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[0:00] Greet you in the name of Jesus this morning. It is good to be here, very good to be here. Turn to Luke chapter 14.

[0:14] And this message this morning, just because I'm preaching it, does not say that I have fully attained.

[0:34] And, but it is the word that God gave me, and hopefully the Lord can speak through me what he desires, and it can be a challenge to each one of us.

[0:58] Probably a title for it would be full surrender or consecration. Let's look at Luke 14. We'll start reading in verse 16.

[1:11] A certain man made a great supper and bade many, and sent his servant at suppertime to say to them that were bidden, Come, for all things are now ready.

[1:25] They all with one consent began to make excuse. The first said unto him, I have bought a piece of ground, and I must need to go and see it.

[1:37] I pray thee, have me excused. And another said, I have bought five yoke of oxen, and I go to prove them. I pray thee, have me excused.

[1:51] And another said, I have married a wife, and therefore I cannot come. So that servant came and showed his lord these things. Then the master of the house, being angry, said to his servant, Go out quickly into the streets and lanes of the city, and bring in hither the poor and the maimed and the halt and the blind.

[2:14] And the servant said, Lord, it is done as thou hast commanded, and yet there is room. And the Lord said unto the servant, Go out into the highways and hedges and compel them to come in, that my house may be filled.

[2:36] For I say unto you that none of those men which were bidden shall taste of my supper. And there went great multitudes with him, and he turned and said unto them, If any man come to me, and hate not his father and mother and wife and children and brethren and sisters, yea, in his own life also, he cannot be my disciple.

[3:06] And whosoever doeth not bear his cross and come after me cannot be my disciple. Let me ask you this morning, Are you a disciple of Jesus Christ?

[3:21] Have you forsaken all? Have you laid down all? Have you, you know, here he says, If any man come to me and hate not his father and mother, and on down the list.

[3:37] And, you know, I believe that what this would mean is if we have anything that we love more than Jesus, if Jesus is not our first priority, if something else is our first priority, then we cannot follow him.

[4:00] You know, whatever it might be, in this past week it was hunting. You know, if that takes us away from our Savior, it's wrong.

[4:10] And I know that we all pursue that, most of us probably do, but there's other things in life.

[4:24] This verse here, Seek ye first the kingdom of God and his righteousness. Is Jesus first in our life? Let's go back here and look at these men.

[4:36] They were all invited to a great supper. We are all invited to a great supper. We are all invited into the kingdom of God.

[4:49] We are all invited to be a part of this great kingdom, to be a part of the greatest kingdom that this world has ever seen. We are all invited.

[5:01] What will keep you from answering that summons? Whatever it is, it needs to go.

[5:13] It needs to be laid aside. These men, they were busy with legitimate things. The one, he said, I bought a piece of ground.

[5:26] You know, I bought a farm. I need to go and look at it and claim it and make sure that it is what I thought it is.

[5:36] I have bought five yoke of oxen. I must go prove them. I have married a wife and therefore I cannot come. You know, these are all legitimate things of this life.

[5:48] They are all legitimate things that, you know, maybe not, maybe not things that we have done in exact wording, but we do them all the time in our business and in our work, on our jobs and the things we do.

[6:03] We are busy with other things, with material things. And there's nothing wrong with those material things as long as they are in the right place in our heart.

[6:17] But these men, they said, we can't come because of them. If you, if these material things are a hindrance in your heart to keep you from following the Lord Jesus and everything that he is asking of you, then they must go.

[6:40] They are in a wrong place in your heart. Well, let's take a look at some of these things. One thing that I see here is these were excuses to neglect the highest priority.

[6:58] They were excuses to neglect serving the Lord Jesus with all the heart. They were legitimate terrors of this life.

[7:12] But Jesus warned us. Actually, in Luke 21, he warned us. And he said, take heed to yourselves, lest at any time your hearts be overcharged with surfeiting and drunkenness and cares of this life.

[7:33] And so that day come upon you unawares. And it always stands out to me that he has the cares of this life listed right along with drunkenness and partying and all of that ungodly stuff.

[7:50] He has the cares of this life listed right along with them. But he's already given us the answer. He said, if we seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, then all these things shall be added unto you.

[8:07] You know, we do not, if we are, if we can say, if we are led by the Spirit of God and we know that we are walking in the blessing of God, then we do not need to worry about these things.

