Discernment

00:02 Shall we do the confessions together? I believe in the Almighty God, our father and creator. I believe in the Lord Jesus Christ, God and my savior. He was conceived of the Holy Spirit and born of a virgin. He suffered, died, and rose again. He ascended into heaven. He shall soon come again. I believe in God the Holy Spirit who is worshiped and my guide. I believe in holy fellowship, faithful giving, and service to God in this church. I believe the Holy Bible is the perfect word of God. I am what it says I am. I have what it says I have and I can do what it says I can do. Today, as I learn the word of God here in my spiritual family, I am blessed, healed, and anointed for a holy and victorious living. I will never again be the same in Jesus' name. Amen. And the Lord bless us. Please be seated. Y'all are doing good. We've been studying on the word wisdom.

01:11 You heard of that before? Okay, you all look surprised. We've been studying on the word wisdom from the first Sunday of this month. And I want to continue on that. We looked at wisdom as pastor. You forgot what you preached. We we looked at wisdom as starting with fear of the Lord and we looked at wisdom as shrewdness. something that we Christians generally avoid. We become shrewd with each other. We should be shrewd with the world. Then we looked at wisdom as building builders. Today I want to look at the word wisdom as the Lord taught us on the importance of discernment.

02:14 Discernment is so important. Discernment. Discernment in Bible theology is the spirit enabled ability to distinguish truth from error to identify good from evil. That simple ability to distinguish between the consequences of an action and what is promised. Sometimes there is visible pleasure but it takes discernment to realize the pleasure will be short-lived and the pain will be generational will be longer and that is called discernment. Sometimes without discernment good intentions turn into bad. in the Bible, the word. Sorry, I'm laughing. So much silence. We are a Pentecostal

03:19 church. Today is a Pentecost Sunday. But I appreciate the way you're listening. Really, your mobile phones are all off. No, because now if it rings, we'll all answer it. So in the Holy Bible there are two expressions for the word discernment, wisdom and the word is mystery. Number one, mystery. Mystery means knowledge of things both human and divine which is hidden until God reveals it. Another word is the word revelation which is the exact opposite of mystery. Both mystery is also a part of wisdom. Revelation which is to reveal that which is hidden so that truth and God's will be revealed. Now the word fool is another word in the Holy Bible. The word fool, a moral and theological verdict, not on your IQ and

04:22 intelligence, but on your attitude. On your attitude. Actually, the word fool in the Bible is not about which standard you passed, how did you clear your university? No, that's not the the word fool. We call people a fool usually if they are not mature enough or didn't make right choices. But in the scripture a fool is somebody whose attitude is bad. Maybe the person is a high IQ person. Maybe the person is a PhD in something as in you know technically educated but is a fool because of a poor attitude especially in relationship with God. And this is really where the question of Pentecost today I want to combine the word Pentecost because today is Pentecost Sunday. Hallelujah. Somebody ask which cast are you? Pentecost. So [clears throat] this this whole concept of Pentecost

05:25 began on Mount Si 7,000 years ago, 6,000 years, whatever the timeline when Moses came out with Israelites from Egypt on the 50th day after they came out from Egypt. Okay. They had applied the blood of the sacrifice on the dopost and the lentil and they came out on the uh under the unusual miraculous hand of God, the 10 plagues that preceded it and they I mean imagine rack slaves. Okay. They lost their names and became numbers. And from there, in one night, God built a nation out of them. >> Hallelujah. >> They were cockroaches in the language of Egyptians. That was not planned.

06:31 But God built them into a nation. Now a nation as as great a democracy as it can be in the case of Israel, it was a theocracy. But it requires to be a republic. It requires a constitution. So on the 50th day after they started off from Egypt, God had then opened up the Red Sea for them. made the first international highway in the world was between Egypt and Israel when God built it in the middle of the Red Sea. >> And God said, "Guys, walk across." Somebody, some Bible scholar once did a math and said that that opening that God provided for them was approximately 11 miles wide. Yes. Narrow is the way to heaven. But when God sometimes opens door, it's big enough for generations to go through. [applause] Yeah. So now they come to the other side and the waters come back and

07:37 Pharaoh and gang are drowned in the Red Sea. And on the 50th day after they had left Egypt, God gave them the ten commandments. Starting of the law. Okay. God started giving the law with the ten commandments. That's why in the New Testament, every time you find a reference to the law, it is the ten commandments. Israelites of course were the greatest bureaucracy the world has ever known. They turned that ten commandments into over 600, 700 commandments, including how you braid your hair, how you wear your clothes, how you eat your food. And some God gave, others they made up for themselves. In all of this 50th day is the day the law was given. And therefore that 50th day penta penta penta 50th pentecost became the day called the 50th day. It became a day of celebration because God gave them the law. Eventually it became the feast of the weeks. The time when they would bring harvest to God. They

