Ephesians 3

Everybody will serve me. If you will this morning to Ephesians chapter 3, as we continue on and our study through the Epistles, the book of Galatians in Ephesians as we've been through seeing how Paul is encouraging the church, how they got to act how they all live, how they out of work, together doesn't always work the way. Paul wants it to where God wants it to because people are involved and when we do things our way and not God's way then where we have a tendency to mess it up, we need to understand the purpose that God has for us. And that's where he starts off here in Ephesians chapter 3. He says, for this reason, What reason did you talk about? He says that inverse Give me a verse 1. He also talks about that verse 14, scuse me. My water guy did not show up today, so I'm going to fire him. The Waterboy is not here, but in versus XIII for this reason, what reason is he talking about? What, where is he, what is he dealing with in this aspect? And he says, I Paul the prisoner of Christ. For you gentiles. Think about that this morning pulse is high, Paul a prisoner of Christ for you Gentile. So this morning we're either Jew or Gentile if you're not a Jew or a gentile. So he says here I am God Blinded Me on that Damascus Road. We know that story Acts chapter 9. Took care of this situation. He blinded me so that I would be a minister for him. I became a slave to him on that Damascus rule I was going to come down the stairs with Chris's water from him or whatever you're drinking it. I don't really care. Just

tears.

Maybe God doesn't want me to preach his message or maybe the devil doesn't want me to resend message. I don't know. But anyway, I got you guys coughing now, right? What reason is Paul talking about this servanthood? Being a Slave. the Jesus that we don't like that because it has a tendency of Imprisonment has a tendency of being told what to do, being told how to live being told every aspect. I'm pretty much that's where Paul was on that. Damascus Road God, blinded him. God said, hey, I got a job for you and Paul said, Saul of Tarsus, Lord, what would you have me to do? And he says, here it is. You're going to go and you're going to suffer many things for my namesake. I mean, after all, you have been persecuting Christians, after all, you have been tearing lives, apart, and murdering those of my children. And yet, God still loves him and yet God still provide it for him. And yet God still used him. There is not one of us here today who cannot be used of God. There's not one of us here today that God does not want to use and put in to make sure there's not one of us who who cannot say that. There's nothing for me to do. There is something for you to do. If there is something for Saul of Tarsus Paul, the Apostle, there's something for you. For this reason to reverse what Paul wrote about in the end of chapter 2 and we're going to read those for you versus a 19. Through verse 22. Scott didn't have those on the screen or I didn't give them to him this morning. I don't really know what's behind me if you had a man, I don't know. He's pretty cool back there, but he says there's an 2:19 now therefore you are no longer strangers and foreigners but fellow citizens with the Saints. And members of the household of God having been built on the foundation of the Apostles and Prophets. Jesus Christ himself being the Chief Cornerstone in, whom the whole building being fitted together, grows into a holy Temple in the Lord and whom you also being built together for a Dwelling Place of God in the spirit. Is it, hey, hey, here's a job. Here is a Ministry. Here's what it's all about. We are built together. We are here. We're fitted together. we are pieces in this big puzzle that God has of his ministry in his work and each one of us as a Believer, have a position to fill Have you put a puzzle together? I like the ones that are grandkids but together they're about this big. The pit puzzle pieces in about 8 or 9 of. It doesn't take long for the kids to put them. To get takes me a little longer to put them together. I am not one to sit down and put a 1000 piece puzzle together. they just I saw the picture on the front of the box that was cute and that was good enough. I don't need to see it put together, I know what it looks like, right? But in the ministry of God we are all puzzle pieces that sometimes have to fit together. And what if, as a puzzle piece, your put next to a piece, you don't want to be next to. And if you don't go there than the puzzles, not going to be put together or if that puzzle pieces missing. And that's the last piece. And where is it? You can't finish the puzzle. I've never had those problems cuz that they said, I just put the big ones together with those little ones man. It takes a lot of work to put those together and we will work more on putting a puzzle together. Then we will at working out relationships with other Christians and other believers. And being the part that God wants. He said, for this reason, we are part of the body of Christ built together, brought together working together to minister. As God wants us to not necessarily, as we want to hit Matthew 16:18. Jesus says, I will build my church. Who is the church? This building is not the church. This is just a building This building could be anyting. Somebody buys it. And want to make it to be the church, is you? The church is me. The church is US individually, but us collectively coming together. For, if you are a child of God Christ, dwells within you, and he wants to build your life. He wants a guy, you he wants to directly. He wants you to be all that you can be for him. He uses people. To get the job done. Can you do it himself? Sure he can't. He's got to go do whatever he wants. But what's his glory? What's the joy in that? Doing it himself. When he's got people that he says, hey here's a job for you. Here's a Ministry for you go and do it to the best of your ability, as I have called you, and I have given you talents to do working together not separately. See all those puzzle pieces really have to work together to hold each other in place. I mean, you got your corner pieces. You've got your metal pieces that are hard to find but man, those Corners we can find because they're, they're squared off those edges when they're square puzzle easier to find. now, you just gotta put them in place, find the part that fits together with the other part and that's the hard thing sometimes and Ministry finding out where we fit together as God wants us to I was shared this morning, somebody had mentioned that. Our church is a cult Church. I was sweating this morning, I thought they thought they were talking about her condition and they weren't talking about their condition cuz somebody had walked in and nobody's even recognized. They were here It's right. So I said, well, I'm sorry to hear that. How can We minister to that individual. The person that told me wasn't the person that felt that way because they were one who said, you know what? I, I understand. I'm that way myself. I am an introvert. So reaching out to other people is not an easy thing to do. But we need to be looking how that we as a body of Christ, a puzzle that God has fits together. And maybe. I need a fit next to you. And maybe you need to fit next to me and maybe I can't believe this would happen. Maybe you don't like me.

