Latest / Calvary Church with Ed Taylor Podcast / #24440 - Don’t Be A Fake Believer - Acts 8:6-25

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#24440 - Don’t Be A Fake Believer - Acts 8:6-25 · Calvary Church with Ed Taylor Podcast

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Welcome to the study of God's word with pastor and author.
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Ed, Taylor recorded live at Calvary Church in Aurora,
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Colorado to learn more about the many resources available,
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through abounding Grace Media or to tune into our live stream
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Services. Visit us online at Calvary, Co
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dot church or download our free Calvary Church app.
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Now, here's Pastor Ed to take us into our study.
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Hey man, take your Bibles. Open them to Acts chapter 8.
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As we continue our study verse by verse in Acts chapter 8.
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I've entitled our Bible study scattered for the gospel.
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The early church is, in a place of scattering right now because
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of the martyrdom of Stephen dead stirred up, the anger of Saul as
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we see in verse 3. Saul made Havoc of the church
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entering every house and dragging off men and women
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committing them to prison. And then it says, in verse 4,
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there for those who were scattered, when everywhere
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preaching the word, and that's where we are.
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We're learning in this section, verse by, verse through, the
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book of Acts were learning in this section, that God will do
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whatever it takes to stir you up in Ministry and in service and
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in your commitment to him. Why?
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Because God is looking to develop obedience in your life,
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he's looking to develop. Faithfulness and he doesn't
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going to allow us to be stuck in a place of apathy or
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indifference or even going backwards.
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God knows the times in which we live and he knows the urgency of
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getting the gospel out to the lost and when we don't know or
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realize what God knows about the times in which we live and the
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urgency, then what does God do? He stirs us up so that will see
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things his way. Sway and get a log.
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Didn't get along with his program for our lives and for
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the world, you can jot it down in Luke chapter, 19, and verse
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13. Jesus is giving a parable.
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And he says, in verse 13, he called the Ten of his servants
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delivered to them 10 - and he said, do business until I come.
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And that's what God is looking for.
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He's looking for you and I to do business until he returns.
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That was the whole point. Of the parable, the whole point
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of the parable is whatever God has given to you.
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You were to use for his glory while you are expecting his
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soon, return. And so God is Desiring our
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faithfulness, not idleness. And he's entrusted to you
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certain riches. Certain possessions he's
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entrusted to you, your life and your mind and your intelligence.
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He's even entrusted to us the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
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So that we can do business the father's business until he
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comes. And I can almost hear God, say
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what have you done with what I've entrusted to you?
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How have you used, what kind of stewards, how have you?
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Stewarded and overseeing the things I've entrusted to your
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care. And this is that season in the
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early church, where they making progress and experiencing great
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resistance. Today, our attention is turned
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to a man by the name of Philip Philip was one of the original
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Seven men that were raised up in chosen to take care of that
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need. In the early church with the
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Widow's. Not only were they feeling
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neglected, but they were murmuring and complaining and it
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was such a crisis in the early church and Philip was one of
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those men that was chosen and he too like Stephen was faithful in
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the little things and God began to give him more and more later
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on. We won't be able to take some
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time for us to get there but in After 21 were of the book of
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Acts, we're going to learn that Philip had four daughters that
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he raised in the ways of the Lord and these four daughters
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prophesied and exercise, the gift of Prophecy, serving the
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lord. And so we learn very early that
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Philip was a godly man. And he was a Godly father and he
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raise Godly kids. He was the type of the guy that
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would stand before you today and say, hey, I know there's a lot
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of choices out there, but as for me and my house, we will serve
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the Lord. Hey, can I just remind you when
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we think of Phillip, if that is the choice, you need to make
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that choice. Must be made today and over, and
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over again. Even if and, especially if in
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the past, you didn't make that choice because you can be
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overwhelmed with regret over the past and think back and go.
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Oh, I wish I would have look, you can't go back and change the
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past, it's a decision. You need to make today.
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Now with all that's going on in our culture, all the Oh, that's
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coming upon our kids. And our grandkids, the place of
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change is the home, it's not the church.
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The church is a tool that God uses the Gathering.
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The committed pastors that are serving your kids right now, the
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faithfulness of the Sunday School teachers in the leaders.
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There, those are all important, but I don't want you to think
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for a moment that that is all your kids need or that somehow
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we replace the responsibilities, you have as parents, you have
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his Parents to disciple your kids in the way that they should
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go. That's your responsibility and
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over and over again. We find ourselves praying for
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you more and more parents lead your kids parents, teach your
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kids parents disciple, and discipline, your kids, it's
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biblical and necessary and Philip stands at a time of great
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difficulty. If he is able to do it, we are
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able to do it in the strength of Of the Lord.
