[0:00] Welcome. Thank you for choosing to listen to this spirit-filled word by David Entry. A time to hear God's word is a time to be visited.
[0:11] May you receive a visitation as you listen to this message. Be blessed. When you study history, throughout all history, the true revival has never happened without strong preaching of the word of God.
[0:38] Every true revival is a product of strong preaching. Strong preaching of God's word.
[0:51] It's a product of strong preaching of the word of God. Throughout all generations. It happened in the Acts of the Apostles. It happened during the Reformations. It happened during the Great Awakening. In the times of, actually, in the Acts of the Apostles, every, one verse out of every four verses is preaching.
[1:14] Acts of the Apostles. It actually should have been rendered the preaching of the Apostles. One verse out of every four in the book of Acts is related to preaching.
[1:30] And on the day of Pentecost, the whole thing started. When the Holy Spirit came, the immediate impact was a word-centered, Christ-revealing preaching.
[1:44] And when the preaching happened, many were drawn to Christ. And Jesus said, and I, if I be lifted up, I will draw all men to my side.
[1:59] So in Acts chapter 6, the apostles said, it is not desirable that we should leave the preaching. The apostles said, brethren, it is not desirable that we should leave the word.
[2:13] When you read different translation, he says that we should leave the preaching of the word. That's what they actually meant. It is not desirable that we should leave the preaching of the word and attend to other matters which other people can do.
[2:31] So the preaching, give up, it is not right that we should give up preaching of the word. So he says, appoint seven people who we may appoint over this work, but verse 4, but we will continually give ourselves to prayer and the ministry of the word.
[2:55] So Peter said, we can't leave the preaching. If we leave the preaching, this whole revival will be grounded. So I'm trying to suggest that we won't see revival until we have strong preachings in puppets.
[3:13] Then there are other supporting aspects where the word can be sent forth through home studies, music, personal one-on-one interactions and all that.
[3:28] They are all means to push the word, but primarily, revival cannot happen even if all these things are happening without the preaching of the strong, strong preaching of God's word.
[3:42] I'm talking about God's word. The Bible said, preach not about the word, not from the word. It said, preach the word. Told Timothy in the book of 2 Timothy, he said, preach the word.
[3:55] So, the preaching of God's word is the means through which God can set his community on fire for Jesus.
[4:07] The preaching, the source, the author of revival is God. The elements, agents of revival is the word of God, but the means is the preaching of God's word.
[4:23] That's why if we say we want to see revival, it starts from the pulpit. When the pulpit deviates from preaching a certain type of message, society will be under strong influence of crimes of men or purposes of the devil.
[4:45] So, God can help society outside of the preaching of God's word. that is why when we find preachers who focus on nothing but the word of God, the problem of Europe is churches that have messages that have eclipsed Christ.
[5:06] That's the problem of Europe. And Europe has become the epicenter of the pandemic of anti-God in the world. Europe.
[5:18] Meanwhile, every corner there are church buildings. All those church buildings and crosses and all those things have become like relics. They are just there telling about the past.
[5:31] But the good news is it wasn't the music and it wasn't the political correctness of the revivalists like Charles Wesley and Spurgeon and Whitefield.
[5:47] It wasn't the political correctness. It was the preaching of God's word. That St. Augustine came down to England preached the word of God and it changed it turned pagan England to Christian.
[6:07] It's the word. It's Christ. when Bible said and Stephen went down to Samaria and didn't preach anything but Christ. He preached Christ. Their content of preaching matters.
[6:23] Their content of preaching matters. Pastors, churches, their content of preaching matters. Let the lion out of the cage and the lion will defend itself.
[6:42] He will preach Christ and that's enough to save souls. All the other things that money break through, you won't break through, come and all that. Those things are not the core message of the church because people are getting it without.
[7:00] So preaching of God's word and I'm so happy that God has given us the privilege to preach without fear and favor to preach God's word and that's what I like about Carice because we are a bunch of people who just have an insatiable appetite for God's word.
[7:25] We don't get bored as long as it's the word of God that is open. We don't want to have puppets in our communities that have Bibles that are closed.
[7:37] Many puppets have Bibles that are closed. Open the Bible, let the Bible speak for itself. I think I put something on Facebook. I normally don't get a chance to but no, no, I think my state or some way yesterday I said, when the Bible speaks, God has spoken.
[7:54] If you want to hear God speak, for goodness say, go to the Bible. Read your Bible. I don't know what God is saying, just read your Bible. God will not be speaking outside of the Bible for your information.
[8:11] So, Colossians has been helping us to understand that Christ is the center of it all. And I explained how last week Colossians and Ephesians primarily are dealing with similar stuff, but Colossians, the emphasis of Colossians is Christ as the head.
[8:32] Not only the head of the church, but the life of the church. It's important. You are not part of the church of Christ if Christ is not your life.
[8:44] You can be a member of a church, but it doesn't mean you are a member of God's household. You can be a member. It's just like someone, I was told that there are people in other places, even in UK, but particularly in Ghana or Nigeria.
