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you you you you you you you you you you you you you you let's give God the glory, 1, 6, 2 to God be the glory let the earth hear his voice let the earth hear his voice praise the Lord praise the Lord let the earth hear his voice praise the Lord praise the Lord let the people rejoice O come to the Father through Jesus the Son and give him the glory great things he hath done great things he hath taught us great things he hath done and great our rejoicing through Jesus the Son but purer and higher and greater will be our wonder our transport when Jesus we see praise the Lord praise the Lord praise the Lord let the people rejoice O come to the Father through Jesus the Son and give him the glory great things he hath done alright great singing let's go to word of prayer yes heavenly Father Lord we come to church this morning to give you glory praise the Lord I pray you lift our hearts with joy Lord I pray you help us not to be distracted by the troubles and sorrows that we have in our hearts Lord but that we would give our full attention to you so Lord please utilize your Holy Spirit to touch our hearts and minds help us to be focused upon your word and help us to love and serve one another this morning and to enjoy and to rejoice Lord in the baptisms to come after service as well we pray all these things in Jesus name Amen Amen I'm actually going to ask not yet but Matthew and Carissa if you guys can give me a favourite soon just again just continuing the celebrations of your union but let's go to hymn number 121 121 like a river glorious 121 like a river glorious like a river glorious is God's perfect peace overall victorious in its bright increase perfect yet it flow earth fuller fuller everyday perfect yet it grow deeper all the way say upon Jehovah hearts are fully blessed find it as he promised perfect peace and rest hidden in the hollow of his blessed hand never folk and follow never traitor sad not a surge of war in not a shade of care not a blast of hurry touch the spirit there say upon Jehovah hearts are fully blessed find it as he promised perfect peace and rest every joy or trial fall from above trace upon our by the sun of love we may trust him fully all for us to do they who trust him holy find him holy true stay upon Jehovah hearts hearts are fully blessed find it as he promised perfect peace and rest alright, have you got your favourite? 96 96 96 which is? God leads us along God leads us along hymn number 96 God leads us along In shady green pastures so rich and so sweet God leads his dear children along where the hottest cold flow babes the weary ones feet God leads his dear children along some through the waters some through the flood some through the fire but all through the blood some through great sorrow but God gives a song in the night season and all the day long sometimes on the mountain where the sun shines so bright God leads his dear children along sometimes in the valley in darkest of nights God leads his dear children along some through the waters some through the flood some through the fire but all through the blood some through great sorrow but God gives a song in the night season and all the day long rose before us and Satan of hosts God leads his dear children along through grace we can conquer defeat all our foes God leads his dear children along some through the waters some through the flood some through the fire but all through the blood some through great sorrow but God gives a song in the night season and all the day long away from the fire and away from the clay God leads his dear children along away amid glory, eternity is they God leads his dear children along some through the waters some through the flood some through the fire but all through the blood some through great sorrow but God gives a song in the night season and all the day long alright great singing we'll do one more hymn and then we'll have our Bible reading so let's go to hymn number 166 166 I will praise him 166 I will praise him 166 When I saw the cleansing fountain open wide for all my sin I obey the spirit's wooing when he said will thou be clean I will praise him I will praise him praise the lamb for sin a slave give him glory all ye people for his blood can wash away each stain though the way seems straight and narrow all I claim was swept away my ambitious plans and wishes at my feet in ashes lay I will praise him I will praise him praise the lamb for sin a slave give him glory all ye people for his blood can wash away each stain then God's fire upon the altar of my harvest set a flame I shall never cease to praise him glory glory to his name I will praise him I will praise him praise the lamb for sin a slave give him glory all ye people for his blood can wash away each stain bless the name of Jesus I'm so glad he took me in he's forgiven my transgressions he has cleansed my heart from sin I will praise him I will praise him praise the lamb for sin a slave give him glory all ye people for his blood can wash away each stain glory glory to the father glory glory to the son glory glory to the spirit glory to the free in one I will praise him I will praise him praise the lamb for sin a slave give him glory all ye people for his blood can wash away each stain Alright, beautiful singing. Please take your Bibles now and turn to 1 Samuel 16. 1 Samuel 16 Brother Hayden's coming up for the reading. 1 Samuel 16, thank you. Alright, 1 Samuel 16. And the Lord said unto Samuel, How long wilt thou mourn for Saul, seeing I have rejected him and go from reigning over Israel? fill thine horn with oil and go I will send thee to Jesse the Bethlehemite for I have provided me a king among his sons. And Samuel said, How can I go? If Saul hear it, he will kill me. And the Lord said, Take an heifer with thee and say, I am come to sacrifice to the Lord and call Jesse to the sacrifice and I will show thee what thou shalt do and thou shalt anoint unto me him whom I name unto thee. And Samuel did that which the Lord spake and came to Bethlehem and the elders of the town trembled at his coming and said, Comeest thou peaceably? And he said, Peaceably I am come to sacrifice unto the Lord sanctify yourselves and come with me to the sacrifice. And he sanctified Jesse and his sons and called them to the sacrifice. And it came to pass when they were come that he looked on Eliab and said, Surely the Lord's anointed is before him. But the Lord said unto Samuel, Look not on his countenance or on the height of his stature because I have refused him, for the Lord seeth not as man seeth. For man looketh on the outward appearance but the Lord looketh on the heart. Then Jesse called Abinadab and made him pass before Samuel and he said, Neither hath the Lord chosen this. Then Jesse made Shammah to pass by and he said, Neither hath the Lord chosen this. And again Jesse made seven of his sons to pass before Samuel and Samuel said unto Jesse, The Lord hath not chosen these. And Samuel said unto Jesse, Are here all thy children? And he said, There remaineth yet the youngest and behold he keepeth the sheep. And Samuel said unto Jesse, Send and fetch him for we will not sit down till he come hither. And he sent and brought him in. Now he was ruddy and with all of a beautiful countenance and goodly to look to. And the Lord said, Arise anoint him for this is he. Then Samuel took the horn of oil and anointed him in the midst of his brethren and the Spirit of the Lord came upon David from that day forward. So Samuel rose up and went to Ramah. But the Spirit of the Lord departed from Saul and an evil spirit from the Lord troubled him. And Saul's servants said unto him, Behold now an evil spirit from God troubleth thee. Let our Lord now command thy servants which are before thee to seek out a man who is a cunning player on an harp and it shall come to pass when the evil spirit from God is upon thee that he shall play with his hand and thou shalt be well. And Saul said unto his servants, Provide me now a man that can play well and bring him to me. Then answered one of his servants and said, Behold I have seen a son of Jesse the Bethlehemite that is cunning in playing and a mighty valiant man and a man of war and prudent in matters and a comely person and the Lord is with him. Wherefore Saul sent messages unto Jesse and said, Send me David thy son which is with the sheep. And Jesse took an arse laden with bread and a bottle of wine and a kid and sent them by David his son unto Saul. And David came to Saul and stood before him and he loved him greatly and he became his armor bearer. And Saul sent to Jesse saying, Let David I pray thee stand before me for he hath found favor in my sight. And it came to pass when the evil spirit from God was upon Saul that David took an harp and played with his hand so Saul was refreshed and was well and the evil spirit departed from him. Let's pray. Heavenly Father Lord thanks so much Lord for another day that we can be in church, that we can be in your house that we can hear your word preached. Thanks so much that we have Pastor Kevin with us Lord that we can learn from your word. Thanks so much that we have a church that goes soloing regularly and is solid on doctrine. Lord thanks so much for the baptisms we have after the service. Let's pray that you'd allow things to all go well and smoothly in Jesus name. Amen. Amen. Alright good to be with you here on Sunday. We've