vinecast

Reigning in Life

What makes a culture

Many elements make up a culture: food, language, and many other things. Over time, these elements begin to shape you, and eventually, you start to look alike. Not in the sense that everyone becomes identical, but in the sense that certain traits inevitably make people identify you with that particular culture.

It is more than just your ethnicity. It is what you become. There is an old saying: You are what you eat.

"Numbers 11:5-6 5 We remember the fish we ate in Egypt that cost nothing, the cucumbers, the melons, the leeks, the onions, and the garlic. 6 But now our strength is dried up, and there is nothing at all but this manna to look at.”

I often think about the people of Israel when they left Egypt. After 430 years in Egypt, they had begun to look less like Israelites and more like Egyptians. God needed 40 years to purge, cleanse, and transform them. And do you know how that process actually began? First of all, He changed the way they ate.

"Deuteronomy 8:3 3 And he humbled you and let you hunger and fed you with manna, which you did not know, nor did your fathers know, that he might make you know that man does not live by bread alone, but man lives by every word that comes from the mouth of the LORD." (Deuteronomy 8:3)

I read an article this week about the new fever for bread and cheese in Europe. The hottest food isn’t some high-tech, elaborate creation. 

It’s a simple snack called bólle méd ôst—a freshly baked bun with butter and a slice of hard cheese.

Food experts call it the ultimate test of fundamentals. 

As one food researcher put it, ‘You can’t pretend with it. You can’t fake it. It has to be really, really good.’ 

When a snack is that simple, there’s nothing to hide. You can’t mask a stale bun or poor ingredients behind a fancy presentation..

Everywhere you look, people are trying to ‘sell’ Jesus with add-ons. 

Add layers of marketing, cultural trends, political branding, and rigid religious formulas. It becomes Jesus plus something else.

Why do we do that? Because complicated things usually hide what is genuine. When a dish is fancy with sauces, microgreens, and foam, it’s usually because the chef is trying to mask low-quality ingredients.

Strip away all the human add-ons and religious packaging, and leave only the raw, unadorned truth of the Gospel.

Christ didn't come to give us a complicated, marketed system; He offered Himself as the Bread of Life.

John 6:35 35 Jesus said to them, “I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me shall not hunger, and whoever believes in me shall never thirst.

A real walk with Jesus. No hidden gimmicks, no elaborate religious facade—just a clean, open-faced reliance on the pure grace of God.

To Reign

Romans 5:12-21 12 Therefore, just as sin came into the world through one man, and death through sin, and so death spread to all men because all sinned— 13 for sin indeed was in the world before the law was given, but sin is not counted where there is no law. 14 Yet death reigned from Adam to Moses, even over those whose sinning was not like the transgression of Adam, who was a type of the one who was to come.

15 But the free gift is not like the trespass. For if many died through one man’s trespass, much more have the grace of God and the free gift by the grace of that one man Jesus Christ abounded for many. 16 And the free gift is not like the result of that one man’s sin. For the judgment following one trespass brought condemnation, but the free gift following many trespasses brought justification. 17 For if, because of one man’s trespass, death reigned through that one man, much more will those who receive the abundance of grace and the free gift of righteousness reign in life through the one man Jesus Christ.

18 Therefore, as one trespass led to condemnation for all men, so one act of righteousness leads to justification and life for all men. 19 For as by the one man’s disobedience the many were made sinners, so by the one man’s obedience the many will be made righteous. 

20 Now the law came in to increase the trespass, but where sin increased, grace abounded all the more, 21 so that, as sin reigned in death, grace also might reign through righteousness leading to eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.

To reign: Lexically, the term implies an active exercise of sovereignty, dominion, or power by a monarch or a ruling force over a given sphere or domain. 

Here there are two ruling regimes:

The realm of death by the power of sin (The Adam Administration): Death is an absolute monarch that "reigned from Adam to Moses" through one man's trespass.

Death could only reign if it had a sting, a weapon to threaten. That is sin.

1 Corinthians 15:56-57 56 The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. 57 But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.

I grew up going to the cattle farm. My dad uses a cattle prod to urge the bulls and cows. That is the image here.

 But in the Bible, the image relates to a cattle goad used to make oxen, horses, and other beasts of burden keep moving the load.

Now, if sin is the sting, the one poking that sting, the power of sin, is the law.

Sin is a reigning tyrant operating "in death" (v. 21). Here, basileuō highlights humanity's helpless subjugation under a hostile power.

The realm of grace through Righteousness.

Romans 5:21 …so that … grace also might reign through righteousness, leading to eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.

The kingdom of God is the realm of absolute grace, divine life, and sovereign triumph. That kingdom comes into real experience when you accept the gift of righteousness. That is more than assent with your mind. It is a deep conviction of forgiveness, a clean slate, and clean consciences. 

Colossians 1:13-14 13 He has delivered us from the domain of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved Son, 14 in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.

But more than that, it is righteousness: you have credit, a good deposit; you not only paid all your debts, but you have a positive balance in your account.

When you owe nothing and, in addition, have a good balance, what do banks and credit card issuers start to do? They send you non-stop offers of credit lines. They want to do business with you. They favor you.

I consider that what God wants to do with you. Because you stand in Christ’s righteousness, you are under God’s favor. But God’s favor will be translated into divine connections.

Now, rather than victims under a tyrant, we are elevated to a royal status where we exercise dominion. —not through human effort, but as an overflow of God’s grace and imputed righteousness.

If Death—an intruder — could exercise an iron-clad, tyrannical reign over humanity, how much more certain is it that believers, flooded with the unmerited "abundance of grace" and the legal standing of "righteousness," will exercise a royal reign in life?

To "reign in life" is not a call to aggressive self-help, positive thinking, or authoritarian dominance over other people.

In context, it stands in direct contrast to being ruled by condemnation and death. It describes a restored status of royal dignity, granted entirely as a "free gift" and received through Christ.

Grace’s power completely surpasses sin’s reign. Rather than being crushed under the Fall’s dominion, we receive God’s abundant grace and the gift of righteousness, enabling us to reign victoriously in life.

This reign is secured "through the one man, Jesus Christ," making it a triumph empowered by grace rather than achieved through human effort.

(Romans 5:15) “But the free gift is not like the trespass. For if many died through one man’s trespass, much more have the grace of God and the free gift by the grace of that one man Jesus Christ abounded for many.”

By one man, Adam, sin and death entered the world, and all humanity was plunged into ruin. But through the last Adam, Jesus Christ, God’s grace abounded infinitely more. 

Your eternal salvation is secure not because you hold on to Him with failing hands, but because He holds you with pierced hands.

Many believers confuse their standing with their state. They think that when they stumble, their standing with God is fractured, or their eternal destiny is somehow put back on trial. 

Let the truth dismantle that fear:

(Romans 5:16) “And the free gift is not like the result of that one man’s sin. For the judgment following one trespass brought condemnation, but the free gift following many trespasses brought justification.”

Someone will say, that is a dangerous message. If you say that someone if completely forgiven by faith through grace, that person will receive that as a license to sin. Now they will not. The more you understand how clean and justified you are, the freer and cleaner you stand. The consequence is greater boldness, leadership, creativity, and authority. 

A fascinating social experiment on a city street showed how truth shapes our behavior. A team took two sides of a road near their office: they scrubbed one side until it was completely spotless, while leaving a little bit of litter on the other side.

Over the next few days, they watched what people did without saying a word. The side with a little trash quickly became much dirtier, while the side they cleaned completely remained spotless.

Why? Because when something is already broken or dirty, people keep adding to the mess; yet when something is pristine and beautiful, people naturally want to protect and maintain it.

When a person receives righteousness, they are made spotless, and that will make a single wrapper be cleaned immediately. 

A person shared with me that, after hearing us speak about the righteousness of God in Christ, the first thing they wanted was, “I got tired of pretending and making myself a hostage of my addictions. I decided to come clean with my wife.” What happened? He was cleaned and wanted to be clean. 

When we truly realize God has washed us completely clean, our mindset shifts—we no longer want to dirty ourselves because we finally recognize we have been made pure.

The free gift of God swooped down into the wreckage of our lives and brought complete, unshakeable justification.

In 1830, a man named George Wilson was convicted of robbing the United States mail and endangering the life of a mail carrier, a federal crime for which he was sentenced to death by hanging.

Influential friends pleaded for mercy, and President Andrew Jackson issued an official presidential pardon to spare him the gallows.

Astonishingly, when brought before the court, George Wilson refused to accept the pardon. The legal confusion went all the way to the U.S. Supreme Court, makeing the following decision:

"A pardon is a deed, to the validity of which delivery is essential, and delivery is not complete without acceptance." The Court concluded that if a pardon is rejected, no power on earth can force it upon the prisoner. 

A pardon may be fully paid for and freely offered by the highest authority, but it only saves the one who is willing to receive it.

Christ has secured an absolute pardon for humanity through His blood, yet millions refuse the free gift. 

John 1:12 12 But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God,

But for those of us who have received it, we possess a justification that can never be revoked. Your legal standing before a holy God is permanently settled.

Entering the Kingdom

Ephesians 2:8-10 8 For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, 9 not a result of works, so that no one may boast. 10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.

Entrance into God's eternal family—justification, eternal life, and being born again—is received by faith alone in Jesus Christ, entirely apart from works. It is a free, unmerited gift.

Inheriting the Kingdom

Scripture distinguishes between the kingdom of God and the kingdom of heaven, and between entering the kingdom of God and inheriting within it the inheritance of the Kingdom of heaven, a reward, and a reigning position.

This connects to our discipleship and reigning in this present life.

What It Means to Reign in Life Now

(Romans 5:17) “For if, because of one man’s trespass, death reigned through that one man, much more will those who receive the abundance of grace and the free gift of righteousness reign in life through the one man Jesus Christ.”

Reigning in life isn’t reserved for some distant future eternity; it is meant to begin here, right now, in the midst of a broken world.

That means that sin, fear, anxiety, and the pressures of this world no longer dictate your identity or your daily existence. Stop trying to earn God's smile, and you start living from His victory.

Salvation is a free gift received by faith, but reigning is enjoying the children's inheritance now. 

Justification is different from sanctification and discipleship.

1 Corinthians 6:9-11 9 Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor men who practice homosexuality, 10 nor thieves, nor the greedy, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God. 11 And such were some of you. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.

It is time to learn the culture of the kingdom well enough to reign in this life. 

A life that surrenders to the Holy Spirit, feeds on the Word and walks in discipleship will experience Christ's rich rule in daily life.

It is that capacity to rule now that connects you to reign when Jesus returns. The one who learns to reign in life now will reign with Christ then.

Conclusion

Stop relying on your own strength today to conquer your habits, fears, or trials. Look away from yourself and fix your eyes entirely upon Jesus Christ. He has provided an abundance of grace. He has given you the gift of righteousness.

Receive His grace afresh this moment. Stand securely in your righteousness, and let the Holy Spirit train your heart in the culture of the kingdom, so you can lift your head, overcome the darkness, and truly reign in life through our glorious Savior.

Series: Kingdom Culture

Message: The reality of the Kingdom

(Romans 14:17) “For the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking but of righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit.”

This is the middle of an argument. People were fussing over what was on their plates, what days were holy, and who was keeping the religious rules better. And with one sweeping, grace-drenched sentence, Paul pulls the rug out from under every single system of human performance.

The kingdom of God is not about external rituals, dietary restrictions, or religious checklists. Instead, it is about righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit.

We lean toward rules because rules give us a scorecard. If we can check off what we ate, what we wore, or where we showed up, we feel like we have a handle on things.

But that is an illusion.

You don't manufacture righteousness through your own grit; Christ purchased it and credited it to your account.

Peace with God is not a feeling you conjure up by managing your stress; it is a permanent, settled reality secured by the blood of the cross.

Joy is not a fragile emotion dependent on your current circumstances; it is the supernatural fruit of the Holy Spirit.

The Gift of Imputed Righteousness

Righteousness δικαιοσύνη dikaiosynē.

That is the state of being declared right, just, and acquitted before a holy judge.

"For if, because of one man's trespass, death reigned through that one man, much more will those who receive the abundance of grace and the free gift of righteousness reign in life through the one man Jesus Christ." (Romans 5:17)

Our unshakeable position before God is not based on your performance, but entirely anchored in the finished work of Jesus Christ.

Yesterday I was helping my son with his college and scholarship applications. I came across a story from 2019. In May of that year, nearly 400 students sat for graduation at Morehouse College in Atlanta, made up mainly of African American students.

Like most graduating classes, the students had vastly different academic records.

Some had perfect 4.0 GPAs; others had barely passed. Some were campus leaders; others were quiet attendees. And most of them were carrying heavy student loan debt.

During the commencement address, billionaire investor Robert F. Smith paused and made a surprise announcement: he was setting up a grant to eliminate the entire graduating class's student loan debt.

In an instant, $34 million of debt was wiped out.

The students' new financial standing had absolutely nothing to do with their performance over the last four years. Their "clear" status was instantly secured by Smith’s wealth and his legal signature.

Smith cleared their past financial debt, but he did not guarantee their future financial success. Christ’s finished work secures both past forgiveness and eternal standing.

The word Righteousness δικαιοσύνη dikaiosynē. In classical Greek, it denoted one's duties to gods and humanity. In biblical literature, it means covenant faithfulness, right relationship and divine vindication. You are clear of blame or suspicion.

But, in Romans 14:17, it defines the true nature of the "kingdom of God," contrasting with the superficial markers of "eating and drinking."

Here, righteousness shifts from a legal status (justification by faith) to a practice and relational manisfestation.

Romans 14:15 For if your brother is grieved by what you eat, you are no longer walking in love. By what you eat, do not destroy the one for whom Christ died.

"For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them." (Ephesians 2:10)

Rhesus disease (HDN) is a condition where a pregnant woman's blood cells attack her unborn baby's blood cells. For decades, it was a deadly or permanently damaging condition for infants, and there was absolutely nothing the baby could do to fight it.

In the 1960s, doctors discovered that an Australian man named James Harrison possessed a rare antibody in his blood that could completely stop the disease. Harrison agreed to donate his plasma. Over the next 60 years, he made 1,173 donations. The medication made from his blood, known as Anti-D, was given to mothers worldwide. Because of his blood, an estimated 2.4 million babies were born perfectly healthy, cleared of a disease that would have destroyed them.

Harrison didn't have to die to give his blood; he just sat in a chair for an hour every week. The babies who survived did not survive because they were stronger. Someone donated life.

If I am spiritually alive, it is because someone prayed for me. If I am following Jesus, it is because someone discipled me. If you are here today, someone invited you. If I preach today, someone patiently listened me and corrected me.

Paul says,

2 Corinthians 4:11-12 For we who live are always being given over to death for Jesus’ sake, so that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our mortal flesh. 12 So death is at work in us, but life in you.

Our divine status imputed to us should produce a transformative relationship that results in uprighteousness.

