Family First

Thank you for joining us for this broadcast from The Ninth Avenue Church of Christ in Haleyville, Alabama. We hope that you will subscribe and we'll share our broadcast with others. Now. We take you to the pulpit of the Ninth Avenue Church of Christ here for a few minutes. And then after I'm up here, Danny will say a prayer and then I believe they're song in between the mop. And we're splitting this. This lesson as we're talkin about. Families were talking about again. We just sang the song seek, first, the kingdom of God and his focus is supposed to be talkin about now. I'll specific I'll be talking to. Our kids are teenagers in our little children. But if you're not a kid or a teenager little child, this is still for you. So don't turn out. Don't think I know I don't have to listen to this. This is still going to be very beneficial to you. As we talked about the importance of seeking first, the kingdom of heaven, in Matthew 6:33 tells us that where Jesus is saying, seek, first, the kingdom of heaven seek, first, the kingdom of God seek first, baseman me, sick. First things that are above That's sometimes too hard because we like to live our lives, the way we want to leave them. There are things that interest us. There's things that we think are important and Jesus here telling talking to one of the his Sermon on the Mount. He sang. The most important thing is me and I don't want anyone here, especially our children to forget that. That's the most important thing we can do is to serve him and sometimes we forget that along the way. Sometimes we think it's all about serving self. Maybe we think it's about serving, an idea. Maybe it's serving a job. Maybe it's fill in the blank. What we serve. But the most important thing and really, the only thing we should think about serving is his God, his kingdom and his people. And if anything gets in the way of that, then it needs to be out of our lives, but it's it brings up this point and I was talking to a friend years ago. Struggling about involvement struggling with how can we encourage people to get excited? And he said, there's the difference between doing good things and doing great things. And that's part of us. We have these different ways. We can seek first the kingdom of God. In the first way, is to understand the difference between good things and great things are things that are good to do. There are things that build up character, through things to be good, that they're good to be involved in. But sometimes those good things can get in the way of doing great things, and one of the great things Kingdom work now, can we do good things? While doing great things? Absolutely. Can I be involved in some type of activity and still serve God? Absolutely, but can I do things and then neglect to serve God. Absolutely. I can be involved with a group of friends. I can be involved in work. I can evolve in the community. But if I hide my Christianity, then I'm just doing, maybe a secularly good thing thing. That's not really. Harmful. Is it harmful to be involved with course not even harmful to build up character by doing certain activities. Absolutely not. But if I hide my Christianity, if I hide Christ who I'm supposed to be serving, then it's really all meaningless. If it's all being done in vain, as we just read. It says, if the laborers who built the house, don't consider the Lord. Sting is being built. Inventing it is, is there a will? There not be a house when others still going to be a house, but it's just going to be done in vain matter. So there are things that we can do that are awful. But if we leave out God then it becomes. Absolutely meaningless. And this is probably I have written down. This is one of the hardest questions we have to ask ourselves. Am I spending too much time? Doing good things when I to could be doing great things and maybe that looks like while I'm doing things that I'm already involved with maybe it's for for kids and for Cricket activities. Maybe it's a job for adults. Obviously. It's job or maybe some community service and Community effort with that were in Can I do those things? And then of course, to use my advantage or maybe use my situation to talk about Jesus. Absolutely. And that's part of doing those great things and it leads into this next. This next point of the second thing seeking God. First thing the kingdom of God, first really is about his growing where were planted. That's one. That's also taking awhile for me to get used to is growing where you're planted using, where I am to influence the people that are around me using what, I'm already good at and growing right there where you are students, you're at school. We have no choice to go to school. I'm sorry. You may hate. That you have no choice to go to school. But you choose to grow where you're planted. You're in a situation where oh, where you are, but grow in Christ first. Again, the difference between doing good things and doing great things, and I were talking about growth. I finally got back into growing. I like to grow hot peppers. And so, I bought some hot peppers and then yesterday, Catherine, I talked about, she want to grow sunflowers Birmingham. We actually ran to Haley Dobbs at Colliers. Is that how you pronounce it in Birmingham. We went all the way to Birmingham, just to pick flowers know, I'm kidding. We to Birmingham cuz I had to pick up a computer that was getting fixed and then we weren't, you know, we decided while we're here. Let's go look around at some nurseries and I really like the What's all in the process of growing plants? Sometimes is it? It it shows the importance again of growing where you're planted. Is it a good idea to keep up running a plant in the refinancing uprooting? And replanting will know it's going to be eventually harmful to your to the roots. Is a good plant needs. Good, strong roots, but we need good. Strong. Roots as children of God, and that comes from one doing great things seeking first the kingdom of God and everything that goes along with that. But that also means we have to then decide. I want to grow right where I am. And I'm going to grow in Christ, but I'm also going to make sure that as I grow out, but I also grow deeper with in the, in