Sunday Morning Worship Service

you can start making your way back to your seats just remain standing and grab your Bibles amen the spirit of the Lord is in this place today I'm thankful to be in his presence and to be with his people this morning go with me to 2 Corinthians chapter number 12 2 Corinthians chapter number 12 I want to read a few verses there and as you're turning swiping allow me to give honor to all of our leadership our pastoral staff bishop mcul and all those who lead us so faithfully and uh such with with integrity and honor and we appreciate our leadership today and we're so glad to have uh Chandler ball and Griffin here with us again can we welcome them today we're so glad that they're here with us excited excited for what God's doing in the next generation of ministry 2 Corinthians chapter number 12 beginning at verse number one Paul writes it is not expedient for me doubtless to Glory I will come to visions and Revelations of the Lord I knew a man in Christ above 14 years ago whether in the body or I cannot tell or whether out of the body I cannot tell God knoweth such and one one caught up to the third heaven and I knew such a man whether in the body or out of the body I cannot tell God knoweth how that he was caught up into paradise and heard unspeakable Words which it is not lawful for a man to utter of such an one I will glory yet of myself I will not Glory but in my infirmities or weaknesses for though I would desire to Glory I shall not be a fool for I will say the truth but now I forbear lest any man should think of me above that which he seeth me to be or that he heareth of me and lest I should be exalted above measure through the abundance of the revelations there was given to me a thorn in the flesh the messenger of Satan to Buffet me or torment me lest I should be exalted above measure for this thing I sought or besought the Lord Thrice that it might depart from me look at verse number nine and he the Lord said unto me my grace is sufficient for thee my strength is made perfect in weakness most gladly therefore I will rather glory in my infirmities that the power of Christ May rest upon me verse n the Lord's answer to Paul prayer my grace is sufficient this morning I'd like to minister with this thought in mind when Grace doesn't look like Grace when Grace doesn't look like Grace would you put your Bibles down one more time would you lift up your hands would you lift up your heart and I want you to pray loud enough that your ears can hear your voice pray right now father in the name of Jesus Lord we are so thankful for your spirit that is here Lord and we are so thankful that we can entertain your presence we're not here to be entertained but we are here to entertain your presence and Lord I pray that we would rejoice in glory and worship in your word today Lord I invite all those that are in this room to Rejoice with me in the word but Lord I pray that there would be a great spirit of understanding and Revelation as we study your word together and let lives be transformed today in the name of Jesus we pray and everyone said amen why you clap your hands one more time unto Jesus I think we can do just a little bit better I think a great God deserves a great [Applause] praise Hallelujah turn around give somebody a high five shake their hand and tell them I'm going to help Pastor Nate preach and then you can be seated when Grace doesn't look like Grace there are many different shades of Grace throughout the Bible but its most characteristic use is to refer to this undeserved favor by a superior to an inferior in other words Grace or favor is given to someone less deserving the superior is under no obligation to give it to the inferior but compassion Mercy love are extended to this inferior through Grace perhaps the most common definition for Grace is the unmar favor of God Thomas Odin wrote a book that uh was one of my favorite books on Grace he wrote Grace is the favor shown by God to Sinners it is the Divine Good Will offered to those who neither inherently deserve nor can ever hope to earn it Odin's remarks that Grace is offered to those who do not deserve it nor can ever hope to earn it it says this he's saying we don't deserve God's grace and we can't earn it Grace is a gift you don't have to work for a gift when Christmas comes around here in a few months and it kind of felt like Christmas this morning when gr When Christmas Comes Around and you have the tree and whatever you feel about that I I apologize in advance um and you have the the the gifts there you don't tell your children listen all these gifts are for you but first things first you got to go mow the yard rake the leaves up go dig a ditch go put up a fence then you're going to get the gift that's not a gift that's a wage Grace is not a wage that you can earn that's right Grace is a gift that is given to you by God Grace in Greek is carice and it's derived from another word which is used for rejoice so any time that you would talk about Grace it is giving you a a spirit of rejoicing and joy because when you get something when you receive something that you do not deserve you rejoice when you receive a gift you get excited about it I mean every