Good evening, everyone. Welcome to our evening service here in Elvis Cross. It's lovely to have you with us. Thank you for tuning in, and we trust that during the day and during this afternoon, you've known the Lord's presence and blessing as you sought to lift up the Lord in your heart. Thank you for those who joined with us in the drive-in, in the car park. It was lovely to see the car park packed. and it's lovely to see so many folks, and even some new folk, and it was lovely to see it, and we trust that the blessing from there will continue on today. Just one or two little announcements, and that is to say that the prayer meeting will be via Zoom on Wednesday, and we'll send you details if you're on our prayer WhatsApp group during the week, we'll send you those details so that you can log in and log on and get involved with us. And then next Sunday is the first Sunday in December, I couldn't believe it when someone said to me, it's the first Sunday in December next week. That means we will have our communion service. Now, we won't be obviously visiting your houses and you won't be in the building, sadly, but nevertheless, we will have our communion service at home in the evening service, in the evening service. We do plan, God willing, that we'll be able to be in the drive-in, in the car park, in the North Hill car park just up the road. Calvary and uh please plan to be with us. Weather permitting of course and we're thankful to the lord for the good weather today and then of course the evening service at five o'clock when we will be remembering the lord and what he has done for us on Calvary. Please remember these and thank you for uh your continued prayers for us. Those of you who may not have heard this morning, we had all our offerings for the past week that go towards, in its entirety, to all missionaries, to the missionaries agencies that we had planned for, and that was the Christian Institute and also for Kids for School. and the sum total that was brought in during the past week was £3,484. Thank you to those of you who gave, that's very generous, and that goes in its entirety. No commission whatsoever for any of those who are involved in collecting it, but in its entirety goes to those two missionary organizations, and let's face it, they do a tremendous work, and the people, for us as a church, for the Christian Institute, as believers, and also kids for school, providing all sorts of resources for the kids that are disadvantaged. We want to commit ourselves to the Lord in prayers. Let's pray before we go any further. We have a time of worship. It's good to have Keith Bannister and Cherith Bell with us, along with Aaron Kirkpatrick and Amy Logan, and Gary and Johnny up in the AV. Thank you for being here. Thank you for all your various ministries, and it is a ministry unto the Lord, and we're looking forward to the Lord using us each one tonight in this place. So let's bow together in prayer. Let's pray and seek the Lord. Lord, we thank you that we can come into your house. And Lord, as we said this morning in the drive-in, we may have locked down and closed up churches, but no one can block us from coming to you. We thank you for that access that was made available through the blood of the Lord Jesus. Thank you, Lord, for him who made it all possible through his death on Calvary. Thank you for the one who made this tremendous route through the dark paths of sin. And we can come and lift up our hearts in praise and thanksgiving unto him. And we pray, dear God, that as we gather together around the various devices in our homes, wherever we might be, or Lord, whether we gather in a little group perhaps, wherever the situation is, Lord, we pray that God will be very real and evident in the midst. We ask now, Lord, for your help in worship. Lord for your help Lord for Cherith and Keith as they minister to us in music and song and father later on we pray that we as we turn to your word as we look at these gates, these walls of of Nehemiah and the miracle that God did through seeing them reestablished and reset in 52 days because the hand of God was on a man. We pray oh God that your hand will come upon us and we'll begin to serve you Lord as we ought to as the purpose and plan and design and the a tremendous work done for the Lord. We ask it in Jesus' name and for his sake. Amen. The first song we're gonna sing is Lift Jesus Higher. Lift Jesus higher, lift him up for the world to see him. And we're gonna sing it through twice. and we were saying who's gonna bring these in, how we're gonna bring them in, and so I'm just gonna do a bit of strumming, and I've told the musicians just come in whenever they feel like it. Lift Jesus higher. Jesus said, I, if I be lifted up from the earth, I will draw all men onto me. And if you're wondering why the world is so slow and the earth is so slow to respond to Jesus, maybe we're not lifting him up in our hearts, in our lives, and in