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Right, what a great chapter of the Bible, eh? I want to focus on a verse which is also repeated in chapter 40 as well of Job, which is Job 38 and verse 3. So Job 38 3 which reads, gird up now thy loins like a man for I will demand of thee and answer thou me. And the title of my sermon today is pull your trousers up like a man, pull your trousers up like a man. In Job after around 30 chapters of this sort of backwards and full dialogue between Job and his other three friends, a lie who pipes up in the last few chapters if you know the book. Then here in chapter 38 God starts speaking right at the beginning of this chapter and we see in verse 1 here it says, then the Lord answered Job out of the whirlwind and said, who is this that darkeneth counsel by words without knowledge? Let's go to the Lord in a quick word of prayer. Father I thank you for your word, I thank you for this church. I ask you now to just fill me with your spirit, help me to preach boldly, help people to want to hear what the Word of God has to say to them, to just listen to the message and to act upon the message as well. Help us all to just, you know, everyone here to just just, you know, change our lives according to what you what you want to say to us today. In Jesus' name we pray, Amen. Okay so I believe in verse 2 here he's talking about a lie who who is this at darkness counsel by words without knowledge and there's a warning obviously there about darkening counsel giving bad advice isn't there something we all need to be aware of because a lot of people just love giving advice don't know they just love giving advice but not God's obviously not happy about bad advice with a lack of knowledge you see okay God doesn't want that but he then he then speaks to Job here okay and he says so he's just just been I think referencing talking about a lie who then he says gird up now thy loins like a man for I will demand of thee and answer thou me so what's the literal meaning of that the literal meaning what does gird mean well to surround to clothe to dress to encircle or bind with a with a belt or band okay there's a word gird here what what are the loins the hips the the inner sorry and the inner surface of the legs where they join the trunk of the body so the crotch basically that middle area of ourselves so girding up your loins is either putting clothing up on them or putting a belt on them or something along those lines yeah why like a man well two options here if it's a belt it's simple question of body shape here isn't it we don't have those hips do we and and we we have more need of a belt don't we men but if it's clothing if it's clothing that would be because there's always been a difference isn't there a difference between the way men and women dress yeah okay that's why he's saying gird up thy loins like a man if it when we're talking about the literal meaning you don't have to turn there but that's why in Deuteronomy 22 5 the Bible says the woman shall not wear that which pertaineth unto a man neither shall a man put on a woman's garment for all that do so our abomination unto the Lord thy God okay hear that abomination that means fancy dress it's an abomination when men dress up like women okay I've been a parties when I was younger to these things some guy thinks it's so hilarious to be dressed up as a woman it's an abomination it's an abomination to dress in a woman's garments is it not that's what God says what's an abomination something he detests something he hates living little Johnny wants to try being little Julie it's an abomination isn't it it's an absolute abomination any parent that facilitates that in fact especially those pants that push it are an abomination aren't they isn't that absolutely vile these kids that these pants that play around with that stuff parents that just think it's fun that their kid wants it you know things I'm gonna put on a fancy dress dress that is wicked that's an abomination according to the Bible isn't it okay that is an abomination Scots in kilts abomination absolute abomination I heard a brother say to me something about well apparently they could also double up as a blanket no it's an abomination okay it is an abomination no one wants to see that it's disgusting the apparently untouched righteous tribesmen in the middle of somewhere or other that we're always being told just you know how much kind of better they are than everyone else well if they're wearing a dress they're an abomination okay they're an abomination now you you know you might say wait a minute brother in didn't men wear skirts in the old days though didn't men wear skirts in the old days I've watched a lot of Hollywood movies and they seem to all be wearing skirts in the old days don't they especially the back the ones battling the Warriors even though even the so-called just you know kind of Narnia land type people it still seems to be wearing skirts and dresses and Hollywood it does seem to be obsessed by this doesn't it Hollywood seems to be obsessed by men in little tunic miniskirts and stuff going to war but there is nothing new under the Sun and and you know I'd probably say that there have been men over history that have worn dresses and skirts and everything else but God calls us to be holy doesn't he God calls us to be holy so whether or not people did and whether or not Hollywood is or isn't just just make you a big meal of this God calls us to be holy now turn to Exodus 28 Exodus chapter 28 this is over 3,000 years ago because there's also this sort of kind of so undercurrent like somehow you know trousers weren't invented then you know men were just wearing dresses and skirts well Exodus 28 over 3,000 years ago describing the clothing for priests and in verse 42 Exodus 28 42 it says and thou shalt make them linen breeches to cover their nakedness from the loins even unto the thighs they shall reach breeches where we get the word breeches from breeches trousers or long short trousers long shorts whatever you want to call them breeches but by the way also not just mentioned here but again in Exodus Leviticus Ezekiel okay clearly the men then were wearing breeches and there was a particular outfit that the priests were wearing which include breeches now I think everyone here would agree wouldn't they that that seeing some hairy geezer walking around in a skirt is pretty disgusting isn't it the thought of it makes you feel sick but what's the difference between with women in trousers what's the difference now so much oh well they're very feminine trousers are very feminine trousers what do you mean figure-hugging do you mean figure-hugging or what do you mean figure-hugging you mean a modest in modest because that's what that's what figure-hugging trousers are aren't they they're in modest because they're showing every curve and everything else even though first Timothy 2 9 says in like manner on also that women adorn themselves in modest apparel or alternatively they're baggy and manly so either way you can't win can you now look you know if you're here and you're thinking on a breach like