works is fake.

[5:46] You are faking it. You are not faking it. And it is necessary to realize that faith delivers. When you read the Old Testament, you see all the exploits they did.

[6:01] Actually, do you know that even going through the Red Sea, Bible says that it was by faith. Hebrews chapter 11 verse 29. Bible says the walls of Jericho came down by faith.

[6:13] They passed through the Red Sea as on dry ground by faith. By faith, the water had to stand like a wall. Wall. And it's not just because God's power just made it stand.

[6:26] The faith of the people. You see, if you look at the Old Testament, you will realize that there was a faith behind. And then faith is not from God. Faith is from man.

[6:39] So faith is your responsibility. The power is God's responsibility. And what brings the power to work is your faith. And when you read very carefully, the whole chapter 11 of Hebrews, it said, By faith the elders obtained a good report, verse 2.

[7:00] By faith, Bible says that by faith Cain, also Abel offered, verse 4, a more excellent sacrifice. By faith, verse 5, Enoch was translated and did not see death.

[7:13] For it is written that before he was taken, he pleased God. But we know, verse 6, that without faith, it is not possible to please God. Or it's impossible to please God.

[7:24] So he was able to please God because of his faith. And because he pleased God because of faith, he didn't see death. You can't be pleasing God and things dying around you.

[7:35] Yes. He was translated and did not see death. By faith, Bible says that Noah moved by faith, moved.

[7:46] And when he was told to build an ark, he built an ark for 120 years. He was still building it. And at that time, no rain. Human beings have not seen rain yet. It has never rained.

[7:57] The earth gets water from within. So for God to tell you about things that don't exist, it should never happen. But by faith, it's going to happen. He had to believe God and he built an ark. And people were laughing at him by a circuit building for 120 years.

[8:10] Bible says that until Noah entered the ark. Until Noah entered the ark. In the book of Luke chapter 17 from 25 somewhere there. Until Noah, so by faith, Noah built.

[8:23] By faith, verse 8 of Hebrews chapter 11. Abraham obeyed. What makes you think you can obey God without faith? It's not an idea.

[8:33] It's not, okay, okay, I'll try. No, no, no, please don't try. If you want to try to obey God, forget it. Don't try it. You have to step in by step out by faith and choose that I'm going to obey. Don't try.

[8:43] Decide. So by faith, Abraham obeyed and moved. Going where he didn't know where he was going. He left not knowing where he was going.

[8:56] It must only be faith. He left by faith. Abraham, by faith, when he was called to go out into a place where he should receive after us for an inheritance.

[9:07] He obeyed and he went out not knowing where he was going. He left the house. He left. He took his family.

[9:18] He took everybody. He said, let's go. Where are we going? We just don't know. Where are we going? God said we should go. By faith, he moved. By faith, he moved in obedience. Don't move if you have not heard God.

[9:30] He moved in obedience. By faith, he obeyed and moved. By faith, Sarah. Abraham believed God that Abraham would become the father of many nations at the time when the wife was barren.

[9:46] And the Bible talks about it. The problem was not with Abraham. The problem was with the wife. Because if it was with Abraham, her girl shouldn't have been pregnant.

[9:58] Her girl got pregnant at the end of Genesis chapter 15. So it wasn't Abraham. No, no, no, no. Genesis chapter 16, the beginning, I think so.

[10:10] Abraham, Sarah told Abraham, use her. Work it with her so that we can have a child in this house. In the child. And then Abraham said, well, I think that's a good idea.

[10:21] I was thinking about it, but I'm not sure if you would have accepted it. So he said, hey, God, where are you? So Abraham went into Hagar and produced.

[10:36] At that time, he was, I think, 86 years old. 86 years old man. He still could produce a child. And the problem, and listen, before Abraham met God, according to Genesis chapter 11, from verse 27, 28, 29 there, Sarah was barren.

[10:54] Before Abraham met God, Sarah, Sarai was barren. She was childless. Verse 30. Sarai was barren before Abraham met God.

[11:04] So there was a problem with Sarai. And then Asad, when they were young, she couldn't produce a child. And then Abraham met God. And when Abraham met God, God says that I want to dispossess you of your land.

[11:18] The only thing you have in life is your land. You don't have a child, but I want to dispossess you of your land because I'm going to give you a child and a land. So he said, move from where you are comfortable.

[11:32] Watch the only thing you have. Move so that I will become your road map. Move. Where are we going? As long as you can look up to me, you'll be fine.

[11:44] You don't need to see the road. As long as you can see God, you'll be okay. So move. And Abraham obeyed God. And then in Genesis chapter 15, from verse 1 downwards, God comes to Abraham and tells him that I shall make you a father of many nations.

[12:02] Verse 6, he says that he showed him the stars of the earth and told him that so shall thy seed be. Your children are buried. A man who didn't, he wasn't buried, but a wife didn't have him.

[12:14] And he was old. So Abraham told God, God told Abraham, see, I'm your shield and your sealing great reward. And Abraham told God, see, what will I get since a stranger is going to inherit my possession?

[12:28] Genesis chapter 15, from verse 1. He said, a stranger. God said, don't say that. What makes you think that a stranger is going to be your heir? He said, that Egyptian will not be your heir.

[12:40] For one born from your own loin shall be your heir. And Abraham said, how? He said, look at the stars. So shall thy seed be. I'll give you a seed. And do you know what?

[12:50] And Abraham believed God. At that time, he was 86. He believed God. God, you mean? See, that's the problem.

[13:01] You believe in God. You are looking at the condition. That is what is affecting your faith in God. But Abraham had the condition. Their wife was barren. And they've tried it. They haven't had a child.

[13:11] And then at the age of 86, God comes to him. And God says that, I'm going to make you. Look at the stars of the earth. Can you number them? You can't number the stars.

