Going back to John 17. And I believe we left off at verse 9. Ruth, I'm sorry. Can you hold this for me, please? Sometimes I get information that I don't need to be focusing on. Amen. Thank you. Verse 9 of John 17. We'll try to get through verse 11. There's so much here. And the word of God reads, I am praying for them. I'm not praying for the world, but for those who you have given me, for they are yours. All mine are yours and yours are mine. And I am glorified in them. I am glorified in them. And I am no longer in the world, but they are in the world, and I am coming to you, Holy Father. Keep them in your name, which you have given me, that they may be one, even as we are one. The last sermon I preached, I believe, was called The Greatest Love of All. And this sermon, I believe, is gonna be called Knowing and Displaying True Love. knowing and displaying true love. Amen. Amen. One more time. I am praying for them. I'm not praying for the world, but for those whom you have given me, for they are yours. All are mine. All mine are yours and yours are mine. I am glorified in them. And I am no longer in the world, but they are in the world. And I am coming to you, Holy Father, keep them in your name, which you have given me, that they may be one, even as we are one. Quick review, and I know we don't have our screens today, but that's good, because I hope you have your Bibles, amen? Somewhere around verse three, I think, the verse three of the same chapter says this, and this is eternal life, that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent. And I said to you last time I preached that when Jesus prayed, he was teaching the disciples that eternal life is not just living forever, right? Remember that? It's not about perpetual existence. But rather, as it says in the King James Version, and this is not just eternal life, but this is life eternal. And life eternal, Jesus is basically saying to the church, amen, to the disciples, to us, that life eternal is really quality of life. Not just quantity of days. Amen? Quality of life, not just quantity of days. I don't know about you, but I'd rather have a little bit of something than a whole lot of nothing. Amen? And man, some people get hung up on, ooh, I got a lot. And you realize you ain't got nothing. In the music business, when I was in the music business, I learned something. And we had a saying. It was something like this. There were people who were trying to get their big break, trying to break through. I want to be rich and famous. I want everybody to know who I am. So what we would say is, it's not how talented you are, but it's who you know. That's who you know. So you can be the most talented singer in the world, but if you don't know the right people in the music business, then you'll be talented and sitting at home. Because you had to know the people who had the power, the connections, the money to get you and your talented self up out of your house so somebody would know who you are and buy your record. If you didn't know those people, then you didn't have anything. You were just the most talented person in the world that we never knew. It's true, amen. A lot of folks out there can't even sing a lick, but they knew the right people. And we were like, whoo, they're just amazing. They're just tone deaf, dancing around and making all kinds of money. And before you know it, somebody's sitting up in somebody's church just scream all on top of them and nobody knows who they are. But if you know the right people, and suddenly you were exposed, to the whole world. It's not how talented you are, but it's who you know. So Jesus is saying here that life eternal, eternal life. Thank you, Holy Spirit. Jesus is specifically saying, I got that word out, specifically. That eternal life is quality life, and that quality life is really about who you know. Specifically, he's talking about you must know the only true God. and Jesus Christ, whom, I'm paraphrasing, God the Father has sent. So you can exist, but you may not have life unless you know the one true God, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom he has sent. Amen. So there's no reason for church folks who are saved and redeemed and delivered and set free from their sins and forgiven of everything that they've ever done in life to ever look at somebody who has it all and be jealous. Huh? Don't, don't, don't covet these sinners stuff. You know what I mean? Because the truth of the matter is, is they may look like they're having life, but it's the people that know God who really have the life. Amen. Amen. So John 17, this is back up a little bit. Look in your Bibles, praise the Lord, because we can read. John 17 4, still reviewing, says this, Jesus is praying, he says, I have glorified you on earth, having accomplished the work that you gave me to do. I did what you said, I did your will, Father, I have glorified you. And then in verse 6, he says, I have manifested your name to the people you gave me out of the world. We've been brought out of the world into the marvelous light. Amen? We've been taken out of what we were imprisoned