YP Address—H. Short
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That's well the rest started getting #169. Or Lord, we can see by faith in the.
The cost, That's right. Unfailing, where God shall shine in light, divine in glory, never fading, a whole of all peace and love close to thy holy person. Thy St. shall there see glory there and shine as thy reflection.
Both how we face the chains to verse that weigh our spirits downward. And there's we flow and loves full glow.
Where parts lifetime and surrounded. And then I would like to send the last three verses of them #169 I have on my heart, especially verse five no more viewed. I chosen few in selfish choice divided by drinking teeth. The living grace that gave them hearts united the last three verses 4-5 and six.
#169 and when someone starts that please.
No more.
Have a loving God and Father. We ask thee, as we're here this afternoon, for a few minutes to open thy holy bird, and that there would be a word from the We ask for help and ministry, and we ask for help in the reception.
Of chemistry. We pay our God and Father for the glory and in the name of our precious Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ.
And this has been denoted a young people's address, and I would like to particularly concentrate my comments towards the younger brothers and sisters here.
We, we see an expectation to abide that emphasis. Perhaps two or three times during the reading that we've had, I would like to turn to the book of Acts to establish what's on my heart.
Acts 20 where the Apostle Paul speaks to the elders at opposite. And I know we are not speaking this afternoon with a burden on my heart for elders, but I what I would like to draw from this portion of God's word is to help us to understand.
Do you different aspects of the Assembly of God? Many aspects of the Assembly of God found in the word of God and in Ephesians we've had before. I start the eternal Council and that which will not fail and and cannot fail because it's God's word only. But here in Acts 20 another aspect of the Assembly of God is brought before us. It's the same church.
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It's absurd. It's the same assembly, but another aspect or view.
Our way of looking at the assembly. And so in Acts 20 the apostle had called off the elders from the Church of Ephesus and he says in verse 28.
Therefore unto yourselves. And here we are alerted that there's something on the apostles heart that you don't have to take heed to the eternal counsels of God. You don't have to have a fear about those councils failing.
Work on the apostles heart. On this occasion there is a danger, and he is addressing those responsible ones in the assembly at Ephesus to take he And here is what he says to them in the end of verse 2018. Or shepherd the Church of God. I want to consider the assembly this afternoon as that which needs shepherding, that which needs care and that which may not.
Remain intact down here on earth. And so he is referring to the Church of God and he says, which he had purchased with his own blood, or the blood of his own, he might say. And even in this aspect of the Assembly of God, it's looked at as that precious thing that Christ has redeemed with his own blood, or the blood of his own Son, we might say here.
Where the hell on my heart is this? 29 For I go there, that after mighty party shall grievous worlds enter in among you, not staring the flock. Now I want to talk about the assembly as a flaw gathered to the Lord Jesus. But.
Not secure there the flock that is in danger of wolves coming in. And the Lord Jesus describes the work and character of the wolf was that it? It sees the sheep and scattered the flock, and that's what's on my heart this afternoon.
You know that aspect of the assembly as a gathering unto the name of the Lord Jesus Christ that is not secured to you in the eternal counsels of God. You can look at the little battery here and and then their necessity, and see that most of the flock of God is not gathered together unto the name of the Lord Jesus Christ.
This aspect of the Assembly of God.
Has affected many of our lives in this room, young friends and believers. You know, we weren't always great there. And meeting meetings this afternoon and this morning, 'cause I listened to the brothers, I would like to have said the older brother. Some of them were older, some were not enough older for me to be further as older veterans, but once they were where you are now and they didn't come into the enjoyment and an understanding.
And the knowledge of the truth that they ministered to our soul by the path of ease and indifference, and without an interest in the Assembly of God. As the gathering aspect of the Assembly of God, it has changed many of our lives. When I learned about the assembly of the gathering of two or three together into the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, it affected my whole life, affiliated my whole life.
It changed my whole outlook on life and determined.
Decisions. The major decisions I made in my life as a young man were affected by this aspect of the Assembly. So, young friends, because you and I are here today, I would like to speak of us. I don't know if you've been gathered, but you've been associated with the Gathering. Because you're here today. It doesn't mean you will be here tomorrow if you're a member of the Body of Christ.
