Revival Begins With Us
Bishop Henry Fernandez Preached on 8/2/20262 Chronicles 7:14
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48:57
Summary
Bishop Henry Fernandez challenges the church to prioritize kingdom agenda over personal preference, arguing that biblical unity is the prerequisite for God's commanded blessing and the most powerful weapon against the enemy.
Key points
- •Unity is the essential atmosphere required for God to bestow His blessing and command life.
- •Personal preference (seeking one's own way, comfort, or recognition) is the primary obstacle to kingdom purpose and the chief cause of division.
- •Jesus modeled 'Kingdom above preference' throughout His ministry, ultimately surrendering His will to the Father in the Garden of Gethsemane.
- •Division is a strategic tool of the enemy because a divided home, business, or church is powerless, whereas a united body is dangerous to the kingdom of darkness.
- •Biblical unity requires specific character traits: humility, gentleness, patience, and bearing with one another in love.
Scripture
Community
Discipleship
Character
Purpose
Kingdom
Life application
This week, identify one relationship or situation where you have been insisting on your own way, and consciously choose to prioritize the other person's needs or the collective goal over your personal preference.
Reflection questions
- In what areas of your life (marriage, work, church) are you currently allowing your 'personal preference' to hinder 'kingdom purpose'?
- Why do you think Jesus prayed specifically for unity right before His arrest instead of praying for the church's power or growth?
- How does your tone and 'aggression level' affect the unity in your home or workplace?
- Are you currently listening to 'wrong voices' that are planting seeds of envy or division in your heart?
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Full transcript
0:00Can you please stand for the reading of
0:02God's word this morning? Beautiful song
0:06by a worship team. Not by might nor by
0:10power, but it is by the spirit of the
0:14Lord.
0:16I want to turn your attention to
0:19Paul's writing in the book of Ephesians
0:23chapter 4
0:25from verse 1 to verse 6.
0:30And so we're going to do it a little bit
0:31different this morning. I'm going to
0:34read the first verse. You read the
0:36second and we'll continue that way. When
0:38we get to verse six, we'll read it
0:40together. Now, I know I have a
0:43microphone, but it's more of you. So,
0:45therefore, you should be louder
0:48than I am. All right? Because it's more
0:51of you. So, I really want you to pay
0:53attention to the screen. Those of you
0:55who don't have a Bible, I grew up where
0:57everybody had to have a Bible. In my
1:00time, we didn't have these fancy big
1:02screens where you could read. We didn't
1:05have no phones where you could download
1:07the Bible app. You had to bring your
1:09Bible to church. So, we made it
1:11convenient. So, if you don't have a
1:12Bible, you can pay attention to the
1:14screen. But Paul's writing in the book
1:17of Ephesians, chapter 4, beginning at
1:19verse one, he says, "As a prisoner for
1:21the Lord, then I urge you to live a life
1:25worthy of the calling you have
1:28received." Read.
1:38>> Make every effort to keep the unity of
1:41the spirit through the bond of peace.
1:45There is one body.
1:53>> One Lord, one faith, one baptism
1:58together, one God and Father of all, who
2:02is over all and through all and in all.
2:06Father, we thank you for your word this
2:08morning. May you bless your servant,
2:10bless your people. Let us leave this
2:13place today empowered in Jesus' name.
2:17And everybody shout, "Amen." Come on,
2:19let's give him another praise.
2:22And you may be seated in the presence of
2:25the Lord. For a brief moment, I'd like
2:28to bring your attention to the subject
2:31kingdom above preference.
2:35Kingdom above preference. What am I
2:39talking about? Kingdom agenda should be
2:42your priority,
2:44not your personal preference.
2:48Kingdom
2:49agenda should be your most utmost
2:53priority, not your personal preference.
2:57And so, one of the greatest causes of
3:01brokenness in our world is not a lack of
3:05talent. It's not a lack of opportunity
3:09nor resources.
3:12It is a lack of unity.
3:15>> You see it in dating relationships.
3:20We see dating relationships are in a
3:23crisis because there's no unity. We see
3:26it in marriages. Marriages are failing
3:30because it lacks unity.
3:33We see it between parents and children.
3:36[clears throat] We also see it in
3:38workplaces, in businesses, in
3:41communities. And sadly, we even see it
3:45displayed in the church.
3:48Many people spend their lives blaming
3:52their circumstances,
3:54their upbringing, their their finances,
3:57or the people around them for the
4:00dysfunction they experience.
4:04While those things may contribute to the
4:07challenges of life, scripture points us
4:10to something deeper than those things.
