1 00:00:02,200 --> 00:00:04,760 Thanks for checking out the Anchor Faith Message Podcast 2 00:00:04,760 --> 00:00:06,160 from St. Augustine, FL. 3 00:00:06,680 --> 00:00:17,040 Now enjoy this message, but this is what I would encourage you 4 00:00:17,040 --> 00:00:20,600 with When you're doing your devotional reading, When you're 5 00:00:20,600 --> 00:00:26,160 doing your prayer time, when you're coming to church This 6 00:00:26,160 --> 00:00:31,560 year, 2024, as we leave 2023 and enter into 2024. 7 00:00:31,800 --> 00:00:34,200 This year when you're doing your devotional reading, your prayer 8 00:00:34,200 --> 00:00:38,600 time, your praise time, when you're coming to church, be all 9 00:00:38,600 --> 00:00:43,560 in. Don't go through the routine. 10 00:00:45,440 --> 00:00:48,960 Pastor Marquess is talking about the fresh start through the Holy 11 00:00:48,960 --> 00:00:51,040 Ghost, right? He was giving him inspiration or 12 00:00:51,040 --> 00:00:54,480 a word in season for us. But listen, your routine's going 13 00:00:54,480 --> 00:00:56,520 to be the same if you don't change your routine. 14 00:00:58,120 --> 00:01:00,880 One definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and 15 00:01:00,880 --> 00:01:04,360 over again and expecting a different result if you're doing 16 00:01:04,360 --> 00:01:05,200 the same. Thing as you. 17 00:01:05,200 --> 00:01:07,280 Did last year and it wasn't working last year. 18 00:01:07,520 --> 00:01:10,000 Guess what? It's not going to work in 2024. 19 00:01:11,120 --> 00:01:14,440 So when you come, you really need to draw. 20 00:01:15,440 --> 00:01:19,680 Everybody, eyes on me. Focus. 21 00:01:19,680 --> 00:01:21,040 Turn to your neighbor, say. Focus. 22 00:01:22,040 --> 00:01:27,600 Turn the other one, say focus. Say in 2024, I'm going to stay 23 00:01:27,600 --> 00:01:32,520 focused. In Luke chapter 8, there was a 24 00:01:32,520 --> 00:01:37,520 woman with issue of blood and she had needs, right? 25 00:01:38,040 --> 00:01:40,240 The Bible says she was hemorrhaging or bleeding for 12 26 00:01:40,240 --> 00:01:42,040 years. She had going through the same 27 00:01:42,040 --> 00:01:43,880 routine, doing the same thing over and over again. 28 00:01:43,880 --> 00:01:45,760 But guess what? Nothing was changing. 29 00:01:45,920 --> 00:01:48,600 It just kept getting worse. There's hope in the Kingdom of 30 00:01:48,600 --> 00:01:50,880 God. She heard about the Messiah. 31 00:01:50,880 --> 00:01:54,160 She heard about Jesus. And all of a sudden something 32 00:01:54,160 --> 00:01:56,480 sparked on the inside of her. And this is my prayer for us. 33 00:01:56,480 --> 00:02:00,040 Something should spark on the inside of you today that I want 34 00:02:00,040 --> 00:02:03,200 to do something different. 2024, what is the plan you have for 35 00:02:03,200 --> 00:02:05,720 me? God in 2024, when she heard the 36 00:02:05,720 --> 00:02:10,000 Messiah was there, she heard about his goodness, His 37 00:02:10,000 --> 00:02:14,040 faithfulness, his healing power. And she said, I'm tired of being 38 00:02:14,040 --> 00:02:18,080 in the same position, the same place, the same results. 39 00:02:18,120 --> 00:02:21,000 I need a fresh start. I need a new season. 40 00:02:21,160 --> 00:02:23,760 And she did something that nobody else did. 41 00:02:25,240 --> 00:02:27,840 The Bible says Jesus was making way down the street when she 42 00:02:27,840 --> 00:02:31,520 heard he was there in her town. And there's they said there was 43 00:02:31,520 --> 00:02:35,320 a crowd around him, so much so it was shoulder to shoulder. 44 00:02:38,040 --> 00:02:41,720 But she and her condition said I got to get to him. 45 00:02:42,560 --> 00:02:46,200 There was a desire, there was a craving, there was a demand. 46 00:02:46,200 --> 00:02:48,800 She said if anything's going to change, I need truth. 47 00:02:50,160 --> 00:02:54,720 And so she pressed and squeezed and navigated through the 48 00:02:54,720 --> 00:02:56,640 crowds. And we got to get some things 49 00:02:56,640 --> 00:02:59,640 out of our way. This week may have been heavy. 50 00:02:59,640 --> 00:03:02,120 You been man walking. Get it out of the way today so 51 00:03:02,120 --> 00:03:04,320 you can receive when you do your devotional. 52 00:03:04,320 --> 00:03:07,960 Don't come in with confusion, distress, distraught, 53 00:03:07,960 --> 00:03:09,440 depression. Get it out of the way. 54 00:03:09,440 --> 00:03:11,920 So what you can press into the word of God. 55 00:03:13,080 --> 00:03:17,080 And so she touched the hem of the Messiah, of truce garment. 56 00:03:17,080 --> 00:03:20,080 And all of a sudden, instantly that's how quick it happens. 57 00:03:20,080 --> 00:03:23,640 Church. Instantly the blood had stopped. 58 00:03:24,520 --> 00:03:28,800 Her season had changed, but guess what? 59 00:03:28,800 --> 00:03:30,960 That just doesn't fall on you like ripe cherries off of a 60 00:03:30,960 --> 00:03:36,360 tree. You could be around Jesus just 61 00:03:36,360 --> 00:03:40,640 like the crowd was around him, but didn't get what they needed 62 00:03:41,280 --> 00:03:45,840 because they didn't press in. In John chapter 4, the woman at 63 00:03:45,840 --> 00:03:49,400 the Well, Jesus said if you would have known the gift of 64 00:03:49,400 --> 00:03:52,600 God, you would have would have asked. 65 00:03:53,120 --> 00:03:55,320 So what's he saying? If you would have made a request 66 00:03:55,320 --> 00:03:57,480 that you made a demand upon me? And guess what? 67 00:03:57,480 --> 00:04:01,480 She pressed in. So my context for you in 2024 is 68 00:04:01,480 --> 00:04:05,440 press in. These were theater seats at one 69 00:04:05,440 --> 00:04:06,800 time. But this isn't entertainment 70 00:04:06,800 --> 00:04:12,120 anymore. You are coming on Sundays not to 71 00:04:12,120 --> 00:04:18,399 be relaxed in your seat, but to get a download of instruction to 72 00:04:18,399 --> 00:04:21,440 equip you for your purpose in this vision. 73 00:04:23,800 --> 00:04:25,520 It shouldn't be. I left and that was a good 74 00:04:25,520 --> 00:04:28,000 sermon. It's a life changing message 75 00:04:28,000 --> 00:04:30,760 that fueled me for what God has in store for me. 76 00:04:31,200 --> 00:04:33,960 And we serve a great God who's got great things in store for 77 00:04:33,960 --> 00:04:38,320 his great people in 2024. Amen. 78 00:04:38,800 --> 00:04:41,480 But you got to draw. You got to draw. 79 00:04:43,200 --> 00:04:47,360 Listen, I I guarantee you whoever Pastor O has ministered 80 00:04:47,360 --> 00:04:50,200 in any layer of leadership at Anchor Faith Church, whatever 81 00:04:50,200 --> 00:04:52,080 assignments. He gave me an assignment this 82 00:04:52,080 --> 00:04:54,880 morning. We take this very seriously. 83 00:04:57,960 --> 00:05:04,600 We study, we pray. We seek God from from infants to 84 00:05:04,600 --> 00:05:06,040 elderly. Whatever we're doing in 85 00:05:06,040 --> 00:05:11,120 ministry, we want God there. But there can be a hindrance to 86 00:05:11,120 --> 00:05:14,520 what's being downloaded and parted if you're not drawing. 87 00:05:16,320 --> 00:05:19,520 Hello. So a lot of what's said. 88 00:05:19,520 --> 00:05:23,200 Guess there could be a pool, there could be a draw. 89 00:05:23,200 --> 00:05:26,000 That whatever you need, if you draw on the anointing, it can 90 00:05:26,000 --> 00:05:29,040 come to you today. But if you're going to sit there 91 00:05:30,720 --> 00:05:34,880 thinking about whatever else, you may not get much. 92 00:05:36,240 --> 00:05:38,080 Amen. But if you say, Lord, I want all 93 00:05:38,080 --> 00:05:40,960 that you have for me, God's going to speak to you today. 94 00:05:41,920 --> 00:05:44,360 Amen. So I want to talk to you about 95 00:05:44,360 --> 00:05:49,240 Kingdom and advancement today. Kingdom advancement and to be 96 00:05:49,240 --> 00:05:51,680 advancing in the Kingdom we need to know some in Christ 97 00:05:51,680 --> 00:05:54,160 realities. Amen. 98 00:05:55,920 --> 00:06:01,560 Our mode, our motto for Anchor Fay Church is always advancing, 99 00:06:02,200 --> 00:06:04,280 and there's some things that will hinder advancement in your 100 00:06:04,280 --> 00:06:06,280 life. We've already covered those 101 00:06:06,280 --> 00:06:08,560 doing the same thing you were doing last year that wasn't 102 00:06:08,560 --> 00:06:10,600 getting any results. That's a hindrance to your 103 00:06:10,600 --> 00:06:15,440 growth in God, right? How far do you want to go with 104 00:06:15,440 --> 00:06:17,200 God this year in advancing with him? 105 00:06:19,760 --> 00:06:21,840 The outcome is completely up to you. 106 00:06:23,000 --> 00:06:25,240 I want to start off in Matthew chapter 13. 107 00:06:27,240 --> 00:06:34,760 This is a parable that Jesus spoke, but it really sets the 108 00:06:34,760 --> 00:06:37,960 principle for everything the Word of God does in our life. 109 00:06:39,400 --> 00:06:41,960 You could say it's one of the parables of all the parables 110 00:06:41,960 --> 00:06:46,000 because in this we find how the word of God goes in operation 111 00:06:46,000 --> 00:06:48,720 and can be stalled out or hindered in our life, or can go 112 00:06:48,720 --> 00:06:51,960 on to produce, produce great things in the life of those that 113 00:06:51,960 --> 00:06:53,640 receive it, embrace it and do it. 114 00:06:54,840 --> 00:06:59,160 So in Matthew chapter 13, verse #1 it says on the same day Jesus 115 00:06:59,160 --> 00:07:02,600 went out of the house and sat by the sea, and great multitude 116 00:07:02,600 --> 00:07:06,080 were gathered together to him. So they got into a boat and sat, 117 00:07:06,080 --> 00:07:07,960 and the whole multitude stood on the shore. 118 00:07:08,520 --> 00:07:11,160 Then he spoke many things to them in parable saying, Behold, 119 00:07:11,800 --> 00:07:16,360 A sower went out to sow, and as he sowed some seed fell by the 120 00:07:16,360 --> 00:07:20,240 wayside. The birds came and devoured 121 00:07:20,240 --> 00:07:23,200 them. Some seed fell on Stony places 122 00:07:23,600 --> 00:07:25,920 where they did not have much earth, and they immediately 123 00:07:25,920 --> 00:07:28,600 sprang up because they had no depth of earth. 124 00:07:28,640 --> 00:07:31,920 But when the sun was up, they were scorched, and because they 125 00:07:31,920 --> 00:07:37,360 had no root, they withered away, And some seed fell among thorns, 126 00:07:37,800 --> 00:07:40,480 and the thorns sprung up and choked them. 127 00:07:41,440 --> 00:07:47,680 But other seed fell on good ground, and yielded A crop, some 128 00:07:48,480 --> 00:08:00,080 a hundredfold, some 60, some 30. He who has ears to hear, let him 129 00:08:00,600 --> 00:08:02,480 hear. And the disciples came and said 130 00:08:02,480 --> 00:08:05,080 to him, Why do you speak to them in parables? 131 00:08:05,080 --> 00:08:08,240 And Jesus answered and said to them, because it has been given 132 00:08:08,240 --> 00:08:13,080 to you to know the mysteries of the Kingdom of heaven, but to 133 00:08:13,080 --> 00:08:20,120 them it has not been given. For whoever has to him more will 134 00:08:20,120 --> 00:08:26,720 be given, and he will have abundance, but whoever does not 135 00:08:26,720 --> 00:08:31,120 have even what he has, will be taken away from him. 136 00:08:32,000 --> 00:08:35,360 Therefore I speak to them in parables, because seeing they do 137 00:08:35,360 --> 00:08:37,760 not see and hear, and they do not hear, nor do they 138 00:08:37,760 --> 00:08:39,799 understand. And then then the prophecy of 139 00:08:39,799 --> 00:08:43,720 Isaiah is fulfilled, which says, hearing, you will hear and shall 140 00:08:43,720 --> 00:08:46,880 not understand, seeing you will see and not perceive. 141 00:08:46,880 --> 00:08:50,640 For the hearts of this people have grown dull, and their ears 142 00:08:50,640 --> 00:08:54,360 are hard of hearing, and their eyes they have closed, lest they 143 00:08:54,360 --> 00:08:57,240 should see with their eyes and hear with their ears, unless 144 00:08:57,240 --> 00:09:00,160 they should understand with their hearts, and turn, so that 145 00:09:00,160 --> 00:09:05,280 I should heal them. Verse 16 But blessed are your 146 00:09:05,280 --> 00:09:08,200 eyes, for they see and your ears for they hear. 147 00:09:08,200 --> 00:09:10,800 For surely I say to you that many prophets and righteous men 148 00:09:10,800 --> 00:09:13,840 desire to see what you see, and did not see it, and to hear what 149 00:09:13,840 --> 00:09:19,320 you hear, but did not therefore hear what the parable of the 150 00:09:19,320 --> 00:09:21,040 sower says. When anyone hears the word of 151 00:09:21,040 --> 00:09:24,520 God in the Kingdom and does not understand it, then the wicked 152 00:09:24,520 --> 00:09:28,520 one comes and snatches away what was sown in his heart, that he 153 00:09:28,520 --> 00:09:31,800 who received the seed, that is, he who received the seed by the 154 00:09:31,800 --> 00:09:34,560 wayside. But he who received the seed on 155 00:09:34,560 --> 00:09:37,720 the Stony place is to see who hears the Word, and immediately 156 00:09:37,720 --> 00:09:40,840 receives it with joy. Yet he has no root in himself, 157 00:09:41,280 --> 00:09:43,520 and he endures only for a little while. 