The God Of Abraham Isaac Jacob - 24 - Maturity Of Jacob

[0:00] Welcome. Thank you for choosing to listen to another faith-building message by Pastor David Entry. Faith comes by hearing and by hearing the Word of God.

[0:12] May your knowledge of Jesus Christ increase as you listen. Be blessed. I've been speaking about the God of Abraham, Jacob and Isaac. And I spoke about the God of Abraham, Isaac and the God of Jacob.

[0:28] And the God of Jacob, we said that Jacob's life is divided into four stages. Stage number one was his disposition. The Bible tells us about his disposition and his personality.

[0:40] So it was the stage where we know about him when he was born and how he tricked everybody who came his way. You know, Jacob. Jacob is an interesting character.

[0:52] And then the second stage of his life is the stage of disciplining. Disciplining and testing. And when God took him through certain stages to scale back his flesh.

[1:05] Right. So God took him through stage one stage. To take him through some stages in Laban's house. Right from when he ran away from home. And he went to Paddan Aram in Laban's house. And before he found, he wanted to marry a beautiful young lady.

[1:21] And he was tricked to marry Leah. You know. And all those stages where God was trying to discipline him. Take him through discipline. That's stage number two.

[1:32] And the stage number three of Jacob's life was when God now has to dismantle his natural life. So the disciplining was a beginning stage of God now finally dismantling his natural life.

[1:45] So that God can work God himself into Jacob. Because God's total or final aim was to make himself the God of Jacob.

[1:58] But for him to slap his identity on Jacob, he must deal with Jacob. So that when he calls himself the God of Jacob, it's justified. Hello. So that was the purpose of God.

[2:12] That was the plan of God. And Abraham, when Abraham was called, God worked on him. And made him the father of many nations. That was the objective. And so God caught himself comfortably by the God of Abraham.

[2:23] Isaac, when Isaac was born, before he got a blessing, God worked on him. And he comfortably identified himself as the God of Isaac. But Jacob was born.

[2:35] Before he showed up, he was doing forward nine. He was already in tricks. You know. And his name, Jacob, means supplanter. So Jacob himself, he had a very interesting personality and character that God had to work on.

[2:53] So the first stage, the second stage, and the third stage was for God to dismantle his natural man. Or for God to deal with his natural man. Now, the last stage of Jacob's life is the stage of maturity.

[3:05] Say maturity. Maturity. Jacob. When God finished dealing with Jacob, at the end of his life, Jacob was more a better person.

[3:16] A much more desirable person than even Abraham and Isaac. Even though he started very rough, he ended very smooth. His personality.

[3:28] When he met Pharaoh, the first thing he did was to bless Pharaoh. Jacob, you'll be thinking how to get something from you. But by the time he was meeting Pharaoh, God has worked on this guy. He's texturized him so that he's usable.

[3:42] Usable. What God is looking for is a vessel in you. He's not looking for somebody to just bless. He's looking for a vessel in you. He wants to make you his vessel.

[3:55] So he can use you. Remember, part of my opening comments, this service is that God does things for his purpose. Not because someone needs it.

[4:06] He does everything according to his own purpose. He created us for his own purpose. He saved us according to his own purpose. He's going to use us according to his own purpose.

[4:17] He's going to glorify. Just that when God uses you, he uses you to your benefit. Even though it's according to his purpose. As I normally say, God is the only one who plans a project.

[4:29] Calls you to come and do the project. And when you come to do the project, he does the project through you. He'll do it himself through you. And when he finishes doing the project through you, he rewards you for coming to do the project.

[4:40] It's only God. Only God. He's not a robber. He has actually called us. He wants to use us for our interest, in our own interest.

[4:51] So what God is looking in every one of us is a vessel. Say a vessel. So God got Jacob, worked on him. And Jacob started rough, but God matured him.

[5:02] And much of your Christian life, that's where much of your Christian life sits. Much of our Christian life sits in the area of God maturing us. So you realize that when people become born again, they become Christians.

[5:16] Initially, they are on fire, but there are certain character elements. You know, in church, we all look very holy, isn't it? If you think I'm lying, look at the person sitting beside you.