You'll always be part of that body, but you may not always be a part of the assembly and the aspect that the Apostle is referring to it. Here he said that some would be blown away, and then some would come under the work of wolves and would be scattered. After his departure. I would like to turn to the Old Testament and look up.
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Look at a passage in the in the book of Zechariah toward the end of the Old Testament.
They consider and because it is designated for the younger believers. I would like to look at a few things in the first two chapters of Zechariah, because it's looked at here as something that that nation was looked at here as something that could be scattered. And why is that? My heart, beloved, you know, it causes me great joy to go from here to there and see believers.
That were there when I came into fellowship. They're still in the gathering and it. Recently I went through some old letters and broke my heart to read letters that I had written to brothers when I was a young man of 22 and 24 years old who are no longer in the assembly, looked at as in a gathering. They're still members of the body of Christ, but they left or were taken away.
From the gathering, and that's what's on my heart. I belong. The longing of my heart could never be satisfied, however long the Lord Jesus leads you here, that young men and young women have thought I could never personally be satisfied if you're going away from this assembly, because this assembly is where Christ is in the midst. And I might say there are two things about the assembly in this character.
That Christ is in the midst, and the other is that those who are gathered there have been gathered soul by the Spirit of God. It requires those two things. It requires the gathering power of the Spirit of God in the lives of two or three.
And Christ's name as the gathering center it must be.
A work of the Spirit of God, and because I believe it is a work of the Spirit of God.
That's why it's precious to me, because I thought it was just.
A group of brethren that got this thing together and we're holding it together.
It wouldn't mean anything to me, but if it is in fact the work of the Spirit of God, I honor it and it's precious to my soul. And I would like you to finish your course.
Down here in that assembly, and so here in Zechariah 1.
If the prophet, we might speak about Zachariah. He lived in the days of Ezra. Nehemiah Israel had been carried into Babylonian captivity and it says of this man in the days of Ezra that the children of Israel prospered, prospered under his prophecy. Under Haggai and Zacharias are prophesying, they prospered. I thought of that when the bedroom was speaking to us this morning about prosperity.
Then the Apollo Rd. to Timothy. He told them the secrets of prosperity that is prospering might appear to all. It wasn't his bank account the apostle was referring to, it was giving himself to the things of God. So I want to call attention first to chapter 2.
And call your attention while I justify my heart. So there's a young man in verse four, And he says to this young man it says in verse four, and said unto him, Run, speak to this young man, saying, Jerusalem shall be inhabited.
All I want to call you attention to is we're going to talk about young men and young women this afternoon. Recently I had about I want to talk about four a young man. When I say young man, I want to include young sisters too. So four of them, groups of four. Recently I've had been brought into the presence of two groups of four young men and on both occasions one man, one of the young men, were asking 3 young men many questions the first occasion.
That what I referred to was my wife and I went to doctors appointment in Iowa City and we were eating in a restaurant. In the booth next to us there were four young men talking.
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And I listened to their conversation. One of them was just similar to myself. The other three were and were closed, but the other three were interviewing this young man, just like myself for employment.
Man, I pick up from their conversation. They had just established a business with getting it on their feet and I take this 30. This fourth young man would have been some kind of design engineer or something. Looking forward with this young company, this young man who was being interviewed, he was telling them what he would be willing to contribute to their young companies. He was willing to sacrifice. He was willing to.
Work hours that they would require of him.
As long as he said, I'm not afraid of work. I want to show you what I can do, but what I want to see is the result of my labor. That's what he was interested in. That was four young men. What I want you to think about that young thing this afternoon. Your life is ahead of you. Someone's interviewing you for a life occupation.
What do you want out of this interview? You want something that's going to make you rich in this world?
Prominent in this world, where are you going to give your life for?
Can you hesitate to talk about the other four young men, but I'm going to talk about them. Sometimes we talk about our young folks so negatively. This is a wonderful story that I had the privilege of watching and hearing with my own eyes.
There was young one young brother and he was talking to three young brothers who were seeking who were there. They were married young men. They have family and this young man who's also married and with a family, he said.
It's hard for me to believe that you would have this interest in me and have this interest in us that I know as young parents and as having your own houses, that you've got everything that your time demands, That he just was impressed that these three young men were sacrificing their life, their time, their energy.