been going through that Perfect Man series and I'm not going to stop. I think all these sermons are pretty important in order for you to just think about your life. There's a lot of influences in our life. A lot of people trying to tell us how to live and of course we have the Bible as well and you know because the Bible is like this single book, people have this idea that if we all become Christians and serve the Lord we're going to be identical, exactly the same. And one thing that I've been preaching through this Perfect Man. Perfect Man means not that you're without sin because we're going to sin until the day we die but Perfect Man means complete, whole, matured. Not remaining a child but have developed into an adult when it comes to the spiritual life. And the last few sermons I've been preaching through the institutions and it's such an important topic I think it is that we all belong in a family or we belong in a society, we belong in a workplace and sometimes we have authority, sometimes we're the ones that are subject to that authority and so sometimes I guess when I'm preaching on this issue you may sometimes be left with thinking that I'm just this cog in a machine. God's created these machines, these institutions and I've just got to figure out where I fit exactly and I'm just this cog in this machine. And while that is true to some extent you've got to figure out where you belong. At the same time I don't want you to think that you're just like any other cog. And the purpose of the sermon that I did on Thursday was to just highlight that God has made you powerful, God has given you if you're saved today, God has given you that inner man which is powerful and God can utilise to do some great things. At the same time you need to figure out where you belong but at the same time I don't want you to lose sight of yourself as an individual. If you look at 1 Samuel 16 this is when God has decided to appoint David as the next king. We've got King Saul on the scene and he sends Samuel to figure out who that man will be. Samuel knows that it's going to be one of the sons of Jesse and so Jesse, he asks Jesse if he can bring his children Jesse has a number of children he brings out who he believes the eldest children, he leaves the youngest which is David out looking after the sheep because in Jesse's mind he thinks it's surely not going to be David. When we decide who the king's going to be it's definitely going to be one of these older men. One of these older boys who are developed, they've got the big muscles they've got the maturity about them it can't be little David down there we'll just make sure, we need someone to take care of the sheep so we'll just leave David to take care of the sheep. And then we get to the passage here in 1 Samuel 16 verse 6 And it came to pass when they were come that he looked on Eliab and said, this is Samuel looking at him one of the sons, surely the Lord's anointed is before him. He sees son Eliab Jesse's son Eliab goes, surely this is the one, surely this is the Lord's anointed surely he stands before me right now. Now one of the things you need to understand the current king, King Saul who's gone wicked, who's gone far from the Lord but he was a very tall man he was definitely shoulders above most people in Israel and so I suppose from Samuel's perspective he expected, you know whoever this king's going to be he has to stand out physically as he just walks, surely everyone's just going to oh that's the king, because he's so tall or whatever physical you know not attraction, but whatever physical qualities he might have, you know, surely he's got to look kingly, and so Samuel's there looking on the outward, looking, surely this is Eliab the king to be, but then it says in verse number 7, and the Lord said unto Samuel, look not on his countenance because stop looking just on the outward, alright or on the height of his stature I guess he's one of the tallest ones there, alright because I have refused him, the Lord says he's not going to be the king for the Lord seeth not as man for man looketh on the outward appearance, but the Lord looketh on the heart look, you might feel that you're not much outwardly and look, if you feel that, actually you're wrong because God's created you to be who you are, okay but sometimes, you know, we live in a society that you know, we're constantly being challenged about our appearance, I mean not so much now, I could be wrong because I'm older now, I don't care anymore but I remember just in school, you know, being a child and you know, everyone just, they were not happy with the way they looked or they weren't happy yeah, just for who they were and it was always like, you know does this still happen, I don't know like the popular kids, and like the other kids kind of want to be like those popular kids I didn't want to be like the popular kids, I wanted to be like Michael Jordan, okay because Michael Jordan was good at basketball you know, he was a you know, he was a celebrity in the sense that he was I just loved the way he played basketball when I was a schoolgirl and that was my favourite sport and I just wanted to be like Mike I want to be, I want to be, I want to be like Mike Remember that song on the TV? Okay, I actually literally wanted to be like Mike because I liked basketball but I just remember just as a child everyone wanted, you know, there was always something that people did not like about themselves and you know, I'm on the shorter side of things and to be a professional basketball player you need to be at least twice my height to have any great success in the sport and you know, that was one of my shortcomings and as much as I like to practice and play ball you know, I had the limitations of my height I had other strengths but I had weaknesses as well and so, you know, being like Mike, that was the ideal scenario for me but you see the Lord doesn't look on the outward okay, the Lord looks on the inward you know, what are you like on the inward? What is it like in your heart? Do you have a heart for the Lord? Now look, this morning I'm kind of dressed up a little nicer than I normally am when I travel you know, I've got a tie on, I've got a jacket on a little bit of gel in my hair this morning do I not care about appearance whatsoever on the outward? Should we just not care whatsoever? Should we just come in our daggy, ripped clothing and who cares? No, we should come and be presentable don't forget we are ambassadors to Jesus Christ and I stand behind this pulpit preaching you God's word, I want to look professional I want you to at least realise hey, this pastor cared or the preacher cared enough to look appropriate and presentable behind the pulpit as he comes and preaches God's word you know, there's nothing wrong with having some element of care on the outward but you know, you need to understand that there is more to you than just the outward in fact, most of what you are, it takes place on the inward you know, this outward gets older this outward gets the wrinkles and gets sicknesses and gets defects and it's going to die one day, it's going to break apart but your soul and spirit is going to live forever and that is what the Lord is looking at the inward man within you now let's keep going, let's drop down to verse number 11 1 Samuel 16, verse number 11 And Samuel said unto Jesse I hear all thy children because it's like he goes one by one God says no, no, no, no I hear all thy children like he's kind of confused God said one of these guys is going to be the king and he said, there remaineth yet the youngest and behold he keepeth the sheep and Samuel said unto Jesse send and fetch him for we will not sit down till he come hither and he sent and brought him in now he was ruddy and with all of a beautiful countenance and goodly to look at and the Lord said arise, anoint him for this is he David also had a pleasant appearance about him on the outward, but you know he was the one that they all forgot about Jesse thought, surely not David and Samuel was, Eliab, surely not Eliab that's going to be the king and so David comes on the scene and the Lord says arise, anoint him for this is he see the Lord looks at the heart there was something about David, maybe he didn't have the bulging muscles and he didn't have the great heights of his brothers, maybe he wasn't fully developed at this stage in his life and he was humble enough to be obedient to dad he finds out that the prophet Samuel, the great prophet Samuel is coming to our house he's going to figure out who the king is and David's humble enough to go, I'll go look after the sheep dad if that's what you need me to do he's got a good heart, he's not this envious type person, in fact he doesn't even have this great desire to be the king he's quite content to be the shepherd and God chooses him and so the point of this sermon today, I'll give you the title right now it's to delight in your uniqueness you're all unique, you're all different and as I said to you on Thursday I would hate for you to try to be like Pastor Sepulveda I would hate for you to try to bring up your family like the Sepulvedas we're all unique, we're all different and as I've gotten older in my life, I've actually appreciated this more and more and more and I realised just how special everybody is and sometimes you learn this lesson young in life or you learn older I'll tell you when I really