158 00:09:45,160 --> 00:09:50,680 When tribulation or persecution arises because of the Word, 159 00:09:51,600 --> 00:09:55,520 immediately he stumbles. Now he who receives seat among 160 00:09:55,520 --> 00:09:57,480 the thorns, He is He Who hears the Word. 161 00:09:57,880 --> 00:10:03,120 But the cares of the world and the deceitfulness of riches 162 00:10:03,560 --> 00:10:06,080 choke the Word, and it becomes unfruitful. 163 00:10:06,920 --> 00:10:10,160 But he who received the seat on good ground is He who hears the 164 00:10:10,160 --> 00:10:13,240 Word and understands it. And indeed he brings forth 165 00:10:13,240 --> 00:10:17,720 fruit, some 100, some 60, some 30. 166 00:10:17,720 --> 00:10:20,800 How far do you want to go with God in 2024? 167 00:10:22,200 --> 00:10:26,320 Some of you are going to. Bring forth fruit. 168 00:10:27,040 --> 00:10:29,360 The question is how much fruit do you want to bring forth? 169 00:10:30,000 --> 00:10:33,800 You want to be a 30 fold Christian, a 60 fold Christian 170 00:10:33,800 --> 00:10:40,880 or 100 fold Christian. Now listen, if you do statistics 171 00:10:40,880 --> 00:10:44,280 on this when the seed is sown, 4 things happen. 172 00:10:45,560 --> 00:10:47,640 Only one of those is the result of the devil. 173 00:10:49,400 --> 00:10:53,400 We could say 25% of an unsuccessful, unsuccessful 174 00:10:53,400 --> 00:10:55,280 Christian life is because of the devil. 175 00:10:59,800 --> 00:11:02,160 Two other things, and we'll say this the culture. 176 00:11:02,160 --> 00:11:06,160 Say culture is the culprit. Say it again. 177 00:11:06,160 --> 00:11:11,520 Culture is the culprit. Two of those things, one had no. 178 00:11:11,520 --> 00:11:17,760 What fertile ground? It was shallow, that's why I 179 00:11:17,760 --> 00:11:23,920 said you got to be all in. You got to be all in, You got to 180 00:11:23,920 --> 00:11:26,560 press in, the other one says. Guess what? 181 00:11:26,560 --> 00:11:29,320 The deceitfulness of riches and the cares of life. 182 00:11:29,840 --> 00:11:33,800 So statistically, 50% of unsuccessful Christian life is 183 00:11:33,800 --> 00:11:36,600 because of the culture that were around. 184 00:11:36,600 --> 00:11:39,480 You know, when the Israelites came out of Egypt through the 185 00:11:39,480 --> 00:11:42,280 wilderness to come in a Canaan land, God said to destroy the 186 00:11:42,280 --> 00:11:45,760 nations around you, lest you're given to their culture. 187 00:11:47,400 --> 00:11:50,760 You can get sucked in to the way that the world does things and 188 00:11:50,760 --> 00:11:55,240 myths with all that God has in store for you in 2024, but thank 189 00:11:55,240 --> 00:11:59,360 God there's some. And I pray we have a good amount 190 00:11:59,360 --> 00:12:03,600 of some at Anchor Faith Church. I pray we have a good amount of 191 00:12:03,600 --> 00:12:08,240 some at Anchor Faith Church that says Lord break up the fertile 192 00:12:08,240 --> 00:12:11,200 to the ground that that's hard and just break it up. 193 00:12:11,200 --> 00:12:13,560 I want to have reception of the word of God. 194 00:12:13,560 --> 00:12:17,400 Get the stones get the rocks get the weeds out of the way Father. 195 00:12:17,600 --> 00:12:20,560 And I want your seed implanted and impregnated in my. 196 00:12:20,560 --> 00:12:24,280 Heart because I want to bring forth fruit this year and some 197 00:12:24,280 --> 00:12:29,040 are going to bring 30, some are going to bring 60 this year and 198 00:12:29,040 --> 00:12:31,800 some are going to bring 100 where? 199 00:12:31,800 --> 00:12:35,840 Are you in that statistic? Hallelujah. 200 00:12:36,840 --> 00:12:40,360 Are you going to do the things necessary to bring forth fruit 201 00:12:40,360 --> 00:12:42,360 as a hundredfold Christian this year? 202 00:12:43,800 --> 00:12:45,640 So the Kingdom is always advancing. 203 00:12:45,640 --> 00:12:48,640 The question is, are you advancing with what God is doing 204 00:12:49,080 --> 00:12:50,480 through this vision and body and anchor? 205 00:12:50,480 --> 00:12:53,720 Faith. Church and Acts, Chapter 20, 206 00:12:54,520 --> 00:12:56,840 verse #24. This is the Apostle Paul. 207 00:12:57,800 --> 00:12:59,880 And I'm. I had the opportunity to do a 208 00:12:59,880 --> 00:13:06,360 funeral on Friday, and obviously, we see the end of one 209 00:13:06,360 --> 00:13:11,080 life at that funeral. You know, death does not scare 210 00:13:11,080 --> 00:13:15,280 me. I say death, You're dead. 211 00:13:19,640 --> 00:13:22,960 Why'd I say that? Because I'm in Christ. 212 00:13:22,960 --> 00:13:23,400 Yes. Hallelujah. 213 00:13:25,160 --> 00:13:26,800 So I'm not waiting for eternal life. 214 00:13:26,800 --> 00:13:30,120 I have eternal life right now. So death. 215 00:13:30,120 --> 00:13:31,280 Guess what? You're dead. 216 00:13:34,040 --> 00:13:37,400 But you know, this person obviously lived out their life, 217 00:13:37,840 --> 00:13:41,960 and there's an obituary describing the reputation, the 218 00:13:41,960 --> 00:13:43,560 character, and the worth of this life. 219 00:13:44,920 --> 00:13:48,120 I bring that up because the next example I'm giving you is just a 220 00:13:48,120 --> 00:13:50,640 big picture summary. You know, at some point there is 221 00:13:50,640 --> 00:13:54,760 going to be death in the sense of you're going to separate from 222 00:13:54,760 --> 00:13:55,960 this physical. Body. 223 00:13:56,720 --> 00:13:58,800 Your spirit Man's already alive eternally. 224 00:13:59,160 --> 00:14:01,560 The Bible says to be absent from the bodies. 225 00:14:01,560 --> 00:14:03,840 To be what? Present with the Lord. 226 00:14:03,840 --> 00:14:06,680 You know I have a lot of eternal life right now in my spirit. 227 00:14:07,240 --> 00:14:13,480 But if this body passes away, which it will, it says this 228 00:14:13,480 --> 00:14:16,120 corruption must put on what incorruption? 229 00:14:16,440 --> 00:14:20,520 Corruption means I'm subject to death, decay and will die. 230 00:14:21,200 --> 00:14:24,440 Incorruptions means I'm not subject to death, decay and will 231 00:14:24,440 --> 00:14:28,560 not die. So my spirit man is immortal. 232 00:14:28,720 --> 00:14:32,200 It's not subject to death. Decay or will die, Paul said. 233 00:14:32,200 --> 00:14:34,920 This outward man is perishing, yet this inward man's being what 234 00:14:35,120 --> 00:14:37,440 renewed day by day. Amen. 235 00:14:37,440 --> 00:14:42,080 Amen. So this obituary point out the, 236 00:14:42,120 --> 00:14:44,920 the worth, the character, the life of this individual. 237 00:14:45,720 --> 00:14:48,040 But it gives you, you know, it's a it's a sombering moment at 238 00:14:48,040 --> 00:14:51,720 that point because you realize that there is going to be a 239 00:14:51,720 --> 00:14:55,120 point if the Lord does not return, that you're physically 240 00:14:55,120 --> 00:14:57,720 this body's going to wear out. Amen. 241 00:14:57,720 --> 00:15:01,040 I pray cancer doesn't take you out. 242 00:15:02,120 --> 00:15:04,240 I pray you live the fullness of your days. 243 00:15:05,760 --> 00:15:08,160 Do you know it's God's will for you to live the fullness of your 244 00:15:08,160 --> 00:15:13,640 days? There is no reason that you have 245 00:15:13,640 --> 00:15:15,880 to be taken out by illness or disease. 246 00:15:17,480 --> 00:15:20,520 Now your life may not have the duration of others, because you 247 00:15:20,520 --> 00:15:22,040 may be a martyr for. Christ. 248 00:15:22,280 --> 00:15:24,880 But you still fulfilled the will of God in health and wholeness. 249 00:15:27,880 --> 00:15:31,440 Amen. And that there are the The Bible 250 00:15:31,440 --> 00:15:33,480 says in Proverbs the curse Causeless does not come. 251 00:15:33,480 --> 00:15:36,560 Meaning there's a cause for the curse, and we're going to look 252 00:15:36,560 --> 00:15:37,960 at one in Christ's reality today. 253 00:15:37,960 --> 00:15:45,640 It's going to set you up for 2024 to move some mountains. 254 00:15:45,880 --> 00:15:47,080 Are you ready for mountains to be? 255 00:15:47,080 --> 00:15:51,040 Moved, but I want to go to Paul's. 256 00:15:51,040 --> 00:15:52,840 I'm not. He's still alive, so it's not as 257 00:15:52,840 --> 00:15:57,160 obituary, but it is his near end of life's statement. 258 00:15:57,160 --> 00:16:01,360 As he's fulfilling his ministry. He gets a word as he's on his 259 00:16:01,360 --> 00:16:04,680 missionary journeys that there's going to be persecution, there's 260 00:16:04,680 --> 00:16:06,280 going to be tribulation. But guess what? 261 00:16:06,520 --> 00:16:10,560 He's not that one statistic. That tribulation of persecution 262 00:16:10,760 --> 00:16:12,720 is going to get him off the will or plan of God. 263 00:16:12,960 --> 00:16:16,640 He was determined, resolved and firm that I'm going to complete 264 00:16:16,640 --> 00:16:19,760 God's plan for my life. And the and the word of God said 265 00:16:19,760 --> 00:16:22,240 when you go these towns, there's going to be, it's going to be 266 00:16:22,240 --> 00:16:27,120 hard outwardly. But you know what Paul said 267 00:16:27,120 --> 00:16:30,400 about that In Acts 2024? He said None of these things 268 00:16:30,400 --> 00:16:34,000 move me, nor do I count my life dear to myself so that I may 269 00:16:34,000 --> 00:16:40,360 finish my race with joy and the ministry which I received from 270 00:16:40,360 --> 00:16:44,960 the Lord Jesus to testify to the gospel of the grace of God. 271 00:16:46,080 --> 00:16:48,640 There's a race that we need to finish with joy. 272 00:16:49,880 --> 00:16:52,320 There's a race that God has assigned to you that you need to 273 00:16:52,320 --> 00:16:57,640 finish with joy. Not sadness, not depression, not 274 00:16:57,880 --> 00:17:00,200 well. I barely got along and 275 00:17:00,280 --> 00:17:01,400 completed. No, God said. 276 00:17:01,400 --> 00:17:03,680 You're going to live out the fullness of your days, and 277 00:17:03,680 --> 00:17:07,680 you're going to fulfill the ministry if you surrender and 278 00:17:07,680 --> 00:17:12,240 submit to His will. In Hebrews chapter 12, verse #1, 279 00:17:12,240 --> 00:17:14,160 the passion translation says this. 280 00:17:14,760 --> 00:17:19,680 As for us, we have all these great witnesses who encircle us 281 00:17:19,680 --> 00:17:23,839 like clouds, so we must let go of every wound. 282 00:17:24,720 --> 00:17:28,640 That is pierced us in the sin we so easily fall into. 283 00:17:28,760 --> 00:17:32,760 Then we will be able to run life's marathon race with 284 00:17:32,760 --> 00:17:37,960 passion and determination, for the path has already been marked 285 00:17:37,960 --> 00:17:43,320 out before us. Hebrews 12 is referring back to 286 00:17:43,320 --> 00:17:47,440 Hebrews 11 about this Great Hall of fame of faith, all these men 287 00:17:47,440 --> 00:17:49,800 and women of God that did great exploits for the Kingdom. 288 00:17:50,080 --> 00:17:52,960 But he's saying As for you, there's a a race before you. 289 00:17:53,320 --> 00:17:55,240 It's not a Sprint, it's a marathon. 290 00:17:58,240 --> 00:18:02,560 But you got to throw off some stuff, get some mountains out of 291 00:18:02,560 --> 00:18:02,880 your. Way. 292 00:18:02,880 --> 00:18:05,320 So what? You can fulfill the course and 293 00:18:05,320 --> 00:18:10,440 the plan that God has for you. So let's go to Ephesians chapter 294 00:18:10,440 --> 00:18:14,800 one. To advance in your race with 295 00:18:14,800 --> 00:18:17,720 Christ, you need to know some in Christ realities. 296 00:18:17,720 --> 00:18:20,040 What does in Christ realities mean? 297 00:18:22,000 --> 00:18:27,640 I don't watch much at all secular TV shows. 298 00:18:29,760 --> 00:18:33,000 Matter of fact we were with some friends and family in in 299 00:18:33,640 --> 00:18:36,400 Oklahoma and one of them and said hey, have you ever seen the 300 00:18:36,400 --> 00:18:37,600 office? I said no. 301 00:18:40,840 --> 00:18:48,080 I go to an office on Mondays, but but in these TV shows, they 302 00:18:48,080 --> 00:18:51,960 have what they call reality TV shows. 