[8:24] They will take care of themselves. God will take care of them as we are faithful in our priorities and in keeping God first and in our jobs, our business, whatever we are a steward of.

[8:44] If we are faithfully walking in what God has given us, he will take care of us and provide for us. Now let's look a little bit here.

[8:56] Peter says, the master of the house was angry. He was angry.

[9:07] He did not take this lightly because this was a great honor to be invited to this feast. In Matthew, it talks about a similar feast and it's a marriage feast.

[9:23] It doesn't say that here, but it may well have been. So it was an honor to be invited. Not everybody was invited.

[9:36] The invitation that we're talking about here for us today is an invitation that everyone is invited to. It is an invitation to be a part of the kingdom of God.

[9:50] But the master of the house, he was angry. You know, how can you slight me in such a way? How can you look at this as a small thing?

[10:03] This is a huge thing. And to us, the invitation to be a part of the kingdom of God is a huge thing. It's a life and death matter for each one of us.

[10:17] It says, the master of the house, he was angry. And then he said to his servant, go out into the streets and lanes of the city and bring in hither the poor, the maimed, the halt, the blind.

[10:31] Go and bring in those people that are rejected by society. Bring in those people that that they're the outcasts.

[10:44] Go and bring them in. Go and bring them in. Those were people that knew they had a need. These other men, they thought they had need of nothing.

[10:59] They were self-sufficient. They were taken care of. They were taken care of themselves. And that is why they couldn't come as they were taking care of their own self.

[11:10] The master, he sent out his servant to bring in the rejects of society.

[11:21] Those that knew they had a need. In Matthew, it also says that those that were bidden, none of them are worthy because they rejected the invitation.

[11:40] The servant said in verse 22, Lord, it is done as I have commanded, yet there is room. And the Lord said, Go out to the highways and hedges and compel them to come in that my house may be filled.

[11:55] And none of those men which were bidden shall taste of my supper. You know, how is it? How is it with us?

[12:07] Do we hear? Can we hear the voice of our Lord? Are we so overtaken with other things, with work and with all the other things of life?

[12:21] Do they drown out the voice of the Holy Spirit when he comes? That still, small voice, when he comes and he whispers, he whispers in your heart and he says, Son, would you do this?

[12:37] I have something for you to do. I have a place for you to go. I have a person for you to talk to. If any man come to me and hate not.

[12:55] You know, I was looking at that and I looked up that word hate and what I found is to love less. If you love Jesus less than your father or mother, your family, the things of this life, whatever it is, if you love Jesus less than your own life, you cannot be his disciple.

[13:24] pour me whosoever doeth not bear his cross and come after me cannot be my disciple.

[13:37] What is that cross he's talking about? We might look at some of that later. But what is the cross? Yeah, I believe it is laying down our own desires, laying down our own will, laying down those things that we desire to do.

[13:57] You know, it doesn't say that we can't do anything. It doesn't say that you can't go hunting. But if it interferes with your relationship with Jesus Christ, then you better not.

[14:14] That's what I'm trying to say. But anyway, there's a verse, a very challenging verse in Luke 16.

[14:27] In Luke 16, here we have Jesus talking with the Pharisees. The Pharisees were there, and he had just given a parable.

[14:40] Maybe we'll read part of this. We'll start in verse 10. He that is faithful in that which is least is faithful also in much.

[14:58] He that is unjust in the least is unjust also in much. Notice what he's saying here.

[15:22] You know, in all societies, it has always taken finances to survive. Before the day of coin, there was still trading and bartering, and you would have flocks and whatever to, or whatever you did for your work that you would trade.

[15:46] But what he's saying here, he says, if you've not been faithful in the unrighteous man, and I believe he's talking about money.

[15:58] He's talking about finances. He's talking about when you go out on your job, and you work, and then you get a paycheck. And are you faithful with what you have earned?

[16:11] Are you faithful with what God has given you? Are you faithful with the money? He says, if ye have not been faithful in that...

[16:25] No, that's the next word. Let's... Verse 11. If therefore ye have not been faithful in the unrighteous mammon, which I believe he's talking about money here, who will commit to your trust the true riches?

[16:41] The true riches. What are the true riches? I believe the true riches that he's talking about is the kingdom of God, and it is the word of God, and it is the work of our Lord.

[16:55] The calling of God on your life. The gifts and the calling of God upon your life and the anointing of the Spirit of God. You know, if you are not faithful in the things that you have in your possessions, with your possessions, and with finances, then how will God entrust to you something of eternal value?

