August 7, 2025 • 27 mins
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Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:01):
Hello and welcome back to Grace For my Home.
I'm Audrey and I'm so glad thatyou've joined me here this week
.
I hope and pray that you aredoing well.
I have a few announcements thisweek.
The first is that there isstill time to register for our
prayer event this Saturday,august 9th.
It's called Covered in Prayer ANight for Moms, and if you live
(00:24):
in or around the Mullen SouthCarolina area, that's where
we're going to be.
We're going to be at AwakenCoffee Bar and we're going to
gather at five o'clock onSaturday and just have a meal
together.
I'm going to share a word withyou, an encouraging word, about
praying for our children, andthen we're going to pray
together and I would so love tohave you there.
(00:45):
I'd love to meet you, hear yourstory, learn a little bit about
you.
So if you live in or around theMullen South Carolina area, we
would so love to have you.
You can register by going tothe link in the show notes, and
we still have room.
We do ask you to register.
Seating is limited, but rightnow we still have plenty of room
and we would love to have you.
(01:06):
Another exciting announcement isthat my new book is almost
ready.
Yay, it seems like it has takenso long, but it is ready and I
can't wait to share it with you.
If you would like moreinformation now, you can go to
the show notes and register formy email newsletter, because I'm
going to share it with thosewho follow me first.
(01:29):
Subscribe to my email list andyou'll find out all the details
first.
Just to give you a little bit,the name of my new book is Seek
First 31 Quiet Moments withJesus, and it's a devotional
book and I am super excitedabout it and can't wait to share
it with the world.
This week, I'm going to share amessage with you that I shared
(01:50):
at my church this past Sunday,and it's about believing God.
You know that's what God'slooking for.
He's looking for someone tobelieve, and I hope that this
message is encouraging to youand that it makes your week a
little better.
I hope you enjoy this message.
God bless.
Thank you, lord.
I really appreciate theopportunity to speak.
(02:12):
I really do.
I count it an honor to be ableto share what I feel like the
Lord is saying today.
Father, we just thank you foryour presence.
We thank you that you'vealready spoken here, lord.
You've already spoken to theLord and I thank you for your
presence.
We thank you that you'vealready spoken here, lord,
you've already spoken to Lordand I thank you for preparing
our hearts and God.
I thank you, lord, that younever give up on us.
Lord.
You never give up on us, lord,we might give up on ourselves,
(02:33):
we might give up on each other,we might give up on you, but you
never give up on us and we justthank you for that.
Lord, today, in Jesus name, inJesus name, amen, amen.
Well, today I've got just ashort, simple word for you today
.
I hope that it's food for yoursoul, amen.
(02:55):
I hope it's something,something you can carry with you
this week and it's.
It's good.
I hope it's good.
Let's go back to the beginning.
You know a lot of times in inthe Bible I go to the Genesis
all the time.
God only knows how many timesI've read the book of Genesis.
Because Genesis is sofoundational, it's so important.
Have you ever heard of the lawof first principle or first
(03:17):
mention?
What it means is that whensomething is mentioned in the
Bible the first time it'smentioned, god is telling us
what that's going to be likethrough the whole Bible.
So Genesis is so importantbecause it's laying a foundation
, it's telling you how God feelsabout many things, and so when
(03:38):
we go to Genesis, we get to seewhat was his best, what was his
first intention.
Now, I heard somebody else saythis and I took it as my own
because I thought it was reallygood.
You know, if you want to seewhat God's perfect will is, take
the first chapter, first twochapters of Genesis, and then
(03:59):
take the last two chapters ofRevelation, because that's the
beginning.
That's what he had in mind.
Then there was an interruption.
He worked out the interruptionand the end is what he had in
mind.
Amen, isn't that good.
So today I want to talk with youabout the beginning and we're
going to turn.
(04:19):
I'm going to turn to Genesis.
Thank you, lord, thank you foryour goodness, thank you for
your mercy, thank you for yourkindness, lord, he's kind and do
you know he likes you thismorning?
You know we always talk aboutGod and how much he loves us.
Right, for God so loved theworld.
We always tell God loves you.
But you know, a lot of timespeople say, well, I love her,
(04:42):
but I don't like her, right?
Well, god likes you Like helikes you, like he likes being
around you, he enjoys beingaround you.
And I think sometimes we forgetthat, we think he's just
putting up with us, because weknow the things we do and we
know our heart and we know thatthe areas of our heart, that we
got issues and we think, well,god must not like me I mean,
(05:04):
look at all these issues I got.
But I want to tell you he likesyou.
And today I want to talk withyou in Genesis.
I want to talk with you aboutwhat God's looking for.
What is God looking for?
(05:28):
He's looking for somebody tobelieve him.
Amen, god is looking forsomebody to believe him.
When God made the first couple,he put them in paradise.
He made the first couple.
It was his plan.
He wanted a family.
He put them in paradise.
He provided everything theyneeded.
He made the first couple.
It was his plan.
He wanted a family.
He put them in paradise.
He provided everything theyneeded.
He made it beautiful and hevisited them every day.
(05:51):
That was his plan and it wasgood and they.
But there was a.
There's a thing about love Lovehas to be chosen.
True love has to be a choice.
