La La siempre Welcome to the Harvest Centre
Welcome to the Harvest Centre
The Harvest Centre
Welcome to The Harvest Centre
Good morning, good morning everyone
It's good to see you here today
and as well I personally am very happy today because we got Samuel from Uganda among us.
Yeah. So Ken later on will do a proper introduction of him as he knows him of course much better than
I do. We just met literally this morning so it was interesting because Samuel just met another Samuel
and we were talking that we just missed the third Samuel that is in London you know that
the other Italian one who came to speak here a few weeks ago. So a lot of Samuel good good good nice
wonderful name. Please come through so we can start and I just want to start by reading a
scripture and I think is you know we would like to invite you to pay attention to this scripture
because you know sometime what happened is we go to church on a Sunday morning but we care with us
loads we carry with us situations we carry with us difficulties sometime we had a good hard week
and therefore you know there is that difficulty in connecting with God and I just want to read
something to all of us today. A reminder a reminder it comes from 1st John chapter 1 verse 9
it says that if we confess our sins He is faithful and just and He will forgive us our sins
and purify us from all unrighteousness. You see what happened that sin sometimes gets on the way
in our life it gets in on the way between us and God and if you ever found yourself in that situation
where you know sometime you know we find ourselves in doing something or saying something
and it's like I should have not done that I should not said that I should have not reacted that way
and somehow this small issue you know comes in between us and God and then it's an obstacle
it becomes an obstacle for us to to have that open channel with the Lord but as just we as we read
just now you know that if we confess our sin He's faithful to purify us from all unrighteousness.
So therefore I want to invite all of you this morning as we are approaching a time of worship
with the Lord God if there is any sin in your life that needs to be confessed if there is anything
in your life that this morning is stopping you from worshiping God just open your heart open
just open your heart open your your mind just say Lord forgive me Lord have mercy over my life
and guess what He is faithful He will forgive you He will you know make you righteousness He will
make you righteous again before Him and you will be free to worship His name today you will be free
to open your heart you will be free to experience what God has prepared for you today amen. Why don't
we all stand and we're gonna have a time of worship together and we're gonna have a good
morning today not because of what we're gonna do not because of anything special but because the
Lord is here with us the Holy Spirit is among us the word says where two or three are gathered
in my name I'll be there among them do you believe that can I see your hand do you believe that the
Lord is present here among us do you believe that the Lord wants to touch your life do you believe
that the Lord has prepared something special for you this morning and Lord God we come before you
as we gather together today we come before you because you are a faithful God because you loved
us to the point today you gave your life for each one of us you died on the cross for us thank you
Lord because today we stand forgiven before you thank thank you because today we stand before you
as children as friends Lord God thank you because you are among us thank you because you prepared
something for us and I just want to pray that you will you know give us the faith to receive
what you prepare to us but as well for us but as well give us the the strength the courage to act
on your word on your spoken word in our life so we we worship you today we lift your name Lord God
you are wonderful we thank you in Jesus precious name amen hallelujah hallelujah
and I I think there is someone among us here this morning and you're wondering about the words we
just sung you know we're seeing we sung about the love of Jesus and the love that goes beyond
anything else how wonderful is your love for me and you're wondering perhaps what are they singing
what are they singing about let me tell you something God loved you so much that he gave his only son
Jesus Christ to die on the cross for you so I don't know if you have children how difficult
and how painful would it be for a father for a mother to give their own child to send their own
child to death would you ever do something like that probably not but God knew that to give his
son was the only way that he had to reach out to you that's why his love was so strong for you
that he gave his son Jesus Christ for you to die on the cross for you it was a terrible moment
when Christ died on the cross a painful moment and yet he did that for you three days after he
resurrected for you so that today if you call upon his name he's going to reveal himself to you
he's going to change your life he's going to transform your life he's going to do a wonderful
job in you that's why we were singing about the love of God amen amen please do take your seat
for a moment we do have a testimony from Lee good morning okay I wanted to share something about
the impact or how God's word can impact us if we allow it so kick back relax because they're
going to be here for a few minutes okay so um just to give you a bit of a background for those well
some of you will have journeyed with me in my mental health journey but for those of you
don't know I am for years most of my life actually I've battled against anxiety depression
negative thoughts and all that kind of stuff and I have had breakthrough in those areas so I spent
a couple of years away at Bible school and doing missionary work and come back completely changed
but coming back to like familiar or you know where I used to live doing my own job it's so
easy to fall back into familiar familiar mindsets and yeah so over the last probably few months
um I've really been battling anxiety again and especially in the mornings I'd wake up and my
yeah I'd be anxious about the day and I'd be walking the dog and instead of like just enjoying
you know the greenery and the sound of the birds and everything I'd be worrying about the day and
