1 00:00:00,000 --> 00:00:07,520 The Word of God is food for the spirit and health to the body. 2 00:00:07,520 --> 00:00:13,200 Through the spirit of revelation, we are guided into the wisdom and deep mysteries in His 3 00:00:13,200 --> 00:00:16,920 Word that make our lives vibrant and productive. 4 00:00:16,920 --> 00:00:20,160 Welcome to the Merciful Gospel Church Podcast. 5 00:00:20,160 --> 00:00:25,480 As you listen in, the glory of God will be quickened and activated in your life. 6 00:00:25,480 --> 00:00:28,920 And now, the Word. 7 00:00:28,920 --> 00:00:33,840 I want to welcome you all in the house of God this morning. 8 00:00:33,840 --> 00:00:37,200 And as usual, I am honored to see you here. 9 00:00:37,200 --> 00:00:38,880 It's an honor for me. 10 00:00:38,880 --> 00:00:47,220 I know that, as I say, first of all, you are a special part of this congregation. 11 00:00:47,220 --> 00:00:51,960 You guys who come here by seven o'clock, you are in your own class. 12 00:00:51,960 --> 00:00:56,480 I tell you the truth, I am here because I have to be here. 13 00:00:56,480 --> 00:00:58,160 I'm the pastor. 14 00:00:58,160 --> 00:01:04,280 I probably come for the side service, but the seven o'clock service is a unique breed. 15 00:01:04,280 --> 00:01:06,380 God bless you for that. 16 00:01:06,380 --> 00:01:08,400 God bless you. 17 00:01:08,400 --> 00:01:10,540 God bless you. 18 00:01:10,540 --> 00:01:16,960 We have been looking at a very important subject in my mind, and it's the subject of being 19 00:01:16,960 --> 00:01:19,800 in covenant with God. 20 00:01:19,800 --> 00:01:26,860 I am convinced that there is nothing more profound, nothing more consequential, nothing 21 00:01:26,860 --> 00:01:29,840 more impactful than being in covenant with God. 22 00:01:29,840 --> 00:01:37,920 It determines everything about who you are, what you do, what you become, and what you 23 00:01:37,920 --> 00:01:39,160 achieve in this life. 24 00:01:39,160 --> 00:01:44,680 In this life, God is the one that makes a difference in our lives. 25 00:01:44,680 --> 00:01:50,760 And when you're in covenant with Him, you are a unique and unusual person. 26 00:01:50,760 --> 00:01:57,920 There's something about you that makes you have an edge over other people. 27 00:01:57,920 --> 00:02:00,320 This morning I have a question. 28 00:02:00,320 --> 00:02:05,080 Are you a servant or a friend? 29 00:02:05,080 --> 00:02:08,240 Are you a servant or a friend of God? 30 00:02:08,240 --> 00:02:09,240 What are you? 31 00:02:09,240 --> 00:02:11,040 Are you a servant of God? 32 00:02:11,040 --> 00:02:12,800 Are you a friend of God? 33 00:02:12,800 --> 00:02:22,080 I want us to turn first of all to the Gospel of John chapter 15 verse 15, John 15 verse 34 00:02:22,080 --> 00:02:23,080 15. 35 00:02:23,080 --> 00:02:31,800 It says there that, No longer do I call you servants, for a servant does not know what 36 00:02:31,800 --> 00:02:35,120 his master is doing. 37 00:02:35,120 --> 00:02:44,120 But I've called you friends, for all things that I heard from my Father, I have made known 38 00:02:44,120 --> 00:02:47,240 to you. 39 00:02:47,240 --> 00:02:55,960 In this verse, Jesus describes the dimensions of being in relationship with Him. 40 00:02:55,960 --> 00:02:58,200 There are different shades. 41 00:02:58,200 --> 00:03:02,880 There are different ways you can relate with God. 42 00:03:02,880 --> 00:03:06,720 You can be a servant, you can be a friend. 43 00:03:06,720 --> 00:03:08,840 It depends upon you. 44 00:03:08,840 --> 00:03:09,840 So what are you? 45 00:03:09,840 --> 00:03:10,840 Who are you? 46 00:03:10,840 --> 00:03:12,920 Are you a servant? 47 00:03:12,920 --> 00:03:15,960 Are you a friend of God? 48 00:03:15,960 --> 00:03:18,520 Because both are possible. 49 00:03:18,520 --> 00:03:22,640 There are Christians who are only servants. 50 00:03:22,640 --> 00:03:25,160 They follow instructions. 51 00:03:25,160 --> 00:03:29,760 They never get to know anything beyond instructions. 52 00:03:29,760 --> 00:03:35,000 They just do things probably out of habit. 53 00:03:35,000 --> 00:03:39,520 But they are those who get to know more than instructions. 54 00:03:39,520 --> 00:03:43,440 They get to know why, how, when. 55 00:03:43,440 --> 00:03:48,720 They get to know details about what God is up to. 56 00:03:48,720 --> 00:03:52,620 God reveals, God confides in them. 57 00:03:52,620 --> 00:03:54,280 God confides in them. 58 00:03:54,280 --> 00:03:57,200 God makes them His confidants. 59 00:03:57,200 --> 00:04:02,000 God shares with them things that are on His heart. 60 00:04:02,000 --> 00:04:09,520 And in a summary, being a friend is an upgrade from being a servant. 61 00:04:09,520 --> 00:04:15,960 The ultimate level of being in relationship with God is not being a servant. 62 00:04:15,960 --> 00:04:18,640 It is being a friend. 63 00:04:18,640 --> 00:04:19,860 That is the epitome. 64 00:04:19,860 --> 00:04:22,560 That is the A+. 65 00:04:22,560 --> 00:04:31,000 That is the highest level anyone can ever relate with God, being a friend of God. 66 00:04:31,000 --> 00:04:36,760 When God says, you are my friend, that says a lot. 67 00:04:36,760 --> 00:04:42,720 There are very few people in the Bible He calls His friends. 68 00:04:42,720 --> 00:04:47,760 As far as I can recall, there are only two, Abraham and Moses. 69 00:04:47,760 --> 00:04:55,520 Others are servants, they are prophets, they are apostles, they are evangelists. 