Amen and amen. Blessed be the name of the Lord. May the Lord be pleased to continue to bless this service as He has already. It has been a blessing being here. It's been a blessing to be in prayer meeting. The thoughts that were shared in the devotional meditation, the songs that we could sing together, greatly appreciated. Hearing and singing these songs we could sing together. So true. Such a message. I was thinking of how at night the dew of heaven settles upon the grass when there is quietness. You know there are some things that hinder dew from settling on the grass. Heat and wind. And those are types of things that can be in our hearts tonight. And I pray that the Lord would remove anything from my heart that would hinder this service in any way from being to the praise of His glory. I'm a person just like you. And I sense and feel my weakness and need. So it's a blessing being here. And God bless you for the prayers and support and encouragement you have given and what you've been. and just allowing Bertha and I to be here with you and experience this with you. It also was really a big surprise and a blessing to see Brother Morris and Sister Beth walking here tonight. That was really a surprise. I knew he was up in Ohio as well here somewhere, but had no idea he would be here this evening. He's a co-minister. And to tell you the truth, you know, last evening I mentioned that I would I'd love to have these brethren, I'd love to sit where you are and have them teach and preach to me. And tonight I'd really like to just have him come up here and have this service. He probably wouldn't quite accept that, but it would be a joy. It would be. It's a blessing being here in Ohio with you. You know, today I was thinking about being here in Ohio again. But I remember that just about two weeks ago, I think it was, some of our grandchildren that are such a blessing in our lives, they were, they like, some of them like quizzes and, and, and they were, they were enjoying asking some people this question, what is round on both ends and high in the middle? What's round on both ends and high in the middle?" And some people couldn't get, you know, didn't know the answer. Well, the answer is actually Ohio. That's quite interesting, and I was just thinking of that today. Well, it is just a blessing being here with you. And as I think of this service this evening, we certainly desire God's grace and for God to be here and direct us and for Him to take His Word that we heard about in this devotional meditation and the one last evening and apply it to our hearts and our lives, the life-changing Word of God. And so this evening we would want to turn to a portion of Scripture here as we think of a message for tonight. We'd like to turn to the book of Samuel, 1 Samuel chapter 3, and we want to read the first ten verses here of this portion of Scripture, 1 Samuel chapter 3 verses 1 through 10. Here are the Bible. In the Bible we read these words, and the child Samuel ministered unto the Lord before Eli. There we have the word child, Samuel. He was a child when he was brought here. He was growing up. We see the picture of him growing up. He was old enough here where he was actually ministering unto the Lord before Eli. He was involved somehow in the work of the Lord. And it says, And the word of the Lord was precious in those days. There was no open vision. And it came to pass at that time when Eli was laid down in his place, and his eyes began to wax dim, that he could not see. And ere the lamp of God went out in the temple of the Lord, where the ark of God was, and Samuel was laid down to sleep, that the Lord called Samuel, And he answered, Here am I. And he ran unto Eli and said, Here am I, for thou callest me. And he said, I called not. Lie down again. And he went and lay down. And the Lord called yet again Samuel. And Samuel arose and went to Eli and said, Here am I, for thou didst call me. And he answered, I called not, my son. Lie down again. Now Samuel did not yet know the Lord. Neither was the word of the Lord yet revealed unto him. And the Lord called Samuel again the third time, and he arose and went to Eli and said, Here am I, for thou didst call me. And Eli perceived that the Lord had called the child. Therefore Eli said unto Samuel, Go, lie down, and it shall be, if he call thee, that thou shalt say, Speak, Lord, for thy servant heareth. So Samuel went and lay down in his place, and the Lord came and stood and called, as at other times, Samuel, Samuel. Then Samuel answered, Speak, for thy servant heareth." What an amazing portion of scripture. The Lord himself calling and speaking to this child that had reached a certain point in his life where he was able, eventually, to hear the voice of the Lord and know that it was the voice of the Lord speaking to him. Tonight, we would like to think about, and in thinking of this portion of Scripture, we'd like to title this message, Responding to the Voice of God. And that is a very big subject to think about. And we could go out into many different ways tonight, responding to the voice of God. But we would like to narrow it down this evening to especially something that Brother Paul had mentioned to me when he, several months ago, when we were talking, there was only one particular subject