Truth Collection: 08.1626 | Pastor Deborah Powe

to die for us, so much to be thankful for us.

His tender mercies are new every morning. Oh

the fact that we can come to his throne of grace

and find help when we need it. It is a good day

to be grateful and of course you don't. we're

in our series uh talking about giving there's

a reason to praise that we have a reason to praise

god and i you know even those who are unsaved

don't know they have a reason to praise god because

god is holding back time giving them opportunity

to come to him so everybody has reason to praise

god so guys i'm excited about what god wants

to share with us this morning uh i've been tasked

with uh doing chapter five of Ephesians because

you know We are studying the book of Ephesians

talking about being grateful to God and I was

like, oh I would get 33 verses right to do but

we're gonna pray and get started Heavenly father

we give you praise we give you honor We thank

you Lord God for this awesome opportunity to

come and surround ourselves around your word

We thank you Holy Spirit that you are present

so that we have clarity understanding and enlightenment

Thank you father that we are have the ability

to apply the words to our lives and see the effect

that you do desire for it to be in our lives.

And we just give you the praise and the honor

in the name of Jesus. Amen. Amen. Well, you can

take your seats. Thirty -three verses. Can I

do it? Can I do it? Can I do it? As I was looking

over them, I'm like, oh God, okay. But I'm just

excited about it. You know, we've been studying

the book of Ephesians and it is particularly

actually written to the Gentiles and letting

us know the privileges that we have as a result

of coming into the kingdom and how we really

should be grateful to God that he included us.

I am so glad God decided to adopt us into his

family. How about you? Aren't you glad that God

talked about at one time we were without him,

that we didn't have a covenant at all with him.

But now, because of Jesus Christ, we all have

the same opportunity to have a relationship with

God. So again, looking in the book of Ephesians,

starting at chapter five, let me just give you

a little bit of background concerning the Church

of Ephesus. Ephesus was a center of commerce

and a lot of pagan worship was going on there.

And it challenged the Ephesians as to how they

were carrying out their lives because of all

the things that were surrounding them. And so

Paul wanted to warn them and talk to them about

Christian conduct, because somebody say Christian

conduct. uh because he didn't want them to be

deceived and confused and then he didn't want

them to accept the things that did not actually

line up with their new regenerated life and so

he he starts to write and i always would want

to remind you that this paul wrote letters the

this is part of a letter six chapters, we say,

of a letter. So it was a very long letter that

he was writing to the Church of Ephesus, but

he was trying to get them to see some things

and understand some things. And, you know, he

was just addressing things to make life go better

for them. So again, they were being pressured

because of everything going on around them, pretty

much like today. Pretty much like today, you

know. Culture is trying to dictate to everyone

how they should live their lives what god has

called us to live a different life And he don't

want us under that pressure or feel like that.

We need to act like the world And so therefore,

God is telling us that just because society agrees

with it does not necessarily mean that a Christian

should agree with what's going on. Just because

the majority are doing it does not mean that

a Christian should participate. And although

he says that we can do anything, he says, but

everything is not good for us. So therefore,

he's called us to a higher standard of thinking.

look at somebody say a higher standard of thinking.

So God is asking us to think on another level.

He's talking about having your thoughts to agree

with who you now have become. So in starting

in verse one of chapter five, it says in the

esv therefore be imitators of god as beloved

children he's telling us i want you to look like

me i want you to resemble me now he's not talking

about perfection because of course not any of

us are perfect but he is talking about how we

think how we measure things how we look at things

so he's telling us again um We live our lives

based upon the finished works of Jesus. There's

things that happen in our lives or things that

come to us that come to the world, but we know

that God has finished some things for us, so

therefore we don't have the same type of an attitude.

We don't have the same type of, we don't look

at things the way the world looks at things.

They may look at something as a disaster, but

we can talk to God and see it as he sees it.

See it as more than a conqueror. See, I'm going

to get through this. see it as devastation. During

hurricane season, you all know, just let the

wind stir a little bit. Man, it's going to tear

up everything. We've already plotted the path.

It's coming straight here. You need to get yourself

together. Everybody panics. Everybody run out.

You get all your hurricane things, and it ain't

even close. and it's how many how many you know

it changes so many times before it actually but

the world is his training people to be at unrest

to be uneasy to be in panic mode to think you

know i'm going to lose everything but the believer

knows even if i lose everything god is able to

give it back to me so we don't have the same

type of attitude so god has said you need to

imitate me You don't fall to the culture of this

world. And he's talking about this connection

with God with us is inseparable, that God is

always with us. He's never apart from us. Our

status with Jesus is completely set. So again,

he tells us to follow God's example. And then

he tells us, and walk in the way of love. walk

in the way of love. Let love, let the love of

Christ be our life. That everything we do is

foundation in his love and he will never abandon

us. He's always with us. And he's telling us

that this love that jesus christ had for us He

said it's supposed to be something that's contagious

In the fact that god says that I put my love

on the inside of you. So it's a supernatural

love It's an agape love. He's telling them he

says these are foundational things for you as

a believer This is how I want you to think in

the culture. That's trying to pressure you into

self You know what's in it for me? I'm not going

to invest unless I see the prophet in it. Well,

God did see the prophet in Jesus coming, but

all of it was sacrificial. That's the type of

love that he's telling us we should have for

one another. He said, be like Jesus, be like

I am. Our love is not conditional. Our love for

each other is a part of who we are. Therefore,

we conduct our lives based upon the agape love

of God, the unconditional love of God. It's a

deep type of love. It's an extravagant love.