time we walk through the door we pick Ean up from a trip what'd you get me yesterday we had to go to Nashville Friday night and we Ashley and I preached our a fall conference for the Tennessee district and we picked her up from Pastor's house yesterday afternoon and she kept saying well where where where did you go he said went to church and where'd you eat told her where we ate now how many times did you have to teach and preach so we told her she's like now uh where'd you go after that I I knew what she was asking did you go shopping somewhere and Ashley knew what she was doing too and she said honey we didn't had we had no time to go shop or any stores or anything like that we got to the hotel had to get ready for church daddy preached after that they had a meal after service and the next morning Daddy had to preach twice I had to teach and after as soon as we got done with that we ate and came home no shopping it's like the worst thing ever that we picked her up without a gift but when you come home with that gift I got you something man she rejoices I mean she can't wait she closes her eyes she puts her hands out what I mean she's where why because when you get a gift when something's you rejoice when you get something that you don't deserve or work for or earn you rejoice over it because you realize you are on the receiving end of love my God have mercy and so when you get Grace when you get salvation you can't work for it you can't earn it there's nothing that you can do to receive salvation other than to Simply believe and receive it into your life it's Grace it's Grace as Spurgeon wrote It's all of Grace God's grace is his Sovereign undeserved favor poured out on Sinners who deserve wrath it's the kindness that reaches down into our rebellion and pulls us up out of the m and seats us with Christ in Heavenly places Grace is Relentless unearned and transformative turning Rebels into Sons and Daughters of God that's Grace we need to get excited about Grace we don't ever need to be become so common with grace that we don't get excited about God's grace is Grace is the essential character of God the Lord told Moses he gave a description of of himself in EX in Exodus 34 and6 he said the Lord the Lord God merciful and gracious longsuffering and abundant in goodness and truth it is God's character to be gracious it is God's character to be gracious and kind and longsuffering to us even in the the blessing prayer the Lord bless thee and keep Thee the Lord make his face sh upon thee and be gracious unto thee I want God's grace and I need God's grace every day I I I need God's grace at all times Grace isn't just for Sinners Grace is for everybody come on somebody help me today come on we need Grace Lord be gracious unto me there are people who think new uh that that Grace is a new testament construct that Grace showed up all of a sudden in the new test Testament Grace is all through your Bible grace is found in Genesis while Adam and Eve should have died the moment that they ate the forbidden fruit God extended unto them Grace come on somebody after Cain murdered Abel God didn't even kill Cain he said he simply gave him a mark So Others could be gracious to him I'm talking about Grace today when God was about to to destroy the Earth with a flood the Bible records that Noah found Grace in the eyes of the Lord even in darkness that there's somebody who can find Grace God called Abraham out of a pagan place out of a pagan country the Earth of the caldes and out of Abraham he made of him a great nation and made his name great so he graciously could be a blessing to others talking about Grace today God spared lot and his daughters from the destruction of Sodom and gomorra despite lot's questionable decisions that's called Grace Rahab a night prostitute was spared during the destruction of Jericho because of her faith in God and she became an ancestor of Christ I'm talking about Grace today despite his adultery with B Sheba and the murder of her husband Uriah God forgave David continued to bless him and established through him a royal lineage I'm talking about Grace today Grace is what you do not deserve you don't get what you deserve that's Grace despite running away from God's command to preach to but God spared Jonah from the belly of a fish and gave him a second chance to fulfill his mission to preach Grace to a bunch of heathen Pagan Gentiles in Nineveh and they repented that's called Grace that's called Grace I'm thankful for Grace today even after all their backsliding in Rebellion the Lord promises to Judah that after 70 years of captivity he will bring them back to Jerusalem I'm talking about Grace this morning Grace is on every page of your Bible grace is on every page of your Bible whether you want to call it grace mercy compassion love longsuffering or kindness God was in extending favor to people who did not deserve it that's Grace every every new testament book except for three refers to Caris or Grace the first reference to Grace in the New Testament is found in Luke 13 this occurs during the angel at Gabriel's announcement to Mary about the birth of Jesus then the angel said to Hero not be afraid Mary for you have found favor that's the