Hello, and welcome to
3ABN, "A Sharper Focus."
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My name is John Lomacang,
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I'll be your
host for this program,
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and I'd like to
once again welcome you
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to the first of our many
broadcasts of a Sharper Focus.
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Now, if you're
joining us via television,
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we welcome you,
if you're joining us
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via Internet or
radio or satellite,
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or whatever medium you're using,
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remember this
time and this station
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because right now
you're watching the only
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live prayer meeting
broadcast around the world
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from your station, Three
Angels Broadcasting Network.
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And all of us here
would like to welcome you
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with a hearty amen.
Can you say, "Amen?"
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You know, a few months ago,
the idea came to our president
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Pastor Jim Gilley, as to
how we can grow our channel,
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how we can be a
greater blessing to those
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who are members of our network
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and people that
support this ministry.
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And we thought, well you know,
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since Wednesday night
seems to be a dying blessing,
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so to speak, and that's an
oxymoron the dying blessing,
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but something that seems to
be fating away in many churches,
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not just the Adventist Church.
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And so, what better time
to recharge our batteries,
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revitalize our lives spiritually
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than in the middle of
the week as we get together
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as a people of God, to
study and pray together.
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And so remember, if
your church does not have
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Wednesday night prayer meeting,
even if you're living far away
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and you can't make it,
invite friends to your house,
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maybe you wanna videotape this.
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If you do have prayer meeting
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and share with your
friends and your families,
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as well as your church family.
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And for those pastors
that have many churches,
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this may, we
hope, be a help to you
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as you grow your
congregation spiritually.
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Before we go any further though,
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I'd like to invite you
to bow your heads with me
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as we invite the Lord's
presence to continue with us.
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Let us pray. Our
gracious Father in heaven,
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we thank you, Lord, so much
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that whenever we open Your word,
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we open up to our minds
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a treasure house that's deeper
than intellect can comprehend,
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but we also open ourselves
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to the working
of your Holy Spirit.
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And so tonight, as
we begin this program,
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as we begin, sort to
speak, this anchor program,
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we ask that You'll
guide us from the inception,
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and if it goes until
the day that You return,
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Father, giveth the
strength, and giveth the context
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and the meaning that You desire.
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But bless us with Your presence
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and with Your Holy Angels
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and with the power
of Your Holy Spirit
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in Jesus name we
pray, and God's people said-
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Amen! Amen. Amen!
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Now the question
that people may ask us,
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why the phrase
"A Sharper Focus?"
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Now I'm a person
that likes photography
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and our cameras here at 3ABN,
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particularly like
when things are in focus,
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but think about a
camera for a brief moment.
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A camera has a body,
it has a view finder,
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it also has a lens
with focusing capabilities.
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Now the camera
would be of no value,
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of absolutely no value unless
it has a subject to focus on.
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In other words, if
you brought a camera
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and never used it, you
might as well take it back,
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but when the lens is
pointed at the subject,
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the lens focuses to produce
a very, very clear picture.
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So here at, at our
topic on "A Sharper Focus,"
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our program on
the "A Sharper Focus,"
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we're taking topics in
the Bible that are not clear
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and we're focusing to make
those hopefully clearer to you.
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The Lord says, "Thy
word is a lamp unto my feet,
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and a light unto my paths."
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And the one thing I've
learned about photography,
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the more light that's
focused on the subject,
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the quicker it comes into focus,
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and the clearer and
brighter it appears.
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And so the word
of God is the light
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that we're
gonna be looking into,
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that's gonna shed a
brighter ray of divine light
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on whatever topic we cover.
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And there are a lot of topics
that are not very, very clear.
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And so here at
"A Sharper Focus,"
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there's a text in the
Book of Psalms 119 verse 130.
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You don't have to turn
that, I'll just read it to you.
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But it says, "The entrance
of your word gives light,
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it gives
understanding to the simple."
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So the Bible is
going to be the light
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that we're going to
share on every subject,
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and hopefully when we're done,
it will be brought into a--
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"A Sharper focus!" A--
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"A Sharper
focus!" "A Sharper focus!"
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Now the topic, we're gonna
begin with is one entitled,
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"How to Live a Spiritual
Life in a Natural Body."
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Now I once said,
"The hardest thing about
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being a Christian is
living the Christian life."
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It's one thing to be baptized,
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it's one thing
to join the church,
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but how to be victorious.
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It's like joining
a basketball team,
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joining a football
team, you don't win the game
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by joining the team,
you have to learn the rules,
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you have to learn the plays,
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you have to
focus on the opponent,
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you have to study
diligently to be victorious
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when the game
comes. And so here,
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what we're gonna do
is look at the topic
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of how to live a
victorious Christian life,
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and see what the Bible says,
in fact, is the foundation,
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the middle and the
top of what it means
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to be a victorious Christian.
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I have grown since
I've been a Christian.
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Anybody else here? Yes!
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We've all grown. But,
do we have growing left?
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Every one of us
is continuing to grow
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and the
confidence we have is this.
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The Lord says, "He who has begun
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a good work in
you will do, what?
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complete it until
the day of Jesus Christ."
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So where I used to be,
thank God I'm not there.
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But where I'm going
to be, I'm on my way.
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So if the Lord is gonna
reflect through my life,
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and if you see there
are changes in my life
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for the better,
give God the glory.
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But the reason why this
topic is so vitally important
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is because many
people join the church,
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and they often say, you know,
I've got the victory over drugs
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and alcohol and pornography
and cigarettes and gambling,
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and a bad temper,
over the big sins,
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but then they also
confess that they are struggling
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with little sins. That
seems kind of odd to me.
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If God could deliver
you from the big sins,
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surely God can deliver
you from the little sins.
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The other thing
is, sometimes we become
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members of a church and
don't know what to expect,
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and as a marriage
counselor I always say,
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"If you don't ask
for what you want,
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you have to
settle for what you get.
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But if you don't
ask for what you want,
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you don't know what to expect."
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So a lot of times people
become Christians and say,
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"Okay, great, I'm a
Christian now, I'm saved
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I'm baptized,
I'm in the church."
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Oh, I'm so happy
that battle is fought,
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it's over and
done, but you'll discover
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as we study this topic,
when you become a Christian,
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the battle begins.
Can you say amen to that?
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But so often, we don't focus on
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what we do after
we become Christians.
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If you think of
the life of Jesus
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there in Matthew Chapter 3,
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when He stepped down into
the Jordan and was baptized,
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we know He was
baptized to take away His sin.
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Praise God for that.
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But it was right after
His baptism that the devil
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came to Him in the
wilderness to tempt Him.
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And as long as
I've been a pastor,
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I always say to
people, "After you baptized,
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after you're
baptized into the church,
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you're going to have a
wilderness experience."
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Anybody had one of those? Amen!
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I could say
this publicly because
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my friend is
Pastor Doug Batchelor,
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because he said many years ago
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and God has
brought him a long way.
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But he said that
the day he got baptized,
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he spent that night in jail.
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So we don't go
from baptism to victory
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anymore than we go
from the first game
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of the season to the Superbowl,
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and that time
hasn't even come yet.
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But we're going to
unpack what it means
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to live a
victorious Christian life.
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And by the way, this
topic is very, very deep.
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There are a lot of
books written on it.
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You have "Steps to Christ."
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You have
"Christ's Object Lessons."
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There is another
book, a favorite of mine
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by a writer by the name
of Meade MacGuire called
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"The Life of Victory."
But what we're going to do is
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we're gonna take the Bible.
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And by the way, for
those of you who are joining us
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just a bit of very
important information.
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We also are going to ask
you to send your prayer requests
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and your
questions, and your comments.
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And we have a couple of places
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that you can get
that information.
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And by the way,
if you're joining us
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and you have access
to the Internet tonight,
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you can go to
our church's website,
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www.tvsdac.org and
download the lesson for tonight.
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You'll see there a link
entitled "A Sharper Focus."
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And you can download the lesson
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and follow us along in your home
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or wherever you join us from.
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That's once
again www.tvsdac.org.
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In the future,
you'll have a website there
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with the 3ABN
address, but for tonight,
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download the syllabus and
follow us along in the lesson.
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For your questions
and your prayer requests,
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and your comments, we
also have a page on Facebook,
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A Sharper Focus 3ABN.
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Put that in on
the search engine,
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and you'll find us on Facebook.
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Upload your
questions, your comments,
00:09:06.45\00:09:08.73
and your prayer requests.
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Beginning next week we'll read
some of those prayer requests
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and your comments
also. And finally on Twitter.
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We might as well make
technology work for us,
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what do you say? Amen!
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Twitter, Facebook, the Internet,
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and if you have a cell-phone
that has the capability
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of watching us, don't
do it while you're driving,
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I encourage you. But tonight,
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I'd like to open the word of God
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and I will begin
with the question
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that's vitally important.
Our question number one,
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and if you have your Bibles,
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turn with us to the
scripture that you see there.
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The first question for
our series and for tonight is,
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what are we called to reflect?
What are we called to reflect?
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And for the answer, go
to the Book of Ephesians.
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What book did I say? Ephesians.
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Ephesians Chapter
4, Ephesians Chapter 4.
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And if you don't
have a Bible, that's okay,
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we have it on the screen also.
00:10:01.81\00:10:04.06
Ephesians Chapter
4, the question is,
00:10:04.07\00:10:06.05
what are we called to reflect?
00:10:06.06\00:10:09.59
Ephesians
Chapter 4 and verse 13,
00:10:09.60\00:10:12.59
is where we find our answer.
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And the Bible reads,
Till we all come to the, what?
00:10:14.93\00:10:19.78
Unity of the faith and of
the knowledge of the Son of God,
00:10:19.79\00:10:23.98
to a perfect man, to
the measure of the stature
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of the fullness of Christ."
What do we called to reflect?
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We're called to
reflect the fullness of Christ,
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not just Christ, but
the fullness of Christ.
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It's like going into a
hall, if the hall is not full,
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it's an empty hall.
Sometimes you see a picture,
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you don't see the full
picture it's a partial picture.
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We are not called to
reflect a part of Christ,
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we're called to
reflect the fullness of Christ.
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And that's a process
as Ephesians 4 points out.
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We're called to
reflect the fullness of Christ.
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But let's follow along.
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So if the Lord calls us
to reflect His fullness,
00:11:02.27\00:11:05.78
what do you think Satan
is gonna be determined to do,
00:11:05.79\00:11:09.83
which takes us to
question number two?
00:11:09.84\00:11:11.66
Follow it. What
is Satan determined
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to keep us from reflecting?
00:11:15.92\00:11:20.94
We know the answer is
the fullness of Christ,
00:11:20.95\00:11:22.80
but let's see
what the Bible says.
00:11:22.81\00:11:25.23
Let's see what the Bible says.
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And now we turn
to Second Corinthians
00:11:26.27\00:11:28.40
Chapter 4 verse 3 and 4.
This is a very vital topic.
00:11:28.41\00:11:32.24
And by the way,
what we don't know is,
00:11:32.25\00:11:35.45
as Christians we're called to be
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representatives of
Jesus in the world.
00:11:37.23\00:11:39.43
Can you say amen to that? Amen.
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Because the world
doesn't see Christ,
00:11:41.68\00:11:45.04
but if you spell
the word Christian,
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what do you have at
the very beginning of that?