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So here we are Philip. It says, in verse 5, went down
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to the city of Samaria and preached Christ to them.
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He went down to the city of Samaria and preached Christ to
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them all the multitudes. With one Accord heated, the
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things spoken by Philip hearing and seeing the Miracles, which
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he did for unclean spirits crying with a loud voice came
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out of many Who were possessed and many who were paralyzed and
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lame were healed. And notice verse 8, mark, this
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there was great joy in that City.
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The Gospel of Jesus Christ, always brings great, joy, the
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power of God showing up to a city, you got unclean spirits,
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you have people that were demon-possessed delivered, you
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have marriages rescued, people getting saved, you have people
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that were paralyzed starting to walk in.
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The lame are healed. The Power of the Gospel is
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invaded Samaria. And so as the scattering comes
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into Jerusalem, other people will benefit from that
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difficulty and I see that in our own lives, don't you other
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people benefit through the trials that you go through, and
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through the trials that you endure, God is using everything
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in our lives for his purposes and we must trust him, no matter
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what. We're facing even right now in
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the moment, why? Because God is Worthy.
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The of your trust and you will make it through this.
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You might make it through it to another one, and you might make
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it through it to another one and to another one.
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But God will show himself a people.
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And now, the people in Samaria are benefiting from the trials
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in Jerusalem. So, Philip is called to the city
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of Samaria. Samaria was not a popular city
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and it was not a well looked upon City by the Jews.
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Matter of fact, the Titans were treated with great Prejudice by
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the Jews because of their mixed Heritage and because of their
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resistance to worship. The one true God or to Worship
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in Jerusalem. There were a lot of difficulties
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and the Jews wanted nothing to do with this group, they had
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false worship, they had false Temple and even Jews would avoid
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Samaria because they didn't want anything to do with him.
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Now, let me just pause here and he time we mention the
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Samaritans in the New Testament, we have to be reminded of this
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truth. Is no room for prejudice among
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Christians zero none. It is not from the Lord, it is
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not a mark of the spirit. It is not a gossip, a love, it
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doesn't matter what a person's skin color is, what language
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they speak. What their legal status, might
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be, what country they were born in.
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None of that matters. We are to love God, and we are
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to love others. Our neighbor because they are
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men and women, boys and girls. Created in the image of God.
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No room for prejudice Church. It doesn't matter if you were
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raised with it, it doesn't matter if you have some good
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reason or some good. Excuse I'm telling you whenever
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you see, Prejudice raised up in your heart and your mind and
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even acted upon you are in the flesh, you are in sin and it
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requires your humble repentance before God.
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You're not going to make the kind of progress that you really
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want. You're not going to experience,
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you're not going to experience the fullness of a relationship
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with God. If you continue to nurture that
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prejudicial attitude toward others.
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I mean, it's Pride. It's arrogant Pride to think of
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ourselves more highly than someone else.
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The Bible says the egg teaches the exact opposite.
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Not only are we all created in the image of God.
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But the Bible teaches us to think of others more highly than
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ourselves. It's the Exact opposite of the
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heart of God. And that's how the Samaritans
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were treated by the religious Jews and you'll recall and Acts
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chapter 1, in verse 8, there was the promise of the baptism of
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the Holy Spirit. And Jesus said, when you receive
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the Holy Spirit to come upon you, you're going to be
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witnesses to me in Jerusalem, Judea, and Samaria and to the
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other most parts of the earth. And I wonder if some heard that
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and go, you know, you guys might be called a Sumeria but I'll
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never go there. And yet God has sent right here.
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This scattering is fulfilling Acts chapter 1.
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So this think about, let's ask this question and answer it a
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few ways. Why was Philip sent?
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Why is he in Samaria? I would say answer.
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Number one, God sent him, there it is God's will for Philip to
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go to this difficult group of people to the outcast here, to
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those, that we receive no attention or were being treated
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prejudicially, God sent him. Their number two.
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Why is Philip and Samaria number two?
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Because God loves the Samaritans.
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God loves the Samaritans as much as he loved the Jews.
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God's heart broke for the lostness of the Samaritans.
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And he sent Philip down to reach them with the gospel.
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And I think, thirdly, the reason why Phillips in Samaria is that
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God said, the gospel is going to get to Samaria.
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So somebody needed to go. Someone needed to be there.
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And as a result of the scattering and the persecution,
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and this guy Saul, That's wreaking havoc in the church.
