WEBVTT 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:02.040 with a message of blessing. Is there anybody 00:00:02.040 --> 00:00:05.320 here that wants to be blessed? I thought you'd 00:00:05.320 --> 00:00:08.060 be a little bit more excited about that. Maybe 00:00:08.060 --> 00:00:09.980 we've just got it so good that we don't need 00:00:09.980 --> 00:00:12.279 the blessings of the Lord. Okay, yeah, sure, 00:00:12.320 --> 00:00:16.239 I'll take a blessing. I'll take a blessing. Is 00:00:16.239 --> 00:00:18.100 there anybody here that wants to be blessed today? 00:00:20.160 --> 00:00:23.679 Well, I'm going to unlock and reveal the secret 00:00:23.679 --> 00:00:26.699 to being blessed. And so if you want to be blessed, 00:00:26.780 --> 00:00:30.850 you may be seated. The reason why I say that 00:00:30.850 --> 00:00:34.149 it's a secret is because not many in our world 00:00:34.149 --> 00:00:40.170 today seem to realize what it is. They don't 00:00:40.170 --> 00:00:44.250 seem to realize the secret to unlocking the blessings 00:00:44.250 --> 00:00:50.270 of God. There are a few that acknowledge this 00:00:50.270 --> 00:00:54.810 perplexing proclamation. I kind of feel like 00:00:54.810 --> 00:00:58.549 one of those old -time televangelists right now. 00:00:59.130 --> 00:01:03.149 Anybody want a blessing? Hey, anybody need a 00:01:03.149 --> 00:01:06.930 miracle? But you know, there are blessings and 00:01:06.930 --> 00:01:10.609 miracles available for us that we don't tap into 00:01:10.609 --> 00:01:14.469 and we don't experience them because somehow 00:01:14.469 --> 00:01:19.870 there seems to be confusion on how to accept 00:01:19.870 --> 00:01:24.409 and receive and get to that place where we can 00:01:24.409 --> 00:01:29.200 really. experience everything that God has for 00:01:29.200 --> 00:01:36.400 us. And so I want to unlock the secret to God's 00:01:36.400 --> 00:01:39.560 blessing today. Throughout Scripture, God has 00:01:39.560 --> 00:01:43.540 always used a priest to pronounce blessing upon 00:01:43.540 --> 00:01:47.519 his people. In the Old Testament, Aaron, Moses, 00:01:47.579 --> 00:01:51.239 his brother, was the first priest ordained by 00:01:51.239 --> 00:01:55.810 God. And in Numbers chapter 6, Verses 22 through 00:01:55.810 --> 00:01:59.849 27, God specifically instructed Aaron on how 00:01:59.849 --> 00:02:04.030 to bless the people. In Numbers 6, 22 through 00:02:04.030 --> 00:02:07.390 27, it says, And the Lord spoke unto Moses, saying, 00:02:07.549 --> 00:02:10.250 Speak unto Aaron and unto his son, saying, On 00:02:10.250 --> 00:02:13.129 this wise ye shall bless the children of Israel, 00:02:13.210 --> 00:02:17.090 saying unto them, The Lord bless thee and keep 00:02:17.090 --> 00:02:20.169 thee. The Lord make his face shine upon thee 00:02:20.169 --> 00:02:23.580 and be gracious unto thee. The Lord lift up his 00:02:23.580 --> 00:02:26.479 countenance upon thee and give thee peace. And 00:02:26.479 --> 00:02:29.919 they shall put my name upon the children of Israel. 00:02:30.099 --> 00:02:36.099 And I will bless them. This blessing included 00:02:36.099 --> 00:02:40.979 three distinct promises. The first is the promise 00:02:40.979 --> 00:02:44.960 of protection. He said the Lord bless thee and 00:02:44.960 --> 00:02:49.039 keep thee. God promised to guard his people. 00:02:49.460 --> 00:02:54.189 The second. is favor. The Lord make his face 00:02:54.189 --> 00:02:58.310 shine upon thee. God promises divine approval 00:02:58.310 --> 00:03:02.509 and grace. And then the third is peace. The Lord 00:03:02.509 --> 00:03:05.889 lift his countenance upon thee and give thee. 00:03:06.439 --> 00:03:09.879 It's the kind of peace that only God can give. 00:03:09.979 --> 00:03:12.560 The kind of peace that you can only experience 00:03:12.560 --> 00:03:16.240 in his presence. It's the kind of peace that 00:03:16.240 --> 00:03:19.719 you can only be afforded in the supernatural 00:03:19.719 --> 00:03:24.879 from the one true living God. And this blessing 00:03:24.879 --> 00:03:29.639 that he spoke over the people, it also put God's 00:03:29.639 --> 00:03:35.120 name upon them. It was... denoting them as his 00:03:35.120 --> 00:03:39.659 chosen people, his pride and joy, his children. 