The Chosen Church
Speaker: Pastor Craig Walder Jr.
Series: Silence The Noise
Title: BREAKUP TO BREAKTHROUGH!
Scripture: Philippians 4

THE WORD OF GOD
• The Word of God is what’s going to keep us.
• The Word of God is what’s going to keep us when there is no music.
• The Word that’s going to keep us when things get bad.
• The Word is going to keep us when things are sad.
• The Word will keep us when we’re grieving.
• The Word will keep us when we’re in pain.
• Thank GOD for HIS WORD!!
• His Word is YES and AMEN!

Philippians 4:6-7 (NASB)
6 “Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and pleading with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.
7 And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.”

In order to get a breakthrough, you have to break up with some things. Some things are stopping our breakthrough.
It’s time for you to break up with something that’s blocking your breakthrough.
YOU CAN GET FREE TODAY!!!
It’s TIME to BREAKUP with what’s blocking your BREAKTHROUGH.
Until you break up with what's been blocking your breakthrough…even if God gives you what you need, you won't be able to experience it the way He intends.
Mental Note: Those things that you are holding on to can keep you from fully receiving the blessings GOD is trying to place before you.

⬇️⬇️⬇️ON THAT NOTE⬇️⬇️⬇️

Let go of what no longer serves God's purpose for your life so you can embrace what He's preparing for you.
In Philippians 4 Apostle Paul:
• Was writing letters from prison to believers.
• Was in prison for doing the right things.
• Was facing death.
• Was facing a possible life sentence in prison.
• Paul’s circumstances were dark.
• Paul’s circumstances were uncertain.
• Paul encouraged his brothers and sisters.
• Paul encouraged  his brothers and sisters to be strong in the Lord.
• Paul encouraged his brothers and sisters to stand strong.
• Paul told his brothers and sisters to stay unified.
• Two women helped Paul build the church. Paul writes: “I plead with Euodia and I plead with Syntyche to be of the same mind in the Lord." (Philippians 4:2).
• Paul openly acknowledges women as fellow laborers in the work of the gospel. He publicly acknowledges that two women were helping him build the church. Philippians 4:3
• He stated that something happened that put them at odds. He was attempting to restore unity between two valued co-laborers so they could continue serving Christ together…..in U-N-I-T-Y. He wanted them to STAY unified because there was work to be done for the KINGDOM.

• Agenda for speaking to the woman of faith: His appeal focuses on restoring unity between two faithful co-laborers so that the church's witness would remain strong.
• Trying to keep the peace and unity.
• Paul was writing to keep them walking in freedom, even though he himself was living without physical freedom.
• Told them to be anxious for nothing.
When serving God, the enemy wants you at odds with fellow believers.

NEWSFLASH: The enemy seeks to weaken the church's witness, disrupt ministry, and distract God's people from their mission.

PAUL UNDERSTOOD THIS: unresolved conflict can hinder the work of the church.
We should BE choosing:
• Reconciliation
• Walk in humility
• Extend
• Love one another so disagreements don't distract us from the work God has called us to do.
• We should NOT let the enemy knock us off our square.
Sometimes the biggest thing we need to break up with is winning every argument.
Sometimes the noise looks like:
• Unresolved relationships
• Hidden in public offense
• Tradition
• Unwarranted expectations
• Unforgiveness
• Trauma
• Identity crisis
• Fear

HOWEVER…..We are going to breakup with things that are keeping us from a BREAKTHROUGH.
Paul was in prison telling the people to get on ONE accord.
Today we are going to break up with some things that are stopping us to get a breakthrough.
Women can be a powerful force in helping to build the Kingdom of God.

⬇️⬇️⬇️HOWEVER ⬇️⬇️⬇️

When women don't silence the noise, it can lead to unnecessary destruction.
Paul was breaking up the culture barriers for the kingdom’s advancement.

⬇️⬇️SPEAKING OF CULTURE ⬇️⬇️

Everything culture does doesn’t mean God wants us to do.
Everything culture accepts, the church cannot accept.
Kingdom purpose supersedes cultural approval
We must break up with what everybody says, and what everyone accepts. Too many folks are claiming Christ but agreeing with the world.
We cannot have kingdom breakthrough while seeking worldly approval. Too many people want acceptance before they want deliverance.
Receive your FREEDOM so you can BREAKTHROUGH. BREAKUP with “things” that are keeping you bound.
While in prison, Paul is encouraging the saints all while breaking culture barriers.

⬇️⬇️Roman Culture⬇️⬇️

The vibe during this time was the people living under Roman culture. They were navigating intense social, political, and spiritual pressures. Declaring that Jesus Christ is Lord (Phil 4:5) was considered politically a crime against the government during that time. Caesar was the little king TRYING to demand everyone to treat him like the BIG KING….KING OF KINGS.

In Philippians 4:4 (NASB) Paul said
“Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice!”

Simply Put: In all things we still need to rejoice because we still owe God praise:
• In your dark times…..rejoice.
• In your grief……rejoice.
• In your insecurities…..rejoice.
• In your fear…..rejoice.

Meaning: your circumstances don’t dictate your joy.

• Paul is saying PRAISE is a weapon.
What Paul is saying is that God has given us the gift of PRAISE as a weapon to silence the noise that the enemy AND our own flesh attempt to overwhelm us with. Praise redirects our focus from the voices of fear, doubt, and discouragement back to THE TRUTH of WHO God is. Praise reminds us that our circumstances do not have the final word….God does! Sip on that for a minute…That’s tea?
Paul was trying to get us to see that this is what stops us from rejoicing.

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He said BE anxious for NO-THING!!

Philippians 4:6 (NASB)
“Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and pleading with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.”

Paul had every human reason to be anxious:
• He was arrested
• He was facing possible execution
• He was encouraging others while bound physically
• He was experiencing the most but cared the most for the kingdom.

• READ Philippians 1:12–14

JOY is not a feeling..JOY is conviction.

⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️MEANING⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️

Your circumstances don’t trump your praise.
Your circumstances don’t dictate your contentment in God.
Some let what’s happening AROUND them expose what’s happening inside them.
With that being said….Silence the noise.
Paul on the other hand…Was in prison, not in a palace or in comfort. There’s no convenience.
The man behind bars was teaching the ones outside of the bars how to be free. He said BE ANXIOUS FOR NOTHING!

Note: Anxious in the Greek means to be divided or pulled apart. Anxiety is not just worrying. It’s literally pulling you apart.
You are living in pieces when the Father wants to put you back together again. He wants you to be delivered, holy and whole.
If you don’t tell anxiety and worry where to go, it tells your mind where to stay.

Anxious means divided…..meaning:
• One side of you can trust God and the other side trusts in you more.
• One side can offer forgiveness and the other side keeps score.
• One side can believe God is in control and the other side can say God is taking too long.
• Anxiety creeps in from a lack of contentment.

We love to quote Romans 8:28. “And we know that all things to work together for good.”…only when it makes us feel good. However, some stuff will work for your good that makes you feel bad. We know this because ⬇️⬇️⬇️

Godliness with contentment is great gain. 1 Timothy 6:6 (NASB)

POINT TO PONDER: If anxiety and worry is consuming us, then we should check our Godliness.

CHECKPOINT: You think you are exhausted because you were busy, could it be that you are exhausted because you were busy being divided…...mentally. Some let anxiety and worry consume them. Until you break up with things that are consuming you, it hinders your breakthrough because your breakthrough isn’t based on what you get it is based on who you’re with. Some have mistaken that breakthrough is what one gets.

NOPE!⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️

• You can get all the money in the world and still be miserable.
• You can get the relationship you want and still be miserable.
• You can get the job you want and still be miserable.
• It’s about who you are with.
Question: Who are you with? Whose side are you on?
• Paul was not telling the folks to ignore anxiety. He was giving them the strategies to conquer anxiety.
• Paul said, “PRAY about EVERYTHING!” Prayer draws us closer to God.
• Paul said, “WITH SUPPLICATION.” Supplication is a specific prayer.
• Paul said, REJOICE.” Meaning I’m giving thanks because of God’s faithfulness to me. If He doesn’t do another thing for me….He’s done enough. NO-THING will stop me from giving GOD thanks!!
This is the BLUEPRINT to SPIRITUAL ALIGNMENT to KILL anxiety AND worry.

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When the noise says:
• What if it all falls apart.
• Prayer says God hears my plea. Praise said I am going to thank YOU whether you do it or not.
• Peace comes in and supersedes it all. You must surrender though.
Sometimes we are “warring” with GOD…..You will NEVER win that war. Surrender Sis/Bro because GOD will make you surrender. Paul was telling them to get it together and reconcile because they had more WORK to do.

BREAKUP!! BREAKUP!! BREAKUP!!⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️

Break up with:
• Fear
• Procrastination
• Trauma
• Triggers
• Shame
• Past
• Gluttony
• Anxiety
• Lack
• Lust
• Worry
• Pride
• Unforgiveness
• Unresolved issues
• With the what IF
• Identity Crisis
• Greed
• Grief
• Idolatry
• Fornication
• Adultery
• Lack Of
• BREAKUP TO CATCH YOUR BREAKTHROUGH
PLEASE RELEASE THE ANXIETY
PLEASE REJOICE IN ALL THINGS

REPEAT: You want peace…..Surrender.
REPEAT: Surrender before God makes you surrender.
REPEAT: Paul is telling them from the beginning to reconcile because there’s more work to do for the Kingdom of GOD.
Some cannot put:
• Cigarettes on the altar.
• Vapes on the altar.
• Pills on the altar.

When you want freedom, you don’t care what no one thinks.

DON’T SHOOT THE MESSENGER: Some have a problem with just coming to church, and they leave still bound. They say they want freedom BUT it just sounds good.

CHURCH: It’s TIME to BREAKUP to get a BREAKTHROUGH!!!

Question: Are you free??

We gotta BREAKUP from waiting on things we are NOT prepared for. ⬇️

• You want a HUSBAND ….START being a WIFE.
• You want a WIFE ….START dying RIGHT NOW.
• You want a HOUSE….CLEAN your apartment.
• You want a new CAR….CHANGE The OIL on the OLD one.
• You want more MONEY….LEARN how to GIVE.
We want the EMOTION of CHRIST BUT we don’t want the PAIN of HIM.
We’ve allowed the noise of life to dictate our thoughts. When noise consumes our thoughts IT blocks our BREAKTHROUGH. That’s why many live a lifestyle of IF I could JUST have MORE…..BUT what you DO with MORE is NEVER enough.

What do YOU do when YOU get what YOU thought YOU needed AND it’s still NOT enough? Paul learned the SECRET of being CONTENT in EVERY situation. Paul’s strength came from CHRIST, NOT his circumstances or what he owned.

ALL FAXXXXXX: Contentment is learned meaning…..it’s not a natural instinct, it’s developed discipline. Godliness with contentment is GREAT gain. In that SAME chapter it says YOU came into this world with nothing, you are gonna leave with nothing… meaning you are pursuing everything that you’re not going to leave this earth with.

CHECKPOINT: SOME go CRAZY trying to KEEP up. Some go CRAZY trying to get what’s NEXT.

MENTAL NOTE: TRUE contentment is not found IN US….. it’s found in the one who HAS us..

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Paul said 4: 11-12 (NASB)
11 “Not that I speak from need, for I have learned to be content in whatever circumstances I am.
12 I know how to get along with little, and I also know how to live in prosperity; in any and every circumstance I have learned the secret of being filled and going hungry, both of having abundance and suffering need.”

AND BECAUSE OF PAUL’S CONTENTMENT, HE SAYS⬇️⬇️⬇️

Philippians 4:13 (NASB)
13” I can do all things through Him who strengthens me.”
We must learn how to be content in whatever circumstance we face. Our commitment should not be in our circumstances. Our contentment should be in Christ Jesus.

 The ONE who is the AUTHOR and FINISHER of our FAITH!!!

CHURCH: IT’S TIME TO BREAKUP AND BREAKTHROUGH. Whatever in your life that’s causing you anxiety.
Whatever it is in your life that’s causing you to be divided? Whatever’s causing you to fear it’s time to BREAKUP and BREAKTHROUGH.

Baptism isn’t the celebration of perfection. It’s a celebration of a public announcement of a BREAKUP. Baptism is not about being dipped in the water…..It’s about a changed mind. If your mind is not changed, you’re just getting FREE bathwater. You must CHANGE your mind to see transformation. Those who CHOOSE to get baptized are CHOOSING to break up with the world. They are CHOOSING to put up a public display of a wedding ring to the BODY of CHRIST. The baptism is a display of a changed mind. If your mind is not changed, then nothing’s going to change. You don’t have to worry about what nobody thinks. You get dipped in and you come out of the water new. What happened BEFORE now…..FORGET ABOUT IT!!!

NEWSFLASH: Sometimes when you get out of the water from being baptized, you might need to get a new circle of friends. You can NO LONGER be committed to the OLD you……

Meaning…. I’m not dating sin anymore.. I’m NOT engaged to the OLD me anymore. I’m BREAKING up because I belong to Jesus.

HEAR ME OUT: God’s peace doesn’t arrive when life gets quieter. It arrives when your heart gets surrendered. You want PEACE….Give up to the LORD!!
Some have asked GOD for a BREAKTHROUGH.

Question: What are you willing to breakup with? ⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️

• Maybe it’s the need to control EVERYTHING…..BREAKUP.
• Maybe it’s ANXIETY that has become your IDENTITY….BREAKUP.
• Maybe you KEEP taking on ASSIGNMENTS that GOD never called you to take on…..BREAKUP.
• Maybe you are TRYING to help family members that GOD is trying to PURGE….BREAKUP.
• Maybe it’s some relationships that’s trying to PULL you AWAY from CHRIST…..BREAKUP.
• Maybe is the APPROVAL from people that’s PULLING you AWAY from CHRIST…..BREAKUP.
• Maybe it’s a VERSION of YOURSELF that you’ve OUTGROWN but you’ve allowed people to KEEP you in a PAST dated SITUATION that **you are no longer …..**BREAKUP.
When you get baptized, you go down in the water DECLARING that the OLD life NO longer has a CLAIM on you.

PAUSE: Baptism is MAJOR…….

REAL TALK: BEFORE THERE CAN BE A RESURRECTION….THERE MUST BE A BURIAL.

 BEFORE THERE IS A BREAKTHROUGH….THERE MUST BE A BREAKUP.
QUESTION: What do you gotta BREAKUP with on today?
Your contentment is NOT in how you feel. Your contentment IS what you gain THROUGH CHRIST.
Many people think they are JUST getting baptized…..NOPE…..it’s BIGGER than THAT!! Many have gotten baptized AND they’re still walking around like a little devil. There is a lot of gifted flesh walking around here.
The Bible says in John 10:10 that the thief comes to kill, steal AND destroy. The thief is GIFTED flesh. The BIBLE NEVER says the THIEF was the devil. The thief is corrupt humans that roam the earth…..The thief is not the devil in scripture. Simplest form of this would be…..We could be the thief scripture describes.
I NEED GOD TO DO IT SUDDENLY:
• Some need a BREAKTHROUGH suddenly………
• Some need a BLESSING suddenly……..
• Some need DELIVERANCE suddenly……..
• Some need to WHOLE suddenly……
• Some need MENTALLY delivered suddenly……
• Some need to get rid of an addiction……
• Some need to get out of toxic relationships…….
• BREAK-IT-UP—BREAK-IT-UP…….

In order to get a BREAKTHROUGH you MUST pray WITH supplication.
We should give GOD praise for what’s going to come after surrendering……
Some need DELIVERANCE and a BREAKTHROUGH because they are clogged up!!
Greater is HE that is in me than he that’s in the world!! 1 John 4:4
I AM more than a CONQUEROR!! Romans 8:37
Fear don’t live here ANYMORE!!
I WILL rejoice!
I WILL give Him PRAISE!
I WILL give Him THANKS!
I WILL say YES LORD!
I WILL surrender!
I WILL BREAKUP!
I WILL BREAKTHROUGH!
Peace , Joy , Love AND Contentment is in MY relationship with the LORD!!!
IT IS DONE!!
IT’S A FINISHED WORK!!

Extra readings:
• Ephesians 6:12 reminds believers that the ultimate struggle is "not against flesh and blood," but against spiritual forces.
• John 17:20–23 records Jesus praying that His followers would be one so that the world would believe.
• 2 Corinthians 2:10–11 warns believers to forgive so that "Satan might not outwit us.

Takeaway: Philippians 4:6–7

• Pray about everything rather than carrying the burden alone.
• Present your requests to God honestly and specifically.
• Give thanks, even while facing difficulties, which shifts attention to God's faithfulness.
• Trust that God's peace will "guard your heart and minds in Christ Jesus."

The Chosen Church
Speaker: Pastor Craig
Series: Silence The Noise
Title: Busy AND Broke
Scripture: Luke 10:38-42 (ESV)

38 “Now as they went on their way, Jesus entered a village. And a woman named Martha welcomed him into her house. 39 And she had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord's feet and listened to his teaching. 40 But Martha was distracted with much serving. And she went up to him and said, “Lord, do you not care that my sister has left me to serve alone? Tell her then to help me.” 41 But the Lord answered her, “Martha, Martha, you are anxious and troubled about many things, 42 but one thing is necessary.Mary has chosen the good portion, which will not be taken away from her.”
Don’t BE busy AND broke…..don’t BE broke AND busy!!!

Question: What is your ultimate goal in life?

Your ultimate goal in life often reflects your current values, priorities…..AND the direction you're moving towards. What you choose to pursue determines our outlook of our life.
Note: Whatever your age is, you still have to pursue something. If you still have breath in your body, there is still something you have to do. You must continue to pursue your first portion. Jesus is our first portion. ONE thing is NECESSARY in our pursuit…..➡️➡️➡️ Pursuing God first is your first duty! In EVERY pursuit, our first duty is to seek God above all else.
• Before chasing success…pursue GOD!
• Before chasing wealth…pursue God!
• Before chasing influence…pursue God!
• Before chasing ANYTHING/ANYBODY…pursue God.
• Before ANYTHING/ANYBODY our relationship with GOD should BE OUR first and highest priority.
When God comes first, every other pursuit finds its proper place.
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Matthew 6:33 Seek God FIRST!!! 33 “But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you. “(ESV)
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Friendly Reminder: PURSUE GOD FIRST. EVERYTHING ELSE FOLLOWS FROM THERE.
Seek in Matthew 6:33 means:
• To look for
• To desire
• To strive after
• To pursue
This should be our number ONE goal in life. If you do this first: Meaning——First MEANS priority!
He’s giving us the blueprint to a successful life. Why is it a blueprint for a successful life? Because it’s a life based in HIM! Your end goal should BE Matthew 6:33 in its entirety. It’s HIS way of being and doing right. It’s the attitude AND character of HIM
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Matthew 6:33 (Amplified) 33 “But first and most importantly seek (aim at, strive after) His kingdom and His righteousness [His way of doing and being right—the attitude and character of God], and all these things will be given to you also.”

A preacher once said…..The Kingdom is an everlasting style of government where Jesus is KING. It’s simply seeking to aim at and strive after HIS way of DOING and BEING right and all these “things” will BE added unto you. If this is being pursued first…..EVERYTHING else will line up.

Essentially…NO matter what you go through in life the intimacy and the fortitude that’s been built with HIM…because He’s been FIRST priority supersedes the noise which we face in life.

We must have the attitude AND character of God meaning when you get weary, you won’t faint. Jesus Himself had a moment of weariness. However, HE dug DEEPER instead of fainting.

If you're wondering where you are in your due season...if you're wondering when your harvest will come...if you've been asking, "Lord, when is my appointed time? When will I see the fruit of all the good I've done? When will my season arrive?” In the midst of all the questions….don't faint, don’t give up AND keep seeking GOD first.
Some have missed their moment because they fainted!!!!

Sidebar: BE CONTENT WITH WHAT YOU HAVE!!!!!

Keep striving to BE who and what GOD called you to BE!! DO⬇️ Right ⬇️ Everything else adds up ⬇️

• The intimacy with Him will silence the noise in life.
• You have to have the attitude and character of God.
• Jesus was tempted….BUT HE dug deeper, instead of fainting!
• Don’t FAINT!!
• Do GOD = DUE SEASON!
• Keep striving!! While waiting on your due season to come:
• Don’t quit!
• Don’t give up!
• Don’t faint!
• Keep seeking God FIRST!

 When you become weary…DO good. If we quit…..We will miss our season. Why do we quit? Because we allow the noise to consume us. The noise makes one weary.

PLEASE: Don’t let the noise consume you! Sis/Bro…..The noise isn't always the devil……
• Sometimes…it's YOU.
• Sometimes..It's not always your haters…Its YOU.
• Sometimes.. It's not the people who have hurt you…it’s YOU.
• Sometimes….the greatest obstacle isn't what’s happening around you…it's what's happening WITHIN you.
• Sometimes…. Our biggest issue is us creating the noise around us.
• Sometimes the fear, the doubt, the excuses, the pride, or theunwillingness to let go become the LOUDEST voices.

Before blaming the enemy or others…..ASK God to reveal YOUR OWN heart. Sometimes….it's simply YOU. And when you surrender YOU to God, the noise begins to quiet….AND GOD’S voice BECOMES louder. Our BIGGEST issue isn't always what's around us... sometimes, it's us.

We create the most NOISE in our own lives. We become our BIGGEST DISTRACTION. One of the greatest distractions we allow is BUSYNESS to always be our business. It becomes one of the greatest enemies to our number one priority—seeking GOD'S way. We become so BUSY that we don't even realize we're spiritually BROKE. EVERYTHING is competing for our attention…..AND if we're not careful, we'll allow the NOISE to lead us into pursuing things that never benefit our soul.

What’s COMPETING for your time and attention?

• Social media - Some give social media platforms their time and attention.
• Cell phones - Some check their phones before they read their bibles. Busyness is a distraction!! We sometimes do things that don’t benefit us spiritually.
NOTE: Just as your phone sends alerts from social media AND you IMMEDIATELY give them ALL your attention…….the HOLY SPIRIT is constantly prompting, convicting, guiding, and speaking to those who are ACTIVELY seeking HIM
(MATTHEW 6:33).
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The question is: Are you paying attention? If every notification from the world gets your attention…..BUT you never recognize the promptings of the HOLY SPIRIT, something is out of order…SOMETHING is OFF. KNOW that A heart that is yielded to GOD becomes sensitive to His voice AND seeks to please HIM.

DON’T let the world's notifications become LOUDER than the HOLY SPIRIT'S leading. Silence the NOISE….AND make room for GOD’S voice. Church……We need to check scripture more than we check our phones/social media. One thing is NECESSARY. Some have allowed the noise of life to pull their attention toward what looks good on the outside while neglecting what’s happening on the inside. We can look clean on the outside, BUT if there’s no intimacy being built with the LORD, if we’re NOT seeking His ways, then we’re only clean on the outside while rotting on the inside.

We are to DO what we are SUPPOSED to DO➡️➡️➡️➡️SEEK the KINGDOM first!! Some put GOD on a schedule BUT howso????…when HE made the schedule. You do NOT have to have a title to be who GOD wants you to be.

PLEASE: Don’t SEEK what you want, SEEK what GOD wants you to have.

Everything that’s good to you doesn’t mean good...you can get all the money you want in the world, but you can still be broke mentally AND spiritually. Most of what we want looks good for us because we want it…..BUT wait until GOD gives “it/them” to you.

 How will you know if it’s GOD➡️➡️➡️➡️By seeking GOD. Wait like Jesus instead of waiting on Jesus. How? By taking on the character of Jesus? How do we take on the character of Jesus? By pursuing the kingdom of God FIRST (Matthew 6:33). This will make you a better person in life! Meaning the King's way is about being conformed, formed and transformed, not only about being saved.

 Who you are becoming will inform you where you are going. If you don’t know who you are or where are you going is because your pursuit is misaligned. If your pursuit is misaligned it can lead you to be busy and broke.

Take Note: We need to be intentional about the pursuit of The Lord.

 What are some ways we can be intentional about pursuing The Lord:
• Seeking God FIRST.
• Making Him a daily priority.
 • Praying.
• Reading His Word.
• Obeying His Word.
• Stewarding well.
 
 Simply Put: A heart that continually seeks to KNOW and FOLLOW Him is the posture we should have. You have to MAKE peace! Blessed are the peacemakers.
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Matthew 5:9 (NASB). Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called sons of God.
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Meaning…..in order to get peace, you have to learn how to go through war!   Stop falling! BUT if you fall…..Get back up again!!
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Proverbs 24:16 16 “For a righteous person falls seven times and rises again, But the wicked stumble in time of disaster.” DO NOT LET THE DEVIL STOMP YOU OUT!

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Greater is HE that is in ME than HE that’s in the world. 1 John 4:4 (NASB). 

We are MORE than CONQUERS
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Romans 8:37 (NIV) “No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us.”

Sometimes we become more familiar with the songs we sing than with the GOD we are singing about. We tend to listen to the music, but we must also read, know, AND pursue the ONE at the center of it ALL (Jesus).

Plot Twist: We can easily spend more time singing about Jesus than seeking to KNOW Jesus. The songs may be powerful, but they are NOT more powerful then the ONE we should be reading about, learning from, and following. If your praise and worship is your scripture, you gotta die before you die.

There are two seasons you will go/grow through:
1. Waiting season
2. Wanting season.

 If you don’t know how to go/grow through those seasons, you are going to be in trouble. Mary and Martha taught us that they needed Jesus to come rescue Lazarus and they had to endure the wait. Jesus received the message BUT He waited two more days to come to where they were.
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LOVE IS PATIENT. LOVE IS KIND? 1 Corinthians 13:4 (NASB) 

Mary and Martha teach us:
• To silence the noise.
• To steward our time with Jesus.
 • How not to be busy and broke.

There are TWO sisters (Mary and Martha) with two different postures. Two sisters are right, but one sister has the order of pursuit misaligned. There are times when people have the right intentions, but have the wrong order. This story shows us how to NOT to become BUSY and BROKE. But fruitful and good stewards of our relationship with Jesus.

Luke 10:38 (NASB) “Now as they were traveling along, He entered a village; and a woman named Martha welcomed Him into her home.”

 Luke 10:38 Significant of this verse:
• In that culture, at that time women were looked at as just a step above animals.
 • Woman had no voice or no say.
 • The Greek and Jewish customs were strict and crazy!
• Woman didn’t have a voice or say so.
 • It was known for woman to live with a man.

However, it is believed that she lived alone.
Martha did not have a husband.
She may have been a widow or never married.
It was dangerous to be associated with Jesus during that time.
Martha was a strong and independent woman.
 
Martha was in her waiting season.
Martha was a woman who wanted what she wanted and when she wanted it.
Martha risked her reputation and well-being.
Martha was distracted with serving.
Martha acted the same in her waiting season AND in her wanting season.
Martha was a woman that wanted what she wanted, when she wanted it and would let you know in a passive aggressive way. It was frowned upon for a man to enter into a non-married woman’s house. Martha opened her home to a wanted man and to His disciples.

 Jesus was a wanted man and a target for murder BUT Martha risked it all….showing how strong of a woman she was.  Martha risked her reputation and well-being by opening up her home for Jesus.

Luke 10:39 (NASB) “And she had a sister called Mary, who was also seated at the Lord’s feet, and was listening to His word.”

Mary sat at the feet of Jesus after Martha opened her home up to Jesus.
• Mary sat at the feet of Jesus to listen to what he was saying.
• Mary and Martha set barriers! They broke barriers. They were some strong women.
• Mary sitting at the feet of Jesus was major because women usually had to be in a separate room when the Rabbi or when men showed up.
• Mary did not care about what was going on around her, she sat at the feet of Jesus!! Three are THREE recorded encounters of Mary at the feet of Jesus.
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• Mary broke all religious traditions.
 • Jesus was Mary’s portion.
• Mary attached herself to Jesus.
• Mary became a disciple when only men could become disciples.

This is a fact because a disciple is a learner, a posture, student, or devoted follower.

The Three Encounters of Mary at the Feet of Jesus:
• Listening to His Word: In Luke 10:39, Mary sits quietly at Jesus's feet to listen to his teachings while her sister Martha works.

• Grieving a Loss: In John 11:32, Mary falls down at the feet of Jesus in sorrow when he arrives after the death of her brother Lazarus.
• Worshiping and Anointing: In John 12:3, Mary pours expensive perfume on Jesus's feet and wipes them with her hair before his crucifixion.

Questions: What would you do if you had Jesus in your house? Would your house be prepared for Him? What would your posture BE? How is your inside? Is your inside cluttered? Is your house in order?

OTN: If you STAY ready….You don’t have to worry about getting ready.

Some folks have so much clutter inside their homes (temple) that the Holy Spirit cannot operate in them.

