This sermon emphasizes the importance of daily surrendering to God, seeking His wisdom, and becoming more like Jesus Christ each day. It highlights the need to listen to God's voice daily, respond to His leading, and seek His approval at the end of each day. The message encourages turning to the Holy Spirit to remove veils of sin, legalism, and judgmental attitudes, allowing us to see Jesus clearly and be transformed into His likeness from glory to glory.

We are very thankful that there are many new brothers and sisters who are becoming part of our church who were not here even two years ago. And we are also thankful that children who were not old enough to understand the truths we have stood for have grown up now to the age where they can understand. So I feel the burden nowadays to share with them and with all of us, because it's a reminder even for the older ones, of the fundamental truths we have stood for. In the early part of this year we went through a series of studies on foundational truths. They are all on our website and if you are not familiar with them, I would encourage all of you to listen to them, be established in them. If you don't have a good foundation, you can't really have a strong building. Please remember that. We have taught that once the foundation is laid, the superstructure of the building, that is of our life and our family and our church, must grow towards one goal. And that goal is the goal which God has destined for us. It's called predestination. And this is our goal, the destination God has determined for us in Romans 8 verse 29, that we should be conformed to the image of Jesus Christ. And though we are familiar with this, there is a saying, a proverb in English which says familiarity breeds contempt. That means we can become so familiar with the truth, that we don't think about it seriously, that even if we hear a message like this, we say, oh I know that, I've known that for years. Well perhaps you know it in your mind, but your heart may not be gripped by it. And that's often true. And that's what I want to share with you. God's goal is that we might become like Jesus Christ. And it's not something that is just going to happen. You see a building doesn't reach the hundredth floor all of a sudden. If you look at a building being constructed anywhere here in Bangalore, you'll find it goes floor by floor by floor by floor and finally reaches the top. It's something like that, becoming like Christ. And then you find some buildings like some of our bridges just stopped for years. For years there's no progress. And some believers are like that. And then there are some other buildings you find after a while it collapses. Which means something was wrong somewhere. Either the foundation was wrong or they were not serious about every floor they built. And that also happens to believers. So all those things are a warning to us. To make sure of our destination and stick to it. Because as we approach the end of time, you will discover that most Christians are not serious about this goal. And you may discover that most Christians even in CFC are not serious about the goal which once upon a time they had. Which is to become like Jesus Christ more and more every day. Do you believe it is to be every day? That we are to become more and more like Christ? It's not like that in the beginning. When we are born again it's an up and down life. Sometimes you're up, sometimes you're down and up and down. And that is normal. It's like a child learning to walk. It's walking and then falling again. An up and down experience is very common in the early part of our Christian life. In the early part of a marriage. But it's not God's will that a marriage should be rocky. Like these buses going through potholes in the road throughout our life. In the early part it's okay. We shouldn't be discouraged if there are falls in the early part of our life. When we are newly converted or newly married. Don't get discouraged. It won't be forever. But after we've gone along for a while and it's not becoming a little smoother. Then we need to sit back and maybe wait on the Lord a little bit. Maybe fast and pray and say Lord what's wrong? Have I got my eyes fixed on the goal? See when you drive a scooter or a car. You always have a destination. And you always keep that in mind. I've got to get there. You don't stop to watch some interesting things happening on the road. You don't even stop to watch accidents. Because you've got to get a goal. You've got to reach a certain place by a certain time. And if you are just as serious about our Christian life as we are. When we drive our scooter or car to get somewhere. I think most of us would have made a lot more progress than we have done by now. So all I'm trying to encourage you is this is not to make anybody feel guilty. I hate guilt trip preaching. You know there's a lot of preaching which makes people feel guilty. That's not our goal in the church. That brings condemnation. What I'm trying to do is focus the lens so that you see clearly what the goal is. And to be encouraged always to keep that before us. And we also know Romans 8.28 which says God makes everything work together for our good. And that also many people misunderstand. It's one of the most misunderstood verses among Christians. They think the good is I'll get a better job. I'll get a higher salary. Or I didn't get this house but I'll get a better house. Not at all. God may give you a job with a lower salary. You may end up marrying a girl who's not so pretty as the first one who rejected you. So God works all things for your good doesn't mean these earthly good which is for a few seconds. By a few seconds I mean a hundred years. A hundred years is a few seconds for eternity. In eternity's time scale. So God's not making sure that these