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Thank you very much. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Let's start with hymn number 18. Take the name of Jesus with you. We're here in church to exalt the name of Christ. So hymn number 18. Take the name of Jesus with you. Once you have found it can you please stand. Hymn number 18. Take the name of Jesus with you. Once you have found it can you please stand. Hymn number 18. Take the name of Jesus with you. Once you have found it can you please stand. Hymn number 18. Take the name of Jesus with you. Once you have found it can you please stand. Hymn number 18. Take the name of Jesus with you. Once you have found it can you please stand. Hymn number 18. Take the name of Jesus with you. Once you have found it can you please stand. Take the name of Jesus ever. As a shield from every sin. If temptations round together. Breathe that holy name in prayer. Precious name, oh how sweet. Hope of earth and joy of heaven. Precious name, oh how sweet. Hope of earth and joy of heaven. Oh the precious name of Jesus. How it frills our souls with joy. When his loving arms receive us. And his songs their tongues employ. Precious name, oh how sweet. Hope of earth and joy of heaven. Precious name, oh how sweet. Hope of earth and joy of heaven. At the name of Jesus bowing. Falling all straight at his feet. King of kings and heaven crown him. When our journey is complete. Precious name, oh how sweet. Hope of earth and joy of heaven. Precious name, oh how sweet. Hope of earth and joy of heaven. All right, great singing. Let's go to a word of prayer. Yes, Heavenly Father, Lord, we want to thank you for this opportunity to be in your house this evening, Lord. It's not easy sometimes to be here on a midweek service, but I thank you for those that are in attendance, Lord. If anyone else is making their way here, Lord, I pray you'd give them a safe journey. And Lord, just bless each one of us, Lord, as we come to exalt the name of your son, the Lord Jesus Christ. Lord, this church is about you, this church is about your son. Lord, not about man, and we don't want to hear the opinions of men, but we want to hear straight from your word tonight. So Lord, help us to be attentive, and may your Holy Spirit do a work in our hearts. We pray this in Jesus' name, Amen. You may be seated. All right, let's go to hymn number one. Hymn number one, Jesus, I, my cross have taken. Hymn number one, Jesus, I, my cross have taken. Jesus, I, my cross have taken, Hymn number one, Jesus, I, my cross have taken. Hymn number one, Jesus, I, my cross have taken. Hymn number one, Jesus, I, my cross have taken. Hymn number one, Jesus, I, my cross have taken. Hymn number one, Jesus, I, my cross have taken. Hymn number one, Jesus, I, my cross have taken. Foes may hate and friends may shun me, show thy face and all is bright. Man may trouble and distress me, twill but drive me to thy breast. Life with trials hard may press me, heaven will bring me sweeter rest. Oat is not in greed to harm me, while thy love is left to me. Oat were not in joy to charm me, were that joy unmixed with thee. Hasty on from grace to glory, armed by faith and winged by friend. Hem's eternal days before thee, God's own hand shall guide thee there. Soon shall close thy earthly mission, swim shall pass thy pilgrim days. Hope shall change to glad fruition, faith to sign and prayer to praise. All right, you're singing really well. Let's turn to Hymn number 54. Oh, that will be glory for me, Hymn number 54. I know your voices are tired from working and talking all day long, but let's just use our voices one last time for the day to just lift up glory to our God. So Hymn number 54. Oh, that will be glory for me. When all my labours and trials are old, and I am safe on that beautiful shore, just to be near the dear Lord I adore, will through the ages be glory for me. Oh, that will be glory for me, glory for me, glory for me, when by His grace I shall look on His face. That will be glory, be glory for me. When by the gift of His infinite grace I am accorded in heaven a place, just to be there and to look on His face, will through the ages be glory for me. Oh, that will be glory for me, glory for me, glory for me, when by His grace I shall look on His face. That will be glory, be glory for me. Friends will be there I have loved long ago, joy like a river around me will flow, yet just a smile from my Saviour I know, will through the ages be glory for me. Oh, that will be glory for me, glory for me, glory for me, when by His grace I shall look on His face. That will be glory, be glory for me. Alright, that's a tough one to follow, eh? Because the first one's kind of quick and then when it gets to the chorus it all slows down. Alright, great singing. Everyone's put away their hymnals. It's like you guys are stuck in tradition. Alright, when I'm song leader we do an extra song, right? So let's grab your hymnals once again. One more song before the barber in 153. 153, how firm a foundation. 153, how firm a foundation. 153. How firm a foundation, ye saints of the Lord. He is laid for your faith in His excellent Word. What more can He say than to you, He hath said to you. Good for refuge to Jesus hath fled, in every condition, in sickness, in health, in poverty's bail, or abounding in wealth, at home and abroad, on the land, on the sea, as your days may demand, shall your strength ever be. When through thy retrials, thy pathways shall lie, my grace, O sufficient, shall be thy supply. The flame shall not hurt thee, I only desire, thy dross to consume, and thy gold to refine. In down to old age, all my people shall prove, my sovereign, eternal, unchangeable love. And when glory heads shall their temples adorn, like lambs they shall still, in my bosom be born. The soul that on Jesus hath leaned for repose, I will not, I will not, desert to its foes, that soul though all hell should and ever to shake, I'll never, no never, no never forsake. Okay, wonderful singing. Please take your Bibles and turn to the book of Job, Job chapter 31. Job chapter 31, please. Job chapter 31. Good evening, brethren. Okay, chapter 31. I made a covenant with mine eyes, why then should I think upon a maid? For what portion of God is there from above, and what inheritance of the Almighty from on high? Is not destruction to the wicked, and a strange punishment to the workers of iniquity? Doth not see my ways and count all my steps? If I have walked with vanity, or if my foot hath hasted to deceit, let me be weighed in an even balance that God may know mine integrity. If my step hath turned out of the way, and mine heart walked after mine eyes, and if any blot hath cleaved to mine hands, then let me sow and let another eat. Yea, let my offspring be rooted out. If mine heart have been deceived by a woman, or if I have laid weight at my neighbor's door, then let my wife grind unto another, and let others bow down upon her. For this is an highness' crime, yea, it is an iniquity to be punished by the judges. For it is a fire that consumeeth the destruction, and would root out all mine increase. If I did despise the cause of my manservant, or of my maidservant, when they contended with me, what then shall I do when God riseth up, and when he visiteth? What shall I answer him? Did not he that made me in the womb make him, and did not one fashion us in the womb? If I have withheld the poor man from their desire, or have caused the eyes of the widow to fail, or have eaten my morsel myself alone, and the fatherless have not eaten thereof, for from my youth he was brought up with me, as with a father, and I have guided her from my mother's womb. If I have seen any perish for want of clothing, or any poor without covering, if his loins have not blessed me, and if he were not warmed with the fleas of my sheep, if I have lifted up my hand against the fatherless, when I saw my help in the gate, then let mine arm fall from my shoulder blade, and mine arm be broken from the bone. For destruction from God was a terror to me, and by reason of his highness I could not endure. If I have made gold my hope, or have said to the fine gold, thou art my confidence. If I rejoiced because my wealth was great, and because mine hand had gotten much. If I beheld the sun when it shined, or the moon walking in brightness, and my heart hath been secretly enticed, or my mouth hath kissed my hand. This also were an iniquity to be punished by the judge, for I should have denied the God that is above. If I rejoiced at the destruction of him that hated me, or lifted up myself when evil found him, neither have I suffered my mouth to sin by wishing a curse to his soul. If the men of my tabernacle said not, oh, that we had of his flesh, we cannot be satisfied. The stranger did not lodge in the street, but I opened my doors to the traveler. If I covered my transgressions as Adam by hiding my iniquity in my bosom, did I fear a great multitude, or did the contempt of families terrify me, that I kept silence, and when not, out of the door? Oh, that one would hear me. Behold my desire, is that the Almighty would answer me, and that mine adversary had written a book. Surely I would take it upon my shoulder, and bind it as a crown to me. I would declare unto him the number of my steps, as a prince would I go near