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SPECIAL MESSAGE FOR 2025!!! | Brother Chris

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    It takes money to buy a house.
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    But it takes wisdom to build a home.
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    Grace and peace to you all children of God, in the wonderful name of Jesus Christ.
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    Before anything else, let us pray together.
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    Lord Jesus Christ, thank You
    for the grace to see this day.
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    Lord, we surrender to You.
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    We surrender to Your sovereign will.
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    Oh Lord, let Your Word have
    its way in our lives.
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    Let Your Word have its place in our hearts.
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    In the mighty name of Jesus Christ.
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    If you feel surrounded,
    the answer is surrender.
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    Are you surrounded at this moment by doubts, distractions, discouragements?
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    Are you surrounded by a situation
    that seems so overwhelming?
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    The answer lies in surrender.
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    Because when you turn to God, there is
    no situation He cannot turn around.
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    Right now, receive that
    strength to surrender -
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    surrender to Jesus, surrender to His will!
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    In the mighty name of Jesus Christ we pray!
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    Thank You, Jesus, for opening our hearts.
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    In Jesus’ mighty name we pray and the children of God said, “Amen!”
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    Welcome, people of God.
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    Welcome to everyone to this special service.
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    I know that for many of us
    connected at this moment,
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    it is a time which is not easy for your flesh.
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    There is a lesson here.
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    I want you to recognise that blessings
    are often accompanied by battles.
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    What is a battle to this flesh may
    well be beneficial to your spirit.
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    What is hard for the flesh is
    often helpful for your spirit.
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    If you serve God only at your convenience, then your service will lack commitment.
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    I'm not saying there will
    not be any commitment.
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    There may be partial commitment,
    not total commitment.
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    Do you know the problem here?
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    If your commitment to God is partial -
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    you’re serving God only
    at your convenience -
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    and you are confronted with a situation where your faith in Christ conflicts
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    with traditional belief,
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    with cultural expectations,
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    with the pressures of position,
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    with the affairs of this world...
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    If your commitment to God is partial
    and you face such a conflict,
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    you are likely to remain indifferent,
    to try and sit on the fence
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    especially when holding to your faith involves some pain, some sacrifice.
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    But if you try to avoid pain in the flesh,
    you will soon invite pain in the spirit.
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    Because what starts with complacency
    will soon end with compromise.
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    It's only a matter of time.
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    The road of compromise is never
    ending and ever widening.
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    That is why when it comes to the things of God, the service of God -
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    we must be wholehearted.
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    Total commitment, not partial.
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    We don't just serve God when
    it's convenient for us.
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    We don't just serve God
    when times are good.
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    So I am happy that you are connected
    to this service today -
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    a time that may be inconvenient for your flesh will be very beneficial to your spirit.
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    And before I talk about the main subject,
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    the main word of encouragement
    I want to share with you today,
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    I have a word of advice.
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    Please, people of God, take this
    message to heart. Write it down.
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    It takes money to buy a house.
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    But it takes wisdom to build a home.
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    Think about that for a moment.
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    If you want to write it down, write it down.
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    It takes money to buy a house.
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    It takes wisdom to build a home.
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    What must be built cannot be bought.
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    No amount of money can buy
    what must be built.
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    You cannot bypass God's processing.
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    You cannot buy your way
    out of God's processing.
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    Do you know why I’m inspired
    to share this with you?
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    I'm very concerned about
    the young generation.
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    I'm concerned about the
    generation that is coming.
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    There are so many people who reach out to us here at God’s Heart TV
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    asking for prayer because they say, ‘My son, my daughter - they are rebellious.
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    They are addicted to their phone, addicted to pornography, addicted to drugs.
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    My son, my daughter - they don’t
    respect me. They are rebellious.’
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    And I put it to you today, people of God.
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    Of what value is your money if you are losing your children to the vices of this world?
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    If you don't train your children,
    the world will claim them.
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    If you don't discipline your children,
    the world will indoctrinate them.
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    I know this is a heavy subject
    to begin this message.
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    But I'm concerned, children of God.
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    I'm concerned at what is happening
    to the young people.
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    So many prayer requests, concerns, petitions from people -
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    ‘I'm worried about my son.
    I'm worried about my daughter.
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    I've lost my son.
    I've lost my daughter in sin.’
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    What's happening?
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    It takes money to send
    your children to school.
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    But it takes wisdom to prepare them for it.
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    Because without discipline, without character, education can soon become indoctrination
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    that shifts people away from God.
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    People of God, this year, 2025, carry your children along in the things of the Spirit.
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    Carry your children along
    in the things of God.
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    We cannot afford to continue in the same way and expect a different result.
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    That is a word of warning as we start this message today. Think about it.
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    In the last few days, I have had some time away in a place of nature.
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    And during a time of prayer, there was one word that kept ringing in my heart -
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    and that word was very simply ‘foundation’.
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    Because I realise that there are so many people today who are focused on building
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    but their foundation is faulty.
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    There's a wrong foundation which has given rise to a misplaced expectation on God.
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    And the consequence of that is that
    people are very easily disappointed
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    when their expectations are not met.
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    They are frustrated. They are disillusioned. They are discouraged.
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    They can easily fall into the web of doubt and deceit when their expectations are not met.
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    But the problem is that their expectations are misplaced, misguided
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    because the foundation is faulty.
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    There’s a problem with the foundation of their Christian lives, Christian journeys.
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    So, I want to talk about a subject today that has to do with foundational truth, a vital subject.
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    Because look, people of God, no matter how much effort you invest in your building,
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    how big it becomes and
    how beautiful it appears,
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    if the foundation is not strong,
    it will eventually fall to pieces.
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    Many of us are building on something
    that is very insecure, unstable.
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    We need to address this, we need to correct it, so that we shift our focus
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    back to the right foundation.
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    Speaking on a subject like this, I cannot help but turn to the famous words of Jesus
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    at the very end of the ‘Sermon
    on the Mount’ in Matthew 7.
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    Please turn with me in your
    Bibles to Matthew 7:24-27.
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    Jesus said, “Therefore whoever hears these sayings of Mine, and does them,
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    I will liken him to a wise man who
    built his house on the rock:
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    and the rain descended, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house;
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    and it did not fall, for it was
    founded on the rock.
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    But everyone who hears these sayings
    of Mine, and does not do them,
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    will be like a foolish man who
    built his house on the sand:
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    and the rain descended, the floods came, and the winds blew
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    and beat on that house; and it fell.
    And great was its fall.”
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    There is one simple thing that differentiates the foolish man from the wise man in this story.
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    Because both of them heard
    the same message.
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    Both of them possessed
    the same knowledge.
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    But the wise man was a doer of the Word.
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    Why is it today, people of God,
    that so often,
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    there seems to be a barrier
    between hearing and doing?
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    Think about that.
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    We hear the Word.
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    We hear the truth.
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    We're inspired by the truth.
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    We are motivated to do what is right
    when we hear the message.
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    But so often the translation of what we hear to what we do is a problem.
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    And if you talk of foundation - like I said, there's a problem with foundation -
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    the only solid foundation
    is a doer of the Word.
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    Knowledge of God's Word alone
    is not a solid foundation.
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    There must be understanding.
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    It takes the brain to know.
    It takes the heart to understand.
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    Knowledge of the Word may only
    demand for the state of your mind
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    but understanding of the Word demands for the state of your heart.
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    The letters of the Word require
    only the state of the mind.
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    But the Spirit, which gives life,
    which gives illumination,
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    which brings understanding
    and therefore application -
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    the Spirit of God requires
    the state of the heart.
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    Think about this, people of God.
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    What is the hindrance between
    your hearing and your doing,
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    your acting, your applying the Word?
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    It’s not just a matter of having the knowledge or hearing the truth.
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    What do you do with it?
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    One of the biggest problems we have today that is hindering our acting on the Word -
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    let me put it like this:
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    Many today are spiritually starved yet wondering why they are spiritually weak.
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    What do I mean by spiritually weak?
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    When you succumb to the temptation
    you should overcome.
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    When you return to the very road that you know brought destruction.
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    When your weakness seems to
    be greater than your strength.
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    These are signs that you
    are spiritually weak.
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    Many of us today are spiritually weak
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    because we are spiritually
    starving ourselves.
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    Let me try and use this example.
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    You are not connected but you are
    still expecting the download.
