[Music] good morning everybody thank you so much for joining us here at encounter Life Church whether you are with us online whether you are in the building I always got to say this listen I I want you in the building so I can meet you face to face but wherever you are welcome to encounter Life Church we are excited about you being here as always a special welcome to the guests who are joining us for the first first time and much love to those of you all who are part of the encounter Life Family officially so here's how it works here if you've not been here before what we're going to do is we're going to start with praise and worship and then Pastor will come and give us the word for today but before we get started with praise and worship here's some announcements all right in counter Life Church we are very excited to partner with Hillcrest Heights Elementary School and we are supporting three kindergarten classes we want to make sure that we are supporting them with a number number of school supplies the students are also in need of hats gloves winter coats size 5T and 6t white polo style shirts and navy blue pants you can drop the gifts off or your donations off at the church that address is 2200 cber Drive Hillcrest Heights Maryland 20748 if you cannot donate the items please consider giving a gift card and we will purchase the items for you the church is a 501 C3 organization dedicated to charitable purposes and all donations are tax deductible for more information contact Dr Katherine Graham at 301 2371 31 or cam12 verizon.net encounter life make sure you save the date of September the 29th it is our annual love Feast it's going to happen right after church so make sure you come enjoy yourself have some food some fellowship it'll be a good time en counter Life church every first Sunday is baptism Sunday if you want more information about getting baptized please get in contact with Pastor Dwayne mckenny and he can give you more [Music] info if you are new here or even if you are not and you do not have the app for encounter Life Church take out your phones and grab gra the QR code you see on the screen right now if you have an apple or an Android it does not matter that QR code will take you to the right place if you are in need of couples counseling make sure that you connect with the couples counseling center helping couples connect is what they do you can get more information about them at couples counseling center.org The Widow's pantry is one of the Partnerships that we have here at encounter Life Church where they support the homeless so if you are interested Ed in helping support the homeless through the work of widow's Pantry make sure to get in contact with sister desand young you can see her email address is there theand young yahoo.com and her phone number is 30175 28833 contact her for more information about how you can help we want to thank everyone who has given to support the ministry here at encounter Life Church there are several ways to give and here are your options you can give by text by texting the word give to 301 804 2520 if you want to mail in your giving you can mail it to 2200c Bear Drive Temple Hills Maryland 20748 and you can give online by going to encounter lifee church.net we thank you so much for supporting the ministry here and your giving is an important part of keeping us moving forward to support the mission we have for Christ if you wish to connect with us please make sure that you use the QR code that you see on the screen right now especially if you are new here at encounter Life church we would love to connect with you you can do so by texting the word new to 30184 20520 or grabbing the QR code that you see on your screen right now for those of you who are new Christians we want to welcome you and for those of you all who have recommitted or would like to recommit your life to Christ we are excited to support you either way so please make sure that you reach out to us and connect with us you can connect with us by texting the word next to 30184 2520 or you can go to the website at encounter lifee church.net SLC connection thanks again for being with us for this morning's service we're excited that you're here now let's get started everybody good morning to the folks in the house good morning to the folks that are joining us online we are excited to be here and I believe today we are starting a new series so I'm going to let Pastor introduce that but I do get often times a preview into what's coming so I think that you guys are really going to enjoy it I have a special prayer request before we uh let the praise team open us up and get started so I'm I'm getting ready to get a dog you guys now I know you're like what does this have to do with Sunday service but I feel like if I can Garner some prayers then I need I need as many prayers as I can get now the problem is I want to get a big dog I want to get a double XL American Bully which is huge now the issue there is whether mikica Seward will allow the dog so I need all you all to pray and when you talk to her just talk fondly about dogs all right cuz that's what I want to do but thank you all so much again for being with us for those who are in the house if you're a guest thank you so much for joining us if you're online I'm going to say this to you you always hear me say it love the fact that you can join us online would like it even better if we could see you in the house so super excited about today super excited about the fact that you all are here I'm going to pray and open us up and then praise and worship is going to kick us off and then we'll have Pastor come and bring us the word for today and I will see you again at the end of the service let's pray Lord I Thank you for this time just for us to be able to come together as Believers Lord and hear from you and learn from you and then to take what we've learned here and go and apply it to the world as always lord it's not a situation where you just want us to come hear a good sermon feel good from the music and then leave and not be changed Lord we want to leave here and then do what you've instructed us to do God so bless our time with you today Lord open our hearts to hear give us the hearts to execute what we hear from your word bless all those that are in the house those that are joining us online and may we have a good time learning and hearing from you this Sunday in Jesus name amen say amen for the praise team good morning encounter life why don't you stand upon your feet with us if you can we welcome those of you who are with us online from wherever we are you say Lord Lord you mighty Lord you mighty Lord you mighty Lord you mighty Lord you mighty Lord you mighty Lord your Mighty Lord your Mighty say Lord your Mighty Lord your Mighty Lord your Mighty Lord your Mighty Lord you're mighty Lord you're mighty Lord you're mighty Lord Mighty say Lord you're mighty Lord Mighty Lord you're mighty Lord you mighty Lord you're mighty Lord you mighty Lord you mighty say Lord your Mighty Lord your Mighty Lord Lord Mighty Lord your Mighty Lord might Lord your Mighty oh Lord oh Lord how excellent is your name in all the Earth you said Your Glory above the heavens and the Earth when I think when I think of all you make the the moon and the star there's no praise no praise is high enough to express how great you are What a Mighty God what a mighty God we serve [Music] mighty God we serve Angels We bow before the mighty God we serve what a mighty God we serve mighty God we serve Mighty God mighty God we serve let heaven and Heaven and Earth theore the mighty God we serve come on everybody and say Lord your Mighty Lord your Mighty Lord you mighty Lord you mighty Lord you mighty Lord you mighty Lord you mighty Lord you mighty say Lord you're mighty Lord you mighty Lord you're mighty Lord you mighty Lord you mighty Lord you mighty Lord you're mighty oh Lord how excellent is your name in all the Earth you set your glory you set your glory above the heavens and the earth when I think when I think of all you made the Sun the moon and the star there is no praise no praise is high enough to express how great you are What a Mighty God what a mighty God we serve might mighty God we serve angels will bow before the mighty God we serve What a Mighty God we serve mighty God we