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By our men, back in the book of Proverbs and that's a great chapter with lots of great proverbs in there but I just want to focus on the one today and I'm sure you've guessed which one it is, it's on the front of your bulletins, it's Proverbs chapter 20 and verse 6, verse 6 there which is, most men will proclaim every one his own goodness but a faithful man who can find. The title of my sermon this morning is a faithful man who can find, a faithful man who can find. I'm going to pray and then we're going to get going with the message. Father thank you for your word, thank you for this truth Lord, this truth from your word that we should respond to Lord, I'm hoping I can get everyone to respond to today. Lord help us to be faithful, help us to be the types of people you want us to be Lord and help everyone to just have attentive ears, please fill me with your spirit as I preach this and fill me with boldness and help me to just preach in a way that people take it home and take that message into their heart Lord and apply it to their lives and in Jesus' name I pray all this. Amen. Okay so keep a finger here and turn to Psalm chapter 12. Psalm 12, what does it mean to be a faithful man or a faithful person? In scripture when the word is being applied to people it's similar to us using the word loyal, okay, it's similar to us using the word, nowadays we probably more likely use the word loyal, for example the Oxford Dictionary says a faithful of a person or animal, and it says especially a dog, but of a person or animal constant in allegiance or affection, loyal, true to one's friend, master, etc. Now whether that's to God, to someone else, to an institution of some sort, God wants us to be faithful or in the right areas. Okay so God wants you to be faithful, he wants you to be loyal in the right area and I say the right area because God does want, you know, for example, does God want me to be faithful to my, to my false prophet ex-pastor? Does God want me to be loyal to my false prophet ex-pastor? Of course not. Does God want me to be loyal to my sodomy uncle? Well just be loyal to him, be faithful to him, of course not. To my ex-church buddy who's been church disciplined, does he want me to be loyal to be faithful to that person? No, of course not. That would be being unfaithful or disloyal to God wouldn't it? Okay and of course misplaced loyalty can be a problem, but more often than not okay, more often than not I would say nowadays finding genuinely faithful or loyal people, that's the real problem. Okay that's what's hard to find. Psalm 12 where you are in verse 1, it's the Psalm of David says, help Lord for the godly man ceaseth for the faithful fail from among the children of men. So back in David's day the godly were disappearing, the faithful were on the way out, okay, according to Psalm 12 verse 1 here. And really he's using the term synonymously because however godly you might seem to be, okay, without faithfulness, without loyalty in the right areas, you're not godly. Okay and like they were ceasing or failing back in David's day, it's definitely the case now. Okay it really is. Like David's son Solomon said in Proverbs 20 verse 6, most men will proclaim everyone his own goodness, but a faithful man who can find? Okay and it's the same now, but this is something, and again you know I say this sort of stuff sometimes, I don't want to sound like a broken record, but I've definitely seen this get progressively worse over my short lifetime, I really have, okay. When it comes to loyalty, when it comes to faithfulness, or at least it has become more socially acceptable to be so. Okay so it's more open, it's more blatant, disloyalty your boss or your job, for example. How many people, it's just kind of, that's the stand now. Back in the old days, many years ago, many people maybe have parents, grandparents, maybe great-grandparents, who were in the same job the whole life. Who that was their job, that's where they went, that's where they worked, that was a boss they were loyal to, that's kind of, there's no such thing anymore. However, let's look on the other side as well, because disloyal, disloyal to your employees is a big thing as well isn't it? So it kind of works both ways because a lot of bosses, they'll be as disloyal to their employees as that employee will be to them. It's a bit of a vicious circle, a bit of a catch-free too, but that's something that we see all over now don't we? I mean these zero hour contracts are trying to get as much as you can out of people, complete disloyalty, getting rid of them at the drop of a hat, but same the other way around. So many people are just looking for anything better, anything better, and there's many areas that could be disloyal as well other than just looking for a new job. Disloyal to your parents, that's a big thing now isn't it? Okay and people, there seems to be no loyalty, they're more likely to be loyal to the state, loyal to the latest liberal idea than they will be to their parents. Disloyal to your spouse and that is a big deal isn't it? And that is massive, adultery everywhere, if they even bother getting married in the first place. Disloyalty, unfaithfulness is everywhere. Then on the flip side we see loyalty encouraged in the wrong areas, loyalty to liberal idealisms. People are loyal to that sort of stuff, they're encouraged to be loyal to that sort of stuff. For example, one that we saw a lot, which was this bizarre loyalty that we still have in this country, loyalty to the NHS. I mean all that clapping the NHS stuff was just bizarre. Who are you being loyal to? You're being loyal basically to this government healthcare system, which if anyone, for any of our kind of foreign visitors, this is a National Health Service in England, which is a sort of, it's meant to be a good quality health service for all, but basically it's being driven to the ground. But people are so conditioned by this that they'll be like, oh no it was great down there. It's like you get these people here, they will never say a bad word about the NHS. I only had to wait 12 hours to be seen. It's not their fault. You know, it's oh yeah well you know it only took six months to get an appointment, but you know it couldn't be worse. The NHS, oh you know we don't want to don't knock the NHS. It's like, that's horrendous. Now it's not, yeah it's not the doctors