1 00:00:16,440 --> 00:00:18,000 Turn over to Ephesians chapter 5. 2 00:00:18,000 --> 00:00:22,880 We've been talking about the reigning society and so I'm 3 00:00:22,880 --> 00:00:27,760 going to kind of conclude it tonight, although we will not 4 00:00:27,760 --> 00:00:30,560 jump over into chapter 6. I think chapter 6 we'll come 5 00:00:30,560 --> 00:00:33,960 back to and just do a stand alone with the armor of God in 6 00:00:33,960 --> 00:00:37,120 general that that deserves its own series really. 7 00:00:38,320 --> 00:00:46,160 But I the 1st 24242421 verses let's say it that way. 8 00:00:48,240 --> 00:00:52,720 Ephesians 5 is really powerful because Paul again is talking to 9 00:00:52,720 --> 00:00:55,520 the church. The church is not the same as 10 00:00:55,520 --> 00:00:57,920 the world. I'm going to say that again the. 11 00:00:57,920 --> 00:01:00,720 Church is not the same as the world. 12 00:01:01,360 --> 00:01:05,239 So you understand, God goes after the world. 13 00:01:06,160 --> 00:01:10,080 The church goes after God. I'm going to say that again. 14 00:01:10,760 --> 00:01:14,880 The God goes after the world. No man comes to God unless he 15 00:01:14,880 --> 00:01:19,720 draws them all right. But once you're born again, then 16 00:01:19,720 --> 00:01:22,000 the Bible says draw near to God and heal. 17 00:01:23,000 --> 00:01:27,240 Now he's giving you a right to come into the throne room, to 18 00:01:27,240 --> 00:01:30,960 come into the holies of holies, to step into the course with 19 00:01:30,960 --> 00:01:33,400 Thanksgiving. He's giving you the right 20 00:01:33,400 --> 00:01:36,440 through sonship are a birthright, sons and daughters 21 00:01:36,440 --> 00:01:38,680 of God that you can approach him. 22 00:01:39,280 --> 00:01:41,000 Amen. This is why it's so important to 23 00:01:41,000 --> 00:01:45,480 not to have no condemnation, but the Bible tells us there is. 24 00:01:45,480 --> 00:01:49,120 Therefore there is now no condemnation for those who are 25 00:01:49,640 --> 00:01:51,400 in Christ. Now, those who are not in 26 00:01:51,400 --> 00:01:55,720 Christ, there's condemnation. So if you feel condemned, get in 27 00:01:55,720 --> 00:01:59,000 Christ, meaning get under the blood, ask God to forgive what's 28 00:01:59,000 --> 00:02:01,240 you're feeling guilty about or whatever. 29 00:02:01,320 --> 00:02:04,280 And then once that's done, there's no condemnation. 30 00:02:04,960 --> 00:02:08,000 And it says therefore now, now is immediate present, which 31 00:02:08,000 --> 00:02:11,640 means right now, right now, right now, right now, right now, 32 00:02:11,720 --> 00:02:14,320 right now, right now, right now, right now, right now. 33 00:02:15,600 --> 00:02:18,320 That means you can't none of that stuff, anything the enemy 34 00:02:18,320 --> 00:02:20,920 would try to come and bring back on you of your past. 35 00:02:21,000 --> 00:02:24,360 You're not condemned. You have been pardoned. 36 00:02:24,440 --> 00:02:28,960 You are free, you have been liberated, Hallelujah. 37 00:02:29,160 --> 00:02:30,800 And you can boldly come before the throne of. 38 00:02:30,800 --> 00:02:35,080 Grace. So God goes after the world 39 00:02:35,080 --> 00:02:41,520 away, but then he walks with the church a different way. 40 00:02:42,640 --> 00:02:45,200 Amen. So we should never have the 41 00:02:45,200 --> 00:02:50,440 mentality of how I lived outside the church is acceptable to live 42 00:02:50,440 --> 00:02:55,680 that inside the church. And let me say it this way, you 43 00:02:55,680 --> 00:03:01,120 do not win more to get in the church if you are looking like 44 00:03:01,120 --> 00:03:05,520 the world. I'm going to say that again. 45 00:03:06,520 --> 00:03:09,640 Many people have said, well, you know, I don't want to do things 46 00:03:09,640 --> 00:03:11,840 that would be in such a way they wouldn't want to come to God. 47 00:03:11,840 --> 00:03:16,000 So we compromise ours to try to be relatable to them. 48 00:03:16,120 --> 00:03:17,560 They don't need you to be relatable. 49 00:03:17,560 --> 00:03:21,840 They need you to be holy. They need you to give them the 50 00:03:21,840 --> 00:03:24,880 hope that what they're in you can come out of, not get over 51 00:03:25,000 --> 00:03:28,800 and say, well, I'm forgiven, but I'm still in bondage. 52 00:03:30,080 --> 00:03:34,880 No liberty comes once you get in the church, you're in Christ and 53 00:03:34,880 --> 00:03:37,360 you're in the body of Christ and you're walking with the Lord. 54 00:03:38,360 --> 00:03:40,920 So Paul, obviously we've dealt with the 1st 4 chapters. 55 00:03:40,920 --> 00:03:43,800 We've come into the 5th chapter and he's just launches this 56 00:03:43,800 --> 00:03:45,960 thing after he's communicated a few things. 57 00:03:45,960 --> 00:03:50,280 You'd have to go back on our Wednesday nights to to catch up 58 00:03:50,280 --> 00:03:51,920 with us. I'm not going to take time to do 59 00:03:51,920 --> 00:03:53,960 that tonight. But he starts right out in verse 60 00:03:53,960 --> 00:03:56,560 one. Therefore meaning everything 61 00:03:56,560 --> 00:03:58,440 that I just said in the 1st 4 chapters. 62 00:03:58,440 --> 00:04:04,080 Therefore be imitators of God as beloved children. 63 00:04:04,960 --> 00:04:09,440 Now that one verse I could preach probably for the next 6 64 00:04:09,440 --> 00:04:16,519 months. That verse right there because 65 00:04:16,519 --> 00:04:21,360 if you talk to even a person outside the church that is still 66 00:04:21,360 --> 00:04:25,360 lost, they'll give you a definition of God. 67 00:04:27,680 --> 00:04:32,520 A lot of times they're going to define God as perfect, holy, 68 00:04:32,960 --> 00:04:37,760 without mistakes, certain elements and it says therefore 69 00:04:37,760 --> 00:04:42,280 be be what? Be imitators of God. 70 00:04:42,280 --> 00:04:46,360 Now who can be an imitator of God as beloved children? 71 00:04:46,720 --> 00:04:49,800 So the only ones who have the ability to imitate. 72 00:04:49,800 --> 00:04:54,480 In essence, Paul is reciting to the to the church or what we 73 00:04:54,480 --> 00:04:58,680 call the age of grace, OK, or the church age or we're in the 74 00:04:58,680 --> 00:05:02,240 last days time now where the Spirit of God has come back to 75 00:05:02,240 --> 00:05:05,600 live in man. In essence, Paul is saying in 76 00:05:05,880 --> 00:05:09,960 Ephesians 51 be imitators of God, which sounds a lot like an 77 00:05:09,960 --> 00:05:13,320 Old Testament verse that says this let us make man in our 78 00:05:13,320 --> 00:05:19,520 image according to our likeness. So now because we can be born 79 00:05:19,520 --> 00:05:28,400 again, our nature can start to reflect what the first Adam had. 80 00:05:29,000 --> 00:05:34,040 Now not in its totality, because the first Adam, his body did not 81 00:05:34,040 --> 00:05:40,840 have sin it, it was glorified, His soul had no sin in it, and 82 00:05:40,840 --> 00:05:42,920 then his spirit was perfect in the image of God. 83 00:05:43,160 --> 00:05:47,400 He fell from that position. We, when we're born again, do 84 00:05:47,400 --> 00:05:50,600 not go back to that particular position because our bodies are 85 00:05:50,600 --> 00:05:53,080 not yet redeemed. We'd have to renew our mind. 86 00:05:53,240 --> 00:05:58,240 But our spirit man is now in the image of God, which means now 87 00:05:58,240 --> 00:06:02,600 the dominion that Adam had. In Genesis 1, Paul was saying 88 00:06:02,680 --> 00:06:09,200 imitate God, you have his nature again, Hallelujah. 89 00:06:09,520 --> 00:06:14,080 And listen, Paul was not writing this just to inspire them to a 90 00:06:14,080 --> 00:06:18,200 level. He is writing this to them 91 00:06:18,320 --> 00:06:20,920 because he's a lot. He's letting them know who they 92 00:06:20,920 --> 00:06:23,760 are. This is who you are. 93 00:06:24,120 --> 00:06:28,760 This is the and and and he's also writing this not of his own 94 00:06:28,760 --> 00:06:32,680 interpretation, but the Holy Spirit said tell them this. 95 00:06:34,720 --> 00:06:38,240 So if the Holy Spirit says therefore be imitators of God, 96 00:06:38,600 --> 00:06:42,680 can we be imitators of God? Yes, we can. 97 00:06:43,240 --> 00:06:46,840 Yes, we can. So this word imitators here real 98 00:06:46,840 --> 00:06:53,200 quick, just means this. It means follow, emulate, mimic. 99 00:06:53,680 --> 00:06:59,480 It means strive to resemble. Are you striving to resemble 100 00:06:59,800 --> 00:07:02,640 God's nature? In your everyday walk. 101 00:07:08,320 --> 00:07:10,880 That's a good thing for us to look into now. 102 00:07:10,880 --> 00:07:17,600 The world cannot do this, but as a child of God you can aspire to 103 00:07:17,600 --> 00:07:22,840 a standard that God set. I got a leadership lesson coming 104 00:07:22,840 --> 00:07:24,400 down that I'm going to throw down. 105 00:07:24,400 --> 00:07:30,840 I actually saw a clip from. I'll probably just preach it as 106 00:07:30,840 --> 00:07:32,400 a sermon, so I'll give you a little nugget and then we'll 107 00:07:32,400 --> 00:07:35,440 come back. But Nick Saban, when he was 108 00:07:35,440 --> 00:07:42,440 coaching, he said, he said high standard people hate mediocre 109 00:07:42,440 --> 00:07:46,480 people and mediocre people hate high standard people. 110 00:07:49,160 --> 00:07:52,960 There's a conflict. Achievers, high achievers, OK, 111 00:07:53,280 --> 00:07:56,200 high achievers, he says. When the standards high, 112 00:07:56,200 --> 00:07:58,240 everyone has to come. Well, how? 113 00:07:58,360 --> 00:08:03,560 How high you think this standard is and who said it? 114 00:08:05,440 --> 00:08:09,280 Not only does he said it, but then He gives you the nature to 115 00:08:09,280 --> 00:08:13,200 accomplish it. So why would you ever settle for 116 00:08:13,200 --> 00:08:16,160 mediocre? You said how does the Lord not 117 00:08:16,160 --> 00:08:18,720 like mediocrity? Well, he sure doesn't like 118 00:08:18,720 --> 00:08:23,480 lukewarm. And I'll leave it there. 119 00:08:24,080 --> 00:08:25,960 Because I'll prove that out later. 120 00:08:26,200 --> 00:08:28,040 Are you ready? Amen. 121 00:08:28,200 --> 00:08:32,799 No, there is a standard of godliness, holiness, that is not 122 00:08:33,000 --> 00:08:36,320 I earned it. God made me this way. 123 00:08:36,400 --> 00:08:40,600 So he's telling me, listen, I have a standard for you that's 124 00:08:40,600 --> 00:08:44,720 achievable, that no matter what situation you come in in life, 125 00:08:44,720 --> 00:08:48,360 no matter how old you are, how young you are, you can if you 126 00:08:48,360 --> 00:08:50,160 give yourself over to the. Kingdom. 