serve mighty God we serve let heaven heaven and earth adore the mighty God we serve like s Hallelujah Hallelujah Hallelujah Hallelujah Hallelujah Hallelujah Hallelujah Hallelujah all glory all glory all honor all honor all praise all praise all praise praise Hallelujah Hallelujah Hallelujah Hallelujah Hallelujah Hallelujah Hallelujah Hallelujah all glory all glory all honor all hon all praise all praise all praise God all praise to the mighty God we [Applause] serve mighty God we serve Angels bow angels will bow before the mighty God we serve Mighty God mighty God we [Applause] serve mighty God we serve Heaven and Earth heav the Earth adore the mighty God we serve Now sing Lord your Mighty Lord your Mighty Lord you mighty Lord your Mighty Lord you mighty Lord you mighty Lord you mighty Lord you mighty say Lord you mighty Lord you mighty Lord you mighty Lord you mighty Lord your Mighty Lord your Mighty Lord your Mighty more Lord your mighty Lord you mighty Lord you mighty Lord you mighty Lord you mighty Lord you mighty Lord you mighty Lord [Music] your our God is mighty he is strong and he is awesome this song just says Lord you are awesome come on sing sing Lord you're awesome you are awesome Lord you are awesome Lord you're awesome Lord you are awesome Lord you are awesome and if it was for if it wasn't for your love if it wasn't for your gra I don't know no would I be without you if it wasn't for your love it wasn't for was for your grace I don't know where I be know where I be without you lord you are awesome Lord you are awwesome Lord you are awesome Lord you are awesome and if it was for if it was for your love wasn't for your gra I don't know where i' be without you if it wasn't for your love for for your gra I don't know where I be without you Lord you are awesome Lord you are awesome Lord you are awesome Lord You Are Awesome sing Lord you are Lord you are awesome Lord you are awesome [Music] Lord you are awesome Lord you are awesome you are awesome you are awesome you are awesome you are awesome you are awesome you are awesome you are awesome you are awesome you are awesome awesome you are [Music] awesome Lord you are good you've been so good Lord you are good you've been better than good I can't praise you enough oh you my I can't thank you enough even if I tried cuz you've [Music] been so good come on and help me saying you've been you've been so good you've been so good to me to [Music] me Lord you are good you've been so good Lord you are good you better than good I can't praise you love I owe you my life Praise You Love even if I try you been so [Music] good you you are good you've been so good you've been so good Lord you are good you've been better than good I can praise you enough I owe you my life can't praise you enough even if I you been so good so good to [Music] Lord you are Lord you are good you been so good Lord you are good you'll be better than good I can praise you now all you my life can praise you with love even if I try you been so good so good you been you been so good so good You' been so good so good to me to [Music] me so many doors you open so many ways you so many times so many times you heal better than good to me better than good to me so many thoughts you so many ways so many ways you many times many times you he You' been better than good to me better than good to me so many so many ways so many ways so many times many you've been better than good to me better good to me so many so many ways so many ways many many you heal me been better than good to me you've been better than good to me been better than good to me You' been better than good to me you're better than good to me You' been better than good to me you're better than good to me you've been better than good to me you better than good to me you've been better than good to me You' better than good to me you been better than good to me better than good to me you've been better than good to me You' been better than good to me You' been better than good to me you been better than good to me better than good to me better than good to me you've been better than good to me better than good to me you've been better than good to me better than good to me you've been better than good to me better good to me cuz you've been so good Hallelujah you've been so good you've been so good come on and sing that if you know that he's been good so good cuz you've been so good so good you've been you've been so good so good you you so good so good to me [Music] you've been so good you've been so good to me to me amen anybody has he been good to you this morning [Music] hallelujah hallelujah so many doors he's open so many ways he's made so many times he's healed me both physically spiritually emotionally anybody got that testimony this morning Hallelujah come on let the redeemed of the Lord let the redeemed of the Lord say so this morning hallelujah amen so many doors he has opened and I praise God that he's opened doors that I haven't listen he opened doors sometimes that you didn't even see amen I praise God for that we praise God that he is a he is a way maker and that he's been good to us and this is what I love about that it says he's been so good and the good thing about God is him being good is not connected about me to me being good you missed that you missed it he's been good regardless of whether you've been good or not amen cuz I don't know about you y'all anybody if you got children here and and the kids will like mommy can I go can I get this treat can I get that well if you be good then Daddy will get you this that or the other thing and any have y'all ever done that to your children grandchildren nieces nephew well if you'll be a good boy today then I'm going to do this and so what it is is the kids says well I they gonna be good to me if I'm good but I'm so glad that I got a heavenly father says he's good to me even when I'm not good matter of fact the Bible said listen he did the best good he did the ultimate good for me when I was doing the worst to him amen that listen that that that the Bible says that none are right righteous we were the ones putting him on the cross we were the ones with the crown of thorns on his head and he did the ultimate good that's why they call it good Friday because he gave his life for me he's been good to me amen and that therefore we ought to give him our best praise and that is not just on Sunday morning that is with our lives amen everybody amen uh let's this morning I just want to welcome all of our guests can we give our guests a round of Applause this morning want to welcome you to encounter Life church this morning uh if you're online we are so glad you joined us if you're a guest please uh scan the QR code they're gonna put it up on the screen for you if you are a guest you can also text the word new to 30184 2520 if you don't get the QR code thing uh if you got one of those flip phones or something that doesn't do that uh just go get you can text the word new to 301 804 2520 and and uh fill out our connection card there uh we're excited this morning we praise God for our baptism service yesterday young man got baptized y'all know little Andrew I praise God for Andrew uh who uh had the testimony that he gave his life to Jesus Christ uh and he got up and he said listen I want to be baptized praise the Lord for that uh and you know I just got I'm going to just share this Brother D I'm going to share it what you just shared with me uh last week there was some young men who were here and brother Dave said one of the young men the word of God hit him so hard I found out afterwards that he asked could he get he wanted to get baptized last Sunday and I didn't know it he didn't have no change I didn't know it I wish I have known we'd have put him in the water I didn't know but he he was a GU guest of one of Dave's son uh sons and the Lord of he recommitted his life to Christ and uh and we pray we want to pray for him and pray for that God will continue to strengthen him and I want to tell you if if God speaks to you you may not come up front nobody ever know it please let us know about it you might be a person say Pastor I'm afraid to come to the altar but you can let us know about it myself one of the leaders and so that we can walk you through uh just your walk with Christ amen I