[0:00] Let's turn back to the reading we had in the book of Psalms. The book of Psalms, that's a psalm we all know so well, Psalm 127. Again, verses we know so well, just the first two verses of that psalm.
[0:16] Psalm 127, verses 1 and verse 2. Unless the Lord builds a house, those who build it laboured in vain. Unless the Lord watches over the city, the watchman stays awake in vain.
[0:30] We'll take that along with the reading we had in Matthew. As we said, just a reflection of a busy few weeks.
[0:42] Busy in terms of a lot of internal work. We had the AGM seeing our financial situation, then the POV, which, behind the scenes, involved quite a lot of work, as the brothers here will tell you.
[0:56] A lot of work, a lot of forms before done, but not without benefit. It was good. The forms made us go back, as it were, to the very basics. Some of the forms taken us back to the rough casting of the church, taken right back to everything that we have, materially and spiritually.
[1:13] So I was thinking, just as we come to the end, perhaps, of a busy few weeks looking at ourselves, it's a good time to remind ourselves as to the basics, as to the work that we have as the Lord's people.
[1:27] Our work for His work, we could say, to summarise, just a short look this evening, at these few verses. Our work for His work.
[1:38] And we take these verses as two verses that we have. And first of all, the very first verse, we see the work of God. And then we see the work ethic, how we're supposed to go about that work.
[1:51] So, first of all, in verse one, the work that we're called to do. And then in verse two, how we're supposed to do that work. Again, just a general view, just encourage us, I hope, this evening, as we go about looking back over this past year, but also looking forward with the Lord's help and Lord willing to the year to come.
[2:12] There are many exciting things happening. The Lord is building His church, and He's doing that in Tolstoy. Whether we think it or not, whether we see it or not, He is doing His work. First of all, the work itself.
[2:25] What is the work the Lord is doing through us? Unless the Lord builds the house, those who build it labour in vain. Unless the Lord watches over the city, the watchman stays awake in vain.
[2:38] First of all, quite simply and quite obviously from the verse, there is a house to be built. There is a house to be built. There is a house being built in the image of verse one.
[2:52] Unless the Lord builds the house, those who build it labour in vain. There is work to be done. There is a house to be built. There is much labouring to be done.
[3:02] And the truth is, and there is nothing in these next wee while together, in these short look of these verses that we haven't thought about before, I'm sure individually or as a congregation, but to remind us, the Lord is doing our work in Tolstoy.
[3:18] Now we are not saying that to try and prep ourselves up and feel better about ourselves. The Lord is doing our work in Tolstoy. And we can be assured of that. Why? For a few reasons.
[3:30] The Lord is doing our work in Tolstoy, we can know for certain, because he has his people here. Because we are here as brothers and sisters. We are here serving the Lord. And as long as the Lord has his people in a place, whether it's in Tolstoy or anywhere else around the world, he is doing his work there.
[3:49] The Lord places his people in a place when he does his work. We're not just here by random. We're not just here because we're born here. We are here and we live here and we serve here because the Lord is doing our work here.
[4:06] It takes us right back down to who we are as people. We can be assured that the Lord is doing our work, that the house is being built in Tolstoy, because we are missionaries.
[4:17] I know we know of this, but just to remind ourselves, as we seek to do the work of God, we are missionaries. We've been placed in our homes. We've been born, perhaps, and brought up in Tolstoy.
[4:28] But even that itself, it wasn't by random. The Lord made the generations of your families to work in such a way, but you are born in this place and at this time.
[4:38] Those of us who have moved to Tolstoy, it's not by accident. It's not on random. We are here as missionaries. We're not here just to sit and wait till the end.
[4:49] We're here to go out with the gospel. As we heard even last week from Reverend McKee, that it's not just the minister and the elders. It's for all of us together.
[5:00] I know we know that. That's a reminder to us elders and myself too. Every one of us have to be involved in gospel work. Now, like building a house, we aren't all building the same way.
[5:11] I'm as left-handed and as half-blind. If I was in charge of doing the measure of a house by disaster, I can do something else, I'm sure, if I had to.
[5:23] We all have different skills, different qualities. Some of us are making the bricks. Some of us are placing the bricks. Some of us are there waiting to put the wiring in. We all have different skill sets.
