Hello, friends.
00:00:19.21\00:00:20.55
And welcome to
another Wednesday night
00:00:20.58\00:00:22.22
"A Sharper Focus"
broadcast live here
00:00:22.25\00:00:25.12
from Thompsonville, Illinois,
the 3ABN Worship Center
00:00:25.15\00:00:28.56
also the Thompsonville
Seventh-day Adventist Church.
00:00:28.59\00:00:30.79
Thank you for
taking the time again
00:00:30.83\00:00:32.19
to join us as you know
00:00:32.23\00:00:33.80
we've been walking through
the very important topic,
00:00:33.83\00:00:36.00
"How to Live a Spiritual
Life in a Natural Body?"
00:00:36.03\00:00:38.90
What kind of body did I say?
00:00:38.93\00:00:40.34
Natural body. A natural body.
00:00:40.37\00:00:41.70
That's what God
has called us to do.
00:00:41.74\00:00:43.07
We are in a natural world,
we are living with mortal flesh
00:00:43.10\00:00:46.57
and the
environment in which we live
00:00:46.61\00:00:48.18
is designed for us to fail.
00:00:48.21\00:00:49.98
But we believe the
Christ that resides in us
00:00:50.01\00:00:52.78
is designed for us to succeed.
00:00:52.81\00:00:54.62
And so tonight get your Bibles,
00:00:54.65\00:00:56.28
invite your family members
to join you if you are at work.
00:00:56.32\00:00:59.42
If you could do that,
just take the next hour
00:00:59.45\00:01:01.39
and relax with
us and walk with us
00:01:01.42\00:01:03.53
through the study
of the Word of God
00:01:03.56\00:01:05.13
as we continue our topic
00:01:05.16\00:01:06.83
"How to be
Willing and Obedient."
00:01:06.86\00:01:09.43
Now if you like to
follow us in the lesson,
00:01:09.46\00:01:11.33
just go to our
website ASF.3abn.org
00:01:11.37\00:01:15.37
and download the
syllabus for tonight's lesson
00:01:15.40\00:01:18.44
and we are gonna begin
with question number 15.
00:01:18.47\00:01:20.54
We're finishing
that syllabus up.
00:01:20.58\00:01:22.71
But remember next Wednesday
00:01:22.74\00:01:24.15
there is not gonna
be a live broadcast
00:01:24.18\00:01:25.91
because we begin our
Spring 3ABN Camp Meeting.
00:01:25.95\00:01:29.58
But remember to tune
in because it goes from
00:01:29.62\00:01:31.85
Wednesday to Thursday
to Friday, the Sabbath
00:01:31.89\00:01:34.49
and what a camp
meeting we have this year
00:01:34.52\00:01:36.89
as we talk about some
very important topics.
00:01:36.93\00:01:39.19
But tonight before
we do anything else
00:01:39.23\00:01:41.53
we always invite the
presence of God to be with us
00:01:41.56\00:01:44.00
and we invite the
power of the Holy Spirit.
00:01:44.03\00:01:45.83
So bow your heads
with me as we pray.
00:01:45.87\00:01:49.40
Gracious Father in
heaven, we thank You, Lord.
00:01:49.44\00:01:52.04
We know that when we
ask for divine strength
00:01:52.07\00:01:55.78
we received divine strength.
00:01:55.81\00:01:58.08
We know when we ask
for Your Holy Spirit
00:01:58.11\00:01:59.78
to teach us Your
Holy Spirit empowers us,
00:01:59.81\00:02:02.98
opens our hearts
and minds and ears,
00:02:03.02\00:02:05.89
so that the
spirit can communicate
00:02:05.92\00:02:08.02
where we are in
our walk with You.
00:02:08.06\00:02:10.13
We also pray for
those who are viewing,
00:02:10.16\00:02:11.63
those who are listening.
00:02:11.66\00:02:13.03
May the subject be clear
00:02:13.06\00:02:15.06
and may we also
receive the strength
00:02:15.10\00:02:16.93
to live for Your
glory and for Your honor,
00:02:16.97\00:02:20.10
in Jesus' name I pray.
00:02:20.14\00:02:21.94
Amen. Amen.
00:02:21.97\00:02:23.64
Now tonight you
won't hear the song
00:02:23.67\00:02:25.84
but you can sing along
00:02:25.87\00:02:27.21
because it's one I
believe you do know.
00:02:27.24\00:02:28.58
It's one of our--
00:02:28.61\00:02:29.94
I think it's
becoming our theme song.
00:02:29.98\00:02:31.31
Don't you think?
00:02:31.35\00:02:32.68
Because we are talking
about "Victory in Jesus."
00:02:32.71\00:02:34.05
And so sing along with us as
the words appear on the screen,
00:02:34.08\00:02:36.69
we will sing
locally here together.
00:02:36.72\00:02:38.09
We could all sing out together.
00:02:44.16\00:02:47.83
I heard an old, old story
00:02:47.86\00:02:51.63
How the Savior came from glory
00:02:51.67\00:02:55.44
How He gave His life on Calvary
00:02:55.47\00:02:59.17
To save a wretch like me
00:02:59.21\00:03:02.94
I heard about His groaning
00:03:02.98\00:03:06.82
Of His precious blood's atoning
00:03:06.85\00:03:10.52
Then I repented of my sins
00:03:10.55\00:03:14.39
And won the victory
00:03:14.42\00:03:16.99
The chorus.
00:03:17.03\00:03:18.36
O victory in Jesus
00:03:18.39\00:03:21.96
My Savior, forever
00:03:22.00\00:03:25.77
He sought me and bought me
00:03:25.80\00:03:29.44
With His redeeming blood
00:03:29.47\00:03:33.24
He loved me ere I knew Him
00:03:33.27\00:03:37.01
And all my love is due Him
00:03:37.05\00:03:40.85
He plunged me to victory
00:03:40.88\00:03:45.52
Beneath the cleansing flood
00:03:45.55\00:03:48.32
I heard about a mansion
00:03:48.36\00:03:52.09
He has built for me in glory
00:03:52.13\00:03:55.96
And I heard about
the streets of gold
00:03:56.00\00:03:59.67
Beyond the crystal sea
00:03:59.70\00:04:03.47
About the angels singing
00:04:03.51\00:04:07.28
And the old redemption story
00:04:07.31\00:04:11.01
And some sweet
day I'll sing up there
00:04:11.05\00:04:14.75
The song of victory
00:04:14.78\00:04:16.12
Key change.
00:04:16.15\00:04:18.59
O victory in Jesus
00:04:18.62\00:04:22.29
My Savior, forever
00:04:22.32\00:04:26.29
He sought me and bought me
00:04:26.33\00:04:29.90
With His redeeming blood
00:04:29.93\00:04:33.74
He loved me ere I knew Him
00:04:33.77\00:04:37.51
And all my love is due Him
00:04:37.54\00:04:41.31
He plunged me to victory
00:04:41.34\00:04:45.05
Beneath the cleansing flood
00:04:45.08\00:04:48.88
He plunged me to victory
00:04:48.92\00:04:52.69
Beneath the cleansing flood
00:04:52.72\00:04:58.83
Can you say amen? Amen.
00:04:58.86\00:05:01.36
That's the theme of our topic,
from week to week our study,
00:05:01.40\00:05:05.43
victory in whom?
00:05:05.47\00:05:06.94
Jesus. In Jesus.
00:05:06.97\00:05:08.30
That's the only
place you can find victory.
00:05:08.34\00:05:10.04
As a matter of fact tonight
I'm gonna begin with the story
00:05:10.07\00:05:12.44
and just to remind you
our topic is a continuation of
00:05:12.47\00:05:15.81
"How to be
Willing and Obedient."
00:05:15.84\00:05:18.65
Say that with
me, how to be what?
00:05:18.68\00:05:20.22
Willing and
Obedient. Willing and Obedient.
00:05:20.25\00:05:22.25
As we talked about
last week, the word obedient
00:05:22.28\00:05:25.62
has become a word
00:05:25.65\00:05:26.99
that's been added to
the endangered species list.
00:05:27.02\00:05:30.33
There is a lot of
Christianity nowadays.
00:05:30.36\00:05:32.19
There's lot of religion,
there's lot of Christology
00:05:32.23\00:05:34.73
and theology but
not many people talk
00:05:34.76\00:05:37.07
about being obedient.
00:05:37.10\00:05:39.07
I recall that I
do a lot of weddings
00:05:39.10\00:05:41.04
and sometimes
wives even say to me,
00:05:41.07\00:05:42.70
"Take that part out, you
know, to love and to obey."
00:05:42.74\00:05:45.94
Take that part out.
Say cherish instead.
00:05:45.97\00:05:48.71
And it's
traditional that the word obey
00:05:48.74\00:05:51.41
and we look at
our society nowadays
00:05:51.45\00:05:53.18
and children don't
really obey their parents.
00:05:53.21\00:05:56.65
That's the word
that seems to have
00:05:56.69\00:05:58.69
kind of died along the way
00:05:58.72\00:06:00.06
in this journey
called Christianity.
00:06:00.09\00:06:01.79
But the Bible
talks about a blessing
00:06:01.82\00:06:03.26
when we are wiling and obedient.
00:06:03.29\00:06:05.46
Isaiah 1:18 says, we will
eat of the good of the land.
