Latest / Calvary Church with Ed Taylor Podcast / #10142 - It’s Time To Go Back To Bethel - Genesis 31:1-21

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#10142 - It’s Time To Go Back To Bethel - Genesis 31:1-21 · 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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Amen. Open your Bibles.
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Genesis. Chapter 31 is where we are.
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Genesis chapter 31. The title of our Bible study is
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it's time to go back to Bethel. That is a prophetic word to some
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of you, it's time for you to go back to Bethel and you remember,
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Bethel the house of God the place where God met Jacob, where
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he was forever changed, but we left off last time with Jacob,
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ripping Laban off through deceit and trickery.
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At the end of chapter Thirty, pick up with me, in verse 41, it
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came to pass when ever the stronger, livestock conceived,
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that Jacob place the rods before.
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The eyes of the livestock in the gutters that they might conceive
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among the rods. But when the flocks were feeble,
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he didn't put them in. So, the feebler were laban's and
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the stronger were Jacobs, and thus, the Man became
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exceedingly, prosperous and had large flocks, female, and male
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servants, camels and donkeys, Now, Jacob heard the words of
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Laban Sons saying Jacob has taken away.
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All that are was our fathers. And from what was our father's,
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he acquired all his wealth Jacob here in this season of his life.
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I believe is a saved man. He's not yet a surrendered man.
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He's a saved man but not yet surrendered.
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He met God in Bethel. Oh the Lord is in this place.
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I didn't see it but I do now. And little by little he's
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changing moving forward, even as you and I are, God is at work in
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our lives, some of you listening right now, your save, but you're
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not surrendered. That's a big deal.
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You're saved, but you haven't chosen in some areas, 1 2, 5 10,
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perhaps with your life to surrender to the Lord.
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There are many times when so much of our old man or old woman
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rears its ugly head. Some for some, it makes you
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wonder if you're even saved, you battle with sin so much and you
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battle with temptation. Listen, if you're even asking
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that question, that's a good sign that you are in
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relationship with the father. You know why?
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Unbelievers don't ask those kind of questions.
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They don't sit around on. I wonder if I'm saved and I
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wonder if I'm pleasing God. And I wonder if I ever will
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overcome this sin, and I wonder if I'll ever live in the
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victory, that's mine or be delivered from addiction.
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Those are typically words describing of Believer in the
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throes of struggling, to fight the good fight and to stand
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strong in the spiritual battle. It's clear.
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Now, in Jacob's life that he can't stay with Laban anymore,
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there's too much tension. Laban is upset but notice where
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it comes. It comes from his sons, they're
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watching this unfold and they're upset.
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It says, in verse 2, Jacob saw the countenance of Laban and
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indeed it was not favorable toward him as it was before and
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God is allowing a situation to be developed that Jacobs going
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to have to move on. He is allowing this difficulty
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using angry, anger and fury, ation, and jealousy from Laban
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and his sons and it's time to move on.
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So, notice in verse 3, it says then the Lord said to Jacob, can
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I pause there for a second? I didn't put a lot of different
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points in our study, but this is an important point in a great
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place of difficulty. You want to listen for the voice
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of the Lord, in a place of great difficulty, you need to hear
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from I'm the Lord, you'll recall not too long ago.
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We shared a Bible study. It's one that I've been
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traveling with the topic of digging ditches.
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And you remember, the military had travelled for seven days and
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they'd come finally to a place in the desert where they find
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out there's no water and when the Kings finally says, you know
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what, we need a word from the Lord, he didn't ask for more
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water, he didn't say, go send out a search party.
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We need to find water. Everybody's going to die.
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He He didn't respond in faithless this like the other
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king he responded in faith and said, we need to hear from God.
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And until you come to that place of seeking the wisdom of God,
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you're going to continue to struggle, it's going to be
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challenging for you. So the Lord speaks because he's
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ready to speak to you right now and your difficult situation.
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Even if it's between people, you know, room, you're rinsing,
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perhaps and the house that you're in or the workplace or in
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your difficult situation, the Lord spoke and said, here's his
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answer. It's time for you to go.
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You need to return to the land of your father's and to your
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Kindred and I'll be with you. That was the word, he's told and
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he's commanded to go back home and that clears it up.
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It's time to move on and go back home which brings us to a couple
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more points. Number one, we learn that this
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whole situation reveals to us. That number one God leads his
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kids, God leads his children if we will listen We will sense the
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leading of the Lord jotted down. In Psalm 37 verse 4, the Bible
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says, delight yourself also in the Lord and He Shall give you
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the desires of your heart. God often leads us by putting a
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strong, desire in our hearts, he will implant these desires that
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line up with his will. And then as we go on with life
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circumstances, begin to line up notice what he does here, he
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allows this difficult situation to happen with Layman because as
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much as Jacob, Is a conniver. And as much as he's got some
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issues that God's working out in him, he's also a hard worker,
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and he's also a faithful worker. And he's also made Laban Rich,
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he has many things now. But what his, what Laban Sons
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were saying? Here isn't true, that he wasn't
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taking everything, but he also became as Laban became
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prosperous. He became prosperous, There was
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blessing in his life. But God allowed these situations
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because Jacobs not can't live there forever.
