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. Yes, so we're going to continue from
where we left on Sunday. Where we left on Sunday.
On Sunday we started to discuss about Galatians,
the book of Galatians. And before we go into
the book of Galatians, I just want us to see
the background or the pattern in which the apostles,
Jesus Christ, taught. Because when you go to
the book of Galatians, there are many things
you see. The way it is built, you find that most
of what is said, it is... in the scriptures.
In fact, all in the scriptures. That is from
Genesis to the book of Malachi. So, let's open
to the book of 2 Timothy 3 verse 16. 2 Timothy,
the book of 2 Timothy 3 verse 16. It reads, okay,
let's start from verse 14. But continue thou
in the things thou hast learned and hast been
assured of. knowing of whom thou hast lent them,
and that from a child that hast known the holy
scriptures, which are able to make thee wise
unto salvation through faith which is in Jesus
Christ. All scripture is given by inspiration
of God, and it is profitable for doctrine, for
reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness,
that the man of God may be perfect. and thoroughly
furnished unto all good works. So one of the
things we see is the scriptures are profitable
for what? For doctrine. And doctrine there has
to do with teaching. It has to do with explanation.
It has to do with explanation. And what he's
saying, he said that the scriptures are profitable,
that is advantageous. If you have your B .O .B.,
you see the word ophelimos, which means the scriptures,
they are there for a systematic teaching. And
what we find there is that doctrine will lead
to what? Will lead to reproof. That is when the
word of God is preached, what we see there is
there is reproof. There is persuasion. Then we
see also that it is for correction. That is to
strengthening. A restoration... So, when the
Word of God is taught, what we find there is,
number one, there's persuasion. Number two is
that there is correction. We have ideologies
or we have knowledges. Maybe we got them somewhere.
But when the Word of God is taught properly,
what happens is that there is a correction that
comes about. There's a persuasion that happens.
And later on, what you see is... spiritual growth
in the life of the believer, if you are preaching
to the person who is a non -believer, what you
see is a positive response to the word of the
Lord. So, we're going also to see, well, this
is a pattern. Later on, you say in Psalm 16,
it says, for correction, sorry, the fan is blowing
in my Bible. Say, for correction, for reproof,
right, and instruction in righteousness. One
of the things you've been looking at since Sunday,
is discipleship. And this can only be achieved
through the teaching of the word of the Lord.
So when you see that word, which is instruction,
it has to do with nurturing. It has to do with
nurturing to nature, to teach, to raise a child.
It carries that idea of raising a child. And
what comes with it also, if you see where it
is used across, that same word, it also has to
do with chastisement. You'll find... Statizement,
rebuke also has to do with that. What is the
result of it? It's that you grow. So let's look
also how the apostles taught from the Scriptures.
That is Acts 13, 16 to 41. I'm not going to read
it. Just write it down. It's too long. So it
says, what you see there is that Paul was preaching
from the Scriptures. Paul taught from the Scriptures.
If you read Acts 13, 16 to 41, then this one
we're going to read it. Acts 17, 2 to 3. Acts
17, 2 to 3. The reason why we are looking at
this is when we go to the book of Galatians,
we'll better understand how the apostle taught
and how he was building his argument in that
letter to the Galatians. Acts 17, verse 2 to
3. It reads, And Paul, as his manner was, went
unto them, and three Sabbath days reasoned with
them out of the Scriptures, opening and alleging
that Christ must needs have suffered and risen
again from the dead, and that this Jesus whom
I preach unto you is Christ. So where was he
teaching from? He was teaching... from the Scriptures,
meaning that the persuasion was coming from the
Scriptures. That is Genesis to Malachi. Another
instance also is Acts 28 verse 23. Acts 28 verse
23. It reads, And when they had appointed him
a day, they came many unto him, unto his lodging,
to whom he expounded and testified the kingdom
of God. persuading them concerning Jesus, both
out of the law of Moses and out of the prophets,
from morning to evening. And some, what happened?
Some believed the things which were spoken, and
some believed not. So, Paul's position was from
the Old Testament. He was explaining about the
sufferings and the glory of Jesus that follows
from the Scriptures. And from there, that was
where persuasion came. Also, there is eyewitness
accounts also, because it took place during their
timeline. Also, let's see Acts 4, 25 to 26. Acts
4, 25 to 26. Who by the mouth... Okay, verse
23. This comes after John and Peter, they were
going to... the temple during the time of prayer.
