[0:00] Alleluia! We thank God you have tuned in to this message by David Entry at Caris Church. No hand can help you with the fulfillment of your destiny but the Word of God. May Cortana line with you further into your destiny through this Word.
[0:15] Exodus chapter 20 verse 12. Let's all read the aloud together. Honor thy father and thy mother, that thy days may be long upon the land which the Lord thy God giveth thee.
[0:28] One more time. Let's read the aloud. Let's go. Honor thy father and thy mother, that thy days may be long upon the land which the Lord thy God giveth thee.
[0:39] Amen. Shall we pray? Father, teach us your ways. Reveal yourself to us through Scripture. Help us to be realigned with Scripture and your purpose.
[0:55] Use us as conduits to rescue our generation. To the glory of your name. In Jesus' name.
[1:08] Amen. Hallelujah. Please be seated. Honor. Father's Day started in America.
[1:20] Mother's Day started in America. Mother's Day. A pastor was preaching and after the service, one lady in the church came to him and said, Why don't we have Father's Day?
[1:34] 1910. Because the lady has five brothers and five siblings, sorry. And their mother died very early.
[1:46] And their father took care of them amazingly, beautifully. So she felt like there should be a day. And the pastor felt, Oh yeah, that's true. So he started spreading.
[1:58] And in 1972, it officially was adopted by America a day to recognize fathers. And the role fathers play in every society.
[2:10] One of the greatest empires was the Roman Empire. When an empire and when a civilization is about to come down, it starts with disintegration of families.
[2:23] It's inevitable. No civilization goes down without first an attack on the family fabric. So when there's an attack on the family structure, any civilization is going to come down.
[2:40] Sometimes you don't have to perpetuate slavery. Just dismantle the family structure in a society, in a community, and you enslave them. So it's important that we recognize the role family plays and the place family life holds in every strong society, at every thriving society.
[3:05] And in a society, most of modern-day institutions of academia, especially in sociology departments, there is a kind of mindset and philosophy that pervades some of the institutions so much that undermines the role of or the place of healthy family.
[3:29] There are certain movements that will always rise to attack the role of fatherhood. Because they equate fatherhood to male domination.
[3:42] It is not the same. Celebrating and honoring fatherhood is not male domination. When my children were growing up, especially our first daughter many years ago, because I used to do some babysitting because Pastor Ho would go to work early in an hour.
[4:00] And then you notice that in UK, if you're a man and you do babysitting, you get to be familiar with all the cartoons and the cartoon networks. So I knew about Peppa Pig.
[4:12] And Peppa Pig, one thing that jumped out to me in Peppa Pig is silly daddy. From very young, they begin to teach children that daddies are really silly.
[4:23] And the stupid things are usually done by daddy. Mommy is the one who does, corrects things properly. You know, it's a subtle coding to destroy the family fabric.
[4:35] Maybe some people might not have malicious intention. But you hardly nowadays find anything that is popular on our secular televisions that enhances the role of fatherhood or celebrates the role of fatherhood.
[4:51] It's all about, it's usually about a Jezebelic movement. And it is the generations after that pay.
[5:04] They pay a very painful price when the structures in society have been pulled down and vandalized. Sometimes not with evil intention, but with ignorance.
[5:18] In the name of civilization, sometimes we can be so ignorant and destroyed. We can never be so civilized that we start weeing from our mouth. It's just natural nature.
[5:31] It can never be so civilized that now we move eyes and we begin to join eye and ear together. And then you begin to see with your ears. So we have to be careful when we are redefining values of humanity in the name of civilization.
[5:48] Because some things are fundamental. If you take those things away, you have weakened the health of any society. That's why we can't ignore mental health.
[5:58] Because if mental health is taken for granted, the whole society is going to go down. So we have to, we can't say, well, just A, B, C, A, you'll be fine, you'll be fine. Are you getting what I'm talking about?
[6:11] Yeah. So, well, the scripture we read, it says that this is part of what is called the Decalogue. The Decalogue. The Ten Commandments.
[6:24] And part of the Ten Commandments, the Bible says that honor thy father. Father, I've been studying the scripture for some time now and I realize that maybe it's not intentional.
[6:42] Or maybe, you know, nothing in the scripture is unintentional for your formation. There's nothing in scripture that is there coincidentally. Father, keep seeing father first before mother. I keep seeing father, mother.
[6:56] Father, therefore a man shall leave his. I usually, by accident, because I just say father, but mother, then I always say father and mother. To the extent that I want to update myself and develop myself and make myself come to text the scripture so much.
[7:12] That sometimes when I'm sending a message or a text to somebody familiar and I want to say greetings to your mom. It always comes mom and dad. But I intentionally have to correct myself and say dad and mom.
[7:25] I normally, normally, there's nothing wrong with that. But I just want to make sure that I just follow scriptural pattern. It's so important.