303 00:18:52,520 --> 00:18:54,200 Let me say this. Truth and reality are 304 00:18:54,200 --> 00:18:57,440 synonymous. And these reality shows are not 305 00:18:57,440 --> 00:19:03,840 reality. They're drama Mamas in front of 306 00:19:03,840 --> 00:19:09,720 the camera, they put on a. Show It's really reality is not 307 00:19:09,720 --> 00:19:12,360 a matter of show. Reality is an actual being or 308 00:19:12,360 --> 00:19:16,320 existence of anything. Reality is truth. 309 00:19:17,680 --> 00:19:20,760 Reality is something intrinsically important. 310 00:19:22,320 --> 00:19:24,000 We don't want to live in fantasy land. 311 00:19:25,200 --> 00:19:28,840 As believers, we have hope. We have the word of God. 312 00:19:28,840 --> 00:19:31,520 But we're not living in fantasy land. 313 00:19:32,280 --> 00:19:34,800 We're not living in unrealities. We want truth. 314 00:19:35,360 --> 00:19:37,840 Something that's intrinsically important, right? 315 00:19:38,200 --> 00:19:39,880 So these are in Christ realities. 316 00:19:40,240 --> 00:19:43,720 What does that mean? When you're born again, your 317 00:19:43,720 --> 00:19:47,200 spirit man, which was separated from God, becomes a new creature 318 00:19:47,200 --> 00:19:49,920 in Christ Jesus. The Bible says old things have 319 00:19:49,920 --> 00:19:52,000 passed away. All things have become new. 320 00:19:52,000 --> 00:19:55,000 So now I enter into a living, vital relationship with Jesus 321 00:19:55,000 --> 00:19:57,680 Christ. But just 'cause you're in that 322 00:19:57,680 --> 00:19:59,880 relationship, are you actually in Christ? 323 00:20:01,040 --> 00:20:03,920 I'll put it this way when you get married to your spouse. 324 00:20:04,560 --> 00:20:07,880 You enter into a relationship, but you realize there's a legal 325 00:20:07,880 --> 00:20:10,120 side to that and there's a vital side to that. 326 00:20:11,880 --> 00:20:17,240 Legally, you went through the ceremony before an ordained 327 00:20:17,240 --> 00:20:22,600 minister for those of you that are believers and in front of 328 00:20:22,600 --> 00:20:26,640 witnesses and family and friends through the ordained. 329 00:20:26,640 --> 00:20:30,160 Minister words are spoken, a covenant is made, and legally on 330 00:20:30,160 --> 00:20:34,160 paper before the Kingdom and then civilly right through Saint 331 00:20:34,160 --> 00:20:35,520 Johns County. If that's the county you got 332 00:20:35,520 --> 00:20:38,400 married and it's recognized legally, right? 333 00:20:38,760 --> 00:20:40,680 But you realize that that doesn't mean it. 334 00:20:40,680 --> 00:20:45,880 Makes a house a home. There's a vital side. 335 00:20:46,640 --> 00:20:52,520 Vitality means life to actually enjoy the legal side. 336 00:20:52,520 --> 00:20:55,080 Of the marriage covenant are you with me? 337 00:20:55,720 --> 00:20:58,440 So I legally could be married, but my marriage is in shambles 338 00:20:58,440 --> 00:21:00,560 because I don't have vitality or life in it. 339 00:21:01,320 --> 00:21:07,520 Maybe you're not in Christ, and what what I say in Christ is 340 00:21:08,120 --> 00:21:12,200 you're born again, but you realize you have a soul and a 341 00:21:12,200 --> 00:21:17,320 body. 1st Thessalonians 5 says that that your whole spirit, 342 00:21:17,320 --> 00:21:19,520 soul and body be preserved blameless until the coming of 343 00:21:19,520 --> 00:21:22,000 Lord Jesus Christ. So you are a spirit. 344 00:21:22,000 --> 00:21:23,760 You have a soul. What's your soul, your mind, 345 00:21:23,760 --> 00:21:26,160 your will, and your emotions? When you become a new creature 346 00:21:26,160 --> 00:21:27,880 in Christ, guess what? Your mind, your will, and your 347 00:21:27,880 --> 00:21:31,360 emotions don't change like that. And guess what? 348 00:21:31,360 --> 00:21:34,480 Your flesh does not change quickly. 349 00:21:36,480 --> 00:21:38,760 What do you do when you're training up a little baby the 350 00:21:38,760 --> 00:21:43,160 right way? If they're reaching for the 351 00:21:43,160 --> 00:21:46,160 outlet, this is what we did. We would say no. 352 00:21:48,320 --> 00:21:50,280 If they continue to reach for the outlet, guess what? 353 00:21:51,040 --> 00:21:55,280 Put your seatbelts on. We would smack their hand. 354 00:21:57,360 --> 00:22:02,800 Say that's good parenting, not good parenting is. 355 00:22:02,800 --> 00:22:07,960 Oh, that's cute. No, because I don't want my baby 356 00:22:07,960 --> 00:22:12,560 getting shocked. So guess what God does when you 357 00:22:12,560 --> 00:22:15,200 get born again, He's going to tell you no to some things. 358 00:22:15,200 --> 00:22:18,400 Don't do that. Then you may get some words from 359 00:22:18,400 --> 00:22:20,600 the pulpit and you feel like you got your hand slapped. 360 00:22:22,720 --> 00:22:29,000 Say Hallelujah. Say God loves me so much He will 361 00:22:29,000 --> 00:22:32,440 tell me no and give me a little spanking. 362 00:22:35,600 --> 00:22:41,280 Hallelujah. Just smile, Amen, Amen. 363 00:22:42,720 --> 00:22:48,880 So the word in in means this. It's a preposition that denotes 364 00:22:48,880 --> 00:22:54,800 a fixed position in place, time or state. 365 00:22:56,560 --> 00:22:58,320 That's what the Greek definition of it is. 366 00:22:58,320 --> 00:23:02,440 The Merriam Webster says in defines a as a function word, 367 00:23:03,240 --> 00:23:08,040 not passive, functional to indicate a position or a 368 00:23:08,040 --> 00:23:11,720 location. So my challenge for you as we 369 00:23:11,720 --> 00:23:17,280 enter, come out of 2023 into 2024, are you going to be in the 370 00:23:17,280 --> 00:23:23,160 vital side, not just the legal side, but the vital side of your 371 00:23:23,160 --> 00:23:29,320 walk with God for this year? That means I'm not moved. 372 00:23:29,320 --> 00:23:34,240 I'm firm, I'm resolved. I'm determined to stay in. 373 00:23:38,080 --> 00:23:39,560 I'm not going to be moved, Paul said. 374 00:23:39,560 --> 00:23:45,040 None of these things move me. I'm not going to be moved out of 375 00:23:45,040 --> 00:23:49,880 position. I'm going to stay vitally in 376 00:23:49,880 --> 00:23:52,080 him. When I go to church, I'm going 377 00:23:52,080 --> 00:23:56,200 to be all in. I'm not just going to wait for 378 00:23:56,200 --> 00:23:58,520 this sermon. Pastoral says it like this. 379 00:23:58,520 --> 00:24:00,680 The first sermon you get on Sundays. 380 00:24:02,640 --> 00:24:06,640 Really, let me We should back up to 930 corporate prayer and be 381 00:24:06,640 --> 00:24:14,760 all in not just the legal side. I did my duty, but I'm coming in 382 00:24:14,760 --> 00:24:19,960 to receive and to participate. But he said the first sermon is 383 00:24:19,960 --> 00:24:22,920 actually worship. A lot of us sometimes are 384 00:24:22,920 --> 00:24:25,880 waiting for it to get over so the sermon can start. 385 00:24:27,080 --> 00:24:32,000 But you need to be what all in, in every phase of service be all 386 00:24:32,000 --> 00:24:37,200 in, in your devotional reading. For those of you that listen on 387 00:24:37,200 --> 00:24:39,480 audio, I'm going to spank your hand right now. 388 00:24:42,000 --> 00:24:46,040 You get so busy Hallelujah because I'm guilty of this too. 389 00:24:47,640 --> 00:24:49,560 Doing things. You don't really receive 390 00:24:49,560 --> 00:24:52,960 everything that's being said because you're doing something 391 00:24:52,960 --> 00:24:57,160 else when the narration is going on. 392 00:24:58,200 --> 00:25:01,960 Hallelujah. But be all in when you do your 393 00:25:01,960 --> 00:25:07,160 devotional reading Hosea chapter 4 verse number let me actually I 394 00:25:07,160 --> 00:25:08,920 want to go to Ephesians chapter one. 395 00:25:13,280 --> 00:25:20,840 This is 23 verses I'm going to give you this and the word in in 396 00:25:20,840 --> 00:25:24,640 the New Testament is mentioned over 2700 times. 397 00:25:26,400 --> 00:25:29,720 So do you think it's important to be in Christ? 398 00:25:30,320 --> 00:25:32,440 Absolutely. I just want to point out some 399 00:25:32,440 --> 00:25:35,040 highlights because I want to really quicken you or challenge 400 00:25:35,040 --> 00:25:36,720 you as you're reading the Bible this year. 401 00:25:36,720 --> 00:25:40,480 Look for that term in because we're talking about in Christ 402 00:25:40,480 --> 00:25:44,520 realities or being in truth or being in something important 403 00:25:44,520 --> 00:25:47,240 that's going to break you out of the routine or the mountain 404 00:25:47,240 --> 00:25:50,560 you're facing so you can go on to fulfill the plan that God has 405 00:25:50,560 --> 00:25:53,680 for you. So Ephesians, chapter one man, 406 00:25:53,680 --> 00:25:55,320 he talks. I'm just going to highlight some 407 00:25:55,320 --> 00:25:59,200 of the things he talks about being in Christ in and verse one 408 00:25:59,200 --> 00:26:02,120 he says we're faithful in Christ. 409 00:26:02,760 --> 00:26:07,600 Verse three says we're blessed in heavenly places in Christ. 410 00:26:08,400 --> 00:26:13,040 Verse four says we're chosen in him before the foundation of the 411 00:26:13,040 --> 00:26:17,840 world, that we should be holy and blameless in love. 412 00:26:19,880 --> 00:26:23,320 Verse six says we're accepted in Him. 413 00:26:24,440 --> 00:26:28,120 Verse 7 says we're redeemed in Him. 414 00:26:30,240 --> 00:26:34,120 Verse 8 says we abound in wisdom and prudence in him. 415 00:26:35,200 --> 00:26:38,640 Verse 9 says there's a purpose in him. 416 00:26:39,360 --> 00:26:43,000 Verse 10 talks about the fullness in him or the 417 00:26:43,000 --> 00:26:45,040 dispensation of the fullness of times. 418 00:26:45,680 --> 00:26:50,480 Verse 11 says we have an inheritance in him. 419 00:26:51,240 --> 00:26:56,080 Verse 13 says it's in Him we trusted and in Him we are 420 00:26:56,080 --> 00:27:02,000 sealed. Verse 15 says we have faith in 421 00:27:02,400 --> 00:27:06,800 Him. Verse 16 says we pray in Him. 422 00:27:06,800 --> 00:27:11,440 Verse 17 says there's wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of 423 00:27:11,440 --> 00:27:14,800 him. Verse 18 says there's an 424 00:27:14,800 --> 00:27:21,520 inheritance again in him. Verse 23 says he fills all in. 425 00:27:21,960 --> 00:27:27,520 All that's just one chapter of in him realities. 426 00:27:29,040 --> 00:27:31,400 So as you're reading here's a good goal. 427 00:27:31,400 --> 00:27:36,840 We need goals going in 2024. Look for those in Him realities. 428 00:27:38,320 --> 00:27:41,680 The Holy Spirit will quicken what you need in this season of 429 00:27:41,680 --> 00:27:44,440 your life. There's so many wonderful and 430 00:27:44,440 --> 00:27:47,200 precious promises and truths in the word of God. 431 00:27:47,600 --> 00:27:51,240 He will speak to you about what you need to be in vitally to see 432 00:27:51,240 --> 00:27:54,480 breakthrough this year and fulfill the plan that God has 433 00:27:54,480 --> 00:28:00,080 for you. Hosea, Chapter 4, verse #6 says 434 00:28:00,080 --> 00:28:02,440 this. My people are destroyed from a 435 00:28:02,440 --> 00:28:07,320 lack of knowledge because you have rejected knowledge. 436 00:28:07,320 --> 00:28:10,680 I will also reject you as my priest because you've ignored 437 00:28:11,040 --> 00:28:13,120 the law of God. I will also ignore your 438 00:28:13,120 --> 00:28:16,320 children. What is it that you don't know 439 00:28:16,320 --> 00:28:18,440 that you're not in that's hindering you? 440 00:28:19,440 --> 00:28:23,160 What is it that you don't know that you're not in that's 441 00:28:23,160 --> 00:28:29,400 hindering you? What are you not have the 442 00:28:29,400 --> 00:28:32,400 knowledge of that you're not in that's hindering your race? 443 00:28:35,360 --> 00:28:38,120 His people what destroy destroyed for a lack of 444 00:28:38,440 --> 00:28:44,080 knowledge. In in Luke Chapter 11, verse 445 00:28:44,080 --> 00:28:51,800 #52, Jesus says this woe to you experts in the law, because 446 00:28:51,800 --> 00:28:55,800 you've taken away the key to knowledge. 447 00:28:56,800 --> 00:29:05,200 You yourselves have not entered, and you have hindered those who 448 00:29:05,200 --> 00:29:11,040 were entering. What is it that you're don't 449 00:29:11,040 --> 00:29:16,320 know about God that you're not in that's hindering the race for 450 00:29:16,320 --> 00:29:18,920 you? They took away the key of 451 00:29:18,920 --> 00:29:24,440 Knowledge, these religious people, and it kept them out, 452 00:29:24,480 --> 00:29:28,360 but it kept others out. So ignorance will keep you in 453 00:29:28,360 --> 00:29:30,760 darkness, which will keep you in bondage. 454 00:29:35,560 --> 00:29:41,520 Hallelujah. There are dumb Christians. 