Lightly edited for readability while preserving the speaker’s meaning and substantive statements.
[music] [music] Sometimes [music and singing] hallelujah. [music] [singing] Sometimes praise the Lord. [music] Sometimes [singing] gently [music] sing our [music] hearts in one [singing] accord. Sometimes hallelu [singing] [music] sometimes [singing] praise the Lord. [music] sometimes [singing] gently [music] sing our hearts in one. [music and singing] Let [singing] us lift our [music] voicees. Turn toward [singing] the sky. Start to say, "Let [music] us return [singing] our Savior's preious love." And let [music] our [singing] voices ring. Can we do that this morning? [music] Sometimes [singing] hallelujah, [music] sometimes [singing] praise the Lord, [music] sometimes [singing and music] say our hearts in [singing] one accord. Let's sing this next verse and mean it, y'all. [music] Holy [singing] Spirit, overflow us [singing and music] as we are filled from head to toe. [music] >> We love [singing] you, Father, Son, and Holy [music] Ghost. >> We [singing] want the world to know. Do we want the world to know [music] how sometimes hallelujah [singing] [music] sometimes [singing] praise the Lord? [music] Sometimes gently [singing] sin [music] our hearts in one go. [singing and music]
[music] Sometimes [singing] hallelujah. [music] Sometimes praise alone. [singing] [music] Sometimes [singing] gently say our hearts in one [singing] [music] go sometimes. [singing] Hallelujah. [music] Sometimes praise [singing] the Lord. [music] Sometimes gently say [music and singing] our hearts in one accord. [music] sometimes. [singing and music] Hallelujah. [music] [music] Amen. Sometimes it's a hallelujah [music] fellowshipping with a brethren. Sometimes it's praise the Lord and sometimes it's [music] just gently deciding that our hearts is going to be in one accord. Amen. >> Yes. >> Thank [music] you Lord. We love you Lord. >> Yes Lord. [music] >> [music] [music] >> There's healing [singing] in your glory. [music] Healing in your glory. [singing] Thank you, Lord. There's healing in [singing and music] your glory. >> [music] >> healing in [singing] your glory. [singing] Oh, see your glory. [music] I feel the Lord here this morning. [music] This healing in your glory. Sing healing again. There's [singing] healing in your glory. [music] There's [singing] healing in your glory. [music] >> Thank you, Lord. >> There's healing in [singing and music]
your glory. Oh [music and singing] Lord, sing your Lord. [music] >> There's freedom in your glory. [singing] Who needs freedom this morning? >> Yes. [music] >> Freedom [singing] in your glory. [music] Freedom [singing] in your glory, Lord. [music] >> Freedom [singing] in your glory. [music] Oh, [singing] see your [music] room. [music] There's power in your glory. [singing] [music] >> Awesome. Awesome. Power in your [singing] glory. >> Great power in your glory. There's [music and singing] power in your glory. You are the greatest [music] of great power in [singing] your glory. [music] >> Oh [singing] Lord, sing. [music] [music] Come on and sing that out. Come on. Deliverance in your glory. [music and singing] >> Deliverance. Sing it to him. >> Deliverance [singing] in your glory. [music] >> Lord, [singing] there's deliverance in your glory. [music] Deliverance [singing] in your glory. Oh, [singing] [music] [singing and music] >> come on now. Destiny, there [music] is joy in [singing] your glory. >> Amen. [music] >> Joy [singing] in your glory. [music and singing] >> Joy in your glory. >> [music] >> Lord, there's [singing] joy in your glory. [music] Oh, [singing] sing your glory. [music] Yes, Lord. Lord, I thank you [music]
that you send your glory, your presence. Lord, that you touch our hearts. You speak [music] to us, Lord. You said your sheep hear your voice and they follow you. And we thank [music] you, Lord, that you manifest your peace, your love, your joy, Lord, to your people, [music] even when we're going through difficulties. You promised that if we would ask and keep [music] asking and seek and keep seeking, knock and keep knocking that you [music] would answer. We give you praise this morning. [music] We love you and we thank you, Lord Jesus, for all you've done. It's in Jesus name we pray. Amen. Give the Lord praise before you sit down this morning. [applause] Hallelujah. That's one of those old Brownsville revival songs there right there. I remember Lindle doing that for about 10 minutes, 15 minutes at a time. Uh good to have everybody here today, Fire and Grace Church. Those watching and listening everywhere. Uh just to let you know, we had a good vacation. Very restful, very peaceful. Still hot in the mountains, hot as fire. Uh hadn't cooled off a lick up there. Uh hopefully it will soon. But we did have a good restful needful getaway. Um before I invite Kelsey up here to speak this morning, I need to share a little bit. Just a brief thing. Um but I want to say this about Kelsey. Um Kelsey was the first applicant to Fire and Grace School of Ministry ever. That was the first application ever. She was in the first class. She graduated. And I can testify that Kelsey hears from the Lord. And I can tell you that because as I prayed over her at graduation, the Lord spoke to me and said, "Tell her to fast." And that in two weeks the Lord was going to tell her something. And I knew what he was going to tell her, but I wasn't going to tell her. I knew the Lord needed to tell her. I knew, Pastor Nancy knew that she was supposed to come and and be the leader of our school ministry. But I didn't say anything. I said, "Fast and pray. Two weeks." So, two weeks, we talked on the phone. She was still in Pennsylvania. And uh she's kind of scared to tell me. I said, "No, you you got to tell me first." and uh she said, "I'm supposed to come and work for you." She didn't we didn't even know really fully, I guess, exact time what that meant. But with media, she came and at a time we [clears throat] really needed her to fix the media and to lead the school. And little did I know, she had always felt
like she was going to lead a school of ministry. And she she uh epitomizes the word faithfulness. And some people think she's they get on she gets on their nerves a little bit because she's so tedious about things, but she wants to do things right. And I appreciate that and she is faithful. And I'm going to read something here because we always have complainers and naysayers out there who don't seem to understand. They they won't reconcile the scriptures. They take two passages and ignore about 15 others when it comes to women speaking in the church or ministering in the church. Um Paul wrote this to the Romans. He said, "I commend unto you Phoebe our sister," which is a servant of the church. The word servant there is the same exact word used for minister or pastor. Same Greek word. and she was a servant of the church which is in centuria. He said that you receive her in the Lord as become a saints and that you assist her in whatsoever business she hath need of you for she hath been a sucker or mean a helper of many and of myself also. Then he goes on to say greet Priscilla and Aquilla my helpers in Christ Jesus. And then if you drop down he mentions these two. He says verse 7, "Solute Andronicus and Junia, my kinsmen and fellow prisoners who are of note among the apostles who were in Christ before me." Now here in this passage, he names three women. One as a minister of Jesus Christ and told the men, don't give her any issues. All right? And then he mentions Andronicus and Junior, both women who are, he says, hold the office of an apostle. Now, I don't care what you bunch of goofballs out there want to think about this. God said in in Acts chapter 2, in the book of Romans, I mean in the book of Joel, I'm sorry, and also well here in Romans as well. But in Joel and in in Acts where Peter was quoting Joel, he said he God was going to pour out in his last days of his spirit, he said, "Your sons and daughters," somebody say, "daughters >> will prophesy. Your young men will see vision. Your old men will dream dreams. On my handmaidadens I will pour out of my spirit in those days and they shall prophesy." Now the prophesy means to speak with inspiration. to speak under the inspiration or the influence or the calling of God. Um, and if you go to 1 Corinthians 14, we find out what that the gift of prophecy or prophesying is for the edification of what? Well, wait a minute. If women can't speak in church, yet prophecies for the
