Hi, good evening, God bless. Well, good evening and welcome wherever you are across this earth at this hour. God bless you and strengthen you in the mighty name of Jesus. What a beautiful evening. can you hear me? Hallelujah. God bless. Good to see you this evening. Thank you so much for jumping on line with us wherever you are, across the earth at this moment. We are 7:34 here within the UK, we thank you so much for joining us, we are really blessed that you are joining us for these podcasts for these online services and the study time that we have together and this evening, we're going to be jumping straight into the New Testament, we're going to jump to the book of Colossians. We have visited this text before we have been to this place before thank you so much for confirming. You can hear me thank you so much Colossians chapter one. And I really feel God is leading me into this text tomorrow and may just God be with you. Wherever you are. There is a lot pushed into this text that we're in this evening. There is so much stuff and it's really packed with salvation creation, justification, hope. It is just really covered. It is so powerful, this tech that we are in at this moment. And I pray that God will reveal this scripture to you that God will open this scripture up and you will feel His love and His His goodness and His understanding for all those podcasters out there we thank you so much to yet. Yes, we thank you wherever you are across this app at this hour for sharing all this stuff out across the socials. But to those that have never joined us before, we thank you so much as you join us on I Heart Radio, Buzzsprout, Spotify, Apple play, Amazon music, and so many other places you can find us. But when you look in this scripture, if we go to verse 15, I'll give you this have a couple of seconds, let's get to verse 15. Let's get ourselves comfortable. Let's just get ourselves a word of God remembering what I say about the paperback version of the Word of God, let's let's get a paperback version of the Word of God. Let's just sit back whether you're whether you are at your desk at this moment, whether you're at home, whether you are walking, whether you're in the park, whether you're just sitting back, listening to these podcasts a year later, a week later, whatever it may be, get yourself a good old fashioned paperback version of the Bible that you can really feel your way through the physical feeling of the Word of God is just so powerful gadgets are great, as we watch things as we listen to things for the devices, but there's nothing finer than than the actual word of God actually in your hands in the paperback version. So let's get into verse 15. Let's get into verse 15, of Colossians chapter one. So we have the word reckon reconciled. In this we have the word created, we have salvation we find in this we find that we have justification, we find that we have hope that we have future, there is so much in this we find that we have God we have the Christ, our Christ, the Redeemer, we have redemption, there is so much packed in these verse from verse 15, through to the end of 23. So if he was just to follow this reading through you will find so much packed in God's word, I keep using that word packed in that squeezed in, pressed them, but it's always been there. And what God does, He reveals His scripture to us, when it is time for our bodies, our minds our understanding, excuse me, our concept of life to to grasp what God is doing through His Holy Word, as we say, and as we look at there is only one way forward, and that is Christ Jesus. And there's another area that I haven't mentioned at this moment that is really crucial for us as a believer that is that is really packed tight into this. It talks about Christ being the head of the church. So we understand very clearly here. And I believe my brothers and sisters that join me online, understand really clear that there is no human being that is the head of the church except Christ Jesus. Yes, there are heads and in strategic positions of leadership that needs to look after the church and be in the structure of the church. But we have very, very different understandings of what the church should be and what the church really is within the West. So what is the measure what is the gauge what is the the way that I understand that it is the Church of Jesus Christ? I Look at the biblical reference of the church I look at how the church is structured for the biblical scripture through the biblical language is the church that I am in is the denomination that I am in Is it a pure pure, and a true representation of the Scripture, the biblical language of what the church is because here, as I said, earlier, we've got salvation. We've got reconciliation, we've got the word church mentioned, we've got the word hope mentioned, we've got blood mentioned, we got the cross mentioned. So packed within these 1012 verses that we have in front of our very eyes, we have so much, and probably what is key to this is is the word cross, the word cross is very significant to us as believers because at the cross, everything happened at the cross. When you look at the cross of Calvary, we see the Old Testament being fulfilled. When Christ said, it's finished. At the cross, we see the birth and the beginning of the New Testament. At the cross, we see the Creator we see, we see the power of God, at the cross, we see