you know what was going to happen and then I'd get to work and I'd be anxious and I had a real
fear about getting things wrong making mistakes and upsetting people and it really you know was
getting to me anyway last weekend Rob wasn't here Rob was away and I knew I didn't have to be here
early and I woke up feeling pretty low and I thought you know I'm not going to go to church
today and then there was something in me I thought you know what I'm going to go and I got here and
then um did you know worshiped which was good and then Anna got up to preach and she said um
you know I'm going to preach on God wanting to do something new so um my ears pricked up because
I'm all for that I love you know embracing new things and what God wants to do but you know have
you ever had listened to a preach where you think that it's been written for you like they're saying
it and it's like you know and everything Anna was saying um it was just like she was speaking to me
and she even said that there's some of you here that have woken up this week anxious about the
day and I yeah you know that's me anyway so you know she was preaching and you know I was taking
it all in but at the back of my mind I was thinking yeah you know I've heard all this I've done this
before but I need to take action I need to do something so um I'm reading this book at the
moment called Winning the War in Your Mind by Craig Groeschel and he talks about ruts and trenches
okay now a rut is something that is worn down um and so like there's one when I go for my dog walk
there's a rut like some people have walked and made this rut this pathway to the field
and even if I haven't been there for ages I kind of still when I go back I take this pathway because
it's what I know but then so then he talks about trenches and the difference between a rut and a
trench is that a trench is intentionally dug for a purpose so in this book he's saying about
we have to kind of get move away from the ruts and dig the trench of God's truth so when Anna was
preaching she was preaching on Isaiah 43 and it said which she said about forget the former things
do not dwell on the past and it's one of my favorite verses and I've heard it but you know
last week I was right I need to draw a line under this I need to forget the past I need to forget
the former things so um and then I've written in my book and big capital letters like um today is
a new day today is the day so and what I wanted what I'm trying to share really is just the impact
of God's word when you allow it to because I've heard all these things before but last Sunday I
made a conscious decision to just to leave all that behind and move forward and I'll tell you
what this week I've been going on my dog walks I've been listening to the birds singing I've been
enjoying the greenery and even my work day has just been so different and it's because I've you
know if you grab hold of God's truth it's remembering who we are what he says about us because that's all
that matters it doesn't matter what anybody else thinks about us what anybody else says about us
it's what he says and what he thinks that matters so if anybody is just I just I guess want to
encourage people if anybody is struggling with that just read the word find a verse and declare
it over yourself you know um that you know you are God's chosen one he has loved you with an
everlasting love you are fearfully and wonderfully made you know there's so many nuggets in that
bible so find them and do declarations and build a trench dig a trench of God's truth thank you
thank you so much I love to hear stories of people when they get changed by the word of God it's
like it's just amazing because that's why the bible that we have is so important and maybe you
were not here last Sunday you're like suddenly curious oh I would like to to hear what Anna shared
there is a podcast that you can download from the church where you can listen when you go to your
gym when you walk or do other things or you can actually see the the service online on our Facebook
page now before moving to the offering I just want to share with you a few notices as Sarah is
not here so you will have to hear from me once again okay so just to remind oh first of all Anna
is not here with me probably you noticed Joshua was not well he has stomach bug so he was not well
throughout the night he was being sick so Anna is at home with the kids but she sends her loves
now and she reminded this morning about the parenting group so if you are a parent here
or a parent to be or you would like one day to be a parent or maybe you just want to know
a bit more about godly parenting we are running a parenting group in June every Sunday nights for
four Sundays every Sunday nights of June 7 p.m here in church every Sunday every week we will speak
about a different topic about you know parenting so please do attend you know we I think that we
will we will hear from you know parents people who've been parents and they are now you know
you know for I say they moved on with their lives but still have got so much experience to share
with with us and and I think we live in a world where it is important to understand
where gods wants us to stand you know when it comes to parenting our children because there is
so much going on out there so much what I called teachings that really come from the pit of hell
parenting advice that really have nothing to do with god's word so please do come along
take part it's going to be great it's going to be amazing then of course we've got a life group
starting in the first yeah I guess yeah you can they can come I guess so we'll arrange something
for them I don't know well I didn't ask this to Anna, Anna's organizing it so yeah don't quote me
on that oh we've got something here life groups so starting in the first week of June
please do sign up for our life groups this is a way for us to to be in touch as well throughout
the week there are different groups taking place in different times in different days you can see
a list there on the screen you can see a table at the back with four papers where you can actually
sign up for one of the groups and that's a way to to grow together in the Lord to get to know each
other better they are very informal as a setting if you don't know what our life groups are we
