02-09-23

The speaker starts off by greeting everyone and talking about their coffee. They mention various people who are present and greet them. The speaker then explains why they are dressed warmly and why they don't turn on the heat in their house. They ask for prayers for someone going through a transition. The speaker then begins discussing the topic of grace and mercy, emphasizing that grace is unmerited favor and mercy is not receiving what one deserves. They explain that grace and mercy are on the same coin and give examples of when people pray for God's mercy. The speaker talks about how they dress warmly because they don't turn on the heat and then delves into a discussion about grace. They explain that grace is given by God and cannot be earned or bought. They mention that grace was foretold by the prophets and that Jesus is the embodiment of grace. They also address a comment about slavery, stating that they don't see anywhere in the scriptures where God condones slavery and that the good morning everybody good morning got my coffee here who we got up first who's first ray look at you I love it first on the scene I love it I love it good morning brother good to see you good to see you glad to have you here mr. Ray Limon Oh Brian's here look at Brian good morning good morning good morning Brian is in the house good to see you Brian Logan Gucci 9 Logan good morning everybody good morning love it love it love it love it good morning brother good to see you let me back up to who is that TLBS for good morning good morning all right y'all got to pray for me man I have an incredible headache why are you dressed like you're about to invade Afghanistan well you never know I might be going I don't know I got the cat shirt on that doesn't count for it that's that's that's American Caterpillar so hey all right why am I dressed like grace Oh grace look at that we're gonna talk about grace I meant to say mercy mercy me good morning how are you doing good morning from TYE okay I'm a little slow TYE TYE TYE I'm a little slow guys what is TYE TYE oh my lord somebody help me Pastor Paul you look warm you know I'm trying to stay warm me and Miss Debbie we're cheap we don't turn on the heat cuz it doesn't really get cold enough to turn on the heat so I try to stay warm amen good morning amen amen oh I caught your live good morning good morning good to have you here I feel that amen yeah we uh we don't we have not turned on the heat all winter so I dress warm and so I you know got my little thing on and my little you know little doohickey up here and always got a sweatshirt on so amen I got my cup of coffee BAM good morning good morning good morning look we got 335 people already praise be to gosh I don't get that many people at church on Sunday praise God hey make sure let's one of our one of our family my Christian family who are on here oh we have a set it heat set at 60 amen one of our do you drink black coffee no I'm a wimp cream and sugar but real quick one of our Christian brothers and sisters who's on this app lamb his husband's company's going through a transition keep him in prayer you know I believe that he's the primary breadwinner of the household so keep him in prayer you know I don't want to mention the organization that he works with but they're Oh Todd I'm so sorry good morning so keep keep him in prayer no haha same here pastor Paul cream and sugar for sure yeah I'm a weenie got to have that cream and sugar now when I was in the military I used to watch guys their their hand would stay like this coffee cup black coffee guys I don't know how people do that I'm just not one of them I gotta have a cream and sugar however I'm trying to cut down as y'all as y'all follow me on tick off trying to cut down on that sugar so I use half the sugar I use cane sugar not that that makes a difference and a ton of cream matter of fact can we let's see let's I'll show you how I enjoy my coffee like I do miss Debbie look at that wait can you see it wait there it is see how light it is so that's pretty light so there you go nah I can't do coffee that tastes like coffee it's got to be super sweet yeah it it you're right you shouldn't even let's see okay I don't know what that means what is burneth this pastor Paul what does that mean what does that mean brown and sweet amen amen brown and sweet there you go like miss Debbie brown and sweet what is this pastor Paul one boy this why do you not turn on your heater because in Arizona let's say the temperature today okay the coldest day probably this year in the in the day was probably about 55 58 and our house is well insulated when I bought this house in 2017 I really made it super insulated so our house internally never gets really cold now I dress like this because I love dressing like this I love not like mr. Debbie I am I love dressing this way so I don't mind you know the hoodie I wear hoodie or not hoodie but a beanie and you know the hoodie and my my scarf here so we just don't need to heat on and so I just I just hate when the house is super hot you know you feel like you're yep I'm odd you know when it's so hot you feel like oh I just can't do it it just drives me crazy however if I was in a place where there was snow and it was cold you can bet your bottom dollar the heat would be on so and it's funny all my kids are like that we have to have the window cracked we have to have the cool air and I like it cozy that requires layers amen there you go you just put it the right way there ma'am mercy me cozy and layers you can always peel away you can always put lamb lambriel good morning it's good to see you good to see you 58 let's see 58 where I live today is a heatwave amen some of you here in Arizona with emphasis on Phoenix or we live in Queen Creek now we can get in the 50s and we think that's a winter storm here we think that's a winter storm but some of you in places where I have traveled to Alaska in the cold whoo in on the East Coast when it's cold uh-huh when I was you know repping and traveling all over the United States I tell people do not have me go to Minnesota I don't want to go to New York during the wintertime in the summertime I would travel to any of those places so Pennsylvania yeah no forget it forget it the heat is set at 60 except the room where I watch you too which is at 65 all right I get you I get you yep I have once I felt trapped laugh out loud yeah the heat all right we're going to talk this morning about grace about grace we we we covered grace the other day we said grace is unmerited favor we talked about mercy a little mercy is not receiving what we deserve I want to emphasize the illustratively speaking grace and mercy are on the same coin of the same coin illustratively speaking grace and mercy and how many times have you prayed Lord have mercy on me have mercy on me meaning meaning meaning Lord don't don't issue what I deserve have mercy on me and you know what is very powerful I want you to think in the depths of your heart right I want you to think how many things have you done and the Lord showed you mercy I know I have how many you've done some things you dive done some things I don't want to just throw you out there we have done some things and the Lord showed us mercy we know we deserve that punishment we know we deserve the outcome but the Lord showed us mercy but we want to talk about grace meaning unmerited favor meaning favor that the Lord gives us with emphasis on salvation we don't deserve it we we we we don't we can't buy it and and we look at scriptures of the day all grace comes from the Lord common grace we talked about that common grace common grace what has been good gracious amen mercy me you know usually I can read the messages but this one came in a big block letter I could see that crystal clear whatever you did that was cool I don't know how that works but that was really cool but here we go we don't deserve God's grace but he sent his only begotten Son to what not just me but to the world