70 00:04:55,520 --> 00:05:02,580 But the people that God steps out and says, that man is my friend, I only know two. 71 00:05:02,580 --> 00:05:04,960 One of them is Abraham. 72 00:05:04,960 --> 00:05:09,280 And we see this in Isaiah 41 verse 8. 73 00:05:09,280 --> 00:05:11,280 Let's just read there briefly. 74 00:05:11,280 --> 00:05:15,680 Isaiah, Isaiah chapter 41 verse 8. 75 00:05:15,680 --> 00:05:20,080 The Bible says, but you Israel are my servant. 76 00:05:20,080 --> 00:05:21,080 See the different? 77 00:05:21,080 --> 00:05:27,360 Jacob whom I've chosen, the descendants of Abraham, my friend. 78 00:05:27,360 --> 00:05:28,360 Hallelujah. 79 00:05:28,360 --> 00:05:31,080 So, what are you? 80 00:05:31,080 --> 00:05:33,120 Are you a servant? 81 00:05:33,120 --> 00:05:35,160 Are you a friend of God? 82 00:05:35,160 --> 00:05:38,440 Are you a friend of God? 83 00:05:38,440 --> 00:05:44,760 This morning, I want us to look at one benefit of being a friend of God. 84 00:05:44,760 --> 00:05:50,280 There are so many, there are so many, it would take several weeks going over them, but I 85 00:05:50,280 --> 00:05:52,160 want to share just one. 86 00:05:52,160 --> 00:06:00,240 And I hope that benefit will start up your heart to desire to become a friend of God. 87 00:06:00,240 --> 00:06:06,920 You will move from being a servant, you desire to become a friend. 88 00:06:06,920 --> 00:06:09,920 Let's look at Genesis chapter 18. 89 00:06:09,920 --> 00:06:12,560 We'll read from verse 22. 90 00:06:12,560 --> 00:06:22,120 Genesis 18 verse 22 it says, Then the men turned away from there, and went toward Sodom. 91 00:06:22,120 --> 00:06:26,080 Abraham still stood before the Lord. 92 00:06:26,080 --> 00:06:33,360 Abraham came near and said, Would you also destroy the righteous with the wicked? 93 00:06:33,360 --> 00:06:39,000 Suppose there are fifty righteous within the city, would you also destroy the place and 94 00:06:39,000 --> 00:06:43,680 not spare it for the fifty righteous that were in it? 95 00:06:43,680 --> 00:06:45,960 Far be it from you. 96 00:06:45,960 --> 00:06:53,160 Do such a thing as this, to slay the righteous with the wicked, so that the righteous should 97 00:06:53,160 --> 00:06:54,680 be as the wicked? 98 00:06:54,680 --> 00:06:57,240 Far be it from you. 99 00:06:57,240 --> 00:07:04,240 Shall not the charge of the whole earth forgive me, every time I read these words I get tickled. 100 00:07:04,240 --> 00:07:07,280 Who is Abraham talk to God like that? 101 00:07:07,280 --> 00:07:16,120 Banaghi, what does, who is Abraham to question the judgment of God? 102 00:07:16,120 --> 00:07:19,800 How dare Abraham talk to God like that? 103 00:07:19,800 --> 00:07:20,800 Far be it from you. 104 00:07:20,800 --> 00:07:28,680 Come on now, you see, are you going, are you losing, you know, doing something outside 105 00:07:28,680 --> 00:07:33,680 your personality? 106 00:07:33,680 --> 00:07:35,720 Far be it from you. 107 00:07:35,720 --> 00:07:39,720 But God is listening. 108 00:07:39,720 --> 00:07:43,200 Let's continue verse 26. 109 00:07:43,200 --> 00:07:51,920 So the Lord said, If I fight in Sodom fifty righteous within the city, then I will spare 110 00:07:51,920 --> 00:07:55,840 all the place for their sex. 111 00:07:55,840 --> 00:08:03,360 And Abraham answered and said, Indeed now I who am but dust and ashes have taken upon 112 00:08:03,360 --> 00:08:06,320 myself to speak to the Lord. 113 00:08:06,320 --> 00:08:11,160 Suppose there are five less than fifty righteous, would you destroy all the city for lack of 114 00:08:11,160 --> 00:08:12,160 five? 115 00:08:12,160 --> 00:08:18,880 So he said, If I find there forty-five, I will not destroy it. 116 00:08:18,880 --> 00:08:26,000 Then he spoke to him yet again and said, Suppose there should be forty fair. 117 00:08:26,000 --> 00:08:29,120 So he said, I will not do it for the sake of forty. 118 00:08:29,120 --> 00:08:33,880 And he said, Let the Lord be angry, I will speak. 119 00:08:33,880 --> 00:08:36,800 I like that, I will speak. 120 00:08:36,800 --> 00:08:39,120 Suppose thirty should be found there. 121 00:08:39,120 --> 00:08:45,240 So he said, I will not do it if I find thirty there. 122 00:08:45,240 --> 00:08:51,480 And he said, Indeed now I have taken upon myself to speak to the Lord. 123 00:08:51,480 --> 00:08:53,920 Suppose twenty should be found there. 124 00:08:53,920 --> 00:08:59,080 So he said, I will not destroy it for the sake of twenty. 125 00:08:59,080 --> 00:09:03,600 Then he said, Let not the Lord be angry, I will speak. 126 00:09:03,600 --> 00:09:05,960 One once more. 127 00:09:05,960 --> 00:09:08,280 Suppose ten should be found there. 128 00:09:08,280 --> 00:09:13,680 And he said, I will not destroy it for the sake of ten. 129 00:09:13,680 --> 00:09:23,480 One of the things about a man or a woman being a covenant friend of God is you have bargaining 130 00:09:23,480 --> 00:09:24,480 power. 131 00:09:24,480 --> 00:09:31,960 Or you have good bargaining power, you can broker a deal with him. 132 00:09:31,960 --> 00:09:36,200 Not many people can talk to God like that. 133 00:09:36,200 --> 00:09:39,960 You have to be a friend. 134 00:09:39,960 --> 00:09:45,320 You can't do that now, that's not like you. 135 00:09:45,320 --> 00:09:48,400 This is being audacious. 136 00:09:48,400 --> 00:09:54,920 This is a high level of audacity challenging the wisdom of God. 137 00:09:54,920 --> 00:10:00,520 That is a privilege that God gives to only his friends. 138 00:10:00,520 --> 00:10:08,360 It's only friends. 139 00:10:08,360 --> 00:10:11,640 You have bargaining power. 