And at the beautiful gate, they met a man who
was crippled from the mother's womb. And they
prayed for the person and he was healed. Then
later on, they brought them in, they persecuted
them. Then they told them not to preach in the
name of the Lord. That's the background of the
story. But let's see from verse 23. It says,
and being let go, they went to their company
and reported all the chief priests, all that
the chief priests and the elders had said unto
them. And when they had heard, they lifted up
their voice to God with one accord, and said,
Lord, thou art God, which has made heaven and
earth, and the sea, and all that is them. Who
by the mouth of thy servant David hast thou said,
Why did the heathen rage, and the people imagine
vain things? The kings of the earth stood up,
and the rulers were gathered together against
the Lord, and against his Christ. For if it should,
thy holy child Jesus, whom thou hast anointed,
both Herod and Pontius Pilate, were the Gentiles,
and the people of Israel were gathered together.
So, where did they go to? They say, whom by the
mouth of the prophet David, or the servant David.
So, where did they take this from? From the scriptures.
Yes, sir. Then, Acts 1 .20, lastly. Acts 1 .20.
Acts 1 .20. For it is written in the book of
Psalms, Let his habitation be desolate, and let
no man dwell therein, and his bishopric let another
take. So, this is after Judas Iscariot had betrayed
Jesus then, yet committed suicide. So, where
did they go to when they wanted to appoint a
replacement for Judas Iscariot, they went back
to the scriptures. Because immediately, it says,
Wherefore of these men which have accompanied
us all the time, that the Lord Jesus went in
and out amongst us, beginning from the baptism
of John, unto that same day that the Lord was
taken up, must we appoint or ordain one as a
witness. So, before then, where did they go to?
That is, some. And what happened in the psalm
is that there is a similar occurrence that happened
in the, if you see Psalm 109 especially, there's
a similar occurrence. And what happened there,
that actually closely describes Ahithophel, more
closely, because that's a psalm of David when
he talks about one of his trusted counselors
who had taken side with Absalom, his son, in
rebellion against him. So that is when they went
to and that's where they understood it and applied
it. That was an application. But there's a similar
occurrence and immediately they wanted to choose
another person in the replacement of Judas Iscariot.
So what we have seen so far is that whatever
they wanted to do or whatever was taught, it's
not something new. They went back to the scriptures
and they came back. And you see application also
happening in the New Testament as in Matthew
to Revelation. So, the Epistles never replace
the Scriptures. Rather, the explanations of all
the letters or all the Epistles were coming from
the Scriptures. So, there's nothing called, I
don't like the Old Testament, I'll start in the
New Testament. There's nothing like that. Because
that, position or that portion of the scripture
right now let's say ephesians you will not understand
it or we're going to read galatians much more
you will not understand galatians if you do not
have understanding of where apostle paul was
teaching from where he was building his argument
from so and one thing we are going to see is
that the new testament uses some expressions
right which are contained expressions that carries
a bigger narrative in the Old Testament. Why
is it happening? It's because they assume that
we are much more secondary audience. We are not
the primary audience. So I mean that when the
epistle was being written, Apostle Paul didn't
really have us in mind. I mean, many years down
the line, that was not the intention. He was
writing to his immediate, that is the primary
audience, his primary audience. So wherever he's
teaching from, He assumes that his audience knows
where he's teaching from because he has been
a pastor in that local assembly. He has taught
them from the scriptures. So whenever he's coming
to teach them back, he will use some expression
and the people's mind immediately goes back to
what he has taught them before, right, from the
scriptures. So we also, we should assume the
same position for us to be able to understand
what they understood properly. So now we are
going to see. The Galatians, the book of Galatians.
So, like I said, when we begin to read the book
of Galatians, we must sit where they sit. It's
an expression by a preacher. Sit where they sit
and hear how they heard. That is how we get to
understand what they really understood. So, Paul,
in writing the book of Galatians, one thing to
note is that he's writing to a people. who are
already trained in the scriptures, meaning Genesis,
Exodus, much more. That's where you find many
of the terms you use from Genesis and Exodus,
much more. So, he assumes that those people know
it. They know also the prophets, the writings
of the prophets. So, now, we are starting the
book of Galatians. So, in the book of Galatians
chapter 2, we see the concept of circumcision.