00:06:05.49\00:06:08.50
So we want to be
willing and obedient
00:06:08.53\00:06:11.53
because one day we will
eat of the good of the land
00:06:11.57\00:06:14.30
and we've also discovered
00:06:14.34\00:06:15.90
that it's Christ in us
who allows us to be willing
00:06:15.94\00:06:19.74
and also gives us
the power to be obedient.
00:06:19.77\00:06:22.68
But tonight let me
introduce somebody to do that,
00:06:22.71\00:06:24.58
you may know and his picture
00:06:24.61\00:06:27.62
appears on our screen here
00:06:27.65\00:06:28.98
and those of you are at home
will get a chance to glimpse.
00:06:29.02\00:06:31.15
A picture of this gentleman,
his name is James Cameron
00:06:31.19\00:06:35.12
and just recently I
was looking at the news
00:06:35.16\00:06:38.76
and they were talking
about a story of a man who
00:06:38.79\00:06:42.26
attempted to do
something that had not been done
00:06:42.30\00:06:44.30
in the last 50 years.
00:06:44.33\00:06:46.40
That is to journey
to the deepest depths
00:06:46.43\00:06:48.70
on the planet in
the Marianas Trench
00:06:48.74\00:06:52.34
somewhere way out
there in the Pacific Ocean.
00:06:52.37\00:06:55.31
Now what's amazing I
began to read the story
00:06:55.34\00:06:57.51
and, you know, when we
talk about deepest depths
00:06:57.55\00:07:00.75
for those of us who just like
00:07:00.78\00:07:02.22
to water-ski
that's not a whole lot.
00:07:02.25\00:07:04.79
For those of us who
live in-- here in the Midwest
00:07:04.82\00:07:06.76
we live by lake
so there is nothing
00:07:06.79\00:07:08.92
in the Midwest that's deep.
00:07:08.96\00:07:11.53
I mean, just, maybe if
you go far north by Chicago
00:07:11.56\00:07:14.46
the Great Lakes may kind
of give us some challenge.
00:07:14.50\00:07:18.03
But we have a lake in
our backyard that's 20 feet
00:07:18.07\00:07:20.57
so it's nowhere
near the Marianas Trench.
00:07:20.60\00:07:23.37
And on the east
coast and in Alaska
00:07:23.41\00:07:26.07
and in the Caribbean
this one particular location
00:07:26.11\00:07:29.04
was discovered
more than 50 years ago
00:07:29.08\00:07:32.51
as oceanographers scan
the ocean very gradually,
00:07:32.55\00:07:36.65
very patiently
and they pinged sonar
00:07:36.69\00:07:39.69
and the time it
takes for that sonar
00:07:39.72\00:07:41.59
to go down and come
back up they calculate that
00:07:41.62\00:07:44.43
and determine the
depth of the ocean.
00:07:44.46\00:07:45.83
So they found
the Marianas Trench.
00:07:45.86\00:07:47.83
And this next
slide will illustrate
00:07:47.86\00:07:49.66
exactly how deep deep is.
00:07:49.70\00:07:52.43
But look at this picture
very quickly with me now.
00:07:52.47\00:07:54.94
To begin to the
far left of the picture
00:07:54.97\00:07:58.54
the small little structure
00:07:58.57\00:07:59.91
represents the
tallest building in the world.
00:07:59.94\00:08:02.44
It's very small on this picture.
00:08:02.48\00:08:04.21
That's 2,723 feet and
that's somewhere in Asia.
00:08:04.25\00:08:08.88
I don't know if that
one they build in Dubai
00:08:08.92\00:08:10.29
is little
taller but that kind of
00:08:10.32\00:08:12.12
calculates about 2,723 feet.
00:08:12.15\00:08:14.96
That's more than half a mile.
00:08:14.99\00:08:16.32
That's about a half a mile high.
00:08:16.36\00:08:18.16
That's a long way up.
00:08:18.19\00:08:19.69
But now next to that
represents Denver, Colorado.
00:08:19.73\00:08:23.70
It's called the--
00:08:23.73\00:08:25.30
what kind of city
is it called, what?
00:08:25.33\00:08:27.30
The Mile-High City, 5,280 feet.
00:08:27.34\00:08:31.51
Now the next one represents
the Matterhorn Mountain range
00:08:31.54\00:08:34.74
which stems out at 14,690 feet.
00:08:34.78\00:08:39.11
Now that's high.
00:08:39.15\00:08:40.48
We have no
mountains in the Midwest
00:08:40.52\00:08:42.15
so that's a
blessing if you could be
00:08:42.18\00:08:43.89
near something like that.
00:08:43.92\00:08:45.25
But then right next to that
00:08:45.29\00:08:46.62
represents Mount
Everest, 29,035 feet.
00:08:46.65\00:08:51.39
Now that's a long way
up and not very many people
00:08:51.43\00:08:53.73
have made it to the
top of Mount Everest.
00:08:53.76\00:08:55.93
At least some of them haven't
come back to tell the story.
00:08:55.96\00:08:58.60
But then finally to
the very right of that
00:08:58.63\00:09:00.80
you will notice this white
00:09:00.84\00:09:02.74
that it angles down
like an upside down triangle,
00:09:02.77\00:09:05.54
gets darker as
it goes further down
00:09:05.57\00:09:07.91
that represents
the Marianas Trench,
00:09:07.94\00:09:11.51
3,070 feet.
00:09:11.55\00:09:15.35
Now just to put
that in perspective
00:09:15.38\00:09:17.65
if you take the time to climb
for the top of Mount Everest
00:09:17.69\00:09:21.29
when you get to the
top of Mount Everest
00:09:21.32\00:09:23.22
you still have
7,000 more feet to go
00:09:23.26\00:09:26.93
before you get to the
depth of the Marianas Trench.
00:09:26.96\00:09:29.83
That simply means if you
turn Mount Everest upside down
00:09:29.86\00:09:32.83
and dropped it
into the Marianas Trench
00:09:32.87\00:09:35.04
it will still
be more than a mile
00:09:35.07\00:09:37.61
before the tip of
Mount Everest can touch
00:09:37.64\00:09:39.94
the depth of the ocean floor.
00:09:39.97\00:09:41.94
Now that should impress
you. I mean, that's deep.
00:09:41.98\00:09:45.38
But just to put some more of my
own statistics in there let me,
00:09:45.41\00:09:48.22
follow me very
carefully before I tell you
00:09:48.25\00:09:49.58
why this is so significant
to our lesson tonight.
00:09:49.62\00:09:52.55
Fish life, you
know, when they go fishing
00:09:52.59\00:09:54.22
in the ocean
commercial fishermen
00:09:54.26\00:09:56.96
the deepest depth for
most fish is at 660 feet.
00:09:56.99\00:10:02.00
That's and you think
of how deep the ocean is
00:10:02.03\00:10:04.50
but most of the fish
00:10:04.53\00:10:05.87
that we commercially
catches at 660 feet.
00:10:05.90\00:10:09.77
Then a manned
military submarine,
00:10:09.80\00:10:12.97
the deepest one
00:10:13.01\00:10:14.34
that is safely have gone
to 880 feet, the deepest.
00:10:14.38\00:10:18.71
Now when you go beyond
that there was on that fell off
00:10:18.75\00:10:20.78
of the continental shelf
and went below 1,000 feet
00:10:20.82\00:10:23.52
it was never recovered.
00:10:23.55\00:10:25.22
The pressure was so great
that that submarine was crushed
00:10:25.25\00:10:28.89
like an empty
plastic soda bottle.
00:10:28.92\00:10:31.83
But then we go
to the deepest dive
00:10:31.86\00:10:35.40
by a person in
a scuba gear suit,
00:10:35.43\00:10:38.43
that was 1,044 feet.
00:10:38.47\00:10:41.34
We're still really plummeting,
we're going further down.
00:10:41.37\00:10:43.07
Now we sort to--
00:10:43.10\00:10:44.44
now then the tallest
building you saw that,
00:10:44.47\00:10:46.34
then when you are in the
ocean sunlight disappears.
00:10:46.37\00:10:49.58
It begins to fade
away at 3,300 feet.
00:10:49.61\00:10:52.58
That's a sunny day.
That's a full bright day.
00:10:52.61\00:10:56.02
When you go past 3,300 feet
00:10:56.05\00:10:58.02
it's gonna be
dark all the way down.
00:10:58.05\00:10:59.89
Now stop for a brief
moment and think about that.
00:10:59.92\00:11:01.89
From 3,300 feet
00:11:01.92\00:11:05.13
you go 33,000 more
feet in complete blackness.
00:11:05.16\00:11:10.13
That's the
journey he had to take
00:11:10.17\00:11:11.63
to get to the bottom
of the Marianas Trench.
00:11:11.67\00:11:13.94
But I'm not
finished impressing you.
00:11:13.97\00:11:15.30
Here let's keep going.
00:11:15.34\00:11:17.34
Whales, the largest whales known
00:11:17.37\00:11:20.04
have gone no
deeper than 8,200 feet.
00:11:20.08\00:11:24.48
That's a long way down.
00:11:24.51\00:11:25.85
That's about the depth
that is off of Saint Croix
00:11:25.88\00:11:27.92
in the Virgin Islands.
00:11:27.95\00:11:29.28
Go out about 80 to 100 feet
off the shore in Saint Croix
00:11:29.32\00:11:31.55
it plummets to 8,000 feet.
