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169. I've never really preached on this issue so much but it's come thou founts and in 169 look at stanza number two it says here I raise mine Ebenezer here though by thy help I'm come. Now I'm not sure if everybody's really aware of that word Ebenezer but you can tell by the following phrase what it kind of means here I raise mine Ebenezer here though by thy help I'm come. Ebenezer has something to do with the help of the Lord doesn't it? It's one of my favorite hymns that we sing and if you've got your Bible there it'll go back to 1st Samuel chapter 7 look at verse number 12 1st Samuel chapter 7 verse number 12 it says then Samuel took a stone and set it between Mizpah and Shen and called the name of it Ebenezer saying hitherto have the Lord helped us. Alright so you can see once again the help there is mentioned there in verse number 12 the title for the sermon tonight is Ebenezer the Lord helped us Ebenezer the Lord helped us now if you just do a quick Google definition for the word Ebenezer it'll come up something like the stone of help something like that something about the stone it's got to do the stone that Samuel set up this stone was a memorial so that when the Israelites would look upon that stone they'll remember that it's God that has helped us it's God that has helped us and it's God that will continue to help us in the future and that's the whole point it's about the Lord helping us and and so I wanted to look back at you know 2024 and you know we've achieved some amazing things in 2024 I'm like when I look back I just can't believe we've done so much in the year that has passed and we're going to talk about that in a moment and you know it's so interesting because Blessed are Baptist Church isn't the largest church did you know that and either is New Life Baptist Church and the Lord has allowed us source a minister to crown Baptist Church and that is definitely not one of the largest churches and yet we've done so much in the past year and you know it's good to reflect back and to rejoice and to thank God and to praise God but we need to remember that it's the Lord that has helped us it's by his strength it's by his spirit it's by his power that we can do anything as a people of God and I also want to stop and just say thank you to this church I want to thank the the men who get up to preach on a regular basis brother ash brother Rams you know brother Matthew brother Tim brother Anthony you know these men who rotate and are willing to give of their time away from their usual activities and to meditate study God's Word and to feed you God's Word I appreciate these men very much and and for so many of those same men to say hey pass I'll go to crown Baptist Church and be a blessing to them as well and I think the men who have recently stepped up to be song leaders brother Daniel brother Nathan these men have done a great job in the last year haven't they I mean they're the better song leaders by far not to offend anybody but I think we all say yeah these guys are really great at leading us in praises to God we want our we want our singing to give God praise don't we and so I thank the song leaders and the ones they get up to read the scriptures you may not be the usual ones that are up the front but you get up to read the Bible with clarity and you know it's an important ministry of our church you know brother ash organizes the soul winning events and brother Anthony maintains the maps and keeps track of the numbers and all that which is a great blessing you know brother Daniel Daniel on you might not even know but he stays back so many times off the service and gives this place a nice clean you know it's always it always looks fresh and clean when we come in here because of brother Daniel the ladies that are obviously a help to their husbands and you know equip the husbands to be a blessing to this church but you also come and you bring little you know food a little morning tea and things that we can share and enjoy one with another so we're not too starving and just rushing to get home after service so we can stay around have a bit of fellowship have some food I mean these things are wonderful brother Sabi on Sunday organizing the lunch that Indian I hope I think you everyone enjoyed it which is great you know just the little things that everybody does I don't know I don't know who organizes maintains the resources like to make sure there's toilet paper there's cups as water what whoever's doing the work thank you I'm losing track of who's doing what but you know I'm so appreciative of this church because once again I always say it this is this is a church that has a part-time pastor you know traveling as I can and I'm usually exhausted on Thursday I'm tired okay and I thank you for putting up with me that I can't always be there for you on a regular basis like maybe other pastors can for other churches but you still put up with me and you know as we support one another we love one another we fellowship with one other we serve one another we are serving the Lord Jesus Christ because the local church is the body of Christ and so you know it's great to look back and to it's important it's important to set up a stone of memorial now I'm not saying that we literally have to set up a stone I can call it Ebeneezer but it's important to set up a stone in our hearts and to remember that it's God that has blessed us and equipped us and helped us to do a great work here at blessed old Baptist Church now before I continue talking about us and our work and our mission here I want to look back at this story and give you a bit of context of what it's all about so they're in 1st Samuel chapter 7 we're not going to read all the verses but let me just give you a quick backdrop Samuel's a judge over Israel at this point in time it's before the time of the Kings and Israel have gone really bad like they're doing really horribly bad just like I mean there are times that Israel is just far from the Lord and once again we find that Israel are doing what they're they're worshiping false gods okay they've gone back and worship these false gods and they forgotten the Lord their God and in 1st Samuel chapter 7 verse number 3 it says and Samuel speak unto all the house of Israel saying if ye do return unto the Lord with all your hearts then put away the strange gods and Ashtaroth from among you and prepare your hearts unto the Lord and serve him only and he will deliver you out of the hand of the Philistines we know that the Philistines have been like a number one enemy of Israel over the years right and once again the the Philistines are a threat to the children of Israel and they're they're afraid they're like God why'd you help with us the reason God's not helping you is because you've turned your hearts to false gods and it's a time that they need God's help and