You gave us life. You gave us healing. You gave
us hope. And so this morning we are grateful.
We're grateful for you. We're grateful for your
son and the sacrifice that he made so that we
could be made whole and made complete. We're
undeserving of so many things, but yet You were
mindful of us So we're grateful we're grateful
That even though we continue sometimes to Mr.
Mark You created a covenant that will cover us
and and keep us So we're thankful God for your
mercy we're thankful and today as we open up
your word we're asking for your holy spirit to
lead and to guide us we cannot expect to hear
or receive truth in our flesh father god we need
your spirit to lead us spirit to stir us up we're
asking in this moment that um you consume us
you uh Take those thoughts that could be in competition
with your truth today And you capture them So
today we can receive your word as ours that every
promise is yes and a man We will go through your
word as sons and daughters as heirs to these
promises known that we can stand firm and Walk
out of here with peace of mind We're just thankful
cut that you you invited us into these precious
promises In your precious name, I pray the name
above all names y 'all say with me Jesus Amen.
Amen. Well love on the person next to you as
you take your seats You know Would also like
to take a take a moment To take one of our incredible
ministers of the house minister Nate for for
if y 'all notice we had he served a season so
well and I hope y 'all know it ain't going nowhere
We're not going nowhere We are going to reposition
it within the service but I just want to say
thank you y 'all give it up for the minister
name for just ministers to us so well and y 'all
remember we used to have like special music sections
and all that type of stuff like we that's what
that's what we doing so just y 'all have to act
crazy like y 'all know our church folks be like
what did he do he did nothing nothing at all
but we are a house that continues to say okay
God how you want this to go So we will be repositioning
it and just doing what we do. Amen but I'm incredibly
excited to be here with you today and Go with
me Ephesians chapter 6. We will be a finishing
of the book of Ephesians today looking church.
We made it You know, we spent the whole summer
going through the book of Ephesians pastor Deborah
covered Ephesians chapter 5 so well if there
isn't a You know, it almost looks strategic not
to be here to have to preach Ephesians chapter
5, but You know, it wasn't strategic She did
she did She did she says some things that I would
have been looking at the wall But today we will
have finished the book of Ephesians and it is
actually extremely positioned for What will be
um two things happening? So we'll be finishing
our truth collections in the book of ephesians
on I have a reason to praise while opening the
door to our new sermon series here is home and
so um Pastor brian has an assignment in front
of him, but i'm well prepared You know what i'm
saying? I even got my little color coded my notes
and everything. You know, it's like, you know
what? um We got a lot of ground to cover, but
it's gonna be good And so if you're there in
Ephesians chapter 6 verse 1 I'll start there
says children obey your parents in the Lord For
this is right honor your father and mother some
don't wonder was that still in the Bible it it
still is This is the first commandment with a
promise That it may go well with you and that
you may live long in the land Fathers do not
provoke your children to anger but bring them
up in Discipline and instructions from the Lord
what I would just like to pull out there That
is really really beautiful is you are seeing
something and something we always key on here
is anytime we hear a Promise from God. What should
be our question? What's the path? I'll come out
there. We try it again. Anytime you hear a promise
in the word of God What should be your next question?
What's the path because to every promise there
is a path and so what I really want to see here
is right There's a promise right here that it
will go well with you and that you may live long
in the land that there's a promise connected
to Obeying your parents right that that the promise
is It will go well with you and you will live
long. Well, how do I get to that promise? obedience
Obeying your parents Why cuz is right Some of
y 'all think it was your parents that invented
that short talk because I said so no the Bible
is kind of short, too Why should I obey my parents
church? This is right That's a little different
than I said so but I get where y 'all are going
Then we go into you know, what is probably I'm
gonna read these next verses and you know, here's
the truth You cannot go to the Word of God in
your flesh What I'm about to read to you guys
that if you hear any of this in your flesh You
will feel as though the Bible is not for you
these next verses are Systematically uses people
used to say they even call this is the white
man's Bible because of these next verses That's
all right with y 'all, but this is where they
get it from They read this in their flesh and
they think that the whole Bible is for for white
men Looking at me strange. Y 'all know how I
be just talking to y 'all I'm trying to help
y 'all out. So the next time someone tells you
that you following the white man's gospel you
can be like no There are neither Greek nor Hebrew
there's neither Jew right that we are all one
in who a man So you ain't even got started yet
talking you talking crazy But this is where they
get it from right right now. I'll walk you guys
through they say bond servants Obey your what
church? With what fear and trembling with a sincere
heart as you would Christ not by the way of I
service as people pleasers But as what church?