same word Caris Grace favor with God he's visiting you with Grace because Grace is getting ready to come through the man Christ Jesus favor Grace we need it we need we need Grace we need favor the first time we hear uh from John the Apostle in his gospel he says and the Word was made flesh and dwelt among us and we beheld his glory the glory is of the only begotten of the father full of grace and truth then he said this and the fullness have we all received Grace for grace for the law was given by Moses but Grace and Truth came by Jesus Christ I can still hear evangelist Larry Flan's sermon on Grace to Grace I remember him preaching about Grace that the fullness of Grace was in Jesus Christ when he came you see Jesus was full of grace and truth you see some want truth and no Grace I wish y'all would help me preach this morning some want truth and no Grace they want commands and no Grace law and no Grace but Jesus came with truth and Grace preachers hear me today if you're going to preach Grace make sure you also preach truth but if you're going to preach truth make sure that you include Grace in your sermon why because Jesus was not half truth half Grace he was full of grace and truth come on our world needs truth but it also needs Grace our world needs the truth of the word of God but it also needs the grace of God I wish somebody was hearing me right now I'm thankful for truth I stand on on truth I preach truth but make sure that we include Grace we need Grace it's not just law it's it's Grace and Truth we have to have both if you're going to preach the fullness of Christ you got to preach Grace and Truth trust me there's a lot of Truth preaching going on in the world and little Grace we need Grace and Truth somebody say amen amen the Apostle Paul has been called the Apostle of Grace while Jesus ushered in Grace it was Paul who experienced it and explained it nearly 2third 100 of 154 of the New Testament occurrences of Caris or Grace are found in Paul's letters Paul was Aid up with Grace y'all is this microphone on y'all hear me today Paul was ate up with Grace he was ate up with Grace anytime anytime he got a chance to write about something grace and mercy unto you Grace and peace unto you why because he wanted everybody to experience the grace that he experienced we have to tell people about the grace that we have experienced Hallelujah we need to tell people about our conversion yes come on somebody we don't need to forget where he brought us from because of Grace we weren't born on a church pew you may have been raised in church but it still was Grace come on it was grace that brought you out of the world but it was also Grace that kept you from the world I wish somebody was thankful for Grace today I wish somebody would praise him for I want to be known as a people of Grace I want to be truth lovers but I also want to be a Grace lover come on you can't preach Grace until you experience it that's right you can't preach Grace until you've experienced it he can preach Grace because he knew it was like he went from the a persecutor of Christians to becoming a preacher of Christ that's Grace yes it he went from a approving of those being killed for the Christian message to being willing to be imprison for the Christian message why that's Grace that's Jews didn't like Paul because he preached Grace Gentiles didn't like Paul because he preached Grace let me tell you something if you're going to preach Grace you're not going to have a whole lot of fans you know why because there's always going to be people who think you've gone too far oh hold on whoa hey preacher hold on you're preaching who Grace Hold on now you need to hold on Paul preached Grace they thought my Lord have mercy you are breaking the law said no I'm I'm I'm preaching the Fulfillment of the law that the law was our school Master to teach us and bring us to Christ who is full of grace and truth the Gentiles didn't like him because they thought that he was rejecting all the other Pantheon of of gods that they worshiped and he was and so let me tell you something anytime you want to preach Grace you're going to have some enemies you'll always have people who want to say whoa hey hey want to hold on you're preaching too much grace around here we need a little law around here don't you to know we need a little truth around here listen you can't preach truth without Grace he can't preach Grace without truth and Paul knew that he said shall we continue in sin because Grace abounds he knew there were going to be those who would say whoa hey we can we just do whatever we want no he said this that the grace of God has appeared unto all men bringing salvation and teaching us so Grace saves us but Grace also teaches us to deny ungodliness hallelujah it's Grace that justifies but it's also Grace that sanctifies my God have mercy it's not just Grace that justifies and sanctifies but it's also going to be the same Grace that glorifies Us in the in the end times I want you to know that it's all of Grace I wish y'all were helping me today my God have mercy I'm talking about Grace if I need to get down here so y'all can hear me I'm saying I'm talking about Grace I wish somebody be thankful for