WEBVTT

1
00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:10.000
♪♪

2
00:00:10.000 --> 00:00:20.020
♪♪

3
00:00:20.020 --> 00:00:30.020
♪♪

4
00:00:30.020 --> 00:00:40.040
♪♪

5
00:00:40.040 --> 00:00:50.040
♪♪

6
00:00:50.040 --> 00:01:00.060
♪♪

7
00:01:00.060 --> 00:01:06.380
Good morning. Good morning. Happy Tuesday. And welcome to Bible

8
00:01:06.380 --> 00:01:13.340
Based Spiritual Equipping. And we are in a series, how to hear

9
00:01:13.340 --> 00:01:18.700
the voice of God. How to hear the voice of God. And I think

10
00:01:18.700 --> 00:01:22.060
this is one of the most important things that I have

11
00:01:22.060 --> 00:01:28.220
learned. I put on the tagline there that it is the difference

12
00:01:28.220 --> 00:01:33.740
between religion and relationship. The difference

13
00:01:33.740 --> 00:01:40.300
between religion and relationship. I know that I had

14
00:01:40.300 --> 00:01:47.820
walked many, many years, decades of religion. I loved God. My

15
00:01:47.820 --> 00:01:53.500
heart was in the right place. I loved God. I knew the word. I

16
00:01:53.500 --> 00:01:56.940
had been educated in the word. I had been a teacher in the word.

17
00:01:56.940 --> 00:02:02.860
I had traveled all over the world teaching the word. But I

18
00:02:02.860 --> 00:02:09.500
knew how to pray to God. I didn't know how to listen. I

19
00:02:09.500 --> 00:02:16.460
didn't know how to hear the voice of God. Now, I want you to

20
00:02:16.460 --> 00:02:22.380
imagine any relationship, someone that you love. What kind

21
00:02:22.380 --> 00:02:25.500
of relationship would it be? Let's say you're your spouse,

22
00:02:25.500 --> 00:02:28.140
okay, or your boyfriend, girlfriend, whatever. What kind

23
00:02:28.140 --> 00:02:34.220
of relationship would it be if you continuously, if you

24
00:02:34.220 --> 00:02:41.260
continuously talked to them and you told them what it was that

25
00:02:41.260 --> 00:02:44.940
you wanted and what it was that you needed? Maybe you even

26
00:02:44.940 --> 00:02:50.620
praise them. Maybe you study all about them. You find out

27
00:02:50.620 --> 00:02:54.140
their entire background. You study. You learn all about them.

28
00:02:54.700 --> 00:02:57.580
You could introduce them. You could tell anyone all about

29
00:02:57.580 --> 00:03:02.620
them. You know even things that most people don't know. But you

30
00:03:02.620 --> 00:03:08.620
never opened your heart to hear from them. What kind of

31
00:03:08.620 --> 00:03:12.860
relationship if you had a one-sided conversation? You

32
00:03:12.860 --> 00:03:15.740
talk. And you know so many prayers are like that. And

33
00:03:15.740 --> 00:03:19.340
they're sincere, fervent prayers. And I know God honors

34
00:03:19.420 --> 00:03:25.020
it. But what we're going to learn today takes it to a whole

35
00:03:25.020 --> 00:03:31.180
new level. So let's start praying. I am going to just pray

36
00:03:31.180 --> 00:03:33.420
right now. I'm not going to be listening. But who knows? God

37
00:03:33.420 --> 00:03:37.340
can download and speak right now. But let's open with prayer

38
00:03:37.340 --> 00:03:41.580
and let's dive into lesson number three. And today we're

39
00:03:41.580 --> 00:03:45.820
going to be talking about the ways that God speaks. You see

40
00:03:45.820 --> 00:03:50.300
God speaks so many different ways. He speaks in a burning

41
00:03:50.300 --> 00:03:53.740
bush. He speaks in a voice in the clouds. He speaks in a

42
00:03:53.740 --> 00:03:57.820
vision. He speaks in a dream. He speaks through angels. So many

43
00:03:57.820 --> 00:04:03.500
ways. And as we discover this, I say in coaching that awareness

44
00:04:03.500 --> 00:04:07.900
is the first step of transformation. And so as we

45
00:04:07.900 --> 00:04:11.740
have an understanding of how God speaks, we get hungry for

46
00:04:11.740 --> 00:04:16.060
it. We desire. We open for it. And it happens more and more

47
00:04:16.060 --> 00:04:21.820
and more. And that moves us from religion to relationship.

48
00:04:21.820 --> 00:04:26.940
To actually hear what God is saying for here, for now, for

49
00:04:26.940 --> 00:04:33.100
us personally. God so longs to have that kind of intimate

50
00:04:33.100 --> 00:04:36.780
relationship. And so I'm so glad you're here. Those of you

51
00:04:36.780 --> 00:04:40.380
joining on Facebook Live. Those of you that are on

52
00:04:40.460 --> 00:04:44.060
AnyMeeting.com if you want to see the slides. So we're going

53
00:04:44.060 --> 00:04:48.300
to start with prayer. Inviting the Holy Spirit to speak to us.

54
00:04:48.300 --> 00:04:54.220
And then we're going to dive into the ways that God speaks.

55
00:04:55.260 --> 00:04:58.220
And I'm so excited. Those of you that are on AnyMeeting, I

56
00:04:58.220 --> 00:04:59.820
need you to mute if you could.

57
00:05:00.000 --> 00:05:05.200
I'm hearing background noise or on the phone. If you could mute please. Thank you.

58
00:05:05.200 --> 00:05:11.720
All right, let's start with prayer. Father, I just thank you for this time. I thank

59
00:05:11.720 --> 00:05:17.360
you for your goodness. I thank you for your mercy. I thank you that when you

60
00:05:17.360 --> 00:05:30.640
sent Jesus, when you sent Jesus, you said it's good that I go away because if I go

61
00:05:30.640 --> 00:05:37.920
I'll send the Comforter, the Holy Spirit, and He, the Holy Spirit, the Comforter,

62
00:05:37.920 --> 00:05:45.120
the Counselor, the Advocate, the Standby, He will live in you and He will guide

63
00:05:45.120 --> 00:05:50.280
you into all truth and He will show you things to come. I thank you for that God

64
00:05:50.280 --> 00:05:55.640
and I invite Holy Spirit for you to be on this call, on this study. I ask that

65
00:05:55.640 --> 00:06:00.780
you speak to every person listening live and on the recording. May the words of my

66
00:06:00.780 --> 00:06:05.080
mouth, the meditation of my heart be pleasing in your sight. We just invite

67
00:06:05.080 --> 00:06:12.000
you to invade the home and the minds and the hearts of everybody listening. And as

68
00:06:12.000 --> 00:06:15.280
we're going through this pandemic, if there's anyone that is struggling with

69
00:06:15.280 --> 00:06:20.320
fear, I ask that you break that spirit of fear. You are the God of all comfort. You

70
00:06:20.320 --> 00:06:25.760
are Jehovah Shalom, the God of peace. I ask that you just bring that peace that

71
00:06:25.760 --> 00:06:32.400
passes all understanding. And Father God, for anyone that needs healing in their

72
00:06:32.400 --> 00:06:38.120
body, I ask that you bring their entire body into alignment with the kingdom of

73
00:06:38.120 --> 00:06:42.360
God where there is no sickness and there is no disease. You said on the

74
00:06:42.360 --> 00:06:48.280
cross it is finished, by your stripes we have been healed. So wherever someone's

75
00:06:48.280 --> 00:06:53.800
body is out of alignment and they're facing dis-ease, I pray for healing touch.

