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[0:00] Thanks for checking in on this podcast. You are about to hear an inspirational teaching from Caris Ministries. If God has used this ministry to bless you in any way, please take a moment and write to us at amen at caris.org.

[0:15] We are always inspired and blessed to hear how God is blessing people all over the world through what he is doing here at Caris. Also, if you would like to support this ministry financially, you can do so online at caris.org so we can continue making podcasts such as this available free of charge.

[0:38] Father, thank you for the privilege to hear your word. Speak your word to us. Let us hear clearly from you. Let us receive instructions from you. Let us receive revelation from you.

[0:49] O Lord, deposit yourself into us. Give us the divine revelation of the divine trinity. Through the Holy Spirit, who is our comforter, the teacher of truth, and our helper.

[1:04] Thank you. In Jesus' name. Amen. Last week, I want to pick it up from where I stopped last week. And last week, I was talking about drawing from the wells of salvation with joy.

[1:21] Drawing from the wells of salvation with joy. When we talk about praise, many people easily tend to assume we are talking about music.

[1:48] But praise is not simply music. Because if my scriptural memory serves me right, in Matthew chapter 15, let's go to 15 verse 8.

[2:11] Matthew chapter 15. It said, These people draw near to me with their mouth. Okay, let's all read the hour loud. Let's go. These people draw near to me.

[2:21] Let's start again. Loud. These people draw near to me with their mouth. And only with their lips. For their heart is all for me. Did you see that? Be careful you don't fall into the category of these people.

[2:36] Any of us can fall into that category. These people. They actually draw close to me with their mouth.

[2:46] And practically honor. Honor me. Oh, Lord. Here I am to worship. With my hands lifted up.

[2:58] Oh, Lord. They actually honor me. With their lips. But the key component that makes heaven recognize what people do is disengaged.

[3:17] Their hearts are actually far from me. So their lips are here. You see them ticking all the boxes. Crossing the T's and dotting the I's of spirituality.

[3:29] Church activity. But they know how to do it. But their hearts are far from me. Most of us have praised God.

[3:41] Have spoken in tongues. Have given. Without our hearts not being after. Just, just, just, just. Go through the motions. And it's very easy if you are in church to move into that state.

[3:53] You can be a praise and worship leader. You can be a, uh, uh, uh, uh, praise a team member of the praise and choir. And it's very common with instrumentalists.

[4:05] They do their thing. Especially those who are, who do it just for pay. They do their thing. They do their thing. They do their thing. But really it's not expressing of their hearts.

[4:18] They just enjoy what they are doing. But look at how God describes this kind of worship. The next verse. What does it say? The next verse.

[4:36] So he said, in vain. Their worship. Listen. Kneeling down doesn't mean you are worshiping. Jumping, bouncing, samosalting, and acrobating.

[4:52] It's not a reflection. Doesn't mean you are actually worshiping. Do you understand that? It doesn't mean singing. You see the way I was standing here singing.

[5:03] With my hands lifted up. It doesn't mean I am worshiping. I can be leading you in worship and me myself not worshiping.

[5:13] Right, right, right. That's when you find praise and worship leaders. Who can praise when they are not on stage? Jumping, lying on the floor and rolling for Jesus.

[5:31] Actually, it doesn't mean anything. Except you have been rolling in your heart. And it's what's out of the abundance and the overflow of the heart is what is happening.

[5:46] And when we come to church, we are singing. We sing the songs which are supposed to be your testimony. So, we are, bless the Lord, oh my soul, oh my soul.

[6:03] It's actually your testimony. And the song is there to help you express your heart desire. Your intentions. Other than that, what you do will be nothing but just service.

[6:17] But if you can engage in genuine worship or actual praise, actual praise brings down heaven.

[6:30] You can't praise and God not show up. It's not possible. It's just like touching live wire.

[6:43] They're both positive and negative. And it doesn't do anything to you because it's just, today is not in the mood. I get what I'm saying.

[6:58] You cannot genuinely praise. So, if you give something that is called praise. And you are not seeing the manifestation. You are not experiencing the signs of his presence.

[7:12] Physically manifesting. Then you have to revisit what you define as praise. So, we can come and sing.

[7:25] Because you like the song. And you are happy about the song. But it doesn't necessarily mean you have joy in your heart. Joy is based on, it's actually the spirit.

[7:39] It's from the spirit. Whilst happiness is from happiness. So, happiness is based on happiness. While joy is based on your faith or your relationship.

[7:52] So, with the Holy Spirit. So, David, when he sinned against God in Psalm 51. He says that, cast me not away from your presence. And do not take your Holy Spirit off. The next verse, verse 12 says, restore unto me the joy of your salvation.

[8:10] There are too many people in church whose joy is so flat. And they tell you, I know what I'm doing.

[8:22] Bible says pride goes before fall. When people begin to fall. You notice that nowadays, your church attendance is becoming wobbly. Or, and the excuses are very powerful. There are some excuses people give you.

