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Nov. 28, 2024
Transformation Through Faith: Forgiveness, a Secure Salvation, and Finding Identity in Christ
Join us for Pastor Bo’s teaching on Hebrews chapter three, as he shares stories of faith and healing, discussing the profound impact of understanding our identity in Christ.
Pastor Bo shares on the importance of staying rooted in God's truth, even when our faith is being tested. Having a Salvation we are sure of, and not just hopeful for, is part of what God has given us in Christ. An encouraging word on the importance of dealing with bitterness, and the need to forgive others, rounds out a practical message that not only will give you much to think about, but also provide some tangible steps you can take to improve your relationship with God and others.
www.citylightnyc.com
(00:00) Stay Strong in Faith and Prayer
(12:27) Identity and Security in Christ
(26:46) God's Faithfulness Amid Controversy
(39:20) Healing Hard Hearts Through Forgiveness
(12:27) Identity and Security in Christ
(26:46) God's Faithfulness Amid Controversy
(39:20) Healing Hard Hearts Through Forgiveness
Chapters
00:00 - Stay Strong in Faith and Prayer
12:27:00 - Identity and Security in Christ
26:46:00 - God's Faithfulness Amid Controversy
39:20:00 - Healing Hard Hearts Through Forgiveness
Transcript
00:00 - Speaker 1
Because when you're going through it and if you're not going through it now you either went through it or you're going to go through it. But your faith will be challenged, it will be tested and you can't move away from who you are in Jesus. Although Satan is constantly trying to pervert your identity in Christ, it may make you solemn and make you sad and forget who you are in Jesus and ashamed. Speak into yourself, speak in the Word of God, which is the truth.
00:26 - Speaker 2
Welcome to the City Light Church podcast. Thanks for joining us today as we look into God's Word and discover the hope and truth that he has for us. If you want to connect with City Light Church, feel free to visit us at citylightnyccom. That's citylightNYCcom. Pastor Boyan Jancic and his team believe that the power of the Holy Spirit is already working in our hearts and minds. As you listen to today's teaching, remember that you are deeply loved by God, that you are surrounded by His grace and that he has a real hope and a future for you. That he has a real hope and a future for you.
01:06 - Speaker 1
Well, my name is Bo Jancic. I want to welcome you to City Light Church. Those of you joining us online Hallelujah, oh man. All right, I can do this. Pastor Mo, you're praying for me. Interesting, I got to do a couple of announcements and then this is just the way we're doing it for now. Next week, pastor Moe, he's going to give excellent announcements, but we have Christmas, we have Christmas decorating coming up, and so you should be a part of that. December the 2nd maybe, even to December the 3rd Maybe, and there'll be I'm supposed to also say there'll be hot chocolate there, because I understand the vast majority of you can't get your own hot chocolate and you may be wondering where can I get hot chocolate, the best kind of hot chocolate, free hot chocolate? And then you'll remember City Light. But it really is. It's a party. You know, I joked earlier. I said everything God touches will live, everything Pastor Mo touches will party. Pastor Mo's leading this and it'll be a party and you can get your Christmas on. Turn this place into a winter wonderland. Oh, and then the second announcement is prayer.
02:38
There's been a reinvigoration of prayer, and I'm not kidding On Wednesday by Wednesday. It actually started earlier days. Earlier I started to feel just completely different, like somebody had taken out four worn out AAA batteries. You know the triple, not even double A, triple A, the real skinny ones where you wonder is it even a battery or not? What does this go? Oh yeah, my garage remote or something like that, took out four worn-out AAA batteries and cleaned out the inside and put four supercharged D batteries in. No, really, there was just, I felt I started to feel the anointing at all odd times. You know, it's nice when you feel the anointing in prayer, but now this is just at odd times. You know, retrieving something from the closet, oh, surprised by god opening my car door, oh, oh, oh, I in fact just talking about it, I'm feeling it just you know, sometimes when you recount what the lord's done, and I have no doubt that it's because of this resurgence of prayer that's happening in our church.
03:47
So people are praying for our church, for the future of this church. For me, for my family, it's very important, you know. That's why the Apostle Paul, in every letter he said please pray for me. I haven't done that enough and we're crossing a threshold. Right now we're busting to another barrier. Satan doesn't like that. He doesn't like. He likes you nice and just put down, don't move, don't make waves. We're making waves. The Lord is causing the waves. We're going to bust and that has to be undergirded by prayer.
04:16
Every Sunday at 8.45 am yes, 8.45. I know that's funny for you, uni, 8.45. I know that's funny for you, yuni, 8.45. Because there's I don't know what is in the Korean DNA. But you guys, it's not even prayer until you're at 5 am. There's a bicycle I ride and there's a big Korean church right where I live and I'm riding it early at 6 in the morning and the whole parking lot is full and I'm going. Man, I'm jealous with a holy jealousy. So 8.45 am right here to be praying with other people. It'll bless you If you've never prayed in a group, it'll bless and we really.
05:00
I've prayed in a group and it made me never want to pray in a group when I first got saved, because there's always someone who just ends up praying for half an hour and you don't even know what they're saying anymore and you just politely, oh Lord, amen, we don't do that. We don't, we actually have limits on people. I mean, the Holy Spirit will put limits on people, but in case you can't hear the Holy Spirit telling you, let someone else pray. We will then step in and amplify his voice in your life, but be a part of prayer. And also, if you can't make it out on Sundays, there's Zoom prayers. If you're interested in that, just fill out that connection card. The best way to get your questions answered is info at citylightnyccom and if you're new or if you want to get more involved, the best way to stay in contact with us is that connection card that was on your seat, so fill it out. If you want to get baptized, if you want to volunteer, fill it out and hand it over to one of the ushers or at the hospitality table. They'll have a gift for you when you do, but be sure to fill out that connection card and then let's receive our tithes and offerings.
06:04
How many of you want to worship the Lord with your giving? Give with a glad heart. There's four ways to give Online text. There's offering boxes located throughout the sanctuary. There'll be a QR code that appears. But before the QR code appears, let's just see where we're at on the end of the year giving, because this is our end of the year campaign. Hey, last week it was 32, I believe. Significant jump in one week. Amen, put your hands together for that.
06:44
So let me explain to you what this is. This is to make up for our budget that we're behind in 2024. This means that we're $150,000 behind our expenses, and so we want to make that up. We have reserves that we'd like to use to purchase a building, and not ever never have we had to, nor would we ever want to use it for day-to-day expenses. Amen, like, hopefully, you have a savings and an investment account and those are. That's the untouchable account we have that.
07:12
So if you don't give to this, that's why I'm not standing here going, you know. Please give, otherwise there's a squeegee job I gotta get. I'll be the guy that'll meet you at the red light on steinway and broadway and I'm gonna squeegee your windshield and maybe you give me a dollar or two and I can make it. No, we're going to be fine and the Lord is always taking care of us. But this is an opportunity. So just ask the Lord what he'd have you give. There's a novel idea, lord my life is your life, my money is your money. What should I give? Right? And then listen and there'll be amounts stirring in your spirit. No, the lower amount is the devil, the higher amount is God. And learn to hear what the Lord is saying. You don't have to ask the Lord what he would have. You tithe, because that amount is already in the word. It's like Lord, what should I? Tenth? Well, tenth, a tenth. But in addition to that, I'll speak to you Hallelujah. But that's only for those who actually want to increase financially. Some people love poverty, some people love to stay broke, and there's a formula for that too. I actually preached a sermon. Maybe I'll have to re-preach it. Ten Steps to Poverty. It's a formula for that too. I actually preached a sermon. Maybe I'll have to re-preach it. Ten Steps to Poverty. It's a phenomenal sermon. You want to take copious notes on that. Really, I have Hallelujah, hallelujah, are you ready to begin Hebrews, chapter 3?
08:40
We're in the book of Hebrews. We're going line upon line, precept upon precept. We want to increase biblical literacy. Christians should be full of the word mighty in the scriptures. Mighty, that's a term. Who was that used to describe in the Bible? Was it Stephen In the book of Acts that he was mighty in the Bible? Was it Stephen in the book of Acts that he was mighty in the scriptures?
09:06
Every Christian should be full of the word biblically literate, know how to explain the gospel, explain salvation. The Bible says and you should always be set to give an answer to those who are on the outside. And Paul said I'm set for the defense of the gospel so that you can articulate why you believe, what you believe and why you believe it. That's very important for our kids, by the way. They're not going to learn that in city kids. You're going to get some good stuff in children's church, but it's up to us to raise our kids to defend their faith, because outside people are at war, trying to rob them of their faith. And so we're in chapter 3.