the, in Christ. I go deeper in the word of God. I grow grief deeper, and who I am, I get deeper relationships. And, as I have deeper relationships, I can influence them to, to broader spectrum, and I can have those conversations with them about Jesus. And yet, I'm reminded of all these passages in the ruling in John 14. There's two of them down. 14 verses 12 when Jesus says, truly truly. I say to you, whoever believes in me will also do the works that I do and greater Works than these will he do? Because I'm going to the father through things, if you really believed in me, you're going to do what I'm doing. If you really believe in me, you're going to grow and you're going to grow in Christ. If you really believe in me, you're going to keep doing all these good things and face a few versus later in this same conversation. He says this one and if you love me, you'll keep my Commandments. You can claim to love Jesus, he can claim to believe in Jesus. But Jesus says the indicators, if you believe in me is, if you're doing what I'm doing. You do the things that I do and if you love me an indicator, that is if you keep my Commandments, if you follow me all part of having strong roots, Jeremiah, Jeremiah 17 said, this blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord whose trust is in the Lord. He is like a tree planted by water but sends out its roots by the stream and does not fear when he comes for its leaves remain green and is not anxious in the year of drought spray does not cease to bear fruit. See if we have a strong root system. If we grow where were planted grow in the Lord, and then just like the song we just read, when we consider the Lord, in all our plans were like that tree planted by water. And here's, here's the good news, no matter where you are. If you plant yourself in the word of God, you're being planted my water. How do I know if I'm being planned up a water? If I'm not maybe in a good situation. Will you can grow wherever you are as long as you decide from now on my Foundation is going to be priced. And I'm going to grow in my situation, whether that's cool or is that work? Whether it's in the community? I can influence the people around me. I can grow, I can grow in strength. I can grow in the Lord as long as he implanted by water, and it sends out its troops by The Strain. And then what happens? I don't have to fear anymore. I don't have to fear of running out of nutrients. I don't have to hear whenever persecution, that he comes. When tribulations come because Miley's will always remain green. I'll be a remain strong. I'll remain healthy. And then I don't have to worry when things don't go my way. I don't have to get anxious than a year of drought because I'll still produces good fruit. As long as what I planted in the word of God and I planted and seeking first, the kingdom of God. And see, this is not always going to be super easy. Galatians 6, my friends have a podcast. I listened to called behind the beards and they pull back. I guess, behind a man of the minister and show like the real-life struggles and they always closer podcast with this verse. Do they say, hey, we know it's not easy, living the life of a Christian and Paul knew that to God knows that Galatians 6 verse 9 says, and let us not grow, weary of doing good for in due season. We will reap. If we do not give up going to be hard. When we seek first, the kingdom of God. Is there so many distractions to so many things that we want to do. There's so many things that maybe we think we should do that guy says, don't do there. So maybe some things that we feel like we have the freedom to do that. God has to give us the freedom to do. And maybe there's some things that God says, to do that. We just really don't want to do. And part of that is seeking first doing great things, rather than just good things growing where we're planted not growing weary of doing good. And then the last thing that I want to say is part of the seeking first. The kingdom of God is recognizing our sphere of influence. Where are our dogs? Obviously you you and you have your co-workers, you work with. You have your people in the community that you that you interacting with? Our young people? You have a greater influence than you really realize you may say will who do I have the influence? And I said you're forced to go to school. But ye have lots of schoolmates. You have all your teachers who have the adults who are watching you whether or not you know, you realize it or not. You have this massive amount of influence in the truth is, the more more children. We have the greater the younger generation gets and as unfortunate as a life cycle goes, as the older generation ages that the more they end up passing away. So that the Young Generation has such a wide range of Ages, but you also have that much wide range of influence among your peers. Among your people just based off of demographics and in life cycles that sometime it's me saying, I don't know if I have people to influence one of your peers or who you can influence and maybe you're involved in so many things are for our, I said, for our adults. You also have a sphere of influence. You have people who are around you, and I want to say this to you. Let your light shine. Don't hide who you are. You know, we seen that little children's song. This Little Light of Mine, but do we really mean it when we sing it? Do we actually mean, I'm going to let it shine all the time. As the song says what? Hide and hide it under a bushel weigh. No, don't hide your light whenever you're around certain people certain influences. Matthew 5 says this, you are the light of the world Jesus is talking again on The Sermon, on the Mount And he says, you are the light of the world, a city on a hill cannot be hidden nor do people on a lamp and put it under a basket but on a stand and it gives light to all on the house. Said, hey, when the cities hit on the hill, I'm on the way. He's basically saying you're that City. You can't hide that City and we've ever been driving in the middle of nowhere. You can see light miles away, the light pollution, you can see the light coming from far away because the more likes there are in a city that light circles spreads out