00:11:31.59\00:11:33.66
So if you are in the
Caribbean you want to swim
00:11:33.69\00:11:35.32
don't go 80 feet
off of Saint Croix
00:11:35.36\00:11:37.36
and think that
you can handle it.
00:11:37.39\00:11:39.53
Get yourself a lifejacket.
00:11:39.56\00:11:41.86
Then something that we
all know about the Titanic.
00:11:41.90\00:11:44.87
The Titanic had sunk in
the Atlantic to 12,467 feet.
00:11:44.90\00:11:50.51
The Marianas Trench is
three times that distance
00:11:50.54\00:11:55.48
and James
Cameron went down there
00:11:55.51\00:11:57.68
all by his lonesome.
00:11:57.71\00:11:59.91
Just to add the cap on that
00:11:59.95\00:12:01.42
when a
commercial airline is flying
00:12:01.45\00:12:03.15
from east west as so big
old 747s, A380s, Jumbo Jets,
00:12:03.18\00:12:08.96
they are flying at 35,000 feet.
00:12:08.99\00:12:11.43
The Marianas Trench
is till 1,070 feet higher
00:12:11.46\00:12:15.46
than a 747 is flying
from one continent to the--
00:12:15.50\00:12:18.50
that's deep.
00:12:18.53\00:12:19.87
See that's deep. That's deep.
00:12:19.90\00:12:21.24
I mean, that's deep.
00:12:21.27\00:12:22.60
But this man
James Cameron decided,
00:12:22.64\00:12:25.14
let me show you the
vessel that he traveled with.
00:12:25.17\00:12:27.34
This next picture
is very impressive.
00:12:27.38\00:12:29.21
This represents a
portion of the vessel.
00:12:29.24\00:12:31.08
He is inside a
submarine that was designed
00:12:31.11\00:12:33.92
but that's the
compartment that he is in
00:12:33.95\00:12:36.32
and that very thick wall
around him represents steel.
00:12:36.35\00:12:39.39
It looks like an eyeball.
00:12:39.42\00:12:40.76
If you think of him as
the retina inside the eyeball
00:12:40.79\00:12:43.12
that window in front of him
is all he is looking out of.
00:12:43.16\00:12:46.19
And that's an encasement
of two and half inch steel.
00:12:46.23\00:12:49.36
That was so tight
00:12:49.40\00:12:50.73
that he could not
fully extend his arms
00:12:50.77\00:12:53.00
and he could
not extend his legs.
00:12:53.03\00:12:56.34
And it took him 90 feet
to get to the-- 90 minutes,
00:12:56.37\00:12:59.87
almost two hours to get to
the bottom of the ocean floor
00:12:59.91\00:13:02.41
and he was down there
for more than three hours.
00:13:02.44\00:13:04.85
Just imagine sitting, they said,
00:13:04.88\00:13:06.21
it was such a
challenge he had to take yoga
00:13:06.25\00:13:09.12
to prepare
himself for this journey
00:13:09.15\00:13:10.49
because he could
not unfold his knees.
00:13:10.52\00:13:13.76
And just think that's going down
00:13:13.79\00:13:15.82
but he had to also what?
00:13:15.86\00:13:17.96
What goes down should come up.
00:13:17.99\00:13:19.33
Yes.
00:13:19.36\00:13:20.70
Now we know what goes up what?
00:13:20.73\00:13:22.06
Must come down.
00:13:22.10\00:13:23.43
But what goes
down, we hope it goes up
00:13:23.47\00:13:24.80
and there were
no cables connected,
00:13:24.83\00:13:26.17
there was no wiring connected.
00:13:26.20\00:13:27.54
He went down there
00:13:27.57\00:13:29.17
and the only
thing that connected him
00:13:29.20\00:13:30.54
to the surface was radio waves
00:13:30.57\00:13:32.27
that they said at
best becomes staticky
00:13:32.31\00:13:34.14
when you get to
that dept because of all
00:13:34.18\00:13:36.44
the magnetic
fields in the earth.
00:13:36.48\00:13:38.25
But this was impressive to me.
00:13:38.28\00:13:40.48
The vessel that he was in,
can you picture a square inch.
00:13:43.22\00:13:50.23
Okay, just about
the second knuckle
00:13:50.26\00:13:51.79
on your finger is an inch
00:13:51.83\00:13:53.63
depending if you
have fingers like mine.
00:13:53.66\00:13:55.40
If you can make a square inch
the pressure on that submarine
00:13:55.43\00:13:59.97
was eight tons per square inch.
00:14:00.00\00:14:04.74
Now that's too much
for us to even imagine.
00:14:04.77\00:14:06.64
Am I telling you the truth?
00:14:06.68\00:14:08.34
You can't fathom that.
00:14:08.38\00:14:09.71
Let me just give
you some statistics.
00:14:09.74\00:14:11.08
If I would put 13 cars on
00:14:11.11\00:14:14.35
just one of
your shoulders, Jill,
00:14:14.38\00:14:16.28
that represents
about eight tons.
00:14:16.32\00:14:19.42
They said it represented 13 cars
00:14:19.45\00:14:22.22
on each square
inch of your body.
00:14:22.26\00:14:25.83
Okay, you're getting that?
00:14:25.86\00:14:27.20
Now why am I
telling you the story?
00:14:27.23\00:14:30.37
Well, I wouldn't
tell you the story
00:14:30.40\00:14:31.73
if it wasn't significant.
00:14:31.77\00:14:33.10
Here's a picture of him
when he got to the bottom.
00:14:33.13\00:14:34.90
Obviously that,
obviously nobody went down there
00:14:34.94\00:14:37.11
and sprayed painted that sign.
00:14:37.14\00:14:39.97
It was added digitally
to the picture and even the,
00:14:40.01\00:14:43.04
even the there
was nobody out there
00:14:43.08\00:14:44.41
taking a
picture of him arriving.
00:14:44.45\00:14:46.98
But that just shows you 3,000
and go home on the internet
00:14:47.02\00:14:49.65
and just fascinate yourself on
the National Geography website
00:14:49.68\00:14:52.89
they have videos and
all this information.
00:14:52.92\00:14:55.02
Now the reason I tell you
this story is because of this.
00:14:55.06\00:14:57.59
He went down and he
came back up successfully.
00:14:57.63\00:15:02.50
What he did represents
the daily Christian lives.
00:15:02.53\00:15:07.37
We are called as Christians
taking out of the world
00:15:07.40\00:15:11.74
to live in an
environment that's designed
00:15:11.77\00:15:14.71
to crush the life out of us.
00:15:14.74\00:15:18.58
The world is designed to
annihilate the Christian.
00:15:18.61\00:15:25.45
So in order for us to
exist in a hostile environment
00:15:25.49\00:15:30.49
and to successfully live
there and to successfully thrive
00:15:30.53\00:15:34.96
to every day successfully
live a Christian life
00:15:35.00\00:15:37.67
we've got to have
some kind of protection
00:15:37.70\00:15:39.50
and I would suggest you
that Christ can protect us
00:15:39.53\00:15:42.94
better than James
Cameron submarine.
00:15:42.97\00:15:44.41
What do you say? That's right.
00:15:44.44\00:15:46.47
Now I'd like you
to open your Bibles.
00:15:46.51\00:15:47.84
Go with me to John Chapter 15.
00:15:47.88\00:15:49.21
This is not the first
question, not the first question
00:15:49.24\00:15:51.61
but I want you to see this text
00:15:51.65\00:15:53.31
that illustrates what
James Cameron was able to do.
00:15:53.35\00:15:57.09
It illustrates exactly
00:15:57.12\00:15:58.45
what the
Christian life is all about.
00:15:58.49\00:15:59.82
You see, when you
come out of the world,
00:15:59.85\00:16:02.59
you begin to realize that
the world does not like you.
00:16:02.62\00:16:05.79
As a matter of fact
00:16:05.83\00:16:07.56
the closer you get
to Christ, you realize
00:16:07.60\00:16:09.70
there are certain
places a Christian can't go.
00:16:09.73\00:16:11.30
There is certain music
00:16:11.33\00:16:13.03
Christians can't allow
themselves to listen to.
00:16:13.07\00:16:15.20
There is certain
entertainment music
00:16:15.24\00:16:16.57
Christians cannot allow
themselves to see or hear.
00:16:16.60\00:16:20.11
There are certain
places that as you get close to
00:16:20.14\00:16:22.68
you begin to feel uncomfortable.
00:16:22.71\00:16:25.01
It begins to show you
when you are a Christian
00:16:25.05\00:16:26.92
you are in a hostile environment
00:16:26.95\00:16:29.18
and without the power of Christ,
00:16:29.22\00:16:31.55
the world will
crush the life out of you.
00:16:31.59\00:16:35.36
This text
illustrates what Jesus said
00:16:35.39\00:16:38.89
when He talked
about the Christian
00:16:38.93\00:16:40.93
and the adversity that we face
00:16:40.96\00:16:42.40
after we give
our lives to Christ.
00:16:42.43\00:16:43.90
John 15:19 reads as follows
00:16:43.93\00:16:46.33
and if you want
to read that with me
00:16:46.37\00:16:47.70
I'll just read it but I'm
in the New King James Version.
00:16:47.74\00:16:50.01
He said, Jesus says,
"If you were of the world,
00:16:50.04\00:16:53.48
the world would" what?