455 00:29:46,680 --> 00:29:49,360 Hallelujah. I don't mean that derogatory. 456 00:29:50,880 --> 00:29:54,120 I don't mean that to slam anybody, but I say that to 457 00:29:54,120 --> 00:29:55,800 encourage you to get an education. 458 00:29:59,760 --> 00:30:07,160 Hallelujah. There are dumb Christians you 459 00:30:07,160 --> 00:30:08,640 can come out of stupidity. Hallelujah. 460 00:30:10,600 --> 00:30:11,600 Hallelujah. Sorry. 461 00:30:11,600 --> 00:30:13,720 I'm thinking of Reverend John George right now. 462 00:30:13,720 --> 00:30:17,920 If you've ever experienced his ministry with us at Anchor Faith 463 00:30:17,920 --> 00:30:22,040 Church, I forget exactly how to say that's two kinds of stupid. 464 00:30:22,040 --> 00:30:24,920 Or he has a saying about stupidity. 465 00:30:26,120 --> 00:30:28,280 But guess what? God wants you to come out of 466 00:30:29,480 --> 00:30:32,960 ignorance. Ignorance is an absence of 467 00:30:32,960 --> 00:30:39,520 knowledge. Listen, foolishness is you don't 468 00:30:39,520 --> 00:30:43,200 want to learn. Ignorance is you don't know. 469 00:30:45,680 --> 00:30:47,560 So the Bible. Talks some proverbs about 470 00:30:47,560 --> 00:30:49,400 scorners, those that make fun of truth. 471 00:30:51,200 --> 00:30:53,840 Foolish people, those that don't want to learn. 472 00:30:54,680 --> 00:30:57,080 One verse in prover says you're stupid if you don't want to 473 00:30:57,080 --> 00:31:00,000 learn. Titus Clay quoted it to me when 474 00:31:00,000 --> 00:31:01,760 we're serving in kids a couple years ago. 475 00:31:05,480 --> 00:31:07,240 But ignorance means there's an absent of truth. 476 00:31:07,240 --> 00:31:10,760 So what do you need to know this year in Christ to have 477 00:31:10,760 --> 00:31:12,920 breakthrough and have a fresh season? 478 00:31:13,480 --> 00:31:17,040 The keyword in Luke 1152 is you want to enter in. 479 00:31:17,040 --> 00:31:18,600 That's. And I didn't even realize when I 480 00:31:18,600 --> 00:31:21,640 read this verse and I got an impression or an inspiration to 481 00:31:21,640 --> 00:31:23,320 my spirit. When Pastor Marcos is leading us 482 00:31:23,320 --> 00:31:25,560 in worship, not everybody's entering in. 483 00:31:28,960 --> 00:31:30,960 So you need to enter in. There's some things you need to 484 00:31:30,960 --> 00:31:33,600 know in order to enter in. Now I want to look at one in 485 00:31:33,600 --> 00:31:37,080 Christ's reality that's really going to help launch you in a 486 00:31:37,080 --> 00:31:41,800 2024. So this is examination time. 487 00:31:43,880 --> 00:31:47,560 This is a serious time, a somber time for evaluation. 488 00:31:47,560 --> 00:31:52,480 You know, at work for those that work for a company, guess what 489 00:31:52,480 --> 00:31:57,600 they do? They do annual evaluations to 490 00:31:57,600 --> 00:31:59,920 meet your job description. Right? 491 00:32:00,320 --> 00:32:02,200 Evaluate what's a job description. 492 00:32:02,200 --> 00:32:04,600 This is what you're supposed to be doing when we hired you on. 493 00:32:05,960 --> 00:32:07,680 And guess what? There's usually a scale, whether 494 00:32:07,680 --> 00:32:12,160 one through 5, one through 10, you know, satisfactory. 495 00:32:12,160 --> 00:32:14,240 Unsatisfactory needs improvement. 496 00:32:16,520 --> 00:32:18,800 So I'm asking you to evaluate your life. 497 00:32:20,320 --> 00:32:22,400 Hey man, there's and guess what about there's a two way 498 00:32:22,400 --> 00:32:24,800 conversation with God and an evaluation. 499 00:32:24,800 --> 00:32:27,160 Guess what? You get to give some input back. 500 00:32:27,160 --> 00:32:31,280 As the employee, you know God doesn't mind you asking them 501 00:32:31,280 --> 00:32:34,920 questions now he'll give you the answer. 502 00:32:34,920 --> 00:32:37,040 It's now. Don't be foolish and not receive 503 00:32:38,200 --> 00:32:40,920 what he said because that's going to keep you in the same 504 00:32:41,120 --> 00:32:42,880 God, how do I get out of the situation? 505 00:32:44,080 --> 00:32:50,240 Oh, you need to serve your wife. Nah, so stay in the same boat in 506 00:32:50,240 --> 00:32:54,080 2024. Or do you want to breakthrough? 507 00:32:54,640 --> 00:32:57,400 Do you want to enter in to all that God has for you? 508 00:32:57,600 --> 00:33:01,400 So as I'm going over this one in Christ reality, I want you to 509 00:33:01,400 --> 00:33:06,680 really evaluate, Lord, where do I fit in at or how does this 510 00:33:06,680 --> 00:33:11,680 speak to me or in what areas maybe is this hindering my 511 00:33:11,680 --> 00:33:17,280 advancement? Now listen, there's blatant sin, 512 00:33:17,280 --> 00:33:20,360 sins of Commission, right? We talk about pornography, drug 513 00:33:20,360 --> 00:33:22,680 addiction, spousal abuse, that kind of stuff. 514 00:33:22,920 --> 00:33:25,360 But there's also sins of omission. 515 00:33:25,360 --> 00:33:27,400 You just know what to do, but you're not doing it. 516 00:33:29,680 --> 00:33:32,920 And so when I say evaluation, it's not that you're in some 517 00:33:32,920 --> 00:33:38,400 blatant sin, but it's oh, I just need to tweak that. 518 00:33:39,880 --> 00:33:43,000 That's all I had to do. And all of a sudden bam, what we 519 00:33:43,000 --> 00:33:49,440 call breakthrough because you surrender and you submit to what 520 00:33:49,440 --> 00:33:55,000 God's saying about being in him. So I want to open up with Luke, 521 00:33:56,800 --> 00:34:04,680 Chapter 17 verses one through 5. The Bible says this. 522 00:34:05,240 --> 00:34:09,040 This is Jesus speaking to his disciples. 523 00:34:10,600 --> 00:34:15,000 Let me say that again. This is Jesus speaking to his 524 00:34:15,000 --> 00:34:16,600 disciples. Let me ask you this question. 525 00:34:16,600 --> 00:34:20,560 Are you a disciple of Jesus Christ? 526 00:34:21,040 --> 00:34:24,480 Raise your hand real proud. If you're a disciple of Jesus 527 00:34:24,480 --> 00:34:27,560 Christ, I'll raise it because I'm sweating. 528 00:34:32,040 --> 00:34:34,040 I had to shed my coat. I was like, it's cold outside 529 00:34:34,040 --> 00:34:35,320 and all the put my have my coat on. 530 00:34:35,320 --> 00:34:40,600 All of a sudden it's I'm hot. So he's speaking to who? 531 00:34:41,760 --> 00:34:44,679 Us. Now listen to what he says. 532 00:34:45,480 --> 00:34:47,239 Are all things possible with God. 533 00:34:48,199 --> 00:34:50,120 But listen what Jesus says about this. 534 00:34:50,400 --> 00:35:00,920 It's impossible that no offenses should come, but woe to him 535 00:35:01,560 --> 00:35:05,720 through whom the offensive come. It would be better for him, if a 536 00:35:05,720 --> 00:35:08,680 Millston were hung around his neck and he were thrown into the 537 00:35:08,680 --> 00:35:11,800 sea, that he should offend one of these little ones. 538 00:35:11,800 --> 00:35:18,240 Take heed to yourself. If your brother sins against 539 00:35:18,240 --> 00:35:21,680 you, rebuke him, and if he repents, forgive him. 540 00:35:22,400 --> 00:35:26,880 If he get sins against you seven times a day, and seven times in 541 00:35:26,880 --> 00:35:37,040 a day returns saying, I repent, you shall forgive him, the 542 00:35:37,040 --> 00:35:43,880 apostles said, Lord, increase our faith. 543 00:35:48,800 --> 00:35:53,800 Hallelujah, they said, increase. You better add what you're 544 00:35:53,800 --> 00:35:56,680 asking me to do. You better put some. 545 00:35:56,680 --> 00:36:00,840 More in me. Because this seems like a 546 00:36:00,840 --> 00:36:08,120 difficult saying. All things are possible with 547 00:36:08,160 --> 00:36:11,400 God, but Jesus said it's impossible. 548 00:36:13,280 --> 00:36:20,240 Offenses will come. Impossible means it can't be 549 00:36:20,240 --> 00:36:21,560 undone. It can't be changed. 550 00:36:21,560 --> 00:36:25,720 It can't be altered. It's going to happen, right? 551 00:36:29,800 --> 00:36:36,840 Listen, I like Peter and all of this sanguinish because he was 552 00:36:36,840 --> 00:36:40,720 all in. Jesus said when he went to wash 553 00:36:40,720 --> 00:36:46,720 their feet, Peter's like, no, Lord, don't do it to me. 554 00:36:47,360 --> 00:36:50,160 He said if you if I don't do this, you have no part with me. 555 00:36:50,520 --> 00:36:52,320 So Jesus said, Lord, give me a whole bath. 556 00:36:55,720 --> 00:37:00,960 Wash everything Lord. So I can see Peter talking to 557 00:37:01,000 --> 00:37:04,080 Jesus when because we get the we get this account in Luke, but in 558 00:37:04,080 --> 00:37:06,160 Matthew we get Peter side of the story. 559 00:37:07,600 --> 00:37:11,440 So I can just see Peter in all of the sanguinness talking to 560 00:37:11,440 --> 00:37:13,880 Jesus about this because he was all in. 561 00:37:13,880 --> 00:37:17,680 He's the one that was in the boat and he said, Lord if that's 562 00:37:17,680 --> 00:37:24,800 you bid me to what come you know out of 12 disciples he's the 563 00:37:24,800 --> 00:37:29,320 only one that was all in. He said I want to do something 564 00:37:29,320 --> 00:37:33,680 impossible in 2024. Well and that day. 565 00:37:36,400 --> 00:37:47,760 So Peter in Matthew chapter 18 he says this about this account. 566 00:37:50,040 --> 00:37:53,040 Peter came and said, Lord, I could see him pulling him aside 567 00:37:53,040 --> 00:37:58,120 and say Jesus, I just when you said if he comes seven times a 568 00:37:58,120 --> 00:38:01,040 day, I got to forgive him seven times a day. 569 00:38:01,040 --> 00:38:06,880 Let me talk to you about this Jesus, He said Lord, how often 570 00:38:08,520 --> 00:38:10,520 if my brother sins against me should I forgive him? 571 00:38:11,480 --> 00:38:13,640 Jesus answered. Peter said up to seven times. 572 00:38:14,720 --> 00:38:16,400 Jesus said I did not say up to seven. 573 00:38:17,440 --> 00:38:21,800 I say up to 70 * 7. Peter's mind was blown. 574 00:38:23,200 --> 00:38:28,280 Was that the OMG? I'm not savvy when it comes to 575 00:38:28,280 --> 00:38:31,160 technology, by the way. If they're bad dad jokes, please 576 00:38:31,160 --> 00:38:36,480 forgive me. I got yesterday and I didn't 577 00:38:36,480 --> 00:38:40,160 bring it with me because I got goals on jokes every year. 578 00:38:41,760 --> 00:38:43,800 I may double up this year and do six. 579 00:38:45,800 --> 00:38:50,040 I actually got a calendar from a friend that had dad jokes. 580 00:38:52,240 --> 00:38:55,720 I'm not saying any. My wife's shaking her head, but 581 00:38:55,720 --> 00:39:00,320 he said up to 70 * 7. Now I did the math on this 582 00:39:00,360 --> 00:39:08,280 because that's 490 times in a day, so I just did over 24 hours 583 00:39:08,280 --> 00:39:10,040 and that's about every 3 minutes. 584 00:39:12,240 --> 00:39:16,280 But I thought, Lord, we sleep and usually you're not thinking 585 00:39:16,280 --> 00:39:20,000 when you're sleeping, So let me deduct 7 hours from that on 586 00:39:20,000 --> 00:39:21,400 average. And that came down about every 587 00:39:21,400 --> 00:39:28,280 two minutes say Lord, increase my faith that says somebody's 588 00:39:28,280 --> 00:39:31,560 hurting you, done you wrong, disappointed you talk bad about 589 00:39:31,560 --> 00:39:36,120 you perceived wrongs. Really it's not saying every two 590 00:39:36,120 --> 00:39:40,280 minutes, it's saying be in a perpetual state of releasing or 591 00:39:40,280 --> 00:39:47,120 it will hinder your journey. Let's look at Mark Chapter 11 592 00:39:49,920 --> 00:39:56,200 verses 20 through to 26. Reverend Randy brought this up 593 00:39:56,200 --> 00:39:58,680 on Wednesday night as he ministered on. 594 00:39:59,360 --> 00:40:05,720 Faith and I want to read this from two different translations. 595 00:40:10,600 --> 00:40:15,040 The message says it like this, starting in verse 22 of Mark 11. 596 00:40:15,040 --> 00:40:17,760 Reading through verse 26, it says Jesus as a matter of fact. 597 00:40:18,240 --> 00:40:20,960 Embrace this God life. Or we could say this in Christ 598 00:40:20,960 --> 00:40:23,920 reality, right? Really embrace it. 599 00:40:23,920 --> 00:40:26,480 Be all in and nothing will be too much for you. 600 00:40:26,480 --> 00:40:30,040 This mountain, for instance. Just say go jump in the lake. 601 00:40:30,040 --> 00:40:33,960 No shuffling or Hemming and hauling, and it's as good as 602 00:40:33,960 --> 00:40:35,360 done. That's why I urge you to pray 603 00:40:35,360 --> 00:40:39,320 for absolutely everything, ranging from small to large. 604 00:40:39,320 --> 00:40:42,920 Include everything as you embrace this God life and you'll 605 00:40:42,920 --> 00:40:46,040 get everything. You'll get God's everything. 