For this sake.
I'll tell you why. First three young men were there because they value the Assembly of God. People gathered to the precious name of the Lord Jesus and it had influenced their life this evening. They had state an impact and a change in their lives, engaged in different values and different pursuits in their lives than the first four young men.
That I referred to young friends and my heart this afternoon is that you would go away from this assembly, looking at the gathering, the assembly and the aspect of the galaxies as something were adjusting your life priorities for and putting it first in those priorities. Well, here Zechariah prophesied the time Israel had been scattered.
The fathers. Those who've gone on before.
Hadn't hearkened to the Lord, and God's governmental ways came upon them. And I'd like to go down to Thursday, and it says here, And I saw by night, and behold a man riding upon a red horse. Then he stood among the Myrtle trees that were in the bottom and behind them, where their red horses speckled and white, or red speckled and white pusher.
What is the dreamy for us is that Israel that represented in the Myrtle tree. The Myrtle tree represents according guys there and Nehemiah a time of blessing for Israel. When they keep the feast of Tabernacles they will get leaves off the Myrtle tree and build their booth. And it speaks of the Sabbath that awaits on earth for the people of God. But they have so far from realizing the Sabbath of God.
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Falling under the government of God and the Gentile powers were trotting them on their foot. The Gentile powers, the throne, had been removed from Jerusalem.
Nebuchadnezzar had been set up. He failed and God thrown on earth. Jerusalem was gone and that people came under the dominion and control of the gentile nation.
Well, it's something akin to that in the assembly today, you know, in the early church who went on the Apostle Dawson fellowship, the bacon of bread and and prayers. And they continued in those things that made them have such a separated people that no man dared join himself to them. But as time went on, the assembly failed. It has failed and it is a failure.
And all kinds of corruptions have entered in and associated itself with the Church of God.
Ruin has come in. It isn't walking in those early days of the church. How it walked in those days at 242 is not the ground of gathering. It's a state of soul that the early church briefly enjoyed. Well, here are these horses, these powers, these strengths that have dominion over the people of God.
And then there was this man, I think this Angel is fugitive of the Lord Jesus, and he's taken an interest now in the people of God and particularly Jerusalem. And it says, I said to verse nine, oh, my Lord, what are these? And the Angel that talked with me said unto me, I will show thee what these things be. I'd like you to think about that young man listening to this message to be delivered to Zechariah, the young man in the next chapter that we'll look a bit at.
He's listening to this message and he says.
In verse 11 They answered the Angel of the Lord that stirred among the Myrtle trees and said we have walked in troll through the earth and behold all your cities still in is at rest. Now here's the picture. The Gentiles would come in power and authority over the Jews. Jerusalem was in a miserable condition and the gentile nation were at ease and at rest, and they weren't concerned one bit about God's earthly center.
And that's the world that you live in, I used to think, you know, And we had Tuesday night reading the Thursday night prayer meeting. I couldn't wait for meeting night. Sometimes I have to confess, I kind of wish there hadn't been a meeting that night. I only had that wish before the meeting, never once after the meeting that I have, That wish that there wasn't a meeting that night. Because I went to those meetings and I was encouraged. And I lived with the Saints of my soul.
This company I work for was not born to encourage me in the path of faith, but that assembly. When I would go there, I might go there really wishing I could stay home and do some project that was pressing. But I went and I came away thankful that I went. But the world that you and I live in, young friends, is not going to encourage you to take one interest in the assembly of the gathering things. It's going to Marshall its forces.
Against you and oppose you and keep you from taking an interest in Jerusalem. I speak in a figure that gathering center. You know, I have two gathering centers, Shiloh and Jerusalem. I think they will merge when Christ reestablishes his throne in Jerusalem and according to Genesis 49 when Shiloh comes. I think that probably might suggest I got this from a younger brother.
The responsibility side of the Gathering and Zion, Jerusalem. God sovereign side of the Gathering. You know, we're here mostly this afternoon because of God's sight of the Gathering, even because we haven't done any better than the fathers in the beginning of this chapter. But God is sovereignly preserved, the Gathering for you and I to take an interest in. I hope you've taken an interest in it. The world is not interested in it. They're at ease.