09:45
In chapter 1, the writer of Hebrews was focusing on the ultimate supremacy of Jesus. In chapter 2, he was talking about the humanity of Jesus also, jesus is fully God and fully man, and because he's fully man, god himself can understand you and relate to you in a very, very special way. And then we find ourselves in chapter 3. And just note always you have to understand the context that he's writing in. The context is this he's writing to the most despondent, dejected, depressed, down-and-out group of Christians who are on the verge of quitting in the entire Bible. This was not a happy group. This is a group that they weren't, at that moment, living their best life now. They were ostracized financially, weren't allowed to trade, weren't allowed to barter, buy or sell. They were ostracized socially and things were tough. And so he encourages them. Let's see how he encourages them.
10:48
He starts writing to them in verse 1. Therefore, holy brethren, now, right away, I want you to see that he's talking to them and he's reminding them of their identity in Christ. This is vital Because when you're going through it and if you're not going through it now, you either went through it or you're going to go through it, but your faith will be challenged, it will be tested and you can't move away from who you are in Jesus, although Satan is constantly trying to pervert your identity in Christ and make you solemn and make you sad and forget who you are in Jesus and, ashamed, downcast. I'm not good enough. It's not clicking for me. Life's a drag and you've got to start talking to yourself, speaking to yourself, speaking the word of God, which is the truth. Facts are facts, but the truth is the truth. Amen. He calls them holy brethren. They probably weren't behaving so holy, but he calls them holy brethren.
12:05
That's why sometimes I'll open up the service with a big smile after a whole rough week of counseling the stuff I've heard I need a pastor to go to to now open up to. After all, I heard, well, what's wrong? I've heard all these things. They seem so normal when I'm preaching to them. You don't know what they're up to in the week.
12:27
But I open up the service and I say hello, saints of God, hello, forgiven ones, blessed ones, holy ones. Because that's what the word of God says about you you have been cleansed, you have been purified, you're a new creation in Christ Jesus. Do you believe it? If you believe in Jesus, all of your sins have been taken out. They've been nailed to the cross of Christ. The wrath of God has already punished your sins in the body of Jesus. That's something to be glad about, hallelujah. So now you're not an ain't, you're a saint. You're holy and without blame before him in love. You're not trying to get approved. You already are approved. You're not trying to get accepted. No matter how you feel, no matter what you're going through, you already are approved and accepted. So act that way and talk that way. Amen. This is him sweetly just going. May I remind you who you really are.
13:27
This is how the apostle Paul corrected the most carnal church in the New Testament. The most carnal church in the New Testament was the Corinthian church, and Corinth was like the New York City of the day. It's an urban church. You know what that means, right? Church full of wackadoos I'd have it no other way and they were up to all sorts of nonsense. And they didn't have sexual propriety, they were pagan and a lot like New York City. They had the flags outside. The taverns also Okay, taverns also Okay.
14:05
And this is how he rebukes them. He doesn't say you nasty, wasty, ugly, sinful Corinthians, how could you do this? You got saved and now look how you're behaving. He says what? What? Know ye not that your body is the temple of the living god? What's he doing? He's not coming down on him personally. He's reminding them who they are positionally in christ. He's reminding them even though they've fallen so low. He's reminding them who they really are according to the word, because when you see who you really are, look dirt. People who think they're dirty do dirty things. People who know they've been cleaned and then feel God's holy, they do holy things, hallelujah. Whatever your reality is, that's how you're going to behave. So see yourself as the word sees you and the word calls you holy. Therefore, holy brethren, partakers of the heavenly calling here's the writer saying we'reakers of the heavenly calling. Here's the writer saying we're part of the same calling, we're in this together.
15:10
Consider, take a look, a good long, hard look at, analyze the apostle and high priest of our confession, christ Jesus. Verse two who was faithful to him? Everyone shout faithful to him, faithful to him. He was faithful to him. Everyone shout faithful to him, faithful to him. He was faithful to the father. Who was faithful to him? Who appointed him, as Moses also was faithful in all his house?
15:36
They're Hebrews, they're Jewish Christians who were very persecuted. So that's why he's using a lot of Old Testament scripture and why he's talking about Moses. The Jews revered Moses, verse 3. For this one, jesus has been counted worthy of more glory than Moses and as much as he who built the house has more honor than the house. Amen, simply saying that, hey, moses was very faithful. Moses had a lot of glory, I mean, his face was shining, they commented on it. But Jesus has way more glory than that. You look at the ministry of Jesus, it smokes Moses. And then he just says, hey, that's because the one who made Moses has more glory than Moses who was made. Amen, for every house is built by someone, but he who built all things is God, and Moses, indeed, was faithful in all his house as a servant.
16:33
He's doing a little compare and contrast here. He's saying, look, moses, moses was really faithful, he carried out God's plan for his life, for a testimony of those things which would be spoken afterwards. But Christ as a son over his own house, that's you. You're the house of God, the one that the scripture says he's building up right now. He's building up his house corporately, that's the whole body of Christ, and he's building out you, the house of God individually. Every stone in the house of God is precious and God himself is refining it, fitting it and putting it into his house with Jesus Christ as the chief cornerstone. Somebody say that's me, that's you, that's your life. You got a master builder working on you, whose house we are.
17:26
If now this is important, if we hold fast the confidence and the rejoicing of the hope firm to the end that's a conditional word. If, if Now this is important, because a constant question. And if you haven't asked this, you should ask this because salvation is precious right. Salvation is the most precious thing. I'm saved from hell. Hell is a real place. Heaven is a real place. I'm saved not just from hell, I'm saved from hell on earth. The worst hell any Christian will know is earth. The best heaven any unbeliever will know is earth. He saved me, so that's precious.
18:22
So important question is hey, can I lose my salvation? It's a fair question. You're going to get a lot of different answers. I'll tell you what I believe and I'll give you scriptural precedent for it. One your salvation is by faith, and faith alone. You receive it by faith. You don't work for it. Amen, that means that you cannot lose it by your works, amen. That means that you cannot lose it by your works.
18:47
And this is important because Christians, once they get saved, they feel that the moment they sin again, they've lost their salvation and they have to get born again and again, and again and again and they can enter in this terrible religious sin repentance cycle where they're in agony and they're constantly grieving over breaking God's heart and they have to come back to him over and over and over. And that actually doesn't work out, holiness, it works out. People who hate themselves are walking civil war and eventually give up on themselves and leave the church. In fact, the statistic is for every one of you in here today, there's 50 prodigals. I seek out those prodigals, I spend years of my life talking to those prodigals and when I dig in and find out what's the root there, what made you leave, it's actually every time shame and guilt and condemnation over.
19:34
I just Christianity is too hard. My answer is no, it's not. It's actually impossible. It's impossible if you try to do it in your own strength. It's impossible. If you try to do it in your own strength, you gotta die, you gotta yield. It's only hard for somebody who's still a little bit alive, limping trying to do their own thing. No, you gotta die. Let his life come up through you, hallelujah.
20:02
So you cannot lose your salvation by works, just like you can't gain your salvation by works. But when you persist in sin, when you persist in living in a way that's not aligned with God's word, it will harden your heart, and now you're coming into a danger. It'll not just harden your heart, but you'll notice that faith that's always active in you. Now it's just a shadow of what it once was, and in order to be saved, you need faith. Yeah, you got saved by faith. Salvation comes to you by faith. How many of you you know that you're saved? Raise your hand, you know, you know you're saved. Raise your hand, you know. You know Anybody else? I want to see you at this altar right after service, but I'm satisfied with over 80% of the hands going up. But the others, you don't have to hope so.
20:57
When I did street evangelism, I did it hours a day for years and I'd interview people and I'd ask them. The first question you ask them is if you were to die today, do you know for certain that you'd go to heaven? The most common response back is I hope so I hope. So that's hope. So salvation, that's not biblical. Biblical salvation is no. So salvation, you can know that you have it. It's not going to surprise me if you tell me I have a microphone in my hand.
21:27
I know I have it, I got it, I possess it, it's in my possession. It's the same way with salvation. I know it. That's why in John, 1 John, he says these things I write to you that you may know that you have eternal life. I know that I have it Because he said I have it. When I confessed my faith in him, I had to believe. First there were no feelings, I believed, and then, after I believed, there was some feelings. I don't go by those feelings. Some people never get feelings. Some people get lots of feelings, some people get a little bit of feelings. Feelings, shmeelings, but I know I have it. Feelings, shmeelings, but I know I have it. Hallelujah, and so it's important.