our homes, and in our community. So he says, lift Jesus higher, I, if I be lifted up. So let's sing it through twice. Lift Jesus higher, lift Jesus higher Lift Him up, all the world to see Be lifted up from the earth I will draw all men unto me Lift Jesus higher Lift Jesus higher Lift Him up for the world to see He said if I be lifted up from the earth I will draw all men unto me The next little song we're going to sing is one that is one of our favourites, has been for quite some time. Majesty, worship his majesty unto Jesus, be all glory, honour and praise. And he is majesty, he is king of kings, he's lord of lords. And he's coming back again and he's going to make a fair, fair difference in this whole world. Majesty Worship His Majesty Unto Jesus be glory, honor, and praise Majesty, King of authority Flows from His throne unto His own, His earth and heaven. So exalt, lift up on high the name of the Lord. My Divine, come glorify Christ Jesus the King. Majesty, worship His Majesty. Jesus who died, now glorified, King of all kings Majesty Worship His Majesty Answer Jesus Be of glory, honor, and praise Majesty Kingdom and authority Flows from His throne unto His home He is at the face So exalt, lift up on high the name of Magnified Come glorified Christ Jesus the King Majesty Worship His majesty Jesus our God, now glorified King of all kings Well, he did die but he rose again. That's what separates him from all other cults and religions. And that's why we stand amazed in his presence of Jesus the Nazarene. Because he who was king of kings, he who is majesty, came and took upon himself the form of man, took upon himself the sin of the world, made himself lower than the angels, the Bible said, lower than, and he became a slave, a bond slave to the nature, or to the love of God, so that he might see us delivered from our sin. I stand amazed in the presence. And I love to sing this when it came to deliberately, we're singing the three verses of it, and I stand amazed in the presence. I stand amazed in the presence of Jesus, that's for me. And I wonder how He could love me, a sinner of man only. And my song shall ever be How marvelous, oh how wonderful is My Savior's love for me He took my sin and my sorrow You've got a free hand to suffer and die alone. Oh, how wonderful, oh, how wonderful am I, so jolly. And in glory its face I at last shall see. So it'll be my joy through the ages To sing of it now with glory. Oh, how wonderful am I Oh, how wonderful is my Savior's love. last little song is one that I really love to sing. Uh it's not only is it fun to sing but it is truth to sing. Give me oil in my lamp. Well, we're looking today at some other gates whether we get them all finished tonight or not. I'm not sure but that's up to the Holy Spirit and it's up to the Lord as well. But one of the things we're looking at tonight is the water gate. Now, I know you're saying, well, we looked at the fountain gate. That was to do with water. Well, what's the difference with this gate? Well, you're just going to have to wait and see. But what it does refer to, it refers to the Word of God. God's Word is often spoken about as the washing of the water by the Word. And so we're looking at that, but a lot of Christians are starving. A lot of Christians and their lives are stumped. and they're stifled because we're not into the word. Well, we'll listen to the preacher, but we really need, we need to be taken in that word for ourselves. And it takes a wee bit of hard graft and a wee bit of blood, sweat and tears. And so we need tonight is something of that oil to keep me burning and to give us that inspiration. And so there are four verses and we're going to sing together, please. Thank you for those who are helping me. I'm really enjoying listening to the music and the singing being here, but I trust that you're enjoying it at home. you Give me joy in my heart, keep me singing Keep me singing till the break of dawn Give me joy in my heart, keep me singing around us. Amen. Amen. Amen. Well, I enjoy seeing those anyway and I enjoy seeing about our great savior and he's able, he's able to keep, he's able to save, he's able to uh sustain and the word of God says that those are not empty promises. Those are very real and we're so thankful to the lord. Thankful also that Cherith and Keith have come along to minister to us tonight. Now, we're working them hard but we believe in working hard here in the pedal to the metal as they say and so thank you Cherith and Keith and I think they're going to be accompanied by our musicians behind as well and so Cherith is going to sing her two songs just now. What gifts of grace is Jesus my Redeemer? There is no more for heaven now to give He is my joy, my righteousness and freedom My steadfast love, my deep and boundless peace To this I hold, my hope is only Jesus For my life is wholly bound to His Oh, how strange and divine I can see All is mine, yet not I, but through