by, out of the world system, the, you know, the corrupted morals, the agenda of the lust of the eye, the lust of the flesh, and the pride of life. We've been rescued from the rat race. Amen. Jesus snatched us out of that world when we couldn't save ourselves. He brought us out and he says, the people that you gave me, I have manifested your name. I've proven your character. I've shown the people that belong to you who you are a father. I've made you visible. I've shown them your true love. Are you hearing me? Amen. And then verse eight says this, for I have given them the words that you gave me and they have received them. Amen. Whatever Jesus was supposed to say from the father, that was all he said. So we can take confidence and have confidence rather that whatever Jesus was telling us is straight from the father. Amen? And we have received those words. We are believers. And it says, they have come to know the truth, in truth rather, that I came from you and they believe that you have sent me. Very simple. Believers believe Jesus. We believe he is the son of God. Amen? We believe he came from God. We believe he came here to save us. Amen, we don't have to be super deep about that. You got that basic thing down, you're a believer. You repent of your sins, you trust in Jesus Christ for your salvation, you're depending on what he has done on Calvary to wipe out everything you've ever done. Amen, and make you faultless, present you faultless before God in his glory. So what that is saying basically is we are believers not because we've got it all figured out. We are believers because we believe in the son of God. We got theologians who can tell you everything but don't believe. Okay? I want to encourage you this morning. This thing is simpler than you think. Amen? It's about knowing this true love and displaying this true love. So Jesus said, I've glorified you. I've manifested your name to the people that you gave me, Father. Amen, they are believers, they know you and they know that I came from you, amen. Now I want you to understand that he's praying this prayer, this chapter is a prayer from God the Son to God the Father, but Jesus is not just praying, he's teaching. He didn't say this prayer privately, you know, away hidden up in some mountains like he used to do or some caves, you know, when he would go get away. No, he's saying it in front of the disciples. The Holy Spirit brings that prayer back to their remembrance. They record that prayer. You and I have that prayer today. And he's teaching us something very essential. The prayer is pretty long. Okay? It's bigger than the one in Matthew 6, where, you know, our Father would, you know, would switch our heart in heaven. He teaches them how to pray. Okay? This prayer right here is pretty long, and it's pretty redundant. He's saying the same thing over and over and over again. Why? Not because he doesn't have anything better to say. Not because he's repeating himself and doesn't have the words to say to his father. He's saying these things to us, or these very simple truths to us, because he understands our true nature. He understands what we have to battle with. He understands that there's a demonic realm that is running rampant and wanting to distract us from this simple truth. He wants to say these things over and over so that the nail gets deeper and deeper and deeper into the heart, into the wood of our heart so we can understand, listen people, this thing is all about the love of God. This thing is all about the love of God. And if he doesn't get that truth deep down inside of us, then we will go about with our default setting. Our default setting is not to receive the love of God. Sin has messed up our minds so much to the point that we can be given the perfect gift and reject it. Or at least prioritize God as number 50 instead of number one. No. And here's the thing, saints, don't lose this. He's praying to disciples. He's not praying to the world. He said, I'm not praying for the world. Doesn't mean that he doesn't care about the world. It's just this particular prayer is to the ones that belong to him. I'm praying for those that you have given me. Those that I snatched out of the world. He's praying to the folks who are regenerated. He's praying to save folks. And he's saying, you know, believers, believers sanctified, filled with the Holy Ghost, long skirt wearing, suit Stacey Adams wearing, believers have the ability to reject God in areas. Uh-oh. We can prioritize everything else but Him. It's true. Amen. So he says, I've glorified you. I've manifested your name. I've manifested your character, your reputation. I've showed them what the father is like. Jesus is the image of the invisible God. He showed us who the father really is. So it's true that he came to die. It's true that he came to forgive sins. by his shedding of his blood, amen? That's true, but it's also true that he came to show us something. He wants us to see something. John 17 two, same chapter, just moving around. Since you have given him authority over all flesh to give eternal life to all whom you have given