Bible Seminar Vol.1 Part 1

One thing is sudden.
If you stick to the Word, you will come back with a testimony.
What God wants to give in your life is not a healing.
What God wants to give in your life is not a job.
What God wants to give in your life is not money.
What God wants to give you is the Word of God in your spirit.
It'll make you what it talks about.
And you are shining, and you are shining by the power of the Holy Ghost.
You are shining by the power of the Holy Ghost.
You are shining and nothing can stop you.
It is your season.
It is your time.
Nothing can hinder you.
This is your time.
This is your hour.
Mabel is yours.

Glory to God.
God made us for reason.

He made us for His pleasure.
And that is an important statement.
No matter what somebody thinks of it, it's pretty that simple.
He made us for his pleasure.
Absolutely.
God chose to make man in his image and in his likeness for his pleasure.
Now, someone may like it or may not like it, but it's important to think this way.
Imagine that someone doesn't like it, doesn't like the fact that God made us for his pleasure.
What that fellow needs to think is the fact that God didn't have to give you a mind.
You didn't have to have a mind to even think about it.
But he gave your mind so you should even be glad that you can think.
Can you imagine that?
So if we then use what God gave to us to work against him would be to signal ourselves.
If God made us for his pleasure, it must mean one thing.
It must mean that when God made us, He wanted to be happy about us.
He made us for His pleasure.
So it means that He made us so He would be happy about us.
Otherwise, it's not for His pleasure.
If God's gonna be pleased with us,
It means we make him happy.
That's what it means.
And if God made us for his pleasure, again, meaning that he made us so he'd be happy about us, happy about us for himself,
It means he made us to be happy.
Can you think about that?
If God made us for his pleasure, it means that God made us to be happy about us.
That means that he wanted to be happy about us.
If it's true that he made us to be happy about us for himself,
then it means that God also wanted us to be happy.
Otherwise, He can be happy about us.
And the only way God will be happy or pleased with us is if we fulfill His expectations, if we meet His expectations, if we are what He wanted us to be.

Then he'll be happy.
Then he'll be fulfilled.
He'll be pleased.

There are too many people in the world who are not happy.
And you can imagine, here, we are working every day to make other people happy.
Is it true?
That's why we're here.
Well, he, because we preach the gospel, we take the message of Jesus Christ to the world so that it can receive Christ and have a great life.
We want them to be born again and to grow in the knowledge of God and to walk in the love of God.
That's what we want.
It means we want them to be happy.
But how miserable it'll be if we who are trying to make others happy are as errors unhappy.
But that's the situation with a lot of people.
They're not happy.
And if they're not happy, how could they help others become happy?
A lot of people are frustrated.
And if you're frustrated, you're going to help others get frustrated.
Those who preach the gospel should be number one to be happy.
I think so.
Otherwise, how could you ever make it happen for someone else?

How fulfilled is your life.
How happy are you?

How have you lived?

What's every day like for you?

Other things that get your attention and make you, uh, discontented?
Unhappy?
Sad, what's your life like?
Someone said, I'll be happy if everything is going all right.
No, that's why instead of the word happiness, a deeper word,
is chosen in the Bible.
The word is joy.
Joy is deeper than happiness.
But joy is never unseen and unheard.
It is richer than happiness, stronger than happiness, more exuberant and more expressive.
You can't tell that someone is joyful except there's an expression because joy is an emotion that's evoked.
You see,
Hallelujah.
Joy, maybe you should write this down, not show whether you can get a very good definition of joy.
But joy is an emotion that is evoked by satisfaction, appreciation, and pleasure.
joy is an emotion that's evoked by satisfaction, appreciation, and pleasure.
Which means that God was joyful about us.
You know, in the Book of Genesis, the Bible tells us when God had made everything that he thought it was good.
That's the way God thought about it.
He was good.
Meaning that he was satisfied.
He appreciated what he did, and he took pleasure in it.
So from day one, when God created us, he thought it was very good.
That's what the Bible says.
He thought it was very good.
He was satisfied.
He appreciated what he did.
And he took pleasure in it.
So God was joyful for his God, Hallelujah.
And the next day after God made man, the next day, the very next day,
would be man's first day.
Is that right?
So man awakens into his first day.
And that very day, the Baptist is a God rested.
Man was the last of his creation.
And once he was through with man, the viruses of God rested from all his work.
And that was the first day for man.
So he awakens into a day of rest.
So when man woke up, he didn't find God working.
God was resting.
because God had finished all his work.
He had finished everything.
Man was the last one.
So when God was done with man, there was nothing that needed to be done.
Everything was ready.
Man woke up to find everything was ready.
So there wasn't anything for man to do except to appreciate God.
What do you think?
Now,
That's an expression of God's real purpose.
That's an expression of the mind of God concerning every one of us.
What does God think?
What does he want?
Very simple.
Once I have this understanding that God made me for his pleasure,
Because God wanted to be pleased about me, happy about me.
Then I understand that God always wants me to be happy, to be joyful.
I can understand that.
I can understand that.
That's it.
I can understand that.

And I made up my mind a long, long time ago to be happy as can be, to be joyful as can be.
Nothing in the world could change that for me.
Always be joyful.
Always be happy.
Nothing can change that.
And I don't need somebody to do it for me.
See, there are people who think that others should make them happy.
They live their lives always waiting for somebody to make them happy.
The first trade is because someone else doesn't think about them.
Someone doesn't care.
I don't think that way.
I think I should be big enough to care.
That's the way I think.
I don't think someone needs to care.
I think they all need to be careful.
You see, I look at it from that standpoint.
I don't think I need someone to care.
No.
I think I am the hand of God.
That's the way God wants us to think.
Otherwise, your happiness, your joy would depend on others.
How happy are they with you?
Imagine that you got problems on your job and maybe your colleagues are not happy with you.
It will destroy your joy because your joy has been dependent on others being happy with you.
Imagine your boss doesn't like what you do and probably often says hurtful words to you.
You'll destroy your personality because you've lived your life hoping always to have someone say something nice to you and then you don't get it.
It frustrates you every day.
And the result of that is always you look older than you really are because you're worried, you're troubled, you're unhappy, and therefore you're not fulfilling God's purpose for your life because you are the unhappy creation.
You see, God made you to be joyful, but you're not joyful because you've made your joyfulness dependent on other people's reactions to you.
Never care about other people's reactions to you.
They should never be a factor of your fulfillment in life.

