Turn to strength through prayer. Mhm. I like that one.
Weakness turn to strength in prayer. And what does Ephesians 3:16 say? Anybody got it?
That he would grant you according to the riches of his glory to be strengthened with might by his spirit in the inner man. Mhm. So, he will grant.
So, we got to pray for that. So, the only way we can turn from weakness to strength, we got to pray, "Lord, grant us thy grace. " Let's look at another verse here.
Someone go to Ephesians [clears throat] this time. Ephesians 6:10 I believe. Ephesians 6:10.
Who like to read that? Ephesians chapter 6, verse 10. Verse 10?
Yes, ma'am. Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power of his might. Be strong where?
In the Lord. And what else did he say? And in the power of his might.
So, what do we need then in order for us to have our weakness transformed to strength? To be strong. Be strong.
Have you heard people say, "Well, I'm strong. I'm strong. " A lot of folks say that, Leslie.
But they don't have the power to be strong as God. It's the spirit of God. We have to pray for that strength.
Pray for that strength. We pray for that strength because that strength that comes only from God would banish fear, banish our courage to walk even though we don't see the end from the beginning. Now, a question, it's not in the book.
If you could see the end from the beginning in your life, my life. If I know the outcome [clears throat] of my life. If you knew the outcome of your life, how would that affect your walk?
I wouldn't want to live. >> [laughter] >> And why you say that? Cuz if I knew the things that have happened to me so far, I wouldn't So, based on your past experience, to know the future outcome of your life would be devastating, okay?
Anyone else? If you know the outcome of your life as it is now, how would it affect you? I don't know if my walk would be as authentic as maybe God might want it to be.
>> Let me use the mic. We've just been reminded by a chemist cuz we're we're live. I might not live as authentically as I possibly could if I knew um [clears throat] the trajectory of my life and how it was going to end.
Um I would be bracing for impact at all times. Wow. Um and not genuinely trusting him moment by moment, hour by hour, day by day.
Mhm. That's good. Anyone else?
If you knew >> Your question? If you If you could know the outcome of your life future even like today, how would it affect you? How would it affect you now?
To know you can see where you are in the future. Look at it. >> [clears throat] >> And Star said, it would be too good for her.
Did you hear what Leslie said? Mhm. I think for me because I've lived most most of my life unless the Lord does something extravagantly incredible.
>> [gasps] >> You know, I've lived I've lived most of my life and I have been encouraged in recent years especially to trace God's hand in my life. Okay. And so, because of the experiences I've I've had in my life as I have traced God's hand and he has shown me again and again, this was preparing me for this, was preparing me for this, and so forth.
You know, I I feel very um Oh, I can't think of the word. I'm not discouraged. I'm encouraged because I know because of how he has led me in the past, Okay.
>> I trust that he will see me through. So, you believe the outcome of the fact that you you have greater encouragement and you see yourself more firm in your walk? Yes.
Mhm. Okay. Let's take our Bibles, turn to the book of John chapter 6.
Few other texts before we finish up. John chapter 6. John 6.
I believe let's see, is it verse 63? God knows the future, he knows outcome. But like I said, Margaret, by tracing the hand of God where you were and where you are now, you have Lisa England where you will be in the future.
Hope. I have hope and courage to carry on. >> Hope and courage, that's all right.
John 6:16 63. It says, "It is the spirit that quicken. " What does the word quicken mean?
Quicken. Attention? Get your Okay, go ahead.
Quicken is to make alive. To quicken is to make alive. It says here, "It is the spirit that quickeneth.
The flesh profit nothing. >> [clears throat] >> The words that I speak unto you, they are spirit and they are life. Spirit and life that can transform our weakness to strength.
" Let's look at the book of Exodus chapter 15. Someone read verse two. Then I'd like someone to read Deuteronomy chapter 31:16.
Exodus 15:2 and [clears throat] Deuteronomy and Deuteronomy chapter 31:16. >> [clears throat and cough] >> Nice. Cuz All right.
Then I like All right. Let me repeat it again. I said Exodus Exodus 15:2, Deuteronomy 31:16.
Then I need someone to read First Chronicle chapter chapter 16, verse 11. And then the last one would be Isaiah 41:10. Now, who has Exodus 15:2?
I do. Read it. The Lord is my strength and song.
>> Mhm. And he is become my salvation. He is my God, and I will prepare him an inhabit an habitation.
>> Habitation. My father's God, and I will exalt him. Amen.
Now, what What's the takeaway in that verse real quick, Ali? He's become my salvation. All right.
What else? He's my God. And I will prepare him an habitation.
Father's God and I will He's my strength. He's your That's the key. He's your strength.
So, he can transform your weakness into strength. >> To strength. And so, we have to pray, "Dear Lord, I avail myself of your grace to be upon me.
" Because every time we are faced with new challenges or requests, >> Right. we tend to draw back because we feel inadequate. And like I believe Leslie was sharing with us in the class, many times acceptance or rejection.
But if we can not [clears throat] allow those past experience block us from praying that God, in your word, we put our finger on the word, "You said in Isaiah 41:10, Hold on to his word. You said in Isaiah [clears throat] 41:10 that you would be my strength. " You get that?
Mhm. It's very important to understand that. All right.
Who has the next verse? >> [clears throat] >> Who has the next verse? >> And the Lord said unto Moses, "Behold, thou shalt sleep with thy fathers.
And this people will rise up and go a-whoring after the gods of the strangers of the land. Whether they go to be among them and will forsake me and break my covenant which I have made with them. " Okay, you read that real quick.
Fast. >> Sorry. That's all right.
So, what does that say? What you read? Um >> That there's people then that will go around doing things for sake of God's name.
Okay. Anything else? Are you in Deuteronomy I mean you are Where are you?
What chapter you in? I'm in chapter 31. Deuteronomy 31, right?
16, right? >> Yep. All right.
Anything else you see in that chapter? Are we in chapter or verse? Chapter 31, verse 16.
Anything else you see in that verse? Anything else? You said chapter, but you mean verse.
In that verse, thank you, dear. Or anyone. What can you take away from that verse?
It's Deuteronomy chapter 31 Um verse 16. And the Lord said unto Moses, behold, thou shalt sleep with thy fathers, and those people will rise up and go a whoring after the gods of the strangers of the land, whither they go to be among them, and will forsake me, and break my covenant which I have made with them. So, God makes a covenant with us.
And due to the Israel, they broke that covenant. Now, what was God's promise to Israel? What was that covenant all about?
What was that promise? So, a covenant that he made a promise. He entered [clears throat] to a agreement.
And he realized that he will fulfill his covenant. So, therefore, what was that God covenant with Israel? What was the covenant?
Anybody know? Cuz you got a old covenant, got a new covenant. What was that covenant there in Deuteronomy that God said?
What did he say? Look at that verse. What did he say in that verse?
Anyone? Very basic. What did he say in that verse?
All right. Now, again, is God a covenant-keeping God? Yes.
Mhm? You agree with that? I agree.
So, what happened to Israel in that situation with the covenant? What did they do? You read it.
Did they cooperate with God? No. They went a whoring all over the land.
All right. So, what does God require of us? So, what all?
All he want us to avail ourselves to him. All he want us to say, yes, Lord, but in our strength, we cannot do it. See, they made a they they made a promise in the past.
Said, all that you say, Lord, we shall do. Anybody remember that? They didn't realize there's no way they could keep that covenant without the spirit of the living God.
You can You can make all the promises in the world. All the promises. And without the spirit of God, those promises you will not keep.
That's the point. Who has 1 Chronicles chapter 16, verse 11? Keep this in mind.
God is faithful. God is a faithful covenant-keeping God. He said, I will 1 Chronicles chapter 16, verse 11.
Right? 1 Chronicles chapter 16, verse 11. Seek the Lord and his strength.
Seek his face continually. Seek the what? Seek the Lord and his strength.
>> Strength. Seek the Lord and his strength. And what?
[clears throat] Seek his face. And seek his what? >> Behold his face continually.
How often? All the time. All the time.
One moment that we forget doing that, the enemy of God will take advantage. All he's looking for is a wedge. God has covenant with us in this time that he will fulfill his purpose in our lives.