00:16:53.51\00:16:55.54
"Love its own.
00:16:55.58\00:16:57.35
Yet because you
are not of the world,
00:16:57.38\00:17:00.15
but I chose you
out of the world,
00:17:00.18\00:17:02.08
therefore the world" what?
00:17:02.12\00:17:03.95
"Hates you."
00:17:03.99\00:17:05.32
Now, let's go
back to James Cameron.
00:17:05.35\00:17:07.52
That environment was not
designed for James Cameron
00:17:07.56\00:17:09.72
to go down there and just,
00:17:09.76\00:17:12.03
you know, take a nice
swim and just come on back up.
00:17:12.06\00:17:14.56
As a matter of fact without
the protection that he had
00:17:14.60\00:17:17.93
he would disintegrate
00:17:17.97\00:17:19.30
before he got below the
depth where the deepest whale--
00:17:19.33\00:17:22.80
he couldn't even go to
where the deepest whale was.
00:17:22.84\00:17:24.57
Matter of fact, he
couldn't even go beyond
00:17:24.61\00:17:26.17
the deepest scuba dive
00:17:26.21\00:17:27.91
without some kind of
sustaining apparatus.
00:17:27.94\00:17:30.58
So here's the key.
00:17:30.61\00:17:32.81
If when the
Christian dies to self,
00:17:32.85\00:17:37.59
when the Christian dies to self,
00:17:37.62\00:17:40.69
the only way that we can
live after we die to self
00:17:40.72\00:17:45.09
is if our life is sustained
00:17:45.13\00:17:47.63
from a different
source all together.
00:17:47.66\00:17:50.80
Go with me to Galatians 2:20
00:17:50.83\00:17:52.60
and then we're gonna
go to question number one.
00:17:52.63\00:17:53.97
See the world hates us.
00:17:54.00\00:17:55.40
The world is designed to
crush the life out of us.
00:17:55.44\00:17:57.51
James Cameron made it back
00:17:57.54\00:17:58.87
because it took
seven to eight years
00:17:58.91\00:18:01.44
to build that vessel.
00:18:01.48\00:18:02.81
To make sure that everything
that needed to be in place
00:18:02.84\00:18:05.25
was in place for him to go
down there and come back up.
00:18:05.28\00:18:08.88
As a matter of fact, I
didn't mention this statistic
00:18:08.92\00:18:12.35
but they say there is a
fish called the snailfish
00:18:12.39\00:18:15.96
and so that the
deepest fish ever photographed
00:18:15.99\00:18:19.76
was a fish called the snailfish
and that fish was able to exist
00:18:19.79\00:18:25.53
in an environment
25,000 plus feet down.
00:18:25.57\00:18:28.94
Not 36,000, about 25,200 feet
that's where that fish existed.
00:18:28.97\00:18:34.24
And some
oceanographers and many of you--
00:18:34.28\00:18:37.08
well, I'm a little
older than some of you but
00:18:37.11\00:18:40.25
anybody remember
Jacques Cousteau?
00:18:40.28\00:18:43.05
Okay, well, I mean, I just
like stuff about the ocean.
00:18:43.08\00:18:46.49
Even I think there
is a DVD called earth
00:18:46.52\00:18:49.69
and there is a
portion of it about the ocean
00:18:49.72\00:18:51.29
and I just love that.
00:18:51.33\00:18:52.66
I mean, I always
liked about oceanography
00:18:52.69\00:18:55.16
and I like about astronomy.
00:18:55.20\00:18:57.07
Don't get that mixed astrology,
00:18:57.10\00:18:58.90
that's not what
I'm talking about.
00:18:58.93\00:19:00.87
But there's such
beautiful life in the ocean
00:19:00.90\00:19:03.17
yet there is so
much of the ocean
00:19:03.20\00:19:04.67
where that life cannot exist.
00:19:04.71\00:19:07.24
I want to-- now
let me application.
00:19:07.28\00:19:09.41
There is such
beautiful life as a Christian
00:19:09.44\00:19:11.88
but there are certain places
00:19:11.91\00:19:13.28
that Christian life
cannot exist, all right.
00:19:13.31\00:19:17.02
Shocks can go down there
as trenches are as they are.
00:19:17.05\00:19:20.22
Most fish cannot go
down there and survive.
00:19:20.26\00:19:23.16
The Christian has to
also come to the conclusion
00:19:23.19\00:19:25.29
that there are certain places
we just can't go and survive.
00:19:25.33\00:19:30.30
So to live a spiritual
life in a natural body,
00:19:30.33\00:19:32.27
we got to
identify where we can exist
00:19:32.30\00:19:35.24
and where we cannot exist.
00:19:35.27\00:19:37.01
And James Cameron wouldn't say,
00:19:37.04\00:19:40.34
you know, I think I could do it.
00:19:40.38\00:19:41.84
I think I could be the
first man to go down there
00:19:41.88\00:19:44.11
and come back with
just maybe a scuba mask
00:19:44.15\00:19:46.68
a couple of tanks of oxygen.
00:19:46.72\00:19:48.92
He wouldn't make it.
00:19:48.95\00:19:50.29
So never let us as
Christians fool ourselves
00:19:50.32\00:19:52.39
into thinking that
there is an environment
00:19:52.42\00:19:54.49
that we can safely exist
00:19:54.52\00:19:56.32
or have our
Christian life safely sustain.
00:19:56.36\00:19:59.13
Jesus says, He
took us out of the world
00:19:59.16\00:20:01.66
but we are still in it.
00:20:01.70\00:20:03.13
So spiritually we are out of it
00:20:03.16\00:20:04.67
but physically
we are still in it.
00:20:04.70\00:20:06.23
Thus the topic
00:20:06.27\00:20:07.60
"How to Live a Spiritual
Life in a" what kind of body?
00:20:07.64\00:20:10.81
"Natural Body." "Natural Body."
00:20:10.84\00:20:12.71
That's what this is.
00:20:12.74\00:20:14.28
Even, let me add it
further before I read the text.
00:20:14.31\00:20:18.21
Even our mortal bodies
00:20:18.25\00:20:21.22
are designed for our
Christianity to fail.
00:20:21.25\00:20:27.09
Now let me break that down
before I go to question 15.
00:20:27.12\00:20:31.76
How many of you are Christians?
00:20:31.79\00:20:34.00
I shouldn't even ask how
many of you are not Christians?
00:20:34.03\00:20:35.46
But that no wonder. We
all are Christians, right.
00:20:35.50\00:20:37.93
Those of you are
viewing if you're a Christian
00:20:37.97\00:20:40.67
carefully follow this.
00:20:40.70\00:20:42.40
We are Christians because
we made a spiritual commitment.
00:20:42.44\00:20:46.31
But we include our
bodies and our minds in that.
00:20:46.34\00:20:48.58
Be confirmed, be not
confirmed but be transformed
00:20:48.61\00:20:51.31
by the renewing of your mind
00:20:51.35\00:20:53.31
that you may
prove what is that good
00:20:53.35\00:20:55.62
and acceptable and
perfect will of God.
00:20:55.65\00:20:57.59
So the transformation
comes not just spiritually
00:20:57.62\00:20:59.52
but now we make a dedication.
00:20:59.55\00:21:01.02
We say, "Lord,
not just our mind.
00:21:01.06\00:21:02.79
Not just my
intellect am I dedicated to you
00:21:02.82\00:21:04.93
but I'm dedicating to
you everything about me."
00:21:04.96\00:21:08.06
And then we dedicate
everything about us to Christ
00:21:08.10\00:21:10.50
and then we leave our houses
00:21:10.53\00:21:11.87
and we go into the
Marianas Trench in a world
00:21:11.90\00:21:15.04
that can crush the life out
of us if we are not careful.
00:21:15.07\00:21:20.14
So thus in order
for us to sustain
00:21:20.18\00:21:22.21
that spiritual
walk we have to realize,
00:21:22.24\00:21:23.95
wait a minute.
00:21:23.98\00:21:25.31
It wasn't really James Cameron
that sustained James Cameron,
00:21:25.35\00:21:28.65
it was his complete environment.
00:21:28.68\00:21:31.25
Everything around him was
designed to sustain his life.
00:21:31.29\00:21:35.32
So as the Christian
we have to keep in mind,
00:21:35.36\00:21:37.13
if we go down there
00:21:37.16\00:21:38.49
when we walk into
the spiritual life
00:21:38.53\00:21:40.16
we die, so how do
we continue to live?
00:21:40.20\00:21:42.76
Galatians 2:20,
what does the Bible say.
00:21:42.80\00:21:46.47
"I have been" what? Crucified.
00:21:46.50\00:21:48.57
"Crucified with Christ,
it is no longer I who live,
00:21:48.60\00:21:55.04
but" what?
00:21:55.08\00:21:56.41
"Christ lives
in me, and the life
00:21:56.44\00:21:59.48
which I now live in
the flesh I live by" what?
00:21:59.51\00:22:02.88
Faith in the Son
of God, who" did what?
00:22:02.92\00:22:05.79
"Loved me and" did
what? "Gave Himself for me."
00:22:05.82\00:22:09.02
I have been crucified with
Christ, I like that phrase.
00:22:09.06\00:22:11.39
Nevertheless I live.
00:22:11.43\00:22:13.53
Now the King James
Version, nevertheless.
00:22:13.56\00:22:15.63
I like that.