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God now sent Philip there. Now, you've got Stephen right
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away. We just finished studying his
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life as given to us in the book of Acts Stephen standing there
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and he's preaching the gospel to the religious rulers of the day
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and Philip was sent to the Samaritans.
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And it reminds me that we make a big error, we make a huge
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mistake. When we start comparing what God
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has us doing with someone else that God, Something else going
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on in their life? God has you preaching to the
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authorities and doing great things for God?
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You know, I can think they were a few people.
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Looking at Steven thinking, I wish I could do that, I want to
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preach. We'll just wait 10 minutes bro,
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because they're going to kill him.
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You may not want to do that. But, you know, our Diego, all I
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want that prominence. I wish I could preach to those
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met to those people to those religious rulers.
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But the bio you got to understand, God didn't call you
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to do that. He called Stephen to do that.
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And then you might look at this, Samaritans goal.
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I wish I wasn't called to the Samaritans.
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I wish God would have sent someone else, but no no God sent
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you to do that work. It's a unique thing that he has
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fashioned you for and it's important that you realize you
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just need to be content with what God has you doing.
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Be happy where you are grow in understanding that God will have
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you where he needs you, where he wants you.
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Some people like Stephen will lose their lives for the gospel.
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Some like Philip that they'll be you is briefly and then you
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really don't hear from him again till later on But all of us are
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important and as the gospel comes to Samaria, it's like,
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man, they were ready, they were ready for it.
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The multitudes listened and lives were changed.
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And notice the result verse 8, that was great joy in that City,
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just like, you can say there's great joy in your marriage
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because of the Gospel. Great joy in your home because
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of the Gospel. Great joy.
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Now in your work because of the Gospel, it is changed your life.
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Now that's not to say there isn't difficulty.
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That's not to say that you're not battling and spiritual
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warfare all of that exists but it doesn't diminish.
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The joy that God wants to give you that you already have in
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him. Yeah.
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You may be unhappy in some things but you can be both
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unhappy and filled with great joy because God has Changed your
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life, however, wherever there's great joy and wherever there's
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great work of God. Whenever God's doing a
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transformative work, there is going to be opposition.
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And so if you notice from verse 8 and there was great joy in
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that City. If this was a movie, The Music
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would change. Don't don't gone.
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There's great joy in that City but there was this guy, it says
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right there, there was this certain man.
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Man called Simon who previously practiced sorcery in the city.
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Astonished the people of Samaria, claiming that he was
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someone great to whom. They all gave heed from the
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least to the greatest saying, this man is the great power of
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God and they hated him because he had astonished them with his
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sorceries for a long time. But when they believed Philip as
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he preached, the things concerning the kingdom of God
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and the name of Jesus. Christ.
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Both men and women were baptized then Simon himself also
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believed. And when he was baptized he
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continued with Philip and was amazed seeing the Miracles in
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the signs which were done. Now in Bible study, one of the
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most significant parts of Bible study, is understanding the
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context and I don't want you to miss the context here.
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It's important to look up. The Greek words.
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It's important to understand the history.
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What's going on in the time frame, they audience all that's
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important, but Chief among the important parts of Bible study
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is context and we're introduced to Simon here by way of Trust,
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you know most of your Bible questions can be answered by
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looking at the context looking what comes before and what comes
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after the troubling verse that you have now.
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Not everything is answered that way but a lot of questions are
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answered if you just look at the context and we'll see in a
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moment that there's a little bit of controversy surrounding
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Simon. Is he a real believer or a fake
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believer and all laid out before you in just a moment?
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But we start by introducing introduced to him on the
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backdrop of great. It Joy.
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So the gospel brings great joy. But there was this guy, there
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was this guy. Now Simon used to be a sorcerer
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or at least as they're writing the text.
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He's described as previously practicing sorcery or practicing
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magic if you will. Now, in that day, magic was a
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mix of Science and Superstition combining astrology.
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Nation. And a cultic practices, it could
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be trickery but it was mostly demonic in nature.
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So sometimes when we mention the word magic, we might think of it
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in today's context which is mostly sleight of hand.
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Somebody just messing with your eyes and you think you see
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something, but it's really not. But in the first century, these
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guys were Mester messing around with the Demonic.
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This was demonic, these demons were behind what Simon the
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Sorcerer was doing. And the Demonic realm was real
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then, and it's real now. And we just need to stay away
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from it and the people, when Philip comes with the gospel,
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they left the false for the true.
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So Simon's, got this whole city following him, and now
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understand what's happening in his life.