learnt it I learnt it when we had our third pregnancy with Christina and they were twins and the twins are born they're born on the same day, they're just a minute apart born on the same day same parents, same siblings they live in the same house, they have the same influences the same experiences and yet even from the very moment they were born, they were so different I'm not just talking physically different but just their personalities were different and as they grow up, one is more interested in these kind of games and one's interested in that and one prefers this kind of food and one prefers that and one's more outgoing and one's more a little bit quieter and one learns the lessons a lot quicker and one learns the lessons a lot slower and you know, they're just so different and yet they grew up in the same household how can it be? And it really dawned on me when we had the twins wow, God actually gives the personality God gives the personality and I'll just quickly read to you, this is Jeremiah chapter 1 verse 4 this is about the prophet Jeremiah it says, then the word of the Lord came unto me saying before I formed thee in the belly I knew thee you know, before you even existed as a little particle, God knew who you were He knew all about you already He says and before thou camest out of the womb I sanctified thee and I ordained thee to be a prophet unto the nations you see, even before Abraham sorry, Jeremiah came into existence, God says I know who you are and I know what your plan what my plan is for you, my plan for you is to be a prophet unto the nations and Jeremiah actually became that man he did become the prophet unto the nations you know, that was God's plan A for Jeremiah and he came to be and you know for all of us, God has a plan A you know, sometimes in life, and I won't go into this because this is on sermon, but sometimes in life we make major mistakes in life and we ruin plan A okay, but then when we ruin plan A, God has a plan B okay, and then we ruin plan B sometimes and God has a plan C and we ruin plan C sometimes and then God has a plan D, I'm not going to tell you that God has a plan Z for you, I have no idea okay, because I think I think you can get to a point where you ruin your life so badly that you're just not worth you know, you just can't be used any longer it's kind of like when Jesus Christ teaches that principle of the salt that has lost its savour that it cannot be seasoned again and it's not suitable for nothing but to be trotted on the foot of man doesn't mean you lose your salvation if you're saved, praise God, you can't but I guess you can get to a point where you ruin your life so bad that you know, it's just better that you just go to heaven because you're just not being profitable to God on this earth but you know, God has plans for us and you know, God knows even before you're formed in the belly even before, you know the seed meets the egg even before, you know, DNA is even a thing, God knows exactly who you are and so the reason I say that Brevin is because you are unique, you are different you know, don't try to pattern yourself after a pastor or a family or someone in church or a man and if people are trying to make you pattern themselves after their life look, they're doing you a disservice, I kind of covered this on Thursday it's just making you weaker you need to figure out who you are what God expects from you and figure out your plan because you're unique you're different, there's no one like you on this earth and the proof that there's no one like you on this earth are your fingerprints you know, all our fingerprints are different you know, all your toe prints are different, did you know that? each of your eye, the iris in your eye is different God's created you different to anybody that's ever existed on this earth okay, you are different just physically, and I say why do we need these differences? I don't really know why okay, so you can get caught if you did a crime I don't think so, that was the intention but I guess it's just a reminder that when we look at ourselves we realise, you know, God's made me unique there's only one Kevin Sapulveda there's only one Anthony Griffin there's only one Tim Foley, there's only one Les okay, there's only one, there's only one of us so why do we want to be like Mike? why do we want to be like whoever else that we wanted to be like? you know, you're very unique and you're very special and I want you to appreciate that about yourself you know, we all have different backgrounds we all have different ethnicities we all have different interests in fact, I prefer talking to people who have different interests to me honestly, I do because then I can learn something from you like, if you just have to be just like me and every single verse of this book you have to believe just like me what's the point of talking to you? we're on the same page about everything I like it when we just have different thoughts and different ideas, and you know, there are things in life that I actually enjoy today that I would not have enjoyed if I didn't talk to someone who found enjoyment in those things because it just enriches your life we have a different appearance we have different personalities and you know, one thing that I don't and I can't say that I never did this but one thing that I really strive never to do because I can be very sarcastic sometimes and I can hurt people's feelings and it's just, I don't know, it's one of my defects that I have but one thing that I refuse to do is to make fun of someone's like, natural physical appearance natural physical appearance ok, the natural physical appearance I'm not talking about someone that goes and destroys their body or that, you know, I don't know you know, gets themselves on drugs and shrivels up their body I'm talking about just your natural physical appearance you know, the colour of your skin or your height or your colour of hair or whether your hair is wavy or if your nose is a bigger one or a smaller one I have no desire to to laugh at that because that is God's creation like, if I were to make fun of someone's natural appearance I am making fun of how God made you to be, that is how God made you to be and we live in a society, well anyway when I was growing up, where it was trying to change you know, trying to change what you look like you know, Michael Jackson tried to change the colour of his skin I mean, what for? You know, that man obviously did not love what he looked like you know, a man who was successful in the eyes of the world a man who produced music that was appreciated by this world and you know, had great riches and great success, but he was not happy in his own skin I'm telling you brethren, you need to be happy rejoice in who God made you to be, you're unique so while I have been teaching where you belong in the machine you know, you're a cog in the machine whichever institution that is you're a unique cog, you can't be like any other cog in that machine you've got to learn how to delight in your uniqueness, that's the title of the sermon again to delight in your uniqueness if you come with me to Psalm 119 come with me to Psalm 119 Psalm 119 I'll read to you from Psalm 139 verse 13 which says, thou has possessed my reigns thou has covered me in my mother's womb I will praise thee and that's the next words brethren for I am fearfully and wonderfully made marvelous are thy works and that my soul knoweth right well brethren, can you say about your own self, marvelous are thy works you look at yourself and say, well Lord I'm a marvelous creation of you and you're not praising yourself, you're not lifting yourself up, you're just praising God for the work that he's done, to have given you life and made you who you are the psalmist says I am fearfully and wonderfully made that's who you are, you're fearfully and wonderfully made why would I want to change you then? why would I want you to be like me? or why would I want to be like you? why would I want to be like another pastor? a man who gets behind this pulpit we're all going to be different with the way we present God's word we all have different mannerisms and we have different expressions and we have different vocabularies and as long as we take God's word and do our best to teach what God says, brethren we need to rejoice in who you are I'm not saying we can't improve of course we can improve in certain elements of our life but God has made you to be who you are you know, your personality cannot change your personality cannot change okay but your character can change some of us have bad character, some of us have bad habits and the reason God has given us this book is to change those bad characteristics to change those bad habits to teach us to change from desire to walk in the flesh to walk in the new man, the inner man that God has given us you're there in Psalm 119 Psalm 119, verse number 73 it says, thy hands have made me and fashioned me wow, God has made you God's hands have made you I mean, you don't think about that we often despise this flesh because the reason we despise it is because we know the sin that is within us, that sin nature and that conflict that we have that is desires to be so selfish and against the things of God and sometimes we can beat down this flesh and I think it's fine because we're looking forward to the new resurrected body to come but don't forget, still within this