127 00:08:52,760 --> 00:08:59,720 That you can obtain a lifestyle that imitates or resembles God 128 00:09:00,200 --> 00:09:03,760 in essence is of the testimony of Smith Wigglesworth, a 129 00:09:03,760 --> 00:09:06,760 particular gentleman who had the. 130 00:09:06,760 --> 00:09:11,000 Power of God function in his life over in England and he was 131 00:09:11,080 --> 00:09:14,320 so devout towards the Lord that there was one time it was 132 00:09:14,320 --> 00:09:16,760 testified that he was on a bus in England. 133 00:09:16,760 --> 00:09:20,040 He was being transported somewhere and a guy got to a 134 00:09:20,640 --> 00:09:23,280 either his stop or he just chose to get off at to stop. 135 00:09:23,480 --> 00:09:26,320 He stood up and he says man, your mere presence convicts me 136 00:09:26,320 --> 00:09:28,120 of my sin and he got off the bus. 137 00:09:29,520 --> 00:09:38,200 Does your imitation 'cause people around you to feel out 138 00:09:38,200 --> 00:09:40,360 there in the presence of the Lord? 139 00:09:40,520 --> 00:09:43,240 Now you're not God, I'm not saying that. 140 00:09:43,440 --> 00:09:47,240 But what I am saying is you are his child and you should reflect 141 00:09:47,240 --> 00:09:49,920 his nature. And it's going to do one or two 142 00:09:49,920 --> 00:09:51,920 things. It's going to draw people 143 00:09:52,720 --> 00:09:57,000 because God draws the lost. The lost can't be saved unless 144 00:09:57,000 --> 00:10:00,640 the Lord and you understand he doesn't draw them by living 145 00:10:01,240 --> 00:10:07,000 worldly. God doesn't reduce his standard 146 00:10:07,000 --> 00:10:10,120 in his drawing. I mean when when he when the 147 00:10:10,120 --> 00:10:14,720 Holy Spirit is drawing someone. He is saying there's a there's a 148 00:10:14,720 --> 00:10:18,160 better way to live. It's a mess that you're in, 149 00:10:18,160 --> 00:10:19,520 right? I can get you out. 150 00:10:21,640 --> 00:10:24,200 I can get you out. In fact, I've paid the price for 151 00:10:24,200 --> 00:10:26,320 it. I mean, I know what you've 152 00:10:26,600 --> 00:10:28,600 there's nothing you've gone through that I don't know what 153 00:10:28,600 --> 00:10:34,160 you're dealing with. Are you hearing me? 154 00:10:35,120 --> 00:10:37,440 But he doesn't change his standard to do that. 155 00:10:38,080 --> 00:10:40,760 You know, we may see a larger flood of people. 156 00:10:40,760 --> 00:10:45,120 Coming in if we were imitating more anyway, let's go on. 157 00:10:45,320 --> 00:10:48,480 Therefore, be imitators of God as beloved children verse 2 and 158 00:10:48,480 --> 00:10:51,240 walk in love. I'm going to finish reading this 159 00:10:51,240 --> 00:10:53,920 first 7 verses. Just as Christ also loved you 160 00:10:53,920 --> 00:10:58,200 and gave himself up for us as an offering, a sacrifice to God is 161 00:10:58,200 --> 00:11:02,720 a fragrant aroma. But immorality or any impurity 162 00:11:02,720 --> 00:11:06,560 or greed must not even be named among you, as is proper among 163 00:11:06,560 --> 00:11:11,160 the Saints, and there must be no filthy filthiness and silly talk 164 00:11:11,160 --> 00:11:15,520 or course jesting which are not fitting, but rather giving of 165 00:11:15,520 --> 00:11:19,520 thanks for this. You know with certainty that no 166 00:11:19,520 --> 00:11:24,320 immoral or impure person or covetous man who is an idolater, 167 00:11:24,840 --> 00:11:28,520 has an inheritance in the Kingdom of Christ and God. 168 00:11:28,920 --> 00:11:31,600 Let no one deceive. You with empty words, for 169 00:11:31,600 --> 00:11:35,360 because of these things the wrath of God comes upon the sons 170 00:11:35,360 --> 00:11:40,280 of disobedience. Therefore, do not be partakers 171 00:11:40,440 --> 00:11:41,280 with. Them. 172 00:11:41,840 --> 00:11:45,200 All right now verse 2 says walk in love. 173 00:11:45,200 --> 00:11:48,000 This word walk means again, we defined this already in a 174 00:11:48,000 --> 00:11:50,400 earlier chapter. It means to regulate one's life. 175 00:11:50,600 --> 00:11:53,720 It means to conduct oneself. So when he says walk in love, he 176 00:11:53,720 --> 00:11:58,080 says allow the love of God to regulate your life. 177 00:11:59,560 --> 00:12:02,600 OK. And the and and in one sense, 178 00:12:02,600 --> 00:12:04,840 Jesus said this, if you love me, you'll keep my word. 179 00:12:04,840 --> 00:12:10,720 So the love of God is the is best demonstrated when you are 180 00:12:10,880 --> 00:12:18,200 due handling any situation according to how God has said 181 00:12:19,200 --> 00:12:24,360 because again, Jesus was in many situations that he says father, 182 00:12:24,360 --> 00:12:27,160 how do I deal with that? He gave him the answer he did it 183 00:12:27,160 --> 00:12:28,840 and that was him walking in love. 184 00:12:29,160 --> 00:12:32,480 He also the Bible says that Christ loved us while we were 185 00:12:32,480 --> 00:12:36,640 yet why? Because he died, which tells me 186 00:12:36,640 --> 00:12:40,880 in the garden when Jesus is demonstrating his love towards 187 00:12:40,880 --> 00:12:43,760 us, he's doing it that Lord, he said Father, if there's. 188 00:12:43,760 --> 00:12:55,240 Any other way, let this cup pass but not and he dealt with that 189 00:12:55,240 --> 00:12:59,400 statement often it just sounded this way at other times. 190 00:12:59,440 --> 00:13:01,320 I do nothing on my own initiative, but whatever the 191 00:13:01,320 --> 00:13:08,000 Father says that I do, what I speak is what I So he's 192 00:13:08,000 --> 00:13:11,800 demonstrating his love towards us by always keeping the word 193 00:13:11,960 --> 00:13:16,880 that the Father said concerning him and his assignment and how 194 00:13:16,880 --> 00:13:19,080 to handle. Situations, right? 195 00:13:19,080 --> 00:13:21,920 Because he had options. OK, come on. 196 00:13:23,440 --> 00:13:27,640 It's not like Jesus didn't vocalize options again in the 197 00:13:27,640 --> 00:13:28,960 garden. He said Lord, if there's any 198 00:13:28,960 --> 00:13:32,040 other way but not my will, your will be done. 199 00:13:32,040 --> 00:13:34,480 And since he was convinced because the father said this is 200 00:13:34,480 --> 00:13:38,480 the way sons, he's OK, I'm going to the cross in obedience. 201 00:13:38,480 --> 00:13:42,360 I will fulfill the law of love. I will keep your word. 202 00:13:43,320 --> 00:13:46,760 So when he comes out Peter obviously in defense. 203 00:13:47,600 --> 00:13:50,840 What's he do? Cuts the man's ear off. 204 00:13:51,800 --> 00:13:57,080 Jesus. Like, dude, I like that dude, 205 00:13:57,280 --> 00:14:00,600 put your sword up. They're coming for me, not you. 206 00:14:01,880 --> 00:14:05,400 So he picks the man's ear up, puts it back on, heals the guy. 207 00:14:05,400 --> 00:14:07,640 That would have been enough for that guy to say he's the 208 00:14:07,640 --> 00:14:08,800 Messiah. I'm out of here. 209 00:14:10,640 --> 00:14:13,560 If it wasn't enough already that when he said I am, they fell, 210 00:14:13,560 --> 00:14:17,120 blew down on the ground. That's pretty powerful as well. 211 00:14:17,120 --> 00:14:20,680 But what did Jesus say? Jesus said don't you know I 212 00:14:20,680 --> 00:14:28,480 could call a legion of Angel? He had options but instead of 213 00:14:28,600 --> 00:14:34,960 him being angry in his flesh that y'all are all falsely 214 00:14:34,960 --> 00:14:42,760 accusing me right now. This right here is not God, and 215 00:14:42,760 --> 00:14:48,160 He knew it. But he did not enact the angels, 216 00:14:48,800 --> 00:14:54,240 because the Father said Son, this is the way, and he 217 00:14:54,240 --> 00:14:57,160 demonstrated his love towards us. 218 00:14:58,760 --> 00:15:02,040 Are you hearing me? So we need to regulate our lives 219 00:15:02,040 --> 00:15:06,560 by walking in love because again, Christ loved you and gave 220 00:15:06,560 --> 00:15:09,160 himself up for us. I mean, how many times did 221 00:15:09,160 --> 00:15:13,000 Christ? Give up his personal right to do 222 00:15:13,000 --> 00:15:17,240 the father's will in the situation or gave up his 223 00:15:17,240 --> 00:15:23,400 personal right? To satisfy his flesh every time, 224 00:15:23,720 --> 00:15:26,200 which why we get over into verse three, he said now. 225 00:15:26,200 --> 00:15:30,480 But immorality and any impurity or greed must not even be named 226 00:15:30,480 --> 00:15:34,040 among you. It's not proper meaning. 227 00:15:34,280 --> 00:15:38,800 That type of lifestyle is a former lifestyle. 228 00:15:40,920 --> 00:15:44,720 It shouldn't be named now. It doesn't mean that it can't be 229 00:15:45,840 --> 00:15:49,560 because again, Jesus is falsely accused of all kinds of things 230 00:15:49,840 --> 00:15:52,240 and people could have walked and say, you know, he did this and 231 00:15:52,240 --> 00:15:54,480 he did that and he did that, and that's all false because he 232 00:15:54,480 --> 00:15:56,120 didn't do any of the stuff they said. 233 00:15:56,560 --> 00:16:01,560 So it doesn't mean no one could never say you did something. 234 00:16:02,880 --> 00:16:05,960 But what Paul is saying that it shouldn't be named among you 235 00:16:06,080 --> 00:16:10,200 because it shouldn't be. So with you, are you hearing 236 00:16:10,200 --> 00:16:14,000 what I'm saying now? How do you pull away from this 237 00:16:14,000 --> 00:16:15,840 to a degree? Well, you flee even the 238 00:16:15,840 --> 00:16:18,960 appearance of evil. That's why that scripture is 239 00:16:18,960 --> 00:16:22,960 there, because it's not about how close I can get to my old 240 00:16:22,960 --> 00:16:29,280 life without falling, right? It's not how, how, how, how 241 00:16:29,280 --> 00:16:34,960 close we can satisfy the flesh without falling in and, you 242 00:16:34,960 --> 00:16:38,800 know, into the temptation. It's like, man, I'm not even 243 00:16:38,800 --> 00:16:42,040 getting close to the edge because it's not like I'm more 244 00:16:42,040 --> 00:16:44,720 powerful because I get to the edge and don't fall. 245 00:16:45,080 --> 00:16:46,520 That doesn't make you more powerful. 246 00:16:46,720 --> 00:16:49,600 What makes you more powerful is that you can keep yourself at a 247 00:16:49,600 --> 00:16:53,040 distance from stuff that you don't even get it. 248 00:16:53,040 --> 00:16:56,400 You're so far amused from it because you're a new creature. 