Hello and welcome to the Arise Church Podcast.
We are so glad you're here and want to thank you for joining us
today for the audio version of our Sunday morning message.
We want to invite you to join us in person at our Sunday morning
celebration every Sunday at 10 AM.
We are located on Old Jenks Rd. in Apex, NC.
Thank you Jesus. Thank you, Jesus.
Lord, we thank you for your word.
Thank your word. Thank you for your word that is
sharper. Than any 2 edged.
Sword and it pierces. Even to the division.
Of soul and spirit. And joint of marrow, we invite
your. Word to do that today to us.
Do your work. Lord in Jesus name, Amen.
I'm going to start Acts chapter. Eight verse. 9 and I'm going to
read a pretty length length lengthy.
Passage to start. Here, and it may be.
A peculiar. Passage to some, but I'm going
somewhere with it. Because I feel like the Lord is.
Wanting to hem us in in the. Days ahead and just to.
Make a declaration that we are not for sale.
That's the title. Of the message not for sale
'cause I'm just feeling a certain kind of way.
Today, praise the Lord. But we are not for sale.
I am not for sale. The gifts of God.
Are not for sale and let's read about it in Acts chapter 8 verse
9. But there was a certain man
named Simon. Who previously practiced sorcery
in the city. And astonished the people of
Samaria, claiming that he was someone.
Great to whom? They all gave heed from the
least. To the greatest saying.
This man is the. Great power of God.
And they heeded him because he had astonished them.
With his sorceries. For a long time, but when they
believed. Philip as he preached.
The things concerning the Kingdom of God, and they in the
name of Jesus, both men and women were baptized, then Simon
himself. Also believed when he was.
Baptized, he continued with Philip, and was amazed seeing
the miracles and signs which were done.
Verse 14 Now when the apostles who were at Jerusalem heard that
Samaria had. Received the word of God they
sent. Peter and John to them, who,
when they had come down, prayed for them that they might receive
the holy. Spirit for as yet.
He had not fallen upon. He had fallen upon none of them.
They had only been baptized in the name.
Of the Lord Jesus. Then they laid hands on them,
and they. Received the Holy.
Spirit and when Simon. The Sorcerer.
The one who had. Profited off of.
Demonic signs and wonders when he.
Saw that through the. Laying on of the apostles hands,
the Holy Spirit was given. He offered them money.
Saying give me this power also that.
Anyone on whom I lay my hands may.
Receive the Holy Spirit but Peter.
Said to him, Your money perish. With you because you thought
that the gift of God could be purchased with.
Money. You have neither.
Part nor. Portion in this matter.
For your heart. Is not right in the sight of.
God repent therefore of this your.
Wickedness and pray. God, if perhaps the thought of
your heart. May be forgiven you.
For I see that you are. Poisoned by bitterness and bound
by iniquity. Then Simon answered and said.
Pray to the Lord. For me, that none of these
things which you have spoken may come upon me and so when they
had testified and preached the. Word of the Lord.
They returned from Jerusalem, preaching the Gospel in many.
Villages of the. Samaritans and we never hear
about Simon again. Simon tried to purchase
something that was not for. Sale and he was interrupted by a
preacher who refused to sell it, but I feel like.
We're in a day and. Age where there are.
Plenty of people willing to sell.
The things of God. We're in a culture that doesn't
say no. We're in a time where we want
easy things, the easy way, and we want to.
Buy it to take a shortcut. And I just feel the.
Words of Peter where he said your.
Heart is not right in the sight of.
God, your heart. Is not right in the sight of
God. Now I'm not saying this to maybe
you personally, I only God knows your.
Heart and where you are, but let's just.
Learn from this interaction that this man who wanted to continue
a profitable business. Thought well, I'll just.
Switch businesses. I used to get my money one way,
I need to make money a different way.
But you know that's not how this.
Kingdom works. I said that's not how this.
Kingdom. Works.
This isn't a money making business.
This isn't meant to be convenient where it's like,
well. I'll just quit the way I used to
live. But I'll just bring that way of
living over here and just. Figure out a way to succeed or
be profitable over here in this. Kingdom as.
If they're equitable. They're not equitable, it's not
the same. And so Simon.