Grace today I'm thankful for Grace and Truth come on I shouldn't have a cheerleads you about Grace we should be worshiping God because it's Grace we should be giving him praise because of Grace we should be loving him because of Grace let's wake up and praise him today for his grace come on somebody it's Grace Grace Grace we we we have we have gotten too comfortable in Pentecost we have gotten let me tell you I'm gonna preach a little bit but we have gotten too comfortable in Pentecost that we will come into church and we will jump up and down with a bass drum but as soon as I start preaching [Applause] truth if you can worship with the bass drum and I'm a drummer you also need to worship with truth and Grace and say yes had it not been for Grace I wouldn't be here today had it not been for his Spirit I'd still be a drunk I'd still be a drug addict come on somebody let's wake up and give him some praise today I'm thankful for Grace I'm thankful for truth but I need it every day let's not get so comfortable and so churchy that I got to get get up here and entertain you I want you to know we should be worshiping God and thanking him for Grace it was Grace that kept you it was Grace that saved you it's Grace that saves you and sanctifies you it's going to be grace that gets us out of here I'm talking about [Applause] Grace come on somebody I'm thankful for the grace of God today it's Grace it's Grace it's the grace of God that saves us someone say Amen everything Paul preached was Grace and when he starts to write his letters it's Grace and peace unto you he wants them to know that it begins with Grace and it ends with Grace he's writing to the Corinthians a second time and you can hear his passion and his heartbreak because there were those that had infiltrated the church in Corinth that postured themselves as super Pious super Apostles they loved the praise of men they loved well-written recommendation letters they love to be able to talk about all the things that they could do they like to sit in all the great places with all the spiritual people and then they also like to put Paul down do you know how weak he is you read his letters and he sounds like he's strong and he sounds like he's got it together but when you see him he's kind of weak and frail have you seen Paul y'all I don't y'all don't need to be listening to No Paul because Paul Paul doesn't see the things that we see and hear the things that we hear and Paul doesn't run with the group that we run and they started teaching false Doctrine because they began to persuade people away from the teachings of Paul and so Paul had to write a first letter to correct this church and then he got worded again that they even though that there were some who repented there were still some who were drunk with falling following after those who called themselves impostor themselves as super Apostles Paul did not like to boast in what he did Paul didn't want to boast most in his ministry Paul felt like that was just a little distasteful a little icky if you will he didn't want to talk about himself he did want to talk about his achievements and what he had done because all the other ones had carried themselves with a Swagger and built their platform largely by putting Paul down stepping on him to elevate themselves Paul didn't like to call attention to himself he wanted the gospel to be glorified he wanted the grace of God to be elevated not himself he says this if I must needs Glory chapter 11 verse 30 I will glory of the things which concern my weaknesses or my infirmities if I'm going to Glory about anything let me glory in my weakness if I must boast I'm going to boast in the things that show off my weaknesses oh he a PA hold on man that's not what these other guys are doing that's not what I Paul said I'm not doing that but if I'm going to do it let me tell you something I'm going to boast in my weakness he didn't want to validate his ministry through conceit showing off elevating himself but Paul says this it is not expedient for me doubtless to Glory I will come div visions and Revelations of the Lord I knew a man in Christ about 14 years ago in the body I cannot tell or out of the body I cannot tell God knows such and one caught up to the third heaven I knew such a man whether in the body or out of the body I cannot tell God knows how that he was caught up into the paradise and heard unspeakable Words which it is not lawful for a man to utter he said I knew a man he's trying to even even at this moment get get the spotlight off of himself he's not comfortable in the spotlight he wants he wants to be in the shadows I knew a man I knew a man who went into the third heaven went into Paradise heard things seen things that I can't even record or explain look what he says in verse six for though I would desire to Glory I shall not be a fool for I will say the truth but now I forbear lest any man should think of me above that which he seeth me to be or heareth of me this is what he's saying in essence if I wanted to boast I would be no fool in doing so I'd be telling the truth but I won't do it because I don't want anyone to give me credit beyond what they can see in my life or hear in my message he