3rd December Wednesday Service: Uncommon Presence - Spirit-Led Joy. By PBC Deacon, Edwin Isoe

What if the missing piece in your plans isn’t a better route but a nearer Guide? We trace Moses’ bold request in Exodus 33—If your presence does not go with us, do not send us up from here—and uncover why God’s nearness matters more than milestones, metrics or maps. From the humour of a wrong Google pin to the gravity of leading a nation, we draw a line from ancient wilderness to modern life, where calendars are full and souls are tired.

We dive into knowing God’s character through Moses’ three seasons—prince, fugitive and shepherd‑leader—and show how Scripture forms people who walk in light rather than stumble in darkness. We unpack the covenant arc from Abraham to Israel to all nations, and confront the risk of being religiously busy yet spiritually empty, echoing Jesus’ correction to the Sadducees: you do not know the Scriptures or the power of God. Along the way, John 14 reframes love as obedience and promise as presence: We will make our home with them.

Rest becomes the surprising hallmark of a life led by God. We explore physical rest that respects human limits and spiritual rest that guards hearts and minds with peace that surpasses understanding. Parenting moves from rules to reasons, speech shifts from contempt to blessing, and fear of people dissolves into trust in the One who numbers our hairs and clothes the fields. The takeaway is clear and practical: do not move without Him. Ask for His presence, align with His will, and let His peace distinguish your steps.

If this spoke to you, follow the show, share it with a friend who needs real rest, and leave a quick review to help others find these conversations. What does “God’s presence” look like in your week? Tell us—we’d love to hear your story.

Chapters

• 0:00 Scripture Reading And Opening Prayer
• 3:40 Christmas Joy And Knowing Versus Truly Knowing
• 7:30 Pilgrims, Goals, And The Failed Google Pin
• 12:10 Why Moses Refused To Move Without God
• 16:40 Light And Darkness: Paths That Shape Life
• 21:10 Uncommon Presence: Knowing God And Finding Rest
• 28:20 God’s Character Through Moses’ Three Seasons
• 34:30 God’s Plan From Abraham To Israel To Us
• 41:00 Error Without Scripture And Power
• 47:10 God’s Will, Our Passion, And True Peace
• 52:30 Rest Explained: Physical And Spiritual
• 58:40 Parenting, Words, And Training Children

Transcript

SPEAKER_01: 0:01

We are going to stand, uh, read God's word. We have two scriptures, Exodus chapter 33, verse 13 to 16, and also we have John chapter 14, verse 23. We'll begin with Exodus chapter 33 verse 13 to 16. The word of God says, If you are pleased with me, teach me your ways, so I may know you and continue to find favor with you. Remember that this nation is your people. The screen went blank. Let me get to my analog Bible. 33 verse 13 to 16. I start again. If you are pleased with me, teach me your ways, so I may know you and continue to find favor with you. Remember that this nation is your people. The Lord replied, My presence will go with you, and I will give you rest. Then Moses said to him, If your presence does not go with us, do not send us from up from here. How will anyone know that you are pleased with me and with your people unless you go with us? What else will distinguish me and your people from all the other people on the face of the earth? Verse 17. And the Lord said to Moses, I will do the very thing you have asked, because I am pleased with you and I know you by name. John chapter fourteen, verse twenty three. John chapter fourteen verse twenty-three. The Bible says Jesus replied, Anyone who loves me will obey my teaching, my father will love them, and we will come to them and make our home with them. Let's pray. King of Kings, Lord of Lords, how awesome is your presence. For the only thing that you desire for us is for us to come in your presence, to walk with you, to talk with you, to enjoy in your presence. Thank you for your word which is with us. Use me as your instrument, King of Kings, and may you speak to your people, dear Spirit of God. Encourage them because your presence is better than anything else. In Jesus' mighty name we pray. And God's people said, Amen. You may have your seat. Let's again appreciate the worship team. Worship team, thank you so much for leading us. Also, let's appreciate the band. Thank you very much. Let's also appreciate the media team. I know the screen will come in Jesus' name. Amen. I thank God again for an opportunity to bring the word of God to you today. I also want to be a little selfish because from the children ministry we have children who are going for the camp, and we are asking you parents to. If you have a child 10 to 14 years, there is a children's camp. Even if you are online, so please remember that it's from 11th to 15th. It's actually next week. So bring your child. Uncommon presence, spirit-led joy. It's the first Wednesday of the month of December, which is the month of Christmas. Hallelujah! Are you happy that it's Christmas? Or maybe has the year gone so fast until you haven't achieved what you wanted? Then this Christmas you are not like enjoying it. I'm here to tell you you have to enjoy. Amen. Because the Lord is with us. I've come with a flower. Yeah. How many know the name of this flower? You know may you may know something, or you may know someone, but you don't know them. Does that make sense? You know someone, but you don't know