Bond servants of Christ doing the will of God
from the heart, rendering service with a goodwill
as to the Lord and not to man, knowing that whatever
good anyone does, this he will receive back from
who? The Lord. Whether he is a bond servant or
free, masters do the same to them. and stop your
threatening knowing that i'll be wanting like
did they read the rest of this masters do the
same to them and stop your threatening knowing
that he who is both their master and yours is
in heaven and that there is no partiality with
him right so a lot of people find this controversial
right they find it controversial because clearly
The bible is speaking towards slaves and masters
So it starts off talking about children obey
your parents Then it starts talking about slaves
and masters and how they should rate to each
other and you're reading this You're saying so
is god saying slavery is okay? No And if you
don't see what he's saying here, you'll miss
one of the greatest revelations I believe is
in the bible right that he's first doing this,
that before we got it to children and parents,
and before we got to masters and bond servants,
if you go back to chapter five, he start talking
about husbands and wives, but then he first started
talking about you. So this whole cycle, he goes,
he talks about you, he talks about husbands and
wives, he talks about children and parents, then
he talks about slaves and masters. What is...
Paul painting here. What's the bible painting
here? It's painting a picture of the four critical
relationships that were present in that culture
That the four critical relationships in that
culture were that you because you can always
be a problem for you husbands and wives children
and parents and slaves and masters The beauty
of this is is we have to realize that the bible
lets us know that we will be known by what church
Love for one another and so the Bible is Speaking
about what we need to do in order so that we
can reflect Christ in the four critical relationships
of that day y 'all rocking It's beautiful because
y 'all ready for this And you need to hear this
because even when truth doesn't taste good it
lives good Even when truth doesn't live good
it even when it doesn't taste good. It lives
good Right and I told him on Friday this happens
with amber all the time amber doesn't like the
taste of medicine Here's the thing the medicine
is good for her. She doesn't like the taste but
it's good for her and Truth is that same way
even when truth does not taste good. It's still
Come on y 'all gotta Because what I'm about to
say next it's not gonna taste good But it most
certainly lives good The point is to see is that
we can't be people that think that because it
doesn't feel right It isn't good for me that
if you approach the Bible wanting to feel good
You're not gonna get the benefit of it And so
you may not feel good about how it tells you
to honor your parents You may not feel good about
how it tells you to love your wife like the church
meaning not feel good Boy y 'all stop preaching
with me so soon y 'all normally be with me that
that most people read Ephesians 5 and you don't
feel good about any of this I'm pretty I know
the slaves didn't feel good about hearing how
they had to treat the master, right a Husband
doesn't feel good about having to treat his wife
like she is the church when she don't act like
the church Parents children don't feel like obeying
their parents when they feel like their parent
is wrong But the truth is even when it doesn't
taste good it still lives good And so what is
God wanting us to taste that so good in this
moment That here's the truth God doesn't ignore
our dysfunction. He enters it See God didn't
approve of slavery But they weren't yet Christ
like to know that this is wrong They had didn't
achieve revelation that their behavior wasn't
honoring to God This is all still new That we
are one with Christ They have yet to realize
that to be like Christ I can't be a master over
a person They have historically saw this as good
They saw this as a way to get cheap labor Some
y 'all look at me strange like you don't be ripping
off your own kids, but that's cool You got your
light bill in a name you got your car in a name
wait until they find out Y 'all be so quick to
just judge somebody when you have similar behaviors
I'm just trying to help you. All right, I could
skip over this and you can live in darkness or
we can talk about it and see why it's here because
it's so good. So here they are. The culture of
that time had four different structures of people
groups. One of them included slaves and masters.
They were not yet fully in Christ to realize
this doesn't please God. So God stepped into
their dysfunction God stepped into their dysfunction
and still gave order Pastor Brian, why are you
parking here? Because if this was 2026 we would
say something like well, what do I do if My daughter
is saying she's a lesbian What do I do if my
son saying he's homosexual? What do I do? Y 'all
getting quiet on me again? Name your name your
present dysfunction all of our families have
a dysfunction and In the revelation is we've
always thought God is hands off of our dysfunction
When truth is God will enter your dysfunction
Just the same way he entered their dysfunction
why because they were not yet like Christ We
are all dealing with dysfunctional situations
because people are yet to be like Christ But
thanks be to God his wisdom doesn't stop at our
dysfunction That he will step right into that
situation that doesn't reflect him and still
set order Because God's that good. That even
when you're not doing what's pleasing him, it
doesn't stop him from still holding you like
you're his. No, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no,
no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no. And I'm saying
this so that you can become radical again, radical
again about what you think is dead. God's not
touching that. God has nothing to do with that.