If you are forced to lovesomebody, then you don't love
that person because you wereforced to do it, and that's not
(06:12):
love.
Love cannot be forced.
Love is a choice.
To love someone, there has tobe a decision, there has to be a
choice.
And Adam and Eve had no choice.
Right, they had no choice.
They were created.
They weren't asked to becreated, they were set in a
perfect place.
They weren't asked to be put inthat perfect place, but here
(06:34):
they were.
And so God, being the goodfather he is, gave them an
opportunity to choose him,because he wanted people to
really love him.
He didn't want puppets, hewanted real, he wanted a real
family, he wanted real children.
And so he put in the middle ofthat garden a no.
(06:54):
We all know who likes the wordno Nobody, nobody.
Why do we not like the word no?
Because no sets a limit, aclear boundary.
And to us, I shouldn't say tous, I'll say to me that often
feels like you're keeping meback, you're limiting my freedom
(07:16):
.
But God made a clear no.
And it's so funny because thisclear no was right in the middle
of everything.
Good, I mean, they could haveanything but one thing.
Isn't that funny?
They could have anything butone thing.
One thing was a no.
And God drew a line and said no.
And so what did the enemy comefor?
(07:40):
The one thing you can have,everything good.
And the enemy will come and hewill draw a circle right around
the one thing you don't have andsay, if God loved you, then why
don't you have that?
And say, if God loved you, thenwhy don't you have that?
(08:03):
If God cared about you, thenwhy is he holding this back?
Can I get an amen?
See, the enemy came and it sayshe was very subtle, he's very
smart, he's very clever, and hedidn't just come up full force,
(08:26):
he eased his way in and hestarts asking questions.
He starts asking questions.
Let's read it.
It's in Genesis, chapter three.
It says now, the serpent wasmore crafty than any other beast
of the field which the Lord Godhad made.
And he said to the woman Indeed, has God said, you shall not
eat of any of the trees of thegarden.
So he's testing her knowledge.
(08:48):
He's testing her knowledge.
And the woman said to theserpent From the fruit of the
trees of the garden we may eat,but from the fruit of the tree
which is in the middle of thegarden, god has said you shall
not eat of it or touch it or youwill die.
The serpent said to the womanyou surely will not die, for God
knows that in the day that youeat from it your eyes will be
(09:10):
opened and you will be like God,knowing good and evil.
When the woman saw that thetree was good for food and that
it was a delight to the eyes andthat the tree was desirable to
make one wise, she took from thefruit and ate, and she gave
also to her husband, who waswith her and he ate too.
And the eyes of both of themwere open and they knew that
(09:34):
they were naked and they sewedtogether fig leaves and made
themselves loin coverings.
They heard the sound of theLord walking in the garden in
the cool of the day and the manand his wife hid themselves from
the presence of the Lord, theLord God, among the trees of the
garden.
(09:54):
So he knew how to get to her.
He asked questions, he testedher Does she really know what
God says?
Does she really know the word?
Does she really know what's offlimits?
But then he takes a stepfurther and he calls God a liar.
He said you're not surely die,because when you eat that fruit
(10:18):
you'll be like God.
Isn't that a good thing to wantto be like God?
I mean, isn't that like the Bthing?
Isn't that like the highest aim?
I want to be like God.
I mean, how could this be bad?
Right, how could this be bad?
Because it was a no.
It was a no.
So you're going to be like Godby disobeying God.
(10:39):
You're going to be like God bydoing exactly what he said not
do.
See, god wanted them to knowhim and then they would be like
him.
But see, the enemy is trying totell them let's take a shortcut
, god knows.
It's almost like God doesn'twant you to be like him, right?
God knows that the minute youeat that fruit, you will be like
(11:03):
him.
It's like God's trying to keepsomething from you.
God, if he was good, why wouldhe keep something from you?
Yesterday and I will not saynames to protect the innocent
somebody came in the kitchen andthey had an idea, something
they wanted to do, andimmediately Michael said no, and
(11:24):
I thought it was a ratherstrong no.
I mean, let's talk about it,why not?
Let's talk about this, maybe wecould.
But it was a no and part of mewanted to go a step further and
say, well, let's talk about it.
I mean, maybe we could, maybe,you know, but if I had said no,
(11:46):
and then Michael came behind meand said, well, maybe now I'd
been upset, right, so I let itgo, I shut my mouth.
It's not easy for me to dosometimes.
I shut my mouth and said, okay,the answer is no.
See, a clear no is a blessing.
A clear no sets a boundary.
(12:06):
Okay, that's.
An unclear no is a good thing.
God said let your yes be yesand your no be no.
And God sets up clear no's forus and he sets up good
boundaries for us and we can dothe same for ourselves.
Amen.
But we need to learn what God'sclear yeses is and what his
(12:27):
clear no's are.
We need to learn what they areso that we can't, so we won't be
like Eve and be easilymanipulated.
You know, I've always heard allmy life don't test God.
You ever heard that.
Don't test God.
Well, you know, in Malachi hehonestly says test me.
He says, bring my tithe to thestorehouse, bring it to the
(12:50):
storehouse, right, and see if Iwill not test me and see if I
will not open up the heavens andpour you out such a blessing.
