Hello and welcome to 3ABN Camp
Meeting... Fall Camp Meeting.
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We've been having a great
time, haven't we? Yes we have!
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Absolutely. We've been having
a good time before we went on
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the air, didn't we?
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We're just having
a little bit of fun.
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And it's great that the
Sabbath is just beginning.
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And we're going to have a
great group of people here.
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Some sermons tonight.
We're going to hear some good
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music tonight. I know you're
going to be singing here in just
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a little bit. We've got Lisa
over here playing the piano.
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Mollie Sue, you're especially...
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Mollie's happy all the time.
Oh yes. Have you ever seen her?
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I've know her for 30+
years; I always see her smiling.
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Now Hal may not always say
that but I've always seen her -
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and we're in close
quarters - we've worked together
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for many, many years.
She has a great attitude.
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But tonight you're just beaming.
There's something special.
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Step up here in the light.
Look at that glow around her.
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My whole family is here
tonight. Both of my children,
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my grandchildren, my husband.
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Raise your hands,
OK. My son-in-law.
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Raise your hand, Dee Dee.
All right. All of the kids.
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Now let's get a camera shot
over there. Somebody got 'em?
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All right. There you go. Isn't
that a good looking family?
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Jeremy's over there. Even
Pastor Hal's... The whole group.
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The whole group is here,
and do you all know what that
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does to this mother's heart?
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I am a happy woman tonight.
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I'm happy for you.
Now, I have to say hello
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to some really special people.
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My daughter Melody was supposed
to be here for Camp Meeting
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and I love it. I love
Melody but I love it even more
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when she brings
all these grandkids.
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That's right.
Grandkids come up here. But...
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Noah has been sick with
the flu for almost a week. Wow.
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And he really wanted to
come and Baby Faith and Jonah
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Mama said today
"they're just beside themselves
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saying 'We want to
go to Camp Meeting.
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We want to see Papa; we
want to go to Camp Meeting. ' "
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I brainwashed them
'cause they always say:
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"We want to see Papa.
" And that's all right,
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grandparents. You
can do that. It's legal.
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Right? And so I said: "All
right, tell them if they'll
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look tonight and Papa's
going to say hello to them. "
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Baby Faith and
Jonah, Papa loves you, OK?
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And Noah, we're praying for you.
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Justin is there. I think
Hayley and Jesse are gone.
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But for Melody, for
all of you, we love you
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and I look forward to seeing
you. And Papa will come down
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and see you in a
few weeks. All right?
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You know, Mollie and I would
like to add our word to that
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too. We miss you Melody and
we miss all those grandchildren.
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And especially the
little two. They always...
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We enjoy having them
come up here on the platform.
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And your family is there.
You've got a bunch of grandkids.
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I've got several of
them here, that's right.
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The Krueger
family except for Ben.
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Ben's at home. I
hope he's watching on TV.
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And Katie is out at Weimar.
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She is in school
there and working there.
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So yeah, we love these
grandkids. We really do.
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Well, we've got some
special music tonight.
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But before we do that
we want to sing a chorus.
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And I don't know where John
is. I like to get all the people
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we can up here. So we're going
to expect you to do it all.
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We have Miss
Yvonne here of course.
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Pastor C.A. - he's
going to be preaching
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so we'll let him
rest back there. But Lisa,
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why don't you lead
us in Because He Lives.
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You the director Miss Yvonne?
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Let's sing it out.
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Let's bow our
heads. Father in heaven,
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because He lives
we can face tomorrow.
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And because He died
we have that assurance
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of life through Him.
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And Father, we
just thank You for that.
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We thank you
because You loved us first
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and we return that
love to You, Father.
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And we simply thank
you for being our Lord,
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our God, and our Savior.
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In Jesus' name, Amen. Amen.
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Yvonne Lewis has been such a
blessing to all of us at 3ABN
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and to Dare to Dream.
We appreciate what you do
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for the cause of God. And
tonight you're going to be
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singing? It just left my brain.
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Well you'll know
when the sound track goes?
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All right. Oh my goodness.
Yes, it left my brain totally.
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All right. Let's put the music
on. This is live television too.
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Oh yeah. With All My Heart.
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Ah, there you go. With
All My Heart. All right.
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Praise the Lord. Thank you.
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In this quiet place with You
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I bow before Your throne.
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And bare the deepest part of me
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to You and You alone.
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I keep no secrets
for there is no thought
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You haven't known.
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I bring my best and all the rest
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to You and lay them down.
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Oh, oh, oh, oh...
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With all my heart
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I want to love You, Lord.
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And live my life
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each day to know You more.
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All that is in me
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is Yours completely.
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I'll serve You only
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with all my heart.
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You faithfully supply my needs
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according to Your plan.
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So help me,
Lord, to seek Your face
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before I seek Your hand.
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And trust, You
know what's best for me
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when I don't understand.
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Sometimes I don't understand.
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But I'll follow in obedience
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in every circumstance.
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With all my heart
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I want to love You, Lord.
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And live my life
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each day to know You more.
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All that is in me
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Lord, it's Yours...
it's Yours completely.
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I'll serve You only
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with all my heart.
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Beautiful, Yvonne. Thank you.
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It's my privilege now
to... I shouldn't say introduce
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but for tonight, most of
you know Pastor C.A. Murray.
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And I met C.A. oh, I
don't know if it's been
00:10:09.93\00:10:12.34
10, 12 years or so ago now.
It's been a number of years ago.
00:10:12.54\00:10:16.54
Probably over a
decade. I went to New York
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and I'll make this part really
short. But I went to New York
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and went to a Camp Meeting...
a huge Camp Meeting there.
00:10:22.33\00:10:25.47
Mollie said: "The pastor,
you and Melody are singing,
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but the pastor says
he's singing with you
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on a song that Melody wrote. "
00:10:30.91\00:10:32.78
And I said: "No, I don't want
to do that because we haven't
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practiced. There's 12,000
people - whatever - there. "
00:10:34.71\00:10:37.14
"Oh he said he knows the song. "
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I said: "Well, he may be a
great singer but we haven't
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practiced
together. " Well it ended up
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it was Pastor C.A. Murray.
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So I said: "Well I
have to hear you. "
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So he knew the part perfectly.
He had listened to it.
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In fact, he knew it
better than I did for sure.
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So we sang together.
He brought me to his house
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for lunch, and we
got to know each other.
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And what a tremendous
man of God and his wife Irma.
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We're so thankful that
C.A. and Irma and their family
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have come to 3ABN. Have
been here for so many years.
00:11:04.41\00:11:07.30
He's a producer. He can direct.
00:11:07.50\00:11:11.38
He can - when it comes
to television - he's hosted.
00:11:11.48\00:11:14.60
He used to host on TBN years ago
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and he does radio.
And most of all he's just
00:11:17.11\00:11:21.44
a man who loves Jesus
with all of his heart,
00:11:21.64\00:11:24.02
his soul and mind,
and he's a great friend.
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And it gives me great privilege
introducing him tonight
00:11:27.24\00:11:30.68
as speaker of the hour.
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I need to fly in
the face of what is
00:11:45.93\00:11:51.08
an obligatory
amenity for public discourse.
00:11:52.13\00:11:56.23
They say when you are
speaking before a crowd
00:12:00.40\00:12:04.72
you should never start
any public presentation
00:12:05.98\00:12:08.41
with an apology.
00:12:08.51\00:12:10.24
That is standard for
elocution courses, homiletics,
00:12:10.55\00:12:14.91
and preaching. You never start
your sermon with an apology.
00:12:15.01\00:12:17.10
And of course you
never end with an apology
00:12:17.82\00:12:19.83
because that's the last thing
they hear so you don't want to
00:12:19.93\00:12:21.55
leave them with an apology.
00:12:21.65\00:12:24.05
And if you're a
politician running for office
00:12:24.89\00:12:28.25
they say never be caught
apologizing in the middle
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of your presentation.
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So you wouldn't
apologize at the beginning;
00:12:36.43\00:12:38.29
you would not apologize
at the end; and you certainly
00:12:38.49\00:12:40.03
wouldn't
apologize in the middle.
