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Life in the Spirit: The Walk and the Work (Part 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. Yes, so we're going to continue from
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where we left on Sunday. Where we left on Sunday.
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On Sunday we started to discuss about Galatians,
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the book of Galatians. And before we go into
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the book of Galatians, I just want us to see
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the background or the pattern in which the apostles,
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Jesus Christ, taught. Because when you go to
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the book of Galatians, there are many things
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you see. The way it is built, you find that most
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of what is said, it is... in the scriptures.
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In fact, all in the scriptures. That is from
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Genesis to the book of Malachi. So, let's open
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to the book of 2 Timothy 3 verse 16. 2 Timothy,
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the book of 2 Timothy 3 verse 16. It reads, okay,
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let's start from verse 14. But continue thou
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in the things thou hast learned and hast been
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assured of. knowing of whom thou hast lent them,
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and that from a child that hast known the holy
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scriptures, which are able to make thee wise
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unto salvation through faith which is in Jesus
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Christ. All scripture is given by inspiration
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of God, and it is profitable for doctrine, for
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reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness,
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that the man of God may be perfect. and thoroughly
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furnished unto all good works. So one of the
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things we see is the scriptures are profitable
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for what? For doctrine. And doctrine there has
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to do with teaching. It has to do with explanation.
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It has to do with explanation. And what he's
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saying, he said that the scriptures are profitable,
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that is advantageous. If you have your B .O .B.,
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you see the word ophelimos, which means the scriptures,
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they are there for a systematic teaching. And
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what we find there is that doctrine will lead
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to what? Will lead to reproof. That is when the
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word of God is preached, what we see there is
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there is reproof. There is persuasion. Then we
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see also that it is for correction. That is to
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strengthening. A restoration... So, when the
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Word of God is taught, what we find there is,
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number one, there's persuasion. Number two is
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that there is correction. We have ideologies
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or we have knowledges. Maybe we got them somewhere.
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But when the Word of God is taught properly,
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what happens is that there is a correction that
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comes about. There's a persuasion that happens.
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And later on, what you see is... spiritual growth
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in the life of the believer, if you are preaching
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to the person who is a non -believer, what you
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see is a positive response to the word of the
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Lord. So, we're going also to see, well, this
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is a pattern. Later on, you say in Psalm 16,
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it says, for correction, sorry, the fan is blowing
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in my Bible. Say, for correction, for reproof,
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right, and instruction in righteousness. One
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of the things you've been looking at since Sunday,
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is discipleship. And this can only be achieved
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through the teaching of the word of the Lord.
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So when you see that word, which is instruction,
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it has to do with nurturing. It has to do with
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nurturing to nature, to teach, to raise a child.
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It carries that idea of raising a child. And
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what comes with it also, if you see where it
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is used across, that same word, it also has to
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do with chastisement. You'll find... Statizement,
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rebuke also has to do with that. What is the
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result of it? It's that you grow. So let's look
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also how the apostles taught from the Scriptures.
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That is Acts 13, 16 to 41. I'm not going to read
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it. Just write it down. It's too long. So it
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says, what you see there is that Paul was preaching
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from the Scriptures. Paul taught from the Scriptures.
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If you read Acts 13, 16 to 41, then this one
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we're going to read it. Acts 17, 2 to 3. Acts
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17, 2 to 3. The reason why we are looking at
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this is when we go to the book of Galatians,
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we'll better understand how the apostle taught
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and how he was building his argument in that
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letter to the Galatians. Acts 17, verse 2 to
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3. It reads, And Paul, as his manner was, went
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unto them, and three Sabbath days reasoned with
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them out of the Scriptures, opening and alleging
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that Christ must needs have suffered and risen
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again from the dead, and that this Jesus whom
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I preach unto you is Christ. So where was he
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teaching from? He was teaching... from the Scriptures,
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meaning that the persuasion was coming from the
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Scriptures. That is Genesis to Malachi. Another
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instance also is Acts 28 verse 23. Acts 28 verse
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23. It reads, And when they had appointed him
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a day, they came many unto him, unto his lodging,
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to whom he expounded and testified the kingdom
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of God. persuading them concerning Jesus, both
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out of the law of Moses and out of the prophets,
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from morning to evening. And some, what happened?
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Some believed the things which were spoken, and
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some believed not. So, Paul's position was from
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the Old Testament. He was explaining about the
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sufferings and the glory of Jesus that follows
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from the Scriptures. And from there, that was
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where persuasion came. Also, there is eyewitness
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accounts also, because it took place during their
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timeline. Also, let's see Acts 4, 25 to 26. Acts
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4, 25 to 26. Who by the mouth... Okay, verse
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23. This comes after John and Peter, they were
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going to... the temple during the time of prayer.