[5:34] But the truth is, we all have skill sets from the Lord. A few weeks ago, a presbytery evening, we went to as ministers and all the presbytery elders.
[5:46] As part of that evening, it was a reminder from Reverend Columbrado Smith in Stornoway, that if the Lord has given you people, and we have people, then he's given you people of skills to use for the building and the fervorance of his work.
[6:01] Brethren and sisters, there's not one person here this evening who is without some skill, some benefit to the work of the Lord. And in one sense, it's up to the elders and myself to prod and to poke and to see what gifting you have.
[6:18] But we can't do that too much. The reality is, it's up to all of us to say, and look to ourselves and say, well, how can I help build the house? What skills has the Lord given me?
[6:30] And it's hard for us, isn't it? We hate being too forward. And trust me, personally, I hate being forward. But sometimes, and of course, this job itself, you have to be forward.
[6:41] And if you can see in yourself the Lord has given you a gifting, and he's given you a skill, whether that's an amazing effort in praying, whether you pray morning and night, whether you want to serve in one area of a church, or do X, Y, or Z.
[6:56] I won't even list the things, because I'm scared if I list it, you'll think, well, that's not me. If you can see yourself and ask yourself, how has the Lord given me a gifting to serve him in Tolstah?
[7:09] Then that's evidence, and it's proof the Lord is building the house. He has us as his builders here. The other proof we have that the Lord is, as it were, building a house here, still is the words going out.
[7:22] Every time the gospel is preached, every time there's folks in church who, as of yet, don't know the Lord, every time we have an evangelical event like the carol evening coming up, it's all there to show the Lord is building his house.
[7:40] He is moving. He is expanding his vision. Things like the carol evening, it's not because we want to sing some songs together, it's because every person that evening will hear the gospel, will get at least two tracts, will hear the word being read out to them, and they'll come, and they'll leave, and the seed's been planted.
[8:00] Every Sunday, the word is preached, faithfully preached by myself and by other visiting preachers, and because that's taken place, we can be assured it's evidence the Lord is still here, and he is still accomplishing what it is he is seeking to do, the fervorance of his kingdom in Tulsa.
[8:21] The fact that we are still here, and the fact the word is still going out, should give us great hope the Lord still has his people in Tulsa, he is yet to bring in, and he is yet to supply for the church.
[8:35] There are still labourers who don't yet know they are labourers, but they're almost being brought in. And we see the mission field around us in this village, in this area, and there are so many people.
[8:49] When you stop and take a walk around the village, you think, wow, at every second or third or fourth house, there's someone in that house who's not going near a church, as far as we understand, has no church interest, no church knowledge, no gospel interest, no gospel knowledge.
[9:03] There is a lot of work to be built. There are still extensions, and extensions have been put on the house, but the house is being built. And we're all called to be labourers in that work.
[9:16] We're all called to do the work. It is a labour, again, as Reverend McKeever, as James said last week, there is hard work involved in gospel work. If it's to be true gospel work, it does come at a cost.
[9:31] We'll see in a second, that's not saying we should be worn down completely because of it. That's worldly, and that's a whole different discussion. We'll see that briefly. But there is hard work. There must be hard work.
[9:43] The gospel work is always hard work. There's always that sowing in tears. There's always the miles to be walked spiritually as you do the hard work of sharing the gospel to dead ears and deaf ears, day after day, to family members and friends and loved ones who have no gospel interest.
[10:04] We must trust the Lord is building the house regardless of what we see or understand. This also we see, there is a city to be protected.
[10:17] Unless the Lord watches over the city, the watchman stays awake in vain. There's a house being built, but also there is a city, there is a place for which the Lord is watching over.
[10:32] Of course, we must do the work. The work is His, and we'll see that more in a second. Again, we've been placed here in Tulsa, born here or moved here or called here, or however we've landed here, here is where we are.
[10:45] And I'm sure many of us, as Christians, those of us here who know and who love the Lord, we perhaps long to have been born on a different day, when there was more gospel interest, when the churches were busier, perhaps even your own day, years ago, when you saw a greater gospel vibrancy, and perhaps you long to go back to these days, and I wouldn't blame you for that.