00:11:46.74\00:11:48.48
Christ. C-H-R-I-S-T, I-A-N,
00:11:48.49\00:11:54.21
we're called to give the world
00:11:54.22\00:11:56.52
a representation
of who Christ is.
00:11:56.53\00:11:58.99
But one of the great challenges
is to reflect to the world
00:11:59.00\00:12:03.02
who Christ is unless
we know what to reflect.
00:12:03.03\00:12:06.61
And by the way,
before we go to the answer.
00:12:06.62\00:12:09.42
There are a number of
reasons why it's not very easy
00:12:09.43\00:12:12.44
to reflect the image of Christ
00:12:12.45\00:12:13.92
when you first
become a Christian.
00:12:13.93\00:12:15.91
We'll talk about
that in just a moment.
00:12:15.92\00:12:17.33
We'll talk about the difference
between justification,
00:12:17.34\00:12:19.88
sanctification,
and glorification.
00:12:19.89\00:12:22.56
In other words,
when the race begins,
00:12:22.57\00:12:24.53
the race doesn't end.
00:12:24.54\00:12:25.61
There's a whole
lot of running to do,
00:12:25.62\00:12:27.59
a whole lot of growing
to do as we enter the race.
00:12:27.60\00:12:29.76
But notice what the
Paul the Apostles says,
00:12:29.77\00:12:32.15
"Satan is determined to
do." Second Corinthians 4,
00:12:32.16\00:12:35.45
beginning with verse 3 and 4.
00:12:35.46\00:12:37.44
It says, "But even
if our gospel is veiled,
00:12:37.45\00:12:40.89
or hidden as the
King James Version says,
00:12:40.90\00:12:43.18
it is veiled to
those who are what?
00:12:43.19\00:12:46.25
Perishing, whose minds the
God of this age has blinded,
00:12:46.26\00:12:50.88
who do not believe,
lest the light of the gospel
00:12:50.89\00:12:54.99
of the glory of Christ,
who is the image of God,
00:12:55.00\00:12:58.52
should do what? Shine!
00:12:58.53\00:12:59.93
Should shine on them."
Now just to emphasis this,
00:12:59.94\00:13:04.27
I think this fits right now.
00:13:04.28\00:13:06.12
There's a light shining on them.
00:13:06.13\00:13:07.70
If I step outside
the light, you'll know.
00:13:07.71\00:13:09.89
Now our guys
did a very good job,
00:13:09.90\00:13:11.35
but I'm doing
this intentionally.
00:13:11.36\00:13:12.62
The more step away from
the light the darker it gets.
00:13:12.63\00:13:14.82
Have you noticed that?
00:13:14.83\00:13:15.93
Now this is where we
are before we accept Christ.
00:13:15.94\00:13:19.15
And the Bible says, "He calls us
00:13:19.16\00:13:20.49
out of darkness
into His what? Marvelous!
00:13:20.50\00:13:22.89
Into His marvelous light."
00:13:22.90\00:13:24.41
Now lot of times we say the
marvelous light is His word,
00:13:24.42\00:13:27.97
but I have a different
approach to that because
00:13:27.98\00:13:29.72
Jesus is the light of the world.
00:13:29.73\00:13:32.60
And I would say that, He
is brighter than His word.
00:13:32.61\00:13:34.98
As a matter of fact,
this is the written word,
00:13:34.99\00:13:37.31
and the written word is not
brighter than the living word.
00:13:37.32\00:13:41.29
The reason I say
that is because the Bible
00:13:41.30\00:13:43.03
doesn't reveal
everything about the Lord.
00:13:43.04\00:13:45.71
I like the way that
John the Apostle put it.
00:13:45.72\00:13:48.50
He said, "If
everything that Jesus had done,
00:13:48.51\00:13:54.18
had been written in a book.
00:13:54.19\00:13:56.63
I supposed that the
world itself could not contain
00:13:56.64\00:13:59.56
all the things that He did."
00:13:59.57\00:14:00.72
Can you say amen to that? Amen.
00:14:00.73\00:14:02.19
So the Bible on the reveals,
00:14:02.20\00:14:03.70
what needs to be
revealed for our growth
00:14:03.71\00:14:06.10
and for salvation,
and for revealing Christ?
00:14:06.11\00:14:09.04
But God calls us out of darkness
00:14:09.05\00:14:10.78
into this marvelous light.
00:14:10.79\00:14:11.92
And it's Satan's determination
to keep the gospel of Christ,
00:14:11.93\00:14:17.93
who is the image of
God from shinning on us.
00:14:17.94\00:14:21.79
That's why often times
when you become a Christian--
00:14:21.80\00:14:24.27
Let me just ask the question.
00:14:24.28\00:14:25.36
When you wake up in the morning,
00:14:25.37\00:14:26.40
do you ever have
any battle between
00:14:26.41\00:14:27.99
what you should do
and what you want to do?
00:14:28.00\00:14:30.22
Yes or no? Everyone of us,
00:14:30.23\00:14:33.88
when you wake up in the morning,
00:14:33.89\00:14:34.86
I always say to people,
when you get up in the morning
00:14:34.87\00:14:36.51
guess who is waiting for you?
00:14:36.52\00:14:38.69
Guess who is--somebody tell
me guess who is waiting for you.
00:14:38.70\00:14:40.41
I don't know. No, you are.
00:14:40.42\00:14:43.52
You are waiting for you,
00:14:43.53\00:14:45.46
because the
challenge of being a Christian
00:14:45.47\00:14:47.42
is living a spiritual
life in a natural body.
00:14:47.43\00:14:51.61
We are not immortal. We
are not incorruptible yet.
00:14:51.62\00:14:55.36
The things that we used
to do, now I must confessed,
00:14:55.37\00:14:58.24
I used to be a disc
jockey, I used to gamble,
00:14:58.25\00:15:00.19
I was a pool
hustler. I remember,
00:15:00.20\00:15:02.53
I can go back to a
club, but you know, what?
00:15:02.54\00:15:04.38
God has taken for me the desire,
00:15:04.39\00:15:06.00
what do you say? Amen!
00:15:06.01\00:15:07.39
He does, those are victories.
00:15:07.40\00:15:09.60
And one of the
greatest evidences
00:15:09.61\00:15:11.44
that the plan
of salvation works,
00:15:11.45\00:15:13.61
is a victory in the
life of a Christian. Amen.
00:15:13.62\00:15:16.89
Now, can you
imagine, Paul the Apostle,
00:15:16.90\00:15:19.15
we'll read the story, how
Paul used to killed Christians.
00:15:19.16\00:15:22.15
Just say for example,
Paul was living in our day
00:15:22.16\00:15:25.71
and Paul was
preaching in our church
00:15:25.72\00:15:27.60
and Paul stood in
the pulpit, and said,
00:15:27.61\00:15:29.51
"You know, I'm still
battling with that that,
00:15:29.52\00:15:32.84
you know, that
that, that every now
00:15:32.85\00:15:35.31
and then I feel
like killing somebody.
00:15:35.32\00:15:36.63
I'm still battling that you
pray that are overcome day."
00:15:36.64\00:15:41.06
Wouldn't you have a hard
time listen to his sermon?
00:15:41.07\00:15:42.78
If you had a pastor
on the pulpit that says,
00:15:49.85\00:15:51.29
"You know, I'm
really struggling with that,
00:15:51.30\00:15:53.13
I'm trying to
overcome cigarettes and, man,
00:15:53.14\00:15:55.68
after the sermon I
got to get a drink."
00:15:55.69\00:15:59.07
Wouldn't you have a hard
time listen to that sermon?
00:15:59.08\00:16:02.16
And you would say, and
you would say as a person
00:16:02.17\00:16:05.38
who may not be looking
at yourself, you may say,
00:16:05.39\00:16:07.94
"How could he possibly stand
over there and preach a sermon
00:16:07.95\00:16:10.42
while he's still
struggling with alcohol
00:16:10.43\00:16:12.28
and cigarettes
and killing folk."
00:16:12.29\00:16:16.17
When in fact, the ones
that he's preaching to,
00:16:16.18\00:16:18.13
maybe struggling
with the very same things.
00:16:18.14\00:16:20.96
However, I must say,
there is a responsibility
00:16:20.97\00:16:25.05
to have standing in the desk,
00:16:25.06\00:16:26.03
so I'm not by any
means giving a license
00:16:26.04\00:16:28.33
to preach your sermon or
why you're still struggling
00:16:28.34\00:16:31.45
with alcohol and
cigarettes and smoking,
00:16:31.46\00:16:33.13
but a lot of
people live private lives.
00:16:33.14\00:16:35.45
But the greatest testament
that the plan of salvation
00:16:35.46\00:16:38.20
does work is when the
glory of God is shining on us.
00:16:38.21\00:16:43.03
But the question we
have to ask ourselves is,
00:16:43.04\00:16:45.01
where do we get?
00:16:45.02\00:16:46.60
Where we do we get
the image of God from?
00:16:46.61\00:16:49.05
That's question number three.
So if you're following along,
00:16:49.06\00:16:52.37
question number one, we
are called to reflect what?
00:16:52.38\00:16:55.69
The fullness of Christ.
00:16:55.70\00:16:56.90
What is Satan determined
to keep us from doing?
00:16:56.91\00:16:59.43
Reflecting the glory,
that light, the image of God.
00:16:59.44\00:17:03.13
He's determined to keep us from,
00:17:03.14\00:17:04.86
from reflecting
the image of God.
00:17:04.87\00:17:06.41
In other words,
sometimes, I heard a story
00:17:06.42\00:17:09.40
about a husband and wife,
and this is really amazing.
00:17:09.41\00:17:13.49
The son was behaving
very, very badly and,
00:17:13.50\00:17:16.51
and the wife and
husband got together to talk
00:17:16.52\00:17:18.07
about having to have
a teachers' conference.
00:17:18.08\00:17:20.49
And the wife said to the husband
00:17:20.50\00:17:21.92
while the kid is behaving badly.
00:17:21.93\00:17:24.27
You need to go to school
and take care of your son.
00:17:24.28\00:17:29.51
But when the child was
doing well, the wife said,
00:17:29.52\00:17:33.31
"That's my boy."
You get the point?
00:17:33.32\00:17:36.77
When the child was
doing badly that's your son.
00:17:36.78\00:17:40.36
But when the child was
doing well, that's my son.
00:17:40.37\00:17:43.37
We don't identify with failure,
00:17:43.38\00:17:45.18
we often identify
with success, am I right?
00:17:45.19\00:17:48.23
And so, in fact, for
Christ who identify with us
00:17:48.24\00:17:50.85
which brings us to
a thought in the Bible
00:17:50.86\00:17:52.34
about the story of Job.
00:17:52.35\00:17:53.45
Remember, when the devil was
talking with God and wondering
00:17:53.46\00:17:57.19
how far God will
let him go with the Job.
00:17:57.20\00:17:59.42
The Lord said to the devil,
00:17:59.43\00:18:01.36
"Have you
considered my servant, Job?
00:18:01.37\00:18:04.45
Now, you may not know
it, but on any given day
00:18:04.46\00:18:06.41
without any prior notice,
00:18:06.42\00:18:07.76
the devil and God maybe
having a conversation about you.
00:18:07.77\00:18:12.31
I mean, is that far fetched?
00:18:12.32\00:18:15.27
But I want the Lord to
be able to say about me.
00:18:15.28\00:18:17.02
Have ye considered my
servant, John? Amen. Amen.
00:18:17.03\00:18:20.24
In other words, my life,
00:18:20.25\00:18:21.27
your life
should be a reflection,
00:18:21.28\00:18:22.64
the fact that
the Lord can bring us
00:18:22.65\00:18:25.20
from one victory
to the other. Amen.
00:18:25.21\00:18:28.00
Here's the question,
question number three.
00:18:28.01\00:18:30.80
Where do we get
the image of God?
00:18:30.81\00:18:32.99
Where does it come from?
00:18:33.00\00:18:34.26
Where do we get
this image of God?
00:18:34.27\00:18:35.91
It's not something
that we naturally have.
00:18:35.92\00:18:38.00
Go with me in the Bible,
00:18:38.01\00:18:38.98
Genesis Chapter 1 and verse 26.
00:18:38.99\00:18:40.89
And those of you
who know your Bible,
00:18:40.90\00:18:41.97
you know exactly
where we're headed.
00:18:41.98\00:18:43.64
Genesis 1:26, and the
Bible reads as follows.
00:18:43.65\00:18:49.08
"Then God said --"
Let's read this together.
00:18:49.09\00:18:51.72
"Let Us make man in Our image,
according to Our likeness."
00:18:51.73\00:18:57.66
One of the, one of the greatest,
00:18:57.67\00:18:59.92
and I'm using the
very light word here.
00:18:59.93\00:19:01.92
One of the greatest
mistakes in history was,
00:19:01.93\00:19:04.58
to believe that by transgression
00:19:04.59\00:19:07.04
we could reflect
the image of God.
00:19:07.05\00:19:12.18
Satan was successful in getting
Adam and Eve to think that
00:19:12.19\00:19:14.82
by disobedience the image of God
00:19:14.83\00:19:17.51
could be seen in humanity.
00:19:17.52\00:19:19.88
But when God made
them, He already made them
00:19:19.89\00:19:22.52
in His image
according to His likeness,
00:19:22.53\00:19:24.15
they were
reflecting the glory of God.
00:19:24.16\00:19:25.62
And that's why,
when they transgressed,
00:19:25.63\00:19:27.82
the light of the glory of God
that was shining around them,
00:19:27.83\00:19:31.63
that glory went out,
and they immediately knew
00:19:31.64\00:19:35.06
that they were naked. If
you read Genesis Chapter 2,
00:19:35.07\00:19:37.67
the end of Genesis Chapter says,
00:19:37.68\00:19:39.37
"The man and
his wife were naked,
00:19:39.38\00:19:41.33
and they were not ashamed."
00:19:41.34\00:19:43.02
But then after
sin entered the world,
00:19:43.03\00:19:44.55
the Bible says,
"They were both naked
00:19:44.56\00:19:46.07
and they even said to the Lord.
00:19:46.08\00:19:47.05
We were naked and
we hid ourselves."
00:19:47.06\00:19:50.01
So what happens is,
one of the first things
00:19:50.02\00:19:51.60
that sin does is, it
strips us the glory of God.
00:19:51.61\00:19:54.32
And there are many
people in the world
00:19:54.33\00:19:55.31
that don't have
the glory of God,
00:19:55.32\00:19:56.94
but those of us who
claim to have the glory of God,
00:19:56.95\00:19:59.28
the glory of God can
only be seen if we recognize
00:19:59.29\00:20:02.95
where the glory comes from.
00:20:02.96\00:20:04.67
It's not our own.
It belongs to God.
00:20:04.68\00:20:06.97
He gave it to us
in the very beginning
00:20:06.98\00:20:08.58
and He wants to restore that
glory to our lives. Amen Amen!
00:20:08.59\00:20:12.17
Let's go onto
number four, number four.
00:20:12.18\00:20:15.71
What has the fall of man
done to the image of God?
00:20:15.72\00:20:19.83
What has the fall of man
done to the image of God?
00:20:19.84\00:20:24.25
Romans 3 and verse 23.
00:20:24.26\00:20:29.69
I can hear somebody
quoting that right now.
00:20:29.70\00:20:32.11
Romans 3 verse 23.
00:20:32.12\00:20:33.85
You know, what's
amazing about this text?
00:20:33.86\00:20:36.58
Let's go to
Romans 3 and verse 23
00:20:36.59\00:20:38.04
and read as I
follow or follow as I read.
00:20:38.05\00:20:41.51
Here it is. The
Bible says, "For most--"
00:20:41.52\00:20:47.26
For almost everyone.
What's the next word?
00:20:47.27\00:20:50.66
"For all have sinned and
fall short of the glory of God."
00:20:50.67\00:20:56.10
That's a humbling
text. Because you know,
00:20:56.11\00:20:58.12
after about 25 years
and I know Pastor Gilley
00:20:58.13\00:21:00.56
has been preaching a
whole lot longer than that,
00:21:00.57\00:21:02.63
been pastoring a
whole lot longer than that,
00:21:02.64\00:21:04.44
but the Bible is
in essence saying,
00:21:04.45\00:21:05.52
"No matter how
long you've been around,
00:21:05.53\00:21:06.89
no matter what your works,
00:21:06.90\00:21:07.87
no matter how many
sermons you preached,
00:21:07.88\00:21:09.53
how many songs you sang,
how many people you baptized.
00:21:09.54\00:21:12.44
Outside of Christ,
all of us have sinned
00:21:12.45\00:21:14.98
and fallen short
of the glory of God."
00:21:14.99\00:21:19.80
So at the base form, I
cannot reflect God's glory
00:21:19.81\00:21:23.24
because I don't
have it. Because of sin,
00:21:23.25\00:21:27.11
I cannot reflect the
glory of God in my natural form.
00:21:27.12\00:21:32.47
There is something that
needs to happen in order for me
00:21:32.48\00:21:34.86
to reflect the glory of God.
00:21:34.87\00:21:36.21
And the reason why this is
so vitally important is because,
00:21:36.22\00:21:38.64
there is a need for
more people to talk about
00:21:38.65\00:21:42.12
becoming victorious in
their lives over many things.
00:21:42.13\00:21:44.95
Amen. Am I right?
00:21:44.96\00:21:46.94
For a long time see,
I've been a church member
00:21:46.95\00:21:48.69
as one person may say, "I've
been in the way for 35 years
00:21:48.70\00:21:51.54
And that may
just be the problem.
00:21:51.55\00:21:52.59
I've been in the way.
00:21:52.60\00:21:53.70
I've been walking
in a way for 35 years.
00:21:55.24\00:21:57.08
I've been in the
way. God doesn't want us
00:21:57.09\00:21:58.91
to be church members,
He wants us to be those
00:21:58.92\00:22:02.27
whose lives do let the
world know that Jesus does live,
00:22:02.28\00:22:06.48
because there are
a lot of atheists.
00:22:06.49\00:22:08.31
There are a lot of
people that don't believe
00:22:08.32\00:22:09.60
that God really exists.
00:22:09.61\00:22:11.03
How can they
know that He exists,
00:22:11.04\00:22:12.76
because they see us as
we were before Christ B.C.
00:22:12.77\00:22:16.73
and how we are after Christ A.C.
00:22:16.74\00:22:19.93
I went back to
Brooklyn, New York,
00:22:21.38\00:22:23.14
a few years ago,
I go periodically.
00:22:23.15\00:22:25.57
And I remember,
turning the corner,
00:22:25.58\00:22:26.71
I always go back and
go to my neighborhood.
00:22:26.72\00:22:30.65
And there are a lot
of people that still
00:22:30.66\00:22:31.95
sit out on the steps.
00:22:31.96\00:22:33.36
In New York we
call them the stoops.
00:22:33.37\00:22:35.72
And so, sometimes I
drive to the neighborhood
00:22:35.73\00:22:38.16
to see if I recognize
people and every know and then
00:22:38.17\00:22:40.03
I run into
somebody that I've known,
00:22:40.04\00:22:41.82
that knew me since
I was a little bit,
00:22:41.83\00:22:43.65
little, little boy.
00:22:43.66\00:22:44.98
And some of the
people have gotten older.
00:22:44.99\00:22:47.77
Sorry, all of the
people have gotten older.
00:22:47.78\00:22:50.93
Well, some of them
look older. All right.
00:22:50.94\00:22:54.03
And I remember
having a conversation
00:22:54.04\00:22:56.58
with one of the dear
lady, ladies on the block there,
00:22:56.59\00:22:59.11
and she said--
She calls me Junior.
00:22:59.12\00:23:02.43
"Junior, you're looking good.
00:23:02.44\00:23:03.95
What you're doing for yourself."
00:23:03.96\00:23:05.19
And I said, "Well,
I've been a pastor."
00:23:05.20\00:23:07.59
Man, Lord really
brought you along,
00:23:07.60\00:23:09.21
but look at, just look at you.
00:23:09.22\00:23:11.28
She goes, just look at you.
00:23:11.29\00:23:12.98
And then I turned the
corner right at the pool
00:23:12.99\00:23:15.53
hall that I used to
gamble at, and one of the guys,
00:23:15.54\00:23:19.41
oh the world had taken
such a toll on his life.
00:23:19.42\00:23:22.18
And he said, "Hey, John,
could you lend me five dollars
00:23:22.19\00:23:26.12
'cause you look like
you're doing good for yourself."
00:23:26.13\00:23:28.25
And he says, "Is
that, is that you?
00:23:28.26\00:23:29.67
I said, "Well,
it's the same name,
00:23:29.68\00:23:32.13
but I'm not the
same that I used to be."
00:23:32.14\00:23:34.51
And there's a need
to let people know that,
00:23:34.52\00:23:36.27
yes, I maybe the same person,
00:23:36.28\00:23:37.93
DNA and my blood
type hasn't change,
00:23:37.94\00:23:40.51
and I'm the same
person structurally.
00:23:40.52\00:23:42.42
But Jesus does make a
difference in our lives
00:23:42.43\00:23:44.44
when He comes
in. What do you say?
00:23:44.45\00:23:45.92
He loves us as we all,
00:23:45.93\00:23:47.09
but He never leaves
us the way He finds us.
00:23:47.10\00:23:50.94
But often times we just,
you know, in the churches too,
00:23:50.95\00:23:53.44
and this is something
that, I want to pack this,
00:23:53.45\00:23:55.86
wanna let you know
that we don't have to rush
00:23:55.87\00:23:57.28
to the end of the
topic, we could pick it up
00:23:57.29\00:23:58.81
where we left off.
00:23:58.82\00:24:00.28
But often times, Sabbath morning
00:24:00.29\00:24:03.99
or Sunday morning, whoever you,
00:24:04.00\00:24:06.02
whatever church
you maybe attending.
00:24:06.03\00:24:07.95
Often times, when we walk
through the doors of the church
00:24:07.96\00:24:10.82
I think one songwriter said,
00:24:12.10\00:24:15.46
"Happy plastic people
under happy plastic steeples."
00:24:15.47\00:24:23.05
"Stained Glass Masquerade."
00:24:23.06\00:24:26.21
We come to church sometimes
00:24:26.22\00:24:27.77
and we try to
pretend that's altogether.
00:24:27.78\00:24:31.40
But in fact, we
know we're struggling
00:24:31.41\00:24:32.81
with the greatest
challenges in our lives
00:24:32.82\00:24:34.71
and we ought to feel the
freedom to come to church
00:24:34.72\00:24:37.83
and say to a
brother or a sister.