[17:21] You know, as I read the Bible, I find out, and this stood out to me in my preparation here for this this morning, is that all these things that we have, we actually do not own them.

[17:35] They belong to our Lord Jesus. They belong to God Almighty, and we are only stewards of these things. Are you a good steward?

[17:47] Are you a faithful steward? With the things that he has given you. It says here, He that is faithful in that which is least is faithful also in much.

[18:03] He that is unjust in the least is unjust also in much. And, you know, I mean, I've, I've, I know people, I've talked with people that, you know, and I think they may have changed their mind later, but, oh, I don't want to work too much.

[18:25] I don't want to have too much money. Or, or, you know, I'll be tempted, you know, to, to spend it wrong. But, you know, God wants to entrust us with these things, but he wants us to be faithful with them and to use them to his honor and glory.

[18:52] Are we faithful with what he has given us? Now, let's continue on here. If ye have not been faithful in that which is another man's, who shall give you that which is your own?

[19:08] No servant can serve two masters. Either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will hold to the one and despise the other.

[19:20] Ye cannot serve God and mammon. You cannot serve God and money. If money is your God, you will not serve, you will not serve the true God.

[19:32] You will not serve Jesus if money is your God. If money controls your life, if hunting controls your life, if possessions control your life, you will not be found a faithful steward.

[19:51] Now, verse 14, and the Pharisees also, who were covetous. See, here was a problem. The Pharisees knew he was talking about them. They knew he was talking to them.

[20:05] Even though there was a large crowd, a multitude of people, they knew he was talking to them. The Pharisees, who were covetous, heard all these things and they derided him.

[20:19] You know, isn't that still the way it is? People deride us and they, and they, or they, they oppose us. They slight us. They, you know, because they do not like to hear the truth.

[20:33] But notice what he says here. he said unto them, he was talking to the Pharisees now, ye are they which justify yourselves before men, but God knoweth your hearts.

[20:52] Now, what were the Pharisees doing to justify themselves among men? You know the history.

[21:02] You know the, what the Bible says about the Pharisees. Jesus addressed them many times, but they, they, they had everything down pat. They looked perfect.

[21:13] They kept the law. And, and if, you know, Jesus said, don't do as they do, but you can do as they say. They were hypocrites, but they looked, they looked perfect.

[21:30] They looked perfect. Ye are they which justify yourselves before men, but God knoweth your heart.

[21:42] God knows your heart. For that which is highly esteemed among men is abomination in the sight of God.

[21:56] That is the little phrase that I was coming to. These Pharisees, they, they were way up here. They were highly esteemed by men and, and how they kept the law and, and how they ordered their lives and how they demanded of the people.

[22:13] They were highly esteemed and looked up to. But God, but Jesus said, that which is highly esteemed among men is what?

[22:27] An abomination in the sight of God. It is something that God hates. What men highly esteem is hated by God.

[22:40] They were those that justified themselves. The outward appearance was perfect, but inside they were dead. Jesus said, inside they were full of dead men's bones.

[22:54] They were like a whited sepulcher, full of dead men's bones. An abomination. These are things, abominations are things hateful to God.

[23:06] Things that are hated by God. You know, we don't have to name things that are highly esteemed today.

[23:19] But you all know, we can all think of things that are highly esteemed in our day. Highly esteemed. But is God first?

[23:32] Is God first in our life? Are we more concerned about how we look? Are we more concerned about putting up a fair show?

[23:46] Are we more concerned about having everyone think well of us? You know, those are all good things. But if that takes priority over following our Lord Jesus, you know, I come across a verse in Deuteronomy that I just had to think about it and I believe it has, I believe there's a message in it for us.

[24:21] You know, when God, when He instructed them and Moses instructed the children of Israel to go into the land and to destroy and then, actually, maybe I'll, I think I have that right.

[24:43] Yeah, I do have it right here. In Deuteronomy 7, 25 and 26, He said, the graven images of their gods shall ye burn with fire.

[25:02] You know, the land of Canaan, the promised land, was full of idolatrous people and they had their graven images and God commanded them, the graven images of their gods shall ye burn with fire.

[25:22] Now notice this, thou shalt not desire the silver or gold that is on them, nor take it unto thee, lest thou be snared therein, for it is an abomination to the Lord thy God.