No, no, no. God's goodness does not stop at our
dysfunction. He'll reach into your dysfunction
and still speak order until you become more like
Christ. Oh, praise be to God. Ain't that a reason
to praise God? The mere fact that he's talking
to any of us is evidence that his wisdom doesn't
stop at our ignorance His wisdom doesn't stop
at his displeasure of us. I thank God that a
condition of God's wisdom isn't my perfection
This I would be in this world without wisdom
And so God's one you say I know you don't like
But that doesn't mean that I'm done with it.
Matter of fact, I know how to make sure that
even though I'm not pleased with it, you can
still be like me in it. That's what he's saying.
He's saying, no, no, no, no, no, no. Servants,
I get it. This is bad. This is bad. But I still
need you to be sincere Not by the way of eye
service don't be no people pleasers Matter of
fact, you're a bond servant of christ and you
gotta realize here. We're talking about paul
Paul doesn't even see the word bond servant our
slave as derogatory. He calls himself a slave
of christ Y 'all wanna y 'all don't want to preach
for me today And so we're like, how's he just
throwing his word that he called himself a slut
Paul does not allow These terms that turn us
upside down to turn him upside down Because he
knows who his Lord is I'll try to get y 'all
to see stuff This is what you're supposed to
think when you saw yourself of great value and
you went into work and they change your position
and then you realize, oh, I thought I wasn't
addicted to titles, but then you left feeling
less significant because your role changed. Well,
there you go. You should have remembered who's...
Because these earthly masters do a lot of strange
things. But I'm not a slave to any of them. I'm
a slave of Christ. I'm a bond servant of Christ.
I serve the most high God. My value isn't connected
to any earthly identification. My value is found
and who found me, rescued me, is working with
me, who healed me, who's bringing me peace, who's
helping me take all of this dysfunction and step
by step put everything in order. I love God Can
we just give God a praise right now? I just stop
sometimes and think about how good God is Y 'all
see how good God is Well, I got a reason to praise
boy I'll tell you what he says this but doing
the will of God from the heart He's saying that
it's not you being good to them being good is
who we are as people do good because we are good
people not because people earned it not because
they deserved it not because they treated us
right he says check this out what are we just
here path and to every path what is their church
y 'all we just did this to every path there is
what check this out he says knowing that Whatever
good anyone does This he will receive back from
the Lord whether he is Bond servants are free
check that out church That he's saying regardless
of your position the promise still stands He
speaks to those who are enslaved and reminding
them no matter who says they're your earthly
master doing good that I say is good means that
I am the one that you're not doing good because
they deserve it and this is how you can reconcile
the rest of this why do children obey your parents
not because your parents deserve it Because doing
good is what we do Children obey your parents
why cuz this is right and the God of You and
the God of your parents will reward you with
a good long life Y 'all hear that So I'm obeying
parents because there's a God who sees how I
act and whether or not they have the means to
reward my submission to this there's a God that
sees me doing what is right he says My promises
don't stop at these containers. Whether you're
free or a bondservant, the good God is going
to be a good God. Then he goes and says, all
right, I tighten up that side of it. Masters,
do the same. Do what's the same. Do good by them.
Stop your threatening Don't threaten you can't
threaten nobody Knowing that he who is both their
master and yours So, I know you called yourself
master that's funny Because there's only one
master He said in the whole house what Everybody
do right by everybody. You know, I had y 'all
talk to your neighbor yet today That's a good
space find you a good neighbor It's a hey folks
hey you Do right by everybody He says He who
is both their master and in heaven, and that
there is what? No partiality with God. Another
translation is that there is no favoritism with
God. Some people see this in this context of
thinking that God has favorites. This is actually
a passage on judgment. He's saying that God shows
no favoritism. He shows no partiality. Realize,
I will judge you. Don't care what you call yourself
now I Will judge you and he's saying this as
a warning to those slave masters Do what I say
are just as you think you can judge them you
you you have a master too and I will hold you
accountable Now y 'all see why this y 'all see
what's going on here prayerfully you can use
that in your next argument with somebody that
You can tell no no, I don't hurt the truth and
true sets you free No, no God shows no favoritism.