00:24:37.84\00:24:39.66
Can you pray with me
about a struggle I've had?
00:24:39.67\00:24:42.65
Or if somebody says to
you, "How is your life?"
00:24:42.66\00:24:44.36
Well, you know, I
really do need to pray
00:24:44.37\00:24:46.20
about a certain
issue in my life.
00:24:46.21\00:24:47.32
We got to be able
to pull somebody aside
00:24:47.33\00:24:49.21
and pray for those
things because every one of us
00:24:49.22\00:24:51.61
is in the journey of
growing to be more like Christ.
00:24:51.62\00:24:55.36
But sometimes you come to
the church on Sabbath morning
00:24:55.37\00:24:57.56
and we could hold
it together pretty well
00:24:57.57\00:24:59.64
for that hour and a half
or how ever long we're here,
00:24:59.65\00:25:02.64
but sometimes the
moment we leave the church
00:25:02.65\00:25:04.53
or the moment
the sermon is over,
00:25:04.54\00:25:05.62
we fall right back
into our same dialogue,
00:25:05.63\00:25:08.33
we fall right back
into our attitudes.
00:25:08.34\00:25:10.23
Sometimes we see a person
coming across the congregation
00:25:10.24\00:25:13.43
or across the sanctuary
or in the fellowship hall
00:25:13.44\00:25:16.08
and we change our spirit
and we even begin to talk
00:25:16.09\00:25:18.60
differently because
we haven't found victory
00:25:18.61\00:25:21.33
in certain areas of our lives.
00:25:21.34\00:25:23.65
And by the way, if we
have bad attitudes down here,
00:25:23.66\00:25:26.14
we're not taking
bad attitudes to heaven.
00:25:26.15\00:25:27.90
What do you say? Amen!
00:25:27.91\00:25:29.22
So we have to
overcome it down here, right?
00:25:29.23\00:25:32.69
So here's the question.
Look at question number five.
00:25:32.70\00:25:35.55
If you answer number
four, "All of us have sinned
00:25:35.56\00:25:38.02
everyone has fallen
short of the glory of God."
00:25:38.03\00:25:40.85
Question five, what did
God create man to reveal?
00:25:40.86\00:25:45.91
What did God
create man to reveal?
00:25:45.92\00:25:48.34
If you notice there,
I said scream quotation.
00:25:48.35\00:25:50.99
So you can turn to this,
00:25:51.00\00:25:52.06
but I'm gonna read
this for you on the screen.
00:25:52.07\00:25:54.05
A very important book
I've taken this quotation
00:25:54.06\00:25:56.30
from Review and
Herald, June 18, 1895.
00:25:56.31\00:26:00.92
"Man was the crowning
act of the creation of God,
00:26:00.93\00:26:04.58
made in the Image of God,
00:26:04.59\00:26:07.04
and designed to be
a counterpart of God."
00:26:07.05\00:26:10.80
And isn't that amazing?
Designed to be a counterpart,
00:26:10.81\00:26:13.77
that is to work
together with God.
00:26:13.78\00:26:15.41
Continuing, "Man
is very dear to God,
00:26:15.42\00:26:18.20
because he was formed
in what? His own image."
00:26:18.21\00:26:22.59
That's what, that's
what God's plans were to have
00:26:22.60\00:26:25.41
man to be a counterpart
with Him and Satan knew that,
00:26:25.42\00:26:28.58
so he broke the
connection between God and man,
00:26:28.59\00:26:31.04
and that was the image
that was created in man.
00:26:31.05\00:26:35.07
So that God had to
restore that before He could now
00:26:35.08\00:26:38.49
rely on us to be a counterpart.
00:26:38.50\00:26:40.57
In other words, God is
not gonna take somebody
00:26:41.98\00:26:43.47
that's living for
the world and say,
00:26:43.48\00:26:44.75
"There is my representative."
00:26:44.76\00:26:46.56
God's got to take
them from where they are,
00:26:46.57\00:26:49.24
bring them through
victory or continue His victory
00:26:49.25\00:26:52.29
and then put them on
display for the world.
00:26:52.30\00:26:53.99
Have you considered my servant?
00:26:54.00\00:26:56.05
But here's another
quotation from the book,
00:26:56.06\00:26:57.84
"Daughters of God,"
page 22, paragraph 1.
00:26:57.85\00:27:00.93
"Man was to bear God's image,
00:27:00.94\00:27:03.56
both in outward resemblance
and what? In character."
00:27:03.57\00:27:08.84
Meaning, on the outside
as well as on the inside.
00:27:08.85\00:27:12.34
Now you know, sometimes
look good on the outside,
00:27:12.35\00:27:14.38
but is there's
something wrong on the inside.
00:27:14.39\00:27:16.74
Yes. He was holy and happy
in bearing the image of God
00:27:16.75\00:27:22.35
in perfect
obedience to His will.
00:27:22.36\00:27:25.29
Now, I don't take service a lot,
00:27:25.30\00:27:27.93
but let me ask you to question.
00:27:27.94\00:27:29.31
How many of us are living
00:27:29.32\00:27:30.57
in perfect
obedience to God's will?
00:27:30.58\00:27:32.33
Raise your hand.
Very honest response.
00:27:32.34\00:27:37.15
How many believe by
the indwelling Christ
00:27:37.16\00:27:39.38
we could live in perfect
obedience to the will of God?
00:27:39.39\00:27:42.63
"I can do all things through
Christ which strengtheneth me."
00:27:43.83\00:27:47.53
That's what God
intense were to live
00:27:47.54\00:27:49.48
in perfect
obedience to His will.
00:27:49.49\00:27:51.46
So God does have a will.
A lot of times people say,
00:27:51.47\00:27:53.69
"You know, pastor,
if I can only find out
00:27:53.70\00:27:56.10
what God's will is for my life."
00:27:56.11\00:27:58.48
Well, you know, it's
not necessarily important
00:27:58.49\00:28:00.06
to find out
what that is because,
00:28:00.07\00:28:01.74
the Lord only knows that.
00:28:01.75\00:28:03.18
And so one of the reasons
why we ask that question.
00:28:03.19\00:28:05.10
We want to find out what
the will is and then do it,
00:28:05.11\00:28:07.91
but that's not
what the Bible says.
00:28:07.92\00:28:10.26
"For it is God who
works in you both to will
00:28:10.27\00:28:14.80
and to do of His good pleasure."
00:28:14.81\00:28:17.69
Let's take that to an example.
Can you imagine a glove?
00:28:17.70\00:28:20.43
A glove, what did I say?
00:28:20.44\00:28:21.54
A glove, laying down in
dealers, what's my purpose?
00:28:21.55\00:28:28.04
If it could talk,
what's my -- What have I,
00:28:28.05\00:28:30.12
what have I been create to do?
00:28:30.13\00:28:32.36
And somebody said,
00:28:32.37\00:28:33.40
"Well, to keeps
somebody's hands warmer,
00:28:33.41\00:28:35.25
open doors or drive cars
and steer steering wheels."
00:28:35.26\00:28:38.69
And that glove is
laying with all of its effort,
00:28:38.70\00:28:41.09
trying its best to get up
and do just that, but it can't.
00:28:41.10\00:28:44.55
Why? Somebody tell me.
00:28:44.56\00:28:46.24
Because there's no
power on the inside.
00:28:46.25\00:28:48.67
So in the very same
way, we may understand
00:28:48.68\00:28:51.20
what we've been created to do,
00:28:51.21\00:28:52.87
but unless there's power
on the inside we cannot do it.
00:28:52.88\00:28:57.25
Here's another
statement from the same book,
00:28:57.26\00:29:01.29
same page, second paragraph.
00:29:01.30\00:29:03.64
"The sinless pair wore
no artificial garments,
00:29:03.65\00:29:07.95
they were clothed
with a covering of what?
00:29:07.96\00:29:11.03
Light and glory,
such as the angels wear."
00:29:11.04\00:29:15.55
And here's the point.
00:29:15.56\00:29:16.82
"So long as they
lived in obedience to God,
00:29:16.83\00:29:20.29
this robe of light
continued to enshroud them."
00:29:20.30\00:29:24.93
So here's the part.
00:29:24.94\00:29:25.91
The most significant part of
that is not so much the robe,
00:29:25.92\00:29:28.89
or the light that
continued to enshroud them,
00:29:28.90\00:29:31.49
but here's the
part about victory.
00:29:31.50\00:29:33.54
So long as they
lived in obedience,
00:29:33.55\00:29:37.95
and that's a word that's been
00:29:37.96\00:29:39.30
put on the
endangered species list.
00:29:39.31\00:29:41.26
How many times do you hear
the sermons about obedience?
00:29:41.27\00:29:45.61
You don't really.
00:29:45.62\00:29:47.57
Matter of fact,
even wives sometimes say,
00:29:47.58\00:29:49.32
"Pastor, take that out of
00:29:49.33\00:29:50.30
the wedding vows
to love and to obey."
00:29:50.31\00:29:54.69
No, I'm not gonna --
What if he says something,
00:29:54.70\00:29:56.30
I don't want to obey.
I'm not gonna obey that.
00:29:56.31\00:29:59.15
Children, obey
your parents and Lord.
00:29:59.16\00:30:01.00
What if I don't
like my mom and my dad,
00:30:01.01\00:30:02.44
I'm not gonna obey them
00:30:02.45\00:30:03.91
and society is fighting
in the opposite direction.
00:30:03.92\00:30:06.66
In the very same way,
most of the sermons you hear
00:30:06.67\00:30:09.89
and I hope not in our church,
00:30:09.90\00:30:11.23
but most of the
sermons you hear about
00:30:11.24\00:30:12.60
how to have a
strong financial portfolio,
00:30:12.61\00:30:15.34
how to go to the next level,
how to get ready for the shift,
00:30:15.35\00:30:18.87
all these things outside of
00:30:18.88\00:30:20.51
how to live a
victorious Christian life.
00:30:20.52\00:30:22.88
There is a need for a
victorious Christian life
00:30:22.89\00:30:25.71
and I believe that
we can live in harmony
00:30:25.72\00:30:27.96
and in obedience to
the will of God, amen!
00:30:27.97\00:30:31.04
But here's the next question
because we're unpacking this.
00:30:31.05\00:30:34.26
We're unpacking this,
just at the foundation.
00:30:34.27\00:30:36.25
Question number six.
00:30:36.26\00:30:38.33
How much effort is
required to reflect God's glory?
00:30:38.34\00:30:44.28
How much effort is
required to reflect God's glory?
00:30:44.29\00:30:50.46
How much? This
is really important.
00:30:50.47\00:30:53.81
And I'll tell you a story after
the, after we read the text.
00:30:53.82\00:30:56.38
I share this with my audience
off the air a few weeks ago,
00:30:56.39\00:31:02.08
but it fit so
well unto the sermon
00:31:02.09\00:31:03.70
or the study that I'll
share it again tonight.
00:31:03.71\00:31:07.32
How much effort?
00:31:07.33\00:31:08.82
Listen to what
Matthew 5 and verse 16 says.
00:31:08.83\00:31:11.29
What's the very
first word in the text?
00:31:11.30\00:31:13.16
Let your light!
00:31:13.17\00:31:14.33
Let, let your light
-- We all know this all,
00:31:14.34\00:31:17.65
are you ready, here we go.
00:31:17.66\00:31:18.69
"Let your light
so shine before men,
00:31:18.70\00:31:22.24
that they may what?
