Truth Collection: 08.02.26 Just Don't Lose Heart | Pastor Bryan Powe

I want to leave this room more in love with you.

And Father God, we pray that as we open up the

word today that you begin to root us and ground

us in your truth and set a pace, set a path for

us that only you can. We are thankful that you

called us out of darkness and to this marvelous

light that you've given us so many precious promises.

We thank you that you didn't do it because we

are good, but because Jesus was enough. And we

thank you for your son, Jesus, dying and inviting

us into this incredible family. We are partakers

because of his sacrifice and we are thankful

this morning. In your precious name, I pray the

name above all names, Jesus, y 'all say with

me, amen, amen. Well, go ahead, love on the person

next to you one more time. It's amazing. You

know, I know I was only not here for one week,

but it feels like forever I don't know why it

feels like forever, but here we are right We're

in our sermon series. I have a reason to praise

and Man just thankful for our brothers last week

our pastors Greg and pastors damage and You know

as I was watching them I was thinking man We

should do this more often and so then I called

them up and I asked did you enjoy yourselves?

And they say yes, I said well then that that's

implications. You just agreed to do this more

I Said if I would have led with that question,

I don't know if you would have responded the

same way So I just snuck it in there But yes,

we are going to take another step right today

we are going to do something incredible say hey

neighbor we are going to do all of ephesians

chapter three the whole thing whole thing it's

best served on one platter and so um i am excited

about what god is going to speak to us um through

this today, but the subject is simple, right?

I'm seeing if y 'all haven't grown tired of talking

to your neighbor yet. We'll do it one more time.

Let's just try it out one more time, see if we

still get participation. But say, hey, neighbor.

Don't lose heart. Don't lose heart. And... You

know, we went through last well a couple weeks

ago we went through and I showed you that there's

there's only certain spaces in our spiritual

order and how we live that there's opportunities

for Satan to get in and one of those places was

our heart and So today's message is designed

to help us all Stay rooted and grounded Although

our heart does play a role in how we do what

God says You know the Bible of course tells us

that guard your heart above all else because

out of it flows the issues of life and you know

Your heart will make issues of life. Your heart

will make issues with life and you know, it will

absolutely derail anything that's even of God

in your life. And so we cannot act as though

it's something we have to guard it, in other

words, but we want it to be one that is full

of life. One of the things that we'll read here

in Ephesians is Paul's prayer for the believer

is that their heart become full and flooded with

Christ himself. that our objective is for our

heart to be consumed by Christ, and for him to

be, everything within our heart to be full and

flooded with Christ himself. We'll do it one

more time. Say, hey neighbor, you should be full

of something. That something is Christ. A lot

of us are full of some things. And Ephesians

3 It really Deals with and if y 'all just allow

me to do this it'll help us go through this movie

as we go We're gonna do the whole chapter, right?

So just making sure that we are all on the same

page here I'm because we're gonna be using a

word that I don't want you to hear and run from

because one of the places and specifically in

Ephesians chapter three, Paul is helping us guard

our heart in seasons of suffering. And I say

that because many believers don't want to hear

that word or don't want to know that there may

be something that They may have to suffer through,

but you know, right? That Jesus told us, be of

good cheer. I have overcome this world. In this

world, you will suffer persecution, but be of

what? Good cheer, because I have overcome the

world. So it's not that our lives won't end in

suffering, but many times our lives, we go through

suffering. And if your heart isn't grounded,

You won't survive that season, or thrive in that

season, or better yet, check this out church,

grow through that season. Because truthfully,

the only reason suffering will hit your door

is because glory is available. That suffering

is evidence that glory is pending. Go ahead,

tell your neighbor that. Say, hey neighbor, suffering

is evidence. that glory is pending. That right

there should give, I'll be trying to give y 'all

reasons to praise and y 'all be missing the praise

points. So we'll try that again. Neighbor, suffering

is evidence that glory is pending. Let's see

how far we in here right now. So, so neighbor,

I say this with courage and confidence. Don't

lose heart. Why, why, why? Because suffering

is evidence that glory is pending. But check

this out, right? when we speak of suffering,

it's a physical, emotional, or spiritual pain

experienced in a fallen world. That is why we

will all suffer persecution. I know a lot of

times people think of persecution from their

personal choices, but we got to realize when

the Bible speaks about suffering, it's speaking

about the results of living in a fallen world.

Because we live in a fallen world, there will

be persecution. There will be things that are

physically, emotionally, and spiritually experienced

that don't agree with your heart, that don't

agree with what God is doing, that you will see

things, tragedy will occur, right? And you will

say, that just doesn't agree with what I believe

is good. And some people fail there, because

they'll be like, how could that even be God if

it's not good? Like, why would God allow something

like that? And when you can't reconcile those

things, your heart gets troubled. Like, many

of us have faced things in life that is like,

how is God so full of grace, so full of truth,

so full of mercy, so full of forgiveness, yet

I still feel this? Right? And... We need to appropriate

that because if you don't appropriate that, you'll

start to lose heart. You'll start to realize

that God is not only a God of grace, mercy, and

truth, but check this out. He's also a God of

promise and order. He's both. He's all of that.