Real Questions: Is there room for God? Is there too much clutter for Him to come inside? Are you hoarders?
Luke 10:40 40 “But Martha was distracted with all her preparations; and she came up to Him and said, “Lord, do You not care that my sister has left me to do the serving by myself? Then tell her to help me.”

Note: Distracted in this passage means:
• Dragged around.
• Pulled apart.
• Mentally divided.

 But she’s serving Jesus!
 Martha was distracted serving Jesus.
 Martha was mentally divided serving Jesus.
Martha was pulled apart serving Jesus.
 Martha was pulled apart, mentally divided, dragged around serving Jesus.
She’s being pulled for SERVING who’s she’s trying to SERVE.
Martha is being divided by who she is trying to serve.

In Luke 10:1-8. The Lord sent out 72 disciples and told them the harvest is plentiful BUT the laborers/servers are few.

To serve in the Kingdom of God is a good thing. Martha was trying get order in the house to please Jesus. Some know how to look a part but the inside doesn’t match. They have the appropriate appearance, clothing, or demeanor for a specific role, situation, church etc….BUT the inside doesn’t match their appearance!!

You get more for what you put in. You get more harvest BUT...what is it and how do you serve. Some expect a big harvest, but they did not sow.

PAY ATTENTION: To how much time how much time we put on the outside versus how much time we give the inside.

Galatians 6:8-9 “ 8. For the one who sows to his own flesh will reap destruction from the flesh, but the one who sows to the Spirit will reap eternal life from the Spirit.” “ 9. Let’s not become discouraged in doing good, for in due time we will reap, if we do not become weary.”

2 Corinthians 9:6 “Now I say this: the one who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and the one who sows generously will also reap generously.” For the one who sows to his own flesh will reap destruction from the flesh, but the one who sows to the Spirit will reap eternal life from the Spirit.

Some expect to pass a test when they have yet to study for the test. So, you cuss someone out because you are NOT prepared NOT to cuss them out.
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Note: Just because something is not in your presence does not mean is present. Triggers happen when you see the trigger. If something resurfaced from your past, and it causes a trigger means that you were NOT healed from “IT”. Ma’am/Sir you just changed locations.

You moved away from the problem rather than fully resolving it.

AGAIN: If something resurfaced from your past, and it can cause a trigger means that you were NOT healed from 'IT'. Some triggers come and take us back to the moment of the offense…..Why though? Because we do not heal from what triggers us.

 A trigger...something such as sight, sound, smell, situation, or memory. It brings up a strong emotional or physical reaction, often connected to a past experience. Sometimes we do not take the time to fix the inside of us. Some are more concerned than the outside appearance...example...they stay busy getting degrees, businesses etc.

Scripture tells us that we can gain the whole world and lose our souls.
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Matthew 16:26 26 “For what good will it do a person if he gains the whole world, but forfeits his soul? Or what will a person give in exchange for his soul?”

FYI: You can go to heaven or hell with a full bank account.

Back to Martha...She was distracted with much service….This is where being STRONG goes WRONG
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Martha asked Jesus a question: 40 “But Martha was distracted with all her preparations; and she came up to Him and said, “Lord, do You not care that my sister has left me to do the serving by myself? Then tell her to help me.”
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It’s easy to start seeing everybody else doing and you miss when you are out of order.

PEEP THIS: Martha was not wrong for serving…. But she was out of order when serving pulled her away from Jesus.
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• Sometimes the loudest noise is not the crowd, it’s your responsibilities.
• Sometimes we have allowed ministry to BECOME the noise.
• Sometimes we allow serving God to become louder than hearing from God.

We should never get to a place where we're so busy doing for Jesus that we've stopped enjoying being with Jesus. That's when we become BUSY and BROKE.  You can outwardly serve well but be inwardly dying. Some get too busy making sure the outward appearance is in order…..while dying inwardly (spiritual death). We cannot become so busy that we miss what matters most…GOD’S presence.

It's possible to be active in ministry and ABSENT in intimacy with The Lord. God never intended for our service to replace our relationship with Him. If our schedules are so full and God is at the bottom of our list of things to do….we no longer make time to sit at His feet.
 
Question: Are you a Martha or a Mary?

We should NOT allow our work to overshadow the GOD of the work. You can outwardly serve well but be inwardly dying. Again...Martha was distracted by much serving, and this is how you become just:

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You can become a JUST:
• Just a musician.
• Just a youth Pastor.
• Just on the prayer team.
• Just a greeter.
• Just on the media team.
• Just a member of the church.
 • Just on the praise team.
• Just a greeter at the church.

Stop putting ourselves in position of productivity before His presence.

Note: activity does not mean intimacy with God. Busyness does not mean you’re building.

Example of this according to the text:
• Martha wanted to change the way her outside looked and wanted to serve Jesus as well. • Mary wanted and waited at the feet of Jesus to change her inside completely.

To Ponder: You can have Jesus in your house and still miss Him.

Exodus 33:15 (NASB) 15 “Then he said to Him, “If Your presence does not go with us, do not lead us up from here.”

Lord if your presence is not with me…I don’t want to do it. Noise is MORE than a sound it’s anything that’s competing for your attention and pulling you away from Jesus. LOOK WHAT HE SAID TO MARTHA
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Luke 10:41-42 41 “But the Lord answered and said to her, “Martha, Martha, you are worried and distracted by many things; 42 but only one thing is necessary; for Mary has chosen the good part, which shall not be taken away from her.”

TAKE NOTE: Jesus called Maratha’s name TWICE. Anytime Jesus says your name twice its sympathy followed by correction. Jesus called her name twice that was deep love, and affection. Martha was worried, anxious in troubled by many things.
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 We cause the noise in our lives. We cause ourselves to be so busy that we are broke. When we put ourselves in position to lose the intimacy with God, we’re lining ourselves up for favor, but that’s not how Jesus do…..Jesus doesn’t rebuke her for serving, He rebukes her for her anxiety.

Martha wanted Mary to leave what she was doing to help her in her distractions. Mary recognized that before you can serve the teacher (Jesus), you gotta sit at His feet. The phrase sit at Jesus’ feet was a posture of a disciple. Luke wasn’t telling us just where Mary was sitting, He was telling us of who Mary had become. Mary had assumed the posture of a disciple. A disciple stays in a posture of being at the feet of Jesus.

If your service to God is not flowing from communion with God, then Ministry without intimacy becomes exhausting.

Question: Are you burnt out? Are you doing what you’re doing for the Lord or are you JUST serving.
What you doing should be done for Christ, it will last and you will serve Him well. Martha wasn’t spiritually broke or bankrupt because She was serving. Martha was spiritually depleted because her service had been disconnected from the ONE thang!!

Luke 10:42 42 “but only one thing is necessary; for Mary has chosen the good part, which shall not be taken away from her.” Mary was connected to the ONE thang.

Question: have you lost your ONE thang?

Mary showed us our FIRST calling is not to do something for Jesus BUT to BE with Jesus. Everything else flows from there. DON’T LOSE intimacy with that ONE thang. Jesus said Mary chose what was good!! What are you choosing today?

 Aren’t ya tired:
• Of being busy, broke and having nothing to show for it.
• Tired of worshiping and not feeling God‘s love?
• Worshiping God without doing it in spirit and in truth?
• Of being broke? • Aren’t you tired of having no power?

You do this because you don’t tap into the POWER to pray for yourself.
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Philippians 4:6:7 Romans 26: 27 1 Thessalonians 5:17

 Some are BROKE because they are so BUSY. Some study and achieve everything else BUT does it benefit your soul??

Question: How does your SOUL look? Lord! Help us to lean on You for strength, peace, and guidance.

Psalm 42:1 (NASB) “As the deer pants for the water brooks, So my soul pants for You, God.”

Some come to church fronting but:

 • They are impatient with their kids.
• You are impatient with your wife.
• You are trying to pour from an empty vessel.

The noise WE create is because we gotta get back to the ONE thang! God meets people who make room for Him. We cannot serve the Lord from an empty place. Before you pour into others, you need to allow God to fill you.

This led me to the statement Pastor Craig said….BE HOLY and WHOLE!! POINT TO

PONDER: A lasting, fruitful service flows from a life that is continually being renewed by God, instead of relying only on your own strength. We cannot stand in the same spot expecting different results. If you have to set a new goal every year because you never completed the last one, your pursuit is wrong.

We need to examine ourselves when this happens.
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We need to get back to that ONE thang!!

REAL QUESTIONS: Will you get back to that ONE thing? Will you stop being busy and broke, with nothing to show for it……not naturally…..BUT spiritually? Aren’t you tired of falling? You should want a new test.

AGAIN: Aren’t you tired from falling from the same stuff? Some people keep missing their new season because they can’t stop clapping back.
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This week PRACTICE the spirit of shut-up.

We get tripped up over small stuff like:
• Folks talking about you. Let THEM!
• Folks lying on you. LET THEM!
• They won’t speak to me. LET THEM!

Facts: Some lose energy over the smallest of things. Your home should be your altar. Your home should be a place that is dedicated to God and reflects His presence. Your home is not just a place where you live; it is a place where you host God’s presence, practice faith, and make your everyday life an offering to Him. Declare from humble place…..I’m tired of being busy and broke! I am free from being busy and broke . Thank You GOD!!!

The Chosen Church
Speaker: Pastor Craig Walder Jr.
Series: Silence The Noise
Title: Don’t Lose It!
Scripture: John 11: 21 (NASB)

Whenever God is doing something, the enemy gets mad. Whenever God is fulfilling His vision, the enemy is coming to attack in our flesh. Our flesh will rise up as loud as it can rise. It will fight against what God is trying to do, BUT we must CHOOSE to follow the Spirit instead of our flesh.

Pause: SILENCE the noise and Choose WHOM you WILL serve.

Joshua 24:15 

It’s so much noise going on in the world. The world may be loud, BUT God's voice is LOUDER. He DROWNS out the noise, CALMS the storm within, and LEADS those WHO listen with perfect peace.

Thank YOU GOD??????????????.

John 11:21 (NASB)
 “Martha then said to Jesus, “Lord, if You had been here, my brother would not have died.”

Please:
Don’t crash out!
Don’t lose your mind!
Don’t lose your peace!
It’s going to BE alright!!!

Life will have you questioning God. Life will squeeze EVERYTHING that’s inside you out of you. Life makes you question if God is really there, does God really hear and understand me?
We were taught growing up not to question God. This is NOT a biblical statement.

Jesus questioned God:

Matthew 27:46
46 “And about the ninth hour Jesus cried out with a loud voice, saying, “Eli, Eli, lema sabaktanei?” that is, “My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?”

Mark 14:36
36 “Abba,Father,” he said, “everything is possible for you. Take this cup from me. Yet not what I will, but what you will.”

Some blame God for what’s happening to them in this life/world.
Explanation of text:
Mary and Martha were sisters.
Mary and Martha had a brother name Lazarus.
Lazarus has become deathly ill
Mary and Martha KNEW Jesus. They were close friends with Jesus. They were well connected to Jesus.
Mary and Martha did not just love Jesus BUT they followed Jesus.
Jesus loved them.

John 11:5 (NASB)
“Now Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus.”

Jesus had a relationship with them.

Mary and Martha send a message to Jesus.

John 11:3 (NASB)
“So the sisters sent word to Him, saying, “Lord, behold, he whom You love is sick.”

The one you had a relationship with is sick.

Lazarus name means: God helpeth, God love.

This shows the message Mary and Martha sent in John 11:3
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“Jesus, the one You love is sick. Please come.”

Mary and Martha trusted that because Lazarus was Jesus’ friend and loved by Him, Jesus would come and heal him. Many of us in today’s time have been in a similar situation where we sent message to Jesus through prayer that the one He loves is in need of something.

JESUS!! JESUS!! JESUS!! JESUS!!

Jesus, the one You love is in need of a physical healing because the doctor’s report wasn’t favorable. Jesus the one who You love needs You. Jesus the one You love is in need of a financial miracle right now. Jesus the one You love is feeling lonely. They don’t want to make a costly decision.  Jesus loves BUT sometimes, we need to feel that love.
Jesus the one You love is praying that you will save their my children….please save them.

 Jesus……..?????.

Jesus the one You love cannot see a way out, their drowning.
Jesus the one You love cannot feel the love and is searching trying to find out who they are.
Jesus, what am I supposed to do? I feel abandoned…
JESUS…….THE ONE YOU LOVE.

I believe I am one that Jesus loves. Yet sometimes I ask Jesus (because I need to know) Jesus, are you coming? Jesus, sometimes It doesn’t feel like you are there. I need to know if you are there Jesus.

In this life we need to be spiritually and emotionally healthy.
In life we will be:
Tested
Tried
Tempted

We need to learn how to feel our emotions BUT not be led by our emotions.

Note: Emotions make you stupid sometimes.

Example: How many people have fallen in love based off emotions and those same emotions can make you hate that same person.

The same emotions you used to love a person, can be the same emotions that make you hate that person.
There is nothing wrong with feelings because we are human. We are going to feel some things. Our emotions will be moved but what we do with what we feel determines the outlook of where we’re going in life.

It has been said, “feelings are indicators not dictators.” Meaning that you’re human but humanity shouldn’t dictate your movements in life.
One of the biggest obstacles in our lives is the testing of our feelings…the testing of our emotions.
We need to silence the noise and let God…
The noise, the chaos, the dictations, the disappointments, the discomfort, the discombobulation, the DISease if not treated can become a carnal DISEASE when it’s louder than God when waiting on God.

Some of us have been like Mary and Martha which have prayed and waited on God and nothing has happened yet.

Questions:
Anybody waiting on God to do something???
How long have you been waiting???
What are you doing while you are waiting???

While you are waiting…your emotions, anxiety, indecisiveness, insecurities, isolation gets louder and you feel like giving up.
Don’t you lose it or crash out.
Don’t let the emotions tell you that God has forgotten about you.
Waiting on God will test your character…the wait season…if done correctly you will grow up spiritually.
Waiting on God doesn’t mean do nothing…it doesn’t mean deactivate…it doesn’t mean shut down.

The delays don’t always mean it’s about looking at Him but looking at yourself to see how you’re acting while waiting.
The wait teaches you something…it doesn’t always teach you about God but it teaches you about YOU.
Waiting on God is trusting God without taking over and making yourself God.

Simply Put: Some of us don’t know how to wait on God. We become god in our ways.
Every time we handle things our way, we mess things up.
Waiting on God is not optional, it’s necessary…
Some of us are about to enter into a season of our lives where we couldn’t take it out of God’s hand even if we tried…because God is going to make you wait.

Reminder: Our testimony always shows us that every time we attempted to take it out of God’s hand we’ve messed it up….EVERY TRIP!!!

Every time you attempt it…you set yourself back mentally…because all you had to do is…

WAIT!!
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“THEY SHALL RUN AND NOT BE
WEARY, THEY SHALL WALK AND NOT FAINT. “Isaiah 40:31

"WAIT ON THE LORD; BE OF GOOD COURAGE, AND HE SHALL STRENGTHEN YOUR HEART; WAIT, I SAY, ON THE LORD! Psalms 27:14

“THE LORD IS GOOD TO THOSE WHO WAIT FOR HIM, TO THE SOUL WHO SEEKS HIM.”
Lamentations 3:25

Newsflash: THIS IS WHAT HAPPENS WHEN WE WAIT ON THE LORD!!!…

The word of the Lord is true and God keeps His promises.
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Numbers 23:19…
God is not man, that he should lie, or a son of man, that he should change his mind. Has he said, and will he not do it? Or has he spoken, and will he not fulfill it?

2 Corinthians 1:20…
For all the promises of God find their Yes in him. That is why it is through him that we utter our Amen to God for his glory.

We need to wait like GOD, not by how man teaches us how to wait.
Teach us how to wait like God…
…we need to get to the point where we are waiting like the ONE we’re waiting on!

SAY IT TWICE: WE need to get to the point where we are waiting like the one we’re waiting on!

We want what we are waiting on more than we want Jesus!!!
Stop telling folks to just wait on God. It’s not that simple if they don’t know how to wait.
Telling folks to wait like God when they really don’t know God…that’s defeating the purpose because they have no clue…WOWWWW!

It’s hard to teach one how to wait when that’s all they’ve been doing.
It’s nothing wrong with telling people to wait on God…BUT…what exactly are they waiting on??? Move them from No Jesus to KNOWing Jesus.

Jesus has never told us to do something that He has never shown us how to do first.

Ma’am/Sir: You haven’t gotten what you’ve been waiting on. We have a problem because we want to wait on the things that we want opposed to waiting on Jesus.

A disciple is a pupil. It’s an apprenticeship. It’s not just a follower. If you don’t follow Jesus you’re following your flesh. We’re following our emotions.
Jesus told the disciples to wait in Jerusalem for the power on High.

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Luke 24:49 (NASB)
49 “And behold, I am sending the promise of My Father upon you; but you are to stay in the city until you are clothed with power from on high.”

In the text He showed them how to wait first.

Not waiting on Jesus at times it will cause people to:
Crash Out
Lose it
Give Up

If we are following Jesus, our heartbeat should follow His.
You do NOT wait in your emotions.
Jesus waited 30 years before beginning His public ministry. Some people can’t even wait 5 months before they anoint themselves the next……??????

Why though: Purpose was more important than a title.

Jesus fasted 40 days and 40 nights and He ONLY had ONE encounter with the devil. He fasted 40 days for ONE moment.
Don’t shoot the messenger: Some struggle on a Daniel or Esther fast.
Spiritual strength was MORE important than what HIS flesh wanted.
JESUS WAITED
Jesus waited for the Father’s timing throughout His walk on earth.
Jesus waited in the Garden of Gethsemane.
Jesus waited through trial without defending Himself.

Questions:
Can you go through trial without defending yourself?
Can you give some HOLY SHUTUP??
Can you SILENCE the noise, even if it’s not true?

KNOW THIS: God can defend you better than you can defend yourself.

Remember:
Jesus waited on the Cross when He could have come down.
Jesus waited in a tomb when He could’ve came out.
Jesus waited with preparation.
Jesus waited with discipline.
Jesus waited with trust.
Jesus waited with restraint
Jesus waited with endurance.
Jesus waited with Hope.
Jesus waited with trust.
Jesus waited with strength.

FYI: When we tell people to wait on GOD, we have to give them the best example of how to wait like GOD.

Question to ASK self:
Are you waiting?
Who are you waiting for?
What is your waiting posture?
What are you doing while waiting?

Waiting on the Lord when the noise is loud, can feel like all hope is gone.

Listen Up: It may feel like you want to spaz out in the waiting process BUT :
Don’t lose your PEACE while in the WAIT.
Don’t lose your FAITH while in the WAIT.
Don’t lose your WORSHIP while in the WAIT.
Don’t lose your HOPE while you’re in the WAIT.
Don’t lose your MIND while in the wait.
Don’t focus on the wait, focus on the ONE you are waiting for.

Some may think the WAIT is punishment. Waiting is not always punishment. It could be preparation for you without allowing you to lose yourself.
Martha and Mary began to wait, and frustration rightfully settled in as they struggled while waiting for Jesus to come through for Lazarus. They were struggling to hold themselves together.

In the waiting, you can lose things you were never meant to lose when your focus shifts away from Jesus.

RIGHT NOW:
Some feel their joy,
Some feel their Hope
Some feel their Identity
However, don't lose sight of WHO Jesus is to you just because HE is quiet in your WAIT.

DON’T MISS IT: In your patience YOU become a patient.
Some of you are waiting right now and you are a patient to God DOCTORING your patience.
Some want the fruit of the spirit until the fruit of the spirit tests us.

Fruit of the Spirit:
Galatians 5:22–23 (NASB)
Love
Joy
Peace
Patience
Kindness
Goodness
Faithfulness
Gentleness
Self-control

Patience is good until we gotta use it for us.
STOP waiting on God and trying to manipulate Him at the same time.
SO THE SISTERS SENT WORD TO JESUS, "LORD, THE ONE YOU LOVE IS SICK." John 11:3

NOTE:
Everything we do has a MOTIVE (Good or bad).
Everything we do has a ROOT (Good or bad).
We need to question our own motives (Good or bad).

Are my motives from faith or manipulation?
How about being a position for my motive to want who I need instead of wanting what I want. I don’t want to be in position that the noise of life drowns up my depth of love for God. The noise can become so loud that the love from Him is gone and we just want the things from Him.

We have to seek Gods face and not seek His hand. Doing the opposite causes us to forget what He looks like. If you forget what He looks like, then you forget to reflect His character is, and you have been seeking the things from His hand and not His face.
Mary and Martha love and trusted Jesus…but how hard is it to trust Jesus timing over our emotions. Sometimes it’s in the wait when we lose it.

It’s easier to trust God when we are in control of the wait and process. When Jesus received the message, He didn’t just rush to their aid.
Many can’t wait on Jesus because we are control freaks.
Some have to know:
How it’s going to happen.
When it’s going to happen.
Some almost lose it because they cannot be in control.

John 11:3-6
3 “So the sisters sent word to Him, saying, “Lord, behold, he whom You love is sick.”
4 But when Jesus heard this, He said, “This sickness is not meant for death, but is for the glory of God, so that the Son of God may be glorified by it.”
5 (Now Jesus loved Martha and her sister, and Lazarus.)
6 So when He heard that he was sick, He then stayed two days longer in the place where He was.”

Verse 4: He gets glory!
Verse 5: He loves them!
Verse 6: He delayed His arrival!

Jesus did not move with urgency for the ONE He loved (Lazarus).
“Jesus loves me so because the Bible tells me so” Just because He loves you doesn’t mean He has to rush for you.

*HE LOVES THEM AND HE WAITED*

Hold up WAIT a minute…..it’s going to come. Sometimes what you think you’re ready for……He loves you, so HE waited to do.
God‘s arrival outweighs our anticipation BUT we CANNOT lose our expectation.
Jesus explained why He didn’t rush to heal Lazarus in John 11:4 “(b) so that the Son of God may be glorified by it.”

He stayed TWO more days where He was at………Love IS patient.

Notice: Some want patience until it causes them discomfort.

Some may feel like giving up when it seems God isn't working…. BUT don't confuse His silence with His absence. Just because He's not moving on your timeline doesn't mean He's not moving. God is always at work, even when you can't see it.
Jesus was NOT ignoring the message, He was orchestrating His glory.

GOOD STUFF: Some lose it when the deadline WE set is not met by GOD who made the timeline.
We want to rush His Kairos moment because our Kronos moment is not being met. His Kairos moment ALWAYS outweighs a Kronos time chronological moment BECAUSE GOD is the TIME.

QUESTION: WHO IS THE KING OF GLORY?

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Psalm 24:8-10 (NASB)
8 “Who is the King of glory? The Lord strong and mighty, The Lord mighty in battle.
9 Lift up your heads, you gates,
And lift them up, you ancient doors,
That the King of glory may come in!
10  Who is this King of glory?
The Lord of armies, He is the King of glory.“ Selah

MEANING GOD HE NEVER LATE….HE’S JUST INTENTIONAL!!!
He doesn’t respond to your:
Panic, He responds to your purpose.
Fear, He responds to your faith.

Emergency

Real Question: can you be satisfied with your story if God getting glory BUT it causes you some pain?

Your length of suffering doesn’t dictate HIS glory.
Why? Because He doesn’t get glory out of our suffering, He gets glory out of coming through out of our suffering. God doesn’t get glory out of our sickness. Our sickness is NO-THING to HIM. He gets glory out of healing the sick.
Keep praying for your children NO matter if they are saved or not.
That prayer can still get answered while you are dead and gone.
When Jesus arrived, Martha was at her breaking point. The noise of death had gotten loud because Lazarus had been dead for days. And Jewish culture that meant something. EVERYTHING around Martha was declaring:
This is over. The mourning has begun.
The tomb is sealed.
There is no turning back.

Jesus enters that exact place of finality and says, “I am the resurrection and the life” (John 11:25).??????????????????

Jewish Culture:

In Jewish culture during Jesus’ time, Lazarus being dead for four days carried deep meaning. By then, the mourning process was fully underway, the community had gathered, and the loss was considered final.
Many believed the spirit remained near the body for a short time, but by the fourth day, the situation was beyond human hope. Even Martha’s faith looked toward a future resurrection, not a present miracle.
Jesus arrived at the point where death seemed undeniable to reveal that He had authority over what appeared impossible.


Some are asking where Jesus is when they are in need of Him….
Martha knew Jewish cultures BUT she also KNEW who Jesus was.

John 11:21 she was between doubt and faith.
THEN she REMEMBERED who she was talking to in

John 11:22 “Even now I know that whatever You ask of God, God will give You.”

John 11:24 It tells us that
24 “Martha *said to Him, “I know that he will rise in the resurrection on the last day.”

In John 11:25
25 “Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life; the one who believes in Me will live, even if he dies,”

Don’t lose your mind because GOD did not move on your schedule.
God doesn’t owe us an explanation on how He chooses to get His Glory.
By the FOURTH day, when all hope was gone...in the minds of everyone there (people watchers and naysayers), Lazarus' death was final. When Jesus raised him from the dead, there was only one explanation….GOD DID THAT!!!
There is always hope when Jesus is involved.
There is always hope when Jesus is present!!
There is always hope in the noise.
When Jesus is on the scene KNOW IT IS ABOUT TO GO DOWN.

KNOW THIS MA’AM/SIR

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Psalm 23:4 (NASB)
4 “Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I fear no evil, for You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me.”

REMINDERRRRRR: I will fear NO evil because Jesus is with me.
Some put God in a box. They think too small.
Be faithful with the small things, He will give you BIG things.
Steward what God gave you in the first place so you can get something better.

Matthew 25:21 (NASB)
21 “His master said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful slave. You were faithful with a few things, I will put you in charge of many things; enter the joy of your master.”

GOD PROVIDES ……..
For the worms
For the birds
For the snakes
For you too
Change your perspective.
God is the bill collector
God is the bill provider
God is the Waymaker
To start becoming lenders, we have to become borrowers.

Don’t claim death….Pray and speak life!! Where there IS breath, there is LIFE!!

1 John 4:4 (NASB)
4 “You are from God, little children, and have overcome them; because greater is He who is in you than he who is in the world.”

DEATH WHERE IS YOUR STING?

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1 Corinthians 15:55-57 (NASB)
55 “Where, O Death, is your victory? Where, O Death, is your sting?” 56 The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the Law;
57 but thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.”

YOU JUST GOTTA BELIEVE AND COME OUT THOSE GRAVE CLOTHES!!

Silence the NOISE because JESUS is BIGGER than your feelings.

PRAY without ceasing

1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 (NASB)
16 “Rejoice always,
17 pray without ceasing,
18 in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God for you in Christ Jesus.”

Get up out that grave and silence the noise because Jesus is BIGGER than your feelings.

Listen: When GOD tells you to do something….DO IT! It’s for your good BUT it’s for HIS GLORY!!!
We are NOT the main character.

Where ARE you???

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Some have lost it!
Some are stuck behind the tomb.
Some are like Lazarus on day four of death…..”stankin”
Some come to church, but they are spiritually dead.
You’re married, but it’s dead.
Your purpose feels dead.
Your joy feels dead,
Your faith feels dead.
Your peace feels dead.
Your finances feel dead.

Busy being active, but your spirit is dead.
You’re busy being STUCK behind the tomb.
Jesus is telling us just like he told Lazarus COME forth!!!!!

ATTENTION PLEASE: It’s time to come out!!!

It’s time to take off those grave clothes.
It’s time to get up out of that grave!!!

Jesus has the power, but we have to respond to the call!!
Jesus did not ask Lazarus to come forth. Jesus commanded Lazarus to come forth.
Where do you see yourself in the story of Mary and Martha???

Lazarus:

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Some of us are at the point of losing it like Mary and Martha.
Some are behind the tomb like Lazarus.
Some are just crowd seekers…. just waiting, sitting around, in the crowd lost in the sauce or just there to see what’s going on.
What are you going to do? Please GET out the crowd and get BUSY!

John 11:43
43 And when He had said these things, He cried out with a loud voice, “Lazarus, come out!”

POINT TO PONDER: The scripture was a commandment not a choice. We have to respond to the recall.

Jesus did not remove the stone; He told them to do it. God can do anything BUT if you don’t believe, WHY should HE do it!!

John 11:41 (NASB)
41 “So they removed the stone. And Jesus raised His eyes, and said, “Father, I thank You that You have heard Me.”

FYI: You do not have to lose it when Jesus is interceding for you. He intercedes on your behalf.
Jesus told them to roll the stone away.
They use the excuse that Lazarus was stinky.
We as God’s people need to roll the stone excuses away.
The stone of your past roll it away.
The stone of your unforgiveness roll it away.
The stone of your trauma roll it away,
The stone of your procrastination, roll it away.

Grand finale question:
The question is this: Who's going to step out from behind that stone? Who's going to silence the noise? Because when that happens, Jesus can declare, "Lose him, and let him go!"
Today ends the dead man mentality.

