WEBVTT 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:06.160 I'd like you to take your Bibles, and as we begin this morning, I want you to turn to a passage 00:00:06.160 --> 00:00:22.640 ! I want you to turn your Bible to 2 Peter 1, and I want you to read this passage to you. 00:00:22.640 --> 00:00:29.519 I wonder how many of you have it underlined in your Bible, or as an option, you have it memorized. 00:00:30.320 --> 00:00:37.640 A, I have it underlined. B, I have it memorized. C, I think it's a good verse, and I probably ought to 00:00:37.640 --> 00:00:46.280 do one or the other with it. How's that? Okay, let me read it. His divine power has granted to us 00:00:46.280 --> 00:00:52.600 all things that pertain to life and godliness through the knowledge of Him who called us 00:00:52.600 --> 00:01:03.400 to His own glory and excellence. I want to make a couple introductory comments to the message. 00:01:05.879 --> 00:01:09.879 First, I want you to know that the characteristic 00:01:09.879 --> 00:01:25.879 of a church such as this is that the pulpit is in the center of the room. That's not an accident. 00:01:25.879 --> 00:01:33.799 that is reflective of the preeminence that we give to what takes place here. 00:01:37.560 --> 00:01:41.959 What we say when the pulpit is in the center of the room is that it 00:01:43.159 --> 00:01:49.879 holds the place of greatest significance, and it is most important to us, ultimately. 00:01:49.879 --> 00:02:00.280 Secondly, there is a reason why, though we enjoy greatly singing together, and we do. 00:02:01.479 --> 00:02:05.079 I, sitting on the very front row, actually standing as we were singing 00:02:05.079 --> 00:02:12.560 10,000 Reasons, I turned around, and I looked at the two rows of Sunday school kids that were sitting 00:02:12.560 --> 00:02:17.000 right there, right behind me. And I got to tell you, they were putting the rest of you to shame. 00:02:17.000 --> 00:02:26.039 They were on top of it, just really into the song. I like that. And I love, I do, I love listening to 00:02:26.039 --> 00:02:33.400 our fellowship sing together. It's appropriate. I mean, after all, when the Word of God informs our 00:02:33.400 --> 00:02:40.120 heart of the glory of Christ, it's reasonable for us who rejoice in Him and know Him to sing enthusiastically. 00:02:40.120 --> 00:02:48.439 Isn't that right? I mean, hey, don't mean to bring it up, but, you know, after OSU loses a game, how many 00:02:48.439 --> 00:02:55.879 of you notice how happy people are leaving the sanctuary? I mean, I didn't say sanctuary, did I? 00:02:56.360 --> 00:03:02.439 I'm talking about that great big place where 110,000 people gather, and, you know, when it's a downer day, 00:03:02.439 --> 00:03:07.719 and everything goes bad, they kind of slink off to their cars, except for those people who come from Michigan. 00:03:08.840 --> 00:03:16.219 You know? And those who are OSU fans, they're kind of in this gloom spirit, and so, you know, 00:03:16.659 --> 00:03:22.599 when you're winning, it's appropriate. And we who are God's people know that we are winning through the 00:03:22.599 --> 00:03:29.819 Lord Jesus Christ. In fact, we've already won, and we love to sing about it. But it is not singing that 00:03:29.819 --> 00:03:37.560 is primary to us. It is the ministry and the authority of the Word of God. That's the reason 00:03:37.560 --> 00:03:43.159 that most of you have a Bible here, either in hard copy or electronic. And when I say turn in your Bible 00:03:43.159 --> 00:03:49.319 to 2 Peter chapter 1, most of you can go there and say, hey, I want to see that myself, and I want to 00:03:49.319 --> 00:03:54.459 reference that and frame it in my life, because the Word of God is supremely important. 00:03:58.359 --> 00:04:04.060 And so, when I come to this pulpit, I come with one ambition. It is to make what God has already said 00:04:04.060 --> 00:04:10.919 clear to people who love the Lord Jesus Christ, so that they might glory in His wisdom and His goodness, 00:04:11.259 --> 00:04:17.680 and they might walk uprightly in the authority and the direction of His Word, and they might know the 00:04:17.680 --> 00:04:27.040 blessing that follows from that. Now, that, as a background, leads me to have you turn now in 00:04:27.040 --> 00:04:35.280 your Bible to Proverbs chapter 31. This is a day that all across our country is being celebrated as 00:04:35.280 --> 00:04:42.980 Mother's Day. And it's a day in which we have encouraged you as family after the morning service 00:04:42.980 --> 00:04:49.259 to spend time together as a family, having a celebration. And I trust that's what you're going to do. 00:04:49.379 --> 00:04:54.640 I know that our family is going to do that, and we look forward to it. We've made all these plans 00:04:54.640 --> 00:05:01.140 this morning after I got up and had the privilege of saying Happy Mother's Day to my wife, etc. 00:05:02.040 --> 00:05:06.879 We set the table. We've got five extra leaves in the thing. That's going to be big time. 00:05:06.879 --> 00:05:18.500 And we're going to enjoy being together as a family. This is a day where in relationship to Mother's Day, 00:05:19.040 --> 00:05:26.459 it would only be appropriate for me to bring to you something from the Scriptures that reflects the 00:05:26.459 --> 00:05:34.680 wisdom and counsel that the Word of God has that the Scriptures also identify as comes from the mouth 00:05:34.680 --> 00:05:42.420 of a mother. And so what I want you to do is look here at Proverbs chapter 31, and we'll pick up there 00:05:42.420 --> 00:05:44.100 in verse 1. It says, 00:05:44.220 --> 00:05:48.639 The words of King Lemuel, an oracle that his mother taught him. 00:05:51.079 --> 00:05:59.259 What are you doing, my son? What are you doing, son of my womb? What are you doing, son of my vows? 00:05:59.259 --> 00:06:10.319 Do not give your strength to women, your ways to those who destroy kings. It is not for kings, O Lemuel, 00:06:10.620 --> 00:06:18.759 it is not for kings to drink wine or for rulers to take strong drink, lest they drink and forget 00:06:18.759 --> 00:06:24.839 what has been decreed and pervert the rights of all the afflicted. Give strong drink to the one who is 00:06:24.839 --> 00:06:33.039 perishing and wine to those in bitter distress. Let them drink and forget their poverty and remember 00:06:33.039 --> 00:06:40.000 their misery no more. Open your mouth for the mute, for the rights of all who are destitute. 