[13:22] He said, that's how your seed shall be. It can never be numbered. Me? A fatherless man? How can you say that? And so God gave Abraham the promise.

[13:33] But verse 6 is what he said. And he believed in God. At that time, he believed in God. And Bible says that this believing is what I account to you for right behavior.

[13:46] So it was accounted unto him for righteousness. He believed God. Somebody say, I believe God. I believe God. You must learn how to look sometimes.

[13:57] Look at that negative letter and say, I believe God. I don't know what news you have been hearing. But you have to be able to look at that information, that information that is not favorable for your business, favorable for your marriage, favorable for your health.

[14:12] You have to look at that information and say, I believe God. I believe God. Abraham looked at it and he said, I believe God. Because God has also told him something that he could latch his faith on.

[14:26] So he chose to believe God when it was impossible. And Bible said that he believed God. So when he believed God, it was accounted to, at that time, he was 86. And then chapter 16, up to the end of chapter 15, nothing was happening.

[14:43] So chapter 16, Sarah said, let's use the other options so that God's word can be fulfilled. And God came to Abraham after a while because God wasn't pleased with Abraham for going down that line.

[14:56] He said, I didn't need your help. God doesn't need your help to fulfill his word. God just needs your faith to fulfill his word. He doesn't need you to help him.

[15:07] If he said he would do it, he would do it. So Abraham, because of that, there was silence between God and Abraham. God left Abraham for about 13 years. And now, Genesis chapter 17, verse from verse 1, Bible talks about how when Abraham was 99 years.

[15:24] When Abraham was 99 years old. Did you see that? So this 99 years old was different from when he was 86.

[15:38] And when God told him, look at chapter 16, the last verse in chapter 16, please. Chapter 16. And Abraham was four schools. Give us a different translation.

[15:49] New King James. And Abraham was how old? 86. When what? Hagar. Ishmael. When he had a child via the strange woman.

[16:02] How old was he? 86. And between that time and the next time God showed up, 13 years, God went silent. Because why did you do it the way I didn't show you to do it?

[16:13] So because of that step he took, God and Hagar, his son, Ishmael, brought a lot of problems. So, look at, so chapter 16, verse 16.

[16:28] Abraham was how old? I can't hear you. 86. Next verse. There was, when Abraham was 19, so we didn't, God stopped dealing with Abraham for a while.

[16:42] There was 13 years of silence because of Abraham. Now, God appeared to Abraham and said to him, I am almighty God. Walk before me and be blameless.

[16:54] Walk before me. Stop trying to do it your own way. If you are trusting God, trust him. If you are depending on your own resources, depend. But learn how to trust God absolutely.

[17:09] And God said, walk before me and be perfect. Look at the next verse. Verse 2. And I will make my covenant between me and you and multiply you exceedingly. It was there.

[17:20] Verse 3. Verse 3, let me show. And Abraham fell on. Abraham, sorry. Abraham fell on face. And God talked with him saying, ask for me, behold, my covenant is with you.

[17:31] And you shall be a father of many nations. See, God has repeated it. Go to the next verse. Go to the, no longer shall your name be called Abraham, but it shall be Abraham.

[17:43] And I have made you, for I have made you a father of many nations. And he changed Sarah's name from Sarai to Sarah. And look at Hebrews.

[17:54] It's Romans chapter 4, verse 19. I want to show you something. Romans 4, 19. Not being weak in faith, he did not consider his own body already dead.

[18:05] That's talking about Abraham. All right? Verse 18 to make sense. Verse 18. Who, contrary to hope, talking about Abraham, in hope believed so that he became the father of many nations according to what was spoken.

[18:19] You remember that? So shall thy seed be. Genesis 15, 6. So he became the father of many nations against hope. He believed that he might be.

[18:29] Based on what was said, so shall thy seed be. Now watch this. Verse 19 says that, not being weak in faith, he considered not his own body that was now dead.

[18:41] When he was about how old? Neither the deadness of Sarah's womb. So Sarah was the original problem. And now her womb was dead.

[18:52] When her womb was not dead, she was barren. Now a barren woman's womb dead. Then so God waited. Listen to that.

[19:03] I want to paint a picture for you. Abraham, Sarah's womb was not dead. The Bible says he didn't say her womb was dead at the age when Hagar was impregnated.

[19:20] All right? Ishmael was born. Abraham was 86. The Bible didn't say, so 86 minus 10. 76. Sarah was around.

[19:31] The Bible didn't tell us whether her womb was dead or not. But she has always been barren. Are you following it? She had always been barren. And Abraham was alive.

[19:41] That's why he was able to impregnate Sarah's servant. So God said, okay, I'll wait when everything is gone off. God waited until he was switched off.

[20:01] God waited until he was off. He could not practically, physically, naturally function. Now go and impregnate Hagar.

[20:12] You're off now. You're off now. You're off now. And God told him, after pregnating Hagar, God told him that this shall not be your heir.

[20:25] God told him, Ishmael is not the one. For I will give you a child by your wife, Sarah. Sarah I'm talking about. So it's not Hagar.

[20:36] It's not your ability to produce a child. But Sarah's ability to bear a child, even at the old age when her womb was dead. Now watch this. So at the age of 86, Abraham was still functional.

[20:49] But at the age of 99, almost 100, Bible says that, according to Romans, is it not there? He considered not his own body. Some of you, when you say body dead, I don't know if you understand it.

[21:01] But let's look at it. Maybe NIV will help. No, New Living Translation.

[21:12] Let's see our New Living Translation. Abraham's faith did not weaken, even though at about 100 years of age, he figured his body was as good as dead.

[21:25] And so was Sarah's. So his body, you know what it means. So at that age, his body was as good as dead. It does nothing. It's like faith without works. It's dead. It's just like spaghetti.

