"In the Beginning Was the Word" Part 1

you'd like to be part of the program. I know we drum on about this week after week, but please do get in touch. We would love to hear from you. It's studio at Adventist Radio Dot London or eight triple to eight Hope Space and then your message we can WhatsApp zero seven four five nine six four to eight nine eight, or if you know any of our handles on social media, then you can certainly get in touch

with us that way. So our season, our series begins in the beginning was the word and the concept is for us to begin with some Bible study and we're looking forward to delve in deep into the Beatitudes, which was the beginning of Christ's Sermon on the Mount. To help us do that is past the Nick the Talents, and we will talk to him shortly and he will help us lead this discussion for the next couple of weeks.

As usual with me is Angela and member of the team, the baby of the team, Mulember is also on tonight. Pedro had some other commitments, but he may pop on later, so we'll leave the door open for him. Angela Malember, how are you this evening?

of have time to do stuff. So but I was very very busy doing some preparation for some stuff I had to do. I don't want to say what. A lot of prayer was put down. Yeah, it's in God's hands. Whatever's going to happen with a new opportunity, so we'll see what goes there.

available on Speaker. By the way, this is an opportunity to say that most of our programs are on speaker for you to re listen or listen afresh if you missed aspreaker dot com and you just google talking Point or sorry, search talking Point Arl. But Malemba is our newst member. She will be on as often as she can be, and now she has commitments on a sabbath, but if she can be, she certainly will be on. And she has a rich history in broadcasting, so we're

looking forward to her expertise. Molima putting on the spot. How are you doing? How was your week? Happy New Year to you, and that's say good evening to our listeners. Remember are you there?

was good, going back to work after a holiday. I had December holiday two weeks, then went back to work this week, so you know, after resting, getting back to work in But anyway.

full details. So it's really good to know that God is still in control amidst the chaos, amidst the calamities, He's still in control, and we keep a watchful eye on China.

a little introduction as to who he is. Those who have been with us for the number of years that we've been on Talking Point, our loyal listeners may have heard him before, because he certainly has been on the program before. But for those who do not know him, then he will offer a brief introduction. So yeah, let's pray and let's jump right into it, because as always, when the time flies, it flies. The heavenly Father, thank

you for another opportunity to have a conversation. Talking Point is about conversations, and today specifically, we are delving into the world. Lord, May your spirit have its way in Jesus' name, I pray Amen and amen aaster Minnie? Are you there? Can you hear me? Loud and clear? And it's out?

about me. Titalist is my full name, Fitalists. I've been in ministry for about fifteen years now, originally from the beautiful island of Saint Lucia. Well that's about me. So I initially passed an instance in Lucia and I'm currently the senior pastor in the not even conference of the whole Grimsby and consort as the churches. What else is there? I'm not sure what else you want me to say. Xenia is good. Yeah, no, no, I.

to me. And I'm sure that I will be blessed again because there's never a time that you go into the world that you're not blessed the same way I've gone in and God have you know, opened up certain things to me. I'm sure as we talk, as we discuss, he's going to allow you guys to share that's also going to be a blessing to me. So yeah, yeah, yeah, just really looking looking forward to spending the next couple of weeks with you as we as we just look into this word.

very similar. I'm not going to attempt to say it, but it means blessed, and to be fair, that is what the beatitudes are about, each each one beginning with blessed or blessed is And it's a very for me, a very good point to start the year on in that we are understanding what Christ meant by on what he hoped to accomplish through through our through us on earth. Is Kingdom on Earth? And what are the rewards and

what are the responsibilities? So that's that's my take in a nutshell or of the beattitudes, But maybe you can kind of lay a bit more of a foundation before we go into specifically the first of those. What are we talking about?

the message. So from chapter five of Matthew down to chapter six into chapter seven, you would see a very beautifully put artistic message that Christ Christ Christ gives and he theres a particular order in which he gives it, just just to just give you a brief one. Hey. Yeah. So after the the attitudes and so on, he goes into this teaching on the law where there is this this constant phrase that you hear, Uh, you've been told or you heard, but I tell you so you you

heard x y Z about the law. But I tell you here is how it has to be applied. Uh. So he does that here when you go into chapter six I think it is, yes, into chapter six, he he takes he brings it up or not. He then speaks to our individual spirituality again, yeah, normal phrase, and the normal phrase there is whatever you do in secret, your father will reward you openly. And he gives a series of teachings on on these and then you delve