[7:38] Any society that is caving in, caves in because fathers have been marginalized. That's where it starts from. Don't put restrictions on people.
[7:50] Destroy their family system. And they'll be restricted for life. They will be restricted. Some will find themselves in prison without preparing for that.
[8:03] But a subject of honor will determine how life turns out for you. Who you honor matters.
[8:15] So, one of the things that God has put in place to help humanity is the principle, or I will call it, the mystery of honor.
[8:31] Honor is a mystery. The way it delivers and the way it works is very amazing. It can work in an unpredictable fashion.
[8:43] In other words, you can tell exactly when it begins to show, but it will always show. Honor. That text we read just now, it says that honor thy father.
[8:57] Not only thy father and thy mother. You can't have it only one way. And expect the conclusion to be intact.
[9:09] It says, mother, it is a honor your father or your mother. Most people have put or instead of end.
[9:25] And some don't even care about this. Honor thy father. So, it starts with honor. People who don't understand the value of a mother.
[9:39] When you are relating to your mother beautifully, they will see the point. What's the point? Because they don't understand the value of a mother. People who don't understand the value of a father. When you are relating with your father in a certain way.
[9:51] They don't understand. Why? Why? Why that fast? People who don't understand the value of a husband. Don't see a big deal. Why you? Why everything? My husband, my husband. What's the point?
[10:02] But if your husband is not happy about something, so what? It's because you don't understand the value of a. People who don't understand the value of a wife. Your wife. And so what?
[10:13] Forget about your wife unless you think I was any brother. It's because you don't understand the value of a wife. When you associate yourself with people who don't understand the value of something important in your life.
[10:24] They will hurt you in the future. Or they will lead you to damage your future. Without realizing it. So even when it comes to choosing friends and choosing your advisors, you have to choose advisors whose philosophies are not different from your healthy philosophy you have.
[10:43] Philosophy in life. Worldview. Some people don't have any healthy worldview about law and order. They don't have any healthy worldview about law and order.
[10:57] Anything at all. I can do anything. What's police? What's police? I don't care. What's court? You know, you cannot be friends with such a person and type friends when it comes to pursue your life because you will end up in prison.
[11:13] Honor. Honor. When you talk about honor, it's so important that when you look at the structure of this text, I'll come to that later.
[11:23] Bible books in 1 Samuel 2, verse 30. God spoke about how he has withdrawn certain privileges from the people he was dealing with.
[11:36] 1 Samuel 2, verse 30. That was my plan.
[11:52] I planned that you and your descendants and this family line will be so privileged before me. And I'll give them privileges and use them uniquely above others.
[12:04] But God said that before me forever. But now, the Lord says, far be it from me. I'm not going to do that anymore. Why? Far be it. For them that honor me, I will honor.
[12:18] And them that despise God will be lightly esteemed. God said that you can't despise me and I honor you.
[12:32] No. God said I've made promises to you. That's my intention. In fact, I have planned to do this with this family. To do this with this person. But because of the problem of honor, I have to redraw my intentions.
[12:47] I have to change my... It cannot happen because of the issue of dishonor. It's amazing how God said, Those who dishonor me will be lightly esteemed.
[12:58] There are some people who go to their graves and nobody will respect them. They may have money, but in their death, no one will remember them.
[13:08] No one... This is useless. Those who dishonor me will be lightly esteemed. So, it's important to realize that the greatest object of honor in anybody's life is God.
[13:21] Listen, in John chapter 5, verse 44, Jesus speaks about how God honors.
[13:32] All right? So, he says that, How can ye believe which receive honor one from another? And seek not the honor that comes. Did you see that?
[13:43] There's an honor that will come from God alone. One of the translations, the word honor is rendered glory. Glory. So, for God to honor you, it means that he polishes you.
[13:55] He brings glory on your life. He makes you all right. And do not seek the glory that comes from God. So, he's talking to see the honor there. So, when he says that someone has been honored, We're talking about the person has been glorified.
[14:08] The person has been esteemed so high that he looks so polished. That is when you are in your state of honor. Glory comes on you. You radiate or assume attraction.
[14:21] It's like people, wow! This is the same person. Like a bride on a wedding day. That's glory. And Bible says that God has a way of polishing and decorating your life. That people want to be like you.
[14:33] People want your version. But God can't do it without you first honoring God. God is, Bible says, there is an honor that comes from God.
[14:45] And he said, that is what we should seek. Jesus said, you guys seek honor that comes from one another. You receive honor from one another. But you do not seek the honor that comes from God only.
[15:00] There is a certain honor that only God can give you. Sister, my brother. There is a certain honor that only God can give you. To enjoy the honor of God. But we have seen that Bible says that he who honors me, I will honor.
[15:13] So, if you want God to decorate your life, first of all, find a way to honor God. Make honoring God a priority in your life.