22:12
Because this group was so persecuted and so rejected and discouraged. They were just discouraged, but beyond, like how we get discouraged. They were discouraged to the point where they were about to forsake their faith. And that's really why the book of Hebrews is written as a warning you have to have a living and active faith that every day say I know I have salvation, I'm looking to him, and they were on the verge of committing the unpardonable sin which is forsaking Jesus. I'm not talking about missing church for a couple of weeks or going through a rough time. We're gonna forsake him after having known him and the Bible says there's no coming back after that. That's why the conditional if, if we hold fast the confidence and the rejoicing of the hope firm to the end, how many of you would say Lord, keep me all of my days, let me never wriggle out of your hand? Hallelujah, amen.
23:15
Next verse oh, let's go back to verse six. Actually, maybe one more verse, because I haven't completed this part when Jesus is comparing Moses and Moses' faithfulness For five verses. Here he's basically hammering this point home God is faithful, he is faithful. If Moses was faithful and which he was how much more will Jesus be faithful? This is his message to a group of despondent and discouraged Christians. It's that God is gonna see you through. The only thing that can mess that up is if you let go and quit on him.
24:01
Church, some of you. There's so many new people. You don't know my stories. You gotta know there's been many new people. You don't know my stories. You got to know. There's been times I confessed to people as a pastor, as a minister. I felt like my insides were turned inside out. I felt like my spleen was coming out of my nostrils. I had no strength in my body and seemingly no strength in my soul. I will go to pray. It will be like I'm crawling, and then I will go to pray and it would sound like somebody shot a wildebeest somewhere. And then I would go to pray and it would sound like somebody shot a wildebeest somewhere. There was nothing, no pretty words, no Elizabethan, no King James.
24:36 - Speaker 2
Just.
24:36 - Speaker 1
God, you me help. That was it. That's all I can muster up. But he's faithful and he'll be faithful. Whatever you're going through, he'll be faithful. Just don't quit, just don't let go. For me to just walk here. It's a miracle. It's a miracle To walk this altar and minister to you. I'm elated. Some people just see a bunch of people and a preacher. I see the miracle of God. This whole place shouldn't exist, hallelujah.
25:23
I just think back to what I call the great COVID consolidation. You know we used to have four physical locations, six weekend services, over 700 in weekend attendance, and then came the great COVID consolidation, where we had, there were several batches of people that left. The first batch was all families of people that left. The first batch was all families. And I mean you have to know if you're in New York City and you're a family in New York City, you're always on the fence, especially if you're like under 35. You're always on the fence about leaving New York City every single day of the week. Right, you're always like I love New York, but then you're like but there's maybe someplace with a little more space and I would like a place to put my vacuum cleaner instead of the corner of my living room. Well, when COVID came, all those people which was a lot got pushed out and I just every day was texts and emails of I'm moving to North Carolina, moving to South Carolina, moving to Florida and Texas. I've sowed great seed into those four states. Then I'm like, okay, glad that's over with.
26:29
And that was like the first two months of COVID. Then we were the first church to reopen up, or amongst the first ones there were several others. The first time they let us because we rent this place, which is one of the reasons why I want to get our own place to not be at the behest of anybody over us. Then People noticed that I wasn't as crazy for COVID as I should be. Like I guess they wanted me to show up in a hazmat suit and hug them from a distance. Maybe we could have hugged through that plastic barrier. Remember the plastic people forget so easily. People were hugging through plastic sheets. Didn't feel like taking an experimental jab. I let people know People were horrified clutching their pearls. So then I saw another batch leave. They gave lots of reasons but ultimately the reason was you should have been more crazy about COVID. I'm crazy about COVID, you're not as crazy as me. Up your craziness, pastor. So we saw another batch leave, but God is faithful, didn't we never felt like we really lacked anything ever? People left. God brought new ones. We saw new baptisms, new salvations, new baptism in the Holy Spirit, new life, group leaders raised up because he's faithful.
27:49
Hey, you know what else happened in 2020?, speaking of God's faithfulness, we had been saving as a church since our first day. In the beginning, it was like if we saved 10 bucks, that was great. And after so, from 2002 to 2020, after 18 years of saving, we had, as a church in New York City, about $800,000. Wow, that's not impressive 18 years, I mean. But we had no debt and we were giving all the time we were always giving to the missionary. I mean, if we were stingy, we maybe would have saved more. But you know what the Bible says the Lord would have just blown it all away. If you hold, if you keep on to more than you should, he said in Habakkuk, I'll blow it all away. If you hold, if you keep on to more than you should, he said in Habakkuk, I'll blow it all away. You're putting it in a bag with holes in it, but Papa's got a brand new bag. Ow, ow. All right, it's a bag with no holes. It's an unholy bag.
28:44
So in 2020, in 2020, I, because of my personal experience, I began to solicit our board. It took nearly six months to put the church reserves into the best asset on planet Earth. Who knows what the best asset on planet Earth is? Chris, you know what the best asset on? What's Bitcoin is the best asset on planet. Why is Bitcoin the best asset on planet Earth? Because there'll ever only be 21 million of them. You know how many dollars there are gonna be. They're printing them as we speak. In fact, your dollar has lost 40% of its purchasing power since 2020.
29:26
Did you know that? You know it. When you go to get eggs, look at everything. Look at your bill. You know what. You know what would wake up. Look at your old Amazon purchases, like you order history and check, like what you ordered in 2020, the bounty Everything's up. It's 40%. This is how to suck the air out of a room when reality hits people.
29:47
And I'm like God. We've been faithful and here, after 18 years, 800,000. And so can I just boast on the faithfulness of God. And, by the way, I said all this. In fact, I talked about this all the time. I think this ran some people off too. Nobody knows about this. I've spent over 1,000 hours studying this thing and then you got somebody going Pastor, put the church's money in a get-rich-quick scheme. I'm out of here. What you don't even know what you're talking about. I didn't put it in crypto, I put it in Bitcoin and there's a difference. So after six months we put $800,000 into Bitcoin. Bitcoin was under $10,000. Red hitting the $10,000 mark. How much is Bitcoin today? Round to the top, he's at 96. Knocking on the door of 100,000. I'm just giving examples of the faithfulness of God.
30:49
So here we are in Queens and we have over 8 million. You can give God hallelujah for that. That's what. So the Lord has 10. This is not a small thing. I'm sorry. We're not a large international ministry that can just buy a building. Buildings cost 30 to 40 million, the kind of building we need. Alright. So now we're at least a quarter of the way there, hallelujah. And God thought it wonderful that he didn't have to have me every year going alright, we gotta raise more money. Won't it be nice when we announce hey, we bought the building? The only capital campaign we're gonna do is for the interior. Maybe we can just get the chairs and a nice multimedia setup, but we got a building that'll stay here proclaiming the name of Jesus till that trumpet sounds.
31:41
Hallelujah, he's faithful. Hallelujah, he'll be faithful to you. He has been faithful to you. That's why you're here today. Just your butt in that seat is evidence of the faithfulness of God. Hallelujah, hallelujah, oh glory to God. Let's get back to verse 7. When I think about his goodness and what he's done for me makes me wanna Jesus. Hallelujah, you have to have some great I think it's over now. Moments in your life. I've had a good number of those oh man, I done, did it. This time it's over. Moments in your life I've had a good number of those oh man, I done, did it. This time it's over. And then the Lord comes in and flexes and swings in and rescues Hallelujah, by the way, if you can't rejoice for someone else, especially your own church, like really from your loins, how is God ever going to bless you?
32:53
I'm not looking at anyone in particular, I'm just saying I just announced that God 10x'd 1,000% in four years and it was met with some. And I'm not looking for decibel of it, I'm just saying do a heart check and make sure, because you know what I noticed the people that I see rejoice the most for others' victories. They're the ones who I see also receive the most. And because something's got to be really broken in you when you have such a scarcity mindset where you think that because God blessed someone else, now he doesn't have enough for you. I'm sorry, maybe your parents were that way with the Oreo cookies. Maybe your brother ran and grabbed them all and only one was left for you and he got eight. But God doesn't run out of cookies. Okay, god has plenty of cookies. God has plenty that you never, ever have. Oh, that's the cheapest envy.
33:45
Hater spirit that's what it is. That's in the final chapter of Revelation in the Greek hater spirit. Why are haters haters? Because they feel like that you took what belongs to them. No, God will make more, so rejoice for others. That opens you up to receive from him. Therefore, as the Holy Spirit says today, if you will hear his voice Also, someone might be thinking why do I give?
34:10
Because they have eight million. You don't have to. I never give, don't ever give, because someone needs to receive you give. Giving is for you. That's what's got to click. Giving is for you, it's to your benefit, because the Bible says he'll multiply it back to you. Hallelujah. If you only want to give to really desperate down and out places, you're never going to hear that message here. Maybe that's why you like it here, I don't know. Is it all right if I preach and have fun? Is that okay? Therefore, as the Holy Spirit says today today, by the way, that's a God day Today Satan loves tomorrow in the sense that he's always telling you to do it tomorrow, mañana.