What we NEED to FOCUS on:

Prayer: James 5:16 (NASB) “(b) A prayer of a righteous person, when it is brought about, can accomplish much.” 

This helps us to become more like Jesus. Prayer will CHANGE you in your situation.

People: Lean on your people. Mary and Martha had community that was with them. Get you some people in your corner. It was the people that rolled the stone away. It was the people that comforted them when they were about to lose it.

James 5:15 says, “Therefore, confess your sins to one another, and pray for one another so that you may be healed. A prayer of a righteous person, when it is brought about, can accomplish much.”

There is healing in CONFESSING your sins to one another.

You may say you don’t trust no one and don’t think you should/can confess your sins to others….if that's true, it may be part of the reason you're still struggling or feeling spiritually unwell.

On that note: if you have the Holy Spirit, you HAVE the discerning of spirits.

Practice: What you do consistently determines your sustainability.

Don’t let stress drown you out anymore.
Don’t let noise drown you out anymore.
Don’t let the fear drown you out anymore.

We have to get to the place where we do not allow our emotions lead us. Our faith should lead us.

If you been behind a stone, surrender to God and roll the stone away.

If you’ve been behind a crowd, surrender to God and roll the stone away.

We have to believe that He is the resurrection AND the life. We have to break those cycles (patterns/generational decisions).

If you lost it, you could pick it back up again. surrender to God and roll the stone away.

EVERYONE has moments when the noise gets TOO loud. That's why it's so important to BE still, seek GOD, AND let HIS voice be LOUDER than the fear, doubt, AND distractions around us.

Church is where brothers and sisters come together as a COMMON-UNITY.

Psalm 119:11 (NASB)
11 “ I have treasured Your word in my heart, So that I may not sin against You.


We cannot be healthy spiritually and naturally immature.

We cannot be saved AND slightly healed.

It’s too many believers walking around with holes in them. Come to God and give Him your struggles so you can become WHOLE and HOLY!!

Genesis 4:27  "If you do well, will your face not be cheerful? And if you do not do well, sin is lurking at the door; and its desire is for you, but you must master it.”

Close the door of unforgiveness and trauma.

The Chosen Church
Speaker: David Dewberry Sr.
Title: The Necessary Struggle
Scripture: Genesis 32:22-28 (NIV)

As long as we keep the “I” in front of what we do, we will never fully understand the “GOD” in the situation. Lord! Increase in us that we may INCREASE in you!!! (Catch that)
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John 3:30-35 (NASB)
30 “He must increase, but I must decrease.
31 “He who comes from above is above all; the one who is only from the earth is of the earth and speaks of the earth. He who comes from heaven is above all.
32 What He has seen and heard, of this He testifies; and no one accepts His testimony.
33 The one who has accepted His testimony has certified that God is true.
34 For He whom God sent speaks the words of God; for He does not give the Spirit sparingly.
35 The Father loves the Son and has entrusted all things to His hand.

Throwback memory: It’s NOT about us! We are NOT the main character. It’s about GOD getting ALL the glory! It’s about the edification of GOD’S KINGDOM!! Let’s keep GOD on the throne in ALL that we do and say!! Making sure the main thing is the main thing…KINGDOM!!!

Thankful Reminder of how GOD is ALWAYS with us:
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Joshua 1:5 “No man shall be able to stand before you all the days of your life. Just as I was with Moses, so I will be with you. I will not leave you or forsake you.” (ESV)

Simply PUT: Joshua 1:5 is God reminding Joshua that NOBODY/NOTHING will be able to stand against him because GOD is with him, just like He was with Moses. God promises He'll never leave or abandon Joshua, giving him the strength AND courage to lead Israel into the Promised Land with confidence, knowing the victory comes from God.????????.

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Isaiah 54:17 “no weapon that is fashioned against you shall succeed,
and you shall refute every tongue that rises against you in judgment. This is the heritage of the servants of the Lord and their vindication from me, declares the Lord.” (ESV)

Pause and Reflect: Elder Dangerfield stated in his message to The Chosen Church: “God calls us to complete devotion; He’s not looking for perfection and performance BUT maturity in the pursuit of HIM!"

Collectively, these scriptures teaches us that:

1. Every human being is a sinner and need JESUS.
2. God ALONE possesses perfect goodness.
3. No one should claim to be morally flawless. Jesus is our moral compass and we should always seek to follow His PERFECTION!!
4. Recognizing we will fall short and we can get back up again with GOD’S PERFECTION!!
• Romans 3:23: "For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God."
• Mark 10:18: Jesus himself stated, "No one is good except God alone."
                • 1 John 1:8: "If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us."

When try to do things on our own...the moment we do away with our own way of doing things, listen to GOD, HE will guide you through the necessary struggle.

Meaning: It’s NOT up to us to be PERFECT! There is no way to be Jesus perfect BUT we can be spiritually mature.
The moment you give it to God, you will be able to do the impossible.

Pastor Craig Walder Jr. often said, “The message comes to the messenger first, the process of being a messenger, you have to walk the message out.”

Before God corrects through us, He corrects us first.
Sometimes, God corrects childish ways in us so we can GROW up!! Growing up is a NECESSARY struggle for some.
Before God heals through us, He has to heal us first. Ex: God had to heal Pastor Craig first BEFORE Chosen could become Chosen!!
God delivers through those who are used by GOD.

According to 2 Corinthians 5:17, “He who is Christ is a new creation. Old things passed away; behold, new things have come.”

God will sometimes use:
✓ Different voices.
✓ Different personalities.
✓ Different experiences.
✓ YET the same SPIRIT to get His Word delivered to whomever He chooses. He uses willing vessels to reach whom He chooses to reach.
God will sometimes repeat Himself to get our attention.

Message: There are no coincidences in God, only confirmations!!
Question: Does He have your attention??

Newsflash: Watch what you entertain. When you entertain clowns, you are bound to live a circus like life.
• "Clowns" symbolizes people or influences that bring chaos, immaturity, manipulation, or unnecessary drama.

• "Circus" symbolizes a life filled with confusion, instability, conflict, etc.

Duly noted:
Staying mindful of what and who you consistently give your time, attention, and energy to, because those people/influences can have a lasting impact on your life.

Ric Flair the wrestler:
✓ He was a famous wrestler for the WWF.
✓ Had World Heavyweight Championships.
✓ Formed The Four Horsemen.
✓ Flair became a Triple Crown Champion in both World Championship Wrestling (WCW) and the WWE.
✓ Flair was known for The Figure-Four Leglock.

Question: Have you ever felt the pressures of life closing in on you? The harder you fought or tried to break free, the tougher things seemed to become?
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When Ric Flair got a hold of his opponents while using his signature wrestling move…Eventually, the pain would become so intense that the opponent would have to make a decision. They have to decide to KEEP fighting or TAP out….Because Ric was not going to let go.

Many people are wrestling right now:
✓ Some are wrestling with some ships—Friendships, Hardships, partnerships, companionships, etc.
✓ Some are wrestling with situations.
✓ Some are wrestling with some rejections.
✓ Some are wrestling from disappointments.
✓ Some are wrestling from their decisions.
✓ Some are wrestling with things of their past.
✓ Some are wrestling with their purpose.
✓ Some are wrestling with their identity.
✓ Everyone wrestles with something.

Some have been fighting for so long that they are tired.
Not every struggle is meant to stop you some struggles are necessary. Some stuff you just gotta go(grow) through. Somethings you cannot circumvent or get around. Some struggles are JUST necessary.

Somethings can ONLY be developed through a struggle. There are some prayers that are answered through a struggle.

NOTED: There are some levels of faith that are not reached in a struggle but are reached THROUGH ➡️➡️➡️ the struggle.

Psalm 23:4 (NASB) tells us, 4 “Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I fear no evil, for You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me.

When God close doors, please don’t open them.
When God attempts to get your attention, please take heed.
Many are wrestling in their life right now with fighting against something that God wants to deliver them from.
There are some identities discovered through a struggle.

Genesis 32:22-28 (NIV)

Jacob Wrestles With God
22 That night Jacob got up and took his two wives, his two female servants and his eleven sons and crossed the ford of the Jabbok.
23 After he had sent them across the stream, he sent over all his possessions.
24 So Jacob was left alone, and a manwrestled with him till daybreak.
25 When the man saw that he could not overpower him, he touched the socket of Jacob’s hipso that his hip was wrenched as he wrestled with the man.
26 Then the man said, “Let me go, for it is daybreak.”
But Jacob replied, “I will not let you go unless you bless me.”
27 The man asked him, “What is your name?”
“Jacob,” he answered.
28 Then the man said, “Your name will no longer be Jacob, but Israel, because you have struggled with God and with humans and have overcome.”

Genesis 32:22-28 (KJV)

22 “And he rose up that night, and took his two wives, and his two women servants, and his eleven sons, and passed over the ford Jabbok.
23 And he took them, and sent them over the brook, and sent over that he had.
24 And Jacob was left alone; and there wrestled a man with him until the breaking of the day.
25 And when he saw that he prevailed not against him, he touched the hollow of his thigh; and the hollow of Jacob's thigh was out of joint, as he wrestled with him.
26 And he said, Let me go, for the day breaketh. And he said, I will not let thee go, except thou bless me.
27 And he said unto him, What is thy name? And he said, Jacob.
28 And he said, Thy name shall be called no more Jacob, but Israel: for as a prince hast thou power with God and with men, and hast.”

Jacob would NOT let go until GOD blessed him. VS. 26
Jacobs struggle forever changed his life.
Hebrew and Greek meaning of struggle have the same meaning. They both mean to fight, to contend and to wrestle.

One should NOT run away from a struggle.
✓ Struggles create strength.
✓ Struggles create fortitude.
✓ Struggles develops character.
✓ Struggles develops patience.
✓ Struggles develops persistence.
✓ Struggles help us with our obedience and allows for us to understand who our identity is in Christ Jesus.

Instead of going through the necessary struggle, we tend to create escape routes. We tend to circumvent the process because we don’t like going through the necessary struggle.

 Most don’t like the struggle OR the process.
We want to open up multiple lane highways when God has called us to stay planted in our lanes .We want to go in other lanes and routes that we were never designed to be in. Stay on the street called straight away! Acts 9:11.

Taking alternative routes can cause us to be in situations that we were never designed to be in.
 For example:
✓ Ships - Relationships, companions, etc.
✓ Causing us to make decisions that we should have never made.

We cannot cheat the process. We align/re-align ourself in God, for the purpose He has for us, the door can unlock and give us access. It’s all about the necessary struggle. We cannot forsake the necessary struggle!! It’s necessary!!

THE STRUGGLE IS NECESSARY BECAUSE:

1. We learn who we are when we embrace the necessary struggle.
2. Identity can be found after we go/grow through the necessary struggle.
3. We need to understand our identity.
4. We learn what we are made of in the necessary struggle.
5. We learn the critical things in the necessary struggle.

Question: What is your name?

When we don’t understand our identity, we tend to:
1. We tend to seek validation from people instead of God. Like God’s Amen is not good enough for us. Like what God said isn’t good enough. We would rather seek someone else’s amen. Say AMEN or say OUCH!! If it’s not attached to the Kingdom—it won’t last!!

2. We like to attach our worth to successes, failures, titles or possessions. What do I have??

3. We start to compare ourselves to others. We feel like we’re inferior or superior. The spirit of comparison is a thief. Sometimes we compare our age to what we are supposed to have or where we are supposed to be in life. You don’t know the cost of someone else’s oil in their alabaster box.

4. Some live according to what they are going through rather than who God says they are.

5. Some tie their identity back to toxic trauma bonds. Some always go back to the scene of the crime. Some always tying who they are back to things and events of their past. Some go back to what’s familiar to them.

6. It gives access to wounds, to mistakes, and for past experiences to find us.

7. Some chase purpose without first understanding their identity. ALWAYS doing something first without seeking God.
Matthew 6:33 Seek GOD first in ALL things.

Through the examination of Jacob, we’ll see that the necessary struggle involves:

1. Desperation
2. Intentionality
3. Separation from the things we know and sometimes from the things we love.
4. To understand Jacobs necessary struggle...we have to look at His background.

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Jacob was known as:
✓ The heel grabber. Jacob literally means "supplanter" or "holder of the heel"
✓ The trickster
✓ Manipulator
✓ Stealing Esau’s birthright with the help of his mother.

Part II

The story of Esau and Jacob:

Genesis 25:22-23 (NASB)

22 But the children struggled together within her; and she said, “If it is so, why am I in this condition?” So she went to inquire of the Lord. 23 And the Lord said to her,
“Two nations are in your womb;
And two peoples will be separated from your body;
And one people will be stronger than the other;
And the older will serve the younger.”

✓ Before Jacob wrestled with God, he wrestled with his brother in the womb.
✓ Before Jacob ever fought a blessing, he was fighting for a position.
✓ Before Jacob struggled with his identity, he was struggling with comparison.
✓ From the beginning, Jacob was trying to catch someone else’s place.
✓ Jacob’s first introduction to the world was a struggle.

Questions:

1. What WRONG struggle are you struggling with?
2. What's been following you since the womb (wound)?
3. What's been attached to your life for years?
4. What battles keeps showing up different seasons of your life?

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Let’s talk about it:

1. Fear?
2. Insecurities?
3. Rejection?
4. Abandonment?
5. Addiction?
6. Anger?
7. Comparison?
8. Is it the need to always prove yourself to someone?

Listen Up: Some have been fighting so long that the wrong struggle has become their identity.
It’s time to face the necessary struggle.

Jacob’s identity was wrapped into manipulation and deception. He was a well known opportunist. Genesis 25 reports that Jacob took his brother Esau’s birthright. When the opportunity arose. He was trying to obtain through manipulation what God already promised him in PURPOSE. (READ IT)

Birthright in biblical times: In biblical times, the birthright (bekhorah) was a special privileged status granted to the firstborn son. It guaranteed two major advantages: a double portion of the father's physical inheritance and succession to the position of family patriarch, which included both household leadership and spiritual responsibilities.
The PURPOSE for Jacob was already made available before he manipulated his father and brother.

Jeremiah 1:5 (NASAB)

“Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, And before you were born I consecrated you; I have appointed you as a prophet to the nations.”

God exists outside of time. He exists ALL the time!! God is Kronos and Kairos. They both represent two distinct dimensions of time.
^Kronos Time: This refers to chronological, sequential, and measurable time.
^Kairos Time: This refers to the opportune, supreme, or "God-appointed" time.
GOD is ALL-knowing, GOD is ALL and God knows ALL things about us.
Some try to finesse and speed up the process by doing it their own way or praying God releases that thing to them. Watch what you pray for.

Jacob and Esau Backstory:

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The Prophecy Over the Twins: Genesis 25:23, Genesis 27 (READ). Their father and grandfather both operated in the spirit of deceit. General choices/generational decisions. This behavior ran in the family.

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Note: Jacob’s grandfather (Abraham) and father (Isaac). This practice of half-truths and manipulation became a generational pattern, ultimately paving the way for Jacob to deceive his own father, Isaac, for the birthright blessing.

When twins Jacob and Esau were born, Esau came first, technically making him the firstborn. As the firstborn son, Esau automatically held the “birthright.” A birthright was an honor given to the firstborn, bestowing “head of household” status and the right to inherit his father’s estate. The son with the birthright would receive a double portion of whatever was passed down (Deuteronomy 21:17) Yet, even before the twins were born, the Lord predicted that Esau would serve Jacob (Genesis 25:23).

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An interesting parallel took place later in the life of Jacob. Jacob’s son Joseph had two sons, Ephraim and Manasseh. Manasseh was the elder son and should have had the birthright. But when Jacob bestowed his blessing upon his grandsons, he crossed his hands, much to Joseph’s surprise, placing his right hand on the younger son. In this way, Ephraim, the younger son, received the greater blessing (Genesis 48) (READ IT).

Esau was so angry at Jacob that he vowed to kill Jacob. The consequences of Jacob’s actions began to catch up with him. Esau went to look for Jacob to harm him over his decision to manipulate him out of his birthright.

Message from the sender: What goes on in the dark comes out in the light. You cannot always out run your decisions.

Sometimes the things we obtain through our own strength can create problems we did not anticipate. Things we create with our own strength can be the very thing that takes us out.

Example:

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✓ Jacob fled.
✓ The trickster became the fugitive.
✓ The manipulator became the wonderer.
✓ The man who spent his life controlling outcomes was now running from the outcome that he created.
✓ His actions took him to his uncle’s house, where the trickster would get tricked!! Those tables turned!!
✓ He was placed in an environment where he experienced what he had been given others for years.
✓ Jacob spent years tricking others until he met his match (Laban). Laban was craftier than him.
✓ The deceiver got deceived.
✓ The manipulator got manipulated.
✓ The heel grabber discovered what it felt like when someone grabbed their heel.
*Sometimes before God can change your identity, He will allow you to confront the very behaviors that had been shaping your identity.
J
Jacob’s life continued to be marked by struggle:

✓ He married Leah but originally worked to marry Rachel.
✓ Worked EXTRA years to marry Rachel. He worked under Laban’s deception. ((Sometimes it be your own people)).
✓ Jacob fled Laban to run home.

Backstory of Jacob:

✓ Jacob was the second-born son of Isaac and Rebekah, and the fraternal twin to Esau.
✓ Jacob in Hebrew word means heel. He was born grabbing his older brother's heel.
✓ Jacob struggled his entire life. He struggled in the womb. Before he wrestled with God, he wrestled with his brother in the womb.
✓ Jacob bought Esau’s birthright. Esau carelessly traded his birthright to Jacob for a simple meal of lentil stew when he was hungry.
✓ Jacob’s mother Rebekah and Jacob tricked a blind, aging Isaac into giving Jacob the primary family blessing intended for Esau.
✓ Jacob wrestled with God and received a new name, Israel, symbolizing a transformed identity. God changed his name to Israel, which means "one who struggles with God."
✓ Jacob met his match. The tables turned.
✓ Esau found out how he was tricked by his brother and wanted to harm him….fleeing Esau's murderous wrath, Jacob slept at a place he named Bethel.
✓ Laban tricked Jacob (Ha!). He tricked Jacob into marrying Leah instead of marrying Rachel. He wanted Rachel REAL bad.
✓ Jacob had to face the very thing he struggled with.
✓ Jacob surrendered himself to gain victory. Also, he gained a new identity.
✓ He ran from Jacob to Israel.
✓ Jacob’s 12 sons became the founders of the Twelve Tribes of Israel.

Genesis 33:1-4 A BEAUTIFUL ENDING. This is necessary transformation.
✓ After decades of estrangement and fearing for his life, Jacob had a peaceful, tearful reunion with his brother Esau. Genesis 33:1-4.
✓ The Seven Bows (Verse 3): Jacob bowing down to the ground seven times before his brother is a profound symbol of humility, repentance, and total surrender.
✓ The Embrace & Kiss (Verse 4): Esau running to embrace and kiss Jacob signifies absolute forgiveness and the burying of past bitterness.
✓ The Weeping (Verse 4): The tears shed by both men symbolize the emotional release of past trauma and the sweet, redemptive power of unity.

All of Jacob’s life he had been struggling...Struggling for:

✓ Position
✓ Possessions
✓ Blessings
✓ Relationships
✓ Fear
✓ Past consequences for his past decision making.

Jacob was out of schemes to run. He was now facing his NECESSARY struggle.

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Genesis 32:22 (NASB)

“Now he got up that same night and took his two wives, his two female slaves, and his eleven children, and crossed the shallow place of the Jabbok."

Notice:

✓ Jacob moved at night.
✓ Jacobs was living in uncertainty because Esau was coming to find him. Esau wanted Jacob dead.
✓ Jacob did not know what the decision of his past would bring when Esau eventually found him.

Jabbok was a crossing place. Crossing places usually represents transition.
Jacob was crossing more than a river:

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✓ He’s running to confrontation.
✓ He’s running from manipulation to surrender.
✓ He’s running from fear to faith.
✓ He’s running from Jacob to Israel.
✓ Before God changes your identity, He will often bring you to a crossing place. A place where you cannot remain who you are.

You CANNOT keep doing the same thing and expect something different.
One MUST change! Change is NOT change until CHANGE CHANGES!

Jabbok represented a place where God separated Jacob from his old life. 2 Corinthians 5:17 Tells us that we cannot remain the same when we become to Christ.

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2 Corinthians 5:17, states that “anyone who is in Christ becomes a new creation, leaving their old life behind.”

Genesis 32:23 (NASB)

“He took them (His family) and sent them across the stream. And he sent across whatever he had."

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Jacob strategically moving his family and all his possessions across the Jabbok River.

In Genesis 32, Jacob first sent his family (his wives, maidservants, and eleven sons) across the Jabbok stream. He then sent all of his possessions, including his massive herds of livestock across. Afterwards, Jacob was left entirely alone right before the divine encounter.

—————He’s isolated now—————

Jacob was completely alone, separated from his wealth and family. A place where God could do His perfect Work in Jacob.

Remember: during the necessary struggle, you might have to walk away from some familiar things in your life. Sometimes, we must walk away from what brings us comfort.

There Will Be Seasons

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• There will be seasons when money can't help you.
• There will be seasons when influence can't help you.
• There will be seasons when family can't help you.
• There will be seasons when all you need is an encounter with God.
Some build their identity on what they have…

Example:

✓ Some build on their possessions.
✓ Some build on their jobs.
✓ Some build on their resources.
✓ Some build on their titles.
✓ Some build on their education.
✓ Some built on their status.
✓ Some build on their accomplishments.

God is about to show Jacob that his identity is not found in what he possesses, but in WHO is possessed him.

Note: Our true identity is found NOT in wealth, influence, OR accomplishments, but in a TRUE relationship with God.
God began to remove the external things that Jacob was hiding behind.

Questions for Reflection:

• What continues to keep us confined to our struggle?
• What are we hiding behind instead of bringing before God?
• What is God trying to strip away from our lives?
• What is God exposing in us that we've been unwilling to confront?
• What false identity or source of security have we been clinging to?
• If God removed everything we've been hiding behind, who would we be in His presence?

Genesis 32:24-30 (NASB) tells us that Jacob wrestled with God until the breaking of day.

✓ Before there is a blessing, there is often a season of isolation.
✓ Before there can be a new home, there is often a season of loneliness.
✓ Before there is transformation, there is separation.
✓ Sometimes what feels like loss is actually preparation.
✓ What feels like isolation may be creating the space for growth.
✓ The journey is not always comfortable, but it can be the path that leads to purpose.

God intentionally gets Jacob by himself. Why though? Because identity is revealed in isolation.

What you do when nobody’s around tells who your real character is.

 Example:

✓ When Jacob was with his family, he was a husband.
✓ When Jacob was with his children, he was a father.
✓ When Jacob was with his servant, he was a master.
✓ When Jacob had his possessions, he was wealthy.
✓ When Jacob was removed from everything who was he then?

Question: Who are you when you are alone???

Many know who they are when they’re surrounded with people, but you know who they are when they are left alone. This will preach all by itself.
Jacob could no longer hide behind all those roles.

All that remained after everything was removed was:

✓ The trickster.
✓ The manipulator.
✓ The deceiver.
✓ The man who struggled in the womb.
✓ The man who grabbed Esau’s heel.
✓ The man who stole his brother’s birthright.
✓ The man who deceived his father.
✓ The man who fled from his brother, Esau.
✓ The man who was deceived by Laban.
✓ The man who lived in fear of his past.

Jacob is forced to confront himself.
FYI: The struggle was never really about Esau. Jacob thought Esau was his biggest problem. Esau was not even at Jabbok. The struggle was not with his family or Laban. The struggle was with Jacob (Jacob vs Jacob).

God is not trying to destroy you...God is trying to transform you. The struggle was necessary because there was an Israel trapped inside of Jacob.

FYI: There is an Israel that may be trapped inside you us.

Before God could change Jacob’s name, He had to change Jacob.
You might be physically weak BUT don’t let Go!! Jacob did not let go without God blessing Him.

The NECESSARY struggle is not about winning. Sometimes it’s about holding on.

The NECESSARY struggle is about grinding it out.

The NECESSARY struggle is about staying in the fight when everything and you wants to quit.

The NECESSARY struggle is not about something being wrong...sometimes it’s just evidence that God is working in your life.

The NECESSARY struggle is praying when you’re tired. When you don’t feel like it.

The NECESSARY struggle is trusting when you’re afraid.

The NECESSARY struggle is believing when you don’t see the results.

The NECESSARY struggle is showing up when you feel like quitting.

The NECESSARY struggle is standing on God’s promises when your circumstances are contradicting what God says.

Sometimes your breakthrough isn't found in walking away...it's found in holding on. It’s about putting on your Figure-Four Leglock (Ric Flair).

Let’s talk about it: According to scripture, all night Jacob wrestled…

✓ Jacob was tired.
✓ Jacob was hurting.
✓ Jacob was uncertain.
✓ Jacob‘s hip had been bothering him due to the struggle.
✓ Jacob was physically weaken.
✓ Jacob refused to let go until God bless him.

The Chosen Church
Speaker: Elder Elliot Dangerfield
Title: Pursuing His Perfection — Finding Greatness
Scripture: Philippians 3:12-15 (Amp)

Philippians 3:12-15 (Amp)

12 Not that I have already obtained it [this goal of being Christlike] or have already been made perfect, but I actively press on so that I may take hold of that [perfection] for which Christ Jesus took hold of me and made me His own.
13 Brothers and sisters, I do not consider that I have made it my own yet; but one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and reaching forward to what lies ahead,
14 I press on toward the goal to win the [heavenly] prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.
15 All of us who are mature [pursuing spiritual perfection] should have this attitude. And if in any respect you have a different attitude, that too God will make clear to you.
Philippians 3:12-15 Teaches us to pursue Christlike perfection.

Note: Instead of demanding flawless performance, he redefines biblical perfection as a spiritual maturity and relentless daily pursuit of Christ.

Roman’s 3:23 (ESV)
23 “for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,”

James 3:2 (ESV)
2 “For we all stumble in many ways. And if anyone does not stumble in what he says, he is a perfect man, able also to bridle his whole body.”

In Philippians 3 Paul admits he’s not flawless.

FYI: NO one is flawless.
This scripture encourages us to learn from the past, leave failures at the Cross and focus on daily spiritual growth.

Backdrop of Paul:



Food for thought: How many of us will continue to praise God while we’re shackled? How many of us will praise God while we’re sitting in a jail cell? How many of us will continue to praise God when we are not at our best? How many people will say for God I live, for God I die. No matter what I go through???
Paul was in prison telling us to rejoice.
He was in prison when he said rejoice.

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Ephesians 3:1 (ESV)

Finally, my brothers, rejoice in the Lord. To write the same things to you is no trouble to me and is safe for you.

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Paul was in a prison cell saying it’s no trouble for him:

To tell us to rejoice
To tell us to get up on our feet and praise the Lord. He knew that God was going to do it.
He knew God was at the forefront of it all.
He knew that God was fighting for him…through the jail process.
He knew God was going to do it because God did it before!! #faith.

Matthew 5:48 (ESV)

48 “You therefore must be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect.”

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Perfect in Hebrew means: Tamim — Complete, Whole, spiritual mature or fully accomplishing the purpose of which we were designed.

Same in Greek.
Perfect in Greek means: Teleios — Complete, Whole, spiritual mature or fully accomplishing the purpose of which we were designed. Same in Hebrew.
In our natural state, we cannot be perfect. We were born into sin and shaped into iniquity.

 Psalm 51:5-10. We were born flawed.

NO man is perfect but thru God we will be perfect!!
When we clothe ourselves in God’s righteousness, we will become more spiritually nurture. In other words…We will GROW UP!!

Message: God calls us to complete devotion. He is not looking for perfection and performance but maturity in pursuit of Him.
There is NOway to be Jesus perfect but we can be spiritually mature.

We can be spiritually mature in:

Our conversations.
In our interactions with one another.
In our giving.
In our prayer life.
In our fasting.
And everything that we do.
Pursuing Christ’s perfection involves actively leaning into God‘s grace and allowing His Holy Spirit to transforms us. Our confidence should never rest in our current level of perfection. It should rest in the finished, perfect work of Christ.
We have to continue to put our hand to the plow.
We have to continue to do with the things that God said.
We have to continue to Work towards the GREATNESS of God.
We have to continue to make disciples as the great commission told us to do. As Pastor Craig said, Become ONE, make ONE.
We have to continue towards the mark. We have to continue to move and press forward.
We CANNOT afford to become stagnant, stale or stinky.

Three key aspects to the PERFECTION of CHRIST.
Spiritual growth:

Lifelong journey towards maturity, faith, love and obedience to God.
Salvation happens for a moment BUT sanctification happens over a lifetime. This happens when you are putting your hands to the plow and doing what God asks you to do.
You are lifting up people.
You are over your family.
You encourage others even when you are at your worst you are still doing God’s lifelong work.
When Paul was at his worst moments, he still was lifting up God’s people. He still was ushering in the spirit of God. He still kept sending out letters to churches to show them how to do Christ Work. In Paul’s broken state, He still kept doing what God asked him to do.
Some would want to give up when they go through the littlest of things

Holiness:

Reflecting God’s character and striving moral excellence.