See, he wants us to test hispromises, to show that they're
true.
He wants us to test them.
He wants us to see that they'rereal.
He wants us to try them out.
(13:11):
He wants us to jump on them andsee they're not going to fall
apart.
He wants us to believe that hispromises are real enough that
we can stand on them, thatthey're real, that they're not
going to crumble like the worldcrumbles.
The world make you promises itcan't keep, and then, when it
crumbles, we're defeated and wefeel let down and disappointed,
(13:33):
and rightly so.
We were let down anddisappointed.
But God's promises are strongand he wants us to test them.
What he doesn't want us to testis his no.
Don't test his no.
See, they had to test to see.
Does he really mean it?
(13:54):
Does he really mean no?
Maybe he just means maybe.
Maybe you shouldn't.
No, he means no.
And so remember when Jesus wasup, when the enemy was tempting
him and he was up on the highestpart of the temple and the
enemy said jump, he'll bear youup.
(14:16):
The word of God says he'll bearyou up, he'll send his angels
to take you and you won't hitthe ground.
And Jesus said you shall nottest the Lord, your God.
That's what he was talkingabout.
That's the test that you don'twant to do, the test when God's
clearly said no, but I'm goingto do it anyway.
See, what the enemy did wasblur the lines.
(14:40):
He blurred the lines.
Did God really say that?
God?
He is not legalistic.
Okay, like we think of beinglegalistic.
He draws lines because he lovesyou.
He draws lines because he knowswhat's on the other side of
that line that you don't know.
(15:01):
See, we want to be like God.
We want to think I know best.
We want to think I can figurethis out for myself.
I don't need the Bible, I don'tneed those people telling me
what's right and wrong.
I can figure this out formyself.
Sweetheart, you can't.
The best of us can't, none ofus can.
(15:22):
We need Jesus.
We need Jesus and we need to belike children that we're not
obeying the rules, just obey therules.
We're trusting our Father thathe has our best interest in mind
, amen.
And we have to believe HimBecause you're going to go out
there in that world and they'regoing to twist everything.
(15:44):
They twist it and it sounds sogood they say well, did God
really mean?
Did God really say and if youdon't know, then you'll fall
right in that trap?
And it's always something youwant to believe is true?
She wanted to believe.
(16:04):
All I got to do is just eatthat fruit and I'll be just like
him.
She wanted to believe it.
It was not a bad thing.
She wasn't chasing somethingbad.
She was just chasing somethingthat wasn't God.
Amen, and that's why we needhim.
That's why we need him Because,you see, they lost the
relationship.
He come in the cool of the dayto talk to him and now they
(16:26):
can't talk, and because therelationship was more important
to him than the rules, but therules kept them in the
relationship.
See what I'm saying.
Is this making sense?
I don't like legalistic people.
I don't want to be one, but forme to deny that there is a
(16:47):
clear no or a clear yes isdangerous, is dangerous.
One of the things I love aboutthe Lord okay is that he got me
to a place that I absolutelyknew I needed Him.
You know, my mama told me Ineeded Him, she'd gotten saved,
(17:12):
and she kept trying.
She tried to get me in the car.
I'd hate it.
I'd come home from college,tried to get me in the car.
I'd hate it.
I'd come home from college andwe'd get in the car and go
shopping, and there's a longdrive from here to Myrtle Beach
and the whole time she wanted totalk about Jesus.
And I'm just like God, I wantnew clothes.
But I mean I was trapped.
I was trapped.
She wanted to talk about Jesus.
I don't want to talk aboutJesus.
I don't want to talk aboutJesus.
See, she was trying to convinceme that I needed Jesus because
(17:35):
she's a good mama and she lovedme and she wanted me to believe
I needed Jesus and she knew Ineeded Jesus.
But Jesus had to show me Ineeded Jesus and when he opened
my eyes I saw I need Jesus.
And you know what?
It took a long time.
I say a long time, long time'srelative right, let's just say
(17:57):
it wasn't overnight and I got ina really bad place and I felt
like there's no hope for me.
Nobody cares about me, nobodyknows who I really am.
If they knew who I really was,they would not love me.
He got me in a really bad placebecause he loved me and he
(18:18):
rescued me and sometimes we gotto get in a bad place before we
can be rescued, because that'swhen we bend our knee and say,
okay, I believe, I believe.
And, guys, I want to tell youthat is the victory.
Believing that you need him isthe victory.
I need him, I will always needhim.
(18:40):
I will never grow to the pointthat I don't need him.
I will never be so mature thatI've got it figured out, because
when I do, I have believed thelie that I can be like God.
Without God, I will never belike God.
Without relationship with him,I will never be like him.
I will never be like God.
(19:00):
Without depending on him,without leaning on him, without
running to him and throwing myarms around him, I will never be
like him.
He is the only reason there'sanything good in me, and that
good is Jesus.
And Jesus comes in by faith.
Jesus comes in by faith.
What did Eve not do?
(19:21):
She didn't believe.
We say, oh well, she ate thefruit.
Oh, she disobeyed.
It all stemmed from she didn'tbelieve.
She didn't believe what Godsaid.
She didn't believe what Godsaid.
She didn't believe it.