Christ in me The night is dark, but I am not forsaken, for by my sight the Savior, He will say, I labor on. In weakness and rejoicing For in my need His power is displaced To this I hold My shepherd will defend me Through the deepest valley He will lead Oh, the night has been won, and I shall overcome Yet not I, but through Christ in me No fate I dread, I know I am forgiven The future sure, the price it has been paid For Jesus bled and suffered for my pardon And he was raised to overthrow the grave To this I hold, my sin has been defeated Jesus now Oh, the chains are released, I can see I am free, and all I've got through Christ in With every breath I long to follow Jesus For He has said that He will bring me home And day by day I know He will renew me Until I stand with joy before His throne To this I hold, my hope is only Jesus, all the glory When the race is complete, still my lips shall repeat, Yet not I, but through Christ in me. To this I hold, my hope is only Jesus, All the glory evermore to Him. When the race is complete, still my lips It shall repeat, yet not I, but through Christ in me. Yet not I, but through Christ in me. Yet not I, but through Christ in me. Empty and broken I came to Him A vessel unworthy And so scarred from sin He did not despair He started over again And I bless the day He didn't throw the clay away And over and over He molds me and makes me into His likeness. He fashions the clay, a vessel of honor I am today. Because Jesus didn't throw the clay away For He is the potter and I am the clay Molded in God's image He wants me to stay When I stumble and fall And my vessel breaks He just picks up those pieces He doesn't throw the clay away Over and over He molds me and makes me Into His likeness He fashions the clay A vessel of honor I am today Oh, because Jesus didn't throw the clay away A vessel of honor I am today Oh, because Jesus Didn't throw the clay away Thank you very much for that ministry Cherith. I know that that was really blessed and we know that those songs were very very blessed to many that have been listening. Thank God he doesn't throw the clay away. Thank God he gives us a second chance. God gives us a second opportunity, and he's not the God who throws the clay away. We want to just bow for a moment of prayer. We want to pray for a few issues and a few folk. Remember those who are in hospital. Remember Paul McConnell. Paul was watching online this morning, and I know he'd rather be here than there, but nevertheless, Paul, we are praying for you. And we're also praying for Sidney Johnson. Charlie Turner, we're praying for others. I want to remember the families that have been bereaved, and you know who they are, Louis Orr's family, as they mourn his passing, and also then Michelle Brown and the passing of her mum. And the other folk that are battling with sickness, and whatever, we trust that the Lord will meet their need. Let's pray together for prayer before we go any further. Our Father, we thank you that you do not throw the clay away. We thank you that you come again and again to us. You minister to us, Lord, by your spirit. We ask, thank you, Lord, that you are merciful, you're a forgiving and a gracious God. And Father, we pray as we gather together in unto your word, we ask, Lord, that you will speak powerfully upon into our hearts through it. Remember, Lord, those that we've mentioned just now. We pray to your God that where they are and whatever they may be, wherever their situation takes them, Lord, whatever the case might be, we ask, Lord, that you most definitely those needs. We ask it in Christ's name and for his sake. Amen. We are going to read two passages of scripture that are in the first of all the New Testament. First of all 1 Peter chapter 2 and Hebrews chapter 5. So 1 Peter chapter 2 and we're going to read a few verses there and then we're going to read from Hebrews and chapter 5. Just a few verses of God's Word as we think about this subject that we're and tackling into today. First of all, 1 Peter chapter two, and we're going to read the first four verses, please, or first five verses of 1 Peter chapter two, just to bring us into a part of the theme that we're in this evening as we've been continuing for the last number of weeks about these gates and walls, and we'll explain that in a few moments' time. Here's what it says in God's word, 1 Peter chapter two, verse one, wherefore laying aside all malice and all gail and hypocrisies and envies, and all evil speakings, as newborn babes desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby. If so be ye have tasted that the Lord is gracious. Or in other words, if you have tasted of the grace of God, then you will gladly leave those things behind you. To whom coming as unto a living stone Disallowed indeed by men, but chosen of God and precious, ye also as lively stones are built up a spiritual house and holy priesthood to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God