WEBVTT 1 00:00:13.220 --> 00:00:17.219 Do you want to build your faith? Do you desire 2 00:00:17.260 --> 00:00:20.219 to have a true encounter with God through His Word? 3 00:00:20.859 --> 00:00:23.399 Then listen to Logos Rima R with Rev. 4 00:00:23.440 --> 00:00:23.620 Dr. 5 00:00:23.760 --> 00:00:29.609 Joseph Balbin, Head Pastor of Harvest Chapel International Kumasi. He 6 00:00:29.670 --> 00:00:32.469 is a seasoned man of God, and a teacher of 7 00:00:32.509 --> 00:00:36.859 the Word in its truth and simplicity. Make time with 8 00:00:36.960 --> 00:00:40.179 us each and every Monday to Friday at 2 p.m. 9 00:00:40.619 --> 00:00:46.570 on Spirit 88.3 FM as we encounter the Word of Truth. 10 00:00:47.429 --> 00:00:49.869 God richly bless you. 11 00:00:50.130 --> 00:00:53.259 And you say.... 12 00:01:05.010 --> 00:01:09.019 Welcome to Logos Rima R with God's servant, Rev. 13 00:01:09.030 --> 00:01:09.390 Dr. 14 00:01:09.439 --> 00:01:15.700 Joseph Baalbein, Head Pastor of Harvest Chapel International Kumasi. And now, 15 00:01:16.439 --> 00:01:17.799 to today's message. 16 00:01:21.340 --> 00:01:28.670 Before we take our seats, let's go to Joshua 1 17 00:01:28.670 --> 00:01:33.090 verse 8. This book of the Lord shall not depart 18 00:01:33.329 --> 00:01:37.019 out of my mouth. But I shall meditate in it 19 00:01:37.120 --> 00:01:41.219 day and night, that I may observe to do according 20 00:01:41.280 --> 00:01:44.780 to all that is written in it. But then I 21 00:01:44.840 --> 00:01:48.609 will make my way prosperous, and then I will have 22 00:01:48.730 --> 00:01:52.829 good success. Amen. Why don't you take your seats in 23 00:01:52.890 --> 00:01:58.469 his presence as we continue our discourses on how best 24 00:01:59.150 --> 00:02:03.599 we can bring order into our given lives. Hallelujah. Hallelujah. 25 00:02:04.370 --> 00:02:09.550 And text or anchor scripture for the month of order 26 00:02:09.569 --> 00:02:17.110 in our giving is taken from Matthew chapter 6, verse 24. 27 00:02:17.110 --> 00:02:22.960 Matthew 6, 24. It says that no one can save 28 00:02:23.129 --> 00:02:28.240 two masters, for either he will hate the one and 29 00:02:28.300 --> 00:02:31.840 love the other, or else he will be loyal to 30 00:02:31.879 --> 00:02:37.819 the one. and despise the other. You cannot save God 31 00:02:38.860 --> 00:02:45.560 and mammon. And that's Jesus speaking. The message says that 32 00:02:45.659 --> 00:02:50.379 you can't worship two gods at once. Loving one god, 33 00:02:51.300 --> 00:02:57.319 you end up hating the other. Adoration of one feeds 34 00:02:57.430 --> 00:03:03.520 contempt for the other. You can't worship God and mammon. Amen. 35 00:03:04.680 --> 00:03:07.780 So if in the chase for my mom, let's say 36 00:03:07.919 --> 00:03:11.400 you own a very lucrative shop that on Sundays you 37 00:03:11.439 --> 00:03:14.520 make a good business. And then on Sunday during church 38 00:03:14.539 --> 00:03:17.400 service time, you say, oh, I'm going to open my 39 00:03:17.460 --> 00:03:22.500 shop because it's a festive season. So our values, that's 40 00:03:22.520 --> 00:03:26.259 a typical scenario. Hallelujah. Giving the choice. Should I go 41 00:03:26.319 --> 00:03:28.719 to church or should I open shop? All my customers 42 00:03:28.740 --> 00:03:31.439 say they will come on Sunday or Oh, then you 43 00:03:31.479 --> 00:03:33.539 are dead. Then Satan will come. No, you know something? 44 00:03:34.259 --> 00:03:36.360 If you go to the workplace, you make a lot 45 00:03:36.400 --> 00:03:42.400 of money and you pay time. Immediately that comes. Oh, 46 00:03:42.460 --> 00:03:46.300 God will understand. And then we sacrifice that one and 47 00:03:46.360 --> 00:03:51.819 decide that we'll go for chasing the spirit of Mammon. Hallelujah. 48 00:03:52.379 --> 00:03:56.680 So self-denial of the ungodly lifestyle and the comforts of 49 00:03:56.719 --> 00:04:01.060 this world. Anything that displeases God. Verse 5. He says, 50 00:04:01.080 --> 00:04:04.379 blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth. 51 00:04:04.599 --> 00:04:07.900 And we said meek means they are submissive to the 52 00:04:07.979 --> 00:04:12.370 authority of God in all their choices in life. Hallelujah. 