76
00:06:53.800 --> 00:07:00.760
Father God, wherever there is confusion, I pray that you will make the crooked

77
00:07:00.760 --> 00:07:06.720
path straight. I invite you here to rule and reign Holy Spirit and have your way

78
00:07:06.880 --> 00:07:13.440
in Jesus name. Amen. Amen. Welcome to all of you that are joining on Facebook Live.

79
00:07:13.440 --> 00:07:21.120
It's awesome to have you. We are in lesson three, how to hear the voice of God.

80
00:07:21.120 --> 00:07:25.400
How to hear the voice of God. This was something that just turned my life

81
00:07:25.400 --> 00:07:30.480
around. I spent decades studying the word, teaching the word, but actually learning

82
00:07:30.480 --> 00:07:34.840
to hear the voice of God. I didn't even know that was possible. And when I learned

83
00:07:34.880 --> 00:07:41.760
that, it changed everything. To know that God has given us access to infinite love

84
00:07:41.760 --> 00:07:47.080
and infinite wisdom. Why would we want to do it any other way? So I'm so excited to

85
00:07:47.080 --> 00:07:53.840
have you here. Here's an overview of the ways that God speaks and we're gonna

86
00:07:53.840 --> 00:07:59.360
break it down over these next couple weeks every single way. So yes, he speaks

87
00:07:59.360 --> 00:08:06.440
foundationally in the word, the logos, the written word. He speaks through

88
00:08:06.440 --> 00:08:11.000
creation. All right, I'm gonna have to go over here for just a second, figure out

89
00:08:11.000 --> 00:08:15.800
where the noise is and mute it. So give me just a second. I'm gonna mute this one

90
00:08:15.800 --> 00:08:23.760
right here and let's see where else is noise coming. I think I am hearing quite

91
00:08:23.920 --> 00:08:29.560
a bit of noise. So all right, thank you. I think I've muted the noise now. All

92
00:08:29.560 --> 00:08:34.760
right, good. Welcome. Thank you. And I will go back to sharing the slides now.

93
00:08:34.799 --> 00:08:39.679
Thank you guys for your patience. All right, so we see all of these different

94
00:08:39.679 --> 00:08:45.640
ways that that God speaks in his creation. Through visions, we're going to

95
00:08:45.640 --> 00:08:49.560
look at different kinds of visions. Through dreams, we're going to look at

96
00:08:49.800 --> 00:08:55.760
the different types of dreams. Through the still small voice, through trances,

97
00:08:55.800 --> 00:08:59.880
you're going to see some amazing examples of that even in today's lesson,

98
00:08:59.880 --> 00:09:06.240
how God speaks that way. Through impressions, through mind reading, you're

99
00:09:06.240 --> 00:09:12.040
going to see fascinating things there. So again, awareness is the first step of

100
00:09:12.040 --> 00:09:17.760
transformation. As you begin to see the ways that God has spoken, you can get

101
00:09:17.760 --> 00:09:22.680
familiar how he may speak. And you know, we've laid the foundation and you can go

102
00:09:22.680 --> 00:09:28.160
back and review lesson one and lesson two, we laid the foundation that God's

103
00:09:28.160 --> 00:09:34.800
heart is relationship. And that there has been from the Garden of Eden, this two

104
00:09:34.800 --> 00:09:40.840
way communication that we saw in past lessons that it got hindered by fear.

105
00:09:41.520 --> 00:09:47.000
Fear broke the communication and isn't that true in any communication? So fear

106
00:09:47.000 --> 00:09:52.080
broke the communication. And we saw, Lindsay, I need you to mute your mic,

107
00:09:52.080 --> 00:09:59.600
please. We saw that by the time of Moses, fear,

108
00:10:00.000 --> 00:10:08.880
them to choose individuals to be the ones to speak for them. Alright I'm gonna

109
00:10:08.880 --> 00:10:15.800
have to shut the mic off and figure out where it is. I've got all things muted.

110
00:10:15.800 --> 00:10:22.320
Somebody has noise coming in so if you can mute. Alright I'll go back to it.

111
00:10:22.320 --> 00:10:27.600
Forgive that interruption but it would make for a very noisy recording. Alright

112
00:10:27.600 --> 00:10:34.200
so we saw that God was speaking and then something changed where they say

113
00:10:34.200 --> 00:10:39.740
oh no God is too big, too scary. They got the image that God is scary and so they

114
00:10:39.740 --> 00:10:45.240
began to ask other people to speak for them. They had intermediaries so

115
00:10:45.240 --> 00:10:48.640
that there would be a man that would go to God and that man would come and tell

116
00:10:48.640 --> 00:10:53.160
them what God was saying instead of going directly to God. And so we saw that

117
00:10:53.160 --> 00:10:58.840
in Exodus 20 you speak to him and we'll listen to you. And so we saw that God

118
00:10:58.840 --> 00:11:04.520
spoke through prophets but something changed when Jesus came to earth. The new

119
00:11:04.520 --> 00:11:11.600
covenant everything began to change in the New Testament. Now a whole new era

120
00:11:11.600 --> 00:11:16.800
came and the new era is called the new covenant. In scripture we got the old

121
00:11:16.800 --> 00:11:21.320
covenant which was the law and the time of the Ten Commandments and all of that

122
00:11:21.320 --> 00:11:26.320
and then we have the New Testament the new covenant and in the new covenant

123
00:11:26.320 --> 00:11:32.320
Jesus sent the Holy Spirit and the new covenant says we are the temple. We are

124
00:11:32.320 --> 00:11:38.480
the temple of the Holy Spirit. We are the container of the Holy Spirit so that now

125
00:11:38.480 --> 00:11:45.280
the Holy Spirit lives in us, guides us, leads us, speaks to us, teaches us, shows

126
00:11:45.280 --> 00:11:50.200
us things to come. And we saw last lesson that the way that we see ourself

127
00:11:50.200 --> 00:11:55.440
changes how we see and how we hear from God. That was powerful be sure you go

128
00:11:55.440 --> 00:12:01.960
back and catch that. Alright so today let's start diving into the way that God

129
00:12:01.960 --> 00:12:08.640
speaks. We've seen so many examples you know in Moses we saw that he spoke in a

130
00:12:08.640 --> 00:12:16.720
burning bush right? We saw in Joseph he spoke in a dream. We saw in Peter he

131
00:12:16.720 --> 00:12:22.800
spoke in an open vision. We saw with Jesus he spoke as a voice in the clouds.

132
00:12:22.800 --> 00:12:31.480
We saw with Paul he was a blinding light and voice and so we're gonna look at all

133
00:12:31.480 --> 00:12:41.760
these different ways and as we do I pray that you you open your heart to have a

134
00:12:41.880 --> 00:12:46.880
hunger to want to know what God has to say for you. You know we're in such a

135
00:12:46.880 --> 00:12:52.600
interesting time right now with this pandemic and you know there's news and

136
00:12:52.600 --> 00:12:57.440
then there's the good news and the good news is that God is always with us and

137
00:12:57.440 --> 00:13:02.880
he's always speaking and he loves us and he loves to guide us. He loves to direct

138
00:13:02.880 --> 00:13:09.400
us. He loves to give us comfort. He loves to heal us and so as we open ourself and

139
00:13:09.400 --> 00:13:15.320
know and understand how it is that he does this our whole world changes and so

140
00:13:15.320 --> 00:13:20.080
I pray that this blesses you the way that it has me and hi to those of you

141
00:13:20.080 --> 00:13:26.240
saying hi on Facebook live. Great to have you there. Thank you Rosie. Alright so

142
00:13:26.240 --> 00:13:31.760
let's talk the first way is the obvious way. It's what most of us know and it's