We had our vertical righteousness resolved; now let the horizontal righteousness manifest. There are so many opportunities, but all start with prayer.

We were blessed to use all this new equipment, but we need workers.

We have new families and new members in the church every week. But we need more spiritual fathers and mothers.

We will soon open Vine Compassion Mission. We need more missionaries.

God called us “strong”. Only the Mature understand that real satisfaction is not found in pleasing yourself, but in being a blessing.

True kingdom righteousness prioritizes the community over the assertion of the individual.

When we talk about righteousness in the kingdom of God, we are talking about a status that cannot be shaken.

This week, I was with Pastor Azemar in my lifegroup, and I came with a sense of privilege and responsibility that many of us in our church take for granted. A lot of you are bilingual.

The road to sacrifice in William Tyndale's life led to the first-ever translation into English of the Greek New Testament. It cost him his life. About five hundred years ago, he finished the New Testament for ordinary people. Unless you could read Latin, the word of God was obscure. Someone translated the truth of grace. You can also speak of the love of God to someone who would never understand unless you speak their heart language.

Peace That Surpasses Our Understanding

For each of these words, we must keep the definition from Romans. When Paul affirms, the Kingdom is peace in the Holy Spirit he refers to a peace that comes from our relationship with God.

(Romans 5:1) “Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.”

The fruit of our sense of righteousness is peace.

Look at how Paul anchors peace. He says, "Since we have been justified"—past tense, finished action—"we have peace with God."

Philippians 4:5-7 5 Let your reasonableness be known to everyone. The Lord is at hand; 6 do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. 7 And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

And a Ukrainian 71-year-old woman, Antonina, had been hiding in a basement for four months in a heavily shelled village near the active front line of the war in Ukraine. When she finally attempted to flee, she ran out of strength to continue walking. Ukrainian drones spotted her struggling in the combat "grey zone". They deployed a robotic machine typically used to carry wounded soldiers, like a mini tractor, to reach her. Using a spray-painted car mat that read "Grandma, get in," the military safely guided her through a dangerous four-hour evacuation.

Expecting to find her trembling with anxiety, when they asked how she could be so calm while the world around her was literally crumbling, she smiled and said, "Well, I realized last night that God and I are both awake, so there’s no use in both of us staying up to worry."

That is the kind of settled, resilient peace the Holy Spirit produces. It is peace with God, which guarantees the peace of God in the middle of life's fiercest storms.

Original Language Term: εἰρήνη (eirēnē)

In classical Greek, eirēnē primarily denoted the opposite of war (polemos), a cessation of hostilities, a temporary truce, or a state of order.

The Hebrew term שָׁלוֹם (shalom) is richer; it denotes wholeness, well-being, comprehensive prosperity, relational harmony, and eschatological salvation. The word goes beyond "lack of war" to indicate flourishing and unimpaired relationships.

However, in Romans 14:17, eirēnē functions within an exhortational discourse Paul addresses to the fractured community in Rome.

The church was divided. Over dietary restrictions and the observance of certain days.

In the text, eirēnē refers to our relationships. It starts with God and also applies to our brothers.

That makes me remember Colossians 3:15

15 And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body. And be thankful.

It is possible to be in harmony. We can accept the differences. In a political year, everything seems partisan, but it is not.

We must intentionally avoid factions and parties.

Romans 14:19 19 So then let us pursue what makes for peace and for mutual upbuilding.

Ephesians 4:1-3 1 I therefore, a prisoner for the Lord, urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called, 2 with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, 3 eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.

 It is the practical outworking of the "God of peace" dwelling among His people.

Paul argues that the true boundary marker of the kingdom is a Spirit-empowered community that maintains relational cohesion despite secondary diversity.

Hebrews 13:20-21 20 Now may the God of peace who brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus, the great shepherd of the sheep, by the blood of the eternal covenant, 21 equip you with everything good that you may do his will, working in us that which is pleasing in his sight, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory forever and ever. Amen.

 Peace is a higher kingdom value than individual theological correctness or external things.

In late 2022, geopolitical relations between the United States and Russia were at their lowest point in decades due to the war in Ukraine. The nations were aggressively opposing each other economically and politically.

Yet on October 5, 2022, a SpaceX capsule launched from Florida, carrying American NASA astronauts who spent five months alongside Russian astronauts on the International Space Station (ISS).

This was highly publicized because it was the first time a Russian flew on an American commercial spacecraft, at a time when diplomacy between the two nations was fractured.

In the vacuum of space, survival requires absolute trust and cooperation. They shared meals, made repairs, and kept the station running. Their shared challenges in the sky demanded that peace override the intense geopolitical conflicts happening on the planet below.

"Down here" (where people fight is different from "up there.”

Unshakable Joy in the Holy Spirit

Joy in the kingdom isn't superficial happiness that puts on a brave face when things are falling apart.

It is a deep, resilient wellspring supplied by the Holy Spirit.

We are talking of joy that turned pain and torture and groaning into songs and hymns of triumphant victory. Think about the early church believers.

Acts 5:40-42 40 and when they had called in the apostles, they beat them and charged them not to speak in the name of Jesus, and let them go. 41 Then they left the presence of the council, rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer dishonor for the name.

42 And every day, in the temple and from house to house, they did not cease teaching and preaching that the Christ is Jesus.

Acts 16:23-26 23 And when they had inflicted many blows upon them, they threw them into prison, ordering the jailer to keep them safely. 24 Having received this order, he put them into the inner prison and fastened their feet in the stocks. 25 About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the prisoners were listening to them, 26 and suddenly there was a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison were shaken. And immediately all the doors were opened, and everyone’s bonds were unfastened.

A heavenly reality that no earthly power could touch.

When we give of our resources to support the work of the kingdom, we do not do so to bribe God or to earn a higher tier of spiritual favor. We give because we have already been radically provided for by His grace.

Original Language Term: χαρά (chara)

A state of gladness, rejoicing, delight, or supreme happiness. Etymologically, it is closely related to charis (grace) and chairō (to rejoice).

Joy is the culminating element in Paul's triad defining the true reality of the "kingdom of God," following righteousness and peace.

It is all "in the Holy Spirit" (en pneumati hagiō).

Within this specific context, “ joy” in the Holy Spirit stands in direct contrast to the "distress" or "grief" in verse 15:

Romans 14:15 15 For if your brother is grieved by what you eat, you are no longer walking in love. By what you eat, do not destroy the one for whom Christ died.

Therefore, the real "kingdom-like joy" is not private ecstasy. It is a church-joy. It is communal gladness. It is group laughter. It is a selfie that always includes a hugging lifegroup.

In the Old Testament, the word joy is related to a pilgrimage to a national festival celebrating God’s victory for His people.

Do you remember your family road trip when you were a child? Do you remember the joy and excitement before and during that time with your parents, siblings and cousins? Every day is a new adventure and discovery. The joy of the Lord for us is that tomorrow is preparing a road trip you have never been on before.

Joy is the climax of righteousness and peace, because the kingdom of God is not an ascetic, burdensome reality characterized by endless dietary regulations and rigid boundary markers.

The kingdom is a vibrant, Spirit-empowered, joyful community.

This leads me to insist that those who see their service to God as a painful and heavy burden should stop whatever this is and consider what the kingdom of God is.

Norway is a nation of only 5.4 million people, yet they completely dominate the Winter Olympics. They won more medals than any other country in the world in winter sports.

Outsiders often assume their secret is a brutal, rigid, ascetic training regimen for their youth—endless regulations, heavy burdens, and intense pressure from a young age, as you think of North Korea, China or Japan.

The reality is the exact opposite. The Norwegian sports federation has a strict national policy. Coaches are not allowed to weigh the kids or put them on rigid athletic diets. It is about participation and fun. If a youth coach acts like a drill sergeant and makes the sport a heavy, painful burden, the federation will intervene and stop them.

The philosophy is simple: if the kids aren't experiencing joy, no one wins. Their eventual world-class performance is a byproduct of a vibrant, joyful sports community.

A rigid, burdensome, rule-heavy approach actually destroys the joy and success. In sports, the real joy is a competitive gold medal; in the Kingdom of God, the goal is joy and peace.

Remember, when God created man and woman, he did not place them in an assembly-line factory or a plantation field. He gave us a garden to cultivate.

As much work a garden can require, the final result is not profit or gain, but simply delight and joy. 

The Grat Exchange of the Calvary - Ps Christian Gimenez - Oct. 11, 2026

**The Transformed Church**

The church is edified through people who have their minds and lives transformed. It is built up when people are saved and changed by the power of the gospel, so that their lives are never the same again. They no longer live like natural people. Today, I want to speak to those of you who are already born again, who have the Holy Spirit living inside of you, and who already carry the conviction of His power in your lives.

There are many Christians in this country, and that is a great blessing. Just as there are so many Christians in Brazil, which is also a wonderful blessing. The question is: do they know the great truth of the exchange at Calvary? Just like in Brazil, there are many people here who wear crosses on their necklaces. That is fine; I have no problem with that. The problem arises when people wear the cross but do not know the value of the price that was paid on it. That is why I call this message "The Great Exchange at Calvary." I want you to understand this great exchange, to apply the power that comes with it, and to enjoy all the blessings that are a consequence of it in your life.

**Needs, Desires, and Purpose**

I want to start with a question: What moves you? What drives your existence? There are many honest and good things that can motivate your life, which we can classify into three categories: needs, desires, and purpose.

Needs are the necessary things you work for in your day-to-day life. They are good, they are blessings from God, and they provide great opportunities to experience the Lord as your provider. Jesus said that whatever you ask the Father in His name, you will receive. If you handle your daily needs the same way the rest of the world does, it shows a lack of faith in the exchange at Calvary. Once you are a child of God, your needs are not supplied merely by the strength of your own work; they are supplied by your Father, who has all the power and grace to give you everything. In times of need, a child of God walks and deals with those moments completely differently than someone who does not know Him.

However, needs are not the main emphasis of this message. I want to talk about desires, and especially focus on purpose. Many people condemn each other's wishes and desires from a religious perspective. But you are a child of a good God, and He wants to fulfill those desires. The greater your revelation of the great exchange at Calvary, the more faith you will have to pray for your desires. In a religious environment, there is often condemnation when you pray for the things you want. Yet, the word of the Lord says in Jeremiah 29:11, *"For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope."* Observe that God wants to give you the future *you* hope for. It is the will of God for you to be a happy person; happiness and joy are meant to be a daily part of your life.

The word of God says that the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking—things that highly religious people often rush to prohibit. Instead, Romans 14:17 says, *"For the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking but of righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit."* When you give up your joy, you are giving up on God and His kingdom. So be happy. Have joy. What joy? The joy that comes from the cross. The joy that comes from the certainty that you are a beloved child of God and that there is now no condemnation for you. It is the joy that comes from the Spirit.

When you believe in a good, all-powerful God who is your loving Father, you acquire the faith to ask for your desires. Your relationship with God improves significantly. You do not just have a religion; you have a relationship with a beloved Father who has already proven His love for you. As Romans 5:8 says, *"But God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us."* This love defines your purpose.

**The Three Core Truths of the Cross**

When you see the cross and the great exchange at Calvary through the revelation of the Holy Spirit, you gain a purpose that stands above everything else in your life. While needs and desires relate to earthly, temporary things, purpose deals with eternal things. However, the Bible tells us that these eternal things are not just for us to enjoy in the afterlife. Your eternal life started the day you were born again, and on that day, you began to enjoy your inheritance in Christ.

I want to quickly share a few core concepts you need to understand about the great exchange at Calvary. These are the principles that sustain your identity in Christ. Without these concepts, you will lack the faith to have a true relationship with God as a beloved Father.

**1. Christ Took Our Place:** First, Christ took our place. Isaiah 53:4-5 says: *"Surely he has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows; yet we esteemed him stricken, smitten by God, and afflicted. But he was pierced for our transgressions; he was crushed for our iniquities; upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace, and with his wounds we are healed."* Realize that your transgressions, iniquities, burdens, punishment, and condemnation were placed upon Jesus Christ so that you might receive the position of a son or daughter and be a co-heir with Him.

**2. Christ Took Our Curses:** Second, Christ took upon Himself our curse. Galatians 3:13 says: *"Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us—for it is written, 'Cursed is everyone who is hanged on a tree.'"* Some people often ask if hereditary curses are real. These curses are indeed described in the Bible—read Deuteronomy 28, and you will see them. However, what happened at Calvary removed you from the position of being cursed. Christ rescued us from these curses. Many Christians repeatedly hold services to "break curses" over their lives, but by doing so, they are underestimating the exchange at Calvary. Christ already took all the curses upon Himself.

**3. Christ Took All Our Sins:** Third, Christ took all our sins. 1 Peter 2:24 says: *"He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, that we might die to sin and live to righteousness. By his wounds you have been healed."* How many sins did He take upon Himself? All of them. Yet, some people live their relationship with God asking for forgiveness for the same things every single day of their lives. Why? You only repeatedly ask for what you believe you do not have. If you know you already have it, you live in the reality that it is yours. People ask me, "Pastor, what do I do when I sin?" You repent—change your mind—and remember that you have already been forgiven. This is recognizing the great exchange at Calvary.

It is understanding that God is not sacrificing Jesus every single time you sin. Hebrews 10:10 tells us that He died once and for all for our sins. The sacrifice was made; the debt was paid. The new covenant declares in Hebrews 10:17, *"I will remember their sins and their lawless deeds no more."* You must believe in the total forgiveness of sin. If you do not, you will find it very hard to embrace your position as a beloved child of God. You will constantly try to relate to a God whom you believe is angry at you, when the truth is that the Lord does not view you through your sins—He only sees you in Christ. That is why 2 Corinthians 5:17 says, *"Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation."* Everything we have from God, we only have through Christ.

**Embracing Your Inheritance as an Heir**

Jesus taught that you and I are loved by God just as much as God loves Jesus Christ Himself. When Jesus was baptized, God declared, *"This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased"* (Matthew 3:17). Right after that, in the wilderness, the devil tried to question Jesus's identity as the Son. But Jesus chose to stand on the truth His Father had spoken rather than entertain the doubt the enemy tried to plant in His heart. This is how you must live every single day—declaring, "I am a beloved son," or "I am a beloved daughter." Not because you get it right every single day, but because He loves you.

Because of this, you can fully believe Romans 8:16-17: *"The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, then heirs—heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ..."* Paul’s conclusion is simple: children are heirs. If you are a child of God, you are a co-heir with Christ. If you know that, you should ask yourself: *How big is my inheritance?* It is crucial for the children of wealthy parents to know the size of their inheritance; otherwise, they will not know how to manage or enjoy it. Your inheritance is already yours—not because of what you do, but because of who you are. How much of this inheritance are you actively enjoying in your life today?