4:15I believe that where there is abs where
4:18where unity I should say is absent,
4:21division eventually takes over. I want
4:26to say it again. Where unity is absent,
4:29division usually takes over.
4:34So if there's no unity in your dating,
4:36if there's no unity in your marriage, if
4:39there's no unity in your family, if
4:41there's no unity at the workplace, the
4:43marketplace, if there's no unity in the
4:46church,
4:48division will take over. The world has
4:52mastered
4:54this idea of uh creating division.
5:00Mastered it. That is why we find in the
5:03world today there are borders. We're
5:06trying to put borders to separate
5:08ourselves to put ourselves in different
5:11classes.
5:12That is why racism and slavery was so
5:16dominant and still dominant today
5:19because if I can divide you, I can
5:22conquer you.
5:24>> It's a strategy of the enemy. And so
5:27Psalm 133:1 tells us, watch this, how
5:31good and pleasant it is when God's
5:36people live together in unity. Don't
5:40miss this. How good and pleasant it is
5:43when God's people live together in
5:47unity. Notice that David didn't say
5:50unity is merely good. He said it is good
5:54and it is pleasant because unity creates
5:58an atmosphere where p where powerful and
6:02godly things are produced.
6:05The enemy knows where there's no unity,
6:09he can increase his uh strategy. He can
6:14he can declare division. He can cause
6:17you to walk out of the full plan and
6:20purpose of God for your life. So in
6:23Psalm 133 and verse three, David
6:27declares "For
6:29there the Lord where unity, for there
6:33the Lord bestows his blessing, even life
6:37forever more." So what David is saying
6:39is where there is unity, God commands
6:42his blessing.
6:45Don't you see that the enemy doesn't
6:47want your relationships to be blessed?
6:50>> Don't you see he doesn't want you to
6:52work at a workplace that is healthy and
6:57where you can stay there until it's time
6:59for you to go until it's God's will for
7:02you to go. Don't you see the enemy knows
7:04that that workplace though though
7:07they're not perfect? They're not
7:08perfect. I get it. But could it be that
7:11God placed you there for his own
7:14purpose?
7:16>> And when you don't flow in unity, the
7:18devil's plan is to destroy and to
7:21disrupt God's plan for your life. So you
7:24will spend the next 20 years hopping
7:27from job to job, not building stability,
7:31not building a retirement,
7:34and then when you get old, you blame it
7:36on everybody else.
7:38but is because you are not a lover of
7:41unity.
7:43Some of you are walking around blaming
7:45men for everything that's wrong in your
7:48life
7:50because you've dated a few and and so
7:53forth and and not taking responsibility.
7:55That could it be that because you're
7:58dysfunctional
8:01and you're toxic
8:05that maybe it's disrupting your ability
8:08to find the good man?
8:13Some of you men, maybe the reason why
8:15you are toxic and miserable. And maybe
8:19the reason why you have yet to find a
8:22good woman is because you don't know how
8:26to embrace something that's good. You've
8:29been damaged so badly over the years by
8:33your mother
8:35>> and other women.
8:39>> Oh, I'm going to preach it, sweetheart.
8:41I promise you.
8:43I'm going to preach it.
8:48David says the Lord bestows his blessing
8:53when we're united
8:56and we can't keep going around blaming
8:58everyone else and the systems of the
9:01world. When we don't embrace the fact
9:03that God wants us to become one. So
9:07you're dating. Don't allow the enemy to
9:12cause trivial things to divide you.
9:15Could it be that that is the perfect
9:17union? Could it be that God has blessed
9:22your relationship to lead to the
9:24honorable position and that is marriage
9:28be one cuz that's where the blessing is
9:31at.
9:33If you're in a marriage
9:35and God has blessed that marriage, be
9:38united.
9:40Don't don't don't be in your feelings
9:42and and don't divide. Don't let the
9:45devil use you to bring a wedge between
9:48what God has built.
9:52>> The church of Jesus Christ possesses
9:54everything necessary to change the
9:57world, to change our lives. We have the
10:00gospel. We have the Holy Spirit and we
10:03have the authority of Christ and we have
10:06the power of prayer. Let me say it
10:08again. We have the gospel, the good
10:11news. We have the Holy Spirit. We have
10:13the authority of Christ and we have the
10:15power of prayer. Yet, one of our
10:19greatest struggles
10:21is that we are often not as united as
10:26Christ intended us to be. Why is that?
10:31Because too often we place, watch this,
10:34personal preference
10:36above kingdom purpose.
10:40It's always about us. Do you know how
10:42many of you have wrecked your life and
10:44your family because of personal
10:47preference? You rather burn the whole
10:50house down
10:52>> just to get your way.