[11:08] I'd have loved to have seen these days myself. But we are here, as it were, in this city, called to be the watchmen of this city of Tulsa, we'll advance ourselves as a city for the sake of the example.
[11:22] This is the city where we're placed. And what was the job of a watchman is to watch out for the enemy and to warn the city of the oncoming danger. And we've been called to be watchmen of this city of Tulsa.
[11:35] And there is a real danger coming towards Tulsa, we know that. There is an imminent danger towards our friends and family, our loved ones, and our neighbours in this village. There is a danger of hell coming.
[11:47] There is a danger of a lost eternity coming. That danger is coming, and it's coming, and it's coming closer, and closer, and closer, each and every day. And we're called to be watchmen. We're to be awake, of course, for this very purpose.
[12:01] We have to be ready, as individuals, to engage in gospel work, however the Lord chooses to do that, in our congregation. It's myself and yourselves included.
[12:11] Whatever opportunities the Lord gives us, we should be waiting, and watching, and ready, to whatever chance he gives us, whatever door the Lord opens, we should be ready, and willing, to lay hold of it, however unlikely an opportunity, it might seem, or be, for us.
[12:29] Every chance we take, to warn, those around us, of the oncoming danger. Also, as watchmen, we are ourselves, in constant danger.
[12:42] Not the danger of hell, not the danger of lostness. We are saved from that danger. There's arrows, and there's stones, of the enemy. And, at the end of the new year, as we, kind of, begin, a fresh, that series of spiritual warfare, that's why we do that.
[12:57] It's to remind us, that we must put on, as a word of the full armour of God. We must be ready, to be fully prepared, for the battle, which inevitably lies, ahead of us.
[13:08] We touched on that, in previous weeks. As the gospel work, increases in our congregation, and as we seek, individually, to do more work, for the Lord, Satan will also, increase his work, against us.
[13:21] We can be almost, guaranteed of that. And that will be seen, I'm sure, in our own lives, in our congregational life, in the months ahead, and years ahead, if the Lord wills it. As we seek, to the Lord's work, we must be ready, and vigilant of the enemy.
[13:35] It's why we've covered, the enemy last few months, purposely preparing ourselves, as best we can, for what lies ahead of us. Back to the house. There's a house to be built, but the house belongs to who?
[13:48] The house belongs to the Lord. Unless the Lord, builds the house. Of course, we must do the work. We're all called, to be labourers. A house doesn't just, appear by itself.
[14:00] A house needs to be built. But it's the Lord's house, he is building. It's his kingdom, that's expanding. And yes, we're called to be labourers, in that kingdom. We plant, we water, and the Lord alone, gives the increase.
[14:17] We place, as it were, brick after brick, and do all the bits, and pieces. We dig the found, and place the bricks, and the blocks. It's the Lord's house, and he is bringing it together, fully, and eternally.
[14:32] The comforting fact is, this is a building, which will be going on, until the end. There have been plenty of builders, before us, doing this work. And if the Lord wills, there are plenty of builders, I'm sure after us, doing this work.
[14:45] For me personally, it's a real comfort, that I'm not the first, and we pray not the last minister, of North Tulsa. Five before me, four before me, and we will it to the Lord, plenty more after me, as long time, keeps on going.
[15:01] Plenty of brothers and sisters, before us, and plenty of brothers and sisters, after us. The Lord is building his church. But whilst we're here, it is our duty, to serve him, as best we can, in this place, with all the equipment, we've been given.
[15:14] And we are so blessed today. We have the equipment, to build this house, that our brothers and sisters, before us, did not have. We've got the means, to reach out to our community, in ways they didn't have, the access to.
[15:27] But ultimately, with the same power, because the house, is the Lord's. It is him, who is building, the house. Not us, by our intelligence, not us, by our effort.
[15:40] The Lord is building, the house. And God has, certain, and sure, and perfect plans. The house he's building, it's not as a word, a kit house.
[15:53] It doesn't just, you know, often you see kit houses go up, and you drive by, there's one down in South Laugh, one down in Graver. And I was there, in Graver one month, the next month, one down again.
[16:06] And the house is just there. There's lights on inside, you think, it's almost as I found before, and there's a fully completed house, they're doing the slates, and there's lights on, and thinking, wow, that's impressive.