08:39 would go do harvest and bring the harvest to God. The first fruits they would bring. Pentecost became a feast of bringing harvest. Whatever God gives God, we want to give it back to you. and on the day of Pentecost which is the 50th day after they had left Egypt. And so it was commemorated all the Jewish people around the world would gather in Jerusalem just to praise God and remember how God did it on the 50th day after they left Egypt. God gave the ten commandments. Fire came, wind came and the ten commandments were given to Moses. So when they all gathered in Jerusalem, all the Jewish people, lo and behold, fire from heaven and the wind from heaven, the devout Jewish people said, "Man, this is recreation of what happened thousand 2,000 years ago in the time of Moses. It's happening again.

09:43 That time it happened on Mount Si, but now it's happening in Jerusalem." All these 10 thousands from around the world, the Jewish diaspora around the world that gather for the feast of Pentecost in Jerusalem, when they saw the fire coming, they looked for where is it going? And they found it going to the upper room of Mark, they left the temple. Tradition has no power when the spirit comes. >> They left that lovely cathedral that Solomon had built and Herod had rebuilt. And they ran to the upper room. Where is place? Pentecostal church. Where is place? See people standing outside. This is Pentecostal church. No place. 3,000 people are you know that day got saved. I don't know how many thousands attended. All of them watching fire coming from heaven. Sound from heaven. Peter got up and 11 people stood up with him to preach and preach the power of God as they began to speak in tongues.

10:49 And people criticized and said these Pentecostals are speaking in tongues. They don't know what they are speaking. They're drunk. They're drunk. In the morning itself, they started drinking. Why they acted like drunk? Why did Peter and gang look drunk? Because they had no worry. When you're full of the Holy Spirit, you don't have any worry. >> You know God will take care. >> Amen. But when you're full of the Holy Spirit, you can drive decently, take good decisions, etc. Those who didn't want to clap for this, meet me personally. [applause] I want to pray with you. They were filled with the Holy Spirit. Peter got up and said, "Men and brethren, don't think we are drunk." Now he's giving the historical message to the New Testament church on the day of inauguration because God had given him the keys of

11:51 the kingdom and said, "You will open it." And he got up and he preached about 15 verses. This Jesus whom you crucified, we are witnesses that God raised him from the gravel >> and now he has given to us as he promised in the book of Joel. You know many people say end times have come, end times have come. Started 2,000 years ago. Joel said in the last days I'll pour out my spirit upon all flesh. We are now not living in end days. We are living in the end seconds of the end days. The Lord will come any time. >> Hallelujah. The Bible says as he preached 11 people stood with him and preached does it mean 11 people were reading out together? I mean what what how can 11 people preach together if two people talk together? It becomes family problem. 11 people talking how does this work? What happens is back in those days they didn't have all these JBL speakers. So

12:54 Peter would stand here and preach and the second guy who can hear, he would stand at a hearing distance, he would stand there and shout it out. Then a third fellow would stand another 100 ft away or whatever distance and hear out what the second person said and preach it out 11 times the message would get repeated so that the crowds can hear. That's why the Bible says 11 stood. And the interesting thing is what Peter said is what even the 11th one said. That's what happens when the Holy Spirit comes. [applause] And this entire good fiasco hearing it 3,000 got baptized. I'm telling you real Pentecostal church means each baptism service 3,000 people. >> Hallelujah. >> And in India there is no dirt for population. It's possible. >> Hallelujah. >> That's the day of Pentecost. Then why did God give? So today is celebrated as a Pentecost Sunday around the world in

13:58 the Christian circles. And and the commemoration is today is the day the Holy Spirit came. He came with two express signs. One was fire and the other was wind. Wind because the breath of God ruah the life of God. >> Amen. Holy Spirit is the life of God. >> And the second is fire. The purifying, cleansing, illuminating. Fire always brings light. The warmth that cleanses and the light that gives a sense of direction. That's why God gave that symbolic and that's why today is called Pentecost. And the spirit of Pentecost, the Bible says in the book of Isaiah, is the wisdom of God. Holy Spirit is not for you to just jerk and fall down. It's good if you if you don't jerk also it's okay. You got good shocks. But the point is when you get up after the experience, wisdom must work in our life. >> Hallelujah.