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It really easy to live for their he's successful.
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He's got everything he needs, he's got his wives and his kids
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and a really chill Place. Although Laban took great
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advantage of him. He learned how to live with it.
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He was a faithful hard worker, but now, God is using the
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circumstances so that he'll get Jacobs attention.
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So you could hear these words, go home.
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Go back. As well, learn in a moment, go
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back to Bethel. Not any any general place but
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rather go back to Bethel. Hold your place in Genesis.
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Would you turn over to Philippians in the New
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Testament? This might be of scripture.
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You need to memorize Philippians chapter 2, you know, not only
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Psalm 37, is you delight yourself in the Lord.
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He gives you the desires of your heart.
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Many times folks will come to that and goes, well, you know, I
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have a desire, I have a desire. So I will Delight myself in the
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Lord and God will give me what I desire.
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I don't quite think that is what is being intended by the
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psalmist but rather I believe as you live.
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Vin abiding relationship with Christ.
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You get new desires that you never had before.
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It even as we asked the question earlier, how many were born
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again later in life? You can see how many change
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desires you have over the years. You're not the same person, you
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don't think the same way. You don't act the same way you
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have new desires because you've learn now to delight yourself in
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the Lord. But this is even greater now.
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The indwelling presence of the Holy Spirit.
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Notice in verse 12, Philippians chapter 2 Philippians 2 verse
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12, he says, therefore my beloved as you have always
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obeyed, not in my presence only but now much more in my absence
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work out your own salvation with fear and trembling for it is,
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God remember that? It is God give him the credit
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for this. That works in you for two
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things. Both to will, that's the desire.
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And to do that's the power. When God gives you a desire he
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will then enable you to fulfill it.
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He does it both, he does it all. We got to give God the credit
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for the great work, he's doing our life.
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Like you think about the things that are are in your life.
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You want to, please God, you, you want to step out in faith.
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You want to challenge, you don't want to, even if the
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circumstances that placed you in that position, you respond with
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that position. Well, as hard as it is, Lord, I
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want I want your will for my life and I know you're working
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in me and I know you're developing and I know whatever
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you give, whatever desire, you give me.
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You're going to empower me to do it.
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It's not working out your salvation like you're working
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for it, but you're living in a relationship with God.
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It's different. Now you're not on your own and
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you come back to Genesis 30:1 is the same thing Jacobs learning.
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It isn't have the Bible and he's underneath this exact truth, go
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back home. Go to your Kindred, I'm going to
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be with you. What more do you need?
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I'm with, you. Never leave or forsake?
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You go home. Jacob, you're done here.
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You got to go home. The second thing I learned here
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back in Genesis 31, the second thing we learn is that God can
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and often will use bad things in our lives.
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Or you could use the word redeem them.
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The idea of redemption is to buy back and to have something
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valuable, that was something perhaps, worthless God, can
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often redeem bad things and use them for his glory and his
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purposes. This isn't easy to see going
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forward wearing when you're in the middle of it, though.
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But looking back on a few situations, you could say as
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hard as that was and has difficult as that was, man.
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I can really see how God used it in my life.
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It's hard to see. Now it's very difficult because
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you're consumed with the emotion of it.
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The fear of it, the anxiety of it, fear of the future, your
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faith is being under my knee, just don't know what God's
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doing, but you give it some time and you look back and you say
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Okay God I can see, I can see a little bit.
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We will never have the big picture until we're in the
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presence of the And then I assure you on the authority of
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God's word when you are standing before.
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God, one of the responses in worship.
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As you cast, your crowns with down before his feet and you
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fall down and worship will be. I understand though, I had I see
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it. Now, I get the whole picture
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right now. I life sometimes, even for some
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of you right now, life sometimes is like putting a puzzle
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together without the box. That's like, I don't know where
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these pieces go. I'm not sure who hid the box.
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And then Some of you have the box but your kids hit some of
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the pieces and so that's frustrating.
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You know like what does that mean?
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I don't understand like a thousand pieces and I'm just so
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frustrated. But eventually, you're going to
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look back and go. That's exactly where that piece
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fits. And now, I know what God is
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doing. We don't have that for
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understand. We see now right now, the Bible
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says, in a glass dimly, but then face to face and you'll know,
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even as your known. It's rough when things don't go
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your way when an ugly or difficult situation.
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Blindsides you. It's very hard.
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One of the things that we've been hearing recently around the
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church is unemployment. We're hearing the word layoffs
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again. We're hearing with, it's not
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layoffs, it's a lack of Joy or happiness in their current job,
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and it's a very difficult place to be because God has called you
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to provide for the needs of your family and to be unemployed, or
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to be underemployed or to be frustrated in your workplace.
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I mean, you know, for the unemployed one day you're
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working the next day. You're not that's a very scary
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place to be. But I suggest to you, perhaps
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the Lord has something better for you a different place, a
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better environment, better pay, but as long as you're
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comfortable in your current situation, you'll never leave as
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long as you're comfortable in that position in that place
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whether it's employment. Whether it is in a particular
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place of faith in your walk with the Lord as long as you're
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comfortable. You may not be so motivated to
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move and you're not moving, and you're not seeking in, you're
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not open to the hand of God. So God will allow sometimes
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these difficult things to move us and to stir us.