35:04
He's always either trying to remind you of the guilt of yesterday and telling you to put off doing what you should do today, tomorrow, but it's always today. Today, if you will hear his voice, do not harden your hearts. Now. Remember the whole context of Hebrews. Is this group of Christians on the verge of backsliding forever and giving up on Jesus, forsaking the faith? So he's essentially reminding them of two things. That's the whole theme of Hebrews, chapter 3. He's faithful. He who began a good work is faithful to complete it in you. He's faithful. And two careful with a hard heart. Careful about having a hard heart.
35:50
The reason people are tempted and sometimes forsake the faith is they get bitter, bitter, with a person, and that person is God, and that bitterness comes up, god, at some point in your life. I've had this many times. Satan has tempted me with his bitterness. Thankfully, the wisdom of the Lord came up, that I know if I can just resist these lies. This is a total fabrication. And if you're married thank God, hopefully you're weak, they're strong, and when they're weak, you're strong.
36:25
There are times where you know the enemy is lying nonstop. Thank God for a godly wife who can say none of that is true, none of that. What you just said, that's a lie. I'm like okay, because that's what's going through my head incessantly. That's how you know the enemy's trying to get to you your life. It didn't work out how you had hoped, you didn't get what you wanted, and then you're bitter and you try to be bitter with a person. But eventually, if you allow yourself to be bitter with people, that bitterness will morph at bitterness against God, causing a hard heart. And then what will replace faith is an evil heart of unbelief.
37:09
And that's how people, that's how you know somebody who was in the second row, dancing, twirling, lifting their hands, shouting Jesus, and then, over years of neglecting the anointing, neglecting the word, neglecting the Lord. You gotta let him love on you. His tenderness melts away all our bitterness. You don't wanna play with a hard heart. You don't wanna to play with a hard heart. You don't want to play with that a callous, cynical heart.
37:36
Jesus didn't tolerate cynicism. He allowed for skepticism. He convinced the skeptics. But the Pharisees were cynics. He didn't even have time for them. The Sadducees were cynics. That's why they were sad. You see to them, he didn't even have time. Do not harden your hearts as in the rebellion, in the day of trial in the wilderness.
37:59
So he's telling these Hebrews remember Moses, remember the children of Israel. They were coming into the promised land. They saw mighty signs and wonders done the Red Sea, parting manna coming from heaven, other signs and wonders, god protecting them and preserving them. But still they ended up in unbelief. They ended up with bitterness because it was taking too long. It should have been an 11 days journey. It ended up being 40 years. And it's funny. They were upset at God that it was taking so long. And he's going. It doesn't have to take this long. If you just stop being upset, you'd make it in in 11 days and you have no idea how prophetic that is.
38:40
One of the saddest things is to see a person upset that it's not happening fast enough and then they're like that in this terrible cycle for years, not realizing that if they would just get their praise on and stop being upset that it's not happening fast enough, it'll actually happen. But they're always miserable that it's not happening and then 10 years later it's still not happening. Stop it. Some of you are addicted I say this with love in my heart. You're addicted to your own personal pity party. You're addicted to complaining. I break that in Jesus' name. See you as he sees.
39:20
You Begin to speak opposite of what you're hearing. You can wake up again, your liver coming out of your nostrils, feeling like the end is near, and you wake up and then speak God's word, god's truth. Lord, let's start at the basics. Lord, thank you. I'm saved, I'm forgiven, I'm full of the Holy Spirit. Your hand is on me, your favor is upon me. Today, good things happen to me. You open doors that no man can shut. Lord, you're promoting me. You're moving me into the center of your perfect will. I believe Lord, even though my emotions are saying the opposite. My head is saying the opposite. People around me are saying the opposite. I believe you're a good God, but not just in a generic sense. You are good to me. Hallelujah, a hard heart is the death bell.
40:17
So when I got saved at 16, I was so on fire and told the gospel to anyone who'd listen and consequently ended up leading a bunch of my high school friends to the Lord. And then same thing in college and I led a friends to the Lord. And then same thing in college and I led a friend to the Lord and it ended up that we were at the same college, stony Brook University out in Long Island and it turned out that we were in the same building and so I was still discipling her. And then we ended up going to the same Christian college campus group it's called Basic Brothers and Sisters in Christ. Still going on, and same church.
40:56
She was on fire for the Lord. But one thing I knew about her was that just a couple of years before she got saved, her parents went through a divorce and she loved her mom and she loved her dad, but the dad left. She loved her dad and her dad's departure really just it obviously pained her and it scarred her. So I saw her on fire for the Lord. But you know, whenever you're traveling with Jesus on this journey, eventually he's going to require his lordship in your life. In the beginning you have some wiggle room, you're kind of figuring it all out, but then you're going to quickly realize he's actually your Lord and Savior, not just your Savior, and if he's not Lord of all, he's not Lord at all. You got to give him your life so as that became more apparent to her, she was opening up and telling me her struggles.
41:50
And it all came back to a bitterness against her father and a hard heart to now where she couldn't. I mean she could but she wouldn't. She couldn't trust again. She couldn't trust Father God when her own natural dad had betrayed her. I mean she could if she'd allowed the Lord to work on her heart, but she began to, just like an eel, just wiggle out of his grasp. There were others who were with us. They're still to this day. They text me, they phone me. We're all serving the Lord. My heart still breaks because I saw firsthand what a hard heart could do and then it ends up being a Christless life and God forbid, a Christless eternity.
42:36
Do not harden your hearts as in the day of rebellion, or in the rebellion, in the day of trial, in the wilderness, where your fathers tested me, tried me and saw my works 40 years. Everything all right. We're on verse, if you can show verse nine just to prove to them that I didn't make it up, and then we'll go to verse 10. Therefore, I was angry with that generation and said they always go astray in their heart and they have not known my ways. So I swore in my wrath they shall not enter my rest. Beware, brethren, lest there be worship team you can come up, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief in departing from the Living God, an evil heart of unbelief. Let me just read this to you as the worship team comes up unbelief this is just from various theologians, newell.
43:48
Unbelief is not inability to understand but unwillingness to trust. It is the will, not the intelligence that is involved. It is the will, not the intelligence. One can truly believe God yet be occasionally troubled by doubts. That's not what this is talking about. There is a doubt that wants God's promise but is weak in faith at the moment. Unbelief isn't weakness of faith. It sets itself in opposition to faith.
44:22
When you see bitter people. They actually have faith for bad things to happen to them. They have faith for their life to go nowhere. There's people who get sick. I knew it. I just knew it. It's like you get the prize. You knew you had faith that your life would get worse, not better. God wants to heal hurting hearts right now, hardened hearts.
44:49
One of the first things when it comes to healing a hard heart is you have to forgive those who've wronged you. It's just a must. You, in Christ Jesus, have been forgiven all of your sin and you don't even know what they all are. You got saved. Maybe you confessed a few things that were important to you. You have no idea the atrocities you've committed and he wiped they all are. You got saved. Maybe you confessed a few things that were important to you. You have no idea the atrocities you've committed and he wiped it all clean. And then he asked for you to show that same mercy to others. And some people say I just can't. No, you can, you just won't. You've now partnered with this evil spirit. It's a demon that makes you feel a sense of victimhood and superiority, somehow to hold on to that grudge. But that grudge, that bitterness, is killing you.
45:43
Jesus told a parable of a man who was forgiven a great net, great debt, then wouldn't forgive others who owed him he. They owed him like 20 bucks in today's terms and he owed millions. And the king found out and said hand them over to the torturers. Any Christian who's not walking in forgiveness to others they're actually their life has been handed over to the torturers. Forgive, release them. Let them go, think of them and say I cancel your debts, you owe me nothing, I forgive you. I forgive you and those who really hurt you.
46:23
This isn't a one-time thing. You're going to have to forgive them like a thousand times. You can do it in the service right now and then on the way back home, the whole movie will play again in your head. You'll get all ramped up again. You got to keep forgiving. There are people I have to forgive over and over and over again. If you really want to expedite the forgiveness process, send them a gift. Yeah, take a hundred bucks, it's still worth it. Just send it to them. It's very hard to be bitter against someone you've given to. Hallelujah, I want you to close your eyes. Hallelujah, hallelujah, put your eyes on Jesus. This chapter three is a timeless message, an all-important message of persevering, looking at the faithfulness of God and protecting from hardness of heart. This is why revival is so important. This is why the move of the Holy Spirit is so important. Without the Holy Spirit, our hearts get hard, cynical, doubting and unbelieving. Hallelujah, holy Spirit, move on your people, touch people, refresh, reinvigorate, heal, bring life, life, life. Every weight comes off in Jesus' name.
