Welcome to NECF Sermons. Each message here is
designed to uplift and strengthen you in your
walk with God. Don't miss out. Stay with us until
the end for a rewarding experience. Let's dive
right in. Welcome to service. See, my mind is
renewed. My mind is renewed by the word of God.
I grow by the word of God. The standards of the
world is not my standard. The standard of the
world is not my standard. So I want us to continue
in the teaching that we've been having, understanding
the Father's love, but I want you to add Something.
Add a column and put walking in love. Understanding
the Father's love in Christ and put a column
and then write walking in love. I want us to
read Ephesians 1. 1 and 2. It says, therefore,
be imitators of God as their children and walk
in love as Christ also has loved us and given
himself for us, an offering and a sacrifice to
God for a sweet -smelling aroma. I'll read it
from the NLT. It says, imitate God. Therefore,
in everything you do, in everything you do, imitate
God. That's chapter 5. Sorry, did I say? Oh,
sorry. Chapter 5. Ephesians chapter 5, verse
1 and 2. It says, imitate God, therefore, in
everything that we do. You know, before we start,
we said we're thanking God in every situation
we find ourselves. We're imitating God in everything
that we do because you are his dear children.
And we'll see what walk in love means, or we'll
see a bit of it because that word walk there
is not the physical or literal walking, right?
It's not you taking one step and the second step
after the first. It's living. It's a lifestyle.
A life filled with love, following the example.
of Christ. We have an example to follow and our
example is Christ. And we'll see time and time
again, we're not living our lives as people that
are lawless. We're living our life by standard.
Praise God. We're living our life by standard.
And it says he loved us and offered himself as
a sacrifice for us. Remember last week we were
teaching, we said Christ did not... He did not
give himself to us. He gave himself for us. And
how he did that is by laying down his life for
us. And he says he offered himself as a sacrifice
for us, a pleasing aroma to God. A pleasing aroma
to God. And the New King James starts with a
therefore, right? If you see a therefore, it
means that a communication has been happening
before. The DF4, right? The communication has
to have been happening before the DF4. I want
us to go to Ephesians 4, verse 17. We're going
to be taking a long reading from 17 to the end,
which is 32. So I will read from the NLT, it
says, With the Lord's authority I say this, Live
no longer as the Gentiles do, for they are hopelessly
confused. Their minds are full of darkness. They
wander far away, far from the life God gives,
because they have closed their minds. and hardened
their hearts against him. They have no sense
of shame. They live for lustful pleasure and
eagerly practice every kind of impurity. 20.
But that isn't what you learned about Christ.
Since you have heard about Jesus and have learned
the truth that comes from him, Throw off your
old sinful nature and your former way of life,
which is corrupt by loss and deception. Instead,
let the Spirit renew your thoughts and attitudes.
Put on your new nature, created to be like God,
truly. Righteous and holy. 25. So stop telling
lies. Let us tell our neighbors the truth. For
we are all part of the same body. And don't sin
by letting anger control you. Don't let the sun
go down while you are still angry. For anger
comes. For anger gives a foothold to the devil.
28 now. If you are a thief, quit stealing. Instead,
use your hands for good hard work. And then give
generously to others in need. Don't use foul
or abusive language. Let everything you say Be
good and helpful so that your words will be an
encouragement to those who hear them. 13. And
don't bring sorrow to God's Holy Spirit by the
way you live. Remember, He has identified you
as His own, guaranteeing that you will be saved
on the day of redemption. Get rid of all bitterness.
rage, anger, harsh words, and slander, as well
as all types of evil behavior. Instead, be kind
to each other, tenderhearted, forgiving one another,
just as God through Christ has forgiven you.
Then it now goes to the chapters five that starts
with the J4 said, imitate God, therefore, in
everything that you do. So we're coming from
somewhere. And when we started in 17, I would
just highlight, that's not the point we're discussing,
but I'll just highlight certain things. When
he mentions Gentiles, even the New King James
does that, mention Gentiles, know that it's not
saying, it's saying people that don't believe.
It's not speaking of the Gentiles who do believe,
not hopelessly confused, praise God. So as a
believer, you're not hopelessly confused. Tell
your neighbor, the person next to you, You might
think what you are not. So just tell them and
say, you are not hopelessly confused. And then
add, if you are in Christ, you are not hopelessly
confused. So, and it goes further to say that
their minds, you see, their minds are full of
darkness. And the New King James will say, their
understanding is darkened. It's darkened. It
says, because they have wandered far away from
the life God gives. There's a consequence for
wandering far away from the life God gives. Even
to a person that is a believer, wandering far
away, wandering away, there are some consequences.