[9:06] There are people who are English, but now they are Nigerian citizens. But it doesn't make them Yoruba. You can be a Nigerian citizen.
[9:19] You are not Yoruba. You are originally a German. You are not Yoruba. your name is not Yoruba. Just like those of us who are British but are not English.
[9:35] It has to do with ethnicity. National identity is different from your ethnic group. In the same way, you can be part of a local congregation.
[9:46] It doesn't make you part of God's household. You are part of it, but you are not actually. So we have accepted you and receiving your service and everything, but because you are not born again, you are actually, Jesus said, they will say, we did all this in your name, Matthew chapter 7, and Jesus said, I will say to them, I don't know you.
[10:08] People are saying, well, we did all this in your name. I sang in the choir. I was on the camera. I was part of the sound team. I never missed church. And Jesus said, I will say to them, I don't know, I never, no, I never knew you.
[10:27] Your names are in the book of the church, but I never knew you. Yes, that's a good one. Your name can be in the book of the church, books of the church, but it doesn't mean it's in the book of life.
[10:41] In Revelation chapter 20 he said, and all those whose name were not found in the book of life were cast, what, into the lake of fire. It's not only a lake.
[10:52] The first time God drowned the world, judged the world with water. Then the second time he judged the world in Lord's time, it was with fire.
[11:04] Now this time he's going to combine fire and water, lake of fire. It's in your Bible, lake of fire, it's combining the two. So you are swimming in fire.
[11:19] Hallelujah. All right, so it's important to understand that the preaching of Christ is fundamental and crucial so long as what God can do for a society, a community, or a people is concerned.
[11:34] It starts with the preaching of Christ because when Christ is preached, then God can be seen. When Christ is preached, the platform is created for God to operate.
[11:46] all the things that people want preachers to preach, which is not the central message of the church, it doesn't help humanity.
[11:58] It doesn't necessarily help humanity the way God wants to help humanity. So it says, I spoke about how Christ is the head of the church in Colossians, and he is the life of the church.
[12:13] Now, if you understand the main focus of the teaching of a book, it helps you to interpret everything that is said. And on the main focus, as I said, is Christ is the head of the church.
[12:27] Whilst in Ephesians, Christ is the spirit in the body. So Ephesians focuses on we being the body of Christ. Colossians focuses on Christ being the head of the body.
[12:40] So being the body of Christ, there's a lot of emphasis that was also placed on the spirit. So when it came to ethical relationships amongst the believers or of the believers life, ethical, the way we relate with people, we relate within the family context, in society, in a professional context, all has been covered in scripture as a believer.
[13:10] And these are ethical relationships. And when it came to the ethical relationship, addressing the ethical relationship in Ephesians, he started by talking about being filled with the spirit.
[13:22] Ephesians chapter 5, verse 18, don't be drunk with wine, wearing its excess, but be filled with the spirit. Then he goes on to say, singing and making, speaking to one another with some spiritual, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord.
[13:37] Then he goes on, look at verse 20, giving thanks always, always, giving thanks always for all things to God, the Father, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, submitting, submitting one to another.
[13:53] Then he starts, so it starts by saying submitting one to another. Then the ethical, real, wives, submit to your husband. Now, in Colossians, what we just read, Colossians chapter 3, reading from verse 15, let the word of Christ, sorry, let the peace of God rule in your hearts by which you have been called.
[14:14] Then he speaks about let the word of Christ dwell in you richly. Speaking richly in all wisdom, teaching and admonishing, very similar to Ephesians.
[14:25] In Acts I explain, here in Ephesians is the spirit feeling you to be able to live this kind of life, but in Colossians is the word dwelling in you so you can live in this kind of life.
[14:38] And there's really in the grand scope of things, the spirit and the word is one and the same. But because of the focus of Colossians, he said the word.
[14:50] The word of Christ needs to dwell in your heart. Now, how does the word of Christ, how, sorry, how are you able to live the life that the Bible asks us or suggests or commands us to live?
[15:07] In Ephesians, it says you are able to live this ethical life by being filled with the spirit. In Colossians, it says you are able to live it by letting the word of God dwell in your heart. All right.
[15:18] The word of God dwell in your heart. That is how you are able to live this life. So when you are spirit-filled or our spirit-filled ethical relationships create the room for the expression of the body of Christ within the local church.
[15:36] Can I say that again? Spirit-filled ethical relationships create the room for the expression of the body of Christ within the local church. Now, when it comes to Colossians, we have to watch this.
[15:51] We have to hold Christ as our head. That talks about, that depicts authority. Where does your authority for doing these things come from? the basis of what you are doing?
[16:03] Where is it coming from? Christ as my head. So we have to hold Christ as the head. And not just holding us head, we have to take him as our life.
[16:14] So we hold him as our head, take him as our life, and from that, once we do, how do we do that? By, watch this, by, as I spoke last week, by allowing the word of Christ to dwell.
[16:28] There's no way Christ can be held as your head if the word of God doesn't dwell in your heart. There's no way you can take Christ as your life if the word of God doesn't dwell in your heart. So when the word of God now dwells in your heart, the source of your behavior is not coming from your human ability.