249 00:16:57,320 --> 00:16:59,920 Come on, isn't that amazing? So then he goes on and says, 250 00:16:59,920 --> 00:17:03,160 look, there's needs to be no filthy or silly talk course 251 00:17:03,160 --> 00:17:05,400 gesturing. These are things, the way we're 252 00:17:05,400 --> 00:17:10,000 speaking, talking, communicating with that should be put away 253 00:17:10,359 --> 00:17:12,000 because we're. Putting on the new man, right 254 00:17:13,160 --> 00:17:16,520 and but we rather should give thanks and then he reminds us 255 00:17:16,720 --> 00:17:20,440 the individuals that have this kind of lifestyle, they do not 256 00:17:20,440 --> 00:17:23,640 inherit the Kingdom of God. I said they do not inherit the 257 00:17:23,640 --> 00:17:27,119 Kingdom of God. But then he goes on in verse 6 258 00:17:27,119 --> 00:17:30,240 and tells us, do not let someone deceive you. 259 00:17:31,240 --> 00:17:35,640 Meaning do not let someone say by the grace of God you can do 260 00:17:35,640 --> 00:17:42,240 whatever. Don't let someone deceive you 261 00:17:43,160 --> 00:17:47,880 because he's like I'm telling you if you think that the blood 262 00:17:47,880 --> 00:17:52,120 that was shed for you now gives you the right to be able to 263 00:17:52,120 --> 00:17:56,840 still participate. And God is like, I don't see it 264 00:17:56,840 --> 00:17:59,440 cause of the blood. Like he's got blood in his eyes 265 00:17:59,440 --> 00:18:01,400 and he can't see all the new things you're doing. 266 00:18:04,800 --> 00:18:07,760 He said, make no mistake about it, the wrath of God. 267 00:18:08,080 --> 00:18:10,120 Comes upon the sons of disobedience. 268 00:18:10,360 --> 00:18:12,160 In essence, he's saying someone who would do. 269 00:18:12,160 --> 00:18:15,400 This is acting like someone not in my household. 270 00:18:18,880 --> 00:18:23,080 Because a child of God is not a, is not a son of disobedience. 271 00:18:23,320 --> 00:18:27,400 What would they be then? A son of, of obedience? 272 00:18:27,680 --> 00:18:31,920 And again, the obedience we do is not in our own strength. 273 00:18:32,080 --> 00:18:36,400 It's by the power and grace of God that he's given us. 274 00:18:36,640 --> 00:18:39,880 Hallelujah. So therefore it says do not 275 00:18:39,880 --> 00:18:41,920 partake with them, be partakers with them. 276 00:18:42,040 --> 00:18:45,400 Now, this doesn't mean that we are to never get around anyone 277 00:18:45,400 --> 00:18:48,400 who lives like this. I mean, they need the light that 278 00:18:48,400 --> 00:18:51,000 you shine. You need to go into their 279 00:18:51,000 --> 00:18:53,200 darkness. There's no issue there. 280 00:18:53,200 --> 00:18:59,120 There's no reason, no, no issue that if you you know, how do I 281 00:18:59,120 --> 00:19:05,720 want to say this, you can converse, engage, have 282 00:19:05,720 --> 00:19:10,520 conversations, even develop relationships, as long as they 283 00:19:10,520 --> 00:19:21,560 are not so close that you become corrupted by them because bad 284 00:19:21,560 --> 00:19:26,520 company will correct, will corrupt so well, you know why I 285 00:19:26,520 --> 00:19:28,920 just I'm hanging out when I'm going to the club with them. 286 00:19:28,920 --> 00:19:31,160 I'm doing this with them. I'm going to these shows. 287 00:19:31,160 --> 00:19:33,840 I'm going to go down to bike week with all these guys. 288 00:19:35,080 --> 00:19:37,600 Not just a bad idea. I'm not even going to bike week 289 00:19:37,600 --> 00:19:41,160 before and I ain't just got to the edge. 290 00:19:41,200 --> 00:19:43,440 I got to the edge of bike week once. 291 00:19:43,960 --> 00:19:46,480 I don't remember where we were going, but got to the edge is 292 00:19:46,480 --> 00:19:48,440 like, what are all these? Oh, it's bike week, right? 293 00:19:48,440 --> 00:19:50,920 And all of a sudden some girl walked out with chaps on. 294 00:19:52,840 --> 00:19:56,800 No, you're right. No, Christopher, I'm like, bro, 295 00:19:57,240 --> 00:20:00,560 what is happening here? Now I understand some people go 296 00:20:00,560 --> 00:20:02,240 down in Evangeline. I have no problem. 297 00:20:02,240 --> 00:20:06,040 I get it. But you better make sure you're 298 00:20:06,160 --> 00:20:09,400 a light because I'm going to be honest with you. 299 00:20:09,400 --> 00:20:11,240 There's a lot of carnal Christians going down there 300 00:20:11,240 --> 00:20:16,320 acting like they're being light, but they're they're partaking. 301 00:20:18,000 --> 00:20:21,520 I said they're partaking. OK, that's just say Amen. 302 00:20:21,520 --> 00:20:26,280 Anyway, Hallelujah. All right, we are not partakers. 303 00:20:26,480 --> 00:20:28,600 Your your lifestyle is not my lifestyle. 304 00:20:31,520 --> 00:20:33,360 I said your lifestyle is not my lifestyle. 305 00:20:34,360 --> 00:20:43,360 OK, So because I regulate my wife wait up my life, I mean we 306 00:20:43,360 --> 00:20:50,040 might regulate a little bit when necessary and say it so say it 307 00:20:50,040 --> 00:20:55,920 so I mean say it so she knows there may be a time that I have 308 00:20:55,920 --> 00:20:58,560 to regulate because I have that position as a husband. 309 00:20:59,000 --> 00:21:01,960 Let me tell you, in my house is not happy wife, happy life. 310 00:21:03,040 --> 00:21:10,040 It's do the word happy life that's in my house 'cause my 311 00:21:10,040 --> 00:21:14,960 wife doesn't intimidate me and I don't intimidate her, 'cause we 312 00:21:14,960 --> 00:21:18,520 have holiness. I don't have that ungodly 313 00:21:18,520 --> 00:21:20,120 principle. Now we laugh about that, you 314 00:21:20,120 --> 00:21:22,120 know, But the reality is I do regulate. 315 00:21:23,320 --> 00:21:25,960 Cause at the end of the day, when the final say has to 316 00:21:25,960 --> 00:21:28,600 happen, God gave me that position. 317 00:21:29,120 --> 00:21:32,040 And she doesn't kick against the goats. 318 00:21:32,400 --> 00:21:40,880 She offers her opinion and sometimes passionately, and 319 00:21:40,880 --> 00:21:42,960 that's OK. There's no. 320 00:21:42,960 --> 00:21:45,720 Problem with that. But at the end of the day, she 321 00:21:45,720 --> 00:21:49,880 says whatever you're saying, because at the end of the day, 322 00:21:50,080 --> 00:21:53,680 here we go. And I'm and I'm humble enough if 323 00:21:53,760 --> 00:21:57,920 I do it wrong and she was right that I'll come back and say, 324 00:21:57,920 --> 00:22:00,680 honey, you were right. We should have done it that way. 325 00:22:01,080 --> 00:22:05,760 No issue here because we we are side by side working this thing. 326 00:22:05,760 --> 00:22:07,000 Together. All right. 327 00:22:07,480 --> 00:22:13,960 I got out of that pretty good. Just kidding. 1st Corinthians 328 00:22:13,960 --> 00:22:20,960 1614, First Corinthians, I'm serious about that, but that was 329 00:22:20,960 --> 00:22:21,840 a fun joke. All right. 330 00:22:21,840 --> 00:22:26,560 First Corinthians 1614 says let all that you do be done. 331 00:22:26,560 --> 00:22:29,600 How in love. Now you need to know what love 332 00:22:29,600 --> 00:22:32,120 is in order to do that. That is not acceptance. 333 00:22:32,720 --> 00:22:34,960 The God kind of love is not acceptance. 334 00:22:34,960 --> 00:22:39,120 God is not accepting sin at all. He died for it. 335 00:22:40,080 --> 00:22:46,360 Sin is so bad and it requires payment that God had to send his 336 00:22:46,360 --> 00:22:50,800 son to pay the price. And it was a horrific, not just 337 00:22:50,800 --> 00:22:57,240 physical death, the emotional and spiritual because we the 338 00:22:57,240 --> 00:23:00,000 Bible says he was beaten so bad you couldn't tell he was a man. 339 00:23:00,120 --> 00:23:03,680 It wasn't the physical beatings that caused him not to look like 340 00:23:03,680 --> 00:23:06,040 a man. It was when he took on the sins 341 00:23:06,040 --> 00:23:08,360 of all the world that it distorted him. 342 00:23:08,600 --> 00:23:15,120 The sin on his body deformed him that to look at him, he didn't 343 00:23:15,120 --> 00:23:18,560 even look like a person. You've never seen a movie show 344 00:23:18,560 --> 00:23:22,120 what Jesus really looked like because we all see that he's a 345 00:23:22,120 --> 00:23:25,880 human being. But it says he was so deformed 346 00:23:26,480 --> 00:23:31,040 you could not tell he was a man. Sins a big deal. 347 00:23:32,720 --> 00:23:36,280 It is a big deal and we should. It's worse than cancer. 348 00:23:36,760 --> 00:23:43,400 Christians treat cancer more serious than sin and sin is 349 00:23:43,400 --> 00:23:46,560 worse. I said sin is worse. 350 00:23:47,360 --> 00:23:49,440 So let all be done in love, though. 351 00:23:49,600 --> 00:23:53,400 So again, the love of God. One way you could say this that 352 00:23:53,400 --> 00:23:55,640 you know you're walking in love because Jesus says if you love 353 00:23:55,640 --> 00:23:59,200 me, keep my word. So you know that if you're like 354 00:23:59,200 --> 00:24:01,440 father, what, how do you want me to do this? 355 00:24:01,440 --> 00:24:03,800 What am I supposed to say? And and it's not just 356 00:24:03,800 --> 00:24:07,920 situational with. Outside or your life it's you 357 00:24:07,920 --> 00:24:11,360 know personal things you know that you may be believing for or 358 00:24:11,360 --> 00:24:14,840 that you are going through and when you get that word for God 359 00:24:14,840 --> 00:24:18,040 and you stand on it and faith man, you are operating in the 360 00:24:18,040 --> 00:24:21,040 love of God. OK, you're doing that first 361 00:24:21,040 --> 00:24:24,400 Peter chapter 4 verse 8 says above all say above all, keep. 362 00:24:24,400 --> 00:24:27,520 Fervent in your. Love for one another because 363 00:24:27,520 --> 00:24:33,760 love covers a multitude of sin. Aren't you glad that God covers 364 00:24:33,760 --> 00:24:36,600 it up? God is not having a conversation 365 00:24:37,520 --> 00:24:40,080 with others about what's going on in your life. 366 00:24:40,080 --> 00:24:44,200 He, he wants it dealt with as privately as possible. 367 00:24:44,760 --> 00:24:47,160 Are you hearing what I'm saying? And we need to keep fervent in 368 00:24:47,160 --> 00:24:49,600 love with one another because if you happen to engage in 369 00:24:49,600 --> 00:24:52,240 relationship with someone and you find out that there's some 370 00:24:52,240 --> 00:24:54,000 things they need to adjust or fix. 371 00:24:54,240 --> 00:24:56,480 That doesn't give you a right to go tell everybody about it, 372 00:24:56,880 --> 00:25:01,800 because love doesn't do that. And let me just say this, it's 373 00:25:01,800 --> 00:25:07,360 not lying. It's not lying. 374 00:25:08,400 --> 00:25:12,120 God is not obligated to tell everyone what's going on. 375 00:25:13,280 --> 00:25:16,520 And if you ask him and he's quiet, he's not lying. 376 00:25:17,720 --> 00:25:21,440 Or he may say something that is truth, but it's not all that you 377 00:25:21,440 --> 00:25:23,080 need to hear. And when someone said, well, if 378 00:25:23,080 --> 00:25:26,280 it's not all the truth and it's a lie, that's not true either. 379 00:25:28,720 --> 00:25:30,680 It's not true, especially if you're reading the Bible reading 380 00:25:30,680 --> 00:25:33,120 plan right now. You know, Jeremiah got called in 381 00:25:33,120 --> 00:25:36,840 by the king, and the king said, what's God saying? 382 00:25:37,280 --> 00:25:39,280 Come on, talk to me. He said, now listen, you won't 383 00:25:39,280 --> 00:25:44,120 die if you tell me, right? So he said, Jerusalem's going 384 00:25:44,120 --> 00:25:46,480 down, bro. I mean, that's what I've been 385 00:25:46,480 --> 00:25:47,360 saying. It's going to happen. 