Sometimes people say, "Pastor, the inheritance is spiritual. It is hard to measure and hard to apply to my day-to-day life." This is a deception from the enemy designed to keep you from enjoying your inheritance right now. Your inheritance is meant to be used and enjoyed every single day. It blesses you, your household, your business, and your children. Because my inheritance is so vast, eternal, and powerful, absolutely nothing earthly can compare to it. Many people do not understand what the Lord means when He says, "Seek first the kingdom of God," simply because they have not yet comprehended the magnitude of their inheritance.

**Seeking the Kingdom First Reshapes Priorities**

The word of God says that we are transformed as we contemplate Him. The degree to which you enjoy your inheritance is directly proportional to your revelation of who Christ is. Recently, someone asked me how we manage to mobilize such a large number of leaders to move in the same direction in our church. Last month, our home church in Cuiabá reached one thousand life groups, led by one thousand life group leaders. People ask, "How are so many people involved in leadership? Are they forced? What are your strategies?"

Our strategy is simple: we only show them Christ. We show them how big their inheritance is, and they decide for themselves that it is worth it. They prioritize it and begin to seek the kingdom of God first. This understanding has the power to reshape and organize your priorities. Once your priorities are aligned, it makes perfect sense to seek the kingdom of God first, because earthly things cannot compare to eternal ones. Often, people tell me that their daily lives take up so much time that they cannot dedicate themselves to serving the church. When I hear this, I know immediately that the person does not yet understand their inheritance; their priorities are still upside down.

I say this not to condemn anyone, but simply to address a matter of faith. Your faith determines your actions and establishes your priorities. When you put the kingdom first in your life, your earthly responsibilities do not cease to exist. Instead, success in those areas comes as a natural consequence of a blessed relationship with the Lord.

**Testimonies of Putting God First**

Yesterday in Cuiabá, we held a conference for nearly a thousand businesspeople. My daughter, who is a psychologist and graduated three years ago, was one of the speakers. She shared that her life as a busy college student never got in the way of her leading a life group or serving at the church. Even while writing her final thesis and preparing for her wedding, she never stopped leading her group. She knew the kingdom comes first.

She graduated in December, got married in January, and by February, she was working in her field. Initially, the owner of the clinic where she worked told her she would have to start by taking patients through health insurance plans, which in Brazil pay significantly below the market rate for private practice. The owner told her it would take about four years to build a base of private clients and increase her income. However, her testimony was that within just a year and a half, her practice transitioned entirely to private clients. Now, three years after graduating, she has a huge waiting list, only takes private clients, and owns her own clinic. But her greatest testimony isn't her professional success; it is that throughout her entire journey, she never stopped prioritizing the kingdom of God. Today, she sees the Lord fulfilling every area of her life. Just as Jesus promised in Matthew 6:33, *"But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you."*

Similarly, yesterday a deeply blessed man who is a member of our church gave his testimony. He is the largest giver in our global network, and he is a billionaire. To put that in perspective: if one dollar equaled one second, a million dollars would be 11 days, but a billion dollars would be 32 years! Yet, despite running a massive company, do you know where this billionaire was yesterday? He was at church, preaching to his brothers and sisters. He is a disciple and a leader in our church who truly understands what it means to seek the kingdom first. Do not fall for the lie that prioritizing the kingdom of God means you have to give up the good things in life. On the contrary, when you seek the kingdom first, the good things in this life are multiplied.

**Living in the Spirit's Power and Gifts**

The power of the Holy Spirit is upon you, and there is an anointing from the Spirit for your life so that you can bear much fruit. As Galatians 5:22-23 says, *"But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control."* When the Holy Spirit governs your life, relationships are transformed, marriages are saved, and you are truly blessed. To not enjoy this fruit is to neglect your inheritance.

Beyond the fruit of the Spirit, we also have the gifts of the Holy Spirit—gifts like faith, healing, miracles, and speaking in tongues. There are nine spiritual gifts, and it brings great joy when you finally begin to operate in them. When you lead a life group, pray for the sick, or preach and see someone give their life to Christ, you are manifesting God's power and actively enjoying your inheritance.

In the name of Jesus, I want to declare something over this church today: your eyes are going to be opened to the greatness of the exchange at Calvary, and you will fully step into the inheritance God has prepared for you. Amen.

While There is Still Time | Trenton Tombs | Oct. 04. 2026

**Opening 

Lord Jesus, I want to pray that you touch every brother and sister’s heart today, God, that we can be reminded that we are not servants, God. We are sons and daughters, Lord. You call us friend, Jesus. You call us your friend. You call us your bride. And we are here, God, to make ourselves ready for this glorious wedding day, to be a bride that can grow from glory to glory, God. A bride that can understand that you are coming back for a spotless bride, one that has understood that there is a bridegroom to take care of her. So Lord, we pray that more than anything else that you can have your way today in this word and that God confidence is produced in us, God. That hope is produced in us, God. That expectation is produced in our hearts. Holy Spirit, I pray that as I speak today that you move me out of the way. I pray Holy Spirit that as the head of the church, you speak to our hearts today in Jesus’ mighty name. Amen. Hallelujah. Amen and amen.

All right, so Pastor Raphael is up in the mountain as well, serving our church, serving the brothers, and he gave me the privilege to share with you today. And we're going to have some slides. I want you guys to first put your phones on airplane mode. Amen. Like you're about to step into a movie theater. We silence our phones for a movie, but when the word of God comes, we get distracted. Come on, that doesn't make any sense. Let's silence our phones. You don't literally have to put it on airplane mode, but I want you to be focused. The reason I'm saying to do that is because I need you to use your Bibles today, and a lot of times our Bibles are on our phones. So let's make it a smartphone and use our Bible. Amen. It's only a smartphone when we open the Bible app. That's the only time it's really a smartphone.

**Confidence for the Day of Judgment**

So what we're going to talk about today is a topic that I've been studying for many years. And as I've studied over the years, I've realized that the goal of understanding the return of Christ is to produce confidence. Amen. Marcus, if you can put up, this is the only verse I did not give you, it is 1 John 4:17. While I was worshiping this morning with you guys, this was a verse that the Lord put on my heart. It says, "To have confidence for the day of judgment, because as he is in this world, so are we." The verse before that tells you how you can have confidence. It says we love because we have first been loved. So what is so powerful about this is the Bible tells you to have expectation, to have confidence for the day of judgment. You know, just to set the record straight, if you've been born again, if you've put your trust in Jesus, fully received him as the Savior and Lord of your life, and the Holy Spirit now dwells inside of you, I got good news for you. You will never have to give an account for any sin you've ever committed. That's good news. Can someone say amen? Hallelujah. I know I don't have a British accent, but I want to hear amen, too. Hallelujah. And this is so powerful because it says love perfected in us, we may have confidence for the day of judgment. And why? This word judgment here is not talking about judgment in the sense of sin. It's talking about rewards for believers. Amen.

**Discerning the Times: The Days of Noah**

Now if you are not in Christ, today is the day to give your life to Jesus. Amen. And God wants us to have confidence for the day of judgment. And this is something so powerful. And Jesus teaches in Matthew 24, this is where we're going to be opening up a lot today, how to understand and discern the times. Can you poke your neighbor and say, "We need to discern the times." Amen. And in Matthew 24:37-39, Jesus teaches us that the return of Christ is going to be very similar to how it was in the days of Noah. This is what it says in verse 37: "For as were the days of Noah, so will be the coming of the Son of Man. For as in those days before the flood, they were eating, they were drinking, they were marrying and giving in marriage, until the day when Noah entered the ark. And they were unaware until the flood came and swept them all away. So will be the coming of the Son of Man." What is Jesus emphasizing? Jesus is emphasizing that people were in the routine. They were in their normal life, and judgment came unexpectedly for them.

**Living with Urgency in the Last Days**

What's amazing, though, is we know that God leads us from glory to glory, right? And Jesus himself instructs us on how to prepare for the end times, how to prepare for his return. And Jesus teaches us what to do. Now, just a few parallels between the days of Noah and the return of Christ, the end times that we're living in now. And how do you know you're living in the end times? Well, every single prophecy that needed to be fulfilled has already happened. We are in the last days, actually the last seconds. Apostle Peter says that at that time, they were in the last days, and that was 2,000 years ago. So we are living in the last generations before the return of Christ. That's a privilege. Shout amen. Come on. Jesus is counting on you. Amen. Jesus is counting on us. He's empowering his church. And the only way that we can really walk in our purpose is to understand the instructions that he gives. And something interesting about the flood. You know, I love to share the gospel with people, and oftentimes there's been a lot of atheists that will use this argument and say, "Well, why would God flood the earth? If God is good, why would he wipe people out of the earth?" Well, if you really take time to study Genesis, we're not going to get into all of it right now, but I'm going to give you a parallel of what's coming.

**Preserving the Bloodline of Christ**

If you think about this, in the times of Noah, there was this breed that was being born in Genesis 6. It says, "The sons of God slept with the daughters of men, and the Nephilim were born." Now, I'm not going to spend this morning speaking about giants with you, but it's in your Bible. You guys don't remember? David killed Goliath, right? He had a few brothers. If you want to know why David brought five stones, did you know Goliath had four brothers? David didn't think he was going to miss. He was just ready to wipe them all out. And sometimes God will put a giant in your life, and God will always give you everything you need to wipe out the giant in your life. Amen. So there were giants that came from this original act of sin and immorality in Genesis 6. And right after Genesis 6, God begins to have remorse over creation. Well, why was this even a thing? Why did the fallen angels from past eternity want to sleep with the daughters of men? Well, because only man can have dominion over the earth. In Genesis 1:26, God gave man dominion over the earth. So for the demonic to have real influence in the earth, they needed to possess people. That's why when you cast out a demon, you have authority in the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth to cast out unclean spirits. Why? Because they are illegal spirits. Amen. And this is something interesting because the devil came into this Genesis 6 moment where the fallen angels began to sleep with humanity, and these Nephilim were born. And one of the reasons that this also was the strategy of the enemy was to corrupt, to defile the bloodline of Christ, the promised Messiah. Because the devil knew in Genesis 1 and Genesis 2, we see the fall of man. And what happened? God promised the serpent that he would bruise the heel of the child, the promised child. So he thought, "I need to corrupt the bloodline." And that's one of the reasons why we see giants in the Old Testament. The devil tried to corrupt the bloodline of Christ, and this is why God flooded the earth. So as much as you may have been taught God is this angry tyrant God, that's a Luciferian philosophy. God is good. God flooding the earth actually preserved the bloodline of Christ. That's why it says that Noah found favor in the eyes of God. Thank you, pastor. And this is why Christ comes from all the way back to Noah's lineage. Amen.

**Modern Parallels and the Warning of AI**

Why is that important? That's just some fun facts of the day, right? But why is that important? Because I'm not going to go through all the statistics of what is being spoken about today, but I want to just challenge you to be aware and be conscious of what's going on today. I'll give you just a little summary of what's happening right now. There's a few owners and founders of different AI companies right now that are openly saying that they are expecting the possibility between 10%, if you ask one, or Elon Musk will say 20%, of AI growing so quickly and so out of control of human control that there is a 10 to 20% chance within the next 10 to 20 years that 10 to 20 percent of humanity will be wiped out. And now, is this to create fear? No, but it is to create urgency. Say urgency. Urgency. And what I think is interesting is the same way that the devil in the old covenant tried to contaminate the human race is the same way that we see now AI beginning to have chips being put in people's brains. And this same hybrid race is being formed. And the Bible says that the beast will be like a man, 666, which means completely man, man-made, right? And we see that AI is pushing towards this. You may say, "I love my AI. It gives me all the answers I need." That's not AI, my friend. That is called ChatGPT or Claude. AI is something far different that most of us have never had the access to yet, okay? AI is artificial intelligence that has its own will, okay? And it will be used to deceive many people in the last days.

**Point One: Guard the Truth**

So I want to focus on three points of how we can prepare ourselves for the return of Christ. And let's look at what Jesus says in Matthew 24. You guys with me? Hallelujah. So this is what it says in Matthew 24:3. It says this, Jesus is sitting on the Mount of Olives and the disciples came to him privately, saying, "Tell us, when will these things be, and what will be the sign of your coming and of the end of the age?" So Jesus could have said a million different things. What does he start with? He says this, the first instruction he says, "And Jesus answered them, 'See that no one leads you astray.'" This is the first instruction of Christ. This is where I want to start, is to understand that there will be a great deception. Amen. But who knows that we have the privilege to know the Word of God and abide in truth. Amen. I want you to look to your neighbor and say, "Guard the truth." We need to guard the truth. You know, we need to understand that God has entrusted us oracles and riches in His word, that who knows for sure how much longer we will have access to this amazing paper copy. I was on Instagram the other day, and one of these guys that I follow, he's a preacher, and he basically shared something that I thought was interesting. There was a post, and almost over 5,000 believers had re-shared it, and it was a verse that said, "Luke, na-na-na-na-na." And it was not a real verse. It was a fake verse. And people were sharing it. People were saying, "I love this verse. This verse, you know, changed my life." And it was not a real biblical verse. And what I thought was interesting—I know that this is something that seems maybe harmless—but when this could be taken... because there's a lot of countries where you're not allowed to have this, right? We're very privileged. When that's taken, how much of the word have we allowed to go into our hearts? To stand in truth, to guard the truth. That's why I'm going to be at my life group on Wednesday. Who else is going to be at their life group on Wednesday? Amen, because we need to guard the truth. We need to grow in truth. You know, the Bible says you can grow in grace, and Jesus was not only the personification of grace, but he was also the personification of truth. Jesus didn't just go around singing kumbaya. He went around loving people and also preaching the truth. Amen. And we need the truth. This is the first instruction of Christ. There is a danger that we need to be aware of, that there could be a deception coming. Not that there could, that there will be. And we need to be wise.

**Knowing the Shepherd's Voice**

If you can open up to John 10:27, this is what Jesus says. He says, "My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand." Why do I like this verse? Because he's speaking about intimacy, knowing his voice. Amen. There could be a million kids running around the church building and screaming and crying, but I know my kids' voice. I know when my daughter or my son needs me because we have something so in tune as parents where we can recognize the voice of our children. And guess what? Jesus knows your voice. Amen. He knows your voice. He's the good shepherd. And we need this foundation built up as we approach the end times because what did Jesus say in verse 28? "They will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand." So all we need to do is be sheep and follow Him. Amen. Hallelujah.