tells of this spiritual experience and he leaves out the details we want to know what did you here what did you see this could be a bestseller in the Bookshop what I seen when I went to heaven what I heard what I experienced man we would run and buy it and I mean I got to know I seen Johnny Cash and I seen I seen Elvis Presley and I they were in there having coffee together and I seen SAS Squatch and all the you know all the nonsense that sells books these days I I sorry didn't take a pen with me didn't take my laptop I'm so sorry things I heard I came even tell you about I just know a man in the body or out of the body God knows he's going to have to trust me Paul what kind of what kind of spiritual experience is that we want to post about it I have to have a parel and a real to to prove to everybody I got I got to see I I got to have numbers I got to I've got to I got to have proof it's all I got but this is what he says there here's where he gives you the details lest I should be exalted above measure through the abundance of the revelations there was given to me a thorn in the flesh the messenger of Satan to buffet or torment me l I should be exalted above measure for this thing I besought the Lord three times that it might depart from me a thorn in the flesh Paul I need more detail I need more detail than that you have any more details than this I mean I need I mean you went to the third heaven I don't even know what that is can you can't tell me nothing about it and now you're telling me you have a thorn in your flesh and you won't even describe exactly what it is is there are some who say that Paul had a physical ailment perhaps something wrong with his eyes perhaps he suffered from migraines there there there's all kinds of theories that he suffered something physically in his body some some would say that this Thorn In the Flesh was um an emotional or mental uh situation perhaps he suffered emotionally and mentally under stress and anxiety certainly that could be true but Paul says this go to the next verse and he said there was given to me a thorn in the flesh but also that a messenger from Satan was sent to me to torment me now Paul you're telling me you went to heaven and you don't even you can't even tell me what You' seen and heard and now you're telling me that you've got some weakness in your in your in your flesh and some kind of messenger comes and torments you Paul we don't want to hear about things like that I I I don't want to know about things like that but I think Paul left out the details because he wants everybody to relate to him in some way shape or form I believe he didn't go into detail cuz If he if he said it's my eyes there' be some say yeah I got that problem there be I can't relate to that or if he said I'm dealing with a mental or emotional situation there' be some say I understand that I can relate to that other be like ah you you lost me but everybody deals with thorns in some way shape or form the word thorn in Greek means stake St a k which graphically indicates that this is nothing something small this is not something irritating this is something that causes him intense pain and when Paul would use the phrase flesh like he does in Romans many times it's in reference to a person's spiritual and moral desires and weaknesses so it could be a physical ailment or it could also be something emotional and mental either way Paul Paul's Thorn caused him pain he describes it as a messenger of Satan and the messenger means Angelic or spiritual being something that he is dealing with in the spirit that is buffeting and tormenting him and this is what he is glorying and boasting about I want to know about the Visions I want to know about the prophecies I want to know about the success but here's Paul's point he was conveying the idea that spiritual success or worldly measure measurement of so-called success come with a price and many like Paul's adversaries wanted to posture themselves as spiritually superior but of course they never wanted to deal with the Thorns can I talk to our preachers and ministers for a few moments tonight this morning it is acceptable to desire Ministry success in spiritual gifts but you can't have Paul's spiritual experiences without Paul's enemies you didn't hear me you can't have Paul's experiences without Paul's enemies we want depth without the trial wow what anointing wow what anointing they can sing and they can play they can preach ask them what they went through to get it right I wish I could sing like that I wish I can preach like that let me tell you about my messenger let me tell you about my thorn let me tell you about my pain no I want the I want the I want the ministry not the pain let me tell you something you'll never have depth you'll never have great anointing you'll never have great influence and you won't have spir you won't have Ministry success unless you're with willing to accept the pain that comes along with [Music] it don't chase Paul's experiences without willingly accepting his enemies that's why it worries me when people tell me you know I can go start a church go for it please do let me know how it works out for you I want to be a missionary do you I can do