Faith:

Faith in God gets us through it all. Faith in God’s Work. Faith in what He said, He would do no matter what we go through. Trusting jn Christ’s sacrifice and righteousness for salvation.

Hebrews 11:1 (ESV)

11 “Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.”

REAL Questions to Ask Yourself:

Can you continue to do what God asks of you in your broken state?
Can you continue to worship God even when you’re not seeing the things that you’re praying for?
Can you continue to lift up someone else even though you’re going through things yourself?
Can you get down on your knees and pray to God, even though you’re sitting on unanswered prayers.
Can you continue to worship God when you don’t see a way out.
Can you continue to pursue God when you don’t see or feel Him?
Will you continue to pursue Him no matter the what, when, how, or who????
Can you continue to pursue Christ and look for His perfection and find greatness in Him?? CAN YOU?????

Point to Ponder: Sanctification happens when you take your hands to the plow.

Question: Are you practicing what you preach? Are you using your gifts to edify the church? Are you presenting Christ to those that don’t know Him?

God will NEVER leave or forsake us. Keep trusting God. Hebrews 13:5 (ESV)

By pursuing GOD, we will grow stronger and get better at being a stronger and better disciple for Jesus Christ. We should pursue perfection (Jesus) daily.

Hebrew 12: 1-2 Jesus is the Author and finisher of our faith.

Things we should BE and DO:
Keep conditioning your faith. Example used (How football players condition at practice to get better). They gain discipline, they gain structure, they gain strength, and they get better at the game. GOOD STUFF ??????.

We should REMAIN in prayer.
We should KEEP our EYES on JESUS.
We should let Christ BE seen through us. READ John 3:30-35!
We should work to make disciples.
We should be encouraging others, even though we may need encouragement ourselves.
We should be given to needy.
We should be spreading the good news of the gospel of Jesus Christ.
We should fast as Christlike people.
We should live a trusting God life.

Because we are HUMANS, WE will:

We will fall short sometimes.
We will make mistakes sometimes.
We will get angry sometimes.
We will get anxious sometimes.
We will get worried sometimes.
We will have shaky relationships at times.
We will be tired and tested at times.

HOWEVER

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Through prayer, through fasting, through continuously seeking God’s will for our lives, through leaning not to our own understanding trusting God, HE will never leave us NOR forsake us.

WITH this FAITH

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We begin to speak into our relationships.
We begin for those that hurt us. We began to pray for those who talk about us.
We begin to pray and let go and let God.
We begin to find our greatness in God.
His PERFECTION is NOT that we NEVER failed, it’s because His perfection comes with:
Becoming more loving.
Becoming more patient.
Becoming more forgiving.
Becoming more Christlike.
We cannot be perfect as Christ because we were born into sin. Humans have a sinful nature.

WHAT WE CAN DO IS:

We can become mature in our walk with Christ.

With the maturity comes discipline.
Maturity and discipline become great greatness in the Kingdom of God.

Matthew 18:1-5 (ESV) TRUE greatness is CHILD-LIKE HUMILITY.

Who Is the Greatest?

1 “At that time the disciples came to Jesus, saying, “Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?”
2 And calling to him a child, he put him in the midst of them
3 and said, “Truly, I say to you, unless you turn and become like children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.
4 Whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.
5 “Whoever receives one such child in my name receives me,”

They prioritize service over loneliness.
Overturning convictional worldly Views of power.

When we find greatness…it’s not like we figured it all out or that we are overly mature in our walk with Christ that no matter what we grow through or what we accomplish

God will still get the glory because in the pursuit we found:

Steadfastness
Perseverance

The courage to move forward despite what it looks like.
We are NOT concerned about who’s looking at us. We are pushing forward towards the mark in Jesus Christ.
We are not concerned about the negativity of the nay sayers. We focus on God.
We are focus on God and His people.
We are focused on God’s kingdom and all the things he was focused on while He was on earth.

Despite the naysayers…..purse God
Through the struggles……pursue God
Though they slay us…..pursue God
No matter what they post…pursue God
Continue to lift His name
Continue to give God the Glory
Continue to purse God will your messy past.
You cannot serve two masters! Pursue Christ!!
We pursue Christ because HE first pursued me.
When we don’t pursue Christ. We continue in our same mess.
Keep pursuing Christ!
Keep pursuing His Word!
Keep hiding God’s Word in your heart!
Keep pursuing!
Keep walking!
Keep moving!
Keep knowing!
Keep praying!
Keep pursuing His glory!
Keep pursuing Christ and NOT your own strength!
Keep selecting God!
Keep pursing God’s perfection!
Keep marching!
Keep taking one step after another!
Keep pursuing Christ because He first pursued us!

When you pursue God, things will happen in your life that you won’t expect.
Don’t give up on God….He won’t give up on you!!

Phil 1:6 (ESV) Philippians 1:6

6 “And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ.”

If you faint NOT, God is going to do it for you.
Stay connected to God!!!!

Peter was a well-respected person in the Bible.

Peter denied Jesus 3 times…BUT He restored by Christ. Every failure, He kept pursuing Christ.

 PS: Don’t let your failures take you out!!

Take Note: it doesn’t matter what you did, when you did it, how you did it or why you did it. God is in the restoring business, be restored in Jesus name!! Let God restore you back to Him. Flaws and all, He’s got you!!!! Stay under the (Will) of God and walk out His PERFECTION!!

Questions:

Will you lift your hands when there’s nothing to lift your hands about?
Will you praise him when you don’t have a praise report at the time?
Will you continue to press towards the mark of Jesus Christ, which is the higher calling?

Continue to lift God up, no matter what.
The ability to lift our hands to God despite what our finances look like, what our current issues look like, despite what we’re dealing with, despite what the naysayers have to say, we found greatness in God’s perfection!! that’s it!!!!

There is:

Stuff that you may be going through BUT I’m still pursuing.
Stuff that you are dealing with...but KEEP pursuing.
Stuff that that you may be struggling with BUT keep pursuing.
Ups and downs BUT keep pursuing.
People talking behind your back but KEEP pursuing.
People that didn’t get the promotion BUT keep pursuing.
Someone who did NOT get the offer, KEEP pursuing.
Someone who was betrayed, KEEP pursuing.

Listen…though they slay me, I will continue to pursue His PERFECTION.

No MATTER what:

I go (grow) through….
What they try to throw at me.
No matter what they say about me.
No matter what I go through…
No matter what they “TRY” to say about me.
No matter what they post on social media.
No matter how they drag my name through the mud.
What they TRY to say about me (LET THEM TALK—LET THEM BE).
No matter what…..PURSUE HIS GREATNESS.
No matter what they say about you….wipe it away.
No matter how they think about you….put “IT” aside.
I will you continue to come to the alter!
I will continue to lift up my hands and praise the Lord!
I will continue to you praise Him.
I will continue to give Him the glory.
Will you trust to lift God up and trust Him???

WHAT I KNOW IS: I know I am not perfect. I just out love and trusting God.
WHAT YOU CANNOT DO IN GOD’S KINGDOM IS: Serve two masters.

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Matthew 6:24 (ESV)

24 “No one can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and money.”

Message: it does not matter what you did in your past, the only thing that matters is are you pursuing Christ Jesus??? Am I pursuing His word? Am I hiding His word in my heart? Am I taking it with me every day? We have to pursue Christ because He first pursued us. We love GOD because He first LOVED us. God brought us out of darkness to His marvelous LIGHT!!

When we don’t pursue God, we continue in our same mess. We do the same thing over again. I-N-S-A-N-I-T-Y.
When you PURSUE His glory, ANYTHING can happen!!
PURSUE God first and He will do it!! Not man! BUT GOD!!!

What I know is:

Who I keep my trust in…
Who I kept pursuing…
Who I didn’t give up on….
He will DO it for you……NOT MAN!
This reminds me of Psalm 8:4
“What is man that You think of him,
And a son of man that You are concerned about him?”

Failure after failure….KEEP pursing Christ!
Disappointment after disappointment….KEEP pursuing!!
After every lapse and judgement….KEEP pursuing!!!
After every doubt….Keep pursuing!!!
After every mistake….KEEP pursuing!!
After every regret…..KEEP pursuing!!
Moment after moment….KEEP pursuing!!
After everything you did…KEEP pursuing HIS grace!!
If you fall 7 times….get up 8 times. KEEP pursuing!!
KEEP pursuing Christ because HE will NEVER leave you or forsake you. Joshua 1:5??

James 1:12 (ESV)

12 “Blessed is the man who remains steadfast under trial, for when he has stood the test he will receive the crown of life, which God has promised to those who love him.”

KNOW that you WILL be tempted, tested and tried BUT KEEP pursuing!!
When you are tried is when your best will come out.
When you are tried, you find out what you are really made of.
When you are tried, you find out how much more you need to pray to God.
When you are tried, you find out how much more you need to be on your knees.
When you are tried, you find out how much more you need to be in your Word.
When you are tried, you find out how much more you need to be around like minded people, period who will life you up and not tear/wear you down. People who wish you well in all aspects of life. People who pursue God with you.
When two or three of gathered in my name…I’m in the midst!! Matthew 18:20. He’s in their presence!!

Galatians 6:9 (NASB)

9 “Let’s not become discouraged in doing good, for in due time we will reap, if we do not become weary.”

In DUE season……. Faint not! You WILL reap your harvest!!!

Those that are still waiting……in DUE season!!
Those that are getting impatient……in DUE season!!
Those whose bank accounts are a little low……in DUE season!!
Those that are waiting for a job/promotion……in DUE season!!
These will come to past because you faint NOT……in DUE season!!

Don’t stop pursuing because you stumbled. We will stumble!! KEEP pursuing!!!
You may statistically fail BUT GOD!!!

NO matter what you GO through KEEP pursuing.
No matter what people say about you….it's between you and GOD!! KEEP pursuing.

Do not stop pursuing because you are tired.

Do not stop pursing because the ride is difficult.

Every prayer, every act of obedience, every sacrifice, every tear, every step of faith is moving you closer to the image of Christ!!

In the PURSUIT of His PERFECTION….WE find GREATNESS!!

The Chosen Church
Speaker: Pastor Craig Jr.
Title: Group Effort
Pentecost Sunday

Pentecost Sunday Backstory:
• The Holy Spirit poured upon the apostles and their followers.
• Jesus promised the Holy Spirit and the Holy Spirit came just as Jesus had promised.
• A mighty wind came upon the people, fire came upon them, tongues like fire fell on the people and filled them with the Holy Spirit.
• They were able to communicate and BE witnesses with POWER!!
• Many were baptized and became believers in Jesus Christ.
• They became witnesses with power.
• That day, establishing the body of the church. The church was birthed that day.
• The same God back then that EMPOWERED the early church EMPOWERS us today.
The MOST segregated day of the week is on Sundays. You have too many different denominations.

Our church gatherings are meant to empower us to be witnesses.
The Chosen Church’s position is to bring people together.
UNITY is just as precious as the anointing. The unified person (church) brings people/things together.

COMMUNITY AND IDENTITY
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Some settle in other people’s identity. You can only BE who God created you to BE. Meaning, sometimes we try to take on something that God didn’t give you. Please don’t take on a title that God did not give you, please don’t let anyone put a title on you that God did not give you. BE and EXIST in who GOD created YOU to BE and LOCK IN!!!

Link up with the right people because that’s what community helps you to do!! Being linked up with the RIGHT community helps you find your calling. Community helps you find your calling. Your calling is to help somebody get to Jesus.
Again…YOUR calling is to help someone to get to Jesus.

Having a title and not doing the work of it causes you to be judged harder.
You cannot lead at church and not at home. Home comes first. BE A SERVANT! YOUR HOUSEHOLD IS THE FIRST PLACE YOU HAVE TO SERVE CORRECTLY!!!

Acts 2:1-4 (ESV)

1 “When the day of Pentecost arrived, they were all together in one place.
2 And suddenly there came from heaven a sound like a mighty rushing wind, and it filled the entire house where they were sitting.
3 And divided tongues as of fire appeared to them and rested1on each one of them.
4 And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit gave them utterance.”

It’s a GROUP effort; you were NOT meant to do it alone.
There is power in unity. We were designed to be interdependent.
There is POWER in UNITY.
We were NOT created to walk this earth alone.
We were not meant to live a life of independence.
 We were NOT designed to be I.N.D.E.P.E.N.D.E.N.T.
We were designed to live interdependent. We are not designed to live isolated and disconnected.

Friendly Reminder: Genesis 2:18, God states: "It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a helper suitable for him." (NIV)

Question: How can we be a BODY of CHRIST if we choose to live a life that’s disconnected from the BODY.

COMMUNITY, CONNECTION, COVENANT:
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We were designed for community, connection and covenant. God created us to help complete us.
• To bear one another burdens
• To restore each other.
• To tell the truth in love.
• To help lift one another.
• To help bring our strength to those who are weak.
• No one has it ALL together. That is WHY we NEED each other.
• The enemy works so hard to divide the unity of the church (body). This happens because a unified body is an unstoppable BODY.
• Independence means, I do not need anyone. Interdependence means God designed me to meet the right people.
• United people can walk around the walls of Jericho 7 times and the walls fall. United people can rebuild the walls of Jerusalem in 52 days. Meaning, the POWER of God often shows up where the people of God learn how to move together.

Moving together means:
• There is selfless posture.
• There are some sacrificing.
• There are some ego and pride let down.
• God can bless individuals BUT He births MOVEMENTS thru UNITY.

GOD MOVEMENT ➡️➡️ CHOSEN CHURCH IS A GOD ORDAINED MOVEMENT!!
We cannot do anything without UNITY.

Psalm 133:1-2 (ESV)

“Behold, how good and pleasant it is when brothers dwell in unity!
2 It is like the precious oil on the head, running down on the beard,
on the beard of Aaron, running down on the collar of his robes!”

Pressure Point: The power of God often shows up when the people of God know how
to move together. That’s selfless posture.
We cannot have all these anointed houses, and we don’t have any unified houses.

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1. It takes a group effort to be on one accord.
2. It takes a group effort to put down your preconceived notion, assumptions, your upbringing to lock in with others for a great cause.
3. Nothing can stop a group of unified people BUT it takes a GROUP EFFORT.
4. Question to ask self? Are you ALL in?

In order to be a part of the group:
• Sometimes I’m not going to like you.
• Sometimes I’m not going to want to be bothered by you.
• Sometimes I’m going to get weary of you.
 
However
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• It’s a group effort so I know that two is better than one.
• Lock in with a group that’s going after God.

• Group check ✅✅✅✅✅✅

 Who are the people in your group? What are they going after (Chasing)?

Note: You should feel a response from what you feel from the Holy Spirit.

Acts 2 is not just about the fire. The fire started by alignment. It’s not just about tongues; it’s about the unity of one!

The sound was AMAZING but look at the precondition of the synchronization…..Agreement on Earth to BE on one accord made room for the sound of heaven to come in.

Part II

WAITING & RECEIVING FROM GOD
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➡️While some are waiting on God, they isolate themselves.

➡️Some get mad at the church and isolate from the church. Don’t isolate yourself,

REGULATE your EMOTIONS.

➡️They were all waiting on the same thing.

➡️Jesus left them with a promise.
 
➡️Jesus told them to wait on the promise.

➡️Jesus told them what the promise would do for them BUT waiting on the manifestation is the testing of your patience.

➡️WE DON’T have to wait for the Holy Spirit. You just have to ACCEPT Him and BELIEVE!!

SOME DON’T BELIEVE.
We JUST have to BELIEVE and RECEIVE. Receive the Holy Spirit.

COMMUNITY AND UNITY

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➡️Some people fall apart or fall out during the wait because it’s easy to fall out of unity when your life is not where you want it to be BUT the person you are connected to seems like they are getting a breakthrough.

➡️Sometimes it may be difficult to stay unified with someone when you see their prayers getting answered and yours are in the waiting room.

➡️ It's hard to stay unified when grief is fresh and anxiety is knocking, because uncertainty exists and personalities differ sometimes. It's hard to stay unified when life has made you an introvert and you love your space and isolation.

➡️Sometimes UNITY puts you in an uncomfortable position.

➡️Community may exhaust some folks because individualism has taught some people to prioritize self-protection above shared community.
 
➡️REAL community is going to STRETCH you.

➡️Real community is going to inconvenience you.

➡️Real community is going to hold you accountable.

➡️Real community is going to make you wanna go off on them sometimes.

➡️Real community is going to put you in a place that you’ve never been before. If you do NOT remember the MAIN thang, you are going to lose out on the MAIN thang!

➡️Real community is going to pull on your patience.

➡️Real community is going to pull on your forgiveness.

➡️Real community is going to pull on your conflict resolution.

➡️Real community is going to pull on your real love.

➡️ Real community is going to pull on your obedience.

➡️ Real community is going to pull on your emotional vulnerability.

➡️ Real community is going to pull on your long-term commitment.

POINT BLANK: THE KINGDOM OF GOD GROWS THROUGH UNITY. THROUGH TOGETHERNESS! YOU CAN’T BE A PART OF THE BODY ALWAYS THINKING ABOUT YOURSELF.

FYI: Most of the miracles Jesus did was not in the church. Most of the miracles he did in the church was because he was angry at the church’s unbelief. Sometimes the church gives the world mixed issues.

EX: When you are angry at the church, you post subliminal messages about your Church. Real Church/Pastors holds you accountable, not the TikTok pastors.

REAL COMMUNITY IS COMMON UNITY. A real Pastor is going to hold you accountable because they love you. They should tell you the truth in love.

Sometimes while waiting on God, we isolate ourselves. Some stay away from church.
We just have to accept Him and believe. We do not have to wait on the promise. We just had to accept and receive. They (the early church believers) had to wait on the promise.

We have to keep the main thing the main thing.
It’s easy for us to fall out of unity with one another…
Unity puts you in an uncomfortable position.
The Kingdom of God grows from unity.

It’s NOT about you Otis.

POINT TO REMEMBER: Real community is common unity.

• They tell the truth in love.
• They build together.

Faxxxxx: You will always judge the church from the seat you sit in.

If you are only a consumer, you judge from a consumer perspective. A consumer is a person that is only going to get what they want but you NEVER put in. If you NEVER put in, you’ll eventually say the church is not giving you what you need. You are looking from the lens of I do NOT put in so that I can be in a place/space to receive.

NEWSFLASH: What do you put into the church is what you will get out of the church, if you do not put anything into you becoming a disciple from the teachings at The Chosen Church, you will not get nothing out.
Our church mission is to BUILD DISCIPLES.

Our goal is to GROW. We come to church to learn, get equipped and go out win somebody.

PENTECOST was about the POWER to go witness.
He gives us the power:
The Holy Spirit does not skip over social issues.

INTROVERTS: He gives you the POWER to be BOLD!!
Some are sociable, some are non-sociable BUT God gives POWER to the INTROVERT and the EXTROVERT. He gives them the POWER to WIN people to Him.
The Holy Spirit can ONLY inhabit a clean temple. This temple is NOT perfect...BUT it is one that has been sought after by the Lord, and it is a temple that allows the Holy Spirit to do what it does!!! It’s a temple that’s going after the Lord, it’s a temple that allows the Holy Spirit to do what He does.

➡️The Holy Spirit does not just give us the power to dance.

➡️The Holy Spirit does not just give us the power to speak in tongues.

➡️The Holy Spirit does not just give us the power of prophecy.

➡️The Holy Spirit gives us the power to forgive.

➡️The Holy Spirit gives us the power to let go.

➡️The Holy Spirit gives us the power to stop carrying weight.

➡️The Holy Spirit gives us the power to communicate.

Note: The first thing Jesus did was allowed the disciples to talk to people. They used many different tongues BUT everyone understood them. On the other hand, God confused their tongues at the Tower of Babel because they were trying to get to God (Genesis 11 ESV) READ IT! God scattered them at the Tower and gathered them on Pentecost.

If we cannot learn to talk to each other, how can you make it to heaven. What can we build with this mentality?

We need to stay armored up in the Word so when the offense comes, it doesn’t attach itself to you. When someone does something you don’t like, you are not offended by it.
When we do not read, study the Word or spend time with God we grow/get further and further from it/God.

Pentecost is a lifestyle. It’s a way of living.

Pleasessssse: DON’T get a good Word on Sunday and NOT guard your heart on Monday. The tests are coming. STAY ready so you don’t have to worry about getting ready.
The enemy gives you the same trap every time.

The enemy will come with the same trap to trap you UNTIL you pass the test(s).
Pentecost purges individualism. We can’t get hyped off of the emotionalism of Pentecost and deny the unity of Pentecost.

It is impossible to hold a grudge against someone and still be accepted by God. Resolve YOUR issue(s) with those you have unforgiveness towards. Don’t you keep choosing to do what makes you feel better. Forgiving is necessary!!
The fire cannot fall in a room that’s undivided.
There is no unity where there’s no flow.
There is no UNITY of Pentecost. You can’t expect an overflow where there is NO agreement or there is no advancement. Where there is no alignment there’s no activation where there is no oneness there is no out pouring.

You can be in the same room and still NOT be in the same spirit.
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➡️Before there is a speaking in tongues.

➡️Before there is a laying of hands…

➡️Before there is a running of laps around the church (in a spirit NOT THE HOLY TRINITY)

➡️Before there is a fall out…

➡️You can’t expect overflow without being on one accord with your brother or out of UNITY with God.

We can be waiting and praying without understanding why God isn't coming through, because we don't do what God told us to do.

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➡️ the prerequisite for Pentecost was obedience, UNITY…

Again: Some things REQUIRE a group effort.

Jude 20-22 (ESV)
20 “But you, beloved, building yourselves up in your most holy faith and praying in the Holy Spirit,
21 keep yourselves in the love of God, waiting for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ that leads to eternal life. 22 And have mercy on those who doubt;”

Sometimes you may have to hold your brother or sister up from falling. We both can’t be weak and falling at the same time! The entire church can’t be falling. Somebody’s gotta stand, somebody gotta look like Jesus. Somebody gotta say come on brother, somebody gotta say come on sister.

FYI: The pastor is NOT the one that should be doing all the lifting. Sometimes they need a lifting themselves.

Pentecost wasn’t just a day the Holy Spirit decided to fall. It was already a major feast. These were feast that were agriculturally based. It was a celebration of harvest.

Exodus 19 (ESV) Backstory
• The arrival of the Israelites at Mount Sinai three months after leaving Egypt.
• Ten commandments were given and received.
• Corporate gathering proceeds to giving of the law.
• Formation of Israel as a Kingdom of priest.

God deals with His people as a unified body, rather than isolated individuals.
This event illustrates that covenant relationship begins with corporate obedience and assembly. There was already a deep sacred expectation.

They did not just randomly gather. They remembered a time where God had spoken before, they remembered they were also celebrating the feast of the harvest and waiting on a promise…

They were in great expectation of the good they’ve sown. Sometimes you have to remember the seeds you’ve sown. Meaning…..you’ve got a harvest!!!! No matter the season you’re in….Harvest is coming!! The harder the storm, the more the harvest. The BIGGER the storm, the BIGGER the HARVEST!!

LORD! I THANK YOU FOR MY HARVEST!!!????????????????

In their minds, they remembered, He can do it again...
We too have to remind ourselves that He can/will do it again. The same GOD back then can DO IT AGAIN!! Thank you GOD!!

• They put their individual desires to the side.
• They locked it.
• They were united!
• Praying!
• They waited with great expectations. Some come to God’s house with no expectations. We should have great expectations.
• The power fell because of UNITY, PRAYER and EXPECTATIONS. Meaning...The conditions matched the covenant.
The set up was complete.

• Unity with expectations started a God movement. Unity with expectations does something that nobody can stop. Sinai…God gave the law on STONE; on PENTECOST He wrote it on their hearts in the Spirit. In Jeremiah 20:9 Jeremiah said it’s just like fire...meaning you cannot help to tell others what the Lord has done for you.

Message: Don’t lose your fire???.
We have to be aligned:
• God’s rhythm
• Obedience
• Unity
• Expectation
• Unity creates capacity
• The spirit rest on collectives before it rests on individuals.
• When you are in unity with someone, when they are blessed due to your connection, you too can be blessed.
If we want to see the move of God, we have to be unified. For example:
• Same passion!
• Same mindset!
• Not same personality, God doesn’t make clones.

You have to silence the noise to be UNIFIED!
Sometimes you gotta give ONE MORE PUSH TO BE UNIFIED.
We need to stop making minor things major things and be UNIFIED!!

Acts 2:2 (ESV)
2 “And suddenly there came from heaven a sound like a mighty rushing wind, and it filled the entire house where they were sitting.”
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They became carriers of heavens sound. When the world hears us, they should hear heaven because we are full of it….it filled the WHOLE house where THEY were sitting. Meaning a group of individuals who made up in their mind that we are going to:
• Obey God together.
• We are going to worship God together.
• We are going to get these tongues together.
• We are going to celebrate together.
• We are going to cry together.

Tongues of fire rested on them...NOT the temple, NOT the high priest, NOT the pharisees. It rested on a group of people that was looked down upon which were the Galileans...

Meaning, your title doesn’t make you, who you’re connected to doesn't make you, your God connections makes you!

Question: Who are you CONNECTED to?????

Proverbs 18:16 tells us that, God will make room for your gift(s). God will put you in rooms that your degree or education can’t put you in. You don’t need qualifications, you need GOD!

Question: What has God empowered you to do?

One Word: Jesus!!!

We have to stay strongER toGETHER!!

If you’ve fallen down, get up!!

He GOT up so we can get up again.

The Power of Agreement: Creates a heavenly response.

Mutual Support: Unity prevents isolation.

God’s Presence: God's presence is magnified in UNITY.

The Chosen Church
Speaker: Pastor Craig Walder Jr.
Title: Silence The Noise
Scripture: Numbers 13 (ESV)

BE who GOD created YOU to BE!! EXSIST in that. Silence anything other than what and who God called you to BE! Anything your mind is telling you outside of God...Silence it!

NEVER FORGET: We are NOT the world’s…we are HIS!!

In your NEXT, silence the noise!
EVERYTHING that’s FREE doesn’t mean its God.
Progress doesn’t mean preparedness.
Sometimes you want to walk in your patented stature but…
The crisis is OVER...you can ONLY be who God created you to be. You are NOT the world’s… you ARE HIS!

You are gifted!
You are anointed!

We are walking into a new promise that God has for His house.
The loudest voice in your life WILL determine your faith!! Meaning you CANNOT be walking in your next worrying about your next.

Sometimes God will tell you to you go and NOT show you the next steps or give you the outcome.
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According to scripture, God said the STEPS of a GOOD man are ordered by the Lord.
 Psalm 37:23

• In this season of our journey, we will make NO more agreements with fear.
• We will not have no moral consultations with negative thoughts.
• We will not let our insecurities become our wisdom.

Note: When God is about to do something BIG in your life, everything else starts to get louder. I have lived this. You start noticing things you’ve never noticed before. Like the sneak disses from your friends…the shady remarks, children start blaming you for their issues, spouses start acting up, doubts get louder, people’s opinions get louder…fear gets louder, anxiousness gets louder, reminders of your past get louder!

Noise makes you to forget what God said, because you get focused on the noise. We allow noise to dominate and overwhelm us. Faith becomes difficult when fear gets the microphone.

Note to Self: Who’s report shall be believed??? Noise? Fear or God’s???

The enemy knows he cannot stop the promises of God BUT he can distract you from going to get the promises of God.

KNOW THIS: God’s promises are certain...Yet, we have to play our role so they can become full in our lives.

Chosen turning 4 is a GOD moment. What worked last year may NOT work this year!!!

Listen Up: Stop reworking stuff that God NEVER meant to work for you!

Some put God in a box that He’s BIGGER than!! We put Him in a box assuming what worked should still work! It’s a new season!

Married Folk: What worked to get your spouse may NOT work to keep them.

What worked in one season may not work in the next season…

In Philippians 3:13-14,  Apostle Paul said it best, “Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus."

In order to REACH (grow through) sometimes, you have to just go somewhere. In order to get something, you must go (GROW) through something. Some don’t want to go (grow) through NO-THING!!

Question: Why do we celebrate Easter?
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Some have lost the TRUE meaning of Easter. Some would rather dress up on Easter instead of living like what HE did for us on Easter. Jesus died for you and me BUT YET, some won’t die. We celebrate Eater because of the RESURRECTION. We should live like what Jesus went through!! He died for us so we should live for Him!! We must spiritually die!! Easter is the prelude to our death.

Prelude to our death scripture
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Philippians 3:10 “that I may know him and the power of his resurrection, and may share his sufferings, becoming like him in his death,”
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REMINDER: Deny yourself, pick up your cross and follow Him!!