Learned very quickly you. Cannot buy the gifts of God.
You cannot buy the gifts of God. You can't come in here in the
church and be like, hey, you know, just lay hands on me
because I want what you got. Just just like.
That no, there's a price that. Is to be.
Paid, but it's not what you think.
He wanted to pay a dollar amount and the way of the.
Lord has basically take up your cross and.
Follow me if if, if, if you want to pay that price, fine, but
it's not going to be here's 10 bucks and just, you know, do
that whole laying of your hands on me thing so that I can.
Get the Holy Spirit. So that I can go.
Profit off of it. It's gross, I said.
It's. Gross.
You know I grew up in. Church.
Literally, my mom went into labor when they were working at
church camp. So I've just been in the House
of the Lord my whole life. But I've been in all kinds of
scenarios. I've been around all kinds of
people and I'm not going to name names and you're not going to
know who I'm talking about, but I do feel like I needed to give
a few scenarios to know this. Is real.
This is. Still happening I I I remember
one time having a friend and I just.
Watched his He was. He was on fire.
For the Lord, He was doing all the right things, but somewhere
along the line. He got tweaked.
And I remember him telling me one time and he was really
asking me, what do you think about this?
And he? Started taking.
Invitations to speak and. What I really should say to
preach the gospel based. On how much the people would pay
him to come. Do you know how prominent that
is now? Speaker fees, speaker fees,
speaker fees pay me to bring the gospel that Jesus gave his blood
for and I need 10. Grand to give it.
To you it. Makes me want to throw up.
Just saying it. No, but you know, you get in the
culture and you're like the frog in the kettle.
And have you ever heard of that? Like where you're in this
culture and you're like this frog that's in a pot of water
and that. Just goes up a degree by degree
by degree and. The frog never jumps out.
And yet he boils to death because he didn't.
Realize it was getting hot. Didn't realize you're in an
environment that just keeps tweaking, tweaking, tweaking,
tweaking, tweaking and then you're dead.
I feel like we've all got to take a lot of the scriptures to
keep us. In.
Check. Keep us corrected.
Keep making sure that you're not coming under.
The sway of this world's way of. Doing things.
That's why I get moved by people who come.
Who? Have laid their lives.
Down for the gospel and they've gone to the ends of the earth,
and that's been where the Bible. Says how beautiful are the feet
of those who bring good. News because I know they're not
the ones sending the speaker fees well, I'll.
Come if you pay. Me a certain amount.
If I have if. I can if it will balance on the
budget. That's that's.
So anti what Jesus did I just don't know how you get.
There except by degree degree, degree, degree degree degree
degree, Peter said your. Heart is not.
Right your heart. Is not right.
I want to look at Matthew chapter 26.
Matthew chapter 26. I mean this is probably one of
the more famous instances of someone being paid off, but
Matthew 26 verse 14 it says then one of the 12.
Called Judas Iscariot, went to the chief priest and said.
What are you willing to give me if I deliver him Jesus?
To you they. Counted out to him 30.
Pieces of. Silver so from that time he saw
opportunity to portray him. You know, you can keep that
scripture up if you don't mind. For me, especially verse 15, you
know when looking at a. Character like Judas Iscariot,
it's easy to just like kind of isolate.
Him as as some sort. Of just nefarious character.
That no one wants to relate to, but you know this is fairly
prominent. Like what?
What? Is the price for you to fall
away to give up? God's call and assignment.
On you What's the cost at work that becomes too great for you
to still say I follow Jesus, you know this.
Is written not just to save. Shame, shame, shame on.
Judas Iscariot. And it's not just.
Written to say that prophecies was fulfilled, Which it was.
It was fulfilled, it was shown, but this was also written
because. We needed to be challenged to
make sure that we don't follow suit.
We don't follow. Suit Matthew chapter 16, verse
26 for. What profit is it?
To a man, if he gains the whole world and loses his own.
Soul or what? Will a man give in exchange for
his soul? That's Judas.
What will you? Give me.
If I give him to you. And they counted. 30 pieces of
silver and that was his. Price, I don't think it would
have been any different if he would.