53 00:04:12.780 --> 00:04:17.649 They are servant-like hearts and attitudes towards God. The meek, 54 00:04:18.509 --> 00:04:24.769 strength subdued. Hallelujah. When the Holy Spirit whispers, they yield 55 00:04:25.269 --> 00:04:28.149 and they give in to the authority of the word 56 00:04:28.189 --> 00:04:33.660 of God. then you are demonstrating meekness. Hallelujah. Amen. And 57 00:04:33.680 --> 00:04:36.519 then in verse 6, he's still correcting the attitude. He said, 58 00:04:36.579 --> 00:04:41.509 blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for 59 00:04:41.610 --> 00:04:44.949 they shall be satisfied. More or less, he's saying that 60 00:04:45.189 --> 00:04:49.509 God wants to see zeal and passion and enthusiasm in 61 00:04:49.550 --> 00:04:52.639 the children of God, in the citizens that belong to 62 00:04:52.680 --> 00:04:57.480 the kingdom. Amen. God wants to see excitement. I'm sure 63 00:04:57.500 --> 00:05:00.339 a lot of us here, we will all be watching this. 64 00:05:00.839 --> 00:05:04.620 Ghana Black Stars and the World Cup. And we'll be 65 00:05:04.660 --> 00:05:08.420 behind our screens and rooting for our people. And we'll 66 00:05:08.439 --> 00:05:11.750 show zeal. When there's a player on the field who 67 00:05:11.790 --> 00:05:15.370 is not placing, we'll say, Sano, change him, change him. 68 00:05:15.670 --> 00:05:17.769 As if the coach can hear us in our home. 69 00:05:17.850 --> 00:05:21.009 Everybody in his home say, they should change, they should change. 70 00:05:21.879 --> 00:05:25.899 But when it comes to the things of God, Oh, 71 00:05:25.990 --> 00:05:28.730 then we are flattered. Because that one, when you go 72 00:05:28.750 --> 00:05:31.350 and show zeal, they will say, no, they will give 73 00:05:31.389 --> 00:05:35.329 you names. They will give you names. You are too spirituous. No, 74 00:05:35.370 --> 00:05:38.920 that's not it. You have to take it. So there's 75 00:05:38.959 --> 00:05:42.759 no zeal. There's no enthusiasm. We can't infect. You know, 76 00:05:43.100 --> 00:05:47.589 enthusiasm or passion has a way of arousing people and 77 00:05:47.670 --> 00:05:51.949 challenging people. So if the body language is like a deitical, 78 00:05:52.449 --> 00:05:55.050 it's shuffling when it comes to the things of God. 79 00:05:55.089 --> 00:05:58.990 We infect each other. We tell people it doesn't matter. 80 00:05:59.329 --> 00:06:03.839 It is inconsequential to life. But if you understand where 81 00:06:03.879 --> 00:06:06.879 we are going, where we are going, if you understand 82 00:06:06.920 --> 00:06:08.939 where we are going. So if you know where we 83 00:06:08.959 --> 00:06:12.279 are going, like I said earlier, on church days, you 84 00:06:12.319 --> 00:06:15.639 will not set the worship of God aside and go 85 00:06:15.660 --> 00:06:18.610 and chase after the spirit of Mammon. Because you know, 86 00:06:19.250 --> 00:06:22.610 The first law, the first commandment. Hear, O Israel, the 87 00:06:22.649 --> 00:06:25.410 Lord thy God is one. Thou shalt love the Lord 88 00:06:25.449 --> 00:06:28.509 thy God with all thy heart, all thy soul, all 89 00:06:28.589 --> 00:06:32.430 thy mind, and all thy strength. And then thy neighbor 90 00:06:32.529 --> 00:06:36.939 as thyself. So you bring order. Sunday, I'm not opening shop. 91 00:06:37.569 --> 00:06:41.779 It's a day of worship for me and my household. Amen. 92 00:06:41.860 --> 00:06:43.720 You don't come to church and you tell the others 93 00:06:43.740 --> 00:06:47.519 to go and open. Hallelujah. We are all going to church. 94 00:06:48.250 --> 00:06:51.350 Isn't it amazing? That's what God did in the church 95 00:06:51.370 --> 00:06:54.439 in the wilderness, isn't it? On the Sabbath. And what 96 00:06:54.480 --> 00:06:59.139 did he do? He compensated them. So on Friday, what happened? Double. 97 00:06:59.779 --> 00:07:03.589 He said, collect double of the manna. So he compensates. 