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Walking in Love through Words that Edify (Part 1) · 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. As you are sitting down, just to your
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left and right, just extend a hand and welcome
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your brother. Say, brother, you're welcome to
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church. Sister, you're welcome to church. Hallelujah.
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And when we were praying, there was something
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that we prayed for that is very important. We
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sang a song about God as a father. And one of
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the revelations that we need oftentimes is the
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revelation of God as a father, as our father.
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Because the revelation of God as father will
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go a long way in solving many of the anxieties
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that we have and that we experience in our day
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-to -day life. Sometimes we forget that God is
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father to us. And the picture of the father that
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you have in your mind, maybe you come from a
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home that you probably didn't have your father
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present. So when you hear the word father, there
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is a misunderstanding of what fatherhood is.
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But through the scriptures, we see the clarity
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of God's fatherhood. Hallelujah. Our biological
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parents are not the standard for fatherhood.
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All right? God is a standard for fatherhood.
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Our parents in their earthly dealings with us
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may fail in their responsibilities as men, but
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God is a God that is faithful to his children.
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And I'm speaking to somebody this morning. Regardless
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of where you are, God is your father. Hallelujah.
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And he's able to meet all your needs because
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he's a responsible father. So what should be
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stayed up in your heart this morning is faith.
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The clarity, the revelation you should have this
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morning is the fatherhood of God in your life.
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Hallelujah. So not only that God is our father,
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but all Christians, all of us are children of
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God. Amen. We are children of God. So our faith.
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is a family matter. All right? When we become
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Christians, we are brought into a family. Now,
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when I speak of family, again, some of us might
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have come from families that everybody is on
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his own. You know, when we look at you and we
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look at your experience, your actions towards
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your brothers and sisters, even in church, oftentimes
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a reflection of where we are coming from and
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the things we've experienced, even from family.
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But the word of God... Gives us the clarity of
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the kind of family that we are in. Hallelujah.
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The kind of family that is not like our imperfect
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families. It's a spiritual family. And God is
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a father of that family. The idea of God's family
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is perfection. Even though individually as men.
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In our dealings, in our work with one another.
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We may see. some degrees of imperfection in our
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dealings. So by the grace of God, in this era,
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in this season, I will be leading us through
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a teaching that will help us. Oftentimes every
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year, you know, it's mandatory that in church
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we teach the issue of love. It's mandatory. It's
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our, it's like a necessity in the church that
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we explain the issue of love. Because that is
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the culture of this family. That is the culture
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of the family that we've been born into. Without
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the understanding of love, without a proper understanding
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of what God has done for us is actually love.
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And how we ought to, you know, love one another,
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it's impossible for us to enjoy the benefits
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of the family that we have. So the topic is walking
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in love through words that edify. Walking in
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love through words. Words that edify. And this
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will be like a kind of a foundation for what
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we will be dealing with in some few sessions
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coming up later. So let's turn to Ephesians chapter
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4. Having laid a foundation that God is our father
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and God is not learning fatherhood from our biological
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fathers. And the example of fatherhood we should
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look for is how God has demonstrated his love
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to us. And we also... are equally members one
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another of God's family. And a perfect, you know,
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example of what a family should be is what God
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has expressed to us in his word. Ephesians 4,
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verse 25. I'll read down to the last verse in
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that chapter. Therefore, putting away lying,
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let each one of you speak truth with his neighbor.
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For we are members of what? Of one another. Hallelujah.
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So we are members of one another. We are members
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of one another. Be angry and do not sin. Do not
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let the sun to go down on your wrath. No grief
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plays to the devil. Let him who steal. No longer.
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Steal no longer. But rather let him labor. Working
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with his hand. That what is good. That he. may
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have something to give to him who has need. Let
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no corrupt words proceed out of your mouth, but
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what is good for necessary edification that it
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may impart grace to the hearers. And do not grieve
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the Holy Spirit of God by whom you were sealed
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for the day of redemption because every believer
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is sealed by the Spirit of God. There is a seal
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of God on every man that has believed in the
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gospel and the seal of this is the Spirit of
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God. And we ought to, you know, walk in love
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so as not to grieve the Holy Spirit. So it says
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30, and do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God
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by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption.
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Let all bitterness, wrath, So God is calling
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us into something that he himself has done. That
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in Christ, he has forgiven us all our trespasses.
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So we equally, as a response to the life that
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he has put in us. are able to extend the same
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love which God has loved us. Hallelujah. So that
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is a culture and that is a life that God is calling
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us to. Walking in love. But especially, especially,
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especially, our concentration is through the
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words we speak to one another. So the background
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is from the last teaching we had from the words
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of faith. The last time I was here teaching us,
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I was teaching us about the words of faith. And
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I said in our previous teaching that we learn
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from the previous thing that faith is expressed
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through the heart or faith is found in the heart
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and can be seen in our conduct and also in the
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words which we speak. And then, of course, we
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read Romans 10, verse 8 to 10. And James chapter
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2 verse 7 to 18 that speaks about love not only
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being in words, you know, not only faith, you
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know, it's not only in the heart but it's seen
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in action, right? And we say that our words reveal
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what fills our hearts. Matthew chapter 12 verse
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34 and 35. Give me that text. Matthew 12 verse
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34 and 35. Just to remind us of where we are
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coming from. Matthew 12 verse 34 and 35. It says,
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Brood of vipers, how can you, being evil, speak
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good things? Now, this is not talking about believers
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here. There's a certain people that Jesus has
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been hushed and had to. And they are called Pharisees
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and Sadducees. You know, the teachers of the
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law who, you know, for the sake of their own
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reasons, are not following the truth of the gospel.
