For by Grace Are Ye Saved Through Faith

Transcript:

I've seen entire empires crumble and fall. Oh, you they had you bring me the water. That's sexist. That's hilarious. Okay, baby. When you're done eating, bring me some. Thank you, Azariah. Tell the boys that all of them are raggedy. When you go down there and say, "Uncle said all of you are raggedy." Say it with grace, too. So, you know what I'm saying? So they understand it. Bring me some water when you done eating. That's a perfect job right there. You never seen one. There you go. Sabbath peace. Sab peace. It's another opportunity for us to come together and hear and learn of the word of truth as given to us by the most high God. All honor goes to the father through the son whose name is Yahosua. In him lies the only hope for salvation. We know that it is obtained by grace, not uh not of works. Uh so that any so that nobody can boast. I know I said that wrong. How it go? Lest anyone should boast. Lest anyone should boast. Uh how what's next? Uh anyone should boast. Uh I don't know, bro. I might be getting Alzheimer. What's it called? Lest anyone should boast freely as a gift. You know what I'm saying? Let's all obey him. We know you do not obey him. It is made manifest and made obvious that you do not believe. In this state, you should expect no good thing. However, anything that you do get, whether it be a gift of tongues, a gift of prophecy, or any supernatural experience that you may have, it can and it will be used against you in the day of judgment. With that said, peace to the saints that are in the room, to the saints that couldn't make it, but no peace to the wicked. The only thing we say to them is repent that they might live. You see my phone? Uhuh. Last last last week we talked about uh the book of uh what? Colossians. Yeah. Was Colossians last week? Yeah. So last week we talked about the book of Colossians. Um and in the book of Colossians we went over a number of things, right? We went over in uh uh uh Colossians 2 how the how the book told us don't let anybody spoil and it's so important. Do not let anybody spoil you through vain deceit. You know what I'm saying? In philosophy. And I really, really, really want y'all to understand what that is. Vain deceit is talking about, I mean, the best example of it is all these holidays that they came over, right? Because not only are the holidays empty, that's all that vain mean. It just means it's it's worthless. It don't mean nothing. And nothing means anything. Everything is vain. If we we ain't got to get it right now, but if we went to uh to Solomon's book in Ecclesiastes, he' tell us everything is vanity, right? All this stuff is vanity. Hey T, tell them kids to be quiet down there, right? All he'll tell us all this stuff is vanity, right? But there are some things that are vain and they're deceitful. So in other words, they lie to you as if it has meaning behind it, but it's really vain. And the best way to do that is to attach God to something, right? So if you if you have a Christmas, that's crazy. He just wal right up there and they just got right back to it. Uh if you got a Christmas and you try to tell somebody that's Jesus birthday and Jesus is the son of God, well that becomes vanity because the day is meaningless. It don't have no meaning. And then after that it becomes deceitful. So it's vain deceit because they try to attach meaning to it through a lie, right? And there's so much of that. It's not just the the the holidays that these people celebrate, but there's so much vain deceit, right? And that's what we deal with constantly. People try to create like meaning from vanity by lying to you. And we have to be on alert about that. But we definitely have to be on alert about that when it comes to I already got a drink cuz Aariah did it for me. You know what I'm saying? But you know, give me that. Um, we have to be on alert about that. And we definitely have to be on alert uh with with people who talk about the word. You know what I'm saying? When when when people talk about the word and they have vain deceit, that's bad. A lot of these pastors, they'll get up and they'll talk to you and they'll talk to you for for two hours preaching a nice well ststructured poetic even sermon. Some of these sermons that we listen to, tell the kids to be quiet downstairs and keep them quiet, please. These the some of these sermons that that that we hear, they are beautifully structured. I mean I mean they have they they have enough to get you like your blood boiling and and they get they get you chills down your back and and they're relatable to you and you sit there and you feel like the pastor talking directly to you. You feel like oh he do he know what I did last night. That that's how I be feeling when they talk. But I'm telling you they learn how to do this stuff. They got seminaries where they teach you how to have relatable uh uh sermons that'll make everybody feel like you talking to them. And it's dangerous because now that becomes vain deceit. What they really saying is empty. It's no different from it's no different from a uh a motivational speaker, right? If you take somebody who does motivational speaking, it they don't need to know who you are. They don't need to believe what they saying to you. They get paid to get you up and motivate you whether what they're saying to you is true or not. And those are the same principles that a a pastor nowadays takes. He just wants to motivate you whether it's true or not. His goal is to make you feel good in there and to motivate you until next Sunday. And we have to beware when we have pastors that way, right? We need to have men of God that will sit and teach and explain the word and break it down and make sure that when you get up, you don't just feel better. A matter of fact, sometimes you going to feel worse, but when you get up, you understand. You have a deeper understanding of the word. And sometimes that deeper understanding of the word makes you feel like, I don't want to hear no more of this, right? Sometimes it makes you make a decision. Sometimes the word pierce you and it's a the book call it a double-edged sword, right? And that double-edged sword makes you choose a side. It's going to slice you right down the middle and it makes you choose a side. And the side that you choose is for you. Sometime people going to choose a side like, you know what, I heard enough. I don't want to serve that God. Meanwhile, other people going to choose and they going to say, you know what, I got to change my life. And that choice is for everybody to make. Not everybody is going to make the same choice. The point is we should give everybody an opportunity to hear the truth of the word and make the choice. So many people are trying to hide the truth of this word. They try to obuscate it and cover it with lies for their own pride. Right? And we we we want to do our best to to cut through that, right? We want to do our best to make sure that people have have opportunity to hear the truth and hear it with sincerity and hear it explained and hear it made plain. And instead of making vanity relatable to everybody, we want to make the word relatable to everybody, right? Or as many people as we can. So, let's pick it up. We going to pick up Ephesians. This is Ephesians. Give me chapter 1 verse one. I don't understand why they so loud today. This is killing me. I know. Tell them to be quiet down there. Tell them that they all got a whisper. I'm about to whoop some butt. Who was the one? Paul, an apostle of Yahosua, the Messiah, by the will of God, to the saints which are in Ephesus, and to the faithful in the Messiah Yahosua. Grace be to you and peace from God our Father, and from Yahweh, from from Yahosua, our Master. Mhm. Blessed be the God of and father of our master Yahosua the Messiah who has blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in the Messiah. Mhm. according as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world that we should be holy and without blame before him in love having predestinated us unto the adoption of of children by Yahosua the Messiah to himself according to the good pleasure of his will to the praise of the glory of his grace wherein he has made us accepted in the beloved in whom we have redemption through his blood the forgiveness of sins according to the riches of his grace yeah I was on uh I was on Twitter and I was watching one of the brothers argue with with this white Christian and they going back and forth about, you know what I'm saying? The the white Christian was saying, you know what I'm saying? Uh, God predestined us. And so, as I'm kind of watching that the argument play out cuz it keep popping up on my timeline. So, I look at it and I'm like, "Oh, yeah. No, that's facts. He did." You know what I'm saying? He did predestined us. And so, then the Hebrew is like, "Yeah, but that don't mean once saved, always saved." And I'm like, "Yeah, that's right. That's right." You know what I'm saying? Good. That's good. So far, y Because it ain't an argument to me. It ain't an argument at this point. It just sound like people are giving clarification to make sure there's no misunderstanding. And then he was like, "How can it not be one once saved always saved if you were saved before uh before the world began?" You know what I'm saying? And so, uh, and so the Hebrew was looking like, "No, you're not saved until you endure to the end." You know what I'm saying? And so the other dude was looking like, "You know what I'm saying? Show me a scripture and say that." And I'm like, "Did he really just ask that?" You know what I'm saying? I'm like, "This is crazy. Y'all don't even know the book in y'all area, are you? So they going back and forth and I tried to explain. I just jumped in. I was like, you know what I'm saying? If I may, you know what I'm saying? Like if I may, you know what I'm saying? I need y'all to like look at it this way. Like what are we saved from? You know what I'm saying? To ask yourself that question. What What is being saved? What does it mean? You know what I'm saying? The truth is being saved is not like, you know what I'm saying? Being saved is not like a moment in your life. It's not like it's not like like like I got saved when the sun shined real bright after I walked out of the church or when I felt the spirit move on me. I got saved. Right? That's not how this works. What are you saved