00:06:41.000 --> 00:06:49.739 Open your mouth, judge righteously. Defend the rights of the poor and the needy. 00:06:49.740 --> 00:06:58.759 An excellent wife, who can find? Now, I'm going to stop and recognize just for a moment that as we 00:06:58.759 --> 00:07:07.100 look at this passage, here is the last chapter in the book that Solomon put together. Now, by the way, 00:07:07.180 --> 00:07:13.340 you know that the Scripture tells us that Solomon was the, what? The wisest man. 00:07:13.339 --> 00:07:23.119 And what he has given to us here is a compilation of that wisdom, evidently recorded, the words of 00:07:23.119 --> 00:07:30.899 King Lemuel, and King Lemuel carried forward the words that his mother had taught him. And so as we 00:07:30.899 --> 00:07:36.519 look at this passage, we are going to focus this morning on the kind of advice that a godly mother 00:07:36.519 --> 00:07:44.419 has for her son and the kind of advice that god has for all of his people because it is applicable, 00:07:44.819 --> 00:07:50.620 it is valuable, and it is well worth our attention. So let's pay attention as we find, first of all, 00:07:50.699 --> 00:07:58.779 that the Scripture tells us that it's appropriate to learn to discern early. To learn to discern early. 00:07:58.779 --> 00:08:09.479 We find here that the advice that Lemuel's mother gave to him, evidently, had to have been given to 00:08:09.479 --> 00:08:15.359 him early enough to be in advance of the process of making a decision about the kind of woman that 00:08:15.359 --> 00:08:20.939 he would marry. I think it is interesting, and probably if you are familiar with the Scriptures 00:08:20.939 --> 00:08:26.719 at all, you stop and think, wow, Solomon, you would have been well served to have learned this before 00:08:26.720 --> 00:08:34.660 you wrote the book, because we realize that his life was largely affected for the negative by the 00:08:34.660 --> 00:08:40.300 relationships with women that he established once he came to ascendancy and to a position of prominence 00:08:40.300 --> 00:08:51.379 and power. And so despite Solomon's abysmal failure as a husband and as a father, we recognize here 00:08:51.379 --> 00:08:57.939 that the Holy Spirit chose to use him as the instrument to communicate truth that is valuable 00:08:57.939 --> 00:09:04.120 to us, and I trust you will hold carefully and recognize that it is important to you as God's 00:09:04.120 --> 00:09:11.980 people and in your ministry to those that you love. I'm not sure how many of you here read the Hebrew 00:09:11.980 --> 00:09:20.980 Bible comfortably, but I will tell you that the way in which these verses are put together is in such a 00:09:20.980 --> 00:09:27.120 fashion that they are designed for memory work. What I mean by that is that, and by the way, Hebrew 00:09:27.120 --> 00:09:35.039 reads from, we read from what, left to right? Hebrew reads from right to left. And so if you were reading 00:09:35.039 --> 00:09:41.320 in your Hebrew Bible, you would notice that over on the right-hand column, the beginning of each verse 00:09:41.320 --> 00:09:47.800 actually begins with a letter of the Hebrew alphabet beginning with Aleph, Bith, Gemel, Daleth, 00:09:48.100 --> 00:09:53.660 He, Wau, Zion, Heth, Teth, Yod, and so on. And so what you will find, it was that put in this mnemonic way 00:09:53.660 --> 00:10:04.360 so that it could be memorized. So the implication here is that this passage of Scripture, which is at the 00:10:04.360 --> 00:10:11.820 very end of the book that Solomon wrote for the sake of giving advice and counsel to his family, 00:10:11.919 --> 00:10:17.180 to young men in particular, the last thing that he says is, hey, listen, I want to give you some 00:10:17.180 --> 00:10:23.639 advice about how to pick a godly wife, and I'm going to do it for you in a fashion that allows you to 00:10:23.639 --> 00:10:32.759 memorize it. Now think with me just for a moment. Bear with me, this is in my way. 00:10:36.679 --> 00:10:42.399 What are some of the passages of Scripture that we really want our kids to memorize? You tell me. 00:10:43.580 --> 00:10:52.779 Come on. John 3.16, and for God so loves the world, and what our intention of that is, or in that passage, 00:10:52.779 --> 00:11:03.819 is what? We are interested in their salvation. When God brings children into your life as a father and 00:11:03.819 --> 00:11:11.740 as a mother, part of the obligation and burden and the righteousness of your calling is, I want to see 00:11:11.740 --> 00:11:17.539 that little boy and girl come to Christ, and I pray that they grow up having a heart for Christ and that 00:11:17.539 --> 00:11:22.659 they walk uprightly before Him. And John 3.16 is a starting place. What are some other 00:11:22.659 --> 00:11:27.759 passages that we think is important for children to memorize and know? What are some others? 00:11:32.139 --> 00:11:40.980 Go ahead. The Lord is my shepherd, okay? I want my children to know that they can rely upon the Lord 00:11:40.980 --> 00:11:46.459 to care for them, right? What else? What other passage comes to mind? You as a parent, and hey, listen, 00:11:46.460 --> 00:11:50.560 you have a whole Bible to choose from. It's not like, bad verse. 00:11:54.519 --> 00:11:59.680 Some of you are, I don't know, is there a verse I can call? Anyone will do. 00:12:01.180 --> 00:12:01.400 All right. 00:12:01.400 --> 00:12:08.280 Do not repay evil for evil. Why would we have to ever memorize that one? 00:12:08.279 --> 00:12:22.579 Okay, Doug? Go ahead. Absolutely. There are, in fact, we could sit here and spend the rest of the 00:12:22.579 --> 00:12:28.079 morning kind of relying upon different verses that you would contribute as parents saying, 00:12:28.459 --> 00:12:32.759 man, that's a good one. I want my little boy to remember that one. I want my little girl to 00:12:32.759 --> 00:12:39.379 remember that one. That's an important verse. And the reason I bring this up is because the way it 00:12:39.379 --> 00:12:47.299 is written suggests that God expects parents to teach these verses to their children. 