Would you stand with me as we read the first passage of
Scripture again? We do this and I won't do it
every time, but you know, just here at the at the beginning,
just to remind everyone why we do this.
This is not a religious tradition we are established in.
This is an honor of the reading of the Word of God for Ezra,
Ezra, Ezra. When he pulled out the word and
began to minister it to the nation of Israel who had been in
captivity for 70 years, they had recognized their rebellion
against God were God's word was absence from God's Word.
And when the reading of God's word took place, they stood
while he read. We know that the Bible says that
in the beginning was the Word in the Word was with God, the Word
was God. And we know that John 114, it
says in the Word became flesh, which means then Jesus Christ is
the Word. And would we not honor our King?
And you know, when I was in the service, they did a thing called
attention to orders. And so, you know, even though
the commanding officer or whoever spoke this, it could
have been the governor for that matter, because I was in the
Florida National Guard, could have issued orders to our unit.
And so they would read on the on behalf of that person's name.
And even though they weren't present, we were at attention to
hear what we are being commanded to do.
And do you understand? So we are exercising this by
saying we honor the King who sits at the throne of God, who
is the Lord of our lives. And Lord is not a religious word
that means supreme and authority.
And so Jesus is Lord, Amen. And so we do it just for the
first passage, then you do not have to do it for every time, or
you would stand the whole service, Amen.
And that would not cause me to preach shorter just 'cause
you're standing. So for your benefit, we allow
you to sit down, Amen. In First Corinthians Chapter 11,
verse one and two, it says this be imitators of me just as I
also am of Christ. Now I praise you because you
Remember Me in everything and hold firmly to the traditions
just as I delivered them to you. You can be seated.
Now Paul, we use this scripture last week when we were talking
about spiritual fathers that Paul was having a conversation
with his church concerning you. You you have many tutors, but
you do not have many fathers. And so we qualified who actually
can be a spiritual father. Not everyone can be a spiritual
father. And this is one of those
statements that is thrown around within the church so casually,
yet we do not have discernment of what it really means.
And so we took the time to dissect that last week.
And one thing we concluded at the end is that ultimately Paul
is saying, if I am the one who planted you as a congregation,
I'm the one who's labored the most to see Christ formed in
you. And I'm the one that is saying
I'm following Christ, follow me, imitate my example.
And so he says here to the Corinthian church that once
again, my life is to to, to live in such a way that you imitate
me. And I'm going to tell you that
is a powerful statement that Paul would say.
I believe by faith that I can walk with the Lord so well that
you could imitate my life. You know, there's a lot of
people today that do not want to put themselves out like that.
Can we make mistakes? Absolutely.
But you understand, Paul lived at such a level that any mistake
that he's made is is. So what's the word I want to
use? It's not often right.
One of his mistakes was this, he said I did not bring collect an
offering from you. I worked outside of you.
You know, I did this so that you know, you wouldn't, you know,
say certain things about me concerning finance.
He later on said, forgive me of this wrong because there was a
spiritual principle of sowing and reaping that he in essence
was saying do not sow to me. And he recognized that that
principle was more important than the persecution that's
going to show up from some people when they will say, well,
he's only there for an offering. Because you understand that is
the testimony of a lot of people about churches today.
And are there churches that are just trying to get your money?
Absolutely. But not every church is trying
to do that, nor every minister. You know, just cause one person
doesn't do it right does not mean not everyone's doing it
right. Amen.
Hallelujah. And so, you know, has anyone
encountered a bad employer? Well, we do not quit working
because, you know, well, I have this.
You'll change. John.
I left that one because they were no good.
Well, don't think there's not going to be some bad people over
here, but you don't you don't quit pursuing certain things
just because you had one bad experience are multiple ones for
that matter. In fact, I would say with the
body of Christ, you know, you may run across some things less
because there is a remnant. Not everyone is aspiring to
spiritual maturity and in our and in our society, meaning the
Western society, the majority of us only hear about Jesus in the
perspective of where will I go when I die?
And that's the extent of the relationship is I just want to
know where I'm going to go when I die instead of hearing Lord,
how do I live for you today? I'm serving you right now and
you know when I die takes care of it because you're my Lord and
you're my Lord today, not only in heaven.
So receiving Jesus was not about where you go when you die.
Receiving Jesus was about becoming someone now, and
walking into that, Paul was so confident that you could imitate
me because I am going to imitate Christ.
Which tells us something about spiritual fathers is they really
walk in the fear of the Lord. They're so concerned about doing
something that would not please the Father and so they're very
careful with their life. However, you know, we spent time
talking about that. We're going to talk about the
sons today. And so I find it interesting
because I did not use verse two last time that he goes on and
says, I praise you talking to the church, which are his
children, the one he planted in Corinth.