140 00:10:11,640 --> 00:10:16,040 You have the power to influence a decision. 141 00:10:16,040 --> 00:10:20,200 You have power to control the course of action. 142 00:10:20,200 --> 00:10:25,360 You have the power to strike an agreement with God. 143 00:10:25,360 --> 00:10:28,120 Not every man can do that. 144 00:10:28,120 --> 00:10:33,360 Only people who God calls his friends. 145 00:10:33,360 --> 00:10:36,080 Hallelujah. 146 00:10:36,080 --> 00:10:41,800 You know when you're friends, you tend to be real with each other. 147 00:10:41,800 --> 00:10:47,000 You may not agree on certain things, but you talk. 148 00:10:47,000 --> 00:10:51,160 You can tell your friend nature, you are open. 149 00:10:51,160 --> 00:10:54,320 You can tell your friend your heart. 150 00:10:54,320 --> 00:11:02,400 You can be candid, you can be transparent, you can be honest, you can be open with a 151 00:11:02,400 --> 00:11:05,280 friend because he's your friend. 152 00:11:05,280 --> 00:11:11,040 You can tell your friend what you're doing is wrong, whether he agrees or not, but because 153 00:11:11,040 --> 00:11:18,840 he's your friend, you've got the freedom to challenge him, to warn him, to give him 154 00:11:18,840 --> 00:11:21,120 your peace of mind. 155 00:11:21,120 --> 00:11:25,760 That is the privilege of people that God calls friends. 156 00:11:25,760 --> 00:11:34,480 You can come in his presence and sit with God and influence a decision. 157 00:11:34,480 --> 00:11:37,560 Hallelujah. 158 00:11:37,560 --> 00:11:45,320 You have leverage. 159 00:11:45,320 --> 00:11:47,120 You have leverage. 160 00:11:47,120 --> 00:11:51,880 God did not come from heaven. 161 00:11:51,880 --> 00:12:01,280 Come and visit Abraham and go down to Sodom to find out what he did not know. 162 00:12:01,280 --> 00:12:06,040 God already knew what was happening in Sodom and Gomorrah. 163 00:12:06,040 --> 00:12:15,840 He already knew it, but he came from heaven, came to the house of his friend and went down 164 00:12:15,840 --> 00:12:21,400 and looked over Sodom and Gomorrah and stood with his friend. 165 00:12:21,400 --> 00:12:22,620 Why? 166 00:12:22,620 --> 00:12:31,480 Because God wanted his friend to serve as an intercessor. 167 00:12:31,480 --> 00:12:36,280 The Bible says God does not take pleasure in the death of the wicked. 168 00:12:36,280 --> 00:12:41,880 God does not take pleasure when men perish, die in sin. 169 00:12:41,880 --> 00:12:44,520 He's not happy with that. 170 00:12:44,520 --> 00:12:50,120 So he came from heaven, came unannounced in the home of Abraham. 171 00:12:50,120 --> 00:12:55,640 They walked and looked at Sodom and God kept quiet. 172 00:12:55,640 --> 00:13:04,240 The Bible says in verse 23, Abraham came in here and he began to intercede for the city. 173 00:13:04,240 --> 00:13:07,120 Friends of God have got leverage. 174 00:13:07,120 --> 00:13:18,320 They have the unique position of being intercessors that can spare a city, they can spare a family, 175 00:13:18,320 --> 00:13:21,520 they can spare a nation. 176 00:13:21,520 --> 00:13:23,920 Leverage. 177 00:13:23,920 --> 00:13:28,480 They have that power, they have that position. 178 00:13:28,480 --> 00:13:36,480 God before he destroys a people, he looks for someone standing the gap. 179 00:13:36,480 --> 00:13:40,160 That is Ezekiel 33 verse 11. 180 00:13:40,160 --> 00:13:48,320 Ezekiel 33 verse 11, say to them, as I leave says the Lord, I have no pleasure in the death 181 00:13:48,320 --> 00:13:55,840 of the wicked, but that the wicked turn from his way and leave, turn from your evil ways, 182 00:13:55,840 --> 00:13:58,560 for why should you die, O house of Israel? 183 00:13:58,560 --> 00:14:06,600 And then look at verse 22 verse 30. 184 00:14:06,600 --> 00:14:15,520 So I sought for a man among them who would make a wall, hallelujah, and stand in the 185 00:14:15,520 --> 00:14:25,000 gap before me on behalf of the land that has not destroyed, but I found none. 186 00:14:25,000 --> 00:14:26,000 Look what happens. 187 00:14:26,000 --> 00:14:31,200 Therefore, I poured out my indignation on them. 188 00:14:31,200 --> 00:14:34,720 I have consumed them with the fire of my wrath. 189 00:14:34,720 --> 00:14:39,140 I have recompensed their deeds on their own head, says the Lord God. 190 00:14:39,140 --> 00:14:43,000 There was a time when God looked for someone like Abraham. 191 00:14:43,000 --> 00:14:51,080 He looked for someone like Abraham, a friend to stand between judgment and the people. 192 00:14:51,080 --> 00:14:54,280 He says, I look, I look for a friend. 193 00:14:54,280 --> 00:14:56,160 I couldn't find one. 194 00:14:56,160 --> 00:15:03,640 And because there was no one, I poured out my wrath, judgment upon the people, destroyed 195 00:15:03,640 --> 00:15:09,320 them, destroyed them. 196 00:15:09,320 --> 00:15:14,560 People that are called God's friends are very important. 197 00:15:14,560 --> 00:15:17,680 They can save your family. 198 00:15:17,680 --> 00:15:20,120 They can save a city. 199 00:15:20,120 --> 00:15:22,480 They can save a nation. 200 00:15:22,480 --> 00:15:24,720 They can change a people. 201 00:15:24,720 --> 00:15:28,300 They have good power with God. 202 00:15:28,300 --> 00:15:32,440 They can change the course of things. 203 00:15:32,440 --> 00:15:35,080 They influence his decisions. 