few seconds on earth we are very very comfortable. No. We may be like that but not God. God's interested in our long term goal where we're going to spend all eternity. That we have no regret there. I want to say to you my dear brothers and sisters. If you're a serious Christian. You will long that when you get into the Lord's presence which all of us will do one day. You will have no regret over the way you lived. At least from the time you got light. And if you've come into this church and been here for two years and heard the preaching. You have got light. At least from that time. Forget all the years that were wasted before that. But that you'll have no regret over the way you live. The choices you made in your life. I want to live like that. I'll tell you honestly I'm not preaching what I don't practice. I seek to live by what I've preached for many many years now. That I believe that everything God is working in my life. Some of it is painful. Some of it is difficult. There are prayers that do not get answered as I want. They are answered. But God's answer may be no. God's answer may be wait. I may want something immediately and God says no. Wait. Or sometimes He just says no. He answers it. So all of us face that. The Apostle Paul faced a no answer once. When he was sick and he didn't get healed. Timothy faced it. But God made everything work. For their long term good. And that is His will for us. And we must align ourselves with God and His purpose for our life. And God is working everything for my good on the outside. He is also working inside us by the Holy Spirit. To align us with that. Because we are not aligned when we come in the beginning. We are not aligned. When we get aligned we move very fast. And if progress in our Christian life is not as fast as it should be. It's because like a train every now and then going off the rails. Getting stuck and then put it back on the rails again and then move forward. But when it's on the rails it moves really fast. But if it goes off the rails a little while then it takes time to put it back on the rails. So we got to make sure that our mind is aligned with God in His purpose. And I'll tell you this like I've often said. If you listen to what I have preached here for nearly 40 years. I can guarantee you one thing. I can stake my life on it. That you will have no regret when Christ comes again. That's for sure. You may not make as much money as you would have made otherwise. You may not be as popular with people as you could have been. But you will have no regret. And it's a question of what you want to live for. You want to live for the temporary honor of people on earth. I finished with that long ago. Or to hear Jesus say well done. Good and faithful servant. So I want to encourage you to pray the prayer of Moses. Psalm 90 in this connection. Psalm 90 we read here in a very well known verse. That we have quoted many many times. But always worth meditating on. Do you know that this is the only psalm written by Moses? David was a man after God's own heart. But he slipped up seriously towards the end of his life in adultery. And had a very unforgiving attitude just before he died. Many people don't know that. To me that was as serious as his adultery. But Moses even though he slipped up once. It was really a small thing. He hit the rock instead of speaking to the rock. But he cared for God's people. But it's written about Moses at the end of his life. What I want to read to you is before we look at Psalm 90. In Deuteronomy 34 and verse 10. Since that time. No prophet has risen in Israel like Moses. Whom the Lord knew face to face. That's really something. The Lord once said in another passage of scripture. With Moses I don't speak in dreams and visions. But I speak face to face. You read that in Exodus. You read that in Numbers. With Moses I don't speak through dreams and visions. But face to face as a man speaks to his friend. We live in a day when a lot of people glory in dreams and visions. People speak about visions that they have seen. And I believe it's good in such a time to hear what the Lord says in Numbers 12. He says in verse 6. Numbers 12.6. Hear now my words. If there is a prophet among you I will make myself known to him in a vision. Or speak with him in a dream. But not so. With my servant Moses. With him. Verse 8. I speak mouth to mouth. Openly. Not in dark sayings. He beholds the form of the Lord. Why then were you not afraid to speak against my servant Moses? Do you know that it's a far greater honor and privilege. For Jesus to speak to you face to face. And not through a vision or a dream. I believe that. I want the Lord to speak to me face to face. I want to be like Moses. And not like the others. And I want to say to all of you here. You can be like that. Because Jesus said. Greater than Moses was John the Baptist. But in the kingdom of heaven the least one can be greater than him. We must have faith. You can speak to Jesus face to face. Like a man speaks to a friend. And it's a wonderful thing to be able to do that. And that is the question I always ask people. I say do you know the Lord? Do you know Jesus intimately? You can talk to him like a friend to a friend. Do you hear him speaking to you? Jesus once said about Mary. Sitting at his feet and listening to his voice. That is the one thing that's needed. Martha all your activity is no use. I know you're doing a good thing. And you're doing it for me slogging away in the kitchen. But that is not the main thing. All the work that you do for the Lord. And congratulate yourself and pat yourself on the back. The Lord will say you're disturbed and troubled about many things. Everything is needful and Mary has chosen that good part to listen to me. Long for this my brothers and sisters. To see the Lord, to hear the Lord