unto him. If my land cry against me, or that the furrows likewise thereof complain, if I have eaten the fruits thereof without money, or have caused the owners thereof to lose their life, let thistles grow instead of wheat, and cockle instead of barley. The words of Job are ended. Okay, dear Lord Jesus, I just pray tonight that you have the Holy Spirit, full pastor Kevin, so he can preach the word to us tonight, Lord, and I just pray that we can all understand what he's preached tonight. Thank you, God. Amen. Amen. Thank you, Tony. Appreciate it. Okay, we had the words there of Job in Job 31, and if you can just keep your finger there, come quickly with me to Job chapter 1, just the beginning of the book, but keep your finger there in Job 31. Look at Job chapter 1 and verse number 1. Now, we have been going through our Perfect Man series, and we can't really end this series without first looking at a man that is referred to by God as perfect. It says there in Job 1, 1, there was a man in the land of us whose name was Job, and that man was perfect and upright and one that feared God and issued evil. Now, when you read that Job is perfect, does that mean he is sinless? No, he's a sinner, just like anybody else, right? But when you talk about being the perfect man, again, what are we talking about? We're talking about being sinless? Of course not. None of us can achieve that on this side of eternity or this side of the new, you know, the rapture, but when it comes to Job being perfect, it's referring to the fact that he's a well-rounded, well-rounded, mature man seeking that which is righteous and making sure that he stays away as much as he possibly can from that which is evil, and of course, this is how God introduces this perfect man, Job. Now, come with me to Job 31. Job 31. Now, obviously, even though Job was a perfect man, did he not suffer a lot? Did he not go through probably the greatest suffering you can read about, you know, to lose everything, all your possessions, all your wealth, to lose your children, 10 kids, you lost them all. What a loss, and when we see such a loss, and, you know, if we were to put ourselves in the shoes of Job, do you think we would respond as well as Job did? And if you think, no, I wouldn't respond as well as Job, well, then you still have to grow. You still have to develop yourself into that perfect and upright man that God can speak of. And I want you to notice in verse number 31, verse number 6, what is it that makes a perfect man? What is it something that Job made sure he had right in his Christian life? In Job 31, verse number 6, it says, Let me be weighed in an even balance, that God may know my integrity. Job says, I'm a man of integrity, but it says, look, allow myself to be weighed in an even balance. Because, you know, the book of Job, he had his three friends that weren't really friends. They came along, and they said, You're not right, Job. You've messed up. You're not right with God. So, you know, the problem is with you, Job. And what we see here is that Job defends himself and goes, look, just put me in an even balance. Like, really assess my life and see how well my life is, and I'll show you that I'm a man of integrity. But I love the fact that it says that he's seeking to be in an even balance. You see, when it comes to Christian living, we must live a balanced Christian life, a balanced Christian life. The title for the sermon tonight is Living a Balanced Christian Life. Living a Balanced Christian Life. Now, I've seen a lot of believers on fire for God. On fire, okay? And, unfortunately, I can see it because I'm a little older and a little bit more mature. You know, I've lived a Christian life longer than many, and I see that, look, as much as you're on fire and you've got this great zeal for God, I see a lack of balance. And when there's a lack of balance in your Christian life, it's so easy to burn out and to fall off and then to lose your integrity, okay? A man of integrity is someone that remains steadfast and sure in the Lord, right? The word integrity comes from the word integer, like a whole number, okay? Again, it's speaking about the fullness, the whole, the perfection in a man that is well-rounded. And, look, in life, there are good times, and in life, there are bad times. And a well-rounded, a man of integrity, a man that is perfect, a man that is balanced is going to get through life, praising the Lord, serving the Lord, no matter how difficult life can be. But sometimes you have people that are so on fire for God and you don't want to zap their zeal, but, you know, they're in danger of just getting so burnt out and they fall off the race because they were never balanced. They were maybe weighed too much on one side and weighed too much on the other side. You say there in Book of Job 31, I'll just read some Proverbs to you. Proverbs 11 verse 1 says, a false balance is abomination to the Lord, but a just weight is his delight. A false balance is abomination to the Lord. Look, if we're not balanced as a Christian, you know, the Lord says it's an abomination. Now, of course, look, the direct context of this passage is speaking about trade and money. And, like, if you were to, hey, say these apples are, you know, I don't know, let's say back then, obviously, money was counted by weight. All right, if you messed up the balance and, you know, instead of, let's say apples are two kilos and you mess up the balance where, you know, your apples are really three kilos, when someone puts their money down, it's got to be the three kilo and you're ripping someone off, even though they're buying three kilos of apples, for example, but really you're only giving them two kilos of apple. God says that is an abomination to him and, of course, these examples that I'm going to give you are about finances and trade, but I want you to think about how Job himself in a spiritual manner said, hey, weigh me in an even balance. In other passages, Proverbs 16 and 11, it says a just weight and balance are the Lord's. All the weights of the bag are his work, okay? So a just weight, a balance are the Lord's. The Lord wants you to be balanced, all right? Proverbs chapter 20, verse 23 says, diverse weights are an abomination unto the Lord and a false balance is not good. A false balance is not good. You know, brethren, if you can't get yourself balanced in your Christian life, it's not going to be good for you, okay? Like I said, you can burn out and then you're off the race and you'll discover that you'll never balance to begin with. But we're there in Job 31 and I want you to notice when he said in verse number six, let me be weighed in an even balance, the rest of the chapter, Job is describing his balanced life, okay? If you were paying attention to the reading, he was defending himself and he says, look, in my Christian living, I am balanced in the way I conduct myself, all right? So let's, look, all of this is an introduction, all right? Now, I'm never going to get to, like, when I started to put this sermon together, I realized that I could have an entire series just on the balanced Christian life because every aspect of our life needs balance. People often say, hey, you need a balanced diet. I mean, even when it comes to the food you eat, you ought to be balanced. I mean, anything that you do in your relationships, you ought to be balanced. How you handle your finances, you ought to be balanced and how you do these things and, you know, whatever way you conduct yourself in life, people talk about having a healthy work-life balance. It's not what people talk about all the time. I mean, there are so many balances that we can speak about. Look, I'm definitely not going to cover every topic, but I want you to think about, as I go through some examples and we're going to look at some doctrines which we can believe as well, and I want you to assess yourself, am I unbalanced, maybe in some of these areas that we've looked at, but am I unbalanced maybe also in other areas of my Christian life and how can I find that balance because I want to be, you know, I don't want a false balance which says it's not good. I don't want to be a Christian that is not good. I don't want to be a Christian that is unbalanced in my spiritual life. In Job 31, he says in verse number nine, if mine heart have been deceived by a woman or if I have laid weight at my neighbor's door. Look, he says, look, I've not been deceived by other women. In fact, in verse number one, he said there, I made a covenant with mine eyes. Why then should I think upon a maid? All right? Now men, you know, have you heard of MGTOW? Men going their own way? There are certain men and you even sometimes see it creeping into Christendom that say, you know what? The women out there, they're so horrible, they're so whorish. You know what? Let's just forget about women. You know, they're just to be used and abused and you know what? We're not going to get tied down with women because they're problems. Brevin, that's an unbalanced life. All right? But you know what's also unbalanced? Just chasing every woman, right, and seeking your pleasures and all this stuff. Hey, that's an unbalanced life as well. What is balanced? We know that Job was married. Job was married to his wife and he said to his eyes, look, we are not going to