into chapter seven. In chapter seven, Jesus takes some time and he again just begins to give a little bit more, and you would see there again the emphasis there is where he speaks about the importance of being careful and exercising faith and so on. So realistically speaking, I want to encourage persons don't look at the the attitudes simply

by themselves. I think while their blessings there, if you look at them as part of the whole teaching, one thing becomes very important, and it is this the the attitudes actually from the foundation, the spiritual foundation upon which everything else Jesus teaches in the Summer on the Mount is built. So it's one thing to take what he says about the law. But unless unless you you you have that foundation first, you are likely going to miss

some of it. And so so you're not wrong, you're not wrong, But there's a heavy spiritual component to it, upon which this phenomenal teaching from Christ is built. There's something else that I want to share, and it is the fact that when you when you when you look at the beattitudes, yeah, you will discover that there is this vertical and horizontal as aspect to it. So the the relationship between us and God and relationship between us and our fellow men, now where we where else we

see that, we see it. With the ten commandments, the first four has to do with our love for God. The last six has to do with our love for man. Because when Christ was asked was the greatest commandment, he was asked one question. Uh, he answered by giving to it, says the first is a level of lot of your God with all your heart, soul of mind, and the second your neighbor as yourself. When you look at the Lord spread When you look at the Lot's prayer, you

see the same format. The initial part of the prayer has everything to do with our relationship with God, and the last bit of that prayer that's when we pray forgive us and as we forgive those who also stress us against us. When you look at the beatitudes, the very same format follows. And that's not surprising because of the critical teaching that Christ gives hair in the someone

on the mouth. So the first for the attitudes, which is what will be spending some time looking at in this series, the first for the attitudes has absolutely everything to do with our relationship with God. The last five, that's where you go a little bit into that's when you go a little bit into how we relate to others. Maybe at some point I'm happy to come back for us to look at the last five. But now I think, yeah, that's a very good place to start off with the

first four. So so so. So there's that, but there's something, as you said, uh, as it relates to the that way that keeps being repeated in the the attitudes. I think, yeah, I think it's good to just establish with there's some general truths about the attitudes, so that when we go into the individual ones, we we have a nice foundation and nice platform that we are working on and working with. Here is the thing, now, you guys are going to

have to forgive me. Yeah, with with my my background in theology, I recently completed my emmy in systematics theology, so I have I am I take the whole Greek

at the eglisy to our next level. So you'll have to forgive me tonight if I if I'm sounding a little bit like I'm in too heavy, But what I found is that the this parity that exists between our modern day English language and the Greek that the Bible was written in, it is so far apart that if you really want to get a nice grasp of of what the Bible is saying, it would be wise to be able to delve into the Greek as well. And the good thing here is Greek is not only available

to people who went to a seminary like myself. There are a number of websites online that are available where you are able to go in and get some Greek words. So even though you don't understand what is written, what's important is understanding the meaning and so on. Yes, so there's something here that I think I would love to just just to engage you guys on there's a question. We we see Jesus starts every single beattitude with what is well? What is translated into the English as blessed?

And I like what you've already done here X on it. I'm not sure if any what? What? What? What are your thoughts on it? What do you think

thoughts about the beattitudes? I mean, it's interest that you standing it is that you kind of in that past is highlighting that word because I guess despite what the things are, there's still we're still what's the word fortunate, or we could be happily highly favored, or there's still despite the challenges, there's still something good that may come from that because it almost seems like, you know, despite

whatever's happening. So you know, the first one being we're going to go into them, but you know, the pooring spirit or those who mourn. So it's what I like about the attitudes is how I think Party has mentioned is how almost visual it is, and I'm going to say visual or practical. Jesus was a great storyteller, so the way in which he's kind of explained that, so you know, it's despite your situation, there's still a blessing despite whatever. So that's how I'm how I'm seeing some

of that. I don't know if I'm in the right. That's kind of the right thing there, But you know, I think this is.

that you are poor in spirit. I'm sure we're going to get to the poor in spirit later on, but just from the word blessed, it's it's something good. I should say, you have been fortunate. It's fortunate enough that you're going through that that you're going through. I'm sure we'll explain more as we go through the text. I don't to prompt anything or go.