that's God's display of his unmerited favor to the world why that he could be that Jesus would be the substitute that that that that that he was the cure for God's wrath on humanity for what the wages of sin is what death death so what happened the proclamation came to humanity Adam and Eve they were they were separated from God they were they were escorted if you will out of the guard of Eden and in that Genesis chapter 3 the messianic promise of Jesus coming that is God showing grace unmerited favor to the world and then Jesus comes in a form in the form of a man just like you and I who knew every point understood temptation understood what we are going through but came in the form of a man and went to the cross folks I'm talking about pure grace grace and I know people who dismiss it they will not receive it they do not accept it but God Almighty gives us a way out because the wrath of God will come upon all unrighteousness but Jesus came for you and I to pay the price the penalty for sin sin that we deserve I mean I'm sorry the punishment we deserve for our sinful nature that part is mercy but let's look at some verses regarding grace let me pray real quick father God thank you thank you personally thank you for waking me up thank you for this day thank you for your grace thank you for your mercy Lord I pray that you just bless those that are listening Lord that they would allow this word to penetrate their spirit and take root into their soul father we just thank you and praise you we ask this in the name of Jesus amen we looked at God is the God of all grace we looked at that then we look God is the giver of all grace and then we looked at grace comes from the throne God is the throne of grace when we say boldly go before the throne of grace but watch this the Holy Ghost is the spirit of grace Zechariah 12 10 Zechariah 12 10 says this I will pour upon the house of David and upon the inhabitants of Jerusalem the spirit the spirit of grace and of supplication and they shall look upon me whom they have pierced and they shall mourn for him as one morning for their only son and shall be in bitterness for him as one that is in bitterness for his firstborn the key words I'm looking at here that the Holy Ghost is the spirit of grace the spirit of grace the spirit of a merited favor and you know what folks with me let me share something with you here right here I want you to listen when you become a born-again believer all right when you become a born-again believer when you repent and turn from your wicked ways and you receive Jesus Christ in faith you are filled with the Spirit of God I want you to think about that the Creator of the heavens and the earth God Almighty fills you and I with the Holy Spirit that is the Spirit of grace we are sealed until that day of his coming that blessed hope and we are filled with the Holy Spirit and it is the Spirit of grace that leads us it will teach us it protects us it watches over us it prays when we are unable to pray for ourselves the Spirit of grace can you imagine that that the Creator of the heaven earth dwells within this temple do you not know that this is the temple of God and the Spirit of God dwelleth with yes think about it and I know some people they can't wrap their mind around that but this is why Jesus said you must wait here you must what does that mean oh man amen amen you must understand this is why Jesus told his disciples you must wait here until you receive the Spirit a lot of people abuse this teaching a lot of people abuse this teaching with regards to the Spirit but it's very how can I put it elementary in thought God has filled us with the Spirit and it fills us and it leads us it guides us it is the Spirit that gets us through and is the Spirit of grace miss Debbie had a tough day yesterday and she was a she had something go on at where she works at and I could tell that she was a little down but last night in Bible study as she we were studying the word I heard her speaking and I could literally hear the anointing of the Holy Spirit pick her heart up symbolically pick her heart if you want she was she was downcast but I could hear the the I could see I should say the anointing and the power of the Spirit pick her up folks the Spirit of grace watches the Holy Spirit of the Spirit of grace Hebrews 1029 Hebrews 1029 says of how much sure sure punishment suppose ye so he thought worthy who has trodden underfoot the Son of God and has counted the blood of the covenant wherewith he was sanctified and holy thing and has done despite unto the Spirit of grace once again we are acknowledging grace the Spirit of grace you must as a Christian understand grace do not take who you are your life what you're doing how God is using for granted but to really pinpoint you must understand God's unmerited favor to you and I as the church as the individual as the body of Christ watch this grace was upon Christ Luke 240 Luke 240 great so was upon Christ Luke 240 and the child grew who's the child that's Jesus and the child grew and waxed strong in spirit filled with wisdom and the grace of God was up on him Jesus was full of grace even as a child this particular verse is referring when Jesus was lagging when when when when Joseph and Mary of course went to Jerusalem for for for for for the the events that were going to take place they went down there like every good Jew and as they were going back Jesus was lagging but it says and the child grew and waxed strong in spirit filled with wisdom and the grace of God was up on him grace was upon Jesus he was grace he was unmerited favor his presence watch this John 324 John 324 oh amen amen I love that poll that's coming up that whatever that is there's something that comes up and and it says a poll of course I pull a group of people in their opinion and it's coming out I love that I love that for John was not yet cast into prison that is now displaying grace for John the Baptist was what declaring Jesus and the coming of the Messiah Jesus spoke with grace Jesus spoke with grace Psalms 45 to Jesus spoke with grace thou are fairer than the children of men grace is poured out into thou lifts therefore God has blessed thee forever referring to who Jesus Jesus spoke with grace everything Jesus talked about everything he articulated everything he communicated was with grace unmerited favor unmerited favor once again Christ was full of grace John 114 and the Word was made flesh and dwelt among us and we've beheld his glory the glory of that of the only begotten Son full of grace and full of truth once again once again is thank you know what I'm the individual who brought brought up the slavery thing we're going to follow up on that in the end okay we're gonna we're gonna we're gonna go there because I think I can speak to it we're going to remind me the slavery thing stick with me Christ was full of grace John 114 and the Word was made flesh the Word Jesus and dwelt among us and and we beheld his glory the glory as the only begotten of the Father full of grace and full of truth how amazing is that Christ is the embodiment of grace Jesus is the embodiment of grace Jesus is a grace no ifs ands or buts grace came by Jesus grace came by Jesus no ifs ands or buts watch this John 117 says for the law was given by Moses but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ the law came by Moses we understand the law we we see the law we understand what the law does it it is a tutor it is it allows us to understand that we are inefficient but grace and mercy came by Jesus Christ Jesus think about it if you it well Romans 5 15 Romans 5 15 but not as the offense so also is the free gift for it through the offense of one many may be dead much more the grace of God and the gift by grace which is by one man Jesus Christ has abounded unto many the point is that one man through one man sin came into the world who was that one man Adam but the second Adam Jesus brought grace while one brought death the second Adam brought