some exciting things that are going on and so we rejoice in God's goodness to us and you excuse me this morning a little bit I just want to reminisce a little bit because of the great things that God's doing in the text that we're going to look at and I pray this morning that they'll kind of encourage us in the work that we're doing even here on this property. And so we purchased this property, as we know, on the 23rd of February. And God's given us the help that we already mentioned. We thank God for the Aaron Roth family just being here, the Josh Rowley family coming, the two vicaries that came and assisted us, and all the people in our church that can well remember what this room looked like when we got it and what we did to make it the way that it is now. And thank God for that. Again, I mentioned Pastor Michael Talley is coming with Marcia's Wife on the 30th of October for a week. And Brother Hill is thinking about coming at the same time. So, I mean, these are exciting things. And people in the community are starting to notice. Brother Woods and I were out last Saturday knocking on doors. And I think the words of the lady that we met were, my, what a job you've done with that property, something to that effect. And it's very evident as people are coming past and seeing it, that they're seeing what God's done. And by the way, tomorrow, Lord willing, the sign is gonna go up in the front. And so it's gonna be installed. They said tomorrow, weather permitting. Well, I know the weather and it's supposed to be a delightful day. And so Lord willing, if you pass here tomorrow evening, you'll see the sign in place. And so as I reflect on, God's goodness is we're in this place, and I can reflect on how God worked in my heart and the heart of my family to get us to the point that we're at. And I've shared this before, but I want to share it again with our church this morning. And that is just why we're here, how God worked to get us to this point. I grew up in a pastor's home, and I didn't want Danny's call to the ministry, so I was praying about what God wanted me to do. with my life, and it wasn't until after my sophomore year in college that God called me to preach. But God used a burden that I had. I had a church planning class that was there at Bob Jones. The teacher was Dr. Bruce McAllister, a very gracious and very wise man that just challenged us in the church planning class about considering going to an area that doesn't have a church, starting a church, good gospel, preaching church, and I loved that class. I mean, I love the ideas of it, sitting there listening, and it sounded neat to me, and obviously God was working my heart and life about it. So it wasn't just like, that's cool. It's like, man, I'd love to do that if God would call me to do that. that God spoke to my heart, and a church planter from the West came and was preaching, and he was talking about, maybe he was about at this time period in his church planning ministry, and saying, you know, we got a building, got an office, and I'm studying at the church, and people are getting saved, they're being discipled, and I thought, man, that's thrilling to hear what God is doing. walked around the building, and I know where I was and stepped as I walked back to my job as a manager at the snack shop, which was right next door to that building. I'm walking past the delivery area, and I'm just praying to God, saying, God, is this just a burden that I have, or is this a call? And God very clearly spoke to my heart about a call to church planting. It was through that that we started praying about where we're gonna start a church. And we're praying specifically about New York City, Tucson, Arizona, and then Edinburgh, Scotland. We'd been over here on a mission team, and Katie and I had stood at the castle, there above the dog graveyard, you know, where you're looking down at the one o'clock gun, and I just, I said to Katie, I said, you know what, I don't know what it is, but I feel very at home here. And if God wants us here, I'd be happy to come to Scotland. And by the way, the weather on that trip was horrible. There were some other things that were going on. So it wasn't like romantic, like, oh man, I love the weather or I love whatever. It was just, it was God working in our hearts about it. And then as we prayed about it, and I got close to the age where I thought God would have us do it, 30 years of age, we've been five years in full-time ministry as an assistant pastor, that as we're praying about those cities, God used a biography, James Stewart Missionary, to break my heart, a very specific portion of the story. He was used of God incredibly in Europe for revival, and then at the end of his life, God leads him back into the borders of Scotland. And that's really when modern missions move back in to Scotland. The need for missionaries in a country that you look at and say, surely Scotland would never need missionaries. It was a Scott that led in that, bringing back some young people from the States, from Bob Jones University, the same university I went to. And they started some works down in that area. Praise God, some of those churches still exist to this day. Steve Bender's church, and I know, is one of those. And so, God used that biography to call us, and then it was four years raising support, traveling to 280 churches, I think, about that, that I preached at, and we presented our call, and how God was working in our life and raising the Once we got here, how do you start a church? Well, we lived in S Bank. We knew God had led us to Lone Head to start the church. He led us to the Miner's Community Center. And I ordered 15,000 trifold leaflets at great expense and began to distribute those with a start date for our church of the 4th of July, 2010. Not because I'm American, but because that was the first Sunday in July. That was going