Scripture Reference: 2 Corinthians 6:16-18 (AMPC); James 4:4-6 (MSG)
Welcome to church. Very glad to have you with me this morning and I am very pleased to be able to minister to you. I guess every time Pastor Sharon or I do this kind of ministry to you, we really, really, really wish we were doing it in real life rather than doing it on the camera. I pray and I trust that it won’t be very long and we will be seeing each other face to face again.
In the meantime, we have been very busy with a number of projects, some interesting things, so watch out for some new information about some new things coming your way and we’re just blessed that God has given us a platform and an opportunity to be able to minister to you in different times, different ways and with new things. New doors are definitely opening up for us and God has really supernaturally given us an increase while we have had to be in lockdown and shutdown, whatever you want to call it. Really, God has been very, very good to us. We’ve truly experienced new doors, supernatural increase and the Lord really has begun to minister to me that the second part of this year is going to be accelerated. He is going to do amazing things for us in the second half of 2020 in line with what Brother Jerry prophesied and in line with our declaration and our prayers have been preparing for us. I’ve got some things to share with you on my heart this morning but I just want us to pray together before we get into the Word.
So just join me in prayer. Father, we thank You in Jesus Name that You anoint these words that You are the God of love, You are the God of care, You are the God of meeting all of our needs, You’re our Provider. Thank You, Father God that You are our protector, and even right now as we are ministering Your Word across the airways that Your anointing touches the people’s hearts, touches their minds, touches their lives and they immediately begin to have an experience with You right now in this moment as the Word of God is ministered through this vessel because Father, whatever we are doing, I am only Your vessel to speak words on the platform of the television and the airwaves, broadcasting on a digital platform is only just a tool and so Father we thank You that You minister through this tool and through this vessel so that Your people can receive everything that You have for them in this hour, in this moment, in this way so that they are blessed with all heavenly blessings, spiritual blessings, and that everything that they need materially, soulishly and spiritually is met in Jesus’ Name, hallelujah.
I thank You Father, please keep praying with me, I thank You Father that You minister to our president and that You give him supreme intelligence and wisdom and understanding that in this season he will make the right decisions in the right time for the benefit of God’s people, for the church and for everybody in South Africa. I thank You Father that those that are around him that shouldn’t be there, please move them out of the way. And I thank You Father that those that should be around him will give him God ordained, God wisdom and understanding and council that will cause all South Africans to prosper, that You put them around him now in the name of Jesus. I pray Father that You send him Daniel’s, that You send him Josephs, that You send him all good kinds of intelligent people, that are much wiser than actually titles could ever imagine. You send them to him in Jesus name. Hallelujah. I thank You Father that for all of Your people you bless the success of their hands, cause them to prosper, cause them to be alert and nimble and aware and responsive to the leading of the Holy Spirit, in Jesus name. Hallelujah.
Well that was just in my heart, for us to pray together today before we started the ministry of the Word. And so you may want to just put your hand on your heart and say ‘I am a Son of God and I receive everything that God has for me today, in Jesus name’ Amen.
Today I want to talk to you about mixed messages. Mixed messages. It’s interesting that in this world that we’re living in right now that there are so many different messages that are being proclaimed by various kinds of people, different kinds of authorities, different kinds of so called influencers, there are just a lot going on, lots of voices, lots of messages, lots of platforms, lots of opportunities for information to come your way. It was interesting just recently I was having a conversation with somebody and we were talking about knowledge and how you can receive knowledge from so many different avenues, I mean different platforms. And I said well actually you’re receiving information. Knowledge is something different. If you know something, versus having information about something, one is an intellectual recognition the other thing is actually having a more holistic experience about the information.
So how can I put it, perhaps a better way of doing it is if you are studying for a medical degree, you are studying to become a doctor, studying medicine, well the first thing you would study would be biology you, would study chemicals, you would study the physiology of the human being and you would begin to accumulate information. But then you would need to progress to a part of your learning where you would actually begin to work with the human body and you would have to begin to work with your hands on human bodies in different ways, and so the only way that you could actually get to know as opposed to being informed is if you actually applied what you learned. So, I know when I was trained medically when I was in the military so that I could be the first medical responder if we were anywhere and somewhere. And so what they wanted me to do was to have first hand knowledge not just information about how to do stuff. It was very interesting, as what I needed to do was to be able to put a drip in someone, so they would show you this is how you look for a vein, this is how you put the needle in, this is how you open the drip tap, this is what you do.