redemption. At the cross, we see new beginnings. At across, we see the oldest gone, the newest come, we see the King of kings and the Lord of lords at the cross. So at the cross, the cross is very foundational, and is extremely important for us as believers in Christ Jesus, that we understand that the cross has to be the center of our understanding. And when we talk about the cross, we are not talking about the cross as a symbol. As in, we look at that, and we worship it and we lift it up higher than Christ, what we do is we look at the cross of Calvary, we understand what the cross represents, and what happened at the cross of Calvary. But we don't lift it and we don't elevate it higher than Christ. Because the cross was a physical vehicle that was used so that we would see with our natural allies and our natural understanding, Christ went to the cross, there had to be a place where they now hold him that that was a significant place the cross. At the cross, we understand everything springs, from the cross to the cross, everything comes back to the cross, everything happened at the cross. So what do we have at the cross? First and foremost, we have Christ at the cross. What does Christ represent? Christ represents the fullness of God, we have everything in Christ at the cross. So the cross is significant to my understanding, and my belief system as a believer in Christ Jesus. So the cross is very, very powerful. And the scripture that we're in it mentions across very, very clearly it mentions Christ, Jesus being the head of the body, the church. So everything Christ is that let's read the Scripture. Let's see what it says for ourselves. Let's read it as individuals as brothers and sisters in Christ. Let's, let's see what the Word says to each and every one of us. But at the cross, you know, that beautiful song, the old rugged cross, you know, what a great and what a very powerful song and hymn that is at the cross, everything happens at the cross. So we understand that the cross the Old Testament was fulfilled. At the cross, we understand that the New Testament and began at the cross, the Old Covenant was finished at the cross, the New Covenant began at the cross, we see the shedding of blood at the cross, we see redemption. At the cross, we see hope. At the cross, we see the creator of heaven on earth at the cross, we see Redemption at the cross, we see justification. At the cross, we see reconciliation. At the cross, we see access at the cross because the temple curtain was torn into and we had access to God, but only through Christ Jesus. So everything is at the cross through the cross, about a cross fought across. It begins at the cross, it finishes at the cross, it started that the everything is about the cross. And we are not referring to the element on the symbol side of it. We're not referring to just the timber side of it when we're looking at it and we understand it. It's what happened at the cross and who went to the cross. Let's read one Colossians chapter one, verse one, verse 15, let's read this together. Let's pray that God will give us revelation or knowledge that God's word will come alive in our spirit. And let's understand that religion is dead religion is finished. All that rhetoric that's over there, still trying to resurrect the Lazarus side of it. It's not going to come back. It's never going to come back. Religion has gone. They are trying to prop it up. They're trying to lift it up. They're trying to blow smoke into it. They're trying to blow life into it. They're trying to blow it up. They're putting steroids into it. They're trying to resurrect something, that he's dead and finished. We we belong to Jesus and Christ is the head of the body, which is the church, you will find the Scripture mentions is very clear. It is Jesus that is the head. So if Jesus is the head of the body, which is the church, who do I follow, I follow Jesus who is Jesus. He is the Creator of heaven on earth. He is the great I Am he is Jehovah Jireh Jehovah shalom, he is Jehovah Nissi he is my PC is my shield. Here's my rampart, he is my, my beginning. He is my end, he is the bright morning star, the King of kings and the Lord of Lords. He is my Redeemer. So he is the head of the church. So that wipes out any human being from calling themselves the head of the church, if they call themselves the head of the church. It can't be the head of the Church of Jesus Christ, because Christ is the head of the church. Yes, we understand very, very clearly the structure of the biblical reference to the church, but you will not find anyone the head of the church, but Jesus Christ, the biblical church is the church of Jesus Christ. But you will find very clearly that humanity and leaders and quite a few controllers are wanting to climb the ladder of success, to be worshipped as to be called a leader, Pastor, whoever they may be, because he a lot of humanity wants to be worshipped Lucifer. That's why he wanted to take the power away from Christ, because he wanted to be worshipped. He wanted to be lifted up. And Christ said to him, Man does not live on bread alone, but by every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God. And he says, As it is written, the spoken word, the spoken word is power over any principalities, forces of darkness, the word is yes and amen. The word is your anchor, the word is your strength, the word is your life, the word and who is