Latest / Near East Christian Fellowship Sermons / Understanding the Father's Love in Christ pt. 2

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Understanding the Father's Love in Christ pt. 2 · Near East Christian Fellowship Sermons

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Welcome to NECF sermons. Each message here is
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designed to uplift and strengthen you in your
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walk with God. Don't miss out. Stay with us until
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the end for a rewarding experience. Let's dive
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right in. In the mighty name of Jesus, I want
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us to pray just whilst we're preparing and setting
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our minds. I want us to pray this one prayer.
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that our faith is anchored on the word. Our faith
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is not anchored on externals. Pray for yourself
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and say, my faith is anchored on the word and
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not on the things that's happening around me.
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My faith is anchored on the word of God, on the
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truths of God. My faith is anchored in God and
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not in the externals and not on the externals
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and not on the externals. and not on the externals.
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The faith of everyone in this place is anchored
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on the word of God. The faith of everyone in
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this place is anchored on the truth, on the truth,
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on the truth, on the eternal truth of God, not
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on the externals, not on the externals, not on
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what happens on the news, not on what happens
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around me, not on my feeling, not on how I feel.
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I want you to open your mouth and pray this prayer
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for yourself and say, my faith is anchored on
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the word of God. My faith is anchored on the
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truth, on the truth that I find in scripture.
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My faith is anchored and empowered by the spirit
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of God to do. I do the things that the word of
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God instructs me to do. I don't do the things
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that I feel to do. I don't do the things that
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appeals to me, but I do the things that the word
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instructs me to do. My faith is anchored on the
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word in the name of Jesus. My faith is anchored
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on the word in the name of Jesus. In the mighty
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name of Jesus. In the mighty name of Jesus. We
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don't know how important this is until we look
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around us. When we look around us, there are
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a lot of things that are happening that can cause
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you to waver, that can cause you to waver in
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your faith. But once your faith is anchored on
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the Word, regardless of whatever it is that's
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happening, it is true. It stands true. It doesn't
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shake. Praise God. It doesn't shake. And that's
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why every now and then we come to the Word of
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God. Every now and then we come to the word of
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God because that's where we draw strength. That's
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where we draw encouragement from. On Sunday,
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before we started, I brought attention to the
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situation in the church in Thessalonica. Apostle
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Paul is writing to them in three. Notice that
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they were going through the persecutions they
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were going through, right? They were going through
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the persecution and they were standing strong
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because of the things. And in five, I will read
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it to us again. 2 Thessalonians 3 verse 5. It
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says, May the Lord lead your heart into a full
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understanding and expression of the love of God
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and the patient endurance that comes from Christ.
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He prays this prayer in verse 3. He says, The
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Lord is faithful. The Lord is faithful. And the
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truth is that God is faithful regardless of what
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exactly it is that's happened. The Lord is faithful.
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He remains faithful. He's forever faithful. He
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says, He will strengthen you. He will strengthen
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you and guide you from the evil one. He said
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he will strengthen you and guide you from the
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evil one. He says we are confident, as Paul is
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speaking, we're confident in the Lord that you
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are doing and will continue to do the things
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we commanded you. Regardless of what is happening,
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your faith keeps you going in the things that
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he has instructed you to do. Praise God. In the
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things they instructed you to do. And that's
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why when we are teaching and we're encouraging,
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the disciples set that example. The different
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things they were going through. We saw it in
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Acts 4. They were persecuted. They flogged them.
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When Pastor Fred was teaching us, they flogged
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grown men. They flogged grown men. And after
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the flogging, they went on doing what they were
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instructed not to do because their faith is anchored
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on the truth. And some of us have not even experienced.
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Nobody has flogged. Okay. Some people. Everybody.
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You have not been flogged for the gospel. Some
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of us, there's a spanking that we received from
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my parents and all of that. But know that you
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have not been flogged, you have not been persecuted
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for the gospel, and yet you are still wavering
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in your faith. And the substance of your faith
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is tested when you go through trials, when you
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go through difficulties. Praise God. And Jesus
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Christ himself said in John 16, he said you have
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persecutions. You have tribulations, praise God.
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You have tribulations, but he says something.
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He says, be of good cheer. Let's read that. Matthew
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and John 6, 33. Let's read that. Let's read that.
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I want us to just pray a bit before we sit. I
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want to charge us so that we pray and then maybe
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the word comes. So John 16, sorry. John 16, 33.
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John 16, 33. John 16, 33 says, These things I
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have spoken to you, that in me you may have peace.
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In the world you will have tribulations, but
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be of good cheer. I have overcome the world.
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Be of good cheer. I have overcome the world.
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Be of good cheer. I have overcome the world.
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Be of good cheer. I have overcome the world.
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Be of good cheer. I have overcome the world.
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It means that you should be cheerful, right?
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You should be cheerful regardless of what exactly
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is happening that he has overcome. So I have
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overcome. He has overcome. So I walk in the victory
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he has acquired for me in the name of Jesus.
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I walk in the power of the spirit of God that
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resides in me, that empowers me, that encourages
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me regardless of what I go through to keep persevering,
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to keep keeping on, to never give up, to always
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pray. Even when I don't see the results, I am
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praying in faith because I know that God has
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promised and he's a faithful God. God has promised
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and he keeps his promise. My faith is anchored
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in the love of God. My faith is anchored in what
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he has spoken and what he has done in Christ
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Jesus for me. My faith is anchored on that. My
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faith is not anchored on the fleeting things.
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My faith is not anchored on what I have because
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those things that I have can come and go. But
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my faith is anchored. On the word of God, on
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the things that he says to me, on the things
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he has spoken concerning me, he says I am forgiven.
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He says I'm forgiven and I believe it. I believe
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it in spite of when times comes when I feel guilty
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for some things. I know that he empowers me.
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I know that he has done these things and I know
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that I'm loved by him. I'm loved by him. I'm
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loved by him. I'm loved by him. I'm loved by
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him. My faith is anchored on the truth. that
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he has spoken on the truth that he's speaking,
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on the truth that he's ministering to me, even
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in this hour. Even in this hour. And in spite
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of what I go through, I will continue to preach.
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I will continue to speak. I will continue to
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speak. I will continue to preach the gospel.
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I will not be afraid of persecution. I will not
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be scared of what men will do to me. But rather,
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I am confident in the fact that the word has
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to be spoken. In the second Thessalonians, it
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says, Finally, dear brothers and sisters, we
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ask that you pray for us that God's message will
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spread rapidly and be honored everywhere it goes.
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That through me, the word will spread rapidly.
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Through me, it will be honored everywhere. Everywhere
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I go, the word of God will reach because I am
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there. Because I am there in my classroom. The
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word of God is there and I will speak to the
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individuals that are around me. I will speak
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to them with boldness. I will speak to them with
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boldness. I will speak to them with boldness
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in the name of Jesus. I will speak to them confident
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because I know what I have. I know what I have,
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so I give. I know what I have, so I give. I receive
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freely, so I will give it freely in the name
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of Jesus. Quran. Quran. In the mighty name of
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Jesus. You know, when we pray this prayer in
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Ephesians, that the eyes of our understanding
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be enlightened, sometimes we fail to understand
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what we're praying for. But I want to just help
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us to see that what we have in Christ is full,
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that the understanding that we have is full.