He told everybody to tighten up And he's still
telling everybody do what church tighten up What
I love about this is as you read through those
first two passages the children and your parents
and bond service and slaves and Husbands to wives
and yourself as you read through that there's
something you'll notice right that there is no
conditional language What do you mean by that
pastor Brian? There is nothing in any of those
passages that say if they win they because they
There's no conditions That our babe behavior
is set regardless of what's happening Not when
they say something right you obey your parents
there's no condition there Not when they line
up treat your wife like the church. There's no
condition there not there's no conditions I Know
y 'all got to go back and read it, but I've been
reading it all week. It's not there None of your
translations you can get you a ELT or BLT or
whatever translation you want. None of your translations
have a condition None of them The new King James
the some King James, you know, they got all types
of stuff now God gonna burn them all. I don't
know which ones are gonna stay but anyway Why
are you saying this? because check this out if
our behavior is conditional on how we are treated
and If we can change our behavior based on how
people treat us. It also makes guys reward conditional
That if the only way I can be good is if you're
good you are now in the position of being my
god That if it was conditional the reward would
be conditional But the reward is promised because
it doesn't involve nobody but you It's what you
gonna do what are you gonna do with the truth
I Wouldn't expect me y 'all to shout me down
right there But even that's why I had to sit
there for a moment even when it don't taste good
There we go church Find you somebody there's
a reason y 'all like why he stick on that point
so long. I know what the message is Go ahead
look at somebody say hey neighbor even when it
doesn't taste good It lives good and truly we
should be thankful God didn't set the conditions
of his promises towards us in the hands of how
people treat us Like he didn't say do right by
them once they do right by you then that would
mean I could maybe never ever get Promise because
some of y 'all don't ever do right by anybody
Don't leave my hand up here by myself Some y
'all need to go back back to me and back when
you were school and your teacher had you right
on the board You need to wake up every day and
just write a hundred times. I will do right by
people I will do right by people I will do you
are so ingrained to just be triggered that you
You ain't did right by nobody in a couple months
See they hold blinker coming down the interstate
know they trying to get over You done lined up
that you don't lined up the exit ramp and you
know, there's not enough time unless I slow down
You don't timed it up. I Know cuz I've been there
before you like man if I don't slow down they
not getting in I can time it up. I can time it
up and you know what you do Not today Got a red
light to wait on Do all of that and then be right
there at the red light they pull up right behind
you I Wouldn't plan on having the encounter Y
'all get back y 'all get back y 'all get back
y 'all get back cuz here right What is the Bible
teaching us? And I want to sum up this first
half before we go to the last part of Ephesians
chapter 6. What is being summed up here is that
God is not the author of confusion. God is not
the author of confusion. If there is confusion,
no matter the context, God has order. If there
is confusion, no matter the context, God has
order. Order That's what we are to gain from
that that sometimes we think there can't be any
order because we think the context is outside
of what he would speak to know If it has to do
with your walk of love, he has wisdom so you
can obey If it has to do with your walk of love
he has wisdom so you can obey no matter the context
So now I'm gonna make This transition we're closing.
I have a reason to praise and we open up to the
door look at neighbor say here is Home If y 'all
could put put James one and eight put well actually
put one Yeah, put start at one Put James up down
the screen right because What does that mean
pastor Brian? That When we say here is home That's
just that's not a catchy slogan. It's actually
a declaration That many of us myself included
have places in the grave And we have to realize
That we know we need wisdom on how to navigate
it. But wisdom from God does not come to people
who haven't declared where they are home. That
wisdom requires, let your neighbor say, a posture.
That if I'm not postured correctly, wisdom won't
flow. And so many people are positioned in places,
but they're not postured in that place. Right?
That you can be positioned as a child in a family.
You can be positioned as an employee on a job.
You can be positioned as a spouse within a marriage.
You can be positioned in the city of Tampa. You
can be positioned here at Revealing Truth. But
if you're not postured at Revealing Truth, postured
in Tampa, postured in your marriage, postured
in your family, postured on work, wisdom doesn't
flow. So you have a problem. But you are blocking
the solution. What are you saying, Pastor Brian?
James 1 and 8, right? Go to chapter, go verse
1. You got to warm them up now. James, a servant
of God, of the Lord Jesus Christ, to the 12 tribes
in the dispersions, greetings, count it all joy,
brothers and sisters. Boy, that thing's switching
different. My brothers, when trials, don't have
my laptop, when trials, When you meet trials
of various kinds For you know that the testing
of your faith produces what church? steadfastness
and let steadfastness have what is full effect
that you may be what perfect and complete and
Lacking nothing. Let's pause right there. Right?
So what did we just digest? This is a familiar
text We won't spend long here that as believers
say I'm a believer if you are believing that
we don't complain about trials, right? We understand
that if I'm in a gray area or if I'm oscillating
between where home is, that's okay. Trials come
to believers. But we know that trials aren't
the end for believers. That trials are actually
tools God uses for our perfection. That if I'm
looking to go to another level, I must expect
to be tested. That if there is no test, how do
I know I've achieved something? Right that that
that when you're in school, you're giving standardized
testing I know no one likes it But how do they
know that you should go to the next grade if
you haven't learned what you got in the last
one? Because each grade sits on the next and
so in our lives It's the same way that we can't
go to another level in God without firming up
the foundation of where we are I can't go to
new levels without more foundation stronger foundation
Think about it like a like an elevator. Have
you ever seen the elevator right up a building
past the floors? The building is 13 stories high.
