The Unshakable Faith Life
Bishop Henry Fernandez Preached on 11/30/2025Jeremiah 17:7-8
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Summary
Bishop Henry Fernandez challenges believers to move beyond superficial Christianity and embrace an unshakable faith life by uprooting idols and practicing total surrender. Drawing from the failures of Judah, the sermon emphasizes that true fruitfulness comes only when we are deeply rooted in God's word rather than the shifting cultures of the world.
Key points
- •The danger of 'spiritual checking out' where physical presence remains but the heart has ceased to seek God or follow His principles.
- •Identifying modern idols: Anything trusted, depended upon, or obeyed more than God - including careers, relationships, and self-will - constitutes idolatry.
- •The blueprint for an unshakable life (Jeremiah 17:7-8) requires being rooted in God like a tree by water, remaining productive even in years of drought.
- •Consistent obedience is the key to breaking cycles of unproductivity and frustration that often repeat year after year.
- •God's correction is an act of love designed to conform believers to His will rather than leave them to ruin their own lives.
Scripture
Faith
Spiritual Growth
Obedience
Surrender
Stewardship
Life application
Perform a 'spiritual audit' of your decisions from the past year to see if they were Christ-driven or self-driven, then consciously consult God on one major upcoming decision this week.
Reflection questions
- In what areas of my life am I still trying to involve God in a plan that is actually directed by my own will?
- Looking back at the last few Decembers, am I in the same place spiritually and emotionally, or have I seen growth?
- What 'idols' (comfort, money, people's opinions) have I allowed to take priority over God's instructions?
- How can I move from 'superficial worship' to a heart that is truly fertile ground for the Holy Spirit?
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Full transcript
0:00Jeremiah chapter 17.
0:03And I want us to read it. I want you,
0:07the audience, and those of you are
0:08streaming to read it together
0:13because
0:16where we're going this morning is going
0:18to be very important.
0:21The entire worship this morning was
0:24about lifting up the name of Jesus.
0:28I I hope you realize that
0:31>> it was about lifting up the name of
0:33Jesus. Why? Because he is truly worthy
0:38of our praise.
0:40>> How many you believe that?
0:43>> He's worthy of our praise
0:46and the fact that we are at the last day
0:50of the month of November.
0:5331 more days to go to close 2025.
1:0131. Think about that. So Jeremiah 17
1:06verse 7 and 8.
1:10We're going to read from the ESV
1:12translation. And I want all of you if
1:15you have your printed Bible, read it
1:16from there. if you've got your
1:18electronic Bible and uh because some of
1:21us are not in the word as much as we
1:23should. We've got every other app
1:27>> on our phones, but we don't even have
1:29the Bible app. So, we made it very
1:32convenient for you. It's going to be on
1:34the screen, right? So, if you will all
1:37read together. Come on now, read.
1:43Trust is the Lord.
2:03>> It says, "And is not anxious
2:07in the year of drought."
2:12It's not anxious
2:14in the year of drought. Let's pray.
2:16Father today
2:19we open up our hearts to you. We [music]
2:24confront our fears
2:27and we [music]
2:29ask you to confront our ways. [music]
2:33Heal our wounds and ignite an unshakable
2:37faith within us. And let your word
2:40uproot every idol, [music] every
2:43distraction,
2:45every deception.
2:47And plant us today
2:52beside the rivers of your truth
2:56so that we will walk in your
3:00righteousness
3:01in Jesus name.
3:03>> Amen. Let's give him a praise while we
3:05take our seat.
3:08God bless you.
3:10So, here's how we're going to close out
3:12the series.
3:14Unshakable.
3:16We're going to do it today to talk about
3:20the unshakable
3:22faith life.
3:26The unshakable faith life.
3:30For those of you who believe that living
3:32for Jesus doesn't pay off, I don't know
3:35who lied to you.
3:39>> For those of you who think that there is
3:40a different way to live your life
3:43outside of the kingdom of God, you're
3:47making a big mistake.
3:50Today is not just another Sunday.
3:55Today, I believe, is the day that God
3:57steps into your private conversations
4:01you've been having with him in
4:04frustration,
4:06tears,
4:07disappointment,
4:09and confusion. You've been talking to
4:12God.
4:14Lately, you've been questioning God
4:17about a few things. Many of you have
4:20been brutally honest with God lately.
4:23Some of you have said to God, "Lord,
4:28are you hearing me?
4:31Who am I talking to?
4:34Are you hearing me?
4:37Are you ignoring me?
4:40Why does my life
4:44Why doesn't my life reflect your
4:47promises?
4:49I go to church. I'm reading your word.
4:52And let's be honest, some of us are not
4:54reading our word. We just we just we
4:56just want to live this happy life
4:59forever. And we don't even know what the
5:02good book says about that.
5:05>> Let's be honest. We really don't know
5:07what the word of God says about us
5:11because we don't really take up the word
5:13of God. We want his blessings, but we
5:17don't want his word,
5:20his direction.
5:23And so,
5:24we're questioning God. You're saying to
5:26God, I prayed to you and Lord knows I
5:30have tried my best.
5:33So, why am I here?
5:36It's November 30th.
5:38Why am I still here? What are you
5:41talking about, Henry?
5:43Why is your life such a 360° circle?
5:49You're back at the same place you were
5:52last year. It's like a cycle.