10:55You rather kill something that's good
10:58just to prove you're right.
11:02You've lost good people
11:06all because
11:08of your personal preference.
11:13We prefer our own way. We prefer our own
11:15opinions. We prefer our own comfort. We
11:18prefer our own recognition. Instead of
11:21surrendering ourselves completely to
11:23God's plan, we insist on protecting our
11:28preference.
11:31You see, kingdom culture always ask
11:35what advances the kingdom of God.
11:40Personal preference ask what benefits
11:43me?
11:45What benefits me?
11:47So that's how we live our lives in the
11:49church, as a single person, married, in
11:54our family, at the workplace. It's
11:57always about us.
12:00And we are not ashamed to declare it.
12:04It's me, myself,
12:07>> and I.
12:10Jesus modeled kingdom
12:13before preference.
12:15Throughout his early ministry, Jesus
12:18never allowed personal preference to
12:20override his father's assignment.
12:23Repeatedly he declared, he says, "For in
12:27John chapter 6, he said,"For I have come
12:30down from heaven." And listen to this
12:32carefully, church. I've come down from
12:34heaven not to do my will, but to do the
12:37will of HIM WHO SENT ME. This is Jesus.
12:41He could have COME TO EARTH BRAGGING
12:44about his position.
12:47He could have said, "Do you know who I
12:48am? I am the son of God, and everybody
12:52ought to bow down to me. And if you
12:54don't bow down, I'm gonna use my power,
12:57and I'm gonna punish you." Listen, can I
13:00be honest with you? Some of us should
13:02not be given power.
13:10Some of us cannot handle power.
13:14>> Cannot.
13:16We want it, but we cannot handle it.
13:19Some of you have it, but you are very
13:22abusive with it.
13:26Again,
13:29Jesus said in John 5:30, he says, "I
13:33seek not to please myself,
13:37but him who sent [laughter] me." This is
13:39Jesus.
13:41He had every right to brag about who he
13:44is. And he said, "I didn't come here to
13:48please myself. This is not about
13:50preference now. This is about kingdom
13:53agenda." Even in the garden of
13:55Gethsemane,
13:57facing unimaginable
14:00suffering, Jesus prayed this prayer. Are
14:03you ready for it? Listen. This is what
14:04he prayed. He said, "Father,
14:07if you are willing, take this cup from
14:11me. Yet not my will,
14:16but yours
14:18be done."
14:21See, this is kingdom culture. Jesus
14:24could have said,
14:26I listen,
14:28I ain't doing this for these jokers.
14:31I'm not doing this. I'm not going to the
14:34cross. I ain't nobody going to put no
14:37sword in my side. Ain't nobody going to
14:39put no crown of thorn on my head. And
14:41you surely not going to drive no nails
14:43through my hands and feet.
14:47He could have said that
14:49because he felt the weight. This
14:51scripture is telling us we're humans
14:54just like God the Son, Jesus. He came to
14:58earth to prove to us that we can live in
15:00the flesh and still glorify God. He felt
15:04the pain. He felt the embarrassment, the
15:06betrayal. He felt everything. Yet he
15:10said, "It's really not my preference,
15:13not my will." Let your will be done.
15:17Because
15:19kingdom preference says it's your will,
15:22God. But you see, personal preference
15:24says my will. I want to have my way. I
15:29want to have my way. I want to have my
15:31way in this relationship. So if you
15:33don't do what I tell you to do, I'm
15:36going to punish you some other way.
15:39I'm going to punish you. So in marriage,
15:43if you don't do what I tell you to do, I
15:47will either punish you with my words or
15:49my body.
15:53It's quiet.
15:56Have you ever wondered
15:58what pollutes kingdom culture? Many
16:02believers begin well but gradually drift
16:05towards living according to personal
16:07preference.
16:09So we have a problem in the church
16:11today. I'm not talking about the faith
16:12center. I'm talking about the complete
16:14body of Christ. The enemy uses several
16:16tools to pull us away from kingdom
16:19assignment.
16:21Tools like greed.
16:25Yes greed jealousy
16:29envy pride comparison
16:34wrong voices.
16:36He used these tools,
16:39greed instead of just waiting your turn.
16:43Wait on the Lord and for God to do it.
16:45Jealousy.
16:47It's it's shocking to see how some
16:50people would go to the extreme to be
16:52jealous
16:54over people,
16:56envious over people, full of pride. The
17:00Bible says
17:02uh pride goes before
17:05You're going to fall when you're full of
17:07pride. When you don't humble yourself.
17:09When nobody can talk to you.
17:13I'm always right.