[15:24] And you will never be likely esteemed in life. Let's teach our children how to honor God. Now, to honor God, where is he? Where is he?
[15:36] I'm looking for God to honor. So, one of the ways to honor God is through our worship. Our attitude in worship. Our worshipful attitude is one of the ways to honor God.
[15:49] Number two. One of the ways to honor God is to keep his principles and his word. So, what he has said, we take it serious.
[16:01] What he has said, he takes it serious. Do you know if, let's say, a teacher in a classroom, a teacher comes to the class and he said, all of you people, can you rise to your feet?
[16:14] Or everybody sit down and be quiet. And there's one particular person, he doesn't want to sit down. Teachers, everybody's out. Sit down. He doesn't even ignore the teacher. He won't listen to what the teacher is saying.
[16:25] Listen, don't talk to anybody I'm talking. I can't be bothered. You know, that is a clear demonstration of dishonor. To dishonor somebody, you don't take their word.
[16:36] You don't do anything with their instructions. That is how to dishonor a person. To dishonor your father or your mother. Your mother said something, just no, I can't be bothered. That's dishonor.
[16:46] So to honor God is to take his word and give regard to his word. Jesus says, if you love me, you will keep my commandments. We saw it recently in our reading, John chapter 14.
[16:59] If you love me, you will keep my commandments. So one of the ways to honor God is to have a worshipful attitude towards him. Number two is to respect what his word has said in spite of how you feel.
[17:14] In spite of how you feel. So if, let's say, my wife does something, offends me, and I said, I will never forgive you. I will never forgive you.
[17:25] But I know the word of God said forgive. And I said, no, I don't. That, no. I have chosen not to forgive. That's a clear sign of dishonor to God. It's different if I didn't know. If I didn't know that, that's different.
[17:37] But I knew what God says. And it's not like maybe he didn't mean it in that way. I just know that this is what the word, and I just know this is what the word of God says. But I said, no, I won't do it. That's dishonor.
[17:48] And then I am expecting God to honor me. No, it doesn't work like that. It doesn't work like that. God answers prayers, but don't think he only answers prayers.
[17:59] He also honors. He also, when God honors you, a lot of prayer topics you won't need. Many prayer topics is because of lack of honor in life.
[18:10] Life is squeezing you. Life is pressurizing you. Life is suffocating you, so you have to, I lift up my eyes to the hills from when it comes to my health.
[18:25] That's good. It's good to pray. Yeah, it's good to depend on God. He's a son of humility. But honor can bail us off a lot of things. So, one, we honor God, and this is how we honor God.
[18:38] His worship principle. And let me add a third one. His name. So when you want to pray, start with hallowing his name. Prayer starts with recognizing God as Father.
[18:52] And hallowing his name. Fatherhood is a blessing. So, number one is to honor. When we talk about honoring, we talk honor God. When you honor God, the rest kind of are, they follow, they are subsets.
[19:09] But to be more clear, you honor God. And number two, honor who God honors. Let me bring it close home. When somebody, let's say you have a son or you have a daughter.
[19:24] And you want your daughter to make it to one of their top universities. And then your friend, your neighbor, or your sister, or somebody, you know.
[19:35] Their daughter makes it there in a very beautiful way. Recognize that good thing there. And respect it. Show honor to that. Unless you believe that it's all, their own thing.
[19:48] This is, I don't. Even, you see, anything you criticize stays far from you. I'm about to say something that belongs to pastors.
[20:00] No pastor ever will see church growth when he criticizes big churches. Many pastors who criticize big churches, look at them. They are way too or three are guarded.
[20:10] They are guarded. No church grows large or big without the pastor giving honor and respecting big churches.
[20:29] So how do you know a church has the potential to be big? When the pastor and the leaders respect big churches. How do you know somebody's marriage will do well? When they respect good marriages.
[20:43] How do you know somebody's children will do well? When they celebrate others whose children are doing well. Somebody's child has gotten 100% scholarship.
[20:55] And he says, oh, you wait. Our child has children's coming. Your children will not even get 1%. They will get loan. Loan. So, you see someone having their wedding.
[21:10] Don't say, you know, she managed to catch the guy. At least he's decided to marry her. So you just leave that and celebrate the wedding. Like I said the other time.
[21:21] When someone conceives or gets pregnant out of wedlock. Shall we dedicate the baby in this church? Oh, yes.
[21:31] Why would you do that? Why shouldn't we do that? Why would you do that? Why should we do that? But they broke God's law. Others are breaking the law in their mind. And yet we are laying hands and praying for them.
[21:47] But that's not the point. The point here is that they broke the law of God. Did their child break the law? What has their child done? Why should they punish a child for their parents' mistake? When it comes to what God can do for our people.
[22:03] Don't let us punish. Let's leave that to destiny. And let's leave that to providence. But I can't say because your father was a thief. You have to be punished. You know, so that's why we will dedicate children.
[22:16] I was saying that sometimes the circumstances surrounding your birth might not be honorable. But it doesn't mean your life will not be honorable.
[22:27] As I said, not every sexual relationship ends into a pregnancy. No, no, no, no. Not every. A lot of it. About 80% of it. Or more. Sorry. Even more. 99% of it in the UK does not produce pregnancy.
[22:42] Sometimes husbands and wives. Pregnancy came. But the number of union they had to have. So it's not every union that produces. So wrong unions.
[22:54] What I'm trying to say is that the coming of a child is divine. No human being is ever a mistake on earth. No human being. Praise the Lord. So then we have to be careful.
[23:05] We don't use circumstances to judge people. When something good is happening somewhere, let's learn how to honor or celebrate it.
[23:16] Or whatever you honor. In fact, who you honor will determine how you'll be honored. So let's honor what God honors. Pastor, let's get it right.
[23:27] So someone went to take another person's husband and they married. Is that God honoring it? You see, when you begin to get into all kinds of... Think about... Pastor, why is it that when they made their car, they made their car with steering wheel?
[23:43] How about people who don't have arms? It wasn't made for... Do you have arms? Why don't you come and learn how to drive? Okay. Because if we want to go into what if, what if, and there are little, little incidents that might be different.
[23:57] I'm talking about largely the right ones that we know. The ones that we know that are right, that we want to have. The kind of honor we want to have. Let's celebrate it. Yes. So honor whom God is honoring.
[24:10] There are some people who don't deserve to be married, but they are married. God bless them with a wife. God bless them with... You think they don't deserve. You think you should have married before them.
[24:20] There you are. But let's honor... Most of us think we are better than people. Especially when you are growing up.
[24:32] Those neighbors who are always coming to your house to beg for food and eat, and you never respected them. Today, one of them is big, and none of your siblings is anywhere. And you might think that it's an entitlement.
[24:45] Honor in life is an entitlement. No. Honor in life is an engracement. It's giving. It's giving. And you can go for some by looking at who is being honored by God and deciding to honor them.
[24:59] So God... Number two, who goes on it? Number three, let me say, the prophet. When we say prophet here, it's not like the prophet has... That's here, the Lord.
[25:09] That's here, the Lord. I'm talking about someone God has sent or a servant of God. To a certain extent, we are all servants of God, right? But I'm talking about people God has given responsibility of leading his people.
[25:23] Of speaking to his people. God is using them to speak to his people. To lead his people. To teach his people. Now, that's what I'm talking about when I talk about a prophet. So Jesus said, when you give a prophet a cup of water, you receive a prophet's reward.
[25:36] In John chapter 4, verse 44, it says that a prophet is not without honor. Or a prophet is not honored in his order. Jesus says that a prophet has no honor in his own country.
[25:48] That means that a prophet is supposed to have honor. In fact, Jesus puts it this way. In Mark chapter 6, verse 4 and 5, he said, a prophet is not without honor. And in Luke chapter 4 as well.
[26:00] But Jesus said, a prophet is not without honor. Shall we all say that together? A prophet is not without honor. Please say it again. A prophet is not without honor. When we say a prophet is not without honor, that means that a prophet is with honor.
[26:14] That's what I mean. What makes the prophetic office work for people is the honor factor. First of all, is the calling, the oil. But the oil doesn't flow in spite of dishonor.
[26:28] Did you understand that? So how you receive a man of God will determine how you benefit from a man of God. So the problem is, why do you expose yourself to a ministry of a man of God you don't believe in?
[26:45] Because it don't profit you. It's being a man of God, number one, is not only a matter of intellectual appeal. So that he's talking and you are sent to, yeah, what he says makes sense.
[26:59] What about me, I don't respect. No, you can get what he said intellectually, but the life's blessing behind what he said will not transfer.
[27:11] For instance, you can listen to powerful preaching or teachings on marriage and still end up divorcing.
[27:24] Why? Because it's possibly all that what was being communicated, you agreed. But you never received the communicator. And so the grace and the life behind the teaching didn't come to you.
[27:40] You just had raw teaching. The letter killeth. You had raw teaching without the life of God behind it. And so it could not birth the result.
[27:52] The fruits of the teaching could not be birthed. Why? Because you have not really received the package. These things are very important. These are things that you cannot be taught in school.
[28:03] These are things that common sense will not give you. These are things that are taught by revelation, by insight. And looking at the scriptures very carefully, you begin to notice it.
[28:15] Why do you think it says in 1 Timothy 5, verse 17, Let the elders be counted worthy of double honor. Especially those who labor. And he says that honor them, but this is no normal honor.
[28:27] Double honor. Double honor. That's a very important thing. But why don't you want to recognize this? He said let them. Allow them to be counted worthy.
[28:40] So when he said count worthy, that means that it's not like you have just done something. But whatever in your sphere of operation honor is, let them be counted worthy of double honor.
[28:54] So if the time comes and you have to, it's not a problem because it's worthy of double honor. He said especially those who labor in the word and doctrine. Let them be counted worthy of double honor.
[29:07] This is scripture. Then he continues to say that the scripture even says that don't muzzle the mouth of the ox that treaded down the cone. Thou shall not muzzle the, the scripture said it.
[29:19] Thou shall not, because the laborer is worthy of his reward. So one of the ways to reward someone who God has used to bless you is honor.
[29:32] Honor is an entitled reward of someone God has used to bless you. Praise the Lord. But sometimes we can try to be in God, but use different worldly systems.
[29:47] That makes life more convenient for us. That's why you are so big on me. If any woman stresses me, I will divorce. I'll divorce.
[29:57] You've been in church all this while and you are always advocating divorce comfortably. Comfortably. Do you understand what I'm saying? It's not something to be advocated.
[30:10] You can't push it comfortably. Because then people might be victims who shouldn't have even divorced. So little, little things the flesh will jump on and use.
[30:23] So we have to be very careful not to allow our flesh to lead us in our worship. Spirits first.
[30:36] That's why you struggle to adhere to God's word. Not about thou shall not steal, thou shall not kill. Those things are moral situations. But there are other bits that might not be moral.
[30:49] You might struggle to bring your heart to it because of the baseline of sin that has entered the heart. When there's sin in a heart, when someone is living in sin and accommodating sin, they begin to struggle to accept some things that scripture actually points to.
[31:08] So sometimes people make a lot of noise about why should we give? Why should we give to God? Why should we give to God? Why should we give to God? Most of that noise, under it, there's a sin nature.
[31:20] You can be born again, but sin is comfortable in your life. The reason why you said, this lady, I will never talk to her. I hate her. Even though you are in church. I hate her.
[31:31] Please. You are showing us something. There's sin somewhere in your life. A certain type of sin that you are practicing. Because it has given the platform. Bible says, give not the devil a footstool. How come you gave him a place to put his feet?
[31:43] Ephesians chapter 4, verse 27. Don't give him a footstool. You've given him a place. So the way you are behaving and all the things you are saying, you don't know that you are under an influence. In the same way, when you are under the influence of the Holy Spirit, spiritually minded, there are some things that naturally come to you.
[32:00] You don't struggle to forgive. The more spiritual you are, the more you say, well, okay, that's okay. It doesn't matter. I'll let go. The more spiritual you are, the more you don't struggle to honor your father and your mother.
[32:17] The more spiritual you are, the easier it is to be merciful to others. Sinful people struggle to be merciful. Why?
[32:28] Because to be genuinely merciful is heavily. It's not mundane. It's heavily. And to live a heavily life, it comes from your spirit.
[32:40] So if your spirit is not in a good shape, you'll be struggling. And very soon, you propound philosophies to back your fleshly activities. Philosophies are bad. How about what if?
[32:50] What if? What if? Okay, what if? Are you in that what if? I always want to think aloud. You know, think aloud. And you leave the thing that you are supposed to do, you know.
[33:02] And then you leave that one and start thinking aloud just to cover up our lack of responsibility. Honor. Listen, in this church, we will never cease to honor.
[33:15] And for that matter, especially the people God has used to bless us. We will honor our pastors. We will honor our pastors because it's just scriptural.
[33:29] It's not because we are sycophants. It's not because we are dumb. It's not. We are very intelligent. We are very smart. That's why actually we obey God's way. We are very spiritual.
[33:41] That's why we choose to adhere to what scripture says. He said, let him who is taught celebrate the one who, Galatians chapter 6, I think verse 10 or so.
[33:53] Let him who is taught in the word communicate unto him that teacher in all good things. There's nothing wrong with that. So, learn how to get over your discomfort because that might also be an expression of the flesh.
[34:09] And learn not to now go into it and live there because now, Paul said, even though we are entitled, we will not use this. He said, we will not use the second Corinthians chapter 13, chapter 12 and chapter 13, a particular chapter 13.
[34:24] He said, I will not take anything from you even though I'm supposed to take, I will not take it from you. And first Corinthians chapter 9, and I think from this, 12, 13, 14, 15, somewhere there, he says, I will not take anything so that I will not give people opportunity to talk rubbish.
[34:37] So, we honor our pastors and we will honor our pastor. We'll do that.
[34:50] Let me add one scripture and then I'll go to fathers. One of the scriptures that stands out to me is 1 Thessalonians chapter 5, verse 12 and 13.
[35:01] 1 Thessalonians, it tells you even the summary of that threefold work of a pastor is there. I beseech you, brethren, to know them which do what?
[35:13] Labor. Pastor, to labor, that means to work and work to, sometimes to exhaustion. If you know what the pastoral work entails, because effective pastoral work entails labor, working sometimes to exhaustion.
[35:31] My wife will tell you. I do. There's no day I suffered, no period I suffered this pastoral work. I have always suffered, you know, because part of it. But the period I suffered most was the lockdown.
[35:43] Boy, steady upon steady, preparation upon preparation. There are times I could tell that, Lord, if it's possible, let this cup come pass. And people are waiting to hear you speak.
[35:59] And some of them, if it's just within a small place and it's not streamed, you can say anything and get away with it. You know, you can say, hallelujah, amen, hallelujah, I feel God is blessing somebody, amen, it's a good day, amen, you know God is blessing, amen, amen, and you finish and close.
[36:15] you haven't said anything. But when you are alive, your enemies are waiting to hear the nonsense you're about to say. Your loved ones are coming to, oh, I've heard about it, let me see.
[36:29] And they are waiting to be impressed and you finish your laundry. So what's that? It's all just pressure. Pastoral work comes with a lot of pressure and other, not only in the word, but human lives and you're dealing with sometimes people you love so much and are going through pain.
[36:49] It has a way of affecting you so bad people normally don't know. When you're a pastor and people you love go through difficult times, it's very painful for you as a pastor. So know them who labor amongst you and are over you.
[37:04] That's supervision. Supervision. Pastoral work is supervision. What does it mean to supervise? In other words, it's to stand before, be before of the congregation and lead them into areas of righteousness.
[37:19] Lead them into paths of righteousness. Supervise them. Get them, go the right direction. And then it says that they armonish you. They use the word of God to show you the truth, the pathway, the sound pathway you should take.
[37:34] These are the threefold work of a pastor. He said you must know them and look at the verse 13. And he said, esteem them very, I can't imagine. He said very, what does that mean?
[37:45] It means very highly. Esteem them very highly because they are intelligent, because they are beautiful or handsome, because they are your style or your race.
[37:57] No, be for, in love, for the sake of their work. God, that work is demanding. That work is heavenly. And when a pastor gets the chance to do the pastoral work well, it benefits a lot of lives.
[38:13] Only God knows the number of letters I keep receiving, messages. Some of them long. How you've changed my life. How my life has changed.
[38:23] You see, you know how much your life has been impacted. Don't let someone who does not have that experience define how you honor the one who has changed your life. Don't condemn them.
[38:37] But you should under Jesus say, Father, forgive them. They don't know what they are doing. You know how this church life has saved your life.
[38:47] don't take it for granted the blessing of a pastor in your life. I thank God I am not ashamed to say it. I've seen people whose lives have changed.
[38:58] My life is a result, is as a result of the pastoral exposure I got. Not just because my parents raised me well. They did, but where I am they couldn't have given it to me.
[39:11] They couldn't have given it to me. My natural father tells me where I'm coming from. My spiritual father tells me where I'm going. So let's not shy away from honoring men of God who God has used to bless us.
[39:29] Particularly the ones who are with us and laboring day and night. You know many churches, good churches, responsible churches create a system where every year, twice a year or something, they gather to celebrate the pastor who God has used.
[39:44] And it blesses, it makes the church do well. Oh yeah. It makes the churches do well and the people do well. It's a divine order. But we don't do that for over 21 years.
[39:55] A day set aside, pastor's appreciation day. There's nothing wrong. It's good to do it. But really, we are planning revival so we don't just get the time to... do you understand what I'm saying?
[40:07] Let them be counter-worthy of double honor. For their work's sake. How can you say, I've really been blessed, I've learned a lot and you're struggling to honor the vessel?
[40:19] That's shoplifting. It's ritual shoplifting. Almost like, almost like, it's actually not.
[40:31] Please sit down, let me finish. So, quickly, let me add this. So, honor God by making his worship honorable, praise his principle and his name.
[40:41] Honor who God honors. And then, let me add this. From the original text we read, it says that, honor your father and your mother.
[40:55] That's the only one I saw he came with a condition. He said, this is the Decalogue, Ten Commandments. Honor your, honor thy father and thy mother.
[41:08] Why? Why should I do it? Why should I do it? He said that, your days may be long watch this, watch, upon the land. Who gave you the land? The Lord gave it to you.
[41:19] But for you to have long life in what God gave you, honor your, your father didn't give it to you, your mother didn't give it to you, but God gave it to you, what God gave you, for you to benefit and really, and a long period of enjoyment from it, lasting enjoyment from it, is that, honor your father and your mother.
[41:36] Even in our church, to enjoy the blessings in this church, you might have to honor your, not my, you should have to go back, honor your father, honor your mother.
[41:48] It will make you really enjoy what is in this thing for you. Did you understand? What's in the marriage for you, has a lot, how you can enjoy it in a lasting way, has a lot to do with honoring your mother and father.
[42:01] But, but, but, but, ssh, ssh, ssh, ssh, ssh, ssh, ssh, ssh, ssh, ssh, ssh, ssh, ssh, ssh, ssh, ssh, ssh, ssh, ssh, ssh, I didn't see the bats. It's just unconditional, straight.
[42:12] Do you have a father? Do you have a mother? Honor him. Huh? Honor him. How? But you don't know, my mother. My mother hates me. My mother, nothing I do enough.
[42:24] I don't know. Yeah, it's very sad. It's very sad. My mother, I don't, there's nothing I've ever done for my mother. She hates me. She's telling all my friends about it. Your mother did that?
[42:36] How? You don't know myself? Oh, sorry, okay. So what am I supposed to do? Honor him. In fact, if there was another way, I would have said it.
[42:48] But at the moment, there's no other way. Is he your mother? Then honor him. Is he your father? Then honor him. Why should I do it? He said it.
[42:59] Your days will be long. Ephesians chapter 6, verse 2 and 3. He says that honor thy father and thy mother, which is the first commandment.
[43:10] It's a commandment by accounts with a promise attached to it. He's not saying that's the first commandment. It's not a first commandment. But it's a commandment, the first one that came with a promise attached to it. Honor your father.
[43:20] And what's the promise? Look at the next verse. We read it. That it may be well with you. Is there potential? The way you are struggling with your children. The way you are struggling with your health.
[43:32] The way you are struggling with your education. Because you have done one course for 18 years. You came into the country as a student.
[43:46] And for the past 28 years, you are still a student. If I should think out loud.
[44:00] It seems to me that it doesn't look like it's well with you. Because if it is well with you, it shouldn't be like this. If it's well with you, it shouldn't be like this.
[44:15] Now, if someone is not feeling well. It doesn't mean it's a curse or anything. Because human nature. But if you had a problem with your truth. And then it got sorted out.
[44:28] Then the next day, another problem with your ears. Then the next day, even though there was no healer. Then your knee. Then the next day, your skin. Then after that, your hair begins to jump.
[44:40] No, something is wrong. And then you were going through chemo. Just before you finish chemo. Something else has happened. All your nails have vanished.
[44:53] Or had dry now. You know, it's like from one thing. You just finish one problem. Another problem comes. Another problem. And it's like endless. For so many years.
[45:03] There's no year. There's no period of at least respite. Or peace. No, it's not well with you. It's not well with you. And if it's not well with you.
[45:14] Then you have to look for the honor situation. Because he said, if you honor a father. Your father and your mother. It shall be well with you. Pastor, my father is not around. My mom is not around.
[45:27] Sometimes the honor doesn't start with your actions. It starts in your attitude. In their absence. Your attitude is even respectful. I don't know what I'm talking.
[45:39] Have you seen your cousin. The way she's struggling. That cousin. The way she cursed her mother. The way she cursed her father. Do you see how she's struggling. Nothing is working. Look at the way she's grown lean.
[45:50] It's not like she's going to gym. She's like life is slipping out of her. Her children are all abandoning her. And cursing her. What did you do wrong. You didn't honor your mother and father.
[46:02] Now that I'm speaking about this. There might be someone listening to me. And you had it wrong. Because you didn't know the word. What should you do? What can you do? Before I say that in closing. Let me show you three ways.
[46:13] Because I don't live with my mom. How many of you are? I don't live with my mom. A 15 year old man. But she's still my mom. Okay. Now. How do you honor your mom?
[46:23] There are three stages. When you are a child. And you live under your parents roof. How do you honor them? Be submissive. Jesus went and submitted himself to them. Submit to their.
[46:34] Be submissive to their instructions. Obviously. Godly instructions. Or decent. Good instructions. If your mother is telling you. To go and do something illegal.
[46:45] That's different. That's a different story. But. If your mother is telling you. That. Make sure. The kitchen. Is always tidy. You don't want to do it.
[46:57] You don't want to do it. Why? Why? Why are you telling me? Especially. When you are thinking. Looking for your freedom. You are. You are not free enough. To pay your own rent. But you are free enough.
[47:08] To disorder the one. Who is paying the rent. Or dishonor. Disrespect. Oh. Come on. Have you forgotten? You are still living. At home. For goodness sake.
[47:20] If you live. At home. With your parents. Don't forget. You didn't. You didn't. Even if you are now paying the rent. That property is not your name. It's towards you your house. You just grew up there.
[47:31] And you managed to be there. You haven't been able to grow up out. But. Remember. It's. You are under somebody's roof. Give them. The level of respect.
[47:43] And I call them. The necessary submission. That's the honor there. That's the honor there. The people who. You don't live. You can't. You have not. You have not rented any house.
[47:53] In your own name. Or bought a house. You are living with someone. And you don't respect them. I don't know what. I don't think you are thinking. If you are man enough. Go get your own place.
[48:04] If you are woman enough. I put it to you. No. You are not here. Someone is watching. I put it to you. Go get your own place. Go get your own place. And see if in the name. They will rent it to you. With your kind of.
[48:16] Credit. History. So. When you live with your parents. Be submissive. Any society. That undermines that.
[48:26] Will go down fast. Number two. How about when you have left. Like me. I have left home. How do I honor my parents.
[48:37] When I have left home. Courtesy. Respect them. Show them respect. When they have a suggestion. Because most parents.
[48:47] Sometimes want to tell you. And advise you. Where you shouldn't go. What you shouldn't do. Even though you don't live with them. Because they are trying to get you. To avoid the mistakes they made. And sometimes they may push too far.
[48:59] But at least. Let them know. That you respect their opinion. Because life is. As Bishop said. Tread softly. It's a long journey. Tread cautiously.
[49:12] Because you see. There's something about. Growing old. You get certain experience. That young people. Don't really. Usually notice. The older you are.
[49:23] The more you have seen. Certain aspects of life. That really has made you. Thought differently. You have a serious contention. With your brother. Your sister. Mom is telling you. It's okay. Leave it. You don't leave.
[49:35] What mom said. It's okay. For mom's sake. Show her the respect. And don't push it further. That's how to honor your mom. Honor your dad. Honor your father. And your mother.
[49:45] And she'll be well with you. And how about. When they are so old. They can't say much. The third way. To honor them. In their old age. Is support them. Support them.
[49:56] Now it brings a question. Of nursing home. Yeah. I know you want me to comment. But no comment. No comment.
[50:08] Show. Your parents. Your mother. Your father. I know she didn't take care of your dad. That is a bit complicated. But the Bible says honor. So. Do what you can do.
[50:20] It's necessary. Because it brings blessing on you. Especially when. There's a complication there. And you go out of your way. Because of God's word.
[50:31] And you do it. Guess what? You end up benefiting. Said it in several places in scripture. Honor thy father and your mother. The scripture we just read.
[50:42] Exodus chapter 20 verse 12. In Deuteronomy chapter 5 verse 16. It says the same thing. Honor your father and your mother. And it throws it in Leviticus chapter 19 verse 3.
[50:53] Then the New Testament is replete. Matthew. Matthew chapter 15 verse 4. Matthew chapter 19 verse 19. Mark chapter 7 verse 10. Mark chapter 10 verse 19. It all says that.
[51:04] Honor your father. Luke chapter 8 verse 20. Honor your father and your mother. It is replete in scripture. That means it's a very serious thing. That just shall live by faith. Is full time. Honor your mother and father.
[51:15] Is about eight times. So why are you living in faith. And you are flouting. You are not honoring. Because you have a justification. For not doing it.
[51:26] You know. I struggle to overcome some things. You know. That's why some things are also struggling to leave you. Honor.
[51:37] Thy father. Today is father's day. Take the time. If it's possible. Call him. If maybe every time you call him. There's an argument. Send him a text message.
[51:48] Dad I love you. You are the best dad. You don't feel like he's the best dad. But just honor him. Let him know that. Because you don't have any option. You don't have any option.
[51:59] You can't. You can't change your father please. Can you? You can't change it. Even your mother can't do it. She would have liked to. She would have done it a long time ago. She would have done it.
[52:10] You can't change your father. Neither can you change your mother. These things are definite in life. And the Bible says. Honor. Thy father. And thy mother.
[52:20] As you honor your prophets. Don't ignore. Honoring your father. Honoring your mother. Time will not permit you to talk about. The different levels of fathers. But for now. Let's admit.
[52:32] Anyone who is a father in your life. Sometimes your stepdad. Has been the father role. Sometimes an uncle has played the father role. Somebody has played the father role. Honor them.
[52:43] And it will be well with you. Did you receive something? Let's give Jesus praise. Hallelujah. Thank you.
[52:53] For listening to this message by David Entry. We pray you have been strengthened and enlightened. You can connect to David Entry. On all relevant social media platforms. Including Instagram and LinkedIn.
[53:04] You can also hear many more messages from David Entry. On all relevant streaming platforms. And the Carriage Church app. Don't forget to like and share the message. Be blessed. Thank you.
[53:14] Bye. Bye. Bye. Bye. Bye. Bye. Bye.
[53:26] Bye. Bye. Bye. Bye. Bye. dull bros. Bye. Bye. Bye. Bye. Bye. Bye. Bye. Bye. Bye. Bye.
[53:36] Bye. Bye. Bye. Bye. Bye. Bye. Bye. Bye. emails. Bye.