And the Angel of the Lord answered and said in verse 12. Oh, Lord, of course, how long will thou not have mercy on Jerusalem, that on the cities of Judah again switch, Thou hath had indignation? These three score, and 10 years and 70 years.
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God has brought his government upon this city, and they were feeling that, you know.
We ought to feel the Lords hand on us in times of division. You know, explorer, my soul recently smite the shepherd and the sheep shall be scattered. I know that about the Lord Jesus, but it has been principle, and that's what Paul's encouraging those elders. He's saying these shepherds, because if the shepherd is smitten, the sheep are going to be scattered.
Come into my life in the assembly, I have to look at myself and say, has my failure been shepherding, contributed to this pattern? And I have to say, yes, Lord Jesus.
It might have been missing.
And I am different in my character as a shepherd. It's all here, we find that.
There were seven years of government upon the people. Verse 13. The Lord answered the Angel to talk with me with good words and comfortable words for comforting words. And that's what I want to talk about, at least. These uncomforting words, encouraging words in a day of room, and God's governmental hand may have been upon it. There's comforting words for us.
And here's where he says so. The Angel that communed with me, I wonder if thinking of the Angel is representing the Lord Jesus, be a commune with the Lord to me. You know, it's a wonderful thing to be personally acquainted with the Lord, you know. And they told you, I told Samuel, You say, speak, Lord, for that I serve and hear it, and Samuel wouldn't do that.
He's going to say something that wasn't cured him. He hadn't come into that relationship with the Lord that's knowing the Lord as the Lord of his life. So he said, Steve, but I save here, the family didn't stay that way. He went on to know the Lord and he went on to stand in the breach between God's sins, the sins of God's people and God. And God raised him up with a prophet to whom?
God could speak. See, you know about communion in your own life with the Lord. It's wonderful to have that and to have fellowship with. But you know, there's something in your personal life, a personal communion with the Lord Jesus. He wants it. You know, when we were raising our children, there's a delight to me to have one of my little kids just learning to walk, to reach up and take my hand. What did he know about being a father?
What did he know about being a husband? Didn't know any of that. Well, today they know what it is to be a father and a husband and a brother in the assembly, and our communion is much fuller and deeper. But I enjoy being able to reach down and take a little one. It isn't a question of knowledge, but do you have communion with the Lord? Does he have access to your heart? Does he have a new one to whom he can communicate?
For us, we're all, you know, we're all very, very simple.
In our soul. Well, he says he was displeased in verse 15. I'm very sorry. Displeased with the nations, the heathen that are at ease for all of but a little displeased, that is with Israel. And they held forward to affliction. You know, it's a serious thing to raise your hand against the people of God. God may have a controversy with them, but you better know, and these Gentile nations were more than willing to be involved in the hand of Jehovah.
Honest people. And when they fulfill that, they settle down and ease. And they did not care about God's people. All young friends, I tell you, color they they love for God's people. Well, he says in verse 16. Therefore thou saith, the Lord, I am returned to Jerusalem with mercy. My heart shall be building it, saith the Lord. And now notice this expression, saith the Lord of hosts. That's always used in connection with the remnant, And a line shall be stretched forth upon it. Now think of our young men hearing these words.
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Going to be stretched for it upon it. What's he doing, this young man? Well, I want to go on. We spoke about four men. I want to call our attention to them. We had down in verse.
18 Then lifted up my eyes, and saw, Behold, 4 horns, Here is one company of four They are men, their nations. And I said unto the Angel that talked with me, What be these? And he answered me, These are horns which have scattered Judah, Israel, and Jerusalem.
There were men in the form of nation.
But now we read about four others here September 20, and the Lord showed me 4 carpenters.
Here, here are builders. These are people who understand that there are builders, but it's kind of interesting about them. In verse 21 it says things that I would tell these to do. And he stayed saying, these are the horns which scattered Judah, that is the four horns so that no man did lift up his head. And these, that is the four carpenters are come to play or to fight or to cast out the horns of the Gentiles.