this I don't know about this that that's what the Bible says and really we want to listen to the Bible and just get right with God don't we want to get right with God and some people look we've all every probably every single person here I know pretty much everyone here has has grown up in in most of us in this country at least their country with sadly a lot of wickedness being pushed and promoted on this is some some of us weren't even aware this stuff you know I weren't even aware this stuff but we are now because we have the Word of God and the Word of God says it's an abomination doesn't it and there is no other clothing which you could say is clearly man's or woman's borrowing trousers and dresses can't you okay and it is clear now we need to make a stand for the things of God don't we okay we need to make a stand we need to say look I don't care what I don't care if people are gonna family members are gonna criticize look at me and think I'm a bit weird you know because now I only dress my daughters in skirts and dresses because I want them to look feminine I want them to look feminine I don't want them to look I don't want them in tight figure hugging stuff either okay it's pretty clear isn't it and by the way leggings are undergarments while we're on that on that subject but this is that's another subject and really I'm not preaching on that today although it's a good thing to just remind ourselves isn't it good thing to remind everyone here what the Word of God where's the standard the Word of God isn't it the standard isn't this well up until recent was illegal illegal in many states in in the US in fact it was illegal up until 2000 and I think it was 13 in France anyone know about this no in France it was illegal for for a woman to wear pair trousers okay that was a lot now people didn't follow that law but the law was still there until they repealed it recently okay and on that they had to get permission from a police officer to wear one oh what a bunch of wait what are we much better off now oh because since then the world the world is so much better isn't it the world is so much great now that we've moved on from for night you know weird old old-fashioned ways of dressing no no because that used to be normal didn't it used to be normal to clearly show the lines between men and women and when there should be a distinct line between men and women because that's what God wants isn't it a distinct mind okay but in back to job 38 I don't believe that job was sitting around half naked okay all that he was an early instigator of the queer low slung trouser fashion anyone see that stuff around man that winds me up the low slung trousers that you see with these guys with their trousers literally below their their bottom cheeks it is foul it's got to be one of the queerest fashions I mean look I don't know you see some weird stuff over the years and we've all had some weird fashions over the years I remember when he's huge baggy blue-bolt jeans and trim with those yeah couple of the older guys won't remember those he's huge Gary's shaking his head you a look you a look before the blue belts okay okay but yeah we had the brick we had like these weird old ready for all this baggy stuff and the caps and the puffer jackets with all the weird counts on about and there's been some weird stuff around yeah but I don't know I don't know if there's been anything weirder than a man putting his trousers on so they look like they're falling down okay that is bizarre isn't it that is absolutely bizarre and it looks so queer doesn't it as well and what's what's really crazy is it not these guys that dress like that actually I think they're looking cool and tough as well and I personally think it's probably if it is much worse than the skinny jeans although I hate the skinny jeans although I'll be interested in a vote who thinks skinny jeans are worse than than the low slung trousers oh we got we got a skinny jeans hater there who's going for low slung trousers worse than the skinny jeans okay that's the majority of the church I think okay so we're gonna go with that majority pull your trousers out okay but but the skinny jeans are pretty bad aren't they men with skin tight jeans on how queer is that as well okay that is ridiculous but I don't think job was one of these sort of men in fact I'm sure Joe wasn't one of these men this phrase of girding up your loins actually used several times in the Bible and it's not telling people to get dressed okay it's not not necessarily telling people to get dressed I don't think it is telling people to get dressed what he's saying a job here is basically he's saying man up man up job okay that's what he's saying to him he said get up your loins like a man he's saying man up pull your trousers up like a man now you might be thinking why why is Joe being told this he's just had his life destroyed hasn't he his 10 children killed all his wealth gone he's covered now head to toe in boils if you remember the story of the book of Job and if you haven't you know I'd encourage you to read it his friends are now trying to blame it for it all that's what's been going on for the last however many chapters they're trying to say it's your fault job you must have sinned you must have done something wrong and and during all this he still hasn't cursed God has he and I reckon a lot of people here wouldn't be able to say that probably vast majority made all of us go through what Joe we've gone through most people are going to turn around and curse God so why is he being told to man up why is he being told to man up we'll have a look at verse 1 so we said we saw that it says then the Lord answered job out of the whirlwind and said who is this that darkeneth counsel by words without knowledge good up now thy loins like a man for I will demand of thee and answer thou me so God's saying who is this idiot giving you bad advice okay that's what he's saying who's this idiot giving you bad advice pull your trousers up like a man you say man up for for I will demand of thee and answer thou me because it's me you've got to answer to Joe man up because you've got to answer to God the Almighty God not man without what you know with these words without knowledge like a lie who but the Lord the Lord God and when the Lord demands things of us we need to pull our trousers up like men and answer them don't we men we need to pull our trousers up like men and answer the Lord God now this sermon obviously is more aimed at the men and the boys here today who are going to grow up to be men okay it's more aimed at them but but on that the wives here the why anyone who's a wife is should be supporting their husbands to be able to be demanded of by God okay every wife here should be supporting their husbands to be demanded of by God remember you're meant to be a help to your husband not a hindrance not whispering in his ear oh you know do we really have to go to church you know or you don't want to you know you don't want to do as the church says you don't want to do this yeah you know do you have to read your Bible I don't go so it no you're meant to be a