brethren you know what in 2025 blessed our Baptist Church needs the help of the Lord so what can we do as individuals to have God's help well the same instruction that we see there in verse number three it says our return unto the Lord with all your hearts you know the first and great commandment is to love the Lord God with all your heart with all your soul with all your might with all your a missing one strength heart soul mind with all your mind Jesus Christ adds that in the New Testament with all your mind you know that is the first and greatest commandment of all well they've not done that their hearts are to all these false gods now it says and prepare your hearts unto the Lord and serve him only brethren our hearts desire ought to be to serve God only not to serve mammon not to sell serve this belly you know and the lust of the flesh no we ought to serve the Lord God only and if we do that he's going to deliver us he's going to help us he's going to be able to see this church do some great work for him in 2025 in verse number four then the children of Israel did put away Balaam and Asher of good on them and serve the Lord only and Samuel said gather all Israel to misfire and I will pray for you unto the Lord so they do that they come to misfire all the coming together they're coming to offer a sacrifice to God they like that the repentance they're like God you know you're our only God we're going to serve you and by doing this you're going to help us and you're going to deliver us out of the Philistines hands and then verse number seven and when the Philistines heard that the children of Israel were gathered together to Mizpah the Lords of the Philistines went up against Israel and when the children of Israel heard it they were afraid of the Philistines and the children of Israel said to Samuel cease not to cry unto the Lord our God for us that he will save us out of the hand of the Philistines so they want deliverance they want help from the Philistines against the Philistines right so they do the right thing Samuel says all right come to Mizpah come gather together so they do that they're doing the right thing they're following the commandments that the man of God has given them right though they turn their hearts to the Lord God they're doing that which is right but then the trial comes and the Philistines here that they're all gathered in Mizpah they're in one central location so the Philistines are like all right this is our chance to wipe them out in one stroke all right and you know what many times when you're about to do something great for God when you're when you're just doing what is right and you're about to do some amazing work for God you know who shows up the Philistines for us it's the devil okay the wicked those that hate the Lord God those that hates the Word of God you know the ministers of Satan will often come along and try to tear you down and you're wondering what have I done I'm just I'm getting I'm trying to get right with God I'm trying to walk in his ways and then like you think right if I just walk in his ways we're gonna get sorted normally when you take that first step and do what God wants the Philistines are like let's take him down now you know let's discourage them now before they're able to turn their hearts fully to the Lord God look at verse number 10 and as Samuel was offering up the burnt offering the Philistines drew near to battle against Israel so again Sam was doing the right thing right coming to offer us burnt offering they're not going to war they're not they're not ready or prepared for war they're just trying to get their hearts right right and the sacrifice and then the first is all right take him down now's the time right these guys distracted they're not ready for battle they're focused on this sacrifice they're easy targets let's wipe them out and look what it says in verse some of the let's continue some of 10 but the Lord thundered with a great thunder on that day upon the Philistines and this comforted them and they were smitten before Israel brethren who smelt the Philistines God what were the Israelites doing were they getting their spears and this swords and their shields ready for battle no they were just doing what God's asked them to do right they were following the Lord faithfully and the Lord sends a great thunder and the thundering is so loud they get this comforted and the Lord smites I don't know how the Lord smites me thunder I mean often thunder is associated with lightning so I don't I don't know I don't know if the light his strikes were coming down and just wiping out this army that's possibly what's what was happening right God takes care of the Philistines and look at verse 11 and the men of Israel went out of Mizpah and pursued the Philistines and smelt them until they came under Bethka then Samuel took a stone and set it between Mizpah and Shen and called the name of it Ebeneezer saying here the two have the Lord helped us so he does the right thing Samuel says look yeah okay we kind of got the the remaining soldiers at the end right they went and chased out of the Philistines but Samuel fully knows man the one that delivered us the one that helped us is the Lord God right no praise on man no like I'm Samuel the man of God it's because of me no he says no it's because of the Lord and we're gonna step a memorial let's get this stone this stone is Ebeneezer and we're gonna remember that it's a Lord that has helped us so that stone represents their help against the Philistines in the past and it also represents the hope that God will give them in the future it's good to look back at the past it's good to look back and remember what God has done for us and then when we're encouraged by that because sometimes we do get discouraged sometimes the Philippines the Philippines the Philistines the Philistines that we like the Philippines that they're good the Philistines right they turn up and they discomfort us they discourage us and the Philistines can represent anything any kinds of trials and difficulties any kinds of discouragement that may come upon your life and the Lord is the one I want to remind you today that it's the Lord God that will help you it's the Lord God that will help blessed help at Baptist Church as I said the title of the sermon today is Ebeneezer the Lord helped us the Lord helped us now I want to break down and look what I'm about to share is just historical great things in my ministry okay and it's from it is from my perspective okay just it's from my perspective it's not that I think I'm a great man or in fact I don't think I'm a great man so I just think I'm one of you trying to serve the Lord God as faithfully as I can okay but God has done some great things in the ministry you know and let me go back to 2017 2017 is when I got ordained 2017 is when we packed our bags as our family stepped that in faith