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    It's like those of us connected
    through Zoom right now.
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    Before you joined the service through Zoom, you had to go through a process.
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    You had to make sure you had data, internet - you logged in, you connected.
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    That's why you can be present to hear, listen and receive at this moment.
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    Many of us today - we seem to be content in a state of disconnection,
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    and we are surprised when we are not downloading revelation.
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    We are not downloading instruction.
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    We are not downloading direction.
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    Our connection is disconnected.
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    We maybe receive a good ‘service’ on Sunday when we hear the Word - we get connected.
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    Then Monday - we break connection.
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    Tuesday - we’ve lost connection.
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    Wednesday - we are on our own.
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    And we are unable to download, to receive
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    what God is saying through
    His Word and by His Spirit.
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    What happens when you are weak physically if you starve your body?
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    You are wide open to sickness.
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    What happens when you
    are weak spiritually?
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    You are wide open to temptation.
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    You are wide open to deception.
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    You are wide open!
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    This is one of the major problems.
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    We receive the Word of God during
    a service, during church on Sunday.
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    Maybe there are times as a family
    we gather together and read the Bible.
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    But then we expect the nourishment we receive for one day to last the whole week.
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    Don't deceive yourself.
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    There must be daily time with God.
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    There is no shortcut, people of God.
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    There's no shortcut to spiritual maturity.
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    There's no shortcut to
    heavenly understanding.
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    You must spend daily time with God.
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    That’s the first thing.
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    We're still going to talk about the way and manner you spend that time.
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    But the first thing you must do is recognise
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    there must be daily time with God
    as part of your lifestyle.
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    It's not enough to join a service
    every week; it’s not sufficient.
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    You need daily time with God.
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    Why? Because daily time with God demands daily settlement with man
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    and daily reckoning with sin.
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    You keep short accounts.
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    That's why you need to have
    a relationship with God.
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    I want to use a portion of Scripture from the book of Nehemiah in the Old Testament
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    to detail the attitude of the people
    who were receiving God's Word
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    to identify four key ingredients
    to understanding.
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    We must receive God's Word - but what is the way, manner in which we receive it?
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    What is the state of our
    hearts as we receive it?
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    These are important points to understand how we go from hearing to acting
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    for there to be a firm foundation.
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    Okay, let’s turn to Nehemiah 8.
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    I'm going to highlight four simple ingredients to understanding
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    that we can learn from this passage.
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    And as you hear these things,
    examine yourself, examine your life.
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    Because in 2025, my dear
    brothers and sisters in Christ,
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    you cannot withstand the challenges
    ahead without recognising
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    the importance of daily time with God.
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    I am not talking about something
    that's just nice, advisable.
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    I'm talking about something that is necessary, integral, essential for your life.
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    Okay, let's read together and learn from the children of Israel - Nehemiah 8:1.
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    “Now all the people gathered together as one man in the open square that was in
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    front of the Water Gate; and they told Ezra the scribe to bring the Book of the Law of Moses,
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    which the Lord had commanded Israel.”
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    The people requested that the
    priest bring God's Word.
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    “So Ezra the priest brought the Law before the assembly of men and women
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    and all who could hear with understanding on the first day of the seventh month.
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    Then he read from it in the open square that was in front of the Water Gate
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    from morning until midday, before the men and women and those who could understand;
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    and the ears of all the people were attentive to the Book of the Law.
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    And Ezra opened the book in the sight of all the people, for he was standing above
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    all the people; and when he opened it,
    all the people stood up.
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    And Ezra blessed the Lord, the great God. Then all the people answered, ‘Amen, Amen!’
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    while lifting up their hands.
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    And they bowed their heads and worshipped the Lord with their faces to the ground.”
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    Let me stop there.
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    I'm not reading this to identify a physical pattern which these people adopted. No.
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    I want to talk about their attitude of hearts and the lesson we can learn from this.
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    The first ingredient we read is this -
    desire for God’s Word.
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    Write it down:
    1. Desire for God’s Word
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    Take note - the people gathered together and they requested Ezra the priest
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    to bring the Word of God.
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    They expressed their desire
    for the Word of God.
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    I think it's important to emphasise
    here, people of God, that
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    as far as we are living in this world,
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    we will be subject to many pressures
    trying to influence our priorities.
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    I speak to many people who say,
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    ‘Brother Chris, I really want to spend
    more time in the Word of God
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    but I simply don’t have the time;
    I am too busy.
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    I'm so busy with this responsibility
    and that responsibility.
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    I have this work to do.
    I have my kids to look after.
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    I have this to do. I have that to do.
    I have this social responsibility.’
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    Look, people of God -
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    if pressures can sway your priorities,
    then your principles are pretentious.
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    What do I mean?
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    You will never find the time for the
    Word of God; you must create it.
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    Don’t just expect it to be easy
    for your flesh. No!
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    But if you genuinely desire something,
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    you will prioritise it in
    your time management.
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    It's a matter of desire.
  • 27:05 - 27:08
    No matter how busy you are,
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    no matter how focused you are on your work, assignments or whatever it is,
  • 27:13 - 27:18
    when it’s time to eat physical food,
    you create time for it
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    because you recognise how valuable it is.
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    If you can do it for the flesh,
    how much more your spirit?
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    Priorities - you will never rise
    above the level you prioritise.
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    I'm not talking about something that's merely advisable or nice.
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    I'm talking about something necessary.
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    Your life depends on this spiritually.
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    Take note of this - desire for the Word of God. That’s the first ingredient.
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    The second follows.
    It says this in Nehemiah 8:3,
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    “Then he read from it in the open square that was in front of the Water Gate
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    from morning until midday...”
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    2. Time for God’s Word - quality time.
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    Not just when we have finished every
    other activity and our body is tired
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    that we say, ‘Let me bring out my Bible.’
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    Many of us only read the Bible
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    when we have exhausted ourselves
    from every other activity.
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    Yes, we give time to the Word of God but it’s not our quality time, our best time.
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    It's something we rush into and rush out of.
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    Or we do it to fulfil tradition.
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    ‘Yes, I read my Bible today.
    I read my one verse.’
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    We rush in, rush out.
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    This is one of the reasons why hearing does not often translate into doing,
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    why we hear without understanding, without applying the Word.
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    We don’t give quality time.
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    And as I said, you may listen to
    this message today and say,
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    ‘But Brother Chris, it's not easy.
    There's so many things I'm doing.’
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    But I’m telling you, people of God - for you to come to understanding of God’s Word,
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    so that you, by the help of
    the Holy Spirit, can apply it
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    into your life, work, relationships
    and daily circumstances,
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    you must be prepared to
    sacrifice quality time,
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    to read the Bible slowly,
    attentively, repeatedly.
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    Not to speed-read like you’re reading
    a novel, checking the news
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    or looking at the latest football results.
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    You can't compare the precious
    Word of God to something fleshly.
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    Quality time in the Word of God.
  • 30:04 - 30:06
    Let’s go to number three.
  • 30:06 - 30:18
    Nehemiah 8:3 - “And the ears of all the people were attentive to the Book of the Law.”
  • 30:18 - 30:23
    3. Attention for God’s Word
  • 30:23 - 30:24
    When you read the Bible,
  • 30:24 - 30:29
    when you listen to a sermon, just like
    we're connected here right now,
  • 30:29 - 30:35
    are you paying full attention?
  • 30:35 - 30:40
    Have you disconnected
    from every distraction?
  • 30:40 - 30:46
    Is there something troubling your heart before you joined this service,
  • 30:46 - 30:49
    before you open your Bible to read?
  • 30:49 - 30:55
    And your heart is still troubled and you are reading - you cannot give your full attention.
  • 30:55 - 31:01
    Many people today pick up the Bible but our hearts are still full of distractions.
  • 31:01 - 31:04
    We have the Bible here;
    we have our phone here.
  • 31:04 - 31:10
    As we read one verse, we receive a message - our focus shifts.
  • 31:10 - 31:14
    We read one verse, we get a phone call - our focus shifts.
  • 31:14 - 31:17
    We are reading the Bible but in front of us, we are watching the television.
  • 31:17 - 31:22
    We are not giving full attention.
  • 31:22 - 31:30
    This is one of the hindrances - what is robbing us from understanding.
  • 31:30 - 31:36
    We may read God’s Word.
    What’s the state of our heart?