204 00:15:35,080 --> 00:15:39,400 God listens to them because they are friends, you know. 205 00:15:39,400 --> 00:15:43,520 When you have a friend, you listen to him, don't you? 206 00:15:43,520 --> 00:15:46,600 Don't you? 207 00:15:46,600 --> 00:15:50,120 Friends talk. 208 00:15:50,120 --> 00:15:55,800 The other day I was trying to get electricity in our place. 209 00:15:55,800 --> 00:16:06,000 I spent over 10 years asking Umeme and rural electrification agency, I got signatures from 210 00:16:06,000 --> 00:16:07,640 the villagers. 211 00:16:07,640 --> 00:16:10,400 I got over 300 signatures. 212 00:16:10,400 --> 00:16:16,000 I went, I pleaded, I begged for over 10 years. 213 00:16:16,000 --> 00:16:20,440 I was asking these guys to give us electricity. 214 00:16:20,440 --> 00:16:23,840 They ignored me. 215 00:16:23,840 --> 00:16:30,400 Then one of you here, God blessed him with a position. 216 00:16:30,400 --> 00:16:36,320 When he heard that there was a project that was being done in that part of the country, 217 00:16:36,320 --> 00:16:40,560 the village of Wama, he spoke on my behalf. 218 00:16:40,560 --> 00:16:49,080 Hey, he spoke and said, let's also include this part of the country in this project. 219 00:16:49,080 --> 00:16:53,800 Now I have to speak, I've got electricity in my home. 220 00:16:53,800 --> 00:16:56,960 Now that is a friend. 221 00:16:56,960 --> 00:16:59,200 That is a friend. 222 00:16:59,200 --> 00:17:04,120 That's the kind of people that God wants. 223 00:17:04,120 --> 00:17:13,680 Friends like this are the ones who can open the top of the mercy of God to flow, grace 224 00:17:13,680 --> 00:17:23,080 of God to flow and cover a people who deserve judgment. 225 00:17:23,080 --> 00:17:31,040 God needs people like this to unlock the floodgates of mercy. 226 00:17:31,040 --> 00:17:33,800 You know, mercy is not something that you just obtain. 227 00:17:33,800 --> 00:17:42,480 You know, when you are guilty and you are in court, you have to plead and ask for mercy 228 00:17:42,480 --> 00:17:43,480 from the judge. 229 00:17:43,480 --> 00:17:50,840 And if you have got a good lawyer, they may shorten your sentence or make it less. 230 00:17:50,840 --> 00:17:53,640 You spend less time in prison. 231 00:17:53,640 --> 00:17:57,480 But when you have found guilty, what you need is not justice. 232 00:17:57,480 --> 00:18:02,840 You need mercy because justice has shown that you are guilty. 233 00:18:02,840 --> 00:18:05,960 You should be put in jail for 50 years. 234 00:18:05,960 --> 00:18:15,440 But now you need someone like Abraham to stand before the judge and plead for mercy. 235 00:18:15,440 --> 00:18:17,440 Forgive him. 236 00:18:17,440 --> 00:18:18,440 He's a first offender. 237 00:18:18,440 --> 00:18:22,920 Cut back the years you are putting him in prison. 238 00:18:22,920 --> 00:18:23,920 Don't hang him. 239 00:18:23,920 --> 00:18:25,440 Put him into life. 240 00:18:25,440 --> 00:18:29,760 You need someone like Abraham to plead for you. 241 00:18:29,760 --> 00:18:31,200 You don't need justice. 242 00:18:31,200 --> 00:18:35,760 You need mercy. 243 00:18:35,760 --> 00:18:43,280 Men and women who are God's friends are so necessary in society. 244 00:18:43,280 --> 00:18:45,680 How we need them. 245 00:18:45,680 --> 00:18:54,280 When children are going wayward and they are rebellious and they refuse to receive Christ 246 00:18:54,280 --> 00:19:01,520 and their lives are in danger, you need someone like Abraham. 247 00:19:01,520 --> 00:19:08,480 To say God, that heart of stone, break it. 248 00:19:08,480 --> 00:19:13,040 Break it. 249 00:19:13,040 --> 00:19:20,640 God can break a heart of stone and change a rebellious child to become a believer. 250 00:19:20,640 --> 00:19:22,000 He can. 251 00:19:22,000 --> 00:19:26,440 He can spare that child from dying in sin. 252 00:19:26,440 --> 00:19:27,440 Why? 253 00:19:27,440 --> 00:19:32,280 Because there's a friend who's pleading on their behalf. 254 00:19:32,280 --> 00:19:34,560 Oh hallelujah. 255 00:19:34,560 --> 00:19:37,600 Exodus chapter 32. 256 00:19:37,600 --> 00:19:41,680 Exodus 32 verse 10. 257 00:19:41,680 --> 00:19:49,080 Here is another example of a man who was a friend of God and we see him doing the very 258 00:19:49,080 --> 00:19:52,600 same thing that Abraham did for the people. 259 00:19:52,600 --> 00:19:59,760 By the way, if you're wondering if God answered Abraham's prayer, yes he did. 260 00:19:59,760 --> 00:20:09,440 The Bible says in Genesis chapter 19, God remembered Abraham and his saved lot. 261 00:20:09,440 --> 00:20:13,600 Our Gomaidimu Kosomiego is in the Bible. 262 00:20:13,600 --> 00:20:17,880 God remembered Abraham and his spared lot. 263 00:20:17,880 --> 00:20:22,760 Lot could have perished in Sodom and Gomorrah. 264 00:20:22,760 --> 00:20:24,920 So God answered Abraham's prayer. 265 00:20:24,920 --> 00:20:28,200 But let's now look at the example of Moses. 266 00:20:28,200 --> 00:20:30,360 Exodus 32 verse 10. 267 00:20:30,360 --> 00:20:35,680 Now therefore, let me alone that my wrath may burn hot against them. 268 00:20:35,680 --> 00:20:40,160 I may consume them and I will make of you a great nation. 269 00:20:40,160 --> 00:20:47,800 Then Moses pleaded with the Lord his God and said, Lord, why does your wrath burn hot against 270 00:20:47,800 --> 00:20:53,160 your people whom you have brought out of the land of Egypt with great power and with a 271 00:20:53,160 --> 00:20:55,120 mighty hand? 272 00:20:55,120 --> 00:21:00,920 Why should the Egyptians speak and say he brought them out to harm them, to kill them 273 00:21:00,920 --> 00:21:05,720 in the mountains and to consume them from the face of the earth? 