It's a sacrificial love, but it pleases God.

And he says, I want you to have that same type

of love for one another. And he's telling us

that we can do this because of what happened

on the cross. He said, you can do this because

of what Jesus Christ has done. I mean, there's

some people I know for me that I didn't particularly

care about, but because of the love of God, I

don't have a hate or disdain towards them. You

all understand? But the world will do that. They

will cut you off and, you know, just I'm not

going to have anything else to do with you. I'm

not. But then God says that. The love that I

put on the inside of you He said i'm telling

you to imitate and this is the thing he says

because you can't do it See, there's nothing

that god asks us to do. We can't do he may have

to work with us But he says i'm all the while

at work in you To make you want to do What I

want you to do See, I I like that about god he

said you may not want to now, but I have a way

of getting you to want to do with you don't want

to do. See, that's what I'm saying. He's saying

that, you know, you need to imitate me. And so

all the flaws that we see in ourselves, God says,

I'm working on it. Look at somebody and say,

he's working on it. Look at him and say, because

you're going to want to do what you don't want

to do. I know some of us thought we would never

get over some things, but now it's like, ah,

I don't even care. Ah, don't even bother me no

more. Oh, you don't deserve me no more. I'm not

allowing you, I like how my woman of God says

it, Pastor Taffy, I'm not allowing you to rent

space in my mind anymore. The lease is over.

It's done. No more rental of space in my mind.

glory to God. But he says in verse three, but

among you, there must not be even a hint. Okay.

So now he's starting to talk about, listen, guys,

this is what's happening out there, but this

is not what we want to be happening here. He

tells, he says, but among you, there must not

even be a hint of sexual immorality. See going

on there, they had temples where they had temple

prostitutes. I mean it was all out in the open

and people just doing whatever it is they wanted

to orgies and he was like ho ho hold it that's

not you look at somebody say that's not me anymore

look at the person on the other side and say

that's not me anymore listen the thing of it

is God called us to a new God called us to a

new nature He put a new nature on the inside

of us and God sees it as a finished work And

he's forgiven us for seeing his past present

and future And he's saying that sometimes it

take a little bit for you to catch up with your

new nature So even though you may be participating

you got to tell yourself. That's not me anymore

And then you know understand that God is gonna

help you through this process But the new you,

that's not, that's not you anymore. Okay. How

many of you know that sometimes when people,

when people die, they said that more sometimes

that they are dead, but sometimes while they're

on the table, they'll twitch a little bit. There's

no life there, but the movement is kind of still

there. Y 'all getting what I'm saying? Praise

God. He says, but among you, there must not be

even a hint of sexual immorality or of any kind

of impurity or greed because these are improper

for God's holy people. You probably wonder what

I'm in NIV. I apologize. I see that. There we

go. He says, nor should there be obscenity, foolish

talk, of course, joking, which are out of place,

but rather Thanksgiving. So he's talking about

Our born -again experience should also impact

our communication, how we talk to people. He's

telling us that love has nothing in common with

lust and immoral acts or greed It is not it should

be not maimed among us He said these are things

that we should not indulge in just because the

world says it's okay Does not mean that god says

is okay just because you see a lot of it happening

Doesn't mean that you allow yourself to be dulled

your senses to be dulled. You know, that's what

happens The world likes to sometimes feed us

little bits and pieces of stuff and help you

to or have you to it become a normal thing for

you. And so they don't do it. Do I go there?

Okay. The gay agenda didn't start yesterday.

It started over 40 years ago. And so they had

a plan to help people or to get people to accept

what was happening. And so they did it little

by little. And they also knew that there would

be challenges that come against it, but it didn't

stop them. They actually took a pattern from,

what do you call it? A pattern from the black

people in our emancipation. So that's what I'm

saying. They will feed you little things society

will feed you things little by little now again

I'm not standing up here saying God hates gay

people, but I'm just saying they Wanted people

to accept the lifestyle so they began to test

it out Little by little and it was a 40 -year

plan and they actually did an article on it and

put it in a magazine and talked about how they

did it. So the world will feed you, culture will

feed you things little by little. And so till

you get used to it, till you get used to seeing

it, till it become common. And then what we do

is we just, we start to say, oh, that's acceptable

or that's okay. You know, again, not saying that

we are or hate or God even hate people who live

an alternative lifestyle. As far as God is concerned,

what he doesn't like, he doesn't like whether

you stealing, killing. It's like, I don't like

your behavior. It's not like that God don't like

you or love you. He does. It's not like they're

not gay people who are born again and saved.