In your life, my life. And if [clears throat] we continue to look inward rather than outward. See, we need a microscope sometimes that look deep.
Once we see it, then we need a telescope to see as God see. And so, we do not want to be like the children of Israel for their own record to let us know God's desire. Let's look at one more text, I believe.
We looked at there, I believe we looked at Isaiah 41. And that was 1 Chronicles 16:11. Let's take one more here.
I'll tell you what to do. I want to read this last verse in this prayer book. This last verse, cuz I think the scriptures bear witness.
This last verse, >> [snorts] >> it talks about weakness turned to strength through prayer as we saw in the scripture. They, many of God's people, do not see the importance of self-knowledge and self-control. [clears throat] Mhm.
Now, what is self-knowledge? Self-knowledge. What is self-knowledge?
Anyone have a just an inkling of that? Self-knowledge. It's pretty well It tends to give us an understanding of self-knowledge.
Self-knowledge. It says, many of God's people do not see the importance of self-knowledge and self-control. Is it talking about um and about our our purpose and our identity?
Well, all that's inclusive. I would say yes. And when we talk about self-knowledge, are we aware of our tendencies?
Are we aware of our weakness? Are we aware of our strength? The passions.
Do we know ourselves as God revealed? Do you know who you are? >> Our inclinations, like what we're inclined to, whatever.
Because this is what it says. It says, many of God's people do not see the importance of having self-knowledge. Do I know Thomas Jackson?
Do I know [clears throat] the tendency, the propensities? All that pertaining to my makeup. Because without that, it says, they do not see the importance of self-knowledge and self-control.
Mhm. Self-control. Now, what is What is it saying there?
Once I understand myself, my weakness, and etc. , and then there are things that entice me, or there are things that irritate me, cause me to react. Do I have understanding of my behavior?
Do I understanding of that which cause me the most pain, or pain period? Self-inventory. There's nothing wrong with that.
That's microscopic. We look, then we ask God search this heart. We need to have a self-knowledge.
We need to know the very traits we have, the weakness. We need to know that because in order to be disciplined, I need to know what I need to release to God by his spirit. Does that make sense?
But how many Christian take time to do that? Let me continue. It says, they do not watch and pray.
Watch and pray. Lest they enter into temptation. If they will watch, if they will watch, they will become acquainted with their weak points, where they are most likely to be assailed by temptation.
With watchfulness and prayer, their weakest points can be so guarded as to become their strongest points. Did y'all get that? Let me read that again.
I don't know that resonate with you. It says here, with watchfulness, that being cognitive of your life, >> [clears throat] >> of your behavior, of your words, your facial expression, your attitude. With watchfulness and prayer, their weakest points can be so guarded as to become their strongest points.
And they can encounter temptation without being overcome. Now, you talking about over overcoming, this need to be really saturate your mind. The last line.
Every follower of Christ should daily examine himself. We so eager to get examine other people. Every follower of Christ should daily examine himself that he or she may become perfectly acquainted with their own conduct.
Perfectly acquainted with their own conduct. We need to pray that God will give us that grace become acquainted with our own conduct. And without the aid of the Holy Spirit there's no way we can do that.
What What's your trigger points? What causes you to do what you do do? Are you aware of that?
What causes you pain? >> [clears throat] >> What causes you to go into the state of depression? This is what we need to be very cognitive of.
Self-examination. You know, I'm way back in the time of my uh little health situation I remember it's been 16 years ago as I shared with others in London, England. And um when I when we ended [clears throat] up in London, England to conduct training when I had that experience and the text to me came so real.
It says, "Let not the sun go down on your wrath. " That text came to my mind. And when I eventually woke up I looked at my wife, my bride from my side.
Now, I want you to listen very careful cuz it would have been too late. I said, "Honey how was it between you and I when we boarded that plane in Nashville and flew to London, England and landed? How were we?
Were we one with another? My attitude How was our attitude? " I read that text and the question we already read it.
But, you know, it would have been too late because if God had not woken me up then what would have been the conclusion of the matter? Does anybody understand? So, do not let the sun go down on your wrath.
Before we go to sleep, there need to be inventory. Lord have I said anything in words anything anyone any of those night you seek to get it right. That's self-examination.