the word, if he was to go to the Gospel of John chapter one, verse one, you will find very clearly, it speaks very clearly, well, maybe turn there. In a moment, I'm speaking pretty quick, because I want to I want to get through quite a bit. So let's turn to verse 15, of Colossians, chapter one, the sun is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation, For in Him, all things were created things in heaven and on earth, visible, invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities, or things we're sorry, sorry, let's start that again. All things have been created through him. And for him, he is, before all things. And in Him, all things hold together. Here we go, verse 18, of Colossians, chapter one, and he is the head of the body of the church. He is the beginning and the firstborn among the dead. So that's in everything he might have supremacy, For God was pleased to have all his fullness dwell in him. And it says that and through Him, to reconcile to himself all things were the things on earth or things in heaven, by marking peace through his blood, shed on the cross. Once we were alienated from God, we were enemies and our minds because of the evil behavior. But now he has reconciled you by Christ, physical body, through the death, to present you holy in his sight, without blemish and free from accusation, a very interesting word, accusation, the world will try and accuse the world who try and press the world will try and pull us back to the old language of our life. But there is no accusation from God, it has been washed, it has been cleansed, the old is gone, the new has come, let's finish the Scripture off. And it says, Where are we but he has reconciled you by Christ's physical body through death, to present you wholly in his sight, without blemish and free from accusation. If you continue in your faith, established and firm, do not move from the hope held out in the Gospel. This is the gospel that you have heard, and that has been proclaimed to every creature under heaven, and of which I, Paul, this is really important to leaders. Very, very important that I understand what this says, and to which I, Paul have become a servant. We are servants. We are servants of the Most High. We are slaves to righteousness. We was and we still may be sinners, but by His grace, we have been saved by the shed blood of the Messiah. We have been reconciled through his physical body, as the scripture says, By marking peace on the cross and that piece was, was shown through the physical realm of the blood of Christ. See, I have a new have we have been bought with a price we understand that we see very clearly in the New Testament we understand how Christ was bought through Pete through 30 pieces of silver Judas Iscariot, if he was to study that man and, and the way that he was used and the way God used him and the way God brought him into existence and the understanding of his life, what he was created for and what he was put on this earth, for, he received a 30 pieces of silver, and the 30 pieces of silver were given back. And very interesting that when we look at that study of the 30 pieces of silver, we will find very, very clearly that the money was given back because money cannot buy the blood of Jesus, it is priced less. So that had to happen. That had to be very clear. In the Scripture, yes, there was a price on the slave of 30 pieces of silver, so that 30 pieces of silver was a physical deal. But that 30 pieces of silver actually wasn't the price, the price that was paid, wasn't 30 pieces of silver, the price was Jesus Christ. It says one sacrifice once and for all, the Monetary Fund doesn't come into it. It just comes into the conversation and the dialogue between the Pharisees, the chief priests, the high priests, it is just a money transaction that is going between a disciple and I must remind myself, it is going between a disciple and religion. And it was crossing, and it went back and forth, and it was given back. So on the return, yes, we might look at that for a while and think, Well, Christ was bought for a while, but actually really wasn't bought with 30 pieces of silver, when you really open that scripture up, and you really open that and see what it talks about, we really find that we have been bought with a price. And the price that has been paid is the Messiah, because that has what has been reconciled and has been used to reconcile us to give us a opportunity to get to go through and to get to God and it has to be Christ. So the 30 pieces of silver were only bought into the arena of the scripture for a sudden in a short period of time. And they was given back and very interesting that that was that was thrown out, they threw them out. But we won't go down that road at this moment. But but let's remind ourselves that the scripture that we are in tonight is speaking very clearly here speaking about redemption. It is speaking about reconciliation, it is talking about the cross, it is talking about the church is talking about Jesus, it speaks about God, it speaks about the deity, it speaks about the Trinity, it speaks about the power of the word and it talks about the sun. So in verse, verse 15, if used to look at that, it says the sun is the image of the invisible God. So very clearly, we get a very clear understanding from this New Testament writer, that he is very clear, and he is very precise in how he presents this