Welcome to Anchors Of Truth
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live from the
3ABN Worship Center.
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Hello and welcome.
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This is another segment of
this series, Anchors Of Truth.
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And in this week you are
hearing about, The Danger Zone.
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And the first message
was, The Danger of Neglect.
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The second, The
Danger of Unbelief.
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Tonight, The
Danger of Not Maturing.
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The Danger of Not Maturing.
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The speaker is one that is
well known to our 3ABN viewers.
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But perhaps those of you at
home, maybe it's the first time
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you hear Pastor John Lomacang.
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And I will tell you, this is
a person that, had not the Lord
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said, "John
Lomacang, this is the way.
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Walk ye in it," tonight
he would be in another place
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perhaps not in
the ways of the Lord.
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But the Lord rescued him.
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And as it was in the
days of the disciples,
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said to him something similar,
"Come and I will make you
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a fisher of men."
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And he gave his
heart to the Lord,
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and he's been
preaching the gospel.
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Not only by
preaching, but also singing.
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So he preaches in
different ways; living his life,
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singing, and also preaching.
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And so the Lord
has selected him.
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He has prayed
much, studied much.
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And he's about to come out soon
so that the Lord will use him
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to bring His
message to the world,
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to Three Angels
Broadcasting Network.
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And people watch
us in different way.
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And local TV channel.
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If you're watching
and you're blessed,
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please tell us how you
are watching the program,
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and what channel it is;
if it's a local channel,
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if it's a cable channel.
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We want to know that you
are blessed by these programs.
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And we want to encourage
the speakers that come on 3ABN.
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And we want to know if the
message helped you in some way
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so that we may continue
to do this for the honor
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and glory of God's name, and to
continue to bless God's children
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all over the world.
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Again the message is,
The Danger of Not Maturing.
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Before we continue, we'd
like to invite you to pray.
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Those of you at home, those
of you that may be in prison
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or in a hospital, we
invite you to pray with us.
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After the prayer, we are going
to have our musical offering
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by sister Celestine Berry.
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A song that
communicates a message,
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People Need The Lord.
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Before that we're going to
pray, so we ask everyone here
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to please stand.
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So together let us
approach God's throne of grace.
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Our loving heavenly
Father, we thank You so much
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for all You do for us.
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And now, Lord,
You have called us.
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Called us to
listen to this message.
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We pray, Lord, that You
will speak to us from Your
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throne of grace through Your
servant, Pastor John Lomacang.
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We pray that once
again You will bless him
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and fill him
with the Holy Spirit.
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Speak to our hearts,
help us to understand
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this message that
could be a warning for us.
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We ask You, Father, to
bless everyone that is here
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and everyone that
watches all over the world.
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We ask You for these things
in Jesus' holy and blessed name.
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Amen, amen.
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You may be seated.
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We leave you with
sister Celestine Berry.
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And right after that we
will hear the preaching of
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God's Word in the voice
of Pastor John Lomacang.
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May God bless you.
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Every day they pass me by,
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I can see it in their eyes;
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empty people filled with care,
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headed who knows where.
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On they go through private pain,
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living fear to fear;
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Laughter hides
their silent cries,
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only Jesus hears.
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People need the Lord,
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people need the Lord.
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At the end of broken dreams,
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He's the open door.
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People need the Lord,
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people need the Lord.
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When will we realize
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people need the Lord?
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We are called to take His light
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to a world where
wrong seems right.
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What could be too great a cost
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for sharing life
with one who's lost?
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Through His love
our hearts can feel
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all the grief they bear.
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We must hear the words of life
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only we can share.
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People need the Lord,
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people need the Lord.
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At the end of broken dreams,
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He's the open door.
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People need the Lord,
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people need the Lord.
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When will we realize
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that we must gives our lives.
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For people need the Lord.
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People need the Lord.
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Thank you, Celestine.
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Amen?
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As someone said earlier,
she's not just my secretary
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but she's also a singer.
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And I said, I get two
things for the price of one.
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But thank the Lord
for that message tonight.
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Normally Mike would be
playing, Mike her husband.
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He's a wonderful musician.
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But he's a little
under the weather tonight,
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so do keep him in prayer.
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Working out in this warm hot
sticky southern Illinois weather
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can really take its toll on you.
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But thank you for that message.
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Because the sermon fits
along the lines of how much
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we all need the Lord.
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We started with
The Danger of Neglect,
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then The Danger of Unbelief.
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Tonight, The
Danger of Not Maturing.
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Let's go before the Lord
as we open the Word together.
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Father in heaven, tonight
is an opportunity once again
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for divinity to fill humanity.
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And I pray tonight, Lord,
that You will subdue my thoughts
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that they will be in
harmony with Your thoughts.
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That Your people will hear
the message that You intend.
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In Jesus' name, amen.
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The Danger of Not Maturing.
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There are two more topics;
The Danger of Drawing Back,
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and then finally
tomorrow afternoon,
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The Danger of Refusing God.
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As I pointed out briefly last
night, in the Christian life,
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if you begin at the end
of these topics and go in the
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opposite direction, you
begin to see what you need to do
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to get closer to the Lord.
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You reverse those things.
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You don't reject
God, you accept Him.
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You don't draw
back, you draw to Him.
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You strengthen your maturity.
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You strengthen your belief.
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And then you
choose not to neglect.
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And then you're
a strong Christian.
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But as we began with
neglect and unbelief,
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the very next stage after
unbelief is you fail to mature.
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Let me begin by sharing a story.
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Because the fact of the matter
is, everything created is either
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growing or dying.
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Whether animate or
inanimate, growth is essential
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to the existence
of everything alive.
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When I lived in California,
I remember that very well,
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we were living in Antioch,
California at the time and
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we had a wonderful kitchen.
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The kitchen sink was
where most wives would want it,
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right by a window and
she could look outside while
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washing the dishes.
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For some reason my wife wanted
that and the Lord blessed us
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with a home that had that.
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One day I was looking by the
sink where she kept her plants
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and I saw this small
little very thin green branch.
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It was just so
small I thought to myself,
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it really
wouldn't make any sense,
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she's got the whole large plant;
keep that, let's throw this out.
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And as I was walking
toward the garbage can
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and I leaned
forward, my wife said,
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"Don't you throw my plant out."
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And I said, "Honey,
this is not a plant.
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There's the plant right there.
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This is, I don't know what this
is, but this is not a plant."
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She said, "Yes, it is."
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Which says to me, we
may not at times look like
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there is any life in us,
but anything that God creates
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He inserts in that, life.
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What do you say?
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It doesn't look like it
all the time, but if you
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give it a chance
to grow, it will grow.
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So what happened, I have to
tell you the rest of the story,
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my wife took a little paper
cup and she put it on the sink.
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A little foam cup and
she put some water in there.
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Not enough to drown
it, put it on the sink.
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And every day I went to
the sink I looked at that cup
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with frustration and disgust.
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I thought, "This is ridiculous.
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She's got a big ole plant
and here she is with this little
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whatever it is."
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And a couple of days go
by, she'd pour the water out
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and put new water in.
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And would you know it,
after a few months that thing
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began sprouting.
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And a few months down the road
she was able to give someone
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a brand new plant
from that little tiny twig
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that I was about to throw away.
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I want to begin by
saying, we've got to be careful
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when we talk about maturing.
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Because some people
grow differently than we do,
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and we don't know where they
are in their stages of maturity.
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We may be a full grown plant
and they could be a fledgling
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looking like there
is no life in them.
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But if we connect
them to the source of life,
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they will grow.
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In the growth of the
Christian, there is no rest area
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in the stages of growth.
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We are either
growing or we're dying.
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There is no dismissal
from the process of growth.
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When you become a Christian,
either you're connected
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to Christ to continue
growing or you cease to grow.
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There's no such
thing as a stagnant stage.
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There is no neutral
lane where we wait to grow.
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We are either
growing or we are dying.
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Furthermore, it is not possible
to be a Christian and not grow.
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Your claim to Christianity
can only be verified
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by examining what grows.
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Now you think about that.
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If you look at the
church, people are growing.
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But where they are
growing is really the question.
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What they're growing
in is really the question.
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I've seen parents sometimes
in the store, and you know,
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I get frustrated
when I see children
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yelling at their parents.
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Because I know what
would happen if it were me.
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At least I knew what
happened when I was growing up.
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I couldn't point my
finger and yell at my parent
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without some kind of
immediate public result.
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Amen?
00:13:53.56\00:13:54.59
But there are children nowadays,
and I've heard parents say,
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"Oh, they'll grow out of it."
00:13:57.80\00:13:59.10
There's no such thing
as growing out of evil.
00:13:59.13\00:14:01.88
You've got to train up a
child in the way they should go.
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And when they are old,
after that whole lengthy process
00:14:06.29\00:14:09.59
of training, then
they won't depart from it.
00:14:09.62\00:14:11.72
But you don't naturally...
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There's no such thing as
a natural heart growing away
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from evil, which
is a natural tendency.
00:14:16.23\00:14:18.69
That's why how we grow can only
be verified by looking at the
00:14:19.54\00:14:23.41
source of someone's nourishment.
00:14:23.44\00:14:25.42
I mean, consider
the analogy further.
00:14:25.45\00:14:27.34
Look at Matthew
chapter 7 verses 16 to 18.
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And for those of you tuning in,
it's going to be on the screen.
00:14:30.34\00:14:32.59
The Bible says...
00:14:32.94\00:14:34.13
Well the answer is naturally no.
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And this is the law of growth.