or matter that he shared. And I would hope that this subject tonight could lend itself some way to Something from the Bible and the Lord in relation to what Brother Paul shared, and he mentioned a little something about it again yesterday. And so, while it is in particular for that that we're thinking of using this this evening, it is also something for all of us together to consider. The need of responding to the voice of the Lord. Responding when we read His Word, that we heard about in the devotional meditation this evening, responding to Him as He speaks to us through the world of nature. And actually tonight we would like to look at the world of nature and make application from the world of nature, a part of God's creation. Tonight we're thinking of, you know, making an application to this particular subject, looking at the four stages of a part of God's creation, the butterfly. And in looking at those four stages of the butterfly, we want to think of going from conception to conversion, the life of a person. And as I was thinking of this today, and we're thinking especially of the time when we, when children grow, and we are not promoting child evangelism this evening by any means, May that all be the work of the Lord. At the same time, we would want to beseech us and encourage us when we grow up and mature to the point that we hear the voice of the Lord, as Samuel did here, that we would know how to respond to that voice. And for children that reach that age of accountability, that you would know how to respond to the voice of the Lord. to know when it is the Lord speaking to you. And so that is a very big subject. And we would say even now that while this evening at the end of this service possibly maybe an invitation might be given for any of us to respond to that, it still is very beautiful. If you are a person here tonight and you have grown to the point where you know in your heart and in your conscience that yes, you are hearing someone speak besides Mama and Daddy. It's no longer just Mama and Daddy and the preachers. But you are sensing another voice in your heart. And you know the Lord is speaking to you. That you would respond to the voice of the Lord as He speaks to you. And that you would not resist that voice. And a wonderful way to respond to that voice of the Lord is even to go to your mama and daddy. Maybe tonight in their bedroom and share with them the burden you feel on your heart. And that you would like to respond as Samuel did. And say, speak Lord. I want to listen to what you have to say. It is wonderful to consider the fact that God, the Lord, spoke to Samuel. Isn't that amazing? Sometimes there are individuals that come and they share with us about their conversion experience and their desire to be baptized and be church members. And we like to remind them of the fact that out of 7 billion people in this world, remember that the Lord has not forgotten you. And that is the case for everyone here tonight, every one of us. You know, He even knows how many hair are on your head. And it's just amazing that out of 7 billion people in the world, that He would not forget Jane or Susie or whoever you might be. But the Lord in His faithfulness speaks just like He spoke to Samuel in the night. Sometimes it is. Often it is in the night time. as it was here with Samuel, when he lay down to sleep and there was something he heard, the voice of the Lord. And to begin with, he didn't understand that it was the voice of the Lord. And that's why today, as I thought of this subject, I thought, you know, Lord, enable me, help me. I mean, it is really It's a time in a person's life that's so important. And how do you minister to a child that has grown up and has reached the age of accountability? How do you help them respond to the voice of the Lord? How do you handle that carefully and prayerfully enough? And so who am I to endeavor to even share this message with you tonight? And there are those that have such a sensitive conscience, it's overly sensitive, and they can't hardly feel okay about having broken through with the Lord, and struggle with thoughts of even ever being able to be forgiven, and that can be for another message. But then there are also those that resist the voice of the Lord and harden their hearts. And how do you touch those lives? And so this evening, may this simply be an encouragement to you. If there is one here like that tonight, that you would respond to the voice of the Lord, like Samuel did. When he was about your age, and when the Lord spoke to him, and he didn't know what it was to begin with. From conception to conversion, the four stages of the butterfly, there is an enlarged picture of a butterfly egg. A butterfly egg that is actually laid many times under a leaf, and it looks the other way there, but like under a leaf, protected there. And tonight, as we look at that, we would like to remind all of us, life for every one of us began in an egg. And it's amazing. It is amazing. Life begins at conception. And that's why abortion is wrong, is sin. It's taking the life because at conception, life begins. And there is something there of the image and the work of God within the womb as God planned it. And the Bible tells us in Psalm 139, in that Scripture, it tells us, it reminds