First of all you get the information, then you observe them, again you increase your level of information, you observe somebody that is experienced put a drip into someone’s vein, and so they would teach you that you could find a vein, certainly on the hand or you could find a vein here in the crook of your arm, and so they would teach you how you could find veins somewhere so that you could put in a drip. But then the time comes when you could no longer learning about putting drips in, you have got to start by doing it, so what happened for us is you would pair up with someone, and then it would be your turn to take the needle, find the vein, press the needle in, put the plaster on, switch on the tap of the drip and let the drip start to flow. The more you practice that the better you become at it because you don’t want to be struggling to look for a vein when a man’s or somebody’s life is at stake or it’s an urgent thing that you have got to put a drip in.
In the same way I was taught actually to immediately identify wounds that required dressing, that required stitches, that required things immediately; it’s one thing to know and to learn something, but it’s another thing entirely to do something.
And so part of my training at that time was, we actually spent time in government hospitals where we would help nurses and doctors, and when people came in with cuts and wounds they would ask us to go and – under supervision, to start with – they would ask us to do the stitching, they would ask us to do the dressing, they would ask us to do certain immediate analysis, mostly in the trauma wards and the emergency theatres, because actually that’s what we were being trained for.
So I’m just sharing all of that with you because I’m wanting to show, to say to you that we’re living in a world where, if you have a lot of people sharing information, you can get a lot of mixed messages of what’s right, what’s wrong; what may or may not be a good or bad option for you.
And so, a lot of people are saying today you must follow the facts, follow the facts. Well, you know, to me my life is not so much about facts, although you can’t ignore facts; my life is more about truth. So if there’s a mixed message about, you’ve got to follow facts, well facts can change! Facts can change day by day. Facts can change by circumstance. Facts can change by many things that happen. But if you follow truth then you start to cut out the noise of mixed messages, and so then you become more steady, more steadfast, and more oriented in your walk with God because you no longer have to follow facts, but you follow truth.
So I’m wanting to share with you from second Corinthians chapter 6. Verse 16 says 16 What agreement [can there be between] a temple of God and idols? (2 Corinthians 6:16 AMPC). So the one is, I am a God person, I have the Holy Spirit and Jesus living in me, and any other information that comes in my world that causes me to be distracted, and causes me to be influenced, and causes me to want to go in a direction in life that is not the best for me that God wants for me, I may be opening myself up to mixed messages. Certainly, if I agree that I’m a temple of God and that I am God’s child, I might open myself up to facts, and then I’m more about what’s humanly real versus what’s spiritually true.
I’m going to keep reading. 16 For we are the temple of the living God; even as God said, I will dwell in and with and among them and will walk in and with and among them (2 Corinthians 6:16 AMPC).
So God is saying, “I’m going to dwell with you and walk with you. I’m going to dwell in you, I’m going to walk with you, I’m going to walk amongst you, I’m going to dwell with you. You are My people, I am your God.”
This is significant because when you recognize this then everything that God is; is truth. It’s not about what facts you face, it’s about the truth that God is dwelling in you, is with you, is among you and He’s got your best interest at heart because you are the temple of the Living God who dwells in you.
By the way, this is the Amplified translation. I will be their God, and they shall be My people. This is the best kind of life to live. There’s no mixed message here. I will be their God, and they will be My people. I will walk with them, I will dwell with them, they’ll be in Me, I’ll be with them. This is the ultimate life to live. This is the way God wanted us to live.
So, the next verse, verse 17. 17So, come out from among [unbelievers], and separate (sever) yourselves from them, says the Lord, and touch not [any] unclean thing; then I will receive you kindly and treat you with favor. (2 Corinthians 16:17 AMPC). Okay, so I just want to clarify here. Although this generally speaks about people that don’t have any belief in Jesus whatsoever, they are not Christians you can have as much damage done to you by a Christian who does not believe in something as you can, to being amongst an unbeliever completely. So just for example, if you’re around an unbeliever, well they’re not going to acknowledge God in anything and so, of course, that can damage your walk with God because their language, their culture, the way they go about things is going to have an impact on you. But what about a Christian that actually does not believe in prosperity and they believe God wants you to be poor and they believe God wants you to experience humility through poverty. Well, then that person can cause as much damage to you as someone who doesn’t believe in Christ at all.