am excited this morning we're starting a new series I encourage you to invite somebody next week is National back to church Sunday all over it's a national thing so National back to church Sunday so this week you can be working on some friends and family somebody you might know you'd like to invite you to invite to church somebody who may used to been to go to church and said they've been away from church for whatever reason be able to tell it's a good way to be able to reach out and give them an opportunity to hear the gospel and so this month for the rest of this month we're excited because we are starting a new series today how many of y'all have ever heard somebody say something and they say the Bible says such and such and you say hold on I don't think that's in the Bible right you know like there so many idioms that we have out here that people attribute to the Bible and if you go and find I cannot find chapter and verse amen we can and we and we have or we'll take scripture and paraphrase it and say certain things that the Bible didn't necessarily say maybe it implies some of the things but we we attribute things to the Bible that uh it may not necessarily say one of these things is that God won't put on you any more than you can handle anybody heard somebody say that so the Bible don't say that y'all it's not in the Bible you looking at me what yes it does first no it doesn't say that in 1 Corinthians 10 it said listen listen God he will make a way out of the tempt Temptation he won't allow you to be tempted more than you can bear but with the Temptation he'll provide you a way of Escape so that you can bear up under it but he does not say he could he won't put on you more than you can handle that's something look that's false we going to talk about that next week we going to talk about that next week but we're going to talk about some phrases and some things and some idioms that that that people think the Bible says that the Bible doesn't say and we want to look at them because sometimes they can be dangerous when on the surface the dangerous thing about it is they could sound like really positive things but behind it and under that you you got to be careful because there's some negative things attached to it how many heard this one money is the root of all evil Bible don't say that either says the love of money is the root of all evil cuz money can't be the root of all evil because without it you ain't eating but so so we want to make sure that we are looking at these things the right way this morning we're going to uh we're going to look at one of those statements that people say we're going to pray first and then we're going to look at one of these statements that people say that really sounds good on the surface but can be dangerous and I encourage you to invite some friends that you might have because some people think the Bible says some things that it doesn't necessarily say and we want to make sure that we're rightly dividing the word of Truth amen can we pray together together dear God Heavenly Father we praise you we honor you we thank you Lord God for being a a a way maker for us for opening doors that we have not even seen Lord God thank you for being our healer for being our shelter and our provider and we thank you Lord God because you are just a mighty God and that you're loving and you're gracious and you've been good to us in spite of us now speak to us from your word help us Lord God through this series to really uh be inspired to get more into your word to get clarity on what your word says and then to be able to walk it out we praise you we honor you now I pray most of all for somebody today who does not know you someone who's never made a decision to make Christ Lord of their life that Lord they'll see the need for Christ today and come to know you in the pardoning of their sins in Jesus name amen today the the the statement the phrase that we're going to look at that the Bible does not say is this God helps those those who help themselves God help th helps those who help themselves there was a Bara study if y'all Bara does research and and several years ago Bara did a study of certain things in culture and and and one of the things that one of the statements they put out there for people for Christians is this statement did you think that the Bible teaches that God helps those who help themselves and then that bar study it said that 50 it reported that 52% of practicing Christians strongly agree that the Bible teaches God helps those who help themselves now the that that sounds good on the first y y'all heard that that F that phrase that if if if you take one step he'll take two what he's done for others he'll do for you y'all heard of that God helps those who help themselves and behind that is a you know it's it's dangerous because it's a some self-sufficiency behind that it's really what's rooted in a lot of self-help Doctrine and theology if if you will but if you really understood where this statement came from it actually comes from Greek mythology it comes from the Greeks in the original quote it says this the gods help those who help themselves it can be CH that that phrase can be traced to ancient Greek culture and it's not really a Biblical concept modern culture especially in the Western countries like the United States we idolize self-sufficiency we idolize it we love the story of the person that says they have pulled their themselves up by their own bootstraps and it motivates us and it inspires us because if I'm looking and I've got dreams and I want to see things happen in my life that if they did it man I I can become a self-made millionaire too I can I can become successful I was watching uh the video a video of of somebody I was going to player who won a Oscar and he was a gentleman who grew up in in an Asian country and he came over here he was in a refugee camp and he came over as on a boat and he grew up here in the United States and he eventually he won an Oscar and he was just in tears saying listen this is the American dream and the sad thing about it is we've been in this country we bought into the American dream and we feel like we even in the church we have this idea of self-sufficiency that we can just make it happen and and we we fail to realize that God that is the statement and we'll look at it that later that the Bible doesn't really teach that God helps those who help themselves but God helps those who recognize they need his help God helps those who recognize they need his help what Psalm chapter 121 Psalm 121 if you look at it 121 it says listen I look to the hills from whence cometh my help my help comes from where from the Lord who the maker of heaven and Earth and it sounds good and it's and it sounds good that I I I worked hard and I made it happen but the danger behind this Theology and this thought is that if God helps those who help themselves we get it backwards it it's teaching that I got to do something I'm going to meet God [Applause] halfway and that is completely antithetical to what the Bible teaches in in fact your whole salvation experience it starts it doesn't include any of that you couldn't meet God anyway because listen we are completely totally depraved and we're going to get to it do I have some responsibility we're going to get there we're going to talk about that we're going to look at a story in the Bible of and just see how God does help us but what we got to understand God helps those who help themselves is dangerous because what it means is that if I don't do my part then God ain't going to work for me and and it it makes you think that listen I I didn't do what I was supposed to do so it can't happen for me how many got the testimony that God showed up in your life when you weren't even looking for him God helps those who help themselves there are some of us who were listen I couldn't even help myself I had an addiction I couldn't help myself and God supernaturally delivered me wasn't God help those who help themselves go God God helped those who say God I need your help that's what the Bible teaches and it's all rooted if we look at it if you look in the Bible in Matthew chapter 6 let's look at Matthew 6:25 really quick verse 2 5 through3 says that is why I tell you not to worry about everyday life whether you