And so today, god put so muchimportance on believing him.
You know, jesus paid thepenalty right Most of you in
(19:44):
here know the story.
Jesus paid for the sin.
He came, he died, he wascrushed, he was buried.
He rose again.
He paid for the sin.
But the way to access it isthrough belief, is through faith
, is through saying I believe.
(20:06):
That's how you access it.
You know, I can have awonderful gift for you, an
expensive gift for you.
I can have a gift that's sogood that you just will be like
why are you giving me this?
This is too much, this is tooextravagant, and if you don't
(20:28):
receive that gift, then it meansnothing.
Doesn't matter how much I paidfor, it Doesn't matter If you
don't believe that I'm seriouswhen I'm giving you that gift.
It doesn't matter.
It might be just what you need.
It might be just what you'vebeen praying for, and that's how
salvation is.
It's just what you need.
It's just what you need.
It's extravagant.
It costs the precious blood ofthe Lord Jesus Christ.
(20:50):
It costs the highest price thatcould ever be paid, and he has
given it.
He's given it freely, but yougot to believe him.
That's the key.
She didn't believe and she lost.
Today we believe and we receive.
He hooks it all on belief.
He just wants us to believe him.
(21:10):
He hooks it all on belief.
He just wants us to believe Him.
He's just looking for somebodyto believe, somebody to believe
Y'all.
Remember it's the old, old hymn.
I don't think we've ever sungit here, but it's only believe,
only believe.
All things are possible whenyou believe.
Only believe, because, see,when we believe, that is the
(21:33):
victory, faith is the victory.
See, for a long time the enemytried to.
He didn't want me to believe,he wanted me to think this was a
fairy tale.
This is one of many ways it's agood book.
There's some good stuff in it,but you're not going to believe
the whole thing, are you?
You're not going to believethat part about the man dying
(21:53):
and coming back to life?
You're not going to believethat part, are you?
You're not going to believethat part about the virgin birth
, are you?
That's a little extreme.
Are you going to really believethat?
I believe it.
I believe it because I met theman and he helped me believe.
(22:15):
See, he came in when I neededhim most and he touched me where
nobody else could touch and hesaved me and he loved me and it
was easy to believe.
When I came in contact with him.
I was like, oh, it's real, it'sgood, it's true.
Thank you, jesus, amen.
(22:35):
I was like, oh, it's real, it'sgood, it's true, thank you,
jesus, amen.
I can't make you believe.
Your mama can't make youbelieve.
Your wife, your husband, can'tmake you believe.
But when Jesus comes in theroom, oh, it's so good, it's so
good.
You know you can't beat peopleinto heaven, you can't preach
(22:58):
fire and brimstone and get theminto heaven, but when Jesus
comes in the room, it's like, oh, it all melts away.
Okay, that's him.
You come into touch with theman, the man, christ Jesus, and
he knows everything and he stillloves you.
That's one of my favorite partsIf he knows everything and he
(23:20):
still loves you, amen, isn'tthat good.
He loves you.
Today I'm telling you he didn'tjust love you, he likes you, he
made you for special fellowshipwith him.
I remember when I was a newChristian and I want to go back
to that place.
We always say that right, but Iremember I got my Bible out and
I believed and I would readthrough that Bible and I would
(23:41):
pray, and this is the kind ofprayers I'd pray.
I'd say Lord, show me somethingyou've never shown anybody.
God, show me something in yourword that just it's like gold,
lord, I'm digging for gold.
Lord, I'm searching for jewels.
Lord, just show me how much youlove me in this word, and you
know what he would do it.
I mean, I'd have weeks where itwas just like I can't nothing.
(24:05):
Nothing in this word it's dead,it feels dull.
And then one day, when I neededit most, it was just oh, he's
talking, amen, and he wants totalk to you.
Do you believe that?
Do you believe that he wants totalk to you?
I do.
I believe that he wants a uniquerelationship with you, with you
(24:26):
, your relationship with Jesus.
It's not like anybody else's inthis room.
God wants to have a uniquerelationship with you, but it's
because you believe it's becauseof Jesus.
It's because you accepted thegift, amen.
It's because you accepted thegift.
It's because you said I'll takethat.
(24:46):
I know I don't deserve it, Iknow it's the most precious,
expensive thing ever that Icould never pay back or earn,
but I'll take it because Ibelieve that you did it for me,
lord, amen.
And there's peace with that.
There's a peace that comes inyour heart when Jesus comes in
there.
And they don't have.
I don't understand it.
(25:06):
I can't sit here and explain itto you, I just know.
I'm just just trust me.
Amen, there's a peace thatwashes over.
It says it's a peace thatpasses understanding and it's
precious.
It's the most precious thinghere on earth.
Amen, thank you, lord.
Lord, we thank you for yourword today.
We thank you that you're justsearching for somebody to
(25:29):
believe that Lord, you have goodthings for us.
You just need somebody tobelieve, lord and Lord, we can
be that somebody.
Lord, I thank you that Lord.
Your great love for me, lord,it calls me to believe.
And Lord, in there I found you.
And Lord, I love you.
(25:50):
I found you and Lord, I loveyou.
Lord, I pray today that youwould move in our hearts and our
minds, that you would help usby faith to accept this precious
gift.