274 00:21:05,720 --> 00:21:07,880 Turn from your fierce wrath. 275 00:21:07,880 --> 00:21:11,560 Relent from this harm to your people. 276 00:21:11,560 --> 00:21:18,320 Remember Abraham, Isaac and Israel, your servants to whom you sow by your own self and say to 277 00:21:18,320 --> 00:21:23,320 them our multiplied, your descendants are the stars of heaven. 278 00:21:23,320 --> 00:21:28,940 Though this land that I have spoken of, I give to descendants and they shall hate forever. 279 00:21:28,940 --> 00:21:36,120 So the Lord, listen, so the Lord relented from the harm which he said he would do to 280 00:21:36,120 --> 00:21:37,880 his people. 281 00:21:37,880 --> 00:21:40,720 Not many people can do this with God. 282 00:21:40,720 --> 00:21:48,640 The Jews had made a calf, an image, they had bowed down and washed it. 283 00:21:48,640 --> 00:21:52,720 The Bible says they ate and drank and rose up to play. 284 00:21:52,720 --> 00:21:55,400 That means there was a lot of sin going on. 285 00:21:55,400 --> 00:22:02,800 If you remember in that chapter Moses had gone up the mountain to receive the Ten Commandments 286 00:22:02,800 --> 00:22:10,760 and because he delayed to come back, the people decided to make their own God and the God 287 00:22:10,760 --> 00:22:13,200 they made was a calf. 288 00:22:13,200 --> 00:22:23,920 So God was extremely upset, said Moses, I'm going to kill all these people, all of them. 289 00:22:23,920 --> 00:22:26,160 When God says that, he means it. 290 00:22:26,160 --> 00:22:33,560 I'm going to destroy all of them, but I will make a nation out of you. 291 00:22:33,560 --> 00:22:36,080 Now follow carefully. 292 00:22:36,080 --> 00:22:40,640 Moses stands to benefit from that kind of thing. 293 00:22:40,640 --> 00:22:49,840 It is Moses now who will become the originator, the father of the nation. 294 00:22:49,840 --> 00:22:56,520 Instead of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, now it will be Moses. 295 00:22:56,520 --> 00:23:02,280 God says I'm going to wipe out this whole bunch of rebels and begin something new with 296 00:23:02,280 --> 00:23:03,280 you. 297 00:23:03,280 --> 00:23:13,520 So if Moses was like some of us, let's do it, kill them, kill this person, kill this 298 00:23:13,520 --> 00:23:28,120 person, kill them, but friends of God have a passion for people and for God. 299 00:23:28,120 --> 00:23:33,160 They love people and they love God. 300 00:23:33,160 --> 00:23:34,840 They're a unique people. 301 00:23:34,840 --> 00:23:39,040 He said, God, no, no, no, no, no, don't do that. 302 00:23:39,040 --> 00:23:44,160 Don't kill people, don't destroy them. 303 00:23:44,160 --> 00:23:46,480 Don't, don't. 304 00:23:46,480 --> 00:23:50,840 Then he told God, by the way, you must remember your interests. 305 00:23:50,840 --> 00:23:53,080 You have a name, you have a record. 306 00:23:53,080 --> 00:23:58,800 If you kill these people, the Egyptians will say, he took them out of Egypt to kill them 307 00:23:58,800 --> 00:24:03,400 himself in the mountains. 308 00:24:03,400 --> 00:24:07,360 This is God that they serve is the murderer. 309 00:24:07,360 --> 00:24:10,800 He could not take them into the promised land, so he killed them in the mountains. 310 00:24:10,800 --> 00:24:15,000 God, you have a reputation. 311 00:24:15,000 --> 00:24:24,040 Moses is not only protecting the people of Israel, he's protecting the interests of God. 312 00:24:24,040 --> 00:24:30,940 Saying God, I love you and I want to make sure you maintain your record. 313 00:24:30,940 --> 00:24:33,280 You maintain your name. 314 00:24:33,280 --> 00:24:36,160 Don't allow people to question your integrity. 315 00:24:36,160 --> 00:24:40,960 They will think that you have, you could not give them the land, so you murdered them before 316 00:24:40,960 --> 00:24:42,440 they reached the promised land. 317 00:24:42,440 --> 00:24:44,800 Don't do that. 318 00:24:44,800 --> 00:24:48,480 Those are friends of God. 319 00:24:48,480 --> 00:24:54,040 They have a passion for God and they love people. 320 00:24:54,040 --> 00:24:56,480 They care for people. 321 00:24:56,480 --> 00:24:58,960 They intercede for people. 322 00:24:58,960 --> 00:25:01,120 They hurt when people are hurting. 323 00:25:01,120 --> 00:25:08,960 He said these kind of people are unique, not all Christians come to this level, worship 324 00:25:08,960 --> 00:25:09,960 with God. 325 00:25:09,960 --> 00:25:14,600 He says, God, you have interest to protect. 326 00:25:14,600 --> 00:25:17,240 You have a name to protect. 327 00:25:17,240 --> 00:25:22,600 And also verse 13, you made a promise to Abraham. 328 00:25:22,600 --> 00:25:29,440 You saw to him several times that his descendants will enter the promised land and you promised 329 00:25:29,440 --> 00:25:31,960 him that you would give them the land. 330 00:25:31,960 --> 00:25:36,200 God, don't go back on your word. 331 00:25:36,200 --> 00:25:41,200 He's protecting the name and integrity of God. 332 00:25:41,200 --> 00:25:51,040 When God heard that, says, I'm not going to, I'm not destroying them. 333 00:25:51,040 --> 00:25:57,040 They have God's bargaining power, bargaining power. 334 00:25:57,040 --> 00:26:06,200 They have a unique position to bargain with God and change his decisions. 335 00:26:06,200 --> 00:26:08,720 Not every Christian can do that. 336 00:26:08,720 --> 00:26:11,640 Only friends of God can do that. 337 00:26:11,640 --> 00:26:12,640 Hallelujah. 