Get over it. I am who I am and I'm doing the best that I can. Here's the key. God loves me. And guess what God loves you, aren't you glad for that, aren't you? Glad that God loves you with all your blemishes, all your problems, all your freckles, whatever issues you may have, or think you have, God loves you. And Jesus wants to use you in his ministry. Now, Maybe there's certain things that maybe you want to do that, you you can't do you don't have the talent or the ability to do. But find out what that Talent, what that ability is in minister of the body of Christ, that's what the teams learn to do this past week. They they work together. This Inver Grove came it and to turn the world upside down this next generation. And they worked hard. They did a lot of dirty work, they did a lot of things, the dumpster got dumped on Friday, it was full my Friday night. What does that tell you if you're missing something? Go dumpster diving. But if it's in there, it's because it hasn't been used in a long, long, long, long, long time. So you shouldn't really be missing it. We do that. We gather a lot of stuff and the stuff takes over our lives and we do the same thing. I use this illustration this morning. When my wife and I took went on our trip to Yellowstone. We flew from in the in the Bozeman Montana or I'm cheap. I don't like to pay for my luggage over here. We're doing carry-on, write more expensive, all the time. But we're sitting there knowing that we're going to be in multiple airports. By the time we get the Bozeman Montana and they can we got to carry and not only hard luggage, but we got Clint plug is what doesn and all this stuff and then as we're sitting there, here's what comes over be announced with ladies and gentlemen flight such and such and such was our flight. Or asking that if you have a carry-on and you'd like to check into your final destination, come and do it.

Free checking a man, there's nothing worse than being a multiple airport, airport. Carrying luggage from place to place to place to place and then when you got to go potty, you got to find somebody to watch it for you, cuz you can just leave it there. They don't like that, right? You put it on there. They check it to the last destination. You don't have to worry about it until if you get there and hope it shows up.