fault, it's not the nurses fault, it's not their fault. It's the fault of, well the people that are putting less and less money into it and trying to get more and more people crammed in to this free and inverted commerce healthcare. It's not free by the way for the taxpayer and it's so messed up because then they treat you like you're getting some sort of service, a free service, where you're not. It's a paid for service, which you get an appalling service on the back of it. Right, but again there's a loyalty to that amongst a lot of people. They will never, can't say, don't say a bad word about the NHS. What on earth? What's wrong with you? You know, but there'll be loyalty pushed to that, loyalty to the nation, loyalty to British values. Ever heard this one? British values is just kind of a way of just pushing in, you know, sort of being loyal to sodomites basically, yeah. You know, one of the British values that we get all our healthcare, all of our childcare, everyone to adhere to, is that you can't say anything about a so-called minority group and add in now people who claim to be a woman who are men and all this sort of stuff as well. But loyalty to that, well we're British, we're loyal to what they tell us we should feel like. The non-whites, in general, it's loyalty to the so-called race, in inverted commas, and with the whites it's loyalty, they're like, oh I can't really, they won't allow that, so it's just loyalty to like the warmongering drunkard Churchill or someone else, you know. It's like, protect the statue of Churchill at all costs, you know. These like crazy guys up in London. It's all this weird, and it's just, it's misplaced loyalty, isn't it? Everyone's just got misplaced loyalty. With the non-whites, it's like, loyalty, you're racist. What are you talking about? Who? Who are you loyal to? What are you talking about? Just constantly trying to, trying to encourage a misplaced loyalty and not loyalty to the right things. At the least it's just a load of vanity. Verse 2, where you are in Psalm 12 says, they speak vanity to everyone with his neighbour, with flattering lips and with a double heart, do they speak? So there's little true loyalty in the right areas, okay. True faithfulness. Most will turn on each other, on their family, on their spouse, over next to nothing, really. Most will turn like that, at the drop of a hat, and if it's a problem in the world, it's a problem amongst God's people. You can take that to the bank. If we see a problem, a pervading culture in the world, it's going to be a problem amongst God's people as well, okay. And finding someone faithful, someone loyal in the right areas is just few and far between, whether you're in God's house, whether you're amongst God's people, whether you're amongst them or you're amongst the world. Just loyal, faithful people, they're hard to find. That's why Proverbs 20, verse 6 says, most men will proclaim everyone his own goodness, but a faithful man who can find? Who can find a faithful man? Now that doesn't mean just accept that most people lack in this area. It's not, oh well, it's just one of those things. Oh well, we're not expected to be faithful. We're not expected to be loyal, move on, you know, nothing to see. You've got a new subject to talk about now. It basically means let's all step up to the challenge, okay. That's what that means. That means let's improve in this area. Let's be an example to others in faithfulness. Yeah, God forbid it should be said of God's people as well. Yeah, let's be an example in these areas. Young, old, rich, poor, new believer, seasoned veteran, God says, where are the faithful? Where are the faithful? And that's what I'm preaching to you today, yeah. I'm preaching to a church of majority saved people. So I'm preaching to a church of God's people and I'm saying, where the faithful? Proverbs 20, verse 6 says, most men will proclaim everyone is own goodness, but a faithful man who can find? Who can find? So question number one today is, number one, someone faithful to God, who can find? Someone faithful to God who can find? Oh, many will proclaim everyone his own goodness, yeah. He's faithful because he listens to some online preaching about exciting subjects. Because he picks and chooses between those those preachers of God's Word and finds the ones that he thinks will be an exciting sermon. Oh, he must be faithful to God. She's faithful because she comes to church. They're faithful because they quit fornicating and they got married. How faithful, right? But who's truly Lord to God? Who's truly Lord to God? Turn to Deuteronomy 10, because when we talk about being faithful or Lord to God, okay, we have to get the relationship right. It isn't just that we would defend him in an argument, and I hope you would defend God, you would defend the Lord Jesus Christ in an argument. It isn't that we're just, well at least they're a loyal, valiant, brave keyboard warrior, okay? That's not what he's talking about, okay? He actually requires something of us, something from us, for us to be Lord, to be faithful in. In Deuteronomy 10, Moses speaks to the children of Israel before they enter the Promised Land. He says this in verse 12. Deuteronomy 10, 12. And now Israel, what does the Lord thy God require of thee, but to fear the Lord thy God, to walk in all his ways, and to love him, and to serve the Lord thy God with all thy heart, with all thy soul, to keep the commandments of the Lord and his statutes which I command thee this day, for thy good. And of course in the New Testament, the spiritual Israel, we're no longer required to keep the meats, drinks, carnal ordinances, diverse washings, etc., but if anyone thinks that God doesn't still want us to fear him, you're crazy. Anyone thinks that God doesn't still want us to walk in all his ways, to love him and to serve him properly, well you might as well go down a liberal Baptist with the sodomite that came in earlier. You might as well go home and put your feet up, basically. If you think that he still doesn't want you to fear him, to walk in his ways, to love him, to serve the Lord thy God, to keep his commandments and his statutes, well you're reading a different Bible to me. You say, well it's more about loving him than keeping his commandments. You get those types, yeah? You know, liberal Baptist, backslap Baptist, you know, well we just, it's just about loving God. It's more, you