[16:47] The source, that's where sometimes religion gets it wrong. Where it's about, you are supposed to do this, you are supposed to do this, and a lot of people try to hide what they are doing because they know what they are doing, they are not supposed to do it.
[17:02] So people try to hide and tick the boxes or keep up with the Josephs. So you are in church, but really, people shouldn't know who you are.
[17:15] You are born, you are speaking in tongues, but your life, it's so, your private, certain private aspects, or certain aspects of your private life are so concerning.
[17:28] People will think you are a hypocrite. Yet, deep in your heart, you are not. But the way you keep treating your wife, the way you keep treating, you see where I'm pointing, the way you keep treating your, the way you keep treating your wife, it's, it falls below the standard, and you have not become different from your father.
[17:55] Who maltreated your mother? You have become your father's version. The Bible says in 1 Peter chapter 1, 1 Peter chapter 1, verse 18, 19, talking about we have been delivered from the blood of Christ, from the tradition, knowing that we were not redeemed from the corruptible things like silver, from the aimless conduct received by tradition from our fathers.
[18:22] There are some things that it just comes to you because of who gave birth to you and who nurtured you. We have developed certain abilities through our nature, and we have certain inherent inclinations, inherent conditioning by virtue of our nature.
[18:47] So whilst nature is working on you, nature is also working on you. and so when we meet you with what you are supposed to do, the law, law, law, you are not able to because by nature you don't have what it takes to be doing this consistently.
[19:01] so then, when we hold Christ as our head and we take him as our life by virtue of how the word of God is dwelling in us, now the strength, the ability to live this highest ethical life doesn't come from our natural man, but it comes from Christ who is our life.
[19:24] Now that is real Christianity. reality. So then, as I said, it invariably looks like your behavior is more spontaneous than premeditated.
[19:37] you're Christian, that life of Christ that is being manifested in your life is coming as a matter of, it's like you have become naturally supernatural.
[19:54] Am I making sense at all? Oh, it's just wet salad, I'm just combination of words. You have become supernatural so that people, watch this, people don't have to monitor your behavior.
[20:10] You don't have to watch behind you to see who is watching you. Because once Christ becomes your life and the word of God dwells in you, richly dwells in you, you actually spontaneously live this life that doesn't need, it becomes second nature.
[20:30] It does not need supervision. That Christian life that requires supervision by the brethren, it falls short of living with Christ as your source, which is a reflection that the word of Christ has not dwell in somebody richly.
[20:49] Are you getting what I'm saying? So it's, Christianity is not about, oh, you have to watch this and do this, watch this and do it. No, Christ must be your life. When someone has had alcohol, you don't, it doesn't have to do, even if they spray perfume in your mouth, breath lies there, you can tell there's alcohol in this person.
[21:11] When you are under the influence of alcohol, it will show. It will show. It will show. Because, because, because something has been worked in you and your behavior is spontaneous based on something that is becoming the source of this behavior.
[21:28] when the alcohol or the painkiller wears off, you'll come back to normal. And it says that instead of being filled with alcohol, the Holy Ghost can also, oh, come on.
[21:42] The Holy Spirit can also give you what naturally you don't have. The Holy Spirit can give you an ability so much that after it says that being filled with the Spirit, the resultant effect is this highest, high ethical life when it comes to the relationship between you and your wife, you and your husband, you and your children, you and your family.
[22:11] Hallelujah. So, looking at that text, after telling us how Christ should dwell in our hearts by faith, it says, wives, submit.
[22:27] to your own husband, as it's fitting in the Lord. It's like it's appropriate. As a Christian wife, it's not everything you can do.
[22:44] You can't allow your emotions to lead you. You can't allow, you can't allow your natural conditioning to be constantly leading you.
[23:02] It shouldn't be your lead, because it's not fitting in the Lord. Some of you husbands, if you become a pastor today, I know your behavior will change.
[23:13] So, you are waiting to be a pastor before your behavior changes? Bro. Bro. Now you are thinking.
[23:26] I think just maybe in order to save some people, which there are 30 people in congregation, we have to say, from today you are a pastor. And some of the parties you go, you won't even have to go again.
[23:40] No one has to tell you not to go to some places. When you become an MP, there are a lot of places you can't go again, because you hold a public office. It's not like it's a law, but you hold a public office.
[23:53] It's not right to be found in some places. It's not right to be engaged in road rage as an MP. I know that's how you always been, but now you are empty.
[24:12] even sometimes when someone upsets you, you have to bring yourself in order. Sometimes I'm not, I just don't encourage bullying on the road.
[24:29] By nature, you can't just bully me on the road. So I drive. But then you know, because I am a Christian, my wife says, but you just, I am a Christian now.
[24:42] sometimes your human side will step in. But the more the word of Christ dwells in us, the more we don't have to do so much to suppress our human side.
[24:53] It's spontaneous. It's spontaneous. There are some things you just lose interest in. You know, this is very annoying, but you know what? You don't even think if it was those days.
