WEBVTT 00:00:01.260 --> 00:00:06.900 Welcome to NECF sermons. Each message here is 00:00:06.900 --> 00:00:09.900 designed to uplift and strengthen you in your 00:00:09.900 --> 00:00:14.140 walk with God. Don't miss out. Stay with us until 00:00:14.140 --> 00:00:18.160 the end for a rewarding experience. Let's dive 00:00:18.160 --> 00:00:26.000 right in. So this morning I'm going to be speaking 00:00:26.000 --> 00:00:34.179 on faith. the matter of faith and I'm going to 00:00:34.179 --> 00:00:38.060 continue to build from where our Apostles have 00:00:38.060 --> 00:00:40.799 laid a foundation for us especially concerning 00:00:40.799 --> 00:00:48.060 faith and there are some few things I'm going 00:00:48.060 --> 00:00:55.539 to lay as a foundation for these two weeks first 00:00:55.539 --> 00:00:59.539 Timothy chapter 6 verse 10 first Timothy chapter 00:00:59.539 --> 00:01:09.700 6 verse 10 it says for the love of money is a 00:01:09.700 --> 00:01:13.180 root of all evil for which some have strayed 00:01:13.180 --> 00:01:17.379 from the faith so the faith that there's a possibility 00:01:17.379 --> 00:01:20.640 that others will stray away from the faith in 00:01:20.640 --> 00:01:24.480 their greediness and pierce themselves through 00:01:24.480 --> 00:01:30.760 with many sorrows but you oh man of God flee 00:01:30.760 --> 00:01:36.420 these things and pursue righteousness godliness 00:01:36.420 --> 00:01:42.299 faith love and patience gentleness it says fight 00:01:42.299 --> 00:01:46.260 the good fight of faith which means that in faith 00:01:46.260 --> 00:01:50.640 there is a fight hallelujah there is a fight 00:01:50.640 --> 00:01:52.980 and we're going to understand what is that fight 00:01:52.980 --> 00:01:56.700 what is that fight says fight the good fight 00:01:56.700 --> 00:02:01.219 of faith lay whole of eternal life to which you 00:02:01.219 --> 00:02:05.379 were also called and have confessed the good 00:02:05.379 --> 00:02:08.120 confession in the presence of many witnesses 00:02:08.120 --> 00:02:11.580 so if we are to fight the good fight of faith 00:02:11.580 --> 00:02:17.300 we have to understand who are we fighting what 00:02:17.300 --> 00:02:21.800 is the context of the fight of faith you know 00:02:21.800 --> 00:02:23.340 we've been thinking about the victory that we 00:02:23.340 --> 00:02:27.729 have in Jesus Christ but here we see Apostle 00:02:27.729 --> 00:02:31.090 Paul is telling Timothy to fight. Fighting here 00:02:31.090 --> 00:02:36.949 is an analogy for what Timothy is expected to 00:02:36.949 --> 00:02:41.550 do. So I will be laying a foundation on this 00:02:41.550 --> 00:02:44.750 topic, the enemy of our faith, because it's crucial 00:02:44.750 --> 00:02:48.430 for us to understand who the enemy is. In Ephesians 00:02:48.430 --> 00:02:52.449 chapter 6, in Ephesians chapter 6 verse 12. Ephesians 00:02:52.449 --> 00:02:57.289 chapter 6 verse 12. It says, for we do not wrestle 00:02:57.289 --> 00:03:00.050 against flesh and blood. So first of all, the 00:03:00.050 --> 00:03:03.389 fight that we are fighting is not against a man. 00:03:04.210 --> 00:03:07.229 All right? We are not fighting a physical fight. 00:03:07.550 --> 00:03:09.909 For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, 00:03:10.569 --> 00:03:14.229 but against principalities and against powers. 00:03:14.550 --> 00:03:19.009 So our enemies are spiritual. Hallelujah. Our 00:03:19.009 --> 00:03:22.969 enemy is what? Is spiritual. but against principalities, 00:03:23.430 --> 00:03:26.229 against powers, against the rulers of darkness 00:03:26.229 --> 00:03:30.449 of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness 00:03:30.449 --> 00:03:35.629 in the heavenly. Hallelujah. Because we are spiritual, 00:03:37.590 --> 00:03:43.930 our fight or our wrestling is not against a physical 00:03:43.930 --> 00:03:51.860 being. First current second Corinthians writer 00:03:51.860 --> 00:03:55.240 chapter 10 verse 3 to 5 it says for though we 00:03:55.240 --> 00:04:00.139 walk in flesh The flesh here speaks of our physical 00:04:00.139 --> 00:04:03.379 body though. We walk in the physical body We 00:04:03.379 --> 00:04:06.879 do not war against according to the flesh So 00:04:06.879 --> 00:04:10.240 our method of war or our method of fight is not 00:04:10.240 --> 00:04:14.139 in the physical So at the end of this we'll be 00:04:14.139 --> 00:04:16.399 able to understand what kind of fight are we 00:04:16.399 --> 00:04:20.019 called to fight? Who are we fighting? And how 00:04:20.019 --> 00:04:21.819 are we to fight? In fact, where are we to fight 00:04:21.819 --> 00:04:26.339 the fight? Where are we to fight the fight? How 00:04:26.339 --> 00:04:28.839 are we going to fight this fight of faith? For 00:04:28.839 --> 00:04:32.839 the weapon of our warfare. What do we use to 00:04:32.839 --> 00:04:35.579 fight the fight of faith? For the weapon of our 00:04:35.579 --> 00:04:39.779 warfare are not physical. They are not carnal. 00:04:40.959 --> 00:04:45.699 But mighty in God. For what? For pulling down 00:04:45.699 --> 00:04:50.300 of strongholds. Casting down arguments and every 00:04:50.300 --> 00:04:54.000 high thing. So this will give us a glimpse of 00:04:54.000 --> 00:04:57.500 what we are fighting. Alright? Casting down what? 00:04:57.759 --> 00:05:01.800 Arguments. And every high thing that exalts itself 00:05:01.800 --> 00:05:06.420 against what? Against the knowledge. The knowledge 00:05:06.420 --> 00:05:11.540 of God. And bringing every thought into captivity 00:05:11.540 --> 00:05:18.370 to what? To the obedience of Christ. to the obedience 00:05:18.370 --> 00:05:23.129 of Christ. So let's settle that we are not fighting 00:05:23.129 --> 00:05:26.189 your village enemies. Our fight is not against 00:05:26.189 --> 00:05:28.790 the government of your country. Our fight is 00:05:28.790 --> 00:05:32.709 not against anybody you don't like. But we are 00:05:32.709 --> 00:05:36.509 fighting. The fight of faith is a spiritual fight. 00:05:38.089 --> 00:05:39.529 But as I said today, I'm just going to lay a 00:05:39.529 --> 00:05:45.459 background and then build up a niche. John chapter 00:05:45.459 --> 00:05:49.120 14 verse 12 the theme for the year John chapter 00:05:49.120 --> 00:05:55.519 14 verse 12 to 14 says most assuredly I say to 00:05:55.519 --> 00:05:59.439 you he who believes in me the works that I do 00:05:59.439 --> 00:06:03.000 he will do also and greater works than this he 00:06:03.000 --> 00:06:06.459 will do because I go to my father and whatever 00:06:06.459 --> 00:06:10.860 you ask in my name that I will do and the father 00:06:10.860 --> 00:06:14.990 that the father may be glorifying the son If 00:06:14.990 --> 00:06:19.430 you ask anything in my name, I will do so we 00:06:19.430 --> 00:06:26.189 established throughout The five months and in 00:06:26.189 --> 00:06:29.949 this church that God's plan for us God's plan 00:06:29.949 --> 00:06:34.829 for us is to do greater works and We also say 00:06:34.829 --> 00:06:38.129 that we are divinely appointed for these greater 00:06:38.129 --> 00:06:41.990 works Each and every one of us that is a believer 00:06:41.990 --> 00:06:46.149 has been ordained for these greater works that 00:06:46.149 --> 00:06:51.250 Jesus Christ is saying in this verse And these 00:06:51.250 --> 00:06:55.230 greater works are actually the works Jesus himself 00:06:55.230 --> 00:06:57.850 did from verse 12 give me verse 12. He says the 00:06:57.850 --> 00:07:04.970 work I do right says The works that I do he will 00:07:04.970 --> 00:07:11.300 do also and greater than this will he do And 00:07:11.300 --> 00:07:13.459 the work Jesus did, we said, Elaron, if you've 00:07:13.459 --> 00:07:15.939 been here, to build a context for those who have 00:07:15.939 --> 00:07:17.879 not been around with us, we said that this work 00:07:17.879 --> 00:07:21.899 includes the things that Jesus did when he was 00:07:21.899 --> 00:07:25.240 here on earth, the things he did, and also the 00:07:25.240 --> 00:07:31.220 things that he taught. His actions, his purpose, 00:07:32.019 --> 00:07:35.319 and teaching, that is his ministry. In Acts chapter 00:07:35.319 --> 00:07:38.720 one, verse one to three. Acts chapter one, verse 00:07:38.720 --> 00:07:42.459 one to three. will give us a highlight as Dr. 00:07:42.500 --> 00:07:46.339 Luke was writing to Theophilus's former, the 00:07:46.339 --> 00:07:48.779 former account I made of Theophilus of all the 00:07:48.779 --> 00:07:53.620 things that Jesus began both to do, doing by 00:07:53.620 --> 00:07:58.360 his actions and also to teach until the day in 00:07:58.360 --> 00:08:03.139 which he was taken up after he through the Holy 00:08:03.139 --> 00:08:06.019 Spirit had given commandments