338 00:26:12,640 --> 00:26:17,520 Amos chapter seven, Amos chapter seven verse one. 339 00:26:17,520 --> 00:26:25,600 Thus the road God showed me, behold, loka swarms at the beginning of the lead crop. 340 00:26:25,600 --> 00:26:29,080 This was the lead crop of the King's moans. 341 00:26:29,080 --> 00:26:36,640 And so it was when they finished eating the grass of the land that I said, Oh Lord God, 342 00:26:36,640 --> 00:26:37,640 forgive. 343 00:26:37,640 --> 00:26:42,640 I pray all that Jacob may stand for his small. 344 00:26:42,640 --> 00:26:46,000 Let me just stop here. 345 00:26:46,000 --> 00:26:54,800 Amos is another kind of man we see here who has a leverage with God. 346 00:26:54,800 --> 00:27:04,680 God was angry with Judah and Amos saw in the vision God bringing judgment over Judah was 347 00:27:04,680 --> 00:27:10,440 going to bring lokas to eat up every crop, all the crop in the land. 348 00:27:10,440 --> 00:27:15,680 They have a state the land and Judah would starve to death. 349 00:27:15,680 --> 00:27:19,280 Amos said, Oh no, God, it's too much. 350 00:27:19,280 --> 00:27:21,520 It's too much. 351 00:27:21,520 --> 00:27:25,880 And spare them, they are few, they are not left very few. 352 00:27:25,880 --> 00:27:26,880 Spare them. 353 00:27:26,880 --> 00:27:33,280 And amazingly, the Bible says verse three, so the Lord relented concerning this. 354 00:27:33,280 --> 00:27:39,040 He says, he shall not be saved the Lord. 355 00:27:39,040 --> 00:27:42,840 I want to be to Agamusti. 356 00:27:42,840 --> 00:27:49,600 These people who God calls his friends, we need them. 357 00:27:49,600 --> 00:27:59,520 God, I'm not going to do it. 358 00:27:59,520 --> 00:28:05,300 And then he says in verse four, that's the Lord showed me, behold the Lord called for 359 00:28:05,300 --> 00:28:13,040 conflict by fire and it consumed great deep and devoured the territory. 360 00:28:13,040 --> 00:28:15,560 Then I said, Oh Lord, seize. 361 00:28:15,560 --> 00:28:17,400 Look at how I pray. 362 00:28:17,400 --> 00:28:24,320 Stop Jacob and stand for his small. 363 00:28:24,320 --> 00:28:27,160 The only few remaining stop. 364 00:28:27,160 --> 00:28:32,280 So the Lord again relented concerning this. 365 00:28:32,280 --> 00:28:36,400 This also will not be saved the Lord. 366 00:28:36,400 --> 00:28:42,640 So what are you? 367 00:28:42,640 --> 00:28:46,960 Are you a servant or are you a friend? 368 00:28:46,960 --> 00:28:49,720 What is your goal in this life? 369 00:28:49,720 --> 00:28:57,520 You just want to be a member of a church, just go to heaven or you want to upgrade. 370 00:28:57,520 --> 00:29:05,600 This is the highest level of relationship with God, being a friend of God. 371 00:29:05,600 --> 00:29:10,880 Now let me give you some three things you can do to upgrade. 372 00:29:10,880 --> 00:29:12,440 Because you say, Pastor, how can I upgrade? 373 00:29:12,440 --> 00:29:17,760 I'm going to give you some ways you can upgrade from being a servant to becoming a covenant 374 00:29:17,760 --> 00:29:18,760 friend. 375 00:29:18,760 --> 00:29:27,760 First of all, in Genesis 17 verse one, God told Abraham, walk before me and be blameless, 376 00:29:27,760 --> 00:29:29,440 be perfect. 377 00:29:29,440 --> 00:29:38,000 Friends of God walk before God and endeavor to be blameless. 378 00:29:38,000 --> 00:29:43,480 Because when God comes to Abraham, he comes unannounced. 379 00:29:43,480 --> 00:29:46,640 He just shows up in his house. 380 00:29:46,640 --> 00:29:48,580 Why? 381 00:29:48,580 --> 00:29:53,320 Because God knows when he comes at man's home, he'll be comfortable. 382 00:29:53,320 --> 00:29:59,960 You will not find him with another wife, you will not find him drunk, you will not find 383 00:29:59,960 --> 00:30:07,920 him doing, he comes anytime because this man's home, God is comfortable visiting anytime. 384 00:30:07,920 --> 00:30:11,160 Are you listening to me? 385 00:30:11,160 --> 00:30:17,160 In chapter 18 Genesis, God did not tell Abraham, I'm coming to visit you. 386 00:30:17,160 --> 00:30:19,520 No, he just showed up. 387 00:30:19,520 --> 00:30:22,240 Just showed up. 388 00:30:22,240 --> 00:30:26,400 Because he knows in this man's home, he's comfortable. 389 00:30:26,400 --> 00:30:31,920 He knows he will find him walking blameless before him. 390 00:30:31,920 --> 00:30:33,820 He fears the Lord. 391 00:30:33,820 --> 00:30:37,000 He walks with God. 392 00:30:37,000 --> 00:30:42,640 He's the man that endeavors to keep the word of God in his life. 393 00:30:42,640 --> 00:30:46,800 God told him Abraham walk before me, be perfect. 394 00:30:46,800 --> 00:30:48,880 That's what he did. 395 00:30:48,880 --> 00:30:51,400 Therefore God was at ease. 396 00:30:51,400 --> 00:31:00,000 God was comfortable sitting, eating, drinking with his friend because of his lifestyle. 397 00:31:00,000 --> 00:31:02,940 How about you? 398 00:31:02,940 --> 00:31:08,360 If God came to your house, would he be comfortable? 399 00:31:08,360 --> 00:31:15,080 When he sees what you watch on TV, when he sees what you read, what you watch on your 400 00:31:15,080 --> 00:31:20,440 phone, when he sees what you do, will God be comfortable in your home? 401 00:31:20,440 --> 00:31:22,680 Can God come unannounced? 402 00:31:22,680 --> 00:31:29,520 There is a God saying, okay, next month on this date I'm coming to visit you and then 403 00:31:29,520 --> 00:31:34,520 you rearrange your house, you remove all the tapes and the videos and everything that's 404 00:31:34,520 --> 00:31:39,280 not good, you throw all the books that are not good. 405 00:31:39,280 --> 00:31:41,880 You prepare for his visit. 