to be our first Sunday that we met at the Miner's. And so there are two aspects of church planning that are important. First and foremost, the people. And so the work in that regard, again, started on that date. And we started laboring to try to see people saved, see people coming out for the services. We started with a Sunday school at 10, Sunday morning at 11. And then about a year into that, God worked my heart about adding Sunday night and adding a midweek service. And he allowed us to have four services going from that first year. So for the last 12 years, we've had Sunday school, Sunday morning, Sunday night and Wednesday night services that we've had. And so that's one aspect. The other aspect is a facility, a meeting house for the people of God. And again, we could call that the house of God in the sense that the church is the called out assembly. Properly, when you speak of a church, you're speaking about the people. But we understand that a lot of times we speak about the church, you know, and referring to the building. And the building part took longer, so 13 years that took us to this point of obtaining the property that God's given to us. And so praise God, God answered our prayer in November of last year, and many of you were part of that process, waiting upon God, asking God to provide, and God provided incredibly. And we purchased this property with cash, and because of the graciousness of God's people and their giving, And you know what's neat to me? We're not a big church. You know, what's neat to me is God didn't just tell us to get a mortgage, which we couldn't afford, but God provided for us to buy the property with cash. And then God provided for us to have not just the money to purchase, but the money to then fix it up. And that God has really supplied for us to be able to invest in this property and make it the property that it's becoming for the Lord. And so we're in a large building project. and building God's house, and I'll tell you this, there are several times that God has used this scripture very specifically that we're looking at in my heart, and none more specifically as in the situation that we find ourselves in, of doing something very similar to what Solomon had to do, and that's his big building project, right? He's building the temple for God. And so what we find in 1 Chronicles chapter 28 is David encouraging Solomon, as he takes up a monumental task of building God's house. And my desire this morning is in the midst of the building project, which has been pretty big for those that have gotten involved in it. And even for our church, we pray about it, think about it, is to encourage us about what God's doing and that God's gonna help us to get it done. And so let's go to the Lord in prayer as we'll look about at, we need to walk worthy of the privilege God has given to us to build the house of God for His glory. Let's pray. Father, I thank you for the grace that you give. I thank you for your word this morning. 1 Chronicles chapter 28. Father, I thank you for our church family. Thank you for each one that's here this morning. And Father, I pray that the Spirit of God would encourage our hearts, not just only about what you've called us to do as a church with this property, but really what you've called us to do in life. And Father, I pray that the Spirit of God would strengthen our hands this morning. speak to our hearts and encourage us in you. And finally, we thank you for the children that are here this morning and in their class this morning. I pray that the spirit of God will bless Mrs. Schroeder as she guides in that time. And Father, that you would, in your mercy, direct in this time, guide in this time, and speak to our hearts and encourage us. And Father, as I often pray, I'm not able to speak without your enablement. I do ask that the spirit of God would guide me. Father, that I would preach vividly, practically, lovingly, and powerfully the truth of the word of God this morning. As we look at this great story found in 1 Chronicles 28 of David encouraging his son, Solomon, and the people of Israel, as they took up a monumental task of building the temple for God. I pray even so, Lord God, would you encourage us this morning through your word. It's in Christ's name we pray, amen. All right, and so, walk worthy. You know, God has again given us a tremendous privilege of doing this. And so as we take up the privilege that God's given to us, I want to consider what kind of people or what generation is privileged by God to build them a house, okay? And looking at the story of Solomon. And so first of all, they're a generation that has vision, vision. It says, in our text, in verse one, and David assembled all the princes of Israel, the princes of the tribes and the captains of the companies, that ministered to the king by course, the captains over the thousands and captains over the hundreds, and the stewards over all the substance and possession of the king and of his sons with the officers. And with the mighty men, with all the valiant men unto Jerusalem, then David the king stood up upon his feet and said, hear me, my brethren and my people. David assembled all the congregation and specifically to charge Solomon and to charge Israel and to speak about the vision that he had in his own heart. He begins with a personal testimony, verse two. He says, as for me, I had in my heart to build a house of rest for the ark of the covenant of the Lord and for the footstool of our God. Okay, so he's speaking about the burden that he had in his heart. Okay, so vision is God working in our heart to build a house for him. Okay, there is something that is there, a burden that God has given to accomplish this for God's glory. Again, I had in my heart to build a house of rest for the ark of the covenant of the Lord. Has there ever been a time in your life where you