[5:27] The person looks so wonderful. Even the kind of thoughts that go through people's minds as they sit here. You will be shocked. You are thinking about this here?

[5:39] Oh, yeah. I am still in the process of being made. But as God makes us, he matures us. We mature from one stage to the other.

[5:50] In Christianity, maturity is part of the deal and part of the calling. So it is not right to be a Christian and remain the way you are from the day you became a Christian.

[6:02] So long as your walk with God, your character, your behavior is concerned. You are not called because of your behavior. But when you are called, it affects your behavior.

[6:15] Listen to it. All right. So he did not save us because of our works. But he saved us for the works. So when you are saved, it affects what you do.

[6:27] For if someone is a genuine Christian, really saved, you can tell from their actions. If you don't have, I used to. It gives me a bit of a concern about who you have actually become or you are still.

[6:42] It suffices for me to say that Christianity, Christian maturity has not got to do with reformation of character. Spiritual maturity has not got to do with reformation of character.

[6:53] But it has everything to do with identification of self in Christ. When you begin to discover who you are in Christ, you are growing now. You are growing now. So the work of a pastor is to help people to see who they are in Christ.

[7:07] Because the more you see who you are in Christ, the more you are empowered to be like him. That's Christian maturity. And Paul said in 1 Corinthians that I could not feed you with meat, solid food.

[7:22] 1 Corinthians chapter 3. 1 Corinthians chapter 3 from verse 1. But I had to feed you with meat. I could not speak to you as spiritual people, but as can now.

[7:33] As babes. Did you see that? As babes in Christ. Let's all say babes in Christ. Babes in Christ. That means that you can mature. If you stay a baby for 20 years, it's a major problem.

[7:45] Usually when a child is born everywhere, there's some kind of rejoicing. But the rejoicing becomes a problem when the child is not growing. The child is 5 years old and can't walk, can't talk.

[7:57] And is still drinking milk in church. They are actually born again. But they are not growing. The God of Jacob will be disciplining you. He said, I couldn't feed you.

[8:09] I couldn't speak to you as spiritual, but I spoke to you as can now. Because you are still, you are babes in Christ. Verse 2. He said, I could not, I fed you with milk and not with solid food.

[8:20] For until now, you were not able to receive it. And even now, as I'm speaking, you still can't take it. Because your system has not developed to be able to take solid spiritual food. Wow.

[8:30] Hebrews chapter 5, verse 12. He says that, for by this time, even though by this time, by this time, I like that. For though by this time, let's all say by this time.

[8:41] By this time. Talking about a time frame. A time frame. I challenge you to embrace spiritual growth. Amen. Amen. He said, for though by this time, you ought to be teachers.

[8:55] You ought to be teachers. You need someone to teach you again the first principles. The same. Verse 13. No, no, no. Wait, wait, wait. This is verse 12.

[9:06] Let me finish. He said, and you have come to need milk and not solid food. So, spiritual things. The word of God. There is a milk side and there is a solid food side. Yeah, yeah, yeah. And what determines, whether you are.

[9:18] So, I'm speaking now. Some are receiving milk. Others are receiving solid food. It's the state of your spirituality that determines what you receive. Yeah. It's not the one who is doing their speaking.

[9:29] Verse 13. Verse 13. Verse 13 says that, for everyone who partakes only of milk is unskillful in the world of righteousness, for he is a babe. But solid food.

[9:40] Verse. But solid food belongs to those who are of food. You see that? This is maturity. Are of food age. That is those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil.

[9:53] In Ephesians chapter 4, verse, I think verse 14 downwards. He said that you no longer be children tossed to and fro by every wind of doctrine.

[10:03] That we would no longer be children tossed to and fro by every wind of doctrine. Or carried about with every wind of doctrine by the trickery of men and the cunning craftiness of deceitful plotting.

[10:19] Babes are to and fro. If you want to know whether a person is growing, look at the number of churches they change. It's a sign of maturity. Mm-hmm.

[10:32] You didn't hear what I said. I normally say, within two years, you have changed three churches in one city. You are babe. You are babe. You are not growing. Don't say, I've been to every church. Deliverance church, I've been there.