know, it's more about the relationship with God, arbitrary rules and all that stuff, you know. What about just loving him? Well Jesus said, you know, in John 14 15, John 14 15, if you love me, keep my commandments. Yeah, if you love God, keep his commandments. What am I saying? I'm saying if you're saved, yeah, your job is to serve God, are you a loyal or a faithful servant? Are you loyal? Are you faithful? Can he count on you to still serve him when everyone else's back is turned? And by the way, his back is never turned, he sees it all. Are you still serving him when when your church members aren't watching you? Are you still serving him when your saved family or unsaved family aren't watching you? When his people aren't watching? When the witnesses aren't there? Are you still trying to keep his commandments? Are you still trying to love him? Because if you love him, you keep his commandments. Are you a faithful servant? Are you a loyal servant? Turn to Psalm 31, one of his clear commandments, you'll turn to Psalm 31, was in Mark 16 15, where he said unto them, go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature. Are you loyal? Are you faithful? Are you serving him? One of his clear commandments was in Matthew 4 4, but he answered, said it is rid of mansion, not lived by bread loam, but by every word that perceives out of the mouth of God. How can you live by every word if you don't even read every word? You don't even know every word if you've never read the Bible through. He told Joshua to meditate there in day and night, not just have a little glance now and again and hear it preach every now and again. What am I saying? I'm saying most men will proclaim everyone is on goodness, but a faithful man who can find? Because many will say I'm a good Christian because I got a church now and again, but who's faithful? Who's loyal? Who's loyal to the Lord? Are you faithful to God? Are you a faithful servant? Will he say one day to you, like in the parable in Matthew 25 21, his Lord said unto him, well done thou good and faithful servant. Will he say that to you? Do you really believe he'll be saying that to you? Well done thou good and faithful servant, now has been faithful over a few things. I will make thee rule over many things, enter thou into the joy of thy Lord. Because that's the great thing about it as well. It's not just that it's required of us. God will also reward you for doing what's required. God wants to reward you. He wants you to do what's required, but then he'll reward you for doing what's required. And it will also help you get through this life too. Look at Psalm 31 where you are in verse 23. Psalm 31 23 says, I love the Lord all ye his saints for the Lord preserveth the faithful and plentifully rewardeth the proud doer. Okay now the proud doer isn't a good thing. That plentiful reward, it ain't the sort of reward you want. Okay that's a whooping, that's an eternal whooping. But notice how loving him and being the faithful go together. He preserves the faithful, and that's not talking about salvation, that's talking about helping get them through life. Oh love the Lord all ye saints for the Lord preserveth the faithful and preemptively rewardeth the proud doer. So if you love him you're one of his saints. You're one of his saints anyway, but oh love the Lord all ye saints. If you're one of his saints you should love him and if you're loving him ultimately it sounds like you're the faithful. But Proverbs 20 verse 6 said most men will proclaim everyone his own goodness but a faithful man who can find. I think they're few and far between. I think truly loving God, truly being Lord, truly being faithful are few and far between. Point number one, okay, someone faithful to God who can find. Now as I go into the next points today, really they're sub points, really they are okay. They should be maybe point 1A, point 1B, point 1C etc. because being faithful to God includes all of these following areas. So being faithful to God isn't just when I read my Bible and I go soul wading. Being faithful to God is in all areas of your life. But I'm gonna hone in on some areas of our lives today where I want to see, I want to encourage you, I want to really challenge you to say yeah I'm gonna be faithful, I'm gonna be Lord to God in every area of my life. But let's hone in on a few. So point number one with someone faithful to God who can find and sub point, or we're gonna say just point number two, is someone faithful to church who can find. Someone faithful to church who can find. So most men will proclaim everyone his own goodness, but who's really loyal to their church? Who's really loyal to their church? So a lot of people, for example, a lot of people were loyal to churches over in the US until the sodomites started protesting. A lot of them were loyal, a lot of them were free to thrive, a lot of them were weak in, weak out, a lot of them at least for Sunday morning visitors. Maybe they were more, maybe they were coming, they felt they were part of it. Then the sodomites started standing outside protesting and a lot of churches just started losing people because they'll proclaim their own goodness, it's all fine until it happens, but a faithful man who can find. Now there is a slight difference there as well in case you think well I'll be alright because we were talking about this when we're out there, is when the sodomites protest they're standing out there in ski masks and AR-15s and I can understand that might make you feel a little bit nervy, a little bit uncomfortable walking in the church when people are standing there with assault rifles and are clearly complete psychopaths. However, where does God want you in the house of God? A faithful man who can find. A lot of people have been faithful to their church until the slander started out there, with many churches throughout history. They've been faithful until the slander started, till the lies started, until the people started whispering and lying and coming out with different so-called stories and everything else, and then the faithfulness of loyalty wanes. A lot of people have been faithful to their church until their cute little toes were trodden on by that mean old preacher. Their cutesy wutesy little toes got trodden on in a sermon. Oh, oh no, it was so personal, he must have been preaching at me. Suddenly the Lord sees out the window, faithfulness is gone, I'm out of