[8:33] You know that this. You can't say anything about it. For three days, I've not had heating in my house. And they're coming to fix it on Sunday morning. So, I had to wait for them.

[8:44] Can you say no? I had, my landlord said he was coming to meet me in my house for a very important meeting.

[8:58] Because he wants to sell the house to me. And he can only come on Sunday morning. So, you see, when you were so joyful about the things of God, you wouldn't stay. Bible says pride goes before fall.

[9:15] People, when people start backsliding, the first thing they tell you is, I know what I'm doing. They tell you, don't know I'm in control. Don't worry. It's fine. I'm fine.

[9:25] I've been praying. The fact that you don't see me praying loud doesn't mean I don't pray. I know it too. I've been in this thing for so many years. The fact that you don't see me jumping doesn't mean I'm not excited about God.

[9:41] Okay. Excitement without expression results in depression.

[9:53] If you are genuinely excited, you can't hide it. You can't hide it.

[10:07] You know, you can look at a gentleman and you can tell that this guy likes this lady. There are people in this service today and in the church now.

[10:17] They are increasing. They are losing their joy of salvation. And they are getting to get a man. Working very hard.

[10:31] If you make a mistake, you sit by them during church. Cross their leg very properly. They will cross their leg on you.

[10:47] And then, when pastor, you know pastor tends to say something that are funny. Then they will laugh. Sorry. Sorry. Or if they don't fall on you like this, they will rock the...

[11:01] Hey! Hey! Sisters, you know, I'm growing in this business.

[11:14] So, I'm beginning to find out a lot of things I didn't know. I used to think we all just come, we are loving Jesus. Oh. Just that. Ah. No, no.

[11:24] Now, I've gone past that. The other side is true. The other side is true. Because you are genuinely worshipping God, but you yourself don't trust your feelings.

[11:37] And you want me to trust your feelings? Have you noticed of late? You can't just get him out of your mind. If someone has been through, you don't know what is wrong with you.

[11:51] Unless you don't see him standing here singing. Then you, you, something is troubling you. And you don't know what is wrong with you. You just don't know. It's your care group leader, but you just can't control yourself.

[12:01] You don't know what is wrong with you. You don't know. You just don't know. Come on. Go to the other care group. Leave that care group. Move from that care group. And stop the pretense.

[12:21] Where he said, let's take our selfies, let's take our pictures. You pose yourself intentionally somewhere. And then when they put the pictures on WhatsApp, you go and look at the picture and you extend your own and his own.

[12:35] Or her own. You begin to. You just watch. Oh nice. You are watching the sister. You are watching the brother. And you are wishing in your head. The devil is a liar. But most of you who have not been in church for long, you think, oh no.

[12:59] How can someone, oh. The people you see in Tesco are the same kind of people who you find in church. Just that church approach is different.

[13:13] Everybody has to put up a certain front. And you know. Face clinic. The ladies. They dress and really come for face clinic.

[13:25] And as soon as you say receive, they go. And you have to say, usher. Usher. Usher. Oh, you just said receive.

[13:36] They are already going. Shut it. Shut it. Shut it. It's not a spiritual. It's the brother. It's not a spirit. It's. It's. You know there will be falling.

[14:02] You know there will be falling. Sometimes I'm wondering why you have to come from the house. In a certain shape. State. And then you come. got himself.

[14:20] When I stepped there, people began to change the addresses.

[14:34] Because they didn't think I would be coming. Pastor Joshua, am I not speaking the truth? You are speaking the truth. So, you are coming to prayer meeting.

[14:52] You know that maybe you will be called in front. You know that you will be parambulating in prayer. So, when you are addressing from home, take that into consideration. So that you can be be found without other external prayers.

[15:07] Because we can see all the lines and everything inside. Now you have to, and you wait. Some people, no, people who are new is different. People who are new is different. But you have been in church long.

[15:18] You know what's been happening. Three, nine to two days. Why are you using, the point here is, why are you using that to grab a man? You are foolish.

[15:36] Why are you trying to spoil our revival? Why? Why, why, why? You? You, who, you, who? Who? Who?

[15:47] Who? James. Pastor, but you don't know how I feel. You don't know how I feel. Huh. I don't know what is wrong with me. I don't know what is wrong with me. I don't know what is wrong with you.

[15:59] I don't know. Is the devil wants to destroy your life? and you put on some maturation. And I found out, you know, some people even come for setup, not because they want to come and set up.

[16:15] I think I know it. I know it. I know it. I know it. There's a reason why you come for setup. You come for setup and busy setting up and you are in time.

[16:52] Tell me I'm lying. You don't know what you are doing. In God, we don't do it like that. Yes. Yes. Yes. Yes. Yes. Yes. Yes. Yes. Yes. Yes. Yes. Yes. Yes. Yes. Yes. Yes. Yes. Yes. Yes. Yes. Yes.

[17:02] Yes. Yes.