00:12:40.13\00:12:41.19
But I have got to reject
that and issue an apology.
00:12:41.59\00:12:46.80
I don't know what is
listed as a sermon title
00:12:48.30\00:12:50.81
in your bulletin.
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Step Child. OK,
that's not the title.
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The truck had
Rendezvous at Beth Peor.
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That is not the title.
00:13:04.77\00:13:06.94
Some weeks ago the title was
00:13:09.10\00:13:11.87
Stepchildren of Kadesh.
00:13:12.07\00:13:14.19
That is not the title.
00:13:15.31\00:13:17.11
I need to give you
some insight into my ersatz
00:13:19.43\00:13:23.17
schizophrenia.
00:13:23.37\00:13:24.83
I have never
considered myself a proud person
00:13:27.18\00:13:32.09
or an egotistical
person. I prayed against that.
00:13:33.23\00:13:36.11
I read where Ellen
White in Testimonies volume 1
00:13:36.14\00:13:39.23
asked the Lord: "Lord,
keep me from being proud. "
00:13:39.43\00:13:41.42
And early on in my ministry
I asked that same prayer.
00:13:41.72\00:13:44.74
And I asked the Lord:
"Lord, I You ever did anything
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for me, with me,
to me, or through me
00:13:47.38\00:13:48.99
keep me from being
egotistical and proud. "
00:13:49.19\00:13:53.30
Those are two character traits
that I particularly dislike,
00:13:54.42\00:13:57.79
and I am
correspondingly attracted to
00:13:58.09\00:14:01.39
people who have
ability and humility.
00:14:01.60\00:14:04.99
I find that combination
constellation of gifts
00:14:05.39\00:14:09.66
almost irresistible. If
you are good at what you do
00:14:09.86\00:14:12.44
but manage to stay
humble, I am automatically
00:14:12.64\00:14:15.55
attracted to you. I
just... I love that.
00:14:15.65\00:14:17.31
And as such I have always
asked for that in my own life.
00:14:17.61\00:14:20.54
And God has been kind.
00:14:21.51\00:14:23.72
When I came out of school
the conference president said
00:14:24.02\00:14:26.36
"We're going to take two
pastors. " I was #5 on the list.
00:14:26.56\00:14:29.56
And they broke the rules and
for the first, last, and only
00:14:29.76\00:14:32.45
time in our
conference they took five guys
00:14:32.55\00:14:34.54
and I got a call. And
then 8 years after the Seminary
00:14:34.74\00:14:38.89
I was asked to pastor
one of the 3 largest churches
00:14:38.99\00:14:41.67
in North America. And
when I went into that pulpit
00:14:41.87\00:14:43.90
of the Ephesus church I
said: "Lord, keep me humble. "
00:14:44.10\00:14:46.34
When I got on the General
Conference Committee I said:
00:14:46.58\00:14:48.61
"Lord, keep me humble. " And
I've always prayed for humility.
00:14:48.71\00:14:51.98
And yet there are times when
00:14:52.18\00:14:54.79
the Lord has to deal with me.
00:14:56.53\00:14:58.35
And about a month ago
- maybe three weeks ago -
00:14:59.35\00:15:03.96
as I addressed myself
to this particular sermon
00:15:05.00\00:15:08.37
God was leading me into
preaching on the covenants.
00:15:08.77\00:15:12.57
And about three weeks
ago I came to understand that
00:15:13.61\00:15:16.50
David Asscherick was also
preaching on the covenants.
00:15:16.70\00:15:20.34
And so I said: "OK Lord,
I'm not preaching on that. "
00:15:20.64\00:15:23.32
I didn't ask God. I said:
"If he's preaching... I'm not
00:15:23.65\00:15:26.37
going to preach on
the covenants. I'll find
00:15:26.47\00:15:27.55
something else. " And so I said:
"Lord, give me something else
00:15:27.65\00:15:30.11
to say. " And I began
to work on something else.
00:15:30.31\00:15:34.87
And nothing else came.
00:15:35.88\00:15:38.09
And up until last
week I had nothing.
00:15:38.74\00:15:41.36
The other night I was sitting
up till 3 o'clock in the morning
00:15:41.56\00:15:43.40
2:30... quarter of
three. I came to bed
00:15:43.60\00:15:45.62
and Irma was already
asleep and she kind of said...
00:15:45.82\00:15:48.67
My wife can talk in her
sleep. She can carry on a full
00:15:48.87\00:15:51.24
conversation in her sleep.
And she said: "Did you finish
00:15:51.34\00:15:53.60
the sermon? "
And I said: "Yeah. "
00:15:53.70\00:15:57.61
And I had a
blank sheet of paper.
00:15:58.01\00:15:59.95
And so she said: "I'm glad.
" And I kissed her on the cheek
00:16:00.15\00:16:02.65
and she kind of
kissed the air. You know...
00:16:02.75\00:16:04.40
and then she went back to sleep.
00:16:04.60\00:16:05.90
Then last week I was
supposed to give my graphics.
00:16:08.05\00:16:11.51
You know, the little
things we put on the screen.
00:16:11.71\00:16:12.96
The texts and the
titles to Will Warren.
00:16:13.16\00:16:15.14
And he asked me:
"You got your graphics? "
00:16:15.34\00:16:17.36
I said: "No, "
because I had nothing.
00:16:17.56\00:16:20.26
And then Jim Gilley asked
me: "How's your sermon coming? "
00:16:20.46\00:16:22.49
And I said: "Jim,
I've got nothing. "
00:16:22.69\00:16:24.21
And up until this
week I had nothing because
00:16:25.83\00:16:29.31
I determined I wasn't
going to preach what David was
00:16:29.51\00:16:32.28
going to preach on.
"Asscherick's got that.
00:16:32.38\00:16:35.01
I'm not preaching that
stuff. I want my own sermon. "
00:16:35.21\00:16:37.18
And God was dealing with me
00:16:38.30\00:16:41.62
and the Lord was saying to
me: "If you don't preach what I
00:16:41.82\00:16:45.00
told you to preach, I'm not
going to give you anything. "
00:16:45.10\00:16:47.39
And so two nights
ago... well, Monday night
00:16:50.70\00:16:53.20
again up till 1
o'clock in the morning
00:16:53.40\00:16:55.05
staring at a
blank sheet of paper.
00:16:55.15\00:16:56.58
Tuesday... nothing.
00:16:56.68\00:16:58.82
And I heard as it
were the voice of God
00:16:59.22\00:17:02.40
say to me: "Murray, you're
going to go in that pulpit
00:17:02.60\00:17:06.51
and you're going to preach
what I told you to preach. "
00:17:06.72\00:17:10.17
And then three nights ago
00:17:13.15\00:17:15.04
I was up all night
because Irma was now in Panama.
00:17:15.35\00:17:19.37
We got a bunch of clothes.
She wanted to take clothes
00:17:19.57\00:17:22.45
down to the Indian people
that live up in the mountains.
00:17:22.65\00:17:24.54
So we stayed here
till 10 o'clock at night.
00:17:24.74\00:17:26.94
We packed clothes till
2 o'clock in the morning.
00:17:27.14\00:17:29.22
Took Irma to the
airport at 2:00 AM.
00:17:29.63\00:17:31.79
Put her on her plane at 6:00 AM.
00:17:31.99\00:17:33.57
Drove back here at 8:00
AM. Went into board meeting
00:17:33.77\00:17:36.73
right after that. Stayed in
board meeting all afternoon.
00:17:36.87\00:17:39.16
Did some things and
then got here last night
00:17:39.36\00:17:40.87
on 30 minutes of sleep.
00:17:41.07\00:17:43.44
Sang and then Jim Gilley said:
"How's your sermon coming? "
00:17:43.64\00:17:48.02
And I said: "I've got nothing. "
00:17:50.98\00:17:53.62
And so he said: "Here's
what you're going to do:
00:17:55.28\00:17:57.47
You're going to go
home and stay in that house
00:17:57.67\00:18:01.89
until God gives you a message. "
00:18:02.09\00:18:03.99
So I went home. I
propped myself in a chair.