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The gospel is taken away. All of these people's loyalty
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and now they're devoted to God and following Philip and Simon
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goes along for the ride. Wants the truth is preached and
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Samaria. Many came to a saving knowledge
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of Jesus Christ and abandoned Simon even.
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So, Simon appears himself to believe.
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It says in verse 13. It says Simon himself also
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believed and he was also water baptized and then he started
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following Philip and watching. It says he was amazed seeing all
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the things that were done. So Simon has just lost his huge
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following and he makes a profession of Faith but I
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believe. And this is where the debate is.
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I believe, Simon is not truly converted.
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I believe he makes a profession of faith and even goes into the
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Waters of baptism, but I think he's faking it.
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I don't believe is a True Believer.
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I believe he's a make believer and so we have to step back just
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for a moment and it's very Pouring.
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The we hear this and ask the question so you can just answer
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out loud. I'll ask a couple questions and
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you can just answer it out loud to me.
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Is it possible for a man or a woman to fake a confession of
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Faith? Yes, it absolutely is.
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And then the second question is, are there those in the church
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that are really not saved, yes, even though they say they're
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saved, even though may have prayed a prayer even though they
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might even gone into the Aurora Reservoir, And been baptized
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with the holy water of the reservoir.
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And still be unsafe. Unfortunately, as you say, yes,
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it's possible. Even in this room now or knowing
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the message, goes out beyond the walls of this building, it is
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possible to own a Bible to attend attend church regularly.
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It is possible. For you to give financially.
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It's possible to have the only radio station on your radio be
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tuned into grades FM. It is possible to do good deeds
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to be a very religious person and still not be saved.
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Jesus said, unless a man and by way of extension, unless a woman
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is born again, you will not see the kingdom of God.
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True life only comes from God on the inside, not the outside.
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So people can be living their whole life with religious
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activity and never personally, be connected to Jesus to be
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shocked and surprised when you meet Jesus face to face and he
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says, depart from me, you worker of iniquity and you go, but what
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did I do? All these things for You wasn't
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a very active for you and the word from Jesus says, depart
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from me, you workers of iniquity.
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I never knew you. It's important for you to know
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today, that a prayer doesn't save you that attending church
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doesn't save you. That owning a Bible doesn't save
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you only Jesus Christ can give New Life.
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Only Jesus Christ through the gospel.
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We are not ashamed of the Gospel.
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Here it is. The power of God unto salvation,
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for all, who believe for the Jew first.
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And also, for the Greek, it is the power of God to change and
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transform your life, but there will be those that fake it on
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purpose, they will fake it on purpose.
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In order to take advantage of the things of God, Jesus said it
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would be so you can jot it down in Matthew.
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After 13 and verse 24. He gave the parable of the wheat
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and the tares that there would be good seed, sown and there
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would be bad seed. Sony said, just let them grow up
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together because the Harvest will show the difference.
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It is required for you to have a personal relationship with Jesus
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Christ, but I don't want you to confuse the word, personal
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personal doesn't mean private and hidden.
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It means individual that what it was What it speaks to us today?
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When you think of personal relationship, it speaks of your
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mom, can't save you. Your dad can't save you.
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The Christian Heritage, you might have been born in, can't
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save you. It is something personal.
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That's individual for every single human being.
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Unless a man, unless a woman is born again and if you were to
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see in the scriptures Wall family was saved.
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That means every individual person in that family made a
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choice to repent from their sins and receive the Forgiveness of
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Jesus Christ. It doesn't mean just like God
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just like okay, all of you guys are saved because Dad made a
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profession of Faith. Every single person, Mom, Dad,
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Grandma, Grandpa Sunday. Other cousins.
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Everyone must make their own personal individual far from
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being A Private Matter. Your relationship with Jesus is
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a public matter, it is not to be hidden or not to be shoved
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aside, you know, I grew up in a home where real religion and
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politics off-limits. My dad would say that was
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Private things. He didn't really want to talk
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about them and we didn't talk about it much, but the Bible
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would teach us, otherwise your relationship with Jesus Christ.
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Is a public matter. After you are a witness and
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Witnesses, they testify to the work of God in their lives.
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Simon it does say believed but you know, not all belief is
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saving belief and not. All faith is saving Faith
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because the Bible says that the demons even believe.
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And tremble, they don't have salvation but they believe what
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they see, they stay understand the T of God.
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They just don't they've chosen to rebel against God and so
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there are those that say, you know, I believe in God.
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Yeah. But do you I believe in God.
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But where does that lead you? I believe in God.
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You know, I'm good friends with the man upstairs.
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Really, what does that mean? Has he transformed your life?
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Have you turned away from your sin?
