1 00:00:00,400 --> 00:00:03,320 In the name of the glorious Trinity, Father and Son and Holy 2 00:00:03,320 --> 00:00:07,040 Spirit, forever Amen. Glory be to the everlasting 3 00:00:07,040 --> 00:00:10,920 mercies which sent you to us, O Christ, the light of the world 4 00:00:11,000 --> 00:00:13,920 and the life of all. Give us wisdom by. 5 00:00:13,920 --> 00:00:16,680 Your law and enlighten our impulses by your knowledge, 6 00:00:17,720 --> 00:00:20,760 sanctify our souls by Your truth, and grant that we may be 7 00:00:20,760 --> 00:00:24,240 obedient to your words and may fulfil your commandments at 8 00:00:24,240 --> 00:00:26,560 every hour. O you who? 9 00:00:26,840 --> 00:00:30,040 Enlightens the rational with the knowledge of Your greatness. 10 00:00:30,800 --> 00:00:34,600 Do enlight, O my Lord, our thoughts, that we may meditate 11 00:00:34,600 --> 00:00:37,680 upon Your holy and divine Scriptures at all times, O Lord 12 00:00:37,680 --> 00:00:40,920 of all, Father and Son and Holy Spirit. 13 00:00:40,920 --> 00:00:42,560 Forever. Amen. 14 00:01:00,720 --> 00:01:03,920 Thank you to my brothers and sisters in the Diocese of 15 00:01:03,920 --> 00:01:09,680 Canada, which I visited last week for your feedback, in 16 00:01:09,680 --> 00:01:14,600 particular, the beloved youth, your feedback in regards to the 17 00:01:15,400 --> 00:01:17,960 podcast ministry, Double edged Sword. 18 00:01:18,880 --> 00:01:21,040 I thank you. I'm encouraged and I'm glorify 19 00:01:21,040 --> 00:01:25,360 God, always give glory to God. I was even more encouraged that 20 00:01:26,360 --> 00:01:31,320 not only the children of the Assyrian Church of the East 21 00:01:31,520 --> 00:01:35,200 listening to these programs, but there are brothers and sisters 22 00:01:35,200 --> 00:01:38,400 from other faiths and other nationalities as well. 23 00:01:39,120 --> 00:01:41,760 That only goes to show that everything we do, we do for the 24 00:01:41,760 --> 00:01:44,440 glory of God and for the salvation of souls. 25 00:01:44,480 --> 00:01:48,640 I'm always open to your comments, in particular the 26 00:01:48,640 --> 00:01:51,080 negative ones, the positive ones. 27 00:01:51,520 --> 00:01:55,120 Great, thank you. Praise God, that's all you need 28 00:01:55,120 --> 00:01:56,760 to do. But I want the negative ones. 29 00:01:56,760 --> 00:02:02,760 I want those that that will help to enhance the program, the 30 00:02:02,760 --> 00:02:07,520 topics and how we do present these programs so that we are 31 00:02:07,520 --> 00:02:11,240 not lacking so that we are reaching out to those hearts 32 00:02:11,240 --> 00:02:14,200 that are thirsty, those minds, those souls that are searching 33 00:02:14,480 --> 00:02:20,120 that in God's miraculous ways. He uses this ministry along with 34 00:02:20,120 --> 00:02:22,000 many ministries that are out there. 35 00:02:22,000 --> 00:02:24,640 Brothers and sisters, the Christian and Christ of them 36 00:02:24,640 --> 00:02:27,800 that are preaching the the gospel of the Lord so that we 37 00:02:27,800 --> 00:02:31,440 may be more effective through the power of the Holy Spirit. 38 00:02:31,440 --> 00:02:33,960 Remember this is not us. We we are not doing anything. 39 00:02:33,960 --> 00:02:37,880 This is this is the Spirit working through those most 40 00:02:38,000 --> 00:02:42,040 putrid vessels that God has taken in his hands, the most 41 00:02:42,720 --> 00:02:47,080 rustiest of tools in the shed that God has taken and using for 42 00:02:47,080 --> 00:02:50,280 his glory and for the salvation of souls. 43 00:02:50,280 --> 00:02:54,400 Thank you, God bless you. Please do share the links, the 44 00:02:54,400 --> 00:02:58,560 QR codes and you know, I asked my beloved brothers and sisters 45 00:02:58,560 --> 00:03:02,960 that they may post the fly with a QR code so that we have many 46 00:03:02,960 --> 00:03:05,600 people listening to this. And this is not about making 47 00:03:05,600 --> 00:03:07,800 money. There's we don't, we don't make 48 00:03:07,800 --> 00:03:09,400 any, we don't want to make any money. 49 00:03:09,400 --> 00:03:11,640 No, no, no. This is not about likes and 50 00:03:11,640 --> 00:03:14,800 followers, millions and trillions and gazillions. 51 00:03:15,120 --> 00:03:18,520 It's not about that. It's about reaching that one 52 00:03:18,520 --> 00:03:25,040 soul, that one sheep that has gone astray and through the 53 00:03:25,040 --> 00:03:29,160 grace of God and the by the power of the the Holy Scriptures 54 00:03:29,160 --> 00:03:32,960 and Jesus Christ our Lord and our Savior, we may one more time 55 00:03:33,000 --> 00:03:37,680 bring back that sheep in the fold, which is the holy church. 