00:14:57.31\00:14:58.63
This is an amazing concept.
00:15:07.42\00:15:08.84
Years ago when I was
reading a book called,
00:15:08.87\00:15:10.59
The Life Of Victory, the author
by the name of Meade MacGuire,
00:15:10.62\00:15:14.50
a post nineteenth century writer
just at the turn of the century,
00:15:14.53\00:15:17.57
he said, "We are either
growing or we're dying."
00:15:17.60\00:15:20.66
There is no such thing as
being connected to a good source
00:15:20.69\00:15:24.67
producing bad fruit or
being connected to a bad source
00:15:24.70\00:15:28.48
producing good fruit.
00:15:28.51\00:15:30.26
You've heard the
phrase, "One bad apple...
00:15:30.29\00:15:32.60
...spoils the whole bunch."
00:15:33.87\00:15:37.25
If you don't get
rid of that bad apple,
00:15:37.28\00:15:38.69
it's just a matter of
time and it's going to spoil
00:15:38.72\00:15:40.29
all the fruit
that are around it.
00:15:40.32\00:15:42.37
Including oranges if
they're in proximity.
00:15:42.40\00:15:45.09
There's no such thing as a
bad tree producing good fruit.
00:15:45.41\00:15:49.27
There's no such thing,
think about this, as a stagnant
00:15:49.76\00:15:53.19
Christian connection.
00:15:53.22\00:15:54.75
If we are stagnant, the
reason is we are disconnected.
00:15:55.68\00:15:59.64
Because any connection
to Christ produces growth.
00:16:00.12\00:16:03.72
And I suggest any connection
to Christ produces good growth.
00:16:03.75\00:16:08.35
Look at John chapter 15.
00:16:08.84\00:16:10.46
John chapter 15 verses 4 and 5.
00:16:10.90\00:16:13.31
In order to produce
fruit, we must be connected
00:16:13.34\00:16:16.87
to the source of life.
00:16:16.90\00:16:18.33
John 14 verses 4 and 5.
00:16:18.36\00:16:20.46
John 15 verses 4 and 5.
00:16:20.86\00:16:22.40
The Lord says...
00:16:22.43\00:16:23.72
I've had some times to
speak to relatives that have
00:16:59.21\00:17:03.12
members of their families
that are not Christians.
00:17:03.15\00:17:05.02
And they say to
me, "I don't know why
00:17:05.05\00:17:07.37
they don't straighten up."
00:17:07.40\00:17:09.15
And then they say, "I don't
know how long it's going to be
00:17:10.02\00:17:12.52
before they do right."
00:17:12.55\00:17:13.94
And then I ask the
question, "Are they Christians?"
00:17:13.97\00:17:16.27
They say, "No."
00:17:16.52\00:17:17.55
And then they say, "But
they should know better."
00:17:18.12\00:17:20.06
And I say, "Even if they
intellectually know better,
00:17:20.70\00:17:23.23
they cannot produce
anything until they are
00:17:23.26\00:17:26.36
connected to Christ."
00:17:26.39\00:17:27.83
You cannot produce good
fruit if you are a bad tree.
00:17:28.20\00:17:31.65
You've got to cut down the bad
tree, get rid of the bad tree,
00:17:31.68\00:17:34.32
and get connected,
grafted in to the vine.
00:17:34.35\00:17:37.81
Get grafted in to Christ.
00:17:37.97\00:17:40.16
Only as you're grafted
in and connected to Christ
00:17:40.19\00:17:42.79
can anything good begin
to be produced in our lives.
00:17:42.89\00:17:46.08
So if you have relatives
that are not Christians,
00:17:46.11\00:17:47.88
don't think because they're
intellectual or because they're
00:17:47.91\00:17:50.42
educated or because
they're adults that they
00:17:50.45\00:17:52.68
naturally should do good.
00:17:52.71\00:17:54.24
There is no good
outside of Christ.
00:17:54.27\00:17:57.38
None at all.
00:17:57.80\00:17:58.88
When we come to Christ, when
you think about the stages...
00:17:59.84\00:18:03.15
And what I'm going to begin with
as I get toward not maturing,
00:18:03.36\00:18:06.11
or talking about the
danger of not maturing,
00:18:06.14\00:18:07.95
I want to begin with
the process of growth.
00:18:08.15\00:18:10.63
What does it really
mean to be a Christian?
00:18:10.66\00:18:12.38
You see, when we come to
Christ, when we accept Christ
00:18:12.41\00:18:15.60
in our lives, when we
come to Him, before that change
00:18:15.63\00:18:19.07
we are not qualified to
produce anything spiritual
00:18:19.10\00:18:23.09
until we sever our
connection from the natural.
00:18:23.12\00:18:26.88
In Romans chapter 7...
00:18:28.47\00:18:30.20
I remember a number of years
ago I did a series on 3ABN.
00:18:30.23\00:18:33.36
Oh, this was way
back maybe 2005 or 2004.
00:18:33.56\00:18:37.33
And when I showed my
program outline to production,
00:18:37.55\00:18:41.70
actually, bless her
heart, Mollie Steenson,
00:18:41.73\00:18:44.05
I showed it to her, and
one of my sermon titles was,
00:18:44.08\00:18:46.22
"Kill Your Husband."
00:18:46.25\00:18:47.28
She said, "John, that's
too strong for our audience."
00:18:47.31\00:18:49.64
She said, "You've
got to change the title."
00:18:50.76\00:18:52.68
And I said, "Well if
you read Romans chapter 7,
00:18:53.15\00:18:55.52
it says the woman is
bound by the law to her
00:18:55.55\00:18:58.62
husband as long as he lives."
00:18:58.65\00:18:59.83
And God was talking
about the spiritual connection.
00:18:59.86\00:19:02.28
She said, "But you've
got to change the title.
00:19:02.49\00:19:04.00
That's just too strong."
00:19:04.03\00:19:05.68
And I preached that
in church and I said,
00:19:05.94\00:19:07.59
"I want you to know
this is not a suggestion."
00:19:07.62\00:19:10.29
So the title was,
Till Death Do Us Part.
00:19:11.44\00:19:14.43
And the fact of the
matter is, we are all born
00:19:14.63\00:19:17.10
married to this old nature.
00:19:17.40\00:19:20.13
Romans 6 calls it
the old man of sin.
00:19:20.33\00:19:23.91
And so until that old
man of sin is put to death
00:19:24.39\00:19:26.63
there's no way that we
could be married to Christ.
00:19:26.66\00:19:29.89
You can't marry another
man until the man that you were
00:19:29.92\00:19:33.53
married to, in the
Bible spiritually, is dead.
00:19:33.56\00:19:36.26
When he's dead the
Lord says, "Now you're free
00:19:36.57\00:19:38.25
to marry another man."
00:19:38.28\00:19:39.38
And then as you marry that other
man and you connect intimately,
00:19:39.48\00:19:42.43
then the fruit
begins to show up.
00:19:42.46\00:19:44.24
We've got to have an
intimate connection with Christ
00:19:45.44\00:19:47.24
for the fruit to show up.
00:19:47.34\00:19:48.90
But when we come
into that relationship
00:19:49.01\00:19:50.77
we have to
understand what that means.
00:19:50.80\00:19:52.33
Look at Romans
chapter 8 and verse 5.
00:19:52.36\00:19:54.55
Look what it means to
sever the natural connection.
00:19:54.75\00:19:57.32
Romans 8 and verse 5.
00:19:57.35\00:19:58.76
Depending on how you live,
it determines what you focus on.
00:20:15.12\00:20:17.82
I talked about that.
00:20:17.92\00:20:18.95
If you live a natural life,
you focus on the natural things.
00:20:18.98\00:20:22.82
You focus on the
things of the world.
00:20:22.85\00:20:24.14
But if you live a spiritual
life, you have developed an
00:20:24.17\00:20:26.52
appetite for spiritual things.
00:20:26.55\00:20:28.04
That's why
sometimes when you see people,
00:20:28.07\00:20:29.89
they don't have an
appetite for the Bible,
00:20:29.92\00:20:31.64
I can guarantee you
they're living in the natural.
00:20:31.85\00:20:34.38
If they don't have an
appetite for spiritual things,
00:20:35.21\00:20:37.35
they are not connected
to the spiritual source.
00:20:37.38\00:20:39.69
Because there's no way
that you can be connected
00:20:39.72\00:20:41.71
to the vine and not produce
what's flowing through the vine;
00:20:41.74\00:20:45.96
that is, through Jesus.
00:20:45.99\00:20:47.11
Remember He said, "Without
Me you can't do anything.
00:20:47.14\00:20:49.49
If you are connected to
Me, you produce much fruit.
00:20:49.60\00:20:52.37
But without Me,
you can't do anything."
00:20:52.40\00:20:54.61
And even the desire, even
the desire to be spiritual
00:20:54.64\00:20:59.01
cannot occur unless
we're connected to the vine.
00:20:59.04\00:21:04.42
The severing of that natural
connection is called death.
00:21:05.18\00:21:08.47
The act of death is
symbolized by a burial service.
00:21:08.57\00:21:12.72
Look at Romans chapter 6
and verse 3, the burial service.
00:21:12.75\00:21:16.41
The Bible says about
this burial service...
00:21:16.77\00:21:20.01
We were baptized into His death.
00:21:30.89\00:21:33.19
In other words, one of
the distortions of baptism
00:21:33.61\00:21:36.59
is that it has been
distilled down to nothing more
00:21:36.62\00:21:39.28
than church membership.
