Accepted and Faultless

I'm about to get started. I'm excited to be here. Y'all excuse my voice this morning, but coming off of Pentecost Sunday yesterday, my voice is, is, is coming back. I'm happy about that, but I'm excited to be here with you guys on today because I woke up this morning with such a I don't even know. I don't know how to explain it. It was just like fires, like let everything go and just do it. And I was just thinking about obedience and, you know, the protection. Like, God has really been protecting me and I want to stay there. And so when he says, I have a word for you, and it was— I thought it was going to be one word, so y'all be Be patient with me on today. I'm going to deliver what I have in the best way that I can, and I know that I have you know God is going to speak through me, and I pray that He does, and every word that comes from my mouth be acceptable. And so today, if you guys see the the the message is called. Accepted and faultless. And I really wanted to break it down, not in my terms, and really train ourselves. So we know that the scripture says that every scripture is God's breath. And I was doing my breathing techniques this morning, you know, and as the, the word came to me, it was just like— so it was— my mind was free. When we think about what we're thinking about, and he says, think on whatever is true, whatever is lovely, whatever is reputable, whatever is praiseworthy. Think on such things. And as I started to think about the things that was so praiseworthy, I said, let me come and share. And it was the title came as Father. It came as accepted and faultless. So that's really what we're going to be talking about today, is really diving into getting an understanding. So every scripture is God's breath and is useful for teaching, correcting, rebuking, and training us so that we're thoroughly equipped for the good work. And for me, I definitely want to be equipped. So when you think about Resources. God is the source, and he's provided us resources. We are even a resource. And so I wanted to be resourceful today in, like, everything. I wanted to be intentionally resourceful. And so order matters. And so he said every scripture is useful for teaching. So We're going to start with some teaching. Like, God, teach us based off of your word. Teach us and correct some things, rebuke some things. So this is, this is the place, this is the space where we're going to, uh, come in with an open mind. So if you, you know, do those breathing techniques, let everything go out of your mind. You know, take some deep breaths in, 4 in, hold it. Pour out, hold it, and repeat until you get like everything go. I cast all your cares upon him, for he cares for you. And also thank him because he gonna, he gonna clear it all up. And so come in with thanksgiving and then ask, ask God, what is your will for me today? What is your plans? If you have— if you know the plans that you have for me, and those plans are not to harm me but to give me hope and for a future, well, Lord, I put it into your hands. Let me clear my mind and be in alignment with your plans. And so doing that today, I was like, okay, accepted and faultless, but what it really means. And I started with the real, you know, religion. And so really having this conversation, and let's have the conversation. And so, so I'm going to go through some some scriptures. The 4 main scriptures is going to be James 1. So this is a full chapter, y'all. We're not doing one. This is, um, the scripture is James chapter 1 and Jeremiah chapter 7, and we're going to go through Acts 25 and 26. So those are our key scriptures as far— and also 1 Timothy 5. So those are our 5 main scriptures that I wanted to go through today. So bear with me. He who has an ear, I pray that you hear. We touched last year on commitment, and we were committing ourselves to being a hearer and not really deceiving ourselves. We don't want to deceive ourselves and really think that we are a listener, but we have to also be a doer. And so really this right here is just me and my commitment to do. When you think about what you heard and when you hear the word of God, it's when you know You have to speak it, and that is the responsibility. So as we're growing, you know, putting God first, handling our responsibilities, being obedient, and growing in wisdom and in stature and in favor with God and all men— when you think about the, the word and really following Christ, that's where I'm at today. So I really wanted to handle this, this responsibility. Like, really, it's not forgetting. Like, not, you know, he said, don't merely think that you are a listener, so deceive yourself. It's like looking in the mirror and quickly forgetting what you look like. Now, I don't know if— for me, I know how quick it is to lose something. And when I say something, even as far as a scripture, we can hear a scripture, we can hear the word of God, and immediately somebody can come and ask What you cooking for dinner? It's as easy as that. And so we have to really go into the teaching, the correcting, rebuking, and training so that we can be thoroughly equipped for the good work of being a listener and a doer of the word. So