Have you ever seen the elevator make it to floor
17? No, there's no structure Don't look at me
strange and these examples be a one These are
a one top tier examples None of us have ever
seen an elevator ride straight up out the building
structure If you have What's that song you want
to stairway to heaven you're on an elevator to
heaven if you kept going past the building You
got you got a problem Some of us are so are so
paranoid before we get on the elevator we check
down and we check this one this one stops in
it Make sure it's in frame. I want I want what
I'm what I'm expecting to take me to another
level I want to make sure it's structured. Well
Well, our faith is the same way our lives are
the same way God is so good that he won't let
you pass with your structure to sustain That
he will make sure that you are structures to
sustain where he's taking you right because it
is possible to be blessed and stressed y 'all
ever met a blessed and stressed person What is
a blessed and stressed person that they were
mixing self -effort and faith while they were
building things? So they know what's of God and
what's not of God So at night they sleep about
what they know God said but they're worried about
what they're doing that God had nothing to do
with Why because they know it's structure. He
won't protect Y 'all alright, but God is so good
that he will make sure that when he's taking
you somewhere that there will always be structured
to maintain what you obtain And so testing isn't
a bad thing. Testing is a good thing. It makes
sure that I can look at your neighbor and say,
maintain when I obtain. So that is why we rejoice
when trials come. Because they're not evidence
of me going backwards. They're actually evidence
that it's time to level up. Listen. Listen. Say,
hey, neighbor. We leveling up around here. So
he wants to flip our whole press perspective
and know that no God sees your perfection in
Schedule if these trials are coming because there's
another level awaiting But then he says verse
5 if any of you what lacks wisdom What is wisdom
wisdom isn't just information wisdom is the proper
application of the information that you know?
We're living in an information age. Everybody
knows everything but you turn off their chat
GPT now, they know nothing Right and so We are
in the information age, but we also in a time
where people lack wisdom people be doing dumb
stuff in plain sight Y 'all looking at me crazy
You done did some dumb stuff in plain sight Why
because wisdom is what we all need so that we
can properly apply the knowledge that we know
Check this out right that this is so beautiful
about God that that that for believer, right?
There's three different types of tests right
that as believers, right? There's three different
types of tests right you have short answer fill
in the blank and multiple choice as a student
When the teacher said we about have a short answer
response test, I don't want that test I Don't
want I don't want the short response because
it is going to truly evaluate because now only
can I I can't just give this other explain how
I got to the answer Then you got that other degree
it's a little less but it's it's it's short answer
So all I need to know is one right word as long
as I can just Forgot one word word and I'll be
alright, but we all love a good what church multiple
choice. I Love multiple choice because the thing
about a multiple choice is it removes the biggest
fear of the other two I know the answer is in
front of me So lock in Brian Lock in it's it's
here Some of us depending on where you were father,
you know, I was supposed to study But you said
you the god of mercy Some y 'all ain't never
boy i've been in there anybody else been in there
like that just looking over that thing like father
It is in front of me stop my hand You look up
you want another question oh lord I need to close
the range up. It's here to hear you But what
do you say? I'm saying that we all love a good
multiple choice because the answer is in front
of you. Here's the truth. As believers, every
trial you face is a multiple choice test because
the answer is in front of you. It's right here.
Here's the thing. I need wisdom to know which
page to be on. Otherwise you have children saying,
I am like Abraham. God's calling me to leave
my family You're Abraham now I named you Justin
What he flipped and read about Abraham God inspired
now the child thinks they're Abraham It's not
their godly disobedient because they know the
word. They just don't have wisdom on how to use
it Because if you're Abraham, you're also telling
me you're the father of many nations It says
you the father of many nations. I need an inheritance
child Well that they don't know how to apply
the truth they need wisdom to know you're not
Abraham you're over there in Ephesians Chapter
5 No chapter 6 started next before you talk to
me again go to Ephesians chapter 6 read verse
1 just all just go ahead read through it Because
you're at the stage where you need to obey your
parents because this is right you ain't Abraham
Not Joshua You're not Isaac. You're not Jacob
You trying to be like Jesus heavy on the tribe
Why be having a good time in church y 'all having
a good time with the Lord You know, I'm just
trying to I'm just trying to throw a little sugar
in your medicine. That's it That's it. Just a
little sugar in the medicine Cuz truth is wisdom
isn't promise to people who haven't chose home
haven't chose a posture he says if any of you
lack wisdom let him ask I just got a fill -in
-the -blank test right there they took my scripture
let him ask there it is go back If any of you
likes ism, let him ask God who gives what? Generously
to all without reproach That's the promise What's
the path and it will be given to him? but let
him ask in faith With no doubting for the one
who doubts is like a wave of the sea that's driven
and tossed By the wind for that person must not
suppose that they will receive Anything from
the lord. He is a double -minded man unstable
in all his ways Promise what's the promise that
god will give you wisdom freely. What's the path?