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What catches up is our minds. What is doing the
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catch up is our minds. What is doing the catch
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up is our minds. So we say that is enlightening
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is from the light that we have, our minds now
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catches it. Our minds now catches it. And when
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we are sitting in church and the word of God
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is being preached to us, what is happening is
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that our mind, we looked at that 12, our mind
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is renewed, right? Our mind is renewed. We have
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an understanding that, see, this thing is mine.
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This thing is mine. It's not that I will... have
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it is that I have it. What I do with what I have
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is that I manifest it. We're looking at manifesting
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the kingdom. We can't walk in something that
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we are still in doubt that we have received.
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We are still not sure. I think it's only for
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some people. It doesn't affect me. I think, no,
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no, no. There's what I have to do to walk in
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it. Praise God. There's nothing you only do because
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you have received. You don't now start walking
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your way to it. We're going to see something
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this morning, this evening, but I want us to
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pray and say, my mind is enlightened. I understand.
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I'm not confused as to what God's will, what
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God has done in Christ Jesus for me. I walk in
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it. I walk in it. I walk in our understanding.
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I don't waver. You know, when you're not sure,
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you are tossed to and fro. You're not sure. You're
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just moving back. Am I sure? I'm not sure. It
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will work today. It will not work tomorrow. We
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don't work like that. We are sure and we work
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in it every day. We are sure and we work in it
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every day. I pray for you that is standing here.
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You are sure, you are confident in what Christ
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has done and you step into your every day with
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that confidence. It's not up today, down tomorrow.
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It's not down tomorrow, up to today. It's consistent.
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It's consistent. It's consistent. It's consistent.
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By the Spirit of God, every one of us here is
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consistent. It's consistent. We are consistent
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in our understanding of these truths. We see
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it. We believe it. We walk in it. We see it.
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We believe it. We have received it and we walk
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in it in the name of Jesus. We walk in it in
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the name of Jesus. In the mighty name of Jesus,
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we pray. Heavenly Father, we thank you because
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the eyes of our understanding are truly enlightened.
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We have the full, our minds are enlightened mightily
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by your word. We're not in doubt of what it is
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that we have received. We're sure of what we
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have received. And we see ourselves manifest
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that which we have received. In this season of
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the church where we are seeing one thing after
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the other, we're just pulling out layers and
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layers of things, we ask that no one comes short
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in all that it is that they are listening to.
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Everyone that is complacent, we receive strength
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to rise up and keep walking. We receive strength
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to be strengthened to do the will of the Father.
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We thank you because it's not about how well
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we perform. It's about how Christ has done the
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things that puts us in that place where we are
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reconciled to you and we walk in that ministry
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of reconciliation and we bring men into that
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reality that you have brought us into. Heavenly
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Father, we thank you. We thank you for this evening.
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We don't undermine the opportunity that we have
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to be gathered like this. And we thank you for
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everyone here that has prioritized coming here
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over the numbers of the many things that they
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would have been doing. And we thank you because
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it's going to be a time of blessing. It's going
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to be a time of refreshing. In the mighty name
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of Jesus, we pray. Amen. Let's have our seats.
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So we're going to be continuing with our teaching
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from Sunday and I would still encourage us to
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keep at it. Let's keep taking notes and let's
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keep singing and let's keep believing and let's
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keep acting on the things that we've received.
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Let's not just have notes. Let's have the notes
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in our hearts and let's be ready to do all that
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God is instructing us to do in this season. And
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what I perceive for us as a church is that This
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season, we'll have opportunities, we'll be having
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so much opportunities, many opportunities will
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be coming to us to be able to preach to people,
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right? Opportunities will be coming to us to
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preach to people, to share this love that we
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have received, to encourage people, to be able
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to bring them into the understanding that we
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do have. And the reason why we're going to the
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basics, we're going to the foundation, is that
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we are grounded in the truths of God's word.
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We're grounded in the truth of what we have received.
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We will struggle to explain what we have received
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when we don't understand what we have received.
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And many times you meet people and they say,
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oh, we are Christians and they can't explain
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what makes them that. They can't explain what
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makes them that. That's why we go to the foundation
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of all of these things. So it's very crucial
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that we understand what we have received because
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what we have received is great. What we have
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received is mighty and what we have received,
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needs to be expressed. So I read to us that Apostle
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Paul was praying that they might be led into
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a full understanding, right? They might be led
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to a full understanding and expression of the
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love and the patient endurance that comes from
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Christ, that we have in Christ. So the topic,
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again, still remains understanding the Father's
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love in Christ. Understanding the Father's love.
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in Christ, understanding the Father's love in
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Christ. And we stopped around what forgiveness
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is. We had explained what forgiveness is. And
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we said, what we have in Christ is, because we
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said, we went to John 3, 16, right? Went to John
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3, 16 and says, he gave. And we explained what
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that he gave meant, right? We said, it's not
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he gave us, it's he gave. And he gave means that.
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He speaks of his debt, speaks of the sacrificial,
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that sacrifice that was paid. And what was that
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sacrifice for? We say the sacrifice is for the
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forgiveness of sin. That's why we explain what
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the forgiveness of sin, what forgiveness is.
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And we went to Ephesians 1 verse 7, where it
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says, in him we have redemption through his blood.
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And we say it's through his blood, speaks of
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that still the sacrifice. It says the forgiveness
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of sins according. to the riches of his grace.
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The forgiveness of sins according to the riches
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of his grace. And we say that forgiveness there
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is aphesis. A -P -H -E -S -I -S. And we say that
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that forgiveness is not just a reluctant pardon.
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The forgiveness is not just a reluctant pardon.
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It is that it is wiped clean. It says it's a
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removal or dismissal. It's like you, like someone.
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It's like an idea of a debt being canceled and
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cleared. Every record of it is removed. No record
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of it is there. I think I was smiling after church
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on Sunday. Some people were now using the opportunity
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to say that what they are owing in their team
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is cleared. I was like, what they are owing is
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cleared. I said, no, that one is physical. You
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have to clear it yourself. Because you are the
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one that is your responsibility to do that. It's
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your responsibility to do so. Praise God. So
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we know that. So when we say that there's no
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longer any record, so it means that our relationship
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with God doesn't have the same, there's nothing
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as, there's no, you don't have that as a challenge.
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There's no longer that as a problem. And it means
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that you should not walk in, you should not be
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walking in guilt of what you have done, rather
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walk in the, truth, that all of your debts are
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cleared. Walk in that reality and that truth.