17:15Everybody got to come to me.
17:18Humble yourself when you compare
17:21yourself with one another. And watch
17:23this. Who's got your ears?
17:27Who's in your ears? I can't tell you how
17:30many times I've seen good people. Watch
17:32this. good people and all of a sudden I
17:35see them sitting with someone, walking
17:38with someone and instantly in my heart
17:43they're going to be poisoned now.
17:45>> Come on now. Don't leave me out here.
17:49>> Come on. You you know you it it it's
17:51it's only a matter of time
17:55>> that they're going to change. James 3:16
17:59tells us, "For where you have, watch
18:03this, envy and selfish ambition,
18:07there you will find what? Disorder and
18:11what? Evil practice."
18:15This is the word. The Bible says where
18:18you find envy and selfish ambition,
18:21whether it's in your dating life,
18:22whether it's in marriage, your family,
18:25at the workplace, in the church, where
18:27you find envy
18:30and selfish ambition. The Bible says
18:34that's the place you're going to find
18:36disorder.
18:38And every evil practice, might as well
18:41you call it witchcraft,
18:44>> manipulation,
18:46>> selfish ambition always produces
18:49disorder. When everything is about you,
18:52you're going to wreck your relationship.
18:55You're going to wreck your marriage.
18:57You're going to wreck your parenting
18:59skills. Some of your kids are hurting
19:02because you're out of order.
19:09You don't even notice that there's a
19:11generational curse in your family
19:13>> and God wants you to break it.
19:16>> But you're out of order.
19:20If five people going to clap, everybody
19:22should be clapping right there. Cuz you
19:24know it's the truth, man. You know it's
19:26the truth, right? Yeah. It It's not a
19:28sermon to make you shout today. I'm
19:30sorry. It's not a sermon for you to get
19:32up and throw your handkerchief at me.
19:34Preach, Rev. No, it it's a day for you
19:36to sit and absorb and say, "God, speak
19:40to me."
19:43[applause]
19:45But I want you to know that kingdom
19:47purpose always produces what? Unity.
19:51Here's the prayer, and I'm almost
19:53through. Here's the prayer. This not
19:55going to take long. Here's the prayer
19:57Jesus prayed for the church in John
20:02chapter 17.
20:05This is awesome. When I was reading it,
20:07it blew my mind. He's pray he's about to
20:11fulfill his father's will. He's about to
20:14complete the plan of redemption. He's
20:16praying for the church. And you would
20:18think HE WOULD PRAY, "GOD, help them to
20:20have a big revival. Help them to bust
20:23out with so many numbers and help the
20:25pastor and the priest and the Levites
20:27and the prophets to succeed and to be
20:30talented." No. Look at what Jesus
20:33prayed. Ladies, my prayer is not for
20:36them alone.
20:39I pray also for those who will believe
20:42in me through their message
20:45that all of them may be one. Father,
20:50just as you are in me and I am in you,
20:56may they also be in us so that the world
21:01may believe that you have sent me. Look
21:05at verse 22. I have given them the glory
21:09that you gave me that they may be one as
21:15we are one. He somehow his prayer was
21:19all about unity. Then he says, "I in
21:23them and you in me so that they may be
21:28brought to complete unity." Here's what
21:31Jesus is saying. The only way the church
21:34can be one is they've got to be one with
21:37me first. The same way, Father, I'm one
21:39with you.
21:42And then he said, "Then the world will
21:43know." The only way the world is going
21:46to know that our faith is authentic and
21:50has power. Jesus then said, "The world
21:53will know that you sent me and have
21:56loved them even as I have loved even as
22:01you have loved me."
22:04Did you get that?
22:06>> These are among the final recorded
22:08prayers of Jesus before his arrest.
22:11He was about to be arrested and he's
22:14praying for unity in the church. Not the
22:18building, the people
22:20>> who are dating, the people who are
22:23married, the people who are taking care
22:26of families, the people who are running
22:28businesses, the people who are working
22:30for people, and the people who gather in
22:33the temple every week.
22:37He's praying for unity. He had not yet
22:39entered into the garden to pray. Judas
22:42had not uh uh Judas had already, I
22:45should say, decided in his heart to
22:47betray him. Even with Judas's betrayal,
22:51the cross was ours away. knowing
22:55everything that was about to happen,
22:58what consumed the heart of Jesus
23:02was not God, give me what I you promised
23:07to give me while I was on the earth. His
23:09prayer was about the church becoming
23:13one. He didn't pray about buildings. It
23:16was not about programs. It was not about
23:19popularity. It was not about numbers. He
23:22prayed for unity. Could it be that maybe
23:25you're praying for the wrong things in
23:26your life?