edification of the church, why would God give women prophecies? Somebody please answer that question for me. And then why would he say this in 1 Corinthians 14 verse um 26? How is it then brethren when you come together? Every one of you. Somebody say every one of you. >> Would that include women >> being involved in? Every one of you hath a psalm. Sing a song. hath a doctrine, a teaching, hath a tongue or interpretation, operation in the gifts of the spirit. Hath a revelation, something God has shown them, hath an interpretation, let all things be done unto edifying. Um, the verses in First Timothy and the verses in uh 1 Corinthians 14 about women not speaking has nothing to do with women in general. The word gune in Greek there means wives and then it talks about husbands. It is a husband and wife issue, not a church leadership issue. And I'm not going to go into all that this morning, but I can just say this. There will never stand a woman in this pull pit that does not reverence and obey her husband and reverence and obey other men and leaders in the church. So having said that, even some of you have an issue with women being in leadership. Just remember, I'm the leader of this church. And therefore, if I say somebody's to preach or teach or share what God has showed them, then they are under my authority and fully permitted to do so. Okay? By the word of God and by the pastor of this church. So, I don't want to hear any nonsense out there. You don't know how to reconcile the scriptures. That's your problem. You understand? Uh, taking one or two passages out of its context and then ignoring a bunch of other. That's how you get every single false doctrine that exists. You understand? Every false doctrine has a scripture, but is it in context with every other scripture on the subject? That is the issue when it come and that is the issue when it comes to women in ministry. But even when the prophet Gene May was here and he prophesied over Kelsey uh back in I think it was 2020, wasn't it? That she was called as a prophet or we should say prophetess. And I believe that I believe she hears from God. She's proven that. and she is going to bring a word to you today that she believes and I believe is from the Lord. So, I want you to give ear
to Kelsey. I I I don't even know. We we we battle sometimes with what even to call her. I guess she we should call her. She's the principal, the president, the chancellor. I don't know. She runs the school. I have very little to do with it anymore. Um, I show up once in a while and do things, but it's it's really her. Um, but Kelsey, come on. And uh, [applause] >> Oh, yeah. I just call myself an administrator. [laughter] I don't know. You can call me whatever you want. I prefer Kelsey. Good morning. >> It's good to be here. Um, I'll try to speak as loudly as I can. I'll apologize if they have to turn me up too much, but um, I was praying about what I was supposed to preach about today, and I believe the Lord would like me to preach about the prodigal son. This is a story he brought back to my mind almost a year ago. And I'm sure you guys have had this too where he wants you to write it down, so you better write it down. Kind of thing. And so I wrote it down and kind of forgot about it until Pastor Dean said, "Can you preach next Sunday?" [laughter] And I was like, "All right, well, I'll pray about it and see if this is what the Lord actually wants me to to preach on." But anyway, um I think everybody here is familiar with the story, right? Yeah. I grew up in church, so we'll get into it, but I grew up in going to church and um I heard this story a lot and you know um the prodigal son decides to waste his father's money with um drinking and harlots and praise God he comes back. And it's a great story, but hearing it growing up I was like that's a great story. I can't relate. [laughter] [gasps] A lot of times when you grow up in church, especially leaders when you're a teenager, they kind of want to hammer home like don't do these sins, don't do these big sins, you don't want to do, you know, stay away from sex and drugs and rock and roll and don't do that. And I'm kind of like, yeah, that doesn't appeal to me. So, okay. [laughter] And when your sin doesn't get called out from the pulpit, a lot of times you can feel like, oh, I'm fine. And that's not true. I definitely had sin. and it just wasn't um as blatant to me as maybe the quote unquote obvious ones, you know. So, it wasn't until I was in college when um somebody kind of told the rest of the story of the prodigal son parable and what happened with the older brother and his reaction and the father's reaction to his reaction where it really hit home and I was like, "Oh, I've done that. That's not good." So, we're going
to get into that. You can put up my PowerPoint. So, I just named this today the offense of the older brother. And you can turn to Luke 15. We're going to read from there and we'll just get into it. But, all right, Luke 15, starting at verse 11. This is Jesus um teaching parables. And he said, "A certain man had two sons, and the younger of them said to his father, Father, give me the portion of goods that fall to me, and he divided unto them his living." And not many days after the younger son gathered altogether, and took his journey into a far country, and there wasted his substance with riotist living. So basically, he said, "Father, I'd rather have my inheritance." Basically, I'd rather you be dead. I'd rather you be dead so I can have the money that I'm owed. And he went on um left his father's home to live the way he wanted. And when he had spent all, there arose a mighty famine in that land, and he began to be in want. And he went and joined himself to a citizen of that country, and he sent him into his fields to feed swine. he would fain had filled his belly with the husks that the swine did eat and known man gave unto him. So ended up in a pretty bad spot and um just so I added this in just because I realized you know sometimes you read stories over and over again without actually looking up what the word means. I've heard the word prodigal before and I don't think I ever knew what it meant but it means what you think it means. It means to spend lavishly, to live um foolishly basically. And then that second um definition, someone who comes back after a long absence was kind of adapted after this parable got popularized, but we kind of know, and Pastor Dean's talked about this many times before. Um if you leave the father's house, you end up in the the pig pit with the swine. um you've [clears throat] you've departed from your salvation. And that's why it's important to pray for those who know the truth and who are in this spot to come back to the father's house. But we'll keep reading here. Verse 17. And when he came to himself, he said, "How many hired servants of my fathers have bread enough to spare, and I perish with hunger? I will arise and go to my father and will say unto him, Father, I have sinned against heaven and before thee, and am no more worthy to be called thy son. Make me as one of thy hired servants." And he arose and came to his father. But when he was yet a great way off, his father saw him and had compassion and ran and fell on his neck and kissed him.