face to face. Now turn to Psalm 90. This is a Psalm written by a man who spoke to the Lord face to face. And I believe therefore even more than David. It never says about David that he spoke to the Lord face to face. Because we read in Deuteronomy 34. There was never a prophet like Moses. Who spoke to the Lord face to face. Not even David. So there's something about Psalm 90. Which is unique compared to all the other Psalms that David wrote. And he writes in Psalm 90 verse 12. Lord teach us to number our days. So that we may present to you a heart of wisdom. Not so that we can stand before you on the final day. And say Lord I sacrifice this for you. And I did that for you. And you know how much I slogged for you. And how much I sacrificed. And how I ruined my health trying to serve you. And I went to this country. And I went to that village. And I preached here and I preached there. And I went over here and I went over here. Lord I did it all for you. And the Lord will say. You're careful and troubled about many things. But one thing was needful. I never wanted you to go around doing all that. I want you to just sit at my feet and be at rest. And listen to me every day. And if you had done that. You would not have been in so much unrest. And you would have accomplished a lot more. Not in the eyes of men. But in my eyes. I mean in the eyes of men Martha accomplished a lot more. In that one hour cooking. She could show the amount of food she made. What could Mary show during that one hour. In concrete terms nothing. But Mary heard. And got wisdom. More than Martha. And do you know. When you hear the Lord you may do something. That nobody else will be able to do. She anointed. The feet and the body of Jesus. And Jesus said. She did this for my burial. Ahead of time. And people who came to anoint the body of Jesus. After he was buried never got the opportunity. Because they came on Sunday morning. And found that he has risen. The only one. Who got an opportunity to anoint the body of Jesus. This. Was Mary. Who sat at his feet and listened. And listened and listened and felt a prompting. I must spend all my money. And get a vial of perfume and pour it at the feet of my Lord. And now. We discover Jesus said this which she did. Is going to be proclaimed for 2000 years. All over the world wherever the gospel is preached. The amount of rice and chapatis that Martha cooked we don't know. That's not going to be proclaimed all over. It's going to be like that in eternity. A lot of things that we think we did for the Lord with great sacrifice. Will count for nothing. But if we have sat at Jesus feet and listened. And heard that word one thing is needful. Though in the eyes of men. It may look ah he's wasted his life. That's what Judas Iscariot said. What a waste. But it's a great honor. It's the greatest thing you can do to waste yourself on the Lord. To be a worshipper. To pour out everything. That which is expensive and costly. Which the world and like Judas Iscariot may despise. Judas Iscariot would have appreciated what Martha did. All that lovely curries and food. But Jesus appreciated Martha. That is wisdom. Teach us Lord to number our days that we may acquire. Present to you one day. A heart of wisdom that we have acquired through years of sitting at your feet. Such people. You can't say they do nothing. They do lot more from an eternity standpoint. That means the little they do. Is gold, silver and precious stones. Others do a lot more of work. But ultimately is discovered to be wood, hay and straw. Massive structure the whole thing burnt down. When tested by fire. So Lord teach us to be wise. As to how we spend our days. And each day is important. That is why Jesus said. If anyone will come after me. Let him take up his cross everyday. And follow me. What did Moses say? Teach us to number each day. Each 365 days in a year. To number them 7 days a week. And Lord I want to grow in wisdom. And I have to take up my cross everyday. I put the two verses together and I say that is how I get wisdom. If I am willing to die to myself everyday. In every situation. Morning till night. I will get wisdom. And in the areas in my life. During the day where I did not die to myself. Either in what I thought. Or what I said. Or what I did. Or my reaction to the way somebody treated me. I did not die to myself. That much is foolishness. But wherever I died to myself. I would have got wisdom. Teach us to number our days. That we may get wisdom. You won't find many churches. That keep on emphasizing taking up the cross. Putting self to death. And you will see the result. In eternity. Like I have said to more than one person. I say you may think my message is hard. But when you stand before the Lord. You will turn around and thank me. That you made something out of your life. Instead of wasting it. Like people who listen to other preachers who just tickle their ears. And said things to make them happy. I am willing to wait. I don't want any appreciation now. But I know what I am speaking. Because I have heard the Lord. The Apostle Paul is a great example. I will tell you why. Because there are only two people in scripture. Who said follow me. One was Jesus. And the other was Paul. Nobody else dared to say such a thing. Follow me as I follow Christ. Even today. Very few people would dare to say it. It is not that Paul was perfect. Jesus was perfect. Paul was not perfect. He slipped up now and then. But he got up immediately. And he walked in Jesus' footsteps. And the result was. See what he says about his own testimony. In 2 Corinthians 4. After many years of walking in Jesus' footsteps. I think he wrote this. At least after he became a Christian. 