Approaching God

[00:00:10] Speaker A: Hallelujah. [00:00:10] Speaker B: Thank you, Jesus. Another day, Another day In the land. [00:00:17] Speaker A: Of the living and we have to. [00:00:19] Speaker B: Give God praise and give him thanks because this is not a paper. The one I can guess you could say another piece of paper. Another day, another day Got to give God praise Thank him for life in this right side. Draw the side pocket right outside there. [00:00:39] Speaker A: In the front there. [00:00:41] Speaker B: Yes, right there. I see another piece of paper there. Yeah. Thank you. Hallelujah. Yes, in his presence let us give thank you, Lord and thank him for his goodness and for his mercy. Hallelujah. [00:01:00] Speaker A: Thank you, Jesus. Hallelujah. [00:01:07] Speaker C: Jesus, we enthrone you. [00:01:14] Speaker A: We proclaim you. [00:01:15] Speaker C: Are king Standing here in the midst. [00:01:23] Speaker A: Of us. [00:01:26] Speaker C: We lift you up in our praise and as we worship at your throne as we worship at your throne as we worship at your throne Come, Lord Jesus and take your place Jesus, we enthrone you. [00:02:03] Speaker A: We proclaim you. [00:02:04] Speaker C: Are king Standing here in the midst. [00:02:11] Speaker A: Of us. [00:02:14] Speaker C: We lift you up in our praise and as we worship at your throne as we worship at your glory as we worship at your throne Come, Lord Jesus and take your place as we worship at your throne. [00:02:49] Speaker A: As. [00:02:50] Speaker C: We worship at your throne as we worship at your throne Come, Lord Jesus and take your place Hallelujah. [00:03:08] Speaker B: Hallelujah. Holy Spirit, the white welcome. [00:03:30] Speaker C: Omnipotent father of mercy and grace Now I welcome in this place Holy Spirit Thou art welcome in this Holy Spirit, thou art welcome in this place Omnipotent father of mercy and grace Thou art well. [00:04:17] Speaker A: In. [00:04:19] Speaker C: This place Thou art welcome in. [00:04:29] Speaker A: Place. [00:04:33] Speaker C: No other name of Jesus no other name of the name of the Lord no other name of the name of Jesus is worthy of glory worthy of honor, worthy of power and of faith no other name Other name of the Lord no other name of the name of Jesus is worthy of worthy of honor, worthy of power no other name of the name of the Lord no other name of the name of Jesus Glory worthy of honor, worthy of power and of praise Is worthy of glory worthy of honor, worthy of power and of praise Hallelujah. [00:06:15] Speaker A: Thank you, Jesus. [00:06:16] Speaker B: Hallelujah. [00:06:18] Speaker A: Thank you. [00:06:20] Speaker C: I lift my hands to the coming king to the great I am to you I sing for you're the one who raise the coming king to the great I am to you I say for you're the one who reigns within my heart I will serve you far. [00:07:00] Speaker A: Enough. [00:07:03] Speaker C: Any other treasure? You are my Jesus Spirit With a measure I know your name I will make my sacrifice in my heart God I will serve no forever. [00:08:41] Speaker A: Thank you, Lord thank you, Jesus Hallelujah Lord. Thank you, Jesus. We give you glory, God, into the. [00:09:05] Speaker C: House of the Lord. And we offer up to you the sacrifice is of thanksgiving. And we offer unto you the sacrifices of praise. We bring the sacrifice of praise into the house of the Lord. We bring the sacrifice of praise into the house of the Lord, and we offer unto you the sacrifices are than we offer us to you the sacrifice. [00:10:20] Speaker A: Thank you, Jesus. [00:10:37] Speaker C: You are the most high. You are the most high God. You are the most high. You are the most high God. You are the most high. You are the most High God. For you are good and your mercy is forever. You are the most high God. You are the most high. You are the most High God. [00:11:54] Speaker B: Ain't nobody higher than our God. [00:11:56] Speaker A: Thank you, Jesus. Hallelujah. Thank you, Lord. [00:12:01] Speaker B: Something else. Let me see. I got on the glasses, you know. Where's the other one I had in my mind just now? [00:12:29] Speaker C: Bless the Lord O my soul and all that is within me. Bless his holy. Let the Lord O my soul and all that is within me. Bless it all that is within me. Bless his soul. He has done great things. He has done great things. He has done great things. Blessed morning. He has done great things. He has done great things. The Lord has done great things. [00:14:36] Speaker A: Thank you. [00:14:36] Speaker C: Hallelujah. [00:14:37] Speaker A: Thank you, Jesus. [00:14:38] Speaker C: What shall I render to Jehovah Ra? For he has done so very much for me. What shall I render to Jehovah? Why, he has much for me. He has done so very much for me. Oh, Lord, I thank you, thank you oh Lord, I thank you, thank you, thank you, Lord, I thank you all the days of my life. Oh, Lord, I thank you, thank you, thank you oh Lord, I thank you. [00:16:07] Speaker A: Thank you, thank you Lord, I thank. [00:16:10] Speaker C: You all the days of my life. [00:16:15] Speaker A: I praise you, praise you, praise you. [00:16:17] Speaker C: Oh Lord, I praise you, praise you, praise you, Lord, I'll praise you all the days of my life oh, Lord, I praise you, praise you, praise you oh Lord, I praise you, praise you, praise you, Lord I praise you all the days of my life oh, Lord, I'll serve you, serve you oh Lord, I'll serve you, serve you, serve you Lord, I'll serve you all the days of my life oh, Lord, I'll serve you, serve you, serve you oh Lord, I'll serve you, serve and serve you Lord, I'll serve you all the days of my life oh, Lord, I love you, love you, love you oh Lord, I love you, love you, love you Lord, I love you all the days of my life. Oh, Lord, I love you, love you, love you oh Lord, I love you, love you, love you Lord, I love you all the day of my life O Lord, I thank you, thank you, thank you Lord I'll thank you, thank you, thank you Lord I'll thank you all the days of my life oh Lord, I'll thank you, thank you thank you Lord I'll thank you, thank you, thank you Lord I'll thank you all the days of my life. [00:17:46] Speaker A: Thank you. [00:17:49] Speaker B: Jesus began it all. [00:17:55] Speaker C: To claim my own sin had left a crimson stand he washed white as snow I hear the Savior say Thy strength indeed is small child of me let's watch and pray Finding me thine all in all Jesus paid it out Sin has left the crimson stain he was it white as snow Lord, now indeed I find thy power and thine alone can change the leopard spots and melt the heart of stone Jesus paid enough Alto him I own slain had left a crimson stain he washed it white as snow for nothing good have I whereby thy grace acclaim I washed my garments white in the blood of Calvary's lamb Jesus paid it up Alto him I O sin had left the crimson stain he washed it white as snow and went before the throne I stand in him complete Jesus died my soul to save My lips shall still repeat Jesus paid it all after him I ought left a crimson snare he washed it white as snow Jesus made it all. [00:20:38] Speaker A: To. [00:20:39] Speaker C: Him I hope sin and left a crimson stain he washed it white as snow Hallelujah. [00:20:54] Speaker B: Thank you, Jesus. [00:21:05] Speaker D: Good morning. Welcome, Roxanne. Before I read the script here, I want to ask you guys if you can keep a baby in prayer for me if you have a little bit of space on your prayer plate. Her name is Genesis, she's just in port. She was diagnosed with cancer. This is my daughter's husband, niece. Her mother is Kiana and she's 27. And it's just like you celebrate your fourth birthday getting chemotherapy. [00:21:38] Speaker A: A baby. Wow. [00:21:40] Speaker D: It broke my heart because I was talking to my daughter and she said, ma, I gotta go, I have bad news. But my daughter is so dramatic. I'm like my grandson let me do. [00:21:50] Speaker A: Something stupid, you know? [00:21:51] Speaker D: But then she called me back and she told me, you know, and it's just like, I just can't even imagine a four year old. But I still believe God can heal her, he can cure her. I said that to her friend and she said, well, he didn't do it for your husband. And I said, that's okay. That was my husband. This is a baby. He can do it. He chose so he can do it too. So if you guys have any space on your prayer plate, please keep Genesis and her mom in prayer, please. I thank you guys in advance. I'm going to read Matthew 11:25. And it say at that time Jesus answered and said, I thank thee, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because thou has hide these things from the wise and prudent and has revealed them unto babes. And it just made me think, like sometimes we think we know everything and that's only because we're relying on our own brain and our own worldly knowledge. But we really is truly to trust God, open and receive what his guidance. Just like Jesus recognized God power, we should also do the same. Amen. And again, I thank you guys for keeping Genesis. [00:23:36] Speaker E: Good morning, everyone. I have your welcome and announcements as well as the tithes and offering for this week. We start our classes July 10th. We'll start the deliverance class with Pastor Nell at 10am in the morning. Then the following week, I'll be doing the same class on Tuesday evenings, which is normally our prayer time. So we're going to start our class at 6:30, go through that. And then we'll have prayer either during or after the class. Then also throughout the week, we have the class going on. Well, not the class, the service going on with Apostle gwen. That's at 7 on WhatsApp. So just give me a call and I will put you in touch with her. And that is also Deliverance. Then on Wednesday we have Minister Mercy doing. She's in Leviticus, chapter 25, I believe it is. She's ending chapter 25 here. And that's Wednesdays at 7 on Zoom. And that's basically what we'll be doing for the duration of the summer. But one other point I want to make is that on occasion, Barbara and I will be heading out on a Saturday, going from one place to another, visiting someone or having someone come to us. I'll let you know if you want to. To travel with us. And I think that's about it. You know. Do you have anything? All right. So with our tithes and offerings, you know, God loves a cheerful giver. So in doing that, whatever we do, we should do it cheerfully. You know, I think that it's, it's an important thing, even as we've had a number of different lessons on, on the heart, both in terms of the desires of the heart, the joy in the heart, as well as the wickedness in the heart. So God knows your heart, he knows what you're doing with it. So just give to God according to what your heart is leading you to do. And we trust God that it's the joyful part. And so I pray for the offering. Father God, in the name of Jesus, we thank you for giving us the ability to sow into your kingdom to do those things that you have called us to do, as well as to provide assistance and help to others. And so, Father God, even as we are members of this body, we ask that you would bless the entire body, Father God, that they would act as neighbors, loving one another. And so, Father, I ask that you. You multiply these seeds that have been planted today, Father God, and all those previously, Father, that they may grow into the trees that you have already ordained in Jesus name. Amen. So I guess we'll welcome minister. Excuse me, Elder Laurie to