accepting the faults— this is, this is part of just teaching, correcting, rebuking, so, and, and training. So building up the skills that's needed to stay in obedience. And that's, that's our goals, to stay in obedience. And I'll reveal what the, the other goal is because we have a, um, an additional scripture. And when I say additional scripture, yes, it is an additional chapter as well. So that, that chapter is Coming from Ephesians, and so let's go ahead and get started in in our in our first. So I wanted to start off with some key terms. Let's let's the title is Accepted and Faultless. So let's start there. Let's start with what it means to be faultless. Now we do not conform to the patterns of this world, but we be transformed by the renewing of our mind. So is not necessarily being ignorant of the other, the same. So when we go through these definitions, we're gonna trust in the Lord with all our heart and lean not to our own understanding. So even as we hear these terms, we're not going to lean to our own understanding. We're gonna trust in God to really write it on our hearts. And I'm grateful and I give honor to the leaders and everyone who has played a role in this. A tremendous part in my life, um, from my parents to the leaders in the church, my mentors and coaches, and everyone who even said a kind word. Like, I— even my, my enemies. Like, really loving everyone. Like, I love everyone. That's like, that's a command to love everyone. Um, so, but really knowing what that means. Um, love is patient. Love is kind. It does not boast. It does not take records of wrong. It does not envy. So yes, I'm thankful for the forgiveness that has been extended to me by, of course, Jesus. He's the only one who can forgive sin. So I'm thankful that he has extended that grace to me and been very merciful and compassionate to me. So Let's go into the, the terms. Faultless: free from any imperfections or defects. Flawless. So you think about free from any imperfections or defects. So in a spiritual sense, being faultless means living in a way that aligns perfectly with God's standards and commands. That's the— and I'm gonna say that again, being in a spiritual sense. And I love how Dr. Darius said, when you get better spiritually, everything gets better. So the basic definition is free from any imperfection or defects. But when you talk about in a spiritual sense, it means living in a way that aligns perfectly with God's standards. Mm-hmm. and commands. So even with the command to love one another, living perfectly in that. And so, and then accepted. Accepted, regarded favorably or with approval. Now in the spiritual and religious concept, it, it means being accepted by God, and it implies living in a manner that pleases him. Adhering to his will and commands. And that's really what stood out, you know, stood out to me on yesterday when it was like God's good, pleasing, and perfect will. And we know that Christ, he, he was— he, he pleased God. He was, uh, he was perfect. So when we think about accepted and being, being accepted For what we— this is it. God implies living in a manner that pleases him, adhering to his will and command. So we're right now— is really sticking out to me, the commands. And then, so we're going to touch on some, some, some more terms as far as integrity. The quality of being honest and having strong moral principles, moral uprightness. And law, a system of rules created and enforced through social or governmental institutions to regulate behavior. So for me, some of these key terms like are sticking out. So think about regulation of behavior and truthfulness, being honest. Strong moral principles. These are all things that God has given us in the Bible, in the word of God. So you're getting a lot and being taught a lot by God in just like the strong moral principles, behavior, and, um, honesty and ethical, you know, ethics. So that's why I really wanted to Stay in the word, stay in the word of God, and really do these these speaking you know engagement with everyone when I'm when I'm when I'm sharing. I definitely wanted to do it in the context of what God says, and then we think about religion, and that's why we're going to start with James one. Chapter 1. But in James chapter 1, verse 27, it says true religion involves practical expressions of faith, such as caring for those in need and maintaining personal purity, beyond mere rituals or traditions. And then the next term is maturity. And spiritual maturity, it involves growing in faith and understanding of God's will, reaching a level of spiritual depth and stability as described in Ephesians 4. So we're going to go through all these, all these terms. We're going to go through the word of God, and I want you to just kind of, as you hear So like, for me, as I hear, I'm taking notes. And then the last term is perfection. I'm sorry, we got one more term because this term— this is the last term, but then we're going to go into depth of when it says accepted and faultless. There's one term that I want to attach to accepted and faultless. So the last term is perfection. And biblically, perfection often refers to spiritual completeness or wholeness, and is striving