help to your husband their help to be a man of God really okay every single man here should aim and their goal should be a man of God in one way or another okay single ladies yeah should be looking for a man that they can support to be demanded of by God shouldn't they okay that should be what their goal is is to be looking for a man that can be it to be looking for a man that you're able to support to be demanded of by God okay mums here should be raising their sons to be able to be demanded of by God shouldn't they they should be raising them to be men to be men and we're gonna see what that is in a minute kids here are aiming as boys to be those men as women to be those supportive women aren't they okay that's that's how we should all be aiming that's how what what we should be looking to do so everyone here this should be able to speak to you because because mums daughters you're looking to be able to support men kids to be like this because this nation needs more godly men doesn't it doesn't this nation need more godly men how wicked is this nation this nation needs some men of God walking around and making a change in this nation men of men are ready to answer when God demands of them yeah men are ready to answer they're gonna say yeah I'll answer you when God demands of them and as saved Christians as saved Christians he automatically demands some things of us doesn't he okay I'm not talking about the individual things we'll have individual things well but automatically there are some things we that are demanded of us as saved men of God here yeah okay turn to 1st Corinthians chapter 16 because God's idea of acting like men is a lot different to our world's idea isn't it a lot different in fact it's pretty much the opposite it's basically the opposite of how the world tells you you should be as a man so what does God demand of all of us saved Christian men well have a look at verse 13 there but we're in 1st Corinthians 16 verse 13 says what she stand fast in the faith quit you like men be strong so first first things first to believe in that standing fast in the faith yeah standing fast in the faith the world's real man doesn't even have faith let alone stand steady unmovable in it does he God wants us to not get blown about with every wind of doctrine does he doesn't want us blown about with every wind of doctrine going down all these silly little rabbit holes he wants us to stand on the Word of God and it's an especially and more importantly than any of the rest of it is to stand on the gospel doesn't he just stand on the gospel stand up for the gospel to be able to stand there and say clearly what the gospel is not not be worried that we're going to offend people that have a slightly differently to stand up for the gospel yeah because the gospel is what's under attack most the gospel has always been what's under attack most isn't it okay we need to as men of God stand up for the gospel make it clear what the gospel is okay but also to be strong strong in adversity yeah strong and adversity is a Christian in our faith not sulking when things don't go our way not sulking when we feel like the preachings getting on us oh you know I just I don't want to listen to that anyway not sulking when we feel like just things aren't happening for us in our Christian life sulking when we feel like you know we're all we're getting a bit of persecution a bit of tribulation it's just not going so smoothly no we want to be men don't we okay we should be manning up in them situations now before that he said watch ye watch ye we need to have our eyes open to the angles of attack don't we the angles of attack to not be ignorant of Satan and his devices okay we need to be aware we need to see where it comes from see the way he draws us into some sort of negativity or the way he tries to draw us into sin the way he tries to draw us into all these issues not be ignorant we need to watch but he said quit you like men quit you like men that means behave like a man okay behave like a man every single man here and every single boy here should be aiming to behave like a man because the world's constantly telling us to behave more like women isn't it get in touch with our feminine side you know not to be such a male this and that and whatever the words they say and they basically mock don't they mock men mock men in everything you see kids books kids kids little stories cartoons a lot it's always just mocking the dad mocking the man mocking the man he's some sort of laughing stock some sort of joke especially that man who dares to be a man you know a family man you know that man who actually has some sort of belief and faith what sort of man is that you know constantly being told aren't they now he said here be strong be strong now does he mean to spend our evenings down at the gym bicep curling in the mirror is that what he means by be strong yeah get down the gym and bicep curl no it's in the context here of having our eyes open being strong in the faith it's a mental and spiritual toughness isn't it that's what it's talking about what's the use of bench pressing twice your body weight or whatever the goal is if you're too weak to go through a bit of tribulation what's the point what are you gonna do you get a bench press your way out of tribulation bicep curl your way out of tribulation men no if you're too weak to resist a bit of temptation doesn't matter how strong you are doesn't matter how many kettlebells you can lift up or whatever whatever the latest fad is okay it doesn't matter if you can't resist some temptation and resist the temptation to sin now keep a finger here in turn of 1st Peter chapter 1 being a man in God's eyes means being mentally strong mentally strong in 1st Peter 1 he's just been talking about salvation 1st Peter chapter 1 okay then verse 13 he says wherefore gird up the loins of your mind 1st Peter 1 13 wherefore gird up the loins of your mind be sober and hope to the end for the grace that is to be brought unto you at the revelation of Jesus Christ he's not saying put a belt on your mind he's not saying put some trousers over your head he's saying be mentally strong be mentally strong be sober which as well as obviously not being drunk can also means being calm and collected aware as opposed to the world's idea of a man which is some beer-swilling idiot who spends his days down at the pub and bars and clubs getting drunk but the Bible says gird up the loins of your mind basically be manly be mentally manly and be sober and hope to the end for the grace that is to be brought unto you at the revelation of Jesus Christ because when we're mentally strong when we're focusing on salvation he says in verse 14 as obedient children not fashioning yourselves according to the former lusts in your ignorance but as he which has called you is holy so be ye holy in all manner of conversation because it is written be ye holy for I am holy now conversation is behavior here he doesn't mean be a holier than now when you speak he's not saying in all manner of conversation just make sure you sound as spiritual and holy as you can which is something that