[17:15] In some of the brothers to the same. that's why you join the ashes so that when they are falling you can you can be you can be catching them and you're always at the back we are praying you are watching who is trying to fall and you are watching people you are watching people you pray watch and watch and watch and you are praying won't anyone fall in fact that's the time if he falls I will really help him you know what I'm saying it looks like oh no it's not so it's ordinary normal human beings who are here normal human beings and some of us our feelings are very unruly very very devastating it has brought so many things in your life and it still now doesn't want to leave you alone you are in church that thing is still following you reckless targets pastor frank standing there taking testimony you will spare him you are not listening to the testimony you just oh my god oh my god oh my god oh my god am I the only stranger here no particularly you know we have a lot of young so brother Ebenezer has arrived in church immediately they are all eyes it's like you know what was the name of that animal the one that meerkat meerkat he is he is he is he is he is and so how that other sister is looking at him and some go as far as this one he is wow wow wow wow she and some of you

[19:41] I am going to say something very strong but I need to tell you it may not be sound like harvest but it's better some of you since you were 13 14 15 you have never known how not to be in a romantic relationship every time once you exit one you already enter it's like you jump you connect trains you know from one train you enter another train and most of these relationships are very active in high charge emotions and so I am making a point so some of us most of us here have never known how to stay six months without a woman or without a man and now you are in church now you are in church and you actually realize that that guy or that lady relation was toxic so you have abandoned it but you know when you are drowning in water kind of and you are trying to hold on to something and you can't find it any other thing that counts whether it's a care group leader praise the worship leader or prophet what I mean

[20:59] I mean I mean I mean I mean I mean and you come and you come and you are when I is married she is married no no no no you are you are you are you are you don't know and you are you are you are you are you are you are you are you are you are you are you are you are you are now what I said I was going to say which you didn't think it would be some of you you have exhausted a lot already so maybe the next three years God is going to teach you how to be dry because he has to reinstall a lot of things that have gone loose and that have been be thankful for wherever you are it makes it fast God because you recover fast and never purge the day you marry or the season you marry to the time someone is marrying because you end up having a lot of heartaches and not just heartaches you end up becoming a victim to a lot of people by the time you realize you have attached yourself to somebody who doesn't love you and you don't understand why he doesn't love you and when a woman is infatuated with you and you don't like it they get very upset with you someone came to someone came and said this guy this gentleman is very proud he's very naughty and you know why she will say it but we hear it it's because she made up she joined cleaners she joined everything to make sure she's always around that guy did you in my she got upset can't stand the man oh but you know ladies don't you know that's how you are what has that got to do with praise that's why your praise is not working because even when we are praising see you are preoccupied with grabbing some people are here they dress to church not visitors some people who are church workers they dress to church when you are dressing you have some people in mind you know you want to join the asher so you can position yourself shame on you you want to join the choir so that you can position yourself and when we when the choir leader puts you at the back you are not happy at all so you can't smile because you want to come in front and show your vital statistics but you see listen the point I'm making is why have you hijacked the work of God for something like this it's not a blessing it's not a blessing some of you probably that's why the thing has been delayed because when God was ready for you you were you are not ready for God

[23:57] I see God visiting you is someone getting what I'm saying I don't know how I ended up here because we are we are a church of very a lot over 80% of us are very young very attractive very nice looking very nice looking beautiful gorgeous one of the pastors faster friends of mine who has been coming here a woman he says for caries everybody is beautiful everybody isn't it not the truth I mean look at the retinue of ladies here and all of these ones about 90% or 95% of them are available single oh you don't like it but you don't say thank you Jesus for your own to come to I'm telling most and very pretty at the flower age so they arrive in church and they realize that they arrive in church and they realize that they are good guys in town responsible guys have you noticed that when you come to church and you begin to love Jesus and then you notice how some men are genuinely in love with Jesus they are nice people like brother

[25:24] Kobe yes intelligent they treat women well for some reason you realize oh my gosh I just like this man so much oh my gosh I've not seen this kind of man before oh my gosh oh my gosh oh my gosh and so you have changed K group center you have moved to some place listen let me say this last and I move on if you have a feeling you have feelings for somebody it's just normal and human get over it grow up some of you you see cars you like it you just look watch the cars and they go would you have to hire a car and chase the car following it's not realistic you see nice things that will appeal to you in the matters of taste you don't have a choice so something will grab your attention it's okay it's okay don't say if I had seen this one wouldn't have married this one it sounds extreme but I'm telling you it's so true it's so true

[26:59] I can be screaming praise the Lord hey hey and at the end of the day this praise will not work because something has actually hijacked your focus romance we live in a sexually charged environment everything is about it must be about romance everything about romance everything must be about romance so everywhere you are going there are people working in London especially in the city very charged very charged sexually charged we have to meet you at the point of your need because I suppose you agree with me that your emotions can destroy distract and destroy your life if you live by your emotions and sometimes your emotions can tend to have the better part of you and most of us have grown up not knowing how to deal with our emotions so anything my emotions says