So, if I can say, 17Come out from among [unbelievers], and separate yourselves from them, says the Lord, and touch not [any] unclean thing; then I will receive you kindly and treat you with favour (2 Corinthians 6:17, AMPC). So do you want kindness and favour from God? Well, don’t listen to the mixed messages that unbelievers give you. Listen to the truth that Father God is bringing to you and then verse 18 says, 18And I will be a Father to you, and you shall be My sons and daughters, says the Lord Almighty (2 Corinthians 6:18, AMPC).
Now God is making this really personal, He’s making this the ultimate, personal, connected relationship – sons and daughters, I want to live with you, I want to dwell with you, I want to be in you, I want to walk with you, I’m going to be part of you and you’re going to be part of me, and I will be. I want to be your Father and you can be My son and daughter. This is personal, this is legacy, this is heritage, this is covenant. There is no way God’s walking away from you if you separate yourself from unbelieving things. So that is as simple as conversations, thinking, ideas – walk away from those unclean things that want… that mixed message that wants you to doubt who God is in your life, who wants you to doubt that in desperate times God is going to come through for you. On the contrary, it’s the desperate times where God wants to say, I am your Father, you are My son, you are My daughter, I will walk with you, I will live with you, I will dwell in you, I will be with you everywhere, every time, all the time, there is no separating us, because We are family. This is the ultimate covenant experience. What an amazing awesome God we serve.
I want to read out of the Book of James to you from The Message translation, James chapter 4, and I want to read from verse 4. Don’t shout me down now until I’m finished ministering the Word to you. Hear what the Word says in The Message translation, 4You’re cheating on God, if all you want is your own way, flirting with the world every chance you get, you end up enemies of God and His way (James 4:4, MSG). My goodness, God is actually really making this personal. You’re cheating on God if you’re flirting with the world. In other words, how do you flirt with the world? You just listen to, and you respond to, and you’re influenced by and you’re just – everything that those messages keep coming to you.
5And do you suppose God doesn’t care? If you’re listening to things in the world and you’re following suggestions that says, “I want things my way?” 5Do you suppose God doesn’t care? The proverb has it that “he’s a fiercely jealous lover.” God really is making this personal and in our conversation today, God is making this personal. And He’s saying, “This is not a time for you to listen to mixed messages about whether God can take care of you, whether God wants to take care of you, whether He desires to be taking care of you and wants to be part of everything that’s happening in your life. On the contrary, God is a jealous God and He’s seeking intimacy and love with you – especially so that in times of difficulty He can show you just what a wonderful, loving, supreme God He really is.
And I want to just continue reading verse six. It says, 6And what he gives in love is far better than anything else you’ll find. What God gives in love is far better than anything else you’ll find. Why? Because His love for you is unconditional. There is no condition. The only condition He’s saying is, “Don’t go after idols.” I was reading previously from the book of Corinthians and now the book of James puts it in a different way out of the Message: “You’re cheating on God. You’re going after idols.” In other words, you are going after suggestions about “Live life your own way. Do things your way. Just pursue life the way you want to live life.” There is nothing better than the love of God. Nothing better than the love of God.
I’m going to read it again, 6And what he gives in love is far better than anything else you’ll find. It’s common knowledge that “God goes against the willful proud; God gives grace to the willing humble.” (James 4:4-6 MSG) So how does this fit into the picture? Well, here’s a proud person. A proud person says, “I can take care of myself. I can live my own life. I can pursue my own agenda. I can pursue my own thing. After all, I’ve got gifts and callings and talent. I can make things happen for myself.” Well, God certainly is not going to impose Himself on you. He’s going to say, “Sure, I gave you a will. I gave you gifts and callings and talents.
I gave it to you before you were born and if you choose to use it and be self-willed about it, well, that’s just pride. That’s just prideful, there is no humility in that because actually, what you are saying is, it’s about me and I can do what I think to solve my own problems.
A humble person recognises that this is, is in the love relationship. It is in the love walk with God that I willingly say to the father, “Father, I want to walk with You. I want to dwell with You. I want You to live, I want You to live in me, I want to live my life through You, I want you to be among everything that I am dwelling in,” So as I am dwelling among my business dealings, as I am dwelling among my relationships, as I am dwelling among every part of details that I am doing, driving my motorcar from place to place going about my business, there You are with me and I am with You and You are with me, we have this really powerful relationship, this union, this awesome, awesome development, this awesome growing intimacy that is between me and You, so God says, “Then I will treat you kindly and I will give you favour.”