just gather together a handful of people and we just you know learn more about the Bible have a
coffee together have some fun and chat together now you can see the options there I'm not going
to read through them but you can find them as well on the website so you can sign up as well
from our website and please do sign up for one of the groups it's so important fellowship is so
important to get together do not neglect the fellowship of the saints the Bible says so make
a point to sign up to one of these groups as well we have an outreach in June just a reminder
happening on the 3rd of June probably you've seen some leaflets in the in the calf if you haven't
just grab all the one we've got plenty of them it's just a family fun day Saturday the 3rd of
June from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. we're just going to do a fun day so with a bouncy castle games activities
crafts for the kids we're going to open our cafe as well so it's going to be a nice day and let's
hope that and pray that we're going to have a good weather but if you have anybody that you know maybe
a neighbor or friends that perhaps you think there will be interest to come just feel free to grab
hold of a few of these and just give them out and yeah it's going to be it's going to be good
for those who are helping out setting up everything we will meet at nine o'clock here in church a
couple of hours before and then the different people who lead the different activities
of asking just to gather a team around them so those who do the calf the cakes and the games
outside and then just you know speak to them about all the details now for this outreach like we like
also happen in the past few years we're going to have a group of students from the ibti ibti is a
bible college in the south of england they're going to come and to help us out is about eight
students and three members of staff i'm looking for people who could accommodate them for one night
and not all of them maybe one or two depends how many if you've got any space in your home
i still miss a few students to be honest probably i found a place for half of them
for about half of them but we still need four or five to place four or five students so please
if you go a spare room just you know consider about hosting one of the students i mean you can
talk to the people who have done in the past they are great guys you know wonderful people
you will also have a good time of fellowship you know with them and it's not really much it's just
to host them for one night and give them a breakfast in the morning sunday morning so please come and
approach me if you have a spare room and please let me know if you can host any of the students
and now they're going to be with us on the saturday for the outreach and then they will join us in the
service as well on the sunday they will be involved with the music as usual and they will share will
share we'll hear a couple of testimonies from them now another important one sunday the 9th of july
we're going to have a baptism service a number of yes a number of people already asked us to be
baptized so there is still time if you want to be baptized and we're not speaking here about
sprinkling a baby we know that sprinkling a baby is not a biblical baptism we like to do the
biblical baptism which is a person who believes an adult who believes in the lord and makes that
choice to follow christ and ask to be baptized in obedience to christ so if you want to be baptized
just come and approach me on that sunday we're going to have as well calling cooper as a guest
speaker so we're going to have a good sunday together we're going to have a church lunch
afterwards so it's going to be a great day so please you know if you you know do come and talk
to me if you want to be baptized as well i've been asked this is my last one sorry i'm talking too
much and next sunday is john's birthday coming up so joe thompson is organizing a birthday party
like afternoon tea after church in the cafe so if you are a lady and you would like to join
to the birthday party just you know maybe communicate with joe thompson so she knows about
the the numbers or to val yeah or yeah come and talk to val it's going to be next sunday
straight after the service coming up in june there is a careful kufu mission trip a team of
people from the church they're going to go in uganda and we will hear from samuel in a moment
and we we're running different events there like a medical day so if you haven't given anything yet
towards that you know towards this mission this project and you would like to do so please do that
um we're going to have an offering in a moment we're going to give by cash or cards at the back
if you want to specifically something to go towards this project remember to either to write it down
in a piece of paper an envelope and to put your cash inside or let eliana know and she will take
you know keep track of um of you know how much has been donated towards this project and and as
well we are collecting some children's underwear as the the team has some free space in their
luggages they're bringing some children's underwears there six to eight is the age we
are still collecting them i've seen already a couple of bags in the calf thank you so much for
those who bought those and but there is still time if you would like to buy some new children
underwear just please do so and then you can just drop them off here when you come next sunday to
church or any day during the during the week okay i think that was everything so we're gonna have
our offering kids you can go um and um as i said if you want to give by cash there is a basket here
if you would like to give by card there is eliana at the back with a card machine waiting for you
thank you so much well good morning that sounds good now in uganda when people get excited
i have found being they lift up their chairs and dance around the room
seriously it's quite dangerous really so my reason for saying that if when samuel comes and
preaches you get excited dance around with your dance around with your chair go to the back of
the hall that's important to show insurance claim was in church and someone got excited and beat me
over the head of the chair anyway now i've got to tell you the man who's going to preach mr samuel
elijah kibbridge i have known samuel since 2008 when he was a bible school student here with us