  • 31:36 - 31:44
    Like I said earlier, knowledge just
    demands the state of your mind
  • 31:44 - 31:50
    like you're reading a book in school to learn.
  • 31:50 - 31:54
    Understanding demands
    the state of your heart.
  • 31:54 - 32:00
    Your heart must be free, so the Holy Spirit
  • 32:00 - 32:11
    can open the eyes of your understanding to give you revelation that leads to application.
  • 32:11 - 32:17
    Many people open the Bible to read
    but there's an unsettled issue.
  • 32:17 - 32:24
    There's an unsettled issue with your wife, brother, husband, sister, colleague.
  • 32:24 - 32:29
    You open the Bible to read but
    your heart is filled with hurt.
  • 32:29 - 32:32
    You cannot give full attention.
  • 32:32 - 32:36
    A hurt heart cannot come to
    a place of understanding
  • 32:36 - 32:41
    because you filter whatever you read through the lens of your hurt.
  • 32:41 - 32:46
    This is why I said daily time with God demands daily settlement with man.
  • 32:46 - 32:49
    I can't pick up my Bible
    to read with full attention
  • 32:49 - 32:52
    if my heart is still harbouring past pain.
  • 32:52 - 32:58
    My heart is still consumed
    by that misunderstanding
  • 32:58 - 33:03
    and I pick up my Bible to read -
    how can I give full attention?
  • 33:03 - 33:06
    How can I be sensitive to what
    the Spirit of God says to me?
  • 33:06 - 33:08
    How can I come to understanding?
  • 33:08 - 33:12
    That means I need to settle issues first.
  • 33:12 - 33:15
    I need to settle my heart first.
  • 33:15 - 33:19
    I need to disconnect from
    every distraction first.
  • 33:19 - 33:25
    Attention for God’s Word.
  • 33:25 - 33:35
    When you are spiritually weak,
    one of the signals is this -
  • 33:35 - 33:42
    instead of choosing the path of settlement, you choose the path of escalation
  • 33:42 - 33:44
    when it comes to relationships.
  • 33:44 - 33:46
    Let's be real, people of God.
  • 33:46 - 33:52
    There is no relationship in this world
    where you will not face the reality
  • 33:52 - 33:56
    of misunderstandings,
    disagreements or differences.
  • 33:56 - 34:02
    The evidence of spiritual maturity is how you move on from misunderstanding.
  • 34:02 - 34:04
    There will be misunderstandings.
  • 34:04 - 34:07
    There will be differences.
    There will be disagreements.
  • 34:07 - 34:12
    If you are spiritually strong,
    you choose the path of settlement
  • 34:12 - 34:14
    rather than the path of escalation.
  • 34:14 - 34:18
    But many people today -
    what is happening?
  • 34:18 - 34:21
    When you are spiritually weak,
  • 34:21 - 34:31
    you end up provoking people's weaknesses, escalating existing tensions
  • 34:31 - 34:34
    and your troubled heart robs
    you of understanding.
  • 34:34 - 34:38
    Even if you did at that moment try
    to pick up the Bible and read
  • 34:38 - 34:46
    or listen to a sermon from a servant of God,
    your heart cannot receive that message.
  • 34:46 - 34:48
    This is a problem.
  • 34:48 - 34:57
    Even right now, we're here,
    connected from all over the world.
  • 34:57 - 34:59
    Is your heart free?
  • 34:59 - 35:02
    Is your heart settled?
  • 35:02 - 35:06
    Is your heart at a place of peace with God?
  • 35:06 - 35:11
    If you have an issue that is unsettled
    with your husband, with your wife,
  • 35:11 - 35:15
    your colleague at work, your mum, your dad
  • 35:15 - 35:19
    and you're here connected to the service, hearing this message -
  • 35:19 - 35:25
    your ears may receive it
    but your heart cannot,
  • 35:25 - 35:31
    which is why it's so common for people
    to hear the Word and not do it.
  • 35:31 - 35:36
    And then they are still building
    on a faulty foundation.
  • 35:36 - 35:39
    I hope you can see what I'm
    talking about, people of God.
  • 35:39 - 35:43
    This is a serious issue.
  • 35:43 - 35:46
    We cannot afford to remain the same.
  • 35:46 - 35:57
    Attention for God’s Word -
    an ingredient of understanding.
  • 35:57 - 36:06
    How do we know when you are still harbouring that issue in your heart?
  • 36:06 - 36:13
    Because when issues arise in the present, you still refer to the past.
  • 36:13 - 36:15
    I used to get asked this question.
    People would say,
  • 36:15 - 36:22
    ‘Brother Chris, how can I know
    when I've forgiven someone?’
  • 36:22 - 36:31
    When you can remember the pain without reliving the pain in the present.
  • 36:31 - 36:41
    When the memory of the past provokes gratitude to God, not grievance to man.
  • 36:41 - 36:44
    ‘Look at what God has seen me through.’
  • 36:44 - 36:49
    Not ‘look at what he has put me through.’
  • 36:49 - 36:51
    I hope you follow what
    I'm saying, people of God.
  • 36:51 - 36:55
    How can you know you have forgiven someone, that your heart is settled?
  • 36:55 - 37:02
    When you can remember the past hurt, pain, wrong without reliving it in the present.
  • 37:02 - 37:11
    If you remember it, it is a time to appreciate God for seeing you through it.
  • 37:11 - 37:19
    not a time to reignite grievance to
    man for putting you through it.
  • 37:19 - 37:21
    That’s when you know you have forgiven.
  • 37:21 - 37:24
    Many people today claim
    they have forgiven.
  • 37:24 - 37:28
    But when they respond to
    issues in the present,
  • 37:28 - 37:34
    their words are filled with pain of the past.
  • 37:34 - 37:42
    How can we give our attention
    to the holy, living Word of God
  • 37:42 - 37:56
    if our hearts are still bound, burdened with grudges, unforgiveness, bitterness?
  • 37:56 - 38:00
    Let me read the fourth one.
    I want you to take note of this.
  • 38:00 - 38:06
    It says in Nehemiah 8:5 that when Ezra opened the book in the sight of all the people,
  • 38:06 - 38:14
    all of the people stood up and as he read, they bowed their heads
  • 38:14 - 38:19
    and worshipped the Lord with
    their faces to the ground.
  • 38:19 - 38:29
    4. Reverence for God’s Word
  • 38:29 - 38:39
    We don’t read the Bible to try and figure out God with our natural mind.
  • 38:39 - 38:45
    We don't read the Bible to try and
    make it say what we want to hear,
  • 38:45 - 38:49
    to suit our philosophy of life.
  • 38:49 - 38:58
    We don't read the Bible to reduce
    God to our level of reasoning. No!
  • 38:58 - 39:05
    Understanding comes from
    a position of submission.
  • 39:05 - 39:10
    We recognise God's supremacy.
  • 39:10 - 39:14
    We recognise His Word as the standard.
  • 39:14 - 39:17
    We submit to it even when
    we don't feel like it.
  • 39:17 - 39:23
    We submit to it even when
    our flesh contradicts it.
  • 39:23 - 39:27
    I don't release forgiveness
    because I feel like it.
  • 39:27 - 39:32
    I release forgiveness because God commands it of me as a child of God.
  • 39:32 - 39:36
    The people here expressed
    a reverence for God's Word.
  • 39:36 - 39:39
    I'm not talking about their physical position,
    whether they stood.
  • 39:39 - 39:43
    Some people can stand and
    their hearts are sitting.
  • 39:43 - 39:45
    Some people can kneel,
    but their hearts are standing.
  • 39:45 - 39:48
    I'm not talking about their physical position.
  • 39:48 - 39:51
    I'm talking about the state of their hearts.
  • 39:51 - 39:55
    There was reverence for the Word of God.
  • 39:55 - 40:04
    And all of these things, these ingredients opened the door for understanding.
  • 40:04 - 40:11
    Some of you may say to me, ‘Brother Chris, I may not read the Word that much
  • 40:11 - 40:19
    but I’m a praying person. I really pray a lot.
    I’m a very prayerful person.’
  • 40:19 - 40:27
    It's good but take note - prayer and
    Bible reading must go together.
  • 40:27 - 40:31
    One is not complete without the other.
  • 40:31 - 40:35
    Don’t just say, ‘I’m a prayerful person;
    I used to pray.’
  • 40:35 - 40:44
    Many people today are prayer warriors
    yet still care worriers.