[25:39] You know, how many times do we justify something because there is some good in it? We justify something because of the silver or gold that is coating it.

[25:57] There's value there. We don't want to throw it out because there's value there. It's idolatry, it's idols and they must be destroyed and God commanded the children of Israel in their day to not desire the silver and the gold that was coating those idols, those statues, those images, but to burn them all, gold and silver included.

[26:31] They were an abomination. Even the gold and the silver that was covering them was an abomination. It says, neither shalt thou bring an abomination into thine house, lest thou be a cursed thing like it.

[26:49] But thou shalt utterly detest it and thou shalt utterly abhor it, for it is a cursed thing. You know, we've all heard excuses to allow certain things, things that draw people away, things that are not right, things that hinder in the Christian life.

[27:17] We've all heard the arguments why we should allow that. But I believe it comes into this same category, the gold that is covering an idol.

[27:30] Do we justify things because of earthly value? Do we? Brings us back to that word covetous.

[27:46] When the apostle was describing the Pharisees there in Luke, in the verses we just read. Proverbs says, Yes, my son, give me thine heart.

[28:06] God is still saying, my son, give me thy heart. Give me your heart. That is what he wants.

[28:17] He wants your heart. He wants your all. Yes, give me thine heart. Another verse in Proverbs says, To guard our heart with all diligence, for out of it come the issues of life.

[28:37] What is in your heart? Does Jesus have your heart? Is he on the throne of your heart? In Ephesians 6, he says, Not with eye service as men pleasers, but as the servants of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart.

[29:04] Are we doing the will of God from our heart? Are we doing the good things that we do just to look good, like the Pharisees?

[29:17] You know, they lived a life of hypocrisy. They lived a life of trying to show everybody that they were better than you.

[29:29] I'm better than you. I'm a Pharisee. I'm, you know, that was their life. But, but, the Bible says, doing the will of God from the heart.

[29:46] Not doing it because we have to, so we're accepted. Not doing the will of God because we, we have to, so that others think well of us.

[29:59] No, but, but to do it because it is in my heart to do it. In Chronicles, they were dedicating the temple, the things of the temple.

[30:14] And, they asked the question, Who then is willing to consecrate his service this day unto the Lord?

[30:24] who then is willing? Are you willing to consecrate your life to this great cause, the cause of the kingdom of God?

[30:38] Jesus, when he came to earth, there's a prophecy in Psalm, but it is repeated in Hebrews chapter 10.

[30:51] In Hebrews 10 verse 7, Then said I, Lo, I come, in the volume of the book it is written of me, to do thy will, O God.

[31:03] Above, when he said, Sacrifice, and offering, and burned offerings, and offerings for sin, thou wouldest not, neither hadst pleasure therein, which are offered by the law.

[31:16] Then said he, then said Jesus, Lo, I come to do thy will, O God. And he came, and he took away the first covenant to establish the second.

[31:30] But Jesus came to fulfill the will of the Father. And today, are we fulfilling the will of our Lord Jesus? Are we living for him with all of our hearts?

[31:44] You know, I'm going to read a few verses in Matthew chapter 12. Matthew chapter 12, verse 48 to 50.

[32:00] Here we have some people. Okay. In verse 46, While he had talked to the people, behold, his mother and brethren stood without, desiring to speak with him.

[32:14] Then one said unto him, Behold, thy mother and thy brethren stand without desiring to speak to thee. But he answered and said unto him that told him, Who is my mother?

[32:29] Who are my brethren? And he stretched forth his hand toward his disciples and said, Behold, my mother and my brethren.

[32:40] For whosoever shall do the will of my Father which is in heaven, the same is my brother and sister and mother.

[32:52] Are we doing the will of the Father? Are we walking in the will of our Lord Jesus? Are we allowing the Spirit of God to teach us and to lead us and to direct our path?

[33:07] Jesus says, Whosoever doeth the will of my Father in heaven, the same is my brother and sister and mother.

[33:22] Now, John 7, 17. If any man will do his will, he will know of the doctrine, whether it be of God or whether I speak of myself.

[33:39] If we do the will of God, we will know. We will know what is right and wrong. We will know. Jesus will reveal himself to us.

[33:53] He will come and he will make his abode with us if we will do the will of the Father. You know, later on in John here, he says, let me see if I can find that verse.

[34:10] We can read a lot here in John. He that hath my commandments, John 14, 21. He that hath my commandments and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me, and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him and will manifest myself to him.