so we do go back a long way and therefore you know the cut of the person you know the measure
of the person we've been working with you since 2009 so the humanitarian work at this church
is heavily involved in uganda he helped set that up for us in uganda we've gone to uganda
a lot of times and every time he's made it work for us and we've been blessed so church this is
your opportunity you know it works if you want something from god draw it down you know if no
one else gets nothing draw it down lord i'm here speak to me what you heard lee say speak to me i
want a word don't care about the person next to me i love them dearly but i need something
and then you'll get according to your faith don't you ever walk out of church and say i've got nothing
the reason you get nothing is because you drew down nothing
so who's excited put your hands together welcome the man of god
uh
is a lot i bring greetings from the jimmy guys uh that's uh jane elijah yesica and judy also
written from uh care for kufu i believe we are doing ministry together with the harvest center
and uh care for kufu i want to thank master kane mama val lean chak is built uganda as well
of course i know uh back in 2007 i came to yuka is a bible school student with eric
and uh that made so many other ugandans to come and spend time here the good thing
we are still in touch pastor kane is a father to us many times we get here from each other he comes
we do ministry together and he has given us a global platform
um this actually today about six boygandans are coming to yukai that's all through pastor kane we
are members of our mfg and i really been a blessing to us and above all i want to thank you church
for standing with kufu a lot has been achieved
i want to let you know that uh the money that you put together is helping us to support
three already children every year in school uh since 2012 we have supported a total of 2500
girls who were once school dropouts that given you know birth below the age but all those girls are
now doing something because we've given them some skills some are back in school so thank you so
much for that god bless you of course we have a mission you know since 2009 pastor kane has been
leading a team to uganda and except for those three years of covid we've enjoyed their coming
pastor kane that young man called robert is saying greetings you know the one who used to be drunk
we have a totally transformed community i want to say that we no longer meet those drunkards
on our way those think people really getting back to life so we thank god for that well um
samuel alijah shimig is my name and i'd like to share the word of god with us
uh let's look at
let's go to first corinthians chapter four
and we read from verse 16 to 18
to 18
that is why we never give up though our bodies are dying our spirits are being renewed every day
for our present troubles are small and won't last very long yet they produce for us a glory
that vastly outweighs them and will last forever so we don't look at the troubles we can see now
rather we fix our gaze on things that cannot be seen but the things we see now will soon be gone
and the things we cannot see will last forever father i want to thank you for this precious morning
thank you lord for you children that are here today you pray that lord
by your grace you'll use me lord to speak thy word to your people you pray in Jesus' name amen
well you know that the world that we all live in is consistently continuing to be filled with
hopelessness discouragement disillusionment despair and defeat
despair and defeat and it's so possible because of what's happening all the time around us
it's very very possible for people to give up to get discouraged to get disappointed today coming
all the way from kofu uganda that famous village i like to share with you that
whatever happens don't give up don't give in god is faithful and he is on your side
second queen first chapter 4 16 to 18 reveals to us the secret to staying encouraged in the lord
i want to focus specifically on verse 16 which says that is why we never give up
when you look at that text from kjv kjv says for which cause we faint not
literally meaning we do not lose heart it is in this text that paul the writer of this book
reveals to us that sacred to not losing heart the sacred to not giving up the sacred to not giving
in allow me to base on this particular portion of scripture this morning to share the word of god
i like to preach on the thought do not give up
kjv as he says for which cause we faint not we do not give up yet those moments
yet those moments when you feel so discouraged yet those moments when you get to the boiling point
and if you're such a person i want to believe that you are interested
to being encouraged you are interested to being motivated and in having hope in the lord
in the lord jesus christ because he is our only source of hope the bible says that crest in you
is the hope of glory meaning outside him there's no hope but it is only in crest that we find hope
we find encouragement so you look at verse 16 part a it makes an amazing statement
i want to repeat the statement it says for which cause we faint not that is why we do not give up
i want to qualify this as an amazing statement the word faint refers to a failing of the heart
so the phrase can be read this way we do not lose a heart in other words regardless of what comes
our way your way don't give up don't give in and do not give out
and do not give out
in that present day and time it's so easy to lose heart isn't it so easy to give up
it is so easy to come to a place where you are ready to throw in the towel
lay it down your body just quick very possible it seems to me just from reading what the bible
says about the life paul that it would have been easy for him to lose heart but he says in verse 16
part a we faint not that little phrase is in the present tense active voice paul is saying i never
lose a heart he is not bragging he's making a simple statement of fact he has discovered a
spiritual secret that enabled him to stay encouraged to keep going in the midst of so many
troubles so many challenging situations he was able to pick himself up and keep going because he
had discovered a secret because he had known that no matter what goes around and in him christ jesus
was on his side and that same jesus is on your side this morning in second corifian chapter one
