Welcome. From around the world
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wherever you're
watching we welcome you today.
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We're coming to you live
from 3ABN's Worship Center
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in Thompsonville, Illinois.
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And it is such a
joy to have you join us
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by television, by
Internet, by radio.
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And we're just thankful
for our live audience here.
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Ya'll just had
a good lunch, yes?
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Yeah. Well we're
glad that you're here.
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I believe the Lord's got
some more spiritual food for us.
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And today's presentation
I will have the privilege
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of bringing that to
you. And it is called
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The Power of Love.
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I want to share a
story. I'm not sure I ought to,
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but I'm going to tell on myself.
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When I was a little girl
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I was a precocious child.
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I was always kind
of ahead of myself.
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And when I was 6 years
old my grandparents came
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to stay with us. My
father had just passed
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several months
earlier. They were his parents.
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And they came to stay with us,
and I had to give up my bedroom
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while they were
there for the week.
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I was sleeping in a little cot.
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And I remember that first
night as I'm sleeping in a cot
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by the dining room
window and I was looking up
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at this full moon and in
the other room I could hear
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...snoring sound...
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And I thought:
"Oh, my poor grandma.
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You know, how does
she sleep through that? "
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Then I heard my grandfather
say: "Wake up, Claudia,
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and give me a
head start. " You know?
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So... But that
snoring kept me awake.
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And while I was awake
I wrote my first poem.
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Would you all like to hear the
very first poem I ever wrote?
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This is the
poem of a 6-year-old.
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True love has come to me
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Oh glory of harmony
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O can it be? O let it be
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really and truly
true love for me.
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Six years old. Don't you
know my mother was worried
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the next morning
when I read that to her?
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I was an incorrigible romantic.
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My mother watched
romance programs. You know,
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the old movies that
were so sweet and romantic.
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And I was an
incorrigible romantic.
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Then I got
married... and that cured me.
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Now don't get me wrong...
my sweetheart has his moments.
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But the point is that we come
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with certain expectations
that are probably unrealistic
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because we are
"tainted" if you will -
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little girls' minds are tainted
by what goes on in Hollywood.
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I remember J.D. - who's
sitting in the audience -
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on our third anniversary
I told him: "Oh honey,
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it just gets
better every year. "
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And you know what he said?
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"Oh honey, your expectations
just get lower every year. "
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Love is what we're
going to talk about today.
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What is it? What is its source?
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What is the power of love?
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Now we're not going to be
talking about romantic love
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which is fueled by attraction.
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We're going to be talking about
unconditional committed love.
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There are two forces at
work in the great controversy.
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There is the force of evil
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and hatred which
is fueled by pride
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and there is the
source of goodness and light
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which is fueled
by God's agape love.
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And just after our very own
Jill Morikone plays for us...
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Jill's going to be playing
a medley of It Is Well With My
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Soul and Great
Is Thy Faithfulness.
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Just after she finishes
then we're going to dig a little
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into God's Word and
consider God's love.
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Amen! Thank you,
Jill. That was beautiful.
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Well I have to
tell you a quick story.
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I had cataract
surgery a month ago
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and I haven't been able to
see since. I went in seeing well
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not knowing I have cataracts.
But I have a little condition
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where the membranes behind
the lens is filled with fluids.
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So I'm not seeing very
well for four weeks now.
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And when it came time for
Camp Meeting I say: "Oh, there's
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no problem. I know
what I'm going to speak on.
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This is something that's
familiar to me and I will not
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have to use any notes.
And what happened, though,
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is God called an audible.
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I had a plan but
God called an audible.
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So just about 10
days before Camp Meeting
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somebody popped
their head into my office
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and said: "What
are you speaking on? "
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And from my...
getting ready to say one thing
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and then what came from my
lips was: The Power of Love.
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And I thought: "Oh
Lord, what is that?
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What am I going to speak on? "
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Now remember I can't see,
so it's hard to put something
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together. And last Friday
I sat down and I was praying
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and I said to the Lord:
"You're going to have to show me
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what You want me to speak on.
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What do You mean
"The Power of Love? "
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And so this
message that we'll be...
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I feel it's coming
straight from heaven.
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And I... You sit down and you
think: "Oh, what am I going to
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talk on? " And then it
ends up this big and this big
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and this big. So
I've chopped it in half
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and chopped it in half
again and it's still too long.
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But we're going to develop
it as well as we can today.
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And it dovetails so well
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with what David
Asscherick has been teaching.
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And I just... just say
this with me right now:
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I John 4:8.
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"He who does not
love does not know God
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for God is love. "
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That is a noun. As
David was pointing out
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earlier this isn't an adjective.
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It's not saying God is loving.
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It is saying that God is love.
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And in the Greek
the word that is used
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there is agape.
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And you know what agape means?
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It means an
unconditional self giving
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self-sacrificing love.
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A completely selfless love.
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And when we think about
that it means that the subject
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of devotion
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is not necessarily desirable.
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Not necessarily deserving.
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God doesn't love us
because we were so desirable.
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He doesn't love us
because we're so deserving.
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He loves us because
He can do nothing else.
00:12:05.68\00:12:09.44
And the importance... I just
want someone watching at home
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today to know this: you're
sitting there and you can't
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believe that God
could possibly love you
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because your opinion
is so low of yourself.
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And I have to tell
you: you are worth nothing
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less than the price
that God paid for you
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with the precious blood
of His Son Jesus Christ.
00:12:31.76\00:12:36.32
In contrast to this agape love
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is the love that is a
conditional kind of love
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and it is
spawned by self-interest.
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It is spawned by an
attraction to something
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that you believe is
going to give you a benefit.
00:12:52.69\00:12:55.89
You can have a
love of knowledge,
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a love of truth even.
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You can have a love... a
romantic love as we started off
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speaking of. But this
is not the kind of love
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that God is speaking of here.
00:13:09.17\00:13:12.26
"God is love. "
These three simple words
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define the reality, the essence,
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of God's being...
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the essential nature of God.
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If we have a God who is love,
00:13:31.66\00:13:36.23
that means that
everything that God does,
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every action that He takes,
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is compelled by love.
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Hold that thought in
your mind for a moment.
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We will come back to this.
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But a poor perspective of God
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gives us poor doctrine.
00:14:01.52\00:14:05.20
It gives us wrong doctrine.
00:14:05.50\00:14:08.61
Any time we come to the Bible
00:14:08.91\00:14:12.19
and we see something
that we don't understand
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or perceive it as being love
00:14:16.41\00:14:20.23
then we need to step
back and we need to pray
00:14:21.43\00:14:25.55
and say: "God,
explain to me, show to me
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Your love in this situation. "
00:14:30.51\00:14:34.46
"Lord, put on
the lens of love. "
00:14:34.66\00:14:38.36
Everything that we
look at as we are reading
00:14:38.66\00:14:41.74
or getting to know
God we need to be looking
00:14:41.94\00:14:44.65
through the lens of love because
that is His essential nature.
00:14:44.75\00:14:49.43
When I say
"essential nature" it means...
00:14:49.73\00:14:52.65
Love is not an attribute of God.
00:14:53.59\00:14:56.77
Love... God IS love.
00:14:57.56\00:15:01.40
We can't say "love is God. "
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But God IS love.
