Participants: Pr. C. A. Murray
Series Code: 09HC
Program Code: 09HC000011
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00:24 Welcome to 3ABN's Fall Camp Meeting Homecoming 2009.
00:32 Featuring inspired messages from your 3ABN family 00:39 along with uplifting Christian music 00:41 all to prepare your heart for the coming of the Lord. 00:46 I heard a song recently 00:48 that I just fell in love with. 00:51 It was written by Danny Shelton and I've ask Danny 00:54 if he would sing it for us tonight 00:57 and he has considered to do so. 01:00 And the title of it is "I give you all my praise". 01:06 This is one of those things sometimes in life 01:08 when you going along and maybe you hit a bump 01:10 in the road that be easy way of sign it, right. 01:13 Some of you here a bump now and then and sometimes 01:16 you decide you know I can either give up 01:18 or I can keep going and so one night I was sitting 01:22 just week or so ago and was sitting 01:24 with the guitar late at night and I said Lord 01:27 I just give you all the praise 01:30 and he kind of gave me this little song. 01:32 I hope I can do it for you now. 01:36 All my praise, I give you all my praise 01:46 That's all I have to offer you 01:57 I now build a sanctuary deep within my heart 02:09 And all my praise I offer up to you. 02:20 I love you Lord. Oh! How I love you Lord 02:31 I bear my heart and soul to you. 02:42 I'm an empty broken vessel with hurt and pain inside. 02:54 Still all my praise I offer up to you. 03:06 Fill me Lord. Oh! Please fill me Lord with your Holy 03:21 Spirit fill me Lord. 03:28 For I long for your anointing 03:34 that I may work for you. 03:42 Fill me Lord, touch me Lord once Lord. 03:54 All my praise I gave you all my praise 04:05 That's all I have to offer you 04:17 I now build a sanctuary deep within my heart 04:29 And all my praise, I offer up to you 04:40 And all my praise, I offer up to you 04:56 All my praise to you. 05:21 It's my privilege tonight to introduce 05:24 Pastor C.A Murray and I don't know 05:26 if he plays the guitar or not, 05:27 but he wants one here and here's one here. 05:30 But C.A. Murray is one of the best friends 05:34 that I've ever had in my life I consider him 05:37 my brother and the Lord, I consider him 05:40 a spiritual mentor. 05:42 I look up to him in more ways than one some ways 05:48 are obvious his taller than me and but I looked up 05:52 to him and I feel that God has blessed 05:55 not only me personally, but the ministry of 05:58 3 Angels Broadcasting Network and in that sense 06:02 is blessed many many multitudes of people 06:05 around the world are blessed because of the 06:07 ministry of Pastor and author C.A. 06:10 Murray and singer C.A. Murray has a new project 06:14 out and so at this time it is my privilege 06:17 brother C.A. Murray come out and bless us. 06:26 We have had a wonderful sitting together 06:30 and I'm thankful to Danny for using his, 06:35 thankful for those kind words. 06:37 I feel very prayed up my friend and 06:40 Pastor John Lomacang was among the first to pray 06:42 for me this evening and I return an favored him 06:47 on yesterday's good one your Pastor prays for you. 06:50 It's been a long day and yet there is 06:51 a word from the Lord. 06:54 I said I like to talk to you for just a few moments 06:57 on arguing with God. 06:59 I want to tell you how to argue with God. 07:04 It will of necessity be a very short sermon. 07:11 In fact it maybe one of the shortest sermons 07:13 you've ever heard in fact it is so short I will warn 07:15 you when the sermon comes 07:18 because though the sermon is short the preamble 07:20 is somewhat lengthy. 07:24 So, I'll tell you when we get to the sermon 07:28 because we want to talk just a few minutes 07:30 about arguing with God. 07:34 I should like you to turn with me if you will 07:36 to the book of Second Kings. 07:40 I've been preaching from First and Second Kings 07:43 for better part of two years. 07:45 There is much to be found in that particular book. 07:51 We will not read from it just now. 07:53 We will pick it up just a little bit later, 07:55 but I want you to be prepare, 07:56 so put your finger there or your tab there 07:59 and hold on to it for just a little bit 08:02 because there are one or two things 08:03 we need to do with just prior to going to the word. 08:08 Second Kings, we'll read the first several 08:11 verses of that, that very powerful book, 08:13 Second Kings chapter 20, Second Kings chapter 20 08:19 and we will consider shortly 08:21 verses 1 through 6. 08:25 Shall we pray? Heavenly father, 08:27 we just ask now for your presence 08:29 and your power because we need Jesus 08:32 as never before. 08:34 Yeah I was late not only on this particular 08:37 Saturday night, but in the history of planet earth 08:42 and all we want to be ready when Jesus comes. 