48:16 - Speaker 2
This is the City Light Church Podcast. If you've missed any part of today's message or if you would like to find out more about Pastor Boyan Jancic and City Light Church, visit us at citylightnyccom. That's citylightnyccom. Feel free to visit us online or in person anytime. We would love to connect with you. We pray that you have been encouraged today, that you have been reminded how much God loves you and that you are surrounded by grace. Thank you for listening. Make sure that you subscribe to City Light Church Podcast wherever you find your favorite podcasts worldwide.
Because when you're going through it and if you're not going through it now you either went through it or you're going to go through it. But your faith will be challenged, it will be tested and you can't move away from who you are in Jesus. Although Satan is constantly trying to pervert your identity in Christ, it may make you solemn and make you sad and forget who you are in Jesus and ashamed. Speak into yourself, speak in the Word of God, which is the truth.
00:26 - Speaker 2
Welcome to the City Light Church podcast. Thanks for joining us today as we look into God's Word and discover the hope and truth that he has for us. If you want to connect with City Light Church, feel free to visit us at citylightnyccom. That's citylightNYCcom. Pastor Boyan Jancic and his team believe that the power of the Holy Spirit is already working in our hearts and minds. As you listen to today's teaching, remember that you are deeply loved by God, that you are surrounded by His grace and that he has a real hope and a future for you. That he has a real hope and a future for you.
01:06 - Speaker 1
Well, my name is Bo Jancic. I want to welcome you to City Light Church. Those of you joining us online Hallelujah, oh man. All right, I can do this. Pastor Mo, you're praying for me. Interesting, I got to do a couple of announcements and then this is just the way we're doing it for now. Next week, pastor Moe, he's going to give excellent announcements, but we have Christmas, we have Christmas decorating coming up, and so you should be a part of that. December the 2nd maybe, even to December the 3rd Maybe, and there'll be I'm supposed to also say there'll be hot chocolate there, because I understand the vast majority of you can't get your own hot chocolate and you may be wondering where can I get hot chocolate, the best kind of hot chocolate, free hot chocolate? And then you'll remember City Light. But it really is. It's a party. You know, I joked earlier. I said everything God touches will live, everything Pastor Mo touches will party. Pastor Mo's leading this and it'll be a party and you can get your Christmas on. Turn this place into a winter wonderland. Oh, and then the second announcement is prayer.
02:38
There's been a reinvigoration of prayer, and I'm not kidding On Wednesday by Wednesday. It actually started earlier days. Earlier I started to feel just completely different, like somebody had taken out four worn out AAA batteries. You know the triple, not even double A, triple A, the real skinny ones where you wonder is it even a battery or not? What does this go? Oh yeah, my garage remote or something like that, took out four worn-out AAA batteries and cleaned out the inside and put four supercharged D batteries in. No, really, there was just, I felt I started to feel the anointing at all odd times. You know, it's nice when you feel the anointing in prayer, but now this is just at odd times. You know, retrieving something from the closet, oh, surprised by god opening my car door, oh, oh, oh, I in fact just talking about it, I'm feeling it just you know, sometimes when you recount what the lord's done, and I have no doubt that it's because of this resurgence of prayer that's happening in our church.
03:47
So people are praying for our church, for the future of this church. For me, for my family, it's very important, you know. That's why the Apostle Paul, in every letter he said please pray for me. I haven't done that enough and we're crossing a threshold. Right now we're busting to another barrier. Satan doesn't like that. He doesn't like. He likes you nice and just put down, don't move, don't make waves. We're making waves. The Lord is causing the waves. We're going to bust and that has to be undergirded by prayer.
04:16
Every Sunday at 8.45 am yes, 8.45. I know that's funny for you, uni, 8.45. I know that's funny for you, yuni, 8.45. Because there's I don't know what is in the Korean DNA. But you guys, it's not even prayer until you're at 5 am. There's a bicycle I ride and there's a big Korean church right where I live and I'm riding it early at 6 in the morning and the whole parking lot is full and I'm going. Man, I'm jealous with a holy jealousy. So 8.45 am right here to be praying with other people. It'll bless you If you've never prayed in a group, it'll bless and we really.
05:00
I've prayed in a group and it made me never want to pray in a group when I first got saved, because there's always someone who just ends up praying for half an hour and you don't even know what they're saying anymore and you just politely, oh Lord, amen, we don't do that. We don't, we actually have limits on people. I mean, the Holy Spirit will put limits on people, but in case you can't hear the Holy Spirit telling you, let someone else pray. We will then step in and amplify his voice in your life, but be a part of prayer. And also, if you can't make it out on Sundays, there's Zoom prayers. If you're interested in that, just fill out that connection card. The best way to get your questions answered is info at citylightnyccom and if you're new or if you want to get more involved, the best way to stay in contact with us is that connection card that was on your seat, so fill it out. If you want to get baptized, if you want to volunteer, fill it out and hand it over to one of the ushers or at the hospitality table. They'll have a gift for you when you do, but be sure to fill out that connection card and then let's receive our tithes and offerings.
06:04
How many of you want to worship the Lord with your giving? Give with a glad heart. There's four ways to give Online text. There's offering boxes located throughout the sanctuary. There'll be a QR code that appears. But before the QR code appears, let's just see where we're at on the end of the year giving, because this is our end of the year campaign. Hey, last week it was 32, I believe. Significant jump in one week. Amen, put your hands together for that.
06:44
So let me explain to you what this is. This is to make up for our budget that we're behind in 2024. This means that we're $150,000 behind our expenses, and so we want to make that up. We have reserves that we'd like to use to purchase a building, and not ever never have we had to, nor would we ever want to use it for day-to-day expenses. Amen, like, hopefully, you have a savings and an investment account and those are. That's the untouchable account we have that.
07:12
So if you don't give to this, that's why I'm not standing here going, you know. Please give, otherwise there's a squeegee job I gotta get. I'll be the guy that'll meet you at the red light on steinway and broadway and I'm gonna squeegee your windshield and maybe you give me a dollar or two and I can make it. No, we're going to be fine and the Lord is always taking care of us. But this is an opportunity. So just ask the Lord what he'd have you give. There's a novel idea, lord my life is your life, my money is your money. What should I give? Right? And then listen and there'll be amounts stirring in your spirit. No, the lower amount is the devil, the higher amount is God. And learn to hear what the Lord is saying. You don't have to ask the Lord what he would have. You tithe, because that amount is already in the word. It's like Lord, what should I? Tenth? Well, tenth, a tenth. But in addition to that, I'll speak to you Hallelujah. But that's only for those who actually want to increase financially. Some people love poverty, some people love to stay broke, and there's a formula for that too. I actually preached a sermon. Maybe I'll have to re-preach it. Ten Steps to Poverty. It's a formula for that too. I actually preached a sermon. Maybe I'll have to re-preach it. Ten Steps to Poverty. It's a phenomenal sermon. You want to take copious notes on that. Really, I have Hallelujah, hallelujah, are you ready to begin Hebrews, chapter 3?
08:40
We're in the book of Hebrews. We're going line upon line, precept upon precept. We want to increase biblical literacy. Christians should be full of the word mighty in the scriptures. Mighty, that's a term. Who was that used to describe in the Bible? Was it Stephen In the book of Acts that he was mighty in the Bible? Was it Stephen in the book of Acts that he was mighty in the scriptures?
09:06
Every Christian should be full of the word biblically literate, know how to explain the gospel, explain salvation. The Bible says and you should always be set to give an answer to those who are on the outside. And Paul said I'm set for the defense of the gospel so that you can articulate why you believe, what you believe and why you believe it. That's very important for our kids, by the way. They're not going to learn that in city kids. You're going to get some good stuff in children's church, but it's up to us to raise our kids to defend their faith, because outside people are at war, trying to rob them of their faith. And so we're in chapter 3.
09:45
In chapter 1, the writer of Hebrews was focusing on the ultimate supremacy of Jesus. In chapter 2, he was talking about the humanity of Jesus also, jesus is fully God and fully man, and because he's fully man, god himself can understand you and relate to you in a very, very special way. And then we find ourselves in chapter 3. And just note always you have to understand the context that he's writing in. The context is this he's writing to the most despondent, dejected, depressed, down-and-out group of Christians who are on the verge of quitting in the entire Bible. This was not a happy group. This is a group that they weren't, at that moment, living their best life now. They were ostracized financially, weren't allowed to trade, weren't allowed to barter, buy or sell. They were ostracized socially and things were tough. And so he encourages them. Let's see how he encourages them.