have enough food and drink or enough clothes to wear isn't life more than food and your body more than clothing look at this this verse 26 I want to look at this look at the birds they don't plant or harvest or store food in barns for your heavenly father feeds them and they and aren't you far more valuable to him than they are and why are you worrying about your clothing look at the lies of the field how how they grow and they don't work or make their clothing yet Solomon in all his glory was not dressed as be beautifully as they are and if God cares so w wonderfully for wild flowers that are here today and thrown into the fire tomorrow he will certainly care for you what he say the flowers they the lies they don't labor for anything the birds they not working for it God provides for them what we got to get in our mindset not God helps those who help themselves that God is God all by himself he don't even need he don't need my help he don't need my help but what he needs me is to have the right mindset God helps those God helps those not who help themselves but God helps those who number one that perceive that they are powerless God helps those that perceive they are powerless put that up on the screen for me God helps those to understand that I am completely helpless what does the bible teach us in Romans listen we are all born in a helpless State Romans chapter 5: 6 when we were utterly what helpless some of your Bibles will say when we were utterly powerless Christ came at just the right time and died for us as Sinners we got to understand this whole salvation thing started with understanding that you're helpless and God is only helping those who perceive the fact that they're helpless that they're powerless if you can't come to see there's so many people that I've talked to and we asked them about giving their life to Christ are recommitting their lives they say I just got to get myself together first no that's not what salvation is about salvation is about the fact that you cannot get yourself together that you need to come to Christ and you have to perceive the fact that you are powerless we are so we got so this self-sufficiency mind and so much of our world we even approach salvation that way that man if I can do this and get that now I'll be worthy now I can come to Christ no you are helpless God helps those that perceive they are helpless it always reminds me I this story always comes to my mind when I think about Peter when Jesus told Peter to come to him walking on the water and Jesus told Peter to come to him walking on the water and Peter came walking on the water he looked at the circumstances and he began to sink and as soon as he began to sink he cried out to Jesus help and immediately the master saved him that's what God wants for you you're looking for God's help well God wants you to stop trying to work so hard and come to him and let him know that listen I understand that I cannot do it on my own does that mean you don't have any work to do no I'm not saying that we're going to talk about that later but it starts with you understanding that you you are completely helpless husbands you got to understand I am completely powerless to be the kind of husband that the God has called me to be completely powerless you could try by your own will by your pulling yourself up by your own bootstraps by willpower anybody ever tried willpower and understand that willpower don't last how many times have I said I'm not going to yell at these children I'm not going to do it today I'm not going to get them get me upset I'm not going to and next thing you know one of them give me an attitude and I'm going to completely falling off the wagon but what I need to do every day God show me how to be the husband and father you called me to be help me not to offend my children by the Lord by yelling help me to love my wife as Christ loved the church cuz I can't do it on my own but every time I try to do it by My Own Strength it only lasts for a little while you know why because the whole nature of this when Jesus left here he said I when I leave I'm going to send another helper who will abide with you forever even the spirit of Truth see the holy spirit is our what helper you can't do it on your own look at your neighbor and said I'm helpless I'm helpless we don't like we don't like to say that because it sounds weak doesn't it and in this we don't weakness is something that we that is not glorified but Paul said my strength is made perfect God said listen my strength is made perfect in your weakness Paul said I got this weakness in my flesh I got a thorn in my flesh a messenger of Satan to keep me under and he wanted God to take it away and God said my grace is sufficient for you all you need is my grace my favor and I want you to stay weak I want you to recognize your helpless because when you see it then my strength can be perfected when you're in that position God helps those who perceive they are helpless so how does how does God's help work is it a wonderful example in the book in the Old Testament in SEC 2 Chronicles that I want to look in is a chapter of 2 Chronicles chapter 20 I want to spend us some time here today looking at one king a king is one of the very few good kings that the children of Israel and Judah had that good King his name was Jehoshaphat and when we look at the story of Jehoshaphat we'll can understand God how God's help will work in our lives as we look at it Jehoshaphat and in in the in the in the the southern Kingdom they were facing some enemies and if you look in 2 Chronicles chapter 20 we're going to jump around we're not going to read all the way through it we'll pick a few verses but 2 Chronicles 20 1 and 2 says after this the armies of the moabites ammonites and some of the munites decare war on Jehoshaphat Messengers came and told Jehosaphat a vast Army from Edom is marching against you from Beyond the Dead Sea they are already at at hazazon Tamar this was another name for inti what was happening is is the the children of Israel there they were facing some enemies of people that God had told them to displace these were Pagan Nations people that did not worship the true God and it was all of the these nations coming together against God's chosen people and they were facing they were facing multiple armies one little country one little Nation facing multiple armies in front of them and now what we're going to see is listen when you're in life life is going to present you with all kind of things that you helpless to do on your own you're helpless to be the kind of husband and father you're helpless to be the kind of coworker that you the the employee that God is calling you to be without his help and when you're facing things that you know you cannot do on your own strength how does God's help work we can look at it in 2 Chronicles chapter 20 2 Chronicles 20 Jehoshaphat is facing these armies all of these armies and they came and told him as a king they're out there and what it would do what it does naturally in us it will cause you when you're facing something like that it causes Panic anybody been afraid anybody I I remember what it was like I I'm I'm talking about husband and father I remember what it's like when you're getting ready to be a father or you getting ready to be a parent anybody ever was fearful like oh my goodness you're giving me a life to take care of I can't even get out of bed on time and I got to make sure I'm managing somebody else's whole world and and and Jehoshaphat is looking at these people and I'm going tell you God helps those who who understand that they're helpless perceive they're helpless but God helps those who pray before they try to perform God helps those who put prayer over performance what did Jehoshaphat do look at verse three he was terrified by the news and what begged the Lord for guidance he was facing something that he had to do a task that was facing him that he could not handle and his first response wasn't let me go and look at what our army is looking like let me figure out how what are our weapons looking like his first thing he said he was afraid which was a natural reflex anytime you're facing something that's bigger than you natural reflex is man I'm panic I can be afraid but you got to jump from Panic to prayer real quick