00:12:51.019 --> 00:13:00.639 Let me say that slowly. And I say it for you who are still at the point where you maybe have an 00:13:00.639 --> 00:13:06.939 opportunity to instruct your children in relationship to this. If your son is already married to some 00:13:06.939 --> 00:13:11.419 young lady, it's not the time to pull them over to the side and say, hey, listen, by the way, 00:13:11.620 --> 00:13:18.639 I'd like you to memorize this passage. The best time to get after that is a little earlier in the game. 00:13:18.699 --> 00:13:23.960 But I want you to understand, God expects good parent to help their children be discerning while 00:13:23.960 --> 00:13:33.540 seeking a spouse. As I was doing some research earlier this week, last week actually, in relationship 00:13:33.540 --> 00:13:40.379 to this Lord's Day, I happened to kind of Google, just out of curiosity, at what age are boys interested 00:13:40.379 --> 00:13:52.480 in girls? Was there a groan from the crowd? Okay. And here's what the article, and by the way, 00:13:52.480 --> 00:13:56.019 we don't put Google on the same level with the Bible. Do you understand that? 00:13:57.159 --> 00:14:02.379 Just in case you're wondering. But I thought the observation was fairly interesting. At the end of 00:14:02.379 --> 00:14:07.039 the day, the article said that there's no one age because all boys are different. You can't 00:14:07.039 --> 00:14:12.639 guarantee that at nine and a half, here's what boys are interested in. No, it's not going to work 00:14:12.639 --> 00:14:22.240 that way. But it was saying that somewhere around about between eight and ten, boys began to 00:14:22.240 --> 00:14:29.919 observe that there are definite, decided differences between themselves and the opposite sex. Now, 00:14:29.919 --> 00:14:34.639 I can tell you that I have observed in the nursery on occasion that some boys seem to have it all 00:14:34.639 --> 00:14:43.019 figured out by the time they're three and four. So, whatever. But here's the point I do want to make. 00:14:44.500 --> 00:14:49.440 Given how early boys really began paying attention to the subject of the opposite sex, 00:14:49.440 --> 00:14:56.640 it is probably wise for parents to begin helping their children think, and their sons in particular, 00:14:56.820 --> 00:15:03.220 think about the issue of who eventually will be their spouse long before they reach junior high. 00:15:04.200 --> 00:15:09.900 And don't think that you've done your job when your boy hits seventh grade and you grab a flip chart 00:15:09.900 --> 00:15:14.280 from the biology lab and you walk him over into the bedroom and say, all right, we need to go over 00:15:14.279 --> 00:15:21.899 this once and it's done. That's not the plan. We find here that God expects a good parent to deal 00:15:21.899 --> 00:15:27.480 with the subject and deal with the subject in the time frame in which a young man has opportunity to 00:15:27.480 --> 00:15:33.659 think about it in advance of needing the information. Now, there's another point that I want you to 00:15:33.659 --> 00:15:38.659 recognize as we look at this issue of learning to discern early. Biblical discernment is difficult. 00:15:38.659 --> 00:15:49.919 It really is. You look at verse 10. An excellent wife, what's it say? Who can find? 00:15:52.059 --> 00:16:00.620 Now, I want you to know that I have a great love for my wife. So, when I tell you about this Google 00:16:00.620 --> 00:16:05.299 search, don't go off on me. But I just thought, okay, how hard is it to find a wife? You know, 00:16:05.299 --> 00:16:10.839 I mean, you follow what Google is. And so, I typed in, looking for a Russian wife. 00:16:16.459 --> 00:16:20.799 Now, the truth of the matter is, is that I was counseling a person who was actually doing that, 00:16:20.799 --> 00:16:28.240 and I thought, huh, I wonder what that does. There were 310 million hits. 00:16:28.240 --> 00:16:38.659 And you know how Google is. They're just these little blurbs, just literally like a half a sentence. 00:16:39.340 --> 00:16:43.299 And in the half a sentence, I figured that I didn't need to click on any of them. 00:16:45.879 --> 00:16:54.620 But you understand that if there are 310 million little hits in Google, that the world must have 00:16:54.620 --> 00:16:59.840 plenty of options or offerings on how to find what you're looking for. And the truth of the matter is, 00:16:59.980 --> 00:17:09.480 it's much harder than that. It's not hard to find someone if you're willing to settle for less than 00:17:09.480 --> 00:17:16.380 God's standards. Finding a godly woman who fears the Lord and will be a lifelong covenant-keeping helper 00:17:16.380 --> 00:17:24.660 is far more difficult. And that's the reason that Solomon recorded these words that Lemuel carried 00:17:24.660 --> 00:17:29.880 forward. He says, an excellent wife, who can find? Man, it's tough. 00:17:32.380 --> 00:17:38.620 I want you to recognize that God wants us to know what to look for in advance, and that's why this is 00:17:38.619 --> 00:17:47.059 here. And being that today is Mother's Day, I speak to you, and in some sense representing what the 00:17:47.059 --> 00:17:52.479 Scriptures would say from a mother's perspective and saying, hey, listen, this is a passage to get 00:17:52.479 --> 00:17:59.079 down carefully into your life long before you put yourself in the situation of beginning the process. 00:18:00.639 --> 00:18:06.799 The counsel is here in such a fashion that it is helpful for the young man, and it is helpful for 00:18:06.799 --> 00:18:13.259 the young lady. And the intention in particular is that you as parents, taking the Word of God, 00:18:13.559 --> 00:18:18.779 would carry it forward into the lives of your children and say, listen, long before you begin 00:18:18.779 --> 00:18:26.659 the process of making the decision that is going to be so significant, I want to begin teaching you 00:18:26.659 --> 00:18:35.139 how to make it wisely according to the Word of God. And so with that kind of as an overview that we find, 00:18:35.140 --> 00:18:40.180 I want you to step now into the passage itself and understand that the Scripture gives us here 00:18:40.180 --> 00:18:47.060 in verses 10 through 12 kind of an overview of the principal things to look at and to seek out 00:18:47.060 --> 00:18:53.980 when you're looking for a godly wife. So what we're going to learn here is what really is important. 00:18:55.200 --> 00:18:59.420 And we pick up, first of all, if you will look here in verse 11, it says, 00:18:59.420 --> 00:19:08.259 the heart of her husband trusts in her. A godly wife is trustworthy. A godly wife is trustworthy. 