56 00:03:39,080 --> 00:03:43,800 We're studying the book of Acts. Last episode we we spoke about 57 00:03:43,800 --> 00:03:48,760 praising during our hardship, particularly when knowing that 58 00:03:49,960 --> 00:03:55,960 if we are suffering for Christ, we are exposing evil. 59 00:03:57,560 --> 00:04:02,480 When we suffer for Christ through any means and by any 60 00:04:02,480 --> 00:04:08,520 hands, they are evil and when we do, we are exposing the evil. 61 00:04:08,520 --> 00:04:15,680 Just like Saint Paul and Selas were thrown into the prison 62 00:04:15,880 --> 00:04:19,000 because they exposed the demon that was following them. 63 00:04:19,560 --> 00:04:23,840 So today we will continue. I'd like to read again the same 64 00:04:24,280 --> 00:04:28,480 verses and delve a little bit more deeper into to understand 65 00:04:28,480 --> 00:04:32,720 why what happened happened. What was the purpose of what 66 00:04:32,720 --> 00:04:37,520 happened in the jail, in the prison when Paul and Silas were 67 00:04:37,520 --> 00:04:40,000 there? We'll pick it up from verse 26. 68 00:04:40,000 --> 00:04:42,560 And suddenly there was a great earthquake, so that the 69 00:04:42,560 --> 00:04:45,880 foundations of the prisons were shaking, and immediately all the 70 00:04:45,880 --> 00:04:51,160 doors were open and the bands or the shackles of all were loosed. 71 00:04:51,640 --> 00:04:54,880 When the keeper of the prison awoke and saw that the prison 72 00:04:54,880 --> 00:04:58,640 doors were open, he took a sword and would have killed himself 73 00:04:58,800 --> 00:05:01,600 for the thought that prisoners had escaped. 74 00:05:01,720 --> 00:05:05,760 But Paul cried out a loud voice, saying to him, Do not harm 75 00:05:05,760 --> 00:05:10,320 yourself, for we are all here. No one's escaped, because if 76 00:05:10,320 --> 00:05:14,160 they had, his life was over, he would have been put to death. 77 00:05:14,800 --> 00:05:21,040 Then he lied on the lamp and sprang in trembling, and threw 78 00:05:21,040 --> 00:05:25,560 himself at the feet of Paul and Selas, and he brought them out 79 00:05:25,840 --> 00:05:31,360 and said, Sirs, what must I do to live or to be saved? 80 00:05:32,880 --> 00:05:39,160 Now this was a miracle, beloved. It was a miracle sufficient for 81 00:05:39,160 --> 00:05:42,520 the jailer, and not only the jailer, maybe those prisoners 82 00:05:42,520 --> 00:05:48,520 that were there as well to convert and to believe, to 83 00:05:49,040 --> 00:05:51,960 convert them to be believers, faithful. 84 00:05:53,040 --> 00:05:57,880 Now it wasn't such a great miracle, a huge one where the 85 00:05:57,880 --> 00:06:03,000 heavens opened and the night was lit and and the angels were 86 00:06:03,000 --> 00:06:05,640 coming down. No, no, it was something simple, 87 00:06:06,000 --> 00:06:09,480 natural as a earthquake. Now we're going to talk about 88 00:06:09,480 --> 00:06:11,680 critiques and we're going to answer the critiques as well. 89 00:06:12,440 --> 00:06:14,560 Something natural as an earthquake. 90 00:06:15,160 --> 00:06:21,040 It was it was that faith that they they quickly gained and 91 00:06:21,040 --> 00:06:23,960 worked on as small as a mustard seed. 92 00:06:25,600 --> 00:06:30,000 You know, sometimes in life we expect and wait for great 93 00:06:30,000 --> 00:06:35,280 miracles, huge miracles, right? We want God to come. 94 00:06:35,480 --> 00:06:40,200 We want Christ to appear before us and to audibly speak to us 95 00:06:40,440 --> 00:06:47,160 and to grant us the the, the, the permission to touch him as 96 00:06:47,160 --> 00:06:51,720 he did with Thomas. Sometimes we want our prayers to 97 00:06:51,720 --> 00:06:58,120 be answered there and then to claim a miracle, but that 98 00:06:58,120 --> 00:07:01,440 doesn't happen. What miracle are you looking for 99 00:07:01,440 --> 00:07:04,200 today? Heaven's opening up, As I said, 100 00:07:04,360 --> 00:07:08,520 the dead walking, the Dead Rising, Seeing a dead person 101 00:07:08,520 --> 00:07:13,840 rise, well, that's like wanting to hear God's voice, God's 102 00:07:13,840 --> 00:07:19,200 calling, God's rebuke, admonishment in a mountain 103 00:07:19,200 --> 00:07:25,440 ripping and rock breaking voice. We want to hear that crack and 104 00:07:25,440 --> 00:07:29,680 crumble and to then realize that it's God working. 105 00:07:30,560 --> 00:07:33,880 We want to hear it in an earthquake, not just an 106 00:07:33,880 --> 00:07:35,880 earthquake. We want to hear the sound of God 107 00:07:35,880 --> 00:07:43,280 in an earthquake or in fire. Or are we always attentive and 108 00:07:43,280 --> 00:07:49,560 waiting for that soft voice as heard by Elijah in One Kings 19? 109 00:07:50,400 --> 00:07:56,160 God works not through great, he can perform miracles, I mean to 110 00:07:56,160 --> 00:08:01,240 that, but sometimes your miracle you could be so neglecting. 