98 00:07:04.110 --> 00:07:06.750 It just tells us what God will do if you 99 00:07:06.790 --> 00:07:09.790 decide that because of my zeal, the zeal of the 100 00:07:09.829 --> 00:07:13.670 Lord has consumed me. Sunday, church service days, the day 101 00:07:13.709 --> 00:07:16.189 I have to go for the midweek, I'm closing shop, 102 00:07:16.230 --> 00:07:19.149 I'm going to worship the King of glory. I'm not 103 00:07:19.170 --> 00:07:24.680 going to allow anything. Hey, God will compensate you. Tomorrow morning, 104 00:07:24.720 --> 00:07:27.519 immediately you open the shop. All the people that you 105 00:07:27.560 --> 00:07:31.079 lost during this Wednesday evening because you went to church, 106 00:07:31.360 --> 00:07:33.879 God will send them. He can even send just one. 107 00:07:34.339 --> 00:07:36.560 What amount of sales do you make a day? He 108 00:07:36.579 --> 00:07:39.040 can double and triple. Just one person will come and 109 00:07:39.079 --> 00:07:42.019 just empty your shop. And then you'll be there. It's like, hey, 110 00:07:42.060 --> 00:07:46.060 what is happening? It is God. Hallelujah. It is God. 111 00:07:46.660 --> 00:07:50.879 He has the testimonies of people who place God first. 112 00:07:51.199 --> 00:07:55.819 It's such an amazing experience. Amen. He says, those that 113 00:07:56.000 --> 00:08:00.509 hunger and thirst for righteousness, they have desire and they 114 00:08:00.550 --> 00:08:07.839 have determination. They show zeal, enthusiasm in the pursuit of God. Self-denial. 115 00:08:08.439 --> 00:08:12.759 And they persevere. And God always says they shall be satisfied. 116 00:08:13.170 --> 00:08:17.470 God will satisfy them. The thirst and the quest, the 117 00:08:17.629 --> 00:08:22.209 hunger for God. He says he will satisfy it. Because 118 00:08:22.269 --> 00:08:27.540 when you find God, when you find God, look, the 119 00:08:27.600 --> 00:08:33.490 spirit of Mammon will recede. the spirit of Mammon will cease, recede, 120 00:08:34.149 --> 00:08:36.970 because you know. After all, like he says, and he 121 00:08:37.009 --> 00:08:39.870 challenges us through our scripture. He says, the silver and gold, 122 00:08:39.889 --> 00:08:43.129 they are mine. Bring me the tithes. Try me and 123 00:08:43.210 --> 00:08:46.039 see if I'm not going to open the windows of 124 00:08:46.120 --> 00:08:50.399 heaven and pour you out such blessing that you cannot be, 125 00:08:50.919 --> 00:08:53.980 you not have room enough to receive it. And God 126 00:08:54.019 --> 00:08:56.840 has all these promises in and say, more or less, 127 00:08:57.019 --> 00:09:00.639 in an invitation to claim it. Claim it. Let your 128 00:09:00.679 --> 00:09:05.529 values change. And before then, Malachi was saying it. He says, 129 00:09:05.590 --> 00:09:08.250 God was saying that you are robbing me. He said, 130 00:09:08.350 --> 00:09:12.129 what we're enticed. And then so it's more like God 131 00:09:12.190 --> 00:09:16.590 is challenging us that, look, you are not meditating long 132 00:09:16.769 --> 00:09:21.799 enough to understand who I am. Who I am. The 133 00:09:21.860 --> 00:09:25.460 possessor of heaven and earth. The creator of all things. 134 00:09:26.039 --> 00:09:28.820 But we hear it and we allow it that no, no, no. 135 00:09:29.809 --> 00:09:33.320 God first. He says, seek ye first the kingdom of 136 00:09:33.379 --> 00:09:36.720 God and his righteousness. And all these other things will 137 00:09:36.740 --> 00:09:40.200 be added. Amen. Let's look at 7. Let's go on. 138 00:09:40.500 --> 00:09:43.960 It says, blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy. 139 00:09:43.980 --> 00:09:47.679 And we talked about the attitude. We should have the 140 00:09:47.799 --> 00:09:53.990 attitude of kindness. Amen. Or kind-heartedness. Amen. And remember, we 141 00:09:54.009 --> 00:09:56.710 said it's a process. So now that we have the 142 00:09:56.769 --> 00:09:59.649 DNA of God, God is going to help us. It 143 00:09:59.669 --> 00:10:01.610 should never be. If you have heard it, you see, 144 00:10:01.970 --> 00:10:04.850 the irony about some of these things is that God 145 00:10:04.909 --> 00:10:06.769 is so kind. When we are going through the process 146 00:10:06.820 --> 00:10:08.879 and we are not doing very well, God will give 147 00:10:08.909 --> 00:10:12.000 us the feedback. So one day you will hear it. 148 00:10:12.000 --> 00:10:15.379 They will mention your name. They will come and pass, 149 00:10:15.399 --> 00:10:17.700 you know, in your in your room, in front of 150 00:10:17.759 --> 00:10:20.500 your room, and they'll be gossiping so loud that you'll 151 00:10:20.539 --> 00:10:24.639 hear it. And then they'll mention your name, Beauty. And 152 00:10:27.720 --> 00:10:30.259 then it's like, oh, is that me that they are 153 00:10:30.299 --> 00:10:38.049 gossiping about? Where's your best friend? No, God wants us 154 00:10:38.070 --> 00:10:41.830 to be merciful. And he says they shall receive mercy. 