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And what I want us to see, Simon Day and I, we
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went to Psalms, right? We went to Psalms 103,
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and we looked at David's prophecy. He says, he
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has dealt, he has not dealt with us according
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to our sins. Meaning that God has not dealt with
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us according to our sins, nor punished us. according
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to our iniquities. And he says something in the
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verse 12. He says, as far as the east is from
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the west. Know that when somebody says, as far
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as the east is from the west, he's trying to
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tell us that that is how far it is removed. Not
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that you can catch up. You can't catch up. You
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can't bring the two together. You can't catch
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up. It's just telling you that it is done. You
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can never have them close. That's how far, that's
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how it's entirely, it's removed entirely. So
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there's no record of it. So our posture towards,
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Our posture in Christ is not based on our sins.
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It's not based on our sins. It's based on what
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Christ has done. It means that we don't have
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a problem of sin. And I want us to see something.
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It happened in Luke 18. Just to exemplify that.
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It means that when we come to God, we're not
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coming to God based on our works. We're not coming
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to God based on the things we're able to do.
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And even when we're in Christ, we don't come
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to Him based on... the things that we're able
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to do. We come to him based on what Christ has
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done. That remains the same. That remains, it
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doesn't change. Luke 18, I want us to see verse
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9 to 14. Luke 18, 9 to 14. So, and this is a
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parable Jesus Christ was speaking. It says, also
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he spoke this parable to some who trusted in
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themselves that they, that they are righteous
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and despise others. Please look, let's go back
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in the nine. It says these are individuals who
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trusted in themselves that they were righteous.
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Trusting in themselves that we are righteous
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and they didn't just leave it at that. They now
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decide to despise others. And you can't, you
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can't know what you have received and then turn
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to the other person and despise them. And sometimes
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in our work, physical work, we tend to want to
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look down on others because we feel that we're
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in a high... What brings that is when you feel
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that you're here and they're here. We have a
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tendency to do so. You just look at a little
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child and then you feel like, oh, I'm older than
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you. And you feel that you... Or look at someone
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because you've attained certain things. I know
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that our work is not based on... I think when
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we look at the situation with the apostles, when
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they saw, they say, these men were uneducated.
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Class, you know, that is humbling. When someone
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is not educated and has what you don't have and
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you are educated, it humbles you in certain respects.
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But note that the reason why all of that was
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seen in their lives is because they were with
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Jesus Christ. There's a lot of things we gain
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in our relationship with Christ. There's a lot
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we gain. There's a lot we lose when we distance
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ourselves from what Christ has done. Praise God.
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I want to let that sink in because we can sometimes
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say one thing, and do something else. We can
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be saying one thing, and we'll be doing something
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else. We can say, oh, I believe that Christ died
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for me, but you are acting like you still owe
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him for the sins that he has paid for. Praise
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God. You can say, we say it, because what makes
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this thing practical is when you say, there's
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nothing that will separate me from the love of
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God, and then when you are going through persecution,
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you're already separated. In fact, just simple
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exams. Just a simple week of exams, we don't
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see you. So now, practical, exam has separated.
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Exams, physically, we don't see you because of
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exams. So you want to learn to know what you
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are holding on to and stick with it. Praise God.
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Know what you're holding on to and stick with
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it. So it says, and don't despise others. So
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it means that these individuals felt that because
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of... They trusted in themselves, meaning that
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they now decided, okay, this trust in themselves,
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now push others out of sight. So, two men went
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up to the temple to pray. Two men went up to
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the temple to pray. One, a Pharisee, and the
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other, a tax collector. The two individuals you
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already know. You already know what is about
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to happen because one is a Pharisee, the other
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person is a tax collector. So the Pharisee stood
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and prayed to us with himself. He prayed to us
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with himself. Says, God, I thank you that I'm
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not like the other man. An extortioner, unjust,
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you see, adulterer, as even this tax collector.
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I fast twice a week. I give tithes of all that
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I possess. And the tax collector standing, look
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at his posture as against the posture of the
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tax collector. The tax collector standing afar
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off could not as much as raise his eyes to the
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heaven, but beat his breast saying, God, be merciful
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to me, a sinner. God, be merciful to me, a sinner.
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And 14, he says, I tell you, this man went down
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to his house justified rather than the other.
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For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled,
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and he who humbles himself will be exhausted.
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I want you to go back to 13, and let's see something.
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He says, the cry of the tax collector is, Be
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merciful to me, a sinner. I want us to focus
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on that word. Know that the posture of this person,
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as again, this person, the fact that this person
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came trusting himself, prideful, and this other
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person is, he says, God, be merciful to me. The
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other person had his own manifesto. I did this,
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I've done this. And for some of us, it would
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be things like I fasted, I serve in church. I
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have all of those things. And those are the things
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that we put to our record. Those are the things
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that we now put to our records. And then we use
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that to victimize the other person. That we feel
24:29
that, oh, this guy is a tax collector. And we
24:31
know that the tax collectors in that time and
24:33
age, they were like the people that collect.
24:34
And sometimes they add money and all of that.
24:36
And say, this person is a person. You can qualify
24:39
them as such. And sometimes we can even have
24:41
that attitude when we go to preach the gospel.
24:45
You're looking at the person and you say, this
24:46
person is Jesus. But you're saying this person
24:49
is Jesus with a bit of... You are condescending
24:56
in your... Even the way you're talking to them.
24:58
Say, with that, you are not him. You are telling
25:01
the truth, but your action or your attitude towards
25:05
the individual is not of love. Praise God. So
25:10
the word, the being merciful there is a Greek
25:13
word, and I want you to... I want you to understand
25:16
that that mercy there is not of pity. It's not
25:20
pity. The mercy there isn't, you know, in the
25:24
Nigerian, they say, God, I beg, pity me. It's
25:28
not pity. It's not out of pity. And the word
25:31
is, is H -I -L -A -S -K -O -M -A -I. H -I. L
25:45
-A -S -K -O -M -A -I is hilaskomai. So the word
25:54
there is, we said it's not pity. The word there
26:01
is not pity. That word there means to render
26:05
oneself. That word there means to render oneself
26:11
and it has to do with the It's the sacrifice
26:14
of propitiation. It's an atoning sacrifice. It
26:17
has to do with an atoning sacrifice. It means
26:21
to render oneself. And I want you to, that's
26:24
why we take our time to, because if you see God
26:28
be merciful, you almost would think that, pity
26:31
me, please, my own situation. But to confirm
26:34
that, I want you to see another place where that
26:37
same word is used in Hebrews. In Hebrews, Hebrews
26:42
2 .17. Hebrews 2 .17. Hebrews 2 .17. We read
26:49
it from the New King James. Hebrews 2 .17. He
26:53
says, Therefore, in all things, he had to be
26:59
made like his brethren, that he might be a merciful
27:05
and faithful high priest in things pertaining
27:08
to God. to make propitiation for the sins of
27:13
the people. Just leave it there. I want you to
27:16
look at the passage that we have. You will think
27:20
that the word merciful should be the word there,
27:26
right? You should, you will be thinking that
27:28
that is the word. That is the word that, that
27:31
is the same, the same word. But that word merciful
27:34
is another word. This messable here is another
27:39
Greek word, which is elemon. It's E -L -E -E
27:43
-M -O -N. It's a different, it's not the same
27:48
word. The word over there is elemon. That's E
27:52
-L -E -E -M -O -N, elemon. The word that is the
28:00
helascomine. or the phrase that is the helascomine
28:05
is make propitiation for. Make propitiation for
28:12
is the word that is the helascomine. And it makes
28:16
perfect sense when you read it. It says to make
28:19
propitiation for the sins of the people. To make
28:25
propitiation for the sins of the people. And
28:27
just to take us back, remember we said that is
28:29
his debt. that makes that available to us. The
28:34
reason why we can come boldly is because of what
28:37
the price that he has paid in his debt. And the
28:41
reason why that tax collector can open his mouth
28:46
and plead is because of what Christ has done.