And so if we major on the grace, the mercy and

the forgiveness while minimizing the order and

the promise, we won't be able to manage seasons

well. Y 'all alright? Y 'all want me to go back

on my road trip? But just to give you some more,

right? That there are suffering, right? There's

suffering due to personal bad choices. There's

suffering that's just persecution because of

you are following God's way. We've been talking

about that the last few weeks that there are

people who are not spiritually alive. So by nature,

they are not going to respond well to things

God is doing. And so you suffer persecution,

although you are obeying God. Right that people

will talk about you because they don't understand

what you were talking about Then also this persecution

because we live in a broken world, right? This

is believers that that oftentimes you're wondering

why am I dealing with this sickness? Why am I

dealing with this pain? Why am I carrying and

Paul's word? Why do I have this thorn? Right.

I have this thing that I can't pray away and

it won't go away And if you don't have proper

perspective, our fathers would say like this,

how you see the problem is the problem. It was

amazing on this little road trip that we were

having, I was teaching Amber an valuable lesson.

But my baby has gotten to what they call squishy

trading, which apparently is like, you know,

I mirrored it too in my day how you used to trade.

Cards, you know, you used to go to school and

you would trade cards with people. You bring

your good cards and you trade cards with somebody

to see, man, you got some good cards. I got some

good cards, but we didn't have the internet.

So you ain't know until you got home and did

some research that you made a bad trade. And

so the next day you come back to school with

vengeance in your eyes. Like, bro, you gonna,

you gonna give me my stuff back. Everything needs

to be restored back to normal. You give me mine

back, I give you yours back. And you know, Amber

unfortunately got caught up in some bad squishy

trading. And she looked at me, she looked at

Rashida, she was like, I need y 'all to call

that girl's mama up and tell her to give me my

stuff back. And I said, well, you're here in

this world, you will suffer persecution. I said,

sometimes the lesson is learning that you cannot

operate this way. If it meant so much to you,

you should have kept it. I said, this is a lesson.

I said, but um, I said, she, I mean, she, she,

she, she, she, she didn't stop there. If you

know Amber, boy, Amber, Amber actually somehow,

some way, you know, got in contact with the,

with the, hopefully she not listening to this.

If this, you understand all this is true. Your

daughter did it, but Amber somehow. Got in contact

and the mama was like don't worry about I talked

to my daughter and she's gonna give her all her

squishies back I'm like don't give her back.

I Don't want her to get her squishies back I

want her to realize that you cannot walk around

in this world with rose -colored glasses on You

have to realize that not everybody is going to

do right by you. That if something is of value,

it's important that you treat it like it's valuable.

More important than her getting her squishies

back is the life lesson she's learning in this

moment. She's only going to become better as

a result of going through this. She's crying

now, but she will praise this principle later.

I hope you all hear what I'm saying to you, because

many of y 'all are crying. now, but you're gonna

praise the principle you learn later. I understand

it's not what you wanted, it's not what you picked,

it's not what you chose. You couldn't have made

a different decision. You would still have ended

up in the same place, but you serve a good God.

Look at your neighbor say, but you serve a good

God. And he's working all things together for

your good. If suffering is the season, it's because

glory is pending. We don't run from it. Listen,

you learn from it. You grow from it. You mature

from it. Whoo! Well, I'm preaching the whole

thing before we get to it, but... I'm gonna share

this point because it actually fits perfectly

here. But you have to realize this, that truth

is no amount of self effort can free you from

a burden God is using to produce something new

in you. No amount of self effort can free you

from what God is using to grow you. You can work

as hard as you want. as much as you want, but

if God is using it, it shall remain. What does

that mean? I mean, I have to change my mind.

But let's get into this. Y 'all ready? He said

Paul says first one for this reason I Paul a

prisoner of Christ Jesus on behalf of you Gentiles

Look at this. It's amazing to me that that that

Paul takes a term that has negative connotations

and Uses it to associate himself with his righteous

founding I'm not a prisoner of Them. I'm a prisoner

of Christ Paul. You made that up Know we read

it as though it's now you're a prisoner for Christ.

You gotta realize Paul originated the term prisoner

of Christ There's no such thing as a good prisoner

and Paul's like yes there is I Don't know what

you call these chains, but I'm in these chains

for Christ Y 'all call it suffering I call it

assignment how you see the problem He said, assuming

that you have heard of the stewardship of God's

grace that was given to me for you, look at these

words. Man, assuming that you have heard of the

stewardship of God's grace that was given to

me, what is Paul starting to plant in them? He's

actually starting to deal with them thinking

that he's less than he is because of where he

is. And so it says, assuming that you've heard

of this, you gotta know some things. You gotta

know some things. How do I survive and thrive

in seasons of suffering? You have to know some

things. You have to be grounded in some things.