to reflect God's holiness and righteousness in one's life, as Jesus commands in Matthew 5. So there's another command. And The call, a strong urge towards a particular way of life or career, a vocation. In Christian faith, a call refers to God's invitation to follow him and fulfill his purposes. I'm smiling, y'all, because I haven't yet, um, Released it, but The Invitation— there is a book called The Invitation that will be released very soon. So look out for The Invitation. And so in this space, as we talk about training and practice, what does it really mean to practice? It, it involves the tangible expression of faith, such as caring for others, Maintaining personal purity and living out the principles taught in scripture is practice. Is you know speaking or the words, the the actions is for us practice, actions and practice. So let's go ahead and dive into. James chapter 1, and I'm going to read it full out and kind of go through some points. Let's read the word. If you have an ear, let's, um, I pray that you hear. James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, to the 12 tribes scattered among the nations. Greetings. Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything. If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God. Who gives generously to all, generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you. But when you ask, you must believe and not doubt, because the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea blown and tossed by the wind. That person should not expect to receive anything from the Lord. Such a person is double-minded and unstable in all they do. Believers in humble circumstances ought to take pride in their high position, but the rich should take pride in their humiliation, since they will pass away like a wildflower. For the sun rises with scorching heat and withers the plant. It blossoms, falls, and its beauty is destroyed. In the same way, the rich will fade away even while they go about their business. Blessed is the one who perseveres under trial, because having stood the test, that person will receive the crown of life that the Lord has promised to those who love him. When tempted, no one should say, God is tempting me. For God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does he tempt anyone. But each person is tempted when they are dragged away by their own evil desire and enticed. Then, after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin, and sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to death. Don't be deceived, my dear brothers and sisters. Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows. He chose to give us birth through the word of truth, that we might be a kind of firstfruits of all he created. My dear brothers and sisters, Take note of this. Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to become angry, because human anger does not produce the righteousness that God desires. Therefore, get rid of all moral filth and the evil that is so prevalent, and humbly accept The word planted in you, which can save you. Don't merely listen to the word and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says. Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like someone who looks at his face in a mirror and after looking at himself goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like. But whoever looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom and continues in it, not forgetting what they have heard but doing it, they will be blessed in what they do. Those who consider themselves religious and yet do not keep a tight rein on their tongues deceive themselves, and their religion is worthless. Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: Look after orphans and widows in their distress, and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world. Powerful. I was trying not to go into the word as much as I wanted to, but let's go through some key points, some key takeaways from From this, this James, and this is James 1. This is the beginning of James. And so we're going to go through some key, key points and focus. So I like focus because it's selective attention. We're going to place some selective attention on some of the verses that really stood out. When we talk about trials and perseverance, I want to emphasize the importance of enduring trials, enduring trials with joy. Now we're going to have trials. There's going to be some periods of time before we go through different things. And we want to continue to persevere because we know that perseverance produces character, that character turns and comes into produces hope, and that hope is the part of God's plan and for our future. So as you're enduring trials with joy, that's how you develop. Perseverance and maturity in the faith. In the faith, because this is it. I want to highlight in the faith. Faith comes by hearing, and hearing comes by the word of God. So to hear, we need the word of God. So maturity in faith, in hearing the word of God. So you want to persevere in life, In Christ, he is the truth, he is the life, he is the way. So when we talk about perseverance and we talk about trials, we're talking about in life walking with Christ in us and we in him, because we'll bear much fruit. And that we'll go into it. And then seeking wisdom, we really need to highlight that, you know, the need for wisdom and the importance of asking God with unwavering faith. Like, God, we ask for wisdom because we know from when we ask for wisdom, from your mouth comes knowledge and understanding. So when we get wisdom, you're going to— from your mouth, which is your word, we're going to get knowledge and understanding. So it's very important to ask. So, and seek and knock when it comes to wisdom and the word. So you have to ask God, I need the word. So if you don't have the word, if you, you need to ask, I need the word. And a lot of times, you guys, as I'm speaking, I'm speaking to me. I'm speaking to me because like we said, we heard in, in James 1, don't merely think that you are a listener and so deceive yourself, but be a doer. You know, so doing the, the work and really understanding that when it says study to show yourself approved, like this is study time. It's different from our grace space. Our gray space. We have our canvas of the heart, and we're still doing that. And I definitely want to be respectful of time, so I'm gonna keep going. Now we talked about seeking wisdom, and now we're going to talk about humility and wealth. How much are you thankful for? This is the richest in what you're thankful for, and humility is Submitting to God's word when he says acts, when he says seek, when he says knock, being you know being up and being in submission to say yes, say yes to God. So there's a transient nature of wealth when I just thinking about when you say Thanksgiving. I mean, thank you. When you say thank you, when I— for me, you get a thank you, that's like coming from— that's, that's— it's a lot of— it has a lot of value. Thank you. It has a lot of value. So just thinking about the wealth of being able to say thank you. And the value of humility. When you say yes, when you say yes to do something and you do it and you thank the person that told you to do it, you thanking them. You thanking them for it, for being— for their obedience. Your obedience is to step in with humility and come with a mind of openness. Clear heart. That's why I said when we first stepped in, take those deep breaths, clear your mind, come in with a clear mind, and you want to ask God to create in you a clean heart and renew a righteous spirit within you. And then so temptation and sin, let's talk about this. Like temptation and sin, it is when we're talking about so deceiving yourselves and quickly forgetting what— because it's just sitting right there. That's why he said get rid of all that evil that is so prevalent. It's everywhere. So the process of patience, because you're starting out with something new, when you're starting out with something new, it's— let's talk about simplicity. When starting off with something new, I'm gonna keep it simple. Believe God. There's no law against the love, joy, peace, patience, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control of the fruits of— there's no law against that. So believe God that he is love. He will provide you with the joy that you need. In the testing of your faith is as you persevere those trials, continue to believe God. So we can't blame God, we have to believe God. And listening and doing. I really want to stress the importance of not just hearing the word but acting on it. As true faith, it requires practical application. And we— that's why we define practice. We really touched on practice. And when we talked about practice, that is, is it involves a tangible expression of faith, such as caring for others, maintaining personal purity, and living out the principles taught in scripture. Maintaining personal purity. I really want to have this conversation on purity. That's mostly what this Accepted and Faultless is. As we continue to grow in this space, the main focus is purity and maturity, purity and maturity, and Once we get to the revelation of what we're talking about as far as purity and maturity. But right now, this is the teachings, the correcting, rebuking, and training process before we even get to the, the revelation. So this is the good work where this— we are putting in practice and not so deceiving ourselves. We are doing what the word says. If the word says Um, practice and speak and study. This is what we're doing. We're in training. This is a training ground, okay? So we're building up those skills that's needed to maintain purity. And so that's why I really wanted to touch on listening and doing, because we— the more and more we hear about how in James 1, verses 19 through 25, it stresses the importance On not just hearing the word but acting on it, as, as true faith, um, requires that practical application. And so when we think about doing what it speaks on about religion is, you know, caring for those in distress and maintaining personal purity from worldly corruption. And, you know, for starting off with not conforming to the patterns of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of our minds so that we can test and approve what God's good, pleasing, and perfect will is. That was what really stood out