what did he do he said listen he he asked the Lord for guidance he also ordered everyone in Judah to do what begin fasting so the people from all the towns of Judah came to Jerusalem to seek the Lord's help look at verses 5 and six Jehoshaphat stood before the community of Judah and Jerusalem in front of the new Courtyard at the Temple of the Lord and he did what he prayed god listen he helps those who pray before they try to get to working he he helps those who pray instead of panicking God you're looking for God's help why is that important because when I when I when when I when I think God helps those who help themselves what I've done I've put Christ I put God in the second position when he needs to be in the primary position you see you what say God helps those who help themselves what I've done is like look me first and then God you come on in and you take it all the way through no no no what what what what prayer does is God helps those who pray before they try to perform God I you're primary I'm coming to you first before I start with me because I because what ends up happening is when I try to help myself how many of us have tried to help ourselves and we wasted so much energy doing the wrong helping do in the wrong area cuz I did not seek God first we looked at Matthew 6:25 through 30 but in in 30 verse 33 says what seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness and all of these things will be added to you you save some energy when you seek God first you you waste a whole lot of energy sometime you done gone done a whole project and done all of this and then next thing God said I ain't tell you to do none of that I didn't tell you do none of that you could have wasted you could have say preserve your energy if you had just fallen on your face Jehoshaphat could have easily said okay y'all this is what we got to do I need I have a meeting with his cabinet have a meeting with the the the head of the military said this is what we GNA have to do we need to come up with a strategy no he said listen he sought the Lord and call everybody else we need to go and pray he led by example prayer and what fasting we told you several months ago that fasting is to put away something natural to achieve something Supernatural That's what God wants you to do he said look you're going to have to put put aside the plate and you're going to have to feel that hunger so that you can focus on me and hear what I have to say to you God helps those who pray instead of trying to perform look at Hebrews chapter 4: 14-6 so then since we have a great high priest who has entered Heaven Jesus the son of God let us hold firmly to what we believe this high priest of ours understands our weaknesses for he faced all of the same testings we do yet he did not sin so let us do what come boldly to the throne of GRA of our gracious God there we will receive his mercy and we will find Grace to help us when we need it most when you're facing It Go boldly to the throne of grace first y'all I'm talking to myself cuz I want y'all to understand when I'm up here usually this is my own therapy amen cuz I don't do this all the time I get to working and and haven't prayed about a thing why because in this culture you so you okay I got to make it happen any he make it happen people out here God said make you trying to make it happen that's why it ain't happening be still and know that I am God what God says is pray before you start performing Lord help us to get in a habit of whenever whatever we're facing to seek you first declare our dependence on you but not only that God helps those who not only pray before performing but God helps those who Proclaim his power he Pro he proclaimed his power what what what what you you got to Proclaim God's power involves proclaiming who he is and what he's already done look at what Jehoshaphat does he says he calls for he calls out to the Lord Lord we need your help but what you have to do when you're praying when you need help when you're facing and you go to God what is very helpful is for you to recall how God has shown himself strong in the past see cuz when you're looking at something that is big and I'm going to God for help if I haven't seen him work it before it's kind of like you can't conceptualize it but all of us can have a testimony in our life when God you did it before and you're the same God it might not even be in your life but in my mama's life I saw what you did I saw her pray and I saw what it did and God if you've done it before what you got to do number one you got to Proclaim who he is Je what did Jehoshaphat do before he started telling God the situation he proclaimed who God was verse six he prayed oh Lord God of our ancestors you alone are The God Who is in heaven you are the ruler of the king kingdoms of the earth you are powerful and mighty and no one can stand against you stop right there let me remind myself right now he said he was remember he said right in the first uh verse we read he was afraid but when he was afraid what did he have to do he had to go Proclaim who God says he was God he said listen you're mighty you're the god of my ancestors you brought my my ancestors out of slavery you alone are the god who's in heaven the ruler of all the kingdoms powerful and mighty no one can stand against you God knows that already y'all he's praying he's talking to God God said I know but you need to say it out of your mouth and when I say this not in your head sometime when you're facing and you need help you need to cry out to the Lord and declare who he says he is and you got you got to repeat that to God you got to remind yourself of How Great and Mighty he is and there something about declaring that when you declare that your situation that you're afraid about may not change but your confidence starts to increase God helps those who Proclaim his power they Proclaim who he is but not only that Jo Jehosaphat proclaimed what he's already done look at verse 7even he he said who God was and then verse seven he recounted what he's done oh our god did you not drive out those who lived in this land when your People Israel arrived and did you not give this land forever to the descendants of your friend Abraham your people settled here and built this Temple to honor your name they said whenever we are faced with any Calamity such as War plague famine we can come to stand in your presence before this Temple where your name is honored we can cry out to you to save us and you will hear us and rescue us what did they do they Proclaim who he is and they proclaimed God you've already driven out the folks you've done it before God helps those who Proclaim his power who understand who he is and understand that what he has done in their lives never lose sight of what the Miracles he's already worked in your life see God helps those who understand who got a very very healthy understanding and grasp that I did not get here on my own that where I stand today is all because of your grace all because of your provision all because you God you did it not me God helps those who got that kind of mindset he helps those who who have the right perspective and perceive that they're powerless God helps those who pray before they panic and pray before they perform but God also helps those who will Proclaim his power but also God helps those who place their Tru trust in God's word look at what happened right here in 2 Chronicles verse 13 chap chapter 20: 13 He proclaimed the power he prayed he proclaimed God's power reminded himself who God was and what he's done but then he said as all the men of Judah stood before the Lord with their little ones wives and children the spirit of the Lord came on one of the men standing there his name was jhazel son of Zachariah son of Bah son of jel son of matah a levite who was a descendant of Asaf he said listen All Ye people of Judah and Jerusalem listen King Jehoshaphat this is what the Lord says do not be afraid don't be discouraged by this Mighty Army for the battle is not yours but God's but you will not verse 17 but you will not even need to fight take your positions and stand still and watch the Lord's Victory he listen he he he he helps those who will Place their trust in the word of God the word of God came through a man of God he got he came through we got