[34:35] And he also says, he will come and make his abode with us if we love him and if we keep his commandments, if we walk in his will and we honor him.

[34:51] Do we love him? Do we love the Lord with all our heart or do we have a divided heart?

[35:04] How is it this morning? Are we serving him with all our heart or are we drawn away?

[35:14] Do we have a divided heart? In Romans, we all know these verses, but I want to read a few of these.

[35:25] Romans chapter 12, probably the first three verses. I beseech you, therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.

[35:47] And be not conformed to this world, but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind that ye may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.

[36:01] That we might prove what is the will of God, that we might know what is the will of God. You know, if we are not totally surrendered to him, if we are not on that cross and if we are not taking up our cross and following him, we cannot know his will.

[36:31] But if we are obedient to the Father, if we are obedient to the leading of the Holy Ghost, we can know his will.

[36:49] But we can't be obedient if we're not submitted to him. We can't be obedient if we can't hear his voice. Can we hear the voice?

[37:01] Of the Holy Ghost. That ye may prove that ye might know, that ye might test and confirm and discern the will of God.

[37:14] Do we know the will of God? Can we hear? Can we hear what he is saying? In Luke 14, you know, there where we stopped reading in verse 27, he goes on and he talks about the man that was going to build a tower and he sits down and he counts the cost.

[37:44] He talks about the king going to war and he considers whether he can meet with 10,000, the one that comes against him with 20,000.

[37:54] I believe what he's saying is that there's a cost to this walk. There's a cost to this life. If you, if you will walk in this way, if you will live this life, there's a cost and it is good to consider the cost.

[38:22] Are you willing? Are you willing to follow the Lord Jesus wherever he will lead you? You know, and today, what you see as his leading, as his will for your life, you don't know where that will take you in the next year, in the next 5, 10, 30, 40 years, you don't know where he'll take you.

[38:49] The question is, are you willing to pay the price? Are you willing to consecrate your life to the Lord Jesus? No matter what the cost, no matter where he takes you, no matter what his plan is for you in the future, are you willing to take a paper?

[39:14] You know, in business, we know contracts and then there's all the things written in it and then you sign at the bottom that you accept the contract.

[39:27] Today, are you willing to take a blank piece of paper and make a contract with the Lord Jesus and just sign your name at the bottom and whatever he puts in there, you're going to be faithful.

[39:43] You're going to do whatever he puts in there. In verse 33, Luke 14, So likewise, whosoever he be of you that forsaketh not all that he hath, he cannot be my disciple.

[40:01] If there's anything that hinders you from following the Lord Jesus, wherever he may take you, you're not worthy.

[40:15] You're not worthy of him. Those men, the one he had did five yoke of oxen, another he had bought a field, he had bought a farm, another he had married a wife, legitimate things of this life, but they were not willing to set them aside for even a few days to go to this supper.

[40:45] forever. Is there anything in your life today that will keep you from following the Lord Jesus wherever and whatever he has for you?

[41:06] Who then is willing to consecrate his life to the Lord Jesus? are you willing to lay down a living sacrifice for him?

[41:22] Willing to surrender it all? Ready, willing to lay it down at the foot of the cross? Or is there something Jesus said if there's anything, if there's anything, we cannot be his disciple.

[41:54] In Philippians 3, we look at these verses many times, but I don't think we'll wear them out. In Philippians 3, the great apostle Paul, he had all these things going for him, he had all these credentials that would have been good and they were good until Jesus showed up.

[42:20] He was a Pharisee and he was the best of them. But in verse 7, he says, what things were gained to me, those I counted lost for Christ.

[42:36] Yea, doubtless I count all things but lost for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord. Is there anything you're not willing to lay down?

[42:50] Is there anything that we're not willing to give up? How is it?

[43:03] How is it? Yea, doubtless I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung that I may win Christ, and be found in him, not having mine own righteousness which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith, that I might know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death, if by any means I might attain unto the resurrection of the dead, oh, that I might know him.

[44:06] How important is it to you to know the Lord Jesus? Is that the number one priority in your life? Is to know the Lord Jesus, and to walk with him, and to fulfill his will and his plan for you?

[44:26] You know, we have it so nice, and we have, we get together, and we have a good service, and we hear the word, and we worship the Lord, and we're refreshed, and we go home, and we live another week, but what if God has something more for you?

