Lessons from Lions and Their Prey

God, greetings to you from the Home Office. It really is also a wonderful pleasure to work at the Home Office in a good spirit of unity and where we can talk to one another in peace and harmony. It's just a lovely atmosphere and really it's a pleasure to work in that environment. We've got all different people of different skills and whenever I need something, I go into somebody's area and ask and they are as responsive as they can be and really it's good. It's appreciate. We can do the work that way. That's lovely.

It was a time my wife and I were driving down and we stopped the car at the top of what we call a kopi, which means a little hillock. As we looked down, there were sparse trees down there. The grass was dry. There was a dry grass around there, a small lagoon in front of us towards the left, a lagoon, and a lovely pride of water back. You probably might not know what water back are. They are a type of large deer. They are about four to five feet tall to the shoulder and they went around the water drinking peacefully. A lovely seam of this large herd of water back drinking. One could easily identify the male. It was a beautiful, large, robust animal. It was about 25 percent larger than all the other females and probably maybe another five feet tall to the shoulder. Its horns were well developed and widely spaced and curving gracefully towards the back. They were quietly drinking and watching orderly in the wild. It's wonderful to watch that in the water back. They've got a conspicuous white ring encircling the dark rum and they look like a target mark which says, follow me. Interesting, that's what they call it. That's what they call that in South Africa. Each follow me sign is uniquely identifiable by the family members so they always know who's mommy to follow. It was a peaceful, lovely morning about 10 o'clock in the morning. The sun was well up in the African sky. The day was hot and dry as always. And what a peaceful day. Lovings, lovely setting and the buck quietly drinking. And we had a lovely advantage point from this little hillock, from this copy, looking down towards the back and we could see the open felt. That's South African word for the savannah grasslands. We could see the open felt and there were no other animals in that open felt in front of us. It was dry yellow, goldish, lying, gross. It appeared like a lawnmower that had gone there and mowed. But it wasn't. It was fairly tallish, but from far away it just looked that beautiful. And as you looked, you occasionally could see a sparse thorn bush. Now this is very typical in South Africa. Those thorns are about like two to three inches long. Very sharp, very sharp. And you could see them with this scene. We had that beautiful brown, gray beauty. Very beautiful scene. And so calm and deserted. And the water back, we buy the water, drinking peacefully. But as we sat there and watched carefully, then we noticed one, then two, and then three, and then a cluster of lionesses. Strategically spread across that felt that savannah grassland crouching ever so cautiously. And they were about 200 yards away from each other. So they were fairly distant away from one another. And even though they were at great distances from one another, they were clearly appearing to us, clearly communicating in a non-sound manner. Because you could watch strategic, a strategic move. You moved and I moved and you moved, and they were far away. Meantime, but further all the way out to the back, then we could see the cubs, the lion cubs, all by themselves, well-behaved, quietly watching what was going on. None of them was playing tricks and distracting the scene.

And it actually was a beautiful view of a lioness's hunt for the prized water back. A seemingly easy target. We must have been watching for a good 30 minutes. I mean, time passes by, but it is just an amazing sight to watch. And we saw this awesome attack strategy developing in front of our eyes. And the lions were at least some 500 yards away from the back, and they were continuously positioning themselves. Kathy and I reminded ourselves of a scripture like in 1 Peter 5 verse 8. So if you turn with briefly to it, 1 Peter 5 verse 8. 1 Peter 5 verse 8. 1 Peter 5 verse 8.

It says, Be sober, be vigilant, because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour. Interesting enough, there was no roaring. At that moment, there's no roaring. When they actually are busy attacking, they quiet. And interesting enough, it's the lionesses that do the work. The lion was sitting out there just watching the scene.

But today, brethren, I don't want to talk to you about Satan's tricks.

But I do want to draw some spiritual lessons from this awesome sight and the interaction that I saw, or rather that my wife and I, we saw, of the lions because they clearly had a vision, a target to go for, a goal to achieve. And they were communicating amongst themselves in some unknown ways. But clearly, they were working together as a well-coordinated hunting team. Maybe just by watching each other's moves and that of the box.

And they were fully aware they had a short window of opportunity. Because sooner or later, those box would finish drinking the water and it would go, because it's a dangerous place to be. And so they had a sense of urgency amongst them. And therefore, from this natural scene, I want to draw three important lessons, being the importance of vision, the importance of being ready, and the importance of having a sense of urgency. The lions had a clearly defined vision to achieve a goal as a team, by watching carefully and being ready with a sense of urgency. Likewise, you and I need to understand the importance of us remaining well focused on our vision to achieve our God-given goal by working together as a team, by watching carefully and being ready with a sense of urgency. We need to have a vision, a well-understood vision, as God given us a well-understood vision. Yes, we do. Why were you born?