00:18:05.06\00:18:07.95
And I sat down and I
wrote what God told me to write
00:18:08.25\00:18:12.50
and I finished an hour ago.
00:18:12.70\00:18:15.51
So I am wired and inspired!
00:18:20.96\00:18:24.08
And sleepy.
00:18:25.55\00:18:27.11
But we'll get through it
00:18:29.15\00:18:30.54
because God is good.
00:18:31.04\00:18:32.33
If you are of the notion
that preachers are called
00:18:32.43\00:18:35.18
to preach because they
are perfect people, let me
00:18:35.29\00:18:37.29
disabuse you of that notion.
00:18:37.39\00:18:39.19
God has to deal with us just
like He deals with anybody else.
00:18:40.09\00:18:43.74
And sometimes it's harder
because our heads tend to be
00:18:44.04\00:18:46.61
harder and we tend to
do things in Jesus' name
00:18:46.71\00:18:50.69
when Jesus has
nothing to do with it.
00:18:50.99\00:18:53.73
So the new title
00:18:55.81\00:18:57.66
of the sermon is Of
Kingdoms and Covenants.
00:19:00.28\00:19:04.99
Amen and amen.
00:19:06.76\00:19:09.69
Hal, I think I'll pray first.
00:19:12.48\00:19:14.50
Father God, we importune You now
00:19:16.52\00:19:21.14
because we need to
hear a word from the Lord.
00:19:22.64\00:19:26.97
Not the mind of man
but the mind of Christ.
00:19:29.34\00:19:34.56
And so speak to us because
we need to hear from You.
00:19:36.31\00:19:41.83
Amen.
00:19:42.33\00:19:43.73
Let me say here parenthetically
00:19:44.03\00:19:45.71
do prepare to come to next
year's Spring Camp Meeting.
00:19:45.91\00:19:49.22
You are going to
hear some fifteen sermons
00:19:49.52\00:19:52.02
all on the subject
of the second coming.
00:19:52.22\00:19:54.24
And I guarantee you
nobody will say the same thing.
00:19:55.53\00:19:57.77
Fifteen different preachers
preaching on the same subject.
00:19:57.97\00:19:59.87
I guarantee you every
one will be different.
00:19:59.97\00:20:01.66
It will be a power time preach-
ing about the second coming.
00:20:02.67\00:20:06.36
And so God said to me: "You
know you and David Asscherick
00:20:06.66\00:20:09.23
are on the same team;
you're wearing the same uniform.
00:20:09.43\00:20:11.77
So you preach what
you've got to preach
00:20:12.86\00:20:14.91
and he'll preach
what he has to preach...
00:20:15.11\00:20:18.03
and God will be glorified. "
00:20:18.43\00:20:19.80
Turn with me if you
will to the book of Genesis.
00:20:19.90\00:20:21.90
Two short texts.
00:20:23.55\00:20:24.83
Genesis 17 verses 10 and 11
00:20:25.14\00:20:27.83
and then we will
flip over to Joshua 5:5-7.
00:20:28.03\00:20:31.16
God a lot of stuff to do and
very little time to get it done.
00:20:32.37\00:20:35.94
Genesis 17:10-11.
00:20:36.24\00:20:39.78
The Word of God
says: "This is My covenant
00:20:44.33\00:20:46.64
which you shall
keep between Me and you
00:20:47.88\00:20:50.34
and your descendants after
you. " God speaking to Abraham.
00:20:50.64\00:20:54.02
"Every male child among
you shall be circumcised
00:20:54.22\00:20:56.94
and you shall be circumcised
in the flesh of your foreskin
00:20:57.04\00:21:00.46
and it shall be a sign of the
covenant between Me and you. "
00:21:00.66\00:21:04.26
Joshua 5 now.
00:21:04.46\00:21:05.96
Joshua 5:5-7.
00:21:06.26\00:21:10.72
Joshua 5:5: "For
all the people came out
00:21:14.47\00:21:17.46
that had been circumcised
00:21:17.66\00:21:19.53
but all the people born
in the wilderness on the way
00:21:19.73\00:21:23.14
as they came out of
Egypt had not been circumcised.
00:21:23.34\00:21:27.11
For the children of
Israel walked forty years in the
00:21:27.51\00:21:30.39
wilderness till all the
people who were men of war
00:21:30.49\00:21:33.95
who came out of Egypt were
consumed because they did not
00:21:34.15\00:21:38.84
obey the voice of the Lord.
00:21:38.94\00:21:41.97
To whom the Lord swore
that He would show them
00:21:42.27\00:21:44.83
the land which the Lord
had sworn to their fathers
00:21:45.04\00:21:47.91
that He would give us a land
flowing with milk and honey. "
00:21:48.11\00:21:53.89
Let's deal with some
definitions to begin.
00:21:59.12\00:22:03.09
When we talk about
covenant, covenant is the way
00:22:04.21\00:22:09.38
that God has
chosen - has elected -
00:22:09.58\00:22:12.58
to deal with mankind.
00:22:12.78\00:22:15.36
Covenant relationship is
how Jehovah has determined
00:22:17.76\00:22:23.25
to interact, to interrelate,
to interface, and to save
00:22:23.46\00:22:28.08
mankind.
Covenants contain promises,
00:22:28.28\00:22:33.07
rewards,
sanctions, and security.
00:22:33.27\00:22:36.93
The Hebrew word
for covenant is beriyt.
00:22:39.98\00:22:42.66
It is often translated
fetter or tied down or bind.
00:22:43.06\00:22:48.78
The New Testament word
for covenant is even stronger.
00:22:50.12\00:22:53.22
In fact there are two
words in the New Testament
00:22:53.42\00:22:55.31
and when the Septuagint
writers began to translate
00:22:55.61\00:22:58.51
they found two particular words.
The first word suntheke is
00:22:58.81\00:23:02.70
is translated contract.
It is simply a contract
00:23:02.90\00:23:06.61
given or done among two equals.
00:23:06.92\00:23:10.02
But the word they
chose to use for covenant
00:23:11.07\00:23:14.93
is even stronger
than that. It is diatheke.
00:23:15.96\00:23:20.51
And they chose to use
that stronger word even though
00:23:21.70\00:23:24.83
it is less used in
the New Testament because
00:23:24.93\00:23:27.61
they understood and felt that
covenants are no light thing.
00:23:27.81\00:23:33.24
That a covenant is
a binding commitment
00:23:34.26\00:23:38.37
between man and his God.
00:23:38.57\00:23:41.22
Here, then, is the
working definition for covenant.
00:23:42.49\00:23:45.28
See, I should have a
nice graphic up there now.
00:23:45.58\00:23:48.41
Ego.
00:23:50.06\00:23:51.89
Here's the definition:
00:23:52.19\00:23:53.68
a covenant is an
unchangeable divinely appointed
00:23:53.98\00:23:58.10
and imposed legal commitment
or agreement between God and man
00:23:58.30\00:24:03.71
that stipulates the conditions
of their relationship.
00:24:04.01\00:24:08.26
A covenant is an
unchangeable divinely appointed
00:24:10.03\00:24:13.80
and imposed legal
agreement between God and man
00:24:14.00\00:24:18.93
that stipulates the conditions
of their relationship.
00:24:18.97\00:24:23.19
In other words, it
defines the rules of engagement.
00:24:23.39\00:24:27.32
Covenant is also
translated testament.
00:24:27.93\00:24:31.17
Same word. New
covenant... New Testament.
00:24:31.41\00:24:34.14
Old covenant... Old Testament.
00:24:34.34\00:24:35.61
The words are the same.
00:24:35.81\00:24:37.26
In fact, the new covenant
is simply the insurance policy
00:24:37.66\00:24:42.64
on the old or
everlasting covenant.
00:24:42.84\00:24:44.98
The new covenant is the
if clause in the everlasting
00:24:45.28\00:24:49.25
covenant. So one does
not supersede the other.
00:24:49.35\00:24:52.08
One grows out of the
other as the New Testament grows
00:24:52.28\00:24:55.67
out of the Old Testament. If you
are a New Testament Christian,
00:24:55.70\00:24:58.41
you are de facto an
Old Testament Christian
00:24:58.61\00:25:00.84
because the New Testament does
not supersede the Old Testament,
00:25:01.04\00:25:03.69
it grows out of
the Old Testament.
00:25:03.89\00:25:05.85
Covenants contain 4 elements:
00:25:07.81\00:25:10.10
parties, promises, rewards and
sanctions, and as I said before
00:25:10.30\00:25:14.79
security.
00:25:15.68\00:25:17.04
Now, once a
covenant is entered into
00:25:18.02\00:25:21.33
the rules of the game
ladies and gentlemen are fixed.
00:25:22.52\00:25:27.43
They cannot, they do not change.
00:25:27.77\00:25:32.57
That's part of the security
so that every time you go to God
00:25:33.62\00:25:37.78
you know you've
got the same God.
00:25:37.98\00:25:40.26
He is the same
yesterday, today, and forever.
00:25:40.47\00:25:43.41
So even if you change,
even if you're having a bad day,
00:25:43.61\00:25:46.86
God never does. So
every time you go to Him
00:25:47.06\00:25:49.62
you know you've got
the same God. Amen? Amen!
00:25:49.82\00:25:52.81
That's part of the security.
00:25:52.91\00:25:54.10
So there are no
moving of the goal posts;
00:25:55.19\00:25:57.51
no changing of the parameters.
00:25:57.91\00:26:00.53
There can never be
negotiation of covenants.
00:26:01.36\00:26:05.51
You don't get to
negotiate with God
00:26:05.91\00:26:09.56
the terms of the
covenant that He sets down.
00:26:09.76\00:26:12.79
You don't get to
change the rules.
00:26:13.80\00:26:16.04
You don't change the elements.
00:26:16.34\00:26:18.32
There is no
detente; no rapprochement;
00:26:18.52\00:26:21.67
no arguing; no
bickering; no bantering;
00:26:21.87\00:26:24.84
no arbitration; no haggling.
00:26:25.04\00:26:27.06
Covenant comes at full
price; it is never on sale.
00:26:27.26\00:26:31.30
You don't get to change... you
don't get to change the terms.
00:26:37.08\00:26:41.34
Jesus didn't change the
rules and you can't either.
00:26:43.27\00:26:48.94
It was the covenant and His love
00:26:50.42\00:26:53.98
that sent Him to the cross.
00:26:54.18\00:26:57.22
So you don't get to change
the rules just because you are
00:26:58.42\00:27:01.38
having a bad day.
00:27:01.48\00:27:03.82
Amen. And if you can't
say "Amen" say "ouch. "
00:27:05.04\00:27:10.54
There is no honorable
discharge from covenant.
00:27:16.06\00:27:21.59
If you break a covenant,
00:27:21.92\00:27:25.74
it is done so
through shame and disgrace.
00:27:26.86\00:27:31.47
There are some states - I
think New York State is one -
00:27:32.89\00:27:34.94
that have no-fault divorce.
00:27:35.14\00:27:36.46
You know: "He's not at
fault; she's not at fault;
00:27:36.87\00:27:38.65
he's not wrong; she's not wrong.
00:27:38.85\00:27:39.92
We just can't get along
so we're just separating. "
00:27:40.12\00:27:42.11
You don't have
that in covenants.
00:27:43.44\00:27:45.22
You break the covenant
somebody's going to be shamed.
00:27:45.90\00:27:50.40
Somebody's going
to be disgraced...
00:27:51.54\00:27:53.29
and it's not going to be God.
00:27:53.59\00:27:57.51
Amen or ouch... your choice.
00:27:58.59\00:28:03.40
To the only way out of covenant
is through a wall of shame.
00:28:05.13\00:28:08.86
Covenant is important
because the truth be told
00:28:09.16\00:28:12.15
God is more
concerned about saving you
00:28:12.35\00:28:15.06
than even you are
about saving yourself.
00:28:15.26\00:28:17.27
Amen.
00:28:17.57\00:28:18.60
He is much more concerned about
keeping you from the flames -
00:28:18.89\00:28:22.90
um-hmm -
00:28:24.07\00:28:26.06
than even you are.
00:28:26.36\00:28:27.71
How do I know that?
00:28:28.95\00:28:30.69
Two words: the cross.
00:28:30.99\00:28:33.77
If there ever was any doubt
about how seriously God takes
00:28:40.98\00:28:46.38
saving your soul
just look at the cross.
00:28:46.58\00:28:51.94
Look at that blood-
stained figure on the cross.
00:28:57.16\00:28:59.98
The covenant, ladies and
gentlemen, is your guarantee
00:29:01.95\00:29:04.61
that when you've finally had
enough of dancing with the devil
00:29:05.21\00:29:10.92
and come to your senses and
turn around and look for Jesus
00:29:11.27\00:29:15.42
He'll be right there.
00:29:16.83\00:29:18.88
"For he that cometh unto Me
00:29:21.28\00:29:25.41
I will in no wise cast out. "
00:29:25.81\00:29:31.07
John 6:37.
00:29:32.35\00:29:34.00
That's... that's...
that's covenant language.
00:29:34.10\00:29:37.59
And it doesn't matter what
you've done or how long you've
00:29:39.75\00:29:41.71
done it or how many
times you've done it
00:29:41.81\00:29:42.95
or how deeply
you've fallen into sin.
00:29:43.05\00:29:44.91
When you come to
yourself and look for Jesus
00:29:45.31\00:29:50.03
the covenant guarantees
that Christ will be there!
00:29:50.23\00:29:54.81
Amen.
00:29:55.11\00:29:56.35
And His arms will be open.
00:29:57.43\00:29:59.34
And He's not going to
wash your face with your sins.
00:30:00.40\00:30:03.43
He's going to
free you from them.
00:30:03.63\00:30:06.12
The covenant affirms that
whatever hole you fall into
00:30:09.08\00:30:14.83
or crawl into, if
you've got enough sense to call
00:30:15.03\00:30:19.23
He's got enough
love to answer. Amen!
00:30:19.53\00:30:23.63
So you can't run too
far, you can't run too fast...
00:30:23.96\00:30:26.16
you cannot outrun God's love.
00:30:26.36\00:30:28.81
Now before we get into
the sermon... and by the way,
00:30:32.21\00:30:34.26
this is not the sermon.
This is just ecclesiological
00:30:34.36\00:30:36.56
or benedictive.
00:30:36.67\00:30:37.78
I'm gettin' ready
to get into the sermon.
00:30:39.77\00:30:40.93
This ain't it.
00:30:41.03\00:30:42.51
This is just... this
is just... this is just
00:30:43.01\00:30:46.48
sneezing. I'm sneezing in
your face trying to infect you.
00:30:46.98\00:30:52.50
And I know you're supposed
to cover when you sneeze
00:30:53.80\00:30:55.96
but I don't want to cover 'cause
I want you to be infected.
00:30:56.16\00:30:58.66
I want you to catch the virus.
00:31:00.05\00:31:01.96
So before we go into the sermon
I want to give you what I call
00:31:03.31\00:31:07.58
"the cookies and
milk of the covenant. "
00:31:07.78\00:31:09.79
You ready for
some cookies and milk?
00:31:10.19\00:31:12.12
Soymilk.
00:31:13.06\00:31:14.49
Here then are the cookies
and milk of the covenant.
00:31:20.61\00:31:22.78
The salas used to call
this this donum super adetum.
00:31:22.98\00:31:26.78
That's Latin
for somethin' extra.
00:31:28.11\00:31:30.27
Matthew chapter 10 verse 7.
00:31:32.40\00:31:34.33
Little cookies and milk.
00:31:37.04\00:31:38.43
Jesus said - words in red -
00:31:39.75\00:31:42.73
He told the disciples to
preach that the kingdom of God
00:31:43.13\00:31:47.41
is at hand.
00:31:47.61\00:31:49.49
Not only is that covenant;
that's cookies and milk.
00:31:49.69\00:31:52.14
Now it has several applications.
00:31:53.21\00:31:55.39
One of them is the fulfilling
of a prophecy that Christ
00:31:55.79\00:31:59.00
spoke or alluded to in
Matthew chapter 4 verse 17
00:31:59.20\00:32:01.95
dealing with the law and the
prophets. And David dealt with
00:32:02.15\00:32:05.09
that a little bit this morning.
00:32:05.19\00:32:06.38
But Christ was also
trying to tell the disciples
00:32:07.63\00:32:11.93
to tell the people... In fact,
let me turn to that quickly.
00:32:12.03\00:32:15.30
Matthew 10... because there's
something right on the back side
00:32:15.60\00:32:17.62
of that that I want you to see.
00:32:17.72\00:32:19.17
Matthew chapter 10 verse 7.
00:32:19.47\00:32:20.98
He says: "Tell the people
the kingdom of God is at hand. "
00:32:21.28\00:32:23.39
What He is saying among other
things is that "on your way
00:32:24.19\00:32:29.45
to glorification, on
your way to pie in the sky
00:32:29.65\00:32:34.47
by and by, God's got a little
something for you in the here
00:32:34.67\00:32:40.27
and now. " PLEASE say "Amen. "
00:32:40.47\00:32:43.77
Amen! Now let me tell you
what you just said amen to.
00:32:43.97\00:32:48.56
On your way to
"at-one-ment with God"
00:32:51.63\00:32:56.01
to atonement
00:32:56.22\00:32:58.22
while you're walking
this Christian journey
00:32:58.42\00:33:01.78
while you are waiting
for and working towards
00:33:02.18\00:33:05.70
glorification, you're
going to get a little adoration,
00:33:05.90\00:33:09.59
a little exaltation,
and a little jubilation
00:33:09.79\00:33:12.74
in the here and now.
00:33:12.94\00:33:14.81
Amen? Look at it in
the very next verse.
00:33:15.11\00:33:17.90
You were in Matthew
10:7... look at verse 8.
00:33:18.10\00:33:21.73
"Heal the sick,
cleanse the leper,
00:33:22.84\00:33:25.88
raise the dead, cast out demons,
00:33:26.28\00:33:29.47
freely you have received
freely... " What? "give. "
00:33:29.67\00:33:33.42
Now that's covenant language.
00:33:33.55\00:33:35.15
When are those
things going to happen?
00:33:35.35\00:33:36.98
Now! Amen? Amen.
00:33:38.28\00:33:41.05
So God is saying: "When you
come into covenant relationship
00:33:41.15\00:33:44.96
with Jesus, not only do you
have the promise of a perfect
00:33:45.06\00:33:49.74
future, God is going to
give you some cookies and milk
00:33:50.05\00:33:55.17
here and now. "
00:33:55.58\00:33:58.78
Amen. Amen.
00:33:59.28\00:34:01.11
Now, the sun shines on
the just and the unjust
00:34:02.09\00:34:06.36
as does the rain.
But I contend that
00:34:06.46\00:34:10.65
having cancer with Jesus
00:34:11.92\00:34:16.34
is qualitatively better
00:34:17.61\00:34:20.83
than having cancer
without Jesus. Amen.
00:34:22.14\00:34:27.66
Um-hmmm.
00:34:29.25\00:34:30.54
Getting fired from
your job with Jesus
00:34:31.68\00:34:36.59
is better than
getting fired from your job
00:34:37.61\00:34:42.10
without Jesus. Amen.
00:34:42.20\00:34:45.65
Christians get cancer.
00:34:49.21\00:34:52.34
Christians get fired.
00:34:55.91\00:34:58.68
Christians get sick.
00:34:59.48\00:35:02.41
In point of fact, most
of the things that happen
00:35:02.72\00:35:06.63
to people who are non-Christians
00:35:06.83\00:35:08.81
happen to Christians.
00:35:09.11\00:35:11.20
Being in Christ does not
insulate you from the things
00:35:11.70\00:35:14.76
that happen in
the world. Amen? Amen.
00:35:14.87\00:35:17.77
You get sick, you get
fired, you get flat tires.
00:35:17.91\00:35:21.21
People cut you
off on the freeway.
00:35:21.61\00:35:24.30
People say stupid stuff to you.
00:35:24.70\00:35:27.43
You get all that stuff...
00:35:29.92\00:35:32.37
but you also get company
00:35:32.87\00:35:36.33
so you don't go
through them alone.
00:35:38.53\00:35:40.54
You've got
somebody on your side.
00:35:41.59\00:35:44.93
That's why when you get Jesus
00:35:48.06\00:35:52.00
you get joy.
00:35:52.30\00:35:54.76
Amen? Amen. You get
a taste of paradise.
00:35:55.06\00:35:58.32
You get people who
believe like you believe
00:35:58.62\00:36:01.14
so that even when
you get in trouble
00:36:01.64\00:36:03.79
you've got somebody
by your side. You see,
00:36:03.99\00:36:06.05
kingdom living, covenant
living, living in the covenant,
00:36:06.25\00:36:09.42
living in the kingdom...
life ought to be so lived...
00:36:09.62\00:36:12.30
it ought to be so lived
that those outside the kingdom
00:36:12.51\00:36:15.56
who are looking on at
your life ought to be...
00:36:15.96\00:36:18.73
ought to be so envious of
what is going on in your life
00:36:18.93\00:36:22.71
that they say to
themselves: "I've got to get me
00:36:22.91\00:36:24.83
some of that. "
00:36:24.93\00:36:26.05
Paul calls it
"provoking them to jealousy. "
00:36:27.90\00:36:31.09
So when person A
gets fired without Jesus
00:36:32.01\00:36:36.14
and person B
gets fired with Jesus
00:36:36.34\00:36:38.59
A ought to look at B and say
00:36:38.79\00:36:40.87
"I don't know what you've got
00:36:41.07\00:36:42.92
but I want some of that! " Amen.
00:36:43.12\00:36:46.42
That's kingdom living.
00:36:49.58\00:36:51.26
That's covenant living.
00:36:51.56\00:36:53.42
That's Christ saying:
"Hey, the kingdom of God
00:36:53.72\00:36:58.14
is here and now. "
00:36:58.35\00:37:01.59
It's cookies and milk on
the way to glorification. Amen?
00:37:02.76\00:37:07.52
When you make your
entrance into the kingdom
00:37:09.49\00:37:12.30
it brings joy, doesn't it?
00:37:12.50\00:37:15.25
Now listen, we tend
to say parenthetically
00:37:15.48\00:37:17.82
"Christians ought to be the
happiest people in the world. "
00:37:18.12\00:37:20.24
Here's the truth
about that statement:
00:37:21.22\00:37:22.84
sounds good... ain't true.
00:37:23.04\00:37:24.63
Nobody can be
happy all the time.
00:37:25.93\00:37:28.34
Nobody can be
happy all the time.
00:37:31.91\00:37:34.79
Some days you get up - you will
forgive my pejorative English -
00:37:36.70\00:37:41.08
that day you
ain't going to be happy.
00:37:41.28\00:37:43.32
Ever had days like that?
00:37:43.62\00:37:44.71
Today is not a happy day.
00:37:45.21\00:37:46.57
Ate something. Wife
kicked you in the night.
00:37:48.93\00:37:52.51
Fell out of bed.
00:37:53.62\00:37:55.08
You ain't going to be happy.
00:37:56.26\00:37:58.03
But even on the days
when you aren't happy
00:37:58.23\00:38:00.75
you can have joy because
joy supersedes happiness.
00:38:00.95\00:38:04.25
The Bible doesn't say: "in
His presence is the fullness of
00:38:04.55\00:38:06.37
happy. " There's
fullness of? Joy.
00:38:06.47\00:38:10.40
Because you can have joy
even when you're not happy.
00:38:10.60\00:38:12.79
When you are living in
covenant relationship with God
00:38:12.89\00:38:15.91
even in the worst of times
00:38:16.11\00:38:18.14
you can be... you can have joy
00:38:18.34\00:38:20.40
because joy comes when
you enter into the kingdom
00:38:22.38\00:38:26.92
and when you come into the
covenant relationship with God.
00:38:27.62\00:38:30.39
Now nobody's happy all the
time. Do you run around grinning
00:38:31.45\00:38:33.34
all the time? Folks think
you've got a mental problem.
00:38:33.44\00:38:35.56
But you can have joy
00:38:39.32\00:38:41.30
even when
you're not happy. Amen?
00:38:41.60\00:38:44.16
Now let me embarrass us.
00:38:44.46\00:38:46.13
We all know
Mollie's battling stuff.
00:38:46.43\00:38:49.09
And one of the things she told
us when she came back to work
00:38:50.53\00:38:56.33
was... Mollie said: "Listen. "
00:38:56.53\00:38:59.77
I was in the office.
I think Danny was there.
00:38:59.97\00:39:01.50
Jim, some other people.
00:39:01.70\00:39:02.88
She said: "Listen,
every time you see me
00:39:03.08\00:39:05.88
do not ask me
'How you feeling? '
00:39:06.08\00:39:09.22
I don't want that. Every
time 'How you feeling? ' "
00:39:12.38\00:39:15.27
She said: "I don't plan on
living my life like that. "
00:39:17.73\00:39:20.97
Amen. Amen.
00:39:21.28\00:39:23.32
"I'm not going to be a victim so
don't come 'How you feeling? '
00:39:23.62\00:39:28.01
because that's not
who I am so don't do that.
00:39:30.08\00:39:33.85
I've got good doctors.
I've got a loving husband.
00:39:34.05\00:39:36.51
I've got exercise and
diet and I've got God! "
00:39:36.71\00:39:40.44
Amen.
00:39:40.75\00:39:41.95
So I never ask
her how she's feeling.
00:39:44.16\00:39:45.76
I say: "How you doing? "
00:39:47.01\00:39:48.38
But you get my point.
00:39:53.51\00:39:56.18
This week I got some bad news.
00:39:57.32\00:39:59.26
I got two sets of
bad news in the same day.
00:40:00.61\00:40:04.38
Have you ever had
days you're sailing along,
00:40:04.68\00:40:06.26
life is going along fine,
00:40:06.36\00:40:07.68
you're sailing along and all
of a sudden life comes and just
00:40:07.88\00:40:09.80
kicks you in the stomach?
00:40:09.90\00:40:10.94
Ever have a day like that?
00:40:11.24\00:40:12.69
I got that this week.
00:40:13.09\00:40:14.64
Sailing along and all
of a sudden somebody came
00:40:15.75\00:40:20.49
and told me something that
I just was not prepared for.
00:40:20.69\00:40:23.03
It's like the devil
just sucker punched me.
00:40:23.23\00:40:24.78
I just... I
wasn't ready for that.
00:40:24.88\00:40:27.01
And it just...
I had to sit down.
00:40:27.21\00:40:29.61
I... you've got to... what?
00:40:29.81\00:40:33.64
I couldn't believe it.
00:40:38.09\00:40:40.32
And then right after
that I got some more bad news.
00:40:42.69\00:40:45.34
Totally unexpected.
00:40:49.96\00:40:51.67
You know, you get that kind that
kind of rocks you back on your
00:40:51.97\00:40:56.18
heels because it seems
to come out of nowhere.
00:40:56.38\00:41:00.27
And things you count
on and people you count on
00:41:00.77\00:41:03.19
and stuff that you expect
to happen just falls apart.
00:41:03.39\00:41:06.29
And you want to say: "Lord,
what in the world is going on? "
00:41:06.49\00:41:10.78
But you know what?
00:41:13.77\00:41:15.31
Here I stand.
00:41:19.31\00:41:21.96
Nothing's changed.
00:41:25.57\00:41:28.35
God is still on
the throne. Amen.
00:41:28.65\00:41:31.52
Nothing's changed.
00:41:31.96\00:41:33.83
That's what happens
00:41:35.38\00:41:38.57
when you live in
kingdom/covenant reality.
00:41:38.87\00:41:42.64
You know, when I preach I...
not always but many times...
00:41:48.24\00:41:53.09
I in my mind's eye picture
that Christ is standing right
00:41:53.29\00:41:57.86
by me. And in my mind
He's always one step over
00:41:58.06\00:42:01.96
and one step back.
Just a little visual game
00:42:02.16\00:42:06.77
I have with myself.
Christ is always by my side.
00:42:06.97\00:42:08.83
And so I see Him here.
00:42:08.93\00:42:10.46
Tall... good looking.
00:42:13.00\00:42:16.34
He doesn't have that permed
hair I see in the pictures.
00:42:18.61\00:42:20.80
His hair is combed straight.
00:42:21.00\00:42:22.25
Flawless figure...
except for the nails,
00:42:24.53\00:42:29.09
hands and feet.
00:42:31.84\00:42:33.54
And I visualize that.
00:42:34.14\00:42:36.84
And don't pity Him
because of the nails
00:42:41.62\00:42:44.11
because He got
those volitionally.
00:42:47.16\00:42:50.58
He volunteered for those.
00:42:51.94\00:42:54.01
And the covenant says He
will keep those throughout
00:42:55.78\00:43:01.70
all eternity
because He loves us.
00:43:01.90\00:43:07.75
He loves you, and because
the eternal and everlasting
00:43:10.27\00:43:15.17
covenant said
that Christ would do
00:43:15.37\00:43:19.73
whatever was necessary
00:43:19.93\00:43:23.52
to win you back to the Father.
00:43:23.82\00:43:27.28
Such is the
seriousness of the covenant.
00:43:27.78\00:43:33.57
One of the few
Spanish terms I've learned is
00:43:34.99\00:43:37.20
asunto serio.
00:43:37.40\00:43:38.95
Serious business.
00:43:39.26\00:43:41.09
The covenant is
serious business.
00:43:43.43\00:43:46.28
Now my time is fast slipping
away. I've got a bunch of things
00:43:46.58\00:43:48.81
to talk about. We've
got to move kind of fast.
00:43:48.91\00:43:50.16
Going back to Genesis/Joshua.
00:43:50.36\00:43:52.15
In looking at this
Genesis/Joshua relationship
00:43:52.36\00:43:55.04
I'll try to tie
all this together.
00:43:55.14\00:43:56.43
Particularly as we look
at the children of Israel's
00:43:56.63\00:44:00.04
trek through the wilderness.
00:44:00.34\00:44:02.16
Ellen White says this. She says
00:44:03.10\00:44:05.00
we ought to study their
Egypt-to-Canaan experience
00:44:05.20\00:44:08.73
because we are
paralleling their experience
00:44:08.93\00:44:13.09
in many many ways. As
we go from earth to heaven
00:44:13.39\00:44:17.04
there are striking parallels
in their trek from Egypt
00:44:17.24\00:44:21.41
to Canaan. She also says
00:44:21.61\00:44:23.27
that we ought to
spend a lot of time
00:44:23.57\00:44:27.52
in the book -
interestingly enough -
00:44:27.72\00:44:29.57
of Deuteronomy.
00:44:29.67\00:44:31.11
Here's a quote.
Ellen White says:
00:44:31.41\00:44:32.93
"The principles set
forth in Deuteronomy
00:44:33.13\00:44:35.03
for the instruction of Israel
00:44:35.23\00:44:38.04
are to be followed by God's
people to the end of time. "
00:44:38.24\00:44:42.18
So she says you need to study
what happened to God's people
00:44:42.58\00:44:45.55
from Egypt to Canaan because
as we move from earth to glory
00:44:45.76\00:44:49.05
we're making the same mistakes,
falling into the same traps,
00:44:49.25\00:44:51.74
having the same problems.
We need to look at their
00:44:51.94\00:44:53.91
mistakes and learn from them.