life and grace grace is given by Jesus first Corinthians 1 4 grace is given by Jesus first Corinthians 1 4 I thank my God always on your behalf for the grace of God which is given you by Jesus Christ grace we looked at a verse earlier all good things are from above grace only comes through Jesus and you know it's amazing how many religions out there that don't even understand grace how many religions out there still stuck in their law lawful ways how many religions out there teach and preach that you have to do a B and C to be even counted worthy but Jesus brings us grace I don't have to work for it I don't have to buy it all I have to do is repent and receive Jesus Christ and put all my faith in him Wow grace was foretold by the prophets first Peter 1 10 grace was foretold by the prophets first Peter 1 10 of which salvation the prophets have inquired and searched diligently who prophesied of the grace that should come on to you first Peter 1 10 read it again of which salvation the prophets have inquired and searched diligently who prophesied of the grace that should come on to you even the prophets proclaimed and searched for grace and now we the church the followers of Christ the disciples of Jesus have received this grace people don't get it people don't get it religion is your way or your inability to work to God grace is God meeting us where we're at some of you say I'm not good enough you are correct some of you say I've done too much wrong you are correct some of you say the Lord could never love me you are incorrect God sent his begotten son to seek that which was lost and I was lost God left the 99 sheep to go look for that one sheep to bring it back to the fold and I was that one and you were that one think about it to restore us back into communion that we made fellowship with our Lord and Savior this is what this is all about and when you understand grace now now you understand let's stop right there for now because I want to I want to get back to what somebody said earlier but man good morning let's not forget about God's grace let's not forget about God's grace yeah we don't need to argue thank you thank you mercy me we don't need to argue but let's let's let's let's talk about something real quick let's talk about something I noticed one of you and I didn't read the whole thing but I caught the tail end and I'm pretty sure I knew you were going I'm gonna tell you something okay about this let me let me put this up over here let me put oh by the way this is the book I was talking about tactics all right that's the book I'm talking about great book great read I think the once again there goes all right all right somebody there mentioned slavery all right and I know that some of you use the excuse how can you serve a God that condones slavery that route I see I wrote the book that wrote the book tactics cool how can you be in a religion or a faith that condones slavery I don't see anywhere in the scriptures that God I know I'm being funny I know I'm I get it I don't see anywhere in the scriptures where God condoned slavery I don't see it I really don't now especially through the eyes of a black American I don't see in the scriptures where God condone American history and how the slave master treated their slaves and I don't see in the scripture how they somehow took the content or the context of the scripture to condone their actions I don't see that but I do believe that is a very dark and sad commentary when you talk about slavery in American history it's a very sad and dark circumstance and situation but that event that took place 400 years ago has nothing to do with scripture that in itself were wicked individuals who took the scripture out of context to promote an agenda to make themselves rich and you need to quit making that an excuse not to serve God but let's get down to it slavery has been around for a very long time a very long time and to be quite honest with you when you do see slavery in this sense in the in the Old Testament it was mandated that if a man had slaves he were to treat those slaves like he would treat his family do you hear me he would treat those slaves like he treated his family let's think about it Abraham had slave servants he had servants but they were treated as members of his household they were treated as members of his household he didn't beat him he didn't he didn't violate them you take that you you will take black history in America and you splatter that against the Word of God no no unacceptable I'm don't get me wrong my father's grandmother which would have been my great-grandmother now you do the math you do the math my father died at 93 years old in 2015 his great-grandmother was born in slavery tail end of slavery a tragic event I would eat my father shared stories that came from my grandmother a tragic event my grandfather my dad's father experienced a woman who was raised in slavery we will not dismiss that tragic event but that in itself had nothing to do with God that is man now let me take you a little bit deeper you want me to take a little bit deeper hang on I could take a hundred people and they could be all purple with green hair 100 people that look purple with green hair and I can guarantee you that they'll find a way to divide themselves oh you're a lighter purple oh you're a darker purple oh your hair is this way versus that way see man is the problem not God and matter of fact somebody mentioned all to check this out back in the Old Testament if you didn't have money or you didn't have family you wanted to be a slave to some household or servant let's use a different word a servant let me tell you why there was safety in numbers because trust you me there were people now let's let's let's talk about because you've got to understand the difference between prescription and description do you remember when Joseph his brothers turned against him what did they do remember they they threw him in a pit they're gonna leave them and I somebody answers what did they do with Joseph can anybody let me know what did they do anybody can tell me oh what's the original question I'm sorry they sold him they sold him okay what and and and and and the caravan what would do you remember the name they sold him okay do you remember the name of the ones they sold them to anybody anybody that's who's been reading their Bible they sold them who did they sell them to what were that what was that group anybody they sold him into slavery but who was the group that bought Joseph or took him in and captive anybody I'll give it I'll give it a few more moments sold him to the Egyptian okay okay all right there you go the Ishmaelites the descendants of Ishmael they sold him to the Ishmaelites there were safety in numbers when you were an individual you wanted to be attached to a group a or family because there was safety in numbers because trust you me there were people ready to take you captive to sell you into slavery which is now the description they sold him into slavery where in Egypt even the children of Israel by Pharaoh were enslaved they didn't start out that way but remember as the as the time went forward he Pharaoh forgot about the children of Israel and who they were and how they got there and now what did he do he made them slaves but God no I know somebody will Paul talks about being a servant I'm a servant to the most high I'm a bond servant I'm a slave to the most high but see you've got understand God provides me everything that I need you look at and I should go back to the original question all of this was good stuff but maybe I'm you know taking this I mean taking the question out of context but my point is this you're looking at slavery servant through the eyes of the lens of American history which was very grotesque that commentator was making the claim that Christianity was only spread through violence that is a lie from the depths of hell violence wait a minute Christianity was spread by violence now if you mean the violence against Jesus Christ that's correct do you mean when the Roman Empire use the tool of the cross the tree do you mean when when when when the children of Israel yell kill him for his blood is upon us do you that was violent do you mean when when when Christians were being persecuted and they had to disperse throughout the world and take the gospel because they were being dipped in hot oil they were being tortured they were being hung on crosses that was violent now though there are some people who have taken Christianity to to progress look at that look at look at Europe there are some people who have taken Christianity and use it as a reason to destroy but that wasn't God's plan that wasn't God's plan come on somebody said what a slave to righteousness is better than being a slave to sin that's this let's put it up that's what you should be worried about being a slave to sin I'm free but Christianity was not progressed because of violence no there are some people that took it out of context there's some people that that that use the Bible as a tool to to spread a faucet a narrative but no no no no if someone's reading there by now if you you want to talk about some religions that are violent no no oh come on come on you're taking things out of context Christianity is not violent Jesus displayed that he surrendered he they didn't take him he gave his life over to violent people he gave his life over to violent people Christians are not to be violent our scripture teaches that we are to love we are to forgive but not all people not all people declare themselves to be Christians follow the Word of God even Jesus himself from the cross forgive them for they do not know is that a violent act but I'm gonna tell you what I'm gonna tell you something right now when Jesus comes back you're going to see something when the Lord comes back and he takes his church up out of here oh my my my you're going to see something then he came as a as the Lamb of God but when he comes back you will see the warrior King now we're I mean after he takes the church then you're going to see the warrior King but no no no Christianity was not moved forward by violence there are people who declare themselves to be Christian that use violence to progress the agenda but that wasn't of God you know I need to understand the difference between perscription and description what is that you see things described in this word that men did you read things that that history lets us know that men did in the describe what men did in the name of Christianity that's describing but prescribing is what Jesus God Almighty prescribed us to do love your neighbor forgive your neighbor turn the other cheek you will endure persecution violence Paul himself when his name was Saul now okay let's talk about that in the book of Acts I think you look at chapter 6 now let me make sure because I might be violence see y'all you here's the problem you'll go watch some crazy TV show the Vikings or something and and you'll see how the Christians are displayed and you'll take that as the gospel truth oh the Christians were violent and raping women and doing that and you'll take that as the truth trust me if an individual went out to kill and rape and harm and hurt they weren't a Christian they weren't a Christian watch this watch this hang on a young man Stephen was proclaiming the gospel oh my my my he was proclaiming the gospel and watch this let's start it Acts chapter 6 verse 11 so they persuaded some men to lie about Stephen saying we heard him blaspheme Moses and even God so Stephen is proclaiming the gospel man he there is no fear he doesn't have the spirit of fear he's proclaiming he broke this word down and some men heard it and they lied against them and watch this verse 12 this riles the people the elders and the teachers of religious law so they arrested Stephen and brought him before the high council they brought him before the religious elite they brought him in front of the legalistic men of the day this was Stephen a Christian man proclaiming the truth of whom of Jesus Christ and I want you to see where the violence is at I want you to see if there was if there was violence involved when he came to Christian watch this watch this verse 13 thank you thank you watch this watch this the lying witnesses said this man is always speaking against the Holy Temple and against the law of Moses oh we have heard him say that this Jesus of Nazareth will destroy the temple and change the customs Moses handed down to us okay now you remember Jesus declared in the Creed he declared himself like that temple but did not the temple get destroyed and who was it destroyed by the Roman Empire but Jesus compared himself to the temple and said that he would resurrect and make oh who are you but watch this watch this verse 15 at this point everyone in the high council stared at Stephen because his face became as bright as an angel now Stephen is under the spotlight and now they are angry and upset let's go to seven then the high priest asked even are these accusations true and Stephen starts this was Stephen's reply brothers and fathers listen to me our glorious God appeared to our ancestors Abraham and Mesopotamia before the before he settled in Haran and he goes on and on and they find themselves in a state of hurt and conviction now watch this are you ready let me let me back up here now watch this let's look at verse 58 we're looking at 758 all right no no no let's 54 754 if you want to turn now I'm in an LLC we're talking about violence you said Christianity was progressed because of violence that is a lie from the depths of hell now though I say and I will repeat there are people who declare themselves to be Christian that committed violent acts against people but that was not in the name of Jesus that was in the name of man not Jesus Jesus never ever said to commit violent acts never if anything he said lay lay your life down if anything he said he said do not come to be served but can't come to serve others love them forgive them but let's read on 54 754 the Jewish leaders were infuriated by Stephen's accusation because Stephen broke it down basically Stephen said you religious elite you came on the scene and in it and the law came through Moses and this happened but you killed our Lord and Savior this was the promised Messiah this was the one and you took him to the cross and I paraphrase it and you committed a violent act to the very one that was promised to us from the very beginning you killed him but he resurrected on the third day and they hated it the Jewish leaders were infuriated by Stephen's accusation and they shook their fist at him in rage but Stephen full of the Holy Spirit gazed steadily into the heavens and saw the glory of God and he saw Jesus standing Jesus as Stephen is about to be stoned Stephen is looking to the heavens and he sees on the right-hand side of God Jesus is standing violence against no listen Jesus standing in the place of honor of God's right hand the right hand what is the right hand it's symbolic of the power and Jesus said I have all authority come on verse 56 and he told him look Stephen says look I see the heavens open and the Son of Man standing in the place of honor at the God's right hand let's keep going you want to see violence I'm gonna show you violence then they put their hands over their ears and began shouting they didn't want to hear it they didn't want to hear what the very men that he's speaking to are the very men that took Jesus and killed him on the cross but he resurrected on the third day they didn't want to hear that because why they were about their violent religious movement do not say on this app do not declare and decree that the only reason Christianity went forward it was because of violence that is a lie from the depths of hell do you know how many people have died for Christianity you know how many people have laid their lives down for Christianity and there are people in the world today