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Have you committed yourself to following God as he dictates?
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It's not enough. Just to say, you know, I Believe
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I believe. But what has your belief
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translated to in your life? The question isn't merely do.
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I believe the question is, am I Born Again?
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Am I Born Again? Do I am I a man or a woman with
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new life so the city is coming to life but Simon is taking
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advantage and we'll see that in a moment.
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Verse 14 now. When the apostles who are
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Jerusalem, heard that Samaria received the word of God, they
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sent Peter and John to them who when they had come down prayed
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for them that they might receive the holy spirit for, as yet, he
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had fallen upon. None of them, they'd only been
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baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus and they laid hands on
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them and they received the Holy Spirit.
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So here now, the Samaritans are receiving.
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The baptism of the Holy Spirit we were introduced to the green.
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Squared, Epi Epi back in a previous study.
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But it's used again here, in verse 16.
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They have been born again and the spirit of God has come in
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them. But now that the apostles hear
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about it and they come and teach them about the baptism of the
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Holy Spirit and the spirit of God comes upon them for power
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and service. Now, this is a, this is a neat
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thing because remember, the early church starts in
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Jerusalem, the word of God to them, is they're going to be
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faithful in Jerusalem. And then as they go out, they'll
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be go to Judea Samaria to the uttermost parts of the earth.
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However, when the gospel goes to another place, it starts over
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again. So now the Samaritans have
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become Witnesses and they're going to be faithful in Samaria
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and then they're going to go out and they're going to continue to
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spread the gospel in different areas and as you translate that
26:07
I think of it even as I as I think of my home church back in
26:11
California when I walked into that church.
26:14
It was born again, the ministry of God in my life started there
26:19
and so I needed to be faithful there.
26:22
But then God is going to send me out to Aurora Colorado.
26:25
So now there's a new home base and now as we serve God here,
26:30
we've got to be faithful here. But then you're going to go back
26:33
to a workplace. That's your home base.
26:36
You're going to go back to another city.
26:38
That's your home base and as the gospel, continues it multiplies
26:43
because one is faithful at home first and then home base is
26:47
where the gospel launches out. So now a new home base in
26:51
Samaria is going to happen and then they'll be a new one in the
26:54
Judea area. And then is with Saul of Tarsus,
26:57
he doesn't know it yet, but he's going to be the first missionary
27:00
going off around the world and the gospel keep going and keeps
27:03
going and keeps going now notice with me as we continue in verse
27:13
So 18, this is an important thing when Simon saw.
27:18
So he's watching the whole thing, we already know that
27:20
because he's following Philip, he sees all the signs and
27:23
wonders. Now notice, this is a key moment
27:26
in Simon's life. It's a revelation of his heart.
27:30
None of us know the hearts of men and women here, but there
27:33
are times when your heart is clearly revealed.
27:36
This is where it's, like, everybody thinks Simon saved.
27:40
He's going along with the program and here is his
27:42
revelation of his heart notice. Now, when Simon saw that through
27:46
the laying on of the Apostles hands, the Holy Spirit was given
27:50
he offered them. Money saying, give me this power
27:55
also that on anyone on whom, I lay hands may receive Leave the
28:00
Holy Spirit but Peter said to him, your money perish with you
28:05
because you thought that the gift of God could be purchased
28:08
with money. You have neither part nor
28:10
portion in this manner, for your heart is not right in the sight
28:15
of God, let me give you this passage in the Phillips
28:18
translation. A paraphrase of the New
28:20
Testament, and when when Peter sees him, he says your money
28:23
perish with you. Here's this translation.
28:26
Peter said to him to hell with you and your money not to live.
28:30
More modern. It's like you could take that
28:32
money and go to, you know, now how dare you think you could buy
28:36
the gift of God for money? You can have no share apart in
28:41
this matter. For your heart is not honest
28:45
before. God, This is this, this is
28:49
Simon. You're not real.
28:53
I know that this could be a simple, new believer mistake,
28:58
right? You could look at this and say,
29:00
well, wait a minute, Simon just doesn't understand, he just
29:02
doesn't realize it, he just doesn't know.
29:04
And, and that may be an accurate representation of situations
29:08
like that until we see in the text.
29:11
God gave Peter a word of wisdom to call this guy out, just like
29:16
he did with ananias and Sapphira prior.
29:19
I mean, because if you were looking and ananias and
29:21
Sapphira, they're bringing all this stuff.
29:22
The offering to the church, how would you ever know that they
29:27
were holding things back? It didn't look that way.
29:29
They said it was everything. How would you ever know?