all of it. As a matter of fact, if even if you use all three of them, uh this, they're still inadequate to really bring out the true meaning of what Jesus was saying. And I don't know for me what I what I understood what that word blessed meant. Well, okay, so the Greek word is the word macarry macarryos, from which the word macary oi comes from. When I look at what it meant, oh my gosh, guys. For me, I was just so blown away at how much God

loves us and how much he gives us. And it got me to a point where I really began to understand the reason that He began the teachings of the Sermon on the Mount with these. So let me let me just share this history at the word. One word that comes closest enough in the English to describe what that word macarryo mean is gonna be. It's not gonna make much sense to you towards here is the word untouchable.

what is absolutely mind blowing. The word McCarry joy was used as a phrase for the elites in society, those persons who are rich, And the reason they're called macarry untouched the book is because because of their riches, they are considered to be persons who are not affected, persons who are not touched by poverty, and persons who don't really who are not going to be the ones running around to clean the house and to clean their No,

they have servants for that. So for that reason, h in my in my country there we would call folks like that bourgeois. I guess I'm coming from a French background. So so those persons who are rich, those people who are up there, who have all that money and so on, who are not affected heavily by the stuff that the average Joe is affected by. That is the word I was used to describe them. Now, what's even more interesting, heir right, is that that same word is also used

to describe the Greek gods. And remember, of course, in those the genders, they had a series of gods as use for and so on and for them. The reason that the Greek gods were called macarry is because those Greek gods lived and existed in the heavens where they were away from poverty, and unlike the elite of the earth, they were also away from sickness and death. So it's like, this idea of being untouchable means that whatever is that you have, whatever privileges that you have, nothing at all

can affect it. So the idea of untouchable brings a sense of security and safety. But that's not all. That's something else that is that really really, really really helped me appreciate more the importance and necessity of just pursuing Christ. Just pursue Christ, because honestly, nothing else in the world really matters. There's nothing else that that would possibly give you what Christ is able to give. And here it is.

The word also means to be self sufficient, in other words, in other words, Yes, the word happy explains it, the word blessed explicit, The word satisfy explains it that happiness, that that blessedness of being fortunate, or that satisfaction is not something that you're dependent on anything outside of you. It is in dwelling. It's it's within you. Let me just share two passages of Scripture just to bring out that point. Yeah, and then I'll be happy to get

your your your take on it. It looks fourteen, thirteen and fourteen. Here's what Jesus says. He says, but when you give a fist, invite the poor, the quippled, the lame, the blind, and he says, and you will be blessed simul with macarry on. Why because they cannot repay you. Okay. So then he goes in fotun and he says, for you will be repaid at the resurrection of the just. In other words, you you believe that life of of

being a blessing to others. And here is the guarantee I'm giving you your You will be on spiritually untouchable. What about you is spiritually untouchable. Your your repayment will be at the reserve for the just. And if that is your repayment, there is nothing. The devil can do nothing, Your ANYI can do nothing, your hiatus can do that is going to interfere with that. That is the chure and it is safe just for you. Yeah, he's one more. Here's one more. There's one more in James five and eleven.

Again it's it just brings out the same concept. Behold, we consider those blessed similar who remains stepfast, We consider that those blessed who remain faithful, who didn't give up on God. Then he goes from you have heard of the stepfastness of Joe, and you're seen the purpose of the Lord. How the Lord is get this compassionate and merciful and so here's what he's saying. So, so, how are those who remain faithful to God spiritually untouchable? Here's

what he's saying. God's passion and God's merciful is yours. No one can touch that, no one can interfere with it. God's favor is yours. Is annoyting is yours. There is absolutely nothing anyone can do to interfere with that. So this idea of Macarryo is and I like that. In the original Greek, every single one of the parables actually starts with with that wild so it's not just in the English. So you are spiritually untouchable if you are

if you make this particular condition. You are spiritually untouchable if you meet that particular condition. And because God himself is the one who is making that declaration on those who make those conditions that he's talking about, what it tells me is simply this, as long as I am in Christ, as long as I'm positioned in him, whatever blessings he intends for me, whatever favors the intense for me, whatever provisions is made available for me. It's it's just mine.

