My Grace Is Sufficient for Thee: For My Strength Is Made Perfect in Weakness

Transcript:

[00:11] Sab peace. It's another opportunity for us to come together and hear and learn of [00:17] 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 [00:23] Yahushua. In him lies the only ho hope for salvation. We know that it is [00:29] obtained by grace through faith, not of works, lest anyone should boast and given freely as a gift to all who obey [00:35] him. We understand that if you do not obey him, it is made manifest or made obvious that you do not believe. In this [00:42] state, you should expect no good thing from the most high. However, anything that you do get, whether it be a gift of [00:48] tongues, a gift of prophecy, or any supernatural experience that you may have, it can and it will be used against [00:55] you in the day of judgment. With that said, peace to the saints that are in the room, to the saints that couldn't [01:00] make it, to the saints watching in on the camera, saints in the chat, but no peace to the wicked. The only thing we [01:06] say to them is repent that they might live. So last week we talked about uh [01:15] second Corinthians and we covered a plethora of topics. Some of it dealing [01:20] with sorrow, right? Some of it dealing with with with a godly sort of sorrow. [01:25] um and an ungodly a worldly sorrow and one leads to death, one leads to life. [01:32] Uh and we cover covered a number of other topics. Um so now y'all will and [01:38] we'll finish out uh the series of Corinthians, right? And we'll get through the end of second [01:44] Corinthians. Um and uh talk through a few things. Uh [01:51] well, we may not get through the end because it's a lot, but we'll see. We'll see. We'll see how far we get. Um, but [01:56] let's pick it up. Let's go ahead and get get right to it. Let's pick up at [02:03] um 2 Corinthians chapter 8. 2 Corinthians [02:09] chapter 8 verse [02:16] 1. Baby, can you call Candace? She called me. Can you see what see what that's [02:22] about? [02:38] Please 2 Corinthians chapter 8 and I'll start off at verse one. [02:44] Moreover, brethren, we we do you to wit of the grace of God bestowed on the [02:50] congregations of Macedonia, how that in great trial of [02:56] affliction, the abundance of their joy and their deep poverty abound abounded [03:01] unto the riches of their liberality. For to their power I bear [03:07] you record. Yay. And beyond their power they were willing of themselves praying [03:12] us with much integrity. I mean in [03:23] treaty we would receive the but first gave their own selves. [03:32] We designed. Are you going in and out? Huh? Is your mic going in and out? No, [03:40] I'm good. You can't hear me? It just seemed like you're cutting out. [03:45] Keep [03:51] going. Been so much that we desired Titus that as he had begun, so we all so [03:56] he would also finish in you the same grace also. Therefore, as ye abound in everything, in faith and utterance, in [04:03] knowledge, and in diligence, and in your love to us, see that ye abound in this grace [04:09] also. I speak not by commandment, but by occasion of the forwardness of others, [04:15] and to prove the sincerity of your love. Right? So notice notice again yet again [04:20] Paul likes to call out when he's speaking on behalf of the most high God [04:26] versus when he's speaking like his own opinion or he's giving like you know his [04:31] own judgment. So he says here he said uh I I speak not by commandment. Right? So [04:37] that's him just saying what I'm telling you right now this is by my own judgment or this is by my own opinion. All right. [04:44] Keep going. [04:52] For ye know the grace of our Lord Yahosua the Messiah, that though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, [04:59] that he through his poverty might be rich. Now, what is he talking about there? When it say though he were rich, [05:06] for your sakes he became poor. What is that talking [05:13] about? Right? Ain't that talking about how uh grab uh hold hold that let's go [05:18] to um let's go to John let me do let's do John let's just do John one this is John [05:25] chapter this the gospel of John chapter 1 verse one and after that we going to come [05:30] right back over to 2 Corinthians uh it's probably 2 Corinthians 8 what verse 6 or something [05:37] uh verse 9 verse 9 we we going to John chapter 1 verse one and we going to jump [05:44] right back over to 2 Corinthians chapter 8:9. Let's see what John has to [05:53] say. In the beginning was the word and the word was with God and the word was [05:59] God. The same was in the beginning with God. All things were made by him and [06:05] without him was not anything made that was made. In him was life and in that [06:11] life was the light of men. And the light shines in a dark in a darkness, and the darkness comprehended it not. There was [06:18] a man sent from John whose name was John. The same came for a witness to bear witness of the light that all men [06:25] through him might believe. He was not that light, but was sent to bear witness to that light. Right? And who is the [06:32] light? The light got to be the word. And the word got to be with God. And the word was God. Right? So John wasn't the [06:39] light, but he bore witness of the light. All right, keep going. Watch this. [06:46] That was the true light which which lightth every man that comes into the [06:52] world. He was in the world, and the world was made by him, and the world knew him not. He came unto his own, and [06:58] his own received him not. But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them [07:05] that believe on his name, which were born not of blood, nor of the will of [07:10] flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God. And the word was made flesh and [07:15] dwelt among us. And the word was made flesh and dwelt among us. And we be when [07:21] he said when he's telling you that, you know what I'm saying, he was rich and then the man made himself poor. This is what he's talking about, right? It's [07:29] important to understand that. It's important to understand that the most high God looks at our [07:34] condition, right? As poor, right? Just just becoming a human [07:42] being, a typical random human being in Nazareth. The most high God is calling [07:48] that poor or Paul is calling that poor, right? From the perspective of the most [07:53] high God, right? And that's important for us to understand, right? It'll put certain [07:59] things in context. It's not like Yahushua came here as a man and looking [08:05] for all the glory of God. He didn't present himself that way. In fact, he ran from that [08:10] glory. Right? When people got too close of nailing them down who he was, he would tell people, "Don't say it." He [08:18] ran from that glory. Right? And that was because he had to make himself poor. [08:23] Let's go on back. This is uh 2 Corinthians chapter 8:9. [08:28] 2 Corinthians chapter 8 verse [08:45] 9. It's 2 Corinthians chapter 8. Let's see what verse 9 got to say. For ye know [08:51] the grace of our master Yosua the Messiah, that though he was rich, yet for our sakes he became poor, that ye [08:58] that ye through his poverty might be rich. And herein I give my advice, for this is expedient for you who have begun [09:06] before not only to do but also to be forward a year ago. [09:12] Now therefore perform the doing of it, that as there was a readiness to will, [09:17] so there may be a performance also out of that which you have. For if there be [09:22] first a willing mind, it is accepted according to that a man has, and not according to that he has not. For I mean [09:30] not that other men be eased and you burdened, but by an equality, that now [09:36] at this time your abundance may be a supply for their want, that their abundance also may be a supply of your [09:42] want, that there may be equality. Right? So basically, he's saying, you know what [09:47] I'm saying, share what you got with everybody around you. He's saying, I'm not saying share it to the point where [09:53] you make them rich and now you poor, but he's saying try to have some equality, right? Get them enough to where they [09:59] equal to you and the next person is equal to you and y'all y'all kind of are at an equal place. It's equality. Right? [10:05] Keep going. As it is written, he that had gathered much had nothing over, and he that had [10:12] gathered little had no lack. Right? So that's not saying that everybody has the same thing. Just everybody has what's [10:19] appropriate for them. Right? Because that's what he quoted there. As it is [10:24] written. When he when he says as it is written, he's quoting and he's quoting from Exodus, right? Is that Exodus? Grab [10:32] uh grab uh Yeah. Exodus 16. Mana when they was gathering mana. Yeah, we just [10:39] read this. Grab Exodus chapter 16. Give me verse [10:49] 13. This Exodus chapter 16 verse 13, right? He's quoting from Exodus talking [10:55] about the time when when uh we were gathering mana, right? The most high God, we had complained to him for food. [11:02] You remember the most high God brought the mana out of the sky. We was like, man, that thing is like coriander. What did he say? Coriander seed. Yeah. Right. [11:09] He said, you know what I'm saying? We started looking at it and so we had to go out every day and we had to pick it up. And on the Sabbath day, you know [11:15] what I'm saying? Uh on the day before the Sabbath day, we had to pick up enough for two days. Any other day of [11:21] the week, that thing will spoil, right? If you pick up if I go out today and uh or let's say if I went out on Monday and [11:28] you know what I'm saying and went to go pick up mana, I get it. And if I tried to get enough to last me two days on a [11:34] Monday, Tuesday morning, that stuff would be spoiled. It make you sick, right? However, if I did the same thing [11:43] on on the uh on a Friday, you know what I'm saying? on a Friday before evening. [11:48] If I did the same thing