[21:40] So, sorry. So Abraham, please, let's get this thing going. Some of you get excited about this thing too much.

[21:51] Abraham's body was dead. So Abraham's body was dead. But how many of you agree with me that at the time he impregnated Hagar, his body was not dead?

[22:04] And so, watch this. He impregnated Hagar in Genesis chapter 16. Look at Genesis chapter 16 from verse 1.

[22:17] Genesis chapter 16 from verse 1. Now, Sarai, Abraham's wife, had borne him no children. And she had an Egyptian maid servant whose name was Hagar.

[22:29] Verse 2. And Sarai said to Abraham, See now, the Lord has restrained me from being a bearing children. Please, go into my maid.

[22:40] Perhaps I shall obtain children by her. And Abraham heeded to the voice of Sarah. Good idea. Verse 3.

[22:55] Then Sarai, Abraham's wife, took Hagar, her maid, the Egyptian, and gave her to her husband, Abraham, to be his wife. After Abraham had dwelt 10 years in Canaan, the land of Canaan.

[23:11] So he went into her and she conceived. Dead bodies can go into people. He went into her and she called. And when she was, when she saw that she was convinced, she began to despise her mistress.

[23:25] So she conceived. Now, but this is before God came to Abraham at the age of 90. 99. But at the age of 50, sorry, before he was 86 or 85, because I think around 85 he worked.

[23:46] And then 86 the baby came. So. In Genesis chapter 15, God came to Abraham and he says that Eliezer will not be your heir.

[23:57] That's verse, I think verse 3, yeah. And Abraham said, behold, to me thou hast given me, thou hast given no seed. And lo, one born in my house is my heir.

[24:08] Verse 4. And behold, the word of the Lord came to Abraham saying that this shall not be thy heir, but he that shall come forth out of thy own bowels shall be thy heir. And this is where, watch the next verse, the next verse, verse 5.

[24:21] And he brought him forth abroad and showed him, at least you can see something so you can hit your faith on it. And then verse 6 said, Abraham believed. You see, are you following it?

[24:31] And then verse 6 said, and Abraham believed. And watch this. And he was accounted for him for righteousness. And I want to show you something. How old was he, at least around that time? He was definitely less than 85 around that time.

[24:45] Now, when he was 99, chapter 17, verse 1, God came to Abraham and said again, at the time before 85, he had already believed that he would be a father of many nations.

[24:56] But I think he thought it might be through somebody else when Sarah suggested. So he embraced it. But when he was 99, according to Romans chapter 4, verse 19 and 20, look at 19.

[25:10] Bible says that, and be not being weak in vain, because he did not know his own body, even though he was about 100 years, 99, neither the steadiness of Sarah. Look at verse 20. He staggered not at the promise of God through unbelief, but he was strong in faith, giving glory to God.

[25:26] Verse 21, being fully persuaded that he that had promised, he was able also to perform it. Therefore, it was imputed unto him for righteousness. It was accounted to him for righteousness.

[25:38] It happened twice. The first time when he believed he would have a child, but he didn't know that it definitely had to be through Sarah. And then the second time was when he was 99 years old. So the first one, he misfired.

[25:50] He believed, but he misfired. He believed, but he decided to help God. Tell somebody, God does not need your help. God needs your faith.

[26:06] Not your help. He wants you to, do you believe in what I've said to you? Do you believe in what you have heard from me?

[26:17] Do you believe in what you are seeing in my word? Do you believe in me? God wants your faith to be in place. He wants you to believe in him, not to help him because he doesn't need any human help.

[26:29] So Abraham, now the point I've been trying to make is that those two, you can tell, it was two times. It was accounted to him for faith. The first one was before he was 85.

[26:40] And the second one was just before he was 100. And before he was 100, the point here is that Sarah's womb was dead. But according to Hebrews chapter 11, we understand that Sarah, even though Abraham was believing God, Sarah herself also needed to believe God.

[27:01] Your pastor has faith. How about you? Through faith, Sarah herself, she receives strength.

[27:12] Don't tell you, who told you, faith lives you the way you are. Faith brings something into you. It does. Through faith, Sarah herself receives strength. How did he receive strength? How did she receive strength?

[27:24] Through faith. How did she receive strength? Through faith. You are receiving strength as you trust in God. Through faith, as she believed the word, and she believed the word, she received strength to conceive, even though she had passed the age of conception.

[27:40] She received an age-defying miracle. Don't let your age restrict you. Oh, I'm very old now.

[27:52] You know, it's very difficult at this age to get a kind of job, how to finish that master's, how to do this, how to have a child. By faith, Sarah herself receives strength.

[28:06] By faith, Sarah herself receives strength to conceive. Because an old lady getting pregnant, it requires strength.

[28:18] The strength to conceive. What he didn't say is, he didn't say she received strength during conception.

[28:29] To conceive. What it takes to even conceive. The process of receiving. Kadamashah. She received strength to conceive.

[28:43] She received strength to conceive. I believe that somebody who has set upon yourself, or set it in your heart, to achieve a certain academic height, but your age is working against you, and sometimes you are studying, it's not working.

[28:58] By faith, may you receive strength. By faith, may you receive strength. By faith, may you receive strength. In the name of Jesus. By faith, Sarah, I like the herself there.

[29:12] This is a Sarah too. Sarah herself, because your husband has faith to believe, but you yourself, even to conceive and bear a child, and deliver a child, when you are past the age, it requires some strength.

[29:26] And that strength you receive. So Abraham had the faith to have a child. Sarah needed the faith to have the strength. Yeah. Because if my wife is going to carry her, and she's old, she has to receive the strength.