00:19:09.360 --> 00:19:14.700 I don't want you to skip over this because it's so supremely important. It's put first here. It is 00:19:14.700 --> 00:19:20.640 a principal issue. And I want you to understand that at the very root of a healthy, wholesome, 00:19:21.140 --> 00:19:28.019 beneficial relationship is absolute trustworthiness, reliability, someone you can count on. 00:19:28.019 --> 00:19:38.200 I think of the way in which wedding ceremonies are conducted. And in our fellowship, the characteristic 00:19:38.200 --> 00:19:45.480 of a wedding ceremony is at the very center of it is actually two separate sets of covenants or promises. 00:19:46.480 --> 00:19:53.619 The first one is made facing the front, not facing each other. I'm curious, how many of you know why 00:19:53.619 --> 00:20:00.199 the husband and wife face the front and speak directly to the pastor? Does anybody know? 00:20:01.399 --> 00:20:06.799 It is because the covenant that is made first is one that is made to God, not to each other. 00:20:08.359 --> 00:20:13.019 Because I'll tell you what, if you can't get the one straight out with God, the issue of saying what 00:20:13.019 --> 00:20:16.159 you do to each other, I'm going to love you for the rest of the...you know what? You're not. 00:20:16.160 --> 00:20:21.880 And if God is not the one helping you in the process, you're going to bail on it. 00:20:26.000 --> 00:20:27.840 I want you to understand that 00:20:27.840 --> 00:20:33.940 marriage relies upon a character that's trustworthy. 00:20:35.160 --> 00:20:37.460 And God is trustworthy. 00:20:37.460 --> 00:20:43.279 I think about several different passages that remind us of His trustworthiness. Over in Psalm 00:20:43.279 --> 00:20:44.640 chapter 2, verse 12, it says, 00:20:45.079 --> 00:20:47.880 Blessed are all they that put their trust in Him. 00:20:49.319 --> 00:20:52.380 You can count on God to do what He says He is going to do. 00:20:52.759 --> 00:20:55.220 You can count on God to keep His promises. 00:20:55.440 --> 00:20:57.759 I appreciate the recitation someone made of, 00:20:58.120 --> 00:21:00.140 I want my children to learn Psalm 23, 00:21:00.279 --> 00:21:01.380 The Lord is my shepherd. 00:21:01.740 --> 00:21:02.340 I...what? 00:21:02.960 --> 00:21:03.740 I'll not want. 00:21:03.740 --> 00:21:09.980 They...yea, though I lead through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil. 00:21:10.059 --> 00:21:10.279 Why? 00:21:10.440 --> 00:21:11.440 Because you're with me. 00:21:12.740 --> 00:21:15.680 And as we look at the passage in Psalms, it says, 00:21:15.759 --> 00:21:19.200 Hey, listen, blessed are all those who put their trust in Him. 00:21:19.799 --> 00:21:22.420 In Proverbs chapter 29, verse 25, it says, 00:21:22.839 --> 00:21:25.480 Whoever trusts in the Lord shall be safe. 00:21:26.579 --> 00:21:29.700 Whoever trusts in the Lord shall be safe. 00:21:29.700 --> 00:21:35.620 I want you to understand that a trustworthy person is one who is completely reliable 00:21:35.620 --> 00:21:38.860 and can be leaned on with complete confidence. 00:21:40.200 --> 00:21:44.680 So when in Proverbs chapter 31, verse 11, it says, 00:21:44.819 --> 00:21:46.580 The heart of her husband trusts in her, 00:21:46.860 --> 00:21:51.200 what it's saying is this, is that the husband can rely upon that wife 00:21:51.200 --> 00:21:56.539 and have complete confidence in her care and righteousness 00:21:56.539 --> 00:21:58.920 in the relationship that they will have. 00:21:59.700 --> 00:22:02.660 I got to tell you, marriage takes two and makes them into one. 00:22:04.420 --> 00:22:07.380 And if the other half of you is untrustworthy, 00:22:07.700 --> 00:22:12.600 you are going to endure ongoing harm all your days. 00:22:14.900 --> 00:22:17.620 I remember many years ago after I hurt my back 00:22:17.620 --> 00:22:21.600 and I had an impinged nerve 00:22:21.600 --> 00:22:24.140 and what happened is I began to fall 00:22:24.140 --> 00:22:28.080 because the left side of my leg actually went numb 00:22:28.079 --> 00:22:30.159 and I couldn't walk with it. 00:22:30.879 --> 00:22:32.839 And it was untrustworthy. 00:22:34.240 --> 00:22:36.799 And shortly after I fell two or three times, 00:22:36.879 --> 00:22:37.799 I said, that's enough. 00:22:38.099 --> 00:22:40.679 Let's go talk to the doctor and find out what really is wrong. 00:22:41.039 --> 00:22:42.639 You have to rely upon 00:22:42.639 --> 00:22:45.220 the other half working properly. 00:22:45.220 --> 00:22:48.900 And I want you to understand that 00:22:48.900 --> 00:22:54.240 it's not just the matter of what an untrustworthy wife will do with the checkbook 00:22:54.240 --> 00:22:55.400 that really is the problem. 00:22:57.299 --> 00:22:59.960 An untrustworthy wife will cause heartache 00:22:59.960 --> 00:23:03.079 beyond a husband's wildest dreams. 00:23:03.079 --> 00:23:05.799 She'll be a constant gossip. 00:23:07.179 --> 00:23:09.339 She cannot be trusted with confidences. 00:23:10.139 --> 00:23:12.480 She will always be looking out for her own interests 00:23:12.480 --> 00:23:16.019 and not caring about the hurt and harm that it causes to other people. 00:23:16.439 --> 00:23:20.699 And an untrustworthy woman is someone who is to be voided like the plague. 00:23:23.919 --> 00:23:27.359 Secondly, we find in the passage here that a godly wife is a multiplier. 00:23:27.539 --> 00:23:28.359 Look at what it says. 00:23:28.359 --> 00:23:33.539 He will have no lack of gain. 00:23:33.799 --> 00:23:36.399 In verse 11, he will have no lack of gain. 00:23:37.459 --> 00:23:42.579 In a marriage, the one you marry ends up being either a multiplier or a divider. 00:23:42.659 --> 00:23:43.439 Will you remember that? 00:23:43.979 --> 00:23:47.639 In marriage, the one you marry is either a multiplier or a divider. 00:23:48.500 --> 00:23:49.539 Now, what do I mean by that? 00:23:50.699 --> 00:23:56.379 Your wife becomes someone who does something to help you grow 00:23:56.380 --> 00:24:01.480 and encourages you and nurtures uprightness and godliness in your life 00:24:01.480 --> 00:24:06.700 or sees someone who is negative and dissipates your spiritual journey. 00:24:08.060 --> 00:24:10.020 The passage here, look at it again. 00:24:10.120 --> 00:24:12.160 It says, he will have no lack of gain. 00:24:12.220 --> 00:24:14.320 What is the greatest need that a husband has? 00:24:15.180 --> 00:24:16.360 Think with me just for a moment. 00:24:16.359 --> 00:24:18.819 It is not financial. 