  • 40:44 - 40:46
    What do I mean?
  • 40:46 - 40:56
    They pray over a matter but afterwards still worry about it as if they had never prayed.
  • 40:56 - 41:02
    They go through the motions of prayer,
    but they are still controlled by their emotions.
  • 41:02 - 41:06
    Maybe the prayer they offer
    makes them feel spiritual.
  • 41:06 - 41:11
    But there's a big difference between feeling spiritual and being spiritual.
  • 41:11 - 41:16
    People of God, I'm not discouraging you.
    Prayer is very important.
  • 41:16 - 41:25
    But prayer must go hand in hand with understanding of God's Word.
  • 41:25 - 41:30
    If not, we may fall into the trap
    of praying with our lips
  • 41:30 - 41:34
    for something that God has
    not promised or decreed.
  • 41:34 - 41:38
    And you must realise, people of God -
  • 41:38 - 41:45
    God’s promises work in line
    with His principles.
  • 41:45 - 41:51
    Divine provision will never
    violate divine protocols.
  • 41:51 - 41:55
    God can break man-made
    protocols to promote you,
  • 41:55 - 42:03
    but His blessings will never go beyond
    the boundaries of His Word.
  • 42:03 - 42:07
    That's why we need understanding.
  • 42:07 - 42:14
    We need to have a healthy spiritual diet
  • 42:14 - 42:20
    that will take us to a place of understanding with the help of the Holy Spirit.
  • 42:20 - 42:24
    I want to challenge you, people of God.
  • 42:24 - 42:30
    How do you read the Bible?
  • 42:30 - 42:37
    Is your heart free before you read?
  • 42:37 - 42:46
    Do you ask for the help of the
    Holy Spirit before you read?
  • 42:46 - 42:50
    When do you read your Bible?
  • 42:50 - 42:56
    Are you giving time to God's Word daily?
  • 42:56 - 43:06
    Are you opening the Bible to read to give God your best time or the time when you are tired?
  • 43:06 - 43:12
    Why do you read the Bible?
  • 43:12 - 43:22
    Are you reading the Bible as a guide for your life or to solve your problems?
  • 43:22 - 43:30
    These are questions that
    call for self-examination.
  • 43:30 - 43:37
    I also want to challenge you, people of God.
  • 43:37 - 43:47
    Are you connected to ministries - your local church, places that you submit yourself to -
  • 43:47 - 43:56
    are you connected to ministries that are building you spiritually
  • 43:56 - 44:02
    or are they just feeding
    you spiritual junk food?
  • 44:02 - 44:13
    A diet of spiritual junk food cannot equip you to face life’s trials and temptations.
  • 44:13 - 44:20
    What do I mean by spiritual junk food?
    Just as we have physical junk food.
  • 44:20 - 44:29
    If the messages you are hearing only seem to highlight God’s love for sinners
  • 44:29 - 44:35
    but not God’s hatred for sin, be careful.
  • 44:35 - 44:42
    If the teaching you are receiving focuses more on material prosperity
  • 44:42 - 44:49
    than spiritual prosperity, be careful.
  • 44:49 - 45:00
    If the sermons being preached give so much attention to God’s promises
  • 45:00 - 45:10
    without talking about your
    obedience, be careful.
  • 45:10 - 45:14
    Some of you may wonder
    with what I’m saying,
  • 45:14 - 45:18
    ‘Brother Chris, you’re talking about prosperity - prosperity gospel.
  • 45:18 - 45:26
    Are you saying that God does not want me to prosper, to be blessed, to thrive, to excel?’
  • 45:26 - 45:29
    No, don’t misquote me.
  • 45:29 - 45:33
    I'm not saying God cannot prosper you.
  • 45:33 - 45:38
    I’m saying our focus should
    not be on material prosperity
  • 45:38 - 45:41
    at the expense of spiritual prosperity.
  • 45:41 - 45:52
    Take note of this - God’s promise of abundance is not a licence for extravagance.
  • 45:52 - 46:00
    God’s promise of abundance is
    not a licence for flamboyance.
  • 46:00 - 46:06
    Let's talk about extravagant giving,
    not extravagant living.
  • 46:06 - 46:15
    If God prospers you, He has
    equipped you to bless others.
  • 46:15 - 46:21
    Let us be careful, people of God.
  • 46:21 - 46:30
    I said earlier that misplaced expectation sets us up for disappointment.
  • 46:30 - 46:38
    If you come to God with an expectation that is solely focused on material prosperity,
  • 46:38 - 46:43
    you will easily set yourself
    up for disappointment.
  • 46:43 - 46:48
    Because even if material prosperity comes,
  • 46:48 - 46:53
    man’s wants are unlimited.
  • 46:53 - 46:58
    God has promised to meet us according
    to our needs, not our wants.
  • 46:58 - 47:01
    There is no limit to what man wants.
  • 47:01 - 47:05
    Every stage you reach in
    material achievement,
  • 47:05 - 47:07
    there's always a higher level to reach for.
  • 47:07 - 47:13
    If that is the basis upon which you view life,
    you will never be content.
  • 47:13 - 47:19
    I'm not saying God cannot prosper you, bless you abundantly.
  • 47:19 - 47:22
    It's not a licence for extravagance.
  • 47:22 - 47:28
    No! It's a licence for extravagant giving,
    not extravagant living.
  • 47:28 - 47:34
    That's why - be careful, people of God.
  • 47:34 - 47:38
    The messages you are receiving,
    the teaching you are hearing,
  • 47:38 - 47:43
    the sermons you are hearing - examine everything in the light of God’s Word.
  • 47:43 - 47:47
    The message I'm preaching today -
    don’t just take it at face value.
  • 47:47 - 47:50
    Don’t say, ‘Well, Brother Chris
    preached this. I accept it.’
  • 47:50 - 47:53
    No, examine it in the light of Scripture.
  • 47:53 - 47:56
    Search the Scripture.
    Seek God for yourself.
  • 47:56 - 48:02
    Be very careful of any pastor who attempts to position himself between you and God.
  • 48:02 - 48:09
    As pastors and ministers of God,
    our role is to encourage and direct you
  • 48:09 - 48:11
    towards a personal relationship with God.
  • 48:11 - 48:15
    I hope you understand what I'm saying.
  • 48:15 - 48:19
    Pray about it if you don’t understand.
  • 48:19 - 48:21
    Let us be careful.
  • 48:21 - 48:26
    If you are feeding yourself with
    a diet of spiritual junk food,
  • 48:26 - 48:31
    you will soon find yourself
    spiritually unhealthy.
  • 48:31 - 48:36
    To withstand the challenges ahead of us,
  • 48:36 - 48:46
    we cannot depend on yesterday's approach to solve today's challenges.
  • 48:46 - 48:56
    You can’t rely on this year's strategies to tackle next year's issues.
  • 48:56 - 49:04
    Look, as the strategies of the enemy
    - the enemy of our soul, the devil -
  • 49:04 - 49:13
    as his strategies intensify,
    so must our devotion,
  • 49:13 - 49:21
    so must our passion for
    God’s Word and His work.
  • 49:21 - 49:26
    We cannot afford to remain spiritually stagnant.
  • 49:26 - 49:32
    The state of this world does not permit it.
  • 49:32 - 49:37
    We have to keep pressing. We have to keep growing. We have to keep advancing.
  • 49:37 - 49:45
    We have to understand God’s Word.
  • 49:45 - 49:49
    Because when you
    understand God's Word -
  • 49:49 - 49:55
    you desire God's Word,
    you give quality time for God's Word,
  • 49:55 - 50:01
    you pay attention to God's Word,
    you have reverence for God's Word,
  • 50:01 - 50:05
    you come to a place of understanding -
  • 50:05 - 50:11
    that is when you become a vessel through which the Holy Spirit can work.
  • 50:11 - 50:14
    It's not enough just to hear the Word,
  • 50:14 - 50:18
    certainly not enough just to
    hear the Word on Sundays
  • 50:18 - 50:22
    or Interactive Services - ‘Oh, I join the Interactive Prayer Service every month.’
  • 50:22 - 50:25
    That cannot sustain you.
  • 50:25 - 50:34
    You need to spend daily time with God.
  • 50:34 - 50:44
    May God bless His Word, may God open our hearts to understand His truth
  • 50:44 - 50:50
    in the mighty name of Jesus Christ.