It's mine. That's it. And the only person who could, literally is get in the way of my blessing, of my anointing, of my favor is me. And that's for me. Is absolutely amazing. Now, I'm sure probably you guys have good explained that way before. I'm not sure. I'm very much open to any from your.

are untouchable because God is with you. It's like when the Bible tells us not touch not manented, No, we conformed against you shall prosper. You know that the devil is going to attack you in any way, but even when you are attacked, you are untouchable because whatever the devil is trying will not prosper upon your life. Victory is ours. God has already worn it for us. So we are blessed because we know who we believe in. We are blessed because we know that He shields us

twenty four to seven. We are blessed because we understand that God got our back regardless of what we go through. That you know the times life that we, just like you, just go through crazy moments in life and you start to question whether or not you're blessed but then if you're really blessed and you understand who God is, you know that regardless of what you go through, it's not

what you're going through right now. In the moment, God is still there, you're still not Yes, you shouldn't be moved. When you're not moved, then you have faith that cannot be shaken, and and you know the enemy knows that. So the moment, I feel like, to me, it's an encouragement that we need to have faith that is untouchable, whether or not life is good for me today. I need to know that I will not be moved. Then I know I'm there with God.

will not it will not be fully revealed. And you know, I've been searching, Angilie, like you said, you're not sure where you normally look for words or you know, something settles with your spirit, and that's what you take forward for twenty twenty five. And I'm not sure yet if I've found what it is that's going to be my thing for this year, but untouchable seems just about right now because we've been talking about it. That's how we

started off the program. There's so much going on. There is so much going on around us, isn't it just as you've said, Malember, a calm, reassurance to know that we are in fact untouchable. When you go into it a little bit deeper, you'll explain that there are conditions, there are responsibilities on our end that we'll have to keep. But once, like you said, we're in in God's hands and in his will. There's just this hope and this

reassurance that we are in fact untouchable favorite unforgiven. And I'm going to put you right back in because I don't know if you remember the conversation we had about how what we were thinking of for twenty twenty five, Searching forward, searching for a concept, maybe something that resonates with us or resonates with you, that's generally how you start the year.

really difficult to see that. As you said, whatever's going on in the world right now, you know, it's not making Sometimes when you're going through stuff or you're seeing what's happening, it doesn't feel like people are untouchable, even though you may know that. But that's where our faith has to come in. We've got to have you know, we know that we alills talk about the time of trouble and it's coming.

my favorite text. I'm trying to think where it's from now in terms of you know, I always envisioned God upholding us with his right just right hand, so he's got us right there. So we're literally clutching for life as it were, to have that level of faith, to stay strong, to be untouchable. And that's a really interesting concept in itself because you know what that look what does that look like? What does that seem practically even when everything seems to be going on around you.

of challenges and difficulties. Head Jesus spoke these, uh, he out of a desire for others to experience what he was living, and he was crucified, he was hitten, he was despired. Here is the thing, this, this idea of my carrios. I think looking at it from me spiritual standpoint, as being spiritually untouchable. What it tells me is that when I am quote unquote spiritually untouchable, I have this

confidence in God's certainty of my spiritual victory. Tells me that there is this inner piece, this inner joys in satisfaction that God gives me that irrespective of what happens to me on the outside, respective of how how bad people treat me, irrespective of how much things don't go my way, nothing can still that peace that God gives me. Because because it is it is is self contained. God is the one who supplies it, not me. It comes

from Him. And because there is this contentment in God that I experienced, I should I willnost find myself in a place where there is a need for me to try to find fulfillment outside of God. Because if Jesus says, blessed are you, my power is spiritually unsouchable? Are you if you make this condition, because God will do that for you. So the spiritual what makes you spiritually untouchable is what God does for you. And my Gosh, if God is the one who does it, is the one who does it.

that it's available to absolutely everyone. There's none at all who's going too far, who am not able to be rich value and were I'm able to be in that place where you could bless them in that regard. I pray that that will be the reality for the listeners for us who are here on this program, and that your name will be just glorified and exhorted through us as you just continue to have your way, especially as we face this new year. It's just we pray Amen.

word and appreciate the word. So if there is again a particular topic or text that you'd like us to dive into, or puts your pastor listening, and do you want to lead then do get in touch with love to hear from you? Passink? Why don't you take us through the next session.

of heaven. For this is the kingdom of heaven. Two points on this, and then we will begin to just to look at the concept of the poor in spirit point number one. Just like I said, on the the attitudes, the entire the attitudes forms the foundation upon which the entire teachings of the of the someone on the Mount are built. The first, the attitude, the very first one, is the foundation upon which the order the attitudes are built.