28:48
And when we come as believers and we're anchoring
28:51
our faith on the things that we've done, we are
28:55
actually, it's going to be hard for us to, our
28:59
faith. can shift. Because there are times when
29:05
you are not able to do those things. And you
29:09
will now have guilt. Praise God. I hope we're
29:13
listening. There are times where you struggle
29:15
and you now have guilt. But know that regardless
29:18
of what the tax collector, because the tax collector
29:21
had things on his record. And then he knows that
29:25
he just has to put himself at the mercy. of God
29:28
and basically that's what he did. And that's
29:31
why that word there is you're rendering yourself.
29:33
You're accepting what he has done. It's not a
29:36
pity thing. It's not a pity thing. God did not
29:40
just look and pity us and then sent his son.
29:43
It's not pity that made him do the things that
29:45
he did. It's the love that he has for us that
29:48
made him do the things that he did. Praise God.
29:51
The love he has for us is what motivates him
29:54
to always hold on to us even when We are letting
29:58
go of him. Praise God. Even when we're letting
30:01
go of him, that love is what keeps... See, the
30:04
reason why you will stay struggling is because
30:10
you are not sure of why does he keep holding
30:15
on to me even when sometimes you're wondering
30:19
why. Because God is faithful. Remember what we
30:23
read at the beginning. He says he's faithful.
30:26
He's faithful. So I am strengthened in his strength.
30:30
Not when we're taught about joy. Joy is not external.
30:34
It's the things that God works in us that is
30:38
sin. Meaning that everything of ours, anything
30:41
that we can produce, comes from him. Praise God.
30:45
Comes from him. So the mercy that we've received
30:48
is from him. And the same is what we extend to
30:52
others. That's what we're going to be building
30:54
on. That's what we're going to be seeing happen.
30:56
And I want to just, in this evening, clarify
30:58
to us how important it is that we should know
31:01
what we have received. We should know that what
31:04
we have received is what Christ has given. And
31:06
the same thing he received is what he had given.
31:08
It's the same thing. We just have that in the
31:13
back of our mind. And it's not based on performance.
31:14
I want to keep repeating that. That is not based
31:18
on performance. It's not like you do more, he
31:20
loves you more. If you're doing more, you are
31:24
helping yourself to grow. It's not by, okay,
31:29
because I did this and this and this, because
31:31
that's basically what the piracy was just. I've
31:36
done this, I've done this, I've done that on
31:37
the basis of that. It will be all work and no
31:40
show. Praise God. It's going to end up in all
31:43
work and no show. And we want to shift to a point
31:47
in the church where, and we'll see this, hopefully,
31:52
in subsequent teaching, where you know the love
31:57
of God and you are able to extend it to see someone
32:01
get healed, right? You're able to extend it to
32:04
see someone get saved. You're able to extend
32:08
it to see someone get delivered. You're able
32:11
to extend it. You look at the person and what
32:13
comes out of you is, oh, God, I want you to just
32:18
touch this person. I want you to heal this person.
32:21
And you're not doing it because the person you
32:23
are putting in the corner. You're doing it because
32:25
there is something that wells up from the inside
32:28
of you that makes you want to just go out and
32:31
do it. And you're doing it from the standpoint
32:33
of love. Because when we don't do things from
32:35
the standpoint of love, we will struggle. It's
32:38
just going to be off and on. We're doing it because
32:41
we know what we have received and then we're
32:42
acting in accordance to it. Praise God. We're
32:45
acting in accordance to it. And I want us to
32:47
see. Even further, because they're setting, let's
32:51
look at Hebrews. Since we're in Hebrews, Hebrews
32:52
8, verse 12. Hebrews 8, 12. Just before I retreat,
33:05
the fact that there is no, so it says, for I
33:09
will be merciful to their unrighteousness. And
33:14
this merciful here is under the, Another Greek
33:17
word. There's another Greek word which is hulios.
33:21
That's H -I -L -E -O -S. H -I -L -E -O -S. So
33:27
this word is another Greek word. It's hulios.
33:31
And it's an adjective that's similar to the helasco
33:34
mine. When it says, I will be merciful to their
33:37
unrighteousness. Meaning that the mercy of God
33:40
is towards what? Unrighteousness. Meaning that
33:43
it resolves that. So a person that has received
33:46
God's mercy is now no longer regarded as unrighteous,
33:50
is now in right standing with God. Praise God.
33:54
He's in right standing with God. He says, and
33:56
their sins and their lawless deeds, I will remember
33:59
no more. Praise God. He says, their sins and
34:03
their lawless deeds, I will remember it no more.
34:05
When somebody tells you, or when someone, a human
34:08
being tells you, I will remember it no more.
34:10
You know, you have it, it's because the person...
34:14
When you do it again, it might come back. But
34:15
when God says, I will remember it no more, it
34:17
means he will remember it no more. Meaning that
34:21
if it comes up again, something like it has been
34:24
paid already, so it doesn't come back again.
34:26
It doesn't come back again. And it's not from
34:29
your own hand, right? It's not from your own
34:31
hand, it's from his own hand. Because he's remembering
34:35
no more. But now you are the one that will struggle
34:37
to, hence the thing we said about your mind,
34:42
right? You want to ensure that you remind yourself
34:44
that these things are no longer an issue in your
34:48
work with God. I'm saying it. I'm repeating myself
34:51
again because there are many of us that from
34:54
time to time, circumstance and situation brings
34:56
us to that place where we are in doubt because
34:58
we feel like things should be better, but they
35:04
are not. And then you want to find what the cause
35:07
of the problem is. And then you go to what you
35:10
feel is the problem. You don't fix the main thing,
35:14
which is you want to go back to God's word to
35:17
remind yourself the things he has said concerning
35:20
you and concerning that situation. Praise God.
35:23
That is where our faith should always be anchored.
35:27
That is where our faith should always be anchored
35:30
on the things that his word says concerning the
35:33
matter. Because he says here that he will remember
35:36
it no more. And how many of you believe that
35:38
he doesn't remember it anymore? How many of you
35:41
believe that? How many of you believe that? You
35:43
know, some of us don't believe it because sometimes
35:45
I think he remembers. That's why he's doing this.
