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‘I'm thirsty. Look at this bottled water - it looks pure; it looks clean.’
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Watch out.
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The days of just accepting something as pure because it looks pure are gone.
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In this generation, you need to go deeper to confirm - is it really pure?
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Grace and peace to you in the wonderful name of Jesus Christ.
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Yes, in today's edition of ‘Take Care of your Heart’,
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I want to share with you a sermon that is both challenging and thought-provoking
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titled, ‘Finding Truth In A Fake Generation’.
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And I encourage you to watch this message with an open heart,
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with your undivided attention.
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And remember to examine whatever you hear in the light of God's Word.
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Let's watch together in Jesus’ name.
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We live in a fake generation
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where it is very difficult to be real.
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I mean, it is so difficult to live for God.
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That’s what the Bible says in Matthew 22:14, “Many are called; few are chosen.”
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In this generation that we're in today,
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don't just quickly arrive at a conclusion
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without examining what you hear in the light of God's Word.
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Those days - the days of just taking what you hear, see and read at face value -
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those days are gone.
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Tell your neighbour, “Those days are gone.”
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Tell your other neighbour, “Those days are gone.”
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Let me try and explain what I mean and give some practical examples.
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‘Look at that beautiful lady! I love her.’
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People of God, those days are gone.
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In this generation, you have to look deeper.
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You have to go beyond the makeup.
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Why? Is she beautiful on the surface or beautiful in the heart?
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Tell your neighbour, “Those days are gone.”
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‘Come and look at this breaking news online!
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Quickly share it on your WhatsApp group. Wow!’
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Be careful.
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In today's generation, don't just quickly take what you read without confirmation
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because fake news is everywhere.
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Tell your neighbour, “Those days are gone.”
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Or you receive a phone call -
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‘Look, I promise you! I'm ready to help you.
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I’m ready to do it. Just give me one week; I’ll settle everything.’
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Brothers and sisters, don't be too quick to jubilate.
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The days of taking people at their word and holding onto their promises are gone.
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Love everyone; trust only God.
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‘I'm thirsty. Look at this bottled water - it looks pure; it looks clean.’
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Watch out.
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The days of just accepting something as pure because it looks pure are gone.
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In this generation, you need to go deeper to confirm - is it really pure?
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Lest you take something that is contaminated.
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Tell your neighbour, “Those days are gone.”
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Another good example - you tune onto your TV and see a pastor preaching a message.
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You see the charisma of the pastor.
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The pastor is saying, ‘And the Bible says in Psalm 23:4 that even though I walk
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through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil.’
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The days of merely listening to a pastor, a prophet, a priest, a bishop, an apostle -
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those days are gone.
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The message may be true on the surface, but you still need to confirm the messenger
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because anyone can say, ‘Jesus is Lord’.
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You need to confirm who is the person that is talking to you.
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In the same vein, the days are gone when you can allow anyone to pray for you,
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to lay their hands on you.
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Those days are gone.
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I'm not excluding myself.
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As you are listening to my message today,
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please go and confirm it in the light of God's Word.
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Don't just take what I say.
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Those days are gone.
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What of our politicians?
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Put your on your television and you will hear a political rally -
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someone campaigning for President, Governor, Mayor, this or that.
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They say, ‘I will defeat terror within five months.
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I will provide jobs for all the unemployed youth within six months.
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I will put food on everyone's table and money in everyone's pockets
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if you vote for me now!’
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People of God, be wise.
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The days of listening to a political campaign and immediately accepting
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what they say are gone.
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You need to examine what you hear in the light of God's Word.
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You see someone crying today.
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Look, I'm not saying you should not comfort them.
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Go and comfort them.
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But be careful of their tears.
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Some tears full from the eyes, but not from the heart.
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That's why I said we are living in a fake generation where it is difficult,
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very difficult to be real.
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That's why you have to examine everything in the light of God's Word.
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What do I mean by ‘examine’?
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Examination means don't just take things at face value.
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Don't just accept things at face value.
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Brothers and sisters, I would like you to reflect on your life.
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In this moment, viewers around the world, reflect on your own life.
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Many of the situations we find ourselves in today
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are as a result of not examining our deeds,
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our relationships with people, our encounters with people,
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the promises people made to us, the phone calls we exchanged with people,
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the emails we exchanged with people - not examining them in the light of God's Word
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has put many of us in the situation we are in today.
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Turn to your neighbour and say, “Neighbour, appearance can be deceptive.”
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This is why the Bible says in Matthew 26:41, “Watch and pray.”
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Watch and pray - because of the generation we are living in today.
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Just go to a market.
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Pick any popular market in your state, your area, your country, your residency.
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Go to that market - to find a genuine product is difficult but fake is everywhere.
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To get something genuine, to get something authentic,
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you have to go deeper because we are living in a fake generation.
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This is why the Scripture tells us in John 8:32 -
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“Find out the truth and the truth will set you free.”
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This brings us to the title of today's message, ‘Finding Truth In A Fake Generation.’
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Turn with me to the Book of Acts 19, which will be our proof text for today's message.
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And I'm going to read from verses 13 to 16.
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This is the case of the seven sons of Sceva. I’m sure you know about it.
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Acts 19:13 - “Some Jews who went around driving out evil spirits tried to invoke
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the name of the Lord Jesus over those who were demon possessed.
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They would say, ‘In the name of Jesus whom Paul preaches, I command you to come out.’
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Seven sons of Sceva, a Jewish chief priest, were doing this.”
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Now, take note of Acts 19:15 - “One day...”
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Tell your neighbour, “One day.”