felt like, man, God put that on my heart? It wasn't just that I wanted to do that, but I was really burdened of God. To get involved with that, it was really a burden of God to do that. George Mueller was stirred in his heart to start an orphanage. In the early 1800s, in all of England, they say there were accommodations for only 3,600 orphans, and twice that many children under eight were in homes for foundlings, or the workhouses, with conditions akin to slavery. So in 1835, at a public meeting, Mueller presented his burden to start an orphanage in Bristol. Okay, so God put that on his heart. There was a need that was there. He was burdened about it, and God was gonna use it in a tremendous way to encourage the faith of God's people and what God is able to do in ministering to those people. God stirred up the heart of some people to quit their jobs and come to work at the orphanage by faith. God stirred the hearts of other people to invest in that, which God had called George Mueller to do. Hudson Taylor. was stirred in his heart to go for God to China. And as a young person, he got burdened about, it was as if he said, he heard God saying, go for me to China. And he surrendered to that burden that he had in his heart. God stirred him up about it. But then as he got to China, he looked around and go, there's millions of people here. We need people for this province and this province and this province. And so he began to pray for God to send to people for every province. And so on a page of his Bible, he wrote, I prayed for 24 willing, skillful laborers I think it would be 1865. Okay, so he got burdened about it, so he says, God, please give us 24, that would give them themselves to go up for God to China. And praise God, God stirred up those people to come, and they had exactly that amount as they left for China. And in 1865, right after that, Hudson Taylor founded the China Inland Mission. You know, there were millions of people who needed to hear the message of Jesus Christ and thus named the mission magazine, China's Millions, okay? And so he got stirred up about it. As he got stirred up about it, God stirred others up about it to be a part of that. And so that's the aspect that I'm speaking about is his vision that there is something that God is working in my heart about to accomplish this for God. And so vision is that stirring in our heart, but vision is us also investing in building a house for God. So David said, I got burdened about it. And then he said, and had made ready for the building. OK, so he wasn't just daydreaming about it. He's like, I'm burdened about it. Let's do it. and set things aside and say, okay, I'm getting ready because I believe this is what God wants us to do. And he's starting to go for it to get it done for God. And so it's not just, I think it's a good idea. It's, I believe this is of God. I'll get behind it and put some investment into it. All right. Now we've seen that in our church. Praise God. Again, as we stand in here, this property is paid for. How was it paid for? Well, God put vision in the hearts of God's people. There was a man that invested in this six, seven years ago. As I shared it to him, my burden that our church obtained a property in the future, and he invested at that time $4,000 or $4,500. We didn't even have a building fund, but that was the start of Actually, how long ago was this now? Two and a half years ago. As we were praying about the bank building, God used the letter by my pastor to touch the hearts of God's people that had been praying with us for years about obtaining property, and just a simple statement about there's a potential of obtaining a property in Lone Head. Would you consider giving? And God's people gave. They had a vision for it, and so they were burdened about it. It stirred them up, and they thought, let's do something about that. So they invested in it. Praise God for that. It's a joy for God's people to catch a vision, to do, willingly invest in his work. Remember that the tabernacle that preceded the temple, that tent in the wilderness, that was the house for the archbishop. it was traveling through the wilderness. In Exodus 35, verse five, it says, take ye from among you an offering unto the Lord, whosoever is of a willing heart, let him bring it, an offering of the Lord, gold and silver and brass. And so whoever has a vision for this and is burdened about it, getting the tabernacle going, because God desires the tabernacle, go ahead and get him. And in verse 21, it says, and they came, everyone whose heart stirred him up. everyone whom his spirit made willing and they brought the Lord's offering to the work of the tabernacle of the congregation and for all his servants service and for the holy garments okay so a vision is not just like hey I think that's a really good idea I'm burdened about it but a vision is like all right let's do it let's God, when the Spirit of God speaks to our heart about something, to the point where we go, that is not just something that I think is a good idea that I'm burdened about, but I really believe it's something that we ought to do, and we begin to invest in it, whether that's time, finance, or whatever, that we get behind that for God. You know, this church, again, as we stand in a facility that has been paid for by God, and there's still ongoing things that are taking place, we understand this, this would not have happened without vision. burden put on the hearts of God's people they say this is of God let's get behind it so we praise God for that so we can easily understand as we look at the text that something like this people that are privileged by God to do something like this have vision they get behind it and they say this is of God okay and so the same thing that a generation that builds God's house has is that they are chosen. They're chosen, okay? So a generation that