00:44:54.01\00:44:56.55
True prosperity - not wealth
- is dependent upon a continuing
00:45:01.48\00:45:07.40
covenant relationship
with God ladies and gentlemen.
00:45:07.50\00:45:10.70
Deuteronomy, then, is
prep school for those of us
00:45:12.72\00:45:15.66
who would be heirs
to the Promised Land.
00:45:15.87\00:45:17.80
Three things are stressed
in the book of Deuteronomy
00:45:19.03\00:45:21.55
that we need to
take care of tonight.
00:45:21.65\00:45:23.01
Number one: know your religion.
00:45:23.21\00:45:27.21
Know what you believe.
00:45:30.20\00:45:32.12
By knowing it I mean
be able to defend it.
00:45:32.62\00:45:37.37
Know your faith
00:45:40.34\00:45:42.15
because there will come
a time when you may have to
00:45:42.45\00:45:45.37
defend it. So just don't go to
church and listen to a preacher
00:45:45.47\00:45:49.12
preach. Know your
faith for yourself.
00:45:49.22\00:45:51.61
That's stressed in Deuteronomy.
00:45:51.71\00:45:53.02
Number two:
practice what you preach.
00:45:53.32\00:45:56.85
Amen.
00:45:57.15\00:45:58.62
Practice what you preach.
00:46:00.59\00:46:03.11
Don't just preach it... live it.
00:46:03.41\00:46:07.01
Amen. Amen.
00:46:07.31\00:46:09.12
Number three: watch
out who you hang out with.
00:46:09.43\00:46:15.03
Now I'm not saying don't go to
people who don't know the Lord
00:46:18.06\00:46:21.12
because that's how you witness.
00:46:21.32\00:46:22.67
I'm talking about
people you hang out with.
00:46:22.97\00:46:26.73
Watch your company.
00:46:28.56\00:46:30.20
If that was ever
true, it is surely true now
00:46:30.70\00:46:33.65
in these last
days. Know your stuff.
00:46:33.86\00:46:35.89
Don't just say it... do it.
00:46:37.80\00:46:39.78
Spend most of your time
with people who are traveling
00:46:40.90\00:46:43.20
in the same direction as you.
00:46:43.40\00:46:44.80
That's Deuteronomy.
00:46:45.20\00:46:46.81
Here's a quote from Ellen White:
00:46:47.90\00:46:49.49
"Especially today while
earth's history is closing
00:46:49.59\00:46:53.19
the Lord
requires of His children
00:46:53.39\00:46:56.77
a vigilance that
knows no relaxation. "
00:46:56.97\00:47:00.59
The price of being a
Seventh-day Adventist
00:47:00.99\00:47:04.10
is vigilance.
00:47:04.30\00:47:05.90
Keeping your eyes open.
00:47:06.20\00:47:09.79
No naps; no vacations.
00:47:10.29\00:47:13.77
Let us then reaffirm the truth
that wandering in the wilderness
00:47:14.27\00:47:18.93
for 40 years was
never God's plan.
00:47:19.13\00:47:21.79
You listening to me?
00:47:22.09\00:47:23.12
The Bible says -
Deuteronomy 6:23-
00:47:23.40\00:47:25.67
"He brought them out
that He would take them in. "
00:47:25.87\00:47:28.66
He brought them out
that He should take them in.
00:47:28.86\00:47:30.49
He brought them out
that He should take them in.
00:47:30.69\00:47:32.79
God brought you out of
the world with the intention
00:47:33.00\00:47:34.89
of taking you into the
kingdom, not having you wander
00:47:35.09\00:47:37.70
around 3ABN Camp Meeting
for the rest of your life.
00:47:37.90\00:47:39.84
He called us out of the
world that we might go in
00:47:43.02\00:47:46.57
through covenant
relationship with Him.
00:47:46.77\00:47:48.91
That includes: a new
birth, a new life, new joy,
00:47:48.94\00:47:51.75
new desires, new
friends, new family,
00:47:51.95\00:47:53.72
new tastes, new
habits, new pursuits.
00:47:53.82\00:47:55.63
A new name, a new occupation,
00:47:55.83\00:47:57.48
and a new destiny.
00:47:57.68\00:48:00.12
"That where I am
there ye may be also. "
00:48:01.75\00:48:06.10
And the clock is
becoming my enemy.
00:48:06.20\00:48:08.24
God's desire for
humanity has never changed.
00:48:08.54\00:48:12.05
Jeremiah 21:11.
00:48:12.45\00:48:14.36
The same song Danny
talks about: I Know The Plans.
00:48:14.56\00:48:18.32
John 17:11 Jesus said:
'I'm praying for the ones
00:48:20.68\00:48:24.14
that You game Me
that we all may be one. "
00:48:24.24\00:48:29.60
So if you're wandering or
drifting in the wilderness,
00:48:32.08\00:48:34.33
if you cannot seem to find
your way, not only are you not
00:48:34.73\00:48:38.12
where God wants you to be
00:48:38.32\00:48:40.25
you may not be who
God wants you to be.
00:48:40.45\00:48:45.44
You've got a heritage;
you've got an inheritance.
00:48:50.44\00:48:54.18
Go and get it.
00:48:54.48\00:48:57.11
Now I don't have time
to read Romans 8:16-17
00:48:59.04\00:49:02.09
or Galatians 3:26-29
00:49:02.30\00:49:04.60
because it says that we
are "heirs to the promise. "
00:49:04.80\00:49:07.40
What is so arresting
about this Genesis connection
00:49:08.91\00:49:12.65
are the
signatures of the covenant.
00:49:13.79\00:49:15.76
And I'm not going to
have time to go through it.
00:49:15.96\00:49:17.36
Let me jump to something else.
00:49:17.46\00:49:18.58
I feel like David.
I need like 5 hours.
00:49:19.08\00:49:21.56
Ellen White makes two
very, very important statements
00:49:23.96\00:49:27.41
and I've got to get
to them before we close.
00:49:27.71\00:49:29.64
Here's the first one
00:49:29.94\00:49:31.39
dealing with covenant
relationship and kingdom living.
00:49:31.69\00:49:35.06
Here's the first
statement. She says:
00:49:35.26\00:49:36.80
"Our Christian lives
00:49:37.20\00:49:39.60
should not be a
ceaseless round of sinning
00:49:39.80\00:49:43.69
and repenting. " I
want you to hold onto that.
00:49:43.89\00:49:46.88
How many have ever
sinned and repented?
00:49:47.18\00:49:49.11
How many have
done it more than once?
00:49:51.02\00:49:52.46
How many have
done it a lot of times?
00:49:54.30\00:49:55.84
OK. That's all right.
00:49:57.18\00:49:59.55
Ellen White says: "Sinning
and repenting ought not to
00:49:59.85\00:50:03.61
characterize your
Christian relationship. "
00:50:03.81\00:50:08.97
If you sin, you need to repent.
00:50:09.28\00:50:13.51
Amen. Amen.
00:50:13.81\00:50:15.86
But sinning and
repenting ought not be
00:50:16.10\00:50:18.82
the sum and substance,
the center and circumference
00:50:19.02\00:50:22.28
of your relationship with God.
00:50:22.49\00:50:24.20
That's yo-yo religion.
00:50:24.40\00:50:26.75
That's not kingdom
or covenant religion.
00:50:26.85\00:50:29.70
Sinning and repenting is
Satan's ersatz substitute
00:50:29.90\00:50:34.02
for victorious Christian living.
00:50:34.22\00:50:35.70
You've got some people
whose lives are nothing but
00:50:36.11\00:50:38.20
sinning and repenting,
sinning and repenting,
00:50:38.30\00:50:39.56
sinning and repenting,
sinning and repenting.
00:50:39.76\00:50:41.09
That's not
victorious Christian living.
00:50:42.18\00:50:44.28
Some people actually define
their relationship with God
00:50:45.30\00:50:47.80
by sinning and repenting.
00:50:48.00\00:50:49.37
It marks their days,
it marks their nights,
00:50:51.05\00:50:52.77
it marks their Sabbath, it
marks all their relationships.