10:48
He starts writing to them in verse 1. Therefore, holy brethren, now, right away, I want you to see that he's talking to them and he's reminding them of their identity in Christ. This is vital Because when you're going through it and if you're not going through it now, you either went through it or you're going to go through it, but your faith will be challenged, it will be tested and you can't move away from who you are in Jesus, although Satan is constantly trying to pervert your identity in Christ and make you solemn and make you sad and forget who you are in Jesus and, ashamed, downcast. I'm not good enough. It's not clicking for me. Life's a drag and you've got to start talking to yourself, speaking to yourself, speaking the word of God, which is the truth. Facts are facts, but the truth is the truth. Amen. He calls them holy brethren. They probably weren't behaving so holy, but he calls them holy brethren.
12:05
That's why sometimes I'll open up the service with a big smile after a whole rough week of counseling the stuff I've heard I need a pastor to go to to now open up to. After all, I heard, well, what's wrong? I've heard all these things. They seem so normal when I'm preaching to them. You don't know what they're up to in the week.
12:27
But I open up the service and I say hello, saints of God, hello, forgiven ones, blessed ones, holy ones. Because that's what the word of God says about you you have been cleansed, you have been purified, you're a new creation in Christ Jesus. Do you believe it? If you believe in Jesus, all of your sins have been taken out. They've been nailed to the cross of Christ. The wrath of God has already punished your sins in the body of Jesus. That's something to be glad about, hallelujah. So now you're not an ain't, you're a saint. You're holy and without blame before him in love. You're not trying to get approved. You already are approved. You're not trying to get accepted. No matter how you feel, no matter what you're going through, you already are approved and accepted. So act that way and talk that way. Amen. This is him sweetly just going. May I remind you who you really are.
13:27
This is how the apostle Paul corrected the most carnal church in the New Testament. The most carnal church in the New Testament was the Corinthian church, and Corinth was like the New York City of the day. It's an urban church. You know what that means, right? Church full of wackadoos I'd have it no other way and they were up to all sorts of nonsense. And they didn't have sexual propriety, they were pagan and a lot like New York City. They had the flags outside. The taverns also Okay, taverns also Okay.
14:05
And this is how he rebukes them. He doesn't say you nasty, wasty, ugly, sinful Corinthians, how could you do this? You got saved and now look how you're behaving. He says what? What? Know ye not that your body is the temple of the living god? What's he doing? He's not coming down on him personally. He's reminding them who they are positionally in christ. He's reminding them even though they've fallen so low. He's reminding them who they really are according to the word, because when you see who you really are, look dirt. People who think they're dirty do dirty things. People who know they've been cleaned and then feel God's holy, they do holy things, hallelujah. Whatever your reality is, that's how you're going to behave. So see yourself as the word sees you and the word calls you holy. Therefore, holy brethren, partakers of the heavenly calling here's the writer saying we'reakers of the heavenly calling. Here's the writer saying we're part of the same calling, we're in this together.
15:10
Consider, take a look, a good long, hard look at, analyze the apostle and high priest of our confession, christ Jesus. Verse two who was faithful to him? Everyone shout faithful to him, faithful to him. He was faithful to him. Everyone shout faithful to him, faithful to him. He was faithful to the father. Who was faithful to him? Who appointed him, as Moses also was faithful in all his house?
15:36
They're Hebrews, they're Jewish Christians who were very persecuted. So that's why he's using a lot of Old Testament scripture and why he's talking about Moses. The Jews revered Moses, verse 3. For this one, jesus has been counted worthy of more glory than Moses and as much as he who built the house has more honor than the house. Amen, simply saying that, hey, moses was very faithful. Moses had a lot of glory, I mean, his face was shining, they commented on it. But Jesus has way more glory than that. You look at the ministry of Jesus, it smokes Moses. And then he just says, hey, that's because the one who made Moses has more glory than Moses who was made. Amen, for every house is built by someone, but he who built all things is God, and Moses, indeed, was faithful in all his house as a servant.
16:33
He's doing a little compare and contrast here. He's saying, look, moses, moses was really faithful, he carried out God's plan for his life, for a testimony of those things which would be spoken afterwards. But Christ as a son over his own house, that's you. You're the house of God, the one that the scripture says he's building up right now. He's building up his house corporately, that's the whole body of Christ, and he's building out you, the house of God individually. Every stone in the house of God is precious and God himself is refining it, fitting it and putting it into his house with Jesus Christ as the chief cornerstone. Somebody say that's me, that's you, that's your life. You got a master builder working on you, whose house we are.
17:26
If now this is important, if we hold fast the confidence and the rejoicing of the hope firm to the end that's a conditional word. If, if Now this is important, because a constant question. And if you haven't asked this, you should ask this because salvation is precious right. Salvation is the most precious thing. I'm saved from hell. Hell is a real place. Heaven is a real place. I'm saved not just from hell, I'm saved from hell on earth. The worst hell any Christian will know is earth. The best heaven any unbeliever will know is earth. He saved me, so that's precious.
18:22
So important question is hey, can I lose my salvation? It's a fair question. You're going to get a lot of different answers. I'll tell you what I believe and I'll give you scriptural precedent for it. One your salvation is by faith, and faith alone. You receive it by faith. You don't work for it. Amen, that means that you cannot lose it by your works, amen. That means that you cannot lose it by your works.
18:47
And this is important because Christians, once they get saved, they feel that the moment they sin again, they've lost their salvation and they have to get born again and again, and again and again and they can enter in this terrible religious sin repentance cycle where they're in agony and they're constantly grieving over breaking God's heart and they have to come back to him over and over and over. And that actually doesn't work out, holiness, it works out. People who hate themselves are walking civil war and eventually give up on themselves and leave the church. In fact, the statistic is for every one of you in here today, there's 50 prodigals. I seek out those prodigals, I spend years of my life talking to those prodigals and when I dig in and find out what's the root there, what made you leave, it's actually every time shame and guilt and condemnation over.
19:34
I just Christianity is too hard. My answer is no, it's not. It's actually impossible. It's impossible if you try to do it in your own strength. It's impossible. If you try to do it in your own strength, you gotta die, you gotta yield. It's only hard for somebody who's still a little bit alive, limping trying to do their own thing. No, you gotta die. Let his life come up through you, hallelujah.
20:02
So you cannot lose your salvation by works, just like you can't gain your salvation by works. But when you persist in sin, when you persist in living in a way that's not aligned with God's word, it will harden your heart, and now you're coming into a danger. It'll not just harden your heart, but you'll notice that faith that's always active in you. Now it's just a shadow of what it once was, and in order to be saved, you need faith. Yeah, you got saved by faith. Salvation comes to you by faith. How many of you you know that you're saved? Raise your hand, you know, you know you're saved. Raise your hand, you know. You know Anybody else? I want to see you at this altar right after service, but I'm satisfied with over 80% of the hands going up. But the others, you don't have to hope so.
20:57
When I did street evangelism, I did it hours a day for years and I'd interview people and I'd ask them. The first question you ask them is if you were to die today, do you know for certain that you'd go to heaven? The most common response back is I hope so I hope. So that's hope. So salvation, that's not biblical. Biblical salvation is no. So salvation, you can know that you have it. It's not going to surprise me if you tell me I have a microphone in my hand.
21:27
I know I have it, I got it, I possess it, it's in my possession. It's the same way with salvation. I know it. That's why in John, 1 John, he says these things I write to you that you may know that you have eternal life. I know that I have it Because he said I have it. When I confessed my faith in him, I had to believe. First there were no feelings, I believed, and then, after I believed, there was some feelings. I don't go by those feelings. Some people never get feelings. Some people get lots of feelings, some people get a little bit of feelings. Feelings, shmeelings, but I know I have it. Feelings, shmeelings, but I know I have it. Hallelujah, and so it's important.
22:12
Because this group was so persecuted and so rejected and discouraged. They were just discouraged, but beyond, like how we get discouraged. They were discouraged to the point where they were about to forsake their faith. And that's really why the book of Hebrews is written as a warning you have to have a living and active faith that every day say I know I have salvation, I'm looking to him, and they were on the verge of committing the unpardonable sin which is forsaking Jesus. I'm not talking about missing church for a couple of weeks or going through a rough time. We're gonna forsake him after having known him and the Bible says there's no coming back after that. That's why the conditional if, if we hold fast the confidence and the rejoicing of the hope firm to the end, how many of you would say Lord, keep me all of my days, let me never wriggle out of your hand? Hallelujah, amen.