25 to 30 years. After he became a Christian. Maybe when he was close to 60. He wrote in 2 Corinthians 4. We don't get discouraged. First verse. We don't lose heart. We don't lose heart. Because. The light of God. Verse 6 is shown in our hearts. To show us the knowledge of the glory of God. In the face of Christ. That's what he was looking at. The face of Jesus. Like Moses. He spoke to Jesus face to face. I am saying this my brothers and sisters. To say that you and I can have that same experience. And. It's true. We get afflicted. Not crushed. Perplexed. But not despairing. Persecuted. Misunderstood. Struck down. But we are not destroyed. And we don't give up. We don't get discouraged. That means he went through a lot of opposition. Misunderstanding. He was a radical Christian. And radical Christians are very misunderstood by others. But he felt this was. Taking up the cross. Okay. People afflict me. I have to die. I go through perplexing situations. I have to just die and say okay Lord. Whenever you make the way clear I'll accept it. I don't have a demand. Lord you must make everything clear for me. No. I'm willing to be perplexed. That's also part of dying to self. You have some demand. Oh God you better make things clear to me. No brother. Die. God will make it clear at the right time. Don't go to God with demands. With submission. And are you persecuted? He said I must die. Verse 10. Always caring about. The dying of Jesus. In my body. That's not being crucified for the sins of the world. What is the dying of Jesus mentioned in 2nd Corinthians 4.10. It is that daily cross. Which Jesus spoke about. Always. Morning till night. Whether I'm perplexed. Okay. I die and say Lord you give me clarity later on. I'm afflicted. Persecuted. Struck down. Fine. I have to just die. The point is that when I die. This wonderful life of Jesus. Verse 10. Will automatically be manifested in our body. Because if we die with him we will definitely live with him. That's not our business. Our business is to die. You know that the Bible says there's not a single place in the Bible. Where it says Jesus raised himself from the dead. He says in John 10. I have power to lay my life down. I have power to raise it again. Jesus said that. He had power for two things. To give himself to death. And to come out of the grave with his own power. That's the interesting thing you must see in John 10. I don't have time to show you the verse. Look it up sometime. But he did not use that second power. He used only the first one. I have power to lay down my life. He said whom do you seek? They said Jesus of Nazareth. He said that's me. Don't trouble these disciples of mine. Let them go. Take me. He chose it. To lay down his life. The Father raised him up. You must let God raise you up. You don't have to raise yourself up. You know there are times in the past where. I said Lord these guys have misunderstood me completely. Aren't you going to help them to know? And the Lord says no. Do you want to be vindicated? Jesus says before I am vindicated. They still call me a homosexual and say that I was married to Mary Magdalene. And they say all types of people. They say I was not the son of God. Some people say I was a prophet. Some people say I was a deceiver. And the Lord says. I don't worry about it. Why are you worried about it? Leave it. In the day when I come back the Lord says and I am vindicated. I will vindicate you as well. Are you willing to wait for that? I said sure. Why should I be vindicated before Jesus is vindicated? That is arrogance and pride. No. I am willing to bear the dying of Jesus. And be quiet. Very difficult to keep our mouth shut. And he says we are constantly delivered. Verse 11 to death again. So that the life of Jesus will be manifested in us. And not only in us. When death works in us. Life will work in you Corinthians. How is that? Life coming to self and life of Jesus coming forth in me. But how in the world can it come in somebody else? Because. When life comes in me. Like the cup filled up. It overflows. And the overflow valve of the heart is the mouth. And when Paul's heart was filled with the life of Jesus. It overflowed through his mouth to the Corinthians and the Philippians. And the Thessalonians and the Galatians. And all the churches he planted. And life began to work in them. So it is a wonderful thing. When we allow death to work in us. It not only produces the life of Jesus in us. But it overflows to bless other people. Do you want to live a life like that? That is what God told Abraham. I will bless you number one. And the overflow you will bless all the families of the earth. That promise God gave to Abraham. Is for us through the Holy Spirit. So that is how the Holy Spirit works. And what is the result? This is what I wanted to come to. Therefore because of all this. Because the life of Jesus is just bubbling forth in me. And blessing other people. Therefore we don't get discouraged. Though our outer man is decaying. You know when Paul was writing this at the age of 60. He had travelled so much. His body had been worn out. And his body was worn out much more than any of us. Because his travel was very tough. He didn't have comfortable journeys. But the body wears out. And you can't. He could have lived comfortably in Tarsus. And his body may not have worn out so soon. I don't know what all problems he had in his physical body. I am sure there are many. He doesn't talk much about it. But he says there is one thing. I can't do anything about that. God is not going to make me at the age of 60 have the strength of a 30 year old. The outer man will decay. God has allowed it. But the inner man is being renewed. That means becoming more like Christ. Day by day. That means every day. He was becoming a little more like Christ. Now for many Christians that is a verse to quote. The outer man is decaying. But the inner man is renewed day by day. Brother is it true or is