to the apostles 00:08:06.019 --> 00:08:12.180 whom he had chosen. To whom he also presented 00:08:12.180 --> 00:08:16.319 himself alive after his sufferings by many infallible 00:08:16.319 --> 00:08:19.699 proofs Being seen by them during 40 days and 00:08:19.699 --> 00:08:23.000 speaking of the things Pertaining to the kingdom 00:08:23.000 --> 00:08:25.040 of God the things pertaining to the kingdom of 00:08:25.040 --> 00:08:30.420 God so the summary of what Jesus did and Taught 00:08:30.420 --> 00:08:33.759 all the actions he took the things he did can 00:08:33.759 --> 00:08:38.139 be summarized as the things What things the things 00:08:38.139 --> 00:08:40.899 that concerns to the kingdom of God? And the 00:08:40.899 --> 00:08:42.580 things that concern to the kingdom of God are 00:08:42.580 --> 00:08:46.980 spiritual things. As we affirm every Sunday here, 00:08:47.379 --> 00:08:49.960 if you are regular with us, that we are kings, 00:08:50.179 --> 00:08:54.620 what are we? That we are prophets, right? We 00:08:54.620 --> 00:08:57.779 are priests, and that we work with the message, 00:08:58.759 --> 00:09:01.820 we work with the ministry, and we affirm that 00:09:01.820 --> 00:09:04.559 we work with the office of Jesus Christ. So what 00:09:04.559 --> 00:09:07.539 we are saying invariably is that in the place 00:09:07.539 --> 00:09:13.039 of Jesus, We take our own ministry This means 00:09:13.039 --> 00:09:18.299 that Jesus Christ Rather that works that he did 00:09:18.299 --> 00:09:21.480 on the earth the ministry of Jesus Christ Was 00:09:21.480 --> 00:09:26.240 not concluded All right What he did was not a 00:09:26.240 --> 00:09:29.179 conclusion but that the foundation has been laid 00:09:29.179 --> 00:09:32.299 for us and From where he did and what he did 00:09:32.299 --> 00:09:34.899 and obviously we see what the Apostles right 00:09:34.899 --> 00:09:39.419 they did us as well setting an example for us 00:09:39.419 --> 00:09:43.659 for us and then we also walk in the same light 00:09:43.659 --> 00:09:46.019 so these are the things that we will do the things 00:09:46.019 --> 00:09:52.620 pertaining to the kingdom but the foundation 00:09:52.620 --> 00:09:54.940 by which any man will walk in what Jesus did 00:09:54.940 --> 00:09:59.039 we see in verse 12 is by faith he who believes 00:09:59.039 --> 00:10:02.539 in me that is faith is a foundation faith is 00:10:02.539 --> 00:10:06.169 the very important You know foundation that Amanda 00:10:06.169 --> 00:10:09.269 will do the work of Jesus Christ Must have almost 00:10:09.269 --> 00:10:12.649 work in the only way that a man can do the greater 00:10:12.649 --> 00:10:16.909 works is by faith So believing in Jesus means 00:10:16.909 --> 00:10:22.070 the man Must be born again. Hallelujah That man 00:10:22.070 --> 00:10:24.769 must be born again. Not only that but also the 00:10:24.769 --> 00:10:32.340 man is alive and sustained by faith The man is 00:10:32.340 --> 00:10:34.679 alive and is sustained. The life which is lived 00:10:34.679 --> 00:10:40.120 is sustained by faith. Romans 1 17. Romans 1 00:10:40.120 --> 00:10:49.279 17. Romans 1 17, yes. For in it, the righteousness 00:10:49.279 --> 00:10:52.299 of God is revealed from faith to faith. As it 00:10:52.299 --> 00:10:56.700 is written, the just shall live by what? By faith. 00:10:57.320 --> 00:10:59.340 So the way the believer will live, the man that 00:10:59.340 --> 00:11:02.059 has been made righteous, The man that have accepted 00:11:02.059 --> 00:11:04.080 the truth concerning what Jesus Christ has done 00:11:04.080 --> 00:11:07.519 will walk continuously by faith. So the way we 00:11:07.519 --> 00:11:09.720 come to Christ is by faith and how we live our 00:11:09.720 --> 00:11:14.240 life is by faith. So the believer is a man of 00:11:14.240 --> 00:11:15.720 faith. These are the things that we've already 00:11:15.720 --> 00:11:19.240 established. Alright? The man that is in Christ 00:11:19.240 --> 00:11:23.840 is a man of faith. So the man that is in Christ 00:11:23.840 --> 00:11:27.500 does not lack faith. Amen? Does not lack faith. 00:11:27.539 --> 00:11:29.480 He has the faith in him. He has the faith of 00:11:29.480 --> 00:11:33.299 Christ in him. to do what God has called him 00:11:33.299 --> 00:11:40.039 to do. Everyone who is born again does not lack 00:11:40.039 --> 00:11:44.399 faith. Faith is part of the believer's identity. 00:11:45.240 --> 00:11:48.879 Alright? Faith is our identity. And when we look 00:11:48.879 --> 00:11:51.460 through scriptures, faith is presented in scriptures 00:11:51.460 --> 00:11:53.960 as a normal way the righteous person who lives. 00:11:54.620 --> 00:11:55.919 When we talk about the man that is righteous, 00:11:56.019 --> 00:11:57.860 we're talking about the man that is in Christ. 00:11:58.340 --> 00:12:01.779 Hallelujah. So faith is a lifestyle of that man. 00:12:02.139 --> 00:12:05.320 Galatians chapter 2 verse 20 emphasizes the life 00:12:05.320 --> 00:12:09.480 that the righteous man will live. Galatians chapter 00:12:09.480 --> 00:12:13.039 1 verse 20, chapter 2 verse 20, sorry. I have 00:12:13.039 --> 00:12:15.399 been crucified with Christ. This is Paul's confession. 00:12:15.500 --> 00:12:18.679 He says, I have been crucified with Christ. How 00:12:18.679 --> 00:12:21.059 was he crucified with Christ? By identification. 00:12:21.860 --> 00:12:24.220 What Christ has done by his faith in Christ, 00:12:24.700 --> 00:12:28.309 he identifies in what Christ has done. It is 00:12:28.309 --> 00:12:32.070 no longer I who live All right, it is no longer 00:12:32.070 --> 00:12:37.389 I who live but Christ lives in me and The life 00:12:37.389 --> 00:12:40.549 which I now live the life which I now live in 00:12:40.549 --> 00:12:43.629 the flesh that is the life I live in the physical 00:12:43.629 --> 00:12:50.710 my daily living The life I live in the flesh 00:12:50.710 --> 00:12:54.950 I live by the faith of the Son of God who loved 00:12:54.950 --> 00:12:59.809 me gave himself for me so the life that the believer 00:12:59.809 --> 00:13:04.990 lives is a life that is sustained by faith also 00:13:04.990 --> 00:13:08.110 we see in second Corinthians of the five or seven 00:13:08.110 --> 00:13:13.529 second Corinthians of the five or seven we walk 00:13:13.529 --> 00:13:19.230 by faith and not by sight all right we walk by 00:13:19.230 --> 00:13:22.429 faith the walks that we walk in in the physical 00:13:23.340 --> 00:13:25.860 The inspiration of the life of a man that is 00:13:25.860 --> 00:13:31.200 in Christ should be by faith Not just in some 00:13:31.200 --> 00:13:33.799 space of our life, but every part of our life 00:13:33.799 --> 00:13:37.440 must be influenced by faith and Not by what is 00:13:37.440 --> 00:13:44.179 physical by sight Romans of the 12 verse 3 Romans 00:13:44.179 --> 00:13:47.940 12 verse 3 says for I say through the grace given 00:13:47.940 --> 00:13:51.750 to me to everyone who is among you Do not think 00:13:51.750 --> 00:13:56.049 of himself more highly than he ought to think. 00:13:57.210 --> 00:14:01.289 But to think somberly, as God has dealt to each 00:14:01.289 --> 00:14:05.049 what? To each. Who are they each? Every believer. 00:14:07.269 --> 00:14:10.509 A measure of faith. Hallelujah. So every believer 00:14:10.509 --> 00:14:13.029 has a measure of faith. Now we will not ask, 00:14:13.169 --> 00:14:16.830 is this small faith or low? more faith is a large 00:14:16.830 --> 00:14:18.850 faith or some some people have a quantity of 00:14:18.850 --> 00:14:20.610 faith we're going to explore that in the course 00:14:20.610 --> 00:14:22.990 of this teaching but what we can settle from 00:14:22.990 --> 00:14:26.370 this verse is that everyone has what has a measure 00:14:26.370 --> 00:14:29.769 of faith so the believer is not lacking faith 00:14:29.769 --> 00:14:36.850 all right all right the believer has faith 2nd 00:14:36.850 --> 00:14:46.240 Peter 1 verse 1 2nd Peter 1 verse 1 Simon Peter 00:14:46.240 --> 00:14:49.840 a born servant and an apostle of Jesus Christ 00:14:49.840 --> 00:14:53.419 to those who have obtained What have they obtained? 00:14:54.059 --> 00:14:57.480 like precious faith with us By the righteousness 00:14:57.480 --> 00:15:00.919 of our God and Savior Jesus Christ. So Peter 00:15:00.919 --> 00:15:06.059 is saying that like us You have received a precious 00:15:06.059 --> 00:15:08.919 faith with us by the righteousness of God So 00:15:08.919 --> 00:15:12.500 every believer has received faith 1st Thessalonians 00:15:12.500 --> 00:15:21.529 chapter 1 verse 1 to 3 Paul Silvanus 1 verse 00:15:21.529 --> 00:15:23.950 1 to the S. Paul Silvanus intimately to the Church 00:15:23.950 --> 00:15:27.470 of the Thessalonians in God and the Father and 00:15:27.470 --> 00:15:30.409 the Lord Jesus Christ. Grace to you and peace 00:15:30.409 --> 00:15:33.809 from our God, the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. 