We are not going to start the book of Galatians
in depth. We're going to focus in Galatians chapter
5 more. But before we arrive, they want to see
how he was building his arguments, right? So,
Galatians chapter 2, there's a discussion of
circumcision there. So, circumcision is not a
New Testament subject. It is found in Genesis.
It began actually in Genesis 17, and it was a
sign of covenant. The reason why he's going to
circumcision there is because there's an issue
that happens. Whereby some people were saying
that, believers also had to be circumcised. So
he does not pick it randomly. There is an intention
of how he's going. The intention is he wants
to correct that, but you use it to build so that
people will be persuaded that really, oh, no,
you don't need to be circumcised because we're
going to see why and how he was building that
argument. So you see circumcision in chapter
two of Galatians. And you go to Genesis 17, that's
where you find that. Then immediately you see
also in chapter three, he talks about righteousness,
right? He talks about the works of the law and
righteousness. Chapter three, verse six, let's
read it quickly. We are not going to spend more
time here. Galatians 3, 6. Galatians 3, 6. It
reads, even as Abraham believed God and it was
accounted for him for righteousness, So, also
you see that he's teaching from Genesis. We're
going to see it progressively. He's teaching
from Genesis. So, Paul here is quoting Genesis
15 verse 6, right? Where we see the words, etc.
So, when Paul is writing to Galatians, his audience
is reading Genesis in their mind. In their mind,
what they are seeing is what? Genesis. So, they
are not reading something else new. Then, He
goes on further, then he talks about the gospel
that was preached to Abraham, that is Galatians
3, 7 to 8. It says, They which are of faith are
the children of Abraham, and the scripture foreseeing
that God would justify the heathen through faith
preached before the gospel unto Abraham. So one
thing we see is that the gospel was preached
to Abraham. The gospel was preached to Abraham.
So the gospel did not actually begin in the book
of Matthew. It was also preached to Abraham.
So the gospel... That means in the book of Genesis,
you'll find the gospel in the book of Genesis.
So Paul, later on, he also teaches about the
seed, the seed. And where do you see the seed
concept? In Genesis, progressively through the
prophets. Then how does he teach it? Back in
Genesis, you see the seed is collective also,
as in the nation of Israel. Whatever. We have
Isaac, later on from Isaac, we have Israel, right?
But when Paul comes in, he explains it not as
menaces, exactly like how he interprets it, but
seeds as pointing to Jesus, which is a fulfillment.
We're not going to stay here. We're going to
fight. That's why I'm just trying to ration it
so that we have it in the ground. What he's teaching
for is in the scriptures. Then, We now go to
the concept of walking. That's chapter 4, 5 now,
where we are teaching from. Chapter 5. So, since
he's building his argument from the Scriptures,
when the audience of Apostle Paul hears words
like walk in the Spirit, what comes in their
mind, where is he teaching from? From the same
Scriptures. So, if I am an audience of Apostle
Paul, when he now comes and says, let's read
5, 16. It says, these are said then, walk in
the spirit and you shall not fulfill the lust
of the flesh. Since it's progressing from Genesis
in the scriptures, right? What comes to my mind
is, okay, in the scriptures, we have the walk,
walking with the Lord being explained much more.
Let's see. So Genesis 5 .22, Genesis 5 .22, walk
there is W -A -L -K. Not W -O -R -K. We are talking
W -A -L -K. Walk. So their mind is going there
when they say walk in the spirit. Genesis 5 .22.
Genesis. Oh, they are ahead of me. 5 .22. It
reads, And Enoch walked with God after he begat
Methuselah three hundred years and begat sons
and daughters. And all the days of Enoch were
three hundred. and 65 years. And we say it in
the previous that that walk is a Hebrew idiom
describing Enoch's relationship with God. That
is also ordering one's life according to God's
will. That's figurative. It can have actually
a literal meaning also. Because you see the word
halak there. It's the Hebrew word for walk. Then
Genesis 6 verse 9, Genesis 6, 9. So what did
we say is that it describes what? A relationship
between man and God here from Genesis 5, 22.
One, like a way of life, order in your life,
right? According to God's will. Genesis 6, 9.
These are the generations of Noah. Noah was a
just man. and perfect in his generation. And
Noah walked with God. This is figurative also.
Talking about Noah's relationship with the Lord.