the podium. And I'm sure that she will do what she does. We thank God for her. [00:27:20] Speaker A: Good morning, Erica and Ava. Good morning. Hope you are well and had a good weekend. Thank you. My heart to hear about the child. It broke my heart to hear about Genesis. The topic I have today is approaching God. I have a. I have a few scriptures that you know, I'll read and we'll talk about. But I think when you have. When life happens and you have situations like that, sometimes it can challenge you on whether or not you want to approach God and maybe how you choose to approach Him. One of the things we'll talk about is whether or not people even believe that God exists. People will say, well, if God is real, well how come these things happen? And of course, out of ignorance and with a lot of lack of understanding of how God chooses to function and why he chooses to do what he does. People sometimes will use life circumstances to make an excuse not to believe in God. And if you don't believe in him, why would you bother to approach him or come to Him? But we'll talk about that today. But broke my heart. But God is faithful. I think one of the things I've learned to understand in life is that when he says his ways are not our ways and his thoughts are not our thoughts, it really is true. Sometimes we can think about what's happening, but maybe not really fully understand what is supposed to be an outcome. Deliverance for people can look different and sometimes there is deliverance and death. However, you won't really fully understand that God can heal unless people are sick and it hurts. Right? And we've talked about this before, that some of the most wonderful characteristics of God and what he can do comes from the fact that we will have to suffer things and sometimes you won't get to know him intimately. A lot of times people, people know God secondhand. I know, oh, I see what he did for my mother or my father. I saw what he did for that person on tv and it's like, oh, that's what God did for them. And they can see that as an evidence, but it doesn't sink in unless sometimes it's firsthand. And when it becomes firsthand, it becomes harder for you not to. And so it can be, again, uncomfortable. But, but God is faithful, and I think with a lot of the things that are happening in this world in his faithfulness. My mother tends to remind people of a scripture in Isaiah that says that oftentimes the righteous can be taken so that they don't have to suffer the things in this world. Death hurts us because we lose. But sometimes it can be not easy to remember that in death. Sometimes those that cross over into eternity really are better off, especially if their assignment is done. So we'll pray for Genesis before we leave. We'll pray for before we leave. So today, today we'll talk about approaching God again. I have a few set of scriptures that I had to look at just to kind of think about that again. You know, approaching God is not as easy as it seems for many people. You can know God exists, and some people struggle with just God's existence. You can believe he exists enough not to be an atheist, but you don't believe in him enough to maybe make enough changes in your life. It's like, yeah, I believe in there's a God. So some people are monotheistic. They believe in one God. Some people believe in that there's a God, but they're not quite cool with the God that sent Jesus. People have issues with that. And then there are people, of course, who do believe in the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob as we do the same God that came down in the form of Jesus to die for us and to redeem us unto himself. That's really it. All of this is so that we can come back to God of himself. Right? All of this is temporal. It will eventually go, but only things for God will last. God is the one that will last. And in order for us to last with him, we need to make sure that we are in right standing with him, doing the best we can, leaning on the sacrifice of the Savior and following after the Spirit so that we can make sure that we are prepared. So there are many reasons for people to approach God whether they are reasons of good, reasons of bad, and anything that is in between that spectrum. So again, we're just going to review some passages of Scripture that will provide some information and some insight regarding approaching God. I will have them in different orders. So I have, I think about five or six of them basis for this. So the first one I have is Hebrews 11 and 6. So I'll just have you read with me. So if whatever version you have, I'll ask someone to read Hebrews 11 and 6 for me and then I'm going to go ahead and read it after that in the Amplified version and then we'll talk about it a little bit. It. Oh yes, from memory. Yes. You don't have to read it. Yes, yes. If you have, you can go ahead with the eyes closed. It's okay. [00:35:06] Speaker F: But without faith it is impossible to please him. For he that cometh to God must first believe that he is, and that he's a rewarder of them that diligently seek him. [00:35:19] Speaker A: Amen. Thank you for that. I'll read in the Amplified version and it says the but without faith it is impossible to walk with God and please him. For whoever comes near to God must necessarily believe that God exists and that he rewards those who earnestly and diligently seek him. So the most basic necessity for even approaching God is just believing that he exists. And while that is the most basic tenet of this, it is difficult for a lot of people. The enemy is busy trying to make sure that people don't even believe that God exists. And even if some of them do, he wants to take away that faith that they have in the existence of God in the first place. But with all that has happened in the world and with all that is happening now, many people choose not to believe in God because of again what is happening around them. But for the same reason that you can look around you and say God can't exist because this is happening, you can also look around you and choose to see what around you is proof and evidence that God exists. So now I'm going to talk about two scriptures. Both of these psalms were written by David and they say the same thing. But I have both of them written. The first one is Psalm 14 and 1, and then the second one is Psalm 53 and 1. So they both say something similar, especially the first part. So I'm just going to go ahead and read that and then I'll go to the next one. Now if you're looking at it in your version, it might says he, it might say to you, the fool says in his heart that there is no God. So and the Psalm 53:1 says the same thing, right? Whether people know it or not, the word establishes that it is foolish not to believe in God. Right? The Amplified says for verse 14, the spiritually ignorant fool said, in his heart there is no God, but the one. In Psalm 53Amplified says, the empty headed fool says, in his heart there is no God. So the enemy would like to keep people spiritually ignorant and keep them empty headed, not having the wisdom they need to really understand that God exists. Right. Oftentimes when people are in need, right? And we know this because we've experienced it, that they may come to you and say, can you pray for me? Right. Just in general. Right. And then for whatever reason, it could be because they themselves don't feel comfortable to pray or to approach God. Maybe they're not saved, or maybe they are. And if they are, they might possibly feel like, I don't know if my prayers are enough, right? Let me gather with others and get some more power behind it. Can you pray with me and pray for me? But the enemy would have us to not want to believe in God because misery loves company. So it's super important that before you can even begin to approach God, you have to at least believe that he exists, that there is something about him that is real, that is worth your time. Because we live in a society where people don't have time to waste, so they say. So if you don't even think anything is possible, you wouldn't even bother to go. You wouldn't even bother. So it's the most basic tenet to believe that God exists. And those who don't believe according to the word of Lord that he exists, that they unfortunately are foolish. But again, we know that the enemy is working. So turn with me to second Corinthians chapter four and we're going to read verses three to four and I'll read that one. Second Corinthians, chapter four, verses three to four. So I'm going to read it in the Amplified version and this is what it says. Hopefully you have it. Yes. Second Corinthians 4, verses 3 to 4. It says in the Amplified version. But even if our Gospel is in some sense hidden behind a veil, it is hidden only to those who are perishing among them. The God of this world, Satan, has blinded the minds of the unbelieving to prevent them from seeing the illuminating light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is in the image of God. If the enemy is working so hard to blind the minds of the people, that should be an indication that there is something really good about the gospel, right? Wherever the enemy is busy, really busy, like you can really see his activity, that must let you know that either the people that hear blinding have something that they need to get to to do, or that which he's hiding you from is something that you really need to know, or else he wouldn't work so hard to hide it from you. So after believing that God exists, right, first step, there needs to be enough faith that he can reward you. If you didn't think someone could do something for you, why would you even bother to approach them? And I'm not talking about just approaching someone to greet them, which you can, but oftentimes sometimes when you are looking to go to God, it's kind of common to say, well, if you need something, go to God. You don't often hear, hey, let's just go to God, just because we want to be in his presence. Of course, what you can do. But when we're talking about, about people getting to know God and really trying to understand what's the point? It's because he can do something for you. He can do something for you. The most important thing he can do for you is keep you from perishing in eternity. That is the most important thing that he can do for you. But there are many other added benefits for that. Rewards come in different forms, even including peace. Peace is a reward from God, the peace of God that does pass all of your understanding. Grace is also a reward, especially the grace you need to help you in times of need. Instructions are rewards and of course, answered prayer. Whether it happens now in the moment or the prayer, answered prayer comes at a later time. All of that is a reward. And so one of the things that I've. And understanding this, one of the things that I tend to focus on when I pray for those who don't know him, right? Is that people would just believe that he exists. You can't come to God unless you believe that he exists. So you are praying for people who are unsaved, right? You're praying for those who are backslidden, and you are praying for those asking God to bless them with the experiences that they need, those encounters that are necessary for each individual for them to say, oh my gosh, God is real. Unless they come to that revelation on their own, whatever that may be, then you can't. It doesn't make sense to tell people to go and pray. Oh, why don't you pray about it without even really check? Do you believe that God exists and that he can even do anything for you to appease you? They might go and say something, but did they really even have the faith to believe? The next scripture I would like to look at concerning Approaching God is 1st Peter 5, verses 6 to 7. So if someone has it, they can read it for me. And then after that I will read it in the Amplified version, First Peter, chapter five, verses six. [00:43:13] Speaker D: Yeah, six and seven. Yes, it says, only yourself, therefore on the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in Juden, casting all your care upon him, for he cared for you. [00:43:26] Speaker A: Thank you. I'm going to go ahead and read it in the Amplified version now. Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God. Set aside self righteous pride so that he may exalt you to a place of honor in his service at the appropriate time, casting all your cares, all of your anxieties, all of your worries and all of your concerns once and for all on him. For he cares about you with deepest affection and watches over you very carefully. I like that part. I think we know that God loves us and that he cares about us. But hearing those words that he watches over you with, very, very carefully, really focusing on the details that I think that we won't even focus on about ourselves. So why do we come to God a lot? Again, I had mentioned this earlier that people don't always just come to God just because they want to be around him or just because they want to be in his presence. And sometimes that comes after maturity and understanding about joy and peace and strength and what really comes from being in the presence of God. But they often come because there is something or some things, many things on people's list that they themselves can't deal with and that people around them cannot help them with. Sometimes it comes to a place where people have come to God as a last resort, right? But he wants us to acknowledge him in all of our ways. He wants us to seek first his kingdom. But people sometimes have to get to a place where they go to God as their first thing and not their last or even their second or after. But in order for you to do this, this requires that you have to admit that you or the people that you were turning to for help don't have the power that they really need for the change that you're looking for. For. And this is also a form of admitting that you have a weakness. But that's good for you, right? Admitting that you have A weakness. And that requires humility, which is just your awareness that you have a lower rank to the person that you're coming to and that there is a little bit of a lesser importance. It is a type of submission. Second Corinthians, in chapter 12, I'm going to read verses 8 and 9 to you. Second Corinthians, chapter 12, verses 8 and 9. And again in the amplified version, it says, concerning this, I pleaded with the Lord. This is Paul three times that it might leave me. But he, the Lord, he, the Lord has said to me, my grace is sufficient for you. My loving kindness and my mercy are more than enough. It's always available, regardless of the situation. For my power is being perfected and is completed and shows itself most effectively in your weakness. Therefore, I will all the more gladly boast in my weaknesses so that the power of Christ may completely enfold me and dwell in me. My power is being perfected and is completed and shows itself most effectively in your weakness. When you come to a place and you understand that you cannot help yourself and that there are times when you go to others who would love to, but they cannot help you, you are understanding that you have a weakness, and when you have a weakness, you feel low about it because you want to feel like you're strong, you're independent, you can take care of yourself because God has given you ability to take care of yourself. You have some sort of autonomy, but God gets glory. You really, truly understand what his power is and what he can do when you have weakness. So as a reminder, when you have a weakness, feel glad that you can go to God because His strength and his power is waiting for you for it to be perfected. I know. I know. When I feel weak, I don't feel good. I'm. I feel bad, I'm weak. I can't do this. Why can't I take care of myself? Instead of thinking I'm feeling weak, let me go to God because His strength is waiting. It's ready to take care of the weakness that I have so that his glory can be shown. Oftentimes, weakness can feel bad for people, but hopefully you can be reminded that in your weakness, your reaction can be, I'm feeling weak, I'm feeling down, I'm feeling low, but let me go to God. Let me approach him, because he can take care of my weakness. Now let's go to Matthew 11, verses 28 to 30, not too far from where Sherry was reading this morning. Matthew 11:28 to 30. Read it. Yes. If you have you can go ahead. [00:48:40] Speaker D: And read it to me. All ye that labor and are ebulated and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn of me, for I am meek and lowly in heart and he shall find rest unto you your soul. [00:48:53] Speaker A: Yes, okay. [00:48:55] Speaker D: For your you for your for my youth easy and my burden is light. [00:48:59] Speaker A: Thank you. I'm going to read it in the amplified version. Words of Christ in red come to me all who are weary and heavily burdened by religious rituals that provide no peace and I will give you rest, refreshing for your souls with salvation. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, following me as my disciples, for I am gentle and humble in heart and you will find rest, a renewal and a blessed quietness for your souls. For my yoke is easy to bear and my burden is light. So I'm going to read when I was using my Study Bible life application Study Bible I'm going to read you the comment they had for that section of Scripture before I go to my note. It says a yoke is a heavy wooden harness that fits over the shoulders of an ox or over oxen and it is attached to a piece of equipment that oxen are to pull. A heavy laden animal has a big load to pull. But a heavy laden person may also be burdened with various things. Now I read here the Amplified version where he says, come, those who are weary and heavily burdened by religious rituals that provide no peace. So it says a heavy laden person may be burdened one with sin, may be burdened with excessive demands of religious leaders, may be burdened by oppression and persecution, and may be also burdened in their weariness in the search for God. Remember when Jesus first came, he came to his people. He came to those in Israel. And of course the religious leaders had their own yoke that they had put on the people, causing the people to bear the burden of the things that they put in place, but they themselves weren't bearing it. So the people that Jesus had to first come to in his people and the Israelites, they were burdened by the religious leaders. They were burdened by with all these rules, all these laws and all these things. And so that is what this was speaking to. And so it says here, Jesus frees people from all of these burdens. And the rest that Jesus promises is love and healing and peace with God, not the end of all your efforts. So when he says, come, I will give you rest, he's not saying, if you come to me, I'm going to make sure that you don't have to work anymore. That's not what he's saying. A relationship with God changes meaningless toil into spiritual productivity and purpose. So again, when he's telling you to come that he will give you rest, he's not giving you rest from not working ever again. He's giving you a rest that will help you to understand the work and things that you do for him will come with a peace and come with the ability to see the fruits of your labor and to see growth in the kingdom. The Lord knows how weary and burdened you are with also the various facets of life. And he is inviting you and he is calling you to come to him for relief. Again, not relief from life. If you go to the Lord and tell him life is stressful, work is stressful, your husband's stressful, your wife is stressful, your kids, your boss, yeah, this. He might not necessarily take life away from you or take people away from you. That's not the relief that he's talking about. A relief that gives you the grace to be able to say, how can I deal with this? How can I get through this? What can I do? The knowledge that he completely understands all of our situations should allow us to feel at ease so that we can approach him and that the very burdens that he's willing to take away from us in exchange, he is ready to give us rest. It does require you to understand that whatever it is you're dealing with, it is nothing for God. There is nothing that is impossible with Him. Right. So now, can you think of anything that you are burdened with right now that you think the Lord can't handle? Right. If you think the Lord can't handle it, that means you don't understand God enough yet. So people might think, oh, I don't want to go to God with this. It's either too much small, or I don't want to bother him with this, or I don't know about this. And it's like if you are experiencing anything and you feel like you can't go to God with it, then you haven't really fully understand what he can do yet. Your faith hasn't been built up enough in that area for you to feel like if you cut your toenail and it's hurting, you can go to him with that. Can you put a band aid on it? Yes. But you can go to him with it. It's not too silly. He cares about every minute detail of your life. And the more you can practice and even the little things the stronger you build faith to go to God with the big things, the things that no man, no woman, no person, no plant, no bush, no animal, nothing can help you with. Yes, there is a blessing where the Lord has given us wisdom, he has given us intellect, that we can do certain things that you don't have to ask God about everything. If you want to write a letter, you don't have to say God, can I pick up a pencil to write the letter? No, you're going to get a pencil, a pen, or anything, ink, and you're going to write the letter. So I'm not talking about those things. But if there is anything that you begin to think about and you're thinking about it too much and you're still thinking about it, and you're still thinking about it, go to God with it. Because that is when it becomes a burden. If you go later, when you come back and you still think about it, someone's on your mind, that means it's a burden. Something's on your mind, it's a burden. You have something going on in your body. You think thinking about it, you can't stop thinking about it. That is when it has become a burden. But the burdens that we carry might be heavy for us, but they are not heavy for God. And if you can understand that there is no burden you're carrying that is too heavy, that God can take care of it, then you would be a little bit easier for you to go to God with it. You feel comfortable to approach him knowing that he can take care of it. So, yeah, yeah, I was going to. [00:54:59] Speaker F: Say that he doesn't. Takes away, you know, everything. [00:55:03] Speaker A: No, no, he doesn't. [00:55:04] Speaker F: When we come, he yolks up with us. He said, take my yoke. [00:55:08] Speaker A: Yes. [00:55:08] Speaker F: And he helps