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And remember as much as we quote, Romans 8:28 and remember
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it, here's what it says, it says and we know and we know that all
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things work together for good to those who love God, those that
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are called according to his purpose for whom he foreknew
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that's you and me. He also predestined to be
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conformed into the image of his son and that's the the
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destination. That's the destination.
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That's even the just destination for Jacob here.
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It's time to move on. And in Jacob's life, this is a
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employment situation, where his co-workers, his brothers-in-law
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come against him, and Laban come against him and then the Lord
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speaks verse 4. So Jacobson and called Rachel
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and Leah to the field to his flock and said to them, I see
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your father's countenance that Not favorable toward me as
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before but that's the bad. But here's the good the god of
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my father has been with me and you know that with all my might
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I have served your father yet your father's deceived, me and
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changed my wages ten times for God to not, allow him to hurt
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me. If he said, thus, the speckle
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shall be your wages, then all the flocks more speckled, if he
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said thus the street shall be Be your wages, then all the flocks
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poor street. So God has taken away the
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livestock. All your father and given them
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to me. And it happened at the time when
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the flocks conceived that I lifted my eyes and saw in a
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dream and behold the Rams which leaped upon the flocks were
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streaked and speckled and Grace. Bought it in the angel of God,
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spoke to me in a dream saying Jacob.
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Then I said here I am and he said, lift up your eyes now.
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See, all the Rams would sleep on your flocks or streaked speckled
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and Grace bought it for. I have seen them seen all that
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Laban is doing to you. Here's a glimpse of the depth of
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spirituality and Jacob he excludes a servant wives brings
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Leah and Rachel for a private conversation.
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And he begins to rehearse, how he's responding to the
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difficulty. It is like human nature for us
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to remember, only the good things related to us and bad
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things to others. Your dad's a thief.
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And here I am, he's deceiving me.
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But here I am. I'm so righteous.
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And Jacob has a poor memory to his deceptiveness and even then
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God has blessed him. Even then God has had his hand
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upon Jacob. We learned last time we what is
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this? But the grace of God.
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It's not that Jacob deserves it and none of us.
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And isn't that what God is teaching us and leading us?
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What is it that we deserve? Exactly.
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It's the grace of God. We desire the grace of God.
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We don't want the Judgment of God.
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We desire mercy and Grace. It's interesting, isn't it?
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And a bad day? How much we desire?
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Mercy and Grace but how much we want judgment for others?
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We just have to trust God with the Judgment part notice in
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verse 8. As he looks at this situation,
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he gives God the glory for it. He looks to this and that it
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wasn't his cleverness. With what we read in Chapter 30
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or is expertise, God was being gracious to him.
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And God was calling Jacob back to his place of worship.
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As you see in verse 13, I am the god of Bethel where you anointed
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the pillar and mate, and where you made a vow to me now, arise
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and get out of this land and return to the land of your
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kindred. God was calling Jacob back to
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that. Place of worship. 20 years later
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now. And Jacob.
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Slide God is still calling him. 20 years of faithfulness.
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Jacob has been wandering around bouncing off with his flesh and
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trying to manipulate things. And yet also stepping in and
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being an honorable man, I'll work seven years.
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I'll work seven years, I'll do whatever I need to do.
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But Bethel is the place that he left.
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And it's the place he needs to go back to the place of worship.
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Come back with me to chapter 28. Lest we forgotten?
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If you're just dropping into this study right now?
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Come back to chapter 28 and when you get there, go to verse 18.
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It says Jacob Rose early in the morning and took the stone that
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he had put at his head. He said it as a pillar and he
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poured oil on top of it and he called the name of that place
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Bethel, the name of that City have been called Low has
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previously, here's the vowel, God's calling him back to.
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If God will be with me and keep me in this way that I'm going,
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and give me bread to eat and clothing to put on.
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So, I come back to my father's house in peace, then the Lord
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shall be. My God, and this Stone, which
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I've said, is a pillar, shall be God's house and all that.
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You give me? I will surely give a tenth to
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you. This is the place where he
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declares God is in this place. This is the place where he vows,
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and he commits. It's a place of worship oil that
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represented representation of this presence of the Holy
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Spirit. Like like this is the place and
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God says, you need to go. You've wandered too far too
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long. Jacob.
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You need to be reminded the Lord is in this place.
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You Bible students, you know that sounds familiar when you
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get to a place individually. When you get to a place in your
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singleness when you get to a place in your marriage, when you
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get to a place as parents where you have left Bethel.
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Or we don't refer and reference it that.
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But from now on, you'll be able to connect these two.
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You need to get back to Bethel. Or turn over to Revelation with
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me and it would be a much more familiar exhortation from Jesus.
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Where he tells a church, a group of Believers, a gathering of
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Believers. Just like us, we actually know
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about this church because a few years earlier there was a letter
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written to the church in Ephesus.
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And remember Paul was writing to them and said you guys are
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gifted with every spiritual blessing, you have it all.
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God is in this place Ephesus. The place of worship a place
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where God is honored you left all of your your witchcraft, all
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of your paganism, those in the church, and you've come to a
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place. The first three chapters talking
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about in the book of Ephesians about the goodness of God, the
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goodness of God, the goodness of God, and then the last three
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chapters, what is the response? That's necessary.