111 00:08:02,400 --> 00:08:07,480 You can be so not aware to the miracle that God is working in 112 00:08:07,480 --> 00:08:11,000 your life because you are waiting for that miracle 113 00:08:11,000 --> 00:08:14,400 according to how you want to perceive that miracle. 114 00:08:14,560 --> 00:08:16,640 What are you waiting for in life? 115 00:08:17,120 --> 00:08:19,760 Do you need help? Do you need strength? 116 00:08:20,040 --> 00:08:24,400 You need prayer right now. I'm I'm in need of so much 117 00:08:24,400 --> 00:08:26,960 prayers. Robbie, you know, please pray 118 00:08:26,960 --> 00:08:31,560 for me and you know we we text one another pray warriors prayer 119 00:08:31,560 --> 00:08:33,960 points. I'm sure every church has a, has 120 00:08:33,960 --> 00:08:38,280 a website, has a AQR code to scan and send your prayer 121 00:08:38,280 --> 00:08:39,280 requests. Amen. 122 00:08:39,280 --> 00:08:41,440 And we need to do that. We need to be praying for one 123 00:08:41,440 --> 00:08:43,280 another. We need to be confessing our 124 00:08:43,280 --> 00:08:44,600 sins to what? What? 125 00:08:44,800 --> 00:08:47,000 Confessing our sins to one another. 126 00:08:47,200 --> 00:08:51,040 Who is the other person? Why should I confess my sins to 127 00:08:51,040 --> 00:08:53,440 another person? Well, that's what Saint Paul is 128 00:08:53,440 --> 00:08:57,920 commanding, confessing our sins to one another so that we can 129 00:08:57,960 --> 00:09:00,320 offer prayers. Well, if we're waiting for 130 00:09:00,320 --> 00:09:03,760 prayers of the mere mankind, Beloved John 16, Jesus has 131 00:09:03,760 --> 00:09:08,800 prayed for you. Jesus has prayed for you after 132 00:09:08,920 --> 00:09:13,040 confirming who He is, where He has come from, and where He is 133 00:09:13,040 --> 00:09:15,800 going. And what is He's is the fathers. 134 00:09:15,800 --> 00:09:20,160 And what is the Fathers is He's simply tending, telling us He is 135 00:09:20,160 --> 00:09:23,640 God Incarnate, taking on our flesh. 136 00:09:24,800 --> 00:09:28,400 And then after praying for his disciples who would be The 137 00:09:28,400 --> 00:09:33,720 Pioneers of the one true Church, the holy Apostolic and universal 138 00:09:33,720 --> 00:09:38,200 Church, and then after praying for every people or every person 139 00:09:38,320 --> 00:09:43,680 that would believe in Him by the words of his apostles, He prayed 140 00:09:43,680 --> 00:09:46,600 for us, beloved. And His prayer was that we may 141 00:09:46,600 --> 00:09:50,120 know Him to know God. How do we know God? 142 00:09:50,120 --> 00:09:53,760 By fulfilling his commandments, according to the same apostle 143 00:09:53,960 --> 00:09:56,440 John. But his, his, his first Epistle, 144 00:09:56,840 --> 00:10:00,960 chapter 2, verse 3 to 6, to know him, to claim that we know him, 145 00:10:01,040 --> 00:10:05,080 to fulfill his will. What are you pray waiting for? 146 00:10:06,200 --> 00:10:11,280 Do you want again earthquakes? Do you want an Angel to appear 147 00:10:11,280 --> 00:10:13,600 before you? We don't need that, beloved. 148 00:10:13,600 --> 00:10:17,120 We don't need miracles. No miracle will be wrought. 149 00:10:17,920 --> 00:10:20,960 Why do I need to see a miracle to believe in Jesus Christ? 150 00:10:21,360 --> 00:10:26,560 The greatest miracle. That's 2 greatest miracles in 151 00:10:26,560 --> 00:10:31,560 the history of the world until today and forever. 2 greatest 152 00:10:31,720 --> 00:10:37,720 where, where mankind is still trying to belittle and to prove 153 00:10:37,720 --> 00:10:41,120 and to rebuke and to revoke and to whatever do whatever they 154 00:10:41,120 --> 00:10:47,360 want to do is the virgin birth, the virgin conception, and the 155 00:10:47,360 --> 00:10:50,120 empty tomb. What else do you want? 156 00:10:50,120 --> 00:10:54,320 No, no, no, simple simplicity of faith. 157 00:10:54,720 --> 00:10:58,880 Sometimes God gives you that miracle, but we are so focused 158 00:10:58,920 --> 00:11:03,600 on how I want that miracle. Beloved, look around yourself, 159 00:11:04,040 --> 00:11:08,240 look around yourself, examine your life and you can sometimes 160 00:11:08,240 --> 00:11:12,520 pinpoint where God truly spoke to you. 161 00:11:12,800 --> 00:11:15,040 But you were wanting an earthquake. 162 00:11:15,480 --> 00:11:18,600 You're wanting a crackling of a of a Thunder. 163 00:11:18,600 --> 00:11:22,000 No, no, no, He's whispered to you, but you've neglected it. 164 00:11:22,160 --> 00:11:24,320 Go back to God, praise and glory be to his name. 165 00:11:24,920 --> 00:11:29,360 But if you're content and that miracle in life you are content 166 00:11:29,360 --> 00:11:32,520 with and you're trying your best to appease that same God that 167 00:11:32,520 --> 00:11:35,080 has spoken to you, you're on the point, you're on the track. 