writing to humanity. And he says the sun is, so that's a given the sun is the image. So we clearly understand that there are thinking and through our cognitive processing, and through our work in our and through our understanding of life, what that what that sentence clearly says, it says the sun is the image of the invisible God. So we clearly understand that Christ is the image Christ is the visual Christ is the physical image of God, the God of Israel. So when we look at this, if he is the image of God, and He is the Son of the living God, we find ourselves in very deep theological speech, we find ourselves in a position where we cannot separate the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. We find that through theological studies, we find that through studying the Word of God, we clearly get that but also we find in two places in the Gospel of John, that Christ says, I haven't come here to fulfill my will. He mentions that in the Gospel of John to the disciples and, and also he says, I will not lose any of the ones that the Father gives me. So the father is very instrumental in salvation. You might say, well, of course he is. Cos he is because it he is. He is the Redeemer he is the the Kingsman Redeemer, he is the one that redeems he is the one that draws, he is the one that saves, he is the one that chooses, he is the Son of God. When we look at the depths of this, when you really grapple with this, you will find that you will read texts very very clearly, that you see the father and the son so close to God Ever, but then you get the Garden of Gethsemane dialog you, you get that Scripture so close where it says, Christ says, I have not come to do My will. So there we have a bit of a separation, but only in speech but not in separation of connection between the deity, you know, it's very, it has to be very clear that this is the separation of speech a terminology, and not an actual separation, because we understand that Christ is the image of to be an image of, you have to be joined up to be joined of you have to be part of, to be part of you have to be the power of you have to be one. So there is no separation when you look at it. But theologians will, will bring us to a place and, and separate only by verbal application because you can't separate. Even when you look at the when Christ was on the cross. And we understand that for a moment, God turned his face away. And we look at that as a separation, but but you can't separate the father and the son to that degree of complete separation. Because Christ makes it very clear. I and the Father are One, he said to Philip. And Philip said, Where's the father show us the Father. And Christ said, I am the father he is standing in front of you. So we understand that Christ is the physical image of the invisible God. Yes, we can wrestle and we can throw this around the arena of conversation, and we can see the dialog and we can see what what is happening through the text. But when you really grapple with it, when you try and try and pull this and deal with it, we clearly understand that Christ is the Son here and it says it there he says he is the son of the of the he is the son. So let's get this right, the sun is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation, For in him all things were created. Now, if you used to go to Genesis, and used to read Genesis, one you will speak you read about the power of speech, you will read about the power of God's word, you will read the bow you will read about the power of, of the of the spoken word of the God of Israel. So word and speech is very, very powerful. James makes it very clear in his writings that the power of the tongue, the smallest muscle in the body can do the most damage to a person's life. Because words are like arrows words, words penetrate, they broke through the skin, they penetrate your heart and, and when there's bad words coming across the words really get under your skin in your skin, they really get to your heart. So words are really really powerful. And we see how powerful words are. Because when we look in Genesis we see the God of Israel that created us we see this God speak in the power of the word and as he speaks, and as he pushes the word out, and as as the as the vocal move in have God's voice and the power of his voice that the atoms act to his voice, the world reacts to his voice. Everything makes it so so powerful, Lord, as God speaks, the world moves as God speaks. The sunrises as God commands in Psalm 91, angels are put to fly it. So there is power in speech. And you you have power and authority, not because of our physical capabilities, not because of us, but because greater is He that is in us than he that is in the world. So the power of God's word. That's why it's really important that I understand God's word and I read God's word, and I speak God's word, and I use God's word. The biblical language is critical for a believer. And what I've got to understand is the fundamental points of Christianity, that Christ is the head of the church, no Bishop, no Pope, no leader, no one in Elam, no one in any evangelical movement. No one is the head of the church. See, it's very interesting denominations make their own structure. denominate denominations make their own understanding denominations make their own policies, denominations can come away from the Word of God. So what is the true representation of the