them. You don't know where they are coming from, you don't know their character, you don't know their will, you don't know what they are up to, but you enjoy their presence, just like this flower. Was it Pastor Egan and he said a name there? And we Googled, we thank God for Google. You can actually uh take a snapshot of this flower, and then Google tells you the name. Just imagine. And it's called a name starting with an M. I think maybe our sister Helen knows what the name is. Moon something. It's a very hard name. I think it was a phylum or maybe a botanical name. Brother Herman, you remember that? But we're going to talk about this flower in a while. Amazing. It's a creation of God, by the way, and God teaches us through his creation. You want to know God? Just go and look at a flower like this one. And we'll know him. Because the presence of God is with you, and the Holy Spirit will start telling you some things about this flower. And it will be amazing. We are pilgrims in this world. We are on a journey. No wonder in life we have goals. We normally have point A and point B. When your child is born, you have a plan for them. Yeah, you want to know the school that they want, you want them to go, a better school. When they grow up, you want them to have a better job. As they are growing, you want them to fellowship with better peers, and so on and so forth. You have a business, you have a plan for it. One-year plan, five years plan, ten years plan. There is somewhere we want to be when we grow up. You have had this I want to reach there when I grow up. It doesn't mean that you haven't grown up, but it means that by the time you reach there in that period of time, you need to be somewhere. If you want to go somewhere you don't know, you just go to your phone and you know, you go to maps, and then you just type the name of the destination that you want to go. But the problem is that sometimes that Google map can lead you astray. How many have ever depended on the Google map? You are going somewhere you don't know, and then you land somewhere where you are not going. One day we were going on a mission. It was actually a burial, one of our teachers, somewhere in Kitui. And we were there with Pastor Susan and so on. So the teacher was already there, so she was not with us. So we followed Google. She sent us a pin and then we followed. We said, ah, we have a pin. It's Kitui, somewhere inside there. And we followed it. But somewhere three kilometers to the home, Google took us somewhere else. We reach a crossing, crossroads, and then we went the other side. And do you know what there was a hill this side and a hill this side? So three kilometers inside, we reach somewhere, and then Google tells us that you have arrived at your destination. But we are somewhere in a bush. We cannot see any home. But we had some music because at the other hill, the other side, that was the venue because we could see the canopy and people and so on, and music. So you said, oh, it's there. But now you have to go back three kilometers to where you went astray, then now start going to the right direction. That's technology for you. Man-made, isn't it? Man-made. God tells us something about depending on man. But tech is good. It has brought about many things. But what if we had the teacher whom we are going to their home with us? You are not to have struggled with Google because she is here and she knows the home. You will be at peace. You want to be at peace, at least. You know, we have someone who knows there, not only knows there, but that is her home. So you'll be more at peace when you have someone who is going where you are going and is familiar to that place. Moses knew that it's good to have direction in life. Actually, he was a leader. Moses was a leader, isn't it? But better, he knew that it's better to have the guide present with him. In the book of Proverbs, chapter 4, verse 18, the Bible says, the path of the righteous is like the morning sun shining ever brighter till full light of day. The path of the righteous. What is this path of the righteous? It's not the path of the perfect, but the righteous in the word of God is a person who knows God. He has accepted his plan of salvation, and then he's walking with the Lord. That is the righteous. So the plan of this righteous is like a morning sun shining brighter, ever brighter till full light of day. When you are born again, when you have invited the Lord to be in your personal savior, it's just like sunrise. It's not very bright. You don't know what you have entered in. You don't understand the Lord that you have invited in your life. You'll have some doubts. The enemy will come and try to make you doubt. But as you are growing in the Lord, you know that I've invited the Lord who is a person and he is with me. That faith, knowing that the Lord is now with me, because the Bible says that the Lord promises his Holy Spirit to be with us, that will give you confidence. It does not matter what who is making you to doubt. And then your life will continue becoming more brighter. We'll continue to know this God. Your spiritual life will start being more brighter. Why? Because you have the one that you invited with you. Like in verse 19, there is an opposite of it. Our screen is not yet back. Proverbs chapter 4. So it's a test if I know my Bible quite well. Proverbs chapter 4. We have already read verse 18. The path of the righteous is like the morning sun shining ever brighter till the full