Now, the kindness of God and the favour of God is so beautiful, it is so powerful that it is the kind of thing that you can’t, money can’t buy it, it is things that just happen to you that you can’t actually begin to even account for.
I’ve shared this with you in a previous session about how God has just blessed us in this time of lockdown and I shared with you how God had put it in my heart years ago to have a fitness, nutritional, conditioning, health outlet platform which then became known as Slipstream Athletic club. And so for me, years, it was just bubbling, bubbling, nothing really going on, not much happening and then lockdown happened and we decided to do a challenge and suddenly, we had hundreds, literally hundreds of athletes joining the programme and joining what slipstream was doing, many, many cyclists, many athletes just enjoying what we were doing.
I couldn’t pay for that. I couldn’t do enough marketing for that, I couldn’t do enough suggesting about it but just like that, because I put God first place, he treated me kindly, He treated us with favour and before we knew it, His blessing rested upon something supernatural increase came and God opened new doors for us, “I trust in the God that walks with me, I trust the One that lives inside of me, I trust that as we walk through life together everything that He, that He truly wants the best for me, He’s so jealous for my wellbeing that if I even suggest that there is an alternative way to get things done other than God’s way He is jealous about it. He is saying please, let me come show you how greater life we can live together and how great your life can be when you live in me there is no down side to this there is only upside to walk closer with God and enjoy all the good benefits and all the good things that God has provided for us.”
No wonder He talks to us about in the context of He is our Shepherd and He leads us, and we shall not want and He prepares good things for us and He gives us all blessings to enjoy and daily He increases us with benefits, daily He increases us with benefits, we have really everything to be thankful for.
I want to just finish our time together today to say truly the people will present much information to you, much information they will prevent, they will share experiences with you, they will share information with you, they will share facts with you and they will do it so that they can entice you, they can entice you to give more credence, more credibility, more value in what they say rather than in what God says and sometimes it’s hard to ignore if your body experiences symptoms of sickness and disease. Sometimes it’s hard to ignore those symptoms but you can either go with the facts or go you can go with the truth and the truth is that God is my healer and He by His stripes I was healed and because I was healed I can walk in healing, I can walk in health, divine health and God touches my body and blesses me with health and wellbeing because He wants to treat us kindly with lots of favour.
Praise Jesus, so I want to encourage you that in these times, in these moments, in these days especially as we can’t, we don’t have the capability to fellowship and extort and encourage each other, in fact I want to suggest you reach out to somebody this week, talk to somebody, phone somebody, speak to somebody in the church, your friend and minister the word of God to them as say the Father is on your side, Father is wanting to treat you with kindness and favour and blessing and all daily benefits and good things.
Begin to speak life to somebody, maybe your partner at home, maybe it’s a friend that you can call, maybe it’s somebody that you would normally go to the Prayer Connect Group with and you haven’t been, maybe you can speak to them, encourage them and bless them in the word, cause that will be the part of showing of loving kindness. The blessing of God to one of your brothers in the Lord.
I just want to declare as we finish; I am son of God. Won’t you say it with me? I am a son of God, and I thank You Lord that You treat me kindly and You treat me with favour. I thank You that you love me so much, that there is nothing better in life than Your love. And I put my trust in that love that You never leave me, nor forsake me. And I thank You Lord that even though in my humanity sometimes I want to believe the unbelievers, I make a choice today that I separate myself from unbelievers, unbelieving messages, unbelieving circumstances. And I connect myself and I believe in the living God in the living truth, in the living Word of God.
Thank You Lord, thank You, thank You Jesus thatYou are my God You paid the price for me. Thank You that You are living and You are not dead. Thank You that You hear our prayers.
Thank You that You are living to love us and to make all good things come to us. I can’t stress this enough today and I am just trusting that the week ahead will be full of kindness and favour,just such wonderful joy in God, in Jesus because truly He has come to give us life and life more abundantly not life less abundantly but life more abundantly.
So, don’t allow yourself to be distracted, focus, stay strong, stay steady with the Word as your primary source the truth of God’s life, as your primary source for your future and your future is just a moment away and let that moment be filled with His word and your love for him.
Thank you for joining today, thank you for enjoying, for allowing us to share the Word of life together through this way today. Be blessed, be strong, be full of courage, be bold and courageous, do not be afraid in Jesus name. Enjoy the praise and worship. Thank you for joining. God bless you.
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