155 00:10:42.289 --> 00:10:45.539 And then I start from that. The other shade of 156 00:10:45.639 --> 00:10:50.259 meaning about merciful is being forgiven. Forgiving is a place 157 00:10:50.299 --> 00:10:53.669 where a lot of us stumble. A lot of us stumble. 158 00:10:53.710 --> 00:10:56.990 It's part of the old Adamic nature that we need 159 00:10:57.009 --> 00:11:00.870 a lot of effort to crucify and to live. Like 160 00:11:00.889 --> 00:11:03.850 we always say, you can't love God and love man 161 00:11:04.289 --> 00:11:07.210 without the heart of forgiveness. So let me say it's 162 00:11:07.230 --> 00:11:13.480 an urgent need. It's an urgent attitude that has to 163 00:11:13.500 --> 00:11:18.580 be cultivated and then demonstrated in our lives, in the 164 00:11:18.639 --> 00:11:22.059 construction of the new man. Because as we know, love 165 00:11:22.080 --> 00:11:26.080 is the overarching virtue of all the others. But love 166 00:11:26.740 --> 00:11:30.970 and forgiveness, they go together. God could love us because 167 00:11:31.009 --> 00:11:34.259 he forgave us. Without him forgiving us, and then the 168 00:11:34.340 --> 00:11:37.779 wrath and anger of God still hanging over our heads. 169 00:11:37.879 --> 00:11:41.059 No way. So God had to forgive us to love 170 00:11:41.080 --> 00:11:46.100 the world again. So they work. So that forgiveness thing. Look, 171 00:11:46.879 --> 00:11:49.470 let them say, you don't want anybody to say anything 172 00:11:49.490 --> 00:11:52.730 negative about you. We know sometimes the comments, it can 173 00:11:52.750 --> 00:11:58.870 be scoffing and cutting and piercing and disabling, but... God, 174 00:11:58.909 --> 00:12:01.600 that's why the Holy Spirit is in place. You talk 175 00:12:01.639 --> 00:12:05.100 to him about it, he will heal you. Amen. Don't 176 00:12:05.240 --> 00:12:10.279 allow that anger, that bitterness to fester. You won't be 177 00:12:10.360 --> 00:12:13.059 able to grow. Like we always say, it will clog 178 00:12:13.080 --> 00:12:16.789 your prayer channels. Because all that God will be saying, forgive. 179 00:12:17.250 --> 00:12:23.389 Just as God forgave you, forgive one another. Hallelujah. So 180 00:12:23.409 --> 00:12:27.149 he said, blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy. 181 00:12:27.570 --> 00:12:30.190 You remember what Jesus said? He said, if you don't 182 00:12:30.269 --> 00:12:35.950 forgive me, there are trespasses in one other rendition of 183 00:12:35.990 --> 00:12:39.309 the Lord's Prayer. He said, then God will not forgive you. 184 00:12:40.200 --> 00:12:42.460 And we say, oh no, it can't be true. God, 185 00:12:42.480 --> 00:12:44.919 you didn't forgive me. Me, I don't forgive. You are 186 00:12:44.940 --> 00:12:48.879 a forgiving God. Me, I can't forgive because I can't forget. 187 00:12:48.899 --> 00:12:52.259 You forgive first and you forget later. And when we 188 00:12:52.279 --> 00:12:55.820 say forget it, it's only dead people who do it. No, no. 189 00:12:56.230 --> 00:12:58.470 Forget that. It means it will come, but it won't 190 00:12:58.509 --> 00:13:02.029 disarm you. It won't pierce you. It won't bring all 191 00:13:02.129 --> 00:13:05.929 the pain and all the ugly spectacle when you recall 192 00:13:06.490 --> 00:13:09.490 or recollect what that person did to you. That's what 193 00:13:09.529 --> 00:13:11.629 we mean by forget. It doesn't mean that it won't 194 00:13:11.669 --> 00:13:14.419 come into your head. Sometimes we say, oh, no, I 195 00:13:14.460 --> 00:13:17.610 can't forget. You can't forget. It can recede to the 196 00:13:17.669 --> 00:13:20.460 recesses of your heart or mind such that when you 197 00:13:20.519 --> 00:13:23.980 recollect it, you can smile over it and laugh over it. Yeah, 198 00:13:24.000 --> 00:13:27.000 that's what it means. And until you can smile and 199 00:13:27.039 --> 00:13:30.399 laugh over it, it means you have not forgiven. Hallelujah. 