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So it's not just an attribute.
00:15:07.46\00:15:10.37
It's the
fundamental quality of God.
00:15:10.67\00:15:14.98
And from that fundamental
quality - that essential
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nature - the
fundamental being of God
00:15:20.43\00:15:24.05
from love comes all
the rest of His attributes.
00:15:25.01\00:15:30.09
His longsuffering...
His patience with us.
00:15:30.42\00:15:33.45
His mercy; His
kindness; His righteousness.
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Everything comes from love.
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When Moses passed...
or God passed before Moses
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hiding Moses in the
cleft of the rock...
00:15:49.72\00:15:51.68
Moses had said:
"Show me Your glory. "
00:15:52.56\00:15:54.86
And I've always said before
00:15:55.16\00:15:57.43
the glory of God
is His character.
00:15:57.63\00:16:00.47
This time the Lord has impressed
me to say this something
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a little differently:
the glory of God is His love.
00:16:05.09\00:16:10.01
It's love. That's who He is.
00:16:10.31\00:16:12.90
Love is His glory
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from which all the attributes
of His character come.
00:16:16.08\00:16:19.49
The Lord passed
before Moses proclaiming
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these very words
coming out of His mouth
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from a God who cannot
lie. And here's what He said:
00:16:26.74\00:16:29.67
"The Lord, the Lord
God, merciful and gracious,
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longsuffering,
abounding in goodness and truth,
00:16:33.67\00:16:37.66
keeping mercy for thousands,
00:16:37.86\00:16:39.61
forgiving iniquity and
transgression and sin. "
00:16:39.91\00:16:45.13
The point that I want
to make: God also has said
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"I am the Lord, I
change not. " Right?
00:16:48.90\00:16:51.93
That means love is His essence.
00:16:52.44\00:16:57.51
Love has always
been His essence.
00:16:57.82\00:17:01.80
So God has been
love from eternity.
00:17:02.20\00:17:06.94
But by definition
love is relational.
00:17:07.60\00:17:11.21
David touched on that today.
00:17:11.61\00:17:13.97
Love is relational.
00:17:14.27\00:17:17.17
It cannot exist
00:17:17.37\00:17:20.79
without an object of devotion.
00:17:21.00\00:17:24.29
Love... This to me is a
great evidence for the trinity.
00:17:26.00\00:17:31.92
God could not be love
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if He didn't have an
object to devote that love to.
00:17:35.95\00:17:41.45
So it was the Father,
the Son, and the Spirit.
00:17:42.59\00:17:47.27
This is the essence of
love... this relational love.
00:17:47.47\00:17:53.43
You know, I have
tried so many times -
00:17:53.83\00:17:56.70
and I know we all do...
00:17:56.91\00:17:59.40
The idea of three beings in one
00:18:00.00\00:18:04.58
is almost
inexplicable, is it not?
00:18:04.78\00:18:07.74
We've heard all kinds of...
You know, people come up with
00:18:08.54\00:18:11.04
all kinds of
analogies and illustrations
00:18:11.24\00:18:15.42
to explain what we
call "the Trinity. "
00:18:15.72\00:18:18.23
The word trinity's not in
the Bible, but we come up with
00:18:18.33\00:18:20.56
all kinds of analogies for that,
00:18:20.76\00:18:22.75
and I'm going to offer you one.
00:18:23.48\00:18:26.28
None of them are perfect.
00:18:26.58\00:18:28.31
But if there's anything...
When you think of how can
00:18:28.51\00:18:32.56
three be one?
This is the biggest
00:18:32.76\00:18:35.80
the biggest hurdle to overcome
00:18:37.73\00:18:40.43
if you're
ministering to a Muslim
00:18:40.63\00:18:42.88
because they believe in
one God: the God of Abraham.
00:18:43.99\00:18:47.37
It's also a big hurdle to
overcome if you're ministering
00:18:47.67\00:18:51.30
to a Jew. They believe in
one God: the God of Abraham.
00:18:51.50\00:18:54.75
How can three be one?
00:18:55.05\00:18:57.42
If... What shape - if
you can see this shape -
00:18:59.20\00:19:02.58
what shape am I making here?
00:19:02.68\00:19:04.55
A triangle.
00:19:04.85\00:19:06.36
This triangle if
it were equilateral...
00:19:07.10\00:19:10.67
what is an equilateral triangle?
00:19:10.87\00:19:12.73
It's equal on all sides.
00:19:13.13\00:19:15.26
So if you think
of three equal sides
00:19:15.56\00:19:21.19
if I have a triangle, how
many objects am I holding?
00:19:21.42\00:19:24.15
I'm holding one.
00:19:24.55\00:19:26.38
God the Father,
the Son, and the Spirit
00:19:27.45\00:19:32.79
are co-eternal, co-equal,
00:19:32.99\00:19:36.55
and He could not
have existed unless
00:19:36.85\00:19:42.77
the three had been one
from this essence of love
00:19:43.88\00:19:49.09
sharing this relationship
of love from eternity past.
00:19:49.29\00:19:53.86
Aren't you
thankful for the Bible?
00:19:54.16\00:19:56.86
What is the Bible?
00:19:57.91\00:19:59.46
It's nothing more than
the unfolding revelation
00:19:59.66\00:20:02.36
of the love of God the
Father, the Son, and the Spirit.
00:20:02.76\00:20:06.20
And when we think
about knowing God...
00:20:06.60\00:20:10.05
Jesus said in John 17:3
00:20:10.25\00:20:12.13
"This is eternal life:
00:20:12.33\00:20:14.31
to know the Father and
the One whom He has sent. "
00:20:14.51\00:20:18.11
God's greatest
revelation to human beings
00:20:19.15\00:20:21.85
was made in the
person of Jesus Christ.
00:20:22.05\00:20:24.91
His person, His
life, His ministry
00:20:25.12\00:20:28.35
actually reveal to the
human race the innermost
00:20:29.39\00:20:33.70
essence of God.
And you know, for me -
00:20:33.90\00:20:38.33
I've shared this
before - the reality of God
00:20:38.54\00:20:41.84
the Father was
the most difficult
00:20:42.34\00:20:46.24
concept for me to
grasp. And I'll tell you why.
00:20:49.24\00:20:53.08
We... first of
all let me say this:
00:20:54.11\00:20:56.17
we say "God is
love. " You believe that?
00:20:56.37\00:20:59.49
But is it more up
here or is it in here?
00:21:00.94\00:21:03.48
See, I would say "God is love"
and then what I was brought up
00:21:04.78\00:21:09.22
to believe in and
heard about all the time
00:21:09.42\00:21:12.58
was the wrath of God.
00:21:12.78\00:21:14.82
How God was going to just
do away with all of the sinners
00:21:15.12\00:21:19.98
and how He would
burn people eternally.
00:21:20.96\00:21:23.09
And I remember
when I came to the Lord
00:21:23.29\00:21:26.63
and accepted His
call to full-time ministry
00:21:26.84\00:21:29.28
God told me to
forget what I think I knew
00:21:29.59\00:21:33.68
come sit at His feet
and He would teach me.
00:21:33.88\00:21:35.78
And the first thing He
did was He took me in a study
00:21:35.88\00:21:38.42
of the sanctuary.
00:21:38.52\00:21:39.83
And I fell in love
with this God of love
00:21:40.04\00:21:44.12
as I studied the sanctuary.
00:21:44.42\00:21:46.39
It's the first
time I understood grace
00:21:46.59\00:21:48.76
as I studied the sanctuary.
00:21:48.97\00:21:50.93
But then I remember
so distinctly asking Him
00:21:51.23\00:21:54.89
because it was just
being impressed upon my mind
00:21:55.12\00:21:58.07
"If there's something you
don't understand, ask Me. "
00:21:58.27\00:22:01.05
And I was like: "Father,
if You are a God of love,
00:22:01.25\00:22:04.37
how could You
burn someone forever? "
00:22:04.57\00:22:06.84
And then He
began to unfold to me
00:22:07.24\00:22:10.79
His essential nature.
00:22:11.84\00:22:13.72
And I'll never forget when
He brought me to Hebrews 1:3
00:22:14.12\00:22:18.82
which in this verse it
was really a verse that
00:22:19.02\00:22:23.45
turned me around.
Hebrews 1 and verse 3
00:22:23.56\00:22:26.41
says that Jesus is "the
brightness of His glory. "
00:22:26.71\00:22:31.91
That Jesus is "the
expressed image of His being. "
00:22:32.21\00:22:38.13
What does that mean?
00:22:38.33\00:22:39.93
It means that anything
we believe about the Father
00:22:40.13\00:22:43.44
must come from our
information that we have
00:22:43.84\00:22:47.46
about Jesus.
00:22:47.76\00:22:49.65
Do you
understand what I'm saying?
00:22:49.95\00:22:51.71
If your idea of the
Father is in any way in contrast
00:22:52.11\00:22:57.24
to the truth,
the love, the beauty
00:22:57.54\00:23:02.33
of Jesus Christ, then
you've got misinformation.
00:23:02.54\00:23:07.11
You've got bad
doctrine somewhere because Jesus
00:23:07.78\00:23:12.02
told Philip: "to see
Me is to see the Father. "
00:23:12.22\00:23:17.66
Jesus is the
express image of God.
00:23:18.74\00:23:23.66
But more than that
00:23:23.96\00:23:25.93
Jesus said: "to see Me
is to see the Father. "
00:23:26.23\00:23:29.32
More than that, to see
Jesus is to see the Spirit.
00:23:31.17\00:23:35.84
What? Wait a minute.
00:23:36.34\00:23:38.02
That sounds like
heresy, doesn't it?
00:23:38.22\00:23:39.94
Did you know that
Jesus Christ in I John 2:1
00:23:41.05\00:23:44.55
is called our "parakletos. "
00:23:45.48\00:23:48.89
Let me read this to you.
00:23:49.19\00:23:50.88
I John 2:1: "If anyone sin,
00:23:51.18\00:23:54.15
we have an advocate... "
The word there in the Greek
00:23:54.35\00:23:57.59
is parakletos.
00:23:57.79\00:23:59.28
A parakletos is a person.
00:23:59.48\00:24:01.85
"We have an
advocate with the Father:
00:24:02.68\00:24:06.58
Jesus Christ the righteous. "
00:24:06.88\00:24:10.34
Jesus Christ the
righteous was our parakletos.
00:24:11.15\00:24:15.39
And what does he
say in John 14:16?
00:24:16.72\00:24:19.92
He promises us that
He will send another
00:24:20.52\00:24:25.45
parakletos. Listen:
00:24:25.65\00:24:28.11
"I will ask the Father
and He will give you another
00:24:28.31\00:24:31.47
Comforter. " Another
parakletos, an advocate,
00:24:31.57\00:24:35.74
a counselor, a
helper, an intercessor.
00:24:35.94\00:24:38.82
Now in the Greek
there's two words for another.
00:24:39.02\00:24:43.56
There's heteros - which means
something of a different kind -
00:24:43.76\00:24:48.20
then there's allos, A-L-L-O-S,
00:24:48.40\00:24:52.17
for another. And that word allos
00:24:52.37\00:24:57.30
it does show a distinction,
a numerical difference,
00:24:57.50\00:25:01.64
but it means one
of the same kind.
00:25:02.04\00:25:08.03
Jesus was promising us
00:25:08.33\00:25:11.71
"I will send you
One just like Me. "
00:25:11.91\00:25:17.59
"I'm your
parakletos. I will send you
00:25:17.79\00:25:22.11
allos parakletos...
" another Comforter...
00:25:22.31\00:25:26.20
"just like Me. "
00:25:26.40\00:25:29.28
Only the person
of the Holy Spirit
00:25:30.36\00:25:34.48
could replace the
person of Jesus Christ.
00:25:34.78\00:25:39.76
Why is that so important?
00:25:40.06\00:25:41.32
Because we have brothers
and sisters in our own church
00:25:41.43\00:25:45.28
who believe that the Holy Spirit
is nothing more than a power.
00:25:45.31\00:25:50.57
The Holy Spirit
is the person of God.
00:25:51.36\00:25:56.17
He is - if we were too
look at that triangle shape
00:25:57.83\00:26:02.49
and take it into the
pyramid shape, a geometric
00:26:02.70\00:26:05.55
pyramid shape -
there are three sides
00:26:05.75\00:26:09.79
leaning in joined.
They are one substance,
00:26:10.00\00:26:14.79
one purpose, one
thought, one action.
00:26:15.09\00:26:18.97
You can't move the
Father... If I move...
00:26:19.17\00:26:22.30
If I move this pyramid here,
00:26:22.51\00:26:25.87
how many sides
of it have I moved?
00:26:26.18\00:26:28.30
All three. I
cannot move the Father
00:26:29.03\00:26:32.97
without moving the
Son and the Spirit.
00:26:33.17\00:26:36.30
We cannot move the
Spirit without moving the Father
00:26:36.50\00:26:40.38
and the Son. In the first
place we can't move Him, can we?
00:26:40.48\00:26:44.30
Other than maybe
we move His emotions.
00:26:44.60\00:26:47.55
But does this make sense to you?
00:26:47.95\00:26:50.84
Do you see this?
Because it is so important
00:26:51.15\00:26:53.67
we know how to answer
our brothers and sisters
00:26:53.78\00:26:56.18
who don't believe that
the Holy Spirit is a person.
00:26:56.48\00:26:59.86
And why is it important
00:27:00.07\00:27:01.83
that we believe the
Holy Spirit is a person?
00:27:02.13\00:27:05.35
It is important so
that we can yield to Him.
00:27:06.37\00:27:09.57
It is important for us to know.
00:27:10.58\00:27:12.85
We talk about the
Holy Spirit indwelling us.
00:27:13.05\00:27:16.10
Do you realize God
Almighty lives inside of you
00:27:16.40\00:27:19.72
if you're a
born-again Christian?
00:27:19.82\00:27:21.41
Oh how different... If we
could get this in our mind
00:27:22.60\00:27:25.69
how different we would
be. HOW DIFFERENT WE WOULD BE!
00:27:25.89\00:27:30.50
We wouldn't be looking
over our shoulder to see if
00:27:30.80\00:27:33.03
anyone else was watching what
we were about to get away with.
00:27:33.23\00:27:36.64
We would know
that God is within us;
00:27:37.35\00:27:39.69
that God knows everything;
that we are the living temple
00:27:39.79\00:27:43.41
of the Living God because Christ
has sent allos parakletos...
00:27:43.61\00:27:48.98
another just like Himself.
00:27:49.28\00:27:52.98
It is so amazing, and
when we stop resisting
00:27:54.11\00:27:58.39
and surrender to
His mighty working
00:27:58.59\00:28:02.60
we're yielding to
the power of His love.
00:28:02.80\00:28:05.15
Romans 5:5 is one
of my favorite verses
00:28:05.56\00:28:08.55
and I see it a little
differently. I looked it up
00:28:09.52\00:28:12.50
in some other Bible
commentators. I see it
00:28:12.70\00:28:15.08
differently. The Lord
showed me differently.
00:28:15.18\00:28:17.45
I'll let you
decide. In Romans 5:5
00:28:17.65\00:28:21.96
here's what Paul says.
00:28:24.07\00:28:26.58
"Now hope does not disappoint
00:28:26.90\00:28:30.22
because the love of God
00:28:30.42\00:28:33.35
has been poured into our hearts
00:28:33.38\00:28:36.65
by the Holy Spirit
who was given to us. "
00:28:36.85\00:28:41.56
Now most commentators
- I think all of them -
00:28:42.32\00:28:45.85
said that is the
assurance that we have
00:28:46.05\00:28:48.09
is that God's love is in us.
00:28:48.97\00:28:51.28
I see it differently.
00:28:51.48\00:28:53.04
Here's what I see.
00:28:53.44\00:28:55.13
"God is love. "
00:28:56.17\00:28:58.67
The Holy Spirit is not
just the Spirit of holiness,
00:28:59.17\00:29:03.64
which I'm going to
show you in a moment
00:29:03.85\00:29:06.40
that the power of love,
even the attribute of holiness,
00:29:06.60\00:29:10.66
comes from love. God is love.
00:29:10.86\00:29:14.40
His Holy Spirit is the
Spirit of holiness, yes.
00:29:14.80\00:29:18.55
But if He's God He is what?
00:29:18.95\00:29:21.76
Love. So when we
open our hearts to God
00:29:22.06\00:29:27.16
and the Holy Spirit is
shed abroad into our heart,
00:29:27.36\00:29:32.33
when the Holy Spirit comes in,
00:29:32.53\00:29:34.37
the Bible says here that God
00:29:34.77\00:29:39.31
had shed His love
abroad into our hearts.
00:29:39.52\00:29:43.95
Aren't we to become like Jesus?
00:29:44.94\00:29:47.22
Isn't that our
destiny? Romans 8:29 says that.
00:29:48.27\00:29:52.32
"Those He foreknew He
predestined to be conformed
00:29:52.52\00:29:55.18
to the image of Jesus. "
00:29:55.38\00:29:56.97
Then to become like Jesus
what do we need to become?
00:29:57.72\00:30:00.74
Love. We need
an essential nature
00:30:01.90\00:30:07.18
of love. How do you know
when someone's filled with the
00:30:07.58\00:30:11.18
Holy Spirit? The
more loving they are
00:30:11.28\00:30:15.92
the more of the
Spirit they have in them.
00:30:16.32\00:30:20.60
Jesus said this in John
chapter 13 verses 34-35.
00:30:21.57\00:30:26.11
He said: "A new
commandment I have given you
00:30:26.65\00:30:28.76
that you love one another.
00:30:28.96\00:30:31.27
As I have loved you
00:30:32.18\00:30:34.30
you also love one another.
00:30:34.60\00:30:37.08
By this all will know
that you are My disciples
00:30:37.28\00:30:41.55
if you have love
for one another. "
00:30:41.85\00:30:43.26
Let me ask you: "What's
new about that commandment? "
00:30:44.11\00:30:46.97
Didn't Moses command the people
00:30:48.57\00:30:52.10
"You are to love the Lord
your God with all your heart,
00:30:52.20\00:30:54.43
with all your
mind, with all your soul,
00:30:54.63\00:30:56.18
and love your
neighbor as yourself? "
00:30:56.38\00:30:58.26
Didn't Jesus tell the
scribe who came to Him and said
00:30:58.56\00:31:03.31
"What is the
greatest commandment of all? "
00:31:03.51\00:31:05.65
Didn't Jesus say this?
"Hear, O Israel, the Lord
00:31:05.85\00:31:08.76
our God is one God.
00:31:08.96\00:31:11.01
You shall love the
Lord with all of your heart,
00:31:11.21\00:31:12.84
with all of your
soul, with all of your mind,
00:31:13.04\00:31:14.64
with all of your strength,
and you shall love your neighbor
00:31:14.67\00:31:16.68
as yourself. "
00:31:16.78\00:31:17.81
So Jesus
affirmed what Moses said:
00:31:18.19\00:31:22.08
that love is a commandment.
It's the greatest commandment!
00:31:23.94\00:31:27.33
Yet here He says: "A new
commandment I give you. "
00:31:27.43\00:31:32.75
What is new about it?
00:31:33.87\00:31:35.11
I'll tell you
what's new about it.
00:31:35.41\00:31:37.43
He said: "As I have loved you
00:31:38.35\00:31:41.82
you shall also
love one another. "
00:31:42.02\00:31:45.64
He has taken it to
a new and unparalleled
00:31:45.94\00:31:51.55
plane.
00:31:52.62\00:31:53.94
And you know what?
00:31:54.92\00:31:56.24
It's
impossible... it's impossible.
00:31:56.64\00:32:01.14
How can I love you
00:32:02.28\00:32:03.82
as I love... as Jesus loved you?
00:32:04.57\00:32:09.15
I can't unless I open my heart
00:32:09.45\00:32:12.54
and let God pour out His love,
00:32:12.74\00:32:15.93
His essential nature into me
00:32:16.13\00:32:19.77
by the power of the Holy Spirit.
00:32:20.07\00:32:22.03
Then like Jesus I
can love the unlovely.
00:32:22.33\00:32:27.10
I can forgive the unforgiveable.
00:32:27.33\00:32:30.18
And like Jesus
00:32:30.78\00:32:32.58
I can do away
with any selfishness.
00:32:32.78\00:32:37.58
Turn to Ephesians chapter 3.
I want to show you something.
00:32:38.88\00:32:41.97
Ephesians chapter 3.
00:32:42.47\00:32:45.68
I love Paul's writings
00:32:53.63\00:32:56.25
and I love it when he
says something that seems to
00:32:57.67\00:33:00.67
contradict something else he
said 'cause as you dig a little
00:33:00.77\00:33:03.52
deeper you find that
Paul explains himself so well.
00:33:03.62\00:33:07.35
It's just his...
00:33:07.85\00:33:10.89
Sometimes his initial
presentation of something
00:33:11.19\00:33:13.37
catches us off guard. But
Ephesians 3. Let's look at
00:33:13.57\00:33:16.43
verse 16. Paul is
telling the Ephesians -
00:33:16.54\00:33:21.52
the church at Ephesus -
"this is what I'm praying for. "
00:33:21.72\00:33:24.00
"I'm praying that He - God
- would grant you according to
00:33:24.20\00:33:26.99
the riches of His
glory to be strengthened
00:33:27.09\00:33:29.95
with might through His
Spirit in the inner man. "
00:33:30.16\00:33:33.19
That's dunamis power.
00:33:33.49\00:33:36.43
"in the inner man. " How are
we strengthened? Through whom?
00:33:36.73\00:33:41.87
Through His Spirit. Why?
00:33:43.51\00:33:46.93
He says: "Let him be
strengthened with His Spirit
00:33:47.33\00:33:51.08
in the inner man so that... "
00:33:51.29\00:33:53.62
and oh, it's
emphatic in the Greek -
00:33:54.71\00:33:57.04
"in order that Christ
may dwell in your hearts
00:33:57.24\00:34:01.52
through faith. "
00:34:01.73\00:34:03.90
So the first thing
when we open up our hearts
00:34:04.20\00:34:06.53
to the Holy Spirit and
He is dwelling in our hearts
00:34:06.73\00:34:09.58
Christ dwells in our
hearts through faith.
00:34:09.79\00:34:12.30
But then it goes
on... Paul goes on to say
00:34:12.80\00:34:15.96
"that you... " And
any time we see that
00:34:16.89\00:34:19.85
Paul's saying "in order that. "
00:34:20.05\00:34:22.71
This is the reason
why. Let the Holy Spirit
00:34:22.91\00:34:25.42
dwell in you that
you may be strengthened
00:34:25.62\00:34:29.83
in your inner man
00:34:30.03\00:34:32.43
so that Christ can
dwell in you through faith
00:34:32.63\00:34:35.97
and so that - in order
that - you may be rooted
00:34:36.20\00:34:41.42
and grounded in love.
00:34:41.62\00:34:44.36
You can't be rooted
and grounded in love
00:34:45.51\00:34:48.06
if you don't understand
God's essential nature.
00:34:48.26\00:34:50.84
You can't be rooted
and grounded in love
00:34:51.24\00:34:54.20
unless the Holy Spirit
is indwelling your heart.
00:34:54.40\00:34:57.68
And then he goes on to say
00:34:58.87\00:35:00.75
that when we are
rooted and grounded in love
00:35:00.95\00:35:03.39
"so that we may be able to
comprehend with all the saints
00:35:03.59\00:35:07.90
what is the width, the length,
00:35:08.10\00:35:10.98
the depth, and the
height of God's love. "
00:35:11.01\00:35:15.01
What is he saying here?
00:35:15.31\00:35:16.75
That God's love is measureless.
It is as high as the heavens.
00:35:17.05\00:35:22.23
It is as deep as any depth
of despair that sin has ever
00:35:22.43\00:35:27.51
taken man to.
00:35:27.81\00:35:29.90
It is as wide as
the entire universe.
00:35:30.20\00:35:34.03
Not just the world
but the entire universe
00:35:34.33\00:35:37.25
and it is absolutely
endless. It is eternal love.
00:35:37.55\00:35:41.91
So he's saying in verse 19
00:35:42.76\00:35:44.92
"that you may know the love
of Christ which passes knowledge
00:35:45.12\00:35:49.68
so that... " or in order that...
00:35:49.98\00:35:53.94
"you may be filled with
all the fullness of God. "
00:35:54.24\00:35:59.83
How are we going to be
filled with the fullness of God?
00:36:01.07\00:36:04.71
When we're
filled with God's love.
00:36:05.81\00:36:08.12
Oh I hope you're getting this.
00:36:08.91\00:36:10.97
It is amazing.
He goes on to say:
00:36:12.16\00:36:14.55
"Now to Him who is able
to do exceedingly abundantly
00:36:14.65\00:36:17.72
above all that we ask or think
00:36:17.82\00:36:19.56
according to the
power that works in us.
00:36:19.86\00:36:22.82
To Him be glory
forever and ever. Amen. "
00:36:23.02\00:36:25.56
When we experience
anything of love's fullness
00:36:27.61\00:36:32.33
which is the fullness of God
00:36:32.64\00:36:34.77
if we're filled with
love we're like our Father.
00:36:36.40\00:36:40.22
If we're filled with His love.
00:36:41.25\00:36:43.29
But when we
experience any of this fullness
00:36:43.69\00:36:46.99
we must
demonstrate love's practice
00:36:47.19\00:36:50.66
by following love's pattern.
00:36:51.40\00:36:53.01
Flip over to Ephesians 5.
00:36:53.21\00:36:55.26
Paul says:
"Therefore be imitators of God.
00:36:55.46\00:37:00.78
Imitate God your
Father as dear children. "
00:37:01.77\00:37:07.09
Children do imitate
their parents, do they not?
00:37:07.86\00:37:11.26
And he is saying:
"You'll become what you behold.
00:37:12.01\00:37:15.48
Imitate your
Father and walk in love. "
00:37:15.78\00:37:20.08
I want to ask you a
question. Don't raise any hands.
00:37:20.42\00:37:23.26
But are you walking in love?
00:37:24.03\00:37:26.21
When our Christian experience
becomes one of walking in love
00:37:28.26\00:37:32.41
everything will be changed.
00:37:33.29\00:37:35.22
Life will be the abundant life.
00:37:35.62\00:37:39.04
He says: "Walk in love
as Christ. " Imitate Christ.
00:37:40.94\00:37:45.90
"Love others as Christ has
also loved us and given Himself
00:37:46.20\00:37:51.03
for us an offering
and a sacrifice to God
00:37:51.06\00:37:54.49
for a sweet smelling aroma. "
00:37:54.69\00:37:57.49
Let me tell you something.
00:37:57.89\00:37:59.41
If we did this, our
churches would be filled.
00:37:59.81\00:38:05.31
There would not be...
We'd be knocking out walls
00:38:05.61\00:38:09.16
and adding on additions.
00:38:09.36\00:38:11.01
If we would learn to
open our hearts and say
00:38:11.22\00:38:15.55
"Father, pour
out Your love into me
00:38:15.65\00:38:17.54
by the power of Your Holy
Spirit. Your essential nature
00:38:17.84\00:38:21.84
is love, Lord.
Pour it into my heart.
00:38:22.04\00:38:24.33
Let me be loving.
00:38:24.73\00:38:26.48
Forgive me for being selfish. "
00:38:26.68\00:38:28.96
And you know... Oh, this is
something that we all have to
00:38:29.26\00:38:34.25
just claim as Romans
6:11 that we are dead to sin
00:38:34.35\00:38:37.70
and live to God in Christ Jesus.
00:38:37.80\00:38:39.78
Because selfishness is sin.
00:38:40.77\00:38:42.62
And it is so
funny. I have to tell you:
00:38:43.55\00:38:45.99
I'm putting this
together last Friday. Right?
00:38:46.19\00:38:49.20
And I was tired and
really with my eye struggle
00:38:50.17\00:38:53.53
it's very difficult.
I have to put everything
00:38:53.73\00:38:55.51
on the computer up to...
I'm using 20 pt. font right now.
00:38:55.61\00:38:58.90
But everything on the
computer I've got it turned up
00:38:59.10\00:39:01.78
like 300% and
trying to struggle and see.
00:39:01.88\00:39:05.34
And I was kind of weary
at the end of the evening.
00:39:05.57\00:39:07.63
Sabbath was rolling in
and I got a phone call.
00:39:07.83\00:39:10.94
It was from somebody
that I knew would drain me.
00:39:11.38\00:39:14.96
And I thought:
"Oh, not tonight. "
00:39:16.03\00:39:19.62
"Lord, it's the
Sabbath. I'm going to rest. "
00:39:20.58\00:39:23.24
And I didn't answer it.
00:39:23.54\00:39:25.29
Guess what... was that loving?
00:39:25.59\00:39:30.04
Was that love?
00:39:30.35\00:39:31.82
I mean, there's times
that we have to pull apart,
00:39:32.12\00:39:34.09
but the Lord then had
me call back this person.
00:39:34.29\00:39:38.27
There is power in love.
00:39:39.43\00:39:41.66
If the root or source
of all of God's attributes
00:39:42.65\00:39:47.23
is the source of His... If
it's the source of all of His
00:39:47.44\00:39:50.96
attributes - if
love is the source -
00:39:51.16\00:39:53.23
then love is the
source of His power.
00:39:53.43\00:39:56.39
Did you hear me?
00:39:56.69\00:39:57.99
Love is the source
of His creative power;
00:39:58.39\00:40:01.82
love is the source
of His saving power.
00:40:02.02\00:40:04.75
The reason there was power
to create because there was
00:40:06.42\00:40:10.03
power of love, and
love is relational.
00:40:10.13\00:40:13.81
So God - when He looked at us -
00:40:14.31\00:40:18.07
He breathed His
very essence into man
00:40:18.27\00:40:23.36
which was love.
00:40:23.66\00:40:25.16
Now I have to just say this
so I won't forget to say it.
00:40:26.12\00:40:29.41
Growing up believing
that God was a God of wrath
00:40:30.86\00:40:35.10
was difficult.
00:40:37.68\00:40:39.49
I have to tell you:
did you know wrath is not
00:40:39.79\00:40:42.98
an attribute of God?
00:40:43.18\00:40:46.53
Wrath... He never... You
never see a wrathful God,
00:40:47.39\00:40:53.19
that God is wrathful.
00:40:53.39\00:40:55.14
What wrath is is
an expression of love.
00:40:55.44\00:40:59.09
It is God's reaction to
the pain that sin causes.
00:40:59.70\00:41:05.33
So God is not motivated
to harm the unrighteous.
00:41:06.28\00:41:10.89
Not at all!
00:41:11.92\00:41:13.26
What God wants to do...
There will come that day
00:41:13.56\00:41:16.96
when He has to put an
end to the pain of sin.
00:41:17.06\00:41:19.83
But in Ezekiel 33 and verse 11
00:41:20.13\00:41:22.95
He says: "As I
live I have no pleasure
00:41:23.15\00:41:25.76
in the death of the wicked
00:41:25.96\00:41:27.46
but that the wicked would
turn from his way and live. "
00:41:27.77\00:41:30.94
He says: "Turn...
turn from your evil ways
00:41:31.34\00:41:35.35
for why should you die. "
00:41:35.55\00:41:37.46
So see, when we think
00:41:37.86\00:41:40.25
as we interpret this
00:41:40.55\00:41:44.22
if God's love is in us
00:41:44.52\00:41:46.62
is our wrath,
00:41:48.18\00:41:50.99
is our anger
00:41:51.19\00:41:53.37
something that we
are pouring out on people
00:41:55.59\00:42:01.59
just because they have hurt us?
00:42:01.79\00:42:04.08
Is it a righteous indignation
toward sin and its pain?
00:42:04.38\00:42:08.01
Or are we being
selfish in our wrath?
00:42:08.21\00:42:11.94
That will even change.
00:42:12.24\00:42:13.85
Have you ever considered
what a strange and terrible day
00:42:14.15\00:42:17.63
it is going to be for
the God of love and grace
00:42:17.83\00:42:19.93
when He must execute
justice on the wicked
00:42:20.13\00:42:23.65
to put an end to sin?
00:42:23.85\00:42:25.02
It's unbelievable.
00:42:25.22\00:42:26.80
The power of love is not
mere rhetoric but it's action.
00:42:27.10\00:42:32.64
How did God
demonstrate His love for us?
00:42:32.94\00:42:35.37
Romans 5:8.
00:42:37.19\00:42:39.05
"God demonstrated
His love for us in that
00:42:39.26\00:42:42.33
while we were yet sinners... "
00:42:42.53\00:42:45.82
While we were unlovely,
00:42:46.22\00:42:48.61
undeserving enemies of God...
00:42:48.91\00:42:51.69
"Christ died for us. "
00:42:51.79\00:42:53.97
God is love, and love is
expressed in relational action.
00:42:55.42\00:43:01.37
But what God is asking us
00:43:01.77\00:43:03.97
if He's putting His love
and developing His nature
00:43:04.47\00:43:07.65
of love in us, He's asking
us to walk in that same love
00:43:07.75\00:43:12.47
and He's asking us then
to demonstrate that love.
00:43:12.77\00:43:17.54
John writes in I John
3:18 "Little children,
00:43:18.47\00:43:21.26
let us not merely love
in theory and in speech
00:43:21.86\00:43:27.76
but in deed and in truth. "
00:43:28.50\00:43:31.44
In practice and in sincerity.
00:43:31.74\00:43:34.64
It is so easy to tell someone
00:43:34.84\00:43:37.19
"Oh, I love you sister. "
00:43:37.39\00:43:39.07
"I love you brother. "
00:43:39.37\00:43:40.55
And then they have a
problem and they're calling you
00:43:41.63\00:43:45.11
late at night and
you're thinking: "Oh, no. "
00:43:45.31\00:43:48.53
We've got to put
love into motion.
00:43:49.76\00:43:53.17
Love cannot...
As a matter of fact,
00:43:53.47\00:43:55.49
you know, when we
were over in Israel
00:43:56.44\00:43:59.80
we were at Dan where
the water is coming down
00:44:00.21\00:44:05.53
from the mountains and
the Jordan River is beginning
00:44:05.73\00:44:08.88
and all these
springs are coming together.
00:44:09.08\00:44:11.05
And this water is rushing down.
00:44:11.15\00:44:13.36
This living water that's
supposed to be flowing out of
00:44:13.56\00:44:17.35
our hearts, right?
00:44:17.45\00:44:18.85
And it comes to
the Sea of Galilee.
00:44:19.05\00:44:21.93
And the Sea of Galilee has
so much activity around it;
00:44:22.13\00:44:25.69
it is so wonderful.
00:44:25.79\00:44:27.39
And there's great industry
and great activity there.
00:44:27.59\00:44:31.46
And then the outlet
for the Sea of Galilee...
00:44:31.66\00:44:35.12
It goes on down
through the rest of Israel
00:44:35.32\00:44:38.05
and it comes to the Dead Sea.
00:44:38.25\00:44:40.60
What happens to that
living water when it reaches
00:44:41.01\00:44:44.12
the Dead Sea? Dies. Why?
00:44:44.22\00:44:49.00
There's no activity.
00:44:50.11\00:44:52.03
There's no outlet.