You will be in, we'll see that even mentions
ignorance, right? Mentions ignorance, meaning
that you can have a life and be ignorant of the
life that you have. Ignorance of the things that
our life entails. Hence, we give ourselves to
the teaching of God's Word. We give ourselves
to the study of God's Word. And in 20, I like
the way NLT puts it in the 20. It says, but that
isn't what you have learned about Christ. Meaning
that there is a learning. There is a teaching.
There is a training. There is an understanding
that we learn. from the example that we have
in Christ. That's why in chapters five, it says
the example that we're to follow is the example
that Christ is giving to us. And once you don't
learn, you don't open God's word, you will not
know what the example, you'll be living your
life as the world or living your life on the
basis of what you have before you. Praise God.
And it says, what it means is that there is a
learning that will transform the way we know
the love of God, and many other things that pertains
to the kingdom of God. Yes, you are in the kingdom,
but there are certain responsibilities that you
have, which is to learn, to know. And all of
this transformation happens at our minds. We
come to that understanding and it will affect
our action. Praise God. Because if your mind
is not affected by what you are learning, your
actions will show it. Your actions will show
it. It doesn't nullify the fact that you are
saved. It doesn't nullify the fact that you have
the life of God. What is going to be affected
is your actions, your actions. And I want us
to pay attention to 23. Chapters 4, 23 says,
And be renewed in the spirit of your mind. The
NLC says, Instead, let the Spirit renew your
thoughts and your attitude. Let the Spirit renew
your thoughts and your attitude. Let the Spirit
renew your thoughts and your attitude. And this
is very, very important. And that's why you see
times where Apostle Paul will write letters and
he will pray. He will pray for the minds of these
people to be enlightened. for their minds to
be enlightened, for their minds to be enlightened,
for them to come to an understanding of the riches
that they have. Very important that there's the
prayers and there's the study that brings you
into that understanding. And that understanding
is a precise knowledge of Christ. Praise God.
Precise knowledge of Christ. And I want us to
see a couple of prayers. Because what we're looking
at pertains to love. Let's see the kind of prayers.
In 1 Thessalonians 3, 12. Let's just look at
12. 1 Thessalonians 3, 12. And it says, May the
Lord make you increase and abound in love to
one another and to all. just as we do to you.
May the Lord make you increase and abound in
love to one another and to all. In one another
and to all, just as we do to you. I want us to
go to Philippians 2 and see. Philippians 1, verse
9. We're going to read to 11. It says, And this
I pray, that your love may abound still more
and more in knowledge and all discernment, that
you may approve the things that are excellent,
that you may be sincere and without offense till
the day of Christ, being filled with the fruits
of righteousness, which are by Jesus Christ to
the glory. and praise of God, to the glory and
praise of God. I want us to see that Apostle
Paul, what will make him pray this prayer for
them is that he himself would have experience
and know that for himself to be able to say,
I want this to be more and more in your life.
I want us to see in it. In it, we see him saying
words. I like the way NLT puts it. He says, God
knows how much I love you and long for you with
the tender compassion of Christ Jesus. He says,
God knows how much I love you. You can hear his
words. He's not just, the words are not empty.
They're not empty words of affection. I think
the New King James says affection. They're not
empty words of affection. It shows in the fact
that he takes his time and prays for them to
abound in the love that he himself knows and
they should know. Praise God. They abound and
bound. When we'll discuss and we'll talk more
about what it means or what that abound is, what
abound is, what more and more means. But I want
you to know that there's a standard that the
world There's what the word calls love and there's
what the word calls love. And we are called to
leave out the love walk above what the world
calls love. Because if you are dealing with what
the world calls love, there's the nuances of
it. And sometimes you have people pretend to
you, have people lie to you. But the love that
we have in the word is true. And we had explained
previously. The love is practical and it was
demonstrated in how God sent his son to lay down
his life for us to have not just the life that
we have in him, but to have his spirit be one
with us. Praise God. And it's very important
that we put that into consideration when we're
thinking because there's a nature. There's a
believer's love nature compared to the world
standard. And you don't want to mix that up because
what happens is that we are mostly exposed to
the one the world offers. You just need to have
a social media account to see certain things
that kind of communicates what you think love
is. But all of that is empty in comparison to
the... See, Apostle Paul is praying this prayer.
We saw him praying this prayer for the church
in Thessalonica. Praying the prayer again for
the church in Philippi. And we get a sense that
this is the will of God for the church, the will
of God for his people. This is the will of God
for his church and the will of God for his people.
And it's in the abounding more and more in it
that we express it. Something that abounds more
and more in you will have no choice than to find
expression to you. When something overflows from
you, it will spill to the person next to you.
The person next to you will have no choice than
to experience it, whether they like it or not.
Praise God. Whether they like it or not, they
will experience it. And all of this is made possible.