00:21:39.31\00:21:40.56
I've had people
approach me and say,
00:21:40.76\00:21:42.12
"What do I need to do to
become a member of your church?"
00:21:42.15\00:21:45.30
And we walk them through, you
know, the fundamental classes,
00:21:45.51\00:21:47.60
and we say that.
00:21:47.63\00:21:48.66
But I thought about that
today and I said, you know,
00:21:48.69\00:21:51.66
we need to change the
title of our baptismal class
00:21:51.93\00:21:54.72
to something called,
Making Funeral Arrangements.
00:21:54.75\00:21:58.28
Put your head around that;
Making Funeral Arrangements.
00:21:59.27\00:22:02.55
Because then we'll begin
to tell people really what
00:22:02.58\00:22:05.32
Christianity is
really all about.
00:22:05.35\00:22:06.56
You can't enter that new
life until you come to the
00:22:06.59\00:22:09.86
realization that
you've got to die.
00:22:09.89\00:22:13.20
Until you say, "I...
00:22:14.25\00:22:15.52
You can't even, you can't
be connected to a new source
00:22:15.55\00:22:20.37
until the old source is dead.
00:22:20.40\00:22:22.85
And until we
acknowledge that we need to die,
00:22:24.23\00:22:26.18
we won't understand why we need
Christ to live the new life.
00:22:26.74\00:22:31.80
I was reading a
book, that very same book,
00:22:32.05\00:22:33.69
and I appreciate it so much.
00:22:33.72\00:22:35.16
Matter of fact,
it's one of my...
00:22:35.19\00:22:36.49
I read that book so much
that the binding fell apart.
00:22:36.59\00:22:39.28
I had to take it for
them to give me a new binding
00:22:39.31\00:22:41.47
at one of those Kinko stores.
00:22:41.50\00:22:43.04
Now they put a spiral binding.
00:22:43.07\00:22:45.01
But I remember
reading a statement.
00:22:45.04\00:22:46.43
And this is so
interesting about the new life.
00:22:46.46\00:22:48.46
The author said, "Can
we live naturally at sea?"
00:22:48.86\00:22:53.37
And I thought, what
a ridiculous analogy.
00:22:53.68\00:22:55.67
I can't live naturally
at sea. I'm not a fish.
00:22:55.70\00:22:58.36
I could stick my head
under the water, but I will
00:22:58.93\00:23:00.71
be coming up pretty quickly.
00:23:00.74\00:23:01.80
Anybody, can you
say amen to that?
00:23:01.83\00:23:03.43
We will be coming
up pretty quickly.
00:23:03.61\00:23:04.93
But he said, he
said, "We can live at sea,
00:23:04.96\00:23:08.73
as long as our source of
life comes from somewhere else."
00:23:09.41\00:23:13.97
And then he used the
deep sea diver as an analogy.
00:23:14.20\00:23:16.66
You know, deep sea divers,
you remember years ago...
00:23:16.69\00:23:19.42
I don't know if you
see them much nowadays.
00:23:19.45\00:23:21.00
As least I haven't.
00:23:21.03\00:23:22.20
But remember years ago
deep sea divers, before we had
00:23:22.23\00:23:24.72
all this advance technology,
they use to have this long hose.
00:23:24.75\00:23:28.62
Remember that? This
long hose from the boat.
00:23:28.65\00:23:31.55
And you knew where they were
because you just had to follow
00:23:31.75\00:23:34.02
the other end of the rope.
00:23:34.05\00:23:35.40
But you also knew that if
anything happened to that hose,
00:23:35.43\00:23:38.68
they're in trouble.
00:23:39.23\00:23:40.48
Illustrating if we don't
stay connected to Christ,
00:23:41.07\00:23:44.42
in an environment that is
not natural to us, we'll die.
00:23:44.52\00:23:48.95
And what we've got to
come to the realization of is,
00:23:49.48\00:23:51.28
the spiritual
environment is not natural
00:23:51.31\00:23:54.86
to the human environment.
00:23:54.89\00:23:56.51
Let me restate that.
00:23:56.54\00:23:57.59
The spiritual environment is
not natural to the carnal man.
00:23:57.62\00:24:01.45
Think about that.
00:24:03.91\00:24:04.97
Even when we're born
again, we still have to struggle
00:24:05.61\00:24:08.28
every day with
this old fleshy body.
00:24:08.31\00:24:10.34
That's why we're
looking forward to the day when
00:24:11.25\00:24:13.06
we will put on the new man.
00:24:13.09\00:24:14.59
Amen, somebody?
00:24:14.62\00:24:15.70
One day this body that
has all that bad storage,
00:24:16.03\00:24:19.27
the hard drive
needs to be defragged.
00:24:19.47\00:24:23.10
There needs to be a new insert,
which is not going to happen
00:24:23.33\00:24:25.65
till Jesus comes.
00:24:25.68\00:24:26.96
We'll get that
incorruptible drive.
00:24:26.99\00:24:29.15
Until then, we've got
to maintain a day by day
00:24:29.78\00:24:32.83
connection, or else we will die.
00:24:32.86\00:24:35.72
The Christian life requires
the death of the natural man
00:24:37.71\00:24:41.99
and the birth of
the spiritual man.
00:24:42.15\00:24:43.80
To be a Christian we
need a completely new life.
00:24:43.83\00:24:47.48
As we often say on January 1
or December 31st at midnight,
00:24:47.51\00:24:51.66
"Out with the
old, in with the new."
00:24:51.69\00:24:54.81
Look at Romans 6 and verse 4.
00:24:54.84\00:24:56.27
It illustrates
that very clearly,
00:24:56.30\00:24:57.83
"Out with the
old, in with the new."
00:24:57.86\00:24:59.72
Notice what it says.
00:24:59.75\00:25:00.95
When you think about that,
if we have entered into this
00:25:19.08\00:25:21.97
relationship with Christ,
this thing called the new life,
00:25:22.00\00:25:25.04
we have to keep in mind
that the new life for Jesus,
00:25:25.07\00:25:27.99
now listen carefully, His
new life began post Calvary.
00:25:28.54\00:25:33.88
Think about that.
00:25:34.52\00:25:35.62
When He said, "All
power is given unto Me,"
00:25:36.08\00:25:38.15
even though He is...
00:25:38.69\00:25:40.31
And I never use
Jesus in the past tense,
00:25:40.34\00:25:42.17
because He always is.
00:25:42.20\00:25:43.31
"I AM."
00:25:43.34\00:25:44.40
Even though when He
came and condescended,
00:25:44.50\00:25:46.32
He is the Son of God,
He came in human form.
00:25:46.35\00:25:49.96
And the flesh He
had before the cross was
00:25:49.99\00:25:51.94
susceptible to temptation.
00:25:51.97\00:25:53.65
And that's why the devil
stalked Him all His life.
00:25:53.68\00:25:56.19
But because He never
gave in, because He said,
00:25:56.22\00:25:58.06
"The prince of this world has
come, and he has nothing in Me,"
00:25:58.09\00:26:00.55
He survived.
00:26:00.58\00:26:01.91
And on the other side of
the cross then He declared,
00:26:01.94\00:26:04.35
"All power is given unto
Me in heaven and in earth."
00:26:04.38\00:26:08.72
Which means, post the cross
there's something waiting for us
00:26:08.96\00:26:13.99
that we don't get pre the cross.
00:26:14.02\00:26:16.73
Look at Galatians 2 verse 20.
00:26:17.17\00:26:19.15
There's something waiting
for us on the other side of
00:26:19.53\00:26:21.53
this crucifixion that we
don't get until the crucifixion.
00:26:21.56\00:26:25.28
Galatians 2 verse
20, the Bible says...
00:26:25.31\00:26:28.13
"I have been
crucified..." With whom?
00:26:28.16\00:26:30.86
Notice, the
source is somewhere else.
00:26:36.95\00:26:38.88
Can the church say amen?
00:26:50.79\00:26:52.27
"I have been
crucified with Christ."
00:26:52.47\00:26:56.11
You see, that's
what life is all about.
00:26:56.43\00:26:57.90
Until you begin at Calvary...
00:26:57.93\00:26:59.92
Let's look at this,
you've got to begin at Calvary.
00:27:00.12\00:27:02.90
Then you've got to go
into another condition,
00:27:03.85\00:27:06.19
we're going to talk
about that in a moment,
00:27:06.61\00:27:08.20
before the resurrection morning,
before the newness of life.
00:27:08.23\00:27:12.44
You've got to begin at
Calvary, the place of death.
00:27:12.47\00:27:15.57
And one of the reasons why a
lot of Christians don't mature
00:27:15.60\00:27:17.92
is because they
really haven't died.
00:27:17.95\00:27:19.73
They became church members.
00:27:19.76\00:27:21.32
They just became church members.
00:27:22.30\00:27:23.33
They've accepted
the 28 fundamentals,
00:27:23.36\00:27:24.80
which you can't argue with.
00:27:24.83\00:27:26.05
Amen.
00:27:26.08\00:27:27.22
And they become church members.
00:27:27.54\00:27:28.86
So they are dead...
00:27:28.96\00:27:30.30
...dead church members.
00:27:33.46\00:27:35.09
Don't take that personally.
00:27:36.09\00:27:37.62
But in order to be
alive, in order to have this
00:27:39.38\00:27:42.92
resurrected life,
you have to first die.
00:27:42.95\00:27:46.09
You've got to be
crucified with Christ.
00:27:46.12\00:27:48.60
You can't do it apart from Him.