it just quoting a verse? Paul was not quoting a verse. He was giving a testimony. And there is a lot of difference between quoting a verse and giving a testimony. The outer man is decaying is automatic. You don't have to do anything about it. But for the inner man to be renewed day by day. I will tell you. We have to listen to God every day. Every day. And we must take up the cross every day. I won't give you a list of 10 things. Just 2 things. Listen to God every day. Take up the cross every day. I guarantee. There is no partiality with God. What God did for Jesus he will do for us. What God did for Paul he will do for you and me. You will become more Christ like day by day. And your wife, your husband, your children will recognize it. Your brothers and sisters will recognize it. Even the closest to us will see it. It's a wonderful thing. I will show you why I say these 2 things every day. Let me show you 2 verses. Proverbs and chapter 8. Please remember these 2 things. My dear brothers. I plead with you to get a heart of wisdom. Before we end our life. Moses did not say teach us to number our years. Or our months. What did he say? Teach us to number our days. Teach us to number each day of the week. Proverbs and chapter 8 verse 34. Blessed is the man who listens to me. It's the same thing that Jesus told Martha about Mary. Watching daily. That's the point. Daily. Watching daily. At my gates. Who listens to me. Every day. If you have a servant, a faithful servant. Servant lady. Every day she comes. Says madam. What am I to do today? She is a good servant. You tell her what to do. And like the living bible says in 1 Corinthians 4.2. The most important thing about a servant. Is that he does just what his master tells him to do. A good servant is not one who comes home and does whatever she feels like. Listens. What do you want me to do today? That's what a faithful steward is. 1 Corinthians 4.2. He does exactly what his master tells him to do. Blessed is the man who listens to me watching daily. Because verse 20, 35. He will find life. So that's one thing daily. And that's what Jesus did also. Isaiah 50. Isaiah 50. And verse 4. The Lord has given me the tongue of a disciple. So that I may know how to sustain. A weary person with a word. And how does he do it? Isaiah 50 verse 4. He wakes me up every morning. Again daily. This is referring to Jesus. To listen. And then. He says then I am. Because the Lord has opened my ear. Verse 5. To listen. I was not disciplined. I didn't turn back. Even people smite me. Strike me on my back. And pluck the beard. Verse 6. From my beard. Or spit on me. Verse 6. It makes no difference. Because verse 7. The Lord helps me. And I'm not disgraced. It's like a flint. To obey what God spoke to me in the morning. Isn't that wonderful? That's talking about taking up the cross during the day. Because his ear was open in the morning. His inner ear. Speak Lord. Your servant is listening. I've often said this. And we get out of bed. That should be our attitude. Right from the time we get out of bed. Throughout the day. Speak Lord. Your servant is listening. What are you trying to say to me? What are you trying to say to me through life situations? And through things that I see. And things that happen. What are you trying to say to me through the word? I want to hear you. I want to listen to you. Jesus walked that way. So that's number one. The one thing that we must do every day. To listen. And I told you the other thing you have to do is to take up the cross. Every day. To die to ourselves. Luke 9.23 If anyone will follow me. Let him take up his cross every day. And follow me. Just two things. And this business of every day. I want you to see this verse about Jesus. When we grow in likeness to Jesus every day. It says in Luke chapter 2. And verse 40. About how Jesus grew every day. With this attitude. Of listening to the Father. And taking up the cross. The result was. Luke 2.40 The child continued to grow. And become strong. Jesus. Increasing in wisdom. For him. That's how he grew in wisdom. Connect that with what Moses said. Teach us to number each day. So that we grow in wisdom. So that at the end of our life after many days we can present to God. A heart that has acquired wisdom day by day by day by day. By listening. And by dying. Luke 2.40 And day by day. Again repeated. In verse 52. Same chapter. And Jesus kept on increasing in wisdom. This is how Jesus grew. And he never did miracles. These are days in Nazareth. Long before he was baptized in River Jordan. Never preached a sermon. What was his preparation for ministry? 30 years of listening. 30 years of dying to self. 30 years of daily growing in wisdom. And then at the end of it the Father said. I am well pleased with you. Go out and serve me. And he did more in three and a half years. Than others can do in thousands of years. That's the path. To follow Jesus and to become like him. Is to be listening to the Lord every day morning till night. Taking up the cross the whole day. Never feeling sorry for ourselves. If you feel self pity. It proves one thing. Self has not died. If you are going around looking for sympathy from other people. A dead man doesn't look for sympathy from others. You go to a funeral. That guy is not lying there and saying. I hope you all feel sorry for me. No. He is finished with your opinions. Are you waiting for people to feel sorry for you? You want to tell your tales of woe to somebody? Brother die. Die. I remember years ago. Nearly 40 years ago. I was visiting a church in England. Where I was asked to speak. I was staying with the pastor of that church. He was a godly man. He was telling me how. Before we went to the meeting. He said. So what? You know years later. He spoke in a meeting and I heard him say. There was a man from India. Who