there, how dare they? People are like that aren't they? Or until the pressure from their family and friends got too much and they chose them instead. Because that's a lot of people as well isn't it? Oh yeah, I'm loyal, I'm loyal to God, I'm faithful, I'm a loyal church member. Oh, but the family are telling me that I shouldn't be going to that church. Oh no, I'll just go to, you know, Baelim's Baptist instead. Which ain't a church by the way. Turn to Hebrews 10. For some it ain't even anything like that, for some it's just the rainbow lace wearing football team. It's taken their loyalty. For some it's just Super Sunday. How could I go to church? Someone told me it's Tottenham Arsenal today. How exciting. I mean what on earth, right? You think there aren't people out there. Save people today in this nation that aren't going to at least what they think is a good version of a church because of Super Sunday. Maybe there's someone out here because of that. For some it's just the warmth of their bed. Their loyalty was taken by the bed right? It's just staying under those covers in what seems to be a bit of a cold spring right now, right? For others it's the invite for a roast dinner, isn't it? I could go to church but it is a roast lamb. Or whatever their favourite meat is. They do some good Yorkshire puddings around there. And that is as little as it can take for many people, can't it? To not be faithful, to not be Lord to the church. Now there are many reasons that God's people are unfaithful to his church and forsake his people. Because Hebrews 10 24 and I know it's a famous passage but it says it like this and let us consider one another. Because ultimately they're being disloyal to their people, to their fellow church members, to God's people. Let us consider one another to provoke unto love and good works, not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together as a manner of summits but exhorting one another. And so much the more as you see the day approaching. That's what it comes down to ultimately is each other. Yeah, is each other, is God's people, the church, the called-out assembly, the congregation of believers. It's not loyalty to me ultimately. It's not loyalty to, you know, those those people that are free to thrive. It's just loyalty to the whole lot, to the whole church. Someone faithful to his church family. Who can find? Who can find? Turn to Psalm 101. Psalm 101. Maybe some have persevered with assembling at their church but they're not really faithful to that church. There's some maybe they do come. Maybe they do go, no, I'm gonna make an effort. I'm gonna make things work. I'm gonna come not just on a Sunday morning, not just on a Sunday evening. I'm gonna come on a midweek. I'm gonna come on a Wednesday as well. I'm gonna make it work. But does it really mean they're still loyal, they're still faithful? Maybe they're sitting there but they don't really want it to succeed. They're just hoping it all kind of fails. They're not really behind the leadership. They're just making do until something better, some way that something else works out, you know. Just looking to find fault in the preaching maybe. You get those sometimes in churches, in the decisions, in the events, in the food, in the drink, whatever it is. Let's just find something we could complain about, you know, something we can mind about, some way that we can, you know, have a problem with church instead of just being faithful to the church, right. And let me tell you what God is looking for in his house though. What sort of person God wants serving him. He said through David in Psalm 101 verse 6, Mine eye shall be upon the faithful of the land, that they may dwell with me. He that walketh in a perfect way, he shall serve me. That's what he wants. That's who God wants serving him in his house. He wants faithful servants, loyal to him, loyal to his church, loyal to his leadership. That's what God wants in a church. The leadership in his local independent church, in the local independent church. That's what he wants people loyal to that church, right. What I'm saying, I'm saying most men will proclaim everyone his own goodness but a faithful man who can find, who can find a faithful man. The title is a faithful man who can find, number one, someone faithful to God who can find. Number two, someone faithful to church who can find. Number three, someone faithful to their spouse who can find. Who can find someone faithful to their spouse. Now most spouses will proclaim everyone their own goodness but a faithful spouse who can find. Turn to Matthew chapter 5, a loyal spouse. A spouse that says when married for life it actually means it. For better or for worse it sticks to it. Forsaking all others it means it. That doesn't threaten divorce because the toilet seat wasn't put down or put up or whatever it is. I can't keep up, I don't know. I want to bring a divorce. It doesn't choose divorce because they've been conned by the airbrushed insta whores. Yeah, men that aren't going, oh well maybe it's just time to move on because look at all those insta whores who are a complete joke, who are complete fake by the Botox blaggers. They're blaggers, they're faking, they're lying to you. By the celebrity disease carriers which your social media channel whatever it is you're on just loves to keep throwing up in your face. They're just a walking petri dish. They're not an option and let me tell you just how you ensure faithfulness okay just for anyone that's confused about this men out there and especially because this is something that will affect more the men out there. Don't look, just don't look, don't even look. Jesus said in Matthew 5 you have heard that it was said by them of all time thou shalt not commit adultery verse 27 sorry verse 27 in Matthew 5 but I say unto you that whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her have committed adultery with her already in his heart. Don't look on a woman to lust after her because you're already betraying your wife. You're already betraying her in your heart. You've already started that process. Don't even entertain the idea. Don't let it cross your mind. Job I made a covenant with mine eyes. Why then should I think upon a maid? Why should I think upon a maid? If I've made a covenant with mine eyes I'm not even looking upon her like that. Why am I going to think upon that maid then? Make a covenant with your eyes. Make