praise God we got the whole scripture God had all these prophets in the Old Testament who will Proclaim what thus sayith the Lord but the word of God came forward and God said don't be afraid or discouraged by this Army the battle is not yours I got it he helps those who take God at his word have you placed your trust in what he said see when when I helps those who help themselves no he helps those who said listen I need to go into his word and Trust what his promise is he's a promisee keeping God but the problem is sometime we're not familiar with the promises see if I don't know what God has said I'm sure going to get afraid have you put your place have you placed your trust in the promises of God and here's another plug for you reading the Bible have you taken the time to read the word enough so you know the promises of God amen you know I love God I love technology I love this the age that we're in but we we talked about this earlier we're in this YouTube generation we're in this social media generation where we get the word you know we watch it on social media and short bites and know social media knows that people don't have a long attention span you give them a short bite what what the problem is when you get it in short bites we don't get the word in context you don't understand how God has worked it and how and how the even in even in our devotional life I praise God for little small devotional books that give gave me God's word in three minutes for the day I'm I bet three minutes is better than nothing but if I just plug one scripture out of the whole chapter and book and don't read it in the full context of the word of God I don't even get the whole picture what God is trying to get you to understand you got to put your place and Trust in his word but you got to understand his word God helps those see understanding the word of God is not just for memor ation because he is the word you get to understand his nature and his character by his word and so when I understand how he works he helps those who understand who he is why because they put their they put they Place their trust in his word have you put your faith and trust in the word of God Proverbs chap 3: 5 and 6 one of my favorite scripture is probably some of yours trust in the Lord with all of your heart don't lean on your own understanding and all of seek his will and all you do and He will show you what path to take trust in the Lord trust in his word he helps those who place their trust in his word if you're not if you're not going to take him at his word if you don't believe what he said how we wake up God I need you to help me you're not you're not you're not we're not even spending time to find out what his word has said if I can if look if I place my faith and trust in his word sometimes I can understand look some things I'm asking God to help me and he said you don't need you don't even need to be striving for that stri get into the word of God God God helps those who perceive that they are powerless perceive that they are helpless God helps those who pray before they Panic or try to perform God helps those who will Proclaim his power and God helps those who will place their trust in his word but also God helps those who willing to to praise Him in Advance Praise Him in Advance look at what happens here they prayed they they received the word of the Lord and after that did anything change no look at this nothing changed was the enemy still out there yeah did the Army decrease their forces nope they had the same challenge in front of them but what happened to the people Jehoshaphat went from being scared and all what happened Verse 18 josaphat bowed low with his face to the ground and all the people of Judah and Jerusalem did the same thing what worshiping the Lord then the Levites from the clans of Kath and Kora the praise team stood to praise the Lord the god of Israel with a very loud shout verse 21 after Consulting the people the king appointed what singers to walk ahead of the army stop right there he he he appointed s we we talking about war y'all we talking about Army we talking about people with swords and Spears and trying to kill me and you got the praise team out front what are we doing he said listen we we we know what we're facing his whole mindset CH he was willing to praise God they started praising God after they heard the word from the Lord God helps those are ready to say God I'm going give you glory right now in advance of the victory before before I even achieve it before I attain it you're worthy of my praise too often we're so we're so conditioned to say we in this Society in the world we live especially in Western culture we you know we want God I think you did such a wonderful thing after God has done it we need to praise God before you achieve before you attain it why because he's still worthy he's still worthy he's facing something that I'm helpless to do on my own and God I praise you in advance because this means you getting ready to do something Supernatural and all the glory can point back to you what did he do he put singers in front of the army to walk ahead of the hary singing to the Lord and praising him for his holy Splendor this is what they saying give thanks to the Lord his faithful love endures forever that is so counter that that's so counter to what's natural I'm praising God thanking him for his love even though we're going to a battle we don't even know if we can fight it and how many know there's Victory and praise praise is a powerful weapon praise is a powerful tool because as they began to sing verse 22 says at the very moment they began to sing and give praise the Lord caused the armies of Ammon Moab and mount SE to start fighting among themselves the people you were afraid to fight started fighting themselves why because there's victory in Praise they pray they began to praise God and that what they were afraid to they got there and when they got there if you read later in the text when they got there their enemy was already wiped out they killed each other before you got to work when I told you when you pray first before you perform it'll save you a whole lot of energy can you imagine if they just ran out there they G start fighting they they got wiped out saved them a whole lot of energy they were they declared their dependence on God they proclaimed that God you we know you're powerful we've seen you do it before we know who you are God we we hear a word we got they got the word from the Lord and they trusted it because the man said listen the battle is not yours it's the Lord but what they did they didn't just hear the word they trusted the word because they acted on it right it's not just to be hearers of his word but to be what doers of the word they acted on it and so when they heard the word from the Lord that you God is going to give you Victory what if they didn't they didn't do okay let's go fight now he said now let's go praise let's go praise cuz God said he going to give us us the victory before we even got it and when they showed up to the battlefield the enemy was already defeated already defeated God helps those who will be willing to praise Him in Advance are you willing to give God a praise before you see what you're looking to see are are you willing to praise God right now even though the arm even though the task in front of you is so big it seems and you still feeling even in the midst of your helplessness are you willing to praise God right now for what he's going to do that's what he's looking for that's what he desires May because we said look God look God helps those who help themselves that's the self-help the way you help yourself is to depend on God and stop trying start trusting depend on God now as I told you earlier all of this does not absolve us of our responsibility so so look at we we still have a responsibility I love it because it's still right here in the text God helps those who will will praise Him in Advance but finally God helps those who will put feet on their faith look at what happens in the text SEC verse 17 but you will not even need to fight take your positions then stand still and watch the Lord what does God say you don't want to fight but you still got to show up he didn't tell him to stand in the camp he said I want you you to come out