by Christ Jesus. And then going over there to Hebrews and the chapter 5, please. Hebrews and chapter 5. And we have a number of verses that we want to read there. Hebrews chapter 5, and we're reading verses 12 to the end of the chapter. Hebrews chapter five and verses 12 to the end of the chapter, and it says these words. For when, for the time ye ought to be teachers, ye need that one teach you again, which be the first principles of the oracles of God, and are become such as need of milk, and not of strong meat. For everyone that useth milk is unskillful in the word of righteousness, for he is a babe. but strong meat belongeth to them that are of full age. even those who by reason of use of their senses exercised to discern both good and evil. And then just over to our base text, which is over there in Nehemiah chapter six, verses 15 and 16. And I'm sure you will know these verses off by heart. You've read them so often. And it says there, so the wall was finished in the 20 and fifth day of the month Elul in 50 and two days. came to pass that when all our enemies heard thereof and all the heathen that were about to saw these things that they were much cast down in their own eyes for they perceived this work was wrought of our God. Well you know that we're dealing with a man called Nehemiah. And right at the start when he heard of the downfall of Jerusalem, his beloved city, and how the walls were broken down and the gates were off their hinges, something impacted. In fact, we know what it was. It was the hand of God on Nehemiah. And it moved him to do something about the circumstances in which he found himself. And then, of course, you know what we were going through. He went and he sought out and looked out the city, and he saw where the need was, and he began that work. And as we read together just now, the work was done in 52 days. A supernatural act of God. But you know the slant that we've been taking on this, that Jerusalem actually is a hub of worship and praise, and we've been taking it even a wee bit more personal, and it's to deal with our own hearts, our own spirit, our own attitude in worship and praise, and how all the gates and walls in our own lives have been broken down. And we brought you around the gates. We took you first of all to the Sheep Gate. The Sheep Gate, you couldn't get into the city. That was the way you came. You had to bring your sacrificial lamb before you get into Jerusalem. Of course, that speaks of salvation. Then we went to the Fish Gate. Fish Gate means where we go and tell of what the Lord has done for us. And then we went to the Old Gate. Discipline, discipleship. God didn't tell us to go out and make decisions. like the gospel meetings weren't like cattle marks. Who will give me more and who will give me more? No, God's discipleship is to consolidate, build up your foundations and get to know what you're into and what you're about. And then of course, then there was the valley gate. We go through the lows on the highs, but we go through the lows. Just because you become a Christian doesn't mean to say it's going to be all easy. And so we looked at the low gate. That time where, and thank God for the low gate, that we can bring our burdens, we can bring our heartaches, we can bring our troubles, we can bring our trials, we can bring our distresses, take them to the Lord and leave them there. Thank God that there's a gate through which we can go where we can get rid of our burdens. We can bring a burden to the Lord and leave them there. And so there was the low gate and there was the, oh sorry, the valley gate. Not the low gate, the valley gate. Then we went to the fountain gate. The fountain not of blood, but the fountain where it was the perennial source of water for those that lived within the city. Ezekiel had made a special tunnel to get to this fountain because it was the most precious of all commodities and the situation in which they were, where you come and get restored, refreshed, revived. Obviously, speaking of the Holy Spirit, the times of refreshing will come from the hand of the Lord, that perennial source that never, never runs out and never goes dry. Now we come to the water gate. You'll find the water gate in Nehemiah 3 in verse 26. Nehemiah chapter 3 and verse 26. Now if you noticed, if you take a map of Jerusalem, you'll notice you start in the top right-hand corner of Jerusalem and you move anti-clockwise. You're moving from northeast around towards northwest and down to the south, and now we're coming around to the east. The fountain gate led to a provision. All of these gates weren't a provision of themselves. These gates led to the provision. And you know that the Lord Jesus is our gate. He's our avenue. He's our route. He's the avenue, the route by which we can obtain these blessings. And oftentimes, he is the blesser himself, of course. The fountain gate led to provision of perennial, of personal