structure of church? I go directly to the Word of God, if I want to know what the church should be of Jesus Christ, I go to the book of Acts. If I want to know what the church is all about, I go to the New Testament and I study, but clearly I have a clear understanding through the written word of God as I read this scripture to you. And as you hear it through your air gate, and as you see it with your eye gaze, that Christ is the head of the body, the church it speaks as the church not not any other church, the church, The Church of Jesus Christ. So we have all these 1000s of As a denomination sorry, across the earth, claiming to be the church. No one can claim to be the church, because Christ has the power and the authority because he is the living word. So if I want to say I belong to the church, I belong to the church, but I belong to the church of Jesus Christ, not to the church of humans, not to the church or business, not to the church of denominations, yes, we have denominations, and we, we have great denominations that are really pressing, and really speaking the Word of God. And we have denominations that are really bad. And we have preachers and teachers that are not teaching the Word of God. So the word church is used so many times in our language, but it has a very different meaning. So just because we might use the word church, I go to that church, I belong to that church, IBO and I go over to that church is that church, The Church of Jesus Christ? Is that church, the Body of Christ? Is that church, a true representation of the King of kings and the Lord of lords? The Scripture is clear that there there is no argument, no one can argue it, and no one can change it. The scripture says no one can add and no one should take away from the Holy Word of God. So when you look at this, the Scripture is very clear. So where do we get this understanding that a human being can clearly say that we are the church? How can a denomination really claim to be the church when we really look at this, we have to understand that we belong to the kingdom of God, and the kingdom of God is the Kings domain. So if the Kings domain is his domain, it makes it very clear that the scripture is right, that Christ is the head of the church, and we are servants of Jesus Christ, not to the denomination, yes, we need and we have denominations, but what I have to make sure is, is the denomination, clearly speaking and teaching the Word of God. That is, that has to be fact that has to be a given. So as we look at this, what do we find here? We have creation, we have salvation, we have reconciliation, we have Christ, we have the church, we have everything packed very, very clearly, in to this Scripture. Now, Colossians, chapter one, I asked you that will take your eyes, and you will roll your eyes, I don't mean take your eyes out and physically roll them like, like little snooker balls across the aisle. I mean, roll your eyes, across the page, have a read and and see what God is saying to you. And to me, through the Scripture very clearly about who is the head of the body, that there is no argument there, I do not need to jump into the arena of apologetics. I do not need to sit across the boardroom table and fight this one through I do not need to pray about it. I do not need to argue about it. Because the text is very clear. Who is the head of the church? It makes it clear. So if Christ is the head of the church, and Christ is the image of God, what should the church look like? If the church is professing and speaking to be on this earth, we are the church, it should have a very clear, visible presence of Christ. And with Christ, it should be representing who God because Christ represents God in the physical being. So this is very clear. This is simple. This is very simple, fundamental, biblical scriptures that make it very loud and clear that no one is the Head of the Body of Christ, except Christ. It's a given. It's there. It's done. So we have the church, we have the cross. We have salvation. We have justification, we have reconciliation, we have alienation. And we have a coming together, back because of the cross. So when we look at this, this amount of text what we got 12 verses roughly 12 verses. Let's let's read this again. And I'll read it pretty steady. Let's read it. Let's read this study together. The sun is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. For in him all things were created, things in heaven and on earth, visible, invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities, all things. This is very important to me as a believer. It says all things have been created through him. Everything has been created through him not through a test tube. Not through science, not through mathematics, not through quantum physics, not through the rationale of life not through great philosophers, but through him. Who is the him on the page? It is Jesus Christ, it is the great I AM. It's very clear, the Scripture is clear cut. It is very clear, it is spoken. It is loud, it is bold, it is very clear that the scripture is pointing to Christ all the way through. It speaks to Christ as the Savior. It speaks to Christ as the creator, it speaks to Christ as the image of the invisible God. So as we read this, and we unpack this, and when we see, we very we clearly see this we there, if if I can't see this, as a believer, I have to ask God, God, will you please