There has to be some things that you are rooted

in, grounded in, that cannot change because you

ain't even set it up. That's what we've been

talking about these last two weeks We have a

reason to praise because God changed everything

without even asking you if you thought it was

a good idea He made you he invited Gentiles into

his precious promises without asking you if it

was a good idea. He just did it He says verse

3 how the mystery was made known to me by revelation

As I have written briefly, what is he speaking

to? He was saying like, listen, I understand

that it takes a grounding of who I am to receive

from who I am. Right. But I also want you to

know that I was this was made known to me by

God, that this wasn't something I thought of.

This is something God gave to me that this mystery,

what was once unknown, has been made known because

God revealed it to me. What are you saying, Pastor

Brian? God is always in the business of transitioning

unknown things to known things. Look in there

and say, hey neighbor, I know you don't know

now, but God is a God who transitions unknown

things into known things. It's what he does.

So it once was a mystery to many people, but

God took what was mysterious to others and through

the spirit of God, he made it known to me. We

got to hear what Paul is saying what we are learning

here is that there are things that are mysterious

to you now You may not know why you are suffering,

but you have a God who is in the business of

transitioning unknown things into known things

Through his spirit that his spirit will in time

take what is unknown to you now and make it known

Revelation so that it can feed your heart So

it's okay not to know Because you are connected

to the source that releases what needs to be

known Sometimes people come to me this like I

prayed I've been praying about what to do about

this and God hasn't said nothing yet I said maybe

because he doesn't see it as a problem I've been

asking God what to do about this issue. He's

been silent maybe because you see it as something

he's never saw that It's hard for me to give

you a solution to a problem. I don't see as a

problem And when you're in that moment, you don't

lose heart you say well in time what is unknown

to me now God will make known by his spirit I

carried the spirit of God that spirit has the

ability to reveal all things necessary for my

life So if it's unknown is also check this out

unnecessary That is, unknown is also unnecessary.

Because if it was necessary for me to know for

where God's taken me, I have the spirit that

makes things unknown known. I have the spirit

that reveals what's necessary for what I'm supposed

to do. So if it's unknown, it's also un... So

I'm not losing heart over what I haven't figured

out yet. I'm not losing heart because I don't

have the plan yet I'm not caving in because I

don't know the way yet when I need to make a

step God will make the step clear I Don't know

God's not trying to make this difficult God is

a God that makes all things Come preach with

me. He makes all things possible not all things

Use whatever word you want to use it's fine with

me fill the blank what you use but God is not

the God that makes life difficult. He's the God

that makes life Use whatever word y 'all want

to use it's fine No Salvation was a confession

in a belief the greatest gift took a confession

and a belief, and then eternal life was granted

to you. Why would he make living a life that's

pleasing more difficult than the decision to

have eternal life with him? It's not difficult.

We often just don't like what we see. And that's

okay. It's okay. It's okay. It's okay. It's okay.