[25:04] You don't think about it. It's just that you know. It doesn't even become a subject of order. Why? Because the word of Christ is dwelling so much in you. I bet I put it to you. You cannot really submit to a husband the way you should.
[25:20] The way you should. Because that standard is very high. Maybe you can submit to a certain degree, but fully as fitting, in fact, efficiency and as unto the Lord.
[25:31] What's the meaning of that one too? You can't. That is why we all have to take him as our life. We have to take him as submit efficiency.
[25:44] He said, submit to your husband as to the Lord. What's there? Submit to a husband as unto the Lord.
[25:57] So efficiency actually goes a bit more further in explaining it. But in Colossians, wives, submit to your husband as it tells us what we mean by as is fitting in the Lord.
[26:10] Praise the Lord. I don't want to belabor this point because it's not a marriage seminar. I didn't prepare to really talk very much into husband, wife, what it means to submit, what it means not to submit or to love.
[26:28] Then it goes on to the husbands and it says that husbands, let's read it aloud, please, if you don't mind, let's go. Praise the Lord.
[26:42] Don't be bitter towards your wife. This morning, we're not happy at all. Usually, Sunday mornings, wives don't tend to treat husbands, so sometimes husbands wake up in the morning with a lot of annoyance in their heart.
[27:04] Yeah, it's the lost day, but your emotions don't feel like that. Christian wives can be so mean sometimes to their husbands when it comes to what only they can take care of.
[27:22] So, husbands cannot go in that direction at all. So, be careful through that you are not upset and bitter towards your wife.
[27:44] And your reaction to her request and her mistake is more a reflection of bitterness than a reflection of her responsibility.
[27:57] No, she should have known that. But the other time, she made that mistake by you were smiling. today, it's like all hell is broken loose.
[28:10] It's the same situation, but there is annoyance in your heart. So, now, can you imagine someone whose heart is annoyed by a wife, and then you are supposed to love your wife?
[28:26] how do you do that? It will take the word of God to a linear heart. That's why the Bible always encourages us, don't marry someone who is not in the Lord.
[28:43] Don't marry someone. By attention, what's the name of the church? International Internal Life, Global Challenging Apostolic Revival Ministry. It goes once every year or something, but he actually is the one encouraging me to go to church.
[28:59] You are looking for every reason. That's one of the weaknesses of a woman. When a woman likes a man, she looks for every reason why it's okay for her to open her heart.
[29:11] And loved ones will be warning her, no, I think you are making a mistake. And anything you say, she will give a version of why it's okay. But this guy used to be married to three women already.
[29:24] Then she will tell you those women were very bad towards him. So I'm the one who will be good towards him. That's why as a Christian sister, you have to be very intentional when you are, you may have a crush, but it doesn't mean you should love the person.
[29:47] You have to be very intentional when you are beginning to open your heart. Because to get to a place, your reasoning won't work again until you are very hurt.
[29:59] And sometimes the hurts might be irreparable or irrecoverable. I know there might be potential a sister or a brother sitting here with an unhealable wound from your previous relationship.
[30:17] It's not a scar, it's a wound, it's still a wound. But thank God, when Jesus said the Spirit of God is for me, he has anointed me to preach one, and then the second thing is to heal the broken hearted.
[30:31] So you see, broken heartedness is very high on the anointing agenda. Apart from preaching, the next thing is to heal broken hearts.
[30:45] So that's why I'm so happy you are in church. because this preaching is meant to heal your broken heart. It gets to a time it doesn't hurt anymore.
[30:55] It doesn't hurt anymore, the feeling is gone because you have been actually healed. Some of us, the moment you just have a plaster on it, your foot stock is on top of it, so people think you're okay, but the wound is still fresh.
[31:13] I see the anointing of God through his word, bringing healing to somebody. Say amen. So it says that husbands love your wives. What's the job of a husband?
[31:25] To love your wife. The job of a husband is not being romantic. Love your wife and they won't beg you to buy roses.
[31:40] love your wife and she won't beg you and ask you, do you remember my birthday? Every year, a week before her birth, she has to keep asking, do you remember you forgotten?
[31:57] The Bible says love covers a multitude of sins. So the number one biblical assignment for a husband or role, job, for a husband is to love your wife.
[32:14] And Ephesians says, ask the Lord, love, ask Christ, verse 25, Ephesians 5, ask, just ask Christ, love the church and gave himself.
[32:28] That's what it means to be a Bible-based husband. I think this one is going to all of us, isn't it? Bible-based husband.
[32:42] Your wife, even when you give her 10 pounds, it's with a lot of memory. That's why she's not working so hard to try and get her money herself so she can buy basic things that she has to buy.
[32:59] if you are here and you are a married man and your wife feels very uncomfortable to ask you, not that she doesn't have money, but sometimes a wife might have a lot of money, but it's just nice for the wife to know that my husband will take care of this.
[33:18] Is it not so? Yes. That's why young ladies, instead of looking for a romantic guy, look for a guy who has a job.
[33:38] Because the romantic guy will book a beaver with you and you'll pay for it. Not with your body, but with your money. And then finish making you do wifely things with your body.