us of how we are fearfully and wonderfully made, amazingly. You know, I don't know your names, or I'd call one of them almost. Maybe I could – well, Conrad right there. You know what? There is not another Conrad in the whole world. There is no one like Conrad anywhere. Conrad is special. Conrad is the only Conrad like him that God created. And he is uniquely special. He has, of course, eyes and ears and hands and nose just like about all the rest of us here do tonight. But you know what? Conrad could take his finger, his thumb, and he could put it in a plate of ink, and he could put his fingerprint somewhere, and there's not another person in the whole world who's... There's little tiny lines in his finger. There's no one that would match his. It's amazing. You are special. Last evening, I think I saw a wheelchair here somewhere and someone, a special part of God's creation that was here. I don't see them tonight, but every person, living person is a special part of God's creation and it includes and involves you. And if God gives you life, there's a reason for you to be alive and living to the glory of God. And while the devil wants to destroy your life, God wants to give you abundant life through Jesus Christ. You are special. Life for every one of us here tonight began in an egg, just like that egg. And the Bible tells us in Psalm 139, in verse 16, it says, in thy book, all my members were written, when as yet there was none of them. Wow. Now, Brother Ivan told us tonight about the Word of God. We think this talks about the book, a book of God, God's book. Red hair, blonde hair, blue eyes, whatever, wavy hair, kinky hair, whatever it is, and all the different colors, God knows. Life began in the egg. We were protected there, and God allowed us to be born. That egg symbolizes you and me before we were born. Tonight, that's what we're thinking of. And again, this message is about responding to the voice of the Lord. We go to stage two in the life of a butterfly, and we look at a beautiful caterpillar. Well, I just can't help but tell you, a little Adam today, I was looking at him, he has these bright dark eyes, excuse me, and just this little baby, this precious little baby being held by his mother. And I'm gonna say tonight that this caterpillar stage, we are thinking of, you know, when a person is born, and we think of children in their innocency, in their childhood, and it is a very, very beautiful time. I would like to read a Scripture that I think of that may have involved children that were about the age of what we're thinking of here, pre-adolescence, pre-accountability to God. I think of something that Jesus did, Mark 10. I would like to read a few verses there. Verses 13 through 16. It says, and they brought young children to him, to Jesus, that he should touch them. And his disciples rebuked those that brought them. Think about that. I pray, you know, here is a place all children are welcome indeed. Well, there were people that rebuked those that brought little children to Jesus. I guess they felt like he was too busy with the adults to be taking care of children. But when Jesus saw it, he was much displeased and said unto them, Suffer the little children to come unto me, and forbid them not, for of such is the kingdom of God. We learn lessons from the little children. Verily I say unto you, Jesus said, Whosoever shall not receive the kingdom of God as a little child, he shall not enter therein. And he took them up in his arms, put his hands upon them, and blessed them." What a beautiful picture. And God bless the children tonight that have a mama and daddy that love the Lord, that bless their children, that hold them and bless them and are godly parents for their children. And that, Lord willing, might be another message as well. The beautiful time. of innocency, safe in the arms of Jesus, safe as a result of what Jesus did. And there's a scripture that I like to think of. It's 2 Samuel 12 and verse 23, the account of David. We know David sinned grievously, and it seems like the life of his son was taken, maybe somehow resulting from his sin and wickedness. David's son died, and tonight we draw from what David said after his son's death. David said of his son, he said, now he is dead, wherefore should I fast after he has died? Can I bring him back again? David could not bring his son back again. He said, I shall go to Him, but He shall not return to me. But we love that David said, I shall go to Him. Many of you here tonight, or some of you here tonight may have lost children while they were in their time of their innocency, and it's just wonderful to just know that those children and even those that are aborted, which is so terrible in this world, the things that happen in those ways, but safe in the arms of Jesus. And that's why David could say, I will go to Him, He shall not return to me. A very beautiful stage of life. Studying this today, and I, you know, have had this for a little while, this was a program that your ministers from this community put together for the ministers' meeting 2018. Very good program, very meaningful, goes along so well with the thoughts of hopefully this message this evening. The Caterpillar. a beautiful part of God's creation, symbolizing again childhood and innocency. I think it's interesting to note that Benjamin, excuse me, this little story as it relates to the Caterpillar. Just something interesting to note. While the Caterpillar Tractor Company was originally formed in 1925 as a result of a merger between the Holt Manufacturing Company and C.O. Best Tractor Company, the Caterpillar name originated years earlier. In the early 1900s, seeking a way to improve the mobility and traction of his company's steam tractors, Benjamin Holt replaced the wheels with wooden tracks bolded to chains. The innovation worked so well that one bystander was said to have remarked that the machine crawled along much like a caterpillar. Holt agreed and dubbed his new machine Caterpillar. And so today, the big Caterpillar company, it was someone that saw one of those first machines and noted how it crawled in similarity to this amazing part of God's creation. And even so, we learn from children. And I believe that's one of the reasons that Jesus said, except we become like little children. We shall not enter into the kingdom of God, And that is what we thought of last evening, the kingdom of God. And so we draw lessons from the children, and it is a tremendous blessing, children in their innocency. But you know what? Time goes on. We do not remain there. Most of us here tonight are no longer living in the time of innocency before the Lord. And so we go to the next stage of the butterfly, and we notice the chrysalis. I think we have two pictures here. There we have here the metamorphosis of the caterpillar going toward the stage of the chrysalis, or can also be called pupa. And I like that. Brother Mark brought this picture in. We see the change, the metamorphosis. And we're going to say that's where Samuel was. And that's where we get in our life. In our childhood, we hear mama and daddy. We hear the preachers. But we have not yet heard the voice of the Lord, as it were. But we reach an age, something starts to change. And we get older. And finally, we get here. We're going to say this evening, use this as an example, the chrysalis, the pupa. And this calls for our attention and thought. I think we can draw from a part of even Paul's testimony in Romans 7 and verse 9 where he said, I was alive without the law once, but when the commandment came, sin revived and I died. As I would understand that in applying it to this particular thought, there was a time in our life when we were innocent before the Lord. and we were free. But then a time came when we sensed the Lord speaking to us. And a very important question for all of us is to consider how have I responded to the voice of the Lord in my life? And how am I responding on a daily basis? But again, we're thinking especially of reaching this age of accountability before the Lord. When we hear the voice of the Lord, similar to what Samuel heard, and maybe in the beginning we don't know exactly what it is. This is a very, very critical and important time in our life. Choices we make here in this time of our life will affect us the rest of our life. The results that come as a result of our decisions here in this time of life. This is getting into the time of life when many people choose to go live their own life for a while. with the thought of someday allowing the Lord to do His work of metamorphosis. Now, what we are interested in is getting from there to here. And how does it happen? How can it be? This was actually a real butterfly. I think I told someone today, I don't – I'm not a hunter, so I don't have deer heads mounted, but I really like this mounted butterfly. And there's a message in this, and I hope we can think about that some more tonight. And I'm thankful for here, Brother Mark has here the picture of, you know, the cycle, the butterfly cycle. And I would say tonight, you know, are any of us stuck in this cycle? Are any of us resisting the cycle of the Lord, the work of the Lord in our hearts? There you have this cycle, the metamorphosis of the butterfly. What a beautiful butterfly. The work of God. How do we get there? Again, this is a time that's very important for us as parents to keep an environment that's conducive to the incubation of this pupa, and that is a very real challenge. May God give you grace and enable you as parents to provide an atmosphere where the Lord can speak and will continue speaking. There are other verses that would go along with that one in Romans that we quoted about becoming accountable before the Lord. But we would draw, again, it's very similar I think to what we read here in the account of Samuel. There was a time he did not yet know the Lord. Neither was the Word of the Lord yet revealed unto him. But then we sense and hear the Lord speaking. And then how do we respond to that? I would like to draw some things that were written in a Christian contender some time ago concerning the age of accountability. And one of the things that's mentioned there is about the sign of having an awakened conscience. Our conscience being awakened. And suddenly at night when you go to bed, you are sensing that something is wrong in your life and in your heart. You become aware of the fact that there is a commandment of the Lord. And as the Bible says, we have all sinned and come short of the glory of God. And we become aware that, yes, I have