Asking in faith not double -minded right This
faith in this context is not speaking of the
faith you have in the traditions. It's like,
this is my faith. I'm mustering up this faith.
It's talking about a posture, a posture that
says, I believe God is my Lord. I have one Lord
and one savior. His name is Jesus Christ. So
I'm asking and the faith supplied to me by my
savior. Mean I'd earn it. I mean I've deserved
it, but Jesus Paid the price so that I can have
a life and life more abundantly I don't have
to be dealing with what this is God I need wisdom
not because I've been good not because I've been
perfect but in faith in who you are Y 'all rocking
with me And also says right go back a bit when
unpacking just a little bit go back seven That
person must not suppose to receive anything for
Lord. He is a double -minded man unstable in
all his ways so When you're reading this is speaking
of having two minds double -minded Right. So
that means that there are two options of where
my mentality can can sit Some about double -minded
I'm saying this because many people interpret
this as asking without fear Because some translation
says without doubting and so they're thinking
that he's talking about you asking without anxiety
Asking without worry asking without concern some
good preaching here. Y 'all should be more than
this But he's saying double mind in other words
that you are still focused on where you want
to be You haven't declared home and So you're
asking God for wisdom About a job. You're not
even sure if you're staying around You're double
-minded you're like well Let me consider the
options to see where i'm gonna stay or go. That's
that's two different minds You're still trying
to decide whether you're staying or going you
got to make up your Okay, i'll try to start light
and you know wrap it up a little bit Need wisdom
about Where I'm supposed to live because I've
been scrolling online and Dallas, Texas has some
very cheap homes with a lot of laying and a lot
of square footage Now you got to go outside of
Dallas. You got to go Whoever been looking y
'all been looking y 'all know where you got to
go where you got to go to get the y 'all know
It shows up on your feed Y 'all like y 'all ain't
on the internet I see the same stuff them houses
show up look like just what you want for the
price you won't and the place you ain't never
heard of Prosper, Texas. I was like Lord. Are
you saying we will prosper in Texas? So y 'all
see that same post and so so so you're like I'm
asking God on wisdom what to do But I'm actually
still wondering whether or not I'm sticking around
What is that that's a double mind you have to
declare home Alright, let's Transgress a little
bit. Alright, here we go. I'm gonna just step
on just a little bit of the line God my relationship
is in shambles. I Need wisdom Here's the problem
you don't know whether you are going to stay
Or whether you are going you are still wondering
where you are going to call home While asking
God for wisdom on how to fix it and he's like
you got to decide where home is That's double
-minded to be asking me for wisdom about this
and you don't even know if you're sticking around
That's double You got to declare where home is
No, I ain't asking you to do it today. We got
seven more weeks But you look at your neighbor
say no no look at yourself don't look at nobody
The goal is for you to be able to save this with
actual conviction By the end of this series no
here is Here is home because what I'm facing
I need wisdom and I can't ask God for wisdom
While still being uncommitted about where my
feet gonna be Many people are positioned in places,
but they're not postured anywhere What is posture
posture is in heart inclined to hear what God
has to say So you can be positioned somewhere
but not posture to hear God there Thought I'll
throw my own little pep rally there cuz boy y
'all look like y 'all thinking too hard. I said
we got seven weeks Seven weeks you I know you
didn't come in here ready to make too many declarations
But but that is the goal for you to be able to
confidently say And this is all across the board
right children, I wish I had better parents that's
impossible It's not how God made the system You
belong to the one that birthed it Now that's
your parent here is home Father none of your
promises are conditional based upon what anybody
does they're based upon how I act and So but
in order for me to get wisdom on how to act right
I got to declare that this is where I belong
Boy whoo Well, I'm trying not to break down and
cry Why you saying that's right because I go
through so many counseling sessions and people
don't realize that there one decision away From
the windows of heaven just opening up It ain't
that complicated It's not that complicated church
It's not They'll put these so truth is trials
aren't evidence that something has gone wrong.
Sometimes it's the environment God uses to make
you whole Truth is wisdom requires asking but
direction requires a heart that's settled in
truth, right? Cuz and then what do we get from
this right now? I told you we're gonna talk about
this at the end of this No, we can finally realize
people ain't your problem Not your problem that's
a problem nothing God does for you is based on
what they do there's a lot of examples here church
right that you see david positioned in a field
but postured before god out there so when it
came time to go get the king where he at it didn't
matter that he was positioned in the field in
the field he was posture before god so i understand
you may think you somewhere that god can't find
you no keep your heart inclined towards him he
knows how to find So, he had to be home in that
field. He had to defend the sheep, fight the
lions, fight the bears, although he knew he was
a king in his heart. Y 'all hear what I'm saying?