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When you learn about the goodness of God, and what he's
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done in your life. Now you fast forward, a few
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years of this, you wouldn't even expect this.
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Need to be written you fast forward.
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A few years and you get a note from Jesus.
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It would be amazing. Like if we received some kind of
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email and it said Jesus Christ, this is this.
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Notice from Jesus Christ, don't read any other emails at this
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one. And I like, okay, let's read it.
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And we start reading to the church and Aurora and we're only
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23 24 years old as a local congregation in December, this
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year, will be 24. So we have a, we've been
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together, 20 years, thinking back.
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Some of you been with us different segments of the church
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and go all the way back to the beginning, and the excitement
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and the Warfare and on and on along the way, you all have your
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own testimony being part of this church and we open it up and we
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started to the angel of the Church of Ephesus or by way of
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extension and application Aurora.
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These things says he who holds the Seven Stars in his right
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hand. This is a revelation 22 verse 1.
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He holds the Seven Stars, He's in his right hand who walks in
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the midst of the seven, golden lampstands.
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I know your Works. Yes.
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Lord, you know our works and your labor.
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Yes, Lord, yes. There's so much labor going on
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with the gospel here and your patience.
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Well, you know, we could be better at that sometimes but
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your patience Lord. Yes.
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You see it. You know, I want to be patient.
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You can't bear those who say they're evil.
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That's right board. And you've tested those who are
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say, they are Apostles and are not.
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Yes. Lord and have found them liars
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and verse Re you persevered you haven't given up, you have
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patience you've labored for my namesake and have not become
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weary and can't you hear the church?
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Yes, Lord. Yes.
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Lord, we're all Eunice. Yes.
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Amen. Yes yes, nevertheless and it
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goes quiet. That is a word of contrast.
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You know, you don't want to hear.
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Good, good, good, good, good, good.
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Nevertheless, nevertheless is a happy word when you hear bad,
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bad bad, bad bad because, you know, you're going to turn and
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that's what's Happening Here. Here.
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But this is a strong Church. Many great qualities in the
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Church of Ephesus, they've held onto a lot.
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They've been faithful in a lot. Nevertheless, though is a word
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of contrast. There are some hard words that
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will follow nevertheless, hears the words of Jesus.
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Listen, I have this against you that you've left your first
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love. You can almost hear Jacob in a
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similar way, you know, Jacob. It's time to go.
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It's been too long. You need to get back.
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You've wandered too far away. The main issue for the church in
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Ephesus. The main issue for some in our
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church, I mean, even listening to me right now, you either
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receive it or your heart gets harder.
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But the issue in your life, you're asking what's wrong?
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And why and here it is, you left your first love So much prayer
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in effort. So much pleading.
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For me, as a pastor in the leader of this church, often is
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trying to convince someone that they have left their first love.
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They're not like it was when it started.
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They're not so excited about the things of the Lord, like they
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started. They're not serving with the
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same passion and fervor like, when they started the motive is
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changed, they started to learn the system and get just get by
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with the bare minimum. Whether it's serving in the
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church or in your marriage, just it started out so well.
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But now it's just the bare minimum and you wonder how long
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that's going to be until you catches up to you and you start
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reaping what you've sown or with your kids, is little compromise.
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A little compromise. It wasn't like that in the
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beginning. It says that.
24:25
Mark this word, if you haven't already in verse 4, that they
24:28
left it, they didn't lose it. They walked away from it.
24:34
They walked away. It's an action slowly, but
24:37
surely day-by-day and week-by-week slipping away from
24:43
our first love and the emphasis in the original language.
24:46
Here is first First love. It wasn't their love for each
24:53
other or for those of the outside, not the layers of love.
24:56
It was their first love. Seeking e, first, the kingdom of
25:01
God, and his righteousness and all these things priorities
25:05
shifted. Over a period of time that
25:08
simple, love that pure devotion eroded and became cold stale.
25:16
Lifeless. They were full of motions but
25:21
not motivated by love. Or disconnected from the head.
25:27
They did all the right things as you see their behavior here,
25:31
they worked hard. They were Discerning yet.
25:34
Jesus was against them. You have all your theology in
25:38
order and quote, the Greek and the Hebrew and show me all of
25:42
your degrees, but you can do all that without love, you know.
25:47
You can accomplish a lot even in the name of God Without Love.
25:51
You can do a lot even in the Name of Christ without love.
25:56
Unfortunately it's very common today among those that call on
25:59
the name of the Lord. That we have to spend a little
26:03
time here as we examine the life of Jacob said, hey Jacob, this
26:07
is what this is. What's going to solve the
26:09
difficult, you need to get back to Bethel.
26:13
You need to go back. You need to leave this place and
26:16
go back. You need to remember a time.
26:21
Remember your vow, remember your pillar?
26:25
Remember the oil? Remember that time?
26:30
You know many commentators described in Chapter 2 here in
26:33
Revelation that first love as the new Believers.
26:37
Eli think. It's a great description.