5:56Why am I here, God? Why am I not
5:58producing success? Why am I not
6:01producing greatness? Why am I here? And
6:05if you are truly honest with yourself,
6:09for some of you, the last 5 to 10 years
6:13have not looked like the life that God
6:16has promised you. And certainly not what
6:20you dreamt of.
6:23And now you're kind of confused.
6:26And let's be honest, you're you're
6:28angry. You're angry with God. You are
6:31drained because you're just tired of
6:33trying.
6:35And some of you are physically present
6:38in church right now. Physically
6:41watching,
6:43but you have spiritually checked out.
6:49>> Oh yeah. Oh yeah. You you you you say
6:51you're a Christian. You're a part of
6:53kingdom culture, but let's be honest.
6:56you have spiritually checked out cuz you
7:00don't pray the way you should. You You
7:02don't really seek God. You're not really
7:04following his principles. You want the
7:07blessing, but you don't want to walk the
7:10walk.
7:13>> So, you've checked out.
7:16And it is that internal chaos.
7:22Some of you have now quickly blamed God
7:28for where you are. Let's talk about it
7:30this morning.
7:32>> Let's have a conversation here. Cuz
7:33you've been talking to God and you're
7:35asking him for answers. So So because I
7:38am one of his servants on the earth,
7:41he's put in me a message to give to you.
7:44Now the real question is will you
7:46embrace it?
7:50>> Will will will will you stop putting up
7:53walls and would you just for once in
7:55your life say okay God I'm willing to
7:59listen. I'm willing to hear you. You see
8:03you feel like you have done everything
8:05right and God still haven't come through
8:10for you. But before you go accusing God,
8:16let me ask you the real question that
8:18you should answer today.
8:22And that question is, have you truly
8:26truly done
8:28everything
8:30God required of you?
8:34Think about that.
8:36You You're God, why is my life where
8:39it's at?
8:40Why? Why do I not experience increase
8:43and happiness and joy and peace? Why do
8:47I not live in abundance? Why am I not
8:52content?
8:54Why am I here? Why is my family so
8:58jacked up and just living in
9:00dysfunction? Why it seems if I make two
9:05steps forward, I'd then do five steps
9:08backward? Why? What? What? What's wrong,
9:11God?
9:13The question that God really wants to
9:15ask you, and you have to be truthful
9:16about that, is have you truly done
9:20everything? I'm not talking about when
9:23you need a quick fix, you run to him.
9:28But then there are other areas of your
9:30life you have yet to surrender to him.
9:34You know that relationship,
9:37have you really given it to him?
9:41Have you really given it to him?
9:44That business, have you really given
9:46that business to God? Have you really
9:49given your children over to God? Have
9:51you really given that situation over to
9:54God? That that situation on the job,
9:57have you given it over to God? Have you
10:01really done everything?
10:04Have you completely trusted him? I'm
10:07saying completely trusted HIM OR YOU
10:10JUST SAYING WITH your mouth, God, I
10:12trust you. But when the test of life hit
10:15you,
10:17>> you fumble,
10:19>> you start acting like somebody who don't
10:22know who their God is.
10:25>> Have you fully obeyed him? I mean,
10:27really obeyed him.
10:30Have you fully obeyed him? Have you
10:33surrendered all of your decisions to
10:37him? Have you surrendered ALL OF YOUR
10:40DECISIONS TO HIM? OH, let's start with
10:42January 1. YOU'VE MADE A WHOLE BUNCH OF
10:45DECISIONS. HOW MANY OF THOSE decisions
10:48were Christ driven?
10:52>> How many
10:54How many of those decisions were Holy
10:58Spirit driven? Right? You made all kinds
11:01of decisions. You went in business. You
11:03signed contracts.
11:05You allowed people to enter your life
11:08since January.
11:11Did God have a say
11:15>> in the decisions you made?
11:18You walked away from the faith.
11:22Did God have a say in that?
11:26Think about that.
11:28You went out on dates.
11:30Did you talk to God?
11:34>> I'm going out with this guy, God, and
11:37>> because I know how men can be today.
11:42>> Please talk to me.
11:47>> Am I going out with a serial user?
11:51>> Yes, sir.
11:52>> Or am I going out with somebody who
11:54could potentially be the one?
11:57Amen.
11:58>> That's good.
11:59>> And now in November,
12:02>> stuff ain't going right
12:04>> and you have the nerve to blame him.
12:09[applause]
12:13>> From the looks of some of y'all faces,
12:15you're ready to leave. But please,
12:17please stay right there.
12:20Since January, you've made decisions
12:22with your money.
12:25Think about that. It's not that you
12:27didn't earn money.
12:29>> You had plenty of money. Come on now.
12:31Don't you be lying before God.
12:34>> You had your job. You ran your business.
12:38God favored you and put people in your
12:40life and things in your life and blessed
12:43you financially.
12:46Think about that.
12:48But you went and you purchased things.
12:49Some of you participate in what is
12:52called black market or black Friday.
12:54Sorry. Black market. Oh Jesus. Black
12:57Friday.
13:00Oh, it's black market for me. I'm
13:02telling you.
13:07Have you consulted God
13:09with your resources?
13:13Okay, God. this is what you've empowered
13:15me with. Cuz the Bible says he gives you
13:19the power, the ability
13:22>> to to gain wealth.
13:25Have you Okay, God, here's here's what
13:28you blessed me with. Thank you. Thank
13:31you.
13:33Now, teach teach me how to manage
13:39>> what you have entrusted me with.
13:42Teach me how to get rid of greed.