It’s our PURPOSE to BE like JESUS!! Meaning we must go (GROW) through somethings and you won’t know how to breathe on the mountain top if y
ou don’t learn how to adjust your breathing in the wilderness. You can’t go to the mountaintop without going through the valley.
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Psalm 23:4(ESV)
4 “Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me.”
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➡️➡️➡️➡️ MEANING ⬅️⬅️⬅️⬅️

Every problem has a provision attached to it. You cannot grow in faith unless you have something to overcome.

FAITH doesn’t mean DON’T do NO-THING! Waiting means intertwine with the one you are waiting on.
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Some claim they are “waiting on the Lord.” to do something.

James 2:14-26 (ESV) (((READ)))
Faith Without Works Is Dead

Sometimes we need a slight PUSH!! Sometimes we need one MORE PUSH!!!
We think the PUSH is for us to keep going BUT it’s meant to correct your vision. I press towards the mark. Some just want to PUSH to get out of the pain BUT pain is JUST provision to your next. The PUSH is for you to see the GOAL. Sometimes in/under pressure, our vision becomes blurred. The PUSH may sometimes cause you to suffer. The PUSH is not just for deliverance. You can be delivered and still have a slave mentality.
 

Part II

Numbers 13:30 (ESV)
30 “But Caleb quieted the people before Moses and said, “Let us go up at once and occupy it, for we are well able to overcome it.”

HE silenced the people.
We need a PUSH because it’s our vision that needs fixing. Sometimes in the thick of it, our lenses get foggy and the promise…NOT the problem has to be our focus. God promised them the Promised Land. Moses was on the brink of the Promised Land yet the people tried to make him miss the promise.
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LISTEN HERE:

✅Please do not let the people make you miss your promise.
✅Don’t let the people frustrate you and miss your moment.
✅Don’t let the people make you miss your blessing.
✅Don’t let the people make you miss what was occupied for you.
✅They had a promise that was waiting on them.
✅Their vision became blurred.

The promise NOT the problem must be the main thing. Let the main thing be the main thing.

It’s hard to receive God’s vision from the man of God when your eyesight is crooked and when your perception is warped.

Perception and perspective is EVERYTHING!

When your lenses are blurred you can’t see the promise in your problem. Understand this…in EVERY problem there’s still a promise. Your perception is based off your circumstances instead of your obedience in your faith.

Some love to sing NO weapon formed against us shall prosper. Why do some act like they are going to die or it’s the end of the world when the weapon hits them??? Why do we fall so easy when a weapon hit us??? God did not say it wouldn’t hurt…He said it won’t prosper. Meaning it won’t stop you and you have to keep going. It’s a promise involved in the process.

Note: We are MORE than CONQUERS. Meaning we had to fight and win something. The main thing we have to fight is our flesh. It’s our flesh that distracts us and messes up God’s promises for us.

Numbers 13…The children of Israel were on the brink of the Promise Land.

Sometimes it’s on the brink of receiving your blessings that things can get tougher. It’s on the brink of receiving what God has for you that things may get heavier.

In Numbers 13:2 Moses was at the doorstep when God told Him to send 12 spies to assess the land that God was giving them because he wanting to take them to their NEXT!

Numbers 12:2 (ESV)

2 “Send men to spy out the land of Canaan, which I am giving to the people of Israel. From each tribe of their fathers you shall send a man, everyone a chief among them.”

Romans 8:37-39(ESV)

37 “No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us.
38 For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers,
39 nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

You cannot go into your next unless you get rid of last season's mess.
Some miss the Kairos moment with God. Meaning, He controls the time. Kairos moment is a God moment, meaning… it comes when you might not even be expecting it. It comes when you’re not looking for it. Sometimes God will take you out of something that you could not do yourself to save your life. If you try to take the old into the new, you’re gonna miss the fulfillment of your life. Old wine in new wineskin…it has no choice but to burst.

Keepsake: Sometimes God will take you out of something to change your life. Sometimes God’s gotta take the YOU out of YOU to change YOU.

The next is going to require ALL of you!!! The NEW you though...NOT the old you!! You can’t be the same you and a new you. You have to rid yourself of the old mindset.

They were at the brink of the promise made to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. They were where they had never been before (uncharted territories). Moses told the spies to go out and get some information about the land.

One critical aspect of leadership is THINKING!! You can get so busy that you forget to think. You can have so much confusion and chaos around you that you forget to think.

Question: Do you have peace or chaos!!??!!

You can’t do great thinking on poor information. Meaning you gotta be careful of who’s feeding you information because you can’t do great things for God getting information from a source led by fleshly resources.

You cannot be so loyal to wrongdoings that you become color blind. The RED flag says “it’s” “they” “them” is a lie. You do not have to bring people into your next season. You may have been in a season of lowliness and have PUSHED through to a season of triumph.

Let them folks BE!! Some may have tried manipulating one in their lowliness, but they may not be able to see it because they were too low to see the manipulation. This reminds me of someone being self/people absorbed and people conscious.

You cannot make anyone do better. If they know better, they gotta do better.

Sometimes support is manipulation.
Sometimes support is control.
Sometimes support is fool’s gold
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Saying support is like "fool's gold" means it looks valuable, reliable, and promising at first glance, but when you actually lean on it, it completely falls apart and proves to be useless.
You can’t grow in your next holding onto what’s holding you.

If it doesn’t give God the glory, “IT’S” “THEM” “THEY” “HE” “SHE” gotta go ✌?✌?✌?. If it doesn’t grace me in my next, you gotta go ??‍♂️???. If you are not helping my spiritual formation, you gotta go!
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⬇️⬇️  MATTER OF FACT ⬇️⬇️

You do not need any more updates from seasons that God already closed in your life. Stop sitting at tables where you are getting some tea, sit at tables where you are getting some oil.

I don’t need anyone to match my energy. Match my oil, match my anointing. Match my oil and not my tea. That tea will kill you if you don’t have any oil.

Question: Are you a foolish virgin or are you filled up? Can someone depend on your oil?
All information isn’t revelation.

⬇️⬇️⬇️MATTER OF FACT⬇️⬇️⬇️

Make peace your boundary.
Make peace your standard.
Silence the noise.

Every conversation you have is a transaction in your life.

Question: What’s being deposited in your life? Everything you watch is a deposit in your life.

 Everything you listen to is a deposit in your life.

Some environments don’t deserve or need your presence. Somethings can trigger what you have been delivered from or what you are working towards getting delivered from. Everything doesn’t deserve your presence because YOU are NOT that holy yet!

Ex: If you are/were an alcoholic, please don’t go to the club trying to witness to somebody.

❤️❤️❤️❤️Silence the noise❤️❤️❤️

You can no longer sit at the wrong table and expect God to bless you.

Psalms 1 for your reference.

Moses told them to see what the land looks like. Chosen...What do you see when you pull up at The Chosen Church? Can you see what the land is like??

God will always give you a peek of a vision He has for you. It’s a forecast and a vision only He can fill. The vision is BIGGER than you.

Stop looking for others to support or help you with the vision GOD gave you. God birthed the vision in you so HE will give you the supports to help you give BIRTH to vision (baby). Gods vision doesn’t require a man to help you. GOD did that.

Learn how to encourage yourself in the Lord.

Look at your perspective. We say, “way maker, promise keeper, miracle worker BUT what about light in the darkness. We don’t like to repeat saying, Light in the darkness because it doesn’t feel too good to us and we want to feel good.

In the darkness you need the LIGHT. We want God to MAKE a way! We want Him to KEEP His promises! We want Him to GIVE us miracles. Waymaker means I get something. He’s making a way! Promise keeper, somethings coming to me. Miracle worker, somethings coming to me.

Note: in the darkness, you need the light...when that Waymaker doesn’t come through when you think He should come through…when that miracle doesn’t come when you think it should come….you need the light in the dark moments.

You need the light when you can’t see the way…you need the light when you can’t hear the voice of God, you need the light when you don’t see the provision…you need the light when you can’t hear yourself.
 
Our perspective is blurred because it’s based off what we want.

POINT TO PONDER: God is the LIGHT in the darkness!! Know that in the darkness you need the LIGHT!!

Duly noted: You need the light ?

Fear has NO home, NO place or purpose in our life.

They came back with this report
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Numbers 13:28-29 (ESV)

28 “However, the people who dwell in the land are strong, and the cities are fortified and very large. And besides, we saw the descendants of Anak there.
29 The Amalekites dwell in the land of the Negeb. The Hittites, the Jebusites, and the Amorites dwell in the hill country. And the Canaanites dwell by the sea, and along the Jordan.”

What you magnify is what you worship. What has your attention the most? They murmured, complained and cried about everything they had seen through “their” eyes.

God will ALWAYS send the RIGHT WORD or PERSON at the right time…God will give you what you need the most RIGHT ON TIME!!

Numbers 13:30...Caleb silenced the people.

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30 “But Caleb quieted the people before Moses and said, “Let us go up at once and occupy it, for we are well able to overcome it.”

God will show you what’s yours. Your eternal condition will determine if you can possess it. One of the worse things someone can do is give a blessing to a person that’s NOT ready for it!!
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God brought them out of Egypt, but it did not mean they were ready to go to the Promised Land.

 Why is that?
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What you see may not look like what God promises. God promised them the land that their enemies occupied. With God, everything may not be what it looks like.

 Meaning⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️

We can see trouble, but God sees triumph. We can see a storm, but God sees a harvest.
The spies seen the people and came back to give Moses an update about seeing giants. The 12 spies gave the whole community the word. 12 different opinions/views talking to people is a recipe for chaos/disaster.

Note: The leadership in the wilderness was not about logistics, but about exposure. Moses allowed the report from the spies to be public because the true condition of the community's heart had to be revealed before they could inherit the promise.

You can take people out of Egypt in a night BUT taking Egypt out of the people is a MUCH longer process. It took Egypt 40 years to get out of a place where it could have taken 11 days to get out of the wilderness.

******WHY COULD THIS BE*********

Message: what’s still in you that’s not of God will come out of you when you need God the most.
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FAXXXXX: Gods will always expose you to show you...you!!

Question: How does our discernment expose everybody else but what’s in us? God will always show you...you.

The spies begin to talk negative. They let their circumstances make them lose belief in what God promised them. BUT one man! One brother can influence another brother. One person can change the whole narrative.

They started promoting their perspective BUT one man said, “BE QUIET!”

Question: When was the last time you told somebody, BE QUIET?

Stop getting dumped on and you don’t release it.
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Why and I so heavy? Who are you talking to?
Why am I so negative? Who you are you talking to?
Why am I so down? If you talk to negative folks more than you pray is a problem.
Don’t let dumping give you side effects.

Caleb interrupted the conversation when the spies were talking negative. Sometimes faith has to interrupt fear before fear affects everyone else. Fear is contagious! Caleb silenced the noise. He knew if he didn’t stop the fearful conversation that the fearful conversation would stop them.

He said that they could take over because he remembered that our God parted the Red Sea, our God gave them manna when they asked for it. Our God delivered them from Egypt when they asked to be delivered.

Caleb was by himself. Just because people have been delivered doesn’t mean they’ve been made whole.

God delivered them from a location of slavery, but they were never healed from the slavery in their minds.

Numbers 13:33 (ESV)

33 “And there we saw the Nephilim (the sons of Anak, who come from the Nephilim), and we seemed to ourselves like grasshoppers, and so we seemed to them.”
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The spies saw themselves as grasshoppers.
How you see yourself determines your next?

Caleb was focused on WHO God was.
The spies got spiritual amnesia.
Caleb was surrendering to the Lord.
They surrendered to fear...they focused on the land.
Caleb’s focus was on the Lord.  Their focus was on the problem.
Caleb’s focuses on the solution. Their focus was on giants.
 Caleb’s focus was on what God said...it was his so he was going to get it, if that is for us who can be against us.
Caleb‘s focus was on silencing the noise

Question: How do you see yourself??

Question: What has your focus?

Stop focusing on the problem. The enemy tries to scare us out of what God said is ALREADY ours. The issue was NEVER the giants. The issue was, they tried to magnify the giants!

Whatever you MAGNIFY the most becomes your God.
We cannot go into the next season with the same fear.
We cannot go into the next season saying that’s just the way I am.
We cannot go into the next season with the insecurities that God NEVER gave us.
We cannot go into the next season with the spirit of Ahab. That spirit that controlled jezebel and that’s controlling some of you.

Link up with people that say we can take/do this. They silence the noise.
The people of Israel did NOT listen to Caleb and they MISSED their moment.

Silence the noise or:

You are going to miss your moment.
You are going to miss your breakthrough.
You are going to miss your complete healing.
You are going to miss your blessings.
You are going to miss your financial breakthrough.
You are going to miss the trauma AND triggers being dismissed.
You’re going to miss because you’re getting faulty information.

If you have allowed fear to become louder than the Lord. Give it to God and allow Him to silence the noise. All of us need to silence the noise.

NEWSFLASH: If your vision is blurred, the noise is too loud.

Message: Hang around folks that’s going to encourage you to silence the noise.

Silence The Noise:

If you are holding on to unforgiveness, you need to silence the noise.
If you have a hard time forgiving, you need to silence, the noise.
If you were in a relationship that you can’t get out of you need to silence the noise.
If you’ve been letting people dump on you, silence the noise.
If can’t nobody tell you, you’re wrong you need to silence the noise.
If you’ve been giving something else MORE than you been giving God, you need to silence the noise.
If you’ve been lazy in going after God, you need to silence the noise.

The Chosen Church
Speaker Pastor Asia
Philippians 3:13-14 (ESV)
Title: One More Push!
Philippians 3:13-14 (ESV)

13 “Brothers, I do not consider that I have made it my own. But one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, 14 I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.”

“Tis the Season,” was the last time Pastor Asia delivered the Word. The message talked about Tis the season being a God thing. Whatever season God allows us to go (grow through), it’s for an appointed time for us in our life. We may deem it as good, as bad, as uncomfortable BUT whatever we deem it is necessary because it was orchestrated specifically for you at that time and space in your life.

Fast Forward: After Pastor Asia gave a power word (Tis The Season - Go listen to it family!), the church went through a season of warfare...I can attest to this for my family.
The message was given to Pastor Asia to tell the people what was to come.
There comes a time in the life of every believer that obedience sometimes becomes exhausting…Not because God failed, not because purpose disappeared and not because the calling has changed.

 Sometimes it may feel this way because running with God requires endurance. The race is not given to the swift but to the one who endures to the end….Read both scriptures to understand this statement.
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Ecclesiastes 9:11 (KJV): "I returned, and saw under the sun, that the race is not to the swift, nor the battle to the strong, neither yet bread to the wise, nor yet riches to men of understanding, nor yet favour to men of skill; but time and chance happeneth to them all".

Matthew 24:13 (KJV): "But he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved."

It doesn’t matter how fit you are, you can be the most fit athlete. There comes a time in an athlete’s career where they’re challenged with ability to endure.
This type of tiredness is not because we didn’t get enough sleep or rest. We have to have the stamina necessary to continue in the race.

It turns into a tiredness or exhaustion that develops from fighting spiritual battles, carrying responsibilities, surviving disappointments, standing in faith and continuing to obey God under pressure.

Keep IT REAL: Sometimes when we obey God under pressure, it exhausts us and sometimes it makes us weary and or feel weak.

Some believers are not on the verge of breaking down our front in the public because we have a reputation to maintain, we have to maintain a certain look or façade BUT the reality of the thing is sometimes trying to endure without the appropriate amount of stamina causes us to break down when no one is looking.

The enemy understands that if he cannot destroy your purpose, he will attempt to drain your endurance.

Newsflash: The enemy cannot destroy your purpose because he did not give it to you!! You may be weary and tired BUT don’t stop now.
You may feel tired, you may feel weary, or fatigued, but don’t give up now.

Some people are just going through. Some have been seeking…Some have been serving...Some have been fasting...Some have been praying…You don’t need a new assignment...You don’t need a new Word...You don’t need a new prophecy...You don’t need a new direction…it’s a man’s heart that…

Proverbs 16:9 (ESV) 9 “The heart of man plans his way, but the Lord establishes his steps.”

Simply Put: God has already given us the path to take, He is the truth, the way, and the Light. You don’t need a new direction.

What you need IS

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********ONE MORE PUSH**********

Apostle Paul wrote Philippians while in prison. Paul was talking about pressing while he’s chained. How is that you can press forward while you are physically held down and bound???

Paul was talking about pursuing purpose while confined physically.

Meaning: His/our purpose has NO-THING to do with his/our current circumstance(s). Believers need to understand that their external condition does not have their internal pursuit. Sometimes we allow things on the outside/other things to dictate how much, how fast and hard we go for God.

What’s happening on the outside has NO-THING to do with what He’s working through us on the inside.

That’s why Paul stated this
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Philippians 3:13 ( ESV) 13 “Brothers, I do not consider that I have made it my own. But one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead”

Paul had revelation…Paul had miracles…Paul had apostolic authority, but he said he had not arrived yet.

(Philippians.3:13 (ESV) He knew who he was…he knew the accolades...he knew the titles he had…he knew he had NOT arrived

Meaning:
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He/We was/are not there yet. He/We could not quit now AND There is still ONE more PUSH!!

Newsflash: While running, you cannot run forward by looking backwards. You can try BUT it’s going to slow you down and your opponent WILL catch up with you.

Don’t gift the devil traction over you. Don’t let the enemy walk you down! As believers we cannot afford to look behind while looking/moving forward because the enemy looks to track you and walk you down.

Some have been imprisoned by their past. You have to refuse to be imprisoned by your past. Don’t let the enemy hold you to your past. When we allow ourselves to be imprisoned by our past or by our circumstance(s), we become spiritually STUCK! Finding ourselves in an invisible prison.

Spiritually Stuck:

✓ We keep replaying on old failures.
✓ We keep playing on disappointments.
✓ We keep replaying old relationships.
✓ We keep replaying on old seasons.

Runners cannot run efficiently while looking backwards. They cannot run efficiently with too much weight. Runners carry the least amount of weight as possible. Excess weight causes one not to run at their maximum capacity. There are times when runners are in their final stretch run, seemingly losing endurance but the coach yells from the field telling the runner to PUSH.

Meaning: You are almost to the finish line but you gotta pull something from somewhere...You have to push through the pain, you have to push through the circumstance(s), you have to push through the heartache, you have to push through present sufferings as scripture tells us in.

Romans 8:18 (ESV) 18 “For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us.”

(((Future Glory)))
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Simply Put: it’s not about the present circumstances. It’s about what the Lord’s glory is going to reveal through me, through you, through us.
LET THE LORD USE YOU!

Recall Moment: You are almost at the finish line...push!!!

Recall Moment: It’s not about the present circumstances.

Hebrews 12:1- (ESV) 1 “Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us,”
Hebrews 12:2 (ESV) 2 “looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.”

Must Do: We have to lay aside every weight, sin and run the race that was set before us. Just like runners, we have to lay aside the weight. If the enemy cannot control your focus, he can’t interrupt your momentum.

Question: What interrupts our momentum?

We should NOT let our yesterday mess up our tomorrow.

Some have to PUSH past regret.
Some have to PUSH past guilt.
Some have to PUSH past grief.
Some have to PUSH past offense.
Some have to PUSH past disappointment…

BECAUSE
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****Pressing…Requires stretching****

Pushing will cause us to stretch. When Paul said PRESSING toward. The language used is pointing to a runner leaning towards the finish line with every remaining ounce of energy.
It’s the image of strain, it’s stretching, its extension, it’s pressing.

Sometimes stretching is uncomfortable.
Stretching causes, you to utilize parts of your body that you do not normally use. Spiritual stretching is uncomfortable because it causes you to step into a place that we are not yet comfortable with.

When God stretches us, He stretches, our faith, He stretches our patience, He stretches our discipline, He stretches our prayer, He stretches our trust and our character.

Stretching is PROOF of EXPANSION. It speaks to an increased ability and capacity. Some find themselves uncomfortable because God’s enlarging their capacity.

Some think that pressure is punishment. Pressure is preparation. Every believer has their own race to run. Your race is NOT my race, and MY race is NOT your race. We all MUST run the race that was set before us.

Every race requires something different. Every race requires a different amount of stretching. Paul is speaking about us running the race that was given to us, not anyone else.

Hebrews 12:1 (b) tells us, “let us run with endurance the race that is set before us.”

Run your race and let those folks BE!! Some believers become tired because they are trying to complete assignments that GOD never gave them. This can cause unnecessary fatigue. Our race was uniquely structured/fitting for me. The timing of my race was uniquely designed for me. The process we have to go through is individually and uniquely made for us separately. Your race was tailored for you. It was tailored for the purpose He had for us.

 IF God assigns the race, He will provide the grace to endure. Lay aside every weight.
Everything that’s slowing you down may not be sin. IT may be an unnecessary amount of baggage. It could be something you are carrying that was NEVER intended for you to carry. Somethings are JUST too HEAVY for the season that we are in. Somethings are too heavy for where God is taking us.

What does weight look like:

✓ Unforgiveness
✓ Distractions
✓ Toxic connections
✓ Fear
✓ People pleasing
✓ Emotional baggage
✓ Constant Anxiety
✓ Carrying responsibilities that God has NEVER assigned to you If someone would like to run a long-distance race.

Some will stop during a race to change their shoes. Sometimes we just have to STOP and change your spiritual shoes. The old shoes may not be able to carry us through the finish line. Some may ask for stronger legs, some are just asking God for strength.
Sometimes you don’t need stronger legs, you may just need to drop some of the weight. Sometimes we don’t need more power, sometimes we just need to travel lighter.

Pause: Carrying too much weight will cause us to lose spiritual power.
Illustration used: a truck can hold a lot of weight BUT the more weight you add to the truck, the less power the truck will have. Trucks have weight capacity and weight limits. Sometimes we carry stuff that is just weighing us down. Sometimes we cannot go up the mountain because we have too much weight.

The mountain seems rough because we have too much weight. When it’s time for us to walk through the valley, the valley seems impossible to walk through because we have too much weight. When it’s time to run laps, it seems as though we don’t have endurance.
Note: The issue is NOT our power, the issue is that we are carrying too much weight. Focus determines our endurance.

In reference to Hebrews 12:2
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Jesus is the author and finisher of our faith. This means that YOU will need to fix YOUR eyes on Him.

Where your focus goes, your endurance follows.
 ✓ If you focus on pressure, you’ll panic.
✓ If you focus on people, you’ll be discouraged.
✓ If you focus on warfare, you’ll become fearful.
✓ If you focus on Jesus, you will discover the strength to continue.
✓ If you focus on Jesus, you continue in your faith BY faith!!
✓ If Jesus started it, He will continue IT! He will finish IT! It’s a finished WORK.

************KNOW THIS************

Philippians 1:6 (ESV) 6 “And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ.”

1. God doesn’t begin purpose to abandon it midway.

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Mary Mary Lyrics

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“I just can't give up now I come too far from where I started from Nobody told me the road would be easy And I don't believe He's brought me this far To leave me”
2. God gives us the strength for the stretch. This scripture shows that God gives strength.

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Isaiah 40: 31 (ESV) 31 “but they who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint.”

Isaiah encourages us that there is ONE more push. In the text Israel was weary because of captivity and struggle. However, GOD reminded them that why your human strength has limits the DIVINE STRENGTH is renewable! The WORD wait in the text means we have to remain/stay connected with expectations to stay intertwined with God.

The promise in the text that if we STAY connected, strength WILL return. “They SHALL run and NOT be weary.”

The LORD knows that the race is long BUT HE will sustain us while we run OUR race…
Your human strength has limits but your divine weight has endurance.

Some walked into this season tired.

✓ Tired of fighting.
✓ Tired of carrying.
✓ Tired of enduring.
✓ Tired of hoping.
✓ Tired of waiting.
✓ Tired of enduring.
✓ Tired of waiting on the Lord.
✓ However, God’s Word reminds us that this is NOT the time to stop!
✓ We are too close to what GOD is birthing inside of us.
Stay on the path of righteousness

*****There is ONE more PUSH*******

There is SO much warfare BECAUSE purpose is near. The pressure increased because BREAKTHROUGH is approaching. A runner in the final stretch, feels pain in places that it did not feel earlier in the race, legs burn, breathing tightens, strength weakens….BUT it’s something that the runner sees when he’s sees the finish line...He gets some MOTIVATION to finish the race strong!!

Some are not excited about the race because they have not prepared for the finish line.

Check yourself before you wreck yourself.

If you prepare for the finish line then you know then once you see, you can see the line. You can see the tape!! You just have to get there because that’s the moment you prepared for!!

Deep!!!

This moment I:

✓ Trained for it.
✓ Prepared for it.
✓ Ate well for it.
✓ Stretched for it.
✓ Warmed up for it.
✓ Cool down out for.
✓ Worked out for.

The finish line is the reward our the surprise. We have to have the vision for what’s ahead. Some of us are in a final stretch of a season. The enemy thought pressure would stop you BUT pressure only revealed your endurance.

Listen: It is known that pressure bursts pipes.

When the pressure was put on you, you did not burst!!!! You did not break or bend. It only revealed the endurance that was inside of you!! You are a survivor!!! You survived too much to quit now. PUSH one more prayer! PUSH one more praise! PUSH one more act of an obedience! PUSH one more season of faithfulness.

Message: God NEVER called you to quit in the stretch!
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Part II

The Chosen Church
Speaker: Sis Carla Bozeman
Title: Don’t Get It Twisted
Scripture: Genesis 3:1-5 (ESV)

We live in a world where we call good evil and evil good. We call good people evil and evil people good. Some have gotten it twisted and forgotten the commandments of the Lord.

This would be considered a reminder message!!!

Paul is talking to Timothy. He was talking about men’s behaviors during this time. They denied the grace and sanctifying power to change out of their situation. This is the world we live in. The behaviors from back then are the same behaviors we see today.
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2 Timothy 3:3-6 (ESV)

Godlessness in the Last Days
3 “But understand this, that in the last days there will come times of difficulty.
2 For people will be lovers of self, lovers of money, proud, arrogant, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy,
3 heartless, unappeasable, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not loving good, 4 treacherous, reckless, swollen with conceit, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God,
5 having the appearance of godliness, but denying its power. Avoid such people.
6 For among them are those who creep into households and capture weak women, burdened with sins and led astray by various passions,
7 always learning and never able to arrive at a knowledge of the truth.
8 Just as Jannes and Jambres opposed Moses, so these men also oppose the truth, men corrupted in mind and disqualified regarding the faith.
9 But they will not get very far, for their folly will be plain to all, as was that of those two men.”

Backstory of Revelation 12
✓ Revelation was written by John.
✓ It was geared towards revealing Jesus Christ and all that concerned Him.
✓ It was meant to correct things that were happening during that time.
✓ It was a book that contained great eschatology, which is the study of last things, or the study of the end times
✓ It speaks about end-times prophecies.
✓ Christ revealed Himself to John in a vision.
✓ It gives a look at the spiritual realm behind the scenes of what transpired and what to expect.
✓ Shows that satan is a deceiver
✓ Shows that satan is an accuser of the brethren.
✓ Believers are overcomers by the Blood of the Lamb and by the words of their testimonies. Rev. 11.

✓ Focus Scripture: Revelation 12:17 
Then the dragon became furious with the woman and went off to make war on the rest of her offspring, on those who keep the commandments of God and hold to the testimony of Jesus. And he stood on the sand of the sea.”
✓ The woman came to be the seed of God, that the enemy would make war. Those who keep the commandments of God and have the testimony of Jesus Christ.
✓ The two seeds: satan and his fallen angels and the Lord, His church (Israel, His chosen people). Genesis 1 & 2 is the start of this story.
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? In order to understand scripture, we have to understand the God we serve.
? It’s filled with symbolism to convey His message.

Revelation 12 (ESV) (Context for the message)
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The Woman and the Dragon
12 “And a great sign appeared in heaven: a woman clothed with the sun, with the moon under her feet, and on her head a crown of twelve stars.
2 She was pregnant and was crying out in birth pains and the agony of giving birth.
3 And another sign appeared in heaven: behold, a great red dragon, with seven heads and ten horns, and on his heads seven diadems.
4 His tail swept down a third of the stars of heaven and cast them to the earth. And the dragon stood before the woman who was about to give birth, so that when she bore her child he might devour it.
5 She gave birth to a male child, one who is to rule all the nations with a rod of iron, but her child was caught up to God and to his throne,
6 and the woman fled into the wilderness, where she has a place prepared by God, in which she is to be nourished for 1,260 days.