00:22:15.66\00:22:17.00
It kind of, you know,
00:22:17.03\00:22:18.37
you can't take the
sting out of that one,
00:22:18.40\00:22:19.73
"I've been
crucified with Christ,
00:22:19.77\00:22:21.10
it is no longer
nevertheless I live."
00:22:21.14\00:22:24.77
I'm down 36,070
nevertheless I live.
00:22:24.81\00:22:31.08
I can do down there and come up.
00:22:31.11\00:22:33.08
Here's my point.
00:22:33.11\00:22:34.45
We as Christians can
exist in a hostile world
00:22:34.48\00:22:38.12
if only we are in Christ.
00:22:38.15\00:22:40.32
Thus 2 Corinthians 5:17
"If anyone is in Christ,
00:22:40.36\00:22:44.96
he is a new creation."
00:22:44.99\00:22:46.33
He is not only a new
creation he is a safe creation.
00:22:46.36\00:22:49.23
We are not just new but if
we stay in Christ we are what?
00:22:49.26\00:22:52.33
Safe.
00:22:52.37\00:22:53.70
So there is something that
we have to adopt from Jesus.
00:22:53.74\00:22:57.84
If it was important for Jesus,
I think it's important for us
00:22:57.87\00:23:02.21
to be able to
sustain our relationship
00:23:02.24\00:23:04.41
between us and the father.
00:23:04.45\00:23:05.85
Let's look at
question number 15 tonight.
00:23:05.88\00:23:07.72
Lot of, lot of foundation
but question number 15
00:23:07.75\00:23:11.09
now takes us to the next level.
00:23:11.12\00:23:12.49
Here it is.
00:23:12.52\00:23:14.46
"What practice
did Jesus exercise
00:23:14.49\00:23:16.73
that we should emulate?"
00:23:16.76\00:23:18.56
What practice did He
exercise that we should emulate?
00:23:18.59\00:23:23.10
By the way this
question is a two parter.
00:23:23.13\00:23:25.40
We're gonna begin
first with John 5:30.
00:23:25.43\00:23:29.54
John 5:30 and when
you read this question
00:23:29.57\00:23:31.97
think about James Cameron
00:23:32.01\00:23:33.71
as you read this
question, all right.
00:23:33.74\00:23:36.11
Think about all of us
in our spiritual life,
00:23:36.14\00:23:37.48
specifically in the
illustration of James Cameron.
00:23:37.51\00:23:39.61
Here it is what the Bible says,
00:23:39.65\00:23:42.08
John 5:30, let's
read the yellow together.
00:23:42.12\00:23:44.52
"I can of Myself"
what? "Do nothing."
00:23:44.55\00:23:47.82
He couldn't do it.
00:23:47.86\00:23:49.19
He is an explorer
00:23:49.22\00:23:50.86
but he does not
have the natural ability
00:23:50.89\00:23:52.89
to exist in a
hostile environment.
00:23:52.93\00:23:54.93
So what He says, Jesus
says, "As I hear, I judge,
00:23:54.96\00:23:59.77
and My judgment is righteous,
because I do not seek" what?
00:23:59.80\00:24:03.87
"My own will but the will
of the Father who sent Me."
00:24:03.91\00:24:08.34
Couple of things
I want to illustrate
00:24:08.38\00:24:09.71
that's why it's in yellow.
00:24:09.74\00:24:11.08
First of all I can do
of my own self do how much?
00:24:11.11\00:24:13.52
Nothing.
00:24:13.55\00:24:14.88
So if you put the question down,
00:24:14.92\00:24:16.25
what practice did Jesus exercise
00:24:16.28\00:24:17.85
that we should emulate,
00:24:17.89\00:24:19.22
we should seek
the will of the father
00:24:19.25\00:24:22.22
and not our own will.
00:24:22.26\00:24:24.89
No matter how
long you are Christian,
00:24:24.93\00:24:26.73
you know what happens?
00:24:26.76\00:24:28.10
Your will is kind of like,
00:24:28.13\00:24:32.80
your will is like a
mosquito that you can't see.
00:24:32.83\00:24:37.87
You just see the results
of that mosquito being around.
00:24:37.91\00:24:40.58
Am I right?
00:24:40.61\00:24:42.28
My wife and I have a
fly zapper, a bug zapper.
00:24:42.31\00:24:45.71
I think it's one of
the best inventions ever.
00:24:45.75\00:24:48.52
It's not needed for winter,
00:24:48.55\00:24:50.69
at least not
here in the Midwest.
00:24:50.72\00:24:53.09
But... when you know
you are in an environment
00:24:53.12\00:24:57.89
where there are flies
00:24:57.93\00:24:59.26
all you got to
just hold that thing up
00:24:59.29\00:25:00.63
press the button
the electric button
00:25:00.66\00:25:02.63
and just swing it and
it will find all the things
00:25:02.66\00:25:06.50
that would have stung you.
00:25:06.53\00:25:08.80
See the Lord has given
us something that's similar
00:25:08.84\00:25:11.64
to a fly zapper.
00:25:11.67\00:25:13.61
When we apply the
Word of God, it begins to,
00:25:13.64\00:25:17.61
it begins to activate the armor
that God intends for us to have
00:25:17.65\00:25:21.42
so that any thing
that can injure us
00:25:21.45\00:25:23.75
and harm us, it
will take care of.
00:25:23.79\00:25:27.42
It will surround us
with a field of protection
00:25:27.46\00:25:31.13
that will not
naturally be constructed
00:25:31.16\00:25:34.50
if we leave that
part of our armor out.
00:25:34.53\00:25:37.33
So when we think of Christians
00:25:37.37\00:25:38.70
we have to put on
how much of God's armor?
00:25:38.73\00:25:40.47
The whole armor of God.
00:25:40.50\00:25:41.84
So when you look at
Christ what He did, He says,
00:25:41.87\00:25:43.54
well, I do not seek My own will,
00:25:43.57\00:25:45.51
he knew his will as a human
00:25:45.54\00:25:48.41
as one who laid
aside His divinity
00:25:48.44\00:25:50.81
or at least closed
His divinity in humanity.
00:25:50.85\00:25:53.62
He couldn't use His will
00:25:53.65\00:25:55.65
and still be the one
that came to rescue us.
00:25:55.68\00:25:58.09
He couldn't.
00:25:58.12\00:25:59.45
James Cameron said,
He says now, He said,
00:25:59.49\00:26:02.12
why you are going
down there, James?
00:26:02.16\00:26:03.93
He said, for that fact that
00:26:03.96\00:26:05.29
we can't get
down there naturally
00:26:05.33\00:26:07.03
we've got to go down
there to find out what's there.
00:26:07.06\00:26:09.96
See, now here's-- I love this.
00:26:10.00\00:26:11.63
I'm taking this
to the Nth degree.
00:26:11.67\00:26:16.34
Why are you Christians?
00:26:16.37\00:26:17.71
Well, for the fact that we
can't go to heaven natural,
00:26:17.74\00:26:19.64
we got to go there
to see what's there.
00:26:19.67\00:26:22.48
Okay. Yeah.
00:26:22.51\00:26:23.88
Yeah. Yeah.
00:26:23.91\00:26:25.25
Yeah.
00:26:25.28\00:26:26.61
For the fact that we
can't go there naturally we got,
00:26:26.65\00:26:29.05
we need somebody
else's help to get there
00:26:29.08\00:26:31.42
because we've got
to see what's there.
00:26:31.45\00:26:32.82
Amen. Amen.
00:26:32.85\00:26:34.46
That's why Paul said,
00:26:34.49\00:26:35.82
I haven't been to
Marianas Trench either.
00:26:35.86\00:26:37.26
I have not seen, nor yet
heard, neither has it entered
00:26:37.29\00:26:41.26
into the heart of man the things
00:26:41.30\00:26:42.63
that God prepared
for those that love Him.
00:26:42.66\00:26:45.13
So he said for the
fact that it's there
00:26:45.17\00:26:47.90
we got to find
out what's down there.
00:26:47.94\00:26:50.97
He even talked about how fish,
00:26:51.01\00:26:53.71
they could not have the
natural skeletal structure
00:26:53.74\00:26:55.68
because he said, their
bones will disintegrate
00:26:55.71\00:26:58.95
with eight tons of
pressure per square inch.
00:26:58.98\00:27:01.88
So the fish life or the
life that exist down there
00:27:01.92\00:27:05.05
they said it's
kind of applicable
00:27:05.09\00:27:06.49
like a jelly kind of
life and it's amazing.
00:27:06.52\00:27:09.26
They are gonna continue.
00:27:09.29\00:27:10.63
I'm sure that they
are gonna put together
00:27:10.66\00:27:11.99
some high definition DVD soon
00:27:12.03\00:27:13.60
on that entire expedition
and I'm gonna buy that.
00:27:13.63\00:27:16.33
I have to see that.
00:27:16.36\00:27:18.13
Got to see
what's down there. Yes.
00:27:18.17\00:27:20.77
The ocean they said is one
of the most unexplored places
00:27:20.80\00:27:24.64
in the solar system
that is for humanity.
00:27:24.67\00:27:27.74
There is so much in
there we don't know about it.
00:27:27.78\00:27:29.91
Such is the Word
of God. It's deep.