look upon any other women. Hey, and that's being balanced. Look, it's good, you know, to take a wife. This is something that God gives you. But once you have that wife, that's it. You know, the search is over. Your eyes are to be upon that one woman alone and that is the balanced life. Job says, I'm balanced with women. Right? He's not married and then looking at pornography, he's not married and then chasing other women, he's not married and then flirting with the waitress at the restaurant or what have you. He goes, no, I'm balanced in this area of my life. Look at Job 31, verse number 13. If I did despise the cause of my manservants or of my maidservants when they contended with me, when they contend is to have like an argument with him. So, of course, Job was a rich man. He had servants under him. He had women and men that were serving him in his household. And look, you know, one extreme is to say, hey, you know, I'm going to have these maidservants and I'm just going to treat them like slaves. I'm not going to listen to what they have to say. He goes, look, I've not been unbalanced like that. Look, when they'd come and contend with me, he said, he goes, if I did despise the cause of my manservant, he didn't despise the cause of his manservant or maidservant. Sometimes his servants came up to him and said, Job, our working conditions can be improved. Job, can I have a pay rise? Job, whatever it is. You know what? When those issues came up, he did not despise when they brought those things up. He listened to his servants. He said, the way I treated my servants, I was balanced in the way that I treated them. I respected them. I listened to their concerns. You know, I didn't treat them like rubbish. Verse number 16. If I have withheld the poor from their desire or have caused the eyes of the widow to fall. You know, Job says, look, I wasn't unbalanced with the widows and those that are downtrodden. Those that, look, I get a lot of phone calls as a pastor. People ask him for money almost every day. And the stories are always the same. Right? I'm at a petrol station. I've, you know, I tried to call Centrelink, but my payments haven't come through. You know, you guys at church, can you just send me some money? Oh, where are you? Oh, you don't need to know where I am. Can you just deposit some money to my bank account so I can finish paying for my fuel because I'm trying to get to, you know, whatever it is? Like, the same story's over. Look, these people are not downtrodden. They're just trying to take advantage of churches and they're ringing all these numbers. But listen, when it comes to truly poor people and widows, of course, in these days, you know, it wasn't a dual income household. The man was out there working a job and if a woman was a widow, she had lost her primary caregiver, her primary income stream. All right? And Job said, look, when I've seen those that are downtrodden, it's not like I didn't care about them. You know, I sought to help them where I could. Job says I was balanced in the way that I treated the downtrodden. Verse number 24. If I have made gold my hope, or have said to the fine gold, thou art my confidence. You know, being unbalanced, one way of being unbalanced, you go, oh, I don't need any gold. I don't need any currency. I don't need any money. You know, money is just hope. Like, forget about it. I'm going to live like a monk. I'm going to shave my head and I'm going to walk around and I'm just going to get by because God's going to provide all my needs. I'm balanced. But then trying to make money and wealth your confidence. He goes, I didn't make my gold my confidence. You know, Job was a rich man, but he wasn't trusting in his riches. And when you trust in your riches, once again, you're unbalanced. He says, no, I'm balanced. I've got the gold. I've got the wealth. I can take care of my needs. I can take care of my family. I can take care of my servants and my employees, but I've never made gold my hope. Because, of course, God was his hope, wasn't it? God was his hope. And so Job says, look, I'm balanced when it comes to my finances. Verse number 29. If I rejoice at the destruction of him that hated me or lifted up myself, an evil found him. He goes, look, I never elevated myself above my enemies. You know, God says to love our enemies. Hey, when his enemies were destroyed, he did not rejoice in their destruction. All right? If I'm just, wow, my enemy got destroyed. Whoo! He goes, that's been unbalanced. You know, way back in the Bible, sometimes in the psalm, you see people rejoicing over the wicked being destroyed. Yet the psalmist is rejoicing at the judgment of God. The psalmist is rejoicing that God stepped in. He saw the affliction of his people. God stepped in and judged the wicked. That's what they're rejoicing in. They're rejoicing in God being protective and God watching over them. They're not rejoicing at the destruction of the wicked. He goes, look, I'm balanced in this area of life. What else? We have verse number 31. If the men of my tabernacle said not. The men of his tabernacle, again, everybody under his household, okay, his children, his servants. I assume he had shepherd, workers, all kinds of people that were running his businesses, okay. He goes, if the men of my tabernacle said not all that we had of his flesh, we cannot be satisfied. Look, Job is the one who's taking the risk, taking on the employees, starting his businesses. He's the one serving God. God's been blessing him. But again, when he came to his servants, he made sure they had flesh to eat. They made sure they ate well. Like Job wasn't just, you know, gorging himself with the best of foods, with the best of flesh, right, having a roast pork dinner, and then his servants are just eating beans and rice or something like that, right. Where they're saying, man, I wish we had the food that Job is eating. Job's like, no, I'm balanced. I made sure that all of us enjoyed the labor of our hands and that the richness of the food and the flesh were shared amongst all the people under my tabernacle. Verse number 33. If I covered my transgressions as Adam. Hey, talk about his transgressions. Remember, he's a perfect man, but he's got transgressions. What are transgressions? Sins, right. He goes, look, look, is he at a point where, ah, man, I'm so perfect, I don't even sin. That's unbalanced. In fact, if you say you have no sin, the truth is not in you. You're not even saved if that's what you think you are. But look, he says, if I have covered my transgression as Adam, remember Adam hid from the Lord? When the Lord said, hey, Adam, you know, caught him in the garden. Adam tried to hide himself. He goes, look, I didn't hide myself like Adam, okay. By hiding my iniquity in my bosom. Brevin, you know what else is unbalanced. Number one, thinking you're so righteous, you're so great, look at me. Look, I'm definitely a safe person. Look how sinless I am. You're unbalanced. But also, someone that hides their transgressions. Someone that hides and says, well, I'm not going to confess my sins. I'm not going to, you know, hey, you know what, that's unbalanced. He goes, look, I didn't. I wasn't like Adam, okay. When Job sinned, he confessed them before the Lord and made sure he was right with God. That's the balanced Christian life. Verse number 39. If I've eaten the fruits whereof without money, or have caused the owners thereof to lose their life. He goes, look, I never took advantage of other people. If I went to buy fruits, I didn't take it for free. I didn't eat it for free. I paid what was due. Right? And he says, I didn't cause the owners thereof to lose their life. You know, I wasn't oppressed in other people that wanted to be paid for a hard-earned job, right? He made sure the people were paid when he went to the, I was going to say grocery store, I guess when he went to the markets, wherever he went to buy the projects of the land, he made sure that he did not withhold his hand, that he made sure he paid for everything that he purchased. He goes, this is a Christian, a balanced Christian life. You know, he wasn't trying to be short, he wasn't trying to shortchange people. He wasn't trying to rip people off. He says, no, I'm balanced in the way that I've conducted myself before the Lord. So brethren, if Job is making a big deal in Job 31 about being balanced, shouldn't you be balanced if we're trying to be perfect men, perfect women, perfect people of God, well-rounded with integrity, you know, we can say to other people, hey, just weigh me in an even balance, see whether I'm unbalanced or see whether I'm balanced. And Job is saying, look, I've been balanced in the conduct of my daily living. Come with me now to Daniel chapter 5, Daniel chapter 5, Daniel chapter 5. This is just an introduction so far, all an introduction, okay? Daniel chapter 5 verse number 1, Daniel chapter 5 verse number 1. Daniel chapter 5 verse number 1. So I've given you an example of someone that is balanced. Now let me give you an example of someone who is unbalanced. All right? I mean I could give you a hundred examples, but let's get an example where God himself says about someone you're unbalanced. All right? So looking at Daniel chapter 5, this is about Belshazzar, who was the king of Babylon at this time, I believe Belshazzar was the, I believe he was the grandson from memory of King Nebuchadnezzar. All right? Now Belshazzar in Daniel chapter 5 verse number 1, Belshazzar the king made a great feast to a thousand of his lords and drank wine before the thousands. So man, this is thousands of lords. This is a great feast, a great party going on in his kingdom. Verse number 2, Belshazzar, whilst he tasted the wine commanded to bring the golden and silver vessels which his father Nebuchadnezzar had taken out of the temple which was in Jerusalem that the king and his princes, his wives and his concubines might drink therein. I know it says that his father Nebuchadnezzar, I'm pretty sure it's still his grandfather that's referenced there. But anyway, the fact is he's taken the gold and the silver and the precious vessels of the temple of God when Babylon took over the the kingdom of Judah they ransacked the temple and took all the precious things that were meant to be holy unto the Lord. But now Belshazzar takes those things that were holy unto the Lord and he enjoys it in his drunken feasts and festival. Okay, so obviously by these actions he's blaspheming very much. You know, the things of God and making the things that are holy into things that are unholy. Verse number three. Then they brought the golden vessels that were taken out of the temple of the house of God which was at Jerusalem and the king and his princes, his wives and his concubines drank in them. They drank wine. They praised God of the Bible. It says they praised the gods of gold and of silver and of brass, of iron, of wood and of stone. And all these idols made from these different elements and they're just praising all these false gods. Verse number five. And so this miracle takes place as they're all getting drunk or as they're abusing the vessels of the temple of God a miracle takes place a hand appears to write on the very wall and everybody's watching that everyone's shocked. Everyone's like, what is going on? This is crazy. Okay. And they can't understand what was written on the wall. And so this is the book of Daniel. They asked Daniel to come and to give interpretation of the words. So let's drop down to verse number 25. Verse number 25. Daniel gives the, what's the word I'm looking for? Interpretation of the words on the wall. Verse number 25. And this is the writing that was written. Many, many, tekul aparshan. This is the interpretation of the thing. Many. God have numbered thy kingdom and finished it. Tekul. Look at this. Thou art weighed in the balances and art found wanting. Pires. Thy kingdom is divided and given to the Medes and Persians. And brethren, that same night King Belshazzar was taken over by the Medes and the Persians and he lost his life. It was the end of the Babylonian Empire as we know it in that time. But God says to King Belshazzar thou art weighed in the balances and art found wanting. What is it saying? You're unbalanced. And you're so unbalanced and because you're unbalanced you're going to lose your kingdom. Your kingdom is going to be divided. It's going to be given over to the Medes and to the Persians. So I just want to show you how God, maybe you thought I was stretching a little bit going, you know, of course we look at balances. We know it's about finance and trade and this and that. But God uses illustrations like that many times so we can assess our own lives. How balanced are we? You know, if God, if you were to ask God right now God, how balanced am I? You know, and look, we know we're all sinners. Okay, I'm definitely unbalanced because I commit sin. Well, again, so did Job and when he sinned he didn't hide him. Okay? The balanced thing is to confess and before the Lord. Right? What I'm trying to say is how balanced is your Christian life? You know, and again, I'm not going to be able to touch on every issue. Job gave us an example of different issues, different life issues where he's balanced. How well is your Christian life balanced? Come with me to the book of Ephesians please. Ephesians chapter 4. Ephesians chapter 4. Ephesians chapter 4. Ephesians chapter 4. Verse number 13. Ephesians chapter 4. Verse number 13. Ephesians chapter 4. Verse number 13. Now, before we read this passage, let's say there is a balance. You know, you know, it's not what a balance is, right? You got, you know, like a holder on both sides. You know, you put, you know, you might have weight there, you know, I don't know, a hundred kilos of weight here and then you'd balance yourself. If you weigh a hundred kilos then you should be balanced, right? If you weigh less then obviously the balance is going to look like that. If you weigh more the balance is going to look like that, okay? How well are you balanced? Now, when you think about your Christian life, put yourself on one side of the scale, okay? You know, what you weigh, spiritually speaking, your maturity, you know, your commitment to the Lord, walk in the Spirit, all the things that's required of you as a believer. Put yourself on one side. Who do you put on the other side? That's my question for you. Who do you put? Jesus. Jesus. It's a hundred percent. It's got to be Jesus. You don't put brother Brett. He's back, isn't he? You don't put sister Sheleen. You don't put pastor Kevin. How well am I doing? Oh, look at pastor. I think I saw what pastor did the other day. Oh, I can get away with it then. No, no, no. That's not how we get balanced. We put Jesus on the other side. My question, and look, honestly, we know that Jesus is very righteous. Like, we're like this, right? We're working at it. You know, the moment you got saved, praise God for Jesus Christ, the moment you got saved, you know the balance is like this. But as you're living a Christian life and reading your Bible and coming to church and going soul winning and all those wonderful things, it should be making this move like that. Now, it's never going to get exactly like that, we understand, okay? But I want you to notice Ephesians 4.13. Ephesians 4.13. It says, Till we all come in the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, look at this, unto a perfect man, unto the measure, unto the measure of pastor Kevin, of brother Hayden, of brother Brett, no, unto the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ. Brevin, you compare yourself to Jesus. You know what's going to stop you from being holier than thou? Oh, I'm such a great Christian, looking down at people, is when you say, oh, I'm such a good Christian, hold on, I've just been comparing myself not to others in church. I've just been comparing myself to Jesus and you go, oh man, oh wretched man that I am. That's the truth. And that keeps us all balanced. Now Brevin, that's what we're working toward. And look, we know we're never going to get exactly balanced to the fullness of Christ until the rapture, until we have our new resurrected bodies, bodies that will never sin and will be made like unto Christ, the Bible says. We shall know him. Okay? And in that state, yes, we finally reached it. But look, just because that's a future time to come doesn't mean we ought to be working right now to try to balance those scales as much as we can as we grow and become more like Jesus Christ. Look at verse number 14, that we henceforth be no more children tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine by the sleight of man and cunning craftiness whereby they lie in wait to deceive. And so the more balanced we are with Christ, one of the measures there is our doctrine. You know? Are we being tossed to and fro? Or when you find something in God's word that you just lock those in and you say, man, I've seen that in God's word again and again. There's a foundational doctrine that I'm not going to move from the doctrine of salvation, let's say. I'm not going to remove myself from the Trinity. I'm not going to remove myself from God's creation and early creation. I'm not going to remove myself from the coming of Christ because I see these great truths in the Bible. I'm not going to remove myself from the blood atonement of Christ. You know, that's being balanced, not being tossed around. But we know that when you're newly saved and you're a baby in Christ and you're just learning, it's easy to be tossed around because there are so many people lying in wait to deceive you. All right. Now, we talked about the doctrines, right? The doctrine is mentioned there, right? Not carried about with every wind of doctrine. Now, we get into the other part of the sermon, okay? Now, we're talking about doctrine. Doctrine means the teachings, the things that we believe as a church or things that we believe as individuals. You say, well, it doesn't really matter what you believe, but I've found that what you believe will affect the way you live your life. What you believe will affect, you know, look, if you truly believe that your call, your role is to win souls, then you're going to eventually get out there and win souls. If you take the belief, oh, no, people just get saved automatically like a Calvinist does, you know, they're already chosen to be saved no matter what happens, you're not going to be a soul winner, okay? Because your beliefs are wrong. Your beliefs are messed up. So our doctrines are also required for us to be balanced. We need to be balanced in our doctrines. And the examples that I have for you, like we looked at everyday examples, Job, and again, I've not looked at every everyday example. That's for you to assess your own lives, right? But now let's have a look at, if we're not balanced with doctrine, how that can affect us, okay? Come with me to Romans chapter 3, Romans chapter 3. The first doctrine I want to talk about is salvation, salvation, salvation and sin in particular, sin. Now look, when it comes to blessing up your life at the church, and your life at the church, we want to be very clear on the gospel. If there's any doctrine that we must be crystal clear, without any confusion, it must be the gospel. It must be how to be saved, okay? The Bible way to heaven, that must be untainted, untainted, okay? And Romans 3.28, Romans 3.28, it says, Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by what? By faith. Okay, so how are we saved? By faith. We know this. Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved, for whosoever believeth in him shall not perish but have everlasting life. We know that, okay? And many people, many Christians will say, yes, salvation's by faith, but you have to turn from your sins, but you have to keep the commandments, but you must follow Jesus, but, but, but, but, no, no, no, what does it say here? Man is justified by faith without the deeds of the law, without the law, without the deeds. Deeds are what you do, without doing the law. What are the law? We can summarize it by the Ten Commandments. That was known as the law. Hey, the Old Testament scriptures have some 600 plus commandments, but they're all built on those Ten Commandments, and even Christ even summarizes it down to two commandments, right? Love the Lord God with all your heart and to love your neighbor as yourself. But you've got all these commandments of the Bible. People are like, oh, but you've got to turn from your sins. In other words, you've got to keep the law, which nobody can do. If you could keep the law to be saved, then Jesus would never have had to come in the first place to die on the cross. And look, we've got to be clear about that. It's by faith, not by faith and by works for some people if they want. No, without, okay? When we talk about believing in Christ, we're talking about believing in Christ plus nothing minus nothing. It's Christ and Christ alone, his death, his burial, his resurrection, trust in that, by faith, that's what saves us. Bible's crystal clear, and brethren, we as a church must be crystal clear. All right? Now let me show you where some people get unbalanced. The next verse. Haven't you heard some Christians say, well, that's how the Gentiles got saved. But the Jews still have to keep the law. Look, even in Baptist churches, believe it or not, it blows my mind. Look at the next verse, number 29. Is he the God of the Jews only? Is he not also of the Gentiles? Yes, of the Gentiles also. Oh, wow, okay, I guess the Gentiles get saved a different way. Verse number 30. Sin, it is one God which shall justify the circumcision by? By faith. Who's the circumcision? The Jews. So if the Jews want to be saved, how are they justified? By faith. Again, without the deeds of the law, right? And uncircumcision, hey, that's the rest of us that are Jews, what? Through faith. By faith, through faith, Jews, Gentiles, it's faith that saves both groups. As soon as you start saying, oh, the Jews get saved some other way, oh, the Gentiles get saved some other way, you're unbalanced. You're being tossed to and fro with every wind of doctrine. Brethren, it doesn't matter what our nationality is. Doesn't matter what our back, look, we all have our roots back to Noah and then all the way back to Adam and Eve who sinned against the Lord. All right? And it doesn't matter, look, we all have received that sin nature through Adam and Eve. And how are we justified? By faith. Through faith. Okay, on what Christ has done. Now, this is what happens. You teach this without compromise, you make it crystal clear, like the Bible says, what do people say about our church? Ah, so you don't believe you've got to keep the commandments. You think you can just have a license to sin and do whatever you want and no one cares. No, that would be unbalanced. If I came behind this pulpit, brethren, and I said, you know what, salvation by grace through faith alone, therefore go ahead and sin, break all of God's commandments, go ahead, who cares? Look, have you ever heard me say that, first of all? But that's what people accuse you of saying. Right? Oh, no, you've got to, what, so you don't have to return from your sins then? Of course. Look, we don't believe you've got to get baptized to be saved, but do we teach that you ought to get baptized? Of course. We don't teach you have to go to church in order to be saved, but do we teach that we should go to church? Of course. Hey, we don't teach that you have to turn from your sins to be saved, but do we teach that you've got to turn from your sins? Of course. All of those things are important. And in order to be balanced, in fact, you'll find many times in the book of Romans, Paul uses this phrase, look at verse number 31, do we then make void the law through faith? So, because we teach salvation by faith alone, do we make void the law? Like, are we saying God's commandments and God's laws don't matter? He says, God forbid. Yea, we establish the law. He goes, look, the law matters. We teach the law. We establish law. We're trying to do what is right. In order for us to know what is right and wrong, we need to know God's laws. So, look, the balance is this. Salvation by faith without the law. But then after you're saved, you should establish the law in your life. You should do what God wants in your life. But that's the, you know, people are unbalanced. And look, I've heard people say so far that, hey, you know what, because salvation is by grace through faith alone, and I've heard this even amongst fundamentalists, that God will never chastise you if you make mistakes now. No, God's very clear that he chastises you that he chastises us, corrects us in this life. Okay, if we sin against him, and if we run out of his long-suffering mercy, he will chastise us. So we're not going to go that extreme, we're not going to go that unbalanced, and we're not going to go so unbalanced to say the Jews have saved some other way, and we're not going to go so unbalanced to say, hey, actually, no, you do have to keep some laws. Just be willing to keep those laws. Be willing to turn from your sins to be saved. No, all that is unbalanced. The balance to you is salvation by faith alone and once you're saved, do the works. Do the law. Not for salvation, do it so you can please the Lord, live a holy life, live a profitable life, live a life that you'll be then rewarded by Jesus Christ at his coming. All right, let's go to Romans chapter 10. Romans chapter 10. Now, again, when you read the book of Romans, I want you to notice every time Paul says, God forbid. Okay, that phrase, God forbid. Because what he's saying there is that some people can take a doctrine too far. So in other words, when we saw earlier, so are we saying that we make the law void? Because that's going too far. That's being unbalanced. God forbid. We're not going to be unbalanced. And many times when you read the book of Romans, it says God forbid, God forbid. You'll notice because he's talking about something and he's talking about how people can take it too far. Because no, no, no, no, let's get back to being balanced in our beliefs. What about our beliefs about the Jews? Our beliefs about the Jews. You're then Romans 10. Romans 10, 21. Romans 10, 21. But to Israel he saith, so this is what God says about Israel. All day long I have stretched forth my hands unto a disobedient and gainsane people. Do you know what a gainsane is? It's like the word against. Like think of the word against. Against. Gainsane are people that are against the things that God was saying. He says look, the people of Israel, the Jews, were against the Lord. And we know they were against Jesus Christ. Okay? Well, if they're against the Lord, if they're disobedient and what else? A gainsane people, you know what some Baptists are like, oh, but you've got to bless them. You've got to go and bless the Jews because if you bless the Jews, God will bless you. You want me to bless a gainsane, disobedient people? You want me to go and bless people that are against the Lord? That's been unbalanced. Okay? Now let's continue there in Romans 11. Romans 11 verse number 1. Some people are like, oh, you've got to bless the Jews. If Israel is at war with the Palestinians, man, I stand with Israel. I support Israel. Doesn't matter who they're at war at. Doesn't matter what abominations they're doing. Look, all nations are wicked. Okay? All nations are wicked. Guess what? Israel is wicked. In fact, Israel is so wicked, their primary religion of Judaism rejects Jesus. That's how wicked that nation is. And you've got Baptists, oh, God bless them. Bless people that hate Jesus? I think you've been unbalanced. You know what? Australia is wicked. Every nation is wicked. But then sometimes, and I have come across this as well, people are so angry toward the Jews because they control the government, and they control the money and the