23:15
Next verse oh, let's go back to verse six. Actually, maybe one more verse, because I haven't completed this part when Jesus is comparing Moses and Moses' faithfulness For five verses. Here he's basically hammering this point home God is faithful, he is faithful. If Moses was faithful and which he was how much more will Jesus be faithful? This is his message to a group of despondent and discouraged Christians. It's that God is gonna see you through. The only thing that can mess that up is if you let go and quit on him.
24:01
Church, some of you. There's so many new people. You don't know my stories. You gotta know there's been many new people. You don't know my stories. You got to know. There's been times I confessed to people as a pastor, as a minister. I felt like my insides were turned inside out. I felt like my spleen was coming out of my nostrils. I had no strength in my body and seemingly no strength in my soul. I will go to pray. It will be like I'm crawling, and then I will go to pray and it would sound like somebody shot a wildebeest somewhere. And then I would go to pray and it would sound like somebody shot a wildebeest somewhere. There was nothing, no pretty words, no Elizabethan, no King James.
24:36 - Speaker 2
Just.
24:36 - Speaker 1
God, you me help. That was it. That's all I can muster up. But he's faithful and he'll be faithful. Whatever you're going through, he'll be faithful. Just don't quit, just don't let go. For me to just walk here. It's a miracle. It's a miracle To walk this altar and minister to you. I'm elated. Some people just see a bunch of people and a preacher. I see the miracle of God. This whole place shouldn't exist, hallelujah.
25:23
I just think back to what I call the great COVID consolidation. You know we used to have four physical locations, six weekend services, over 700 in weekend attendance, and then came the great COVID consolidation, where we had, there were several batches of people that left. The first batch was all families of people that left. The first batch was all families. And I mean you have to know if you're in New York City and you're a family in New York City, you're always on the fence, especially if you're like under 35. You're always on the fence about leaving New York City every single day of the week. Right, you're always like I love New York, but then you're like but there's maybe someplace with a little more space and I would like a place to put my vacuum cleaner instead of the corner of my living room. Well, when COVID came, all those people which was a lot got pushed out and I just every day was texts and emails of I'm moving to North Carolina, moving to South Carolina, moving to Florida and Texas. I've sowed great seed into those four states. Then I'm like, okay, glad that's over with.
26:29
And that was like the first two months of COVID. Then we were the first church to reopen up, or amongst the first ones there were several others. The first time they let us because we rent this place, which is one of the reasons why I want to get our own place to not be at the behest of anybody over us. Then People noticed that I wasn't as crazy for COVID as I should be. Like I guess they wanted me to show up in a hazmat suit and hug them from a distance. Maybe we could have hugged through that plastic barrier. Remember the plastic people forget so easily. People were hugging through plastic sheets. Didn't feel like taking an experimental jab. I let people know People were horrified clutching their pearls. So then I saw another batch leave. They gave lots of reasons but ultimately the reason was you should have been more crazy about COVID. I'm crazy about COVID, you're not as crazy as me. Up your craziness, pastor. So we saw another batch leave, but God is faithful, didn't we never felt like we really lacked anything ever? People left. God brought new ones. We saw new baptisms, new salvations, new baptism in the Holy Spirit, new life, group leaders raised up because he's faithful.
27:49
Hey, you know what else happened in 2020?, speaking of God's faithfulness, we had been saving as a church since our first day. In the beginning, it was like if we saved 10 bucks, that was great. And after so, from 2002 to 2020, after 18 years of saving, we had, as a church in New York City, about $800,000. Wow, that's not impressive 18 years, I mean. But we had no debt and we were giving all the time we were always giving to the missionary. I mean, if we were stingy, we maybe would have saved more. But you know what the Bible says the Lord would have just blown it all away. If you hold, if you keep on to more than you should, he said in Habakkuk, I'll blow it all away. If you hold, if you keep on to more than you should, he said in Habakkuk, I'll blow it all away. You're putting it in a bag with holes in it, but Papa's got a brand new bag. Ow, ow. All right, it's a bag with no holes. It's an unholy bag.
28:44
So in 2020, in 2020, I, because of my personal experience, I began to solicit our board. It took nearly six months to put the church reserves into the best asset on planet Earth. Who knows what the best asset on planet Earth is? Chris, you know what the best asset on? What's Bitcoin is the best asset on planet. Why is Bitcoin the best asset on planet Earth? Because there'll ever only be 21 million of them. You know how many dollars there are gonna be. They're printing them as we speak. In fact, your dollar has lost 40% of its purchasing power since 2020.
29:26
Did you know that? You know it. When you go to get eggs, look at everything. Look at your bill. You know what. You know what would wake up. Look at your old Amazon purchases, like you order history and check, like what you ordered in 2020, the bounty Everything's up. It's 40%. This is how to suck the air out of a room when reality hits people.
29:47
And I'm like God. We've been faithful and here, after 18 years, 800,000. And so can I just boast on the faithfulness of God. And, by the way, I said all this. In fact, I talked about this all the time. I think this ran some people off too. Nobody knows about this. I've spent over 1,000 hours studying this thing and then you got somebody going Pastor, put the church's money in a get-rich-quick scheme. I'm out of here. What you don't even know what you're talking about. I didn't put it in crypto, I put it in Bitcoin and there's a difference. So after six months we put $800,000 into Bitcoin. Bitcoin was under $10,000. Red hitting the $10,000 mark. How much is Bitcoin today? Round to the top, he's at 96. Knocking on the door of 100,000. I'm just giving examples of the faithfulness of God.
30:49
So here we are in Queens and we have over 8 million. You can give God hallelujah for that. That's what. So the Lord has 10. This is not a small thing. I'm sorry. We're not a large international ministry that can just buy a building. Buildings cost 30 to 40 million, the kind of building we need. Alright. So now we're at least a quarter of the way there, hallelujah. And God thought it wonderful that he didn't have to have me every year going alright, we gotta raise more money. Won't it be nice when we announce hey, we bought the building? The only capital campaign we're gonna do is for the interior. Maybe we can just get the chairs and a nice multimedia setup, but we got a building that'll stay here proclaiming the name of Jesus till that trumpet sounds.
31:41
Hallelujah, he's faithful. Hallelujah, he'll be faithful to you. He has been faithful to you. That's why you're here today. Just your butt in that seat is evidence of the faithfulness of God. Hallelujah, hallelujah, oh glory to God. Let's get back to verse 7. When I think about his goodness and what he's done for me makes me wanna Jesus. Hallelujah, you have to have some great I think it's over now. Moments in your life. I've had a good number of those oh man, I done, did it. This time it's over. Moments in your life I've had a good number of those oh man, I done, did it. This time it's over. And then the Lord comes in and flexes and swings in and rescues Hallelujah, by the way, if you can't rejoice for someone else, especially your own church, like really from your loins, how is God ever going to bless you?
32:53
I'm not looking at anyone in particular, I'm just saying I just announced that God 10x'd 1,000% in four years and it was met with some. And I'm not looking for decibel of it, I'm just saying do a heart check and make sure, because you know what I noticed the people that I see rejoice the most for others' victories. They're the ones who I see also receive the most. And because something's got to be really broken in you when you have such a scarcity mindset where you think that because God blessed someone else, now he doesn't have enough for you. I'm sorry, maybe your parents were that way with the Oreo cookies. Maybe your brother ran and grabbed them all and only one was left for you and he got eight. But God doesn't run out of cookies. Okay, god has plenty of cookies. God has plenty that you never, ever have. Oh, that's the cheapest envy.
33:45
Hater spirit that's what it is. That's in the final chapter of Revelation in the Greek hater spirit. Why are haters haters? Because they feel like that you took what belongs to them. No, God will make more, so rejoice for others. That opens you up to receive from him. Therefore, as the Holy Spirit says today, if you will hear his voice Also, someone might be thinking why do I give?
34:10
Because they have eight million. You don't have to. I never give, don't ever give, because someone needs to receive you give. Giving is for you. That's what's got to click. Giving is for you, it's to your benefit, because the Bible says he'll multiply it back to you. Hallelujah. If you only want to give to really desperate down and out places, you're never going to hear that message here. Maybe that's why you like it here, I don't know. Is it all right if I preach and have fun? Is that okay? Therefore, as the Holy Spirit says today today, by the way, that's a God day Today Satan loves tomorrow in the sense that he's always telling you to do it tomorrow, mañana.
35:04
He's always either trying to remind you of the guilt of yesterday and telling you to put off doing what you should do today, tomorrow, but it's always today. Today, if you will hear his voice, do not harden your hearts. Now. Remember the whole context of Hebrews. Is this group of Christians on the verge of backsliding forever and giving up on Jesus, forsaking the faith? So he's essentially reminding them of two things. That's the whole theme of Hebrews, chapter 3. He's faithful. He who began a good work is faithful to complete it in you. He's faithful. And two careful with a hard heart. Careful about having a hard heart.