flesh God has made you, has fashioned you give me understanding that I may learn thy commandments they that fear thee will be glad when they see me because I have hope in thy word I just want to read just a few passages to you about just how unique you are and so, don't hate what you look like you know, don't be like these people that go out there like, there was a time when surgery and hospitals were for the sick like, for you, you know, man, I've broken my arm or, you know, my body's breaking down and the doctor believes they can fix this or whatever it is, but people are just fixing going to surgery just to change their appearance I don't like my nose, so I'll change my nose I don't like my lips, so these, you know these ladies with these duck-billed lips you know, and the selfies look at me I don't know about you, I find it so ugly I find it so ugly, brethren you know, and all the Hollywood stars and their, you know cosme- what do they do? you know, the plastics I don't know if they use plastic, anyway, they look like plastic they look like plastic, right? and again, you look at these people and you go but surely, you must, you should be the happiest you've got, you know you're celebrities and you've got money and you've been successful, as it were, but they're just not happy in their skin, I want you to be happy in your skin I want you to be happy with the person that God has made you and so, the world shoves down our throats to be unhappy you know, you see I remember going to school and the girls who did the girls like? In my time, anyway the girls liked the Backstreet Boys alright? And it's like, well then do I have to, like, do I have to sing like the Backstreet Boys? What's a song? Does anyone know? Alright, do I have to sing like that? and dress like that? Do I need to dress like that so I can find a future wife one day and so, you know, there's all these insecurities that come, and then I remember some of the guys would come to school and they would laminate their exercise books with supermodels, and then the girls are looking at that and you can see that they're not comfortable in their skin, this is the world we live in though, like, nobody's happy, no one's you know, it's just, we're being like this society's just throwing down our throats that are so insignificant and that we're nothing but brethren, that is the furthest from the truth you've been created by God, you're fearfully and wonderfully made and so, appreciate who you are there's no one like you on this earth there's no one like you on this earth come with me to Galatians 5, Galatians 5, 19 we know who Brett used to listen to when he was younger someone go to his house and clear out his music please Galatians 5, 19 Galatians 5, 19, I just want you to notice something here Galatians 5, 19, now the works of the flesh so these are not good works, these are not righteous works, these are works that are sinful actually the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these? Adultery, you wouldn't argue about that fornication, uncleanness lasciviousness idolatry, witchcraft, hatred variants, emulations emulations when you try to imitate or emulate, emulation means basically trying to be like another, trying to imitate or even surpass another that is emulation, that's actually a work of the flesh, named amongst adultery and fornication and all these other wicked sins there so, I don't know if what your hearts are like, we have young people in this church and I know what young people are like and the influences that fall upon you from this world and you're going to have desire sometimes and maybe you already have, I wish I was someone else I wish I was more like Mike, I wish I was more like whatever the Backstreet Boys, I wish I was more like that supermodel but that is a wicked work of the flesh, that is a sinful attitude I want you to appreciate who you are you know the Bible says in Exodus 2017 one of the Ten Commandments thou shalt not covet thy neighbor's house thou shalt not covet thy neighbor's wife nor his manservant, nor his maidservant, nor his ox nor his ass, nor anything that is thy neighbor's, nor anything that is thy neighbor's you look at someone else I wish I was more like them I wish my wife was more like his wife I wish my house was more like that I wish I had his house, I wish I had his wife and that's a wrong attitude it's one of the Ten Commandments this is a commandment that is written in your heart not to be this way so the perfect man we want to be perfect, we want to mature and grow then you need to appreciate who you are be thankful for who you are we saw earlier that God brought us in our mother's womb you know what that tells me? that even if a baby is born with some type of defect that he's been created exactly how God wanted him to be and if a baby has Down syndrome or something along these lines what does this medical world want you to do? kill it murder that child, abort that child now because it's going to make your life harder that's exactly how God wanted that child to be and we're going through that right now it's just because of my wife's age being over 40 they say it's a high risk that the pregnancy is a Down syndrome child who cares? who cares if it's a Down syndrome? I don't care if that's how it is then that's how the Lord's created him to be fearfully and wonderfully made do we believe it? I believe it and you know it's just the truth if a child is born with a defect sometimes people say well as long as the baby's healthy what if the baby's not healthy? still fearfully and wonderfully made God still has a plan for that child doesn't matter and we need to just understand that why the defects it's because we live in a sin-cursed world because we're sinners because our bodies are breaking down because we have genetic defects and these genetic defects just remind us that hey we're sinners and we need a saviour this world is breaking down and one day God promises us new bodies a new heaven, a new earth come with me to 1 Corinthians 11 if you know me as a pastor you know that I'm uncomfortable with praise if people say nice things about me or we like this about your pastor, we like your family we like your preaching thanks guys I appreciate your feedback I do appreciate it but it makes me uncomfortable because I know I'm a sinner I know I'm just another man and if not for the Lord I can not stand behind this pulpit and teach you guys God's word I'm just like anybody else and the Bible speaks of this and I want because sometimes we're in a Baptist church within the IFB sometimes there can be pastor worship where you just elevate a pastor just way above his station and we need to be careful of these things the Bible says in 1 Corinthians did I say 1 Corinthians? 1 Corinthians 11, look at verse number 1 let's just get a balance of these things Paul says to the church be ye followers of me even as I also am of Christ so is it okay to follow a man? there's nothing wrong with that in fact I have again the authority in this church I told you guys we're going to have services at 10am and you guys have followed a man and you've come here but the point is we're following Christ we're looking at Christ and saying Christ you're the standard you're the one we're working towards not to be like Paul or a man but to be just led it's good to have leaders it's good to have a good example but the point is that our eyes will be upon Jesus Christ teams need captains but the reason I say that brethren is because I know I'm going to fail you I know one day I'm going to say something that upsets you you're going to get upset with me I hope not, but I know life that's what life is I've never had a friend where we've not had an argument not about you but it happens but when that happens brethren it's not about me I want your eyes to be on Christ and I learnt this the hard way myself because my first IFB pastor I idolized him I loved him, I appreciated everything I got taught great truths and I thought wow what a man and how God is using this great man and then he fails and he didn't fail me necessarily but he failed his ministry and I was heartbroken and I was in shock I said how can this man that I thought was so great fail so I'm going to commit adultery on his wife and I was like how? How can it be? and for a while I was just so downcast and shocked and I was shocked like you know when someone has a car accident or something major trauma happens and people are in shock I was like that, like in shock and I just didn't know what I had to think and it took me about two weeks and then I realized hold on I've had it all wrong this whole time if I'm going to appreciate this man who was my pastor who taught me great things he taught me to look on Christ he taught me that man fails and so I'm getting this all wrong instead of just having my eyes on a man or hoping to be like a man I need to make sure my eyes are on Christ and then nothing matters and I expect people to fail because we're sinners but when someone fails it's not going to hurt my faith anymore because my faith is on Christ it's always been on Christ but is there anything wrong with having leaders? nothing wrong with having leaders that we can follow but that 1 Corinthians 11 verse 1 I'm going to read it to you now, look at it again I'm going to read it to you from a modern version the ESV, the English Standard Version which says be imitators of me as I am of