He says, because you Remember Me and everything he goes on to
say, you hold firmly to the tradition.
Now Paul is obviously not saying traditions like we talk about
traditions with Jesus. Jesus said this about religious
leader. He said, why do you forsake the
commandments of God for the sake of your traditions?
So when Paul's saying traditions here, he is saying the tradition
of you following closely the word of God.
This is the tradition he's establishing is that you're
going to follow God, you're going to follow his words,
you're going to live the behavior, the culture, the
again, behavior of the Kingdom of God.
Our tradition is that we are fully submitted to the to the
king of glory. So that's what Paul's saying.
He's not replacing the word of God with a tradition.
He has modeled a lifestyle in front of them that they can say,
I can do this. I'll use Pastor Mike as an
example. As you know, Pastor Mike is
extremely disciplined in his health.
And so, you know, he can model a tradition for you how to be
healthy. He can model it in how you eat.
He can model it in how you go to the gym.
He can model it in muscle growth and grow muscles again what he
you may not look like him, but you can model the tradition of
the truths concerning physical well-being and you would have a
result yourself. Now that's just in the natural,
how much more Paul was saying, listen, I have a habit by which
I am seeking first the Kingdom of God.
And if you watch me and model it, you can grow like I grew.
And this is really important. You know, sometimes I wish we
would do a reality TV and it wouldn't be a goofy one.
It'd be a real one of how we actually deal with stuff because
we're not different here than we are everywhere.
We want you to follow the example.
So again, sons be remember, it's really important.
They remember what they're being taught and they want to model
the spiritual Father. Now, when I say this, let's say
it in its very clear form. So you understand, even though
we're going to use humans on the earth that walk as spiritual
fathers, none of them are replacing the Heavenly Father.
In fact, a true spiritual father will have you following only the
Heavenly Father. Even though you're following
that person and the way they live life, you're only doing it
because they're modeling how to actually do do it with the
Father. And when that person's actually
not around your, that example has allowed you to stay closely
connected to your heavenly Father in heaven.
Because when I say spiritual sons, we are all spiritual
children of the Father in heaven, Amen.
But let me tell you this, they're identifiable what they
look like. You can't just claim sonship
unless you model sonship. All right?
Now why do I say that? Look at what it says in Hebrews
chapter 12. And I read this only in
excerpts. Last time I think I started
maybe in verse nine. It was verse 9.
I think I went 9:00 to 11:00 or 9:00 to 9:00 and 10:00.
But we're going to start in verse 5 and it says this.
And you have forgotten the exhortation, which is addressed
to you as what? Now?
This is exhortation. Are you ready, my son?
Do not regard lightly the discipline of the Lord, nor
faint when you are reproved by him.
What is that? Is exhortation.
OK, everybody, smile me help you.
This means, you know, because this happens to me sometimes.
You know, I say, hey, I need to meet with you.
Oh, I feel like I'm in trouble. Why?
And even if you were in a place that I need to reprove you, you
should see that as exhortation. I mean, he literally says, have
you forgotten the exhortation? Now, nobody sees exhortation as
negative. Oh, they're exhorting me.
You know, they're, they're helping me.
Oh, they're lifting me up. You know what?
When discipline and reproof comes, it's lifting you up.
It's actually not putting you down.
It's lifting you up. Why?
Because discipline and reproof is coming because you're already
somewhere that we're trying to get you out of.
It's not to push you down more because if I if my correctional
reproof is pushing you down more, well then I'm in error.
But pointing out issues and then communicating A pathway to come
out is actually an exhortation or lifting up out Say Amen
anyway. So I need all my mature ones to
connect with me right now in service.
Please do so for those whom the Lord what for those who the Lord
he, what does he do? He does not let you do whatever
you want to do in His house. Now in the world you can do
whatever you want to do, but you will be accountable to whatever
you do. And the Lord is the standard.
See, when you get into His house, when you willfully submit
to Jesus as Lord, when you say Lord, I was lost, dead without
you. I want to be in a relationship
with you. I want you to be Lord of my life
saved me from this life of sin, this place that would keep me
separated. Listen, receiving Jesus not
about staying out of hell. That's not the intent.
I don't want to go to hell. Well, who wants to go to hell?
It's about relationship. Why would someone say, well, I'm
going to hell? It's because they do not want
the relationship with God because you cannot have a father
without relationship. And there are many absentee
fathers in our nation in the natural.
There are those that have divorced and never followed up
and they're like, I don't even have, you know, someone helped
you be in the earth. And many of them, even though
they've never been around, still want their approval in the
natural. How much more a Heavenly Father
that's never been absent. Just 'cause you don't see him
doesn't mean he's not around. Always, always and man, He's
doing everything he can to get you into his family.