**The Parable of the Ten Virgins: Preparing for the Bridegroom**

So we need to know, how did Jesus teach about the return of Christ? I want to stay in this point, guard the truth, but I want to take you right now into the following chapter. I'm going to give you guys very quick summaries. We're going to speed read, but I want you to pay attention and try to get what I'm speaking about here. There are two parables that we see that Jesus breaks down the end times into. It's the parable of the ten virgins and the parable of the talents. Now we teach as a church, we believe that there will be a rapture coming. Amen. Why do we believe that? It's all over the Bible. Way back to Enoch's days. Something so interesting about Methuselah, who came before Noah. Methuselah was the one who lived the longest life out of everyone in the Bible. And Methuselah, his name meaning, means "God is patient." And you know if you get into the New Testament you'll see that God does not desire that anyone should perish, amen, but that all would come to repentance. So God desires the world to be saved, but that's why it says, how can they hear the gospel if we are not sent? How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the good news. Amen. So yes, God wants people to be saved, but he empowers his church, as Chris shared this morning in Acts 1:8, that the Holy Spirit comes upon us to do the work of ministry. What is the difference between the Holy Spirit dwelling in you and upon you? The Holy Spirit dwells within you for your good. He dwells upon you for the good of the world. Amen. And God wants to use you in your family. God wants to use you in downtown Fort Myers. Come on, somebody. God wants to use you wherever you go. But we can only have this if we have urgency. We need to understand the end times. I don't know where my beautiful wife is. She's probably running around helping the kids or something. But I know that when I was getting prepared for my wedding day, it was the only thing on my mind, right? It was mainly her mind, which is why it was on my mind, right? She had a million things to do. I just paid for it, right? And Jesus, He calls us His bride. A wedding is something beautiful, it is something intimate. And that's where you see these ten virgins are taken, waiting for their bridegroom. Let's go into Matthew 25, and I'm going to read this very quickly. It says, "Then the kingdom of heaven will be like ten virgins who took their lamps and went to meet the bridegroom." They didn't go to meet this harsh man. They went to meet their bridegroom. And just like me, even though I'm not perfect, Christ is perfect, I did whatever I needed to do to prepare so that my wife could have this beautiful day together with me. And Jesus is working on your behalf. You know, Romans 8:28, it's a very loved verse for most of us. It says that all things will work together for the good of those who love God, who are called according to His purpose. All things will work together. Why is this important? Because Jesus is working on your behalf. Even when you may not see it, you say, "How could this work for me?" This is something that seems horrific. But guess what? He's such a good bridegroom. He's such a good husband that even when the wife is there not understanding, He is providing for you. He is taking care of you. He is protecting you. Amen. He is the perfect bridegroom. Hallelujah.

**The Difference Between the Wise and the Foolish**

But we need to make ourselves ready. This is something so beautiful. Five of them were foolish and five were wise, verse 2. This is pointing to something very interesting. I do not have time to talk about this, but if you have questions, please let me know. Okay, but I don't want to open a can of worms, but that's sometimes what we have to do when we read the Bible when we're talking about the return of Christ. It's not that I want to, but it's the Bible. So let me ask you, what is a virgin? A virgin is someone who's pure, who has not broken covenant. So a virgin is something that points to the church. Amen. How could someone in the world who is lost in darkness and completely separated from God be called a virgin? And I'm not trying to make anyone feel uncomfortable, but this is just the Bible. The virgins point to the church, okay? How could the world be wise if they don't even know who Jesus is? The Bible says that true wisdom is winning souls for eternity. So wisdom, biblically, is always likened to something that has eternal significance. And they don't have eternity. They're not saved. They don't have eternity with God yet. So we know that when you read Matthew 25, this is pointing to the church, to the global church. So 50 percent in this scenario will be foolish. And what does it say is the difference between the foolish and the wise? It says this in Matthew 25:3, "For when the foolish took their lamps, they took no oil with them, but the wise took flasks of oil with their lamps. As the bridegroom was delayed, they all became drowsy and slept." This is speaking about a believer who sleeps, which means that their life on earth ended, right? Because the apostle Paul says that we would not die, but we would become asleep. So this is also pointing to Christians. What's so powerful is there is a moment when they go to meet the bridegroom. And this is what I want to focus on with you right here. Verse 5, "But at midnight there was a cry, 'Here is the bridegroom! Come out to meet him.' Then all those virgins rose and trimmed their lamps. And the foolish said to the wise, 'Give us some of your oil, for our lamps are going out.' But the wise answered, saying, 'Since there will not be enough for us and for you, go rather to the dealers and buy for yourselves.' And while they were going to buy, the bridegroom came, and those who were ready"—can you say ready? "Those who were ready went in with him to the marriage feast, and the door was shut. Afterward the other virgins came also, saying, 'Lord, lord, open to us.' But he answered, 'Truly, I say to you, I do not know you.' Watch therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour." One more interesting thing. Who was Jesus speaking to? Was he speaking to the multitudes? Just out there with the 5,000, the same 5,000 that he multiplied the fish and the bread for? No. If you guys remember the first verse that we shared. He took his disciples privately and explained to them. So this is for the disciples. Amen. Who here is a disciple of Christ? Somebody say, "Amen!" Come on, we are disciples of Jesus. We are disciples of Christ. We have discernment. We will not be deceived. Because you came this Sunday, you will not be deceived. Amen. We get to guard the truth. Guard the truth. Now does this mean that those 50 percent, those five that were unwise, that they're not saved? Well, let's look at what was the other introduction to the conversation. He says, "Then the kingdom of heaven will be like." He's not speaking about heaven. He's speaking about the kingdom, okay? We're going to touch on it a little bit today. I don't want to talk about this and not give you some resources here, but you know this is why we have the spiritual maturity course. This is why we have LTC. Come on somebody. If that's not a teaser to get you in our courses, I don't know what will. But there's more. God wants us to grow in wisdom, to grow in revelation, from glory to glory. The kingdom of God is a thousand-year period where Christ will return, and he will reward the church for their obedience, their faithfulness. So these other virgins are saved. They just will not reign with Christ in the millennial kingdom. We're going to touch on that today. We're not going to go deep into that, but we will in the future. Amen.

**Growing Intimacy Through Attention**

So let's go now into the next parable. This first one, before we get into that, this first one speaks of intimacy. Okay, weddings and the husband and wife relationship is all pointing to intimacy, our relationship with Christ. Amen. And I believe that the Lord is going to lead you deeper into his heart. And that's really what we need. We need to know the heart of our bridegroom. Because intimacy, the way I like to look at it, intimacy grows through attention. What you set your mind on is what will grow in your heart. If you set your mind only on building a big business and retiring, and your whole purpose in life is just to get a paycheck, that's what you will have. You know? And it can be a snare sometimes because we do need to provide for our family. We do need to do these things. But just because we're doing things and being responsible and taking care of what we need to take care of, it does not mean that that needs to be where your heart's attention is. You can be working. You can be doing the things that you need to do as an employee, as an owner, as a husband, as a parent, as a wife, as a child, and still have your heart set on the return of Christ. Amen. Amen. Hallelujah. So we need to understand that there is a bridegroom who's coming for his church.

**The Parable of the Talents: A Call to Faithfulness**

Let's go now into the second parable. I want to open up now into Matthew 25:14. This is the second parable that Jesus gives to prepare for the return of Christ. This one's a lot longer, so I'm going to summarize this. We're not going to read this whole one. This is also speaking to servants. The second parable is called the parable of the talents. What's interesting here is every single one of the people in this parable were given at least one talent. Now you may say, "Well, that doesn't sound like a lot," but a talent was a lump sum of money equivalent to one year's wage. It was a lot of money. He entrusted to them something. Now what's important to understand here is that God did not leave any of us empty-handed. God did not leave you empty-handed. You may think, "I don't know my talent. I don't know my gift." And this is why the first parable comes first. We know what we're called to do out of the intimate relationship that we have with Christ. God will speak to you, he will lead you, he will give you a prophetic direction for your life. Amen. And ultimately we all share the same great commission, which is to make disciples and preach the gospel to all of creation. Now this is what it says here in verse 14. "For it will be like a man going on a journey, who called his servants and entrusted to them his property." Now without going too deep into all the verses, Jesus already sets the foundation for this parable. It's his property, right? And this is something that can be very subtle in our hearts, you know. I have three beautiful kids, but they're more than my kids. They are the Lord's kids. Amen. It's good I put them in sports, but it's even better I live a godly life so they can want to serve the Lord. Amen. So the world may say, "Put them in this, put them in that," but I'm going to give my kids my legacy, pass down to them so that they can carry on serving the Lord and growing the kingdom of God. Because the world will try to imprint on you what is important. It's going to say you should do this with your time. You should do this with your money. You should do this with your energy. But the Lord wants you to understand that even our lives, our very lives, is a gift that He's given us to give back to Him. Amen. This is important to understand. And look at what it says in verse 21. "His master said to him, 'Well done, good and faithful servant. You have been faithful over a little; I will set you over much. Enter into the joy of your master.'" So what is the Lord looking for here? He's looking for faithfulness. Say faithfulness. Faithfulness means that you don't have to have all the answers. Faithfulness means that you don't have to be charismatic. Faithfulness means that you can have your own personality, and God is going to use you as you are faithful to him. Amen. Faithfulness is sometimes something that cannot be judged, especially in this generation with social media where we think that God is rewarding us based on our followers, our subscribers, or retweets or whatever. God is not looking the same way that man looks. Man looks outside, God looks at the heart. Amen. We are a faithful church. God is calling us to be faithful. We may not have thousands, but God had 12 disciples. God entrusts things in seed form. And when you're faithful, as he says, over a little, he will entrust you with much. Hallelujah. Amen and amen. You guys good? So far so good. Amen.

**Rejoicing in Sufferings and the Comfort of the Holy Spirit**

So I want now to go into Romans chapter 5. We're going to read a couple of verses here. We're going to read Romans 5:1-5. It says this, "Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. Through him we have also obtained access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and we rejoice in hope of the glory of God. Not only that, but we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not put us to shame, because God's love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us." Now, why is this important? Because there is sometimes this illusion of Christianity that, as believers, we will not face trials and tribulations. Now God wants you to be healthy, blessed. This is all true. But the devil doesn't, and we need to know how to stand in our identity. And this is the next warning that Christ gives. The first one, we guard the truth. Amen.

**Point Two: Abide in God's Love**

The second point is we abide in God's love. Let's go back into his instruction to his disciples. I want to read with you now Matthew 24:11-12. "And many false prophets will arise and lead many astray. And because lawlessness will be increased, the love of many will grow cold." Why is this important? Because the word that you see here is an English word called love, but in the Greek, there's different words for love. Now, the word that's used in this context is agape. Agape is also only available for Christians because agape is God's love. It's perfect love, right? You've read this in 1 Corinthians when you see that love is patient, kind, it does not seek its own interest. This is agape love, right? You can have all spiritual gifts, but without love you have nothing. So God gave us, as we saw before in Romans 5:5, that the love of God has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us. So what is the warning here? What is the warning of Christ here? You know, one of the names that God gives the third person of the Trinity, the Holy Spirit, is the Comforter. He's the helper, but he's also the Comforter. Why would—think with me—why would he be called the Comforter if every situation, every trial, every tribulation that comes is comfortable? Trials and tribulations are not comfortable. That's why he's here to comfort us. Amen. And we need to learn as believers to walk in step with the Spirit, to be led by the Spirit. Pastor Giles has been inviting us to go downtown, and I have not been with him every single time. But let me tell you, these past two weekends, I have seen the Holy Spirit move in such a powerful way. Amen. And it is not comfortable right away. But before you know it, the atmosphere changes and the Holy Spirit comes, and then you have the comforter. And before you know it, you are bold. Amen. You're bold as a lion because you understand greater is He who's in us than He who's in the world. Yes, there are some demons out there, but let me tell you there's only one-third compared to the two-thirds of the angels. Amen. And the devil is a defeated foe. The devil is defeated. It says in Colossians that he has been disarmed. All of his authority has been taken from him, and Christ gave all authority to the church. But that's why point one, we need to guard the truth. We need to understand who we are. We are more than conquerors in Christ Jesus. Hallelujah. So next time we do Maba, I know we're going to pack that place out and we're going to see more and more salvation. Amen. Hallelujah. And this is the warning that Christ gives. Do not allow your love to grow cold. Well, how could love grow cold? If you read this context here, what does Jesus do? He lists a lot of things that are going to happen. And what is the devil going to want people to think? The devil is going to want people to think that these things are happening because God is trying to destroy the world. No, the same way that that was the picture that was painted about the flood, that there's this angry evil God. He does not exist as God; he is called Lucifer. Okay, he deceives people into thinking that God is this angry tyrant. God already poured out his wrath on Christ. Amen. God is good, only good, always good, and nothing but good. God is love. Does this mean that there is not going to be a day of judgment? There is, but the judgment is for the antichrist and his army. And up until the very last moment, God has this open invitation: "Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart." The only time that you see Jesus describe himself is gentle and lowly. He's given a lot of names, a lot of titles, but this is how he describes himself. Gentle and lowly. There is a day of judgment that's coming to the earth, but not for the church, amen. Not for the church. We've already been hidden in Christ, and we need to proclaim the gospel, the good news of the gospel, until the return of Christ. This is why Jesus, he says in the New Testament, you see his apostles speaking through the Holy Spirit say that God does not desire that anyone should perish. This should give you boldness. If you want to see someone saved in your family, much more does our Heavenly Father want to see them saved. So when you open your mouth, you open your mouth boldly because you know that the Lord will speak through you. The Lord will use you. Amen. Hallelujah.

**Point Three: Carry the Gospel from Glory to Glory**

And this is leading us to our last point, is to understand that God is forming a glorious church. In 2 Corinthians 3:18 it says this, "And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another. For this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit." So how are we being transformed? From worse to worse? Is the church going to go from worse to worse? No, we're going to go from glory to glory. Say glory to glory. But what do we do? What do we do? What do we do with our time? What do we do with our resources? Well, it sounds simple, but I believe that God is going to equip you in this upcoming season to learn how to be a proclaimer of the gospel. The gospel is simple. Jesus says to understand the kingdom of God, we need to be like children, but the world, it's been hit with so much religion. So much atheism, so much doubt, so much evil and deception that the enemy has come to try to captivate as many people as he can with a false reality. "Hey, just live your best life. All roads lead to heaven. Jesus is just a prophet. Jesus is actually just an angel." There's a lot of religion out there that is keeping people away from Christ. And we, I believe our church through great men of God like Pastor Giles and Pastor Raph, are going to teach us and equip us how to do the work of ministry. Amen. And what is the purpose of the fivefold ministry in the first place? It's not to have just some great men and women of God. It's for the church, the body of Christ, to be equipped. And this is why we are not a church with life groups. We are a church of life groups because we want people to understand the Bible's truth that you are a minister of the gospel. You may not use a pulpit, but guess what? Our life is a pulpit. This is just two hours a week, the service. But you can show people through your kindness, through your compassion, by lending an ear, praying for someone, asking them, "How can I pray for you?" Such a simple question, but it opens such a great door. Amen. How can I be praying for you? How can I pray for you? I want to encourage you, text someone today. If there's anything that I want you to do after this service, it's make yourself available for the Lord to use you. Amen. You don't need to go to Bible school. You don't need to have all the answers. It's those that are available for the Lord that will be used greatly in the end times. Amen.