Have asked for. 100 pieces of. Gold.
Because the point wasn't. That there was a right.
Price. The point was that his heart was
compromised where there was any price at all, something that was
priceless. He was trying to negotiate what
kind of price. Could I get for it?
And. Jesus himself said what?
Will a man give in exchange for his own soul?
His own soul? One of the more prominent
examples of the Old Testament. So that's the New Testament.
Let's go to the Old Testament. And just look here in.
Genesis chapter 25. Genesis Chapter 25 is
fascinating. It's it's kind of a dark comedy.
Because it's it's. It's a little funny that this
man. Who was set to inherit?
A tremendous amount of wealth and blessing.
From his dad basically sold it for very cheap.
Let's read about it. This is Jacob and Esau and their
father Isaac. Verse 29 now.
Jacob cooked a Stew. Everybody say soup.
All right, we're going to come back to that.
He was cooking soup and esau. Came in from the field and he
was. Weary.
And Esau. Said to Jacob.
Please feed me with some of that red.
Stew for I am. Weary, Therefore his name was
also called Edom. But Jacob said, sell me your
birthright. As of this day, that's Jacob.
Jacob's looking for a deal. He's like, all right, you like
this soup, give me your birthright.
And Esau said, look. I'm about to die.
So what is this? Birthright to me.
All right, already you could tell this is just stupid.
This whole conversation is. Stupid.
But it happened. Don't.
You think like this is just dumb.
Like I don't know where y'all came from but this is dumb.
Jacob was. Being I mean.
Jacob, how did? He know to be.
Like you want. Some soup.
Give me your. Birthright.
I mean that. Like.
Wouldn't have crossed my mind, but somehow Jacob had it in
mind. Like I'm after the birthright
and I think his Mama put it there.
Which? We talked about her a few weeks
ago, Esau said. Look, I'm about to die, So what
is this birthright to mean then? Jacob said.
Swear. To me as of.
This day, so he. Swore to him and.
Sold his birthright to Jacob, and Jacob gave Esau bread and.
Stew of lentils. Then he ate and drank, arose and
went his way. Thus Esau despised his
birthright. Now.
This is a interesting. Because, you know, I I came from
a household of. Faith I've talked about.
That in recent months. I was blessed to.
Come up in a Christian household.
Blessed to come up in a ministry household.
And I've watched. Over the years.
How different ministry families react to their families.
Heritage. You know, the Versalinos got all
their children here today and then this in one spouse, but got
their representatives. Everybody's represented here,
you know, and they all grow up in a ministry family.
And one of the things that Lily and I.
Love about particularly JJ is she champions to say it?
Is a blessing to. Be in.
Born into a ministry family to be born into.
A pastor's house. But you know how many times I've
seen pastors children despise their.
Birthright. And now the devil.
Will feed you excuses of why you should.
All day long. And I'm not even saying some
things weren't valid in certain families for why there's certain
pain and what blah blah blah blah.
Blah, but the devil will. Partner with a fence all day
long because he wants. You to sell your birthright.
Give it up, give it up. Because of pain or?
They, they, whatever it may be. But you get into this scenario.
Where you get desperate. Enough and you'll do.
Stupid stuff, and you'll give away what God rightfully gave.
You now that's just ministry families, but that's so many of
us God's put in your hand. As a follower of Jesus Christ, a
birthright. He's giving you inheritance.
He's giving you what we call promises, the promises of God.
And you know how often we get in situations in our life where
things. Start to feel desperate.
And you get in the flesh and all of a sudden you start
negotiating. You start.
Give me some of that and I'll give.
You this. Now in Jacob and Esau's.
Instance it was a bowl of soup. But you know how many times
I've. Seen different people make.
Life decisions. Life decisions based on money,
not the call of God, not the assignment that God has on their
household, not the promises. That he's made to them, but they
start to negotiate with what God's will is going to be for.
Their life and what's going to, you know, what they're supposed
to engage with and the will of God.
But they don't do it because it doesn't fit the.