[29:41] Because you have to carry it, because my faith says that God is bringing a child, but you will do it. Because Genesis chapter 21, verse, Genesis chapter 21, verse 6, or verse 5, Bible says that, and Sarah conceived.

[29:55] And Sarah, Sarah said, okay, look at verse 1 and 2. Let's go to verse 1, chapter 21. And the Lord visited Sarah, as he has said, and the Lord did unto Sarah, as he has spoken. He spoke to Abraham. So the deal was really between Abraham and God.

[30:10] Check your scriptures. The deal was between Abraham and God. And he kept saying, your wife, Sarah, your wife shall conceive. That's why Abraham, watch this, watch this, Abraham received, oh, thank you, Jesus.

[30:23] He received, by faith, Bible says by faith, he believed God, and disregarded his dead body, and still disregarded, because it's not only one. It takes two to tango. It takes two to have a child. If your body is dead, how about your wife?

[30:35] Okay, maybe your faith can work for you, but you have to project your faith, so that your wife's body will also respond. So Abraham had to believe God, ignore his body that was dead, and then also the wife's body, and his faith covered both.

[30:50] But now, this body that was dead, or womb that was dead, that has now received child. Old lady, you need strength. You need strength. You need strength to carry through, because God did unto Sarah, oh, come on, God did unto Sarah, as he has said, what he said to Abraham, it takes a Sarah for it to be fulfilled.

[31:12] Yeah. It takes a Sarah for it to be fulfilled. That's why you have to be careful how you are treating people. God has given you a word, but there must be a certain Sarah. Yeah.

[31:24] He gave you the word, but you still need Sarah. Sarah. Don't go be telling people, that is not my wife. She's my sister. Yeah.

[31:38] Yes. It was after Abraham went and confessed that she's my wife. Abimelech, and then they prayed for Abimelech.

[31:50] It was after that, then Sarah, and Abraham prayed for the house of Abimelech. Because of Sarah, Abimelech went for Sarah, and all the women in her, and the land started getting barren.

[32:04] And God told him, you are a dead man, you have gone for a prophet's wife. But he said, but he lied to me. He didn't tell me the truth. He said, you see, the problem is, he didn't tell you the truth, but he's not a prophet.

[32:16] You have touched a prophet wrongly, even though you are innocent. You are not reading your Bible, that's why. He said, you have touched a prophet wrongly.

[32:28] I'm telling you, he's there. Bible says, because, because of Sarah's wife, all the women in Abimelech's house were barren. Because of Abraham's wife.

[32:39] Genesis chapter 20. Their wombs were shut. Put it on the screen. Their wombs were all shut because of Sarah, Abraham's wife. For the Lord had, had first closed up all the wombs, all, all the wombs of the house of Abimelech because of Sarah, Abraham's wife.

[32:56] Look at the next verse. And the Lord visited Sarah. Okay. So when you go back before, verse, chapter 20 from verse 17, verse, let's go to verse 6, verse 15.

[33:08] And Abimelech said, behold, my land is before thee. Have, feel free and dwell here. The next verse, verse 17. And said unto Sarah, behold, I have given, or I think it's just that, where God came to Abimelech and said, you are a dead man.

[33:24] You are a dead man. You have gone for a prophet's wife. He said, because of the woman that you have got in your house. What I'm trying to say is that you are aware of something in your background.

[33:41] Don't come and be bluffing in church. Your only place of safety. Don't bluff in church. So that just God can have mercy on you.

[33:54] So God can have mercy on you. Don't be bluffing in church. They give you a seat. You're always fighting for ashes. They give you opportunity to do something for God, do something in church. I can't be bothered.

[34:05] Listen, you must be bothered if you are being removed from a department or be bothered if you don't even get to serve again. Be bothered. Because God rewards people who serve. God.

[34:15] God. God. God reacts to service. Well done. That good and faithful servant. No, no, no leader. No faithful Christian.

[34:28] God doesn't work with faithful Christians. It's just servants. Yesterday I was sharing with him. his leaders. Even he told the devil, he told Satan, have you considered my servant Job?

[34:39] That's why, because Job was a servant, that's why nothing could pull him down. His service was untainted. Your service to God will give you equity in heaven.

[34:51] Your service. It's true. I feel like preaching. You're preaching. You're preaching. You're preaching. All that kind of religious pursuit that does not engage your, your abilities.

[35:05] Engage your strength, your resources. It has to engage you. Unless it's not worship. This practically is almost like a social function. Come and sat down and then you go.

[35:16] Come and sat down and go. One day if you need God critically, what grounds are you going to stand on? You say, God, because of, Ezekiah had few minutes to live. Isaiah chapter 28.

[35:29] He was about to die. 38, sorry. A prophet came. God said, I should tell you, put your house in order, write your will, do everything, because this sickness is not leaving you. You're about to die. Yeah.

[35:40] Isaiah 38. Isaiah came and told you, you're about to die, Ezekiah. Ezekiah turned his face to the wall and said, God, remember the things I've done. God, remember the things I've done. Oh Lord, I besiege thee, how I've walked before thee in truth and in perfected, and I've done that which is good in thy sight.

[35:57] And Ezekiah went, God, look at what I've done. Please, God, remember my work. Remember my sacrifices. Remember. Remember. What are you going to stand on in the day of crisis to call on God?

[36:09] In the day of crisis, what are you going to stand on and say, God, remember my sacrifices. Remember my dedication. In the Psalm 20, it says that may God remember your seed and your sacrifices.

[36:25] Psalm 20. From Zion. He said, will God remember you in the day of trouble? Remember all your offerings and thy best sacrifices. You are busy receiving prayers.

[36:43] Get, get, get works on the ground for God. Get some works on the ground which heaven cannot ignore or deny.