It's just like you born again and saved and you

still may be stealing from your company. I don't

know, you understand what I'm saying? You all

understand what I'm saying? So we don't sit around

judging people's position with Christ. That's

not our thing. Glory to God. Oh, amen. He says,

for this you can be sure, and I need to clear

this up, no immoral, impure, or greedy person

such as a person is an idolater has any inheritance

in the kingdom of God, a kingdom of Christ. and

of God. Now, when you first look at that, you

think, man, if I'm doing, I did some of that.

What? I don't have an inheritance. Did I lose

my salvation? No. Paul is just saying that when

you practice these things, he said, you're not

acting like you have an inheritance in the kingdom

of God. He said those people that act like that.

that are prone to that those people who don't

have a renewed mind those people who don't have

not even a renewed mind those people who don't

have a new nature they don't have an inheritance

but you do people who are not born again don't

have an inheritance and these are the things

they practice but you have an inheritance and

you got to understand that your inheritance comes

from god so we don't practice what people do

who don't have an inheritance to God. So, you

know. If you messed up last night or messed up

this morning, it don't mean that God has thrown

you away or anything like that. He's just saying,

I want you to compare. Paul says, I want you

to look at what's going on. I want to teach you

how to walk through this life. And because you're

born again and because you're saved, but you

still have exposure to the world, I'm going to

tell you how you are to be separate from the

world. You got to think differently. I have a

different idea in my mind for you. Amen. He's

not telling you, losing your salvation. He's

just talking about, that's them. Look at somebody

say, that's them. See, because a lot of stuff

we have to, we have to start looking at it that

way. Just because it's happening doesn't mean

I participate. And there's some things you've

got to say, that's them. Remember Pastor Brian

taught us, he's about that when... We're trying

to minister to people who are not born again,

how they don't even understand what you're talking

about. They don't get it. You're trying to tell

them about the blessings of God. They don't have

the ability to even comprehend what it is that

you are saying. Because We have now been connected

and joined with Jesus Christ and God. We can

understand those good things that God has given

to us. We understand that I don't have to do

what you do in order to be happy. I don't have

to go over there. I don't have to sedate myself.

I don't have to be, the word says, be intoxicated.

And it doesn't just mean alcohol, it means intoxicated.

Your thinking is not clear. You think that the

thing that they're saying will bring you joy

is the thing that will bring you joy. He said,

you've been drinking the Kool -Aid, that ain't

gonna bring you joy. It may bring you a temporary

distraction. But it's not going to be a joy that

flows like a river So again Paul is having to

address these issues and not not as condemnation

But he's trying to get people to see there's

a difference in you now. There should be a difference

in you now You should be thinking different.

I know I know it's happening and it looked like

they having a ball It looked like everything

is just going great. It just looked like they're

on top of the world But what's happening on the

inside of them and they do not have everlasting

life They do not have eternal life how God says

and he said they are in the world without me

Yeah, they're in the world without me He said

let no one deceive you with empty words and what

he means by that Don't let anybody start telling

you what I said is not true telling you it's

okay. Have you ever had someone to tell you it's

okay to do something wrong when you knew it was

right? It'll be okay. It'll be all right. It

won't hurt anybody. He said, let no one deceive

you with empty words, for because of such things,

God's wrath comes on those who are disobedient.

He's talking about not disobedient in that we're

sinning. He's talking about those who are not

born again. He said, my wrath is upon those people

who've not accepted Jesus as Lord of their life.

He's telling, again, he's saying that don't act

like that. Help us, Jesus. He says in verse seven,

therefore do not be partners with them. Don't

be partners with them. And you know, all of us

are being transformed. All of us are getting

new ideals and new attitudes as we read the word

of God. God is all the while at work in us to

do of his good pleasure. So what God may be working

on me with may not be what he's working on you

with. So therefore we cannot measure one another

and determine what someone else ought not to

be doing because God is convicting you of what

you are not to be doing. He's talking to you.

Look at somebody said this is personalized. This

is personalized and I wanted to say that because

I want to give you this example When I work for

General Motors, they often went out I think it's

like every Tuesday night after work they went

to a lounge somewhere to drink and I would never

go and So they kept saying well, why don't you

go? I said, well, I don't want to go there was

like well, you'll be an antisocial My mind I'm

thinking I was hired to do a job. I wasn't hired

to go with you after but at any rate If you work

in an office setting, they want everybody to

be team building. The team building situation.

Deborah, you can just come. You don't even have

to actually drink. But God had another road for

me to travel. He wanted me to be a pastor. And

so, therefore, I'm talking to people about Jesus.

I can't be doing things that... God is convicting

me of. Me of. And so therefore, you know, how

can I stand in front of people and tell them

what God is telling me to tell them if I'm participating?

Somebody say happy hour. I don't know if they

were happy or not, but whatever it was. But I'm

just telling you, God... Oh, I love it because

God is such a individual God. I like it when

Pastor Brian says that we're no longer shopping

off the rack, but it's like God is tailoring

us for the mission that he has for us. So, you

know, I can pray for you, you can pray for me,

but I can't judge you and what you're doing.