But that's another thing, like, you know, all

right, I'll wait that, see if we get a little

bit more mature today. But you realize something,

it's actually absolutely 100 % okay to say you

don't like something. I don't cancel what God

is doing because I, Communicate to you that I

don't like what's happening I Don't like it Don't

mean I'm about to quit But let's be clear things

must change Because this can't stay like this

this can't stay like this and but I quit But

if you trying to get me to confess that I like

what I don't like you got the wrong one I Was

thinking this husband's and wives go into each

other now, I'm like, you know, I'm just a prisoner

for Jesus right now How you feel about this marriage

I'm just in prison for Jesus I mean I'm a prisoner

of Christ. How did Paul say it? I'm a prisoner

for Christ. You know what? You asked me how I

was doing. There is the truth. I feel like I'm

in prison for Christ. Y 'all want me to move

on, but I'm letting that soak for a minute, because

some of y 'all, that's a full -on confession

right now. You just felt your freedom. You felt

your whole freedom. Is that acceptable to the

same pastor? If it keeps your heart connected,

if it keeps your commitment grounded for you

to carry the right perspective. I'm not doing

this for us no more. I'm here for us. I'm here

for what I believe God is doing with us. I'm

here because I believe what God can do with what's

happening. When you read this you can perceive

my insight into the mystery of Christ which was

not made known to the sons of men and other Generations

as it is has now been revealed to this holy apostle

and the prophets by spirit He's doing a little

homework to let them know. Hey, I know y 'all

heard a lot of things, but it was not revealed

to them It was real to me. It was revealed to

us Right when we were talking about this because

just make sure we went too far away Remember

that paul was telling them that those walls of

that temple had came down. Although the walls

are still there And so even in this moment He's

still having to do work on them things that they've

heard from people and he's letting know those

people did not Have this revelation they did

not know these things and he's making sure that

they're creating check this out proper categories

for things they've heard and as believers we

have to May create proper categories for things

we have heard There are things you have heard

that came from people who did not hear from god

There's things that you told yourself that weren't

things that god said about you and it's important

that you Appropriate that content that those

were things I said when I was not really actually

listening to what god wanted me to do I'm the

only one with my hand up in the church. I'm the

only one that had a moment My heart was losing

I was losing heart getting a little emotional

and I said a few things that I would really like

to scrunch from the record Just a few statements

out there y 'all could just go ahead and scrub

them from the record I said them, even in court,

y 'all ever seen a court case when they'd be

like, look, look, look, look, Judge, stop, stop,

stop, stop, stop, stop, stop, stop, stop. And

they'd be like, we need to go ahead and just

blank that out from the record. They were not

supposed to, y 'all, when the witness is saying

far more than they were supposed to say, and

they're like, we asked you this question, you

answered all of these things. What we need to

do is every response that didn't fit the exact

question, get rid of that. And we're all gonna

pretend like we did not hear a word they said

about the things they said. Y 'all ever seen

that in court? You ever been in a trial where

they had to do that for you? I was under emotional

distress. I was distressed. They said, my mama,

I said, It was three minutes of blankness. I

don't really know what I did, what I said, where

I went, who I hit, why I hit him. I just know

three minutes later, I woke up in victory. I

don't know, but it went down, right? But as soon

as they said my mama, it just triggered something

in me. But no, he's wanting to make sure that

we are appropriate. You got to say, hey, believer,

appropriate. Tomorrow, you will be in this world

with people who aren't partakers of your promises.

They will say things that you have to appropriate.

And sometimes, you know what? Well, what is going

on here, Jesus? You know it's okay for you to

tell people you were wrong? Well, you just be

skipping over the simple stuff. I was wrong.

I thought, I assumed, I figured, but as it turns

out, I was wrong. Go ahead, expunge that. Because

I'm back listening again. But yesterday I lost

a little heart. I lost a little courage. I got

a little weary. And I said, I don't know if this

is God. That was a bad statement. That was a

bad statement. It was a lot of pressure. I was

under a lot of things. And I was wrong when I

said, bang, bang, bang, bang, bang, bang. Because

some of y 'all suffering because you just won't

say you sorry. just suffering because you just

won't say my bad with an actual conviction. Well,

we got to get through the rest of these 14 verses.

Here we go. The mystery is that the Gentiles

are fellow heirs. Members of the same body and

partakers of the promise in Christ Jesus through

the gospel That's the mystery right that we are

co -heirs a part of the same body as those whom

God originally gave his promises to of this gospel

I was made a minister according to the gift of

God's grace Which was given me by working his

power to me through though I am very least of

all the saints this grace was given to preach

to the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ

and to bring to light for everyone what is the

plain mystery hidden for all ages in God who

created all things so that through the church,

the manifold wisdom of God might be made known

to the rulers and authorities in heavenly places.

What is Paul saying? He said like, this was all

done so that people could see where wisdom resided.

That that what God was doing is not just about

changing situations, but unseating who thinks

they are actual rulers That that God shifts he

shifted the seed of wisdom He shifted the seed

of wisdom and so God now is using us as representation

of where wisdom now resides You gotta hear what's

happening here, right? That me and you represent

where wisdom resides. Where does the wisdom come

from? Well, it comes from the Spirit of God.

And as we act out things or do things or are

obedient to the things the Spirit of God tells

us, we show this world where wisdom resides.

Like y 'all think y 'all know how but I'm showing

you that there's a spirit that controls all things

you think you control and as I yield to the spirit

within me it shows the world where wisdom truly

resides and so that's why there's times where

I just can't be folding into what y 'all are

saying because I'm being used as an example for

where true wisdom really Resides you think you

know how until you find out that it ain't no

how it's a who you got to know And all of your

hows will one day have to bow down and worship

the who that's living on the inside of me. So

as I live out this Spirit led life, God is systematically

taking systems that people see as this can't

be where you are and who you are at the same

time. And that's what Paul is saying. I know

you see where I am. I'm in prison, but that doesn't

define who I am. I'm full of wisdom. I'm full

of truth. Matter of fact, God has chosen me as

a disciple, as a - minister of grace. I'm in

these chains, but I'm in these chains for Christ.

Can't you see what God is doing? He's using the

things of the world to confound the people of

the world because why is a prisoner so excited

and positive and speaking about who God is and

what God's done? How is he claiming freedom when

he's in our chains? And Paul's like, these are

your chains and I'm not bound by your chains.

I'm bound by the God who says that I am free.

Indeed, and his words will always trump your

reality. I do not live from a physical perspective.

I'm in a prison, literally, but spiritually I'm

seated next to Christ Jesus. And so even though

I'm in a situation where I should be suffering

and downtrodden, I'm still hearing from heaven

for the benefit of God's people. Woo! Can you

see what God is doing? And he's saying, that's

me and you. Do not allow your present Circumstances

to dictate your worth in the kingdom that God

will use the wisdom step by step I know your

situation says that you don't know how to manage

money But there's a power living on the inside

of you that can walk you through how to manage

money wisely and safely and securely and Strategically

and swayed day by day as you yield to that spirit.