13:46>> Teach me how to get rid of lust.
13:49>> I got to have it.
13:52>> Teach me discipline and consistency.
13:56>> Teach me to think generational,
14:00>> not just in the moment. Have you really
14:03consulted him? And now you're at
14:05November 30th
14:09and you have the nerve to say
14:12God never blessed you.
14:17He never empowered you.
14:21Cuz have you really surrendered all your
14:24decisions,
14:26your finances, your habits, your
14:28relationships, and your desires to him?
14:31Or have you simply tried to involved God
14:37in a life in a life that is still being
14:41directed by your own will.
14:45>> See, that's what's getting us in
14:47trouble.
14:48It's our own will. the wheel to do the
14:52wheel to oh this is my life I'm gonna
14:54live it my way and and and you get
14:57sucked into the culture of the world
15:00because that's how they live
15:03and as a kingdom citizen you're not
15:05benefiting from the kingdom of God
15:07because you've adopted to the culture of
15:11the world so here are five things I want
15:14you to think about five things and I'll
15:17be out of your way five things number
15:19One, God has never stopped being
15:23faithful to you.
15:25>> Get that in your head.
15:27>> God has never stopped being faithful.
15:31You're talking about the unshakable
15:33faith life.
15:35You want to talk to some of us who are
15:38thriving and believing and trusting and
15:41God is supplying our every need in all
15:44areas of your life. You want to find out
15:46why we are living this unshakable faith
15:50life is because we know that God is
15:54faithful every single day.
15:59>> Every day.
16:02Even with the 8 billion people on this
16:05planet, God wakes you up every day.
16:10>> That's something to shout about.
16:14Even with the 8 billion people on this
16:17planet, God protects you every night.
16:22>> He not only wakes you up every day, but
16:24when you go to bed at night, God is
16:26watching over you. He sustains you
16:28physically. He keeps your mind from
16:32collapsing.
16:33If I had enough time to preach on just
16:36this just one point, he keeps your mind
16:40from collapsing. I don't know who I'm
16:43talking to in this building or who is
16:46watching online. Let's tell the truth
16:49and shame the devil. I know you look
16:51good this morning. I know you look like
16:54you got it all together. But there's
16:56been a point this year where if it had
16:59not been for God,
17:02who am I talking to?
17:06Have you EVER BEEN THROUGH SOMETHING
17:08WHERE YOU FELT YOU WERE GOING TO LOSE
17:10YOUR MIND? You thought this was it. The
17:13devil [music] backed you up in a corner
17:16and HE WAS THROWING FISTS AT YOU, but
17:19somehow you put your faith in God.
17:22Somehow you said to God, "I'm not going
17:25to give up. THOUGH HE SLAY ME, YET I'm
17:30going to trust God."
17:33I want to talk to some people this
17:34morning who just learn to trust God. No
17:37matter what you're going through, no
17:39matter what the enemy is thrown at you,
17:41you're going to trust God. No matter
17:44what, I'm going to trust him without a
17:46lover or with a lover. I'm going to
17:48trust him when people walk out of my
17:51life who I once trusted. I'm going to
17:54trust him with money or no money. I'm
17:57going to trust HIM WITH A JOB or no job.
18:00I'M JUST GOING ALL OF MY DAYS. I'M GOING
18:04TO trust the Lord. Am I talking to
18:07anybody here this morning?
18:10I'm going to trust him because he never
18:12stops
18:15>> being faithful.
18:17Lamentation 322 and 23. We talked about
18:22it last week. The steadfast love of the
18:25Lord
18:27>> never ceases.
18:29>> His mercies never come to an end.
18:33>> They are new every morning. Great is
18:36your faithfulness. You see, God sees
18:40every act of disobedience.
18:42Yes, he sees it. And this is what really
18:46got me when I was putting this sermon
18:48together. This is really what got me.
18:50You know, every one of us, including
18:52this preacher, we've walked in
18:53disobedience. Man, he sees it. But watch
18:57this. When you talk about his love never
18:59ends. This is what I love about God. He
19:02sees every act of disobedience, yet he
19:06still loves us.
19:11>> I know some coldhearted people, no
19:14matter what you do, they'll they'll
19:17never love you. But when it comes to
19:20God, he still loves us. God hears every
19:24complaint. Cuz some of us are
19:26professional complainers.
19:28Yet, he still protects us. God feels
19:32every moment we have drifted away from
19:35him. Yet he still invites us back
19:42every single time. Because your lack of
19:45the blessed life
19:48has never been because God stopped
19:51loving you.
19:53It is simply because you stop being
19:57consistent with him.
20:00you stopped being consistent with him
20:02with him. Paul uh says it best. He says
20:05you did run
20:08>> well.
20:10You did run well.
20:12>> Let me take you back to the time you
20:14were fully committed to God, man. Man,
20:17you were running, man. You were running,
20:19man. I got to serve God. Praise the
20:22Lord, man. And you were just reading
20:24your Bible, man. And you were thanking
20:26God for everything that he did to for
20:28you. And you were just praising him,
20:31man. And you were just saying, "God,
20:33thank you for blessing me and my family.
20:35Thank you, God." And you were running
20:37well, man. I mean, the devil couldn't
20:39catch up with you. Nothing he put in
20:41your path would ever stop you. But all
20:43of a sudden, you allowed distractions.
20:46You allowed what people are saying.
20:48Somehow you took your eye off the prize.