And if it doesn't show up, how does your life really changed? Other than, maybe, you got to go buy some more clothes or something else, because I'm sure all your valuables are not in the luggage. They should be with you. That's not to say, we didn't have other things, we carried on, but, you know, we got that. We got that on the way out. We got that on the way back. They checked our luggage. Life is somewhat like that God wants us to check our luggage with him. So he can carry it for. He can take care of it for us but we're too concerned of what it might cost me or where we're at. It's all we carry that luggage with us every day. And he says, was cast all your care and may I change that to cast all your luggage cast, all your care? Upon me because I care for you, trust in the Lord, with all your might lean not to your own understanding in all your ways acknowledge Him and He will direct your path. We checked our luggage. It was easier going from place to place and getting a place to eat in the rest in the airport when we were hungry, too. And just have our little one carry-on instead of multiple carry-ons that we had with us round the round, the table in the aisle, where people are trying to get through as you're eating. I didn't have to worry about. See, we got all this luggage. That we allow the devil to get us concerned about. Look what he says. God uses people to help get his job done. Is the building of the church. Your motivation to pray in the service. Not just when you walk in here on a Sunday morning, this is just a building C. We are the church every day of the week. The moment we wake up to the time, we go to bed, we are to be the church. We are to be serving. God were to be doing something. The minister for Christ. Fast. You mean, I can't have any down time where yet he can, but make sure that everything you're doing is honoring glorifying God. But if it's not on WE and glorifying God, then we shouldn't be doing it. He goes on first duties as if indeed you have heard of the dispensation of the grace of God which was given to you give it to me for you how that by Revelation he made known to me the mystery. That's why I briefly written already by which one you read, you may understand my knowledge in the mystery of Christ. Which in other areas Ages was not know it made known to the sons of men as it has now been revealed by the spirit To His Holy Apostles. In his profits that the Gentiles should be fellow heirs are the same body partakers of his promise in Christ. Through the gospel of which I became a minister according to the gift of the grace of God, given to me by the effect of effective working out of his power. Paul said, hey. Call me into this ministry and he told me to go to the Gentiles. Why? Because we're going to bring them into the family, know what that was all about. The Jews thought they were something special that nobody else could be a part. And God is saying, listen, things are changing. We're letting the Gentiles in the non-jews are going to be a part of this family. Oh my goodness changes. We hate changes. Right? We do. But change is good. I mean you change your underwear don't you? You change your clothes. If you change your style that you wear, when I wear the same clothes, we were wearing back in the 70s. Well, maybe some of you No, I'm saying, we like change as long as what we change, but when others begin to change it around us. So how do you think the Jews felt this change is coming? What do you mean? We can't let the Gentiles in. Yes, many years ago, when Lori and I went to Israel week, we're at the Wailing Wall. An awesome place you ever get that chance to go to Israel this. Awesome place to go with the walk and just put the Bible into life, right there in front of you, we're walking away from the Wailing Wall. We've already spent some time there. And on my way away from the Wailing Wall, I didn't do it on purpose or just one of those things as people walking by each other, as soon as you walked by me. And I, I bumped him or he bumped me. I'm not really sure how it was. But I turned around to say I'm sorry and here's what I saw as he was walking away, so I'm doing this. I'm doing, huh? I took a shower this morning. I'm pretty clean. And I saw him walk over to the Fountain and he washed his hands. Why? Because when he left his house, he had plans themselves, he was going to the Wailing Wall to pray it. And now that he had bumped into a gentile, an unclean person He had to go through the ritual all over again. Jesus is saying to the Jews, listen, these unclean people which you are really are, they're coming into the family, get used to being bumped into get used to things. Not going your way, getting used to the changes that are going to take place in Houston. What's going on here? Because listen, Jesus Christ died for all people. And that what he said, when, if I be lifted up, I will draw All Peoples to myself. And we might want to say something. These people are not those people, but listen, he died for Saul of Tarsus. And he called Saul of Tarsus to the ministry. A man who was persecuting, Christians, a man who was not just person, he was asking for names of certain people, he's going down to give me the Aldi's address. So I can go find them and persecute them at their house in front of their family and friends. That's what he was doing. And all of a sudden all of a sudden here we are. Being called into the ministry. God changed him. So you are a wonderful man. If you're doing it for the right reasons, you're driven you got purpose, you're doing the wrong things over here, but I'm calling you into the misery and now you will have to suffer many things for my namesake