Why are we young? What is our vision? Right from Genesis 1, he made it very clear, let us make man according to our image, according to our likeness. And yes, you and I, physically speaking, are in a physical sense in that image and likeness. But more than that, turn with me to 2 Corinthians chapter 5 verse 17. 2 Corinthians chapter 5 verse 17.

Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. Brethren, our goal as true Christians in the spiritual body of Christ, which is the church of God, we are a new creation. Yes, the physical creation is amazing. But even far greater is the spiritual creation that the Father is doing through His Son, Jesus the Christ, our Savior. That is even more awesome than the physical creation. And there's no question, Christ is the agent that the Father is using to do that. And so we also read in Romans chapter 8, lovely section of the scripture. Very, very encouraging. But we read in Romans chapter 8 verse 16 and 17 a wonderful climaxia. And it says, if God's Spirit is with us, it says, the Spirit bears witness with our human spirit. It was God's Holy Spirit, which is the divine seed, which proceeds from the Father, which Jesus Christ the Son gives to us after baptism upon the laying of our hands, the Father sent to us and Christ gives it to us through Him. We then receive that seed, which then merges with our human spirit. And in a simple human analogy is like the ovum and sperm get together and become a new embryo in the mother's womb, in which we have a bit of the DNA from the mother and a bit of the DNA from the Father. And spiritually speaking, it's like we have the spiritual DNA from the Father and now we are begotten, truly begotten children of God. We are truly begotten children of God. Growing and maturing till one day we'll be born into spirit beings, fully mature into His family. And the continuing eye says the Spirit, God's Spirit, bears witness with our human spirit. That's the spirit of man in man. So the two joined together and become this new being, the Son of God, a child of God. And it says that we are children of God. God's Holy Spirit in us, that divine seed, as it says in Peter, that divine seed makes us, and that's a witness, as it says in our witness, bears witness, that we are the children of God. Just like your own children, once you as a dad begot them in your wife's womb, they were already your children, even though yet unborn. We are now God's children, albeit not yet spiritual, born as spirit beings. Verse 17, and if children, then is.

Is of what? Is of God. Do you get the full depth and meaning of what it says? Yes, is of God, of becoming of the type of being, of the form of become of the form of God as Christ was of the form of God, and he emptied himself to become a human being, as we read in Philippians chapter 2 verse 6. And we are going to be of that. We're going to inherit that same type of being, being of that kingdom, being of that family.

Is of God, and joint is with Christ. And he has the smallest, or one of the smallest, but more very significant English words, which is if. If. If we suffer with him.

Oh, we don't like to hear that part. But it says, if we suffer with him, then we may also be glorified together with Christ. Remember in John 17 when Christ said, Father, glorify, give me the glory that I had with you. And you and I read in John, it says in John 1, 1, it says, in the beginning was the Word, and Word was God, and was with God. He had that glory. It says here that you and I may be glorified together with Christ, co-is of God. Now, that is so encouraging. And that is a vision that you and I need to have. As we heard in the sermonette, times are not easy, and times are not going to get easy. And brethren, it's only a few years. Don't be deceived that the Lord is delaying his coming because he's not. I believe now is the time. It's around the corner. Don't blink your eyes. The lion is ready to strike, and we better watch it. There is an urgent sense of urgency that you and I need to have, and you and I need to be ready now. Lest, you and I, Mr. Mark. So brethren, we are going to be co-heirs and heirs of God. Do we get it? Look how John put it in 1 John 3. Another wonderful, powerful scripture. 1 John 3, verse 1 through 3. Behold, what manner of love the Father has bestowed on us that we should be called the children of God. Brethren, we are the children of God, just like your son and daughter before they were born, but after they were begotten for that nine-month period, they were already your children, albeit unborn. No questions. An analogy is perfect. It's beautiful. It's a God-given image to us to help us to understand spiritual things.

He says that we should be called the children of God. Therefore, therefore, the world does not know us. The world doesn't get it. And that's what Satan wants you and I not to get it.

The world does not know us because it did not know him.

The world did not know Christ, who he was, and they killed him. And therefore, they don't know us. Beloved, we are now, now, as begotten children of God with God's Holy Spirit in us.

We are the children of God, and it has not yet been revealed what we shall be. You know, now we have amazing technology. You know, my children, when they're expecting, they have a sonar, you know, an ultrasound, and you see the baby. I remember when we had our first children, they didn't have that technology yet. And then, later on, they had a technology, but they wouldn't tell us what was the sex of the child. It was kind of illegal at that time in South Africa. But now, you can see, we saw a picture of one of our grandchildren, just before he was born, about a year ago, that we can actually see the facial expressions of the baby in the womb. But you know, we could not see the color of the eyes, or the color of hair, or things like that. But amazing what we can see! But it is it. We could not see yet how that baby would be once you'd be born. Although, now, with technology, we can see a lot of things, but we still can't see everything. And likewise, spiritually, it says it has not yet been revealed what we shall be like. You and I cannot begin to grasp the beauty, the glory.