When we come to an understanding, when our minds
are renewed to the right or what love really
is. Praise God. What love really is. And then
when our mind is renewed to it, our walking now
will be consistent with what it really is. Praise
God. Praise God. So he prays this prayer for
them and he says that your love. may abound still
more and more. That your love may abound still
more and more. And that your love there, you
know, when somebody says your love and is praying
to a church, you get a sense that he's talking
about the general public, right? But note that
the love walk is seen like every one of us will
manifest it, right? Every one of us will manifest
it. And when you go out of here, it's now you
manifesting it. It's not the entire church. Some
of us can hide under the crowd to do the manifestation,
right? When something is happening here, there's
a sense of you can either copy, you can look,
and you can participate. But note that when he
says your love, the word that is used here, the
Greek word that is used here is indicative of
an individual, right? It's indicative of individuals.
It's not just collective. It's not just collective.
I just want you to write it down that when he
says that your love will abound, it's not just
collective. It's that every individual that he's
praying for will abound more and more in that
love. And that abound, the word abound is a Greek
word. I will just spell it to us. The word abound
is P -E -R -S -S -E -U -O. P -E -R. I -S -S -E
-U -O. Perissure. And it means to exceed normal
limits. It means to exceed normal limits. It
means to exceed normal limits, to go above and
beyond. To go above and beyond. It means to exceed
normal limits, to go above and beyond. So what
this means is that a believer's love should be
above the ordinary. It should be extraordinary.
It should surpass the worldly kind of love. A
believer's love should surpass... It's not matching
it. What makes you different from the person
that doesn't have the Spirit of God empowering
them to do the things that you are empowered
to do? So it should surpass it. It should surpass
it. It should go above the ordinary. And when
it says more and more, the word more, there is
malon. It's M -A -L -O -N. And he says more and
more, which is the chi is in between the malon,
chi, malon. That's K -A -I. So that phrase there
is indicative. It's a comparative. It's a phrase
used to compare. And it says it's progressive.
It means that you're measuring growth by the
progression. So it says more and more. That means
there's an increase. It doesn't stay static.
It keeps growing. So it means that you should
check yourself. You should check to see, okay,
how much... of God's love? How have I grown?
Like, am I better at loving than I was before?
Like expressing love to my fellow brother and
sister. You know, sometimes we don't, we just
allow ourselves, just go through the motions.
We come to church, we just go. You want to have
times where you check yourself. You ask yourself
very important question. Am I loving more than
I was before? And that... Is it a function of
what you have been listening to, what you have
been learning? Because we ask that you grow in
zeal, you grow in knowledge, and that in itself
will affect certain areas of your life. And one
very key area will be how you engage your brother,
how you engage your sister. Is there love in
how you talk to them? You know, we read a list
of things. We don't have the time to address
them. But what you want to know is that you want
to manifest God's love. you want to manifest
God's love, let it not come to a point where
it goes down. Let it be that you are looking
for ways, you are believing God for the best
of your brother, believing God for the best of
your sister. If that is not a burden for you,
you want to check yourself. If you're more focused
on yourself, you know, when we talked about rejoicing
and joy, and the one thing that causes people
to... Go down and think. You know, when you spend
time thinking of your problems, you will be depressed.
And I say this thing. I will say this like this.
Your emotion can only go where your thoughts
have gone. Your emotions can only go where your
thoughts have gone. If you spend time thinking.
about certain things, know that the emotions
will be valid because they are all what you have
thought through and thought over and over again.
But what scripture calls us to do is to set our
minds on things that are above. We're encouraged
with that upper Wednesday. We're encouraged to
set our minds on things that are above. And when
we set our minds on loving the person next to
you, regardless of whether they are loving you
back, it changes a lot of things. Your focus
now is on your brother, sister, the work that
God has called you to do. It takes your mind
off you. Praise God. And in our wanting to express
this love, we sometimes find ourselves as Romans.
Let's go to Romans. Romans 12, verse 9 and 10.
And sometimes we can pretend to love, right?
Because we're forced to. We can pretend to love.
He says, don't just pretend to love others. Don't
just pretend to love others. Really love them.
You might start off pretending, but don't stay
pretending. Because to love is part of your nature.
Love flows naturally from you. You might not
feel like it, but remember we had talked earlier
about it's not about how you feel. It's knowledge
that empowers how you act. It's knowledge that
empowers how you act. Because you know you act,
your feelings are fleeting. They come and they
go. It says, don't just pretend to love others.
And for some of us here, you stop. expressing
love to your brother and your sister because
you feel that that is not you. You are pretending.
How many of you know that when you pretend long
enough, it becomes your number? You know, if
you pretend, that's how you pretend long enough.
You know, some people, in the wrong things, they
pretend long enough and they forget their reality.