And the son said unto him, "Father, I have sinned against heaven and in thy sight, and am no more worthy to be called thy son." But the father said to his servants, "Bring forth the best robe, and put it on him, and put a ring on his hand, and shoes on his feet, and bring hither the fatted calf, and kill it, and let us eat and be merry. For this my son was dead, and is alive again, and he was lost, and is found." and they began to be married. So pretty amazing story. Um and that is how the father reacts when we come back to him. We come back to um to the blood of Jesus really when we depart from the world and choose him instead. But it's important to see here that the son didn't just come back. He realized, I sinned against heaven. I sinned against my father. And he came back humbly. And he came back saying, I know I'm not worthy, but please, if I can just be a servant, I'll do anything. Basically, just please let me back into um your house. Which reminds me of this verse. For a day in thy courts is better than a thousand. I had rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God than to dwell in the tents of wickedness, which is Psalm 84:10. And it's very true and it's very good for us to remember that um we would be very blessed. We'd be very thankful to have any position in God's kingdom. He chooses to call us his children. But it it would be amazing for us to to be a doorkeeper to be a ser to be at the lowest position possible to just be in the father's house is truly amazing. But we're going to keep going [gasps] and get to the older brother here. All right. Verse 25. Now his elder son was in the field. And as he came and drew nigh to the house, he heard music and dancing. And he called one of the servants, and asked what these things meant. And he said unto him, "Thy brother is come, and thy father hath killed the fatted calf, because he hath received him safe and sound." And he was angry, and would not go in. Therefore came his father out and intreated him. So the father not only intreated his younger son, but went out to entreat his older son as well. And he answering said to his father, "Lo, these many years do I serve thee, neither transgressed I at any time thy commandment, and yet thou never gavest me a kid, that I might make Mary with my
friends." But as soon as this thy son was come, which had devouth thy living with harlots, thou hast killed for him the fatted calf. And he said unto him, Son, thou art ever with me, and all that I have is thine. It was meat that we should make Mary, and be glad, for this thy brother was dead, and is alive again, and was lost, and is found. Now the older brother was older. That means he was in the father's house longer. We know that the parables of Jesus tell us spiritual truths, right? I don't know why exactly he was so offended by his younger brother. Maybe he just felt like he had always been working harder, had picked up slack since he left. I don't know. Maybe he took on offense because he saw his father was hurt when his younger brother departed. But it says here in verse 28, the first thing that happened was that he was angry. So we see right off his heart was not in the right place. So we're going to read a little bit about what the Bible says about anger. Proverbs 14:29, "He that is slow to wrath is of great understanding, but he that is hasty of spirit exalteth folly." That's foolishness that he exhibited there. Psalm 37:8, "Cease from anger." That means don't do it. Forsake wrath. That means really don't do it. Fret not thyself in any wise to do evil. So if you're indulging in your anger, you're doing evil. James 1 19 and 20. Wherefore, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath. For the wrath of man workketh not the righteousness of God. So if you are deciding to choose anger, choose wrath, you are also choosing to depart from the righteousness of God. And I know that sometimes we have anger come up. We're people. It's okay. But you have to deal with it in your heart. If you don't deal with it, it will come out in some way like we saw here. Um, so the first thing that we see the elder brother do is he gets angry and then in that anger, [gasps] oh well, I added this to show you that angry means angry. just in case you were wondering. But what was interesting when I pulled this up, this is just BLB on my laptop, was I scrolled down and it said this, which I thought was interesting. It says Luke 15:28 portrays
the elder brother's smoldering resentment. My goodness. But the older son became angry and refused to go in. Here, anger reveals a graceless heart, indicting self-righteousness, the opposite of what the father exhibited. Right? And if you want to have God's heart, your heart cannot be graceless at all. But I thought that was powerful. Smoldering resentment paints a picture, huh? Yeah. Not good. But anyway, and then the older brother decides to um compare what he views as his plight against how the father's treating the younger brother. And he answering said to his father, "Lo, these many years do I serve thee, neither transgress at any time thy commandment, and yet thou never gavest me a kid. I didn't even get a baby goat." How big is a baby goat? Little. Terry says it's little. She would know. [laughter] [gasps] But as soon as thy son was come, which had devoured thy living with harlots, he was hanging out with these bluesies over there burning up all your money. And you gave him a fatted calf. Not even a calf. A fat one. The one you fattened up. He's saying, "Hey, I've done everything you've asked me and I've I've gotten I haven't even gotten a little bit. Why are you giving him all this? You're killing the fatted calf enough to feed a lot of people. Have a big party. And it's just it's a bad space to be in when we decide to compare ourselves with others in the body of Christ. And I have done this many times. Um thankfully the Lord has has helped me get a lot better with it. And unfortunately, it's easy to do. Um, but we have to remember that we are in the father's house. If you're born again, you are in the father's house. And what does the father say to him? Like, what are you talking about? Everything I have is yours. You've been here. Basically, he's been blinded probably by his anger. Um, and like I said, he was the elder brother, and I'm the oldest sibling. I know it's hard. [laughter] It's hard. You know everything. And no one will listen to you, right? [laughter] That's a joke. >> You're right. >> I'm right. [laughter] I don't think my siblings would agree with that. [gasps] But it is hard. And it's hard. You know, it it's good to be in the body of Christ. We are a family. And it's good to see each other as brothers and sisters in Christ, but we need to
remember being brothers and sisters is hard. Being a family is hard. Um, you can look at your own family and say, "Yeah, actually having brothers and sisters not easy all the time." [laughter] Um, and I would do this a lot being the older sibling. Say, "Hey, that's not fair. I didn't get to do that. How come she's allowed to do that? She's only five. I had to wait till I was five and a half. What? What? What's happening? No, actually, I do remember um I I wasn't that old, but I I do remember my mom saying, and I remember this cuz it made me mad. She said, "I can't treat all of you the same cuz you're not all the same kid." And I didn't like that she said that cuz I didn't have a comeback for it because it's true. And I was like, "Well, that makes sense. I don't like that. [laughter] >> [gasps] >> Um, but anyway, as we get into talking about comparison and all that, I was I was praying about, you know, there's there's more to this. What else what else do I need to be talking about? And the Lord reminded me of um some notes I took years ago. And the reason I bring that up is because if the Lord's telling you to write something down, do it. So, you never know, [sighs] you might need them three or four years later to to preach. [laughter] [gasps] But I wrote down these notes about um finding your identity in Christ. So, you can turn to Romans 12. We're going to read some of this. Now, I've said it, I'll say it again. It's very, very good to have these first two verses memorized, especially if you're a new Christian. Um, but we'll just start. I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. And be not conformed to this world, but be you transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God. It's pretty basic. We're not in this world anymore. We don't do things the world way. We're going to do things God's way. Verse three, for I say through the grace given unto me to every man that is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think soberly, according as God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith. So very simple definition of pride there, thinking of yourself more highly than you ought to think. And then um it's also important to think soberly. That just means you have a sound mind. You have a right mind. You're exercising self-control. But all right, verse four. For as we have many members in one body, and all members have not the same office. So we being many are one body in Christ, and everyone members one of another.
Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us, whether prophecy, let us prophesy according to the prop proportion of faith, or ministry, let us wait on our ministering, or he that teacheth on teaching. Or he that exorthth on exhortation. He that giveth, let him do it with simplicity. He that ruleth with diligence. He that showeth mercy, with chill, cheerfulness. So basically, we need to operate in the way God desires for us to off operate. And we can't be trying to be a different part of the body of Christ. It's not going to work. We can try to force it to work. Um, and that can be, you could be in ministry. It could just be the job you're trying to do or I don't know, whatever, whatever your life looks like. But it's not going to work if we're trying to do somebody else's job. And it it makes sense when you think about a body. If a leg's trying to be an arm, you're not going to be able to walk correctly. It's not going to work out. And we do not need the body of Christ to be out of joint. We have enough coming against us. We have um spiritual warfare constantly. We have the enemy trying to attack us from outside trying to infiltrate within and then we got to deal with our flesh and our sin nature every day. So being a part of the body of Christ and um doing what God wants you to do, doing his will is a blessing. His burden truly is light. Amen. Um, and I'll just read these next two. Verse 9, let love be without dissimulation. Abhore that which is evil. That means hate absolutely disgusted. Um, cleave to that which is good. That word cleave means like to be glued to. Um, not just holding it, but you're firmly fastened to it. Be kindly affectioned one to another with brotherly love in honor preferring one another. I think verse 10 is an easy one to kind of overlook and I've done that before and it was a I remember it was a few years ago Pastor Nancy brought this verse up in prayer and then really meditated on it and preferring one another means you put others first which is how God wants us to operate and it is not always easy. Like I said being in a family is hard. doing what God wants you to do is hard and sometimes um sometimes it doesn't come about in the way you think and sometimes you can kind of hit a lot of rejection before it happens. I've been um to many different churches. I've done all different kinds of serving and leadership positions and some of them I know were blessed by God and some of it was because I was pressured into it and I know it wasn't what I was supposed to be doing. And it
took a while for me to really learn um I I have to do what God wants me to do. I can't just do things because it sounds good or because I want to do it. Um, and a good example of that is, um, in college I was in Campus Crusade for Christ. They're called Crew now, but it's a missionary organization. And I ended up working as a missionary for a couple years. And for one of those years, I was working in Tokyo, Japan. So, I lived there for a year. My main job was to evangelize. Um, which is hard enough with the language barrier. [laughter] >> [gasps] >> It can be tough, but I believed um I was supposed to go. And a lot of times um with crew, usually when people go, it's called stinting, but it's just interning, I guess, for a year. Um they usually end up going for two years. So they'll be in the country for 10 months, they'll come home, support Rays for two months, and then they'll go back. And that was my plan. you know, I thought that um I'd be able to do it a second year. And you have to reapply to do it. And um basically, we didn't have enough people for a team. They need two men and two women, at least four people to be able to have a team to even go. And so, it's kind of a a bummer that we wouldn't even have a team to go. And when people ask me, "Hey, you're not going back." That's what I tell them. And it was the truth, but the whole truth was they actually told me they didn't think I was a good fit. They didn't they didn't want me to come back another year. And that was a harder truth. And it stung. And I was like, "What? Did I not share the gospel enough? Did I not disciple enough people? Like what's going on?" you know, but sometimes when you're seeking God's will, you kind of need that harsh rejection to to really wait on him. And that's what I ended up doing because I went back to Pennsylvania, lived at home, and that's what the only thing I could do was, you know, get a job and um really wait on the Lord. And so, a year went by and I reapplied to work for Crew. I reapplied to go back to Japan and I had different interviews and different phone calls and you know had to fill out forms and make a testimony video or whatever. I kind of forget but I remember going through the whole process getting accepted thinking, "Oh, okay. I I got accepted. I can go back now." And the Holy Spirit said, "No." And I was like, "All right, no." And that happened for about five years. I'd apply, get accepted, Holy Spirit. No. No.