you to carry. [00:55:11] Speaker A: Give him the grace that you need. Yes. And that was what happened with Paul. Paul sought the Lord three times. And again Paul understood what the Lord can do. And he had an issue going on. And he said, I'm going to God with this. He went to God once, He went to God twice, He went to God thrice and the Lord answered him. I think possibly when he went to the Lord, it was an assumption that if I have this thing that's bothering me, I go to the Lord. He will take it away. Because we know God can heal. We know God can deliver. Right. Many are the afflictions of their righteous, and the Lord will deliver them from them all. But the answer that Paul got was different from what he was probably looking for. Right he says, my grace is sufficient for you. But prior to that, Paul did mention that he understood that there was some suffering that he had to go through. But yet, and still he went to the Lord and said, I have this thorn in my flesh, this issue, this enemy is buffeting me. And instead of it being taken away in his weakness, that is when the Lord says, my grace is sufficient for you in your weakness, my strength is made perfect. But then he understood. Okay, Right. And as you're mentioning the ability to continue on with, with this thing. So not every burden will be taken away. There are times when you will have to receive grace to deal with it. Now let's look. Yes. [00:56:30] Speaker F: And also when the burden outside of sin. Yeah. When the burden comes, it's, it's an opportunity for us to approach God. [00:56:38] Speaker A: Yes. [00:56:39] Speaker F: Cuz he wants you to come closer and hear, you know, it's opportunity for him to transform you, change, to be changed, whatever he thinks needs to be. Because you know, we always think we're perfect, that we have it right. But he forms us and transforms us in that. So for example, with the baby that is sick. [00:57:03] Speaker A: Yes. [00:57:05] Speaker F: We don't understand God's words, but it could be to affect someone else. [00:57:09] Speaker A: Right. [00:57:10] Speaker F: Then someone else run to him. [00:57:12] Speaker A: Yes, yes. [00:57:13] Speaker F: Yeah. So, you know, we have to open our mind to understand, you know. [00:57:17] Speaker A: Yes. Because his ways are not our ways. And that's the thing, you know, we can say, you know, if God is real, why is this happening without understanding? What is God's purpose in this? What is it? What are the results that he wants that we just might not understand? Because he wants something. He wants people to change. He wants people to come. He wants something. Right. We don't know what he wants. We don't know the outcome. But when the outcome doesn't match what we think or what we want, would we still believe in God after the fact? Because that can happen, right? Yes. [00:57:49] Speaker G: Just this morning the Lord said to me all the prayers that we prayed for. Sunshine. And he did not spear her. He's going to roll it over to her children. So I could not understand why Sunshine. Son, just sit on me for like two Friday nights ago. I got up from like three o' clock until five and it's all sunshine and what he's supposed to do to save him. Because the enemy took her out and decided she's gonna take him. Also because it's her house. She wanted killer for her house. And the sun is standing in the, you know, to deal with the house. She, she decided, okay, listen now I am not involved in this thing at all. But then the Lord put the burden on me. And it's just this morning I could not understand, why am I carrying this burden for them? And this morning the Lord said to me, all the prayers we prayed for her is now going to put it on to her son, her sons, her children. Yeah, you never know. So keep praying, because you never know. [00:58:50] Speaker A: And that's why the burden is there to approach him again. You can't stop thinking about it. You know where it come from. Don't spend too much thinking. Where does this come from? What's going on? Just go to the Lord with it and he will reveal to you in due time. Now let's look at Mark 15, verses 33 to 39. Mark chapter 15, 33 to 39. If someone has it it, they can read it. And then I'll read behind you again. Mark chapter 15 from 33 to 39. Yes. [00:59:34] Speaker B: And when the sixth hour was come, there was darkness over the whole land until the ninth hour. And at the ninth hour, Jesus cried with a loud voice saying, sabatomy. Which is being interpreted, my God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? And some of them that stood by when they heard it said, behold, call it Elias. And one ran and filled his sponge full of vinegar and put it on a reed and gave him to drink, saying, let alone let us see whether Elias will come to take him down. And Jesus cried with a loud voice and gave up the ghost. And the veil of the temple was rent in twain from the top to the bottom. And when the centurion which stood over against him saw that Esau cried out and gave up the ghost, he said, truly this man was the Son of God. [01:00:32] Speaker A: Thank you. I'm gonna read it again. In the amplified version, when the sixth hour or noon came, darkness covered the whole land until about the ninth hour or about three o'. Clock. And at the ninth hour, Jesus cried out with a loud voice, eloi, eloi lama sabachthani. Which is translated, my God, my God, why have you forsaken me? Some of the bystanders heard him and said, look, he is calling Elijah. Someone ran and filled a sponge with sour wine, put it on a reed and gave him a drink, saying, let us see whether Elijah is come to take him down. But Jesus uttered a loud cry and breathed out his last voluntarily, sovereignly dismissing and releasing his spirit from his body in submission to the Father's plan. And the veil of the holy of holies of the temple was torn into two from the top to the bottom. When the centurion who was standing opposite him saw the way he breathed his last, being fully in control, he said, truly this man was the Son of God. One of the beautiful things about the finished work of Christ on the cross at Calvary is that he cleared the way for man to have access to God for himself. No longer needing another person in the form of priests as mediators, and no longer needing animal sacrifices for the blood to cover our sins. Jesus Christ is the ultimate High priest and sacrifice all wrapped into one I'm going to read you this note that again was in the study Bible, because I want to just focus on the part about the veil to the temple being torn into two A heavy curtain or veil hung in front of the temple room, called the most Holy place, a place that was reserved for God, by God, for Himself. Symbolically, the curtain separated the holy God from sinful mankind. The room was entered only once a year on the Day of Atonement by the High priest as he made a sacrifice to gain forgiveness for the sins of all the people, including himself. But when Jesus died, the curtain was split in two, showing that his death for our sins had opened up the way for us to approach our holy God. It says here that you can read Matthew 9 for more of an explanation in this I'm not going to read all of Matthew 9, but I am going to Not Matthew, Hebrews, I'm not going to read the entire chapter of Hebrews, but I do want you to turn with me to Hebrews chapter nine, and I'm going to read to you verses 24 to 26. So Hebrews chapter nine and I'm going to read in the amplified version, verses 24 to 26 it says for Christ did not enter into a holy place made with hands a mere copy of the true One, but he entered into heaven itself now to appear in the very presence of God on our behalf. Nor did he enter into into the heavenly sanctuary to offer himself again and again as the High priest who enters the holy of holies every year with blood that is not his own. Otherwise he would have needed to suffer over and over since the foundation of the world. But now, once and for all, at the consummation of the ages, he has appeared and being publicly manifested to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself. When I think about the requirements that were first instituted by the Lord, as far as the different sacrifices that were required for not everybody, but just for those who were selected from the tribe of Levi to serve as priests to go before God. And even them themselves weren't perfect, but they were chosen by the Lord to do that work. When I think of how animals had to be gathered, make sure they, without spot and wrinkle, get this type of goat, this type of ram, these types of doves. It took a lot to go into it just so that someone can go to the Lord on your behalf. That's a lot. That's. That is a lot. We don't have to do that now. Thank God that when Jesus went, he was both the high priest and the sacrifice at once. Not only being slaughtered literally for our sins to be taken away, but is also the same person that went to the Lord on our behalf to say, don't do it. That helps me to know that I don't have to go through all those ritualistic things anymore to say, I can just. It's easy to go to God. It's as easy as quieting your mind. Because you can be in a noisy place. It doesn't matter where you are. All it requires is your focus on God and your intention to say, lord, here am I. I'm coming to you. I confess my sins, I repent, here am I. And you put your petitions, you put your requests, you praise him, you worship. It doesn't matter where you are, but you don't have to say, I want to go to the Lord, Let me get to the market, I got to get two turtle doves. Let me go to the supermarket, I need to get a goat. And have to go through all this work just before you can get into God's presence. Now you just have to focus on him. That's all you have to do. Because someone might say, oh, I can't go into God's presence. I'm on the train. That's not true. If you focus on him and you set your intention on him and you tell him that, lord, I'm here, I'm entering in, doesn't matter where you are. It's that easy. So thank God for the sacrifice of Jesus being again both the sacrifice and the high priest. And again, he did it once. It doesn't have to be done again. But not to say, well, Jesus did it this time. And then this time next year, Jesus gonna come back and go on the cross and do it again. And then the next year. No, that's what the high priest had to do. They can only go in to the Holy of Holies once a year. But Jesus came once, and for thousands of years and for years more, that was enough. He was sufficient yes, that was a. [01:07:23] Speaker G: Lot of physical activity. Now the activity is internal. It's within and depends on where we want to get to with God. It can still be a lot because you can take a whole journey and your mind is just stayed on it. There's so much destruction to block out. [01:07:43] Speaker A: Yes. [01:07:44] Speaker G: And at times somebody would not understand. You don't have to do all of that. You just say, lord, I thank you, Lord. But then if you really want to step into the realm of breakthrough and deliverance and all the things that we can connect with God and get, it takes a lot of internal sacrifice, focusing on him, you know, blackout, everything. Yes, we're still gonna do all that we're supposed to do in life, but let him be our major focus. [01:08:09] Speaker A: Yes, that's it. And again, it just takes you focusing on Him. Right. And again we thank God that he was able to take those things away. I