You know, I think a lot of times about certain things.
You realize that life is a journey.
The Bible says we're running the race and always gives us the understanding that our life is a journey.
We are going somewhere.
Is that right?
We're going somewhere.
How many of you come to work maybe with someone carrying you?
You're not driving.
You're in a car or a bus or something.
Can I see your hand up?
Great.
How many of you ever
took a trip somewhere.
And you were in a vehicle that you weren't the driver, the rider, the pilot, or the captain.
Great.
OK.
Do you realize war in a sort of vehicle troubling?
and the different kinds of people.
On the journey of life, there's so many events, so many activities, so many people to meet, so many things are happening as we are on this journey.
And we're kind of looking through the window, looking at all that's happening, some are looking at what's going on in this journey of life.
Some never notice anything as they look.
What I'm thinking about is in your journey of life, do you try at all to enjoy the journey?

Do you try to enjoy the journey of your life?
Are you waiting to arrive first?
Most people are waiting to arrive first.
So while they're coming to work, all they're thinking about is when I get to work, what I'm going to do, when I get to work, they're so preoccupied with all their thoughts about where they're going that they don't notice all the nice things between here and there.
And there's so much to talk to us as we journey.
If you pay attention, you see all the nice things that minister to you.
Because all of nature has a voice.
And every day God seeks to talk to us with the things that we see.
With the things that we hear.
But we're not listening.
We're not paying attention.
We're too distracted by the thing that we are going.
Our focus is on where we're going.
It's great to have your focus on where you're going.
But between where you're coming from and where you're going, there's a lot of landmarks placed by God to get your attention.
Look at Moses.
He's taking care of the cattle.
He's become a shepherd man.
He's been in this place now 40 long years.
Can you imagine?
He came when he was 40.
He was banished to the backside of the desert when he was 40 years old.
He lives in this place, becomes a shepherd, haven't been a great man in Egypt for hearing the voice of God.
Now he's in trouble.
And it's 40 years since then.
And so Moses is taking care of these
cattle, and he looks and sees a strange sight.
He doesn't miss it, even though it's been a long time being here.
There are a lot of people who notice that and don't care.
I've been here a long time.
God tries to get our attention with so many things, so he sets a bush on fire.
He knows this is a man who though he has a focus on where he's going, he's careful enough to relish the moment.
That's why he became a shepherd in the first place.
He was happy to take the job of a shepherd taking care of sheep and goats.

Second care of them, 40 long years and he sees a strange sight
And he's still smart enough to relish the moment.
He's still smart enough to step aside.
Baba says he's stepped aside to see that strange sight.
He's stepped aside to see it.

We are too worried sometimes.
Too worried to notice.
To notice God's moving hand.
to work to notice.
Elijah sends a young man out.
He's praying, he wants rain to fall.
Rain hasn't fallen for three and a half years.
Cotsy of his previous prayers.
And now he prays to God, he wants the rain to come down.
And nothing is happening.
He sends a young man, he says, go find out if anything is happening.
The man looks at the clouds and nothing happening.
He comes to tell him, sorry, sir, nothing changed.
He keeps sending him out the seventh time.
He comes back and he says, I saw something little, if there's any change, if you would call that a change.
I saw something like a man's hand.
And Elijah said, yeah, that's it, that's it.
And he sends a message to the king.
He says, I hear the sound of abundance of rain.
He only saw a little sign.
And he knew that was all he needed.
You see, he observed something different.
Can you observe something different?
Can God talk to you with so much that's happening around you?
Or is your mind too clogged with worries to even notice the voice of God?
You realize there are a lot of people who say God doesn't talk to me.
And God tries to talk to them, but they will never listen because they're too bothered and burdened with all the problems that think about.
And God's trying to talk to them.

Learn to enjoy your day.
Learn it.
Practice it.
Practice it.
Put it to work.
Well, you say, I've been greeting so-and-so every day.
And I say, good morning, man.
And she doesn't answer me.
I made up my mind.
I'm not going to greet her anymore.
You know what's happening to you?
Someone's bad behavior is changing your good behavior.
You don't let it happen to you.
The question you ask yourself is, was it right for me to do that?
If it was right, I'm not going to change what is right just because someone else doesn't like it.
You're letting that other person's bad behavior rub off on you and change your attitude.
And your attitude shouldn't be dictated or changed or inflamed by those who got a problem.
If they have a problem, it shouldn't change you.
I mean, what about that song?
I'm not moved by what I see.
Have you stopped singing that song to yourself?
No, I'm not moved by what I see.
I'm only moved by the Word of God, right?
Yeah.
So you make up your mind, you're only going to be moved by the Word of God.
But you don't sing it, of course, to be naughty.
You know what I mean.
I mean, you say hello to someone, you say, good morning, good afternoon, whatever it is, and then they respond in a terrible way, and you go, I'm not moved by what I say.
You are suddenly moved.
Because that's why you're singing it.
It should be in your heart.
And you choose to respond correctly.
By acting as though he was just so nice.
Yeah, because you see, you're trying to protect your own spirit.
And that's important.
You're trying to protect your own spirit.
You don't want someone's bad behavior.
Change your good.
Compose you.
I'm gonna let someone change me
because they've got a problem.
See, I think that if I'm doing what is right, it doesn't matter that you don't like it, that's your problem.
That's your problem.

Because I'm on a journey and I'm going to enjoy the trip
I'm gonna enjoy the journey.
I'm gonna enjoy it every day as I go along.
Every day is a good day.
Praise God.
Every day for me is a good day.
I don't have any blue days.
I don't have any problem days, worry days.
No, every day for me is a good day.
I'm a success every day.
I'm a victim every day.
I'm in charge every day.
I'm in office every day.
I refuse to worry.
I refuse to worry.

I don't know a thought here for you.
Let me read it to you.