him. I said it last time, I'm gonna say it again, because this is really important. Long ago, the father gave the son that he adores, okay? The authority over all flesh, but that authority was specific and given for a specific purpose. And that authority was that he gave his son, the son he loves, the right to give chosen sinners. access into a relationship between the Father and the Son forever. Amen? That's huge. Okay? Those of us who place our faith in Jesus Christ are now in Jesus Christ. And because we are in Jesus Christ, we are included in a perfect relationship. between the father and his son. Wow. Take that in people. Amen? That's mind blowing. But because we have an enemy who desires that we never tap into, the security and the benefits and the joy of that relationship, amen, and become distracted, you know, and running from his love because we're weak in our flesh, Jesus has this long prayer. He says, I'm praying for you because I know that you can't do this by yourself. Are you hearing me, saints? All right, so now, where are we left off? John 17, nine. John 17, nine. Verse 10, all mine are yours, and yours are mine, and I am glorified in them. Underline that, we're gonna go into that. And I am glorified in them. What is he talking about? We're gonna find out. Verse 11, I am no longer in the world. I see what you're saying, Holy Spirit. Yeah, that's it. But they are in the world. And I'm coming to you, Holy Father, keep them in your name, your character, your reputation, who you really are, your power, keep them in your name, which you have given me that they may be one, purpose clause, that they may be one, even as we are one. I'm praying for them, verse nine says, I'm not praying for the world, but for those you have given me. First point, he says, those you have given me for they are yours. Here's the thing that we need to get to ground zero right here. You ready? We belong to the father and the son. Oh yeah, thank you, Jamie. But what does that do when you realize and begin to function out of the fact that you belong to somebody other than yourself? Hmm? What does that do to your schedule? How does that impact your decisions? Hmm? How does that change your perspective? How does that adjust your attitude? How does this affect your agenda for today? How does that affect your purpose for your life? What are you seeking after? What's most important to you when you realize that you don't belong to you? What are you lusting after? What are you going after? What is it that you just must have when you recognize that you don't belong to you? You belong to Jesus. You belong to the Father. He said, for they are yours, Father. That's Jesus saying this. And then he says this in verse number 10. He said, all mine are yours and yours are mine. This verse right here proves the deity of Christ. Jesus, as I said before, is truly God. Jesus is claiming that he shares equal authority, equal rights, equal privileges. Equal rights to whatever the father has. That is mind blowing people. If I was a disciple and I was sitting at the feet of Jesus and he said, everything father that you have is mine. Wow. Who is this Jesus? Are you hearing what I'm saying? You know, how does this truth change, you know, not only the fact that we belong to the Father, but the fact that we belong to His Son, how does that change how we see Jesus? Is He just your Savior? Huh? No, He's way more than that. D.A. Carson recorded this, he said, any mere mortal can pray, all I have is yours. But no mere mortal can pray, all you have is mine. He'd have to be God in order to say that. Okay, I'm gonna let that sit in for a minute. Jesus, the son of God, is God. He is supreme. Every knee shall bow, every tongue shall confess. Amen? Amen. But notice the order. Notice the order. If you're looking at your Bibles carefully, he says, all mine are yours. Uh-oh, here we go. And yours are mine. He said, first, all mine are yours, Father. And yours are mine. What are you saying? If you go back to verse nine again, you'll notice this. Jesus says, I am praying for them. He's not, Telling God what to do. That word praying means asking. God is asking God. I know it's a lot, but God is asking God. Even though Jesus is God and equal with God in every way to the Father, Jesus is submitting to God the Father by asking for what's already His. Interesting. There's equality, but there's order in the relationship. I just said something. Order is what makes relationships run smoothly. Jesus knows he's God, he knows his place, he knows his role, and he humbles himself so that the relationship works out smoothly. The Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit are able to get things done because everybody knows their role. And nobody gets out of their role, even though all of them are God. What are you saying, Pastor Jamie? Well, stay there for a minute and watch this. Philippians 2, 5-11. Philippians 2, 5-11. You should know this scripture. This is something we've taught before. Philippians 2, 5-11. Philippians 2, five through 11 says this. Have this mind among yourselves, or have this mind