[33:54] That's why I encourage the young men, instead of going to the gym to look hot, go to school. Go to take some courses so that your CV can look hot.
[34:16] Every time, gym. Gym is good, okay, but then it's not really helpful for a wife, apart from carrying her. her husband came to the wife said, I want to help.
[34:35] I love you so much. I want to clean all the kitchen for you. Meanwhile, they have a bill to pay. And he was supposed to be applying for a certain job.
[34:48] And there's a deadline. He has left that to come and clean the kitchen. because the wife said, the way I'm struggling with living conditions, and I'm almost at the point of breaking up.
[34:59] You can't see that. I don't need you in the kitchen. I don't need you. I need income. I can buy a dishwasher if we have a good But, you know, society is now training our young girls to look for men who can cook your love.
[35:27] You find it so romantic because he's so good with cooking fried rice. He knows how to do spaghetti bolognese. He can do meat lasagna.
[35:39] That's the kind of man you want. You're a child. You grow it. Defining romance.
[35:53] Many women have been in our society being made to define romance in terms of what other women can do. A great marriage counselor asked a lady to write down the things he likes in a man.
[36:12] She would like in her husband. She wrote down someone who would go to the shop with me and always pick things for me. They wrote a few things and when they finished it, you've described another woman.
[36:26] You've just described. And that is what is happening to many of our younger generation ladies. In the name of romance, you are looking for another woman. man. And then eventually you are so frustrated, I can't live with this guy because he's responsible.
[36:44] He never got separated from his mother's symbolical court. And so he looks so much romantic because that's what you are looking for.
[36:55] Valentine's Day has become the basis of your relationship. You are a child. Husbands, love your wives as Christ. Christ, love the church.
[37:06] You cannot do this on a consistent basis unless Christ is your life. And Christ can't be your life unless the word of God, the word of Christ dwells in you richly.
[37:20] So he says husbands love your wives. Then don't be bitter towards them. Verse 20 says that children, let's all say children, obey your parents in all things for this is well pleasing to God.
[37:37] Now, in all things, contextual, within the Lord. So, your dad says that you cannot be a Christian, you have to be an 80s.
[37:52] And you say, well, Bible says I should be my parents. That's not what he means. In all things, that in all things is not talking about in anything. all things that are pleasing to the Lord.
[38:05] Why? Because when the word of Christ dwells in you, it will point you into doing other things apart from what Christ likes. So, obey your parents.
[38:16] And many children who are not taught obedience end up becoming a problem to themselves when they grow up. To themselves and in many relationships.
[38:29] A lot of some relationships keep failing within a certain ethnic communities. And it can be traceable to children who were not raised to understand submission and obedience.
[38:46] Prisons are full, are getting full and full and full because many people have not been trained to learn restrictions, boundaries from home.
[39:01] And if we don't set, we don't train children to respect boundaries at home, the school cannot do it for us. The schools cannot do it for us and the prison doesn't do that.
[39:14] It just keeps them away. So, we need to have a godly, the godly wisdom to raise our children for them to appreciate.
[39:29] No child generally and naturally appreciates restrictions. Children always want to do their own thing. Even when it's risky, even when it can damage them, it can hurt them.
[39:45] Leave me alone. A two-year-old child wants to cross the road by himself. He doesn't know that cars are dangerous. God thinks that a car is the same as a toy car.
[40:01] And so, it's natural in us. Rebellion, as Proverbs said, of foolishness, it says, is bound in a child's house. It's a road of correction that will remove it.
[40:13] So, some people, they grew up without it being removed. And you marry someone whose foolishness was not removed. from her.
[40:30] Your experience makes you appreciate what I'm saying. You married someone whose foolishness was not detached from him or from her.
[40:46] She is a 30-year-old man in Pampas. 30-year-old woman with nice figure but still wearing diapers.
[41:02] And people don't know. It's when you live with them. You will know because Pampas is covered by diapers. It's when you live with people that's when you realize that who raised you.
[41:15] Before you commit your life to people, look behind, them. Look, it's just common sense. They are not teaching us these things.
[41:27] Hollywood can't teach us these things. Look behind them. Who raised him? Who raised them? It will just inform you the kind of problems you are going to be living with. You can still love them.
[41:39] That's fine. But at least to be forewarned is forearmed. so just look behind them. Look at how the conditions of their upbringing are.
[41:52] It's important to know who his father is. If he doesn't know, no problem. But who played the father role in his life? It's important to know who is, especially a man.
[42:05] You have to find out who played a male role in their lives as they are growing up. We need to find out. If it is this criminal, this drug dealer, who played the main male figure in his life, all his life, and there has not been an update.
[42:27] It has to be updated, upgraded, by him meeting some mentors. Someone who mentored him in the right way. Because your worldview primarily is what is given to you from home and your immediate surroundings.
[42:41] life is at the mercy of your worldview, whether you like it or not. Your intelligence, your wisdom is at the mercy of your worldview.
[42:51] Your world is shaped by your worldview. How you handle everything about you. How you handle women. How you handle men. How you handle authority. How do you handle policemen?