That's fellowship there. Participation also in
God's plan. Because all these people we've read,
you'll find that they were prophets. They were
announcing the gospel in their generation. They
were spokespersons. What were they speaking about?
God's plans and purposes for man. So, and again,
we're going to read something. We see also God
walking. God walking. God walking. And you see
that later on is a tabernacle language. God walking.
Genesis 3 verse 8. Is that there? Genesis 3 verse
8. And they heard the voice of the Lord walking
in the garden in the cool of the day. And Adam
and his wife hid themselves from the presence
of the Lord God among the trees of the garden.
Literal or figurative. Was the voice of the Lord
literally walking in the garden? That is a figurative.
That's a figure. Yeah, that's a figurative. What
is he talking about? That is, God desired to
have a communion, a fellowship with man. That
is what is being explained there. Right. So,
you see, the garden is a place where God dwells,
right? We've been told this in Genesis. I think
that should be 2023 by Sister Lizzie. She also
took time to preach here. But we're not going
to stay more. So, the garden, we know that it
was a place where man and God were dwelling together.
That is Gideon. So, what was happening there?
Man is in the Garden of Eden. God's voice was
walking in the Garden of Eden. What does it describe
a fellowship? Let's also read Leviticus 26, verse
11. Leviticus 26, verse 11. We also see God walking.
Leviticus 26 verse 11. It reads, And I will set
my tabernacle among you, and my soul shall not
avoid you. I will walk among you, and I will
be your God, and you shall be my people. So that
is God seeks for a relationship with man. When
you read this. Then also Deuteronomy 23 verse
14. So whenever you hear walk, immediately the
audience of Galatians, their mind will go there.
Deuteronomy 23 verse 14. Deuteronomy 23 verse
14. It reads, For the Lord thy God walketh in
the midst of thy camp. to deliver thee and to
give up thine enemies before thee. Therefore,
shall thy camp be holy and he sin no unclean
thing in thee and turn away from thee. Right?
Yes. So, he's still talking about God's dwelling
with man. That's fellowship. That is happening
there. Participation. Man and God in the same
place. Then also, lastly, let's read also 2 Corinthians
6 .16. 2 Corinthians 6 .16. 2 Corinthians 6 .16.
And we see how Paul also takes the same, the
same, and he was explaining it to the Corinthians.
2 Corinthians, oh, they are already there. And
what, 2 Corinthians 6 .16, yes. And what agreement
had the temple of God with idols? So what was
he talking about now? The believers. Yes. So
in the Old Testament, you see, God also was dwelling
in the ministry of the people. And one thing
he was telling them that they should be holy.
But now we see something. And what argument,
this is now Paul, going back to the same text.
That's where he was drawing all this from the
scriptures. And he said, what argument had the
temple of God with idols? For ye are the temple
of the Lord. What happens in the temple of the
Lord? You see God and man. You see fellowship.
Ye are the temple of the living God. As God has
said. I will dwell where? In them. I'll walk
in them. Moses is writing, right? I'll walk in
them and I'll be their God and they shall be
my people. Where was it building from? The argument
that is from the scriptures. So, God's walking,
right? It's equal to God's dwelling with his
people. God's walking is equal to God's dwelling
with his people. From there, what we read about
Israel, God always desired to stay in their camp,
walk amongst them. So, that is God's dwelling
with his people. That is where Paul also comes
and writes from there. Same text. So, back to
Galatians. We see walk in the Spirit. So, what
happened there is, before we go further, I want
you to see that one of the persons, Paul takes
time to explain about is Abraham much more. Meaning
that Abraham takes a bigger part of the book
of Galatians. So, he's using Abraham to build
his argument. So, one thing that comes in, how
did Abraham walk with the Lord also? So, Galatians
5 .16, walk in the spirit and you shall not fulfill
the lust of the flesh. Walk in the spirit and
you will not fulfill. the lust of the flesh.
So, what is he talking about? Conducting oneself,
right, in the spirit. It's conduct, not literal.
That's conduct. That's conduct. So, let's read
there. Let's go, all of us, to Galatians 5, then
we continue reading down up to the end of it.
Galatians, chapter 5. Let's read from verses
14. It's important. For all the law is fulfilled
in one word, even is in this, thou shalt love
thy neighbor as thyself. But if ye bite and devour
one another, take heed that ye not be consumed
one of another. This I say then, walk in the
spirit, and you not fulfill the lust of the flesh.