The word Gentiles. But Paul in the prison the one he says back again to verse one, for this reason, I Paul the prisoner of Christ Jesus for you. Gentiles you Gentiles are the reason I'm in prison. Why? Because I'm ministering to you. I'm sharing the gospel with you and the world does not like it. The world does not want the gospel going forward. Had you noticed that today in the 21st century, we're trying to remove everything Godly, everything that has anything to do with with Christy and I get rid of it because we don't want that conviction over us. We don't want those Ten Commandments guiding us and directing us and keeping us on the straight and narrow we want to live our life. However we want to live it is that wide path that the world gives us. Why does a path that leads to destruction? Am I my processor? They said last week, it's a world feathers, why? But it Narrows down to hell. But it widens the life Everlasting. If we get used to walking on the Narrow Path, the wide path is a piece of cake, a man. But if we were worried about world walking on the white path, we have to get to the Narrow Path. It gets a little tougher. When I was a kid, I shared this illustration this morning, I'm trying to share the say, I don't have these written down so they're all coming to my head. If you, if I don't share everything that comes to my head you should be thankful for that. But how many of you as kids would go out and walk on that curb? Do the balance beam on the curb? Would you do that and fall in this? Only 14 inches high. Would you ever fall off of it? Yeah, and it's fall off and you get back on, but you're walking in and sometimes you fall off and get hurt. Am I right? Or was that just me? And you got a hole 3 ft sidewalk over here. You can be walking up. But no, that's no fun. I'm going to walk over here.

And yes, you know, that's a tough area to walk on why. Because it's there and why not But you get over on the sidewalk and your walk in the safety of the whiteness of the sidewalk. And you get to a certain point where you don't step on the crack. You break your mother's back. Am I bringing some memories back? But that that side walk in for that crackers. And next one is raised up, maybe half an inch and you don't notice it and you stub, your toe. And you fall over and you might skin your knees up or elbows or get hurt. On the right path, it happens in life. God didn't say how you're not going to have any problems you need that, you're not going to have any heartache. He said there will be tribulation will be hard at there, will be trials but be of good cheer. He's as what I have overcome the world. He has a purpose and a plan for you and for me, Paul is sharing. It says, listen God's plan for me was not to go to the Jews that have been so much easier. They might not have wanted to get rid of me, but no here, I'm going to the Gentiles and because of that, I became a prisoner. Jesus Christ, because of you.

God gave him a special commission to evangelize the Gentiles and for that, you and I should be very thankful if you're here this morning or not a Jew or a gentile, we should be thankful. That the Apostle Paul Saul of Tarsus was called to minister to you and to me those unclean People. He was to explain to both the Jews and the Gentiles God's wake the mysteries of God's way. The path that God is leading us, the direction he wants us to go to follow it and you will be blessed. I mean, there's a song that we sang this morning, as we share our faith, with our children, and their children, and their children. That's a responsibility that we have sharing our faith. Yes. First and foremost with our family, but it needs to go outside of the family to the world as well. Cuz if we just keep it off for no, more than maybe our neighbors are going to see us in heaven. God said hey, take the message that I give you share it with the world. Add a couple call me this past week and they're interested in me. Baptizing, their infant child. So I had a little discussion not so well and I don't I don't say no over the phone. Is it when we need to sit down? And we need to talk over this face to face because if I just say no over the phone, if that's not the purpose. Many of you here this morning it probably been baptized as an infant. Your parents thought that was a good thing to do and so they baptize you. A lot of people who are baptized and thinks that's what gets them into heaven. I can't go there Being baptized as an infant, does not get you into heaven, and here's what I do. Here's what I sit down with him. I said, okay, you were probably baptized as an effort. Yes. And both of them said, yes, yes. What does that do for you? Why don't know? Major cry. Probably right? What is that bad being baptized as an infant. I don't know. Do you remember? It will know. It wasn't your choice. No, there comes a point in time in life where each and every one of us has to make a choice. To accept Christ or reject Christ. An infant doesn't have the ability to make that choice somewhere along the line of life you have that ability. If you're being taught, if you're being share, the things of God, I don't do baptism, but I do do dedications. But if you want to dedicate your child, I'm just being straight out here folks. If you want to dedicate your child, it doesn't do you any good to dedicate your child and not raise them in the things of God. What are we doing? I mean Hitler. You're quoting Hitler gun. Hitler said give me a child to the age of seven and that child is mine for Life. Those first seven years of life are very informative. We learn to walk. We learn to talk. We begin to formulate we learned a lot in those first seven years and if we are not being raised in church as young children, We're learning things, elsewhere. From the world. Why does that path? Why? Because this path of Jesus is narrow, but it widens up the world path is why the world teach my children, everything but the word of God