nature which resulted in a national blessing. The water gate blessing was for national use that led to personal blessing. It provided for irrigation and watering of the plants and the crops and vegetation within the city. It was directly related to their sustenance. hunger and thirst. Therefore, through the fountain gate and the water gate were well catered for. Let me read to you what it says in Isaiah 55 verses 1 to 4. Oh, everyone who thirsts, come to the waters. And you who have no money, come by and eat. Yes, come by wine and milk without money and without price. Why do you spend money for that which is not bread and your wages for that which does not satisfy? Listen carefully to me says the Lord and eat what is good and let your soul delight itself in abundance or in the King James in fatness. Incline your ear and come to me here and your soul shall live and I will make an everlasting covenant with you the sure mercies of David. Indeed I have given him as a witness to the people a leader and commander for the people. Again, pointing us to the essential source and resource that the water gate was. They had something that met their thirst, the fountain gate. but there's also something that catered for the thriving of their lives. There's something to satisfy their lives, but there's also something to sustain their lives, and that's not true of the Christian life. Haven't we got something that satisfies, that we know the infilling and the empowering and the restoring and reviving of the Holy Spirit, but we also have something that feeds the soul, which is the word of God. Listen to what the Lord Jesus said. Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of the Lord. God's word feeds our soul. That's what Peter was talking about. That's what the writer of Hebrews was talking about. God's word is manna for the hungry soul. God's word guides us, feeds us, enlightens us, inspires us, directs us, defines us, describes us, and defends us. Luke chapter four, Matthew chapter four, we see what Jesus used against the enemy who assailed his soul. He used the word of God. Man shall not live by bread alone, he said to Satan, but by every word. The word of God is the sword of the spirit, fending off every attack against our souls. The psalmist said, thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee. The disciple said to Jesus, who was the word, to whom else can we turn to? Listen to this, my dear friends. This is why this is so important. The Word of God is much more important than physical food. The Word of God is much more important than that big T-bone steak that you love to get your teeth into every now and again when you can afford it. The Word of God is much more important than the Christmas turkey dinner. Poor turkey. The Word of God is much more important and much more vital than our natural food. The Word of God says that. But why do we discard it? Why do we treat it so haphazardly? Why are we so careless when it is so vital? Because we're lazy Christians. We want to be spoon-fed. I don't believe that we've understood fully what it means, what it truly, what it really means, and what it means to the soul who's into the Word. God's word tells us who he is. God's word tells us what he is like. God tells us of his ways. God's word tells us of his will. God's word tells us where he may be found, how he may be found. God's word tells us all about him, what he can do, what he has done, and what he's going to do. We often say, oh, I've got faith. I want to tell you the word of God feeds our faith. It feeds our faith. Listen, there is something invigorating takes place within us when we learn and discover new things about God. How many times have you, like myself, and that's why I agonized for 36 hours over the message, over a little text that I preached on yesterday morning. I was agonizing for 36 hours because I thought I knew my way around that little text, until God impacted my heart and said, there's something deeper in this that you need to discover. How many times have you done that? How many times have you come to God's word and it showed you something new about God? Whenever the Lord Jesus was here on this earth, he allowed circumstances like the wind and the storm that blew up whenever in the boat in the Sea of Galilee. And they beheld something new about Jesus. Well, God doesn't work like that anymore. Of course he may do, but he takes his word and he shows us new things about who he is. It feeds our faith. Isn't there something invigorating about when you look back, just like the walls around Berlin, we wondered how could they ever come down? How could they be ever penetrated? And then in one day, the walls were down. God does that with his word. I'm not saying that the word of God brought the walls of Berlin down. What I am saying is, oftentimes we see, we have to navigate around difficult circumstances or situations, and we don't know what counsel to give to a loved