Christ Paul says I'm imitating Christ so you imitate me what? there's a big difference between following and being an imitator the Bible says that works of the flesh is an emulation that's imitation, that's exactly what it means it's a work of the flesh you better have the right Bible the English Standard Version is going to tell you to be an imitator meaning, don't be happy with who you are try to be more like this man try to be more like Paul Ephesians 5.1 says be ye therefore followers of God as their children that's Ephesians 5.1 but the ESV says therefore be imitators of God as beloved children imitate God, what? how can I imitate God? what in the world? do I have to go and create a world or something like this? create a universe? do I have to go and die for someone's sins? you know, because that's what God did for us no, we're not imitating in fact, we spoke about celebrities you know, the most famous celebrities in the world are actors they're professional imitators professional imitators and these people are not happy in their own skin so they're on drugs and alcohol and they're always in rehab and they've had five divorces and five remarriages and they're just, they're not content in life they can be in suicide early in life you know, then you have celebrities that come on the news, right? and they're like, they're given their political opinions and how to fix the world how can I trust anything you're saying? you're an imitator, you're an actor you're a professional imitator I don't know what you're saying, is it really coming from your heart or not? and Hollywood is just Hollywood is just a cesspool of I don't even know what to say give me a word a cesspool of Jews or that too but a cesspool of wickedness of filth filth, wickedness, amen but this is where the imitating lifestyle, this is where it leads down this spiral of acting, of not being who you are but that's what the world likes the world wants people to desire to be like something else but brethren, not in us not within us you know, the Bible says in 1 Peter 2.21 you see, when you read your Bible and you see the stories of Christ, he's given us an example to walk after his steps I'm not saying that you're going to get there one day and raise someone from the dead but the way Christ taught the things that he taught pointing people to the Lord God and salvation and the good example that he was to the people around him, brethren we need to be more like Christ so I want to make sure that when you seek self-improvement that you're not looking at some other man or some other lady, another woman or another family, that you set your eyes on Christ and say, Lord, I want to be more like you if I'm going to be that perfect man then it's got to happen in Christ Jesus again, on Thursday, you've given me that power within me, the new man the Holy Spirit of God that lives within me Lord, you've given me this power and strength help me to walk in the Spirit and help me to be more like Jesus Christ so important seek self-improvement don't seek imitation because imitation does not improve your life it's just pretending for a while but seek self-improvement don't forget this is a big book, it's not just salvation it's about fixing your character fixing your outlook, fixing your judgments to be more like Christ-like and at the same time I don't want you to take the extreme view of, well, I'm unique, God has created me to be just how I am and you've got these bad habits about you or, well, I'm not going to change for anybody whoever I find to get married she's just going to accept me for who I am yeah, that's fine she's falling in love with your personality but you probably have bad character traits change them, fix them figure out the things that hurt your marriage or hurt your relationships and improve on those things be more Christ-like in those areas but you can't change who you are though your personality, that cannot change and people get confused between personality and character your personality, again, cannot change your character can, okay in fact, it is the responsibility of the parents so when they raise their children to instruct them to have good character to have good character traits to take away the bad habits and the selfishness that they have within them but many times, children don't learn these things and they become adults with bad character traits and maybe that's some of you, I don't know well, you need to then change those things about you and be more like Christ can you come with me to 1 Peter 3 1 Peter 3 1 Peter 3 1 Peter 3 verse 3 this one's for the ladies, 1 Peter 3 verse 3 it says who's adorning so ladies, how are you going to adorn yourself how are you going to beautify yourself how are you going to beautify yourself it says who's adorning, let it not be that outward adorning of plating the hair and of wearing of gold or of putting on of apparel I'll just stop there, because I don't want you guys to have a misunderstanding of what this is saying this is not saying never plate your hair this is not saying don't wear gold okay, because some people read that and they're like, oh, then I'm not going to wear any jewellery you've missed the point, because then it says or of putting on of apparel so it's not saying don't put on any clothes you have to put on clothes it's not saying don't do any of these things but that your adorning ought not to be focused on these things rather, in verse 4 it says but let it be the hidden man of the heart what does God look upon? the outward adorning not the heart let it be the hidden man the hidden man of the heart in that which is not corruptible even the ornament of a meek and quiet spirit which is in the sight of God of great price some ladies spend a lot of money on their clothing, on their hair a lot of money on their jewellery but you know what is of great price in the eyes of God? that hidden man of the heart the spiritual inner man that you have within you the one that causes you to feel when you're in the flesh and you're argumentative and that inner man within you says why am I doing that? I'm a child of God, why should I care about these silly things and it is that new man that God has asked you to walk in that meek and quiet spirit which is in the sight of God of great price again, nothing wrong with these things fixing your hair, putting on jewellery putting on clothes, there's nothing sinful but ladies, your focus and attention should be on the inner man or the inner woman that God has given you and I want to quickly read to you a very familiar passage, Matthew 6 26 these are the words of Jesus Christ behold the fowls of the air that's the birds, for they sow not neither do they reap nor gather into barns yet your heavenly Father feedeth them are ye not much better than they? I kind of like animals I generally like animals, I'm not really a pet person my kids are a little bit more than me but I appreciate animals and God says that we're better we're more than animals God views us of a greater value than that and then he says in verse number 27 which of you by taking thoughts can add one cubit unto his stature? certain people don't like things about themselves and I'll be honest, when I was a teenager I wished I was taller why? because I wanted to play basketball I wanted to become really good a professional ideally if that could happen but when you're lacking in height you just can't play that sport well it says there which of you by taking thoughts can add one cubit unto his stature? God is saying why are you spending your time thinking about these things? why give your thought to things you can't change? you can't change your height it's in your DNA, so be it and that was for me maybe for you it's something else that you have about yourself that you don't appreciate why give it any thought? you can't change it you're more valuable than any animal God has created you God has made you unique God has made you special and if you're saved, God has given you salvation he's given you that inner man the power by which you are to walk by the spirit of God you're unique, you're special I appreciate each one of you when you're different you're going to get along with some people more than others it's just life but if I get along with one person in this church more than another person I don't want you to think that I don't like you or you're not special because in God's eyes especially if you're saved you have that inner man that is to God a great price great value and you're unique and you're special and there's no one on the earth like you so stop beating yourself up and wishing you were more like so and so God's made you exactly how you are and how you're meant to be God has a plan A for your life seek out that plan A if you've met that plan A seek out plan B, do what you can with God's help come with me to Isaiah 53 Isaiah 53 Isaiah 53 please I want to show you just how important the outward beauty is to God Isaiah 53 verse 1 Isaiah 53 verse number 1 verse number 1 is a very familiar passage who have believed our reports and to whom is the arm of the Lord revealed we know that in the New Testament this verse is taken to speak of preaching the gospel we're given the report of the Lord God who has believed our report, we're going out there trying to be a witness, report of what Christ has done seeking people to believe on that but then it says in verse number 2 it says, speaking of Jesus