to me on yesterday in one of— in Dr. Darius Daniel's sermon, Ghosted. And it was the will of God. His good, pleasing, and perfect will. So we're going to go into a little bit more about perfection. And so that's why I said purity and maturity. When we think about Christ being pure and mature and perfect, we— this is— this— we're studying the purity, maturity, and the perfection of Christ. So now let's go into Jeremiah 7. Jeremiah chapter 7. This is the word that came to Jeremiah from the Lord. Stand at the gate of the Lord's house and there proclaim this message. Hear the word of the Lord, all you people of Judah who come through these gates to worship the Lord. This is what the Lord Almighty, the God of Israel, says. Reform your ways and your actions, and I will let you live in this place. Do not trust in deceptive words and say, this is the temple of the Lord, the temple of the Lord, the temple of the Lord. If you really change your ways and your actions and deal with each other justly, if you do not oppress the foreigner, the fatherless, or the widow, And do not shed innocent blood in this place, and if you do not follow other gods to your own harm, then I will let you live in this place, in the land I gave your ancestors, forever and ever. But look, you are trusting in deceptive words that are worthless. Will you steal and murder, commit adultery and perjury, burn incense to Baal, and follow other gods You have not known, and then come and stand before me in this house which bears my name and say, we are safe, safe to do all these detestable things? Has this house which bears my name become a den of robbers to you? But I have been watching, declares the Lord. Go now to the place in Shiloh where I first made a dwelling for my name. And see what I did to it because of the wickedness of my people Israel. While you were doing all these things, declared the Lord, I spoke to you again and again, but you did not listen. I called you, but you did not answer. Therefore, what I did to Shiloh I will now do to the house that bears my name, the temple you trust in, the place I gave to you and your ancestors. I will thrust you from my presence, just as I did all your fellow Israelites, the people of Ephraim. So do not pray for this people, nor offer any plea or petition for them. Do not plead with me, for I will not listen to you. Do you not see what's going— what they are doing in the towns of Judah and in the streets of Jerusalem? The children gather wood, The fathers light the fire and the women knead the dough and make cakes to offer to the Queen of Heaven. They pour out drink offerings to other gods to arouse my anger, but I am the one they are provoking, declares the Lord. Are they not rather harming themselves to their own shame? Therefore, this is what the Sovereign Lord says: My anger and wrath Will be poured out on this place, on man and beast, on the trees of the field, and on the crops of your land, and it will burn and not be quenched. This is what the Lord Almighty, the God of Israel, says: Go ahead, add your burnt offerings to your other sacrifices and eat the meat yourselves. For when I brought your ancestors out of Egypt and spoke to them, I did not just give them commands about burnt offerings and sacrifice, but I gave them this command: Obey me, and I will be your God, and you will be my people. Walk in obedience to all I command you, that it may go well with you. But they did not listen or pay attention. Instead, they followed the stubborn inclinations of their evil hearts. They went backwards and not forward. From the time your ancestors left Egypt until now, Day after day, again and again, I sent you my servants the prophets, but they did not listen to me or pay attention. They were stiff-necked and did more evil than their ancestors. When you tell them all this, they will not listen to you. When you call to them, they will not answer. Therefore say to them, this is the nation that has not obeyed the Lord its God or responded to correction. Truth has perished, it has vanished from their lips. Cut off your hair and throw it away. Take up a lament on the barren heights, for the Lord has rejected and abandoned this generation that is under his wrath. The people of Judah have done evil in my eyes, declared the Lord. They have set up their detestable idols in the house that bears my name and has defiled it. They have built The high places of Topheth in the Valley of Benjamin to burn their sons and daughters in the fire, something I did not command, nor did it enter my mind. So beware, the days are coming, declares the Lord, when people will no longer call it Topheth or the Valley of Benjamin, but the Valley of Slaughter, for they will bury the dead in Topheth until there is no more room. Then the carcasses of this people will become food for the birds and the wild animals, and there will be no one to frighten them away. I will bring an end to the sounds of joy and gladness and to the voices of bride and bridegroom in the towns of Judah and in the streets of Jerusalem, for the land will become desolate. And so let's— there's a call to reform. So we need revival. This is a call to revival. We need revival. And this is a— this