[10:43] Prophetic church, I've been there. Teaching church, I've been there. Holiness church, I've been there. Which other ones do? I've been to every church.

[10:55] I've been to all the churches. Me, I know when it's spiritual. I know. It's rather you who are not growing. If you have time, if you have time to work in every company, the next company should employ you.

[11:10] Because you've worked in too many companies. Why is it that you don't stay there? Because there's a problem. You know, the more you change your addresses, the more the bank doesn't trust you.

[11:21] They want to know how long you've been in this address for. You have to keep a spiritual address long enough. This is Jacob.

[11:32] The God of Jacob. So Jacob went through some process to help him to match on. When Jacob got to Shechem in Genesis chapter 33, something unpleasant happened.

[11:47] His only precious daughter called Diana. Diana, precious daughter, was sexually abused by the men in the town. He hurt him.

[11:59] And because he's a man of peace, he didn't want war. He didn't want trouble. He told his sons, Diana has got 12 brothers. 12 brothers. I mean, guys who are able to sell their own brother, you don't joke with them.

[12:15] They are more than mafia. Their own is mafiaticus. They sold their own brother. And you touch their sister.

[12:27] They said, no problem, no problem. They went to the guy, said, you like? And the girl, they said, actually, we like her too. So one of them said, I want to marry her. He said, no problem, we can let you marry her. On one condition. He said, tell us what the condition is.

[12:38] They don't know. You know we are brothers. Don't worry. On the condition that because we are Jews, you can't marry a brother if you are not circumcised. So all of the men amongst you must be circumcised. Once you get circumcised, we can let you marry our sister.

[12:51] They said, really? No problem. So everyone went to the circumcision. Hey. Men looking for a woman. That's interesting.

[13:02] They will do anything. So they all woke up. They circumcised. So that the next morning, all of them, they couldn't do anything.

[13:13] They were like this. And so when they were also saw, these mafiaticus boys said, now, next time touch her sister. They tattered them and slaughtered them.

[13:25] The guys are dangerous. When they were in pain, that two of the sons of Jacob, Simeon and Levi, Daniel's brothers, each took his sword and came boldly upon the city and killed all the males.

[13:39] And the guy was hurt. Jacob said, what have you brought upon me? Sons, why have you brought probably people? You guys are strange people. Why? Why?

[13:50] Why? Why? Why? The father was broken. God was dealing with him anyway. So in Shechem, so he had to leave. And then when he got to Bethel, Bethel is the house of God.

[14:00] Bethel is a place where you can have rest. Bethel, when the Bible says, when he got to Bethel, in chapter 35, verse 8, Bible says that Deborah, Rebecca's nurse, died. I mean, Rebecca is Jacob's mom.

[14:12] And Jacob was mama's boy. So that tells you, Rebecca has always been around with them. And the woman died there. They buried her. Alone back with. So it was a trap.

[14:24] But that wasn't as disturbing as in Bethel. His very precious wife was, well, he had two wives. One was called Leah.

[14:35] And the other one was, which one was the one he actually had always wanted? Rachel. And Leah was having many children. Rachel was not having children. And then God favored Rachel, opened her womb.

[14:46] She had Joseph. And so when they got to Bethel, Rachel was pregnant again. And she now was about to have another child. Jacob was happy.

[14:58] And her wife delivered. But unfortunately, she didn't make it. The baby survived. But he lost his precious wife. In Bethel. Why me, Lord?

[15:09] Abraham didn't lose his wife. He even fought to bring his wife back to him. Isaac. As for him, they went and got a wife for him. And he had peace.

[15:19] Jacob, why? Maturity process. And his wife died there. And when the wife was dying, let me check this.

[15:30] It will be of interest for you. When the wife was dying, he decided to name the boy. Chapter 16 and 17 of chapter 35. He decided to name the boy Benoni.

[15:44] The son of my sorrow. Called him. She called. So it was. As her soul was departing. For she died. That she called the boy's name Benoni.

[15:58] Benoni. Which means son of my sorrow. But his father called him Benjamin. It's interesting. Benjamin means the son of my right hand.

[16:10] Benoni means the son of my sorrow. This, when I thought about it, it fits somebody's description. One person. Who was the man of sorrow at the same time? The man at the right hand.