think if you were to tell a lot of people, you know, come be converted, but when that happens, we have to go through all these things. Some people might be turned away from the those things. The Israelites, from the beginning, from their inception, that was the law that Moses was given. These are the commands you have to follow. This is the culture of how we do it religiously. You're going to get this animal, do that, don't do this, don't do that. So they were used to. Because from the beginning, that is what they were told to do. But people come from the outside looking in and saying, oh, my goodness, it takes all of that. If I have to do all of that, I don't think I want to be bothered. But now when you meet people on the street, street, or wherever you are at work in the store, and you talk to them about the Lord, all of those things will no longer be a barrier. You can tell them if you want to go into the presence of the Lord, now I'm here with you. Let's go and set your intentions and focus. Help them to know it really is that simple in that all of those other physical, outside things are no longer needed to enter into the Lord's presence. Now, that doesn't mean you can go in anyhow. Of course we need to repent of sin because God is sinless. But again, repenting of sin doesn't take a lot in the sense that you acknowledge it and you confess it, and the Holy Spirit helps you to make those changes. Because again, we are weak. But in our weakness, God's strength is made perfect. And that is why he gave us a spirit. You Cannot use your weakness as an excuse not to come to God. You cannot use your weakness as an excuse not to serve the Lord. He said, well, my power is made perfect in your weakness. Come to me and I'll help you deal with it. So we should be able to feel a little bit more comfortable going to, going to go approaching God knowing that he's taking care a lot of these things. Yes. [01:09:55] Speaker F: Yeah. I was saying that those people who may be hesitant because sometimes people say, oh, you don't understand. But the Bible says in the same book of Hebrew actually that he's not, not an eye priest that cannot be touched. [01:10:12] Speaker A: Right. [01:10:13] Speaker F: Because he himself, he understands. Sometimes we don't realize what Jesus went through. We, we miss it. He went through a lot. [01:10:23] Speaker A: Yes. [01:10:23] Speaker F: My God. And I feel like, you know, I don't need to bear it for him, but I can imagine he was man on earth. [01:10:31] Speaker A: Yes. [01:10:31] Speaker F: He was still human, experienced those things. [01:10:33] Speaker A: Yes. [01:10:34] Speaker F: That I can't even go through something. I'm complaining if something happens or somebody do or say something. But the Bible says he can be touched. [01:10:43] Speaker A: Yes. [01:10:44] Speaker F: Because he was touched himself at all point and he didn't say and was. [01:10:49] Speaker A: Yes. Without sin. [01:10:50] Speaker F: So no matter what our situation is, God understands and he knows. [01:10:55] Speaker A: Yes. [01:10:55] Speaker F: And you can come to him. There's no need not to come to him. [01:10:59] Speaker A: Right. [01:11:00] Speaker F: So but as you mentioned the scripture before, the enemy blind the mind. [01:11:05] Speaker A: He's working to blind. Yes. [01:11:06] Speaker F: So that working hard you can't see the truth because there's a revelation of, of God. Nobody has to tell you it's evidence. That's what the Bible says. It's evident. [01:11:18] Speaker A: You can see. You can see it. That's right. [01:11:20] Speaker F: The fact that I woke up this morning, I didn't wake myself up. [01:11:24] Speaker A: No. [01:11:25] Speaker F: So that's enough evidence that there's a. [01:11:28] Speaker A: God and you have to choose to see it. And that's something you mentioned earlier. Like the same way people can look around and say if God was real, then why then why you can look around and say I know God is real because I can see. And it's all about what you choose. And again it's there. It's you either choose to see it or not. Right. And the hope is that the Lord would help us to see him again. And I had talked earlier about when you're praying for people and you can talk to them about it, but sometimes they have to have their own experience. Again, secondhand experiences can be helpful for some people to have that knowledge, but to have that knowing intimately, like I know for Myself has to come from that firsthand experience. And only God knows for each individual based on who and how and where and what and why they were born, what kind of experiences. People need some fun. You might walk up to someone and they might be going through something and it might seem like, oh, that was easy for them to believe in God, but other people seem very stubborn. Other people seem like they have to go through deep, dark trenches. This, you know, that they have to go this way. You don't believe in God yet. Like, what is going on? What do you have to experience? [01:12:45] Speaker D: Right? [01:12:46] Speaker A: And unfortunately, everyone will not. Right? But we don't know who. So we have to be prayed, we have to be diligent. And we can't look at someone and say, they full of tattoos, they never gonna believe in Jesus. Let me go to this person with this skirt. [01:13:03] Speaker F: Yeah, no, that's the outside, right? [01:13:05] Speaker A: You can't look at someone and tell. And so hoping that God would. Whatever experience people need, need to help them understand, to believe that he want that he exists and that too, it's worth going to him. Because there is something that they need help with that they cannot help themselves with and that they can go to other people and that people cannot help themselves with. And I'm not talking about someone praying with you, but just knowing I need help because I can't take care of myself. I go to you, you can't help me. I go to you, you can't help me. And it's like, you don't have to go to God because you can get the help you need. You can get something, but you got to stop looking at. At people. And sometimes God allows that to happen so that you can come to him, because again, he loves us that much that he wants to spend time with us. He wants to see you and feel you in his presence. And it's like, why? Just because he loves you. God is love. You can't explain that. It just is what it is. That's how much he likes you. That's how much he wants you. And he will allow you to go through things where people can help you so that as a. If your last resort is to come to me, that he wants you to come to me. [01:14:08] Speaker F: And as children of God in our helping, we must always direct them and lead people. [01:14:13] Speaker A: Yes. You don't want them to lean on you and depend on you. You know that question of, you know when someone says, you know, I need help with this or what happened? And leaders would tell you, well, did you go to the Lord? What did the Lord tell you to point it back to you? That you have to go to him. He's your God, not me. Right. I'm here to assist. But don't make, make me your first point of contact. Or if you do make me your first point of contact, the responsibility is to kind of point them back to, well, don't forget you can go to God for this and that. Build a habit of going to maybe come to me second, third, fourth, or if you have things good enough, you might not have to come to me at all. You know what. [01:14:52] Speaker B: In the Bible, the scripture tells us about fear, right? [01:14:56] Speaker A: Yes. [01:14:57] Speaker B: And God said he would harden Pharaoh's heart. [01:15:01] Speaker A: Yes. [01:15:02] Speaker B: Because he wanted to show his power and his power that he was yelling, Right. So there are times like things happen to people and they're suffering and they know, but still they don't want. And God has to bring them to the very knees. [01:15:16] Speaker A: They need some. [01:15:17] Speaker B: Yeah, some people really stop and look and listen, you know, it has to be so persevere. [01:15:24] Speaker A: Yes. Some people have. [01:15:26] Speaker B: Sometimes you wonder, is God trying to prove something? Is there trying to show us something? You know, because remember he said to Moses, he said, pharaoh is not going to let them go because I am going to. So, yeah, you know, sometimes you wonder, God is in abyss. What is he doing? Why? You know? [01:15:44] Speaker A: And would the Egyptians, when they had Pharaoh as their king and the gods that they worshiped, would they have even understood that their Pharaoh, the God that they worshiped, was not who he said he was unless he did what he did so that they can see that this God that these people are serving is a mightier God? Because people also, they believed in many gods. So I need to say, if you're believing in many gods, that this one here, this one is the one they would not have known to say, oh my goodness, right? The God of these people that we had enslaved in bondage, whatever God they're serving, look at what they did to us. Right? So it did take that for them to see, because they might not have again. They believed in many gods. People believed that there's a God for this, is a God for that. Oh, you serve a God. He did stuff for you. That's nice. We have guys that do these things too. So how would they have known that this God that these people are serving, Right. [01:16:41] Speaker B: Remember ne? [01:16:44] Speaker A: Yes. Yep. [01:16:45] Speaker B: He had to throw him in the furnace and see him come out unscathed to really know that this is the real God. What he did, he changed everything. Said, look, son Daniel, God, if You don't s. Daniel, I'm going to kill you. Serve this God. [01:16:59] Speaker A: Yes. And that was a secondhand experience. And then the other one where I don't. I don't remember if that was the same one or if it was his successor who. Who built up the statue. Right. And then had them worship this golden image and statue after the laws that were set up before, when that happened with Daniel, with the three Hebrew boys and Daniel in the den. And then after that happened to be turned into a beast in the field for seven years. And then after the seven years, now I know, because you hear the speech and he says, now I know that this God is the God. It's like they had known before the second hand experience I saw with that man. That God delivered them. Wow. And then after time has passed, they forgot about that God or didn't give that God the place that God is supposed to have. But when he had his own experience of what happened to him and was able to come out of that experience, he then said, now I know, so that no one else can tell him otherwise. No one else could have told him otherwise because of the experience that he had those seven years. And so we have talked earlier about this. A secondhand experience versus a first hand experience. And then we're going to read the last scripture I have for today, which is Hebrews chapter four. And I think you alluded to it earlier, Pastor Joan, when you were speaking just now. So Hebrews chapter four, verses 14 to 16. 