[36:55] You are a Christian? There are people who, when they do something little for church, they want to hold the church to ransom. Especially, that's why we don't recognize anybody forgiving.

[37:10] You make a donation in this church, we are not going to call you and announce it this person. God forbid. God forbid. We will not recognize you for giving and we will not pressure you for not giving.

[37:27] If this thing is good, he will react himself. He will react himself. He will react. I don't know why I've gone here because I believe God is trying to help somebody.

[37:44] Yes, yes. All of us. All of us. All of us. You are pretty. In your day of trouble, in your day of need, heaven will look at your equity.

[37:57] There's a guy who came to Jesus. They came in the book of Luke. They said, Jesus, the man wanted, his son was sick. He wanted Jesus in his house. He didn't come to Jesus. The disciples came to Jesus and said, please do this for him because this man has built a synagogue for us.

[38:12] He has built. Jesus said, ah, let's go. I'm going there. This guy has done this. I'm going. This guy has built a synagogue for us. Yeah. Yeah. So I'm going. Yeah.

[38:23] Luke 7. For he loved our nation and he has built us a synagogue. Verse 6. Wow. And Jesus went with them. Wow. He said, I'll go. I'll go.

[38:34] This guy has done this. Yeah. What? What? What? He wasn't a Christian. He wasn't a Jew. He wasn't a Christian. But because of the things he has done for the work of God, Jesus said, I'm going.

[38:45] Wow. I'm going. Those who have the chance to be in the choir, you dismissed it. Ah. It was just someone was trying to also give you some relevance in the books of heaven.

[38:56] It's true. Yes, yes, yes, yes. Relevance in the books of heaven. Give you the opportunity to join a team. Join in.

[39:08] You should lament that you are not even getting chance to serve in the choir, to serve in an usher, to serve in the hosting, to serve in setup, serve in sanctuary keepers, serve in any company.

[39:19] You should lament because it's like where God works with paychecks. No, it's a time sheet. Time sheet.

[39:30] Then they're pulling out. What's going to be on your time sheet? What's going to be on it? You've got to be busy trying to make money. Oh, you know, I have to survive.

[39:44] I have to survive. I have to survive. I have to survive. I have to survive. At K group, I went to K group, I was telling them that, oh, why am I preaching on this? Can I? I'll go back. I was telling them at K group that you, you, you, God, every seed, every fruit comes with a seed.

[40:05] You have eaten all the seeds. You have eaten the fruit and the seeds. Are you not thinking about tomorrow?

[40:17] You are so hungry, you have, you have finished the seeds too. And I was telling them most of the time, seeds don't add to you.

[40:32] When you eat the seed, it doesn't really add to you. It was so far, it wasn't meant for eating. It wasn't meant for consumption. It was meant to protect the tomorrow.

[40:43] Soaring. It was not meant to stay with you. It was meant to leave you, but it stays in your life. Hey, you are saying something. You are preaching. Don't, don't think somebody praying for you will change a lot.

[40:55] No. Oh. You can't, we can't, we can't, we can't, we can't, we can't, we can't, we can't, my friend. For 20 minutes. What you are doing with God, Bishop, I said yesterday and I'm saying again, Bishop Oedipo said, if you don't have time for God, God doesn't have time for you.

[41:16] Time for you. Damn it. If you don't have, all that presentation of God in the religious circles, oh God is some, some Santa Claus for the Christmas, he's just a nice man, he's waiting for somebody to be in trouble and he will, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, it's not real.

[41:32] Look at the number of people who die every day, who are in trouble. Where is God? God is not obliged to answer to anybody. Not at all. God's obligation is to those who trust him, those who serve him, those who, Daniel was in the lion's den, the king said, Daniel has your God who you serve every day, not who you worship.

[41:54] Most of us have made ourselves worshipers and not servants. The quality of your worship has a lot to do with your service. Yes, yes, yes, yes, yes, yes, yes, yes, yes, yes.

[42:05] As your God, who you serve? Who you serve? Continually. Freak. Continually. Continually.

[42:15] Not sporadically. No. No. Serve it continually. Serve! No. You serve! You serve! You serve! You serve!

[42:26] You serve! You serve! You serve! You serve! That's why when some have come to worship, you are coming to worship, here I am to worship, others are coming to serve so you can worship. Who do you think gets God's attention?

[42:39] Yeah! Yeah! Yeah! If you are God, which you are not, who would you reward more? The one who is enjoying the music, kneeling down and saying, oh, I worship?

[42:51] Or the one who has gone through process before the moment, gone through difficult, sacrificial times, painful hours, preparing, rehearsing, so that it can create an atmosphere for somebody like you to kneel down and worship?

[43:04] If you are God, oh, come on! Come on! Come on! Come on! All the strength God has given you is not just for studies or for making money.

[43:21] It is, it is travesty of destiny to use all your strength in pursuing money. You have betrayed your destiny in pursuing what ordinary people pursue.

[43:36] If you are born again, part of your strength should be invested in the service of God. I am not talking about just your money because it is easy to give money to some people.

[43:48] But your service, your service, not coming to sit in church and say, I am in church, I am listening to preaching. That one is easy, anybody can do it. And when you are talking about service, where is your service?

[44:00] Where is your service? I am preaching as a prophet. Yes. Yes. Yes. Yes. Where is your service? Where is your service? Where is your service?

[44:12] Where is your service? Much of a man like you. What are you using your strength for? To woo, to woo women? To lie in the couch, or some of us, some people are more dedicated to gym.

[44:30] to gym, to gym, than to go. If you're spending hours in church, it's a problem for you. I dare challenge you.

[44:42] I've lived my life not because I just want to preach. I desire to preach because it's my service to God. I love it. I love it. But the point I'm making, I don't want to go too far from that.