And it's not that you and I will be super, super, whatever, it just will be far less than God and Christ. But that type of being, you and I cannot begin to comprehend it.

As it says, for instance, in Revelation 10 verse 7, it says, when the sound of the trumpet blows, then the mystery of God will be revealed. In other words, then this mystery will be revealed, but now we can't see what that will be. It says it has not been revealed what it shall be. But we know when He is revealed, it was when Christ comes back the second time. We shall be like Him, like Christ, for we shall see Him as He is. We shall see Christ and we shall be able to see God as they are, because as human beings, we can't see that glory.

We'll be blinded. We'll be blinded. Now look at verse 3, and everyone who has this hope in Him, put it in another way, everyone that holds this vision close to heart, that's what it means. When you have this hope, a hope is something you don't have, and it's a vision. It's something that you're hopeful to attain. Everyone that has this hope, this vision in his heart, will make a strong effort to purify himself, just as he is pure. What is our vision, brethren? United has a very clearly defined statement, which I'm going to read now for you about what our vision is.

We ought to be a church led by God's Holy Spirit. Join and knit together. Join and knit together. By what every member, that's you and I, and your children, and grandchildren, all every member in the spiritual body of Christ, supplies what every member supplies with all doing they share. What is your share? What is my share? Oh, I'm nobody. Remember the days of the cynical statement says, all you have to do is pray and pay. I'm washed. There's a lot more that you and I need to do besides pray and pay.

Sure, you have to do that, but there's a lot more, because all doing the share and growing in outgoing concern. It was growing in genuine, godly love. To fulfill God's great purpose for humanity, which is to bring many children to glory. That is a very clear statement of vision that you and I need to have, because it really narrows down what the Bible says into some practical statement in today's language.

Turn with me to Ephesians chapter 4, starting from verse 7. Ephesians chapter 4, starting in verse 7. But to each one of us, grace was given according to the measure of Christ's gift. So yeah, we have. Jesus Christ giving us gifts, is giving us talents, is giving something that you and I can supply with our own share to make the body to grow in love. We all have some gifts, all have some talents. Some had lovely talents, Yahweh singing acquired, was stunningly beautiful, stunning, beautiful.

Thank you. But we all have talents in some way or another. Some of the ladies have talents in cooking, and they can do things to serve others and make the day wonderful. Others have other talents that can provide and serve the body. Therefore, he says, when he ascended on high, he led captivity captive and gave gifts to man. When Christ ascended, he led captivity captive. You know, the way of sin is captive.

It's put in jail. He's redeemed us from that, and he's giving us gifts through his Holy Spirit. Look a bit further in verse 11. It says, and he himself gave. So Yah is some of the gifts. Now it's talking about gifts. Some of the gifts that God's given to the church.

Some of the talents. Now, this is not a thing about positions of authority, as we may say, well, this is higher rank. That's how lower rank. No, it's gifts. It's talents. Talents to serve the brethren as being sent by God as apostles, and some to be able to explain, expound the Bible, some prophets, some evangelists, some pastors and teachers. You have wonderful ministers here in the northwest that can help you and coach you and guide you in God's way. That's a gift to the church. As we read in verse 12, for the equipping of the saints, in other words, to enable you, to equip you, to enable you as God's people in the church for the work of ministry.

Oh, that means I can be a preacher and a minister. No, no, no. Ministry means the acronym, the acronym is the Greek word is to serve. To minister is to serve. That's what it is for the work of serving each other. As our vision statement says, sharing and growing in love with what each member can supply with the different talents and gifts God has given you so that the body can be served the body of Christ, the church.

For the ministry, for the edifying, that is the building, the making the church, edifying of the body of Christ, which is the church of God, till we all come to the unity. So, Yai's statement that we've got to be united. We've got to be one in the unit of faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God.

And there's a theme that goes through that it says, you know, we start reading this about the grace in the section of Ephesians. Yes, the grace of God and it's given to you and it's giving us these gifts so that we may grow in the knowledge. You remember how Peter ends? It says, grow in grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Can you tie that to exactly this? That we are to grow in grace. Grace is the gracious way of being kind, of being loving, being outgoing for one another. And in the knowledge of Jesus Christ, that means who Christ is as the Son of God, as the one that the Father delegated the authority to do this job.

