Truth Collection: 08.09.26 We Have A Reason To Praise | Pastor Bryan Powe

took on flesh and so that me and you could be

one with God the Father. How could we in our

humanity and brokenness share space with such

a holy God other than to be introduced by the

holiest one which is Jesus. So I know he died

so that me and you could share space with the

holy god and the creator of the universe and

that we could be be be brought back into union

with what man messed up i know why but the song's

still here the song's still here but i'll pray

we'll jump into it y 'all ready to get into the

word today thank y 'all you know they even got

the blood on the day the red Father, I gotta

thank you for today, and I just thank you for

this opportunity to come and to minister to your

people. I just thank you for this sweet atmosphere,

this convergence of generations. This is what

we believed for, this is what we prayed for,

and I'm thankful, God, to be in this moment with

both those who have been in the faith and those

who have just been introduced to the faith and

just sharing. what has been rich for generations.

Thank you, God, for bringing us together and

having us here and experience what has been good

for generations. Thank you for today. Thank you

for loving us and inviting us into this moment

with you. As we open up your word, we are asking

your spirit to guide us to illuminate the text

and reveal to us what you have for us today.

We cannot expect to come to you without your

spirit being the guide and walk away with truth.

But we pray that today your spirit invade this

atmosphere, invade this moment, and remind us

of who we are and what you've done and just the

precious promises you have for us. And I just

pray in the mighty name of Jesus that this moment

be glorifying to you, Father. In your precious

name, I pray the name above all names y 'all

say with me jesus. Amen with love on your neighbor

and Amen y 'all go ahead and turn over to ephesians

chapter four And um, we we did all of chapter

three last week, right Y 'all was excited about

that Hope y 'all excited about that because we're

gonna do chapter four today. So hey, there you

go Let's keep the let's keep it going and so

turn me to Ephesians chapter four and and I am

I am grateful for your your hunger and thirst

for truth, you know, that's how I see it that

um, you have a hunger and thirst for truth and

So as much as I could say a lot of things, truthfully,

the most powerful thing that will happen in this

service is what God will say to you as it's happening.

And so as we read the word, my expectation is

for the word to do what I don't even have the

eloquence to speak. And so I pray you guys don't

get dull of hearing the word of God being read

to you. Amen. But just to set some context, right,

that one of the. Awesome things about Ephesians

chapter four is it actually is a crossover, right?