If you examine them you're examine the all nine, you will discover that the first one is the only one that Jesus says, you receive that blessing right away. So the point in spirts for this is the kingdom of Heaven. All the others he's saying, you will get them in time. M hm, you will get it now. Getting them in time does not mean you have to wait until the second coming. But he's saying, but this one here is the one that is absolutely vital and critical for us

to get. Now. I remember going through it and I was wondering, abhy, why why is that so different? Why is that also critical? And then delving into it, I it began to challenge me. It began to challenge me. So why it might sound like a nice simple the attitude digging deep into it, it's really the attitude that calls you to meet a condition that entails hurting yourself. Okay, now, before before I go further, hair right, let me just say this very puck. So if we look at the beatitudes,

there is a particular format that they all follow. So they all start with blessed other and that's the condition that God asked for us to meet, and then they continue with for X, Y, and Z will happen to you, for this is the kingdom of heaven, or they shall be comforted, et cetera. Secretary. So the condition is ours to meet. So in this the case of the first lattitude, it's my responsibility to be poor in spirit, second one, and my responsibility to mold, my responsibility to be meet,

my responsibility to a hangan first after rightlessness. Here is a challenge though, with this. What God is going to provide which makes us spiritually untouchable. Only God can give. That's a given. There. There's no way I can give myself the kingdom of God, no way I can comfort myself that that is what God does for us, and I praise Him for it. It just helps me appreciate his grisk even more. But here is what's interesting. The condition that God is asking us to meet we cannot

meet on our own. So he says the poor in spirit. We cannot quote unquote be poor in spirit on our own. Let me just trouble you with here. The truth is, every single one of us are in a place of spiritual poverty. There's no question there. But what does it mean by poor in spirit? Let me get to open it up. Guys, let me get put this before I jump into it. I would love to just hear your thoughts on it. What do you think Christ means when he says the poor in spirit? How can you be poor in spirit?

it's very far from lacking. It's to me, I would want to think of it as less of the poor in spirit, as being humble. Really, I'm going to go back to what I said. I was just trying to explain what it is not really.

blessings and for the things that will come. And I think it's that, as you've said, past the recognition the conditions that are there to be met, we have to

know that they're their conditions. That's kind of highlighting maybe what those conditions are and for us to recognize that to be able to then do you know if you don't know something, you're not kind of aware, or you're not open as you said, remember about being taught something, then you're not going to be able to say, Okay, I'm going to be dependent on that because I recognize this, because I think it's also about recognizing that you can't do this on your own. It's not strength that you

do this. It's not through your own things that you put in. You know, it's a lot more than that.

I like what said. It's a call for you to understand that actually, well I'm not sure if it's remember or if it's I'm sorry, guys, but it's it's it's actually for you to be in a place where it seems negative, but it's not MM Hmmm, because there's there's there's a statement that I remember reading as a young Christian that God would not ask you to give up anything that's in your best interest to keep.

is to be destitute. And let let me give you an example. Let me give you an example of their right. And we'll look at some biblical examples. So for example, in mass you eleven and five the same what is used. And I want I want you to see some of the other human conditions that are attached with them. Right, So he says, the blind receives site, the blind the label work, those who have leprosy are cleansed, the death hair, the dead rays and the good news is proclaimed to

the poor. All of those individuals have one thing in common. They are the societal outcasts. Uh, the average poor person can still go in a field somewhere and work and earn a living. Those who are destitute, they are not qualified to be slaves or to get the most minial of jobs in other ways. In other ways, they are this enfranchised. They are seen as the scammel society. They're

incapable of contributing. There's there's Back in the day, they would be those persons who would have to live on the periphery of the community because they're they're seen as those who don't belong, so they cannot rise on their own. They cannot do for themselves because they are blind and live and are leopards, and they are definite and so on. And they are in a position where they literally need someone else to come in and do for them otherwise

they are finished. That's it. So when he uses that phrase the poor in spirit, he's not just telling us, Okay, you just be poor. You can still go and work some menial jobs in the spiritual realm and get some stuff. No, no, no, he's saying you have to beest teacher, spiritually desicate. In other words, get to a place where you recognize for yourself. Get to a place where your spiritual condition is such that God It's is so hard you are able to see yourself so much that you know, beyond a shadow

of a doubt, that we without God, I'm through. Without God. I'm nothing unless someone comes along and lifts me up. Unless God himself comes along and lists me up and does for me, that's it. I'm nothing. Let me let me share and all the text with you that explains the same in in Yes, in locate seven and fourteen. It gives a nice example here of what needs to be a spiritual beggar, what it needs to be spiritually destitute. Right, it's the the story of the tax collector and the

and the pharisee. Jesus says, but the tax collectors stood at a distance. He wouldn't even look up to Heaven, but with his breast and said, God, have mercy on me as sinner. And Jesus says, here's the kicker. I tell you that this man, rather than the other, went home justified before God. For all those who exalt themselves will be hambled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.