came to my house many years ago. And when I told him all my problems. He just said so what? And that was the most liberating word I ever heard. I have never forgotten it. It just set me free. And he never forgot it. That's all. It's a wonderful thing. So what? Have you been crucified yet? Have they spat on your face yet? Have they called you a devil yet? Have they whipped you and nailed you to a cross? No? So what? Forget it. He grew in wisdom. And then we could come to that place. Which Paul finally came to. He had become a little more like Jesus. I'll tell you honestly. I'm not ashamed to say. That is my goal. I have no interest in being the greatest preacher. Or the bible teacher or travel countries. Or even plant churches. My passion in life is to become a little more like Jesus everyday. And that others can see it. A little more of that grace and a little more of that truth. A little more of that kindness and a little more of that severity. That marks the character of God. A little more of that goodness and complete freedom from partiality. A little more of that purity and peace and joy. That characterize growth into the likeness of Christ. I want to show you another verse about how it was with Jesus. In Isaiah chapter 11. We all know the very well known verse. The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom. From Proverbs. The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom. But here it tells us how the fear of the Lord operates. Fear of the Lord in our day is to come through the Holy Spirit. There are many. You know in the book of Revelation. You read about the seven fold Holy Spirit. Some translations it says seven spirits. There are no seven spirits. There is only one Holy Spirit. But there are seven characteristics in that spirit. There is a place in scripture where I read those seven characteristics are in Isaiah 11. Where it says about the spirit of God resting on Jesus. Verse 2. Number 1. He is called the spirit of the Lord. Of God himself. Number 2. Spirit of wisdom. Number 3. Isaiah 11 verse 2. Number 3. Spirit of understanding. Number 4. Spirit of counsel. Number 5. Spirit of strength. Number 6. Spirit of knowledge. And number 7. The spirit of the fear of the Lord. The seven fold Holy Spirit. And then out of all those seven. One is taken up. The fear of the Lord. It says about Jesus. He will delight in the fear of the Lord. The spirit of God will fill him and give him a tremendous delight in reverencing his father. I pray you will have a delight in reverencing your father. And what will be the result of that? He will never judge anyone or any event by what his eyes see. Nor will he make a decision by what his ears hear. Many years ago the Lord said to me. All your life you have lived by the principle of Adam. Which is make decisions by what your eyes have seen and read. Or your ears have heard. Form opinions by what your eyes have seen or read. Or your ears have heard. That's how all humanity forms opinions and lives. And the Lord said to me. In my heart. You have to change that now. The fear of the Lord must fill you. So that you do not judge anymore. By what you see and what you read. Or even by what you hear. You hear. You see. But then you process it. Before the Lord. I am not saying we shut our eyes and shut our ears. But we don't go merely by that. We process it with righteousness. Verse 4. We will judge. That means we say Lord. All that I see may be deceiving me. All that I hear may be deceiving me. And I think God has given us a daily proof of that by the sun. Apparently moving in the sky. But not moving at all. To teach us everyday from morning till night. Your eyes are deceiving you. You can't go by what your eyes see. There are sounds on this earth that we cannot hear. You know there is a thing called a dog whistle. Which has got such a high frequency that we say I never heard anything. But the dog heard it immediately. Our ears don't hear everything. As we get older. We even stop hearing something that young people can hear. That's what I found. Our ears deceive us. Our eyes deceive us. Our feeling. Do you know that right now underneath our feet. This hall is moving at about 800 kilometers or 800 miles. Or more than 1000 kilometers per hour underneath our feet. It's true. What a speed. It's happening right now under our feet. The circumference of the earth and equator is 40,000 kilometers. And in 24 hours it goes around. That means it's 1500 kilometers per hour at the equator. We are a little further north so it's a little slower there. Do you feel it? Do you feel something at 1000 kilometers per hour under your feet right now? This hall is moving at 1000 kilometers per hour. I don't feel a thing. These are little ways in which the Lord is telling you. Don't think you are so smart. And that your senses tell you the truth. Your senses fool you completely. Your eyes and your ears and even what you think you feel. Humble yourself. And let the Holy Spirit tell you. What is right. It's the same thing when you come to scriptures. There are people who read the same Bible that I read. And they get a completely different understanding. Because these things are hidden from the clever and the intelligent. And revealed to those who have the humility of babes. Who will understand the Bible the best in this hall? I don't know. But whoever is the humblest person will understand it better than anybody else. I'll tell you that. Not the cleverest. Not even the one who has read it the most. But whoever is humblest. Because God reveals the scripture to those who have the humility of a babe. You don't have to be 30-40 years a believer. You are born again yesterday. Seek to have the humility of a babe. And you'll understand scripture better than everybody else sitting here. So that's what the fear of the Lord does. It