Latest / Near East Christian Fellowship Sermons / Understanding the Father's Love in Christ pt 3: Walking in Love

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Understanding the Father's Love in Christ pt 3: Walking in Love · Near East Christian Fellowship Sermons

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Welcome to NECF Sermons. Each message here is
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designed to uplift and strengthen you in your
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walk with God. Don't miss out. Stay with us until
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the end for a rewarding experience. Let's dive
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right in. Welcome to service. See, my mind is
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renewed. My mind is renewed by the word of God.
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I grow by the word of God. The standards of the
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world is not my standard. The standard of the
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world is not my standard. So I want us to continue
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in the teaching that we've been having, understanding
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the Father's love, but I want you to add Something.
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Add a column and put walking in love. Understanding
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the Father's love in Christ and put a column
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and then write walking in love. I want us to
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read Ephesians 1. 1 and 2. It says, therefore,
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be imitators of God as their children and walk
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in love as Christ also has loved us and given
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himself for us, an offering and a sacrifice to
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God for a sweet -smelling aroma. I'll read it
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from the NLT. It says, imitate God. Therefore,
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in everything you do, in everything you do, imitate
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God. That's chapter 5. Sorry, did I say? Oh,
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sorry. Chapter 5. Ephesians chapter 5, verse
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1 and 2. It says, imitate God, therefore, in
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everything that we do. You know, before we start,
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we said we're thanking God in every situation
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we find ourselves. We're imitating God in everything
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that we do because you are his dear children.
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And we'll see what walk in love means, or we'll
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see a bit of it because that word walk there
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is not the physical or literal walking, right?
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It's not you taking one step and the second step
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after the first. It's living. It's a lifestyle.
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A life filled with love, following the example.
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of Christ. We have an example to follow and our
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example is Christ. And we'll see time and time
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again, we're not living our lives as people that
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are lawless. We're living our life by standard.
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Praise God. We're living our life by standard.
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And it says he loved us and offered himself as
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a sacrifice for us. Remember last week we were
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teaching, we said Christ did not... He did not
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give himself to us. He gave himself for us. And
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how he did that is by laying down his life for
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us. And he says he offered himself as a sacrifice
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for us, a pleasing aroma to God. A pleasing aroma
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to God. And the New King James starts with a
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therefore, right? If you see a therefore, it
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means that a communication has been happening
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before. The DF4, right? The communication has
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to have been happening before the DF4. I want
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us to go to Ephesians 4, verse 17. We're going
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to be taking a long reading from 17 to the end,
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which is 32. So I will read from the NLT, it
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says, With the Lord's authority I say this, Live
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no longer as the Gentiles do, for they are hopelessly
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confused. Their minds are full of darkness. They
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wander far away, far from the life God gives,
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because they have closed their minds. and hardened
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their hearts against him. They have no sense
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of shame. They live for lustful pleasure and
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eagerly practice every kind of impurity. 20.
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But that isn't what you learned about Christ.
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Since you have heard about Jesus and have learned
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the truth that comes from him, Throw off your
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old sinful nature and your former way of life,
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which is corrupt by loss and deception. Instead,
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let the Spirit renew your thoughts and attitudes.
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Put on your new nature, created to be like God,
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truly. Righteous and holy. 25. So stop telling
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lies. Let us tell our neighbors the truth. For
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we are all part of the same body. And don't sin
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by letting anger control you. Don't let the sun
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go down while you are still angry. For anger
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comes. For anger gives a foothold to the devil.
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28 now. If you are a thief, quit stealing. Instead,
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use your hands for good hard work. And then give
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generously to others in need. Don't use foul
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or abusive language. Let everything you say Be
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good and helpful so that your words will be an
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encouragement to those who hear them. 13. And
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don't bring sorrow to God's Holy Spirit by the
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way you live. Remember, He has identified you
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as His own, guaranteeing that you will be saved
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on the day of redemption. Get rid of all bitterness.
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rage, anger, harsh words, and slander, as well
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as all types of evil behavior. Instead, be kind
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to each other, tenderhearted, forgiving one another,
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just as God through Christ has forgiven you.
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Then it now goes to the chapters five that starts
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with the J4 said, imitate God, therefore, in
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everything that you do. So we're coming from
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somewhere. And when we started in 17, I would
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just highlight, that's not the point we're discussing,
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but I'll just highlight certain things. When
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he mentions Gentiles, even the New King James
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does that, mention Gentiles, know that it's not
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saying, it's saying people that don't believe.
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It's not speaking of the Gentiles who do believe,
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not hopelessly confused, praise God. So as a
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believer, you're not hopelessly confused. Tell
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your neighbor, the person next to you, You might
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think what you are not. So just tell them and
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say, you are not hopelessly confused. And then
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add, if you are in Christ, you are not hopelessly
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confused. So, and it goes further to say that
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their minds, you see, their minds are full of
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darkness. And the New King James will say, their
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understanding is darkened. It's darkened. It
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says, because they have wandered far away from
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the life God gives. There's a consequence for
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wandering far away from the life God gives. Even
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to a person that is a believer, wandering far
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away, wandering away, there are some consequences.
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You will be in, we'll see that even mentions
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ignorance, right? Mentions ignorance, meaning
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that you can have a life and be ignorant of the
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life that you have. Ignorance of the things that
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our life entails. Hence, we give ourselves to
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the teaching of God's Word. We give ourselves
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to the study of God's Word. And in 20, I like
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the way NLT puts it in the 20. It says, but that
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isn't what you have learned about Christ. Meaning
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that there is a learning. There is a teaching.