Convenience, you know, that's where sometimes I see ministry
families. They don't do it because they
don't want to live like their. Parents live because their
parents had to live by faith. And faith sometimes means that
you may not have certain things that other people seemingly
have, but you don't. Realize what really is valuable
is your. Birthright, not your bank
account. And if you'll lean into your
birthright, you'll keep your birthright, and the bank account
will come, and the blessing of the Lord will come, and the
favor of God will come. But.
Once you sell your. Birthright for a bank account?
You're messed up. I didn't want to say you're.
Screwed because that's I'm in the House of God and I don't
want to say it. But you are.
Messed up. That's not the new King James
version, that's a different version.
But I just. Feel like we got to make some of
these things plain. And I, and I feel, you know,
I've been with the young adults lately, so maybe that's where my
language came from. But the, the, but I want to make
sure it's plain. I want to make sure it's plain
because if you're not careful, you know, we live in a day where
when Lily and I, we lived in Maryland.
Before we came here and we bought.
A house in Maryland. We had a. 282.875 mortgage
which. Now seems free, you know, like
it just seems like wow, you know, I mean, it was our first.
House like 2.875. Percent mortgage.
Wow. But you know what?
It never came up when God. Called us here.
And our mortgage was 6675. Never in our mind did we
consider, you know what? We want to stay put.
Because we have such a good mortgage rate.
But you know how many people I've heard make make decisions
on whether they're going to follow?
The will of God because of a mortgage rate.
Are you kidding? That's your bowl of soup.
And if you could see eternity,
if you could see God's. Will and plan.
If you could see the the the the.
Scale of how insignificant? That is, you would laugh at it
like we laugh at Esau, who despised his birthright.
Despised what? It meant to follow.
God, is it OK that I'm. Preaching real this morning You
know how many people will oftentimes not follow the will
of. God, because their job is.
Pays them real good, the benefits are just so.
Good. Oh, that health insurance.
It's just oh, oh, OK, so we don't follow the will of God.
We. Follow health insurance you get
in a $2000 month. Package that's real.
Fancy when the. God of the Universe.
Who owns a cattle on 1000 Hill? Who?
Is. Our great physician, who is the
one who heals us to begin with, Who is the one who?
Says he would provide all of our needs according to his riches of
glory, but Christ by Christ Jesus so.
You're willing to give him up? For a 2000.
Dollar a month health package. Are we seeing this?
Oh, I'm going to preach it till it gets very real in here.
It's getting thick, I can feel it.
I can just feel. The it's just creeping up on
some of y'all right in your gizzard, right in there, right
in the good part. You know your gizzard.
It's like right there. That's a Southern thing.
It's like, right? Southern folks eat the gizzard,
so let's. Just now, this is important.
This is this is important. Because I feel like.
We're in times where the temptation is rising.
That's what I've. That's my sense.
That's why I'm preaching it today.
I'm not preaching it to condemn. I'm preaching it to warn, to
warn you, to warn you. There's nothing, nothing,
nothing on this planet. Worth your birthright with
Christ Worth. Worth the will of.
God in your life. I would I would leave everything
to stay in the will of God. I've had different people ask
me, you love North Carolina, do you like being North Carolina?
And I intentionally respond like this.
Though I love North Carolina, I intentionally respond like this.
I say I love the will of God, so the will of.
God has a smack dab in the middle of North Carolina.
But I love the will of God. I love it.
More than the location. I love it more than the people I
love it. More than my family who lives
here. I love the will of God.
Because in the middle. Of the will of God is.
Favor, provision, healing, it's all that I need.
It's protection. It's it, it, it, it, it.
It hems me in. I have confidence.
I have Peace of Mind. My mind could be right.
I can do. What God calls me to.
Do without fear. I can do what God calls me to
do, knowing that He's given his angels charge around me to keep
me in all my. Ways and so that.
Put a price on that. Put a price on that.
What health benefit? Can outweigh that there isn't 1.
Nothing could pull me out of the will of God, but you know where?
You decided. You decided.
Now, before the temptation comes.
You make a stance. Now before.
The package is offered to you. These things are subtle.
They. Come on A afternoon when you
come in from the from the. Field like Esau.
And he's tired. And he's weary.
It comes at the end of a long season.
Hard season at work, hard season of ministry, hard family season.