00:03:40.599 --> 00:03:43.719 But the Old Testament priesthood was, it was 00:03:43.719 --> 00:03:48.520 just a shadow of what was to come. Hebrews chapter 00:03:48.520 --> 00:03:53.159 four, verses 14 through 16 says, seeing then 00:03:53.159 --> 00:03:56.740 that we have a great high priest, we have a great 00:03:56.740 --> 00:04:00.780 high priest that passed into the heavens, Jesus, 00:04:00.879 --> 00:04:04.830 the son of God, Let us hold fast our profession. 00:04:05.229 --> 00:04:08.250 We have not a high priest which cannot be touched 00:04:08.250 --> 00:04:11.210 with the feeling of our infirmities, but was 00:04:11.210 --> 00:04:14.370 in all points tempted like as we are, yet without 00:04:14.370 --> 00:04:19.170 sin. So let us therefore come boldly. Unto the 00:04:19.170 --> 00:04:22.790 throne of grace that we may obtain mercy and 00:04:22.790 --> 00:04:26.910 find grace and help of times of need. I've come 00:04:26.910 --> 00:04:29.629 to tell you today that we have a high priest 00:04:29.629 --> 00:04:37.089 and his name is Jesus. The high priest didn't 00:04:37.089 --> 00:04:41.379 get... Put somewhere on the back burner in the 00:04:41.379 --> 00:04:44.620 Old Testament. But we have a high priest today. 00:04:45.120 --> 00:04:50.860 Jesus is our high priest. Just like Aaron, Jesus 00:04:50.860 --> 00:04:54.839 stood before the people and he pronounced blessing. 00:04:56.540 --> 00:05:00.139 Aaron was only pronouncing the blessing upon 00:05:00.139 --> 00:05:04.180 the people of Israel. But Jesus. was telling 00:05:04.180 --> 00:05:07.319 everyone and anyone who wanted to be blessed 00:05:07.319 --> 00:05:11.420 how to be blessed. I've come to tell you today, 00:05:11.519 --> 00:05:14.579 if you want to be blessed, you can be blessed. 00:05:15.079 --> 00:05:17.980 If you want to leave this place different, you 00:05:17.980 --> 00:05:20.459 can leave this place different. If you want to 00:05:20.459 --> 00:05:23.819 leave this place with victory, you can have victory 00:05:23.819 --> 00:05:26.759 today. If you want to leave this place and know 00:05:26.759 --> 00:05:31.680 I am blessed, then you can be blessed today. 00:05:32.720 --> 00:05:36.060 Because we have a high priest and he has told 00:05:36.060 --> 00:05:41.879 us and shown us how to be blessed. If you believe 00:05:41.879 --> 00:05:43.879 it, why don't you put your hands together and 00:05:43.879 --> 00:05:55.879 I'll get a drink of water. Jesus was letting 00:05:55.879 --> 00:05:59.060 every single person know that if they wanted 00:05:59.060 --> 00:06:01.139 the blessing of the high priest, that it was 00:06:01.139 --> 00:06:05.670 available. It didn't matter what their lineage 00:06:05.670 --> 00:06:08.769 was. It didn't matter who their family was or 00:06:08.769 --> 00:06:12.189 who their father was, what their name was. It 00:06:12.189 --> 00:06:14.389 didn't matter where they came from. It didn't 00:06:14.389 --> 00:06:18.370 matter if they were Jew or Gentile. Jesus, our 00:06:18.370 --> 00:06:21.550 high priest, stood up and said that if you want 00:06:21.550 --> 00:06:24.769 the blessing of the high priest, then this is 00:06:24.769 --> 00:06:28.850 how you receive it. Are you ready? Are you excited? 00:06:30.089 --> 00:06:34.050 Do you want to be blessed? I'm about to tell 00:06:34.050 --> 00:06:37.569 you how to be blessed today. Jesus said in Matthew 00:06:37.569 --> 00:06:41.069 chapter 5. Oh, some of you are like scratching 00:06:41.069 --> 00:06:46.089 your head now. Do you want to be blessed? Do 00:06:46.089 --> 00:06:49.110 you want to leave changed? I'm about to tell 00:06:49.110 --> 00:06:52.449 you how to be blessed. I'm about to change somebody's 00:06:52.449 --> 00:06:57.889 life today. Matthew chapter 5. This is how our 00:06:57.889 --> 00:07:00.519 high priest says. You're going to be blessed. 00:07:01.519 --> 00:07:06.060 He said, blessed are the poor in spirit, for 00:07:06.060 --> 00:07:10.579 theirs is the kingdom of heaven. You want to 00:07:10.579 --> 00:07:13.980 be comforted today? Anybody need comfort? Are 00:07:13.980 --> 00:07:19.560 you excited? Blessed are they that mourn, for 00:07:19.560 --> 00:07:23.920 they shall be comforted. I'm unlocking the secret 00:07:23.920 --> 00:07:43.959 of blessing today. Blessed are. Blessed are the 00:07:43.959 --> 00:07:51.420 peacemakers, for they shall be called the children 00:07:51.420 --> 00:07:55.220 of God. Blessed are they which are persecuted 00:07:55.220 --> 00:07:58.579 for righteousness sake. For theirs is the kingdom 00:07:58.579 --> 00:08:03.800 of heaven. You can't help but notice the pattern. 