00:44:52.33\00:44:54.30
If we receive God's love,
00:44:54.60\00:44:58.04
the love of God... If
we receive the God of love
00:45:00.40\00:45:04.40
in our hearts and we do not
00:45:04.60\00:45:09.79
put it into practice,
00:45:09.99\00:45:11.88
if we love with just
theory, with just words,
00:45:12.08\00:45:16.36
if we're not
putting it into self-giving,
00:45:16.60\00:45:20.27
self-sacrificing,
unconditional love,
00:45:20.47\00:45:24.68
if we're not
releasing that to others,
00:45:24.71\00:45:27.39
what happens in our hearts?
00:45:27.59\00:45:30.46
His nature dies.
00:45:30.76\00:45:33.68
You cannot hold that to
yourself any more than God can.
00:45:34.62\00:45:40.41
And then we have to know
that love can only be known
00:45:40.81\00:45:44.10
from the
actions that it prompts.
00:45:44.30\00:45:46.60
The primary object of
God's love on earth is mankind.
00:45:46.80\00:45:50.93
And to rightly understand
His actions we've got to
00:45:51.78\00:45:55.72
understand His love.
00:45:56.02\00:45:58.62
As a Christian, our
primary object of love
00:46:01.42\00:46:03.84
should be whom? God.
00:46:04.04\00:46:07.24
Our response to His
love should be one...
00:46:07.54\00:46:11.13
it's a reverential love.
00:46:11.43\00:46:13.23
It's a love that is expressed in
obedience to His commandments.
00:46:13.53\00:46:18.48
Love will motivate us to pray.
00:46:18.69\00:46:21.26
Love will motivate
us to listen and hear.
00:46:21.46\00:46:24.52
Love will motivate us
to surrender to God's will
00:46:24.73\00:46:27.83
and obey. And I
tell you something:
00:46:28.03\00:46:30.72
God... Jesus would have never
said "you must love one another
00:46:30.93\00:46:35.41
as I have loved you"
00:46:35.61\00:46:37.28
unless He would
empower us to do it.
00:46:37.48\00:46:39.95
Did you know? Oh, it
was a breakthrough for me
00:46:40.25\00:46:45.52
when I came to understand
that any of God's commandments
00:46:45.72\00:46:50.73
are His promises of
what He will enable us to do.
00:46:51.58\00:46:56.05
Even the Ten Commandments.
00:46:56.45\00:46:58.72
How do the Ten
Commandments begin?
00:46:59.22\00:47:01.51
"I am the Lord your
God who has brought you out
00:47:03.96\00:47:08.05
of Egypt. " "I
am your Deliverer. "
00:47:08.25\00:47:10.78
"I am your Father. Israel, my
son, I have come to get you. "
00:47:10.98\00:47:14.79
And then He goes on
to give them ten promises
00:47:16.40\00:47:22.38
of what He will do. Did you
know that the Ten Commandments
00:47:22.58\00:47:25.26
are written in the future tense?
00:47:25.46\00:47:27.17
In a double negative so
that we know they are promises.
00:47:28.13\00:47:31.38
They're intense promises.
00:47:31.58\00:47:33.74
What God is saying to us
00:47:33.94\00:47:35.88
is that "I am your Deliverer. "
00:47:36.08\00:47:39.16
"I am the lover of your soul. "
00:47:39.36\00:47:41.53
"I am love and if you are Mine -
00:47:41.84\00:47:45.69
if you let Me deliver you -
00:47:45.89\00:47:47.72
I promise you, you will
have no other gods before Me.
00:47:47.92\00:47:52.00
You will not
take My name in vain.
00:47:52.30\00:47:54.59
You will not bow down to idols.
00:47:54.89\00:47:56.76
You will be so excited
00:47:56.96\00:47:59.67
to spend that
Sabbath Day with Me.
00:47:59.87\00:48:02.58
That special day
that I have set aside
00:48:02.78\00:48:05.90
for you and for Me to
have this unbroken communion...
00:48:06.10\00:48:10.69
untarnished,
uninterrupted communion.
00:48:10.89\00:48:15.03
You will obey and
honor your parents.
00:48:16.08\00:48:21.01
You'll not murder;
you'll not commit adultery.
00:48:21.11\00:48:23.68
You'll not steal; you'll
not bear false testimony.
00:48:23.88\00:48:27.82
You will not covet. " Why?
00:48:28.22\00:48:31.00
"Because that is what living
in a love relationship with Me
00:48:31.20\00:48:36.81
is all about.
00:48:37.01\00:48:38.16
I am going to
enable you to do this. "
00:48:38.36\00:48:41.62
Isn't that good news to you?
00:48:41.92\00:48:43.59
You know, if we would quit...
Oh, bless our children's hearts.
00:48:43.89\00:48:47.06
Bless our hearts.
00:48:47.26\00:48:48.82
We've been so... It's not
just romance movies that have
00:48:49.22\00:48:53.32
tainted us. How
many of you have seen
00:48:53.43\00:48:55.67
The Ten Commandments
with Charlton Heston?
00:48:55.87\00:48:58.14
And our view of
God is "THOU SHALT NOT"
00:48:58.54\00:49:04.25
Where God is
saying: "I promise you
00:49:06.21\00:49:09.96
you shall not do these things.
00:49:11.32\00:49:13.45
You won't want
to do these things
00:49:13.65\00:49:15.73
because I am
going to enable you.
00:49:16.33\00:49:21.62
I promise you
I'm going to love you
00:49:21.82\00:49:24.25
and I'm going to
pour My love into you
00:49:24.45\00:49:26.03
and I'm going
to love through you
00:49:26.23\00:49:27.99
so you will
express your love to Me,
00:49:29.08\00:49:31.81
you will express
your love to mankind. "
00:49:32.02\00:49:34.15
The power of love... hmmm.
00:49:34.55\00:49:37.70
I see that my time is
being eaten away so rapidly.
00:49:38.87\00:49:42.38
I want to... I just want
to go through something here.
00:49:42.48\00:49:46.78
When I sat down I asked the Lord
00:49:48.40\00:49:51.96
"What do You mean
the power of love? "
00:49:52.26\00:49:55.43
If God's essential nature
is love, that means His power
00:49:55.94\00:50:00.86
comes from that.
00:50:02.75\00:50:04.22
But what does the
power of love do in us?
00:50:04.42\00:50:07.28
Here's a quick list, not by
any means a comprehensive list.
00:50:07.58\00:50:11.47
But here's a quick list
of what the Lord gave me.
00:50:12.16\00:50:14.63
The power of love
brings forgiveness.
00:50:14.93\00:50:17.86
The power of love
breaks the dominion of sin
00:50:18.36\00:50:21.55
and brings change.
00:50:21.85\00:50:23.84
The power of love is redemptive.
00:50:24.14\00:50:26.30
The power of love
liberates. It uplifts.
00:50:26.60\00:50:30.41
It has borne
every sufferer's burden.
00:50:30.61\00:50:34.06
The power of
love urges us to obey
00:50:34.36\00:50:37.07
and to
spontaneously follow the Spirit.
00:50:37.10\00:50:40.23
The power of love corrects.
Genuine love is not indulging.
00:50:40.53\00:50:45.74
The power of love has
a relentless intensity
00:50:46.58\00:50:51.25
for restoration.
00:50:51.45\00:50:53.03
The power of love
removes all prejudice.
00:50:53.43\00:50:56.84
It does good to all men.
00:50:57.14\00:50:59.03
It brings unity.