35:47
That's why he's out to get me. Praise God. Expo
35:51
2 remembers. Praise God. So he says he remembers
35:54
it no more because that word, that Julius, it's
35:58
an adjective because it's describing because
36:01
it says be. And it still has merciful in it and
36:05
it still means the propitious. Propitious. It
36:10
means to be propitious. And it's used to mean
36:13
that it's averting calamities. It's like in averting
36:17
calamity. And it's like far be it. Or be it far.
36:22
Like it's far away. Remember what we said about
36:25
as far as the east from the west? So it used
36:27
to. So you're describing or you're saying it.
36:30
And even in the Jewish, they almost use it to
36:35
do like far be it from you, right? Like God forbid,
36:39
like it's far away from you. And we see that
36:41
same word in Matthew 16, 22. When the conversation
36:46
of Jesus Christ or the conversation of Jesus,
36:49
Peter speaking to Jesus Christ after he has spoken
36:51
of him, his death. In Matthew 16, 32, you see,
36:55
and then Peter took him aside and began to rebuke
36:58
him saying, far be it. That far be it is the
37:03
same word. That far be it is the same word. Far
37:06
be it from you. Far be it is that word. It says,
37:13
it shall not happen to you. It shall not happen
37:16
to you. And what Peter was saying is that you're
37:19
not dying. You're not dying. And remember when
37:23
you think of it and think of the fact that his
37:25
death is what brings us to that place where It
37:30
establishes the fact that we now are righteous
37:32
because after all the things we've been reading.
37:34
But that propitiation, that sacrificial, that
37:38
payment has to be made. So when you come and
37:40
then, and remember it's the same person that
37:42
was like, oh, that he will follow him anywhere
37:44
he's going. The same person. Remember on Sunday?
37:45
How many of us remember Sunday? Where he was
37:47
like, ah, that he's going to lay down his life
37:49
too. Right? See, you see the same person say
37:54
he's going to lay down his life too. It's the
37:55
same person now that say, ah, no, no, no, you
37:56
don't have to die. It's almost like, don't die.
37:59
I'm going to go ahead. Praise God. And it says,
38:04
because of what Christ has done, that is going
38:07
back to what we saw in the Psalms. Because of
38:10
what he has done, that's what sets the whole
38:13
thing, sets us apart. So there is no record now
38:15
and forever because of what he has done. Remember
38:18
what we said. And this ensures that you're not
38:23
tossed through, through and through, through
38:25
and through. This ensures that you're not tossed
38:28
from one end to another. When we read that in
38:32
Ephesians, let's go to Ephesians. You know, when
38:34
we read it, sometimes we think it's something,
38:36
it has to be something, it's as simple as the
38:41
core of it, as the foundation. 4 .14 It says
38:53
that we should, that we, should no longer be
38:57
children, that we should no longer be children
39:00
tossed through and through and carried about
39:03
by every wind of doctrine. Know that you are
39:06
tossed through and through once you're not anchored
39:09
or grounded on the truths, especially foundational
39:12
truths. Foundational truth as you're forgiven
39:15
and there's no record of it and then you are
39:17
still moving. You're going to say, I'm sure,
39:20
I'm not sure. You need to grow. in the knowledge
39:26
that you receive. That will cripple your ability.
39:29
And for some of us, they say, okay, you can heal
39:33
the sick, right? You can preach to people and
39:36
get them saved. And then you're like, are you
39:39
sure? I've not started. My Christian work has
39:41
not reached that level. And you're saying all
39:44
of these things to offset the fact that you know
39:47
that you can be saved today and get someone saved.
39:50
Praise God. You can be saved just because you
39:53
know what you have received. You pass it. And
39:56
in fact, most of the times we're very excited
39:58
at that point. In fact, if you've seen somebody,
40:00
the person's like, ah, you know what? I just,
40:02
I just, I just received. And they're very excited
40:04
to give it to the next person. Well, something
40:06
happens along the line. That's why we were praying
40:08
that we're never lacking in zeal. Because sometimes
40:10
you lose that excitement of the first time you,
40:13
because you have received it at first and you
40:15
know what you're excited about it. But over time,
40:17
because Jesus. And then you slow down. But what?
40:23
we're seeing here is that we want to stay grounded.
40:27
We're not given to things that are flying around,
40:30
right? We're not given to what is flying around,
40:33
but we're here that is sure. We're with the word
40:37
of God that is sure. And we're not, it says,
40:40
by the trickery of men, by the cunning craftiness
40:44
and the sinful plotting. We're not given to all
40:46
of those things. We're given to one single thing,
40:50
which is the word of God. Praise God. And when
40:54
he says that there is no condemnation, right?
40:59
When he says that there's no condemnation and
41:01
there's no judgment, he's all anchored on the
41:03
fact that he has paid it all. When he says there's
41:07
no condemnation, there's no judgment, the reason
41:10
why that is the reality of a believer is because
41:13
something has been done. And it's not anchored
41:16
on you. I'll keep drumming it. It's not anchored
41:19
on you. So it means that when you step into a
41:22
situation, you remember that the power of God
41:24
is available and it flows through you. What you
41:30
do is that you are just a vessel that is willing
41:33
to allow him to manifest himself. You're willing
41:37
to see his kingdom. You're willing to see his
41:41
kingdom manifest in and through yourself. And
41:44
when you say no, you are stopping that from happening.
41:48
The same way when we're praying and we're saying
41:49
that they give the things of the Spirit. You
41:52
know that through me, this person will be blessed.
41:59
And then I will yield myself to see that this
42:01
person gets blessed. That consciousness drives
42:04
whatever it is that God wants to do to make it
42:07
possible. But when you come and say you are undermining
42:11
or you're despising or you're looking down on
42:13
the person, what you're doing is inevitable.
42:16
You're stopping. The flow. Praise God. You're
42:20
stopping the flow. When you are in a situation
42:22
where you are in the classroom and you're talking
42:24
with someone and then the conversation is about
42:28
maybe random and then the Holy Spirit prompts
42:30
you and says like share the gospel and then you
42:37
you say no. Maybe some other time. Let me not
42:42
be that weirdo. That person that does like this
42:44
or this or so and that. But there are people
42:47
that are very happy to introduce anything to
42:50
you. Or you have something that is the real deal,
42:55
that is more than what they have, and you're
42:57
holding it back. You're not sharing that love
43:01
that is beyond, that doesn't go up and down.
43:06
Praise God. You want to ensure that at every
43:09
given point in time, you're allowing Him to find
43:13
expression through your life by the Spirit of
43:15
God. You're allowing him to find expression to
43:18
your life. And just to stay on the point of judgment,
43:21
I want us to see John 5. John 5, 24. John 5,
43:32
24. And Jesus is speaking. And I think we're
43:41
seeing it. He says, most assuredly, I say to
43:44
you. He said, he who hears my word and believes
43:50
in him who sent me has everlasting life and shall
43:54
not come into judgment. He says, he shall not
43:58
come into judgment, but has passed from death
44:02
into life. He shall not come into judgment, but
44:06
has passed from death into life. And the word
44:09
judgment there is crisis. And it's like crisis.