00:15:34.490 --> 00:15:38.070 We give thanks to God always for you. All making 00:15:38.070 --> 00:15:42.090 mention of you in our prayers. What are they 00:15:42.090 --> 00:15:46.490 praying for? Remembering without ceasing your 00:15:46.490 --> 00:15:49.350 work of faith. All right, that is the entire 00:15:49.350 --> 00:15:53.230 church, their walk of faith. Their walk of faith. 00:15:53.570 --> 00:15:56.350 So there is a walk, what you do of faith, and 00:15:56.350 --> 00:15:59.649 there is a walk that you live of faith. So your 00:15:59.649 --> 00:16:03.490 walk of faith, labor of love, and patience, all 00:16:03.490 --> 00:16:06.570 this, our walk of faith, labor of love, and patience 00:16:06.570 --> 00:16:09.610 of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ, in the sight 00:16:09.610 --> 00:16:14.909 of our God and Father. Hallelujah. So we have 00:16:14.909 --> 00:16:17.879 the faith to do that greater works those greater 00:16:17.879 --> 00:16:21.740 works we lack nothing all that we need has been 00:16:21.740 --> 00:16:26.120 supplied by god to us to do greater works today 00:16:26.120 --> 00:16:30.039 hallelujah so pastor reminded us last week that 00:16:30.039 --> 00:16:34.860 the believer can be weak in faith amen so the 00:16:34.860 --> 00:16:38.399 idea of weakness in faith obviously is not a 00:16:38.399 --> 00:16:42.259 god problem all right it's not a problem from 00:16:42.259 --> 00:16:45.649 god it's from it's from man it's from us So the 00:16:45.649 --> 00:16:49.909 believer can be weak in faith And when person 00:16:49.909 --> 00:16:51.990 was teaching us about the faith for evangelism 00:16:51.990 --> 00:16:54.370 Of course, which is the same fear that we're 00:16:54.370 --> 00:16:56.490 talking about the greater works. The work of 00:16:56.490 --> 00:17:01.850 evangelism is a greater works, you know the The 00:17:01.850 --> 00:17:04.109 things of the spirit that we teach and practice 00:17:04.109 --> 00:17:08.349 are the things that encapsulate the greater works 00:17:08.349 --> 00:17:12.690 He gave us some two important explanations last 00:17:12.690 --> 00:17:16.819 week about feet of the believer and I quote he 00:17:16.819 --> 00:17:20.559 says to be weak in faith refers to the conduct 00:17:20.559 --> 00:17:24.880 of the believer that does not acknowledge all 00:17:24.880 --> 00:17:28.200 that is found in the scriptures did I quote you 00:17:28.200 --> 00:17:31.380 right sir all right let me confirm he says to 00:17:31.380 --> 00:17:33.880 be weak in faith so we are establishing that 00:17:33.880 --> 00:17:37.839 the believer does not lack faith all right but 00:17:37.839 --> 00:17:41.700 the believer can be weak in faith and he said 00:17:41.700 --> 00:17:45.920 to be weak in faith Refers to the conduct of 00:17:45.920 --> 00:17:49.460 the believer the way the believer live his life 00:17:49.460 --> 00:17:53.799 That does not acknowledge Which means that every 00:17:53.799 --> 00:17:55.440 way we live our life as we read from scriptures 00:17:55.440 --> 00:17:58.299 that we live by faith every activity that we 00:17:58.299 --> 00:18:02.160 do Should acknowledge all that is found in the 00:18:02.160 --> 00:18:05.799 scriptures Should agree with what is found in 00:18:05.799 --> 00:18:09.700 scriptures and I strongly agree with this explanation 00:18:09.700 --> 00:18:14.730 So it means That everything that the Bible says 00:18:14.730 --> 00:18:18.509 about the believer's life. Alright? About the 00:18:18.509 --> 00:18:21.630 life of a believer. About the man who is in Christ. 00:18:22.250 --> 00:18:23.990 Everything that the Bible has said about the 00:18:23.990 --> 00:18:28.970 life of the believer is true. And evidently seen 00:18:28.970 --> 00:18:33.589 in our lives daily, now and always. That whatever 00:18:33.589 --> 00:18:37.230 truth that we can see in scriptures, that concerns 00:18:37.230 --> 00:18:40.049 our lives, that concerns the expectation of God 00:18:40.049 --> 00:18:43.440 for our lives, that concerns our identity as 00:18:43.440 --> 00:18:47.440 men and women of christ it is true and we should 00:18:47.440 --> 00:18:54.180 see the evidence of what god has said daily in 00:18:54.180 --> 00:18:57.640 our lives last week pastor also said that growth 00:18:57.640 --> 00:19:02.000 in faith is when we see the revelation of god's 00:19:02.000 --> 00:19:07.619 word we acknowledge it and we put it into practice 00:19:07.619 --> 00:19:14.750 that is growth in faith all right we see Through 00:19:14.750 --> 00:19:18.450 scriptures the revelation of God's Word We acknowledge 00:19:18.450 --> 00:19:22.730 it and we practice what the word says then we 00:19:22.730 --> 00:19:26.029 see faith Manifesting greatly in our lives. So 00:19:26.029 --> 00:19:28.089 it therefore means that if the Bible says for 00:19:28.089 --> 00:19:32.089 example That the believer is eternally forgiven 00:19:32.089 --> 00:19:33.930 don't have the three verses for example. Let's 00:19:33.930 --> 00:19:37.769 let's look at that one of the realities All right 00:19:40.789 --> 00:19:50.470 John chapter 3 verse 16 That speaks about how 00:19:50.470 --> 00:19:53.650 we it says for God so loved the world that he 00:19:53.650 --> 00:19:56.730 gave his only begotten Son Whosoever believes 00:19:56.730 --> 00:20:00.470 in him should not perish or have eternal life 00:20:00.470 --> 00:20:05.009 So it simply means that if we have belief in 00:20:05.009 --> 00:20:07.990 what the scripture says Then we have eternal 00:20:07.990 --> 00:20:13.099 life This should be our truth. This should be 00:20:13.099 --> 00:20:16.720 our conduct should reflect this reality that 00:20:16.720 --> 00:20:20.099 we have eternal life because we believe in Jesus 00:20:20.099 --> 00:20:23.700 Christ as the scripture says. For example, now 00:20:23.700 --> 00:20:26.000 in Mark chapter 15 verse 16 that speaks about, 00:20:26.000 --> 00:20:30.640 you know, the great commission. Mark chapter 00:20:30.640 --> 00:20:41.009 16 verse 15 to 18. Mark 16, 15, sorry. Yes, yes 00:20:41.009 --> 00:20:44.549 And he said to them go into the world and preach 00:20:44.549 --> 00:20:48.049 the gospel to every creature so we see this as 00:20:48.049 --> 00:20:49.609 a commandment to believers that they should go 00:20:49.609 --> 00:20:53.109 into the world and To make disciples of every 00:20:53.109 --> 00:20:54.549 creature to preach the gospel to every creature 00:20:54.549 --> 00:20:57.890 Yes of assisting he who believes and is baptized 00:20:57.890 --> 00:21:01.029 will be safe but he who does not believe will 00:21:01.029 --> 00:21:04.710 not will be condemned and These signs will follow 00:21:04.710 --> 00:21:07.650 those who believe so if these signs as a scripture 00:21:07.650 --> 00:21:10.440 will say right will follow those who believe 00:21:10.440 --> 00:21:14.180 in my name there were cast out demons so this 00:21:14.180 --> 00:21:17.579 should actually be our realities all right this 00:21:17.579 --> 00:21:19.240 should be our realities because this is what 00:21:19.240 --> 00:21:22.140 the word of god says this is what god has revealed 00:21:22.140 --> 00:21:25.299 to us in his word they will speak with new tongues 00:21:25.299 --> 00:21:27.400 you know one of the challenges we have with some 00:21:27.400 --> 00:21:29.220 of the people here when we we're speaking in 00:21:29.220 --> 00:21:31.420 tongues we're trying to lead them to speak in 00:21:31.420 --> 00:21:34.970 tongues is that they are not aware They are not 00:21:34.970 --> 00:21:36.250 aware that they should speak in tongues. They 00:21:36.250 --> 00:21:38.809 are not aware that it is their privilege in Christ 00:21:38.809 --> 00:21:41.809 to speak in tongues. And when you become aware 00:21:41.809 --> 00:21:44.589 of this reality, then what we ought to see is 00:21:44.589 --> 00:21:46.450 that you practice what is your reality. Hallelujah. 00:21:47.609 --> 00:21:50.230 So the revelation of God's truth in these texts 00:21:50.230 --> 00:21:52.130 and many other things that we can see from the 00:21:52.130 --> 00:21:55.230 Bible, which will come by a rightly interpretation. 