Because you can wake up in the morning and pretend
that you have money in your account, but it doesn't
put money in your account. But there are certain
things that you have an abundance of, you're
not pretending. You might be feeling or telling
yourself you're pretending, but you're not pretending
because your understanding of what Christ has
done will cause love to spring up from within
you. Praise God. It says, hate what is wrong
and hold tightly to what is good. I think, let
me just say this while we're here. When we were
praying and they said, that we should give thanks
in all situations. And for some of us, we think
that our giving thanks is for, our giving thanks
also helps us, right? Your giving thanks puts
you in a posture, like it's something it does
to your mind. When you know that this is a challenge
and you're thanking God for that challenging
situation, that difficult boss, I will tell you
for free that what took me through, some difficult
times is thanking God for certain individuals.
You know, it's a different thing when you have
a situation that's difficult. You can find a
way, walk around. But when individuals are difficult,
it will take God himself touching their hearts
or making changes to happen. And I had times
like that. And I've seen it happen where you
come and then you're like, there's a problem
here and I'm struggling to deal with this person
because this person is not seeing reasons at
all. And then I'm... I had no choice but to keep
thanking God and believe in the best. And know
that when I spend time thanking God for those
individuals, and I don't want to mention, but
yeah, it's done. She celebrated her birthday
some weeks ago. That's my supervisor, my PhD
supervisor. And you'll be doing all the work
you can. Your tissues will just be changing.
I mean, you will spend time, you will work and
work and work. And they come by and say, oh,
sorry, we have to change the topic. And then
I'll be like, one time I just, I was like, I'm
tired of changing the topic. Like, how, like,
is this? And then it makes you not to walk giving
your best because you have tried it. How sure
are you it's not going to happen again the next
minute? And I was like, praying and believing
God. I said, let's come to a place where we can
move. Even when I say, okay, this is a way out.
She says, no, let's do it this way. I say, I
know people here. She said, no, no, let's do
it this way. And it gets frustrated. But what
thing that kept on happening was the fact that
the more you pray for the person, the more you
have compassion towards the person that you cannot
explain. And when people are saying, oh, this
person is a bad person. In fact, I've gone to
a place where someone tells me that your supervisor
has psychological problems. I was like, does
she know I can tell her what she just said? And
the funny thing is that she talks bad about her.
What blew my mind was when they met, they were
like talking like friends. I was, in fact, when
they met, I was like, I saw her, I was like,
I don't want to greet this woman and be too,
and then my supervisor would now be asking me,
are you friends with my enemy? So I greeted very
quickly and passed. And then all of a sudden,
they were greeting, I was confused. I said, am
I hearing very, like they are greeting like long
friends that have not seen themselves. And they
were, I was thinking, I was like, oh, so if you
took time and then you were, you would just be
caught in the, the crossfire. But, The moment
I did the thing, you want to, even for, I can
count several persons that you'll be praying
for them. And your heart, see, the love of God
is very much abundant in you. The moment you
start doing it, you just find yourself. And the
moment you see results, you keep at it. The moment
you see that it worked for this person, there
was somebody, the guy, the boy told me that this
man is a racist. That there's nothing you can
do to this man. And so, I kept on praying for,
I spent a lot of time, every time I woke up in
the morning, I just wrote down the names of the
different individuals, just to be praying for
them, praying that they would know, come to the
knowledge of the truth, take time. During that,
at some point in time, it was funny because the
man said, can I drop you off at home? I was like,
ah, it's like, what does it say? Like, this is
not normal for this person to go out of his way.
That is, that means that it works. When I told
the person, I was like, ah, what do you do? I
said, I didn't do anything than to just pray
for the person and look for opportunities to
present. And that is the power of when your compassion
does a lot, even when someone is sick, we will
do that and we will get to that on Wednesday.
When someone is sick and you have so much desire,
and speaking, going back to what Apostle Paul,
just... I was just thinking this morning, when
I was just going over, just thinking about how
the pastors of NECF take their time. Even I myself,
I've seen instances where you are so concerned
about the person's situation like it's yours.
You'll be praying and say, Holy Spirit, how can
this person be helped in their situation? And
then you do all of that. And sometimes you're
even met with turn downs. They say, oh no, there's
this and there's that. Sometimes we have had
situations where the person even blocks your
line. And what you're doing is not for your own
good. What you're doing is for their own good.
So it doesn't stop your attitude and some point
in time they will unblock and ask you for help
and you will still help them regardless. You
know that that is not normal. Even themselves,
they are shocked that you responded. And that
is what will work every time because that is
not the way the world does it. The world will
block you if they can block you twice. They will
block you. Even if you find a way around, they
will block again until you stop coming back.
But we see that the instruction that is given
to us and the example that has been set for us
is the example of Christ. Not the example of
the world. Not the example of your boss. Not
the example of anyone other than the example
of Jesus Christ. Praise God. 10 says, love each
other. with genuine affection. Love each other
with genuine affection. Romans 12 verse 10 say,
love each other with genuine affection and delight
in honoring each other. Delight in honoring each
other. You know, when we say these words, some
of you think that you can only just honor your
pastors. You sometimes think that honoring your
pastors is the right thing to do. It's beautiful.