one or a friend. But all of a sudden, God's word comes and jumps out at us. I say to you, there's nothing as invigorating as whenever God reveals himself through his word. Blessed are the pure in heart. for they shall see God. It causes us to believe. It causes us to expect. It causes us to experience. It causes us to enjoy. It causes us to engage with God or in God for the greater, the better, and the more blessed, doesn't it? It tells you what God can do, and then we say, Lord, you did this before, why not do it again? experience. Not that I might necessarily live from one mountain top experience to the other because we're not here seeking for experiences. No, we want to see God. It's not true. God's word gives us more scope as to the greatness of our God. So many people have God in a little box and why have you got God in a little box? Because you're not a man or a As we read earlier on, Peter says in 1 Peter 2, as newborn babes desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby, if so that ye have tasted that the Lord is gracious. Not only does God's word feed our faith, but God's word describes to us the features of our faith. fear grips your heart. Hands up. No, don't know hands up because there's only a few hands in the church. But a many times has fear gripped your heart. Fear for your future. Or fear of the past. Or fear and circumstances in your life. And fear grips your heart. I want to tell you, God's word brings perspective. And it plots a way through the difficulties in life. This is the way he says. Walk ye in it. God's Word gives us a clear path through this derelict world. It gives us tools to fight against temptation. I remember I was in a meeting once quite a number of years ago in Ballymena High and there was about 200 people in the wee church in the mission and there was this wee baldy man sitting at the front. And he says, hands up those of you who have never sinned. And the wee man at the very front put up his hand and he says, put your hand down, you're a liar. And tell you what, there's not one of us haven't been confronted by the enemy of our souls, the devil, and he tempts us. And there are three enemies to your soul, the world, the flesh, and the devil. Tempted to digress, tempted to fulfill and satisfy the old flesh, tempted to do our own thing. God's word tells us of the features of our faith. gives us a tool against temptation, discouragement. Oh, discouragement. Be not weary in well-doing, for in due season you shall reap if you faint not. It gives us, helps us to fight against despair and distress. When we're confused, it makes straight paths for our feet. Let me just list, I'm not getting at you husbands, by the way, but mainly, if you do feel a slap on the cross of the ear, then you receive it as given of the Lord. Husbands, love your wives just as Christ loved the church and gave himself for her that he might sanctify and cleanse her, what with the washing of the water by the word that he might present her to himself a glorious church. Now, I'm not asking you to forget about the wholesome and wise aspect there, but just think of that. The washing of the water by the word, so that he may present us to himself a glorious church. You see, whenever I look into this word, it's like looking into a mirror. It tells me what I'm like. It describes my heart. I see all the blemishes. I see all the flaws. I mean, nowadays, I have the problem with glasses to shave, because I don't know whether I'm half shaved or not. God's word is like a mirror. It describes my heart. Oh, listen, I might measure myself up against others, and I might say, oh, I'm not half bad according to what other people are living like. But listen, you're looking at the wrong measurement. God's word, God's word. So it shows our sin, and when it applied to our hearts, it acts like a detergent. How indispensable is the word of God to us? Can I ask, Those of you who are listening on, those in the church, how well used is the Watergate in your life? How often have you gone through the Watergate? Is there an established time where you come before God seriously, honestly, humbly, seekingly? God, I'm hungry for you. I find times people, they say, Lord, I'm hungry for you, but really what they're looking for is a hungry for an experience. But when you're hungry for God, it takes, you prioritize your time and you get down before God and say, Lord, I'm gonna do this. I'm gonna establish a settled time where I'm gonna get you and I'm gonna get my family around this word of God and I'm gonna apply it to my heart. Here's what Isaiah said, and I love this, Isaiah 12 and three. Therefore with joy you will draw water from the wells of salvation. Isaiah 44, three to four says, for I will pour water on him that is thirsty and floods on the dry ground. I will pour my spirit on your descendants and my blessing on your offspring. We want our offspring blessed. It's only blessed as we come into God's