00:27:29.94\00:27:32.78
Its depths are often unexplored
but if we look in there,
00:27:32.81\00:27:35.85
we will discover that the
Lord has placed in that word
00:27:35.88\00:27:39.69
the beauty of His righteousness
00:27:39.72\00:27:41.79
and all that we need to know
in order to sustain our lives.
00:27:41.82\00:27:45.49
This is second
part of this question.
00:27:45.53\00:27:47.00
Let's look at the
next one. Luke 22:42.
00:27:47.03\00:27:52.03
Luke 22:42, what did Jesus do
00:27:52.07\00:27:56.40
that we should do
here's the answer.
00:27:56.44\00:27:59.64
"Father, if it is Your will,
00:27:59.67\00:28:03.45
take this cup away from Me,
00:28:03.48\00:28:07.02
nevertheless" together "not
My will, but Yours, be done."
00:28:07.05\00:28:13.79
Now this is not
asking for response
00:28:13.82\00:28:16.26
but some mornings we get up
00:28:16.29\00:28:18.56
and depending on how we
went to sleep, some mornings
00:28:18.59\00:28:20.70
we get up either the challenges
of life, the stresses of life,
00:28:20.73\00:28:24.67
the difficulties of
life, the temptations of life.
00:28:24.70\00:28:27.80
Maybe experiences
we had the day before.
00:28:27.84\00:28:29.37
Sometimes we get up
00:28:29.40\00:28:30.74
and we don't
feel like Christians.
00:28:30.77\00:28:33.27
Because we have unsettled issues
00:28:33.31\00:28:34.68
that are still
floating around in our minds.
00:28:34.71\00:28:37.21
Unsettled issues that are there
that we just don't feel like
00:28:37.25\00:28:40.42
that Jesus that was
in us the day before.
00:28:40.45\00:28:43.15
So sometimes you want
to tackle those issues
00:28:43.18\00:28:44.89
or sometimes somebody may have
touched a chord in our lives
00:28:44.92\00:28:48.32
and that chord that
they touched wants to lead us
00:28:48.36\00:28:50.59
down the path that
we want to dabble with
00:28:50.63\00:28:52.29
and then come back and
be Christian all over again
00:28:52.33\00:28:54.93
But one of the
most important things
00:28:54.96\00:28:56.40
for us to
remember is that older life
00:28:56.43\00:28:58.47
that was put to death
as Romans 6 talks about
00:28:58.50\00:29:01.00
that old man
that was put to death.
00:29:01.04\00:29:03.41
He was put to death
but here's something
00:29:03.44\00:29:05.24
that I didn't tell you
but I saved it for tonight.
00:29:05.27\00:29:09.18
The old man although
he was buried in baptism,
00:29:09.21\00:29:14.18
the thing about him
that survived baptism
00:29:14.22\00:29:16.95
was the mortal flesh.
00:29:16.99\00:29:20.22
Now what did not
survive was the nature.
00:29:20.26\00:29:23.79
Was the what?
00:29:23.83\00:29:25.16
The nature. The nature.
00:29:25.19\00:29:26.53
That nature that
alienated us from Christ
00:29:26.56\00:29:28.70
that Adam's
nature was put to death.
00:29:28.73\00:29:31.43
What survived that was the
body that housed that nature.
00:29:31.47\00:29:36.17
Now what could be more difficult
00:29:36.20\00:29:37.77
than trying to
live a spiritual life?
00:29:37.81\00:29:39.44
The new Christ in
the old Adam's body.
00:29:39.47\00:29:42.58
That's exactly what
this life is all about.
00:29:45.71\00:29:47.88
We've got the
new nature of Christ,
00:29:47.92\00:29:50.19
the spiritual life but
we got this old Adam's body.
00:29:50.22\00:29:53.49
One day we're gonna
have the new Adam's body.
00:29:53.52\00:29:55.06
Amen. Amen.
00:29:55.09\00:29:56.42
That's gonna happen soon.
We will put on immortality.
00:29:56.46\00:29:58.43
We will put on
incorruptibility but not yet.
00:29:58.46\00:30:00.83
So right now in order
for us to be able to succeed
00:30:00.86\00:30:03.26
on the day by day
basis, we've got to understand
00:30:03.30\00:30:05.97
that it's not our
will that prevails
00:30:06.00\00:30:07.77
but the will of God.
00:30:07.80\00:30:09.14
And I tell you for
those who live in cities--
00:30:09.17\00:30:12.94
we were in Indiana recently
00:30:12.97\00:30:15.21
and we forgot
what traffic is like.
00:30:15.24\00:30:17.45
I mean, here in Thompsonville
00:30:17.48\00:30:18.81
we get angry when
somebody slows down to turn.
00:30:18.85\00:30:21.65
Don't get angry but we
say, hurry up, hurry up.
00:30:21.68\00:30:24.09
Because people in the Midwest
they drive molasses slow.
00:30:24.12\00:30:27.66
I mean, Southern Illinois
I must say, not Chicago.
00:30:27.69\00:30:31.19
Chicago is kind of like
metropolitan New York City
00:30:31.23\00:30:33.90
and any other major
city for that matter.
00:30:33.93\00:30:35.90
But we were stuck in
traffic and I looked at,
00:30:35.93\00:30:39.27
see for us to go to Wal-Mart
here in Southern Illinois
00:30:39.30\00:30:44.07
it's a 12 miles journey.
00:30:44.11\00:30:45.54
We do that like no big thing.
00:30:45.57\00:30:48.24
But my wife and I, I
think last year or more
00:30:48.28\00:30:50.51
we were in New York City,
00:30:50.55\00:30:52.21
midtown Manhattan
around time Times Square
00:30:52.25\00:30:55.45
and we had our GPS
with us at the time
00:30:55.48\00:30:57.92
and I said, good, I
punched my sister's address
00:30:57.95\00:31:00.16
and for those of you
who are from New York
00:31:00.19\00:31:01.99
you will appreciate this.
00:31:02.02\00:31:03.36
I'm in midtown Manhattan
00:31:03.39\00:31:04.73
my sister lives at
Ebbets Field in Brooklyn.
00:31:04.76\00:31:06.49
Why didn't-- well, all you
know a good ways into Brooklyn.
00:31:06.53\00:31:09.40
I punched that in,
it was about 5.1 miles
00:31:09.43\00:31:12.03
I'm thinking
that seems like so far
00:31:12.07\00:31:14.94
when you are in New York City.
00:31:14.97\00:31:16.30
But 5.1 miles is not
even half the distance
00:31:16.34\00:31:19.47
from here to Wal-Mart
which we do almost every day.
00:31:19.51\00:31:23.35
I need some bread,
00:31:23.38\00:31:24.71
12 miles that
way, 12 miles this way.
00:31:24.75\00:31:27.62
We do that every day.
00:31:27.65\00:31:29.25
Now but for those of us
who live in this environment
00:31:29.28\00:31:31.25
as we are traveling
00:31:31.29\00:31:32.62
we've got trees on one
side, trees on the other.
00:31:32.65\00:31:35.56
We rolled down our windows
00:31:35.59\00:31:36.93
and hear the
beautiful sounds of the country.
00:31:36.96\00:31:38.53
Well, we keep our eyes open
00:31:38.56\00:31:39.89
so we don't meet
Bambi by accident, right.
00:31:39.93\00:31:43.03
But for the most part
00:31:43.06\00:31:44.40
it's not a hostile
environment for us.
00:31:44.43\00:31:46.57
You don't open your window
and hear that bumping music
00:31:46.60\00:31:48.80
that you often
hear at the light,
00:31:48.84\00:31:50.67
you know what I'm saying.
00:31:50.71\00:31:52.04
You don't hear profanity
00:31:52.07\00:31:53.41
and you don't
drive past the store
00:31:53.44\00:31:54.78
where somebody's music
00:31:54.81\00:31:56.14
is just blaring
into your window.
00:31:56.18\00:31:57.51
But I feel badly for Christians
00:31:57.55\00:31:58.88
who live in cities, major cities
00:31:58.91\00:32:00.72
they are sitting at the light
and this hostile environment
00:32:00.75\00:32:03.72
is assaulting
them from every angle.
00:32:03.75\00:32:05.92
You almost got, you
almost got to escape to home
00:32:05.95\00:32:10.83
to be able to get back
into the mindset of Christ.
00:32:10.86\00:32:13.60
This quotation is
vitally important.
00:32:13.63\00:32:15.20
Look at question number 16
00:32:15.23\00:32:17.23
and I think I
left the quotation.
00:32:17.27\00:32:19.23
It's on your sheet but
I'm gonna show it to you.
00:32:19.27\00:32:20.97
I wanted you to have
that so I put that there.
00:32:21.00\00:32:22.70
But here's the
question, "What battle is there
00:32:22.74\00:32:26.01
that is greater than
the battle with sin?"
00:32:26.04\00:32:31.98
Okay, but, see,
00:32:32.01\00:32:33.35
he is a new
baptized he understands.
00:32:33.38\00:32:35.78
Here we go, look
at the quotation.
00:32:35.82\00:32:37.15
"What battle is there
00:32:37.19\00:32:38.52
that is greater than
our battle with sin?"
00:32:38.55\00:32:39.89
That's the question.
Here's is the answer now.
00:32:39.92\00:32:42.92
The Mount of
Blessings page 203 to 204.
00:32:42.96\00:32:45.83
"The Christian life
is a battle and a" what?
00:32:45.86\00:32:48.70
"A march.