sinned. And I have had my part in sin. And our conscience is awakened. some of the things that can happen if we start resisting the voice of the Lord speaking to us. It is not unusual for us to have a sad countenance that comes as a result of a troubled conscience and us resisting the voice of the Lord. We don't like to talk about a thunderstorm and lightning that was very severe. We don't like to talk about the coming of the Lord or death because we are starting to become aware of the fact that we're not ready to die and meet the Lord. We evade those subjects. We tend to become irritable because, again, of a troubled conscience, but as we come to the place where we are aware that we have sinned and come short of the glory of God, and we then choose to respond to the voice of the Lord, that is what is truly, truly beautiful. Look at the difference if that picture versus these pictures. In the Bible, it says something about a man that is born of God, born of the Spirit of God. It's like the wind, you can't see it, but you see the results of it. If I could bring another insect into the picture, one of your minister's wives today was bitten by, I think, more than one bumblebee, maybe several bumblebees. They sting, they hurt. The worst bee bite I ever had that as far as I remember the pain from was a bumblebee. Well, that bumblebee, they tell us that according to the law of aerodynamics, it shouldn't be able to fly. At least that's what I've heard. And again, Brother Morris could give us all the details on that. But it flies as a part of God's creation. Even so, If we resist the voice of the Lord, we're never going to be like that beautiful butterfly. We're going to be like that chrysalis. And this right here, I don't think we have this picture on the slides tonight. I failed to get that through, but maybe you can see a little bit of what's in there. It's a little piece of cloth and the leftovers of a chrysalis. We had purchased some actual pupa chrysalises. This was of a painted lady butterfly. And of course, it hatched. There was a butterfly that came from this, but that's a little piece of cloth in there in the leftovers of that chrysalis. But the reason for showing this is, OK, you compare this with that. That's the difference. There's going to be in our lives, if we resist the voice of the Lord and we say no to Him, we're going to become like a dried up the corpse of a butterfly pupa. And there's nothing beautiful about it. It looks very badly. And then you look at that. The beauty of a butterfly. It looks so free and so light. And there's nothing like freedom in Christ Jesus. There's nothing like having a clear conscience. There is nothing like being able to go to bed tonight and lay your head on a pillow and know that you're ready to meet the Lord. And there's also nothing like going to bed and laying your head on a pillow and knowing you're not ready to meet the Lord. Someone has said that the good news about salvation starts, begins with the bad news about sin. How do we get there? How do we move from the chrysalis pupa stage to the adult butterfly? And I appreciate these pictures. And I would like to share a little bit of something here about the butterfly wings. That to me is meaningful. A butterfly wing under white lights gives off a dazzling range of colors. We can see that there, some colors. Turn off the light source and you are left with a colorless wing, at least for certain kinds of butterflies, a colorless wing. The color disappears because the colors are caused not by pigment, not something within it in that way, pigment like we have in our skin, but by iridescence. Butterfly wings are of multilayered thin-film construction, alternating layers of air and scales composed of a substance called chitin. Chitin is a substance common to insects. Individual chitin scales are on the order of a millionth of an inch thick, and a few more things, but just an amazing part of the creation of a butterfly by God, but especially the iridescent way that it reflects its beauty. Even so, when we are born of God and God comes into our heart and in our life, 2 Corinthians 5, 17 says, behold, all things are passed away, just like what's in this little can. And behold, all things become new. Every person, just like Conrad's fingerprints are different, every person's personal experience with the Lord is also different. There isn't a one-size-fits-all. God works in each individual's life according to His plan and purpose. It is our part to respond to that voice of the Lord. How do we get there? The story is told of a missionary, a preacher that was traveling and he would stop at the motel and there was a lady there that he learned to know. And she was interested in spiritual things and to know more about the Lord. And so he encouraged this lady to start praying and to pray to the Lord and ask the Lord. And in her prayer to God, it was to show me myself. Lord, show me who I am. Show me myself. And he went on his journey, preaching in his missionary journey. After some time, he returned again and he found this lady very troubled and heavy and burdened, distressed, much like the person pictured in this scene this evening at the foot of the cross. She was very burdened and very heavy. The missionary then told her to start praying