as we know in King James, in you, right? Which is yours in Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself by taking the form of a servant. Being born in a likeness of men and being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross. Therefore, as I just quoted, God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name so that at the name of Jesus, every knee should bow in heaven and on earth and under the earth and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord. Watch this though, to the glory of God the Father. Jesus humbled himself, even though he is God, took on the form of a servant, went all the way to the cross, obeying the Father, even though he is God, and he did all that for the glory of his Father. Hmm. What would happen if our relationships looked like that? How do I display God? How do I display this true love? What would happen if, ah, The wife could submit to the husband and the husband could submit to the wife for the glory of God the Father. Church for the women. That submit word, I don't know, Pastor. What if the husband could submit to the wife for the sake of the glory of the Father? There will be times when the husband submits to the wife. Huh? There will be times when the wife submits to the husband. Why? What makes a difference? The glory of God the Father. What would happen if the employer submitted to the employee and the employee submitted to the employer for the glory of God the Father? You're talking about heaven, Pastor, that's right. Huh? What about parents and children? What would happen if the children, or, you know, would submit to the parent for the glory of God the Father? What if, watch this, what if the parent could submit to the child for the glory of God the Father? Wait now, Pastor, hold on, wait a minute. Now you're going too far. Then my kids. Let me explain something to you, saints. I was married one day and then woke up the next day single. It happened overnight. One day I was married, the next day I was a single parent. Just like that. And it's right now, it's right for my children, who are now my principal relationship, it's right for them to obey their daddy. We know that. But sometimes, every now and then, my children come to me with a word of correction. Hmm. Uh-oh. A correction for me. Amen? And if I'm too focused on my ego and not the glory of God the Father, oh, I can miss out on what God is saying through my children to me. Not only if I'm not careful, if I don't respond in the right way, I could damage the relationship between me and my children. And some of us, if we're gonna be totally honest, somebody got a hand up back there, if we're totally honest, we've damaged or ruined the relationship with our children because when they came to us about some stuff, they met our ego instead of our desire to glorify God. Oh. Oh, come on. I do it because I said so. I'm your mama. Don't you talk, I'm your daddy. Who do you think you are? Because I said so. Now sometimes that is appropriate. Sometimes that is necessary. Sometimes we've got to lay down the law. But there's a place and a time where if you're not careful and you're not led by the Spirit, and if it's not because you're focused, if you're not focused on the glory of God, then what'll end up happening is you will damage that relationship. And here's the truth, people. Some of us were raised like that. Why are we repeating it? Didn't work then, why we think it's gonna work now? What's the difference? Jesus admitted, he humbled himself, let this mind be in you, which is also in Christ Jesus. There are times, if you're focused on your ego, you'll miss it. But if you're thinking about the glory of God, then guess what happens, saints? If you think about the glory of God, see, Jesus is our example. If you think about the glory of God, then guess what happens? God could get the glory. Did you get that? That's not rocket science. Exactly what the enemy does not want to happen will happen when we're focused on the glory of God. Are you hearing me? Jesus is our example. He humbled himself. He was still God, and if he can do it, why can't we? Remember, what would happen if our relationship, if we did that? I'll tell you what would happen. God's character will be displayed. The true love will be displayed. He will get the glory. Folks will see Jesus in you. If you humble yourself, you will actually have yourself out of the way to the point to where God can be seen. Amen? There will be humility, which leads to order, which leads to peace and harmony in our homes and our relationships and our workplaces and places of employment. And people will say, you know what? There's something different going on here. What is this? What am I experiencing? You're seeing a believer get out of the way so that God can be displayed. Amen? That's how it works. That's how it's supposed to work. Submitting one to another. Amen? For the what? Glory of God. Isn't that right? Man, I wish I knew that a long time ago. Because I was like, I am daddy. You know how we can get. Don't you talk, what are you saying? I don't want to hear that. Truth is, is