Hallelujah.
regrets of yesterday and fears of tomorrow are enemies of today's happiness.
Did you get that thought?
You know, many people don't live today
They live in yesterday and they try to live in tomorrow.
They live in yesterday and they try to live in tomorrow.
But what did God say was his name?
I am.
Not I was, not I will be.
He says, I am, that's my name, I am.
And without faith, it is impossible to please God.
And what is faith?
Faith is now.
Faith is.
Faith works now.
Faith is not about yesterday.
Faith is not about tomorrow.
Faith is about now.
Faith is about now.
It's your response to God in his word now.
That's what faith is.
Who am I now?
It doesn't matter that yesterday they did an assessment and found out that I was a bad staff.
I was unproductive and far from excellent.
That was yesterday.
That was yesterday.
I have a choice.
I have a choice to regret all that happened yesterday, to regret all that was said to me yesterday, to think again and again of the hurtful words that I heard yesterday, and to think like I felt like dying.
I wanted to go into the ground.
You know, you could feel so terrible, so pained.
That for the next two weeks you're still carrying the burden.
The load of those terrible words you heard.
They even spoke to me in the presence of my juniors.
I'll never forget it.
And you can't forget it.
Everything you're going to work, it remains with you.
Hunting you every day.
You keep remembering what they said about you, what they said to you.
And now you're telling yourself, I'm going to succeed at least to prove to them I'm no fool.
And then it'll never work.
Because the reason for your success is not so you can prove to somebody you're no fool.
No, you'll be a fool trying to prove to somebody you're no fool.
See?
So you've got an option to live in yesterday.
And I think again and again of those failures, or the arguments.
They said this, and they said that, and they said that about me, and they said that, and they said that, and let me tell you something.
If you wanna live in yesterday, there are enough people to engage you.
Oh yeah, they're there.
They're gonna help you out and keep you in yesterday.
They have enough to tell you, and you'll be happy about yesterday, and remain in the regrets, in the pain of yesterday.
Then you have those who try to live in the fears of tomorrow.
They're thinking about the problems, what could be said to them.
I know they're not gonna like my proposal.
You haven't even submitted it yet.
I know what they're gonna say to me.
I know no one's gonna approve of me.
I know they'll not give me that job.
I know I'll not get that project.
I know I'll not get that promotion.
I know I'll not the fees of tomorrow.
They have an error tomorrow, but they already voice the fees.
that either live in the regrets of yesterday or in the fears and dread of tomorrow.
Why live your life like that?
And God doesn't live in your yesterday?
He doesn't.
And doesn't triumph in your fears.

Adam, where are you?
That was God's question.
Where are you?
Where are you?
And there's another man, God acts another question, a very similar question.
He says, Elijah, what are you doing here?
Didn't matter where he had been.
Didn't matter where he was going.
What God was concerned about was, what are you doing here?
Who are you in this situation?
What will you do about today?
Can you be your best today?
If you can't be your best today, tomorrow isn't promised you.
Can you see that?
Tomorrow only belongs to those who take a hold of today.
Because today is the springboard for tomorrow.
So what are you going to do about?
Can you make today a success?
Can you be happy as can be today?
Can I be the best of me today?
You know, when you look at some people, you can tell who they've just listened to.
I mean, they just came out of an office somewhere and someone has just spoken to them and kind of whipped them.
So you can tell it's on their face.
It's on their face.
They're looking saddened, whipped, drained, and frustrated.
Such are those who are always wandering and asking the question, I don't know if I'm supposed to be in the ministry.
Well, I think I should be in ministry, but maybe not this time.
They got all these things questioning them.
In their minds, they're never at rest.
Never at rest.
How can you help others become happy when you are yourself unhappy?
You know why many are unhappy?
Because of these little foxes.
That's all.
Just because of these little foxes.
It's not because my salary was delayed.
That's not why you're unhappy.
There are a lot of people whose salaries were delayed and they were still happy.
It's not because of that.
It's not because, well, you see, I've got a lot of things to do with money, and I worked, and the money's not coming in.
That's not why you're unhappy.
That's got nothing to do with your happiness.
That's not why you're unhappy.
There are a lot of people in worse conditions, and they are still happy.
Find out why you are unhappy.
It's about you.
It's about the wrong choices you're making.
It's about the reactions.
How do you react to the things that happen to you?

You've got to make a choice.
It's this way or that way.
And, you know, in life's choices, there are no middle grounds.
No middle grounds.

Remember what I've said, and I've said again and again, you cannot help others become happy when you are yourself unhappy.
How can you minister life to others when it's only death that's coming out of you?
It's not possible.
Maybe I should read something to you.
Can you turn to the book of John, St.
John's Gospel, chapter 10?
St.
John's Gospel, chapter 10.

I want you to read verse 10.
One, two, gold.

The thief cometh not but for the steal and a kill, and to destroy, uh-huh?

Okay, that's King James.
Great.
Let's read it from the amplified translation.
Anybody's got the amplified?
Okay.
Let's read it from the amplified.

Who's found it?
You found it, okay.
So, the thieves come only in order to steal and kill and destroy.
I came that they may have an enjoyed life and have it in abundance to the fool.
Did you hear that?
That they may what have and enjoy life?
Not just to have it, but to enjoy it.

Now, you didn't think enjoy was in the Bible.
How would you look at it again?
Look at it again.
For some of you are really thinking it's strange that this word should be in the Bible.
The word enjoy.
It's strange.
You say, well, maybe because it's not King James.
That's why.
Well, I'll show you another one.
But enjoy this one first.
God wants us to have and enjoy life.
Oh, my goodness.
To have and enjoy life.
Someone said, ah, if that's the case, I'm very far from it.

Oh, glory to God.
Have and enjoy life.
Enjoy it.
OK.
I said, you may say, well, you know, that's amplified.
It's because it's not King James.
By the way, King James is not God's language.
Somebody said, because King James is the first translation.
No, he is translation number 13 or 14.
Because of a little argument about one of them, that's why it's either 13 or 14 depending on how you want to count it.
Not the first one.
At the earliest is a 13th translation of the Bible.
Not the first one.
The reason it's most popular is because it was sponsored by the crown.
The King of England had more money than all the others and sponsored it and sent it around the world.
Praise God.
That's why.
Okay?
So it's beautiful, I like it, but sometimes people think if it doesn't sound King James, then it's not from God.
They think God talks King James.
All right, first Timothy, so let's speak one from King James.
First Timothy chapter six.