00:31:22.25\00:31:23.37
See your good works
and glorify your Father,
00:31:23.38\00:31:28.72
where, which is in heaven."
00:31:28.73\00:31:31.24
But notice this.
What's the first word?
00:31:31.25\00:31:33.15
Let, L-E-T.
00:31:33.16\00:31:34.81
It's kind of like the text
that Paul has in Colossians.
00:31:34.82\00:31:37.60
"Let this mind be in you
which is also in Christ Jesus."
00:31:37.61\00:31:40.45
Do you know what?
00:31:40.46\00:31:41.47
All that has to,
all that we have to do
00:31:41.48\00:31:44.27
for our light to shine is let.
00:31:44.28\00:31:48.39
Few years ago, when
we drove to California
00:31:48.40\00:31:50.22
for the very
first time talking about
00:31:50.23\00:31:52.82
letting the
glorify of God be seen.
00:31:52.83\00:31:54.80
If the glory of God
is seen in our lives,
00:31:54.81\00:31:56.62
it's not very hard, it's
not very hard to be seen.
00:31:56.63\00:31:59.34
I didn't know
how, how the deserts
00:31:59.35\00:32:02.03
were there in Texas and
I want to make sure that
00:32:02.04\00:32:04.21
when we drove to California
that I could seen my way,
00:32:04.22\00:32:07.29
you know, as we
drove through the deserts
00:32:07.30\00:32:08.89
and Texas has
some large deserts.
00:32:08.90\00:32:11.03
As a matter of fact,
when we entered Texas,
00:32:11.04\00:32:12.55
I saw a mile marker, 880 miles,
00:32:12.56\00:32:16.11
which meant
that's how many miles
00:32:16.12\00:32:17.89
you have to go
to get out of Texas.
00:32:17.90\00:32:20.34
And I had never
driven that route before,
00:32:20.35\00:32:22.32
so we had an old
1976, Toyota Corona,
00:32:22.33\00:32:26.71
at its best it had
cancer, the fenders were,
00:32:26.72\00:32:29.02
you know, rotting
from being in New York City
00:32:29.03\00:32:31.19
and all the salt on the streets.
00:32:31.20\00:32:32.84
But I wanted my
headlights to work very well,
00:32:32.85\00:32:34.75
I needed to see where I'm going,
00:32:34.76\00:32:36.06
and I knew that's
somewhere along the way
00:32:36.07\00:32:38.05
I'll be driving in
the night, in the desert.
00:32:38.06\00:32:41.79
So I bought these
Hella halogen headlights.
00:32:41.80\00:32:44.28
Anybody remember that?
00:32:44.29\00:32:45.58
They still sell
them for racing vehicles.
00:32:45.59\00:32:48.28
Bright lights, I
mounted them on the front of my,
00:32:48.29\00:32:51.45
of my fender, bumper
whatever you want to call it,
00:32:51.46\00:32:55.47
got them hooked
up and tested them,
00:32:55.48\00:32:57.38
they worked really
well, and here we were
00:32:57.39\00:32:58.97
driving through Texas at
night, route 10 going west.
00:32:58.98\00:33:02.51
And I turned my
headlights on and I saw, I mean,
00:33:02.52\00:33:05.25
I was able to see -- Oh, it
seemed like a mile or an half,
00:33:05.26\00:33:08.13
it was bright, it was huge.
00:33:08.14\00:33:10.51
For the first time, I was
able to really see everything.
00:33:10.52\00:33:12.73
Dark desert,
bright lights, no problem.
00:33:12.74\00:33:16.08
And I saw way ahead
of me some flashlights,
00:33:16.09\00:33:18.20
and I thought, oh
please pull somebody over.
00:33:18.21\00:33:22.85
Well, the
lights were not moving.
00:33:22.86\00:33:24.19
They were getting
closer, and I was getting
00:33:24.20\00:33:25.92
closer and closer to the lights,
00:33:25.93\00:33:27.06
but I thought
somebody had been pulled over.
00:33:27.07\00:33:29.10
When I passed the
lights, it came in behind me
00:33:29.11\00:33:33.06
and he pulled me over.
00:33:33.07\00:33:34.09
He said, he didn't ask me
for license and registration.
00:33:34.10\00:33:37.34
And he said, "Would
you turn those lights off."
00:33:37.35\00:33:41.54
And I said, "Why?" He said,
00:33:41.55\00:33:42.59
"I could see those
things two miles down the road,
00:33:42.60\00:33:44.69
they were blinding me."
00:33:44.70\00:33:47.67
Well, my point is this.
00:33:47.68\00:33:48.84
If the glory of God is
shining from us at night,
00:33:48.85\00:33:52.08
somebody ought to be
able to see it. Amen.
00:33:52.19\00:33:54.25
This world is darker
than it's ever been before.
00:33:54.26\00:33:56.51
The glory of God will be seen
in the life that is reflecting
00:33:56.52\00:34:00.48
the glory of God, but
it cannot be reflected
00:34:00.49\00:34:04.03
unless God is
living on the where?
00:34:04.04\00:34:06.72
On the inside. So
it's very important.
00:34:06.73\00:34:09.57
So if you put an
answer there to question five,
00:34:09.58\00:34:11.88
what did God
create man to reflect?
00:34:11.89\00:34:15.35
God created man
to reflect His glory.
00:34:15.36\00:34:18.95
God created man
to reflect His glory.
00:34:18.96\00:34:21.86
But question number six.
And how does that happen?
00:34:21.87\00:34:24.76
By simply letting it happened.
How does it happen, friends?
00:34:24.77\00:34:27.36
By, what? Letting it happened.
00:34:27.37\00:34:29.58
If you just let the Lord do what
He wants to do in your life,
00:34:29.59\00:34:32.28
the glory of God will be seen.
00:34:32.29\00:34:34.03
There is no effort required
to reflect the glory of God.
00:34:34.04\00:34:36.82
If you just simply say,
"Lord, I give you my life,
00:34:36.83\00:34:39.56
I invite You to
come into my life."
00:34:39.57\00:34:41.28
Everyday you do
that, sooner or later
00:34:41.29\00:34:44.23
the light is
going to get brighter
00:34:44.24\00:34:45.65
and brighter and brighter,
and people are going to notice
00:34:45.66\00:34:48.18
the change because
the Lord, who is the light
00:34:48.19\00:34:51.23
cannot be hidden once
He's in our lives. Amen.
00:34:51.24\00:34:53.85
Question number seven.
00:34:53.86\00:34:55.51
Where does the light that the
Christian reflects come from?
00:34:55.52\00:34:57.74
Did I just tell you the answer?
00:34:57.75\00:35:00.20
Did I just tell you the answer?
00:35:00.21\00:35:01.76
Okay, let's see
what the Bible says.
00:35:01.77\00:35:03.51
This is very important,
although you know the answer,
00:35:03.52\00:35:05.98
don't tell me.
00:35:05.99\00:35:07.24
Let's go to John 8 and
verse 12, John 8 and verse 12.
00:35:07.25\00:35:11.27
Where does the light that the
Christian reflects come from?
00:35:11.28\00:35:14.82
It doesn't come from Walmart.
It doesn't come from Kmart.
00:35:14.83\00:35:19.96
It doesn't come
from a flashlight.
00:35:19.97\00:35:21.96
Listen to the words of Jesus.
00:35:21.97\00:35:24.29
"And Jesus spoke to them saying,
00:35:24.30\00:35:27.36
'I am the, what?
Light of the world.
00:35:27.37\00:35:30.06
He who follows
Me shall not what?
00:35:30.07\00:35:32.85
Walk in darkness, but
have the light of life.'"
00:35:32.86\00:35:36.97
No one passed that.
00:35:36.98\00:35:38.38
If you follow
Christ, what will you have?
00:35:38.39\00:35:42.32
You will have the light of life.
You will have the light of life.
00:35:42.33\00:35:46.59
So could it be that
we're not following Christ
00:35:46.60\00:35:49.67
that the light
is not being seen.
00:35:49.68\00:35:51.66
Now that's just
very important because
00:35:51.67\00:35:53.35
if you say you're a
Christian, the next question is,
00:35:53.36\00:35:55.53
okay, you have the label,
00:35:55.54\00:35:56.87
but are you following the
one with the light? all right?
00:35:56.88\00:36:00.82
Having the label is not
what that said, it says,
00:36:00.83\00:36:03.86
"I am the Light of the
world, he who follows Me
00:36:03.87\00:36:06.06
will not walk in the darkness,
00:36:06.07\00:36:07.73
but will have
the Light of life."
00:36:07.74\00:36:11.55
I believe it was 1960 something,
00:36:11.56\00:36:14.92
I can't remember the exact
date, but in New York City,
00:36:14.93\00:36:16.86
the first
blackout that they had.
00:36:16.87\00:36:19.18
I was a little
boy and I remember
00:36:19.19\00:36:20.71
Mr. Hahn's coming home.
00:36:20.72\00:36:23.48
The lights in New
York City went out.
00:36:23.49\00:36:24.94
The first great
blackout that they had.
00:36:24.95\00:36:27.34
And he was in the
subway on his way home,
00:36:27.35\00:36:29.49
the A train on
his way to Brooklyn
00:36:29.50\00:36:30.75
when the lights went out.
00:36:30.76\00:36:32.41
And for those of you
who know me very well,
00:36:32.42\00:36:34.54
you know, I like flashlights.
00:36:34.55\00:36:36.64
Isn't that right? I talk
about all my flashlights.
00:36:36.65\00:36:38.86
My wife has a flashlight.
00:36:38.87\00:36:40.22
I never traveled
without a flashlight.
00:36:40.23\00:36:41.47
I'm on the plane,
I have a flashlight
00:36:41.48\00:36:42.87
that hangs around my neck.
00:36:42.88\00:36:44.60
Little tiny one,
looks like a little ball.
00:36:44.61\00:36:47.61
Anybody on the plane
except me maybe in darkness.
00:36:47.62\00:36:51.68
I have a flashlight. I
have one that fits my bag,
00:36:51.69\00:36:54.10
one on the side of my bed.
00:36:54.30\00:36:55.70
I have a long
flashlight, a small flashlight,
00:36:55.71\00:36:57.75
I have a halogen flashlight,
00:36:57.76\00:36:59.74
and I have a two million
watt candle one that plugs
00:36:59.75\00:37:02.18
into my
cigarette lighter, my car.
00:37:02.19\00:37:05.63
But he told me
the story very well.
00:37:05.64\00:37:07.63
When the, when the train
broke down in the tunnels
00:37:07.64\00:37:10.26
of Brooklyn on its
way to Franklin Avenue.
00:37:10.27\00:37:15.41
He who worked as a
janitor at one of the buildings
00:37:15.42\00:37:18.09
in Wall Street, he
took out his flashlight.
00:37:18.10\00:37:21.04
When they had to
climb out of the train
00:37:21.05\00:37:22.31
and walk to the stop, he said,
00:37:22.32\00:37:25.69
"A lot of people were following
him because he had the light."
00:37:25.70\00:37:29.74
Those who are not following
him were walking in what?
00:37:29.75\00:37:32.16
Darkness. Darkness.
00:37:32.17\00:37:33.34
In the very same
way, when we follow Jesus.
00:37:33.35\00:37:36.94
I reiterate what he said,
"We will have the light of life.