Like, that's the message. I know you are packing
groceries and you are a king, but you got to
be postured with the bags and pack them. excellence
I Know you don't like your house But treat it
with excellence God sees you and nothing he does
is based but they keep making it dirty We'll
keep going right behind them and showing that
you have the capacity to be able to look past
People's faults and still do what's right. You
know what God would do with the person who doesn't
behave based upon what other people do He's working
on something bigger you complaining about the
kids you complaining about the wife you complaining
about this person and he's trying to get you
to grow up I Clean up grocery stores all the
time. My heart won't let me walk disorder and
say it's okay I don't care where I am all right
just trying to get got to get y 'all some new
new structure for an elevator that's all we trying
to do today but the book of Ephesians is a book
designed to stir you up to fight again to grow
your hunger for the things God says should be
Because that is the truth sometimes we can be
fighting so long that weariness seems like It
comes with caring And I know some of y 'all are
in here that every time you care it's like you
were inviting stress and So you're like, I just
don't care no more because every time I try to
care It's like weight stacked upon me But you
got to realize, those aren't the type of weights
that are designed to break you. Those are weights
that are designed to form you. We got to realize
that God knew that Joseph's brothers was gonna
toss him in the pit. But he also told Joseph
that when he gets out that pit, he had to bless
them same brothers. Y 'all see God. So we cannot
be stinker in a strange place When God is carving
a heart in us to care again for people who wronged
us, this is Bible Somebody got to be the leader
Because here's the truth truth this life can
teach you a lot of lessons, but never let it
teach you how to live comfortable with disappointment
The life can teach a lot of thing, but never
let it lower your expectations of God If God
is a miracle -working God I'm just waiting for
him to swing by my house, but I refuse to believe
that he isn't a god of miracle signs and wonders
Refused to believe he doesn't know my address.
I just want to be home when he come back Because
the king of glory is coming and there ain't nothing
like the regret of watching of quitting then
glory shows up when you left You you don't you
don't you don't you don't you don't like the
way she frowns now, but when she's smiling at
another man I bet that changes your attitude
Have you thought about that watch a movie see
how much it hurt him I know y 'all in here So
finally verse 10 finally we'll finish this sermon
to finally Listen be strong Y 'all hear that
I Want y 'all to read this like this is God Talking
to you because we all of us is up in all that
stuff. And so how does he finish this? He says
be strong in the Lord in the strength of his
might Put on the whole armor of God that you
may be able to stand against the schemes of the
devil people aren't your problem There is an
adversary roaring around like the lion seeing
who he may devour But you're supposed to be home.
You're supposed to be standing. You're supposed
to be strong You're supposed to know where you
belong You're supposed to know what fights you're
supposed to be in and once you're not supposed
to be in so stand strong I love this. I love
this. I love this against the schemes of the
devil because he has schemes but he doesn't have
power he has schemes but he doesn't have power
he has intuition thoughts suggestion but he has
no power church he has no force the man can't
find the elevator buttons in the elevator Saw
him get on the elevator, but I don't know what
floor they own For we do not wrestle Against
flesh and blood stop arguing with them stop arguing
with them stop arguing with them But against
the rulers Against the authorities against the
cosmic powers this present darkness against the
spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places
therefore Take up the whole armor of God that
you may be able to withstand in the evil day
and having done all stand firm Stand therefore
Look at your neighbor say, stand. Keep standing.
Having fastened on the belt of truth and having
put on the breastplate of righteousness and having
shoes for your feet, having put on the readiness
given by the gospel of peace. I'm just ready
to pass some peace out. circumstances take up
the shield of faith with which you can extinguish
all the fiery flames and darts of the evil one
and take up the helmet of salvation and check
this out and the sword of the Spirit which is
what the Word of God Church check this out only
one of these tools are actually offensive There
the other ones are defensive because you're not
supposed to be moving Sword I can swing Is the
word of God This remind me of my rapping days
We used to go around saying I've got I got y
'all probably heard these terms before I can't
do it with the book in my hand We used to be
that we got 66 books. Keep the devil shook You
know say we stood We got 66 books that keep the
devil shook. Look at them. I got 66 books that
keep the devil shook, you know We should sit
there we get that point in that concert. We should
make sure we coordinate in rehearsal Alright
guys, we gonna start on the right and we gonna
swing now. These is five uncoordinated grown
men But there's one thing we could do together
and that's the hit that swing. We'd be like And
that's what you should look like with your family,
with your loved ones, that y 'all are standing
together using the word of God to fight against
all these schemes and tactics. This is the word
we're gonna stand on. This is the truth we gonna
stand on. We don't need nothing from the world.