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And at the beautiful gate, they met a man who
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was crippled from the mother's womb. And they
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prayed for the person and he was healed. Then
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later on, they brought them in, they persecuted
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them. Then they told them not to preach in the
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name of the Lord. That's the background of the
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story. But let's see from verse 23. It says,
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and being let go, they went to their company
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and reported all the chief priests, all that
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the chief priests and the elders had said unto
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them. And when they had heard, they lifted up
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their voice to God with one accord, and said,
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Lord, thou art God, which has made heaven and
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earth, and the sea, and all that is them. Who
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by the mouth of thy servant David hast thou said,
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Why did the heathen rage, and the people imagine
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vain things? The kings of the earth stood up,
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and the rulers were gathered together against
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the Lord, and against his Christ. For if it should,
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thy holy child Jesus, whom thou hast anointed,
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both Herod and Pontius Pilate, were the Gentiles,
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and the people of Israel were gathered together.
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So, where did they go to? They say, whom by the
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mouth of the prophet David, or the servant David.
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So, where did they take this from? From the scriptures.
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Yes, sir. Then, Acts 1 .20, lastly. Acts 1 .20.
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Acts 1 .20. For it is written in the book of
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Psalms, Let his habitation be desolate, and let
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no man dwell therein, and his bishopric let another
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take. So, this is after Judas Iscariot had betrayed
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Jesus then, yet committed suicide. So, where
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did they go to when they wanted to appoint a
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replacement for Judas Iscariot, they went back
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to the scriptures. Because immediately, it says,
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Wherefore of these men which have accompanied
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us all the time, that the Lord Jesus went in
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and out amongst us, beginning from the baptism
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of John, unto that same day that the Lord was
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taken up, must we appoint or ordain one as a
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witness. So, before then, where did they go to?
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That is, some. And what happened in the psalm
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is that there is a similar occurrence that happened
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in the, if you see Psalm 109 especially, there's
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a similar occurrence. And what happened there,
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that actually closely describes Ahithophel, more
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closely, because that's a psalm of David when
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he talks about one of his trusted counselors
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who had taken side with Absalom, his son, in
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rebellion against him. So that is when they went
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to and that's where they understood it and applied
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it. That was an application. But there's a similar
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occurrence and immediately they wanted to choose
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another person in the replacement of Judas Iscariot.
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So what we have seen so far is that whatever
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they wanted to do or whatever was taught, it's
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not something new. They went back to the scriptures
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and they came back. And you see application also
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happening in the New Testament as in Matthew
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to Revelation. So, the Epistles never replace
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the Scriptures. Rather, the explanations of all
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the letters or all the Epistles were coming from
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the Scriptures. So, there's nothing called, I
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don't like the Old Testament, I'll start in the
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New Testament. There's nothing like that. Because
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that, position or that portion of the scripture
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right now let's say ephesians you will not understand
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it or we're going to read galatians much more
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you will not understand galatians if you do not
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have understanding of where apostle paul was
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teaching from where he was building his argument
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from so and one thing we are going to see is
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that the new testament uses some expressions
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right which are contained expressions that carries
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a bigger narrative in the Old Testament. Why
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is it happening? It's because they assume that
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we are much more secondary audience. We are not
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the primary audience. So I mean that when the
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epistle was being written, Apostle Paul didn't
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really have us in mind. I mean, many years down
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the line, that was not the intention. He was
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writing to his immediate, that is the primary
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audience, his primary audience. So wherever he's
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teaching from, He assumes that his audience knows
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where he's teaching from because he has been
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a pastor in that local assembly. He has taught
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them from the scriptures. So whenever he's coming
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to teach them back, he will use some expression
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and the people's mind immediately goes back to
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what he has taught them before, right, from the
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scriptures. So we also, we should assume the
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same position for us to be able to understand
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what they understood properly. So now we are
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going to see. The Galatians, the book of Galatians.
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So, like I said, when we begin to read the book
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of Galatians, we must sit where they sit. It's
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an expression by a preacher. Sit where they sit
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and hear how they heard. That is how we get to
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understand what they really understood. So, Paul,
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in writing the book of Galatians, one thing to
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note is that he's writing to a people. who are
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already trained in the scriptures, meaning Genesis,
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Exodus, much more. That's where you find many
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of the terms you use from Genesis and Exodus,
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much more. So, he assumes that those people know
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it. They know also the prophets, the writings
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of the prophets. So, now, we are starting the
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book of Galatians. So, in the book of Galatians
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chapter 2, we see the concept of circumcision.
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We are not going to start the book of Galatians
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in depth. We're going to focus in Galatians chapter
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5 more. But before we arrive, they want to see
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how he was building his arguments, right? So,
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Galatians chapter 2, there's a discussion of
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circumcision there. So, circumcision is not a
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New Testament subject. It is found in Genesis.