606 00:40:46,960 --> 00:40:50,360 And when you assume the posture of prayer, remember it's not all 607 00:40:50,360 --> 00:40:54,840 asking if you if you have anything against someone, 608 00:40:54,840 --> 00:41:00,480 forgive, only then will your Heavenly Father be inclined to 609 00:41:00,480 --> 00:41:03,720 also wipe your slate clean of sins. 610 00:41:05,200 --> 00:41:07,560 The passion translation says it like this. 611 00:41:08,240 --> 00:41:11,800 Jesus replied, Let the faith of God be in you. 612 00:41:13,120 --> 00:41:14,720 Listen to the truth. I speak to you. 613 00:41:14,720 --> 00:41:18,280 Whoever says it's mountain with great faith and does not doubt 614 00:41:19,320 --> 00:41:21,720 mountain, be lifted up and thrown in the midst of the sea, 615 00:41:22,040 --> 00:41:23,760 and believes that what he says will happen. 616 00:41:23,760 --> 00:41:27,160 It will be done. This is the region reason I urge 617 00:41:27,160 --> 00:41:31,200 you to boldly believe. For whatever you ask in prayer, 618 00:41:31,520 --> 00:41:35,280 be convinced that you have received it and it will be 619 00:41:35,280 --> 00:41:40,120 yours. And whenever you stand praying, 620 00:41:40,560 --> 00:41:46,920 if you find you carry something in your heart against another 621 00:41:46,920 --> 00:41:52,440 person, release him and forgive him, so that your Father in 622 00:41:52,440 --> 00:41:58,880 heaven will also release you and forgive you of your faults. 623 00:41:59,720 --> 00:42:03,600 But if you will not release forgiveness, don't expect your 624 00:42:03,600 --> 00:42:06,640 Father in Heaven to release you from your misdeeds. 625 00:42:08,080 --> 00:42:12,080 Man, if you're not in forgiveness, you're going to 626 00:42:12,080 --> 00:42:17,080 have a frustrating prayer life. You have really bound the 627 00:42:17,080 --> 00:42:22,800 omnipotent, all powerful, mighty God from working on your behalf. 628 00:42:23,320 --> 00:42:25,200 And you think, Lord and evaluate your life. 629 00:42:25,480 --> 00:42:27,720 Why are my prayers seem hindered? 630 00:42:28,400 --> 00:42:30,520 This is one of the first places I would check. 631 00:42:32,840 --> 00:42:34,880 You know there's things that can hinder your prayer life. 632 00:42:35,760 --> 00:42:39,600 First, Peter, 37 says, husbands, treat your wife with honours the 633 00:42:39,600 --> 00:42:43,120 weaker vessel, lest your prayers be hindered. 634 00:42:43,600 --> 00:42:46,880 There's another hindrance, but this one is one. 635 00:42:46,880 --> 00:42:49,000 I would definitely start off with an evaluation. 636 00:42:49,000 --> 00:42:52,360 If you feel like or seems like your prayers are bouncing off 637 00:42:52,360 --> 00:42:58,400 the ceiling and coming back down to you, am I in forgiveness now? 638 00:42:58,400 --> 00:43:05,800 The term mountains means obstacles or hindrances or 639 00:43:05,800 --> 00:43:11,280 things that are in your way that prohibit you from advancing 640 00:43:12,880 --> 00:43:16,800 their barriers. But the Strongs says of 641 00:43:16,800 --> 00:43:19,120 mountains are symbolic of countries or people. 642 00:43:21,840 --> 00:43:24,840 So just for relational, we'll go with people. 643 00:43:24,840 --> 00:43:30,240 What person may you be harboring something against that's 644 00:43:30,240 --> 00:43:33,480 offended you? That's a mountain in your way of 645 00:43:33,480 --> 00:43:39,160 advancement this year? Hallelujah, you're the Bible 646 00:43:39,160 --> 00:43:42,720 says you're to forgive them. This is not a invitation. 647 00:43:44,120 --> 00:43:47,080 God doesn't give invitations. This is not a birthday party 648 00:43:48,520 --> 00:43:51,480 where I can either accept or decline your invitation. 649 00:43:51,480 --> 00:43:55,760 God gives commands and commands are either obeyed or disobeyed, 650 00:43:56,400 --> 00:43:59,520 and if you're not experienced God's best or pathway for your 651 00:43:59,520 --> 00:44:03,400 life, then you're not really lining up with his command. 652 00:44:04,120 --> 00:44:10,680 He didn't give Moses A10 suggestions, and there's even in 653 00:44:10,680 --> 00:44:12,240 the Old Testament. If you followed those, there's 654 00:44:12,240 --> 00:44:14,400 guess what? There's a blessing in keeping 655 00:44:15,000 --> 00:44:19,240 with the truth in God now. Forgive means this. 656 00:44:19,240 --> 00:44:27,200 To drop it, release it, let it go, to send it away. 657 00:44:29,880 --> 00:44:33,520 To let it depart, to give it up and don't keep it any longer. 658 00:44:35,800 --> 00:44:42,000 It's really a separation. So when I forgive somebody, I'm 659 00:44:42,000 --> 00:44:46,320 dropping it, I'm releasing it, I'm letting it go. 660 00:44:46,320 --> 00:44:48,720 I'm separating from me. I'm sending it away. 661 00:44:49,120 --> 00:44:52,720 It's not part of me. The love of God is greater. 662 00:44:54,160 --> 00:45:00,480 The love of God is greater. Hallelujah. 663 00:45:02,080 --> 00:45:08,440 So it's so important to forgive. I want to look at 4 studies in 664 00:45:08,440 --> 00:45:12,880 forgiveness for you. We need to be in forgiveness #1, 665 00:45:14,360 --> 00:45:16,760 #1. And most people run to this. 666 00:45:16,760 --> 00:45:20,720 It's it's God's forgiveness towards me, right? 667 00:45:21,360 --> 00:45:25,360 And this is proper. This is right obviously if if 668 00:45:25,600 --> 00:45:28,480 sin is missing the mark of God, right? 669 00:45:29,480 --> 00:45:32,480 So any sin is missing the mark of God, whether it's Commission 670 00:45:32,480 --> 00:45:35,720 or omission. If you're not forgiving 671 00:45:35,720 --> 00:45:38,760 somebody, guess what? You're in sin. 672 00:45:41,560 --> 00:45:43,240 So what do you need? Is there a remedy? 673 00:45:43,240 --> 00:45:45,640 Is there a solution? Is there hope? 674 00:45:45,640 --> 00:45:53,480 Yes, in Christ there is. Matthew chapter 3, verse #1 675 00:45:53,920 --> 00:45:56,120 through 2 says this. In those days, John the Baptist 676 00:45:56,120 --> 00:45:59,440 came preaching in the wilderness of Judea, saying repent, for the 677 00:45:59,440 --> 00:46:03,760 Kingdom of heaven is at hand. You know, the very first 678 00:46:04,160 --> 00:46:07,000 declaration publicly about the Kingdom was repent. 679 00:46:08,520 --> 00:46:10,600 So when I come to God for forgiveness, guess what's the 680 00:46:10,600 --> 00:46:14,680 first thing is repentance. You know what repentance means? 681 00:46:14,680 --> 00:46:19,520 It means a change of mind, a reversal, a change of direction. 682 00:46:19,920 --> 00:46:21,240 It means you were thinking one way. 683 00:46:21,240 --> 00:46:23,480 Now you've completely reversed that, and you're thinking along 684 00:46:23,480 --> 00:46:26,840 the line with the Word. The flesh will say they did you 685 00:46:26,840 --> 00:46:33,720 wrong, take vengeance, But God's spirit said no side with my 686 00:46:34,280 --> 00:46:37,560 word. Repent of that thought and go to 687 00:46:37,560 --> 00:46:42,080 Matthew 5, it says. Pray for them if they speak 688 00:46:42,080 --> 00:46:43,920 against you, if they persecute. You. 689 00:46:44,600 --> 00:46:48,960 If they are talking all manner of evil against you, you know 690 00:46:48,960 --> 00:46:51,600 the sons of Thunder. When persecution came against 691 00:46:51,600 --> 00:46:55,320 Jesus, they said, Lord, should we caught down fire from heaven? 692 00:46:56,240 --> 00:46:58,120 These people are bugging me, Lord. 693 00:46:59,120 --> 00:47:05,320 They're talking about me posting stuff up on Facebook, Instagram, 694 00:47:05,320 --> 00:47:07,960 Instacart. There's another bad dad joke for 695 00:47:07,960 --> 00:47:09,640 you. Just making sure you're all 696 00:47:09,640 --> 00:47:14,400 awake. The Bible says what? 697 00:47:14,400 --> 00:47:17,760 Not to get back on there and counteract what they're saying, 698 00:47:17,760 --> 00:47:21,760 but what? Forgive them, the Bible said to 699 00:47:21,760 --> 00:47:23,840 What if you get slapped on one side of the cheek? 700 00:47:23,840 --> 00:47:27,760 What? Thank you for strengthening my 701 00:47:27,760 --> 00:47:29,280 love walk. Right now my love muscles are 702 00:47:29,280 --> 00:47:33,080 getting really big is what you should see and say. 703 00:47:34,840 --> 00:47:38,440 So repent is the first one. Listen, there's works of the 704 00:47:38,440 --> 00:47:41,640 flesh. Galatians chapter 5, verses 19 705 00:47:41,640 --> 00:47:44,800 through 21 says this. Now the works of the flesh are 706 00:47:44,800 --> 00:47:50,280 evident Now Galatia, this is written to a church. 707 00:47:50,520 --> 00:47:53,520 Let me read this. They are adultery, fornication, 708 00:47:53,520 --> 00:47:57,760 uncleanness, lewdness, idolatry, sorcery, hatred, contention, 709 00:47:57,760 --> 00:48:03,720 jealousy, outbursts of wrath, selfish ambition, dissensions, 710 00:48:03,720 --> 00:48:08,080 hearsays, envy, murders, drunkenness, revelries, and the 711 00:48:08,080 --> 00:48:10,880 like. Of which I tell you before, just 712 00:48:10,880 --> 00:48:15,400 as I also told you in time past, those who practice such things 713 00:48:15,400 --> 00:48:17,120 will not inherit the Kingdom of God. 714 00:48:17,840 --> 00:48:20,920 Why do I bring this up? Because Paul wrote this to the 715 00:48:20,920 --> 00:48:25,320 church, the next verse tells them what they should get out of 716 00:48:25,840 --> 00:48:28,880 and tells them what they should be in The in Christ's reality is 717 00:48:28,880 --> 00:48:32,680 the fruits of the spirit, which the first one of that is love. 718 00:48:34,000 --> 00:48:35,600 But he said these are works of the flesh. 719 00:48:35,600 --> 00:48:37,400 So even though I'm born again, guess what? 720 00:48:37,680 --> 00:48:40,160 My mind and my body can say some things to me. 721 00:48:41,720 --> 00:48:47,120 My mind could say eat Donuts. I got Peppermint York patties 722 00:48:47,640 --> 00:48:53,120 for Christmas. I also got chocolate covered 723 00:48:53,120 --> 00:48:56,280 cherries. I know that's an acquired taste, 724 00:48:56,280 --> 00:48:59,400 but I like them now. I learned last year, right 725 00:48:59,400 --> 00:49:02,600 before I got my annual blood work done, that I was a fool, 726 00:49:04,600 --> 00:49:06,880 'cause I think I got three boxes of chocolate covered cherries 727 00:49:06,880 --> 00:49:12,200 and I ate them all before I did my blood work and my doctor 728 00:49:12,520 --> 00:49:14,680 called and said your glucose is up. 729 00:49:16,160 --> 00:49:21,720 Have you changed anything? Yeah, I was foolish 'cause I had 730 00:49:21,720 --> 00:49:27,200 junior mints too, but that's a work of the flesh. 731 00:49:27,720 --> 00:49:30,320 Guess what? This year I repented of that I 732 00:49:30,320 --> 00:49:33,400 had blood work again this week. And guess what? 733 00:49:33,400 --> 00:49:36,640 I really tapered back. So I expect the doctor reports 734 00:49:36,640 --> 00:49:42,280 say, oh, your glucose is back. Yeah 'cause I learned to say no 735 00:49:42,280 --> 00:49:44,280 to some things and yes to others, right? 736 00:49:44,720 --> 00:49:47,240 Hallelujah. Why'd I bring up works of flesh 737 00:49:47,240 --> 00:49:48,840 'cause it's anything in your life. 738 00:49:50,080 --> 00:49:52,960 And listen, I'm not being legalistic. 739 00:49:53,280 --> 00:49:54,000 Are you? With me? 740 00:49:54,760 --> 00:49:56,760 I'm not putting a restraint on you. 741 00:49:58,520 --> 00:50:04,160 I'm not prohibiting you. But there are certain things you 742 00:50:04,160 --> 00:50:07,560 can do physically that'll hinder your purpose. 743 00:50:09,680 --> 00:50:17,080 And for me, eating too much sugar for too long can affect my 744 00:50:17,080 --> 00:50:19,880 health, and I can't blame that on God. 745 00:50:19,880 --> 00:50:24,080 That's a work of the flesh. You know your taste buds will 746 00:50:24,080 --> 00:50:27,600 talk to you. I mean, you don't get real 747 00:50:27,600 --> 00:50:31,800 excited about spinach, Not usually. 748 00:50:32,680 --> 00:50:35,680 But you know, you get some Ben and Jerry's ice cream or 749 00:50:35,680 --> 00:50:41,640 something, or some banana cream Chip and Joanne Gaines recipe 750 00:50:43,000 --> 00:50:44,440 and your taste buds will talk to you. 751 00:50:46,480 --> 00:50:49,640 But those little things. Guess what if God, if the Holy 752 00:50:49,640 --> 00:50:53,480 Spirit's dealing with you, you know, early my walk, there was 753 00:50:53,480 --> 00:50:58,360 no dealing man. It was McDonald's other things. 