Christ by the way for he shall grow up before him as a tender plant and as a root out of a dry ground he have no form nor comeliness the word comeliness means beauty he have no form nor comeliness you know when Christ walked there was nothing beautiful about him on the outward when he was on the earth 2,000 years ago he looked just like any other Jewish man walking the surf if you live in that time and you just happen to walk past Christ and he's just making his way not teaching, not preaching, not performing any works just walking, you would have no idea that you just walked past God you have no idea it says he have no form nor comeliness and when we shall see him there is no beauty that we should desire him how many churches and how many artists portray Jesus with long flowing blonde hair and blue eyes and a halo on his head and they try to beautify his outward the Bible says he had no beauty, no comeliness okay, that's how important beauty and outward appearance is to God God, doesn't matter you know God wanted people to believe on Christ for his words and for his work and for his sacrifice not for his outward beauty I just want to show you that because why do we try so hard try to be like other people try to, you know, ladies try to, I don't know I'm not saying ladies in church, maybe you don't care praise God if you don't care that much praise God if you're just seeking the inner beauty that you have within your heart but so many ladies in society even men now, effeminate men aren't they you know, who pluck their eyebrows and try to do all kinds of weird things why would Jesus Christ have no beauty he didn't care about that I'm sure Jesus Christ was not looking like a slob either in fact we know that he wore some really nice clothes because when he was crucified one of the soldiers cast lots to decide who was going to take his garments he looked presentable he looked tidy, he was neat and tidy Jesus Christ, when he walked this earth but he wasn't focused on his outward appearance and brethren, it's the same for us you know, life is a vapour it's here today, it's gone tomorrow what are you going to focus your attention on are you going to focus on the outward or are you going to focus on the inward are you going to try to impress people by your outward appearance or your I don't know, your what's the word I'm looking for, your charisma or are you going to focus on people just giving people the plain gospel the words of God, which is actually where people get saved, right? Faith cometh by hearing and hearing by the word of God not by your commonness but by the word of God come with me to Luke 5 Luke 5, 27 Luke 5, 27 now I mentioned that we are, we're all different we have different interests we have different occupations we have all different levels of education some people are more academic than others alright and again, when I look at my twins I can see that one's more academic than the other you know, one learns by theory one learns by practice one has to put his hands on something to learn, the other can read a book and learn it, different and you know the Lord wants you to serve him regardless of who you are, regardless of your education regardless of your ability of how you learn and I want to just show you this because when Christ chose his apostles look at Luke 5, 27 Luke 5, 27 and after these things he went forth and saw a publican a publican is a public worker like a government worker sorry, it says publican this specific publican is a tax collector and saw a publican named Levi sitting at the receipt of custom and he said unto him, follow me and he left all, rose up and followed him look Levi, or Matthew he was a tax collector he was a white collar worker he sat there on a table he was a paper pusher and he collected people's taxes people did not like the publicans back in those days because many of them were thieves and they took more it's nothing different really today the government takes more than what is right it's pretty much the same some level of education a white collar worker Christ finds him is Christ focused on the job that he's doing? no, he sees what the inner man of the heart Christ sees the heart Levi was a good man he was definitely saved by this point and Christ is following me I'm going to go follow Christ I'm going to go serve the Lord of my life can we meet in Matthew 4 Matthew 4, verse 18 verse 18 you say, pastor, that's not really me I'm not a white collar worker I'm not good with numbers maybe Matthew was helpful with collecting the offering that was given to the work of the ministry there maybe that's why he was utilized but Matthew 4, verse 18 so we're reading the book of Matthew who was Levi, the tax collector this is what Matthew writes in his Gospel book it says, and Jesus walking by the sea of Galilee saw two brethren Simon called Peter and Andrew his brother casting a net into the sea for they were fishers and he said unto them, follow me and I will make you fishers of men and they straightway left their nets and followed him they're just blue collar entry level low education level workers they just catch fish what does Christ see? their hearts they're believers of Christ they have the new man within them they're not educated men in fact, I know Peter's definitely not educated he's a bit rough around the edges when you read about him in the story, right? and he's obviously very different to Levi very different to Matthew but the Lord says, hey, follow me and they follow him so does God care? does Jesus care about what your education levels are? or what your occupation is? man cares for some reason, man looks you've got this education pastor, did you graduate from Bible college? no, some people don't like me because I'm not a graduate of Bible college that's what man cares about God looks at the heart God looks at the heart and it doesn't matter what you've done in life no matter what your experience is we're all called to follow Christ we're all called to serve him and you've got to figure out what that is I can see the use of Simon and Andrew I can see them I can see the hard days of ministry of going near the sea and catching some fish to have something to eat I can see the benefit of Matthew using his skills to count the offering to allocate and to budget and be careful with what is given in their work of the ministry to make sure they've got what they need and I'll just quickly read to you from Colossians 4.14 this isn't one of the disciples, but this is about Luke Luke wrote one of the gospels as well but it says, Luke, the beloved physician Luke was a very well-educated man he was a very well-educated man he was a doctor, as it were people would come to him when they had physical ailments they'd come to Luke even a man like that can serve the Lord can do great things so don't have this attitude where you look down on people or you elevate people because of their education or their experiences God is not a respecter of persons why should you be a respecter of persons? God sees the inner man how's your inner man today? How's your heart today? Do you love the Lord today? Do you want to serve him today? That's what God cares about I think God really cares about this suit and this tie if my heart right now is not right with him Do you think God cares about that? No, of course not and men, when you get up to preach, by the way and you put on a nice tie and you put on a nice shirt make sure the outward matches the inward don't look just presentable on the outward what's your inward look like? because you're getting up behind the pulpit you better have a clean heart you've got to have a clear conscience before the Lord you better make sure you've studied and what you're saying is correct be humble and lower yourself and understand that God is looking not just on what you're doing on the outward but what's taking place on the inward come with me to 1 Corinthians 12 1 Corinthians 12 1 Corinthians 12, verse 14 1 Corinthians 12, verse 14 verse 14 says for the body is not one member but many the body there is referring to the body of Christ or the church this church here, blessed by the church, this is a body this is the body of Christ this morning it says it is not one member it is not just pastor Sepulveda it's not just brother Matthew it's not just sister Carol it's not just one, but many there's many of us we all look different praise God I'd be worried if you're all wearing brown shirts and black ties and we've got the same pants and the same shoes and the same haircuts I'd be like, oh man, I've failed we've made a cult we're many verse 15 if the foot shall say because I am not the hand I am not of the body I am therefore not of the body the foot might look at the hand and go I wish I was more like the hand the foot it steps on the dirty floor there's a stench that comes from wearing socks and shoes maybe it was just better if I was the hand because the foot's not the hand is it not part of the body? just because you're not like someone else in church does that mean you're not part of the body? does that mean you're not important? verse 16 and if the ear shall say because I am not the eye I am not of the body it is therefore not of the body if the whole body were an eye where were they here in? if the whole were here in where were they smelling? look, if we just all wanted to be let's say I'm the mouth because I'm preaching right now it's everyone at church