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There is a training. There is an understanding
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that we learn. from the example that we have
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in Christ. That's why in chapters five, it says
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the example that we're to follow is the example
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that Christ is giving to us. And once you don't
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learn, you don't open God's word, you will not
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know what the example, you'll be living your
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life as the world or living your life on the
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basis of what you have before you. Praise God.
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And it says, what it means is that there is a
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learning that will transform the way we know
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the love of God, and many other things that pertains
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to the kingdom of God. Yes, you are in the kingdom,
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but there are certain responsibilities that you
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have, which is to learn, to know. And all of
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this transformation happens at our minds. We
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come to that understanding and it will affect
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our action. Praise God. Because if your mind
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is not affected by what you are learning, your
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actions will show it. Your actions will show
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it. It doesn't nullify the fact that you are
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saved. It doesn't nullify the fact that you have
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the life of God. What is going to be affected
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is your actions, your actions. And I want us
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to pay attention to 23. Chapters 4, 23 says,
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And be renewed in the spirit of your mind. The
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NLC says, Instead, let the Spirit renew your
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thoughts and your attitude. Let the Spirit renew
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your thoughts and your attitude. Let the Spirit
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renew your thoughts and your attitude. And this
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is very, very important. And that's why you see
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times where Apostle Paul will write letters and
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he will pray. He will pray for the minds of these
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people to be enlightened. for their minds to
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be enlightened, for their minds to be enlightened,
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for them to come to an understanding of the riches
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that they have. Very important that there's the
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prayers and there's the study that brings you
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into that understanding. And that understanding
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is a precise knowledge of Christ. Praise God.
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Precise knowledge of Christ. And I want us to
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see a couple of prayers. Because what we're looking
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at pertains to love. Let's see the kind of prayers.
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In 1 Thessalonians 3, 12. Let's just look at
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12. 1 Thessalonians 3, 12. And it says, May the
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Lord make you increase and abound in love to
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one another and to all. just as we do to you.
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May the Lord make you increase and abound in
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love to one another and to all. In one another
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and to all, just as we do to you. I want us to
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go to Philippians 2 and see. Philippians 1, verse
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9. We're going to read to 11. It says, And this
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I pray, that your love may abound still more
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and more in knowledge and all discernment, that
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you may approve the things that are excellent,
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that you may be sincere and without offense till
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the day of Christ, being filled with the fruits
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of righteousness, which are by Jesus Christ to
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the glory. and praise of God, to the glory and
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praise of God. I want us to see that Apostle
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Paul, what will make him pray this prayer for
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them is that he himself would have experience
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and know that for himself to be able to say,
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I want this to be more and more in your life.
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I want us to see in it. In it, we see him saying
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words. I like the way NLT puts it. He says, God
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knows how much I love you and long for you with
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the tender compassion of Christ Jesus. He says,
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God knows how much I love you. You can hear his
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words. He's not just, the words are not empty.
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They're not empty words of affection. I think
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the New King James says affection. They're not
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empty words of affection. It shows in the fact
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that he takes his time and prays for them to
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abound in the love that he himself knows and
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they should know. Praise God. They abound and
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bound. When we'll discuss and we'll talk more
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about what it means or what that abound is, what
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abound is, what more and more means. But I want
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you to know that there's a standard that the
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world There's what the word calls love and there's
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what the word calls love. And we are called to
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leave out the love walk above what the world
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calls love. Because if you are dealing with what
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the world calls love, there's the nuances of
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it. And sometimes you have people pretend to
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you, have people lie to you. But the love that
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we have in the word is true. And we had explained
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previously. The love is practical and it was
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demonstrated in how God sent his son to lay down
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his life for us to have not just the life that
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we have in him, but to have his spirit be one
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with us. Praise God. And it's very important
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that we put that into consideration when we're
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thinking because there's a nature. There's a
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believer's love nature compared to the world
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standard. And you don't want to mix that up because
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what happens is that we are mostly exposed to
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the one the world offers. You just need to have
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a social media account to see certain things
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that kind of communicates what you think love
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is. But all of that is empty in comparison to
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the... See, Apostle Paul is praying this prayer.
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We saw him praying this prayer for the church
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in Thessalonica. Praying the prayer again for
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the church in Philippi. And we get a sense that
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this is the will of God for the church, the will
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of God for his people. This is the will of God
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for his church and the will of God for his people.
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And it's in the abounding more and more in it
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that we express it. Something that abounds more
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and more in you will have no choice than to find
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expression to you. When something overflows from
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you, it will spill to the person next to you.
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The person next to you will have no choice than
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to experience it, whether they like it or not.
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Praise God. Whether they like it or not, they
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will experience it. And all of this is made possible.
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When we come to an understanding, when our minds
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are renewed to the right or what love really
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is. Praise God. What love really is. And then
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when our mind is renewed to it, our walking now
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will be consistent with what it really is. Praise
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God. Praise God. So he prays this prayer for
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them and he says that your love. may abound still
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more and more. That your love may abound still
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more and more. And that your love there, you
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know, when somebody says your love and is praying
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to a church, you get a sense that he's talking
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about the general public, right? But note that
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the love walk is seen like every one of us will
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manifest it, right? Every one of us will manifest
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it. And when you go out of here, it's now you
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manifesting it. It's not the entire church. Some
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of us can hide under the crowd to do the manifestation,
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right? When something is happening here, there's
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a sense of you can either copy, you can look,
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and you can participate. But note that when he
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says your love, the word that is used here, the
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Greek word that is used here is indicative of
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an individual, right? It's indicative of individuals.
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It's not just collective. It's not just collective.