For the flesh lusts against the spirit, and the
spirit against the flesh. And these are contrary,
the one to the other, so that you cannot do things
that you would. But if ye be led by the spirit,
ye are not under the law. Now the works of the
flesh are manifest, which are these, adultery,
fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, idolatry,
witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath.
strife, seditions, heresies, envyings, murders,
drunkenness, ravelings, and such like, of which
I tell you before, as I have also told you in
the time past, that they which do such things
shall not inherit the kingdom of heaven. But
the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace,
longsuffering, gentleness, boldness, faith, meekness,
temperance, Against such there is no law. And
they that are Christ have crucified the flesh
with his affection and lust. If we live in the
Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit. So, when
he says walk, the result of a person not walking
in fellowship with the Lord, by that I mean participation,
there is a place of you responding. Right? Obedience.
It has to do with obedience. Walking with the
Lord. Walking in the Spirit has to do with obedience.
So, that is one thing you see when a person is
not walking in obedience to God's Word. You see
the manifestations of things that are contrary.
But when a person is walking in fellowship with
the Lord, in obedience to God's will, the result
of it is love. So, sometimes you just need to
check the way you reacted. Are you walking really
in obedience to the word of the Lord? Then adjust.
If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in
the Spirit. So, then chapter 5, verse 14, where
we read, what does it say? It says, For all the
law is fulfilled in one word, thou shalt love
thy neighbor as thyself. This is from Leviticus
19 verse 18. Leviticus 19 verse 18. That is where
Apostle Paul took it from. Leviticus 19 verse
18. Thou shalt not avenge nor bear any grudge
against the children of thy people, but thou
shalt love thy neighbor as thyself. I am the
Lord. So the Galatian church, they know this.
They are familiar to the scriptures. So whatever
Apostle Paul said is not something new. to them.
So whenever I say walk in the street, what comes
in their minds? One thing that comes is conduct.
But those that worked with the Lord where we
read Enoch and Noah, you find out that also there
was a work that they were doing. They were prophets,
if you read. Abraham also is a prophet. Same
thing. Israel, God wanted to work with them.
That was also responsibility. So, number one,
you see, what is The fruit of the Spirit is what?
Love. Right? And when there's love, you see service,
you see ministry work within the believers. So,
other scriptures you can look at is Romans 13,
verse 8. Romans 13, verse 8. Romans 13. Talking
about love. Romans 13, verse 8. All no man anything,
but to love one another. For he that loveth another
has fulfilled the law. Okay, we just read Romans
13, verse 8, right? To 10. Okay, 9. For this
thou shalt not commit adultery, thou shalt not
kill, thou shalt not steal, thou shalt not bear
false witness, thou shalt not covet. And if there
be any other commandment, it is briefly comprehended
in this saying, namely, Thou shalt love thy neighbor
as thyself. So, one thing that is key is when
a person is walking in fellowship with the Lord,
what you see is love and manifestation. Also,
John 3, 34. John 3, 34. This is the Lord Jesus
talking to the disciples. John 13, 34. Sorry,
13, 34. John 13, 34. And your commandment I give
unto you, that ye love one another as I have
loved you, that ye also love one another, that
ye also love one another. Yes. So, love is the
emphasis. Love is the emphasis. And also, we
go back to Galatians 5 .22 -23. Galatians 5 .22
-23. Galatians 5 .22. 22 to 23. But the fruit
of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, long -suffering,
gentleness, faith, meekness, temperance. Against
such, there is no law. So, the word there for
fruit is the word kapos. K -A, I don't know whether
the pronunciation is right, but you can check
it. K -A -R -P -O -S. K -A -R -P -O -S. This
is as a result of the dwelling of the Spirit.
So that is the fruit of the Spirit is what grows
naturally from the life in the Spirit. It grows
naturally from the life in the Spirit. It is
not forced. It is not manufactured. It's natural.
It grows natural because of the dwelling of the
Spirit of God in us. So we are not looking at
it. It's not missing. We just need to walk in
it. Galatians 6, verse 2. In continuation, Galatians
6, verse 2. Galatians 6, verse 2. Be ye one another's
burden, and so fulfill the law of Christ. When
man thinks himself to be something, okay, go
back to what I was saying. Be ye one another's
burden, and fulfill the law of Christ. That is
what love towards one another. Love towards one
another. Okay. So, we're going to look at something.