168 00:11:35,080 --> 00:11:38,840 Continue, continue. If not, pray, beloved, pray. 169 00:11:40,480 --> 00:11:44,080 And the earthquake happened now so that the critiques would not 170 00:11:44,080 --> 00:11:47,840 say that the earthquake was a natural occurrence. 171 00:11:48,360 --> 00:11:51,080 Earthquakes have been happening in the world from the beginning 172 00:11:51,080 --> 00:11:53,200 of time. So it's just a normal 173 00:11:53,280 --> 00:11:55,560 earthquake. You can't tell me that God 174 00:11:55,920 --> 00:12:00,360 created it and God divinely inspired it, or God commanded 175 00:12:00,360 --> 00:12:01,920 it, or there was a specific purpose. 176 00:12:01,920 --> 00:12:06,920 Yes, you can. Now when you see an earthquake, 177 00:12:08,600 --> 00:12:12,840 you know, you've seen pictures of earthquakes where a house is 178 00:12:12,840 --> 00:12:16,000 rubble to the ground, but you see one door and the door is 179 00:12:16,000 --> 00:12:19,720 still not open. The door is shut when an 180 00:12:19,760 --> 00:12:23,320 earthquake happens. If the door has not been 181 00:12:23,320 --> 00:12:28,080 destructed as well, if the door has not collapsed, you'll see 182 00:12:28,080 --> 00:12:34,160 the door is still closed, right? So the doors opening is a 183 00:12:34,160 --> 00:12:39,320 confirmation that this earthquake was a miracle and it 184 00:12:39,320 --> 00:12:42,720 was divinely, but it was an act of God. 185 00:12:43,560 --> 00:12:47,600 And the point here is, beloved, that miracles are followed by 186 00:12:47,600 --> 00:12:51,840 confirmation. The miracle of the birth or the 187 00:12:51,840 --> 00:12:58,680 conception of Jesus Christ was confirmed where there was no 188 00:12:58,680 --> 00:13:02,520 father. No one claimed Jesus to be his 189 00:13:02,920 --> 00:13:05,680 son except Mary because he was born of her. 190 00:13:07,080 --> 00:13:10,720 Joseph was said to be his Father and we know why. 191 00:13:11,280 --> 00:13:14,640 If not, then Mary would have been stoned to death and they 192 00:13:14,640 --> 00:13:19,280 would have claimed adultery. So they said, no, no, Joseph is 193 00:13:19,440 --> 00:13:23,160 the father, but not biologically, no, no, no. 194 00:13:24,240 --> 00:13:29,440 The miracle of that, of that conception was seen in the life 195 00:13:29,440 --> 00:13:32,640 of Mary, was seen when he was born. 196 00:13:33,640 --> 00:13:37,960 The miracle of that conception was when he was born and he 197 00:13:37,960 --> 00:13:43,560 called God his Father. The miracle of that conception 198 00:13:43,560 --> 00:13:49,480 is where Jesus says who can be my mother, my brother, not my 199 00:13:49,480 --> 00:13:53,640 father? The miracle of that, that 200 00:13:54,040 --> 00:13:57,320 conception, that spiritual conception by the power of the 201 00:13:57,320 --> 00:14:02,120 Holy Spirit was foretold in Ezekiel. 202 00:14:03,600 --> 00:14:07,840 See, the miracle was confirmed. It was a testimony. 203 00:14:09,040 --> 00:14:13,880 The miracle of Christ's resurrection was confirmed and 204 00:14:13,880 --> 00:14:18,320 testified by many people, and some of those went to their 205 00:14:18,400 --> 00:14:21,720 their death. They touched him, they saw him, 206 00:14:21,720 --> 00:14:26,400 they ate with him. The miracle of the ascension of 207 00:14:26,400 --> 00:14:32,760 our Lord into heaven again was testified by thee, those who saw 208 00:14:32,760 --> 00:14:40,920 it and died testifying about it. So every miracle beloved is 209 00:14:41,560 --> 00:14:44,600 confirmed and testified the miracle of the changing of the 210 00:14:44,600 --> 00:14:48,840 warring to wine in Cana at the wedding was the head of the the 211 00:14:48,840 --> 00:14:51,840 the the gathering said, you know, he said to the to the 212 00:14:51,960 --> 00:14:56,160 invited that you know, people leave the good that they serve 213 00:14:56,160 --> 00:15:01,000 the good wine 1st and then when people are drunk, then they give 214 00:15:01,000 --> 00:15:03,520 them the fake ones. I remember I used to work at 215 00:15:03,520 --> 00:15:10,000 Cabrivale Diggers on your mate. They shall not grow old as we 216 00:15:10,000 --> 00:15:13,240 that are left grow old Cabravel Diggers. 217 00:15:14,200 --> 00:15:16,160 And I used to be a bartender. Yes, I was a shamash. 218 00:15:16,160 --> 00:15:18,960 I used to be a bartender. And when you saw that you know, 219 00:15:18,960 --> 00:15:23,240 and and obviously it was against the law to to to sell alcohol to 220 00:15:23,240 --> 00:15:25,000 someone who was already intoxicated. 