a deal with your eyes. Make a vow to your eyes. I'm not gonna look. I'm not gonna look. I'm not having it and you know what? You won't then betray your wives in your heart and it starts in the heart and it ends up beyond the heart unfortunately. But being faithful or loyal to your spouse okay goes beyond adultery and divorce by the way. Turn to 1st Peter 3. Are you loyal to your husband if you're complaining and comparing him to other men out there or to at least the good sides of any men out there? Are you being loyal to your husband if you're talking badly of him to anyone that will listen? Is that being loyal to your husband? Oh well I'm not cheating on him. I'm not committing adultery but I just talk badly of him to anyone. Anyone that will listen. You name them. I'll talk to them. In 1st Peter 3 God said it like this through Peter. Likewise you wives be in subjection to your own husbands that if any obey not the word they also may without the word be won by the conversation of the wives while they behold your chaste conversation coupled with fear. And whether that's an unsaved husband or a saved husband that's just not following the word of God. Either way you can encourage that by your own behaviour. Women out there. Who's adorning? This is what beautifies you. What you show. This isn't saying don't wear clothing okay. It's saying who's adorning? What beautifies you? Let it not be that outward adorning of plaiting the hair and of wearing of gold or of putting on of apparel. But let it be the hidden man of the heart in that which is not corruptible even the ornament of a meek and quiet spirit. A meek and quiet spirit. Kung fu feminist is not God's idea of a good woman. Okay meek and quiet spirit which is in the sight of God of great price. For after this manner in the old time the holy women also they were holy women who trusted in God adorned themselves being in subjection to their own husbands. Not someone else's husband in the workplace to their own husbands. Even as Sarah obeyed Abraham calling him Lord. Whose daughters you are as long as you do well and are not afraid within the amazement. Was Sarah giving him that level of respect you think and then moaning about him to anyone that had listened? Was she calling him Lord and then moaning about him to Isaac while he was out working? Was she calling him Lord then moaning about him to Lot's wife when they got together for a chinwag? I bet she wasn't. No she she she was in subjection to her own husband she treated him with respect. But it goes the same way for men okay because it's not just about adultery for men he said likewise your husband's in verse seven dwell with them according to knowledge giving honour unto the wife as unto the weaker vestal as being heirs together of the grace of life that your prayers be not hindered. Be a faithful husband giving them honour and respect trying to get the best out of your wife is what he's saying. That's being loyal to your wife being faithful to your wife is by giving them the honour the respect to try to get the best out of them. Okay dwelling with them according to knowledge you know your wife you know what makes her tick you could go well I should be able to do this I don't you know I don't care that it's what makes my wife's blood boil every single time I do it and makes her the absolute worst of herself. Be a faithful husband and try and get the best out your wife right? Or are you busy complaining about what a great husband you are and what a lousy wife she is? Because there's a lot of men out there like that aren't there? I don't do anything wrong it's all her. Most men will proclaim everyone his own goodness but a faithful man who can find. The title is a faithful man who can find. Number one someone faithful to God who can find. Number two someone faithful to church who can find. Number three someone faithful to their spouse who can find. Number four someone faithful to their parents who can find. Most kids will proclaim everyone their own goodness but a faithful kid who can find. You kids thought you're getting away with it today didn't you? Okay we fit some of the women we fit some of the men we fit everyone now it's time to hit the children here. Now this is something again that has changed massively over recent decades. Okay turn to Ephesians chapter six. Children with no loyalty to their parents, the parents that fed and watered them, the parents that cared for them, the parents that nurse them, the parents that love them, the parents that have done it all for them, the parents that are the only reason they're here alive and they will take any old stranger's side against their parents. They're everywhere these kids. They've got allegiance to everyone but their parents. Ephesians chapter six and verse one says children obey your parents in the Lord for this is right. Honor thy father and mother which is the first commandment with promise that it may be well within that thou mayest live long on the earth so he said honor both of them didn't he? Dad isn't some Homer Simpson clown that you just mock and you scorn and you just treat like the world wants to encourage kids to treat their dads and if he acts like a Homer Simpson clown you should still respect him you should still honor him because he's your dad because the Bible says children obey your parents in the Lord it says honor thy father and mother. Mum isn't some doormat kids mum isn't some doormat because she doesn't do what dad does. Mum isn't someone to just talk down to. Mum isn't someone to just treat like dirt. She's your mum. She loved you. She cared you for you. She carried you. Treat her like that. He said honor them and you could do that by showing them some loyalty right? By showing your parents some loyalty and by the way that's loyalty above everyone else. God forbid that any kid in this church will go home to their parents ago but pastor Tarana said this. Who cares? What do your parents say? What do your parents say? Because that's what it's about because they're your parents. I ain't your parent. I'm going to preach your word of God. I'm going to preach my my opinion on things but you go back and you do as your parents say. Don't ever start using that against your parents because you know what you're completely out of the will of God there straight away. You're not honoring. You're not obeying. You're trying to use preaching against your parents, you wicked