00:27:48.63\00:27:50.71
And Jesus illustrated
that, how hopeless and helpless
00:27:51.74\00:27:54.69
the old life is in
accomplishing the requirements
00:27:54.72\00:27:58.91
of the new life.
00:27:58.94\00:28:00.17
Look at John chapter 3,
00:28:00.20\00:28:01.60
what He said to a man
by the name Of Nicodemus.
00:28:02.03\00:28:04.40
John chapter 3,
look at verses 6 to 7.
00:28:04.68\00:28:07.35
He said clearly in this
night time conversation...
00:28:07.88\00:28:11.49
If you break that down
today in common vernacular,
00:28:25.99\00:28:29.12
Jesus said, "Don't be
surprised that you need to die."
00:28:29.15\00:28:32.32
Don't be surprised that
you need to be born again.
00:28:32.94\00:28:35.46
And this wealthy man,
this Nicodemus, this ruler,
00:28:35.49\00:28:38.21
this guy that had
it all in society,
00:28:38.50\00:28:40.75
he came to Jesus by night.
00:28:40.78\00:28:42.51
I want to make a
point about that.
00:28:42.54\00:28:43.84
It's better to
come to Jesus by night
00:28:43.87\00:28:46.40
than not to
come to Jesus at all.
00:28:46.43\00:28:48.53
He came by night
and he found light.
00:28:49.80\00:28:52.16
I heard on a
commercial recently, they said,
00:28:53.43\00:28:55.40
"Even a faint candle could
be noticed at ten miles away
00:28:55.43\00:28:59.27
by the naked human eye."
00:28:59.30\00:29:00.81
No matter how faint your
light is, the Lord will allow
00:29:01.44\00:29:04.61
that light to shine
in the darkest night.
00:29:04.64\00:29:06.65
But what concerns me about
this text when it compares to
00:29:06.93\00:29:09.57
spirit and the flesh,
there's this philosophy nowadays
00:29:09.60\00:29:13.68
that's going around, this
philosophy that I'm locked
00:29:13.71\00:29:15.82
to a particular lifestyle,
"Because I was born this way."
00:29:15.85\00:29:19.31
Have you heard that?
00:29:19.34\00:29:20.37
"The reason I'm this way is
because I was born this way."
00:29:20.40\00:29:23.78
But that's the reason why Jesus
said you must be born again.
00:29:25.10\00:29:27.57
Amen, somebody.
00:29:27.60\00:29:28.68
No matter how you're born,
no matter what neighborhood
00:29:28.78\00:29:31.31
you were raised in,
you must be born again.
00:29:31.34\00:29:34.55
No matter what society approves
of, we must be born again.
00:29:34.65\00:29:40.27
Regardless of your parental
or your sibling influence,
00:29:40.65\00:29:45.11
we all must be born again.
00:29:45.14\00:29:48.42
So we can't even
claim that, "Well, you know,
00:29:48.45\00:29:50.73
I've got this gene."
00:29:50.76\00:29:52.18
Well I agree with you.
00:29:52.21\00:29:53.56
I agree with that whole
genetic disposition to sin.
00:29:54.18\00:29:57.54
Because the Bible
says we're all born in sin,
00:29:57.57\00:30:00.06
shapen in iniquity.
00:30:00.09\00:30:01.38
It just depends on what you
choose as your sin of choice.
00:30:01.41\00:30:04.38
Regardless of what it is,
we all must be born again.
00:30:05.37\00:30:08.31
There is an out.
00:30:08.34\00:30:09.93
There is no need to
die in what we're in.
00:30:09.96\00:30:13.40
We can find our out in Jesus.
00:30:13.43\00:30:15.17
Amen.
00:30:15.20\00:30:16.23
Now let's take
this to the next level.
00:30:16.37\00:30:17.78
You're born
again, you're baptized.
00:30:17.81\00:30:19.47
The baby has
been safely delivered.
00:30:22.71\00:30:24.89
They're no longer
in the amniotic fluid,
00:30:27.57\00:30:29.90
which I call the
water in the baptismal pool.
00:30:30.32\00:30:33.08
The umbilical cord has been cut.
00:30:33.73\00:30:35.67
Meaning, from now
on the baby's survival
00:30:36.25\00:30:39.41
is completely
dependent on getting nourishment
00:30:39.65\00:30:42.96
from a different source.
00:30:42.99\00:30:44.84
Are you following me?
00:30:44.87\00:30:46.03
I know the parents, I know
the moms are right with me.
00:30:46.13\00:30:48.32
After the new birth, the
baby's first feeding comes.
00:30:48.99\00:30:53.84
Now I'm going to
the level of maturity.
00:30:53.94\00:30:55.98
The baby hasn't
had its first bottle,
00:30:57.08\00:30:58.76
the baby hasn't had
its first input of source;
00:30:58.95\00:31:01.52
after it was born, post the
natal care, the cord is cut.
00:31:01.75\00:31:06.51
Mama ain't giving it anything
intravenously any longer.
00:31:06.81\00:31:09.23
It now has to be
fed a different way.
00:31:09.26\00:31:11.63
I suggest to you that stuffing
solid food into the baby's mouth
00:31:12.96\00:31:18.07
as a first meal will be met by
the inability to break it down.
00:31:19.28\00:31:25.15
Mothers, say amen.
00:31:27.23\00:31:28.26
If you keep giving
a new baby solid food,
00:31:29.91\00:31:34.04
the baby's inability
to handle that solid food
00:31:34.60\00:31:37.70
will result in malnutrition, and
eventually a pre-mature death.
00:31:37.73\00:31:43.92
Meaning, when you're
born again your diet can't be
00:31:46.33\00:31:49.82
the same as your mother.
00:31:49.85\00:31:52.96
It's got to start
off on a different level.
00:31:53.88\00:31:56.57
I'd like to
explain why I believe
00:31:57.00\00:31:58.80
baby Christians don't survive.
00:31:58.83\00:32:00.93
They associate...
00:32:01.71\00:32:02.78
Now I'm getting
back to the analogy.
00:32:02.81\00:32:04.41
A baby Christian
doesn't mean a baby physical.
00:32:04.53\00:32:07.88
But some reasons why
baby Christians don't survive
00:32:07.91\00:32:10.47
is they often associate
their physical maturity
00:32:10.50\00:32:14.50
with their spiritual maturity.
00:32:14.53\00:32:16.67
They think that because
they're adults chronologically
00:32:16.70\00:32:18.85
that they are also
adults spiritually.
00:32:18.88\00:32:21.08
And what happens?
00:32:21.11\00:32:22.25
I had some people say,
you know, they join the church
00:32:22.28\00:32:25.27
when they're 35 or 40.
00:32:25.30\00:32:26.86
I had a couple walk in
here, they were in their 70's,
00:32:26.89\00:32:29.61
and they said, "Well how
old is too old to be baptized?"
00:32:29.64\00:32:32.51
And I said, "It's
never too old to be
00:32:32.54\00:32:34.07
baptized as long
as you're alive."
00:32:34.10\00:32:35.50
Amen, church?
00:32:35.53\00:32:36.56
But you cannot
associate a person
00:32:37.20\00:32:38.97
maybe in their 60's or 70's,
or God forbid if He gives them
00:32:39.00\00:32:41.97
more than that
time, 80's or maybe 90's,
00:32:42.00\00:32:44.12
you cannot associate
their physical maturity
00:32:44.15\00:32:47.35
with spiritual maturity.
00:32:47.38\00:32:48.59
It's not the same.
00:32:48.62\00:32:49.83
One is chronological,
the other is spiritual.
00:32:49.86\00:32:52.05
That which is born
of the flesh is flesh.
00:32:52.08\00:32:54.52
That which is born of
the spirit is what? Spirit.
00:32:54.55\00:32:56.96
You've got to keep
those two separate.
00:32:57.11\00:32:58.35
But one of the
reasons why they don't mature
00:32:59.69\00:33:01.90
is they stop feeding.
00:33:01.93\00:33:04.20
When they stop feeding,
things begin to go wrong.
00:33:05.13\00:33:07.84
They don't know what's
wrong, but something is.
00:33:08.47\00:33:11.30
Whenever you stop feeding a
baby, they start making noise.
00:33:11.33\00:33:15.22
Here's what they do.
00:33:15.41\00:33:16.49
The baby starts crying and
gets restless and irritable.
00:33:16.52\00:33:20.12
And no matter what you
do, you can't relieve that
00:33:20.15\00:33:23.15
baby's discomfort.
00:33:23.18\00:33:24.59
At that point, any
sensible parent would
00:33:24.69\00:33:27.01
take that baby to a doctor.
00:33:27.04\00:33:28.38
Can I get an amen somewhere?
00:33:28.41\00:33:29.82
Now they're at
the doctor's office.
00:33:31.28\00:33:32.55
There's a point to this story.
00:33:32.58\00:33:33.88
I don't have any
children, but I've learned
00:33:33.92\00:33:35.46
this by reading books.
00:33:35.49\00:33:36.57
Help me out, somebody.
00:33:36.60\00:33:37.75
At the doctor's, the doctor
listens to the baby's heartbeat
00:33:39.64\00:33:43.53
and checks the
baby's breathing patterns,
00:33:43.63\00:33:47.06
and discovers that
its heart is out of rhythm
00:33:47.09\00:33:50.78
and its oxygen levels are low.
00:33:50.81\00:33:53.95
I need to make the
spiritual application right here
00:33:54.22\00:33:56.06
before you get lost.