221 00:15:25,280 --> 00:15:30,600 So some of the friends would come to the bar and, you know, 222 00:15:30,600 --> 00:15:34,640 you can tell that he's had a few drinks to have had a few glasses 223 00:15:34,640 --> 00:15:37,320 too much to drink. So he would say, I want to, for 224 00:15:37,320 --> 00:15:39,640 example, Scotch and ice. Oh, yes, sure. 225 00:15:39,640 --> 00:15:42,640 And we would pretend that there is Scotch and we'll just fill it 226 00:15:42,640 --> 00:15:44,360 up with Coke. Scotch and Coke. 227 00:15:44,360 --> 00:15:45,480 Sorry. There you go. 228 00:15:46,000 --> 00:15:49,440 Thank you. It was only Coke, right? 229 00:15:49,480 --> 00:15:50,840 He was drunk. He didn't know what he's 230 00:15:50,840 --> 00:15:54,200 drinking. The miracle was this, when the 231 00:15:54,200 --> 00:15:57,120 confirmation was that this is beautiful wine. 232 00:15:58,760 --> 00:16:03,760 When you claim that you have experienced a miracle, it should 233 00:16:03,760 --> 00:16:08,440 be confirmed, confirmed and testified by the change in your 234 00:16:08,440 --> 00:16:13,040 lifestyle. That is, from evil to good, from 235 00:16:13,040 --> 00:16:20,000 cruel to kind, from mean to mild, from immoral to moral, 236 00:16:20,520 --> 00:16:26,280 Then and only then, my beloved, your miracle can be deemed true, 237 00:16:26,600 --> 00:16:32,360 genuine and from God. If you claim that you have 238 00:16:32,360 --> 00:16:36,600 experienced a miracle, but there is no change in your mindset, in 239 00:16:36,600 --> 00:16:41,440 your lifestyle, in your walk, well then that miracle is flawed 240 00:16:41,440 --> 00:16:46,600 and questionable. And also, we read that this 241 00:16:46,600 --> 00:16:49,600 appeared at night. Why? 242 00:16:50,040 --> 00:16:55,280 Why didn't this appear daytime? So that people, well, everyone 243 00:16:55,280 --> 00:16:57,560 was asleep, right? At night time, the streets are 244 00:16:57,560 --> 00:17:00,600 deserted. Why didn't this happen during 245 00:17:00,600 --> 00:17:03,480 daytime where there was a lot of people going about and their 246 00:17:03,480 --> 00:17:04,599 lifestyle? Why? 247 00:17:04,599 --> 00:17:08,200 So that the apostles would understand and know, and we 248 00:17:08,200 --> 00:17:11,440 learn from this, that this was to save. 249 00:17:11,839 --> 00:17:17,200 It was for the salvation of those souls and not for the vain 250 00:17:17,200 --> 00:17:20,520 glory of the apostles. No, no, no. 251 00:17:21,400 --> 00:17:25,240 See, when we do something, we do it at night. 252 00:17:25,599 --> 00:17:31,120 Do all your good deeds at night. Now I don't mean night time in 253 00:17:31,120 --> 00:17:33,440 the darkness, meaning where no one can see. 254 00:17:34,000 --> 00:17:39,040 What did Jesus command? Do not do your good deeds as to 255 00:17:39,040 --> 00:17:44,280 be seen by men. No, don't do that. 256 00:17:44,960 --> 00:17:52,920 That's why I I suggest humbly and and encourage our beautiful 257 00:17:52,920 --> 00:17:56,960 brothers and sisters when especially the youth when they 258 00:17:56,960 --> 00:17:59,880 are doing their charitable work feeding the homeless. 259 00:18:00,280 --> 00:18:05,360 Don't go there and take selfies and and to post and brag and and 260 00:18:05,360 --> 00:18:10,760 you know, sound the trumpets. Oh such a parish youth helping 261 00:18:10,760 --> 00:18:12,920 the needy. No, no, no, what did Christ say? 262 00:18:12,920 --> 00:18:15,960 Let not your left hand, which means evil. 263 00:18:16,200 --> 00:18:18,520 Know what your right hand do is your righteousness. 264 00:18:18,600 --> 00:18:20,880 Keep it between you and your God. 265 00:18:21,560 --> 00:18:25,960 This is a this is an example. Do it in the darkness where 266 00:18:25,960 --> 00:18:30,480 people cannot see your good deeds in darkness, beloved. 267 00:18:30,880 --> 00:18:33,280 And never, ever do it for Vainglory. 268 00:18:33,800 --> 00:18:37,280 You know, sometimes we're always complaining and we're whinging 269 00:18:37,400 --> 00:18:40,960 and then we, we, our disclaimer is, well, I'm doing it for God. 270 00:18:41,000 --> 00:18:43,400 I'm doing it for the church. We'll stop whinging and 271 00:18:43,400 --> 00:18:45,400 complaining. Just do it for God. 272 00:18:45,480 --> 00:18:49,280 And that's it. Do it, finish it, walk away. 273 00:18:49,640 --> 00:18:53,800 Praise God. Praise God for making you, 274 00:18:53,800 --> 00:18:59,120 granting you that worthiness, deeming you worthy to do good. 275 00:18:59,320 --> 00:19:05,720 Just as the apostles who were beaten, who were persecuted, who 276 00:19:05,720 --> 00:19:12,000 were beaten and whipped and persecuted were jumping for joy, 277 00:19:12,000 --> 00:19:16,720 not because they didn't die, they're still alive, but because 278 00:19:17,080 --> 00:19:21,440 they were made worthy, deemed worthy to be persecuted for 279 00:19:21,480 --> 00:19:24,720 Jesus Christ. See, look, this is the lessons, 280 00:19:24,920 --> 00:19:28,640 you know, this is the beginning of the church and This is why 281 00:19:28,760 --> 00:19:31,200 the book of Acts is not preached so much. 282 00:19:31,720 --> 00:19:33,520 It would preach from the Old Testament and the book of 283 00:19:33,520 --> 00:19:36,840 Revelations and Romans and Hebrews, right? 