200 00:13:31.960 --> 00:13:36.570 That's tough, eh? Amen. So let's be quick to forgive 201 00:13:37.570 --> 00:13:40.090 so that we can be able to reach out to 202 00:13:40.149 --> 00:13:42.970 hurting people. Let's do eight. It's a blessing that they're 203 00:13:43.070 --> 00:13:46.950 pure in heart for they shall see God. Pure in 204 00:13:46.990 --> 00:13:50.509 heart means pure thoughts. And purity has to do with 205 00:13:50.669 --> 00:13:54.870 our motives and intentions. Don't be a schemer. Every time 206 00:13:54.889 --> 00:13:58.669 you are scheming, how best you can hurt people or 207 00:13:58.789 --> 00:14:03.389 hit back. Pure in heart. Childlike faith and trust in God. 208 00:14:03.789 --> 00:14:07.669 And the whole thing about the purity is that holiness 209 00:14:07.750 --> 00:14:11.120 is the goal. Be holy for I am holy. And 210 00:14:11.159 --> 00:14:14.759 pure in heart also means abhorrence of sin. However, we 211 00:14:14.799 --> 00:14:17.929 know that we may trip and fall. The apostle John 212 00:14:18.110 --> 00:14:20.870 puts it nicely in John, he said, there is no 213 00:14:20.909 --> 00:14:25.100 man that sinneth not. But the distinction between the believer 214 00:14:25.740 --> 00:14:28.740 and the unbeliever is that, he says that what? When 215 00:14:28.799 --> 00:14:32.820 we sin, we do what? We repent. We don't continue 216 00:14:32.840 --> 00:14:37.070 on living in sin. Because the power of God, of 217 00:14:37.090 --> 00:14:41.169 the Holy Spirit in our life, acts as a restraint. 218 00:14:42.070 --> 00:14:45.009 In sin life. Because you will know within your spirit. 219 00:14:45.029 --> 00:14:47.570 You will never be happy. You will never be joyful. 220 00:14:48.029 --> 00:14:51.110 Sin will clog your prayer channel. So it more or 221 00:14:51.190 --> 00:14:55.269 less sin in our lives as believers. Paralyzes us. And 222 00:14:55.769 --> 00:15:00.100 brings a hole to our functioning. Amen. And so when 223 00:15:00.429 --> 00:15:03.000 you have felt it before. You don't want to go 224 00:15:03.059 --> 00:15:08.220 there again. That's why the antidote is the confession. And 225 00:15:08.240 --> 00:15:12.200 then boom. The Holy Spirit. comes back alive, and then 226 00:15:12.240 --> 00:15:16.039 he begins to give us his energy, then we are joyful. 227 00:15:16.259 --> 00:15:19.299 We can pray. We can sing. And we can be 228 00:15:19.340 --> 00:15:24.940 in good mood. Hallelujah. Amen. If we trip and fall, 229 00:15:25.559 --> 00:15:29.559 be quick in repentance. Take advantage of the grace to 230 00:15:29.600 --> 00:15:33.759 repent and do it. Hallelujah. Let's go on. Blessed are 231 00:15:33.779 --> 00:15:37.139 the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God. 232 00:15:38.070 --> 00:15:41.490 They shall become sons of God, peacemakers. They are proactive 233 00:15:41.889 --> 00:15:48.490 and quick to settle quarrels and disagreements. Proactive. Amen. Proactive. 234 00:15:49.100 --> 00:15:52.799 They take the lead. No, she's the one who hurt me. 235 00:15:53.080 --> 00:15:55.799 I'm waiting for her to come and apologize. If she 236 00:15:55.840 --> 00:15:59.799 doesn't come, okay. No. He won't say, stay in your corner. 237 00:16:00.139 --> 00:16:02.299 Me too, I'll be in my corner. We used to 238 00:16:02.320 --> 00:16:07.750 be very, very good friends, but now it's over. No. Hallelujah. Hallelujah. Amen. 239 00:16:07.830 --> 00:16:11.970 So be proactive and quick to settle quarrels and disagreements. 240 00:16:12.649 --> 00:16:17.980 Love peace. Settle for peace whenever the opportunity presents itself. 241 00:16:18.639 --> 00:16:21.620 So sometimes you can just, I mean practically, start praying 242 00:16:21.659 --> 00:16:25.080 over it. Lo and behold, this person that you didn't, 243 00:16:25.379 --> 00:16:27.929 as you start praying over it, God will just orchestrate, 244 00:16:28.230 --> 00:16:30.990 you know, a taxi back to school and then lo 245 00:16:31.950 --> 00:16:34.830 and behold, when you open the taxi, here she is. 246 00:16:36.100 --> 00:16:39.730 And just the two of you are there. No interference. 247 00:16:39.750 --> 00:16:44.669 You say, yay. It's a setup by God. Start the conversation. 248 00:16:45.269 --> 00:16:48.389 How are you? How was your day? These days, we 249 00:16:48.429 --> 00:16:50.850 don't mean chatting crowd. Maybe in one of these days, 250 00:16:50.909 --> 00:16:53.629 I'll come. We can just go for a meal. God 251 00:16:53.649 --> 00:16:58.929 will give you something too. Amen. Hallelujah. Or if you come, 252 00:16:58.990 --> 00:17:01.980 the two of you come to Harvest Chapel. He says, please, 253 00:17:02.009 --> 00:17:03.960 when you are going for church, come and call me. 254 00:17:04.670 --> 00:17:07.430 You have extended that. You've not said so much in 255 00:17:07.450 --> 00:17:10.279 words unless settle our differences. But telling the person that 256 00:17:10.539 --> 00:17:16.220 come and then call me, it's like, amen. That's peacemakers. 