20:51And Paul says, "You did run well, but
20:54you didn't even slow down." Who?
20:57>> Stop you.
21:00>> It's one thing to slow down
21:03>> cuz you're still moving.
21:07>> But Paul says, "Who stopped you?
21:10>> Who hindered you?
21:16>> You no longer look like kingdom
21:18citizens.
21:20You don't even talk the culture
21:23of the kingdom anymore.
21:26You sound just like them.
21:30You act just like them.
21:33You look just like them. You talk just
21:39like them.
21:44Number two,
21:46and here's a big question that I have to
21:49ask you this morning.
21:51How many years
21:54will you keep wasting
21:58now? Come on now. Let's reason together.
22:01May
22:02>> maybe you don't like this kind of
22:03preaching. You know, you you you just
22:06Thank you. Thank you. Thank you for
22:08encouraging me. Thank you. If if there's
22:10nobody's going to encourage me, this
22:12sister over here this morning, she just
22:14Thank you. Thank you. Please attend
22:16church every Sunday. I need you.
22:21How many years
22:24will you continue
22:26to waste?
22:29How many more Decembers will you reach
22:34>> in the same place?
22:37>> Let's talk about that.
22:41Last year you made a commitment. You
22:44will do better. 2025 is going to be your
22:47year. That's the same thing you said.
22:4924.
22:51That's the same THING YOU SAID 23. SAME
22:53THING. 22 21. Come on. You've been
22:57saying that year after year. And every
23:01December we find you at the same place.
23:06And you're saying God is the problem.
23:11>> And you're saying people
23:14are the problem.
23:17>> The people are the problem.
23:19Let's talk about that.
23:23How many more Decembers
23:26will you reach in the same place?
23:30still struggling,
23:32still frustrated,
23:35still financially stretched,
23:38still emotionally empty.
23:44You don't even pray the way you should.
23:4724 hours a day, God gets little.
23:527 days a week,
23:55everybody gets your time,
23:58>> your job, your business. your friends,
24:01your girlfriends, you have happy hour
24:05every Friday. You have happy hour.
24:11And some of you are streaming.
24:15You will go to the bar and the
24:18restaurant for happy hour as tired as
24:21you are,
24:23>> but you're too tired to come to the
24:25house of God.
24:28>> [applause]
24:30>> because it's convenience.
24:35>> No sacrifice.
24:38>> And you're quick to attack preachers
24:40like me
24:42when we preach the word till it hurts
24:46>> cuz you rather to be
24:49full of excitement.
24:52You want us to ignite excitement that
24:55brings no change cycle
24:59>> of being at the same place. But it's
25:01only the word that can transform.
25:10The truth is we're still spiritually
25:13inconsistent.
25:16No progress. And and this is what God
25:18wants me to say to you today. Do you
25:22REALLY WANT THE UNSHAKABLE faith life or
25:26do you want the fake life? You look like
25:30you're making it, but in reality,
25:33you the one ARGUING WITH GOD, WHERE ARE
25:36YOU, GOD? WHY IS MY LIFE THE WAY IT IS?
25:39IT'S not God's fault.
25:44THE UNSHAKABLE OF FAITH LIFE IS
25:46AVAILABLE,
25:48>> but you just got to live it his way.
25:52>> You see, you give your money to
25:54landlords. You give your money to
25:55lenders, family, and friends, but the
25:59things of God remain optional.
26:05>> Let's be honest, man.
26:07We wonder why there's not plenty in the
26:10storehouse in the kingdom of God. It's
26:12because we kingdom citizens
26:16fund more of the kingdom of darkness
26:20>> than we fund
26:22>> the kingdom of God.
26:25>> [applause]
26:27>> Isn't it insane that we fund the
26:29landlords, we pay our rent, we pay the
26:32lenders, we borrow stuff or money to buy
26:35stuff we really don't need, but it's
26:38greed flesh. Not saying that you can't
26:40get those things in life. Please don't
26:42walk out of here or log off thinking
26:44that this preacher is saying you can't
26:45have whatever you you you don't need to
26:47have. You you whatever you want to have,
26:50I should say. I'm not telling you that,
26:52right? We lend money to families and
26:54friends and there's a whole lot of
26:55people who owe you money
26:59>> and won't pay you back.
27:02We're quick to take our resources and
27:05give to a system that doesn't return.
27:12Just in case you don't know, I'll be
27:15bold to tell you the systems of this
27:17world and the system of America is
27:20rigged.
27:29This is rigged.
27:32>> This is rigged. That's why when people
27:34talk about, well, you know, I want to
27:35give to the church. I want to do.
27:38Have you seen what the government is
27:40doing to you?
27:46>> You run your business. You work your
27:49salary. Boom. Taxes are taken out.
27:54You leave work, your money hit the bank,
27:57you stop at the gas station, taxed
27:59again.
28:01Everything, the grocery, you're taxed.
28:04Tax tax tax tax tax tax tax tax
28:10you drop dead.
28:14You're taxed.
28:17Y'all don't believe me.
28:20You leave a lot of money for people.
28:23>> You're taxed all the way
28:27>> and God simply
28:29teaches us trust him with our resources
28:33and we won't and we wonder why increase
28:36is impossible. Look at and I love it.