there's six books in the in Ephesians and the

first three actually laying a spiritual foundation

and Then when we get to four five and six Paul

gets extremely practical about how we are to

live what we just learned and so it is important

that we take everything that we've heard these

first three chapters and kind of kind of live

from there right and Understand this that as

you're hearing this, you know, the truth is designed

first check this out to to confront before it

transforms the fruit truth confronts before it

transformed and so I say that so that you don't

Feel like it's a it's a it's a wrong thing It's

actually the right thing that as we're reading

the word and you're like man that I don't know

about that That's that's this beginning of transformation

that there's confrontation before this transformation

y 'all rocking with me And so we're not reading

the word so it just lines up with us We're reading

the word so we can find what's in us. That's

that doesn't belong there and the word can begin

the transformation of it of it of it No longer

being connected to who we are but the fees and

chapter four just to give you guys some I'm even

I'm holding on to it, you know, because once

it's out there it's out there and so I'm hoping

I'm saying enough to say with the title of today's

messages, but it's already gonna hit you So it

might as well just be what it is But when you

look at a vision chapter four, especially the

lens we'll be looking through today It's saying

something really powerful that I think we all

need to hear today and it's simply this people

aren't your problem people aren't your problem

and i know i'm no different than a lot of you

guys i probably spend a lot of my day just saying

to myself it's these it's the people y 'all be

leaving me all by myself in certain moments but

it's okay i know it's true a lot of times you

sit down at the end of day like you know if i

just have some better people around me Some people

that would agree with what I see or just you

know But at the end of the day you come to this

conclusion that people are the problem but as

you read Ephesians chapter 4 it challenges us

Ephesians 4 · chapter mention

because it lets us know that People aren't your

problem So go ahead look at your neighbor. Let's

just practice it right y 'all know I love for

us to practice say it say hey neighbor people

Aren't your problem? Matter of fact Ephesians

begins to challenge us to not only stop seeing

people as the problem But to see people as a

part a part of what could possibly be Your growth

And so here we go and Just to kind of put this

here right Ephesians 6 and 12 tell us where we

do not wrestle Against flesh and blood but against

principalities and spirits in high places. So

it always lets us know put this in Context, you

know when and one of the benefits that this truth

is giving us is for us to be free from people

Because as long as you believe people can be

your problem. It's hard to be free from people

And so the Bible is trying to get you free but

it has to address how you see people in the the

weight you give them to what God is doing in

your life and and It's wanting to make sure that

you give appropriate rate weight to the relationships

and the people that Surround you y 'all. All

right But a fees is chapter 4 starting in verse

Isaiah 4 · chapter mention

1 it says therefore I'm reading the ESV Says

I therefore a prisoner for the Lord. That's Paul

talking urge you to walk in a manner Worthy of

the calling to which you have been called and

right there Just we're gonna pause just to sell

a context right that that that we're even seeing

Paul Apply that same principle right there. He

says a prisoner for the Lord Paul wasn't mad

at the people who put the chains on them He's

already taken this condition that many of us

would see as as as as As a challenge and he's

put it in context of who God is once you start

putting things in context of who God is you get

the filter to be able to Live and see things

the way God wants you to be that's where we're

last. We just give me a second Y 'all remember

just give me a second so I can I can put this

in the context of of who God is And so he says

prison floor. I urge you what to walk in a manner

Worthy of the calling to which you have been

called and so just to do some some fine -tuning

right there When he says walk in a manner he's

speaking of us Living a life of faith when he's

speaking a walk they talk about walking and they

mirror walking to living And so while he's saying

I want this is the way that you should be living

say hey neighbor You should be living Worthy

of the calling Now we get here that calling that

Paul begins to break down as we go through Ephesians

Ephesians 4 · chapter mention

chapter 4 isn't talking about Like, you know

a lot of times we think about my calling my calling

what what Paul is referring to is the called

The call that if you responded to Jesus and said

yes to his calling you are now the called and

So he's speaking to every born -again believer

that if you said yes to Jesus you answered his

call and now you are what church Boy, y 'all

are good. Y 'all are sharp You are the calling

him say hey neighbor you are the called and so

he's saying, you know Understand that you may

have individual gifts But as the call there's

a way we should walk That as a person who was

snatched out of darkness into God's marvelous

light that you were called into the kingdom There

is a generalized way in which you should be living

Right. There may be nuances based upon your your

personal gifts and within it but as the call

look you say hey neighbor as the called There's

a universal way that oh y 'all gotta say all

that When I pause it's supposed to be a break

-in I thought I went over this before y 'all

remember this a few weeks ago. I said hey when

I pause this I'm giving space to disconnect the

repeating If Paul is saying this because he doesn't

want anybody here what else is about to be said

to say that ain't me And so that's really why

that's there that none of us can escape the truth

that's coming So verse 32 he says with all humility

and gentleness and patience Bearing with one

another in love eager to maintain the unity of

the spirit in the bond of peace so Paul begins

to say that there are virtues attitudes that

as the call We should be walking in three of

them are witches humility gentleness and patience

He also asked us ask us there to bear one another

in love Eager check this out. This is the key

to this eager to what church? Maintain the unity

of the spirit in the bond of peace. This is where

revelations first starts to hit us Paul doesn't

say to obtain unity He says to maintain unity

and this right here gets me so excited when you

realize that Me and you don't have the assignment

of obtaining unity with one another. We actually

have the assignment of maintaining unity I'm

gonna say it again that we don't have to wear

the weight of trying to bring us together That

if you're thinking how can I bring us together?