08:46 Amen. So we call upon you to speak to us 08:47 and give us strength to walk the road that leads 08:50 to glory and we thank you in Jesus name, amen. 08:56 Amen. I should like to ask a question 09:00 It may seem rhetorically, it is not. 09:03 But, I want to ask you is there anyone here 09:06 who has ever argued with God? 09:10 Be honest, if you have; have you ever argued with God? 09:16 The next question, did you win? 09:22 And if you won, how do you know that you won? 09:35 Or you might say well I got what I want, 09:37 I got what I wanted. Now that maybe the 09:43 most salient proof that you lost. 09:49 Arguing with God; if indeed you've argued 09:54 with God you are inferiorly rarefied air 09:57 and good company. Moses argued with God, 10:00 Abraham argued with God, David argued with God, 10:04 most of the prophets argued with God, 10:06 William Miller argued with God, 10:07 and Ellen White argued with God. 10:13 Now, you maybe among that group of 10:15 people, who believe that Christians never argue. 10:21 Are you kidding? Let me give you just a 10:26 peak at one of the most famous arguments in 10:28 the New Testament. Fought by two individuals 10:32 who I have been to know were Christians. 10:35 It is found in Acts chapter 13 verse 2, 10:38 Acts 13 verse 2, the Bible says in Acts 13 10:41 verse 2 in fact let me turn to it very quickly 10:43 Acts chapter 13 and verse 2. 10:50 Mathew, Mark Luke, John, Acts 13 and verse 2 11:01 and as they ministered to the Lord, and fasted, 11:05 the Holy Spirit said, who said the Holy Spirit 11:09 said now separate me Barnabas and Saul for 11:13 the work to which I have called them. 11:15 So, who called them? Holy Spirit. 11:18 Were they Christians? Oh yeah. 11:22 Holy Spirit called Barnabas call Saul to 11:25 a special work. Now let's look what 11:28 happens just two chapters later I mean 11:29 chapter 15 verse 39, chapter 15 verse 39 11:35 in fact to get the whole story started 11:36 verse 37, chapter 15 verse 37. 11:42 Now Barnabas was determined to take 11:45 with them John called Mark. Somebody is determined, 11:51 but Paul insisted that they should take, 11:58 that they should not take with them one 12:00 who had departed from them in Pamphylia 12:03 and had not gone with them to the work. 12:05 So, Barnabas wants him Paul does not. 12:11 Now what do you call determined when it 12:14 meets insisted. That's argument isn't it? 12:21 Two men both ordained by God have 12:24 filled with the Holy Spirit one determined 12:28 he is gonna go, one insisted no he ain't. 12:32 Well, yes he is no he not. Oh! Yeah yes he is no 12:34 way not. He is, he is not, he is not. 12:37 I want him, I don't. So, what happened, 12:41 verse 39 then the contention became so 12:45 short, so what? Short. Umm! Umm! 12:50 The contention became so short that they parted 12:53 from another and so Barnabas took Mark 12:56 and sailed to Cyprus and Paul went the 12:58 other way with Silas. So, do Christians argue? 13:02 Yes. Oh yeah! The question is not if 13:07 you're gonna argue. The question is what 13:11 you're gonna do when you argue. 13:14 You see the burden is to argue and still be christian. 13:21 Amen. Amen. Bible says be angry and sin not. 13:25 So, it's not are you going to get into an argument. 13:30 The question is, are you going to be a Christian? 13:36 Why you argue? I'm saying that a Christian 13:43 fight ought to be better that a non-Christian fight. 13:51 A Christian argument ought to be cleaner 13:57 than a non-Christian argument. 13:59 Non-Christians argue, Christians argue, 14:03 but there ought to be some semblance of 14:06 difference between a christian argument 14:09 and a non-Christian argument because 14:13 after the argument is over things ought to get better. 14:19 Amen. Now I have a theology of arguing. 14:23 To my mind there are only two modalities 14:25 for arguing as when I say there are only two 14:27 reasons for arguing, there are many reasons 14:29 why people argue, but there are only two 14:30 modalities, two modalities. One people argue to get 14:36 to the bottom of the situation, amen. 14:41 You have an opinion, I have an opinion. 14:45 If we're gonna get the truth in light we're 14:48 going to have to juxtapose those opinions, we're 14:51 gonna have to content little bit to try to get 14:54 the truth. So, the first modality for arguing 14:57 is trying to get to the truth, amen. 15:01 Amen. And if we're gonna get to the truth 15:03 sometime we got a work added a little bit. 15:05 Can you say amen? Amen. The second modality for 15:09 arguing is simply to win. 15:15 Umm! There are some people, who argue 15:19 and they are arguing to win. 15:22 They don't care about truth, they don't care about right, 15:24 they don't care about wrong, they are in it to win it. 15:30 And of course your burden for winning 15:34 predetermines the tactics you are prepared to use. 15:38 Amen. Amen. If you want to win 15:42 real bad, you fight real hard and sometimes 15:48 you even fight dirty. But, you don't care 15:52 about truth you care about winning. 