[43:06] Policemen! In the streets of many black communities. many black they don't respect police. Because that place is racist and all but there's a place where you have to draw the line.
[43:24] Else you will mess up in life. Whoever trained you not to know how to give honor or respect to whom respect is due is the one who has actually damaged your potential in future.
[43:38] No one rises in life in spite of certain things like in spite of honor. They don't respect anybody. You can't even live with a man if you don't know how to honor men.
[43:51] You can't live with a woman. I know you are so pretty but why is it that no guy can stay with you? Let's cut to the chase. Every guy who sees you can go.
[44:02] Just oh watch. Oh watch. Oh watch. But why is it that no one has committed to you permanently?
[44:22] Some who attended attempted regretted. They ran out of your life without explanation. most men who leave women is not because they are not pretty.
[44:41] It's because of an attitude. I know the guy is stupid but yes he wants a woman who will not be putting it chubby in his face every day.
[44:52] Stupid. You stupid. Stupid. Stupid. Stupid. I'm even better than you. Stupid. He will run out of your life. You will run out of your life. Men are so little minded that when you make a man feel so special important he doesn't have anywhere going.
[45:09] He just stays. That's one of the reasons why some marriages last. I like the way you are looking at me.
[45:26] Listen, I think let me add this. Let me mention this. Having a good home is a real blessing. I'm telling you.
[45:37] That's why when it comes to the choice of a husband or a wife, think ahead. Don't think with your current feelings. You might have strong feelings for somebody, but they will be very wrong for your future.
[45:54] As for feelings, sometimes it can be stronger. What? You can radicalize your thinking. You can't do anything. You can't have feelings. And then when you watch some things, it even accentuates it.
[46:06] It fuels it. So you are out of control until you are so hurt. And now you want to kill somebody. That's what has been happening. People can be so bitter, they don't mind killing.
[46:21] it's because they're annoying for bad. But when you have a good marriage, it doesn't mean everything is rosy. I mean, we have a woman here who was married for 48 years.
[46:44] Married to a Christian man. To a Christian man for 48 years until death do them part. And she still misses him.
[47:04] God, they live their life together. It's possible in Christ. It's possible in Christ. It does something to your existence. Gentlemen, don't choose a woman because just based on your exterior.
[47:17] Because those things melt with time. husbands, love your wives. And don't be bitter.
[47:29] Children, obey your parents in all things. This is well-pleasing to the Lord. I need to round up now. Fathers, do not provoke your children, lest they become discouraged.
[47:42] The communities that have a greater representation in prison, that's where the problem is coming from. There are a lot of boys on the street who are very bitter because dad has not been around.
[47:55] And men, most times, fathers think they can get away with it. You live your life, they are never part of your life, and you have children somewhere, and you don't care, you will die bitterly. In your day of death, you will be so much in pain, both emotionally and physically.
[48:15] Those things when you do it, it will come to bite you. You either die early, that's one of the reasons why some men die early, because of the way they maltreat women. You don't maltreat women and escape in life.
[48:30] When I say women, women who open their hearts for you, use them, and you have children, you abandon them, and these women are in pain, their children are in pain, and their fathers, you have a child or two children somewhere, they don't know you, and you don't know them, you don't care.
[48:49] Sir, you are digging a serious grave. There's no way you can end life in peace. I know there's nobody here, that person is watching. Take this clip and then send it to your father.
[49:06] Oh, yeah. So, it says that don't, your children, don't provoke your children. Most of the hooliganism on the streets, many fathers are responsible.
[49:23] Many fathers, in what way? They were absent. They were absent. They were known in the lives of their children as a person of authority.
[49:38] Mothers, are, some mothers are very strong, but you know, when a mom says don't do it to a child, it's different when the father says don't do it.
[49:50] I mean, these are things that is in it, it's God given. When a poodle is barking, it's different from a lion roaring.
[50:02] So, but some of these things start because people think life is all about enjoyment and having sex. We live in a society, people just keep having sex.
[50:14] Anyhow, anywhere, anyhow, and then children come, anyhow, and then a child comes, but you want to live your life, what are these children for? Then by the time you're mid, middle age and towards the end of your, your life is never at peace.
[50:32] Your life is never at peace. So, it's very important that before, you sleep around, boy, think about your future.
[50:44] I don't care, I'll be fine. You will never be fine, I'm telling you, you'll never be fine. When it starts biting, you realize that this is not what I thought it would be. It's like someone who is in school, secondary school, or university and chooses not to study.
[51:00] I can't be bothered, I'll be fine, I'll be fine. You will be so convinced, even if I don't get any good job, I'll be fine. Until the future, you see your contemporaries, you see what you are going through and realize that they told me but I didn't think it would be this painful.
[51:16] Usually when you are warned, because you are not there, you judge the coming judgment, you value the coming judgment, or you weigh it, value it, weigh it, based on your current feelings.
[51:32] So the current conditions make you project it and it has a way of downgrading the severity of the challenge ahead. So you have a car and it drives okay every now and then.