And in that knowledge, we've got to have Christ in us and becoming like Him till we come to a perfect man. That's the goal. How far we are still short. But that's the goal. And God will make up the difference in the rest, but provided you and I keep going to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ. He is our standard. We, as Paul elsewhere says, don't compare yourselves with one with another. Who do we compare ourselves with? With Christ. He is our standard and that's who we got to aim to be like Him. Verse 14, that we should no longer be children, tossed to and fro, carried about by every wind of doctrine. How easy that... Now Satan just keeps recycling these things a few 10 years later, 20 years later. The same story comes back again. You know, it just recycles it again and again. All these winds of doctrine by the trickery of man in the cunning craftiness of deceitful plotting. Satan's deceitful plotting. But speaking the truth in love, may grow. Yes, we need to grow in grace and knowledge. Grow up in all things into him in order to become like Christ, who is the head Christ. From whom the whole body joined and knit together by what every joint supplies, exactly what our vision statement is. According to the effect of working by which every part does it share. Every part means every single member in the church. We all have a share to play, a job to do. Not just pray and pay, but a lot more. So that we cause growth of the body. That will cause growth of the church, the unified, for the edifying of itself in love. It's such a beautiful section of scripture, brethren. And in a bit lighter in verse 22, it says, and therefore that you put off all those bad things. Put off your former conduct to all the man which grows corrupt according to deceitful lusts and be renewed by the spirit of your mind. In other words, our thinking process must be changed. And you put on the new man which was created according to God. Oh, how we can read just over it.

According to God. Oh, we just read over it. In other words, we are to be created to be similar to God. That's what it means according to Him, just like Him. To be heirs of God. We created to be according to God in true righteousness and holiness.

The lions had a clear vision, a well-defined vision, to achieve a goal as a team. By watching carefully and being ready with a sense of urgency to strike. Us, you and I, need to have and remain on a well-focused vision of what our vision is that God's given to us. To achieve our goal in life, working together as a team, by carefully watching that we counted worthy to escape and to be ready for sense of urgency because time is short. So, what must you do? What must I do?

And that's where the struggle is. When we get down, okay, we got this vision and we got to keep it well-focused, well clearly in our minds. But what is it that we, individual, need to do?

Well, our mission statement is very clear. We preach the gospel of Jesus Christ and the kingdom of God in all the world as a witness, of course, to make disciples in all nations and to care for those disciples. Do we get that? We can summarize that into two simple, short phrases. Preach the gospel and prepare the people. That's in our logo. That's what it is. That's what we're going to do. Preach the gospel and prepare the people. Ah, but how can I do it? You see, that's where it gets fuzzy. You see, I'm just a housewife. I'm not a minister. I cannot preach the gospel. Or I'm just a young man, single man, or a young lady, single in the church. How can I do that? How can I preach the gospel? How can I prepare the people? Oh, that's not for me. That's for the ministers. No, it's not.

Christ, through Paul, gives us a wonderful analogy of the human body, doesn't it? I mean, you can read in 1 Corinthians 12 how it compares the church to a human body, and there's different members in the body. Let me ask you, look at yourself in the mirror. I mean, that's probably quite easy to do. We all probably do that quite a few times a day. How many mouths do you have?

But you see, there are many other members in your body and in my body. There's eyes, there's ears, there's a forehead, there's a chin, there's a chest, and then there's a liver and a kidney and a stomach, and a foot and a knee, and a little finger, and whatever. And if one of them is not functioning well, how can your body function well? I mean, if your liver or if your gallbladder has got some stones and is giving you real trouble, I don't think you're going to work very well as a human being. You see, every member does its part for the edifying of the body. Get it? So you don't have to be a mouth, but you have a job in the well-functioning in the health of the body. But if you are sick and you just happen to be a little toe, man, can a little toe hinder the body. So we all have a job to do in the body.

Okay, so the body is healthy. How do I preach the gospel? Okay, I've got one mouth, so well, but in the body, we're just an element of that. So what does Christ in the sermon on the mount within, in a sense, it's an encapsulated, I sometimes compare it to like the basic 10 commandments in the spiritual context, you know, so it's a bad analogy, I know, but it's an analogy that kind of makes sense to me, to my brain. And there he says, right at the beginning of the sermon on the mount, he gives a list of beatitudes. Which they cannot build on one on top of another, which is the, in there it starts with humility and in that, but then immediately after that, it tells us using those beatitudes and starting humility and ending up of being a peacemaker, there he says, you need to be what? Turn with me to be what? Turn with me to Matthew chapter 5 verse 14 through 16. Matthew chapter 5, Matthew chapter 5 verse 14 and 15. First it says, you're the salt. To me it means that we are just a little sprinkling in the wall, you know, just one here and one there. But then he says, you're a light. You're light of the world.