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It began actually in Genesis 17, and it was a
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sign of covenant. The reason why he's going to
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circumcision there is because there's an issue
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that happens. Whereby some people were saying
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that, believers also had to be circumcised. So
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he does not pick it randomly. There is an intention
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of how he's going. The intention is he wants
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to correct that, but you use it to build so that
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people will be persuaded that really, oh, no,
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you don't need to be circumcised because we're
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going to see why and how he was building that
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argument. So you see circumcision in chapter
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two of Galatians. And you go to Genesis 17, that's
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where you find that. Then immediately you see
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also in chapter three, he talks about righteousness,
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right? He talks about the works of the law and
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righteousness. Chapter three, verse six, let's
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read it quickly. We are not going to spend more
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time here. Galatians 3, 6. Galatians 3, 6. It
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reads, even as Abraham believed God and it was
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accounted for him for righteousness, So, also
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you see that he's teaching from Genesis. We're
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going to see it progressively. He's teaching
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from Genesis. So, Paul here is quoting Genesis
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15 verse 6, right? Where we see the words, etc.
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So, when Paul is writing to Galatians, his audience
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is reading Genesis in their mind. In their mind,
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what they are seeing is what? Genesis. So, they
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are not reading something else new. Then, He
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goes on further, then he talks about the gospel
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that was preached to Abraham, that is Galatians
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3, 7 to 8. It says, They which are of faith are
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the children of Abraham, and the scripture foreseeing
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that God would justify the heathen through faith
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preached before the gospel unto Abraham. So one
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thing we see is that the gospel was preached
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to Abraham. The gospel was preached to Abraham.
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So the gospel did not actually begin in the book
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of Matthew. It was also preached to Abraham.
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So the gospel... That means in the book of Genesis,
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you'll find the gospel in the book of Genesis.
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So Paul, later on, he also teaches about the
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seed, the seed. And where do you see the seed
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concept? In Genesis, progressively through the
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prophets. Then how does he teach it? Back in
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Genesis, you see the seed is collective also,
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as in the nation of Israel. Whatever. We have
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Isaac, later on from Isaac, we have Israel, right?
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But when Paul comes in, he explains it not as
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menaces, exactly like how he interprets it, but
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seeds as pointing to Jesus, which is a fulfillment.
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We're not going to stay here. We're going to
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fight. That's why I'm just trying to ration it
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so that we have it in the ground. What he's teaching
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for is in the scriptures. Then, We now go to
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the concept of walking. That's chapter 4, 5 now,
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where we are teaching from. Chapter 5. So, since
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he's building his argument from the Scriptures,
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when the audience of Apostle Paul hears words
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like walk in the Spirit, what comes in their
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mind, where is he teaching from? From the same
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Scriptures. So, if I am an audience of Apostle
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Paul, when he now comes and says, let's read
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5, 16. It says, these are said then, walk in
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the spirit and you shall not fulfill the lust
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of the flesh. Since it's progressing from Genesis
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in the scriptures, right? What comes to my mind
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is, okay, in the scriptures, we have the walk,
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walking with the Lord being explained much more.
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Let's see. So Genesis 5 .22, Genesis 5 .22, walk
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there is W -A -L -K. Not W -O -R -K. We are talking
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W -A -L -K. Walk. So their mind is going there
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when they say walk in the spirit. Genesis 5 .22.
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Genesis. Oh, they are ahead of me. 5 .22. It
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reads, And Enoch walked with God after he begat
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Methuselah three hundred years and begat sons
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and daughters. And all the days of Enoch were
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three hundred. and 65 years. And we say it in
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the previous that that walk is a Hebrew idiom
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describing Enoch's relationship with God. That
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is also ordering one's life according to God's
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will. That's figurative. It can have actually
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a literal meaning also. Because you see the word
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halak there. It's the Hebrew word for walk. Then
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Genesis 6 verse 9, Genesis 6, 9. So what did
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we say is that it describes what? A relationship
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between man and God here from Genesis 5, 22.
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One, like a way of life, order in your life,
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right? According to God's will. Genesis 6, 9.
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These are the generations of Noah. Noah was a
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just man. and perfect in his generation. And
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Noah walked with God. This is figurative also.
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Talking about Noah's relationship with the Lord.
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That's fellowship there. Participation also in
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God's plan. Because all these people we've read,
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you'll find that they were prophets. They were
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announcing the gospel in their generation. They
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were spokespersons. What were they speaking about?
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God's plans and purposes for man. So, and again,
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we're going to read something. We see also God
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walking. God walking. God walking. And you see
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that later on is a tabernacle language. God walking.
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Genesis 3 verse 8. Is that there? Genesis 3 verse
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8. And they heard the voice of the Lord walking
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in the garden in the cool of the day. And Adam
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and his wife hid themselves from the presence
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of the Lord God among the trees of the garden.
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Literal or figurative. Was the voice of the Lord
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literally walking in the garden? That is a figurative.
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That's a figure. Yeah, that's a figurative. What
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is he talking about? That is, God desired to
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have a communion, a fellowship with man. That
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is what is being explained there. Right. So,
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you see, the garden is a place where God dwells,
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right? We've been told this in Genesis. I think
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that should be 2023 by Sister Lizzie. She also
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took time to preach here. But we're not going
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to stay more. So, the garden, we know that it
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was a place where man and God were dwelling together.