00:33:56.09\00:33:57.22
You see, brothers and sisters,
when your heart is out of rhythm
00:33:57.25\00:34:00.19
with God and your oxygen
level, meaning you're lacking
00:34:00.22\00:34:03.40
the infilling
of the Holy Spirit,
00:34:03.43\00:34:05.13
you've got to pray
the prayer of David.
00:34:05.16\00:34:06.90
Here it is. And
what is that prayer?
00:34:06.93\00:34:09.04
"Create in me a..." What?
00:34:09.07\00:34:10.41
"...clean heart, O God..."
00:34:10.44\00:34:12.79
I suggest that some of
the reasons why Christians are
00:34:17.27\00:34:21.10
always crying and restless
and irritable is because
00:34:21.13\00:34:24.96
they have stopped
feeding somewhere.
00:34:24.99\00:34:27.39
And they're missing
the assurance that comes
00:34:28.35\00:34:31.11
by that connection to Christ.
00:34:31.14\00:34:32.74
But let's go to the next level.
00:34:33.28\00:34:34.93
The doctor writes another
prescription for the crying,
00:34:35.23\00:34:38.06
for the constant restlessness,
for the irritability,
00:34:38.09\00:34:40.92
and the complaining.
00:34:40.95\00:34:41.98
If you're constantly
restless, and you're irritable,
00:34:42.01\00:34:44.63
and you're complaining, and
you don't know what's going on,
00:34:44.66\00:34:47.78
you need this prescription.
00:34:47.81\00:34:49.65
Psalm 51 and verse
12, the Bible says...
00:34:49.68\00:34:51.96
What do you say?
00:34:58.64\00:34:59.71
Some people need that.
00:35:00.54\00:35:02.25
Because they're
not feeding themselves.
00:35:02.92\00:35:04.55
And when they get weak,
all those symptoms show up.
00:35:04.58\00:35:07.39
You wonder why church members
are sometimes so irritable?
00:35:07.42\00:35:09.76
I can guarantee you
they're not feeding.
00:35:10.37\00:35:12.37
Or I can guarantee
you, the other side of that,
00:35:13.55\00:35:15.66
they may have run into
somebody that's trying to stuff
00:35:15.69\00:35:18.19
solid food down their
throat, and they're not ready
00:35:18.22\00:35:21.06
to digest that.
00:35:21.09\00:35:22.49
Which happens sometimes.
00:35:23.39\00:35:24.52
I remember in one
of my former churches
00:35:24.55\00:35:26.97
rebuking one of my elders.
00:35:27.00\00:35:28.83
You know, somebody just came to
church, they just got baptized
00:35:29.36\00:35:32.07
a few weeks earlier.
00:35:32.10\00:35:33.13
And they brought what
they could to fellowship lunch.
00:35:33.27\00:35:35.66
And you know, people
try to do their best.
00:35:35.69\00:35:37.25
At least that's my analogy.
00:35:37.28\00:35:38.41
They brought what they
could to fellowship lunch.
00:35:38.44\00:35:41.04
And they put their dish on
the table and one of my elders
00:35:41.07\00:35:44.38
that had been eating solid
food, it appeared that way,
00:35:44.41\00:35:47.80
for many years, I
though he would have been more
00:35:47.83\00:35:49.51
mature than that, but
in his solid food mode
00:35:49.54\00:35:52.15
he came to this baby Christian
who just joined the church
00:35:52.18\00:35:54.90
a few weeks earlier and said,
"Is there any pork in that?"
00:35:54.93\00:35:58.39
And they didn't
even know the answer.
00:36:01.73\00:36:03.28
"Uh, it's beans. Not sure."
00:36:04.36\00:36:07.58
Sometimes we could
make babies that are new
00:36:08.59\00:36:11.85
suffer from
indigestion if we try to stuff
00:36:11.88\00:36:14.86
all of our solid food
spiritually into their lives.
00:36:14.89\00:36:18.57
Can you say amen to that?
00:36:18.60\00:36:19.85
We've got to give
them room to grow.
00:36:19.88\00:36:21.00
We've got to give
them room to develop.
00:36:21.03\00:36:22.48
We've got to give them time.
00:36:22.58\00:36:23.97
Sometimes the doctor
concludes that the baby's diet
00:36:24.00\00:36:26.79
and the symptoms
will eventually vanish.
00:36:26.82\00:36:28.62
But I tell you,
symptoms don't vanish naturally
00:36:28.65\00:36:32.07
unless there's some
input to relieve those symptoms
00:36:32.10\00:36:35.56
that we suffer from.
00:36:35.59\00:36:36.97
Peter the apostle
suggests what we need to do.
00:36:38.34\00:36:40.96
Look at 1 Peter
chapter 2 verses 1 to 3.
00:36:40.99\00:36:43.93
The apostle Paul talks
about the baby's formula
00:36:44.03\00:36:47.34
for spiritual maturity.
00:36:47.37\00:36:48.68
Here it is, 1 Peter
chapter 2 verse 1 to verse 3.
00:36:48.71\00:36:52.30
Notice it on the screen.
00:36:52.33\00:36:54.07
He says, and this
is amazing, he says...
00:36:54.10\00:36:56.82
And he's talking
about the irritability here.
00:36:56.85\00:36:58.18
That's what happens
with new born babes.
00:37:10.85\00:37:12.32
Sometimes you don't get rid
of that stuff quickly enough.
00:37:12.35\00:37:14.33
And then he says...
00:37:14.43\00:37:15.46
Or as the King James Version
says, "That the Lord is good."
00:37:29.34\00:37:32.82
We often translate
that or transcribe that,
00:37:32.85\00:37:35.18
we often say, "Taste and
see that the Lord is good."
00:37:35.21\00:37:37.22
Have you said that before?
00:37:37.25\00:37:38.32
But you've got to taste.
00:37:39.40\00:37:40.76
You've got to know that.
00:37:40.79\00:37:42.05
And sometimes baby Christians
die a spiritually premature
00:37:42.08\00:37:45.64
death because they ingest things
that prevent their growth.
00:37:45.67\00:37:49.31
They focus on
things that rob them
00:37:49.34\00:37:51.66
of their spiritual nourishment.
00:37:51.69\00:37:53.20
That's why, go back to the
verse again and look at verse 1.
00:37:53.23\00:37:56.48
1 Peter chapter 2 verses 1 to 3.
00:37:56.74\00:37:58.53
I want you to see
verse 1 just very quickly.
00:37:58.56\00:38:00.36
You can take that
off the screen now.
00:38:07.26\00:38:08.71
You know, when we come to
Christ sometimes those things
00:38:08.74\00:38:11.37
are two weeks behind us.
00:38:11.40\00:38:12.93
Anybody know what
I'm talking about?
00:38:12.96\00:38:14.29
If you just came to the church
and you just gave you life
00:38:14.60\00:38:16.16
to Christ, but you
haven't forgotten how to envy.
00:38:16.19\00:38:18.70
You haven't forgotten
what it's like to be a
00:38:18.73\00:38:20.66
person filled with malice.
00:38:20.69\00:38:21.72
You haven't forgotten hypocrisy
and all those things that
00:38:21.75\00:38:24.81
went along with
your former life.
00:38:24.84\00:38:26.56
Matter of fact, I was giving
a Bible class at another one
00:38:26.76\00:38:29.61
of the churches I pastored in
Northern California Conference.
00:38:29.64\00:38:31.91
And in my class
that particular day
00:38:32.01\00:38:33.95
the conference
president was there.
00:38:33.98\00:38:35.78
And when he came in I
asked the group to turn to a
00:38:36.39\00:38:39.17
particular Scripture,
and they couldn't find it.
00:38:39.20\00:38:42.15
And he said,
"Oh, I am so excited.
00:38:42.84\00:38:45.36
They can't find
the book of Matthew."
00:38:45.66\00:38:48.48
He said, "That means we've got
some new born babes in here."
00:38:49.70\00:38:52.70
Amen?
00:38:52.73\00:38:53.76
And then he went outside
and he walked past the exit
00:38:54.19\00:38:57.42
of my office door and
he smelled smoke, he said,
00:38:57.45\00:39:00.36
"Oh, that smells so good.
00:39:00.76\00:39:03.08
That means there's somebody
here looking for Jesus."
00:39:03.11\00:39:05.76
Amen, church?
00:39:05.79\00:39:07.03
See, you can't let
those things irritate.
00:39:07.06\00:39:09.23
You can't let those symbols
and signs of the old life
00:39:09.26\00:39:12.02
as the peel away, you can't
let that interrupt your flow.
00:39:12.05\00:39:15.29
If you're an adult,
let the babies grow.
00:39:15.32\00:39:17.31
Come on say amen.
00:39:17.34\00:39:18.51
Let the babies grow.
00:39:18.75\00:39:20.42
But also as you grow, to
focus on the things that have
00:39:22.28\00:39:24.92
no spiritual
nourishment leaves little energy
00:39:24.95\00:39:27.88
to spend on things
that facilitate growth.
00:39:28.08\00:39:30.67
When the Bible says, "desire,"
00:39:30.70\00:39:33.00
you've got to
think about a baby.
00:39:33.75\00:39:35.00
When a baby desires,
he stretches out his arms
00:39:35.03\00:39:39.04
to reach his bottle.
00:39:39.07\00:39:40.52
You know, we have
to stretch out our arms
00:39:40.55\00:39:42.73
during the week to
reach God's Word and study it.
00:39:42.76\00:39:46.52
The Bible can't walk to us.
00:39:46.55\00:39:48.43
We've got to stretch out our
arms to study the Word of God.