Then what was confound them? They're gonna figure

out. How did you get? From there to here, it's

not a how, it's a who. Woo! It's a who, it's

a who. This was according to the eternal purpose

that was realized in Christ Jesus, our Lord,

and whom we have boldness and access and confidence

through our faith in him. So I ask you not to

lose heart over what I am suffering for you,

which is your glory. Paul's saying all of this

because he's like, they're trying. To get you

To unseat this revelation because of where I'm

have to speak it from But this isn't suffering

The same way they see suffering they see printed

prison as bondage. I see prison as consecration

They see president as isolation I see it as separation

so I can hear from Him. They see this as it's

slowing me down, but this actually is giving

me a moment to write down everything God is saying.

They see this as stopping the mission, but now

from this place I can send out letters that spread

the gospel. Whoo! Whoo! See how Paul's taking?

He's taking what the world had defined as suffering.

And he's seeing it, and what God can do with

it, and what God's doing with it, and the glory

that will come from it. I'm seeing if this is

hitting y 'all. Because many of y 'all, okay,

keep going. He says, For this reason, I bow my

knees before the Father from whom every family

in heaven and on earth is named. Oh man, that

according to the riches of his glory, he may

grant you to be strengthened with power through

his spirit in your inner being so that Christ

may dwell in your hearts. through faith that

you being rooted and grounded in love may have

strength to comprehend with all the saints what

is the breath and the length and the height and

the depth and to know the love of Christ that

surpasses all knowledge that you may be filled

with the all fullness of God. So what? So what?

So Paul says, listen, listen, listen, all of

this. This is seen as suffering, but the suffering's

being used so that people won't come to or adhere

to the revelation that I hold. And so it's almost

like God put a beautiful thing in an unbeautiful

package. And so the package is a distractions

to those who aren't led by the Spirit But to

those who are governed by the Spirit They know

that God often puts beautiful things and packages

that aren't appealing to this world It isn't

the package that we look at it's the heart that

we look at that's what happened with David Right

that that he's a man at the God's own heart that

he looked past the stature and he said no No,

there's another one. There's another one your

sons and they all look like warriors, but there's

another one who has the heart for the job. And

so we're always in the system of having to realize

that God puts great treasures in fragile clay

vessels. That God is always putting this this

unknown thing to the world in these vessels that

shouldn't even be carrying the greatness of what

they're saying. This is God's way. It's how he

confounds the wisdom of the world. And so Paul

is praying that they don't lose heart in the

revelation of who they are because of where it's

coming, where it's being said is coming from.

Because a lot of times we only take courage and

things that look powerful If we're being honest

our possessions often are the foundation to which

we get courage from My days tell this joking

it's actually true That the happiest day of the

week is payday. You got to ask yourself why I'm

only happy on payday Well because There's still

parts of you that the Spirit of God is working

on He says now what to him Who is able to do

far more abundantly than all that we can ask

or think according to the power at work within

us to him be the glory in the church and in Christ

Jesus throughout all generations forever and

amen. So what is Paul saying? Don't lose hope.

heart, you have a God who's able to do infinitely

more than you could think, ask, or imagine. I

understand you see the suffering, but have you

considered the source of all things? His ability

to do far even above what you have the capacity

to even present That the God Who's full of mercy

and Grace and truth all spiritual blessings Stigs

over something that my mom you see all the time

saying Brian Sometimes we just have to realize

God is not mismanaging our lives. Get in moments

where it's just like you feel like everything

is everywhere and in that moment you have to

realize you're not the manager of you and God

is not mismanaging your life. I'm gonna say these

things and But what we say this pastor Brian

because suffering has a way of challenging our

faith Because we believe that suffering is a

sign of separation from God But here's the truth

truth this is promises don't disappear because

our circumstances become painful Just because

it's become painful doesn't mean his promises

has disappeared So don't lose heart I Love this

Because here Paul is in prison writing to them

and Obviously Paul's matured at this point and

so he's not asking them for sympathy. He's not

asking them for compassion He's actually praying

that they don't lose heart What He's the one

in chains But he's a man in chains with check

this out revelation It's amazing what revelation

will do to your suffering It's amazing what revelation,

how revelation will heal your heart when suffering

tries to hurt it. What we are witnessing here

is the healing power of revelation in any season

of suffering we see. Pastor Brad, how do I not

lose heart? You have to let God reveal what's

happening to you. See, I can tell you that you

are co -heir. I can tell you that you're a part

of this holy temple God is building. I can tell

you that you are a partaker in God's precious

promises. But if I'm being honest, that's like

shopping your Christianity off the rack. And

some of us are in a tailor -made season. You

can't pick up the revelation you need off the

rack. You got to know when No, I'm still losing

heart even knowing who I am Because there's a

big difference between knowing you were a partaker

and knowing your part There's a big difference

when knowing his promises and knowing the ones

that are active for you today And I came here

just to encourage some of you to take your Christianity

and get it tailor -made to you well who's the

tailor pastor Brian the spirit of God the spirit

of God will take that partaker label and show

you your part that you're partaking in. That

revelation is what heals a heart in a suffering

season. That's all Paul can say. Everyone else

in here is in chains, but I have revelation.