So to be spiritually destitute, to be poor in spirit means to make yourself of absolutely nothing whatsoever where God is concerned, you know, just just to be able to recognize that. That's it. Another example, they look fourteen and the thirteen. He says, but when you give a banquet, invite the poor, the quippled, the lave, the blind, same bracket,

same bracket. So when I talked earlier on Zenia about hurting yourself, it's me sitting alone with God in my in my devotional time and just allowing the word of God to hit me and to not run away from what God is showing me that I am to embrace the truth that he points out to me. One of the things I love about the wood the word confession. Confession is not just you speaking about the wrongs that

you've done. It it's literally you agree with God. When you confess, you're speaking the truth, even though the truth is I'm a thief. That's the truth. You've been able to acknowledge, unto and to and to own that. And it's for that reason Christ the Bible says, if we confess our sins, He's faithful and just to forgive us

of the places from all on righteousness. So so this idea of being spiritually destiny, spiritually poor, spiritually impoverished, with a spiritual outcast is recognizing I don't belong in God's kingdom, I don't deserve his favor. I am completely incapable of helping myself spiritually. I am completely detendant on God to come in and to do for me, because that's how messed up of a person I am. And let me put it to you this week and before I open

up to your hair. Yeah, I have to be able to recognize that irrespective of how many degrees I have, respective of how much I value have been in the church, what positions have held, whatever ministries have been involved in, how much God have used me to bring deliverers to people, whether it is from demon possession, deman harassment, whatever it

might be. No matter how many persons have come to Christ through my ministry, whenever I sit in my study, I must continue to recognize that I am spiritually destitute.

One last thing here, it's interesting that this phrase, well, it's the same thing for all of the rest of the of the attitudes it's used in the present continuous tense, which means, irrespective of how much God works through me, I am always supposed to be spiritually destitute, respect how much He annoys me and how much he exalts me. I am always siritually destitute, because that's the condition God needs in order for the Kingdom of God to be mine. I'd love for you guys to come in.

necessarily things that we would want. And I suppose when we think about in society to now most for a lot of people, being self sufficient, been able to cope with things, been able to do stuff, kind of is a complete contrast for that, because in some way we've been kind of you know, asked to kind of say, right, okay, I have to be the user word destitute, which I remember thinking, gosh, that seems even worse than.

Potential will be challenging when you put it, when you contextualize it and put it into you know, you think, Okay, how am I going to apply that principle to my life and everything that I do? Yes, that was that was my my initial thinkings on those on that mm hmmm.

will speak to them in a good voice. When somebody gets on my last nerve, I want to be angered or like you know, you just want to be meek, because the Bible says you're blessed when you are all of these nice, when you're all of these things. It's not easy. It's easier said than it is done. But then when we talk of my thought, when we talk of being hurt, is that we need to give up. We need to swallow the pride. You know, everybody wants to have a sense of pride in what they do.

Because I'm not going to be the last person who thill shout at I also want to say something because my voice has to be heard. But it's in those moments that we are reminded just swallow your pride. The battery is not used to fight. Vengeance is not for us, it's for the lords. Speak up when you have to speak up. Like we said again, it's not that people have to tramp upon you. You can air your views in a way that is not offensive, in a way that shows that this you are a christ like a person.

And so really swallowing the pride, carrying that cross daily, refraining like literally telling yourself not to do what you want to do when you feel like you should do and be a certain way you literally tell yourself not to run away physically if you have to run like it's such a struggle. There's prayer, which is the spiritual part involved in our well being, in not in being hurt every day. There's a physical one that you tell yourself.

You literally stop yourself from doing something that you want to do because you know it is not what God wants for you. You know you have this cross to carry and you are going to carry it every day, painful as it is, you will still carry it because you know what you want. Your jries out to be. I should say.

word that is able to impact me. There's there's there, there's the avenue of prayer where I'm able to speak to him. There is my conscience that the Holy Spirit ministers do, and then there is me who have to decide whether or not I will humble myself to go, whether or not I will I will leave obedience to his, whether or not I will exercise fit in him, whether or not I will swallow my pride and and go

in the direction that He's asking me to go. Let me ask a question, Guys, have you ever been in a place where God asked you to do something and you're like you're dying inside because you just have to bring yourself to do it. Oh?

and and some. And then he says, if I were to treat you m okay, okay, okay, say normal.