light of day. Verse 19 says the opposite. But the way of the wicked is like deep darkness. They do not know what makes them stumble. A person who is in darkness, you are stumbling, but you cannot see what is making you to stumble. But the fact is that you have already stumbled. And there is something that has stumbled you. And sometimes we fall. But because we are in darkness, we don't know. And that's why the world without God, they don't know that they are lost. Before we were found, we did not know that we were lost. We're just hearing, oh, there is the Lord who came, he died on the cross. So what has that to do with me? Let's go on with life. Stumbling but in darkness. But when you are in the light, you are like the morning sun shining ever brighter till the fullness of day. So life is short. Just imagine your life. The Bible gives us 70. If you reach 80, it's by the grace. So 80 minus your age, how many years have you left? Have you ever calculated like that? If you calculate like this, then when the when you hear that Christ is coming soon, you don't need to worry. Actually, you'll be awake. Because even if Christ does not come in our lifetime, but our years are still less. For you to get where he is. Life is too short. So it's not a life of guesswork. Guess this. Guess that. But it's a life to know where we are heading, and the Lord is there to guide us. You and I may be very gifted, and it's good to have the gift, but it's better to have the gift giver walk with us. Then you'll be full fruitful. So, what did Moses ask for? And what did God give him to lead the people of Israel? Now that brings us to our verse. Exodus chapter 33, verse 12 to 17. From verse 12, Moses said to the Lord, You have been telling me, lead these people, but you have not let me know whom you will send with me. You have said, I know you by name, and you have found favor with me. If you are pleased with me, teach me your ways, so I may know you and continue to find favor with you. Remember that this nation is your people. Moses is talking to like a friend, you know, a buddy. The Lord replied, My presence will go with you, and I will give you rest. Moses said to him, If your presence does not go with us, do not send us up from here. How will anyone know that you are pleased with me and with your people unless you go with us? What else will distinguish me from and your people from the other people on the face of the earth? Moses knows that there is a distinction between the people of God and the people who don't know God. It was black and white in the Old Testament because there were children of Israel, the people God has chosen them, and there were those ones who are worshipping idols. And it was a fight. They want to fight the children of Israel. They are fought. Sometimes the Lord allows them to be defeated because they don't understand God and they follow their own ways. And other places he wins on their behalf, and so on and so forth. And it's the same thing that is happening today. There is a distinction. There are people of God and there are people who are not of God. People who have accepted the plan of God as you are going to see. So which side are you in? Are you in the presence of God? Or are you absent? Is God absent in your life? Moses knew to be imparted with God's presence is very important. To be imparted with God's presence is very important. So the uncommon presence will lead us to know two things. Number one, to know God, and number two, to know that God is the source of rest, the source of our achievement that we are looking for, the source of the success that we are longing for, the source of the goal that we are putting to ourselves. God is the source. If it's not your source, then you'll be disappointed here and there and so on. You'll have to go back to where you came from so that you can start again and again and again, and then life is continuing. And to reach a point where when you look back at your life, you are disappointed. But the Lord finished that for us. We don't have to be in that position. The first point know God. The uncommon presence leads us to know God. And that's why I had asked you. You might know someone, but you don't know them. You know them by name. Sometimes maybe you don't know their name, but because every Sunday, you know, look at your neighbor, tell them that you are looking good. Then if you are new, when you go, and then you say that, ah, next Sunday, there is someone I told that you are looking good. At least I know one person. And then when you are coming, you are seeing the multitude, you don't even remember the face of the person that you told you are looking good, and then you are disappointed. But again, it's another chance. Look at your neighbor again. Now, this time you are keen enough. Yeah, I won't forget you. That time now you will ask their name, and then you'll chat a little bit. Then after the service, you chat a little bit more. When you come next Sunday, will that person be a stranger? What made a difference? The small chat. Yeah, you got to know a little about them. And then the more you get to just communicate with them, you still don't know them much, but you are communicating the more you continue to know them. The more you continue to know, is this the person that you need to be around you all the time? Is this the person you need your children to be around with? Is this the person you need to welcome in your home? Why? Because you have chatted with this person, you