let's be like Pastor Sepulveda let's all be the mouth well great we've got a mouth but we've got no legs to take the body out to preach the gospel it's only going to reach these full walls and that's it what's the point of being the same? we can't function as a full body we have different parts of our body so we can be functional if we have someone in our church that gets upset and they leave our church they may have been the foot of our church and we can still survive, we can still operate but we're going to be walking with a limp if someone is the ear of our church and they leave our church we can still function but we won't be able to hear very well be partly deaf Brevin you're all important in this body all of you whether you get behind this pulpit or whether you do something secret and behind the scenes and no one knows you're important if you just sit here this morning and that's all you're able to do right now you're encouragement to me you know if you just say hello, good morning brother good morning sister God bless you, praying for you this week brother or sister it's not much, isn't that important though? how many times have I gone to church a little downcast and then someone just greeted me at the door good to see you brother I've been praying for you this week and all of a sudden I mean literally two seconds I haven't even been able to sing a song I haven't even heard the preaching yet but the Lord's already done our work you know because we're one body we're here to support and to love and appreciate each other and we're all unique verse number 18 look at this you know all of you are here because it pleases God God has set you here this morning to be in church it wasn't your decision, God put you here okay and it's pleased him verse number 19 and if they were all one member, where were the body but now are they many members yet but one body and the eye cannot say unto the hand I have no need of thee nor again the head to the feet I have no need of you I can't say that to anyone of you here that I have no need of you, get out of church there's no point of you being here if you leave, it's not the same if you decide not to be in church this morning, it's not the same without you please strive to be in the house of God as much as you can I know some of you guys travel very far and for that I appreciate you and some of you can't make the midweek services and things like that and I fully understand but when church is on and if you're able to be here you're important without you we can't function we can't function as well as we could if we had you on board this is a life lesson that I learnt I really liked basketball I mentioned it already and I would practice every single day I'd come home from school and for the next two or three hours I'd just be shooting hoops in my backyard that's all I'd be doing I'd rather do that than do my homework and my dad instead of getting us a basketball hoop which is kind of wide, he got us a netball hoop which is a lot smaller so I'd be practicing on that netball hoop over and over again and you needed much better aim so I got really good at shooting I wasn't very tall I couldn't collect the rebounds very well I couldn't necessarily block someone's shot but I could definitely shoot that was one of my strengths and I'd practice and practice and practice hours and hours and then I'd play not just every lunchtime and every recess at school but even after school I'd even find strangers playing basketball down the road and I'd just try to get into the game and sometimes I'd play competition as well with my friends and there was a lesson that I learned one day when we were playing a competitive game and the team we were playing against I almost feel like they were almost there to be professionals this team was extremely tall extremely powerful you can tell they don't just play but they train probably every day and we were playing this competition and I started on the bench I didn't start on the team, I was on the bench and we were getting wiped out after a minute or two and so I get on the field and as I mentioned this I can't do it anymore I've gone out there and tried to shoot I can't do it, it's just air balls it just doesn't happen and I got on the field and I guess people didn't think much of me because I'm a shorter height but I knocked down those shots and I got us like ten or basically all my shots just bang bang bang just kept getting them in and I remember thinking I remember thinking man if this team was just more like me like instead of it being my friend, that friend if this team was just Kevin Sapulveda there Sapulveda, Sapulveda, Sapulveda, Kevin Sapulveda surely then we would just smash this team surely then we'll be the best team and we'll play so well I remember just having this prideful attitude and I'm not saying like look how good I'm saying actually that was a prideful attitude it's not right and I remember just getting my team to go we should not be losing this like if we just shoot we should shoot and pass and if you just play I didn't say these words but in my head if you just played more like me we'll win this thing we can take on these people who cares how big they are you know and then after time out the opposing team's coach we didn't have a coach they were all professional right the opposing team coach gets a new player on the field but that new player he did not touch the ball all that guy had to do was just stay on me like a bad smell like this fly that you're trying to swat away and you just never can get him away and that was his job just to stay on me and just stop me and this player's bigger than me this player is faster than me I try to get the ball, he gets the ball off me I try to run down, he runs faster than me I can't play anymore because this guy is just all over me he doesn't care about getting the ball that's not his job, his job is just to stop me completely and brethren then I could no longer play I was completely gone I was completely destroyed and then it dawned on me actually not yet, it didn't dawn on me just yet but I realised boy, you know if this team was all Kevin Sepulveda's we'd be completely wiped out because all this coach has to do is bring on another player, changes tactics and we're destroyed and I realised I'm not that good as I thought I was like if I'm being specifically targeted I'm not a team player I realised I'm this individual thinking how good are you and not appreciating my team for the strengths they brought to the game and I can't remember if it was straight after this game my memory is a bit vague because it was like when I was 18 or 19 I don't know if it was this game or another game but I had someone come up to me I think it was the coach and goes look, you're a good player but you don't appreciate your team you can play well but you don't appreciate the others that you've got on your team with you and for me, I realised wow, it's true you know, I'm so prideful and I obviously enjoyed the game but I just thought man, why can't they all be more like me and I realised if everyone was just like me none of us would ever get the ball none of us would ever be successful because all they have to do is change their tactics target my weaknesses and we would fail immediately and so to me this became this life lesson it's like a shock to the system it became this life lesson and I realised I've got to appreciate the people that God put around me and I've got to appreciate my team mates yeah, they can't shoot as well as me but they can take the rebounds or this guy can run faster or this guy can block shots and we need to learn how to work together because working together can make us more effective and so I took that lesson and then I realised when I come to church that we are a team we are not just a team, but we're a body we're the body of Christ we have different strengths and weaknesses and see, I can sit I can sit in any church service and as long as I can hear truth being preached I can appreciate it I'm not like, I just kind of wish he was a bit more like me when he preaches, or I wish he preached a bit more like that or I wish this person sang a little bit stronger or a bit louder and realised we're all different and I can appreciate that I really can when I look at each one of you at church this morning I truly, if I think about each one of you specifically there's something about you that I love and I do love each one of you, I appreciate each one of you because you're all special, you're all different you're God's creation, you're his handiwork and you're not going to be like me and I'm not going to be like you and that's fine, that's good if that's good actually, because we can't all be the mouth we can't all be the ear, we can't all be the eye we all are different parts that make up this one body and so when I learnt this lesson I was also able to then go to work and sometimes in work you work with a team you know, like a team and I learnt to appreciate my team everyone's got different strengths and weaknesses and there was one employee at one time that wasn't as effective yet they got the job done, but they weren't as effective as some of us, but I realised this person actually brings a lot of joy to the team like this person actually lifts the spirit like they're not as productive on the job, but somehow when they're around, work is a lot more fun a lot more enjoyable when they're not