that Christians can get pulled into doing he's talking about your behavior okay you know everything you say to them by the grace of God you know the god you know you know all my forefathers look everything doesn't have to be like that yeah we can't talk normally as well but what he is saying here he's saying in your conversation your behavior be holy okay be holy in your behavior go back to 1st Corinthians 13 not according to the former lusts in your ignorance be holy now look at 1st Corinthians 13 of verse 14 he's just told them in fighting talk to be like men doesn't he he's just said quit you like men then he says let all your things be done with charity now the world's idea of a man is some self-absorbed muscle sculptor isn't it some self-absorbed spends his hours down the gym in the mirror you know that's a real man with the perfect physique some selfish womanizer some selfish womanizer he's just going from woman to woman you know he's not tied down cuz he's a real man he's a real man he's not tied down with one woman some flash git that cares more about his car than his family yeah well at least he's got a fast car well he's polishing it every Sunday you know while the kids are in there doing you know playing on computer games whatever it is just to shut them up but no God's men think of others God's idea of a man a man of God thinks of others should think of others charity charity here it's not talking about giving some drug addicts your money to get high okay it's not about the world's version of charity where you just throw money at drug addicts and alcoholics or giving some huge charity corporation your hard-earned money to spend on their wages their extortionate wages or their research buddies okay that's not the sort of charity it's talking about so go back to chapter 13 of 1st Corinthians sorry I said to you to go to 13 I meant to 16 go back to chapter 13 of 1st Corinthians Oh charity is a giving love a love that cherishes your wife that cares about your kids that cares about your church that cares about the lost that's the charity he's talking about isn't it you had a charity is thinking of others he said quit you like men be strong let all your things be done with charity now the world would say that's some sort of contradiction but it's not is it it's not verse 4 first first Corinthians chapter 13 verse 4 says charity suffereth long and is kind charity envyeth not charity vaunteth not itself is not puffed up does not behave itself unseemly seeketh not her own is not easily provoked thinketh no evil rejoiceth not in iniquity but rejoiceth in the truth beareth all things believeth all things hopeful things endureth all things isn't that the opposite of the world's version of a man that is basically the opposite isn't it suffering long isn't a man meant to get revenge straight away you know don't put up with anything you're a man aren't you don't put up with one thing don't you know don't let a boss talk to you like that don't let don't let your wife talk to you like that don't let whatever it is talk to you like that no charity suffereth long and is kind that's a real man real man's kind charity envyeth not okay because the world would be like you know that's a real man it's trying to get as much money it's trying to be like this guy you know is their goal is to be like this celebrity or whatever else charity envyeth not not envying other people's stuff charity vaunteth not itself is not puffed up because the world's man is like look at me hey you know the world's man the biggest sports star it's all about him isn't it but that's not that's not how we should be that's not what a real man is puffing himself up thinking he's a big deal vaunteth not itself is not puffed up does not beset behave itself unseemly because the world's man is some sort of wicked just full of iniquity isn't he that's what the world promotes worth but does not behave itself unseemly seeketh not her own is not easily provoked thinketh no evil rejoiceth not in iniquity but rejoiceth in the truth okay that's the sort of man that we're looking to be like isn't it to be able to bear all things believe all things hope all things endure all things in chapter 16 go back to chapter 16 in chapter 16 he then says I beseech you brethren you know the house of Stefanos that it is the first fruits of Achaea and that they have addicted themselves to the ministry of the Saints that ye submit yourselves unto such and to everyone that helpeth with us and laboureth now the world's real man is a rebel isn't he the world's real man oh he doesn't submit apart from to the government's ridiculous mandates but everything else no you know he doesn't submit you know he's a real man nobody tells me what to do you know but God through Paul has told them to behave like men and then to submit to those working in the ministry and look I'm not gonna get on that one because that goes without saying doesn't it okay that's what a real man does that's what a man of God does but that goes for bosses at work doesn't it because we're clearly told to do that aren't we that means submit to your boss at work yeah you're not too good you're not too big you're not too clever to submit to your boss for your parents at home kids it doesn't matter how big and tough you get as teenage boys a real man a real man is gonna submit to his parents at home for the laws of the land even okay we're not too tough and too cool and too manly to not submit to the laws of land as long as they don't contradict God's laws okay because we're told to submit the laws of land where possible aren't we okay now turn of first Kings two because some of this can be easier said than done okay it's all well and good just read it all out and we're sitting there going okay well I can't do about that bit well okay I'm a bit stuck on that bit and I hope you are I hope you don't sit here listening to preaching and just kind of just quickly forget the bits that you think might apply to you just hard hard in your ears your heart no we should be sitting here thinking how can I apply this to my life how can I change myself how can I be more the man that God wants me to be how can I as a mother raise my son to be like this how can how can I encourage my husband to be like this well most of us have been influenced by the world and we in fact everyone's been influenced by the world to some degree some more than others how do we become and look we're all still fleshly we all still have chosen to be influenced by the world okay let's not try and excuse ourselves here but we have how do we then become the men that God wants us to be well first Kings chapter 2 says this now the days of David drew nigh that he should die and he charged Solomon his son saying I go the way of all the earth be thou strong therefore and show thyself a man so this is King David telling his son to be strong and to be a man okay and this is how verse 3 and keep the charge of the Lord thy God to walk in his ways to keep his statutes and his commandments and his judgments and his testimonies as it is written in the law of Moses that thou mayest prosper in all that thou