29:33
Well, God revealed it with them and now he's revealing with
29:36
Simon that he's just lying. He's looking for an opportunity
29:41
to take advantage of whatever. This is that Philip has brought.
29:46
I don't think he even has a full understanding of what's
29:50
Happening Here. Simon saw a spiritual
29:53
manifestation as the Holy Spirit, descended upon the
29:56
Believers and he wanted it for his little magic show.
30:01
He wanted this power, he wanted the people following him again.
30:06
Simon as one commentator said was only interested in
30:11
prostituting. The spiritual gifts, do you
30:15
know? We actually have a phrase today.
30:16
It's not used very often but you can look it up.
30:19
We have a phrase today that describes this That comes right
30:22
back to this man named Simon. It's the phrase simony simony is
30:28
the purchase of power or position in the church, a little
30:34
historical background. There was a period in the Roman
30:37
Catholic Church from the mid-1900s to about 1050 where
30:41
the office of the Pope and many other Church leadership
30:45
positions were sold to the highest bidders for example.
30:49
Pope Benedict, the ninth was Made Pope at the young age of 12
30:55
bought and paid for by his handlers.
30:58
So that his handlers could rule the church and Pope Benedict.
31:02
The ninth would become one of the most wicked Pope's ever, to
31:05
fill that false seat of authority.
31:08
According to Philip schaff, in his history book.
31:11
In 1049 hope, Hildebrand had the practice of simony, prohibited
31:16
on the pain of excommunication, including all the guilty
31:19
Bishops, all the priests that were Ordained by him.
31:23
But it was found to be such a strict prosecution that they
31:26
would lose all their leadership in certain areas of the church
31:30
that they decided that they could just give 40 days of
31:33
penance and purchase their own repentance substituting, instead
31:38
of getting them out. So, basically the Roman Catholic
31:41
Church at that point said, no more of this.
31:43
But when they found out, it would ruin all their leadership
31:45
positions, they created a place where you could buy it twice by
31:50
it to get in. And by it to keep it.
31:53
Unless we point the fingers at the Roman Catholic system of
31:57
religion, Protestant, Protestant churches, many of them did the
32:01
same thing as well. And before we start pointing our
32:04
fingers at Protestant churches, I think we have to understand
32:08
today. As I'm speaking, there are many
32:10
churches that are being prostituted for personal gain
32:13
even as I speak. It's not so much a church
32:18
problem, although some church systems and religions need to be
32:21
done away with or false. It's a man problem.
32:25
It's a heart problem, it is a man-made religion problem and it
32:30
was a problem in Simon trying to prostitute the gifts for his own
32:34
game and Peter said, no way you have no verse 21 is very
32:38
instructing. You have neither part nor
32:40
portion in this matter your heart is not right in the sight
32:45
of God so he calls him to repent.
32:46
And verse 22 repent therefore of this wickedness and pray God.
32:52
If perhaps the thought of your heart might be forgiven you for,
32:55
I see that you are poisoned by bitterness and bound by
33:02
iniquity. So outwardly he looked like a
33:05
Believer but inwardly he was far from God.
33:09
And then Simon answered and said, pray to the Lord for me,
33:12
that none of the things that you have spoken may come upon me.
33:14
So when they testified and preach the Word of the Lord they
33:17
returned to Jerusalem preaching. The gospel in many villages of
33:21
the Samaritans look wherever there's a great work of God.
33:24
There's always going to be resistance.
33:26
There's always going to be people trying to take advantage,
33:29
always be people wanting. I mean we've in the history of
33:31
our church, we've seen a lot of people come and want to take
33:34
advantage of the people of this church and we just won't have
33:37
anything to do with that. You are not allowed here.
33:40
You cannot take advantage of this church.
33:41
You can't draw people after yourselves.
33:44
That is why you have pastors and teachers and Shepherd.
33:46
Here to take care of that issue in your life to protect you.
33:50
So you have an environment where you will be taught the word of
33:53
God in spirit and in truth, or you can worship and know that.
33:57
Hey you know what? There are those that would come
34:00
and say, oh, I want to take advantage and I want to use this
34:02
church for my own way, but like, Peter would just say, you know
34:05
what you have, neither part nor portion in this church, we're
34:09
not going to allow it. And you can think of the
34:12
emotional part of this like like just think about you were You
34:16
are, you got saved in Samaria, you got saved and right next to
34:21
you. Simon says he's getting saved
34:23
and then you all head out to the reservoir and everybody's
34:25
getting baptized and you happen to go into the waters.
34:28
You're getting baptized by this pastor Simon's right?