[16:19] That's not this house. This house is brick by brick, as it were, stone by stone, a gradual, slow, sure house, but it's certain.
[16:31] The Lord is putting it together. So the house belongs to the Lord. Yes, we work for it, and yes, we work in it, as part of it, but he is doing the work, and he will bring it to a full completion.
[16:42] Also the same mindset, the city belongs to the Lord too. Tolstah belongs to the Lord.
[16:54] Yes, for his great reason to worry, yes, Satan is very much active in Tolstah. Satan is very much active in this world, he's very much active in this village. We can be sure of that. He is blinding his own people, he is keeping them away from the gospel.
[17:09] The prince of the power of this world, the prince of the power of the air, he is doing what he does. In all the myriad ways he does it, he is doing his work well, as well as evil can do.
[17:20] It's work. Satan is working, Satan is active, of that there is no doubt. But Satan does not own Tolstah. Tolstah belongs to the Lord.
[17:36] North Tolstah belongs to the Lord. Valdez Lewis belongs to the Lord. Scotland belongs to the Lord. The whole UK, the whole world, the whole universe belongs to the Lord.
[17:51] As the gospel goes out, it goes out in his power, knowing that we go out in our gospel power, individually and as a congregation, knowing we do so to people who belong, who are created in God's image, as we saw in our study the other evening, created in God's image, who know God exists, they suppress it, Romans 1, Romans 2, they suppress it, they hate him, they despise him, but they know God exists, we share the gospel, there are no atheists, there are those who think they're atheists, but there are no atheists, we're made in God's image, and we suppress that knowledge, whether they understand that, or know that, or not.
[18:27] And as we go about Tolstoy, and go about our own homes, as we seek to share the gospel, we're doing so knowing, that Tolstoy belongs, to the Lord.
[18:42] Every home belongs to the Lord. Now of course in a sense, we say, well they don't, because they don't know him, nor love him. Well yes, in that sense, they don't belong to the Lord.
[18:53] They don't know him, they don't love him, they have no fear of him, they're henna-law's eternity, but in other sense, he has made them. And he has placed them, in a community, where the gospel is known, and shared by ourselves, and by next door, where the gospel is seen, and spread, where the gospel is preached, week after week.
[19:17] It's Kuyper, who did the quote, there's not one inch, not one square inch, in the whole universe, which Christ does not say, it is mine.
[19:30] It's all his. It's all his. The Lord watches over, the city. The Lord is aware, watches over, Tolstoy.
[19:40] There is no part of our lives, there is no part of our witness, that is somehow, too far away. There is not one home, in this village, that is somehow, too dark. There is not one individual, in this village, that is somehow, too far gone, for us to share the gospel with.
[19:56] Or to engage, at least in gospel sharing with. I think, and I'm sure, there is perhaps even some, in our own congregation, and some here this evening. And perhaps, your story was that.
[20:07] Perhaps there are some Christians, who thought, well, there is no chance, for X, Y, or Z, they are too far away, from the gospel. But yet, you heard the gospel, and the Lord saved you.
[20:21] There is not one person, too far gone in Tulsa, not one home, too dark in Tulsa. Why? Because the Lord, owns Tulsa. He has made, every individual, in this village.
[20:34] Now the individual, in this village, will respond, to the one, who made them. Once they hear, that gospel call, to repent. They must hear, the call, that is why, we must labour.
[20:46] However, again, there's two truths, at the same time. God has his plan, and God will complete, his plan perfectly. God has his people, and we know that.
[20:57] God has his full, perfect reality, and he will accomplish that. There's God's sovereignty, but at the same time, there is our responsibility. Neither side, can be ignored, and if we do, it's dangerous, in so many different ways.
[21:12] But for our sake, our call is, to go out of the gospel, to the byways, and the highways, to do the hard work. As we do so, we trust, and we pray, and we hope, eternally hope, and a real hope.
[21:26] The Lord used our efforts, and he brings, those who are far away, home. He brings to life, those who are dead. He gives hearts of flesh, to those, who still have hearts of stone.
[21:38] That is, the hope we have, for our village. How do we do that? What's the work ethic? For all the hard work we see, all the effort described, very briefly, just very briefly, the work ethic is quite surprising, perhaps, in verse 2.