284 00:19:37,120 --> 00:19:39,080 What about these? What about these books in that? 285 00:19:39,080 --> 00:19:41,040 It's in the Bible, it's in the Scriptures, it's Holy 286 00:19:41,040 --> 00:19:42,000 Scriptures. You know why? 287 00:19:42,240 --> 00:19:46,320 Because this is the truth of the Church, This is the truth of the 288 00:19:46,320 --> 00:19:48,160 Church. This is how the Church was 289 00:19:48,160 --> 00:19:52,760 established, how the apostles of Christ who were equipped and 290 00:19:52,880 --> 00:19:56,680 vested by the power of the Holy Spirit, which we will celebrate 291 00:19:56,680 --> 00:20:02,080 in in a week's time, the descent of the Holy Spirit on Pentecost, 292 00:20:02,200 --> 00:20:06,520 giving them the authority, the authority to go out and set 293 00:20:06,520 --> 00:20:11,040 rules and canons that affect our Christian life, which ultimately 294 00:20:11,040 --> 00:20:18,680 will affect our eternal life. Eternal life we do in humility. 295 00:20:19,640 --> 00:20:23,320 This is the book of the the the Acts of the Apostles on how the 296 00:20:23,320 --> 00:20:29,040 churches should go back and those who preach in the church 297 00:20:29,200 --> 00:20:35,920 should go back and examine and read and learn how did this 298 00:20:36,120 --> 00:20:41,320 church begin? How did the gospel not meaning 299 00:20:41,320 --> 00:20:45,520 the Bible as in a physical book, the gospel? 300 00:20:45,520 --> 00:20:49,520 They've ascertained that through our past chapters in the book of 301 00:20:49,520 --> 00:20:51,640 Acts. That means Jesus Christ. 302 00:20:51,760 --> 00:20:56,880 How was he preached and when he was received, what was the way, 303 00:20:56,880 --> 00:21:02,440 the path, the the correct way, the the truth of worshipping and 304 00:21:02,440 --> 00:21:07,560 having a relationship with this, with this Jesus Christ, How the 305 00:21:07,560 --> 00:21:13,320 church set that rule. And today we see, beloved, that 306 00:21:13,320 --> 00:21:16,960 the apostles are taught from this and we learn from this that 307 00:21:16,960 --> 00:21:22,120 whatever we do in the church, whatever we do for God, we do in 308 00:21:22,120 --> 00:21:26,000 the evening, meaning in darkness that no one can see. 309 00:21:26,000 --> 00:21:28,440 Let us not do it so that people can see. 310 00:21:29,680 --> 00:21:32,400 And we see that the prison also shook. 311 00:21:33,000 --> 00:21:38,480 Why that the, the faithless mindset of the prisoners and the 312 00:21:38,480 --> 00:21:43,440 jailer, they were boggled. They, they got disturbed and to 313 00:21:43,440 --> 00:21:49,720 start setting these guards and the prisoners to be freed and to 314 00:21:49,720 --> 00:21:53,640 have the opportunity so that they, you know, it attracted 315 00:21:53,640 --> 00:21:56,800 their attention so that the word of God would be preached. 316 00:21:56,800 --> 00:22:01,720 Do you see how the nature of shackles, that is Paul and 317 00:22:01,720 --> 00:22:05,560 Celis's shackles destroyed the shackles of those who are in 318 00:22:05,560 --> 00:22:10,040 darkness? Didn't the death of our Lord put 319 00:22:10,640 --> 00:22:17,080 death through death? He put death to death through 320 00:22:17,080 --> 00:22:21,160 His death? Didn't He conquer the tempter 321 00:22:21,320 --> 00:22:26,280 through temptation? Didn't He conquer sin by taking 322 00:22:26,440 --> 00:22:29,880 on the sin of the world and being sin? 323 00:22:30,640 --> 00:22:35,520 Didn't He take away our shame by being shamed and ridiculed and 324 00:22:35,520 --> 00:22:41,480 crucified naked as some of the Father's right, and proclaim so 325 00:22:41,480 --> 00:22:48,320 also the shackles of Paul and Selas set these captives free 326 00:22:49,320 --> 00:22:53,760 and shook the the prison and open the doors. 