We're going to look at a case study. Maybe we'll
call it a case study. And we're going to look
at Solomon. We're going to spend some time there.
Look at Solomon, conduct, compromise, and the
consequences of it. Right. Solomon. We're going
to spend a bit of time there. 1 Kings 10, verse
23. So, Solomon... We are going to see him as
an example of conduct, compromise and consequences.
Compromise, consequences and conduct also. 1
Kings 10, 23 to 24. 1 Kings. So King Solomon
exceeded all the kings of the earth for riches
and for wisdom. And all the earth sought to Solomon
to hear his wisdom which the Lord had put. in
him. Let's go down. And they brought, yes, and
they brought every man his present, vessels of
silver, vessels of gold, garments, armor, spices,
horses, moors, a retier by year. And Solomon
gathered together chariots and horsemen, and
he had a thousand and four hundred chariots,
and twelve thousand horsemen, whom he bestowed
in the cities for chariots. and with the king
at Jerusalem. And the king made silver to be
in Jerusalem, and stones and cedars he made to
be as the sycamore trees that are in the vow
for abundance. It means that he exceeded in riches
a lot. God blessed him, but it was not the blessing
of the Lord. So he was rich. If you go and study
more, you'll find out how he became rich. Yes,
he was a king. They were giving him tributes.
If you are not a king, go and work. So shortly,
you'll be shown chapter 11. This is the same
king, chapter 11, 1 Kings chapter 11 from verses
1. Okay, let's open our Bibles. 1 Kings chapter
11. Let's open your physical Bible. 1 Kings chapter
11 from verses 1. And King Solomon loved many
strange women. Hmm. And King Solomon loved many
strange women together with the daughters of
Pharaoh. With the daughter of Pharaoh. Singular.
Women of Moabites, Ammonites, Edomites, Zidonians,
and Hittites, and of the nations concerning which
the Lord said unto the children of Israel, You
shall not go in to them, neither shall they come
unto you. These are the ones he loved. For surely
they will turn away your hearts after their idols.
Solomon cleaved unto this in love. Compromises
started. And he had 700 wives, princesses, and
300 concubines, and his wives turned away his
heart. For it came to pass when Solomon was old
that his wives turned away his heart after other
gods. Solomon, who breathed the... House of the
Lord. Now they are turning his heart. It says,
And his heart was not perfect with the Lord his
God, as was the heart of his father David. For
Solomon went after Ashtoreth, the goddess of
Zidonites. That is because of the wife's party.
Zidonites. And after Amalekom, the abomination
of the Ammonites. And Solomon did evil in the
sight of the Lord and went not fully after the
Lord. as did David his father. Then did Solomon
build a high place for Chemorosh, the abomination
of Moab, and the hill that is before Jerusalem,
for Molech, the abomination of the children of
Ammon. We did this in, you know what was happening
there. There are child sacrifices now involved
in it. The man of God. So, 9. And the Lord was
angry with Solomon because his heart. was turned
from the Lord, God of Israel, which had appeared
unto him twice. Ah, you see the Lord twice, as
conveys to the Lord, and yet commanded him concerning
this thing, this very thing, and commanded him
concerning this thing, that he should not go
after other gods, but he kept not that which
the Lord commanded. Where we are going to? I
don't know when it's like this, but I want to
show. The result of unequally yoking yourself
with unbelievers. You might be doing good, but
the moment you unequally yoke with unbelievers,
the result of it is that there is compromise.
There is compromise. So, if you go to Deuteronomy,
before we go, let's go to Deuteronomy 17, 17.
Deuteronomy 17, 17. You see an instruction. You
did what you were supposed to do. And you knew
it. So that is the result of unequally yoking.
So there was compromise and later on there was
consequences. Digital means 1717. They called
one of my friends who is here, his first NDF.
I had people calling me Solomon, Solomon. I asked,
I had these people calling me Solomon. But this
behavior is not like this one. They still call
him Solomon and he's here. Okay, so. Deuteronomy
17, 17. Can we start in 15? Thou shalt in any
way set him king over... 14, 14. When thou art
come unto the land which the Lord thy God giveth
thee, and shalt possess it, and shalt dwell therein,
and shalt say, I will set a king over me, like
as other nations that are about me. Yes. Thou
shalt in... And thou shalt in any way set him
king over you, whom the Lord thy God shall choose.