Polishing. Hey, I'm taking the Scottsville message to the Gentiles is not going to be an easy task. Jesus said you going to learn anything for my namesake, you're going to suffer, many things are going to go through some heart, aches, and some hard,

Appalled, you going to go and do it. He say that here, I am a servant of the Lord Jesus Christ because of you

as he builds his church in the world. God is putting things together. You're all becoming a piece of that puzzle. If you're here this morning, you're a child of God, you are a piece of that puzzle. The question now is, where do you fit in? Find that spot that you fit in people's tells a male time. Password. I want to be useful. I want to be helpful. What can I do? I don't know. What do you want to do? Well, I don't know.

Find out, find out what you're telling, what you believe, what your gift is, and then minister in that ability. Because if I say, I want you to go and do such an insulting that is not your gift of your talent. You got to be frustrated. Because it's not working out it's and it's just not happening.

When I was 18, I'm battling this thing about being called in the ministry. I didn't want to do it. When I was 21, I finally said yes to Jesus. And when I finally said yes to Jesus, that, that baggage that I was carrying from airport airport from town, to town, from place to place, got set aside, Laid off of my shoulders. God directed me. God showed me what he wanted me to do, my wife. Would, I then Lori dice? Okay. Lord, where do you want us to go? He sends us the Kansas the minister in Kansas. You think it's hot here. Go to Kansas, right? We minister to Kansas for two years. We knew that after two years, this is not where we're going to stay. Lord, where do you want us to go? When does the New York? I have no clue, but I was willing to go and do and be wherever God wanted me to go and do and be We moved away from family and friends when we we used to get together with them quite often and now maybe maybe once a year, maybe every other year, we don't always get together now. Why? Because there's a lot of miles between here and Kansas. Don't always have the opportunity. But we do, when we can. God calls us sometimes away from family and friends to a place where we may feel isolated. And we did feel isolated for quite a few years didn't know anybody. Didn't know how things were going to work out. Didn't know what I was going to do for a job that God provided all of that, over the years. Try to start a church in Greenwich that didn't work out. Took a little church out and toss you in the pasture there for 4 years. This church all the lands in my lap and I'm going to be, I didn't want it. I didn't want to pass your hoosic Valley Community Church, but Atlanta told him in my lap and I checked into it. And God said, hey, here's where we want you to be. And I'm thinking, why God I'm taking the church authority to people when I'm passing the church's 75-in cost you to who in their right mind would do that.

That was what was going up out here? I might not have said it out loud. Call my pastor for his. I'm sharing with them trying to get. Why? Why would you want to do that? Yo, you got to church going. It's going, it's just things are happening. Why would you want to take a smaller share? I don't know. Other than that. We're God's directing me. So, 30 years ago, we said yes. Here we are. I think we're probably at 33 people today.

Downstairs in the Sunday School going on, not to mention. What we had nearly service not to mention watch here today, not to mention the lives at this church, not because of me, but because of all of us as pieces of the puzzle being fit together. Do our part. To get things accomplished lies that have been touch Souls, that are going to be in heaven. Why? Because we'd we minister to them. Are you supporting the church financially? Are you pray for the church with your prayers? Are you doing things to allow others to minister? If you are you're a part of the whole program.