[28:12] I flowed everything I flowed and it's ruining your life it's ruining your potential don't you agree with me so we need to let you know now if you're having extreme emotions one is human it doesn't make you the worst of a person no it's human but you have to put in intentional strategies to manage that thing other than that you will be humiliated other than that you will be hurt other than that you will do something excuse me my language very stupid I don't know if you know what I'm talking about someone this wedding has been announced you go home crying the whole night and you don't even know why you are crying but you are just crying you are sad why do you like it do you like him no I don't like him so why I don't like it no I like it so why are you crying I'm not just happy about it at all it's called emotions so understand people but you have to take responsibility for your life other than that you'll be growing you'll be making a lot of mistakes and you'll be going like someone sitting in a rocking chair movement activity but no progress you can never take my you would you can take my praise away you can take my praise and take away if you believe in

[29:54] God for marriage when they announce marriage rejoice but most of the time when your joy goes low this becomes a struggle now when your joy goes low your flesh begins to rain and sometimes you deceive yourself to think I'm okay you are not okay you are actually not okay you are putting up a front church we are church people are good at putting up a front we are good hallelujah pastor is saying these things because of me why should I be who should I go and talk to because he heard something about me you are so important what I hear about you determine what I preach to all this number of people who are here take it in good faith and you believe when I prophesy I'm receiving it and when I'm correcting you

[31:04] I'm teaching some things that will help you maybe that's why your life is the way it is is that I am all it I'm saying something very profound I've been a pastor for a while by God's grace and sometimes people's conditions don't change because of the stubbornness of their heart grace is here to help you but stubbornness of heart I've seen this your face is like a magician whose magic didn't work where my heart is where my heart is I better save somebody's life and leave the one who doesn't want salvation I will save them for God has given to save look at the sacrifices most of us are putting in to see revival happen so I owe

[32:09] God and this congregation and London and this generation the responsibility of addressing some things that the enemy can use to infiltrate and slow down the revival love because I said it before let me say it again it is not only good for gardeners to hate to love flowers they have to hate weeds so much as I'm talking about the flowers I have to attend to the weeds everywhere and create some weeds so that the flowers can be free to go your life will blossom I prophesy to you that your life will blossom your life will blossom it will not be put to shame in the name of Jesus shout hallelujah somebody clap for the Lord it's so important that you keep your joy afloat protect your joy some of you some people have been telling you things bar them and ban them because you know every time you are excited about the things of God your joy is they come and tell you something that's force your joy to tell you something oh you look at that it's that you know what you know what you know and it's for your joy and you have noticed them Bible says mark them and avoid them so you have to it's my responsibility my wife knows it it's not everything I like to hear some things I just I'm not interested let's leave this because to come in just this trouble my joy and then I have to work yourself into it I prefer to protect it sometimes invasion may come without you being that way but it's okay when it comes you have to get yourself back in the flow of joy someone getting what

[34:08] I'm saying tell someone be joyful joy as I showed last week joy lessness is the reason for the harvest lessness joy lessness the fruits are ripe but bring in the harvest Bible says last I showed last week in Isaiah chapter 12 verse 3 he said therefore with joy shall you draw out water from the wells of salvation with joy you have to draw from it but it takes joy it takes joy someone say joy praising God a fundamental requirement for praising God is joy James chapter 5 verse 13 James 5 13 I would like us all to read it from the screen if you can please James 5 13 let's read it let's go let him pray all right give me

[35:21] King James King James let's say let's go ahead let's one more time please the fundamental reason or the base of your singing must have merry joy are you happy in other words singing okay singing to the to the glory of God singing songs to the glory of God must have joy behind it some gladness of hearts so he said are you in trouble pray but are you merry is good because singing must go have merry joy behind it in Joel chapter 1 this is a serious text I'm about to quote in Joel chapter Joel chapter 1 verse 10 11 and 12 verse 10 says the field is wasted the land mourns can you imagine a land that is mourning it's useful the land is not happy the land mourns for the grain is ruined the new wine is dried up the oils fail nothing is happening nothing is happening the land is mourning the grain is ruined new wine new wine dried up not the old wine new wine dried up or your fields go to the next verse verse 11 be ashamed you farmers will you wine dresses for the wheat and the barley because the harvest of the field has perished harvest has perished be ashamed why should you be accused or be blamed why if they say be ashamed that means you are at fault but you don't make them grow you don't make the oil fail or the oil become the wine whatever you don't you don't do that so why is he blaming you he said be ashamed farmer be ashamed you farmers will you wine dresses a vine so a vine dresses for the wheat and the barley shame for the wheat and the barley why because the harvest of the field has perished your harvest will not perish