As we heard in the sermonette, a beautiful example of this person was in this cabin and heard something and he made up a little fire there next to the lake. A little light. A simple light, but it drew this man that was rowing and lost in the lake to the light. Brethren, we are a light to the world. Now there's many lamps out here, many lamps. They all give light. Now, if one of these lights starts flickering, how will you feel about it? What are you going to do to that lamp as soon as you get a chance? And indeed, if it not just flickers, but if it starts making a noise, what are you going to do to it? It ceases to be useful.

You see, a light does not flicker and does not make a noise. You and I, Christ said, are light to the world.

And it says, a city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden, nor do they light a lamp that put it in a basket and put it on a lamp stand and gives light to all who are in the house. So, we need to be a light. We need to be an example that becomes a light for other people to look at and say, he or she has got something that I need. Let your light so shine before men that I may see your good works. Oh, maybe I'm reading it incorrectly. Let your light so shine before men that they may hear your preaching. No! It doesn't say that! That they may see your good works.

And because of that, glorify your Father in heaven. Are we being a good example?

A little later, in the same sermon in chapter 7, starting in verse 15, it says, beware of false prophets.

And then in verse 16, it says, you will know them by their fruits. And then in verse 20, it ends that little section there. It says, therefore, by their fruits, you will know them. How do we know them? By their fruits, by being a light, by being an example, and by those fruits, by that example, that light is providing, you will know them.

What are, what are your works, your fruits, your light? What is my light? What is our light? Look at another example here about works, because it says, your works. So, do works justify us? No. What do I mean by justify? Do they make us right with God? No. Look at Ephesians. In Ephesians chapter 2, Ephesians chapter 2, Ephesians chapter 2, let's just read the context here in verse 1. And, and you, you made alive, who were dead in trespasses and sins. So, Christ has made us alive. He's redeemed us, he's brought our life back, because we were in sins. Right. Then, understanding that, let's look a bit further ahead in verse 8 through 10. For by grace, the grace that Jesus Christ has given us, and that the Father has instructed Jesus Christ to do, for by grace you have been saved through faith. Oh, you see, you're saved by faith. Yeah, but what it means is that through God's grace we will be justified, as we'll see in a moment, and as we're justified we might write, ultimately the end of this race, as we persevere at the end, ultimately will be saved through faith. And that, not of ourselves, is the gift of God.

Oh, many people say, well, I don't have enough faith. Well, it's not of yourself. It's not your faith. It's not my faith. It's a gift of God. It's the faith of Jesus Christ. What do you mean it's the faith of Jesus Christ? Let me give you an example. Very simple human example. So, don't see anything wrong from it, but I'm just using an example to make it clear. Say for instance, there's two beings, yeah, two people that could be in the future to do some thing together. But then one says, look, for you to be able to do that, for us to be able to do that, then one of us will have to go down and work here in the gutter and whatever it is, and then once you're in the gutter and you can't actually enable to do it, I will then, because you've proven your point and shown everybody that you can do that, I'll then put you back into the position that you were before and then will prove that you are able to do and we can do this. So basically, that's what the word and the father did. And the word said, I'll do it. He came down to earth and he died. You know, was he emptied himself as you read in Philippians chapter 2 verse 6, and he was of the form of God. You know, it was that God kind, and he emptied himself, became a human being, and he humbled himself further and he died on the cross. If they were ever competing, ah, now I'm by myself. I've got the competition out of the way, but that's not. They absolutely loved one another. And so what the word did by emptying himself and humbling himself to die was an act of absent trust in the supreme father that he would resurrect him. Otherwise, he wouldn't have done it. It was an abstract trust. And that act of trust, which is the faith of Jesus Christ, that's what it is. His faith in the father, that father will do it. Absent trust. There was that mutual trust, because the father knew that Christ would come and will do it perfectly. And Christ knew that the father will resurrect him. On the third day, there was an abstract, and that faith of Christ is what justifies us. That act of him dying for us pays for our sins. That's it. As simple as that. So it's a gift of God. It's not my own words. That's what it says. By grace, you've been saved through faith. And that, not of yourselves, it's the gift of God. And that explains why it says that you've been saved, because the faith of Christ has paid for it that you and I can be saved. That's it. It's good enough. And you and I can have no sin which is bad enough that can't be forgiven by the sacrifice of Christ.

And as it says, life for life. And that shows that the life of Christ was greater than all our lives, because the father created every human being through Jesus Christ. Therefore, Jesus Christ was our creator. And because of that, because all was delegated to Christ, and for him to do that, therefore, his life dying can pay for all our lives, because his life is more worth, worthy more than all our lives, because it was him that created us under the authority, delegated authority of the father, of course. And that is beautiful. That is beautiful.

So continue, not by of works, lest anyone should boast, for we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works.