26:38
It's not exclusive but I do. I think of the new believer Zeal
26:42
that a person has so hot for the things of God, just all in on
26:47
fire. You're not too smart in the
26:50
Bible yet because when you get smart in the Bible, you start
26:54
explaining it away because you know if you look up that word
26:58
and you understand that word and how it was used, you know, you
27:00
understand that you don't really have to be so obedient.
27:03
Okay, scholar. You walked away from the, from
27:06
the stage here. Like I'm giving it all up.
27:09
Yeah, but you understand, I did read that scripture where
27:12
there's okay. You can do stuff like that, you
27:14
can do stuff that's in the gray area.
27:15
You don't have to stay away from all the stuff that destroyed my
27:19
life. That's how you can forget.
27:24
The first love replaced. The things that were destroying
27:26
your life. Some of you were saved from the
27:29
utter like if this stage if this stage represented, the the line
27:34
of death like you're want with there was already one foot off
27:38
and your other one was halfway there, I'm not going to do it
27:40
because I will fall, but I know that.
27:44
I live that. Even as I came reluctantly in
27:49
response to the gospel wondering, if God could love a
27:51
guy like me, how far I had gone. I chose to believe by faith and
27:57
God has done a work in my life and in yours.
28:02
For the church in Ephesus, it was sixty years.
28:05
We're about a third of the way in our church.
28:08
But who knows when it started? Who knows?
28:12
When did it start 5 years in 10 years in 20 years in Where
28:17
there's the outward labor discernment works.
28:23
And patience and look at us. Look at us and look what we have
28:27
done. That's not how the you can for
28:30
homework this week ahead and read the book of Ephesians.
28:32
That's not how that's not the book of Ephesians, the book of
28:35
Ephesians, look what God has done.
28:38
That's best how God is here. It could cause done 60 years
28:43
later. Well look what we have done.
28:46
Because Jesus noticed it, but I'm sure as you're listening.
28:49
He's like, yes, yes, yes. Nevertheless for her, not me,
28:55
nevertheless for him. Maybe in your own life.
29:00
You came to Jesus and there was excitement, you were overcome by
29:04
his love overwhelmed with him and his grace.
29:06
You. You don't even have a
29:08
theological understanding of Grace but you loved it
29:11
nonetheless. Like what does grace mean?
29:15
And I don't know, but God loves me and I know, I don't deserve
29:18
it, you knew great, the definition of grace before you
29:20
knew it. Before it was laid out for you,
29:24
before you even read the whole Bible.
29:28
You had theological truths or we already working through your
29:31
heart and your life and in excited, you and encourage you
29:35
and you started cleaning house. All the worldly junk in your
29:39
life gone, man. I don't have any time for that.
29:42
I don't want it in my life, I don't need it in my life.
29:45
I am living for the Lord. I'm living for the Lord, I'm
29:48
living for the Lord. There were a lot of
29:49
representations of that, but over time, Living for the Lord,
29:54
became living for the Lord and a little bit of me.
29:59
I'm going to live for the Lord and a little bit more of me and
30:02
then when you're called on it, you have some answer.
30:06
Well, you know, Pastor. So and so said this, I don't
30:09
care what Pastor so-and-so said, what did Jesus say?
30:13
He said to seek first, the kingdom of God while I am, well,
30:16
it's really hard to explain when you're doing it away from love.
30:22
What brother you can't judge me. Okay, take it to the Lord then
30:29
Let him judge you. I'm not asking to judge you.
30:32
I just sharing you. What?
30:33
I see. Take it to the Lord.
30:34
Let him judge you. He's the righteous judge.
30:36
All judgments been given to Jesus, Take It to the Lord.
30:40
Let him judge you. Let him Pierce you with his lies
30:44
with the love in his eyes. No possessions came back
30:49
careers. Took off.
30:51
Compromise came back in. You see before you were a
30:55
Believer, it wasn't compromised. You just live for the world as a
30:58
Believer, that's what compromise is.
31:01
Little bit of the world, little bit of the church before you
31:04
know. It it's more of the world and
31:07
very little of the church. And I don't mean the building
31:10
here or your life. I mean you'll you are the
31:12
church. You are not the world, that's
31:15
why the world Vex is you, by the way, that's why you get
31:21
frustrated, perhaps at a news story or Angry at a something on
31:27
your social media feed its vexing you and how you choose to
31:33
respond to it, will either draw you closer to the Lord or
31:37
farther away into the world. See these some of these things
31:42
are just Temptations from the devil to get you in the world.
31:46
So you can start fighting the world on their terms but you got
31:49
to understand the devil has weapons against you that you
31:52
don't have and the devil plays dirty and you won't and can't
31:57
your weapons. They are the belt of Truth.
32:01
The Blessed breastplate of righteousness, the helmet of
32:04
salvation, and the sword of the spirit, the word of God prayer,
32:10
your feet, wherever you go or shod with the gospel of peace.
32:15
So the world's always tempting you to putting something before
32:17
you go ahead come on go ahead come on you know we have a
32:21
three-fold enemy as Believers the World, the Flesh and the
32:24
devil. And what the devil does is he is
32:27
constantly using the world system to provoke you to be in
32:31
the Flesh, because once you in the flesh, the devil takes off
32:34
because you got it. He's got you now.