  • 50:50 - 50:55
    And the people of God said, ‘Amen!’
  • 50:55 - 51:05
    Now, people of God, I know this message may have provoked some questions.
  • 51:05 - 51:08
    I would like to give an opportunity
    for people right now -
  • 51:08 - 51:10
    if you have a question to ask,
  • 51:10 - 51:15
    or there's a lesson you learned you want to share to encourage your fellow believers -
  • 51:15 - 51:17
    let us have some time for that.
  • 51:17 - 51:21
    Questions & Answers
    with Brother Chris
  • 51:21 - 51:27
    My name is Pastor Christian from Ghana.
  • 51:27 - 51:38
    I want to ask Brother Chris -
    what about the case where as a Pastor,
  • 51:38 - 51:44
    you preach and you teach your congregation to follow God's Word
  • 51:44 - 51:55
    and also spend time with God's Word,
    but yet they are not
  • 51:55 - 51:57
    following what you are teaching them?
  • 51:57 - 52:00
    What can you do to help them
    as a man of God?
  • 52:00 - 52:08
    Because in the message this evening,
    I heard that we men of God
  • 52:08 - 52:15
    are to lead the flock,
    the children of God, the church, to God.
  • 52:15 - 52:20
    We must not be a barrier or a stumbling block between them and God.
  • 52:20 - 52:23
    That is the message I heard this evening from Brother Chris.
  • 52:23 - 52:27
    So I want to ask the man of God -
    what can I do to help them?
  • 52:27 - 52:35
    Because I have done,
    as God knows my heart, my part
  • 52:35 - 52:39
    but yet I am not seeing the fruits in them.
  • 52:39 - 52:44
    Thank you for being very open
    with that question.
  • 52:44 - 52:53
    Look, remember our role as ministers of God is not to change someone.
  • 52:53 - 52:57
    It's to direct them to the One
    who can change them.
  • 52:57 - 53:04
    The greatest temptation for you is to dilute the truth in your attempt to see a visible change.
  • 53:04 - 53:08
    ‘Oh, I'm teaching this message but people don't seem to be receiving it -
  • 53:08 - 53:13
    let me water it down, or let me focus
    on this, let me change that,
  • 53:13 - 53:16
    because I want to see people reacting.’
  • 53:16 - 53:20
    That is the greatest temptation for you
    as someone in ministry.
  • 53:20 - 53:29
    Because we should never measure ministerial success by external factors.
  • 53:29 - 53:36
    Our role is to sow seed; the seed you sow, you may not know when it grows.
  • 53:36 - 53:40
    To you - you may look at them and say, ‘these people are not obeying’.
  • 53:40 - 53:43
    You don't know what is happening
    in their hearts.
  • 53:43 - 53:47
    Remember, the heart of man is very stubborn, very rebellious.
  • 53:47 - 53:53
    But the truth has the power to penetrate
    even the deepest and darkest place.
  • 53:53 - 53:59
    Just focus on speaking and preaching
    the truth in love
  • 53:59 - 54:04
    and remember - your own life is the greatest sermon.
  • 54:04 - 54:07
    Don't just preach the truth, be the truth.
  • 54:07 - 54:10
    So what must you do as a minister of God?
  • 54:10 - 54:15
    You must play your part to speak the truth, to teach the Word,
  • 54:15 - 54:20
    and also recognise the divine responsibility God has given you,
  • 54:20 - 54:27
    meaning you must mean what you say and back up your words with actions.
  • 54:27 - 54:30
    No one is perfect.
    That's why we need the Holy Spirit.
  • 54:30 - 54:33
    It’s the Holy Spirit
    who makes the Word work.
  • 54:33 - 54:37
    It's the Holy Spirit who ignites the Word
    in people’s hearts.
  • 54:37 - 54:40
    Without the Holy Spirit,
    we cannot understand.
  • 54:40 - 54:45
    Without the Holy Spirit, the sermon
    I preached today may emotionally move you
  • 54:45 - 54:50
    but will not spiritually change you.
    It is not my job to change you.
  • 54:50 - 54:52
    It is not my work to change you.
  • 54:52 - 54:56
    The Holy Spirit converts,
    but we must preach the truth.
  • 54:56 - 55:03
    Your concern must be to remain committed to that truth and not dilute it or distort it
  • 55:03 - 55:08
    in an attempt to please man.
  • 55:08 - 55:10
    Thank you for that question, my brother. Thank you very much.
  • 55:11 - 55:14
    I am Joshua from the Philippines.
  • 55:14 - 55:21
    So what I have learned is: we cannot use anything, and I mean anything -
  • 55:21 - 55:29
    no grace, no power - to try to circumvent what God requires of us.
  • 55:29 - 55:35
    And I've learned that we have to
    spend time in the Word of God
  • 55:35 - 55:40
    and that our ultimate end
    to our Christian journey
  • 55:40 - 55:45
    is to come to know God
    at a more intimate level
  • 55:45 - 55:53
    so that He can work through us
    even more powerfully.
  • 55:53 - 56:03
    I've also learned that obedience is far more ‘worship’ than any kind of ministry.
  • 56:03 - 56:12
    God is not interested in merely workers in His house, but doers of His Word.
  • 56:12 - 56:13
    That's it.
  • 56:14 - 56:16
    Heavenly greetings to all.
  • 56:16 - 56:21
    Beside me is my beautiful
    wife and my daughter.
  • 56:21 - 56:26
    I'm from Jamaica,
    but we are living in Canada.
  • 56:26 - 56:33
    If someone is hungry,
    they have to make time for food.
  • 56:33 - 56:39
    So it's the same - we have to
    make time for the Word of God.
  • 56:39 - 56:48
    And today’s Word - we need more Word for tomorrow and the next day and the next day.
  • 56:48 - 56:50
    I don't know how to put it...
  • 56:50 - 56:53
    Are you going to use that same food
    to bring you through the week?
  • 56:53 - 57:00
    You need fresh food every day.
    So I will hold on firmly to that one.
  • 57:00 - 57:06
    Yes, blessings to you all
    and to Brother Chris.
  • 57:06 - 57:13
    For me, there's a lot that you have said
    that resonates with me personally
  • 57:13 - 57:14
    in terms of my life.
  • 57:14 - 57:19
    Everything that you have said,
    I confirm it to be true.
  • 57:19 - 57:21
    As you said, we must examine the word.
  • 57:21 - 57:25
    I personally, for my family, believe that this is what we need.
  • 57:25 - 57:29
    As you said, that we must carry our children along.
  • 57:29 - 57:34
    And the desire that you have said
    about the young people -
  • 57:34 - 57:39
    wanting the next generation
    to be grounded in God.
  • 57:39 - 57:45
    But as you said, a lot of times as parents,
    we are praying for our children
  • 57:45 - 57:50
    and asking God for help, even calling pastors and you guys to pray for our children.
  • 57:50 - 57:58
    But many times we are putting up with certain types of things -
  • 57:58 - 58:05
    we are giving them devices and all these things that really and truly are tools
  • 58:05 - 58:12
    for the enemy to use, to infiltrate them.
  • 58:12 - 58:18
    And when we are trying to pray for them or
    to get them to read the Bible,
  • 58:18 - 58:22
    we are counteracting that based on the type of things that we are giving to them -
  • 58:22 - 58:27
    just because they ask or desire it.
  • 58:27 - 58:35
    So that's something - for me, knowing how to carry our children along is very important,
  • 58:35 - 58:39
    as I have my daughter here that
    I want to carry along in the faith.
  • 58:39 - 58:45
    Madam, you touched on something
    very practical when you said
  • 58:45 - 58:49
    it’s not everything that someone desires that you should give.
  • 58:49 - 58:52
    Because not everything you want
    may be good for you.
  • 58:52 - 58:54
    It's the same principle with
    our Heavenly Father.
  • 58:54 - 58:58
    Our Heavenly Father knows
    what is good for us.
  • 58:58 - 59:04
    If we desire something that is bad for us, the evidence of His love is to not give us.
  • 59:04 - 59:09
    So if you now say you love someone and then you give them everything they desire,
  • 59:09 - 59:16
    even if it's bad for them, it's not an evidence of love; in fact it is the contrary.
  • 59:16 - 59:22
    That is why, yes, we must be very careful of... you used the word ‘devices’.
  • 59:22 - 59:27
    It's a reality people of God - we have to
    be careful, we have to have discipline.