This time you are reading verse 17.

You ready?
Want to go.

He gives us what richly, richly all things to enjoy.
This is in the Bible.
He gives us not sparsely, but richly all things to enjoy.
All things to enjoy.
You can't even enjoy your shoes.
No, I know that there are people who can't even enjoy their handbag.
They're mad at the bag.
They're mad at everything.
Someone says, oh, your shoes are nice.
Ah, this is my old shoes.
They've got this negativity running through their system.
You can't even praise something they're wearing.
They can enjoy it.
They can enjoy.
They don't enjoy anything.
How many times do that telephone, that the mobile phone, fall down?
It's falling all the time.
You don't understand.
You know the he-san, pick it up.
Pick it up again.
They can't even enjoy their little nice phone.
Yet God gave it to them to enjoy it.
If you can enjoy these little things of life, how can you enjoy spiritual realities?
It gives us all things richly to enjoy.
Make up your mind to enjoy the things that God has given to you.
You'd be amazed at how your life would light up.
Light up.
You'd like, you know, people begin to think you're another person.

Because you're letting the best of you come out to the fore.

Hallelujah.
You still there?
He told us to approach the kingdom of God like little children.
That means we should respond to the things of the kingdom like little children.
That's what it says.
Learn to enjoy every day.
Enjoy God.
Enjoy the Word.
Enjoy other people.
You know, you can enjoy other people.
Oh, yes.
I told you.
I give you a definition of joy.
Can we say it again?
What's the definition I give you?
What?
Evoked by what?
Satisfraction?
Appreciation?
And pleasure.
All right, now let's look at something.
We always can make a choice.
A lot of times, the many of us who don't like to be reprimanded, we don't like to be corrected sharply.
We don't like those things.
If someone talked to us nicely, we would be appreciative.
But if they talk to us like, you're nothing.
We'll be offended.
We want to choose how we should be addressed for us to be happy.
But we don't need that.
If someone corrected you, at least sounded like he was trying to correct you.
Because just because someone's trying to correct you doesn't mean they're right and you're wrong.
you could have been right, and they were wrong, but because they were older or senior, they exercised that authority to make it look like you're wrong, and they are right.
You understand what I'm talking about?
It happens to all of us, and then we have to suffer the indignity of being quiet while they rain down their words on us, and they are wrong.
At least we think they are wrong.
at that moment.
Okay, but we can choose how we react either to give up our happiness or to retain our joy in spite of what we've been told.
We make a choice.
I can say,
I'm glad he talked to me because at least I learned something from what he said.
See, what have I done?
I've tried to maintain my joy.
I'm appreciating something.
You see, I'm appreciating something.
I like the fact that he talked to me.
Did I like everything he said?
Of course not.
He said a lot of wrong things.
Why are he was trying to correct me?
He said a lot of terrible things.
But I've chosen not to think about those terrible things.
I'm glad he spoke.
Because I learned something from what he said.
See, what am I doing?
I'm focusing my attention on what I can be satisfied about, what can I appreciate, and what I can have pleasure in, and remain joyful.
So he doesn't change my life.
But I can go the other way and say,
Look what he told me.
He was dead wrong.
I don't like this misjudgment.
And I continue talking like that and thinking like that.
And when he's gone to sleep in the night, I'm still looking at the ceiling, lying down my face up, thinking, dear God, why didn't you do something when they were talking me down?
And then until I fall asleep, I can't even sleep, until I fall asleep.
And I woke up in the morning wondering why I slept.
Because I'm not through with that man yet.
And I'm still thinking, Lord, aren't you going to judge the weekend?
And I'm frustrated, and I'm unhappy.
And before long, I'll begin to take it out on God.
Because he knows I will not respond to these who are more powerful than I. And why wouldn't he do something about it?
And vindicate me.
So I'm beginning to take it out on God.
I'm getting frustrated.
And God is becoming the victim because he's the one I can talk to in my room.
And finally, I just go, Father, I don't like it.
I only hope you can see my face.
You see, why are so many frustrated around the world?
Because they're living wrong.
They're thinking the wrong thought.
They're focusing on the wrong things.
Let me read another thought to you.

Just as the material word remains active and real while we physically sleep, so the spiritual world remains active and real in spite of our ignorance.
Let me explain it, you get it.
It's a long sentence.
I said, just as the physical word remains active and real when we physically sleep.
Now, when you go to bed at night and you are sleeping, does the world stop working?
The whole world stops moving.
The world around you goes to sleep?
No.
Even though you're sleeping,
Everything else is as real as it was before you went to bed.
But you don't know nothing now.
You're sleeping.
You don't know what's going on.
And your ignorance of the moment doesn't change the reality of the world.
Right?
Same thing spiritually.
That's your ignorant of spiritual realities.
It doesn't change them from being active and real.
Think about it, that you don't know something exists, doesn't take it out of existence.

It doesn't mean that that thing is not there.
And if God made that thing available for you, and you don't know nothing about it,
You live without it, or to not be there for you.

Hallelujah.
Okay.
That's the way Jesus put it.
You know, what I just read to you is really a paraphrase.
of some interesting thoughts from the Master.
Somebody's gospel chapter 13.

Are you there?
Read verse 10.
Want to go.

Again.

The disciples came to Jesus and they said to the Master, why are you talking to the people in parables?
I wonder why they did that.
I mean, were they trying to intercede for the people?
What was their business?
Who told them the people didn't understand?
I think they figured the people didn't understand.
They realized the people didn't understand.
That's why they came to the master.
And they said, why don't you just talk to them plainly?
These guys don't know what you're saying.
Did they themselves know?
Of course not.
They didn't.
Their questions showed they didn't.
But let's look at the master's response.
He answered and said, verse 11, he answered and said unto them, because it is given unto you, to none of the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it is not given.
For whosoever hath to him shall be given, and he shall have more abundance, but whosoever hath not from him shall be taken away even that he hath.
Therefore speak unto them in parables, because they're seeing, watch this now, they're seeing, see not.
And hearing, they hear not.
Neither do they understand.
And in them is fulfilled, the prophecy of Isaiah, which says,
By hearing ye shall hear, and shall not understand, and seeing ye shall see, and shall not perceive, for these people's heart is waxed gross.
And there is a doll of hearing.
And their eyes, they have closed, less than any time.
They should see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and should understand with their heart, and should be converted, and I should hear them."
Oh my goodness.
I know it's a long portion we read, but I wonder if you caught the meaning of what he said.
What he's saying is, they're sleeping.
That's what Jesus is saying.
This is they're sleeping.
They hear, they can understand.
They see, they can perceive.
They can understand.
He says they're sleeping.
It's called spiritual sleep.
Do you realize there are people who are sleeping in life?
They're moving around, but they are actually sleeping.
They are unaware of what God is saying.
I told you, Moses noticed a bull's on fire.
He knew something was there.
He knew something was happening and listened to God.
Elijah interpreted
the sign of a man's hand in the clouds.
Yeah, you remember the Jews?
God spoke to Jesus from heaven and they said, what's that?
They said, oh, what's that?
Somebody says, oh, it's thunder.
That's what they said it was, it's thunder.
But God tells us what he said.
The Bible says the Father spoke to Jesus.
And these other ones said, oh, that's thunder.
That's what had gone out of it.
What about Saul of Tassus and the road to Damascus?
He was going with several others.
And the Bible says, a light shining brighter than the noonday sun.
Wow.
Didn't you read it?
It was at midday.
And it was brighter than the sun.
And you know,
He was blinded by the glory of that light and fell down.
And he said, we all fell down.
So they all saw the light.
They were all overwhelmed by the glory of the light.
They all fell to the ground.
And they all heard the voice.
And the voice spoke to Saul of Tassus in the Hebrew tongue.
And the others heard a voice but didn't understand the meaning of the words, and yet many of them understood the Hebrew tongue.
Only Saul heard it.
He was the only one who was given the understanding to know what God was saying at the moment.
Why?
Because he says, hearing,
they're here not, and neither should they understand.
So a lot of people who are sleeping, and all the time, you might even share the Word of God, and now what's that?
They can't get it.
And you read the scripture to them a thousand times, and they still don't get it.
They say, well, I can't see what you're talking about.
And then you read it one by one, a word at the time, and they see you don't get it.
They say, I don't know what you mean.
I don't understand this.
You go to another scripture and read to them again, and they say, well, I don't know what this is saying.
They just never know.
They just never know.
So I'm just never come to any conclusion of God's word, because they say, well, what I still think is what I think.
See?
In our journey of success upon success, I want you to understand this.
See, the Bible talks about grace upon grace.
You see that?
What is saying is success upon success, glory upon glory.
That's the life that is given to us.
We continually go from glory to glory, from glory to glory, continually.
It's success heaped upon success.
Grace heaped upon grace.
Grace heaped upon grace.
Ever increase in splendor.
But it's a choice.
It's a choice.
In your present situation, how do you
Find the glory of God.
I tell you, it's from within you.
It's inside you.
It's inside you.
When you get a phone,
an electronic device.
One of the first things you should do, I have to say you should do now because I know that a lot of people who don't even realize, I mean, they just get the device and all they want is put the SIM card in and start calling in sending SMS, that's all.
And that's all the phone would do for them.
But there's a lot more.
We have a word, features.
Is that right?
Features.
you have specifications, but we don't always get interested in the specifications.
And yet, that's important.
But even more fascinating would be the one under the heading features.
You'd like to know the characteristics of your device.
You want to know
what its attributes are.
You want to know what the phone can do, what it's got inside it.
Am I right?
The power of a phone is in its features, not in its look.
It's in its features.
The power of a device is in its features.
So you want to know what it can do for you?
So you read quickly the features.
OK.
Any creation will go beyond the word device now, all right?
Any creation, any creation should have its clear features for us to tell what it's capable of.
Is it right?
Okay, in your journey of success, in your journey of greatness, in your journey from glory to glory, what I would think would be one of the first things you should think about, you should consider, you should want to know the features.
What are the features?
In other words, what do you have in you?
What's in you?
What are the features of this new life you got?
This life in your spirit?
What are the features?
What are the features?

Some of your phones can take a Bible, some can't take a Bible because of the features.
See what I mean?
Some of your phones can take only one translation.
Some of those can take 40 translations.
What's the difference?
Features.
What are the features?
OK.
Are you ready?
Let's look at your features.
Tell somebody you got some features.
And you realize that a lot of times, even though we know the features of our devices, we ignore them.
That one of them, we ignore them.
We don't use them.
We don't use them to their best potentials.
We don't.

So I said, I have a niece in my room or I never use it.
It's one of those.
Right?
So what is it doing?
How is it in my room where I never use it?
Give it away.
It will produce results for you, given away.
Then hang in there, while you pridefully say, I got it, but I don't use it.
So why is it there?
It's there to be used.
The manufacturers are not happy that your body, to keep it there, they want you to use it.
Why waste money?
Like sometimes you buy a bag you don't use.
You're going to buy it because of the color.
In case I need it.
And then you bought this weird color.
And you never choose it.
Because it just never matches anything.
But you still wouldn't give it away.
You still have it hanging there in case.
Three years I've gone by.
You haven't used it yet.
Chances are you'd never use it.
But every time you see someone else having to say, I have that bag.
That's the pleasure you derive from it.
I have it.
I see that bag over there.
I have one.
I have a luya.
What a life.

OK, let's talk about the features.
Galatians chapter 5.

You know, when I read these things, you say, oh, but I knew them before.
I thought so.
I thought you knew them before.
That's why I wanted to share them with you.
You're trying to share anything strange.
Just what you've already know.
Galatians chapter five from verse 22.
Found it.
But the fruit of the spirit, the features of the spirit.
That's what he's talking about.
See, says the fruit of the Spirit is love.
That's number one.
Love.
God's love in your heart.
Oh, glory to God.
You know, we love those who love us and we greet them very well.
And those who don't like us very much, we try to ignore them and act like we didn't see them.
And sometimes we're even reacting on the basis of what someone else told us.
Not because we know them for real.
But I was told she doesn't like me.
She said such and such a thing about me.
And so I'm coming to work and she's coming in my direction and I start using the phone now.
Just because I don't want to talk to her and God sees my heart.
And I love you Lord.
No, he says no, but I mean that one.
Don't use your phone as a cover-up.
I wish I got somebody like, I'll just wait with you.
Till this, your phone call is over.