[16:21] It was. It was. It was typifying Christ. Christ was the man. In Isaiah chapter 53, verse 3. He said he was a man acquainted with sorrow.

[16:32] He said he was. He is despised and rejected by men. A man of sorrows and acquainted with grief. Man of sorrow. Son of sorrow. Jesus. Jesus.

[16:44] And the same person was the son on his right. The father's right hand. Benjamin. The son of my right hand. It happened in Bethel. And so Jacob was going through this process.

[16:55] And as though that was not enough. Jacob was a man of sorrow. But what you realize was that. Jacob's life. He went through all these things. But it didn't make him bitter.

[17:06] Bitter. It made him better. Hallelujah. Because God has had an agenda for his life. Moving him from glory to glory. From glory to glory. I don't know where you started.

[17:17] But I know your end will be colorful. I know it's going to end well with you. Today it may not look like where you want to be. But don't worry.

[17:28] Just keep walking with God. Just keep walking with God. Never have I seen the righteous forsaken. If God be for us. Who can be again? Just keep walking with God.

[17:39] And you will be the one with color. Shout hallelujah. I want to take a brief detour. And tell you about a few people in the Bible.

[17:51] Who God. Just to show you that God is a God. Who picks you the way you are anyway. So don't say I'm waiting until I become very perfect. That day will never come. Don't wait.

[18:02] I'm waiting until now. I can stop doing this. No. Come to Jesus. Walk with Jesus. Surrender. The square says. They say surrender. Give it all.

[18:13] And you will be sure what God can do with your life. Which you are not very happy with. Listen. If you are not happy with the way your life is. I'm happy for you. Because then you can hand it over to God.

[18:26] You can avail yourself. And God can do better with you. It was only Solomon. Who did he end well? He started well. He started well because of his father's record. He started from his father's legacy.

[18:38] And in 1st Kings chapter 11. But from verse 1 to 8. Bible says that Solomon loved strange women. Oh Solomon. Many foreign women.

[18:50] Solomon made sure he had all the ranges. He was the one who was. You can call full range rover. Solomon. He loved many foreign women.

[19:02] That's how he ended. And so his end was not colorful. As well as the daughter of Pharaoh too. Women of the Moabites. The Ammonites. The Edomites.

[19:13] The Sidonians. The Hittites. Hey Solomon. From the nations of whom. The nations from. The nations of whom. The Lord has said.

[19:24] The children of Israel. You should not intermarry with them. Nor they with you. Surely. They will turn your heart away. To their gods. Solomon clung to this.

[19:36] In love. Hey. Solomon. Solomon. You live your life by.

[19:47] Oh I'm in love. I'm in love. Romance. Romance will lead you into a very bitter future. Solomon was following romance. Romance is good.

[20:00] But if that is what becomes your defining factor in life. You're in trouble. Yeah. If you find one. Stay there. Release all your romantic energies there.

[20:12] Yeah. Don't be there. You're still looking. Have some stories. You're looking for one. One day. Solomon. Love stream. Solomon is the one who didn't end well. But David.

[20:24] Ended well. I want to talk about. Saul. Paul. And I'll talk about Peter. And I'll talk about John Mark. And then we end. These are people. Examples of people.

[20:35] Who God picked them wrong. Now. If you know the story of Saul of Tarsus. In Acts chapter 9. Bible says that. End verse 1. And this man.

[20:45] Rob Havok. Then Saul. Still breathing threats. And murder against the disciples of the Lord. Went to the high priest. I think.

[20:56] Go back to one verse. Or two verses. Before chapter 9. Verse. Now when they came. The spirit of the Lord. Okay. So that's talking about Philip. So let's. This man.

[21:07] This man. Was breathing threats. Against the church. The disciples of God. That's talking about Saul. Can you imagine? Then Saul. Still breathing threats. And murder against the disciples of the Lord.

[21:19] Went to the high priest. And requested. And asked letters. From him. To the synagogues. Of Damascus. So that if he found. Any who were of the way. The way is Christianity.

[21:31] Any who were of the way. Whether men or women. He might bring them. Bound to Jerusalem. This brother was causing trouble. First verse chapter 1. Verse 13. Let's go to first verse 13. It talks about.