And that's why I was nervous about F and Grace School of Ministry. [laughter] Cuz I really felt I was like, man, this really seems like this is it. But I was nervous. My friends were like, well, why would you get rejected? And I was like, it's that that's not what I'm worried about, [laughter] you know? And thankfully our pastors here, they do want you to pray about whether you're supposed to do the school. They're not worried about numbers or anything like that. Um, you know, tuition's optional, so it's not a money thing at all. They want you to make sure you're following God. And I knew that even though I hadn't been here in person, I knew these pastors were different. I knew that. So I was like, I just I want God to say yes to something, you know, like I want to do something. So man when I got accepted and I felt that confirmation the Holy Spirit very happy [laughter] big blessing but that those years of going through and just waiting on the Lord and waiting and trying to understand you know what part of the body am I supposed to be I don't get it where am I supposed to go what am I supposed to do um what does the Lord want from me basically it's hard but it's also a blessing to be in that season of waiting on the Lord. And um it's good to be firm and steadfast and knowing that you're waiting on the Lord cuz man, I'd get pressure from pastors saying, "Well, you know, it's good to wait on the Lord, but sometimes you need to take the first step." And I'm like, "I don't think those thoughts mesh together at all. I don't think you understand what you're saying there." So, I'd have to politely be like, "Um, no, but thank you. I don't think so. [laughter] >> [gasps] >> And it can be hard um when people are kind of wondering what you're doing. Why are you still living at home? You know, why why I thought you wanted to be in ministry. Why are you working at a daycare? That's not that's not the same thing. I would argue there's a lot you could be doing in ministry in a daycare. But [laughter] I get what they meant, you know, and there's a lot of freedom and knowing and understanding that no matter what part of the body you are, God absolutely loves you and he is using you. And um you don't have to compete for attention with him. There's [clears throat] no small jobs in the kingdom of God. There really isn't. We all need to be working together. We all need to be doing our calling. My calling is not your calling. Is not Pastor Dean's calling. It's not Pastor Troy's calling. You know, it's just we all have our own calling. And you have to read God's word obviously. Hope that's obvious. And spend time with him because if you're not sensitive to the Holy Spirit, you're not going to be able to do your calling. You're not going to be able to follow him. Especially if you're going after God's perfect will.
Um, sorry, I need water. [laughter] Actually, another example of that more recent, um, I think it was a couple years ago, um, I think the Odals were sick. They couldn't come to prayer. I remember all three of you guys couldn't come to prayer. So, Pastor Dean asked me to lead prayer, and I had done it several times before, so I was like, "Yeah, sure. sure, I can lead prayer. And then something in my spirit didn't feel right and felt off. And I was like, what's the deal? I've led prayer before. I'm not nervous about leading prayer, you know, but I was sitting up in the booth getting um some music ready and it just didn't you you know that feeling. It's hard to explain, but it's like something something's not quite right. So, I prayed about it and I just felt like I wasn't supposed to lead prayer. And I was like, well, if I'm not going to lead it, who's going to lead it? And I asked Pastor Dean, I said, "Hey, would it be okay if S led prayer tonight?" And he said, "Yes." And I don't think I gave you any warning. I think you walked in. I said, "Hey, can you lead prayer?" [laughter] [gasps] And that just made it click. it felt right, you know, and there's just a freedom in knowing you're following God's will and also not getting hung up and not really caring about what you're doing. You know, cuz I could have gotten my flesh about it and said, "Well, no, I can do it. Pastor Dean asked me to do it, so I should do it. I'm I'm obeying my pastor if I'm doing it." you know, you can rationalize pretty much anything and deceive yourself, but it um ended up being really good and Sal's let it since then and it's been great. So, it's just important to even though it's like there's nothing wrong with me. It has nothing to do with me. So, it's not about me. It's about following God. It's about listening to him and it's about truly giving your identity to him because if we don't and we get caught up in ourselves um we end up looking at each other um through really fleshly worldly eyes, not through the eyes of the Lord. [sighs and gasps] But in order to for the older brother to kind of get in with the comparison, you know, and get in with his anger, let's go. He was really indulging in jealousy and envy. And I have been guilty of this um unfortunately. But let's read [sighs] what the Bible says about envy. Envy thou not the oppressor, and choose none of his ways. Proverbs 3:31, "Let not thine heart envy sinners, but
be thou in the fear of the Lord all the day long." Proverbs 23:17. So, it should be obvious to us, but we should not be jealous or envious of the world. Um, I think sometimes we've all kind of experienced that feeling of like, man, if I could do things the world way, it would just be easier, wouldn't it? I wouldn't have to worry about feeling convicted or anything. I could just do it the easy way. But it's not the easy way, is it? No. because the world is living without Jesus Christ, which is not how any of us should desire to live even for a second. Um, but I know sometimes it sometimes it happens. It's like, if I didn't have to worry about morality and being good, [laughter] but no, Jesus's yoke is easy. His burden is light. The world's yoke is is heavy and its burden is death, I think. Yeah, pretty much. Um, actually, when I was in school, I remember being really nervous. I I think it might have been the first test, but I think it was finals week, too, cuz I had to take four tests in a week, you know? So, it's just a lot. It's a lot of information. Um, and it it's hard. And I remember um someone close to me who's not she's not saved. She was like, "It's a nine school. You can just cheat. Why are you nervous? You can just cheat." I'm like, "No, I can't. I really can't. [laughter] I cannot cheat." Uh and it would be easy. I actually saw um I take my son to the library pretty often cuz it's free and it's air conditioned. And um [laughter] [gasps] they have a computer lab for families with busy boards that he likes to smack around. And you can see into the other computer lab and I literally saw a woman taking a test on Canvas in one tab and chat GBT open in the other tab going back and forth and I was like wow. But we know it's just um thinking that way. It's just shortsighted, you know, because what's our school of ministry about anyway? It's about learning God's word, really knowing it. The test is for you to test what you know. So, um and besides, God's watching. So, [laughter] [gasps] but anyway, don't envy the world cuz they don't have Jesus. So, what do they have? We read the first part of this, but we'll read the we'll read both verses