But once you honor your pastor and you don't
honor your brother and sister, We have a problem
with you. You're just pretending. You're just
a hypocrite. You're just doing it because you
have to do it. Praise God. And it doesn't help
your own work because you are dishing out dishonor.
You yourself will be affected in some shape or
form because you will be dishing out the dishonor
and one time will block. The person that is meant
to help you to go out of a difficult situation.
Because whether you like it or not, every one
of us here, the way God designs it, we are designed
to be a blessing to one another. Regardless of
wherever it is that you are, it's designed that
way. And it's something that God does to humble
each and every one of us. That you might be so
great and mighty, but there's... Someone so small
that will have to say something or do something
to bring you forward. I think I heard a story
once of a man that was struggling to meet someone
that is high ranking. And then he was just sitting
at the front of the man's office, the building
of his office. And he was just there mumbling
and he just said a word of prayer that how we
wish you could have access. And this little child
just came and asked him, why are you looking
down? What's the problem? And then the child
said, he said he has been looking forward to
seeing this man and he's been, he's feeling down.
And then the boy just told him he should come.
He didn't realize, but he just said, okay, who
is this child? He follows the boy and he discovered
that the securities that were blocking him from
passing, they were just giving way, giving way,
giving way until he got to the man that happens
to be the boy's father. And he said, daddy, this
man wants to see you. He has been looking, he
explained his situation and that was how. the
man had his problem solved because he prayed
a prayer, but a little boy showed up and he not
say, you, what is your problem? You don't know
what I'm going to get out of here. You know,
that would have been the end of his, he would
not even have known what would have happened
if he had not listened and even talked to the,
you know, sometimes we are so into our problems
that we can't even talk to, you know, it's as
little as the boy asked the question, the boy
did not say, are you, are you? He asked the question,
what's the problem? And he didn't even feel that
he's wasting his time explaining all of that
to the little boy. And that's how you can be
able to receive blessing. Because there's not
just the showing love, there's also the receiving
the love that is being shown to you. Because
if he had said, no, why am I following you? He
would have been a different story. In John 3,
34 to 35. John 13, 34 -35. John 13, 34 -35. It
says, A new commandment I give to you, that you
love one another. And we know that it's not new.
It's something that we have seen before. It says
that you love one another as I have loved you.
That's what we'll introduce. As I have loved
you. That you also love one another. It says,
and this all will, by this all will know that
you are my disciples. If you have love for one
another. It says, by this all will know that
you are my disciples. If you have love for one
another. And another thing, it's very clear.
It says, as I have loved you, as I have loved
you. And how has he loved you? Romans 5. Verse
8, it says, Romans 5 verse 8, it says, But God
demonstrates his love towards us in that while
we were still sinners, Christ died for us. So
it means that even when we were in our broken
state, he still chose to die for us. And sometimes
you cannot understand this until certain things
are practically explained or illustrated to you.
Nobody goes to the market and buys something
that is broken. Nobody goes to the market and
sees things that are in perfect condition and
picks that one thing that is broken. Nobody goes
to the market and says, I want to buy something
that is working and sees something that is not
working and then picks that up. You would say
it's a mad person that goes and does that because
it costs them something. Praise God. And he says,
even while we were still sinners, he died. So
even while the person doesn't act like they deserve
it, you are instructed to do it anyways. Even
regardless of the action of the individuals to
you, what shows that you are bound or you are
bounding is in the way you respond or the way
you give regardless of what the condition of
the situation is. And note that in the abounding,
it says, we're abounding, it says, the love must
abound in knowledge and all discernment. Let's
continue. The love must abound in knowledge and
all discernment. It means that it points to the
primary area of growth. All of this points to
growth because the knowledge and the discernment
will be growth. And note that we have to come
to that. precise knowledge that precise and accurate
and full knowledge our minds is the one that
is catching up because the primary area of this
growth is our minds because remember what we
read we said the renewing of the mind the spirit
renews the renew of the mind that happens is
what brings us into and we're not we're renewing
all that we're putting away the old stuff and
putting our new identity and putting that into
check I will do this very quickly and bring us
to a situation that happened with Philemon. I
will discuss that very shortly. So in knowledge,
the Greek word for knowledge is epignosis. It's
E -P -I -G -N -O -S -I -S. E -P -I -G -N -O -S
-I -S. And this is not... General knowledge.
This is not general knowledge, but precise, accurate,
and full knowledge. And it is the knowledge of
God and his ways. It's not general knowledge.
It's the knowledge of God and his ways. So it's
a precise, accurate, and full knowledge of God
and his ways. And we'll see this in Ephesians
1 verse 17. Ephesians 1. Verse 17, it says that
the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father
of glory, may give to you the spirit of wisdom
and revelation in the knowledge of him. The key
thing you want to focus on is in the knowledge
of him. And note that when he says spirit of
wisdom, you know, you can be thinking, oh, spirit
of wisdom, am I receiving another spirit? Because
when he says he will give you the spirit of wisdom.
Know that in the verse 13 of that particular
chapter, 13 of that particular chapter, he says,
in him you also trusted. After you heard the
word of truth, the gospel of your salvation,
in whom also, having believed, you were sealed.
You were. sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise.
You were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise.
So it means that you are not receiving... So
we had said that it is the wisdom of the Spirit,
which is the revelation in the knowledge of Him.
The revelation in the knowledge of Him. And how...
What does the... Spirit of God enable us because
he says in, I want us to see Romans 5 verse 5.
Romans 5 verse 5 and see how the love of God
and what is the role of the Spirit. 5 verse 5
it says, now hope doesn't disappoint, does not
disappoint. Because the love of God has been
poured into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, which
was given to us. Now the love of God has been
poured into our hearts by the Spirit of God,
which has been given to us. So we see a couple
of things there, that the Holy Spirit, because
we are sealed and we have the Spirit of God,
it means that it comes naturally for us to extend
and express the love of God. And I want to see...
I think we'll probably close around this particular
area. In Philemon, I want us to, many of us know
this passage of Philemon because what we come
to mostly in this passage is Philemon 6. I want
to bring something to our attention, something
that will help us understand and see love in
action. Philemon 1 verse 6, which is to point
the acknowledgement, to talk about the acknowledgement,
which is epignosis. And this is opposed to Paul
writing to Philemon. And Philemon is a, if you
see in the chapter, in that particular chapter,
and Philemon is just one chapter and it can be
lost in your Bible between Titus and Hebrew.
It's one page and sometimes you can be flipping
trying to find the page. I want you to see something
that Philemon, is a believer, first and foremost,
and the church meets in his house. We see that
in verse 2 of the book. It says, and your sister
and our fellow soldier and to the church that
meets in your house. So Philemon was a convert.
By Paul, Apostle Paul, we see that in 19. Apostle
Paul alludes to that. And he meets in his house.
And the church meets at his house. At this time,
they had like house where people, believers would
come and gather and meet at the house. So Apostle
Paul now writing to him in verse 6, he says that
the sharing of your faith may become effective
by the acknowledgement of every good thing. which
is in you in Christ Jesus. If you notice, you'll
be seen in Christ. You'll be seen by Christ.
You'll be seen. All the things that we have is
anchored on what Christ has done. And that should
not, you should not even miss it. You know, sometimes
we will think when we are asked, oh, the things
we almost would think that the things we have
is in our own strength or because, you know,
sometimes we say, you know, the Lord loves me.
You know, when I was coming out today, I suggested
my heart like this. Somebody stopped for me.
Do you believe it? All of those things are beautiful.
All of those things are wonderful. But the greatest
of all of those things is what Christ has done
for you. That should be what should always excite
you. That should be what should always spoil
you to give thanks to God because of what Christ
has done for you. As good as that is, we're not
saying you should not share about the things,
but you want to ensure because What happens the
day you did your hand like this and nobody stopped?
You know, that now can look like, ah, God is
not with me today. Because the last time I did
so, like two, three cars stopped, I was even
choosing which one to enter. Praise God. So know
that you want to anchor your faith on something
that is solid, not something that can happen
today and not happen tomorrow. Praise God. And
I will read it from, I like the way it goes.
It says, It says, I am praying that you would
put into action the generosity that comes from
your faith as you understand and experience all
the good things we have in Christ Jesus. He's
praying that you act on what you have received
that is anchored in Christ Jesus. You act on
it. That you should put into action that comes
from the faith as you understand and you experience.
All the good things that we have in Christ Jesus.
And in verse 7, he says, for we have great joy
and consolation in your love because the hearts
of the saints have been refreshed by you, brother.
You see, for the hearts of the saints have been
refreshed by Philemon. The hearts of the saints
have been refreshed by Philemon. Let me just
give you something that will help us too. Philemon,
I think I was looking at the meaning of his name.
It means friendly. His name means friendly. Philemon,
his name means friendly. And it also, the friendly
is just the, it says the one who kisses or the
one who shows sign of love. All right. The one
who kisses and one who shows sign of love. The
Philip without the moon at the end is the one
who shows the sign of love. And it makes sense
when you think about it. And I think one of the
things that, you know, cultures are very different.
Like if you're from a different culture and you
come into a new culture, certain things will
shock you. Certain things will shock you. And
one of them for me, very quickly, to help you
understand that if you don't understand a culture,
you will be met with a shock. And if you understand
that culture, you just flow with it because you
understand the culture. That's to help us to
understand how understanding affects the way
you respond or even receive things. When I came
to this island in like, that was 2013, you know,
one of my first, I think I had a couple. One
was with the whole idea of when they say no,
they do it like this. And then many of you, if
I was to do, shout out what you think this is.
you will have a good amount of people still think
that it's yes because there's a note that comes
with it. But that was a rude shock to me and
I had to learn the hard way and I learned it
very quickly because I learned from my own experience.
I don't learn. I don't like learning from my
own experience. And when it happens to me, it
will never happen again. Praise God. The other
one is when I was, I think I met this Turkish
guy for the first time and... what happens was
that, you know, typically you give a handshake,
but you know, my, the, I, nobody prepared me
for what I experienced because I was full, I
was trying to, my brain is like, what's going
on? What is going, what exactly is going on?
And the, the guy held my hand, pulled me close,
gave me a nod on the side and the other side.
And I was like, he, when, if he had paid attention,
he would just see that I was, I was full. I was
like, what did he just like, like, what was it?
Because, Like, I couldn't, like, because he did
not was, you could hear the sound. So that, my
brain, my brain is like, is it the pain I should
come out? My brain is like, what just happened?
What just, what exactly just happened? Because
I have, I was like, nobody prepared me for the
whole experience. But after that day, I got it.
So anybody that's coming, I was like, yeah, it's
just, we can go for it. So, because now I know.
But, you know, when you don't know, you don't
know. And when you experience it, nobody, you'll
just be there wondering. And knowledge really
empowers you to be prepared. Because if I'd seen
that, even if it was a video, I'd seen that.
You know, when he comes, okay, I would have seen
it before. We just go for it. But I haven't seen
it before. So it would be difficult for me to
engage or even participate in it. And for some
of us, we really have not experienced, we don't
even know what the love of God is. And once we
see it or see someone, do something that is,
the person do something that is above and beyond
the normal that you know, which is of the world.
You are like, ah. And some of us, our immediate
response is that we drop because it's strange.
So why does this person love me like this? Why
does this person keep calling my name? And I'm
thinking to myself, they start thinking, okay,
is there something? Maybe they're trying to collect
something. You just start becoming suspicious
or thinking that the person is trying to... Some
people just spend time thinking, thinking all
manner of things. They should just receive the
love of God. Praise God. Don't overthink it.
If you think there's a problem, you can report.
Right? Yeah, you should report. And please feel
free to report if you think that the love is
getting too much. But let it be that we are challenging
one another to outdo one another in the things
that God has instructed us to do, not in the
things that the world is showing us every now
and then to do so. Praise God. And we see that
Apostle Paul now is challenging Philemon to do
something. In the verse 10 and 11, we see a man
or we see someone named Onesimus. You know, Paul
had already set the stage and reminded him of
his identity, reminded him of how his love is
refreshing them to bring it to this point. And
there are many ways Paul would have done what
he did, but he goes back to the identity of Philemon.
How Philemon should know that this is the situation
or this is the kingdom that we found ourselves.
And this is the response that is required. So
in verse 10, he says, I appeal to you to show
kindness to my child Onesimus. I've become his
father in the faith while here in prison. 11
now says, Onesimus hasn't been much use to you
in the past, but now he's very useful to both
of us. And it's funny that the name, the meaning
of Onesimus' name is useful, profitable, or beneficial.
It's almost like Paul is playing on words and
saying, see, You will wonder like his name is
useful, but in the past, he has not been useful.
You know, for some people, your name means something
and you don't seem to find that thing in your
life. And it doesn't mean that because people
have been calling you that, right? People have
been saying that, calling you, saying, calling.
But the moment you have a revelation of what,
the moment you come to an understanding of what
that means or what you have, it changes everything.
Because what has happened is that, let me explain
it to us. Onesimus was a slave that ran away.
And running away in those times means that he's
either dead or they will brand you. They will
brand you the brand that if you run, they will
say this is a slave. And most of the times the
branding is unique to them. So they will find
you and bring you back to your master. And they
are branding you on purpose so that anytime they
will bring you back. So what had happened was
that Onesimus had run away and then had an encounter
with Apostle Paul, then now was saved. And now
that's why if you notice, he addresses him. He
says he's his child, his son, right? And he's
the father. And know that he's not talking about,
Apostle Paul is not saying that I give birth
to him. Apostle Paul is saying that he is now
a spiritual father or is a father to this person.
And he goes further too. And the church he is
part of. Let's just confirm that from Colossians.
Let's go to Colossians 4. Colossians 4, verse
9. I think we read that. Colossians 4, verse
9. And by the way, This church is in Colossae.
The church that Philemon is part of is in Colossae.
You'll see similarities. You'll see names mentioned
there. They're mentioned here as well. Verse
9, it says, I am also sending Onesimus a faithful
and beloved brother. See how he addresses him
here. He says he's a faithful and beloved brother.
This is somebody that he has said that wasn't
useful. Now this person has, there's something
that the gospel had done to him, right? There's
something that the gospel has done to you. And
the same way I would challenge you that there's
something that hearing God's word, showing up,
listening to God's word, learning God's word
will do to you. You might be somebody before,
but there's some things that we'll see. You can't
say I am a believer and then we can't see evidence
of a walk, a lifestyle that is consistent with
what you said you have believed. Praise God.
So now we see that this person now is clear.
There is a brother. He's one of your people.
And then he and Tychicus, which were the people
that are going to take this in, will tell you
everything that is happening here. Praise God.
Let's go back to Philemon. And what Apostle Paul
is doing here is he's challenging. Philemon,
and he even, if you go to 20, he says in verse
20, he says, yes, my brother, please do me this
favor for the Lord's sake. Give me this encouragement
in Christ. Give me this encouragement in Christ.
Give me this encouragement in Christ. He now
goes that I am confident as I write this letter.
that you will do what I ask. And even more, praise
God, and even more, remember what we said about
the love he knows. In fact, if you read the way
it reads, you understand that. Paul is writing
this letter knowing that when Philemon reads
this letter, the response will be, like he knows
what the response will be. Praise God. And regardless
of what, he even... To tell you how interesting
it is, in 9, he says, even if he had done anything,
put the charge on me. If he had, you know, there's
a likelihood he might have stolen some things
and left. So he says, if any of those things
are going to be a problem, put it on me. It just
goes to show you the heart of the apostle and
his concern and his desire for this man to be
restored back to his master. And not just restored
back to the master as a slave. but he wants,
he brings it, he wants, he's conscious, let him
be conscious that this is not just a slave, this
is a brother because he writes it there and he
says, receive him as a fellow brother in Christ.
Praise God. And if someone, we see all of this,
all of this goes to tell us that there's a way
the world does things and there's a way the word
instructs us to do things. You must unlearn.
Unlearn. You must unlearn. You must unlearn the
way the world does things and learn. For many
of us, what has hampered or delayed our growth
and what makes it difficult for us to discern
and size up situations correctly, which is what
the discernment part is, and size up situations
correctly is the fact that we are stuck in One
end, and I will see on Wednesday that it's our
thinking. Because our thoughts, we allow things,
the world, the different things, the world keeps
bombarding us with things, showing us certain
things, showing us how things should be, and
then we superimpose that on the Word of God.
And for some of us, it's when we come to the
Word of God and we say, ah, is that what we should
do? You know, today for some of us, the root
shock to us is that you thank God even for that
person that you don't, even for the person that
broke your heart. Some of us, it was like, ah,
I thought you... And that is what the word of
God does. When you see it, it means that when
he says everything, it means include that as
well. Praise God. Include that as well and you
will see what happens. You'll see the joy. You'll
see the peace. All of those things will be evident
in your walk. All those things will be evident
in the way you move around and you will know.
you will know that it has been there all along.
It has been in your nature to manifest it. But
you are just holding yourself back or thinking
that it's not possible or waiting to feel it.
If you're waiting to feel certain things, you
will never do it. You're waiting to feel like,
I can pray for this person. It will not happen.
Because the kingdom of the world to manifest,
is in the instruction of the one who is in charge,
the one who has brought us into the kingdom.
If Jesus Christ went about doing good, healing
the sick, raising the dead, all of those things
that he has done is the example we should live
by. He was moved with compassion. He prayed for
the sick and they were healed. He saw the blind.
He opened their eyes and they could see. The
lame, he would look at, he's moved with compassion
and say, you have been here for this. regardless
of the laws they have set in place and say, oh,
you should not come and receive healing. There
are many days in a week you can come and receive
healing. The woman was bent over for 30. He said,
set the woman free. All of this is only what
an abounding, a life that is abounding in the
love of God is able to see or is able to manifest,
is able to experience. Praise God. I'm charging
you this afternoon now that you have to. desire
to see above the normal limits. In fact, your
mark is not the world standard. You want to understand
that. But the mark is what we see Christ do in
Scripture. That is the person we are to imitate.
That is the person we are to imitate. We'll discuss
this. We'll finalize this on Wednesday. I want
you to just open your mouth and thank God because
The DNA we have is that of our Father, and the
actions we take is that of our Father. Our thoughts
align to it by the Word of God. We're able to
see ourselves do miracles, signs and wonders.
We're able to pray for situations. In fact, first
and foremost, we're able to let go of circumstances
and situations that have held us bound. I see
people being set free. from things that have
held them down for so long that the word of God
now brings your attention to it and you see a
release. We appreciate you being here today.
We hope you carry this word with you throughout
your week. Don't forget to check the show notes
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stay blessed.