for Miles saying, you can't hide a light on in Emma's light in an inner in a house gives life to all who are in the house and then he makes a connection and he says in the same way just like the city on the hill just like a lamp in the house. He says in that same way let your light shine before others. So they may see your good works and give glory to your father who is in heaven. Never hide your light. As we continue throughout this this service talking about seeking first, the kingdom of God, and they talk about families and they talk about our children and then moving into our parents and then moving into our church. Never hide your light. Let your light shine bright. And remember that everyone here has more influence than you realize our adults or children are teenagers. Even our babies, see the Wonder in the eyes of a baby to see the see life through their eyes when they're realizing how beautiful God's creation really is. We can learn from every one, we can be influenced by everyone. Never let your light. So I'd so this morning my words to you is seek first the kingdom of God, just like Jesus said, seek first his kingdom or Doing Great Things by growing where you're planted. Am I letting your light shine will have Danny. Come say a prayer now for us.

What kind of loving father we just thank you so much for the beautiful day that you bless us with today. For this privilege. We have to come together together like this to the worship. You we're also thankful that we are here today to also to us to encourage our are young families and our young parents father? We just pray that we can encourage them if they bring their young babies up. And at it, I will one day become strong dedicated Christians as well, but they'll be the kind of parent said, it's kind of example for them, so they will grow up to be strong Christians. Father, we just pray that we we can encourage each other that we can all go together and it we can all be strong Christians for you to be the kind of examples that you would have us to be bothered. Just continue to be where this may go to church here and be with each member refrain Christ name in it.

Continuing along this line and idea of seek first. The Kingdom Hall. I want to challenge our parents for a few moments this morning to talk about some things. We actually it did kind of worked out in the class that we're having upstairs and are going to go to class. We're going through a book on marriage and the next to last chapter in this book is on raising your children, and then it went the dynamic in that class of the fifteen or so that were in that class this morning, only what may be 5 of us or actually parents and the rest of them are starting to get married or married fixing to have kids looking at having kids. And so it was, It was kind of interesting to teach a parenting class to a class of people who don't have kids and in, but it really just kind of worked out because it's one of those things that just like marriage but I believe the earlier you begin to kind of contemplate and think about how important. The better of a parent you're going to be. But in the book that we're going through, we didn't talk about this in class guys, because we're going to, I wanted to mention that, here is the author says you need to ask yourself a question. Would you be more disappointed if when your kids are grown, would you be more disappointing? The fact that it didn't love you? Or they didn't like Jesus. Think about that question for a second. Would you be more disappointed and your children? If they didn't love you, or if they didn't love Jesus? And I think that that's a tough question, 22 answer because I think the automatic answer so I want him to love Jesus. Right? But if I want them to love Jesus, I'm going to have to raise them in a way that makes them, you know, push in that direction but part of them, loving Jesus. What does Jesus say? You can't follow me unless you want hate to Your parents, your mother and your father, says, your love for me, but nothing we say that you left for me not to be so great. That there's nothing that even compares to it. So parenting is is a challenging thing. I just in general, and then parenting in the direction of the kingdom is even more challenging. So I want to too kind of pigtail there right off of what Jonathan says and keep this idea of seek first, the kingdom our culture, but the world that we live in has the ability to keep us folk, keep us focused on so many things and so we're focused in a lot of different directions really are we focused on anything? Not really, right. If we're focused over here and over here and over here in this direction. And that direction, if we're focused on 15 different things. What are we really focusing on nothing? We are our attention is drawn, a lot of different directions, but we are not really focus in any particular direction in the world. It's good doing that to us. And Satan wants us to be that way because if we are focusing, all of these different direction, then. Guess what? We're not able to focus or he says to seek first, the kingdom of God, for those of you who are, who are families this morning. Let me ask you a question. How many of you already know how, how many of you were looking into the week ahead and you're already saying boy, I'm busy. I mean if you're looking at the week ahead and go man, I'm busy and how many of you know that in the middle of that busyness. There are going to be other things that creep up that come up and that take away from other things that you have kind of had plans. We are still and part of seeking first. The kingdom is getting rid of distractions. It's is simplifying thing. So what, what happens in our life when we don't make it a goal to seek first? The kingdom of God is parents want you to flip to Joshua chapter 24 through 24. Look at a couple of verses hear Benny Joshua. Chapter 24. Was basically kind of sank, his Farewell is the leader of Israel and he's going through this thing about you know, what God has done for us. All the great things of theirs, a covenant renewal that goes on right here within the first 14. He says now fear the lord and serve him with all faithfulness, throw away the guide, your ancestors