00:08:04.480 --> 00:08:08.959 Aaron said, the Lord bless thee. And Jesus said 00:08:08.959 --> 00:08:13.240 repeatedly, blessed are, blessed are, blessed 00:08:13.240 --> 00:08:18.040 are, blessed are. The high priest of the new 00:08:18.040 --> 00:08:21.079 covenant stood before the people and pronounced 00:08:21.079 --> 00:08:29.060 the blessings of the kingdom. what many expected. 00:08:29.819 --> 00:08:32.539 They weren't about riches. They weren't about 00:08:32.539 --> 00:08:37.519 status. They weren't about comfort. But they 00:08:37.519 --> 00:08:41.700 were blessings for the humble. They were blessings 00:08:41.700 --> 00:08:45.139 for the broken. They were blessings for those 00:08:45.139 --> 00:08:48.580 that hungered after righteousness. They were 00:08:48.580 --> 00:08:51.580 blessings for the merciful and for the pure. 00:08:53.230 --> 00:08:56.710 The blessings of the kingdom of God are spiritual 00:08:56.710 --> 00:09:01.529 blessings. And Jesus said, I'll bless you with 00:09:01.529 --> 00:09:03.950 the kingdom of heaven. In fact, he said it two 00:09:03.950 --> 00:09:08.509 times there in Matthew 5. He said, I'll bless 00:09:08.509 --> 00:09:12.289 you and you shall inherit the earth. Man, we 00:09:12.289 --> 00:09:16.009 get excited when we think about it. The kingdom 00:09:16.009 --> 00:09:18.600 of heaven. I'm going to inherit the earth. He 00:09:18.600 --> 00:09:21.460 said, I'll bless you and you'll be filled and 00:09:21.460 --> 00:09:25.440 you'll obtain mercy and you shall see God and 00:09:25.440 --> 00:09:29.080 you shall be called the children of God. Does 00:09:29.080 --> 00:09:32.100 anybody want to be blessed today? Does anybody 00:09:32.100 --> 00:09:35.259 want to inherit the earth? Does anybody want 00:09:35.259 --> 00:09:38.840 to see God? Does anybody need mercy? Has anybody 00:09:38.840 --> 00:09:41.659 come to this place empty and you're hoping to 00:09:41.659 --> 00:09:46.450 leave filled? I don't know about you, but I sure 00:09:46.450 --> 00:09:50.269 love the kingdom of heaven. I sure love a little 00:09:50.269 --> 00:09:52.389 piece of the kingdom of heaven right about now. 00:09:53.929 --> 00:09:57.389 I would love to inherit the earth. Boy, there'd 00:09:57.389 --> 00:10:00.690 be a strut in my step, Brother Ray. I'd just 00:10:00.690 --> 00:10:06.210 inherit. Could you imagine? That rich uncle that 00:10:06.210 --> 00:10:08.350 you never even knew existed that would call you 00:10:08.350 --> 00:10:12.850 up and just lift you, the entire earth. It's 00:10:12.850 --> 00:10:16.129 all my, man, it sounds good to me. I want to 00:10:16.129 --> 00:10:20.570 be blessed. I want to be blessed. I feel like 00:10:20.570 --> 00:10:23.230 my son, a year or two ago, it was after Faith 00:10:23.230 --> 00:10:27.570 Promise, my daughter made a commitment and somebody 00:10:27.570 --> 00:10:32.250 somehow found out about it and they sponsored 00:10:32.250 --> 00:10:35.649 her to pay that commitment. My son got in the 00:10:35.649 --> 00:10:38.470 car and he was kind of in a bad mood for a little 00:10:38.470 --> 00:10:41.419 bit. We could hear him back there as she was 00:10:41.419 --> 00:10:45.360 sharing her testimony. He said, huh, I sure wish 00:10:45.360 --> 00:10:50.740 I'd be blessed. You know, I came today, I thought, 00:10:50.799 --> 00:10:53.899 man, today feels like a good day to be blessed. 00:10:54.639 --> 00:10:58.799 I sure wish I'd be blessed. God, you know, here 00:10:58.799 --> 00:11:01.960 I am, Lord. I sure wish I'd be blessed, Brother 00:11:01.960 --> 00:11:04.840 Mark. I could use a little bit of the kingdom 00:11:04.840 --> 00:11:08.399 of heaven right about now. You know, I wouldn't 00:11:08.399 --> 00:11:10.240 mind inheriting a little bit of the earth right 00:11:10.240 --> 00:11:15.000 about now. You know, I could use a little bit 00:11:15.000 --> 00:11:21.980 of comfort. Jesus, bless my life unto you. Fill 00:11:21.980 --> 00:11:24.919 me to overflowing. That sounds pretty good. Does 00:11:24.919 --> 00:11:27.440 anybody want to be blessed to overflowing today? 