verse 18 he says for we would not rather have you ignorant of our trouble which came to us in asia
that we were pressed out of measure above strength and so much that we despise even of life
let's look at second quiff of chapter 11 verse 23 and hear again what paul is going to say to us
it is chapter 11 of second corvius
verse 23 to 29
are they servants of christ i know i sound like a madman but i have served him far more i have
worked harder been put in prison more often been with times without number and first death again
and again five different times the jewish leaders gave me 39 lashes three times i was beaten with
roads once i was torn three times i was shipwrecked once i spent a whole night on a day at sea
i have traveled on many long journeys i have faced danger from rivers and from rovers i have
faced danger from my own people the jews as well as from the jails i have faced danger in the cities
in the deserts and on the seas and i have faced danger from men who claim to be believers but
are not i have worked hard and long enduring many sleepless nights i have been hungry
and thirsty and i've often gone without food i have shivered in the cold without enough clothing
to keep me warm then besieged soldiers i have daily burden of my concern for all the churches
who is weak without my feeling that weakness who is laid astray and i do not bud with anger
if i must boast i would rather boast about the things that show how weak i am god the father of
our lord jesus who is worthy of eternal praise knows i am not lying when i was in damascus
the governor under king aratus kept guards at the city gate to catch him i had to be lowered
to be lowered in the basket through a window in the city wall to escape from him despite of all
the trials the tribulations the burden is all was able to say i never lose her
the world has continued to change many times and many ways and sometimes there are those moments
when you find yourself in a fix and have that question why me lord yes it is you because he
knows he has the ability that he can give you to overcome so keep going don't give up stay
don't give up stay focused on the lord challenges will come yes burdens will come yes troubles will
come yes so what do i do stay focused don't give up trust the lord amen and by his grace
you'll overcome there are times when living troubles and affections behind seems like
the best option and yes it should be it should be the best option because in him we live
and move and have a being amen what we have is a living hope that is from the lord jesus christ
jesus christ in his soul and the other thing i want us to pick from this portion of scripture part b of verse 16
is a related struggle
i have already said it is so easy to lose a heart isn't it so easy very easy all the time
because the things that we hear the thing that we observe the things we've gone through can easily
push us into that corner where it's a lot i'll work with you normal i'm fed up of this
of course we've seen many friends abandoning their work with the lord giving up because
because of what is going on in our world
the result is so easy is found in verse 16 it is identified as a common struggle that we all face
the struggles that we face in uganda are the same struggles that you face
the magnitude may be different but it's the same devil causing them amen so paul says
the our outward man perishes the reason it is so easy for us to lose heart is that the outer man
is perishing the outer man has so many challenges he's first with so many troubles this outer man
this outer man refers to the fleshly part of us it encompasses both the body and the mind
that's where the troubles come from the battles we fight are around there the result
of aging in the body and sin in the mind conspire to stripe away joy hope and peace of heart and mind
we are told here that the outer man is perishing so the word perishing means
to rot to ruin to corrupt to be destroyed the word destroyed seems to fulfill the intended meaning here
the same word is used in a few other important verses these verses drive home the power of the thought
the power of the thought sell your possessions and give to those in need
this is luke chapter 13 of verse 33 i'm using the nlt version this will store up the treasure
for you in heaven and the passes causes of heaven never get old or develop homes
the treasure will be safe no thief can steal it and no moth can destroy it this particular verse
the word get old or develop holes is the same word that is translated perish when you use the
the the kjv version like moth can destroy clothing the outer man is being eaten alive every single
day i am a pastor and over the years i've sat sat around believers friends christians
who are struggling with some life challenges and their sickness in my culture in my culture
the way we look at the challenges of life is totally different like when i'm struggling
with this particular sickness or disease and i get to a point where
the medicals are giving me the answer so i begin to think maybe my friend maybe
my auntie maybe my family background is causing all this but the reality is
is flesh this body will always have challenges
does god hear when we when we pray to him yes he does but there are those moments where he says
my grace is sufficient
because my grace is sufficient amen the one thing that is so encouraging is that
these bodies are like treasures but in the treasures we have this treasure
and the treasure we have is christ jesus as long as we possess this treasure
is glory that comes from none other than christ jesus amen so as we face the challenges
we get the courage to keep going to keep trusting even if this body fails we have a living hope
there is a better life after this life so amen to that hallelujah so i want to bless the lord god
for his word so as i've said
i want to look at chapter 8 of revelation verse 8 and 9 nlc says then the second angel
the second angel blew his trumpet and a great mountain of fire was thrown into the sea one
third of the water in the sea became blood one third of all things living in became blood one
third of all things living in the sea died and one third of all the sheep on the sea were destroyed
so the bible tells us here that god will cast a great stone into the sea and one third of the world