builds God's house is chosen. Not every generation gets to build a house of God, okay? And we're talking Old Testament, New Testament here. There was only one temple. There's many church buildings and things like that. So a lot of people in our dispensation have the privilege that we have, okay? But not every generation has that privilege. And certainly, the Jews, that was where they all came to worship. That was the place Not everybody got to do that, that was even burdened about it. Okay, so some desired to do the work, but they didn't get called to do the work. And so David was one of those. Verse three, it says, but God said unto me, David, thou shalt not build a house for my name, because thou hast been a man of war and has shed blood. Albeit the Lord God of Israel chose me before all the house of my father to be king over Israel forever. For he hath chosen Judah to be the ruler, and of the house of Judah, the house of my father. And among the sons of my father he liked me, to make me king over all Israel." Okay, so David's saying, okay, I was burdened about it, I was screwed up about it, but I didn't get to do it, but I'll tell you this, I'm privileged. God took me, I was a shepherd, and God took me from being a shepherd to be a king, and so he was privileged, but he wasn't privileged to get to do what he was really burdened to do, the house for the Ark of God and to build the temple. Not everyone gets that kind of a privilege. pastored for half a century, 50 years in the United States serving God. And I remember in Lake Mills, Wisconsin, Rock Lake Baptist Church, that our church purchased a piece of property by the motorway that was a farm field. And I knew that in the future that was going to be the property for our church, Rock Lake Baptist Church. I remember we were just a small old church building in the United States that had pews that went straight back and a weak balcony in the back. I think it was a wood building and a basement underneath, a flat roof out behind that went over the basement a little ways, and we needed more space. I remember there were times that chairs were set up down the aisle. Things were very tight. It would have been a glorious thing for my dad to get to start that building project, but dad didn't get to do that. It was another pastor that came. They had that privilege of taking that property that God had given and the church getting behind that and building what is now a beautiful facility, a church that is there now enjoying that new facility that God built them. You know, again, as a church that has gotten this property just this past year, we are privileged. It's a privilege for us to get to enter into a building project. Not every generation gets to come into a property and look at it and say, how do we develop this for God? How do we make this what God desires this to be? And I praise God this morning that God has given us this privilege. It's a privilege to be chosen by God to do it. Verse five, it says, all my sons, for the Lord has given me many sons. He had chosen Solomon, my son, to sit upon the throne of the kingdom of the Lord over Israel. And he said unto me, Solomon, my son, he shall build my house and my courts for I have chosen him to be my son, and I will be his father. Okay, so God says, David, I didn't choose you to do this. It's good that it was in your heart, and you're stirred up about it, but I'm gonna let that be the responsibility of your son to establish that property for my glory. My home church, Bible Baptist in Hudson, Wisconsin, is about a half a century old, and some of the members have passed away, but many of the founding members back in the 19, I think, 60s, late 60s, early 70s, to start Bible Baptist Church in Hudson, Wisconsin. If they were here, they could tell us today about breaking ground. They could tell us about laying those foundation cinder blocks, that cinder block basement that's there. They could speak about raising those walls and putting that roof on the attendants and who was coming and who was there and what God was doing. As that took place, they could tell the story because they lived it. You know, it's a great thing, again, to be a part of that generation that's going to be 10 years from now looking back saying, hey, I remember when we bought that pub. I remember what it was like when we came inside and what had to change and how God put in our heart to do this and that and organize and develop. And again, it's such an awesome thing for us to think, you know, we're a chosen generation by God. in this Southside Free Baptist Church history to be a part of this that God is doing here. And what's great about that is to know that it's not just like we looked at it and said, you know what I'd really like to do? I'd really like to go do this, but that God specifically worked in our hearts and said, Southside Free Baptist Church, here is something that you get to do for me and for my glory. And I rejoice in that today. of that God has given us this privilege. And so a generation that builds God's house has vision, you know, they get burdened about saying, I want to get behind that, I want to do something, but they're also chosen by God. So it's not just that they're doing it because they can, but they're doing it because God called them to do it. But then thirdly, a generation that builds God's house is obedient, okay? And so If we're privileged by God to get to do something wonderful for His glory, then there's a responsibility that God's given to us, and we wanna stay where God can bless us with what He has given us to do. So we need to be an obedient generation to get it done. And so we need to be a constant generation. Notice what it says in verse seven. It says, moreover, I will establish His kingdom forever, okay, Solomon, if, He be constant to do my commandments and my judgments as at this day, okay? So I'm