call in Jeremiah 7 is a call to reform. Now, When we think we're not conforming to the patterns of this world, but we're being transformed by the renewing of our mind. So to reform, this call to reform, and I told you there, the call, we're going to— that's a term that I want to touch on today as far as that additional call, um, I mean additional term. And so a strong urge Towards a particular way of life or career or vocation. So reform—this is a call for reformity. And we could, you know, hear the term revival. So really, this is a call. Jeremiah seven this, and I'm speaking this because I really feel like we have we have this call right now. And I, I want to see it come to fruition because it emphasized God's call to the people, you know, of Judah to reform their ways and actions, highlighting the necessity of justice, particularly for foreigners, orphans, and widows. So think about people who don't— like, when I think about orphans, it's not just people without mothers uh, moms and dads, but who don't have the word of God, or, you know, don't have a relationship with, with the Father, you know. And, and that you, you can include the people without a mom or a dad, because if it says train up a child in the way that they should go so when they get older they won't depart from it, we need to really start these— this this training, the teaching, the correcting, the rebuking, and the training in God's word early. Not the way we, we understand. Yeah, education system. If I trust, put my trust in Jesus, in the word, the life, the truth, the way. And so yes, I, I, if you If you are teaching, correcting, rebuking, and training your child at home, I highly— and especially in the word— I highly recommend it. You know, removing, you know, your child from the school system— the school system is not teaching, correcting, rebuking, and training your child in righteousness. And so this is a call to reform. And so, uh, in Jeremiah 7, it also talks about a warning against deceptive trust. So there's futility of trusting in empty rituals, um, while living in sin, and God's displeasure with such hypocrisy. Like, it's okay to live— is it okay to To live without the word of God? That's a question. Is it okay to live without the word of God? And so trusting in the Lord with all your heart to trust in the word. So if it's not the word of God, we're still taking the L out of the world and coming back with the word. So if there's any lies, we're still taking those out and coming back with the word. Which is the word about God. I mean, yeah, the word from God. God's still speaking. God is always speaking. He's always— he's, he's, he's the Lord God Almighty, and he's really showing himself strong. And that's our prayer: reveal who you are, set the world right, as above and so below. So the historical lesson that we're given, it draws a parallel between the fate of Shiloh and the potential fate of Jerusalem as a warning to the people. So there's a warning. When God gives a warning, take heed. And I just want to go through, um, because when you write it on the canvas of your heart, I really— let me find that, the warning. Everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this scroll, if anyone adds anything to them, God will add to that person the plagues described in this scroll. If anyone takes away from the scroll of prophecy, God will take away from that person any share in the tree of life and in the holy city described in this scroll. So And he who testifies to these things say, yes, I am coming soon. Amen. Come, Lord Jesus. The grace of the Lord Jesus be with God's people. Amen. So that's the one. That's you know. So there just the warning against deceptive trust. Trust in the Lord with all your heart. Lean not to your own understanding. Trust in the Lord with all your heart. That's all your understanding. He said, love, love the Lord with all your strength, all your mind, your soul, and your heart. Like everything, everything belongs to God. So we're talking about accepted and faultless when giving your all to God. I encourage everyone to give their all to God. So idolatry and false worship describe the people's— so we'll be describing— it describes in Jeremiah 7:16-20, it describes the people's idolatrous practices and the resulting of the divine anger, which emphasizes the self-destructive nature of their actions. So our, our actions can be destructive. That's why this is a space where we're talking about teaching, correcting, rebuking, and training. This is what we need to go through, that perseverance, the trials of purity and maturity. Like, this is a walk in It's a walk that we all can walk, and we all walking, whether you're walking it or not. Um, so obedience over sacrifice. Yes, we— in Romans 12:1, it does say, in view of God's mercy, and, um, in view of God's mercy, that's his compassion and forgiveness. And to give your bodies over as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing. This is your true act of worship. So yes, we do still have to sacrifice, but being obedient and staying in the word and staying in God's protection of having a mindset to hear, to hear and actually listen and then do. It's the— it is, it reigns