in countries that are being slaughtered right now because they're Christians do you know I have a physician who's a friend who's from Egypt who has a tattoo on his right wrist and he says he had to get tattooed by the government where it where he's from in Egypt to declare and decree that he was a Christian right now violence what what about the contemporary story about the missionaries that were in a in a country that was primarily a Muslim nation and they were there on a mission work and they took them captive they have them their hands over their head and their captives said it was right there ready to execute them and right there and they filmed it they executed they executed the leader of the Christian group then the wife who lived in the u.s. that that wasn't violence against us that was violence coming to us then they went to the wife and they said how do you feel about this religious leader of another religion killing your Christian husband and she said right down to a TV I forgive him verse 57 then they put their hands over their ears and they begin to shout and they rushed at him and dragged him out of the city and began to stone him Stephen didn't pick up a rock and throw it Stephen declared the gospel but they didn't want to hear it they drug them out of the city and they stoned them read your scriptures there is nowhere in Scripture that Jesus Almighty condones or advocates violence once again you've got people that will take the scriptures to promote their agenda of violence and I'm hyped right now I'm hyped but I'm tired of y'all folks every time I turn around you want to throw slavery in the mix every time I turn around you want to say well Christian no read your history books read your history books the Bible within itself is a reliable collection of historical documents it can be verified by history there have been 25,000 archaeological digs to support the Bible and the majority of those digs do not contradict what the Bible says no ifs ands or buts and it was written by eyewitnesses in the lifetime of other eyewitnesses who report supernatural events that fulfill prophecies and those eyewitnesses declared and and and claimed that their writings were divine and not human in origin look at your history Jesus did not promote violence let's keep going and they dragged him out of the city and began to stone him his accusers took off their coats now watch what they do with their coats his accusers took off their coats and laid them at the feet of a young man named Saul who is also known as Paul the individual I'm named after yes Paul who was Saul that was violence against the church read your book before you start echoing the things you heard in the echo chamber read the Word of God before you start re-verbalizing the message you heard in the world and quit using the excuse Oh slavery Oh violence Oh this no now watch this as they stone Stephen watch this watch this here's no violence as they stone Stephen Stephen prayed I mean if y'all looking for this this is act 757 I'm in the NLT if it sounds a little bit different but you get the drift it says in act 759 it says as they stone him now let's think about it as they stone him are you just gonna let someone stone you what you're trying you're gonna try to fight back you're gonna try to go get your little gun you're gonna try to you know do something right but watch what Stephen does he says as they stone him Stephen prayed that's not a violent act Stephen prayed but let's look what Stephen prayed he goes Lord Jesus receive my spirit this is what Stephen said Lord Jesus receive my spirit he's been drugged out he's gonna be stoned and he looks to the heavens Lord Jesus receives my spirit he fell to his knees shouting oh my Lord Lord don't charge them with this you see violence in that I see violence being committed to the Christian I see violence being put up on the Christian but I see the example of the Christian praying to God receive my spirit and then praying to God saying Lord forgive them is that violence no that's love this is why I say I choose love because that is love this is what I mimic this is what I imitate let me tell you something I've shared with you all of you I served in the military I shared with you I was a Navy guy attached on an aircraft carrier all right I'm gonna share something with him share something intimate with you but I struck for corpsman to be a Navy corpsman because I wanted to go to the Navy Seals be a Navy seal okay but I ended up going with the Marines now watch this I got a little more to read I ended up going with the Marines but when I was in the military when I decided that I wasn't going to be a seal I took it upon myself to associate myself with effective and highly trained warriors all right hand-in-hand weapons and so on etc because of my corpsman status I had access to certain individuals and I self-trained myself in various arts of battle this is not saying braggadocious because I take no no delight in any of that here's my point by nature I'm violent by nature the other day we were at church and somebody at church said I said you know I love putting my little headphones on and walking around Walmart I said it in church I said I'll put my headphones on while miss Debbie shopping and I'm just walking through the store not paying attention I'm just listening praise and worship and somebody in the church said you better be alert let me let me say this from my heart you want me in your store if something goes down because when it's all said and done in my heart I have a violent nature and I can defend myself and I'm not scared to die but that violent nature does not exist anymore it's there and I guess I can pull it out when I need to pull it out but I see the scriptures as love and proclaiming love I see the scripture as is is communicating and living what I believe I see the scripture not to the point that I want to stone you back I see the scripture as I see Stephen Lord forgive them for they do not know what they do that's how I see the scripture now do I have that ability yes I've got that ability but then again a Peter had the ability when he cut someone's ear off but we don't see that type of behavior the point that Peter got filled with the Spirit we don't see that anymore matter of fact we see Peter and history tells us that Peter didn't even want to be hung on the cross like a savior but he was hung upside down he had the ability he had the skill set to commit violence but then I see Stephen when you're filled with the Spirit it's about love and not by violence see violence comes against the church violence comes against Christianity and you want me to prove it you can talk about you can talk about Christianity and Christians like they're dogs and no one will say a thing but you speak about other religions and you're considered a bigot you can tear us down you can call us weak you can you you can just drive us through the mud and it's acceptable but you won't do that to other religions I don't hear you say anything about other religions but to us oh it's outright violence against us let's get back to this and they laid their coats at the feet of Saul watch this as they stoned him Stephen prayed Lord Jesus received my spirit he fell to his knees shouting Lord don't charge them with this sin and with that he died I got a couple more things to read now watch this violence verse 8 chapter 8 I'm sorry chapter 8 verse 1 Saul was one of the witnesses and he agreed completely with the killing of Stephen Saul he was one of the witnesses and he agreed he promoted he encouraged God here get your jackets put them here go ahead stone them that was a violence against the church there's a little bit more let me read it a to a great wave of persecution did you hear that a great wave of persecution what violence against the church it says it a great wave of persecution began that day sweeping over the church in Jerusalem and all the believers except the Apostles were scattered through the