00:21:55.849 --> 00:21:57.829 Whenever we are taught, we are interpreted the 00:21:57.829 --> 00:22:01.720 scriptures through proper Bible teaching. These 00:22:01.720 --> 00:22:04.059 things should be our reality and our conduct 00:22:04.059 --> 00:22:07.940 should be seen reflecting this truth The whole 00:22:07.940 --> 00:22:11.720 council of God's word should be our reality daily 00:22:11.720 --> 00:22:16.180 The way we live our life the way we conduct ourselves 00:22:16.180 --> 00:22:19.259 in society The way we conduct the way we make 00:22:19.259 --> 00:22:21.960 decisions the things that influence our decisions 00:22:21.960 --> 00:22:26.299 should be The realities we see in scriptures 00:22:26.299 --> 00:22:32.490 Hallelujah So believers are called To examine 00:22:32.490 --> 00:22:34.670 themselves if they are in the faith number one. 00:22:34.670 --> 00:22:37.950 We've seen an idea of weak faith Okay, and we 00:22:37.950 --> 00:22:40.730 are seeing that the that the believer has fit 00:22:40.730 --> 00:22:45.190 again in scriptures. We'll see also that The 00:22:45.190 --> 00:22:48.029 Bible tells believers believers not unbelievers 00:22:48.029 --> 00:22:52.309 believers to examine themselves If they are in 00:22:52.309 --> 00:22:53.970 the faith, but we said that the faith is not 00:22:53.970 --> 00:22:58.329 a problem for the believer All right, so why 00:22:58.329 --> 00:23:01.299 would Paul for example now in second Corinthians 00:23:01.299 --> 00:23:04.859 about 13 verse 5 to 7 call on Christians not 00:23:04.859 --> 00:23:07.940 unbelievers to examine themselves if they are 00:23:07.940 --> 00:23:13.079 in the fit Examine yourself as to whether you 00:23:13.079 --> 00:23:16.900 are in the fit, but these are believers Test 00:23:16.900 --> 00:23:20.000 yourselves. Do you not know yourself that Jesus 00:23:20.000 --> 00:23:23.420 Christ is in you? Unless indeed you are what 00:23:23.420 --> 00:23:27.099 you are disqualified But I trust that you will 00:23:27.099 --> 00:23:34.890 know That we are not disqualified Now I pray 00:23:34.890 --> 00:23:37.990 to God that you do not evil Not that we should 00:23:37.990 --> 00:23:41.970 appear approved, but you should not Do you should 00:23:41.970 --> 00:23:45.150 do what is honorable? Though we may seem disqualified 00:23:45.150 --> 00:23:49.589 hallelujah what 13 talks about exam exam examining 00:23:49.589 --> 00:23:55.170 yourself Examine yourself if you are in the feet 00:23:56.109 --> 00:23:58.650 What does it mean to examine if you are in defeat? 00:23:59.670 --> 00:24:02.789 The believers are called to evaluate themselves. 00:24:02.910 --> 00:24:06.210 All right, the Christians in Corinthians are 00:24:06.210 --> 00:24:10.970 called to examine themselves To see whether their 00:24:10.970 --> 00:24:14.670 profession All right, their profession that is 00:24:14.670 --> 00:24:16.990 their confession what they have professed with 00:24:16.990 --> 00:24:23.190 their lips To examine to examine their life to 00:24:23.190 --> 00:24:26.789 see if their confession what they have professed 00:24:26.789 --> 00:24:30.869 and their daily work align with the faith they 00:24:30.869 --> 00:24:36.869 have in Christ. So also to us daily we are called 00:24:36.869 --> 00:24:40.710 to do or to examine if what we have said concerning 00:24:40.710 --> 00:24:44.150 us we are born again we believe in Jesus Christ 00:24:44.150 --> 00:24:48.190 does our life our daily living our experiences 00:24:48.190 --> 00:24:52.369 align with the truth that we profess with our 00:24:52.369 --> 00:24:57.819 lips. Because faith is not invisible in his act 00:24:57.819 --> 00:25:00.559 in his activity hallelujah wherever there is 00:25:00.559 --> 00:25:04.220 faith there will be an activity Okay, wherever 00:25:04.220 --> 00:25:07.180 there is faith we see an activity if you read 00:25:07.180 --> 00:25:10.500 through Hebrews and exploit of the of the of 00:25:10.500 --> 00:25:14.200 the of the the cloud of witnesses Hebrews 11 00:25:14.200 --> 00:25:17.000 we see how faith influences their action and 00:25:17.000 --> 00:25:22.000 what they did the great works they did Not only 00:25:22.000 --> 00:25:24.799 that we live daily by faith, but we do even the 00:25:24.799 --> 00:25:27.839 work of ministry by faith so faith is not invisible 00:25:27.839 --> 00:25:31.519 in its activity the manifestation of faith becomes 00:25:31.519 --> 00:25:36.000 evidence it becomes an evidence all right how 00:25:36.000 --> 00:25:39.359 can we know that you are a believer how do we 00:25:39.359 --> 00:25:42.180 know that you are a christian by your fruit what 00:25:42.180 --> 00:25:44.720 will happen we'll know who you are and who you 00:25:44.720 --> 00:25:49.480 are hallelujah so it becomes necessary that we 00:25:49.480 --> 00:25:53.079 what that we give expiration that our life and 00:25:53.079 --> 00:25:56.180 our conduct should always align with our profession 00:25:56.180 --> 00:26:02.119 of faith. So a believer's life should display 00:26:02.119 --> 00:26:05.960 the evidence of faith through his conduct. As 00:26:05.960 --> 00:26:11.039 you look at your conduct, your character, your 00:26:11.039 --> 00:26:12.779 obedience, and even in ministry, we should see 00:26:12.779 --> 00:26:17.920 that you are a man of faith. Of course, faith 00:26:17.920 --> 00:26:22.799 may begin in the heart. Okay? But it becomes 00:26:22.799 --> 00:26:26.460 visible in conduct in our actions and in the 00:26:26.460 --> 00:26:30.259 work of ministry We have seen that faith is located 00:26:30.259 --> 00:26:32.819 in our hearts and in the mouth for example in 00:26:32.819 --> 00:26:36.359 Romans chapter 10 Romans chapter 10 verse 9 how 00:26:36.359 --> 00:26:38.839 we become born again Romans chapter 10 verse 00:26:38.839 --> 00:26:44.640 9 and 10 We see faith in two places Faith active 00:26:44.640 --> 00:26:47.599 in two places that if you confess with your mouth 00:26:47.599 --> 00:26:51.339 the lips the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart 00:26:51.609 --> 00:26:54.630 that God has raised him from the dead, you will 00:26:54.630 --> 00:26:58.829 be safe. For with the heart, what happens? A 00:26:58.829 --> 00:27:01.390 man believes. Faith is exercised in the heart, 00:27:02.109 --> 00:27:05.130 onto righteousness, and with the mouth, confession 00:27:05.130 --> 00:27:07.849 is made unto salvation. Hallelujah. So we see 00:27:07.849 --> 00:27:09.690 the activity of faith in the heart of a man, 00:27:09.910 --> 00:27:11.769 and also in the words of his profession, the 00:27:11.769 --> 00:27:18.970 confession he makes. We see the operation of 00:27:18.970 --> 00:27:21.309 faith in the heart, and also in the mouth but 00:27:21.309 --> 00:27:24.230 most importantly faith must be seen in our daily 00:27:24.230 --> 00:27:27.769 action amen it's not only in our hearts it's 00:27:27.769 --> 00:27:30.410 not only in our words what we say and what we 00:27:30.410 --> 00:27:34.630 believe should be seen in our activities our 00:27:34.630 --> 00:27:36.990 heart what we have inside what we believe in 00:27:36.990 --> 00:27:39.950 and the things we say with our lips to align 00:27:39.950 --> 00:27:47.150 with our daily actions and what we do faith must 00:27:47.150 --> 00:27:51.660 be seen In our daily activities. All right, so 00:27:51.660 --> 00:27:54.680 why don't we see fits in our daily activities? 00:27:54.799 --> 00:27:57.019 It's not that we don't believe hallelujah. It's 00:27:57.019 --> 00:27:59.099 not that we don't believe it's not that we don't 00:27:59.099 --> 00:28:02.420 know They think so we off as we see in scriptures 00:28:02.420 --> 00:28:06.599 So what is that enemy? What is that obstacle? 00:28:06.960 --> 00:28:09.500 All right, what is that obstacle that restrains 00:28:09.500 --> 00:28:13.400 us from putting our fit to action? That is what 00:28:13.400 --> 00:28:14.539 we're going to be dealing with in the course 00:28:14.539 --> 00:28:18.130 of this teaching James of the two, let's look 00:28:18.130 --> 00:28:23.490 at this text. James of the two verse 14. James 00:28:23.490 --> 00:28:25.029 of the two verse 14. Let's read from verse 14. 00:28:25.069 --> 00:28:31.950 It's gonna be a little bit long reading. Then 00:28:31.950 --> 00:28:36.430 this text is one of the texts that has been misunderstood 00:28:36.430 --> 00:28:42.250 or misinterpreted concerning faith and actually 00:28:42.250 --> 00:28:46.160 works. Okay, let's read verse 14 to 26. What 00:28:46.160 --> 00:28:48.519 does it profit, my brethren, if someone says 00:28:48.519 --> 00:28:53.259 he has faith but does not have works? Can faith 00:28:53.259 --> 00:28:58.059 save him? Here's a big question. Can faith save 00:28:58.059 --> 00:29:01.240 him? If a brother or sister is naked and desist 00:29:01.240 --> 00:29:06.380 of daily food, and one of you says to them, depart 00:29:06.380 --> 00:29:09.579 in peace, be warmed and filled, but you do not 00:29:09.579 --> 00:29:11.819 give them the things which are needed for their 00:29:11.819 --> 00:29:16.180 body, what does it profit? Alright, what does 00:29:16.180 --> 00:29:18.460 your faith what advantage is your faith? That's 00:29:18.460 --> 00:29:23.660 what the verse is saying Thus also Thus also 00:29:23.660 --> 00:29:28.940 by faith but is safe if not If it does not have 00:29:28.940 --> 00:29:32.680 works is what is dead That is is ineffective 00:29:32.680 --> 00:29:36.660 But someone will say you have faith and I have 00:29:36.660 --> 00:29:40.140 works show me your faith without works And I 00:29:40.140 --> 00:29:45.059 will show you my faith by my works You believe 00:29:45.059 --> 00:29:48.140 that there is one God. All right, you do well. 00:29:48.160 --> 00:29:54.240 This is right But even the demons believe and 00:29:54.240 --> 00:29:58.980 what did they do they tremble But do but do you 00:29:58.980 --> 00:30:01.079 want to know all foolish man we are not foolish 00:30:01.079 --> 00:30:04.920 here, but it's speaking to a certain kind of 00:30:04.920 --> 00:30:08.319 men That faith without works is what is dead. 00:30:08.740 --> 00:30:15.289 All right It's dead Was not Abraham our father? 