[44:52] The point I'm making is that your service, your service will make the difference for your future. Now, it may not show. Some of us, we do one thing, two things.

[45:04] Everybody must clap for you. Paul said, woe is me if I preach not God. For necessity, 1 Corinthians chapter 9, verse 16, for necessity is laid on me.

[45:15] He said, if I preach the gospel, I have nothing to boast of. For though I preach the gospel, I have nothing to glory of. I can't be boasting. I'm preaching. Is it the way I'm working? Is it the way I'm always in church?

[45:25] I live. Shut up! Shut up! Shut up! If you complain, stop it! If you complain, stop it!

[45:39] See if God will not raise a better option. God will raise a better option. Yes. God is like the only coach, the coach who always puts the best players on reserve.

[45:55] So whilst you get the opportunity to be on the field, please do it well because someone is on the sides.

[46:06] Exercise. Warming up. Somebody is warming up to take your place. You know, when they are on the side, you know they are more energetic than those on the field.

[46:20] They run. somebody is warming up for your place. There is nobody who is indispensable in the work of God.

[46:37] Nobody. Nobody. Nobody. Not even the head pastor. We are all easily replaceable by God.

[46:48] God can easily find your replacement. That's right. That's right. That's right. That's right. May you not be one who will be replaced. In the name of Jesus.

[47:04] God pays his work as well. God pays his work as well. Work for him and he'll pay you.

[47:17] Work for him and he'll pay you. The pay may not be today. The pay may not be tomorrow. The pay may not even show up next month. The pay may not even show up within a year.

[47:28] But I guarantee you in your lifetime he will pay you back. In your lifetime he will pay you back. In your lifetime he will pay you back.

[47:39] In the name of Jesus. And when it's time for God to pay you it can be sometimes overwhelming and confusing. You are wondering how.

[47:51] How did I end up here? How? Because when God pays you you can't organize yourself into it. No, no, no, no. You can't. Not at all. You can't at all.

[48:03] Ask you what we got in it brothers and sisters. I have been dedicated to the work of God all my life. All my life. Never join people who ask they attack pastors.

[48:15] Never. Never. Especially your own pastor. Because for some reason my equity with God can work for you. Yes.

[48:25] Yes. Yes. Yes. Yes. Yes. Yes. Yes. Yes. Yes. Yes. Yes. Yes. Yes. Yes. May I tell you there are people who have dedicated themselves to God. Yes. Yes. Yes. Yes.

[48:36] They've sacrificed everything for God. Yes. Yes. Yes. Yes. Yes. Yes. Yes. Yes. Yes. Yes. Yes. Yes. Yes. Yes. Yes. That's how come I don't know a lot of things about fashion or Polity.

[48:46] Polity. I don't know in the a lot of things all those problems I never I never I was kept away and all my life has been church church from the age of 17 church and when I talk about church it's not what some of us are doing I'm talking always there deep in it let those who complain complain later on they'll come and ask you for help because God has a way of lifting God is a reward God is a reward God is a reward You say you have faith show it in your service faith without works is fake It's fake It's fake It's fake Oh you woman of faith How come when Christians have gathered and are calling on the name of God you have gone for extra time to work because you are so desperate for money Much of the extra income we look for is just to fund extra appetite

[49:52] Most of the extra things we do is just for an appetite because you want to wear a particular brand Yeah You want to shop from You have stopped buying food from Asda Now Haros You want to eat biscuits from Haros Yes Yes But what is interesting is that most people haven't noticed any difference You have changed the wig You are not wearing a very expensive one You always have to remind people what you think about it because we haven't seen any difference You haven't seen any difference You are pushing yourself so you can earn money to fund an appetite at the expense of your genuine service to God

[50:54] I am crucified with Christ Nevertheless Galatians 2 20 Nevertheless I live and the life not I but Christ and the life I now live I live by faith of the son of God You can't live the Christian life without faith You can't live your Christian life without because there are so many voices also talking to you telling you what you can the options you have what you can do with this time what you can do with that money what you can do with these friends where you can go with this there are always other options you need faith to be able to stay faithful to God you need faith you need faith you need your faith and when you are working with God by faith you command results on earth command results people you don't have to tell people that you are working with God they will notice it they will say no one can do this except God be with you they will see it

[51:57] I'm challenging somebody who has been deceived to believe that you are a good Christian because you don't steal you don't lie you don't fornicate so what is Christian about that what is Christian about are there other people who are not who are 80s who are not doing it that's morals that's good morals what's Christian about good morals good morals is just common sense and basic rationale so it doesn't make what is Christian about about your life should be your dedication to the things of God you are dedicated to God God and his work and if you are dedicated to God the only place you can grant you can give it an expression is in his work so what is all this I'm dedicated to God where where where listen to me listen if you are dedicated to God what is the context of your dedication let's speak practical terms what do you mean by you are dedicated to God what do you mean by you are serving God what do you mean by your excuse what do you tell us is it because you have been feeding the birds the pigeon oh come on that is that is pediatric that's crazy thinking what has that got to do with dedication to God what has that got to do dedication to God when you you have you have ability to serve the community of the belief the community of the redeemed as we expand and win souls and the church should stand for only one thing the church should stand just for one thing the cause of God we are not meant to be telling who should be in power who is not supposed to do that is not our job we stand for the cause of God we stand for the cause of God we stand for the cause of God that's what the church stands for stop calling yourself a person of faith if you are not dedicated to the cause of God and it must be practical it must be tangible dedication it's measurable it's noticeable oh when the saints go marching

[54:11] I oh lord I want to be in their numbers when saints gather you are not there in Job chapter 1 verse 6 when the sons of God gathered Satan was there now we have gathered even Satan would like to come come that you are going even Satan would like to be part of another yes Paul said I don't commend you in this thing 1 Corinthians chapter 11 verse 19 18-19 when you gather I commend you not in this I praise you not and I like I think message said I don't give you any commendation I will not praise you for this yes so there are some things as a pastor I will commend you for you come to church regularly but show me what you do in church show me show me and say receive please take your time