open this word up to me? Because when I look across the platform of the world, I see many denominations claiming to be the church, the denomination, the way when actually they are not preaching the gospel. They are not sharing the gospel, they are not talking about salvation, they are not talking about redemption. They're not talking about sin. They're not talking about the birth, the death, the resurrection of Christ, I got to be very careful if a denomination keeps banging in the skin of love, love, love, it is missing the point. It has to talk about the roof of God, because when a denomination talks and preaches about the roof of God, within the roof of God, what do we find we find the love of God as well, because within the roof is is power and authority and the love of God. But if I follow these denominations, they're talking about this hairy fairy, Disney Land, love that's all light and fluffy and clouds and floating all over the world. It is not the love. It is not the love that the Bible speaks about. It is not a biblical language. So I have to make sure that the denominations and the preachers and the teachers are speaking a very clear doctrine, language, the doctrine of the New Testament, the Old Testament, the understanding of the cross, justification, salvation, redemption, it has to be very, very clear, because the Scripture is clear. And this text tonight has everything packed in this in in what 12 verses, we got 12 verses here tonight. And it says in verse, let's get to verse 17, of Colossians, chapter one, sorry about that. Colossians chapter one, verse 17. It says, He is before all things. For him to be before all things, were was all things, all things started in Genesis, so he had to be at the beginning. So it's Christ in this is all about Christ. This is about the deity. This is about the Father, the Son, the Holy Spirit. So when I look, I'm not repeating myself, just for the sake of repeating myself. I believe God is bringing this up in my innermost being. I see salvation, I see reconciliation, I see creation. I hear God, I hear Christ, I see the rhema word, the spoken word, the living word I hear. And it is talking about the cross. It is talking about the church, it is talking about the body, it is talking about the redeemer in this text that we are in it even talks when it talks about alienation, it talks about XR, it talks about evil behavior, it talks about how I used to be, but because of the physical body of Christ, and the physical body had to happen. So human eyes could actually see it had to be a visual crucifixion. It had to be visual, so that we could actually understand that in the way that we have been created. And we have been completely UMaine, in complete humility, that Christ had to come down in physical form, through 14 generations, using the dressing room of Mary to present himself to the world and come in as a human being, and go through all things as we've gone through all things. So that we would understand that we have a king that went through all things that was not this, this king that was created and mollycoddled and wrapped in cotton wool, but the scripture says that he endured and he went to the cross and He sweated droplets of blood. He was a young boy, he was a young man. He was a carpenter. He was in a family. He was under a parent to parents he was under the Father's authority. When you look at Christ, he went through so much as a young human being. When you look at this, there must have been fights and squabbles in his house. Imagine that really this this fascinates me to think that Christ's brothers, his earthly brothers would have probably wrestled with him and, and fought with him. When you think about that, you know, wrestling with the word, the King of kings and the Lord of lords, because Christ went through. And he came through as a young baby, as a baby, he came out he was but he was brought into existence, through the through the likeness of humanity. So even when you when you study that Christ, in His humanity, in his human Christ, when you look at that, because the Bible says the man, Christ Jesus, very clear the man Christ Jesus. Let's get back to the text. I don't want to I'm gonna go off of Slant tonight. Verse 18, of Colossians chapter one, and it says, And he is the head of the body. This is critical for anyone that is a believer. This is really important because we are living in New Times, we are living in New Beginnings. We have come through a lockdown. We have seen religion, finally, now and finished and disintegrated. And we see that but it is still trying to be resurrected, because the religious people will still try and resurrect, they will try and prop up they will try and lift up. But you can't lift up something that has been gone and finished. Now we are in we are in a new window of opportunity, a very prophetic time we are in where we are seeing God's word sharp, and really powerful. Like we probably never seen it before. God is speaking very loud and clear Frou Frou, the times in the world in which we are living in existence. And it says and He is the head of the body, the church very clear, we don't need to debate that we don't need to take that to council. We don't need to speak about it. We don't need to pray over. We don't even need to study it to that degree. Because the sentence in and the word and the terminology is very clear. We see this for our very own eyes, we