You've already missed the revelation The revelation

is we are already Together the question is how

do we maintain? That unity you've obtained unity

That's so good because I know as we think down

our family trees all we can see is the vision

But we have to realize that in Christ You are

all you've obtained unity that if you want to

bring your family together Introduce your family

to Jesus Jesus has obtained Unity for us one

of the incredible benefits about being a born

-again believer is we don't have to fight to

get Unity we have to maintain the unity we've

been given That's why we have this body that

we live in and we are all parts in particular

But we have to maintain what we've obtained but

you don't have to strive for unity You don't

have to strain for unity. You don't have to fight

for unity You just have to remind people they

need to maintain what they've obtained We are

one look at your neighbor. Say hey neighbor We

are one We want But of course, that word maintain

now carries new weight. Because if I don't have

the burden of creating unity, that means I do

have the responsibility of maintaining what I

obtain. Someone else already did the hard work,

but now must Maintain what was obtained Right,

it's like somebody gives you a house that's paid

for you still have taxes and so you have to maintain

what someone else obtained for you your house,

but did you pay the taxes because if you don't

pay the taxes you can Lose what was obtained

but check this out maintenance is always a fraction

of what it takes to obtain and So if we had to

ask Jesus to do one thing for us, I would say

do the work of obtaining the unity We can handle

the maintaining say hey neighbor Let's handle

the maintaining And he uses these three virtues

these three attitudes he says humility gentleness

patience that those three virtues and the prioritization

of those three virtues and Attitudes is how you

maintain what you've obtained What does that

let me know that lets me know that unity begins

to break down When pride shows up Because pride

is the opposing attitude humility It lets me

know that when aggression shows up division can

show up because Aggression is the opposing attitude

to gentleness It lets me know that when I become

impatient that Impatient is a force that breaks

what was obtained Y 'all alright And so he's

saying hey listen we stay Maintaining what we've

obtained when we continue to develop in humility

Have a gentle attitude and practice patience

What you'll also see here This is bearing with

one another in in in love Love and I love this

because look at him say hey, you're been in love

with somebody If you ever been in love I Mean

I'm talking about that good love You mean you

know, it's an it's an atmosphere That it's not

just an action It's an atmosphere That that love

in its greatest expression isn't an act. It's

an atmosphere That that that you created a safe

space for me to exist That that that in love

means that there is an atmosphere that is cultivated

for unity to permeate So Paul's not asking us

to do of love he's saying cultivate an atmosphere

of love say hey neighbor you was caught up because

it wasn't just what they was doing it was the

air you was breathing they had you in an atmosphere

you was just every time I turn around love I

mean I'm in love and But why am I saying this

because if we are to maintain we have to realize

we are maintaining an atmosphere not just acts

He's not asking us to just do things different.

He's asking us to maintain our worlds differently

He's telling us to allow humility be what they

breathe allow gentleness to be what they breathe

allow patience to be what they breathe not I

was patient with you that's interesting that

sounds more like an act than an atmosphere and

so when we talk about maintaining he's saying

make this the atmosphere say hey neighbor Let

patience be the atmosphere. Let gentleness be

the atmosphere. Let humility be the atmosphere.

Don't stop at the act. Let it be the atmosphere.

Woo! Some of y 'all already got a playlist for

it, Pastor. I got the perfect song. I'm going

to put it on as soon as I get home. I'm going

to just... Let it let it permeate Verse 4 he

says There is one body and one spirit just as

you were called to one hope that belongs to who's

called Your call there is one Lord one faith

one baptism one God and one father of all who

is over all and through all and in all right,

and so we see this one one one one one and Paul

is highlighting us to us What are our unifying

characteristics? He's not just saying things

randomly He's actually giving the manuscript

by which we are united the one thing that we

should see the same is There's only one spirit

That's the spirit of god That there is one lord

his name is jesus There is one faith There's

one baptism. We all been baptized there is one

God and in a father of us all who is overall

and in all and What is he also letting us to

know and this is the part that we want to be

clear about that If there's going to be division

it's because we don't unify in the ones Because

there are now we got to sit this on what we've

been learning so far. There are people who aren't

what? spiritually alive and Because they're not

spiritually alive. They are dead to what God

is doing and When someone is dead to what God

is doing that means they're also not alive to

that spirit of unity This is important for you

to hear too Because we have to understand salvation

is a critical act because it starts the process

of unity Without Christ we cannot be unified

Without Christ we don't have the strength and

the power to see the same things the same way

We can't even start talking about one faith and

one Lord and in one spirit because we haven't

been baptized by one Jesus This helps us because

oftentimes we're fighting for unity in places.