23:30>> You're praying, "God, bless my family
23:32with more money. God, bless me so we can
23:35get a car we need. God, would you bless
23:37me so we can pay off this mortgage?
23:39Bless me that you can heal my son or
23:42heal my children." And maybe the prayer
23:44should be, "God, help my family to be
23:47one." Because the reason why there's
23:50probably dysfunction and and lawlessness
23:53in your family is because there's no
23:56unity
24:01>> and you the lack of unity will cost you
24:05>> because he makes his money, he doesn't
24:08discuss it with you. She makes her
24:10money, she doesn't discuss it with him.
24:13And instead of putting two resources
24:15together to become powerful,
24:19you are in the same house, but you're
24:20living separate lives.
24:24Okay. Okay. All right. All right.
24:28Please come back for your sermon next
24:29week. This this is not yours today. It's
24:32not yours. Come back and you get yours
24:34next week.
24:37Verse 21 says that all of them may be
24:41one. That's the prayer. all of them may
24:43be one. Verse 22, that they may be one
24:46as we are one. So when Jesus prayed this
24:51final prayer over the church, his
24:53greatest concern was not our gifts. It
24:57was really about unity.
25:00Because unity, watch this, will always
25:03be opposed.
25:05You'll be shocked. Unity will always be
25:09opposed. Jesus had 12 disciples.
25:1311 remained faithful. One betrayed him.
25:1911. They were faithful to some degree,
25:23but one betrayed him. That teaches us an
25:27important lesson here. What is the
25:29lesson? No matter how committed we are
25:33to unity,
25:35someone will always choose division.
25:42I know some of you honestly in your
25:44heart, you want to see your family come
25:46together.
25:48>> You want to see your church come
25:51together.
25:53You want to see your workplace come
25:54together. And I learned this being a
25:57pastor for 35 years. I learned this. You
26:00could sincerely in your heart want to
26:04see unity, but there's always one.
26:08There's always one Satan will find
26:11>> and have a conversation with
26:14and get in agreement with and Satan will
26:18say, "You be the one to tear this family
26:21apart.
26:23>> You be the one to wreck this marriage.
26:26You be the one to wreck this
26:29relationship. You be the one to wreck
26:32this church.
26:35>> There's always one.
26:37always.
26:39No matter how you feel, think about it,
26:41there's always one. Judas allowed
26:44selfish ambition to replace kingdom
26:47loyalty.
26:49Satan understood something many
26:51believers fail to recognize. A united
26:54church, watch this, is dangerous.
26:57A divided church is very powerless.
27:01Jesus said it best. Every kingdom
27:03divided against itself will be what?
27:07Ruined.
27:09>> Every kingdom, every home, every
27:12relationship that's divided among itself
27:15will not last. Satan attacks unity
27:18because he fears what unity can
27:21accomplish.
27:22The enemy really begins with the obvious
27:26rebellion. He begins with distractions.
27:30What are the distractions?
27:32Self-interest.
27:34Self-interest.
27:36Think about it. I want you to think
27:37about your life. Who you're dating, who
27:39you're married to, what family you're a
27:41part of, where you work, the co-workers
27:44that you're working with, and even this
27:47church that you're a part of. Think
27:49about it. Why are you here?
27:52What's your interest in your family?
27:55What's your interest in that
27:56relationship? Is it self-c centeredness
28:01or is it what God wants for you to bring
28:04to that relationship? So instead of
28:07asking, watch this,
28:09instead of asking um you know what can I
28:13get, you should be asking how can I
28:17serve?
28:20>> Instead of asking a woman that you're
28:23dating to, what can I get from you? your
28:26body.
28:28What can I get from you? Your money.
28:32What can I get from you, man? Well,
28:35comfort. Money. Instead of asking before
28:37you walk down the aisles to marry a
28:40person, be careful of marrying somebody
28:44who always find pleasure and is happy
28:48when they get something from you.
28:57>> [applause]
29:03>> You want to know the value of somebody
29:05you're going to marry,
29:08>> you better make sure you have
29:10experienced drought with that person.
29:15[applause]
29:20Don't don't don't let them see the
29:21pretty stuff all the time.
29:23>> Come on now. No, no, no, no. I'm telling
29:25you. I'm telling you. I'm telling you.
29:28Don't Don't always show up to pick her
29:30up on time.
29:32>> Don't always
29:34be late
29:36just to see her attitude.
29:47Don't always dress up for him. Don't
29:49always dress up for him.
29:54There ought to be a time you let him
29:55pick you up and go natural. I mean,
29:58really
30:00natural.