have you are knowing this person. God wants you and I to know him. We might know him, but not know him. In the world, we have really, and I always say this, I think maybe that's my calling, to tell my fellow believers that, you know, Christianity is not a religion. You know, I've been in a country where it's very religious. So I know the difference between religion and Christianity, true Christianity. Because I searched. What's the difference? But you will have a child of God who is still in the religion, in the dark, in the world. You are a child of God, you are born again. But there is a decision that you don't want to make. To make the Lord the Lord of your life. So you won't move, but you remain in a circle in the wilderness, in the religion, Christian religion. A very sad place to be. But the Lord wants us to know him. When you know God, you will know that God did not come to add another burden to us, but he came to save us from it. So to know God, you'll understand God's character. That's from verse 13. Verse 13, if you are pleased with me, teach me your ways so I may know you and continue to find favor with you. Remember that this nation is your people. Verse 15. The Bible says, then Moses said to him, If your presence does not go with us, do not send us from here. How will anyone know that you are pleased with me and with your people unless you go with us? What else will distinguish me and your people from all the other people on the face of the earth? Understand God's character. God had led Moses through his life to help him to know who he is. We can divide Moses' life into three phases. 40 years in Egypt as a Hebrew prince, educated in Egypt, but not of Egypt. Does the Bible say that you are in the world but not of the world? Moses knew that he's a Hebrew, God's special person. So even if he's in the education, but he's not mixed. But there is a lesson that he needed to learn. He needed to walk in the presence of God. Yes, he's a Hebrew, but he does not have the presence. And that's why he tried his own way. He wanted to, he was very furious when the Egyptians were trying to nyanyasa the Israelites. Nyanyasa is a Greek word. What does it mean? They were persecuting his people, they were slaves. So he at a point he killed someone and then he ran away. And then there were some 40 years in Midian as a fugitive. He was running away from Pharaoh, a human, lest he kills him, because he has killed one of the Egyptians. And then 40 years there, but God, through all that mix, he calls him. And then now there is a 40 years leading the children of Israel. When Moses was born, when he was a small boy, when the king wanted to kill all the boys, Moses did not know what was going on. But God had a plan for him. That's why through his mother he rescued him through a basket floating on water. When you did not know God, God already knew you. And he had planned a life for you. Even before we were born, the Lord had us in mind. And he came, celebrating Christmas. He came and he was crucified on the cross for you and me who are not yet even born. And then when you are born, you are confused with life. What's life up to? Then he reminds you in Midian, in the burning bush, where you are standing is holy ground. You start talking to God. Oh, this bush is burning, but it's not burning. Then he starts hearing the voice of God, what he has been longing for. Do you long to hear the voice of God? Knowing God's character shaped his character. When you know God's character, God now shapes your character to be like him. Because everything, whatever, the most success that we need is to be like the Lord. To worship him. Moses knew it's not about my success, but your presence, Lord. What picture of success do you have? Successful business. Successful family, successful career. It's not bad. Moses had all that. He is educated in Egypt. He was a prince. He has tested the life of a prince. Oh, he has spoken with God one-on-one. The Bible says that as a friend talks to his friend, he was successful. We mostly spend our lives to distinguish ourselves from people we don't want to be, or maybe from the person we used to be. Then we spend most of our life around there. But when Moses thought, oh, the success of Moses, by the way, you know, talking to Pharaoh one-on-one. Remember, this is the pharaoh that he was running from. Now at this time, after 40 years, or I don't know, I don't, I'm not sure of the period of time, he comes and finds his son, is the one who is the pharaoh. And he remembers, oh, there were bodies, remember, when he was in Egypt. But now he's the next pharaoh. Well, you want you kill someone, you kill one of us, and now you are here to tell us to let the people go. Who are you? Who is that God? Pharaoh by the way, he thought that he's God. So who are you? Moses was successful. Let my people go. One. Let my people go. Two. Let my people go. Three. Four. Until ten. Let my people go. Ten. Then Pharaoh understood that, huh? Okay. Miracles. So Moses was successful. But still. When he thought that God's presence won't be operating in his life, he said, if your presence is not going with us, I'm not going. So he knew it's not success. We may be successful, but if God is not present with us, imagine it's vain. To know God, you'll understand God's plan. So he knew God, his character, you can see his character. Yes, he's successful, but his character says that, no, I want to walk with you, Lord. And then to know God, you understand God's plan. From verse 1 of chapter 33, the Bible says, Then the Lord said to Moses, Leave this place, you and the people you brought up out of Egypt, and go to the land I promise you, a promise, an oath to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, saying, I will give to your descendants. I will send an angel before you, drive you, drive out the Canaanites, Amorites, Hytites, Perizites, Hivites, Jebusites, go up to the land flowing with milk and honey. But I will not go with you because you are a stiff-necked people. And I might destroy you on the way. When the people heard this, they were distressed, they began to mourn. No one put on any ornaments, for the Lord had said to Moses, Tell the Israelites, you are a stiff-necked people. If I were to go with you, even for a moment I might destroy you. Now take off your ornaments, and I will decide what to do with you. So the Israelites stripped off their ornaments at Mount Horeb. Now Moses used to make take a tent and pitch it outside the camp, some distance away, calling it the tent of meeting. So that one gives us the where Moses is coming from. And that's why now he's saying, You are stiff-necked people. He knows God's plan. God has a plan from Abraham. To Jacob. Now Jacob even God turning his name to be Israel. And then Israel having uh the 12 sons, he call them the 12 tribes of Israel. That's the plan. God's plan is to save his people. God's plan has been to save his people. He started in Eden. When the enemy came and said that God wants you to be like him, that's why he does not want you to eat that fruit. Doubt, making Eve forget that they were created in the image of God. See, they were created in the enemy of God. So what is the enemy saying that God wants to be like you so that he doesn't want to eat you, to eat that fruit. That's the enemy. And he will come to us trying to make us doubt. But when you understand God's plan, God is going to leave, is not going to leave you. God has a plan for you. It does not matter, no one understands your plan. But your maker, the person who made you and had a plan for you on the face of the earth, those 70 years or 8 years or 90 years or 100, he's going to make his will to be done in our lives. Psalms 105, verse 9 to 10. The Bible says, Oh, our screen came. Hallelujah. Psalms 105. Oh, it went again. Psalms 105. It's good I came with my personal Bible. If I was to come to with a new Bible, or I borrow Helena Bible that I don't understand. It was to be chaotic. Yeah, I was just borrowing time so that I can get there. Psalms 105, verse 9 to 10. The Bible says, I start from verse 8. He remembers his covenant forever. Who? God. The promise he made for a thousand generations. The covenant he made with Abraham. The oath he swore to Isaac. He confirmed it to Jacob as a decree to Israel as an everlasting covenant. The Lord remembers his covenant. No wonder he told Moses. Moses asked him, What will I tell the people if they ask me who sent me? I am who I am. The Lord God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. And that's how we know the Lord. His plan. His plan is to save. He has a plan. He had a plan to Abraham. He had a plan, Abraham's children. And now, of course, in the New Testament, we come and find that He's not a God of only the Jews, but also of the Gentiles. And we fall in there. Yeah, we are not Jews. Brother Herman, are you a Jew? We are all Gentiles. We are not Jews. Unless there is a Jew around. He's a God of everyone. Understand God's plan. The Jews knew God's plan intellectually, but they did not understand. Matthew chapter 22. You find an interesting story there. Matthew chapter 22, verse 32. The Bible says, let me start from verse 23 so that we can get where the Lord was coming from. That same day, the Sadducees who say they there is no resurrection came to him with a question. Teacher, they said, Moses told us that if a man dies without having children, his brother must marry the widow and raise up offspring for him. Now there were seven brothers among us. The first one married and died. And since he had no children, he left his wife to his brother. The same thing happened to the second and the third brother, right on down to the seventh. Finally the woman died. Now then, at the resurrection, whose wife will she be of the seven since all of them were married to her? Those are the people of God asking God a question. Of course, they don't know that that is God they're asking a question. You can imagine the mindset. Now them, instead of understanding who this Lord is, he's saying, you know, he's God, the miracles that he's doing. He's they are coming with earthly things, asking Jesus now, okay, seven brothers have gone, the woman has died. So in heaven, if there is at all the resurrection, whose wife? Verse 29. Jesus replied, You are in error because you do not know. Underline those words, you are in error because you do not know the scriptures or the power of God. How many times do we spend in the things of this world? And yet we don't know the power of God. We don't know the scriptures. How many Christians do you know? They are just acting like the other religions. I even know several churches who are acting like other religions. I'm not saying that Parklands Baptist is perfect, but I'm talking about Christians who come together and then they say they are a church and Christ is the head. But they are in error. My prayer is that as Parklands Baptist Church we don't be in error. Just imagine going to heaven and the Lord looks at us and says that you know everything that you did, if at all we'll be in heaven. Everything that you are doing was just drama. I was not part of it. You are just confusing my people. You are in error because you do not know the scriptures or the power of God. At the resurrection, people will neither marry nor be given in marriage. They be like angels in heaven. But anyway, he was answering them about resurrection. Because they asked that question, so he threw something to keep on thinking. Just imagine now they have they have a task to start thinking. Ah yeah, we'll be like angels. Don't be lost there. Jesus answered their question. At the resurrection, people will. Verse 31. But after about the resurrection of the dead, have you not read what God said to you? I am the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob. He is not the God of the dead, but of the living. When the crowds heard this, they were astonished at his teaching. They did not know the plan of God. Do you know there are some who are waiting for the Messiah even until now? And yet we are waiting for the second coming. Moses is on the way there, but not with God's, not without God's presence. And then to know God, you have to understand his will. Verse 17 of Exodus chapter 33. The Bible says, And the Lord said to Moses, I will do the very thing you have asked because I am pleased with you and I know you by name. God is moved by our passion for him. God is moved by our passion for him. Because he is a person. Your child will be moved by your love for the child. So even when you are saying, don't do that, they don't do that because you have said, but they are not doing it because they love you and they know that you have a perfect plan for them. Yes. When you love your child, that's a very wonderful thing. You know, God teaches us. No wonder God says that, you know, there is no marriage in heaven. So marriages are here on earth so that we can understand the relationship that we want to have. So God, the Lord Jesus is a son of God. So it does not mean that there is a son and a daughter of God somewhere, but it means that, you know, the way we relate with our children. That's the way he wants to be your father, and you need to be his child so that he will love him and he'll direct you. God is moved by our passion for him. I was to read John chapter 14, verse 13. John 14, verse 13 to 14, the Bible says, And I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son. You may ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it. God is moved by our passion with him. And then John chapter 4, verse 34. The Bible says, When Jesus and the Samaritan woman, when the disciples came, they are wondering why Jesus the Jew is doing with the Samaritan woman. The Lord Jesus says, My food, my food, my food is to do the will of him who called me. Isaiah chapter 9, verse 6 to 7, our Christmas story. For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given, and the government shall be on his shoulders. He shall be called Counselor, Mighty God, everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Are you looking for peace? Prince of peace, the Lord has come. That's his will for you to have peace. And the Prince of Peace, he is present with us. And this season of Christmas, we are always reminded that wonderful story. But the enemy has brought Kina Santa Claus to distract you, to distract our children. It's a point to tell your children the real meaning of Christmas. You can enjoy the sweets of Santa Claus, no problem. But the real meaning of Christmas, the Lord's will for us to walk in his presence. My last point. The screen went, I don't even know what time it is. But I'm finishing. The last point. Uncommon presence is the source of rest. Uncommon presence is the source of rest. Exodus chapter 33, verse 14. The Bible says, The Lord replied, My presence will go with you and I will give you rest. Moses was restless. We don't want to go without you. Somehow he was worried. If God does not go with us, what will happen to us? God tells him, My presence will go with you, and you will be at rest. You will be at rest when you are traveling with someone who knows the destination that you are going. Because when you reach a crossroads, you don't need to worry. Now where to? You look at them. Then you go. You are at rest. Sometimes you even sleep. You know that you reach your destination, isn't it? And common presence is the source of rest. Hebrews chapter 4, verse 9 to 16. Paul talks about rest. The rest to the people of God. And you know, there are many, of course, who say the rest, you know, he is the seventh day, you know, you need to rest on the seventh day. I come from that background. Um my family is still in that. But even when I go home, you know, I enjoy singing and so on. But it's not about the day, the day. You might be in the perfect day, but you are not at rest. You might be in the right religion, but you are not at rest. Of course, there is no right religion because God is not a god of religion. Yeah. There are two rests there. There is a physical rest. When the Lord is with you, you will prioritize your life, you will balance your time, you will rest when you need to rest, resting your body, physical rest. Yeah. We are in 24-7 economy. But you know you may be in the 24-7 economy, but you lose your most important things. No time for your family, no time for your children, no time to rest, no time to go for holiday. But when you are with God, he will prioritize your life, you will balance your life. See, he's a God, he's a he's a is an He's an orderly God. He created the whole world for six days, and then he rested the seven days, and then now we have the calendar, which starts from Monday to Sunday, and then Sunday, we have those ones who don't want to rest. They will come to church and go to work, no problem. But it brings us to the second one, the most important one: spiritual rest. Spiritual rest. The Lord wants us to find security in God's provision and redemption. That's why in Philippians chapter 4, verse 6, he says, Philippians chapter 4, verse 6. The Holy Spirit is really helping me to open this. 4 verse 6 to 7. Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition with thanksgiving, present your request to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. The peace of God that transcends people will not understand why you are at rest. You are in debt, but you are at rest. Because it's not about the debt, it's about the person who is with you. And in his time, he will help you clear that debt. Does he not know that you have a debt? Restless because of our children. The world is becoming AY, an Englishman said. And then how will our children grow? You are not at rest. In their generation, how will it be? But the Prince of Peace says that train up your child in the way they should go. When they shall get old, they shall not depart from it. That's a promise, imagine, for you to rest. I have an eight-year-old and an six-year-old. So, you know, as a parent, as a child of God, you know you want to train them and so on. And then all of a sudden they go from school, and then they come at home, and then they start calling some names that I cannot repeat here. Or they start singing some songs that I cannot sing here. So, what do you do? What does God want you to do? Train up a child in the way he should go. Tell them why it's wrong to sing those kind of songs. Don't tell Nisi Skiyo Kwanyumbayangu. May I not hear you even singing that? But you haven't told them why. They will not sing it in your house. They will sing it outside somewhere there when they are with their friends, because you haven't told them why. Put God in. By the way, it's not me who does not want you to sing. But have you ever heard me sing that such kind of songs? That's a challenge to us parents. Do you sing those things? Because you do not have power to say that I mean. Have you ever heard me? The words that we speak at home. You are very stupid. You look like a cow. In my house, we say that those words, you will not hear those words from me. So may I not hear it from you. It's not that I was born perfect. I say those names when I was in school, but I learned about God. And I learned that God wants us to speak a blessing, not a curse to anyone. And God was preparing me. He knew that I will be in the children's ministry. He knew that I will have a child. He knew that we will have a child. But what are you transferring to them? Rest. You will have rest. I had rest. I did not worry about the songs and so on. But I told them, you know, just go and listen to the lyrics. Yeah, you are dancing, dancing there and so on. But go and listen to the lyrics and come and tell me if the lyrics are good. They were embarrassed. Do you think they sang it again? They are still not perfect. They are growing. But they know there is a God and there is a way that God wants us to walk. And he is always present. Even if daddy is not present, but God is present with you. Will he be smiling with you? Or will he be sad? Spiritual rest. People not giving you rest as I finish. Let's get in there. You know, there are many things that don't give us rest. There are some people who don't give us rest. Luke, and I thank God that everything is in the Bible. Hallelujah. You don't need to cook anything. Where is Luke? Chapter 12. I'm sorry if that is that has taken time. Oh, the screen came back. Luke chapter 12. Let me open first to be safe. Verse 4 to 7. I tell you, my friends, do not be afraid of those who kill the body, and after can do no more. But I will show you whom you should fear. Fear him who, after your body has been killed, has authority to throw you into hell. Yes, I tell you, fear him. Are not five sparrows sold for two pennies? Yet not one of them is forgotten by God. Indeed, the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Do not be afraid, you are worth more than many sparrows. These are encouraging words, isn't it? He is telling them, Don't fear the people who kill the body, because after they have killed the body, there is nothing else they can do. Rather, fear the person whom, after the body is killed, they are able to do something else. Verse 11. Verse 11 and 12. When you are brought before synagogues, rulers and authorities, do not worry about how you will defend yourselves or what you will say, for the Holy Spirit will teach you at that time what you should say. Are people giving you not rest? The Bible says, Don't worry about them. Fear the Lord. By the way, Moses. Moses in Numbers chapter 12. A very interesting story you can read at your own time because of time. Numbers chapter 12, verse 1 to 16. Miriam and Aaron, they spoke ill about Moses. Who you, Moses? He's still talking, talking here and so on. Are we not also called? Is God also not talking through us? And then sadly, Miriam, his sister, becomes leprous. One hand becomes leprous. And then they come to Moses.

SPEAKER_00: 55:26

Please ask God to forgive us. We have talked ill about you.

SPEAKER_01: 55:31

And then Moses' character. Lord, please forgive them. It reminded me of the prayer of the Lord when he was on the cross. Lord, forgive them for they don't know what they are doing. Those people who are not giving you rest, forgive them for they don't know what they are doing. They don't know what they are fighting for. Because when you are present with God, you don't need to fight back. You just need to forgive them. So when you are in the presence of God, you will have the power to forgive. And that's what the Lord wants you and me to. That is foreign in the world, but that's how the Lord comes and shows himself strong. Many stories in the Bible. Read about Joseph. And so on and so forth. Is it life that's making you restless? The Bible says, Don't worry about what you shall eat, what you shall drink. Look at the flowers, the field. Who clothes them? Who clothed them? The one who clothed them and then it blooms and then it withers. Are you not worth than the flowers of the field? Are you not worth? You know, there is this flower and there is this flower. This flower, oh, this flower is real by the way. But we have those ones which are plastic. You know them, isn't it? We are blessed, we put real flowers. The plastic flowers, you don't need to toil much. You just buy your your plastic flower and place it there. When they are dirty, you just clean it and then all is well. But if you have a real flower, you will have to take care of it. Your attention will be on that flower. For that flower to bloom and make your house beautiful, it will cost you a little. Are you not worth than the flower? The God who takes care of the flower, the flower that grows and tomorrow is no more. You are worth than the flower. Let's stand as we pray. And common presence leads us to know God and to find his rest. You don't need to worry about who will clean you, who cleans the flower. Do you see people going to clean the flowers in the garden? You just water it and leave the rest to God. The same thing. When you are going to work, know that God is with you. He knows you. He knows that he has a plan for you. It's better you know the plan that he has for you. How does it begin? Be in his presence. Ask him to help you. If you are here and you are not born again, you haven't invited Christ to be your personal savior. The journey has not started with you. The journey starts when you know this God. Everything else becomes a circle. But when you know God, you cease to go in a circle. You start becoming focused. So I will invite you, or maybe after after the service, you will come and will pray with you to invite the Lord to be a personal savior so that you can have rest and you can walk in God's presence. But if you are a child of God, be encouraged that God is there for you. Know his plan. Know his character. Know that he has a will for you. And his will is to save you from a lot of turmoil that we go through in the world. Let us pray. In your own words, you are free to. Pray to God to help you in this month as we learn and common presence. Thank you, dear Lord, for your good. Thank you for everything, King of Kings. You had a plan for us. You have been trying to catch our attention, Almighty Father. And today, may we stop toiling. May we stop with the works, the works of rituals, the works of religion, the works to earn our salvation by our own will. But you already finished the work, and you say that it is finished, and your arms are wide open, calling everyone to come. Come unto me, all you who are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Those are the words of the Lord Jesus. Thank you, Lord, for everything. Thank you, Lord, for taking our sin, our shame on the cross, that now we can come boldly into your presence and ask you to walk with us just like Moses. May you walk with us tonight. May you go with us. May we dwell in your presence always. That's our prayer today. In Jesus' mighty name. If that is your prayer, you say a big amen in Jesus' mighty name. Amen. Our benediction, I leave you with Numbers chapter 6. Our favorite verse, Numbers chapter 6, verse 24 to 26. After I finish, you just lambano it and say that it's mine. Amen. This is the word of God to you tonight. The Lord bless you and keep you. The Lord make his face shine on you and be gracious to you. The Lord turn his face toward you and give you peace. In Jesus' mighty name. And God's people said, And may the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with us now and forevermore. Amen. Shalom.