386 00:25:47,360 --> 00:25:49,280 But this is what can happen if you'll do, do, do, do, do, do, 387 00:25:49,280 --> 00:25:51,280 do, right? And then he says, OK, don't tell 388 00:25:51,280 --> 00:25:54,480 nobody. You just tell them this. 389 00:25:55,080 --> 00:25:58,440 Now this is the prophet of God. You think the prophet of God is 390 00:25:58,440 --> 00:26:04,560 going to go out and just lie? So the prophet of God goes out 391 00:26:04,560 --> 00:26:06,320 and they say, what? What did you and the king talk 392 00:26:06,320 --> 00:26:07,880 about? And he said, well, I was just 393 00:26:07,880 --> 00:26:09,880 inquiring about exactly what the king. 394 00:26:09,880 --> 00:26:14,560 Said did not let them know what was going on in the 395 00:26:14,560 --> 00:26:17,320 conversation. Does that make Jeremiah a liar? 396 00:26:17,320 --> 00:26:20,800 No, it means he's the godly man that kept a conversation between 397 00:26:20,800 --> 00:26:23,840 him and the king. Say Amen. 398 00:26:24,760 --> 00:26:27,320 So we got to keep fervent in love for one another. 399 00:26:28,280 --> 00:26:31,400 In fact, Love's so important that Jesus knew that it would be 400 00:26:31,400 --> 00:26:33,880 a difficult task. So he didn't make it as a 401 00:26:33,880 --> 00:26:35,600 suggestion. He said, I command you to love 402 00:26:35,600 --> 00:26:37,360 one another. Amen. 403 00:26:37,480 --> 00:26:40,400 So if you're not walking in the God kind of love towards one 404 00:26:40,400 --> 00:26:45,040 another, you are in sin. All right, First John 4. 20 to 405 00:26:45,040 --> 00:26:48,040 21 says this. If someone says I love God and 406 00:26:48,040 --> 00:26:57,120 hates his brother, he who's a liar, God, no, he is for who? 407 00:26:57,200 --> 00:27:02,600 For the one who does not love his brother, whom he sees cannot 408 00:27:02,600 --> 00:27:07,040 love God, whom he has not seen. And this commandment we have 409 00:27:07,040 --> 00:27:11,520 from him, that the one who loves God should love his brother 410 00:27:11,800 --> 00:27:13,920 also. Now notice says should because 411 00:27:13,920 --> 00:27:17,360 he recognized not everyone does this and it's a challenge in the 412 00:27:17,360 --> 00:27:18,320 church. I get it. 413 00:27:18,320 --> 00:27:23,000 And only a challenge in the church because of of carnalities 414 00:27:23,000 --> 00:27:26,720 1. Immaturity obviously is another, 415 00:27:26,760 --> 00:27:31,560 offenses can become another, you know, unrenewed mind is another. 416 00:27:31,600 --> 00:27:35,400 There are things that can take place, you know, that would put 417 00:27:35,400 --> 00:27:37,880 a person in that position. And so that's why God said, now 418 00:27:37,880 --> 00:27:39,760 listen, you just got to keep renewing your mind till you get 419 00:27:39,760 --> 00:27:43,920 this thing together, all right. And so it's very important 420 00:27:43,920 --> 00:27:47,080 because again, as believers, Paul saying we are to walk in 421 00:27:47,080 --> 00:27:50,320 love. So all the actions that we read 422 00:27:50,320 --> 00:27:53,520 here in this first 7 verses that were outside of God's Kingdom, 423 00:27:53,520 --> 00:27:55,240 he's like, don't do that stuff, right? 424 00:27:55,480 --> 00:27:58,040 Because a person who's walking in love is going to be obeying 425 00:27:58,040 --> 00:28:00,000 God's word. And there's different attitude, 426 00:28:00,120 --> 00:28:05,320 actions, constant, trying to be in unity, restoration, restore, 427 00:28:05,960 --> 00:28:09,000 forgiveness, all those types of things are going to be in play 428 00:28:09,120 --> 00:28:12,600 when you are walking in true love. 429 00:28:13,160 --> 00:28:16,560 All right, the Ephesians chapter 5, let's go to verses 8 through 430 00:28:16,560 --> 00:28:19,160 12 now because there's another way to walk, because we're 431 00:28:19,160 --> 00:28:21,280 walking the walk, right? We're going to walk the walk. 432 00:28:21,440 --> 00:28:26,320 He says, for you were formerly darkness, but now you are light 433 00:28:26,320 --> 00:28:29,880 in the Lord. Walk as children of the Light, 434 00:28:30,560 --> 00:28:33,160 for the fruit of the Light consists in all goodness and 435 00:28:33,160 --> 00:28:36,680 righteousness and truth. Trying to learn what is pleasing 436 00:28:36,680 --> 00:28:39,440 to the Lord. Do not participate in the 437 00:28:39,440 --> 00:28:44,400 unfruitful deeds of darkness, but instead even expose them. 438 00:28:45,080 --> 00:28:49,480 For it is disgraceful, say disgraceful even, to speak of 439 00:28:49,480 --> 00:28:52,280 the things which are done by them in secret. 440 00:28:53,240 --> 00:28:57,360 OK, so again, now notice in these two passage of Scripture 441 00:28:57,360 --> 00:29:00,840 already Paul talking about the reigning society because we are 442 00:29:00,840 --> 00:29:02,800 the reigning church. And if you're the reigning 443 00:29:02,800 --> 00:29:06,080 church, then that is a body of believers, which means it's 444 00:29:06,080 --> 00:29:09,280 people. And because it's people, right, 445 00:29:10,080 --> 00:29:14,080 you are the church that has members. 446 00:29:14,360 --> 00:29:18,080 So if I say church, I'm mentioning people without saying 447 00:29:18,080 --> 00:29:22,120 people. That's how that works. 448 00:29:22,440 --> 00:29:25,160 So if I say the church, the church, the church, and you 449 00:29:25,160 --> 00:29:27,600 think all I'm talking about is a building within, you don't know 450 00:29:27,600 --> 00:29:30,200 the Bible. Because really what I'm saying 451 00:29:30,200 --> 00:29:32,440 is people, people, people, people, people, people, people, 452 00:29:32,440 --> 00:29:35,680 people, people because the church is members that are 453 00:29:35,680 --> 00:29:40,000 collected upon the same place with a vision from God to 454 00:29:40,000 --> 00:29:42,280 accomplish what he's asked. And again, you have to have a 455 00:29:42,280 --> 00:29:44,360 vision because the Bible is very clear. 456 00:29:44,360 --> 00:29:47,440 To not have a vision is horrible because the Bible says write the 457 00:29:47,440 --> 00:29:53,800 vision down, make it so that those who can can run with it. 458 00:29:54,000 --> 00:29:57,640 So if there's no vision, the people perish. 459 00:29:59,360 --> 00:30:03,800 So you have to communicate oneness under the umbrella of 460 00:30:03,800 --> 00:30:08,880 vision and church because what it does, it doesn't make it you. 461 00:30:08,880 --> 00:30:10,600 You know, what I've noticed, and I'm going to preach on this 462 00:30:10,600 --> 00:30:16,120 soon, is that our modern day churches have, have, have 463 00:30:16,280 --> 00:30:23,280 modeled them so much that it's about your experience and we 464 00:30:23,280 --> 00:30:28,040 even say it, your church experience more and more. 465 00:30:28,040 --> 00:30:33,760 I'm like so much. I'm like, if we have, we have. 466 00:30:33,760 --> 00:30:40,080 Do we have this 'cause when did church become about you? 467 00:30:43,040 --> 00:30:45,000 I thought this was about glorifying. 468 00:30:45,880 --> 00:30:48,840 So why am I trying to make sure you're comfortable? 469 00:30:53,360 --> 00:30:57,000 Why am I trying to make sure I said hello to you? 470 00:31:03,240 --> 00:31:07,320 Why is it so important that I make sure you are taken care of 471 00:31:07,320 --> 00:31:10,720 from the parking lot all the way into the sanctuary? 472 00:31:13,920 --> 00:31:15,240 Well, you know, they just didn't treat. 473 00:31:15,240 --> 00:31:23,480 Come on, I thought you came to church because the head of the 474 00:31:23,480 --> 00:31:25,120 church is who we're supposed to be glorifying. 475 00:31:26,040 --> 00:31:28,920 Man, I left that church. They made me feel so welcome. 476 00:31:29,720 --> 00:31:33,360 They made me. No, I'm not against you feeling 477 00:31:33,360 --> 00:31:35,480 something. I have no problem as walking in 478 00:31:35,480 --> 00:31:36,040 love. You're good. 479 00:31:36,080 --> 00:31:37,840 We're going to be nice to you. We're going to love you. 480 00:31:37,920 --> 00:31:39,600 We're going to be friendly. We're going to do all those 481 00:31:39,600 --> 00:31:42,560 things if you allow us to. I mean, there's plenty of people 482 00:31:42,560 --> 00:31:48,800 that come and stand on the wall, Trevor Trevor's in position. 483 00:31:48,800 --> 00:31:51,840 But again, there's plenty of people that come in a little 484 00:31:51,840 --> 00:31:54,760 late, they get on the wall and then they leave and then they 485 00:31:54,760 --> 00:31:58,320 put a Google thing and say, well, OK, that's your opinion. 486 00:31:58,320 --> 00:32:01,880 That's right at the end of the day. 487 00:32:01,880 --> 00:32:10,040 But again, it's, I thought church was about Jesus, right? 488 00:32:10,040 --> 00:32:12,440 Well, I, you know, I, the, the songs just didn't connect with 489 00:32:12,440 --> 00:32:14,920 me. I thought the songs were to 490 00:32:14,920 --> 00:32:19,760 connect to him. I thought we were praising him, 491 00:32:20,680 --> 00:32:22,920 not making you feel good in worship. 492 00:32:25,000 --> 00:32:29,280 Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, right. We're like, oh, I felt the Holy 493 00:32:29,280 --> 00:32:31,280 Spirit. Well, I'm glad you feel the Holy 494 00:32:31,280 --> 00:32:34,680 Spirit, but it's not about you feeling the Holy Spirit as much 495 00:32:34,680 --> 00:32:37,960 as it is about you glorifying God by the Spirit. 496 00:32:40,480 --> 00:32:43,640 Because I mean, if we just take one small little paradigm shift 497 00:32:43,800 --> 00:32:46,640 and make everything about man, you're going to experience God. 498 00:32:46,640 --> 00:32:49,000 I mean, I'm going to probably come back and train the the 499 00:32:49,000 --> 00:32:50,880 greeters. Make sure you say you've come 500 00:32:50,880 --> 00:32:53,560 into the House of the Lord. He's going to be here today and 501 00:32:53,560 --> 00:32:58,560 he wants he, he wants you to know him, Paul said. 502 00:32:58,560 --> 00:33:05,080 I want to know him. And the power of his 503 00:33:05,080 --> 00:33:08,520 resurrection. But many are coming to church so 504 00:33:08,520 --> 00:33:13,640 that you can know them and their talents well. 505 00:33:13,640 --> 00:33:18,800 They don't see my gifts, that your gifts have made room for 506 00:33:18,800 --> 00:33:20,720 you. If you'll glorify Him and you 507 00:33:20,720 --> 00:33:26,040 make him the apple of your eye, Your pursuit. 508 00:33:27,000 --> 00:33:28,800 Come on, let's just glorify Jesus right now. 509 00:33:28,800 --> 00:33:32,920 Father, we love you, we honor you, we thank you for Jesus. 