327 00:22:54,440 --> 00:22:59,880 Could God be using your experience, your circumstance, 328 00:23:00,600 --> 00:23:05,000 at home, in your church, in your community, amongst your friends, 329 00:23:05,000 --> 00:23:07,280 your peers? Could He be using your 330 00:23:07,280 --> 00:23:11,560 experience, your circumstance, your sufferings to set others 331 00:23:11,560 --> 00:23:15,520 free? God works in mysterious ways. 332 00:23:16,480 --> 00:23:19,840 God is amazing. So at times when we are 333 00:23:19,840 --> 00:23:25,160 suffering, again, I must reiterate, not suffering because 334 00:23:25,160 --> 00:23:28,680 of our foolishness, our stupidity, our immoral 335 00:23:28,680 --> 00:23:32,880 immorality, our own understanding and philosophy. 336 00:23:32,880 --> 00:23:35,200 No, no, no, no, no, that's your fault. 337 00:23:36,000 --> 00:23:40,240 Suck it up as they say. But when we are being persecuted 338 00:23:40,640 --> 00:23:46,440 for Christ's sake to expose evil, God could be using your 339 00:23:46,440 --> 00:23:51,760 persecution to also relieve and release the shackles of those 340 00:23:51,760 --> 00:23:57,000 who are bonded and held and held captive by Satan and sin. 341 00:23:58,400 --> 00:24:01,880 Then the jailer prisoner, the, the, the, the, the jailer, the, 342 00:24:02,040 --> 00:24:05,040 the, the, the God says something amazing. 343 00:24:05,040 --> 00:24:08,720 What must I do to be saved or to live now? 344 00:24:08,720 --> 00:24:11,480 Do you think he's talking about salvation, eternal, eternal 345 00:24:11,480 --> 00:24:13,520 life? No, this he didn't know about 346 00:24:13,520 --> 00:24:14,760 it. He must have. 347 00:24:14,760 --> 00:24:19,240 Maybe he heard about it. But hey, he, he's, he's now 348 00:24:19,440 --> 00:24:23,160 talking about his life. How do I now escape being 349 00:24:24,160 --> 00:24:29,680 executed, being put to death because the jails, the the doors 350 00:24:29,680 --> 00:24:31,000 are open. What am I going to say? 351 00:24:31,000 --> 00:24:33,280 What am I going to do? That's why they said no, no, no, 352 00:24:33,280 --> 00:24:34,680 don't do anything. We're all here. 353 00:24:34,760 --> 00:24:38,520 We are all here. But then Saint Paul, we're going 354 00:24:38,520 --> 00:24:44,560 to read in our episode to come. He's going to now introduce 355 00:24:44,960 --> 00:24:50,720 salvation through Jesus Christ and what we must do after being 356 00:24:50,720 --> 00:24:55,120 saved by and through Jesus Christ. 357 00:24:56,080 --> 00:25:00,960 We're going to talk about salvation and eternal life in 358 00:25:00,960 --> 00:25:04,040 our next episode. So learn from this, beloved, 359 00:25:04,680 --> 00:25:09,200 that your miracles will not come according to your own 360 00:25:09,200 --> 00:25:11,840 understanding and how you perceive miracles. 361 00:25:11,840 --> 00:25:15,800 No, no, God can speak to you through a whisper. 362 00:25:17,080 --> 00:25:18,840 Be attentive. That's why in church we say 363 00:25:19,000 --> 00:25:23,640 listen intently when the priest says the holy Gospel of our Lord 364 00:25:23,680 --> 00:25:27,680 Jesus Christ according to the preaching or proclamation of 365 00:25:27,680 --> 00:25:31,120 Saint John, because the gospel is Jesus's Gospel is Jesus 366 00:25:31,120 --> 00:25:34,040 himself, but it's according to the proclamation of the 367 00:25:34,040 --> 00:25:35,200 evangelist. And then what? 368 00:25:35,200 --> 00:25:39,760 Do deacons instruct the people? Listen intently. 369 00:25:39,760 --> 00:25:44,560 Get off your phone you disrespectful child of God. 370 00:25:44,800 --> 00:25:47,720 Get off your phone in the church in the presence of God. 371 00:25:47,720 --> 00:25:51,520 Don't worry about what someone just recently posted from last 372 00:25:51,520 --> 00:25:53,800 night at the bar. Get off your phone. 373 00:25:54,040 --> 00:25:57,720 Have some respect for the Lord, handsome respect for the for the 374 00:25:57,720 --> 00:26:00,360 House of God. Have some respect for the gospel 375 00:26:00,360 --> 00:26:02,480 that is now being being presented to you. 376 00:26:02,560 --> 00:26:06,920 That is God Incarnate, that is Jesus in the body, in the flesh. 377 00:26:07,000 --> 00:26:10,040 You have the priest holding the Christ, the cross, which is 378 00:26:10,040 --> 00:26:12,480 Jesus's humanity. You have the priest holding the 379 00:26:12,480 --> 00:26:14,760 gospel. It's the word of God. 380 00:26:14,920 --> 00:26:17,160 Have some respect. Listen intently. 381 00:26:17,400 --> 00:26:19,800 Don't worry about who walks in and walks out. 382 00:26:20,520 --> 00:26:24,160 Don't worry about that. Don't follow the person that 383 00:26:24,160 --> 00:26:28,560 walks in and disrespectfully wants to walk in through the 384 00:26:28,560 --> 00:26:31,400 middle and take it. No, no, no, stand back. 385 00:26:31,480 --> 00:26:33,520 You know, you enter the House of the Lord. 386 00:26:33,560 --> 00:26:37,240 A few pointers, beloved, a few pointers, you know, share it 387 00:26:37,240 --> 00:26:39,480 with your parents as well. When you enter the House of the 388 00:26:39,480 --> 00:26:42,840 Lord and the gospel is being read, is being presented or the 389 00:26:42,840 --> 00:26:45,480 sermon is being presented, stand at the back wall. 390 00:26:45,920 --> 00:26:48,600 You don't to walk through the middle aisle and be a 391 00:26:48,600 --> 00:26:50,680 distraction because we're human beings. 