One from among thy brethren shalt thou set king
over thee. Thou must not set a stranger over
thee, which is not thy brother. But he shall
not multiply horses to himself, nor cause the
people to return to Egypt. To the end that he
should multiply. Horses. Solomon did this. He
went back. Not physically. For as much as the
Lord our God has said unto you, ye shall henceforth
return no more that way. 17. Neither shall he
multiply wives unto himself, that his hearts
turn not away. Neither shall he greatly multiply
to himself silver and gold. This is where the
problem of Solomon started. He built high places
for his wives because he unequally yoked himself
with the people who the Lord had told him that
he should not. So what was God doing? He was
protecting them and he was protecting Israel.
He knows the consequences of this. But Solomon,
he did all that he was instructed not to do.
That is what he did. For what reason? I wonder
why he didn't fight war. Because he was in -law
of those people. These people could not fight
him because their daughter was there. Yes, they
could. It was those people that were against
him back then. He's in -law. They could not fight
him. So there's a strategy. If you want to look
at it, it's a strategy to some degree. But it's
a compromise. It's a compromise. So, If you read
chapter 8, which you're not going to look at,
Solomon built the temple of the Lord. Chapter
8, 29, you see him praying. Then Solomon expanded
in royalty. Then immediately you see compromise
happening. Compromise happening in his life because
of what? He equally yoked himself when people
he was not supposed to. So sometimes as believers,
in our lives. I mean, you know, it is very recommendable
that your friends should be fellow believers.
Your friends should be fellow believers. These
specialists from your local church, you protect
yourself from anything. I want you to see a person
behaving anyhow. Go and check their followed
blood company. They'll tell you, mine has to
choke. Or mine has to find my name. I was sharing
with Pastor Fred one day. I went for evangelism.
I met one guy. I was so eager. That was Pastor
Imai. He preached a fire message about evangelism.
He said, I'm going for evangelism. I was with
a brother. He's now in Nigeria. I will not say
his name. So we went to EJT. We met a guy. We
went to preach. Ah, I will not give him space.
I wanted him to give me time. So I asked him.
I asked him. He agreed. He looked at me now,
at this brother. He says, young people, nations
are suffering. and you are here. You should be
looking for my name. Look at me. Look at that.
Yeah, I come to preach. I didn't come to talk
about economy. So, I'm not saying it's a bad
person. I mean, if you hang out with such people,
those are people you preach to, you leave them.
Right? I mean, not leave them as an outsider.
I mean, if they don't believe, it's better for
you to protect yourself. They shouldn't be your
friends. continue again preaching until they
believe that's when they will become friends.
That's the qualifying factor. One thing happened
is that if that person I brought him in, you
see, it's the person who said, you should wait
for your economy. We need to change Africa. We
need to change the Bible. You know, my country
is the one they attack most because of that one
billion notes. With one billion notes. So, 2008,
it's no longer there. One note, one billion.
Less than one dollar. So, one dollar was greater
than one billion dollars. Okay. So, If you hang
around those kind of people, before you know
it, you'll join again. Man has to work. Man has
to talk. Sunday service, your boss will say,
come and work. We'll give you extra 200 data.
200. 200. You'll go. You'll even be the one who
asks for work during Karate Smash. What's up?
Is there work? I'm free. No, I'm free to work.
So, be careful about it. It's not only about
marriages where you see an equal looking ex -husband.
No. Your friends, the people you keep around,
your housemates, you run away from brothers in
your house because they tell you, you won't join
those that are drunkards. Okay. We'll see. You
will stop attending church and you will know
you followed bad company. Okay. So, the scriptures
does not leave us in dark. We'll see examples
to follow. There are examples to follow. Right?
There are examples we should follow. The examples
we should follow. I'll start with this intentionally.
Your pastors. Hebrews 13 verse 7. We are not
in doubt for you know people who to follow. You
know people who to follow. Hebrews 13 verse 7.
Hebrews 13 verse 7. Remember them which shall
rule over you, who have spoken unto you the word
of God, whose faith follow. whose faith follow,
considering the end of their conversation. It
also puts a challenge on us, our cell leaders,
team leaders. Conduct yourself in a way that
is worth our calling. They may believe that the
people you are leading, they don't want to be
like you. That's one. That's Hebrews 13, verse
7. 1 Corinthians 11 verse 1. 1 Corinthians 11
verse 1. 1 Corinthians 11 verse 1. Be followers
of me as I also am of Christ. This is his church.