worshipped beyond the Euphrates river in Egypt and serve the Lord wanted to take get rid of Distractions make it or you're going to do this. I'm going to seek first the kingdom and to do that. The first thing I'm going to do Joshua says the first we need to do as a nation is get rid of the distractions, get rid of all these things that pull us away from God, but if serving the lord seems undesirable put the undesirable to you. Choose for yourself this day, whom you will serve where the gods of your ancestors. Who's they serve beyond the Euphrates or the god of the amorites and whose land you are living? But as for me, and my household finish this with me, we will serve the Lord. I love that thought they are. We we love to hold onto. We will steal them for me and my house. We will serve the Lord. That's that's the. That's the part of that verse that gets mounted in the house right now, but the decision comes before that. Why does he say? He says, make up your mind. Make up your mind or don't be wishy-washy about this. Jesus calls. It lukewarm. Don't be cold. And if he said, I'd rather you be cold or hot. Not just lukewarm right there in the middle of a challenge that I give you this morning. Is what are you going to be? Are you going to be someone who says, Hey distractions rule my life and I'm going to raise my kids in the midst of this distraction focusing on fifteen thousand things or you going to say, hey me and my house. We are going to seek first. The kingdom of God. There's a price that we pay. There's a price that we pay that if we choose not to seek first the kingdom of God, flipped over the Book of Judges Justin Page, over starting in versus 6, chapter 1, verse 6

If I can find it myself. It's not chapter 142 after Joshua had dismissed the Israelites. They went to take possession of the land, each their own inheritance. The people serve the Lord throughout their lifetime Joshua and the elders who outlived him and who had seen all the great things of the Lord has done for us girls with that generation. They said what we're going to serve who will serve God? And something happened. They chose to serve God, but this is Matthew's commentary here, but they chose not to raise their children in that direction because the next kind of vs. Hearsay Joshua, son of Nine, the sermon Lord died at the age of 110 and they buried him in the land of his inheritance. In the Hill Country of Ephraim north of Mount gas after. That whole generation have been gathered to their ancestors. Another generation, grew up who knew neither the Lord, nor what he had done for Israel, then the Israelites did evil in the eye. House of the Lord and serve the bails. We have to make it a goal that says, I'm going to lay a foundation in my home, the parent to seek first. The kingdom of God, so that when I'm gone, if the generation that comes up behind me, they don't do evil in the hospital, or they stay in the direction of God. They know his good works. They know his Good Deed. So, how do we do that? When we give you a few simple thoughts here? First symbol Foundation of Prayer in your home's, simple Foundation of Prayer in your home's. Whether it be with your spouse. Would it be with your kids or just as an individual, actually, in all of those areas make prayer, something that is common in your homemade talkin to God, something that your kids are used to seeing you too. But there are also used to doing with you. It really warms my heart that that my kids. We don't go anywhere and sit down for the most part to eat. That one of them doesn't say. Hey, we need to say a prayer and I'm going to be honest with you, that was not something that we did Growing Up out in public. It was not a big thing. So it's it's it's it's something that at times that I forget about her. I don't make but it makes me happy that to my kids. That's something that they know, needs to be done. They feel that it needs to be done and then even catches me, you know, what the mouth full of mashed potatoes and then Sunday morning, you know, and then hearing one of them pray and it's it's really, it's it's a lot of fun. This evening, the van spray in those moments cuz of an soxx to pray for everybody at the table. And he'll start with Mom Dad and go up and then if he doesn't know you, he will just go and everybody else. That's the type of guy, but he wants to pray for you. We need to raise our kids to be that way. The second thing is this parents, make time some worship. Non-negotiable. Let Them See, You, worshiping, and let them see. You understanding that this time together is the priority, doesn't matter what happens Saturday night. It doesn't matter how late you were staying up. Make this. A priority is a matter of fact, this would be my challenge to you as soon as it's time for everybody. I don't think just going to church is is the standard that if you, if you're if you're at church, everything is great. There's so much more about your Christian Life. It has to be lived outside those doors that has a lot left to do here. But what is involved here is very important. Okay. So here's my challenge. There are four hours built into our schedule every week to be together for say that with me. For how many hours for some of you eat more than that through the week, they spend more time eating through that. That amount of time for hours. What if you said is a part of seeking first, the kingdom of God, we're going to make those four hours non-negotiable. We're going to be there. We're going to be there with their brothers and sisters were going to fellowship with each other. We're going to encourage one another. As Hebrews 10 said he persists. That's the whole point of being together, right? As I mean, it's about worshiping God. But, but Hebrews says, one of the big points to being together, is the encouragement that I get from you and that you get from me. And if we're not here we are. We getting that encouragement will for many of us. We're not, we're not getting it to the fullest effects of parents make make this an important thing in your life. But the last thing parents that I want to give you the courage and in the challenge to do is lean in on your church. Family. Let's go to the Hebrews 8:10 Hebrews chapter 10.