Do you understand? Jesus said this just so we can
qualify because in God's original intent, God made man in
his image according to his likeness.
Romans or Genesis 126. However, when Adam ate the
fruit, he was no longer of the nature of God and he produced
after his own kind of which Jesus said to the religious
people, You are of your father the devil.
He didn't say we're all God's loving people.
He did not. He did not qualify everyone as
God's loving people. What he qualified is your
daddy's the devil, but you can have a new dad.
You can have the original dad. In order to have the original
dad, you must be born again. So again, when we say God is
everywhere, he is, but not everyone's in his family.
In fact, right now on the planet more not in his family that are
in his family. So presently speaking on planet
Earth, the father has less children here than the devil
does. OK, So Jesus, when you come into
the family, he's saying now you cannot live like you want to
live. There's a standard in the house.
And here's the thing, I've made you so you can meet the
standard. And this is not earned because
you're in the house. By the grace of God, through
faith and the finished work of Jesus, He gave you the Spirit
you could have never acquired on your own.
You become a new creature in Christ.
But once you become a new creature in Christ, then he puts
the Holy Ghost on the inside of you.
It bears witness with your spirit.
You are a child of God. Then the Holy Ghost says, now we
go get your mind to act like a child of the King.
It's time to turn it all around. And there's no excuse for you
because I have given you the best tutor ever, the greatest
instructor. I have given you the one who
knows the Kingdom inside and out and how the Kingdom functions.
And we're going to change your whole life.
But you have to yield and submit.
You cannot be a defiant child of God.
And Dad, be OK. Well, they're just acting out.
I mean, in the Kingdom of God, there is no terrible twos.
I've been born again for two years.
God's not letting you get away with that stuff.
He is going to discipline you. Why 'cause he, love does not
allow you to do whatever you want to do.
Love does not allow you to do whatever you want to do.
Love disciplines and discipline is set to a standard.
A standard he sets, not us. Same in anyway for whom the
Father loves, He disciplines, and he scourges every son whom
he receives. Well, how does he receive you?
Because you believe that Jesus Christ died on the cross and
rose from the grave, and you've met you call him Lord of your
life. It is for discipline that you
endure. God deals with you as sons.
For what son is there whom his Father does not discipline?
So it would be a wrong idea to think the Heavenly Father is
hands off. Well, I don't care how they do.
As long as they've asked Jesus in their heart, I don't really
care. That's not scriptural.
That's not how our Heavenly Father is.
Just make sure they ask you to come in their heart and save
you. So when they die, they come see
me. That's all that really matters.
I don't care how they live down there.
They couldn't do anything to earn what I'm about to give them
anyway, and they sure can't live it afterwards.
Don't say that. He's like, they couldn't earn
it. So you're, you're, you've done
the work. Now once they receive you, now
the real fun begins because the ability to conquer and overcome,
they're my child now. They are a totally different
species of being. They're not of this world
anymore. Just like son, you're not of
this world, all right. And it says it's for this we
endure because of discipline. Look at verse 8.
But if you are without discipline, of which all have
become partakers, then you are illegitimate children, not sons,
Sayla. I mean stop and think on these
things. So that means if we are thinking
as a child of God that I should never hear anything that would
correct me, then really what you're saying is I'm
illegitimate. If you want to be in the
congregations that only tell you how awesome you are and will can
never give a word of correction or reproof or rebuke, then
you're qualifying yourself as illegitimate.
OK, Hallelujah. I hear Port St.
Joe shouting loud right now, louder than Saint Augustine.
Thank you, poor Saint Joe, for screaming right now.
Thank you for that. Thank you for that joy of God
that you want to be sons and not illegitimate children.
Amen. I mean, I want the Lord to say,
So what are you doing? What's that?
That's not your nature. That's not how we act.
That's not how we function. Hold on for a minute.
I didn't tell you to go there. I didn't ask you to do that.
You're with me now. I'm life.
Come stay with me. You don't have to do this on
your own. My paths are the best paths.
My yoke is easy. My burden is light.
Are you hearing me OK? So he goes on and says,
Furthermore, we had earthly fathers, we talked about this
last week, who disciplines us. We respect them.
Shall we not much rather be subject to the fathers of
spirits and live, for they discipline us for a short time
as seen best of them. But He disciplines us for our
good, so that we may share his what?
So who's defining what's holy? He is, He defines it.
I do not define it. I have no opinion in the matter.
I always go to my father. What is the thing we're supposed
to do? He said all discipline for a
moment seems to not be joyful. And sure, when you find out that
you just acted away that the Lord's like, yeah, you could
have done better than that. Yeah, I didn't really want that.
