Pastor Mike: Let me reiterate a few things, because the ‘Financial Tip’ today was about your looking into acquiring Whole Life Insurance. I am not a proponent too much of Term. If you have nothing else, you should do Term so that you can cover your house. If you don’t have a solid Whole Life Policy, please I beseech thee, look into that.
There are so many ways to peel this onion. We have not been informed, unfortunately folks, and we need to be informed, the scripture says my people perish for the lack of knowledge. I am working with these principles, and they are working for my life. I am seeing the results, every year I save. I save before I spend.
Ladies and gentlemen, it’s enough resources I this room now to get all of us out of debt. We don’t lack resources, we lack togetherness. If you all would let God lead you through what I am sharing with you all of us could be out to debt by next year.
Pastor Dewayne: You know while I was listening to you, I think about Hosea; he said my people are perishing and being destroyed because of a lack of knowledge. Then he turned around and said because You refuse to give it to them. Sometimes I wonder if Hosea hindered the thoughts of people. Paul said, “Am I your enemy because I tell you the truth?”
It’s like when the man of God is talking about money and trying to get money to you some people’s mind just shut off; you are getting the truth, but you are getting upset with the one that deliver it. Thank God we got a man of God that doesn’t care if you get mad or glad. He is going to tell us the whole truth, nothing but the truth and it’s going to help you if you apply that word. Pastor’s Appreciation Month y’all!
Pastor Mike: He said, “My people perish for the lack of knowledge” (Hosea 4:6) and you would think that would be the answer. But then it goes on to say, because I have rejected it. The Priest rejects the knowledge, and he will not give it to the people, and they are perishing for their lack. The lack is, I hold back from it, then you’ve got questions. You’ve got to make up your mind whether I have it or not. It’s worked fine for my Pastor. A lot of these principles I got from my man of God, and it’s been working.
Colossians 3 is a very interesting passage of scripture. I told you through a very expository style of presenting this lesson I would give you these principles concerning ‘Agape and Honor.’ I never thought it would take the turn it has taken to assist me in kind of opening up my understanding even greater. Because I have heard statements like “it takes two to make something work” and specifically, I’ve heard it in marriage. That would be ideally the way we would all want it. That there is some commonality. That there would be some equality as it relates to the application of the principles of God’s Word coming from both the husband and the wife. You bring your one hundred I bring my one hundred; marriage is not fifty/ fifty. Marriage is one hundred and one hundred. But there are days when Dr. DeeDee may show up with sixty. I have the capacity and understanding as it relates to Agape and Honor that particular season, I am coming up with one hundred and forty. If she shows up with twenty, I am bringing the one eighty to the table.
I am sharing with you that one can chase a thousand, two will make you ten thousand times more powerful than you are. And it was set up for two to be in it so that your house would be ten thousand times more powerful. But one (could also work), if they are committed the way they could be committed based upon the Word of God. Because what typically happens, one faints in the flesh and says “I am not going to do all this by myself”. Jesus didn’t have your help, or anyone else’s help, and He took on the sins of the whole world. So, there are times in relationships not only with your wife, but with your co-workers when you are going to have to do all the work yourself. When they are not speaking to you, you are going to have to speak back. What some of you are looking for, is all of your actions to be reciprocated. And if they don’t speak to you then you’re not speaking to them.
See you want somebody to acknowledge your stuff, and if they don’t, you shrink your capacity because of the responses of people. I am not going to step back because somebody not going to respond to this Agape. Now, there is an agenda as it relates to believer on believer; this should be clear with us. Loving one another as Christ has loved you. It should be a bounce back kind of relationship. You should Agape me, I should Agape you. But even in the case of believers every believer is not Agape-ing back. There are times when I am observing some things about me, when me is not lining up with what me should be doing as it relates to Agape.
Pastor Dewayne: I like this because you’re really telling us:
- Somebody’s got to make sure there is a Jesus in the house. When the other one is misbehaving you’ve got to (bet the one to) make sure there is a Jesus in the house.
- It didn’t take two people for Jesus to come and do what He did.
- I am not trying to get the other one to change. I want to make sure I am responsible in doing what I have been assigned and commissioned to do.
So, don’t make your misbehaving, you’re pointing at them saying that’s the reason why you’re misbehaving. Agape love is not a servant to your emotions. Agape love is a servant to your will because Agape is a choice. And some people allow your emotions to rule you, that’s why you can’t tap into Agape. Agape has divorced itself from your emotions. So, you’ve got to make sure that this is something that is supernatural, and it comes from God, and you have the ability to do it.
Pastor Mike: As the Pastor goes, so goes the people. I like the leverage and validity he (Pastor Dewayne) is using because you’re quick to say, I am tired of doing this by myself. And why didn’t Jesus say I am tired of doing this? This may be the most thought-provoking demanding lesson that you have heard in your entire life. This lesson is going to make a demand on you. There is a standard that God has given us as believers to uphold. But when you came to the alter; alters are indicative of something being sacrificed and killed. You thought you were starting this brand-new life and you are, but you come to the alter to die.
There are some individualisms that you lay down at that alter and you kill them. And you get up in the newness of life because it’s no longer the person you were when you walked up (to the alter). Now it is the new species of being that has never existed before. We respond so much in the flesh about things done unto us.