00:50:59.23\00:51:01.02
The power of
love fosters humility.
00:51:01.32\00:51:05.63
It fosters self-sacrifice.
00:51:07.46\00:51:10.38
The power of love
motivates service.
00:51:10.78\00:51:14.06
The power of
love casts out fear.
00:51:14.36\00:51:17.84
The power of love is
unconquerable; it has no equal.
00:51:18.14\00:51:23.86
It will never fail; it
will triumph over everything.
00:51:25.35\00:51:29.73
And even - eventually -
it will triumph over death.
00:51:30.49\00:51:34.83
The power of love
will establish us blameless
00:51:35.13\00:51:39.42
in holiness, and the
power of love will bring us up
00:51:39.62\00:51:43.38
out of the grave.
00:51:43.48\00:51:45.32
It will save us eternally.
00:51:45.82\00:51:47.81
"God is love. "
00:51:49.60\00:51:52.21
We can possess the
correct Bible doctrine.
00:51:54.05\00:51:57.76
We can witness to our
neighbors and friends.
00:51:58.45\00:52:00.93
We can hold evangelistic
meetings till the cows come in.
00:52:01.43\00:52:05.81
If we do not do so
00:52:07.95\00:52:11.06
in the spirit and power
of God's essential nature,
00:52:11.26\00:52:15.37
in love, we are going to
produce very little fruit
00:52:15.57\00:52:19.69
for the kingdom
and no reward for us.
00:52:19.79\00:52:22.49
How loving are we?
00:52:25.48\00:52:27.30
Love is the source of
power for life and ministry
00:52:28.46\00:52:33.76
because love is
God's essential nature.
00:52:34.00\00:52:36.26
You know, I don't know
if this is true or not.
00:52:38.13\00:52:40.94
This is a heavily-quoted text.
00:52:41.14\00:52:45.98
I just... I cannot
properly source it.
00:52:46.48\00:52:50.63
I've looked to see if it's true.
00:52:50.73\00:52:52.62
But it's still a good
quote. It is attributed to
00:52:52.92\00:52:56.27
Mahatma Gandhi.
00:52:56.47\00:52:58.03
I don't know if it's
true but it's still good.
00:52:58.23\00:53:00.12
According to the
quote Mahatma Gandhi said:
00:53:01.97\00:53:04.81
"I like your Christ; I
do not like your Christians
00:53:05.76\00:53:10.28
because they are so
unlike your Christ. "
00:53:10.58\00:53:13.74
How many people have been
turned away from the cross?
00:53:15.20\00:53:21.18
How many people have we
00:53:23.20\00:53:29.11
caused to reject the God of love
00:53:29.31\00:53:34.02
because we did
not reflect His love?
00:53:35.16\00:53:38.04
Please turn to I
Thessalonians chapter 3.
00:53:39.11\00:53:43.04
I Thessalonians chapter 3.
00:53:44.69\00:53:46.85
I know that I have
shared this with you before.
00:53:48.14\00:53:50.53
I want to share
it with you again.
00:53:51.50\00:53:53.34
I would like to share
this every day on television
00:53:54.34\00:53:59.48
till it sinks in.
00:53:59.68\00:54:01.01
I Thessalonians chapter 3.
00:54:03.13\00:54:06.77
If the very
essence of God's being
00:54:08.16\00:54:13.62
is love, that
means even holiness -
00:54:13.82\00:54:18.05
the attribute of holiness
- is rooted in His love.
00:54:19.18\00:54:23.64
Amen? All of His attributes are.
00:54:23.94\00:54:26.69
So God is love; God is holy.
00:54:26.99\00:54:29.54
He pours out His
Spirit into our hearts.
00:54:29.74\00:54:33.01
What will we get...
what will we achieve
00:54:33.32\00:54:38.07
when we are filled
with this God of love?
00:54:38.37\00:54:42.16
We'll become holy. Look at this:
00:54:42.36\00:54:44.28
I Thessalonians chapter 3.
00:54:44.38\00:54:46.35
He says: "May the Lord
make you increase and abound
00:54:46.65\00:54:51.24
to one another and to all
00:54:51.44\00:54:53.64
just as we do to you
00:54:53.84\00:54:55.73
so that... " Again in
the Greek it's emphatic.
00:54:56.70\00:55:00.34
In order that, he's saying.
00:55:00.54\00:55:03.38
"Let God make you
increase and abound in love. "
00:55:03.58\00:55:07.70
How do we do that?
We open our hearts.
00:55:08.00\00:55:10.29
God pours out His love
00:55:10.49\00:55:11.92
into our hearts by the
Holy Spirit indwelling us
00:55:12.12\00:55:17.06
and he says: "In order
that... " For this purpose.
00:55:17.29\00:55:21.08
"that He may
establish your hearts blameless
00:55:21.95\00:55:26.36
in holiness
before our God and Father
00:55:26.56\00:55:30.43
at the coming of
our Lord Jesus Christ
00:55:30.64\00:55:33.02
with all of His saints. "
00:55:33.22\00:55:34.48
Do you get that?
00:55:35.25\00:55:36.72
Ya'll ought to
be getting excited.
00:55:36.92\00:55:38.37
How many of you want to
be blameless in holiness
00:55:38.68\00:55:40.81
when Christ returns?
00:55:41.01\00:55:42.97
Oh, and we think that:
"What if we? Oh, do I need to
00:55:44.75\00:55:48.42
pull my hair back real tight?
00:55:48.52\00:55:49.67
Do I need to
dress a certain way?
00:55:49.87\00:55:51.19
Do I need to do this?
Do I need to do that? "
00:55:51.39\00:55:53.08
What David has been talking
about. We need to clear the
00:55:53.75\00:55:56.14
table of all these ideas
00:55:56.24\00:55:58.10
and put this central truth
in the middle of the table:
00:55:58.30\00:56:01.83
God is love. God is
holy because of His love.
00:56:02.03\00:56:06.53
And what this verse
says is that as God causes us
00:56:06.93\00:56:10.30
to increase and abound in love
00:56:10.50\00:56:12.29
He will establish our
hearts blameless in holiness.
00:56:12.49\00:56:17.75
The more loving we
become the more holy we become.
00:56:17.78\00:56:21.59
Sin is the opposite of love.
00:56:23.00\00:56:25.89
Do you hear me?
00:56:26.84\00:56:28.21
There is nothing
loving about sin.
00:56:30.16\00:56:32.65
It doesn't matter if
it's the sin of pride.
00:56:32.75\00:56:34.67
It doesn't matter what it is.
00:56:34.87\00:56:36.52
So if we are filled
with the essential nature...
00:56:36.92\00:56:42.57
the
self-sacrificing, self-giving,
00:56:43.89\00:56:47.44
unconditional love
of the Holy Spirit...
00:56:47.64\00:56:51.17
if we allow God to
cause us to increase
00:56:51.37\00:56:56.27
and abound in love,
we will be established
00:56:56.47\00:57:01.29
in holiness.
And then guess what?
00:57:01.49\00:57:04.20
In the twinkling of an eye
00:57:05.11\00:57:07.18
we will hear Him
00:57:08.44\00:57:10.95
and He will bring
us up to live forever
00:57:11.26\00:57:15.15
in this endless
eternal condition of love.
00:57:15.35\00:57:19.83