00:39:48.46\00:39:51.57
What do you say?
00:39:51.60\00:39:52.63
We've got to put
some effort in that.
00:39:52.66\00:39:54.72
When we realize that
the Word of God is good,
00:39:55.80\00:39:58.37
it's like giving the baby
candy for the very first time.
00:39:58.40\00:40:01.55
You know, from that point
on when a baby tastes candy,
00:40:01.58\00:40:03.79
they're hooked.
00:40:03.82\00:40:04.85
Matter of fact, I've
seen this happen in church
00:40:05.01\00:40:08.06
and I didn't know what it
was all about until I realized
00:40:08.09\00:40:10.65
you can give a baby a piece of
candy, and they get used to the
00:40:11.10\00:40:14.02
sound of the wrapper.
00:40:14.05\00:40:15.08
Have you noticed that?
00:40:15.11\00:40:16.15
When you open that first
piece of candy and you give
00:40:16.18\00:40:18.10
it to them, they heard that...
00:40:18.13\00:40:19.24
Know what I'm talking about?
00:40:21.17\00:40:22.23
I can't do that very well.
00:40:22.26\00:40:23.66
I need a
cellophane lip to do that.
00:40:23.86\00:40:25.64
But that week they
enjoy that piece of candy,
00:40:26.53\00:40:28.95
but I guarantee you,
the next Sabbath you can be
00:40:28.98\00:40:31.34
sitting across the
aisle and that sound happens,
00:40:31.37\00:40:35.02
and that baby that can't
even say a single word goes...
00:40:35.05\00:40:38.05
They know exactly
where that candy is.
00:40:39.63\00:40:41.13
Amen?
00:40:41.16\00:40:42.26
They get use to the sound.
00:40:42.36\00:40:43.74
Because they know
associated with that sound
00:40:43.96\00:40:46.73
is something sweet.
00:40:46.76\00:40:48.75
My point is this,
David the psalmist wrote in
00:40:48.80\00:40:50.95
Psalm 119 and verse 103...
00:40:50.98\00:40:53.12
If you spend time in God's Word,
you'll discover it's addicting.
00:40:53.15\00:40:56.22
Notice what he
says, Psalm 119 verse 103.
00:40:56.25\00:40:59.26
You've got to study God's Word,
you've got to study God's Word
00:41:06.21\00:41:09.40
to find out how
sweet it really is.
00:41:09.43\00:41:11.86
It is sweet, but it's not
something we do naturally.
00:41:11.89\00:41:14.41
We've got to put
effort into that.
00:41:14.44\00:41:15.78
I've often said to
people, study God's Word
00:41:15.88\00:41:18.37
and make it a
homework assignment.
00:41:18.40\00:41:20.52
If you make it an
assignment like schoolwork,
00:41:20.76\00:41:22.75
because we
don't like schoolwork,
00:41:22.78\00:41:24.63
if you make it an
assignment like schoolwork,
00:41:25.55\00:41:27.94
you'll eventually
develop an appetite for it.
00:41:27.97\00:41:30.61
But now let me flip the script.
00:41:32.33\00:41:33.73
Don't expect baby Christians
to behave like adult Christians.
00:41:34.08\00:41:38.27
Don't expect baby Christians
to walk like adult Christians.
00:41:38.40\00:41:42.31
Paul makes this clear
in 1 Corinthians chapter 13
00:41:42.34\00:41:44.73
and verse 11, notice this.
00:41:44.76\00:41:46.18
You've got to give
them time to get there.
00:41:46.21\00:41:48.22
1 Corinthians 13
verse 11, Paul says...
00:41:48.25\00:41:50.93
Give them time to
change their speeches.
00:41:54.80\00:41:56.90
I could count how many
times, you know, some members
00:42:07.24\00:42:10.09
that have joined our church
that went to other churches,
00:42:10.12\00:42:12.16
they'd say, "See
you next Sunday."
00:42:12.26\00:42:13.81
Am I telling the truth?
00:42:15.40\00:42:16.43
"See you next
Sun... Oh sorry, I forgot."
00:42:16.46\00:42:19.62
You've got to give them time for
all that vernacular to change.
00:42:19.99\00:42:22.91
You've got to give
them time for all those
00:42:22.94\00:42:25.37
things that we say and
we've got all the acronyms,
00:42:25.82\00:42:28.31
you know, the ADRA, you
know, all the things we say.
00:42:28.51\00:42:33.19
We know what 1844 is,
we have all of our SDA's.
00:42:33.22\00:42:36.87
All those acronyms
that to the new baby is just
00:42:36.90\00:42:39.68
nothing but gibberish.
00:42:39.71\00:42:40.99
We've got to give
them room to grow.
00:42:41.39\00:42:43.11
We've got to give
them room to grow.
00:42:43.46\00:42:44.77
Don't stress out babies
by expecting in a few months
00:42:44.80\00:42:48.41
what has taken
you years to develop.
00:42:48.44\00:42:50.97
Amen? Now let
me flip the script.
00:42:51.00\00:42:52.95
I talked about the babies,
now let's go to the adults.
00:42:53.01\00:42:54.92
Because this is about
the danger of not maturing.
00:42:54.95\00:42:56.94
I would like to explain
why some adult Christians
00:42:57.54\00:42:59.53
don't survive.
00:42:59.56\00:43:00.76
And this is strange,
but I'm going to give
00:43:00.79\00:43:03.02
you the same reason.
00:43:03.05\00:43:04.08
They associate
their physical maturity
00:43:04.11\00:43:06.62
with their spiritual maturity.
00:43:06.65\00:43:08.32
They think because they
are adults chronologically
00:43:08.35\00:43:10.68
they are adults spiritually.
00:43:10.88\00:43:13.26
Look at Hebrews
chapter 5 verse 12 to 14.
00:43:13.29\00:43:16.91
And I suggested earlier that
the babies were trying to eat
00:43:18.03\00:43:22.22
too solid a food,
but in this suggestion
00:43:22.32\00:43:25.26
the Bible will suggest
they're eating the wrong food.
00:43:26.04\00:43:29.39
Hebrews 5 verses 12 to 14.
00:43:29.68\00:43:31.45
The writer says...
00:43:32.23\00:43:33.40
In other words the Bible is
saying, if you had a child...
00:44:06.97\00:44:10.49
Let me use an analogy.
00:44:10.59\00:44:11.86
If you took your
child to kindergarten
00:44:11.89\00:44:15.18
and they were behaving
the same way in fourth grade
00:44:15.93\00:44:19.95
as they were in kindergarten,
you'd say, "Something is wrong."
00:44:19.98\00:44:23.31
In the very same way,
if Christians that have
00:44:24.48\00:44:26.47
been around a long time
like this text is suggesting
00:44:26.50\00:44:28.89
is coming to church...
00:44:29.21\00:44:30.31
I'd have a hard time, but
you got to get the picture.
00:44:30.41\00:44:32.29
If a church member comes to
church, he's 6'2", nice suit,
00:44:32.40\00:44:36.96
and he takes out a baby
bottle and starts drinking it,
00:44:36.99\00:44:40.46
I'm sure that one of the elders
would say, "Pastor, I think
00:44:41.42\00:44:43.95
one of our members
have just flipped out.
00:44:43.98\00:44:46.48
He's drinking a
baby bottle in church."
00:44:47.47\00:44:50.28
Well that's a
spiritual analogy to simply say
00:44:50.79\00:44:52.77
there are some
members that are like that.
00:44:52.80\00:44:54.27
They don't drink the
baby bottle, but they're not
00:44:54.30\00:44:56.29
past the milk yet.
00:44:56.32\00:44:58.10
Because during the
week they don't have
00:44:58.13\00:44:59.32
any established study life.
00:44:59.35\00:45:01.11
They don't have a way
to get their lives stronger
00:45:01.14\00:45:03.31
than where they
were 15 years ago.
00:45:03.34\00:45:05.25
And they say,
"Well, I've been an
00:45:05.28\00:45:06.31
Adventist for X
amount of years."
00:45:06.34\00:45:07.45
But if you boast that, at least
there should be some external
00:45:07.48\00:45:11.45
and spiritual evidence
that you are stronger now
00:45:11.48\00:45:14.75
than you were when you first
gave your life to the Lord.
00:45:14.78\00:45:16.94
Amen?
00:45:16.97\00:45:18.00
Let me give you some
analogies to let you know
00:45:18.77\00:45:20.37
that they're not growing yet.
00:45:20.40\00:45:21.71
Adult Christians
should not behave
00:45:21.74\00:45:23.80
irresponsibly like babies.
00:45:23.83\00:45:25.47
When they're behaving
like that, they ain't growing.
00:45:25.50\00:45:28.00
Adult Christians should stop
talking gibberish like babies.
00:45:28.20\00:45:31.66
Have you ever seen babies?
00:45:31.69\00:45:32.82
They could talk all
day long and you have
00:45:33.02\00:45:34.53
no clue what they're saying.
00:45:34.56\00:45:35.70
There are some
Christians that way.
00:45:36.24\00:45:38.05
All day long...
00:45:38.25\00:45:39.81
About other
folk, about themselves.
00:45:41.26\00:45:43.17
They're griping
about the economy,
00:45:43.20\00:45:44.79
they don't have enough
money, the car just broke down.
00:45:44.82\00:45:46.97
All day long, gibberish.
00:45:47.00\00:45:48.28
Because they have
no connection to Christ
00:45:48.67\00:45:50.29
to strengthen their faith.