[44:52] What if God would call you into ministry? What if God would call you into his work? You know, Jesus talked about the servant that knew his Lord's will and did not prepare himself.

[45:15] you know, first, we must live a life that we can hear what he is saying. We must live a life that we can know his will, and then when we know his will, we must prepare ourselves that we can fulfill his will, and that we can walk in it.

[45:44] The Apostle Paul, he said here, not as though I had already attained, either were already perfect, but I follow after, if that I may apprehend that for which also I was apprehended of Christ Jesus.

[46:06] you know, we know the story of how he was stopped and apprehended by our Lord Jesus there on the Damascus road. Jesus apprehended him there.

[46:20] He stopped him in his tracks. Why? Because he had a work for Saul to do. He transformed him into Paul.

[46:32] He transformed him into a new creation in Christ Jesus. You know, once Paul saw that Jesus was the Christ, he followed him and served him with the same zeal that he had before.

[46:49] He did not lack. He did not draw back. you know, we were challenged in the devotional this morning, and are we serving our Lord Jesus with all our heart, with all our soul, with all our might.

[47:06] The Apostle Paul, he now, you know, Jesus apprehended him, but now he wanted to apprehend the calling and the work that God had apprehended him for, the work that Jesus had set before him, the work that Jesus had for him.

[47:27] That was his goal, that was his heart's desire, his life goal, was now to be faithful to that calling. Verse 13, Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended, but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth to those which are before, I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.

[48:05] You know, we can't change the past, but like we've said before, God can redeem your past. But he says, forgetting those things which are behind.

[48:19] We can't allow the failures of the past to hinder the future. We have to lay them aside and forget them. Once they are under the blood and we've been redeemed and we go on, God can still use us.

[48:36] He can still use us in his kingdom and for his will and his desire. Are we pressing? Can we say this with the Apostle Paul this morning?

[48:50] I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus. I believe, I am convinced that each one of us, God has a calling on our life.

[49:03] He has set before us a prize. It's different for each one of us, the calling that he has upon your life, the calling he has upon my life.

[49:20] But are we pressing? Let us press today and every day from here on. let us press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.

[49:36] That we can fulfill all that he has for us. That we are not like that servant that when they were called to give an account, he came with that talent and he said, Master, here is that which is yours.

[50:02] I hid it. I took good care of it. I didn't lose it. Here it is. Here it is. What did Jesus say?

[50:16] What did the Master say? You slothful, you unfaithful servant, depart from me. Let us be faithful.

[50:34] Let us be faithful. faithful. You know, a couple weeks ago I talked about unity and the blessing of unity.

[50:49] And as we all are pressing toward the mark, we will be brought into unity, the unity of the Spirit of God because we are all being taught by the same Spirit and we are all have the same goal, we all have the same mind.

[51:11] We're all pressing toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus. You know, God has a work for us as a church, yes, but he also has a calling and a work for us individually.

[51:30] And it is as we are faithful individually that the calling and mission of the church can also be accomplished. Yes, we sing that song, we place you on the highest place.

[51:48] It's a nice song, it's good to sing that, it sounds so wonderful, but have we placed Jesus on the highest place?

[52:00] Have we put him on the throne of our hearts? That he matters more than anything else? That we seek first the kingdom of God.

[52:16] He is above everything else. Is there anything in your life that is more important than following the Lord Jesus? Jesus, if there is, it's an idol, it needs to be torn down.

[52:34] Jesus said, I delight to do thy will, O God. Is that our heart? Is that our life? That we delight to do the will of the Father?

[52:48] Not sure where I read this, but a challenge to make that consecration with no back door.

[53:01] When the going gets tough, and you don't look the greatest in the sight of men, and you just feel like backing out the back door.

[53:17] No. We must know the will of God and stand firmly faithfully in it, and he will reward us in due time.

[53:32] Let us pray. Yes, Lord.

[53:46] Help us, Lord. to just say, yes, Lord, to your will and to your way, to whatever you have for us.

[54:05] As individuals, and as a church, Lord, that you can have your way. Lord, that you can use us, that we can be useful in your kingdom.

[54:17] that you can use us to build the kingdom of God in this world.

[54:30] Help us, Lord. Help us, Lord, to put you first, to put you in the highest place in our heart, without reserve, without reservation, with no back door.

[54:53]  Help us, Lord, to will and to do your good pleasure. We pray in Jesus' name. Amen. Amen.