There were four you might say now energies depicted in young men or young women and they said we're going to use our energy to see that the things of God remain intact, that they be gathered to the Lords name at Jerusalem. Well they have these four horns to fight against. I thought whether I wouldn't have said carpenters if I were writing the Bible but there are lots of things that the Bible says that I wouldn't have written.
I would have used.
Nights or soldiers or something like carpenters. To others the Lord Jesus was a Carpenter. How are you going to help to gather things to stay together? It's a little while we have left is by following the example of our Lord Jesus as that lonely Carpenter to this life. All the lovely young friends wouldn't be like to be one of these four carpenters who use their energy to offset the energies of these four Hornets that they will always be here.
People that these energies werewithstanding that course. And so here's the influence that this promise of blessing in Jerusalem. God renewed interest in Jerusalem had on this young person and saw this young person. I like to think that he heard this communication to Zacharias and it says in verse one. I lifted up my old eyes again and left and behold a man. We learned as a young man with the measuring line what God has said.
He's going to format the city, then he's going to build that city again and he's going to stretch out a line. There's some man said, well, if that God desire, that's my desire to have your desire for the assembly of the gathered thing. That's what I mean. It's going to change your life. If you take an interest in drills from that gathering center, you're going to get this line. But notice what this young man is told. It says, where are you going? There's a ghost town, he said unto me, To measure Jerusalem, to see what the breath there is. And what is the link there? I asked. The young friends deleted. Have you ever majored the assembly in your life?
So I don't get those all together. I'm going to disassociate myself from them in the reading meeting. And as I listen to them, I saw here again who have measured Jerusalem and they've criticized to it. And they said it's important to me, It's become an important thing in my life to look at what God says to this young man. He says, I'm going to marry you and see what part in my life this city should have in my life.
He said this to him. He says wrong, and speak to the young man first Boys getting communication from the Lord said unto him, Run and speak to this young man, saying, Jerusalem shall be inhabited in towns with all walls for the multitude of men and cattle of their and all right, saith the Lord, will be unto her wall fire roundabout, and will be.
The glory in the midst of her, he said to this young man, Young man, put up your line because you've taken the poem by yourself to measure the unmedicable and beloved. We cannot measure the preciousness, the vastness of the Assembly of God. Oh, we can look and maybe, maybe a list of gallons that no, no, this is taking us off on to the eternal day when we're going to the millennial and eternal day.
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Where Jerusalem, which is about my faith immeasurable as far as we are able to produce Amazing and God may be able to measure, but we can't. And young friends in your life I want to suggest to you to allow exercises relating to the assembly to eclipse.
Things in your life so that you don't purpose in your life to make yourself at home in this world and to build your life for this life. If you save your life in this world, you're going to lose it. So put a measurement on the assembly that is above any other neighborhood you may have waved in your life or considered in your life. Give it.
A first place.
Now I'd like to talk in closing about four other men found in the last chapter.
Of First Corinthians. And they, I'm going to call them young man. I don't know that they necessarily were all young men, but there are four men there mentioned that I would like to consider in closing and you know.
Course with an assembly that.
You might not have wanted to be in that assembly. If you have spiritual electrify, you can.
You might have thought, I think I may go over to that and build my house there, but I tell you there was an Assembly of God, and all that an Assembly of God is, is that it is an Assembly of God. You could have had a lot of assemblies of men that eclipse perhaps the spirituality of the assembly according, but this was an Assembly of God, and it wasn't in a very good condition.
So we come to the last chapter of this epistle, and you know, the apostle has written this letter. He's written it in fear and trembling. You see that beautiful mixture, the apostle the man and the apostle, the inspired writer of inspiration? He repented, though he didn't repent. He had fears because he had delivered this message, although he knew it had to be delivered so he could say the things that I write on to you are the commandments of God.
But that's the heart of a shepherd. You know, you go to help someone who may be earned. There's a very, very difficult thing to do because.
You're great. Too great to bruise and mean a cleansing smoke and flash that the powerful himself and many peers, the many concerns and many fears about the Assembly of God. So we come to this chapter and we find the fierce of the four young men, or the four men I want to talk to. I don't think one of them at least, was that particular young 1St 10. Now it's tumultuous calm.
See that he may be with you.