**The Church Has the Final Word**

Well, if the Lord is leading us from glory to glory, what does that look like? Now, we're sometimes wired to think that as it gets darker, that the church is going to grow weaker. Now, this is also a Luciferian doctrine as well. This is all demonic. It's not true. It's not biblical. Can you turn off the lights real quick, Chris? All the lights? I just want you guys to see, there's still going to be windows, so there's still some light in here. But what does light do? Does light battle with the darkness? Do you see light struggling so hard to come against all the darkness out there? No, light just needs to be turned on—if you could turn it back on—and darkness will flee. And the Bible says we are one body with many members, and where there is a member, God wants us to reach out and help them and bring them back into the church. And this is something that's important as a believer, is for us to run our race together. Amen. There is no such thing as a lone ranger Christian. Unbiblical. There is no such thing. So open yourself up with your pastor, with your leader, with your spouse, pray and protect one another because we need to carry the gospel. This is the last point, is to carry the gospel. So the first one, guard the truth. The second one, abide in God's love. And finally, to carry the gospel, to be faithful. And this is what we see in that parable in Matthew 24, is to be faithful. Now, there is a very interesting wording that the Lord uses when he talks about the end. He says this. Let's go back to Matthew 24:12 so we can keep the context. "And because lawlessness will be increased, the love of many will grow cold," the agape of many. Many believers, unfortunately, are going to look at the circumstances happening in the world and, rather than heeding and taking heed to the warnings that Christ gave and realizing that this has to happen, they're going to say, "There is no God, because if God was really real, if Jesus really loved us, this would not be happening." No, he loves you so much that he tells you what is going to happen. So what is happening in the future will not deceive you, but it's to show you that the end is near. Amen. Look at what it says in Matthew 24:13. It says this, "But the one who endures to the end will be saved." And verse 14, "And this gospel of the kingdom will be proclaimed throughout the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come." So who has the final word? Is it the enemy or is it the church? It's the church. It's the church. The church has the final word. Once the gospel of the kingdom is preached to all nations, then the end will come.

**Loving His Appearing**

Let's stand to our feet. Let's pray. God is going to use our church and all the believers in this city to turn Southwest Florida upside down for the kingdom of God. Amen. I'm going to pray for you. There's one verse that I want to close on. If you can go to 2 Timothy 4:8. Let's see if the Holy Spirit is reminding me of the right verses, if I got that right. Hallelujah, amen. Let's look at this verse together. "Henceforth there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness." We are not righteous because of what we do. We're righteous because of what Jesus did. I don't care what mistake you might have made. God does not see your sins. When you've given your life to Christ, the Bible says you are hidden in Christ, hidden in God. 2 Corinthians 5:17 says, "Therefore, if anyone is in Christ"—who here is in Christ? "He is a new creation." Not slowly, little by little, becoming a new creation. You are a new creature in Christ. So because of faith, we've been given the gift of righteousness. So it's not saying that we're righteous because of what we do, but because of what Christ has done. "...which the Lord, the righteous judge, will award to me on that day." This is Apostle Paul teaching his young disciple Timothy, who became the pastor of this amazing explosive church called the Church of Ephesus. And he said, "And not only to me, but also to all who have loved his appearing." Now, there's these three points that we spoke about, guarding the truth, abiding in God's love, and preaching the gospel. Let me tell you the most important one. The one that ties all of them together is loving his appearing. And guys, I'm human. I'm just like any other man. I allow the things in my life to distract me from this. This is the most important instruction of all. It's to say, "Lord Jesus, I want you to come back. Lord Jesus, I need you to come back." Right now we're going to take communion. Pastor Giles is going to lead us in communion. If you guys can come forward, the ushers. What is communion? He's going to teach you right now. But Jesus said to do this until he returns, amen. Until he returns to not forsake the assembly of the saints, which is why we're here, and to not forget that he is coming back. Hallelujah.

**Closing Prayer**

Can I just pray and then we'll start the communion. Holy Spirit, thank you so much for your word. Your word never returns void, God. We are so grateful, God, that regardless of what's going on in the world, Lord, you've given us, God, signs of the end times, God. Not to paralyze your church, God, but to equip your church, to equip your bride, to teach us how to live our lives wisely. God, we saw in these two parables that true wisdom is to be a bride, to love you, Jesus, to abide in truth, God, to abide in your love, God, and to proclaim the gospel. And we pray, God, that we can be these wise virgins who get themselves ready for your return, Lord. We pray, God, that our hearts, God, are expectant of your return. We love you so much. You died for us, you gave it all for us, Jesus. And Lord, we declare that we are a church that is growing from glory to glory. And the gospel of the kingdom will be proclaimed to Southwest Florida. The gospel of the kingdom will be proclaimed to the United States. And the gospel of the kingdom will reach all nations, and then the end will come. And we will be with you forevermore. We thank you, Lord, for what you are doing in our life, God, and we make ourselves available for you, God. We ask God that you teach us, Lord. Anything that we were feeling, God, any fear from judgment, God, we place it at your feet because we are not servants, but children of God. There is no more judgment for us, God. Only reward. So God, we prepare for this glorious day to stand before you, and we know that you will say, God, "Well done, my good and faithful servant. Come enter the joy of your master," in Jesus' mighty name. And everyone said, amen! Come on, somebody.

Images of grace

God works with images. Throughout Scripture, you see God trying to paint an image in our hearts so we can expect his goodness at all times.

AI technology revealed Rembrandt's original 1642 “The Night Watch," vivid under-drawing and hidden compositional choices. AI-reconstructed missing side strips and restored colors were finally revealed to the public; viewers saw a completely transformed image that changed their entire understanding of the artist's original intent.

Over time, the "soot" of human anxiety, doubt, and daily distraction obscures that divine intent, making goodness feel hidden or distant. God wants you to see his preexisting plan for you. You must perceive what was previously invisible.

When everything appears gloomy, we must never forget that above the clouds, the sun is still shining. Eventually, the clouds will give way to the light's brilliance.

Perhaps you are reeling from a painful diagnosis. For some, the distance from a loved one leaves you estranged and aching. For others, it is the daily reality of a physical limitation or a long-term chronic illness. 

Remember: above the clouds, the Sun of Righteousness is shining upon you, and you will see His gracious intervention.

(Malachi 4:2) "But for you who fear my name, the sun of righteousness shall rise with healing in its wings.

The rising sun, with its "rays" or "beams" of light stretching out like wings across the horizon.

 You shall go out leaping like calves from the stall."

Young cattle cooped up in dark, constrained stalls during winter or night, suddenly released into the blinding, warm, life-giving freedom of the morning sun.

God desires for you to do more than merely exist; He wants you to truly live. 

A person in a hospital bed may be breathing; however, depending on the illness, they may not be experiencing the fullness of life. Your Heavenly Father wants you not just to survive, but to live joyfully as His beloved child.

What should you do if you find yourself stuck?

When we do not know what to do, we should always pray.

James 5:16 16 Therefore, confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working.

Do not stop praying.

Maybe you just came out of a prayer campaign or fasting commitment. Don’t stop praying yet.

Our prayers have the power to open the clouds of heaven, not because of our intense effort, but instead because of Christ's finished work, which grants us confident access to the Father.

"Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need." (Hebrews 4:16)

Whatever brings joy to your heart, your Heavenly Father knows it and wants to give it to you.

Matthew 7:11 11 If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask him!

The feeling of giving is what moves so many philanthropists. I was reading about Larry Stewart (April 1, 1948 – January 12, 2007), better known as "Kansas City's Secret Santa.” He gave away more than $1.3 million. What moves God’s heart is His loving heart for you.

For some, it is improved sales in business. For others, it might be a simple phone call from a beloved son or daughter.

For me, as a pastor, the greatest joy is seeing salvation, church growth, and families completely restored by grace.

A Future and a Hope

Whatever it is, our Father delights in the welfare of His servants. He has good plans for us.

"For I know the plans I have for you, declares the LORD, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope. "(Jeremiah 29:11)

Taken out of context, this verse can lead you to believe faith should bring easy, trouble-free living. Yet God’s plan for His people, especially during exile, involved enduring seventy years of foreign domination before experiencing restoration. 

Many times, God’s shalom comes through perseverance, not instant relief from suffering.

(No projection)

John 16:33 33 I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.”

2 Timothy 3:12 12 Indeed, all who desire to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted,

This means we must wake up every single day with the right perspective of God’s heart of love toward us. He is unconditionally fighting for us, even when we are under great trials.

You wonder, "I experienced this trial, this financial hardship, this marital disagreement when I was young. Now, at my age, I am still going through this. Doors are closed. What is wrong with me? Why have I been betrayed again? Why am I not multiplying my LifeGroup?"

It is scientifically proven that living in a constantly overcast, rainy city can lead people toward depression. Nevertheless, winters are not meant to last forever. 

If you have grown accustomed to bad news as a normal part of your daily experience, remember: above the clouds, the shining light of the Sun of Righteousness is ready to usher in a new season of multiplication.

God Loves Multiplication

There is a vast difference between knowing that God is able to multiply and knowing that God is able and does love to multiply.

Think of the difference in flavor between a meal prepared by someone who merely knows how to cook and a meal prepared by someone who truly loves to cook. It is completely different.

Let’s look at some pictures of the multiplication of grace to fill our hearts today.

Isaac - Blessings the enemies envy.

Genesis 26:12-15 12 And Isaac sowed in that land and reaped in the same year a hundredfold. The LORD blessed him, 13 and the man became rich, and gained more and more until he became very wealthy. 14 He had possessions of flocks and herds and many servants, so that the Philistines envied him.

And Isaac sowed in that land and reaped in the same year a hundredfold. The LORD blessed him. (Genesis 26:12).

That was a test for Isaac. There was famine there. He could be tempted to move out from God’s place.

(No projection)

Genesis 26:1-2 1 Now there was a famine in the land, besides the former famine that was in the days of Abraham. And Isaac went to Gerar to Abimelech king of the Philistines. 

2 And the LORD appeared to him and said, “Do not go down to Egypt; dwell in the land of which I shall tell you.

This defies logic. It is not naturally possible for a man to sow and reap such a miraculous, outrageous harvest in the very same year. That level of abundance can only result from divine intervention.

Isaac sowed in the land he was already in.

The place of multiplication is where God has placed you. It did not seem like the right time to sow. There was famine in the land.

You are exactly where you are called to be. The promise of multiplication is meant to happen right where the Lord has called you, not somewhere else. 

What’s truly staggering about Isaac’s story is that a hundredfold harvest in a single year is like gathering a hundred years’ worth of normal harvests all at once.

Imagine starting a new job and, in your very first year, receiving a salary advance equivalent to working there for a century. Would that change your life? I know it sounds almost too good to believe. Yet, that is exactly what happened to Isaac.

Because we believe in Christ, we are the spiritual offspring of Abraham. The same God who multiplied then, in Isaac’s life, is able and willing to multiply now in your life.

Psalms 35:27-28 Let those who delight in my righteousness shout for joy and be glad and say evermore, 

“Great is the LORD, who delights in the welfare [shalom] of his servant!”

28 Then my tongue shall tell of your righteousness and of your praise all the day long.

Throughout the psalm, the enemies "delight" in calamity, but verse 27 inverts that delight. That belongs to God and those with His righteousness. Those who receive His divine shalom.

Isaac's prosperity had nothing to do with his management abilities, his personal merit, his deserving behavior, or his family background. The sole reason he prospered so abundantly is that "the Lord blessed him."

Elisha and the Empty Vessels

"When the vessels were full, she said to her son, "Bring me another vessel." And he said to her, "There is not another." Then the oil stopped." (2 Kings 4:6)

The question for us today is: Do you have more space for God's blessings in your life? Are you providing enough room in your ministry for His multiplication? Are there empty vessels waiting for multiplying grace in your marriage and your family?

Do your dreams provide enough space for His multiplication? 

Regarding your giving, is there space for God to multiply your generosity? 

We must be clear: God's acceptance is never tied to our financial giving. He does not love us more when we give. But the truth is, there is no prosperity without giving. They are interchangeable in Scripture.

The Catching of Fish - Your one catch can change your story

"And when they had done this, they enclosed a large number of fish, and their nets were breaking". (Luke 5:6)

Fish come in different sizes and hold different values in the marketplace. During Jesus’s earthly ministry, He directed three distinct miraculous catches of fish.

The first happened through a massive number of smaller fish—what scholars believe were tilapia, later known as "St. Peter’s fish." The catch was so large they had to request help from other boats.

"And when they had done this, they enclosed a large number of fish, and their nets were breaking. They signaled to their partners in the other boat to come and help them. And they came and filled both the boats, so that they began to sink." (Luke 5:6–7)

After the resurrection, there was another miraculous catch. This time, it was a specific number of large fish—153 to be exact. 

"So Simon Peter went aboard and hauled the net ashore, full of large fish, 153 of them. And although there were so many, the net was not torn." (John 21:11)

A catch of this size and quality would have been immensely valuable in the market.

However, one catch was incredibly unique and involved only Peter. The Lord sent Peter to catch a single fish, promising that he would find a coin in its mouth to pay the temple tax for both of them. That single fish, carrying a coin worth a substantial amount, was undoubtedly the most valuable individual fish any disciple ever caught. 

"Go to the sea and cast a hook and take the first fish that comes up, and when you open its mouth you will find a shekel. Take that and give it to them for me and for yourself." (Matthew 17:27)

One coin paid the entire tax. [One biblical shekel of gold is worth approximately $1,572.30 in US dollars in 2026]

It does not matter exactly how God chooses to provide multiplied resources. Stop asking God, "How can this possibly happen?" 

Instead, rest in the promise of His Word and prepare to experience His grace. Perhaps provision will come through many small fish—one minor sale here, another small opportunity there; one new member joining your LifeGroup here, another new family there.

I once heard a story of a real estate broker who went nearly an entire year without a single closing. Before I began to feel pity for this salesperson, he testified that his one and only closing that year was a commercial property that yielded a commission of over two million dollars. One single fish provided far more than he needed.

God did not become less resourceful after granting those miracles. He did not drain His savings account, leaving Him with insufficient grace for you today. He is God, the possessor of heaven and earth, and His resources are absolutely limitless.

Remember Your Miracles

Do you have miracles you can remember? Interventions of grace that are part of your personal story with God?

We need to remind ourselves of those past kindnesses. You are not at the same level where you started. You are not the same person. Your marriage is not the same as it was in the beginning. You have already experienced so much of God's increasing, multiplying power. You have seen His hand move time and time again. Why not remember His joy in multiplying you then, knowing He still finds joy in multiplying you now?

God is calling us to growing measures of faith. 

"

"Enlarge the place of your tent, and let the curtains of your habitations be stretched out; do not hold back; lengthen your cords and strengthen your stakes." (Isaiah 54:2)

For every new season of breakthrough, there is a season of increased vision. 

This happens in every single area of your life.

Think about the first time you traveled. You found the means to leave your hometown and visit a nearby city, and that brought immense joy into your life. After returning from that experience, your dreams naturally expanded. You began dreaming of traveling out of state. Next time, why not dream of traveling internationally?