Hello and welcome back to Grace For my Home.
I'm Audrey and I'm so glad thatyou've joined me here this week
.
I hope and pray that you aredoing well.
I have a few announcements thisweek.
The first is that there isstill time to register for our
prayer event this Saturday,august 9th.
It's called Covered in Prayer ANight for Moms, and if you live
(00:24):
in or around the Mullen SouthCarolina area, that's where
we're going to be.
We're going to be at AwakenCoffee Bar and we're going to
gather at five o'clock onSaturday and just have a meal
together.
I'm going to share a word withyou, an encouraging word, about
praying for our children, andthen we're going to pray
together and I would so love tohave you there.
(00:45):
I'd love to meet you, hear yourstory, learn a little bit about
you.
So if you live in or around theMullen South Carolina area, we
would so love to have you.
You can register by going tothe link in the show notes, and
we still have room.
We do ask you to register.
Seating is limited, but rightnow we still have plenty of room
and we would love to have you.
(01:06):
Another exciting announcement isthat my new book is almost
ready.
Yay, it seems like it has takenso long, but it is ready and I
can't wait to share it with you.
If you would like moreinformation now, you can go to
the show notes and register formy email newsletter, because I'm
going to share it with thosewho follow me first.
(01:29):
Subscribe to my email list andyou'll find out all the details
first.
Just to give you a little bit,the name of my new book is Seek
First 31 Quiet Moments withJesus, and it's a devotional
book and I am super excitedabout it and can't wait to share
it with the world.
This week, I'm going to share amessage with you that I shared
(01:50):
at my church this past Sunday,and it's about believing God.
You know that's what God'slooking for.
He's looking for someone tobelieve, and I hope that this
message is encouraging to youand that it makes your week a
little better.
I hope you enjoy this message.
God bless.
Thank you, lord.
I really appreciate theopportunity to speak.
(02:12):
I really do.
I count it an honor to be ableto share what I feel like the
Lord is saying today.
Father, we just thank you foryour presence.
We thank you that you'vealready spoken here, lord.
You've already spoken to theLord and I thank you for your
presence.
We thank you that you'vealready spoken here, lord,
you've already spoken to Lordand I thank you for preparing
our hearts and God.
I thank you, lord, that younever give up on us.
Lord.
You never give up on us, lord,we might give up on ourselves,
(02:33):
we might give up on each other,we might give up on you, but you
never give up on us and we justthank you for that.
Lord, today, in Jesus name, inJesus name, amen, amen.
Well, today I've got just ashort, simple word for you today
.
I hope that it's food for yoursoul, amen.
(02:55):
I hope it's something,something you can carry with you
this week and it's.
It's good.
I hope it's good.
Let's go back to the beginning.
You know a lot of times in inthe Bible I go to the Genesis
all the time.
God only knows how many timesI've read the book of Genesis.
Because Genesis is sofoundational, it's so important.
Have you ever heard of the lawof first principle or first
(03:17):
mention?
What it means is that whensomething is mentioned in the
Bible the first time it'smentioned, god is telling us
what that's going to be likethrough the whole Bible.
So Genesis is so importantbecause it's laying a foundation
, it's telling you how God feelsabout many things, and so when
(03:38):
we go to Genesis, we get to seewhat was his best, what was his
first intention.
Now, I heard somebody else saythis and I took it as my own
because I thought it was reallygood.
You know, if you want to seewhat God's perfect will is, take
the first chapter, first twochapters of Genesis, and then
(03:59):
take the last two chapters ofRevelation, because that's the
beginning.
That's what he had in mind.
Then there was an interruption.
He worked out the interruptionand the end is what he had in
mind.
Amen, isn't that good.
So today I want to talk with youabout the beginning and we're
going to turn.
(04:19):
I'm going to turn to Genesis.
Thank you, lord, thank you foryour goodness, thank you for
your mercy, thank you for yourkindness, lord, he's kind and do
you know he likes you thismorning?
You know we always talk aboutGod and how much he loves us.
Right, for God so loved theworld.
We always tell God loves you.
But you know, a lot of timespeople say, well, I love her,
(04:42):
but I don't like her, right?
Well, god likes you Like helikes you, like he likes being
around you, he enjoys beingaround you.
And I think sometimes we forgetthat, we think he's just
putting up with us, because weknow the things we do and we
know our heart and we know thatthe areas of our heart, that we
got issues and we think, well,god must not like me I mean,
(05:04):
look at all these issues I got.
But I want to tell you he likesyou.
And today I want to talk withyou in Genesis.
I want to talk with you aboutwhat God's looking for.
What is God looking for?
(05:28):
He's looking for somebody tobelieve him.
Amen, god is looking forsomebody to believe him.
When God made the first couple,he put them in paradise.
He made the first couple.
It was his plan.
He wanted a family.
He put them in paradise.
He provided everything theyneeded.
He made the first couple.
It was his plan.
He wanted a family.
He put them in paradise.
He provided everything theyneeded.
He made it beautiful and hevisited them every day.
(05:51):
That was his plan and it wasgood and they.
But there was a.
There's a thing about love Lovehas to be chosen.
True love has to be a choice.