[21:42] Although I was formerly a blasphemer. A persecutor. An insolent man. I obtained mercy. Because I did it ignorantly. Go to the next verse. The grace of the Lord. Was exceedingly abundant.

[21:53] With faith and love. Which are in Christ Jesus. Verse 15. Verse 15. This is a faithful saying. And what the of all. That Christ came to. Came to the world. To save sinners. Of whom.

[22:03] I am chief. Because the verse 12. Verse 13. Was telling you his record. Verse 13 said. Although. I was formerly a blasphemer. A persecutor. An insolent man.

[22:14] But I obtained mercy. This was his characteristics. That guy was bad. Christ. Causing havoc. To the church. But God. Had mercy on him.

[22:25] And called him. And look at how it ended. Second Timothy. Chapter 4. Verse 7 and 8. I like it. Look at how such a man ended. He said. I have fought a good fight.

[22:36] I have finished the race. I have kept the faith. Finally. There is laid out for me. The crown of righteousness. Which the Lord. The righteous judge. Will give to me on that day.

[22:47] And not me only. But also to all who love. His appearing. Paul. Look at the way he started. Look at the way he ends. You will end well. I said you will end well.

[22:59] You will not end in shame. You will not end in sorrow. You will end in glory. In the name of Jesus. If you believe in shadow man. God moves us from glory.

[23:13] To glory. To glory. In 2nd Corinthians chapter 3. It says that we are being changed. Once we behold us in a glass. Verse 18. 2nd Corinthians chapter 3.

[23:24] Verse 18. Whilst we behold us in a glass. We are being changed. We are being transformed. Into the same image. How? From glory. To glory. Tell somebody.

[23:34] I am moving from glory to glory. I am moving from glory to glory. Shout from glory to glory. From glory to glory. And in Romans chapter 8. It says those he foreknew.

[23:44] He also predestined. To be conformed into the image of his son. That he may be the firstborn amongst many brethren. Verse 29. Verse 30. It says that. Moreover those he predestined.

[23:55] He also called. Those he called. He also justified. Those he justified. He also did what? Glory. That is where you are going. Shout glory. Glory.

[24:05] Shout glory. Glory. May I say this to somebody. You are not permitted to end in shame. Amen. It is against the redemption rights. It is against the redemption benefits.

[24:16] For you to end in shame. Those who are waiting for you to be down. Let them keep waiting. They will see you going up. They will see you going up. He says that. By all. I like this. He said rejoice not. I think it is Micah 7.8.

[24:28] Rejoice not over me. Oh my enemy. For even if I fall seven times. I shall rise. Do not rejoice over me. My enemies. When I fall. I will arise. When I sit in darkness.

[24:39] The Lord will shine on me. He said even if I fall. There is one of the scriptures. He said if I fall seven times. I shall rise again. Amen. Amen. Shout hallelujah. Hallelujah. Hallelujah. So.

[24:49] As a believer. As a Christian. You must know. Oh. In the book of Proverbs chapter 4 verse 18. He says the path of the just shines brighter. And brighter.

[25:00] He said. That's already out from the screen. Are you ready to read it out loud? Very loud. If you believe that's your testimony. Read it. Read it. If you don't believe. Don't read it. If you believe that this is your testimony. And it must happen for you. Read it out loud.

[25:11] Let's go. But the path of the just is like a shining sun. That shines ever brighter unto a perfect. How does it shine? Ever brighter. Is it ever dimmer?

[25:23] No. How does it shine? Ever brighter. How does it shine? Ever brighter. As you say. That's what will happen to you. How does it shine? Ever brighter. The path of the just.

[25:36] It's like a shining sun. It's like the shining sun. That shines ever brighter. And brighter. And brighter. So that means that tomorrow will be better than today.

[25:50] Shout out hallelujah. Hallelujah. That also means that next year will certainly be better than this year. Amen. Amen.

[26:02] That's why I know you are not dying next year. Amen. You don't shout the amen and sit there. Let's go. Come and ask me to pray for you. I said that's why I know you will not die next year.