I mean, unless it's blaming you or really stealing,

and then, of course, if you're not born again,

I really can't get on you about stealing because,

you know, you're subject to steal. But if you

were born again, I have a right to say, you know

what? You're acting out of character. If you're

stealing, you're acting out of character. Look

at somebody say, sometimes we act out of character.

And so, Paul is saying, listen here, this is

who you really are. Because you're born again

because you are a child of the most high God

because you're supposed to be Imitating me. I

don't want it to be a double standard going on

here I don't it's so blatant in the world telling

Church of F's it's so blatant in the world He

said there's got to they got to see a difference

somewhere There's got to be a distinction somewhere

don't otherwise what's the point of coming over

to your side? If there is not a difference. Now,

he's not talking about weird and crazy, but he

is talking about being different. There should

be a standard that comes from within that says,

I don't participate in that anymore. I don't

do that anymore. Again, you may slip and fall,

but that's not my nature anymore. And that's

why it's like, that's not me anymore. And I know

it may sound crazy, and I'm sure you've been

hearing it if you've been listening to different

messages, depending on who you listen to. Whenever

someone messes up, you kind of remind yourself,

this is not me. And eventually, as you talk to

me, then eventually it kicks in, God gives you

the assistance necessary, and you stop doing

what it is that you're doing. Because God is

there to help you get through he will give you

the strength. He'll give you the might He'll

give you the energy to do what he says to do

Let me let me that's not on my agenda. Let me

see a few people clap them, but it's okay It's

okay, it's true anyway Okay Philippians chapter

Philippians 2 · chapter mention

2 and verse 13. I'm going to read this out of

the Amplified. It says, not in your own strength,

for it is God who is all the while effectually

at work in you, energizing and creating in you

the power and desire both to will and to work

for his good pleasure and satisfaction and delight.

It's God who's working in you. He's gonna give

you the strength. He's gonna give you the power

He's gonna give you the energy. He's gonna give

you the desire to do what he wants you to do

That's why we don't get into the self condemnation

thing we don't get into the It's kind of it's

like a debauchery tearing myself down because

I messed up Because God said, I'm the one who

is going to help you get through this. I'm the

one who's going to help you get past these things

and thank God. Somebody say thank God. He will.

How many of them had that happen? I was doing

something. I know I shouldn't do it. But I just

kept feeling like I kept falling, falling, every

time falling. And see, it's like three people

got their hands up. I know everybody in here

has gone through a time in your life that you

were trying to stop doing something, but you

just couldn't seem to stop doing it. Every time

it's like, ah, man. Some people, even while they

were doing it, they were saying, I shouldn't

be doing this. I shouldn't be doing this. And

God says, you're born again. You got a new nature.

I'm going to work with you on that. I'm going

to work with you on that. And then the taste

went away, the desire to do it anyway. It was

like, you know what? I don't even need that no

more. I'm on a whole new high. Look at somebody

say, I'm on a whole new high. That comes from

Jesus Christ. I'm on a whole new high. I don't

even need any of that. So again, he says don't

let people deceive you with empty words that

is saying it's okay. It's all right It never

hurt anybody don't harm but listen it can hurt

me from the inside out if I participate in what

you're talking about So he says don't be partners

with them For you were once darkness But now

you are light in the Lord live as children of

the light for the fruit of the light consists

in all goodness, righteousness, and truth. So

he says, you once were like that. You once were

darkness. You once could not help yourself because

you didn't see wrong as wrong. You didn't see

it the way God sees it. You didn't even have

the ability to see it that way. He called those

people, he said, those people live in the dark.

He said, and you used to be like that, too. Look

at somebody say, you know. you know you your

stuff may not look like my stuff but you was

all in the you was all in it you was all in it

so he said you you used to look like that but

understand that's not you anymore look at somebody

say that's not you anymore that's why I talk

to people you know you have to tell them that

that's that's not you That's not who you are.

You're a brand new creature in Christ Jesus.

You're born again. You got a new nature. The

Bible says that God gives us the power to overcome

sin. He said, you don't have to, look at somebody

say, you don't have to sin. I know it's hard

as that may sound, but we don't have to. because

we're not under that lordship anymore. I didn't

say that we don't, but I'm just telling you,

you don't have to. Glory to God. Somebody said,

I'm waiting for God to give me the energy and

the strength and the power and the might. He

says, find out what pleases the Lord. Have nothing

to do with the fruitless deeds of darkness, but

rather expose them. He's talking about when you

walk in the light, it causes darkness to be exposed.

And he's like, so you walk in the light, you

stand firm in who you are. It doesn't matter

what people think or what they say. Some people

may depart from you, but it doesn't matter because

you're right with God. You're doing it because,

and listen, this is so good to me. You're doing

it, guys, not because you're made to do it. I

like it because God said, because you want to.