28:39Let's go to scripture. Forget about what
28:41you think Henry is saying. Remember
28:45every person grace the stage who say
28:48they are God's mouthpiece
28:51check what they're saying and make sure
28:53the word of God
28:56>> is validating what they're saying
29:00>> come on now
29:02the book of Haidai chapter 1 verse 6
29:06clearly said cuz this was what was
29:08happening to the people they made plenty
29:10money plenty money
29:13It's not that they weren't making money,
29:16but the Bible says you earn wages,
29:20but you put them into a bag with holes.
29:23In other words, your money just you
29:25don't even cuz you're back at again
29:27December and if you look at all the
29:30money you made this year, I mean, what
29:33what have you gained? Oh, yeah, you
29:34bought a bag. Oh, yeah, you bought some
29:36stuff. But but but beyond is it paid
29:40for?
29:44Do not get sucked into this rigged
29:46system.
29:50>> Boy, you should see the look in some of
29:51y'all faces, man. I'm Oh, Jesus. I'm
29:54hurry. I'm in a hurry with this sermon
29:56this morning.
29:57>> You see, God's not the problem. Your con
30:00inconsistency is point number three
30:05to change your life. This is it. Now, I
30:07love it. You may say, "Boy, Henry's been
30:09beating up on me all morning." No, no,
30:11no, no, no. Here's where it gets better.
30:13To change your life, you must stop
30:15living like Judah.
30:18Now, who's Judah? Well, Judah is,
30:21remember, we just read Jeremiah
30:2417. I want to give you a backstory of
30:27why those two verses, verse 7 and 8,
30:29came into play.
30:32And you have to read the entire chapter
30:34to fully understand why Jeremiah made
30:38the statement in verse 7 and 8. You see,
30:43Judah wasn't always a rebellious people.
30:49Judah wasn't always rebellious like many
30:52of us. Come on now. We're not evil
30:55people. We're not a people who just want
31:00to rebel against God and to to get out
31:05of his perfect will. Judah was one of
31:08God's
31:10favorite group of people.
31:13They walked in righteousness. They
31:15honored him. They lived up to his word.
31:20But here's the problem.
31:23They once trusted God,
31:26but over time over o over o over o over
31:28o over o over o over o over o over o
31:28over o over o over over time you did run
31:30well.
31:32Some of you you once trusted God. You
31:36loved him with all of your heart. I mean
31:37you're really you're really a Christian.
31:41You love him with all of your heart.
31:44Like Judah, they were doing things
31:47according to the will of God.
31:51But somehow
31:53the Bible says they now place their
31:58trust in idols.
32:03And this is where the meat of the
32:04message gets better. And hopefully you
32:08hear God loud and clear this morning.
32:12Judah once loved God.
32:18All of a sudden, they now started
32:22worshiping idols.
32:25We said, "Pastor, I'll never worship
32:27idols. I go to church. You know, I I
32:29serve God. I read my Bible." Well, well,
32:33let before you're quick to respond,
32:35let's let's really examine that.
32:39Who's first in your life?
32:43Every decision you're making, is it God
32:45you consult first?
32:48Think about that.
32:51Remember when before you had the job,
32:52you prayed, you fasted, you called
32:54people to help you pray and trust God
32:57for the job. Now you got the job. The
32:58job becomes more important than God. You
33:01put so much time in the job. And if God
33:03was to check the record, you haven't
33:05talked to him in a long time.
33:12>> Or you pray, "God, I need me a spouse."
33:15and you trusted and and you were really
33:17believing God. Now you got the spouse.
33:22Have you been talking to God lately?
33:26>> Some of you prayed for the business to
33:28thrive and to succeed.
33:32Where are you now?
33:35Did you allow the business to consume
33:37your life so much that it's taken you
33:41away from God
33:44>> that you're no longer fully committed to
33:46God? You're so involved in running the
33:49business.
33:51And then you are going to look me in the
33:53eye this morning and say, "Well, God is
33:56the problem."
34:00You see, for Judah, their idol was
34:03generational. Started working well,
34:06started doing everything right. But all
34:08of a sudden, there was a generation who
34:11walked away from God.
34:14And because they walked away from God,
34:16they paid the price for it. Their
34:18rebellion was intentional. Their hearts
34:21became hard. Their ears be became
34:25closed. and their worship became
34:28superficial.
34:33[sighs]
34:33Thank you, Holy Spirit.
34:37>> Some of you
34:39don't even have a clue
34:42what true worship is
34:46>> cuz your worship is superficial.
34:50>> You could tell
34:52the worship team could be singing their
34:54heart out.
34:56and nothing moves you. You could be
34:59driving in your car and hear Christian
35:03songs and music,
35:05but it doesn't do anything hard. The
35:09heart is hard.
35:12It's not fertile ground for the Holy
35:14Spirit to move and work.
35:18>> Right, Judah? A people who once loved
35:22God,
35:24all of a sudden their hearts became
35:28hard.
35:30Their marriages weren't working anymore
35:32because each person was selfish,
35:37full of pride, unforgiveness.
35:41Their families were suffering
35:45because there was no godly principles
35:48set up. Judah started hurting because
35:53now the resources that God gave them,
35:56they now turned it around and made it
35:59made it idols.
36:02Exodus 20:3
36:05Exodus 20:3 made it clear, you shall
36:09have no other gods
36:13before me.
36:16And what angered God
36:19when he looked at Judah at people who
36:22once loved him like you and me.
36:27When we were genuinely, honestly
36:30committed to serving God and fully sold
36:34out to him. What angered God
36:38was not their mistakes.
36:41Oo, I got you with that.