00:50:52.87\00:50:54.96
It marks their view of God
and His ability or inability
00:50:55.16\00:50:58.94
to save. Sinning and repenting
and sinning and repenting.
00:50:59.14\00:51:01.48
It turns heaven
into a cruel joke
00:51:01.68\00:51:04.63
and salvation into a
figment of our imagination.
00:51:05.66\00:51:09.48
Sinning and repenting,
sinning and repenting,
00:51:09.81\00:51:11.29
sinning and
repenting. God's people Israel
00:51:11.50\00:51:14.07
practiced that for 1000+ years
00:51:14.47\00:51:18.48
and in the end it destroyed them
00:51:19.61\00:51:21.57
because sinning and repenting,
sinning and repenting,
00:51:22.61\00:51:24.59
sinning and repenting
denies sanctification.
00:51:24.79\00:51:28.19
It denies
victorious Christian living.
00:51:30.18\00:51:33.53
It denies what is at the
essence of covenant living
00:51:33.83\00:51:37.64
and reality. It
says: "I cannot overcome. "
00:51:37.84\00:51:42.81
It says that our flesh
is stronger than His Spirit.
00:51:44.98\00:51:48.62
It says that I John
1:9 is only a half truth.
00:51:49.81\00:51:54.63
"When I confess my
sins He is faithful and just
00:51:56.01\00:51:59.45
to forgive but
He cannot cleanse. "
00:51:59.65\00:52:02.58
Ladies and gentlemen, any
sin that you are forgiven for
00:52:04.92\00:52:08.90
but not cleansed from
00:52:09.20\00:52:10.99
you are destined to repeat.
00:52:11.30\00:52:13.66
"Oh, I forgive you. but
you're going to do it again. "
00:52:18.73\00:52:21.54
You've got to
have the whole package.
00:52:22.95\00:52:24.69
I need to be
forgiven for and cleansed from
00:52:24.89\00:52:28.05
because if I am not cleansed
from, it will destroy me
00:52:29.88\00:52:32.27
and separate me from God.
00:52:32.47\00:52:34.62
You see, John
chapter 1 verse 12 says:
00:52:36.02\00:52:39.83
"To as many as received
Him to them gave He the right,
00:52:40.03\00:52:43.89
the authority, the
power to say 'No! '
00:52:44.09\00:52:47.47
to Satan and to
becomes a son of God. "
00:52:50.09\00:52:53.76
That's
victorious Christian living.
00:52:54.26\00:52:57.35
That's the power
of kingdom living
00:52:57.85\00:52:59.92
and covenant relationship.
00:53:00.12\00:53:02.28
Romans chapter 6 tackles
the idea of being dead to sin
00:53:02.68\00:53:05.68
and alive to righteousness.
00:53:05.88\00:53:07.16
If you're dead to
sin, you can't live in sin.
00:53:07.36\00:53:11.10
And let me say
this parenthetically.
00:53:11.98\00:53:13.75
Any relationship -
family, friends, husband, wife,
00:53:13.95\00:53:18.20
boyfriend, girlfriend,
business associate relationship,
00:53:18.40\00:53:21.39
anything that is turning
you into a spiritual yo-yo
00:53:21.53\00:53:25.34
you need to fix it or end it.
00:53:25.54\00:53:28.85
If the God you are serving
can't keep you, then may I
00:53:31.09\00:53:35.31
suggest you try mine.
00:53:35.41\00:53:37.15
"For He is able to
keep you from falling
00:53:39.09\00:53:41.07
and to present you
faultless before His presence
00:53:41.58\00:53:44.37
with exceeding joy. "
The New King James says
00:53:44.57\00:53:46.94
"keep you from stumbling. "
00:53:47.14\00:53:49.17
The Moffatt's translation
says "keep you from slipping. "
00:53:49.47\00:53:52.54
The AHB translation says,
Danny, "keep you from tripping
00:53:53.04\00:53:57.00
and to present you faultless. "
00:53:59.63\00:54:01.52
Our Christian
journey, number two.
00:54:04.27\00:54:06.37
Ellen White says this:
00:54:07.50\00:54:09.40
"Our Christian journey
should not be a pilgrimage
00:54:09.90\00:54:13.63
of sighs. "
00:54:13.83\00:54:15.17
Not size. S-I-G-H-S.
00:54:15.67\00:54:21.49
Your Christian journey
00:54:21.99\00:54:24.69
ought not be a
pilgrimage of sighs.
00:54:24.89\00:54:28.34
"How're you doin? "
00:54:29.90\00:54:31.68
"Ahhhh. "
00:54:32.88\00:54:35.65
"Isn't God good? "
00:54:37.28\00:54:39.94
"Ahhhh. "
00:54:42.07\00:54:44.91
Ellen White says that
in Christ Object Lessons.
00:54:45.21\00:54:47.14
"Your Christian journey ought
not be a pilgrimage of sighs. "
00:54:47.34\00:54:50.21
There ought to be
some joy in your life.
00:54:51.23\00:54:55.39
Ought to be some
happiness in your life.
00:54:55.62\00:54:58.27
Ought to be some
"Praise God" in your life.
00:54:58.58\00:55:00.91
It ought not be
a joyless existence
00:55:01.21\00:55:03.76
because with all of the stuff
you've got as a child of God
00:55:04.06\00:55:09.00
you've got Jesus.
00:55:09.20\00:55:12.14
And so if your life is a
joyless Christian existence...
00:55:15.63\00:55:20.44
Someone actually came to
me some time ago and said:
00:55:20.64\00:55:22.16
"You know what? I
just don't feel Jesus.
00:55:22.36\00:55:24.06
I don't... I don't
feel happy in Jesus.
00:55:24.09\00:55:26.03
I just don't feel a... I
don't... I don't feel it.
00:55:26.23\00:55:29.45
I just... I hear people
praising God and I just...
00:55:29.55\00:55:32.14
I come to church
and I hear the sermons
00:55:32.27\00:55:33.62
but I just... I just...
There's something wrong.
00:55:33.82\00:55:35.61
There's some disconnect.
00:55:35.82\00:55:37.38
I just don't feel it. "
00:55:40.13\00:55:41.41
May I suggest
humbly and respectfully
00:55:41.71\00:55:44.73
that if that is
part of your experience
00:55:45.13\00:55:47.95
the wrong person is seated
on the throne of your life.
00:55:48.35\00:55:51.87
You need to get off the
chair and let Jesus get on.
00:55:53.80\00:55:58.29
Get out of the driver's seat;
slide to the passenger seat;
00:55:59.76\00:56:03.78
and let Jesus take the wheel.
00:56:04.19\00:56:05.79
Amen.
00:56:06.09\00:56:07.40
Um-hmmm.
00:56:08.57\00:56:09.92
Here's what happens when you
put Jesus in the driver's seat.
00:56:10.42\00:56:13.36
Psalm chapter 16 verse 11.
00:56:14.77\00:56:16.62
"You will show
me the path of life
00:56:17.02\00:56:19.01
and in Your presence
is fullness of joy... "
00:56:19.31\00:56:25.17
Amen? Amen.
00:56:25.67\00:56:27.47
"and pleasures forever more. "
00:56:27.50\00:56:28.56
So number one: no up and down.
00:56:28.66\00:56:30.79
Number two: when
you get up stay up
00:56:30.99\00:56:33.36
and let God give you joy.
00:56:33.56\00:56:36.01
And I maintain again
that as long as you have Jesus
00:56:37.18\00:56:40.01
you have joy.
00:56:40.41\00:56:42.09
That is the truth
about covenant living
00:56:42.49\00:56:47.25
and kingdom reality.
00:56:47.45\00:56:49.74
God has sold out for you
00:56:50.81\00:56:55.05
and you will never be happy,
you will never be content,
00:56:56.13\00:56:59.61
you will never have
the true joy of Jesus
00:56:59.91\00:57:03.62
until you sell out for Him.
00:57:04.02\00:57:08.99