[26:16] Listen. If you didn't die this year, you can't die next year. Hey. You are too young to die next year. Even if you are 90 years, next year you will not die.

[26:26] Even if you are 99 years, next year you will not die. In the name of Jesus. Shout out hallelujah. Hallelujah. Hallelujah. Hallelujah. Hallelujah.

[26:37] The path of the just. It's brighter. Anyone here who owns their business, that business is supposed to prosper.

[26:53] That business is supposed to prosper. Listen. Don't be afraid. Your marriage will get better and better. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen.

[27:07] Amen. Amen. Especially when you'reple joining package, check the tariff you sign onto. Amen. Namen team. The tariff is only one tariff. Progress. Progress. имеmm Lets you know what?

[27:21] That is why you make a big mistake if you judge your future based on your past. Amen. God doesn't deal with you based on yesterday. Actually, he deals with you based on tomorrow.

[27:34] Amen. Amen. Am I right. Amen. Amen. He builds you based on your future. God's interest in you is because of the colorful future he has for you.

[27:46] Amen. Look at Peter. He swore. He said, hey, I don't know Jesus. What are you talking about? Jesus, me? No, no, I don't know Jesus. Before he did that, Jesus told him, Luke, chapter 22, verse 33, nine scriptures to remember.

[28:02] 2, 2, 3, 3. Luke, chapter 22, verse 23. He says that, but he said, Lord, I'm ready to go with you both to prison, not only prison, no, and to death.

[28:15] We will die together, Lord. Jesus, Peter told Jesus, hey, Jesus, me, you don't know me, Jesus. He told Jesus, Peter, do you think he meant it?

[28:28] Are you sure? Are you sure he meant it? Why would he say anything that he doesn't mean to Jesus? He meant it. Well-meaning is not good enough. Well-meaning is not good enough.

[28:44] The discipline to put the infrastructure in place, the structures in place, that will guide you to stay on track is more important. If you don't pray, you will disappoint yourself.

[28:54] And he said, Jesus, me, I will never, what are you talking about? We will go to prison and to death together. Jesus said, look at you. The cock, before the cock will crow, I tell you, Peter, the rooster shall not crow.

[29:10] Okay, this day, before you will deny me three times. Before anyone in the rooster crow, oh-chook, oh-chook. He said, I don't know what he says. I don't know what he says. And so when he was arrested in verse 54, in verse 54, when Jesus was arrested, in the verse 54, Peter, having arrested, but Peter followed in a distance.

[29:30] But he said, you follow him. He didn't even say, you follow to prison. He followed in a distance. Now, when they had kindled a fire in the midst of the courtyard and sat down, Peter sat above, because he also wanted the heat.

[29:44] Then, a certain servant girl, seeing him as he sat by the fire, looked intensely. This man is also with him.

[29:58] This one. Peter, but Peter denied, saying, woman. I do not know him. I do not know him. Oh, I mean, Jesus said, before the rooster crows tomorrow morning.

[30:15] It's not five weeks ago. This one. He said, within 24 hours, you will deny me seriously. You said, I don't know him. And what happened? Look at the next verse. Isn't one learning something at all?

[30:26] Human nature. The next verse. After a little while, another saw him and said, you also are one of them. But Peter said, man, I am not. The next verse.

[30:43] After about an hour had passed, another confidently and firm is saying, surely this fellow also was with him. For he is a Galilean. But Peter said, man, I do not know what you are saying.

[30:57] Immediately, while he was still speaking, the rooster crows. That is not the bad pitch. This 50-60-1 is a bad one. And the Lord turned and looked at Peter.

[31:09] The Lord looked at Peter. It's called the divine gaze. God will be looking at you. When you are abusing that your wife, God will be looking at you.

[31:22] Then the cock crowed. And then Jesus looked at him. The divine gaze. Peter said, I don't know Jesus. But let's see what happened. Later on, he repented. He regretted.

[31:33] When the Holy Ghost came in Acts chapter 2, people were saying that these guys had drunk. Verse 14. Acts chapter 2, verse 14. Peter stood out. The Bible said, and Peter stood out. The one who said he didn't know Jesus. Now, the guy.