another prayer. And in that prayer, she was to pray, show me thyself. Show me who you are." And that moves us to the next picture here this evening. That is a quote from Scripture. Someone said, I think we read that in John 21 verse 8 possibly, we would see Jesus. The Calvary Road, how do we get there? How does God work in our lives to bring about that change of heart and life? In the book of Acts, if I can find the Scripture, I think it's… Acts 20 and verse 21, there we find these very important words as it relates to any of us having reached the age of accountability, any of us that have backslidden away from God, or wherever we are in our life, if we're not where we should be, we find these words. Repentance toward God and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ. Repentance toward God. This right here to me is repentance toward God. And this is faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ. I greatly appreciate something that Lamp and Light has put together, and it is concerning salvation. And I would like to share this this evening again, especially as it relates to reaching the edge of accountability and the steps we need to take. They have in one of their books, they have written as God's part in salvation and man's part in salvation. God's part in salvation, He sent Jesus to be the Savior of the world, number one. Number two, Jesus shed His blood, He died and rose again. Number three, God's part in salvation, the Holy Spirit calls us. God's Spirit calls sinners, I would like to read from this, to come and drink of the water of salvation. And if God would not call us, we could not come to Him. He calls us to take care of our sins now rather than face them on that fearful day when we will stand before His judgment throne. The goodness of God leadeth thee to repentance. Repentance toward God is a first step, and as we understand it, we will not be on our way to glory without repentance. In our confession of faith that we use, I think it is right, it is brought out that the first doctrine of the precious New Testament is repentance. Repentance of sin, because we are children of Adam and Eve, and we have a sinful nature, and we all have sinned and come short of the glory of God. When you play ball and you hit the ball, your goal is to get home. But you will be counted out if you don't go to first base and hit the base. And that base I would like tonight to call repentance. And many would try to get home, maybe hit second and third, and those could be some other steps. But we believe by the power from God's Word, repentance is a must. When we reach the age of accountability and we sense God speaking to us, repentance. And this to me is a picture of it. The Calvary Road. A man on his knees on his face before the Lord. And I ask the question, you know, have I been there? Have we been there? Do we know what it is to go to Calvary and weep before the Lord? And that's not a one-time, just a one-time experience. I can confess to you tonight, I've had to go back to Calvary, as it were, many, many times. And that's one of the things I meant last night when I think about how the goodness of the God toward me, and His patience and love and mercy over and over when I've fallen in the path, and His goodness to me makes me again want to be willing to be here if that's His will. And always, though, we need to take another step after that. Lamp and Light has put this together, our part in salvation. And it all links with repentance toward God and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ. In this, they say, we who have reached the age of accountability cannot deny our guilt before God. We are sinners because we have personally disobeyed God's law. We cannot blame Adam or our parents for the wrong we have done. We are personally responsible, and to be saved we must honestly admit that we are naturally depraved and personally sinful in need of a divine Savior. I mentioned Adam a while ago. I don't want to pick out anyone. You know, he's such a precious little baby, but I'm sure he probably has expressed in some ways some form of selfishness and something that is so natural for all of us. And you can be the nicest, nicest person, but still in our hearts, the Bible says the heart is deceitful and desperately wicked. Who can know it? And so the only way to experience Becoming an adult butterfly, as it were, in essence, is by way of repentance. We cannot point you to an easier way tonight. This is the way. This is the way to salvation. This is the way to find life. Repent before the Lord. Don't keep living a life of sin and going away from God. Come to Calvary and unload the burden of sin and guilt. that we feel when we are walking away from God. There is no other remedy, but thank God that is an altogether complete remedy for the sinfulness of man's heart. Repentance is absolutely essential for our salvation. To repent is to experience godly sorrow for our sins. It's not just being sorry I got caught doing it, it's truly being sorry. David said, against thee and thee only have I sinned to the Lord. And we have when we sin, and that's for another message, Lord willing, but we don't sin on an island. My sin affects those around me. Repentance is absolutely essential for our salvation, they mention here. And it's