gonna establish him, I'm gonna bless him. Your son is gonna be able to do this awesome project, but there's conditions upon this that if you're constant to obediently follow me, okay, I'll give you my blessing. Your life has conditions. We we bought a new dishwasher This this past week. We thought you know with all everybody coming we had some problems with our dishwasher thought we need to replace it as we got it it comes with a warranty As you install it, there's certain things that you have to do as you install it to keep the warranty valid, because it's a conditional warranty. So if you install it correctly, you've got their help if there's a problem with it. If you install it incorrectly, you don't have their blessing if it breaks or something, because that is your fault. Solomon, as he's getting ready to take on a very big project, He had a responsibility. If he obeys God, honors God, and pleases God, he's got God's blessing. Without that, he doesn't have the help that he needs from God. So God says to him, just be constant. Just be somebody that's steadfast with God. If he be constant, I encourage us this morning, that's just something that we can do for God and say, God, we want your blessing on this project. Let's be constant. Let's be somebody that is just consistently walking with God, somebody that's steadfast with God. But then secondly, we need to be a careful generation. It says in verse 8, it says, now therefore, in the sight of all Israel, the congregation of the Lord and the audience of our God, keep and seek for all the commandments of the Lord your God, that you may possess this good land and leave it for an inheritance for your children after you forever. Okay, so He said, all right, listen to everything that God said, all the details of his law so that God can continue to bless you. Again, somebody that's going to be constant with God has to be careful to know exactly what God intends them to know and do exactly what God intends them to do and do it carefully. And so God helped us to do that. We had a mower that we bought that I exercised the warranty on in a couple ways. First of all, I hit a rock with it, and that wasn't covered. For some reason, lawnmowers aren't made to mow rocks, okay? But there was another problem that it had that because it was their problem, and we had used it correctly, that was warranty repair. And again, just to be, we have to be constant with God, but then careful that we follow the instruction that God has given to us and stay in that place of God's blessing. But then we need to be a clinging generation as well. It says in verse nine, and thou, Solomon, my son, know thou the God of thy father and servant with a perfect heart, with a willing mind. For the Lord searcheth all hearts and understandeth all the imaginations of the thoughts. If thou seek him, he will be found of thee. But if thou forsake him, he will cast thee off forever. Again, God's just saying to Solomon, be that person that sticks with God and says, I'm gonna just cling to God and be somebody that's careful to follow God, somebody that's constant with God. And so again, as we think about a generation that God calls to to build God's house. It's a generation that has vision. It's a generation that has chosen and a generation that is obedient to that generation that says, I'm just going to stick with God. Then a generation that builds God's house is faithful, faithful, faithful people will get God's house built and build it in the way that God intends it to be done. And so a generation that hears God say, do it and gets it done. It says in verse 10, it says, take heed now for the Lord hath chosen thee to build a house for the sanctuary. Be strong. do it all right I like that statement apparently Nike liked it as well right they've got that statement just do it but God God said it first and through David to Solomon saying all right God's give you that opportunity now just be strong and get in there and get it done this past week we met on Friday with the electrician Rab and some ideas for the lighting that's out here in the front of the property I met with Terry Locke, and praise God for Brother Terry, and he's going to get in, as I said, and begin to do some of the work on the ceiling and get that sorted. And we look at it and think there's a lot that is there to do. We can be overwhelmed by it sometimes, at times. It's good for us as a church just to look at it and say we're just going to keep moving ahead at it and just getting a little bit done at a time on this project because if we stop, then the project stops. And Satan doesn't want us to get it done. Satan wants to discourage our hearts in what God's called us to do and step back. And so it's good for us as men and as a church to step up and say, we're just gonna keep praying and asking God, God give us grace just to keep moving forward on the project. It's a big project, but it has to be done. And I love those words that David gave to Solomon, be strong and do it. And so a faithful, a generation is a generation that hears God say, do it and gets it done. But then a generation that listens to God's instruction and does it accordingly. And so if you look down at verse 11, God gives some very specific plans to Solomon through David about how to build this property. It says, then David gave to Solomon his son, the pattern of the porch and of the houses thereof. and of the treasuries thereof, and of the upper chambers thereof, and of the inner parlors thereof, and of the place of the mercy seat, and the pattern of all that he had, notice what it says, by the Spirit, of the courts of the house of the Lord, and of all the chambers round about, of the treasures of the house of God, and the treasuries of the dedicated things. Also for the courses of the priests, and the Levites, and for, notice all the word, of the service of the house