little brats. How about showing them some loyalty? How about defending them to others? How about saying like people used to evolve. That's my mum. That's my dad. What are you saying about them? That's my mum. That's my dad. I'm going to stand up for them. I'm on their side. That's my default. Unless it's clearly they're doing something against God. My default is my mum and my dad. I'm on their side. You best not be talking about my mama like that. But wasn't that, shouldn't that be common? But it seems to be getting less and less that, doesn't it? How dare you talk about the man in my house like that? You know, the dad, my papa, yeah? How dare you talk, but it seems to be less and less that. Now I'm sure you see their weaknesses, kids. Do you know what? You see your parents' weaknesses, their failings, their bad sides, but do you know what? We see yours as well, you little punks. We know your weaknesses. We know all the bad things about you and you know what? Most of us still stand by our kids. We're still feeding you. We're still caring for you. We're still sheltering you. We're still trying to teach you. And by the way, when you honor them, you get blessed. First he said, then it may be well with thee. That mayest live long on the earth. Or you could be like everyone else out there, if you want. Turn to Matthew chapter 10, kids with no loyalty, taking everyone and everyone's side against their parents, any sort of situation. Oh, well, you know, it's a bit embarrassing, a bit embarrassing to take my parents' side. I was embarrassed that my mum said this to someone and my dad, yeah, yeah, it's your mum, take their side, stand by them. Kids with no loyalty, threatening to report them for a smack bottom. That's what you got out there, isn't it? Threatening to report their parents because they gave them a spanking, which parents have done throughout history. And that's where we've got to, where they're trying to encourage that. And you know what? Kids are doing it. Ring up this, ring up, my mum or dad smacked my bottom. Yeah, what? Because there's a load of wicked governmental stooges that would probably follow up that. Does that make it okay? What does God say? Now they're encouraging them to report them for hate speech. Have you heard this one? Scotland, I think they're trying to do this now, they're trying to encourage kids that if, now check this one out, not just because they're offended, if they think someone might have been offended by something that was said in their home, they're encouraged to report that hate speech. That's where we've got to. And do you know what? Would that even be a thing if the majority of kids were just loyal to their parents? Wouldn't even bother. But they do it because so many aren't, because so many have been caught. And a part of that is because so many are raised by the state. So where's their loyalty? With the state, with the school system, with all the different state systems that they've gone through. Some might be going no way, no I don't believe it. It's all going one way, I tell you. Eventually it will get to this point like Jesus described in Matthew 10 21 where he said this, this is going to come to you, coming soon to a town near you and the brothers shall deliver up the brother to death and the father the child and the children shall rise up against their parents and cause them to be put to death. What an absolute betrayal that is, isn't it? Imagine a world that we're going to get to like that, where they're going to cause their parents to be put to death. How bad can society get to be at that point? It's got to get pretty bad to be at that point. It's not far off. It's not far off. These kids are a joke out there. Most men will proclaim everyone his own goodness but a faithful man who can find, who can find, who can find me a faithful child out there who says no, I'm by my parents, I'm by my mum's side, I'm by my dad's side. I would never be disloyal like that. How dare I, how dare I, how dare those thoughts ever cross my mind to think that I would betray my parents in all areas. Stay in Matthew 10, the title is a faithful man who can find, someone faithful to God who can find, someone faithful to church who can find, someone faithful to their spouse who can find, someone faithful to their parents who can find. Number five, someone faithful to their family and friends who can find, who can find. Matthew 10 21, was it just about those brats being disloyal to their parents? Look at what it said, it said, and the brother shall deliver up the brother to death and the father the child and the children shall rise up against their parents and cause them to be put to death. Turn to, turn to Luke chapter 21, he said the brother, he said the father delivering up their child, he said the children rising up against their parents to cause them to be put to death. Most men will proclaim everyone his own goodness but a faithful man who can find. God's saying find me someone with some loyalty, okay, that's what he's saying. Find me someone out there with some loyalty, he's saying who can find me someone faithful to their family at least. Find me someone faithful to their family, someone faithful to their friends, show me a brother or sister that will stand up for their sibling. Show me a brother or sister out there that will stand up for their sibling, it will say that's my sibling, they're, no I'm with them. That's something we try and teach our kids, that we want to teach our kids, okay, is stand up for your siblings, you're there to protect your siblings, you're there to look after your siblings. When other people are being mean to your siblings you say no that's my brother, that's my sister. Yeah, that should be normal, shouldn't it? To not be too embarrassed, kids, oh you know it might be a bit embarrassing having to say that to someone who I only have to see once a week, once a fortnight, once a month, I might never see again. Who cares? Stand up for your siblings, show me a parent that isn't too embarrassed to defend their kids, oh well I wouldn't want to offend someone so, you know, by saying to their kid, you know, maybe could you not like beat up my child, could you not smash my two-year-old around the head with something, oh it's like no, oi, look could you sort your kid out, yeah that's my child. Show me someone that will stand by their friend when times are hard for them, who's not just a good time