44:12
It's K -R -I. S -I -S. K -R -I -S -I -S. K -R
44:19
-I -S -I -S. And that crisis means justice. Right?
44:25
It says, it shall not come into justice because
44:28
God's justice system has covered, the system
44:32
has covered it. There's a price that has been
44:34
paid. The verdict has been done. There's no record
44:38
of it. So that doesn't concern the individual.
44:42
It says, but he has passed. From death into life.
44:47
Praise God. It's passed from death into life.
44:49
And every believer, it's not just a life, but
44:54
as Jesus Christ speaking, we say the life is
44:56
life abundant. The life is life abundant. The
45:01
life is life abundant. And what makes that life
45:03
abundant is the spirit of God, which you and
45:06
I carry. That is the seal of the relationship
45:11
that we have with him. That's the seal of the
45:13
relationship that we have with him. And he says,
45:16
the believer does not come into judgment and
45:18
the court case is over because of what the cross
45:22
has done. And it's permanent. It's permanent.
45:26
It doesn't change. I don't know. You know, when
45:29
somebody, when we are thinking that it goes up
45:32
and down, we put ourselves in a place where it's
45:36
like, it's here today. come tomorrow, here today,
45:40
come tomorrow. You wake up in the morning and
45:41
you're not sure whether it's there or it's not
45:43
there. But we know that in God, He's always sure.
45:47
It's permanent. It's true. And regardless of
45:50
how you feel, regardless of how you woke up that
45:52
day, it's true. You just keep going on with that,
45:54
going on with that. How many of you have experienced
45:56
a situation where you woke up and you don't feel
46:00
strong? But the moment you get up and then you
46:03
start walking, you just discover that the energy
46:06
that you... our exuding was always there. But
46:09
you needed to just move around and then it kicks
46:12
in. The same way when we say rejoice, sometimes
46:15
it's not, it doesn't, it doesn't, it doesn't
46:18
get you. Or you don't, you feel like, oh, what
46:20
are those people doing? But because you know,
46:23
right? And then it comes to your mind, I have
46:26
a reason to rejoice. Because of what Christ has
46:29
done, because of what I now have, I rejoice.
46:33
Because of what I have received, I rejoice. Even
46:36
though I don't see the physical, remember we
46:38
said that it's not anchored on the physical thing.
46:40
Because if it's anchored on the physical thing,
46:41
there are a lot of things that you want, but
46:43
you don't have. There are a lot of things that
46:44
you're looking for. The situations are legitimate,
46:46
but you don't have it. But you're going on and
46:51
on. You're doing it. Remember what I said on
46:53
Sunday, it comes to mind again. Where you're
46:55
going through difficulty, but you're still happy.
46:59
You're still rejoicing. That in itself changes
47:02
everything when somebody knows what you're going
47:05
through. They see you going through what you're
47:07
going through, but you are always there. You
47:10
are always excited. You're always serving. You're
47:14
always willing to do anything for God. And then
47:17
it's like, what is wrong with you? People are
47:21
going through what you're going through and they
47:22
lock themselves up and they're crying and they're
47:24
mourning and they're doing all manner of things,
47:26
but you're still standing. What makes you stand?
47:30
It's because you're sure of what Christ has done.
47:33
Because you're not just somebody that says, I
47:35
believe, I believe, I believe. You are acting
47:38
out and we can tell because of your action. It's
47:43
not just in words. And it doesn't always have
47:46
to be you talk about it. What speaks louder or
47:52
the loudest is when you show. You show it. Praise
47:57
God. When you show it. And the love that we received.
48:02
was demonstrated to us. Praise God. It was demonstrated
48:07
to us and was clearly demonstrated. You know,
48:10
we read in 1 John. It's because it's his demonstration,
48:16
then we demonstrate. And it shows us how we demonstrate
48:19
it. By going out of our way to meet the needs
48:22
of others, right? And going out of our way to
48:24
do what has been done to us, to others. Praise
48:27
God. And it's very powerful when we... Think
48:29
about it. It's very powerful when made. Because
48:32
there's a security in doing. There's a security.
48:36
You know, when you know something is secured,
48:38
you sleep well at night, right? When you know
48:42
that your life is secured in Christ Jesus, you're
48:44
not scared that you'll be stolen, right? You're
48:47
not scared that something will happen and then
48:50
you'll lose it. You're not going back to it to
48:53
confirm. You know there's something confident
48:55
about when you know that you're typing something
48:57
and you have hit save. you're typing, you're
49:00
typing and typing. You know, I was speaking to
49:02
one of her. She said that, ah, that she saved
49:05
it, that thank God she hit send. And then her
49:09
system had a problem. I was like, ah, that would
49:11
be difficult to explain. It would be difficult
49:13
to explain to someone when you had not hit send
49:15
and send it. And then I had an experience like
49:20
that one time where I was like, hey, if I had
49:23
not copied and pasted it somewhere and then the
49:26
thing just went like this and then. You now have
49:29
stories to tell. And then you message your teacher
49:33
like you're lying. And then you knew that your
49:38
system just turned on you. Your PC turned on
49:44
you. You will need proof or you need backup or
49:47
you need cloud to save you. Praise God. But know
49:51
that when something is sure, when there's security,
49:54
you move on with... Peace, right? You move on
49:59
with joy because you know that regardless of
50:02
what happens, you are safe. And you're not safe
50:05
because Jesus Christ was saying, see, in the
50:08
world, it's not a safe place. You can just walk
50:12
out now and something happens. But what is guaranteed
50:15
to us is in Christ Jesus. Nothing can steal what
50:20
we have in Christ Jesus. Nothing can break into
50:22
what we have in Christ Jesus. Nothing can destroy
50:25
what we have in Christ Jesus. And you might doubt
50:29
it. You might say, oh, I don't think I see it.
50:32
But you will see it. Praise God. If you keep
50:34
looking into God's word, one day, even right
50:38
now, it will hit you. Praise God. Even right
50:42
now, it will hit you. And right now, it has taken
50:47
a grace. Your head is going around it and it's
50:51
beyond words. Praise God. It's beyond words.
50:57
It's beyond words. It's something that the Holy
50:59
Spirit, even in this moment, the Holy Spirit,
51:03
even in this moment, is causing your heart to
51:07
just open up and see it. You know, when Ephesians
51:13
says that the eyes of your understanding be enlightened,
51:16
you don't know how powerful that is. That once
51:18
you catch up to something and there's a light
51:21
bulb that lights up in your mind, and then you
51:23
say, this is it. Here is it. And then you run
51:29
with it. Because now you have an understanding.