I'm in these chains for Christ. I'm in these

chains because of what my assignment is. I'm

in these chains because Satan wants to discredit

the messenger due to the posture, discredit the

message due to the posture of the messenger.

Satan's trying to discredit my mission by trying

to keep what people can't see in a container

that they wouldn't readily accept. So I don't

see the prison walls as confinement. I actually

pray that people don't see these prison walls

as who I am. I'm trying to help some of y 'all.

I'm trying to help some of y 'all. Because you're

trying to figure out why all hell is broken loose

and it's because of what God is doing with you.

Paul's prayer wasn't that the hell stop was that

the hell didn't stop them from seeing Paul Come

on now y 'all Paul's prayer wasn't that the trouble

go away He knew why the trouble was there. It

was to keep people from seeing who he was So

he prayed that they wouldn't let the trouble

stop them from seeing who he was The trouble

wasn't there for Paul. The trouble was there

to keep people from seeing what God was doing

through Paul. Y 'all missing the whole thing.

Y 'all missing the whole thing. This should flip

your whole prayer life upside down. This should

flip everything about how you see tomorrow upside

down. You've been complaining about where you

live. You should be praying that where you live

won't stop people from seeing what God is doing

in your life. You keep trying to change this

house. In this world, you will suffer persecution.

Maybe you got a bad interest rate. Maybe you

bought it at the wrong time. Maybe you was supposed

to sell it, but you're still in it. I don't know

what you did, but I know who he is So no matter

what I have done that may be a may be a problem

for people to see who I am I pray That they still

see God Why I could throw this microphone Y 'all

understand how hard I'm gripping it right now.

I pray that they can still see God I pray, you

know, you know, I pray I listen listen. Oh Y

'all see this is me at home This is me at home

when I be thinking about some of the things I

did that didn't turn out the way it was supposed

to and I just Prayed that they can still see

God I'm not worried about problems, I'm not worried

about trouble. When I have a God that can do

exceedingly, abundantly, above all I can think,

ask or imagine, my prayer is that I don't lose

heart because of what I did. I pray that my ministry

still moves forward. I pray that his glory can

still be seen. I know it hurt, but my prayer

is that God's glory still. I know you messed

it up. I pray that his glory is still seen. I

pray that nothing becomes a stumbling block to

who God has called you to be. I pray that your

ignorance doesn't become a stumbling block who

God's called you to be. I pray to all them dumb

decisions, all of them, all of them, all of them,

God uses as a way to show forth his manifold

wisdom that this world doesn't have participation

in. I pray that God uses your situation to show

the world that what they think disqualifies,

oh baby, it don't even begin to hold a candle

to what God can do. God will take the disqualified

and use them to bring glory. God will take the

unqualified and use them to bring forth glory.

God will take my bad credit and get me a new

house. Kiss the glory So his ask is that they

remain Faithful that they allow Christ to dwell

in their hearts. Look at this verse 17. I need

you to see this We don't close out. We don't

do it Because he uses a word for the dwelling

of Christ, what is the word? that Christ dwells

in your hearts through what church? What is faith?

The substance of things hope for the evidence

of things not seen. So I'm literally being instructed

to unseat what I do see with something I can't

see. If Christ is dwelling through faith, that

means that Christ is not dwelling in what is

seen. Christ is dwelling in what is unseen. But

my heart is always fractured by what is seen.

So Paul is saying that you must unseat what is

seen by what is unseen. So y 'all might say,

what is unseen? Go to the tailor. Find out That

Taylor had us a ways of pulling out the curves

If you don't know Taylor's could take almost

10 pounds off your body by how deep When you

buy it off the rack it may be too big it may

be too small and may do some things but if you

go to the Taylor it just it Situates what was

once a problem Y 'all work with me But when you

go to the tailor your one leg may be longer than

the other leg But that's not a problem at the

tailor because the tailor can make sure the left

leg is a quarter inch longer than the right leg

So that the outfit ain't messed up so that you

don't lose the glory If one arm is longer than

the other arm the tail will make sure the shirt

still looks good on you I know the problem is

the problem, but the Spirit can make it look

good on you. He'll make it look good on you.

He'll make it look good on you. Because the danger

wasn't Paul's prison, the danger was the church

allowing Paul's prison to discourage their faith.

truth is faith opens the door for christ to occupy

your heart even when circumstances even when

suffering occupies your circumstances i'm gonna

go ahead get to the end y 'all know i love to

just give you something that can maybe help you

just pause in a moment and so i'm gonna give

you this acronym It's an S, an E, and a C. Second.