257 00:17:16.299 --> 00:17:20.349 Love peace. Settle for peace. And then the last point 258 00:17:20.420 --> 00:17:24.589 I have here, don't prolong unduly quarrels and disagreements. There's 259 00:17:24.630 --> 00:17:27.789 a time for everything, isn't it, Ecclesiastes? A time for 260 00:17:27.829 --> 00:17:31.930 war and a time for peace. So the opportunity will come. 261 00:17:32.529 --> 00:17:37.089 Don't let it pass you by. Settle it. Amen. You 262 00:17:37.109 --> 00:17:39.650 found yourself in that place and then, I mean, maybe 263 00:17:39.690 --> 00:17:43.210 you went for dinner or something. And then, lo and behold, 264 00:17:43.250 --> 00:17:46.470 you found yourself in the same seat. It's an opportunity. 265 00:17:46.849 --> 00:17:49.279 Don't prolong it. Where are you going to sit? Can 266 00:17:49.319 --> 00:17:56.119 I sit by you? Instead of looking for another place 267 00:17:57.119 --> 00:17:59.859 when there's no place. And then you say, can you 268 00:17:59.900 --> 00:18:02.759 push that? Let me sit here. I don't want to 269 00:18:02.799 --> 00:18:07.500 go near the, no, look for it. God will orchestrate 270 00:18:07.519 --> 00:18:12.039 it all. We have seen all these things in our life. 271 00:18:12.059 --> 00:18:13.839 When we say you like me, it doesn't mean nobody 272 00:18:13.859 --> 00:18:18.319 will hurt you, but you seize the opportunity. Don't prolong 273 00:18:18.400 --> 00:18:23.859 unduly quarrels and disagreements. Hallelujah. Even your wife, your husband, 274 00:18:24.180 --> 00:18:29.660 say something. Amen. And then just diffuse the tension. Your roommates, 275 00:18:30.430 --> 00:18:34.710 I've told you my ordeal with my roommate that sucks. 276 00:18:35.099 --> 00:18:40.559 One day I'll tell you. Amen. Hallelujah. So don't prolong 277 00:18:40.640 --> 00:18:44.140 or deal with quarrels. Now let's look at verse 10. 278 00:18:44.140 --> 00:18:49.289 And he said, blessed are those persecuted for righteousness' sake. 279 00:18:49.930 --> 00:18:56.349 For this is the kingdom of God. Hallelujah. Amen. More 280 00:18:56.369 --> 00:18:58.309 or less, it's calling you. I think we'll tie it 281 00:18:58.329 --> 00:19:01.789 to 11 and 12. So let's read this. Blessed are 282 00:19:01.829 --> 00:19:06.690 you when others revile you and persecute you and alter 283 00:19:06.869 --> 00:19:09.609 all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. 284 00:19:10.049 --> 00:19:13.309 Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven. 285 00:19:13.809 --> 00:19:20.640 For so they persecuted the prophets who were before you. Hallelujah. Amen. 286 00:19:21.279 --> 00:19:23.960 And so more or less, these three verses, you know, 287 00:19:24.079 --> 00:19:28.099 I'm lumping them, trying to tell us that we don't 288 00:19:28.180 --> 00:19:34.099 have to be surprised To see people disliking, disagreeing, and 289 00:19:34.359 --> 00:19:39.869 insulting us on account of the values and attitudes we 290 00:19:39.880 --> 00:19:43.589 have embraced in this life. When you make a choice, 291 00:19:44.450 --> 00:19:48.009 or you make choices that bring glory and honor to God, 292 00:19:48.390 --> 00:19:53.160 you will attract people. persecution. That's the paradox of the gospel. 293 00:19:53.680 --> 00:19:59.519 Jesus said about end persecution. The Christian suffering is something 294 00:19:59.559 --> 00:20:03.049 that God has woven into the Christian life. You want 295 00:20:03.069 --> 00:20:07.329 to walk with God, you will attract persecution so long 296 00:20:07.410 --> 00:20:12.859 as this earth remains. There's no way everybody will like 297 00:20:12.900 --> 00:20:17.299 you in the workplace, in home. Remember what Jesus said? 298 00:20:17.319 --> 00:20:20.910 He said, I'm bringing not peace, but war. He said 299 00:20:20.970 --> 00:20:23.670 in the home fight, three will be against two and 300 00:20:23.730 --> 00:20:27.630 two against three. It's all talking about the values that 301 00:20:27.670 --> 00:20:33.779 the kingdom citizens want. Embrace the attitudes that they will demonstrate, 302 00:20:34.039 --> 00:20:37.509 the behaviors and the choices that they will make. It 303 