[37:57] I said your harvest will not perish when your harvest perished it's results in shame shame regret sorrow now verse put it back on the screen because the harvest of the field has perished look at the stove let's all read the stove together the fig has withered the pomegranate tree the palm tree also the apple tree all the trees of the field are weeded surely joy has weeded away from the sons of me now give me the king james king james put it better he says that all these things have happened because joy is weeded away from the sons of men when joy goes other things will follow the harvest cannot be brought in joylessly the harvest of the field perishes because joy has weeded does that make sense why the devil targets to make you down make you look down never celebrate I'm down

[39:14] I'm down I'm not happy I'm not happy I'm down never celebrate that because it's the reason for many people's undoing I'm down yes as a human being there are times things will happen to you and it's really will affect you but never celebrate I'm down every time your mantra is I'm down things are bad I'm not happy at all I'm down and sometimes we wait people will wear their amorousness like a cloak on them you see them you know something is wrong as I stand here if there's something wrong would you even know no no Bishop Yedipo said something he said I think during his birthday he said we thank God and we thank God for mama your wife for having encouraged you this far he said never my wife has never had a need to encourage me he said never my wife has never had any need to encourage me because

[40:23] I've never been discouraged I'm always excited I'm always excited I go to the service years ago the service she was not there I went when the service started he said he would go and when he came home the wife was how was he said powerful the place was powerful the wife had excitement and expectation second time the same theater so the fourth time I think she got a turn she said let's go she went there and she said is this what what's going on there yes they used not to use chairs they used to use benches the benches there are more than the people who are there and yet he's excited excited it's necessary Bible says but David encouraged himself in the Lord things will not always go the way you expected but guess what rejoice because God has got your back covered

[41:26] God has got tell someone God has got my back covered say it again God has got my back covered praise the Lord there are different ways we can express our praise in fact let's look at my foundational text Isaiah chapter 12 from verse 1 and in that day thou shalt say O Lord I'll praise thee though thou was angry with me thine anger is turned away and thou comforted me behold God is my salvation I will trust and not be afraid for the Lord Jehovah is my strength and my song he also is become my salvation therefore with joy shall ye draw out draw water out of the wells of salvation in that day shall ye say praise the Lord call call upon his name declare his doings amongst people amongst the people make mention that his name is exalted in that day so praise is expressive then you begin to exalt amongst the people you say don't come and you are in church your heart it's time to praise God but you know you are just when people say

[43:02] I'm very gentle they are gentle I'm very gentle it's a state of their heart condition we are all gentle about a lot of things but there are some things we are not gentle we are not gentle about some things things that get your heart you are very crazy about it different different different things actually some people can't wait for church to be over for them to go and watch football yes yes football I just said football because they're just crazy about today's match I'm sure there may be some match somewhere today very crazy excited about the match I can't wait some are here and then every now and then they check on their phone they are trying to check the scores crazy about it crazy about singing crazy about fashion some of us come to church some people come to church mainly for fashion but okay that's fine keep coming

[44:03] I believe you'll grow out of it it's good to be fashionable some are crazy about different things some are crazy about screams you know but then in the order of priority things you know things some things come before others in the order of importance so you may be very excited about your job but you will not trade your god for your job you understand that so there are people who say I just love my job it's amazing fantastic job I just love my job or I just I just love my car I just love my couch even though it's cold you love your couch and you want to have some breakfast in bed and stretching your legs it's too late now you are born again so it's too late you have lost that independence being born again means you have lost your independence

[45:08] I get you when I'm saying we are crazy about but the thing that you should be most crazy about is God and you don't have to be apologetic about your excitement for God that's one thing I am very thankful to God I never lost since my youth I'm very thankful to God because I know a lot of friends colleagues who have lost their excitement to God they sit with you and pastors they sit with you talking and they think we have to be smart no money we need money a pastor is talking about money like an oil dealer you can start out right but you are not guaranteed being always on the right path it's the principles and the association you keep that can guarantee what path because if you are friends with some people there's no way you can find yourself somewhere right let me give you an illustration pastor david oedipo by god's grace i have a good relation with him he's a good friend bishop oedipo does not tolerate ministerial nonsense so if sunday morning i feel like today i'm tired i'm resting in bed i won't be picking pastor david's call what are you doing i hope or i've started i've allowed wear some beard wear some gown and i started coming with prayer shawl and i cover my head and i come the lord you see you understand what i'm saying i can't be doing that and maintain and keep working with people like the oedipos because they can't be endorsing that kind of crap you organize service like organize service to believe god that today there will be a lot of money it's serious it's serious but there are many people who started out right but have detoured so you can start out right but detoured there are some of you when you are joining the praise team you will have their hearts for god have their hearts for god how do god's work god anything you say wherever you say i will go wherever you say i will go anything you say i will say yes it's sad to note as i told some guys and i've said it in the church before the thing whatever can destroy your destiny for most of the time much of the time is already inside you i'll explain it divorce how many of us are not yet married and are hoping to divorce when we are married oh nobody but the way you are programmed from home so that that divorce that you never want it's already waiting inside you the attitude that guarantees divorce is inside sometimes god has given you you have seen signs why your ex-relationships kept failing maybe that thing is a sign you have guarded it from home already it's like that's how you ask i mean that's how i am and so sometimes god will send you to a pastor who says something is wrong to keep