00:45:50.32\00:45:51.47
Therefore, stuff comes
out that doesn't make sense
00:45:51.50\00:45:53.69
to an adult Christian.
00:45:53.72\00:45:54.89
Adult Christians
should not whine when things
00:45:55.95\00:45:58.41
don't go their way,
like baby Christians.
00:45:58.44\00:46:00.89
Adult Christians
should stop throwing tantrums
00:46:00.92\00:46:04.02
to manipulate folk.
00:46:04.05\00:46:05.80
Adult Christians...
00:46:07.18\00:46:08.38
You've got to wrap
your head around this.
00:46:09.56\00:46:10.98
...should stop leaving a mess
for other people to clean up.
00:46:11.18\00:46:13.85
There's a
spiritual connection there.
00:46:15.52\00:46:16.99
Amen, somebody.
00:46:17.02\00:46:18.23
And the same Scripture applies.
00:46:18.96\00:46:20.35
Here it is again.
00:46:20.38\00:46:21.41
It's not a duplicate,
but it applies right here.
00:46:21.59\00:46:24.02
Adult Christians should
learn how to feed themselves.
00:46:36.37\00:46:40.64
Can the church say amen?
00:46:40.67\00:46:42.10
You know, you cannot...
00:46:42.50\00:46:43.72
This thing called
Christianity requires more of us
00:46:43.75\00:46:46.68
than just showing
up, if we show up,
00:46:46.71\00:46:50.71
than just being in the building,
if we are in the building,
00:46:51.26\00:46:54.05
than just spending a
thoughtful hour a week
00:46:54.08\00:46:57.09
in corporate worship.
00:46:57.29\00:46:58.59
It requires this day
by day diet for us to grow
00:46:58.62\00:47:01.23
and for us to survive.
00:47:01.26\00:47:02.58
You know, I think about that.
00:47:02.70\00:47:04.03
A thought came to my mind and
I kind of had to laugh it away,
00:47:04.06\00:47:07.40
but it just came back so
I've got to share it with you.
00:47:07.43\00:47:09.39
I laughed it away earlier,
but it just came to my mind.
00:47:10.13\00:47:12.25
Christians that try
to get their nourishment,
00:47:12.28\00:47:16.92
you know, spiritual nourishment,
only through sermons that are
00:47:17.22\00:47:19.69
preached on television...
00:47:19.72\00:47:20.78
Now mind you,
it's a great thing.
00:47:20.81\00:47:21.96
Don't change the channel.
00:47:21.99\00:47:23.02
Because you're not near 3ABN.
00:47:23.50\00:47:25.05
But Christians that settle
for only watching Christian
00:47:25.08\00:47:29.62
programming on television
when they are close enough
00:47:29.82\00:47:32.49
to go and be in the
audience, I suggest to them
00:47:32.52\00:47:35.60
that during the week they
need to watch the food channel
00:47:35.71\00:47:38.48
to get their nourishment.
00:47:38.51\00:47:39.86
I know you'd catch on somewhere.
00:47:42.72\00:47:44.92
You could look at a hamburger
all day long on television,
00:47:46.32\00:47:49.83
but you ain't going
to get no nourishment.
00:47:49.86\00:47:52.07
Amen, English teachers.
00:47:52.17\00:47:53.74
You're not going to
get any nourishment.
00:47:54.20\00:47:55.94
One night my friend
and I were sitting...
00:47:55.97\00:47:57.35
This was long years ago
when I was still eating Big Macs
00:47:57.38\00:47:59.47
and all that other stuff.
00:47:59.50\00:48:00.83
About 11:30 we were watching his
little 13 inch Sony Trinitron.
00:48:01.18\00:48:04.67
Remember that
anybody? Help me out.
00:48:04.70\00:48:06.33
13 inch color Sony Trinitron.
00:48:06.78\00:48:08.44
There we are sitting in
our small room, just came back
00:48:08.47\00:48:10.90
from riding our bikes,
and this picture of a Whopper
00:48:10.93\00:48:14.49
showed up on the screen.
00:48:14.52\00:48:15.81
And they filled
that whole 13 inch screen
00:48:16.02\00:48:18.08
with a picture of this Whopper.
00:48:18.11\00:48:19.32
It was 11:30 at night.
00:48:19.35\00:48:20.87
He said, "Let's
go to Burger King."
00:48:20.90\00:48:22.38
And we got up and
drove around Brooklyn
00:48:22.41\00:48:24.22
looking for Burger King.
00:48:24.25\00:48:25.31
We ended up going like
seven miles because that thing
00:48:25.34\00:48:27.80
looked so good we had
to satisfy our appetite.
00:48:27.83\00:48:31.13
And I suggest to you the very
same way, if you spend your time
00:48:31.16\00:48:33.75
looking in God's Word, you
will not be able to satisfy
00:48:33.78\00:48:37.02
your appetite until you
find a place where you can have
00:48:37.05\00:48:39.63
a personal connection and taste
how sweet God's Word really is.
00:48:39.66\00:48:43.79
Got to learn how
to feed ourselves.
00:48:45.50\00:48:46.81
We should not be as Scripturally
ignorant as babies are.
00:48:46.84\00:48:49.44
Ephesians 4, let me
move a little quicker now,
00:48:49.47\00:48:51.60
Ephesians 4 verses 14 to 15.
00:48:51.63\00:48:54.20
Notice what the Bible says.
00:48:54.23\00:48:55.64
When you're immature, any
new teaching will pull you out.
00:49:05.83\00:49:09.77
And the head is who, Church?
00:49:23.05\00:49:24.36
You show me a Christian
that is weak and I'll show you
00:49:25.70\00:49:28.67
someone that does not study.
00:49:28.70\00:49:31.17
Honestly.
00:49:31.83\00:49:32.86
You can't study God's
Word and walk away weak.
00:49:32.89\00:49:34.93
It's not possible.
00:49:34.96\00:49:36.14
Because His Word is living.
00:49:36.29\00:49:38.47
His Word is powerful.
00:49:38.50\00:49:39.88
It's filled with nourishment.
00:49:39.91\00:49:41.24
You can't study this
book and walk away weak.
00:49:41.27\00:49:44.58
You show me a person, a
Christian, with no faith
00:49:44.83\00:49:47.29
and I'll show you
somebody who does not pray.
00:49:47.32\00:49:50.72
Studying God's Word
will give you a prayer life.
00:49:51.78\00:49:54.33
Studying God's Word
will strengthen your faith.
00:49:54.40\00:49:56.81
You don't have to
worry about being weak.
00:49:56.84\00:49:58.69
That's why Paul says in
1 Corinthians 14 verse 20,
00:49:58.72\00:50:01.11
notice what he says...
00:50:01.14\00:50:02.39
And then we're going to
wind up with the six guidelines
00:50:02.42\00:50:04.96
to facilitate maturity.
00:50:04.99\00:50:06.77
Here it is, he says...
00:50:06.80\00:50:08.23
In other words, in
the old life be a babe.
00:50:15.97\00:50:19.15
But in the new life be mature.
00:50:19.18\00:50:20.95
Sometimes kids ask me, "Have
you heard this song before?"
00:50:20.98\00:50:23.31
And I say, "Who's that by?"
00:50:23.34\00:50:24.63
And they mention
an artist, and I say,
00:50:24.66\00:50:26.03
"I've never
heard of their name."
00:50:26.06\00:50:27.27
And I say, "Is that a Christian
artist?" They say, "No."
00:50:27.47\00:50:29.55
I say, "Well, I'm glad
I don't know their name."
00:50:29.58\00:50:31.17
Help me out somebody.
00:50:31.20\00:50:32.30
I'm always concerned
about people that know
00:50:33.00\00:50:34.77
all these worldly songs.
00:50:34.80\00:50:36.38
I say, "What are
you listening to?"
00:50:36.41\00:50:37.78
They're always mentioning
this newest movie that came out
00:50:38.41\00:50:40.51
or this person that just...
00:50:40.54\00:50:41.61
What are you listening to?
00:50:41.91\00:50:43.18
But let's go fast now.
00:50:43.48\00:50:44.74
The guidelines to
facilitate growth.
00:50:44.77\00:50:47.04
Are you ready? Well here we go.
00:50:47.07\00:50:48.41
Study God's Word.
00:50:48.70\00:50:50.33
2 Timothy 2:15.
00:50:50.73\00:50:52.47
Say that with me,
"Study God's Word."
00:51:00.43\00:51:02.29
Say that, "Study God's Word."
00:51:02.32\00:51:04.43
The reason is clear.
00:51:04.46\00:51:06.03
2 Timothy 3 and verse 15.
00:51:06.06\00:51:07.97
What does study bring?
00:51:08.00\00:51:09.14
It brings wisdom.
00:51:09.17\00:51:10.34
Paul says...
00:51:10.44\00:51:11.63
Study God's Word and
your wisdom will increase.
00:51:23.52\00:51:26.65
You will be wiser
than you were before.
00:51:26.68\00:51:29.57
Dr. Ben Carson says the
reason why he has grown so
00:51:30.30\00:51:33.27
intellectually is
he studied Proverbs.
00:51:33.30\00:51:36.12
He read Proverbs every
day when he was growing up.
00:51:36.15\00:51:38.76
You can't read a wise
book and not become wise.
00:51:39.13\00:51:42.49
The other reason that
you should study your Bible,
00:51:42.79\00:51:44.57
Romans 10 verse 17.
00:51:44.60\00:51:46.33
It increases your
faith. Here it is.
00:51:46.36\00:51:48.15
You cannot study God's
Word and not have a faith
00:51:54.20\00:51:57.00
that's going to increase.