see this through our very own speech. And he is and the he that we are talking about is Christ. Really, really, really important. And it says and He is the head of the body, the church, he is the beginning and He is the firstborn among the dead, so that in everything he might have supremacy, For God was pleased to have all his fullness dwell in him and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether things on earth, things in heaven by marking peace through his blood, shed on the cross. Once you were it says once you are were alienated from God, you will your enemies in your minds because of your evil behavior. But now you he has sorry, reconciled you by a Christ physical body, through death to present you holy in his sight, without blemish and free from accusation if you continue in your faith established and firm. Now, it makes it very clear as well that I have got to be anchored in the Gospel, I have to be in the Gospel, I cannot take the I cannot take the teachings out of the gospel. I cannot add to the gospel and I cannot take away from the gospel because that is very clear. So everything is found in the gospels everything is found in the New Testament. Everything is found in what what do we call it we call it the word. What is the Word the Word is God the Word is of God and the word is as of God. So it is God it is God's spoken word. It is the written word it is the voice of God puts down onto the text for humanity to read His Word. So we had his word before I gate. And when I speak His word, then suddenly his word becomes loud, and His Word is heard through my air gate. So the word of God is very powerful. It is sharpened and a double edged sword. It will cut through marrow, it will tear down God's word is power. God's word is life. God's word is authority. So what I have to make sure is when we have been talking lately about biblical language, what do you mean? The biblical language in which we are referring to is the language of the Gospels, the language of Genesis through to Revelation. If I hear leaders and denominations speaking outside of the biblical language, they are clearly not speaking of God they are making their own language Each day are making their own verbalization of what they are understanding, they are bringing their own interpretation. And I've got to be careful that I don't try and interpretate sorry, God's Word through my anticipation, and through my flesh, because God's word can only be revealed through what God's word can only be revealed through Revelation. So every word of God that is, is it before are very high. in written format, yes, we see it with a natural eyes. Yes, we hear it with our natural ears. But God has to reveal that written word to every one of us. So it is revealed. So I'm not going on knowledge, and I'm not going on academics, and I'm not gonna my strength, and I'm not gonna my skill set. And I'm not going on my own understanding. And I'm not going to in my own interpretation, I am going in the Word of God. And as I go in the Word of God, I go in the word of faith. Now, I have to be very careful when I use the word of faith, because the word of faith has been taken and has been used by some preachers and teachers, and use that as a very dangerous mechanism to get money out of believers. So I got to be very careful when I say the word of faith. Now when I say the word of faith, I'm referring to the word of Jesus Christ, the Bible. Now interpretation cannot be termed predated, I'm tired, my lips are tired, it cannot be thought about because if I think about it, and I try and bring it around from my own interpretation, I am bringing it around by my own anticipation. So if I'm anticipating what it might mean, anticipation is all of the flesh. But what I got to remember is God's word is revealed. As the New Testament writer writes, Paul writes very, very clearly, as I write to you now, the Spirit of God is revealing for revelation or knowledge, the word that I present to you. So God's word has to be revealed. God's word cannot be interpretated. By my flesh, yes, I have a certain academic stretch, I have a certain understanding within humanity, because each and every one of us is skilled, and we are learned in our own way. But I have to make sure that when I get the correct interpretation, it comes very clearly from the root word of the Word of God. And I've got to make sure it's not second hand knowledge, third hand, full fan, and fifth hand. And what I mean by that is through other people, and other preachers and teachers, I have to make sure that what I hear, and what I hear preached and taught, has come from the root word of God, because if I don't check it as a believer, and I will say it like this, and it gets watered down, not not God's word, but the interpretation gets moved and shifted one degree, suddenly, that's why we have denominations in the situation that they're in because they have come away from God's word, one degree, over a week, one degree over a year, one degree of error of interpretation through human anticipation, and the flesh because the flesh can make its own interpretation, because the flesh has fallen. And if I allow my fallen flesh to make an interpretation, it will allow me to live in a falsified scripture that I have brought from my anticipation and my understanding, because I want to make my flesh be okay, and not be brought under conviction. God's word