34:31
Next to you getting baptized by another pastor and when you guys
34:34
are both done, you're excited, everybody's clapping, you're
34:37
high-fiving, become friends with Simon, and then you're watching
34:41
this happen and you're like, what don't do that to Simon?
34:44
What's your problem? Peter, who are you?
34:46
Go back to Jerusalem. And yet there, is that place?
34:50
Where you you and I we need to learn to trust the leaders that
34:54
God has put in our lives because when there is an issue and some
34:59
issue needs to be dealt with in any church, most likely you'll
35:05
be tempted to take sides and most likely the side that you
35:10
take will be with the one that most emotionally attaches to
35:15
you. And for example, if it was Simon
35:17
you're like I can't believe what you guys do this to Simon and
35:20
then we would ask you did Simon tell you what he did.
35:23
Oh, he told me and it only made me more mad at you and then I
35:27
would probably say, I don't think Simon told you the whole
35:30
truth. Well, then you tell me and at
35:34
that point we would probably say, you know what, we can't
35:36
tell you. We don't want to destroy Simon,
35:40
we don't want to ravage his character.
35:43
You just have to trust that the brother is wrong and we tried to
35:47
help him, you know, the early Church in Corinth dealt with
35:50
that to wear that guy. Everybody knew it.
35:53
That guy was laid up and go. Why are you why are you involved
35:57
in that sexual immorality? Call this brother to repentance
36:01
And you and I we must be careful that.
36:05
The Bible says, the first one to plead his case sounds right?
36:08
Until his neighbor comes and reproves him.
36:10
And I would even say the person that wants your ear and it's
36:13
going to share their whole story to you, that's more biased on
36:16
their side. They're breaking confidence in
36:19
order to somehow affirm something that isn't true and I
36:24
think we would have animal. What are you doing, that?
36:27
I was baptized with Simon. How can you say his heart is
36:29
wrong? It's like his Part is wrong and
36:32
we know a lot more about him than you do.
36:34
And you've got to trust us that he wants to take advantage of
36:37
you. And we need to pray for him.
36:41
And it's a good thing for you to be in a church where the leaders
36:45
in the pastor's don't gossip about people in the church, we
36:49
try to take care of it. The best that we can, we follow
36:51
through with Matthew 18, according to the word, we
36:54
believe in church discipline, but we want to see
36:57
reconciliation. We want to see repentance the
37:00
word to Simon wasn't get out of here.
37:03
The word, the Simon was repent. That's the answer.
37:07
Turn away from your sin, but if you choose not to turn away.
37:11
From your sin, you're not going to take advantage of these
37:13
people. You're not going to prostitute,
37:15
the gospel for your own sake. You're not going to steal or
37:20
take people's innocence or their Devotion to God, because you
37:25
have not because your heart is not right verse 21.
37:29
Your heart is not right in the sight of God.
37:33
And, you know, when I look at the life of the church, over the
37:35
years, we've always got there's always something going on some
37:38
kind of warfare somebody coming in wanting to do.
37:41
Do I mean, I found out about a situation even this morning,
37:44
there's just always people wanting to take advantage of the
37:46
church wanting to hurt people in this church in this church and I
37:49
mean I may be speaking to someone where the holy spirit is
37:53
just like showing me like that's you and I'm just telling you the
37:57
word of the Lord is for you to repent.
38:00
This is not the place and you're not to go to another church and
38:03
do it. God wants a relationship with
38:06
you. He doesn't want you playing your
38:07
game all the time. He doesn't want you manipulating
38:10
all the time. He doesn't want you hurting his
38:13
sheep. Jesus takes it.
38:16
Personally when you mess with his bride, He's not going to
38:21
allow it and to the best of our ability.
38:23
We aren't either. And you know, we look at the
38:26
difficulties in the church and you just have to understand back
38:29
in verse 8, whenever there's great joy, wherever there's
38:32
great progress, there's always great resistance.
38:35
And to me, it's concerning as a pastor.
38:39
When I hear about our church not having much spiritual warfare
38:42
lately, not having some weird thing happen.
38:45
Like, if we're making progress and we're doing what God's
38:47
called us to do this church is going to be filled.
38:50
With weirdness and filled with difficulty and filled with
38:54
Warfare. Because the enemy wants to
38:56
distract us wants to take us out, he wants us to be so upset
38:59
with one another and so mad. I mean, think about if Simon was
39:03
an issue and we're like, I can't believe it past her.
39:05
Why would you do that to Simon and then you start complaining,
39:07
then you start gossiping and then we're taking care of all
39:10
kinds of stuff. Among Believers, not fulfilling
39:13
what God has called us to do in this city.