You see, you and I are justified by faith, by the grace of God and the faith of Christ, with one purpose, to do good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them. We should walk in good works. So therefore, God has ordained that you and I should do good works. In other words, the end result of God's grace and the faith of Christ to redeem us is that you and I, our response, with the gifts and the talents that he gives us, the abilities and the talents that he gives us, that he announces our natural God-given talents that we have, maybe some of them from birth, others he enhances or adds additional talents when we've got God's Holy Spirit. But these talents, these gifts of the Holy Spirit that you and I have, these announcements, I'll give you an example. Simple example. At school, I always fail languages.

I had to redo my last year of school because I failed languages. Oh yeah, God is in all the others, but languages, I had to redo it. And now God is using me in a work by using different languages, different tongues, different languages. I don't have that talent, but God enhanced the little ability I had once I was baptized, and he gave me that Spirit. It's a gift from God. It's not mine. And you may look at your own capabilities, and God may have announced some of your talents with his Spirit. Maybe you don't even know because maybe you haven't explored it, but God has given you specific talents. Use them. Don't dig them into the ground and hide them, because God wants you to use them for what? For the edifying of the body, which is the Church of God.

So, good works follow. They don't proceed. You see, it's not good. It's not works that give you justification. No, you are justified freely, and now you, as a sequence, as a following, as something that comes afterwards, you and I have to do good works.

And so, part of that, we're going to use the fruit of God's Holy Spirit, singular, fruit of God's Holy Spirit, singular, which consists of many components, which is what? Love, joy, peace, long suffering, kindness, goodness, fightfulness, meekness, which is humility with teachability, and self-control. We've got to use all those attributes which make up the fruit of God's Holy Spirit, so it's not just love. Oh, this person is very loving, therefore he must have God's Holy Spirit. No, he needs to have love, he needs to be of joy, he needs to have peace of mind, he needs to be patient and or long suffering, he needs to show kindness and goodness and be faithful, and he was not give up, but hold on till the end, he needs to be meek, and he needs to have self-control. That is the fruit of God's Holy Spirit. Now with that, with that fruit of God's Holy Spirit, now he produces other fruits, works, and results. So back to the question. How can I preach the gospel?

Indirectly, because not everyone is a mouth, by being a light, and by producing good works, good fruits, and then because of that, what happens? People are going to notice. They're going to notice the difference. Oh, he has got something different. Oh, she has got something different. Why, when there's all these things around us, you still got it together. You are so outgoing when everything's going against. How's it possible? Now you have the opportunity to fall full 1st B. 3 verse 15. Turn with me, please. 1st B. 3 verse 15.

2nd B. 3 verse 16. But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts, and always be ready. We've got to be ready. You don't know when the time will come. To what? To give a defense. There's apologetics. That's a defense. Defend your faith. To give a defense to everyone who asks you why you are different. In other words, what is the reason for the hope that is in you?

In what way? By being proud and arrogant? No. It says in meekness or with meekness. In other words, with teachability and humility and that meek spirit, that gentle spirit, that gentleness. And fear. Fear of God. Yeah, fear of God. Because God's giving you an opportunity to preach the gospel. Because of your light, because of your good fruit, because of the example, it triggered that other person's mind to ask you a question, the reason of the hope that is in you. God has now given you an opportunity to say and to defend your faith. Don't mess it up. In other words, with fear and meekness. Use that opportunity. Not by being now suddenly a blinding light that just just dumps everything, everything you know, but you just answer the question.

In other words, you're a light. You produce good fruits for the glory of God. That's not preaching. That's prophesying. Difference. Different. You see? Like when we come to church, we come here and we talk to one another and we encourage and uplift one another how? By saying, how God helped us during this week? How God intervened for my family? How had this thing happened and God miraculously intervened and is healing this child or this person or this and God and we had the prayers and I'm feeling better or whatever it may be that you can praise and give God thanks.

When you declare the goodness of God to other people at the right time, when people that are believers or asking you why, when you are give that gentle meek answer, which is uplifting and inspiring to others or to brethren in the church, that is prophesying and that you and I, we all can do because we can profess that through Christianity. Look at Paul, Paul put it in 1 Corinthians 14. Presue Love Tier 1 and as Christ our spiritual gifts But specially that you may prophesy. But specially as a gift that God's given you. By first being a light, by being a good example, and then He opens up an opportunity for you to declare God's goodness. Because somebody's asked you. Well, when you come to church, to edify the members, the believers in the church. By being and providing an uplifting and inspiring conversation to uplift one another. Edify the church in love. We all do our part by sharing with one another as members to edify the body in love. So let's read a bit further in verse 4 and 5. It says in verse 4, but He who speaks in a tongue, edifies Himself. Brethren, if I start talking to you in Portuguese, you would know nothing. You'd understand nothing. And you would not be edified. Oh! Oh, but this guy can talk another language. Oh! Phew! Cuddo's young. You know, get a little lapel badge, you know. Now, I'd imagine if I talked to you in Afrikaans, you didn't understand even less. Oh, yeah, look at him, you know. That's for self. Unless, for people in the world out there that are Afrikaans-speaking people, and that I need to talk to them in that language, I'll talk to them in that language, for them, for the world. But for us in the Church, I'd rather edify the Church by declaring God's goodness in a way you understand, by uplifting and inspiring one another in the Church with words that uplift and encourage you. Or to answer a question when somebody asks the reason of the hope that dwells in you. So continue in verse 4. But he will prophesize, it was he who declares the goodness of God, he will uplift and inspires the Church, or the brethren in the Church, they edify the Church.