But if you're sitting here in your puzzle pieces, over in the side, you don't know where to fit in it and you really don't want to find a spot because once you find a spot there's responsibility, guess what? If you're part of the puzzle piece and if you don't find a spot you fit in there still responsibility, Between you and God. I am responsible regardless of where I go. See I don't leave town. Go someplace else to live my life however I want because when I'm in town everybody's watching me. Everybody sheet with Patrick. Like why is he going into liquor store? I don't go in the liquor store so I don't get why there's Patrick like why is he hanging out with that Center, Scott stroke? Oh, Jesus had the same thing said about him dating. Now look at Jesus, he's over there talking to that Samaritan woman. He shouldn't be talking to that woman alone. All alone. Doesn't he know the Temptations of this world, I could take place. We've all been there. Haven't we we've all had those ideas in those thought. What was Jesus doing with the Samaritan woman telling her all about her life? But wishing that, she would ask him for a cup of water, so he could give her the Water of Life. So there's only you asked me for a cup of water. I could have given you life water, that would take care of your thirst for eternity. See, when we give our lives to Jesus, we fit into that puzzle. We're apart. And He blesses. Not just us. But here's what I'm thinking before. Yes. We moved away from family friends. We came to New York. I'm going to pack my wife and myself on the back here, just for a little bit, but God gets gets the biggest pad. All three of our children are serving the lord Alright, our grandkids are coming to church. Will that change it? Might it can. But at this point in time,

Thank you, Jesus. And I'm not saying because I'm a great father and Lori's a great mother. We're just wonderful. Christians know is because God is faithful, God is faithful when you put him first. Do I always put him first? No. Sometimes I get first, and that's when I trip over that crack on the sidewalk. Little humbled. Golden up at home and say mom can you take care of my boo? Boo.

Paul. Given a special commission you and I are giving a special commission as well to minister to those around us to love those around us, even our enemies. If I be lifted up juices, I'll draw All Peoples, Peoples, even the ones we hate. Yes, even the ones we hate, because God loves them. Hey man. I mean, if God doesn't love you, all you got to do is go to the Old Testament. Sees what happens when God doesn't love you, it's not because he doesn't love you, it's because he knows the end result of your life. That all you want to do is kill and maim. Rape destroy.

Right. And when God says, who Just people saw you need to go and destroy that King, remove him, his family, women children, all of them, that sounds very harsh animals, everything, destroy it all, don't keep anything of it. And then, It keeps King agag alive. And later, if a guy goes off on his own and started all over again, the murder and Mayhem all over, God knows. He knows our past. He knows our present and he knows our future. But when we tap into him, we trust him to guide us directions. There's hope there's joy in. There's peace. Look what he says in verses 14 through verse 21. There's a prayer that he gives here for a spiritual vision to see and lay hold of the greatness of God's love it and the greatness of God's power First 48 V is for this reason. I bow my knees to the father of our Lord, Jesus Christ from whom the whole family in heaven, and on Earth, is named. Once again, as he started out in verse, when he says, for this reason, here's why we're here. Here's why I'm here from home, the whole family, haven't heard his name. That he would Grant you according to the riches of his glory to be strengthened with might through his spirit. In the inner man, that Christ May dwell in your hearts through faith, that you being rooted and grounded in love, may be able to comprehend with all the, what is the width? The length of the death in the height? To know the love of Christ which passes knowledge that you may be filled with all the fullness of God. Now to him, who is able to do exceedingly, abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us to him, be glory in the church by Christ. Jesus, to all generations, forever and ever, amen. They stole that from Randy Travis. Okay, maybe not. Maybe it's the other way around. I'm going to love you forever and ever forever and ever. Amen. So be it. So be it just listen, here's what's going on their spiritual vision that I have that if you tap into the Lord, You're going to have everything you ever wanted.