my ego was bruised. I wasn't thinking about God's glory. God is bringing something to even me. And if you're not a perfect parent, then more than likely God's still dealing with you. And he could use whoever he wants to. Amen. John 10, 1710, John 1710. Now this word glorified here, and I'm probably not going to get through much more of this. Let's see how far we go. Help me, Lord. This word has two parts in it. It has the element of praise in it, where they praised Jesus because of who he is and they understand his true nature. They see his character and they give him glory for what they see. Amen? We give glory to God. Amen. We give glory to Jesus. Amen. That's not a foreign thing for us. We see his goodness. We see what he can do. We see what he's done. And we extol him. We worship him. We give glory to Christ because he's God, because he's been that good, because he shed his blood for us, because he delivered us. He set us free. We give him what he's due. Amen. That is not a foreign thing. That's what we do. We were born and made to worship him. Amen. That's part one. The other part, as I said before, because it's being redundant, he keeps saying it over and over again because he wants us to get this. He says that the second part of it is, I am glorified in them, I am reflected in them. Am I right, Ru? I'm reflected in them. His character, his purposes. Jesus glorifies the Father, making the Father known. Jesus glorifies the Son. I mean, we glorify the Son who glorifies the Father. The Father is known, amen? So the expectation is if Jesus is in you, yes, that's what I wanna say. If Jesus is in you, you're going to glorify the Father. You're going to make God visible because that's what Jesus would do. Make sense? The relationship of love is now going to be put on display through the people that Jesus lives in. If you're not giving glory to God and showing the character attributes of the father, that's more than likely because your father is the devil still. If we just gonna be consistently evil and go to church, Come on, now, somebody. Eventually, somebody needs to go, you know what? You've been saved since 2008, and I'm just not seeing Jesus. Every time you come around, things just go, you know, the spirit changes. You know, we took you home that one day from church, and every time you get in my car, it's a mess. I don't know. There's no glory coming out of you. Where is the father? Where is the son? I don't see his character. What's happening here? If Jesus is in you, this is just what Jesus would do, saints. Am I right about it? We got to stop giving folks a pass just because they look like they're churchy. Eventually, we got to see you bear some fruit. Are you hearing me, saints? Amen. Amen. He's put on display in you. So watch this, Acts 4.13. Let me just, just a little bit more, just a little bit more. I'm almost done. That's good, isn't it good? All right, Acts 4.13 says, the Pharisees, they were, you know, cornering Peter and John, because miracles are being done, and you know, they didn't like it. So, and now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were uneducated, there we go, common men, they were astonished, and they recognized that they had been with Jesus. You see that? What did they see? They saw character attributes. What did they see? They saw the boldness, the fearlessness. They saw John and Peter doing things, and they was like, you people aren't even, you didn't even go to school. Where are you getting all this from? Oh, they must have been with Jesus. Are you hearing what I'm saying? They saw the power. Wait a minute, I know you. This is not how you normally are. Galileans, y'all don't do nothing much. You feel me? Can anything good come out of that place anyway? Y'all don't do nothing much. And here you are proclaiming, you know, the glory of God, preaching and teaching folks that's getting saved and things are changing everywhere you go. They saw the apostles do some things. They said, they must have been with Jesus. Because we're seeing what Jesus did and here come these other folks. It must be his followers because the same thing is happening. Are you hearing what I'm saying? I was in the world, but I'm not in the world anymore, Father. but they are still in the world. It's not just protect me from having a hard time, Lord, it's, no, no, no, it's they are still in the world. I'm praying for them, why? Because they are my representation. Man, that's good. They are my representation. It should be that because we are with Jesus, that folks recognize Jesus. Amen? This is the whole point. Knowing the word, being a Christian, living a life that pleases God, the point is to know God and make him known. Know his love and display that love. Spread that love. You have that love in you for a reason, to spread it. Not just telling, when he said, and they glorified him, or they glorify me. What do you mean they glorify me, Jesus? What are you saying? It's not just giving him glory with your mouth in the service at a church. I just give you glory, God. That's not it. That's not what he's talking about because anybody