And and so when I talk to Jena about it's a call to hurt yourself, that's what I mean, because it's it's it's literally God's saying to you, here is a condition to that is to be met in order that you have it in order for me to bless you, so that you can become spiritually untouchable. So really and truly, it's like, God, what you asked me to give up is a lot. But when you look at what he's offering m hm. When you look at what he's offering in terms of what he's asked you to give up,

because what he's asking you to give. You're holding onto it. It just it. It keeps you at a place where you are going to keep missing out on the blessings that He intends for you. You're going to keep missing out on that spiritual untouchability aspect of your life that

is supposed to be realized. So so in essence, in essence, it's that that call for spiritual destitution is a call for you to go deep with God and honest with yourself about who you are and where you are, and just availing yourself to God, as he is the one who will point it out to you. And that's how you that's how you achieve that condition of spiritual destitution. Let me tell you, it's not nice, but it's worth it.

What what does it mean? What does it mean? Let me share just two points and then we will, will you know, open up again one in the minds of Jesus ters and for him himself as well. The whole concept of a kingdom, the kingdom has several components to it. The kingdom as a ruler. Kingdom has a territory, it has laws, and it has citizens. Right. So for example,

here we are in the United Kingdom. Uh, in my capacity as an immigrant, hair there are there are certain privileges that I don't that I don't have that citizens here have right the their laws that are in the favor of the citizens of that kingdom. So so if he's saying yours is the Kingdom of Heaven, and we're not talking about the United king we're talking about the

Kingdom about Heaven, you know, of God. So it means that for that that that as a result of you being in that place of spiritual destitution, you being spiritually untouchable, means the rights and trivileges of the citizens of God's Kingdom are yours. The resources of God's Kingdom are yours. The laws that governs the God's Kingdom our laws. That's that's that's weird. And God's laws are not horrible laws. Following the law, the love brings you happiness and joy,

its fulfillment, it brings you satisfaction. But here is something here about the Kingdom that I want to just share with you. But even before I go, then let me just ask you, so i'll sort of what I will already share. When you hear the Kingdom of God, what do you think are the the characteristics of God's Kingdom? What do you think it's about.

here and now. So it's almost like a full taste of what's to come.

of it. It's in heaven, and they see God sitting on the throne being our king. That's what I think the Kingdom of God is.

there's a reason for that. There's a reason for that. You see, as at that time of the Messiah's coming came nearer, the devil knew. I mean he study is the prophecies that Maybole tells us that so he knew. So he began ramping up. He began ramping up his efforts right for the sole purpose of trying to what God's plant head too mustages. The scripture I want to share with with you, guys, and these are coming straight from the mouth of Jesus himself is helping us understand

the significant characteristic of the Kingdom of God. In Luke ten and it, he says to his disciples, when you enter the town and are welcomed it, what is offered to you? Then? It was, he says, heal the sick who are there, and tell them the Kingdom of God has come near to you. M So, what are the healing of the sick have to do with the Kingdom of God? When when people are healed, they are being delivered. They have been delivered. Let me let me share another

one for you with you again. In Luke chapter eleven and verse twenty, Jesus says, but if I drive out demons by the finger of God, then the Kingdom of God has come upon you. In other words, in other words, in other words, what Christ is here highlighting is that the significant characteristic of the Kingdom is that the Kingdom

brings deliverance to people. Just this week, from my devotion, I've been looking at a look chapter four, so he's not in the presentation, So I just really look for eighteen and nineteen where Jesus is quoting from Isaiah sixty one where he says, the spirit of the Lord is upon me because he has anointed me to preash the Gospel to the poor. That's the same way that we

saw on spiritually Destitute. Yes, submitted me to heal the broken hearted, to press the delivereral to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them. That I was to pretty the acceptable year of the Lord to preach that the Kingdom of God is all about people being delivered. Amen, it's a lot of people

being spiritually delivered. So when he says, blessed are the spiritually destitute, for theirs is the Kingdom of God, what he's saying is that whatever the deliverance you need life m hm, whatever deliverance you need in your life, the Kingdom of God is yours. Because you are a citizen of that kingdom. The rights and trivileges that belong to

citizens are yours. When when, however, when uh individuals are held hostage and so on and so of America and the US, they move heaven and earth, they send their military in and so on to get their people back. Why because these are citizens of their kingdom. Guys, I don't know if you're hearing what I'm saying. Jesus is