35:50
The reason people are tempted and sometimes forsake the faith is they get bitter, bitter, with a person, and that person is God, and that bitterness comes up, god, at some point in your life. I've had this many times. Satan has tempted me with his bitterness. Thankfully, the wisdom of the Lord came up, that I know if I can just resist these lies. This is a total fabrication. And if you're married thank God, hopefully you're weak, they're strong, and when they're weak, you're strong.
36:25
There are times where you know the enemy is lying nonstop. Thank God for a godly wife who can say none of that is true, none of that. What you just said, that's a lie. I'm like okay, because that's what's going through my head incessantly. That's how you know the enemy's trying to get to you your life. It didn't work out how you had hoped, you didn't get what you wanted, and then you're bitter and you try to be bitter with a person. But eventually, if you allow yourself to be bitter with people, that bitterness will morph at bitterness against God, causing a hard heart. And then what will replace faith is an evil heart of unbelief.
37:09
And that's how people, that's how you know somebody who was in the second row, dancing, twirling, lifting their hands, shouting Jesus, and then, over years of neglecting the anointing, neglecting the word, neglecting the Lord. You gotta let him love on you. His tenderness melts away all our bitterness. You don't wanna play with a hard heart. You don't wanna to play with a hard heart. You don't want to play with that a callous, cynical heart.
37:36
Jesus didn't tolerate cynicism. He allowed for skepticism. He convinced the skeptics. But the Pharisees were cynics. He didn't even have time for them. The Sadducees were cynics. That's why they were sad. You see to them, he didn't even have time. Do not harden your hearts as in the rebellion, in the day of trial in the wilderness.
37:59
So he's telling these Hebrews remember Moses, remember the children of Israel. They were coming into the promised land. They saw mighty signs and wonders done the Red Sea, parting manna coming from heaven, other signs and wonders, god protecting them and preserving them. But still they ended up in unbelief. They ended up with bitterness because it was taking too long. It should have been an 11 days journey. It ended up being 40 years. And it's funny. They were upset at God that it was taking so long. And he's going. It doesn't have to take this long. If you just stop being upset, you'd make it in in 11 days and you have no idea how prophetic that is.
38:40
One of the saddest things is to see a person upset that it's not happening fast enough and then they're like that in this terrible cycle for years, not realizing that if they would just get their praise on and stop being upset that it's not happening fast enough, it'll actually happen. But they're always miserable that it's not happening and then 10 years later it's still not happening. Stop it. Some of you are addicted I say this with love in my heart. You're addicted to your own personal pity party. You're addicted to complaining. I break that in Jesus' name. See you as he sees.
39:20
You Begin to speak opposite of what you're hearing. You can wake up again, your liver coming out of your nostrils, feeling like the end is near, and you wake up and then speak God's word, god's truth. Lord, let's start at the basics. Lord, thank you. I'm saved, I'm forgiven, I'm full of the Holy Spirit. Your hand is on me, your favor is upon me. Today, good things happen to me. You open doors that no man can shut. Lord, you're promoting me. You're moving me into the center of your perfect will. I believe Lord, even though my emotions are saying the opposite. My head is saying the opposite. People around me are saying the opposite. I believe you're a good God, but not just in a generic sense. You are good to me. Hallelujah, a hard heart is the death bell.
40:17
So when I got saved at 16, I was so on fire and told the gospel to anyone who'd listen and consequently ended up leading a bunch of my high school friends to the Lord. And then same thing in college and I led a friends to the Lord. And then same thing in college and I led a friend to the Lord and it ended up that we were at the same college, stony Brook University out in Long Island and it turned out that we were in the same building and so I was still discipling her. And then we ended up going to the same Christian college campus group it's called Basic Brothers and Sisters in Christ. Still going on, and same church.
40:56
She was on fire for the Lord. But one thing I knew about her was that just a couple of years before she got saved, her parents went through a divorce and she loved her mom and she loved her dad, but the dad left. She loved her dad and her dad's departure really just it obviously pained her and it scarred her. So I saw her on fire for the Lord. But you know, whenever you're traveling with Jesus on this journey, eventually he's going to require his lordship in your life. In the beginning you have some wiggle room, you're kind of figuring it all out, but then you're going to quickly realize he's actually your Lord and Savior, not just your Savior, and if he's not Lord of all, he's not Lord at all. You got to give him your life so as that became more apparent to her, she was opening up and telling me her struggles.
41:50
And it all came back to a bitterness against her father and a hard heart to now where she couldn't. I mean she could but she wouldn't. She couldn't trust again. She couldn't trust Father God when her own natural dad had betrayed her. I mean she could if she'd allowed the Lord to work on her heart, but she began to, just like an eel, just wiggle out of his grasp. There were others who were with us. They're still to this day. They text me, they phone me. We're all serving the Lord. My heart still breaks because I saw firsthand what a hard heart could do and then it ends up being a Christless life and God forbid, a Christless eternity.
42:36
Do not harden your hearts as in the day of rebellion, or in the rebellion, in the day of trial, in the wilderness, where your fathers tested me, tried me and saw my works 40 years. Everything all right. We're on verse, if you can show verse nine just to prove to them that I didn't make it up, and then we'll go to verse 10. Therefore, I was angry with that generation and said they always go astray in their heart and they have not known my ways. So I swore in my wrath they shall not enter my rest. Beware, brethren, lest there be worship team you can come up, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief in departing from the Living God, an evil heart of unbelief. Let me just read this to you as the worship team comes up unbelief this is just from various theologians, newell.
43:48
Unbelief is not inability to understand but unwillingness to trust. It is the will, not the intelligence that is involved. It is the will, not the intelligence. One can truly believe God yet be occasionally troubled by doubts. That's not what this is talking about. There is a doubt that wants God's promise but is weak in faith at the moment. Unbelief isn't weakness of faith. It sets itself in opposition to faith.
44:22
When you see bitter people. They actually have faith for bad things to happen to them. They have faith for their life to go nowhere. There's people who get sick. I knew it. I just knew it. It's like you get the prize. You knew you had faith that your life would get worse, not better. God wants to heal hurting hearts right now, hardened hearts.
44:49
One of the first things when it comes to healing a hard heart is you have to forgive those who've wronged you. It's just a must. You, in Christ Jesus, have been forgiven all of your sin and you don't even know what they all are. You got saved. Maybe you confessed a few things that were important to you. You have no idea the atrocities you've committed and he wiped they all are. You got saved. Maybe you confessed a few things that were important to you. You have no idea the atrocities you've committed and he wiped it all clean. And then he asked for you to show that same mercy to others. And some people say I just can't. No, you can, you just won't. You've now partnered with this evil spirit. It's a demon that makes you feel a sense of victimhood and superiority, somehow to hold on to that grudge. But that grudge, that bitterness, is killing you.
45:43
Jesus told a parable of a man who was forgiven a great net, great debt, then wouldn't forgive others who owed him he. They owed him like 20 bucks in today's terms and he owed millions. And the king found out and said hand them over to the torturers. Any Christian who's not walking in forgiveness to others they're actually their life has been handed over to the torturers. Forgive, release them. Let them go, think of them and say I cancel your debts, you owe me nothing, I forgive you. I forgive you and those who really hurt you.
46:23
This isn't a one-time thing. You're going to have to forgive them like a thousand times. You can do it in the service right now and then on the way back home, the whole movie will play again in your head. You'll get all ramped up again. You got to keep forgiving. There are people I have to forgive over and over and over again. If you really want to expedite the forgiveness process, send them a gift. Yeah, take a hundred bucks, it's still worth it. Just send it to them. It's very hard to be bitter against someone you've given to. Hallelujah, I want you to close your eyes. Hallelujah, hallelujah, put your eyes on Jesus. This chapter three is a timeless message, an all-important message of persevering, looking at the faithfulness of God and protecting from hardness of heart. This is why revival is so important. This is why the move of the Holy Spirit is so important. Without the Holy Spirit, our hearts get hard, cynical, doubting and unbelieving. Hallelujah, holy Spirit, move on your people, touch people, refresh, reinvigorate, heal, bring life, life, life. Every weight comes off in Jesus' name.
48:16 - Speaker 2
This is the City Light Church Podcast. If you've missed any part of today's message or if you would like to find out more about Pastor Boyan Jancic and City Light Church, visit us at citylightnyccom. That's citylightnyccom. Feel free to visit us online or in person anytime. We would love to connect with you. We pray that you have been encouraged today, that you have been reminded how much God loves you and that you are surrounded by grace. Thank you for listening. Make sure that you subscribe to City Light Church Podcast wherever you find your favorite podcasts worldwide.
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