[51:45] You have not serviced but when you start it, it just takes time. Then it's gone. So they say, no, if you don't serviced, the car will break down. I say, well, it's fine, at least I'm able to.
[51:56] You don't know what we are talking about. Where? On the motorway, the bonnet will split open. Then you realize, I didn't think this is what they meant.
[52:08] Someone gets it and say, that's how life is. We usually project our current state towards the coming judgment. And it mitigates, it reduces the severity in our expectation of what is coming.
[52:27] The same way, hell, people say, if I go to hell, I don't mind. You don't know what you're talking about. You don't know what you're talking about. I mean, if God, if God, you know, it looks like prison doesn't matter to a lot of people.
[52:42] But it's not a nice thing, you know. if God says, I will punish you, he knows how to punish you for you to feel it. So it doesn't matter, I won't feel it.
[52:53] If God says, final punishment is going to be severe, I think we should respect that. So for those of us who say, well, hell, I'm now living hell anyway.
[53:05] No! Not at all! This is not hell, this is earth! This is earth!
[53:18] Praise God! Children, obey your parents in all things, for this is well-pleasing unto the Lord.
[53:30] Let's teach our children that when they are in obedience, God likes it. Some of us, we are using prayer to answer, to bring what, or to make God smile, when he has shown us what can make him smile, when we do it.
[53:50] There are some children God is looking from heaven and he's pleased with them. Wow! He's pleased with them. Why? Because the Bible says that obey your parents. Those amongst us who live with our parents, particularly children, listen to me, listen to scripture, sorry.
[54:11] Scripture says obey your parents in all things. Not your friends. Not my friends. Obey your parents. Not your friends. Your friends are comfortable with your present. But your parents are not comfortable with your present.
[54:22] They are comfortable with your future. They are thinking about your future. So it's important. Fathers, provoke not your children to anger, lest they be discouraged.
[54:33] Servants, obey in all things your masters according to the flesh. Not with high service as men pleases, but in singleness of hearts, fearing the Lord.
[54:45] Now, servants here is talking about employment, the employed and the employer, the employee and the employer.
[54:58] How we relate, some of us, our Christian testimony does not show when it comes to your work. when it comes to the people you work with, it doesn't show.
[55:11] When it comes to the people you work for, it doesn't show. You do half-hearted work and you tell them, I've finished everything. All is done. And people, you see, when someone is ahead of you, there's a reason why he's ahead of you.
[55:30] So, point here is, let your Christian ethical testimony show. that's all I'm saying. I can't be advising what to do and what not to do. But ethical testimony, that comes as a result of the word of Christ dwelling in you richly.
[55:47] It's very important. The word of Christ must dwell in you, those of us who are students in everything we do. It's important, let your Christ, the life of Christ, come through in every area of your life.
[56:00] That's the ethical life by the indwelling word of God. So, it gives you an ethical superiority and of a certain ethical superior life to live.
[56:11] Is someone getting what I'm saying? When I'm not pleased with my wife, I have to let the Christ in me. I have to depend on Christ as my life.
[56:23] Or when my wife is not pleased with me on something, you know, as a human being. It makes marriage workable. Two different people from different backgrounds, different way of seeing things and feelings.
[56:39] It gets to a time where you rub each other in a certain way. But Bible says that Christ, who is our peace, Christ, who is the chief cornerstone, he holds two walls together.
[56:50] And so this ethical behavior is necessary by can only happen when we allow Christ to, the life of Christ, or Christ to be our life.
[57:01] let me just say verse 23, it says, whatsoever ye do, do it heartily, as unto the Lord and not unto men. I think it's quite self-explanatory.
[57:12] Knowing that of the Lord you shall receive the reward of inheritance, for ye save the Lord. now, this reward of inheritance is, now, this is not talking about, when you are in Christ, you have inheritance.
[57:29] Hello? When you are in Christ, you have an inheritance. Bible says, I commend you to God and to the word of his grace, which is able to build, Acts chapter 20 verse 32, which is able to build you and give you an inheritance among the saints.
[57:44] We spoke about Colossians chapter 1 verse 12, how Christ is our portion. So he's our inheritance. We have an partake of inheritance. We have an inheritance. So what inheritance is he talking about in this context when he says, look at verse 24 again, please.
[57:59] Knowing that from the Lord you will receive the reward of the inheritance. There's a certain reward coming ahead and that reward is that inheritance that is ahead.
[58:10] Romans chapter 8 verse 17 is ahead. There's something ahead. Now, what does that mean? It's used the word reward. Remember Moses in Hebrews chapter 11 verse 26.
[58:22] He sought the reward. That's why he was able to walk away from Egypt. Reward can be an incentive. So esteeming the reproach of Christ, greater riches than the treasures of Egypt, for he looked to the reward.
[58:36] There's a reward that incentivized Moses. In Hebrews chapter 10 verse 35, he says that for there's a great recompense of therefore don't cast away your confidence which has a great reward.
[58:49] King James said great recompense of reward. God has always used rewards to encourage us, to motivate us, to keep doing it. In Matthew chapter 12, chapter 5 verse 12, Jesus talks about that if you go through this suffering, there's a great reward.