00:11:27.559 --> 00:11:31.340 You need to be filled. Maybe you come today and 00:11:31.340 --> 00:11:35.879 say, God, I need to obtain mercy. God, you know 00:11:35.879 --> 00:11:38.899 my situation and I'm praying that you'd be merciful 00:11:38.899 --> 00:11:44.759 toward me. God, show me mercy. God, my greatest 00:11:44.759 --> 00:11:50.659 desire is to see you, to experience you. Think 00:11:50.659 --> 00:11:53.440 about what a great blessing it would be to be 00:11:53.440 --> 00:11:59.139 called the children of God. But the lost revelation 00:11:59.139 --> 00:12:05.669 is this. If you want to be called the sons of 00:12:05.669 --> 00:12:09.210 God, if you want to receive your inheritance 00:12:09.210 --> 00:12:11.509 and you want to be comforted and you want to 00:12:11.509 --> 00:12:14.450 be filled and you want to obtain mercy and see 00:12:14.450 --> 00:12:17.490 him, then you've got to be broken and you've 00:12:17.490 --> 00:12:20.450 got to be humble and hungry for righteousness 00:12:20.450 --> 00:12:24.250 and we've got to be merciful and we've got to 00:12:24.250 --> 00:12:29.269 be pure. If we're not careful, we'll preach about 00:12:29.269 --> 00:12:32.669 the promises. And we'll preach about our inheritance, 00:12:32.809 --> 00:12:36.009 but we'll skip over that lost revelation that 00:12:36.009 --> 00:12:38.750 if we want to be blessed and we've got to be 00:12:38.750 --> 00:12:41.649 broken, and we've got to be humble, and we've 00:12:41.649 --> 00:12:44.529 got to be pure, we've got to hunger after righteousness. 00:12:47.669 --> 00:12:50.789 I've come to the realization that what has turned 00:12:50.789 --> 00:12:54.750 our world backwards is that we have denounced 00:12:54.750 --> 00:12:59.090 and we despise the blessing of the high priest. 00:13:01.710 --> 00:13:04.509 I believe that the Lord is showing us that we've 00:13:04.509 --> 00:13:07.549 strayed so far from the blessing of the high 00:13:07.549 --> 00:13:10.990 priest that it has literally caused a cultural 00:13:10.990 --> 00:13:17.450 reversal. It's just after he reveals the mystery 00:13:17.450 --> 00:13:20.629 of being blessed, we call them the Beatitudes. 00:13:22.149 --> 00:13:25.730 He goes on to teach in this very same chapter, 00:13:25.769 --> 00:13:27.850 right after he says, if you want to be blessed, 00:13:27.929 --> 00:13:31.830 this is how you be blessed. Be merciful, be pure, 00:13:31.889 --> 00:13:37.110 hunger after righteousness. He goes on to teach 00:13:37.110 --> 00:13:40.210 in verse 38. He said, you've heard that it was 00:13:40.210 --> 00:13:42.970 said an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth. 00:13:43.649 --> 00:13:47.350 But I tell you not to resist an evil person. 00:13:48.110 --> 00:13:51.509 But whoever slaps you on your right cheek, turn 00:13:51.509 --> 00:13:55.110 the other to him also. If anyone wants to sue 00:13:55.110 --> 00:13:57.730 you and take away your tunic, let him have your 00:13:57.730 --> 00:14:04.059 cloak also. Getting tight in here now. We're 00:14:04.059 --> 00:14:08.059 fidgeting a little bit now. Whoever compels you 00:14:08.059 --> 00:14:12.460 to go a mile, go with him too. Give to him who 00:14:12.460 --> 00:14:15.279 asks you and from him who wants to borrow from 00:14:15.279 --> 00:14:19.159 you and do not turn away. You've heard that it 00:14:19.159 --> 00:14:21.860 was said, you shall love your neighbor and hate 00:14:21.860 --> 00:14:24.799 your enemy. But I say to you, love your enemies. 00:14:25.549 --> 00:14:28.690 Bless those who curse you. Do good to those who 00:14:28.690 --> 00:14:31.750 hate you and pray for those who spitefully use 00:14:31.750 --> 00:14:35.830 you and persecute you. Don't raise your hands, 00:14:35.850 --> 00:14:41.710 but does anybody want to be blessed today? He 00:14:41.710 --> 00:14:44.350 says, do this that you may be the sons of your 00:14:44.350 --> 00:14:47.389 father in heaven. For he makes his sunrise on 00:14:47.389 --> 00:14:50.450 the evil and on the good and sends rain on the 00:14:50.450 --> 00:14:53.710 just and the unjust. For if you love those who 00:14:53.710 --> 00:14:58.830 love you, what reward do you have? He said, do 00:14:58.830 --> 00:15:02.990 not even the tax collectors do the same? And 00:15:02.990 --> 00:15:06.490 if you greet your brethren only, what do you 00:15:06.490 --> 00:15:10.620 more than others? Do not even the sinners, those 00:15:10.620 --> 00:15:13.220 who don't obey me, those who don't follow me, 00:15:13.259 --> 00:15:15.659 those tax collectors, don't they do that very 00:15:15.659 --> 00:15:20.419 same thing? Therefore, you shall be perfect just 00:15:20.419 --> 00:15:26.279 as your Father in heaven is perfect. It's the 00:15:26.279 --> 00:15:30.799 total opposite of our modern day cultural mindset. 