32:37
A lot of things that you're blaming on the devil have
32:39
nothing to do with him. It's your flush.
32:41
It's my flesh. This is strong me.
32:44
And thus is World, system is one of the primary ways that the
32:48
enemy traps Believers and it's not just into some growth, send
32:52
pornography or something. It's also jumping in and trying
32:55
to fight the world on their level.
32:58
When you're building a different Kingdom Church.
33:01
You're a part of the kingdom of God, you're going after the so
33:05
you're not looking at changing Behavior.
33:07
You're going after the soul is not how your life changed.
33:12
Can you pay me a picture of what your life was before Christ and
33:15
what it is? Now, can you show me what your
33:17
front room looked like before Christ?
33:19
And now can you tell me what your family is?
33:21
Like what you guys are talking about before Christ?
33:23
And now I can and I'll tell you what.
33:26
When God saved me, everything changed in connection to me.
33:30
Not everybody changed in connection to me, but those that
33:34
were closest to me, they trusted me.
33:36
Followed me to Christ, that's how God changes a soul, how he
33:41
changes the outward, he goes after the end.
33:45
And when you're a believer in Christ, he's going to call you
33:47
from time to time to return. It's time to get.
33:52
You got to leave. Jacob.
33:54
Church. You can't, you can't keep going
33:56
this way thinking that the outward is going to change
33:59
anybody. You've got to go back to your
34:01
first love. It's so tragic today.
34:04
To see many people busy for the Savior and easily become too
34:10
busy to be with the Savior. They're busy for him talking
34:15
about but not with him. The more and more, I serve him.
34:21
The more and more, I am with him.
34:24
Jesus, the more confident I become that Jesus is far more
34:28
interested with me personally. Then what I do for him.
34:33
It doesn't impress God, how many people follow me on Instagram?
34:36
It doesn't matter to him. How many people read my blog?
34:40
How many people attend this church?
34:42
Or all the things that matter to men, don't matter to God, but go
34:46
ahead. You got a new follower?
34:47
Yeah, whoo. Hey Michael, Michael check this
34:49
out, he's got one more follower. God doesn't care about those
34:53
things. Like we care about them.
34:57
He's not interested in a pasture making a name for himself and
35:01
go. Amen, Pastor, he's not
35:02
interested in you making a name for yourself either.
35:06
He's interested in you and you he's jealous over you.
35:16
He loves you knows you by name. like Jacob, he says to you in
35:23
the New Covenant even greater I'll never leave you or forsake.
35:27
You what did he tell? Jacob, I'm with you.
35:29
You got to get out of here. You can't live this.
35:32
You can't continue here. Jacob, that's why it's all all
35:35
the situation. So frustrating.
35:37
You think it's Laban. You think it's his son but it's
35:39
actually me. You need to leave.
35:41
Get out. You're too far from Bethel.
35:45
Got to go back. That's the place of strength for
35:48
you. That that's the place of power.
35:53
The place of power is humility and Brokenness, and worship the
35:58
very things we fight against We lose our passion for.
36:05
Here's Ephesus. So busy so doctrinally, pure but
36:09
not in love with Jesus Anymore. Flipped it all upside down.
36:15
Jesus had become less important than everything that they were
36:18
known for and Jesus gently. But firmly says you've left your
36:22
first love. And here's the way back.
36:24
Remember, from where you have fallen, Jacob Bethel, remember
36:32
Bethel. Repent.
36:36
And for Jacob turn away from leoben and go back.
36:41
I mean the very physical way say he's going to demonstrate it
36:45
very practically. He's going to repent and leave
36:48
Laban. And he's going to head back to
36:51
Bethel. And then what?
36:52
Repeat the first Works. What is it?
36:54
Jake a being called back to a place of worship.
36:57
Get back there. Jacob, that was a good time in
36:58
your life. That was a really good time in
37:01
your life. You got to get back there.
37:04
Church, that was a good time in your life.
37:05
You got to get back there. Not to repeat a time in history.
37:11
Jacob's, not told to go back to Bethel and try to make it happen
37:13
again. He had an experience that God
37:17
wanted to have him an ongoing experience.
37:21
God had an experience for the church in Ephesus that he wanted
37:24
them to continue in their place. He doesn't want them stuck in
37:30
the past, he wants them, living the present, but he doesn't want
37:34
us, living the present being busy and active and look at us
37:38
and look how many this and all that, all of that, go back to
37:42
your first love. That's where the power is.
37:45
That's where the victory is. That's where the presence is.
37:49
That's where you hear the voice of the Lord.
37:51
I want to listen for the voice of the Lord, in my trials.
37:55
Yes. I do.
37:59
But you know what? I want to hear the voice of the
38:01
Lord. Every moment of every day, I
38:06
don't want to wait 20 years till it gets too hard and I go oh God
38:08
said get back to Bethel if I have to be somewhere I want
38:12
Bethel always on my mind. Whereas we've been taught to
38:17
live with the moment-by-moment consciousness of the presence of
38:21
God in my life. And that's where he is here.
38:27
Is this what the Lord's been doing in your life lately?