Yeah, you're going to have to ask him to forgive you.
That doesn't seem joyful, say, but yet those who have been
trained in it afterwards, it yields the peaceful fruit of
righteousness. Well, who's righteous?
He is. Who sets the standard of what's
right? He does because He is
righteousness. Hallelujah.
And so He disciplines us. And again, why is it that we
think, and many of us, we know what we came out of?
Come on, can I get an Amen? We know what we came out of, and
yet the minute we ask, she's in a heart we like.
We've arrived and he cannot tell us anything else, that he
wouldn't find anything else. We need to adjust, correct,
navigate, give us something different.
It's his responsibility as a father to help navigate us
because his words are to give us life and keep us from harm.
That's what they are now Pastor Mike use this and and when he
was talking about healing in in the realm of obedience and he
was communicating, you know that when you tell a child not to
touching a stove, there's a reason behind that.
But you understand, if I was a father, say I don't care what my
kids do. I don't train them how to handle
knives. I don't train them about the
stove enough. I mean, I would be considered an
abusive parent. That's good.
Well, they'll figure it out on their own.
They cut themselves one too many times.
They'll know. Don't touch the knife there.
Don't run with it. I mean, who does this?
No one does this that has any sanity, right?
The devil does stuff like this, but our father does not do it.
So we have to understand. Our father's like, don't touch
that. It's hot.
Are you trying to control my life?
No. I'm trying to keep you from
harm. This is not control, I'm just
giving you life and if you submit to me, you'll walk in
pathway of right. Because guess what?
He's never been wrong, He's never been unjust, He's never
sinned, He is righteous. Can I get an Amen?
So you understand then in if natural dads and our Heavenly
Father, then obviously spiritual fathers are going to be making
corrections with their children, which means as as long as we are
around each other, there's going to come someday that I'm going
to say we're going to have to switch that up.
And if you get offended at that, then what you're saying is
you're illegitimate to the relationship we're in.
Because when I'm asking to adjust is what he's asking you
to adjust. What does the Bible say?
Yeah, But this is how I feel, Pastor.
You know, Apostle, this is what was going on in my life.
Elliott, can I share a little bit?
You know, very minor. Elliott was going through a
particular season in his life, and he was a little bit
emotional and. And there was a particular
occasion where I was addressing him, and it was loud between us
both because he was intense. He was telling his brothers and
they were laughing about it. And he was laughing about the
situation with someone that he was going through this emotional
moment with. And now they're all laughing
about it because he realized, you know, he was helping me
through this time when I was just being emotional.
But that was a season for offense because he felt
justified for his feelings. However, when you line those
feelings up to the word, it says, quit feeling that way and
do this instead. And thank God Elliott does that.
Isn't that amazing? So what's important about that
is that all of us may have had conversations.
Amen. And again, sometimes you may
leave and say, hey, they're they're my daddy.
I'm not your daddy. You haven't have a father.
But I have spiritual oversight that is to point you towards the
word and whether you are 80 something which some men came up
and that was extremely humbling and full of responsibility to
see them say I'm older but and I could be your natural father,
but you are my spiritual father. That means it's very important
that I keep speaking the word of God into their lives.
So we're going to talk about spiritual sons things you'll see
out of a real spiritual son. You can say that you are, but if
you do not have these qualities, you are not all right because
there is a responsibility with the son as much as there is with
the father. Now let me say this because I
need to fix a couple of false doctrine.
Can I do that? This still is touted in places
and it's, it's a little mind blowing to me, but it is.
And I know where the church gets it, but we're missing the point
of it. We pulled a corporate analogy
into the church. And there's a part in the BA and
in the Bible it talks about in Psalms, I think it's 133 about
the anointing on Aaron. It flows down in it from his top
of his head and it goes down his beard.
It goes all the way down, right? And so how many of you ever
heard this leadership flows down from the top to the bottom?
Now, in the corporate world, there's something really big.
And that means this. If there's something wrong in
your employees, you need to go up to the managers.
So that's where the problems at. So in essence, if there's
something lower, it's because there's a problem higher.
And so that sounds good. And in fact, maybe in the world
that's true. In the flesh, most likely, but
in the spirit that does not always equate as truth.
That's right. Now, why do I say that?
Because Adam eats the fruit and now the administration of the
planet has gone to bad. I mean, it's not hell.
That's a different place, but it's definitely gone bad, right?
It's it's gone to darkness. Let's say it that way.
Did that flow from the head? Well, if there's something going
wrong in the church, you got to go to the leadership.
Well, the leadership of the church is Jesus.
He's the head of the church and he's never wrong.