What is happening? The Lord is giving you new dreams and visions. It is time to see them coming to pass. Let those images of grace fill your heart today.

"And in the last days it shall be, God declares, that I will pour out my Spirit on all flesh, and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams.” (Acts 2:17)

Double Portion

Two very famous prophets appear in the Old Testament.

Elijah, whose stories appear mainly in First Kings, and Elisha, whose stories appear mostly in Second Kings.

They seem to have started a school of prophets in the Old Testament.

Samuel originated the prophetic bands in the 11th century BC. However, the formal, school-like communities known as the "sons of the prophets” were institutionalized and brought to their prominence under the leadership of Elijah and Elisha in the 9th century.

Their relationship exemplifies how you can expect increasing favor in your life.

In this story, Elisha, as Elijah's successor, experienced a double measure of miracles.

1. Causing a drought (1 Kgs 17:1)
2. Provision of flour and oil for the widow of Zarephath (1 Kgs 17:14)
3. Resurrecting the widow’s son (1 Kgs 17:22)
4. Calling down fire from heaven on Mount Carmel (1 Kgs 18:38)
5. Bringing the drought to an end with severe rain (1 Kgs 18:45)
6. Calling down fire on Ahaziah’s captains and their fifties (2 Kgs 1:10–12)
7. Parting the waters of the Jordan River with his mantle (2 Kgs 2:8)

(Note: Divine provisions, such as ravens feeding him or angelic sustenance, are typically acts of God upon the prophet rather than miracles mediated by the prophet's agency).

Elisha records the following supernatural events:

1. Parting the waters of the Jordan River (2 Kgs 2:14)
2. Healing the contaminated waters of Jericho (2 Kgs 2:21)
3. Pronouncing a curse resulting in bears mauling forty-two youths (2 Kgs 2:24)
4. Providing water for the allied armies in the desert (2 Kgs 3:20)
5. Multiplying the widow’s oil (2 Kgs 4:6)
6. Prophesying the birth of the Shunammite woman's son (2 Kgs 4:16)
7. Resurrecting the Shunammite woman's son (2 Kgs 4:35)
8. Neutralizing poisonous stew in Gilgal (2 Kgs 4:41)
9. Multiplying twenty loaves of barley bread to feed a hundred men (2 Kgs 4:43)
10. Healing Naaman the Syrian of leprosy (2 Kgs 5:14)
11. Transferring Naaman’s leprosy to Gehazi (2 Kgs 5:27)
12. Causing a borrowed iron axhead to float (2 Kgs 6:6)
13. Striking the Aramean army with blindness (2 Kgs 6:18)
14. A dead man resurrecting upon contacting Elisha's bones (2 Kgs 13:21)

There is a path we need to walk to experience that increase.

From Priesthood to Prophets

Moses established the Tabernacle and the role of the high priest. They were appointed to lead the people spiritually and civilly.

The Israelites had no king in those early days, so the high priest guided them.

Not long after, the high priesthood failed. Aaron's sons offered unauthorized fire before the Lord (Leviticus 10:1-2), and we see later, in the days of Eli (1 Samuel 2:17; 3:13), his sons profaned the sanctuary and brought God’s judgment upon themselves.

God established a monarchy, with kings leading Israel and the high priest assisting them. But even great kings like David sinned.

God then introduced the prophetic ministry, starting with Samuel, the first prophet.

Unlike kings and priests, the prophet's role was not hereditary.

No succession was guaranteed; God simply raised up a prophet wherever He chose.

The primary word for "prophet," occurring over 300 times in the Old Testament, נָבִיא (naví). Meaning "one who calls/proclaims”. Or "one who is called [by God]”.

(Acts 2:17-18)"'And in the last days it shall be, God declares, that I will pour out my Spirit on all flesh, and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams; 18.even on my male servants and female servants in those days I will pour out my Spirit, and they shall prophesy.”

1 Peter 2:9 9 But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light.

Corrupt Age

During the most corrupt era in Israel's history, the nation split into two: the northern kingdom of Israel and the southern kingdom of Judah.

During that time, God raised Elijah to speak over the northern kingdom, which had reached unprecedented corruption.

Ahab was king, and he had married a wicked woman named Jezebel.

She was ruthless and entirely given over to darkness. She tried to force the Israelites to worship Baal, the false god of rain.

Here we have the stories of Elijah and Elisha starting in 1 Kings 17.

1 Kings 17:1 1 Now Elijah the Tishbite, of Tishbe in Gilead, said to Ahab, “As the LORD, the God of Israel, lives, before whom I stand, there shall be neither dew nor rain these years, except by my word.”

Baal worship involved fertility rites filled with rampant sexual promiscuity. Worse still, people sacrificed their own children in the fire as offerings to Baal.

Elijah came to expose that corruption and bring judgment over the false gods.

That is why the most notable miracle of Elijah is his calling fire from heaven over the sacrifice. A battle against the prophets of Baal.

Remember that we are looking for Christ.

Elijah points us to John the Baptist, while Elisha points us directly to our Lord Jesus Christ. Just as Elijah came before Elisha, John the Baptist, under the spirit of Elijah, preceded Jesus.

Elijah and Jesus

The name Elijah combines "Eli" (my God) and "Ya" (Yahweh). His name means "my God is Yahweh.” Or "my God is the LORD."

The name Elisha, however, means "my God is Yeshua"; Yeshua means "Yahweh is salvation."

That is the Hebrew name of Jesus, Yeshua, meaning "my God saves."

In contrast, these prophets point to different dispensations.

Elijah represents the Old Covenant and judgment. It is God as the lawgiver, ready to punish.

Elisha, by contrast, represents the New Covenant, the time of grace.

If Elisha’s ministry foreshadows Christ's, one of the most remarkable events in Elisha's life is the resurrection power of the incident with his bones.

2 Kings 13:20-21 20 So Elisha died, and they buried him. Now bands of Moabites used to invade the land in the spring of the year. 21 And as a man was being buried, behold, a marauding band was seen and the man was thrown into the grave of Elisha, and as soon as the man touched the bones of Elisha, he revived and stood on his feet.

Jesus' death is what brings ultimate life to the world. Life flows abundantly. The Cross, the very place of death, now brings life to whoever believes.

All who listen to the message of the cross can receive eternal life.

For the word of the cross is folly to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.

(1 Corinthians 1:18)

We must throw those in our family who are dead into "Elisha's grave," so to speak.

It is the power of Christ's death that can give life to those who are dead. Only by touching the cross will they receive resurrection life.

The message of the cross either confuses or enlightens, either offends or empowers.

(1 Corinthians 1:23-25) "But we preach Christ crucified, a stumbling block to Jews and folly to Gentiles, but to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. For the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men."

During the 1988 Yellowstone National Park fires, millions of acres burned, drawing horror from the public and media as flames engulfed ancient forests. To many, it appeared as pure tragedy and destruction. Yet, forest ecologists understood a hidden purpose: Lodgepole Pines, accounting for nearly 80% of Yellowstone's forests, produce cones sealed with a thick resin. These cones won't release seeds under normal weather conditions; they require the intense heat of a fire (113° to 140°F to melt the resin) to open. The very fire that destroys is essential for releasing new life. Within just a few years, millions of new lodgepole saplings had sprung from the ashes,

The Path to the Double Portion

Towards the end of Elijah's ministry, he journeyed with his disciple Elisha through four different locations. These places represent four stages we pass through to grow in grace and receive a double portion of the Spirit.

We will look at the first appearance of those places in the story of the people of God.

(2 Kings 2:1- 9)

Now when the Lord was about to take Elijah up to heaven by a whirlwind, Elijah and Elisha were on their way from Gilgal. And Elijah said to Elisha, "Please stay here, for the Lord has sent me as far as Bethel." But Elisha said, "As the Lord lives, and as you yourself live, I will not leave you." So they went down to Bethel …So they came to Jericho. … Then Elijah said to him, "Please stay here, for the Lord has sent me to the Jordan." But he said, "As the Lord lives, and as you yourself live, I will not leave you."…

When they had crossed [the Jordan River] , Elijah said to Elisha, "Ask what I shall do for you, before I am taken from you." And Elisha said, "Please let there be a double portion of your spirit on me."

Gilgal

2 Kings 2:1 Now when the LORD was about to take Elijah up to heaven by a whirlwind, Elijah and Elisha were on their way from Gilgal.

When the people of Israel entered Canaan, Gilgal was their very first stop. The word Gilgal means "to roll away." What exactly was rolled away? The spirit of shame.

The Lord completely removed their reproach.

It was also in Gilgal that the new generation of Israelites born in the wilderness had not been circumcised. Gilgal, therefore, also represents the cutting away of the flesh.

And the Lord said to Joshua, "Today I have rolled away the reproach of Egypt from you." And so the name of that place is called Gilgal to this day. (Joshua 5:9)

Forty years had passed since they left Egypt, yet the shame of Egypt still clung to Israel.

A mentality of slaves prevents us from believing God for great things.

Whenever a spirit of shame operates in our lives, it hinders our ability to receive abundantly from God. The Bible notes that Israel crossed the Jordan River on a very specific date.

(Joshua 4:19) The people came up out of the Jordan on the tenth day of the first month, and they encamped in Gilgal on the east border of Jericho.

These dates have significance. 

The first month is Nisan, the spring month of Passover. The tenth day of Nisan was the exact day the Jewish people set apart the Passover lamb (Exodus 12:3-6). They would bring the lamb into their home and examine it for five days. Then, they would sacrifice the lamb on Passover.

Jesus also made His triumphal entry into Jerusalem, riding on a donkey, on the very same tenth day of the first month. 

He arrived in Jerusalem the exact day the Passover lamb was meant to be selected.

For five days, the religious leaders continually examined Jesus in the temple. They found absolutely no fault in Him.

On that tenth day, Jesus rode triumphantly into Jerusalem.

The children shouted, "Hosanna to the Son of David!" (Matthew 21:15), and God's people rejoiced, crying out, "Glory in the highest!" (Luke 19:38).

How can you get a double portion?

Let Christ come and be exalted where you used to have shame.

Bethel

2 Kings 2:2 2 And Elijah said to Elisha, “Please stay here, for the LORD has sent me as far as Bethel.” But Elisha said, “As the LORD lives, and as you yourself live, I will not leave you.” So they went down to Bethel.

The name Bethel (בֵּית־אֵל, Beth-'el) literally translates to "House of God.”

Jeroboam I made Bethel the main place for pagan worship in the Northern Kingdom and built a gold calf to compete with the Jerusalem temple. (1 Kings 12:28–33).

Although Bethel began as a holy place for divine messages in the patriarchal period, it became the main center of idol worship.

For Elisha, Bethel is where his faithfulness to his prophetic calling is tested.

The world opposes Bethel.

The world resists our closeness to the Lord.

(Genesis 12:8) From there he moved to the hill country on the east of Bethel and pitched his tent, with Bethel on the west and Ai on the east. And there he built an altar to the Lord and called upon the name of the Lord.

Bethel is a place for an altar to the Lord. But when we go down to Egypt, there is no place for an altar.

(Genesis 12:10)"Now there was a famine in the land. So Abram went down to Egypt to sojourn there, for the famine was severe in the land."

The same thing happened with the people, Israel. But for many, many years.

Exodus 8:25-26 25 Then Pharaoh called Moses and Aaron and said, “Go, sacrifice to your God within the land.” 26 But Moses said, “It would not be right to do so, for the offerings we shall sacrifice to the LORD our God are an abomination to the Egyptians. If we sacrifice offerings abominable to the Egyptians before their eyes, will they not stone us?

Over three million Israelites lived there for centuries, but not a single one was allowed to build an altar.

Where there is no altar, there is no speaking of God.

Romans 12:1-2 1 I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. 2 Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.

The world views our devotional life as an ‘abomination,' considering it a waste of time and money.

No matter where you go in your daily life—whether at work, school, or home—you should maintain a mindset of worship.

As you go through your day, make it a Bethel. An altar to the Lord. Call upon the name of the Lord and see the Spirit of God come upon you at a new level.

Jericho

2 Kings 2:4 4 Elijah said to him, “Elisha, please stay here, for the LORD has sent me to Jericho.” But he said, “As the LORD lives, and as you yourself live, I will not leave you.” So they came to Jericho.

The next city the two prophets passed by was Jericho. It was the first city the Israelites conquered in Canaan.

At the time of the conquest, the Lord commanded that all the gold and silver from that city belonged exclusively to Him because it was the first fruits of their victory.

Joshua 6:19 19 But all silver and gold, and every vessel of bronze and iron, are holy to the LORD; they shall go into the treasury of the LORD.”

This principle of "first" is so important in the Bible.

Everything that is first belongs to God.

Only from the second city onward were the Israelites allowed to divide the spoils among themselves.

First fruits are holy and consecrated. No man has the right to take them for himself.

However, when the people conquered Jericho, a man named Achan took for himself part of what was meant for the Lord (Joshua 7:1). The whole people suffered because of that.

Jericho symbolizes our first fruits to the Lord.

Giving our first fruits is a tangible way we place the Lord first in our lives.

God never told Joshua, "After you conquer ten cities, give me one." Instead, He declared, "The first is mine."

Do you want a double portion? It is time to practice this principle in your life.

(Proverbs 3:9-10) Honor the LORD with your wealth and with the firstfruits of all your produce; then your barns will be filled with plenty, and your vats will be bursting with wine.

Matthew 6:33-34 33 But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you. 34 “Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.

The Jordan River

Finally, Elijah and Elisha arrived at the Jordan River. That is a very particular place. In the story we read

2 Kings 2:7-8 7 Fifty men of the sons of the prophets also went and stood at some distance from them, as they both were standing by the Jordan. 8 Then Elijah took his cloak and rolled it up and struck the water, and the water was parted to the one side and to the other, till the two of them could go over on dry ground.

Once again, the Jordan River dries up, becoming a passage.

A passage, a transition of seasons.

A new era is beginning.

When the people of Israel crossed the Red Sea, they moved from slavery to freedom, from a subjugated people to a nation in pursuit of the new land.

They also crossed the Jordan River at the end of the 40 years in the wilderness.

Joshua 1:11 11 “Pass through the midst of the camp and command the people, ‘Prepare your provisions, for within three days you are to pass over this Jordan to go in to take possession of the land that the LORD your God is giving you to possess.’”

From a nomadic people wandering in the desert, they were conquerors of a promised land.

The distinction between the Red Sea and the Jordan River crossing is that, at the Red Sea, armies were coming after Israel, which speaks to a situation forced upon us, pressing us to a single decision (Exodus 14:10-14). The Israelites had no other alternatives.

The Jordan River, by contrast, represents a personal choice. The people of Israel had no Pharaoh coming after them.

These crossings point to how we relate to the Cross of Christ. In one aspect, we were saved from sin and death by the power of the cross. That points to the Red Sea. But now, we have a choice between living under the law or under grace. A life of a conqueror or a life in the desert.