of the Lord, and for all the vessels of service in the house of the Lord. He gave of gold by weight for things of gold, for all instruments of all manner of service, silver also for all instruments of silver by weight, for all instruments of every kind of service, even the weight of the candlesticks. with the details that God was doing for his house, even the weight of the candlesticks of gold, for their lamps of gold, by weight for every candlestick and for the lamps thereof, and for all the candlesticks of silver by weight, both for the candlestick and also for the lamps thereof, according to the use of every candlestick. and by weight he gave gold for the tables of showbread, for every table, and likewise silver for the tables of silver. Also pure gold for the flesh hooks, and the bowls, and the cups, and for the golden basins he gave gold by weight for every basin, and likewise silver by weight for every basin of silver, and for the altar of incense refined gold by weight, and gold for the pattern of the chariot of the cherubims that spread out their wings and covered the ark of the covenant of the Lord. And all this said David, the Lord made me understand in writing by his hand upon me, even all the work of this pattern. And obviously we understand this morning the temple is different than Southside Free Baptist Church. We understand that as far as structures, as far as buildings. As far as the importance of that facility being exactly as God intended, just like the Old Testament, the tabernacle, it was vital that they got it right because that temple represented something that is in glory and is eternal. I get that, I understand that, but I rejoice to look at the story and say God gave exactly what needed to be done. There wasn't a doubt as far as even the candlesticks, what kind of candlesticks you're gonna get, depending upon use for in this place, where they're gonna go and how they're gonna be used and the service that's gonna take place by the priest. And so God was very specific about that. And I don't claim this morning that as we develop this property, I don't claim that kind of inspiration about this property, but I want to say to the glory of God, you know, we had a man here this week that was working on the utilities and I was speaking to him, I was showing him around and he said this to me, it looks like this was made for your church. And I stop and I go, yeah. I agree with you. And I'll tell you, who gave us the idea of the way that we've developed? I know, I'll just tell you this, we've prayed about it, we've asked God, God gave us wisdom exactly how to develop this property. I believe God has given us incredible wisdom. that this is a guest room, that this is the activity center, that that's the fellowship hall. That was kind of obvious. But the sanctuary in the back and the peak ceiling that God gave and the wall that's there. I know I was thinking about it last night. I was praying in the front of that building on the day that they had the ladies thing here. Keith Mills comes back to the back, kind of interrupts me back there. And he were standing back there talking. He said, you should put a wall back here. And I said, I don't want to put a wall back there. That would make it smaller. But then I got to thinking about it. I thought, you know what? The chairs, if there's a wall, they can go right up to the back of that wall. We're going to need an aisle through there anyway. That's going to give us a sound barrier between us and the crash. It's perfect. Okay, and I'm just saying, God is, the idea of tearing down the toilets that were in the back and making that into a crash, that was God. I know it was. To make that space, it's ideal, it's perfect, and it works incredibly. There was already the plumbing there to have the shower room that we have, and praise God, we got a shower room, so we got the guest room working. I'm just saying, there are things that we can look at as a church and say, you know what? God's in this. God's designing. He gave us a car park, a play park. He gave us, I mean, just everything that we need. And that ought to rejoice our hearts this morning as we think about that. But by the grace of God, we want to listen to God as God works in our heart and say, you know what? I want to do it just like God says. And so we're going to continue to pray. God, give us wisdom about the carpet. Pray with me about it. God, give us wisdom about the colors. Give us wisdom about, I'm praying about kind of an ornate rock wall in the front of the church, something to dress it up. I was looking at with Terry, Terry, we're thinking about getting a tub and using a tub, but Terry said, you know what, for the sake of maybe elderly or somebody being baptized in this, we need to make it safe. And so Terry's gonna actually build it out of wood. He's gonna cover it with fiberglass. We're gonna have it just like we want, I believe, with a sit-down baptistry that I can stand behind and baptize over a wall like this without me getting wet. The person's in the water, but safe. Steps going down, it's gonna be completely sealed. We're talking, I mean, there's ideas that are coming up and things that, you know, I go, I didn't think about that. But that makes a lot of sense. And so I rejoice in that, I rejoice in that, that God's working, but we need to be a people that looks at it and says, I want to be behind that because God did it, and we want to do it as a people and say, let's do it just like God wants. Let's make this into everything that God desires it to be. be a faithful people that can be entrusted by God for that work to do. And so a generation that builds God's house has vision. They look at it and go, you know, I'm kind of burdened about that. They're chosen and we ought to stop there and go, what a privilege God has given to us is obedient. That's our responsibility where we