00:24:20.279 --> 00:24:21.339 It is spiritual. 00:24:22.519 --> 00:24:27.459 His greatest need is for a woman who will nurture his walk with the Lord Jesus 00:24:27.459 --> 00:24:29.639 and will help him grow in godliness. 00:24:30.139 --> 00:24:34.419 And so, look for someone who is going to nurture that in you 00:24:34.419 --> 00:24:38.659 and be an ally and a supporter and an encourager in that 00:24:38.659 --> 00:24:41.839 rather than find someone who just kind of tags along for the ride. 00:24:41.839 --> 00:24:46.220 And incidentally, if she is going to do you good in that relationship, 00:24:46.639 --> 00:24:49.159 does she on occasion have to speak into your life 00:24:49.159 --> 00:24:51.359 when you perhaps don't want to hear what she has to say? 00:24:51.419 --> 00:24:52.059 What's the answer? 00:24:53.379 --> 00:24:54.220 Yes, she will. 00:24:55.259 --> 00:24:58.019 And so, a wise husband would be one who listens carefully 00:24:58.019 --> 00:25:00.619 to the counsel of his wife 00:25:00.619 --> 00:25:05.339 and pays attention to the spiritual nature of what she has to say to him. 00:25:05.339 --> 00:25:10.259 Stop and think just for a moment of the illustrations we have in the Bible 00:25:10.259 --> 00:25:14.299 of wives that were not helpful to a husband. 00:25:16.119 --> 00:25:18.019 How did Delilah help out Samson? 00:25:18.079 --> 00:25:18.879 Anybody have an answer? 00:25:19.119 --> 00:25:19.459 Positive? 00:25:20.359 --> 00:25:20.779 Oh, no. 00:25:22.399 --> 00:25:25.599 Tell me how Jezebel helped out Ahab. 00:25:27.039 --> 00:25:27.639 Oh, no. 00:25:28.439 --> 00:25:30.359 Well, we're not doing very well so far, are we? 00:25:30.359 --> 00:25:34.759 Tell me how Herodias did for Herod. 00:25:35.419 --> 00:25:36.299 Remember Herodias? 00:25:37.639 --> 00:25:42.199 And we have the last in the list that I have here briefly is Job's wife. 00:25:42.279 --> 00:25:45.500 What kind of spiritual advice did Job's wife have for him? 00:25:46.599 --> 00:25:47.299 Does anybody remember? 00:25:48.279 --> 00:25:49.740 I mean, here he was. 00:25:49.879 --> 00:25:53.319 He was absolutely just broken down, being beat up, 00:25:53.519 --> 00:25:56.659 and at the end of the day, what does Job's wife say? 00:25:56.659 --> 00:25:57.259 Now, listen. 00:25:58.240 --> 00:26:00.000 Curse God and die. 00:26:00.699 --> 00:26:02.299 You know what she was actually saying? 00:26:02.799 --> 00:26:05.779 You're a pain to me, and I wish you'd check out. 00:26:07.359 --> 00:26:08.259 Do you follow that? 00:26:09.919 --> 00:26:14.399 She was saying, watching you sit there on the ash heap, 00:26:14.539 --> 00:26:16.959 scrape your crusty sores, 00:26:17.439 --> 00:26:22.099 and I've got to tell you, the picture in my mind is just beyond imagination. 00:26:22.479 --> 00:26:26.339 Job was one miserable guy, and there was his wife, 00:26:26.399 --> 00:26:28.459 not fanning him with a nice little punkah, 00:26:28.460 --> 00:26:30.299 helping him cool down, or, 00:26:30.720 --> 00:26:32.360 honey, can I get you something to drink? 00:26:32.400 --> 00:26:37.000 It was like, hey, bud, check out and leave me alone. 00:26:38.559 --> 00:26:41.240 So we have some examples in Scripture of not very good wives. 00:26:41.319 --> 00:26:41.960 On the other side, 00:26:42.400 --> 00:26:45.460 would Pilate have been well-served listening to his wife? 00:26:45.519 --> 00:26:46.100 What's the answer? 00:26:47.140 --> 00:26:47.539 Oh, yeah. 00:26:47.539 --> 00:26:49.420 What about Esther? 00:26:50.480 --> 00:26:51.539 What about Ruth? 00:26:52.200 --> 00:26:53.240 What about Abigail? 00:26:54.039 --> 00:26:59.559 Women who, by their walk, were a blessing and a benefit 00:26:59.559 --> 00:27:01.619 and were profitable to their husbands. 00:27:01.619 --> 00:27:07.479 Let me come back again to you who are mothers and fathers who are teaching your children. 00:27:07.599 --> 00:27:12.159 Let me tell you, it is very, very important as you are in the process of raising up your son 00:27:12.159 --> 00:27:16.799 in particular, teach them to discern character early on. 00:27:17.519 --> 00:27:18.859 Now, this may be a surprise to you, 00:27:19.119 --> 00:27:24.119 but probably your boy is paying attention to young ladies before you know it. 00:27:24.119 --> 00:27:29.739 And as he begins paying attention, 00:27:29.879 --> 00:27:32.919 and you do finally catch on to the fact that this is going on, 00:27:33.399 --> 00:27:35.479 here's what I would suggest you do. 00:27:36.139 --> 00:27:39.799 I would suggest that you not go ballistic when you suddenly discover 00:27:39.799 --> 00:27:41.919 that he really is paying attention. 00:27:43.519 --> 00:27:46.119 What you do instead of going ballistic and say, 00:27:46.259 --> 00:27:48.539 no, not now, wait until you're 35. 00:27:48.919 --> 00:27:50.219 You know, don't do that. 00:27:50.439 --> 00:27:51.599 Just say, here, 00:27:51.599 --> 00:27:54.719 what are you interested in? 00:27:56.299 --> 00:27:57.599 What do you like about her? 00:27:58.639 --> 00:28:00.099 What do you know about her character? 00:28:01.419 --> 00:28:04.079 Talk to me about who she is and what she's like. 00:28:06.619 --> 00:28:09.000 I debated back and forth using this as an illustration, 00:28:09.240 --> 00:28:11.039 but I will, and we'll see how it works out. 00:28:11.039 --> 00:28:15.199 I remember many years ago when I was preaching about Abraham 00:28:15.199 --> 00:28:20.319 looking to find a wife for his son, Isaac. 00:28:21.599 --> 00:28:24.319 I was preaching on this passage in an evening service, 00:28:24.839 --> 00:28:29.799 and my son, Samuel, was sitting with my wife towards the back in the back there. 00:28:29.899 --> 00:28:32.219 He was in, I think he was a freshman or whatever. 00:28:32.759 --> 00:28:34.959 And he leaned over to my wife and he said, 00:28:35.019 --> 00:28:36.139 I know who I'm going to marry. 00:28:39.139 --> 00:28:42.980 Now, my wife brought that information forward to me. 00:28:42.980 --> 00:28:48.480 That next Sunday, I went up to the junior high room 00:28:48.480 --> 00:28:52.039 and looked in the window of the Sunday school class 00:28:52.039 --> 00:28:55.099 to figure out who he thought he was going to marry. 