It comes at the end of a hard season and all the sudden you
smell something and it's like, oh, that looks real good, you
know? My soul wanders from time to
time too, you know. Where I go Zillow.
You ever done that? Or you just start to look and
say, you know, there's some cheap houses in Mexico.
You know what? I'm saying it's OK that I'm real
this. Morning.
OK, so every. Once in a while.
I don't do it as much as I used to, but there was a time and a
season. Where to be like, let's just.
Look and see what's going on down and you know, different
places and you just zooming in and you're saying, oh, that
house looks nice and you know, that's cheaper over there.
And you know, you, you generally do that when your soul is
feeling a little weird, when your soul is feeling a little
weird. And you know what?
That's just priming the pump for the.
For that, for that waft. Of soup to come by and somebody.
Calls you. Up and then all of a sudden
you're like. It's the Lord my friend called
me from Florida. And they've got 0% tax rate and
that must. Be God.
OK, so. Now all of a sudden we're.
Led by the Lord based on the tax.
Bracket. No Sir.
No, ma'am. No, ma'am, no, Sir.
Look at. Hebrews chapter 12.
I should crack a couple jokes just to keep it light in.
Here because it's feeling heavy. Hebrews, chapter 12.
Verse 14 Pursue. Peace with all people.
And holiness, without which no one will.
See the Lord. Looking carefully lest anyone
fall. Short of the grace of God.
Lest any root of bitterness bringing up cause trouble and by
this many become defiled, look at the context here.
Lest there be any. Fornicator or profane person
like Esau, who for one morsel. Of food sold his birthright for
you. Know that afterward, when he
wanted to inherit the blessing, he was.
Rejected. For he found no place for
repentance, though he sought it diligently with.
Tears. Look at that, the writer of
Hebrews is putting Esau. In the same place of saying hey.
Pursue peace with people. Don't let any root of bitterness
grow up. Because that'll defile you.
And once you're defiled, you may become like.
Esau to where you're. Willing to do stupid.
Stuff. And then before your knowing,
before you know it, you're begging.
To get it back. And it's too late.
Are y'all reading? This the same as me right?
This is a New Testament, so for everyone, she's like we're.
Under the blood of Jesus? Well, I think the book of
Hebrews was. Too, But he's warning, saying
don't do that, don't be like that make.
Sure that you pursue peace with all people.
Make sure you keep your heart right.
Make sure that you don't let any fornicator A profane person.
Like Esau creep up inside of you so that you don't sell your
birthright for. Morsel of bread.
You know, one of the things that was important to me when we were
looking at and really believe in God for.
A while to pay off the mortgage is I.
And I kept saying I feel like this is for a time to come, lest
anyone be tempted. Not just myself, but.
Whoever pastors here after. Me and after our tenure may be
done in the years to come where it's like, you know, financial
pressures come and they start to change the message.
Of the gospel to pay the bills. And so I just felt from the Lord
like we need to not have a mortgage.
So that that pressure at least. That's not a pressure, not
saying that. People are flawless or.
You know, don't have any potential temptation outside of
that, but I felt from the Lord like I don't I'm, I want to set
my faith to pay that $1,000,000 mortgage.
Off so that. When we come up.
To the future this this property.
Is not compromised based on the message and that we can preach
the unadulterated. Gospel of Jesus Christ.
Even when it's inconvenient. Even when people.
Walk out. Of the room when I'm talking
about abortion, which happened this morning, it doesn't matter
to me. I'm like go and.
Take your tithe dollars because this property is paid for.
And I'm going to. Keep preaching this gospel until
Jesus returns. And that's that it's going to
happen and I love everybody and I.
I pray that they get over it, but I.
Cannot be under the. Pressure to sell the gospel of
Jesus Christ. Because I'm worried about.
Bills. Can't.
We cannot do it. And this isn't just for me, I.
I prayed this for. Any minister or pastor?
That watches this. I prayed this for all of our
house churches. Don't you compromise the gospel
of? Jesus Christ to pay bills for.
Money. I remember one time we were
still ministering in California and the person came up to me and
they were working for the state Department of Corrections and
they were a nurse in the in the corrections department and they
came up to me and they felt conflicted.
Because they were being forced to.