Like we be saying, give me a second. Just give

me a second. Like give me a second. Like this

just hit me, but just give me a second. Just

give me a second. While I allow the Spirit of

God to tailor make this to who I am. Just give

me a second. Some hits you it starts to do that

thing y 'all know that thing When we start to

lose heart question doubt wonder concern start

staying random stuff Just before that starts

happening for now when you get that be like,

just give me a sec Just give me a second. Let

me go get Talk to my tailor. I Got a idea go

talk to my tailor. I Don't shop off the rack

no mo Well, I don't even know what a TJ Maxx

is, babe. I don't even... Well, I take my things

to the tail. I take everything to the tailor,

you hear me? Oh, wait. Just in case y 'all wondering,

that's not... I'm not talking about... That's

not me. That guy's from Zara. It's right there

on the rack. At the mall. We talking spiritual.

Spiritually, we don't... Boy some y 'all about

to bust the whole pastor said No, he did are

we talking spiritual? Spiritually speaking I

don't shop at the rack In the natural I'd be

looking for the sale rat I Start there cuz if

there's a bargain with my name on ain't no point

of me paying full price Give me a second, right?

First one, shift your perspective. What are you

saying? No more suffering, no more burdens, just

bridges. Because every season of suffering is

just the introduction of a season of glory. I

don't have burdens, I have bridges. This thing

that's hit me to take me across to his glory

I Don't burdens that bridges That's perspective

it's the same way Paul saying these chains for

Christ you you have to look at whatever it is

Say no, it's not a burden it's a bridge bridge

to what his glory Here we go this one's big Two,

end desperate decision -making. You have the

Spirit of God living on the inside of you. The

Spirit of God is precise. The Bible says the

Word of God is sharper than a two -edged sword.

So what does that mean for me? I don't make desperate

decision if desperation shows up in the room.

No decisions will be made today Give me a second

because now you mess with my heart Now you mess

with my heart you trying to get my emotions to

do what the Spirit of God is telling me should

not be done You're trying to get me to yield

to something that I cannot be led by. I can feel

desperation rising. Let me just holler at you.

Give me a second. Give me a second. No. Hey,

neighbor. End. desperate decision making We are

not moved by pressure we are moved by presence

and It's hard for me to fill his presence with

all this pressure So you have to give me a second

but all this calm down It's gonna fall apart

see there you go. It's more that desperation

talk Maybe it's supposed to fall down. I got

to give you I need a second To find out am I

saving what God wants to die? Give me a second

just give me a second And number three, commit

to concentration. Believer, we cannot be afraid

of seasons of isolation. You cannot be afraid

to be alone. A lot of people make fun of me because

I love to drive. I love to just hop in the truck

and just ride. Because at some point, it's like...

problems... just start to lose their value. All

you hear is like... the road underneath you.

Rashida always laughs at me, because I don't

even turn on music. I put down the window and

just let the wind come through. I just ride.

Hours. I know my brother Greg talked about...

Driving for hours in the price of gas He worried

about the wrong things And And that stillness

God begins to speak and I like it because if

it takes six hours to drive to Atlanta Although

I could fly If I fly I'll try to occupy the time

I have once I land But I it's like you get on

that road I got six hours No, I don't turn on

my YouTube and no I don't turn on Music and no,

I definitely don't get the scrolling I just set

an expectation and let God know you got me for

hours. When's the last time you gave God some

hours? I'm talking about like some of our lives.

Hear what I'm saying. You are losing heart. You

are on the edge of caving in. I've never seen

a heart surgery that lasted 30 minutes. Don't

do it if they suggest it. When's the last time

you just consecrated yourself, isolated yourself

for hours? I know what I'm saying. I had all

week to think about whether or not I was going

to say for minutes and God kept saying no hours.

You just sat there. I said, God, not by will.

Your will be done. I'm overwhelmed, and I need

focus. They asked me, how long you gonna be gone,

Brian? I don't know. Turned out it took seven

days. Just driving around. Had my nieces with

me, my daughter with me, my wife with me. You

know, spent more money than I planned on, but

that's that. It's all right. Ma 'am. Jesus showed

me some things about me. Saw further I Started

to understand Some of the suffering I was going

through I Know I know we've been screaming new

life, right and But it's out of that grave to

that glory and On some levels, I've had an unbelievable

year. And in some spaces, my world has really

been rocked. And I was like, God, I don't need

you to solve problems. I need to know what you're

doing. and he started showing me what he was

doing. Why am I sharing this with you? Because

I know this isn't a, you know, a testimony of,

I don't know what y 'all want, more money, new

car, I don't know where it is you want, but this

is a testimony of peace. Just found some rest.

Some of y 'all need some rest. Because no amount

of self effort will end or stop suffering God

is using. Can I pray with y 'all today? Father

God, I pray for your people. I pray that your

word reigns supreme in their life. I pray that

they realize that you're an all -knowing father.

I pray that they rest in the truth, that you're

not trying to keep things unknown for their detriment.

but you are truly fathering them, keeping them,

growing them, maturing them to a glory you have

planned for their lives. Father God, I pray that

they understand that you've heard their prayers.

You know the desires that they have. And I pray

that they trust that you haven't forgotten their

prayers, that you haven't forgotten their desires.