here ready for battle God is still telling you look that's where your work comes I just need you to show up I'm going to do it I'm going to do what I promis but he said I need you to take position you got to still show up to do what God has called us to do and look you and that's the thing about it even before you understand how it's going to happen because God said I'm working something anybody got that testimony God I'm G to show up and then you like Lord God I don't even know how this happened he said I know I told you I got you but you got to show up you got to go to work you got to this Lord I I don't know how the god I I I don't know how you going to provide the pay is not enough the job is not enough God said all I need you to do be faithful show up get in position I told you the battle is not yours it's mine we were having devotion with the kids this morning and and we were talking about being faithful if you got if you're faith over a few things I will make you ruler over many if I'm not showing up where he's called me how do you think it what I got to just show up and watch God do what he going to do but I love what he said he told you he told them look take position get ready for the battle and then what did he say be still he didn't say take position and then start fighting he said take position stand still and watch what God gonna do God is telling us to be still and know he is God he wants me to show up but don't get busy just go be show up and be sensitive and hear what God is telling you to do and what God will do he begins to do Supernatural things for those who have shown their dependence on him does God help those who help themselves no God helps those who need no realize they need his help if you if you if if we say God helps those who help himself the only way you can help yourself is to fall on your face and say God I need you I need you and some of us today we we trying to live our Christian life like that we trying to live our Christian Life I got to perform perform perform well God is want trying to get you to the point where stop trying to perform and just fall on your face before God and declare your dependence on him declare God I cannot break this yoke I cannot break this I need you God I don't know how I'm going to be able to provide for my family God I don't know what I don't know how I am desperately falling on my face before you just like Hezekiah Hezekiah he when he was facing zakar and another ruler that was bigger than bigger than him and the ruler has sent a letter to Hezekiah and the people telling them all the things they G to do and Hezekiah took the letter from sakab and then laid it out before the Lord and fell out to God this is what they saying I can't handle it well I tell you I I believe if we would would begin to walk like that we see God do some Supernatural things as a pastor as a church uh this is so convicting for me because you know that we I read all kind of stuff I go to all kind of conferences and we go to all things you know we we talked about we want to see our church grow and we got books on Church growth and we different strategies and all of these things but if we try to put all of these strategies before surrender and falling on our face before God God said you wasting your time we we we talked about remember building our house and not his house God is saying listen y you recognize Dwayne you're helpless you just fall on your face before me perceive you're helpless pray instead of trying to perform Proclaim my power remember I've done it before and I can do it again and then place your trust in my word and then begin to have a heart of a worshipper to praise me in advance of anything that you hope to see me do because I'm God and because I've the declare what I declare and you can trust me and take me at my word and it might not happen when you think or like you think but I I promise if you take me at my word I am a promisee keeping God and then just show up every day be faithful and consistent to what he's called you he's called you listen the ballot in front of you show up and you show up and stand still and see the salvation of the Lord that's what the children of is Israel did when they came out when they came out of Egypt facing the Red Sea and they saw God do a supernatural thing today God wants to do the same thing in your life and my life does God help those who help themselves not really God helps those who realize that they can't help themselves that they need his help can you all stand with me this morning and you know the fact that you are and I are helpless we're helpless to help ourselves accomplish the task of this life without his power but we're also helpless and completely powerless to be made right with God In Our Own Strength see the Bible people tried it for years God gave the law he gave the law in in the Old Testament with the Torah the law and he had all of these rules the things that people had to follow and sacrifices that they had to make in order to be right with God and the Bible tells us that the law was a school Master to lead us to Christ because the people recognize all this stuff in this law we can't do it God said if you want a relationship with me the only way you can have a relationship with me you got to follow this law and follow it perfectly and we couldn't do it and that's what he was doing is trying to show you can't do it you are helpless to be made right with me and in of your own strength the only way that you can be made right with me is if I make you right and it requires somebody who's already right and completely holy and without sin to give you their own righteousness that's the only way you and I can come together and so God said he made him who knew no sin to be made sin for you because I was helpless that I might become the very righteousness of God today you are even helpless that have a relationship with God outside of Jesus Christ and if you could bow your heads and close your eyes this morning today if you hear me under the sound of my voice and you've been trying to be a good person and you're hoping that all of your goodness and the things that you do God will accept it and make you right with him no that's not how our relationship with God is obtained it starts with understanding that you're helpless to be able to have that relationship in and of yourself to understand that God so loved you that he gave his only son that whoever believes in him should not perish but have everlasting life see you cannot do enough good to be good enough for God because God's good what's good enough for God is simply perfection and Jesus Christ was the only perfect one and he came and he lived the perfect life because we were helpless to do it on our own he lived the perfect life and he allowed us to kill him and he shed his blood so that he could be the sacrifice to pay for your sins so that you didn't have to and now all God asks is for you to acknowledge that you're a sinner sin is anything I act say or do that is against God all of us are sinners God I ask you to acknowledge that you're a sinner and believe that Jesus Christ came to pay the price for your sin believe that he was buried and that he rose again to make you right with him and to choose him to be your lord and savior today if you've never made the decision to accept Christ as Lord of your life and you want to do that today for the first time or if you may have done it in church before in the past but you said listen I didn't quite understand it but today I want to I want to accept Christ as Savior and Lord of my life I want to be certain that my sins are forgiven I want to be certain that I'm in right relationship with God I want you to pray this prayer after me you can pray it silently right where you are every head bow and eye closed at home I want you to do the same thing that prayers on the screen this it just simply says this pray this silently before the Lord say dear God thank you for loving me just like I am I admit I'm a sinner separated from you I believe you sent your son Jesus Christ to die on the cross for me I believe he was buried and that he rose again to make me right with you today Lord I choose to invite Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord of my life to forgive me of every one of my sins to make me who