You know, and that [clears throat] that scripture continue to come forth in and other other night even though that with little humor as I [clears throat] address the situation with one of our dear workers. I said, "Now why you know, joking and jesting got to be out of and definitely this person been offended. " And in the last night God just convicted me.
Now >> [clears throat] >> I'm glad he woke me up. >> [laughter] >> Now I can make it right. [clears throat] Self-examination.
Any closing question comments? Mhm? >> [clears throat] >> What did you get?
What you got? What's the takeaway? That can help you continue your Christian journey.
Anyone? Any thoughts? [clears throat] So true.
Thank you. That's his name. All right then.
Yes, Marla. >> I was just thinking that um um part of the takeaway to me is just a reminder that I need to be um ever present with the Lord and that I need to make room in my [clears throat] mind and heart to hear his voice and then to heed whatever it is to have a sensitivity to be aware of what the spirit of God is saying. Conscious of it.
That's right. >> Conscientiousness. >> Mhm.
On the rest it says, "Good evening, Dr Jackson and the Meek and family. May the Lord richly bless you all. " Thank you, my friend.
Thank you. Thank you. Anyone else?
Even our friend Even our [clears throat] friends that's watching if you've been listening, what can you take away from this little short thought? We need the Holy Spirit. Amen.
And amen. Understanding who we are truly. We need to have self-examination.
Every moment we need we should be our most critical examiner. Thank you, dear. Sorry, you had a thought.
For me, um the fact that it is impossible for me to do anything that the Lord requires of me except for choosing to surrender. >> Amen. He I am weak.
He is my strength. Um He is my salvation. I cannot save myself.
And that without the Holy Spirit I can't resist or overcome temptation. Without the aid of the Holy Spirit. So, my greatest need is the Holy Spirit.
The greatest need is the Holy Spirit for me. That's my takeaway. That's all right.
Someone said, "The Lord is my strength and my salvation. " Isaiah 41:10, "He is my strength. " He is my wisdom.
He is my refuge. He is my savior. The Star, you have something share, my dear?
Um my takeaway is um just reminding me how much >> [clears throat] >> I don't seek his face enough and it says in First Chronicles 16:11 that we need to seek his face continually. I said it slowly, they won't hear speaking to the mic. Put the mic up there cuz that's voice listening.
Um [snorts] No one's looking at you. Just speak. Cuz someone else is making a comment here.
Go ahead, speak. It just reminds me of the verse uh First Chronicles 16:11 about how it [snorts] says seek the Lord seek his face continually and it's a constant reminder that we don't seek his face enough and sometimes we forget to seek him and ask for the Holy Spirit. >> Amen.
So, [clears throat] be with us always. Yeah. That's all right.
That's all right. And no one can see your face. Don't worry about that.
All right. Let me read this comment. Read it from this distance.
Read what it says. I would live more intentionally and walk purposefully as Enoch. Uh-huh.
>> Uh-huh. And I believe that the Lord is asking us to live as such. That's right.
Now, when she mentioned Enoch in Hebrews [clears throat] chapter 11, there's a word just resonate with me. Huh? >> [clears throat] >> Enoch That's right.
It says that Enoch before he was translated he pleased God. And I I used to share this when I do marriage pre-marriage coaching or marriage coaching. And when And I used to say to married couples, I said, "Is your marriage worth fighting for?
" I know they have books on that. But, I remember one situation that really changed my whole trajectory of my thinking. So, I asked the couple that.
And there was hesitation when I asked that question. Hesitation. And so, it was not worth fighting for.
So, I do not ask that question anymore. I take it from Hebrews 11:5. It says before Enoch was translated he had this testimony that it pleased he pleased God.
So, I asked the couple, I said, "Do you want to please God? Do you See, it's not so much please Do you want to please God? " That changed the whole uh feature of that question.
Do you want to please God? If you're not, then you're outside of Christ. If you're outside of Christ and don't want to please God, there's nothing else I can do.
Hello? Cuz you don't want to please God. That doesn't mean you're already perfect, but do you want to please God?
Keep that in mind, even my friends out there. The question is is that do you want to please God? Do you want his Holy Spirit to transform your life to transform your weakness into strength?