00:32:48.73\00:32:50.07
But the victory to be gained
is not won by human power.
00:32:50.10\00:32:55.50
The field of conflict
is the domain of the" what?
00:32:55.54\00:33:00.04
"Heart." "Heart."
00:33:00.08\00:33:01.41
Not the streets of New York,
00:33:01.44\00:33:02.94
or the streets of Indiana
or the streets of Chicago.
00:33:02.98\00:33:05.61
The streets of the heart.
00:33:05.65\00:33:07.52
It says, "The battle
which we have to fight--
00:33:07.55\00:33:10.75
the greatest battle
that was ever fought by man--
00:33:10.79\00:33:14.19
is the surrender of
self to the will of God,
00:33:14.22\00:33:18.46
the yielding of the heart
to the sovereignty of love.
00:33:18.49\00:33:24.77
The old nature, born of blood
and of the will of the flesh,
00:33:24.80\00:33:28.37
cannot inherit
the kingdom of God.
00:33:28.40\00:33:31.37
The hereditary
tendencies, the former habits,"
00:33:31.41\00:33:35.04
follow this very carefully.
00:33:35.08\00:33:36.41
"The hereditary tendencies,
and the former" what?
00:33:36.44\00:33:38.85
"Habits," what's the
next word? "Must be given up.
00:33:38.88\00:33:42.82
The victory is not won
without much earnest prayer,
00:33:42.85\00:33:47.66
without the humbling
of self at every step.
00:33:47.69\00:33:52.06
Our will is not to be
forced into co-operation
00:33:52.09\00:33:56.73
with divine
agencies, but it must be"
00:33:56.77\00:34:01.40
together "voluntarily submitted.
00:34:01.44\00:34:04.87
The will must be placed
on the side of God's will."
00:34:04.91\00:34:08.94
Amen. Amen.
00:34:08.98\00:34:10.31
Now, you know, when
you think about that
00:34:10.35\00:34:12.25
I showed you that
picture few weeks ago
00:34:12.28\00:34:13.65
and maybe even last week
00:34:13.68\00:34:15.12
of a baby trying to
lift about 150-200 pounds.
00:34:15.15\00:34:18.05
Little baby, about
maybe six months old.
00:34:18.09\00:34:19.85
You know, that
couldn't possibly happen.
00:34:19.89\00:34:21.72
But the baby's
father could probably do it.
00:34:21.76\00:34:24.89
I wouldn't put that
burden on the baby's mother
00:34:24.93\00:34:27.20
but she maybe
inordinately strong.
00:34:27.23\00:34:29.46
But my point is
this, when our will
00:34:29.50\00:34:31.83
and I want you to catch this,
God does not take our will.
00:34:31.87\00:34:36.54
God does not break our will.
00:34:36.57\00:34:38.77
He could have
easily said to Jesus,
00:34:38.81\00:34:40.21
don't worry about it, I got it.
00:34:40.24\00:34:42.58
But Jesus had to say,
He had to surrender that
00:34:42.61\00:34:44.95
not my will but thine be done.
00:34:44.98\00:34:47.58
He had to surrender that will.
00:34:47.62\00:34:48.95
He had to put His will
00:34:48.98\00:34:50.32
on the side of
His Father's will.
00:34:50.35\00:34:53.05
And the humanity that He had,
00:34:53.09\00:34:55.59
that flesh of
sin that He took on
00:34:55.62\00:34:57.49
He became sin for us.
00:34:57.53\00:34:59.83
The very thing that He
was gonna take to the cross
00:34:59.86\00:35:01.70
was battling Him all
the way to the cross.
00:35:01.73\00:35:05.37
And so day by day
00:35:05.40\00:35:06.74
if we are gonna be
successful and victorious
00:35:06.77\00:35:08.10
that very nature
that battles us every day
00:35:08.14\00:35:10.71
is the very nature that
we have to submit to Christ.
00:35:10.74\00:35:12.54
We have to say,
okay, Lord, today--
00:35:12.57\00:35:15.11
let me give you a story.
00:35:15.14\00:35:16.48
There is a person that became
00:35:16.51\00:35:18.58
a Seventh-day
Adventist Christian
00:35:18.61\00:35:19.95
and gave up all the stuff
00:35:19.98\00:35:21.35
that you shouldn't
eat and shouldn't drink
00:35:21.38\00:35:23.49
and gave up all the
smoking and all the other stuff
00:35:23.52\00:35:25.99
and but it wasn't too long
00:35:26.02\00:35:28.06
before they had
given all that up
00:35:28.09\00:35:29.92
and they walk past a
barbecue on Labor Day.
00:35:29.96\00:35:33.46
And they said, oh,
00:35:33.50\00:35:35.63
and they just took
a good old deep inhale
00:35:35.66\00:35:39.30
and they say, what is that?
00:35:39.33\00:35:40.67
They say, oh, that smells
00:35:40.70\00:35:42.04
like a good old
eight ounce T-Bone Steak.
00:35:42.07\00:35:46.27
No, not that it's
anything wrong with stake.
00:35:46.31\00:35:49.84
It's a clean meat
00:35:49.88\00:35:51.21
depends on who you ask.
00:35:53.65\00:35:57.32
But they were trying
to strengthen their diet.
00:35:57.35\00:36:00.32
They were trying
to become more healthy
00:36:00.36\00:36:02.06
and they realized
that they are very,
00:36:02.09\00:36:04.49
they are in the
very environment aromas,
00:36:04.53\00:36:06.49
sometimes people smell smoke
that they gave up cigarettes.
00:36:06.53\00:36:09.80
Sometime
somebody walks pass a bar
00:36:09.83\00:36:11.97
and the devil opens
the door just as they go by
00:36:12.00\00:36:14.57
and all the alcohol
just wasp its way out.
00:36:14.60\00:36:17.41
In a number of other ways
00:36:17.44\00:36:18.77
that we find the battle
confronting us every day.
00:36:18.81\00:36:21.54
But in that
battle that we all face
00:36:21.58\00:36:24.58
there is a formula for victory
00:36:24.61\00:36:26.21
and it is once again
the will must be placed
00:36:26.25\00:36:28.92
on the side of whose will?
00:36:28.95\00:36:30.59
On the side of God's will.
00:36:30.62\00:36:33.96
Question number 17, okay.
00:36:33.99\00:36:36.59
Question 17, turn
the page. Here it is.
00:36:36.62\00:36:42.36
"Why is it important for us
00:36:42.40\00:36:44.37
to place our will
on the side of God?"
00:36:44.40\00:36:49.74
This is a two parter here.
00:36:49.77\00:36:51.11
"Why is it important for us
00:36:51.14\00:36:52.54
to place our will
on the side of God?"
00:36:52.57\00:36:55.04
First part, Romans 7:18.
00:36:55.08\00:36:58.78
Romans 7:18
00:36:58.81\00:37:01.75
and it will
appear on the screen,
00:37:01.78\00:37:03.85
all right, why is it important.
00:37:03.89\00:37:06.72
Okay, now this
comes back to recognizing
00:37:06.76\00:37:09.59
that the natural part of
it that still is in existence.
00:37:09.62\00:37:13.76
The mortal part of
us that's still there.
00:37:13.80\00:37:16.63
Okay, here's the answer.
00:37:16.67\00:37:18.00
Romans 7:18,
00:37:18.03\00:37:19.37
"Why is it important for us
00:37:19.40\00:37:20.74
to place our will on God' side?"
00:37:20.77\00:37:22.10
It says, Paul says,
"For I know that in me
00:37:22.14\00:37:24.34
(that is, in my" what? "Flesh)
00:37:24.37\00:37:26.81
nothing good
dwells," say that together.
00:37:26.84\00:37:30.01
Nothing good dwells.
00:37:30.05\00:37:32.15
So if you took a light
and looked on the inside,
00:37:32.18\00:37:33.68
let me read this first.
00:37:33.72\00:37:35.05
He says, here's how.
00:37:35.08\00:37:36.42
"For to will is
present with me,"
00:37:36.45\00:37:38.72
in other words I
think I could do that.
00:37:38.75\00:37:41.62
"But how to
perform what is good"
00:37:41.66\00:37:43.63
what do you
say? "I do not find."
00:37:43.66\00:37:45.73
Have you ever been there? Yes.
00:37:45.76\00:37:49.43
And no greater test comes to us
00:37:49.46\00:37:51.83
than sometimes
when we confront it
00:37:51.87\00:37:53.20
with another human in church.
00:37:53.23\00:37:56.60
We look at that person
00:37:56.64\00:37:57.97
and the Lord before we leave,
00:37:58.01\00:37:59.34
so Lord says, now forgive
them when they go to church
00:37:59.37\00:38:00.71
and you see, you often
you see the mocking in church
00:38:00.74\00:38:03.11
and you say, I don't know
00:38:03.14\00:38:07.88
that was horrible
what they did to me
00:38:07.92\00:38:10.12
and that whole nature.
00:38:10.15\00:38:11.59
Paul is saying, that
whole bad will become,
00:38:11.62\00:38:13.99
becomes real to will is present
00:38:14.02\00:38:15.89
about the how do I
forgive them of what they did.
00:38:15.92\00:38:19.96
It becomes real
00:38:20.00\00:38:21.86
in whatever
other area of your life
00:38:21.90\00:38:23.73
that challenge comes up.
00:38:23.77\00:38:25.10
Sometimes there is a song.