16:02 Write this down and hold on to this 16:05 because we are gonna come back to it at the end 16:06 of the sermon. Herman and I have discussed this 16:10 many times, she is sitting right there she will tell 16:12 you. It is my settle belief that when two people 16:17 argue your number one job is to understand the 16:27 other person's point of view. That's your number 16:33 one job why? Because you already know your 16:40 point of view, that's why we are having this 16:44 fight because my point of view you, you forgive 16:47 my perjured of English, ain't your point of view. 16:51 If they were the same we wouldn't be here. 16:55 So, your job is to understand my point of 16:58 view and my job is to understand your point of 17:03 view that's a primary goal in any argument. 17:08 Particularly, when you are arguing 17:10 with your spouse. 17:21 Because just suppose, just suppose your point 17:28 of view is wrong, but how do you know unless 17:37 you, I got to find a nice Christian word for shut 17:41 up. Cease and desist your delightness 17:47 adverbial, long enough to hear my point of view 17:56 and I shut up long enough to hear your point of 18:00 view. That make sense if you never get a word 18:03 in I can understand you, if I never get a word in 18:06 you can understand me. So, my first goal once 18:09 we find out we've got a disagreement is for both 18:12 of us to listen long enough to understand, 18:16 where the other person is coming from. 18:19 We never gonna get to resolution unless I hear 18:21 you and you hear me make sense. 18:27 And we got to watch our mouth, see when you 18:32 use words like idiot, stupid, and fool that 18:41 itigates against resolution. 18:48 And anyway listen if he is an idiot, stupid, fool 18:51 what is that make you, you married him. 19:01 Should before judge and said I will honor, 19:03 love and obey to a depth life partner, the idiots. 19:11 So, we've got to watch our mouth. Amen. 19:14 Amen. James says a little member tongue. 19:19 Ellen White says this, early writings page 119, 19:26 if pride could be put aside most arguments 19:34 would be settled in five minutes. 19:39 If you could get out of the way and put your 19:40 pride down most arguments would be settled in 19:44 five minutes. We got folks not speak to each 19:48 other for years. Amen. Can you remember what 19:51 the original infection was I just don't talk to her 19:54 she don't talk to me. Oh! Well we don't know, 19:55 we just don't talk. Husband and wife sleep on 20:01 one almost fallen out this side of the bed one 20:04 fallen out that side of the bed. You look at him 20:06 into back of the car through the back window, 20:08 he is on this door and she is on that door. 20:12 And Ellen White says we could put our pride 20:13 aside five minutes clear most arguments. 20:21 Amen. Amen. 20:22 Back in 1800s, I'm a big, I'm big ship fan, 20:24 if you go in my office I have a lot of sailing 20:26 ships and the big sailing ship fanatic, but back in 20:28 1800 they, they, they when they had 1700 or 20:30 1800s, 17th, 18th, 19th centuries they had a 20:34 whaling fleets that go out from Long Island rise 20:37 to live. Catch whales in North Atlantic and 20:41 sometimes these whales were larger than the 20:42 ships that caught them and so once the whale 20:46 was harpooned by their original harpoon they 20:48 had to send a fellow out in a little tiny skiff to 20:51 actually attacks the lines to the whale because 20:54 many times they cut the blubber from the whale 20:55 right there in the ocean and it was the most 20:59 dangerous job. He was called the monkey and 21:04 the line that held him was called the monkey 21:10 line was attached to his waist and they put the 21:11 strongest man on deck to hold the other end of 21:12 the line because it was his job to go out and 21:14 stand on the cartels of the whale and actually 21:16 attach the lines to hold that whale still so it get 21:19 pull into the ship and begin to cut off the fat, 21:23 but it was a dangerous job because many times 21:25 the seas were rough, the whale would roar and 21:27 this fellow would drown, because the fellow that 21:30 was the attack that was assigned to hold the line 21:33 would just when the person he just let go. 21:37 But in 1800 about 1832 they decided to chain 21:44 that strongman to the monkey. His waist to the 21:51 monkey's waist. You know after that they lost a 21:54 lot less men because the strong man realize if he 22:01 die, I die, you know, it's the same way in our 22:06 marriages, if she dies, you die, if he dies, 22:16 you die. Christians have to watch their tongue 22:25 not only in your home, but in your life. 22:31 And so I say again a Christian argument ought 22:32 to be sweeter then a non-Christian argument. 22:38 Amen. Amen. 22:41 But my question is today tonight this evening 22:44 can we argue with God. Once God will has been 22:50 revealed do you get any wiggle room is there 22:53 any space in which you can negotiate with God. 22:57 Once God has expressed his will, can you 23:00 question that will? Do you get any kind of 23:05 wiggle room with God, do you have to do it just 23:08 like God says do it? Can you, can you play with 23:10 it, can you adjust it, can you take 9/10 is there 23:14 anything you can do short of the express will of 23:16 God. Well let me ask you several questions one. 23:21 Is there anyone here, who thinks they are 23:27 smarter than God? We had somebody called 23:33 3ABN sometime ago with a new wrinkle on 23:37 face and the response given was Jesus never 23:41 said that, it's not in the Bible, it's it has, 23:44 Jesus never uttered that, it's just, it's just not like 23:46 Jesus and I've heard some what Jesus didn't 23:48 have all the light. Wrong. 23:54 So is there anybody here thinks that they are 23:55 smarter than God. Amen. Amen. 24:02 Is there anybody here whose life is so good that 24:06 you couldn't use a little divine help ever now 24:09 and again. Is anybody here whose made a big 24:16 mistake in their life. No, I'm talking about 24:20 stealing a slice of cake at the potluck or wearing 24:23 stockings with runs to, I'm talking about a big 24:26 mistake, bad mistake, bad decision no were it 24:33 cleaned it up, no were it sanitize it, just bad 24:36 anybody. As you look at that mistake was that a 24:42 God mistake or a man mistake? 24:44 Man mistake. Is there anyone here, 24:48 who feels that the entrance of God into the 24:50 world is case neutral? In another words, 24:52 world have been pretty much been the same 24:53 with God or without him or let's take it to a 24:58 person level. Is there anybody here, who figures 25:00 you would pretty much be here tonight doing 25:04 what you are doing, knowing what your 25:05 knowing, if God had not been in your life? 25:11 So, then you all agree that the insertion of God 25:15 into your life has been a plus positive thing. 25:20 You won't be where you are, you won't be who 25:22 you are, you won't be what you are without 25:25 God. Alright now let me show you something 25:27 very interesting we are in Second Kings chapter 25:29 20, correct Second Kings chapter 20, by the way 25:31 this is not the sermon. Yeah, this is just a little 25:37 Pastor ecclesiological over dictum, just a little 25:39 ecclesiological astrica, little gastroenteritis, 25:44 I'm sneezing at you hoping you to catch up, 25:46 catch you virus. Amen. 25:51 So we are in Second Kings, Seconds Kings 25:55 chapter 20 verse 1 through 6. Try to go 25:58 through fast times with what we are familiar 25:59 with. Alright in those days Hezekiah was sick 26:02 and near death you got that? And Isaiah the 26:05 prophet son of Amos went him and said thus 26:07 said the Lord set your house in order for you 26:10 shall you're gonna die and not live, now only 26:14 you're gonna die you're not going to live. 26:18 Then he turned his face toward the whale the 26:20 wall rather and pray to Lord saying remember 26:23 oh! Lord I pray how I walk before you in truth 26:28 with the loyal heart and I've done what is good 26:30 in your site and Hezekiah did what? 26:33 Wept bitterly and it happened before Isaiah had 26:39 gone out of the middle court that the word of the 26:40 Lord came to him saying return and tell 26:42 Hezekiah the leader of my people thus saith the 26:45 Lord God of David your father, powerful 26:47 statement in his name in itself and signing with 26:49 his own name. I've heard your prayer, I've what 26:53 heard your prayer, I've seen your tears surely I'll 26:58 do what? Gonna heal you on the third day you 27:02 shall go up to the house of Lord and I will add 27:07 to your days how many years 15 years, 27:10 15 years. God gave Hezekiah his decision, 27:19 Hezekiah didn't like it, so he said to God. 27:25 Hey God I'm on your side don't you remember 27:30 I've kept your ways, I've served your people, 27:33 I've done good the best I can all of my life, 27:36 cried, turned his face to the wall wept bitterly 27:48 and God changed his mind. Amen. Amen. 27:49 God changes his mind in response to Hezekiah's 27:55 prayer. God gave him 15 years pretty good 28:01 right, pretty good. He won, God what he wanted 28:10 or did he. Well, I start the Bible 3:4 itself let's 28:23 go over just 1 chapter First Kings 21 and read 28:24 verse 1. Manasseh was 12 years when he 28:31 became king and he reined 55 years in 28:35 Jerusalem, his mother's name was Hepsiba. 28:38 So, when was Manasseh born alright. 28:42 He became king at the death of this father he 28:44 was 12 years old and he became king and we do 28:49 the math he was born three years into that extra 28:50 15 years you got that, so three after God 28:53 changed his mind this child of God's changed 28:57 mind became king. Amen. Amen. 29:01 Alright, he became king. Now let's jump down 29:03 to verse 9, in verse 9 same chapter. But they 29:08 paid no attention. We're looking in James, 29:12 and Manasseh seduce them to do more evil than 29:16 the nations whom the Lord had destroyed before 29:19 the children of Israel. This is the child of God's 29:23 changed mind, the bible is saying he move 29:28 Israel in toward sin then the people who were 29:31 practicing sin, who God used Israel to move out 29:36 you're listening to me. Let's go on little bit 29:39 further verse 10 and the Lord spoke to his 29:43 servant the prophet saying because Manasseh 29:46 king of Judah has done these abominations and 29:49 has acted more wickedly then all the emirates, 29:52 who were before him and also has made Judah 29:55 sinned with his idols therefore thus saith at 29:58 the Lord God of Israel behold I'm bringing such 30:01 a calamity upon Jerusalem and Judah that 30:06 whoever hears of it both his ears will tingling. 30:11 Now there is a sermon in just that line. 30:14 God is saying because this king has done this 30:16 thing because he has turned my people to such 30:18 abomination and such wickedness I'm going to 30:22 have to bring something on Jerusalem that they 30:24 were never expect that when the world is it they 30:27 will know that I'm God. Amen. 30:32 You know what did he do? Well let's back up. 30:36 It's right there in verse 21 times gets off, 30:38 let me just tell you, you can read it for yourself, 30:41 witchcraft, sorcery, astrology, demonology, 30:46 sex worship, homosexuality, 30:49 temple prostitution, infanticide, idolatry, 30:53 seduction, sedition, assassination, terrorism, 30:58 the obituary, cabal and finally sacrifice of his 31:02 own children. Somehow in his mind he thought 31:07 that God would be pleased if he burned his 31:09 own child to death. And so he tortures his own 31:13 children on the altar of God as an act of 31:16 worship. He jails and assassinates all his 31:21 descendents, worships the devil, murders the 31:25 prophet Isaiah, who serve the Lord for over 15 31:28 years and what a strange is that at the end of his 31:35 life in his 70s he gives his heart to the Lord and 31:41 God forgives him. Amen. 31:47 But during that 55 years of reining, he set Israel 31:50 on a course from which they never recover. 31:55 You look at the destruction of the 31:56 southern kingdom of Judah. You can trace the 31:59 end of Judah to the beginning of the rein of 32:02 Manasseh. He got saved the country was lost. 32:08 You see ladies and gentleman sometimes we 32:10 can make decisions and they don't get played 32:13 out in our lifetime. We don't really suffer the 32:16 consequences of our decisions, our families 32:18 do, our children do, our parents do because we 32:24 didn't accept the will of God. So, the damage 32:27 was done the county was bankrupt and this king 32:34 Manasseh's this his son was so evil that his own 32:39 servants took his life after just two years. 32:42 As they we are not taken in the other 55 years of 32:44 this. Hezekiah got what he wanted ladies and 32:49 gentlemen, but he lost what he had. His own son 32:54 was responsible for destruction of Judah and 32:57 setting them on a course from which they never 32:59 recovered you can look at the seeds of the 33:02 Babylonian captivities sown in the rein of 33:06 Manasseh. Do you really think Hezekiah would 33:10 have argued with God had he known what that 33:15 extra 15 years would have brought. 33:22 Can you argue with God? Perhaps why the 33:26 question is should you argue with God? 33:33 By the way this is not a sermon. Second Samuel 33:37 chapter 12, got to go fast Second Samuel 33:41 chapter 12, gonna pick up 14 to 22 Second 33:47 Samuel 12 verse 14 to 22, going to read fast I'm 33:52 in the new king James Second Samuel chapter 33:54 12 verses 14 to 22, However, because by this 33:58 deed you have given great occasion to the 33:59 enemies of the LORD to blaspheme, the child 34:03 which is born to you shall surely die. 34:06 Another ethic from God. And Nathan departed 34:10 to his house. And the LORD struck the child 34:12 that Uriah's wife bare to David, and it became 34:15 ill. David therefore pleaded with God for the 34:17 child; and David fasted, and went in, and lay all 34:20 night on the ground. So, the elders of his house 34:22 arose, and went to him, to raise him up from the 34:24 ground, but he would not know what to eat food 34:26 of. He is laying on the ground, he is fasting 34:28 worried about his child. Then on the seventh 34:29 day, they came to the pastor the child died. 34:31 And the servants of David were afraid to tell 34:33 him that the child was dead for they said, 34:36 indeed while the child was alive, we spoke to 34:38 him and he would not hear our voice. 34:41 How can we tell him that the child is dead? 34:44 He may do some harm. He may harm himself or 34:46 he may harm us. When David saw that his 34:48 servants are whispering, intelligent fellow, 34:51 David perceived that the child was dead. 34:53 Therefore David said to his servants, 34:55 Is the child dead? And they said, He is dead. 34:57 So, David arose from the ground, and washed, 34:59 and anointed himself, and changed his clothes, 35:01 went into the house of the LORD, 35:02 and worshipped, when he went to his own house 35:03 when requested that they set food before him 35:06 and he did ate. And the servant said to him. 35:08 What is this you have done? You were fasting 35:10 and weep for the child, while he was alive; 35:14 but when the child dead, you arouse and eat 35:17 food. Sermon almost here. When you have a story 35:26 that is so familiar at least for me I tried to find 35:29 the back story what is the story behind the story 35:34 and so I wondered for many years about this 35:36 particular story this particular story. My mind 35:41 works like this. How could Bathsheba be so 35:46 close to the palace that David could see her 35:50 bathing in evening light. What were she doing 35:54 that close to the palace you see because in Bible 35:57 times, I known of Bible history to know that you 35:59 have what is called higher article zoning. 36:01 In another words people who live near the 36:04 palace have business with the palace, just like 36:08 that with us today, poor people tend to live with 36:10 poor people, middle class people tend to live 36:12 with middle class people, rich people tend to 36:14 live with rich people. When you go to 36:16 Washington DC all of those buildings around 36:19 the White House are government buildings. 36:20 Well like the same way back in Israel's time. 36:23 David is walking on the roofers palace. 36:26 How did he get to see Bathsheba in fading 36:29 evening light. She must have lived near the 36:32 palace, so my mind says what was she doing 36:35 that close to the palace. So, I began to do some 36:37 research and as I researched every page I'm 36:41 turned made David sin even worst. How could 36:45 David see Bathsheba? Well, she lived near the 36:47 palace number 1, Bathsheba's father was a 36:53 fellow by the name of Eliam route is really fast 36:55 stick with me he has mentioned in Second 36:58 Samuel chapter 23 verse 34 Eliam is mentioned 37:01 as one of David's mighty man. He is one of 37:04 David's mighty man to be a mighty man means 37:08 you have to kill several people in battle. 37:09 You had to be good with the sword, you had to 37:11 be honest, strong, brave, true, and courageous. 37:15 David's mighty men became his praetorian 37:18 guard, in another words they were responsible 37:21 for keeping him alive. So, Bathsheba's dad was 37:25 one of David's 30 hand picked body guards are 37:29 you listening to me? Alright, so her father 37:33 is one of David's mighty man. Her husband the 37:37 Bible says backed up by the spirit of prophecy 37:40 was one of David's most loyal soldiers. 37:43 He prove that over and over again because when 37:44 he was brought home from the front instead of 37:47 going to be with his wife he said I'm not gonna 37:49 enjoy the commits of my own home while the 37:51 armies of Israel sleeping in tents loyal man who 37:55 loved his God. Now these things are good 37:58 enough, but did I day say nail in the coffin was 38:01 this one. Her grandfather was the fellow by the 38:10 name of Ahithophel you know that name 38:11 Ahithophel. Ahithophel was David's personal 38:15 counselor. David didn't make a move without 38:19 talking to Ahithophel every thing that David 38:22 did, he ran by Ahithophel. So, Ahithophel had 38:26 to be on 27/7 call he had to live right next to the 38:30 palace because anytime David needed him he 38:33 had to be right there where you had several 38:35 generations living together so I suspect 38:37 Ahithophel, Eliam, Isaiah and David and 38:41 Bathsheba all lived and has together right next 38:44 to the palace. Now, what did they think of 38:48 Ahithophel? Let's go to Second Samuel 16:23, 38:51 Second Samuel chapter 16 verse 23, Second 38:55 Samuel 16:23, shows a kind of mind set that 39:01 was concerning Ahithophel. Now the advice of 39:05 Ahithophel, which he gave in those days was as 39:08 one who inquired at the auricle of God. 39:14 So, taken to Ahithophel in the minds of David 39:17 and his co-hosts was like getting advice from 39:20 God himself. When Ahithophel spoke 39:24 everybody listened, are you listening to me. 39:26 Ahithophel was honored, he was a talk to, 39:31 he was counseled with, he was right there from 39:35 right there with David, I rather suspect that 39:38 David didn't ask his advice about his 39:40 granddaughter. But my point is Satan couldn't 39:46 have move David to have an affair with a worst 39:50 person then Bathsheba couldn't he. It would be 39:54 like George Bush or Barack Obama trying to 39:57 have an affair with Nancy Pelosi or Condalisa 40:03 Rice. I mean good night David did you think 40:06 nobody would notice. Granted the Bible says 40:14 she was beautiful very beautiful, but she was 40:18 beautiful and married and well connected. 40:24 Bathsheba was no backstreet baby mama 40:29 because of her standing she was easily one of 40:31 the most high profile woman in the entire 40:34 kingdom. There was no way that was going to 40:36 be secret. Satan couldn't have picked a worst 40:42 person for David to cast his eyes upon beautiful 40:46 and married and well connected and you know 40:51 the story. Lust abuse of power, a one night 40:57 stand, inflagranti delicto adultery. In James 41:05 chapter 1 verse 15 says then after desire has 41:09 conceived and gives birth to sin and sin 41:13 wanted to fully grown gives birth to death and 41:18 because David saw something he had no right 41:21 to see desired something he had no right to want 41:25 was given something he had no right to take a 41:29 life was conceived that night and so was death. 