  • 59:27 - 59:29
    There must be standards in place.
  • 59:29 - 59:35
    Because remember what I said earlier,
    that if we do not discipline our children,
  • 59:35 - 59:39
    then the world will very
    quickly indoctrinate them
  • 59:39 - 59:43
    and it can happen right under
    your nose in your own house,
  • 59:43 - 59:45
    just with what they are looking at
    on the internet,
  • 59:45 - 59:51
    if you are not careful - you don't pay attention to their spiritual lives.
  • 59:51 - 59:55
    But what is the reason we don't often pay attention to our children's spiritual lives?
  • 59:55 - 59:58
    Because we are too overwhelmed
    by our own problems.
  • 59:58 - 60:03
    We are very overwhelmed by issues here;
    we are fighting fleshly battles.
  • 60:03 - 60:07
    We are harbouring resentment
    left, right and centre.
  • 60:07 - 60:10
    We are fighting for position etc.
  • 60:10 - 60:14
    Our focus is diverted
    and as our focus is shifted,
  • 60:14 - 60:18
    right under our nose the devil
    is capturing many young people.
  • 60:18 - 60:22
    This is painful!
    It’s a reality!
  • 60:22 - 60:24
    But there is hope, people of God.
  • 60:24 - 60:27
    Because light is stronger than darkness.
  • 60:27 - 60:32
    I don't say this to paint a picture of despair for the next generation.
  • 60:32 - 60:38
    There are many people God is also raising up - mighty young men and women of God
  • 60:38 - 60:41
    who are standing firm in their faith.
  • 60:41 - 60:46
    But as parents, especially,
    don't just expect good morals
  • 60:46 - 60:49
    to magically appear in your children.
  • 60:49 - 60:53
    You must be prepared to pay
    the price of discipline.
  • 60:53 - 61:01
    Many people today desire to enjoy the benefits of spiritual good health
  • 61:01 - 61:05
    whilst trying to avoid the pains
    of spiritual discipline.
  • 61:05 - 61:08
    You cannot have one without the other.
  • 61:08 - 61:12
    So thank you very much
    for that practical example.
  • 61:12 - 61:14
    Thank you for being together as a family.
  • 61:14 - 61:16
    Let’s continue. I'm enjoying this time.
  • 61:17 - 61:32
    Hello, I am Philipp with Karin and
    our five children from Austria.
  • 61:32 - 61:35
    The lessons we have learned -
  • 61:35 - 61:41
    first of all, you have to have desire
    for the Word of God
  • 61:41 - 61:47
    and the second was that
    we have to create time
  • 61:47 - 61:57
    because we will never find the time
    to read the Bible.
  • 61:57 - 62:04
    I have learned that it's very dangerous
    to listen in the church
  • 62:04 - 62:11
    to the gospel that God loves us so much - even though it’s true -
  • 62:11 - 62:21
    but not to hear about being obedient and being serious with the Lord.
  • 62:21 - 62:23
    Thank you very much.
  • 62:23 - 62:28
    I'm happy to see that you are
    with your kids as well.
  • 62:28 - 62:34
    You have carried your kids along,
    which is very good.
  • 62:34 - 62:40
    Thank you very much for sharing those lessons from Austria. God bless you!
  • 62:41 - 62:45
    Our names are Nancy and
    Joseph from Zimbabwe.
  • 62:45 - 62:51
    Thank you, Brother Chris, for the important message you shared with us.
  • 62:51 - 62:57
    I noted you said that we should always read the Word of God.
  • 62:57 - 63:01
    I have got a challenge, Brother Chris.
    I need your help.
  • 63:01 - 63:03
    When it comes to reading the Word of God,
  • 63:03 - 63:09
    how do I know the particular
    verses or chapters to read?
  • 63:09 - 63:12
    Because at times I just
    open the Bible randomly
  • 63:12 - 63:19
    or I open verses which, maybe,
    are favourable to me.
  • 63:19 - 63:20
    Please help me.
  • 63:20 - 63:23
    Thank you. I like that question!
  • 63:23 - 63:25
    That’s a good point.
    We have not even touched that -
  • 63:25 - 63:29
    how specifically you go
    about reading the Bible.
  • 63:29 - 63:34
    So I would say to you, sister,
    that there is no formula
  • 63:34 - 63:39
    where you say, ‘Right, you should
    read from A to B or from X to Z’.
  • 63:39 - 63:43
    You know, there is no formula when it comes to reading the Bible.
  • 63:43 - 63:49
    I would certainly encourage you -
    look, the whole Bible is inspired
  • 63:49 - 63:54
    but I would certainly encourage you to read the New Testament,
  • 63:54 - 64:00
    in particular, the Gospels, the words of our Lord Jesus Christ and the Epistles.
  • 64:00 - 64:05
    They are full of godly
    instruction for daily life.
  • 64:05 - 64:10
    A lot of the portions in the Old Testament, while being very important to understand,
  • 64:10 - 64:13
    may focus more on the historical side.
  • 64:13 - 64:17
    I don't mean we should not read it but if you are saying I want to really pay
  • 64:17 - 64:22
    more attention to some areas, I would encourage you to read the Gospels
  • 64:22 - 64:26
    and read the Epistles from Apostle Paul, Peter and James.
  • 64:26 - 64:29
    These are very practical words.
  • 64:29 - 64:33
    Don’t just randomly open
    the Bible, pick a verse
  • 64:33 - 64:38
    and say, ‘That’s okay for today;
    let me sleep.’
  • 64:38 - 64:42
    But not only that - it’s not
    just a matter of reading.
  • 64:42 - 64:48
    This is why we talk about these ingredients - the time, attention, desire, reverence.
  • 64:48 - 64:52
    As you read, stop and ask yourself questions.
  • 64:52 - 64:53
    What does this mean for me?
  • 64:53 - 64:56
    For example, you as husband and wife - this is a good example.
  • 64:56 - 65:01
    As husband and wife, there is no greater way to encourage unity in your marriage
  • 65:01 - 65:05
    than to spend time discussing
    the Word of God together.
  • 65:05 - 65:12
    I encourage you husbands and wives connected to this program - make it a habit.
  • 65:12 - 65:17
    Whether it's a time in the morning or when you get back from work, sit down together.
  • 65:17 - 65:23
    When you open a verse and you read it, pause. What does this mean to me?
  • 65:23 - 65:25
    Ask the Holy Spirit for help.
  • 65:25 - 65:29
    Maybe you don't understand - ‘I don't understand this’. You need to go deeper.
  • 65:29 - 65:31
    Pray about it. Discuss together.
  • 65:31 - 65:37
    Maybe you need to watch a sermon from a servant of God on that particular subject.
  • 65:37 - 65:41
    As you watch, that brings understanding.
  • 65:41 - 65:44
    You go deeper. You don’t just
    take it at face value.
  • 65:44 - 65:46
    You are not doing this as a tradition.
  • 65:46 - 65:50
    ‘Oh, I read my chapter of the
    Bible today. I can go to sleep.’
  • 65:50 - 65:52
    If you read the chapter,
    did the chapter read you?
  • 65:52 - 65:54
    Did you understand it?
  • 65:54 - 65:57
    To what degree does it
    influence your daily life?
  • 65:57 - 66:03
    How does it affect the way you handle day to day life, circumstances, trials and temptations?
  • 66:03 - 66:05
    That would be my encouragement to you.
  • 66:05 - 66:07
    But there’s no formula.
  • 66:07 - 66:14
    There's no shortcut - ‘Read x amount of chapters a day or read from this to there.’
  • 66:14 - 66:18
    I encourage you, of course, give your quality time to reading the Word
  • 66:18 - 66:22
    but it’s about quality rather than quantity.
  • 66:22 - 66:27
    You can read so many chapters
    but if your heart is not reading it
  • 66:27 - 66:30
    and you are just speed-reading
    to say that ‘I’ve read it’,
  • 66:30 - 66:33
    then of what value is it in your life?
  • 66:33 - 66:35
    This is a quote from Prophet T.B. Joshua.
  • 66:35 - 66:44
    He said, “Read the Bible slowly, attentively and repeatedly - with forgiveness.”
  • 66:44 - 66:50
    That is the path to good success that Joshua 1:8 talks about.
  • 66:50 - 66:54
    So, thank you very much for that question, madam. I appreciate that question.