And I tell you every day we have that battle. Even myself as I come to the place and realize, I said, "Lord, you need to show me a token a token of your presence, a token for good that the unbelievers may know that there's a God here. " Let's pray for one.
Anybody have a prayer request as we pray? Prayer requests. I'd like you to continue to keep the ministry in prayer, the students in prayer, the health guests in prayer and [clears throat] ask God to give us strength as his workers to persevere because there's daylight through the tunnel.
And there's stars out in the daytime, which you don't see them until night come. All right. Pray for our dear brother Donald Sims.
>> [applause] >> And then And as [clears throat] he continue to recover, what you say there? The Sydney family. Yes.
That the Lord may comfort them during this time. Comfort them. Any other prayer request God?
Any prayer request? Yeah. The people back home.
Yes, the and then the area that experienced that tornado. All those that was in harm's way. And thank God there was no death.
Any of our friends out there in stream land. Any prayer request you have before we close out. All right.
So we thank you for joining us. We thank you those for your comments. And may we take these thoughts lay down tonight and our sleep will be refreshing.
No ruminating. Ask God to take our thoughts and replace them with his thoughts. Thank you.
Thank you. Thank you. So let us pray.
I'm going to kneel and we'll pray. So therefore is one or two people who would like to pray and I'll close out. And we get one or two prayers here.
Anybody want to pray? Lord, I just want to thank you for being the all wise, all powerful, almighty God who knows the end from the beginning. And for not giving up on any of us.
For drawing us closer and closer to you. And even um being able to use us in the process to serve you. I too join with the others in prayer for our students.
For health guests and for everyone on this campus with all the various needs. I pray for health and strength. And for encouragement where it's needed.
And that you would help us to cooperate with you whatever you put before us. I pray in thy name. Amen.
Amen. Amen. Heavenly Father, Lord, we come before you tonight thanking you for um everything that you've done in our lives thus far.
And thanking you for the opportunity Lord has given to us for a fresh outpouring of the Holy Spirit. And um want to thank you for >> [snorts] >> um your little sometimes we don't notice them, but little mercies every day that you've given us. And um we want to ask forgiveness for not always being present when you want to show us things.
And um Lord ask for us for blessing on the school. And um not only the school that's going on at the moment, but the health guests and the staffs and the mindset of the staffs and the hearts of the staff Lord for they have Mhm. big hearts and they have so much to to give and we just want to ask Lord that you bless them during this time.
And um the health guests minds and hearts as well as they learn more about health. And um Yeah, thank for um our family um and friends and also please place the hedge of healing all around um Uncle Donald so that um he may be 100% soon. And um that his his health may be on the up and up.
Lord, we thank you and ask for a psychic omni. Amen. Father, we do thank you.
We praise you for you are worthy to be praised. You inhabit the praise of thy people. We thank you that you do not judge us according to our iniquitous ways, but according to your mercies.
We thank you for your faithfulness. Your precious promises. Your infinite love and forgiveness.
We thank you for all the temporal provision you make for us. Through Jesus Christ who now is mediating between the living and the dead in the most holy place of the heavenly sanctuary. High priest who is touched with the feelings of our infirmities.
And we can come boldly to the throne of grace in time of need. So Lord, I pray for all of our friends online. You know their hearts need.
All the unspoken requests. For Lord, I pray that you would take out of our mouths out of our minds all that which conflict that will prevent you speaking to us. And give us your thoughts.
Put a door over our mouth that we would not sin against thee in word or deed. We surrender ourselves into your hand. Because only through the power of the Holy Spirit that we can be transformed.
Keep us abiding in the vine of Jesus Christ. Order our steps and our words. When we lay down tonight let us be sure that all of our sins, known sins have been confessed of.
And you have faithfully forgiven them. May those sins be blotted out of the records. And our names remain in the Lamb's Book of Life.
Is our prayer in Jesus' name. Amen. And amen.
>> [clears throat] >> To God be the glory. Great things is done and has done. Hallelujah.
>> [music] [music] [music] [music] [music] [music] [music] [music] [music] [music] [music] [music] [music] [music] [music] [music] [music] [music] [music] [music] [music] >> Oh.