that sure a lot of people can get up here and talk there's a difference between talking and Ministry sir and and Ministry goes beyond simply studying more is caught than taught and I like books I like reading I like I like education but let me tell you something there is no school like the school of pain that's right and if you want success and if you want you want a you you want a great men Ministry and you want great influence and you want to have some sort of great spiritual experience don't chase it without realizing that you are going into depths where there are thorns and there are messengers and there's a real spiritual battle that's going to take place in your life I wish somebody was hearing me this morning Great Heights of understanding and Revelation can only come with great depths of pain and experience we're looking at people's car sales and highlight reels on social media going wow and you don't know the pain that they've suffered through you don't know the hurt that they've gone through you don't know the set you don't know the disappointment and the frustration I'm telling you if we're going to have the experiences we're going to have to accept the Thorns Hallelujah I figured I'd get that kind of response Paul got that response no no I want the spotlight no I want to get up here with a microphone and jump around and act like I know what I've got you can't fake it you can't fake it you can't fake depth in Ministry you cannot fake true spiritual influence I want the Visions I want the prophecy I want the gifts but do you want the thorn I want the influence I want the I want the notoriety I want I want I want everyone to see how great I am I want all that fine okay but do you want the humility that comes with it I want I want I want that kind of ministry you know some some will say this how how did you come up with that sermon do you really want to know I didn't you you listen to Bishop M he didn't pull that off the shelf somewhere you you hear Jason hucke you don't you don't he didn't pull that off the shelf somewhere and said I don't think I'm gon to preach that today you you're you're not going to get that kind of depth you're not going to get that kind of influence and that kind of success and and and depth in in Ministry and preaching and singing and and and service until you're willing to realize you got to go through some stuff we don't want to glory in that we want a glory in the spotlight but this is what Paul says I got a thorn favor is Grace to suffer through obedience favor is Grace to suffer through obedience that's why some of y'all won't obey you know what you're going to have to go through I'm not going to get baptized because I'll have to admit that I'm wrong about what I believe about baptism I'm not going to raise my hand because I'm afraid of what I look like I'm not going to lift up my voice I'm afraid people people might think about me you know what that is called pride and pride will keep you from Effectiveness and obedience okay you don't have to believe me if you don't want to for this thing I besought the Lord three times that it might depart from me now Look What the Lord says he said unto me my grace is sufficient for thee now Paul knows Grace Paul experienced Grace Paul had had firsthand knowledge of Grace he preached Grace he taught Grace he explained Grace he experienced Grace he had seen prayers answered he seen he seen the dead raised to life he had seen the sick recover he had seen he had seen the gospel message spread throughout the Mediterranean in Europe he had heard he had had prayers answered and when he went to ask God for this not once not twice but three times God said no God always answers prayer God always answers prayer here's his answers yes no weight yes no or wait and this is what this is what the Lord said my grace is sufficient for go now God that doesn't look like Grace at all I know Grace I've had prayers answered I've seen the I've seen the dead ra the sick healed I've seen I've seen salvation of thousands and and hundreds of thousands of people and God this doesn't look like Grace this is not Grace to me this is pain this is a struggle this is torment I don't think this looks like Grace I want you to know that Grace sometimes doesn't look like Grace when he says yes it's Grace when he says wait it's Grace when he says no it's Grace come on somebody hear me today it might not look like Grace but it's Grace come on it's Grace that saves it's Grace that sanctifies but it's also Grace that is sufficient to get you through what you're going through it doesn't look like Grace it doesn't feel like Grace but I've come to tell somebody it's Grace you might have prayed that God for God to heal your loved one it didn't happen to Grace you might have prayed for God to open a door for your career and it remain closed it's Grace you might have prayed for the pain to be removed from your body and that you still have pain it's Grace you have may you may have prayed for a spouse and you're still single let me tell you something it's still Grace the same Grace that answers yes is the same Grace that answers no one time no two times no three times no my grace is is sufficient Paul I know I know