It will never develop And you can find yourself

straining and striving and fighting and Struggling

and throwing away all your peace Trying to obtain

trying to obtain what we've only been called

to maintain We haven't been called to obtain

unity We've been called to maintain a unity that

exists in Christ So until you're in Christ, there's

no point in me fighting for what you don't have

these eyes to even see Y 'all rocking with me

So this is my first like, you know is us in our

little truth questions. I have reason to praise

right? I'm gonna see if y 'all see this is a

reason to praise y 'all may or may not But Christ

makes unity possible So reason the praise Christ

makes unity possible that man And I was really,

really just thinking about this. And I believe

anybody that has experienced moments of success

or achievement, I believe they can bear witness

to it, is that you realize success and achievement

without community doesn't bring wholeness. Success

and achievement without community doesn't bring

wholeness Y 'all don't like that I'm trying to

figure out which party you was arguing with it

your flesh and just it's just making its way

That Success and achievement without community

will not result in wholeness. You will achieve

the thing. You will get the thing. You will have

the thing, but wholeness won't be present until

you're sharing it with who God called you to

be with. There will always feel like there's

this piece missing. Like it was good, but then

there's that asterisk. And so when we're hearing

this It's not just about having people around

you. It's about you experiencing wholeness in

life That as believers when he says you were

called to one body He's also letting you know

that unity is a part of how you now find peace

That it's actually hard Sleep well when I'm at

odds with those I'm supposed to have peace with

That it's actually extremely difficult for me

to call the day good when I've been arguing with

people I love That it's it's it's a it's a difficult

thing It's like I can be where I'm at and bills

paid house paid for but if I'm yelling at the

people I'm supposed to be dwelling here with

there's no wholeness so Paul is trying to get

us to expand from our carnal way of thinking

because many of us have spent our whole lives

trying to isolate ourselves because we determined

that people are the problem and the less people

that's around me the more peace I have and you

can have temporary peace but if you're looking

for permanent wholeness Y 'all ain't got to tell

me I've been there before I've been on the beach

Watching the waves Under read all the little

descriptions right now. You should feel at peace

and all I can think about is I Just don't understand

why they feel like that You ever broke up somebody's

moment you was in paradise and you ain't want

to break it up But you just couldn't shake it.

So you're like hey, you think they still mad

at me Wow Talk about that out here right now

You know, but what am I saying? That in grain

in me in you deep I should say stronger than

that Deposited in me in you by way of the spirit

living in us is a desire to be unified with the

people God has called us to That you could have

hated people before you met christ you meet jesus

you now are starting to develop a love for people

a compassion for people that you want to see

those who are estranged Those who are far away

being brought near to what you are experiencing

the love that you have i'm saying this because

we shouldn't give up on unity we just need to

appropriate how we maintain unity now now understand

that Christ is going to bring it together Christ

is the unifier praise be to God that I don't

have the responsibility of creating unity I just

have the obligation to maintain what Christ has

obtained so when Christ brings it together I

know the part I'm supposed to be playing Y 'all

alright, there is no way I don't think we're

gonna make it What is he saying he's saying our

unity isn't based on similarity is based on a

shared identity in Christ Our unity isn't based

on similarity is based on a shared identity in

Christ We are one because we have a single belief

system as it refers to who we are in Christ So

we are unified in Christ. We are unified in his

Identity. We are very different people We don't

need sameness we need alignment What are you

saying like Christianity is not about finding

people who you will finally agree with everything

upon It doesn't mean that we all agree on everything

but we all believe in one unifying Jesus And

as long as you are pursuing him I am pursuing

him It's impossible for us to develop division

in route You you maintain I Maintain and we continue

to enjoy what he obtained My father say like

this like it's it's not a kingdom issue The truth

is if it's not a kingdom issue it shouldn't be

a division issue Well, what are the kingdom issues

one Lord? one God one spirit one baptism one

faith soon as you start talking about many spirits

that spooky spirits and you got too many gods

and What is who is Jesus to you is he the Savior

and the Redeemer of your soul or historical figure

that you consider sometimes Because if you consider

him a historical figure not the savior of your

soul. Well, my friend we have an actual kingdom

issue Anything other than that Jesus has obtained

our unity He said but grace was given to each

one of us According to the measure of Christ

gives therefore it says when he ascended on high

He led a host of captives and he gave gifts to

men and saying he ascended What does that mean?

But that he had also descended into the lower

regions the earth he who descend is one who ascends

far above all the heavens that he might fill

all things and he gave the apostles the prophets

the evangelists the shepherds and teachers to

equip the saints for the work of ministry for

building up the body of christ until we all attained

the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of

the son of god to mature manhood to the measure

of the stature of the fullness of christ So that

we may no longer be children Tossed to and fro

by the waves and carried about by every wind

of doctrine by human cunning by craftiness and

deceitful schemes This is so good. So right and

so now we are getting that new life say hey new

life neighbor the new life why it is prioritized

to Maintain what Jesus has obtained that Paul

is making it clear. It is Difficult impossible

for me and you to mature without each other What

are you saying that you can develop in isolation,

but you only can mature in community so we need

one another. There's a there's a why to why the

maintaining is important because you will remain

immature in isolation. If you are going to mature

into this body mature and to Christ has called

you into you have to Maintain what he is obtained

which is the unity of the body that as much as

you want to do your own thing Doing your own

thing will result in an immature you That's what

they say people aren't your problem their opportunity

to grow It's hard to be patient without a who

to be patient with. It's hard to develop humility

without me having to find somebody not to be

prideful. You think you know everything. I was

thinking the other day, man, it be getting too

real sometimes. Where he at? Is he in here? Is

he listening? If somebody around my nephew Gregory

tell him not to listen to this. Was talking to

this man the other day I Had to flip my script

I Was like maybe he's here so I can exercise

humility This brother think he know everything

And I'm fighting to maintain what Jesus is obtained

because all I'm thinking is Ain't even nothing

what neff Neff hear me and hear me clearly But

then I was thinking or maybe God is helping me

To walk in humility And and maybe Patience isn't

an act in this moment. It's an atmosphere that

needs to be cultivated Because I can say well

I gave him plenty times to get it right Well,

that means patience is an act not an atmosphere

if it has a if it has a limitation on usage It's

an act if it's an atmosphere. It's indispensable

Lord help me help me just maintain what you've

obtained Can we say that together I? Just felt

the spirit of God on that like y 'all just same

say Lord Help me to maintain What you've obtained?