banks and the media, and they do. And the Hollywood and the music industry and all these, the pornography industry, all this stuff. The Jews own that, blah, blah, blah. So you essentially teach them, like handle the Jews as though they're some type of, like they're all just reprobate. They're all just, you know, just completely wicked. And who cares about the Jews? Look, that would be unbalanced as well. Because not everybody that is part of that nation or identify themselves as Jews are reprobates. Just like not all Australian, other Australian reprobates. Of course, but are we going to just categorize the whole nation as reprobates? No. Okay, there are going to be reprobates in all nations. Okay? But then it says in Romans 11, Romans 11 verse number 1, I say then have God cast away his people, and of course his people in the old covenant was the Jews. God forbid. Remember that term of God forbid. Look, if we're just saying God is just over all the Israelites, God's just through with them, they can't be saved, then you're unbalanced too. Okay, God forbid. He goes, for I also am an Israelite of the seed of Abraham of the tribe of Benjamin. Look, Paul says, look, I got saved. You can't cast away an entire people just because they were disobedient, just because the majority crucified Christ and hate him because I'm someone that have come out of this group and I'm saved. Right? God forbid. Like, hey, that's not being balanced. Verse number 2, God hath not cast away his people which he foreknew. What ye not what the scripture saith of Elias, how he maketh intercession to God against Israel, saying, Lord, they have killed the prophets. Hey, this is about Israel. They've killed the prophets and digged down their altars. Look, Elias, Elijah thought, hey, I am left alone and they seek my life. Elias is like, God, I'm the only one. My whole nation's reprobates. Elias thinks so. What does God say? Verse number 4, but what saith the answer of God unto him? I have reserved to myself seven thousand men who have not bowed the knee to the image of Baal. But God says, look, I've got seven thousand Israelites that have not bowed to Satan. But Elias thought he was all by himself. And sometimes when you see the Jews, you think, man, surely none of them. Surely God's done away. No, no, no, no. There may very well be seven thousand or so. Maybe even more so because the populations are greater than they were in these days. They have not bowed their knee to some devil. All right? Verse number 5, even so then, look at this, even so then at this present time, also there is a remnant according to the election of grace. Brethren, there are believers in every nation of this earth. That's why in Revelation 7 when the great multitude in heaven appear, it's of every tongue, of every tribe, of every nation, even Israelites. So what's the balance? Ah, you know, we've got to bless them no matter what. That's unbalanced. Ah, they're all damned and going to hell. That's unbalanced. They're like anybody else. Look, there are people, there are Jews that need to get saved. Jesus died for their sins as well, as much as anybody on this earth. That is the balanced approach. Now come with me to Genesis chapter 12. Let me show you some other things that are unbalanced regarding Israel or the Jews. Genesis chapter 12, please. Genesis chapter 12, verse number 7. Genesis chapter 12 and verse number 7. I'm going to speed through this a little bit. Genesis 12, 7. Genesis 12, 7. And the Lord appeared unto Abram. So why is it they say, just bless the Jews no matter what? And the Lord appeared unto Abram and said, unto thy seed will I give this land and there be it here an altar unto the Lord who appeared unto him. See, the Lord makes a promise to Abraham. Look, I'm going to give this land to your seed. So what happens to Christians? Oh, that land in the Middle East, that belongs to the Jews. That's why we have to support them no matter what. We've got to get the Palestinians off the land. Look, I wouldn't be surprised if those Palestinians are more Jewish, if their bloodline is more likened to that of Abraham. Look, just because one's a religion or one another religion doesn't mean that's what their bloodlines are. It may very well be that the Palestinians are the ones that have the greater DNA, you know, similarity to Abraham and to that physical nation. Look, you've got to do this. God's given them that land. You know, come with me to the next chapter, Genesis 13, verse number 14. Genesis 13, 14. 15, actually. Genesis 13, 15. Genesis 13, 15. God says, For all the land which thou seest, to thee will I give it to Abraham and to thy seed. Look at this. Forever. Oh, see, it's different. That land belongs to the Jews no matter what. God said so. And then it says, And I will make thy seed as the dust of the earth, so that if a man can number the dust of the earth, then shall thy seed also be numbered. Arise, walk through the land in the length of it and the breadth of it and I will give it unto thee. So that's where a lot of Christians stop reading the Bible. See, God's given the land to the physical nation of Israel because it's been given to Abraham and to his seed. Now, I think this church is quite intelligent. I think. I believe. Okay? Now, come with me to Galatians' book, please, in the New Testament. Galatians, chapter 3. Galatians, chapter 3, please. Galatians, chapter 3. You know, I've gone to church my whole life. My parents, I grew up in a Christian home. We went to church. We've been going to Baptist churches my whole life, pretty much. I do not believe. I could be wrong. But I do not believe I've ever heard a sermon from Galatians, chapter 3, where I was physically in a church. I've heard sermons online where I'm saying, I'm physically in a church. I don't believe I've ever seen a sermon from Galatians, chapter 3. Okay? Galatians, chapter 3, gives us the balance, is what I'm trying to say. Okay? And, you know, the New Testament, brethren, is the light or the lens that we should understand the Old Testament by. And in Galatians, chapter 3, verse number 16. Galatians, chapter 3, verse number 16. Now, to Abraham and his seed were the promises made. Now, did we confirm that in Genesis 12 and 13? Yeah, we confirmed that. Okay. He saith not and to seeds, as of many, but as of one. So, seed, not seeds. So, what is the seed? Is the seed the Jews? What's it say in the Bible? But of one, and to thy seed, which is Christ. So, when God promised that land to Abraham and to his seed, oh, the Jews, you've got to bless the Jews. Not to Jesus. You've got to bless Jesus. Bless the Lord Jesus Christ, who came and died on the cross for your sins and rose from the dead. That's who the promise was made to. To Jesus. To Christ. It's so straight. Isn't it straightforward, brother? Drop down to verse number 26. Galatians 3, 26. For ye are all the children of God by faith, just in case you forgot, in Christ Jesus, for as many of you as have been baptised into Christ have put on Christ. Look at this. Verse number 28. There is neither Jew nor Greek. Look, when you're in Jesus, your nationality doesn't matter. Oh, but you've got to bless the Jews. No, there is no Jew or Greek. There is neither born nor free. There is neither male nor female. Ye are all one in Christ Jesus. Look, it's a level playing field. We're all on the same page. If you're saved by Christ, in Christ Jesus, no one's more important than anybody else. And look at verse number 29. And if ye be Christ's, ask yourself that question. Are you Christ's? Do you belong to Jesus Christ? Then this is for you. Then are ye Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise? Brethren, you're the seed of Abraham. I'm the seed of Abraham. When God promised that land to Abraham and to his seed, we were included because we're in Christ Jesus, who is the seed. Jew or Gentile, man or woman, bond or free, doesn't matter. If you're saved, you are that seed. So I'm not going to go bless Christ rejecting Jews. I'm going to bless my brothers and sisters in the Lord. That's who I'm going to bless. You are God's people. You are that seed. Those promises are given to you. You say, when are we going to get the promises? When Christ comes back and rules for a thousand years, he's going to rule from Jerusalem and we're going to rule and reign with Christ. Don't worry. That promise will be fulfilled in Christ's coming. But that is the balance. Bless the Jews. Bless the Jews, because God's going to bless you. You're wrong. You're blessing the enemies of God. That's unbalanced. Oh, all the Jews are just wicked. They can't get saved. That's unbalanced. The balance is, look, it doesn't matter if you're Jew or Greek. Everyone gets saved the same way in Christ Jesus. Give the gospel to all. And it doesn't matter what your nationality is. If we have Jews in the congregation, you know what, you're just as important as the next person. No one's more important or lesser than anyone else. That's the balanced position with the Jews. Anything beyond that is unbalanced. Come with me to Hebrews chapter 10, please. Hebrews chapter 10. Verse number 24. Hebrews chapter 10. Verse number 24. Hebrews 10, 24. Let me talk about another issue. Now, this issue came up for me because during COVID, you're sick of me talking about COVID, aren't you? I'm sick