Now I am going to give you some practical ways of understanding this. I want you to see something I think is going to bring some insight to you that maybe you have never considered.
Colossians 3: 1
- If then you were raised with Christ,
- seek those things which are above,
- where Christ is, sitting at the right hand of God.
Definition of ‘If’:
- Something that is subject to one or more conditions; or being met.
- In the event that; a conditional (controlling) clause.
Because there are clauses throughout contracts that will just let you know, if you do this, then you do this. If you don’t do this; these are controlling clauses. The first home I was buying, they gave me all these papers and told me to sign them. I am not putting my John Handcock on all these documents without reading them and I was going to take my time to read them before signing. The underwriter noticed what I was doing he said sir, are you reading all that, I said yes, I must read it to safeguard my family. He said let me save you some time, all it is saying is if you pay you stay, if you don’t you won’t. Controlling clause ‘if.’ There are some contingencies and some corresponding reactions or actions that go along with this big ‘IF’ because it (the Word) says, If you have been raised with Christ, then there are some things you ought to be doing. What I noticed about a lot of believers is their ‘if’ is a little ‘iffy.’
Pastor Dewayne: It’s something about this, He says if you have been risen with Christ, seek those things which are above. I am wondering those who have received Jesus, are they seeking Jesus or are they seeking the things that Jesus sought (the principles by which Jesus operated). There are a lot of people who have the person of Jesus down pat. But you’re still chasing the person instead of chasing the principles that the person practiced. That just maybe why you can’t get out of fornication, adultery, drinking, etc. Because you are seeking the person instead of seeking the principle that the person practiced. What made Jesus so successful wasn’t because he was Jesus the person it was Jesus’ practice of the principles of the Kingdom that is from above. He is saying, if you have been risen with Christ, seek those things. It didn’t say seek Jesus; it says seek those things which are above where Christ is.
I am just wondering why some people’s ears are so dull of hearing when it comes to the Word. Somebody says Jesus, we jump and shout, but when it comes to studying the Word, practicing the Word, meditating on the Word you have become dull of hearing the Word, and you wonder why you are being defeated in areas of your life.
That’s why most people say it’s hard to love. And the reason why it’s hard to love is because you are breaking the principle. He says you can have what you say, and that’s why you don’t Agape people. Because you are not saying I have the ability to do it, and I will do it because it’s a choice. It’s time for us to grow up. God has some things; He wants for us. And I am telling you, if He was to open up our eyes and allow us to see what He has already pre-arranged for everybody to have, you would faint in your seat.
Pastor Mike: When people don’t love you back who are you going to be?
Colossians 3
- v. 2 Then set your mind if you been risen on things above not on thing on earth.
- v. 3 For you died to this life, and your real life is hidden with Christ in God.
The life I now live, based upon the faith of the Son of God. He says for you died to this life and your real life is hidden with Christ in God. What Jesus is saying, you are not even supposed to be seen. Pastor Dewayne did a marvelous job some years ago. He said he took his vision, and he hid it in my vision, and when I move with his vision in me his vision moved along with me. My vision was moving but yet his vision was moving also. What Jesus was saying, when you get in Him, I am going to take you places in me that you not going to be able to get to by yourself.
But if you want to come out and show your tail from time to time to give somebody a piece of your mind because you not going to be treated like they are treating you, then you are going to get the reward for what you do and not get the reward for what He has done. What God is trying to get us to do is not just go hide but go somewhere and die.
Colossians 3
- v. 4 And when Christ, who is your life, is revealed to the whole world, you will share in all His glory. Now do you want your glory, or do you want His glory?
- v. 5 So then put to death the sinful earthly things lurking within you. Have, lust, and evil desires. Don’t be son is an idolater, worshiping the things of this world.
Pastor Dewayne: Don’t be greedy, for a greedy person is an idolater, worshiping the things of this world. How many people worship things of this world? If you’ve got a little bag, you worship the little bag, and that bag is not worth anything. You get a car; you worship the car…You look a little ‘iffy’.
Pastor Mike: Let me tell you the condition the Body of Christ. This Pastor came to me and told me your ministry would be much larger if you would just lighten up on some of your standards. A lot of people want this Word to come down to wherever their lust is, wherever your evil and wicked desires are. You want justification, that’s why I say this may be one of the most challenging and demanding lessons that you will ever hear.
That is why the controlling clause, ‘if.’ There are a bunch of people in the Body of Christ where their ‘if’ is a little ‘iffy.’ We’re going to see how it ties into ‘Agape.’ Jesus loves you in spite of what you are doing, but there is a standard He wants all of us to come up to and be the representation. I can’t over emphasize this enough.
As a believer heaven should not be your goal. That’s not why Jesus came so that you can make it to heaven. Heaven was a part of the package deal when you accepted Him. He wants His kingdom to come, He wants His will to be done on earth as it is in heaven. He wants people who would embrace His standards. And live so that the world can see His light through you. It does matter what you show the world, because you tell the world I am saved, but the world does not see any difference.
Financial T.I.P.S.
1) Get A Whole Life Insurance Policy That Allows You to Invest in Your Legacy Proverbs 13:22 (NIV)
Assignment:
- Review and Study the Scriptures Below
Key Scriptures:
Hosea 4:6
Colossians 3:1-5
Galatians 2