30:03>> And if he still opens that car door,
30:05he's the one.
30:09Cuz
30:12the last thing you want is to walk down
30:15the aisle and then start discovering
30:20the true identity of that person
30:24after marriage.
30:26>> People pursue positions
30:29they were never called to occupy.
30:34Why seek marriage
30:37>> if you're not prepared for it?
30:41>> If it's all about what you can get, you
30:43are not ready for marriage.
30:45>> Cuz marriage is not about preference.
30:50>> You're not going to get your way all the
30:54time.
31:05I hear the men shouting out, "Preacher,
31:08>> boy, I tell you, I'm loved by brothers
31:10today, man. You love me, man."
31:14Some are seeking titles instead of
31:16transformation.
31:18Some resist accountability and reject
31:22spiritual authority.
31:25Paul says, "Do nothing out of selfish
31:29ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in
31:33humility,
31:34value others above yourself."
31:38See, kingdom people serve.
31:41Preferenced driven people compete.
31:45Let me say it again. Kingdom people
31:48serve. You serve the person you're
31:50dating. You serve the person you're
31:52married to. You serve your children. You
31:55serve your boss. You serve your
31:58employees.
31:59You serve in ministry. But when you are
32:03about yourself,
32:06you love to compete.
32:12>> Sometimes churches become known more for
32:16personalities
32:18than for Christ.
32:21You see, our mission is not to build
32:23celebrity here at the faith center.
32:26>> This is not the church. Our mission is
32:29to build disciples. Jesus said, "Go and
32:33build." Jesus never said, "I should say
32:35go and build your platform.
32:38Go and build your name." Instead, he
32:40said, "Go therefore and make disciples
32:42what?" Of all nations.
32:45So many believers have become impressed.
32:48Watch this. I'm almost through. just
32:49just hang in there five more minutes.
32:51Next week I'll preach a more excited
32:53message and you know so forth. But
32:55that's okay.
32:57>> But many believers have become impressed
32:59with giftedness
33:04>> while ignoring godliness.
33:11>> Powerful preaching over watch this
33:15disciplehip.
33:18Get excited. Preach me happy.
33:21But are we going to share our faith
33:23telling people of this incredible God
33:27who brought you into this amazing
33:29family? Some love amazing charisma over
33:34character.
33:37>> Many choose exciting prophecies over
33:40trusting the process God has for them.
33:43Amen.
33:44>> And none of these will automatically
33:48uh indicate that you'll be spiritually
33:50mature. So Jesus warned us in Matthew uh
33:53Matthew's gospel chapter 7 that many
33:56watch this would prophesy perform
33:58miracles and yet he said he will tell
34:02them
34:04I never knew you.
34:06So let's let's stop this crazy stuff.
34:09the way you perform and the way you act,
34:12the way you dress and how you've
34:14articulated your words with with with
34:17with how you pronounce God and and and
34:20and and that determines your holiness
34:23and your righteousness. Jesus says you
34:26can prophesy.
34:29>> You can even perform miracles.
34:32>> Yet you're going to hear him say,
34:36>> "Who are you? I don't know you.
34:39Because discernment must always be
34:42greater than excitement.
34:45>> Let me say it again. Discernment must
34:48always be greater than excitement.
34:53>> Cuz unity changes everything. And this
34:55is where I wrap it up. Think about every
34:58area of your life.
35:01Marriages struggle when two people
35:03refuse to become one. Businesses lose
35:06billions of dollars because employees
35:09work against one another instead of
35:13together.
35:15Families are broken because pride
35:20refuses reconciliation.
35:23Churches loses or lose influence because
35:26members, watch this, protect preference
35:30instead of pursuing kingdom purpose.
35:33>> Yes, sir. Yes, sir. Amos 3 tells us,
35:36"Can two walk together
35:40unless they have agreed to do so?" So
35:46unity is not optional.
35:48It is not optional for this church. It
35:50is essential.
35:53>> Now, let me show you what Paul in the
35:57text that we read in Ephesians 4, Paul
36:00writes, "I'm a prison of the Lord.
36:07Paul was physically imprisoned. This is
36:10just not a thought. He was physically
36:12imprisoned,
36:15but spiritually he also considered
36:18himself bound to Christ.
36:21He wasn't saying, "I'm a prisoner in a
36:23bad way. I'm just bound to the laws of
36:26God."
36:28because his life no longer, if you will,
36:31belonged to him. He was completely
36:35surrendered to God. That is true kingdom
36:38living. Paul wasn't asking, "What makes
36:42me happy?" Instead, he was saying, "What
36:46glorifies God?"