00:28:57.140 --> 00:28:58.400 And he actually did. 00:28:59.640 --> 00:29:03.160 And I have to tell you that when I came down and saw who it was 00:29:03.160 --> 00:29:05.660 and I figured out this is a good choice, 00:29:06.000 --> 00:29:08.700 I spent the rest of the years until he actually did that. 00:29:08.700 --> 00:29:09.440 Guess what I did? 00:29:10.519 --> 00:29:12.240 Everything I could to make it possible. 00:29:13.740 --> 00:29:17.380 Encourage, encourage, encourage, encourage. 00:29:18.120 --> 00:29:18.420 Okay? 00:29:20.200 --> 00:29:21.480 Isn't that what a parent should do? 00:29:21.519 --> 00:29:21.980 Am I right? 00:29:23.559 --> 00:29:28.600 You see, you teach children early on how to make wise decisions, 00:29:28.700 --> 00:29:30.940 and then you nurture and support it and encourage it. 00:29:30.940 --> 00:29:34.320 And so you look here and recognize the fact that, 00:29:35.259 --> 00:29:37.799 boy, you want your children to make wise decisions. 00:29:39.240 --> 00:29:41.759 And so you look at that passage again, mark what it says, 00:29:42.080 --> 00:29:43.960 he will have no lack of gain. 00:29:46.000 --> 00:29:49.920 I come to the third characteristic that we find in this broad overview 00:29:49.920 --> 00:29:54.080 of the kind of godly wife that you want to teach your son to look for, 00:29:54.259 --> 00:29:57.340 and it says this, it summarizes it very well, 00:29:57.339 --> 00:30:03.720 she does him good and not harm all the days of her life. 00:30:04.939 --> 00:30:10.179 She does him good and not harm all the days of her life. 00:30:10.179 --> 00:30:12.959 A godly wife will be a blessing all her days. 00:30:14.659 --> 00:30:18.480 A godly wife will be a blessing all her days. 00:30:18.480 --> 00:30:21.539 As long as she lives, 00:30:23.220 --> 00:30:27.839 a godly wife will be a channel of blessing to her husband. 00:30:29.660 --> 00:30:34.279 It's no accident that the first not good in the Bible 00:30:34.279 --> 00:30:37.559 is in relationship to the issue of marriage. 00:30:38.620 --> 00:30:39.460 Do you follow that? 00:30:41.180 --> 00:30:43.819 As you read through the creation account, 00:30:44.019 --> 00:30:45.680 it says that at the end of every day, 00:30:45.819 --> 00:30:47.960 God looked upon what he had done, and he says what? 00:30:48.860 --> 00:30:49.519 That's good. 00:30:50.940 --> 00:30:51.720 That's good. 00:30:53.279 --> 00:30:56.299 Kind of leaning back at him, man, good job, God. 00:30:56.640 --> 00:30:58.640 You know, it's like, wow, I like what I did. 00:31:00.000 --> 00:31:03.039 And then he looks at Adam, and by the way, 00:31:03.099 --> 00:31:05.140 it wasn't an accident that Adam didn't have a wife. 00:31:05.220 --> 00:31:07.000 It was for our instruction. 00:31:07.160 --> 00:31:08.099 That's why it happened. 00:31:08.440 --> 00:31:11.360 And God says it's not good that a man should be alone. 00:31:11.359 --> 00:31:16.039 And so as we look here at this passage, 00:31:16.240 --> 00:31:19.319 it tells us that God's plan 00:31:19.319 --> 00:31:22.919 is that a godly wife is someone 00:31:22.919 --> 00:31:25.639 who does good to her husband 00:31:25.639 --> 00:31:28.679 all the days of her life and not harm. 00:31:28.680 --> 00:31:33.440 And so the summary of a wife's divine appointment 00:31:33.440 --> 00:31:36.400 is that she is to be a channel through which 00:31:36.400 --> 00:31:40.640 God's blessings flow to a husband. 00:31:40.640 --> 00:31:48.480 She is supremely important to his well-being. 00:31:50.060 --> 00:31:54.120 I want to be cautious when I make reference to this, 00:31:54.220 --> 00:31:56.300 but I have to tell you that as my father 00:31:56.300 --> 00:31:58.960 lays dying right now in Mill Run, 00:31:58.960 --> 00:32:04.660 my mother is an illustration of this. 00:32:06.480 --> 00:32:11.319 She is doing him good every day of her life. 00:32:16.259 --> 00:32:18.920 So how do we apply this passage to you? 00:32:20.600 --> 00:32:22.819 And what does God want us to do with this? 00:32:23.019 --> 00:32:24.720 Number one, I want you to recognize 00:32:24.720 --> 00:32:26.200 God wants you to learn to trust him. 00:32:26.200 --> 00:32:31.160 I start out by taking you to 2 Peter 1, verse 3, 00:32:31.240 --> 00:32:32.559 where it says that he has given to us 00:32:32.559 --> 00:32:34.620 all that we need for life and godliness. 00:32:34.819 --> 00:32:36.920 And so how do we trust his word? 00:32:40.120 --> 00:32:44.140 By being parents that teach your children to trust God. 00:32:45.000 --> 00:32:46.240 By being your parents, 00:32:46.360 --> 00:32:49.559 by being parents that teach your children to trust God. 00:32:49.600 --> 00:32:50.380 Let me tell you something. 00:32:50.720 --> 00:32:52.960 One of the things that I find troubling today 00:32:52.960 --> 00:32:57.400 is how often professing believers 00:32:57.400 --> 00:33:02.380 allow their young children to date 00:33:02.380 --> 00:33:07.200 young men and young women who do not know Christ. 00:33:07.900 --> 00:33:08.799 Did you hear me say that? 00:33:10.180 --> 00:33:12.579 Everybody listen so you don't misunderstand me. 00:33:15.079 --> 00:33:16.700 Tim Knoyer, as pastor, 00:33:16.840 --> 00:33:19.539 will not marry a believer to a non-believer. 00:33:19.579 --> 00:33:20.539 How many of you heard me say that? 00:33:20.799 --> 00:33:21.400 Do you follow that? 00:33:21.400 --> 00:33:22.680 Don't ask. 00:33:23.000 --> 00:33:23.780 I can't do it. 00:33:24.180 --> 00:33:25.460 Scripture prohibits it. 00:33:26.620 --> 00:33:30.040 So why will you allow your boy or your girl 00:33:30.040 --> 00:33:33.360 to date someone that is not a professing believer? 00:33:37.360 --> 00:33:43.140 Godly parents need to teach children to obey God. 00:33:43.140 --> 00:33:43.180 God. 00:33:44.860 --> 00:33:49.160 Secondly, young ladies should understand 00:33:49.160 --> 00:33:52.020 that Proverbs 31 is all about godly character. 00:33:52.140 --> 00:33:54.100 That's what this passage really is all about. 00:33:54.600 --> 00:33:55.980 And can I tell you something? 00:33:56.100 --> 00:33:57.420 This is good news. 00:34:00.300 --> 00:34:02.320 Godly character improves with age. 00:34:02.460 --> 00:34:03.780 Everything else doesn't. 00:34:03.779 --> 00:34:11.719 Creams, eyeliner, lip gloss, 00:34:12.300 --> 00:34:14.980 and every emollient known to man 00:34:14.980 --> 00:34:16.619 cannot solve the problem. 00:34:16.619 --> 00:34:20.820 But the Spirit of God 00:34:20.820 --> 00:34:23.599 works in the heart of a woman of God 00:34:23.599 --> 00:34:28.659 and she grows more beautiful 00:34:28.659 --> 00:34:32.059 as the day advances. 