143
00:13:31.760 --> 00:13:38.720
on one sense it can be on the religious side that we just know it as history. We

144
00:13:38.720 --> 00:13:43.960
we just know it as you know we memorize verses or we think of it as something

145
00:13:43.960 --> 00:13:50.800
very far away but it's also can come alive as as we ask the Holy Spirit to

146
00:13:50.800 --> 00:13:56.240
speak through it and that is the written word the logos the written word and we

147
00:13:56.240 --> 00:14:03.600
saw last week that 2nd Timothy 3 16 says that every scripture has been written by

148
00:14:03.600 --> 00:14:11.320
the Holy Spirit the the breath of God the Ruach breath of God. Can you please

149
00:14:11.320 --> 00:14:21.400
mute your phones and your microphones please mute. Alright so we saw that every

150
00:14:21.400 --> 00:14:27.160
scripture is written by the Holy Spirit the breath of God and I love Psalms 1

151
00:14:27.160 --> 00:14:37.960
19 18 where David said open my eyes to see the miracle wonders hidden in your

152
00:14:37.960 --> 00:14:45.640
word. What a prayer that is. As we ask God open our eyes so that when we read the

153
00:14:45.640 --> 00:14:52.200
word Holy Spirit bring it to life what does it mean here in 2020 what does it

154
00:14:52.360 --> 00:14:58.360
for me right now what is it God that you have for me what are what is the Holy

155
00:14:58.360 --> 00:15:01.880
Spirit saying for me right now

156
00:15:00.000 --> 00:15:06.260
now. And so I love that prayer in Psalms 119, open my eyes, open my spiritual

157
00:15:06.260 --> 00:15:10.600
senses. Do you know for every sense that you have, you have your eyes, you have

158
00:15:10.600 --> 00:15:15.120
your taste, your smell, your ears, Scripture says that you also have a

159
00:15:15.120 --> 00:15:20.720
spiritual sense. And so you see all these things about eyes in Scripture and

160
00:15:20.720 --> 00:15:25.200
Jesus says you have eyes but you don't see, you have ears but you don't hear.

161
00:15:25.200 --> 00:15:32.400
Paul prayed that God would open the eyes of our heart. David said taste and see

162
00:15:32.400 --> 00:15:37.920
that the Lord is good. So part of hearing the voice of God is having hunger. It's

163
00:15:37.920 --> 00:15:43.280
opening yourself to God and saying I don't want religion, I want to know you,

164
00:15:43.280 --> 00:15:49.080
I want to tap into you. You are infinite love, you are infinite wisdom, you are

165
00:15:49.080 --> 00:15:55.360
infinite potential, I want to know you. Please open my spiritual senses. That's

166
00:15:55.360 --> 00:16:00.880
the first step and that's what that's what David was praying right here, open.

167
00:16:00.880 --> 00:16:07.600
So the second thing we saw how God speaks is in creation, right? And it says

168
00:16:07.600 --> 00:16:15.600
in Romans 1 20, reading in the Passion Translation, that the invisible qualities

169
00:16:15.600 --> 00:16:22.280
of God's nature have been made visible. How many of you felt that as you've been

170
00:16:22.280 --> 00:16:29.040
out in nature? Can you feel the power of God in a volcano? Can you feel

171
00:16:29.040 --> 00:16:35.600
the the beauty and the love of God in the lily, in the intricate... I have a

172
00:16:35.600 --> 00:16:41.520
hummingbird that comes on my patio every day. Do you feel the abundance of God

173
00:16:41.520 --> 00:16:47.160
as you look at the apple trees? I mean how many orchards are in one apple tree?

174
00:16:47.160 --> 00:16:54.160
Right? So the very nature, Romans 1 20, the very invisible qualities of God have

175
00:16:54.160 --> 00:17:00.840
been made visible in nature. And so this is why it's so important that we go

176
00:17:00.840 --> 00:17:07.040
out and we spend time and and we see God. We see so much about God, his love, his

177
00:17:07.040 --> 00:17:14.839
beauty, his power, his abundance. It says in Psalms 19 1, that his testament is

178
00:17:14.839 --> 00:17:21.359
written in the stars. The heavens declare the glory of God. All right, today we're

179
00:17:21.359 --> 00:17:28.200
gonna get into a fun one. I think it's fun. It's an amazing story. In this story,

180
00:17:28.200 --> 00:17:32.600
we're gonna be in Acts chapter 10. As soon as we get there, we're gonna be

181
00:17:32.600 --> 00:17:38.120
talking about visions and dreams. And how many of you have had dreams and you

182
00:17:38.120 --> 00:17:42.960
wonder, what does it mean? And is that God speaking? And what do I do with my

183
00:17:42.960 --> 00:17:49.880
dreams? So you're gonna see an amazing story in Scripture. And I find it so

184
00:17:49.880 --> 00:17:55.520
fascinating because it has a number of characters involved. We're gonna be in

185
00:17:55.520 --> 00:18:00.720
in Acts chapter 10. And so you're gonna see different cultures brought

186
00:18:00.760 --> 00:18:06.800
together. Cultures that didn't understand and didn't get along. You're going to see

187
00:18:06.800 --> 00:18:11.600
what I love, what I think is one of the biggest miracles, divine appointments.

188
00:18:11.600 --> 00:18:17.720
You're gonna see how God connects people through these visions, through these

189
00:18:17.720 --> 00:18:22.800
dreams. He has a way of bringing people together that would not normally come

190
00:18:22.800 --> 00:18:29.520
together. And it opens their heart to build a relationship with each other

191
00:18:29.560 --> 00:18:34.640
where there would not be a relationship. So stay tuned all the way to the end.

192
00:18:34.640 --> 00:18:40.440
This is juicy all the way to the end of this. But just a couple background verses.

193
00:18:40.440 --> 00:18:46.960
You can write these down in your notes. One of them is Numbers 12 verse 6. Just

194
00:18:46.960 --> 00:18:51.120
write these down as references. Numbers 12 verse 6. I read from the Amplified

195
00:18:51.120 --> 00:18:58.600
translation usually. It's my favorite. And so in Numbers 12 6 in the Amplified, God

196
00:18:58.600 --> 00:19:05.760
said, hear now my words. If there's a prophet among you, I the Lord will make

197
00:19:05.760 --> 00:19:15.520
myself known to him in a vision. And I will speak to him in a dream. Now we see

198
00:19:15.520 --> 00:19:20.280
this in Scripture from cover to cover. And God is the same yesterday, today,

199
00:19:20.280 --> 00:19:26.400
tomorrow. So he's still speaking in visions and dreams. We see in the New

200
00:19:26.440 --> 00:19:31.400
Testament, that was the Old Testament, in the New Testament in Acts chapter 2

201
00:19:31.400 --> 00:19:37.960
verses 17 and 18, it says, and it shall be in the last days. All right, let's get

202
00:19:37.960 --> 00:19:43.720
really current, right? It shall be in the last days, says God, that I will pour out

203
00:19:43.720 --> 00:19:52.560
my spirit upon all mankind. And I love this verse, all mankind, because it talks

204
00:19:52.680 --> 00:19:57.320
about all genders, all age groups, all cultures. And that's something really

205
00:19:57.320 --> 00:19:59.600
important to me. I love seeing that in Scripture.

206
00:20:00.000 --> 00:20:05.000
It says, and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy.

207
00:20:06.680 --> 00:20:08.480
Speak the truth about God.

208
00:20:08.480 --> 00:20:12.520
And your young men will see divinely prompted visions.

209
00:20:12.520 --> 00:20:17.160
And your old men will dream divinely prompted dreams.