We have the wisdom we need right here. It's an
uncorruptible seed it will fight against every
tactic the Satan has cuz baby we not running
We stand in this time He says praying at all
times in the spirit with all prayer and supplications
that to that end keep alert perseverance making
supplication for all the saints pray for us all
pray for us all and also for me Paul's in prison
stirring them up in chains physically but free
spiritually it's hard out here But pray for me
that the words may be given to me and open in
my mouth Boldly to proclaim the mystery of the
gospel from I'm an ambassador in chains That
I may declare boldly as I ought to speak So that
you will also may know how I am and what I'm
doing This is just a beloved brother faithful
minister in the Lord will tell you everything
I've sent him to you for this very purpose and
that you may know how we are and that he may
encourage your hearts peace be to you brothers
and love with faith from God the father of our
Lord Jesus Christ grace be with all who love
our Lord Jesus Christ with love uncurruptible.
Final point for why we praise. Satan is no match
for the Lord. Share this last word with you then
pastor Debra's gonna come up here and close service.
That's how you do that And this is a arm I don't
know no other way to say it church But this is
a word for some of you guys it's warning And
I don't do this often but I heard this so clearly.
This is what God told me. That there are many
people who were lost because they're servants
attempting to be a leader. That there are many
people right now you were lost because you're
a servant trying to be a leader. What does that
mean pastor Brian that we all have places we
must submit Yeah, there's places you lead but
then there's places you've been called to submit
And I call my brother by who I call my brother
up before service because um Because I asked
him if I can use this example Anybody that knows
my brother Greg, he's one of the most incredible
servants. About two weeks ago, three weeks ago,
him and his wife buying a house, picked out the
house. He says, Brian, I want you to come see
the house. They had paperwork in on the house.
I said, I'll go up there. Drove up. He walked
me around the house. I said, Greg, is there another
one? He said, yeah, we were looking at another
one. I said, take me to it. As soon as we pulled
up, he could tell you. I said, Greg, this is
your house. It was just me, him, and his son.
I said, man, I'll walk around. We walked around
the house, showed him every reason why this house
is better than that house. He said, Brian, I
picked out that other house because Rashonda
has been dreaming about that house. I said, Greg,
it's the wrong house. He said, no problem. I'll
call her up and tell her just what you said.
Called her up. Hey, Rashad, you know you gotta
do that little thing. You know my brother Brian,
you know he... You know, we still men, you know,
we still men. You gotta... You know my brother
Brian, you know, he be seeing stuff other people
can't see He been talking about we got the wrong
house girl Check this out. He had walked around
that house, showed his kids, and picked out bedrooms
in that other house. The whole family went up
the day before. They went up on a Sunday. I told
them, I'm too tired to go up there with y 'all
on a Sunday. I didn't preach. I'll go up on Monday.
So the whole family went over there. Everybody
then partied in that house. And I am a day late.
And she says, Is it too late to change the paperwork?
He says, let me call. He calls them up. No, Mr.
Poe, we can change the paperwork. He says, then
change. Moved into the house, called them up.
I said, Greg, how is it? He said, man, I couldn't
see what I see now. Some people are lost because
you're serving trying to play a leader in the
wrong places So mom you come up and close the
service just case somebody want to fight me over
the last point I Love y 'all. I thank God for
y 'all listen Last night, we had an incredible
time. I don't know how many it was. Maybe 200
people was out here. We had our album release
concert for our CC. It was phenomenal. They could
put it on the screen. This is incredible work
that God is doing right here at your church.
It's a kingdom assignment. To be born again we
don't want to ever neglect an opportunity for
you to become a part of the Body of Christ become
a part of the kingdom of God And I just like
to say a part of the group of people who really
want to know God for yourself So if that's you
this morning if you'll raise your hand if you
just want to know God and you've not made that
Declaration although now you're sitting here
are those of you who online and you say you know
what I want to know God Amen. Is that your hand
up back there? Praise God. Amen. Let's give God
a hand. Thank you, Lord. We want you to know
that it is it is so simple. It is not complicated
It's simply a desire of your heart And so again
for those of you who are online if you will type
in the chat that you like to be born again Get
saved just want to know Jesus just want to know
God then someone from our ministry will contact
you But for those of us in the sanctuary, let's
confess with her and I'm gonna ask you to repeat
after me God Thank you for loving me My desire
is to know you. Thank you, Father, for sending
Jesus to make a way for me to know you. Thank
you, Jesus, for dying for me. I thank you, Lord,
that I am now accepted by you. Amen. And it's
as simple as that. Amen. What we're going to
ask you to do as you leave the sanctuary. There's
a room to the left the first glass doors if you'll
step inside there There will be some people there
to meet you and you know answer your questions
give you further information concern