00:34:37.019 --> 00:34:38.539 And so young ladies, 00:34:39.500 --> 00:34:40.619 work at character 00:34:40.619 --> 00:34:42.799 and here's the deal. 00:34:44.399 --> 00:34:46.799 You won't be dragging the wrong things 00:34:46.799 --> 00:34:48.399 past the wrong guy 00:34:48.399 --> 00:34:50.339 who marries you for the wrong reason 00:34:50.339 --> 00:34:52.139 and is deeply disappointed 00:34:52.139 --> 00:34:53.500 three years into the process 00:34:53.500 --> 00:34:54.599 because guess what? 00:34:55.460 --> 00:34:56.659 You ain't what he thought. 00:34:59.039 --> 00:34:59.519 Finally, 00:35:00.639 --> 00:35:04.299 you trust God by being young men 00:35:04.299 --> 00:35:05.440 who focus on God 00:35:05.440 --> 00:35:07.400 and trust Him to find a godly wife. 00:35:10.279 --> 00:35:11.420 Focus on God 00:35:11.420 --> 00:35:14.559 and trust Him to find a godly wife. 00:35:15.880 --> 00:35:17.079 One of the things that 00:35:17.079 --> 00:35:19.679 is so very important in this process 00:35:19.679 --> 00:35:22.059 is learning to really discern character 00:35:22.059 --> 00:35:23.179 and learn to discern it early. 00:35:23.179 --> 00:35:24.799 So pay attention to the authenticity 00:35:24.799 --> 00:35:26.319 of a person's faith. 00:35:26.480 --> 00:35:27.500 Don't date unbelievers. 00:35:28.960 --> 00:35:30.399 Pay attention to the character. 00:35:30.599 --> 00:35:32.579 Pay more attention to the heart 00:35:32.579 --> 00:35:33.539 that they display 00:35:33.539 --> 00:35:34.839 than the looks that they have 00:35:34.839 --> 00:35:36.139 because the truth of the matter is 00:35:36.139 --> 00:35:37.539 is that those looks 00:35:37.539 --> 00:35:38.679 will not last forever. 00:35:38.819 --> 00:35:39.940 I don't care what you think. 00:35:41.119 --> 00:35:41.460 Third, 00:35:41.679 --> 00:35:43.299 pay attention to their relationship 00:35:43.299 --> 00:35:44.519 with their family. 00:35:47.440 --> 00:35:48.559 Family relationships 00:35:48.559 --> 00:35:49.460 are real indicative 00:35:49.460 --> 00:35:50.519 of what their heart's like 00:35:50.519 --> 00:35:51.219 because family 00:35:51.219 --> 00:35:52.899 is where you really find out 00:35:52.900 --> 00:35:53.700 what ugly is. 00:35:53.740 --> 00:35:54.119 How many of you 00:35:54.119 --> 00:35:54.920 understand that? 00:35:58.079 --> 00:35:58.480 Four, 00:35:59.000 --> 00:36:00.579 pay attention to godly counsel 00:36:00.579 --> 00:36:01.160 in Scripture. 00:36:02.639 --> 00:36:03.980 Let me close up this way 00:36:03.980 --> 00:36:05.360 because as we look at this passage 00:36:05.360 --> 00:36:06.200 I want you to understand 00:36:06.200 --> 00:36:07.639 that it is written 00:36:07.639 --> 00:36:09.200 as counsel 00:36:09.200 --> 00:36:10.380 that a mother gives 00:36:10.380 --> 00:36:12.000 to a son in particular. 00:36:13.039 --> 00:36:14.180 But I have to tell you 00:36:14.180 --> 00:36:15.220 that this is not 00:36:15.220 --> 00:36:17.079 the most important piece 00:36:17.079 --> 00:36:17.579 of counsel 00:36:17.579 --> 00:36:19.019 that a godly mother 00:36:19.019 --> 00:36:19.760 would give 00:36:19.760 --> 00:36:21.099 to a son or a daughter. 00:36:21.099 --> 00:36:22.500 It's not the most important. 00:36:23.219 --> 00:36:23.860 Do you know why? 00:36:25.599 --> 00:36:27.739 Because Jesus made it clear 00:36:27.739 --> 00:36:29.179 that marriage is only 00:36:29.179 --> 00:36:31.420 for this present age. 00:36:35.480 --> 00:36:37.039 Do you know what lasts forever? 00:36:38.819 --> 00:36:40.940 Heaven and hell. 00:36:40.940 --> 00:36:44.300 And a godly mother's 00:36:44.300 --> 00:36:46.059 most important counsel 00:36:46.059 --> 00:36:47.139 is not about 00:36:47.139 --> 00:36:49.099 how to be a godly young lady 00:36:49.099 --> 00:36:51.019 that finds a godly young man. 00:36:51.340 --> 00:36:53.179 A mother's most important counsel 00:36:53.179 --> 00:36:53.920 has to do 00:36:53.920 --> 00:36:55.840 with where you will spend eternity. 00:36:58.039 --> 00:36:59.400 And I have no doubt 00:36:59.400 --> 00:37:01.800 that a godly mother 00:37:01.800 --> 00:37:03.079 and a godly father 00:37:03.079 --> 00:37:05.079 says to a godly young boy, 00:37:05.500 --> 00:37:06.800 a little boy or a little girl 00:37:06.800 --> 00:37:07.780 growing up in their home, 00:37:07.780 --> 00:37:08.080 listen, 00:37:08.380 --> 00:37:09.780 the most important thing 00:37:09.780 --> 00:37:10.280 for you 00:37:10.280 --> 00:37:11.540 is not finding 00:37:11.540 --> 00:37:12.320 the right woman 00:37:12.320 --> 00:37:14.820 but coming to a saving relationship 00:37:14.820 --> 00:37:16.160 with the Lord Jesus Christ. 00:37:17.360 --> 00:37:18.780 And here's what I do know. 00:37:21.180 --> 00:37:22.160 There are some of you 00:37:22.160 --> 00:37:22.940 sitting here today 00:37:22.940 --> 00:37:24.040 that do not know Christ 00:37:24.040 --> 00:37:25.040 as your personal Savior. 00:37:27.820 --> 00:37:28.700 And on behalf 00:37:28.700 --> 00:37:29.940 of the Lord Jesus Christ, 00:37:30.420 --> 00:37:32.400 I plead with you. 00:37:33.920 --> 00:37:35.620 Do not harden your heart 00:37:35.619 --> 00:37:37.759 today 00:37:37.759 --> 00:37:40.319 because Christ Jesus 00:37:40.319 --> 00:37:41.299 came into the world 00:37:41.299 --> 00:37:42.880 to pay the penalty for sins 00:37:42.880 --> 00:37:44.539 and He has already 00:37:44.539 --> 00:37:46.299 satisfied your debt 00:37:46.299 --> 00:37:48.019 when He died on the cross 00:37:48.019 --> 00:37:49.659 in your place. 00:37:54.980 --> 00:37:57.259 And what is required of you 00:37:57.259 --> 00:37:58.460 is that you come 00:37:58.460 --> 00:38:00.059 with humility and brokenness 00:38:00.059 --> 00:38:00.380 and say, 00:38:00.500 --> 00:38:02.000 I need Jesus as my Savior. 00:38:02.000 --> 00:38:06.539 I have no remedy. 00:38:07.340 --> 00:38:08.820 I have no hope. 00:38:09.579 --> 00:38:11.360 I have no certainty 00:38:11.360 --> 00:38:12.699 of my eternal destiny. 00:38:13.960 --> 00:38:15.780 And I know that I stand 00:38:15.780 --> 00:38:16.760 justly condemned 00:38:16.760 --> 00:38:17.900 before a holy God 00:38:17.900 --> 00:38:19.340 because my sin 00:38:19.340 --> 00:38:21.420 is offensive to Him. 00:38:23.000 --> 00:38:24.780 And yet Jesus died 00:38:24.780 --> 00:38:25.760 and paid the penalty. 00:38:26.500 --> 00:38:26.920 And you know what 00:38:26.920 --> 00:38:27.619 the Bible says? 00:38:28.199 --> 00:38:30.760 It's so unbelievably simple. 