510 00:33:33,440 --> 00:33:37,000 Jesus, we thank you that you're seated on the throne that you've 511 00:33:37,000 --> 00:33:41,440 been given the name above every name that you are seated by the 512 00:33:41,640 --> 00:33:45,200 your Father and you've given, you've given us the privilege to 513 00:33:45,200 --> 00:33:47,720 have access into your throne room. 514 00:33:47,840 --> 00:33:49,760 We want to come and experience you. 515 00:33:50,120 --> 00:33:53,840 We want to know you. We want to, to, to fellowship 516 00:33:53,840 --> 00:34:00,480 with you. Glory to God, glory to God, 517 00:34:01,600 --> 00:34:07,720 glory to God, glory to God. I mean, we are building churches 518 00:34:07,720 --> 00:34:10,600 about how do we win the laws and how do we make this person feel 519 00:34:10,600 --> 00:34:12,719 good and how do we make that person how we and there's 520 00:34:12,719 --> 00:34:17,560 nothing wrong with with with a pursuit as long as they don't 521 00:34:17,560 --> 00:34:20,400 become our object. He does. 522 00:34:21,360 --> 00:34:26,199 You would think that God thinks man's worth worshipping. 523 00:34:34,679 --> 00:34:37,560 I'll stop there. Hallelujah. 524 00:34:38,679 --> 00:34:43,280 Yeah, the Lord's good. Let's let's make him first. 525 00:34:43,840 --> 00:34:47,120 Let's come Sunday and say I'm coming to meet the King. 526 00:34:47,120 --> 00:34:50,800 Hallelujah. I'm coming to see Jesus and his. 527 00:34:50,800 --> 00:34:52,440 I'm coming to see the Spirit of God. 528 00:34:52,600 --> 00:34:54,920 I'm coming to hear from the throne room. 529 00:34:55,520 --> 00:34:57,400 Not what? Does anyone say something to me 530 00:34:57,400 --> 00:34:58,960 today? Somebody going to say something 531 00:34:58,960 --> 00:35:03,360 to you? But if that's making you man, 532 00:35:03,360 --> 00:35:10,080 you missing it because the minute someone doesn't and God 533 00:35:10,080 --> 00:35:13,280 was there the whole time but there can't be two. 534 00:35:13,280 --> 00:35:15,680 Gods, oh, y'all want to hear that? 535 00:35:16,760 --> 00:35:20,440 Because he's going to be glorified and if you're trying 536 00:35:20,440 --> 00:35:22,440 to take it, he'd be like you in the wrong house. 537 00:35:24,120 --> 00:35:25,840 I thought I delivered you out of the house. 538 00:35:27,840 --> 00:35:32,320 Hallelujah. So we were in darkness, but now 539 00:35:32,320 --> 00:35:35,120 we're children of light. The implication is we have to 540 00:35:35,120 --> 00:35:39,760 choose to walk because again, he says walk in love, which means 541 00:35:39,760 --> 00:35:43,360 you could not walk in love, walk in light, which means you could 542 00:35:43,360 --> 00:35:46,200 walk back in darkness. And we don't want to do that, 543 00:35:46,200 --> 00:35:49,440 he's admonishing. Us to not do that and then if it 544 00:35:49,440 --> 00:35:53,320 tells us in verse 10 that we are to try to learn what is pleasing 545 00:35:53,320 --> 00:35:55,280 to the Lord. Well, there's only one way to 546 00:35:55,280 --> 00:35:57,960 please God. Let's just say in Hebrews 547 00:35:57,960 --> 00:36:02,080 Chapter 11. Without faith it's impossible to 548 00:36:02,640 --> 00:36:06,320 to please him. OK Lord, should I say that now 549 00:36:06,320 --> 00:36:12,960 or hold that for later. So faith comes by and hearing 550 00:36:12,960 --> 00:36:16,680 from the word of God and not just here only but being firmly 551 00:36:16,680 --> 00:36:20,360 persuaded and acting on it that brings pleasure to God. 552 00:36:21,240 --> 00:36:26,080 Now I did not come up with this. I heard it in a service and I 553 00:36:26,080 --> 00:36:29,640 have no problem letting you know that I'm growing and learning. 554 00:36:30,240 --> 00:36:33,280 Another minister said this and when I heard this I was like, 555 00:36:33,280 --> 00:36:43,840 wow, I'm changing, he said. The Lord is never proud of you, 556 00:36:46,720 --> 00:36:51,800 but He is pleased. Amen. 557 00:36:51,960 --> 00:36:55,040 That's that's because if the Lord was proud of you, that 558 00:36:55,040 --> 00:37:04,920 moves him into pride. The greatest compliment as a 559 00:37:04,920 --> 00:37:07,320 parent could give to their. Children is not man. 560 00:37:07,320 --> 00:37:09,480 I'm so proud of you, son. It should be, son. 561 00:37:09,480 --> 00:37:13,120 I'm so pleased. Because pleasing means you 562 00:37:13,120 --> 00:37:18,880 obeyed. Oh, that's good, I'm telling 563 00:37:18,880 --> 00:37:22,960 you. It changed things. 564 00:37:22,960 --> 00:37:25,920 I'm like, you know what? I'm setting people up for 565 00:37:25,920 --> 00:37:28,560 failure when I'm like, I'm proud of you, I'm proud of you. 566 00:37:28,560 --> 00:37:30,840 I'm proud of you cuz you know what you're gonna be like. 567 00:37:30,840 --> 00:37:36,480 Oh, he's proud. I with the mere word could be 568 00:37:36,480 --> 00:37:39,320 making you look at yourself in a way that God never wanted you to 569 00:37:39,320 --> 00:37:42,600 look at. But again, this is how 570 00:37:42,600 --> 00:37:46,120 traditions happen. They sound godly and we have 571 00:37:46,120 --> 00:37:50,560 good intentions. But the reality is, when the 572 00:37:50,560 --> 00:37:54,200 Lord says, Son, I am pleased, well, you're pleased. 573 00:37:54,200 --> 00:37:55,600 Why? Because. 574 00:37:55,600 --> 00:38:06,160 You did what I said He said. This is my beloved son in whom I 575 00:38:06,160 --> 00:38:09,840 am well, I'm proud of. He didn't say it, did he? 576 00:38:10,120 --> 00:38:12,720 I mean, here's the Father announced into the world Jesus, 577 00:38:12,720 --> 00:38:15,560 who just came out of the door. This is my beloved son. 578 00:38:15,640 --> 00:38:21,880 Woo, I sure AM. No, he said, I am. 579 00:38:21,880 --> 00:38:26,040 Well, now listen, if you said it, don't be, don't, don't get 580 00:38:26,040 --> 00:38:28,960 yourself all beat up. I mean, we all have said it. 581 00:38:29,320 --> 00:38:31,640 You're like, oh, I'll stop saying that. 582 00:38:31,720 --> 00:38:34,920 I see. There's a better way, A clearer 583 00:38:34,920 --> 00:38:38,680 way. A way that's that really helps 584 00:38:39,000 --> 00:38:42,400 the ones I'm talking to, whether it's our leadership team, staff, 585 00:38:42,880 --> 00:38:46,480 children, grandchildren, great grandchildren, whatever the case 586 00:38:46,480 --> 00:38:51,400 may be, I can say it in a way so that they can understand that 587 00:38:51,400 --> 00:38:54,880 man, there's nothing greater than walking in obedience. 588 00:38:56,960 --> 00:39:00,520 And that's why cuz what did Jesus say just before the father 589 00:39:00,520 --> 00:39:02,320 announced that? He said, John, I need you to 590 00:39:02,320 --> 00:39:06,720 baptize me. He said bro, bro you. 591 00:39:07,360 --> 00:39:13,880 Should be baptizing me, he said. Permit it so that all 592 00:39:14,160 --> 00:39:17,680 righteousness can be fulfilled. Dad said this was going to 593 00:39:17,680 --> 00:39:21,960 happen and I'm going to obey. So he dunks him, pulls him up, 594 00:39:22,440 --> 00:39:25,360 heaven opens up, the Holy Spirit descends upon him without 595 00:39:25,360 --> 00:39:27,480 measure, and the announcement comes. 596 00:39:28,120 --> 00:39:31,200 The Holy Spirit descends upon him without measure because he 597 00:39:31,200 --> 00:39:33,200 receives the King's anointing for the earth. 598 00:39:34,680 --> 00:39:38,880 He said, this is my beloved son in whom I am well, well pleased. 599 00:39:40,120 --> 00:39:43,600 Verse 11 do not participate in unfruitful deeds of darkness, 600 00:39:43,600 --> 00:39:46,840 but instead even expose them. Now I want us to read out the 601 00:39:46,840 --> 00:39:52,000 amplified classic here because many times when people read 602 00:39:52,000 --> 00:39:54,800 this, they take it and like, you know, you're calling out 603 00:39:54,800 --> 00:39:58,760 everything that's not right. It's really a little different 604 00:39:58,760 --> 00:40:02,240 here. The amplified does a really good 605 00:40:02,240 --> 00:40:05,160 part of saying this. He says take no part, just verse 606 00:40:05,160 --> 00:40:06,880 11. Take no part in or have no 607 00:40:06,880 --> 00:40:11,360 fellowship with the fruitless deeds and enterprises of 608 00:40:11,360 --> 00:40:13,200 darkness. But instead here it is. 609 00:40:13,480 --> 00:40:19,720 Let your lives be so in contrast as to expose. 610 00:40:20,720 --> 00:40:25,200 And reprove and convict them. Meaning your lifestyle and light 611 00:40:25,360 --> 00:40:29,360 is so different than darkness that it's your lifestyle that 612 00:40:29,360 --> 00:40:32,320 brings the exposure. It's not you saying, hey, you're 613 00:40:32,320 --> 00:40:33,840 in sin. You need to quit that now. 614 00:40:33,840 --> 00:40:35,480 I'm not saying there's not a time for that. 615 00:40:36,360 --> 00:40:37,760 I'm not saying there's not a time for that. 616 00:40:38,000 --> 00:40:40,320 I'm just saying it. That's not what he's saying 617 00:40:40,320 --> 00:40:41,960 here. He's saying when you walk in the 618 00:40:41,960 --> 00:40:47,720 light again, if we kill the lights in here and I turn the 619 00:40:47,720 --> 00:40:55,000 light, a flashlight on, it will expose it pushes back darkness. 620 00:40:55,120 --> 00:40:57,960 So again, what was in darkness, You know, say this row of 621 00:40:57,960 --> 00:40:59,440 chairs, it was completely the men. 622 00:40:59,440 --> 00:41:03,240 I hit the light, it exposes it. I didn't call it out. 623 00:41:03,440 --> 00:41:09,520 I just turned the light on. And your life should shine so 624 00:41:09,520 --> 00:41:16,640 bright that people who are not living right should if they want 625 00:41:16,640 --> 00:41:19,280 to be in darkness. This is why they run from you at 626 00:41:19,280 --> 00:41:24,440 work, right? I mean, you walk in, they're 627 00:41:24,440 --> 00:41:31,840 like, right, Because not because you said anything, but because 628 00:41:32,000 --> 00:41:36,600 your light just exposed them. And again, they're convicted by 629 00:41:36,600 --> 00:41:40,360 your mere presence. Hallelujah. 630 00:41:40,880 --> 00:41:43,200 Because most of the time the exposure comes through the 631 00:41:43,200 --> 00:41:44,880 relationship where you end up saying. 632 00:41:45,760 --> 00:41:48,960 You know, because you've been talking, you know, I understand 633 00:41:48,960 --> 00:41:52,840 why you're having problems. And then you begin to talk it 634 00:41:52,840 --> 00:41:55,280 through because, again, no one's going to get treatment for 635 00:41:55,280 --> 00:41:56,720 cancer if they do not know they have it. 636 00:41:58,440 --> 00:42:00,520 I'm not feeling good. Well, what is it? 637 00:42:00,520 --> 00:42:02,000 I don't know. Are you going to go to the 638 00:42:02,000 --> 00:42:03,400 doctor? No. 639 00:42:04,880 --> 00:42:06,200 Well, how can you treat something you don't know you 640 00:42:06,200 --> 00:42:09,600 have? That's right. 