The Israelites escaped Egypt by the blood of the lamb. They crossed the Red Sea and reached the other side safely. As they began their wilderness journey, God desired to bring them quickly into Canaan, the land flowing with milk and honey.

Yet their journey turned into forty years of aimless wandering.

Why did this happen?

Because of their stubborn unbelief, they failed to enter before the 40 years. They failed to enter His rest.

"And to whom did he swear that they would not enter his rest, but to those who were disobedient? So we see that they were unable to enter because of unbelief." (Hebrews 3:18-19)

The Israelites experienced two miraculous crossings. The Red Sea is a picture of Romans 6.

"We know that our old self was crucified with him in order that the body of sin might be brought to nothing, so that we would no longer be enslaved to sin. For one who has died has been set free from sin. Now if we have died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with him." (Romans 6:6-8)

We died to sin.

The crossing of the Jordan River pictures Romans 7, illustrating our deliverance from the life under the law. It is time to die to the law.

Likewise, my brothers, you also have died to the law through the body of Christ, so that you may belong to another, to him who has been raised from the dead, in order that we may bear fruit for God. (Romans 7:4)

But now we are released from the law, having died to that which held us captive, so that we serve in the new way of the Spirit and not in the old way of the written code. (Romans 7:6)

For through the law I died to the law, so that I might live to God. (Galatians 2:19)

The Red Sea speaks of being dead to sin. The Jordan River symbolizes our deliverance from a life under the demands of the law.

A crucial difference exists between the two events. The Ark of the Covenant was not present at the Red Sea; however, it went ahead of the people as they crossed the Jordan.

The Red Sea signifies rescue.

The Jordan River stands for relationship and maturity.

The Ark leads the way into the Promised Land.

God's presence goes ahead to fulfill His promises.

From fleeing refugees guided by a leader to a nation led by a tangible relationship with God.

A major spiritual shift: from guidance out of Egypt to God's leadership into the Promised Land.

Do you want a double portion? Go to Gilgal. Forget shame and your past. Change your view of yourself as a sinner and live in Christ. Instead of shame, there will be a double portion; instead of dishonor, you will rejoice. The lord has a double portion and everlasting joy for us (Isaiah 61:7).

Do you want an increase in favor? Come to Bethel. Cultivate a place of relationship with God. Move towards Jericho. Put God first; acknowledge Him in all ways, and He will direct your paths (Proverbs 3:6). The next place is the other side os the Jordan. When we are set free from the mentality of religion and debt, we experience the double portion of God's favor.

The Promises as a Blessing

Remembering the promises of God.

Fasting periods are an excellent opportunity to reflect on God's promises in our lives. 

"Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who promised is faithful." (Hebrews 10:23)

Fasting helps us detach from distractions that can divert us from God's calling.

Hold to the Promises

Anchor your life in God's Word and His unchanging promises. 

It is easy to let temporary hardships dictate our ultimate reality.

We stare at concerning lab results, check our shrinking bank accounts, or receive devastating personal news, convinced that the story is over. However, we are called to live by what God has spoken rather than what our eyes can see.

Jacob received the crushing news of his beloved son Joseph's death. Do you remember how that story unfolds in Genesis 37?

Driven by bitter envy over their father’s favoritism, Joseph’s older brothers sold him to passing merchants as a slave. 

They covered the truth from Jacob. Taking Joseph's famous colored robe, they drenched it in goat’s blood and carried it back to Jacob.

Jacob had all the facts, so he concluded: My son is dead.

It was factual. All the evidence pointed to that conclusion. However, it was not the truth. But because all he could see were the facts, a lie became the grievous reality for Jacob. 

Genesis 37:34-35 34 Then Jacob tore his garments and put sackcloth on his loins and mourned for his son many days. 35 All his sons and all his daughters rose up to comfort him, but he refused to be comforted and said, “No, I shall go down to Sheol to my son, mourning.” Thus his father wept for him.

This very sad scene I have experienced myself through my personal experience of losing a son. Unfortunately, I have also been present to comfort families such as mine. It's a devastatingly sad moment.

In Jacob’s case, however, there was no real death. But he accepted the only evidence he had as the final truth. That was the only news Jacob had. 

A lie that became Jacob’s permanent truth. 

Jacob believed Joseph was dead for 22 years.

Are you doing the same now with the last news you received from your doctor? Is the report from your family permanent, devastating news? 

Maybe you have been hovering over the loss of that broken relationship for years. But these facts are not meant to be your final truth.

In the story, the same sons who had brought false news of Joseph's death years earlier returned from Egypt to tell Jacob that Joseph was still alive.

Jacob was so accustomed to living with the undeniable pain of loss that he could not believe it.

Genesis 45:26 And they told him, “Joseph is still alive, and he is ruler over all the land of Egypt.” And his heart became numb, for he did not believe them. The good news of Joseph being alive has always been the real truth. 

But Jacob got so used to the pain and grief that when the good news was revealed, his heart was numb.

Perhaps you are like Jacob now, with a numb heart from positive and hopeful words. You no longer believe, exhausted from confessing, praying, and declaring for that miracle. Maybe you are close to giving up.

You have spent weeks, months, or maybe even years trying, feeding your faith, saying the right words, and forcing a breakthrough through your own spiritual willpower. 

You are exhausted.

Genesis 45:27-28 But when they told him all the words of Joseph, which he had said to them, and when he saw the wagons that Joseph had sent to carry him, the spirit of their father Jacob revived. 28 And Israel said, “It is enough; Joseph my son is still alive. I will go and see him before I die.”

It is time to believe God's old promises again.

To beleive He is able and willing to do far more abundantly than all that you can ask or think.

"Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us" (Ephesians 3:20)

Only when Jacob saw the wagons that Joseph had sent did his heart revive again.

Today, God will open your eyes, and you will see his promises afresh.

(2 Corinthians 5:7) "for we walk by faith, not by sight."

Do not give up yet. Hold on to God’s promises. He knows how to turn our devastation into a miracle story.

An entrepreneur spent over a year working late nights in a cramped apartment, building an online business with zero traction.

Exhausted by mounting debt and dead-end analytics, he decided to quit, hovering their mouse over the button to shut down the server and delete the store forever.

What he couldn't see was that a major industry influencer had just featured their product as a hidden gem, and thousands of orders were already quietly queued up to hit their site the very next morning.

(Hebrews 10:23) "Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who promised is faithful."

If you were considering giving up, today is another opportunity to try again. The strength you need doesn’t come from your own motivation; it comes from God's promises.

(2 Corinthians 1:20) For all the promises of God find their Yes in him. That is why it is through him that we utter our Amen to God for his glory.

Genesis 46:30 30 Israel said to Joseph, “Now let me die, since I have seen your face and know that you are still alive.”

Jacob did not die. 

The truth revealed, the promise unfolded, the real good news sustained the old Jacob alive for more than 17 years.

2 Corinthians 4:17-18 17 For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, 18 as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal.God's promises can accelerate the multiplication of His grace in your life.

Genesis 48:3-4 3 And Jacob said to Joseph, “God Almighty appeared to me at Luz in the land of Canaan and blessed me, 4 and said to me, ‘Behold, I will make you fruitful and multiply you, and I will make of you a company of peoples and will give this land to your offspring after you for an everlasting possession.’

That promise did not fully come to pass with Abraham. It did not fully happen with Isaac either. Jacob reminded God of the promises. He was passing on the promise not as a hopeful desire, but as a blessing.

For Jacob, after he learned that even after the facts of death and hopelessness, God is faithful and will fulfill his promises, he declared the promise as a blessing. 

Genesis 48:15-16 15 And he blessed Joseph and said, “The God before whom my fathers Abraham and Isaac walked, the God who has been my shepherd all my life long to this day,

16 the angel who has redeemed me from all evil, bless the boys; and in them let my name be carried on, and the name of my fathers Abraham and Isaac; and let them grow into a multitude in the midst of the earth.”

Learn to declare the promises of God as an inevitable reality upon your children and upon your business and ministry.

(1 Thessalonians 5:24)"He who calls you is faithful; he will surely do it."

The Grace Adoption

Jacob called Joseph's sons to his side to impart his blessing. What a father spoke over his children in his final days carried immense weight and would affect them for the rest of their lives.

(Genesis 48:5) "And now your two sons, who were born to you in the land of Egypt before I came to you in Egypt, are mine; Ephraim and Manasseh shall be mine, as Reuben and Simeon are."

Jacob surprised everyone in the family, saying, 

"Joseph, I am adopting Manasseh and Ephraim as my own sons. They will receive the exact same inheritance as my other children." 

The boys’ mother was Egyptian. That means her family did not know or serve Jehovah; they were idol worshipers.

You might think you are disqualified from God's blessings because you come from a family with a terrible history. Maybe you are the first to beleive in Christ, and all the others are still in false religions or atheism. You may have many reasons why you feel you do not deserve His goodness.

God adopted us into His own family. 

"Despite your past, despite your mistakes, and regardless of what your family has done, I am adopting you as My own son, as My own daughter."

Be free from every fear of generational curse. 

God chose you to begin a blessed generation. He is establishing a generational blessing through you.

We believe that even from a young age, children can understand important values. 

Recently, a brother shared that his partner received a call from his 4-year-old child while he was working. The child was proudly showing off himself riding his new bicycle. The dad told him, “I love you, son." The son replied, “I love you too, Dad, but I love Jesus more." 

When asked if he attends church regularly, the partner said, "Not often, but my son is a student at Vine Christian Academy. And man, They really teach these kids to know Jesus." 

You will positively affect all your descendants.

Accelerated blessings

When Jacob surprised the entire family, he ignored the boy's mother's heritage. But also, as grandsons, these boys naturally would have had to wait an entire generation to receive what Jacob was giving them.

Normally, the blessing would flow first to their father, and then Joseph would pass that inheritance down to them much later. Instead, these boys received an inheritance way earlier in life.

Breakthroughs that would normally take years of human effort to accomplish can come quickly. It can take years to get out of debt, years to break free from an addiction, and years to establish a new standard of living. If you believe, God will do for you exactly what He did for those two boys: He will propel you years ahead of schedule.

You will see things happening much faster than you could ever imagine, because you have honored God. Because you have declared, 

"As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord," 

things will accelerate in your life. 

What might normally take a lifetime to achieve through striving will happen in a fraction of the time by His grace.

When Joseph's brothers saw his sons receiving the exact same blessing they were receiving, they certainly did not understand it. From a human perspective, it did not seem fair. These were mere grandsons receiving the blessing of the sons.

Grace is never fair.

Because of the favor of God resting upon your life, expect persecution. Some will say it is just luck, but we know it is the favor of the Lord.

Grace bypasses human scorecards, and when God favors you with blessings you didn't earn, you don't need to apologize for it or waste time trying to win over the critics who refuse to understand it.

Romans 4:4-5 4 Now to the one who works, his wages are not counted as a gift but as his due. 5 And to the one who does not work but believes in him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is counted as righteousness,

You do not need to convince people to like you. Some people simply cannot accept your success. If they walk away from you, it is because they are not part of your God-given calling.

Do not waste your time trying to appease people who refuse to celebrate the Lord's victories in your life. Never apologize for the favor you have received. You didn’t earn it; God simply chose you to display His goodness.

When God Crosses His Arms

Joseph serves as one of the most vivid types of Jesus Christ in the entire Old Testament.

He was the beloved son, rejected by his brothers, sold for silver, descending into humiliation/prison, counted as dead, ultimately elevated to save both his own people and the Gentile world.

In that symbolic parallel, Jacob points to God the Father, and Joseph points to Jesus Christ.

In that case, you and I are related to Manasseh and Ephraim.

We were born far off, in the Egypt of this world’s system, strangers to the covenants of promise, with no natural claim on the household of God, but because we were brought by “our Joseph,” the Father looks at us and says, “They are Mine.”

But even among the two sons of Jacob, there is an elevated blessing that one received, and the other did not receive.

That speaks of the increased measure of grace for those who believe. of God

In Christ, God’s grace crossed cultural and ethnic lines and granted us an inheritance we never could have achieved.

Genesis 48:15-16 “The God before whom my fathers Abraham and Isaac walked, the God who has been my shepherd all my life long to this day, 16 the angel who has redeemed me from all evil, bless the boys; and in them let my name be carried on, and the name of my fathers Abraham and Isaac; and let them grow into a multitude in the midst of the earth.”

Or

Genesis 48:16 … let them be like fish for multitude

That speaks of you and me. 

"And he said to them, 'Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men.'" (Matthew 4:19)

We will experience the Father’s multiplications in Jesus.

But here comes another twist.

During that blessing moment, Jacob summoned his grandchildren, Manasseh and Ephraim, once more, astonishing everyone.

In biblical tradition, the eldest son traditionally received a double share as the "son of the right hand."

Joseph positioned his firstborn, Manasseh, at Jacob's right hand, and Ephraim at his left.

Jacob crossed his arms. 

When Jacob blessed Ephraim and Manasseh (Genesis 48), he deliberately crossed his hands, putting his right hand on the younger brother (Ephraim) rather than the older (Manasseh), declaring that Ephraim would become a "multitude of nations" (melo ha-goyim, literally "the fullness of the Gentiles”).

Genesis 48:19 19 But his father refused and said, “I know, my son, I know. He also shall become a people, and he also shall be great. Nevertheless, his younger brother shall be greater than he, and his offspring shall become a multitude of nations.”

Why would Jacob do that?

(Hebrews 11:21) “By faith Jacob, when dying, blessed each of the sons of Joseph, ‘bowing in worship over the head of his staff.’”

He placed his right hand upon the second-born, Ephraim, and his left hand upon Manasseh, proceeding to speak the blessing over them.

When Joseph saw this, he objected, saying, "No, my father, Manasseh is my firstborn." Jacob responded, "I know what I am doing. Manasseh will be great, yet Ephraim will be greater. Multitudes of nations will come from him."

Ephraim was not next in line. He was not qualified, and he certainly did not earn the primary blessing. Nevertheless, God ignored any tradition just to teach us how grace works.

God delights in elevating those who are in the back.

He takes those who lack the proper position and those who feel entirely left out, moving them straight to the front. If that is you, you are a great candidate to beGod's showcase of favor.

God often chooses those the world considers unqualified, and I testify to that. 

As a missionary pastor in the United States, I've repeatedly heard colleagues say I would never be a full English-speaking pastor reaching nationals and native people, citing my heavy accent and my struggles with speaking and communication.

Do not believe the lies that hold you back. You may have made many mistakes, or you might feel you lack natural talent. Still, God loves to lavish His grace on people exactly like you.

God is crossing His arms and placing you in a position you could never earn. He will put you in a place you weren’t qualified for and weren’t next in line for.

You are about to experience unexpected favor, unexpected promotion, and unexpected breakthroughs.

You might think that where you are right now is where you will always be. You may feel you have already reached your limit. Well, if you consider your own strength, that might be true.