392 00:26:50,760 --> 00:26:53,440 We get distracted. That's why I'm forever saying, 393 00:26:53,440 --> 00:26:56,040 listen to me, look at me, don't worry about this person that's 394 00:26:56,040 --> 00:26:58,360 walked in. Listen, it's not about me. 395 00:26:58,360 --> 00:27:02,360 It's not about Jenard. It's about you listening to the 396 00:27:02,360 --> 00:27:07,600 Word of God, the interpretation, the exposition on the Word of 397 00:27:07,600 --> 00:27:10,600 God, so that when you walk out of this church, you don't just 398 00:27:10,600 --> 00:27:15,240 walk out and say I took the Qurbana because I'm here for a 399 00:27:15,240 --> 00:27:16,680 baptism. No, no, no. 400 00:27:16,680 --> 00:27:20,400 You walk out of that church knowing that Christ had spoken 401 00:27:20,400 --> 00:27:24,040 to you and you take it with you and you start changing, 402 00:27:24,040 --> 00:27:27,640 building, living your life according to that gospel. 403 00:27:27,640 --> 00:27:33,680 So when the Deacon proclaims, listen intently, listen with 404 00:27:33,680 --> 00:27:39,040 your heart, with your mind, with your ears blank everything out. 405 00:27:40,080 --> 00:27:44,360 You know, have those features on on the the iPhone when you're 406 00:27:45,000 --> 00:27:48,040 when you're Facetiming, you can blur out the back and you you're 407 00:27:48,040 --> 00:27:50,880 more predom dominant on in the picture. 408 00:27:51,120 --> 00:27:55,280 Do that black out everything. Yes, I know some of you people 409 00:27:55,280 --> 00:27:56,760 complain. So there are people in the 410 00:27:56,760 --> 00:27:58,320 church that are constantly talking. 411 00:27:58,960 --> 00:28:01,400 What do you do with people that come to church and constantly 412 00:28:01,400 --> 00:28:04,640 talking? What do you politely say to 413 00:28:04,640 --> 00:28:06,400 them? You are in the House of the 414 00:28:06,400 --> 00:28:08,520 Lord. Excuse me, I want to listen to 415 00:28:08,520 --> 00:28:10,960 Christ. For those who are singing along 416 00:28:10,960 --> 00:28:13,760 with the priests and the deacons, just to show, you know 417 00:28:13,760 --> 00:28:16,880 what it is, Just to show that I know the liturgy. 418 00:28:17,880 --> 00:28:23,000 And for all your grace and aids towards us, I know the liturgy 419 00:28:23,080 --> 00:28:26,360 well. You know what you are after Vain 420 00:28:26,400 --> 00:28:30,320 glory, during darkness, during, during your heart. 421 00:28:30,920 --> 00:28:33,480 Sing. God is a God of order. 422 00:28:33,480 --> 00:28:35,920 Order. Sing when you're supposed to 423 00:28:35,920 --> 00:28:41,120 sing, when the liturgy permits you and instructs you to sing. 424 00:28:41,120 --> 00:28:45,200 The liturgy, the order that the apostles vested by the Holy 425 00:28:45,200 --> 00:28:49,920 Spirit set. Sing where you are encouraged 426 00:28:50,200 --> 00:28:55,000 and you're permitted to sing. That's why we have the priest, 427 00:28:55,200 --> 00:28:59,560 says the deacons. Reply all, reply, do that. 428 00:29:00,760 --> 00:29:05,080 But whenever in the House of the Lord, beloved, we respect God. 429 00:29:05,080 --> 00:29:08,720 And when the Scriptures are being presented, we listen 430 00:29:09,160 --> 00:29:15,320 intently because that could be the whisper through which God is 431 00:29:15,320 --> 00:29:19,320 going to speak to you, to your heart, to your circumstances, to 432 00:29:19,320 --> 00:29:24,720 your pain, to your suffering, to your life, whatever it may be. 433 00:29:24,920 --> 00:29:27,320 That could be that whisper that you will receive the 434 00:29:27,320 --> 00:29:30,200 encouragement that you're on the right track. 435 00:29:30,320 --> 00:29:35,040 Continue, good and faithful servant, praise and glory be to 436 00:29:35,040 --> 00:29:38,200 Christ our Lord now and at all times and forever. 437 00:29:38,200 --> 00:30:08,400 Amen. We hope you enjoyed this week's 438 00:30:08,400 --> 00:30:10,720 message. Please don't forget to rate and 439 00:30:10,720 --> 00:30:13,480 review this podcast and share with your friends and family. 440 00:30:13,720 --> 00:30:17,200 For any future topic suggestions or to give us detailed feedback, 441 00:30:17,480 --> 00:30:19,760 please visit our link in the show notes. 442 00:30:20,040 --> 00:30:24,440 Linktr dot EE forward slash double edged sword. 443 00:30:24,920 --> 00:30:26,240 Until next time, God bless you.