I want to, it's not a, it's not a, we're not

under the law that says that if you do this then

you're condemned to hell, but he says that a

Christian who stays connected with God, a Christian

who builds a relationship with God will just

on their own start to put some things aside,

put them away. Not because somebody told them

or made them to do it, but it's the spirit of

God working on the inside of us. We have to understand

that God put himself on the inside of us. His

spirit lives on the inside of us. with us so

that we will do what God wants us to do. And

it's not a forced issue, so therefore we don't

have to be afraid when we mess up thinking that

God has departed from us. He has not departed

from us. He still is with us. He's still gonna

be working with you. He's still gonna be showing

you why this is the best way to go. He's still

gonna be letting you know that the best thing

you can do is do what God says to do because

your life is going to be better. You're gonna

be lighter. You're gonna be full of more joy.

be happy when other people are sad. You can rejoice

when other people are downtrodden. You are going

to be a whole new creature in Christ Jesus. Hallelujah.

And God has said, I'm looking for my resemblance

in you. But the thing of it is, he sees it. It's

just that sometimes we don't see it. So God operates

according to what he sees. That's why he can

be good to us when we being bad. Look at somebody

say, he can be good when you're being bad. Hallelujah.

And so Paul is trying to get them to understand

their new life in Christ Jesus. This is what

happens as a new person in Christ Jesus. I don't

know why people think Christians don't have fun.

I am so delighted to be a Christian and a believer.

I'm so excited about the fact that I am forgiven.

I'm so excited that God is for me and not against

me. I am so excited that God uses his power to

work with me. I'm so excited about grace, the

grace of God. I'm so excited that it is his righteousness

that God is not looking at me and determining

what he's going to do and what he's not going

to do because all the promises are yes. And I

say, amen. Let it happen, God. So be it, God.

Let that happen for me. Glory to God. Oh, I'm

telling you. So therefore he's saying, listen,

you're not going to lose out on anything. You're

not going to lose any peace. You're not going

to lose any joy. You're not going to lose any

fun. He said, you're not going to lose out on

anything as a result of following. who Christ

Jesus is. He says having nothing to do with the

fruitless deeds of darkness but rather expose

him. It is shameful even to mention what the

disobedient do in secret. He said, you don't

need to be talking about that all the time. You

know, I don't know why believers seem to be surprised

about what unsaved people do. Why you acting

like you surprised? I can't believe they're doing

this. Why can't you believe? We act like we shocked

and in awe. It's like, I just, I mean, I just,

can you, can you believe what that person did?

They are insane. Oh yeah. They can invent evil.

Do you know the word of God says that? Say people,

they're inventors of evil, so they always coming

up with something. They always coming up with

something that goes against what you know is

right. So he said, you know, we don't sit around,

I mean, we may mention it, but what are we gonna

do about it? Are we gonna pray about it? What

is the entertainment in it? Why are we so entertained

by what the world is doing? God is not doing

anything great enough in your life that you want

to celebrate that? Talk about how good that is.

I know you're clapping your hands, but I do know

what people do when they go home. They forget

about everything said in here that they clapped

about. Some of y 'all can't wait to get outside

and tell somebody something. Did you know have

you heard did you see I can't believe God is

so good He says but everything exposed by the

light becomes visible and everything that is

illuminated Becomes a light. This is why it is

saying he's talking about this is what the scriptures

say wake up sleeper rise from the dead and christ

will shine on You he's talking about us living

in the light and not speaking empty words listening

to what god has to say not living by deception

understanding that um It's the grace of God and

the mercy of God that's always working with us.

And then I just want to take this little pause

for a moment because although we are forgiven

for sin, past, present and future, the Bible

tells us that there are consequences that come

with sin. The only thing concerning a believer

is we face the consequences with God's grace

and mercy working on our behalf. And what do

I mean by that? That means that what you deserve

is not as harsh as it could be. But there still

are consequences. There are earthly consequences

to sin. If you rob a bank, the consequence of

our society say you need to go to jail. Depending

on what it is, you need to spend at least this

much time in jail. Grace and mercy can work with

you and you may not have to spend as much time.

That's God's mercy and his grace working on your

behalf and some people have even gotten off some

things because of grace mercy and grace, but

you deserved You deserve whatever Was there so

then as believers we don't we don't test God's

grace and mercy You know people say I can do

whatever I want to because of the grace of God.

He's our own don't come with some consequences

They may not be as heavy. Oh, but they're going

to be some I Just want to put that in there just

so that you'd understand that we don't get the

liberty because of God's goodness to live Hap

hazard life and then say grace is gonna take

care of it Yes, and a man will move on be very

careful then how you live not as unwise but as

wise making the most of every opportunity because

the days are evil he's like just don't just don't

live don't just exist but live a life that is

pointed towards something live a life that's

dedicated to god live a life uh not as as i said

as foolish people people who don't know anything

as pastor brian said act like you learn some

lessons you do know some stuff Act like you learned

some lessons. He says, therefore, do not be foolish,

but understand what the Lord's will is. Understand

what the Lord's will is. He says, do not get

drunk over wine, which leads to debauchery. Instead,

be filled with the Spirit, speaking to one another

with psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs. singing

and making music from your heart to the Lord.