14 to 16, yes. [01:18:31] Speaker D: For we are made for our cases of Christ. [01:18:34] Speaker A: Hebrews 4. Do I have it right? Sorry, sorry, sorry. Yeah. Yes. 14 to 16. [01:18:44] Speaker D: Yes. Seeing then that we have a great high priest that is fast into the errands, Jesus, the Son of God, let us hold fast our profession. For we have now not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feel of our infirmities, but was in all points tempted like we are yet without sins. Let us therefore come boldly on the throne of grace that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time. [01:19:14] Speaker A: Thank you. So I'm going to read it in the amplified version. And it says, inasmuch then as we believers have a great high priest who has already ascended and passed through the heavens, Jesus, the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession of faith and cling tenaciously to our absolute trust in him as Savior. For we do not have a high priest who was unable to sympathize and understand our weaknesses and temptations, but one who has been tempted, knowing exactly how it feels to be human in every aspect as we are. Yet without committing any sin, he knows exactly. Even when we don't understand what we feel, what we're going through, you can have like a confusion, like I don't know what's happening. Even when we don't get it, we know we're experiencing something, but we don't know he knows. So even when you don't, you can still go with him because what you don't know, he knows. [01:20:22] Speaker F: And he will show you if you don't. [01:20:24] Speaker A: That's it. And because he can show you. So we should be able to approach him saying, I don't know what's going on, let me go to God, because if anyone can help me, if anyone can show me, if anyone can bring me clarity, it's Him. Therefore, let us with privilege approach the throne of grace, that is the throne of God's gracious favor, with confidence and without fear. So that we may receive mercy for our failures and find his amazing grace to help in time of need. An appropriate blessing coming just at the right moment. Again, he completely understands us. That should give us some confidence to know. Because if you didn't think that God would understand you, you might go and pray. But would you spend time with him, really telling him what's on your heart? Yes, he knows. However, how are you going to build build your relationship with him if you don't feel that you can trust him so that you can speak to him, to tell him he knows you can make the argument God knows everything. Why do I have to tell Him? Well, how are you going to build your relationship with him if you don't choose to communicate with Him? He's communicating with you. He even gives dreams and visions to people who don't believe in Him. So God is always communicating with, to people. Where's your communication? Right? He exactly understands us. He does. [01:22:05] Speaker F: He knows the root of everything. [01:22:07] Speaker A: He knows it. There's nothing hidden from Him. [01:22:10] Speaker F: The inside? [01:22:11] Speaker A: Yes. All the intricacies? Yes. Every detail. The hairs on your head are numbered. The smallest thing that you might think I used to, when I used to work with students after having my life experiences and I would tell them, you know, do you have any advice? I said, you know, I would ask them, they're going to work, they're going to school, they gotta watch family. And I would ask them, have you gone to the doctor lately? Oh no, I don't go to doctor. You know, you're 20 something, you don't think you ever go to doctor. And I said, I know you feel like you're okay, but you should just make it a habit to get checked and go to the doctor. And if you're experiencing something that's not normal, learn to pay attention to yourself and don't ignore it. Because we can have things happening and we ignore, like, oh, it'll get better, it's fine. Oh, it's nothing. When that was a sign that there was something wrong, but because it seemed minute, we ignored it and we chose not to go to God. It's like, I don't have to go to God with that. You don't have to, but you can. You should. Why not? Even if it's nothing, go to him because you know he can. And if it wants to be something, he can prevent it from turning into something worse. Prevention is a very good medicine, right? Because of Jesus, we have the right to approach God so that we can receive from him all of the things that we truly need. We are in need of his mercy and his grace so that we can continue on each of our individual life's journeys. So those were the scriptures that I had for today as an encouragement. We are never, ever the same people. With each passing day, with each passing moment and life experience, we change. Right? My mother is not the same person now that I knew her to be before. She's not going to be the same person next week. Your husband's not the same person you met when you married him, when you were dating to the person he is now. And she's not the same. We are always growing and changing. And as we are growing and changing, our needs change, things happen, we age, life happens. And with no matter what's going on, even when we think we fully understand, we think. So we really don't. And we need to just be able to understand that we can approach God with anything. He went through a lot to make the path for us to approach Him a lot easier than it used to be. I thought about this before and when Moses was gone and the people complained, who is Moses? We want to talk to God too. And I said, okay, come to the mountain. Put a barricade on the mountain. You want to talk to God? Okay, right? He never said no. He said, let them come, but put these measures in place to protect them. They don't fully understand me, to keep them back. I want them to come. But because of how life was then, they couldn't come too close. When the Lord comes on the mountain, Moses is great. He's having a great time. The people are now afraid. They got what they asked for. And then they couldn't handle it. And then they said, nah, Moses, you continue, you go, you do it. So even when they had a chance to approach God and want to be like Moses and we want to talk to God too, they didn't really fully understand who God was, but he allowed them to come close enough so that they couldn't be hurt. And even with that, it was, was too much for them. We don't have to go through that now. We don't have to be afraid of God. We have a nice, still, quiet, small voice. When you enter into his presence, you don't have to have a barricade. You don't have to go to Mount Sinai. You can be wherever you are, set your intention and say the Lord. Lord, I've come to you now, right here where I am, and just approach him. If you have any sins, acknowledge them. Ask the Lord to help you change your ways. Because sometimes we want to repent, we want to change our minds, but we have habits that are hard to let go of. So you ask the Holy Spirit to help you. He's helped you to identify your issues, and you say, okay, I see it. Help me to fix it. Because of your weakness, you can't do everything yourself. It is not by might or by power, by the spirit of God, you can release those things so that you can feel comfortable to say, okay, I'm here, God. No more animals, no more bloods, no more priests, no more high priests, no more no barricades. You don't need any of those things just to approach God. And it doesn't matter what it is, just go, just approach Him. Who knows what's going to happen. Not in the next week, the next few months. Once approach him, we're gonna have a lot to talk about to God. So that's what I have for today. I don't know if anyone has any questions or last comments, but there was more like an encouragement. Because with the way life is going, I know that for those of you that are older, you can remember what life was like, and you can think about when things were on the news and what was happening, and you can compare it to now, and you can clearly see that the world has gotten more sinful, that it's growing at a rapid rate. Even think about things they had on TV where you couldn't say certain things on television. Oh, now, forget it. You don't even need cable, just on regular television. Before, they used to block certain words and certain types of clothing and wear, and they don't care about that now. Just every time it just gets worse and worse. Worse and worse. Yeah. [01:28:00] Speaker F: And people who are like public people, like public figures. [01:28:05] Speaker A: Yes. [01:28:06] Speaker F: You know, like athletes. Different. The language, like. Okay. And children, you know, like look at them and so on. But I wanted to, I wanted to read this, this scripture I read this morning. [01:28:20] Speaker A: Which one is it? [01:28:21] Speaker F: And I think it lines up with the people who don't believe there's a God or don't want to go to God. I just read 1, 2, 3, Psalm 19. [01:28:31] Speaker A: Okay. [01:28:32] Speaker F: The heavens declare the glory of God and the firmament showeth his handiwork. Day unto day uttereth speech and night unto night. [01:28:44] Speaker A: Yes. [01:28:44] Speaker F: There is no speech nor language where their voice is. [01:28:48] Speaker A: Not that it's there, but you know, what are we choosing to focus on? The evidence of God's existence. It's there, it's everywhere. And you don't have to go far. So, you know, we may, you know, we just pray that people would be able to see the truth. We know that seeds are being planted in people's hearts of the Word all over the world. Seed are being watered and we pray that the seed of the Word that their heart becomes good ground. Because people are stubborn, you know, he called his own people stiff necked. They were stubborn. So that's not new. Do you think people are going to be less stubborn now it's even worse. Now it's even worse. We pray for them, hoping that they would come. We don't know who will come. God knows. But because we don't know, we cover people as much as we can so that they would come and, and just be able to approach God, you know, that we would continue to do so and that people would come to a place where they would believe that he exists and that they understand that because he understands literally everything about us. He knows what it's like to be human, that there's nothing that we can say or think that he doesn't want to hear. We can go to him with it. So we thank God so we can. I guess before I close, before we pray for Genesis, I want to just read some various healing scriptures. Just kind of have like a list before we go ahead and pray for her. [01:30:32] Speaker B: Wor he knows everything. He knows what you have need. But yet he says ask, ask. See, because if he was standing, if you, you want to know who's at home, you can't who stand at the door, you're not going to knock, you don't get an answer. Now you want something, see here and Pastor Drew has apples and the thing, and you want one. But if you don't ask him, you never know that you want an apple. [01:31:04] Speaker A: So that you'd be able to get it. Yep. [01:31:06] Speaker B: And the next thing, too, is that you just want to build a relationship with it, like a parent to a child. You know, you go to your parent, mom, please, can I have this? Can I have that? You know, and that's the relationship God wants with us. So he said, come to me and ask me. [01:31:20] Speaker A: Ask me. He loves us that way. Yeah. Like, he really does like us. I think sometimes people don't get, like, it's like, we talk about it, but people say, I don't understand. It's like, no, God really, he created you, but he likes you. He loves you. Like, he wants you, you know? Yeah. Like, you can't explain, like, how much. Like, it's