However, if you trust God's process, He will cross His arms and release favor over your life. Keep resting in Him, and He will open doors for you that you never even dreamed of.

If you think, "I do not have the training, the talents, the temperament, the connections, or the necessary confidence." Know that God decided to cross His arms and favor you. If you heard, "You will mount for nothing.", maybe that was true in the natural; nevertheless, God crossed His arms.

Jacob knew the economy of grace

I think one of the inspirations for Jacob to go that way of blessing was his very experience, as he was blessed by his father Isaac. Esau was Isaac's favorite. He was a good son, the firstborn, and the one who technically deserved the blessing. But God crossed His arms and blessed Jacob. How was Jacob portrayed in the Bible? He was the supplanter who deceived his own family many times.

And about David? His brothers were older, stronger, and more talented (1 Samuel 16). Yet God crossed His arms and favored the youngest, the smallest of them all. 

When Gideon was chosen (Judges 6), he acknowledged that his tribe was the weakest in Israel, his family the least in the tribe, and himself the least in his father's house. However, the Lord told him, "Go in this might of yours!" What looked like weakness to Gideon was his strength, simply because God crossed His arms.

When God crosses His arms, He takes you from the back of the line and places you in a position of leadership. From a place of obscurity, He grants you influence you never imagined.

You may have a thousand logical reasons why your dreams cannot be achieved or why there is no way out of your current problem. The Lord is telling you today that He is about to cross His arms. He will show you unexpected, overflowing, unmerited favor. You were not qualified, and you were not next in line. Yet, unexpectedly, God will show His favor by crossing His arms upon you.

Double Fruitfulness

Ephraim is a beautiful symbol of grace. In Hebrew, the name Ephraim literally means "doubly fruitful." 

When God crosses His arms and chooses you—the unlikely one—He releases a very special blessing. He will cause your fruitfulness to be doubled.

God doesn’t always bless the way we expect. Ephraim was not next in line. He wasn’t qualified, and he didn’t earn it. Nevertheless, God bypassed human tradition and did something extraordinary: He chose the second-born.

You may think that your current situation is your permanent destination because you have exhausted all your human effort.

That may be true in your own strength. However, a higher truth remains: God will cross His arms and release His favor upon your life. Rest in His finished work on the Cross, continue to honor Him, and He will open doors for you that you never dreamed were possible.

The children of grace are chosen

Now we have two sons. Ephraim and Manasseh point to the early church believers: Gentiles and Jews.

One came first, Manasseh, but is the youngest, the latter born, who receives the blessings, which speaks of the church. That speaks of us. The gentile church. The children of grace. 

How can you place yourself on the right hand of God? Be a child of grace. 

(Matthew 20:16)"So the last will be first, and the first last."

Hebrews 7:18-19 18 For on the one hand, a former commandment is set aside because of its weakness and uselessness 19 (for the law made nothing perfect); but on the other hand, a better hope is introduced, through which we draw near to God.

Hebrews 8:13 13 In speaking of a new covenant, he makes the first one obsolete. And what is becoming obsolete and growing old is ready to vanish away.

Why People Give Up.

Recently, as we’ve been preparing for the mountaintop on October 1st, I have been in meetings every single morning at 5:30 AM.

The Christian life was always intended to be intense, intentional, and passionate.

Why do some give up? Why do some let discouragement take over?

First, know there is a difference between giving up and surrender.

It is ok to surrender.

"Cast your burden on the LORD, and he will sustain you; he will never permit the righteous to be moved." (Psalm 55:22)

"but they who wait for the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint." (Isaiah 40:31)

We are not called to just go through the motions, punch a spiritual timecard, and coast. 

If it is not to live a passionate, purposeful, meaningful life—it’s honestly not worth it. 

Christ did not give His life so we could live lukewarm lives.

How to overcome discouragement? How can we keep a burning heart?

I know that life happens. Disappointments come. Our expectations get shattered, and the passion we once had can quickly cool off into apathy or discouragement.

How does that happen? How to overcome hopelessness?

Read Luke 24:13-35

The right place

The two disciples were actually a husband and wife: Cleopas and Mary.

They are walking away from Jerusalem. Later, Jesus would make it clear that Jerusalem was the specific place they needed to stay to wait for the Holy Spirit—the place they would be filled with power. 

"And behold, I am sending the promise of my Father upon you. But stay in the city until you are clothed with power from on high." (Luke 24:49)

There is a specific place you need to be to stay encouraged. Many believe it's about finding a new place or leaving God's designated place, but in reality, doing so often leads to discouragement instead of encouragement.

The right place brings Multiplication.

A hundredfold multiplication is ahead. Just stay in the right place. Genesis 26:1 1 Now there was a famine in the land, besides the former famine that was in the days of Abraham. And Isaac went to Gerar to Abimelech king of the Philistines.

Genesis 26:2-3 2 And the LORD appeared to him and said, “Do not go down to Egypt; dwell in the land of which I shall tell you. 3 Sojourn in this land, and I will be with you and will bless you, for to you and to your offspring I will give all these lands, and I will establish the oath that I swore to Abraham your father.

Because Isaac chose to settle in Gerar, Genesis 26:12 tells us that he planted crops in that land and "the same year reaped a hundredfold, because the Lord blessed him." He experienced supernatural multiplication of favor, precisely because he decided to stay where God planted him.

Genesis 26:12-13 12 And Isaac sowed in that land and reaped in the same year a hundredfold. The LORD blessed him, 13 and the man became rich, and gained more and more until he became very wealthy.

For Isaac it was Gerar. For the disciples it was Jerusalem. Do not walk away from your Jerusalem.

There is a specific place where you must be in order to stay encouraged.

This is beyond a geographical location. This speaks of the people you are connected with. You may even move to another place, but your heart remains connected to the correct, godly, purposeful group of people who are part of the purpose of God for you now.

However, if you don’t set your heart correctly with the people God has placed in your life, and you don't make a deliberate decision to honor that, you can be taken prematurely from where God wanted to bless you abundantly.

May the lord open our eyes today. May our ears be discerning today.

Many, when they feel spiritually dry, look for a new place, a new job, a new church, or isolate themselves entirely. But moving out opens you up to discouragement instead of encouragement. 

When the pressure at work gets too heavy, or when family dynamics break your heart, the temptation is to pull away from the Church, to stop going to your LifeGroups, and to walk that seven-mile lonely road to Emmaus.

How is your hope?

The couple listened to the good news of resurrection. But it had no effect in their hearts.

Luke 24:21-23 21 But we had hoped that he was the one to redeem Israel. Yes, and besides all this, it is now the third day since these things happened. 22 Moreover, some women of our company amazed us. They were at the tomb early in the morning, 23 and when they did not find his body, they came back saying that they had even seen a vision of angels, who said that he was alive

You are here today listening to the good news of Jesus’s complete work.

Let your hope be in the right person. In the case of these two disciples, they were hoping for a “different Jesus.” A political leader. A revolutionary. A prophet. Have you ever been there? 

I had hoped this marriage would go more smoothly. 

I had hoped my finances would be stable by now. 

I had hoped having children would be simpler. 

I had hoped my kids would be walking with the Lord. 

I also imagined other results by pursuing ministry.

Unmet expectations are the breeding ground for a cooled-off heart. These two disciples had a very specific framework for how God was supposed to act. When the cross shattered that framework, they couldn't even see the Jesus walking right beside them. 

It seems all the disciples had the same attitude with the gospel message.

Luke 24:10-11 10 Now it was Mary Magdalene and Joanna and Mary the mother of James and the other women with them who told these things to the apostles, 11 but these words seemed to them an idle tale, and they did not believe them 

Fear and doubt dominate. Their hopes have been crushed. Their leader was crucified. Their hearts were cold and heavy. 

The news of an empty tomb didn't matter to them. The tomb was empty, but Rome was still in charge, so as far as they were concerned, God had failed them.

You think, “If I can just fix this. If I can just get my finances to this specific number, if I can just control my family, then I will have peace…”

You sit in the service, and the pastor preaches the gospel. It is the greatest news in the universe! But you walk out to your car feeling just as heavy, just as anxious, and just as discouraged as when you walked in. You wanted Jesus to fix, balance the budget, and change your boss.

A customer relationship that will always frustrate you and an unsatisfiable heart attached to things, time and worries.

May the Lord open our eyes today. 

The risen Christ, the resurrection and life, the joy of heaven, the peace that exceeds knowledge, is here speaking and rekindling our hearts again.

Exhort one another every day

Hebrews 3:12-13 12 Take care, brothers, lest there be in any of you an evil, unbelieving heart, leading you to fall away from the living God. 13 But exhort one another every day, as long as it is called “today,” that none of you may be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin.

I asked my son to take care of the lawn, which he was supposed to do weekly. Grass grows quickly, so it needs to be mowed regularly. However, he decided to mow a week early, thinking, “Let me cut the grass as short as possible because it will grow back anyway, and I’ll have less work next week.” When I saw the lawn, I was very frustrated. The grass was sparse and bare in places. I knew what was coming—improper pruning weakens the grass. Weeds tend to grow faster than grass, choking it and stealing nutrients from the soil. 

So he had another brilliant idea. He used a heavy dose of fertilizer and applied it at the wrong time of day. It burned the weeds and any other grass buds. 

As a result, I now have neither healthy turf nor grass, as it is all dead.

Weeds appear. No matter what. Naturally, you will be drawn to an unbelieving heart. That is why you must be surrounded by other believers. Weekly pruning. Weekly mowing. That is how we grow.

If you don’t do the daily work of "exhort one another every day” eventually the good news will not sound like good news to you.

Hebrews 4:2 2 For good news came to us just as to them, but the message they heard did not benefit them, because they were not united by faith with those who listened.

Have you met brothers who, when we try to speak the good news to them, seem almost offended? They think, “Pastor, what are you talking about? Jesus takes care of me. What do you mean? Don’t you see the immigration situation? Don’t you know the cost of gas? Have you made groceries recently? And about the “snowbirds…” they are already here, getting on our nerves…”

I have a problem with believers who, instead of being inspired by the invitation to lead a group, serve on the encounter or the mountain track with us, reply that we have crossed a line of disrespect by challenging them. I will tell you, if you don’t like to be challenged, you will have to choose another God to follow.

Let the Scripture reveal Jesus

In the coming days, we want you to see Jesus Christ every single day. If your eyes and ears are open, you are certain to see Jesus Christ through Scripture; your heart will burn again.

(Luke 24:27) “And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he interpreted to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning himself.”

For years, historians and scholars had stared at ancient Egyptian hieroglyphs on tombs and monuments. They had all the facts in front of them, but the language was dead. It was a mystery to the world. 

In 1799, French soldiers in Egypt discovered a heavy slab of black basalt that we now know as the Rosetta Stone. The Rosetta Stone contained the same decree written in three scripts: hieroglyphs, Demotic, and ancient Greek. Because scholars could read Greek, they finally possessed the key to unlock the entire Egyptian language. Suddenly, everything that was confusing made perfect sense.

Jesus Christ is our Rosetta Stone.

When we look at Scripture to see Christ, everything changes. The entire Old Testament points directly to Him.

"In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths." (Proverbs 3:6)

Not only Scripture, but your conversations, your life events, your delays, your new opportunities. Consider the Lord in all your ways.

From Separation to Fellowship

As they continue down the road, we see that they were treating Jesus like a transactional, political Savior. They wanted to crush Rome, fix the economy and find some way to change their social status.

When He died on the cross, they thought the transaction had failed. 

Luke 24:30-31 30 When he was at table with them, he took the bread and blessed and broke it and gave it to them. 31 And their eyes were opened, and they recognized him. And he vanished from their sight.

Jesus invites us into communion. He offers us His presence. When He breaks the bread, He reminds us that His broken body is the ultimate, final provision for humanity.

The parallel story happened in Genesis chapter 3. There, another couple ate, and their “eyes were opened.” But in this case, they ate the wrong tree. 

They wanted to understand naturally. They wanted to seize control. 

Genesis 3:6-7 6 So when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was a delight to the eyes, and that the tree was to be desired to make one wise, she took of its fruit and ate, and she also gave some to her husband who was with her, and he ate. 7 Then the eyes of both were opened, and they knew that they were naked. And they sewed fig leaves together and made themselves loincloths.

They were drawn by the appearance of what was attractive, famous, enticing.

Eating the wrong fruit opened their eyes to their shame and drove them apart. Took them away from the fellowship. No access to the garden anymore.

They hid. They covered themselves with fig leaves of human effort. 

But here, in Luke 24, the couple eats from the right tree, the tree of life. They eat of Jesus himself. Breaking the bread made them participants in Jesus’ life. And that also opened their eyes. 

The cross is the Tree of Life.

Lately, I’ve had to admit defeat and reach for my reading glasses. It’s not that I am completely blind without them.

When your vision is blurred like that, you don't just struggle to read—you actually start reading the "wrong" things. You skip a crucial word. You misinterpret a sentence.

Is this also happening in your homes and in our marriages? You can be in the same room, looking at the same situation, but without the right lenses, you completely misread your spouse. 

The husband looks at his wife and says, "I love you." But because her vision is blurred by a past betrayal or rejection, she misreads the message entirely. She understands, "You don’t really care about me." Or the wife says, "I really need you to help me with this." The husband, looking through the blur, hears, "You are a failure, and I have to pay for yet another expense.”

The text is right in front of us, but we are misreading each other. We read criticism instead of connection. We read rejection instead of an invitation.

They are looking at the exact same reality, but their natural vision is completely distorting the message. 

You need better vision. You need Christ. When you look at your spouse through the lens of Christ's broken body and shed blood, you stop reading judgment where there is mercy. You no longer have to constantly defend yourself.

When did their eyes finally open? When did the blurriness fade? It wasn't just during the walk. It was at the table. It was when Jesus took the bread, blessed it, and broke it. You need to get back to the table. You need the bread and the wine.

When Christ sits at the center of your table, He becomes the lens through which you finally read each other with grace, with clarity, and with a burning heart.

In Genesis, taking from the wrong tree made them participants in sin and death. But here, eating of the broken bread made them participants in Jesus’ life.

In the garden, eyes were opened to shame, and the couple ran to hide. In Emmaus, eyes were opened to grace, and the couple ran to share the good news.

Burning to be on Fire

Jesus gave this couple a sample a teaser a prelude of what was about to come. They were the first to expereince before hand the burning of the Spirit that would later come in power and authority, enabling the church for the mission.

Acts 2:1-4 1 When the day of Pentecost arrived, they were all together in one place. 2 And suddenly there came from heaven a sound like a mighty rushing wind, and it filled the entire house where they were sitting. 3 And divided tongues as of fire appeared to them and rested on each one of them. 4 And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit gave them utterance.

In the next 21 days, the Lord is preparing us for an empowerment. An increase of anointing that would enable us for the ministry. 

After this time, I can see a great explosive growth in our lifegroups. People getting saved in our services. All that out of our prayer, scripture and communion.