51:31
And that is basically how our work is. The more
51:34
understanding we get, the more built we are,
51:37
the more we're able to withstand difficult situations,
51:40
the more we're able to run, the more we're able
51:42
to do more. Our doing more is for our own good.
51:48
Right? Our doing more is for our own good. You're
51:51
not doing... We're not doing more to be loved
51:55
more. Praise God. We're not doing more to be
51:57
loved more. And it's massive. John, I want us
52:02
to see something in John 17. John 17, 22 to 23.
52:11
Jesus Christ. Just quite speaking, praying and
52:20
says, and the glory which you gave me, I have
52:26
given them that they may be one just as we are.
52:33
One. 23. I in them and you in me, that they may
52:43
be made perfect in one that the world, may know
52:49
that you have sent me and have loved them as
52:54
you have loved me. I want you to stay there.
52:57
And love them as you have loved me. It says,
52:59
I in them and you in me that they may be made
53:04
perfect in one and that the world may know that
53:11
you have sent me and have loved them just as
53:14
you have loved me. Meaning that the love that
53:18
God has for his son is the same love that he
53:21
has for us. You want to allow that to soak into
53:29
your mind, that what we have, and we have the
53:32
same spirit of God, we have that union, we're
53:35
all united in that one. It says we share in that
53:38
sonship, we share in that relationship. We call
53:41
God our father because we have that union on
53:45
the basis of what Christ has done. We're brought
53:48
into divine fellowship with God because of what
53:54
Christ has done. And we're sharing that. And
53:57
by the spirit of God, we're able to flow continually
54:00
in that relationship, right? Because the proof
54:03
of it is that you have loved them just as I,
54:06
you have loved them as you have loved me. You
54:11
have loved them as you have loved me. And that
54:12
is the foundation of identity. That's the foundation
54:16
of identity. The love of God is the foundation
54:19
of identity, and it's not rooted in our performance.
54:22
It's not rooted in the things that we do, the
54:24
things that we will do, but it's in the unchanging
54:27
love and the perfect love of the Father. It's
54:31
in that unchanging love and perfect love for
54:33
the Father, and that love is directed towards
54:35
us and the Son, and we're able to stand, we can
54:39
be able to say, we stand forgiven. We are beloved
54:42
in Christ Jesus. We have the same quality, same
54:47
intensity, the same love. We experience that
54:51
same love from the Father. Every one of us here
54:53
partakers. In fact, we have that. That love is
54:58
channeled towards us. And you don't have any
55:02
less of it than the other person. You know, when
55:05
parents have several children, there's a tendency
55:09
to love one more than the other. You love the
55:12
one that does well, and then... You don't love
55:14
the one that does well. It's parents, early parents
55:18
can do that or have a tendency to do that. Right?
55:22
You have a tendency to do that. But with God,
55:25
as many as we are, he channels the same intensity.
55:31
It's not based on the performance. He channels
55:34
that same intensity towards you. He channels
55:36
that same intensity towards me. And every one
55:38
of us enjoys. that same intensity. And the moment
55:42
you understand it, you now have caught up to
55:45
it, right? The moment you understand it, your
55:47
work now is, you know, when you know that your
55:51
parents love you so much, you know, there's a
55:53
way you work in school, you know, little kids
55:56
saying, you carry your school badge, your mom's
55:58
around because, you know, daddy loves me, daddy
56:00
loves me. And that's the kind of excitement we
56:05
have because we know that regardless of it, the
56:08
love of the father is always there. towards us.
56:11
It's always there for us. And it's the foundation
56:14
and the basis of our love and our work. And because
56:18
of that love, we are brought into, there's an
56:23
understanding that comes with it. Because of
56:25
that relationship with our love, we come into
56:27
that understanding. I want us to see something
56:28
in John 15, 15. And by the Spirit of God, the
56:35
Word of God enlightens our minds. Enlightens
56:38
our minds to understand how solid that love is,
56:44
the dimensions of this love, as Ephesians would
56:46
say, Ephesians 3. But 15 .15, John 15 .15, it
56:50
says, No longer do I call you servants, for a
56:54
servant does not know what his master is doing.
56:58
But I call you friends, for all things that I
57:02
have heard from the Father, I made known to you.
57:06
For all things I've heard from the Father, I
57:08
made known to you. Just stay in the 15. All things
57:11
I've heard from the Father, I made known to you.
57:14
And by the Spirit of God, we have received all
57:17
things, right? We have received all things. We
57:19
have received all things. And note that when
57:21
we pray that their eyes will understand and be
57:24
enlightened, what happens is that all things
57:27
that were received is made known to our minds
57:29
and is made manifest. Because, you know, when
57:32
we talk about casting down every... I always
57:37
imagine it. You know, there are things that are
57:39
in your mind that needs to calm down, right?
57:42
There are things that needs to calm down. And
57:44
the moment those things calm down, you see what
57:48
God has made available unto you, manifest through
57:52
your life. Because it has always been there.
57:54
It has always been there. It has always been
57:56
there. In this passage, you see that there's
57:59
a servant, there's a, you know, That relationship,
58:04
when we read the book of, I think the book of
58:06
last two months or so, where it talks about the
58:08
Jesus Christ servant relationship and son relationship,
58:13
there's a synergy in that relationship because
58:16
the servant side of things is a service. There's
58:21
a son side of things that you know that no matter
58:24
what, all of those things work together. There's
58:27
a synergy in that relationship because there's
58:30
one part that... Seven, there's one part, there's
58:33
that. But in our work with him, the friend or
58:37
a friend is confident, right? A friend has a
58:40
confidence in the fact that the status of their
58:43
relationship gives them access, unlimited access,
58:48
right? It's friendship. When you have friends,
58:50
you have unlimited access. And know that even
58:53
when we have friends, you know, some of us, the
58:57
friendships, you know, some people, like everybody's
59:01
their friend. In fact, some people will claim
59:02
that they are friends when in reality it's not
59:05
mutual. And even with those friendships, you
59:09
have where you place this person at. I was explaining
59:13
to someone, I said, there are friends that will
59:16
stay in your living room. No matter how, that's
59:20
where they're at. There are friends that you
59:22
can bring them into your kitchen. They have that
59:24
access into your kitchen. There are friends that
59:27
can come into your bedroom. because they have
59:31
that access into your space. And know that with
59:34
physical relationship, the moment you promote
59:36
somebody that should be in your... In fact, there
59:38
are some friends that should be at the door.
59:43
They shouldn't even enter the house. And just
59:50
imagine when somebody that should be at the door
59:52
has access into your living room. You might be
59:55
wondering why you got robbed. Because the person
59:58
is like, ah, we don't always have this opportunity.
1:00:01
Let's make the most of this opportunity now that
1:00:03
we have it. And then you'll be like, ah, the
1:00:06
person ran away. My things got stolen. And you
1:00:08
can't be looking at the people that have always
1:00:10
been there because all the while they were there,
1:00:12
nothing got stolen. So it means that you let
1:00:15
someone that should be at the door inside or
1:00:18
you let someone that should be in the living
1:00:19
room inside. So know that even with a physical
1:00:22
relationship, we have cutters, right? And anytime
1:00:25
you... push somebody very quickly, they leave
1:00:29
very quickly because they came in very quickly.