41:35 And a good man and a loyal soldier had to die 41:41 to cover up a sin and the Bible says death bring 41:46 it for death. God said in Second Samuel chapter 41:51 12 verse 13 David God has taken away your sin, 41:58 I forgiven you, but because you dug my name 42:02 made me a laughing stock 42:07 before this people, your child is going to die. 42:15 And what was David's response same as 42:18 Hezekiah's response. He wept, he cry, 42:22 he prayed, he begged that's normal. When you 42:27 love a child what is not normal is his response to 42:34 the response. Now is the sermon. Let's found the 42:40 Second Samuel chapter 12 verse 19 to 21, 42:44 Second Samuel 12, 19 to 21. 43:00 When David saw his servants whispering, 43:03 he perceived that the child was dead therefore 43:06 David said to his servants, Is the child dead? 43:08 And they said, He is dead. So, David arose from 43:11 the ground, and washed, and anointed himself, 43:13 and changed his clothes, and went into the 43:15 house of the LORD, and worshipped then he 43:18 went to his own house, when he requested he 43:21 has had food before them and ate. 43:24 Then a servant said to him, what is this that you 43:27 have done? What are you doing? You have 43:33 fasted and wept for the child, while he was 43:37 alive; but when the child dead you arose and ate 43:44 food. What are you doing? And he said while 43:52 the child was alive, I fasted and wept for I 43:58 sake who can tell whether the Lord will be 44:04 gracious to me that the child may live, 44:10 but now he is dead why should I fast, 44:18 can I bring him back again, I shall go to him, 44:25 but he shall not return to me. David makes an 44:30 incredibly powerful point. David is saying God 44:40 has shown me his will. It is now my job to work 44:50 in the will of God. You see ladies and 44:55 gentlemen our job, our duty to God and 45:00 ourselves is to accept and follow God's will and 45:07 way particularly in these last days. Amen. 45:12 Even if it makes no sense to you. 45:17 Amen. Our job is to follow God wherever he lives, 45:26 the secret is trust in God ladies and gentlemen. 45:30 The secret is surrender. I dare say no Christian 45:33 will ever be content until he makes a full 45:37 surrender to God. You wonder why some 45:41 church members are so miserable. You got some 45:47 folk, who really love the Lord it shows all over 45:49 their faces and you got some folk, who are just 45:53 biting time they are miserable. They enters 45:57 every Sabbath miserable. You know what I mean? 46:03 How you doing? Oh! Jesus. 46:11 Miserable, no blessings, no joy, singing out of 46:15 the Saturday night, I hate focus 46:17 sing out this Saturday. 46:23 Miserable, miserable why because you are 46:26 trying to whole valid passports in two countries 46:32 cannot be done you got to surrender one or you 46:36 gonna be miserable, the worst christian I've ever 46:38 seen are those who trying to serve the Lord and 46:40 said cannot be done. You got to make full 46:45 surrender, you got to trust him. no back seat 46:52 driving. Let Jesus get behind a will then you 46:58 want to tell him how to drive, oh! Jesus make a 47:01 left, Jesus slow down, oh! little fast pass him 47:05 Jesus. Can we take a smoother row with him, 47:13 have the shocks on his car to bumping 47:19 and a crux the nexus of the Christian experience 47:24 is trusting in God regardless availability. 47:32 Not questioning him, but once you knows the 47:35 will of God to follow unhesitatingly and 47:39 unquestioningly. And in his last days of secret 47:44 of our success is going to be trusting in God for 47:49 our very lie. In fact your life done your 47:53 Christian life doesn't really begin till you 47:56 trust in Jesus. Amen. 48:00 You can't argue with God for several reasons. 48:04 One you can't see tomorrow. 48:11 God knows what is gonna happen tomorrow you 48:16 don't so you can't argue with God because you 48:20 can't see tomorrow let alone control tomorrow. 48:27 Secondly you can argue with God because you 48:32 cannot determine the long range consequences 48:35 of your action. Once the young Pastor 48:43 Halloween bought a Datsun 280Z same as I had 48:48 in my first evangelistic crusade feeling 48:50 particularly close to the Lord. I said while I'm 48:56 single and a young Pastor I'm get me a sports 48:58 car so I bought one blue man I think with fast 49:03 $1200 in tickets, paid $700 a month for shows. 49:20 Say you gonna go with time you cannot 49:26 determine the consequences of your actions. 49:29 All Hezekiah did he just wanted to live, 49:33 he didn't know he was gonna aside the worst 49:35 king in a history of that country. David saw little 49:42 flesh and no idea that was going to lead to 49:47 adultery, murder, rape, incest, years later his 49:51 son Ammon rapes his daughter Tamar. David 49:54 can't say a thing because he killed a man to get 49:56 his wife and so since he doesn't do anything 50:01 Absalom murders Amnon, Joab murders 50:03 Absalom, Ahithophel plots against David then 50:06 kills himself all because David couldn't control 50:09 himself. You don't know the long range action 50:13 consequences of your actions. How can we 50:16 think to argue with God. You don't know what 50:19 God knows. You know my father's old school 50:22 just before he would get the belt out he would 50:25 say, boy you don't know nothing. 