641 00:42:09,600 --> 00:42:12,600 And you get around them. They just feel uncomfortable. 642 00:42:12,720 --> 00:42:14,200 Issues are like, I don't know why. 643 00:42:14,200 --> 00:42:15,520 I don't know why. Every time I get around you, I 644 00:42:15,520 --> 00:42:19,880 just don't so don't seem right, OK, You won't talk about it 645 00:42:20,640 --> 00:42:25,120 because I can help you. And then you start talking to 646 00:42:25,120 --> 00:42:29,160 them about what's being exposed in them and hopefully they'll 647 00:42:29,160 --> 00:42:31,040 repent. So walk in the light. 648 00:42:31,040 --> 00:42:36,080 What can we learn from this? Galatians 525 says this. 649 00:42:36,480 --> 00:42:40,880 If we live by the Spirit, let us also walk by the Spirit, right? 650 00:42:41,840 --> 00:42:44,520 Because we are to walk by the Spirit or walk according to the 651 00:42:44,520 --> 00:42:48,280 light. Let's go on over to 1st John 1/7 652 00:42:50,320 --> 00:42:53,360 because your light is not a natural, it comes from the 653 00:42:53,360 --> 00:42:54,920 Spirit. So if you live by the Spirit 654 00:42:54,920 --> 00:42:58,560 when the Spirit is light, OK, then you should walk by that 655 00:42:58,560 --> 00:43:01,400 Spirit or the illumination that comes from the Spirit. 656 00:43:01,840 --> 00:43:04,680 Even though that verse doesn't say a light, that's the 657 00:43:04,680 --> 00:43:07,000 implication. Now here in first John 17, it 658 00:43:07,000 --> 00:43:10,280 says, but if we walk in the light as He Himself is in the 659 00:43:10,280 --> 00:43:12,800 light, we have fellowship with one another and the blood of 660 00:43:12,800 --> 00:43:16,040 Jesus His Son cleanses us from all sin. 661 00:43:16,920 --> 00:43:19,280 So the reason why we have fellowship with one another is 662 00:43:19,280 --> 00:43:21,120 because both of us are walking in the light. 663 00:43:22,120 --> 00:43:24,720 We're not having felt. If you're not having fellowship 664 00:43:24,720 --> 00:43:27,560 with someone, someone is in darkness. 665 00:43:32,810 --> 00:43:40,080 Someone's in darkness. Now, as a person in the light, 666 00:43:40,200 --> 00:43:42,560 there's some people you're not going to be in fellowship with. 667 00:43:42,880 --> 00:43:47,960 In fact, the Bible says how can a believer have a believer have 668 00:43:47,960 --> 00:43:51,320 fellowship with be ill or you know, Satan. 669 00:43:51,320 --> 00:43:53,200 Basically how can light have fellowship? 670 00:43:53,200 --> 00:43:57,440 With with darkness says come out from among them, meaning, you 671 00:43:57,440 --> 00:44:01,520 know, we're not buddying around because we have conflicting 672 00:44:02,200 --> 00:44:08,160 lifestyles. But as believers, we are to walk 673 00:44:08,160 --> 00:44:11,520 in the light, and if we are walking in the light, then we 674 00:44:11,520 --> 00:44:13,600 can have fellowship. If we're not having fellowship, 675 00:44:13,600 --> 00:44:18,080 someone's not walking in it. Now, that can be hard to 676 00:44:18,080 --> 00:44:22,880 determine, but that's the truth nonetheless. 677 00:44:24,880 --> 00:44:29,520 OK, John 812 says this when Jesus again spoke to them, 678 00:44:29,520 --> 00:44:31,560 saying I am the light of the world. 679 00:44:31,720 --> 00:44:35,320 He who follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the 680 00:44:35,320 --> 00:44:37,360 light of life. Aren't you glad that you do not 681 00:44:37,360 --> 00:44:40,160 have to walk in darkness? Which means. 682 00:44:40,160 --> 00:44:46,080 If you are walking in darkness again, you are not following Him 683 00:44:47,000 --> 00:44:49,080 now again. Come here Will. 684 00:44:49,200 --> 00:44:54,440 Help me out here, Will's Jesus. So just start walking, OK, I'm 685 00:44:54,440 --> 00:44:56,840 following him right now. We say to follow Jesus. 686 00:44:56,840 --> 00:44:59,800 I mean, this is such an easy example for us to be able to see 687 00:44:59,800 --> 00:45:01,080 clearly. Go wherever you want to go. 688 00:45:01,080 --> 00:45:04,480 OK, I'll just follow you. And so you're following him, 689 00:45:04,480 --> 00:45:06,280 right? And, and, and typically in our 690 00:45:06,280 --> 00:45:09,280 minds, we say we follow Jesus. I, I think most of us get this 691 00:45:09,280 --> 00:45:12,080 kind of context of Jesus walking and we're behind him. 692 00:45:12,280 --> 00:45:14,600 But you understand the Bible says in the beginning was the 693 00:45:15,120 --> 00:45:17,760 Word and the Word was with God and the Word. 694 00:45:18,200 --> 00:45:21,440 Was God right? So again, if you are following 695 00:45:21,520 --> 00:45:24,120 Jesus today when he is not physically on the planet, He is 696 00:45:24,120 --> 00:45:25,720 seated at the right hand of the Father. 697 00:45:25,800 --> 00:45:28,120 If you are following Him, then you're really following His 698 00:45:28,120 --> 00:45:31,920 Word, which means whatever His word is saying concerning a 699 00:45:31,920 --> 00:45:34,160 situation. So I'm in a trial tribulation or 700 00:45:34,160 --> 00:45:37,320 whatever the case may be, you know, attack whatever, and I'm 701 00:45:37,320 --> 00:45:40,000 supposed to follow the word in that situation. 702 00:45:40,400 --> 00:45:42,480 Well, if I don't follow the word. 703 00:45:42,480 --> 00:45:51,360 And I follow my own opinion. My emotions, my feelings. 704 00:45:54,520 --> 00:45:58,120 Now where's the light? It's not here. 705 00:46:01,000 --> 00:46:04,600 It's not here. I'm going to have to come to the 706 00:46:04,600 --> 00:46:07,640 light. Are you hearing me? 707 00:46:09,160 --> 00:46:11,840 And This is why a lot of times God can seem stay where you're 708 00:46:11,840 --> 00:46:14,240 at. God can seem far off from you. 709 00:46:14,240 --> 00:46:15,920 And it's not because he left. You did. 710 00:46:16,920 --> 00:46:18,960 Now here's the thing about God. And here's the thing about the 711 00:46:18,960 --> 00:46:20,920 light. When you're out in darkness and 712 00:46:20,920 --> 00:46:24,280 a light shines, I don't care how far you can. 713 00:46:24,400 --> 00:46:26,160 I mean, you see light for a long way. 714 00:46:26,280 --> 00:46:31,080 I mean, have you seen stars? How many, how many miles are 715 00:46:31,080 --> 00:46:35,400 they a couple? I mean, they talk. 716 00:46:35,400 --> 00:46:39,440 They talk like billions of miles and yet you see it. 717 00:46:40,400 --> 00:46:46,320 I mean this is like and yet God light is brighter than the star, 718 00:46:48,000 --> 00:46:49,600 which means he doesn't have to move. 719 00:46:49,600 --> 00:46:53,960 The minute you're like, I'm not following the Lord, wherever he 720 00:46:53,960 --> 00:46:58,440 is, you can see it, and he's waiting for you to come back to 721 00:46:58,440 --> 00:47:04,880 where you last left him all. Right where you going to take me 722 00:47:04,880 --> 00:47:06,760 now? I'm following bro. 723 00:47:07,520 --> 00:47:09,440 So here we're back on track now, right? 724 00:47:10,240 --> 00:47:12,240 Because I'm following this situation. 725 00:47:12,240 --> 00:47:15,920 Hallelujah. I'm walking in the light of the 726 00:47:15,920 --> 00:47:20,320 Word of God. Glory to God, this is what I'm 727 00:47:20,320 --> 00:47:22,520 doing. And as long as I stay with the 728 00:47:22,520 --> 00:47:26,240 light, no darkness is in me. And I'm not craving the flesh or 729 00:47:26,240 --> 00:47:28,760 any of that stuff. Because the minute I just decide 730 00:47:28,760 --> 00:47:32,760 to not follow Him again, I've decided to peel off and go do my 731 00:47:32,760 --> 00:47:35,760 own thing, right Then I find myself somewhere I wasn't 732 00:47:35,760 --> 00:47:42,160 supposed to be. Because wherever he is, there's 733 00:47:42,160 --> 00:47:44,080 light. He don't have to come to me, 734 00:47:44,840 --> 00:47:47,520 He's light. All I have to do is turn my 735 00:47:47,520 --> 00:47:50,160 attention back to him. And it don't take me long to 736 00:47:50,160 --> 00:47:52,000 find him. Now here's the thing. 737 00:47:52,120 --> 00:47:54,800 It feels like a gap sometimes, doesn't it? 738 00:47:55,840 --> 00:47:58,600 Cuz when you've blown it, made mistakes, you know, because the 739 00:47:58,600 --> 00:48:01,720 process from where you left off and I don't know how far you got 740 00:48:01,720 --> 00:48:03,480 off, the enemy's going to talk to you. 741 00:48:03,480 --> 00:48:06,840 The whole time you're watching him, you'll be screaming in your 742 00:48:06,840 --> 00:48:08,160 ear. Oh man, you blew it. 743 00:48:08,160 --> 00:48:10,280 You got off course. How can you go back to him? 744 00:48:10,280 --> 00:48:12,200 You have made way too many mistakes, bro. 745 00:48:12,200 --> 00:48:14,680 You might have just go all back down the road. 746 00:48:15,560 --> 00:48:18,480 See that's what happens when we blow it or get over in the 747 00:48:18,480 --> 00:48:20,200 darkness. We get walking in light. 748 00:48:20,360 --> 00:48:23,720 We feel that guilt, shame and all that stuff because he's 749 00:48:23,720 --> 00:48:26,120 talking. Even though we can say, Lord 750 00:48:26,120 --> 00:48:28,960 forgive me, I got off here I am, I see you. 751 00:48:29,120 --> 00:48:32,200 I'm coming back. I'm following. 752 00:48:32,200 --> 00:48:34,240 You, I know what you said last. I'm coming. 753 00:48:35,080 --> 00:48:38,680 But all the while, the enemy, because the further away from 754 00:48:38,680 --> 00:48:41,280 the light, it still seems dark, though you can see it, the 755 00:48:41,280 --> 00:48:43,760 closer you get to it, everything gets more illuminating. 756 00:48:43,760 --> 00:48:48,960 It says hard for the enemy. He doesn't get in the presence 757 00:48:48,960 --> 00:48:50,520 of God. So the closer you are to him, 758 00:48:50,520 --> 00:48:52,600 the harder it is for him to attack you. 759 00:48:53,840 --> 00:48:56,400 I mean, because darkness does show when you're in the room 760 00:48:56,400 --> 00:48:59,640 that's full of light. I mean, you got to find it. 761 00:48:59,720 --> 00:49:01,640 There's a little shadow here. It's a little darker there. 762 00:49:01,840 --> 00:49:03,200 OK, keep going. I got to get back to the 763 00:49:03,200 --> 00:49:05,960 platform. Hopefully the Lord will lead me 764 00:49:05,960 --> 00:49:10,240 back to finish this message right. 765 00:49:11,240 --> 00:49:13,920 This is just. A simple illustration, but you 766 00:49:13,920 --> 00:49:18,480 cannot be following him and not be in his word if you're going 767 00:49:18,480 --> 00:49:20,400 to, if you're going to walk with God. 768 00:49:21,120 --> 00:49:24,880 All right, so let's finish out then the latter part of this 769 00:49:24,880 --> 00:49:27,400 real quick. Ephesians 515 to 21, it says. 770 00:49:27,400 --> 00:49:33,480 This therefore be careful how you won't Now I want to deal 771 00:49:33,480 --> 00:49:39,320 with this word how real quick how means in what way, in what 772 00:49:39,320 --> 00:49:42,800 manner or another term is by what means. 