00:20:37.529 --> 00:20:43.430 will attract anger and dislike. Hallelujah. Amen. But you need 304 00:20:43.470 --> 00:20:47.369 to be brave and courageous to endure it. Don't quit 305 00:20:47.509 --> 00:20:51.430 or deny God in the face of adversity. Don't, don't. 306 00:20:52.450 --> 00:20:57.650 And he gives us the reason why. Hallelujah. Amen. Continue, 307 00:20:58.289 --> 00:21:01.730 he said that Jesus says here that your reward, my 308 00:21:01.799 --> 00:21:07.779 reward is great. More like Jesus is incentivizing us. I 309 00:21:07.819 --> 00:21:10.740 know it's going to be tough. And remember he said 310 00:21:10.779 --> 00:21:13.359 the life that he came to live and to demonstrate. 311 00:21:13.980 --> 00:21:16.859 I like saying, I mean, look at Jesus Christ for 312 00:21:16.900 --> 00:21:19.740 you and I crowd here. You and I there, already 313 00:21:19.779 --> 00:21:22.670 we are guilty, you know. But Jesus Christ, he stood 314 00:21:22.690 --> 00:21:27.160 there and said, which of you here accuses me of wrongdoing. 315 00:21:27.180 --> 00:21:30.640 There's nobody. The only charge that finally stuck was that 316 00:21:30.880 --> 00:21:34.319 he was blaspheming God by saying that he's the son 317 00:21:34.380 --> 00:21:36.829 of God. That's why they crucified him. But even if 318 00:21:36.849 --> 00:21:38.910 they said they weren't going to crucify us, we have 319 00:21:38.950 --> 00:21:46.970 a lot of things that they will use to crucify us. Amen. Hallelujah. Amen. 320 00:21:48.130 --> 00:21:52.500 But not him. So when they are insulting us, they 321 00:21:52.539 --> 00:21:59.039 are justified. Hallelujah. Hallelujah. And Jesus is saying that your 322 00:21:59.480 --> 00:22:03.849 best behaviors rather ironically is what is going to elicit 323 00:22:04.910 --> 00:22:08.049 the persecution. Why? Because of the ruler of this world. 324 00:22:08.809 --> 00:22:12.069 And because of the values that he inculcated in us. 325 00:22:12.549 --> 00:22:16.059 I'm talking about the old man and his author, Satan. 326 00:22:16.599 --> 00:22:18.180 And what he has done to us. That's why we 327 00:22:18.200 --> 00:22:21.720 keep on saying the damage is substantial. There's a lot 328 00:22:21.779 --> 00:22:25.150 of work to be done. To deconstruct the old man. 329 00:22:25.170 --> 00:22:28.599 Don't underplay. That's why Jesus starts, kick starts, you know, 330 00:22:29.140 --> 00:22:32.769 and Matthew documents it quite early in his gospel narratives 331 00:22:33.190 --> 00:22:39.369 about the way that Jesus started attacking values. And encouraging 332 00:22:39.430 --> 00:22:43.309 God-honoring values and choices. Because He's going to change our 333 00:22:43.650 --> 00:22:46.829 attitudes about so many things in this life. And He 334 00:22:46.890 --> 00:22:52.730 keeps on bringing in where we are going. Heaven, heaven, righteousness, heaven, God, meekness, 335 00:22:52.809 --> 00:22:57.829 and the fruit of the Holy Spirit. Just emphasizing them. Hallelujah. 336 00:22:58.329 --> 00:23:01.289 And then warning us that we will be attacked. We 337 00:23:01.309 --> 00:23:05.380 will be persecuted. We will be pushed out. Of the 338 00:23:05.490 --> 00:23:10.380 conversations of men. But then be encouraged. That is by design. 339 00:23:11.079 --> 00:23:14.839 That is by design. Until Satan is completely dealt with. 340 00:23:15.299 --> 00:23:19.460 Every believer. Will suffer persecution. If you are running your 341 00:23:19.519 --> 00:23:22.769 Christian life. In such a way that everybody. Likes your 342 00:23:22.809 --> 00:23:27.309 brand of Christianity. The master's own. He wasn't like. But 343 00:23:27.349 --> 00:23:30.170 you your own. And then you are priding yourself. I'm 344 00:23:30.250 --> 00:23:34.190 better than Jesus Christ. They applaud me better. No. No. 345 00:23:35.160 --> 00:23:37.819 He said, if they insulted me, they will insult you. 346 00:23:38.480 --> 00:23:42.619 You have never received an insult as a believer. Then 347 00:23:42.640 --> 00:23:45.789 you have forged out your own brand. And that's what 348 00:23:45.829 --> 00:23:49.930 he's saying. He said, rejoice and be exceedingly glad for 349 00:23:50.089 --> 00:23:53.329 great is your reward in heaven. Once again, reminding us 350 00:23:53.410 --> 00:23:55.609 where we are going and why we have to go 351 00:23:55.650 --> 00:23:58.609 through what we are going. We are going to heaven. 