from? When you think you got saved, what did what were you delivered from? Your butt don't believe you can turn away from sin. So you can't say you delivered from sin. So what what did you actually get delivered from? If you say death, you you going to die. The book say it's appointed once for all men to die. So what did you get saved from? If you believed you got saved, right? And once you put that in perspective and you understand what the epistle letters and the scriptures say that you are saved from, you're saved from death. And the only point in time that you're going to be saved from death and delivered from death is after you die. So to be saved is to have the resurrection. And the resurrection hasn't happened yet. So if the resurrection hasn't happened yet, that means you're not saved yet. This is why Yahosua tells us we must endure until the end. Right? So it's not once saved always saved because you haven't been saved. There hasn't been a resurrection. I'm surprised a Christian didn't know when Yosua said, "He who endures to the end shall be saved." Because they love to use that chapter to talk about the rapture. Well, that's that's the problem. People don't know chapters. They just know. They know whatever verses they need to prove whatever point they have. You know what I'm saying? But that's the problem. No, the brother asked, he was like, "Show me a scripture." You know what I'm saying? I was looking like you can't be serious. You said he's snidious. You know what I'm saying? You know what I'm saying? It's like what what in the world like it's the most basic. You know what I'm saying? You have to you have to know what he's going to say after this. You know what I'm saying? So, it's you know, it's just disappointing that we we this far and it's like there's this much information. Like everybody got chat. I could probably ask chat GPT this question and they get it right. You know what I mean? It's like it's just so easy to get this stuff and get this information. It's not even deep stuff. But what throws people off is the term predestined that Paul just used. Read it again. having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Yahosua the Messiah to himself according to the good pleasure of his will to the praise of the glory of his grace wherein he has made us accepted in the beloved in whom we have redemption through his blood the forgiveness of sins according to the riches of his grace wherein he has abounded to toward us in all wisdom and prudence having made known unto us the mystery of his will according to his good pleasure which he has purposed in himself. All right. So Yah made known to us the purpose of his goodwill, right? But he didn't make that known to us when we was babies. That wasn't known to us before the world was. No, but he still predestined us before the world was. So all that means it's like you have to imagine it like somebody who knows the choice that somebody just imagine knowing your kids so well, you know what choice they're going to make. You don't make the choice for them. Right. But you already know. He say, "I'mma leave this ice cream out." And I bet I just know Zakai gonna take one of these ice creams cuz that's what he do. He see something sweet, can't help himself, he going to grab it. He going to take one of the I know that about Zakai, right? So when when I leave the ice cream out, it's not that I made Zakai take the ice cream, right? It's that I knew him well enough that he would take the ice cream. Right? So this is what the most high God is doing. The most high God knows me more than I know my son. The most high God knows the future. Right? Isaiah the prophet, he told us that he knows the ending from the beginning. In other words, at the start, he knows how it's going to end. So if he knows that the predestined is saying it's my choice as God to start this thing, right? It's my choice of God to to press play. So if God chooses to press play, he already knows how with all the decisions that everybody is going to make. So before he even pressed play, he knows who is going to obey him. So therefore, it is predestined, right? When he set everything in motion, when he created Adam, when he created the heavens and the earth, he knew exactly how each and every one of us was going to going to choose, the choices and the decisions that each and every one of us are going to make. He's not making the choices for us, but he knows the choices that we going to make. And he still decided to create Adam and set this thing in motion. So therefore, it's predestined because he already knows how it's going to play out, right? Don't think of it as predestined as in he's making the decisions for us. Don't think of it as predestined as in he chose the winners and made them winners. No, y'all choosing it. You can't get that that don't put that smud on God's name. Y'all choosing. Y'all make the decisions that y'all make and y'all have to live with those decisions or die with them. Right. But he knows how it's going to play out and therefore it's predestined. Keep going. Actually, jump over to uh chapter 2. This is uh Ephesians chapter 2. Give me verse one. And you has he quickened who were dead in trespasses and sins. Where in time past you walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now works in the children of disobedience. Hold on. The sister said, "Can the predestination be changed?" We don't know what the predestined is to change it. Yeah. God know to end it from the beginning. Yeah. So like however it play like think of it as a movie, right? The movie is already written, right? So then all y'all did is rewind the movie to the beginning and he pressed play. He knows he already knows this movie by heart. He can quote every line of it. Right? That doesn't stop that the movie is the movie. Everybody in the movie acted in it. A movie is not good cuz the movie come with a script, right? Let's say you set up a video recording, right? A video recording of your family and you just observe, right? And you do the family recording. You know, back in the day, we used to have camcorders, right? Everybody just got phones now, but back in the day, you had camcorder. Like if you was like a wealthy family, but you would have a camcorder and then you do it and in the camcorder like Christmas time or one of the holiday, you bring it out and be like, "Hey, hi Susie. Say hi to the camera." Right? And everybody do it and you know it's always a bad cameraman. He getting your darn feet on the accident and all that. Right? So that was the camera. Imag Susie waved. That was her decision to wave, right? When when Josie walked into the kitchen and said, "Hey, I'm going to go get the macaroni and cheese with raisins in it." Right? That was her decision to get the macaroni and cheese with raisins in it. Nobody Nobody asked her to put raisin. Nobody ever asked her to put raisins in there. She always does it though, right? And so that's her decision. Now imagine knowing that video so well, right? because you've seen it so many times that you can quote and you can mimic every move that Suzy and Josie make, right? That's how God is. God, it's not about changing what's predestined. He knows what's going to happen. So, so we don't know. We have no idea. We making the decisions in real time, right? When we look at it, we looking like, "Man, that hurt my feelings. So, I'm going to lash back out with you in anger and I'm going to cuss you out or I'mma beat you up or I'm going to do this, right? Oh, I fell in love with that girl, so I did some things I wasn't supposed to do and then I felt guilty about it. Oh, I got mad at my job, so then I quit and then lied on them and tried to sue them. Right? These are just decisions that we make. So it's not about from our perspective, it's not about can the predestination change because we don't know who's predestin I can't look at I can't look at nobody in the eye and be like oh it look like you pre you know what you got that look like you predestined the only thing I can do is look at people's behavior and if a man's behavior is according to the word then I can say oh well you know what I'm saying that's behavior that is aligned with somebody who who's going to make it into the kingdom the predestined piece is God sees who made it to the end or not. Right? So yeah, can it change? That's irrelevant to us, right? Cuz we we don't have any perview to how it started or how it ends. The only thing we know that can change is our heart and our decisions. That part can change and that's the part that we need to focus on. But then we have to know that if we end up right dying and we die obedient to the Messiah, then that means that we were predestined. Yah already knew that we were going to do that and he set this thing in motion knowing that we were going to make a choice to serve him. This is uh let's start back at verse one to chapter 2. And you has he has he quickened who were dead in trespasses and sins. Wherein in time past you walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now works in the children of disobedience. Among whom also we all had our conversation in time past in the lust of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind. That's right. And were by nature the children of wrath, even as others. Why he say the children of wrath? Why does he call them by nature the children of wrath? Because the wrath of God is revealed on the children of disobedience. That's right. Right. The most high God brings wrath to the earth. We talked about this last week, too. You remember we we we read through uh Leviticus 18 and we looked at all the sexual sins. And at the bottom of it, it told us it said, "For these sins, these abominations, right? These are the abominations that cause Yah to bring wrath on the land." Right? So he's telling us in our nature we were children of wrath. In other words, we committed sins that caused Yah to bring his wrath. Right? Keep going. Even as others, but God who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us, even when we were dead in sins, has quickened us together with the Messiah. By grace you are saved and has raised us up together and made us sit together in heavenly places in the Messiah Yahosua that in the ages to come he might show the excellency exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness toward us through Yahosua the Messiah. For by grace you are saved through faith and not that of yourselves. He said by grace ye are saved through faith and not of yourselves. It is what? The gift of God. It is the gift of God. Not of works, lest any man should boast. Listen. And it's not of works. Because if it were of works, then a man could boast. What in the world is Paul talking about here? Of the law. He's talking about the works of the law. I know. I know. He didn't say the works of the law right here. I get it. I get it. I promise you. I'm not trying to play no voodoo on your brain. Right. So, let's talk about what does it mean, right? What does it mean to have? What is the gift of God? What is that gift? Isn't it life? Eternal life. Life eternal. Right? He's delivering us by death uh from death by giving us eternal life. Right? So then outside of Yahosua, how can we get eternal life? If there was no Yahosua, what would be the only other way that we could get life? Obey the law and not sin one time. That's the only other way. We can obey the law without ever sinning. Right? If a person did that, guess what they could do? They could boast. They could boast. They could go to Yah and they could be like, "No, I did what I was supposed to do. Kept the whole thing. Easy money, too. Go ahead. Give me my life. Give it to me. Right. What does boast mean? Proud. What's another way to say boast? Proud. You proud. trash. You getting your glory, right? Let me show you somebody who boasted. This is uh John chapter uh 17 14 17. Uh six. Is it 16? What am I on? 17. 