doest and whithersoever thou turnest thyself so obeying God walking in his ways keeping his statutes his commandments his judgments his testimonies read it hear it follow it do it that's what he's saying isn't it okay he's literally just said be thou strong therefore and show thyself a man and then he goes on and gives a list of things that he needs to be doing because the world depicts someone following God God's way God's Word is some sort of a feminine sissy doesn't it okay that's the world's version it's some sort of a feminine sissy that wouldn't say boo to a goose apologizes almost for daring to be a Christian you know and just doesn't want to offend anyone or anything else but no someone following God's way isn't like that someone following God's way someone actually wanting to follow the Word of God that's part of being a man isn't it that's part of being a man of God someone that wants to live clean the world depicts them as is too scared to try out sin you know what you know you're not bold enough you're not brave enough to try this you know you know almost like mocking mocking someone that doesn't at least try it you got at least try it don't you please try everything really try everything I don't think anyone here would want to try anything and I don't think most of the world borrowing some of the sickest filth would want to try everything would they because it takes strength to live by the Word of God doesn't it it takes strength there's a strength of character there's a strength mentally to live by the Word of God in everything we do everything we do it takes a real man to resist sin doesn't it to be a doer of the word and not just a hearer that takes strength doesn't it that's the sort of strength we're talking about and then on top of that a topic being able to say yeah I'm a man yeah I you know I'm trying my best to be a man God says he'll reward you when you do it as well that's what he said didn't he said that thou mayest that thou mayest prosper in all that thou doest and whithersoever thou turnest thyself when we do things God's way we prosper and look okay there are some general things okay and there are obvious general things that he demands us of us as saved men of God aren't there okay obvious things as men of God as family men to love our wives okay to love our wives to honor them to cherish them okay that's what we're told to do as men of God aren't we no matter what be not bitter be not bitter against them to dwell with them according to knowledge try and dwell with them that you know in the best way you can to be able to have a happy marriage okay that's what that's what God tells us to do doesn't he not to just walk out the minute things don't go our way to just quit to just to just treat them like dirt because we can or because we think we can and we think we're just fine but you know there's other things to be a godly father to be there for our kids to raise our kids to teach our kids the Word of God these are obvious things aren't they obvious things to provide for our family to provide for our own we're not considered worse than an infidel okay there are obvious things that we're told to do as men that there are clear things in the Bible aren't there okay but as well as many of these clear things and obviously going out soul-winning going to church as a Christian okay not forsaking the assembling of yourself together as a manner of some is yeah we shouldn't be forsaken should we but but but exhort each other each other so much the more do you see the day approaching we should be we should be church maximum time we can we should be so winning you know obviously okay I can't go so winning seven days a week you've got a family you got a job you've got you've got you know you've got church to come to you've got you've got responsibilities but you should be so winning shouldn't you and you should be so winning the amount that you can physically do okay not just well you know I'd go once a month that's so winning okay we should be we should be so winning we should be reading our Bibles as men of God shouldn't we every single man here I hope and pray that they have read their Bible every single day this week and not just a verse not just some daily devotional whatever they call it not verse of the week that comes through on you some on your smartphone read your Bibles pray to God but there are also specific jobs that he has for us as well aren't there okay we all have specific jobs that God wants us to do turn to turn to Jeremiah chapter 1 it's a Bible lesson great examples of men girding up their loins to do big things for God and I want to just focus on a couple of them now okay so Jeremiah chapter 1 and look at verse 4 where Jeremiah speaking says this then the word of the Lord came unto me saying before I formed thee in the belly I knew thee and before thou camest forth out of the womb I sanctified thee and I ordained thee a prophet unto the nations okay so God ordained him a prophet before he was even conceived okay God ordained him a prophet and everyone here has a different role that God wants you to do okay there there are some general things that we should all be going but we all have different roles we all have different things that God has has planned for us but it's up to us we're not robots are we we still have to choose to do them now it says in verse 6 then said I our Lord God behold I cannot speak for I am a child Jeremiah is obviously pretty young here isn't he I think he's pretty young here I would say I would say he's a teenager late teenager maybe but he's calling himself a child here okay now we don't know the exact age different people kind of have some ideas about this but I would say probably late teens here okay so this isn't someone that's already you know gone through a lot of trials of life for anything else this is a teen here so you kids listen up here this is what God demands of who I think is probably the teenage Jeremiah verse 7 but the Lord said unto me say not I am a child for thou shalt go to all that I shall send thee and whatsoever I command thee thou shalt speak whatsoever not just the fluffy bits is it whatsoever be not afraid of their faces for I am with thee to deliver thee saith the Lord now that's some good principle there for some of today's preachers isn't it be not afraid of their faces anyone that's preached to even you know even a smaller group anyone that's done them maybe any of the past so many mountains or anyone that's preached to you know like I said even that even immense preaching nights which we want we want to encourage more people to come so the guys get used to preaching bigger groups you're looking at a lot of faces when you preach and you see a lot of different things on a lot of faces I'm not saying you they're just trying to you know read every single face but you do see a lot on the faces and you see some negativity on faces sometimes and you see some some mocking and some scorning sometimes on faces you'd be amazed you think well these are all Christians that no you see that you see people sometimes you think do they want me to see that sometimes you