really, like, he loves you that bad. He loves you that bad. That good. He wants you so much. Like, he, you know, you just don't have words. But it's like, he wants me that much. Yes. More than any lover you've ever had, any husband, any wife, any boyfriend, any girlfriend. And more than your parents could have loved you the best as a favorite child. He wants you so much. So much. But I think people don't really get that. It's like, oh, I should have religion. And it's like, no, it's not about religion and practices and things. It's about knowing the person that loves you the most, knowing the real reason why you're here. He is the reason why we're here, and just getting to know him and realizing the most amount of love we could ever have. You know, if people could kind of just get a sense of that and really come to understand, you know, approaching God or thinking about God differently would be just a little easier. [01:32:32] Speaker F: You would think that somebody died for you, that you would know. [01:32:38] Speaker A: You would think so. But people are so skeptical these days. I don't believe that. There's so much happening, so many things to blind and distract, that it's hard for them to even think about it that way. Yes. [01:32:47] Speaker D: The question Emma, want to ask playing in my mind. [01:32:50] Speaker A: Yeah. [01:32:51] Speaker D: Is it possible for me, is there really to ask God, have a relationship. Can we truly have a relationship with God? When I have hatred for somebody next to me, next door to me, or. [01:33:00] Speaker A: I need to make it right, that person that I can truly surrender to God, you know? Yes. So you can have a relationship with the Lord, because in order for him to reveal that to you, you have to have relationship so you can have a starting relationship with the Lord. And as you grow in your relationship, he begins to reveal things in you that you have to correct. So in order for you to receive that information from the Spirit, saying, okay, great, now that you're coming to me and we're here, you have an issue with this person, I need you to go and correct or reconcile or, hey, you said this. Liar. You keep doing this thing. That's not good. I don't like that. So you can have a relationship, and God will wink at your sin because you're not aware. But once he makes you aware, you're now held accountable. And if he makes you aware and you don't correct it, then you're in disobedience. Then the relationship has an issue. So you can start that way. But once you're made aware of any sins or issues, you now have the responsibility to listen to the Spirit and make those corrections. But after that point, then your relationship is strained because he said, but I told you to fix this thing. Why haven't you fixed it yet? So you can start. But once you have relationship, then someone say, okay, now that I know you, we can talk. I want to tell you this thing. I want to show you something. But that can happen with the relationship first. [01:34:17] Speaker F: And that is the love. [01:34:19] Speaker A: And that is the love. Yes. [01:34:20] Speaker F: In action and emotion. [01:34:24] Speaker A: Right? Yes. Right. Yeah, it's true. You know, you can have those children doing bad. And because you have relationship with them and they get to a place, you can say, okay, now they're old enough to handle this now. I can tell them about this thing, see how they receive it. And even if they struggle, you can say, I can help you with this. But again, you have a relationship to start. Because if there's no relationship, how is someone going to receive something from you? And sometimes the Lord will send people. So let's say you have an issue. He's calling you, but you're not there. He can send brothers and sisters. Sometimes people can receive and sometimes they won't. Right. He says, you know you won't to tell the truth of God in love. Right. Which means helping people to make corrections. We don't know whether or not they're going to receive it. But if he has tasked you with approaching someone to help them fix something that they're not aware of or to fix something for someone who's not in relationship with him, that might be the start of it. They might receive you, but if they don't, you do your part and The Lord will continue to send. He will continue to send. And you might not be the one. It might be two or three persons after you where they might finally listen. They might have to go into that really bad situation. But they can look back and say, the Lord kept sending people to me and I didn't pay attention or I didn't listen. So they can't say that the Lord never tried to warn them or tell them. They would look back and say those were the signs and I missed them. Yeah. [01:35:51] Speaker D: They get to acknowledge the sin. [01:35:53] Speaker A: Yes. [01:35:54] Speaker D: And make it right. So when that showy thing and we acknowledge it, you need to go, cuz life is short. And I said, I'm not tomorrow. [01:36:02] Speaker A: And you might think, yeah. And you think you have time. [01:36:07] Speaker D: You got to know xyz. So we have right now. [01:36:14] Speaker A: Let's make it work while we have it now. Yeah. Make no sentinel that. [01:36:18] Speaker D: Yeah. I showing. I saying, God, I love you and. [01:36:20] Speaker A: I can't show you love. [01:36:21] Speaker D: Every day that makes more sense. [01:36:25] Speaker B: The ways of a man seen it right in his own eyes. But God ponders the heart. Now look at Saul. Saul was Saul and he was so dedicated. But God, this God, he loves so much, right. He see who Saul was and what Saul wanted do. And Saul swore he was doing the right thing. [01:36:46] Speaker A: He thought he was. [01:36:47] Speaker B: Yeah, he thought he was doing the right thing. I'm killing them. They don't want killing them. No, this is my. [01:36:52] Speaker A: I don't kill it. [01:36:53] Speaker B: God said no. God threw him aside and showed him the right way, man, this is not the way you can get the people to serve me without having to kill them, without having to do that. And God took him aside, but he had to go through some things, right? And God aside and showed him the right way. And look at who Paul became. [01:37:15] Speaker A: And that. That was the experience he needed. Right. You. That was what he needed. Anything less, he would not have made a change. That was. That's what he needed. That is what he needed. Someone else might not need that type of encounter. Some people might need more. Right? But he got the encounter that he needed so that he could make the change that was necessary for him to do what the Lord needed him to do. He had it kind of there when the Lord called me, said, yes, Lord. Like he knew it was the Lord. And he said, okay, now you're listening. I have this relationship. I need you to fix this thing. Right? So he called and he answered and made that change. And so we don't know, like you said, what relationships people need, but we hope that they get the ones that they need, those who will turn. Yeah, you have. [01:38:00] Speaker G: So, yes, each person has a part to play in going to God. God is not going to do our part, of course. God knows what we're going through and what we should come with, but he expect us to do our part. [01:38:14] Speaker A: Yes. [01:38:15] Speaker G: When you think of the reason why God have us here is not for everything that we are doing is to get that relationship. He wants his purpose to be fulfilled and on the way. [01:38:26] Speaker A: For his purpose. [01:38:27] Speaker D: Purpose. [01:38:27] Speaker G: His divine purpose to be fulfilled in us. For Godliness to be created in us. For our character to mimic his character is for us to keep going to him. And as we go to him, he revealed to him parts of himself. He revealed to him areas of him that he wants us to adapt, to become like him. So that him, being God, there can create here on Earth the kingdom of God with all his little babies mimicking him, being like him, acting like him. So this earth with the kingdom can be like an extension of him, so to speak. Because when he look at us, he see Himself. We have to keep coming to him for all of that to be. [01:39:13] Speaker A: Has to be continuous. Continuous. So we thank God for that. I wanted to read some scriptures before we pray. There is a young child who has a cancer diagnosis within Sherry's family. So we are going to pray for her before we leave today. [01:39:31] Speaker G: Where's the child? [01:39:32] Speaker A: Oh, I don't know. I don't. You have to ask Mr. Shirley. [01:39:35] Speaker G: Where's the child? [01:39:38] Speaker D: In the island. [01:39:40] Speaker A: Okay. [01:39:41] Speaker G: We're gonna do the script. Yes. But nobody has to die from cancer. There's Dr. Lederman in Manhattan. No surgery, no chemotherapy, none of that. You can walk to your treatment and walk home. If you have, like a bump to cancer, it's removed in one treatment and you walk home. [01:40:05] Speaker A: No. [01:40:06] Speaker G: You know, no. You don't feel bad, Feel anything. And this has been going on for a while. People from all over the world go there for their treatment. It takes Medicaid, Medicare, most insurance. So anybody at all have cancer, even if you don't, if you're not diagnosed, go there. It's a doctor's office. It's a big doctor's office in Manhattan. One to one, food choices. Call in, call and find a. He'll tell you. Because I listen to him, like daily. [01:40:38] Speaker A: He's on the radio. Okay. [01:40:40] Speaker G: On the Internet. Dr. Leaderman. One to one, one, two, one. Two choices. [01:40:46] Speaker A: Okay? So, yes, we'll get the information so. [01:40:47] Speaker G: They can get cancer. Don't wait and just go if anything, because A lot of the people that go there, the doctor missed the cancer until it got too late and they cut off. One person lost all her hand, the whole answer hand from up here, because she couldn't wait. The doctor was late and she leave, gone wherever, cut off her hand. And when the cancer come back like a ball, she went right back there to get it. But the hand is gone. [01:41:14] Speaker A: Yes, ma'. Am. [01:41:14] Speaker G: You see, they don't do surgery, but it's radius surgery, they call it. So they get the cancer out of you without the, you know, the chemo, without the start cutting you bloodless, start surgery. And you walk to your apartment and you walk home. [01:41:33] Speaker A: Yeah, we'll get it from you so she can share with her family and see. [01:41:35] Speaker G: Yeah, I'm telling you because so many people go there and get the cancer cured because of somebody like me telling them. So that's. I'm telling all of you, not good. [01:41:47] Speaker A: Yes. Thank you for sharing that. Sometimes you just never know what's out there. So thank you so much. There they go. [01:41:53] Speaker G: Don't be here. You take the plane or the train and you just get your treatment and. [01:41:57] Speaker A: You go back home. [01:41:59] Speaker G: Yes. [01:42:01] Speaker A: So I just read a few just to kind of remind us of what the Lord said in his Word and what he said he can do before we go ahead and pray. Psalm 41:3 the Lord will strengthen him upon the bed of languishing, and thou will make all his bed in his sickness. Psalm 118 and 17 I shall not die, but live to declare the works of the Lord. Psalm 91 and 10 There shall no evil befall thee, neither shall any plague come nigh thy dwelling. Psalm 