now. He that is slow to wrath is of great understanding, but he that is hasty of spirit exaltth folly. A sound heart is the life of flesh, but envy the rottness of the bones. Who wants to be rotten their bones? No. No thank you. And this is just the Proverbs that talked about envy. You can look in the New Testament. Um I was looking and kind of anywhere envy was mentioned, it was mentioned along other sins like murder and strife and all kinds of stuff. So yeah, not good. But envy can come out in a few different ways in the body of Christ. Sometimes you can look at somebody and think, "Why do they have that calling? I want that calling. I bet I could do that better than they're doing it." Or it could look like you lying to yourself. Well, I didn't want that anyway. That's a dumb calling. I don't want that anyway. [laughter] [gasps] Or putting yourself down, thinking, "Well, they're probably God just must love them more than me." and then getting into that doubt or self- condemnation which isn't of God either. And um you know sometimes pride comes out as you thinking more highly of yourself than you ought to think and sometimes it comes out as you just putting others down and trying to trying to put them beneath you. And both ways you're not seeing people you're not seeing yourself through the eyes of Christ. And you know, we talk about um we pray against strife a [snorts] lot. We pray against um people coming in and causing disunityity and things like that. And we really need to be praying against our own wills cuz that is what causes strife is that self ambition. And it just causes all of us to not be able to work together for God's kingdom. And what is God most concerned about is winning souls. That's what we should all be most concerned about is truly winning souls for his kingdom. [snorts] But let's move on. We'll get into that later. Um, I wanted to bring this up because what the older brother said didn't just come out of nowhere. Um, this is Matthew 12 34-37. Oh generation of vipers, what an opening. [gasps] Oh generation of vipers, how can you being evil speak good things? For out of the abundance of the heart, the mouth speaketh. A good man out of the good treasure of the heart bringeth forth good things, and an evil man out of the evil treasure bringeth forth evil things. But I say unto you, that every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the day of judgment. For by thy words thou shalt be justified, and by thy words thou shalt
be condemned. Talk about some scary verses, right? Oh boy. The reason I wanted to bring this up though is what the older brother said didn't just come from nowhere. And I also want to just really emphasize that when you have something in your heart, you have to deal with it or it will come out. You can't just keep things hidden. You can't just push them down. It will come out. Um I can think of times in my life when I thought I was kind of keeping things under control. And no, people notice, especially if you're close with people that have a close relationship with the Lord. Um because it's your spirit. It's your spirit coming forth. But it's important to deal with it whether it's just asking God to um forgive you, repenting. Sometimes it might be a deliverance issue. Um, but I brought um this verse up just for confirmation. Luke 6:45, "A good man out of the good treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is good, and an evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is evil. For of the abundance of the heart, his mouth speaketh." Now, I think that this verse is probably one of the best ways for us to combat um just issues in the body of Christ. Whether we're struggling with jealousy or envy, whether we're offended, um confessing our faults one to another is why this is so important. In order to confess your faults, you have to be humble. Sometimes it's very painful, but um it combats our pride. And I've had to do this a few times. Um the first time I remember there's just a friend that just kind of seemed to have it all together, you know, and I kind of got in my own head of, you know, she's um she was well respected. She was had a very strong relationship with the Lord. I always felt like she just knew more about the Bible than me. She was prettier than me. She was cooler than me. [laughter] And um we were friends though and I just kind of felt that rottness in my heart and I knew I had to deal with it. So, I ended up having a talk with her about it and she had no idea that I felt that way and um I didn't know how she was going to react, but she was very gracious. Um she said, "Thank you for telling me, you know, we're supposed to confess our faults and I think, you know, now this is dealt with." And
um it ended up being really good. You know, she ended up actually inviting me to her wedding after that and she's very sweet. And after I confessed to her, I just kind of felt this relief of I wasn't trying to pretend because I hung out with her pretty often and we were involved in a lot of things together. So when I was around her, I wasn't trying to pretend anymore cuz I was out in the open. It was just kind of dealt with. And I also kind of felt like, hey, that was pretty silly of me to be jealous of her. I'm not her. I'm not supposed to be her. I'm supposed to be me. God loves both of us, you know, and it but a lot of times when you kind of harbor that envy, jealousy, it can really blind you to things. And if I had let that harbor in my heart, it probably would have come out in nasty ways. Um, which ended up happening years after this. Um, it's hard to talk about just cuz it's embarrassing, but this did happen to someone who's even closer to me where I was just harboring resentment toward them and I was acting like I wasn't and everybody in my life could tell that I was. And um, it was hard for me to kind of let go. Actually, I can say I don't think they'll mind it. Um, it was my brother's wife, my sister-in-law, Catherine. I And I truly love her, and I'm I'm so glad she's part of my family. But I don't know, in college, I just wanted what she had. She's a very gracious woman. She's very close to the Lord. Um, very beautiful. And, um, I don't know. I acted like it didn't bother me. I acted like everybody else was crazy, but it did. It really did. And it wasn't until, you know, I just kind of kept pushing it down, pushing it down, pushing it down. [snorts] And it wasn't until a few years ago that I was like, man, I I need to ask her forgiveness. I really do. Even though like we've moved past it. I mean, it's been like a decade or so. Like, don't even think about it anymore. But I' i've never asked her for forgiveness, and I need to. And I felt that heavy on my heart. I think it was a Wednesday here that I felt it really heavy on my heart. [snorts] So I ended up calling her and it was a good talk and um after that I had um pretty significant spiritual breakthrough in my life. And I don't I'm not saying this in the sense that we should be rewarded for doing the right thing because I mean goodness, God already died for our sins. You know, [laughter] we we have a reward, a reward we do not deserve at all. But what I'm saying is a lot of times when we harbor things in our hearts, it just hinders us from having spiritual breakthrough because God like, you still need to deal with
that. You have to deal with that, you know? >> [snorts] >> Anyway, um that's why I think this verse is so important. Um it's important for us to be in unity together, but it's also important for us to grow closer to the Lord and truly have his heart. We can't have his heart if we're harboring unforgiveness, resentment, bitterness, all those things. >> [snorts] >> So, and if we don't, that's where we'll end up. And I've been there. And I don't plan to go back. [laughter] And I pray anybody here listening, anybody out there listening, if you, you know, this is in you, please just repent. Ask the Lord for forgiveness. Um, you may need to go through deliverance. Um, I've gone through self-d deliverance as well um for things like um unforgiveness and bitterness. But just remember the Lord truly truly does love you and he made you and he wants you to be more like him. Um, as I was thinking about this parable of the prodigal son, I was thinking about the father just running down to to embrace his son. And um I was thinking about just how much Jesus covers for us truly covers for us. If you're if you're um ever in that kind of in this um discontent, please read Leviticus and Deuteronomy and read all of the laws that Jesus fulfilled. My goodness. And read what would have happened to you if you had done these sins in the old covenant. [laughter and clears throat] Which brings me to um Deuteronomy 21. Verse 18. If a man hath a stubborn and rebellious son, which will not obey the voice of his father, or the voice of his mother, and that when they have chass chassened him, and will not hearken unto them, then shall his father and his mother lay hold of him, bring him out unto the elders of his city, and unto the gate of his place. And they shall say unto the elders of his city, "This our son is stubborn and rebellious. He will not obey our voice. He is a glutton and a drunkard. And all the men of his city shall stone him with stones that he die. So shalt thou put evil away from among you, and all Israel shall hear and fear.