Satan Thrown Down to Earth
7 Now war arose in heaven, Michael and his angels fighting against the dragon. And the dragon and his angels fought back,
8 but he was defeated, and there was no longer any place for them in heaven.
9 And the great dragon was thrown down, that ancient serpent, who is called the devil and satan, the deceiver of the whole world—he was thrown down to the earth, and his angels were thrown down with him.
10 And I heard a loud voice in heaven, saying, “Now the salvation and the power and the kingdom of our God and the authority of his Christ have come, for the accuser of our brothers has been thrown down, who accuses them day and night before our God.
11 And they have conquered him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony, for they loved not their lives even unto death.
12 Therefore, rejoice, O heavens and you who dwell in them! But woe to you, O earth and sea, for the devil has come down to you in great wrath, because he knows that his time is short!”
13 And when the dragon saw that he had been thrown down to the earth, he pursued the woman who had given birth to the male child.
14 But the woman was given the two wings of the great eagle so that she might fly from the serpent into the wilderness, to the place where she is to be nourished for a time, and times, and half a time.
15 The serpent poured water like a river out of his mouth after the woman, to sweep her away with a flood.
16 But the earth came to the help of the woman, and the earth opened its mouth and swallowed the river that the dragon had poured from his mouth.
17 Then the dragon became furious with the woman and went off to make war on the rest of her offspring, on those who keep the commandments of God and hold to the testimony of Jesus. And he stood on the sand of the sea.”

You must understand God’s message to fully get His message.

✓ God did miraculous and creative things in His power.
✓ God created man in His image to bring Him pleasure.
✓ He made the spirit first.
✓ He made male and female, in His image!

Genesis 2:16-23 (ESV)

16 “And the Lord God commanded the man, saying, “You may surely eat of every tree of the garden,
17 but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die.”
18 Then the Lord God said, “It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him a helper fit for him.
19 Now out of the ground the Lord God had formed every beast of the field and every bird of the heavens and brought them to the man to see what he would call them. And whatever the man called every living creature, that was its name.
20 The man gave names to all livestock and to the birds of the heavens and to every beast of the field. But for Adam there was not found a helper fit for him.
21 So the Lord God caused a deep sleep to fall upon the man, and while he slept took one of his ribs and closed up its place with flesh.
22 And the rib that the Lord God had taken from the man he made into a woman and brought her to the man. 23 Then the man said, "This at last is bone of my bone and flesh of my flesh; she shall be called Woman,
 because she was taken out of Man.”

Main Passage for the message
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Genesis 3:1-5 (ESV)
The Fall
3 Now the serpent was more crafty than any other beast of the field that the Lord God had made.
He said to the woman, “Did God actually say, ‘You shall not eat of any tree in the garden’?”
2 And the woman said to the serpent, “We may eat of the fruit of the trees in the garden,
3 but God said, ‘You shall not eat of the fruit of the tree that is in the midst of the garden, neither shall you touch it, lest you die.’”
4 But the serpent said to the woman, “You will not surely die.
5 For God knows that when you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.”

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Trick of the No-Good Devil: The enemy will twist and distort God’s Word. He twisted the Word from the beginning with Eve.

Rewind it Back: To the curse the Lord gave the serpent.

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Genesis 3:14-15 (ESV)
14 “The Lord God said to the serpent,
“Because you have done this, cursed are you above all livestock and above all beasts of the field; on your belly you shall go, and dust you shall eat all the days of your life.
15 I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and her offspring; he shall bruise your head, and you shall bruise his heel.”
Enmity means opposition. In Hebrew it means blood war.
In the midst of the garden, Adam lost God’s FAVOR and GLORY when he ate the fruit in the garden.

According to Proverbs 6:16-19 God hates those who cause discord.
The enemy was the first one to show discord. He sowed discord between the Lord and His people, between the bridegroom and His bride, between the seed and the salt of the Earth, the people that were chosen as a royal priesthood and those that were supposed to represent Him in the Earth. His seed sowed discord too. (Genesis 3:15)

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Proverbs 6:16-19 (ESV)
16 “There are six things that the Lord hates, seven that are an abomination to him:
17 haughty eyes, a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood,
18 a heart that devises wicked plans,
feet that make haste to run to evil,
19 a false witness who breathes out lies, and one who sows discord among brothers.”

Blog II

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Hostility: In the beginning of the Bible (Genesis 3:15), immediately after Adam and Eve sinned, God declared that He would establish hostility, often translated as “enmity” or “open war,” between the serpent and the woman, and their respective offspring.

God did what He needed to do to redeem and restore His bloodline so that His seed would be the seed that it needed to be in the Earth.

Newsflash: satan, being a spirit, thought he had everything all together lovely, but he got things twisted BECAUSE the GOD we serve served him. satan came in spirit to try to convert the flesh, corrupt it, mess things up, and make it a part of his seed and kingdom. GOD, being SPIRIT (BIG GOD), clothed Himself in flesh, came down, and DESTROYED the works of satan. AND DID!!! satan tried BUT failed!!

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The serpent sowed the first murder into humanity by speaking to Cain and making him believe he was rejected and could not be accepted by the Father. He turned around and killed Abel.

Cain believed the father of lies and carried out satan’s plans. Genesis 4:8. Where satan tries to come and cause death, God comes to bring LIFE!!!

PS: Don’t be an agent or carrier of satan. He will try to abuse you, confuse you, and use you as a vessel to carry out his plan. Nothing good comes from the plans of satan.
GOD GIVES

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God’s going to come and bring LIFE!
God comes to give life more abundantly and eternally!
God gives life more abundantly.
God gives grace and favor to walk in ways that seem impossible to man BUT made POSSIBLE with God.
God gives POWER and AUTHORITY to trample over the enemy.
God went to Calvary Himself to show that His blood redeems us. It’s the same blood satan tried to corrupt. Shouting and dancing moment! ???????
The devil comes to steal, kill, and destroy, BUT God came to bring life!! John 10:10!!

******DON’T GET IT TWISTED*******
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✓ The enemy tried to twist up everything.
✓ The enemy tries to make you think he has control over you.
✓ He is just trying to rob you of your peace.
✓ Don’t let the enemy get you off your square!
✓ The enemy is just repeating the same behavior, no new tactics, just old ones! Don’t let him trip you up.
✓ The enemy tries to make us believe that we are lower than what we really are! We are Kingdom Kids! Don’t let the enemy trick you out of your position in Christ Jesus!!!
✓ The enemy tries to get us to lose our salvation.
✓ The enemy makes us believe that he has control and dominion over places, spaces, and situations that he does not. Where you don’t have peace, God said HE will give us peace.

Scripture References
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✓ Philippians 4:7: And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
✓ John 14:27: Jesus promises His own peace to His disciples.
✓ John 16:33: “I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace...”
✓ Philippians 4:6-7: Mentions that God’s peace will guard hearts and minds through prayer.
✓ 2 Thessalonians 3:16: “Now may the Lord of peace himself grant you his peace at all times and in every way.”

REMEMBER: The enemy is LYING to you. He’s just trying to rob you of your peace.
The enemy thought he would cause us to lose our salvation. However, God is the bridegroom and will always be married to the backsliders. The devil is an accuser of the brethren because he would do it all the time. That’s his MO (mode of operation). satan will ALWAYS mention what you did and what you did wrong. You must remember that he is the father of lies. He was a liar from the beginning.

THE TRUTH OF THE WORD IS: Those who sit in the seat of God are covered by HIS BLOOD and hide under His wings. When we go before the court of heaven, the Lord Jesus stands there Himself and covers us. Jesus’ blood is on the altar.
Jesus’ blood paid the price. The enemy is blowing smoke to get you “high.” Don’t let him trip you out of what God says is yours.
All the enemy said he would do, Jesus was undoing!!!

NOTE: Jesus promises that those given to Him by the Father are held securely in His hand, ensuring they will never perish and no one can snatch them away. This highlights a covenant of eternal security, where believers are protected by both Jesus and the Father, who are one.

John 10:28-30 (ESV)
28 “I give them eternal life, and they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand.
29 My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all, and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father’s hand. 30 I and the Father are one.”

The enemy cannot pluck or take you out. However, we MUST KEEP God’s commandments.
If you really want to know if you’re the seed of God, and if you’re in the household of faith, you have to do that personal evaluation and ask, “Am I keeping God’s commandments?” Christ said, “If you love me, you will keep my commandments.”

John 14:15
15 “If you love me, you will keep my commandments.”
The seed of satan cannot, will not, and may not prevail against God’s seeds (His church).

Matthew 16:18 (ESV)
18 “And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.”

Some are discouraged because they are facing something. You may think your circumstances and situations look a certain way that shows in your eyes that God is not with you. That’s not God’s truth. It’s a lie.

God said He would never leave you nor forsake you. He will never leave you in the hands of the enemy. We must stay confident in perilous times. Know that we are the seed of God and the righteous that HE has called. This reminds me of this scripture.

Matthew 22:14 (ESV)
14 “For many are called, but few are chosen.”
God took a stance! He said who He is and what He WILL do!! Things might be challenging or difficult, BUT in the end, WE WIN!!!
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The enemy thought he had Jesus when he “crucified” Jesus, BUT trick no good. Jesus laid down His own life.
Take Heart: Know that God reversed everything the enemy tried to do.

Listen Here: If you repented of “it,” it’s under the BLOOD and you are forgiven.
If you repented of it with Godly sorrow, as far as the east is from the west, you are forgiven. He remembers it no more, and there is no condemnation to those of us who are in Christ Jesus.
Hold on to your faith.

Isaiah 40:31 (ESV)
“But they who wait for the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint.”

God’s Commandments/Teachings That He Expects Those Who Are His to Keep:

1. Mark 16:15 (ESV): 15 “And he said to them, ‘Go into all the world and proclaim the gospel to the whole creation.’”
2. Matthew 22:37-40: “And he said to him, ‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. 38 This is the great and first commandment. 39 And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. 40 On these two commandments depend all the Law and the Prophets.’”

God will give you grace that will sanctify you and give you strength that will be your joy in sadness, your joy in sorrow, and you will be able to walk out the thing you are going through because of God’s strength.

God is THE I AM!!

The battle was between God and the serpent seed. Man was in the middle of the war. God won the war, so we win!!
When you believe, know that things will come against us to challenge our faith in God, faith in who He made us to be, and faith that we are created in His image and His likeness.

God sanctifies us!
God heals us!
God delivers us!
God controls us! God makes things good for us!
God says He cannot lie. He will do that “thing” and turn it around for the good, for you!

Matthew 12:39 (ESV)
39 “But he answered them, ‘An evil and adulterous generation seeks for a sign, but no sign will be given to it except the sign of the prophet Jonah.”

Mark 16:17 (ESV)
17 “And these signs will accompany those who believe: in my name they will cast out demons; they will speak in new tongues.”

Note: satan is delusional. God created him, so He rules and reigns over him.
God will do that thing! Trust God and be not deceived.
You have to have faith to believe it!! Stand on it!!
Some faith will be shaken, BUT God!!

Keep Sake: Hebrews 12:27
“This phrase, ‘Yet once more,’ indicates the removal of things that are shaken - that is, things that have been made - in order that the things that cannot be shaken may remain.”
What we need to do, we just need to do it for His glory. It’s about God being glorified and Him being the only one glorified.

Even in death, we have the victory when we remain on the winning side. Death will not win!! The grave cannot get the victory over us.

God is ALWAYS with us.

This battle is NOT ours. God’s body was broken for it, His blood was shed for it, and out of His side came rivers of living water. The very truth that needed to be spoken, the very light that dispels darkness, the very hope that you need unto salvation, that can bring you out of everything, the Lord Himself is the one who can set you free.

The Word said it was for this purpose that He manifested Himself: to destroy the very works of the enemy.
The Lord Himself can set you free!!
Scripture tells us to lift up our countenance.
Know whose team you are really on.
Know who is really fighting for you.
Stand in the place of blessing.
Stand in the place of victory.
Know that your Lord God loves you so much that He would do anything to redeem you back to Himself.

God redeemed you for Himself. Stand on that! That’s standing on Bible!!
The enemy has an END game. He’s out here freestyling, BUT his time is limited.

PEEP THIS: Revelation 20:1-3 (NASB)
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20 “Then I saw an angel coming down from heaven, holding the key of the abyss and a great chain in his hand.
2 And he took hold of the dragon, the serpent of old, who is the devil and satan, and bound him for a thousand years;
3 and he threw him into the abyss and shut it and sealed it over him, so that he would not deceive the nations any longer, until the thousand years were completed; after these things he must be released for a short time.”

You cannot lose! The one who created you will not allow you to lose!
God will come when you need Him. Don’t get discouraged in the wait.
I am created with God’s DNA. It’s in the redeeming blood. God shed His LOVE (BLOOD) for us. I was purposely and wonderfully made by God’s DNA! It’s in the redeeming BLOOD! It’s in the love He had by shedding His BLOOD!! He loves us that much!
Enter into His rest. It is well!

Note to Self: Salvation is a finished work!! Hebrews 4:10
No worrying. God is with you!!

2 Corinthians 10:4-5 (ESV)
4 “For the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh but have divine power to destroy strongholds.
5 We destroy arguments and every lofty opinion raised against the knowledge of God, and take every thought captive to obey Christ.”

✓ The weapons of warfare are not won in the flesh.
✓ God destroys and dismantles strongholds.
✓ I have to take every thought captive. It’s NOT about me; it’s about Jesus!!!
✓ I must submit every thought to the obedience of Christ.
✓ I must walk in spiritual authority.
✓ The Word of God reveals truth.
✓ The Holy Spirit is my reliant power!!
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The Chosen Church
Speaker: Pastor Craig Walder Jr.
Series: Appetite
Title: I’m Not Full Yet
Scripture: Matthew 5 (ESV)

We need to be disciples Sunday-Saturday. We need the Word of God to sustain us. We must know the Word of God to live the Word of God.
What the series is about: How to live a blessed life. We determine our blessed life!!
Your appetite dictates you living a blessed life.
Additionally……A blessed life is characterized by emulating Christ!
What you consume, digest, and take in, as well as what you consistently pursue, determines whether you live a blessed life. We determine whether we are going to live a blessed life.

Question: What do we consider a blessed life?
Blessed Life⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️

• What we consider a blessed life may not be what God considers a blessed life.
 • A blessed life is what you hunger/crave the most. Do you crave God more than anything??
 • A blessed life is a life that STAYS hungry for righteousness.
 • A blessed life is one that STAYS hungry for RIGHTEOUSNESS.
 • A blessed life is NOT riches, wealth or materialism.
 • You cannot be blessed and highly favored with a miserable attitude.
 • We have made blessed about our current circumstances, our emotional state instead of what it truly means. It’s based off deep, inner fulfillment, not based on circumstances. It’s NOT external success, it’s internal STABILITY.
 • Blessed is a godly characteristic of who we are, from who’s inside of us. Meaning some blessings you receive in a lifetime may not feel like it!
 • Just because you got a new car, a new house or make 7 figures doesn’t mean you’re blessed.
This reminds me of Matthew 5:45 READ IT!!

• Blessed is who I am! Everything that makes you BECOME better doesn’t feel good.
 • A blessed life doesn’t always mean it’s a comfortable one.

Opening scripture for the series was Matthew 5:6: “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied.”

Matthew 5 Backstory:

• Matthew 5 sets the stage for the Sermon on the Mount, where Jesus teaches his disciples and a large crowd on a mountainside in Galilee.
 • Jesus started with Beatitudes.
 • The Beatitudes teaches about your inward attitude. He gives a description of what disciples should look like.
 • Jesus is revealing a pathway to spiritual formation. Spiritual formation (Spiritual Formation-processes and practices).
 • Jesus is giving a progressive blueprint of what discipleship should look like. Matthew 5:3-10 ESV.

HOLY SPIRIT⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️

• You cannot do NO-THING without the Holy Spirit.
 • The Holy Spirit IS a PERSON, not an “it”. Mic check ? ✅
 • The Holy Spirit was sent to help, guide, and comfort us. The word “sent” in the Greek means Apostello. We get the word apostle from Apostello. It means to send out and commissioned for purpose.
 • The Holy Spirit was commissioned to help us to do our purpose.
 • The Holy Spirit should consume us. He’s a consuming FIRE. Hebrews 12:29

We are commissioned for purpose which is the Great Commission to do God’s Work. We cannot do ANY of that without allowing The Holy Spirit to FILL us, to consume us.
These are KINGDOM steps. You don’t skip steps in the Kingdom. You GROW and GO through the steps.
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Matthew 5:3-10 (ESV)
 3 “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
 4 “Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted.
 5 “Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth.
 6 “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied.
 7 “Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy.
 8 “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.
 9 “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God.
 10 “Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness' sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.”
Last week’s message was, I’m Full of IT. This week’s message is, I’m Not Full Yet! I’m full of it BUT I’m not FILLED. I’m full of it BUT there are some things in me…If we are half and half, we are OUT of Order!
Matthew 5:6 - It’s a blessing to be persecuted.
Matthew 5:9 - Meaning you must make peace.
Jesus is igniting the spiritual appetite that the life He’s offering requires a DESIRE for HIM above EVERYTHING else because it’s a lifelong process.

We must desire God above anything else.
• In scripture blessing denotes God’s gracious act of bestowing, favor, power, prosperity or well-being upon His creation/His people/Covenant community. It’s a divine impartation, NOT merely well wishing. It aligns recipients with God’s purposes….often involving fruitfulness, protection, peace. One theologian said it’s Yahweh’s sovereign empowerment for life and flourishing.
Sometimes God’s blessings may involve refining trials to help aid in our spiritual transformation. Scripture often presents suffering not as the absence of joy, but as a blessing that produces refinement.

Reminds me of Romans 8:18 and James 1:2. Trials and adversity SHOULD produce maturity in our lives….it’s a blessing, even if it doesn’t feel like one. You can be frustrated and/or stressed, and it can be a refinement to STOP asking God to take you out, instead…..Ask God what do you need to see to BECOME what you NEED to BECOME!! Some want relief when sometimes God just wants OBEDIENCE!

PAUSE AND THINK: Think about the spirit of compromise.
Remembering The Story of the Hebrew Boys: they were thrown in the fire because they would not COMPROMISE.
Remembering The Story of Daniel: He was thrown in a den of lions because he would not COMPROMISE.
Think about how QUICK we are to COMPROMISE when the trial that’s wanting to BLESS us, we make it a MESS for us. This happens when we make BLESSINGS about how we feel.
Know your worth and stop settling for God’s less.

Blessings sometimes become STRESSINGS because they are teaching you something. We miss it because we don’t “feel” like it’s a blessing because we made blessings about something we “get” instead of who we are.
➡️ I’m blessed because I’m made by THE best.
 ➡️ I'm blessed to wake up with peace. As God's Word states, blessed are the peacemakers, so I will make peace for myself.✌️

Some have made Jesus who they want Him to be and not for who He really is.

Proverbs 10:22 (ESV)
 22 “The blessing of the Lord makes rich, and he adds no sorrow with it.”
Newsflash: A blessing is who you are, it’s not what you have…..it’s who I am.

Part 2

A blessed life is a hungry life. It’s ongoing! It goes on and on…it’s not when you feel like BUT it’s ON GOING!! NOT just when everything is going good…it’s ongoing…#continuous! It’s an intense metaphorical longing for righteousness. It’s spiritual sustenance
Matthew 5:6.

You can be broke but you’re blessed.
It’s NOT about what I have in my bank account, it’s about WHO I AM!
Blessed is a characteristic thing!!
You can be in a battle right now BUT you’re blessed.
You can be a little bothered right now BUT you are blessed!! Why? Because our hunger for God keeps us in a blessed state! Everything is not dandelions and roses, but we are blessed when we are hungry for the Lord!!
Don’t let “things” take you out of alignment. Something can quickly take you out of alignment means you are NOT hungry enough.

Question: Are you hungry enough?

Question: What are you aligned with?

Some let minor things become major in our life. Don’t let things and people bother your blessed life.
What keeps us having a blessed life? To hunger and thirst after righteousness is what keeps you having a blessed life. Matthew 5:6 (ESV)

One of the hardest things for believers to do is to die daily! One of the hardest things for believers to do is to shut up when HE tells you to shut up! Some lay down their cross to make their point.

Appetite Question: Are you hungry and thirsty enough?

One of believer’s BIGGEST distractions is consistency. It’s supposed to be a good thing but when you focus on the routine instead of the love Christ is offering you, you do not follow through. How many times have you stopped something because you focused on the consistency of the routine instead of the goal you were trying to accomplish???

Ex. Beginning of the year commitments to self w/no follow through. So, we quit because we allow consistency to be our distraction.

You must be hungry AND thirsty after righteousness to be the routine.
Some focus on God and NOT the routine.

Question: What are you hungry for the most??? Look at what you are hungry for the most!
Dig into what’s going to bless your life and NOT what’s going to mess up your life.

LET THIS SINK A LITTLE BIT: You are filled with what you are hungry for. Let it digest.

Flashback: Some are consuming BUT not digesting. Which leads to constipation.

Question: How many times have you said you are going to do it and don’t do it?? This leads to spiritual constipation.

1 Corinthians 1:30 (ESV)
To hunger and thirst after righteousness is to hunger and thirst after Jesus, and to hunger and thirst after Jesus is to hunger and thirst after righteousness.

Some look for things that make them happy, make them feel blessed BUT remain unhappy. Because we seek, we thirst, we hunger after unfulfilling “Things.”
You’re NOT stuck!
 You’re NOT empty!
 You are hungry BUT your appetite is in the wrong place.
 There is a hunger that will NEVER be satisfied outside of Jesus.
 There is a THIRST that Jesus can quench.

 He told the woman to come drink from this well. The well that NEVER runs dry!?? John 4 (ESV).

 Out of your belly SHALL flow RIVERS of LIVING water! God’s overflowing/abundance
John 7:38

You must be thirsty for something for something to fill you. What are you thirsting for?
 GET hungry/thirsty for the Lord!

What’s the symptoms of unhappiness:
There's a time and place for everything. Some things will make us happy, some things will make us sad, some things will make us disappointed, and some things will discourage.
Is there someone you know who consistently demonstrates a life attitude of unhappiness, discontentment, and dissatisfaction, always seeking more and never content with what God has provided? The enemy uses unconfessed or suppressed sin as one of the tricks against us.

Side Bar: Scripture reading Psalm 1:1-3 (Righteous vs Unrighteousness).
2 Corinthians 13:5 (ESV)

First spirit you need to test is YO-self!! What’s MY motives? Christ Jesus blesses those that walk the path of righteousness.

Sin means➡️➡️➡️missing the mark!

Some are not living a blessed life and are living a life of unhappiness because they suppress those they need to forgive.

Unforgiveness can go from hurt to an idolatrous grudge. We suppress it because we don’t want to forgive them.
There are two things that can stop our hunger and thirst for the Lord: Ourselves and the tricks of the enemy.

DEEP PAUSE: THE FLESH cannot be satisfied.

A blessed life is one that consistently pursues the Lord.
You can accept Him and still not know Him.
The more you know about Jesus, the more you are conformable to Jesus and NOT to the world.

Some cannot/will not allow the Work to be done in them because they are control freaks.
The one who fits around my schedule.
If you know...then you know
Everything that is spiritual is NOT God.

Question: do you want a blessed life? Do you want a filled life? Do you feel stuck?

Some need to backtrack to find the ONE issue that is causing the many issues.
Revival is NOT having church 7 days a week.
Message: If your pursuit of righteousness is mediocre, expect mediocre results.

FYI: Everything that is spiritual is NOT God.
Some folks are not running from God; they are just NOT reaching for Him. Some need to reach for GOD.

We look like a part-time believer but expect full-time benefits.

The Chosen Church
Speaker: Pastor Craig Walder Jr.
Series: Appetite Title: Full Of It
Scripture: Mark 5:21 -26, Matthew 9:20

Part I

In order to give God your best, you gotta have God in you!!
Nothing else matters except us becoming like Jesus. Help us to receive more of you God!???

If there is NO transformation happening, something’s lacking. If you keep falling to the same temptation this means transformation is needed.
We should want to look different; we shouldn’t want to look like the world.

Ask Yourself: Why would you want to look like something He saved you from?

We should not be in love with something that’s killing us. The world will kill us; sin will kill us.
Bible study helps you grow.
 Biblical studies help you grow.
 Discipleship training helps you grow.

Thought-provoking questions: What are you trying to accomplish? What are you doing to get what you want? What action steps are you taking to achieve this?

Jesus Heals a Woman and Jairus's Daughter 21 “And when Jesus had crossed again in the boat to the other side, a great crowd gathered about him, and he was beside the sea. 22 Then came one of the rulers of the synagogue, Jairus by name, and seeing him, he fell at his feet 23 and implored him earnestly, saying, “My little daughter is at the point of death. Come and lay your hands on her, so that she may be made well and live.” 24 And he went with him. And a great crowd followed him and thronged about him. 25 And there was a woman who had had a discharge of blood for twelve years, 26 and who had suffered much under many physicians, and had spent all that she had, and was no better but rather grew worse.”

What you’re FULL of is up to you.
Everybody is full of something. Life will make you full of something.
What you’re full of is determined by what you CHOOSE to digest. What you digest is determined by your appetite. Your appetite is dictated by whatever has your attention. This is what controls you. So, what you are FULL of is DETERMINED by you.
Some are FULL of fear…..
 Some are FULL of frustration……
 Some are FULL of disappointment…
 Some are FULL of shame………………….
 Some are FULL of folks' opinions………
 Some are FULL of needing validation.
 Some are FULL of needing affirmations and confirmations…..……
 Some are FULL of pride……………………..
 Some are FULL of brokenness…………..
 Some are FULL of grief……………………….
 EVERYONE IS FULL OF SOMETHING!!!

Questions: What is the “IT” that you are full of? What’s filling us… what’s pulling and pushing us away from God?

You can be FULL of joy and peace, until something hinders your joy and peace!!

ASK YOURSELF: What’s filling you and is it pulling out something of God or is what you are full of pushing you to God? Are we missing it because we are focused on the problem instead of the solution….causing us to be FULL of something. The “IT” you are full of… is IT keeping something between you and God, between you and your full potential… between you and your true inheritance.

I am FULL of something that’s between me and it’s keeping me from becoming like Jesus.
Whatever you are FULL of including BUT not limited to: Stress, Fear, Frustration, Anger, Worry…..you must look at something differently.

Sometimes the things that are giving you issues don’t make you feel better BUT they can make you BECOME better. Everything that makes you become better doesn’t always make you feel better. God can use your frustration to transform you.

Point to Ponder: What happens when you always feel better and NOT become better.

Question: What has your focus??

Some are sick of being frustrated…..
 Some are sick of worrying………………..
 Some are sick of being tested…………..
 Some are sick of being tried……………..
 Some are sick of being tempted……….
 Some are sick of being broke…………..

Question IS: WHAT ARE YOU GOING TO DO ABOUT IT????

Sometimes what you are SICK of you become FULL of, and you are letting it drive you instead of YOU driving “IT”!

Note: If the same thing is frustrating you…could it mean it’s time for ELEVATION!! If the same thing is triggering it could very well mean God is trying to get you to the point where you are NOT moved anymore by the thing that frustrates you because you are driving IT.

Mark 5:21-26 ➡️➡️ The people were FULL of IT!!

Backstory of Jairus:

 • Jairus was a synagogue leader.
 • Jairus had a daughter that was dying. If your children, husband or whoever is not saved, they are spiritually dying as well. Spiritual death leads to eternal death, if not checked and changed!!
 • Jairus ran the temple.
 • Jairus ran up to Jesus, fell at Jesus’ feet.
 • Jairus’ action of him falling to his feet showed submission. It superseded order and titles. Some just need to come to church and fall at the feet of Jesus.
 • Jairus said nothing to Jesus.
 • Jairus was a man of HIGH standard.
 • He ran the synagogue, the worship and the order of worship.
 • Jairus needed Jesus more than he needed his title.
 • Jairus was the highest ranking
 • Jairus heard about Jesus causing “havoc” from the synagogue because people such as the Pharisees were slandering Jesus' name. Some people will always try to judge you until they get to know you. Faxxxxxxxx! He didn’t say Lord, I need to holla at you, he didn’t pull him to the side to have a conversation, he risked it all! He risked his status, his associations because he needed Jesus BECAUSE he was FULL of something.
 • Jairus was full of something, He needed Jesus.
 • Jairus risked it all because his daughter was about to die.
 • This was the only time the Bible recorded Jesus and Jairus having an interaction.
 • Jairus needed Jesus more right now than he needed his title. He needed Jesus more than his associations.
 • Jairus’ desperation turned into belief, which turned into FAITH. Mark 4:23. He knew if Jesus could JUST get there and lay His hands on his daughter, she would be HEALED!! JUST Jesus!!!
 • Jairus demonstrated intercessory prayer and intercessory faith when he advocated for his daughter’s healing.
 • Jairus had enough faith to believe that Jesus would heal his daughter. He said, “Come and lay hands….”
 • Jairus falls at the feet of Jesus for his daughter. He risked his status by falling at the feet of Jesus. The people wanted to take Jesus out, but Jairus needed a miracle from Jesus.
 • Jairus’ desperation became belief.
 • Jairus was full of disease that drove him to Jesus. Mark 5:25 He went to Jesus AND Jesus followed Jairus.
 • Jesus started following Jairus. Oh, how the tables turned!!
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 • Mark 5:24-25 And he went with him. And a great crowd followed him and thronged about him. 25 And there was a woman who had had a discharge of blood for twelve years…..”