Hebrews 10:24 is really just 24 and 25, is a lot of things. He's talked about up to this, to this point. But if there's 24 pieces and let us consider how we may spur wandering one another. On towards love and Good Deeds how and where I'm not giving up meeting together as some are in the habit of doing but encouraging one another, all the more as you see the day approaching parenting is hard. Okay. Thing is hard. Parenting is tired. Alex was kind of mentioned him, kind of being a little bit. I told him this morning I said, there's no greater tired than first month with a newborn tired. How many view would agree with that? That is one of the we got some running around up in the middle of it. Right now, right? There is no greater tired than first month that home new born tired. And what? What? I read one time if they said your sleep cycle is interrupted for five years. From the time. You have a child too late turn5. It takes five years for you as an adult to refined. The relearn that that that sleep cycle in your own life. And then have someone like me who just keeps having kids and you never get to that point. And so we are now two years into our last five years swing. So, in three years, I will finally get I was telling you really 12 years into this thing and I don't think I've had six months of real sleep total in the last 12 years. It's hard. It's challenging. There's, there's things that come up.

Let me, let me ask you to do this and I asked you to do this this morning. If you have raised kids and your kids are now adults, raise your hand.

Parents of young kids. Look at these hands.

These people know what you're going through. They know the struggles, you're having. They understand how you feel when you're when you feel like your child is the only one screaming in worship service. They understand the struggles of trying to get homework done and trying to get to the baseball field and trying to get stuff for finished. They understand the struggles of trying to find balance between work and home and family in providing. Lean in to these people. They have so much to offer. They are here to encourage you to carry you. Paul says carry each other's burdens. And in these ways, you will fulfill the law of Christ. Allow these people to carry you when you need them to carry you. Now, let's shift gears and talk to her church family as a whole this morning. Why are we doing this today? Why are we having a family first Sunday? And in these children in these parents and encouraging them? To tell you something. I have been a part of a church before where they didn't love kids. They didn't love kids and the question was asked. Why why don't we grow? Why can't we bro? Where you don't grow? Because you don't love kids. If kids are a burden and a hindrance to a church. Our family is ever going to want to show up with their kids. No, not at all and it was a very sad time of environment to be in to wear. When you got together. You knew that children be a burden. So so at this particular location when we first started in the fellowship hall, they had like a kid Corral over here, which is a really kind of cool seeing it was a half wall. The kids could go in there and playing they couldn't get out but they remodeled all of that and instead of like really working in the kids korral. They may like a Kid's Closet that you could actually shut the kids in there and they wouldn't interrupt what the adults were doing. But that was the real feeling behind and they wouldn't interrupt while the adults were doing and That shirts does not seem to grow that. They want that. They long for because of that. So, how, how, how can we encourage you this morning? We'll go to marks after 10 as a church. What do we need to focus on Mark? Chapter 10? Jesus talks about a lot of things. Mark, chapter 10 is a very important when starting in verse 13. People are bringing little children to Jesus for him to place his hands on them. But the disciples here, we talked about this, a few weeks ago, the Messiah protectors, right? They're trying to keep people from getting to Jesus. They're trying to protect Jesus. From all these people around him. The disciples.

