Why Work?

00:00 Amen. Let's [clears throat] do the confessions together. I believe in the Almighty God, our father and creator. I believe in the Lord Jesus Christ, God and my Savior. He was conceived of the Holy Spirit and born of the Virgin. He suffered, died, and rose again. He ascended [snorts] into heaven. >> I believe in God, the Holy Spirit, who is worshiped, and my guide. I believe in holy fellowship, faithful giving, and service to God in this church. I believe the Holy Bible is the perfect word of God. I am what it says I. I have what it says I have, and I can do what it says I can do. Today, as I learn the word of God here in my spiritual family, I am blessed, healed, and anointed for a [snorts] holy and victorious living. I will never again be the same in Jesus' name. Amen. The Lord bless us. Please be seated. Every first Sunday of the month, we take

01:06 time to honor, worship, and thank the Lord through the Holy Communion service. And today we want to partake of the Lord's holy eukarist. His holy body that was broken for us on the cross. His blood that was shed for us on the cross. The Bible says in the Gospel of John, unless you eat of my body and drink of my blood, you have no part. You have no portion in me. And today as we say, Lord, thank you that you went to the cross on our behalf. that it is through your death we have gained eternal life that by your stripes we are healed. One of the most holy moments, one of the most important moments in a church service is the time when we come for holy communion and we touch his holy body and his precious blood. This is a very emotional moment you know for God. If you go to a house and you're talking

02:08 to them when did they purchase the house, they are happy. You ask them when did your children get married? When did they uh find the one they are going to marry, they'll say all that with love and they'll say all that with great celebration and joy. But the moment you talk about when did someone who they really love suffer or die in the family, it's a very emotional moment. That's not a place where anyone will joke. That's not a place anyone will take casual. Suddenly the thing changes because you're talking about somebody's death in the family or someone's pain. Every time you come to the communion table, it's a very emotional moment for God. It's a time where heaven gave his very best for our salvation. There is nothing greater in heaven than God himself. And God squeezed himself into time, space, and matter. He became a human [clears throat] and went to the cross to pay the penalty of our price. Shall we take the communion elements in our hands

03:11 as baptized believers and say, "Lord, thank you. Thank you for your death on the cross. Thank you that you actually took what we should have carried, but we couldn't and therefore you did it for us. Thank you, Lord, that even before we could know, you knew." and thank you for going to the cross to adopt us as your very children. Let's pray. Heavenly Father, today as we prepare to eat and drink of your holy body and your precious blood in obedience, in worship, in submission to you, as we prepare to eat and drink of it, may the power of your resurrection, for it is written, the [snorts] same spirit that dwells and raised up Christ Jesus from the grave now lives in us. And we thank you for your holy spirit. This month of August will be a month flourishing in the works you have

04:14 granted us. In Jesus' name we pray. Amen. Let's eat of his holy body and drink of his precious blood together. Gracious Lord, we thank you for your love. Thank you for your mercy. Thank you that we belong to you. Thank you Lord that actually you loved us more than how much we love ourselves. You loved us more. And thank you for your holy spirit that this month we will see our lives flourishing in our works. In Jesus holy name we pray. Amen. Amen. Thank you Ashers. They are passing the bags. Those who like to drop the used cups you may kindly do so. And at this time I quickly want to

05:19 remind or announce August 15th is a holiday. It's a national holiday. 5:30 p.m. Uh there's a worship evening and I want to welcome all of you. Come spend time in worship, just worshiping the Lord on August 15th at 5:30 p.m. Bring all your young friends and tell them it's an [snorts] evening where there's one name that will be raised above every other name, the name of Jesus. And you know, come and expect God's touch in our lives. So that's on August 15th at 5:30 p.m. this month. This month we're going to study from God's word on flourishing in work. The concept of work. Now this is not exactly a message that Bangaloreans like. We like holiday. But uh God talks about working day and and on a working day he's not talking about doing nothing. He's actually talking about working.