of talking about it. But during COVID, you know, there were mandates that we couldn't meet for church. Okay. And we're not the only church. As far as I'm aware, every church pretty much had to have some limitations where they couldn't gather and meet for whatever reasons. And, you know, I just followed the protocol, whatever it was. I realized this wasn't a church-targeted thing. Bars were closed. All the coats were closed. The Roman Catholic Church was closed. Right? You know, every club and every pub and every RSL club was closed. It was across the board. This wasn't about some Christian, oh, we're being persecuted. It's everybody. It's everybody. Right? Stop acting like victims. It's everybody. And then it's like, okay, look, we're going to not have church for whatever it was, six weeks. I don't know what it was. I lost track of time now. It's like, my brother, we're forsaking the assembling of ourselves together. Look at Hebrews chapter 10, Hebrews chapter 10, verse number 24. Hebrews chapter 10, verse number 24. And let us consider one another unto love and to good works, and yes, of course, not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together as the manner of some is, but exhorting one another and so much the more as you see the day approaching. You know, I've heard preachers take this passage where even if you miss one church service, you've forsaken the assembly, brother. You know, I've heard people say to me, Pastor, I was so crook one day. I couldn't make it to church and then I got a phone call. Someone criticized me because I wasn't at church. I was sick, Pastor. I didn't want to pass the sickness onto anybody else. I don't feel good. I'm not going to be a blessing, right? I'm not going to, you know, why weren't you in church? You're forsaking the assembly, brother. Like, some people have this unbalanced view. Look, church is important. Look, if I said to you church is not important and just make your own decision whether you want to come or not, that would be unbalanced, okay? Oh, you know, we didn't have church for six weeks because, oh, you know, then we forsook the assembling. Look, that's been unbalanced. It's like some people, you've just forgotten what basic English definitions are, okay? It says they're not forsaken. You know what the word forsake means? What is the definition of forsake? The definition of forsake is to abandon or leave or to give up. Look, if someone's sick and they can't make it to church, have they abandoned or left the church? If we're following mandates and we're saying, hey, at the end of those six weeks we'll get back to church, have we abandoned or forsaken the church? In fact, while we couldn't make for church, you know what was happening? The conversations that I was having with people, even within myself, I can't wait to be in church again. If anything, it made us value when we can get together for church. Maybe it was worthwhile to go a period where we can't be in the house of God so we can appreciate the times and the freedoms we have when we can meet for the house of the Lord. I did not see anyone's character go, all right, then I just give up now. That's forsaking the assembling of yourselves. Missing a service is not forsaking the assembly. All right, and I'm sad when I hear that and then people feel so guilty at church because they couldn't make a service. Look, things pop up. Different priorities appear sometimes. You know, there might be a time when I'm preparing to prepare a sermon and something comes up, unexpected, some other priority, and I'm like, Brevin, I can't make it for whatever reason. Can someone step up and preach in my stead? By the way, preachers, make sure you always have a sermon up your sleeve just in case. You can't turn around and say, oh, you're just forsaking the assembly. What is wrong with you? What does forsaking even mean to you? If anything, man, again, back to the COVID world, everybody was more excited than ever to be once again in the house of the Lord. See, we've got to be balanced. And look, if you miss a service, I'm not a pastor, so and so. Look, they must have a genuine, I don't even need to know what it is. There must be a reason. Leave them alone. Okay? Have they abandoned? Have they forsaken? They just don't care about church anymore? No. I just give people the chance to grow. Things come up. You know, I've got a brother in the United States, you know, as an example. If for some reason, you know, I'm here to preach, I'm a pastor, and I obviously preach mostly on Sundays and things like that. Let's say my brother, for some reason that I've not seen for years, decided to come to Australia for whatever reason, is only on the weekend, for whatever reason, and I'm like, you know what, I'm going to go and see my brother because I've not seen him for several years. So I'm going to miss that church service. Oh, pastor, you've forsaken the assembly of our service together. Of course not. It's just that there's another priority that came up, a once-in-a-many-year opportunity, right, and I'm going to take it. Doesn't mean I'm forsaking God's assembly, you know, but at the same time, if I said to you, hey, look, church is not important, don't worry about it, well, that would be unbalanced as well. But we need to be balanced in our church attendance. Be balanced. Things come up. All right? And if someone doesn't make it, don't be like, oh, where are they? They must not be right with the Lord. I think that's holier-than-thou attitude. That's a holier-than-thou attitude. Come with me to Matthew 6. Actually, come with me to 2 Thessalonians. I'm going to speed up. I had a few other verses, but I'm just giving you examples of being balanced. Again, I'm not going to be able to cover. If I wanted to make this, we could make this a series and talk about every issue, every doctrine, you know, every action of the Christian life. Man, maybe it's someone's idea for a preacher, you know? The Balanced Christian Life series. Maybe you guys can cover that one day. But 2 Thessalonians 3, verse number 6, we're going to read that soon. 2 Thessalonians 3. But let me read to you from a familiar passage. Okay? Matthew 6.31. You guys know this. Matthew 6.31 says, Therefore, take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? Or what shall we drink? Or whether withal shall we be clothed? You've got to say, look, don't worry about what you're going to eat or what you're going to drink or how you're going to clothe yourself. Okay, well, I guess I'm not going to worry then. I guess God is telling me I don't have to go to work because that's God's business. Alright? Verse number 32. For after all these things that the Gentiles seek, for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things. But seek ye first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things shall be added unto you. Take therefore no thought of the morrow, for the morrow shall take thought of the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof. So is it God's business to clothe us, to feed us and to give us drink? That's his business, isn't it? I guess that means I can just quit my job and you know what? I'm going to seek God's kingdom first and his righteousness past. I'm going to quit on my job because I don't care about that. I'm just going to go soul winning every day of my life seeking God's kingdom first and God will definitely provide my food, my drink and my raiment. You're going, that's ridiculous, pastor. Taking that attitude. But there are Christians that think like this. I'm telling you, okay? Because that's what they think. That's what they read. So I'm going to give it all up and I'm just going to go soul winning for the rest of my life and I'll be provided for no matter what happens. Brethren, that is being unbalanced. This is why we have 2 Thessalonians 3, verse number 6. Now, this is Paul writing to this church. Is there a greater soul winner in the Bible than Paul? Probably not. Okay, Jesus. But you know, Paul was a powerful soul winner. Paul planted churches. Paul ordained pastors over those churches. Look, Paul was doing a great work for God, wasn't he? But look what he says in verse number 6. 