went to the Sunshine Coast and started a church New Life Baptist Church it still continues praise God there 2017 it was a great year it was great to get things started and it's a bit scary at first but hey you know it is what it is and you learn over time how to pass that you learn how to lead you learn how to draw upon the Lord's strength more so than ever then 2018 rolls around and guess what happens in 2018 we start blessing out Baptist Church praise God bless no Baptist Church all right here in Sydney that was never the plan it wasn't my plan it was meant to be a band-aid solution for a temporary issue that was going on we started blessing about churches for a few families traveling here on a I think it was a Tuesday back then was the Thursdays I can't remember anymore all right meeting next door the building next door right just meeting there and serving the Lord and trying to keep brethren together trying to maintain the soul within that was being done and and encouraging the brethren teaching God's Word and we I praise God for 2018 these are these are some great things and we're still here brethren thank you we're still here I don't know how you I don't know it's 2024 I don't know how you've put up with this pastor praise God thank you all right then 2020 2019 rolls around right we get to our one year anniversary because blessed about church used to just we just called it new life Baptist Sydney okay and you know even though I've always viewed it as its own independent church but we finally gave it its official name blessed blessed our Baptist Church which was voted by the members and we started having our Sunday services because we're just having midweek services right so that was a great achievement to start having church on Sundays when most people are readily available to be in church and of course attendance has grown on Sundays and lesson on Thursdays or midweek and that's that's expected that's natural that's normal but I praise God that you know God has allowed us to have the Sunday services and also in 2019 this was the first time that we started to have interstate soul winning marathons okay so now we had a church in Queensland we had a church here in New South Wales we started to find brethren in other places like a Melbourne or like an Adelaide and we started to have soul-winning not that we travel to the other states but we had these mega marathons for Australia and Oceana and Asia and all this and we had church members from other churches going out soul winning all on the same Saturday right to just to encourage one another to do a great work to share some numbers that was awesome to be able to you know reach not just the two states but also understand that we've got an influence that spreading in other places here in Australia so that's awesome that that was what was developed there in 2019 then 2020 hits the dreaded COVID year or one of the dreaded COVID years okay it's very beginning of it but this you know I it kind of twisted my arm you may recall to bring my family back to Sydney for a temporary period of time and the goal was that we'd be here for one year one year it ended up being a year and a half and because of border closures and all that kind of stuff that that happened but hey it was good because we needed there were some issues that need to be dealt with here at the church so it was great that we could be here we went to having three services during COVID and yeah it allowed me to be here to to be you know a support to this church you know like almost like a full-time pastor for a temporary period of time which was a real blessing then 2021 rolls around the COVID continued and this forced our hand to have live streaming because church services couldn't be had in the same way this caused us to not just have live streaming here at Blessed Up Baptist Church but at New Life Baptist Church as well and this started to you know it wasn't really the intention to find other people in Australia but that's what happened all right we we met our friends that we love and care about brother Martin brother Emilio they found us online during these COVID years via live streaming and you know even though they're not members of our church as we kind of associate membership you know regular attendees but we love and care about them you know I feel like they're part of our church I feel like they're you know we hear about the soul winning that gets done even to this day these two men go out they've got out this week how many souls today they had about five souls saved or something like that I can't remember the numbers right now these men are doing a great job going soul winning hey thanks to 2021 thanks to COVID thanks for live streaming these things that God has allowed us to do and these are just some of the men out there are other brethren across Australia that have found us and that you know I feel like I'm their pastor because they haven't got a good church get plugged into and they reach out and ask questions and they try to visit us when they can so we praise God for the live stream and that started in 2021 in 2022 we we had our first interstates let's call it a missions trip right our first interstates miss what is that missions trip say it's going overseas all right but here's what's funny if Americans come to Australia to go so winning they call it a missions trip why can't we call it a mission strip if we go to Melbourne or something right but that was our first interstate missions trip to Melbourne right where we were there wasn't just a soul an event going on in Melbourne but we took some of our church members some of our some of the members of our churches to be part of that to go to Melbourne to take out some silent partners to train them up and go and solve winning right to encourage them to bless them to tell them hey we love you we care about you you know that was awesome at first it wasn't very comfortable was it brother ash sleeping in that bedroom well I had lots of complaints about the Airbnb that I selected in Melbourne at that time but doesn't matter there were souls that got saved and the beds in our mansions in heaven will be much more comfortable I'm sure but that was 20 22 our first missions trip to Melbourne that started a chain of events because then we have 20 23 and in 20 23 we had our interstate mission strip to to WA some of you guys went to WA with us right then we went to Perth we went to Bridgetown we had a great turnout we had a how many how many baptisms were there in Bridgetown that day I don't even know anymore it was crazy something like eight or nine baptisms in that freezing cold water when I walked out of that water I could barely feel my legs but I praise God praise God for the for the work that was being done there in WA we got to meet some other brothers in the Lord which was wonderful we got to encourage brother Daniel brother Daniel Earl we're