17. Is he talking about the spear? Huh? when the spirit should come. No. Uh when he look up uh that's John 17. When uh the when when Moses and him appeared to him. No, no, no, no. When he um Oh, the prayer. The prayer. That's 17. John, give me John chapter 17. Give me verse one. I'm about to show y'all somebody who boasts. Turn me to the glory. That That's 17. Mhm. Yeah. 15 14 15 16 17 of John is hit us. That whole What verse we just leave off in Ephesians? Uh nah n. Yeah, that whole spin serious. The only way you could boast before God is if God owes you something, right? If God owes you something, then you can boast. You be like, "No, give me what you owe. I did my part. Give me what you owe." However, you cannot boast if you owe him something. So Paul is telling you it's not of works. In other words, you didn't have works. You didn't have behavior that made you deserving of what you're getting from Yahushua. Right? Keep going. Or uh watch this. This is uh this is uh John chapter 17 verse1. Watch what Yahua say. There's somebody who boasting here. He's a bad boy. Watch what he say. These words spake Yoshua and he as he lifted up his his eyes to heaven and said, "Father, the hour has come. Glorify thy son that thy son also may glory thee." Right? He said, "Glorify thy son, right? That's bragging. When he say glory, glory, that's saying that's pride. That's saying give me the glory." He's telling you, he telling y'all, "Give me the glory." Right? Hey, watch this. As you have given him power over all flesh, that he should give eternal life to as many as thou has given it. This is bragging. I got the power over all flesh. Watch what he say. And this is life eternal that they might know thee, the only true God, and Yahosua, the Messiah, whom thou has sent. I have glorified thee only. Look, hold on. Look, he said the this is life eternal that they might what? That they might know thee. That they might know God. You might think, "Oh, that's humble." See, he giving all the glory to God. Then when he say, "And the only the" No, no, no. That they might know thee. And then what? Thee, the only true God and Yahosua. He said, "And who?" Yahosua the Messiah. Who? The last person who did that, what happened to him? Who we got? Grab Numbers chapter 20 or 12. It's 20. Goodness gracious. That boy off today. Let me tell you, I need to drink more water. This what happened, y'all. Zahar, you know what I'm saying? He been making me get up and run every morning. So I don't have all my mental facilities. You know what I'm saying? You run? Yeah. It's bad. Wow. Two miles. Well, I don't run two miles, but he run two miles. Yeah. Zakar ran. Well, they they run. That's how you run. You know what I'm saying? I don't have all my mental capability. You know what I'm saying? I'm a little drained. You know what I'm saying? I jumped on that scale. You know what I'm saying? You know what that thing said? 250. That's a lie. It said 199 you. Yes, bro. I said that's crazy. That you know what I'm saying? I said or Yeah, that's a lot for me. You know what my nickname is? Slim. You know what I'm saying? What you talking about? Yeah, that's a lot for me. 99. That's the average. That's average weight of a regular man. No, that's not. You know what I'm saying? I need to be around lighter than a regular man. I need to be in the 180, you know what I'm saying? 180 183 range if you say you give me I need to be in there need to be about 183 like you know what I'm saying 180 when I was like 19 well you've always been fat you know what I'm saying ain't nobody fought you for that you know what I'm saying but but me always been sl 199 that thing is almost 200 I was like yeah now we got to do something about this is uh this is Uh, Numbers chapter 20. Give me verse uh, what I want. 15. What' you say? 15. I think you're right. 15. Let me see. It ain't 15. You want Sister Sharon, I need your I need your scale. Like, this is Numbers chapter 20, verse six. Watch what the book say. We almost had it. And Moses and Aaron went from the presence of the assembly unto the door of the tabernacle to of the congregation. And they fell on their faces, and the glory of the Lord appeared unto them. Uhhuh. And the Lord spake to Moses, saying, "Take the rod and gather the assembly together, you and Aaron, you and Aaron, your brethren, speak ye unto the rock before their eyes, and it shall bring forth water, and you shall bring forth to them water out of the rock." Who shall bring it? Who who supposed to get water out the rock? who supposed to get water out of the rock. Let's see what the book say. Who going to bring it? Do it say God going to bring it. And you shall bring forth them water out of the rock. This is God telling Moses, "Hey, Moses, you are going to bring forth the water from the rock." But watch this. And give to the congregation and their beast drink. And Moses took the rod from before Yahweh as he commanded him. He took the stick from before Yahweh as he commanded them. Watch what he did. Moses and Aaron gathered the congregation together before the rock and he said unto them, he break out of them all together and then he spoke onto them. Here now you rebels. Uh-huh. Must we fetch water out of this rock? Must what? Must we? Who's fetching the water? Most high God just said you and Aaron go over there and you are going to bring the water out of this rock. So then he Moses went and he said, "You rebels, must we fetch water out of this rock?" And watch what happened. And Moses lifted up his hand, and with his rod he smoked the rock twice, and the water came out abundantly, and the congregation drank, and their beasts also. Mhm. And Yahweh spake unto Moses and Aaron, because you believed me not to. He said, "Because you believed me not to do what?" To sanctify me in the eyes of the children of Israel. What does that mean? Sanctify. Set apart. You did not set me apart in the eyes of the children of Israel. What Moses was supposed to do is separate himself from God. He said, "Must we get this out of the rock." what he was supposed to say. Yahwh is bringing this water out of the rock for you. He was supposed to separate Yah. He made himself equal with Yah when he said we bringing the water out of the rock. And the most high God, look what he said. Because you didn't believe me to sanctify me in the children in the sight of the children of Israel. Therefore, you shall not bring this congregation into the land which I have given them. You can't go into the uh into the promised land. Neither one of them. Both of them got to die before they get into the promised land just for that what seems to us to be a very simple mistake because he said we it's like a song uh what's his name Nelly made. He is like you know what I'm saying? He said kick the girl about the run cuz you use the word we. Ain't that how it go? You know what I'm saying? It's like one of the songs on this album. He said he kick her out because she used the word we. He thought the girl he was with thought that they shared something and he kick her out because oh you thought this was yours too. Now get your butt out of here. Well that's what God just did. Moses used the word we almost making himself equal with God. He wasn't doing it intentionally. He wasn't trying to say that that he was bragging that he was on God's level. But guess how God saw it? You didn't believe me. You didn't believe me to sanctify me. always set me apart when you talking. Right? But now let's go back to Yahosua. Yahosua look up at Yah. He say, "Hey, give me the glory that we used to have, man." You know what I'm saying? Go ahead and give me that glory that we used to have, right? This is somebody who bragging that we watching. Watch this. Where we leave? This is John 17 verse what? This is John chapter 17 verse verse three. Watch this. And this is life eternal that they might know thee, the only true God and Yahosua the Messiah whom and he said and who Yahosua the Messiah whom you have sent. He said life eternal is one that they know you and that they know me. And he spoke about itself in third person. You don't think this is braggadocious, right? Oh, let me tell you what what let me tell you what it mean to be life eternal. First, they got to know God and they got to know me. He just said we just like Moses did. Moses can't brag. You know why? Because Moses sinned. Everything Moses got is by the grace of God, not by works. But what Yahosua got is by works. He can brag all he darn won't. He can glory all he darn. He can say we all he darn want because Yahw owes him life. It's a difference. And this is what Paul is trying to explain to you. Watch what he say next. I have glorified thee on earth. I have finished the work which you gave me to do. Uh-huh. And now, oh father, he said, I have glorified thee on earth. I have done what? I finished the work that you gave me to do. By my own works did I earn this. He's telling you you gave me something to do and I did all of. He's bragging right