210
00:20:17.160 --> 00:20:19.560
And it goes on to speak like that.

211
00:20:19.560 --> 00:20:21.920
So we know that this is one of the ways

212
00:20:21.920 --> 00:20:26.920
as we look at how does God speak to us today?

213
00:20:27.120 --> 00:20:30.600
Well, we can look at how he's spoken in the past

214
00:20:30.600 --> 00:20:34.240
and we know he's the same God yesterday, today and tomorrow.

215
00:20:34.240 --> 00:20:36.600
So, all right, here's one of my favorite stories.

216
00:20:36.600 --> 00:20:38.840
If you wanna follow along, if you have your word,

217
00:20:38.840 --> 00:20:41.480
I'm reading from Acts chapter 10.

218
00:20:41.480 --> 00:20:43.480
Let's start with verses one through five.

219
00:20:43.480 --> 00:20:45.840
I'm reading from the Amplified Translation.

220
00:20:45.840 --> 00:20:47.840
This is a fascinating story.

221
00:20:47.840 --> 00:20:50.920
It's rich with jewels that we can apply

222
00:20:50.920 --> 00:20:52.360
right here, right now.

223
00:20:52.400 --> 00:20:57.040
It says that now at Caesarea,

224
00:20:57.040 --> 00:20:59.400
and I've been there, amazing place.

225
00:20:59.400 --> 00:21:03.720
At Caesarea, there was a man named Cornelius.

226
00:21:03.720 --> 00:21:06.520
He was a centurion of what was known

227
00:21:06.520 --> 00:21:10.240
as the Italian Regiment.

228
00:21:10.240 --> 00:21:15.040
So this is a non-Jewish that he would be called back then,

229
00:21:15.040 --> 00:21:16.700
you know, a Gentile.

230
00:21:17.560 --> 00:21:18.900
The Jews hated them.

231
00:21:18.900 --> 00:21:23.100
They called them dogs because they were very oppressive

232
00:21:23.100 --> 00:21:25.060
to the Jewish people.

233
00:21:25.060 --> 00:21:27.620
They were under the oppression of the Romans.

234
00:21:27.620 --> 00:21:29.820
And so this man is a leader.

235
00:21:29.820 --> 00:21:32.700
Centurion means he rules a hundred people.

236
00:21:32.700 --> 00:21:35.060
And look what it says about him in verse two.

237
00:21:35.060 --> 00:21:37.500
Never judge, no matter what background

238
00:21:37.500 --> 00:21:39.100
someone's coming from.

239
00:21:39.100 --> 00:21:41.580
It says he was a devout man

240
00:21:42.460 --> 00:21:47.020
and one who along with his household feared God.

241
00:21:47.020 --> 00:21:47.940
He was generous too.

242
00:21:47.940 --> 00:21:50.580
It says he made many charitable donations

243
00:21:50.580 --> 00:21:55.580
to the Jewish people and he prayed to God always.

244
00:21:56.700 --> 00:21:59.100
So we get a little, the curtain is pulled back

245
00:21:59.100 --> 00:22:01.160
on the character of this Roman man,

246
00:22:01.160 --> 00:22:03.740
this Roman high position man.

247
00:22:04.820 --> 00:22:07.300
And it says about the ninth hour,

248
00:22:07.300 --> 00:22:09.740
that would be three o'clock in the afternoon,

249
00:22:09.740 --> 00:22:13.060
about the ninth hour of the day, look at this,

250
00:22:13.060 --> 00:22:17.060
he clearly saw a vision.

251
00:22:17.060 --> 00:22:22.060
An angel of God who had come to him and said, Cornelius.

252
00:22:23.640 --> 00:22:25.300
So here it is, this is the middle of the day.

253
00:22:25.300 --> 00:22:26.960
I don't think he's been drinking.

254
00:22:27.860 --> 00:22:32.220
He gets a vision and he sees an angel.

255
00:22:32.220 --> 00:22:34.980
So he sees, he sees the angel and he hears,

256
00:22:34.980 --> 00:22:36.420
he hears his name.

257
00:22:37.780 --> 00:22:42.240
Cornelius of course, like you or I might be, was frightened.

258
00:22:43.300 --> 00:22:46.780
And he stared intently at him and said, what is it?

259
00:22:47.340 --> 00:22:49.580
Lord, sir.

260
00:22:49.580 --> 00:22:53.060
And the angel said to him, your prayers and gifts

261
00:22:53.060 --> 00:22:57.800
of charity have ascended as a memorial offering before God.

262
00:22:59.020 --> 00:23:01.740
And now he gets instructions,

263
00:23:01.740 --> 00:23:04.900
clear instructions of what his next move is.

264
00:23:04.900 --> 00:23:06.740
This is what I love about this story.

265
00:23:06.740 --> 00:23:08.780
How many of us want clear instructions?

266
00:23:08.780 --> 00:23:10.580
What's our next move?

267
00:23:10.580 --> 00:23:12.840
Many of us are having to pivot our careers.

268
00:23:12.840 --> 00:23:14.780
We're starting new careers.

269
00:23:14.780 --> 00:23:17.580
What is God's next move for us?

270
00:23:17.580 --> 00:23:20.680
And so God gives them his next move right here.

271
00:23:20.680 --> 00:23:23.940
And it's bold and it's fascinating.

272
00:23:23.940 --> 00:23:28.100
He says in verse five, now send men to Joppa

273
00:23:29.220 --> 00:23:32.580
and have them call for a man named Simon,

274
00:23:32.580 --> 00:23:37.580
who's also called Peter, and invite him here.

275
00:23:38.080 --> 00:23:40.280
All right, so Peter's one of the 12 disciples.

276
00:23:40.280 --> 00:23:42.200
This is, you know, this is the book of Acts.

277
00:23:42.200 --> 00:23:43.900
Jesus has already died, risen.

278
00:23:43.940 --> 00:23:45.940
The Holy Spirit has fallen on them.

279
00:23:45.940 --> 00:23:48.980
And Simon Peter lives in Joppa.

280
00:23:48.980 --> 00:23:50.280
He's a fisherman.

281
00:23:50.280 --> 00:23:53.900
And now, if you can imagine this,

282
00:23:53.900 --> 00:23:58.900
a Roman who you fear and you hate is going to call for you.

283
00:23:59.620 --> 00:24:00.860
Fascinating story.

284
00:24:00.860 --> 00:24:03.020
Let's go verses six through 10.

285
00:24:03.020 --> 00:24:06.800
Verse six, and he's staying with Simon the Tanner,

286
00:24:06.800 --> 00:24:08.700
whose house is by the sea.

287
00:24:09.540 --> 00:24:13.600
And when the angel who was speaking to him had gone,

288
00:24:14.300 --> 00:24:15.140
this is fascinating,

289
00:24:15.140 --> 00:24:17.380
Cornelius called two of his servants

290
00:24:17.380 --> 00:24:22.160
and a devout soldier from among his own personal attendants.

291
00:24:22.160 --> 00:24:24.540
And after explaining everything to them,

292
00:24:24.540 --> 00:24:27.680
he sent them to Joppa.

293
00:24:27.680 --> 00:24:30.540
Now, what is notable here

294
00:24:30.540 --> 00:24:34.700
is that Cornelius not only heard the word,

295
00:24:34.700 --> 00:24:36.700
he acted in faith.

296
00:24:36.700 --> 00:24:37.900
He didn't doubt.

297
00:24:37.900 --> 00:24:39.140
He didn't say, man,

298
00:24:39.140 --> 00:24:42.220
I must not have gotten a lot of sleep last night.