If you are forced to lovesomebody, then you don't love
that person because you wereforced to do it, and that's not
(06:12):
love.
Love cannot be forced.
Love is a choice.
To love someone, there has tobe a decision, there has to be a
choice.
And Adam and Eve had no choice.
Right, they had no choice.
They were created.
They weren't asked to becreated, they were set in a
perfect place.
They weren't asked to be put inthat perfect place, but here
(06:34):
they were.
And so God, being the goodfather he is, gave them an
opportunity to choose him,because he wanted people to
really love him.
He didn't want puppets, hewanted real, he wanted a real
family, he wanted real children.
And so he put in the middle ofthat garden a no.
(06:54):
We all know who likes the wordno Nobody, nobody.
Why do we not like the word no?
Because no sets a limit, aclear boundary.
And to us, I shouldn't say tous, I'll say to me that often
feels like you're keeping meback, you're limiting my freedom
(07:16):
.
But God made a clear no.
And it's so funny because thisclear no was right in the middle
of everything.
Good, I mean, they could haveanything but one thing.
Isn't that funny?
They could have anything butone thing.
One thing was a no.
And God drew a line and said no.
And so what did the enemy comefor?
(07:40):
The one thing you can have,everything good.
And the enemy will come and hewill draw a circle right around
the one thing you don't have andsay, if God loved you, then why
don't you have that?
And say, if God loved you, thenwhy don't you have that?
(08:03):
If God cared about you, thenwhy is he holding this back?
Can I get an amen?
See, the enemy came and it sayshe was very subtle, he's very
smart, he's very clever, and hedidn't just come up full force,
(08:26):
he eased his way in and hestarts asking questions.
He starts asking questions.
Let's read it.
It's in Genesis, chapter three.
It says now, the serpent wasmore crafty than any other beast
of the field which the Lord Godhad made.
And he said to the woman Indeed, has God said, you shall not
eat of any of the trees of thegarden.
So he's testing her knowledge.
(08:48):
He's testing her knowledge.
And the woman said to theserpent From the fruit of the
trees of the garden we may eat,but from the fruit of the tree
which is in the middle of thegarden, god has said you shall
not eat of it or touch it or youwill die.
The serpent said to the womanyou surely will not die, for God
knows that in the day that youeat from it your eyes will be
(09:10):
opened and you will be like God,knowing good and evil.
When the woman saw that thetree was good for food and that
it was a delight to the eyes andthat the tree was desirable to
make one wise, she took from thefruit and ate, and she gave
also to her husband, who waswith her and he ate too.
And the eyes of both of themwere open and they knew that
(09:34):
they were naked and they sewedtogether fig leaves and made
themselves loin coverings.
They heard the sound of theLord walking in the garden in
the cool of the day and the manand his wife hid themselves from
the presence of the Lord, theLord God, among the trees of the
garden.
(09:54):
So he knew how to get to her.
He asked questions, he testedher Does she really know what
God says?
Does she really know the word?
Does she really know what's offlimits?
But then he takes a stepfurther and he calls God a liar.
He said you're not surely die,because when you eat that fruit
(10:18):
you'll be like God.
Isn't that a good thing to wantto be like God?
I mean, isn't that like the Bthing?
Isn't that like the highest aim?
I want to be like God.
I mean, how could this be bad?
Right, how could this be bad?
Because it was a no.
It was a no.
So you're going to be like Godby disobeying God.
(10:39):
You're going to be like God bydoing exactly what he said not
do.
See, god wanted them to knowhim and then they would be like
him.
But see, the enemy is trying totell them let's take a shortcut
, god knows.
It's almost like God doesn'twant you to be like him, right?
God knows that the minute youeat that fruit, you will be like
(11:03):
him.
It's like God's trying to keepsomething from you.
God, if he was good, why wouldhe keep something from you?
Yesterday and I will not saynames to protect the innocent
somebody came in the kitchen andthey had an idea, something
they wanted to do, andimmediately Michael said no, and
(11:24):
I thought it was a ratherstrong no.
I mean, let's talk about it,why not?
Let's talk about this, maybe wecould.
But it was a no and part of mewanted to go a step further and
say, well, let's talk about it.
I mean, maybe we could, maybe,you know, but if I had said no,
(11:46):
and then Michael came behind meand said, well, maybe now I'd
been upset, right, so I let itgo, I shut my mouth.
It's not easy for me to dosometimes.
I shut my mouth and said, okay,the answer is no.
See, a clear no is a blessing.
A clear no sets a boundary.
(12:06):
Okay, that's.
An unclear no is a good thing.
God said let your yes be yesand your no be no.
And God sets up clear no's forus and he sets up good
boundaries for us and we can dothe same for ourselves.
Amen.
But we need to learn what God'sclear yeses is and what his
(12:27):
clear no's are.
We need to learn what they areso that we can't, so we won't be
like Eve and be easilymanipulated.
You know, I've always heard allmy life don't test God.
You ever heard that.
Don't test God.
Well, you know, in Malachi hehonestly says test me.
He says, bring my tithe to thestorehouse, bring it to the
(12:50):
storehouse, right, and see if Iwill not test me and see if I
will not open up the heavens andpour you out such a blessing.