friend. Sometimes, yes, times are hard, I need to, I need to stand up for my friend, I need to show some loyalty, some faithfulness, I'm still there for them, I'm still there for you, because in Luke 21, it won't just be brothers, father and children, it says in Luke 21 and verse 16, and you shall be betrayed both by parents and brethren and kinsfolk and friends, they're just out of family, friends, and some of you shall they call to be put to death, it's still betrayal, it's still betrayal, because Proverbs 20 verse 6 said most men will proclaim everyone his own goodness but a faithful man who can find, who can find a faithful man, someone faithful to God who can find, someone faithful to church who can find, someone faithful to their spouse who can find, someone faithful to their parents who can find, someone faithful to their family and friends, who can find a number six, someone faithful to their boss, who can find, who can find someone faithful to their boss, most employees will proclaim everyone his own goodness but a faithful employee who can find, show me a faithful employee, turn to Proverbs 25, now this is an area, okay, that as one of God's people we should be standing out from the crowd, if you're a child of God, you should be standing out in this area, and I'm not just talking about not looking to jump ship at the first opportunity like most, I'm not talking about just not being the person that's just trawling for any job that pays, you know, a couple of pennies more per hour, a salary of an extra few hundred quid per year, whatever else, I mean being a law worker, putting your best shift in whether the boss is looking or not, not just being a men pleaser, not just doing it for eye service, somebody's just going to put their best shift in, that person's paying me, I'm going to be faithful, I'm going to be honest, I'm going to be law, I'm going to do my best, not just put my feet up when I get a chance, someone who refuses to join in with the whispering about the boss, how about that, someone who refuses, says I'm not joining in with that, that's the boss, he pays my wages, you might actually make people think about it themselves as well, yeah you don't have to completely mock him and belittle him and getting around with it, you just say I don't want to join in with that, that's the guy that pays the wages, I want to, why do I want to join in with the gossip, with the moaning about him, with everything else, just refusing to bad mouth your boss in all areas, refusing to go home and bad mouth your boss, refusing to go to someone else and bad mouth your boss, refusing to bad mouth your boss, he's your boss, you should be working as unto the Lord, even to the forward boss, being honest with his time, he's paying you time, being honest with it, I'm being paid right now, I'm paid to work so I'm going to work, not while no one's looking, trying to put my feet up, that's being faithful, being faithful with the responsibility you're given in the workplace, you have a responsibility, there's things he wants, he wants you to get there on time, he wants you to work properly, he wants you to do the right thing when you're at work, he wants you to put effort into the job, he wants you to be honest at work basically, and when you do all of that, okay, not only will you stand out amongst this forward and perverse generation, but you will therefore be a breath of fresh air to your employer, so you only end up benefiting in the long run, Proverbs 25 and verse 13 says, as the cold of snow in the time of harvest, so is a faithful messenger to them that sent him, for he refreshes the soul of his masters, and for you self-employed, okay, for you bosses out there, be like that for your customers, yeah, be like that for your clients as well, okay, be the same, because really they're your boss, really, they're the one paying your wage, they're the one paying the bill, they're the one that's employed you hoping you'll do the best job, but be loyal, be faithful, do the best you could do, and what happens is people find it refreshing to deal with someone on this, they really do, and when you do that right, and you're honest, and you're trustworthy, and over years people start to see that, that you're just going to do what you say you're going to do, you're going to do the job you said you're going to do, and people like that, and you'll only benefit from that, because as the cold of snow in the time of harvest, so basically the time of harvest being a very hot time of year, if you had some snow then you'd be like that is refreshing, hard work, in grafting, in the beating down sun, a bit of snow would be a welcome thing, wouldn't it, well in the same way, so is a faithful messenger to them that sent him, someone who's faithful, someone that's loyal, someone that's trustworthy, for he refreshes the soul of his masters, it's refreshing, because it's so few and far between, most men will proclaim everyone his own goodness, but a faithful man who can find, and when you please your boss, okay, when you please your clients, your customers, the blessings will come in one way or another, okay, turn to Proverbs 28, whether it's promotion, or just more trust and feeling more valued, you know, whatever it is, it's like oh well where's the money, I've been honest for the last month now, where's the promotion, where's the new job, where's the extra cash, not necessarily like that, but just knowing that I'm doing the right thing, that's fulfilling, knowing that you're honest, that you're faithful, that you're loyal, knowing that wow people are starting to see they can count on me, that's a nice feeling, going into the workplace knowing they're not breathing over my shoulder anymore, everything I do, because they trust me, because they know that I'm going to do what I say I'm going to do, that's a good feeling, you get more freedom, you get, it becomes a nicer relationship, let alone the fact that yeah you will get blessings in one way or another anyway. Proverbs 28 20 says a faithful man shall abound with blessings, but he that maketh haste to be rich shall not be innocent, so show some faithfulness, some loyalty, instead of running to the highest bidder, instead of holding your boss to ransom for the highest wage, well I'm going to sit down have a meeting with my boss now because I should be paid more, and if not I'm quitting and leaving him in the lurch, it's like look, don't