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So, for out of the abundance of their hearts,
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what happened? The mouth speaks. Alright? So,
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out of the abundance of our hearts, It's expected
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that our mouth should speak. And if we have the
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fullness of God in us, in our hearts, so out
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of the abundance of the God that we have in our
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hearts, our mouth should express words. Verse
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35. A good man out of a good treasure of his
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heart brings forth good things, and an evil man
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out of the evil treasure brings forth evil things.
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And we are not evil people. We are good people.
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Hallelujah. So we can express either doubt through
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our words or, you know, faith. We've explained
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this in the last teachings. We also learned that
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believers' confession must agree with God's word.
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Therefore, this word of God that we have must
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dwell richly in our heart, shaping our thoughts,
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our confessions, and our conduct. And Jesus went
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on. We saw that Jesus went on. to teach about
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the importance of believing. As a man believes,
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he speaks, and then we see the result of the
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things we speak. Mark chapter 11, verse 22 and
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23. However, the use of words extends beyond
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just confessing God's word, his promises for
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our lives. Hallelujah. We establish the power
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of words in our last teaching. And the power
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of our words, which of course are inspired by
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the word of God, The power of confession of which
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we are confessing the word of God is beyond just
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confessing God's promises and gaining what? And
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gaining the blessings that are in the word. Okay?
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Our speech towards other believers must also
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reflect the faith that we have in Christ. Because
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the power of your words is not only in claiming
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the promises of God. The power of your words
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is not only in... You know, believing God for
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miracles to happen or to do miracles. The power
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of God's word on your lips is not only, but it's
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inclusive, but it's not only in preaching the
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gospel. Just as faith finds expression through
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our words, love must also find expression through
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our words. Now let's see some wisdom from King
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Solomon about how words we speak. Can impact
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the life of others. Let's see in Proverbs. Some
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wisdom from Solomon. How words we speak. The
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words we speak. Can have impact on other people
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around us. Proverbs 10 verse 11. Give me Proverbs
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10 verse 11 quickly. We'll move faster from here.
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Proverbs 10 verse 11. It says the mouth of the
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righteous. Is a well of life. Who is a righteous
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man? A righteous man speaks of a believer. Right?
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The mouth of a righteous man is talking about
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the words that comes out from the mouth of a
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righteous man is what? It's a well of life. But
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violence covers the mouth of the wicked. So there's
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a distinction between a man who is righteous
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and a man who is wicked. And the words that is
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expected to come out from the mouth of a man
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that is righteous is that which builds up, that
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which gives life. Proverbs chapter 12, verse
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25. Proverbs 12, 25. Anxiety in the heart of
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a man causes depression. We read about do not
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be anxious for nothing, right? Anxiety in the
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heart of a man causes depression. But what is
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the solution? But the good word makes it what?
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Makes it glad. But what if you give a bad word
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to that anxiety in the person's heart? What will
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happen? It will make it worse. Hallelujah. So
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you see the impact of words in the life of others
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as we speak them. Proverbs 12 verse 18. Some
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verses backward. There's one who speaks like
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a piercing of a sword. There's one who speaks
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like what? Like a piercing of a sword. But the
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tongue of the wise, what does it do? Promotes
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health. Okay? So words are associated to what?
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Building up to healing. Okay? To healing here.
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It promotes health. The words of a wise man promotes
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health. Can we see the importance of the word
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we speak? Hallelujah. Proverbs 15, verse 4. Proverbs
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15, verse 4. Another one. It says, wholesome
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tongue, talking about words, is a tree of life.
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A wholesome tongue is a tree of life. But pervasiveness
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in it breaks the spirit. Pervasiveness has to
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do with, you know, adulteration to the words
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of a man. It breaks the spirit. It has a supernatural
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impact on a man. What is spoken has the capability
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of breaking the spirit of a man. Proverbs 16,
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verse 24. Proverbs 16, verse 24. It says, pleasant
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words are like a honeycomb. Sweetness to the
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soul and water. Held. Can you see how words are
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associated to held? Right? Words are associated
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to held. They are held to the bones. They are
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held to the bones. Another one, Proverbs 11 verse
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9. Proverbs 11 verse 9. The hypocrite with his
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mouth, what does he do? He destroys. Hallelujah.
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Do you know that you can destroy with your words?
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So a man that decides to be a hypocrite. can
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destroy his neighbor with his mouth. But through
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knowledge, the righteous will be delivered. Proverbs
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chapter 20, verse 19. Proverbs chapter 20, verse
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19. He who goes about, I said, tell Bira. What
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does he do? He reveals secrets. He talks anyhow.
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Therefore, do not associate with one. Who flatters
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with what? With his lips. He said things that
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are not necessarily accurate. He flatters with
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his lips. Now some of us come from culture that
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there are some certain group of people that they
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are anointed in flattering people. When they
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begin to sing your praise, you don't know when
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you've given your car, you've given your house,
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you've given everything you have. Because of
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words. Hallelujah. So words that are spoken have
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impact on others. So we don't just speak anyhow
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as though we don't care. I just want to save
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my mind. In saving your mind, it impacts the
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person seated by you. Amen. Even if it's the
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truth you are speaking, the way you communicate
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the truth has impact on the people beside you.