See, he wants us to test hispromises, to show that they're
true.
He wants us to test them.
He wants us to see that they'rereal.
He wants us to try them out.
(13:11):
He wants us to jump on them andsee they're not going to fall
apart.
He wants us to believe that hispromises are real enough that
we can stand on them, thatthey're real, that they're not
going to crumble like the worldcrumbles.
The world make you promises itcan't keep, and then, when it
crumbles, we're defeated and wefeel let down and disappointed,
(13:33):
and rightly so.
We were let down anddisappointed.
But God's promises are strongand he wants us to test them.
What he doesn't want us to testis his no.
Don't test his no.
See, they had to test to see.
Does he really mean it?
(13:54):
Does he really mean no?
Maybe he just means maybe.
Maybe you shouldn't.
No, he means no.
And so remember when Jesus wasup, when the enemy was tempting
him and he was up on the highestpart of the temple and the
enemy said jump, he'll bear youup.
(14:16):
The word of God says he'll bearyou up, he'll send his angels
to take you and you won't hitthe ground.
And Jesus said you shall nottest the Lord, your God.
That's what he was talkingabout.
That's the test that you don'twant to do, the test when God's
clearly said no, but I'm goingto do it anyway.
See, what the enemy did wasblur the lines.
(14:40):
He blurred the lines.
Did God really say that?
God?
He is not legalistic.
Okay, like we think of beinglegalistic.
He draws lines because he lovesyou.
He draws lines because he knowswhat's on the other side of
that line that you don't know.
(15:01):
See, we want to be like God.
We want to think I know best.
We want to think I can figurethis out for myself.
I don't need the Bible, I don'tneed those people telling me
what's right and wrong.
I can figure this out formyself.
Sweetheart, you can't.
The best of us can't, none ofus can.
(15:22):
We need Jesus.
We need Jesus and we need to belike children that we're not
obeying the rules, just obey therules.
We're trusting our Father thathe has our best interest in mind
, amen.
And we have to believe HimBecause you're going to go out
there in that world and they'regoing to twist everything.
(15:44):
They twist it and it sounds sogood they say well, did God
really mean?
Did God really say and if youdon't know, then you'll fall
right in that trap?
And it's always something youwant to believe is true?
She wanted to believe.
(16:04):
All I got to do is just eatthat fruit and I'll be just like
him.
She wanted to believe it.
It was not a bad thing.
She wasn't chasing somethingbad.
She was just chasing somethingthat wasn't God.
Amen, and that's why we needhim.
That's why we need him Because,you see, they lost the
relationship.
He come in the cool of the dayto talk to him and now they
(16:26):
can't talk, and because therelationship was more important
to him than the rules, but therules kept them in the
relationship.
See what I'm saying.
Is this making sense?
I don't like legalistic people.
I don't want to be one, but forme to deny that there is a
(16:47):
clear no or a clear yes isdangerous, is dangerous.
One of the things I love aboutthe Lord okay is that he got me
to a place that I absolutelyknew I needed Him.
You know, my mama told me Ineeded Him, she'd gotten saved,
(17:12):
and she kept trying.
She tried to get me in the car.
I'd hate it.
I'd come home from college,tried to get me in the car.
I'd hate it.
I'd come home from college andwe'd get in the car and go
shopping, and there's a longdrive from here to Myrtle Beach
and the whole time she wanted totalk about Jesus.
And I'm just like God, I wantnew clothes.
But I mean I was trapped.
I was trapped.
She wanted to talk about Jesus.
I don't want to talk aboutJesus.
I don't want to talk aboutJesus.
See, she was trying to convinceme that I needed Jesus because
(17:35):
she's a good mama and she lovedme and she wanted me to believe
I needed Jesus and she knew Ineeded Jesus.
But Jesus had to show me Ineeded Jesus and when he opened
my eyes I saw I need Jesus.
And you know what?
It took a long time.
I say a long time, long time'srelative right, let's just say
(17:57):
it wasn't overnight and I got ina really bad place and I felt
like there's no hope for me.
Nobody cares about me, nobodyknows who I really am.
If they knew who I really was,they would not love me.
He got me in a really bad placebecause he loved me and he
(18:18):
rescued me and sometimes we gotto get in a bad place before we
can be rescued, because that'swhen we bend our knee and say,
okay, I believe, I believe.
And, guys, I want to tell youthat is the victory.
Believing that you need him isthe victory.
I need him, I will always needhim.
(18:40):
I will never grow to the pointthat I don't need him.
I will never be so mature thatI've got it figured out, because
when I do, I have believed thelie that I can be like God.
Without God, I will never belike God.
Without relationship with him,I will never be like him.
I will never be like God.
(19:00):
Without depending on him,without leaning on him, without
running to him and throwing myarms around him, I will never be
like him.
He is the only reason there'sanything good in me, and that
good is Jesus.
And Jesus comes in by faith.
Jesus comes in by faith.
What did Eve not do?
(19:21):
She didn't believe.
We say, oh well, she ate thefruit.
Oh, she disobeyed.
It all stemmed from she didn'tbelieve.
She didn't believe what Godsaid.
She didn't believe what Godsaid.
She didn't believe it.
And so today, god put so muchimportance on believing him.