and I went out and gathered a whole bunch of it and I gathered enough for two days to take me [11:53] through the Sabbath, well then that's different, right? I would keep it and it [11:58] would keep until after the Sabbath because the most high God made it that way. He made it that on the Sabbath it [12:03] would uh it would you would be able to store it on the Sabbath and eat it later. This is um Exodus chapter 16 [12:11] verse uh 13. I just want y'all to see this so you can see the point that that Paul is trying to make. [12:18] And it came to pass that at evening the quails came up and covered the camp. And in the morning the dew lay round about [12:24] the host. And when the dude that lay was gone up, behold, upon the face of the wilderness, there lay a small round [12:30] thing as small as the hour frost on the ground. I mean false as small as the or [12:35] frost on the ground. And when the children of Israel saw it, they said one to another, it is mana. But they did not [12:42] know what it was. Yeah. Man, what you know what I'm saying? Basically, they're saying what is it's it's whatever it is. [12:49] It's a whatchamacallit. You know what I'm saying? Kind of look at it. That's how he said. It's a whatchamacallit. Right. Keep going. This is the bread [12:55] which Yahweh has given you to eat. This is the thing which Yahweh hath commanded. Gather of it every man [13:02] according to his eating, and and for every man according to the number of your persons. Take ye every man for them [13:08] which are in his tents. Right? So, every person in your house gets an R, right? [13:16] Who got the little chart? Who got the chart handy? Somebody in the chat get the chart handy. Tell me how much a R [13:22] is. Right. Every person in the household gets an R. Right. So now, if you're keep [13:29] going, watch this. And the children of Israel did so and gathered some more, some less. And [13:36] when they did make meet it with an R, he that gathered much had nothing over, and [13:41] he that gathered gathered little had no lack. Right? Now, this is what Paul quoted. He that gathered much had [13:49] nothing over, and he that gathered little had no lack. What this is talking about is every person in the household [13:56] got an R. So when you gathered it, you would gather up one for each person. So [14:03] now he's saying the people that went out there, the Just imagine you got one person that gathered for the whole [14:09] house, right? So the person that get out there and got 17, what does that [14:15] mean? That mean he got 17 people in his house. And the one that gathered two, [14:21] what does that mean? Well, that mean they got two people in their house. So what Paul is trying to say here is, [14:28] yeah, it may look like a person got a lot, but he's taking care of a lot, [14:34] right? as long as nobody has any lack. Right? So in other words, it shouldn't [14:39] be nobody hungry. Some people gather a lot, some people gather a little. It look like different, but it's actually [14:46] really each person according to what they have, right? Each person according to their household. So that's the [14:52] principle that he's trying to give us, right? The same principle that Yah gave us. He's saying, "Look, take care of [14:58] your people. take care of the people in your family and take care of the people of the faith, right? And try to make it [15:05] so that each one has an R, right? Did anybody look up that R for [15:13] me? Let's jump back over uh where we leave [15:19] off, right? Cuz the R, right? You got to you got to understand everything for us. [15:24] Grab uh before we go back, grab uh Leviticus for me. Grab Leviticus. Do uh Leviticus [15:34] 19, right? Because a R is a weight, right? And the most high God, [15:41] the most high God loves balance, right? That's what is everything is about balance. He's, you know what I'm saying? [15:47] He's given us all types of principles that that [15:53] uh end up being equality or end up being balanced. Right? So this is uh Leviticus [15:59] chapter 19. you jump on down to verse uh [16:12] 35 is Leviticus chapter 19 verse 35. Let [16:18] me see what the book say. [16:26] You shall do no unrighteousness in judgment in meaty yard in weight or in measure. Right? So we weren't supposed [16:33] to do any unrighteousness in judgment. Right? So that's judgment altogether. [16:38] This is basically saying this is basically saying if something is put before you and you got to fairly decide [16:44] what what should happen. He said you shouldn't be unrighteous in that at all. But then he goes past judgment in terms [16:50] of deciding a case, deciding a dispute. Right? The next thing he says is nor in [16:56] what? In weight or in measure. Right? Don't ever be unrighteous in weight or [17:03] in measure. Right? So all of us have where we're like all of us are familiar [17:09] with measures, right? You might say an inch, right? And so if I charge you by [17:16] the inch, if I say, "Listen, you can go ahead and buy, you know what I'm saying? I don't know, uh, you know what I'm [17:21] saying? Buy some carpet from me, but I charge 2 cents an inch, right?" And you [17:28] say, "Okay, that's good. That makes sense. I like that." So then you think you getting the deal, but then I make my [17:36] inches small, right? So my inches is really like like like three quarters of an [17:43] inch, right? It's not even a full inch. It's like you you you you split an inch [17:48] in four equal pieces and only gave me three of those pieces and kept one piece to [17:54] yourself, right? So you get 3/4 of an inch and then that means it takes more [18:00] of my version of an inch to get to an actual size that you looking for. So you [18:06] looking like, "Yeah, you know what I'm saying? Well, let me get uh you you that's how much you charge for carpet. [18:11] All right, let me get a let me get 173 in. So, I get to ringing that thing up [18:18] cuz really my inch is not even a full inch. So, you need to get more. Then you get it and you looking like, "Oh, that [18:24] don't fit. Let me get a couple more." Right? So, now you got to buy more from me because my inch is not measured [18:31] right. Right. And then that's a scam because what I'm doing is I'm selling you less. It's what they call uh [18:39] shrinkflation, right? If you look look at like like uh cereal boxes, right? [18:47] Back in the day, the cereal boxes, the regular cereal boxes was bigger, right? But then the cereal boxes [18:54] just get smaller and smaller over time. Now, they try to sell them for the same price, but they selling them for less, [19:01] right? Where sometimes they'll take the cereal boxes the same size, but back in [19:08] the day when I was a kid, when you buy a fresh box of cereal, the cereal was all the way to the top in the bag. Right [19:15] now, open up a box of cereal, that thing halfway. You open it up, ain't even open it up yet. First time you open up, it's [19:21] already halfway gone. Right? That's called shrinkflation. Huh? I said chips too, [19:27] bro. Them big old bags of chips you buy, they know nowhere near all air. Yeah, buddy. It's all air. You crack them [19:33] things open, you dig your hand, your whole hand disappear trying to get a chip. The first chip, right? But that's [19:40] what they do. That's that's what they're doing is they making you believe that you getting the same thing, but really [19:45] the weight is different and the ounces is different, right? So they change the they have a that's a unjust measure. [19:52] That's a unjust weight. And the most high God said we couldn't do that, right? That was that wasn't [20:00] appropriate for us to do, right? If we told somebody this is what we need, you know what I'm saying? Like this is this [20:05] is what I'm selling. Then that means that you got to come back and you have to have a just [20:11] weight and a just honest uh balance. That way you say, "Hey, it weighs 30 [20:17] lbs." It really weighs 30 lbs. Right. It's like a uh It's like a [20:24] uh It's like a uh uh uh what am I thinking of? It's like a steak, right? [20:32] When you go to the store and you buy a steak, you know what I'm saying? And that thing say, you know what I'm saying? This this this steak is 32 [20:38] ounces. You ain't going to get no 32 oounce steak, but you know what I'm saying? Like you might get you might get a 12 ounce. You know, it's a 12 ounce [20:45] steak or something like that. So you get it and you get it and you weigh it at home and they've been caught with [20:52] selling people less steak than what they said they was selling them. So if you paying for steak by the ounce and I tell [21:00] you it's 12 ounces but in reality it's only 8 o. You get it and you don't check [21:06] that's fine. You wondering like oh that wasn't enough. I like to eat a lot of steak. That wasn't enough. Most people 8 [21:11] ounces is enough enough steak. But some people that like to eat, they look like, man, I know I need a dog. I bought the [21:17] 12 oounce cuz I know I like to eat, right? So you got some people that that [21:22] sue some of these grocery stores because they'll take they they they they package home and then they'll weigh it again. [21:28] And when they weigh it, it's like, "Oh, no, that's different." And then they go back and they assume. It was false advertisement, right? And that's that's [21:35] what the most high God don't like. The most high God likes balance. He likes equality. He likes it to be fair. So [21:41] that's what that's the point that Paul is trying to make. Let's jump back over. This is uh 2 Corinthians chapter 8. What [21:47] verse? Probably about verse 17 18. [21:53] Um verse 18. This is uh 2 Corinthians chapter uh 8 verse 18. [22:06] And we have sent with him the brother whose praise is in the gospel throughout all the congregations. And not that [22:12] only, but who was also chosen of the congregations to travel with us with the [22:18] grace which is administered by us to the glory of the same master and declaration of your ready mind. avoiding this, that [22:27] no man should blame us in this abundance which is administered by us, providing [22:32] for honest things, not only in the sight of the master, but also in the sight of men. And we have sent with them our [22:39] brother, whom we have often times proved diligent in many things, but now much [22:45] more diligent upon the grace confidence which I have in you. Great confidence I have in you. Look, so sister sister uh [22:52] the sister looked up she looked up how much a R was. She said it came back as [22:57] uh 2.3 liters, right? So think of like think of the 2 L soda. You know what I'm [23:03] saying? When you got a 2 liter soda, think how much that weighs. So each person each day got about the weight of [23:11] a two liter soda. You know what I'm saying? Or or I guess uh a liter ain't a [23:17] weight, right? That's more that's more of a a size, you know what I'm saying? Like a volume. You know what I'm saying? [23:22] So, it wouldn't be necessarily the weight of a 2 liter soda. It'll be that much volume, right? In other words, you [23:28] would be able to fill a 2 L with this with this mana, right? So, you'll be able to stick the mana inside of the 2 [23:34] liter and you'll be able to fill it with a 2 liter. And that's how much each person got, right? Each person got a R [23:41] worth of uh worth of um mana. Sorry about that. Keep going. [23:54] Whether any do inquire of Titus, he is my partner and fellow helper concerning you, or our brethren be jump on over to [24:02] uh we going to skip chapter nine. Jump on over to uh chapter 10. It's 2 Corinthians chapter 10. Give me verse [24:08] one. [24:14] Now I Paul myself beseech you by the meekness and greatness of the Messiah who in presence am base among you but [24:21] being absent am bold toward you. But I beseech you that I may not be bold when [24:27] I am present with that confidence wherewith I think to be bold against some which think of us as if we walked [24:34] according to the flesh. For though we walk in the flesh, we do not warfare are not carnal, but mighty [24:41] through God through the pulling down of strongholds, casting down imaginations and every high thing that exalts itself [24:46] against the knowledge of God and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of the Messiah. Right? [24:52] This is important, right? Basically, what he's describing is is fighting [24:57] temptation, right? It's important that we see temptation for what it is. Temptation is not an action, right? [25:03] These are thoughts. These are things that spring up in our mind that we either dwell on or we take action. We [25:10] respond to it by taking action. But what he's saying is is he takes those those [25:15] fleeting thoughts that spring up in our mind. He takes them and he brings them into submission of the [25:21] Messiah, right? And then by doing that, he avoids those temptations. So that's [25:28] what we have to do. It's like don't let a thought ruin your day. Don't let because some thought comes into your [25:33] head or some emotion or I feel sad or I feel happy or I feel whatever, right? [25:39] You can't let that thought rule you. That's all it is. All that that emotion is or all that that's those are thoughts [25:46] and those are spirits that's just coming inside of you and they using whatever you thinking about or whatever situation [25:52] that's bothering you. It uses that to try to control you, right? And you have [25:58] to always bring that. You have to resist it, right? You have to like everything in your body is going to tell you, "Oh, no, I got to do X, Y, and Z, right? I [26:05] got to I got to No, I got to call off work today." You know what I'm saying? I got to I got to You know what? Today, I [26:12] can't I can't even I can't even do my reading. There's too much going on. I can't do that, right? I'm not going to [26:18] go to I'm not going to listen to Bible study today because of whatever. I'm just too, you know what I'm saying? Messed up. You know what I'm saying? You [26:24] know what? I'm so happy cuz sometimes it's it's sometimes we be focused on the negative emotions. Sometimes it'd be the [26:29] happy ones. It' be like, "Oh man, I just met, you know what I'm saying? I met somebody I really, really think they [26:35] going to end up being my wife." You know what I'm saying? So, you know what? God ain't going to, you know, God ain't [26:40] worried about me, you know what I'm saying? Missing a couple days of my reading to go, you know what I'm saying? Spend some time with somebody I might spend the rest of my life [26:47] with, right? And in reality, you know what I'm saying? No, it's not a big deal. But what happens is these [26:53] temptations pop up and then you making that decision and then making the next decision ends up into a [27:00] sin, right? And that's what it's all about. It's like the first decision really ain't a sin. You know what I'm [27:06] saying? But it's like the next one you end up on the slippery slope, right? That's the type of stuff that we have to [27:12] bring in submission to the most high God, right? We got to make sure that [27:17] when these thoughts pop up, when these things come to our mind, when all this stuff, it's fine. It's a thought. It [27:22] don't that don't mean nothing. You know what I'm saying? A little thought don't mean nothing. Don't dwell on the thoughts, right? But when they come up, [27:29] you you acknowledge them and check them like, "No, that's wrong. No, that's wrong. That's against our law." Right? [27:35] That's against the That's against the Messiah. Right? Calmly, just calmly in your head, man. Nope, that's wrong. [27:41] Nope, I ain't going to do that. Right? Nope. The plan was to do this. I'm sticking with the plan. Right? And that [27:48] you'll you'll build up the resiliency against these evil spirits that's attacking us constantly. [27:54] Right? Keep [28:03] going. And having all readiness to revenge all disobedience when your [28:09] obedience is fulfilled. Do ye look on things after the outward appearance? If any man trust [28:15] to himself that he is the Messiahs, let him of himself think this again, that as [28:20] he is the Messiahs, even so are we the Messiahs. For though I should boast [28:25] somewhat more of our authority, which the Lord hath given us for edification, [28:31] and not for your destruction, I should not be ashamed that I may not seem as if [28:36] I would terrify you by letters. For his letters say they are weighted [28:42] weightly are weighty and powerful, but his bodily presence is weak and his speech contemptable. Right? So they he's [28:50] he's he's kind of writing back to him. He's writing back to to the Corinthians what the rumors are about him. He's [28:56] like, I know what y'all saying. They out there talking about, oh, he talk tough in his letters, but when he come, he [29:02] weak. He ain't nothing. All right, we don't have to get it. But y'all remember back in Acts, right? Back in Acts when [29:09] they saw Paul and they saw um uh who was it? [29:18] Barnabas. I think it was Paul and Barnabas. You know what I'm saying? And they thought Barnabas was uh I can't I [29:25] can't remember what god, but they I think they thought Barnabas was Jupiter. You know what I'm saying? Which is the [29:30] king of all the gods in in Greek mythology or or Roman mythology. You know what I'm saying? And they thought [29:36] Barnabas was Jupiter. And they thought uh I think they thought Paul was Hermes. And Hermes was the one that did all the [29:42] talking. But Hermes wasn't powerful like that. He wasn't big and powerful like that. So you could tell Paul wasn't like [29:48] Paul wasn't like no big old, you know what I'm saying? Bulky attractive guy most likely. You know what I'm saying? [29:55] Paul probably looked like a little nerd. You know what I'm saying? So Paul was looking like, you know what I'm saying? I know what they say. You know what I'm [30:01] saying? In person, man. He ain't about nothing. You know what I'm saying? But he be talking tough in them letters. You [30:06] know what I'm saying? You can see them letter. He be talking tough. And so and so Paul kind of call him out like I know what y'all thinking. Keep going. [30:19] Let such a one think this that such as we are in word by letters when we are absent such will we be also indeed when [30:26] we are present. Mhm. For we dare not make ourselves of the number, or compare [30:32] ourselves with some that commend themselves, but they measuring themselves by themselves, and comparing [30:38] themselves among themselves are not wise. But we will not boast of things [30:43] without our measure, but according to the measure of the rule which God has distributed to us, a measure to reach [30:50] even unto you. For we, right? So, in other words, what he's saying is, so he going to kind of going back to the [30:56] measurements. He said, "I'm not boasting outside of my measure." So, he said, "The stuff I'm talking to y'all about, [31:02] I'm not going outside of what God gave me." Right? Y'all might think I am, but he said, "I'm not going outside of what [31:09] God gave me." Right? Keep going. Watch [Music] [31:17] this. But we will not boast of things without our measure, but according to the measure of the rule, which God has [31:23] distributed to us, a measure to reach even unto you. For we stretch not ourselves beyond our measure, as though [31:30] we reach not unto you. For we are come as far as to you also in preaching the [31:36] gospel of the Messiah, not boasting of things without our measure, that is of other men's labors, but having hope when [31:44] your faith is increased that we shall in be enlarged by you according to our rule abundantly to preach the gospel in the [31:51] regions beyond you and not to boast in another man's line of things made ready to our hand. For he that glorieth, let [31:59] him glory in the master. For not he that commended himself is approved, but whom [32:05] the master commends. Right? So he's saying if you glory, right, if you [32:10] proud, right? And you you glorying, let him glory in Yahwh, right? Cuz he's [32:17] saying basically what he's saying is he's trying to make the case to them that I know y'all think I'm just talking [32:23] tough. And that's because y'all probably think that like I'm going outside of my [32:29] authority, right? But he says, "I'm not." He said, "I'm an apostle and I was [32:34] sent to y'all. I taught y'all. I baptized y'all." Right? And so he's saying y'all [32:41] are within my rule. Y'all are what God gave me. He as an apostle gave this to [32:46] me. So I'm going within the boundaries that the Most High God set. Even if y'all don't think so. He said, "But even [32:53] if you looked at it a different way, right, and just looked at it as, oh, to Paul is just talking tough." He's like, [33:00] "Let anybody who glories glory in Yahweh, I mean in [33:05] Yahweh, right? Grab uh grab Jeremiah." Let's read the whole thing cuz he's [33:10] quoting from Jeremiah. This is Jeremiah chapter 9 verse [33:17] um it's either it's either 30 something [33:22] like 35 or it's 23 and I'mma take the earlier it's like [33:28] 23 or 24 it's like two verses that I want feel like it's 23 Jeremiah 9 yeah [33:36] Jeremiah chapter 9 let's do verse 23 Three. [34:05] thus says Yahweh, let not the wise man glory in his wisdom, neither let the mighty man glory in his might. Let not [34:11] Right. So he's saying don't let the wise man glory in his wisdom. But Paul is saying I'm not outside outside of my [34:18] bound bounds because he said I'm not glorian in my wisdom. I'm not glorying oh I understand the world so much. [34:25] Right? I am a master of science. Right? He said I'm not glorian in my wisdom. [34:31] And what else he said? Let not the mighty do what? Neither let the mighty man glory in his [34:38] might. Let Right. He said, "I'm not gloring how strong I am, how much I can fight, how hard I can fight, how well of [34:45] a fighter I am." He was like, "That's not what I'm doing. How brave I am. I'm not glorying in none of that stuff." But [34:51] what is he doing? Let not the rich man glory in his riches. He said, "I'm not glorying how much money I got." Keep [34:58] going. For let him that glorieth glory in this, that he understands and knows me, that I [35:06] am Yahwh, which exercises loving kindness, judgment, and righteousness in the earth. For in these things I [35:11] delight, says Yahweh. Right? So now, if you think about all the stuff that Paul glories up about in these books, that's [35:18] what he's talking about. He's like, "Man, listen. I know Yahweh and I know the man is righteous and he exercises [35:27] mercy." Right? This is what he's glorying about. And so that's why he's [35:32] trying to tell it's like, look, I understand that y'all think I'm just talking tough in a letter. I'm not. [35:37] I'mma talk I'm like, as tough as y'all see me in a letter, I'mma be that in person, right? And I know y'all think I [35:44] know y'all think I'm going outside of my authority, but I'm not. Y'all gave me this. I'm not glorifying myself. I'm not [35:51] exalting myself above anyone. I'm exalting Yahwh because that's who I [35:56] know. Right. Let's jump back uh jump into [36:02] uh 2 Corinthians 11. It's 2 Corinthians chapter 11. Give me verse [36:13] one. It's 2 Corinthians 11:1. Watch what the book say. Will to [36:19] God you could bear with me in a in a little folly and indeed bear with me. For I am jealous over you with a godly [36:25] jealousy. For I've espoused you to one husband that I may present you as a chasteed virgin to the Messiah. But all [36:31] right. So now he's speaking he's speaking kind of as a proverb. Right? But what he's saying is he's saying I've [36:36] taken you and I've taught you the gospel. In other words, I've espoused you. So in other words, espouse means [36:42] I've taken you and I've committed you to a man. Right? It would be like it would [36:48] be like me taking my daughter, right? and and I see I see a father of a young [36:55] man and I say, "You know what? I want to commit my daughter to your son." So when they get older, then they going, you [37:02] know what I'm saying? They they going to get married, right? And I want your son to take care of my daughter and my [37:08] daughter going to take care of your son and we agree to that. So then we agree and then we prepare them for each other, [37:15] right? So I prepare my daughter and I say, "You know what? This is what you need to do. this talking this going to [37:20] be your husband one day da da da and so she start to look forward to that she starts to get the idea and she starts to [37:27] be prepared he's saying that's what I did for the the for the uh the congregation of Corinthians he said [37:34] that's what I did to present them to the Messiah and y'all are resisting me y'all [37:41] are going out and trying to find a different guy right so it's like me [37:46] making this deal with this father and then my daughter get older, she looking like, man, I used to I used to be along [37:52] with that idea when I was six and when I was seven and when I was 13. But now [37:59] that I'm 20, I don't want to I don't want to marry him. And then she go find someone else. [38:05] And so now I'm jealous cuz I'm looking like why you want this the one that we've been the young man. He got a good [38:12] father. I know the father. I know that he raised a man, right? I don't know nothing about this knucklehead that you found at the mall. Right? And so it's [38:20] like now I'm jealous cuz I want you to want the guy that I prepared you for. [38:26] Right? And so that's what he's doing. He looking at man like, man, I'm jealous after a godly jealousy because I [38:33] prepared you for Yahushua and after I prepare him for [38:38] you, y'all going off on some other stuff. Watch this. Watch what he say. [38:44] But I fear less by any means, as the serpent begout Eve through his subtility, your so your mind should be [38:50] corrupted from the simplicity that is in the Messiah. For if he that cometh preaches another [38:56] Yahosua whom ye whom we have not preached, or if you receive uh verse [39:03] four, right? He said, "If he have come [39:08] and come to you talking about a different Yahosua who we have not [39:14] preached, what you going to do?" [39:19] Or if you receive another spirit which you have which ye have not Go back [39:25] one. For if he that commit, for if he that cometh preaches another Yahosua [39:31] whom we have not preached, or if ye receive another spirit which ye have not received, or another gospel which ye [39:38] have not accepted, you might well bear with him. Right? He said you going to [39:43] put up with it. If only if you get another Yahosua or another spirit or [39:52] another gospel, you are going to entertain that foolishness. And that's why he's saying he he's saying I'm [39:58] telling you it's like it would be like me with my daughter like look this knucklehead that you met at the mall, [40:04] that guy is not it. I'm telling you. I know he pretending. He telling you all the thing he talking to you night. I'm [40:10] telling you he's not it. the one the one that I'm preparing you for. He's going [40:15] to treat you right. That is a good man. He gonna lead you along and gets the word. This is what you need. This other [40:21] guy is going to have you out there being a sinner. You going to be depressed. You going to be fighting against him. Who knows what this man will do, right? But [40:28] he's saying because this other man kind of presented himself like you and made [40:33] you feel the same way that you supposed to feel, right? And explained some things and taught you some things. these [40:40] things that he taught you and these things that he made you feel and the way that he presents itself is not the same [40:46] even though it's made to look like it's the same as what I've been preparing you for. He's saying and when that happens, [40:53] you going to put up with it. You going to entertain it. You going to fall for it. Right? And he compared it back to [41:00] what Eve did. Right? He compared it to the subtlety of the serpent in the garden [41:07] with Eve. Because we remember, you remember the serpent came to him and he said, "Listen, you will not surely die. [41:16] Y'all just know that the moment you eat of that fruit, you going to become like [41:21] him, knowing good or evil, right?" And we confirm that [41:29] technically everything that the serpent said was true because they did not surely die in that day. Right? Adam, [41:36] Adam lived to be 900 something years old. The most high God did look at them [41:42] and say they have become like us, right? And immediately when they ate [41:49] it, they were wise to know good and evil. Right? Those are all facts. But [41:56] the most high God cut them off from the tree of life. They could have lived forever in that garden and they didn't [42:02] realize that the moment that he cut them off from the tree of life, they died. Just like he said that he said that they [42:09] would spiritually they died. Right? And so even though things [42:14] can look true, even though things might look right, we have to have enough trust [42:20] in the word of the most high God that he said don't do it. [42:25] Right. Even if I can't explain why he said don't do it. He said go. Even if I [42:33] can't explain why. You think Moses was able to explain. All right. Look, we about to go. Which way, Moses? That way. [42:41] Uh towards the water. That what you're saying? Yeah. Most guy said go toward the water. He can't explain what's [42:48] supposed to happen next. You remember he got it? We ain't got to go get it. You remember he got up and get that water. Everybody darn panicked. The Egyptian [42:55] came and clothed the me. Everybody darn panic. He can't Moses can't explain. He don't know. But I do know one thing. [43:02] Most high God said come this way. Right. We We so smart that we get [43:11] to rationalize and everything. But no, God wouldn't want this, that, and other. That can't mean what what it say. [43:17] Because God love family. He wouldn't never tell nobody to divorce their wife. [43:22] He wouldn't never tell nobody to to to to leave their husband. He would never [43:28] tell them to kick their darn kid out. That's because you don't know the scripture. If you know the scripture, [43:33] the most high God say if a if a if a son or a daughter cursed their mom, he [43:39] deserve to die to death. That's book. That's [43:47] book, right? There's nothing there is nothing in this [43:53] book that support these myths that these people didn't taught us, right? So, it's important that we [44:00] have our mindset perfectly in in tune with what the book say because if we do, [44:06] then all these all these lies that these people try to tell us and all these feelings that we get and all this stuff to try to take us off a path, it won't [44:13] work. It can't penetrate us no matter what happened, right? we can move [44:20] forward and continue with the plan no matter what happened. That is the focus that Yahosua had. You couldn't do [44:27] nothing with Yahosu. I mean, that's a bad man. You couldn't do nothing with [44:33] Yahosua. You couldn't do nothing with him. Nothing is taking him off the path. Right? He's very clear on what needs to [44:40] happen. He's very clear on what the next step was. And nothing was going to take him off the path. Not his friend dying, [44:48] right? Not somebody coming and telling him how great his mama was. They came and told him how great his mama was. And [44:53] the man said, "Yeah, that's good, but it's better." You know what I'm saying? It's better if you uh obey what the word [44:59] say. Like nothing takes him off of his focus. Whether it's a positive thing or [45:05] a negative thing, he's always going to be focused on what he's supposed to do. And we just need a little bit of that, [45:12] right? We need to be able to be a little bit more focused. so that nothing takes us off the path, right? And when we have [45:20] that focus, then the most high God, he'll add everything else at the end. You know what I'm saying? We just got to [45:25] trust him. It's just like Moses. He going to take you right up against the water. He going to make you feel this is what God do. Like we got enough book to [45:31] know what God do, right? He going to take you right up against the water. Make you feel like you trapped. There's [45:38] no way out. And as soon as you get to panicking, he gonna make you feel like an idiot. Why you didn't trust me? and [45:45] then open up the water on your darn butt and be like, "Dang, I didn't think that was possible." That's all he want from [45:51] us. He want us to panic and feel like there's no way out. God, I did everything you told me to do and now I [45:58] feel like I'm about to die. Right? And as soon as you get to [46:03] panicking, he make you feel like an idiot. Why didn't you just trust me? I told you to come this way. What? You [46:08] thought I wasn't going to do nothing for you? Uh, yeah. Cuz you made me feel like that. You know what I'm saying? Like you [46:13] made like you literally set up this whole situation to make me feel like that. We know the game plan [46:19] already. All we got to do is stop resisting it. We be trying to we trying to be too [46:24] cool to tell God we panicking. No. Let him know that you panicking. That's what he looking [46:30] for. Right. Let him know that you broken, that you hurt, that this it it's messed up. You don't know what to do. [46:37] You don't know what's coming next. But while you're doing that, never stop doing what he say. [46:43] Right? The problem we have is we stop and then we want to use all that stuff as an excuse. Well, I was scared, Lord. [46:50] That's why I I disobeyed you. Well, no. That's not going to fly. That's not faith. It's not it's not against your [46:58] faith to question God. It's not against your faith to to to question his plan. That's not against faith. No. The the [47:05] most faith that you could possibly have is to do exactly what he told you to do while questioning it. Like, man, I don't [47:11] know what God got me doing. I'mma do it, though, cuz that's honest. Look at the [47:17] men of God in our book. That's how it played out. I don't know what this man want. Abraham scared, terrified. He [47:25] like, "Man, look, man. Man told me to go down to Jira. I'mma go." You know what I'm saying? But he know them boys in [47:30] Jira is crazy. He went down in Jira. He look at that. He like, "Look, man. Just tell him. Just tell him you my sister." [47:37] All right. He wasn't going to stop. He wasn't going to say, "I'm scared to go [47:42] to Jericho cuz these boys, they'll take my wife in a heartbeat." That's what he was thinking on his way down there, but [47:49] he wasn't going to say, "For that reason, I'm not going to go." No. And that he said, "I'mma go, but I don't [47:56] know what's about to happen when I go there." And he put himself at risk. That's what faith [48:03] is, right? When Job was sitting there, Job looking like his wife telling him, "Man, go ahead and curse." You know what [48:09] I'm saying? Curse God, man. Just curse God and die. She think she telling them something out of mercy. She looking [48:16] like, listen, the best way to die is if you She believe that. She believe like if you curse God, you know God going to [48:22] kill you. And what you going through, don't nobody look go ahead and curse him [48:27] cuz it's like suicide. That's how she her faith was so strong that she believed if you curse God, it's like [48:34] suicide. You're going to die. So she's trying to tell him pretty much, "Put yourself out your misery. Just [48:41] curse God so he can kill you." He like, "Man, you you talking like one of these [48:46] crazy women." You know what I'm saying? You talking to me like one of these crazy women. He looking like, "Man, [48:53] look, I got good from God, man. I'm definitely going to get the bad from God." Now, Job did all that. Did he [49:01] understand what was going on? He spent the next 30 something chapters questioning God. Like, man, I know you [49:08] probably you must be up there too busy or something because I know I've been doing what I'm supposed to do. But it's [49:13] all right, man. If I just had a chance to talk to you up there, you know what I'm saying? Get her up. Getting kind of rough. Help me out. It's all right. You [49:20] know what I'm saying? One day I'mma get a chance. If I had my day in court, you know what I'm saying? So, he kind of [49:26] laying out all this stuff and the whole time he's questioning God. And at the [49:31] very end, what God do? Made him feel stupid. Made him feel [49:37] small. Like God waited to the very end and told, "Do you know about this? Were you there when this was this?" Just made [49:44] him feel small and stupid. But at the very end, did he get mad at [49:50] Joe? No. He told Joel, "Man, you're the only one that spoke right according to me." [49:56] What? You have to take that like you have to take it into consideration that God is setting this stuff up to make you [50:04] feel away. And Job lost all his kids. You understand? Like it's not this stuff [50:10] is not like for play. Job lost all his babies and stuck with the [50:16] plan. And we ain't got no darn excuse. Ain't nothing ain't nothing ain't nothing out here that's supposed to separate us from the most high God and [50:23] what the plan is. Just keep with it. Stay focused. rest of this stuff. Most look, Yahosu walking around. He told [50:30] him, "Look, man. Go ahead and follow me." A man went to go follow. He look like, "I'm definitely gonna follow you, but let me go bury my daddy first." Y [50:38] should have turned around, look at him, let the dead bury the dead. Care nothing about what hurt [50:44] nobody's feelings. I don't care nothing about how you feel. How you feel has to come second to the most high [50:51] God. You talk to me how you feel after you do what I say. That's what I tell my kids, too. I hear you out on everything [50:59] that you got. I hear every word that you want to say. I hear every protest. I want to [51:05] know exactly how you feel after you do what I told you to [51:11] do. Soon as you get done with it, let's talk about how how you Dad, I don't think it's fair. You know what I'm [51:17] saying? I just don't think it's fair that I had to take out the trash three times in a row. My brother ain't took [51:22] out the trash in seven. That's cool. But talk to me about it after you take out the trash. Once the trash is in there [51:28] and you put it in there and you close the top outside and you come back and you put the trash bag back in. Okay, now [51:33] sit down. Tell me how that made you feel. You know what I'm saying? Oh, now that was kind of messed up. Your brother did it three times. Oh, you know what [51:40] I'm saying? All right. No, we got to make that thing even. That's my fault, son. You know what I'm saying? Thanks for taking it out, though. Let's talk [51:46] about it after I fix it. Right. And that's how the Most High God is. I don't want Most High God don't want to hear [51:52] nothing. I'm not going to do it first. Let's talk. Yeah. Okay. Okay. Keep playing with [51:58] him. Right. Our mindset got to be We can't be moved by the stuff that's going [52:04] on cuz this stuff is a ruse. This stuff is a temptation. And it's real stuff. It's [52:10] stuff that we look at and be like, "Man, this is the end of the world. How am I going to make it? How am I going to How [52:17] am I going to continue to exist? How am I going to support all of this? How am I [52:22] going to build it? How am I going to be what I'm supposed to be? How am I going to take care of my family? How am I How [52:27] am I How am I? I know that's the question that he looking for, but ask it while you doing what you supposed to [52:35] do. Keep going. Where we at? Grab uh uh uh second Corinthians. [52:43] Where we at? 2 Corinthians what? 11. 11 verse. [52:49] We at 11 verse uh wait hold on we have verse five it's [52:57] 11 uh chapter this is uh 2 2 Corinthians 11 verse 5 or the book say for I suppose [53:04] I was not a wit behind the very chiefest apostles but though I be rude in speech [53:10] yet not in knowledge but we have been thoroughly made manifest among you in all things have I committed an offense [53:16] have I committed an offense in abasing myself that ye might be exalted have preached to you the gospel of God [53:22] freely. I robbed other congregations taking wages of them to do you service. [53:27] Right? So he telling he looking like oh what hold on I abased myself. In other words I made myself small and low just [53:35] so you can hear the gospel. He is like I robbed other congregation. In other words I'm collecting money from these [53:42] other congregations. I didn't charge you nothing for the go. I didn't ask you for no money. I'm taking look I'm funding [53:50] what I'm doing right I'm going to you and I'm looking like yo yo you need to you need to hear this word you need to hear this word I travel all the way from [53:57] E this is Paul talking I went came from all the way from Ephesus right came all [54:02] the way to Corinth and the way the ticket I got from that I used they money to do it I was like yeah go ahead and [54:10] give me a couple dollars you know what I'm saying and then we going to go ahead you know what I'm saying so he get a couple dollars from Ephesus he jump on [54:16] the train he go down to Corinth, right? And he use that money to feed himself [54:22] while he in Corinth. The whole while he feeding himself and nourishing himself so that he's able to teach [54:29] them. He said, "I didn't ask y'all for a dime. I'm robbing other congregations to [54:34] support y'all, to support the teaching of y'all." Watch this. Keep going. You know, when I was present with you [54:41] and wanted, I was chargeable to no man for that. He said, "Even when I needed something, I didn't come to none of [54:47] y'all talking about, "Look, man, let me borrow." You know what I'm saying? Let me hold. You know what I'm saying? He's like, "No, I wasn't chargeable to [54:52] nobody." What'd he do? For that which was lacking to me, the brethren which came from Macedonia supplied and in all [54:59] things, he said, "I had people coming from out of town supplying what I need. I didn't ask y'all for nothing." [55:07] Right. Keep going. It's a bad man. I'm telling Paul. Bad boy. [55:12] And in all things I have kept myself from being burdensome to you and so will I keep myself as the truth of the [55:19] Messiah is in me. No man shall stop me of this boasting in the regions of Aaya. [55:24] Right? So he's telling them he's telling them he already see the play. See Paul was wise enough to see the play. He knew [55:31] that if I got to asking for money, if I got to doing all this extra stuff, the [55:36] people, the type of people that's around here, man, people going to twist y'all minds and try to use that against me. [55:42] They going to say, "Oh, man. He just taking your money." All right. He ain't telling you tr. He just doing it. He just using y'all for the money. So, he [55:48] saw a play already. He said, "Man, I ain't char y'all. Y'all better not open your mouth and say that about me. I [55:54] ain't charge y'all from nothing. I got people coming way down from Macedonia to supply my needs cuz I ain't got to ask [56:00] them for nothing. They do it willing. They jump out. They look like, "Oh no, Paul, you cuz they a pre." They looking [56:06] at it like, "Man, we ain't never seen nothing like this. This is Paul. This is [56:11] the Apostle Paul. He set up this congregation, this congregation, this congregation, this congre like imagine [56:19] that. Imagine somebody coming through humble, meek, come through, set up [56:25] multiple congregations on the move, suffering, taking stones for the gospel. [56:31] You know what I'm saying? Almost dying, ducking, hiding, in jail, come out. You know what I'm saying? It's like like [56:38] he's the real deal. It's not like no no no one of these fancy pe preachers that [56:44] Yeah, they got the numbers that Paul might got, but then they sitting in there, you don't never see them. They [56:49] don't they ain't they ain't taking they ain't doing nothing. They ain't putting their life on the line for nothing. None of that. And they not teaching nothing. [56:55] You leave that You leave that congregation empty. You didn't learn nothing. They teach the same five topics [57:03] and rotate them and just freakaz them. Flip them up a little bit. He like, "Man, no." They [57:10] looking at the real deal. They look like, "No, it's the guy." So the ones that appreciate it and know it, they [57:16] looking like, "No, man. What you need? I come from Macedonia right now and get you I'll get you together. Where you at? Corin, man. No, I'll hook you up right [57:23] now. What you need? We You need a new tent, man. We got a new tent for you. Don't even worry about it. What you need? You need food? Don't worry. We [57:30] going to bring You know what I'm saying? We going to bring some grain. It'll last you a long time. Whenever you hungry, you take care of it. They making sure [57:35] that he taking care of all these cities cuz he built up their the gospel in [57:40] their cities, right? So now he's talking to the people of quarantine. He letting them know. He looking like, "Look, y'all [57:48] may not y'all may let these people twist y'all brain up, right? But I'm telling you who y'all are and I'm telling you [57:54] who I am." He like, "When I met y'all, I taught y'all the gospel. Now y'all kind of veering off into a different area." [58:00] But that don't change nothing. Y'all still who I birthe, right? And he said, "I didn't [58:07] ask y'all for a dime. Anything I needed, I got it from somebody else. I got it from the people that willingly gave it [58:13] to me. You know what I'm saying? But I ain't ask y'all for nothing. And can't nobody take away my boast. I'mma brag [58:19] about this. He said, "This is one thing I'mma brag about. There's no way you could come to me and talk about I asked [58:26] you for some or I needed something from you or this, that, and another." Nope. I don't trust [58:32] it. Grab uh go back. Grab uh Genesis. Give me Genesis. What I want? What I [58:38] want? Genesis. Uh what 14? Give me Genesis chapter 14, probably [58:46] the 31st verse. Where Tia? Tia, look. If I get this one, this Genesis chapter 14 verse [58:54] 31. It feel good when I say it. You know what I'm saying? Tia, if I get this one, [59:00] I ain't read this since the last time we read it. So if I get this one, Tia, you got [59:07] Genesis what? Genesis 14:31. That probably ain't even going to be a birth. My Genesis don't [59:12] even go to 41. I mean [59:18] 31 for real. Okay. All right. All right. Uh Genesis. So if it [59:26] go to 24, that's Genesis 14. Only go to 24. [59:32] Give me Genesis. That was more than three words. Three weeks ago it was like four weeks ago. [59:38] Five. You want 17. Verse 17. Yeah. You want Abraham [59:44] interaction with MelkiseDC? Uh, no. I want Abraham's right before [59:49] that. Right before that, I want his interaction with the king of Sodom. So if that's 17, if if MelkiseDC [59:57] is 17, then I want I'll probably want 14. So maybe Genesis 14:14. [60:10] All right. And when Abraham heard that his brother was taken captive, he armed and [60:16] trained his trained servants. How many of them? What? Keep going. [60:23] He armed his trained servants born in his own house. 318 and pursued them unto [60:28] Dan. Man, I'm telling you, if they give me the budget, I make Y'all seen the movie 300. And the movie we make will be [60:36] way better. 300. We call it 318. You know what I'm saying? We call it We call it [60:42] 318. A Abraham story. You know what I'm saying? You got to do something to get the Gentiles in there. A Abrahamic [60:48] story. You know what I'm saying? Got to throw something on there. 318. A motion picture. You know what I'm [60:53] saying? Something like that. And we'll light these boys up. Keep going. Let's see what it say. [60:59] And he divided himself against them, he and his servants by night, and some, and smoked them, and pursued them to Hoba, [61:06] which is on the left hand, unto Damascus. And he brought back all the goods, and brought again his brother [61:12] Lot, and his goods, and the women also, and the people. Right? So he brought back all the what? [61:19] All the people. Uh before that, he said he brought back all the goods. Right? So all the goods he got. [61:27] In other words, he got all the wealth. So he beat he whooped out all these kings and then he got all of their [61:33] wealth and took it from him because he won. That's what happens when you win a war. You win and you get to take [61:40] everything. So he took everything and he brought back all the women, all the people, all everybody that was taken, he [61:45] brought them back. And then watch what happened next. [61:51] And the king of Sodom went out to meet him after his return from the slaughter of Kidol and all the kings that were [61:58] with him and the valley of Chaveet, which is the king's dale. And MelkiseDC, king of Salem, brought forth the bread [62:05] and wine. And he was the priest of the most high God. And he blessed him and said, "Blessed be Abram of the of the [62:12] most high God, possessor of the most high God, possessor of heaven and earth. And blessed be the most high God which [62:19] has delivered thine enemies into thine hand." And he gave him tithes of all. And the king of Sodom said unto Abram, [62:24] "Give me the persons and take the goods to thyelves." Right? So now he said, [62:30] "Okay, look, here's the dear deal." Because you got to understand, the king of Sodom was done a favor by Abraham [62:36] just now. The king of Sodom just got terrorized, right? So then Abraham came [62:41] and saved the day. He got all the goods and got all the people. So the king of Sodom is like, he trying to strike a [62:48] deal with him cuz that's how most people play. He looking like, "All right, listen. I know you got all the goods. [62:53] You keep all that to yourself." Because remember that's the king of Sodom stuff. It was stolen from him. So the king of Sodom is looking like, "Look, you you [63:00] can keep the goods. I don't even want that. Just give me my people back." Right? Then watch what Abraham said. And [63:07] Abram said to the king of Sodom, "I have lift up my hand unto Yahweh, the most high God, the possessor of heaven and [63:14] earth, that I will not take from a thread, even to a shoe latchet, and that I will not take anything that is thine, [63:20] lest that," right? He said, "I'm not taking nothing that is yours." He said, "I got all this stuff. I know it was [63:26] yours." He said, "But none of it that's yours, I'm taking." I raise my hand and I swear before God, right? I'm not [63:35] taking nothing. That was yours. Why would Abraham say that? Let's [63:42] hear. Lest thou should have say, I have made Abram rich. [63:48] Right now, you going to be able to take away my boast. You going to try to say [63:54] you made me rich. No, the most high God made me [64:00] rich. Right? He's saying, "You going to be able to take away my boast." So, this [64:05] is what this is what Paul is saying. Paul's in there like, "No, no, no. I didn't ask y'all for a diamond. I did it [64:11] intentionally. I don't want nothing for you from y'all cuz I know y'all going to try to take away my boat. Somebody going [64:16] to twist y'all head up. They going to give y'all a different gospel, a different a different messiah. And y'all [64:22] going to bear with that stuff. Y'all going to put up with it. Y'all going to entertain that foolishness. Then y'all gonna come back to me and just be like, [64:27] "You was probably just trying to steal the brother told me you was just trying to steal our money." Yeah. Okay. For [64:33] sure. Yeah. Like, nah, we gonna bypass that. Y'all going to have to deal with the fact that y'all just are not paying [64:38] attention to what I'm teaching and walking away for your own. But you never going to be able to say it's because of [64:44] money. You say, "I see the play already." Right? Let's jump back. This [64:49] is uh this is uh 2 Corinthians. Jump over to to chapter 12. [64:59] It is not expedient for me doubtless to glory. I will come to visions and revelations of the master. I knew a man [65:06] in the Messiah about 14 years ago. Whether in the body I cannot tell or whether out of the body I cannot tell. [65:12] God knows such a one caught up to the third heaven. And I knew such a man to the what? Third heaven. So you remember [65:19] we talk about the third heaven. We talk about the heaven of heavens, right? So [65:24] you know you kind of look at heaven as the area or the space above. Remember heaven means [65:29] firmament, right? Firmament is like a space or an expanse. So when he said the [65:35] third heaven, he's talking about the expanse or the space that's above another space that's above another [65:42] space. So he's saying pretty much the vision that he had was about the third [65:47] heaven. So it's way out there. You know what I'm saying? The way I like to imagine it is what we consider like the [65:53] atmosphere or the atmospheres. I don't know how far they go up. They got all these different fears. So all this stuff [65:59] that we would consider, you know, the atmosphere that would be heaven, the first heaven. And I like to imagine that [66:05] the second heaven is what we think of is outer space, right? But then there's some even further beyond that that would [66:13] be considered the third heaven. And that's where Yahweh is, right? Keep going. [66:26] And I knew such a man, whether in the body or out of the body, I cannot tell. God knows how that he was caught up into [66:31] the paradise and heard unspeakable words, which is not lawful for a man to utter. Of such a one will I glory, yet [66:39] of myself I will not glory, but in my infirmities. For though I would desire to glory, I shall not be a fool, for I [66:46] will say the truth. But now I forbare lest any man should think of me above that which he seeth me to be or that he [66:55] hear he hear he hear he hear he hear he hear he hear he hear he hear he hear he hearth of me and lest I should be exalted above measure through the abundance of the revelations there was [67:02] given to me a thorn in the flesh the messenger of Satan to buffet me lest I should be exalted above measure right so [67:09] he's saying there's a thorn in the in his flesh right that buffets him in other words it it it's punishing him [67:16] right so he has a thorn thorn that's there in his flesh that punishes him. And he says the reason for that thorn is [67:23] to keep himself from exalting himself. Right? So you have to understand that [67:28] sometimes is stuff that's challenging in your life and difficult in your life [67:34] just to keep you from thinking of yourself too much. And you have to accept it. You [67:40] have to say, you know what, if it was supposed to be different, it would be different because I'm doing what the most high God say do. Now, if you not [67:48] doing what the most high God say do, then you don't know what's right. You don't know what's supposed to be happening or not. But when you align [67:54] your life to make sure that you you obeying the most high God, you taking the right path, you focus on his word, [67:59] you doing what you supposed to do, and and still it's tough stuff happening, you know it's supposed [68:05] to, right? You know things are as they should be when that happens. Keep going. [68:18] For this thing I besought the master three times that it might depart from me. And he said unto me, "My grace is [68:24] sufficient for thee, for my strength is made perfect in weakness." Most gladly, therefore, will I rather glory in my [68:30] infirmities, that the power of the Messiah may rest upon me. Therefore, I take pleasure in infirmities, in [68:36] reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for the Messiah's sake. For when I am weak, then [68:43] am I strong. I am strong. All right. What verse is that? Uh 10. Grab uh [68:49] Deuteronomy chapter 7 for me. [68:56] All right. This is Deuteronomy chapter 7. We going to start at verse [69:02] 6. Right? Cuz he told him, he said, "Look, man. It was a thorn in my darn flesh and that thing was buffeting me." [69:08] In other words, it was punishing me. And I beg y'all y I beg y'all three times [69:14] please take this whatever that thorn was he's speaking metaphorically or speaking as a parable right but whatever whatever [69:21] it was that was giving him a challenge whether it's like you know it could be a disease or it could be it could be you [69:28] know what I'm saying like some type of ache or you know maybe an aching back or something like that cuz the man did get stoned right he did go through a lot so [69:35] it's some type of something or maybe it was a person it could be a person that just constantly was at him and bothering [69:41] them and messing with them, right? Whatever it was that that he was dealing with, he begged three times for the most [69:48] high God to take it away from him. And then the one time the most high God responded to him, it was like, "Listen, [69:54] my grace is sufficient." You know what I'm saying? Right? My power is made perfect [70:01] when you are weak. And so, in other words, you have to imagine that. You have to imagine [70:07] something that really is bothering you and you praying to the most high God like, "God, just just please take this [70:13] away from me." You know what I'm saying? I want to teach your word, God. It's hard for me to stand in Bible [70:20] study with my back. You know what I'm saying? My back. You can't stand for long periods of time, but standing is [70:27] the only way I can get the word across. and God just I mean allow me to teach your word the way you want me to teach [70:34] your word and remove this pain from my back and you think about that you looking like God couldn't have a problem [70:40] with that you know what I'm saying just imagine that like God couldn't have a problem with that maybe it's someone in your jaw it's like my jaw messed up God [70:48] I'm trying to I'm trying to speak but you know I can only speak for 30 minutes at a time because my jaw start to ache [70:54] and you looking at it like of course God wants me to teach his heard, right? [71:00] There's nothing like there. Why in the world would God want to stand in the way so clearly this is of Satan? That's what [71:07] Paul's just telling. He's like, "It's a thorn in my side from Satan." He said, "Clearly this is of Satan." Listen, [71:13] y'all, if you don't mind, would you mind just taking You see, go back real quick. [71:18] We hold We got in Deuteronomy because we got to read that. But go back real quick. Take me back where he said the thorn decide it was from Satan. [71:27] What verse is that? Uh seven. This is uh 2 Corinthians [71:34] chapter uh what is it? 12. 2 Corinthians 12:7. Watch the book say unless I should [71:41] be exalted above measures through the abundance of the revelations. There was given to me a thorn in the flesh, the [71:48] messenger of Satan, the buffet me, lest should lest I should exalt above lest I should be exalted above measure. Right? [71:56] So he said this is a messenger of Satan that's causing this. Right? Notice what [72:03] he didn't do. Notice that he didn't say, "Hey Satan, get thee behind [72:09] me." No. What did he do? Watch what he said. [72:14] For this thing I besought the master three times that I might that it might depart. I besought who? The master. He [72:21] said, "I bought Yahwh three times over this mess. I'm not about to sit here and [72:27] have a conversation with Satan or through his messenger. Yo, you better stop." What? That's crazy. I bought Yah [72:35] I I bought Yah for this. Asking him to take it away [72:41] from me. Go back to Deuteronomy 7. Asking him to take this away from me. [72:48] We have to understand how to address our issues. And when we look at it and I'm saying, "Look, man, my jaw messed up. I [72:55] know God want me to preach." Imagine the most high God coming back to you and saying, "You know that you doing what [73:01] you supposed to do and you know that whatever this ailment is or whatever this situation is, you know what I'm [73:07] saying? Somebody bothering you." You know what I'm saying? You trying to teach the word and you every time you teach the word, a heckler come up and be [73:14] like, "No, Christians is what we need to be. we supposed to be Muslims. All religions are the same. You know what [73:20] I'm saying? Just a heckler always interrupting your teaching and throwing you off or something like that. In your [73:26] mind, there is no way that God want that to happen because God want his word to [73:32] get out to everybody, right? So why in the world would God let somebody stand [73:37] in my way when I'm trying to get his word out? So you know what if you do? You pray to God. You say, "God, take [73:42] this man away from me." You know what I'm saying? Don't let him come. I can't do nothing. I want to punch him. I can't [73:47] do nothing to him. Lord, just do something for me. Get him out of here so I can further your kingdom, right? And [73:54] you looking at it like, this makes perfect sense. Of course, God will be on my side with this. Imagine God coming [74:00] back to you and be like, "No, you good." When he say, "My grace is sufficient." That's another way of saying, "No, you [74:08] good. It could be worse." When he say, "My grace is sufficient," he's telling you it could be worse. It really should [74:15] be worse, right? He's saying this is the light [74:21] pack. That's what he's saying. He's saying the grace that I've already given you is enough. So he's telling you [74:28] really it could be worse. My grace is sufficient. And he's saying when you [74:34] weak, in other words, whoever this is is probably getting the better of you. When you're [74:40] weak, that's when I'm strong. That's when I'm my strength is shown. That's when my strength is made perfect. That's [74:46] when everybody can see I'm the one that's taking care of [74:51] you. Right? So, that's what Paul is trying to get get across to them. I didn't ask y'all for no money and I'm [74:58] not going to ask y'all for no money cuz I I know if y'all do that, y'all going to take my boast [75:04] away, right? And the most high God is saying the same thing. I'm not giving [75:09] you no more to him because he looking like, man, you going to exalt yourself. I didn't showed you too much. I showed [75:15] you this vision up in up in the third heaven. Now you know all this stuff and [75:21] now you going to mess around and exalt yourself and get to thinking like, "Oh no, I'm I'm the Lord Jesus Christ." You [75:27] know what I'm saying? Like he looking at him like, "No, I already know how you is, Paul. If I give you too much, you [75:34] going to go and run with it." So he's telling you, "My grace is sufficient." And he's probably telling us without [75:40] saying those words to us. A lot of us the same way. We get to calling ourselves righteous for a week and a [75:46] darn half. You know what I'm saying? Lord, been a whole week and a half and I ain't committed no sin. I'm doing [75:51] everything you told me to do. Why things still rough? Why all these negative things [75:57] happen to me? Why can't I this, that, and the other? And he looking at you like he ain't saying the words to us. We [76:02] don't hear. We don't have a prophet to tell us. And we ain't prophets to hear from him in most of us. But you know what I'm saying? Without saying it, he [76:10] telling us, "No, what I gave you is enough. My grace is sufficient." Right? It's sufficient. [76:16] This is Deuteronomy 7:6. Watch the book say, "For thou art a holy people unto [76:24] the Lord thy God. And Yahweh thy God has chosen thee to be a special people unto himself above all people that are upon [76:31] the face of the earth." Mhm. Yahweh did not set his love upon you, nor choose you, because you were more in number [76:37] than any people. For ye were the fewest of all people, but because Yahweh loved you, and because he would keep the oath [76:44] which he had sworn unto your fathers, because he will what? Keep the oath that he has sworn unto your fathers, as [76:50] Yahweh brought you out with a mighty hand, and redeemed you out of the house of bondage, of bondage. We have to [76:55] understand his grace is sufficient, right? We didn't get led out [77:01] of Egypt because we was right righteous in Egypt. Most high God was looking at us like that's a very righteous and [77:06] strong people and this very it's a lot of them. Let me take them. No, he said [77:12] it wasn't because of our number and because we was righteous. He said he did it because he keeping an oath to [77:19] Abraham. So we're getting the benefit. We're in we're in slavery in Egypt and [77:26] don't even realize we are getting the benefit of what Moses got. So while we [77:31] crying out like yah save us please save us what I'm saying send somebody to save [77:36] us. Moses pop up and he do just that. But all that is the benefit of Abraham [77:42] and the promise that was the oath that was given to him. Right? That's how we have to look at this stuff. A lot of [77:48] this stuff could be worse if he removed his hand from us, right? It could be worse. It should [77:56] be worse. Jump over to uh chapter 13. This [78:02] is 2 Corinthians chapter 13. Give me verse one. Let's go ahead and wrap up. [78:16] This is the third time I am coming to you in the month or two or three in the mouth of two or three witnesses till [78:22] every word be established. I told you before and foretell you as if I were present the second time. And being [78:28] absent now, I write to them which hereto for have sinned and to all others that if I come again, I will not spare. [78:39] Since you seek a proof of the Messiah speaking in me, which to you word is not weak, but is mighty in you. For though [78:45] he was crucified through weakness, yet he lives by the power of God. For we also are weak in him. But we shall live [78:53] with him by the power of God toward you. Examine yourselves whether you be in the [78:58] faith. Prove your own selves. Know ye not your own selves. How that right? He said, examine [79:05] yourself whether you be in the faith. That is our [79:10] job. Prove your own self. That is our job. We supposed to be looking, paying [79:16] attention to our own behavior, our own life, our own thoughts, and then applying what we see in the scripture to [79:22] our life, our thoughts, our behavior, right? As a way of proving, right, [79:31] whether or not we are in the faith. And we have to answer that question. Each person got to answer that question for [79:36] theirel. I can tell you to to I'm blue in the faith whether whether I think you in a faith or [79:42] not. Right? But at the end of the day, you have to answer that question for yourself because if you're not, it don't [79:48] like you don't you can answer it and lie to yourself and say, "Yep, I'm in the faith." Even though even though you sent it, you still going to go into the fire, [79:56] you still going to burn forever, right? And you can tell [80:01] yourself, "Man, I don't know. I'm not in the faith." even though you doing everything you supposed to do. I don't [80:06] know how that one will work out saying you tell yourself you're not in the faith. You know what I'm saying? But you know what I'm saying? I guess according [80:12] to scripture is based off your deeds. So if you doing what you supposed to do, even if you told yourself you wasn't in the faith, guess what? You still going [80:18] to go into the kingdom, right? So it's like it don't matter what I tell you or what you tell [80:26] yourself. All it matters is what really happened. So be honest with yourself about where you [80:31] are and then do something about it. But that's what he's telling them to do. He said, "Examine yourself." Watch [80:47] this. Examine yourselves whether you be in the faith. Prove your own selves. Know ye not your own selves, how that [80:54] the Messiah is in you, except ye be reprobates. But I trust that ye shall know that we are not reprobates. Now I [81:02] pray to God that ye do no evil, not that we should appear approved, but that ye [81:08] should do that which is honest, though we be as reprobates. For we can do nothing [81:15] against the truth, but for the truth. For we are glad when we are weak, and ye are strong. And this also we wish even [81:23] your perfection. Therefore I write these things being absent lest being present I should use sharpness according to the [81:29] power which the Messiah has given to me to edification and not to destruction. [81:35] Finally, brethren, farewell. Be perfect. Be of good comfort. Be of one mind. Live in peace. [81:41] And the God of love and peace shall be with you. Greet one another with a holy kiss. All the saints salute you. The [81:48] grace of the Messiah, our Lord, Yahosua, and the love of God, and the communion [81:53] of the Holy Spirit be with you all. Amen. All right. So, that's that's all the [81:59] books or both of the books of Corinthians. So, next week, I think we [82:04] move on to Romans, right? Because you remember uh Oh, no. Maybe not. I think we I think [82:11] we might have to jump into Acts. We gonna have to get in the act and [82:16] um and I think we um any [82:26] questions? I'm not sure if we having a fellowship call tomorrow or or I I shouldn't say it that way. I'm not sure [82:32] if I'll be joining the fellowship call tomorrow. There is a chance that I will not. Um I will let y'all know for sure [82:40] uh in the band app. Um, [82:47] but for right now, Sabbath peace and yeah, talk to y'all later. Let's pray [82:55] out.