406 00:31:41,880 --> 00:31:45,800 But there is another instance where he just shows up. 407 00:31:45,800 --> 00:31:53,760 But he knows even if I come in the midnight, I know this man walks before me and is blameless. 408 00:31:53,760 --> 00:31:59,960 Your friends walk before God and they never to be perfect. 409 00:31:59,960 --> 00:32:02,640 They walk in the fear of God. 410 00:32:02,640 --> 00:32:09,520 That's the first way you can upgrade from just being a servant to becoming a friend. 411 00:32:09,520 --> 00:32:19,600 Then also notice that when God comes to visit Abraham, Abraham was seated in his house. 412 00:32:19,600 --> 00:32:27,760 It was about noon, the heat of the day, about 12 noon, it was very hot. 413 00:32:27,760 --> 00:32:37,280 But the moment he saw the Lord, and you're asking me, how did he know this is the Lord 414 00:32:37,280 --> 00:32:39,000 and these are two angels? 415 00:32:39,000 --> 00:32:45,720 It's because Abraham had met with God several times. 416 00:32:45,720 --> 00:32:49,080 When he would see him, he could recognize him. 417 00:32:49,080 --> 00:32:53,640 So when the Lord came and said, my Lord, you have come in my house. 418 00:32:53,640 --> 00:32:57,520 Sit, let me get some water for you to wash your feet. 419 00:32:57,520 --> 00:32:58,920 Let me sit a minute before you. 420 00:32:58,920 --> 00:33:00,400 He said, my Lord. 421 00:33:00,400 --> 00:33:06,280 He not say my Lord, he says my Lord, because one of them was the Lord. 422 00:33:06,280 --> 00:33:09,440 The other two were just angels. 423 00:33:09,440 --> 00:33:16,480 And Abraham could recognize him because they met, they were acquainted. 424 00:33:16,480 --> 00:33:18,920 Hallelujah. 425 00:33:18,920 --> 00:33:22,560 He did not bring a stick and bring it just our thieves. 426 00:33:22,560 --> 00:33:26,680 No, he knew this is the Lord. 427 00:33:26,680 --> 00:33:28,560 I know him. 428 00:33:28,560 --> 00:33:30,720 I've seen him before. 429 00:33:30,720 --> 00:33:31,720 We talk. 430 00:33:31,720 --> 00:33:33,520 He's my friend. 431 00:33:33,520 --> 00:33:35,020 We talk. 432 00:33:35,020 --> 00:33:38,160 We spend time together. 433 00:33:38,160 --> 00:33:41,280 Praise the Lord. 434 00:33:41,280 --> 00:33:44,680 Abraham prioritized time with God. 435 00:33:44,680 --> 00:33:48,440 Abraham was a man who spent time with God. 436 00:33:48,440 --> 00:33:50,560 You talk to him. 437 00:33:50,560 --> 00:33:53,960 He knew his voice. 438 00:33:53,960 --> 00:33:55,920 Friends spend time together. 439 00:33:55,920 --> 00:34:02,360 There are people that I grew up with in primary school. 440 00:34:02,360 --> 00:34:05,800 Some of them live in Canada, others I were. 441 00:34:05,800 --> 00:34:13,160 But the friendship is no longer the same because we rarely talk. 442 00:34:13,160 --> 00:34:16,600 Once in a while, they may come to Kampala. 443 00:34:16,600 --> 00:34:18,600 They start a journey and leave. 444 00:34:18,600 --> 00:34:21,000 They go back to where they're staying. 445 00:34:21,000 --> 00:34:26,280 But our friendship is not strong because we rarely have contact. 446 00:34:26,280 --> 00:34:32,720 You can imagine having a wife or a husband we only see once every year. 447 00:34:32,720 --> 00:34:35,120 Would that be called marriage? 448 00:34:35,120 --> 00:34:38,960 No, that's not friendship. 449 00:34:38,960 --> 00:34:44,280 Friendship means you meet, you talk regularly. 450 00:34:44,280 --> 00:34:45,280 That is Abraham. 451 00:34:45,280 --> 00:34:49,200 He would meet, that's why when the Lord came, he knew him. 452 00:34:49,200 --> 00:34:56,640 But when I'm like, this is the Lord, and he bowed. 453 00:34:56,640 --> 00:35:02,920 And that whole day, he spent it with the Lord. 454 00:35:02,920 --> 00:35:09,920 If you want to upgrade from being just a servant, prioritize your time with God. 455 00:35:09,920 --> 00:35:21,040 Spend time with him, make him something or someone that is important in your life. 456 00:35:21,040 --> 00:35:27,640 Then lastly, if you want to upgrade from being a servant to becoming a friend, be burdened 457 00:35:27,640 --> 00:35:30,120 by what burdens the Lord. 458 00:35:30,120 --> 00:35:33,040 Have a heart after God's own heart. 459 00:35:33,040 --> 00:35:44,960 See, when the Lord came to visit Abraham, when he was eating and drinking, Abraham noticed 460 00:35:44,960 --> 00:35:46,480 something. 461 00:35:46,480 --> 00:35:52,120 God was concerned, the Lord was bothered. 462 00:35:52,120 --> 00:36:00,640 When he got up to leave, Abraham said, they walk together. 463 00:36:00,640 --> 00:36:06,840 And he could sense there was a burden on the heart of the Lord. 464 00:36:06,840 --> 00:36:12,280 And as he walked, he said, shall I keep this from Abraham, knowing that he would be a great 465 00:36:12,280 --> 00:36:16,680 nation, he would teach his children to keep my ways. 466 00:36:16,680 --> 00:36:19,320 As the Lord spoke to the angels, Abraham heard him. 467 00:36:19,320 --> 00:36:26,680 He says, let me go down to Sodom and come and see whether what I have heard is true. 468 00:36:26,680 --> 00:36:32,280 As they walk, Abraham also begins to carry the same burden. 469 00:36:32,280 --> 00:36:40,720 When the Lord stops, this is interesting, the Lord stops, he does not go down to Sodom. 470 00:36:40,720 --> 00:36:42,560 He stays with Abraham. 471 00:36:42,560 --> 00:36:47,560 It's the angels who went down to Sodom to rescue Lord. 472 00:36:47,560 --> 00:36:50,360 That says a lot. 473 00:36:50,360 --> 00:36:58,680 God was not at the same level of friendship with God as Abraham. 