It's become one of our best ways of disguising our feelings.
Just quickly pick the phone.
So no, no, no, no, no.
and then if the person gets closer, you can start getting angry on the phone.
No, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no

All right?
Don't have people you don't like.
But the fruit of the spirit is love.
And the next one, I like it.
Joy, joy.
See that?
It's one of the features.
It's one of those things you've got in your spirits.
Joy.
So why would you let someone else who's got a problem change you?
And sometimes they don't even have a problem.
You might be the one with the problem.
You're just unhappy.
And you know, when you become unhappy, it affects your job.
Your productivity goes low.
And you know, it's affecting those around you.
They just can't see the best things that you've produced.
So even though your work is good, they can't see it because you've created an atmosphere that covers your work and they can see the nice things you've done.
All they can see are those wrong things that you, the little mistakes you made.
Now they'll get on that like a dog and a rabbit's trail.
That's the thing they're gonna highlight.
The little mistake will make them forget all your hard work because that's the way you've been.
He says, they have sewn the wind.
And behold, they shall reap the well wind.
So now you're sowing and ripping.
You're ripping the well wind.
Because all you think about is the little mistakes of other people.
So your life necessarily carries that atmosphere.
And when you come in, the little mistakes you got are highlighted.
And the capital lies on those little mistakes.
And they wouldn't let you go.
And just that little thing would damage all the goods you did, because that's what you produced.
You see, learn to emphasize the good parts.
Learn that.
And you will create an atmosphere that goes with you, such that when you show up, just the best things are thought about you.
Just the best things are thought about your work.
Not because they can't see the wrong ones.
The point out the wrong ones to you kindly.
And you also have the right attitude to take the correction and make a change.
And grow your way from success to success.
Hallelujah.
You're still there?

So the first one, love.
And the second one, joy.
He says, this is the fruit of the spirit.
He's talking about the fruit of the human spirit, the recreated human spirit.
When you're born again, God says, these are the things that are inside you.
When you unbox the machine, He says you'll find all of this.
And you can put them to work.
These are the features of your recreated human spirit.
Love.
Jour, peace.
This is wonderful.
Wonderful.
Say, I walk in love.
I walk in love.
I walk in love.
Now, you walk in love not just towards those who love you, but towards everyone.
You cover them with your umbrella of love.
And you know, people who work in love are always victorious.
Because love is victorious over all circumstances.
If you walk in love, it's not possible for you to be defeated.
Not possible.
Not possible.
You always win.
You always will.
You always will.
Always will.
Glory to God.
We're talking features, features in our spirits.
Wow.
So he says, love, joy, peace.
Go and read it from a newer translation, okay, because long suffering, for example, somebody said, long suffering, that means you suffer a long time.
No, long suffering doesn't mean suffering a long time.

Dear Lord, I'm remembering the story of a horticulturist who was given a certain lecture.
And while he was given the lecture, he tried to explain to the people that they needed to use mature horse manure.
OK?
And when he used the expression, macho horse manure.
While he was explaining that, the lady said she had a question.
And he said, what's your question, ma'am?
She said, how old should the horse be?
Because if it's going to be a macho horse,
Oh dear, praise God.
She thought it was the horse that was to be mature.
How old should the horse be?
So when you say long sufferings, how long should we suffer?
See, because of that, I want to read from a new translation to you.
And this is the new national version.
You say, but the fruit of the spirit is love, joy, peace, patience.
See, simple word patience.
So King James says, long suffering, suffering a long time.
So it's patience, kindness.
See, I'm a kind person.
Say that to yourself.
Say, I'm a kind person.
Oh, you're very kind to know, not every time.
Please, don't expect it every time.
I'm kind every time.
Say, I'm kind.
It's my nature.
It's one of my features.
Sure.
So, we got patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness.
generalness and self-control.
I've got self-control.
Self-control.
You remember the word ingratir.
All right?
Self-control, holding yourself in.
I don't just open my mouth and see whatever comes out.
I'm just going to open my mouth and I will insult you, I will abuse you, anything that comes out.
It's up to you, you know.
You just open your mouth and you know, terrible things that's coming out.
And you say, well, I told him before, I warned you.
Out of the abundance of the heart,
the mouth speaks.
The problem was not with your mouth.
The problem was with your heart.
If you have the deposit of God's word in your heart, that's what will come out when you open your mouth.
Right?
Sure.

You know, in the King James, the two words that often require clarification.
That's the first one is at long, so often I just speak.
And the second one is the word faith.
Okay?
And then we find faithfulness in some of the translations.
Because faithfulness is a virtue.
There's a great virtue.
It means that you can be dependable.
See, you're faithful to a chorus.
You can be trusted to do it.
You can be trusted to handle it.
And it's something you develop in your life.
See, all of these features in your spirit are given to you to grow.
And that's why he uses the word fruit so that you can multiply their power in your life.
Multiply their usefulness in your life.
Put them to work.
Put them to work.
Put them to work.

There's more about the features in 1 John 4 and verse 4.
What does it say?

Come on.

He are of God, little children.
He says, you hail from God.
Your origin is in God.
God gave birth to you.
You are the offspring of God.
That's all he's telling you.
Let me say, he says, and you have overcome the wicked one.
You've overcome the evil spirits and darkness.
You've overcome all negativity.
He says, because greater is he that is in you than he that is in the world.
Greater is he that is in you than he that is in the world.
All right, let me read some more to you in connection with this in Colossians chapter one.
Colossians chapter one.