see that and you also see some positivity on faces as well okay but it would be easy for a preacher to be afraid of those faces okay and look if you're there and you want to say you want a good church you want to support your preacher okay and I'm not saying you need to be there just going hey man great getting there with everything he says but you know what you shouldn't be sitting there trying to show that you disagree or you you know you've got something you really need to talk about talk about after the service yeah because preaching to a group of people isn't easy for a lot of people okay and here he's saying he's saying be not afraid of their faces okay be not afraid of the faces for I am with thee to deliver thee says the Lord and it's how many preachers today afraid of the faces that they're seeing they're looking at there and they're mindful of what they say they're mindful of what what comes out of their mouths I want to speak the Word of God don't want to be too clear you know we'll just just be a bit you know just borderline just kind of just go over these things because they're afraid of their congregation they're afraid they're gonna turn against them they're afraid that they're gonna not support them they're afraid that they're gonna start whispering about them they're afraid that they're gonna end up trying to get rid of them they're afraid they're gonna leave they're afraid they're gonna lose tithers they're afraid of all of that but God said be not afraid of their faces and anyone who preaches you have you have to be bold and think I don't care I've got to preach what the Word of God the message that he's put on my heart okay and that's what he's saying to Jeremiah be not afraid of their faces because that could be more scary I think for many people the faces that you're preaching to then it can for physical altercations outside when you're soul winning because you're preaching you've got a lot of people that you're preaching to you can preach some uncomfortable messages messages which probably are pretty pretty you know they're pretty unpopular you know and you feel like okay well I'm probably upsetting most of the church here but a preacher told be not afraid of their faces and that's good principle isn't it now verse 9 he says then the Lord put forth his hand and touched my mouth and the Lord said unto me behold I have put my words in thy mouth that's why we shouldn't be afraid because when we preach the Word of God we don't have to be afraid do it verse 10 see I have this day set thee over the nations and over the kingdoms to root out and to pull down and to destroy and to throw down to build and to plant and that's what the Word of God does in the mouth of a preacher doesn't it that's what the Word of God does if it's preached boldly in the mouth of a preacher it roots out pulls down destroys throws down but it also builds and it plants verse 15 for lo I will call all the families of the kingdoms of the North saith the Lord and they shall come and they shall set everyone his throne at the entering of the gates of Jerusalem and against all the walls thereof roundabout and against all the cities of Judah and I will utter my judgments against him touching all their wickedness who have forsaken me and have burned incense unto other gods and worship the works of their own hands thou therefore gird up thy loins and arise and speak unto them all that I command thee be not dismayed at their faces lest I confound thee before them so Jeremiah Jeremiah who's described himself as a child he's just described himself as a child is being told to preach God's judgments against all of their wickedness to touch upon all of it all of their wickedness and what does he tell him to do he says gird up he tells him to gird up his loins pull up your trousers get up and preach the Word of God that's what he tells Jeremiah to do that's what he tells his teenager I think this boy to do don't be scared of them or you'll be confounded put to shame in disorder okay and that's what happens as well doesn't it you see preachers that just don't even seem to make any sense that make any sense what they even preaching because they're scared of their congregation aren't they they're scared they're worried they're fearful and then they start to sound confounded don't they okay they're scared of upsetting maybe not the people there but maybe the maybe it's you know their preacher buddies you know it's all the other it's all the the old IFB and the pre-trib rapture you know and the people maybe you are sitting in front of me I better not say you know and they don't sound like they make any sense they're scared of upsetting the apple cart with the Jews so they just carry on preaching that they're some sort of special holy people despite what the Bible says that there's some you know that they're still chosen even though the Bible says that we are clearly Israel as believers but they but and they sound confounded don't they they sound confused and how many sermons have you sat in I have at these at these bad churches in this country where you're just sitting there guy you sound confused you sound confounded what is this guy on about you know and and that's what happens now okay verse 18 he says for behold I have made thee this day a defense city at an iron pillar and brazen walls against the whole land against the kings of Judah against the princes thereof against the priests thereof and against the people of the land and they shall fight against thee but they shall not prevail against thee for I am with thee saith the Lord to deliver thee and when we man up and get to work for God he protects us doesn't he okay it's not about you it's not oh well you know I'm gonna man up because then I can take on everyone no because when you man up and you go I'm just gonna do whatever God wants me to do okay what God wants me to do that's what I'm gonna do whether it's in my family life whether it's in my church life whether it's in my work life when I do it God's gonna defend and protect us isn't he Jeremiah ends up preaching hard doesn't he read the book of Jeremiah he preaches hard that's a hard preacher and he goes through some beatings and imprisonments but God delivers him as promised doesn't he God delivers him out of it now you might sit there and you might sit there looking at that guy okay well that's you know that's some big name preacher okay that's the preacher not and the vast majority probably aren't called to preach behind a pulpit to preach at the congregation like like Jeremiah ends up doing to preach at the people but it's not just about the big names like that that we that we consider the big names of famous preachers there are many things as specific jobs that we all have to do turn to second kings and chapter nine second kings chapter nine so in second kings chapter nine the kings of Judah and Israel are both wicked yeah they're wicked and along with Jezebel you remember Jezebel here it's basically time for God's judgment on them okay so God's now about to judge them and we see how in second kings chapter nine and verse one second kings nine one it says