36:44What made God ANGRY AT JUDAH WAS NOT
36:47THEIR MISTAKE. CUZ WHAT YOU don't
36:50understand is your mistakes are not a
36:54surprise to God.
36:58Everybody makes mistake.
37:01Every one of us will make mistakes.
37:04That wasn't the thing that angered God
37:07because they made some mistake. No, no,
37:09no no no no no no.
37:11What made God very angry was their
37:14continuous choice
37:18to trust everything else except him?
37:24Because you can make a mistake and say,
37:26"Oh, God, forgive me. I trust you now.
37:29I'm running to you. You are my rock, my
37:31shield. You are my everything."
37:35But every time they needed help, instead
37:37of running to God, they decided they're
37:40going to run to idols.
37:43Jeremiah 7:17, that same chapter, verse
37:475, God got sick of it.
37:54See, we preach a lot of times about the
37:57good God, which he is good. We preach
38:00about this great God and if we're not
38:03careful, we want we paint God as just a
38:06God of greatness and love and so forth,
38:09but we don't really read scripture.
38:12That's why I'm telling you, man, do not
38:14let the system of the world and people
38:17trick you into knowing God when you have
38:21the same time and energy to go into his
38:23word, study it to discover the
38:27personality of God.
38:29He loves, but he punishes sin.
38:36>> That's not popular.
38:40>> It's not popular. He punishes punishes
38:43sin because verse five says, "Cursed is
38:47the man who trust in the man or in man
38:52and makes flesh his own strength."
38:55>> He looked at Judah and said, "Okay, you
38:57want to do things your way? Okay, fine.
39:01I pull my covering. I pull my promises.
39:04I pull my anointing. I pull my
39:07protection from you.
39:10>> I pull it from you.
39:13>> Notice he never said, "I PULL MY LOVE
39:15FROM YOU." He said, "I just pull my
39:18protection. I pull my promises from
39:20you." Because yes, you can love
39:23somebody, but step aside and let them
39:27ruin them their own lives.
39:31Just like a parent, YOU CAN TALK TO YOUR
39:34CHILDREN AND YOU CAN BEG THEM, DON'T DO
39:36THAT. DON'T go down that path and they
39:39will still disobey you and walk down
39:41that path. It doesn't mean you don't
39:43love them. YOU LOVE THEM. BUT WHATSOEVER
39:47men sows,
39:50>> you're going to reap.
39:54>> Later your children will find out you
39:57were right.
39:59Judah wasted years living outside of
40:01God's laws and they were blessed or they
40:05were blessed at one point. Then God
40:08cursed them all because of one word. And
40:12this is I'm going to clo try to close it
40:14off. One word, idolatry.
40:20Who or what is an idol to you today?
40:24Come on, let's talk.
40:26Who Who's your idol?
40:30Is it people who
40:34Thank you, Holy Spirit.
40:38How have you made that man your idol?
40:45How
40:47>> how did you get to that place
40:51>> when nobody was there for you all these
40:54years
40:56in your darkest hour, [clears throat]
41:00your most vulnerable and loneliest
41:02moments of your life,
41:05God was always there with you. When you
41:09were crying your heart out at night,
41:12nobody saw your brokenness. And now you
41:15get somebody in your life,
41:19>> another human being with flaws,
41:26that person is going to be your idol
41:28over God.
41:36Why have you made your business an idol?
41:40>> Why have you made your career an idol?
41:44You can't even sleep.
41:48>> You're not even getting enough sleep
41:52>> because of your hustle.
41:55>> All I do is hustle, hustle, hustle,
41:57hustle.
42:00Whatever. Whatever the song, y'all.
42:02Y'all y'all know y'all sing it.
42:11See anything, Watch this. Please don't
42:14let me lose you.
42:17Anything you trust more than God,
42:20anything you depend on more than God,
42:22and anything you obey more than God is
42:27an idol.
42:30It's an idol.
42:33Judah trusted culture, trends, false
42:38gods, and their own abilities, and God w
42:42withdrew his blessing from them.
42:46Please, Faith Center,
42:50the world,
42:52don't become like Judah.
42:55Don't get sucked into the culture.
42:58Don't get sucked into the trend.
43:02I get it.
43:04Being different
43:07will cause people to look upon you like
43:09you're crazy,
43:11like you don't belong.
43:15It's so easy for people to make people
43:18gods now and things gods.
43:21>> Don't get sucked into that.
43:23>> And please don't get sucked into your
43:25talent and your gifts.
43:26>> Yes, sir.
43:28Please don't you ever try to play God
43:32because you went to a four-year degree
43:35school and got a degree and you got it
43:38hanging on your wall and you walking
43:41around as if you've made it.
43:46>> Are you out of your mind?
43:49You know how many people graduated
43:52with quarter of a million dollar worth
43:54of debt
43:57>> and one medical visit
44:02made that degree means absolutely
44:06nothing.
44:12>> Judah tried God. It didn't work. Number
44:14four. Today, history is repeating
44:17itself.
44:19We're living in another Judah, a
44:22generation that has replaced God with,
44:25watch this, secularism,
44:28trends,
44:30popularity,
44:32greed lust lies
44:36and self- worship.
44:39This generation is obsessed with what
44:42feels good instead of what's right.
44:47It's unbelievable.
44:49It's unbelievable how we have lost our
44:52brain.
44:55We see right
44:58but choose feelings
45:00>> over right.
45:04>> And we think we can play God and get
45:06away with it.