[55:15] Jesus Jesus asked Peter in Matthew chapter sorry John chapter 21 from verse 16 when he resurrected Peter do you love me more than this he said Lord you know I love you you see you can't love God without knowing you can't love God without knowing when you love God you know you do and it shows in your sacrifices it shows in your humility it shows in what you forego for the work of God you are saying because of Christ's sake because of the work saying I'll go through this no problem he that previously I wouldn't do but because of God it doesn't matter because I want the work to do well you love God Peter do you love me he said yes Lord you know I do feed my sheep attend to the work the measure of your love for God will always be expressed in your attitude towards the church Jesus when he resurrected you love me more than this more than the fish you are eating more than the breakthrough you are getting more than the environment you are enjoying you love me more than this are you not just here because of the environment that's what the devil told

[56:26] God that Job is serving you because of the things he is getting God said no Job is a true servant you can take away everything and this job will still be faithful you can let an usher offend Job and Job will be faithful do you love me more than this do you love me more than this most of us believe we have an entitlement in God but there is nothing we are investing in God we spend all when your bank statement comes we will see where your money is where your heart is it is on your page your bank says Netflix Amazon Netflix Amazon JD Sports Costa yes Costa some of us Costa has eaten so much of your money bread waitress

[57:27] Asos Asos Asos Asos and unfortunately I'm about to say something listen I'm about to say something those people who have the audacity to always speak against church and pastors when we check your bank statement even porn sites have representations you porn porn sites porn sites porn sites have representation on your bank account and you have audacity to speak against the work of God shame on you I feel like preaching you been going around posing as a Christian but there's no trail of genuine dedicated service to

[58:32] God in your life what makes you claim you are an accomplished Christian what makes you stop judging your Christianity based on your morality judge your Christianity based on your faithful service faithful sacrifices faithful dedication towards watch this towards the work of God God appeared Jesus appeared to Paul he said why are you persecuting me you are touching the church you are touching me in Ephesians chapter 5 it says that he loved the church and gave himself for the church not for Christians read your Bible Jesus didn't die for Christians he died for the church I know some of you are working it out so you be nice to one or two Christians and not really concerned about the church you have missed it yes yes yes yes yes yes yes it takes the church to have

[59:37] Christians there can't be a Christian without church that's it that's it it takes the church so our priority is to save the church and anything that falls within the church takes our attention to make sure you persecute a Christian you are attacking the church you attack the church you are attacking Christ and he will respond so on the flip side you help a Christian because you know you are doing it for the church God takes it personal they may not even say thank you but God will say thank you himself God will say thank you God will say thank you I'm talking to a woman of faith here I'm talking to a man of faith here who told you you be stranded in life no the psalmist said I have been young now I'm old never have I seen the righteous forsaken nor is seen what makes you think that your case will invalidate that scripture save God save God

[60:45] Jesus said in John chapter 12 verse 26 he who serves me my father will honor don't pray yourself into honor serve yourself into honor if any man serves me let him follow me and where I am there shall also my servant not my Christians my servant are you a servant of God are you a servant of God yes pastor what makes you think so what are the practical proofs that makes you call yourself a servant and where there my servant be if any man serve him him will my father honor if you serve me not anyone who attends church it's anyone who serves me are you serving or you are attending it is your service to

[61:54] God that entitles you to certain divine immunities that's why I speak about boldly about my health because I'm so buried in God I don't have time to be sick because God will look out for my preservation I can't be in a plane for you to crash because there is a servant of God on board you have to be a chief servant Jesus said when it comes to the world Luke chapter 2 from verse 26 when it comes to the world it is the one who is greater who is saved Luke chapter 2 verse 20 22 verse 26

[62:55] Luke 22 put it on the screen please he said the rulers of this world but he that is greatest amongst you let him let's go to verse 20 25 5 from 5 from there and he said unto them the kings of the gentiles exercise lordship over them and they that exercise authority upon them are called benefactors 26 but ye shall not be so but he that is greatest amongst you let him be as the youngest and he that is chief as he that serves that is why I choose to be called God's servant because I want to as long as I live be a servant to you in this church I want to be if it happens that I have to wash your feet I will do it that's why I don't take the light in my Bible being carried for me I don't take the light in people

[63:56] I am a servant the chief amongst you must be that said look at verse 27 for whither is greater for who is greater he who sits at the table or he who serves is it not he who sits at the table yeah when you go to the one who sits at the table is the one that is big but Jesus said yet I am amongst you as one who serves me I am among you as one not one who is sitting on table to be served if you are a big man please think of serving validate your greatness in God through your service value value value value value value I am about to say something you are always wearing nice clothes nice makeup nice designer wears and yet you don't you are not in service when you see a bass coming there written out of why would you wait for a train that has out of service

[65:09] Some of us are nicely polished but only spiritually here. Get back in service.

[65:25] Get back in service. It's an evidence of your faith. It's an evidence of your trust in God. Get back in service. Get back in faithful service. Get back in service.

[65:36] Get back in service. Get back in service. It's a sign. And no age is too old or too young.

[65:48] Abraham could believe God at that age. You see, you are only believing God based on your wishes. Not based on your commitment. I'm believing God even though I'm old and I'll get this.

[66:02] Excuse me. Even though I'm old, I'll do this for God. Practice for God. God chose David because David was a man after his heart.

[66:14] I found me a man. A man after my heart. 1 Samuel 13, verse 14. Found me a man. It's your commitment to God that starts the negotiation.