Administer transition surgeries for gender Gender transition
surgeries for inmates. Which the state paid for.
And they were conflicted because they knew that's wicked.
They knew that's wicked. They knew that's not right.
And so they were. Asking my opinion, what do I do?
You know, I'll probably lose my job if I don't do it, I said.
Well, you're going to have to be led.
By the Lord, but the Bible's clear.
And I let them. Decide they came back a few
weeks later they stood their. Ground They lost their job.
But they got a. Better job somewhere else.
And they kept their birthright. Hello.
So this is real. This isn't pine the.
Sky like just religious speak. This is stuff you're going to
have to decide. Maybe sometimes on a.
Regular basis where do you? Stand.
Where are you going? To where?
Where will you land on this? I remember there's one passage
here I skipped over in my notes, but y'all can pull it up in
Numbers chapter 24 and it says and, and Tim, if you'll come and
the team can come. This is what it says in Numbers
chapter 24. It wasn't even a good guy.
His name was Balaam. Balaam was, I mean, he was
trying, he was getting hired out and this guy named Balaic, he
was trying with all his might if you just come.
Curse Israel, please, I'll. Pay you, I'll give you whatever
you want. I'll make you honorable.
All these things but God. Interrupted all these plans, I
mean in a in a significant way, you may know the story from the
guy who got interrupted and his donkey came up on the Angel of
the Lord and the donkey wouldn't move.
So Balaam is like hitting the donkey, telling him to go and
all of a. Sudden, the donkey talks out
loud. The donkey learned Hebrew and
the donkey's talking out loud and basically saying, Why are
you hitting me? I've been.
Carrying you pretty good all these years.
And then the Angel of. Lord appeared to Balaam.
And all of a sudden, he realized.
Wow. This.
Donkey saved my life because that Angel had his sword drawn.
But this is what? Balaam ended up having to tell
Balak when he refused. To say what he wanted him to
say, he said. Did I not also?
Speak to your messengers. Whom you sent to me saying, if
Balak were to give me. His house full of silver and
gold, I. Could not go beyond the.
Word of the Lord to do good or bad.
Of my own will. What the Lord says.
That I must speak and if an unrighteous person can come to
that conclusion because they were confronted with the Angel.
Of the Lord, and really. Became overwhelmed with the.
Fear of the Lord, I feel like. Ought not we have that same
position that says I could not go beyond the?
Word of the Lord to do good or bad what the Lord says.
That I must speak. That I must speak and I'm just
praying. For each of you, for churches
across this country. In our own denomination.
May we become people who it's like I don't get to choose what
I speak. Yeah, I have to say what he.
Tells me to say. I have to say.
Even if it's uncomfortable, I have to say it.
Even if it's unpopular. I have to say even if.
Laws in the land begin to be written against it.
I cannot sell myself. For a bowl of.
Soup. I cannot do it.
I cannot do it.
We have pastors being arrested in Canada, in the United
Kingdom, just for saying things. That I said today, they're being
arrested all the way. And I don't know.
All about those particular. People.
All I know is that, come what may.
I will preach this gospel. I will say what the Bible says
and if. Laws are written for me, or if
laws are written against me, my message hasn't changed because
the Bible hasn't changed and I just.
Feel like it's better be a position.
Where you stand in today where you just make a stance and you
say that's me too if I lose my job because it gets inconvenient
for them. To have a.
Christian at work. So be it if God calls me.
Somewhere else to live somewhere else and I lose my.
Mortgage rate, so be it. The blessing of the Lord's a lot
better than a. Mortgage rate, that's right.
Don't you agree? This morning, I hope you feel, I
feel, I feel courage. Rising.
I feel strength, rising. I feel like my back is getting
stronger. I feel like I'm going to stand
up straight more and I hope you will.
Too, in fact. Let's all stand this morning.
We want to thank you again for joining us for the Arise Church
podcast. We hope you were encouraged by
what you heard today. You can find
us.online@arisechurchn-c.com and on Instagram at Arise Church NC.
If you need prayer or support or are interested in learning more
about Arise Church, we encourage you to connect with us online or
in person at our Sunday morning service.
Thank you and God bless.