[21:57] It is in vain, that you rise up early, and go late, to rest, eating the bread, of anxious toil, for he gives, to his beloved, sleep. For all the work, to be done, there's a whole village, there's what, 400 odd people, plus, needing to know the Lord.
[22:15] 300 plus, needing to know the Lord. There's hundreds of people here, who have no hope, no help. There's always homes, who are completely darkened, to the gospel truth. There's no time left, time is short, our numbers are going down, our finances are okay, but they could plummet.
[22:32] Well, how would you start? How do you catch your breath? What's the work ethic? How then should we approach the work? It's in vain, that you rise up early, and go late, to rest.
[22:47] What's being said here? The temptation is to think, because the work is hard, and needs to be done, that the work is ours, and ours alone.
[22:59] And often as Christians, we are guilty, some of us, and perhaps many of us, are guilty, of tiring ourselves out, as it were, doing the Lord's work, because it feels holy, it looks holy, and we mean well, but if we, do, it all in our strength, and don't take a step back, we will exhaust ourselves, we will burn ourselves out, individually as a congregation, and it won't be beneficial at all.
[23:25] In fact, quite the opposite, we see here, it's by stepping back, and by remembering, it's the Lord's work, the Lord builds a house, the Lord watches the city, it gives us rest.
[23:38] Not laziness, we shouldn't be lazy, we still have to do the work, we still have to do the watching, we said that before, but it should give us, a peacefulness in our heart, it should give us, a real sense of rest, when we come to do our work, we do in God's power.
[23:58] We must take rest, as it were, from God, it reminds us, verse 2, that we are mortal, we have limits, and there are plenty of things, we wish we would have said, and done, brothers and sisters, I assure you, even this half a year, nine months, almost now, there's plenty of things, I wish I had said, and wish I had done, things I should have done, and things I should have said, I'm sure we all did that, one by one, we would say, same big list, I wish I had said that, to that person, done that thing, at that time, and so on, and so on, and soon enough, we become swamped, with everything we didn't do, and everything we should have done, and everything we could have done, and the burden becomes, too heavy for us, but reality is, the call is, serve the Lord well, labour a lot, labour heavy, serve well, and serve hard, yes, but take your rest, knowing, the Lord is doing his work, time to work, but also a time to rest, and to step back, and to see if the Lord, is doing, the building work, we are mortal, and we have, limits, also, to our, our own shame, often there's sin involved, by trying to do everything ourselves, we are somehow, forgetting, that we are not all powerful, that we are indeed, just servants of the Lord, he is the master, he is the Lord, he is the king, and we try and do everything, all the time, in every way possible, we burn ourselves out, that's by design, because we're not God, we are limited, in our capacity, mentally, and physically, and spiritually, we must, take time, to rest, again, rest isn't being lazy, rest isn't stopping, doing everything, but rest, in him, rest, in the fact, that he is God, and he is doing his work, not looking at Tolstans, saying, well, there's too much to do, what's the point, in even starting, it's just too much work for us, no, look at Tolstans, we say, right, what can we do, how can we do it, how can we be of use, to the gospel cause, at the same time, whilst working hard, and putting the hours, and stepping back, at the same time, and taking time to pray, and taking time, to rest, and to know, the Lord will do his work, it's vain, to rise up early, and go late to rest, some folks take this, as life advice, it's not life advice,
[26:29] I mean, it's good enough advice, I'm sure, but it's not life advice, this is not talking about, a lifestyle you're supposed to live, it's not talking about bedtimes, this is telling us, to rise up early, because we're so stressed, with the work of the Lord, not going well, and to stay up late, because we're so anxious, of the work of the Lord, as a disaster, it benefits nothing, it benefits no one, eating the bread, of anxious toil, you try and sustain yourself, but you're, you're, everything you do, is just so full of anxiety, so full of panic, and worry, that the cause is so low, that the darkness, is so close, and these things are true, the cause, in our land, is low, the darkness, is close, but the Lord, is doing his work, and yes, at the same time, we must work hard, we must not, exhaust ourselves, because there's no glorifying God, in doing that, as good as it looks, as good as it sounds, as holy as I might feel, we do not please the Lord, by doing that, the glorious, beautiful, end of verse two, as we're reminded, it's vain to rise up early, and go late to rest, eating the bread of anxious toil, for he gives, his beloved, sleep, he gives his beloved sleep, those who know, and who love the Lord, we should be able to, as it were, sleep well, in terms of the gospel, and not physically sleep well, if that was the case, then I would be, even more so,