00:30:15.609 --> 00:30:18.990 Justified by works when he offered Isaac his 00:30:18.990 --> 00:30:24.529 son on the altar Do you see that fit was working 00:30:24.529 --> 00:30:28.569 together with his works fit and works and By 00:30:28.569 --> 00:30:34.150 works fit was made perfect And the scripture 00:30:34.150 --> 00:30:37.730 was fulfilled which says Abraham believed God 00:30:37.730 --> 00:30:40.309 which is fit and he was accounted to him for 00:30:40.309 --> 00:30:43.900 righteousness And he was called the friend of 00:30:43.900 --> 00:30:48.559 God. Verse 24. You see then that a man is justified 00:30:48.559 --> 00:30:51.700 by works. Very critical. We're going to explain 00:30:51.700 --> 00:30:55.619 this. What does it mean? And not by faith only. 00:30:56.680 --> 00:31:00.259 Likewise was not Rahab the harlot also justified 00:31:00.259 --> 00:31:03.759 by works when she received a messenger and send 00:31:03.759 --> 00:31:08.539 them out another way. For as the body without 00:31:08.539 --> 00:31:13.960 the spirit is dead. So faith without works is 00:31:13.960 --> 00:31:19.700 what? Is death also. So as I said, Aaron, some 00:31:19.700 --> 00:31:23.039 Christians interpret these verses as teaching 00:31:23.039 --> 00:31:32.539 that salvation involves faith and work. That 00:31:32.539 --> 00:31:34.980 is to say, for you to be born again, all right, 00:31:36.039 --> 00:31:38.500 it must be a combination of faith and works, 00:31:38.759 --> 00:31:41.440 what you do. Without the works, then you are 00:31:41.440 --> 00:31:47.519 not born again. While many Protestants argue 00:31:47.519 --> 00:31:50.859 that the works are not a condition for salvation, 00:31:51.819 --> 00:31:56.319 okay? That the works are not conditions for salvation, 00:31:57.440 --> 00:32:03.079 but the evidence of a genuine faith. And one 00:32:03.079 --> 00:32:07.880 of the greatest reformers, Martin Luther, He 00:32:07.880 --> 00:32:10.799 described this epistle of James because of this 00:32:10.799 --> 00:32:13.700 particular this verse he described the book of 00:32:13.700 --> 00:32:19.339 James as an epistle of straw that is That is 00:32:19.339 --> 00:32:21.980 the epistle believing is is empty that his emphasis 00:32:21.980 --> 00:32:26.279 is on works appear to be in in conflict with 00:32:26.279 --> 00:32:30.000 Paul and his teaching on justification by faith 00:32:30.000 --> 00:32:33.420 so he sees in his own understanding he sees this 00:32:33.420 --> 00:32:37.440 book of James as is not carrying anything weighty 00:32:37.440 --> 00:32:39.680 because it goes against the teaching of Paul 00:32:39.680 --> 00:32:42.460 which speaks about faith as a means of salvation 00:32:42.460 --> 00:32:45.759 only. Now the central question for us is whether 00:32:45.759 --> 00:32:52.420 James, do James and Paul contradict? It's very 00:32:52.420 --> 00:32:55.259 important. Are we saying that salvation is by 00:32:55.259 --> 00:33:00.839 works and faith or salvation is by faith alone? 00:33:03.220 --> 00:33:06.740 This is very important for us. Hallelujah now 00:33:06.740 --> 00:33:11.660 in James 2 verse 14 I want us to read in the 00:33:11.660 --> 00:33:14.180 King James version James 2 verse 14 and also 00:33:14.180 --> 00:33:16.740 we're going to read on some some other translation 00:33:16.740 --> 00:33:22.539 What does it profit new King James, please new 00:33:22.539 --> 00:33:27.599 King James is okay What does it profit my bread 00:33:27.599 --> 00:33:32.990 and if someone says he has faith but does not 00:33:32.990 --> 00:33:37.950 have works, can fit, saved him. I want us to 00:33:37.950 --> 00:33:44.049 read that sentence in the NLT. Yes, thank you. 00:33:44.890 --> 00:33:49.529 What good is it, dear brothers and sisters, if 00:33:49.529 --> 00:33:54.109 you say you have fit, but don't show it by action, 00:33:55.329 --> 00:33:58.509 all right? But don't show it by action, by your 00:33:58.509 --> 00:34:04.519 action. Can that kind of fit save anyone? In 00:34:04.519 --> 00:34:06.519 the New King James or in the King James translation 00:34:06.519 --> 00:34:10.000 or some other translation says can faith save 00:34:10.000 --> 00:34:14.739 you? All right, what we see here in the NLT in 00:34:14.739 --> 00:34:19.880 the NLT It says can that kind of fit? All right 00:34:19.880 --> 00:34:23.639 that that kind of fit the definite article that 00:34:23.639 --> 00:34:26.960 Redefines the content of that text. All right 00:34:26.730 --> 00:34:29.849 So he's speaking about a particular kind of faith. 00:34:30.349 --> 00:34:32.530 And what is that kind of faith? That kind of 00:34:32.530 --> 00:34:34.909 a faith is a faith that does not have action, 00:34:34.969 --> 00:34:39.369 that does not produce result. Amen? He says, 00:34:39.630 --> 00:34:42.429 what good is it, dear brothers and sisters? If 00:34:42.429 --> 00:34:45.349 you say you have faith, but don't show it by 00:34:45.349 --> 00:34:47.849 your actions, this faith that does not show it 00:34:47.849 --> 00:34:51.150 in action, can this kind of faith save anyone? 00:34:53.429 --> 00:34:55.050 In the Amplified, give me the Amplified Bible. 00:34:56.519 --> 00:34:58.500 And let's remain in the amplified amplified. 00:34:58.739 --> 00:35:04.639 Yes What is the benefit my fellow believers if 00:35:04.639 --> 00:35:09.039 someone claims to have faith But has no works 00:35:09.039 --> 00:35:13.179 good works as evidence Can that kind of faith 00:35:13.179 --> 00:35:18.039 save him? No a mere claim of faith No, that's 00:35:18.039 --> 00:35:19.760 a certainty answer. This is by the interpreters. 00:35:19.760 --> 00:35:23.079 He says no a mere claim of faith is not sufficient 00:35:23.079 --> 00:35:25.940 The new faith produces good works. Hallelujah 00:35:27.329 --> 00:35:29.869 Now James is not questioning whether faith is 00:35:29.869 --> 00:35:32.429 safe saves. We must understand the conversation 00:35:32.429 --> 00:35:36.170 in this verse But whether that kind of faith 00:35:36.170 --> 00:35:39.389 saves that kind of faith that is explained the 00:35:39.389 --> 00:35:41.449 faith that does not have works can that kind 00:35:41.449 --> 00:35:44.789 of faith saves The emphasis falls on the definite 00:35:44.789 --> 00:35:48.349 article as I said earlier on There's some translation 00:35:48.349 --> 00:35:51.369 some translation some English translation or 00:35:51.369 --> 00:35:59.079 meat If you read it in the Greek right it has 00:35:59.079 --> 00:36:05.320 the definite article there which points to specific 00:36:05.320 --> 00:36:11.300 kind of faith that already has been described 00:36:11.300 --> 00:36:16.039 in the preceding words it says what is the benefit 00:36:16.039 --> 00:36:19.019 my fellow believers if someone claimed to have 00:36:19.019 --> 00:36:23.539 faith but has no work as evidence now can this 00:36:23.539 --> 00:36:26.420 kind of faith save him what is the benefit of 00:36:26.420 --> 00:36:30.889 this kind of faith What is the benefit of this 00:36:30.889 --> 00:36:37.570 kind of faith? So when we look at the Greek translation 00:36:37.570 --> 00:36:42.730 of this particular verse The definite article 00:36:42.730 --> 00:36:45.690 in the case that James is not rejecting the salvation 00:36:45.690 --> 00:36:49.329 by faith All right, because he has a particular 00:36:49.329 --> 00:36:51.170 if you look the previous verses He's talking 00:36:51.170 --> 00:36:54.110 about the life of the believer the man that is 00:36:54.110 --> 00:36:58.590 already born again Indicating that he's not rejecting 00:36:58.590 --> 00:37:01.530 salvation by faith but distinguishing between 00:37:01.530 --> 00:37:05.929 true. All right, what is true? Living faith and 00:37:05.929 --> 00:37:09.530 empty profession of faith He gave an example 00:37:09.530 --> 00:37:11.130 even angels say that they believe that there 00:37:11.130 --> 00:37:12.869 is existence of God. Does that mean that they 00:37:12.869 --> 00:37:16.329 have faith? Even demons, sorry not angels, even 00:37:16.329 --> 00:37:20.849 demons believe in God. All right, so This is 00:37:20.849 --> 00:37:22.449 not the kind of profession of faith that brings 00:37:22.449 --> 00:37:27.079 life So James assumed that salvation comes through 00:37:27.079 --> 00:37:32.780 faith yet argues genuinely that faith Inevitably 00:37:32.780 --> 00:37:35.539 produces visible evidence in the life of a man. 00:37:35.980 --> 00:37:42.519 It transforms a life of a man So works do not 00:37:42.519 --> 00:37:46.800 end salvation rather is It reveals it shows the 00:37:46.800 --> 00:37:48.980 evidence of the fact that a man has believed 00:37:48.980 --> 00:37:51.340 now, let's look at verses 15 and 16. Let's let's 00:37:51.340 --> 00:37:54.119 be lobby the understanding in the amplified verse 00:37:54.119 --> 00:37:59.619 15 and verse 16 he continues he says if a brother 00:37:59.619 --> 00:38:03.340 or sister is without clothing and lacks food 00:38:03.340 --> 00:38:07.280 for each day verse 16 and of one and one of you 00:38:07.280 --> 00:38:10.440 says to them go in peace with my blessings keep 00:38:10.440 --> 00:38:13.619 warm and feed yourself but it does not give the 00:38:13.619 --> 00:38:16.639 necessity for the body what good does that do 00:38:16.639 --> 00:38:21.829 what benefit is that So we see here that James 00:38:21.829 --> 00:38:25.210 gives a practical example of what faith does, 00:38:25.329 --> 00:38:28.449 what faith does. Hallelujah. I said earlier on 00:38:28.449 --> 00:38:29.969 that wherever there is faith, there is what? 00:38:30.389 --> 00:38:33.030 There is activity. All right, there is activity. 00:38:33.369 --> 00:38:36.250 So this is what faith does. So James gives us 00:38:36.250 --> 00:38:39.329 a practical example of that kind of faith mentioned 00:38:39.329 --> 00:38:43.889 in verse 14. A faith that is prophesed but lack 00:38:43.889 --> 00:38:47.150 action. All right, a faith that is prophesed 00:38:47.150 --> 00:38:50.289 but lack action. He describes someone who sees 00:38:50.289 --> 00:38:54.150 a needy brother or sister and not only offer 00:38:54.150 --> 00:38:57.590 an only offer kind words such as go in peace 00:38:57.590 --> 00:39:01.849 and be warmed and filled Without providing help. 00:39:01.889 --> 00:39:04.769 So we see the James is asking they says what 00:39:04.769 --> 00:39:10.170 good is that? So the point is that words without 00:39:10.170 --> 00:39:14.130 action are what are unprofitable hallelujah what 00:39:14.130 --> 00:39:18.010 you profess without an action is what is unprofitable 00:39:18.010 --> 00:39:21.309 there's no profit in that kind of action likewise 00:39:21.309 --> 00:39:26.230 faith that is only verbal spoken out faith that 00:39:26.230 --> 00:39:31.050 is only verbal produces no visible evidence is 00:39:31.050 --> 00:39:38.090 empty and ineffective hallelujah look at verse 00:39:38.090 --> 00:39:44.090 17 verse 17 of that verse so too faith If it 00:39:44.090 --> 00:39:49.090 does not have works as an evidence, right? It 00:39:49.090 --> 00:39:52.010 is by itself dead. What does that dead means? 00:39:53.150 --> 00:39:58.130 It means it is inoperative and ineffective. All 00:39:58.130 --> 00:40:01.369 right? So if there is a faith in you, okay, we 00:40:01.369 --> 00:40:03.369 should be able to see the operation of that faith 00:40:03.369 --> 00:40:06.269 in your conduct, in your action, in your daily 00:40:06.269 --> 00:40:09.570 activity, what you do. Hallelujah. So we see 00:40:09.570 --> 00:40:12.010 him continue with the argument. by stating that 00:40:12.010 --> 00:40:16.969 faith by itself does not, you know, that without 00:40:16.969 --> 00:40:24.090 work is dead. So what it means here is that faith 00:40:24.090 --> 00:40:27.809 that exists only as a profession by just laying 00:40:27.809 --> 00:40:30.889 claim. Oh, I believe what the Word of God says. 00:40:31.230 --> 00:40:33.909 I'm a new creator and we don't see the evidence 00:40:33.909 --> 00:40:37.469 of it. It is unprofitable. Look at verse 18. 00:40:38.710 --> 00:40:41.030 Verse 18 you continue to build the case, but 00:40:41.030 --> 00:40:46.590 someone may say you claim to have faith And I 00:40:46.590 --> 00:40:50.690 have good works Show me your faith your alleged 00:40:50.690 --> 00:40:54.909 faith With a works if you can and I will show 00:40:54.909 --> 00:41:00.449 you my faith by works. That is what I do If you 00:41:00.449 --> 00:41:04.730 have faith Show evidence of it How do we show 00:41:04.730 --> 00:41:07.610 evidence of the faith by the actions we do the 00:41:07.610 --> 00:41:12.909 things we do? Hallelujah, so we see the emphasis 00:41:12.909 --> 00:41:18.349 is not showing fit It's not Just to say okay. 00:41:18.349 --> 00:41:22.050 I have fit but rather The fit has to be examples 00:41:22.050 --> 00:41:25.250 to show in our actions and our conduct therefore 00:41:25.250 --> 00:41:27.750 works are not the basis for salvation, right? 00:41:28.150 --> 00:41:31.230 But the evidence of a genuine fit saving fit 00:41:31.230 --> 00:41:33.489 that is seen in your life as you have We should 00:41:33.489 --> 00:41:34.909 be able to see the evidence in your life. Look 00:41:34.909 --> 00:41:39.219 at verse 19 verse 19 It says you believe that 00:41:39.219 --> 00:41:45.199 God is one, you do well. To believe that. The 00:41:45.199 --> 00:41:49.480 demons also believe that. They shudder and bristle 00:41:49.480 --> 00:41:54.059 in awe, filled with terror. They have seen at 00:41:54.059 --> 00:41:59.559 this, they've seen the wrath. So in verse 19, 00:42:00.079 --> 00:42:02.900 it shows that correct doctrine alone, all right, 00:42:03.739 --> 00:42:06.260 let me say this carefully and you hear, correct 00:42:06.260 --> 00:42:11.019 doctrine alone, right does not show the proof 00:42:11.019 --> 00:42:16.420 of what you know okay to have correct doctrine 00:42:16.420 --> 00:42:20.579 to be taught correct doctrine you know some people 00:42:20.579 --> 00:42:24.400 if you have opportunity to share you know you 00:42:24.400 --> 00:42:26.659 can say the right things because you've been 00:42:26.659 --> 00:42:32.679 taught So here James points to the confession 00:42:32.679 --> 00:42:35.880 that God is one and the evidence of that where 00:42:35.880 --> 00:42:37.679 he got that from is in Deuteronomy chapter 6 00:42:37.679 --> 00:42:43.940 verse 4 Deuteronomy chapter 6 verse 4 And he 00:42:43.940 --> 00:42:46.679 says that you do well by that but then he adds 00:42:46.679 --> 00:42:49.920 even the demons even the demons they know about 00:42:49.920 --> 00:42:54.760 the existence of God Hallelujah So his point 00:42:54.760 --> 00:42:57.119 is that demons possess right knowledge. They 00:42:57.119 --> 00:42:59.769 know God who God is. Alright they know that God 00:42:59.769 --> 00:43:03.710 is God and he exists they have the knowledge 00:43:03.710 --> 00:43:07.630 of God and even response emotionally yet they 00:43:07.630 --> 00:43:11.449 do not obey him therefore genuine faith is more 00:43:11.449 --> 00:43:13.389 than just intellectual belief it's just more 00:43:13.389 --> 00:43:15.730 than just you know or you have the knowledge 00:43:15.730 --> 00:43:17.869 of who God is you know the knowledge of God's 00:43:17.869 --> 00:43:19.650 word you know okay I should speak in tongues 00:43:19.650 --> 00:43:21.809 for example you know okay I can heal the sick 00:43:21.809 --> 00:43:24.230 you know okay I can I can do I'm called to do 00:43:24.230 --> 00:43:26.170 the work of ministry that's knowledge about what 00:43:26.170 --> 00:43:29.630 God has called you to do But without doing it 00:43:29.630 --> 00:43:34.250 your faith is ineffective Hallelujah So in verse 00:43:34.250 --> 00:43:38.070 20 he gave an example with Abraham as as an example 00:43:38.070 --> 00:43:39.769 and of course we look at in verse 26 He gave 00:43:39.769 --> 00:43:43.489 an example with with rehab James uses Abraham 00:43:43.489 --> 00:43:46.809 as an example to show that genuine faith is proven 00:43:46.809 --> 00:43:50.409 through obedience Abraham was counted righteous 00:43:50.409 --> 00:43:54.389 because he believed God All right, but that but 00:43:54.389 --> 00:43:57.670 that fate was later demonstrated and brought 00:43:57.670 --> 00:44:02.090 to maturity when he offered in his action of 00:44:02.090 --> 00:44:04.610 offering. Hallelujah. So it's not because he 00:44:04.610 --> 00:44:07.269 offered that God counted him faithful, no. It's 00:44:07.269 --> 00:44:10.110 in his obedience that we see that this man has 00:44:10.110 --> 00:44:18.769 faith. So when James says a person is justified 00:44:18.769 --> 00:44:21.570 by works and not by faith alone, he means that 00:44:21.570 --> 00:44:24.750 true faith is shown to be genuine through action. 