Again, he's just talking about how we conduct

our lives and how we understand that we're full

of the Spirit of God and how we need to speak

to each other, how we need to encourage one another,

how we need to be undergirding one another, how

we need to be stirring one another up. He said

this is what we do as believers. We don't allow

ourselves to get intoxicated with things where

we can't think clearly about what it is that

we are doing. He said, always giving thanks to

God the Father for everything in the name of

our Lord Jesus Christ. And what he means is there's

always a reason to give God praise. There's always

a reason to exalt him. There's always a reason

to give him glory. And then Paul turns and he

says, now let me tell you what the church looks

like. Let me tell you what the church looked

like and so he starts in verse 21 He says submit

to one another out of reverence for Christ Submit

to one another are the reverence for Christ because

he is comparing marriage to the church and He's

talking about showing perfect courtesy to everyone

showing courtesy to the person that you were

married to showing courtesy in the church to

the body of believers And it's talking about

not being selfish, showing perfect courtesy to

one another, just like how God loves us. It means

to be supportive of one another. He's talking

about marriage, but he's talking about this is

how the church is supposed to be. We're supposed

to be supportive of one another. We should be

courteous to one another. We exhibit selflessness.

Amen? Then he says, wives, submit yourselves

to your own... husbands. I remember I used to

read this and say it thought to myself he means

slave because that's how it was taught to me

just do what I'm telling you to do but he's talking

about wives giving themselves fully to your husband

being devoted to them being faithful being loyal

being dedicated being committed because that's

how God does with us he says um Respond to them

as the way you will respond to God Not that they

are God because we I had to clear that up with

God when he told me that a that Sarah called

Abraham Lord I said no Jesus is the Lord Jesus

is Lord But he says you're responding to them

Like you would to God in light of a light of

the finished works of Jesus and he's talking

about love a commitment does not fluctuate talking

about a commitment does not fluctuate and so

god he's he's again he's talking about that he's

comparing the church and marriage and he's talking

about the relationship we should have with uh

the church has with one another as a husband

you should be able to look at a husband and wife

marriage union and see it see it happening the

way it happens in the body of christ he says

for the husband is the head of the wife You know,

you have to clarify these words here. That almost

sounds like servitude, right? And honestly, this

is what I used to think. Even unsaved men had

to nerve enough to read this scripture or somebody

told them. They misunderstood it, but, you know,

saved, unsaved. No, you're supposed to do what

I say do. Remember, you're supposed to submit

to me. I'm like, hold up. God help me, that sounds

like slavery. Oh, but he says in the same way,

let me just read the full verse. He says, for

a husband is the head of the wife as Christ is

the head of the church, his body of which he

is the savior. Now this is heavy because he says

in the same way that Christ gives salvation,

security, completes. to the church, that's the

same way the husband should be to the wife. The

husband should be all that a wife needs. You

are supposed to complete them in the fact that

they don't need anything else. They have need

of nothing because you're there. He said, now

as the church submits to Christ, so also wives,

he goes back to it, so also wives should submit

to their husbands in everything. Now listen,

he ain't talking about you being Bunny and Clyde.

You ain't submitting to stuff. He said it's like

it's like the church enjoys a full advantage

of being complete in christ then the wife should

enjoy the full advantage of being complete to

with her husband, um As they yield themselves

to christ the wife yields himself to christ.

He says even so the wife enjoys every benefit

her husband represents in her The wife should

be able to enjoy every benefit that you bring

to the table and and because because then she's

she's able to abandon she's able to abandon herself

to him because i know you're not you're gonna

treat me like christ you're not gonna hurt me

you're not gonna harm me you're you're not gonna

do things that to And the husband is saying I

complete you in this way therefore the wife can

in abandonment just flow with it be devoted He

says because that's the way christ is you you

shouldn't we're not afraid of christ and what

he's going to do We believe that christ is going

to do the best for us always have us in mind

always thinking about us Therefore because you

are my safety. You are my security. I can abandon

myself to you. I can submit myself to you. I

can feel safe with you and so he's saying that's

the way that's how christ treats the church and

as he says as you reflect back to me in your

security in me so it's not a lordship over anybody

glory to god saying the wife say amen i got any

amens from god i still heard the women i don't

have any What time is it? Okay. He says in verse

25, husbands love your wives just as Christ loves

the church and gave himself up for her to make

her holy, cleansing her by the washing with water

through the word. He's telling the husband to

love their wives as Christ loves the church.

And that's what he's saying that that's what

marriage is all about. It's all about celebrating

what love brings to the table, the unconditional

love of God that brings to the table. And he's

talking about whether the husband or the wife

is about a celebration of what this union is

all about and what it should look like. And he's

talking about us being committed beyond the sense

of duty or guilt. It's not a duty thing that

I do. It's something I desire to do. It's something

I want to do. It's not, I gotta do this. I don't,

I don't, do I go there? Oh, let me see. Do I

go there? Do I go there? When I got ready to

get married, my mom came to have a talk with

me and she was like, Deborah, there's some things

you just gonna have to do. I'm like, what? I'm

like, what are you talking about? She said, you

know, cause men are men and they're just. And

they gonna act this way and they gonna act that

way. And I'm pretty sure men had other men or

their fathers to tell them, well, you know women.