  • 66:54 - 67:02
    My name is Richard. I’m from Malaysia, living in Kuala Lumpur.
  • 67:02 - 67:05
    I got a very strong encouragement here.
  • 67:05 - 67:14
    The lesson is that we cannot
    depend on today’s approach
  • 67:14 - 67:18
    to deal with tomorrow’s issues.
  • 67:18 - 67:27
    That is a very deep, meaningful
    and strong warning
  • 67:27 - 67:31
    for our spiritual walk in our daily lives.
  • 67:31 - 67:39
    So you said we must intensify our praying, reading the Bible
  • 67:39 - 67:44
    and building our relationship
    with God in our daily lives.
  • 67:44 - 67:47
    Yes, I thank you so much for this word.
  • 67:47 - 68:01
    This is really encouraging me not to depend on yesterday’s approach, methods
  • 68:01 - 68:05
    to deal with today’s problems.
  • 68:05 - 68:12
    So to deal with today's problems,
    we must have a strong connection
  • 68:12 - 68:20
    and fresh revelations from God -
    by the suggestions of the Holy Spirit.
  • 68:20 - 68:25
    Thank you so much, Brother Chris,
    for these instructions for us.
  • 68:25 - 68:28
    May God bless you all. Thank you.
  • 68:28 - 68:31
    Amen. Thank you very much, brother.
  • 68:31 - 68:36
    I appreciate you highlighting that point - we cannot depend on yesterday's approach
  • 68:36 - 68:41
    to solve today's problems, which is
    why we need daily time with God.
  • 68:41 - 68:44
    Because the fact that we were
    right with God yesterday
  • 68:44 - 68:47
    does not guarantee we are
    right with God today.
  • 68:47 - 68:52
    God gives grace for each day which we must tap into through His Word, by His Spirit.
  • 68:52 - 68:55
    So that’s why, as our brother
    from Jamaica said earlier,
  • 68:55 - 69:01
    we can’t just expect today's spiritual feast to sustain us for tomorrow.
  • 69:01 - 69:04
    Like today, you have heard a wonderful message. Your heart is full.
  • 69:04 - 69:07
    Your heart is ringing with
    the truth of this Word.
  • 69:07 - 69:12
    But tomorrow, when you wake up, another set of challenges will confront you,
  • 69:12 - 69:16
    another set of temptations, another set of blessings, another set of issues.
  • 69:16 - 69:20
    So we must depend on
    the grace of each day,
  • 69:20 - 69:25
    and that requires us to maintain that heavenly connection each and every day.
  • 69:25 - 69:29
    Thank you very much for the opportunity.
  • 69:29 - 69:34
    My name is Sialee and we are from
    Tuvalu in the Central Pacific.
  • 69:34 - 69:37
    Here is my family, my children.
  • 69:37 - 69:43
    And my question is that - you encouraged us and it’s our duty in the Bible
  • 69:43 - 69:49
    that we have to teach our
    children the right way.
  • 69:49 - 69:57
    So my question is - what is happening
    if we are teaching our children
  • 69:57 - 70:04
    but our children are not listening or they are not following our teaching?
  • 70:04 - 70:08
    Thank you very much.
    So, first of all, my brother,
  • 70:08 - 70:16
    all of us know that growing up, as we mature, especially in our teenage years,
  • 70:16 - 70:21
    every journey is going to
    be a little bit different.
  • 70:21 - 70:28
    It's not that being in a Christian home means the journey is 100% smooth.
  • 70:28 - 70:32
    But what I believe with all my heart, which is what we read in that famous proverb,
  • 70:32 - 70:35
    is that when you train a child
    in the ways of the Lord,
  • 70:35 - 70:39
    when they grow up, they will not depart
    (Proverbs 22:6).
  • 70:39 - 70:44
    It does not mean there cannot be some missteps on the journey.
  • 70:44 - 70:46
    But they will get back on track.
  • 70:46 - 70:52
    Your role as parents - just as
    I spoke to the pastor earlier -
  • 70:52 - 70:55
    if you are guiding someone in the right way
  • 70:55 - 71:02
    but they don't seem to be taking the advice, guidance or counsel, what do you do?
  • 71:02 - 71:06
    Don't be discouraged from continuing to show them the right way.
  • 71:06 - 71:12
    And if sometimes you need to shift your strategies to help, you have to do so.
  • 71:12 - 71:17
    Because at the end of the day,
    we must fight for what is right.
  • 71:17 - 71:19
    Fight the good fight.
  • 71:19 - 71:25
    Don't just say, ‘Oh, well, I don't think my child is going to change. Let me just give up.’
  • 71:25 - 71:33
    We have to keep pressing in His name,
    His time, His way to help our children.
  • 71:33 - 71:44
    Because the world is aggressive in its attempts to disfocus the young generation.
  • 71:44 - 71:46
    The world is very aggressive.
  • 71:46 - 71:53
    There is no shortage of things surrounding us capable of taking our attention, time, focus.
  • 71:53 - 71:58
    So we too must be aggressive.
    I'm not talking about physical aggression.
  • 71:58 - 72:05
    I'm talking about determination, resolve
  • 72:05 - 72:10
    to keep laying the right foundation,
    to keep showing the right path,
  • 72:10 - 72:13
    to keep engaging them in the things of God, to keep correcting them.
  • 72:13 - 72:18
    Especially when your children
    are under your care as parents,
  • 72:18 - 72:20
    when they are still at the age
    when they're in your home,
  • 72:20 - 72:24
    you have the voice of authority in their lives. Don't be shy of using it.
  • 72:24 - 72:32
    Don't be afraid of using the voice of authority for good, for correction, in a godly manner.
  • 72:32 - 72:36
    My brothers and sisters in Christ, we talk about application of the Word.
  • 72:36 - 72:39
    Understanding of the Word
    leads to application.
  • 72:39 - 72:42
    How do we apply the
    principles of God's Word
  • 72:42 - 72:46
    in a society like today,
    a generation like today?
  • 72:46 - 72:48
    Sometimes our strategies are
    going to have to shift.
  • 72:48 - 72:51
    There's going to have to be new ways, means and methods
  • 72:51 - 72:54
    in which we carry our
    children along spiritually.
  • 72:54 - 72:59
    We can't just expect - the way you,
    my father, were brought up -
  • 72:59 - 73:02
    you can't expect it to be the same
    with today's generation.
  • 73:02 - 73:09
    But the Holy Spirit can give you the means, tactics and tools to use to help your children.
  • 73:09 - 73:13
    Keep pressing. Keep encouraging them. Keep praying for them.
  • 73:13 - 73:16
    There's power in prayer!
  • 73:16 - 73:21
    And even though - what you see
    as some rebellion or missteps -
  • 73:21 - 73:26
    look, those principles you have
    put in place, they are powerful!
  • 73:26 - 73:28
    They will stand the test of time.
  • 73:28 - 73:32
    The things of God have a way
    of standing the test of time.
  • 73:32 - 73:37
    It’s the things that are built on worldly principles that can fade and fail.
  • 73:37 - 73:42
    But the things of God persist despite
    the changing times and seasons.
  • 73:42 - 73:46
    So keep encouraging them
    in the ways of the Lord.
  • 73:46 - 73:48
    That would be my encouragement to you.
  • 73:48 - 73:53
    But I want to thank you for being open because I think many of us connected,
  • 73:53 - 74:00
    we may have a similar question -
    ‘My kids, what’s going on?’
  • 74:00 - 74:02
    Look, don't be discouraged.
  • 74:02 - 74:06
    Keep pressing. Keep encouraging
    them in the ways of the Lord.
  • 74:06 - 74:09
    Engage them. That's one of the
    blessings if you have a local church -
  • 74:09 - 74:13
    to keep them engaged in godly activities.
  • 74:13 - 74:17
    If you don't engage your children,
    there are many other activities
  • 74:17 - 74:19
    that the world will try and engage them with.
  • 74:19 - 74:24
    You have to be intentional in prioritising their spiritual well-being.
  • 74:24 - 74:28
    So that is my advice to you, brother.
    But thank you for sharing that.
  • 74:28 - 74:32
    Thank you very much.
    And thank you for joining from Tuvalu!
  • 74:32 - 74:34
    What a blessing to have you with us today.
  • 74:35 - 74:39
    My name is Isaac; I am from South Sudan.