region of Judea and Samaria some devout men came out and buried Stephen with great mourning but watch this watch this watch this some devout men came out to bury Stephen with great mourning but Saul was going everywhere to destroy the church he went from house to house dragging out both men and women to throw them in prison that was violence committed against the church and that has been repeated over and over and over again so do not say that the agenda of the church was progressed by violence you can say the first book printed was the Bible to progress the faith you can say that the original educational institutions in America were built by Christians the original medical system that we understand hospitals was created by Christians you can say that that orphanages and places to help take care of children who have no parents were created by Christians but don't you dare and the list could go on but don't you dare say that Christianity was progressed through violence don't because that is not now history will display people who took Christianity the banner of Christianity and committed violent acts in the name of Christianity but that wasn't of God because if you look at the apostles and disciples they died for what they believed in they didn't fight against. I'm sorry. Amen. Call it like it is. So violence came against the church. There you go. Study is the crusade the Fox Book of Martyrs and who the true pagan Roman Catholic Church is. Bless their ear. Amen. Grace. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Grace. Back to grace. Unmerited favor. Unmerited favor, folks. Oh, and look what Brother Ray said there. Thank you. People don't wait on the gospel to be true because they want their sin. Amen. Brother Ray said something. That very man saw, if you keep reading, that very individual who persecuted the church who committed violent acts against the church on the road to Damascus the Lord knocked him off his horse and he asked Saul, why do you persecute me? Why do you persecute me? And for three days Saul was blinded and in that three days I believe Saul understood grace. That and mercy. Let's think about that. Saul and I think that's why Saul, Paul's ministry was so powerful. That he understood the people that I persecuted. The young man and I'm sure and I'm just using my anointed imagination that Saul had to struggle in his spirit. I literally promoted the stoning of a young preacher named Stephen and I and I and I would have to think that Paul could really, Paul, here's my little magnifying glass, that he had to really like look at grace and mercy. I think he really had to say and I'm symbolically speaking, he had to say I deserve to be killed. Eye for an eye, tooth for tooth because he was inflected on the law. I deserve to be killed by my creator because of what I did to the church but God showed him mercy. He held back, God held back what Paul deserved and I think on that same thought Paul had to say I do not deserve the blessing of this knowledge that God has given to me. I would have to think as he looked in the magnifying glass and he looked at his life and he looked at who he was and he looked at he even said he goes and I paraphrase I count everything all that all that because Paul was a religious elite who studied at the feet of Gamaliel who probably spoke Hebrew and Greek and he could have just he was a PhD times three but he said I count this all dumb and I believe Ray to your point that Paul understood grace and he understood mercy and he understood why he became the or one of the primary voices to speak to people regarding Jesus because why Paul understood the law but then he came under the spotlight of grace and mercy even he and I paraphrase even he wanted to he desired to take the penalty for his countrymen if you only knew this grace if you only knew the mercy that God has offered us I would take the penalty for you but he knew he couldn't so what did he do he pointed them to the one who could for Jesus is grace y'all praise God for you praise God for you amen Paul had a perspective that the Jews needed Paul had a perspective that that that that even the surrounding countries around Israel needed Paul had a perspective that we need right now I need grace and I need mercy Paul understood there was nothing good about him you know I'm excited one of the young men and church is gonna bring me as you know if you don't know Paul is one of my favorite people I don't know he just and you know it's funny it watches watches watches yes Paul was the the Apostle of the New Testament you're absolutely right why well he was a citizen of Rome look at that even that's beautiful he was a citizen of Rome why was why was it important that he was a citizen of Rome can anybody tell me that my grace is sufficient did not God help all that even that teaching is beautiful why was it important that Paul was a citizen of Rome can anybody answer that watches watches anybody know why it's important that Paul was a citizen of Rome hmm anybody why is important that that that that that why why is it important he was able he was able to travel to Rome had access to share the gospel he was the preacher he couldn't you remember as a Roman citizen he couldn't be he couldn't be judged you know when they incarcerated he couldn't be done he was right I'm a Roman citizen they had to right why even God was shown grace and mercy on those that Paul was going to share the gospel come on to the Gentiles come on that's God that even that that that's God showing grace on those who needed to hear the gospel so he takes this eloquent articulating disciple Apostle who spoke probably two three languages that he could go in and share the God Mars Hill how many of y'all know the story Marshall Paul walked into Mars Hill there was there was the the the philosophers and and the the deep thoughts and they were there and Paul came and broke it down he broke it down so don't come here with your slavery agenda the only slaves that we need to be worried about it's folks that are slaves to sin even the Roman guard come on even the Roman guards got saved come on so it's safe to say wherever Paul was that Paul there's a great example I guess Paul could have been upset at the Roman guards I guess Paul could have committed violent acts against the Roman guards but what he do share the gospel so don't come here with your just if you go if you're going to just say something stupid say something like this I don't want to be a Christian I don't want to serve God I don't want don't make up lies don't make up lies please don't I know that sounds mean to say I shouldn't even say the word stupid please forgive me but don't come off ignorant repeating things you heard in echo chamber all right don't please just be truthful say I don't want to serve God I you know we don't we want you to serve God we want you to have eternal life we want you to have eternal life with Jesus we want that we want that that's my desire but that's your choice that's your free will so be real don't don't don't echo that mess you heard the Bible was written by you know it been changed or are you know violence in the Christian that we don't we don't that's that's not the truth don't be a parrot for Satan somebody said oh that was good don't be a parrot yeah don't don't do that do your homework do your homework one person say you're going to serve one or the other one of the other Johnny Knoxville and good grandpa are you gonna serve one of the other but y'all okay we'll be back tomorrow talk a little more about grace great subject great subject we veered off a little but I think it was a worthy our time hey what time we got 738 I'll tell you let's take let's take at least a few more minutes let's take a few more minutes and pray for some people God is not the author of confusion whoo somebody speaking the truth there somebody speaking the truth there y'all I'm gonna tell you what before I start looking at these and if I miss I'm just tell it like it is now I have to be very careful of the verbiage I use here on this platform because you know some people get their little feelings here because they don't want to hear the truth but I'm not here to hurt to hurt your feelings I'm not here to belittle you I'm not here to dismiss you I'm not here to to minimize who you are as a person but I'm trying to declare the truth to you and everyone about your eternal state of affair hang on that that was let me open this up so in case my son drives up I'm trying to warn you and everyone else about your eternal state of affairs I hate I hate to keep bringing this this up with regard with regards to the Grammys but I mean I'm gonna give you a poor example of the attitude that I see with most people Madonna Madonna is trying Madonna is so fixated on the past she's so fixated with regards to her heyday in the 80s that she's trying to do everything she can to stay young or to look young and she's not giving thought to her eternal state of affairs all I'm trying to do on this is to tell you the truth about your eternal state of affairs it's very simple with Jesus hang on I gotta go look out my door real quick cuz I see it I hear a big truck but hang on all right it's all good okay I'm sorry I thought my son was parked on the side I was like one of my neighbors but I'm just concerned about your eternal state affairs that's it let me tell you why if you be very sincere with yourself we all die we all die we we would like to think that we are going to live in this world forever we would like to think that we're gonna make 20 30 40 and by the grace of God I'm going to be 60 years old in March and I thank God but I'm not promised that day I'm not promised how many people have you turn on the TV or looked at the news and this person just passed away or that person passed away maybe somebody you have in your life personally that you just out of nowhere they went to bed and they never woke up here's what I'm trying to tell you while you're living while you have breath in your body please receive Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior because without Jesus without Jesus remember we talked about God's grace he sent his son to to to die for you and I because God demanded he demanded he commanded he said out of me the day you eat of you should surely die you have a tree of knowledge good evening should surely die and and and they were separated God can't turn back on his word but then he sent his son to pay the price for you and I but if you leave this earth without Jesus if you go to bed you could be driving out on the street you could pull out you could go across the street you're at a you're at a light you're coming to a light Lambril there's a there's a road right Higley and and Santana she knows this people run this light all the time you could go out there and you get the light screen and here you go and all of a sudden somebody comes to the side and hits you instantly you're dead and without Jesus you find yourself waking up in a place of torment you find yourself waking up in a place of torment gnashing of teeth teeth outer darkness pain and suffering and here's the thing you think it's a dream but it doesn't stop it goes on and on and on that it's that simple some of you might be saying why would a loving God why would a loving God sin is only begotten son to pay the price for you and I why would a loving God give us a way out why would a loving God give us the solution to the problem of sin why would a loving God forgive us though we deserve to go to hell why would a loving God do all that but because he's a righteous God and he's a righteous judge and you failed to accept his son only a righteous God and a righteous judge can what declare you guilty but think about it just because you wanted to listen to the echo chamber just because you wanted to hear the doctrine of man just because you wanted to have it your way you bet your life and never thought about the eternal state of affairs you took your last breath and woke up in the presence of hell remember in the book of Luke a beggar and a rich man do you remember the story somebody that Luke 16 somebody take me there is that Luke 16 somebody look it up for me is that Luke 16 help me out I'm gonna look up in a minute I'm gonna see if I'm right before I look up you know it's like a test let me see I don't know if I'm right let me help me out if somebody good morning is it give me the beggar and the rich man is it give me the exact verses Oh Luke yeah Luke 16 verse 19 watches Luke 16 19 we talk about getting your affairs in order before you take your last breath but we use the example you could go to sleep not wake up you could be traveling to an intersection next you know your head this is a real talk folks we're not gonna live forever but look at look at look at look at the book of Luke 16 verse 19 Jesus said there was a certain rich man I'm in the NLT Jesus said there was a certain rich man who was splendidly clothed in purple and fine linen who lived each day in luxury sounds like some of the people we saw over there on TV they were living their finest life finest clothes finest food cars homes the works they were living in luxury all right I wait a minute I can understand and I was thrown and okay so here we go they were living their best life let's pop over here just pop over here verse 20 at his gate lay a poor man named Lazarus who was covered with sores as Lazarus laid there longing for scraps from the rich man's table the dogs came and lit his wounds so we got the rich man we got a poor man Lazarus laying at the gate of the rich man just hoping to get crumbs and scraps off the rich man's table even the dogs had mercy on Lazarus and came to lick his wounds verse 22 finally the poor man died and was carried by the angels to sit beside Abraham at a heavenly banquet finally the the poor homeless sickly Lazarus died and he was carried to be in the bosom according to King James to the bosom of Abraham why does it keep reading the rich man also died interesting the rich man would live in his best life he would live in his truth he had luxury he had clothes he had money he had the best chariots he had the house even had a gate around his house but watch this the rich man also died and was buried did y'all get that and they'll see I like how that puts it one was carried away but he was buried watch this he was buried verse 23 and he went to the place of the dead there is torment who he saw Abraham in the far distance with Lazarus at his side so when the rich man died he was in the place of the dead where there was torment gnashing of teeth out of darkness it was terrible and he could see Abraham from afar and he saw the beggar Lazarus with Abraham watch this 24 the rich man shouted father Abraham have some pity send Lazarus over here to dip his finger in the water to cool my tongue I know some people will say well that that that's just figuratively speaking that didn't happen oh it happened because why his senses were alert why he was so hot he said just just watch it he just said take a dip of water a dip of water and put in my tongue he was so miserable so hot so tormented he just wanted a dip of water to put on his tongue how do I also I know this is not figuratively speaking in real names were used anytime we look at the context in the writing the scriptures if names were used this is not a parable this is not an illustration this is real and the rich man is like father Abraham if you could just send Lazarus just to put a just a dip of water on my tongue watch this watch this he says water cool my tongue he goes I'm in anguish and these flames he said I'm in anguish in these flames this is what the man said he felt it but he lived his best life he lived in luxury he had the best clothes he had the house he had the food he had everything but he died death found him for the wages of sin is what for the wages sin somebody answer for me for the wages of sin is what for the wages of sin somebody give me the first one for the wages of sin is what what is it somebody give it to me for the wages of sin is what death but Abraham said to him son remember that during your lifetime you had everything you wanted and Lazarus had nothing so now he is here being comforted and you are in anguish and besides there's a great chasm separating us no one can cross over to you from here and no one can cross over to us from there then the rich man said please father Abraham at least send him to my father's home for I have five brothers and I want him to warn them so they they don't end up in this place of dormant but it was too late he didn't listen while he had breath in his body watch this but Abraham said Moses and the prophets have warned them your brothers can read what they wrote the rich man replied no father Abraham but if someone is sent to them from the dead then they will repent of their sins and turn to God but watch what Abraham said but Abraham said if they won't listen to Moses and the prophets they won't be persuaded even if someone rises from the dead who rose from the dead what was Abraham who rose from the dead who what was Abraham referring to who rose from the dead and they still wouldn't listen somebody help me out here somebody preach back to Jesus that's the NLT version that's the NLT King James is beautiful but I think I think that NLT just breaks it down for just a simple cat like myself he said even if somebody rose from the dead see Jesus rose from the dead Jesus came back and he resurrected y'all he resurrected but Abraham said even if somebody came from the dead so what am I trying to say get ahold of Jesus before it's too late you don't know when too late is see my name by the grace of God is written in the book of life I'm not worried I'm not worried I belong to Jesus when I go to bed I say Lord thank you so much I thank you I praise you Holy God watch over my children watch over my wife watch over the ministry watch over my family watch over my Christian friends watch over Lord thank you I praise you and if I don't wake up I know where I'm going to be I'm going to be the same place that Lazarus is I'm going to be in the presence of my Lord I'm gonna be in the presence of my Lord I'm not worried about it but get it right because when you got Jesus your eternal state of affairs are in order when you got Jesus your eternal state of affairs are in order back to Madonna you don't see you're going to see and I don't take any joy in it but you're gonna see you're gonna turn on TV one day and you're gonna remember what Pastor Paul told you news is going to be that Madonna life came to an end but the problem with that is and remember this she was too busy being fixated behind her and not concerned for her eternal destination she will be example I'm not here to pick on Madonna I don't don't that's not the point here but the point is are you going to be like the rich man and enjoy all that this world has to offer are you going to be like Lazarus and focus on the destination that's that's what it boils down to because what does it profit a man to gain the whole world and lose his soul what is the profit I've got I've got I know I got I know I got one associate that I know on a personal level what's the school with him he he he I I don't think he's got a he's got any kind of relationship with the Lord I don't see him as often but he let's just put it this way he is each one of you I guarantee you has contributed to his income he's got he's that guy each one of you each one of us has contributed to his income as if he's a friend of mine but he don't have a he's got everything at his fingertips money-wise he's got everything he's got he's got the house he's got the cars he he can pick up the phone call any celebrity you want he could call boom because celebrities have to go to him to get on his network friend of mine but the point is I tell you the story what does it profit a man what does it profit a man to gain the whole world but lose the soul but then about my daddy let's use my dad my dad pastor the church he worked at Shamrock Dairy full-time at the same time he didn't have a lot of money we lived a good life we weren't rich we were my mom and daddy were working people they were working people they they they they they that King Solomon a man they were working people but you know what my mom and dad were spiritually rich and they understood that in their father's house were many mansions don't don't don't don't don't get so captivated by this world and the things in it think about your external state of affairs and receive Jesus today receive Jesus today don't don't don't wait don't don't hang on hang on hang on hang on I didn't mean to go this long but God is leading me so I got a deal I gotta be obedient but what say is it the word is not you even in your mouth and in your heart that is the word of faith which we preach that it's out confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and if y'all shall believe in the heart that God has raised him from the dead thou shall be saved for with the heart man believe it unto righteousness and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation for the scriptures say it whoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed I'm asking you to repent all I'm asking is a change of mind and say Lord I am a sinner forgive me please Lord show me this mercy that this preacher speaks about show me this grace that that you offer Lord that I may turn to you and serve you and honor you with my life if you would just do that today if you would just do that today father God I just thank you thank you for allowing me to preach thank you for allowing me to share your word and Lord I pray for those that received your word today I pray that you would bless those that are on the fence to choose you Lord I pray for the moderators that as we collectively help each other share your good news and Lord I pray for each individual who who's a follower and believer in Christ that you would just bless them and use them father we thank you for the grace that we talked about we thank you for the mercy and we thank you for your word and Lord while I did get strong will my voice came up a bit but I'm just I just I just I'm grieved when people just fight against you I'm grieved when people just will not accept your word I'm I'm grieved when they just do what they want but Lord I know it's not my job for I'm only here to plant the seed I'm only here to in some places to water but Lord you bring the increase Lord I pray that you would just bless them that they would hear your voice that they would receive you and that they would live a life committed and dedicated to your teachings and father I pray that you just bless each individual and route to work school or whatever their circumstance may be I pray that you would just bless them and show them favor that you would use them that you would guide them and that you would bless them father we thank you we praise you we honor and lift you up for you are the king of kings the Lord of Lords the author and finisher of our race we ask it in the precious name of Jesus and we all say amen all right everybody I love you guys if you're on this morning thank you I hope Lord willing tomorrow zero six thirty we'll be here we'll talk about grace may the Lord watch over all of you may bless you may show favor upon you keep your head up last but not least let's keep our sister's husband in prayer as I said he is he's at an opportunity notice what I just used great word there he's happened at an opportunity in his life for the company he works for has diverted the path but he's at a opportunity in life because remember remember 630 Mountain Standard amen remember when God opens a door no man can close it remember that when God opens a door no man can close it but do not let that door be of your making lift that door be of God because if God gets you through it he'll get you to it God bless you have a great day much love