00:15:33.320 --> 00:15:36.820 I know it because society is filled with people 00:15:36.820 --> 00:15:40.500 saying, I gave and I gave, but nobody gives to 00:15:40.500 --> 00:15:49.919 me. I walked a mile and nobody thanked me. I 00:15:49.919 --> 00:15:54.080 serve and I serve and I serve, but nobody serves 00:15:54.080 --> 00:15:59.820 me. The reason why this world is so offended 00:15:59.820 --> 00:16:03.259 is because we detest the blessing of the high 00:16:03.259 --> 00:16:08.220 priest. Our world loathes the thought of humility 00:16:08.220 --> 00:16:13.059 and sacrifice. Our world hates righteousness 00:16:13.059 --> 00:16:18.299 and purity. This world berates brokenness and 00:16:18.299 --> 00:16:20.980 it shudders at the thought of preferring others 00:16:20.980 --> 00:16:26.509 over ourselves. I can't help but realize that 00:16:26.509 --> 00:16:29.830 the further and further away from the blessings 00:16:29.830 --> 00:16:32.350 of the high priest that we get, the more that 00:16:32.350 --> 00:16:34.970 you hear about people being hurt and the more 00:16:34.970 --> 00:16:39.549 that you hear about people being offended. Think 00:16:39.549 --> 00:16:44.269 about it. If brokenness and humility and righteousness 00:16:44.269 --> 00:16:48.330 and purity and peace and spiritual fulfillment 00:16:48.330 --> 00:16:55.399 and a closeness to God. If that brings us blessings, 00:16:55.580 --> 00:16:59.600 then withdrawing from those things would have 00:16:59.600 --> 00:17:05.940 an adverse reaction. If we're drawing from humility 00:17:05.940 --> 00:17:10.240 and withdrawing from being a peacemaker and withdrawing 00:17:10.240 --> 00:17:16.900 from righteousness and purity and humility, it 00:17:16.900 --> 00:17:21.640 brings offense. It brings hurt, it brings about 00:17:21.640 --> 00:17:26.059 being wounded and disgruntled and resentful. 00:17:27.940 --> 00:17:32.779 There is a direct correlation between the diminishing 00:17:32.779 --> 00:17:35.759 of the blessings of the high priest and the rise 00:17:35.759 --> 00:17:40.920 of offense and frustration. That's why this world 00:17:40.920 --> 00:17:45.930 is in the condition that it's in. It's why we 00:17:45.930 --> 00:17:48.609 suffer the frustrations that we're suffering 00:17:48.609 --> 00:17:52.089 and experiencing. The frustrations that we're 00:17:52.089 --> 00:17:55.930 experiencing is because we are getting away from 00:17:55.930 --> 00:18:00.170 the blessing of the high priest. We're getting 00:18:00.170 --> 00:18:04.170 away from humility. We're moving away from brokenness. 00:18:04.170 --> 00:18:06.730 We don't want to preach righteousness and purity. 00:18:07.089 --> 00:18:10.609 We don't want to preach about sacrifice. And 00:18:10.609 --> 00:18:14.710 the church doesn't want to hear about being peacemakers. 00:18:19.230 --> 00:18:23.410 When all of these things diminish, then offense 00:18:23.410 --> 00:18:29.410 and frustration and hurt arises. There's a direct 00:18:29.410 --> 00:18:36.109 correlation. Many times in the church, when we 00:18:36.109 --> 00:18:39.089 don't want to hear about these things, we want 00:18:39.089 --> 00:18:41.890 the pastor to preach about being blessed and 00:18:41.890 --> 00:18:44.269 what can I get, but we don't want to hear about 00:18:44.269 --> 00:18:50.609 what I have to do to get it. Honestly, I want 00:18:50.609 --> 00:18:53.490 to hear about how I can be elevated. I want to 00:18:53.490 --> 00:18:56.069 hear about all the things that God can give, 00:18:56.250 --> 00:18:58.869 but I don't want to hear about what I have to 00:18:58.869 --> 00:19:04.240 do to be able to accept those things. Jesus made 00:19:04.240 --> 00:19:08.039 it clear. He pronounced blessing over us. He 00:19:08.039 --> 00:19:09.599 said if you want to experience it, you've got 00:19:09.599 --> 00:19:13.119 to be broken. You've got to have a spirit of 00:19:13.119 --> 00:19:16.380 humility. You've got to be a peacemaker. You've 00:19:16.380 --> 00:19:19.940 got to search and hunger for righteousness. But 00:19:19.940 --> 00:19:22.500 we don't want to hear that stuff. Don't preach 00:19:22.500 --> 00:19:24.720 that to me. I just want to hear about the kingdom 00:19:24.720 --> 00:19:29.220 of heaven and inheriting the earth and peace 00:19:29.220 --> 00:19:35.869 and fulfillment and contentment. You know, when 00:19:35.869 --> 00:19:39.849 you look up hurt and offended in the dictionary, 00:19:39.890 --> 00:19:43.410 in the thesaurus, you'll find that they can be 00:19:43.410 --> 00:19:49.470 used interchangeably. And there's this new term, 00:19:49.650 --> 00:19:53.150 church hurt, that everybody's throwing around. 00:19:53.250 --> 00:19:55.170 I know we're not supposed to talk about it, but 00:19:55.170 --> 00:19:57.809 when I had this revelation, when God began to 00:19:57.809 --> 00:20:00.109 show this to me, I understood why there were 00:20:00.109 --> 00:20:02.410 so many people who are offended in the world 00:20:02.410 --> 00:20:05.769 today. So many people who are offended by the 00:20:05.769 --> 00:20:09.769 church today. I know I'm treading on thin ice 00:20:09.769 --> 00:20:13.910 with some of you and it's kind of a hot topic. 00:20:13.970 --> 00:20:16.210 You're not supposed to talk about the whole CH 00:20:16.210 --> 00:20:23.269 topic. I should do like my brother does. He would 00:20:23.269 --> 00:20:27.329 say like, I'm thinking of a word that rhymes 00:20:27.329 --> 00:20:33.359 with fro nut. You know, I kind of, I disguise 00:20:33.359 --> 00:20:35.380 it a little bit so I don't get canceled, Brother 00:20:35.380 --> 00:20:41.380 Mark. Media team, when we put this sermon on 00:20:41.380 --> 00:20:44.420 the archive, you just get that bleep button and 00:20:44.420 --> 00:20:48.799 you just beep every time. Just kind of filter 00:20:48.799 --> 00:20:53.519 it out. Or he'd say, I'm not going to tell you 00:20:53.519 --> 00:20:59.160 who it is, but his name is kind of like crying 00:20:59.160 --> 00:21:07.069 Beretia. Maybe I'll clean it up a little bit 00:21:07.069 --> 00:21:10.750 so I don't offend too many people. I would do 00:21:10.750 --> 00:21:13.630 that, but you know, Brother Mike McBride, Brother 00:21:13.630 --> 00:21:15.950 Caleb Craven, they ruin it for me because I can't 00:21:15.950 --> 00:21:19.190 do that with their names. You'll get it in a 00:21:19.190 --> 00:21:24.069 second. You'll think about it. You know, when 00:21:24.069 --> 00:21:28.650 we don't want to hear about sacrifice, when we 00:21:28.650 --> 00:21:31.640 don't want to... Here preaching about humility. 00:21:31.779 --> 00:21:35.900 When we don't want to receive the preaching and 00:21:35.900 --> 00:21:39.440 the word about brokenness. There's a reason why 00:21:39.440 --> 00:21:43.779 before I preach, I pray God help us to receive 00:21:43.779 --> 00:21:47.900 your word. Because sometimes it cuts. Sometimes 00:21:47.900 --> 00:21:52.160 it hurts. Sometimes it's sharp and it pierces 00:21:52.160 --> 00:21:56.259 to the inside of our soul. It says that it's 00:21:56.259 --> 00:21:59.039 a discerner. Of our thoughts and the intents 00:21:59.039 --> 00:22:02.640 of our heart. It knows where we're at. The Bible 00:22:02.640 --> 00:22:06.880 knows our motives. And it knows why we are living. 00:22:06.980 --> 00:22:09.019 Why we're living. Why we're doing what we're 00:22:09.019 --> 00:22:12.339 doing. And so you can put on a mask. But the 00:22:12.339 --> 00:22:15.240 word of God knows. And it'll dig it out. And 00:22:15.240 --> 00:22:17.579 so that's why we pray. God when I hear your word. 00:22:17.619 --> 00:22:23.500 Help me to accept it. Help me to receive it. 00:22:26.319 --> 00:22:29.680 It can get frustrating at times. You see people 00:22:29.680 --> 00:22:34.400 in need and you offer them what they need. I 00:22:34.400 --> 00:22:37.579 grew up in New York City. It was very frustrating 00:22:37.579 --> 00:22:41.299 to see all of the homeless and the hurting. And 00:22:41.299 --> 00:22:44.259 they'd say, you know, I'm hungry. And you'd say, 00:22:44.420 --> 00:22:47.960 you know, well, come on, I'll buy you a meal. 00:22:48.019 --> 00:22:49.960 And they'd say, well, no, just give me some money. 00:22:50.720 --> 00:22:57.880 Bro. Like my mom used to say, well, then you're 00:22:57.880 --> 00:23:01.700 not really hungry. I'm hungry. Have an apple. 