00:44:25.050 --> 00:44:29.409 saving faith is never alone it is expressed in 00:44:29.409 --> 00:44:32.150 what in a life of obedience so as we hear the 00:44:32.150 --> 00:44:34.750 word as we are taught the word as we reveal our 00:44:34.750 --> 00:44:37.489 identity as we are revealed about who God is 00:44:37.489 --> 00:44:40.010 what he has done what he's doing and what he 00:44:40.010 --> 00:44:42.389 intend to do through our lives and what he's 00:44:42.389 --> 00:44:45.130 doing in our lives is expected that that should 00:44:45.130 --> 00:44:51.670 influence our daily lives of course verse 25 00:44:51.670 --> 00:44:57.000 we see him mentioning rehab as an example Okay 00:44:57.000 --> 00:45:00.400 Like Abraham Rehab has shown to be justified 00:45:00.400 --> 00:45:04.199 by her works. How when the spies came to Jericho 00:45:04.199 --> 00:45:07.579 And they told her about what God will do or what 00:45:07.579 --> 00:45:10.760 God is about to do through the nation of Israel 00:45:10.760 --> 00:45:14.980 Her action of saving them protecting them is 00:45:14.980 --> 00:45:17.639 an act of faith. We see in Hebrews chapter 11 00:45:17.639 --> 00:45:23.639 So James used two different examples Abraham, 00:45:23.639 --> 00:45:28.199 Rehab, as we saw in the text, to be justified 00:45:28.199 --> 00:45:30.920 by her works, not in any, you know, acceptance 00:45:30.920 --> 00:45:33.440 before God, but in demonstrating the reality 00:45:33.440 --> 00:45:38.480 of what she believed, right? Through faith. So 00:45:38.480 --> 00:45:40.880 why would James use Rehab? Rehab is a Gentile, 00:45:41.079 --> 00:45:43.739 okay? Rehab is not part of the nation of Israel. 00:45:45.320 --> 00:45:51.460 He used Abraham and also used Rehab. To show 00:45:51.460 --> 00:45:54.980 that regardless of your background Okay, regardless 00:45:54.980 --> 00:45:57.219 of your background whether you are of of the 00:45:57.219 --> 00:45:59.599 nation of Israel or a gentle as possible You 00:45:59.599 --> 00:46:04.320 know if I has been teaching us We all when we 00:46:04.320 --> 00:46:06.280 have the faith of God we will see it expressed 00:46:06.280 --> 00:46:10.179 in our action So it shows clearly that regardless 00:46:10.179 --> 00:46:13.940 of background or status Genuine faith is always 00:46:13.940 --> 00:46:18.500 evidenced by action It's not just by merely profession 00:46:18.940 --> 00:46:21.719 But it reveals itself through the act of obedience 00:46:21.719 --> 00:46:27.440 as we believe Okay, we often see that what we 00:46:27.440 --> 00:46:30.280 believe produces a result and that result is 00:46:30.280 --> 00:46:33.940 the action that we take daily our lifestyle our 00:46:33.940 --> 00:46:38.519 character our Mindset is changing and that mindset 00:46:38.519 --> 00:46:41.139 change, you know informs the way we take our 00:46:41.139 --> 00:46:51.500 actions daily So it's not to come to church every 00:46:51.500 --> 00:46:55.179 day and then be receiving word Okay, it's not 00:46:55.179 --> 00:46:56.980 to be coming to church every day and receiving 00:46:56.980 --> 00:47:01.300 knowledge How much of that knowledge have you 00:47:01.300 --> 00:47:04.840 put to work? How much of the information that 00:47:04.840 --> 00:47:07.420 you've gathered the Riley divided word of God 00:47:07.420 --> 00:47:12.179 in itself does not work on his own So your faith 00:47:12.179 --> 00:47:15.739 was we put to use was we practicalize that's 00:47:15.739 --> 00:47:18.280 how we see the profitability of that fading you 00:47:19.369 --> 00:47:24.630 So he concludes in verse 26. He says, for just 00:47:24.630 --> 00:47:28.909 as human, the human body without the spirit is 00:47:28.909 --> 00:47:33.389 dead. So faith without works, that is obedience 00:47:33.389 --> 00:47:38.610 is also what? Is also dead. That dead talks about 00:47:38.610 --> 00:47:43.309 uselessness. It's useless. All right? For as 00:47:43.309 --> 00:47:46.989 the body apart from the spirit is dead, so also 00:47:46.989 --> 00:47:50.420 faith apart from works is dead. Using an analogy 00:47:50.420 --> 00:47:54.679 of life, a lifeless body for example, a body 00:47:54.679 --> 00:48:01.320 without life. James explains that works are to 00:48:01.320 --> 00:48:08.119 have, works are to faith as breath is to our 00:48:08.119 --> 00:48:11.219 body. Alright? As breathing is to our physical 00:48:11.219 --> 00:48:16.460 body, so also our actions work towards faith. 00:48:17.059 --> 00:48:20.579 So works and faith work together. Are we together? 00:48:21.460 --> 00:48:24.179 You believe and you come into salvation, all 00:48:24.179 --> 00:48:29.119 right? And then that salvation you receive gives 00:48:29.119 --> 00:48:31.940 you the ability, the empowerment to do what? 00:48:32.360 --> 00:48:35.300 To do greater works. Hallelujah. So the reason 00:48:35.300 --> 00:48:38.179 why we have to lay this foundation is when we 00:48:38.179 --> 00:48:41.480 begin to emphasize on works, you will know clearly 00:48:41.480 --> 00:48:44.559 that scripturally there is an expectation on 00:48:44.559 --> 00:48:48.059 you. The word you've received inside of you must 00:48:48.059 --> 00:48:52.420 show, must be, must be evidence. Okay? And when 00:48:52.420 --> 00:48:55.559 there is no evidence of this, then we can say 00:48:55.559 --> 00:48:59.599 that you are not grown. Because the growth of 00:48:59.599 --> 00:49:04.619 a believer is seen in how much, alright, is seen 00:49:04.619 --> 00:49:07.699 in how far. It's not in how much of scriptures 00:49:07.699 --> 00:49:11.360 you know. It's not in how long you've been a 00:49:11.360 --> 00:49:14.539 believer. It's not even in how much you can teach. 00:49:15.389 --> 00:49:17.809 In fact, it's not even in how much you can speak 00:49:17.809 --> 00:49:21.369 in tongues. It's not in how much you can pray, 00:49:21.730 --> 00:49:25.690 how many hours you can pray, how many, you know, 00:49:26.050 --> 00:49:27.889 Bible scriptures you can memorize in your head. 00:49:29.030 --> 00:49:31.110 It's not by how many church services you've attended. 00:49:31.969 --> 00:49:34.530 It's not by how many teams you belong to in a 00:49:34.530 --> 00:49:37.630 church. It's not even by how many degrees you've 00:49:37.630 --> 00:49:41.650 acquired in theology. But do we see the evidence 00:49:41.650 --> 00:49:46.889 of this faith in your character? Okay? Because 00:49:46.889 --> 00:49:49.070 there must be a demonstration of this faith. 00:49:50.750 --> 00:49:54.190 There must be an evidence of this faith. Because 00:49:54.190 --> 00:49:57.309 the faith we receive is a faith that has life 00:49:57.309 --> 00:50:00.309 in it. And that life influences what we do in 00:50:00.309 --> 00:50:04.190 the natural. So as we go about our normal day 00:50:04.190 --> 00:50:06.269 and our normal activities and our normal, you 00:50:06.269 --> 00:50:11.090 know, jobs and whatever we do, can we look at 00:50:11.090 --> 00:50:14.000 your life? And we say truly this man is a man 00:50:14.000 --> 00:50:19.900 that has faith in Him. In the circumstances you 00:50:19.900 --> 00:50:23.000 face, because daily we are faced with situations, 00:50:23.519 --> 00:50:27.039 we are faced with circumstances, can we believe 00:50:27.039 --> 00:50:31.780 the reality of God's Word concerning every experience 00:50:31.780 --> 00:50:37.820 we have in our daily life? That is the walk of 00:50:37.820 --> 00:50:42.130 faith. Do we live in obedience to what the Word 00:50:42.130 --> 00:50:48.889 of God says about us? Do we live in obedience? 00:50:48.969 --> 00:50:53.610 Do we allow the life of God has given us? All 00:50:53.610 --> 00:50:57.090 right, the believer come alive by faith and the 00:50:57.090 --> 00:51:04.250 believer lives by faith So to examine ourselves 00:51:04.250 --> 00:51:08.400 whether we are in defeat is to examine Do my 00:51:08.400 --> 00:51:12.360 life align with my profession? Do the activities 00:51:12.360 --> 00:51:19.639 I take every day, even in church, the sacrifices 00:51:19.639 --> 00:51:23.079 of leaving your home, joining a team, coming 00:51:23.079 --> 00:51:27.539 to church. It's not to just come out here and 00:51:27.539 --> 00:51:30.699 be socializing, no. It's that there will be an 00:51:30.699 --> 00:51:32.960 evidence in your life that will show that indeed 00:51:32.960 --> 00:51:38.230 this man has something in him. This man has something 00:51:38.230 --> 00:51:42.429 in him that must be seen Okay, that must be seen 00:51:42.429 --> 00:51:47.469 So what we want to explore is why or what is 00:51:47.469 --> 00:51:50.570 the reason that we are not seeing this effective 00:51:50.570 --> 00:51:55.269 in our lives What is this what is the reason 00:51:55.269 --> 00:51:57.829 why we are not exercising what we already have 00:51:57.829 --> 00:52:00.869 what is the reason why we don't see these expressions 00:52:00.869 --> 00:52:07.239 in our lives Alright, why do we not express these 00:52:07.239 --> 00:52:12.440 things in our lives? Faith in our hearts, in 00:52:12.440 --> 00:52:15.539 the things we say and where, and also in our 00:52:15.539 --> 00:52:19.119 actions. Okay? And I can tell us now that we 00:52:19.119 --> 00:52:21.820 don't lack faith in our hearts. And you've been 00:52:21.820 --> 00:52:24.159 in church for a long time, we'll find words of 00:52:24.159 --> 00:52:27.960 faith in your lips. In the songs we sing, alright? 