38:29
It's what happened with Jacob, go back to the place where you
38:32
hear the Lord. Go back to the place of worship
38:35
and commitment return to the basics of Simplicity and love
38:39
and surrender. Read your Bible and pray every
38:43
day. Why is it pat?
38:44
Why is your pastor say that every time he has the chance?
38:47
Because many listening to me, don't read their Bible and pray
38:50
every day. One day it's going to click and
38:52
you will need to hear it anymore.
38:53
But then they'll be 20 more that need to hear it.
38:55
They'll be 50 more that need to hear it.
38:57
For some of you just need to get a Bible.
39:00
There's Bibles on the tables here, take one, if you want, one
39:04
quote, bigger type, go buy one because if you if you want, when
39:07
you can read there's some downstairs, you go by but ones
39:10
with a small letters you could take that if you've got good
39:12
eyes but use your Bible, read it, pray seek the Lord while he
39:17
might be found. And well, come back to Genesis
39:23
with me. In verse 14, it says here.
39:31
Then Rachel and Leah answered, and said to him as their Stony
39:34
portion or inheritance for us in our father's house, we're not
39:37
considered strangers by him and he sold us and also completely
39:41
consumed our money for all these riches which God has taken from
39:44
our father, really ours and our children's.
39:47
Now, then whatever God has said to, you do it and they leave.
39:52
Rachel and Leah, they are very Rachel's, very similar to her
39:57
dad. She's got a lot to she's she
39:59
doesn't quite understand Jehovah, yet.
40:02
There's things are going to be worked out in her life but that
40:05
that's okay. God's working in their family
40:07
right now. Jacob Arose verse 17 says, his
40:11
sons and his wives on the camels.
40:13
A very uncomfortable way to travel, by the way, but that's
40:16
what they got and he carried away all his Livestock in a
40:18
possessions, which he had gained his acquired livestock, which he
40:22
had gained in paddan-aram to go to his father, Isaac in the land
40:25
of Canaan. Now, Laban had gone to share his
40:28
sheep and Rachel had stolen the household Idols.
40:33
These are the idolatrous little Idols that they would use to
40:37
worship their A pagan gods, took them that their that they belong
40:41
to her. Father.
40:42
Jacob, stole away unknown to Laban the Syrian in that.
40:45
He did not tell him that he intended to flee.
40:48
So he fled with all that he had he arose and cross over the
40:50
river headed toward the mountains of Gilead.
40:53
That is where we're going to pause today, but labor was out
40:57
doing some chores. They take off Rachel rips off
41:00
her dad, with the idols. She has a lot of the
41:03
characteristics of her dad. Why?
41:05
Because he raised her. But now, God has brought Jacob
41:09
into her life and Bethel. She's going to get to experience
41:14
Bethel. And things are going to be
41:16
changing. That what we would call as
41:20
Christians, the sanctification process.
41:23
It's starting saved, but not yet surrendered.
41:28
And even with Jacob as much as he connive as much as he's
41:31
working, a deal, there are many, many great qualities in Jacob.
41:36
It doesn't mean he deserves anything from God, it's all
41:38
Grace, but he's not, he's like you and me, we've got our
41:41
issues, but there are many good qualities in you.
41:44
We want to see them developed. We want to see them rise to the
41:47
top. We we are often just like like,
41:50
I know things are difficult right now but what's not
41:52
difficult. I know things are challenging
41:54
around but what's not so challenging, let's fan the
41:57
Flames. I was thinking, you know, you
41:59
might even be on the edge, like we said, like we use the
42:01
illustration earlier but you know, I was reminded even now
42:04
that Jesus, you know, that that wounded that pint read, he's not
42:09
going to break. You might respond them a while.
42:13
I'm on the edge I'm as well. Just jump off.
42:15
No, don't Back off. You've left your first love,
42:23
remember from where you have fallen repent and just go ahead
42:27
and start the first works. You know why people don't start
42:29
the first works and they don't go back and they don't repent.
42:32
Pride. Pride.
42:36
Well, you know, if I do that, I'd have to admit.
42:38
That's what repentance is. And if I do that, what are
42:41
people going to think? The fear of man is a snare and
42:44
all of the, the Prides one of the biggest manifestations of
42:48
pride, is you just care about yourself.
42:50
It's all about you, all about you, all about me, all about
42:53
you. All about me, and God wants to
42:56
say, no, no, no, get back to Bethel because it's all about
42:59
me. God says, That's where Jacobs at
43:03
study, these things. Read the book of Ephesians, read
43:06
ahead in Genesis, read the rest of Revelation because Ephesus
43:10
left their first love but other churches really went far and we
43:14
don't want any of that in our lives.
43:15
Amen. So father, I thank you for this
43:18
word tonight and what you have for us.
43:20
And, you know, we even if we're not in that place where we need
43:24
to come back to our first love, maybe it's an area, maybe it's a
43:27
commitment, maybe it is the first work that we abandon We
43:32
started out so well but we're not finishing our race.
43:35
Well, or the world has just been vexing us or tempting us or
43:41
whatever. We are vulnerable God and week
43:45
and we need of your spirit. We need your endurance.
43:49
We need you. We need to acknowledge maybe
43:51
tonight even that you're working in us as Believers both to Will
43:55
and to do will and do desires and power, desires, and Powers.