00:37:36.95\00:37:41.10
We will not walk in darkness."
00:37:41.11\00:37:42.48
Now, why isn't so
vitally important?
00:37:42.49\00:37:44.39
Is because, often times and the
reason I'm gonna bring this out.
00:37:44.40\00:37:47.65
Remember that phrase,
"We'll have the light of life.
00:37:47.66\00:37:50.35
We'll not walk in darkness."
00:37:50.36\00:37:52.39
Matter of fact, let
me turn you to a text.
00:37:52.40\00:37:54.74
Go with me to the Book
of Ephesians, go there.
00:37:54.75\00:37:57.70
This is not on the screen,
every now and then we're gonna
00:37:57.71\00:37:59.65
break away from the script.
00:37:59.66\00:38:01.11
Is that all right? Amen!
00:38:01.12\00:38:02.95
Let me show you this.
00:38:02.96\00:38:03.94
Because there are,
there are works of light
00:38:03.95\00:38:08.25
and there are
works of darkness. Amen!
00:38:08.26\00:38:10.57
All right. Now, we know
about the works of light,
00:38:10.58\00:38:15.38
but--Okay, here we are.
00:38:15.39\00:38:22.92
Galatians Chapter 5,
did I say, Ephesians? Yeah!
00:38:22.93\00:38:25.81
You should be
listening carefully, Galatians.
00:38:25.82\00:38:31.28
Galatians 5, very important.
00:38:31.29\00:38:34.15
Remember, walking in
light, not in darkness.
00:38:34.16\00:38:37.41
So I'm gonna show you now.
00:38:37.42\00:38:38.45
Since we say, if
we walk on the light,
00:38:38.46\00:38:41.44
if we follow the
one in the light,
00:38:41.45\00:38:42.71
we will not be
walking in darkness.
00:38:42.72\00:38:44.97
We will not have darkness,
we will have the light of life.
00:38:44.98\00:38:48.06
It's not possible.
Now I want you to notice.
00:38:48.07\00:38:50.02
Everyone knows, where the
fruit of the spirit is listed.
00:38:50.03\00:38:53.88
Galatians 5 verse 22,
00:38:53.89\00:38:56.60
down to verse 20, 25, all right.
00:38:56.61\00:39:04.94
Very quickly, but the
fruit of the spirit is what?
00:39:04.95\00:39:07.22
Love, joy, peace,
long suffering, gentleness,
00:39:07.23\00:39:09.74
meekness,
patience, you know all that,
00:39:09.75\00:39:12.06
you got all that, right?
00:39:12.07\00:39:13.27
And by the way, we
make this particular point.
00:39:13.28\00:39:15.73
It's not the
fruits of the spirit,
00:39:15.74\00:39:17.59
it's the fruit, one fruit.
00:39:17.60\00:39:19.46
You get that, you
bite that one fruit,
00:39:19.47\00:39:20.80
there is love and joy
and peace and long suffering,
00:39:20.81\00:39:22.61
and gentleness
in that one fruit.
00:39:22.62\00:39:24.63
How many fruits did Eve
bite? One. There you go.
00:39:24.64\00:39:28.32
Now let's look at the
opposite side of that.
00:39:28.33\00:39:31.15
You remember now
the works of darkness.
00:39:31.16\00:39:33.53
Look at verse 19.
00:39:33.54\00:39:36.13
These are the
things that should not
00:39:36.14\00:39:38.33
show up in a Christian's life.
00:39:38.34\00:39:41.18
Are you ready?
Galatians 5 verse 19.
00:39:41.19\00:39:44.26
I'm reading the
New King James Version,
00:39:44.27\00:39:45.78
but whatever
version you have it's fine.
00:39:45.79\00:39:48.35
"Now the works of
the flesh are evident,
00:39:48.36\00:39:51.02
or as some transition say,
are these, which are, adultery,
00:39:51.03\00:39:55.46
fornication, uncleanness,
licentiousness, idolatry,
00:39:55.47\00:40:01.24
sorcery, hatred, contentions,
are they contentions,
00:40:01.25\00:40:06.08
jealousies, outbursts of wrath,
people loosing their temper,
00:40:06.09\00:40:10.70
selfish ambitions,
jealousies that is.
00:40:10.71\00:40:13.33
People want to take your place,
00:40:13.34\00:40:14.36
and you want to
take somebody else's.
00:40:14.37\00:40:15.96
Dissensions, that's
problems. Things can't go right.
00:40:15.97\00:40:19.85
Heresies, envy,
murder, drunkenness, revelries,
00:40:19.86\00:40:25.82
and the like of which
I tell you beforehand,
00:40:25.83\00:40:29.28
just as I also
told you in time past,
00:40:29.29\00:40:32.07
that those who practice
such things will not what?
00:40:32.08\00:40:36.03
"Will not inherit
the kingdom of God."
00:40:36.04\00:40:38.58
Those are the works of darkness.
00:40:38.59\00:40:40.07
Those are the
things that should not be
00:40:40.08\00:40:41.76
named in the Christian's life.
00:40:41.77\00:40:43.47
But I shamefully
say that many Christians
00:40:43.48\00:40:46.32
still struggle in those areas.
00:40:46.33\00:40:49.13
Now, do you think it's
God's plan for Christians
00:40:49.14\00:40:53.42
to struggle with
all that stuff? No.
00:40:53.43\00:40:57.80
We'll find out in
just a moment why?
00:40:57.81\00:40:59.57
It was never God's
plan for us to struggle
00:40:59.58\00:41:01.98
with those kinds of things.
00:41:01.99\00:41:03.50
Let's go to the next question
00:41:03.51\00:41:04.54
to see exactly
what I mean by that.
00:41:04.55\00:41:06.85
Question number
eight, question number eight.
00:41:06.86\00:41:11.12
Here it is. How
is the transaction
00:41:11.13\00:41:13.55
of accepting Jesus described?
00:41:13.56\00:41:15.69
How is he transaction of
accepting Jesus described?
00:41:15.70\00:41:19.28
There was a transaction
when you buy something.
00:41:19.29\00:41:22.04
If we are purchased
by the blood of Christ,
00:41:22.05\00:41:24.29
it's a transaction, but how does
00:41:24.30\00:41:26.41
the Bible
describe this transaction?
00:41:26.42\00:41:30.13
First Peter
Chapter 2 and verse 9.
00:41:30.14\00:41:32.87
This is one of my favorite
texts by the way, I love it.
00:41:32.88\00:41:35.81
Here we go, here's the answer.
00:41:35.82\00:41:40.20
"But you are a,
what kind of generation?
00:41:40.21\00:41:43.19
Chosen generation.
What kind of priesthood?
00:41:43.20\00:41:46.60
Royal priesthood, a holy nation,
00:41:46.61\00:41:49.73
His own special
people, that you may proclaim
00:41:49.74\00:41:53.95
the praises of Him who called
you out of, what?" Darkness.
00:41:53.96\00:41:57.97
"Darkness into
His marvelous light."
00:41:57.98\00:42:01.84
I mean, have you seen bright
light just a few nights ago?
00:42:01.85\00:42:04.16
I don't know how many of you
are at home a few nights ago,
00:42:04.17\00:42:06.84
I think Sunday night
when there was lightening
00:42:06.85\00:42:10.02
like I had not
seen in a longtime.
00:42:10.03\00:42:12.71
My wife and I
were driving together
00:42:12.72\00:42:14.33
and there were
many instances where
00:42:14.34\00:42:15.66
the lightening
actually hurt our eyes.
00:42:15.67\00:42:17.92
I started getting to the place
where I was driving like this.
00:42:17.93\00:42:20.91
I said, and I took
out, I got a--I took my,
00:42:20.92\00:42:24.16
my shades, sorry, my sunglasses.
00:42:24.17\00:42:26.81
Shades, is an
old fashioned word.
00:42:26.82\00:42:28.78
I took my sunglasses
out and began to drive
00:42:28.79\00:42:30.97
with my sunglasses at night
00:42:30.98\00:42:32.36
because the
lightening was bright.
00:42:32.37\00:42:33.96
It was actually hurting
my eyes. It was blue color.
00:42:33.97\00:42:37.06
It was very
blue, very, very blue.
00:42:37.07\00:42:39.60
And at points maybe
two or three seconds,
00:42:39.61\00:42:41.60
it looked like it
was full day time.
00:42:41.61\00:42:44.56
But here's the thing, God
hasn't called us into light.
00:42:44.57\00:42:47.83
He's called us
into what kind of light?
00:42:47.84\00:42:49.49
Marvelous. Marvelous light.
00:42:49.50\00:42:50.91
He calls us to reflect
His glory. We'll find out.
00:42:50.92\00:42:53.91
I'm laying the foundation
because we're gonna get
00:42:53.92\00:42:55.62
into some things that are
very important like Romans 5,
00:42:55.63\00:42:58.55
Romans 6, Romans 7,
00:42:58.56\00:43:00.09
the experience of Paul
after he accepted Christ.
00:43:00.10\00:43:03.86
God knows where we
are, but our God also knows
00:43:03.87\00:43:06.80
where He wants us to be.
00:43:06.81\00:43:08.31
So God calls us out of darkness
into His marvelous light.
00:43:08.32\00:43:11.50
And the text that we read there
in Galatians 5 verse 19 to 21,
00:43:11.51\00:43:16.41
talked about all the
things that should not be named
00:43:16.42\00:43:19.90
in the life of the Christian,
the works of darkness.
00:43:19.91\00:43:22.67
But here's the next question.
00:43:22.68\00:43:23.92
Question number
nine, question number nine.
00:43:23.93\00:43:27.61
How does the Bible describe
the character of mankind?
00:43:27.62\00:43:33.56
Are you all ready?
I'm gonna talk about you.
00:43:33.57\00:43:36.82
Well, let me rephrase that.
I'm gonna talk about us, right?
00:43:36.83\00:43:40.84
Are you ready? Can I hear, yes?
00:43:40.85\00:43:43.85
Yes! Okay, here we go.
00:43:43.86\00:43:45.31
Now you got to hold on because
I'm gonna talk about you,
00:43:45.32\00:43:48.03
I'm not gonna use my own words,
I'm gonna use the word of God.
00:43:48.04\00:43:52.19
He's gonna describe
the character of mankind.
00:43:52.20\00:43:55.81
How we were when
the Lord found us?
00:43:55.82\00:43:59.51
Isaiah 64 and verse
6 is our first passage.
00:43:59.52\00:44:04.01
Isaiah 64 and verse
6. This is a hard one.
00:44:04.02\00:44:11.64
"But we are all like, what,
00:44:11.65\00:44:16.53
an unclean thing, and
all our righteousness.
00:44:16.54\00:44:21.73
Try to say that 15 times.
Are like, what kinds of rags?
00:44:21.74\00:44:25.40
Filthy rags, we
all fade as a leaf,
00:44:25.41\00:44:28.55
and our iniquities like the
wind have what, taken us away."
00:44:28.56\00:44:32.68
No, you don't
want to run pass this,
00:44:32.69\00:44:33.68
we've read this a
thousand times, get it.
00:44:33.69\00:44:38.20
Our iniquities takes us away.
00:44:38.21\00:44:40.11
In other words, our iniquity,
the sin that we cherish
00:44:40.12\00:44:43.49
is what separates
between us and God.
00:44:43.50\00:44:45.66
In other words, a
righteous God will not have
00:44:45.67\00:44:48.05
a sinful man stand in
His presence or simple woman.