145:14 the Lord upholdeth all that fall, and he raiseth up all those that be bowed down. Psalm 147:3 he healeth the broken in heart, and he bindeth up their wounds. Proverbs 9:11 for by me thy days shall be be multiplied, and the years of thy life shall be increased. Proverbs 14 and 30. A sound heart is the life of the flesh, but envy is the rottenness of the bones. Proverbs 15 and 30 the light of the eyes rejoiceth the heart, and a good report maketh the bones fat. Proverbs 16 and 2 Pleasant words are as a honeycomb, sweet to the soul, and health to the bones. Proverbs 17 and 22Amerry heart doeth good like a medicine, but it is a broken spirit that dries the bones. Isaiah 40 and 29 he giveth power to the faint and to them that have no might, he increaseth in strength. Isaiah 40 and 29, Isaiah 58 and 11. And the Lord shall guide thee continually, and satisfy thy soul in drought, and make thy fat thy bones, and thou shalt be watered. Thou shalt be like a watered garden. And the spring of waters, the spring of water, the water of those who spill not. Jeremiah 17 and 14. Heal me, O Lord, and I shall be healed. Save me, and I shall be saved, for thou art my praise. Jeremiah 33:6. Behold, I will bring it health and cure, and I will cure them and reveal unto them the abundance of, of peace and truth. First Thessalonians 5, 23, 24 and the very God of peace sanctify you wholly. And I pray God, your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless until the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. Faithful is he that calleth you, who will also do it. Hebrews 12, 12, 13. Wherefore lift up the hands which hang down the feeble knees, and make straight paths for your feet, lest that which is lame be turned out of the way, but let it rather be healed. And third John 1 and 2. Beloved, I wish above all things that thou mayest prosper and be in health even as thy soul prospereth. We thank the Lord for his word. He said his word will not return unto his to him void. And he also had used little children to say that this is the example that we need to be like, come to him as little children. And if you reject one of the least of these, that you reject him also. So children are important to God. We are children before we can become adults. And so we want to approach God for Genesis and her family. So if you. If you can, you can stand with me. Thank you, Lord. Father, we bless your name. We thank you Jehovah. Rapha, we thank you for your love. We thank you for your grace, your mercies, oh God, there is nothing that is impossible with you. We give your name, glory and honor, O God, because you are the Lord that heals. You are the Lord that give life. You are the Lord that creates, oh God. And we heard this morning about Genesis. And so we feel for her and her family, God, in you we live and move and have our being. It is in you that we have purpose. You are the reason why we are here. And so, Father, we turn to you, recognizing you as Jehovah, Rapha, the Lord that healed. And we lift little Genesis before you at four years old. Father, we thank you for her life. We thank you for her body. We thank you for her spirit, all that you have given her. God, we thank you for her parents and her family. And we lift up before you, thanking you for her life, oh God, praying in the name of Jesus, that the reason and the purpose with which you have given her, that she will live that purpose out. In the name of Jesus, we know that there is nothing that is impossible with you. Will the Lord that heals, oh God. It has been reported that she has cancer. Tests were done, X rays and things. But God, you have the final say. So we lift her before you, oh God, placing her body in your hands, thanking you for her life, praying, oh God, that whatever it was that was seen, whatever was that showed up, be eradicated. In the name of Jesus. We pray, oh God, that you will strengthen her body, that anything that is within it, that is growing at a rate, that it should not grow too fast or too slow, anything within her body, oh God, that should not be that. That it be removed. And we ask, oh God, in the name of Jesus, if there is any right, if there was anything that was done, if there was anything that said that opened the door, that allowed that thing to happen, we ask, oh God, that you reveal it to whoever needs to know. Reveal it, oh God, so that it can be taken care of, repented of that it can be renounced and denounced. In the name of Jesus. We are sorry, oh God, we are sorry for any sins that were committed. If there's anything in the family line that is. That is making a way for this thing to come, we ask, oh God, that you reveal it so that they would know, so that it can be taken care of from the root. In the name of Jesus. We don't always know what's happening, not just in our bodies, but what happened before you allowed us to be on this earth. But, Father, you see all things. You know all things. You can take care of anything. So we ask, oh God, that you touch the hearts of Genesis and her mother, her father, all of her, her family, whoever is there, touch their hearts. And I pray that even in this report we speak life, oh God, in the name of Jesus, that as long as you allow Genesis, that she will live and not die, that she would be in your will for her life, that whatever purpose you have given her, she will live out, that she will be strengthened, oh God. Father, you are a miracle working God. We thank you, oh God. There is no disease, there is no hurt, no harm that anyone can go through that you cannot fix. So we thank you and we receive any revelation that you choose to give whoever you choose to give it to that would reveal what the root cause of this issue, this cancer, is in that little girl's body. And we not only thank you for the revelation, we thank you for the instructions on what, what to do. In the name of Jesus, if there is fasting, whatever prayer, whatever needs to happen, we thank you for letting us know. Dreams, visions, other service, whatever you choose to do, help us not to miss it. In the name of Jesus, we thank you, oh God, for your word. We give you glory and honor for your word. You are a healer, Jesus. You are a deliverer. You love children. Yes. You. Thank you. [01:50:23] Speaker C: You. [01:50:24] Speaker A: When we are born, we are first babies and children before we are adults, oh God. So we ask, oh God, that you would have your way in her life, in their situation. I pray that where there is no salvation in the hearts of people in her family, that salvation will come. Help those in her family or her who might not believe that you exist. Help them to believe that you exist. Help them to believe that you are the true and the living God. And help them to know that you can heal and that there is nothing too hard for you. I pray, oh God, in the name of Jesus, that they would come into relationship with you. In the name of Jesus, that salvation would be a legacy over their family. We thank you for the manifestation of healing and deliverance and wholeness that would come not to just to their bodies, but to their minds and to their hearts, oh God, in the name of Jesus, may salvation come, may healing come and deliverance come. In the name of Jesus, we thank you for joy and hope, oh God, and faith. In the name of Jesus, we thank you for testimonies that are coming, oh God, we give you glory and honor, oh God, that your word is working. So we thank you, oh God. We bless you again for Genesis and her mom and her family or parents, any grandparents, siblings. We thank you for them all, because they are in this together. And I pray now for the medical team, every nurse, every doctor, every caretaker. We ask that you have a hand in whatever work that they are doing. If there's anything the enemy is trying to do through people who are, who are serving her, that, that, that don't know you. I ask that you block it, oh God, in the name of Jesus, that you work through the nurses, work through the doctors, work through every medical report, every blood test, every CAT scan, everything, whatever it is that you work through it all, God, help them to have the faith that they need, comfort their hearts, strengthen their belief in you, God in the name of Jesus. And may it not just be for the moment, but may it be for the rest of their lives that they would come into relationship with you and have faith in you for who you really and truly are. And help them to understand how much you love them. Them. Help them to understand that you love them a lot. So much so we give you glory and honor. We thank you that you would allow us to approach you, oh God. On behalf of Genesis and her family, we thank you for this time. We thank you for your holy Spirit. We thank you for your word which is alive and quick and powerful and sharper than any two edged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit and of the joints and marrow. Your word is a discerner of the thoughts and the intents of the heart. So I thank you that your word is piercing their hearts. That it is working, it is restoring, it is reconciling. We thank you for what it is you sent your word to heal us and deliver us from our destructions. So I pray that they would be healed and delivered from this destruction. But Father, we know that your ways are not our ways and your thoughts are not our thoughts. So if there was anything that might have been prayed for that might not be in your will. And we don't know what outcome you want. But I pray above all that in this situation your kingdom come and your will be done on earth as it is in heaven. I thank you, O God. In Jesus name I pray. Amen. Amen. [01:54:40] Speaker C: Sometimes it takes a mountain. [01:54:46] Speaker B: Sometimes a. [01:54:50] Speaker C: Sometimes it takes a desert. But yeah, your love is so much stronger that whatever trouble. [01:55:05] Speaker A: Trust me sometime. Thank you Lord. We thank God for his grace, his mercies, his word, his love. So if there is nothing else, we'll, you know, close in prayer. If someone please close for me. [01:55:34] Speaker D: Father God, we thank you, oh God. Father, we thank you for the word that you done for us today. [01:55:39] Speaker A: Oh God. [01:55:40] Speaker D: Father, I pray that our spiritual ears and hearts will be able to receive what you have sent for us. [01:55:45] Speaker A: Oh God. [01:55:46] Speaker D: Father, I pray for our spiritual leaders, Pastor Jo and El Bar. [01:55:50] Speaker A: O God. [01:55:50] Speaker D: Father Elor. As you brought the word, Father, I ask that you give them time to relax and also give them in time to study, oh God. To show themselves Approve unto you Father, as we leave this place. But never from your present. Father, we thank you to traveling mercies. Father, we thank you for keeping our homes as we was away from it, oh God. And that we'll have some here to go back into as we leave here in the name of Jesus. Father, we thank you for the days that are coming in this week, oh God, that you will carry us. You will ordain our sister steps, oh God. Father, you will keep our mind stayed on you, oh God. And we will apply the word that was sent for us today. We thank you, oh God. In no other name but in Jesus name. [01:56:33] Speaker G: Thank you, Jesus. [01:56:47] Speaker A: Tiger. [01:57:13] Speaker E: Okay, thanks. First Thanksgiving. [01:57:16] Speaker A: God bless course. [01:57:54] Speaker G: Day and night. [01:57:57] Speaker A: Every day. Sam Sa.