Reading from verse 26, I'm gonna read from, okay.
Let me read from the King James version first.
Ready?
Even the mystery which had been hid from ages and from generations, but now is made manifest to his saints to whom God would make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory.
Isn't that wonderful?
Christ in you.
Hallelujah.
Christ in you.
I've got Christ in me.
Christ in me.
See, I can't fail because Christ is in me.
If I miss it, I'm going to learn how to do it better because I'm on a journey of success.
And God has events, activities, individuals, signs and symbols.
They're all there to help chart my way.
to help put me in the way of success because I must be a success.
I must be.
And so I'm not going to ignore all those things that God has put on the way to help me.
For example, think about this meeting coming up at this time just for you.
Think about that.
You know someone can ignore this?
And instead of showing up, he would find an opportunity to go do something different and say to himself, they're not going to know I didn't attend.
And then he's asking, did they sign the register?
And someone says, no, we're just all waiting.
Great.
Well, see, he's ignored something that's so important, and he doesn't know it.
See, how we ignore and sleep through life without knowing and ignore those things that God placed there to help put us on course so that we can go from glory to glory, from success to success.
How could we miss such?
Hallelujah.
You're still there?
All right, read verse 28 in Colosians.
Uh-huh, 29.

Did you see that?
Read that again.
Just try me.
According to his working, which worked in me mighty.
You know, he's dealing with something here.
Paul recognized that the power of God, the work in the operational power of God was in him.
And the word energy, it actually means supernatural operation.
So it means working, but it refers to something supernatural, superhuman.
And he said that that was operational in him.
Have you come to the point in your life where you can know and you can say confidently that there's a superhuman power at work in you?
Do you know?
He says, it works in me, mightily.
He knew it.
He said, this thing is working in me mightily.
Inuit.
Do you recognize it?
Do you realize it's there?
It's one of the features.
You might have ignored it.
You might have ignored it.
It's one of those extraordinary features in our spirits.
Supernatural ability.
Supernatural working.
the working of the Holy Spirit in me.
Hallelujah.
Supernatural.
Supernatural.
So I said, you look inside for the features.
All right.
Now, one more thought.
And you know, this is very important.
what makes some people very, have you ever noticed there?
Some people just, who just seem to be, everything just seems to be working for them every time, everything just positive, positive, positive, every day you see them, they're just alive.
Then there are others, every day you see them.
It's another trouble.
It's another story.
It's another problem.
If they make it awake without a problem, it's a miracle.
It's a miracle.
Then they're back to the same old fellow looking sad and unhappy.
They're worried about many things.
There are people who are naturally very beautiful, very handsome, but worries have changed their lives.
They don't look very nice anymore.
Things have gone bad.
How are you?
Not bad.

Do you know when the Holy Spirit comes into your life?
Is that shiny?
Do you know that?
Yeah.
Really, really, really, there's no one who's born again that doesn't look wonderful.
This is true.
It's an amazing reality.
And the more the Holy Spirit works in your life, the better you even look.
Because each one of us is truly a model.
You didn't know it.
Each one of us is a model.
Each one of us.
Each one of us is a model.
And God, I know what some of you are thinking right now.
You find that hard to believe, but it's true.
I know.
You may not like what you see when you stand in front of the mirror.
You say, I'm trying to change this one.
The person says, this is a model.
The question you have asked yourself is how did you get to where you got to that you needed to change it?
You may have done something to this model.
You messed it up.
So change it, do something about it, and get it to what you want it to be.
But the truth is, what God planned for you is that you should be a model.
And that's what he gave birth to when you were born again.
And the Holy Spirit came to make that effective in your life.
Absolutely.
Did you get that?
Okay.
It's a Luke's gospel, chapter 10.

Hallelujah.

from verse 38.
Shall I read it to you?
Now it came the past as they went that he entered into a certain village and a certain woman named Mata received him into her house.

And she had a sister called Mary, which also sat at Jesus' feet.
and heard his word.
Now, I want to read this story to you from a newer translation, OK?
So I'm going to read from the C.E.V.
It's substantially the same story, but just a slight change.
of a word there that I would like you to notice.
The Lord and his disciples were traveling along and came to a village.
When they got there, a woman named Martha welcomed him into her home.
She had a sister named Mary, who sat down in front of the Lord and was listening to what he said.
Did you get that?
Okay, let me read from the Amplified.

I read again from verse 38.
Now, one of the words on their way, it occurred that Jesus entered a certain village and a woman named Mata received and welcomed him into her house.
And she had a sister named Mary who seated herself at the Lord's feet and was listening to his teaching.
But Mata overly occupied and too busy.
was distracted with much serving.
And she came up to him and said, Lord, is it nothing to you that my sister has left me to serve alone?
Tell her then to help me, to lend a hand and do her part along with me.
You know, sometimes we look at some people who just seem to be riding along nicely.
Everything's just going fine for them.
And we are laboring.
We are working.
We are doing all the hard work.
And they don't even take notice of us.
And we can get frustrated the matter way.

I'm putting in so much.
I'm working so hard.
And when it was time to even notice somebody, he was that fellow.
Who didn't even see?
And he got the nod.
OK.
Yeah, yeah, yeah.
King James.
gives a beautiful picture.
He says, what mother was cumbered about much serving and came to him and said, Lord, does thou not care that my sister had left me to serve alone?
Peter, therefore, that she helped me.
Tell her to come and help me.

Let me read it from the NIV.
You still in this place?
You know the NIV, right?
The new international version.

Verse 40, what matter was distracted by all the preparations, all the preparations that had to be made.
She came to him and asked, Lord, don't you care that my sister has left me to do the work by myself?
Tell her to help me.

Imagine what matter was going through.
Jesus is the guest.
And she was the owner of the house.
Mary is the younger sister.
See, so, matter receives the Lord into the house.
Jesus is her guest.

And she now starts out the preparations, trying to make the food and trying to make everything.
And who is Mary?
Then she comes out and little Mary's sitting at the feet of the master and listening as he's talking.
And she's frustrated.
What?
So she's not going to bother her.
She'll talk to Jesus.
Because I don't want her to get on my nerves.
Actually, she was already on her nerves.
So she thought I wouldn't talk to Mary.
So she goes, Master, I've been working.
I'm doing all this myself.
I don't have a house girl.
Could you tell Mary to get out of there and come and do something?
And Jesus should have said, oh, Mary, come on quickly.
Ah, quickly before every voice that's better.
You know, there are people who still think that Jesus was unkind.
He should have known.
What's the matter with him?
That's the way they think.
But don't forget, he's God.
Let's see his response.