00:44:48.06\00:44:51.71
So if God is getting as
ready to stand this presence,
00:44:51.72\00:44:54.35
what does He have
to remove from us?
00:44:54.36\00:44:56.09
Here are some
things, the unclean things,
00:44:56.10\00:44:59.17
the filthy
things, our iniquities,
00:44:59.18\00:45:02.23
all the things
that cause us to fade.
00:45:02.24\00:45:04.65
Now there is a difference
between fading and reflecting
00:45:04.66\00:45:07.25
the marvelous
light, is there not? Yes!
00:45:07.26\00:45:10.23
So, God doesn't want
like an-- Matter of fact,
00:45:10.24\00:45:12.32
when your
headlights begin to dim,
00:45:12.33\00:45:14.02
you think your batteries dying
or your alternate is broke.
00:45:14.03\00:45:17.19
Just imagine a Christian with a,
00:45:17.20\00:45:18.41
a Christian with a
very, very dim light.
00:45:18.42\00:45:23.02
And strangely enough,
when people in the world
00:45:23.03\00:45:28.26
run into Christians
that lose their temper
00:45:28.27\00:45:30.16
in public or maybe at work,
the devil has it that moment
00:45:30.17\00:45:35.93
that they say, "I
thought you were a Christian."
00:45:35.94\00:45:38.60
Have you noticed that?
00:45:38.61\00:45:40.28
But don't you, aren't you,
but aren't you a Christian?
00:45:40.29\00:45:46.64
Kind of like Peter,
but aren't you connected
00:45:46.65\00:45:48.41
with Christ and what did He do.
00:45:48.42\00:45:50.28
He began to curse. He was not
yet where God wanted him to be.
00:45:50.29\00:45:55.93
And that's why,
Jesus said to him.
00:45:55.94\00:45:57.06
"When you are converted,
until you converted Peter,
00:45:57.07\00:46:00.63
you're not, no used to be.
00:46:00.64\00:46:01.74
When you are converted,
strengthen the brethren.
00:46:01.75\00:46:04.95
God looks for converted people.
00:46:04.96\00:46:06.38
What, what kind
of people did I say?
00:46:06.39\00:46:08.19
Converted. Converted!
00:46:08.20\00:46:09.66
Yes, He accepts us as we are,
00:46:09.67\00:46:10.94
but He never leaves
us the way He finds us.
00:46:10.95\00:46:13.90
Now let's go to the part
that's really gonna unpack this.
00:46:13.91\00:46:16.05
Question number ten.
00:46:16.06\00:46:17.70
And this may take us
to the end of our program,
00:46:17.71\00:46:19.84
maybe or maybe
not, but let's go ahead.
00:46:19.85\00:46:22.41
How reliable is our decision
making and reasoning center?
00:46:22.42\00:46:28.96
Now some of you
linguistics maybe saying,
00:46:28.97\00:46:30.71
"How reliable are our
decision making and reasoning?"
00:46:30.72\00:46:35.15
But I'm talking about one place.
00:46:35.16\00:46:37.93
How reliable is our decision
making and reasoning center?
00:46:37.94\00:46:41.18
There's a place
where we make decisions,
00:46:41.19\00:46:43.05
there's a place where we reason.
00:46:43.06\00:46:44.28
He reliable is that place?
00:46:44.29\00:46:46.68
Let's start with the central,
00:46:46.69\00:46:48.66
let's start with
the central location.
00:46:48.67\00:46:51.22
Are you ready? Jeremiah 17:9,
00:46:51.23\00:46:54.56
and I'd like us all to
read this together because
00:46:54.57\00:46:56.41
I don't want to be
inditing you about anything.
00:46:56.42\00:46:58.63
I want you to indite yourself.
Are you ready? Here we go.
00:46:58.64\00:47:02.17
"The heart is
deceitful above all things,
00:47:02.18\00:47:06.81
and desperately wicked."
00:47:06.82\00:47:09.28
And here's the
question. "Who can know it?"
00:47:09.29\00:47:11.44
Have you ever surprised
yourself with your reaction?
00:47:11.45\00:47:13.93
Come on, can I guess somebody--
Have you ever surprised?
00:47:13.94\00:47:16.45
You say, "Did I
say that? Was that me?"
00:47:16.46\00:47:20.77
Have you ever been kneeling
down while you're praying
00:47:20.78\00:47:22.60
and thoughts come in your
mind that you're wondering?
00:47:22.61\00:47:24.42
"Lord, where are
those thoughts coming from."
00:47:24.43\00:47:27.05
Or sometimes, you
walk in church and you say,
00:47:27.06\00:47:30.25
"Oh, what a beautiful Sabbath
morning and all of a sudden,
00:47:30.26\00:47:32.47
thoughts come into
your mind or words fall
00:47:32.48\00:47:35.16
off your tongue and
say, was that, was that me?"
00:47:35.17\00:47:38.75
That's what the Bible saying,
"The human heart is deceitful
00:47:38.76\00:47:41.81
above all things,
and desperately--"
00:47:41.82\00:47:43.57
We can even
predicted, we can predict it.
00:47:43.58\00:47:46.35
So, if we can control
it, do we need someone
00:47:46.36\00:47:51.61
that knows how to
control the human heart?
00:47:51.62\00:47:53.48
Yes or no? Yes.
00:47:53.49\00:47:55.37
We need a power outside
of ourselves and too often,
00:47:55.38\00:47:58.19
we rely on our own strength and
our own power to be victorious.
00:47:58.20\00:48:01.69
In other words, triumph --
00:48:01.70\00:48:04.29
And I've heard
preachers once, matter of fact,
00:48:04.30\00:48:06.07
there's a young lady
that came to a preacher
00:48:06.08\00:48:07.31
and she tell me about
this what he said to her.
00:48:07.32\00:48:09.71
She was asking for
help in a particular area.
00:48:09.72\00:48:11.31
And he said, "You know,
if you just pray harder,
00:48:11.32\00:48:15.33
if you just try
hard, you can do it.
00:48:15.34\00:48:18.00
Good, just try hard, just focus.
00:48:18.01\00:48:19.85
Salvation is not of works,
lest anyone should boast."
00:48:19.86\00:48:24.21
There's not a matter
of try hard to go into--
00:48:24.22\00:48:26.04
It's not a Twelve Steps process.
Now okay, try, how can I?
00:48:26.05\00:48:29.90
Say after me. I
can do it, I can do it.
00:48:29.91\00:48:33.25
What's the problem
there? Somebody tell me.
00:48:33.26\00:48:35.39
What? I, exactly.
00:48:35.40\00:48:38.29
It's a I problem, there you go.
00:48:38.30\00:48:39.48
The devil said, "I shall
be, I shall be, I shall be."
00:48:39.49\00:48:42.52
And if we thought, I can do it,
00:48:42.53\00:48:43.79
I can do it, I
know I'm struggling,
00:48:43.80\00:48:44.97
but I can do it, I can do it.
00:48:44.98\00:48:46.35
Focus, John, I can
do it. You can't do it.
00:48:46.36\00:48:48.65
Because the heart is
deceitful above all things,
00:48:48.66\00:48:50.55
and--We don't even
know what is gonna do next.
00:48:50.56\00:48:53.67
That's the
heart, the heart is bad.
00:48:53.68\00:48:55.22
So when people say to me,
understand me in the context.
00:48:55.23\00:48:58.23
When people say
to me, "You know,
00:48:58.24\00:49:00.66
I know a lot of people
who have really good hearts."
00:49:00.67\00:49:03.68
And I would say, "Show me them."
00:49:03.69\00:49:06.27
Because, you know what,
the fact that the matter is.
00:49:06.28\00:49:08.16
According to God's word
nobody has a good heart.
00:49:08.17\00:49:13.05
Just catch Him on the right
day, step on the right toe,
00:49:13.06\00:49:17.40
not the big one, get
Him on a really bad day,
00:49:17.41\00:49:22.80
and they will remind
you that they need Jesus
00:49:22.81\00:49:25.73
every moment of the
day, as we all know.
00:49:25.74\00:49:28.40
Isn't that right? But let's
keep going, let's keep going.
00:49:28.41\00:49:32.67
Psalms 14 verse
1, Psalms 14 verse 1.
00:49:32.68\00:49:36.44
And this is the reason why the
Bible uses the word fool there.
00:49:36.45\00:49:39.01
Foolishness
comes from the heart.
00:49:39.02\00:49:41.79
"The fool has said in his
heart, 'There is, what, no God.'
00:49:41.80\00:49:46.11
They, the Bible
says, are corrupt,
00:49:46.12\00:49:48.88
they have done abominable works,
there is none who does good."
00:49:48.89\00:49:53.94
How many of us do
good? Not a one of us.
00:49:53.95\00:49:56.54
Now God works through us.
00:49:56.55\00:49:58.86
And I want to put this in
context because you may say,
00:49:58.87\00:50:00.77
"Well, you know, I have some
people that are not Christians,
00:50:00.78\00:50:02.85
they help keep the
neighborhood clean,
00:50:02.86\00:50:04.85
their yards are
always perfectly manicured.
00:50:04.86\00:50:07.83
Whenever there's a project, they
come forth and they help out."
00:50:07.84\00:50:11.56
I'm not talking about
those kinds of things.
00:50:11.57\00:50:13.84
I'm talking about good
in reference to salvation.
00:50:13.85\00:50:17.75
I'm not talking about a person
who builds a great building
00:50:17.76\00:50:20.16
or paints or wonderful
house or knows how to really
00:50:20.17\00:50:23.28
manicure the lawn
and volunteers to do.
00:50:23.29\00:50:25.46
Those, those are good
deeds, but, but you know well,
00:50:25.47\00:50:28.18
by the deeds, nobody is
justified by their deeds.
00:50:28.19\00:50:31.96
Salvation is not
something that we do.
00:50:31.97\00:50:34.09
It's a process
that is done within us.
00:50:34.10\00:50:35.98
So when it comes to
comparing us to Christ,
00:50:35.99\00:50:39.26
there is none who does
good, no not, not one of us.
00:50:39.27\00:50:42.98
Let's continue to go on.
00:50:42.99\00:50:44.51
We talked about
the hard both times.
00:50:44.52\00:50:46.15
Let's talk about the tongue.
00:50:46.16\00:50:48.49
James 3 and verse
8, James 3 and verse 8.
00:50:48.50\00:50:55.98
There's a whole lot more
James says about the tongue,
00:50:55.99\00:50:58.45
but I'll just
narrow down to this.
00:50:58.46\00:51:01.53
Really, really
amazing, what he says.
00:51:01.54\00:51:03.23
Have you heard somebody
say, "I'm gonna bite my tongue?"
00:51:06.93\00:51:10.13
This tells you why,
all right. Here we go.
00:51:10.14\00:51:13.91
"But no man, how many man?
00:51:13.92\00:51:17.00
No man can, no man
can tame the tongue.
00:51:17.01\00:51:20.76
It is an unruly
evil, full of what,
00:51:20.77\00:51:25.49
deadly, deadly poison."
00:51:25.50\00:51:27.70
Now, how many of you
would give you a child
00:51:27.71\00:51:30.08
something to drink
that's describe this way?
00:51:30.09\00:51:34.46
Full of evil
and a deadly poison.
00:51:34.47\00:51:37.57
How many would do that?