36:49>> And so, Paul continues. He says, "I urge
36:53you to live a life worthy of the call-in
36:58you have received." Remember we read
36:59that at the beginning. He says, "I urge
37:01you to live a life worthy of the call-in
37:04you have received." What is he saying?
37:05He says, "Our lives should never be
37:07directed." Watch this. Come on, church.
37:09Hear this, by our feelings.
37:13Be careful of allowing your life to be
37:17led by how you feel. He said it should
37:20never be led by social media, by public
37:23opinions, by culture, or by anything
37:26else, but it should be led by your
37:28calling.
37:30>> I urge you to live a LIFE WORTHY OF THE
37:32CALL. WHAT'S THE CALL OF GOD ON YOUR
37:34LIFE?
37:36>> He called you to be a good man. He
37:38called you to be a good woman, a good
37:41mother, good father, a good wife, a good
37:43husband, a good employer, employee, a
37:47good church member.
37:50That's who he called you to be.
37:53You need to understand that the feelings
37:55that we have will change.
37:58But every member has a role. Every
38:01servant matters. Every gift contributes
38:03to the church. And the mission, watch
38:06this now, the mission is greater than
38:09any individual preference
38:12always. And then Paul says,
38:16he says
38:18it is not about me really because he
38:21says you ought to humble yourself. Walk
38:23in humility. Humility simply says this
38:27is not about me anymore.
38:29>> No, this is about the kingdom of God.
38:31James 4:6 tells us God opposes the proud
38:35but shows favor to the humble.
38:40>> So I think all of us if we could just
38:42ask God let's get rid of our pride. Paul
38:47also talks about gentleness. If I had
38:49time I would talk a little bit about
38:51this but I don't because you're you're
38:53ready to go right. So he said gentleness
38:57he says strength under control.
39:01meaning responding with grace. Watch
39:03this. Instead of aggression,
39:07>> what Paul is saying to the church, let's
39:09become one and let's be careful of how
39:12we speak to each other,
39:15>> the tone,
39:17>> how we respond to each other from the
39:20parking lot to the servant leaders to
39:22all of us who come and we sit here. When
39:24we go home, how do you talk to your
39:27children? How do you talk to your
39:28spouse? How do you talk to the person
39:30you're dating? How do you talk to
39:32strangers?
39:35Respond with grace. We don't have to be
39:38so aggressive.
39:40There's no anointing in aggression.
39:44Be nice.
39:45Speak with truth without destroying
39:48people.
39:49>> You can speak the truth. You can call
39:51someone out,
39:52>> but you don't have to do it in an
39:54arrogant way.
39:57>> That's not our job.
39:59You don't have to do it that way.
40:01Proverbs 15:1 says, "A gentle answer
40:03turns away wrath." Then he says, "Be
40:06patient."
40:08>> Patience ought to be the key. People
40:10grow at different speed. God was patient
40:13with us. So we must be patient with
40:16others. Then he talked about bearing
40:19with one another in love because love
40:21covers, watch this, imperfections.
40:24Love forgives. Love believes the best in
40:28all of us and love refuses to quit on
40:31people. Bear one another in love. Let's
40:35have the grace of love.
40:38I do not like an environment
40:41that wants to correct just to get its
40:44way.
40:46Doesn't matter what a person does, you
40:48love them. Doesn't mean that you are in
40:50agreement with what they did, but give
40:53them the grace. So when you're call
40:55those of you who you you know who I'm
40:57talking to
41:00you just your tone watch your tone
41:05>> you will destroy years of your life
41:09when you're too aggressive.
41:12>> What's your tone?
41:15the the the best aggression we saw in
41:18Jesus was when he walked into the temple
41:21>> and he saw them gambling and doing all
41:24kinds of stuff and the Bible says he he
41:28came in and he turned over the table and
41:30let me tell it was it wasn't it was not
41:33like us.
41:36Come on now. Well, if Jesus could turn
41:39over table then I could No, no, no, no.
41:42He turned over the table. But some of
41:43us, we overdo it.
41:46Oh Jesus.
41:49We overdo it to the point that your your
41:53children, the moment you're coming home,
41:56they disappear.
42:00>> It's not like, oh, daddy's home, mommy's
42:02home.
42:04Your spouse, the moment you come home,
42:07oh, here comes drama.
42:11your co-workers, they know it the moment
42:14they hear you come in the building
42:24>> because see, let me tell you, and I and
42:27I got to close with this. I I get it. I
42:30get it. I know some of you probably
42:34thinking, "Why the heck did I come to
42:36this church this morning to hear this
42:39nonsense?"