773 00:49:43,240 --> 00:49:47,800 And when we say by what means, we mean an inquiry inquiry 774 00:49:47,800 --> 00:49:52,640 phrase that seeks to understand how something is accomplished or 775 00:49:52,640 --> 00:49:57,080 the method or perceived process used to achieve a result. 776 00:49:58,400 --> 00:50:04,280 So he says, therefore be careful how you walk, not as unwise men, 777 00:50:04,280 --> 00:50:10,360 but as wise. We're going to be wise, which 778 00:50:10,360 --> 00:50:14,520 means when we are walking, we have to take in consideration, 779 00:50:14,880 --> 00:50:18,280 Lord, how do you want this? And you know what, God is too 780 00:50:18,280 --> 00:50:21,720 creative to have a formula for you that when you get it right, 781 00:50:21,720 --> 00:50:24,160 once you don't need him anymore. You just work a formula. 782 00:50:25,440 --> 00:50:28,880 So why God did not heal every blind eye of the same, every 783 00:50:28,880 --> 00:50:32,120 deaf ear the same, cast out every demon the same. 784 00:50:34,880 --> 00:50:37,080 He didn't do things exactly the same. 785 00:50:37,080 --> 00:50:39,000 Why? Because there's a relationship 786 00:50:39,000 --> 00:50:41,280 with him. He wants you to know him. 787 00:50:41,280 --> 00:50:43,080 He wants you to commune with him. 788 00:50:43,200 --> 00:50:46,800 He wants you to talk with him. He wants you to gain his wisdom 789 00:50:46,800 --> 00:50:49,520 and man, His wisdom are well exceeding. 790 00:50:49,640 --> 00:50:52,360 In fact, he tells us, he said. Now listen, do not lean on your 791 00:50:52,360 --> 00:50:56,920 own understanding, but in all your ways, acknowledge me and 792 00:50:56,920 --> 00:51:00,960 I'll make your paths straight. I'll make your paths straight. 793 00:51:01,080 --> 00:51:05,960 And every path you're on doesn't get straightened out, does not 794 00:51:06,440 --> 00:51:13,920 become straightened out the same way because he's a lamp into 795 00:51:13,920 --> 00:51:16,440 your feet and a light into your path. 796 00:51:16,560 --> 00:51:20,240 So we got to be careful how so when the situation comes, we 797 00:51:20,240 --> 00:51:22,800 cannot just say, well, that's how I did it last. 798 00:51:22,800 --> 00:51:26,080 I'm going to do it this way. I'll give you a case in point 799 00:51:26,080 --> 00:51:30,320 that'll mess you up. King Saul lost the anointing 800 00:51:31,520 --> 00:51:37,720 because he did the situation that was authorized by God 801 00:51:38,040 --> 00:51:43,480 before the Lord, says King Saul, your anointed go in here to this 802 00:51:43,480 --> 00:51:50,640 particular nation, conquer it, take the best sacrifice to me 803 00:51:52,120 --> 00:51:53,640 and then do. This with the rest. 804 00:51:54,280 --> 00:51:57,720 Next nation, same thing. Next nation, same thing. 805 00:51:57,800 --> 00:52:00,520 Next nation, same thing. Then he gets to the Amorites. 806 00:52:00,520 --> 00:52:01,560 Is that right? The Amorites. 807 00:52:01,680 --> 00:52:05,240 He gets to that nation. He says get rid of everything, 808 00:52:05,720 --> 00:52:13,600 keep nothing, nothing. He gets up in there and the 809 00:52:13,600 --> 00:52:16,200 guy's like, whoa, what are you doing, King Saul? 810 00:52:16,320 --> 00:52:18,240 We've always kept the best stuff. 811 00:52:21,080 --> 00:52:25,240 Yeah, but the man of God, the prophet of God heard from God 812 00:52:25,240 --> 00:52:26,920 and said we're supposed to get rid of it all. 813 00:52:27,480 --> 00:52:32,760 What is wrong with you, man? God has always said, and this 814 00:52:32,760 --> 00:52:35,680 stuff is better than any nation we've ever conquered. 815 00:52:38,320 --> 00:52:39,600 And. Because of the pressure of the 816 00:52:39,600 --> 00:52:42,440 people, he disobeyed the word of God. 817 00:52:45,720 --> 00:52:49,680 And Samuel comes in after the Lord said, I have I regret that 818 00:52:49,680 --> 00:52:52,320 I have made King Saul king of Israel. 819 00:52:53,600 --> 00:52:56,320 And so he walks in, and what does King Saul say? 820 00:52:56,320 --> 00:53:00,120 I've done the word of the Lord. Well, you did the last word of 821 00:53:00,120 --> 00:53:02,080 the Lord, but you haven't done the present word of the Lord. 822 00:53:03,120 --> 00:53:06,520 This is why faith comes by, not having heard. 823 00:53:07,200 --> 00:53:10,120 This is why most believers are in trouble, because they are 824 00:53:10,120 --> 00:53:12,520 living off. A few times they have been in 825 00:53:12,520 --> 00:53:14,800 church. Oh y'all don't hear it? 826 00:53:15,560 --> 00:53:17,240 You don't have this problem because you're here. 827 00:53:17,320 --> 00:53:20,960 So you should applaud yourself, right? 828 00:53:21,960 --> 00:53:25,000 When I make these statements, I'm not here to make, you know, 829 00:53:25,000 --> 00:53:26,800 because sometimes people say, well, you're preaching to the 830 00:53:26,800 --> 00:53:30,000 choir. Yes, I mean, you're here. 831 00:53:30,000 --> 00:53:32,480 This is who I preach to. And I do have a message for 832 00:53:32,480 --> 00:53:35,040 those who are not here. That's why we record. 833 00:53:35,640 --> 00:53:38,160 However, that message is not just a recording, it's through 834 00:53:38,160 --> 00:53:40,600 your voice because you get the confidence. 835 00:53:40,600 --> 00:53:43,800 Say praise God, I'm here. I am the one who's doing it. 836 00:53:43,800 --> 00:53:46,640 I'm the one who's committed. I'm the one who's submitted. 837 00:53:46,760 --> 00:53:48,920 I'm the one who's here. I'm not condemning you. 838 00:53:49,000 --> 00:53:52,440 I'm celebrating you because you're the one doing the do. 839 00:53:52,480 --> 00:53:54,720 But when you get around someone, you're like, bro, you need to do 840 00:53:54,720 --> 00:53:57,440 to do. You need to do it, man. 841 00:53:57,440 --> 00:54:00,120 This is why you're having these challenges because when's the 842 00:54:00,120 --> 00:54:02,080 last time you've been in service, man? 843 00:54:06,440 --> 00:54:07,160 I mean, go ahead. Why? 844 00:54:07,160 --> 00:54:10,480 Why don't we get even wiser when it comes to our own brother and 845 00:54:10,480 --> 00:54:12,080 say, you know what I've been, but I'm reading the word. 846 00:54:12,080 --> 00:54:13,400 But then tell me what you've been reading. 847 00:54:15,760 --> 00:54:17,720 Let's just go ahead and get personal about it. 848 00:54:18,400 --> 00:54:20,880 Well, what? You don't even know. 849 00:54:20,880 --> 00:54:24,360 You don't even know what chapter you're in now. 850 00:54:24,360 --> 00:54:28,560 How's that? Seek first the Kingdom, then 851 00:54:28,560 --> 00:54:30,160 what usually happens is don't judge me. 852 00:54:30,160 --> 00:54:32,480 I'm not judging you. You're telling me what you're 853 00:54:32,480 --> 00:54:36,440 not doing and I'm trying to inspire you to do more because 854 00:54:36,440 --> 00:54:39,480 it's in you because God loves you, because God cares for you, 855 00:54:39,480 --> 00:54:42,240 because the last time I checked he said you are to love the Lord 856 00:54:42,240 --> 00:54:47,480 your God with not half or American way. 857 00:54:49,760 --> 00:54:55,440 It's not the American gospel, it's the Kingdom, and I make no 858 00:54:55,440 --> 00:54:58,240 demands on no one. I just preached the word, he 859 00:54:58,240 --> 00:55:00,080 said. Love the Lord thy God with all 860 00:55:00,080 --> 00:55:02,240 your heart, all your soul, all your mind, and all your 861 00:55:02,240 --> 00:55:08,600 strength. I've never seen a parent whose 862 00:55:08,600 --> 00:55:12,680 child has a job ground them from going to work. 863 00:55:16,040 --> 00:55:20,720 Or if they're playing on a team, ground them so they cannot play 864 00:55:20,720 --> 00:55:27,360 on the team until the season's over or ground them from school. 865 00:55:29,680 --> 00:55:31,800 But I have seen them ground them from church. 866 00:55:35,400 --> 00:55:40,240 Yeah. I mean, we'll say we're so busy 867 00:55:40,640 --> 00:55:46,400 and church is the first thing we drop and then blame the pastor 868 00:55:46,520 --> 00:55:48,720 again. How many hours are you here? 869 00:55:54,800 --> 00:55:56,840 I mean, I'm just trying to help us all out. 870 00:55:57,280 --> 00:56:00,040 How do you know you're first? Because if something's got to 871 00:56:00,040 --> 00:56:04,760 drop, this is not it. This is not it. 872 00:56:06,760 --> 00:56:08,720 And if you're like complaining because you're at church all the 873 00:56:08,720 --> 00:56:14,120 time, then I'm asking what's your priority Now, again, that's 874 00:56:14,120 --> 00:56:16,320 between you and God. I'm just reading Scripture. 875 00:56:16,960 --> 00:56:21,080 Seek when it's convenient. Doesn't say that. 876 00:56:21,080 --> 00:56:23,160 That's not. I'm not putting this stuff in 877 00:56:23,160 --> 00:56:28,320 here. Well, the pastor's always here 878 00:56:28,320 --> 00:56:29,840 because it's his job. No, it's not. 879 00:56:30,600 --> 00:56:35,840 I'm in the body just like you. Hallelujah. 880 00:56:37,000 --> 00:56:39,200 OK, so the how is very important. 881 00:56:39,800 --> 00:56:41,880 So we are to walk as wise people. 882 00:56:41,880 --> 00:56:43,360 Let's read real fast and we'll close. 883 00:56:44,240 --> 00:56:47,160 Making the most of our time. Because the days are evil or the 884 00:56:47,160 --> 00:56:49,800 days evil. Man guys, the days are evil. 885 00:56:50,600 --> 00:56:53,760 I mean really just coming to church and being on the word and 886 00:56:53,760 --> 00:56:57,520 growing and and being in it as often as you can and seeking God 887 00:56:57,520 --> 00:57:00,400 and putting him, it just keeps you from the evil stuff. 888 00:57:01,120 --> 00:57:05,440 It's a safeguard to you. OK, so then do not be foolish, 889 00:57:05,440 --> 00:57:07,400 but understand what the will of the Lord is. 890 00:57:07,920 --> 00:57:11,920 Do not get drunk with wine, for that would be this. 891 00:57:11,920 --> 00:57:17,080 Word, but be filled with the Spirit. 892 00:57:17,800 --> 00:57:22,760 Speaking to one another at home, homes, in psalms and hymns and 893 00:57:22,760 --> 00:57:26,120 spiritual songs, singing and making melly with your heart to 894 00:57:26,120 --> 00:57:27,680 the Lord. I just want to tell you this, 895 00:57:27,680 --> 00:57:32,720 none of you have come to me with a song, so I have no problem if 896 00:57:32,720 --> 00:57:35,560 the next time you come. Pastor Earl, I just want to tell 897 00:57:35,560 --> 00:57:36,080 you, hello. No. 898 00:57:42,480 --> 00:57:44,440 One's ever done that to me, right? 