makes me careful when I see something or I hear something or I read something. I say, hey, I want to let the Lord process that. And it won't happen immediately. You know habits that we have formed for years. It's very difficult to get out of that rut. You know when your car wheel is in a rut. You rev up the engine. It's so difficult to get out of that rut. And we are in a rut. Of always making decisions by what we read, what we see, what we hear. To get out of that rut is a job. I'll tell you honestly. It's been a job for me. Sometimes I finally get into the rut again. I'm not perfect yet. But boy, I've seen the way that I should not be in this rut. My question is, have you seen it? That you got to get out of this rut. Of judging by what your eyes see. And your ears hear. You will never become more and more like Jesus every day. Because if you live like that. Because he did not do that. That's how he grew in wisdom. From a child he understood. I must not go by what my eyes hear, my ears hear. I must not respond to other people the way they talk to me. No, that's not the divine way. I'm going to be different. If they get angry, I'll give a gentle answer. Which can turn away that anger. That's wisdom. The wisdom from above is peaceable. The wisdom from beneath is demonic. Full of jealousy. And selfishness. Selfish ambition. That's what James says. That's why we need to seek for wisdom. Every day. Turn with me now to Genesis in chapter 1. You've heard me speak on this chapter before. Genesis chapter 1. I've often said this first chapter is in a nutshell. The message of the whole Bible. The main message of the whole Bible. The earth was created perfect. Verse 1. The earth became, lost its shape. Became dark, empty. Because of Lucifer's sin. Verse 2. Next thing. The spirit of God, verse 2. Began to move on this corrupt, spoiled earth. And began to change it. Not in one second. God could have done that. Day by day. Just like Paul says in 2 Corinthians 4.16. Day by day. I'm being renewed into the image of Christ. It's pictured here in Genesis 1. First day, second day, third day, fourth day, fifth day. Sixth day. Seventh day. Adam has become in the likeness of God. That is the day when we'll become completely like Christ. That is Genesis chapter 1. That's the message of the whole Bible. And once that's over. Then the seventh day. God rests for all eternity. With these people. Who have become like Christ. That time Adam and Eve. In the future day. Those who have pursued that way now. That is in a nutshell. Is the message of the whole Bible. Genesis chapter 1 verse 1. Up to chapter 2 verse 1. Up to chapter 2 verse 3. Where God rested on the seventh day. And that was the picture of eternity. So, what do we see on each day? Couple of things. One, everyday God said something. Nothing happened without God saying. If God said nothing. Nothing happened. You didn't hear God one day. Okay. That day nothing will happen in your life. Another day. You didn't bother to hear God because work was so busy. So many things. Okay. Nothing happens in your life. Twenty years can go by. Once in a while you hear God. Okay. Once in a while something happened. The rest of the days nothing happened. This is the problem. Even with Christians. Genesis 1 teaches us that everyday God spoke. And I want to tell you that everyday God wants to speak to you. That's the message in Genesis 1. Whether you hear it or not. Whether you respond to it or not. Is another question. But God is speaking. God is speaking all the time. But you got to be tuned to it. For example. Do you know right now in this hall. There is rock music. There is Islamic teaching. There is Hindu teaching. There are many many preachers. Preaching here. You can't hear it. Because if you had a television set tuned to this frequency. Or a radio. You'd pick up those voices. But they are here. Right now. You pick up what you are attuned to. When you choose a certain frequency. On television or radio. You get that sound. So we are listening to something everyday. The devil is speaking too. He is telling us to get angry. He is telling us to be bitter. He is telling us to be jealous. He is telling us to feel sorry for ourselves. And he is telling us all types of stories about other people. And he is telling us numerous things. And if you are tuned to that. You will be hearing. Just like instead of the Bible. You can be listening to the Quran right now. If you are tuned to that frequency. Or to the Gita. Or some atheist proclaiming that there is no God. You can hear anything you want. And same way if your heart is tuned to something. You will hear. And the devil is broadcasting all the time. Most of the time accusing. It says he accuses the believers day and night. He is saying this thing is wrong. That thing is wrong. See that person. See your wife is like this. You have told him so many times. And how many times you have told your wife not to do that. And she is still doing it. You know who is telling you all that. You think it is the Holy Spirit. Trying to build up your marriage. No it is the devil trying to destroy your marriage. Why do you listen to him? Why don't you turn away that frequency. Go to another one. Because God is speaking too. And we read here. Every day God said something. And it did not automatically happen. It happened because the earth responded. The only difference is the earth has no free will. It had to respond. In your my case we choose. And every time God speaks. It will mean death to self. I can choose whether to accept it or not. If I accept it. The same thing will happen. That happened in Genesis 1. The earth will be one more step towards the final day. One day it was light. Next day it was the separation of the heavens and the earth. The next day it was the dry land coming up. And the next