his ships will be captured consumed destroyed same word every day the outer man is being destroyed
by the pain the problems the badness and trials that are thrown against it so there's a battle
going on in this outer man amen the reason we are so prone to lose a heart is because our outer man
is being destroyed is being corrupted and ruined every day so we do not lose heart though our outer
man our body our brain our lungs our liver our heart our muscles and our bones are wasting away
are being destroyed are being eaten away are being capsized are being consumed are being ripped out
the destruction of the outer man comes from two sources amen when i talk about the outer man
you know what happened when adam got it got it wrong and made that opened up all these challenges
that we face in life but thank god for jesus christ because he is the hope of glory and the hope of
is the hope of glory amen he's got a better and actually the best plan for our lives there are two
sources where the destruction of the outer man comes from number one is the fallen in nature
the world natural world is under the curse of god because of sin the world is under curse of
futility pain suffering corruption and death the bible says in roman chapter 8 22 23 that for we
know that all creation has been grounding us the ground of childbirth right up to the present time
and we believe us also ground even though we have the holy spirit within us as a foretest of the
future glory for we long for our bodies to be released from sin and suffering we to wait with
eager hope for the day when god will give us our full rights as his adopted children including
the new bodies he has promised us amen so all of us get those moments where we feel like it's
too much on us too much pain too much pressure too much despair amen that's that's going in and
around us that's the world we are living in amen anything can pop up anytime but we have that hope
second crochet chapter four verse seven says reminds us that we have this treasure
in even vessels we have a treasure amen that that is we will live our outer days in fragile
jars of clay and one day the vessel crack it will break and we will fade away that is
that is the nature of life amen you know as being a pastor some may think
that when you pray and god does not answer the way they want in my culture people say this pastor
is not anointed enough he cannot heal even this simple disease maybe it is god's will for you to
go through that simple disease amen hallelujah so let us know that we carry these clay jars but the
beauty the most important thing in that clay jar make sure that that life in is in you that treasure
and the treasure is jesus christ because when you came to him god spoke life in in that treasure
he spoke light in that treasure and you carry that treasure in you wherever you go whether it
goes through pain or what you have a treasure and that treasure is jesus christ amen so forget about
all the pain that travels and focus on the treasure amen and this takes me back to genesis where jesus
where god spoke when the earth was messed up the first thing he spoke was light he said
let there be light the bible says there was light even before the sun the stars and the mood were
up there was light amen as long as there is that light in you don't give up amen do not create
whatever sort of excuse just keep your eyes on this treasure that is in that vessel that clay
sometimes you may be having those cracks somehow somewhere i mean because situations change
anytime challenges come away with different measures but the beauty we all possess this treasure
in the clay yeah i mean so that jackal crack anytime
because of the world we are living in because we are here we are in that fallen nature
so that clay can be attacked but what makes it different for you and me
is that treasure that we possess amen and we bless the lord so if you have lived when when i was here
i think i was a really young man
now that
i've lost more hair
my children have grown big yes because now 18 from the father to an 18 year old
now i know in those days red was red black was black i now understand those great moments
the great moments to cry out to god lord why don't you please and he says my grace is sufficient
stay calm i am in charge not you but me keep your focus on me not on anything else amena now i know
those days i used to have those those lenses of interpreting every situation as though is demon
related but now i know certain things good allows them to happen amena not that in every situation
i have to break and curse and destroy now i have to let god be god
and that takes a bit of patience and growing in the word of god amen and that helps us to keep
going and trusting so the bible reminds us in the book of ecclesiastes chapter 12 verse 1
ecclesiastes chapter 12 verse 1 to verse 7 then it is time there i didn't capture that in my notes
the chapter 12 verse 1 to verse 7 it says do not let the excitement of youth cause you to forget
your creator honor him in your youth before you grow old and say life is not pleasant anymore
remember him before the light of the sun moon and stars is dim to your old age old old eyes and rain
clouds continually darken your sky remember him before your legs the guards of your house
start to tremble and before your shoulders the strong man's toe remember him before your teeth
your few remaining servants stop grinding and before your eyes the women looking through the
windows see dimly remember him before the door at your life opportunities closed and the sound of
work fades now you rise at the first shipping of the birds but then all their sounds will grow
fed remember him before you become fearful of falling and worrying about danger in the streets
before your hair turns white like an almond tree in bloom and you drag along without energy like a
dying grasshopper and the car bearer no longer inspires sexual desires remember him before you
near the grave your everlasting home when the mooners will keep at your funeral yes remember
your creator now while you are young before the silver cord of life snaps and the golden boughs
is broken do not wait until the water is smashed at the spring and the pulley is broken at the well
for then that does return to the earth and the spirit will return to god who gave it we have an
opportunity to love god we have an opportunity to give our best to him because there are those days