44:00
You are ours by faith. So pour out your spirit of
44:04
freshen our church, Lord, just a little little thing you're doing
44:07
here on the corner of Hampton and Biscay.
44:11
Little, but not insignificant. Small.
44:15
But not. Neglected Lord.
44:20
And we recognize that we are a very small part of the huge work
44:25
you're doing in the world today and we are grateful.
44:28
We declare that to you tonight in Jesus name.
44:32
Amen. Amen.
44:33
Let's stand together to remember, okay, just remember
44:36
this. This is the gift for being here
44:38
on a midweek. The gift of listening on the
44:40
radio. So remember this jacob to
44:43
Bethel. Ephesus back to their first love
44:47
remember that? Because that's where the work
44:49
he's doing. You could be as far as Jacob or
44:52
you could be like a church that kind of wandered off for 60
44:54
years. I don't think everyone in the
44:56
church did. But again, when you are a part
44:59
of the body of Christ like Nehemiah Nehemiah, wasn't a part
45:03
of the sin that made Jerusalem desolate and the walls broken
45:07
down and the temple and disarray and all the years of delay of
45:11
building Nehemiah wasn't there. But remember his prayer His
45:15
prayer was. We have sinned.
45:18
We have sinned. So we have to include ourselves
45:22
in the broader Body of Christ. We can't point the finger and go
45:26
look at that section of the church and we have sinned.
45:28
So that puts us in a position for you being used by God and
45:33
not any better than anybody else.
45:35
You know that, right? You're not better than anybody
45:37
else. None of us are.
45:40
We Are Who We Are by, what the grace of God.
45:44
That's a familiar theme. I think it's going to make us
45:46
more usable if we just remember we're not better than anybody
45:49
else. We don't do everything, right?
45:52
We're not perfect. In all our ways, you know,
45:54
somebody by a vehicle. No, you're not.
45:57
You just blew it right there by saying that or thinking that you
46:00
can't say this. I've come a long way.
46:02
Amen. You've come a long way.
46:04
I have Victory a menu except access the victory that God has
46:08
given you. You can talk about the progress
46:11
but it doesn't make you any better than anyone else.
46:15
Jesus Christ, high and lifted up will draw what all men to
46:18
himself. So, if you need prayer today at
46:21
pastors, would be up here to pray with you.
46:22
If you need to give your life to Jesus, today, we implore you, we
46:27
beg you to come to your to the love of Christ so that he
46:32
becomes your first love. And they'll be men and women up
46:35
here to serve you pray with you. Talk to you minister to you, let
46:39
me just say this, is there anyone here right now?
46:42
That I mean, that's your heart, your heart is like, I need to
46:45
come to the Lord. I need to, I need to ask for the
46:47
Forgiveness of my sins and follow him in my life, that
46:50
That's you, we're just going to wait for you can just walk up
46:52
right now and just do it. All right, now, in front of
46:54
everyone, I'll pray with you and we'll just take care of it.
46:57
Now you don't have to wait, anyone here, you just get up,
47:01
move around. Ask somebody say, excuse me and
47:03
it's kind of a modified altar call.
47:05
You can come right up here so we could pray with you.
47:08
Not talking about a rededication.
47:10
I'm talking about like, the first time Like, you were
47:13
repenting of your sins. And here you are.
47:16
And you guys are on the radio or like online going.
47:19
I'm onto but I'm not there. God sees you and you guys can't
47:23
run up fast enough from downstairs.
47:25
So, God sees you, you could take your time.
47:27
But here in the room, anyone is say that just burning in my
47:31
life, I need to follow Christ with my life and confess my
47:34
sins. But today would be the day and
47:39
it's kind of a special time because I'm calling you to write
47:43
in the moment to affirm that by walking up here to the stage so
47:48
I can pray with you. Lord, we are.
48:13
Tonight in this moment. We can affirm in our heart of
48:20
hearts. We've declared Your Love.
48:28
To a listening congregation and we've declared Your Love.
48:34
Two men and women in jails and hospitals that you loved us so
48:39
much. You send your only begotten son
48:41
to die for us and on the third day, he rose again.
48:46
And even as Peters preached a very simple message before he
48:50
even said the amen, he you were already moving on people.
48:56
Life, the belief in Hearts was already affirmed and so God
49:01
tonight, let us leave with confidence.
49:04
It's hard to hear. We need to return to our first
49:06
love and there are some here that's for there's a lot that
49:09
aren't here that it's for And we just want to finish.
49:13
Well God. When I have to hear this.
49:18
But if we need to hear, it will receive it and will obey.
49:21
It will go back to Bethel. Not a physical Place necessarily
49:26
but a place of the heart. And of the mind and of the will
49:32
and of the surrender. So bless your church tonight.
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Lord, as we grow in your grace in Jesus name, amen.
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We pray that you've been encouraged by this Bible.
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Study delivered live from the sanctuary of Calvary Church for
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prayer. Call us at 877, 30 Grace.
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That's eight 77304, 2:53 to listen to this message in its
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entirety or to join us for our live stream sir.
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Services. Visit us online at Calvary, Co
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dot church or download our free Calvary Church app be blessed as
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you worship Jesus this week.