[49:09] robbing you and you are used to being robbed in a way that you normally don't like but it's helping you by the time you get married to this woman who is like you know a tiger or married to this man who is recklessly responsible you won't get married to an irresponsible man but you know a man who sometimes don't know what is in his head you know when you are married you tend to find out about your husband most of the time what was in his head how many wives understand what I'm talking about don't lift your hand but it is very easy to not wanting to and not be able to like convince yourself

[50:16] I can't respect this man but you are married to him some of us don't know how to respect men but you are desperate for a man and the way you are going you only see your body your body you will lose interest very early right from the early days because at this age what is happening to you don't worry things are getting better things are getting better for the Lord is all the truth but I'm sure we have we have a greater a great percentage of people in our in our midst because of the modern generation who have become victims of domestic or marital failures and it's not their choice so maybe your grandfather your mother or your father it's not your choice and some of us are grown up in a very bitter within a very bitter parentage your parents are bitter against it they don't live together but bitter for some reason some of the bitterness gets passed on to you your mother's frustration about this man or man or your father now that she has grown she can't stand the man and she's passed on to you and you have grown because of one or two experiences because you went in prematurely you have also developed this idea about men or the idea about women

[52:19] I can tell you you will not succeed in marriage so to cut corners they say I'm not interested in marriage I just need a partner I mean give and take I give you give me I take it and I give you as long as you are tired of each other but life is not programmed to be like that how many of you want people who come and use you you don't want it but you have been programmed to look for somebody to use them so are you surprised nobody is coming your way or the one that has come your way is getting very frustrated I'm just helping somebody maybe this whole challenge of marriage is not another prayer you need maybe maybe someone have to draw your attention to your approach because to be honest you are very genuine but genuinely ignorant very genuine so someone needs to draw your attention so that 10 years 15 years 20 years later you don't look back and say if I have known the Saudi then you realize that you made a lot of mistakes because things could have been okay but it was your fault so that's why I'm going 20 years ahead to help you some of the pastors they won't clap they are doing their makeup because they have to make something up and most of them have been in church for quite a while so there's a lot of high tension high tension but at least I respect that it's better to desire to get married than to look for someone to use them it's honorable so it's okay to be looking for it I can't wait for the day I will marry it's honorable if that's your intention why don't you clap for yourself every night nowadays I don't really preach title or marriage but every now and then we have to talk about it and childcare and other things some of us the way we are raising our children they won't continue in church because you are very phony what you are in church is different from what you are you can lie like a demon and the children can see through all that so they are not interested and then later on they find themselves somewhere and then you have to raise prayer oh my you started it when you have made your face like a baboon when the pastor was preaching you are upset you are passing this thing on to the child and later on you come asking help me with prayer for this matter

[55:31] I don't know why human beings sometimes you know in this generation permit me to talk the way I'm talking in this generation we have been trained to be so self centered everything might evolve around you so when you are even self distracted we can't tell you we can't tell you because you are a very precious customer we have to do you understand that oh yeah we value your offering so we can't but you know that what this gentleman even though he may say the way you have never heard it and the way you really don't like it you know I need it you have to thank God that I have never been intimidated by your face some of you are quite new have been coming around listen I love people so much I care so much about people you can't be in trouble and me have peace of mind no no no no that's my weakness

[56:34] I care about people so it gives me the audacity to address people so they don't get into troubles that will affect me too but listen it will be well with you I said you will never be put to shabu it will be well with you joy say joy joy joy and so your praise must be expressive sometimes it comes through singing chapter 12 verse 5 of as I said sing unto the Lord for he has done excellent things this is known in all the earth so sing expression of praise yes and expression of praise can come through music dancing singing music dancing shouting in fact verse 6 12 chapter 12

[57:38] Isaiah 12 6 it says that cry out and shout thou inhabitants of Zion for great is the holy one of Israel in the midst of thee hallelujah cry out and shout this chapter is about praise and has given us different various forms of praise it's about praise it's necessary quickly quickly for praise to be sound number one it must have joy it must be joyful number two there must be gratitude that's why I started with be thankful to God things might have not gone the way you wanted but thank God at least things are not the way they used to be be thankful to

[58:39] God some people at your age are very sick very unwell very unwell some people when they are at your age their children were all very unwell things have happened to people and you are far better off I don't have a job I don't have a job I don't know why as for me alone I don't have a job I finished uni three years now I still don't have a job at least thank God at least thank God you were able to finish with a degree some people couldn't miss that I know people who were in uni and examination time they weren't mental very intelligent haven't been able to recover after now so as soon as you begin to realize that life is a gift not a right it helps you to be more thankful probably