Help me to grow from acts to atmosphere I Just

don't want to do Patient acts I want to be a

patient person I Don't want to just act to have

acts of humility. I want to walk in humility.

I Want when I show up humility cultivates the

atmosphere? Like like everything star now pride

begins to crumble because I've shown up as the

atmosphere of humility. I'm not just thinking

about what I'm doing. I'm thinking about how

I can cultivate an atmosphere that responds to

what God is doing. Y 'all hear what I'm saying.

God, just give me the strength to maintain what

you've obtained. You create, you died so that

we could have one God. We can have one faith.

We can have one Lord. Baptism you aligned us

at all the major things. Let me not put down

our Discredit the minor things that keep the

atmosphere good You obtain the foundation for

unity by giving us one Lord by giving us one

God by giving us one Spirit by giving us one

faith you did the grunt work so let me just do

let me just do you know just the I was thinking

elves because Christmas factory and the elves

work with Santa I Was telling somebody the other

day there they always says where do you get the

examples from us? I don't write down the examples.

I Just let the Holy Spirit do it every once in

a while one of those comes out And that's that's

the result of not having written them down. I

was thinking How can I make this plain? You know

Santa he got elves But he needs the elves to

maintain, you know anyway I'll bring it back

in November. See if the season won't let it hit

better. I don't knows Somewhere like he called

us else I didn't call you don't mean your elves,

but I Don't know I'll leave it alone second service.

I'll have something better for y 'all. I'm telling

you I'm telling you But he's saying right that

you have these these check this out now if you're

reading that list You'll also notice that there's

a there's a there's a there's a there's a there's

a gift not on that list That gift is the gift

of a deacon deacons are on that list on that

list is actually the teaching gifts And on that

list he's letting us know which course goes Man,

it's just just rips up all of the cultural things

that people say today But unless you know right

that you can without a doubt you can Develop

in private and that's what I was even talking

about last week that some of y 'all need to get

away You need to get spend a lot of time with

Jesus so that you can develop develop so that

when you get into This unity this community you

are now just maintaining what you have clear

sight of a Lot of times it's hard for us to maintain

because everyone's in this community unassigned

And so he says there's teachers there's there's

prophets there's a villain evangelist that there's

gifts within the body Say hey neighbor, it's

difficult to maintain what you haven't been assigned

Right that in that community as we're there that

that everyone has this role that they play and

they have this thing that they're bringing But

I also find it I do I do I do because if you

know a deacon is responsible for maintaining

the house And I do I find it just all striking

striking that a deacon isn't on this list Which

leads me to believe that when Paul is speaking

of that unity of the body that we are all called

to maintain That in this context no one is above

the maintenance and no one has a different assignment

We all should be opening doors at the house Is

what i'm saying we all should be picking up groceries

and we all should be cleaning stuff up And we

all should be making sure it's not a wreck when

Boy ain't nothing worse than coming over to somebody

house and it's dirty and they trying to say well,

it's not my week Well, is it your house? What

are you doing to maintain? What was obtained?

You know, sometimes I'd be thinking y 'all be

getting so spiritually deep. I got to bring this

thing right on back Just bring it right on back

it ain't my week That sounds like an act not

an atmosphere are we trying to maintain cleanliness

are we the folks only clean up when people come

in I'm gonna look down on that way Boy, I took

all time boy ain't no house cleaner than the

day the hours before people come over But ain't

no house as dirty as the the moments after they

leave It's like you will clean every little jot

and tittle for destruction to take place But

then live in something that's not reflective

of what you've obtained Man He says rather speaking

the truth in love. We all grow Up in every way

and to him who is the head into Christ from whom

the whole body joined and held together By every

joint with his equip when each part is working

properly If you happen to be here with your family

or some of your family are they across the room

just make eye contact with some family Hey mama

When each part is functioning properly it makes

the body grow Makes the body grow And that is

what's so awesome about Spiritual family what

you come to find out is that um, it's not here

We'll get to it as we keep reading but I know

it it fits best right here is that many people

come to christ with broken families and it is

the assignment of the church to step in as spiritual

family for the broken places so that we can all

be a functioning body that many of the things

that we hear are actually not out of context

that they are actually spiritually good and what

god wants to see that you know i don't know i

think amber thinks she has like 30 uncles now

you know She calls everybody in a certain age

bracket her uncle, you know and auntie and she

just runs around and she got many different Family

members that aren't blood but we are all on the

same foundation and So although we are not bound

by last name we are bound I ain't gonna do it.