00:51:57.03\00:51:58.24
That's the first
thing, study God's Word.
00:51:58.54\00:52:00.02
Second thing,
live out the truth.
00:52:00.05\00:52:02.40
1 Timothy 4 and verse
16, live out the truth.
00:52:02.43\00:52:05.09
Pray, "Lord, give me
strength to live it out."
00:52:05.12\00:52:07.27
Here is what he says.
00:52:07.30\00:52:08.33
Not just hearing you, but they
are going to look at your life
00:52:20.48\00:52:22.62
and say, "Emma Lou, look
at the way Emma Lou is living.
00:52:22.65\00:52:24.74
I wonder what's
different about Emma Lou."
00:52:24.77\00:52:26.31
"Been going to
church a lot lately.
00:52:26.72\00:52:27.92
Been studying my Bible."
00:52:27.95\00:52:28.99
No wonder. Amen?
00:52:29.02\00:52:31.21
You can't have a life that you
are living our your convictions
00:52:31.59\00:52:34.25
and not show some
external evidences.
00:52:34.28\00:52:36.74
Third thing, walk in the truth.
00:52:36.77\00:52:39.47
3 John 1 verse 4,
notice what the Bible says.
00:52:39.50\00:52:42.27
You want to make the Lord happy?
00:52:42.57\00:52:43.60
Here is what you do.
00:52:43.63\00:52:44.66
Don't just say, "I
believe the truth."
00:52:53.29\00:52:55.72
Walk in it.
00:52:55.75\00:52:57.06
If you believe the
Sabbath, walk in it.
00:52:57.33\00:52:59.48
If you believe the things
that the Bible is teaching,
00:52:59.51\00:53:01.74
live them out.
00:53:01.77\00:53:03.35
Let them reflect in your life.
00:53:03.45\00:53:05.34
Because a person that's
a pilot that's never flown
00:53:05.37\00:53:07.80
is not really a pilot.
00:53:07.83\00:53:09.65
The fourth thing,
don't miss opportunities
00:53:10.87\00:53:14.76
for corporate worship.
00:53:14.79\00:53:16.13
Hebrews 10 verse
25, the Bible says...
00:53:16.16\00:53:19.16
You know, if you know the plane
is going to be landing soon
00:53:35.66\00:53:38.59
and people are
going to get onboard,
00:53:38.62\00:53:40.09
don't meander by the restaurant.
00:53:40.12\00:53:42.09
Because they'll
come and leave you.
00:53:42.12\00:53:43.71
What is being said in
this Scripture is, if you know
00:53:44.86\00:53:47.06
that the Lord is coming
soon, we ought to be assembling
00:53:47.09\00:53:50.23
together every
opportunity that is given
00:53:50.26\00:53:53.27
to worship corporately.
00:53:53.30\00:53:54.86
And the fifth
reason, share your faith.
00:53:55.27\00:53:57.31
Hebrews 13 and verse 16.
00:53:57.51\00:53:59.51
I love this verse.
00:53:59.54\00:54:00.67
Not one that I've
discovered too much before,
00:54:00.70\00:54:02.43
but it fits right here.
00:54:02.46\00:54:03.75
Whatever the
Lord gives you, share.
00:54:07.34\00:54:09.06
When you share what
God has given to you,
00:54:14.08\00:54:16.55
God is well pleased.
00:54:16.58\00:54:17.83
You know, I wish I could
see the Lord from heaven saying,
00:54:17.86\00:54:19.98
"Come on, come
on. Give him a tract.
00:54:20.01\00:54:21.83
Give him a tract.
00:54:22.03\00:54:23.39
Give him a tract. Oh great.
00:54:23.69\00:54:25.56
He just gave him a tract.
00:54:25.93\00:54:27.07
Now I've got a
chance to get to his heart."
00:54:27.10\00:54:28.77
Amen?
00:54:28.80\00:54:29.83
We were at some
Chinese restaurant, PF Changs
00:54:29.86\00:54:32.41
in St. Louis, and we
were talking to the young man
00:54:32.44\00:54:34.84
that came to wait our table.
00:54:34.87\00:54:36.25
And he asked what we did
and we said we just got back
00:54:36.28\00:54:39.17
from where we got
back from, we told him.
00:54:39.20\00:54:40.99
He said, "What do you do?"
00:54:41.02\00:54:42.05
"I'm a pastor; I
teach, I preach."
00:54:42.08\00:54:44.14
"Really? What church?"
00:54:44.17\00:54:45.20
And I told him all that.
00:54:45.23\00:54:46.26
My wife said,
"Go get some tracts."
00:54:46.29\00:54:48.19
So I ran to the car and
got two tracts and came back.
00:54:48.62\00:54:51.60
And when he brought the bill, I
put it in there with a nice tip.
00:54:51.63\00:54:54.10
You know, you've got to
pay them to read that tract.
00:54:54.13\00:54:56.16
With a nice tip, and
gave him, "Here's my card.
00:54:56.42\00:54:59.25
3ABN, go to that website.
00:54:59.28\00:55:00.83
Here's another
one; amazingfacts.org."
00:55:00.86\00:55:02.39
Amen, Amazing Facts.
00:55:02.42\00:55:03.71
But you've got to
plant those seeds.
00:55:04.30\00:55:05.98
You've got to share your faith.
00:55:06.01\00:55:07.04
When you do
that, I like this text,
00:55:07.07\00:55:08.56
"But do not forget
to do good and to share,
00:55:08.59\00:55:10.63
for with such
sacrifices God is well pleased."
00:55:10.66\00:55:14.56
"Oh, they shared their
faith with somebody else."
00:55:14.59\00:55:17.88
You don't got to
preach a whole sermon.
00:55:17.98\00:55:20.26
Just give them
something to read.
00:55:20.29\00:55:22.35
And finally, the sixth thing we
must do so that we will mature
00:55:22.91\00:55:27.59
is watch and pray.
00:55:27.97\00:55:29.80
Luke 21 verse 36,
here's what the Bible says.
00:55:30.11\00:55:32.85
And I want us all
to read this together.
00:55:32.88\00:55:34.10
Are you ready? Here we go.
00:55:34.13\00:55:35.17
Watch and pray.
00:55:53.28\00:55:54.53
Share your faith.
00:55:54.56\00:55:55.83
Don't miss opportunities
for corporate worship.
00:55:55.86\00:55:59.03
Walk in truth.
00:55:59.06\00:56:00.20
Live out the truth.
00:56:00.23\00:56:01.51
Study God's Word.
00:56:01.83\00:56:03.39
These guidelines
apply to your life.
00:56:03.42\00:56:06.28
I tell you, I love baseball.
00:56:06.31\00:56:08.79
But I haven't
played baseball in years.
00:56:09.02\00:56:11.01
I like basketball.
00:56:11.20\00:56:12.37
Sometimes I play it too much.
00:56:12.40\00:56:14.11
But whatever a
person is convicted by,
00:56:15.21\00:56:16.95
whatever a person has
living in his or her heart
00:56:16.98\00:56:19.92
is going to be a part
of their daily activity.
00:56:19.95\00:56:22.61
You want to find out a
person that loves computers?
00:56:22.64\00:56:24.80
Listen to their conversation.
00:56:24.83\00:56:26.03
They talk about computers.
00:56:26.06\00:56:27.48
People that like digital phones,
listen to their conversation.
00:56:27.78\00:56:30.74
They talk about the
next new phone coming out.
00:56:30.77\00:56:32.73
"Have you heard
about the iPhone 6
00:56:32.76\00:56:34.06
and the new Samsung?"
00:56:34.09\00:56:35.25
They talk that kind of language.
00:56:35.28\00:56:36.61
If you want to find a Christian,
I would suggest to you that
00:56:36.71\00:56:39.35
if it's in here,
it's going to come out.
00:56:39.38\00:56:40.70
Because out of the
abundance of the heart,
00:56:40.73\00:56:42.59
come on now, the mouth speaks.
00:56:42.62\00:56:44.95
If you want to
mature, get it in here
00:56:44.98\00:56:47.96
and it's going to come out here.
00:56:47.99\00:56:49.52
You don't have to
force a tree to grow.
00:56:49.55\00:56:52.18
If it's connected,
it's going to grow.
00:56:52.21\00:56:53.97
Amen, somebody.
00:56:54.00\00:56:55.08
If you get connected to
Christ, that's the first step
00:56:55.28\00:56:58.70
in defeating your immaturity.
00:56:58.73\00:57:00.99
Get connected; study your Word.
00:57:01.02\00:57:03.18
live out the
truth, walk in truth,
00:57:03.21\00:57:05.22
didn't miss opportunities
for corporate worship,
00:57:05.25\00:57:07.24
share your faith,
and watch and pray.
00:57:07.35\00:57:09.53
And when you do
that, you'll come to church
00:57:09.56\00:57:12.05
and you'll see a
change in people's lives.
00:57:12.08\00:57:14.37
But even more than seeing
change in other people's lives,
00:57:14.40\00:57:17.48
it is God's desire that each
one of us reflect to the world
00:57:17.58\00:57:21.88
a change in our lives.
00:57:21.91\00:57:23.86
Is Jesus coming
soon, church? Amen?
00:57:23.89\00:57:25.88
If you want to get ready
for the coming of the Lord,
00:57:26.18\00:57:27.96
get busy today.
00:57:28.26\00:57:29.88
God bless you.
00:57:29.91\00:57:30.94
Let us pray.
00:57:30.97\00:57:32.01