And you know, what is it? Somebody say, just

say okay to them, just say. All right, just I

mean just to keep it there, but he's talking

he's not talking about that. That's not how we

treat God. That's not how we treat Jesus. That's

not how Jesus treats us. It's not something that

is done out of obligation, but it's something

that I want to do. It's something I desire to

do. I want to submit to you. The husband wants

to say you know what I want to complete you.

I want to supply whatever it is that you need.

I want to be there. We're working as a team together

and we both profit as a result of us. Respecting

one another and supporting one another Glory

to God didn't know this was going to be yeah,

okay And it's just a picture of completely loving

one another completely loving one another And

this verse even talks about the husband is demonstrating

the love for their wives Just like Christ does

the church That's how you supposed to look at

your wife like Christ loves the church and the

Bible says and he gave his life For the church

and he giving his life. He was like I did what

was I died so that you could profit So I'm looking

out for you. I'm looking at what's best for you

And he says, and he's just talking about, again,

looking at the relationship between the church

and God, the church and Jesus Christ, you're

supposed to be treating each other the same way.

Mutual respect for one another. He's talking

about the fact that, again, that telling the

man, as Christ loved the church, And gave him

life his life for it. The bible says I can't

remember where it is He said you must seek how

you can please one another So it's not anything

that happens automatically. You have to seek

the lord as how to please one another Everybody

operating and doing what it is that they need

to do and understanding their role, but again

not forced But wanting to look at somebody and

say they need to want to talking about the husband

and the wife you got to you got to want to glory

to god hallelujah and to resent her to himself

as a radiant church without staying wrinkle or

any blemish but holy and blameless in verse 28

it says in this same way husbands are to love

their wives as their own bodies their own bodies

he who loves his wife loves himself and he's

talking about you know you take care of your

body you see that things are should you should

be taking me and you should be taking care of

your bodies and making sure everything is working

well in your body he says that you should do

the same thing when it comes to your wife you

should be indebted to her in the same manner.

And he's talking about this should be the most

valuable thing in your life. This should be the

thing if you are married, this should be the

most valuable thing in your life. He's talking

about again that you would not intentionally

hurt your own self. you wouldn't intentionally

abuse yourself. So therefore he's saying don't

intentionally abuse, don't intentionally hurt.

And I remember Grace always say, he said that

God called the wife to be your help mate. If

you damage your help, how can they help? They

won't be able to help. If you downgrade them,

if you tell them they're nothing, if you treat

them like they're not important, if you treat

them like they don't have a say -so, if you treat

them that way, then when you need the help, you

won't have the help that you need. So he says

you love them as if they are a gift, you love

them as if they are important, you love them

as if they are precious. because they are precious

to God. And likewise, the wife is able to respond

because she believes that you see something in

her. Hallelujah. That's why you just don't go

off and marry beauty or bronze. Because they

can't see your worth, ladies. They can't see

your worth. And men, you don't want to get with

someone who has no worth. Can't bring something.

We do have the family conference coming up, so

I don't have to expound on any of those things.

Oh my goodness, I think I'm over my time. Oh

my, three more verses, okay. For we are members

of the body. For this reason, a man will leave

his father and mother and be united to his wife

and the two will become one flesh. He's talking

about how Jesus Christ joined with us and we

became one flesh with him. He lives in us, we

live in him, we became one flesh. We're no longer

the same people we were as individual, but now

we've come together to create something totally

new. Totally new. I remember when we had to realize

that when our children started getting married,

It was like, wait, we didn't know you did that.

Well, the influence of the wife, the influence

of the husband, they're becoming one new person.

And so you can't treat them like this is my little

Johnny. This is my little Kathy. No, they have

just become. And you shouldn't have the influence

that you had before. And I'm just going to say,

so stay out of their business, parents. They're

coming together to create oneness that God called

them to be together. Single, they were someone

else. But now, a man separates himself from his

parents and become glued. to his wife. These

used to be separate people are now one. They

have a new identity. They have a new identity.

So when we came with Christ and he joined with

us, moved on the inside of us, we became someone

new, right? Our attitudes, our thoughts, how

we looked at things are different. You can't

get married and still live a bachelor life. You

united with somebody now. Look at somebody say,

you joined together. So you have to treat it

as a union, not as an individual. The message

Bible says, when you get married, it is not your

time to declare independence. world is saying

and I was like this is crazy I've heard people

saying I want to get married but I want to live

in my own house y 'all hadn't heard that oh no

oh yeah that's what that's what society is saying

now I want my own space we can come together

but then at the end of the day maybe two or three

nights then I need to go home because I need

to be myself why'd you get married oh no they're

promoting that Society is saying that. That's

why he's saying don't get adapted to the culture

around you. They doing some crazy stuff. See,

whereas, you know, normally, you know, I need

some separation time, you go in the kitchen and

I go in the living room. No, they like, no, I

go to my own house. Oh, little by little. one

of you also must love his wife as he loves himself

and the wife must respect her husband so again

he's drawing a conclusion and saying this is

how the church look this is how your marriage

should look also and no one has he's selling

the man no one has an any no one has an excuse

to love his wife less than he loves himself At

the same time, every wife is now free and fully

empowered to honor her husband and in the same

context and devotion as the church would respond

to the love initiatives of Christ. We love like

Christ loves. Amen. That was verse 33. Praise

God. He's telling us that we need to see ourselves

in light of the new person, the new creation.