Which means then the apostle, the pastor, the teacher, the
evangelist, the prophet, they may not be wrong and there can
be congregation people that are wrong and there's no flow.
They could be stopping a flow because they're not doing their
part as spiritual children in the body of Christ.
So this is not a true statement that anytime something's wrong,
get a lower level, it's because something up higher.
But man, people will say this often, They'll say this often.
I'm going to give you another one.
Amos, 33, says. How can two people walk together
unless they are agreed? OK, Are you ready?
Submission begins where disagreement starts.
The minute you disagree, now you submit.
And this is widely held belief that I have to disagree with you
about something, and if I do it your way, I'm submitting.
Well, how can you then be in agreement?
Because people say, well, if you agree with them, you're not
submitting. Now, it sounds good.
But again, it reminds me of this little story of Melvin who kept,
you know, standing up in class and the teacher says sit down
and then she forced him to sit down.
He said, I may be sitting down, but I'm standing up on the
inside. We understand God's dealing with
the inside. So how can you be doing
something someone's ass and being rebellion in your heart
and tell me you're in faith. How can you disagree with God's
way of doing something and say I'm submitting because then that
scripture would be submit therefore to God, disagree with
him, but do it anyway. Well, you know what he said
about that? He said with their lips, but
their heart. So if your position is, oh, I'm
really submitted to God because I don't want to do nothing.
He says that's where my submission show because I I
identify. I don't want to do Jack
anything. God says I am the most submitted
person. Well, you're the most you're the
you're a person that's completely out of faith.
Submission is here's my way, he says, but here's my way.
And you said, you know what? Your way is better.
So I get rid of my way and I agree with your way.
And that's submission. That is biblical submission.
So again, when we talk about sons, sons are sons not because
they disagree with their fathers and do it anyway.
It's because they're watching the example of the Father and
they're saying your way is the way and I don't have a way.
And Jesus modeled this the best. He said I don't do anything.
I'm on accord what I hear I do. So why do we as children think
that we do not? One of the qualifications or
fruits of our sonship is that we are submitted through agreeing
with God's way of doing, and we get rid of ours.
We, If you're doing it and you don't want to do it, that's
called rebellion. And you get no reward for
rebellious niceness because that's not good.
It's nice, but it's not good. So let's look at a couple of
things here. The first thing, I have 15
actually. So we most likely will not
finish this today. I have 15 things that and this
is not an exhaustive list, but I'll give you 15 things that
show that you are a spiritual son if these qualities are in
your life. Because again, a lot of sons get
out there and tout a spiritual father, but yet they do not
actually model spiritual sons. And many people say they have
spiritual fathers they've never met, but there's no
relationship. You cannot have a YouTube
spiritual father. You cannot attend their
conference and be in a balcony and there be your spiritual
father. They are tutor, they're helping
teach you some things, but they're not a father.
All right, Ephesians chapter 6, verse one through three.
The first one is this. It says, children, obey your
parents and the Lord for this is right.
Honor your father and mother, which is the first commandment
with a promise so that so that it may be well with you and that
you may live long on the earth. Now, obviously we read this
particular passive Scripture and there's a natural aspect of
this, right? For sure.
Obviously we are to honor. And the question is, is what
does it even mean to honor, right?
And that's a whole nother subject in love itself.
But honor is demonstrated towards a father.
Well, if this is in the natural, we know that we are to honor our
heavenly Father. The Bible tells us that Paul
said when it came to elders in the church, when he was talking
to Timothy, said they're worthy a double honor.
Those who work diligently in preaching and teaching.
Well, if that elder, that overseer can be a spiritual
father to the flock and they should receive double honor.
Now, that didn't mean they get more honor than the father.
The father gets the most honor. You understand this.
The point is, is that if you should honor your natural
parents, you should honor those that are spiritual parents over
your life, specifically the church you're assigned to.
Right? But not just honor.
He says to obey. Same in anyway.
Thank you. Thank you for reminding me
you're in the US. Cause in the US we are
independent, right? Which breeds rebellion.
Nobody's going to tell me what to do.
Well, I'm not telling you what to do, but I'm telling you what
you should obey 'cause it's life that's good.
Hallelujah. In fact, the Bible tells us this
in Hebrews. It says very specifically, obey
your leaders as they will give an account over your soul.
Let them do this with joy and not with grief, for it would not
be profitable for you, not for the leader.
Now, how do you cause a leader to grieve and not have joy?
Well, don't obey what they told you to do when they pulled the
scripture out in the meeting and say, well, what's the Bible say?
You need to do this. Love your husband this way, love
your wife this way. Take care of your employees this
way, Treat your children this way.
You know, attend church this way, give this way, serve this
way. It is written well.
They make so many demands. No demand.