there are those moments amen you know how life starts that time comes when when you get to the
peak of your life and begins to go down man some of those days as you're still young energetic
let us not forget to love god let everything that is in you give honor to god as long as there's still
life in that body use it to serve god for the glory of his name someone one day will share
testimony about your life amen i can tell you there are those moments when i felt beaten
i didn't know i sent a message past i said hey samuel how are you doing my friend i guess me excited
sometimes i just judge something to lean you know you know when you of course our world is a bit
different so the market is different so there you get a point when this it seems like no one
is here to appreciate the work you are doing you know so you feel that you are down so when you
you judge maybe to pastor cain mama val or lean uh or jason you say samuel my friend how i okay
yeah thank god is someone who is working with me this journey and you keep going we need that
we need that amen we do that to encourage someone and go to receive that glory
because someone will be asking how can i do this you can do it by speaking life in samuel
i want to encourage me i want to hope it's someone's life and that will help them to keep
going and glorifying god amena so now the body you carry around has its challenges and they'll
always come i mean so it has kept building it has kept working so as i as i've already said
that this outer man is perishing this outer man is dying he has a potential to be a good man
he has a potential to rot he's broken sometimes he's reigned he is in the process of being
destroyed and the problem associated with the destruction causes us to lose heart let us be
aware of this man that we carry around you'll face those challenges amen let us be aware so when they
come there will be there'll be nothing new to wonder about just know okay now i'm aware of this
natural body has its challenges therefore let me give give all to him and focus on him he'll hold
me out so the other thing is the fallen man he says the natural is also the fallen man
this is another element in this world that causes us to lose heart that is the natural is without
is within but it's this other fallen man who's without the people you walk you work with sometimes
they cause us to give up to lose heart if this foreign nature doesn't get you
foreign people will do amen here i speak as someone who has really faced some challenges
in life and i know it is true with all of us the foolishness of a foreign man causes him to get
the foolishness of a foreign man causes him to get drunk they drive cars and kill someone's child who
say that they cause accidents because of the that nature in them the foreign nature causes terrorists
to go into shopping malls and kill people it's like they are heartless
it keeps disturbing me but what is in the world where we live you wake up one morning someone has
burned that man and the child to death and you wonder why why is this it is so because
that's what they are foreign men they are heartless they have no connections christ
what we expect those things will happen i don't understand it and i would never understand it but
it will happen because i've seen them many times in my world isn't it you also have expressed the
things and those questions keep down keep coming so foreign people let us down that's the world
we are living in foreign people hurt our feelings we've done so many good things for people at the
end of the day what the results you get is not what you expected so what you do you've got to
understand that is the world we are living in foreign people fear the lord jesus foreign people
hurt us physically they attack us they attack us verbally they attack us emotionally and spiritually
and this causes us to lose heart sometimes you can even because of that you can say no to that one
that door is closed i'll never talk to you no more again amen but you carry treasure in you
and this treasure is going to be shared with the foreign people the heartless those who disappoint
us because we have this treasure in us we've got to give it up to other people so that one day maybe
by the grace of god they'll come to discover how loving jesus is amen it can never happen
and that's why sometimes jesus lets us to you know go through the challenges that maybe our
our challenges as we walk and overcome them will be a testimony to them and also know i want to get
what you have i saw you going through this stuff i was sharing with my friend jesus as we are coming
that covid affected us so much to an extent
the people we've worked with people we spent a lot shaping you see
pastor i can no longer be able to work with you again why you have no resources to keep us going
the next day another one says you know i'm also going to say what am i going to do lord
there was a time when uh staff were resigning because of course our resources were so limited
you know what has been going and i got so broken and for week for full week i was just sleeping down
i was just sleeping down in the lounge saying lord what am i going to do because they've been working
with those have been giving me courage have all left what right what am i going to do
but thank god along the way he brings in a midst of those challenges he brought a young man
from northern uganda and this guy has stood with me really he has stood because they got a problem
where i could not even mobilize teachers he said pastor don't worry i'll get teachers
and thank god we are now back and the work is going on and we got god is so faithful and that
and that helped me to appreciate god's word i now know it is possible to be disappointed and god is
there to pick you up he knows when to bring the right people to encourage you amen so
so paul's experience in second corpions chapter 4 verse 18 verse 8 8 to 10
second corpions chapter 4 verses 8 to 10 let's see what paul experienced he says we are pressed
on every side by troubles but we are not crushed we are perplexed but not river despair we are
hunted down but never abandoned by god we get knocked down but we are not destroyed through
suffering our bodies continue to share in the death of jesus so that the life of jesus may also be seen
in in our bodies this is a testimony from paul so his experience is our experience too