day the fruit coming up from the trees and so on. And finally Adam in the likeness of God. And you and me. In the likeness of Jesus. But there is another thing I want you to notice. Every day after God has spoken. And at the end of the day. God checks up. How has the day been? Good. Another day. How has the day been? Good. He doesn't wait till the end of the time to give a certificate. There is a certificate every day. And I want to hear that. I not only want to hear Him at the beginning of the day. Tell me how I am to live. I want to hear Him at the end of the day saying. That was good. The way you lived today. That was good. The choices you made today. That was good when you did not respond to that other person the way he spoke to you. That was good. When you smiled at your enemy. That was good when you were good to someone who harmed you. That was good when you overlooked. The evil somebody did to you. That was good when you chose to reject that from your mind. That was good when you did not allow the devil to make you feel condemned or discouraged. Or say God is a hard God. I am glad you rejected all that. That was good my son, my daughter. Don't you want to hear that at the end of the day? You want to wait till the end of time to hear it? Every day. And if you don't hear it every day. I don't know whether you will hear it at the end of time. If you hear it every day. Then at the end of time you will hear. Very good. It's done. This is the path of the righteous. Proverbs 4 verse 18. Proverbs 4 verse 18 says. The path of the righteous is like the sunrise. I like the illustrations used in the Bible. So simple. Not complicated. And that's where I sought to learn how to use illustrations. From the Bible. The sun. Jesus spoke about simple illustrations like birds and flowers and seed. The sun. Constantly. Not sudden movements. You never see the sun suddenly moving. You hardly see its movement. But it's moving. Little by little by little by little. Till it comes to that perfect noon day position. Proverbs 4 verse 18. The path of the righteous is like the light of dawn. That shines brighter and brighter and brighter until the full day. So. The sun never backslides. Never. Which teaches me that it is not God's will that I should backslide a single day of my life. I may have backslidden. But that day I was not in God's will. The way of the wicked, verse 19, is in darkness. Whenever there's darkness in my life, something is wrong. It should grow brighter, brighter, brighter. Until one day I become like Jesus. Everywhere it's saying the same thing. Or you turn to 2nd Corinthians 3 in verse 18. 2nd Corinthians 3 in verse 18. We remove the veil from our face. That's important. Verse 19. There is a veil over people's hearts. Verse 15. But if a person turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away and that Lord is the Spirit. It's very important to understand that. You know, there can be a veil on our hearts. Here it's talking about the law. You know, there can be a veil in our hearts because of sin. Unconfessed sin. Or a legalistic attitude towards people and to scripture. But when I turn to the Holy Spirit, it's gone. How do I know it's gone? I'll tell you. Then, it says in verse 18, in the mirror of God's word you see Jesus. That's how you know the veil is gone. My brothers and sisters, please listen to me. If in your heart you can see Jesus, there is no veil. But in your heart, you don't see Jesus. You see that fellow troubling you or the other guy who's accusing you or the other guy who's making life miserable for you in the office and that person's always, you go to bed thinking of that person. There's a veil. You struggle to pull it out. No, it will not go. Turn to the Holy Spirit. The veil is removed by the Holy Spirit. And with an unveiled face, verse 18, you see the glory of Jesus. The glory of Jesus in the midst of all the persecution he faced. And the same Holy Spirit will, like we read in Proverbs 18, change you into that likeness from glory to glory to glory to glory to glory to glory till one day we become exactly like him. And it says in the next verse, chapter 4, verse 1, this is the ministry we have. The ministry we have is not preaching or teaching. It is becoming like Jesus and making other people like Jesus. I like that. What's my ministry? My ministry is to become like Jesus. Every day. And to make other people who might get in touch with a little more like Jesus. As I get in touch with them, that something of the aroma of Christ in me rubs off on them. Imagine if all of us walk this way, my brothers and sisters, what a church we will be. What a church we will be. Turn to the Holy Spirit. That is the answer. Let him remove every veil. The veil of sin, the veil of legalism, the veil of judgmental spirit or unaccusative spirit or anything. Take it away. Anything that hinders your clear vision of Jesus Christ. Take it away. God can do miracles for us. Let's pray. I hope nobody here feels condemned today or discouraged. But only encouraged by the Holy Spirit to pursue the path of becoming more Christ-like. The things of earth should grow strangely dim. That's one way you know you are seeing the face of Jesus. The things of earth will grow strangely dim in the light of his glory and grace. If the things of earth are bright and big before your eyes, you can be pretty sure there is a veil. You are not seeing Jesus at all. Turn to him and say, Lord, I wasted many precious years. I don't want to waste anymore. The coming of the Lord is near. I want to be wise and be ready for your return. Help us Lord, each one, to be wise, to grow in wisdom. So that one day when we see you face to face, we can give to you a heart of wisdom that we acquired as we heard your voice and walked the way that Jesus went. Help us in Jesus' name. Amen.