00:23:01.839 --> 00:23:03.279 I don't want it. Well, then you're not hungry. 00:23:08.680 --> 00:23:11.940 You know, the word of God offers us what we need. 00:23:12.740 --> 00:23:15.660 We say, no, I don't. Let's just go back. Let's 00:23:15.660 --> 00:23:18.279 rewind. Choir, come back. Musicians, come back. 00:23:18.339 --> 00:23:20.140 Let's sing that last song again. Then I'll come 00:23:20.140 --> 00:23:22.259 back up and I'll just talk about the blessings. 00:23:23.660 --> 00:23:26.900 I don't want to hear about. brokenness and humility 00:23:26.900 --> 00:23:31.160 and peacemakers and all that stuff. But it's 00:23:31.160 --> 00:23:35.819 the revelation to unlocking the blessings of 00:23:35.819 --> 00:23:40.039 God. In numbers, the blessings came when the 00:23:40.039 --> 00:23:44.299 priest spoke his prayer over the people. In the 00:23:44.299 --> 00:23:46.980 New Testament, the Bible or the blessings come 00:23:46.980 --> 00:23:49.920 when the people come into the presence of the 00:23:49.920 --> 00:23:54.960 Lord and walk according to his will. Hebrews 00:23:54.960 --> 00:23:58.359 4, 16 says, let us therefore come boldly unto 00:23:58.359 --> 00:24:01.220 the throne of grace that we may obtain mercy 00:24:01.220 --> 00:24:07.339 and find grace to help in time of need. If we 00:24:07.339 --> 00:24:10.339 truly want to be blessed, then we have to seek 00:24:10.339 --> 00:24:15.180 after the Lord and come into his presence. We've 00:24:15.180 --> 00:24:17.960 got to come into his presence so that he can 00:24:17.960 --> 00:24:20.759 shape us, he can speak to us, he can move upon 00:24:20.759 --> 00:24:24.900 us, he can reveal his word to us. And get us 00:24:24.900 --> 00:24:29.140 ready so that we can receive his blessing. And 00:24:29.140 --> 00:24:32.059 so that we can understand and be willing to live 00:24:32.059 --> 00:24:35.240 like we need to live to be able to receive what 00:24:35.240 --> 00:24:40.859 he has to give. And because Jesus is our high 00:24:40.859 --> 00:24:45.079 priest, we can boldly come before him. We can 00:24:45.079 --> 00:24:48.220 receive mercy and we can receive the grace that 00:24:48.220 --> 00:24:53.500 we so desperately need. Remember what God said 00:24:53.500 --> 00:25:00.200 in Numbers 6, 27. He said that they shall put 00:25:00.200 --> 00:25:05.259 my name upon the children of Israel. Today that 00:25:05.259 --> 00:25:07.960 blessing reaches its fulfillment in the name 00:25:07.960 --> 00:25:11.720 of Jesus Christ. Acts 4 and 12 says neither is 00:25:11.720 --> 00:25:14.819 there salvation in any other for there is none 00:25:14.819 --> 00:25:17.319 other name unto heaven given among men whereby 00:25:17.319 --> 00:25:22.759 we must be saved. When a believer repents and 00:25:22.759 --> 00:25:25.779 is baptized in Jesus' name and receives the Holy 00:25:25.779 --> 00:25:28.259 Ghost, the name of the high priest is placed 00:25:28.259 --> 00:25:31.420 upon them. And this is the greatest blessing 00:25:31.420 --> 00:25:34.500 of all. This is the greatest blessing that we 00:25:34.500 --> 00:25:38.079 could ever receive. Because in that name, we 00:25:38.079 --> 00:25:41.619 find victory. In that name, we find peace. I 00:25:41.619 --> 00:25:44.000 wish somebody would help me today. In the name 00:25:44.000 --> 00:25:47.599 of Jesus, we can find everything that we need. 00:25:47.660 --> 00:25:53.319 There is victory and there is joy. When I come 00:25:53.319 --> 00:25:57.799 into his presence as his child, I can find everything 00:25:57.799 --> 00:26:03.759 that I need. You musicians would please come. 00:26:04.509 --> 00:26:08.650 You would stand together. Aaron lifted his voice, 00:26:08.789 --> 00:26:13.190 and he declared, The Lord bless thee and keep 00:26:13.190 --> 00:26:17.730 thee. But one day Jesus, the true high priest, 00:26:17.809 --> 00:26:20.309 stood on a mountain and said, Blessed are the 00:26:20.309 --> 00:26:23.869 poor in spirit. Blessed are the pure in heart. 00:26:24.750 --> 00:26:30.369 Blessed are the peacemakers. The blessing of 00:26:30.369 --> 00:26:32.309 the high priest didn't end in the Old Testament. 00:26:34.029 --> 00:26:38.470 But it reached its fulfillment in Christ. And 00:26:38.470 --> 00:26:42.809 today our high priest is still blessing his people. 