Now, when you and I do that, when you and I talk positively to one another in the Church, what are we doing? Well, for one, we have to fellowship. For one, we have to be together. It's not sitting at home, watching a sermon on the web, and saying, well, I may define the Church. Well, for some, there have, for instance, brethren, for instance, in Brazil, that are miles away from another, that's the only option they got. But in your case, that's not the only option you got. So let's look at Hebrews 10, verse 23 through 25. Hebrews 10, verse 23 through 25. Let us hold fast the confession of our hope. As we confess to one another, we talk to one another, we edify one another, as we declare God's goodness to one another, as we uplift and inspire with a conversation without wavering, not flickering like a light that's flickering, but being a solid, good example. For he who promised his faithful. And let us consider one another in order to stir up love and good works. How can we consider one another to stir up love and good works unless we are fellowshiping particularly on the Sabbath? When it's a commanded assembly. Do you know what assembly means? It means to assemble. That's English, by the way. So, it's a commanded assembly. It's not a command that sit down and watch it on the webcast. Now, if you're ill, and whatever it is, you provide that capability. That's a blessing we have today. But if you're not ill, it's a commanded assembly. It's a holy convocation. It means you're convocated. That means your boss, our Heavenly Father, told us, be there. And you tell your boss, I'm not coming to the meeting today. I'll stay around. I'll work from home. Well, there's times when the boss says, you're going to be at a meeting. And you better be. Verse 25, not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as it is the manner of some because you got the webcast on TV or whatever. Obviously, I'm talking to the choir, or whatever it is, you know. So, you are, yeah, so I'm sorry. So, as it's the manner of some, but exhorting one another, encouraging one another, uplifting and inspiring, prophesying, that's what it means, helping one another. And so much more, as you see, that time is short, and time is short. Because, as the days get the time is short, it appears that Paul knew that this would be a tendency. It's amazing. We live in perilous times. There's no questions about it. We heard that in the sermonette, just like in the days of Noah and Sodom and Gomorrah. And brethren, doesn't that tie with preparing a people? Because as we assemble ourselves, it's like iron sharpens iron, and we're preparing a people. But, you know, there is another component of preparing a people that quite often you and I forget.

What is the work of God? The work of God, in the end, ultimately, in very simple statement, is to create children of God. Isn't it? I mean, really simple. That's what it is. That's this whole thing. It's what it's all about, to have more children in the kingdom of God. And then, what's beyond, it's like a box of chocolates. We don't know. You know, it's just, we'll get it later. But it's enough for now, you've got enough for now, to work on the thing, which is what? Putting on a divine nature. You read 2 Peter 1, very beautiful section of Scripture from verse 3 to 11. It says, if you work on these things, and God's Holy Spirit, which is a power from God, given all these things for you to put on the divine nature, and He says, and you work on these things, and if you have all these things, you will never fall away. That's what it says. You know what? If you do these things, you will never leave the church. Or put it in today's language, that is a life insurance policy. An eternal life insurance policy. If you do those things, 2 Peter 1, verse 3 to 11, you will never leave the church. A life insurance policy, a spiritual life insurance policy. Now, what is one of the most important works that God is doing in you and I? In you and I. In other words, the work of God is to change your human nature and my human nature into divine nature, to be sons of God. So, part of preparing a people is preparing working in overcoming so that I become more like Christ. So, if you and I are doing that, we are indeed doing the work of God in our lives. But besides that, we all do our part together in unity for the greater work of the body, which is the spiritual body of Christ, which is the church of God. So, as you and I have been putting on humility, and as we mourn, that means you repent, as you put on meekness, which means you're being teachable, and as you now hunger in thirst for God's law, you're hungering in thirst for righteousness, not your righteousness, because if you have righteousness, you're not going to hunger in thirst for it. So, it's going to hunger in thirst for God's righteousness. So, now you're going to look at it and you realize you need mercy, and you realize that you need to be genuine and sincere from the heart, and you need to be a peacemaker. So, you have to develop these beatitudes. They all build up one another. As you put on this, you're putting on the new man, you are doing God's work in your life. So, that's an important component, not the only one, but you say, well, I can't prepare people. Well, if you are isolated and one can be a light, you can really work on yourself and put him off the old man and put on the new man, put on the divine nature. That is doing God's work. And then, and then, let's work together in unity. Because those lionesses were working together as a team. They were not kind of squabbling about one or the other, whatever it is. They were working together as a team. And so, we're going to be one. Remember Christ's prayer in John 17, on the night it was betrayed after the Passover symbols, he said, Father, I pray for them that they may be one like we are one.