[28:15] I'm sure, at times, doubting my own, assurance of salvation, that I'm an awful sleeper, I remember as a young Christian, reading that, and I've always had great trouble, falling asleep, I remember a young Christian, reading that, and panicking, thinking, if I can't sleep, before three any night, before three any night, which I often can't, then does that mean, I'm not somehow loved by the Lord, that sounds so silly, but, the kind of questions, young believers have, and poor granny, as always, poor granny had to, put my mind at rest, so I said, oh granny, I can't sleep till three, or half three in the morning, most nights too, if I'm doing well, does that mean, according to this verse, that I'm not loved, or God doesn't love me, and she had to, gently remind me of, by my brain nonsense, as she said herself, and just to show me, that the truth of this verse, is telling us, we can rest, don't lose sleep, over the work, that belongs to the Lord, yes, go to bed tired, because of it, yes, fall into our beds, as it were, exhausted, by doing, the good, hard labour of the Lord, but then rest well, knowing that he, is doing his work, as we pray just now, for loved ones, in our own village, and loved ones, in our own families, we know it's easy, to lose hope, so easy to lose hope, you think, well,
[29:31] I've been praying for years, and nothing's happened, I've been praying, for decades, and still, there is no change, we have to rest easy, that the Lord is doing his work, we keep praying for them, we keep praying for them, been praying years, for Tolstah, for that building, to fill up, and the village, looks to get darker, and darker, as the years go on, there seems to be, no gospel, revival, taking place, after years of prayer, the Lord, doesn't seem to be, working in Tolstah, yes, we must drive, and work hard, but leave it with him, and the image here, really is, is the image, of the sower, the image of, the farmer, we covered before, a good few months ago now, the seed is sown, in darkness, it goes into the ground, and this farmer, he sleeps, and rises, and sleeps, and rises, day after day, and there's no effort, there's no result, for all his effort, there's no evidence, for his effort, and a farmer, could well say, well, what's the point Lord,
[30:40] I try my best, but there's no evidence, that you've heard my prayers, there's no evidence, that the gospel is growing, in this place, there's no evidence, that you've done anything here, it's just darkness, just dark soil, and no sign of life, and yet, behind the scenes, in that darkness, in the hearts, and minds, and souls, of men and women, in Tolstah, as we said before, because the Lord, is still working here, and we have assurance of that, there is life, slowly, and surely, taking form, and taking root, and growing, and it's for us, to be that, persistent, and consistent farmer, keep on going out, keep on doing the job, but then, closing our eyes, literally, and spiritually, in rest, and thirsting, that the Lord, will do his work, he will do his work, in Tolstah, he will do his work, in the lives, and hearts, of our loved ones, he will do his work, in our family, because he is a God, who is faithful, to his promises, and he promises, as word goes out, as his people, strive to serve him, he hears our prayers, he sees the effort, he sees us aware, of the fish, and the bread, the small effort we have, and we see a God, who takes smallness, takes a small faithfulness, and who multiplies it, and multiplies it, and multiplies it, who sees that, muster, see the faith, that we have, as individuals,
[32:09] I'm sure as a congregation, that faith is still there, as small as it might be, but we have a, not just a hope, but a biblical hope, so a sure and certain hope, that we will see fruit, through the gospel in Tolstah, is it this week, is it next week, is it this year, is it next year, that we don't know, and that is not for us to know, but we must keep on, as it were, being involved, in the building of the house, we must as it were, keep on being involved, in watching over, the city where he's placed us, knowing that the Lord, builds a house, knowing that the Lord, is over Tolstah, and knowing that, as we strive, to serve him well, we can close our eyes, and rest every single night, knowing, it's in the Lord's hands, not in Donald's hands, it's not in the elder's hands, it's not in your hands, it's in the Lord's hands, and he will bring, to its fruition, and to its fruit, to its full growth, the seed that's been planted, over many years perhaps, in this place, when and where, and how, it's not for us to talk about, or touch on, or desire to see, the Lord does his work, when and where, and how he wants to, we keep labouring on, and trusting, that he's building his house, and trusting, he's watching over, the city, the village, of Tolstah, it's very heads, in that word of prayer,