step up and say, do you know what? We want God's blessings. So let's do our best to honor God at this time. Let's do our best to please God so that we can have his favor upon what we're doing, and then let's do it faithfully. Let's look at it and say, man, how does God want us to do it and do it? And then a generation that builds God's house is courageous. A courageous generation gets to build a house for God. Verse 20. And David said to Solomon, his son, be strong and have a good courage and do it. Fear not, nor be dismayed. You know, do you think it was daunting for Solomon? His dad was burdened about it. His dad's passionate about it. I want to build a house for God. And then here comes Solomon. He's a young man. He's a new king. And his responsibility, his charge as he takes that kingship is, oh, by the way, you're going to build a house for God. That's a big responsibility. I like touring the Britannia. It's one of our favorite tours in Edinburgh. If somebody asks me, what should I do on here? It's an awesome tour. If you haven't done it, I encourage you to invest in that. If you gift date it, you get a one year thing where you can come back any time during the year. You get a year pass. But I enjoy doing that. You walk in and you see the state dining room that's there. And then it's nice. And you can just think of the state banquets that are taking place. And imagine that you were a cook or a chef at a state dining room on the Britannia. You got heads of state that are there, presidents and kings and whoever coming in. Are you gonna be a little nervous? A little anxious? Maybe feel like you're not quite gonna make it right or do it right, things like that? So imagine not only that you had to provide the serving and everything like that and the people that are gonna be doing that, but you also had to build the boat. You also had to furnish the table. and the silver, real silver, where? The cutlery, that you had to provide all of them. It's not just like Solomon is stepping into serving God, but he's stepping into making the place where God is gonna be worshiped. I think it's a bit daunting what he had to do, and I think it'd take a little bit of courage for him to say, okay, here I go. I'll tell you this, if you look around in our congregation, we're not a huge church. If we look at our skill sets and we are to list them, as far as craftsmen, well, it's interesting to me, God's called us to do something that we look at and say, God, you know what? We don't have incredible CVs or anything like that, but you know what? God's given it to us to do. And I just praise God this morning. Maybe I'm just encouraging myself. If God's called us to do it, then let's be strong and do it. Let's not get discouraged by it. Let's never fall out over it or let it take us away from the house of God because it's a big project, but let's have courage about it. Let's say, hey, I wanna be a part of that. I'm just gonna keep trusting God with our church that God's gonna get it done for God's glory. And so a generation that takes that up is a courageous generation. They're faithful, they're obedient, they're chosen, they've got vision. And then lastly, this morning, a generation that builds God's house is equipped. And this is the encouraging part, okay? And this goes to that along the lines of me saying, we don't have a lot of maybe skill or ability or things like that. But David pronounces God's blessing upon the project. In a sense, he's saying to Solomon, may God be with you, but it's stronger than that. He's saying, God will be with you, verse 20. It says, for the Lord God, even my God, will be with thee. He will not fail thee, nor forsake thee, until thou hast finished all the work for the service of the house of the Lord. Okay, do you think Solomon recalled this at times when, man, it's tough. Now he's the wisest man, I get that. He's got a lot of things going on, but I think there'll be times where the building project's intense, and maybe there's some questions about what's gonna happen, and we know God's blessing and God's working, but still, those questions, how's this gonna work out? Maybe it's a little bit tough, and he thinks back, you know, Dad said that God would be with me till I got it done. I just praised God this morning that God is with us, and that as long as God's with us, it's okay. Why? Because that's what matters this morning. I want every single person that we've ever ministered to in our church to be there at the end. I do. I don't want to lose anybody. But I'll tell you this, if we can lose everybody but not lose God, then we're okay. Does that make sense? That if we've got God, God is enough. And I say, praise God for that. The number one thing we need is God. And I believe we've got God. I believe there are continually times throughout this process that we could look at and say, God is there, God is there, God is working. God is doing things to encourage us and to remind us that he's present. He's promised us, I'll never leave you nor forsake you. And so praise God for that. And then David says as well, he says, may capable men be with you, okay? But more than that, again, they would be. Verse 21, and behold the courses of the priests and the Levites, even they shall be with thee for all the service of the house of God. And there shall be with thee for all manner of workmanship, every willing, skillful man for any manner of service. Okay, that's an important statement. Willing, skillful man, we don't just want skillful men, okay? They're both important, aren't they? And so as we think about that, willing but unskillful, you can't help. There's plenty of things. I look at it, I'd love to do that, but I don't know. And so I'm willing, but I'm not skillful, so I can't do anything about that. Somebody can be skillful, but if they're not willing, then that's not gonna get done either because