[31:44] See, don't judge people based on the history. Most government agencies and companies deal with you based on your past. Because that's the only point of reference they can use. Some of you, your former classmates, they still remember the money you used to steal.

[31:59] But they don't know you are now a preacher. Don't try to prove yourself. Don't worry. Just walk with God. God will prove them wrong. I listen to him. Yesterday, I was talking about this woman.

[32:11] He's a woman. He has had five husbands. What kind of woman are you? Five husbands. And he's not finished with men. He still have another one. She had another one who was not even married to her.

[32:24] And then she met Jesus. He said, Jesus, give me water to drink. No wonder when Jesus asked her for water, he said, why are you asking me a woman for water? Because she had a man problem.

[32:34] But yet, God was interested in using her to reach out to the men of the city. God doesn't deal with you based on your past. He deals with you based on his plans for your future.

[32:49] Shout hallelujah. It doesn't matter who knows your past. Don't care. Just get busy building your future. Get busy working with God.

[33:00] Get busy building your future. Get busy building your future. And God will disappoint those who are holding you ransom with your past. Shout hallelujah. Hallelujah. Hallelujah. Why?

[33:11] Because the path of the just is like a shining sun which shines brighter and ever brighter to a perfect day. Yes. Yes.

[33:23] Preach. Peter stood and he said, let me tell you, these guys, Acts 2.14, these guys you think are drunk, they are not drunk. And then in Acts chapter 4, verse 13, he spoke so well from verse 8.

[33:36] Peter spoke so well to the authorities of the land that verse 13 says that when they saw the boldness of Peter and John and perceived that they were uneducated and untrained men, they marveled and realized that these are Jesus guys.

[33:51] The same person who said, I don't know him. God didn't have a problem with his past because he knew he was taking him somewhere. The person said, he had the unmitigated audacity.

[34:02] Acts chapter 4, verse 19, to tell the leaders that judge for yourself who you should obey. Peter and John answered and said, whether it is right in the sight of God to listen to you more than to God, you judge.

[34:19] Peter in his latter stages, the latter stages of his life, in 2 Peter chapter 1 from verse 12, Peter, 2 Peter 1, 12. Peter begins, for this reason, I do not neglect to remind you, I do not neglect to remind you, always of that, though you know and are established in the present truth.

[34:38] Verse 13, yet I think it's right, or I think it is right, as long as I am in this tent, that's in my physical body, to stir you up to by reminding you.

[34:49] Verse 14, knowing that shortly I will put up these things, just as Peter had a beautiful end, he kept doing the work to the end. Peter, say Peter.

[35:03] Peter. That's how God works with people. God took Jacob, a messed up man, and finished, he saw a glorious man to the stand that God calls himself, the God of Jacob.

[35:13] God picks Peter, fisherman, who would deny Jesus Christ and makes a preacher out of him. I know you know people who know you, and they don't know you well.

[35:25] They don't know you right, in the right way. Unfortunately, they know your mercy pass. That's okay. That's okay. It's fine. Everyone is coming from somewhere.

[35:37] Just that some are coming from very far, but still somewhere. Yeah. Still somewhere. You will not appreciate where I am until you know how far I'm coming from.

[35:49] In conclusion, let me tell you about John Mark. Very interesting story. Quickly, John Mark, in Acts 12, verse 12. In Acts 12, verse 12. So, when he had considered this, he came to the house of Mary.

[36:02] That's when Peter was brought out of prison by the angel. He came to the, watch this. He came to the house of Mary. The mother of John, whose surname was Mark. You see John's mother?

[36:13] John's mother used to be a chief hostess of that, where the people gathered to pray. So, that thing affected John. Bible says that when, in Acts 12, verse 25.

[36:24] Look at verse 25. Paul, this is talking about Paul and Barnabas. And Barnabas and Saul returned from Jerusalem when they had fulfilled their ministry. And they also took with them John, whose surname was Mark.

[36:36] Because the guy was a good guy. But something interesting happened. Say, John Mark. John Mark. Something interesting happened. When God told the teachers and the prophets in the Antioch church, send Barnabas and Saul for the work I have called them.