now. Keep going. Watch this. And now, oh father, glorify thou me with thine own self with the glory which I had with thee before the world was. What? What? This is the same God that Isaiah told us, I share my glory with no one. And he looked at him, he said, go ahead and give me the glory that I used to have with you. You know what I'm saying? Before the world was, give it to me again. He's bragging right now. This is what it looked like to brag. And the only reason that this man can brag is because he did the work. He earned it according to his own work. He never sinned. And therefore, Yah owes him life. This is the only person that can brag and that can boast. So now, let's go back uh second Eph uh Ephesians chapter 2. This is Ephesians chapter 2. Give me verse what? Verse 9. Yeah, it's Ephesians chapter 2 verse 9. And we going to see what Paul is talking about. I know y'all looking like, man, it don't say nothing about no law. That's not what it said. You putting that brother, you adding it in there. He just said not by works. You adding that law part in there. Okay. Well, let's just talk about it. The only way your works can earn life is if you keep the whole law without sinning. That's the only way. So that's what he's talking about. It's not by works. Not of works, lest any man should boast. For we are all we are his workmanship. We are what? Workmanship. Created what? Created in the Messiah for unto good works with Oh my goodness. Look at that. Is not by works of the law. Right? Then he says, for we are created and for what purpose? For good works. Right? So now you got to ask yourself, if we created onto Yahosua, so this means after we've accepted Yahushua and the purpose of our creation is to have good works, how could it then at the same time be not by works? It can't because one work is talking about work that is deserving of salvation. The works that we're created for through the Messiah is not works that's deserving of salvation. It's works that we owe Yahosua for us to have salvation. One is we're paying something back. The other is we're working for what we earned. There's a difference. Oh, we got grab uh James. This is James chapter 2. Give me verse 18. This is James chapter 2 verse 18. Let's talk about works. I want y'all to have a deep understanding. This is James chapter 2 verse 18. Watch the books. I'm I'm sorry. James chapter 2. Yeah. James chapter 2 verse 18. Yeah. A man may say, "Thou has faith, and I have works." Uh-huh. Show me thy faith without thy works, and I will show thee my faith by my works. So, hold on. You saved by what? What did Paul say? We were saved by By grace. Through faith. We are saved by grace through faith. How do I show my faith? Well, James says, "By my works." Read it again. Yay. A man may say, "You have faith, and I have works. Show me thy faith without thy works, and I will show thee my faith by my works. So now, if the only way James is saying you can show faith is through works, how could we then say salvation is not by works? Unless we're talking about the works of the law, which is exactly what Paul said in Galatians. We don't have to go back and get it, but Galatians, he tells us it is not by the works. A matter of fact, let's go back and get it. What is it? Galatians what one is it? Galatians 1. Galatians what you think? Galatians 1. What? Six. Okay, let's do it. Galatians chapter 1 verse 5. Let's see what the book say. Yeah, grace. The sister asks, so is it favor? One is favor. Yeah, grace is favor. Grace is the same as favor. But in a little bit we going to get a better definition of of grace of exactly what grace is. Uh we going to probably in a couple weeks we'll go over uh exactly what the definition of faith is. I mean grace is to whom be glory forever and ever. Amen. I marvel that you are so soon removed from him that called you into the grace of the Messiah unto another gospel. Uhhuh. Which is not another. But there be some that trouble you and would pervert the gospel of the Messiah. Uhhuh. But though we or an angel from heaven preach any other gospel unto you that which we have not preached unto you, let him be accursed. As we said before, so I say now again, if any man preach any other gospel unto you than that you have heard received that you have received, let him be accursed. For do for do I now persuade men or God? Or do I seek to please men? For if I yet pleased men, I should not be the servant of the Messiah. That's not what I want. Give me uh chapter two. Give me chapter 2 verse 6. But of those who seem to be somewhat whatsoever they were, it makes no matter to me. God is chapter 3 verse 6. You think this is it? Even as Abraham believed God and it was accounted to him for righteousness. This is good though. Watch this. Even though Abraham believed God and it was accounted to him for righteousness, watch this. Therefore, that they which are of faith, the same are the children of Abraham. Uhhuh. And is the scripture foreseeing that God would justify the heathen through faith, preach before the gospel unto Abraham, saying, "In thee shall all nations be blessed." Right? So before Abraham had any works, Yahw knew what he was going to do. Predestined, right? That's why he said it it for right. So he knew what he was going to do and he told him this how things going to play out. All nations within you are going to be blessed, right? And that's before he had any works. Keep going. Watch this. So then they which be of faith are blessed with faithful Abraham. For as many are of the works of the law are under the curse. Right? If you're under the works of the law, you are under the curse. But that's still not what I'm looking for. Uh try chapter where is it? Is it chapter 4? I feel like it's in the beginning. Give me chapter four. Give me verse six. I don't feel like it's chapter four though. is Galatians 4:E 6. And because you are sons, God has sent forth his spirit of his son into your hearts, crying, "Aba, Father." Wherefore you are no more a servant, but a son, and of a son, than an heir of God through the Messiah. How be it then, when you knew not God, ye did service unto them which by nature are no gods. I know it ain't five. So what is it? Six, seven, eight, 67 67 Let me see what's the beginning of five say. Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherew with Messiah has made us free and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage. Uh maybe that's it. Keep going. Behold I say behold this chapter one. I mean verse one. Yeah. Okay. Verse two. Now say unto you that if you be circumcised the Messiah shall profit you nothing. For I testify again to every man that is circumcised that he is a debtor to do the whole law. Uh-huh. The Messiah has become of no effect unto you. Whosoever you are justified by the law. He said, "Whoever is justified by the law, the Messiah become of no effect to you." Watch this. Ye are fallen from grace. Uhhuh. For we through the spirit wait for the hope of the of righteousness by faith. For in Yosua the Messiah, neither circumcision avails anything nor uncircumcision, but faith which works by love. Uhhuh. Did ye run? Ye did run well. Who did hinder you that you should not obey the truth? This persuasion comes not of him that called you. A little lev leavenvens the whole lump. I have confidence in you through the master that ye will be none otherwise minded. But he that troubles you shall bear his judgment. Whosoever he be. And I, brethren, if I yet preach circumcision, why do I yet suffer persecution? Then is the offense of the cross ceased? I would, they were even cut off which trouble you. For brethren, you have been called unto liberty. only use not liberty for an occasion of the flesh, but by love serve one another. For all the law is fulfilled in one word, in this love thy neighbor as thyself. Right? So now you fulfill the whole law in this. Thy shall love thy neighbor as thou as thyself, which is exactly what Yahushua commanded, which is exactly what the law commanded, right? So Yahosua said, if you obey me, you are my friend. If you do whatever I command you, you are my friend. And greater love hath no man in this that he lay down his life for his friends. You are my friends if you do whatever I command you. Right? So that's law. What did he command? Love. So that's why Paul is saying faith is love. Now let's go back to um to James. James saying the only way to show your faith is by your works. Paul is in sitting there explaining to you, anybody who's justified by the law, in other words, anybody who can boast of the law has fallen from grace. But he tells us over in uh in Ephesians, you are saved by grace through faith. So he's he's creating a dichotomy. That means you got you got two options, right? You either are saved by the law, but then if you sin at any point in the law, that means you're not saved by it. You're cursed by it. Or you're saved through grace or by grace through faith. Right? So then if you say, "Okay, I'm saved by grace through faith." That means now that the I have to show my faith. And how can I show my faith? Let's let's look at James. Yeah. A man may say, "You have faith and I have works. Show me thy faith without thy works, and I will show thee my faith by my works." You believe that there is one God? You do well. The devils also believe and tremble. Uh-huh. But will you know, oh vain man, that when Yahosua was casting demons out of people, wasn't they talking to him like, "Oh, son of man, why'd you come so soon?" You think they didn't believe God? You think they didn't believe Yahosua? But guess what? That didn't change nothing. That don't make them righteous, right? The only way to really sh show your faith is through your works. Keep going. But will you know, oh vain man, that faith without works is dead? Was not Abraham our father justified by works when he offered Isaac his son up upon the altar? Seeest thou now how faith how faith wrought with his works? And by works was faith made perfect. And the scripture was fulfilled with which says Abraham believed God and it was imputed unto him for righteousness. So look how Paul and James is talking about the same event from different angles. Paul talked about how before Abraham did anything, Yah made a promise to him saying, "Man, and the nations is going to be blessed through you because y'all already knew what he was about to do." Right? And then after Abraham did it, Yah tested him and said, "Here, take your son and sacrifice your own son, which I just gave." And Abraham was about to do it and y'all stopped him. He said, "No, don't don't don't kill your son. But now I know that you'll do anything I told you." Right? So his actions, his works confirmed his faith. Right? But it was still a gift from God. It was still by grace. He didn't earn it. But you always have to show the work. If you don't have the good works, you don't know that you have faith. The good works are are an example of your faith. Keep going reading James. You see then how that by works a man is justified and not by faith only. And works is behavior. The sister asked, she said, "Is works behavior?" Works is our behavior, right? Works are are the things that we do, the choices that we make, right? The works is us keeping the commandments or not keeping them, right? So, you have bad works if you don't keep them, and you have good works if you do keep keep the commandments. Keep going. Likewise also was not Rahab the harlot justified by works when she had received the messengers and sent them out another way. For as the body What verse is this? Uh 25 uh keep going. For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also. Right? So if I have faith, if I say I have faith, but I don't have works, what does that mean? Faith is dead. My faith is not alive. It's dead. It's worthless. It's vanity. So it's important that the Christians understand when we read Ephesians chapter 2 when he says you're saved not by works, right? That doesn't mean it what what a Christian interprets that as is, oh okay, we can do whatever we want. It doesn't matter what we do. God is going to love us the same. God already know we going to sin because it's not about our works. In other words, it's not about our behavior. But that's not true. He's saying your behavior doesn't warrant salvation. So now I'm going to give you commandments to follow to get salvation. And you have to work walk worthy of that calling in order to obtain salvation. It is absolutely by the works of the Messiah that you are saved. It is not by the works of the law. Grab Deuteronomy chapter 20 for me. is Deuteronomy chapter 20. Give me verse 10 is Deuteronomy chapter 20 verse 10. When you come near unto a city to fight against it, then proclaim peace unto it. Mhm. And it shall be if it make if it make thee answer of peace and open unto thee, then it shall be that all the people that is found therein shall be tributaries unto thee, and they shall serve thee. Mhm. And if it will make no peace with thee, but will make war against thee, then you shall besiege it. And when and when Yahweh thy God has delivered it into your hands, you shall smite every male thereof with the edge of the sword. But the women and the little ones, and the cattle, and all that is in the city, even all the spoil thereof, shall you take unto thyself, and you shall eat the spoil of thine enemies, which Yahweh has given thee. Okay. Thus shall you do unto all the cities which are very far off from thee. Whoa, whoa, whoa. What did he say? He said, do this to which cities? The cities that are far off from thee. Oh, now we got to read it again. Which are not of the cities of these nations. Go back. Go back for me. Go back to verse 10. So now we know this whatever he's saying right now is only applicable to nations that are far away from Israel. Right? Watch this verse 10. When you come near to a city to fight against it. So it's a far away city and we traveling and we come near against a city to do what uh to and it wait when you come near to a city come near to a city to fight against it. So we are going to this city for the purpose of fighting and we find this city and we look at it and we say you know what we going to fight against this city right first of all it got to be far away but what what do we got to look at it and do now? Well, let's hear it. Proclaim peace on proclaim peace unto it. Right? So, we look at it and we got to before if we find a city that we want to fight against, our law tells us the very first thing we have to do is say, "I come in peace." But y'all got to serve us, right? I come in peace. We ain't trying to fight. We We trying to fight though. You know what I'm saying? But listen, before we can fight, we got to offer them peace. Yo, let you have peace. Let's work out a deal. I like what y'all got going on over here. Let me talk to y'all real quick. Right. Let's see what they can say. And it shall be if they if it make the answer of peace and open unto you, then it shall be that all the people that is found therein shall be tributaries unto thee, and they shall serve thee. Right? So now we can take over this nation and they can they can be tributary. In other words, they pay taxes, right? So it'll be just like Puerto Rico is to the US, right? It'll just be like another city of Israel essentially. They become tributaries to us. They can serve us. They're not slaves, right? They're just people who are citizens of Israel, but they have to pay taxes to us. And they have to obey our laws and they have to, you know what I'm saying? They have to follow follow our rule. That's something that we have an option to do. However, if the people are looking like, "We ain't paying no darn taxes to y'all. We don't know y'all. Get y'all black butts out of here. What's wrong with you?" Right now, watch what the book say. And if it will make no peace with thee, but will make war against thee, then you shall besiege it. And when the Lord thy God has delivered it into thine hands, you shall smite every male thereof with the edge of the sword. M but the women and the little ones and the cattle and all that is in the city, even all the spoil shall you take unto thyself. And you shall eat the spoil of thine enemies, which Yahweh has given thee. Mhm. You shall do unto this. You shall do unto the cities which are very far off from thee, which are not of the cities of these nations. He said we could do that to the cities that was very far off, not of the cities of these nations. Talking about the Canaanites. So we could not do this with any of the Canaanites. That was our law, right? We couldn't make Canaanites tributaries. We couldn't offer them peace. We were supposed to go to war with the Canaanites. But watch this. This is Joshua chapter 9. Give me verse three. This is Joshua chapter 9:3. And where we leave off in Ephesians uh chapter 23 chapter two verse what? Verse 10. And when the inhabit when the inhabitants of Gideon Gibian heard what Yahosua had done unto Jericho, Gibian is a place where the Hivites were. The Hivites were Canaanites. They were they were a descendant of Canaanites, right? And that then they stayed in a place called Gibian. So when the inhabitants of Gibian heard what happened? That Joshua what Joshua had done to Jericho and to Ai. When they heard that the Hebrews tore up some of they some of their brethren, guess what they did? They did work willily and went and made as if they had been ambassadors and took old sacks upon their donkeys and wine bottles old and rent and bound up and old shoes and clouded upon their feet and old garments upon them. And all the bread of their provision was dry and moldy. Uh-huh. And they went to Joshua unto the camp at Gilgal and said unto him, watch this. And to the men of Israel, watch what he said. We be come from a far country. They We come from where? Far country. Guess what our law say? If you come from a foreign country, we can make peace. We can offer you peace. And if we offer you peace, what do you have to do? Got to serve. Let's see what happens. Now therefore, make a league with us. And the men of Israel said unto the Hivites, "Per eventually you dwell among us. How shall we make a league with you?" And when he say make a league, he's saying make an agreement. Right? Y'all cut it out. He said make an agreement. Right? He said per adventure. In other words, perhaps we make an agreement with you. How, you know, I'm saying how how what the terms going to look like. Watch this. And they said unto Joshua, "We are your servants." We are your what? Servants. What did our law say that we could do with a far away country that we make peace if they accept the terms of peace? They can serve us. They can be our servants and our tributaries. Right? Watch this. And Joshua said unto them, "Who are you and from where do you come?" So Joshua got to make sure, "Man, I can only do this. This a far away nation. So where are you from?" Watch what they say. And they said unto him, "From a very far country thy servants are come because of the name of Yahweh thy God." Right? He said, "We come from a very far country." So they even they put on clothes that looked old and rotten. They got molded bread to make it look like they've been walking a long way. Woo! We came they came from right around the darn corner. But they made it look like they came from way across the country. Oh man, we've been walking so long. We just came in for the name of Yahweh. We heard about y'all, right? Watch this. For we have heard the fame of him and all that he did in Egypt, and all that he did to the two kings of the Amorites that were beyond the Jordan, to Sihon, king of Heshbon and Og, king of Bashan, which was at Asteroth. Wherefore our elders and all the inhabitants of our country spake to us, saying, Take vituals with you for the journey, and go to meet them, and say unto them, we are your servants. Therefore now make a league with us. This our bread we took hot for our procision out of the out of our houses on the day we came forth to go unto you. sitting there just lying. He like, "Hey, we got this bread. We took it hot, but look at how moldy it is now." But now, behold, it is dry and it is moldy. Right? He trying to make them believe that they came a long ways from a far away country. Why would he make them believe that? Cuz they want they want to make peace. Cuz our law says we can make peace with a far away country, but we can't make peace with the Canaanites in this country. Right? So, they knew that. They knew that about us that if they were Canaanites, they would never have a chance. So, you know what they did? They took a shot. They told a lie and they said, "We came from a very far away place." Right? Keep going. Watch this. These bottles of wine, which we filled were new, and behold, they are rent. And these are garments, and our shoes are become old by reason of a very long journey. Uhhuh. And the men took off their victuals, and asked not counsel at the mouth of Yahweh. And Joshua made peace with them and made a league with them to let them live. And the princes of the congregation swear unto them. And it came to pass at the end of three days after they had made a league with them that they had heard that they were their neighbors and that they dwelt among them. Uhhuh. And the children of Israel journeyed and came unto their cities on the third day. Now their cities were Gibian and Kifra and Beirroth and Curth Jarim. And the children of Israel smoked them not because the princes of the congregation had sworn unto them by Yahweh, God of Israel. And all the congregation murmured against the princes. But all the princes said unto the congregation, we have sworn unto them by Yahweh, God of our God of Israel. Now therefore, we may not touch them. Right? So now they were delivered. They were saved. Were they saved by their own works? No. Did they measure up to the law? The law said they were supposed to die, but they tried to line up and appear as something that's supposed to live. Even though they didn't actually meet the bill, they weren't actually somebody who was supposed to live. They were actually supposed to die with the rest of the Canaanites. Hold we got go back to Ephesians chapter 2. This is verse 10. Watch this. This is Ephesians chapter 2 verse 10. It is important that we see according to the law they were supposed to die. We look at Gibian and Ice and we looking like oh man they tricked us. You don't understand. We are tricking God according to who we actually are. Every one of us is supposed to die. So that's why Paul is telling us not by works because by your works you're supposed to die. But then he come back and he says, read it. But we are his workmanship created in the Messiah unto good works. So now we are his workmanship. We're created for the purpose of good works. Keep going. Which God has before ordained that we should walk in them. Uhhuh. Wherefore remember that ye being in time past Gentiles in the flesh, who are called uncircumcision, by that which is called circumcision, in the flesh made by hands. Uh-huh. That at that time you were without the Messiah, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the covenant of promise, having no hope, and without God in the world. But now is the Messiah. in the Messiah. Ye who sometimes were a far off are made nigh by the blood of the Messiah. Ye who sometimes that was what? Far off. Yah who was far away country, guess what? You made nigh by the Messiah. You made close. Watch this. For he is our peace. He is our what? Peace. Because we can give peace to the ones that's far off. Watch this. Who has made both one and has broken down the middle wall of predition between us. Uhhuh. That's another thing, bro. When they like, you know what I'm saying? and Gentiles can't get in. It's like all throughout the the whole book. People was darn silly. Having abolished in his flesh the enmity, even the law of commandments contained in ordinances, for to make himself obtain one new man, so making peace, Uhhuh. that he might reconcile both unto God in one body by the cross, having slain the enmity thereby. Uhhuh. And came and preached peace to you which were a far off, and to them that were not. He preached what? Peace. Cuz Yahosua was keeping our law. Our law says that we can proclaim peace to the nations that were far off. You got to serve them. But you got to serve. And if you don't keep going, watch this. Now therefore, ye are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens with the saints and of the household of God. Uhhuh. and are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets. Yahosua the Messiah himself being the chief cornerstone in whom all the building fitly framed together goeth unto a holy temple in the in the master in whom you also are builded together for inhabitation of God through the spirit. All right, jump over. This is uh chapter three. That also is like why the Messiah told the the parable of the wedding garment. No, this is the the sister asked, "Is this addressed to the Gentiles and for the homeborn as well?" No, it's addressed to the Gentiles, right? Right now, he's talking about the Gentiles. He's talking about the people that are far off. So, he's saying he basically talking about the people that felt like they didn't have a chance to be a part of Israel. He's saying because you are far off, Yahosua is now proclaiming peace. Ephesians 3, what it's Ephesians chapter 3. Uh we can jump on down to verse like 8. Unto me who am less than the least of all saints is the grace given that I should preach among the Gentiles the uncarchable riches of the Messiah. And to make all men see what is the fellowship of the mystery which from the beginning of the world has been hid in God who created all things by the Messiah. to the intent that now unto the principalities and powers in heavenly places might be known by the congregation, the manifold wisdom of God, according to the eternal purpose which he purposed in the Messiah, our master, in whom we have boldness and access with confidence by the faith of him. Wherefore I desire that ye faint not at thy tribulations, for you, which is your glory. For this cause I bow my knees unto the father, our Lord, Yahosua, the Messiah, of the father of our Lord, the Yahosua Messiah, of whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named, that he would grant you according to his the riches of his glory to be strengthened with might by his spirit in the inner man. What verse is that? Uh 16. 16. Grab uh Acts chapter 14 for me. Acts chapter 14 verse 19 and there came there certain Jews from Antioch and Iconium who persuaded the people and having stoned Paul drew him out of the city supposed that he had been dead. Mhm. How be it, as the disciples stood round about him, he rose up and came into the city. And the next day he departed with Barnabas to Derby. And when they had preached the gospel to that city and had taught many, they returned again to Lististra in Iconium in Antioch. So this is what Paul is talking about when he when he's telling you that that that he suffers for what he's talking about, right? This is what he was talking about. We read this already in Acts, right? Jump on over to uh Ephesians chapter 4. This is Ephesians chapter 4. Give me verse one. Therefore, the prisoner of the master beseech you that you walk worthy of the vocation wherewith you are called. Right? Walk worthy of the vocation that you are called. What's a vocation? If somebody goes to vocation school, what does that mean? Like a job. A vocation is a job is a career. And what's another thing when we say job? What's another way to say it? Duty. Works. Work. I'm about to go to work. Me too. So again, when he says not by works, he is not trying to give you the impression that it don't matter what you do. When he says not by works, he's making it very very very clear to you, right? That you are created for good works. The same thing that John uh James is saying that you have to show your work if you are going to believe that you have faith. And if you don't have works, that means your faith is dead. Right? It's by the works of faith that we're saved, not by works of the law. Right. Keep going. With all loneliness and meekness, with longsuffering, forbearing one another in love, endeavoring to keep the unity of the spirit in the bond of peace. Oh, hold on. Uh, so the sister asked, "How is how is uh how is information for the for the Gentiles relevant for Hebrews? What's our purpose as Hebrews? to to to to show God to the to the people to teach the people about God. Oh, we got grabb uh grab uh Deuteronomy chapter 4. This is why it's important. We got this why this these are beautiful questions that the sister is asking because it illuminates what our purpose is, right? As Hebrews, what is our purpose? Right? This is uh Deuteronomy 4:1. If it wasn't for the Hebrews, the Egyptians would have never known who Yahw is. Right? Not like that, right? And if it wasn't for what Yah did to the Egyptians, the Canaanites and all of the people a far off would have never heard about Yah. Right? If it had not been for that, for Solomon's wisdom, right, the Queen of Sheba would have never came down to hear Solomon's wisdom and learn about Yah, which she took back to her nation and where all them people know about Yah. If it had not been for Paul, you know, preaching to the Gentiles, they would have never known about Yah. Let's look at Deuteronomy chapter uh 4. Deuteronomy chapter 4. We're going to do verse uh let's start at verse one. Now therefore hearken, O Israel, unto the statutes and unto the judgments which I teach you, for to do them that you may live, and go in and possess the land which Yahweh, the God of our fathers, gives you. Look at what look at what y'all look at what Yah's commanding us. You shall not add to one word which I command you, neither shall you diminish ought from it, that ye may keep the commandments of Yahweh, your God, which I command you. Watch this. Your eyes have seen what Yahweh did because of Baal Por. For all the men that follow Baal Por, Yahwh thy God has destroyed them from among you. Hey, be quiet. But ye that did cleave unto the Yahwh your God are alive, every one of you this day. Behold, I have taught you statutes and judgment, even as Yahweh my God commanded me, that you should do so in the land where you go to possess it. Okay? Keep therefore and do them, for this is your wisdom and your understanding in the sight of the nation. This is your what? wisdom and understanding in the sight of the nations. What's what's another word to say nations? Countries, the world, Gentiles. Same word. When they say nations is the exact same word as Gentiles. So he said, "This is your wisdom and your understanding in the sight of the who? The nations." Of the Gentiles. Watch this. Which shall hear of all these statutes. And what are they going to say when they hear of all these statutes and they see how how great your understanding is? Surely this great nation is a wise and understanding people. For what nation is there so great who has God so near unto them, as Yahweh, our God is in all things that we call upon him for? And what nation is there so great that has statutes and judgments so righteous as all this law which I set before you this day? Only take heed to thyself and keep thy soul diligently, lest