talking soul winning I took him out and then brother Callum took him out and now he's he's out there in Perth going soul winning when he finds a partner he's not going week in week out like brother Martin does but he's going out there on a regular basis and he keeps me updated every time he gets soul saved he lets me know we've got this many saved this week praise God you're right you know our churches our influence our ministry is affecting more than just our local churches I want to understand and I don't know what you think about like all of this like to me I just rejoice I'm like how did God say well God helped us God did it it's by his help it's by his power it's his strength it's his love that allows us to reach these other places in Australia and there are people soul winning could you imagine like when we get to heaven there are gonna be people that we meet in heaven that would be like well it's because of blessing up at the church new life of the church you guys taught some people there in Melbourne some taught some people there in WA to preach the gospel and I got saved because of these people I mean what that's amazing to glory in these things and then what 2024 last year it's our biggest year ever okay we had our first international missions trip to the Philippines okay not the Philistines the Philippines Philippines right that's where they're receptive to the gospel all right we went there and I didn't know how many hundreds got saved I have no idea what the numbers are all I know is we smashed our soul in numbers okay on the Philippines alone and it's a great time to enjoy each other's company fellowship go just up to me when I go to place like Philippines I come back to Australia appreciating this country that God has blessed like I know there's a there's a living what is a cost of living crisis but when you go to the Philippines and you come back here there is no cost of living crisis like we all live quite comfortably quite here okay all right I mean the Philippines have a cost of living crisis you know there are people struggling and poor and on the streets and children that are orphans that have nobody to take care of them like that's a different world altogether that's good to just go out there and and and just experience and be able to come back and instead of a little Australia's a weak country understand that but it's also nice to come back and thank God that he has blessed this country and allows us to continue serving him without persecution and that the blessings the opportunities that exist in Australia that we can do a great work for him go we went to the Philippines brethren then we went to Fiji and we smashed it again I was a great time Fiji was probably the highlight for me in 2024 honestly that's I found the people to be so beautiful the people are just wonderful God-fearing people unsaved God-fearing people and all we need to do is like you fear God man you better fear God and you know what God loves you so much instead of your works your faith in Christ alone it's everlasting life and how many people just received us so gladly I just praise God for the Fijins I thank you for those that went out and we're part of that work I mean we smashed the so many numbers that we've ever done year by year I don't know what they are I don't really care what they are God knows what they are all I know is we smashed it all in 2024 what else have we done in 2024 well this pastor went to New Zealand didn't get to do any soul winning but got to film a documentary one salvation I don't know if you enjoyed it it was only for 40 minute documentary but it was great to be part of that right and even though I didn't go to New Zealand and win any souls one-on-one that one salvation was then played in a youth group okay and the youth group of that church invited their friends or unsaved school friends to come and listen to it and then the gospel was presented at the end and a large multitude believed on Christ of those young people that's a great year 2024 what else we were to Melbourne again didn't we for the some of you guys went to Melbourne again and we had an even bigger turnout this time with a soul winning there in Melbourne got to meet other brethren all right and praise God souls were saved and instead of going door-to-door some of us went shops to shops right to the malls and the shopping centers and we're able to meet some young people and preach the gospel there in Melbourne one thing I found really interesting in Melbourne was that everybody's home like everybody's home you don't do a lot of walking because Melbourne's always raining right like in Queensland you go door-to-door and no one's home they're all at the beach they're at the pools all right they're at the parks in Melbourne everybody's home and then you got Sydney it's somewhere in the middle all right but anyway that was interesting like just being able to see that everybody's home and I think I got one saved I think I believe I did from memory and it's just a great time to meet other brethren I mean this is all done in 2024 and then God opened the doors you know they're in Port Macquarie we've crowned Baptist Church all last year or this year I should say all this year a third church that I could pastor not that I want a third church to pastor I don't really want that just give me one church Lord I'm happy but if God can use us and do some great works for us it's the one it's the Lord God who helped us it's it's him it's his power and what do we learn what are we seeing on this on Port Macquarie souls are now getting saved door-to-door soul winning works no matter where we go praise God praise God that that church has been going for about a year and a half or a bit more than a year and a half before we took over they weren't seeing souls saved at the doors but man as soon as that influence gets in there as soon as the the soul winning gets cleaned up a little bit a better presentation you know good teaching souls are now getting saved in Port Macquarie so I don't know what the Lord hasn't planned for us in 2025 I know I'm looking at the bigger picture here today guys there are I'm sure there are other great things that God has done over the years maybe you individually can look back over the years and say yes the Lord has done some great things for me because the Lord has helped but what are we learning this story here in first Samuel chapter 7 what is a big learning that when you do what God wants you to do when you're ready to offer yourself a sacrifice you know go and do and serve him walk in his ways and and set your heart for him and him alone and you're like all right Lord I'm getting ready for 2025 I'm ready to do what you've asked me to do I'm looking forward to what you can do through blessed up at the church the Philistines they're gonna show their face okay there's going to be people that will strive to discourage