you want me to be thank you Lord for saving me in Jesus name amen with your head bowed and your eye closed just you and the Lord if you prayed that prayer you really meant it from the bottom of your heart would you raise your hand right where you are I want someone to talk talk with you amen I see that hand amen amen you can put it up put it down I see you somebody else if you prayed that prayer and you meant it will you raise your hand right where you are Hallelujah is there anyone else is there anyone else amen I see you I see your hand if you're at home and you pray that prayer this is what I want you to do I want you to go to the links on the screen want you to go to the links on the screen let us know that you made that decision to accept Christ as Savior and Lord of your life amen sister [Music] Tanya Amen brother Dave [Music] amen every head bow every eye closed finally I want to I want to pray a [Music] prayer first one let me do this let me do this for the one who who said yes I want to accept Christ as Lord we want to we want to walk with you we want to help you could you join me at the altar we want to say a word of prayer with you if you raise your hand and say yes that was me I I I wanted to receive Christ I Want You To Boldly come forward we want to pray with you every head bowed every eye closed won't you come amen amen amen amen amen bless the Lord bless the Lord amen amen hallelujah hallelujah congratulations name congratulations this is amen we want to [Music] [Music] so Lord finally before we hallelujah hallelujah that's what we're here for thank you Lord hallelujah finally if you're here you say Pastor I I've accepted Christ but I'm one of those who've been trying to help myself first and expecting God to meet me halfway God's convicted me that I need to put prayer before performance if that that's you won't don't you raise your hand I see that hand God's convicted me God I I haven't I've been trying to do it my own before I even get on my face if that's you I see those hands you want prayer you want prayer to say God help me to depend on you before I try to put my hand on anything if that's you why don't you come let's pray together I'm I'm at the altar with you all of us who want God to say listen we want to have the attitude and the perspective to understand we're helpless and God help us to declare our need for you before we try to do anything on our own Hallelujah anyone else why don't you join us here thank you Lord thank you Lord hallelujah dear God heavenly father as we continue to come we thank you for being patient with us we thank you for your mercy and your grace forgive us God for when we've tried to put oursel in primary position instead of putting you in primary position and today God we acknowledge it help us to help one another to keep each other accountable Lord help us to fall on our face and declare our dependence on you we here at this altar are saying we realize that we need we need you today we need you to be the kind of employees husbands wives fathers children Lord you we need you to do it all we can't do it on our own and we thank you that you've given us a helper we thank you for the precious Holy Spirit now fill us with the power of your anointing the power of your spirit so that we might walk in obedience to what you've called us to do and see you do Great and Mighty things that our mind could never conceive we thank you in Jesus name amen amen God bless you [Music] amen well thank you so much Pastor for that word today and I that last part was so important where we pray cuz I know this is my response and even though I know better um when something goes wrong it's not to pray it's to go into action how can I fix it so that that was a really big part of the sermon that spoke to me so thank you so much um for that and I encourage all of us to go to prayer first and then take next steps to dealing with whatever problem that life is thrown at us we are about to have our time of offering um the ushers are coming around right now for those of you all who want to give in person you can do that there are ways to give on the screen you see right there you can text uh the word give to 30184 2520 you can use the cash app which is dollar sign ELC give you can mail it the address is there on the screen as well and you can go to the website which is encounter church.net SLG as always your giving is appreciated your giving is needed because it's how we keep the lights on and things like that um so what I'm going to do right now is I'm going to pray uh to bless our offering and then I will close us out all right and if there's anyone who still needs to give ushers are coming around to slip a hand up if you need an envelope or something like that and they will get it to [Music] you all right okay let's pray well Lord I Thank you you for today's uh message Lord so important that we need to seek you first Lord we cannot help ourselves Without You Lord You Are The Catalyst to all uh that we need help with so I pray God that we would remember that today I pray right now that you would bless our offering bless all those who give Lord I'm sure that there are needs of folks that are here in the house folks that are listening at home Lord if they have a need and they're putting that petition in front of you God I pray that you would bless them above and beyond what they ask for whatever that area is that they're asking for you to bless Lord I pray right now that you would uh bless those just from the giving aspect Lord and and return to those uh 10 times over what they have given today Lord as they give from from a heart of understanding that all resources come from you and you only ask for a small portion of it back so bless our offering thank you Lord for giving us the opportunity to give in Jesus name amen so before I close this out um a couple of things I want to uh reiterate what Pastor said next week please make sure you bring someone because it is National bring uh someone to church day make sure you bring someone on the 29th for our annual love Feast tell them there will be food all right and we'll have a good time but I I really want to encourage you to do both of those I think one of the things is so important I'm going to say this and then I'll close this out in prayer is that people see us interact outside of being here listening to a sermon how we interact when we're off the stage just connecting with people it's such a vital part a vital part of what people see when they see the Christian life so please make sure that you bring someone out so that we can meet some new folks connect with new folks and uh interact with each other next week and then on the 29th all right I'm going to ask you to stand and um uh two things number one if you're interested in small groups they are getting ready to start back up so if you're interested please um see Pastor and Pastor will let you know more about that information don't forget to pray about my dog all right I'm going to say the name of the dog again I would like a double XL American Bully and I need mikica to be in favor of that or I might end up getting like a chihuahua I don't want a chihuahua [Music] all right all right you guys let's pray Lord thank you so much for uh the congregation of folks here I love the folks here God I love this church I love the people that are in in the building with us God the people that are online with us Lord I Thank you for today's message again help us to always understand that you are the one that we need to seek first we cannot do anything on our own your word says without you we can do nothing bless everybody here in the house tremendously Lord give them the desires of their heart those who are listening online give them the desires of the of their heart God bless us all and I pray for the church as a whole not just ELC but the body of Christ here in the US and worldwide God let us all stand for the cause of Christ Lord and let us all see the value and the promise of unity Lord amongst the diverse cultures around the world and how we all come together under the Coss under the Cross of Christ to be one family so special so powerful Lord that is bless us all as we go home from here in our week to come I pray this in Jesus name amen [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] e e