Listen. Apostle Paul is a pastor here. Here will
be Pastor Fred, Pastor Emmanuel, Pastor Chidi.
Right? Yes. Philippians 3 .17. Philippians 3
.17. Brethren, be followers together of me and
mark them which walk so as ye have asked for
an example. Look at how your pastors conduct
themselves. Look at how your pastors treat you.
That is how you are supposed to do it. Follow
them as they follow Christ. Philippians 4 .9,
then we'll see allowance. Philippians 4 .9. These
things which ye have both learned and received,
and heard and seen, where? In me. Do. And the
God of peace shall be with you. Which is, you
cannot go and, okay, this is, he's also a pastor
here. Don't go and do it and follow him. I want
to be like that, start here, the pastors. If
they are coming for meetings, that's how we see
whether you are learning really. And again we
see Sarah. In Sarah's life you see submission
and you see honour. Sarah, the wife of Abraham.
1 Peter 3 verse 5 to 6. Pastor Victor has taught
us also here. 1 Peter 3 verse 5 to 6. For after
this manner, in the old time, the holy women
also, who trusted in God, adorned themselves,
being in subjection unto their own husbands.
Even as Sarah obeyed Abraham, calling him Lord,
whose daughters he are, as long as you do well,
and are not afraid with any amazement. Even as
Sarah obeyed Abraham, calling him Lord, whose
daughters... Okay, I don't think it changed.
Then Hebrews 11 .11. You can hear that? Hebrews
11 .11. Though through faith, also Sarah herself
received strength and conceived seed and was
delivered of the child when she was past age
because she judged him faithful, who had promised.
So what do you see there? Faithfulness. Right.
Then also we see James 5 verse 10. James 5 verse
10. James 5 verse 10. Still on examples. James
5 verse 10. and the name of the Lord, for an
example of suffering affliction and of patience.
Job also, we see in Job chapter 1, verse 20 to
22. Go to James 5, verse 11. Go one verse after
10. That's one. Yes. Behold, we count them happy
which endure. Ye have heard of the patience of
Job, and have seen the end of the Lord. And have
seen the end of the Lord. That the Lord is very
pitiful and of tender mercy. One thing we see
there is perseverance on Job's side. Then, lastly,
the last one. 1 Peter 2 .21 -23 about our Lord
Jesus. 1 Peter 2 .21 -23. 1 Peter 2 .21 -23.
Can I have it in amplified AMP? For as a believer,
you have... Yes. As a believer, you have been
called for this purpose since Christ suffered
for you, leaving you an example so that you may
follow in his footsteps. He committed no sin,
example, nor was deceit ever found in his mouth.
While being reviled and insulted, he did not
revile or insult in return. The Father. While
suffering, he made no threats of vengeance, but
kept trusting himself to him who judges fairly.
Verse 24. He personally carried our sins in his
body on the cross, willing offering himself on
it as an altar of sacrifice, so that we might
die to sin, becoming immune from the penalty
of the power of sin, and live for righteousness.
For by his wounds, you who believed have been
healed. So, that's an example of Christ, right?
There's no screen today. Okay. Last test. I think
there's still like 10 minutes. It's finished.
Oh, okay. So, just write this down. No, they
didn't put screen today. So, just write this
one down. We are not going to open. You open
when you get home. Examples not to follow. 1.
Genesis 4, 3 -8. Genesis 4, 3 -8. 1 John 3, 12.
What you see there is hatred and murder. With
itself, it despises spiritual things. It's called
a profane person. Genesis 25, 29 -34. And also
Hebrews chapter 12, 16 to 17. Then we have Balaam
grieved. And Balaam, we put grieved. Numbers
chapter 22 to 24. 2 Peter 2, 15. Jude 1, verse
11. So, later on, as we go in the near future,
we'll see that when people don't walk in love,
in the local assembly, you see a problem similar
to that of the Corinthian church, which later
affected even the flow of the gifts of the Spirit.
So we'll look into that in the future. So let's
just close our eyes as we pray. Just thank God.
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 for additional
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care about until next time stay blessed