will bring any one of us under conviction, if I am living in sin, and living out of the formation of His Word, God's word will bring me to what it will bring me to the cross, it will take me to the cross, God's word will be revealed in me. And through the power of the Holy Spirit, I will come under what I will come under conviction. I have to come under conviction. If I'm not coming under conviction, I am moving myself away from God's Word. God's Word is true. God's word is absolutely without error. It is absolutely completely on point. So if I am in God's word, I will know when I am sinning, because the power of the Holy Spirit will bring me to a place of Revelation through also repentance. Are we here in denominations talking about repent, repent, repent. When was the last time where you heard a clear sermon, a clear powerful teaching on the word repentance. When was the last time we heard a preacher talk about the blood of Jesus. When was the last time we heard a denomination talk about the wrath of God, eschatology, the rapture, that if you continue to live as the way that you live, there is a consequence. So there is so much packed in this. Look, we've reached the point now, we've reached the point and I pray that wherever you are, I pray that and I know, I know that God is revealing his word to you. And you know what is so beautiful about God's word? It doesn't matter what our academic stretch is, or are what are what are academics may be because God doesn't work through academics. He works through supernatural revelation. So this is really good. This is really this brings freedom to a lot of us. Because if a lot of us suffer with dyscalculia, if a lot of us suffer with, with learning, if we suffer with understanding, if we if we struggle with reading and writing, if we're dyslexic, do you know what that is irrelevant in God's word, because God will speak to you. And it doesn't matter about education. Yes, I understand. That's important. Yes, it has its place. And thank God for it, because the Bible talks about knowledge, but it makes it very clear knowledge will pass away. Knowledge, you know, the love of God surpasses all knowledge. So it's really, really important that I understand that God speaks. And it doesn't matter what our educational background is, or was, or it doesn't matter how many letters we have after our name, it doesn't matter how many scholarships, it doesn't matter how many degrees we have, that is irrelevant to salvation, because God will talk and God will get his word to you at the relevant moment, at the critical point in your life. Even when you don't have a Bible in front of you, God will speak directly because God is the savior of heaven and earth. We're out of here, we're done. It's time to disappear. Not in a puff of smoke. But just a walk out the door, something so simple. May God bless you and strengthen you. And thank you so much for all those that are in the world of podcast in the 1000s of downloads, as we've already said. So let's just have a quick recap. Let's just have a quick moment as as we just quickly look, and you just hear what I just gonna say for these last few moments as we come to a close very, very clearly. So the scripture that we've been in, and the only scripture that we've turned over tonight is the book of one Colossians chapter 15 to verse 23. So what do we have, we have the sun, we have God, we have the church, we have the cross, we have the word of God, we have creation, we have reconciliation, we have alienation. We have redemption, we have everything in the 12 verses that we've read. And I've just very quickly just very, very fast, very, I've just spoken very quick tonight. But there is so much in that. So I pray that wherever you are, you will just trust God. And you will just find rest in God. Because God will get his word to you, wherever you are, be blessed, you're highly favored. God is with you. The Word of God is in you. And God will reveal that word to you. So wherever you are tonight, we'll catch you soon. Be encouraged tonight be encouraged, that the church can only call itself the church. If it is following the Word of God. If the church isn't following the Word of God, it is a different church. And there are many churches out there. There are many buildings with labels over it. That says the church and they are not living and not preaching the word of God. But if it is preaching, and speaking very clearly and very powerfully, from Genesis to Revelation, you know, that that is the church because no pastor and no leader will say he is the head of the church. We are servants we are called apostles, evangelists, preachers and teachers. The fivefold ministry says the Scripture talks about so no one can call themselves the true head of the church. Because the Bible says that Christ is the head of the body. And he is the head of the church. Jesus, God, the Holy Spirit, and God bless you tonight. In the mighty name of Jesus, amen. God bless. Thank you for joining us tonight. You will find us on Buzzsprout, Spotify, I Heart Radio, Amazon music, and many other platforms that we're on. Have a wonderful evening. May God bless you in the mighty name of Jesus Christ. Amen.
Close:Thank you for listening to Elim church Swanleys latest podcast. You can find us on Buzzsprout Spotify, Apple music iHeart radio, Google Play, Alexa Mixcloud, Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube.