This sermon by Joshua Daniel emphasizes the importance of not being money-centered but rather focusing on surrendering to God and letting go of worldly ambitions. It challenges the mindset that places high value on money and material possessions, highlighting the need to trust in God's provision and not feel deprived or abandoned. The message encourages a deep faith in God's presence and care, reminding believers to walk in faith, trust in God's everlasting arms, and experience the freedom that comes from being disciples of Jesus.

Welcome to the Lord's Challenge with Joshua Daniel. The Layman's Evangelical Fellowship International is a ministry reaching people from all walks of life since 1935. After a life-changing encounter with Jesus Christ at the age of 16, Joshua Daniel has been declaring the marvelous deliverance from sin, which is freely given to all those who turn to the loving Savior. From small villages to large cities, in many parts of the globe, through revival meetings, literature, radio, internet, and television, Joshua Daniel has been tirelessly laboring, trusting God to supply all that is needed. Wherever this message has gone out, broken relationships have been restored, sickness healed, ill-gotten money returned, and thieves turned into givers. We now invite you to watch and receive the invaluable blessing that God has for you. I do not know what are those particular sticking points in your life. Some people have all kinds of ambitions, and one of those ambitions, especially from people who come from a poor background. You know, they always feel deprived. I never felt deprived in my life, never. My father was not rich, I was not born with a silver spoon, but I never felt deprived. Oh, I don't have this, I don't have that. What a mindset that gives people. See, it's all a money-centered mindset. I can't see how such people can be Christians, I simply can't see it. See, some of my classmates, if you ask them, why did you choose this subject? At the university, they would come out and say, you know, jobs are easy to find in this particular subject which I'm studying, and there's money to make. So I'm, that's what I want to do. I never had that outlook in my life. I did not see it in my parents, and I never had that outlook. Why, it seems like a cursed outlook to me. It seems that they were antipodes to Jesus to me. If any man loved the world, the love of the Father is not in him. Love not the world or the things of the world. If any man loved the world, the love of the Father is not in him. A money-centered heart, how can it ever bear the cross? The cross speaks of denying yourself. The cross speaks of death. Those things that were gained to me, I counted them as loss for Jesus. Yes. Let me tell you, there is a big deficit balance in your lives. And what is that deficit balance? What is that red ink, that feeling that money is going to do it? And as long as you have that feeling, you're just no good for Jesus. Don't you imagine you're a big patron of Jesus? But that is the way people are groomed in their lives. That's the teaching that they receive from, with the milk bottle. That's all they see in their parents. The high value which they place upon money. You know, folks, when I see the bills of the fellowship just soaring, my business is to preach the gospel. And if month by month our bills just keep soaring, well, it would be a natural thing to ask who is going to pay for it. You know, we are just about to take up a telecast to the biggest part of German state, which has 20 million of the inhabitants of Germany to cover that state, the industrialized part, highly industrialized part. And I suppose some of you know that the euro, which is the currency of Europe, European Union, is now 1.3 of a dollar. Nearly 1.3. It was far below a dollar and now it's 1.3. Well, they wanted 1,500 for a single telecast, euros. I said to them, well, you know, we are doing this for the good of the people. There's no commercial interest involved. We never ask people for money. So can't you bring it down? Yes, 1,000 euros. That means certain months it's 5,000, a little more like $6,000, a little more than that. Well, who is going to pick up this new bill? Your heavenly Father knoweth. My commission, your commission is to take the good news. Who are you? We don't know you. We don't recognize you. That is exactly what the world is saying today. Who is this Jesus? You know, dear friends, we are asked that question. Who is this Jesus about whom you are talking? We don't know this Jesus. Who is he? And just imagine that today when information travels around the world in just a second or two, there are people who don't even know who Jesus is. Do you think anybody was born in this world who never heard of the S-U-N sun? No. But they have never heard of the sun of righteousness. They have never heard of Jesus. You know, we see thousands of people trooping into churches, doing their motions, you know, whatever motions, and their chants, their motions. What's the outcome? Sex abuse? Child abuse? What's the outcome? Increase in wickedness in the country? That's not the sun of righteousness. Somebody certainly is not doing his business. Who is that somebody? You and me. Who are you? What did the Lord Jesus Christ say in John 1? And verse 12. 11 and 12. He came unto his own, and his own received him not. But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name. He gave them power to become the sons and daughters of God. Sons of God. He gave them power. Power to live holy lives. You know, my dear friends, I hate talk. Empty talk. People blame me, in fact. They say, Brother Joe doesn't talk. We want to sit down and discuss, talk. I never did that in my life. Communists, atheists, others who came and sat and heard God's word from my student years, they never said, let's sit down and discuss. Never. They saw the reality of Jesus. They saw the Lord working. And they turned to Jesus. So I'm not in the habit of just sitting and talking. But I noticed that some people, they begin with talk and they end with talk. It's all talk. Here, in the 8th chapter, 29th verse, He that sent me is with me. The Father has not left me alone. My Father has not left me alone. There, you know, is another of our modern problems. Oh, my husband is going away, far away. I'm going to be left alone. Or, see, I'm all alone here. What kind of religion is that? I don't understand that religion. When I was a young man, of course, I started my travels. I was away from home for a long period. Then when I got married, the same life of travel continued. There were times when I did feel that I was far from home, especially when I knew that my wife required help. And I was not there to give it. But I never did feel really alone. My Father has not left me alone. For I do always those things that please Him. You know, circumstances change. All kinds of sicknesses have to be faced. And death also comes. But are we ready to face these things? Or do we feel abandoned, we're left alone, we're helpless, and so on and so forth? Yes, we are. We are certainly helpless when the Lord Jesus is not with us. But when the Lord Jesus is with us, we can say the Lord is my shepherd. I shall not want faith. I don't see much faith in people. As soon as adversity knocks, as soon as danger threatens, finished. They're ready to throw in the towel. That is to admit that they're defeated, they're out of the fight. Now, my dear friends, please remember that's not the Christian life at all. We do face tough times. And especially in our families, we must be ready to face tough battles. Because the devil is very busy in the family. Tough battle. And are we going to be overcomers? Are we going to say that I'm never alone? My father is with me. My father never abandons me. You see, my dear friends, you're not going to wake up one fine morning and feel, oh, all is well. Because my father is with me. Why do I say that? Faith comes by hearing the word and hearing by the word of God. It just does not suddenly arrive overnight. You see, friends, another impediment to our faith is we never let go and let God. See, we feel we ought to keep the steering somehow. We are the very best. Our thoughts are the best. We need to keep fast hold of that we. We are the experts at driving. So we will not let go and let God take the steering. With the result, we are going to flounder. We are going to miss the road. We are going to slide down into the valleys. And we are going to crash. Why? We have not learned to let go. Now tell me, does a baby ever hold itself? Can you ever tell a baby, Baby, I need to quickly go and attend to this errand. You just take care of yourself. And I can't be cuddling you now. I can't lay you on the bed either. Just bump along like the astronauts. You know? No gravity situation. Do you think you would ever tell that to a baby or leave a baby like that? Or a baby would feel like that? Okay mom, I'm alright on my own. No. A father knows how to take care of you. A father knows to what extent he can expect you to use your own discernment and walk by his instructions. See, the walk of faith appears very hard. But please remember, underneath are the everlasting arms. So people never get to trust these everlasting arms. It's their medicine. It's their doctors. It's their... You know, my dear friends, as usual, I have to go in for my tests. And one never knows what a test reveals, especially with people in my condition. So, but what do I pray? Lord, I don't want to be left in the hands of doctors. They may be the greatest. They may be the best. I want to be in your hands. Safest. Best hands. See, the walk of faith brings you to a place where Emmanuel is very real to you. We call him Emmanuel because his name is God with us. Not God left in a church. Some people bow to church buildings, bow to heathen temples, so on and so forth. But no, Emmanuel implies that the Lord will be with you. Dear friends, I do not know when you are going to implement these lessons, but these are the lessons which God has had to teach me. And for discipleship, to be his disciples, in the same chapter, we see how his disciples are made free. 31 and 32. Then said Jesus to those Jews which believed on him, If you continue in my word, then are you my disciples indeed. And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free. Verily, verily, I say to you, Whosoever committed sin is the servant of sin. From being a servant, a slave to sin, we become free men. If the Son doth set you free, 36, you shall be free indeed. Free men. How wonderful. That's how we should be, friends, because Jesus said, In this world you shall have tribulation, but be of good cheer. I have overcome the world. So never be afraid of some adversity, some difficulties. Never be afraid. Never feel abandoned. Let us pray. Let us tell God, Lord, when I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I shall fear no evil. For thou art with me, thy rod and thy staff, they comfort me. Lord, I want to live this experience of not panicking, not feeling abandoned, not feeling helpless. My heavenly Father knows I am his disciple. My Father cares. My Savior's name is Immanuel. Loving Father, we want to really bring some little honor to you in a day wherein people say, Who is your God? Where is your God? Where people would almost ask you, like those men who said, Who are you anyway? Oh, loving Father, let us not leave this matter in doubt. Where we work, where we live, let people know that Jesus is the Savior of the world. Hear our prayer. In Jesus' holy name. Amen. This program is brought to you by the Layman's Evangelical Fellowship International, an interdenominational missionary and prayer group working for revival around the globe. We invite every lay person to become God's ally in changing his or her corner of the world. Please write, and if you have a problem or concern you would like to share, please do let us know. You can email us at post at lefi.org or visit our website at www.lefi.org Our mailing address is LEFI PO Box 14 South Line, Michigan 48178 You can also call us at 248-486-6326 Until we meet again next week, may God bless you.