15:00 >> God wants us to walk in wisdom. Look at Acts 2:1. When the day of Pentecost arrived, which is celebration, right? They were all together in these are 120 guys. And suddenly there came from heaven a sound like a mighty rushing wind and it >> where they were sitting. So the Bible is saying when this experience happened, God's wisdom began to flow in people's lives and the wisdom of God brings discernment. >> Look at Peter one day he's standing [clears throat] now. People are bringing offering. He didn't ask offerings. He's my uncle. So he's he's just standing there. People are bringing offering. One couple they brought offering. But they said a lie. Discernment. Peter says, "Why do you lie to the Holy Spirit?" Discernment. Discernment is the ability to pick up what is not visible. Now I'm

16:04 praying to God today as I'm preaching his word all of us will be filled with discernment. We are living in a world that is so very uh confusing, lying, dishonest. Unless we operate in the gift of discernment, bro, it's difficult to survive, sister. Very difficult to survive. Oh, the way he picks you up for the coffee and the way he opens the door for you. I know you're losing strength in your knees, but you know what? You need discernment to understand what is the endgame. What is the plan? >> Hallelujah. All young ladies and boys who can't say amen, God help you. You need discernment. You need discernment. Suspicion is not discernment. Oh, I'm suspecting why he came home late from work. That is not discernment. That is suspicion. We are not we're not talking about suspicion. We're talking about discernment. There are two kinds of wisdom. One is the wisdom that comes from above and the other is the wisdom

17:07 that is worldly. Look at James chapter 3 and verse number 15. This is not the wisdom that comes from above but is earthly unspiritual and three things about wisdom which is not from God. One, it is confined to temporal material categories and the Greek word used in the Bible there is not important. So earthly, I mean it's hard to pronounce. APGO see how crazy it is. So it's earthly confined to temporal material categories. The second word used there is unspiritual which means it's operating out of sooulish ties. It's operating out of lust and personal insecurity. The wisdom from the earth. The third is the word demonic. It's driven by disorder of evil of anger of fear of injustice of uh hubris and pride. It's demonic. The Bible says this is worldly wisdom. It operates at that level. But what is

18:11 heavenly wisdom? Chapter 3:1 17. Let's read. But the wisdom from above is first pure, peaceable, gentle, open to reason, full of mercy and good fruits, impartial, and eight qualities of wisdom from above. One, it is pure, morally clean. Its motives are not mixed. Second, it's peaceable. In other words, it's not about winning arguments. It's about winning people. Third, it's gentle. In other words, they are gracious to those who are weak. Number four, the wisdom from above is open to reason. No matter how wise we are, we're still willing to learn. >> Number five, it's full of mercy. You're willing to forgive. Now, forgiveness has two parts. One is the the willingness to take away the offense and leave justice to God. The second is to reconcile with people. Forgiveness has two parts. Whoever hurt you, you can forgive them. Okay, I'm not going to take action on you. I leave it.

19:13 May God take care. Okay, that's forgiveness part A. Part B is reconciling with that person. Part A you should do whether they repent or no. Part B you should do only when they prove they are trustworthy. Otherwise, you'll have to keep forgiving again and again. Full of mercy. Number six, they are full of good fruits. When you operate in wisdom which is from above, it is not a debatable negotiable. It's full of good fruits. Number seven, it's impartial. There is no favoritism. It's impartial. There is equal dignity for all. That's why in the Bible cast system does not exist. God has created all equal in his image. >> That's why men or women are not superior or inferior to each other because God has created all equal in his image. >> Hallelujah. It is impartial. It respects people. It it gives dignity to all. And number eight, it is sincere.

20:20 Heavenly wisdom is sincere. It's without hypocrisy. It's identical both in public and in private life. The difference between public life and private life is not too much. And and this wisdom is transferable. It's transferable. You find in the life of Joshua, God telling Joshua through the laying hands of Moses, I have imparted wisdom to you. How did that happen? Because he hung around with Moses. He learned from Moses. He grasped wisdom from Moses. That's why your friendships are very determining. Don't take your friendships casually because it's not only laying on of hands through prayer. It's also the touch, the working together. You unknowingly learn from the others. I can't say it the way I want to say it. So, I'll quote a black preacher, afroamerican preacher. Some of you may have heard of him, TD Jake. He says if you've got ticks on you, it's because