The disciples were keeping them away. I lost my spot here. The disciples were beat them. When Jesus saw that he was indignant. He was so mad. He said to them. Let the little children come to me and do not hinder them for the kingdom of God, belongs to such as these. Truly, I tell you, anyone who will not receive the kingdom of God, like a little child will never enter any took the children in his arms, placed his hands on them and bless them. That is our that is how we're supposed to be at the church. We are to be a church that opens are armed to children and says come in and be a part of this family to our children, to our students. I want you to know this morning that you are part of this family. Not a subset of this family. Not a side group, you are part of this family and he needs to be that type of people. So so how do we become that type of people? Number one, again, parents, if you've raised your kids and they're all grown and gone, raise your hands again. You're Rachel kiss in there. Going to go and raise your hands again. Okay, let me let me tell you a funny statement. You put them down, but I'm talking to you for just a second. Remember what it was like to raise kids. Remember what it was like to race? Cuz this is my favorite statement. I hear from former raising kid parents. My kids never did that. Your kids did it. You just forgot that they didn't remember what it was like to raise kids. Remember what it was like. And look at these couples and these families and be willing to jump in there with them and say, hey. Do you need help? Can I help you? Can I hold your child during church. Can I can I do this? Can I do that? It can I come to the ball game with you and how, you know, whatever it might be? You remember the struggle that was to raise kid and try to do something to help alleviate that struggle with someone else. Find ways to help and encourage these parents of Titus, Chapter 2 chapter to be says Hey older older, ladies older men go find ways to to help these up. These young people disciple pour into. And when I love about that verse, if he doesn't doesn't read like this. It doesn't read if they will let you reach out to them. Diverse reads this way. Just go do it. Just go do it. Okay. So there's this idea is here. Looking at these young families at that are sitting around us this morning. Look at them and make up your mind. I'm going to be a help in their life. I'm going to reach out to them. Don't wait for them, to ask you for help. Don't wait for them to accept your help. Just go do it just be involved in their lawns and they will love you for it. And then I mean, that I want to give you because something was said to me last few weeks ago, but one of our, one of our members came up and was talking about a Ministry opportunity that had been presented to her and that she wanted us to the church to be a part of and it was a Ministry opportunity. That was very much focused on retired individuals within our community. And she said, I know that our main focus right now is young families, but do you think there's a place for this to fit and Anna? And I should also understand something this morning because of that statement really has that has stuck with me and has made me think about some things. And I want to say this, understand that just because we're making an effort to love young couples and young families and create an environment that they want to be a part of doesn't mean that we don't love and appreciate. You eat with your not in that phase of life. If your kids are gone, and you're an older member of this congregation, you're a senior member or you're an empty nester or whatever. It may be, just because you're not in this young family phase in your life. Please don't misunderstand our our effort to try to grab that group and pull them in as meeting. We don't love you, and we don't care for you because we are here today because of what you have done to prepare for this moment, and we appreciate you and we love you, and we need you in these families need you. And without you there would be no 9th Avenue Church of Christ today for us to become a church that loves and welcomes family, and we are grateful for you will never want you to feel like the Luke 15 brother of heihei. I've been here the whole time. Don't forget about me. We don't want you to feel that way because we know you we love you and we appreciate you. That brings us to the end of our time together this morning, after we finish up here this morning. We want you to join us for our fellowship meal and we're going to have a slideshow in a video and presentation for these these little children. And we want everybody to come and be a part of that. But let's close our our time of Working for the prayer here. God. We thank you so much for giving us a chance to be in your presence today as the family of God, as older. Brothers, and younger brothers and older sisters and younger sisters. God, we are just so grateful to be here and we thank you for the Legacy. That is the Ninth Avenue Church of Christ. And we thank you for those that have worked so hard to lay the foundation and to build up this church to what it is today. God and we are so grateful for that. But we are also excited to look into the future at what, this church will continue to be and grow to be in your name for years to come. Call. We thank you for Jesus, and we thank you for his willingness to accept children, to accept centers, to just accept everybody to come and say, hey, I'm here for you and God as we look at our life. And as we speak about our life, we pray that we examine ourselves that we allow your Holy Spirit to convict us to challenge us and to help us walk in a path that brings us closer to you. We just thank you for our time this morning. God may we continue to bring glory and praise to you not just in this room, but in the life that we live every single day. We are grateful for Jesus sacrifice. Help us to never forget it as yourself. Can we pray? Amen?

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