over the sacrifice. So God reigns over us. So of course the obedience— you can sacrifice and be, you know, do the holy, but at the same time you have to stay with God. Like I said in the beginning, it always starts where you want to stay with believing in God. So, um, You could do the rituals and the sacrifices and make, you know, this is clean, this is— but you know what's clean and unclean. But at the same time, being obedient. That dwells in the secret place of the Most High God shall abide in the shadow of the Almighty. So dwell there. Do what? Let— and dwell in Christ, and let Christ dwell in you as far as the spirit of love, joy, peace patience, all those fruits of the Spirit. Delight in the law, meditate on it day and night. The consequences of disobedience— there's consequences. I wanna, I wanna go through some of the other, um, I'm not— consequences of disobedience. Stress— I, I do stress The severe consequences of continuous disobedience, including the desolation of the land and the loss of joy and prosperity. So that's what happened when, you know, when we were speaking in, in Jeremiah 7, in the last couple of verses, when it was talking about, um, so beware, the days are coming that Declares the Lord, when people will no longer call it Topheth of the Valley of Ben-Hinnom, but the Valley of Slaughter, for they will bury the dead in Topheth until there is no more room. Then the carcasses of this people will become food for the birds and the wild animals, and there will be no one to frighten them away. I will bring an end to the sounds of joy and gladness and the voice of the voices of bride and bridegroom in the towns of Judah and the streets of Jerusalem. For the land will become desolate. So that's the consequences. So we went through Jeremiah 7. So it's really a call for genuine repentance and justice, and it highlights the consequences of hypocrisy and idolatry. Like Give God all your heart, your your mind, your soul, your will, your emotions, your imagination, your cares. He wants it all, and it's it's for the the purity and maturity. Like let that be the end goal: purity and maturity. Because if you give him, you know, trust in the Lord with all your heart. You, you love the Lord with all your heart, so you understand the— in your heart you have the purity of heart. We're talking about wholeness. That's a whole— that's the next thing that we're going to talk about, so stay tuned. Like, really tap in, you guys. I really want you guys to have an ear to hear what the Lord is, is speaking, because God is speaking, um, to each and every one of us. But don't, don't lean to my— this, uh, my understanding. Only to your understanding, but we're going to trust in the Lord with all our heart. And in all our getting, we're about to transition over to the gray space. But in all our getting, we get an understanding. And so no matter you know how long this trial is, we're going to persevere and build up that character. So the last one is going to. Be Acts 25. And I'm— so let's read Acts 25. 3 days after arriving in the province, Festus went up from Caesarea to Jerusalem, where the chief priests and the Jewish leaders appeared before him and presented the charges against Paul. They requested Festus, as a favor to them, to have Paul transferred to Jerusalem, for they were preparing an ambush to kill him along the way. Festus answered, Paul is being held at Caesarea, and I myself am going there soon. Let some of your leaders come with me, and if the man has done anything wrong, they can press charges against him there. After spending 8 or 10 days with them, Festus went down to Caesarea. The next day he convened the court and ordered that Paul be brought before him. When Paul came in, the Jews who had been— the Jews who had come down from Jerusalem stood around him. They brought many serious charges against him, but they could not prove them. Then Paul made his defense. I have done nothing wrong against the Jewish law or against the temple or against Caesar. Festus, wishing to do the Jews a favor, said to Paul, are you willing to go up to Jerusalem and stand trial before me? There on these charges? I am now standing before Caesar's court where I ought to be tried. I have not done any wrong to the Jews, as you yourself know very well. If, however, I am guilty of doing anything deserving death, I do not refuse to die. But if the charges brought against me by these Jews are not true, no one has the right to hand me over to them. I appealed to Caesar. After Festus had conferred with counsel, he declared, you have appealed to Caesar, to Caesar you will go. A few days later, King Agrippa and Bernice arrived at Caesarea to pay their respects to Festus. Since they were spending many days there, Festus discussed Paul's case with the king. He said, there is a man here whom Felix left as a prisoner. When I went to Jerusalem, the chief priests and the elders of the Jews brought charges against him and asked that he be condemned. I told them that it is not the Roman custom to hand over anyone before they have faced their accusers and have had an opportunity to defend themselves against the charges. When this— his accusers got up to speak, they did