Don't raise your hand and don't have, you don't have to answer this but how many of you were discouraged when you didn't win the big lottery last week or whenever it was? Cuz I'm going to win those hot 1.2 billion dollars and I'll take care of all my problems. You think? Why not tapping the Lord Jesus Christ. He will take care of all your problems. How many buses will be nice to have all those millions of dollars. What it, what it where is your faith today? If God took away all of your bank account today, would you trust him? Will you be thankful to him? Thank you, Lord. I'm just asking, I don't know, you have to answer it. But here's what I can guarantee you, I can take your checkbook and I can look in your checkbook and I can tell you what's important to you. By looking in your checkbook. What do you pay for what is a part of yours? I'm not saying we can't have fun, enjoy life. but if God is not at the top of this thing, Then our children and our grandchildren and our great-grandchildren are going to suffer. God has not been at the top of this thing in the United States of America for a while. For a while and the longer we go, the less he's at the top. In God, We Trust unless I got a better way. There's a thing as Christians. We had the same attitude. Okay. Yeah. I'll trust God, but I think my waist better right now Is it, is it? Are you trusting? God is he guiding you? As you directing, you see this prayer that he gives a versus 14/2 verse 21 is for the spiritual vision to see in the lay. Hold of the great is our God is loving his power. There's some things that God wants us to be concerned about, we're going to look at these things. These four things at the very end here this morning and I want you to look at them with me, go to 2:21 He's concerned about the whole building that's you. And me, all of us verse 21 to chapter 2. He says, in whom the whole building being fitted together, grows into a holy Temple of the Lord. My wife and I have been in her house for over 25 years. We're doing some remodeling. You know why? Because? After 25 years, things need to change within the house. Things need to be upgraded. Take care because if they don't even mention, is it going to fall apart? And you're going to have worse problems. Things will begin to Decay. So yes, it's a little work to remodel and take care of some things. But, you know, once you get there and get it done and sit back and go, look at that. The last night was my process of cutting everything up. Getting them baseboards on the cabinets, finishing that the pantry kits in the pantry door that we've been looking for that God gave us a brand new one for $50, right? Not $800 at some Box Store 1 or $1,300 that somebody else down the road wanted fifty bucks in for cheap Scottish guy. Won't even check his bags cuz he don't want to pay.

We took a ride and we pick that door up before somebody else. Good. The last night we got a frost, the window. So I'm crossing the window yesterday, afternoon last night last evening, outside frosting, the window to give it that frosted, look the pantry door. And the weather was terrible.

It didn't turn out very well. And I tried and it began to rain and rain drops are getting done now and take it in the house and get away from the rain drops. And I want to finish this. So I take it out on the front porch, which is covered, and I spray it some more. And the more I spray the worse, it looked.

What's a point one? Trying to button this thing up, get done with it. So I don't have to worry about this kitchen cabinet and its doors and move on to something else that needs to be redone. Because if we don't read news things, is it going to fall apart? We know that right? That doesn't mean, we got to redo it every day, but after 25 years of living in the house, need some upgrades. What do you think God thinks about our house? Living in this house. You think maybe he's looking at your life, is he? There needs to be some upgrades. You need to get with the 21st century. According to my word, not the 21st century according to the world. There's a big difference. So, yes, he's concerned about the building the whole building, not just pieces and parts of it. Look what he says in chapter 3, and verse 15 from whom the whole family in heaven. And on Earth is named, he's concerned about who the whole family. There's not one of us, that's more important than the other. In the eyes of God, he's concerned about all of us. Equally concerned about the whole body from home the whole body joined and knit together by what every joint supplies, according to the effective working by which every part does is Cher. Ha. Every part does what? Church. Every part does what? Every parent knows what. Are you doing your share? Are you just doing enough to get by? Are you relying on others to do it for you? Others can't do it, moms and dads. You cannot save your children. All you can get a baptized when you can dedicate. But if you're not doing your part, sharing the word, let the Holy Ghost and holy spirit. Getting their hearts in their lives. We're not doing enough. Well, I didn't do that when I was a parent. What do I do? You start today. Don't wait till tomorrow start today. Because the same God, who is God, when they were a child in the same. Who's got today, and yes, it may be tougher for them to accept, but God can do a mighty work when we trust him. Not us. Gulf building the whole family, the whole body. And then 3:18 look what he says once again. Who may be able to comprehend with all the saints? Got to comprehend with. Who all the saints with you? I got to comprehend with you. With me, all of us together working together, piece together as the puzzle. God wants us to be. So, maybe you're part of the puzzle. And you don't know where you fit in because you haven't really been looking at the big picture.