to experience godly sorrow for our sin. This godly sorrow causes us to thoroughly clear ourselves of our guilt and forsake our wrong ways. It's not making excuses for what I did, it's pouring it out and just Confessing our sin, our wrongdoing. To be saved, we must confess our sins and our sinfulness to God. Failure to forsake our sin and clear ourselves before God and man shows that we do not have this godly sorrow in our hearts. But we dare not stop there. I appreciate tremendously the next step that Lamp and Light has put together in this. You know, a person could weep and cry and repent and be so sorry for his horrible sins for day and night on end, over and over for all of his life, and if that's all the further we would get, we would just be like this. But thank God, we can move to the next step, and we would see Jesus. They mention here, the next step is to believe that Jesus is our savior. Jesus came to save the world. To be saved, we must believe that he is the only one who can save us. True faith in his power to save us will lead us to receive him into our hearts and to surrender ourselves fully to him. That is truly, truly beautiful. That is the life of redemption. That is how we get to where God wants us to be, we believe. Probably most of us here this evening are familiar with the Dortrecht Confession of Faith that brethren put together in a time that When many people were calling themselves Christians, they would take up arms and fight each other. In fact, in Europe, what is called the 30-year war, one of the worst wars recorded in the history of at least the modern world, and so many thousands of lives were taken. How was the 30-year war of Europe started? It was started by men that professed Christ. They professed to be Christians. And there were some one, there were some that knew that is not right. That is not following Jesus. We cannot take arms. And so they put together a confession of faith so that, you know, because not everybody that calls themselves Christians follow the Word of the Lord. And so they put together the, what is called the Dortrecht Confession of Faith. And in here, in the article under repentance and amendment of life, I appreciate that it says, for neither baptism, sacrament, nor church fellowship, nor any other external ceremony can, without faith, the new birth and a change or renewal of life, help or qualify us that we may please God or receive any consolation or promise of salvation from Him. But the Bible says repentance toward God and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ. And tonight we thank God that by that we can move from this stage to this stage, born into the kingdom of God. One of our brothers in the church at home Just love. Somehow in the last two years, I've just, I've heard him express this many times, even in prayer. In his prayer, he just says something about, you know, I can't say exactly the words as he says, but he just says something about like being free in Jesus. Free in Jesus. What is more beautiful? What looks more free and light than a butterfly? It comes by metamorphosis, a change, and we thank God that we can all be a part of that change that God wants to bring into our lives. Responding to the voice of God, in Revelation chapter 3 and verse 20, There we have the picture of Jesus. And he says, behold, I stand at the door and knock. If any man hear my voice and open the door, I will come into him and will sup with him and he with me. What a beautiful portion of Scripture. How wonderful. What a wonderful promise in that Scripture. Responding to the voice of the Lord. If any man will hear my voice, And you have to open the door. As I thought of that today and sharing that tonight, I thought of the fact, you know, we've been here long enough now, when we go to Javens, we just, we knock on the door and then we go on in. It seems like that's okay with them. I hope it is. This is different. In this case, the door has to be opened from the inside. It is amazing that the creator of the universe has given you and me the power of choice, a free will. You could choose tonight to rebel against your creator and live like that poor corpse of a chrysalis. On the other hand, you can respond to the voice of the Lord. And your life can be like that butterfly and all of our experiences are different. But there is a change that he brings that nothing else can or ever will. And so we desire that for you. And we desire that for everybody that has reached the age of accountability, that you would respond to the voice of the Lord and say with Samuel, speak Lord, for thy servant heareth. We're going to ask for the mark to come and lead us in whatever he wants as an invitation. I don't plan to share any words through the invitation song hymn. Whatever he wants to sing or share is fine with me. At the end, we will conclude with prayer. But if there is anyone here this evening, if you would like to have someone pray with you, talk with you, if you want to open the door from the inside and share that with someone, well, you just are most welcome. to come into this area here behind the curtain. You are welcome there. And again, it is fine if you choose to talk with mom and daddy tonight, or however the case might be, just respond to the voice of the Lord in your life.