can say that. He's talking about something deeper. He's saying, listen, giving glory to God is not just glorifying God with your mouth. It is giving glory with your life. It is looking like Jesus in what you decide to do. That's how you display his glory. I look like him. You gonna go to the club tonight? No. You gonna drink with us tonight? No. You better than us? No, I'm not. I'm actually worse than you. But I have his glory. His glory is on my mind. I'm thinking about what would please God. I'm thinking about what... You're going to get revenge, Jamie? No. No, no. Vengeance is mine, thus saith the Lord. I don't have to go there. Why? Because it's glory. His glory is on my mind. I want to display that love. I want to push that out. I want people to see it. Amen. Are you seeing what I'm saying? Here's the thing. Glorify means to display God's character in your life. The King of kings, the Lord of lords came to this planet and he lived among his created humans. He displayed the heart and the intention and purposes of his father. By doing his will, he died on the cross for our sins and rose again for our victory. And then he left the planet, but he left his disciples. And here, the disciples have a chance to get to know Jesus, and as they were getting to know Jesus, they would glorify him, meaning that even though Jesus was no longer here, Jesus could still be seen. He's still here. Where is he? He's in me. Oh. So, what do you think you're here primarily to do? What's the purpose for you still being saved and still being here? In every relationship, that God has with a human being, the main point is for God to first reveal himself, reveal his love, so that those who receive that love can then reveal that love to others. He could have kept Jesus in heaven, he didn't. He brought him here for us so we could see, you know how much I love you? I gave my very, very best for you. I let him come here and live here to show you what I was like. So you can know just how much you're loved. And then that love gets in you and then you take that love and you show it to others. You see it? It's a love that extends. It's not a selfish love. It's a love that, you know, it's a going out. It's a pursuing kind of love. Isn't that what he did for you? Didn't he chase us down? Didn't he come after us? Didn't he come after you? I don't know about you, but didn't he come after you? Didn't he come after you? Didn't he come after you? That's his love, saints. That's his love. Exodus 33, Moses had it down. Exodus 33 and 13, just write it down. Now therefore, if I have found favor in your sight, Moses says. He's talking to God. Please show me your ways. You see that? Moses is saying, oh, this is great. We're going to do all these wonderful things. But can you show me you? Show me your ways. In order that I might find, in order to find favor in your sight. And then he says this, right after that, right after he's thinking about himself, guess what he says? Consider, too, that this nation is your people. There it is. He's saying, show me your ways. You want me to do a job? I got all these crazy folks following me that don't know you. We're all crazy without you. I need to know you, and you gotta consider, Lord, that these are your people. These, them your folks. And if you get me right, then I can go and show that love that you showed to me and we can extend that love to them. I can't do it by myself. I can't display the true love unless I know you. You show me who you are, I take that love and then I give it out. I hope you're getting this. Then John 17, 11, and we're done. I think we're done. I am no longer in the world, but they are in the world. Lord, Father, they're gonna be here. Jesus is saying, I'm going to you, but they're gonna still be here. And I'm coming to you, Holy Father. Keep them in your name, which you have given me that they may be one even as we are one. Purpose clause. That word keep means preserve. Your name. Preserve what I told them about you. Yeah, Holy Spirit. Keep them in your character, in your name, in your power. Uh-huh. so that they will be one with you and me, God. That's what Jesus is praying. With you, the son, and the father, and then one with each other, okay? There is a relationship of love that Jesus is inviting all of us into. It's oneness with the Trinity. It's oneness with the perfect relationship of God who is God the Father, God the Son, God the Holy Spirit. They always get along. There's oneness that you and I, sinners who don't deserve nothing but death, are now being invited into because Jesus paid the price for our sins by shedding his blood. He's saying, come on in. You believe in me, you get in on perfection. A relationship that is perfect. Amen. This oneness with the Trinity is the true purpose for every created being on this planet. Are you hearing me? It's not about what we think it's about. We want everything else but him. We go after everything else but him. Jesus is saying, no, you were designed to be with me. Adam and Eve, before sin, heard God walking in, they were able to tell. They were able to have conversations. There