[59:53] I don't know how many of you have visited people in the hospital intensive care I don't like that place when I was a child I thought I'll be a medical doctor I didn't know that it was actually a different doctor I thought it was a medical doctor I just don't like seeing sick people when I see someone sick walking it bothers me so much maybe it's a clue to what I've been called to tackle I can't stand people sick when I go to the hospital and one of the things I just don't like is bleeding and can imagine I thought I would have been a doctor I just can't stop no no and you know some of those health channels ensure ambulance I wouldn't watch it for anything no but sometimes you go to the hospital and you see how frail people can be there are some people here who work in the mental hospital can see a beautiful lady who's gone off beautiful lady handsome young man agile man and everything is gone off and they are destroying themselves cutting themselves and it's heartbreaking we must be thankful to

[61:27] God I don't know why I keep losing my hair thank God at least there's a replacement you can't yeah many people here it's a cap they are wearing but it's okay it's okay there's nothing wrong with it I get what I'm saying when you complain you keep God away from you first Corinthians 1010 at least you should remember that yeah easy to remember first Corinthians 1010 let's go to verse 9 at least we are coming to 10 but let's start from verse 9 now let let us tempt

[62:28] Christ as some of them that's those in the wilderness tempted and were destroyed by the serpent now let's go to the next verse nor complain as some give me I prefer complain okay but give me the King James I prefer the member give me King James nor neither member ye as some of them membered and were destroyed membering expose them to destruction complaining complaining complaining one wise man said that the Israelites did not enjoy all the sweetness in the manna not because it did not contain the sweetness but because whilst they were eating the manna they long for something better the reason why you are not enjoying your marriage is because you think the other person is better would have been better the grass is greener some way but the water bill is also very high astrative maybe you are fixated on astrative listen you just take your wither grass like that with all the brown patches take it like that and believe

[63:55] God work on it because there will always be a reason why you should complain about something in your life complain about your daughter about your son about your husband about your wife about your job about your body about your account about your certificate you don't have a lot of different shoes so when they say we are wearing this shoe it's become a problem you don't have it you're always complaining at least thank God you have legs to wear the shoes so when we come and we are praising God remind yourself about how God has been good to you and give him praise it's much genuine praise is born out of gratitude when there's no gratitude joy begins to fizzle out gratitude fuels joy as I normally say if you can pause to think you will have a cause to thank

[65:00] God thank God for your family okay stop remembering that you are not born in the royal family there's nothing you can do about it and nothing will change about that thank God for your family thank God for your husband thank God at least you are here son yeah thank God you are here you have not bought your house yet but at least you sleep somewhere and people don't know your sleeping condition but at least we are all this everybody some some of us have complained about our family members and complained about your mom complain about your dad complain about your son your daughter your husband your wife is even the worst after you marry you realize that you have not married an angel you should have known that by now actually you probably may be more of a problem than the one you are claiming angelic status from reverend needs to say something

[66:18] I will never forget he said one day his wife was asleep he woke up you know sometimes you wake up and your wife or your husband is asleep and he looked at his wife he looked at his wife you know when you laugh somebody and the person is sleeping they look so nice like your children some of you when you see your wife sleeping you are worried about it is about to snow look at that look at that be grateful some people some people pay anything to have that wife some people pay anything to have that daughter you have which you are complaining and complaining and demonized yes there are issues with your daughter issues with your son but somebody want to pay anything you give me an

[67:21] I'm Robert child I'd like it like that but you know when you love someone and they are sleeping it's so adorable and then sometimes you go and they are sleeping isn't also yeah you do it husbands you do it a lot to your children but not your wife repent repent you are an ungrateful husband grateful for God to give you such a human being like that it's your wife no leave that first you just thank God that you have someone who doesn't appreciate you people don't have anybody you have someone the person may change to start appreciating you learn how to do that when your wife is asleep go inside don't do other things just they wake up what are you doing what do you think you are doing what do you think you are doing that's what you think about what you like going seeking me and so your legs are nice for me you and look at you and then you go what is it you two let me sleep then you turn and face the other time you are upset you you say

[69:14] I should be grateful for this this kind of thing look at this look at this all this what's the meaning of all this you wake up you go and bath you are going to shut the door I'm gone hurry up we have to go time is not what are you doing why hurry up yes I'll leave you to take the bus but sometimes you have to ignore that and keep your suffering and thank God for your suffering some people just want somebody to say that me too this is my woman this is my man they don't have it you have got someone it's always there always there he comes home sit down and looking at you he lifts the socks for you to pick it doesn't matter gratitude everyone needs to look at the wife and he said hey so he stood