[36:51] Bible says in the verse 5, that they went, when they were prayed, verse 4 and 5, Acts chapter 13, verse 4 and 5. They, when they were prayed, they sent them. And being sent by the Holy Spirit, they went down to Seleucia.

[37:02] And from there, they sailed to Cyprus. Look at verse 5. And when they arrived in Salamis, they preached the word of God in the synagogues of the Jews. They also had John as their assistant. These guys, God said, let them go.

[37:15] John was with them. But something interesting happened in verse 13. John, why do you blow this opportunity? In verse 13, now when Paul and his party set sail from Paphos, they came to Perga in Pamphylia.

[37:31] And John departed from them, returning to Jerusalem. Oh, John, why do you leave church? Why? Why? This is the opportunity for us to do ghost work.

[37:41] Why? John Mark. Watch this. That's why we have to be careful how we judge people and deal with people when they go wrong. Because you're going wrong doesn't mean God has turned his back on you.

[37:58] God still has an eye on you. Why? Because he deals with you based on your future. And guess what? John Mark liked them. But look at this very interesting story in chapter 15, verse 36, 37, 38.

[38:12] That's very, very interesting story. You won't believe that happened in the Bible. But I did. Are you ready for this movie? After I said, Paul said to Barnabas, let us now go back and visit our brethren in every city where we have preached the word of the Lord.

[38:27] And see how they are doing. The next verse, verse 37. Now, Barnabas, watch this. Now, Barnabas was determined to take with him John called Mark. But what happened?

[38:37] But Paul insisted they should not take with them the one who had departed from them in Pamphylia. This guy left us. Now he said we should go with him.

[38:47] We are not going anywhere with him. We are not going with him. I don't want him on our team. Barnabas, you know why? Do you know why Barnabas said let's take him? It was his cousin. Hey!

[39:00] Nepotism. Nepotism came into the church. Barnabas, John Mark was the cousin of Barnabas. And so he said let's take him.

[39:14] Barnabas said let's take him. Paul said no, no, no. We are not going to take somebody who left us. And then the contention became so sharp that they departed from one another.

[39:25] Barnabas took Mark and sailed to Cyprus. And then the next verse, Paul also. The next verse. But Paul chose Silas and departed. Being commended by their brethren to the grace of God.

[39:37] And so from that time, Barnabas and Saul, their path went. Why? Because of John Mark. The guy wanted to bring his cousin. He said you are not bringing your cousin anywhere.

[39:51] He left us. He didn't leave them. What kind of record is that? Bad record. But the guy did better later. To the extent that when Paul was about to die.

[40:02] And I just quoted how Paul ended. In 2 Timothy chapter 4 verse 8, 9. Verse 7 and 8. He said I fought a good fight. I finished my race.

[40:12] I kept the faith. Now there's live for me a crown of righteousness. Who the righteous died would. And then look. Look at verse 11. Verse 11 said. Oh look. Only Luke is with me. Get Mark and bring him with you.

[40:25] For he is useful. Hey. Mark. The deserter. Now he has polished up so much that the apostle said in my last days.

[40:37] This guy is useful for me. I know I'm describing somebody who doesn't even want to craft. The path of the just is like the shining light that shines ever brighter onto a perfect day.

[40:57] You may be down. But you are not out. Be careful how you treat people who are wounded on the battlefield as Christians.

[41:08] Be careful when even a Christian sister or Christian brother backslides. You don't make them your best friend. But you don't give up on them. Don't make them enemies. Because someone left your church doesn't mean the person becomes your enemy.

[41:21] Love them. Love them. Because you never know. One day. That same orangus may become a bishop. May become a bishop.

[41:34] Whose branch edge you beg for them to make you an associate deacon. In a nutshell. When we work with God. When we work with the Lord in the light of his.

[41:46] When we work with God. We mature. We grow. If you can only stay with God. You will be always better. Than how he found you. How you came to him. I know I'm talking to someone.

[41:56] Did you receive something at all? Give the Lord a big big big big clap. Hallelujah. Thank you for listening.

[42:08] To hear more from David Entry. Follow him on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and LinkedIn. Why don't you subscribe to our YouTube channel. At Karish Church. And subscribe to our podcast.

[42:20] So you are always up to date. Be blessed.