50:32 And I could hear God say that to us sometimes 50:35 you don't know nothing, you don't know what I 50:38 know. You can't see what I see, so how can you 50:41 argue with me. I know what's best for you, 50:45 you see true religion comes ladies and 50:47 gentlemen when you are willing to trust God 50:49 with your money, your time, your life, 50:51 your wife, your health, your car, your home 50:54 everything you have and once God has given 50:59 you his will for you to stand there and say God 51:03 would ever you want that's what I gave you. 51:07 Remember that's at the very beginning, the very 51:09 beginning when you have a disagreement what's 51:13 your job? What's your job? To totally 51:19 understand the other person's point of view 51:23 didn't I said that as the premise for everything I 51:25 have said. Before you disagree with God you 51:30 got to totally understand God's point of view 51:34 and when you totally familiarize yourself with 51:37 God's point of view I guarantee you, 51:39 you'll be on God's side. Amen. 51:44 The reason we have arguments with God is 51:47 because we haven't taken enough time to 51:50 familiarize ourselves with God's point of view, 51:54 heaven point of view. I know what I think my 52:01 job is to find out what is God think and I dare 52:05 say when you find out what God thinks you'll 52:06 think like God thinks. Like my dear departed 52:12 dad boy you don't know nothing, I got to know 52:19 and you can argue with God until you know 52:22 what God knows and when you know what God 52:25 knows you won't argue with God. Isaiah 55:8 52:31 my thoughts are not your thoughts, my way is 52:33 not your ways, higher is yours or mines. 52:36 First Corinthians 13:12 we see through a glass 52:39 darkly. I note you looking that, God knows see 52:45 you got to follow. Ladies and gentlemen in 52:49 these last days there is nothing you can trust, 52:55 nothing you can't even trust yourself, can't, 53:02 you got to trust Jesus. Amen. 53:04 And your trust in Jesus will be tested, 53:08 your metal will be tested everything about you 53:11 will be tested you will go through fiery trial. 53:14 The Bible says think it not strange concerning 53:19 the fiery trial, which is to try you. So, you're 53:23 gonna have to lean on Jesus like never before 53:27 and even when it doesn't make sense. You know 53:29 really it the truth is this you never know Jesus is 53:33 all you need until Jesus is all you got and some 53:39 of us are gonna to get strip down, strip down 53:44 and all you going to have is Jesus and at that 53:47 point you will realize all I ever needed was 53:51 Jesus, Amen. All I ever wanted was Jesus. 53:59 Ladies and gentlemen, I guarantee it's gonna 54:00 come, we can't argue with God. Amen. 54:04 How dare we argue with God. In fact, 54:08 our salvation hinges upon our total surrender 54:13 and trust to God. The question is never been 54:20 can we trust God, you kidding? The question is 54:27 can God trust us, can God lean on us? 54:34 Will we be there when God's needs us in a few 54:39 hours many of us will be going home, we'll get 54:42 in our cars, buses, motor homes and we'll ahead 54:48 back to various places and God is looking for 54:52 you to carry his light wherever you go can he 54:58 trust you? Are you finished arguing with him? 55:05 When God calls you gonna say here am I send 55:09 me, take my money, take my time, take my 55:17 talent, take my all and use it, I'm not gonna 55:23 argue with you anymore, I'm gonna serve you. 55:29 Someone said to me just a couple of weeks ago, 55:31 I've got some money in the bank and I'm 55:38 wondering if I should give it to 3ABN and I'm 55:43 waiting for God to tell me. I said I'm the voice 55:47 of God give it up. 55:57 And I told him don't argue with God you do 56:01 what God says to you. Well, God is making that 56:04 same call to you could be your money, could be 56:08 your time, could be your talent, could be all of 56:12 above, but God is saying stop arguing, 56:18 start following, start surrendering and you'll be 56:24 the happiest people in the world. 56:27 Amen. The question is not can you argue with God, 56:33 yeah you can. Question is should you argue with 56:37 God, no you shouldn't because God knows 56:41 yesterday, today and forever and his got that 56:46 waiting for you. Amen. Amen. Shall we pray. 56:49 Heavenly father we call upon you now to keep 56:53 us, it's too late to argue with you, too late 56:58 to remonstrate with you, too late to dicker and 57:02 negotiate with you. We are sitting here with our 57:07 heads bowed and eyes closed saying Lord we 57:10 surrender all to you. Take what we have and use 57:17 it for service. Bless each of our lives and this 57:22 ministry that you have erected. |
Revised 2014-12-17