[66:28] Not your prayers. Oh God. Oh God. Oh God. Look at the issues. Oh God. Oh God. How I wish you could say, Oh God. Look at my commitment.

[66:40] Help me to be more committed. Anything that will stand in the way of my commitment, help me to stay away from it. Help me to be more committed. This is my job, which is trying to compete with my commitment.

[66:50] Lord, deliver me. You claim your job. You claim your job is not giving you a chance to do what you want to do, but you have never prayed for a better opportunity. Yes, yes, yes, yes.

[67:02] For several years, it's the same job which makes you keep coming to church late. Same job. The same job. You don't know that your actions are speaking louder than your wish.

[67:15] The same job. You love the job. I say, oh my work, you know, I really would have done much for God. My work. Have you even attempted to negotiate a flexible time?

[67:27] You are claiming you can't combine the two and you have never done anything about it. I say this to your shame. You have never done anything about it because you love it actually.

[67:40] You love it. It's fine for you. Because life is very comfortable. So it has become a good excuse. Until the doctor tells you you are about to die, then you can negotiate with them.

[67:53] All those people of faith who have stayed in a job for a long time and it hampers their genuine intentions to worship.

[68:07] I doubt your faithfulness. Your job is affecting your children. You can tell your children are now going wayward. They are failing. If you go again, or change the job, because of my family life.

[68:21] People resign from politics because of family. Well, theirsighan Motikio just saying, I can't. I have to, my family. My family. Because if it's important, you do something about it. Your job is not your life.

[68:32] Your job is not your life. Your job. That day you are not there, they will employ somebody else. They will employ somebody else. And maybe then, once they will employ, maybe do it better than me. Oh, my boss likes me.

[68:45] No, no, it's because of what you are doing. That's why. How about this? God likes me. That's better. Yes. According to Galatians 5, 6.

[68:57] Faith works by love. Yeah. Faith worketh through love. You have faith, prove it with your love to God. Your love for God.

[69:08] You have faith. Faith worketh by love. Faith worketh by love. Faith worketh by love. Faith worketh by love. How long will you stay like this?

[69:20] Without having severe equity buried in the work of God. Ah. Some people are waiting for posts before they will serve. Why? Some people want titles before they serve.

[69:33] They want positions before they serve. They want recognition before they serve. I'll risk my image. I'll risk my reputation. I'll risk my life. I'll risk my comfort for God's work to do well.

[69:43] Yes. I'll do it. Yes. Yes. Yes. Yes. Yes. Yes. Yes. Yes. You should feel very concerned if you don't have input in God's work. Yes. Yes. Yes. Yes. You look so pretty. You look so flamboyant. You look so elegant.

[69:55] You are so intelligent. You are so well accomplished. You are accomplishing so much in your life. Complishing so much. One sickness can ground you to nothing. Wow. You will not be sick in Jesus' name.

[70:08] But I'm telling you, you are accomplishing so much. What are you accomplishing in God? Yeah. What are you investing in the work of God? Let some of your energies, those of us who are young, this time is best time to give more to God.

[70:23] Because time is coming when you'll be like Sarah. You need faith to receive strength. To consist. May the Lord add His grace. Please put your hands together and get back to your seats.

[70:33] To consist. This is amazing. Your faith is working for you. Amen. Your faith is working for you. Amen. Your faith is working for you.

[70:44] Amen. The Bible says, faithful is he who has promised, who also will do. Abraham judged God faithful. Sarah judged him faithful.

[70:58] Hebrews 11, 11. For she judged him faithful who had promised. That's why she considered, this thing I'm doing, God reward me.

[71:10] You cannot do much until you start judging God faithful. You cannot walk by faith until you know that God is reliable. God is too faithful to fail.

[71:23] I don't know who God sent me to talk to. But I believe I came to release your long-awaited marital breakthrough. Your long-awaited contract.

[71:34] Your long-awaited business breakthrough. Your long-awaited health turnaround. Your long-awaited family peace. Because I came to show you the sure way.

[71:47] There's a path when you use God is obliged to react. In your favor. God will remember you. Amen. We want to close.

[71:59] But I can't close without asking somebody to pray. I want us all. We are going to, in a moment, pray. And you are going to tell God, I have made you too small in my eyes.

[72:12] Oh, Lord, forgive me. You are going to pray and say, God, I choose to be faithful and put my faith in you. I choose to be dedicated and committed to you.

[72:24] God, I receive grace to do more for you. Unfortunately, some people will think, because for you, you are a pastor.

[72:36] That's why. When we get to heaven, practices will matter. It's equity. Yeah. Your service. Trail. And most of us, when we get to heaven, you will see why I became the pastor.

[72:48] It's my trail of service. My trail. There are some pastors who are no servants. They are no servants. And you can be in the pew, but you are serving so well.

[73:03] I think it's a matter of, if there's a prayer you should pray, don't ask God for anything, that God, give me this, give me that, give me. You should ask God, give me a heart of service. God, I need a heart. I repent.

[73:15] I've withheld service from you. I repent. Some of us must bow our heads in repentance and ask God, God, give me an opportunity to do more for you.

[73:27] Give me an opportunity to serve you. Give me an opportunity to be yielded, more yielded to you. Give me an opportunity to do more, a little bit more for you. What I did last month is not good enough.

[73:39] I want to do more. Lift up your right hand, everybody. We thank God for using the server, Reverend Dr. David Entry, to share this awesome word. If this message has blessed you in any way, please spread the word by sharing it and send us an email to amen at caris.org.

[73:55] Remember to stay connected with us on Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, and Twitter for regular updates on what God is doing here at Caris Ministries. Stay blessed. What's리ing the next month is on Facebook, and I'llbbe, and I'll see you next week.

[74:16] Bye. In and out. Thank you. Bye.