word. I want you to see, and this is why I'm laboring this point, I want you to see the close relationship there is between the fountain gate and the water gate, the reason that they're close by. is one feeds on the other. One speaks of the Holy Spirit, the other speaks of the Word of God. Listen to what R.T. Kendall says. I remember reading in a book some time ago, and I knew I remembered the quote somewhere, and I went and I looked it up again. Here's what R.T. Kendall says. Where you have all spirit and no word, you tend to blow up. and where you have all word and no spirit, you tend to dry up. But if we have spirit and the word, we tend to grow up and fire up. When each are joined together in common union, there is explosive power to be had. Sometimes people are seeking for experience and it's all chandeliers and little touching the earth. And oftentimes when we're so taken up and become top-heavy with knowledge and intellect, we starve the spirit. There is a real close relationship between the fountain gate and the water gate. The word of God is the sword of the Spirit, says Paul in Ephesians 6 and 17. Take on the helmet of the salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. Hebrews 4.12, for the word of God is alive and active, sharper than any double-edged sword, penetrates even to the dividing of soul and spirit and joint and marrows. It judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart. And I'll finish with the horse gate today. We go to Nehemiah chapter three, it's the next gate after the water gate. Nehemiah chapter three in verse 28, these are the gates that were completed. For above the horse gate repaired the priests, every one over against his house. In Nehemiah's day, whoever the most horses had the biggest army, not only had the mightiest army. What did you need an army for? Well, one thing for sure, To be a Jew meant you had many enemies. You certainly needed an army. There was scarcely been a city that had experienced more battles and wars, more intrusions and more incursions, and more sieges than Jerusalem. Esther and I had the privilege of going with a cousin of mine and his wife, and also his church, led by the Reverend David McElveen, brought us to the Holy Land. Remember, as we were staying in Jerusalem, we were brought to a lights show in Jerusalem. And what this lights show did was showed the history of Jerusalem and the many wars and battles and fights that they'd been involved in. It was something to behold in the Western Wall as these lights showed the different battles and the different conflicts that Jerusalem had been through over their hundreds and hundreds of years. And here's how many wars and battles they've been in. They've been attacked 42 times. They've been 44 times recaptured, 23 times besieged, and twice destroyed. It tells us a story about Jerusalem. The enemy hates the people of God. That's why the Bible tells us we are to pray for Jerusalem. I find it quite obnoxious that Christians would speak ill against the Jews. I find that quite painful. They would side on the side of the Palestinians. Now, I'm not going into anything political here, but my Bible tells me to pray for Jerusalem. My Bible tells me that they're the apple of God's eye. And because of the apple of God's eye, the enemy is attacked and attacked and attacked. Now this tells me a story because we've been personalizing these gates. And we've been applying Jerusalem as to the worship, the citadel of our hearts where we worship God. And I'm gonna tell you, and I believe this because it's my experience, whenever I became a Christian, it was only then that I knew I had opposition. It was only then that I knew the enemy was seeking for my downfall. Listen, we are in a spiritual warfare. We're in devil-held territory. We're in demon-possessed land, and I do not agree with those who pooh-pooh the idea that we're in demon-held land, because we are in enemy territory. We are not home. Paul says, we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities and powers, and spiritual wickedness is in high place. And the very first attack against humanity was demonic. Satan entered into the garden. Who is Satan? The shining angel that fell because of pride that filled his heart because he wanted to take over heaven. And he must have thought he could do so. And he must have been so powerful to think that he could do so. In fact, why would the Word of God tell us in Matthew chapter 18 and verse 18, whoever you bend on earth or whatever you bend on earth will be bend in heaven, whatsoever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven. It is not for you and I to raise an army to fight for God. I want to remind you of this. You and I have been enlisted in the army of God by virtue of our conversion for soul winning, serving, and following, and that's all part of the conflict. You wonder why the Christian life is so difficult? Because we're in a war zone. We're