and Elisha the prophet called one of the children of the prophets and said unto him gird up thy loins and take this box of oil in thine hand and go to Ramoth Gilead and when thou comest thither look out there Jehu the son of Jehoshaphat the son of Nimshi and go in and make him arise up from among his brethren and carry him to an inner chamber then take the box of oil and pour it on his head and say thus saith the Lord I have anointed the king over Israel then open the door and flee and tarry not now have you read this and remember Jehu this isn't the sort of man that you just walk up to and pour things on his head okay this is a tough guy this is a guy that ends up if you remember he basically ends up just slaying everyone in sight pretty much okay and he does some pretty pretty tough stuff and it I don't know if you remember the story when he basically pretends to be a worshiper of Baal okay this is Jehu he pretends to be a worshiper of Baal to get together all the Baal worshipers so this guy's managing to just keep a straight face for this and keep strong with this to get them all together to then butcher them okay this is Jehu okay so we like the sound of Jehu don't we okay us real men here if you don't like the sound of Jehu you're not a real man okay so Jehu here so okay now the fact as well it's not just that he's pouring oil on Jehu's head he's anointing him as king despite there already being a king okay so it's not just oh well he's just got to go and pour some more than some guy's head he's going up to him he's going to him to basically anoint him as king despite the fact that there's already a king in the land okay that's some dangerous stuff to be doing isn't it okay that's some risky business now add to that that he's just been described as one of the children of the prophets now okay you could be saying what children of Israel it's not necessarily children I don't know I see this as again someone pretty young here and Elisha the prophet called one of the children of the prophets and said unto him gird up thy loins okay but he has a job to do doesn't he okay he's got a job to do and a message to bring so Elisha tells him to gird up his loins he says pull your trousers up man up you've got a job to do okay so look at verse four so the young man even a young man the prophet so he is young isn't he went to Ramoth Gilead and when he came behold the captains of the host were sitting and he said I have an errand to thee our captain and Jehu said unto which of of all us and he said to thee our captain and he arose and went into the house and he poured the oil on his head and said unto him thus saith the lord god of Israel I have anointed the king over the people of the lord even over Israel and thou shalt smite the house of Ahab thy master that I may avenge the blood of my servants the prophets and the blood of all the servants of the lord at the hand of Jezebel so imagine how this lad is feeling he's basically telling him to kill his boss that's what he's saying to kill your king he's gone up to him and that's his message you need to kill him he's probably wondering how is he going to react to this is he just going to go traitor you know and butcher him now look at verse eight for the whole house of Ahab shall perish and I will cut off from Ahab him that pisseth against the wall and him that is shut up and left in Israel and I will make the house of Ahab like the house of Jeroboam the son of Nebat and like the house of Baasha the son of Ahijah and the dog shall eat Jezebel in the portion of Jezreel and there shall be none to bury her and he opened the door and fled now he did the job that he was told to do there didn't he okay so he's gone and he's done that job now look at verse 11 then Jehu came forth to the servants of his lord and one said unto him is all well wherefore came this mad fellow to thee he said unto them you know the man and his communication sometimes doing god's work makes people think we're mad doesn't it in fact most of the time doing god's work the world thinks we're mad the world thinks we're crazy and you've got to be a man to be able to deal with that as well don't you not well I think I'm a bit of a you know a bit of a weirdo knocking on the door preaching the gospel well they all think he's mad look at verse 12 and they said it is false tell us now and he said thus and thus spake he to me saying thus saith the lord I have anointed thee king over Israel then they hasted and took every man his garment and put it under him on the top of the stairs and blew with trumpets saying Jehu is king but they know it's the word of god when they hear it don't they they might be saying he's mad but they know it's the word of god when they hear what he said okay and people know that don't they people know that when you go out and preach the gospel when you preach the word of god they might call you things but deep down they know it's the word of god don't they they know it's the word of god but this kid was a man or boy probably for the job wasn't he okay he was he was a man or boy for this job now you're thinking well why can anyone have just gone and poured some oil on his head and told him this well maybe had it been a fully fledged adult maybe they would have suspected some sort of setup maybe they would have thought he'd been sent by Ahab or more likely Jezebel maybe they would have killed him before he got to speak maybe had he just turned up there rocked up there in the middle of where they all were and started trying to say so maybe he would have got killed maybe their egos would have prevented him getting a chance to even speak who are you to tell us who are you to tell us what to do and what what the word of god says maybe that would have been the problem maybe those words coming from a child meant that it had to be the word of god you ever think about that kids yeah when you're bold enough when you stand there and you try and preach the word of god to someone you preach the word of god to another kid you know and you're you're saying things that adults don't have the balls to say people people know the word it's the lord working don't they no it's god i know it's the word of god okay we don't know for sure but you know there are people in this world that will only that will only respond best to one of us yeah yeah that's true you know that there is someone in this world who who each and every one of you in here they will respond best to okay there's someone in this world who would respond best to whoever it is whoever you might think well they're not really the best soul winner you know they will respond best to them for whatever reason and you get that i was listening to uh some soul winning um it was like an old soul winning advice on a jack hole thing recently that um that you know i saw it come up and i thought yeah let's be quite interesting what they're saying there and you know you know we do things differently to a lot of some of the advice some of it was pretty good stuff though and and one of them was look i'm not saying that any of it was bad just different to how we do it but one of the bits of advice