I pray that they keep faith in a father who's

working it all together for their good. I pray

that you give them the perspective to remain

rooted and grounded in this season. I pray that

you give them courage and give them compassion

to see what you are doing. I pray that they understand

that you're a loving father and that you Wish

them no hurt harm or danger That you have life

and life more abundantly playing for them I Pray

that every lie Satan has set up in this season

To get them to believe that death is their future

that the end is near that they must panic, that

they must move in desperation. I pray that that

enemy that's trying to stir up things that aren't

even a part of who they are, I pray that those

things are casted out and they experience the

freedom that is found in you, the peace that

is found with you. and that they experience rest.

Amen? Amen. Well, I love you guys. I thank God

for you guys. Did you get anything out of the

word today? I'd say if you're here today and

you're not saved and you haven't made Jesus Christ

your Lord and personal savior, I would love to

give you that invitation now. Listen Jesus They

told me to stop saying this but I'm feeling it

right now. He's a bad mamajam It's the best friend

he sticks closer than a brother If you want to

meet Jesus tell you what Let us know if you're

watching online or meet us in the first room

on the left before you leave if you have questions

about what salvation is, what it means, meet

us in those same places, and we'll tell you more

about who our Savior is. Amen. At this time,

we'll also receive today's offering, and amen.

Here at Reveal the Truth, we believe in cheerful

givers. What does that mean? That means that

our heart is connected to our giving. That means

that we are asking heaven, what would you have

for me to sow? And as a result of what is said

and spoken, we sow. And so we do not believe

in people given grudgingly of necessity that

you should not be forced into your given But

you should be inspired to give um that you should

be hearing from heaven and heaven say hey This

is what it is for you to sow in in obedience

to what heaven speaks. We are cheerfully sowing.

Amen Amen. Well, I'll tell you what um pastor

deborah if you could do a communion for me, I

would love that And so as per our tradition on

the first Sundays, we do communion together.

And so Pastor Deborah is gonna come up and do

communion. And I love you guys. Hey, we did chapter

three today. You know what I'm saying? We did

it. We're gonna do chapter four next week. Let's

go. Has everyone been served? If not, if you'll

please raise your hands. We'll make sure that

you get communion. We have people on this side

as well as this side. You know, we don't do this

as a ritual. What we do concerning God, we want

to do it with full knowledge so we can take advantage

of what God has designed for us as believers.

And one of the things I just want you to know,

if you are a believer, if you are a Christian,

you have the right to take communion. I know

that in times past, people talked about you're

not being worthy. Well, gosh, no one is worthy.

But Jesus Christ made us all worthy because of

God. He gave us his righteousness. So there's

no one again that is a believer, no one who is

a Christian who does not have a right. to take

communion because when Jesus died for our sins,

he died for all our sins. And we have to understand

that as believers, we do miss the mark sometimes,

but that's a behavior that does not determine

who we are. God has already determined that we

are children of the Most High God when we get

born again. And that position never changes.

regardless of our behavior. As Pastor Brian said

a couple of weeks ago, you don't get unsaved.

The Bible says that when we got born again, that

we were sealed by the Holy Spirit. There's nothing

we can do to take that sealing away. So again,

I'm encouraging you if you're one of those people

who heard, man, I did something wrong yesterday.

Last week, just a few minutes ago, I had a bad

thought that I cannot take communion. That is

not true. That is not true. Amen So Jesus encouraged

his disciples and for us that to remember some

things To remember what you came into remember

what Jesus Christ has done for us that positioned

us to have Have presence with God all the time

how he paved the way for us that there's nothing

between us and God. So Jesus Christ, he died

on the cross. That's what he came for. I just

remember the scripture where he says, God, not

my will, but your will be done. I want to complete

my assignment, although I know what is going

to happen. I know the suffering that's going

to take place. But the Bible says Jesus said

for the joy that he saw before him, he took all

the shame. He took all of the bruises. He took

all of that just so that we can stand in the

position we are now. So he tells us to remember

what he did with his body. So this represents

his body. He says, you know, remember, remember

all that I did. Amen. So we do this in remembrance

of him. You may eat of it now. And God said that

there is no remission of sin, no forgiveness

of sin. unless there's bloodshed. Thank God that

Jesus Christ was the only one who was able to

give of his body to shed blood for our forgiveness

of sin. So when we take the wine, it represents

the blood of Jesus and all the blood of Jesus

did for us. It's for our forgiveness of sin.

And in that forgiveness of sin, it put us in

a position where we have a right to all the promises

of God. Somebody say amen. All the promises,

we talk about those as a part of what our scripture

is about, that God came to give us an abundance

of peace, prosperity, security, stability, health,

healing, and truth. So because of what Jesus

Christ did forgiveness of sin came and therefore

we can partake of all the promises of God So

just remember that and he says to drink it in

remembrance of me Hey man, hey man, so if you'll

please stand to your feet We're going to be dismissed

if you would repeat after me now unto him that

is able to keep me from falling, and to resent

me, faultless, before the presence of His glory,

with exceeding joy. To the only wise God, our

Savior, be glory, majesty, dominion, and power,

both now and ever. Amen. Enjoy the rest of your

day.