299
00:24:42.240 --> 00:24:45.220
Wow, this job must be just getting to me.

300
00:24:46.360 --> 00:24:48.360
Did I really, I mean, if I do something,

301
00:24:48.360 --> 00:24:51.360
if I say this to my leaders,

302
00:24:51.360 --> 00:24:53.560
they're gonna think I'm nuts,

303
00:24:53.560 --> 00:24:55.880
that I saw an angel.

304
00:24:55.880 --> 00:24:57.660
He's gonna call his servants

305
00:24:57.660 --> 00:25:00.200
and the people that respect him so much.

306
00:25:00.000 --> 00:25:06.480
as an authority and say hey guys um so I saw an angel and an angel told me to I

307
00:25:06.480 --> 00:25:12.520
want you guys to go over to the Jews. Imagine how that must have felt you know

308
00:25:12.520 --> 00:25:18.080
if you if you put yourself in that situation but Cornelius didn't doubt and

309
00:25:18.080 --> 00:25:24.320
this is one of the first keys to hearing the voice of God is to is to treasure it

310
00:25:24.320 --> 00:25:29.840
to to pray to be open to receive it and then if you get a word from God if you

311
00:25:29.840 --> 00:25:34.680
get a dream the minute you wake up write it down if you get a vision write it

312
00:25:34.680 --> 00:25:40.160
down so that you can pray into it and ask God to continue to reveal say God

313
00:25:40.160 --> 00:25:46.080
reveal what did this dream mean what's my next step treasure it honor it if you

314
00:25:46.080 --> 00:25:51.920
got a prophetic word read it over and over let it go deep in you so we see

315
00:25:51.920 --> 00:25:57.240
that Cornelius was a devout man he was a praying man and that when he got this

316
00:25:57.240 --> 00:26:03.160
vision he didn't doubt he didn't just go wow that was interesting he acted on

317
00:26:03.160 --> 00:26:09.520
it immediately and so look at verse 9 the next day as they were on their way

318
00:26:09.520 --> 00:26:13.400
now this is what I love how God brings people and cultures together that would

319
00:26:13.400 --> 00:26:17.960
never be brought together the the power of these divine appointments is amazing

320
00:26:17.960 --> 00:26:24.120
so the next day so you got Cornelius's men on their way to Joppa so get this

321
00:26:24.120 --> 00:26:30.680
it's a couple day journey so they're walking on their way over in Joppa now

322
00:26:30.680 --> 00:26:38.640
God is gonna work in Peter's life I love the way when we're open and we're

323
00:26:38.640 --> 00:26:45.680
receptive that he prepares our heart for what is coming so that when it happens

324
00:26:45.680 --> 00:26:50.800
we can truly get what God is doing so check this out Cornelius's men are on

325
00:26:50.800 --> 00:26:56.080
their way and as they're on the way we the camera switches and we get a glimpse

326
00:26:56.080 --> 00:27:02.200
into Peter's life so Peter now a devout Jew right remember the Cornelius was a

327
00:27:02.200 --> 00:27:07.440
Roman a devout Jew it says in verse 9 that Peter went up on the roof of the

328
00:27:07.440 --> 00:27:14.120
house about the sixth hour about noon all right to pray so the common

329
00:27:14.120 --> 00:27:18.040
denominator with Cornelius and with Peter is that they are both prayer

330
00:27:18.040 --> 00:27:22.240
warriors and they're praying even in the middle of the day even in the work

331
00:27:22.240 --> 00:27:27.720
day okay and so you see that at noon Peter goes up to pray verse 10 he gets

332
00:27:27.720 --> 00:27:32.240
hungry he wanted something to eat but he's waiting for the meal and he's up

333
00:27:32.240 --> 00:27:40.440
there on the roof praying and verse 10 says he fell into a trance this is one

334
00:27:40.440 --> 00:27:44.920
of the ways that God speaks so we're looking at all these different ways that

335
00:27:44.920 --> 00:27:51.200
God speaks and so we're gonna see that he too has a vision so Cornelius had a

336
00:27:51.200 --> 00:27:58.000
vision through an angel Peter has a vision verses 11 through 16 of Acts 10

337
00:27:58.000 --> 00:28:08.680
so verse 11 says Peter saw the sky opened up and an object like a great

338
00:28:08.680 --> 00:28:15.440
sheet descending lowers by its four corners to the earth so he's up on the

339
00:28:15.440 --> 00:28:21.480
roof praying and he sees the sheet being dropped down verse 12 says that the

340
00:28:21.480 --> 00:28:26.880
sheet contained all kinds of four-footed animals crawling creatures of the earth

341
00:28:26.880 --> 00:28:36.080
and birds of the air now if you have studied the Jewish diet and the idea

342
00:28:36.080 --> 00:28:40.480
their religion of clean and unclean you would know that these are all things

343
00:28:40.480 --> 00:28:45.000
that the Jews consider unclean untouchable they don't eat them they're

344
00:28:45.000 --> 00:28:52.360
not interested in eating them and so you go all right so it says it contained all

345
00:28:52.360 --> 00:28:58.880
kinds of four-footed animals verse 13 now Peter hears a voice it says a voice

346
00:28:58.880 --> 00:29:09.680
came to him get up Peter kill and eat now you have to know that from Peter's

347
00:29:09.680 --> 00:29:16.520
perspective this had to be absolutely appalling it'd be like saying to you

348
00:29:16.520 --> 00:29:20.560
all right I just saw a vision go rape a child I mean I'm trying to take

349
00:29:20.560 --> 00:29:27.440
something extreme right that you would be absolutely not that was what Peter

350
00:29:27.440 --> 00:29:33.040
was feeling right here he says get up Peter kill and eat verse 14 Peter says

351
00:29:33.040 --> 00:29:42.400
no way Lord not at all Lord I've never eaten anything that is common unholy and

352
00:29:42.400 --> 00:29:50.400
ceremonial unclean he was very religious to the T no way verse 15 and the voice

353
00:29:50.400 --> 00:30:01.160
to him a second time and said what God has cleansed and pronounced clean

354
00:30:00.000 --> 00:30:04.040
No longer consider common or unholy

355
00:30:05.260 --> 00:30:10.600
he was taking something that Peter knew as a way of teaching a principle and

356
00:30:11.760 --> 00:30:18.520
It says in verse 16 just to be sure that he got it. It says and this happened three times and

357
00:30:19.840 --> 00:30:25.720
Then immediately the object was taken up into heaven. So you begin to see here that

358
00:30:26.320 --> 00:30:31.600
What we see is not always like the surface value, right?