I can't count the number of times that I have been rebellious and stubborn." You don't need to commit obvious sins to be stubborn or rebellious. You really don't. Um, pride can hit any one of us. Even if you're more of a homebody house cat like me, it doesn't matter. [laughter] You can still fall into these sins that create idols in your heart. Um, so I read this and you know I've read this before. I've read Deuteronomy before. I've read this chapter before. But the next few verses just hit me a lot harder um when I was reading them the other day. This finishes out the chapter. Um, and if a man hath committed a sin worthy of death, and he be to be put to death, and thou hang him on a tree, his body shall not remain all night upon the tree. But thou shalt any wise bury him that day. For he that is [snorts] hanged is a cursed of God, that thy land be not [snorts] defiled, which the Lord thy God giveth thee for an inheritance. >> [snorts] >> Um, when we get so caught up in ourselves, we're basically telling Jesus, "Yeah, I know you died. I know you became the curse. I [snorts] know you took death away from me, even though I discern it, but [snorts] there should never be a butt." [gasps] But I don't like that my brother got to take all your money and um come back and he's treated like this. [snorts] Just completely disregarding all of the sins Jesus died for. [snorts] All of the sins you've committed and will commit cuz we're not perfect. we're still go undergoing sanctification. [snorts] We should never be saying, "Well, I know you love them and I know they're born again, but I don't like how you're dealing with them and I don't like that they get to do this, that, and the other thing." First of all, why do you care? Why do we care? We shouldn't. We should find joy. If the older brother had the father's heart, he would not have hesitated to go and dance and sing and and just be so thankful. Oh my gosh, my brother's back. He's alive again. I thought he was going to die. You know, [snorts] really, a lot of times the problems we have as Christians is we just lack God's perspective. we really lack um what God's doing in us
through us when we're through those tough times, when we're in those seasons of deeper sanctification that are painful. [snorts] When we compare ourselves to each other, when we [gasps] [sighs] commit sins that God says, "Hey, don't do. Don't gossip about each other. Don't um backbite, you know, [snorts] don't don't do these things. Prefer one another. I think sometimes we get [sighs] so caught up in in things that we forget that God has given us so much instruction in his book. And it's not wrong to want an um a supernatural experience. It's not wrong to want or desire word from the Lord. You know, we should desire more of the Lord, but he has given us so much in this book, and so many times we're unwilling to really seek it out and study it and think, how does this apply to me? What am I doing [snorts] that's going against the Lord? What is his will for my life? Um, I have time. Yeah, I have time. I got three closes. All right. Close number one. No, [gasps] I wasn't sure if I'd Can you put up First John chapter 5? I do want to touch on this. [snorts] Um, [sighs] go to verse 13. All right. First John 5 and then verse 13. Yeah. These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the son of God, that you may know that you have eternal life, and that you may believe on the name of the son of God, Jesus. And this is the confidence that we have in him, that if we ask anything according to his will, he heareth us. And if we know that he hear us, who whatsoever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we desired of him. If we ask anything according to his will. According to his will, according to his will. There have been many, many time I', like I've said, I've been in many different churches [gasps] and many people say, "Well, God knows the desires of your heart," [sighs] implying he'll give you whatever you want. No, we need to be willing to have our heart changed to have the father's heart. And I would get this a lot. And sometimes it's hard. Sometimes it's hard feeling like he doesn't see you or he's not listening or your prayers aren't being heard. Sometimes it is hard. Um,
[snorts] you know, I struggled with that a lot, especially being single cuz people like, "Well, why are you still single?" I'm like, "You have to ask God cuz I don't know, but [laughter] I'm not going to get married unless he tells me to." And you know, people well-meaning would say, "Well, well, do you go on dates? Do you put yourself out there? Do you do this, that, and the other thing?" I'm like, "No, I stay at home and knit and read." So, [laughter and gasps] can't super find a man that way, but that's all right. Cuz the man I'm focused on right now is Jesus. >> And it would be hard even within my spirit. Cuz people would say, "Well, God knows God knows your your heart. So, I'm sure you'll be married at some point." And I'm like, "Maybe." But and I that is something I wanted. and that, you know, I wanted a family, but God doesn't owe me anything. I, you know, so, and that's happened in other things as well. Um, people say, "Well, God God knows your heart, so God knows God knows what you want." It's like, "Well, God knows what I want. God knows what I need, and God knows what I need to become more like him. and to be closer to him and to win souls for his kingdom. And that's what our hearts need to be focused on as well. And um you can go back to my PowerPoint, please. But the last uh verse I'm going to leave off of is Proverbs 19:11. The discretion of a man deferth his anger and did his glory to pass over a transgression. I wanted to add the Amplified Bible just because. Well, you'll see. Good sense and discretion make a man slow to anger, and it is his honor and glory to overlook a transgression or an offense without seeking revenge and harboring resentment. So, you don't do anything about it, but you also deal with what's in your heart about it as well. Amen. >> [snorts] >> Um, I have unfortunately related to the older brother many times and you know that's all Jesus said. He didn't he didn't expand on that parable. We're left with the father's words of addressing his older son of you you have access to everything. What are you talking about? but also um putting him back in check of my son over here, your younger brother was dead and now he's alive again. It is good that we celebrate. So that's what I wanted to share with