Sometimes the thing that’s giving us issues doesn’t make you feel better but…it can make you become better. God sometimes uses something wrong to make something right.

Question: If you’re sick of being tired? What are you doing about it?
Sometimes our profession………..
 Sometimes our titles………………….
 Sometimes our hobbies…………….
 Sometimes our extracurricular activities…

 Get in the way of NEEDING Jesus!!!

Part II

Simply Put: Some let things get in the way of them needing Jesus. Some desensitize the work of Jesus until we need Jesus to solve our problems.

Note: Just because someone doesn’t see your work doesn’t mean your value is decreased. Just because we don’t see Jesus until we need Him doesn’t desensitize and decrease Jesus’ work. It decreases our worth of thinking of how much Jesus means to us.
Jaruis needed Jesus more now than he needed his title.

DEEP PAUSE: How desperate are you for Jesus?? Don’t wait until desperate times appear to be desperate for Jesus.

PS: Please don’t just let everyone or anyone lay hands on you. Everyone is not operating in the right spirit. Stay covered up! Stay prayed up!! If you have the Holy Spirit, you ARE covered.

Matthew 26:41 (ESV) 
41 “Watch and pray that you may not enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.”

We ALL need to fall at the feet of Jesus. Those that FALL at Jesus’ feet are FULL of SOMETHING!!! People that are full of something (Jesus), they don’t care what people think. Stay at Jesus’ feet!! If you are ALWAYS right, you are wrong. You should never always be right.  When you are full of something, the best place to be is at the feet of Jesus. Where you stand IS your altar for the altar call. During your altar call you ask for the release of something…once it releases, Please don’t pick “IT” up again!!!

When you are FULL of something such as desperation, fear, DISease etc….….the BEST (actually the only place) for you to be is at His feet. We need to be at the feet of Jesus before He makes you bow (fall at His feet).

Message: Mercy is Jesus making you fall at His feet and Him not taking you out of this earth while you were not ready.???????????????. Jaruis fell at the feet of Jesus for his daughter. We too should fall at the feet of Jesus for somebody else (be proxy).
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An intercessor means you are coming in between for your brother or sister; you are standing in the gap for someone who needs it. They may not be able to do it for themselves. Jaruis demonstrated intercessory prayer and faith. Sometimes your brother and sisters don’t have a mustard seed of faith BUT you may have what they need to get them through what they are going through. Fall at the feet of Jesus for them. You must have intercessory prayer and intercessory faith for others.

LONG PAUSE: What are you full of?? Lord! We believe BUT help our unbelief!!! Someone’s faith may be/get weak…if so, can one lean on your FAITH/INTERCESSOR PRAYERS?? Can someone lean on you
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Two are better than one…..However, two weak people can’t co-exist.
Many of us have DISeases. Are your DISeases driving you to Jesus or is it something that’s replacing Him?

Question: What are you full of and is driving you to Jesus? You can be so FULL of God that GOD will follow you……

Mark 5:24 (ESV) 
God sees Himself in those He follows. Jesus followed the men full of faith.
The people followed Jesus.
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Psalm 23:6 (ESV) 
6”Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life, and I shall dwell in the house of the Lord forever.”
Deny yourself! Pickup your cross!! Follow after Him!!

Question: Can you imagine being so FULL of Jesus that you follow Him and He starts following you?? Some follow the wrong people, for the wrong people.
Ex. Some want more social media followers and have people following them that don’t even like them. Jesus loves you though!

Peep This: When Jesus follows us, He sees something that looks like Him. He sees Faith in those He follows. Jesus followed a man FULL of FAITH, the crowd FOLLOWED Jesus!!
Meaning of Thronged: Being pressed on all sides by a large, packed crowd, almost suffocated and squeezed.
God WILL relieve you of your oppression. Let HIM!

 Mark 5:25 (NIV) & (ESV) 
One issue was causing her many issues. Some have a root that causes many issues. Many people don’t have a lot of issues. Some have ONE root issue that is causing multiple issues. So, if you can kill the root, you can kill the limbs that are growing from the issues.
Are you being a good steward over God’s voice and your money??? Your issue may be that you don’t steward what He gives (gifted you). Some cannot rob Peter because they can’t pay Paul…going back to their lack of stewardship.
Some have a superhero complex as their issue.

Backstory of the woman with the ISSUE of Blood.
✓ Jaruis daughter.
✓ The Bible did not give her a name.
 ✓ She was labeled unclean.
✓ Her issue caused her to be ostracized because she couldn’t go to church. She could not go to the market.
✓ She had the issue for 12 years. She was in survival mode for 12 years.
✓ She bled financially, emotionally, socially.
✓ She was called by her issue.
✓ The Levitical Law regarding the Laws About Bodily Discharges Leviticus 15 (ESV). Read IT!!!!!!!
✓ The woman with the issue of blood was isolated from loved ones and community because of her ONE issue. Her ONE issue created many issues for her.
 ✓ The woman with the issue of blood went to the doctor, paid money and she felt worse because of their treatment. The worse feeling is seeking help and walking away feeling worse than you were before. Mark 5:26 (ESV).
✓ The woman with the issue of blood hears about Jesus. Mark 5:27 (ESV).
✓ She was FULL of faith.
✓ She was full of determination.
 ✓ Jaruis asked Jesus to come because he had faith that Jesus could heal his daughter BUT she had faith too. She touched the hem of Jesus’ garment as an act of Faith that Jesus would heal her. Her faith stopped Jesus in His tracks. Jesus received her BY faith! Matthew 9:20-21 (ESV).
 ✓ She never spoke a mumbling word about her issue. She just wanted to get to what/who could solve her issue.
✓ She convinced herself that Jesus was ENOUGH!!
✓ She talked (encouraged) to herself.
✓ She did not have any friends. She had a lifestyle of loss. She broke religious rules to get to Jesus.
✓ She broke religious protocol to get to Jesus. She didn’t care about doing things in decency and order. She didn’t care what the “church” folks gotta say.
✓ She went from law to grace. Under the law, her touch would make Jesus unclean BUT under grace, Jesus’ POWER would make her clean and FREE!! Under the religious law she was contagious BUT under Jesus’ POWER (BLOOD) he was contagious to FREE her!!
✓ She made her way from law to GRACE!! She reached out to touch the hem of His garment and was made WHOLE (Clean). Jesus STOPPED the issue of blood!! Our blood for Your blood Jesus!! ✓ She did not do a hit and run healing. She didn’t hit it and quit it. She stayed and became healed and made whole. She was complete.
✓ She no longer heard the woman with the issue of blood, she heard Jesus call her daughter. The one they talked about Jesus called daughter. Let them talk!!!
✓ She gave her issues to the Lord. ✓ She was intentional about getting to the hem of Jesus.
✓ She had faith in His Word. Some have been looking for help from the wrong people, only to feel worse.

The worse feeling you can have is to come to church looking for Jesus and find satan. Many have been dealing with an issue that has caused them issues for many years. Many have been looking for help, relief and because they haven’t found it, some have become full of stress, disappointment, anxiety, remorse……You may have been battling for years BUT you SURVIVED! DID YOU DIE? You are alive!! It did not kill you!! Celebrate the survival that what tried to kill you didn’t.

Lord! Help us to celebrate BIG and SMALL victories.
Listen: Where there is BREATH, there is LiFE!! Celebrate that!!!

UNDERSTAND THIS: Some haven’t been “relived” because that “THING” keeps you at its feet. This is a great example of Paul with the thorn in his side. Some thorns are just to keep you humble.

Imagine God removing a thorn from your side and you leave Him afterwards.
• I may be broke….BUT my car has gas.
• You may not have money….BUT you have a place to sleep.
• You may be waiting on an eviction….BUT they didn’t kick you out yet.
 • Know when to CELEBRATE!!
• Celebrate small victories……………………
• Some are FULL of what they want and miss what GOD has already given them.
• Sometimes we get focused/caught up on the breakthrough and the deliverance BUT miss the survival. What caused me to be labeled, I survived! What caused me to be isolated, I survived! What took my resources, I survived! What I thought would break me, I survived! Lock in!!!
God did not let us survive for nothing!!
 
Mark 5:27 (ESV) 
The woman with the issue of blood hears about Jesus. Some have heard about Jesus BUT have not had an encounter.
SOW seeds of what you want to REAP. You don’t want to be talked about, what are you sowing? You want to be rich, what are you sowing? Peace is RICH! True love is RICH! Being healed and whole is RICH!!

Mark 5:28 (ESV) The Woman with the Issue of Blood
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She spoke life over herself! She was full of something. She was full of faith. Her faith made Jesus stop in His tracks. Jesus stopped and talked to her. She just wanted to get to who and what could solve her issue. She did not need to touch Him; she needed to touch the HEM of His garment. She went from law to grace! She was full of determination. She was contagious under the law. She reached out to touch the hem of Jesus’ garment and was made whole.

Jesus felt something leave Him when the woman touched Him. What she was full of, made Jesus stop. Many touched Jesus BUT only she DREW from Jesus!! She was full enough to want to touch the hem of Jesus.

She was healed of the physical affliction. She knew she was unclean. She risked it all to touch Jesus’ hem. She felt freedom from the first time. She heard Jesus say daughter and not what her issue was. She was full of the Word. She had faith in His Word.
You must be able to tell yourself something encouraging to pump yourself your faith up. Faith is internal dialogue BEFORE its public action. The woman with the issue of blood faith replaced her fear.

Her appetite shifted from people to Jesus. Faith is a permanent action……
Faith without works is dead...She had enough Faith to get to the hem of Jesus’ garment. Proverbs 18:21 (ESV) 

What doesn’t happen in 12 years, God can do in an instant.
Some have been called by their issue for years, but God is calling them something different!! Some have been battling with something. What you battle with, Jesus is here to walk with you. Let your faith in Jesus guide you!! Some focus and put emphasis on or praise the problem instead of focusing on the solution.
The solution is Jesus. The woman with the issue of blood just wanted Jesus!!! She did not speak of her issue because her faith spoke for her!! Don’t consume everything you hear. Some like to emote or bleed on people. Don’t BE them!

Message: If EVERYBODY in your circle is weak, who’s holding who up? Check your circle!! What you complain about is what others pray for. Some are scared to release people because they don’t believe Jesus is enough. Don’t be scared to remove folks from your circle. ✌️  If they cannot tell you the truth, you DO NOT have a circle my friend.
They are NOT in your corner my friend. God! Please meet me at the point of my faith. Let God meet you at the point of your faith and WATCH HIM WORK (Do the rest). I’ve been through “TEW” much NOT to worship and have faith in GOD!!

Yeah, it takes all that for me to worship GOD. ????????????????.

If you want Jesus BAD enough, you need to be desperate. Desperate people do desperate things. Desperation gets you to Jesus.

The saying, “Desperate times causes for desperate measures” is what I think of when hearing this. Desperation will make you exercise your faith; we won’t be destroyed by our issues.

The Chosen Church
Speaker: Pastor Craig Jr.
Series: Appetite
Scripture: Matthew 3:8 (ESV)
Title: Holy Digest

Fasting is great for your soul. It allows you to get MORE of Jesus and less of you. We need to MORE of JESUS and less of us EVERYDAY!!

Evaluation Time: Is it more of us or more of HIM in us?

Question To keep asking yourself: Is it more of you or more of Jesus?

Matthew 3:8-9 (ESV)
8 “Bear fruit in keeping with repentance.”

Question: What keeps us from giving up on God? What keeps us from giving up on each other? What keeps us to staying in alignment? What keeps us activated with the King?Answer: Carrying our cross and following after Him.

We are NOT looking to be better people; we are LIVING to be holy people. This allows us to be BETTER people. This allows us to win more people for God.

Whats the difference between  self-improvement and self-denial? Self-improvement vs self- denial?

Self-improvement is good until it gets in the way of your self denial.

Simply Put: Anyone can aim for self-improvement of yourself but that doesn’t make you a follower of Christ. Jesus DID NOT say improve yourself, WHAT HE DID SAY WAS to DENY YOURSELF!! The very thing you are approving about yourself is the very thing keeping you from carrying your cross and following after Him.

Self-improvement is not cutting people off.

Some cut folks off because:
Someone disturbed their peace.
Someone crossed your boundaries.
You have to seek God first and deny yourself at the same time.
They may be “disturbing your peace" so you can win them.

Some people you cut off may be the same one you are supposed to win to Christ.
No one gives themselves peace. No one can disturb your peace. God gives peace. Peace is a fruit of the spirit. People disturb God’s peace. Win them for Him.
This can be self-improvement, that’s not self-denial
Acknowledge/Seek God first before you go cutting people off.
Seek God’s face first and NEVER move without Him.

When our self-improvement gets in the way of our self-denial, then self-improvement is NOT good. It works in reverse to self- denial. You can self-improve all day BUT you have to deny yourself and carry your cross.

When we deny ourselves, self-improvement comes naturally because we are doing what we are supposed to do spiritually.

Example used: We can get on a treadmill for an hour but won’t open our Word up for 5 minutes.  We lose weight from exercising on the treadmill BUT we gain the world by not eating the Word of God…………..

Self denial MUST take place!!

We always want prosperity. Self denial strips you of you. Stripping you of you blessed you because it’s more of HIM and NOT you.

Self improvement means nothing when circumstances come and you haven’t denied yourself, crucified yourself etc.

In the self denial phase. As you deny yourself, walk with him, pickup your cross, follow after Him which includes walking by FAITH and not by Sight (2 Corinthians 5:7 ESV. This allows you to overcome those “circumstances.” You are not saved by self improvement, you are saved by Jesus saying that He truly loves you. It takes a certain type of heart posture to be in position to never want to drop your cross.

DENY yourself!
TAKE up your cross!
FOLLOW after Him!

Back Story of John the Baptist:
The appetite and drive of John exemplify what it means to have a strong appetite for Jesus.
John was a very peculiar man.
John the Baptist was a New Testament prophet.
John was Jesus’ cousin.
John recognized Jesus as the Messiah.
John wanted  to prepare the way for Jesus.
John did not preach in the temple like others. He preached in the wilderness.
John the Baptist preached repentance in the wilderness of Judea.
John preaching in the wilderness was for the direct fulfillment of the old testament prophecy spoken by Isaiah.

The prophet Isaiah spoke of John the Baptist in Isaiah 40:3 (READ).
All for gospels site Isaiah 40:3.
John was beheaded.
John was killed for telling the TRUTH!
John was different on the outside and on the inside.
John lived in the Judean wilderness.
John dressed different. He wore clothes made of camels hair. He wore a leather strap around his waist.
John ate grasshopper, locusts and honey for food.
John understood his assignment.
John preached repentance.
John performed water baptisms in the Jordan.

Isaiah 40:3. (ESV)
3 “A voice cries: “In the wilderness prepare the way of the Lord; make straight in the desert a highway for our God.”

John pulled them outside of their organized religion in the temple to hear the voice of God in the wilderness. He pulled them out of religious comfort to confront their spiritual condition.

Reminder: He preached REPENTANCE!!!

In order to prepare the way for Jesus you gotta get out of the way. You have to remove you. You have to REMOVE the YOU out of YOU!

You have to repent before you get baptism.

 Repent!! Repent!! Repent!! Repent!!

If you are NOT doing something outside of the church walls, you are NOT doing NO-THING for the KINGDOM. Repent!!

FYI: Sunday sermons, Mid-week refills are game plans to teach us/show us how to go outside of the church walls and tell someone to repent.

 OTN: Our lives will speak louder than our words because people watch who you really are outside of the church walls.

When you are desperate for God’s Word NOTHING will stop you from getting it. When you want to hear from God, nothing will stop you.  

Matthew 3:5 They ALL went to the wilderness. When you are hungry for God, NOTHING will stop you from hearing what God wants to say to you.

Question: What stops us from getting Jesus when someone is preparing the way for Jesus?

Pleaseeeee: Don’t let NO-THING separate ate you from the love of Jesus

Part 2


Luke 17:21 (ESV)
21 “nor will they say, ‘Look, here it is!’ or ‘There!’ for behold, the kingdom of God is in the midst of you.”

In order for you to realize this, you have to be a preparer of the way BUT you first have to repent. John is telling them to repent because repentance prepares the way for Jesus.
Question to ponder: Don’t you want to be in position that keeps Jesus in the midst of us??

Listen Here...
Emotional outburst doesn’t mean Jesus is there.
Us shouting and dancing doesn’t mean Jesus is there.
When you can accept being lied on and it doesn’t bother you...Jesus is there.
When you can help someone carry their cross, Jesus is there.
When you can always stop being right even, even when you are right, Jesus is there.
When you can forgive without praying about forgiving, Jesus is there.
Jesus tells you to forgive so there is NOTHING to pray about.
Repent for the Kingdom……..

One last time: When you can forgive without praying about it...Jesus is THERE….

Repent for the kingdom of heaven is….

Question: What does it mean to repent? Repentance is NOT I’m sorry.

Question: Why would they need repentance?  

Note: It was a Jewish audience. Many believed they had covenant privilege because they had to realize that ethic heritage meant NOTHING without personal faith. They had to realize that repentance then was preparation for Messiah. They needed to repent because sin separated them from a Holy God.

John let them know that repentance was God’s ordained prerequisite for gospel embracing. Letting scripture reveal sins death and grace sufficiency.

Repentance in Greek is metanoia which means a change of mind. A re-orientation of how you think and how you live. Some would rather change their image and not change their minds.

Meta means change. Don’t let Meta trick or change you (Facebook, Threads etc.). The enemy wants you to doubt how God wants you to look. YOU are created in God’s image…..

Genesis 1:27 (ESV) 
27 So God created man in His own image, in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them.

HEY! Stop using a filter, BE you!!

EVERYTHING on social media “aint” good.

Some have allowed meta to change their appearance and socially become that person via online. However, in person they are someone else…My dear…..that is called cat fished!

Some would rather change their image than to change their mind(set)Some would rather look like something they were not created to BE.
Some want their image transformed more than their minds.
Stop letting people rewrite what and who God called you to be.
Repentance changes our minds by the RENEWING of GOD!

Romans 12:2
2 Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.”
What you consume is WHAT you WILL produce. Digest HOLY things
Produce HOLY things.
God is NOT moved by what we consume, He’s moved by what we produce.

Consumption doesn’t equal TRANSFORMATION.
Some may consume information BUT DO NOT digest what they are hearing.
When you take in consumption without digestion, you become spiritually constipated.

Meaning: We can come to church week after week and still can’t forgive anyone.
We can come to church week after week and say I still don't like people. We can come to church week after week and still can’t love our brothers and sisters.
We come to church week after week and we consumed...BUT we don’t let it digest because we won’t digest what don’t feel good.

We hear stuff.
We consume it.
But we won’t digest it.

Information does not equal transformation.
Some need a holy enema.
Some have spiritual digestion issues.

Digestion, not consumption produces transformation.

Attending church is good but it doesn’t equal spiritual growth. Bible reading doesn’t automatically equals changed behavior…..Why though??? Because you can sit at the table and still starve spiritually. This comes from digestion issues.

Pause: Natural digestion is breaking food down. Spiritual digestion breaks you down. The Word of God Breaks you and BUILDS you. The Bible is a two edged sword. You do not know if you digested the Word unless your life produces what you heard. That’s why it’s easy to quote a verse because you read it but you still quote the verses from your favorite R Kelly song. It’s easier to quote things you the world because it feels good to us.

When you digest the Word, your life reflects it.

Some can quote the world and not know a quote from the Bible.

Luke 17:21 (ESV)
21 “nor will they say, ‘Look, here it is!’ or ‘There!’ for behold, the kingdom of God is in the midst of you.”
This is why you can hear the truth every week.
You can say amen to the truth every week.
Agree to the truth every week.
Cry and shout to the truth every week and still not agree to the truth because there is no digestion of the truth. Before they were baptized John told them to repent.

Repent!!!
Repent!!!
Repent!!

According to Matthew 3:7 John told them

Matthew 3:7 (ESV)
7 But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming to his baptism, he said to them, “You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the wrath to come?”  

He called them what they were.
He called out their false motives.
John knew their motives weren’t right.
John knew their heart posture.
Somebody can say something right with the wrong motives.
They did not come to get baptized for contrition; they came to get baptized to be seen.

John’s word sifts motives. The word demanded authentic repentance for Kingdom entry. He was NOT impressed they showed up.
The pharisees and sadducees did things for show. We should not become the new age Pharisees and Sadducees.
The Pharisees were legalistic rule focused folks who didn’t keep their own rules.
The Sadducees were elite politically aligned.
John confronted performative   religion.

Do you walk your talk? Do your video and audio match.

Why do we get mad when we are doing wrong and someone calls us out on it? You cannot play around with snakes, you have to cut them off at the head.

FYI: When you are anxious to hear something, the enemy can speak what you want to hear too. Some are desperate for signs and wonders, the devil tells you exactly what you want to hear and it’s not from God.

Some get baptized to be seen and not for change.

Presence doesn’t equal purity.

What we do should model Christ.

Some show up in spiritual environments for the wrong reasons. Meanwhile, they have impure hearts, unclean hands and cannot stand in the presence of God. Too many folks look holy BUT lack transformation.

Matthew 3:8(ESV)
8 “Bear fruit in keeping with repentance.”

John was telling them that there was no repentance in them BECAUSE there was NO fruit from them.

The Greek word for fruit is karpos
Repentance should be about what changed us. It means visible fruit.

Fruit should come from you. It should be visibly seen in you.  If there is no fruit visibly seen from us, there is no digestion of holiness in us. This happens because we made repentance about what we feel and NOT about what CHANGED us. John was showing them they did not have a change of heart and their fruit proves it.

Note: Bring forth FRUIT worthy of repentance.

John’s message is pointing out in order for us to be preparers for Jesus, he’s pointing to a way of life that reflects a changed mind.

It’s about realignment and a mental shift. It’s about How you think and how you live.

Question to Self: Is my life evidence that I am actually returned and realigned?

Faxxxxx: Jesus’ work at the cross addressed sin FULLY but repentance is about REALIGNMENT.

The Word of God is NOT boring. Your appetite is boring.

We cannot live off Little Debbie cakes, get little diabetes and then say it’s the devil. Get your life together please and thank you!!

Repentance is ONGOING posture of recalibrating. Returning and bringing your life back into agreement to what is TRUTH!

Question Does your "I don’t like that" match God’s, I don’t like that??

John connects repentance with fruit. Fruit is visible. It shows up in how a person lives and not in just what they say. Repentance is about a shift within YOU. It’s aligned ACTIVATION. Repentance keeps us aligned to he activated. John was showing us that fruit is birthed from the heart of repentance.

Matthew 7:16 (ESV)
16 “You will recognize them by their fruits. Are grapes gathered from thornbushes, or figs from thistles?”

Every healthy tree bears GOOD fruit. The diseased tree bears bad fruit. All this to say, you cannot hide what you continually digest. We cannot be over fed and under transformed.

What you digest MUST be holy.

What does your fruit display.

Repentance keeps us aligned to be activated.

You will know them by their fruit. No one can produce fruit for you.

Matthew 3:9 (ESV)
9 “And do not presume to say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our father,’ for I tell you,

God is able from these stones to raise up children for Abraham.”

I’m good with God because I’m connected to God. Your grandma’s prayers don’t connect you to God. Her prayers may have saved you from seen and unseen dangers. Other family members that are saved don’t connect you to GOD. Others can’t produce your fruit. You have to digest holiness to draw closer,  connect to God and become more like Jesus.

There is no such thing as a generational curse. Jesus broke the curse on the cross. The BLOOD covered it. They are called generational decisions. One chooses to continue to remain in the curse.

You do not have to announce fruit, it just shows up.

We are done consuming, we ARE digesting.

Some lack fruit that meets repentance. Religion in our history but no fruit in our lives.

Some consume church stuff….

You can accept Christ and not bear fruit, but you have no reward. Ask yourself...why would you accept Christ and not get ALL of Christ???

If you don’t want to become what God wants you to become, it doesn’t mean you’re not replaceable. You can have an anointing on your life and so can the next man. God will never be out of options. We ALL need to walk worthy of who God called us to BE.

You have to who God called you to be. You are replaceable

1 Peter 2:9-10 (ESV)
9 “But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light.
10 Once you were not a people, but now you are God's people; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.”

Romans 12:1 (ESV)
12 “I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship.”

Present YOU!! Present YOU!!
Jesus did not die for peasants.
You cannot give God just anything spiritually constipated because HE won’t accept it.
If you are not transformed, you cannot give Him nothing.
Stay in activation mode. Stay aligned so you can give GOD everything!!

Sometimes all you gotta do is open your mouth to get your breakthrough.

Questions: Does your life "presents" worthy to the Lord?  Does your life produce fruit of repentance?

How do you present your body to the Lord? By staying in a state of repentance. Stay in a state of repentance.

Pick your cross up and die!

Question: What are you presenting to the Lord every day??

Sometimes we major in minor BUT want God to do MAJOR things for us.

John the Baptist was telling the people that Jesus was in the midst and they must prepare the way and to bear fruit worthy of repentance.

Question: Do you want to know what your fruit is? Find it by reading

Galatians 5 (KJV) READ IT! It tells you

You have to love the people that you don’t like.
It tells you that you have to be kind to people when they are not being kind to you.
It tells you that you have to be meek. Meekness doesn’t mean weakness.
It tells you to have self-control. When you want to curse someone out, curse them out in prayer. Pray for them, folks.

You can’t have Jesus and MF’s in your mouth at the same time. Choose a side and stay there. The devil may have sent it but GOD may not have meant it. It’s not about how many are in the church. 3 people can win 3,000 people.

God’s church has a mission. The Chosen Church is a local body to a universal church. If we are infected, we are adding an infection to the whole body.

We have to have/keep a heart of repentance for the Lord that bears worthy of His fruit.

Ask yourself: Can I present myself to the Lord? Do I offer my body as a living  sacrifice to the Lord? Is my fruit worthy of repentance? Has repentance caused me to change? If you cannot, REPENT!!

1 Peter 2:9-10 is what the Lord built The Chosen Church on.

Note: You are chosen BUT you and NOT irreplaceable.

John told them in Matthew 3:10 (ESV)
10 “Even now the axe is laid to the root of the trees. Every tree therefore that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.”

John warned them that they were failing to show genuine repentance through righteous actions. They were living for themselves.

Some give God half heartiness to the Lord BUT God gives His all to them.

Resurrection Sunday at The Chosen Church was anything but ordinary…
It wasn’t just another service…it was a Holy Spirit-filled, life-changing, groundbreaking move of God that left an undeniable mark on every heart in the room.
Pastor Craig Walder Jr. delivered a right-on-time message titled “You Gotta Die!”..a word that was as piercing as it was transformative. At first glance, the title may seem harsh, but its truth cuts straight to the core of our spiritual walk: in order for our lives to truly live, something in us must die.
Through scripture, Pastor Craig powerfully illustrated how Jesus fulfilled prophecy…He died, and He rose again. Because of His resurrection power, we are cleansed, redeemed, and made whole. That same power now calls us into a deeper level of surrender.
He reminded us that accepting Jesus is just the beginning. True transformation comes when we take up our cross daily, follow Him wholeheartedly, and make the intentional choice to die to ourselves. It is in that surrender on that cross that we finally position ourselves to receive everything God has prepared for us.

The Chosen Church
Speaker: Pastor Craig Walder Jr.
Scripture: Matthew 16:24 (ESV)
Title: You Gotta Die!

John 3:16-18 ( ESV)
16 “For God so loved the world,[i] that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.
17 For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him.
18 Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God.”
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If you agree, believe this and say it, you are saved.
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Some have accepted Him BUT follow what AND who they want to follow. You HAVE to accept Him AND follow Him.

Matthew 16:24 (ESV)
24 “Then Jesus told his disciples, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me.”
Take Up Your Cross and Follow Jesus!!

Before we can scream, “HE GOT UP!” Follow Him! We have to understand, learn and actively follow GOD!
In order to follow God. YOU GOTTA DIE!
You cannot experience/live a resurrected life WITHOUT living a crucified life.
YOU gotta die!
I gotta die!
WE gotta die!

⬇️⬇️⬇️What we CAN’T DO⬇️⬇️⬇️

We cannot keep screaming HE got up when we continuously stay down.
We cannot keep letting life beat us down.
We cannot keep letting ungrateful people beat us down.
He did not die for us to live beneath our inheritance.
Read that again…HE DID NOT DIE FOR US TO LIVE BENEATH OUR INHERITANCE!!!