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That is Gideon. So, what was happening there?
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Man is in the Garden of Eden. God's voice was
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walking in the Garden of Eden. What does it describe
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a fellowship? Let's also read Leviticus 26, verse
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11. Leviticus 26, verse 11. We also see God walking.
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Leviticus 26 verse 11. It reads, And I will set
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my tabernacle among you, and my soul shall not
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avoid you. I will walk among you, and I will
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be your God, and you shall be my people. So that
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is God seeks for a relationship with man. When
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you read this. Then also Deuteronomy 23 verse
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14. So whenever you hear walk, immediately the
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audience of Galatians, their mind will go there.
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Deuteronomy 23 verse 14. Deuteronomy 23 verse
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14. It reads, For the Lord thy God walketh in
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the midst of thy camp. to deliver thee and to
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give up thine enemies before thee. Therefore,
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shall thy camp be holy and he sin no unclean
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thing in thee and turn away from thee. Right?
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Yes. So, he's still talking about God's dwelling
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with man. That's fellowship. That is happening
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there. Participation. Man and God in the same
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place. Then also, lastly, let's read also 2 Corinthians
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6 .16. 2 Corinthians 6 .16. 2 Corinthians 6 .16.
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And we see how Paul also takes the same, the
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same, and he was explaining it to the Corinthians.
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2 Corinthians, oh, they are already there. And
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what, 2 Corinthians 6 .16, yes. And what agreement
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had the temple of God with idols? So what was
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he talking about now? The believers. Yes. So
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in the Old Testament, you see, God also was dwelling
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in the ministry of the people. And one thing
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he was telling them that they should be holy.
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But now we see something. And what argument,
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this is now Paul, going back to the same text.
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That's where he was drawing all this from the
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scriptures. And he said, what argument had the
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temple of God with idols? For ye are the temple
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of the Lord. What happens in the temple of the
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Lord? You see God and man. You see fellowship.
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Ye are the temple of the living God. As God has
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said. I will dwell where? In them. I'll walk
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in them. Moses is writing, right? I'll walk in
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them and I'll be their God and they shall be
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my people. Where was it building from? The argument
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that is from the scriptures. So, God's walking,
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right? It's equal to God's dwelling with his
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people. God's walking is equal to God's dwelling
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with his people. From there, what we read about
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Israel, God always desired to stay in their camp,
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walk amongst them. So, that is God's dwelling
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with his people. That is where Paul also comes
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and writes from there. Same text. So, back to
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Galatians. We see walk in the Spirit. So, what
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happened there is, before we go further, I want
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you to see that one of the persons, Paul takes
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time to explain about is Abraham much more. Meaning
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that Abraham takes a bigger part of the book
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of Galatians. So, he's using Abraham to build
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his argument. So, one thing that comes in, how
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did Abraham walk with the Lord also? So, Galatians
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5 .16, walk in the spirit and you shall not fulfill
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the lust of the flesh. Walk in the spirit and
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you will not fulfill. the lust of the flesh.
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So, what is he talking about? Conducting oneself,
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right, in the spirit. It's conduct, not literal.
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That's conduct. That's conduct. So, let's read
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there. Let's go, all of us, to Galatians 5, then
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we continue reading down up to the end of it.
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Galatians, chapter 5. Let's read from verses
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14. It's important. For all the law is fulfilled
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in one word, even is in this, thou shalt love
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thy neighbor as thyself. But if ye bite and devour
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one another, take heed that ye not be consumed
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one of another. This I say then, walk in the
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spirit, and you not fulfill the lust of the flesh.
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For the flesh lusts against the spirit, and the
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spirit against the flesh. And these are contrary,
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the one to the other, so that you cannot do things
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that you would. But if ye be led by the spirit,
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ye are not under the law. Now the works of the
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flesh are manifest, which are these, adultery,
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fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, idolatry,
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witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath.
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strife, seditions, heresies, envyings, murders,
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drunkenness, ravelings, and such like, of which
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I tell you before, as I have also told you in
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the time past, that they which do such things
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shall not inherit the kingdom of heaven. But
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the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace,
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longsuffering, gentleness, boldness, faith, meekness,
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temperance, Against such there is no law. And
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they that are Christ have crucified the flesh
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with his affection and lust. If we live in the
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Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit. So, when
27:12
he says walk, the result of a person not walking
27:15
in fellowship with the Lord, by that I mean participation,
27:19
there is a place of you responding. Right? Obedience.
27:23
It has to do with obedience. Walking with the
27:25
Lord. Walking in the Spirit has to do with obedience.
27:29
So, that is one thing you see when a person is
27:35
not walking in obedience to God's Word. You see
27:40
the manifestations of things that are contrary.
27:43
But when a person is walking in fellowship with
27:45
the Lord, in obedience to God's will, the result
27:50
of it is love. So, sometimes you just need to
27:54
check the way you reacted. Are you walking really
27:57
in obedience to the word of the Lord? Then adjust.