not home yet. Why is it that your first thought, when life is tough, that all you want to do is give up? Do you ever wonder why there's so much strife within the family of God? Have you ever heard of so much division going on within the church of today? I mean, I've heard of people fighting over they didn't want to sit where they're being put, over this social distancing thing. That's my seat and I'm sitting there. Does it matter? And I'm going to tell you, husbands and wives, now I'm on a wee bit of a tangent. Some of us husbands and wives aren't, some husbands and wives aren't wise enough to the enemy's tactics. Because whenever he's getting at you to get at each other's throats, he's really getting at your children. trying to destroy your home. You wonder, dear father, dear mother, why your kids have gone so rebellious and become so difficult? You wonder why society and community is so ugly? You wonder why so many spiritual giants seem to be laying flat in the gutters of shame and disgrace? How many times have we heard of a pastor running off with this woman or a pastor running off with another man? My dear friends, listen, we are in a war zone. It's time we wakened up to that. I don't know why so few people are putting their hand to the plough. The enemy's making sure that those who are willing will be overworked. It may be that some of them perhaps, maybe some here, some listening, have forgotten about this horse gate. We have a fight to fight, we have a battle to win. Perhaps because you've neglected your armor, perhaps you've discounted the enemy's ability, or perhaps the implication of this gate is maybe too costly. Why is it then that many of Christian hemonry has songs about onward Christian soldiers? Fight the good fight, stand up, stand up for Jesus. Those are the two gates. We're going to get excited next week. Not that I don't get excited all the time. We're going to get excited next week because we're going to be looking at the east gate. Christ is coming. I'm going to tell you about what the enemy has sought to do to prevent him from coming through that gate. I'm not going to steal my own thunder just now. But be sure, we have a battle on our hands, but God's word is the sword of the Spirit. Now, we're going to sing our closing song, and that is, Seek Ye First. I'm going to ask Cherith and Keith to come and help us do this. Seek ye first the kingdom of God and his righteousness. Man shall not live by bread alone, as can it shall be given unto you. We're going to sing together these lovely truths. Seek ye first the kingdom of God. And I trust that you've maybe heard from God's word, maybe you've heard God through his word today, and that you would seek to get on your knees and make it a priority in your heart and in your home and in your family to be better equipped then for the horse gate, this battle that God has enlisted you into by virtue of your conversion. And so maybe this song, this song could be your response. Seek ye first the kingdom of God, and His righteousness, and no mistake shall be added unto you. Allelu, Alleluia. Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia, ♪ That proceeds from the mouth of God ♪ ♪ Allelu, Alleluia ♪ ♪ And shall be my praise at all ♪ ♪ By every root ♪ ♪ That proceeds from the mouth of God ♪ Allelu, Alleluia. Love and it shall be given unto you. It shall be good unto you, sin that ye shall find. All can return, shall be good unto you. Allelu, Alleluia. Let's just close with a word of prayer. May God grant us help, grant us the aid, grant us the sense of courage, the determination to go through with Him, to get those gates working well, that we may see the glory of God once again established in our lands and in our hearts. Father, we thank you that you sensitively, you carefully, Handle our hearts. You speak into our innermost beings. You touch us where we need to be touched. You teach us where we need to be taught. You inspire us where we need to be inspired. You help us, Lord, where we need to be helped. You heal us where we hurt. You touch us, Lord. Reach out and touch the Lord as he goes by. You'll find he's not too busy to hear your heart's cry. He's passing by this moment. You need to supply. Reach out and touch the Lord. Perhaps, Lord, somewhere in a home, in a care home, perhaps, Lord, somewhere in a hospital bed. Perhaps, Lord, if it's in this building, someone's reaching out. Thank you, Lord, where there's a seeking soul, there is a seeking Savior. and Lord, blessing will result. We ask your blessing now as we separate in Jesus' mighty name. Amen. Thank you for tuning in this evening. We trust that you have been blessed. Can I remind you, next Sunday morning, God willing, with weather permitting, we'll be in the Draven car park in North Hill, and then five o'clock, we'll have our communion service here and the live stream service. God bless you. May you have a good evening, and we'll see you again soon. Bye now.