No, it's time for prayer.
No, no, no.
You're working.
Nowadays, you don't even like to join the others to pray.
Because you're so angry with them, they move around throughout the day, then it comes at 12 o'clock and then it's that praying.
And they leave all the work for you.
After the prayer now, you all go away.
And leave the place for me.
So you're upset.
Listen to this.
Jesus replies in verse 41, matter, matter, the Lord answered.
You are worried and upset.
Can you see that word there?
It's in the Bible, upset.
I'm very upset.
It's there.
It's in the book.
Jesus knew about it.
Mather, Mather, the Lord answered, you are worried and upset about many things.
He knew that the problem of Mather was not about Mary sitting there that day.
He was a long story.
If he had said, Mather, what's the problem?
She would have said, Lord, it's a long story.
She'd have had a long story to tell him.
There's so many things making her unhappy.
Has there many things making many people here unhappy?
Even about their job, about their home, about where they live.
I come from afar.
I have to, it takes me two hours to get a vehicle and to come to this place.
And then somebody talks to me down like this and get mad at me.
And I have to go back home two hours in the night time.
I get home at 11 o'clock, sometimes 12.
And then I come back in the morning and someone says shouting down at me.
I'm set up.
You're worried about too many things.
You're upset about too many things.
Yes, I'm upset.
Yes, I'm upset.
Yes, that's what we mean.
We know you're upset.
You're upset.
I'm upset.
I'm upset.
Yes, the trouble is you're unhappy.
You've become so unhappy.
It has changed you.
You know, longer that electric beaming person that you used to be.
It's changed you.
You're so unhappy you've become something else.
You have become the very unhappiness that you're trying to destroy.
Why did you let it happen to you?
Why have you changed soul?

And sometimes you watch.
Some of the guys walking down that road.

Very unhappy, but he's in church.
He's working in the ministry.

You know, nowadays he forgets everything.
He's forgotten his key.
He's going back to pick his key.
He picks it and then he left his phone.
He's getting frustrated and more frustrated and more frustrated.

God made you to be happy.
If you're not happy,
You're not fulfilling the purpose for this creation.
It created you to be happy.
He wants you happy, sound and prosperous.
It's what he wants.

It's what he wants.

How always be happy?
Oh, nothing can change that.
Hallelujah.
You know, sometimes there are those who can't forgive themselves because they made a mistake.
You know, sometimes it can be so.
You can be a perfectionist to the point that when you make a blunder, you can't even forgive you.

all the time into your mouth as foam.
It's now set in the position of hissing.
You can't even enjoy your food well.
Because you're so upset.
Do you look unhappy?
Yes.
Who are you unhappy?
I'm unhappy with myself.
You're unhappy with yourself?
Yes, look at this simple mistake I'm making.
You know, you're taking yourself so seriously like you're God.
Look at this simple mistake I'm making.
How can I?
Yes, the great you.
How can the great you be making such a mistake?
How can I?
What are you even correct other people about?
That's why you have a problem.

Come of it.
Wake up.
God wants you happy.
He does.
He does.
He sent us to meet the rest of the world.
Get to know Jesus, because Jesus came to give them a life of joy, is I am calm, that it might have an enjoy life.
and have it to the fool.
Have it to the fool.
Hallelujah.
Have it to the fool.
He said, matter, matter.
You are worried and upset about many things.
You are worried and upset about many things.
Yes, many things.
That many things happen in the choir.
I'm not happy about many things.
Many things in the choir.
There are so many things.
They can't even, you know, if you can't speak to one of them and have the full story one day.
No, there are so many things, so many things.
I'm worried about some in our department.
There's a lot of problems in my department.
No, ah, it's in my unit.
In fact, in my unit.
So where is the unit?
Or is the department?
Or it's in the choir?
There's many, many problems.
In fact, I can't even, I don't know where to start.
Meanings.
Matter.
You are worried and upset about many things.
Come on.
Talk to yourself.
Say, come out of this.
God wants you happy.
You stand in front of the mirror.
You call your name.
Say, hi.
God wants you happy.
Yeah.
God wants you happy.
I say, what if someone does not want to be happy?
Will somebody be happy?

What if someone doesn't want to be happy?
That must be like the guy in Norway who killed other people.
He has no reason why others should be happy.
That's a murderer.
That's the devil.
Jesus said the devil was a murderer from the beginning.
So when you see things like that, that's a manifestation of the devil.
And when you start questioning whether someone should be happy, the devil is talking to you.
And we ought to say, get the behind me, Satan, for thou seversed, not the things that be of God, but the things that be of men.
God wants us happy.
Shouldn't nobody question that.
God wants us happy.
Hallelujah.
It's about what God wants.
He wants it.
And then you say, I'm not going to let anything stop me from fulfilling God's purpose for my life.
I'm for His joy.
I was made for His pleasure.
Hallelujah.
He says, he'll rejoice over you with joy.
Hallelujah.
Verse 42, Jesus is still talking to matter, but only one thing is needed.
Oh, I got to read it again.
Just matter, matter, the Lord answered.
You are worried and upset about many things, but only one thing is needed.
Only one thing is needed.
Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her.
Did you hear the masters reply?
That means, that means, you see, here's this lady.
She's unhappy.
She's upset.
She's worried about many things.
And she finds no reason anybody else should be happy and satisfied.
And so she's trying to take the joy away from Mary.
She's trying to take it away from her.
What makes her happy?
Why should she be happy and I'm not?
She's trying to take it away from her.
And the master notices that thing.
That satanic manipulation and says, matter.
You're worried and upset about many things.
Only one thing is needful.
Mary has found it and it will not be taken away from her.
You are trying to take it away from her.
It will not be taken away from her.
You see, when people are unhappy and upset, they're trying to take something away from others.
So that they can become like them.
And that's why I say, oh no, I'm not gonna let somebody take it away from me.
You're not gonna let someone take it away from you.
Make up your mind, you're going to be happy.
You're gonna be joyful.
Because one of the features in your spirit is joy.
and you're gonna put it to work and nothing is gonna take it away from you.
Hallelujah.
That's the way to be effective in your life.
You become an effective witness for Lord Jesus Christ.
Effective.
Effective.
I'm effective.
Sure.
I'm effective.
So he said, one thing is needful.
One thing is needful.
There's somebody, one thing is needful.
One thing is needful.
One thing is needful.
One thing is needful.
And we will talk about it tomorrow.

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