754 00:50:58,640 --> 00:51:00,080 But as I've gone on with God, guess what? 755 00:51:00,080 --> 00:51:03,160 He's kind of said for the purpose and your health to be 756 00:51:03,160 --> 00:51:06,800 there, you need to taper this. And if I don't do that, guess 757 00:51:06,800 --> 00:51:08,600 what? It's sin. 758 00:51:12,640 --> 00:51:15,120 And if I repent of that, I reverse it. 759 00:51:15,120 --> 00:51:17,600 Oh, I can't think like that anymore because I got a purpose 760 00:51:17,600 --> 00:51:19,600 in Christ. I need to be well and strong for 761 00:51:19,600 --> 00:51:20,760 that purpose. I need to. 762 00:51:20,760 --> 00:51:23,120 I need to go to God. And what? 763 00:51:23,120 --> 00:51:27,840 Ask for forgiveness? First Corinthians chapter 6, 764 00:51:28,320 --> 00:51:32,160 verses 9 through 11 says this. This is from the amplified. 765 00:51:32,960 --> 00:51:35,160 Do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit or 766 00:51:35,160 --> 00:51:36,640 have any share of the Kingdom of God? 767 00:51:36,640 --> 00:51:39,960 Do not be deceived, neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, 768 00:51:39,960 --> 00:51:44,960 nor I adult adulterers, nor effeminate by perversion, nor 769 00:51:44,960 --> 00:51:48,760 those who pract or participate in homosexuality, nor thieves, 770 00:51:48,760 --> 00:51:53,520 nor the greedy, nor drunkards. No revelers whose words are used 771 00:51:53,520 --> 00:51:59,160 as weapons to abuse, insult, humiliate, intimidate, or 772 00:51:59,160 --> 00:52:02,720 slander, nor swinders, will inherit or have any share in the 773 00:52:02,720 --> 00:52:05,400 Kingdom of God. Such were some of such were some 774 00:52:05,400 --> 00:52:09,560 of you before you believed, But you were washed by the atoning 775 00:52:09,560 --> 00:52:12,600 sacrifice of Christ. You were sanctified, set apart 776 00:52:12,600 --> 00:52:15,440 for God, and made holy. You were justified, declared 777 00:52:15,440 --> 00:52:18,720 free of guilt in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and in the 778 00:52:18,720 --> 00:52:22,320 Holy Spirit of God, the source of believers, new life and 779 00:52:22,320 --> 00:52:25,840 changed behavior. I bring up these two things from 780 00:52:25,840 --> 00:52:29,240 Galatians in first Corinthians because if you fail or fall in 781 00:52:29,240 --> 00:52:32,560 anything, whether it's Commission or omission, you need 782 00:52:32,560 --> 00:52:35,520 to get right with God. It's not hopeless. 783 00:52:37,800 --> 00:52:40,160 It doesn't that mean that change can't, can't come. 784 00:52:40,480 --> 00:52:43,160 It doesn't mean you're stuck in a rut or in a grave. 785 00:52:43,400 --> 00:52:46,600 What God is saying. It's time for you to repent of 786 00:52:46,600 --> 00:52:49,280 what you were doing. That's against my will and my 787 00:52:49,280 --> 00:52:57,560 word and get up and get on. Matthew 38 says this from the 788 00:52:57,560 --> 00:53:02,480 amplified produce fruit that is consistent with repentance, 789 00:53:03,040 --> 00:53:07,120 demonstrating new behavior that proves a change of heart and a 790 00:53:07,120 --> 00:53:10,880 conscious decision to turn away from sin. 791 00:53:11,440 --> 00:53:15,920 So if you blow it in any arena, I'm giving you 2 scriptures #1 792 00:53:15,920 --> 00:53:19,320 for forgiveness that God has towards us first. 793 00:53:19,320 --> 00:53:27,280 John 19 says if we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to 794 00:53:27,280 --> 00:53:32,240 forgive our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. 795 00:53:33,400 --> 00:53:36,440 Unconfessed sin is unforgiven sin. 796 00:53:39,160 --> 00:53:43,280 Unconfessed sin is unforgiven sin. 797 00:53:43,760 --> 00:53:48,040 Confessed sin is forgiven sin which leads to the cleansing 798 00:53:48,040 --> 00:53:51,720 power of God. Proverbs 2813 says he who covers 799 00:53:51,720 --> 00:53:58,360 his sins will not prosper, but whoever confesses and forsakes 800 00:53:58,360 --> 00:54:03,320 them will have mercy. So for all that God has for you 801 00:54:03,480 --> 00:54:09,560 in 2024, stay right with him #2 Forgiveness towards family. 802 00:54:11,680 --> 00:54:16,840 Hallelujah. I want to look at one man as a 803 00:54:16,840 --> 00:54:22,880 case study. Joseph Genesis 37, verses 18 804 00:54:22,880 --> 00:54:24,960 through 19. Now before I read this, you got 805 00:54:24,960 --> 00:54:27,720 to understand that God gave Joseph two dreams. 806 00:54:28,400 --> 00:54:33,200 He told both of them to his family, who was ecstatic about 807 00:54:33,200 --> 00:54:39,640 it. They were really excited that he 808 00:54:39,640 --> 00:54:43,760 had a dream from God. I'm being really sarcastic right 809 00:54:43,760 --> 00:54:46,240 now. They hated him. 810 00:54:47,040 --> 00:54:52,200 His brothers hated him because of the dreams and their father's 811 00:54:52,200 --> 00:54:56,840 favoritism towards him with the coat of many colors. 812 00:54:59,040 --> 00:55:06,600 So they were upset with him. The father sends the boys out to 813 00:55:06,600 --> 00:55:11,960 do some shepherding and he wants to check on them, so he sends 814 00:55:11,960 --> 00:55:14,320 Joseph to see what their status is. 815 00:55:14,960 --> 00:55:17,960 And so we picked this story up in Genesis 37, verses 18 through 816 00:55:17,960 --> 00:55:20,280 19. Now, when his brother saw Joseph 817 00:55:20,280 --> 00:55:24,440 afar off, even before they came near to him, they conspired 818 00:55:24,440 --> 00:55:29,200 against him to kill him. They said look to, they said to 819 00:55:29,200 --> 00:55:31,320 one another look, the dreamer is coming. 820 00:55:34,400 --> 00:55:38,320 And then so they wanted. His family wants to do him 821 00:55:38,320 --> 00:55:40,960 wrong, right? They're out to get him. 822 00:55:40,960 --> 00:55:42,200 They're not excited about his dream. 823 00:55:42,200 --> 00:55:44,400 They literally want to take him off the planet. 824 00:55:47,160 --> 00:55:48,480 And so they're discussing what to do. 825 00:55:48,480 --> 00:55:52,320 They put him in a pit. The birders, the brothers, most 826 00:55:52,320 --> 00:55:53,760 of them really had murder in their heart. 827 00:55:53,760 --> 00:55:55,840 They really wanted to kill him. They were. 828 00:55:55,880 --> 00:55:59,560 They were premeditating a plan. This is a dysfunctional 829 00:56:00,040 --> 00:56:04,840 relationship and I know in some of our families we have 830 00:56:05,520 --> 00:56:08,480 dysfunction. Hallelujah. 831 00:56:09,080 --> 00:56:13,080 Just look straight ahead if your family's with you. 832 00:56:14,360 --> 00:56:19,200 No elbows. But thank God for Reuben, 833 00:56:19,200 --> 00:56:22,160 because Reuben had enough wherewithal to have some 834 00:56:22,160 --> 00:56:28,520 compassion, said let's not kill them, let's sell them right. 835 00:56:30,080 --> 00:56:37,400 So for money, for money there could be money issues in family. 836 00:56:39,440 --> 00:56:41,240 For money they decide to sell them. 837 00:56:41,760 --> 00:56:45,560 We find that in Genesis 37 verses 25 through 28 when they 838 00:56:45,680 --> 00:56:47,640 the brother sat down to meal. They lift up their eyes and 839 00:56:47,640 --> 00:56:48,600 look. There was a company of 840 00:56:48,600 --> 00:56:52,720 Ishmaelites coming from Gilead with their camels. 841 00:56:53,240 --> 00:56:55,960 Bearing spices bomber on their way to carry them down to Egypt, 842 00:56:55,960 --> 00:56:57,680 So Judah said to his brothers. What? 843 00:56:57,680 --> 00:56:59,800 Profit is there if we kill our brothers and conceal his blood. 844 00:56:59,800 --> 00:57:03,600 Come, let us sell him to the Ishmaelites, and let not our 845 00:57:03,600 --> 00:57:05,840 hand be upon him for his our brother and flesh. 846 00:57:06,280 --> 00:57:10,440 The brothers listen, and then they end up selling Joseph to 847 00:57:10,440 --> 00:57:12,520 these traitors who took him to Egypt. 848 00:57:14,640 --> 00:57:16,960 So Can you imagine? Can you imagine Joseph in this 849 00:57:16,960 --> 00:57:19,720 story? He goes at his father's request 850 00:57:19,720 --> 00:57:23,440 to check on his brothers. Brothers, apprehend him, don't 851 00:57:23,440 --> 00:57:26,680 greet him, throw him into a pit. He's waiting anxiously what is 852 00:57:26,680 --> 00:57:31,080 going to happen with my life? And then not only that, but 853 00:57:31,080 --> 00:57:33,600 distance relatives were involved in this story. 854 00:57:34,680 --> 00:57:40,080 This points back to Abraham who had a promise from God, whose 855 00:57:40,080 --> 00:57:46,680 wife got impatient and said I'm going to give you a concubine, 856 00:57:46,760 --> 00:57:50,080 an Egyptian concubine, and I want you to go into her because 857 00:57:50,080 --> 00:57:52,320 God said this is going to happen. 858 00:57:54,200 --> 00:57:57,880 And so guess what happened out of that Hagar gave birth to 859 00:57:57,880 --> 00:58:05,200 Ishmael, which is a relative of Joseph, a distant relative. 860 00:58:05,560 --> 00:58:08,320 So not only his immediate family but distant relatives, he got 861 00:58:08,320 --> 00:58:15,000 sold to them who took him and actually sold him to into in 862 00:58:15,000 --> 00:58:21,480 Egypt. Can you imagine the frustration, 863 00:58:21,480 --> 00:58:23,800 the disappointment, the discouragement, the anger that 864 00:58:23,800 --> 00:58:29,600 would want to well up in you? Listen, we deal with things with 865 00:58:29,600 --> 00:58:34,480 family, but I don't think anybody's room to the point that 866 00:58:34,480 --> 00:58:37,080 you were apprehended and taken to a different country and sold. 867 00:58:38,920 --> 00:58:40,440 So how bad do you really have it? 868 00:58:41,720 --> 00:58:48,800 And then spent 13 years? Think about that. 869 00:58:48,800 --> 00:58:52,240 We read the Bible sometimes from Genesis 37 to 50. 870 00:58:52,240 --> 00:58:55,560 Is the life of Joseph really and the patriarchs? 871 00:58:56,040 --> 00:58:59,080 But we read it pretty quick within our 234 day span. 872 00:58:59,320 --> 00:59:03,960 But this is 13 years to meditate, reflect, and review. 873 00:59:05,880 --> 00:59:09,760 I know that Joseph forgave. Why do I know that? 874 00:59:09,920 --> 00:59:12,960 Because he would have never got to the purpose according to the 875 00:59:12,960 --> 00:59:17,800 word of God, the destiny, if he had harbored ill will in his 876 00:59:17,800 --> 00:59:20,600 heart. And how do I even know this? 877 00:59:20,600 --> 00:59:25,120 Further, because he would if vengeance was in his heart after 878 00:59:25,120 --> 00:59:28,920 he spent time in Potiphar's house was wrongly accused again, 879 00:59:31,280 --> 00:59:35,000 God just kept giving him opportunity after opportunity to 880 00:59:35,000 --> 00:59:38,560 exercise his love muscle. And it wasn't God doing it. 881 00:59:38,560 --> 00:59:43,240 The devil is working through people, but in the ultimate end, 882 00:59:43,240 --> 00:59:45,400 God was glorified, if you handle it right. 883 00:59:47,080 --> 00:59:49,680 So when his brothers come back to him because there's a famine 884 00:59:50,640 --> 00:59:54,720 and they thought he was dead, I like it because Joseph kind of 885 00:59:54,720 --> 00:59:58,280 toys with him a little bit. He sends him away but puts the 886 00:59:58,280 --> 01:00:01,280 platter in and oh, you stole from me. 887 01:00:02,280 --> 01:00:04,320 I feel like he was still wrestling a little bit, right? 888 01:00:04,320 --> 01:00:10,920 Like I could if I wanted to. I mean, they were nervous of the 889 01:00:10,920 --> 01:00:12,920 brothers, and he's probably having a little bit of fun 890 01:00:13,520 --> 01:00:16,400 thinking I got him sweating. But ultimately he said I'm not 891 01:00:16,400 --> 01:00:20,080 going to do what I could, which is actually execute him or put 892 01:00:20,080 --> 01:00:22,640 him to death. How do I know that? 893 01:00:23,320 --> 01:00:26,560 Because he didn't do it. But in Genesis 50, when his 894 01:00:26,560 --> 01:00:31,440 father, we have Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, when Jacob passed 895 01:00:31,440 --> 01:00:34,760 away, he was able, out of forgiveness, listen to end up 896 01:00:34,760 --> 01:00:38,840 saving his whole family. You want to save your family? 897 01:00:39,840 --> 01:00:43,560 Walk in forgiveness with him. It'll open up doors to minister 898 01:00:43,560 --> 01:00:46,200 to them. You want your family to be 899 01:00:46,200 --> 01:00:49,720 unsaved? Just harbor Real will walk in 900 01:00:49,720 --> 01:00:53,560 vengeance. You walk in forgiveness. 901 01:00:53,560 --> 01:00:55,720 It'll give you an opportunity to minister. 902 01:00:57,440 --> 01:01:00,640 Does that mean that we condone or put or agree with everything 903 01:01:00,640 --> 01:01:02,080 they're doing? No, it's wrong. 