Before he worketh the work of the Lord, as I also do, it was a young man who had associated himself with the apostle Paul. Do you know Paul says there, where we began after my departing, if you and his young folks in their life.
I believe there still is whatever that expected means and access The Call and his company, it's a little different. So then the Lord is just coming Paul and his company, since it already says it's an expression that makes everything of Paul. So I believe that things before us, the thought of the Assembly, perhaps not just any season characters, but in that character of what Paul's name means.
Little, little. He was a despised man. That he didn't end his day with all of the assembly, all of those who assume of his labor around him, ministering to him only one who had a heart for his physical welfare. Move only this with me and dependence. PF all in your heart. See young man, see young women.
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First of you, young man, tonight.
These brothers, that was interesting to us. I used to sit at home in the morning and I saw the girl and brother McMillan, brother Anderson, brother sitting up there and many other older brother and my family. And I thought there was my cold black hair and I thought.
And I've never dreamed of my soul that I would be the Whitehead person that younger ones would think with an older brother in the Divine Assembly, but in the process of time.
You'll become an older brother, but it will take more than the process of time to make you profitable to the assembly, these men that minister to us this afternoon.
You know, you may think about their older brothers. They weren't always older brothers. And when they were younger brothers, they had a pet themselves. I think whatever it means spiritually to call and they play to them. And then and Timothy did that. And consequently it says let him be without fear to say why would Timothy do if they go to court? So that's no different in those days than it is in these days. If you take a stand for what Paul represents, even in the gathering, you might find yourself.
Occasionally.
I find yourself criticized. You might find yourself called me the Timothy. Timothy Timothy fearful Tennessee direct to minister to the dear things that corn. Then there are three more men mentioned verse 17. These had come to Paul. Timothy had gone to Corinth. From Paul Steve Canes and Corinth to Paul. I am glad there's 17 that I am glad that you're coming with the bonus.
Fortunatus and the cases for that which was locking on your part. They have the part. But young men, you know you've got older brothers there, and I've enjoyed those words of David.
And he provided abundantly in his life for the House of God, but he didn't have the privilege of building that house. But he told his son Song and he said son I provided abundantly, but you can add to it.
Are you older than? Can't give you all that you need to build in the House of God. You're going to have to send your own exercises.
From your own relationship, Mr. Lord, find that to work with in the House of God. So there was something lacking for Paul and these three hands. So I don't know where did you like to have your name recorded in these two verses then one of these four men men and causing a lot of scholastic Stephanus household.
While he was away from them he left the family or a house. I don't know who composed it to verse 15. I beseech you brethren, he know the House of Stephanie said. It is of the first year of a terror and I would like to borrow from the new translation on this verse.
That is on the first piece of a chaos and that they have addicted themselves to the same.
Now the difference may be quite, but is this to give me a gift themselves to the ministry of the thing that they addicted themselves to the same minister? How your heart will pass through the desert, That's what motivated this House of Savannah. Their hearts, their hearts were bound up in a bundle of life with those Corinthian faith, good things.
No, no, I'm beloved.
I say if you want good things, you might just well look anywhere and if that's what you're looking for. But if you're looking for people of God to attach your heart to their ministry, you can find them in the Gathering. And this also in the absence of honor, they addicted themselves and attached themselves to the state.
Well, young thin, you got your life ahead of us the rest of our time. None of us know how long that's going to be. I trust that you will addict yourself to attach yourself in your heart to the things of God. That little gathering. You know, people may look at you as narrow, but.
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There is a remnant that needs to care, and it's in a certain condition, but it's worth your life labor.
In Spirit or Diva Health and videos, young brothers and sisters here this afternoon.
Who have?
Established priorities according to these in their lives, that their lives may not be wasted, cold, blessed God and Father we've made for each one of us, for we all do have the rest of our lives, whatever that might be.
That each one might be here for profit, that is to be working on. That to whatever Paul might speak to us of, we pray our God and Father in the precious name of the Lord Jesus Christ.
Very briefly, another we have just a few minutes of great time and then we have another address at 4:15. I like one make one quick announcement and that is in regards to hey, come on. And that is the only thing that will be recorded will be the address if you desire a copy of it.
We'll try to get a peep effect in there. What's your name? And then.