45:08Jeremiah, Judges 21:2.
45:11Here's what it says. Everyone did what
45:14was right in their own eyes.
45:19That's why God had to judge them.
45:20Everyone.
45:22So, I'm going to do what I feel.
45:26He said, "People live as if there's no
45:27judgment.
45:29We live as if there's no accountability,
45:32no eternity."
45:36So the question is who who lied to us?
45:40>> You see God has not changed his
45:42standards. Galatians 6:7 says, "Do not
45:46be deceived. God is not mocked. For
45:48whatever one sws,
45:53you're going to reap it."
45:56You may not like my teaching this
45:58morning.
46:06But I rather tell you the truth
46:11>> so that all of us could change
46:15>> and don't become like Judah
46:19>> because you cannot ignore God's laws.
46:22You cannot mishandle people. You cannot
46:24pursue the world's system. live for
46:27pleasure and expect God's blessings on
46:30your life.
46:34>> So for those of you ignoring God's laws,
46:37he sent me here today to tell you,
46:40>> come back home.
46:43>> Come back and practice kingdom culture.
46:46You want to see You want to see the next
46:4831 days of your life transformed? You
46:52can finish 2025
46:55in a godly way
46:58when you stop ignoring God's laws.
47:02Stop mishandling
47:04people.
47:09>> For those of you who keep mishandling
47:11God's people, keep lying on God's
47:14people,
47:16>> keep doing God's people dirty, I'm
47:18telling you today, whatsoever you sow,
47:24I don't care if it's 10 years, 5 years
47:26from now. I promise you.
47:30And for those of you are victims of
47:32people mishandling you, do not try to
47:36retaliate.
47:39>> The battle is not yours. It belongs to
47:42the Lord.
47:44>> And if there is a God, which we know
47:46there is,
47:48>> leave them to God.
47:51Leave them to God. I don't care who they
47:53are, friends, relatives. I don't care
47:55your spouse. You might have been
47:57separated and divorced. I'm telling you,
48:00people who mishandle you, leave them to
48:04God.
48:10Number five, Jeremiah 17
48:14is a blueprint for an unshakable life.
48:18Here's what it says. And this is how we
48:20going to go home. [music] Going to
48:21receive the seed. This how we going to
48:23go home, man. Blessed is the man who
48:25trust in the Lord. That means who lean
48:28on him. Surrender total control to him.
48:32And that means to obey his word even
48:34when it contradicts your feelings
48:39to depend on him more than yourself.
48:41Proverbs 3:5 and 6. It says, "Trust in
48:44the Lord with all of your heart and lean
48:46not to your own
48:48understanding because what he'll make
48:51your or he'll he'll make straight your
48:54paths. Everything you do, God will
48:57correct it."
48:59>> Then the verse says he is like a tree.
49:01We're right at the beginning. Planted by
49:04water. What is that saying? You see, a
49:06believer rooted in God grows,
49:08flourishes, produces, and survives
49:12storms.
49:15>> Psalm 1 verse 1 to3 says he's like a
49:18tree that is planted by the stream of
49:20water that yield its fruit in its
49:25season.
49:28When you stayed anchored in God, I don't
49:31care what storm comes up against you.
49:35>> You are unshakable.
49:38>> That's the faith life.
49:41The next thing about the verse is it
49:44says he does not fear when heat comes.
49:47It didn't say he does not fear if heat
49:50comes. When? It's not if, it's when.
49:54Because heat represents trials,
49:56pressure, adversity. The unshakable
49:59believer is not moved by, watch this,
50:02bad news,
50:04>> threats, critics, lack, delays, attacks.
50:10Why? Isaiah 43:2 says, "When you pass
50:13through the fight, when you pass
50:14through," underline that word, circle
50:17that word, through. Through. Through.
50:20when you pass through. I'm I'm here to
50:22take today to tell somebody whatever is
50:26happening in your life, you're going
50:28through it. There's a reason why God
50:30allowed it. Cuz whenever you pass
50:33through the fire, you shall not be
50:36burned.
50:37>> And then it says he is not anxious in
50:41the year of drought.
50:44Drought means
50:46you know scarcity. You know things are
50:49not normal or flourishing.
50:53You know it's very rare. You can't find
50:56it. But the unshakable believer
50:57flourishes even in hard times. Why?
51:00Because God is their source. Not the
51:03economy, not culture, not people. So be
51:08not be anxious for anything.
51:12Philippians 4:6 and 7. And the peace of
51:15God will guard your heart. And he does
51:17not cease to bear fruit.
51:20Even when everyone else is breaking
51:23down, the root or the rooted believer
51:27keeps producing peace, progress,
51:30stability, harvest, and breakthrough.
51:34I want to say to you, the next 31 days,
51:38the next 31 days is going to be
51:40important to all of you.
51:43Listen to me. Those of you streaming,
51:45please hear pastor today.
51:48The next 31 days
51:51very important to you and me.
51:55We can be like Judah
51:58and still
52:00make the decision
52:03to have idols
52:06and live under a curse.
52:10If you want to do life your way, fine.
52:13Nobody's going to force you
52:15to change.
52:17But if you're not happy with where you
52:20are, you can change that. You can change
52:24it like Judah. Because the next 31 days
52:27of 2025 can be a year of blessings,
52:30restoration obedience breakthrough
52:33unshakable faith.
52:36But all these things can only happen
52:38when you choose, my friends, to move.