saying here. Jesus is saying here. When you are you will be spiritually untouchable when you deliberately pursue becoming spiritually destitute, because then every as expect of the kingdom, every benefit of the kingdom when it comes to spiritually deliverance is yours. Man one is yours. And as I just try to tie down, I'm just appreciating so much that Jesus chose that first the attitude to be the foundation upon which

all the others are built. So I must no longer go to Matthew six forty three and read six First the Kingdom of God is right, and other thing will be added on to you without referencing the attitude, without referencing blessed and the poor in spirit, because look, if you're a poor in spirit. Doesn't matter how many other blessings or promises are in the rest of the sermon on the mounth, my friend, you will not receive any

one of them. It begins with your being poor spirits, because if you've been spiritually destitute, that's the way becoming spiritually untouchable comes in m Man. We've we've, we've, we've kind of come to a little bit to the end of it.

just to the hard work spiritually. Where where the submission of our heart is concerned, and if we just get their, Lord, if we get there, you're promising to give us so much as it relates to your kingdom, so much as citizens of your kingdom, that the rights of citizens become ours,

the privileges of citizens become ours. The strength of the Kingdom is on our side, and the deliverance that we need or God, despite whatever it is that we are going through, we are guaranteed that you will bring deliverance.

So sometimes it may feel like we are not getting there, it may feel like we want to just give up, But may you remind us all of that as long as we are spiritually destitute, the spiritual on such ability of being, of benefiting from the citizens of your kingdom is the one that no one can go from us. And we thank you for it. We'll bless you for it. It's just been me prayer.

I don't know, Angie Malemba, what's your takeaway from this Evening's conversation? You can find just one.

I need as much as I can. You know, I'm going to do what I need to do to get that ultimate I think only surprize, but that kind of gift, that blessing of the Kingdom of God right here and now as a full taste for going forward. But there's been so much because ive kind of it's it's been really interesting to sort of see how this has been unpacked.

And I think I never really sort of gauge the idea that that sort of that the foundation and the beginning, and you know, there's a lot of there's a lot of themes running through and quite similar, and I guess, you know, Jesus is a storyteller. You know, he had a message running through right through, and it sort of works in similar ways in terms of how he presented those. So yeah, again looking forward to the sort of you know, breaking down the next few attitudes as well.

I said before. But but for me, I'm even going to take it back to that scripture that you shared, Pastor, about the Pharisee and the tax collector, and I see some how easily it could be that you tick those boxes. And certainly we're reminded that it's not by works, but often we feel like it. Yeah, I'm the one in the church every every you know, Wednesday Night Sunday night, whatever it might be. I'm the one that pays the tides.

I'm the one that feeds the sick and the hungry, or you know, I'm the one that does all that, and therefore I am entitled to I am the one that that inherits the kingdom. But this is not what it's about. And you've reminded us that we you know, it's not about all that. It's about coming, stripping ourselves, killing our flesh and just carrying our cross, as Melimba said, and recognizing that we are absolutely nothing despite what we have done, what we have accomplished, and Pastor you said it.

You know, you've preached, you've you've sort of delivered through your messages. You've you've done so much, but you still have to remind yourself and when you come into the quiet places with God, and when we come into that place with God, we need to recognize that we are absolutely nothing without Him and that has to stay with us and that has to be the foundation on which everything else is built. So that's for me what I

take on. It's not easy to do because you are aspiring to be what God wants you to be, to tick those boxes but it's also acknowledging that even when you take them and if you tick them, you've got to be taking them for the right reasons. And you have to acknowledge that it is still Him that gives you, you know, whatever you need, and it's still by His grace that you go. It's nothing that you've done that makes you worthy. So yeah, yeah, Malemba, what's your final thought?

And then we'll bring past the back in because I I think I see him. He's scream weavings. I'm not sure he's wanting to add something else there? Are you wanting to add something here?

I'm definitely going to be poor in spirit. If it takes need to hurt myself every day to live up to a standard that God wants me to attain, I'm definitely going to do that because I know what I want at the end. I want to inherit the Kingdom of Heaven. I want it to be mine. I don't want it to pass me. So regardless of what happens, if it means I should be meek, I'm going to do that because I know what I want at the

end of the day. So really, it's amazing to know that I can be a partaker of heaven as long as i'm poor in spirit.

you bless them, May they be blessed. O God, continue lot to help us in this journey as we spread your word may speak to us even before it speaks to somebody out there. It's in the mighty name of Jesus. We pray with thanksgiving in our hearts. Amen.