It's right there his name Paul wants to know

that it's good because it's how we grow It's

how we mature I Love this he says so that you

don't become tossed to and fro from every wind

and wave of doctrine Because truth is sometimes

you need someone who loves you enough to challenge

your version of reality Sometimes you need someone

who loves you enough to challenge your version

of reality That many believers become agitated

by the assignment of the body to mature them

into who they are and So they take that agitation

and they move to isolation Don't want nobody

to say that to me and I don't want Nobody who

are they and who is he and who are you and who

are us? And just all the things that try to dismantle

that it was truth that was shared And every once

in a while you need somebody to challenge your

version of reality You do know you have your

version of what's happening in your life and

it might not be accurate You have aversion Here's

the truth. It may not be accurate Well, how do

I not get tossed to and fro by every wave winner

doctrine? You have people who will tell you what

you just said ain't it? Lot of times people couldn't

means like that's what God told me I said, is

that all he said? Please tell me it's more because

if this is what we got to work with We got we

got one God and one baptism and one spirit and

one faith And it don't sound like what you said

came from any of them ones. I know What do you

say it faster Brian that it helps right it helps

our feelings not become facts and Help us not

take assumptions and make them into convictions.

It's not preferences become doctrines It doesn't

let our wounds become lenses like girl I know

it hurt but you can't live life through what

happened to you. Who is that talking to you?

That's someone who understands the faith the

baptism the spirit the calling and what God can

do Y 'all rock you with me Let's rock oh But

Paul begins to speak about love he says love

it tells the truth love bills and What else does

love do? Give me a second It's up here Love bears

with people Y 'all doing all right Let's keep

going. I think we can do this. We can look at

him say yes, we can He says now this I say and

testify in the Lord that you must no longer walk

as the Gentiles do and the futility of their

minds they are darken in their understanding

alienated from the life of God because of Ignorance

that is in them due to their hardness of heart

They have become callous and have given themselves

up to sensuality greedy and practice every kind

of impurity But that is not the way you learned

Christ Assuming that you have heard about him

and were taught in him as the truth is in Jesus

to put off your old self Which belongs to your

former manner of life which is corrupt through

deceitful desires and to be renewed look at their

say hey neighbor be renewed The spirit of your

mind and to put on this new self created after

the like I didn't pause And to put on this new

self Created after the likeness of God and the

righteousness of holiness Therefore put away

falsehood let each one of you speak The truth

with his neighbor for we are members one of another

and I love this I love this so much because paul

speaks about what we make so difficult so simply

That he's like, hey, hey just put that off That

whole that whole old you just just take that

off and hey just put on this new person Like

just put it on he's referring to things like

as if they're clothes like like you can just

wake up and put on your new self and you can

take off your old self like he's not putting

this whole world of like struggle to become who

God has called you to be like Christianity is

the most difficult thing you could have ever

embarked on struggle struggle struggle mode no

he's like yo just wake up and put it on put on

your new self put on that new attitude and and

be renewed in the spirit of your mind and and

be a to what God is saying is good y 'all rocking

with me what am I saying that here's the truth

and I have to say the truth is you will never

experience wholeness while fighting against what

God calls good and God calls this good and since

he calls it good I can't fight with it and expect

fruitfulness I align with what he calls good

so I can live in the fruit of good I don't fight

what he calls good and also don't make difficult

when he said it's simple. He said put it on Just

put it on Whoo, what is he speaking like and

I love this I love when the Bible speaks to us

as though we're finished work That if going back

to Ephesus chapter 2 if I have all spiritual

blessings in heavenly places Then what is happening

as I live is I'm now having to ex From what I've

already obtained like I already have it in other

words You already have meekness you already have

gentleness. You already have patience. You already

have joy You already have long suffering. You

already have these things. You just need to put

it on Why am I putting it on because Because

no matter how much you achieve, and no matter

how much you obtain, you will never have success,

or how much success you have, or how much you

achieve, you will never have wholeness where

there is no unity. But in order for unity to

form and be maintained, we have to put it on.