352 00:23:58.970 --> 00:24:01.490 As for the heaven thing, believers, we don't like here. 353 00:24:01.630 --> 00:24:05.170 We want to be here on earth. And then display 354 00:24:05.309 --> 00:24:09.150 opulence and the spirit of mamon. Go chasing him and 355 00:24:09.250 --> 00:24:12.349 then when we have it all, then we'll just display 356 00:24:12.390 --> 00:24:19.859 it and say, oh, see what the Lord has done. Hallelujah. No. 357 00:24:20.700 --> 00:24:22.660 What he's saying is that don't be surprised to see 358 00:24:22.720 --> 00:24:27.299 people disliking, disagreeing and insulting you on account of the 359 00:24:27.339 --> 00:24:31.569 values and attitudes you embrace in life. The choices that 360 00:24:31.700 --> 00:24:34.390 you and I must make should bring glory and honor 361 00:24:34.789 --> 00:24:37.910 to God. Hallelujah. And when they look at that, now 362 00:24:37.930 --> 00:24:40.009 let me put, I put this here because it's important. 363 00:24:40.309 --> 00:24:42.970 The godly choices that we are talking about, the principles 364 00:24:43.289 --> 00:24:45.430 and the values that you are losing to run your life, 365 00:24:45.890 --> 00:24:48.809 they should be taken directly from the Bible and from 366 00:24:48.849 --> 00:24:53.990 the mouth of God. Amen. Not the philosophies of men. 367 00:24:55.170 --> 00:25:00.069 The values we are talking about, it's not some philosopher somewhere, social, no. 368 00:25:01.160 --> 00:25:03.839 When they look at the values that you have embraced 369 00:25:03.880 --> 00:25:06.660 and you are running your life and living amongst men, 370 00:25:06.920 --> 00:25:08.720 we should be able to draw a line to one 371 00:25:08.779 --> 00:25:11.880 of the sayings of God or Jesus or the principles 372 00:25:11.940 --> 00:25:16.609 in the Bible. Hallelujah. Amen. So someday you have a 373 00:25:16.650 --> 00:25:19.569 lot of some of these things, wise sayings, they are around. 374 00:25:19.869 --> 00:25:22.009 Be yourself. Like I was saying, have you seen any 375 00:25:22.049 --> 00:25:25.750 be yourself in the Bible before? Be like Jesus. We 376 00:25:25.829 --> 00:25:29.509 are destroying and discontrasting the old man's name. Be yourself. 377 00:25:30.910 --> 00:25:34.869 Be yourself. Don't let anybody trample on your self-esteem. Did 378 00:25:34.890 --> 00:25:38.230 the boss say that? Go and confront him. I'm here. 379 00:25:38.250 --> 00:25:44.549 I'm backing you. Hey, you don't want to know. That's 380 00:25:44.589 --> 00:25:50.029 not it. Hallelujah. So let's continue making those God-honoring choices 381 00:25:50.589 --> 00:25:55.390 and decisions. Jesus says here that your reward and my 382 00:25:55.450 --> 00:25:59.519 reward is great. Great in heaven. It means in the 383 00:25:59.599 --> 00:26:03.880 life hereafter. Great in heaven. Jesus made sure, he made 384 00:26:03.960 --> 00:26:08.400 sure that he tells us where that great reward will 385 00:26:08.420 --> 00:26:12.799 be dispensed into our lives. Great in heaven. Your rewards 386 00:26:12.960 --> 00:26:16.240 is great in heaven. So that, you see, Jesus is 387 00:26:16.279 --> 00:26:20.099 preparing us. Let's look at him. He didn't go chasing 388 00:26:20.140 --> 00:26:24.220 after the spirit of Mammonu, but he had a fulfilling life. 389 00:26:25.480 --> 00:26:28.700 He had a life where there was no lack. On 390 00:26:28.740 --> 00:26:31.940 the occasion when he had to pay his tithe and 391 00:26:32.039 --> 00:26:35.660 the Pharisees or the people confronted him that you are here, 392 00:26:35.700 --> 00:26:38.029 you don't pay tithe, you don't pay your tax, full tax. 393 00:26:38.410 --> 00:26:40.769 And then he called Peter. They asked Peter. And then 394 00:26:40.789 --> 00:26:43.710 when he got him, Peter said, then he asked him 395 00:26:43.730 --> 00:26:46.369 that question. The people of this, to whom do they contribute? 396 00:26:46.970 --> 00:26:50.250 Is it the citizens or the children? And he says, okay, 397 00:26:50.769 --> 00:26:52.869 so that they don't take offense, go into the sea, 398 00:26:53.230 --> 00:26:56.170 catch the first fish, open his mouth, let go, pay 399 00:26:56.190 --> 00:27:01.009 your tax and my tax. Amen. The needs were met 400 00:27:01.250 --> 00:27:05.369 just when he needed them. He was almost always more 401 00:27:05.410 --> 00:27:09.769