00:38:30.760 --> 00:38:32.040 It says, 00:38:32.180 --> 00:38:33.300 Whosoever calls upon 00:38:33.300 --> 00:38:34.140 the name of the Lord 00:38:34.140 --> 00:38:34.480 what? 00:38:35.180 --> 00:38:36.200 Shall be saved. 00:38:37.800 --> 00:38:39.120 And I want to encourage you 00:38:39.120 --> 00:38:40.620 to know that this Mother's Day 00:38:40.620 --> 00:38:43.420 the most important advice 00:38:43.420 --> 00:38:44.040 for you 00:38:44.040 --> 00:38:46.140 is not in relationship 00:38:46.140 --> 00:38:48.320 to finding a right bride 00:38:48.320 --> 00:38:50.000 but is finding 00:38:50.000 --> 00:38:51.120 the Lord Jesus Christ 00:38:51.120 --> 00:38:52.080 as your personal Savior. 00:38:55.760 --> 00:38:56.920 And I want to appeal 00:38:56.920 --> 00:38:57.780 to you to do that 00:38:57.780 --> 00:39:00.019 as we bow our heads 00:39:00.019 --> 00:39:02.060 and we come to Christ. 00:39:04.320 --> 00:39:05.560 Without anybody looking around 00:39:05.560 --> 00:39:06.300 I just want to make 00:39:06.300 --> 00:39:07.100 this appeal to you. 00:39:07.160 --> 00:39:08.240 If you're sitting here today 00:39:08.240 --> 00:39:09.400 and you do not know 00:39:09.400 --> 00:39:10.580 the Lord Jesus Christ 00:39:10.580 --> 00:39:12.019 I want you to stand 00:39:12.019 --> 00:39:13.160 I want you to understand 00:39:13.160 --> 00:39:14.160 that Christ Jesus 00:39:14.160 --> 00:39:15.540 came into the world 00:39:15.540 --> 00:39:16.480 to save sinners. 00:39:19.019 --> 00:39:20.060 He's already paid 00:39:20.060 --> 00:39:21.220 the penalty for your sin. 00:39:22.500 --> 00:39:23.960 He's already satisfied 00:39:23.960 --> 00:39:24.820 the debt 00:39:24.820 --> 00:39:26.440 that your rebellious 00:39:26.440 --> 00:39:27.300 and stubborn heart 00:39:27.300 --> 00:39:28.320 has created. 00:39:33.240 --> 00:39:34.240 And all that 00:39:34.240 --> 00:39:36.019 Scripture calls upon you 00:39:36.019 --> 00:39:36.480 to do 00:39:36.480 --> 00:39:39.080 is call upon 00:39:39.080 --> 00:39:39.820 the name of the Lord 00:39:39.820 --> 00:39:40.539 and be saved. 00:39:40.680 --> 00:39:41.420 That means saying 00:39:41.420 --> 00:39:41.980 Lord Jesus 00:39:41.980 --> 00:39:42.720 I'm a sinner 00:39:42.720 --> 00:39:44.420 I know that I deserve 00:39:44.420 --> 00:39:45.760 your condemnation 00:39:45.760 --> 00:39:48.039 I want to lay aside 00:39:48.039 --> 00:39:48.760 my pride 00:39:48.760 --> 00:39:49.740 and my stubbornness 00:39:49.740 --> 00:39:50.539 and I want to plead 00:39:50.539 --> 00:39:51.460 with you to save me. 00:39:51.580 --> 00:39:52.860 Forgive me for my sins 00:39:52.860 --> 00:39:55.360 and I trust you 00:39:55.360 --> 00:39:56.079 to be my Savior. 00:39:57.140 --> 00:39:59.059 If that is your prayer 00:39:59.059 --> 00:40:00.039 where you sit 00:40:00.039 --> 00:40:02.640 I want to encourage you 00:40:02.640 --> 00:40:03.380 to slip your hand up 00:40:03.380 --> 00:40:03.820 right now 00:40:03.820 --> 00:40:04.680 say that's me 00:40:04.680 --> 00:40:05.579 I need Jesus 00:40:05.579 --> 00:40:06.420 as my Savior. 00:40:08.160 --> 00:40:10.019 I recognize my sin 00:40:10.019 --> 00:40:10.720 yes 00:40:10.720 --> 00:40:12.680 I need Jesus 00:40:12.680 --> 00:40:13.579 as my Savior 00:40:13.579 --> 00:40:15.920 and I'm not going 00:40:15.920 --> 00:40:16.880 to delay anymore 00:40:16.880 --> 00:40:17.840 I'm going to ask 00:40:17.840 --> 00:40:18.680 Him to save me. 00:40:21.400 --> 00:40:21.880 Father 00:40:21.880 --> 00:40:25.320 we rejoice 00:40:25.320 --> 00:40:27.360 in the power 00:40:27.360 --> 00:40:28.059 of the cross 00:40:28.059 --> 00:40:30.519 and we thank you 00:40:30.519 --> 00:40:31.400 for your work 00:40:31.400 --> 00:40:32.920 in bringing 00:40:32.920 --> 00:40:34.079 people 00:40:34.079 --> 00:40:35.240 to salvation 00:40:35.240 --> 00:40:37.260 and we pray 00:40:37.260 --> 00:40:37.579 Father 00:40:37.579 --> 00:40:38.440 that our time 00:40:38.440 --> 00:40:38.980 of singing 00:40:38.980 --> 00:40:40.720 and our joy 00:40:40.720 --> 00:40:41.840 together in Christ 00:40:41.840 --> 00:40:42.539 would be a time 00:40:42.539 --> 00:40:43.240 that is marked 00:40:43.240 --> 00:40:44.660 by obedience 00:40:44.660 --> 00:40:47.619 that glorifies you. 00:40:48.360 --> 00:40:49.039 We ask this 00:40:49.039 --> 00:40:49.940 in your precious name 00:40:49.940 --> 00:40:50.240 Amen. 00:40:50.679 --> 00:40:50.679 00:40:50.679 --> 00:40:50.679 00:40:50.679 --> 00:40:50.679 00:40:50.679 --> 00:40:50.679 00:40:50.679 --> 00:40:50.679 00:40:50.679 --> 00:40:50.679 00:40:50.679 --> 00:40:50.679 00:40:50.679 --> 00:40:50.679 00:40:50.679 --> 00:40:50.679 00:40:50.679 --> 00:40:50.679 00:40:50.679 --> 00:40:50.679 00:40:50.679 --> 00:40:50.679 00:40:50.679 --> 00:40:50.679 00:40:50.679 --> 00:40:50.679 00:40:50.679 --> 00:40:50.679 00:40:50.679 --> 00:40:50.679 00:40:50.679 --> 00:40:50.679 00:40:50.679 --> 00:40:50.679 00:40:50.679 --> 00:40:50.679 00:40:50.679 --> 00:40:50.679 00:40:50.679 --> 00:40:50.679 00:40:50.679 --> 00:40:50.679 00:40:50.679 --> 00:40:50.679 00:40:50.679 --> 00:40:50.679 00:40:50.679 --> 00:40:50.679 00:40:50.679 --> 00:40:50.679 00:40:50.679 --> 00:40:50.679 00:40:50.679 --> 00:40:50.679 00:40:50.679 --> 00:40:50.679 00:40:50.679 --> 00:40:50.679 00:40:50.679 --> 00:40:50.679 00:40:50.679 --> 00:40:50.679 00:40:50.679 --> 00:40:50.679 00:40:50.679 --> 00:40:50.679 00:40:50.679 --> 00:40:50.679 00:40:50.679 --> 00:40:50.679 00:40:50.679 --> 00:40:50.679 00:40:50.679 --> 00:40:50.679 00:40:50.679 --> 00:40:50.679 00:40:50.679 --> 00:40:50.679 00:40:50.679 --> 00:40:50.679 00:40:50.679 --> 00:40:50.679 00:40:50.679 --> 00:40:50.679 00:40:50.679 --> 00:40:50.679 00:40:50.679 --> 00:40:50.679 00:40:50.679 --> 00:40:50.679 00:40:50.679 --> 00:40:50.679 00:40:50.679 --> 00:40:50.679 00:40:50.679 --> 00:40:50.679 00:40:50.679 --> 00:40:50.679 00:40:50.679 --> 00:40:50.679 00:40:50.679 --> 00:40:50.679 00:40:50.679 --> 00:40:50.679 00:40:50.679 --> 00:40:50.679 00:40:50.679 --> 00:40:50.679 00:40:50.679 --> 00:40:50.679 00:40:50.679 --> 00:40:50.679 00:40:50.679 --> 00:40:50.679 00:40:50.679 --> 00:40:50.679 00:40:50.679 --> 00:40:50.679 00:40:50.679 --> 00:40:50.679 00:40:50.679 --> 00:40:50.679 00:40:50.679 --> 00:40:50.679 00:40:50.679 --> 00:40:50.679 00:40:50.679 --> 00:40:50.679 00:40:50.679 --> 00:40:50.679 00:40:50.679 --> 00:40:50.679 00:40:50.679 --> 00:40:51.179 Let's go.