you and I want you to remember this this is the battle that we fight we don't wrestle against flesh and blood we understand that but we are soldiers of the Lord there is a spiritual battle the devil doesn't like what blessed up Baptist Church is doing it doesn't like what New Life Baptist Church is doing it doesn't like what crown Baptist Church is doing it doesn't like what our brethren Melbourne and Perth are doing when they get out there and see souls saved the devil doesn't like our influence in the Philippines he doesn't like our influence in Fiji the devil is more than happy for the Fijians to be God fearing people as long as they're on their way to hell so I want to understand that there are going to be difficulties that's always been difficulties over the years but hey what do we need to remember Ebenezer all right we need to set a stone a stone in your heart a stone of memorial we say Lord it's by your help it's by your strength that we can do anything when you remember that it's the Lord and you get discouraged you got a confidence to go to all right when you feel like quitting it's I'm done I'm done with church I'm done with serving the Lord yeah if it's if you're relying on your strength in your flesh you will be done but when you rely on the Lord he gives you a strength a power the ability he'll equip you because he wants his kingdom to go throughout this whole world and he would utilize you he would utilize blessed up Baptist Church even though we're not this mega church but we're doing some mega works for the Lord so I want to remember Ebenezer the Lord helped us it's by the Lord's strength now I've read it off a whole bunch of positive things that I remember from a high level from 2017 to 2024 you know 2025 what's the plan pastor I don't know okay I don't think we're gonna look I'll be surprised if we do equal or more than we did in 2024 I'll be surprised I don't think we're gonna be doing anywhere in there as much it doesn't matter though all right we do what God equips us to do the resources the abilities that God gives us we give it to the Lord we serve him there is one thing I definitely want to do I definitely want to send two people every to Fiji to go soul winning all right let me know if that's you you say pastor it's me me in 2025 it's my turn to get out there all expenses paid except your food all right flights accommodation all covered for a whole week all right now if you want to go for two weeks you can cover the accommodation for the next second week all right you do what you need to do we'll send two of you out there from whatever church crying Baptist New Life blessed about this church all right to continue serving the Lord I want to you know find a good church lock in a good sound church a good pastor there in Fiji there we can we can work together with him that you know these souls that we see get saved we can point them to this good church so if the Lord can help us find that church to you know cooperate with and to bless and and to help them praise God maybe that's God's intention for us there in 2025 you know what else what else do we need to get done I'm not sure a building a new building we probably need a new building as a lot of little ones brethren we need a place to meet yeah we need we probably most definitely need a new building okay so please keep your eyes open keep your ears open but again there are things that we need to achieve there are things that we need to do as a church and I hope that as your pastor as a as your leader an example I can help you along this journey but forever I need you guys and you know we need the help of the Lord to equip all of us to serve him faithfully but as I said when we do great things there are great difficulties there are great difficulties I praise God for 2017 right which I said I got a date Sunshine Coast start new life Baptist Church praise God but there were difficulties there were Philistines there were challenges I started that church in the midst of a Trinity versus oneness controversy alright a lot of people were against me okay because they thought I was like a oneness believer even though I've never believed that garbage I've always taught right on the Trinity alright but people like to throw you in oh that guy's a oneness and what's he gonna do and start some wicked church some corrupt church there in the sunny coast people were ready to tear me down even before I started to pass on the Philistines were ready to tear them down even before they Scott their hearts right of the Lord to do something great for him remember there are always there's always some type of difficulty 2018 I had to break fellowship with my sending pastor of this very issue over oneness okay and then when you break fellowship with your sending pastor what happens people start to claim you have some ulterior motives they start to question whether you're truly biblically ordained to begin with I mean if you broke the first of the one that ordained you then surely you can't be ordained yourself and so there's always been challenges there's always been criticisms and I don't know why because I think I'm a pretty good happy person easy to get along with I thought people like to challenge and criticize and they don't want to see a great work done for God I don't know you know that's that's the devil it's it's he puts these crazy desires crazy thoughts in the hearts and minds of people and all you do want to do is serve the Lord and people just want to tear you down and you think it's always the Philistines but sometimes it's your own brethren you know that sometimes it's other believers I don't know why okay the hearts aren't right we've got at that point in time they can't see clearly whatever it is all right so that's 2018 I was classified where I was challenged whether I was truly classified as an ordained pastor because I had to break fellowship with my sin in pasta 2019 I was racking my head what happened in 2019 I think it's a relatively peaceful year actually hopes I don't know maybe that maybe if I go back and really think hard I'll probably find some challenges to the ministry but I think 2019 was a relatively peaceful year praise God and need a break sometimes all right can't always be battle sometimes you need to rest all right and recharge your battles recharge your batteries to get ready for the battles then 2020 we talked about how COVID comes along boy and COVID was wonderful in the sense that I was able to come and help lead this church because obviously the conditions the the mandates all that stuff was much stricter here in Sydney than he was on sunny coast you know the sunny coast during COVID most people just went about their normal lives barely noticing any differences but over here and especially in Melbourne but over here right where I had the church there was some great difficulties here and this led to disagreements amongst