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I just want you to write it down that when he
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says that your love will abound, it's not just
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collective. It's that every individual that he's
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praying for will abound more and more in that
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love. And that abound, the word abound is a Greek
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word. I will just spell it to us. The word abound
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is P -E -R -S -S -E -U -O. P -E -R. I -S -S -E
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-U -O. Perissure. And it means to exceed normal
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limits. It means to exceed normal limits. It
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means to exceed normal limits, to go above and
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beyond. To go above and beyond. It means to exceed
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normal limits, to go above and beyond. So what
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this means is that a believer's love should be
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above the ordinary. It should be extraordinary.
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It should surpass the worldly kind of love. A
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believer's love should surpass... It's not matching
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it. What makes you different from the person
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that doesn't have the Spirit of God empowering
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them to do the things that you are empowered
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to do? So it should surpass it. It should surpass
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it. It should go above the ordinary. And when
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it says more and more, the word more, there is
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malon. It's M -A -L -O -N. And he says more and
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more, which is the chi is in between the malon,
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chi, malon. That's K -A -I. So that phrase there
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is indicative. It's a comparative. It's a phrase
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used to compare. And it says it's progressive.
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It means that you're measuring growth by the
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progression. So it says more and more. That means
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there's an increase. It doesn't stay static.
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It keeps growing. So it means that you should
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check yourself. You should check to see, okay,
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how much... of God's love? How have I grown?
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Like, am I better at loving than I was before?
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Like expressing love to my fellow brother and
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sister. You know, sometimes we don't, we just
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allow ourselves, just go through the motions.
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We come to church, we just go. You want to have
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times where you check yourself. You ask yourself
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very important question. Am I loving more than
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I was before? And that... Is it a function of
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what you have been listening to, what you have
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been learning? Because we ask that you grow in
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zeal, you grow in knowledge, and that in itself
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will affect certain areas of your life. And one
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very key area will be how you engage your brother,
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how you engage your sister. Is there love in
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how you talk to them? You know, we read a list
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of things. We don't have the time to address
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them. But what you want to know is that you want
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to manifest God's love. you want to manifest
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God's love, let it not come to a point where
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it goes down. Let it be that you are looking
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for ways, you are believing God for the best
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of your brother, believing God for the best of
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your sister. If that is not a burden for you,
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you want to check yourself. If you're more focused
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on yourself, you know, when we talked about rejoicing
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and joy, and the one thing that causes people
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to... Go down and think. You know, when you spend
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time thinking of your problems, you will be depressed.
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And I say this thing. I will say this like this.
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Your emotion can only go where your thoughts
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have gone. Your emotions can only go where your
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thoughts have gone. If you spend time thinking.
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about certain things, know that the emotions
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will be valid because they are all what you have
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thought through and thought over and over again.
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But what scripture calls us to do is to set our
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minds on things that are above. We're encouraged
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with that upper Wednesday. We're encouraged to
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set our minds on things that are above. And when
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we set our minds on loving the person next to
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you, regardless of whether they are loving you
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back, it changes a lot of things. Your focus
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now is on your brother, sister, the work that
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God has called you to do. It takes your mind
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off you. Praise God. And in our wanting to express
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this love, we sometimes find ourselves as Romans.
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Let's go to Romans. Romans 12, verse 9 and 10.
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And sometimes we can pretend to love, right?
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Because we're forced to. We can pretend to love.
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He says, don't just pretend to love others. Don't
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just pretend to love others. Really love them.
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You might start off pretending, but don't stay
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pretending. Because to love is part of your nature.
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Love flows naturally from you. You might not
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feel like it, but remember we had talked earlier
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about it's not about how you feel. It's knowledge
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that empowers how you act. It's knowledge that
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empowers how you act. Because you know you act,
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your feelings are fleeting. They come and they
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go. It says, don't just pretend to love others.
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And for some of us here, you stop. expressing
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love to your brother and your sister because
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you feel that that is not you. You are pretending.
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How many of you know that when you pretend long
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enough, it becomes your number? You know, if
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you pretend, that's how you pretend long enough.
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You know, some people, in the wrong things, they
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pretend long enough and they forget their reality.
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Because you can wake up in the morning and pretend
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that you have money in your account, but it doesn't
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put money in your account. But there are certain
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things that you have an abundance of, you're
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not pretending. You might be feeling or telling
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yourself you're pretending, but you're not pretending
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because your understanding of what Christ has
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done will cause love to spring up from within
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you. Praise God. It says, hate what is wrong
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and hold tightly to what is good. I think, let
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me just say this while we're here. When we were
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praying and they said, that we should give thanks
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in all situations. And for some of us, we think
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that our giving thanks is for, our giving thanks
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also helps us, right? Your giving thanks puts
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you in a posture, like it's something it does
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to your mind. When you know that this is a challenge
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and you're thanking God for that challenging
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situation, that difficult boss, I will tell you
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for free that what took me through, some difficult
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times is thanking God for certain individuals.
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You know, it's a different thing when you have
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a situation that's difficult. You can find a
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way, walk around. But when individuals are difficult,
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it will take God himself touching their hearts
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or making changes to happen. And I had times
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like that. And I've seen it happen where you
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come and then you're like, there's a problem
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here and I'm struggling to deal with this person
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because this person is not seeing reasons at
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all. And then I'm... I had no choice but to keep
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thanking God and believe in the best. And know
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that when I spend time thanking God for those
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individuals, and I don't want to mention, but
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yeah, it's done. She celebrated her birthday
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some weeks ago. That's my supervisor, my PhD
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supervisor. And you'll be doing all the work
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you can. Your tissues will just be changing.
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I mean, you will spend time, you will work and
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work and work. And they come by and say, oh,
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sorry, we have to change the topic. And then
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I'll be like, one time I just, I was like, I'm
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tired of changing the topic. Like, how, like,
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is this? And then it makes you not to walk giving
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your best because you have tried it. How sure
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are you it's not going to happen again the next
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minute? And I was like, praying and believing
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God. I said, let's come to a place where we can
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move. Even when I say, okay, this is a way out.
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She says, no, let's do it this way. I say, I
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know people here. She said, no, no, let's do
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it this way. And it gets frustrated. But what
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thing that kept on happening was the fact that
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the more you pray for the person, the more you
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have compassion towards the person that you cannot
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explain. And when people are saying, oh, this
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person is a bad person. In fact, I've gone to
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a place where someone tells me that your supervisor
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has psychological problems. I was like, does
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she know I can tell her what she just said? And
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the funny thing is that she talks bad about her.
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What blew my mind was when they met, they were
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like talking like friends. I was, in fact, when
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they met, I was like, I saw her, I was like,
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I don't want to greet this woman and be too,
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and then my supervisor would now be asking me,
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are you friends with my enemy? So I greeted very
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quickly and passed. And then all of a sudden,
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they were greeting, I was confused. I said, am
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I hearing very, like they are greeting like long
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friends that have not seen themselves. And they
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were, I was thinking, I was like, oh, so if you
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took time and then you were, you would just be
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caught in the, the crossfire. But, The moment
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I did the thing, you want to, even for, I can
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count several persons that you'll be praying
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for them. And your heart, see, the love of God
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is very much abundant in you. The moment you
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start doing it, you just find yourself. And the
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moment you see results, you keep at it. The moment
28:11
you see that it worked for this person, there
28:13
was somebody, the guy, the boy told me that this
28:16
man is a racist. That there's nothing you can
28:18
do to this man. And so, I kept on praying for,
28:22
I spent a lot of time, every time I woke up in
28:24
the morning, I just wrote down the names of the
28:27
different individuals, just to be praying for
28:28
them, praying that they would know, come to the
28:30
knowledge of the truth, take time. During that,
28:32
at some point in time, it was funny because the
28:35
man said, can I drop you off at home? I was like,
28:37
ah, it's like, what does it say? Like, this is
28:41
not normal for this person to go out of his way.
28:44
That is, that means that it works. When I told
28:47
the person, I was like, ah, what do you do? I
28:51
said, I didn't do anything than to just pray
28:54
for the person and look for opportunities to
28:56
present. And that is the power of when your compassion
29:00
does a lot, even when someone is sick, we will
29:04
do that and we will get to that on Wednesday.
29:06
When someone is sick and you have so much desire,
29:10
and speaking, going back to what Apostle Paul,
29:14
just... I was just thinking this morning, when
29:19
I was just going over, just thinking about how
29:22
the pastors of NECF take their time. Even I myself,
29:25
I've seen instances where you are so concerned
29:28
about the person's situation like it's yours.
29:31
You'll be praying and say, Holy Spirit, how can
29:33
this person be helped in their situation? And
29:36
then you do all of that. And sometimes you're
29:38
even met with turn downs. They say, oh no, there's
29:41
this and there's that. Sometimes we have had
29:43
situations where the person even blocks your
29:45
line. And what you're doing is not for your own
29:48
good. What you're doing is for their own good.
29:50
So it doesn't stop your attitude and some point
29:54
in time they will unblock and ask you for help
29:56
and you will still help them regardless. You
29:59
know that that is not normal. Even themselves,
30:03
they are shocked that you responded. And that
30:06
is what will work every time because that is
30:11
not the way the world does it. The world will
30:13
block you if they can block you twice. They will
30:17
block you. Even if you find a way around, they
30:19
will block again until you stop coming back.
30:25
But we see that the instruction that is given
30:28
to us and the example that has been set for us
30:31
is the example of Christ. Not the example of
30:34
the world. Not the example of your boss. Not
30:36
the example of anyone other than the example
30:38
of Jesus Christ. Praise God. 10 says, love each
30:44
other. with genuine affection. Love each other
30:48
with genuine affection. Romans 12 verse 10 say,
30:51
love each other with genuine affection and delight
30:54
in honoring each other. Delight in honoring each
30:58
other. You know, when we say these words, some
31:01
of you think that you can only just honor your
31:03
pastors. You sometimes think that honoring your
31:07
pastors is the right thing to do. It's beautiful.
31:09
But once you honor your pastor and you don't
31:12
honor your brother and sister, We have a problem
31:14
with you. You're just pretending. You're just
31:17
a hypocrite. You're just doing it because you
31:20
have to do it. Praise God. And it doesn't help
31:28
your own work because you are dishing out dishonor.
31:32
You yourself will be affected in some shape or
31:36
form because you will be dishing out the dishonor
31:38
and one time will block. The person that is meant
31:43
to help you to go out of a difficult situation.
31:45
Because whether you like it or not, every one
31:47
of us here, the way God designs it, we are designed
31:51
to be a blessing to one another. Regardless of
31:55
wherever it is that you are, it's designed that
31:58
way. And it's something that God does to humble
32:01
each and every one of us. That you might be so
32:03
great and mighty, but there's... Someone so small
32:07
that will have to say something or do something
32:09
to bring you forward. I think I heard a story
32:11
once of a man that was struggling to meet someone
32:15
that is high ranking. And then he was just sitting
32:19
at the front of the man's office, the building
32:23
of his office. And he was just there mumbling
32:25
and he just said a word of prayer that how we
32:27
wish you could have access. And this little child
32:30
just came and asked him, why are you looking
32:31
down? What's the problem? And then the child
32:33
said, he said he has been looking forward to
32:35
seeing this man and he's been, he's feeling down.
32:37
And then the boy just told him he should come.
32:41
He didn't realize, but he just said, okay, who
32:44
is this child? He follows the boy and he discovered
32:46
that the securities that were blocking him from
32:49
passing, they were just giving way, giving way,
32:51
giving way until he got to the man that happens
32:54
to be the boy's father. And he said, daddy, this
32:56
man wants to see you. He has been looking, he
32:58
explained his situation and that was how. the
33:00
man had his problem solved because he prayed
33:03
a prayer, but a little boy showed up and he not
33:06
say, you, what is your problem? You don't know
33:07
what I'm going to get out of here. You know,
33:10
that would have been the end of his, he would
33:11
not even have known what would have happened
33:13
if he had not listened and even talked to the,
33:18
you know, sometimes we are so into our problems
33:20
that we can't even talk to, you know, it's as
33:23
little as the boy asked the question, the boy
33:24
did not say, are you, are you? He asked the question,
33:27
what's the problem? And he didn't even feel that
33:30
he's wasting his time explaining all of that
33:32
to the little boy. And that's how you can be
33:36
able to receive blessing. Because there's not
33:38
just the showing love, there's also the receiving
33:41
the love that is being shown to you. Because
33:43
if he had said, no, why am I following you? He
33:47
would have been a different story. In John 3,
33:51
34 to 35. John 13, 34 -35. John 13, 34 -35. It
34:08
says, A new commandment I give to you, that you
34:11
love one another. And we know that it's not new.
34:13
It's something that we have seen before. It says
34:18
that you love one another as I have loved you.
34:23
That's what we'll introduce. As I have loved
34:28
you. That you also love one another. It says,
34:32
and this all will, by this all will know that
34:38
you are my disciples. If you have love for one
34:42
another. It says, by this all will know that
34:44
you are my disciples. If you have love for one
34:48
another. And another thing, it's very clear.
34:51
It says, as I have loved you, as I have loved
34:56
you. And how has he loved you? Romans 5. Verse
35:01
8, it says, Romans 5 verse 8, it says, But God
35:05
demonstrates his love towards us in that while
35:10
we were still sinners, Christ died for us. So
35:15
it means that even when we were in our broken
35:19
state, he still chose to die for us. And sometimes
35:23
you cannot understand this until certain things
35:27
are practically explained or illustrated to you.
35:30
Nobody goes to the market and buys something
35:33
that is broken. Nobody goes to the market and
35:37
sees things that are in perfect condition and
35:40
picks that one thing that is broken. Nobody goes
35:43
to the market and says, I want to buy something
35:46
that is working and sees something that is not
35:47
working and then picks that up. You would say
35:51
it's a mad person that goes and does that because
35:53
it costs them something. Praise God. And he says,
35:57
even while we were still sinners, he died. So
36:00
even while the person doesn't act like they deserve
36:04
it, you are instructed to do it anyways. Even
36:08
regardless of the action of the individuals to
36:10
you, what shows that you are bound or you are
36:13
bounding is in the way you respond or the way
36:18
you give regardless of what the condition of
36:21
the situation is. And note that in the abounding,
36:24
it says, we're abounding, it says, the love must
36:26
abound in knowledge and all discernment. Let's
36:29
continue. The love must abound in knowledge and
36:32
all discernment. It means that it points to the
36:39
primary area of growth. All of this points to
36:41
growth because the knowledge and the discernment
36:46
will be growth. And note that we have to come
36:50
to that. precise knowledge that precise and accurate
36:54
and full knowledge our minds is the one that
36:57
is catching up because the primary area of this
37:00
growth is our minds because remember what we
37:04
read we said the renewing of the mind the spirit
37:07
renews the renew of the mind that happens is
37:10
what brings us into and we're not we're renewing
37:13
all that we're putting away the old stuff and
37:17
putting our new identity and putting that into
37:20
check I will do this very quickly and bring us
37:23
to a situation that happened with Philemon. I
37:27
will discuss that very shortly. So in knowledge,
37:34
the Greek word for knowledge is epignosis. It's
37:39
E -P -I -G -N -O -S -I -S. E -P -I -G -N -O -S
37:47
-I -S. And this is not... General knowledge.
37:51
This is not general knowledge, but precise, accurate,
37:55
and full knowledge. And it is the knowledge of
37:59
God and his ways. It's not general knowledge.
38:03
It's the knowledge of God and his ways. So it's
38:05
a precise, accurate, and full knowledge of God
38:09
and his ways. And we'll see this in Ephesians
38:13
1 verse 17. Ephesians 1. Verse 17, it says that
38:18
the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father
38:22
of glory, may give to you the spirit of wisdom
38:27
and revelation in the knowledge of him. The key
38:30
thing you want to focus on is in the knowledge
38:33
of him. And note that when he says spirit of
38:37
wisdom, you know, you can be thinking, oh, spirit
38:41
of wisdom, am I receiving another spirit? Because
38:43
when he says he will give you the spirit of wisdom.
38:46
Know that in the verse 13 of that particular
38:49
chapter, 13 of that particular chapter, he says,
38:52
in him you also trusted. After you heard the
38:58
word of truth, the gospel of your salvation,
39:02
in whom also, having believed, you were sealed.
39:08
You were. sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise.
39:13
You were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise.
39:16
So it means that you are not receiving... So
39:21
we had said that it is the wisdom of the Spirit,
39:26
which is the revelation in the knowledge of Him.
39:30
The revelation in the knowledge of Him. And how...
39:34
What does the... Spirit of God enable us because
39:39
he says in, I want us to see Romans 5 verse 5.
39:42
Romans 5 verse 5 and see how the love of God
39:47
and what is the role of the Spirit. 5 verse 5
39:56
it says, now hope doesn't disappoint, does not
40:01
disappoint. Because the love of God has been
40:04
poured into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, which
40:09
was given to us. Now the love of God has been
40:14
poured into our hearts by the Spirit of God,
40:16
which has been given to us. So we see a couple
40:18
of things there, that the Holy Spirit, because
40:21
we are sealed and we have the Spirit of God,
40:23
it means that it comes naturally for us to extend
40:27
and express the love of God. And I want to see...
40:31
I think we'll probably close around this particular
40:33
area. In Philemon, I want us to, many of us know
40:38
this passage of Philemon because what we come
40:42
to mostly in this passage is Philemon 6. I want
40:46
to bring something to our attention, something
40:49
that will help us understand and see love in
40:51
action. Philemon 1 verse 6, which is to point
40:54
the acknowledgement, to talk about the acknowledgement,
40:57
which is epignosis. And this is opposed to Paul
41:00
writing to Philemon. And Philemon is a, if you
41:07
see in the chapter, in that particular chapter,
41:10
and Philemon is just one chapter and it can be
41:16
lost in your Bible between Titus and Hebrew.
41:20
It's one page and sometimes you can be flipping
41:22
trying to find the page. I want you to see something
41:27
that Philemon, is a believer, first and foremost,
41:31
and the church meets in his house. We see that
41:35
in verse 2 of the book. It says, and your sister
41:42
and our fellow soldier and to the church that
41:49
meets in your house. So Philemon was a convert.
41:56
By Paul, Apostle Paul, we see that in 19. Apostle
42:00
Paul alludes to that. And he meets in his house.
42:03
And the church meets at his house. At this time,
42:06
they had like house where people, believers would
42:09
come and gather and meet at the house. So Apostle
42:12
Paul now writing to him in verse 6, he says that
42:15
the sharing of your faith may become effective
42:19
by the acknowledgement of every good thing. which
42:25
is in you in Christ Jesus. If you notice, you'll
42:28
be seen in Christ. You'll be seen by Christ.
42:30
You'll be seen. All the things that we have is
42:33
anchored on what Christ has done. And that should
42:36
not, you should not even miss it. You know, sometimes
42:38
we will think when we are asked, oh, the things
42:42
we almost would think that the things we have
42:44
is in our own strength or because, you know,
42:47
sometimes we say, you know, the Lord loves me.
42:49
You know, when I was coming out today, I suggested
42:52
my heart like this. Somebody stopped for me.
42:56
Do you believe it? All of those things are beautiful.
43:01
All of those things are wonderful. But the greatest
43:04
of all of those things is what Christ has done
43:07
for you. That should be what should always excite
43:12
you. That should be what should always spoil
43:14
you to give thanks to God because of what Christ
43:16
has done for you. As good as that is, we're not
43:19
saying you should not share about the things,
43:21
but you want to ensure because What happens the
43:25
day you did your hand like this and nobody stopped?
43:29
You know, that now can look like, ah, God is
43:32
not with me today. Because the last time I did
43:34
so, like two, three cars stopped, I was even
43:36
choosing which one to enter. Praise God. So know
43:40
that you want to anchor your faith on something
43:43
that is solid, not something that can happen
43:46
today and not happen tomorrow. Praise God. And
43:49
I will read it from, I like the way it goes.
43:52
It says, It says, I am praying that you would
43:56
put into action the generosity that comes from
44:00
your faith as you understand and experience all
44:04
the good things we have in Christ Jesus. He's
44:08
praying that you act on what you have received
44:13
that is anchored in Christ Jesus. You act on
44:16
it. That you should put into action that comes
44:18
from the faith as you understand and you experience.
44:24
All the good things that we have in Christ Jesus.
44:29
And in verse 7, he says, for we have great joy
44:34
and consolation in your love because the hearts
44:40
of the saints have been refreshed by you, brother.
44:43
You see, for the hearts of the saints have been
44:46
refreshed by Philemon. The hearts of the saints
44:51
have been refreshed by Philemon. Let me just
44:56
give you something that will help us too. Philemon,
44:59
I think I was looking at the meaning of his name.
45:02
It means friendly. His name means friendly. Philemon,
45:05
his name means friendly. And it also, the friendly
45:09
is just the, it says the one who kisses or the
45:12
one who shows sign of love. All right. The one
45:16
who kisses and one who shows sign of love. The
45:18
Philip without the moon at the end is the one
45:22
who shows the sign of love. And it makes sense
45:24
when you think about it. And I think one of the
45:27
things that, you know, cultures are very different.
45:30
Like if you're from a different culture and you
45:32
come into a new culture, certain things will
45:34
shock you. Certain things will shock you. And
45:36
one of them for me, very quickly, to help you
45:39
understand that if you don't understand a culture,
45:41
you will be met with a shock. And if you understand
45:45
that culture, you just flow with it because you
45:47
understand the culture. That's to help us to
45:49
understand how understanding affects the way
45:51
you respond or even receive things. When I came
45:54
to this island in like, that was 2013, you know,
45:58
one of my first, I think I had a couple. One
46:01
was with the whole idea of when they say no,
46:04
they do it like this. And then many of you, if
46:08
I was to do, shout out what you think this is.
46:11
you will have a good amount of people still think
46:13
that it's yes because there's a note that comes
46:15
with it. But that was a rude shock to me and
46:19
I had to learn the hard way and I learned it
46:21
very quickly because I learned from my own experience.
46:24
I don't learn. I don't like learning from my
46:26
own experience. And when it happens to me, it
46:29
will never happen again. Praise God. The other
46:32
one is when I was, I think I met this Turkish
46:35
guy for the first time and... what happens was
46:38
that, you know, typically you give a handshake,
46:40
but you know, my, the, I, nobody prepared me
46:45
for what I experienced because I was full, I
46:47
was trying to, my brain is like, what's going
46:49
on? What is going, what exactly is going on?
46:52
And the, the guy held my hand, pulled me close,
46:54
gave me a nod on the side and the other side.
46:56
And I was like, he, when, if he had paid attention,
46:59
he would just see that I was, I was full. I was
47:01
like, what did he just like, like, what was it?
47:06
Because, Like, I couldn't, like, because he did
47:10
not was, you could hear the sound. So that, my
47:14
brain, my brain is like, is it the pain I should
47:17
come out? My brain is like, what just happened?
47:19
What just, what exactly just happened? Because
47:21
I have, I was like, nobody prepared me for the
47:24
whole experience. But after that day, I got it.
47:26
So anybody that's coming, I was like, yeah, it's
47:28
just, we can go for it. So, because now I know.
47:31
But, you know, when you don't know, you don't
47:35
know. And when you experience it, nobody, you'll
47:39
just be there wondering. And knowledge really
47:42
empowers you to be prepared. Because if I'd seen
47:44
that, even if it was a video, I'd seen that.
47:47
You know, when he comes, okay, I would have seen
47:50
it before. We just go for it. But I haven't seen
47:52
it before. So it would be difficult for me to
47:55
engage or even participate in it. And for some
47:57
of us, we really have not experienced, we don't
48:01
even know what the love of God is. And once we
48:03
see it or see someone, do something that is,
48:06
the person do something that is above and beyond
48:10
the normal that you know, which is of the world.
48:12
You are like, ah. And some of us, our immediate
48:15
response is that we drop because it's strange.
48:17
So why does this person love me like this? Why
48:19
does this person keep calling my name? And I'm
48:22
thinking to myself, they start thinking, okay,
48:24
is there something? Maybe they're trying to collect
48:28
something. You just start becoming suspicious
48:30
or thinking that the person is trying to... Some
48:34
people just spend time thinking, thinking all
48:37
manner of things. They should just receive the
48:39
love of God. Praise God. Don't overthink it.
48:45
If you think there's a problem, you can report.
48:47
Right? Yeah, you should report. And please feel
48:51
free to report if you think that the love is
48:54
getting too much. But let it be that we are challenging
48:58
one another to outdo one another in the things
49:02
that God has instructed us to do, not in the
49:04
things that the world is showing us every now
49:06
and then to do so. Praise God. And we see that
49:09
Apostle Paul now is challenging Philemon to do
49:11
something. In the verse 10 and 11, we see a man
49:18
or we see someone named Onesimus. You know, Paul
49:23
had already set the stage and reminded him of
49:25
his identity, reminded him of how his love is
49:28
refreshing them to bring it to this point. And
49:30
there are many ways Paul would have done what
49:32
he did, but he goes back to the identity of Philemon.
49:36
How Philemon should know that this is the situation
49:40
or this is the kingdom that we found ourselves.
49:42
And this is the response that is required. So
49:45
in verse 10, he says, I appeal to you to show
49:49
kindness to my child Onesimus. I've become his
49:54
father in the faith while here in prison. 11
49:59
now says, Onesimus hasn't been much use to you
50:04
in the past, but now he's very useful to both
50:10
of us. And it's funny that the name, the meaning
50:13
of Onesimus' name is useful, profitable, or beneficial.
50:19
It's almost like Paul is playing on words and
50:21
saying, see, You will wonder like his name is
50:24
useful, but in the past, he has not been useful.
50:29
You know, for some people, your name means something
50:32
and you don't seem to find that thing in your
50:36
life. And it doesn't mean that because people
50:39
have been calling you that, right? People have
50:40
been saying that, calling you, saying, calling.
50:43
But the moment you have a revelation of what,
50:46
the moment you come to an understanding of what
50:49
that means or what you have, it changes everything.
50:53
Because what has happened is that, let me explain
50:56
it to us. Onesimus was a slave that ran away.
51:00
And running away in those times means that he's
51:03
either dead or they will brand you. They will
51:07
brand you the brand that if you run, they will
51:09
say this is a slave. And most of the times the
51:12
branding is unique to them. So they will find
51:15
you and bring you back to your master. And they
51:17
are branding you on purpose so that anytime they
51:19
will bring you back. So what had happened was
51:23
that Onesimus had run away and then had an encounter
51:29
with Apostle Paul, then now was saved. And now
51:32
that's why if you notice, he addresses him. He
51:36
says he's his child, his son, right? And he's
51:40
the father. And know that he's not talking about,
51:42
Apostle Paul is not saying that I give birth
51:44
to him. Apostle Paul is saying that he is now
51:47
a spiritual father or is a father to this person.
51:52
And he goes further too. And the church he is
51:58
part of. Let's just confirm that from Colossians.
52:01
Let's go to Colossians 4. Colossians 4, verse
52:06
9. I think we read that. Colossians 4, verse
52:13
9. And by the way, This church is in Colossae.
52:20
The church that Philemon is part of is in Colossae.
52:23
You'll see similarities. You'll see names mentioned
52:25
there. They're mentioned here as well. Verse
52:27
9, it says, I am also sending Onesimus a faithful
52:30
and beloved brother. See how he addresses him
52:34
here. He says he's a faithful and beloved brother.
52:37
This is somebody that he has said that wasn't
52:39
useful. Now this person has, there's something
52:41
that the gospel had done to him, right? There's
52:44
something that the gospel has done to you. And
52:45
the same way I would challenge you that there's
52:47
something that hearing God's word, showing up,
52:50
listening to God's word, learning God's word
52:52
will do to you. You might be somebody before,
52:55
but there's some things that we'll see. You can't
52:58
say I am a believer and then we can't see evidence
53:03
of a walk, a lifestyle that is consistent with
53:08
what you said you have believed. Praise God.
53:11
So now we see that this person now is clear.
53:13
There is a brother. He's one of your people.
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And then he and Tychicus, which were the people
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that are going to take this in, will tell you
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everything that is happening here. Praise God.
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Let's go back to Philemon. And what Apostle Paul
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is doing here is he's challenging. Philemon,
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and he even, if you go to 20, he says in verse
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20, he says, yes, my brother, please do me this
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favor for the Lord's sake. Give me this encouragement
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in Christ. Give me this encouragement in Christ.
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Give me this encouragement in Christ. He now
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goes that I am confident as I write this letter.
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that you will do what I ask. And even more, praise
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God, and even more, remember what we said about
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the love he knows. In fact, if you read the way
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it reads, you understand that. Paul is writing
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this letter knowing that when Philemon reads
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this letter, the response will be, like he knows
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what the response will be. Praise God. And regardless
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of what, he even... To tell you how interesting
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it is, in 9, he says, even if he had done anything,
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put the charge on me. If he had, you know, there's
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a likelihood he might have stolen some things
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and left. So he says, if any of those things
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are going to be a problem, put it on me. It just
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goes to show you the heart of the apostle and
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his concern and his desire for this man to be
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restored back to his master. And not just restored
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back to the master as a slave. but he wants,
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he brings it, he wants, he's conscious, let him
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be conscious that this is not just a slave, this
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is a brother because he writes it there and he
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says, receive him as a fellow brother in Christ.
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Praise God. And if someone, we see all of this,
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all of this goes to tell us that there's a way
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the world does things and there's a way the word
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instructs us to do things. You must unlearn.
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Unlearn. You must unlearn. You must unlearn the
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way the world does things and learn. For many
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of us, what has hampered or delayed our growth
55:42
and what makes it difficult for us to discern
55:46
and size up situations correctly, which is what
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the discernment part is, and size up situations
55:53
correctly is the fact that we are stuck in One
55:58
end, and I will see on Wednesday that it's our
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thinking. Because our thoughts, we allow things,
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the world, the different things, the world keeps
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bombarding us with things, showing us certain
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things, showing us how things should be, and
56:14
then we superimpose that on the Word of God.
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And for some of us, it's when we come to the
56:19
Word of God and we say, ah, is that what we should
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do? You know, today for some of us, the root
56:23
shock to us is that you thank God even for that
56:25
person that you don't, even for the person that
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broke your heart. Some of us, it was like, ah,
56:29
I thought you... And that is what the word of
56:33
God does. When you see it, it means that when
56:35
he says everything, it means include that as
56:38
well. Praise God. Include that as well and you
56:41
will see what happens. You'll see the joy. You'll
56:44
see the peace. All of those things will be evident
56:47
in your walk. All those things will be evident
56:49
in the way you move around and you will know.
56:52
you will know that it has been there all along.
56:56
It has been in your nature to manifest it. But
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you are just holding yourself back or thinking
57:02
that it's not possible or waiting to feel it.
57:07
If you're waiting to feel certain things, you
57:09
will never do it. You're waiting to feel like,
57:12
I can pray for this person. It will not happen.
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Because the kingdom of the world to manifest,
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is in the instruction of the one who is in charge,
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the one who has brought us into the kingdom.
57:27
If Jesus Christ went about doing good, healing
57:30
the sick, raising the dead, all of those things
57:33
that he has done is the example we should live
57:35
by. He was moved with compassion. He prayed for
57:38
the sick and they were healed. He saw the blind.
57:41
He opened their eyes and they could see. The
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lame, he would look at, he's moved with compassion
57:45
and say, you have been here for this. regardless
57:48
of the laws they have set in place and say, oh,
57:50
you should not come and receive healing. There
57:52
are many days in a week you can come and receive
57:53
healing. The woman was bent over for 30. He said,
57:56
set the woman free. All of this is only what
58:01
an abounding, a life that is abounding in the
58:05
love of God is able to see or is able to manifest,
58:07
is able to experience. Praise God. I'm charging
58:10
you this afternoon now that you have to. desire
58:19
to see above the normal limits. In fact, your
58:25
mark is not the world standard. You want to understand
58:30
that. But the mark is what we see Christ do in
58:34
Scripture. That is the person we are to imitate.
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That is the person we are to imitate. We'll discuss
58:40
this. We'll finalize this on Wednesday. I want
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you to just open your mouth and thank God because
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The DNA we have is that of our Father, and the
58:55
actions we take is that of our Father. Our thoughts
58:58
align to it by the Word of God. We're able to
59:02
see ourselves do miracles, signs and wonders.
59:09
We're able to pray for situations. In fact, first
59:11
and foremost, we're able to let go of circumstances
59:14
and situations that have held us bound. I see
59:17
people being set free. from things that have
59:21
held them down for so long that the word of God
59:25
now brings your attention to it and you see a
59:28
release. We appreciate you being here today.
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We hope you carry this word with you throughout
59:36
your week. Don't forget to check the show notes
59:38
for additional insights. Stay connected with
59:41
us through our website or follow us on social
59:44
media. If you are encouraged, share this message
59:48
with someone you care about. Until next time,
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stay blessed.