We have to put on. our new selves and take off

our old self the old you was divisive the all

you was confrontational the all you was aggressive

prideful the old you was destructive the all

you found a problem with everything but the new

you the new you finds life and peace and joy

and patience and long suffering and it sees these

things as good and you have a choice every day

to just put it on be renewed in the spirit of

your mind and let Christ be alive in your everyday

walking around life and I love this because Paul

doesn't picture this or position this as this

difficult thing he says you put it on just as

you put on your clothes to come to church this

morning today look at him say hey neighbor today

I will walk in I'll be patient with you. And

he's speaking to you like you're finished work,

like Jesus has already obtained these things.

And so we just maintain what he's obtained for

the sake of unity and the sake of wholeness and

the sake of maturing and the sake of not being

caught and tossed up to and fro, because if you're

isolated, you're also going to find yourself

deceived. He says be angry and do not sin that's

crazy But look how he's talking to us like I

know you mad but you know just don't sin I love

because he says be angry He didn't say don't

be angry he says be angry but don't sin Like

Paul is teacher for the perspective of actually

having having to live this faith. I Found out

that immature people think that like they will

say immature people be like don't be angry Mature

people know you're gonna be mad sometimes but

don't let it change what you do Don't let it

factor in who you are Take that anger off and

put on your joy Just take it off. It's connected

to a mentality be renewed in the spirit of your

mind Do not allow your mind to continue to think

about things that aren't taking you in the direction

of who your new self is Right that that that

that you I know you're mad, but don't stay mad.

Don't don't don't foster mad Don't water mad

don't develop mad and definitely don't make it

seem like you mad at me You may be mad at what

I did, but you know, I've done some things that

I've been influenced by That's the first year

somebody always look at you. You made me do it

Boy nothing like somebody look at you, but you

made me do it. I Know what I did, but you made

me do it Look at that and give no opportunity

to the devil. Let the thief no longer still let

the thief no longer steal Let the thief no longer

steal put that joker in jail don't let him rob

you of your joy and rob you of your peace and

rob you of what God has done he's obtained so

many things don't let that thief no longer steal

let the thief no longer steal but rather let

him labor doing honest work with his hands so

that he may have something to share with everyone

he he was actually speaking of like people who

steal things but we also don't even let devils

rob us but if you still in stop stealing y 'all

that that doesn't it doesn't work well with community

because if you rob and they're gonna say we was

you know complicit let no corrupt talk come out

of your mouths, but only such as what's good

for building up as it fits the occasion and That

it may give grace to those who hear and do not

grieve the Holy Spirit of God by whom you were

sealed by the day of redemption Let all bitterness

and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be

put away from you along with malice be kind to

one another tender heart of forgiving one another

as God in Christ forgave you Say this last thing

to you And we'll go to chapter 5 next week, but

he says here this truth is Maturity allows you

to recognize that someone can hurt you without

requiring you to hate them And he's working that

maturity in us Getting us to value the right

things maintain what I love this because I get

the question all the time and prayerfully as

you're hearing this you're hearing the answer

to the question I get all the time and what is

that Pastor Brian? People oftentimes they'll

come to me and tell me of some great tragedy

that has occurred or offense that has happened

to them and their question is what should I do?