get me wrong, you can look for a new job, and look a lot of bosses aren't going to be faithful to you, but do it the right way right, and when you're there, while you're working with someone, be loyal yeah, do the best you possibly can with your customers, instead of just charging the maximum you can in your self-employed job, well I don't need to do so many jobs, I'll just try and get the odd rip-off job and I'm happy, people do that, there's a lot of those types of people, hey don't be like that, show some loyalty, show some faithfulness, don't be like everyone else, turn to Luke 16, Proverbs 20 verse 6 said this, most men will proclaim everyone his own goodness, but a faithful man who can find, someone faithful to God who can find, someone faithful to church who can find, someone faithful to their spouse who can find, someone faithful to their parents who can find, someone faithful to their family and friends who can find, and someone faithful to their boss who can find, and really the list could continue into all sorts of small areas as well, small things too, because it's a mindset, really that's what it is, are you a faithful man, woman or child, are you someone that's, are you someone that people who know you would go, that's a loyal person, that's a faithful person, you can trust that person, they're going to do what they say they're going to do, they're going to be where they say they're going to be, they're going to behave how they say they're going to believe, I can trust them, they're loyal, I know what I'm going to get from them, when explaining the parable of the unjust steward, Jesus said this in Luke 16 and verse 10, he said, he that is faithful in that which is least is faithful also in much, and he that is unjust in the least is unjust also in much. Show me someone unfaithful to their boss, to their family, to their friends, to their parents, to their spouse, to their church, to any other area of life, and I'll show you someone that's unfaithful to God, and you can bank on it being in other areas too, it's what it comes down to, because it's really, it's a mindset, and ultimately as a believer, as a child of God, in all areas you're serving God really, in all areas you're working as unto the Lord, in all areas, your ministry is everywhere because you're a child of God, you're representing God in your family, in your workplace, in your friendships, in your church, wherever, so are you faithful, are you going to be a loyal person, are you going to be what God wants you to be, or are you just going to find ways of ripping people off, of stitching people up, of doing whatever you can do, getting away with whatever you can do, of being disloyal, of being unfaithful, or are you going to be faithful to God? Most men will proclaim everyone his own goodness, but a faithful man who can find, and my prayer is that, look, everyone here, we'd respond to a messenger and go, yeah, I want to be a faithful man, it's all well and good, yeah, we tick the boxes, yeah, I come to church, yeah, I read my Bible, you know, although my mind wanders, you know, about this and that maybe half the time, yeah, I pray to God, you know, as well I pray for my food, yeah, I go soul winning, you know, I tick the box of the soul winning as well, but am I a loyal faithful person, am I one of those few, because it sounds like they're hard to find, and because we're the few when it comes to salvation, aren't we? We're the even fewer when it comes to being saved and actually serving God, and actually turning up to a church, I mean, you know, something outlandish, something so crazy and far-fetched as turning up to church on a Sunday morning, you know, that's few and far between, we're the few that are actually going out and trying to get other people saved for the majority of people in this church, but how about being one of the few that could be described as a faithful man, woman, or child, someone who people go, that's a faithful person, that's a loyal person, that's someone with integrity, that's someone that I can trust, and they're few and far between, aren't they? That's something that we should all want to be, shouldn't we? We should all want to respond to that, and that is in all areas, that's not pick and choose areas, I'll do it in the boss area, because I think I might get a better job out of that one, I don't know about in the church area, because that sounds like I might have to be there a bit too much, well I'll do it in the church area, because I think that must please God, but I'm not going to do it in the family area, because my husband, my wife, my parents, my kids, whatever, they wind me up a bit too much anyway, no one really sees that, it's behind closed doors, now God sees it all, and God wants you faithful in all areas of your life, and like we just saw there, he that is faithful in that which is least, is faithful also in much, and he that is unjust in the least is unjust also in much, they all go hand in hand eventually, the most men will proclaim everyone is oh goodness, but a faithful man who can find, on that we're going to finish in a word of prayer. Thank you for your word, thank you for the truth we can get out of that word, that verse of Proverbs, Lord, what a powerful verse, what a verse that hopefully we'll have etched on our minds, on our hearts, not just today, not just this week, but going forward, Lord, to want to be that faithful man, Lord, to want to be one of those few that you can say yeah, now good and faithful servant, and having been faithful in everything you've given us to be faithful in, Lord, that we know that you'll bless us, you'll reward us, you'll make us all over much in the future to come, in the millennial reign to come, Lord, and regardless of any of those things, help us to just be just a good reflection of you, Lord, to be exactly how you want us to be, exactly how you are, because you are a faithful God, you're a God that will fulfil everything you've told us you'll fulfil, Lord, you're faithful, you're loyal, you're trustworthy, help us to be more like you, Lord, help us to go out and preach the Gospel this afternoon like you require us to do, Lord, like you've commanded us to do, to be faithful in that area, and to preach it accurately and clearly and boldly to people, Lord, and then to return for this evening's service as well, Lord, and help us to all do these things in Jesus Christ's holy name. Amen.