church brethren as to how well I was leading this church over COVID you know I don't think our past is doing the best that he can for us during COVID I don't think he's making the right decisions all right trying to which kind of started to eventuate right try taking us to 2021 an attempt to tear this pasta away from this ministry here of this church in 2021 there was an attempt for me to step away as the pastor of this church a rebellion and we had the border closures as well right so I'm here in Sydney I my heart of course is my main church New Life Baptist Church and my goal was to visit them week in week out but the border closures made it very difficult with New Life Baptist Church and being able to unable to frequently visit New Life Baptist Church that church lost half its attendance we maintained our core numbers but all the newer members that were added to the church I was unable to visit I was unable to really be there and in due time that church loses half its attendance as I said there's an attempt to remove me as the pastor here at blessed about this church okay and I believe the core issue came down to how I was managing the church during COVID okay now look there are great things that have happened we talk about how COVID brought the live streaming brought our influence to other places in Australia but I don't want you to forget the difficulties the challenges the heartbreaks all right the backstab and the betrayals all that stuff goes on too when you're doing something great for God it's just part of it it's part of the package all right what else 2022 actually 2022 was pretty relatively peaceful as well praise God neither a break after all that COVID garbage all right after 2022 was relatively peaceful then comes 2023 all right and there are calls that I'm an un- disqualified pastor because of some family challenges that we're facing all right sort out after a few months it's not a big deal got all sorted all right but I when people want to tell you down when the Philistines see weakness they want to attack they want to tear down churches they want to destroy pastors and Brevin you know me man before before I'm probably the person that wants to step down the most as a pastor okay people don't have to tell me you should step down because if I had a reason to step down I would have done it a long time ago all right my family comes first but then what happens people criticize you they criticize your family they criticize you as a pastor you're unqualified it's like man I thought we were friends I thought I had your back and you had my back and you know we're going to serve the Lord till he comes back you know and people break your heart that's what it is Brevin then 2024 all right 2024 the greatest year of works that we've done as a church but it's been a challenging year again I had some claims that I was an unbiblical pastor say why were you an unbiblical pastor because another pastor in America preached something about the Trinity that I never I never said but because something about the Trinity was said that was disagreed with I'm an unbiblical pastor it's like what what does it have to do with me well I'm focused on new life blessed hope then crammed up this church this is the environment that God's given me this is the responsibility that he's given me I could care less about what's going on the outside of the world but people I don't know it's just people they want to attack they want to criticize okay look again just get you need to get used to I'm trying to explain something okay look if God was not my helper I would have quit a long time ago if getting into ministry and doing a work for the Lord was just my strength my efforts my abilities you know this church would have collapsed I would have stepped down a long time ago I won't understand it's because of the Lord he's our helper he's our Ebeneezer okay he'll get us through this coming year what else we had the greatest soul winning numbers ever 2024 any good pastor would rejoice any good church would rejoice and there were good churches and good pastors that disagree with me on the end times but they can rejoice at souls getting saved because they know what the main things are and so what happens my best friend pastor my known familiar friend has to get out there and publicly criticize the soul winning like where did that come from friend you betrayed me with a kiss it's like why what what does it have to do with anything like we're trying to oh we don't think the numbers are right okay who cares God knows the numbers God knows who truly got saved and then you know there are probably people that we think didn't get saved they got saved there are some that got there that we think I'd say that didn't get say it doesn't matter we're going out there we're doing a great work we're investing our time our efforts we're taking time off work we're using church funds personal funds we're doing a great sacrifice all right what for the praise of men not to for the kingdom of God I've never seen I've never seen I've been honest here I've never seen the numbers that we got out there in Fiji in Australia we had about 25 blessed hope new life other brethren in other places in Australia get out there I think there was about 9 10 11 churches represented from Australia from Australia and New Zealand and New Zealand okay I kind of love New Zealand sometimes okay but man that's a great work right and you can criticize that and you discourage people and you're like what in the world why Philistines the devil okay envy corruption wickedness sinful man is what it is and by the way I'm a sinful man sir we're all sinful men we all have struggles okay and here's the thing like and it's the greatest year it's some of the greatest struggles I lost a great number of members that new life ever search again this year over because of what one pastor said another country about the Trinity and then toward the end of this year guess what another pastor with his family problems they have nothing to do with me I barely know the man I barely know the family has nothing to do with me has nothing to do with you has nothing to do with new life or crown Baptist Church and there are people that want to come what do you what do you have to say about the matter you know trying to create division in churches create division amongst friends you people are gonna have different opinions about some issue on the other side of the world who cares we've got a work to do here in Sydney on the sunny coast in Port Macquarie in Australia in Melbourne in Perth there's a great work there's a great need that needs to be fulfilled and God has been using us and we're I'm just I'm just trying to I'm not trying to discourage you I'm just trying to say look hardships are gonna and look probably some of these things there's probably other things that you know about that I don't even know about