It's just life and everybody wants to pass, to come and go
and do whatever they want to do. Everybody wants to pick their
own stuff. Everybody wants to live in
convenience. Yet we have a responsibility to
communicate truths to you that you should obey.
You know, what's really sad for me and grievous is when I get
around some of our spiritual children and you're like, man, I
would love to say this, but you know what?
I know they're not going to do it.
And what's even more grievous is the ones we've trained through
our schools and we know they know the subjects.
Yet to hear them talk, you would think they never graduated and
you want to say something, but every time you do that child
rebels and don't want to do the word.
So the first couple of things that we see here that a
spiritual son, daughter will do is they will honor and they will
be obedient. These are attributes.
They will honor and be obedient. Now listen, remember, all of
this is in a context of the Father.
The reason why people struggle with these types of teaching is
because you don't want to submit to a man and you don't have to
submit to man. You're only supposed to submit
to God. However, God has placed some
things in order within the church that when those
individuals are functioning in the grace of God, it's easy to
submit there because you're actually submitting to God.
And that's what Paul's saying. If you're imitating me, you're
really not imitating me. We're imitating Christ, but
that's what I'm imitating. So again, if I'm saying, hey, do
this, it's not because I'm saying do this.
I'm saying that's what God said. So if I wouldn't be here, if I
wasn't here to have this conversation with you until you
do this, God would have told you this anyway.
And the reason you came to me is because you wanted an answer.
There's an issue in your life. But did you have a premeditated
way of me responding? I had a situation with that,
that this particular family doesn't even come to the church,
but it's been connected to the ministry through other outlets
that we have. And as a result of that, they
were not satisfied with one of the outlets of how something was
going well. They wanted to meet with me and
I came to the conclusion before they got to me that I'm not
meeting with them. Number one, I have no spiritual
oversight to you #2 you're not submitted to the things we've
already done on multiple meetings, and you're just not
satisfied that you're not getting an answer.
And I know I'm not going to say something different than what's
already been given. So you're a waste of my time.
Now that sounds offensive to people.
Say, well, you don't have time for people.
Well, Nehemiah didn't have time for some people that wrote a
letter say, hey, let's meet. He said I don't have time to go
meet with you because I know your intent, what you're doing
and when I knew their intent and what they were doing.
Like it's a waste of my time and pulling me off the assignment.
I'm called to just so you can continue to complain.
I have a deaf ear to complain and you're not even part of this
body. So I don't need your independent
thinking. I've already seen the cameras.
I've seen the scenario. There's nothing you're going to
say to convince me otherwise. Are you hearing me?
Why? Because there's a thing called
honor and obedience, and children are supposed to honor
and obey. And let me say it this way, Paul
said. Some sleep before their time
because they don't judge the body rightly.
So you may honor your natural father, but you cannot honor
your spiritual parents and still go to sleep early.
Same in anyway, Hallelujah. And again, we could break this
down even more, but we want #3 because I gave you the 1st 2
honor and obedient #3 led by the Spirit.
Romans 814 says it this way. For all who are being led by the
Spirit of God, these are sons of God.
Hallelujah. Now, this is really important,
passive scripture. This Scripture right here is so
powerful and is one of the most misinterpreted scripture on the
face of the planet, right? I remember a particular couple
that was in our church years ago, I'm talking year before we
ever moved to this location. So it's been a decade or more,
and they came to me after a Wednesday night service to
inform me they were leaving the church and then they were going
to be moving somewhere out of the state, you know, because
they've heard God. Well, I knew they had not heard
God. That's tough situation because
you're like, no. Right.
And so, you know, I'm like, well, I don't think so.
And they were shocked. They just wanted me to give him
a blessing and go on. You know what have been easy to
say? Whatever.
Yeah. Enjoy your life and go on.
I mean, it's easy. But sometimes it's not easy.
Sometimes it's life and death and you better say something.
And so I did. And I communicated why I didn't
think it was God's will. Because again, you're saying
you're child of God and you can hear God too, but yet that
spirit in me is not saying the same thing.
Now I can't control your life, but I'm telling you, probably
not right? And didn't honor wasn't going to
walk in obedience did leave and the wife divorced the husband
six months later only had an agenda pulled him out of the
place that they were rising to become a man of the house.
So they pulled him out and then left a note.
That person's life was decimated for a season, and rightly so.
Scripture says if someone divorces, you know, it causes
them to commit adultery and that's not sexual immorality,
it's apostasy. It pulls away from God.
They're like Lord, I don't understand this, but the Lord
restored them. They remarried, have a great
family, they're thriving. The wife or ex-wife still to
this day can't say they're doing good yet They're telling me
they've heard God. They're telling me, well, those
who are led by the Spirit of God, then the Spirit should be
saying the same thing now, just like God, just like us.