you guys. just lay out my faults. But I think it's good for us to share what we've learned from the Lord and how the Lord has taken us through things because we all have different stories and it's good for us to to share what God teaches all of us. So, amen. [applause] >> Amen. Amen. Let me just say what a great message that was. how important it is because really what she's talking about within a church family is what causes all kinds of strife and division and hurt and problems. It all boils down to that. We get envious. Why does this person do this or get to do that? Why do they have this? Why do they have that? That whole envy thing and that jealousy thing. um it can creep in and I mean it tried to creep in a few weeks ago. I mean Troy didn't call on everybody to come up and pray for me and some it was easy for you know some people that didn't get called on to go why didn't he call on me? Well, uh why do you care? >> You know what I'm saying? He couldn't. You know, but what I'm getting at is that something that simple turns in can turn into a big thing if you let that older brother syndrome uh get down into your heart. And you know, I'll admit something that's that message spoke to me. I'm dealing with that. I'm dealing with an issue with that in my own heart I'm trying to deal with because it's a we we have these battles, right? We have these battles inside of us that nobody can see. And you know, it's good to hear. That's why it's good to hear from different parts of the body because you get different perspectives on things. And I think I tell you what, the last two messages I've listened to from Kelsey, what I love about her is she just tells you what she what she's struggled with, what she's gone through, and how she's overcome it, walking with Jesus and staying in the word and uh letting God deal with her heart and going to people and making things right. And you know, that's what what a lesson. If everyone would do those things, we would have far less division, strife, and problems in not just local church, but Christianity in general. Um, you know, and so again, great message. I think it was timely message because I actually know some issues that are under the surface in our church that, you know, uh, I think the Lord is addressing. So remember this, too. Um, God speaks through whatever vessel he chooses. And today, God spoke to you through Kelsey. Sometimes he may even speak to you
through a little child. You got to be humble enough to recognize when God is speaking to you through whomever it is and receive it. You understand? And so I pray everyone will take this message, even go back and listen to it again because I believe it's that important. And I had no idea what she was going to to preach or teach today, but this word is from the Lord for this church, I know, and probably for some of you watching out there as well. um we got to deal with, you know, and I did the heart series, I don't know, probably about a year ago, and one of the things I covered was envy and jealousy. Um but she came at it from another angle that needed to be addressed cuz you know, sometimes we do look at a brother or sister and go, "Why do they get to do that? Why are they blessed in this area? Why do why are they not why why are they healed and I'm not healed? How about that one? Why did God do a miracle for them, not for me? It's real easy there. That's older brother syndrome starting right there. You know, you should rejoice that God did it for them >> instead of what? Starting to get angry because you don't have it right. Let's stand. Good message dealing with the heart. My my wife is Yes, dear. >> Come here. Yeah. >> I just wanted to confirm something that the Lord was speaking to me this morning was that confess your faults one to another and pray for one another that you may be healed. Um, I think a lot of times what was coming to me this morning, it's so easy to confess to God, but it takes humility to confess to one another. Whether it be the person you're offended with, whether it be the person who you know hurt you, or whether it just be confessing something that's going on. Um, and we find this with deliverance. A lot of people will want to have now everybody should do some self- deliverance but there's another step in confessing it to other people and getting total freedom and that's where a lot of people resist is speaking it out to other people because it is dirty and it is ugly and it is yucky because it's sin that Jesus died for and it's it's bad. But you've got to come out of that darkness. And and I did a message before at Skyfall. If you don't do that, the enemy will always have a hook in you because you'll always have a secret that he can use against you. And so I just felt like I was supposed to confirm that. That was very important part of the message is confess it. You know,
confess it and get it out of you. >> Amen. Amen. Amen. And kind of on another topic, but I feel I need to say this today. Um, you know, sometimes we the our church gets attacked different ways. Churches get attacked, but Satan, he plans different things and he works in different ways until he can uh sew a [snorts] division. I want to I want to say this too. Beware of putting too much stock into dreams. I know the Lord can speak to us through dreams, okay? But let me just explain to you something. I've had dreams that were clearly prophetic or spiritual words of knowledge from the Lord over the years, but let me just go on and tell you that about 95% of the dreams I have are not from him. Thank God they're not. So, what I'm saying is sometimes the enemy will seow a dream in your head against somebody else or to sew suspicion about somebody or something when it's not the Lord doing it at all. Um, be honest with you, I tell my wife all the time, I put very little stock in dreams unless it actually comes to pass. You get what I'm saying? If I have a dream and it just exactly comes to pass or in in fulfilled in some way, then you can know that it was from the Lord. Most of the time, you're not going to know for sure whether it is or so. I'm I'm just saying beware. Uh as a family, we've been reading the Bible. We we read the first half of Ecclesiastes uh I think last week or the week before. And one of the things it says that that dreams can come from a multitude of busyiness. And I mean like I had a dream this week. Everything we talked about the night before was included in this weird dream. It was like just like and I woke up knowing, oh boy, that was just all of the discussion and busyiness in my head. But beware when it shows something in you about another person, your spouse, um your pastors, your church family, somebody. Be aware of that because um that could be the devil starting to sew something and and if the Lord's trying to show you something through a dream, he will confirm it other ways as well. Okay? So, I'm just saying be careful. Us Pentecostals must be careful with spiritual experiences and dreams are really they are spiritual experiences, but they're not all from from the Lord Jesus. Some of them are from the devil and some of them from our own busyiness of our own minds. Okay? So, just be careful with that. All
right? Let's pray. Father, thank you today. thing. I sense your Holy Spirit here dealing with things in our hearts, giving us warnings, uh convicting us to deal with everything in our heart. And Lord, we are so grateful [snorts] that you took our sins in your body and you hung on the tree and became a curse for us so that we could be freed from the curse. It is through your precious blood that was shed. You You never sinned, yet you died for sinners. And we are grateful that through faith in your blood, faith in your word, letting your Holy Spirit deal with us, that we can be washed and cleansed and changed and renewed in the spirit of our minds. We can be sanctified. we can become more like you as we are just humble and let your Holy Spirit convict us and deal with us about pride and envy and jealousy and uh backbiting and gossip and all the other things that come in and try to divide us from one another. Lord, help us to truly love one another. Help us to be slow to anger, to deal with offense and bitterness and unforgiveness, to not let little misunderstandings become massive cancerous tumors in our spirit. Lord, you want your church to be in unity, to love one another, to forgive one another, and to think the best, and to believe the best, and to hope the best. Help us to do those things about each other. And I pray this in Jesus name. Amen. And amen. All right. Well, y'all know the drill around here. You got to what? >> Hug some necks before you leave. God bless y'all. We'll see you next time.