39:15
I mean, seriously, it happens, like I'll be involved in things.
39:19
It'll take me a Eight hours, 16 hours of pastors are always
39:22
involved taking care of stuff with Believers.
39:25
And we're like, why are we dealing with this?
39:28
You're a Christian. You read your Bible?
39:31
Why don't you just repent and we're begging and were pleading?
39:35
And then there's fighting and just like, come on man like what
39:38
is happening here? Like we are, we're spending all
39:41
this time trying to solve a problem that you should be
39:44
solving yourself because you have the Holy Spirit in your
39:46
life. And while we're all fighting in
39:48
finding, whatever, we're dealing with trying to solve a problem.
39:50
Trying to beg you not to send whatever it is.
39:53
The city is lost and dying. And we're dealing with what?
39:57
There's like? What?
39:59
Like, why? And I think you have to ask
40:02
yourself that. Why?
40:04
Why get involved in things? They take you away from your
40:06
mission and it's not even your mission, isn't it?
40:09
It's God's mission for your life.
40:11
You could say in a very real way, can't you?
40:14
We are in a mission for God, but if you get caught up in these
40:18
secondary things, it could be surrounding a person.
40:22
Like, Simon, it could be surrounding a situation, a
40:24
decision, it doesn't. Better.
40:26
We need to learn to trust the Lord with our lives so that we
40:30
aren't poisoned by bitterness, we're not bound by iniquity and
40:34
then Simon, you know, we don't get to the place where he
40:36
doesn't even want to change. He's confronted.
40:39
He's rebuked. Which is really, you know, you
40:42
want to have people in your life that will tell you the truth.
40:46
Did you know that you want? That is hard as it is.
40:49
You want people in your life that will tell you the truth.
40:51
You don't want people in your life that won't tell you the
40:53
truth. They won't tell you what's going
40:55
on. I won't confront you and
40:57
necessary. I mean I even think of the
40:59
pulpit in the Pulpit today. You don't want to be in a church
41:02
and you're not in that church here at Calvary.
41:05
I can tell you that right now but I know the Bible study goes
41:08
Way Beyond here and it's important for anyone listening
41:10
to me, you do not want to be in a church where the pulpit is
41:14
filled. With someone that's not willing
41:15
to tell you the truth from God's word, that is not good for you.
41:19
They are stealing from you. They are stealing Holiness from
41:23
you. They are stealing righteousness
41:25
from you. You're stealing holy living from
41:27
like, you don't need somebody in the in the Pulpit.
41:29
That's like a life coach, right? Just like, oh, you're going to
41:32
be fine? You're going to be great here of
41:34
correct your swing a little bit. Everything's going to be fine.
41:37
Have your best life now? No, you don't need a life.
41:40
Coach need a pastor, you know man to stand in the Pulpit to
41:43
teach you, the Bible word, for word, all the good, all the bad,
41:48
all the easy, all the hard. That's what you need in your
41:52
life, whether you want it or not, that's your problem, but
41:54
you need it. And I need to be told the truth,
41:57
I need to receive it because faith comes by hearing and
42:00
hearing by what a life coach, no, by the word of God.
42:07
Now, if you're a life coach that's needed in different
42:11
contexts, maybe for your work or something, I get it.
42:15
But the pulpit is to be filled with anointed pastors of the
42:19
word of God, period. Anything else you're wasting
42:23
your time? It's just not even that you're
42:25
just Boosting your time and that's why you're not making any
42:28
progress in the things of God. You need the word of God in your
42:31
life and sometimes that word is going to be say repent.
42:38
Repent for the kingdom of God is at hand.
42:41
So father, we pray as we turn our hearts and attention. to the
42:48
To the work of your spirit through your word right now,
42:52
because we need to grow and we want to grow.
42:54
And sometimes we don't want to obey.
42:56
And, and we've got so many issues going on.
42:58
In our hearts Lord, we just pray.
43:00
You pour out your spirit upon us.
43:01
We don't want to be a Simon. Where we fight the obvious work
43:07
of your spirit. But yet rather God, we want to
43:10
yield ourselves to you today in a fresh new way.
43:13
And I do pray for the many men and women who have a genuine
43:16
sincere desire to follow God. But they're in a church or a
43:20
gathering that in no way is helping them.
43:25
I pray you would help them in Jesus name.
43:28
Amen, we pray that you've been encouraged by this Bible.
43:32
Study delivered live from the sanctuary of Calvary Church for
43:36
prayer. Call us at 877, 30 Grace.
43:40
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43:47
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43:55
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