God's given us a big picture. I can tell you what happened in the beginning. God who created this world is the same God who will take care of us at the end whenever that is We never know when that day is. Wednesday, I was called to go spend some time with the boys family at the hospital they were taking Bob War boys off of life support. I went up there and spend a few hours with the family. As they had taken the life-support off and now they're just waiting for God to do his thing. It didn't happen in an hour or didn't happen in 2 hours, it took a while. But eventually. Got to Bob Moore boys. Bob passed away Wednesday around 6:49. In the evening. While I was there, he's got his wife and six children and some few other family members that were there. There are a few things that took place.

Bob was a big Eagles fan, not Philadelphia Eagles. But the the singing group Eagles. Tell the family broke out and see Hotel. California. Okay. All of them singing while that was one of his favorite songs and so they sang it. little bit later and they videotape this one, they broke out, singing Freebird

RJ's over there. He's playing the drums.

The rest of the family Craig's doing the lead, the sisters are back in the mop. They're singing. People going by walking past the room but what in the world is going on in there? Here's a family celebrating their father's life. In this world. Yes. And by the fact that he's going to be gone for celebrating their father's life as he heads on to Glory opacified. How do you know, how do you know Bob where boy is in glory? You know how I know. I know because one Saturday, I'm sorry 1, Saturday calls me up. Sebastian Clyde. Can you come over and talk? Sure. Go over to the house and Buskirk. Set on his front porch, he says, you know, I played softball with you for 10 years. I just found out recently. You're a pastor and I'm like, that's not good.

I said, oh, I'm sorry. No, no, no, I said that he goes, I appreciate that because you didn't force yourself on me. I was playing right field. That's where you put all the worst players, right? I was playing right Bill. He was playing Left center right center, rather or center field. One of the other depends on what was going on. So we'd have a lot of talking going on during practice and during games and not, once did I force myself on him and anyway, but I just always try to live my life. And that's what it said you. You never force it on me. You just lived your life. So I'm here today and I've come to church and I like what you have to say I just I'm not sure what's going to happen when I die. I'm like okay Baba, let me share it with you, then I'm not going to force it on you. I'm just going to lay down to believe in the Lord Jesus Christ, and you'll have eternal life. It's not just a head knowledge. It's deeper its relationship with Jesus. It's trusting him as your lord and as your savior because if there's a heaven there's a hell You don't need one without the other. And I know a lot of people believe in hell because I've heard people tell people to go there. Right. If there's a heaven, there's a hell. If there's a hell, there's a heaven. You don't need one without the other, so believe in the Lord, Jesus Christ. Trust him as your lord and savior, and you will be safe because I want to do that. So, I don't care. I'm going to lead you in a prayer in the prayer is not what saved. You is? Your belief that saves you. So, I let him in a prayer and he said, yes, to Jesus, Here's what I said after. You said, yes, to Jesus is okay, that Bob, and I'll listen now because you said yes to Jesus doesn't mean your life is going to be a piece of cake. Trials. And tribulations are going to come into your life. Two weeks later on a Saturday morning. I get a phone call from his wife. Lou, just passed. You need to get the Albany Med. If you can Bob's been involved, in a motorcycle accident, riding his motorcycle to work at GE, it was T-boned in front of bubbles in Mechanicville. he was life-flighted to Albany, man, I'm going I'll be back in that day was known for head trauma and that's not good, get dressed, get in the car and get the Albany Med. Walk into the ER room. They let me right into his bed. I'm a nervous wreck. Not knowing what I'm going to see. I walk in and the first thing he says, is I guess I won't be playing first base tonight.