they're not gonna help us. So what do we need? We got, God sent us willing, skillful men. Are you thankful with me that God sent us Josh Rowley and his family, that God sent us Aaron Roth and his family, that God sent us Josh Roberts and Oriole Borman. God is now sending us, praise God, Terry Locke. He's given us the electricians. He's given us the roofers that we needed when we needed them, that we can trust God to give us the skilled and willing people that when we need them, they'll be there. That's great. I really believe this is a text that we could go to as a church and say, you know what, I was wondering how to pray about the building project, now I know, God send us willing, skillful workers. And then may God's people be with you. Verse 21, at the end, it says, also the princes and all the people will be holy at thy commandment. In other words, Solomon, okay, you feel kind of lonely there, guy? You gotta go out and build the temple. Well, let me tell you, God's gonna be with you. Willing, skillful people are gonna be with you. God's people are gonna be behind you. All the congregation's gonna be wholly behind you. And again, this is where I say to our church, this is kind of where we've gotta respond in our hearts. Say, I'm gonna be a part of that, and I'm gonna be there. Please, if nothing else, just pray. God, give pastor wisdom. You know, sometimes there are things that we can do, and God's people step up and get there and do it. Like tearing down the paper like we did in here, we gotta do that in the sanctuary as well. Cleaning, all of us can do that, you know, or most of us can do that. And so there's things that we can be there and say, at the very least, I'm gonna be behind you encouraging you, I'm gonna be behind you praying, but maybe there's something I can do, I'll do it. But God said to Solomon, look, you're gonna have God's people behind you. And so again, we ought to unite behind that and say, praise God, all right? We don't need to be discouraged because God's people that get called to this are equipped to do it. And so again. I can reminisce this morning. I can think back and I can say, well, I remember when God burned my heart about coming to Scotland. God called her family to Scotland. We moved to Scotland. We started South Side Free Baptist Church. Who was there at the beginning? Who was there that God allowed us to see saved and kids that got saved and the impact that we had. But as we're praying, asking God for his facility, our church, how God answered, how God got us here to this point. Praise God. And I look at that and I think, you know what, we're privileged. God to have the opportunity to do what we're doing. Not every generation gets to do that. And so we need to keep that vision. God, keep my heart in that. Get that burden to see it done, see it accomplished. Not just, by the way, as I speak about this, I do not just mean this building. We got to be burdened as a congregation to reach our community, to see the people come out, see souls saved, see lives changed, right? That's part of it. But that's that vision. I want to get involved in that. I want to do something to affect that. But praise God, we've been chosen by God. It's not just our idea. I do not believe Southside Free Baptist Church has bought the Pentland Inn because we had some idea. I believe we prayed in faith about it. We waited on God, that God provided incredibly, that God has provided incredibly continually so that we can look at it and say, God has chosen us to do this at this time. God's grace, we got to be obedient. That means just stick with God, cling to God, be steadfast with God, be faithful, do it, right? Just keep it going and say, we're just going to stay there until it's done. It's going to take courage and praise God for the equipage that he's given to us. So God help us to be strong and do it. Just want to remind us of that this morning, because I know we're in the middle of it right now, but it's happening. It's getting done. I praise God for that. Let's pray. Father, I thank you for our church. I thank you for each one that is a part of this. I am so thankful. And Father, you have given us a tremendous privilege, but we understand it's a tremendous responsibility. We can be overwhelmed by it. We can look at it and say, man, this is daunting. But Father, I just pray that we'd have courage, be strong and do it. Father, I pray that we be obedient. Help us to remember that, God, you can't bless us in disobedience, that we guard our hearts, that we guard our walk with you, that we cling to you and understand our need to depend upon you and to keep your law and to be in obedience. And Father, I pray that we be faithful. that we look at how you want it to be done and do it your way. Not the easy way. Maybe sometimes there might be things that we do to a higher standard than what we would normally do because we want it to honor God and we want to pray about it. We want to see what you want us to do, like the bigger windows in the sanctuary. I believe that's up to you. But we prayed about it. It's a little more expensive, but it's for God's glory. It's for your place to be what you want it to be. And Father, I just pray that we get it done for you and for your glory. And Father, it's not about this property. It wasn't about the building of the temple. It was about the glory of God being seen in the temple. And Father, I pray that the Spirit of God would give us grace to say, you know what, that's worth being a part of. If it's just about decorating a property, that's not it. But if it's about God's glory and what God wants done, God help us to be those that say, well, God wants it done, let's do it. And so may the Spirit of God speak to our hearts this morning through your word. Thank you for the time that we've had together. God, would you encourage us, it's in Christ that we pray, amen.