42:40Because you are so accustomed to a
42:43preacher,
42:45>> hyping you up
42:49>> and making you feel good and you are not
42:53transformed.
42:58>> The purpose of the gospel is to bring
43:01transformation. It's not to make you
43:03feel good.
43:05>> At the end of the day, you are to be the
43:08best version of yourself. When the word
43:11hits you,
43:13it's kind of like what Bob Marley says.
43:15When the music hit you, you feel it. Did
43:19I say it the right way?
43:21>> You don't feel any pain. When the gospel
43:25hits you. It changes you, man. It makes
43:29you want to do better every time. And
43:33I'm just asking for all of us to be one
43:36in Christ Jesus.
43:39Bow your heads. Father, we thank you
43:43for the word that we've heard today
43:47that this church and the people are
43:48streaming will become one to serve you
43:53with all of our hearts, soul, our mind,
43:55and our strength. And we will choose
43:59kingdom over preference.
44:01that no one will leave here today
44:03feeling if they've been attacked, but
44:06for every man to examine himself,
44:10see where we have come short,
44:13and ask you to transform us so that we
44:15can transform the environments we go in,
44:18that we can be better Christians, better
44:20followers of Jesus Christ. I pray for
44:23the many men and women today
44:26who are not one with the people that
44:30they are among.
44:32They're not one in their relationships.
44:35They're not one in the marketplace. They
44:38are not one at the workplace. And
44:41they're not even one in the church.
44:44change our hearts, we pray
44:47so that God each and every day when we
44:50rise
44:52that we are able to truly say this is
44:54the day that the Lord has made and we're
44:57going to rejoice. Nothing will steal
44:59that joy,
45:02that whole spirit of division that it
45:05will not be a part of our lives to steal
45:09the joy of the Lord which is our
45:11strength. I believe I've helped so many
45:14people today. I believe Satan is angry
45:19because the word pierced our hearts
45:22and many of us will go and make
45:25adjustments to make sure that we are
45:28conformed to your perfect will for our
45:31lives. Bless this congregation whether
45:35they're here or watching around the
45:37world. Help us to be the salt and the
45:40light of the world. We understand we're
45:43not there yet. We're not perfect. Paul
45:45said it best. We've not arrived to that
45:49perfection, but we're pressing on.
45:51That's the goal. We're making a
45:54conscious decision to change and to be
45:57better and to be known as a church. Not
46:01of great preaching, not of great music,
46:05not of all these things that we do to
46:07enhance our worship. But we will be
46:10known as a church where people are
46:12making every effort
46:15to be one in the faith,
46:18one family,
46:21understanding we serve one God.
46:25And we'll never allow
46:27our race, our culture,
46:31and whatever class we are in life
46:34to come between us from leadership
46:38all the way down to leoty.
46:41We humble ourselves and we surrender to
46:44your will.
46:46Father, I pray for those who don't know
46:48you as Lord and Savior today that today
46:51they'll be one with you.
46:54they'll totally surrender to you in the
46:57name of Jesus. Now, if you've not
46:59confessed the Lord as your personal
47:02savior, do me a favor today. Would you
47:05do it right now? Would you simply give
47:08him a yes
47:10by becoming one with him? Choose kingdom
47:15over preference.
47:18If that's you this morning, whether
47:20you're here or you're streaming, would
47:21you repeat after me? Lord Jesus.
47:24>> Lord Jesus,
47:25>> I am a sinner.
47:26>> I am a s
47:27>> I repent of my sins.
47:30>> I embrace the free gift of salvation.
47:35>> I declare with my mouth
47:38that I'm born again
47:40and I believe in my heart that I'm a new
47:43creature.
47:45In Jesus name in Jesus name.
47:47>> Amen. Come on, let's give the Lord a
47:49hand of praise. Would you stand on your
47:51feet everybody?
47:54Thank you so much for coming [music] to
47:55church today. I pray that you've enjoyed
47:58from the beginning of the service all
48:00the way down to the sermon. Please, we
48:02hope to see you Wednesday and Friday. Go
48:05get your tickets at the box office for
48:07the young people's event. And then
48:10tomorrow, meet me here for prayer. We're
48:13going to be praying for you, anointing
48:15you, especially in this season of your
48:16life. 700 p.m. Not 7:30, 7:00 p.m. to
48:208:00 p.m. for 1 hour. Lift your hands,
48:23everybody, and let's say our confession
48:25together. Faith in God will move
48:28mountains out of your life. God bless
48:31you. We'll see you tomorrow night. God
48:33bless you. Thank you so much.
48:38[music]
48:42Number