not charge him with any of the crimes I had expected. Instead, they had some points of dispute with him about their own religion and about a dead man named Jesus who Paul claimed was alive. I was at a loss how to investigate such matters, so I asked if he would be willing to go to Jerusalem and stand trial there on these charges. But when Paul made his appeal to be held over for the emperor's decision. I ordered him held up— I mean, held until I could send him to Caesar. Then Agrippa said to Festus, I would like to hear this man myself. He replied, tomorrow you will hear him. The next day, Agrippa and Bernice came with great pomp and entered the audience room with the high-ranking military officers and the prominent men of the city. At the command of Festus, Paul was brought in. Festus said, King Agrippa and all who are present with us, you see this man? The whole Jewish community has petitioned me about him in Jerusalem and here in Caesarea, shouting that he ought not to live any longer. I found he had done nothing deserving of death, but because he had made his appeal To the emperor, I decided to send him to Rome, but I have nothing definite to write to His Majesty about him. Therefore, I have brought him before all of you, especially before you, King Agrippa, so that as a result of this investigation, I may have something to write. For I think it is unreasonable to send a prisoner on to Rome without specifying charges against him. So this is— we're talking about accepted and faultless, and this is going into Paul's defense and the appeal that he made. His— his— Paul's defense against baseless charges and the strategic appeal to Caesar showcasing his legal rights and steadfast faith. So like I said, For the spirit of love, joy, peace, patience, faithfulness, gentleness, there is no law. So as far as Paul and his faith, there was no law. Because when you're the faith— faithfulness, full of, you know, the word and God speaking. So his, his steadfast faith. That's what he— in Paul's defense, he had said, he is steadfast. Be steadfast, be courageous, be strong, do everything in love. And God is love, so you're doing things in God. If God's— if God is love and he's, he's still speaking and he says, do not merely think that you are listeners and so do, um, deceive yourself, but be doers. So if God is speaking and you are doing and you are preaching the good news to the poor, and that is, that is God, you're doing in love, you're doing it in love, you're doing what God and what Jesus has commanded us to do and love one another and sharing the word of God. So, so the Roman legal principles, so you have the principles of God and you have You know, the principles of the legalities of things. And so you have disputes that are going to come. And then there was a encounter with the king. Well, we have our Lord Almighty God, and then the the king of peace, the king of Of us, like Jesus is King. So he's the Lord God strong, and that that's in Psalm. The Lord God strong and mighty. Then so I I want to touch on Acts 26, but due to time, I want everyone we'll kind of pick up on there. But um. I'll go through in Paul— in Acts 26, it spoke on the life and conversion of Paul. So Paul's background as a Pharisee and his initial persecution of Christians, and he was converted on the road to Damascus. And his mission, it was based off of Paul's obedience To the heavenly vision, so that's the heart, your heart, your understanding. Are you trusting in the Lord with all your heart and being able to preach the repentance and turning to God? Turn to God, and his proclamation of the resurrection of Jesus as the fulfillment of prophecy. No, it really emphasizes the rational defense of his faith. It was countering Festus' accusation of insanity and presenting the resurrection as a well-attested fact. And we have— we need— that's why I said asking for wisdom, for knowledge and understanding, and When you— it says, cast— do not be anxious about anything, but everything by prayer and petitions, letting your requests be made known unto God. And the peace— with thanksgiving— and the peace of God will guard your heart and your mind in Christ Jesus. So we'll talk about peace of mind. Let's really dive in with the word of God says about a peace of mind. Say, cat, do not be anxious about anything, but everything by prayer and petitions. So you can take your petitions up to God. So prayer and petitions with thanksgiving, and letting it be known unto God. And the peace of God, which he he said he gave, he left us peace, not as the world gives. But he gave us the peace. He gave us the Prince of Peace. He gave us Christ. So just being able to testify as far as the resurrection as a well-attested fact of the need for faith and how much we need faith and to hear the word of God. So we're gonna have to pick up for, um, next time. But I would say we— the next time we jump in, we'll go through Ephesians. So I would, I would encourage everyone to read Ephesians and 1 Timothy as we go through, um, the acceptance and faultlessness. So, and we are studying to really show ourselves approved. And so I thank you guys for, for joining in today and listening. Be blessed and have a great day.