And Paul's saying maintain. It's maturity to

be able to allow somebody to be able Someone

can hurt me and I not hate them That's the mature

believer that's what Paul is working them to

To understand that people aren't my problem and

I've been called to maintain Hey, man Look at

him say you did it Ephesians chapter 4 Father

Ephesians 4 · chapter mention

God, we thank you for today and I just thank

you for this opportunity to come into Read your

word before your people. I pray that um It stirred

them up. I pray that it challenged them. But

at the same time I pray that it freed them I

pray that they leave here In a Deeper intimacy

with you. I pray that they leave here with an

understanding of who you are and what your expectations

are of them I pray that they leave here excited

stirred up About that God we talked about at

the end of Ephesians 3 and 20 who can do exceedingly

abundantly Above all we could think ask or imagine

and I know many of them Think that there are

people There are places and situations That are

far beyond your reach of restoration But I declare

boldly here today God To whom the Sun says free

is free indeed So we free that condemning mindset

we free that that that that mind that says that's

not all things some things are possible No, we

free ourselves to all things are possible to

them that believe and father God we are believing

for a healing from what people have done to us

a healing from what being around people has caused

us to bear and Father God, I pray that you I'm

restoring us Restoring us a new heart and That

you give us new thoughts that will prioritize

what you call good and just trust you For the

working of it all We will not lose heart We will

not lose hope We will not cave in we will not

quit We will not let people become a problem

But we will fight for this thing you call unity

because you call it good Will believe You are

the god of the impossible And you can make all

things new And father God Thank you For correcting

us and challenging us today so that when you

make it new We know how to maintain what you've

obtained that as you bring people back and restore

broken relationships and broken friendships and

broken business relationships that Satan has

been working overtime to stir up division amongst

the call and father God I'm speaking that you

begin to cast out that spirit of division and

begin to to work back together the knitting of

the brothers the sisters the aunties the uncles

the grandparents the grandchildren We will walk

in what you've obtained you've obtained unity

and we will walk in unity Our households will

behold We know that that's not something that

is easy, but all things are possible to them

that believe And so we believe God We believe

God Will walk in this unity we will get the fruit

of unity and You thank you God for loving us

so much That you'll reach down into us and talk

about things we don't even want to hear about

but we thank you God for loving us so much that

you care about that that in the midst of all

that you've created that you look down into our

lives and care about the relationships that matter

to us we thank you for caring about us in that

way If there's anybody here today, and you aren't

saved, you haven't said yes to that call, I would

like to take this moment this time to give you

an opportunity to say yes to Jesus. He's a friend

who sticks closer than a brother. And if that's

you today, and you're saying, Pastor, I want

to say yes to Jesus. I'm gonna say a prayer.

You say it with us. Just know that as you say

this prayer the bible says if you confess with

your mouth and believe in your heart that jesus

died and rose again you are saved so let's say

it together church say father I thank you for

your son jesus I believe he died and he rose

again I believe when he rose rose my forgiveness

my redemption my sanctification and I am now

a son a daughter of god No longer a sinner I've

been saved by grace I'm a child the most high

God And I have a home heaven I Have a hope Jesus

Amen, let's celebrate people that said that prayer

for the first time and Also would just like to

you got well we can receive today's offering

and Here reveal the truth. We believe in our

cheerful givers. What does that mean? We believe

that No one should be forced or coerced or talked

into giving but giving is the fruit of what your

relationship with God has produced that you speak

to God and as he speaks to you you respond to

what he said and You do so with excitement joy

cheerfully because you understand that god is

not trying to get anything from you But god is

always always in the business of supplying for

you. And so we give cheerfully with expectation

um because of a faithful god that we can trust

and um, amen amen Well family, I also would like

to um take a time and just you know, I know every

county is a little different but Several counties

are going back to school this week teachers are

going back to school this week, you know Kids

are going back to school this weekend You know

that My prayer is that our children walk in the

spirit of unity this year that they um Don't

allow division to disrupt their education that

they realize that they're not too young to be

patient and they're not too young to be gentle

that if they are saved they have the spirit of

meekness within them and I pray that our students

walk in that meekness walk in that gentleness

and walk in that kindness and that their teachers

are teaching them with gentleness and teaching

them with kindness and teaching them with meekness

and that Our schools be an atmosphere That love

invades y 'all can pray with me about that but

father God I thank you for our teachers our students

that are returning to school this week Father

God, we pray that your spirit invade every classroom

and we pray that there will not be any hurt harm

or danger that comes to our students our teachers

Father God, we pray that this will be a peaceful

school year that 26 27 will be a glorious year

for our students and that you're removing any

distraction the Satan is trying to set up and

the Spirit of God is Ruling and reigning in every

way the Bible tells us that you turn the hearts

of kings to and fro So father God, we know that

you are the head of this school year and you

are the head of these these institutions and

they all bow down to your authority and father

god we pray that your will will be done and your

will will reign and the father god i just thank

you that this year will be exceptional i pray

that our students will speak of peace and our

kids will come home full of joy and I pray that

this destructive plan that Satan has been trying

to put in place to corrupt what is innocent,

I pray that it is brought to nothing and that

every stronghold that Satan has been trying to

develop in the lives of our young ones is destroyed,

Father God, and that they will. be kings and

priests and represent you well i pray that they

can our students can live a year where they are

not ashamed of their faith but they are proud

of their faith where they can boldly speak of

who you are in their lives and i pray that this

the teachers are sensitive to who is in front

of them that they see each life as one in particular

and i pray that their needs are met that these

teachers aren't going without that they have

what they need so the students can get what they

need and that success is the end result of this

school year father god i pray that as your people

we be sensitive to how you're leading us to meet

some of those needs that we don't just pray to

a god that we're not willing to be the hands

for and i pray father god that we aren't afraid

ashamed Be the hands and feet that you need us

to be during the school year that we show up

that we show up That we show up And we don't

just leave our students to anybody But we are

proactive in the lives of our young people To

God be the glory this year Amen Well, I love

you guys and I thank God for you guys you're

impressive Chapter 3 chapter 4 chapter 5 next

week y 'all like this What's the benediction

now what to him Who is able to keep you from

falling? to present you faultless before the

presence of of his glory with exceeding joy to

the only wise God our Savior be glory and majesty

dominion and power both now and forever amen.