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“One day, the evil spirit answered them,
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‘Jesus I know, and Paul I know about, but who are you?’
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Then the man who had the evil spirit jumped on them,
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overpowered them all and gave them such a beating
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that they ran out of the house naked and bleeding.”
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Now, I want you to focus on those words in verse 15.
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The subject we're looking at here is those two words - one day.
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Don't forget that the seven sons of Sceva were fake.
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They were unauthorised to do the job they were doing.
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And one day, they faced a question they could not answer.
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People of God, you can be rich and famous and yet be fake.
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One day...
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You can be popular, influential and yet be fake.
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One day...
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You can even claim to have reached the peak, the pinnacle of your career and yet be fake.
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One day...
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One day, you will be asked the question,
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‘What are you doing?
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Where did this come from?’
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In other words, one day you will face a test of legitimacy.
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What does this mean?
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This means a season is coming where you will not be able to go further
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because the only One who can take us to the end is Jesus Christ.
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Nothing can take us to the end without Jesus
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because He is the beginning and the end.
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I hope you understand what I'm saying, people of God.
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You know, if you have a race - let's say I’m going to run from here to the pulpit.
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If I'm going to start this race, the beginning of the race does not determine the winner.
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Okay, let's go halfway.
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The midway point of the race does not determine the winner.
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What determines the winner? The end.
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Only Jesus can take you to the end because He is the beginning and the end.
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The beginning, start, mid-point are ‘off record’.
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The end will set the record straight.
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Are you a graduate?
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And you know how you got there.
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You're using someone else's certificate or you cheated in your exams.
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One day...
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Have you travelled abroad to another country using a a fake visa,
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using someone else's name or passport?
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Look, you may get there. You may seem to be enjoying yourself.
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One day...
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Is your income coming from the proceeds of corruption,
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misappropriation of public funds?
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Is it coming from stealing, fraud or deception?
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Look, you may seem to be enjoying yourself today.
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One day...
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Everyone will face that question one day.
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What are you doing?
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Where did this come from?
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I want you to ask yourself this question.
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Are you real? Are you true?
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Or are you simply imitating or copying someone else?
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Because people of God, anything that is real, anything that is true
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will stand the test of time.
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It's a common principle.
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Real products last; fake products fade.
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Tell your neighbour, “Real products last; fake products fade.”
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Ask your neighbour, “Are you real?”
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An original document lasts; a photocopy fades.
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What are you doing today that is not real and yet seems to prosper?
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One day, it will leave you at the time you need it most.
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This is why Prophet TB Joshua says,
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“To become God's person, you must follow His process.”
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The problem with our generation today -
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we are too impatient to go through the process,
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which is why we seem to prefer fake over real.
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Look, I can give you examples of this - they abound in our society.
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Just look at marriages.
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If you are married here today, just raise up your hand.
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Thank you. I know there are more married couples than that!
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Now, please don't be offended by what I'm going to say but I'm going to speak a reality.
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Marriages today - if they are marriages, if there is marriage -
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many of them nowadays are fake.
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The reason of many marriages today is outward things - money, appearance, fame.
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In marriage of today's generation,
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it's a matter of body agreement, not heart agreement.
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So if something happens that tampers with those reasons -
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something happens to the appearance, money or fame -
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the marriage has nothing to rest on and collapses.
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Or you marry because of urge.
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Let me tell you, brothers and sisters - getting married cannot stop that urge.
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You marry because of depression.
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Getting married cannot solve the problem of depression.
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You marry because of age.
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God's time is the best.
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It’s not the right person that brings the right time.
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It's the right time that brings the right person.
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What of our political life today?
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You know, democracy was created to be a government by the people,
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for the people and of the people.
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But today that no longer seems to be the case.
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Why is it today that our voices no longer seem to be heard?
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The opinions of people don't seem to matter anymore. Why?
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Because for many, the process of their ascendancy to power was tainted.
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Well, I have a very simple message, a very clear message.
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If you are a businessman here or a politician
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and you have built your career upon a stolen mandate -
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my brother, my sister - one day, a test of legitimacy is coming your way.
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People of God, reflect on this message.
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Ponder on this message and ask yourself:
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Are you living by imitation or by inspiration?
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Are you moved by worldly comparison or godly conviction?
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Are you respecting the principle of processing
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or are you attempting to find a shortcut?
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Well, let today's message remind you of this truth -
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whatever is built on a foundation that is fake, that is faulty -
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it will eventually collapse.
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It's a matter of time.
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The test of time is the clearest trumpet of truth.
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Your exit will be remembered longer than your entry.
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Your ending speaks much louder than your beginning.
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And no matter how fast fake appears to run at first,
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what is true will eventually overtake it.
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What is real, genuine, authentic will eventually overtake it.
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Remember what the Scripture says in Proverbs 10:22
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that God’s blessings do not add any sorrow.
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But whatever is given by the world has sorrow attached.
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Everyone will face that test of legitimacy one day.
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Don't wait for that question to be asked of you before you repent and run to God,
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before you repent and embrace the truth.
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Yes, we are living in a world dominated by falsehood,
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a world where there is so much fake, so many people living in fantasy.
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That's the reality.
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But in this world, the only thing that can sustain you is the truth.
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And there is no other source of truth outside the Living Word of God.
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I pray that the message you have received today
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has ignited your desire to serve Jesus in spirit and in truth.
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And I pray that this message has increased your alertness.
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Watch and pray.
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Thank you, people of God, for joining us for today's edition of ‘Take Care of Your Heart’.
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Continue to seek God's heart to see your life clearly in Jesus’ mighty name.