You know, jesus paid thepenalty right Most of you in
(19:44):
here know the story.
Jesus paid for the sin.
He came, he died, he wascrushed, he was buried.
He rose again.
He paid for the sin.
But the way to access it isthrough belief, is through faith
, is through saying I believe.
(20:06):
That's how you access it.
You know, I can have awonderful gift for you, an
expensive gift for you.
I can have a gift that's sogood that you just will be like
why are you giving me this?
This is too much, this is tooextravagant, and if you don't
(20:28):
receive that gift, then it meansnothing.
Doesn't matter how much I paidfor, it Doesn't matter If you
don't believe that I'm seriouswhen I'm giving you that gift.
It doesn't matter.
It might be just what you need.
It might be just what you'vebeen praying for, and that's how
salvation is.
It's just what you need.
It's just what you need.
It's extravagant.
It costs the precious blood ofthe Lord Jesus Christ.
(20:50):
It costs the highest price thatcould ever be paid, and he has
given it.
He's given it freely, but yougot to believe him.
That's the key.
She didn't believe and she lost.
Today we believe and we receive.
He hooks it all on belief.
He just wants us to believe him.
(21:10):
He hooks it all on belief.
He just wants us to believe Him.
He's just looking for somebodyto believe, somebody to believe
Y'all.
Remember it's the old, old hymn.
I don't think we've ever sungit here, but it's only believe,
only believe.
All things are possible whenyou believe.
Only believe, because, see,when we believe, that is the
(21:33):
victory, faith is the victory.
See, for a long time the enemytried to.
He didn't want me to believe,he wanted me to think this was a
fairy tale.
This is one of many ways it's agood book.
There's some good stuff in it,but you're not going to believe
the whole thing, are you?
You're not going to believethat part about the man dying
(21:53):
and coming back to life?
You're not going to believethat part, are you?
You're not going to believethat part about the virgin birth
, are you?
That's a little extreme.
Are you going to really believethat?
I believe it.
I believe it because I met theman and he helped me believe.
(22:15):
See, he came in when I neededhim most and he touched me where
nobody else could touch and hesaved me and he loved me and it
was easy to believe.
When I came in contact with him.
I was like, oh, it's real, it'sgood, it's true.
Thank you, jesus, amen.
(22:35):
I was like, oh, it's real, it'sgood, it's true, thank you,
jesus, amen.
I can't make you believe.
Your mama can't make youbelieve.
Your wife, your husband, can'tmake you believe.
But when Jesus comes in theroom, oh, it's so good, it's so
good.
You know you can't beat peopleinto heaven, you can't preach
(22:58):
fire and brimstone and get theminto heaven, but when Jesus
comes in the room, it's like, oh, it all melts away.
Okay, that's him.
You come into touch with theman, the man, christ Jesus, and
he knows everything and he stillloves you.
That's one of my favorite partsIf he knows everything and he
(23:20):
still loves you, amen, isn'tthat good.
He loves you.
Today I'm telling you he didn'tjust love you, he likes you, he
made you for special fellowshipwith him.
I remember when I was a newChristian and I want to go back
to that place.
We always say that right, but Iremember I got my Bible out and
I believed and I would readthrough that Bible and I would
(23:41):
pray, and this is the kind ofprayers I'd pray.
I'd say Lord, show me somethingyou've never shown anybody.
God, show me something in yourword that just it's like gold,
lord, I'm digging for gold.
Lord, I'm searching for jewels.
Lord, just show me how much youlove me in this word, and you
know what he would do it.
I mean, I'd have weeks where itwas just like I can't nothing.
(24:05):
Nothing in this word it's dead,it feels dull.
And then one day, when I neededit most, it was just oh, he's
talking, amen, and he wants totalk to you.
Do you believe that?
Do you believe that he wants totalk to you?
I do.
I believe that he wants a uniquerelationship with you, with you
(24:26):
, your relationship with Jesus.
It's not like anybody else's inthis room.
God wants to have a uniquerelationship with you, but it's
because you believe it's becauseof Jesus.
It's because you accepted thegift, amen.
It's because you accepted thegift.
It's because you said I'll takethat.
(24:46):
I know I don't deserve it, Iknow it's the most precious,
expensive thing ever that Icould never pay back or earn,
but I'll take it because Ibelieve that you did it for me,
lord, amen.
And there's peace with that.
There's a peace that comes inyour heart when Jesus comes in
there.
And they don't have.
I don't understand it.
(25:06):
I can't sit here and explain itto you, I just know.
I'm just just trust me.
Amen, there's a peace thatwashes over.
It says it's a peace thatpasses understanding and it's
precious.
It's the most precious thinghere on earth.
Amen, thank you, lord.
Lord, we thank you for yourword today.
We thank you that you're justsearching for somebody to
(25:29):
believe that Lord, you have goodthings for us.
You just need somebody tobelieve, lord and Lord, we can
be that somebody.
Lord, I thank you that Lord.
Your great love for me, lord,it calls me to believe.
And Lord, in there I found you.
And Lord, I love you.
(25:50):
I found you and Lord, I loveyou.
Lord, I pray today that youwould move in our hearts and our
minds, that you would help usby faith to accept this precious
gift.
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