We don't act like the world. And again, he was

telling the Church of Ephesus, we don't act like

them. We've taken on a new life. We join with

Christ. And so now we think differently. We see

differently. If you are confused about that,

God will straighten it out for you. Amen. Heavenly

Father, we give you praise. We give you honor.

We thank you, Lord God, for your word. Thank

you, Holy Spirit, for illuminating to us how

God wants us to respond as the church. Thank

you, Lord God, that we are not adapting ourselves

to culture around us, but instead we're looking

to see what the finished works of Jesus Christ

has brought us into. We're looking to operate

and to excel in what you see how you see it father

We thank you that we are believers and that we

Represent you here on this earth and I thank

you Lord God that our light shows up darkness

so others could come to the light and we just

give you the praise and the honor in the name

of Jesus amen amen amen amen praise god and if

there's anyone today who is not born again does

not have a relationship with god this is your

opportunity to do so god loves you so so very

much and he wants to uh he wants you to have

access to him and he says that's a very easy

thing to do because jesus christ has done all

of the He's already done everything necessary

for you to just accept him as a Lord. And so,

like I said, it's just very simple. He said,

just believe and accept the gift that Jesus Christ,

he died for all of our sins. so that it could

open the door for us to come to know God so if

that is you if you will raise your hands well

actually uh if it's you and you've made a decision

to become born again that's what we call it a

save we would love for you to do the tap on the

um back of the um the chairs back of the they're

not pews but yeah pew chairs if you would just

tap there and let us know that you have made

that decision. For those of you who are online,

of course, we'd like for you to type that in

the chat, and someone from my church will get

in contact with you and help you to understand

the wonderful and awesome decision that you have

made. God does not want us to walk this journey

by ourselves, so we always encourage those who

are getting born again, getting saved, want to

have a relationship with God. We encourage you

always to join a church. It's so important that

you get amongst believers because we are there

to support you. We're there to help you to make

spiritual progress. We are there to help stir

you up and keep you connected with the father.

So I am suggesting that you join Revealing Truth

Ministries. It's a good place to come. It's a

good place to fellowship with fellow believers.

And I believe that when God puts it on your heart

to join a church that there's something on the

inside of you. that God has put there that is

good for that group and body of people. You're

going to be there as one who is important, someone

who has value in that assembly. Also, I believe

that the church you join is one that's going

to encourage you, walk with you, be beside you,

be one who helps stirs you up, keep you informed,

be encouraging to you. So it's a win -win when

we do what God is asking us to do, amen? amen

so if you will again type that in the chat we'll

get with you for those of you who are in the

sanctuary if you will do the tap on the back

of the pews then there will be some things that

we want you to fill out concerning getting saved

amen amen and now we can celebrate because it's

offering time praise god i'm so glad that god

says that this is something we get to participate

in and have fun doing it he said he loves a cheerful

giver whose heart is in his giving he said you

know what this should be a celebratory time it

should be a good time it should be something

that you want to do it should be something that

is prompted from your It's like, God, I wanna

do this. How many of you like to be a blessing

to other people? How many of you just, I mean,

it's just like, you know what? Let me, God. I

always wanted to be in that category of let me,

God. Let me be able to meet the league. Let me

be the one who has to give. God helped me to

be able to give into, and he said, every good

work and charitable donation. And you know what?

God didn't have to make me do it. I just really

wanted to do it. And it's just like, I like this,

God. How many of you like being in a position

to assist, to help, to aid? God says that, he

says, I love a cheerful giver. Again, whose heart

is in their giving. I'm prompted and I'm moved

by God. You know, I'm not prompted to move everybody,

but I'm so happy that God prompts me to move,

to be a part of somebody's betterment. And I

love giving to the church because I see what

the church does. I see how it impacts other people's

lives. Also, I learned to trust God by giving.

I learned to trust God by giving. And what I

mean by that, God would prompt in my heart to

give something and I would be a little reluctant

because guess what I was doing? I was counting

the balance. I was like, hey. But then I knew

it was God. Ooh, and I'm so glad God never let

me down. And what I mean by that, I didn't miss

anything. I did not miss a beat, because God

wasn't trying to bankrupt me. You understand

what I'm saying? God never asks you for what

you don't have. He never does. So following God

and hearing what he has to say is my great delight.

It's my great delight. And so that's why God

says This is the this is the kind of a private

moment between me and you and no one else and

so that's how we give a man Hey, man All right.

I believe that's all I have for you. I don't

see anything Else that's necessary. Thank you

guys for hanging in there I mean after all I

had 33 verses I had to go through then I had

to take a few detours because y 'all ain't like

I you didn't know what I was talking about, but

anyways We just we just don't operate like them

Although them is very loud Hey man, well if you

would please stand to your feet And if you would

repeat after me, now unto him.