We can say, well, I don't believe it's true, but you know
what, I'm not going to stop you. And all I can say is if you get
out and find you were wrong, come home.
I've done that before. Come home then you know, because
you know, moving somewhere in convenience doesn't make it the
will of God. And again, if we believe God's
the God of more than enough can he provide for you to to bring
you here even if you're having to drive from Crescent City,
Ocala, thank you from Ocala. How many hours is that 2 hours
every Sunday? Thank you Jesus.
But again, when you know you're where you're at, the other stuff
doesn't matter. And it didn't matter how much
gas cost, we just kept showing. And you know what?
God kept providing, didn't he? Wow, isn't that amazing?
So you'll be led by the Spirit, which tells us there can be
conflict. And again, a father and son can
get in conflict. But when both of them are
aspiring to hear God, we will come to an agreement.
And again, if the sons honorable and choose and wants to be
obedient to the plans and purpose of God, when the
spiritual oversight says, hmm, I don't know if what you're saying
is accurate, then you're like, well, you know, I know it's for
my well-being. Let's reconvene.
I want to make sure I'm here in the spirit, right?
And I wanted to make sure you're here in the Spirit, right?
Because it's honorable, not we immediately get offensive and
you're trying to control my life and I'm out of here because the
spiritual son wouldn't do that. A real one.
In fact, a spiritual son isn't making decisions without
including the Father in the 1st place.
I can't tell you how many times through the year people say,
well, the Lord's told me and they just tell me I was never a
part of the process. I couldn't even be a part of the
prayer process of the whole transition.
I just cut out. Why?
Because we don't need you. I hear God myself.
We don't want your insight. We don't want your covering.
We don't want the grace in your life to help us so that we don't
make mistakes. Because I'll be the first to
admit, if I don't have it, I don't have it.
I said, well, I don't have it, you know, And if you're here and
go, great. I mean, I don't, at the end of
the day, I know what I'm called to do.
I'm going to continue in that. But if I'm hearing something
which, you know, doesn't happen often in a negative sense,
saying don't do that per SE, well then you might want to say,
you know what, I honor you enough, respect you enough.
Let's stop and recalibrate because a promotion to another
city doesn't mean that's the plan of God for your life or the
blessings. Are you hearing me?
Amen. We've done 3.
Can we do a couple more? Now we're going to jump into
some things very specific to Timothy.
So in Second Timothy chapter one, verse 2, in fact, I would
encourage you since we're going to break this up, to read first
both books of Timothy. Because in both books of
Timothy, you will hear a father speaking to a son and what he
expects to see out of his son, what he expects to see out of
his son. In second Timothy chapter one,
verse 2, it says to Timothy, my beloved son, grace, mercy and
peace from God the Father in Christ Jesus our Lord.
So here he clearly acknowledges that Timothy's a son to me.
Now Timothy is not his natural son.
He is his spiritual son. And so there's this relationship
where he has his spiritual father.
Timothy is his spiritual son and Timothy is an amazing son to
aspire to be, amazing child of God to aspire to be.
OK, and let me just say it this way.
Nowhere in Scripture are you having a relationship with God
without somebody else because we're jointed and fitted
together. God never intended it to be
these one line streams, right? It's just me and you, Brandon,
just me and you. The Lord says just me and you.
That's all that matters. No, he's like, Brandon, you
better get over here with your brother here and just sit here
and you better get connected with your sister here because
this is what the family does, son.
And we'll do this and natural stuff all the time.
Natural reunion. So, well, that's my family.
And they can live like heathens, man.
They can be completely out of the will of God, not even in
your family. And you're like, man, we got to
get hooked up with them. You know, they are family.
Got to believe the best. I love my family.
Yeah. Then we get to the body of
Christ and we're like, don't talk to me.
Jeez. I am his favorite.
It's like Jesus only talked to me.
You're you are the estranged 1. I don't I don't know why we get
this way. Well, it's because we don't
understand how the church we bring independent thinking into
an organization that is fully dependent upon everyone.
Hallelujah. Thank you Jesus.
So Timothy is his son. Let me give you this last one
and then we'll we'll come back next week.
Philippians chapter 2 verse 19 to 22 says this Paul right into
the Philippian church concerning his spiritual son.
He says this he said about a hope in the Lord Jesus to send
Timothy to you shortly. Now let me say this real quick
before I finish this scripture. Timothy is not his favorite, so
get that out of your head. Timothy has proven himself as a
son and anyone could prove themselves as a son.
It's just unfortunately with the the group he's running with
currently, Timothy is the only one who's done it.