359
00:30:31.720 --> 00:30:38.520
He's showing him something that he understands to be able to show him something that he doesn't understand

360
00:30:38.520 --> 00:30:43.760
And so the voice in this trance tells him hey if I say it's clean

361
00:30:44.400 --> 00:30:48.880
Don't call it unclean. All right verses 17 through 20

362
00:30:48.880 --> 00:30:55.280
It says now Peter was still perplexed and completely at a loss

363
00:30:55.720 --> 00:30:58.720
As to what his vision could mean

364
00:30:59.560 --> 00:31:06.560
Now, I know the feeling of that Peter's completely confused because he'd grown up from the time

365
00:31:06.560 --> 00:31:08.560
He was old enough to understand

366
00:31:08.820 --> 00:31:11.800
he had been taught these religious principles and

367
00:31:12.520 --> 00:31:13.960
so now

368
00:31:13.960 --> 00:31:17.720
He's seeing something that completely seems to counteract or

369
00:31:18.480 --> 00:31:19.740
contradict

370
00:31:19.740 --> 00:31:21.740
Everything that he knew and he understood

371
00:31:22.420 --> 00:31:25.720
You see this happened to me the very first time that

372
00:31:26.420 --> 00:31:28.420
God talked to me

373
00:31:29.380 --> 00:31:30.780
back in

374
00:31:30.780 --> 00:31:32.620
2004 and

375
00:31:32.620 --> 00:31:34.620
He told me to pull down my Bible

376
00:31:34.620 --> 00:31:39.740
I was in my office and he told me to pull down my Bible and he told me to read 1st Corinthians

377
00:31:40.420 --> 00:31:42.420
chapters 12 through 14 and

378
00:31:43.260 --> 00:31:45.100
When I read it

379
00:31:45.100 --> 00:31:52.020
It was as if my eyes were open and he he I read it and I said exactly like Peter I'm like

380
00:31:52.660 --> 00:31:54.660
That's not what I was taught

381
00:31:55.460 --> 00:31:59.220
that's that's not what I've heard all my life and

382
00:32:00.020 --> 00:32:04.660
So part of us hearing the voice of God is being open

383
00:32:05.180 --> 00:32:09.000
Because there may be things that religion taught us

384
00:32:09.840 --> 00:32:16.240
That relationship is going to need to undo and so what you're going to see with Peter here is you're going to see the

385
00:32:16.680 --> 00:32:19.620
transformation from religion to relationship

386
00:32:20.880 --> 00:32:25.600
He had a separation in not only food but in people

387
00:32:26.240 --> 00:32:33.080
There was a cultural separation a Jewish person would never have anything to do with a Roman Gentile

388
00:32:33.080 --> 00:32:37.800
They considered them the filth of the earth the dogs. There was so much prejudice back and forth

389
00:32:38.800 --> 00:32:40.680
They hated them

390
00:32:40.680 --> 00:32:45.720
They were oppressed by them. There was so much division and God's gonna say

391
00:32:46.080 --> 00:32:51.880
My children are my children my children and I need to teach you if you're gonna understand me as infinite love

392
00:32:51.880 --> 00:32:57.120
If you're gonna understand the work, I want to do in the world. I so loved the world

393
00:32:58.040 --> 00:33:04.500
I'm the one that made all cultures if you're going to truly walk in the love of God

394
00:33:04.500 --> 00:33:08.220
You're gonna have to break these cultural divides you're gonna have to break through

395
00:33:08.820 --> 00:33:10.820
this separation and

396
00:33:11.300 --> 00:33:16.660
so Peter's gonna have to learn this lesson to go to the next level with God and

397
00:33:17.340 --> 00:33:19.860
So it says that Peter's still perplexed

398
00:33:19.860 --> 00:33:25.620
He's completely at a loss as to what this vision could mean

399
00:33:25.860 --> 00:33:28.740
What in the world was God saying don't call?

400
00:33:29.780 --> 00:33:32.960
Unclean what I call clean when he'd been taught all his life

401
00:33:35.260 --> 00:33:38.900
When as he's considering this this is Peter's perplexed

402
00:33:38.900 --> 00:33:44.460
He's at a loss as to what his vision could mean when the men who'd been sent by Cornelius

403
00:33:44.780 --> 00:33:48.940
having asked direction to Simon's house arrived at the gate a

404
00:33:49.780 --> 00:33:54.700
Divine appointment is about to happen a God setup is about to happen

405
00:33:54.700 --> 00:34:01.460
Have you ever experienced a God setup to completely unlikely people being brought together for God's divine purpose?

406
00:34:01.980 --> 00:34:03.980
Love this stuff gets really juicy

407
00:34:04.300 --> 00:34:12.699
so verse 18 and they called out to ask whether Simon who's also called Peter was staying there and

408
00:34:14.460 --> 00:34:21.780
While Peter was thoughtfully considering the vision look at this the Spirit said to him

409
00:34:22.780 --> 00:34:28.260
Remember we said the role of the Holy Spirit is to guide us into all truth to show us things to come

410
00:34:28.540 --> 00:34:33.900
To cause us to remember things and so causing Peter to remember things

411
00:34:33.900 --> 00:34:38.699
And so now the Holy Spirit is speaking to Peter. He doesn't understand what's happening to him

412
00:34:39.540 --> 00:34:46.260
It says well Peter was thoughtfully considering the vision the Spirit said to him now listen

413
00:34:46.840 --> 00:34:53.139
Three men are looking for you get up go downstairs and go with them without

414
00:34:53.580 --> 00:34:56.620
Hesitating or doubting because I have sent them myself

415
00:34:58.260 --> 00:35:00.460
Wow

416
00:35:00.000 --> 00:35:08.560
Talk about preparing a heart. And Peter had a choice here. Like we always have a choice. He can

417
00:35:08.560 --> 00:35:17.360
obey or he can question and doubt or say, I need to ask people what people think. I need to go to

418
00:35:17.360 --> 00:35:26.400
my priest. I need to figure this out. No, we see that Peter, like Cornelius, was obedient. Verses

419
00:35:26.400 --> 00:35:33.600
21 through 24, Peter went down to the men and said, I'm the one you're looking for. For what

420
00:35:33.600 --> 00:35:41.520
reason have you come? Verse 22, they said, Cornelius, a centurion, an upright and God-fearing

421
00:35:41.520 --> 00:35:49.520
man, well-spoken of by all Jewish people, was divinely instructed. Love those words. Divinely

422
00:35:49.520 --> 00:35:57.920
instructed by a holy angel to send for you to come to his house and hear what you have to say.

423
00:35:59.040 --> 00:36:06.080
So Peter invited them in and gave them lodging for the night. This is unheard of. He lets them

424
00:36:06.080 --> 00:36:13.920
stay in his home. Okay. And the next day, Peter got up and left with them. And some of the brothers

425
00:36:14.000 --> 00:36:20.560
from Joppa went with him. Verse 24, on the following day, again, another day's journey

426
00:36:20.560 --> 00:36:28.960
back, on the following day, they enter Caesarea, this Roman village, and Cornelius was waiting for

427
00:36:28.960 --> 00:36:36.640
them. And check this out. And had called together his relatives and close friends. We're about to

428
00:36:36.640 --> 00:36:43.200
have church here. We're about to have a revival service here between two opposite cultures. God

429
00:36:43.200 --> 00:36:51.920
is going to show up and show out. I love this story. Verse 25, when Peter arrived, Cornelius

430
00:36:51.920 --> 00:36:58.800
met him. Now, Cornelius has not been trained in the Jewish religion, in the scriptures. He's just

431
00:36:58.800 --> 00:37:05.920
a good man that prays and believes in God. So he makes the mistake. He goes to Peter and he falls

432
00:37:05.920 --> 00:37:13.360
down on his, at Peter's feet and worships him. And Peter raises him up and goes, no, no, no, no.