Honest Facts:
➡️Jesus’ death on the cross was harsh.
➡️Our sins He took on was harsh.
➡️Jesus being away from The Father was harsh.
➡️You’ve said AND done somethings that were harsh.

The message spoken is NOT being insensitive, the title, “You Gotta Die!” Is an alarm to those that said I am a believer. Meaning, we won’t NEVER shout again He’s risen, if we are not ready or offering to say,
 I’ve been crucified.
If you do not have the appetite to KILL/crucify your flesh, you will NOT deny yourself.
Your flesh = Your body, the natural fallen condition, it's the corrupted humanity, prone to sin, self-centered, sinful disposition, actions driven by bodily cravings, selfish ambitions.
If you do not have the appetite to kill your flesh, just like Jesus did.  He was crucified on a cross and died.

He told His disciples this
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Matthew 6:24
24 “No one can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and money.”

This message is a DOORWAY to ETERNAL LIFE!!! Take heed!!
Resurrection is NOT denial of death, its victory through it! The cross did not kill Jesus, He willfully submitted to the will of the Father. Jesus willingly willed His will to the Father.
 He willingly laid down for a few days just for US. Before He laid down though….
He told the disciples….”If you want to follow ME……….”

Stop going to church and BE the church. We gotta BE the church!

Mic check 1,2,1,2 ➡️ We have to pick up our cross to follow after the Cross!!!
Matthew 16:1–4 
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✓ Jesus started out by checking the “holy” folks who were NOT living holy. The Pharisees/Sadducees (Religious leaders).
✓ Jesus did not have patience for people who were not good to people. You can’t claim to be a good person when you are NOT good to people. They talked BIG but they DID NOT back it up!!
✓ Jesus had a teaching moment with his disciples about their lack of faith.
✓ Jesus had a moment where He gives Peter praise. Then He turned right around and rebuked Peter. Matthew 16:21 (ESV) Peter was checked immediately!
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Jesus already died for what you did. NOW what YOU GOTTA DO IS DENY
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You have to deny yourself…..
You utterly have to disown…..
You have to denounce…………….
You have to renounce……………….
You have to reject association with yourself……
You have to dissociate yourself…..

This can be hard to detach from because some LOVE themselves and want to “Do them!”

Simply Put: Pickup your cross and follow Christ.

This is a not a self-improvement moment, it’s a self-rejection moment.

Part II

Proverbs 3:5
“Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding.”

You cannot follow Jesus while still agreeing with you. You MUST deny yourself.
God did not tell you to do somethings, “your name” told you to do somethings.
Stop lying on GOD!!
DENOUNCE YOURSELF!!
Some denounce EVERYTHING but their flesh.

Stop asking “you” for permission and allow God to lead you……
You keep approving what God is trying to kill.

Listen Here: The devil isn’t your biggest enemy, your biggest enemy is that you keep agreeing with yourself and not acknowledging God.
You gotta die before you can live!!

You want to be in control, but you need to let “IT” go!
You wanna be the C.E.O and C.O.O. Let “IT” GO!!
You cannot be all these spiritually and let GOD lead you!!

Some want control and then want God to bail them out when needed. All the while singing…“We want God to clean up what we messed up so we can start all over again!”
Deny yourself the same way Peter denied/denounced Jesus.
It was a strong thing to do!!
If you want to follow Christ, you have to have an appetite for death. You must die daily!
If you are a child of the KING, deny yourself to gain more of Jesus.
If you want to follow Jesus Christ, you have to have an appetite for death.

The cross in Matthew 16:24 did not represent anything pretty. It did not represent a symbol of hope.
The cross represented shame, guilt, torture and death.  The cross was ugly. The cross was scandalous. There was nothing glorious about the cross back then. The resurrection was the beauty of it all.
The cross was a Roman instrument and public digression.
In order for something to live, something MUST die!

Romans 6:6 (ESV)
“We know that our old self[a] was crucified with him in order that the body of sin might be brought to nothing, so that we would no longer be enslaved to sin.”
Meaning
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You gotta die with Christ so the old self loses its throne and the new resurrected life with Christ begins.
We keep dropping our cross because the old me keeps popping back up in the new me.

Question: Why do we keep dropping our cross?

This DOES NOT make you a true follower of Jesus Christ.
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Joining a church is good ✅
Being a good person is good✅
Giving a good offering is good✅
Giving to the poor is good✅
Your good works are good✅
Serving in the church is good✅

To be a true believer
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To be a real follower of Christ
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It means becoming like……
It means to acting like………
It means emulating Christ!
This means we cannot keep screaming, “He got up!" and we keep sitting down every time our flesh arises.

Question: How can Jesus come out your mouth and curse words right after? ⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️

Too much of you showed that you put your cross down.
This is the only things Jesus told us to carry according to scripture.
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✓ Jesus told them to bring their burdens and worries to Him. Matthew 11:28-30. He said take on His yoke.
✓ Key takeaway: Jesus promises that His "yoke is easy and HIS burden is light," offering soul rest instead of heavy labor. He’s a heavy load bearer!!
✓ You have to carry your own cross.

Every day you wake up, you have to kill your flesh! Your flesh gotta die.
Your flesh CANNOT get you into heaven.
Your cross is too heavy to follow nonsense. Let them folks talk about you! Let them folks BE!!

➡️People should see your cross first BEFORE they see you!!
Before you can get up, you have to die first.
Some do not want to die because they love to have control and love how it feels to be in control (out of control).
Mind You: You cannot be in control and carry your cross.

The cross reveals LOVES cost.

Easter insist this: Suffering is not the end. Resurrection is God’s YES after the worlds no.

Meaning…When the world rejects you, God has already accepted you. You keep trying to fight the world when Jesus already OVERCAME the world!! He told us via scripture that we will have trouble BUT we will have peace too…..if we choose to become a true follower of Christ.
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John 16:33 (ESV)
33 “I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.”

Message: God has ALREADY overcome what WE try to take on.
Jesus invites us to come and die.
Straight like this
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1- Deny yourself - Surrender ALL to become more like Christ.
2- Carry your cross - You cannot keep carrying family members who are not carrying themselves. That’s NOT your cross friend.
3- Follow Him - You might have to unfriend some “friends.” Carrying your cross will cause you to lose some invites BUT it’s ok! Carry your cross!
4- Live again

Carrying your cross will cause some to not like you.
We die with Christ to LIVE with Him.
You are not disqualified by your weakness. What you did does NOT count you out.
It’s an open invitation to follow Christ.
The cross is where you die and where people watch you die as well. There are no private cross bearing/carrying.

There is NO cross shaming. Wear your cross proudly. If you are ashamed of GOD, He will be ashamed of you.
Read for yourself.
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Luke 9:26 and Mark 8:38 (ESV)

If you really want to follow JESUS…..YOU gotta die!!
Until you CHOOSE to die….
Until you CHOOSE to kill your flesh…
Until you CHOOSE to give it up………..
They are talking about me…give it up!
I’m still hurt……give it up!
I’m grieving……give it up!
I’m disappointed…..give it up!
NAIL “IT” to the cross!
Give it up!! Give it up!
What you carry (Your cross), it’s nailed to the cross.
Carrying your cross is a DAILY death.

It keeps the old you at bay. Instead, we keep resuscitating what’s killing us. Some stuff you won’t let go is killing you.
Jesus died for and with purpose!!
Some of us are afraid to die to somethings because we think death means loss.

Newsflash: Somethings some won’t let GO of…is killing them anyway.
In the Kingdom of God, death means transition.
Dying to self means living in purpose.
Dying to sin is living in FREEDOM.
Dying to control is living in peace.

What’s still alive in you that needs to be nailed to the cross. There cannot be an empty tomb without a bloody cross first. Some cannot find His body because it’s not in them.

The PROOF of the RESURRECTION is look at me:
✓ We all are proof that He died for a sinner.
✓ Some are proof that He died for a murder.
✓ Some are proof that He died for a backslider.
✓ Some are proof that He died for an adulterer.
✓ Some are proof that He died for fornicators.

Question: What’s your proof?

Choose to pick up your cross and follow Jesus daily so HE can LIVE through you.
If it wasn’t for the blood on the cross, where would I be?? I would be lost! Thank You Jesus for THE BLOOD of JESUS!!!
Material stuff means NOTHING!

The WORD of GOD actively living through you means EVERYTHING !!

➡️You have to walk with your cross!
➡️You have to talk right while carrying your cross!
➡️You have to carry the cross that Jesus beared!
➡️Don’t put your cross down.
➡️After church, carry your cross.
➡️Between church, carry your cross.

Pickup your cross and follow the KING!

OTN: Your cross may be in the way for others and cause them to be uncomfortable BUT keep carrying your cross. It’s about the cross, NOT about you or them.
When “they” are talking crazy, pickup your cross.

When you want to clap back, look at your cross.

The Chosen Church
Speaker: Teacher Reid
Scripture: Matthew 26:57-67 (ESV)
Title: The Trial OF Perfection!
Palm Sunday Message

Backstory of Matthew 26:57-67

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✓ Palm Sunday is when Jesus is received into Jerusalem.
✓ Jesus was held as the King of the Jews.
✓ He was their Messiah at the time.
✓ He was celebrated as their Messiah.

As the scriptures turns…the reality of things APPEARED to turn worse.
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✓ Jesus was betrayed by Judas.
✓ Jesus was led to be arrested.
✓ Jesus was falsely accused.
✓ Jesus had to go before the high priest.
✓ Jesus stood before wicked politicians.
✓ Caiaphas (the high priest) was the son-in-law of Annas.
✓ Caiaphas reigned as high priest in Jerusalem roughly around 18 to 36/37 AD.
✓ Caiaphas had a role in the second Temple period. Rome had conquered Israel around this time. They were under the rule of the Roman Empire.
✓ Caiaphas was more of a political (politician) leader than he was the role that God had established.
✓ Jesus went before Caiaphas and the Council.
✓ Caiaphas orchestrated a plot to arrest Jesus, to put Him to death, to remove Him out of the way.
✓ Caiaphas should have been concerned with issues of God, which was to bring sacrifices before God BUT NO….all his actions were political driven.

He should have had a pure heart to assist in removing the sins of the people for God…BUT NOPE….it became a political game instead.
✓ Caiaphas wanted to gain status in the Roman Empire so he changed his heart posture from God to the people.
✓ Caiaphas used the people to do his dirty work. It went from what is God concerned about to how can we move our agenda forward.
✓ Then people were seeking to falsely to accuse Jesus just to have something to use against Him. They started using the people to infuse false narratives about Jesus to justify their actions.
✓ Old Testament there was a high priest.
✓ During that time, it had to be a sacrifice that met the requirements for your sins.
✓ Again, they wanted to put Jesus to death to get Him out of the way. He was causing a stir by preaching to the Pharisees and Sadducees. God was at hand and the people were offended. People that stand in their own way from worshipping and serving God get easily offended when it’s not about them. See Jesus, not you Otis…because no one came to see you.
✓ The people started praising and worshiping the Messiah.
✓ They did not have any real reasons to charge Jesus, so they used the people to make things up to kill Jesus.
✓ They had their own motives BUT GOD had his own.

Acts 4:27-29. God had a purpose behind the scenes.

✓ Our government leaders think they know what they are doing BUT God knows what He is doing. He is in control. Thank YOU LORD for your SOVEREIGNTY ????????????.
✓ Everything they did was predestined by the Father. Everything served its purpose.
✓ Jesus was tried and judged by wicked men. They did this to get Jesus out the way and move up. Jesus was causing “problems” for them.
✓ Jesus was spotless and without sin. Jesus was perfect but we were not. Jesus was pure, we were not.
✓ He was the mediator between God and His people.
✓ The only way God would deal with the sins of the people was through the high priest.

Pause: In the Levitical law, during the Levitical period, any sin you had there were certain requirements that you had to do to get rid of that sin. You had to bring a certain sacrifice.

You had an option to get rid of sin, but the offering had to mean something to the Lord.

✓ The high priest was the “broker” between God and man was the high priest. The high priest would “broker” a deal between God and the people.
✓ Offered sacrifices to atone for the people's sins. This would forgive the community of people. Thank You Jesus for Your blood. ??????????
✓ The high priest entered the Holy of Holies in the Temple in Jerusalem once a year.
✓ Performed rituals meant to restore or maintain the relationship between God and the people.

They used the Romans to do what they wanted to do! They wanted their agenda to be THE agenda.
The whole agenda was run by wicked men.

Side bar: Some use their name and status to get them where they want to go.

Acts 4:27 (ESV) Means that everyone who put their wicked ideas/scandal together to crucify Jesus was not a coincidence. Even though man had his hand on it, God Sovereign purpose happened!! Everything that happened was predestined to happen. God had a purpose behind the scenes/schemes.

OTN: Jesus did nothing wrong, yet HE did everything thing right! It was written and God’s will was executed!
Something had to die!! ???

Title: The Trial of Perfection
There needed to be something/someone PERFECT to become the payment for sin. The sacrifice had to be perfect.

Leviticus 16:21 (ESV)
21 “And Aaron shall lay both his hands on the head of the live goat and confess over it all the iniquities of the people of Israel, and all their transgressions, all their sins. And he shall put them on the head of the goat and send it away into the wilderness by the hand of a man who is in readiness.”
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Part 2

The day of atonement there were two goats.
✓ Something has to die. Someone had to die for the sins of the people. Something had to bridge the gap.
✓ One goat took away the sins. Something had to die to take care of the sins of the people.
✓ One had to die on the altar for the payment.
✓ One goat is let into the wilderness.
✓ The sins of the people confess.
✓ It’s symbolism of all of our sins taken far away from God.
✓ When God looks at you, He’s not looking at the things you are doing wrong. There is an appeasement. There is a temporary satisfaction because sin is out of the way.
✓ The system of offering bulls and goats year after year was not working for God.
✓ God wanted perfection so He had to be the perfection.
✓ Aaron was tasked with confessing the sins of the people over the goats. He was sacrificing…one goat was killed on the altar…one goat was sent away into the wilderness.

Romans 6:23
23 “For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

Again, something got to die.
God is using the will of wicked men to validate the perfection of His own sacrifice. God made a sacrifice for Himself. He had to take place.
Caiaphas was supposed to perform this role. The people had grown far from God and so did the priest. They were not concerned with what God required ⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️

Hebrews 5:1 (ESV)
5 “For every high priest chosen from among men is appointed to act on behalf of men in relation to God, to offer gifts and sacrifices for sins.”

The blood of bulls and goats were not cutting it anymore.
Someone with GREAT strength and PERFECT holiness is what would suffice to be the sacrifice!!!
They were in need for a savior/mediator who possessed ALL the attributes of PERFECTION, to overcome sin and bridge the gap between man and God. Thank YOU JESUS!! You are the TRUTH!!!!????????????????????

Hebrews 10:4 (ESV)
4 For it is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins.”

Hebrews 10:1-18 (ESV) READ IT!!!

The system was not working, it was broken. You have the same problem over again. God wanted perfection...SO He had to BE the perfection.

Atonement means Covering.

GOD is JUST over EVERYTHING!!
God is a just GOD BUT there are penalties for sin. There has to be a penalty for sin. God judgment takes place...even though He’s a JUST GOD.
Sin must be punished because God is righteous and He cannot let sin go unpunished.

In John 11:49-50 Caiaphas suggests it is better for one man to die for the people than for the whole nation to perish.

John 11:49-50 (ESV)
49 “But one of them, Caiaphas, who was high priest that year, said to them, “You know nothing at all. 50 Nor do you understand that it is better for you that one man should die for the people, not that the whole nation should perish.”

GOD worked out His plan for Himself.
There is a requirement and he’s asking who’s qualified. Who can stand in the place where God stand.
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Psalm 24:1-3 (ESV)
1 “The earth is the Lord's and the fullness thereof, the world and those who dwell therein,
2 for he has founded it upon the seas
and established it upon the rivers.
3 Who shall ascend the hill of the Lord? And who shall stand in his holy place?” (There is a requirement?)⬇️

THE REQUIREMENT IS
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Psalm 24:4-7 (ESV)
4 “He who has clean hands and a pure heart, who does not lift up his soul to what is false and does not swear deceitfully.
5 He will receive blessing from the Lord and righteousness from the God of his salvation.
6 Such is the generation of those who seek him, who seek the face of the God of Jacob.Selah”

Holy means:
✓ Perfect!
✓ Complete!
✓ Lacking NO-THING!
✓ Complete in EVERY single way!
✓ Weighted of substance!

Psalm 24:1-10 is praising the Works of God. They were talking about the return of the Ark of the Covenant. They returned in VICTORY!!!
⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️

Psalm 24:7-10 (ESV)
7 “Lift up your heads, O gates! And be lifted up, O ancient doors, that the King of glory may come in.
8 Who is this King of glory? The Lord, strong and mighty, the Lord, mighty in battle!
9 Lift up your heads, O gates! And lift them up, O ancient doors, that the King of glory may come in.
10 Who is this King of glory? The Lord of hosts, He is the King of glory!”

➡️Gates in scripture means: Elder of the tribe. This was the natural form.
The criteria was
⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️

✓ He who has clean hands.
✓ He who has a clean heart.
✓ Those who have pure motives. They are in alignment with God. Meaning, what God wants, that’s what they did.
✓ He hasn’t lifted his soul to idols.
✓ He had to be right with God.
✓ He is in alignment with the will of God.
✓ He doesn’t worship anything else.
✓ The person can actually stand in the holy place.

⬆️Moment of reflection: What are your idols?

Real Talk: If you did not meet the requirement that God spelled out in detail, you did not live!! You would get pulled out by a rope.

❤️Palm Sunday is when the KING of GLORY (Jesus) rode into Jerusalem.
READ
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Matthew 21:1-11 (ESV)
Zachariah 9:9 (ESV)

Question: Can the KING of GLORY roll into your place?

Jesus was PERFECT! In ONE week, Jesus demonstrates He is (AND IS) ⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️

✓ King!
✓ King of Glory!
✓ Lamb of God!
✓ The PERFECT Lamb!
✓ The High Priest!
✓ Scapegoat!
✓ Light of the world!
✓ He’s the Passover of the Lamb!
✓ He’s a Spotless Lamb who takes over the sins of the world!
✓ He’s the conquering KING that rides in on a donkey.
✓ He’s EVERYTHING wrapped in ONE!! OTN (The Father! The Son! and Jesus are ONE!)

Listen: If you were not right when entering the holy of holies (Most Holy Place), you would not come out alive!

John 5:19 (ESV) He had a pure motive. He did what He accomplished…the will of the Father.

Hebrews 4:15 (ESV)
15 “For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin.”

?This was Jesus! His motives were pure before God! He ONLY does what the Father wants ⬆️⬆️⬆️⬇️⬇️⬇️!!

John 5:19 (ESV)
The Authority of the Son
19 “So Jesus said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, the Son can do nothing of his own accord, but only what he sees the Father doing. For whatever the Father does, that the Son does likewise.”
⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️

AGAIN: He has a pure motive! Jesus did NOT come to do His own thing; He came to do the will of the Father. He did not lift any idols.

Note: Jesus came to do one thing and that was to do the will of the Father. He had one purpose!!!

God cannot tell a lie because HE truth.

Question: How can you put perfection on trial? He is perfect and holy!

They could have put Jesus on trial over and over again and He would still be PERFECT and HOLY!!

John 14:6 (ESV)
6 “Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.”

Hebrews 10:4-5 (ESV)
4 “For it is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins.
5 Consequently, when Christ came into the world, he said, “Sacrifices and offerings you have not desired, but a body have you prepared for me;” Jesus was speaking and He was speaking of God.
⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️

✓ The old way was good enough to get us here but He did not want that.
✓ God provided Jesus with a body to carry out God’s PERFECT Will.

Sometimes we spend so much time trying to figure out a way…instead of looking at the perfection of Jesus.

Point to Ponder: Jesus is the reason for it ALL!! Tis’ is still the season. Consider all He did for the sins of the world. We have access to the Father because we are IN the perfection of Christ.

Everything doesn’t require a lofty answer sometimes it just requires you to shut up and look. Meditate on what Jesus has done.

SN: Shut up or put up!!

Question: How do you feel about your relationship with God?
How do you view your relationship with God?
Are you trying to climb through life without Him?

2 Corinthians 5:17 “He who is in Christ is a NEW creature…….” Read

We have access through Jesus’ (broken) body.
Sometimes you gotta stop to appreciate God’s perfection.
Although God requires perfection…He was humble enough to provide it for us.
All of us will stand trial one day!

What will be your answer to the perfection and holiness of God? What are you going to say when you stand before Yahweh, the Maker of heaven and earth?? ⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️

✓ What offering are you going to give?
✓ What sacrifice are you going to give?
✓ What service are you going to say that suffices?
✓ Your answer should be CHRIST!!
Trust Christ’s perfection!
Put your trust in His righteous!
Put your trust in His record!
Put your trust in His holiness!

It’s NO longer I that lives...BUT the WHO that LIVES in me.

Additional scripture to read and study. Luke 3:2

The Chosen Church
Speaker: Pastor Craig Walder Jr.
Series: Appetite PT3
Title: Stay Hungry But Watch Your Weight!
Scripture: Matthew 6:25-27 (NIV)

 Do Not Worry About Your Life!!

Matthew 6:25 (NIV)
25 “Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes?

Matthew 6:33-34 (NIV)
33 “But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.
34 Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.”

If we ate spiritual food like we do natural food how would our souls look?

Moment of reflection: Take a moment to think about your appetite this week.

Matthew 6:25 (ESV)
25 “Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing?”

Often we put effort into things that don’t really concern the Lord. Some things we think are God's Work BUT it doesn’t move the Lord.

We need to HIDE the BOOK (Bible) in our hearts.

 .

KNOW the BOOK/BIBLE, KNOW GOD!! GET BACK TO THE BOOK CHURCH!!

You can do works BUT if it’s not the Work of the Lord…then whose work is it really??

 Matthew 7:23 
23“And then will I declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness.”

Psalm 119:11 (ESV)
11 “I have stored up your word in my heart, that I might not sin against you.”

The time we allocate to the Lord, in prayer, in fellowship, and while reading the Word of God, is under a severe and aggressive attack.

OTN: I am a witness to this. Every time I tried reading and studying last week, tests showed up and caused me to fumble my study time. However, it did not hinder me from praying!

Question: What time do you spend with the Lord??

Question: Do you get enough Word to sustain you? Sunday and Wednesday service is not enough to sustain you. You must read the Word and do the Work for yourself (The Word and the Work of the Lord).

✓ The teacher gives you Bible study.
✓ The pastor gives you the Word of the Lord.
✓ What did the Lord give YOU for yourself???

Disciple! Please start prioritizing your time.

Note: What we digest right now is more important than ANYTHING else right now. The world is a busy place and it's easy to get weighed down by its many distractions

Question: How are you managing your weight (time).

. “Do NOT worry about your life.”

Listen: Stress can ADD pounds to you physically and mentally. The weight is called the unwanted weight of anxiety.

PAUSE: ARE you HUNGRY for the LORD? What’s your hunger level?!?

Question: Are you a control freak? God can control your life, IF you let Him.

Note: Humans make choices, GOD holds them responsible for their actions.
Simply put: Humans choose the behavior, GOD chooses the consequences.

God can control our life better than we can because HE gave us the Life!

Stop struggling with things you can’t control.

Worrying adds unnecessary weight.

✓ Issues of the heart make you worried.
✓ Life will make you worry.
✓ Human nature will make you worry.
✓ What’s going on in the world makes you worried.
✓ In this fallen world, worry is a natural consequence. That’s why we need to cast our cares and worries to God.

Somethings small can ruin something BIG that is waiting on you.
Some want temporary feelings. Some want a temporary fix. You have everything you need waiting on you, but you are letting a temporary fix /feeling ruin your appetite.

Message: Don’t let a temporary craving ruin your spiritual appetite.

If someone could have said...



Adam! Don’t eat that! It’s going to ruin your appetite.
Sampson don’t eat that, it’s going to ruin your appetite
David don’t eat that, it’s going to ruin your appetite.
(Your name) don’t eat that, it’s going to ruin your appetite.

Worry and stress ruins your appetite for the Lord.

In today’s times, some are reenacting the feast of the marriage in Matthew.

Mathew 22:1-14 (ESV)
✓ Jesus spoke to them in parables about a wedding.
✓ All they needed was to come to the table. Everything they needed was at the table.
✓ The invited guests gave an excuse.
✓ The king invited them to something that was free.
✓ They would have had ALL they needed at the feast.
✓ They were NOT hungry enough.
✓ The king wanted them to dress and come BUT they wanted temporary fixes.
✓ They allowed everything else to zap their hunger for the Lord. They allowed temporary fixes/feelings to ruin their appetite for the Lord.
✓ They allowed the minimal and everyday life to zap their hunger for the king.
✓ We need to come to Jesus, become a disciple, do His Work and DO NOT repeat the behavior from the people in this parable
✓ Jesus had just started His ministry during this time.

Until we hunger and thirst for Jesus, we will NEVER be satisfied because righteousness is the byproduct of the precondition. Hunger and thirst are the preconditions. Church…We must STAY consistently hungry for the Lord. Blessed are those that are hunger and thirst.

The people Jesus was talking to needed something. The lack of access to food, water and clothing is what they lacked. The lack of resources caused them to worry and be anxious of the future.

God wanted the people to rest and not be anxious. We too should rest in God and stop being anxious. We should live worry free.

They were occupied by the Roman Empire. Some did not want a savior during that time, they wanted relief. Some of them wanted Jesus to overthrow their oppression. They wanted Jesus to overthrow the Roman government.

The people had corrupt tax collectors that overcharged the people. This act left the masses in dire need.

Don’t worry about your life. Your life should be FREE of worry.

Some are carrying the weight on their shoulders. Rest in GOD!!!

Take the weight and cast your cares on the Lord, HE cares for you!!!!

Peter 5:7
7 “casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you.”

God takes care of the birds, HE will take care of you too!!

 

Matthew 6:26 (ESV)
26 “Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they?”

Luke 12:24 (ESV)
24 “Consider the ravens: they neither sow nor reap, they have neither storehouse nor barn, and yet God feeds them. Of how much more value are you than the birds!”

Worry will not solve things quicker!
Anxious thoughts don’t move GOD

God is moved by you trusting Him to do things in His sovereignty!! His providence is
EVERYTHING!!



GOD IS MOVED BY YOUR FAITH!!
GOD IS MOVED BY YOUR TRUST!!
TRUST GOD’S PROVIDENCE!!
TRUST GOD’S SOVEREIGNTY!!

NUGGET #1
WE CAN'T HAVE COMPROMISED TRUST ISSUES, WITH A GOD WHO'S NEVER FAILED US
#APPETITE

Question: Why do we have trust issues with a GOD who never failed you!!!!

Question: Why do we have issues with God when He has never failed?  It’s not God’s fault when we fail, our expectations fail. Again! Our expectations fail us, NOT GOD! When God doesn’t give you things you want, you have a problem with God!

Question: Do you have trust issues with God? Either you trust God or you don’t!!!

Open your mouth and praise God and STOP worrying about stuff that doesn't move God! Putting your complete trust in God moves GOD!!!

Acts 1:6 (ESV)
The Ascension
6 “So when they had come together, they asked him, “Lord, will you at this time restore the kingdom to Israel?””

The disciples walked with Jesus and still did not get it!! They asked Jesus to overthrow natural oppression.

Jesus came to do what God wanted Him to do, not what man wanted Him to do.

We want God to deliver natural
Oppression, meanwhile GOD wants YOU delivered!!

Some put their faulty minded expectations on GOD, when He doesn’t meet their expectations, they develop trust issues. We should have uncompromising TRUST with the Father!!

Matthew 6:25 (NIV)

Therefore means something that makes you go back. Therefore, in Matthew 6:24 is Jesus telling us something previously and He’s referencing back to it……………Somethings make you go back to scripture!



. Therefore is connected to the verses proceeding the 25th verse.

Matthew 6:19-21 (ESV)

Lay Up Treasures in Heaven
19 “Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal,
20 but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal.
21 For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.”

Message: The eye is the lamp of the body. If your eye is healthy, your body will be full of light. If your eye is bad, your whole body will be full of darkness. Moral and spiritual vision is easily distorted and darkened. Why though??

Answer...

 

You ARE what you eat but You will also BECOME what you see.

Our eyes ARE the entrance to our hearts, minds, and the doorways to our souls.

You ARE what you see. Your eyes MUST see AND perceive well. What we see makes a difference. We see holy or unholy, light or darkness.

You cannot look at ungodly things and think you’re going to be more like Jesus!!!

Listen: Your eyes either SEE sin or ACCEPT sin. What do your eyes see???

Question: Do your eyes let you open your Bible? Do your eyes see and perceive well?

Question: How do you serve Jesus and you still look and act the same.

Some claim Chosen BUT we misrepresent Jesus!!