[59:04] Great is your reward. Great is the reward not on earth, in heaven. In Matthew chapter 16 verse 27, Jesus says that when he returns with his power and the glorious angels, then the one who has lived a certain life will also receive a reward.
[59:22] In 1 Corinthians chapter 3 verse 8, it talks about there's a coming reward. Now he who plants and he waters are one and each one will receive his own reward according to his level.
[59:34] Verse 14, 1 Corinthians 3 verse 14 says that if anyone's work which he has built on endures, he will receive a reward.
[59:45] In 2 Corinthians chapter 5 verse 10, it says that for we must all stand before, appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each man will receive the things done in his body according to what he has done.
[59:58] So the reward is going to happen when we stand before. There's a time coming when God is going to be dishing out rewards. In Revelation chapter 22 verse 12, behold I come quickly, my reward is with me and I will give to everyone according to his words.
[60:14] In Ephesians chapter 2 verse 18, however, it says that we are saved by grace through faith and not of ourselves. Let any man should boast. So this reward is not talking about salvation.
[60:26] Salvation is not a reward. Salvation is a gift. The Bible said it's a gift. Verse 9, for it is the gift of God. For by grace, verse 9 please. Okay, verse 8, it is a gift of God.
[60:38] So salvation is a gift. We are saved not by works, but we are rewarded by works after we have been saved. That is why in 1 Corinthians chapter 3, 10 says that me as a wild master builder have laid a foundation, lest each one take heed how he builds.
[60:55] Verse 12, you can build with stone, you can build precious stone, precious stone, gold and silver or wood, hay and straw. Bible says that they will declare it for it to be tested by fire.
[61:07] Verse 14, if any man's work, look at this, if any man's work which he has built on endures, he will receive a reward. That was Paul's motivation for all the things he went through.
[61:18] Paul was willing to suffer all these things because he kept his eye on the reward. In Philippians chapter 3, verse 13 and 14, Paul talks about how, brethren, I do not count myself to have apprehended, but one thing I do, forgetting the things that are behind, reaching forward to the things that are ahead.
[61:35] Verse 14, I press towards the goal of the prize of the upward call of God. He was pressing in 1 Corinthians chapter 9 about Paul, verse 24, 25, 26, 27, he talks about him not being like someone who is beating the air.
[61:53] So he has a purpose, his service in the church, his service to the church, he does not run without a target in mind. And his target was the reward.
[62:04] That is why in 2 Timothy chapter 4, verse 7 and 8, beautiful, he said, I have fought a good fight, I have finished the race, and I have kept the faith. Watch it, verse 8, therefore, finally, there is laid for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous, will give to me on that day.
[62:25] So Paul's motivation was the reward ahead. And so when he says that live this ethical life, he says that, verse 24 again in Colossians chapter 3, says that knowing that from the Lord you will receive the reward of the inheritance.
[62:43] And so when we live a certain life, God is using the reward to incentivize us, to ask an incentive, ask a motivation. Why are you doing what you are doing in church?
[62:55] Because God will reward you. Why are you living the life you are leading to his glory? Why is it everything you are doing, you do it as or to the Lord? Why? Because God will reward you.
[63:07] Don't take your eye off the reward. There is a certain thing I was teaching the other time, it's called an eschatological approach to your Christian life. What does that mean? Eschatology has to do with the end times, in the final days.
[63:21] And we need to have an eschatological approach so that whatever I'm doing, my mind is on the last day. However I'm treating you, my mind is on the last day. There's a day of reckoning coming.
[63:33] There's a day of rewards coming. Sometimes when pastors preach and marginalize the reward ahead, it's because the word of Christ has not arrested their hearts. But if the word of Christ arrests your heart, for some reason, it helps you to look forward to the reward.
[63:47] Moses forsook Egypt. Why? Because he looked forward to the rewards. There are things you will do, not because it's so popular. There are things you will do, not because it's so encouraging. There are things you will do, not because people are happy for you to do it.
[64:01] There are things you will do, not because it's so comfortable and convenient. But why are you doing it? Because I'm eyeing the rewards. I know God, one day God will reward me. For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ and every one of us will give an account for what he has done in the flesh.
[64:18] God has to bring the reward to encourage us, to incentivize us, to tell us, press on with the way you are treating your wife. Do it right. The way you are treating your husband. Do it right. The way you are relating to your mother, to your father, to your son, to your daughter.
[64:32] Do it right in the Lord. The way you are relating to your boss, and to your employers, and to the police, and to the society, and community. Do it right. Why? Because if you do it also unto the Lord, there is a day of reward coming.
[64:45] There is a day. Did you receive something? Give Jesus a big, big, big clap. Hallelujah. Thank you for listening to this message by David Entry. The best thing that can happen to you is being exposed to the word of God.
[65:01] To hear more from David Entry, follow him on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, Twitter, LinkedIn, and subscribe to Karis Church on YouTube.
[65:11] You can also find more information about Karis Church and our upcoming services by visiting karis.org. Be blessed.