Let's go on, but I hope in the hope in the Lord Jesus to send
Timothy to you shortly so that I may be encouraged when I learn
of your condition, for I have no one else of kindred spirit who
will generally be concerned for your welfare.
That word kindred means like mindedness.
It means same in mind and spirit.
It means he is only concerned with what I'm concerned about.
He said he's the only one and then he qualifies the others
that are with him. He says for they all seek their
own interests. So everyone who's on staff with
Paul is not actually with Paul. All right, let me go over here.
Everyone who was on staff with Paul is actually not with Paul.
Paul is a pass through. Paul is a means to a different
end. Paul was just someone that I'm
running around with because I see something that I want for
myself independent of Paul. Actually because my spirits not
really connected with Paul. In fact they would have the
belief I'm submitted to Paul because I never agree with him
anyway. But I do it, and they're not
going to honor me of all that I've done.
Well, half the stuff you've done was in rebellion and with some
on Staffs, they've done it only because of the paycheck.
Put that back up there. So he said the rest of them seek
their own interests, not those of Christ Jesus, he said.
But you know of his what? Proven worth That he served
what? Not for me.
Oh man, you better get this. That he served what with me in
the furtherance of the gospel, like a child serving his father?
Yes. If all you're doing is serving
me, that's a problem. But if you're serving with me
where I'm saying, son, we have something to do.
We're doing the dad's business. I need you to do your part.
I'm going to do my part. Let's do this thing together and
we'll accomplish it. You.
I'm releasing you. I'm going to release you.
I'm going to release you.
I'm going to release your gift. Why?
Because you're not working for me.
You're not serving me. We're serving him, we're all
working together to accomplish this thing.
But there are many that are serving or working for somebody
and if they see the relationship that I'm working for them, it's
because they have selfish ambitions.
But a true son says, I'm not working for you, I'm working for
the Lord. I'm just serving with you.
And you're the example of what it looks like to serve the Lord.
And I can learn from you, and you're investing in me.
And you're telling me more about who I am than I even knew.
And you're pulling things out of me I didn't even think was
there. And you're releasing me in ways
that I've never been released before.
But I'll not forget you. And when I go somewhere I don't
push myself, I represent you and you alone.
Because a spiritual son will be like minded and have no
self-interest. So they're they, they're, they
honor, they walk in obedience, right?
These are the things, they're led by the Spirit, but they're
also like minded and they have no self-interest.
You know what, you're going to be different than me.
You're going to see things different than I see because God
made us that way as a body. And I'm going to release you
just like I said on Wednesday, I said where are my evangelists?
Because on Friday and Saturday there is an opportunity for you
to get in front of the community at the summer thrift and all you
got to do is walk around and talk to people and talk to them.
And through that you're going to pray for them.
You can invite them some you could lead to Christ.
We're giving you a whole Ave. to touch their lives.
And again, you're serving with us.
Well, I don't see apostle there. That's not my part.
Now Apostle Marcy was there. She was there on what was that
Friday, all day, she said All day.
I text her, I said, what you doing?
She said they just keep coming. They just keep showing up.
I mean, this place is full, you know, I'm like, well, praise the
Lord, that's good. Sell something, bless their
lives, talk to him. Right, man?
I went in there with myself. Had to pick up something, drop
something off, pick something up.
And there's people walking around.
I'm like, let's serve together because we're not doing
something because we're bored. We do stuff because we're
called. Are you hearing me?
But you've got to decide. Not my will, but his will be
done. Because I've decided not my will
but his will be done. And then when I communicate His
will for us, it's not because I wanted to do it.
Because I'm like a lot of you, I like my weekend too.
If I just thought about myself, I'd be 3 shades darker in my tan
right now. If that was true, I would have
had hit the beach way more times.
I'd have no projects at the house. 0 Because every weekend I
go to Port St. Joe as a weekend, I don't do
something at my own home. But my life's not my own.
And I imitate what it means to follow Jesus so that you
yourself can say, you know what? God always takes care of those
who follow him. Hallelujah.
How many we get done today? 5 All right, we can give you 10.
Next week we'll have a few less things to do and you don't want
to miss next week. And I know it's July 4th
weekend. Don't let the US holiday keep
you out of church. All right?
Can we do this then for Tom, since I'm doing this next week,
let me lay hands on people next week, OK?
And so anyone that I haven't laid hands on to be a blessing
because Jesus laid hands on the children just to bless them, He
says, suffer not the little children.
And we do that as an act of saying, hey, we recognize this
relationship we're in, that we have an oversight as planting
the church. And we want to be an example to
you, but we want to bless you as spiritual sons and daughters of
the King. And together we're more than a
family. We're the church.
We're not just a family. We're the church.
And the church is the most powerful thing on the planet.
All right.