around and when work is more enjoyable we actually become more productive and so everyone plays a part even though they might have different strengths and weaknesses so all I'm saying to you brethren appreciate who you are, but also appreciate each person that God has put around you appreciate your family, they're not all going to be the same and as much as I try to raise my kids to have my values and my thoughts and my ideas, still at some point when they become teenagers and come older they're going to have their own thoughts I can't think they're going to be little Kevin or little Christina, they're going to be different they're all different, they all think differently they all behave differently, as long as we again, line ourselves up with God's word and know what God expects from us alright, I'm almost done come with me to come with me to, where can we go? alright, let's go to 1 Peter 4 1 Peter 4 while you turn to 1 Peter 4 I'll read to you from Acts 10 Acts 10 verse number 34 Acts 10 34 says Then Peter opened his mouth and said of a truth, I perceive that God is no respecter of persons whatever your strengths are maybe you are beautiful with the appearance maybe you are muscular and strong there might be certain strengths that God has about you, but I want you to understand it says that God is no respecter of persons, verse number 35 says this but in every nation, he that fear of him and work of righteousness is accepted with him what does God accept? You've got to fear the Lord have a humility about you say Lord, you're above all things and Lord I'm a sinner and I don't always do things right but help me Lord help me to work righteousness that person is accepted with him that's who God likes that's who God wants to hang around with 1 Peter chapter 4 is that where you are? Verse number 10 we'll end on this one this is the other thing I want you to notice as every man every man has received the gift okay each of us have been given at least a gift you're all gifted in different places yes you are gifted you all have different strengths okay, yet you have something that you can bring to the table and if you don't know what it is, you've just got to figure out what it is because the Bible says you have received, every man has received the gift but for what purpose? even so minister, the same that's the same gift, one to another the reason God has given us gifts is that we can minister we can serve one another what is it that you can do so well? what are you good at? figure out a way that you can then serve the brethren in the church with what God has given you it says as good stewards of the manifold grace of God look at verse number 11, this is for the preachers if any man speak let him speak as the oracles of God preachers, when you get behind this pulpit speak the oracles, the wisdom, the teachings of God not your own wisdom it's as if any man minister let him do it as of the ability which God giveth see, some people have a greater ability than others am I going to tear you down because your ability is less? we have different abilities okay figure out how you can serve the Lord with what ability you've given been given by God and look at this, this is why this is so important, the next part is so important sometimes when we're given too many gifts or too many abilities, it's easy for man to boast oh, I'm such a great preacher oh man did you guys know I travelled all the way from Sunshine Coast last night? please pat me on the back and reward me, brethren, please no, please, no I would hate that man, I would hate that alright we've got different abilities, different things that we can do okay but this is why God has given us these abilities that God in all things may be glorified through Jesus Christ it's not to glorify man look how good this man is to glorify the Lord through Jesus Christ to whom be praise and dominion forever and ever amen so, I want to leave you with that one okay, so, we're all different God has given us these abilities and those abilities are given so we can serve one another so we can be part of a church that we can glorify God glorify his Christ okay, and not to glorify man and if you aren't doing anything for the Lord ask yourself, what can you do? God has given you a gift ask yourself, how can you serve the brethren ask yourself, how can I serve the church I don't have the answer, like if you come up to me and say pastor, how can I serve, I don't always know because I don't know what your gift is, I don't know what your ability is you know, there might be things in church that can be done but I can't do it, I don't know I can't think about it, I might be the mouth but I'm not the ear, and you probably see things or you see something that can be done well, I might not be the eye, you might be the eye and we need to work together and support one another and love one another, appreciate one another because God has made you unique the title for the sermon was delight in your uniqueness thank God for creating you with your strengths, your weaknesses your personality, and your appearance don't desire to be like another person and be willing to change you know, your bad characteristics your bad habits you know, the things that do not align yourself with God's word be willing to change conforming yourself to not a man but to conforming yourself to Jesus Christ okay, let's pray Heavenly Father, once again Lord I thank you for the ability to be in the house of the Lord this morning thank you for the brethren, brothers and sisters in the Lord thank you for making us a body the body of Christ here and Lord I pray that you'd be glorified, you'd be honoured Lord I want to thank you so much for creation thank you for giving us these bodies Lord even the things that we struggle with that we don't like about ourselves help us to like it Lord, because you've given it to us and Lord if you've given us everything Lord if you gave us wealth and beauty and an easy life, we know we would become rebellious people, people that would not seek you so Lord I thank you for even the weaknesses that you've given us, that have led us to you thank you so much for Jesus Christ and salvation we pray these things in Jesus' name Amen Hymn number seven please Hymn number seven let's sing I gave my life for thee Hymn number seven, I gave my life for thee What hast thou given to him? Hymn number seven I gave my life for thee Hymn number seven Hymn number seven Hymn number seven Hymn number seven I gave my life for thee Hymn number seven My precious blood Hymn number seven I shed Hymn number seven That thou mightst ransom be Hymn number seven And quickered from the dead Hymn number seven I gave my life for thee Hymn number seven What hast thou given for me? Hymn number seven I gave, I gave my life for thee Hymn number seven What hast thou given for me? Hymn number seven My father's house of light Hymn number seven My glory's circled throne Hymn number seven I left for earthly night Hymn number seven That alone I left, I left it all for thee Hast thou left thought for me? I left, I left it all for thee Hast thou left thought for me? I suffered much for thee More than thy throng can tell Of citrus agony To rescue thee from hell I've borne, I've borne it all for thee What hast thou borne for me? I've borne, I've borne it all for thee What hast thou borne for me? And I have brought to thee Down from my home above Salvation full and free In my pardon and my love I bring, I bring rich gifts to thee What hast thou brought to me? I bring, I bring rich gifts to thee What hast thou brought to me? Alright, great singing. So, announcements. Are there any birthdays this week? Who's got a birthday? Anyone? No? Any wedding anniversaries? No. Alright. Well, don't forget that straight off the surface today we've got full baptisms. Good to see you, Sabi Raj. So, Sabi Raj and Robert and Ooh Shania Yeah, Shania. I'm sorry. My first time meeting her this morning and usually I remember her name and I can see her face as well. Shania or Robert and Shania. So, I've got full baptisms. Does anyone else need to get baptised? Because if you do, I'm more than happy to baptise you. So, I don't have a towel. Who cares? I actually forgot to bring a change of clothes. I forgot to bring a towel. Who cares? We'll get out there, right? We'll do the baptisms. So, it's at the usual place in Chippie Norton. So, if you need the address, let me know. I'll send it to you. It's only ten minutes from here. Just be careful as well when you drive out there. Brother Daniel's told me that there's a mobile, he told me a while ago though, there's a mobile camera. Like a mobile camera. So, if you're holding your phone, you'll get copped to like a $600 fine or something crazy like that. I don't know if it's still out there or not, but, you know, be careful. Be careful when you're driving out that direction in Chippie Norton. And then afterwards, if you guys want to hang around. My flight is, my flight is around 6 o'clock, 6pm, something like that. So, if you guys want to hang around and have some fellowship or whatever like that, you know, let me know if you guys want to have a chat with me about anything. I'm free for a few hours before I have to go to the airport. And if anyone's willing to take me to the airport later on, let me know. Okay, let me know. All right, I think those are the key announcements. Yeah, I think that's it for now. Also, the week of...