you've seen I know you've seen me answer the same prayer for other people I know you've seen Deliverance for other people I know I've brought healing for other people Paul I know go I know you have seen this prayer answered for thousands of other people but for you it's no and my grace is still sufficient Paul come on somebody you got to realize that God is Sovereign God knows what he's doing he might answer it for somebody but I want you to know his know for you is still Grace oh God have mercy right now but you don't know the loneliness you don't know the pain oh yes I do my grace is is still Superior my grace is still sufficient my grace is still strength hallelujah hallu hallelujah if he removes the thorn he also removes the Visions if he removes The Thorn he removes the spiritual experiences and so he says I can't remove it I can't take it away you're too valuable with the thorn with the pain with the disappointment my God have mercy hear me right now you've been praying for God to answer that prayer I want you to know his grace is yes his grace is weight and his grace is no but you got to realize his grace is sufficient even in the no come on come on he's trying to do something in you he's trying to do something through you he's trying to do something within you it doesn't look like Grace but it's Grace it doesn't look like kindness but it's his kindness I wish somebody lift up their voice right now I don't know what you've prayed for I don't know what you've asked for but he's going to answer it one way or the other and it's still Grace Jesus it's still Grace I know you went to the third heaven and you went to paradise and you heard things and you seen things but Paul here's something you got to hear here no what do you do when you he no I'll leave here and I'll go some other Church guess what the answer is going to be there well fine if it's not if I can't get that job and I can't do that I'll open up a door somewhere else and what your you're going to do is you're going to step outside God's grace and all of a sudden the thorn and the problems and the trouble are increased come on what can what will you do when it's no not one's not twice but three times Paul the word sufficient means to be satisfied I'm almost done for musicians when to come word sufficient means to be satisfied Superior means that Paul needs to be satisfied with God's grace more than he would be content had he removed the thorn again he might answer it yes it might be weight but he might be wanting you to learn how to be satisfied in him and not a spouse he might be trying to get you to be satisfied in his grace more than you're satisfied in a raise because a spouse or a raise is not going to satisfy you for very long am I saying you're not going to get married don't please hear me he said I'm not going to get married she be said am I saying that am I saying not to go apply for the job am not saying that but I'm saying he wants you to learn to be satisfied more in him you see some there's some there's there's a reason why God won't answer some prayers he know and there's a reason why he won't remove some Thorns because if he removes The Thorn you'll stop coming to church y'all hear me there's a reason why he answers no because he knows if he ever answers that prayer it'll stop you from praying y'all ain't hearing me today if he removes The Thorn you'll stop worshiping if he removes The Thorn you'll stop being faithful if he answers that prayer he knows that you'll do the opposite of what you've been doing and so he keeps the thorn there because it keeps you humble and relying upon him and you say today might be the day or next Sunday might be the day or Tuesday might be the day so I'm going to keep praying I'm going to keep being faithful I'm going to keep being satisfied in him stand stand I I have seen it happen in my lifetime people will pray just listen to me now I'm not trying to hurt your feelings I've seen people pray for children Lord if you'll just give us children Lord if you just give us children Lord give us children and then God answers that prayer and then all of a sudden those same children that you prayed for you got them signed up for every sport and y'all yall okay and you don't show up for church you stop serving in the church well you see we're busy now there's there reason there's a reason why he hasn't G he has not opened that door for you because if he opens that door for you you'll stop being faithful y'all okay y'all want Pastor to get back up here tonight make my preacher happy man it's been a long time since you preach that's the reason why I'm glad there's reason there's if he answers the prayer the way you want it you don't continue in the humility sometimes Grace doesn't look like Grace but you got to thank him for the grace my suff my grace is sufficient for look what I'm going to close on this go with me to Ephesians 4 beginning at verse number seven Paul writes but unto every one of us is given Grace according to the measure of the gift of Christ now look what he says look what he goes right into wherefore he saith when he ascended up on high he held captivity captive and gave gifts unto men now that he ascended what is it but that he