some other difficulty some other challenges something else the devil has decided to throw in the mix of things to try to stop us from serving him faithfully Brevin the top you know talk for the sermon is Ebenezer the Lord has helped us the Lord has helped us you know I'm doing the best I can as a pastor but if it's just me forget about this should have collapsed a long time ago it's Christ that builds his church it's Christ's kingdom and all we are our ambassadors we're just an empty vessel hopefully a clean vessel that God can use by the power of his Holy Spirit to do a great work for him and Brevin you know what I'm not distracted by the difficulties all right we're not going to allow us to get distracted by the Philistines all right God can send his thunders God can scatter the wicked scatter the criticism God can restore people that have been enemies in the past guess what they can be my friends too just like the Israelites of old in this chapter their hearts were in the right place okay and maybe your hearts have not been the right place in 2024 all right we get our hearts solely upon the Lord we serve him only and we get out there and we do some great works I don't care if a former enemy comes together we go and work together praise God we do it for Jesus Christ I'm ready to forgive and forget I already forgive it in my heart I don't care anymore I'm just trying to tell you that we've got some great works to do God will continue using his church but it's gonna be great challenges as well and I want you to know that I've got your backs and please have my back because it's hard to be in the ministry it's a hard work okay now you're in first Samuel chapter 7 look at verse number 14 first Samuel chapter 7 verse number 14 it says in the cities which the Philistines had taken from Israel were restored to Israel from Ekron even unto Gath and the coaster of did Israel deliver out of the hands of the Philistines and there was peace between Israel and the Amorites what I love about the story is we see Israel reclaiming their land and what's happened in 2024 we've reclaimed well we've claimed Port Macquarie and parts of Fiji and parts of the Philippines thank you brother sorry sister I like the Philippines I like the Philippines man I can barely speak now but God's opening some land for us all right some places that we can continue doing some great work for him but we need the Lord to help us we need the Lord to drive away the difficulties and the problems and the criticism okay it's it's not a battle that we need to fight okay leave it to God and we focus on reclaiming the cities that God allows us to claim look at verse number 15 and Samuel judged Israel all the days of his life I would love that to be my case I would love to be a pastor all the days of my life I don't know if that's going to happen I hope it does please pray that it does if that's the Lord's will for my life I would love that and what I love about verse number 16 it says and he went from year to year in circuit to Bethel and Gilgal and Mizpah and judged Israel in all those places that's like me and he went from year to year in circuit to the sunny coast and Sydney and Port Macquarie and judged in all those places what a responsibility right well this shows me someone had a big job to do like he was one of these judges and he had to go from place to place because Israel was not in the greatest place you know to have other men who could judge and lead Israel Reverend we need leaders we need pastors we need a pastor over Port Macquarie we need a pastor here at blessed Baptist Church we could start a church tomorrow in Melbourne if we had a man that was ready to sacrifice himself time go to another place and get things started that can be one of the biggest churches you know they're in Melbourne that Melbourne needs a good church okay even Perth there are places that we need men of God to step up and be pastors to be judges all right it gets tiring going from you know all these places I'm sure Samuel was hired right going from Bethel to Gilgal to Mizpah and judging in all those places can you come with me to Psalm 12 come with me to Psalm 12 come with me to Psalm 12 Psalm 12 I thank God that he allows me to travel to Sydney and Port Macquarie now and I've been doing this brethren since 2018 pretty much every week let's say let's say let's just say 40 times a year since 2018 and I don't know I said at the beginning I'll do it for 10 years and I don't know what I was thinking I don't know maybe it was the Holy Spirit speaking on my behalf I don't know but anyway the Lord knows why I said those words and I feel like I have to commit to that time period at least at the very least but Psalm 12 brethren we need we need the Lord's help all right here's our Ebeneezer the Lord helped us and and in Psalm 12 verse number 1 Psalm 12 verse number 1 the Bible says help Lord for the godly man ceaseth for the faithful fail from among the children of men they speak vanity everyone with his neighbor with flattering lips and with double hearts do they speak brethren we need godly men we need God we need to go to God say God help us we need godly men the godly men ceases everyone else has flattering lips and backstabbers and all this brethren I'm I want to quickly appoint pastors but I don't want to rush it we need godly men qualified men faithful men men with the wisdom of the scriptures that are willing to say oh Lord if it's your will Lord give me the desire there's a work to be done things are getting darker here in Australia we need more churches we need a more soul winning we need more leaders we need more judges maybe it's you I don't know I didn't never thought it would be me to be honest I didn't think it'd be me but we need more men you know we need more churches we need more soul winning we need more work and the one we run to we need to go to God God help us God make it clear which men will be ready to step up to do a great work for you come with me to Psalm 37 Psalm 37 39 Psalm 37 39 Psalm 37 39 we need our Lord's help in 2025 you're going to go for tribulations you're going to go through hardships and you know what it's going to happen when you prepare yourself to serve the Lord whenever the next missions trip is I don't know when it's going to be or what it is or you say I'm going to go Port Macquarie I'm going to go encourage the brethren then I'm going to go so when I'm going to go to that whatever it is something's not something's going to happen I want to get ready ready for it I want you to get prepared for it I want you to go God the devil doesn't want me to do a work for you please help me in the time of trouble to come and when the trouble comes Lord you heard my prayer please help me you're my strength you're my deliverer it's the Lord that helps it's a law that empowers us Psalm 94 please Psalm 94 verse number 16 Psalm 94 Psalm 94 verse number 16 Psalm 94 16 who will rise up for me against the evildoers who will stand up for me against the workers of iniquity the Psalmist is asking the question who's gonna fight for me who's gonna stand for me it's like the Israelites of old the Philistines are here who's gonna deliver us who's gonna help us Samuel asked the Lord to help us verse number 17 unless the Lord had been my help my soul had almost dwelt in silence he goes man it's not for God I would have been almost dead I'll be dead basically I've quit I would have quit a long time ago unless the Lord had been my help revenues last what is it 2018 22 2019 21 2 3 4 is past and we celebrated six years we haven't done seven years have we yeah as a church okay I'm losing track of things now I don't know six years man the Lord has helped us this church would have crumbled a long time ago this pastor would have quit a long time ago somehow it's the Lord it's his help all right remember that remember it's a Lord who will stand for you you don't need to go and fight every battle don't get distracted by every battle all right let God deal with it even the Psalmist says look who's gonna stand for me okay God you're the one you've been my help otherwise my soul would have been silence coming to one more passage in March of the nine March of the nine actually it's a second last passage mark 9 please mark 9 verse number 23 what else do we need help with brethren mark 9 mark 9 and you know I often say this and I do mean it I don't think I'm a very faith filled man now faith is on Christ Jesus salvation praise God all right but I also have a lot of concerns and there are things that boggle my mind sometimes right and sometimes I share with others and like don't worry pasta have faith in the Lord it's all gonna get sorted like that person is full of faith it's like it don't worry it's all sorted the Lord knows it's done forget about it past I'm like no but I'm still thinking about it I feel like that's one of my weaknesses that you know others have other strengths and praise God for that strength if you're that kind of person but in mark 9 we have a story of a man who's got a child who's a lunatic right and he goes to Jesus to heal his child to heal his son and in mark 9 23 it says Jesus said unto him if thou canst believe all things are possible to him that believeth God says just believe just have faith all things are possible that's why my brethren say to me pastor don't worry it's all sort just believe yeah okay and look at this on 24 and straightway the father of the child cried out and said with tears Lord I believe help thou mine unbelief I do believe but I still have unbelief can you help my unbelief the Lord is our Ebeneezer Brevin if you're lacking in faith if you're lacking faithfulness you know who's gonna help you that the Lord the Lord I do believe I know you've got a great job for blessed up Baptist Church and your life and crown in 2025 Lord I believe it but hope my unbelief because I don't know how you're gonna utilize us I don't know the reasons are gonna come from I don't know where the new building is gonna come from if that's the Lord's will Lord I don't know where these new passes are gonna come from Lord I don't know how much you're going to sustain me to do my yearly circuit you know to three different places but Lord we need your help come with me to one more passage John 15 this last one last one John 15 title for the sermon was Ebeneezer the Lord helped us the Lord helped us and Brevin when I gave you all these great things we've done over the years in ministry and of course I'm talking from back from from my perspective I don't want to I don't want to be the hero of the story I don't want to be a hero you know I want to be just your brother in the Lord you know many many regards and I thank you for the hard work that you've done you know being a blessing to this church in all the different areas of your life you know the soul wind gets out that gets done for your friendship for your prayers thank you for your church attendance all right be very hard if it's just me and and me on a Thursday or me and the Lord very hard to just run church so thank you for coming it's a real blessing but it's a team effort we know these verses here in John 15 Jesus Christ says these words in John 15 verse number four abide in me and I in you as the branch cannot bear fruit of itself except it abide in the vine no more can ye accept ye abide in me when we learn a very important truth here if we want to bear fruits and we've done so but we want to continue bearing more fruits and more fruit and more fruit we want to do more for the Lord Brevin I'm dependent on you to abide in Christ please don't get distracted by this world look we need to deal with the world we need to work needs pay bills we need to interact we need to live understand but this world can be very distracting throws a lot of temptations at you a lot of wickedness a lot of discouragements this world will throw at you but when that happens Brevin I need you to just abide in the vine like it's great if I'm abiding the vine and brother ashes abide in the vine like we'll get some fruit but how can we be more fruitful is this if each one of our branches here abides in Christ how much more fruit can we bring forth like if you had a tree and only one branch is bringing for fruit or five branches are bringing for fruit but the other 20 branches are not bringing for fruit you say well it's not being as productive as it can be but what if all the branches are bringing for fruit that you know the the the the tree is doing its maximum produce because everybody is carefully abiding in Christ Jesus I want that to be your challenge coming in 2025 say pastor I'm gonna abide in Christ Jesus I'm gonna stay close by him because without him I can't be fruitful without him I can't pastor without him we've got no blessing about this church okay we need to continue abiding in Christ look at verse number five I am the vine ye are the branches he that abideth in me and I in him the same bring a forth much fruits for without me ye can do nothing boy that's true without the Lord's help we can do nothing we have the Lord's help you'd be on your way to help but we have the Lord's help blessed about the church can do nothing each other so all the great things we've done and we've done some great things set your Ebenezer stone remember what God has done look back at the past and rejoice in the past and remember that God can do some great things in us but when we when we rejoice and we highlight those things that we've accomplished it's God that did it it's Christ that did it through us without him we do nothing and brethren we've done some great things you know why because we abide we abode we abided one of those in Christ all right continue doing it in 2025 title for the sermon was Ebenezer the Lord helped us let's pray