it's so easy to lose her when life and people turn against us it is so easy to come to the place
where you just want to quit but you do not have to you do not have to be defeated
you do not have to become just a figure he was one of us
you don't have to be that number just a figure you don't have to be one of those people who used to
work with jesus you don't have to be one of those people who used to go to church
to go to church you don't have to be one of those who used to be faithful
let god be god in your life throughout your life amen as people give up please don't
stay the course and god will receive that glory so you can reach a place where you do not lose a heart
but you can reach a place where you can press on in spite of what presses you down you can
echo the incredible statement of apostle paul that says we never give up we fade not
but amen whether it is coming from within or without don't give up one day
one day you will appear under judgment seat of christ jesus where he will say well done
you are a good and faithful server you know why you were able to endure all the pains
that the support list the disillusionment the defeat the despair now you are right before him
and you know what happened will give you that crown of righteousness hallelujah be blessed to the lord
amen amen thank you so much pastor god bless you
thank you samuel why don't we all stand
worship team you can come we we heard about not giving up we heard about
keep to the importance of keeping focused on on on the lord and whenever i hear about you know
being focused on christ you know always there's a story that comes in my mind and the new testament
the story of peter you remember when they were in the middle of the storm the disciples in their
boat and jesus went to them walking on water he went to them and uh and peter asked jesus if it
is you just you know ask me to come and to walk in water like you are doing i'll come to you so
jesus invited peter said come on come to me and then we read that peter started to move his first
steps in the water and the bible says that until he was focused on jesus the waves were not touching
him he was not disturbed by the circumstances around him but the moment he lost focus on christ
and and he started to focus more to look more about the circumstances that was the moment where
he started to to go down and uh yeah so i think we there was a strong invitation maybe to some
of us here this morning you feel like giving up you feel like it's too much i cannot do it anymore
i cannot carry on like this but the lord is inviting you to keep focusing your attention
on him he's saying to you look at me the situation may be tough i know it's difficult
i'm not pretending the situation is not there i'm not pretending you're not going through what you
are going through i'm not pretending that you're not you're not feeling pain because what's
happening around you nevertheless keep on looking keep looking on me
keep looking on me the lord wants to give you strength this morning the lord wants to give you
courage the lord wants to give you the capacity of in spite of the situation to keep on walking
until the day when we will see him face to face until the day where all the trouble will be gone
all the pain will be gone all the sufferings will be gone and we will spend eternity with him
until that day comes let us just focusing ourselves let's focus on christ let's walk together
this journey of faith and if it is you today that you were crying out and say lord will you give me
strength today to face my situation to walk in my situation just why don't you raise your hand
just as a sign of saying lord is me i need more strength it's kind of getting difficult here but
i need your strength just raise your hand call out to the lord
he will give you all what you need hallelujah we thank you lord jesus because we are not alone
we thank you lord jesus because you are always with us we thank you lord jesus for your word
today we thank you for how you're inviting us to to live in your heart we thank you lord jesus
to to look at you we thank you for how you're inviting us to keep on walking we thank you for
the examples of people that are really around the race we thank you for because we are not on our
own but we have each other but even more than that we have you lord god and i pray lord jesus for how
many people today this morning are here in church but maybe their minds and their heart is somewhere
else because that situation is too difficult the pain is too much they don't know what to do they
don't know where to run holy spirit i pray for these hearts right now have your ways in them lord
break any wall break any chain that is stopping them from seeing you lord god and give them strength
strength to move forward strength to to keep on walking in you towards you lord god so we thank
you lord jesus because we are not alone you are always with us we thank you lord jesus we praise
your name thank you jesus hallelujah we thank you lord god hallelujah because yes one day we will
see you face to face we will rejoice for you for all eternity what a day that day will be lord and
we thank you lord god we thank you for this morning we thank you for your presence here among us we
thank you for samuel lord we just want to pray that you will keep on blessing his life he's
ministering back in uganda that you will provide the resources ideas lord strategies lord in order
to keep on blessing and increasing what he's doing there lord we pray for all the children
he's looking after for the families they rely on the work that he's doing there in uganda
we just pray lord god that you will give favor favor to him favor to careful kufu and to all the
people who are involved with the ministry there we thank you lord god for this morning we pray
for the week ahead we pray that you will bless each one of us that you will follow us
with your love with your protection wherever we go we thank you lord god in jesus precious name
amen amen please do stay for a coffee also don't forget next week next saturday is the last saturday
of the month we're gonna meet for prayer seven o'clock in the calf uh prayer room we're gonna
call it the prayer room the war room so please do come put it down in your on your on your diary
we're gonna meet for prayer next saturday seven o'clock god bless you