[33:42] Lord we thank you, for the gift of your word, we thank you once more, just for the gift of fellowship, this gift of, coming together, as brothers and sisters, around your word, help us Lord, we ask once more, give us that sense, of gospel based optimism, for this place, as we are so aware, that there is, such discouragement, in this world, so many places, that we find, such reason, to be distressed, and to be so low, when it comes to the gospel, and the gospel cause, help us to have, a better perspective, on who you are, you're the God, who uses, every single one, of your people, we pray once more, Lord you give us the wisdom, to search our hearts, this week, and to see, if there's any giftings, you've given us, whereby we can, serve this congregation, and serve this community, with the gifts, you've given us, we pray for all the, evangelistic events, planned, and the, all the effort, that's gone in so far, we pray Lord, as the word goes out, week after week, and at times, day by day, that you'd be blessed, in that, that you would, use that word, to bring to life, those that are dead, we ask for rest, for our souls, as we, lay all the burden, and all the stress, and all the strain, and all the agony, of unsaved loved ones, we lay these things, once more, at the throne of grace, we find mercy, and grace, to help, in time of need, hell give us peace Lord, we ask for our hearts, give us peace, as we seek to serve you, in this place, as we see perhaps, a day of smallness, and a day of small things, help us to be faithful, in these days of small things, so when great days come Lord, we will be found, to be of being, faithful servants, we ask for days, of revival, and days of renewal, in this place, we ask for every home, in this village, we come to know, and come to love Jesus, come to serve him as king, and know him, as Lord and saviour, help us Lord, to be faithful, in our duties, help us to be faithful, labourers, every single one of us, in the places of influence, we have, in our homes, with our neighbours, and all the various things, we do in this community, various levels, of influence we have,
[35:58] Lord help us, to be faithful, to be salt, and to be light, help us to lay aside, the worries, and stresses, that come with that, and to be faithful, to proclaim, the risen Lord, the one who takes away, the sin of his people, the one who loves his people, one who rescues his people, who holds on to us eternally, help us Lord, to be a people of hope, and a hopeless age, help us to be a people of light, in a place, that is increasingly, becoming dark, help us to be a people, who have a positivity, based on our love, of a risen saviour, in a world, where there is, not much to be positive about, we pray Lord, for our own congregation, once more, we thank you for it, help us to be faithful, help us to be clear, help us to lay hold, of every single opportunity, you give us, to be involved, in this community, and to share, in the glorious gospel work, that is your work, we have, a time, to share in it, for the short duration, of our lives, you give us this opportunity, to take part in it, but it is your kingdom, it is your house, at your building,
[37:04] Tulsa belongs to you, as you watch over it, we leave once more, this evening, the homes, of this place, to you, asking Lord, that you would move, and work, help us to be assured, and reassured, once more from your word, help us to find peace, and hope in it, to go home this evening, having been comforted, with that comfort, which only you can give, ask these things, in and through, and for Christ, his precious name's sake, Amen, we can sing, the words, that we looked at, Scottish Psalter, Psalm, 127, Scottish Psalter, Psalm 127, except the Lord, do build the house, the builders, lose their pain, except the Lord, the city, keep the watchmen, watch in vain, it is vain for you, to rise betimes, or late from rest to keep, to feed on sorrows, bread so gives, he his beloved, sleep, Psalm 127, to God's praise, Amen, to God's praise, sing, the Lord, the寄phal, thebers, and same, except the Lord, the city,
[38:29] He gave the watch that was shown in Then they were you to rise behind For it gone else to give To be the sorrow's best song And he held you the rest of the year Long June and the cross-series The wounds took his reward
[39:33] The sun so blue past The sun so blue past The sun so blue past The sun so blue past O happy is the man that hath Is with the cross with us The sun so blue past The sun so blue past The sun so blue past Thou speak And you in our home In the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ And the love of God the Father And the fellowship of the Holy Spirit
[40:34] For now and forever Amen Amen