28:01
If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in
28:07
the Spirit. So, then chapter 5, verse 14, where
28:12
we read, what does it say? It says, For all the
28:15
law is fulfilled in one word, thou shalt love
28:18
thy neighbor as thyself. This is from Leviticus
28:23
19 verse 18. Leviticus 19 verse 18. That is where
28:29
Apostle Paul took it from. Leviticus 19 verse
28:34
18. Thou shalt not avenge nor bear any grudge
28:37
against the children of thy people, but thou
28:39
shalt love thy neighbor as thyself. I am the
28:43
Lord. So the Galatian church, they know this.
28:46
They are familiar to the scriptures. So whatever
28:48
Apostle Paul said is not something new. to them.
28:51
So whenever I say walk in the street, what comes
28:54
in their minds? One thing that comes is conduct.
28:57
But those that worked with the Lord where we
28:59
read Enoch and Noah, you find out that also there
29:03
was a work that they were doing. They were prophets,
29:05
if you read. Abraham also is a prophet. Same
29:10
thing. Israel, God wanted to work with them.
29:13
That was also responsibility. So, number one,
29:18
you see, what is The fruit of the Spirit is what?
29:21
Love. Right? And when there's love, you see service,
29:27
you see ministry work within the believers. So,
29:32
other scriptures you can look at is Romans 13,
29:35
verse 8. Romans 13, verse 8. Romans 13. Talking
29:43
about love. Romans 13, verse 8. All no man anything,
29:49
but to love one another. For he that loveth another
29:54
has fulfilled the law. Okay, we just read Romans
29:58
13, verse 8, right? To 10. Okay, 9. For this
30:04
thou shalt not commit adultery, thou shalt not
30:07
kill, thou shalt not steal, thou shalt not bear
30:10
false witness, thou shalt not covet. And if there
30:13
be any other commandment, it is briefly comprehended
30:17
in this saying, namely, Thou shalt love thy neighbor
30:21
as thyself. So, one thing that is key is when
30:27
a person is walking in fellowship with the Lord,
30:29
what you see is love and manifestation. Also,
30:34
John 3, 34. John 3, 34. This is the Lord Jesus
30:39
talking to the disciples. John 13, 34. Sorry,
30:44
13, 34. John 13, 34. And your commandment I give
30:49
unto you, that ye love one another as I have
30:52
loved you, that ye also love one another, that
30:57
ye also love one another. Yes. So, love is the
31:02
emphasis. Love is the emphasis. And also, we
31:07
go back to Galatians 5 .22 -23. Galatians 5 .22
31:13
-23. Galatians 5 .22. 22 to 23. But the fruit
31:20
of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, long -suffering,
31:24
gentleness, faith, meekness, temperance. Against
31:29
such, there is no law. So, the word there for
31:33
fruit is the word kapos. K -A, I don't know whether
31:37
the pronunciation is right, but you can check
31:40
it. K -A -R -P -O -S. K -A -R -P -O -S. This
31:47
is as a result of the dwelling of the Spirit.
31:50
So that is the fruit of the Spirit is what grows
31:54
naturally from the life in the Spirit. It grows
31:59
naturally from the life in the Spirit. It is
32:03
not forced. It is not manufactured. It's natural.
32:07
It grows natural because of the dwelling of the
32:10
Spirit of God in us. So we are not looking at
32:12
it. It's not missing. We just need to walk in
32:15
it. Galatians 6, verse 2. In continuation, Galatians
32:19
6, verse 2. Galatians 6, verse 2. Be ye one another's
32:26
burden, and so fulfill the law of Christ. When
32:30
man thinks himself to be something, okay, go
32:33
back to what I was saying. Be ye one another's
32:36
burden, and fulfill the law of Christ. That is
32:38
what love towards one another. Love towards one
32:42
another. Okay. So, we're going to look at something.
32:49
We're going to look at a case study. Maybe we'll
32:53
call it a case study. And we're going to look
32:55
at Solomon. We're going to spend some time there.
32:58
Look at Solomon, conduct, compromise, and the
33:02
consequences of it. Right. Solomon. We're going
33:05
to spend a bit of time there. 1 Kings 10, verse
33:09
23. So, Solomon... We are going to see him as
33:16
an example of conduct, compromise and consequences.
33:21
Compromise, consequences and conduct also. 1
33:27
Kings 10, 23 to 24. 1 Kings. So King Solomon
33:33
exceeded all the kings of the earth for riches
33:36
and for wisdom. And all the earth sought to Solomon
33:40
to hear his wisdom which the Lord had put. in
33:43
him. Let's go down. And they brought, yes, and
33:48
they brought every man his present, vessels of
33:50
silver, vessels of gold, garments, armor, spices,
33:55
horses, moors, a retier by year. And Solomon
34:00
gathered together chariots and horsemen, and
34:03
he had a thousand and four hundred chariots,
34:06
and twelve thousand horsemen, whom he bestowed
34:09
in the cities for chariots. and with the king
34:14
at Jerusalem. And the king made silver to be
34:21
in Jerusalem, and stones and cedars he made to
34:25
be as the sycamore trees that are in the vow
34:31
for abundance. It means that he exceeded in riches
34:34
a lot. God blessed him, but it was not the blessing
34:40
of the Lord. So he was rich. If you go and study
34:46
more, you'll find out how he became rich. Yes,
34:49
he was a king. They were giving him tributes.
34:51
If you are not a king, go and work. So shortly,
35:00
you'll be shown chapter 11. This is the same
35:04
king, chapter 11, 1 Kings chapter 11 from verses
35:09
1. Okay, let's open our Bibles. 1 Kings chapter
35:17
11. Let's open your physical Bible. 1 Kings chapter
35:22
11 from verses 1. And King Solomon loved many
35:26
strange women. Hmm. And King Solomon loved many
35:32
strange women together with the daughters of
35:35
Pharaoh. With the daughter of Pharaoh. Singular.
35:38
Women of Moabites, Ammonites, Edomites, Zidonians,
35:43
and Hittites, and of the nations concerning which
35:47
the Lord said unto the children of Israel, You
35:55
shall not go in to them, neither shall they come
35:59
unto you. These are the ones he loved. For surely
36:02
they will turn away your hearts after their idols.
36:08
Solomon cleaved unto this in love. Compromises
36:13
started. And he had 700 wives, princesses, and
36:21
300 concubines, and his wives turned away his
36:25
heart. For it came to pass when Solomon was old
36:28
that his wives turned away his heart after other
36:33
gods. Solomon, who breathed the... House of the
36:36
Lord. Now they are turning his heart. It says,
36:40
And his heart was not perfect with the Lord his
36:43
God, as was the heart of his father David. For
36:47
Solomon went after Ashtoreth, the goddess of
36:51
Zidonites. That is because of the wife's party.
36:55
Zidonites. And after Amalekom, the abomination
36:59
of the Ammonites. And Solomon did evil in the
37:02
sight of the Lord and went not fully after the
37:04
Lord. as did David his father. Then did Solomon
37:07
build a high place for Chemorosh, the abomination
37:12
of Moab, and the hill that is before Jerusalem,
37:16
for Molech, the abomination of the children of
37:19
Ammon. We did this in, you know what was happening
37:22
there. There are child sacrifices now involved
37:25
in it. The man of God. So, 9. And the Lord was
37:32
angry with Solomon because his heart. was turned
37:34
from the Lord, God of Israel, which had appeared
37:37
unto him twice. Ah, you see the Lord twice, as
37:41
conveys to the Lord, and yet commanded him concerning
37:44
this thing, this very thing, and commanded him
37:49
concerning this thing, that he should not go
37:51
after other gods, but he kept not that which
37:54
the Lord commanded. Where we are going to? I
37:58
don't know when it's like this, but I want to
38:00
show. The result of unequally yoking yourself
38:03
with unbelievers. You might be doing good, but
38:08
the moment you unequally yoke with unbelievers,
38:13
the result of it is that there is compromise.
38:16
There is compromise. So, if you go to Deuteronomy,
38:21
before we go, let's go to Deuteronomy 17, 17.
38:24
Deuteronomy 17, 17. You see an instruction. You
38:27
did what you were supposed to do. And you knew
38:29
it. So that is the result of unequally yoking.
38:34
So there was compromise and later on there was
38:37
consequences. Digital means 1717. They called
38:42
one of my friends who is here, his first NDF.
38:45
I had people calling me Solomon, Solomon. I asked,
38:47
I had these people calling me Solomon. But this
38:51
behavior is not like this one. They still call
38:54
him Solomon and he's here. Okay, so. Deuteronomy
39:00
17, 17. Can we start in 15? Thou shalt in any
39:08
way set him king over... 14, 14. When thou art
39:12
come unto the land which the Lord thy God giveth
39:15
thee, and shalt possess it, and shalt dwell therein,
39:18
and shalt say, I will set a king over me, like
39:22
as other nations that are about me. Yes. Thou
39:25
shalt in... And thou shalt in any way set him
39:29
king over you, whom the Lord thy God shall choose.
39:35
One from among thy brethren shalt thou set king
39:39
over thee. Thou must not set a stranger over
39:42
thee, which is not thy brother. But he shall
39:46
not multiply horses to himself, nor cause the
39:50
people to return to Egypt. To the end that he
39:54
should multiply. Horses. Solomon did this. He
39:59
went back. Not physically. For as much as the
40:04
Lord our God has said unto you, ye shall henceforth
40:10
return no more that way. 17. Neither shall he
40:14
multiply wives unto himself, that his hearts
40:18
turn not away. Neither shall he greatly multiply
40:22
to himself silver and gold. This is where the
40:29
problem of Solomon started. He built high places
40:32
for his wives because he unequally yoked himself
40:36
with the people who the Lord had told him that
40:38
he should not. So what was God doing? He was
40:42
protecting them and he was protecting Israel.
40:45
He knows the consequences of this. But Solomon,
40:47
he did all that he was instructed not to do.
40:50
That is what he did. For what reason? I wonder
40:54
why he didn't fight war. Because he was in -law
40:57
of those people. These people could not fight
41:01
him because their daughter was there. Yes, they
41:03
could. It was those people that were against
41:05
him back then. He's in -law. They could not fight
41:11
him. So there's a strategy. If you want to look
41:14
at it, it's a strategy to some degree. But it's
41:16
a compromise. It's a compromise. So, If you read
41:22
chapter 8, which you're not going to look at,
41:24
Solomon built the temple of the Lord. Chapter
41:27
8, 29, you see him praying. Then Solomon expanded
41:36
in royalty. Then immediately you see compromise
41:39
happening. Compromise happening in his life because
41:43
of what? He equally yoked himself when people
41:48
he was not supposed to. So sometimes as believers,
41:51
in our lives. I mean, you know, it is very recommendable
41:55
that your friends should be fellow believers.
41:59
Your friends should be fellow believers. These
42:02
specialists from your local church, you protect
42:06
yourself from anything. I want you to see a person
42:09
behaving anyhow. Go and check their followed
42:13
blood company. They'll tell you, mine has to
42:16
choke. Or mine has to find my name. I was sharing
42:19
with Pastor Fred one day. I went for evangelism.
42:23
I met one guy. I was so eager. That was Pastor
42:25
Imai. He preached a fire message about evangelism.
42:28
He said, I'm going for evangelism. I was with
42:30
a brother. He's now in Nigeria. I will not say
42:32
his name. So we went to EJT. We met a guy. We
42:35
went to preach. Ah, I will not give him space.
42:38
I wanted him to give me time. So I asked him.
42:41
I asked him. He agreed. He looked at me now,
42:43
at this brother. He says, young people, nations
42:47
are suffering. and you are here. You should be
42:49
looking for my name. Look at me. Look at that.
42:53
Yeah, I come to preach. I didn't come to talk
42:55
about economy. So, I'm not saying it's a bad
43:00
person. I mean, if you hang out with such people,
43:03
those are people you preach to, you leave them.
43:05
Right? I mean, not leave them as an outsider.
43:07
I mean, if they don't believe, it's better for
43:11
you to protect yourself. They shouldn't be your
43:14
friends. continue again preaching until they
43:16
believe that's when they will become friends.
43:17
That's the qualifying factor. One thing happened
43:21
is that if that person I brought him in, you
43:23
see, it's the person who said, you should wait
43:25
for your economy. We need to change Africa. We
43:27
need to change the Bible. You know, my country
43:29
is the one they attack most because of that one
43:30
billion notes. With one billion notes. So, 2008,
43:34
it's no longer there. One note, one billion.
43:36
Less than one dollar. So, one dollar was greater
43:40
than one billion dollars. Okay. So, If you hang
43:44
around those kind of people, before you know
43:47
it, you'll join again. Man has to work. Man has
43:51
to talk. Sunday service, your boss will say,
43:53
come and work. We'll give you extra 200 data.
43:55
200. 200. You'll go. You'll even be the one who
44:00
asks for work during Karate Smash. What's up?
44:02
Is there work? I'm free. No, I'm free to work.
44:06
So, be careful about it. It's not only about
44:09
marriages where you see an equal looking ex -husband.
44:12
No. Your friends, the people you keep around,
44:16
your housemates, you run away from brothers in
44:18
your house because they tell you, you won't join
44:21
those that are drunkards. Okay. We'll see. You
44:25
will stop attending church and you will know
44:26
you followed bad company. Okay. So, the scriptures
44:30
does not leave us in dark. We'll see examples
44:34
to follow. There are examples to follow. Right?
44:38
There are examples we should follow. The examples
44:42
we should follow. I'll start with this intentionally.
44:46
Your pastors. Hebrews 13 verse 7. We are not
44:50
in doubt for you know people who to follow. You
44:53
know people who to follow. Hebrews 13 verse 7.
44:58
Hebrews 13 verse 7. Remember them which shall
45:02
rule over you, who have spoken unto you the word
45:06
of God, whose faith follow. whose faith follow,
45:13
considering the end of their conversation. It
45:18
also puts a challenge on us, our cell leaders,
45:21
team leaders. Conduct yourself in a way that
45:25
is worth our calling. They may believe that the
45:30
people you are leading, they don't want to be
45:31
like you. That's one. That's Hebrews 13, verse
45:37
7. 1 Corinthians 11 verse 1. 1 Corinthians 11
45:42
verse 1. 1 Corinthians 11 verse 1. Be followers
45:48
of me as I also am of Christ. This is his church.
45:54
Listen. Apostle Paul is a pastor here. Here will
45:59
be Pastor Fred, Pastor Emmanuel, Pastor Chidi.