was no barrier, thank you, Holy Spirit, between them and God. What was that like? My goodness. They could talk to God, they could sense God, they were close to God, there was nothing in between them and God. The idea is, because of what Jesus Christ has done, we're being invited back into a relationship that is perfect. Amen. D.A. Carson said it this way. He said, it is crucial to the understanding of this petition. He's saying, make them one, right? Make them one like even as we are one. He said, it's crucial to the understanding of this petition, this prayer, to note that Jesus does not simply request unity of his followers or for his followers, but rather requests his father to grant protection. to his followers so that they would be united. What's happening here? The implication seems to be that there are dark forces which will strive to break up our relationship with God, the Father, the Son, and break up our relationship with each other. So Jesus is praying for power from on high in order to protect us from messing up what we know how to mess up. We can do that without anybody's help. He's saying, listen, if I'm going to get any glory out of this relationship, I got to protect you from you. Oh, Lord. Oh, God. Amen. Protect them in the Father's name. Protect them in what Jesus Christ has revealed by God. And the character of God, okay? He's saying that this name, this powerful name, God's name, this character, you know, that we learn about. Getting in your word and learning about who God is. You know, Moses said, show me, show me so I can do this. Same thing with us, get in your word so you can see Him. Amen? He's saying that is the protection. That is a protection. Prayer, and then he's saying the Father backs all that up and protects you. Why? Because he wants you to understand that our own defense system is not adequate enough to keep us in the love of God, to keep us in displaying the true love, to keep us in a position where we are giving glory to God. We can't do it by ourselves. I don't care how much you know, you don't know enough. I don't care how holy you act, it ain't holy enough. I don't care if you win every single argument, you're not getting glory. What I'm trying to say to you saints is that we're going to need power from God to even have relationships. That's why it says, seek ye first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and then all these other things will be added to you. Here's the problem. I spent years and years and years hooking up with people. Not hooking up with God first, not realizing all the people I was hooking up with weren't of God either, and then trying to stuff God into an unholy relationship, and saying, can you fix this mess? God is saying, no, no, come to me first. I'm the one, I know, I made up the idea of relationship. Are you hearing what I'm saying? We've all done it. I done found somebody. I tell you that Bobby, mm, he just mm, Bobby. We all got with our little Bobbies and the chelas. And what we did is went out there, got into those relationships, and then tried to add Jesus in at the last minute. And it didn't work. He's saying, no, no, no, me first. Why? He says, because if I'm going to get true love displayed out of this, you gotta come to me first. Because that's where he gets his glory. That's where he gets his, it's not just in those relationships, it's in our relationship with the church. Your relationship with your boss, your neighbor. Your children. The whole idea is that these relationships will begin to look like Jesus. Amen. So again, knowing God, knowing this love and displaying that true love. Amen. I'm done. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. I pray that this has blessed you. I pray that we are learning. You know, I'm praying that God is speaking to us about what we are here to do. Amen. The idea is it's all about man. The chief end of man is to glorify God and enjoy him forever. Amen. That's the whole thing. And I'm trying to tell you that the enemy and our flesh which could be directly tied to His agenda, wants to do everything else but know God. Wants to do everything else but allow us to glorify Him. And He hates the image of God. He hates it. Amen? And so what we've got to do is we've got to seek the Lord and go after Him and pray that He would help us to desire His ways to desire Him in such a way where He begins to produce fruit out of us. We bear that fruit. Amen? And in that way, you know, this is how you'll know you're my disciples. With the love you show one to another. Right? There it is. It's right there. It's right there. You know? So I hope you're praying for me and I'm praying for you, but that's what this thing is about. That's what this church, every church is about. You know, you guys are Christians. Look like it. You're throwing nine Bible verses at me, but you don't look like it. Act like it. That's the whole idea. Jesus didn't just come here and preach. He came here and He displayed that love. Amen. He proved it by putting himself on that cross. He gave his life. We are to do the same. Why? So that God can get the glory.