00:26:44.750 --> 00:26:49.009 You can leave this place blessed. You can come 00:26:49.009 --> 00:26:52.650 and receive the blessing of Jesus Christ. All 00:26:52.650 --> 00:26:55.750 the blessings that the Spirit of the Lord and 00:26:55.750 --> 00:26:58.670 His Word affords to us, you can receive it today. 00:26:58.750 --> 00:27:01.450 Whatever that you're in need of, you can receive 00:27:01.450 --> 00:27:04.700 it today. Whatever that you have been waiting 00:27:04.700 --> 00:27:08.319 for, you can receive it today. Whatever you've 00:27:08.319 --> 00:27:13.740 been praying for, you can receive it today. Because 00:27:13.740 --> 00:27:18.019 God blesses the humble. And God blesses the repentant. 00:27:19.700 --> 00:27:23.680 God blesses those that are hungry for righteousness. 00:27:25.119 --> 00:27:28.940 God blesses those who seek him with a pure heart. 00:27:30.640 --> 00:27:34.319 I wonder if maybe the reason why, Brother Ray, 00:27:34.420 --> 00:27:36.599 that I haven't been receiving what I've been 00:27:36.599 --> 00:27:39.660 needing and what I've been so desperately waiting 00:27:39.660 --> 00:27:45.480 for is maybe I'm approaching my high priest without 00:27:45.480 --> 00:27:49.500 the brokenness that he's looking for. Maybe I'm 00:27:49.500 --> 00:27:52.619 coming to God when I pray and I'm not coming 00:27:52.619 --> 00:27:55.680 in humility. So maybe that's why I haven't been 00:27:55.680 --> 00:27:58.160 receiving the blessings that I've been waiting 00:27:58.160 --> 00:28:00.559 for. and those things that I've been needing. 00:28:01.299 --> 00:28:04.420 Maybe when I come to God and I'm praying about 00:28:04.420 --> 00:28:07.359 this frustration that I feel and this hurt that 00:28:07.359 --> 00:28:10.259 I'm experiencing, maybe it's because I'm coming 00:28:10.259 --> 00:28:12.819 to him looking for the blessing, but I'm not 00:28:12.819 --> 00:28:17.619 hungry for righteousness. God is saying, but 00:28:17.619 --> 00:28:23.000 I'll bless those that are meek. I'll bless those 00:28:23.000 --> 00:28:26.619 that have a... A humble heart. I bless those 00:28:26.619 --> 00:28:30.339 that are searching and hungering for righteousness 00:28:30.339 --> 00:28:34.480 in their life and in their lifestyle. I bless 00:28:34.480 --> 00:28:37.619 those that are repentant. Those that want to 00:28:37.619 --> 00:28:40.180 walk for me. Those that want to turn from their 00:28:40.180 --> 00:28:43.299 wicked ways. Those are those that I will bless. 00:28:45.839 --> 00:28:48.859 The high priest is still speaking blessings. 00:28:52.140 --> 00:28:55.579 If you're broken in spirit, He said, I'll bless 00:28:55.579 --> 00:29:00.519 you. If you're mourning, he said, I'll comfort 00:29:00.519 --> 00:29:05.839 you. If you're hungry for righteousness, he says, 00:29:05.859 --> 00:29:09.720 you shall be filled. The blessing of the high 00:29:09.720 --> 00:29:13.259 priest is not limited to Israel anymore, but 00:29:13.259 --> 00:29:19.500 it's available to whosoever will. As they begin 00:29:19.500 --> 00:29:22.619 to sing, they begin to play. If you want a blessing, 00:29:23.289 --> 00:29:26.150 from God on your life, then come to this altar 00:29:26.150 --> 00:29:30.029 with humility. Come and humble yourself before 00:29:30.029 --> 00:29:34.309 the Lord. Come to this altar with repentance. 00:29:34.950 --> 00:29:38.630 Say, God, change me. God, deliver me from my 00:29:38.630 --> 00:29:41.750 wicked ways. so that I can receive what you have 00:29:41.750 --> 00:29:44.009 for me. Come with a hunger for righteousness. 00:29:44.190 --> 00:29:47.509 God, show me your word. Reveal your word to me 00:29:47.509 --> 00:29:50.410 so that I can walk according to your precepts 00:29:50.410 --> 00:29:53.450 and according to your commandments. God, begin 00:29:53.450 --> 00:29:56.730 to reveal to me those areas in my life that need 00:29:56.730 --> 00:30:00.190 to change so that I can be blessed by you. And 00:30:00.190 --> 00:30:05.890 the high priest, Jesus Christ, will place his 00:30:05.890 --> 00:30:09.269 name upon you. He'll place his grace upon you. 00:30:09.680 --> 00:30:14.700 And his spirit will be upon your life. And that 00:30:14.700 --> 00:30:18.400 greatest blessing that you will ever receive 00:30:18.400 --> 00:30:25.440 is to receive his spirit. The Holy Ghost is here 00:30:25.440 --> 00:30:26.220 for the humble.