also descended first into the lower parts of the earth he that descended is the same also that ascended up far above all the heavens that he might fill all in all sometimes before we can get to heaven we got to go through hell you you didn't hear me yes right sometimes before we get to heaven we got to go through hell Jesus went through hell that I might know him in the power of His resurrection and share also in his sufferings you see you can't rain until you suffer this is why we are forced to endure times of great trial because it is only in great times of trial that we are forced to confront the depths of our own Hearts Jesus didn't crucify himself it was others that crucified it and what did he pray not my will but your will be done but before that he said take this cup take it from me I don't want it it's difficult it's hard he said nevertheless not my will your will it didn't look like Grace when they arrested him and then beat him to a BL P it didn't look like Grace when they mocked it spit upon it slapped it it didn't look like Grace when they put thorns on his head it didn't look like Grace when they put the nails in his hands and in his feet it didn't look like Grace when they lifted him up from the earth and he hanged there with blood dripping down to the ground it didn't look like Grace and he hollered out it is finished it didn't look like Grace when they put him in that tomb it didn't look like Grace at that moment but Grace didn't look like Grace but it was all of Grace because you can't have a resurrection without a crucifixion and you can't have a Ministry without some thorns in your life you can't have great understanding and Revelation and vision until you're willing to accept that the Thorns come with it but it's grace even when it doesn't look like Grace won't you lift up your hands right now I don't know what you've been praying for I don't know what what it is you're facing the UN certainty and the circumstance that you are looking at but I want you to know it might not look like Grace but it's Grace come on and what you've got to do is preach the gospel to yourself just as he descended and you might be descended right now you need to preach the gospel of grace to yourself yes it's the gospel of grace for others but it's also the go gospel of grace for you and realize that even though it doesn't feel like Grace at the moment it's Grace I wonder if somebody would leave the confines of their seat in their Pew this morning and I wonder they say you know what I've prayed and I've sought and I've not got my answer yet what is I feel like I thought got my answer yet but you know what it's still Grace it might be yes it might be no it might be weight but it's Grace I don't understand and I'm why I'm dealing with this and going through this and I feel this way I want you to know it's still Grace that his grace is sufficient his grace is superior his grace is strengthening and what you must do is realize realiz that the same Grace that says yes is the same Grace that says no and it's the same Grace that says no is the same Grace that will get you through and will comfort you and lift you up come on would you lift up your voice and lift up your heart right now and Lord and say Lord I know you've got my good in mind Lord you've got my good in mind Lord you got my life on your heart and I know I may not understand it but it's Grace come on it's Grace it's Grace it's Grace oh yes oh your [Music] goodness oh for come on it's Grace come on it's Grace kind is for good forever oh your your mercy oh yes [Applause] [Music] for forever forever youry forever forever you are good you are good you are good and your mercy is forever you are good I would you lift up your hands and let that be your prayer Lord you are good you good you are good and your Mercy Mercy is forever come on he's good you are good you are you are good oh you are good your mercy is forever you are good you are good you are good you are good your mercy is forever and dismiss would you lift up your hands and I want you to say that Lord you are good Lord you are good Lord when you answer the prayers of others and not for me you're still good Lord when it's yes for one and no for another you're good come on LIF up your voice and pray that your prayer Lord that you are not inconsistent Lord you have my good in mind and Lord I pray right now in the name of Jesus that your grace face would become real to somebody today not just in initial salvation but God but in the moments when they feel like they they're just they're just not going to make it another moment but Lord you are still good just as we heard this morning you are good all the time despite our circumstances despite the situation that I'm in but Lord I pray that you will give Grace and strength and energy for them today in jesus' name we pray would you clap your hands onto the Lord today oh yes Jesus it's Grace it's all of Grace you can greet those around you if you see guests welcome them to First Apostolic church we'll be back tonight 6:00 prayer 6:30 praise and worship and preaching again tonight you don't want to miss it invite somebody but go in the grace of Jesus today go in the grace of God today and be blessed