he said when you go to a door with another soul winner he said whoever they respond to whoever they and you notice that when sometimes you could be the talker and they just keep looking at your partner it's like they just and it's it's no necessarily there's not necessarily a reason what they just whatever they're drawn to them he's saying whoever that is they give the gospel now that's an interesting point and i don't know if i want to make make that a war it's something i've thought about but i've thought because we generally do the it's your turn until the door knocks if both of you are talkers but there is sometimes that situation and if we should maybe be humble enough to if i'm trying to talk you know i'm trying to preach the gospel and i'm with brother whoever here you know next to me um you know whoever it is and and they're standing next to me but then and they're able to give the gospel and that person just keeps looking at them keeps giving the answers to them and they do that don't they people do that because i think that person's right for them for whatever reason they're more likely to listen to them they're more likely to engage with them okay and i don't know what that is it might just be that you know they're not as ugly as me or it might be it might be something else i don't know what it is but people do that don't they yeah okay and for whatever reason that i think that was the case with this lad here he was the right man for that job and i think with all of us there is someone there is someone that that is right for us isn't there to give the gospel to okay and god sometimes leads us to those people doesn't he okay and of course you know we're not just waiting to be led everywhere and hold your bible out and just kind of go you know we want to do systematic solving as well there's some people that that wouldn't have even wondered you know weren't even necessarily wanting to hear the gospel you know we're not calvinists here we don't think everything is you know that's it god oh dang that one no because sometimes people hear the gospel they get saved don't they that's what the word of god does but look there are specific jobs for all of us so there's specific people to preach to but there are also specific jobs in the world to do okay our role as men of god it isn't just you know either preach behind a pulpit or turn up to church and and have a family there are many things to do aren't there there are many things in the ministry and there are many other things there are many other great things we could do there are missions trips that people can go on there are there are many jobs in the church there are you know god might have ordained you to to be that usher you might be that person that welcomes someone and whatever it is or deals with a problem or you know whatever it is that means that that more people that person comes back to church whatever else he might have ordained that role for you he might have ordained that role as a bible reader for you because you're going to make people understand it it's clear whatever else he might have ordained whatever job whatever role that is he might have ordained that role for you as ladies you know whatever that role is whether it's in the church whether it's just being there at some point to give that word of encouragement to another kid that's feeling him you know that that's having a hard time to another adult or whatever it is there's so many different things maybe it's to to support that man to support that man to to be able to gird up his loins and do a work for god and we all have some you know god has got he's got an idea for all of us he's got something he wants us to do it's whether or not we're going to man up and do it though isn't it this kid man's up and does it doesn't he he was right for that job he does it he goes and does something which i think was scary he's gone in the middle of all these guys he's a man of war aren't they yeah you see what jay who does that he's riding hard afterwards isn't he they're like wow you know what they call him driving hard that's jay who look at the way he drives he's basically just charging isn't he on his horse about start chopping people up and this kid's just walked up to him in the middle of all his buddies and started telling him you know and and start pouring oil on his head and telling him that he's gonna he needs to go and kill his boss i mean that's something isn't it okay and i think many people would have probably you know found a way out of that okay but he's done it he's girded up his loins and he's done it hasn't he and we every single every single man here and look you know let's just spread it spread it across as well every woman here as well we need to all just get tough don't we get tough do the things that god wants us to do yeah and and god will reveal that to you and sometimes that can be being in church and just being a faithful church member a faithful church member who's there week in week out yeah who's there preaching the gospel going out soul when you're reading his bible and then god will reveal to you what it is he wants you to do god will put you in positions he'll start the jobs will come up the things will come up not necessarily at church maybe it'll be in your in your personal life maybe it'll be at work but god will reveal those things to you when you when you say to him look i just want to serve you and the and there are obvious things aren't there there are obvious ways we serve god okay the obvious things is being faithful at church yet not being a complainer not being a moaner not being a whisperer just being at church just doing it right leading your family be an example to your family leading your wife if you're single you know doing those things for god you have more time you know doing things for god trying to serve the church trying to trying to be a good employee be a good boss whatever it is yeah kids just being a good kid doing as you're told yeah and then god will start to reveal what those individual jobs what those roles are for you to do okay and and that comes from when we man up we gird up our loins pull our trousers up like men and do it oh now let's pray father i thank you for your word i thank you um i thank you for for the godly men in this church thank you that we're surrounded by by many god here and i pray that you help all of us to be to be more manly but more manly according to your word not according to this wicked world that we live in i pray that you you'll help the women here to support us to support the men here and and if they don't have men to support to find a man they can support and if they don't want to be able to serve the church as well to be able to support in that way so that we're able to to to to gird up our loins and go and do those jobs that you have for for all of us to do um i pray that you help us to do that this afternoon to go out and get people saved to be bold to be strong to be confident in the word of god to go and preach the gospel and and that we all manage to get back here for the evening service as well in jesus name i pray all of this amen