433
00:37:13.360 --> 00:37:22.720
Stand up. I too am only a man. Verse 27, as Peter talked with him, he enters the house and it says

434
00:37:22.720 --> 00:37:30.560
he found a large group of people assembled. God had gathered an entire group to hear what Peter

435
00:37:30.560 --> 00:37:39.760
has to say. Verse 28, he said to them, Peter says to them, you know that it's unlawful for a Jewish

436
00:37:39.760 --> 00:37:51.200
man to associate with or befriend a Gentile or to visit him. And yet God has shown me that I'm not

437
00:37:51.200 --> 00:37:58.800
to call anyone common or ceremonial unclean. I love this. See, those of you that know me, my passion

438
00:37:59.440 --> 00:38:06.480
is cultures coming together. My passion is for us to break down all the walls that are keeping us

439
00:38:06.480 --> 00:38:14.480
from getting the richness of what God has for us. So this story just moves me that God spoke to

440
00:38:14.480 --> 00:38:22.880
Cornelius and Cornelius obeyed and God spoke to Peter and prepared his heart to do what religion

441
00:38:22.880 --> 00:38:31.040
says you don't do. Verse 29, Peter goes on. He says, therefore, when I was sent for, I came without

442
00:38:31.040 --> 00:38:37.920
raising an objection. So Peter says, I ask you, what reason have you sent for me? Like Jesus,

443
00:38:37.920 --> 00:38:46.080
what do you want? What do you desire? Verse 30, Cornelius said, four days ago to this hour,

444
00:38:46.720 --> 00:38:57.120
I was praying in my house between 3 and 4 p.m. and a man dressed in a bright, dazzling clothing

445
00:38:57.120 --> 00:39:04.960
suddenly stood before me. And he said, Cornelius, your prayer has been heard and your acts of

446
00:39:04.960 --> 00:39:12.880
charity have been remembered before God. Verse 32, therefore, send word to Joppa, invite Simon,

447
00:39:12.880 --> 00:39:17.920
who's also called Peter, to come to you. He's staying at the house of Simon the Tanner by the

448
00:39:17.920 --> 00:39:25.360
sea. So I sent for you at once and you've been kind enough to come. Now then, we're all here

449
00:39:25.360 --> 00:39:32.880
present before God to listen to everything that you have been instructed by the Lord to say.

450
00:39:34.560 --> 00:39:38.480
Can I say that I believe so strong that God's going to do that for you?

451
00:39:39.440 --> 00:39:47.200
That on the other side of you stepping out in faith, on the other side of you believing in God,

452
00:39:47.200 --> 00:39:54.000
on the other side of you hearing from God and obeying, there are people who have been praying

453
00:39:54.000 --> 00:39:59.760
for you. There's the people you're looking for, whether you're in sales or you're in business or

454
00:40:00.000 --> 00:40:05.480
You're in ministry or you know, whatever you are. You're a teacher. Whatever God has placed you in

455
00:40:06.120 --> 00:40:09.640
the people that you're praying for the

456
00:40:10.320 --> 00:40:13.360
Opportunities the open doors that you're praying for are

457
00:40:14.120 --> 00:40:15.920
Praying for you

458
00:40:15.920 --> 00:40:20.400
God is is preparing them for you. This is why it's so

459
00:40:20.920 --> 00:40:28.500
important that we boldly step into the call that God has for our life because on the other side of that are people waiting for

460
00:40:29.100 --> 00:40:36.560
Cornelius did not know anything that Peter knew Peter had been raised for a lifetime to

461
00:40:36.780 --> 00:40:44.220
understand God to understand who is Jehovah Jireh my provider to understand who is Jehovah

462
00:40:44.380 --> 00:40:52.420
Shalom the Prince of Peace to understand who is Jehovah Rapha my healer Peter was equipped to bring that

463
00:40:53.220 --> 00:40:57.580
Cornelius he just knew there was a God in Rome. There was many gods

464
00:40:58.580 --> 00:41:04.620
He didn't have the fullness and the richness it's gonna be the same way for you. This is why

465
00:41:05.220 --> 00:41:11.700
Hearing the voice of God changes everything. This is why moving from religion knowing about God

466
00:41:12.500 --> 00:41:18.180
to relationship knowing God on the inside is so

467
00:41:18.980 --> 00:41:25.560
Important. Hmm. Let me say one more side of that that I think is so powerful. God revealed this in the shower this morning

468
00:41:26.560 --> 00:41:30.800
You know scripture says that the kingdom of God is within us

469
00:41:32.200 --> 00:41:36.600
It says that we're the temple of the Holy Spirit. We're the container of God

470
00:41:37.240 --> 00:41:39.240
so when you

471
00:41:39.640 --> 00:41:46.000
Open your heart and you build this relationship that it's not just one way you talking at God

472
00:41:46.320 --> 00:41:50.920
But you listening you receiving you communing you

473
00:41:51.840 --> 00:41:53.840
fellowshipping with God

474
00:41:54.840 --> 00:41:57.360
You're also fellowshipping with yourself

475
00:41:58.880 --> 00:42:03.280
The highest version of you you're you're tapping into infinite wisdom

476
00:42:03.840 --> 00:42:10.560
You're tapping into infinite knowledge infinite potential infinite direction infinite

477
00:42:11.320 --> 00:42:12.440
creativity

478
00:42:12.440 --> 00:42:14.520
You know, there's two ways to do life

479
00:42:15.160 --> 00:42:17.520
You can try to figure it out yourself

480
00:42:17.520 --> 00:42:20.640
You can muscle it up and you can pound your head against the wall

481
00:42:20.640 --> 00:42:26.760
And when that doesn't work you can go to a different wall and you can pound yourself against that you can work yourself

482
00:42:27.160 --> 00:42:29.360
exhaust yourself push yourself or

483
00:42:31.120 --> 00:42:36.800
You can tap into what's already been given what was already purchased for you

484
00:42:38.480 --> 00:42:46.200
What is already available for you right here right now and so here we have these people ready to listen and

485
00:42:47.120 --> 00:42:49.120
Peter opens his mouth and

486
00:42:49.720 --> 00:42:53.720
It's the most fascinating sermon we're gonna pick up with the sermon next week

487
00:42:53.920 --> 00:42:57.880
but he opens his mouth and he says most certainly I

488
00:42:58.880 --> 00:43:02.920
Understand now you see God gave him an inner standing and honors

489
00:43:03.440 --> 00:43:06.280
Understanding on the inside. He says I understand now

490
00:43:06.960 --> 00:43:10.200
That God is not one to show partiality

491
00:43:11.000 --> 00:43:15.320
To people as though Gentiles were excluded from God's blessings

492
00:43:15.560 --> 00:43:21.640
But that in every nation the person who fears God and does what is right by seeking him is

493
00:43:21.920 --> 00:43:27.880
Acceptable and welcomed by him verse 36, you know the message which he sent to the sons of Israel

494
00:43:28.520 --> 00:43:34.040
Announcing the good news of peace through Jesus Christ. Who's Lord of all, you know

495
00:43:34.040 --> 00:43:40.840
The things that have taken place throughout Judea starting in Galilee after the baptism preached by John how God?

496
00:43:41.080 --> 00:43:48.480
Anointed he goes into speaking the good news the gospel how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with great power and

497
00:43:48.480 --> 00:43:50.120
he went about doing good and

498
00:43:50.120 --> 00:43:58.080
healing all who were oppressed because God was with him and and how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and

499
00:43:59.380 --> 00:44:02.040
we are personally eyewitnesses of

500
00:44:02.880 --> 00:44:07.400
everything he did both in the land of Jews and in Jerusalem in particular and

501
00:44:07.680 --> 00:44:11.440
That they put him to death by hanging him on the cross and

502
00:44:13.040 --> 00:44:17.680
That God raised him to life on the third day and caused him to be plainly seen

503
00:44:18.120 --> 00:44:22.480
Not to all people but to witnesses who were chosen and designated beforehand

504
00:44:22.600 --> 00:44:27.720
That is to us who ate and and and drank together with him

505
00:44:28.240 --> 00:44:31.000
After he rose from the dead so

506
00:44:31.680 --> 00:44:34.120
Cornelius is getting to hear firsthand

507
00:44:35.120 --> 00:44:37.120
From the people who actually

508
00:44:38.400 --> 00:44:45.880
Experienced Jesus who ate with them and and drank with him and he goes on to share the great commandment

509
00:44:45.880 --> 00:44:49.360
he says he commanded us to preach to all people both Jews and

510
00:44:49.880 --> 00:44:57.120
Gentiles to testify that he's the one that's been appointed and ordained by God and all the prophets

511
00:44:57.800 --> 00:45:00.000
testify about him that through

512
00:45:00.000 --> 00:45:04.480
His name, everyone who believes in and whoever trusts and relies on him,

513
00:45:04.480 --> 00:45:08.960
accepting him as Savior, as Messiah, receives forgiveness.