  • 74:39 - 74:44
    The person next to me is
    my wife, Adut Christina.
  • 74:44 - 74:51
    We have learned we need to have quality time with the Word of God.
  • 74:51 - 74:55
    Thank you so much; I will create my time.
  • 74:55 - 75:01
    Especially when I'm coming from work,
    or I’m in my free time, I have to read the Bible,
  • 75:01 - 75:05
    praying that I can understand the Word.
    Thank you.
  • 75:05 - 75:07
    Thank you so much, man of God.
  • 75:07 - 75:12
    When you talked about people who have a lot of time and then they are too exhausted
  • 75:12 - 75:17
    to have the Word of God,
    and they read the Word of God in a hurry.
  • 75:17 - 75:24
    I think I'm one of the victims because
    I always tend to rush the Word of God.
  • 75:24 - 75:27
    And today I have learned that it is not good to rush the Word of God.
  • 75:27 - 75:31
    And also, the churches that we go to -
    you talked about the churches -
  • 75:31 - 75:36
    so many churches are rising and it is always important to get discernment
  • 75:36 - 75:40
    from the Holy Spirit, for the Holy Spirit will lead us through reading the Word of the Lord.
  • 75:40 - 75:45
    And we cannot pray without reading the Bible - and I used to do that a lot.
  • 75:45 - 75:49
    Most times I pray and then I forget
    to read the Bible -
  • 75:49 - 75:53
    maybe three or four days later,
    I read the Bible.
  • 75:53 - 75:55
    So I have learned a lot today
    in regard to that. Thank you.
  • 75:56 - 75:59
    I'm Tanya. This is my husband Merrick.
  • 75:59 - 76:04
    Our sons Asa and Othniel
    are in the backseat.
  • 76:04 - 76:10
    We were driving but we parked to join this service and we are from Jamaica.
  • 76:10 - 76:12
    We live in Jamaica.
  • 76:12 - 76:15
    Alright, so, I'm going to be very transparent.
  • 76:15 - 76:23
    I just want to thank the Holy Spirit for using you to stir something in us today -
  • 76:23 - 76:29
    in myself and my family, because
    we are stalwart Christians.
  • 76:29 - 76:34
    But sometimes, with the challenges of life,
  • 76:34 - 76:40
    it’s as if we have to pick and choose to say, ‘Today, we serve God; we read the Bible’.
  • 76:40 - 76:47
    But the Holy Spirit used you to stir something in us today to say,
  • 76:47 - 76:53
    ‘Listen, obedience is absolute,
    so you have to make time for Me.
  • 76:53 - 76:59
    Just as I make time to lend you My breath, you have to make time -
  • 76:59 - 77:04
    that's your recompense to Me.
    You have to make time for Me.’
  • 77:04 - 77:09
    So I’m grateful. You know, many of
    us come with our prayers,
  • 77:09 - 77:13
    and we came with our prayer request.
  • 77:13 - 77:20
    However, the message that God has used you to send out to us today,
  • 77:20 - 77:27
    I'm telling you that it has reignited a flame in my life personally as an evangelist.
  • 77:27 - 77:30
    Sometimes things happen
    in our lives, in the church
  • 77:30 - 77:39
    and we take our gaze off Christ and place it on the problem instead of the Problem Solver.
  • 77:39 - 77:44
    So I just want to thank the Lord for using you, Brother Chris, today.
  • 77:44 - 77:50
    We are thanking God for the Word
    because praying is good
  • 77:50 - 77:52
    but we have to pray the Scripture.
  • 77:52 - 78:00
    We need the Scripture to fortify our minds
    so that we can be like Christ.
  • 78:00 - 78:05
    God has used you to ignite the flame.
    It's as if we were baptised anew.
  • 78:05 - 78:11
    ‘Listen, fix your gaze on Me. Problems are temporary. I am for eternity.
  • 78:11 - 78:15
    And if you're going to be like Me,
    you have to fix your gaze on Me.’
  • 78:15 - 78:18
    So I bless the Lord for that.
  • 78:18 - 78:20
    Wow. Thank you very much.
  • 78:20 - 78:24
    We appreciate you sharing this.
  • 78:24 - 78:27
    Just as our sister said - that's the
    power of the Word of God.
  • 78:27 - 78:36
    The Word of God shifts our attention off
    the problem to the Problem Solver.
  • 78:36 - 78:42
    And ultimately we know, no matter the nature of the problem before us,
  • 78:42 - 78:47
    the fundamental solution lies in God
    through His Word, by His Spirit.
  • 78:47 - 78:53
    So if this word today helps us
    to shift our attention back to God,
  • 78:53 - 78:56
    that is the right place where
    our attention needs to be given.
  • 78:56 - 78:57
    So thank you very much.
  • 78:58 - 79:01
    My name is Edith from the UK.
  • 79:01 - 79:08
    So my question is - Brother Chris, you talked about churches that are feeding us junk food.
  • 79:08 - 79:11
    So this has been a big struggle to me.
  • 79:11 - 79:16
    It's been about maybe a month now I haven't been to church because of these issues.
  • 79:16 - 79:21
    So my question is, if you find yourself in that position in a church
  • 79:21 - 79:23
    where they're feeding you junk food,
  • 79:23 - 79:27
    do you still have to go to the church
    or do you have to leave?
  • 79:27 - 79:29
    Thank you for being direct, sister.
  • 79:29 - 79:33
    Look, there needs to be discernment.
  • 79:33 - 79:41
    Because at the end of the day, church is not about the physical structure.
  • 79:41 - 79:46
    “Christ in us, the hope of glory” is what real church is all about (Colossians 1:27).
  • 79:46 - 79:51
    Because at the end of the day, going to church is not a social gathering.
  • 79:51 - 79:55
    We're not going to church
    for physical reasons.
  • 79:55 - 79:59
    We're not going there for friendship. We're not going there to make natural connections.
  • 79:59 - 80:00
    Those things may happen.
  • 80:00 - 80:03
    You can make wonderful
    friendships in church.
  • 80:03 - 80:06
    You can have great times with
    people of God at church.
  • 80:06 - 80:09
    But that's not the main reason we are going.
  • 80:09 - 80:11
    You don't go to church for your social life.
  • 80:11 - 80:15
    You are to go to church
    to enrich you spiritually.
  • 80:15 - 80:17
    It’s to build you up spiritually,
  • 80:17 - 80:22
    to engage you in something that will enhance your relationship with God.
  • 80:22 - 80:27
    So if you're going somewhere and you are not enjoying that spiritual dividend,
  • 80:27 - 80:30
    then you need to look at where you are going.
  • 80:30 - 80:34
    So ultimately attending church
    is a thing of God.
  • 80:34 - 80:36
    Because I think it's important
    to remember this.
  • 80:36 - 80:43
    On the last day, the question Jesus will ask is not ‘Which denomination did you attend?
  • 80:43 - 80:45
    Which membership are you part of?’
  • 80:45 - 80:50
    The question is, ‘Do you worship
    in spirit and in truth?’
  • 80:50 - 80:56
    Going to church is not the evidence
    that you are a Christian.
  • 80:56 - 81:02
    It’s the life you live.
    It’s the fruit you bear.
  • 81:02 - 81:11
    Don’t think that church attendance is the key to a godly Christian lifestyle.
  • 81:11 - 81:16
    It’s a blessing. It’s good!
    I encourage it.
  • 81:16 - 81:19
    Go to church. Get involved with your church!
  • 81:19 - 81:25
    But don't go there just for ticking a box - ‘It’s tradition that on Sunday we go.’
  • 81:25 - 81:31
    No! If you are to go, it’s to go for a
    spiritual purpose - to build you up.
  • 81:31 - 81:34
    So I hope you understand what
    I'm saying to you, sister.
  • 81:34 - 81:36
    It may not be easy but keep pressing.
  • 81:36 - 81:40
    God will direct you to the right place.
  • 81:40 - 81:43
    God will direct you to a place
    that will feed you spiritually.
  • 81:43 - 81:45
    So keep pressing. Don’t be discouraged.
Title:
SPECIAL MESSAGE FOR 2025!!! | Brother Chris
Description:

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Video Language:
English
Team:
God's Heart TV
Duration:
01:22:16
Amara Bot edited English subtitles for SPECIAL MESSAGE FOR 2025!!! | Brother Chris Jan 8, 2025, 6:42 PM

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