thou forget the things which thine eyes have seen, lest thou depart from thy heart all the days of thy life, but teach them thy sons and thy sons sons, especially the day that you stood before Yahweh thy good. We're good. You can go back. Uh so you can see our whole purpose is to be a light to the Gentiles. We're we're supposed to live a life in such a way that the Gentiles say, "Man, I just need to be a part of that nation." What? Why? Look at Look how wise this nation is. I need to be a part. Exactly what the Gibeonites just did. The Hivites that ran up to Joshua, they said, "Oh man, we came from a long way away." They are doing whatever they can to be a part of our nation to deliver themselves from the judgment. Right? So that's the purpose of of a Hebrew. So to answer the question the sister asked, she's like, uh, how is the how is the info about the Gentiles? In other words, when y when when Paul was telling us that, you know, the Gentiles are far off and that Yahosua is making peace with them and giving them an opportunity to come in. She's saying, "Okay, that's good for them." Like, if they read that, that's good. It's it's good. But as a Hebrew, how should we handle and use that information? Well, we should handle it and use it because we're supposed to be the example to the Gentiles. So now, when we're talking to a Gentile, we can explain it the same way that Paul explained it, right? And so that's why it is very dangerous for the for the for the brothers to say that Gentiles can't get in when the whole book is about right um well not since the Hebrews came on the scene it's been about people learning about God through us. So it's like they they they literally are blocking the calling that God has given to the Gentiles since since the since Abraham's days. Mhm. Where we leave all this? Ephesians chapter 4 verse what? Verse three. It's Ephesians 4:3. Watch what the book say. Endeavoring to keep the unity of the spirit and the bond of peace. There is one body and one spirit, even as you are called in one hope of your calling, one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and father of all, who is above all and through all and in you all. But unto every one of us is given grace according to the measure of the gift of the Messiah. Wherefore he says, when he ascended up on high, he led captivity captive and gave gifts to men. Now that he ascended, what is it but that he also descended first into the lower parts of the earth. He that descended is the same as also is he that ascended up far above all heavens, that he might fill all things. And he gave some apostles and some prophets and some evangelists, some pastors and teachers for the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of the Messiah, till we all come in the unity of the faith and the and of the knowledge of the son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fullness of the Messiah, that we are henceforth be no more children tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the slight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie and wait to deceive, but speaking the truth in love, of may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even the Messiah, from whom the whole body fitly joined together and compacted by that which every joint supplieth, according to the effectual working, and the measure of every part, maketh increase of the body, unto the edifying of itself in love. This is this I say therefore, and testify in the master, that ye henceforth walk not as other Gentiles walk in the vain vanity of their mind. All right? So, he's still talking to primarily talking to the Gentiles here. Remember he when he's writing these letters, it's not just Hebrews there. It's Gentiles and it's Hebrews. So parts of the letter are are are addressing both. Some are addressing just the Gentiles. Some are addressing just Hebrews. You just have to kind of look at it and take it all in and and and understand how how the whole thing works together. Right. Keep going. Don't worry, Sister Pam. He got something for the Hebrews, too. We ain't get to that book yet. having the understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God through the ignorance that is in them because of the blindness of their heart, who being past feeling have given themselves over unto mischievousness to work all uncleanness with greediness. But ye have not so learned the Messiah. If so that ye have heard him and have been taught by him, as the truth is in Yahosua, that ye put off concerning former conversation of the old man. When he say conversation, that's that's behavior. In old English, conversation was another word to say behavior which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts. And be renewed in the spirit of your mind. And that ye put on the new man which after God has created in righteousness and true holiness. Wherefore putting away lying, speak every man truth with his neighbor. For we are members one of another. Be ye angry and sin not. Let not the sun go down upon your wrath. Neither give place to the devil. Let him that sto let him that stole steal no more, but rather let him labor working with his hands the thing which is good that he may give unto him that needs. Right? So you see where he said be angry but sin not. So this this goes in last last week on the fellowship call. Uh the sister asked, she she asked a little bit about um uh her her question was more so like around like what what thoughts are considered uh we talking about the word that be messing my brain up. What is it? Conc concupisence. Concupisence. There it is. Conc concupisence is like like evil thoughts like lust, right? And so she asked the question is like, well, what what what kind of falls into the category of evil thoughts? Like what what sin is that? Like what thoughts are sin? And you can kind of see here the book tells you be angry but sin not. So it's not that all thoughts are sin, right? Angry being angry comes with comes with angry thoughts. Usually you want to hurt somebody, you want to you want to do some all types of stuff, right? That in itself is not a sin. Being angry in itself and having angry thoughts are not a sin. However, you cannot sin as a result. So just because you angry, you can't let yourself go out and cut somebody out. Now you've sinned, right? Just because you're angry, you can't go out and just go, you know what I'm saying, go try to hurt your brother because now you're sinned. Right? Keep going. Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers, and grieve not the Holy Spirit of God, whereby you are sealed unto the day of redemption. Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and evil speaking be put away from you with all malice. And be ye kind one to another, tender-hearted, forgiving one another, even as God, for the Messiah's sake, has forgiven you. Mhm. It's chapter 5. It's chapter 5 verse one. I ain't going to tell you again. Ephesians chapter 5 verse one. Be therefore followers of God and as dear children and walk in love as the Messiah also has loved us and has given himself for us and offering and a sacrifice to God for sweet smelling savor. But fornication and all uncleanness or covetousness let it not be once named among you and become as becoming saints. Neither filthiness nor foolish talking nor justesting which are not convenient but rather giving of thanks. For this ye know that no whoreonger, nor unclean person, nor covetous man who is an idoltor has any inheritance to the kingdom of the Messiah and God. Right? So he's telling us exactly which sins will not make it into the kingdom. You cannot inherit the kingdom if you commit those sins. It's important for us to understand what what Ephesians 5 is saying, right? Keep going. Watch what he say next. Can't deceive you with vain words. He said, "Do not let anybody deceive you with vain words." So as these people go and they talk to you about Ephesians chapter 2 and they tell you it's not by works brother, you have to understand it's not about what you do. Works is what you do, right? Works is behavior. So if they say it's not about what you do, it's nothing that you can do to make God love you any more or any less. That is a lie. Because in the exact same chapter, I mean, I'm sorry, in the exact same book, in chapter five, he tells you very clearly, these specific behaviors, these things that you do will not inherit the kingdom of God. And then he don't stop there. He come back and he said, listen, let no man deceive you. So now he's trying to drive the point home. And watch what he say now. For because of these things comes the wrath of God upon the children of disobedience. Be not ye therefore partakers with them. For ye were sometimes darkness, but now ye are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light. For the fruit of the spirit is is in all goodness and righteousness and truth, proving what is acceptable to the Lord, and have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove them. For it is a shame to even speak of those things which are done of them in secret. But all things that are reproved are made manifest by the light. For whatsoever does make manifest is light. Wherefore he saith, Awake thou that sleep, and arise from the dead, and the Messiah shall give thee light. See then that ye walk circumspectly, not as fools, but as wise, redeeming the time, because the days are evil. Wherefore be not be ye not unwise, but understanding what the will of the Lord is. And be not drunk with wine wherein is excess, but be filled with the spirit, speaking to to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart of the of the master, giving thanks always for all things unto God and the f and the father in the name of our master Yahosua, submitting yourselves one to another in the fear of God. What verse is that? 21. Keep going. Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands as unto the master. Mhm. For the husband is the head of the wife, even as the Messiah is the head of the congregation. He's the savior of the body. Therefore, as the messiah as the congregation is subject to the Messiah, so let the wives be subject to their own husbands and everything. Right? And the sister asked a question. She said back uh back in uh uh earlier when we was reading through, you know what I'm saying, the things that won't be inher or won't inherit the kingdom. One of the one of the uh items in the list was uncleanness. And she said, "Okay, well, is that uncleanness according to the law?" Right? And no, the answer is no. That's uncleanness according to what's defiled, according to the spirit. So, remember Yahushua said, "These are the things that that defile a man." Right? He said, "Nothing that you put in you defiles a man." He said, "These are the things that come out of you and defile a man." So, that's the type of uncleanness that that this is talking about. So you to to get more on that, you would go to Mark chapter 7, which is essentially the same thing that Ephesians 5 is saying. It's just a catchall word that he has. Husbands, love your wives even as the Messiah also loved the congregation and gave himself for it. That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word that he might present it to himself a glorious congregation, not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing, but that it should be holy and without blemish. Mhm. So ought men to love their wives as their own bodies. He that loves his wife loves himself. For no man ever yet hated his own flesh, but nourishes it and cherishes it, even as the master the congregation. For we are members of his body of his flesh and of his bones. For this call shall a man leave his father and mother and shall be joined unto his wife. And they too shall be one flesh. This is a great mystery, but I speak concerning the Messiah and the congregation. Nevertheless, let every one of you in particular so love his wife even as himself. And the wife see that she reverence her husband. Children, it's chapter 6. Yeah. Jump on down to verse 10. It's Ephesians chapter 6. Jump on down to verse 10. Family, finally, my brethren, be strong in the master and in the power of his might. Put on the whole armor of God that you may also be able to stand against the ws of the devil. For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places. Wherefore take unto you the whole armor of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all to stand. Right? So he said, you got to put on the whole armor of God so that you can make sure you stand. Stand therefore, having your lo Hold on. Grab uh grab second Kings for me. It's 2 Kings chapter 6, give me verse 13. Watch this. It's 2 Kings chapter 6, give me verse 13. And he said, "Go and spy where he is that I may send and fetch him." And it was told him, saying, "Behold, he is in Doth. Therefore sent he there horses and chariots and great hosts and they came by night and compassed the city about. And when the servant of the man of God was risen early and gone forth, behold, a host compassed the city both with horses and chariots. And his servant said unto him, Alas, my master, how shall we do? And he answered, "Fear not, for they that be with us are more than they be with them." And Elisha prayed and said, Yahweh, I pray thee, open his eyes that he may see. And Yahweh opened the eyes of the young man, and he saw, and behold, the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire round about Elisha. And when they came down to him, Elisha prayed unto Yahweh, and said, Smite this people, I pray thee, with blindness. And he smoked them with blindness, according to the word of Alicia. And Elisha said unto them, "This is not the way, neither is this the city. Follow me, and I will bring you to the man whom you see." But he led them to Samaria. And it came to pass when they were coming. When Alicia opened up his eyes so he could see, what did he see? The army of the most high God. He saw all types of stuff. He couldn't see that stuff before, could he? So this is what this is what Ephesians is trying to tell us. We wrestle. Go back. Uh what verse we leave off on? Uh 13. 13. This is Ephesians chapter 6 verse 13. is telling us we wrestle not with flesh and blood. On the normal, without Alicia praying that they eyes was opened up so they could see everybody who was on their side, they would have never knew what was going on in the spiritual world. And in the same way, Yah is trying to tell us that we are wrestling with stuff in the spiritual world. There's spiritual stuff going on that we do not understand, that we can't make sense of, right? And as it's happening, we don't see it. Now, y'all could cause us to see all this stuff, but we probably freak out, right? So now, get up, boy. So now we we have we have our eyes shut to the spiritual world. So now the book is trying to tell us we're not wrestling with flesh and blood. When that person at Walmart get mad at you and start cussing you out, I know it makes you mad and I know you want to say something back and I know you want to fight, but you have to understand that person is not your fight. You're fighting the the principalities, the spirits that influence them to lash out at you. Right? We have to understand that people are not our fight. Sometime people looking I'm saying you going to let them talk to you like that like man listen at work man listen that's not how it works sometime you got to understand the long game the long game is us getting into the kingdom it's not about winning every tit fortat fight if you got to win every interaction you're gonna lose in the long run I can assure you that I can assure you that when it's a hard play basketball right sometimes you know what I'm Man, he play defense. He get cooked some of them. Some of them time that boy get cooked towe up lit up and he know it. Sometime he bring the ball up, right? But if he just got off a defensive play, he pass it early, right? Or he'll wave it off. You know what I'm saying? They get ready, they get ready to pass the ball, he like, "No, no, no. Go to him." because he know although he can bring the ball up and although he could probably play tough defense every play, he know that's going to make him tired and in the long run that's going to hurt the game more than it helps. So he got to take a play off every now and again to make sure that he got enough stamina to make it to the end of the game, right? And that's how all of us are. I remember the first time when I started running track and they made me run the 400 meter, right? And I was running. I'm used to running the 100 and the 200 meter. When I do that, it's a they call it a dash cuz you jump out and you sprint. So guess what? When they put me on the 400, guess what I tried to do? I'm running way faster than all the boy. I'm looking like, man, these boys trash. They can't keep up with me. And then I got to about 300. And I like cuz I'm not used to running this far. And then next thing you know, all the boy as slow as they were going from the beginning all start passing me up cuz I start slowing down, right? And that's when I learned one, the 400 is not for me. And two, if I was going to run the 400, I got to pace myself. And they told me that before I start running, but I didn't know what that meant. You know what I'm saying? What you talking about pace, boy? You know what I'm saying? And I got I lost the race. Didn't feel good. Don't laugh now. You know what I'm saying? But I lost the race. What's the play track? The run track. Let's keep going. This is uh Ephesians chapter 6 verse 13. Watch what the book say. Stand therefore having your loins girth about with truth and having on the breastplate of righteousness and your feet shaw with the preparation of the gospel of peace. Above all, taking the shield of faith wherewith you may be able to quench all fiery darts of the wicked. Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the spirit which is the word of God. Right. the the sword of the spirit which is the word. So understand that right it's very important to understand that the spirit when the book talks about the spirit that is that don't mean that that's that's God's triune nature or trinity or anything that's a lie right when the book tells you about the spirit or the holy spirit or the holy ghost all it's saying is that is how god is interacting with man and with people right so when god interacts with us through the spirit, it means it's giving us a vision or a dream or some type of miracle, right? That's how that's how the spirit works. So now, if Yahw gave a a vision or a dream to the prophet Isaiah and then he told him to write it down, right? What is he writing down? Spirit. The word of God that came from what? The spirit. So now the word of God is the written version of the spirit of God. So that's why it's saying the sword which is the word which is the spirit. Right? So I don't want any of us in here. It's a lot of times that the most high God may interact with us with humans, right? interact with us by the spirit and he gives us a vision or he gives us a dream and he makes it very clear to us what he wants from us or sometimes it's a dark saying that we don't understand what he wants from us right and that's a special thing when the most high God interacts with you directly through the spirit however if y never interacts with you directly through the spirit you still have his spirit in written form in this word right and never forget that you want the spirit of God, you read the word. Don't sit around and wait for a miracle to happen. Don't sit around and wait for him to give you a blessing or give you a a vision or give you a dream or cause a miracle. Don't wait for that cuz that's not going to get you into the kingdom. What's going to get you into the kingdom is understanding his word. Keep going. praying always with all prayer and supplication in the spirit and watching there unonto with all per perseverance and supplication for all saints and for me that utterance may be given unto me that I may open my mouth boldly to make known the mystery of the gospel right for which I am an ambassador in bonds that therein I may speak boldly as I ought to speak right so he's saying keep praying for him so that he can continue to preach the gospel and help people understand it Right. So, this is the this this is virtually pretty much the end of uh Ephesians chapter 6. Next week, we going to jump into Titus. All right. We going to jump into the book of Titus. Who's Titus? Any questions? You'll learn next week. Next time. He just said next time. All right. Don't Don't tell him no. I'm gonna punch him in the darn face. Oh, never mind. Goodness gracious. Questions? Any questions? Any questions? They say I missed the question last time, so I got to wait a little bit longer. What? All right. Well, then let's pray out. I love y'all.