06:22 Working is God's idea. uh taxing is government's idea. Working was God's idea. When God created us, he worked. That's how we came into existence. Now, if you really look at God's word, it's so interesting. No, let me let me say it differently. When two people meet, what do they usually ask each other? What do you do? Nowadays, it's what do you do? Where do you work? What do you do? And I'm not saying that's wrong. Uh but interestingly in the Bible, the first time God introduces himself, okay? He's not introducing himself as a judge. He's not introducing himself as a king. He's not introducing himself as Lord. He's not introducing himself as your advocate. All of this he does later. He's not introducing himself as your parent, as your heavenly father, which he does later, of course. But the first time God introduces himself in Genesis chapter 1, he [clears throat]

07:27 introduces himself as a worker, as a laborer and he was creating through his work. He was creating your silence is so very communicating. We all like to see a God who's relaxed doing nothing. And so later when we find that we are created in his image, we know what to do. Nothing. But that's not how God introduces himself. The first thing you find about God is he was working. Yeah, that dull amen is quite a reference. I mean, who wants to hear on a Sunday morning about work? And interestingly, God wants to because God worked and continues to work. God is a worker. He introduced himself as a worker. Creating, forming, ordering, naming, and then calling each work good. In other words, he didn't

08:29 just do some jugard. You know, he just didn't do something. He did it so well. He himself appreciated what he did. In fact, the whole universe opens with divine labor. Then you talk about no but God cursed. No, everything got cursed and that's why thorns and thistles come. God cursed because of sin but he never cursed work. Work was given before sin came. Sin brought curse but he never cursed work. He kept work as a blessed thing. >> Amen. >> Amen. If there is anybody who wants to participate in something blessed, get to work. >> That's a blessed thing. Work is a blessed thing. What about curse? Curse came on the ground. Curse came on other things and and it produced thorns and thistles and and even when we work sometimes thorns and thistles come. That's the result of curse. But work is blessed. Amen. >> You you heard of Monday morning blues thorns

09:34 >> result of curse work itself is blessed. >> Hallelujah. >> It it's so important to understand this because God put us in the garden. Genesis 2:15 and said work the garden, keep the garden. Two words that are used there in the original Hebrew are abad and shamar. not important meanings are it's about working and keeping and interestingly what God told Adam and Eve as Abbad and Shamar to work and to keep the garden are the same words he used to the high priest and the priest when they were to come to the holy of holies and offer to God in his holy presence services God didn't use a different word for coming before him in the most holy place. He used the same word that he used for putting people to work. In other words, work is holy before God. >> How many want to be holy? Get to work.

10:38 Do your responsibility whatever it may be homekeeping, raising your children as a parent, uh teaching, educating apart from corruption and politics which is bad politics. Everything is holy before God. Work as a responsibility is holy before God. Our God is a working God. What about Jesus? What about Jesus? Let's see what he says about himself. Our resume is more clarifying than what somebody else's gives as an opinion. Look at uh uh John 5:1 17. My father is working until now. There you have it. The Lord Jesus says, "I am working." Please don't think that my father stopped working after Genesis chapter 2. is still working and I am working. >> Hallelujah. My hope and prayer is at least by the end of the service somebody

11:41 will say amen with clear consciousness about work. We all like salary without work. We like promotion without work. We like answers without prayer. We like to be slim without diet and work. We like people to understand us without making efforts. We [snorts] like traffic to be clear which means others stay home while I'm driving on road. We all want the results but God says start the process. >> I bless the process. Get to work. [applause] Get to work. Get to work. And and what what is the context? Why why is it that in John's gospel chapter 5 the Lord Jesus had to say I am working man I'm on duty why did he have to say that because on a Sabbath day the Lord Jesus healed a fellow one fellow was sick and the Lord healed him and the Jewish people got very angry and said on the Sabbath day

12:47 you are not supposed to heal you're supposed to take rest and the Lord's point was healing is a work you are called to do at rest. In other words, his point was you should work from rest. The problem is we all work from stress. In other words, many of us don't work until the stress comes. And this this is a training we are given from our school days. Who studies until exam date is announced? When teacher says tomorrow I'm going to take check check your homework and classwork that is the day we ask hey Arun cabul which homework which class huh then there is a little bit discussion and that day evening everybody is studying and everything I mean we are all so trained to do the to do the thing at the last minute unless stress comes s we don't work and

13:51 [clears throat] that is so wrong. God created us to work from rest not from stress. >> Amen. Many people say amen because they're worried now without saying amen will I lose the blessing. So amen. This stressful amen is different from the restful amen. Amen. >> God wants us to work from rest. He has never stopped working. He's still working. Amen. >> What is one of the works God is doing? Ephesians chapter 2. Let's read. And verse number 10. For we are his. Look at somebody beside you. Just turn around and look if they're lookable. Just take a look at them. Okay. You found somebody beside you. You know what's sitting next to you? a project of God. What you're seeing is a project of God. For we are his workmanship created in Christ Jesus for good works