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Hallelujah. So it is important that we understand
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the impact of our words. Proverbs 25. There are
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many, but we'll just read this one more. Proverbs
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25 verse 18. Proverbs 25 verse 18. There's a
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man who bears false witness. These are words
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utter. False witness. He bears false witness
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by his words against his neighbor. You lie against
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your neighbor. You say something that is not
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true about them. So a man who bears false witness
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against his neighbor is like a club, a sword,
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and a sharp arrow. And this false witness is
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in words. You go about saying things that are
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not true about another. And we can see that that
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has impact on the life of other people. So why
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should we speak words that edify? Since we understand
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that the things we say has impact on others.
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How we say them has impact on others. Why we
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say them also have impact on others. Not only
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on us, but on others. The reason why we must
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speak words that edify is because we are a family.
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Hallelujah. We are a family. We are a family
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and we are a spiritual family. Irrespective of
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where you are coming from, we will see later
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on in our teachings, probably in the next session,
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that we are united in Christ. We are united in
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Christ. We are a family. So our words must express
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love. regardless of the situation and the context
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we find ourselves. We are a family. Now, I want
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us to go back from the beginning and seek God's
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eternal purpose. God's eternal purpose will help
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us understand why we should walk in love. Firstly,
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you can write this. God's eternal purpose is
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a people for himself. Okay? God's eternal purpose
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is a people for himself. Somebody said that,
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oh, you know. Even if I'm the only one, Jesus
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will come and die for me. It's true. But Jesus,
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God's plan is for people. It's not for only one
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person. Hallelujah. It's for people. It's for
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a family. It's for a people. So God's plan begins
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with humanity created in the image, in his image,
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in a family, living in a relationship with him
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and fulfilling his purpose. That is his plan.
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That is his desire. I want to read through. Genesis
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1, 26. Let's look at it briefly. 28 and yes.
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It says, God said, let us make man in our image
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according to our likeness. Let them have dominion
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over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the
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air, over the cattle, over all the earth, over
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every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.
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Now you say, when God says, let us make man,
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he's not talking about one man. He's talking
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about, let us make humanity. That word man there
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is what? It's not male man. It's humanity. Adam
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there is humanity. So from the inception of God's
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plan, it's for a people. It's not for a man.
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It's for a people. Let us make humanity in our
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image. And we've taught in this pulpit that the
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image there is talking about representing God
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on the earth. All right? Let us make man in our
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image. And to explain that that man is not only
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one. He went on to say, let them have dominion.
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All right? Humanity will have dominion. Let them
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have dominion over the fish of the sea and on
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and on. So we see that God's intention from creation
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is to have a people who belong to him, live in
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his presence and reflect his character. So God's
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purpose continued after the fall in Genesis 3,
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when we read through Genesis 3, we see where
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the first man who is supposed to be, The first
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example, you know, fall. The fall also impacted,
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the fall of that man impacted human and family
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relationships. Both with man and also with God.
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But God began to unfold his redemptive plan through
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a family. Okay? So God's plan did not stop or
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change because of the fall of man. Rather, we
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see God in his continuity. to bring about the
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fulfillment of his plan through man. So God began
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to unfold his redemptive plan through a family
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with the blessings ultimately extended to nations.
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We see the impact of man's fall in Genesis chapter
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3, verse 21 to 24. Give me Genesis 3, 21 to 24.
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It's a separation between God and that was not
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God's intention. God's intention is for union
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that will come by faith. Also for Adam, his wife,
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the Lord made tunics of skin and clothed them.
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Verse 22. Then the Lord God said, Behold, the
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man has become like one of us, no good and evil.
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And now lest he put out his hand and take also
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of the tree of life and eat and live forever.
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Verse 23. Therefore the Lord sent him out of
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the garden of Eden to till the ground from which
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he was taken. So he drove out man and he placed
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cherubim at the east of the garden of Eden. and
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a flaming sword which turned every way to guard
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the way to the tree of life. Hallelujah. So here
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we see how sin caused a separation. So God called
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Abraham, moving down to Abraham. God called Abraham
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and promised to make a great nation. Genesis
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chapter 12, verse 1 to 3, we see that God's plan
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did not stop at Adam. When Adam, you know, did
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not find himself in the plan of God. In fact,
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immediately, even his two children, one, you
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know, believe in the plans of God, in the purpose
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of God. But then in Abraham, we see God's plan
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begin to materialize. We see how God began to
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execute his divine plan from the beginning. So
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Adam failed, but we see a man in Abraham who
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believed. He believed in God's plan, and then
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he accepted God's plan, and he participated in
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God's plan. Because God's plan is entered to
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by faith. Hallelujah. So God called Abraham and
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promised to make him a great nation. Genesis
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12 verse 1 to 3. Genesis 12 verse 1 to 3. Now
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the Lord has said to Abraham, get out of your
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country from your family and from your father's
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house to a land that I will show you. I will
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make you a great nation. I will bless you and
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make your name great. And you shall be a blessing.