904 01:01:03,280 --> 01:01:06,680 But the same way that God had mercy on me and saved me, I want 905 01:01:06,680 --> 01:01:09,640 to see that hand extended to them and pulled up out of the 906 01:01:09,640 --> 01:01:12,640 pit. Now they said, listen, the 907 01:01:12,640 --> 01:01:15,160 brothers were really nervous because they they realized that 908 01:01:15,160 --> 01:01:18,600 their father passing away Joseph may want to take vengeance on 909 01:01:18,600 --> 01:01:23,240 him. So in Genesis 50, verses 15 910 01:01:23,240 --> 01:01:25,960 through 21. Joseph's brothers saw their 911 01:01:25,960 --> 01:01:28,320 father was dead, they said. What if Joseph carries A grudge 912 01:01:28,320 --> 01:01:31,960 against us and pays us back in? Full for the wrong which we did 913 01:01:31,960 --> 01:01:34,000 to him. So they sent word to Joseph, 914 01:01:34,000 --> 01:01:36,720 saying, Your father commanded us before he died, saying, you're 915 01:01:36,720 --> 01:01:41,120 to say to Joseph, I beg you, please forgive the transgression 916 01:01:41,120 --> 01:01:44,040 of your brothers and their sin, for they did you wrong. 917 01:01:44,600 --> 01:01:46,760 Now please forgive the transgression of the servants of 918 01:01:46,760 --> 01:01:50,080 God, of your Father. And Joseph wept when they spoke 919 01:01:50,080 --> 01:01:54,080 to him then Then his brothers went and fell down before him. 920 01:01:54,480 --> 01:01:57,160 In confession they said, behold, we are your servants, your 921 01:01:57,160 --> 01:02:00,240 slaves. But Joseph said to them, Do not 922 01:02:00,240 --> 01:02:03,480 be afraid. Do not be afraid. 923 01:02:03,480 --> 01:02:08,720 Am I in the place of God? Vengeance is his, not mine. 924 01:02:09,360 --> 01:02:11,960 As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for 925 01:02:11,960 --> 01:02:13,920 good. In order to bring about this 926 01:02:13,920 --> 01:02:17,760 present outcome, that many people be kept alive as they are 927 01:02:18,160 --> 01:02:20,640 to this day. So now do not be afraid. 928 01:02:21,120 --> 01:02:23,160 I will provide for you and support you and your little 929 01:02:23,160 --> 01:02:24,440 ones. So be comforted. 930 01:02:25,720 --> 01:02:28,480 He gave them encouragement and and hope, and spoke with 931 01:02:28,480 --> 01:02:32,800 kindness to their hearts. I want to say this about before 932 01:02:32,800 --> 01:02:35,440 we get to the third one. Genesis 49 is a beautiful 933 01:02:35,440 --> 01:02:37,840 picture. Keep on going to family because 934 01:02:37,840 --> 01:02:41,800 you need goals in 2024. You need spirit, soul, body, 935 01:02:41,800 --> 01:02:44,880 family, goals, financial and social goals. 936 01:02:45,320 --> 01:02:48,080 But Genesis 49 is a beautiful picture because it's at the end 937 01:02:48,080 --> 01:02:50,880 of Jacob's life. He has his twelve sons with him, 938 01:02:51,200 --> 01:02:55,080 but he prophecies over each son before he passes away. 939 01:02:56,600 --> 01:02:59,320 I think that should be an end of life goal for every parent in 940 01:02:59,320 --> 01:03:01,920 the home. What word are you going to leave 941 01:03:01,920 --> 01:03:05,840 to your kids at the Lord Terrace of their destiny in the earth? 942 01:03:06,520 --> 01:03:11,840 But he said about Joseph. In chapter 49, verses 22 through 943 01:03:11,840 --> 01:03:17,240 24, it says Joseph is a fruitful bow, a main branch of the vine, 944 01:03:18,320 --> 01:03:23,720 a fruitful bow by a spring, a well, a mountain. 945 01:03:23,720 --> 01:03:27,120 Its branches run over the wall, influencing others. 946 01:03:27,880 --> 01:03:29,920 Why did I bring that up? Because any barriers, any 947 01:03:29,920 --> 01:03:32,200 hindrances, anything that somebody does that's a 948 01:03:32,200 --> 01:03:35,400 trespasser or wrong answer. I like what Jacob said about 949 01:03:35,400 --> 01:03:38,440 Joseph cuz a vine doesn't let a wall stop it. 950 01:03:39,960 --> 01:03:42,520 Vines are tenacious. You pull a vine. 951 01:03:42,520 --> 01:03:45,000 I put some vines at my old Oakbrook house, cuz they were 952 01:03:45,000 --> 01:03:48,200 growing up, the windows and up, and I put them down and guess 953 01:03:48,200 --> 01:03:49,960 what? Within weeks and months they 954 01:03:49,960 --> 01:03:52,800 started growing back. And that's what Jacob said to 955 01:03:52,800 --> 01:03:54,080 Joseph. You're like a vine. 956 01:03:54,080 --> 01:03:57,200 Nothing's going to stop you if you walk in. 957 01:03:57,200 --> 01:04:00,800 Forgiveness, any mountain, any barrier and a hint that you're 958 01:04:00,800 --> 01:04:02,400 going to overcome. Doesn't matter if people try to 959 01:04:02,400 --> 01:04:05,800 uproot you, try to discourage you, you can overcome anything. 960 01:04:05,800 --> 01:04:08,800 Third Point, forgiveness towards religious people. 961 01:04:11,000 --> 01:04:15,480 Hallelujah. I want to look at Stephen as a 962 01:04:15,480 --> 01:04:21,800 case study for this in Acts chapter 6, verses 8 through 15, 963 01:04:21,800 --> 01:04:24,120 and I believe Pastor Earl preached on this several 964 01:04:24,120 --> 01:04:26,280 Wednesdays ago. Somebody did. 965 01:04:27,080 --> 01:04:30,800 Maybe it was a Sunday, it was sometime in a recent sermon 966 01:04:30,800 --> 01:04:37,640 somewhere. So it says in Stephen, full of 967 01:04:37,640 --> 01:04:40,080 faith and power to great wonders and signs among the people. 968 01:04:40,080 --> 01:04:44,960 Then there arose some which is from the synagogue of the 969 01:04:44,960 --> 01:04:49,600 freedmen, and they were not able to resist the wisdom of the 970 01:04:49,600 --> 01:04:53,240 Spirit by which Stephen spoke. And they secretly induced men 971 01:04:53,680 --> 01:04:56,400 saying, We have heard Stephen speak blasphemous words against 972 01:04:56,400 --> 01:04:58,840 Moses and God. They stirred up the people, the 973 01:04:58,840 --> 01:05:02,040 elders, and the scribes. They came, and they seized 974 01:05:02,040 --> 01:05:03,920 Stephen and brought him to the council. 975 01:05:04,680 --> 01:05:09,840 They also set up false witnesses who said this man Stephen does 976 01:05:09,840 --> 01:05:13,680 not cease to speak blasphemous words against the Holy Place and 977 01:05:13,680 --> 01:05:15,840 the Law. For we have heard him say that 978 01:05:15,840 --> 01:05:19,200 this Jesus of Nazareth will destroy this place and change 979 01:05:19,200 --> 01:05:21,120 the customs which Moses delivered us. 980 01:05:21,520 --> 01:05:24,760 And all who sat in the council looking steadfastly at Stephen 981 01:05:25,080 --> 01:05:27,920 saw his face as the face of an Angel. 982 01:05:29,680 --> 01:05:34,840 Now religious people are going to talk bad about Kingdom 983 01:05:34,840 --> 01:05:38,400 people, people that are going after truth. 984 01:05:39,680 --> 01:05:42,480 But guess what? We still need to forgive. 985 01:05:44,000 --> 01:05:46,200 Forgiveness creates an open door of an opportunity to still 986 01:05:46,200 --> 01:05:50,280 minister life to people. I know when I was growing up, I 987 01:05:50,280 --> 01:05:54,320 didn't grow up in a charismatic, Pentecostal tongue talking 988 01:05:54,320 --> 01:05:56,240 church. I grew up in what you call 989 01:05:56,240 --> 01:05:58,680 liturgical church or a traditional church. 990 01:05:59,120 --> 01:06:02,440 I'm not going to name the denomination, but we went to 991 01:06:02,440 --> 01:06:06,840 church every Sunday. And listen, I got born again in 992 01:06:06,840 --> 01:06:12,480 1997, really redeemed because a friend of mine was persistent. 993 01:06:14,120 --> 01:06:17,760 He would not let go of one to see me saved. 994 01:06:18,720 --> 01:06:20,000 And that changed the course of my life. 995 01:06:20,000 --> 01:06:21,800 He he was hounding me in those days. 996 01:06:21,800 --> 01:06:25,800 He kept calling, was relentless. Finally I surrendered to his 997 01:06:25,800 --> 01:06:29,080 determination and we went to a thing called the divine 998 01:06:29,080 --> 01:06:30,840 revelation of hell. And that scared the hell out of 999 01:06:30,840 --> 01:06:33,720 me. It was at the Columbus 1000 01:06:33,720 --> 01:06:37,080 Convention Center, and I thank God I got plugged in a wonderful 1001 01:06:37,080 --> 01:06:38,400 church. You know, God is good. 1002 01:06:38,400 --> 01:06:40,280 He just plugs you into the right place. 1003 01:06:41,320 --> 01:06:44,400 Thank God for Anchor Faith Church and the churches I've 1004 01:06:44,400 --> 01:06:46,360 been a part of because they were real churches. 1005 01:06:47,200 --> 01:06:52,520 But I did have ABC before church experience, before a real church 1006 01:06:52,520 --> 01:06:56,200 experience. And I I grew up and I remember 1007 01:06:56,200 --> 01:06:59,520 when I was sitting in 1997 in a in what I call a real church, 1008 01:06:59,920 --> 01:07:05,400 one that taught this, the Bible just taking notes. 1009 01:07:05,400 --> 01:07:08,720 And I remember being so frustrated, not at the message, 1010 01:07:08,720 --> 01:07:12,200 but where has this been my whole life? 1011 01:07:13,280 --> 01:07:15,200 And it reflected me back to how I grew up. 1012 01:07:15,200 --> 01:07:18,280 And I was like, I got mad. I spent all that time I was 1013 01:07:18,280 --> 01:07:21,920 going to hell and thinking I was going to church. 1014 01:07:23,440 --> 01:07:27,440 And never once at this church was there an altar call to 1015 01:07:27,440 --> 01:07:29,280 repent, to give your life to the Lord. 1016 01:07:29,440 --> 01:07:31,800 So you could imagine I was like, I could have missed it. 1017 01:07:34,160 --> 01:07:38,320 Matter of fact, the church I grew up in, I had to confess my 1018 01:07:38,320 --> 01:07:44,600 first sins before the minister. And I was young, but they got 1019 01:07:44,600 --> 01:07:46,000 it. They thought that you had to go 1020 01:07:46,000 --> 01:07:52,840 before a I'm kind of giving away some things, probably, and 1021 01:07:52,840 --> 01:07:54,600 confess your sin. Well, the Bible says if you 1022 01:07:54,600 --> 01:07:58,400 confess your sin before I can go before I confess, confess my 1023 01:07:58,400 --> 01:08:01,120 wrong to you. That's scriptural, but it's not 1024 01:08:01,120 --> 01:08:05,840 exclusive. I can go before the throne of 1025 01:08:05,840 --> 01:08:09,960 God right now. So I remember I was so scared 1026 01:08:09,960 --> 01:08:12,920 when they opened up that little divider, first time ever doing 1027 01:08:12,920 --> 01:08:15,400 it. That's made-up something. 1028 01:08:15,880 --> 01:08:21,640 I lied about my sin. So it was like a a double sin. 1029 01:08:24,439 --> 01:08:27,960 But you know, that came back up like it kind of got me mad. 1030 01:08:28,680 --> 01:08:31,520 These are the people that were supposed to be the experts, 1031 01:08:33,000 --> 01:08:42,080 these Pharisees, these scribes, these sad you CS and they're 1032 01:08:42,080 --> 01:08:43,040 supposed to be bringing the word. 1033 01:08:43,040 --> 01:08:45,840 But it brought no deliverance. It brought no redemption. 1034 01:08:45,840 --> 01:08:48,439 I brought no change. Life, it was routine. 1035 01:08:48,439 --> 01:08:51,439 It was religious. It was a cycle, was the same 1036 01:08:51,760 --> 01:08:55,240 thing over and over, but no real vital life. 1037 01:08:55,479 --> 01:08:57,680 I didn't know about Christ. I wasn't in Christ. 1038 01:08:57,840 --> 01:09:02,120 But thank God. Guess what I forgave and let it 1039 01:09:02,120 --> 01:09:04,479 go. I can go right now to that. 1040 01:09:04,720 --> 01:09:06,520 We'll call denomination with no ill will. 1041 01:09:08,279 --> 01:09:10,240 I'll say this as we come to the 4th point. 1042 01:09:11,000 --> 01:09:13,160 You know you have ought against somebody if you see them. 1043 01:09:13,600 --> 01:09:16,840 I'll just go with Walmart in the aisle and they didn't see you 1044 01:09:17,760 --> 01:09:21,920 turn the corner and you buck out of the corner aisle before they 1045 01:09:21,920 --> 01:09:26,960 see you right now some of you do it because of time restraints 1046 01:09:26,960 --> 01:09:28,120 and you know that person's a talker. 1047 01:09:28,120 --> 01:09:34,640 But Hallelujah, that's a 20 minute conversation. 1048 01:09:34,640 --> 01:09:37,760 Nope, I'm not even buying what I needed. 1049 01:09:37,760 --> 01:09:44,880 I'm going straight home and then you can ask God for forgiveness 1050 01:09:44,880 --> 01:09:46,160 about your impatience after that. 1051 01:09:47,920 --> 01:09:49,800 All right, 4th 1:00, but I forgave Amen. 1052 01:09:49,800 --> 01:09:53,359 I do want to say with Stephen, I'm not going to read it, but 1053 01:09:53,359 --> 01:09:56,000 they can reference it up there in Acts Chapter 7 verses 54 1054 01:09:56,000 --> 01:09:58,240 through 60. He gives a great sermon. 