46:02
Right? Yes. Philippians 3 .17. Philippians 3
46:07
.17. Brethren, be followers together of me and
46:12
mark them which walk so as ye have asked for
46:17
an example. Look at how your pastors conduct
46:21
themselves. Look at how your pastors treat you.
46:24
That is how you are supposed to do it. Follow
46:27
them as they follow Christ. Philippians 4 .9,
46:31
then we'll see allowance. Philippians 4 .9. These
46:35
things which ye have both learned and received,
46:38
and heard and seen, where? In me. Do. And the
46:44
God of peace shall be with you. Which is, you
46:47
cannot go and, okay, this is, he's also a pastor
46:50
here. Don't go and do it and follow him. I want
46:54
to be like that, start here, the pastors. If
46:58
they are coming for meetings, that's how we see
47:01
whether you are learning really. And again we
47:04
see Sarah. In Sarah's life you see submission
47:07
and you see honour. Sarah, the wife of Abraham.
47:10
1 Peter 3 verse 5 to 6. Pastor Victor has taught
47:15
us also here. 1 Peter 3 verse 5 to 6. For after
47:20
this manner, in the old time, the holy women
47:23
also, who trusted in God, adorned themselves,
47:26
being in subjection unto their own husbands.
47:30
Even as Sarah obeyed Abraham, calling him Lord,
47:33
whose daughters he are, as long as you do well,
47:37
and are not afraid with any amazement. Even as
47:46
Sarah obeyed Abraham, calling him Lord, whose
47:48
daughters... Okay, I don't think it changed.
47:51
Then Hebrews 11 .11. You can hear that? Hebrews
47:54
11 .11. Though through faith, also Sarah herself
47:59
received strength and conceived seed and was
48:01
delivered of the child when she was past age
48:04
because she judged him faithful, who had promised.
48:08
So what do you see there? Faithfulness. Right.
48:13
Then also we see James 5 verse 10. James 5 verse
48:18
10. James 5 verse 10. Still on examples. James
48:22
5 verse 10. and the name of the Lord, for an
48:28
example of suffering affliction and of patience.
48:32
Job also, we see in Job chapter 1, verse 20 to
48:35
22. Go to James 5, verse 11. Go one verse after
48:40
10. That's one. Yes. Behold, we count them happy
48:46
which endure. Ye have heard of the patience of
48:50
Job, and have seen the end of the Lord. And have
48:54
seen the end of the Lord. That the Lord is very
48:57
pitiful and of tender mercy. One thing we see
49:01
there is perseverance on Job's side. Then, lastly,
49:06
the last one. 1 Peter 2 .21 -23 about our Lord
49:09
Jesus. 1 Peter 2 .21 -23. 1 Peter 2 .21 -23.
49:17
Can I have it in amplified AMP? For as a believer,
49:22
you have... Yes. As a believer, you have been
49:26
called for this purpose since Christ suffered
49:29
for you, leaving you an example so that you may
49:33
follow in his footsteps. He committed no sin,
49:38
example, nor was deceit ever found in his mouth.
49:44
While being reviled and insulted, he did not
49:48
revile or insult in return. The Father. While
49:54
suffering, he made no threats of vengeance, but
49:59
kept trusting himself to him who judges fairly.
50:04
Verse 24. He personally carried our sins in his
50:09
body on the cross, willing offering himself on
50:12
it as an altar of sacrifice, so that we might
50:16
die to sin, becoming immune from the penalty
50:20
of the power of sin, and live for righteousness.
50:24
For by his wounds, you who believed have been
50:29
healed. So, that's an example of Christ, right?
50:35
There's no screen today. Okay. Last test. I think
50:40
there's still like 10 minutes. It's finished.
50:43
Oh, okay. So, just write this down. No, they
50:46
didn't put screen today. So, just write this
50:49
one down. We are not going to open. You open
50:51
when you get home. Examples not to follow. 1.
50:57
Genesis 4, 3 -8. Genesis 4, 3 -8. 1 John 3, 12.
51:08
What you see there is hatred and murder. With
51:11
itself, it despises spiritual things. It's called
51:16
a profane person. Genesis 25, 29 -34. And also
51:20
Hebrews chapter 12, 16 to 17. Then we have Balaam
51:24
grieved. And Balaam, we put grieved. Numbers
51:29
chapter 22 to 24. 2 Peter 2, 15. Jude 1, verse
51:36
11. So, later on, as we go in the near future,
51:43
we'll see that when people don't walk in love,
51:48
in the local assembly, you see a problem similar
51:52
to that of the Corinthian church, which later
51:54
affected even the flow of the gifts of the Spirit.
51:58
So we'll look into that in the future. So let's
52:02
just close our eyes as we pray. Just thank God.
52:06
We appreciate you being here today. We hope you
52:09
carry this word with you throughout your week.
52:12
Don't forget to check the show notes for additional
52:14
insights. stay connected with us through our
52:17
website or follow us on social media if you are
52:21
encouraged share this message with someone you
52:24
care about until next time stay blessed