21:23 you hung out with the dogs. I didn't say that. There is an impartation from the gang that hangs around you. Psychiatrists say you are the best of the five best friends you have because you are the average of them. >> [laughter] >> Wisdom is transferable and many people are not able to identify God-given opportunities in life because they have blocked their discernment and wisdom with unwanted negative feelings. What are those negativities? Are you all learning something? Are you all happy? Okay, because I'm getting scared in between with your silence today. Is it like a heavy topic? It's okay. Am I preaching good? Okay, thank you. Negative emotions number one, cynicism, chronic suspicion, constant disappointment and expectation of negativity that even if God brings an

22:28 opportunity, can't trust this. Yeah, you you've seen that attitude. Huh? When God brings opportunities, don't shut the door with your negativity. Have the discernment. Clear your mind today. Good things will happen. [applause] Hallelujah. I like that scripture in the book of Hebrews. IT SAYS, "FOR WE HAVE A HIGH PRIEST, CHRIST OUR LORD, WHO IS A HIGH PRIEST of good things to come." >> When Jesus has become YOUR HIGH PRIEST, BRO, YOU GOT GOOD things on your way. >> For he will make even your curse into a blessing. He will turn your situation into a good thing. IT IS THE PROMISE OF THE WORD of God. Heaven and earth may pass away. His word will never pass away. >> Amen. >> Hallelujah. Can God's children all be successful? Yes. All can be successful because we are all created in God's image. Pastor, but I was born with a dsha

23:31 shapa. No problem. When you're born again, it got corrected. Amen. >> You're born again into the blessings. The Bible says the commonwealth of Israel. Whatever God promised Abraham, that spirit of wisdom has come on us. So negativity of chronic suspicion, remove it in Jesus name. Hallelujah. Christians who look at oh this is a correct time. Where is Pluto? Where is Jupiter? You know all these things I tell you in Jesus name you need deliverance. You look at God's will and move forward. Whatever is scientifically okay, that is understood. You know, don't keep your kitchen in the basement. I mean, those things we understand, right? That there, right? But but more than that, don't get into all these superstitions and suspicions and all because then you're throwing God out of the equation. Keep God as the Lord of your life. >> Amen. Second, comparison. This is a negativity that stops you. I'm I'm I'm not giving

24:35 you a scripture for each line, but these are scriptures that the Bible tells us to avoid. So we can see, we can discern what God is bringing. Comparison. Because when you keep looking at others, whether it's on social media or in real life, you will miss looking at what God wants you to do. So stop looking at others and do what God's called you to do. Number three, living in the past. Regret, unresolved grieviances. Don't live in the past. You can't drive forward looking at the rear view mirror. You have to forgive and move forward because if you don't do this, you are missing out many things God is bringing in your life. Many times when I pray with people, parents, you know, outsource counseling. So I'm sitting with them, parents say, "Pastor, get this girl married, pastor." Okay. I'm sitting, sister, you are to get married. Yes pastor when you'll get married whenever pastor what kind of guy you want whoever pastor never seen such open people you know

25:41 and I'm thinking man this girl has no problem this boy is ready to marry anybody any conditions nothing pastor pure versions of hypocrisy because because then I show this photo oh no no that one don't No one this one no this one don't then what you want you started with anything then I learned the secret now first question I ask do you want to marry in your heart you want to marry because many men are looking for female husbands so that they don't have to work hard many woman want to be the female husband because they want to replace their local German shepherd with a husband. So deep in their heart they are not clear about marriage. They don't want to

26:45 marry. How muchever we pray? You know prayer and mantra are different. Prayer is where you seek God's will. Mantra is where you tell those spirits to do what you want. You can't do mantra with God. Our God is a sovereign God. You can't control our God. [applause] Many people pray and expect the results of mantra. It doesn't work. These are two platforms. These are different. One is the light and the other is darkness. Prayer is an area of submission to God. Amen. Don't live in the past. Number four, hurry and overload. A rushed overcrowded mind. The scripture talks about how you will miss out God's opportunities. You need to have rest in God's presence to know what God is planning for you. Discernment cannot come in a cluttered mind. In God's presence, we got to be rested and listening to God. Number five,

27:47 internal fears. You're praying with faith, but it is oscillating between faith and fear. Fear blocks out God-given ideas, God-given opportunities. And even before you can recognize God-given idea, it gets shut off. And number six, the scripture says, he who waits for things to become perfect will never get anything done. Perfectionism, waiting for everything to be perfect. And many times God will bring ordinary opportunities that will turn everything into a miracle. >> Hallelujah. Never despise the days of small beginnings. Never despise the ordinary God brings in your life. Why? Because it will turn into something powerful. Moses, that stick is more than enough if you will just let God have a touch on it. What is in your hand, God can use it mightily. Oh, go ahead. Give God a big hand. God wants you and me to get these things out