00:51:37.58\00:51:39.38
But you know what,
that's what, that's what,
00:51:39.39\00:51:41.26
that's what
happens to the tongue
00:51:41.27\00:51:42.52
that is not under
the control of Christ.
00:51:42.53\00:51:44.18
That's what happens. James says,
00:51:48.15\00:51:50.51
"From that same tongue
comes blessings one day
00:51:50.52\00:51:54.63
to God be the glory."
00:51:54.64\00:51:56.05
Go home and lose his
tempering from that same tongue
00:51:56.06\00:51:58.83
comes cursing and blasphemy.
00:51:58.84\00:52:01.52
So all we're gonna go to
heaven with both functions
00:52:01.53\00:52:05.24
when we're in heaven. Yes or no?
00:52:05.25\00:52:06.74
You know, when we go to heaven,
00:52:06.75\00:52:07.75
we're not losing our
tempers and our tongues
00:52:07.76\00:52:09.28
and not going to be
a deadly poison because
00:52:09.29\00:52:10.68
the character of Christ will
be completely reproduced on us,
00:52:10.69\00:52:13.72
but down here, here's the
key between earth and heaven.
00:52:13.73\00:52:18.39
We've got to find out--
Let me put this together
00:52:18.40\00:52:21.09
and you'll see this as we go
to the next study, not tonight.
00:52:21.10\00:52:24.28
But here we are when Christ,
we're here when Christ finds us.
00:52:24.29\00:52:27.65
Let's just say this is us.
00:52:27.66\00:52:29.91
Then Christ, we're
moving in the journey.
00:52:29.92\00:52:32.00
This is justificate
Christ, we accept Christ
00:52:32.01\00:52:34.29
to comes into our lives.
00:52:34.30\00:52:35.36
He covers the
payment for our sin,
00:52:35.37\00:52:38.04
He pays for us to be redeemed,
He goes to the store of sin
00:52:38.05\00:52:42.32
and death and
degradation and he buys us,
00:52:42.33\00:52:45.63
and He redeemed us.
00:52:45.64\00:52:47.13
Justification, we'll
talk about that in detail.
00:52:47.14\00:52:49.08
Then we go to this
part, sanctification.
00:52:49.09\00:52:51.50
He begins the
process of restoring us.
00:52:51.51\00:52:53.31
Have you seen an old piece
of furniture completely restored
00:52:53.32\00:52:56.31
or a house completely restored?
00:52:56.32\00:52:58.43
You look at that thing.
00:52:58.44\00:52:59.41
And my wife and I like to watch
the HD TV channel where they,
00:52:59.42\00:53:03.60
you know, they get these
houses they look like nothing.
00:53:03.61\00:53:06.32
And they say, "Well, I
can fix that up for $30,000."
00:53:06.33\00:53:09.29
And the people say,
"No, not that house."
00:53:09.30\00:53:13.29
But people are
admired not by what happens
00:53:13.30\00:53:15.24
on the outside of the
house, by what happens where.
00:53:15.25\00:53:17.81
On the inside of the house.
00:53:17.82\00:53:19.89
'Cause the outside
doesn't change much outside
00:53:19.90\00:53:21.57
or maybe some paint
or an additional room.
00:53:21.58\00:53:24.95
But Christ
accepts us, He accepts us
00:53:24.96\00:53:27.33
and the process
begin, the project starts.
00:53:27.34\00:53:31.08
But we have to
remember where we started.
00:53:31.09\00:53:33.13
House messed,
wives all messed up,
00:53:33.14\00:53:35.55
tongue doesn't
work, bad attitudes,
00:53:35.56\00:53:38.80
could cuss at any moment,
tell somebody off at any moment,
00:53:38.81\00:53:42.04
facial expressions
change at any moment,
00:53:42.05\00:53:44.81
get angry at any
moment, 'cause you don't get
00:53:44.82\00:53:46.27
the position you want to
fight, somebody disrespects you,
00:53:46.28\00:53:49.23
you'll lose your temper,
cut people off at any moment.
00:53:49.24\00:53:52.99
So if we see those things
still spring forth in our lives,
00:53:53.00\00:53:56.71
either we haven't
fully surrendered ourselves
00:53:56.72\00:53:58.53
or there are
certain parts of our lives
00:53:58.54\00:54:00.60
that we still have to
give to Christ to be removed.
00:54:00.61\00:54:04.31
Look at this,
Romans 3 verse 10 to 12.
00:54:04.32\00:54:09.12
Romans 3 verse 10 to 12. Okay.
00:54:09.13\00:54:14.09
"As it is written,
'There is none righteous,
00:54:14.10\00:54:18.32
no, not one, there
is none who understands,
00:54:18.33\00:54:22.09
there is none
who seeks after God.
00:54:22.10\00:54:26.10
They have all turned aside,
they have together become,
00:54:26.11\00:54:28.99
what, unprofitable,
00:54:29.00\00:54:31.38
there is none who does
good together, no, not one.'"
00:54:31.39\00:54:37.23
Not even one. So,
how many of us do good?
00:54:37.24\00:54:40.95
Raise your hand. Now,
I'm not gonna leave you
00:54:40.96\00:54:45.68
discouraged, you're gonna
go home excited, all right.
00:54:45.69\00:54:48.49
But I want you to
see why we do need Jesus.
00:54:48.50\00:54:51.44
We don't need
another fundamental doctrine.
00:54:51.45\00:54:53.85
We don't need number 29.
00:54:53.86\00:54:55.50
Those are facts, no matter
whether you accept them or not.
00:54:55.51\00:54:58.31
But what I want,
what the Christ wants us,
00:54:58.32\00:55:00.02
for us to be victorious.
00:55:00.03\00:55:01.06
I don't want to live
a life of defeat in just
00:55:01.07\00:55:02.53
at the last minute, you know,
00:55:02.54\00:55:04.03
fall out of an alcohol
bottle right into heaven.
00:55:04.04\00:55:05.82
It's not gonna happen that way.
00:55:05.83\00:55:07.80
Christ wants me to
be a testament down here
00:55:07.81\00:55:09.52
that He can change
lives, that's the only hope
00:55:09.53\00:55:11.56
that the person who is hung
up on something has by seeing
00:55:11.57\00:55:14.34
the deliverance
that's present in my life.
00:55:14.35\00:55:17.21
Look at in other one.
00:55:17.22\00:55:18.29
Question number
eleven, question number eleven.
00:55:18.30\00:55:20.90
Go to this very quickly.
00:55:20.91\00:55:22.35
What did Jesus say is one of the
greatest Christian challenges,
00:55:22.36\00:55:25.61
one of the greatest
Christian challenges?
00:55:25.62\00:55:28.05
Matthew 15 verse
8, Matthew 15 verse 8.
00:55:28.06\00:55:32.19
One of the greatest
Christian challenges.
00:55:32.20\00:55:33.85
He said this. "These
people draw near to Me
00:55:33.86\00:55:41.67
with their, what, mouth,
honor Me with their lips,
00:55:41.68\00:55:46.54
but their heart
is, what, far from Me."
00:55:46.55\00:55:50.09
What do you,
what, what can you think
00:55:50.10\00:55:51.49
of when you think of, they draw
near to Me with their mouths.
00:55:51.50\00:55:55.27
Singing Christian
songs, preaching sermons,
00:55:55.28\00:55:57.54
giving your Bibles
that is talking about Jesus,
00:55:57.55\00:55:59.92
but the heart is a
problem and heart somewhere.
00:55:59.93\00:56:02.24
You know, friends,
Jesus is come to remedy,
00:56:02.25\00:56:04.57
not just what's
happening on the outside because
00:56:04.58\00:56:06.28
all those things are,
are just really good things.
00:56:06.29\00:56:08.63
And sometimes, if
we're not careful,
00:56:08.64\00:56:09.94
we can lead people to Christ
on ourselves be a cast toy,
00:56:09.95\00:56:12.98
what I'm talking
about is, God does not want
00:56:12.99\00:56:14.45
to cast us away,
He wants to hold, man,
00:56:14.46\00:56:16.69
He wants to save
all of us, amen. Amen!
00:56:16.70\00:56:18.96
And so, we begin this topic
by looking at where we are,
00:56:18.97\00:56:22.38
but where we can be in Christ,
00:56:22.39\00:56:25.39
where we begin and
where we're gonna end up.
00:56:25.40\00:56:27.40
It's gonna be
amazing, because you read about
00:56:27.41\00:56:29.19
heaven one day, each
of us is going to walk
00:56:29.20\00:56:31.65
through the gates
into the New Jerusalem.
00:56:31.66\00:56:33.65
Can you say amen to that? Amen!
00:56:33.66\00:56:35.00
But we're not gonna
walk on the other way
00:56:35.01\00:56:36.12
where we are right
now because there's a work
00:56:36.13\00:56:37.79
that still has to go on.
00:56:37.80\00:56:38.83
And when you go home,
you know very well more
00:56:38.84\00:56:41.03
than anybody else
that the work that Christ
00:56:41.04\00:56:43.34
is carrying on in your life,
00:56:43.35\00:56:45.83
is work that
Christ can complete.
00:56:45.84\00:56:48.01
Isn't that right? Amen!
00:56:48.02\00:56:49.02
He can complete that.
00:56:49.03\00:56:50.09
"I can do all things
through him who strengthens me."
00:56:50.10\00:56:52.80
We're gonna talk about
how that strength comes
00:56:52.81\00:56:55.22
and what it means,
and how we could know
00:56:55.23\00:56:58.11
on a day-by-day
basis that we have
00:56:58.12\00:57:00.33
that strength without guessing.
00:57:00.34\00:57:02.72
We can know, it'll be
on a shadow of a doubt
00:57:02.73\00:57:05.05
that Christ is
strengthening our lives.
00:57:05.06\00:57:07.87
You know, we want to
invite you to in join us
00:57:07.88\00:57:09.38
next week for the
continuation of this topic on
00:57:09.39\00:57:12.50
"How to Live a Spiritual
Life in a Natural Body."
00:57:12.51\00:57:15.80
If you want to send
us a question or comment,
00:57:15.81\00:57:18.13
you can go to Twitter and go to
00:57:18.14\00:57:20.88
"A Sharper Focus" on Twitter.
00:57:20.89\00:57:23.03
You can go to our Facebook
page "A Sharper Focus 3ABN."
00:57:23.04\00:57:26.23
Or you can go to our
church's webpage www.tvsdac.org,
00:57:26.24\00:57:31.23
where you can
download the syllabus
00:57:31.24\00:57:33.43
and follow along in the lesson.
00:57:33.44\00:57:35.60
Now let me encourage
you, if you have a copy
00:57:35.61\00:57:37.14
of the lesson, try to follow
it through as best you can,
00:57:37.15\00:57:41.14
so that when we
begin again on next week,
00:57:41.15\00:57:43.36
you can be ahead of the game,
00:57:43.37\00:57:44.92
and you can have
a lot of the answers
00:57:44.93\00:57:46.30
that we're gonna get to.
00:57:46.31\00:57:47.39
But invite your
friends and family members.
00:57:47.40\00:57:49.39
And once again,
if you've taped this,
00:57:49.40\00:57:51.50
be desire us to share
this with somebody else
00:57:51.51\00:57:54.23
because we do know
that if you follow Christ,
00:57:54.24\00:57:56.74
everything we do can
come into "A Sharper Focus."
00:57:56.75\00:58:00.47