52:42Because nothing moves until you move.
52:45Nothing changes until you change.
52:49Nothing breaks until you obey. That
52:53cycle of unproductivity,
52:55it won't break
52:57until you obey.
53:00Nothing shifts until you trust in God.
53:05nothing will.
53:07I'm going to put up in just a moment,
53:09don't put it up yet, a declaration that
53:12I want you all to say this morning. But
53:15I want to pray for you. I want everybody
53:16to bow your heads. Please don't get
53:18distracted [music]
53:18by anybody at this time because this is
53:21a crucial moment. Those of you are
53:23streaming, follow me quickly.
53:29I know this morning's sermon
53:33wasn't probably what you were hoping
53:37for.
53:40I sense some of you it was very
53:45in fact you've interpreted as if I am
53:48attacking you.
53:51I wish to God you would put Henry
53:53Fernandez out of the picture
53:56because the moment you make this moment
53:58about a man,
54:00you miss the message.
54:04Could it be the reason why God is in
54:05your face is because he loves you and
54:08whom he loves, he'll chase.
54:12>> He'll correct.
54:15Why do you keep on taking corrections as
54:18an attack when it could be a form of
54:21love so you become conformed to his
54:23will?
54:27What's your decision this morning?
54:31What is your decision this morning when
54:32it comes to your personal life?
54:36How committed are you going to be to God
54:38this morning and say, "God,
54:41I don't want to be like Judah. I want to
54:43return back to my first love
54:48where I'll fall in love with you again.
54:50Know the song that says falling in love
54:53with Jesus
54:55is the best thing
54:58that ever could happen to me.
55:02That you start loving him the way he
55:05deserved to be loved.
55:08that you're going to make the decision
55:09today that you're going to involve him
55:11in every areas of your life, including
55:14your finances.
55:17>> Because I'm telling you this morning,
55:22the God that I am preaching about this
55:24morning knows your every financial need.
55:30And while we are going to the system for
55:34financial breakthrough,
55:36he's already said in his word, he's made
55:40provision for you.
55:42The next 31 days, it's easy for God to
55:45do anything financially for you. But if
55:49you're a kingdom citizen,
55:51are you going to follow the teachings of
55:53his kingdom, or are you going to lean to
55:56your own understanding and do things
55:57your way?
55:59So for every believer in this house
56:01today, every believer streaming,
56:04I want you to make a decision today that
56:07today's your day that you're going to
56:08fully surrender everything over to God.
56:11I mean everything.
56:14Today's the day that you're going to
56:15say, "God, I'm going to start doing
56:16things your way." And today's the day
56:18that God, I'm going to tithe. I'm going
56:22to give the offering that best
56:24represents what you have blessed me
56:27with.
56:28Think about that.
56:31Don't become like Judah. They were
56:33prosperous. They were wealthy people. He
56:36provided for them.
56:39But now
56:41they took their wealth, made an idol.
56:44Kind of remind me of the children of
56:46Israel. the very gold that God gave
56:49them.
56:51They now stayed in a cycle of 40 years
56:55of worshiping an image with the stuff he
56:58blessed them with.
57:01Just because you have a car, a house,
57:05just because you have a business doesn't
57:07mean you're thriving.
57:10That could be debt.
57:13God wants to flip it. The next 31 days
57:16can totally transform your life.
57:20I'm not here to beg you this morning.
57:23I'm simply saying to you, trust the
57:26unshakable faith life.
57:31I hope you don't walk out of this room.
57:33I hope you don't log off this morning
57:36and not say, "God, I don't care how I'm
57:40going to make this happen.
57:42Today is my day that I'm going to show
57:45you that I'm serious about following
57:49your teachings.
57:52I give from my heart this morning. I
57:54give my tithe.
57:56I give that offering that I've been
57:58passionate about lately to give.
58:01You've blessed me. They're business
58:03owners in here. I'm telling you, pastor
58:07is not begging you this morning.
58:10I am challenging you.
58:13You know what's in your heart. And while
58:17you are waiting and God says God says
58:19I'm waiting on you
58:21because it's within your power to do. He
58:24gives you the ability to do. It's all up
58:27to you. Father, thank you.
58:30Do me a favor. Everyone in the room,
58:32please raise your hands.
58:35If you're willing to surrender, I just
58:37sense that.
58:39If you're willing to surrender this
58:41morning and if this sermon meant
58:43anything to you,
58:46lift both hands. And we're about I'm
58:48about to pray for you. Father,
58:52with hands lifted up this morning,
58:57we come to you
58:59and we say, "We don't want to be like
59:01Judah.
59:04Please don't take your presence away
59:06from us.
59:09Please
59:11don't put us in a category where we're
59:13living under a curse
59:16this morning.
59:18We surrender it all to you
59:22because some of us were in desperate
59:24need of a breakthrough.
59:27We need you to fix some things. We
59:29needed to transform our finances. And
59:32because we're kingdom citizens, we're
59:34supposed to be better than the kingdom
59:37of darkness. So this morning, we give it
59:40all to you. And we say we surrender.
59:45We surrender our career.
59:48We surrender our business. We surrender
59:50our relationships. We surrender our
59:53families. We surrender this church to
59:56you.
59:58We surrender everything to you. You are
60:01now Lord over every area of our lives.
60:06And Father, we honor you with our
60:08substance this morning. In the name of
60:11Jesus, we pray. Amen. Come on, let's
60:14give the Lord a hand of praise.