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I will bless those who bless you. And I will
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curse him who curses you. And in you, all the
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families of the earth. So God's plan was for
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all humanity. The families of the earth shall
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be what? Blessed. Blessed here has to do with
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shall be included in God's plan. Because blessing
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here has to do with being part of God's. Family,
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being part of God's plan, being part of God's
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family. So through Abraham's offspring, all the
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families of the earth will be blessed. Move on
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to chapter 17 of that same Genesis. Chapter 17,
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verse 7 to 8. And I will establish my covenant
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between me and you and your descendants. So the
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plan is not only for Abraham, but it's for his
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descendants and after you in their generations.
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For God's plan is for people. many people for
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an everlasting covenant to be God to you and
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to your descendants after it was ate. Also, I
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give to you and your descendants and after you
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the land in which you are a stranger. All the
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land of Canaan, talking about people, all right?
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Land here is talking about people as an everlasting
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possession and I will be, what? I will be their
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God. I will be their father. Hallelujah. See,
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Pastor was teaching us last week about land being
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God. Amen. Inclusively. He's talking about all
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that is contained in the promise of God. God
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promised to be their God. Hallelujah. Much more
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than that. It's a people that is the oneness
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of God and his people. Hallelujah. God's plan
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is to be with his people in the promise. Amen.
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He gave us his spirit. We come into oneness in
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his spirit. Amen. We come into union with one
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another, with God. God and man become one. Hallelujah.
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That is God's plan and God's intention. So we
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see the continuity of God's plan to the people
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of Israel. A people saved and claimed by God.
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Exodus 6, verse 6 to 8. Their story is our story.
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The story of the nation of Israel is our story
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equally. Therefore say to the children of Israel,
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I'm the Lord. I will bring you out from under
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the burdens of the Egyptians. I will rescue you.
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Rescue he has to do with salvation. I will save
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you from their bondage. And oftentimes we see
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in scripture, Egypt is used as a type and shadow
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for what? For the deliverance from sin. That
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is why I said their story is our story. Hallelujah.
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God has redeemed us. He has saved us. That we
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will be a nation and a people for him. Hallelujah.
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So Moses here is to say to the children of Israel,
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I'm the Lord. I'll bring you out from under the
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burdens of the Egyptians. I will rescue you from
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their bondage and I will redeem you with an outstretched
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arm and with a great judgment. I will take you
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as what? So why he's saving them? He is saving
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them that they will be his people and you as
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what? As my people. And I will be your God. You
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shall know. That I am the Lord your God who brings
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you out from under the burdens of the Egyptians,
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verse 8. And I will bring you into the land which
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I swore to give to Abraham, to Isaac, and to
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Jacob. And I will give it to you as a heritage.
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I am the Lord. Hallelujah. Exodus chapter 19,
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verse 4 to 6. We see that when he has brought
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them out of Egypt. See, the nation of Israel
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started after the... The salvation from Egypt.
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Before, you know, the deliverance from Egypt,
30:03
there was no Israel. So God called them out and
30:07
then they became a nation unto him. Hallelujah.
30:10
Now look at chapter 4, verse 6 of this text.
30:13
So you have seen what I did to the Egyptians
30:15
after delivering them. And now I bore you on
30:19
eagle wings and bore you to myself. And that
30:22
is a testimony of what God has done for all of
30:24
us. He saved us from slavery. He saved us from
30:27
what? From bondage of sin. He saved us from captivity,
30:31
serving sin. And then he brought us by himself.
30:35
He alone is a God who has saved us. Knowing that
30:38
we have participated in our salvation. So he
30:41
said to them, therefore, if you will indeed obey
30:43
my voice. Obeying my voice is believing in my
30:47
word. Believing in the word. If you will indeed
30:51
obey my voice and keep my covenant. Then you
30:55
shall be a special treasure to me above all the
30:59
people. For all the earth is mine. Verse 7. Yes,
31:03
verse 7. So Moses came and called for the elders
31:08
of the people and laid before them all these
31:10
words, which the Lord has commanded him. Let's
31:13
move to Deuteronomy chapter 7, verse 6 to 8.
31:22
Deuteronomy chapter 7, verse 6 to 8. For you
31:25
are a holy people. A holy people speaks of people
31:29
that have been set apart. especially for God.
31:32
For you are a holy people to the Lord your God.
31:35
The Lord your God has chosen you to be a people
31:38
for himself, a special treasure above all the
31:44
peoples on the face of the earth. The Lord did
31:48
not set his love on you. This is grace. Hallelujah.
31:54
If you want to know the teaching of grace, the
31:56
teaching of grace is in the writings of even
31:59
the Lord. Hallelujah. It says the Lord did not
32:02
set his love on you or choose you because you
32:05
were more in number than any other people. For
32:09
you were the least of all the peoples. But because
32:14
the Lord loves you and because he will keep the
32:17
oath which he swore to your fathers, the Lord
32:21
has brought you out with a mighty hand and redeemed
32:25
you from the house of bondage from the hand of
32:27
Pharaoh, the king of Egypt. So God did not merely
32:31
deliver Israel from slavery, but he brought them
32:34
into a relationship with himself and taught them
32:38
how they should live. He declared them his treasured
32:43
possession, a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.
32:48
He gave them his commandments to guide their
32:50
lives as his covenant people. Hallelujah. He
32:58
equally promised to dwell among them in Exodus
33:00
25. Let's go to Exodus 25. We'll see the promise
33:04
he made. Exodus 25 verse 8. It says, and let
33:09
them make me a sanctuary. Okay? Let them make
33:14
me a sanctuary among the people of Israel that
33:16
have been delivered. Let them make me a sanctuary
33:19
that I may dwell among them. So God's intent
33:22
is to dwell among his people. Is to live amongst
33:26
his people. Leviticus 26 verse 11. Leviticus
33:31
26 verse 11. Not only that he serves them, But
33:36
he wants to live among them. That is God's plan
33:39
and God's purpose. I will set my tabernacle among
33:42
you. And my soul shall abhor you. Shall not abhor
33:46
you, rather. I will make, I will walk among you
33:51
and be your God. And you shall be my people.
33:57
And you shall be my people. So God's intent is
34:02
what? Is to dwell among his people. Is to walk.
34:07
with his people. It's to walk alongside his people
34:10
and it's to walk in his people. That is God's
34:12
intention. Not only to serve them alone, but
34:15
to walk with them, to live with them, to dwell
34:17
with them. So after saving the people, God gave
34:21
them his law. Why did he give them the law? He
34:26
gave them the law, his law. Law for God and law
34:29
for one another. Hallelujah. Exodus chapter 10,
34:34
verse 1 to 17 is what we call the 10 commandments,
34:39
right? Let's read quickly. Exodus 20. And God
34:54
spoke all these words saying, now the words he
34:58
gave them was after delivering them. Hallelujah.
35:01
I am the Lord your God who brought you out of
35:04
the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage.
35:06
You shall have no other gods before me. You shall
35:10
not make for yourself a calf image, any likeness
35:14
of... anything that is heaven above or that is
35:17
in the earth beneath or that is in the water
35:19
under the earth. You shall not bow down to them
35:22
nor serve them, for I, the Lord your God, am
35:25
a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers
35:27
upon the children to the third and the fourth
35:29
generations of those who hate me, but showing
35:31
mercy to thousands of those who love me and keep
35:34
my commandment. You shall not take the name of
35:37
the Lord your God in vain, for the Lord will
35:39
not hold him guiltless who takes his name in
35:42
vain. Remember the Sabbath day to keep it holy.
35:46
Six days you shall labor and do all your work.
35:49
But the seventh day is the Sabbath of the Lord
35:51
your God. In it you shall do no work. You, nor
35:55
your son, nor your daughter, nor your male servant,
35:57
nor your female servant, nor your cattle, nor
35:59
your stranger, nor stranger who is within your
36:02
gates. For in six days the Lord made the heavens
36:05
and the earth, the sea and all that is in them,
36:08
and rested the seventh day. Therefore the Lord
36:10
blessed the Sabbath day and hallowed it. Honor
36:13
your father. Now he has shifted from talking
36:16
about the relationship between God and man. And
36:20
then he moved on to the relationship between
36:21
man and man. And the first place he started is
36:23
the family. Hallelujah. He says, Honor your father
36:26
and your mother that your days may be long upon
36:29
the land which the Lord, your God, has given
36:31
you. So this law is to be practiced in the land
36:34
that God has given them. Among the people to
36:37
which God has saved them and has sent them, you
36:39
shall not murder. Between men, men relationship,
36:43
right? You shall not commit adultery. You shall
36:46
not steal. You shall not lie against your neighbor.
36:51
Words. You shall not covet your neighbor's house.
36:54
You shall not covet your neighbor's wife, nor
36:56
his male servant, nor his female servant, nor
36:58
his ox, nor his donkey, nor anything that is
37:00
your neighbor's. Hallelujah. And we see that
37:06
God gave them a law. And Deuteronomy chapter
37:09
4 verse 5. Let's read Deuteronomy 4 verse 5 also.
37:12
Collaborate scriptures together to see. Surely
37:16
I have told you statutes and judgments, just
37:19
as the Lord my God commanded me that you should
37:21
act according to them in the land which you go
37:26
to possess. So God delivering them, giving them
37:30
his words, that they will become his people by
37:33
believing. And as they believe, they go to a
37:36
land. And as they live in a land to which they
37:39
will live, he has given them what to guide their
37:41
conduct in the land which he is sending them.
37:43
Verse, yes. Verse 8 to 8. All right. Verse 6.
37:51
Therefore, be careful to observe them, for this
37:54
is your wisdom and your understanding in the
37:57
sight of the peoples who will hear all these
37:59
statutes. So, as they leave, the instruction
38:02
that God has given them, the people, all right,
38:07
that are living around the places who observe
38:10
them, for this is your wisdom and your understanding
38:14
in the sight of the peoples who will hear. Who
38:18
will hear all these statues and say, what will
38:21
they say? Surely this great nation is a wise
38:24
and understanding people. Verse 7. For what great
38:27
nation is there that has God near to it? Which
38:31
great nation is there that has God near to it?
38:35
Because many nations, their God is a representative
38:38
God. He is a wood or a chair or whatever. But
38:44
this God lives among them. As the Lord our God
38:48
is to us, for whatever reason we may call upon
38:51
him, and what great nation is there that has
38:54
such statutes and righteous judgments? The statutes
38:59
God gave will guide their conduct in the land
39:01
that God is sending them. As in all his law,
39:04
in this law which I said before you this day.
39:08
Leviticus chapter 19 verse 18. Leviticus chapter
39:13
19 verse 18. Or rather, give me chapter 6 of
39:17
that Deuteronomy, sorry. Deuteronomy chapter
39:19
6, verse 4 and verse 5. Hear, O Israel, the Lord
39:25
our God, the Lord is one. You shall love the
39:29
Lord your God with all your heart, with all your
39:32
soul, and with all your strength. Leviticus chapter
39:37
19, verse 18 now. Leviticus 19, verse 18. You
39:44
shall not take vengeance nor bear any grudge
39:48
against the children of your people, but you
39:50
shall love your neighbor as your servant. I am
39:54
the Lord. So there are many things that God has
39:57
said and instructed and many things that Moses
40:00
himself have come and then implemented to guide
40:04
the conduct of people in where God is leading
40:08
them to. So the Ten Commandments establish the
40:12
foundational requirements for Israel's relationship
40:14
with God and with others. We've said that. The
40:18
command to love God summarizes the proper response,
40:21
the proper responses they give to Him. The command
40:26
to love one's neighbor summarizes responsibility
40:29
towards others. Jesus teaches that all the law
40:34
and the prophets hang on these two. So to summarize
40:39
the law that God gave them is in two. Matthew
40:42
25, verse 34 and 40. Let's see. Matthew 22, verse
40:49
34 to 40. Matthew 22. Let's see how God, how
40:54
Jesus taught the Ten Commandments, what we call
40:57
the law, the Ten Commandments. Now, when the
41:01
Pharisees heard that he had silenced the Sadducees,
41:03
you know, there are different parties that always
41:05
are full of knowledge, some school of thoughts,
41:09
you know. When the Pharisees heard that Jesus
41:13
had silenced the Sadducees, they gathered together.
41:16
Okay? Then one of them, a lawyer, asked him a
41:20
question, testing him and saying, Teacher, which
41:23
is the great commandment in the law? Which is
41:27
the great commandment in the law? Jesus said
41:31
to them, to him, You shall love the Lord your
41:34
God with all your heart, with all your soul,
41:38
and with all your mind. The next verse. This
41:46
is the first and what? And great. Great simply
41:50
means the foremost. First and the foremost. You
41:52
have to love God. And loving God, you obey God.
41:57
In obeying God, you believe in his word and in
41:59
his instruction. That's how we love God. In obedience
42:03
to his word. Faith. It's loving God. Hallelujah.
42:07
This is the first and the great commandment,
42:09
verse 29. And the second is like it. You shall
42:13
love your neighbor as yourself. That is a summary
42:17
of what we read in Exodus 20. So God's purpose
42:21
of having a people from all nations into relationship
42:24
with himself, we see that the climax of that
42:29
journey from the beginning to the end, we see
42:35
the climax and the conclusion of that in the
42:37
person of Jesus Christ. God's purpose of having
42:43
a people from all nations into a relationship
42:47
with himself. Because the plan is not only the
42:50
nation of Israel. The plan is for all people.
42:54
But to work out God's plan for all people, he
42:57
chose a man called Abraham. And through Abraham,
43:01
we see the progression of his work in his descendants.
43:04
We call them the Israelites. And from the Israelites,
43:07
we see the... The conclusion of God's plan that
43:11
everything was intended to be united in the person
43:16
called Jesus Christ. Who was prophesied will
43:19
come through the lineage of Abraham, David, Isaac,
43:24
Jacob, and all the patriarchs. Hallelujah. So
43:30
let's see Isaiah chapter 56, verse 6 to 8. Isaiah
43:36
56, verse 6 to 8. Also the sons of the foreigner.
43:42
Who are the foreigners? Foreigners are non -Jewish
43:46
people, okay? Also the sons of the foreigner
43:49
who join themselves to the Lord, to serve Him
43:52
and to love the name of the Lord, to be His servants,
43:56
everyone who keeps from defiling the Sabbath
43:59
and hold fast my covenant. Even them I will bring
44:03
to my holy mountain. So God's plan is for all
44:06
people, all right? To bring to my holy mountain
44:09
and make them joyful in my house of prayer. Their
44:13
bone offerings and their sacrifices will be accepted
44:16
on my altar. For my house shall be called the
44:20
house of prayer for all nations. Say for all
44:24
nations. The Lord God who gathers the outcasts
44:28
of Israel. Who are the outcasts of Israel? Those
44:31
who are not Israel. He gathers the outcasts of
44:33
Israel and says, yet I will gather to him others
44:37
besides those who are gathered to him. He will
44:39
gather to himself who? Others who are not gathered,
44:44
who are not Israel. Hallelujah. So God's plan
44:48
is for all nations to be in his house. Ephesians
44:53
2 verse 11. Ephesians 2 verse 11. And you, okay,
45:01
therefore remember that you are once what? Gentiles
45:04
in the flesh. Now I'm talking about our identity.
45:09
Okay. Here, Ephesians, Paul was writing to a
45:13
people that were not Jewish. All right. It says,
45:16
therefore remember, that you were once Gentiles
45:19
in the flesh, who were called the uncircumcision
45:22
by what is called a circumcision made in the
45:25
flesh by hands. Continue quickly. That at the
45:31
time you were without Christ, being aliens from
45:34
the commonwealth of Israel and strangers from
45:37
the covenant of promise, having no hope without
45:41
God in the world. But now in Christ, Jesus, you
45:46
who once were far off, have been brought near
45:50
by the blood of Christ. For he himself is our
45:55
peace, who has made both one and has broken down
45:59
the middle wall of separation, having abolished
46:02
in his flesh the enmity that is the law of commandments
46:06
containing ordinances, so as to create in himself
46:10
one new man from the two. thus making peace,
46:14
verse 16, and that he might reconcile them both
46:19
to God in one body through the cross, thereby
46:23
putting to death the enmity. All right, verse
46:28
17. And he came and preached peace to you who
46:33
were far off and to those who were near, again
46:37
about the Jewish people, for through him we both
46:40
have access by one spirit to the Father. So God
46:44
is no longer the God of the nation of Israel
46:46
or the God of Abraham. He's also your God. How?
46:50
Through the spirit of God, through the access
46:52
that we have by the preaching of the gospel that
46:54
we've received, the news of peace that we receive,
46:57
the gospel that we believe and we accept, and
47:00
we come into this union and relationship with
47:02
God. And God becomes what? Our father. He says,
47:05
for through him, we both have access by one spirit
47:10
to the father. So God becomes our father. Hallelujah.
47:14
He becomes our God. Verse 19. Now, therefore,
47:19
you are no longer strangers and foreigners. But
47:21
what? What are we? Fellow citizens. With who?
47:27
With a sense. And members of what? Members of
47:32
the household of God. So we are now members of
47:36
the family of God. Yes. Yes. Yes. Having been
47:39
built on the foundation of the apostles, the
47:43
message they preach, And the prophets, what is
47:47
their message? Jesus Christ himself being the
47:49
cornerstone, he is the subject of the message
47:51
they preach. He is the foundation of their ministry.
47:54
In whom the whole building being fitted together
47:57
grows into a holy temple into the Lord. The temple
48:01
is where God dwells. So together, God dwells
48:05
in us by the Spirit. In whom you also are being
48:09
built, or we've studied the scripture right before.
48:13
In him in whom you also are built together for
48:17
a dwelling place for God in the spirit. Remember
48:21
we said God's desire is to inhabit his people.
48:23
Is to dwell among his people. Is to walk with
48:24
his people. So through Christ we are brought
48:27
into this congregation of God. It is what we
48:30
call the church today. Hallelujah. It is what
48:33
we call the kingdom of God today. It is what
48:35
we call the family of God today. Under one God.
48:38
Under one father. By the spirit through what
48:41
Christ has done. Scriptures will often say that
48:45
Jesus Christ becomes our elder brother in the
48:48
flesh. He became what? He became, he was first
48:52
of all, the begotten. Hallelujah. The only begotten,
48:56
right? From there, we became what? We become
49:00
sons as well. But what he has done, he brought
49:02
us into the family by the spirit. Hallelujah.
49:06
So we are families. Look at Revelation 7, verse
49:09
9 to 10. Talks about this family. After these
49:18
things. I look and behold a great multitude which
49:20
no one could number, of all nations, tribes,
49:23
peoples, tongues, and standing before the throne.
49:25
You see, it's not only Jewish people. The revelation
49:27
of John is for all nations, tribes, peoples,
49:31
and tongues, standing before the throne and before
49:33
the Lamb, clothed with white robes, with palm
49:36
branches in their hands, and crying out with
49:39
a loud voice, saying, Salvation belongs to our
49:42
God and who sits on the throne and to the Lamb.
49:49
Hallelujah. and to the Lamb. So we see here that
49:53
there are nations, different tribes and different
49:55
tongues. So God's purpose included blessing the
49:58
nations through Abraham, through Christ, those
50:02
who were far off are brought near to God. Jews
50:06
and Gentiles, believers reconciling Christ and
50:09
brought into God's household. And we see God's
50:15
redeemed people come from every tribe and every
50:18
nation and every language. Whether you are from
50:22
Zimbabwe, you're from Nigeria, you're from Kenya,
50:25
you're from wherever you come from, in Christ,
50:28
we are brought together under one umbrella, in
50:31
love, by the Spirit of God. Hallelujah. So if
50:37
God has called us to be His people and has taught
50:43
us to love one another, because love, we saw,
50:47
is the way we live in this family. Love towards
50:51
God, and we see that love towards God reflected
50:54
in our relationship towards one another. So if
50:58
God has called us to be his people and has taught
51:01
us to love one another, how should that love
51:04
be expressed in our relationship? And especially
51:08
in the words we speak. Especially in the words
51:11
we speak. First and foremost, we do not lie to
51:16
one another. All right? We do not lie to one
51:20
another. We speak the truth to one another. We
51:24
speak the truth to one another. As people whom
51:29
God has saved. And members of one family, we
51:33
don't lie to one another, but we speak the truth
51:35
in love. There is a condition for speaking the
51:41
truth. If we speak the truth outside love, it
51:45
will destroy. Hallelujah. But we must speak the
51:50
truth within the context of love in order to
51:53
edify one another. Proverbs 12, 22, we read this.