28:53 of our head so that we can see what God is going to do in our lives. Amen. Am I helping anybody? Superb. So what do we replace it with? The scripture gives us two things to replace negativity with. There are more negativities but sort of compartmentalized that into six. Six is the number of men. So I put it in six two things to cultivate. There are more but again I've compartmentalized many things into two. Number one is gratitude. Anything comes in your life be thankful. >> Hallelujah. Don't be thankful for it in the sense of soliciting bad things but be thankful for it in the sense of even if this is not good God I'm sure I'll come out better through this. I'm sure I'll come out victorious through this because you are with me. A thankful heart of gratitude is a place where God's purpose will grow in your life. Second is the spirit of excellence. Whatever small or big you have, do it with your best in heart.

29:59 >> Amen. Do it with your best in heart. I've been preaching for 29 years now. and to prepare today's uh sermon, this month's sermon. I mean, I have read the Bible many times, but I read I read over 400 verses from the concordance of the Bible and and I don't know how many commentaries and how many hours of prayer seeking God to prepare 354 minute sermon because my greatest audience is not people. It's about a God who I do it for. Whatever you do, do it with excellence. [applause] Do it with [cheering] sincerity. That's one decision I made when this church began because there was nobody. There was nobody. I was alone. I was feeling so insulted. I was already a teenage preacher going around preaching in conventions as an evangelist. You

31:00 know this annual circus of every Pentecostal church or denomination is a good thing. spiritual thing and uh you know they need performers. So I would be one of those young bloss you know and I I loved it. I loved it. I love because miracles happen. I get to preach the gospel. Somebody will get saved. Somebody will get healed. It's a beautiful experience you know and get to travel you know it's one great way of spiritually staying away from parents and [snorts] uh sorry I mean man Pentecostal parents there can be nothing more dangerous but thank God for them huh they brought us up right so anyway the Lord told me start the church so I I told God this is not good plan this is bad because I know what is Good. I mean, come on. I'm Johnson from Bangalore. Well read. I mean, God I know. That's why the Bible says in Isaiah, God don't need counselors. He just needs people who are obedient.

32:04 >> Amen. >> So I told God, God, here I am. Like Moses said, here I am, but take my brother. You know, he is even my parents keep saying he is far more disciplined, far more polite. You fellow, you are very rude. you just speak out what what your mind is and you have to learn to be polished you're not you can't start a church all of those and they were true they are not wrong so I had to learn so I told God this is not right this is a bad plan and I don't like being a pastor because I have seen my dad suffering you know uh people are very good people especially English service but that people oh you committee my god Jesus terrible fellows you know. So no one big difference between Christian politics and uh national politics at least in national politics they say we are playing politics in Christian they will not say we are praying God will be done you know fair

33:07 enough yes I'm I'm not laughing at it I mean probably that's the best system we have fair enough so I was praying God I don't want to be a pastor because I can't handle these things and you know God doesn't have plan B. It's hard to say amen. I know [applause] God don't have plan B. God's plans are always better than our plans. >> God's ways are always better than our ways. So anyway, I felt okay, God is calling me. So I went to our district superintendent Bishop Dr. Tish uncle. He's a wonderful man. He's a dad's friend. So I went to him and I said I went alone. So I called him, fix an appointment, went to his house. I said, "Uncle uh I want to be a pastor and I want you to ordain me. Give me the ordination." He looked at me. Suddenly his color changed. Till then he was very friendly. All that bishop thing came on him you know. And he said brother have you gone to Bible college? I said

34:10 no uncle are you married? I said no I was 21. you have any children? I said, uncle, brother, do you have children? I said, uncle, no, I'm not married, brother. We don't hire you. We don't fire you. If God called you to preach, you preach. I can't give you ordination. If I give you ordination, I'll be in trouble. You don't even look like a pastor. You don't know the joy I felt in my heart. I thanked him and he asked me to wait. Auntie made me a tea. I drank tea and then I don't know what we spoke. I don't remember. It was not important for me. He gave his regards to my parents. I got back on my Yamaha RX00 and made all the noise way back home. I knelt down in my room and said, "Heavenly Father, I told you." And Bishop also says the same. And you know sometimes the Holy Spirit