514
00:45:08.960 --> 00:45:15.840
And check this out, while Peter was still speaking these words,

515
00:45:15.840 --> 00:45:20.400
the Holy Spirit fell on all those who were listening

516
00:45:20.400 --> 00:45:24.720
to the message, confirming God's acceptance.

517
00:45:24.720 --> 00:45:28.080
All the circumcised believers who came with Peter

518
00:45:28.080 --> 00:45:35.360
were amazed, absolutely amazed, because the gift of the Holy

519
00:45:35.360 --> 00:45:39.280
Spirit, the gift, the gift of the Holy Spirit, the one

520
00:45:39.280 --> 00:45:42.320
who guides us into all truth, who shows us things to come,

521
00:45:42.320 --> 00:45:45.680
who causes us to reveal the gift of the Holy Spirit

522
00:45:45.680 --> 00:45:50.400
had been poured out even on the Gentiles.

523
00:45:50.400 --> 00:45:56.160
They heard them talking in tongues, edifying, magnifying, praising God.

524
00:45:56.160 --> 00:46:00.960
And Peter said, verse 47, can anyone refuse water for these people to be

525
00:46:00.960 --> 00:46:04.160
baptized since they've received the Holy Spirit

526
00:46:04.160 --> 00:46:08.800
just as we did? And so we have this

527
00:46:08.800 --> 00:46:15.600
amazing changing of an entire community.

528
00:46:15.600 --> 00:46:22.640
Amazing what God can do when we open our heart.

529
00:46:22.640 --> 00:46:26.880
So what's the takeaway? What's the takeaway?

530
00:46:26.880 --> 00:46:30.880
You had two people from two different cultures

531
00:46:30.880 --> 00:46:35.840
praying, no matter what culture you come from.

532
00:46:35.840 --> 00:46:39.440
And two people that were willing and open

533
00:46:39.440 --> 00:46:43.680
to break through religious paradigms, they were willing to have God

534
00:46:43.680 --> 00:46:46.880
speak to them, not just them speak to God, not

535
00:46:46.880 --> 00:46:51.600
put God in some religious box, but they were hungry,

536
00:46:51.600 --> 00:46:56.400
they were open, they were receptive to hear what God had to say.

537
00:46:56.400 --> 00:47:01.520
And whenever God finds an open, a receptive, a hungry heart,

538
00:47:01.520 --> 00:47:06.080
you can count on that miracles are going to follow.

539
00:47:06.080 --> 00:47:09.840
You see, with God, the supernatural is meant to be natural for us.

540
00:47:09.840 --> 00:47:13.120
You're a supernatural being. You're meant to walk

541
00:47:13.200 --> 00:47:17.840
in all power and all authority. You're not meant to be weak and helpless. You're

542
00:47:17.840 --> 00:47:22.800
not meant to be a victim. You're not meant to walk in fear.

543
00:47:22.800 --> 00:47:27.520
You're meant to walk in power. You're meant to know that all your needs have

544
00:47:27.520 --> 00:47:32.480
already been provided, that you have all power, all

545
00:47:32.480 --> 00:47:36.800
authority, all love, all goodness, that you're never alone, you're

546
00:47:36.800 --> 00:47:41.920
never forsaken, and that God has a plan and a purpose for your life, for my life,

547
00:47:41.920 --> 00:47:45.440
for our life, and that that purpose is usually out of

548
00:47:45.440 --> 00:47:49.680
the box that we think. Get ready to have your world rocked. I've

549
00:47:49.680 --> 00:47:53.600
had my paradigm shifted so many times. I like to say I have stretch marks on my

550
00:47:53.600 --> 00:47:57.600
stretch marks. Things that I was taught were totally

551
00:47:57.600 --> 00:48:03.600
wrong, and God comes along and shows, no, they're not wrong. And I pray that for

552
00:48:03.600 --> 00:48:06.800
you today. I pray that this has opened your eyes. We're going to keep this every

553
00:48:06.800 --> 00:48:10.320
Tuesday at 7 30. We're going to keep looking at the

554
00:48:10.320 --> 00:48:15.600
ways that God speaks, because awareness is the first step

555
00:48:15.600 --> 00:48:22.160
of transformation. As we learn how God speaks,

556
00:48:22.160 --> 00:48:27.040
then we can experience the full power of God, the full measure. We can step

557
00:48:27.040 --> 00:48:32.080
into the fullness that God designed for you, that he created you before the

558
00:48:32.080 --> 00:48:37.200
foundation of the world, before you were even born. God put this

559
00:48:37.200 --> 00:48:41.360
in you. There's things that only you can do.

560
00:48:41.360 --> 00:48:47.040
There's people only you can reach. There's discoveries only you can make.

561
00:48:47.040 --> 00:48:50.320
There's love, and healing, and relationship,

562
00:48:50.320 --> 00:48:56.160
and bridging between cultures. There's so much of that that needs to

563
00:48:56.160 --> 00:48:59.520
happen right now. We've got to tear down these artificial

564
00:48:59.520 --> 00:49:02.880
barriers. If there's anything this pandemic is teaching us, is that

565
00:49:02.880 --> 00:49:06.560
we're one world. We're one people. I don't care what color your skin is.

566
00:49:06.560 --> 00:49:08.960
I don't care what religion you're brought up in.

567
00:49:08.960 --> 00:49:15.280
I don't care what traditions you have. It's time for us to come together,

568
00:49:15.280 --> 00:49:18.720
because we all have so much to learn from each other, and the Holy Spirit

569
00:49:18.720 --> 00:49:21.360
wants to work in you in such a mighty way

570
00:49:21.360 --> 00:49:28.800
to tear down these walls, to rebuild these bridges. Thank you so much

571
00:49:28.800 --> 00:49:34.640
for being part of this. You can go back and watch the the previous replays for

572
00:49:34.640 --> 00:49:40.080
lesson one and two. Again, we'll be here every Tuesday 7 30 a.m.

573
00:49:40.080 --> 00:49:43.600
There's also other free things you can get. I send out

574
00:49:43.600 --> 00:49:47.200
a newsletter. It's the best of scripture and science.

575
00:49:47.200 --> 00:49:52.640
I send it out every Sunday. This past Sunday, it was defeating your giants.

576
00:49:52.640 --> 00:49:57.680
I think you'll love it. You can go to prosperinallthings.com

577
00:49:57.680 --> 00:50:01.680
That's prosper in all.

578
00:50:00.000 --> 00:50:06.080
Things dot-com and you can subscribe to the newsletter. You can have a free session with me

579
00:50:06.080 --> 00:50:10.240
You can leave it in the comments here. Let me know. Let me know

580
00:50:11.120 --> 00:50:17.480
How God is working in your life through these through these talks

581
00:50:17.480 --> 00:50:22.040
Let me know what the Holy Spirit is showing you. Let me know how I can be praying for you

582
00:50:22.600 --> 00:50:26.480
It's so great to be here with you. I love you be blessed

583
00:50:27.000 --> 00:50:33.560
Walk in peace walk in healing walk in joy, and we'll see you same time same place next week

584
00:50:33.920 --> 00:50:35.920
God bless you