51:59
It says that lying lips are what? Lion lips are
52:06
what? Please look up. They are what? They are
52:10
an abomination to the Lord. But those who deal
52:14
truthfully are his delight. And see what he told
52:19
the nation of Israel in Zechariah chapter 8 verse
52:22
16. When, you know, he was speaking to them by
52:26
the prophet. Zechariah chapter 8 verse 16 and
52:31
17. Zechariah chapter 8 verse 16 and 17. These
52:36
are the things you shall do. Speak each man the
52:41
truth to his neighbor. Who is your neighbor?
52:44
Your neighbor is your brother in Christ. Your
52:46
neighbor is your fellow brother and your sister,
52:49
who is of the same father as you, that is God.
52:55
Speak each man the truth to his neighbor. Give
52:58
judgment in your gates for truth, justice, and
53:02
peace. 17. Let none of you think evil in your
53:05
heart against your neighbor. And do not love
53:08
a false oath. For all these are things I hate.
53:13
Says who? Says the Lord. So the Lord is not impressed
53:16
by lying. Romans chapter 12 verse 5. Romans chapter
53:21
12 verse 5. Romans chapter 12 verse 5. So we,
53:32
being many, are what? Are one body in Christ.
53:37
And individually members of one another. Ephesians
53:44
4 verse 25, the text we read earlier on. Ephesians
53:47
4 verse 25, which is our anchor scripture in
53:50
this teaching. It says what? Therefore, why is
53:56
there a word therefore there? Because it says
53:59
many things, right? Therefore, because we are
54:02
members of one family. Therefore, because we
54:05
are in Christ. Therefore, because we are the
54:07
church of God. Therefore, because we are the
54:09
people of God. Putting away what? Lying. Okay?
54:15
Let each one of you speak truth. With who? With
54:21
his neighbor. I think Pierre, he is quoting that
54:23
Zechariah. Let each one of you speak what? Truth
54:28
with his neighbor. Why? For we, our, are members
54:33
of one another. Colossians. Okay. Move to chapter
54:38
five, verse one. Chapter five, verse one. Speaks
54:42
of God as our father. Ephesians five, verse one.
55:05
Colossians 3, verse 9. Colossians 3, verse 9.
55:13
Do not lie to one another. Why? Since you have
55:18
put off the old man, and that old man is the
55:22
ungenerated man. His character is what? He's
55:27
lying. Do not lie to one another since you have
55:30
put off the old man with his deeds. With his
55:34
deeds. Matthew 5, 37. Matthew 5, 37. But let
55:47
your yes be what? Be your yes. Your no be no.
55:53
For whatever is more than this is from the other
55:57
man. It's from the evil one. Hallelujah. And
56:02
you and I are not from the evil one. Okay? Because
56:07
when we lie one to another, we not only hurt
56:10
one another. But do you know what we do? Look
56:14
at Ephesians 4 verse 30. When we lie one to another,
56:19
because lying hurts people, it breaks people,
56:21
it destroys relationships. But most importantly,
56:26
when we lie one to another, we grieve the Holy
56:29
Spirit of God that has been given to us as a
56:32
seal. We grieve the Holy Spirit of God. that
56:35
has been given to us as a seal. And do not give
56:39
the Holy Spirit of God by whom you were sealed
56:42
for the day of redemption. When you read within
56:44
the context of all that he said in this scripture,
56:48
he's talking about walking in love. And when
56:51
we don't walk in love, we are giving the Holy
56:54
Spirit. And how we give the Holy Spirit equally
56:57
includes speaking the things we say to one another
57:01
that is not true. Because every lie has an intention.
57:07
And the intention of a lie is to deceive. Hallelujah.
57:13
The intention of a lie, you don't lie to people
57:15
to edify them. You lie to people to deceive them.
57:20
There's neither black or white lie. Lie, the
57:22
intent of lie is what? Is to deceive. And we
57:25
know the source of a lie. Hallelujah. So lying
57:29
grieves the Holy Spirit of God. What does it
57:31
mean to grieve the Holy Spirit of God? It makes
57:33
the Holy Spirit of God uncomfortable. In fact,
57:39
it limits the operation of the spirit from amongst
57:41
us. It limits the flow of the things of the spirit
57:46
from amongst us. Because the atmosphere must
57:50
be an atmosphere of love. Because of time, next
57:55
time when we come, we'll see on Wednesday particularly,
57:57
we'll see that the character of the father is
57:59
truth. We'll see that the devil is a father of
58:04
all lies. Hallelujah. And if we are believers
58:07
and we are children of God, we must act according
58:10
to the nature of our father. Amen? We are not
58:13
of the devil. So we're going to see how lying
58:16
destroys our relationship, that breaks the union
58:19
that we have as a family. Hallelujah. I just
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want you to just pray. Pray this, pray this,
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pray this. As you pray, you are examining your
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words. Am I speaking truthfully? Or am I deliberately?
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You know, there are some believers that at the
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quickest possible chance they have, they will
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say things that are not true. It's natural, but
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it's not supposed to be. Because you're a man,
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you're a woman in Christ. We appreciate you being
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here today. We hope you carry this word with
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you throughout your week. Don't forget to check
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the show notes for additional insights. Stay
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connected with us through our website or follow
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us on social media. If you were encouraged, share
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this message with someone you care about. Until
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next time, stay blessed.