00:52:28.719 --> 00:52:33.940 In the things we say, in our prayers. But faith 00:52:33.940 --> 00:52:37.980 must leave our hearts and the words in our lips 00:52:37.980 --> 00:52:40.920 and be seen in our conduct and in our actions 00:52:40.920 --> 00:52:46.940 If not, then the faith we have is what is not 00:52:46.940 --> 00:52:50.900 profitable All right. We are not doing the call 00:52:50.900 --> 00:52:53.579 the greater works of God is calling us to do 00:52:53.579 --> 00:52:56.179 We are not exercising the faith in evangelism 00:53:01.309 --> 00:53:07.670 so my prayer is that every one of us will understand 00:53:07.670 --> 00:53:13.769 why we have this limited expression in our lives 00:53:13.769 --> 00:53:17.909 of the faith we have and how by the help of God 00:53:17.909 --> 00:53:21.869 we can deal because earlier on we read that what 00:53:21.869 --> 00:53:23.710 that we are not fighting against what this fight 00:53:23.710 --> 00:53:26.449 of faith listen let me tell you this because 00:53:26.449 --> 00:53:32.079 you have faith right That is the reason the devil 00:53:32.079 --> 00:53:36.400 Who is our? Adversary is coming for is coming 00:53:36.400 --> 00:53:38.539 for that thing is to ensure that that thing that 00:53:38.539 --> 00:53:45.440 you have does not what does not manifest Being 00:53:45.440 --> 00:53:47.920 a believer is already a life of war let me say 00:53:47.920 --> 00:53:52.460 this you are already in war And you're not in 00:53:52.460 --> 00:53:54.699 war against governments against people know you 00:53:54.699 --> 00:53:59.190 are in war against the devices of the enemy And 00:53:59.190 --> 00:54:01.809 the plan of the enemy every day is against the 00:54:01.809 --> 00:54:04.530 faith that you have. Of course, he knows he has 00:54:04.530 --> 00:54:06.289 lost you as a believer. Now, we're not speaking 00:54:06.289 --> 00:54:08.289 to a man that is not born again here. We're speaking 00:54:08.289 --> 00:54:12.550 to a believer. The enemy is arranging every method. 00:54:12.889 --> 00:54:16.710 He's inventing new methods to ensure that what 00:54:16.710 --> 00:54:23.150 you have does not manifest. In the things you 00:54:23.150 --> 00:54:28.719 hear, in the things you see with your eyes, In 00:54:28.719 --> 00:54:30.699 the realities that happens around you in your 00:54:30.699 --> 00:54:36.880 family in your life as an individual He ensures 00:54:36.880 --> 00:54:39.840 that you have you have you have another understanding 00:54:39.840 --> 00:54:43.500 of of what is happening around you and Then you 00:54:43.500 --> 00:54:50.800 don't believe what God is saying Hallelujah But 00:54:50.800 --> 00:54:52.780 we have all it takes to overcome hallelujah, 00:54:52.780 --> 00:54:55.469 we are not helpless. Amen We're not helpless. 00:54:55.510 --> 00:54:57.710 We have the spirit of god We have the word of 00:54:57.710 --> 00:55:00.429 god the weapon by which we will deal with the 00:55:00.429 --> 00:55:03.630 divisive enemy are not are not natural Their 00:55:03.630 --> 00:55:05.630 spirit and the spirit of god is the word of god 00:55:05.630 --> 00:55:09.789 has given us And we're able to withstand the 00:55:09.789 --> 00:55:12.969 adversary the enemy Who is coming for what god 00:55:12.969 --> 00:55:16.190 has placed in us? And let me tell you brothers 00:55:16.190 --> 00:55:17.929 and sisters god is not the one that will fight 00:55:17.929 --> 00:55:21.949 it for you. Amen God jesus said it is finished 00:55:21.949 --> 00:55:27.219 on the cross We sing every day we have the victory 00:55:27.219 --> 00:55:30.739 All right. So what we ought to do is to put the 00:55:30.739 --> 00:55:38.400 victory to use Amen To put the victory to function 00:55:38.400 --> 00:55:44.519 The enemy has been defeated By what Christ has 00:55:44.519 --> 00:55:49.480 done the enemy has been defeated We see where 00:55:49.480 --> 00:55:51.940 Paul is telling Timothy the spirit you have is 00:55:51.940 --> 00:55:55.690 not a spirit of fear All right But the spirit 00:55:55.690 --> 00:55:57.769 of war of some mind which means that God has 00:55:57.769 --> 00:56:00.250 given you the ability to withstand the devices 00:56:00.250 --> 00:56:03.030 of them because we saw a lot on that that we 00:56:03.030 --> 00:56:12.750 will fight against against what? In In second 00:56:12.750 --> 00:56:14.349 Corinthians of a 10 verse 3 given that takes 00:56:14.349 --> 00:56:22.340 again second Corinthians of a 10 verse 3 Says 00:56:22.340 --> 00:56:26.880 for we work For though we work in the flesh as 00:56:26.880 --> 00:56:30.119 mortal men We are not carrying on our spiritual 00:56:30.119 --> 00:56:32.599 warfare according to the flesh and using the 00:56:32.599 --> 00:56:37.059 weapons of man. All right The weapons of our 00:56:37.059 --> 00:56:39.780 warfare are not physical weapons of the flesh 00:56:39.780 --> 00:56:43.780 and blood our weapons are Divinely powerful for 00:56:43.780 --> 00:56:47.000 what for the destruction of fortresses. We are 00:56:47.000 --> 00:56:50.480 in war. All right So, the weapon we have is able 00:56:50.480 --> 00:56:53.260 to bring down fortresses. Fortresses are the 00:56:53.260 --> 00:56:57.400 stronghold of the enemy. Okay? We are destroying 00:56:57.400 --> 00:57:00.340 what? Sophisticated arguments. The weapon of 00:57:00.340 --> 00:57:05.960 the enemy are arguments. And every exalted and 00:57:05.960 --> 00:57:09.320 proud thing that does what? That set is... So, 00:57:09.320 --> 00:57:13.039 knowledge. Knowledge. And that knowledge, that 00:57:13.039 --> 00:57:17.909 warfare happen in our mind. Hallelujah. by the 00:57:17.909 --> 00:57:21.389 spirit and by the word we are coming to see how 00:57:21.389 --> 00:57:23.949 we can deal with the devices of the enemy and 00:57:23.949 --> 00:57:27.309 how we can put to use our feet and allow our 00:57:27.309 --> 00:57:30.769 faith to flourish and be profitable and then 00:57:30.769 --> 00:57:33.909 we see God glorified by our lives and we see 00:57:33.909 --> 00:57:36.090 ourselves daily living in victory in all areas 00:57:36.090 --> 00:57:39.030 of our lives it is not God's desire that the 00:57:39.030 --> 00:57:44.269 believer suffers by the enemy but he has given 00:57:44.269 --> 00:57:47.159 us victory hallelujah I just want us to just 00:57:47.159 --> 00:57:50.960 pray for ourselves, pray for yourself that as 00:57:50.960 --> 00:57:53.139 we go through these teachings that you have understanding, 00:57:54.800 --> 00:57:56.599 that you are able to handle the devices of the 00:57:56.599 --> 00:57:59.739 enemy, that you are realizing that you are in 00:57:59.739 --> 00:58:02.820 a warfare and a soldier is not meant to be asleep 00:58:02.820 --> 00:58:08.539 daily anticipating the attack of the enemy. Every 00:58:08.539 --> 00:58:10.380 single day is an opportunity. The Bible says 00:58:10.380 --> 00:58:13.260 the devil moves like a rolling lion looking for 00:58:13.260 --> 00:58:16.960 a man to devour. And as a believer we have the 00:58:16.960 --> 00:58:20.340 victory in Christ And what we ought to do is 00:58:20.340 --> 00:58:24.340 to allow what God has done in us To find expression 00:58:24.340 --> 00:58:26.800 in our lives. So let's appreciate God for his 00:58:26.800 --> 00:58:29.400 word and for his understanding that we have That 00:58:29.400 --> 00:58:34.440 indeed we are men of faith We appreciate you 00:58:34.440 --> 00:58:37.000 being here today. We hope you carry this word 00:58:37.000 --> 00:58:40.099 with you throughout your week Don't forget to 00:58:40.099 --> 00:58:42.179 check the show notes for additional insights. 00:58:42.440 --> 00:58:45.280 Stay connected with us through our website or 00:58:45.280 --> 00:58:48.760 follow us on social media. If you were encouraged, 00:58:49.320 --> 00:58:51.440 share this message with someone you care about. 00:58:52.159 --> 00:58:54.039 Until next time, stay blessed.