[70:29] God you gave me a woman to marry I'm thankful even if you have given me a goat I'll be grateful yeah he said it he said even if God the way he knowing his background even if God had given him a goat he would have been thankful and God you gave me a whole human being oh God thank you thank you learn how to say thank you to God before you say God you haven't done the other one say Lord thank you for the others you have done already and I know in your own time you make everything beautiful I thank you I thank you for the opportunity you given me to talk to you forgiveness of sin is a big thing to be thankful for big thing to be thankful for God will forgive you your sins so you have to be thankful for forgiveness of sin and also thank God for covering you because if your enemies have found out what you did even when you hadn't done anything they are looking for reasons to destroy and accuse you and you made a serious mistake and went and did some things thank

[71:45] God nobody knows yes thank God they don't know and I pray as you thank God they will never get to know those who don't like you and they do investigations they try and figure out things by the time they find out when they have to use it against you a major trouble comes in their life they don't even have time to handle your own one thing you should be thankful for is that God covered you because if your husband had found out or your wife had found out or your mother had found out or your boss had found out or if the police had seized their computer I'm telling you I'm telling you you know the other time you made a serious deal very bad deal if they have found out if things have been exploded it direct prison sentence there are people who are seated here they have escaped prison sentence and you are here you thank

[73:03] God the weather is too cold God thank God I don't have a husband thank God you are not in prison have you seen someone in prison doing wedding I'm going to do my wedding and come back they are not allowed to go and bury their loved ones and not everyone in prison not everyone out of prison is better than they were in prison some people in prison are even much more decent just that they took a certain turning that was not good have you forgotten how if you had made that turning that bus would have crushed your car suddenly you have forgotten have you forgotten when you were going for the interview and you overslept because you were watching so many movies at night you overslept and you prayed the Lord let me not miss this train and normally we shout there but for that reason they prayed it didn't close because there is this man who got caught caught in the train and you entered you were praying

[74:13] God please God please God I don't want to be late even this morning you were praying a lot let me have a parking space and after God you come and sit there you have someone with a heart of gratitude when you are grateful praise is you tend to be naturally praiseful when you are grateful be grateful thank God thank God thank God you have a church we are telling you about praise from the Bible is that all you had that all you had I didn't like it I like it think about the ones you like and if you didn't like anything prayed God I like you gratitude

[75:20] Bible says that Abraham was not weak in faith Romans chapter 4 verse 19 and 20 particularly verse 20 said did he stagger the promise of God Romans chapter 4 verse 20 not staggering at the promise of God he staggered not at the promise of God through unbelief but was strong in faith giving glory to God giving glory it takes faith to keep your praise going it takes faith to keep your praise going so gratitude faith then the next one is praise is a sacrifice did you hear that lady's testimony yes she said she was expecting to hear something from the banks when she wanted to sell she went for care group they prayed nothing happened she came to church and then prophecies nothing happened so

[76:20] Monday some of you didn't hear what she was saying that's what got my attention after waiting for so long the Monday instead of being down she was waiting nothing was happening she decided to switch into praising God that's what is called sacrifice of praise when things are not going the way you want them to but still God I'll still praise you in Psalm 34 verse 1 it said I will bless the Lord at all times that requires sacrifice to bless God at all I mean not sometimes so all times amen I bless God I still bless you I still thank you I don't understand it anyway but I still thank you now bless God at all times and his praise shall continually be in my mouth so the humble shall hear thereof and be glad oh magnify the

[77:21] Lord with me and let us exalt his name together for in the time of trouble he shall hide me in Hebrews chapter 13 verse 15 it says that continually giving to him it said that by him therefore let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually that is the fruit of our lips giving thanks to his name sacrifice of praise so don't let your praise end in church take it home on the bus in the bathroom when you're watching television in your office when you're driving oh it's a good place to praise God you've listened to a lot of radio put in some praise home start praising God because the nature of your work in the morning you are very busy some of you must have some headphones create your own praise bless

[78:22] God at all times I will bless the Lord at all time his praise shall continually be in my mind the humble shall hear the of my blood I believe you can praise God you can never take my praise out it's a choice it's a choice choose to praise God anyway when you are down you are down and the enemy thought I have got him still be praising God while down you can't praise God and stay down because when you praise him he will raise you praise God when things are down I said something because when you are down to nothing God is always up to something praise him thank him for your health thank you thank him for your family thank him for your children thank him for your job thank him for that account thank him for your skin there are so many things that now you can be thankful for so many things you can be thankful for and as your heart is with joy

[79:42] Lord I thank you when you thank God this way it must be heart joyful praise in faith sacrifice and then heaven is open then you see harvest flowing harvest flowing I see that's going to happen for now is somebody very thankful we are going to just not ask God anything in a few minutes you are going to rise up lift up your two hands and we are going to just thank God with my hands lifted up and my mouth filled with praise with the heart of thanks given I hope bless you oh Lord I don't know if you can identify what I'm saying with my hands lifted up and my mouth filled with praise with the heart of thanks give I will bless thee oh

[80:46]  Lord with my hands lifted up and my mouth filled with praise with the heart of thanks give I will bless you oh Lord thank you for listening for more resources please visit carriess.org or call us on 0207 740 9960 God bless you