474 00:36:58,680 --> 00:37:02,120 God did not go down to rescue Lord, he sent angels. 475 00:37:02,120 --> 00:37:04,480 He stayed with his friend Abraham. 476 00:37:04,480 --> 00:37:10,560 And as they stood there, Abraham says, there's some things. 477 00:37:10,560 --> 00:37:21,080 But if that city, if there are 50 people who are righteous, are you going to destroy them? 478 00:37:21,080 --> 00:37:27,280 And he begins to be concerned about the souls and destruction, the judgment that was going 479 00:37:27,280 --> 00:37:29,680 to come upon Sodom and Gomorrah. 480 00:37:29,680 --> 00:37:36,560 He began to feel the heaviness as the friend began to lift the burden that was on the heart 481 00:37:36,560 --> 00:37:38,040 of God. 482 00:37:38,040 --> 00:37:42,280 He began to intercede for the souls. 483 00:37:42,280 --> 00:37:48,080 Friends have the capacity to have the same burden that God has. 484 00:37:48,080 --> 00:37:52,720 They have got empathy, they feel God. 485 00:37:52,720 --> 00:37:57,520 They feel him, they have a heart after God. 486 00:37:57,520 --> 00:38:05,760 When others are happy, when people are destroyed, when people die, when things go wrong, friends 487 00:38:05,760 --> 00:38:08,720 of God are like God, they are pardoned. 488 00:38:08,720 --> 00:38:19,600 When people die in sin, when there is injustice, friends of God feel what God feels. 489 00:38:19,600 --> 00:38:24,760 They take time to pray for intervation. 490 00:38:24,760 --> 00:38:30,400 If you're only concerned about you and your wife and your kids, no one else, then you 491 00:38:30,400 --> 00:38:34,080 probably are just a servant. 492 00:38:34,080 --> 00:38:36,720 Things go beyond. 493 00:38:36,720 --> 00:38:41,800 They weep and sorrow. 494 00:38:41,800 --> 00:38:45,360 They grieve over souls and men. 495 00:38:45,360 --> 00:38:47,520 They are concerned. 496 00:38:47,520 --> 00:38:51,640 They have the same burden that God has. 497 00:38:51,640 --> 00:38:55,520 They have empathy. 498 00:38:55,520 --> 00:38:58,880 And this man stood for some time with the Lord there. 499 00:38:58,880 --> 00:39:04,320 I don't know how long they took, but they talked. 500 00:39:04,320 --> 00:39:10,400 After a while, the Lord left, Abraham went back to his house. 501 00:39:10,400 --> 00:39:15,800 But that's what I see that if you are going to become a friend of God, may God give you 502 00:39:15,800 --> 00:39:19,200 heart after his own heart. 503 00:39:19,200 --> 00:39:27,280 When you care for people, when you see suffering, when you see misery, when you see injustice, 504 00:39:27,280 --> 00:39:30,960 you weep, you cry, you sorrow. 505 00:39:30,960 --> 00:39:36,600 The Bible says God does not take pleasure in the death of the wicked. 506 00:39:36,600 --> 00:39:39,000 He doesn't. 507 00:39:39,000 --> 00:39:40,000 God sees injustice. 508 00:39:40,000 --> 00:39:47,600 Look, he says, I have heard the cry of Sodom has come up to me. 509 00:39:47,600 --> 00:39:50,200 There were sodomizing children. 510 00:39:50,200 --> 00:39:52,600 There were sacrificing children. 511 00:39:52,600 --> 00:39:57,600 There was sin in Sodom and God was grieved. 512 00:39:57,600 --> 00:40:01,320 Abraham stood with God and began to carry the same burden. 513 00:40:01,320 --> 00:40:05,920 He began to pray for the deliverance of those people. 514 00:40:05,920 --> 00:40:16,520 Those are men and women who upgrade from being just, they upgrade from being, they become 515 00:40:16,520 --> 00:40:19,680 friends of God. 516 00:40:19,680 --> 00:40:21,160 Hallelujah. 517 00:40:21,160 --> 00:40:24,800 This morning, what are you? 518 00:40:24,800 --> 00:40:30,120 You just a member of the full gospel church? 519 00:40:30,120 --> 00:40:32,200 Are you just a servant? 520 00:40:32,200 --> 00:40:34,880 You only come here on Sunday? 521 00:40:34,880 --> 00:40:38,480 You only come to worship and maybe hear a good message? 522 00:40:38,480 --> 00:40:41,280 Oh, have you made a decision? 523 00:40:41,280 --> 00:40:44,000 I want to upgrade. 524 00:40:44,000 --> 00:40:46,800 I want to upgrade. 525 00:40:46,800 --> 00:40:48,200 I want to upgrade. 526 00:40:48,200 --> 00:40:51,560 I want to become a friend of God. 527 00:40:51,560 --> 00:40:56,840 Father, we pray this morning, stir up our hearts. 528 00:40:56,840 --> 00:41:03,520 What you did with Moses and Abraham, know the other servants that became friends, the 529 00:41:03,520 --> 00:41:10,400 people that you took pride in, even David and all these men and women, made come to 530 00:41:10,400 --> 00:41:13,920 pass in our lives. 531 00:41:13,920 --> 00:41:20,120 Let's not be contented just being Christians, ordinary Christians. 532 00:41:20,120 --> 00:41:26,800 Let's aspire to become covenant friends of God, men and women who have got leverage and 533 00:41:26,800 --> 00:41:33,480 audacity to bargain with you and to see your purposes come to pass. 534 00:41:33,480 --> 00:41:35,960 I pray this in Jesus' name. 535 00:41:35,960 --> 00:41:36,960 Amen. 536 00:41:36,960 --> 00:41:37,960 Amen. 537 00:41:37,960 --> 00:41:39,800 Thank you for listening. 538 00:41:39,800 --> 00:41:44,200 We hope that you've been strengthened with his might and fortified by the word of God. 539 00:41:44,200 --> 00:41:49,760 Please make sure to like, follow and subscribe to our Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube 540 00:41:49,760 --> 00:41:50,760 pages at FullGospelMap. 541 00:41:50,760 --> 00:42:11,000 Goodbye.