35:11 don't shout. He speaks so gently, so irritating. And he said who asked you to go and ask him I told you to start ah 1,000 houses I visited Nagashhatali Anandagi nagar everywhere because I don't want to invite people from our Canada Tamil Malalam church because new people are easier to train than recycling old. This is this is Pentecost Sunday. That's why I'm talking Pentecostal language. So that Sunday I thought a lot of people will come but nobody came. But that day I made a decision. I'm saying all this because last week me and my wife met the first person who came to English service and she and her husband me and my wife we had a lovely time talking about the

36:12 last 29 years of God's faithfulness they are still in the church and uh that day I made a decision whether nobody's there or only one person or five people or 100 people or 10,000 people or 25,000 people doesn't matter I will give my best because my primary audience is God. [applause] I'll prepare. I'll pray. I'll learn to handle what you have in excellence. Be thankful and be excellent. Two things the scripture commands us. And I want to close with a story. I want to close with a story. I know you didn't like what I said, but I'm going to close with a story. Nobody likes closing here. No. What a lovely church. Praise God. God bless you. Be like that. Freeze [snorts] now. Solomon is the example. Solomon, he was the wisest guy, the wisest guy. And I want to show you from Solomon's life something interesting. Solomon was

37:14 born in the most precarious, most scandalous situation. Father David goes for a walk, looks at what he shouldn't have seen. Mother was bathing. Ah, full confusion. Enough. So this fellow was born national scandal. He tried to cover it up. David, that's what leaders do. They control the media. I'm talking about David. So if you're thinking anything beyond what I'm preaching, it is purely your responsibility. Okay? So he managed the situation. He managed it well. But you can't manage God. You can manage your social media account, but you can't manage God. Knock on the midnight door. Who is it? Prophet Nathan. What happened? Prophet in the midnight.

38:17 God's got a case against you. And the thing about David was it didn't matter. He knelt before God that night and said, "God, take away my throne. Take away my kingdom. Take away everything. No issues. But one, I beg you one thing. Don't take away your presence, your Holy Spirit." [applause] Solomon knows all these things. But somehow, okay, he became [laughter] king. When he became king, King Saul had reigned for 40 years. David had reigned for 40 years. This is the only third guy who reigned for 40 years, Solomon. When he became king, God appeared to him in Gibian and said, "What do you want?" And the guy says, "God, I want wisdom." God liked that answer. And God said, "Granted, not only wisdom, I'll give you wealth. I'll give you everything." This fellow became so

39:20 smart that he wrote God used him to write proverbs, Ecclesiastes, songs of Solomon and he built the temple of God in Jerusalem. He rendered famous judgments that have become constitution of many countries in the world today. Even today, the impact of his wisdom built civilizations. He did all of that. But look at first kings chapter 11 and verse number N. And the Lord was angry with Solomon because his heart had turned away from the Lord. The God of Israel who appeared to him twice and had commanded him concerning this thing that he should not go after other gods. But he did not keep what the Lord commanded. Therefore, the Lord said to Solomon, "Since this has been your practice, and you have not kept my covenant and my statutes that I've commanded you, I'll surely tear the kingdom from you and give it to your servant." This guy, what happened? The book of

40:22 Deuteronomy, God had told Moses, "Tell my people that when I raise up leaders among you, don't go collecting wives from here and there." In today's language, don't go collecting relationships here and there. Okay? Because you need to keep your faith pure. The reason why people don't like the God of the Bible is you can't bribe him. You can't bribe him. He's not impressed with what you give him. He wants people who obey him. He wants his greatness to be revealed through your obedience. Amen. Solomon, what happened is he became so wise, notoriously wise, discerning. But this is the crazy thing. You know, even with people who have discernment, ultimately what you know is not what you become. It is what you decide that will choose who you become. There's a big gap between knowledge and behavior. You can have so much wisdom and know everything and yet make choices

41:25 which are against what you know is best. This fellow went and married 700. 700 I mean his and 300 concubines. Concubines is those days it was inferior form of secondass wife. First class wife, second class wife, total thousand in Assemblies of God. His family would be mega church. What a shame. At that time it was a thrill. Oh, I'm going to convert them to the Lord. You know, nations are going to know Jesus. You know, when you do stupid things, you can rationalize it through this. God will save one more family. Solomon did all that. young fellow he knows what to talk wise guy he he did all the jugard but God had told see the problem is you can talk whatever you want but your

42:29 heart will go away this is the power of relationships it doesn't touch your money first it doesn't touch your mannerisms first it first touches your attitudes and heart and this fellow began to build high places to idols and his heart went away in disobedience to God. Solomon was not deceived because he was a wicest guy. Neither was he ignorant. He knew God's law from the book of Moses. But the s and he wrote he wrote about the dangers of what he did or what he was going to do. He knew and he still disobeyed early sin but delayed effects. Sometimes the effect of sin begins only much after the pleasure of sin is gone. Wisdom without obedience cannot save you. Knowing the truth and doing the truth are not the same thing. I want to conclude with the difference between David and Solomon. David was not the smartest guy. Oh, come on. He was not. He was the average guy like us.

43:33 Yeah, he was not. He was not too smart. Solomon was very smart. This guy David was not. David was emotional guy but he had two things different from Solomon. David and Solomon the biggest two differences I see. Solomon was a wise guy who isolated himself. David was not so wise but he had two categories with him. One are the priests. The priests who would take his matter to God. He maintained priests around him. And the second are prophets who bring God's will into your life. He maintained prophets around him. And the one thing that Solomon did, he cut out the priest and he cut out the prophet. He cut out hearing from God and he cut out speaking to God. When you cut out your prayer life and you stop speaking and you ignore the priestly office through your prayer life and when you cut out hearing the voice of God and disrespect the

44:37 voice of God, you are wise. But in the family of Solomon, you don't want to be there. The sad truth is his kingdom was torn into two. And after Solomon's life, Israel was never reunited again until 1947 or 48. And I believe God is telling us today, be filled with wisdom. But wisdom is no excuse to obedience. Your smartness is not on how you can bypass God. Your smartness is on how best you can obey God. Shall we close with Ecclesiast 12? Let's see what Solomon says at the end of his life. He's going to die. And the guy writes this chapter 12:3 and 14. The end of the matter. All has been heard. Fear God. Remember this is the first verse we started with. Fear God and keep his commandments. For this is the whole duty of man. For God will bring every deed into judgment and every good or either on this earth or in the

45:40 world to come. There is nothing that will go unpunished. And there is nothing that will go unrewarded for the good that you have done to the name of God. God will not forget. He is a faithful God who has got his book of memories intact. And he'll make sure you're rewarded by his grace. That's the God that we serve. People on the earth may forget you, but my Jesus, he'll not forget your prayer, your obedience of his word. He is a prayer answering God. Close your eyes and say, "Father, all what I heard about wisdom and especially the importance of discernment, I pray that you'll give me a humble heart that I will not only understand, but I will put it into practice." That as the book of James says, I will not just be a hearer and forget it and not do it and make myself a deceived person, but I'll be an obedient person that is not deceived. Father, I commit my life to you. I worship you. Wherever you are seated or you're standing at the back, I

46:44 want you to talk to the Lord, please. and tell the Lord, "Father, let me apply wisdom, the fear of the Lord, the shrewdness with the world. For the scripture says, be wise like serpents and be harmless like dove, to build on the rock with wisdom, and to be discerning that the Holy Spirit granted to us will not have to face hurdles with our attitude, but [snorts] that we will allow his wisdom to flow in our lives. We will allow his wisdom to work in our lives. That we will treat everything with thanksgiving and with excellence. Not with a spirit of contempt, not with a spirit of suspicion and cynicism, not grumbling about everything, but God give me the grace that I'll be thankful and I'll do excellent. that when you bring opportunities, that when you speak, I will not allow bitterness to shut your

47:47 voice, I will speak and obey what I hear. I'll speak my heart to you as a priest and I'll do what you speak in your prophetic word. I don't want to be in the category of Solomon being the wisest and yet losing it all, but I want to be in the category of David being wise and continuing to obey the will of God to repent when it is required to be learning so that finally I will not have to hear what Solomon heard where God said, "You are bad. I can't work with you." But Lord, that we'll be like David where God said, "A man according to my heart." To have that from God. To have that from God. Father, that's our prayer. I believe this morning there is an

48:50 anointing of healing here. Healing of the past. Healing. Healing. Healing. Healing in different areas of your life. No matter what damage has happened in the past, his healing presence is here. And you will see divine miracles, not by might, not by power, but by my spirit, sayeth the Lord. Hallelujah. If it's okay and if it's not too difficult, would you just lift both your hands to the Lord and make this simple prayer? Lord, fill me today with more of your Holy Spirit. I am ready to receive. Fill me more with your Holy Spirit, with your Holy Spirit of wisdom, with your Holy Spirit of mighty power, with what you gave on Pentecost. Fill me, Lord. Fill me more. Please put your hands down. Heavenly Father, we want to thank you today for speaking to us. And as your people, Father, we thank you that your presence is here. And as we receive your

49:52 grace, we thank you that it will manifest in our lives. To you be all the glory and honor in Jesus mighty name we pray. Amen. Shall we all stand? We'll sing a song. We'll pray and close. Lord, the light of your love is shining in the midst of the darkness. Shining Jesus, light of the world, shine upon. Set us free by the truth. You now [music] bring a shine on me. Shine on me. Oh, shine Jesus. Shine. Fill this land with the father's glory blaze. [music] Set our hearts on fire. Flood the [music] nation

50:58 with grace and [singing] mercy. Save, oh Lord, and let [music] every light, Lord, I come to your awesome presence from the shadows into the radiance by the Touch me [music and singing] dry consume. Shine on me. Shine on me. Oh, shine. Father, anoint your church. Anoint your people. Set our hearts. Oh, flow [music] rivers flow. Flood the nations.

52:03 Send forth [music] your word, Lord, and let there be light [music] as we gaze on your kingly brightness. Come on, church. >> [music] >> Ever our lives shine. Oh shine my Jesus. [music] Oh shine Jesus shine. Fill [music] this the father. Shall we all lift our hands everybody? Oh, set our hearts. Holy Spirit of God, flow [music] rivers. Flood the nation with grace [music] and mercy. Send forth

53:07 your word. Lord, [music] let me be. Go ahead, church. Take a few minutes. Open your mouth. Go [music] ahead. Praise him. Father, in the mighty name of Jesus, the anointing, the anointing, the anointing, the anointing, the anointing, the anointing, the [music] anointing, the anointing. Hallelujah. Anointing of wisdom, anointing of breakthrough, let there be miracles, every kind of bondage be broken in the name of [music] Jesus. The spirit of wisdom, the spirit of discernment, the spirit of discernment, the spirit, the divine discernment. Now let it function. Everybody wherever you are, just take a few minutes praise him with everything within you. Hallelujah. Hallelujah. [music] Hallelujah. Hallelujah. Thank you, Jesus. Heavenly [music] Father, we just want to

54:14 thank you Lord for the word that came alive this morning. We thank you for the spirit of discernment that is coming upon each one of our [music] life. That we will walk in wisdom and above all our heart will be connected to you all [music] the days of our life. That you will bring a change of our heart, reorient our heart. That our [music] eyes will be fixed on you Jesus. We thank you Lord that your Holy Spirit is moving in power and that your healing and your miracle oh God [music] we can experience this morning. We just want to thank you for your presence. Heavenly Father, this morning we pray for those who are celebrating their birthdays and marriage anniversaries [music] this week. Thank you Lord for adding another year into their life. Bless them abundantly. Oh God, this year will be a beautiful year, a wonderful year for [music] them. Oh God, compared to all the other years put together, your presence will fill their life. We pray for those who are traveling this week. Your journey mercies will go with [music] them. We pray for those who have come to the church for the very first time. Their life will never be the same

55:17 again. Your [music] spirit of God will move upon their life and they will experience your transformation, your healing, your miracle. Oh God, Father, we pray for the tithes and the offering [music] that your blessing be upon the offerings that your people are putting into your kingdom. Your presence will [music] fill their life that your provisions will continue to increase in their life. Lord, in this week as they're going through [music] some of them going through pain and suffering. We pray they've lost their loved one. [music] We ask, oh God, for your peace, for your comfort to fill their life. Thank you, Lord, for your Holy Spirit presence in this place. Send us with your peace. and send us with your joy. [music] We believe, oh God, that we will walk in your ways all the days of our life. We give you thanks. We give you praise. [music] In Jesus most holy name we pray. Now may the grace of Lord Jesus Christ, the love of the heavenly father and the sweet abiding presence of the Holy Spirit [music] rest and abide upon each one of us from now and forever more. And the people of God say amen. Amen. We want to take a minute to

56:20 welcome all those who are here for the first time. Thank you for joining us the Sunday service. As you step out, please do go into the guest launch. There's a team waiting to meet with you and talk to you. And all those who require prayers, the pastors are here in the front as well as in the overflow. You can come forward for prayer. Have a wonderful balance of the day and a wonderful week ahead. God bless you. Thank you and bye-bye. >> [music] >> Heat. Heat.

57:24 Heat. Heat. Heat. Heat. >> [music]