2 Thessalonians 3, verse number 6. Now I command you, brethren, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ that ye withdraw yourselves from every brother that walketh disorderly and not after the tradition which ye have received of us. Look, he says, look, don't hang around certain brothers, okay? These brothers, they walk disorderly. These brothers do not follow after our tradition. What is that tradition? In what way are they being disorderly? Let's keep going, verse number 7. For yourselves know how you ought to follow us. For we behaved not ourselves disorderly among you. So we've not been disorderly, we've been orderly, is what Paul is saying, okay? Verse number 8. In what way have you been orderly? Neither did we eat any man's bread for naught, but wrought, look at this, with labor and travail, night and day, that we might not be chargeable to any of you. He says we've worked with our hands. We did not go expecting a free feed. We worked, we labored, we had jobs, we know that Paul was a tent maker on the side, and he goes, this is the tradition. This is what it means to be orderly. You say, but Paul, you're seeking God's kingdom first. Why are you doing all these things? God's going to just give you your food and drink. Look, Paul is saying, look, you've got to follow this tradition. Follow the orderly way of things. Okay? Verse number 9. And some people take this passage and they say, well, see, pastors should not get paid at all. But first of all, Paul was not a pastor. Pastors have to be husbands of one wife. Paul had himself. He was an apostle, but he was a eunuch. He didn't take a wife. Number 1, he wasn't a pastor. But then he continues, he says, verse number 9, not because we have not power, but to make ourselves an example unto you to follow us. He says, look, I have the power to live off the church and the provisions that come from God's people. We have that power, but I want to be an example to you so I go out and work so I can show up and be an example unto other people. You know, men, you ought to work. Paul gave us that example. Look, he still started churches. He still won souls. He still did a great work for God. But to set an example, he still went out and worked a job. And then he says, verse number 11, for we hear that there are some which walk among you disorderly. There's that disorderly again. What does that mean? Working not at all, but are busybodies. Men, if you don't work, you are disorderly. Working not at all. You become a busybody. Verse number 12, now them that are such we command and exhort by our Lord Jesus Christ that with quietness they work and eat their own bread. You go, but Pastor, we really saw in Matthew chapter 6 that God's the one that gives us our food. Yeah, this is how God gives us our food. You work and you eat your own bread. You work and you labor and you get a paycheck and you go to the grocery store and you take a loaf of bread and you eat that and that's God's provision as you're seeking his kingdom first and his righteousness. That's the balanced life. Not to be like, I'll just be a monk. I'll be an IFB monk. I'll shave my head. I'll quit my job and I'll just go soul eating every day and, you know, you guys better make sure you provide for my needs otherwise you're not right with God or something. You guys know full well even as a pastor when I've not been able to provide myself by this church, what am I doing? Begging you for money? I'm out there working a job even if I have to be a cleaner and clean toilets. All right, it doesn't matter because we see that it's important that God's people set an example when necessary. But some people just think they're unbalanced. Ah, you know, God will take care of it. I'll just quit. No, no. God wants us to work. That's how he provides for our needs. He gives you your job. He gives you the labor. He gives you the paycheck. It all comes by the hand of God. Okay? And then it says in verse number 13, By ye, brethren, be not weary in well-doing, if any man obey not our word by this epistle. Look, if any of you guys don't obey this, you don't go to work. Note that man and have no company with him that he may be ashamed. Men, if you're lazy bums, okay, you don't want to lift your hand, you don't want to go and work a job, you should be ashamed of yourself. It's not the words of your pastor. These are the words of the Bible, of the scripture. These are the words of God. Men were moved by the Holy Ghost as they wrote these things. Look at verse number 15. Yet count him not as an enemy, but admonish him as a brother. You know, a lazy brother in the Lord? Hey, don't hate him like some enemy. No, don't mistreat him. Look, admonish him. Encourage him. Lift him. Hey, brother, get out there and work a job you know. That's what God's requirement is on you as a man. That's how God provides. Look, I know I'm all over the place. We're touching on different doctrines and look, I'm probably going over time now, but I'm trying to show you in all of these things, we must be balanced. What about a man, a believer, that just works seven days a week? Can't make it to church working on Sunday, working Thursday night, can't make it to church maybe once a month, maybe once every... Look, that's unbalanced as well. All right, just chasing the almighty dollar, you're not going to be right with God doing that. You need to give time for church service. You've got to give time for soul-willing. You've got to give time for Bible reading. You've got to give time to spend with the family and what God has given you. Take care of the things that you need, okay? So, you know, being a workaholic can be unbalanced, but also taking the view I'll just give all my work up and just go soul-willing for the rest of my life, that's unbalanced as well. In fact, you should not be fellowshiped with. You get busy, work, with your own hands, with your own quietness and eat your own bread. That's the balance. That's how God provides our every need. Hey, it will seek ye first the kingdom of God and His righteousness. Who is righteous in the eyes of God? Work in a job. Men going to work a job, getting a paycheck, providing for your needs. And men, we need to hear this because we're living in a generation of slack gamers, men who don't want to work, don't want to provide, but there is something, I tell you, believe it or not, I'm telling you, there is something within a man when you work hard, you get your paycheck and you pay the bills and you put a roof over your wife's head and you look after your children. Your children have clothes, they've got food. There is something in man that goes, man, this is satisfying. This gives me contentment. I've been able to look after these people that God has given me and it gives you joy. You think being lazy is going to give you joy? You'll be depressed. You'll be depressed, you know, and you won't even be able to fulfil what God wants in your life. So, again, I'm not so much about work. It's not even so much about these doctrines. I'm trying to give you examples of how we are to be balanced in our Christian life. The title of the sermon was Living a Balanced Christian Life. Hey, we saw the perfect man Job. He gave examples of his life. I'm giving you now examples of doctrines. I've seen certain doctrines where people just go way too far, like, brother, I think you've got a little bit unbalanced there and, brethren, when we're unbalanced, we've been tossed to and fro with every wind of doctrine. Hey, stay down the line, stay in the middle, stay where God clearly says things according to his word and, brethren, you'll be living a balanced Christian life. Let's pray. Heavenly Father, Lord, God, I thank you for your word. Lord, I thank you for the example that you've given us in Job. Lord, you've called him a perfect man, but even in his perfection, Lord, he's still struggling with transgressions and sins. So, Lord, help us not to take the attitude that we can never be at the level of Job. We can be, Lord. We surely can be with your help. But, Lord, I pray you'd help us be balanced. Help us not to be overzealous on one side of things over the other side. Help us to remain steadfast and sure with integrity. And, Lord, that you would be pleased in our day-to-live Christian life, this balanced Christian life that you want us to live. I pray this in Jesus' name. Amen. Amen. All right, please take your hymnals. Hymn number 256. 256. 256. I've chosen this hymn primarily because I said, hey, when we put ourselves in the balance, the one on the other side ought to be Jesus Christ. Amen. So 256. Look to the Lamb of God. Look to the Lamb of God. Don't compare yourself to me. Don't compare yourself to brother or sister, son. So look to the Lamb of God. 256. Look to the Lamb of God. Look to the Lamb of God. Look to the Lamb of God. For He alone is able to save you. Look to the Lamb of God. When Satan tempts and doubts and fears assail, look to the Lamb of God. You in His strength shall overall prevail. Look to the Lamb of God. Look to the Lamb of God. Look to the Lamb of God. For He alone is able to save you. Look to the Lamb of God. Ah, you are weary. Does the way sing long? Look to the Lamb of God. His love will cheer and fill your heart with song. Look to the Lamb of God. Look to the Lamb of God. Look to the Lamb of God. For He alone is able to save you. Look to the Lamb of God. On your pathway, fall. Look to the Lamb of God. Enjoy your sorrow. Christ is all in all. Look to the Lamb of God. Look to the Lamb of God. Look to the Lamb of God. For He alone is able to save you. Look to the Lamb of God. And we can definitely do that on Sunday, November the 5th. The other announcement that I want to give you is next month, it's crept up so quickly, but October the 1st is a Sunday and that's New Life Baptist Church's 6th year anniversary. Now, not to take anyone away from this church, but if you do, if you have been thinking about coming to visit our church for some time or some weekend, that would be a pretty good weekend to come and attend, because it will be our anniversary that Saturday. We're going to be doing some soul winning on Sunday. We have our two services. We're going to have a fellowship lunch and a few games and whatever it is. Hopefully, if Tim comes with some trivia, I don't know. Maybe not. No, but I'm just saying, obviously, you're all invited. Church anniversary, if you guys want to come support us up there. October the 1st would be a good Sunday to visit.