Brethren, you and I need to be one with God. Now, that doesn't mean that we are only one person. We, many people, just like husband and wife, are supposed to be one flesh. Hebrew, echad, which is the same word as the use of God being one, echad. In unity! You read that in John 17, verse 23, you are together, we are one in unity. Brethren, we need to hold on, as Moustam Strong used to say it, to the trunk of the tree. Rather than twigs. Because if you hold on to the twigs, they break, that means you leave the olive. But, you know, that's really at the end of the branches of the twigs with a nutzle. And you don't want to be a nut. So, there is a point, you know, I say this in a bit of humor, so it brings the point across. So, we need to be focused on our vision. We need to be together. We need to understand what is our goal. We need to understand that we have all the parts to play. And need to be aware. You see, the lioness has a clear, defined vision to achieve a goal as a team. By watching carefully, being ready with a sense of urgency.

And, you know, I didn't tell you what was the conclusion of the story. And I could say, well, leave it for next time, but I'm not going to do that. You see, the buck, the water buck, the male water buck, was vigilant. Was aware. I remember when I lived in South Africa, I attended some courses, what they called anti-hijacking. Because there was a lot of car-jacking, as they call it today, but those days they called it hijacking. I think they changed the name because when people say, hey, hi, hijack! So, they changed the names. Sorry, a little bit of humor there, just to keep you awake. But anyway, they taught us that the best defense that you have against a hijacker, because they would be around you and they're walking around. The best defense when you see somebody suspicious, you look them straight in the eye. Why? Because you take away from them the element of surprise. You see, their biggest weapon is not you having a .45 Magnum, whatever, loaded in your car. It's surprise. Catch you and away.

So, that's why it says, watch and pray that you may be counted worthy to escape all these things and to stand before the Son of Man. And that back, where the back was watching, was praying, we're not praying, but it was watching, was away. And he sensed the lionesses. And so what he did, he got the lioness, I mean, the female water back together, quietly, orderly, got them going. And then, as they were going away from the water, he stayed between the female water back and the little kids. And the lioness, he stayed in the middle and shooed them away peacefully. No panic. Interesting enough. None of them said to the water back to the male, Why must we go? The water's so good. Oh, I want to go in this other direction. Oh, this is my spot. I'm going to stay here. Now, they all obeyed. And maybe there's a lesson for us. Likewise, brethren, we all need to be humble, malleable, and do what Christ through his authority instructs us. No division, but unified. And you see, the lionesses' intent was to actually catch them by surprise, cause a panic, attempt to scatter, and you know, once they scatter, that's what it is. They aim to one, and so first is they divide to conquer, and then ultimately, what is the goal? Kill. So it's not just divide and conquer. It's kill. So, remember, whenever there is division, Satan is out there for the kill. Spiritual death. So, let us be careful, because, as it says in Jude, those that cause the vision do not have, and you read the rest. Jude 19. So, we live in perilous times, brethren. There's a sense of urgency. The water back had a sense of urgency, but they act without panic. The lionesses also realized they had a sense of urgency, but when they saw the deal had failed, they just got up and they walked back to the cubs. And I said, wait for the next opportunity. And remember, Satan will also wait for the next opportunity. So, brethren, what is it that you and I can do? I hope I've given you some thoughts and ideas of what you and I can do. Please be ready and be watching. Be doing the work. Be a light. Be an example. Be a fruit. Because time is short. Don't get caught in twigs. Don't fall asleep. Have a sense of urgency. And, by the way, don't ever miss an opportunity to go on a safari, like what we call that in South Africa, and to go on what we call a game drive. That's what it is, a game drive. They're called a game drive. We did this on our own cost, so we didn't have to spend money. Just went on a game drive. It really is an awesome and inspiring opportunity to be among God's creation, and you'll learn many wonderful, godly lessons. Thank you for the opportunity of being together with you, and look forward to talk with all of you a little later on today.

Thank you for the message. We have a couple announcements. After services, please remember to put all your heminals away so we don't lose them. And then, 10 minutes after services on the back step.