899 00:57:45,360 --> 00:57:48,960 So we're going to be scriptural. So Sunday, I expect y'all to be 900 00:57:48,960 --> 00:57:54,800 singing to one another, right? Has someone done that? 901 00:57:54,800 --> 00:57:55,880 Me. Long time ago. 902 00:57:55,880 --> 00:57:58,280 OK. No one in the last week for 903 00:57:58,280 --> 00:58:02,280 sure. Right, Rolando, I'll probably do 904 00:58:02,280 --> 00:58:05,080 a Mexican spin when I sing to you, right? 905 00:58:06,080 --> 00:58:08,480 Oh, yeah, it would be that way. Come on. 906 00:58:08,680 --> 00:58:10,360 We'd get some little castanets going. 907 00:58:11,000 --> 00:58:13,960 Be good. I need a little mariachi band. 908 00:58:14,640 --> 00:58:19,920 That would be good Hallelujah. All right, anyway, singing 909 00:58:20,120 --> 00:58:23,040 towards always giving thanks for all things in the name of the 910 00:58:23,040 --> 00:58:26,880 Father, our Lord Jesus Christ, even the Father and be subject 911 00:58:26,880 --> 00:58:28,480 to one another in the fear of Christ. 912 00:58:28,480 --> 00:58:31,920 And Pastor Marcy will pick up the fear of Christ again. 913 00:58:32,880 --> 00:58:36,560 Many of you, that message resonated and it's something 914 00:58:36,560 --> 00:58:38,880 that we do need because when you're in the fear of the Lord, 915 00:58:38,880 --> 00:58:40,800 I'm telling you, you're going to keep yourself holy. 916 00:58:41,800 --> 00:58:44,120 If you're not walking in holiness and and passionate 917 00:58:44,120 --> 00:58:46,920 about God, you're waning in your awe of the Lord. 918 00:58:48,600 --> 00:58:52,800 And again, I don't. I love victorious messages 919 00:58:52,800 --> 00:58:56,360 because I'm victorious. I love the messages that tell me 920 00:58:56,360 --> 00:59:00,040 that I'm the head, not the tail. I love them, but I also know 921 00:59:00,040 --> 00:59:06,440 that's only one side. And those messages will not keep 922 00:59:06,440 --> 00:59:10,800 me in those positions without me understanding the wrath of God. 923 00:59:15,960 --> 00:59:18,040 The awe of God. The sovereignty of God. 924 00:59:18,040 --> 00:59:23,880 The majesty of God. The effects of sin. 925 00:59:27,080 --> 00:59:32,760 This is why we stay on balanced. So we need to Walt, Walt wise 926 00:59:32,760 --> 00:59:36,400 First Corinthians 1420 says this, brethren, do not be 927 00:59:36,600 --> 00:59:39,720 children in your thinking yet and evil be infants, but in your 928 00:59:39,720 --> 00:59:42,360 thinking be mature. So if we're going to be wise, 929 00:59:42,360 --> 00:59:44,240 you're going to have to grow up spiritually. 930 00:59:44,760 --> 00:59:46,920 All of us can obtain to maturity. 931 00:59:47,360 --> 00:59:51,280 Just because the King James said be perfect as I am perfect, that 932 00:59:51,400 --> 00:59:54,640 that is not a good translation. It literally just means mature 933 00:59:54,960 --> 00:59:57,280 and God expects all of us to mature. 934 00:59:57,520 --> 01:00:01,240 Excuse me to mature. So let's mature in our thinking. 935 01:00:01,360 --> 01:00:03,840 When it comes to evil, we should become infants. 936 01:00:04,160 --> 01:00:10,240 Like we don't understand it, right? 937 01:00:10,240 --> 01:00:12,800 We're like, I don't even know what that is. 938 01:00:13,480 --> 01:00:17,440 You're so far removed from it that you're like an infant to 939 01:00:17,440 --> 01:00:18,920 it. But when it comes to the things 940 01:00:18,920 --> 01:00:22,400 of God, you should have great maturity there. 941 01:00:22,560 --> 01:00:25,440 Colossians 4-5 says this. Conduct yourself with wisdom 942 01:00:25,440 --> 01:00:28,520 towards outsiders, making the most of the opportunity. 943 01:00:28,960 --> 01:00:35,080 You know, we need to demonstrate the wisdom of God towards those 944 01:00:35,080 --> 01:00:37,120 that are outside the church. Which means we. 945 01:00:37,120 --> 01:00:42,280 Do not need to respond in the world like the world. 946 01:00:44,280 --> 01:00:51,400 They should see our response and say wow, what made you think of 947 01:00:51,400 --> 01:00:54,640 that? How in the world did you do 948 01:00:54,640 --> 01:00:59,560 that? Because we're walking wise. 949 01:01:00,120 --> 01:01:02,680 And the last Scripture is this James 313. 950 01:01:03,600 --> 01:01:05,840 Who among you is wise in understanding? 951 01:01:06,200 --> 01:01:12,160 Let him show by his good behavior, his deeds in the 952 01:01:12,160 --> 01:01:15,920 gentleness of wisdom. So Paul again in the reigning 953 01:01:15,920 --> 01:01:18,840 society or the reigning church, is saying, listen, you've been 954 01:01:18,840 --> 01:01:20,720 delivered out of something into something. 955 01:01:21,880 --> 01:01:27,320 And there's a way we talk and converse with the world, but 956 01:01:27,320 --> 01:01:29,400 it's so that they can come into the church. 957 01:01:29,400 --> 01:01:33,400 And when you're into the church, then it's not like the world as 958 01:01:33,400 --> 01:01:34,640 this. Talking about being wise. 959 01:01:34,640 --> 01:01:37,320 Do not be drunk. I we went to the Christian 960 01:01:37,320 --> 01:01:39,720 concert, which was what's the name? 961 01:01:39,720 --> 01:01:48,400 Forrest Frank, Forrest Frank and great guy seemed very genuine. 962 01:01:48,400 --> 01:01:51,840 I don't know him personally. OK, so but songs are really 963 01:01:51,840 --> 01:01:55,640 upbeat, you know, positive, you know, super sweet guy. 964 01:01:57,080 --> 01:02:01,840 And this is not his building. He was at a venue. 965 01:02:03,040 --> 01:02:09,720 OK, yet the venue still sell alcohol and I saw people in 966 01:02:09,720 --> 01:02:13,160 line. Now one or two things. 967 01:02:13,720 --> 01:02:18,720 Either somebody brought a lost friend hoping that, and I have 968 01:02:18,720 --> 01:02:21,400 problem with that. I have problem with that. 969 01:02:23,280 --> 01:02:31,400 But unfortunately there's a lot of believers today that they 970 01:02:31,400 --> 01:02:34,200 drink just like the world and they have no problem. 971 01:02:34,200 --> 01:02:36,880 And they say this, well, you know, the Bible just says do not 972 01:02:36,880 --> 01:02:40,280 be drunk. Yep. 973 01:02:40,960 --> 01:02:45,520 Well, that's your conviction. I get it, whatever, but I'm so 974 01:02:45,520 --> 01:02:49,760 far removed from that. I'm just so far removed from 975 01:02:49,760 --> 01:02:53,560 that because I don't, I do not believe that the Bible supports 976 01:02:53,560 --> 01:02:56,040 that position at all. And if you, we wanted to take 977 01:02:56,040 --> 01:02:58,320 time to have a conversation, I would have a conversation. 978 01:02:59,760 --> 01:03:02,120 I would have a conversation, right? 979 01:03:02,560 --> 01:03:05,400 Because again, I don't want to look nothing like the world 980 01:03:05,720 --> 01:03:11,360 because I have something that is better than natural spirits. 981 01:03:12,360 --> 01:03:14,240 And that's interesting. They call them that, right? 982 01:03:15,360 --> 01:03:17,320 Because when you know, when your mind's not together, then 983 01:03:17,320 --> 01:03:21,000 anything can enter in. Just say Amen anyway, 984 01:03:21,880 --> 01:03:25,920 Hallelujah. So I don't partake at all, 985 01:03:26,360 --> 01:03:32,200 period. And then I even flee it because 986 01:03:32,200 --> 01:03:34,160 I'm not going to give someone an opportunity to have that 987 01:03:34,160 --> 01:03:37,760 conversation. Hallelujah, Amen. 988 01:03:38,560 --> 01:03:41,200 So there is a road to go because I can tell you when I first 989 01:03:41,200 --> 01:03:46,720 drank, because I've drank one beer as a young person, I was 990 01:03:46,720 --> 01:03:51,120 feeling it. With the one, I acquired the 991 01:03:51,120 --> 01:03:56,560 ability to not feel it till six or seven were in, which means I 992 01:03:56,560 --> 01:04:04,600 had developed a alcohol content in my body that before I was 993 01:04:04,600 --> 01:04:06,520 already. Feeling it in my head. 994 01:04:07,280 --> 01:04:11,680 So I've created a tolerance. I didn't become less, I became 995 01:04:11,680 --> 01:04:15,520 more. I said I became more. 996 01:04:15,520 --> 01:04:17,880 I remember the first time I found out I was addicted to tick 997 01:04:17,880 --> 01:04:22,960 tobacco, right? I'll never forget it. 998 01:04:22,960 --> 01:04:25,560 I was at 34. I know where I was at 34th and 999 01:04:25,560 --> 01:04:30,400 Archer Rd. in Gainesville, FL. It was 720 in the morning 1000 01:04:30,680 --> 01:04:32,880 because I was going to work at the University of Florida Police 1001 01:04:32,880 --> 01:04:36,720 Department and I was sitting at the turn lane. 1002 01:04:36,720 --> 01:04:41,120 There were two turn lanes to go left and I look over and I see a 1003 01:04:41,120 --> 01:04:44,760 car pull up beside me and they were smoking a cigarette as I 1004 01:04:44,840 --> 01:04:51,800 had pulled out my dip can. I opened it up and I said, you 1005 01:04:51,800 --> 01:04:55,600 know, you got to be addicted to smoking if you nicotine, if you 1006 01:04:55,600 --> 01:04:57,040 were smoking this early in the morning. 1007 01:05:01,760 --> 01:05:12,880 And right then I'm like. So did you quit? 1008 01:05:13,720 --> 01:05:17,240 No, not then. But I was aware. 1009 01:05:19,360 --> 01:05:23,480 And then later on I did quit until I took up that crazy, 1010 01:05:23,480 --> 01:05:27,200 stupid thought that I had a friend that I was, me and my 1011 01:05:27,200 --> 01:05:29,120 wife following God, We're going to church. 1012 01:05:29,120 --> 01:05:31,760 And then I ended up going and working with my mother-in-law 1013 01:05:31,960 --> 01:05:34,760 out of Camp Blanding and came across a friend of mine that I 1014 01:05:34,760 --> 01:05:36,920 used to run with. And we did not do godly things 1015 01:05:36,920 --> 01:05:39,800 together. But now I want to be an example. 1016 01:05:39,800 --> 01:05:43,040 And so I want to be relatable. And he was still dipping, so I 1017 01:05:43,040 --> 01:05:47,520 took one so he wouldn't feel intimidated by my new life. 1018 01:05:48,760 --> 01:05:51,560 How silly. But that's what an unrenewed 1019 01:05:51,560 --> 01:05:53,880 mind will do. That's what infancy does. 1020 01:05:53,880 --> 01:05:58,520 I, I didn't think how to be wise because he needed to get out of 1021 01:05:58,520 --> 01:05:59,760 something. Not me. 1022 01:06:00,040 --> 01:06:05,960 Act like I'm still in something and I knew it was wrong because 1023 01:06:05,960 --> 01:06:09,560 I cleaned my mouth out, brush my teeth, didn't want it to smell 1024 01:06:09,560 --> 01:06:12,000 or taste when I kissed my wife the minute I got home. 1025 01:06:14,840 --> 01:06:16,440 Well, you know God ain't thinking. 1026 01:06:16,440 --> 01:06:21,320 That's awesome, right? But we'll make. 1027 01:06:21,320 --> 01:06:25,400 Stuff up to act like we're godly instead of just staying with the 1028 01:06:25,400 --> 01:06:27,160 word. Let's stay with the word. 1029 01:06:27,160 --> 01:06:28,400 Be a rainy society. Amen. 1030 01:06:28,400 --> 01:06:28,880 Let's pray.