1:00:31
Praise God. But in our relationship with God,
1:00:33
it doesn't apply, right? Because you can have
1:00:39
that mindset and there's no telling because you
1:00:42
can come into a relationship with God and feel
1:00:44
like I'm at the door. Lord, you know, you'll
1:00:47
be singing always, I come before you today because
1:00:49
you're always coming before him. You're always
1:01:00
going before him. No, it's a wonderful song.
1:01:03
You're always going before him. Because you are
1:01:10
always in that space with him. And some of us,
1:01:13
it's the mindset we have. And that's why when
1:01:16
we sing, we're very careful, conscious of the
1:01:18
kind of songs we sing. Because sometimes you're
1:01:21
singing the song, but it registers. It really
1:01:25
does register. You're singing it, but you don't
1:01:28
know how that applies to even how you're living
1:01:30
because it's what you know that you act, right?
1:01:33
And once you've sung it so much that even subconsciously
1:01:36
you have the song just coming on and that in
1:01:39
itself will interpret or translate to what your
1:01:41
relationship would be with him. And it's very
1:01:43
dangerous when we sing certain things that are
1:01:45
inconsistent with the word of God. That's why
1:01:47
we try to, as much as the melody sounds nice,
1:01:51
most times we, I think we'll discuss it in part
1:01:55
two. Reading the lyrics saves you the stress
1:01:58
of having to say, I love the song. You know,
1:02:01
when you read the lyrics, it's clear. But once
1:02:04
you hear everything together with the beats and
1:02:07
everything, you might just say, it's not that
1:02:09
bad. It's not bad. It's like, we can change it
1:02:12
a bit here and there. And sometimes you don't
1:02:15
want to change the parts that will mess with
1:02:19
the... And then you're... Because you... But
1:02:23
once you... But once you know that this thing
1:02:26
is in control, and that's why we say, you know,
1:02:28
many of us will say canonical, canonical, follow,
1:02:31
ensure that you are canonical, ensure that you
1:02:33
are, but we will be begging you, struggle with
1:02:36
you to get to it. And that's why when you hear
1:02:38
certain things, it doesn't register. Man of God
1:02:41
was talking about how, I think, I can't remember
1:02:43
the particular person that his daughter was like,
1:02:45
no, that's not, that's not, that's not right.
1:02:47
That's not, and you'd be like, how old is she?
1:02:51
And she could tell that this is not right. And
1:02:54
so it was the right thing. She was able to quote
1:02:57
the particular passage, the scripture. And know
1:03:01
that there's a benefit of knowing what is true,
1:03:06
right? So that once you approach with what is
1:03:09
false, you can spot it. In fact, your mind, that's
1:03:14
where the mind is very effective. Your mind will
1:03:16
just say, this is wrong. And you're able to come,
1:03:20
like you know that because it is. And then you're
1:03:23
able to stand against. That's how we're able
1:03:24
to withstand the wiles of the alien. Because
1:03:27
we know the truth and doesn't have to be, it's
1:03:30
subtle. Where you're able to know that this is
1:03:32
where I stand, this is. And then you act and
1:03:35
you walk in the light that you have received.
1:03:37
Praise God. And we are children of light. And
1:03:40
we know that that light is not, you know, when
1:03:42
we hear light, you think of. And in Ephesians
1:03:48
5, 8, it says, for we were once darkness, 5,
1:03:54
8, but now we are light and we walk as children.
1:03:58
We are light in the Lord and walk as children
1:04:00
of light. And walking as children of light, and
1:04:03
even the 1 Thessalonians 5, 4 to 5, let's write
1:04:09
this passage of scripture while we close, as
1:04:11
we close. 1 Thessalonians 5, 4 to 5 says, but
1:04:16
you, my brethren, are not in darkness. You, my
1:04:20
brethren, are not in darkness. So there's a day,
1:04:24
so we say, it comes as a thief. Then next, 5
1:04:28
verse 5 says, you are all sons of light and sons
1:04:32
of the day. We are not of the night, nor of darkness.
1:04:38
We are not of the night, nor of darkness. We
1:04:41
are children of light because we know the light
1:04:42
we have received and we walk in that light. And
1:04:45
walking in that light is walking in the truth,
1:04:49
is walking in the love that we receive. Walking
1:04:51
in that light is walking in the truth, walking
1:04:53
in the love we receive. And we do that because
1:04:55
we know. We do that because there's the precise
1:05:00
knowledge of God's word that spores up the precise
1:05:04
knowledge that by the spirit of God, our minds,
1:05:07
our thinking faculties are flooded with every
1:05:11
time we approach the word. that that light is
1:05:15
from the Spirit of God and it shines on our minds,
1:05:18
which is limited in knowledge, but in the Spirit
1:05:25
of God, it's unlimited. There's full, there's
1:05:28
a precise knowledge, there's accurate knowledge,
1:05:30
and then that in itself spurs us to do the things
1:05:34
that the Father instructs us to do, to flow in
1:05:38
the things that the Spirit of God causes and
1:05:41
spurs us to do. Praise God. I want us to just
1:05:45
close our eyes and just thank God for his love.
1:05:50
Thank God for understanding of that love. And
1:05:54
thank God for how we are empowered to not just
1:05:58
go through the motions of our walk with him,
1:06:03
but to really be into the walk and to understand.
1:06:10
and continue to understand, to grow in understanding
1:06:13
that our eyes will continue to be enlightened.
1:06:15
I want us to go to that passage. Ephesians 3,
1:06:35
I will read 3 .16. It says that He will grant
1:06:39
you, according to the riches of God, that we
1:06:41
be strengthened in our mind through His Spirit
1:06:43
and our inner mind. For Christ may dwell in your
1:06:47
hearts according to faith, that being rooted
1:06:51
and grounded in love, that you are able to comprehend
1:06:54
with all the saints what is the width, the length,
1:06:58
the depth, and the height. To know the love of
1:07:02
Christ, which passes knowledge. We'll correct
1:07:09
that. We'll discuss that on Sunday. That you
1:07:13
may be filled because we're filled with the fullness
1:07:16
of God. I want us to go to 1. It says that the
1:07:23
eyes of my understanding being enlightened, that
1:07:26
you may know what is the hope of his calling,
1:07:29
what are the riches of the glory of his inheritance
1:07:34
and the saints. That the eyes of my understanding.
1:07:38
that the eyes of my heart, that the eyes of my
1:07:40
understanding is enlightened in the name of Jesus,
1:07:43
that the eyes of my understanding is enlightened
1:07:45
in the name of Jesus, that the eyes of my understanding
1:07:48
is enlightened in the name of Jesus. or follow
1:08:06
us on social media. If you were encouraged, share
1:08:10
this message with someone you care about. Until
1:08:13
next time, stay blessed.