14:58 for which God had already prepared beforehand that we should before. You are a craftsman. You are a craft ship of God. Hallelujah. Please understand God is at work in your life. >> That's why God introduces to us the concept of the potter and the clay. In Jeremiah chapter 18, there is this beautiful story of God being the potter and we being the clay where God tells Jeremiah the prophet, "I'm going to talk to you, but first go to the potter's house." Prophets want to hear from God on their couch in between changing the channels. Lord, in that between time, I'm bored, so just speak at that time. God says, "Get up and go to Potter's house." Jeremiah, the prophet who wrote the Bible, had to work to hear from God. And God tells him in the potter's house, see what the guy is doing. Like, I didn't know God. What's new? God

16:03 says watch. And there is a wheel which is horizontal. Wheels are vertical. The most of the times we see wheels which are vertical and they are spinning or rotating to move the vehicle. Okay. In Bangalore traffic they're kind of still there but at peace but generally they're moving on the road. But here in a potter's wheel it's horizontal. It's it's moving horizontally. It's spinning horizontally and on top there is clay and with the fingers the potter is shaping the clay as the wheel is turning and God tells to Jeremiah as the potter shapes the clay which is constantly spinning and rotating. I am the one touching the lives of people and I'm shaping them. >> They feel that nothing is stable. Everything is going round and round. [applause] They feel circumstances are going round and round. Seasons are going round and round. Oh, merrygo is something we stopped long back in our

17:05 childhood. But life's become a merrygoround. God, what is this? God says, "Don't worry. With each round, I'm making you better. You're getting more perfect. I'm shaping you. You're getting more valuable. You're becoming more precious. Hallelujah. God is shaping us through the situations of life. If anything, don't stop working. Keep working. Work is a commandment of God Almighty. We are called to work. You see, in Genesis, now the whole problem here is we are God's craftsmanship. In other words, we are God's project while we do our project. And so, don't lose your identity in the place of work. The biggest problem I feel today you know 40 years ago 100 years ago people ask questions like where do you come from what's your name when two people are talking they say hey what's your name today they don't ask name they ask what's your work where do you work because work has

18:08 become an identity [snorts] I'm an advocate I'm an engineer I'm a doctor I'm a businessman it's So sad work has become the identity. So what happens is when there is no work what are you don't know because there's nothing to do what they do has become their work and work has become identity and I think today's generation is the most uh uh I don't know threatened intimidated because they are saying in the next 10 years so many jobs are going to be lost identity cards are going to be lost who are you going to be Amen. Never make work your identity. Work is what you do. Who you are, you are a child of the living God with or without work. Your value does not depend on your work. Your value does not depend on your car. Your value does not depend on your

19:12 education. In the marketplace, the rules may be different, but in reality, your value is on who you are. You are a child of the living God. God has taken you as his project. Go ahead, give him a big hand of praise. That's a reality. Hallelujah. That's why in chapter one, God says, "You are created in my image." God says, "You are mine." God says to Adam and Eve, "You are created in my image." And gives them a name. It's only in chapter two, God gives them a work. Identity came first, work came next. Never confuse the two. Don't make your identity your work. You may have a failure in your work. You may have a loss in your work. You may go through some kind of rejection in your work. That is not who you are. You are not a failure. You are not a mistake. >> You are not some cheat. You are not

20:15 cheap. Oh no, I can't change my habit. I am like this. That's a habit. That's not who you are. You are a child of the living God and your habits can be changed. Oh, go ahead man. Thank him with all your heart. This is reality. God, Adam and Eve sinned. Adam and Eve sinned and they ate the fruit. God told them not to eat full garb happened. Then they lost the glory of God. They felt they were naked. They started fashion industry and then they were hiding. Now look, God comes to walk in the evening with them as he daily came. Now the question is, did God know that they sinned? >> Yes, God knows everything. So what should God be coming into the garden of Eden and asking Adam, what did you do? Isn't that the question? Isn't that what mama asked the children? Isn't that what dada asked mama shopping? What did you do? You see, isn't that mom asking that? I mean,

21:21 everybody asks each other, "What did you do?" But God never asked, "What did you do?" He asked, "Where are you?" He knew where they are. He knew what they had done. But he was more interested in fellowship and togetherness than in what you what you have done wrong. I can fix it, baby. Don't worry. Get close. Your identity. You are created in MY IMAGE. WHERE ARE [screaming] YOU? HALLELUJAH. GET OUT FROM WHERE YOU'RE HIDING. Whether you're hiding in your success or you're hiding in your failure, get out from there. Whether you're hiding in your pride or you're hiding in your a sense of low self-esteem, get out from there. God is asking you, "Where are you?" Things can go wrong at work. God is not asking what did you do? No, he's asking where are you? I want to get involved with your life. I want to take you higher. Where are you? And the Bible is saying you are the

22:25 craftsmanship of God for which God has created you because he had already prepared for you to do good works. God had already prepared. You know why you are born again? To go to heaven. Correct. But in in the gap of 100 years, there is good works to do. >> Amen. >> There is some improvement in that. Amen. I'm happy. Hallelujah. Spiritual exercise this morning. Read that verse one more time, please. Ephesians 2:10. Bible is saying, "For we are his workmanship created in Christ Jesus for which God >> before even before you were born, you were already planned for and God had prepared good works that you should do. >> Amen. Good work is not a invention you make.

23:28 It's a inheritance you receive. You don't have to manufacture a significant life. You have to walk into one. And and this is so important. Many people think Holy Spirit anointing means to prophesy, to cast out demons, to heal the sick and uh etc. The first time anointing and holy spirit is mentioned in the Bible is not for prophecy. You know the principle of first time speaking is so important. The first time Holy Spirit was given is not for prophecy. It's not for preaching the Bible. Holy Spirit was given so that people will work properly as carpenters as uh uh craftsmen. Read I this is from your Bible Exodus 31 verse 1 to5 I've done a I've done a summarization see I have called by name Basil and I have filled him >> with the spirit of God with the ability and intelligence with knowledge and all.

24:35 God is saying I've given him the Holy Spirit so that he can have these things. Many people think Holy Spirit have been shaken the church feel nice speak in unknown tongues then back to life. Baby, you are wrong. Holy Spirit is given to you so that in life you will have in Read that again. Read that again. Next verse. I have filled him with the spirit of God. What came with the spirit of God? Ability, intelligence, knowledge, craftsmanship. How many of you have the Holy Spirit? Let it reflect in these things. >> Amen. >> Allow the Holy Spirit to change your life. Holy Spirit is real. Pastor, I don't know how to manage the group. God will give you the grace. I don't know how to process this. God will anoint you. Anointing in the church is for success on a Monday. Amen. >> Anointing in the church is for victory on a Tuesday, in your boardroom to the bedroom, in your house to your office,

25:38 from your college, in the university, EVERYWHERE. THE anointing makes a difference. Somebody say, "I need you, Holy Spirit." Man, Holy Spirit makes the difference. >> Hallelujah. >> Hallelujah. >> Bezel was not a prophet. He was not a king. He was not a pastor. He was a craftsman. And he's the first one who received the Holy Spirit in the Bible. Metal work, stonework, carpentry. This was the thing for which God anointed him. In today's, you know, metal work, stonework, carpentry is nothing but basic form of today's computer because all the chips are made of soil only. Same stuff. The basic stuff itself came from the anointing. God anointed them with his holy spirit. Now the problem is when you work outside of God's grace against God's will. That's where it becomes very difficult. A group of people got together and said

26:41 let's build against God. Let's build against God. Look at that. You'll find that in Genesis 11 verse number four. It's called the Tower of Babel. Let's read together. Come, let us build ourselves a city and a tower with a stop in the that word heaven is very important because it's also the word zodiac and I'll get to there and let us make >> a name for ourselves lest we be dispersed over the face of the and so what happened eventually God confused their languages and uh they they got confused and they couldn't communicate with each other and they got dispersed. They were scattered. Tower of Babel is a classic story in the Bible of a group of people coming together saying let's build ourselves without God. We don't want God and we want to build against God. The Bible when it says a tower to the heavens, it's not talking about uh heavens in the sense of the [snorts] atmosphere or the

27:42 ionosphere or whatever. No, it's talking about zodiac. Let's build a tall structure from where we can connect with territorial spirits, where we can connect with fallen angels, where we can speak to other powers which are not from God. Let's speak to those spirits and let them keep us united. Let us as people come under that influence. Let us find our future from those powers and let us make ourselves a great name. Now, does God have a problem with people having a great name? Absolutely no. Because two chapters later, this is Genesis 11. In Genesis 13, God says to Abraham, I'll give you a good name. I'll make you a great name. God wants people to have great name. >> So God's problem with Tower of Babel was not a great name. And multiple language is not always a curse.

28:45 In Acts chapter 2, God gave people different tongues which they couldn't understand. But people from around the world got united. English services is a classic example of that. Many years ago, I once did a survey in our church and I found more than that time 25 years ago more than 13 language groups at that time. Today I don't know it could be much more. More than 13 language Ora, Gujarati, Kashmiri, Tamil, Canada, Mallayalam all local versions then uh Sinhalis, French so many people mother tongue at that time 13 language groups in our church. I used to tell people the reason we don't have divisions in our church, we don't have any fight in our church is no one understands each other. Only when you have understanding, you have misunderstanding. Here there is no misunderstanding. And this is my 29th year as a pastor

29:47 here or 30th year as a pastor. Till today no fight, no uh uh nothing. All peaceful. [applause] Hallelujah. I keep it like that. Don't get ideas now. Just keep it like that. Multiple languages need not be for scattering. It can be for coming together. >> Hallelujah. Pentecost is an example. The Holy Spirit came. No one understood each other but they got united. >> Hallelujah. >> It's a spirit of unity. >> But the Tower of Babel and the work there was cursed. Why? Because it was something against the [clears throat] greater plan of God which would cause destruction to humanity. Why was God against it? Because if they connect with these unwanted spirits and powers, it would destroy them. They think they're going to build their name. It's like children, you know, before they get license or before they know driving, they want to take the bike and rush on the road. Parents don't allow. Is that because parents don't love their children? Is it because parents hate their children and love the bike

30:50 more? No. It's because parents know fellow [snorts] is not ready to drive the bike. If he takes the vehicle and goes out, it's dangerous for him. And to protect him, parents don't allow. That's exactly what happened on the tower of Babel. God's point was I don't want you to be destroyed and to protect them, he allowed them to be scattered. Any work that you do bypassing God's grace and goodness, sometimes God allows it to be scattered because he loves you so much. He don't want you to be destroyed. >> Hallelujah. This is so important to understand. God has no problem with you having a big name. God wants you to have a big name. He wants you to have a successful name and he wants to give it to you through the process of his love. But don't confuse your identity. You are a child of the living God. You are not what you do. You are who he says you are. >> Amen. >> Hallelujah. >> Amen. >> You know last week I was studying for

31:52 another conversation and uh this this kind of really hit me. It's from the gospel of uh Matthew, Mark, Luke and John. You know the Bible says when the Lord Jesus got baptized and came up out of the water I think it's Matthew's gospel chapter 3 and and Jesus came up out of the water after baptism which means for baptism you have to go down oh come on you know the math. If you have to come up out of the water what you have to do first go down into the water. So baptism is basically going down into the water and coming up out of the water. But first [laughter] I was not baptized like that. You were not baptized then. What was that? That is another drama which is okay. No, that's not a problem. It's a good thing if people prayed over you and sprinkled water on you or whatever. That's fine. Uh it's [snorts] it's not something you want to regret. But you want to be baptized according to what the Bible says, right? So So the Lord Jesus got baptized when he was coming up out of

32:54 the water. Heavens rolled back and God the Father spoke and said, "This is my beloved son in whom I am [clears throat] >> well pleased. Excuse me, I got a problem here, God." Jesus has not done one miracle, has not done one preaching, has not done one house visiting, he has done no work. THEN HOW CAN YOU SAY YOU'RE ALREADY pleased with him? He's just going to start the ministry. After this, in next chapter, the devil will test him. And after that, he will turn water into non-alcoholic wine in a wedding reception. All that is later, RIGHT? FIRST ITSELF, HOW can you say, "My beloved son, God is teaching you a very important principle. Identity comes first. Work comes later. Work out of who you are. You are a child of the living God. Hallelujah. Work work is application of your skill.

34:02 Who you are is based on a relationship with God. >> Amen. >> If you don't like [clears throat] how you were born, you can be born again as a child of the living God through Christ Jesus. >> Hallelujah. And in Matthew chapter 4, one chapter later, Satan comes to attack and tempt Jesus. And what's the first thing Satan says? If you are >> the son of God. Excuse me, Satan. You know, in the last chapter, he's not just the son of God. He's the beloved beloved son of God. And that's what the devil knocks out and says, "If you are the son of God, no, no, no, no. God Jesus our Lord knew the trick this fellow is playing because the Lord only kicked him out from heaven. He knew this fellow's trick. What you come I am the movie director and you want me to audition for you. Jesus said I'm not going to sit in your audition. Anytime Satan tests you, tempts you,

35:06 remember this. You are the beloved and he will make you feel like you are not beloved. You may be son of God but you're not beloved. God hates you. You are not good. Your work is not good. You not done anything for God to like you. No, no, no. God likes you because you belong to him. It's not because you did something. It's because you are already his. That's why God loves you. Hallelujah. This is so important to understand. And that's why when you talk about your work, tithing is a very important principle of work life. When you study about tithe, it's a part of your work life where you're saying, "God, everything I have is yours." And a 10% being given back to you is basically to tell you it's all yours. You know, when we get our salary, we do this. Now, this goes for children's education, this goes for house expense, this goes for Italy, whatever, without anyone's knowledge. you know, we we kind of separate and in the process of this 10% is God's money. That is not God's money.

36:09 Everything is God's money. >> Hallelujah. This idea that 10% is God's money is wrong. Total is God's money and 10% you're giving back to him, saying, "God, everything is yours, but this is my act of worship to you." >> Look at Look at Genesis. I want to show you something. in Genesis chapter Genesis 14:18 and Melkiseda the king of Salem >> brought out holy communion that's holy comm see in the old testament okay we do holy communion today we look back 2,000 years ago Jesus came and died on the cross so we take holy communion with reference to history that the Lord came died and so we partake of his body and blood people who lived before Jesus looked forward to his coming and took bread and wine Just like we do communion, took bread and wine looking forward to the Messiah who would come and die for them. Jesus stands as the savior in the center of human history. Whether it is before Christ or after Christ, bread and wine is a way to

37:13 partake of who he is. Now let's read on. And MelkiseDec, king of Salem, brought out bread and wine. He was Johnsonberg's Old Testament. That was a lie. He was the priest of God most high. Next one. And he blessed him and saidless >> blessed be Abram >> by God most high possessor of heaven and earth and Abram. >> Okay. So what is happening is five kingdom plus four kingdom totally nine kingdoms I think five something around that came for a fight actually Abraham went for a fight and uh Abraham came out victorious and that's hard work please a battle is not like video game okay today everybody understands video game okay two people will sit with PSP or whatever the SP that is right and then fight. This is different. This is real sword and spear, okay? And this is hard work. You're burning about 1,000

38:15 calories every 40 minutes. You know what that is in gym language, okay? You're breathing hard. Your heart rate is at 300 or whatever it can be. It's it's like really it's a battle and and there is no shift. Hey, hey, don't kill me. My shift is over. No, you can't do that. [laughter] You can't do that in a battle. You work till you come home alive. They defeated those fellows and they're coming back with the booty and the priest comes with communion. Abraham takes communion and gives 10% of everything. That's a huge tithe. It's a huge tithe. If God blessed you and your salary has become very high, your business has become very high, don't maintain the same tithes that you used to give in kids church. I can see some grown-ups getting very angry. The Lord is talking to you, brother, sister.

39:20 See, tithe is an expression of saying, God, everything I have is yours. Amen. >> And anybody who gives to God to get back from God, I want to tell you this. God has not opened up a business shop saying invest returns are high. You know this whole evangelical Christian teaching is absurd. Is anti-Christian is not from the word of God. It is true that when you give to God, God will give back to you. But don't treat God as a businessman. God is our heavenly father and it's an act of worship. Now that's the reason I don't preach too much about giving in our church because actually giving yourself to God is more important than just throwing some money and walking away. Give yourself to God. That is where it starts. But anyway this is important for me to say because part of our work life is to learn how to give our time, our talents and our treasures to God. Now some may be saying pastor I have been doing these

40:23 things but you know what I've been going through losses. I work hard but the boss has a cousin and that fellow gets rewarded. H I do what I should do but somebody else gets the promotion. What do I do pastor? I lost the tender because somebody else paid a bribe. I lost few years pastor because of illness and sickness that took away my time. I was qualified but because of my cast, my surname, another person got selected. I worked hard but somebody else took my harvest. This happened in the book of Joel. Four kinds of losses. Look at Joel chapter 2. Joel chapter 2. I will restore to you the years that the swaming locust has [snorts] eaten. The hopper, the destroyer, and the cutter. These four fellows I was trying to understand what are they? They are actually one family. They work together. So Israelites they

41:26 they kind of sew and harvest is ready. First comes the one fellow that locust elite. What remains? Next one will come and eat. What remains of that third fellow will come and eat. And what remains of that fourth fellow will come and eat. Now what is left? Nothing. Who sowed? We sowed. Who ate? all of them. This is the condition. And God is saying, I'll not just return the harvest. I'll bring back the opportunities. >> I'll bring back the years you have lost. >> I'll bring it back to you. Hallelujah. You lost something. God is saying, "I'll bring it back to you." >> Amen. >> Hallelujah. Don't worry about it. I'll bring it back. I'm a faithful God. >> When you walk with me, I will bring it back to you. Abraham says to God, "God, 25 years over after you called me, what's the point?" God says, "Fellow, I'm going to bless you like you're going to be a 25 year old fellow now and you're going to have

42:28 children one after the other." Actually, God only said one after the other was addition paraphrase and he got cur I don't know so many ladies he got and even today world is not able to solve those problems. Brother, you have no idea what one sin can cause for generations and for yourself and therefore walk in holiness. It's worth it. >> Hallelujah. >> The Bible is saying one after the other came and wiped out the harvest and there is nothing left. What's the use of studying everything? Job is gone. What's the use of having worked hard? Somebody else gets the reward. God says, "Okay, continue to work. Continue to serve. Continue. I'll give you wisdom. I'll give you intelligence. And I'll make sure that you will not only get back what should have been your harvest, you'll get back the time you lost. >> You'll get back the years you lost." And and hold on, hold on. How does this happen? Joel chapter 2 is very

43:32 important. You know how that happens? For I'm going to pour out my spirit upon all flesh. Holy Spirit is given so that work becomes blessed. Holy Spirit is becomes given so that in your work life you become more Christlike. >> Hallelujah. But pastor in my office I don't feel the Holy Spirit. That's why you should believe the Holy Spirit. You don't always feel him. You believe him. You know he is yours. You know you are his. You know there is a deep connection. Close your eyes and say, "Father, I believe your word today." And this month, as we study more and more principles of work life, I believe you're going to change. You're going to transform. You're going to build our lives. Hallelujah. For with God, nothing is impossible. Absolutely nothing. Everything is possible with God. Irrespective of how the marketplace can change, our God is the unchanging God. His promises will never fail.

44:35 Hallelujah. This morning, shall we tell him, Lord, thank you for the gift of education. Thank you for the gift of work. Thank you for the gift of responsibilities. Thank you for the discipline of work. You are a worker. You are the creator. You created everything and gave it to us so that we will civilize it, so that we will benefit from it, so that we will make it profitable. Help us Lord to work things that you have given in our lives and stop the devourer by your holy spirit. [snorts] Give us back what we may have lost by your holy spirit. Help us to walk in the holy anointing. [music] May your wisdom, your grace begin to shine on us. Hallelujah. Help us Lord to identify the good works you have already prepared in which we should walk. Help us not to be tempted and confused or manipulated and led away by things that are not from you. When people bring us opportunities,

45:39 [music] help us Lord to seek you and understand if it's really from you so that we are careful to walk in what you have prepared for us. People around us, society around us do prepare things for [music] us to take away our time. They prepare things for us to take away our talents, to take away our hard work, to take away our money. Help us Lord to identify what you have prepared for us so that we will walk in those good works, not in just what [music] excites us, but in what we understand is your will for us. Hallelujah. [music] Shall we all lift our hands for a moment to the Lord and say, "Father, let the word of God that we heard today really change the way we work. Help us to become excellent at work. Help us to work with others because your Holy Spirit has given to [music] us that we will work and be profitable, have abundance, [music] walk in victory, your healing, your deliverance, your wisdom.

46:43 Let it flow in our lives. Hallelujah. Heavenly Father, I speak your blessing on your people. May they [music] prosper. Those without jobs, I pray for divine opportunities to open up. Those that have lost things, I pray you'll return time back again. You will return opportunities. You'll return the harvest, those that may be in sicknesses, be healed in the mighty name of Jesus. Those that may be in bondages, let it be broken by the [music] blood of Jesus. Thank you for your blessing Lord in Jesus name we pray. And the people said amen. Go ahead give God a big hand of praise. Hallelujah. What a fellowship. [music] What a joy divine leading on the [singing] everlasting arms. [music] What a blessedness. water. [music and singing] Peace is mine. Leaning on the everlasting

47:45 [music] arms, leading Lord, I'm bleeding [music] safe and secure from all sleeping. I'm bleing. Oh yes. Oh, how sweet to walk in this [music] pilgrim [singing] leading on the everlasting [music] heart. Oh, how bright the path grows from [music] day to day. Leading on the [singing] everlasting [music] arms leading go and ble [music] and secure from [music] all arms le. I'm leading

48:50 leading on the [singing] everlasting [music] arms. What have I to dread? What have I to fear? [music and singing] Leading on the everlasting hour. I [music] have blessed peace with my Lord. So nearly [music] on the everlasting [singing] I'm leading, [music] Lord. them. Safe and secure from [music] Hallelujah. Amen. Oh yes. Leading. [music] Let's do the first answer one more time. Oh, what a fellowship. [music] What a joy. My leading on the [singing] everlasting arms.

49:52 What a [music] blessedness. What [singing] a peace is my leading on the everlasting heart. [music] I'm leaning [singing] Lord. I'm safe [music] and secure from all the alarms. I'm leaning. I'm leaning. [music] Leaning on the everlasting. [music] Go ahead church. Give the Lord your biggest shout of praise, [music] of thanksgiving. Wherever you are standing, this is your time to praise and [music] thank him. Come on. >> [music] >> Oh, the anointing of victory. Oh, the anointing of victory. Oh, the anointing

50:55 [music] of victory to flourish in the world in the mighty name of Jesus. Hallelujah. Hallelujah. Hallelujah. Hallelujah. Thank you, Jesus. [music] Thank you, Jesus. Heavenly [music] Father, we just want to say thank you for speaking into our hearts, into our lives today in such clarity through your word. Father, we pray that this month as a month of flourishing, [music] it's our prayer, oh Lord, that each one of us here that we will flourish in our work, in our [music] God-given responsibilities, in our homes, in our workplaces. Father, we thank you that you will strengthen each one of us. Oh Lord, we bless your precious holy name. Dear Lord, at this time we pray for those who have come here for the very first time [music] that you would bless them. Father, we pray that that your identity, oh Lord, may it become secure in their lives and may their lives never

51:57 be the same [music] again. Dear Lord, we pray for those who are traveling this week, may your hand of grace and your presence go with them. Father, we pray that with whatever purpose that they're heading for, [music] we pray for your grace, your protection to be upon their lives. Dear Lord, we pray for those are celebrating the birthdays, the marriage anniversaries [music] this week. Thank you so much for adding another year into their lives. May the years ahead may it be prosperous and blessed by you. We speak your favor and your blessings [music] upon them. We also pray for the tithes and the offering that people have given to you with a sincere heart, oh God, that you would [music] bless them in the name of Jesus. We command your blessings upon their lives. And father [music] we pray at this time for those who are struggling with a joblessness or a difficulty in the workplace. We pray that your word will do its divine work in them. Father we thank you [music] that you will do it. May this week be a blessed week unto each one of us. We give you thanks. We give you glory in Jesus [music] most holy name we pray. Amen. Now may the grace of our Lord Jesus, the love of our heavenly father, and the sweet abiding [music] presence of the Holy Spirit rest and be with us from now and forever more. Amen. [music]

53:01 Amen. Amen. God bless you all. We want to take this time to welcome all of you who are here for the very first time. Those who watching us online today, come on church, give them a very warm welcome. Thank you so much for being with us today. Those who are here, we would love to meet you in our guest launch. And if you need prayers, our pastors are here in the front and also in the overflow. God bless you and have a blessed week. >> [music] >> Heat. [music] Heat.

54:25 Heat. Heat. Heat. Heat. Heat. Heat.