1055 01:09:58,240 --> 01:10:01,760 In Acts Chapter 7, A Great Powerful sermon on the 1056 01:10:01,760 --> 01:10:03,840 redemption in the Lord Jesus Christ and Messiah. 1057 01:10:04,120 --> 01:10:05,560 Now guess what? After he got on speaking, the 1058 01:10:05,560 --> 01:10:07,760 religious people were not excited that he just preached to 1059 01:10:07,760 --> 01:10:11,240 them. They were mad and they end up 1060 01:10:11,520 --> 01:10:14,800 killing him as they were stoning him. 1061 01:10:14,800 --> 01:10:20,200 Though he makes his powerful words, he said Father forgive 1062 01:10:20,200 --> 01:10:25,200 them. Ignorant people don't know. 1063 01:10:25,200 --> 01:10:28,720 Foolish people won't learn. Religious people won't learn, he 1064 01:10:28,720 --> 01:10:29,320 said. Forgive them. 1065 01:10:29,320 --> 01:10:31,880 They are fools. They don't know what they do. 1066 01:10:31,880 --> 01:10:34,120 And then it said he saw Jesus standing. 1067 01:10:36,320 --> 01:10:40,200 The reason Jesus stood because he said that's my boy, he's 1068 01:10:40,560 --> 01:10:47,480 Listen, eternity is too long to live with unforgiveness. 1069 01:10:49,480 --> 01:10:52,160 One thing you want to settle before you die is ought with 1070 01:10:52,160 --> 01:10:56,720 anybody. Eternity is too long to live 1071 01:10:56,720 --> 01:10:59,680 with unforgiveness. Listen, Stephen got it right and 1072 01:10:59,680 --> 01:11:02,800 released those religious people and he had a glorious entrance 1073 01:11:02,800 --> 01:11:04,920 with Jesus standing to greet him. 1074 01:11:05,400 --> 01:11:10,840 Last point we talked about for God's forgiveness towards us, 1075 01:11:10,840 --> 01:11:12,840 forgiveness towards family, forgiveness towards religious 1076 01:11:12,840 --> 01:11:14,360 people. Last thing I want to cover is 1077 01:11:14,360 --> 01:11:17,560 forgiveness towards our self. And I want to use the Apostle 1078 01:11:17,560 --> 01:11:21,440 Paul in this illustration. Why? 1079 01:11:22,320 --> 01:11:29,480 Because Paul, we can find him overlapping Stephen's story, the 1080 01:11:29,480 --> 01:11:34,680 one that was just killed from the religious people in Acts 1081 01:11:34,680 --> 01:11:38,520 Chapter 7 verse 58 it says and they cast Stephen out of the out 1082 01:11:39,040 --> 01:11:41,000 of the city and stoned him. And the witnesses lay their 1083 01:11:41,000 --> 01:11:45,160 clothes, laid Stephen clothes at the feet of a young man named 1084 01:11:45,520 --> 01:11:50,120 Saul. In Acts chapter 8, verse #3 1085 01:11:50,640 --> 01:11:55,800 asked for Saul. He made havoc of the church, 1086 01:11:57,160 --> 01:12:00,040 entering every house and dragging off men and women, 1087 01:12:00,320 --> 01:12:05,800 committing them to prison. Acts Chapter 9 verses one 1088 01:12:05,800 --> 01:12:10,240 through 2 says Then Saul still breathing threats and murder 1089 01:12:10,760 --> 01:12:13,360 against the disciples. The Lord went to the high priest 1090 01:12:13,640 --> 01:12:17,120 and asked for letters from him to the synagogues of Damascus, 1091 01:12:17,520 --> 01:12:20,160 that if he found any who were of the way, whether men or women, 1092 01:12:20,160 --> 01:12:21,960 he might bring them bound to Jerusalem. 1093 01:12:22,240 --> 01:12:25,000 As as Saul journeyed, he came near Damascus. 1094 01:12:25,200 --> 01:12:28,320 Suddenly a light shone around him from heaven He fell to the 1095 01:12:28,320 --> 01:12:31,120 ground and heard a voice saying, Saul, Saul, why are you 1096 01:12:31,120 --> 01:12:34,160 persecuting me? And And Saul said, Who are you, 1097 01:12:34,160 --> 01:12:36,280 Lord? The Lord said, I'm Jesus, whom 1098 01:12:36,280 --> 01:12:39,120 you're persecuting man. He took it personal when there 1099 01:12:39,120 --> 01:12:41,240 came persecution against the Church. 1100 01:12:41,240 --> 01:12:45,760 But Saul is Paul. When we find in Acts 13, not 1101 01:12:45,960 --> 01:12:50,000 only do you have a change of heart and a change of name, you 1102 01:12:50,000 --> 01:12:52,560 can't see yourself as you were. You need to see yourself as he 1103 01:12:52,560 --> 01:12:57,480 sees you in him. But we see a change of name. 1104 01:12:57,480 --> 01:13:00,680 But he asked her letters to Damascus. 1105 01:13:00,680 --> 01:13:05,040 Do you realize Damascus is about 150 miles north of Jerusalem? 1106 01:13:05,600 --> 01:13:07,720 Listen, they didn't have cars in those days. 1107 01:13:09,400 --> 01:13:12,440 You know, the average journey I read was usually about 9 to 19 1108 01:13:12,440 --> 01:13:14,680 miles depending on what you had, if you had a donkey or if you're 1109 01:13:14,680 --> 01:13:20,640 going by shoe sandals. So he was determined to kill 1110 01:13:21,280 --> 01:13:25,520 believers right? Now let's go to 1st. 1111 01:13:25,600 --> 01:13:28,640 After the conversion, he becomes the apostle Paul. 1st 1112 01:13:28,640 --> 01:13:31,160 Corinthians. 15 verses one through 10 says this. 1113 01:13:31,360 --> 01:13:36,800 Can you imagine after he got redeemed, what the devil tried 1114 01:13:36,800 --> 01:13:43,360 to bring up about his past? Not only have you now listen, he 1115 01:13:43,360 --> 01:13:46,440 was pretty self-righteous, but the devil could have brought up 1116 01:13:46,440 --> 01:13:53,080 you helped incite the murder of Stephen, you brought havoc on 1117 01:13:53,080 --> 01:13:58,240 the churches, which means ruin and destruction. 1118 01:13:58,600 --> 01:14:01,040 And then you were getting letters to Damascus to make your 1119 01:14:01,040 --> 01:14:04,480 way to a town that's 150 miles away to persecute other 1120 01:14:04,480 --> 01:14:05,840 churches. Can you imagine the devil 1121 01:14:05,840 --> 01:14:09,200 replaying that in his mind? Now listen to what he says in 1122 01:14:09,200 --> 01:14:12,880 Corinthians, though after he spent some time in the Lord, he 1123 01:14:12,880 --> 01:14:14,040 says. Now, brothers and sisters, let 1124 01:14:14,040 --> 01:14:16,720 me remind you once again of the good news of salvation, which I 1125 01:14:16,720 --> 01:14:20,480 preach to you, which you welcome and accepted, on which you stand 1126 01:14:20,480 --> 01:14:22,840 by faith. By this faith you are saved, 1127 01:14:22,840 --> 01:14:25,640 reborn from above, spiritually transformed, renewed, and set 1128 01:14:25,640 --> 01:14:28,720 apart for his purpose. If you hold firmly the word 1129 01:14:28,720 --> 01:14:31,760 which I preach to you, unless you believed in vain, just 1130 01:14:31,760 --> 01:14:34,880 superficially and without complete commitment. 1131 01:14:35,480 --> 01:14:37,840 For I passed on to you as a first importance which I 1132 01:14:37,840 --> 01:14:41,200 received, that Christ died for our sins according to that which 1133 01:14:41,200 --> 01:14:44,640 was the Scriptures foretold, and that he was buried, that he was 1134 01:14:44,640 --> 01:14:47,160 bodily raised on the third day, according to that which the 1135 01:14:47,160 --> 01:14:50,760 scriptures foretold, that he appeared to Cephas, which is 1136 01:14:50,760 --> 01:14:53,720 Peter, and the 12 After that he poured, He appeared to more than 1137 01:14:53,720 --> 01:14:57,560 500 brothers and sisters at one time, the majority of whom are 1138 01:14:57,560 --> 01:14:59,320 still alive, but some have fallen asleep. 1139 01:14:59,800 --> 01:15:02,920 Then he was seen by James, then by all the apostles, and last of 1140 01:15:02,920 --> 01:15:06,920 all, as to 1 untimely, prematurely, traumatically born, 1141 01:15:06,920 --> 01:15:10,240 he appeared to me also Listen to what Paul says about himself, 1142 01:15:10,240 --> 01:15:14,720 for I'm the least worthy of the apostles, and not fit to be 1143 01:15:14,720 --> 01:15:18,120 called an apostle, because at one time I fiercely opposed and 1144 01:15:18,120 --> 01:15:19,880 violently persecute the Church of God. 1145 01:15:20,320 --> 01:15:22,640 But listen to his resolve and forgiveness. 1146 01:15:22,640 --> 01:15:27,040 But by the remarkable grace of God, I am what I am, and his 1147 01:15:27,040 --> 01:15:28,600 grace toward me was not without effect. 1148 01:15:28,600 --> 01:15:32,040 And in fact I worked harder than all the other apostles, though 1149 01:15:32,040 --> 01:15:33,720 was not I. But the grace of God is 1150 01:15:33,720 --> 01:15:37,680 unmerited favor and blessing with which was with me. 1151 01:15:37,680 --> 01:15:43,160 I close with this Philippians chapter 3 and and many of us 1152 01:15:43,160 --> 01:15:50,800 know this verse. Pastor Marcus, you can come, but 1153 01:15:50,800 --> 01:15:53,480 I want to read it in context of what the Apostle Paul lived 1154 01:15:53,480 --> 01:15:59,760 before he came into Christ. Philippians, chapter three. 1155 01:15:59,760 --> 01:16:05,120 We all say and quote this verse a lot, but we need to think in 1156 01:16:05,120 --> 01:16:07,560 terms of what he came out of and what he came into. 1157 01:16:08,520 --> 01:16:10,880 So verse 12 says, not that I've already attained or I'm already 1158 01:16:10,880 --> 01:16:13,720 perfected, but I press on that may I may lay hold of that for 1159 01:16:13,720 --> 01:16:16,320 which Christ Jesus has also laid hold of me. 1160 01:16:16,320 --> 01:16:19,320 Brethren, I do not count myself to have apprehended, but one 1161 01:16:19,320 --> 01:16:22,200 thing I do. What's he do? 1162 01:16:22,200 --> 01:16:25,800 Forget those things that are behind, and he reaches forward 1163 01:16:25,800 --> 01:16:28,600 to those things which are ahead. I press toward the goal, the 1164 01:16:28,600 --> 01:16:31,960 prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. 1165 01:16:32,480 --> 01:16:36,120 It's important that you forgive yourself, he said. 1166 01:16:36,120 --> 01:16:38,480 One thing I do, I forget those things that are behind. 1167 01:16:38,480 --> 01:16:41,320 You know, Satan's called the accuser of the brother. 1168 01:16:41,320 --> 01:16:44,360 And I'm sure that Satan tried to bring up to him like a replaying 1169 01:16:44,360 --> 01:16:47,680 a movie scene over and over again what he did to Steve and 1170 01:16:47,680 --> 01:16:50,160 what he did to the church. But he said this one thing I do 1171 01:16:50,160 --> 01:16:52,840 forget what lies behind. If you're going to reach all 1172 01:16:52,840 --> 01:16:56,880 that God has for you in 2024, you need to be a person that 1173 01:16:56,880 --> 01:17:02,080 forgives and let goes of what happened in 2023 or prior. 1174 01:17:02,560 --> 01:17:07,560 Why is this so important? Last scripture, Galatians 1175 01:17:07,560 --> 01:17:12,080 chapter 5, verse #6 says that faith works by love. 1176 01:17:12,760 --> 01:17:15,840 One translation says faith is energized by love. 1177 01:17:16,560 --> 01:17:21,280 Another translation says faith is made operative through love. 1178 01:17:22,320 --> 01:17:25,600 You're never going to have a strong faith if you don't have a 1179 01:17:25,600 --> 01:17:29,680 strong love walk. Romans 117 says the just shall 1180 01:17:29,680 --> 01:17:33,720 live by faith. If we're to live by faith, we 1181 01:17:33,720 --> 01:17:37,160 got to make sure we live by love 'cause our faith is only going 1182 01:17:37,160 --> 01:17:39,720 to work in proportion to our love walk. 1183 01:17:39,720 --> 01:17:42,560 And your faith and your love walk are not going to be strong 1184 01:17:42,880 --> 01:17:46,800 in 2024. If you're not in forgiveness, 1185 01:17:46,800 --> 01:17:50,600 'cause if you're not in this in Christ Reality, then you're not 1186 01:17:50,600 --> 01:17:54,800 in love and ultimately you're not in faith and ultimately 1187 01:17:54,800 --> 01:17:58,320 you're not going to please God. Cause faith please is God. 1188 01:18:05,320 --> 01:18:07,480 Thank you so much for listening to this message. 1189 01:18:07,560 --> 01:18:10,920 If you want more, subscribe to our Message podcast on iTunes, 1190 01:18:11,040 --> 01:18:13,080 Google Play, Spotify and SoundCloud. 1191 01:18:13,240 --> 01:18:15,680 Rating and leaving a comment will go a long way with helping 1192 01:18:15,680 --> 01:18:17,400 our messages get better circulation. 1193 01:18:17,920 --> 01:18:20,200 If you'd enjoy watching our weekend messages, visit 1194 01:18:20,200 --> 01:18:24,280 youtube.com/anchor Faith. We'd love it if you'd subscribe. 1195 01:18:24,280 --> 01:18:27,160 Leave a comment or a like on the messages if you'd like to find 1196 01:18:27,160 --> 01:18:29,480 out more information about us and how we're influencing the 1197 01:18:29,480 --> 01:18:32,240 world and help support the work we're doing by giving, just 1198 01:18:32,240 --> 01:18:33,760 visit anchorfaith.com.