00:38:25.13\00:38:26.53
Sometimes its--
00:38:26.57\00:38:27.90
temptations come in
all different categories,
00:38:27.94\00:38:29.50
all different sizes.
00:38:29.54\00:38:30.87
As a matter of fact, you know,
00:38:30.91\00:38:32.24
they say the devil
has an equal opportunity.
00:38:32.27\00:38:35.04
He is an equal
opportunity lender.
00:38:35.08\00:38:36.41
Deceiver.
00:38:36.44\00:38:37.78
An equal opportunity
deceiver. Good one, Bob.
00:38:37.81\00:38:39.68
He will deceive you no
matter what the category is.
00:38:39.71\00:38:42.15
He will try to find
day by day how to get in.
00:38:42.18\00:38:45.25
And some of us is successful
minimizing our challenges
00:38:45.29\00:38:48.92
by living out
here in the country
00:38:48.96\00:38:52.16
but I just want you to
know that country living
00:38:52.19\00:38:53.96
is not the answer
to victorious living.
00:38:54.00\00:38:56.06
Christ is the
answer, amen. Amen.
00:38:56.10\00:38:57.87
Because somebody is
got to be in the city
00:38:57.90\00:38:59.23
to proclaim the gospel.
00:38:59.27\00:39:00.60
There are those who have
00:39:00.64\00:39:01.97
a strong connection with Christ,
00:39:02.00\00:39:03.34
praise the Lord for that.
00:39:03.37\00:39:04.71
But here's another one.
Here's why it's important.
00:39:04.74\00:39:06.88
So if you put the answer
00:39:06.91\00:39:08.34
"Why is it important for us
00:39:08.38\00:39:09.71
to place our will
on the side of God?"
00:39:09.74\00:39:12.55
Who would,
somebody tell me the answer.
00:39:12.58\00:39:14.18
Because we can't,
we can't accomplish.
00:39:17.25\00:39:22.06
We can't do it
ourselves. We can't.
00:39:22.09\00:39:25.16
If you just put we can't,
00:39:25.19\00:39:28.73
or if you put we
fail, if we try it ourselves
00:39:28.76\00:39:31.60
but here's another one
Matthew 7:21, Matthew 7:21.
00:39:31.63\00:39:37.64
"Not everyone who
says to Me," what?
00:39:37.67\00:39:40.08
"'Lord, Lord,' shall
enter the kingdom of heaven,
00:39:40.11\00:39:45.15
but he who does the
will of My Father in heaven."
00:39:45.18\00:39:50.52
You hear that word will
00:39:50.55\00:39:51.89
and there are so many people
through the years as a pastor
00:39:51.92\00:39:53.46
some people say,
"Pastor, I want to find out
00:39:53.49\00:39:55.42
what's the Lord's
will is for my life?"
00:39:55.46\00:39:57.26
Have you ever had
that question before?
00:39:57.29\00:39:58.99
And they want to
find out what that will is
00:39:59.03\00:40:00.50
and do that will.
00:40:00.53\00:40:01.93
Well, we're gonna
discover some tonight,
00:40:01.96\00:40:03.67
some of the
benefits of the will of God.
00:40:03.70\00:40:05.97
But it's not
necessarily important for you
00:40:06.00\00:40:08.20
to find that what the will is,
00:40:08.24\00:40:10.34
but you have to remember
for it is God who works in you
00:40:13.34\00:40:16.91
both to will and to
do of His good pleasure.
00:40:16.95\00:40:22.42
It's like saying to
a builder or a person
00:40:22.45\00:40:24.35
that refurbishes homes.
00:40:24.39\00:40:27.22
What's my home gonna
look like when you are done?
00:40:27.26\00:40:30.83
He say, well, if
you just let me do it
00:40:30.86\00:40:32.83
you will be
really, really pleased.
00:40:32.86\00:40:34.60
He says, matter of
fact I'll sign an agreement.
00:40:34.63\00:40:36.67
If you don't
like it I'll give you
00:40:36.70\00:40:38.03
all your money back.
00:40:38.07\00:40:39.67
And you know what,
when you think about
00:40:39.70\00:40:41.34
that the way that
Christ is molding our lives
00:40:41.37\00:40:43.64
sometimes we don't
like the molding process.
00:40:43.67\00:40:45.74
Isn't that true? It's painful.
00:40:45.77\00:40:48.51
I mean, sometimes
molding us is like
00:40:48.54\00:40:50.05
trying to bend a steel bar.
00:40:50.08\00:40:51.78
God can do that
00:40:51.81\00:40:53.15
but sometimes we
don't naturally submit
00:40:53.18\00:40:54.55
to the molding
influence of the Holy Spirit.
00:40:54.58\00:40:56.62
Sometimes we know what
the Spirit is saying to us
00:40:56.65\00:40:58.35
at the moment that we
need to hear it the most
00:40:58.39\00:41:01.52
and we say, okay, you know,
00:41:01.56\00:41:05.59
I heard one announcer
on KGO Radio in California
00:41:05.63\00:41:09.63
once said this and
never agreed with it
00:41:09.66\00:41:12.00
but it came to my mind just now.
00:41:12.03\00:41:13.87
He said, it's better
to ask for forgiveness
00:41:13.90\00:41:15.97
than to ask for permission.
00:41:16.00\00:41:19.21
Now we don't
believe it, all right.
00:41:19.24\00:41:21.58
He said, it's better
to ask for forgiveness
00:41:21.61\00:41:23.04
than to ask for permission.
00:41:23.08\00:41:24.41
I think it was,
00:41:24.45\00:41:25.78
I forgot his name but
it was KGO Radio host.
00:41:25.81\00:41:27.18
I won't mention his name
because he maybe listening.
00:41:27.22\00:41:30.69
But if God doesn't
give you permission
00:41:30.72\00:41:34.86
don't do it just saying
I'll ask for forgiveness.
00:41:34.89\00:41:38.79
Because a lot of times you say,
oh, I'll ask for forgiveness.
00:41:38.83\00:41:41.56
Oh, I'll ask for, I
know I'm gonna stumble
00:41:41.60\00:41:43.47
I'll ask for forgiveness.
00:41:43.50\00:41:44.90
Let's not live in cheap grace.
00:41:44.93\00:41:46.63
Let's live in
continuous victory.
00:41:46.67\00:41:48.00
Amen. Amen.
00:41:48.04\00:41:49.37
Because it's easy
to stumble and get up
00:41:49.40\00:41:50.74
and stumble and get up
00:41:50.77\00:41:52.11
but then what
Olympic team will pick you
00:41:52.14\00:41:53.51
if you are known as a runner
00:41:53.54\00:41:54.88
who is always
falling on the track.
00:41:54.91\00:41:57.91
How many times have you
fallen over the last 15 years?
00:41:57.95\00:42:00.12
Oh, I've fallen every race.
00:42:00.15\00:42:03.12
Well, you are
not gonna represent
00:42:03.15\00:42:04.52
the United States
Olympic team. There is no way.
00:42:04.55\00:42:07.19
Well, I mean,
what's wrong with falling.
00:42:07.22\00:42:09.39
I got back up and ran.
00:42:09.42\00:42:11.33
By the time you got
back up the race was over.
00:42:11.36\00:42:14.26
And there are some
Christians they pride themselves
00:42:14.30\00:42:16.06
and that's why I know
what the songwriter meant
00:42:16.10\00:42:18.93
but he said, "We
fall down and we get up."
00:42:18.97\00:42:24.17
I mean, I like, I
said, I need to write a song
00:42:24.21\00:42:27.08
unto Him that is able
to keep us from falling.
00:42:27.11\00:42:29.14
Am I right?
00:42:29.18\00:42:30.51
Because I don't want
that to be my pattern,
00:42:30.55\00:42:32.08
we fall down and we get up.
00:42:32.11\00:42:34.02
We fall down and we get up.
00:42:34.05\00:42:36.99
For a saint is just
a sinner who fell down.
00:42:37.02\00:42:39.29
Oh, the saint is the sinner
00:42:39.32\00:42:41.19
who was kept up by
the grace of Christ.
00:42:41.22\00:42:44.29
He said, unto Him who is
able to keep you from falling.
00:42:44.33\00:42:49.23
And almost and I
know that songwriter
00:42:49.26\00:42:51.37
has a different
intention for the song.
00:42:51.40\00:42:54.20
I think the encouragement
was if you fall just get up
00:42:54.24\00:42:57.31
and the Lord understands that.
00:42:57.34\00:42:58.77
But I don't
want to get that idea
00:42:58.81\00:43:01.11
that I'm just a saint
00:43:01.14\00:43:02.48
that's gonna keep on
falling and keep on getting up
00:43:02.51\00:43:04.38
and, if Jesus comes tomorrow
am I gonna be down or up?
00:43:04.41\00:43:08.48
He is not the Christian.
00:43:08.52\00:43:09.85
"I believe in the One
who can keep us from falling"
00:43:09.88\00:43:11.39
Jude verse 24.
00:43:11.42\00:43:12.85
That's what says to Him be glory
00:43:12.89\00:43:15.22
and majesty and dominion.
00:43:15.26\00:43:16.59
So here's the answer
to number 17 part two.
00:43:16.62\00:43:20.53
The key, why is
it important for us
00:43:20.56\00:43:22.40
to do the will of the Father?
00:43:22.43\00:43:23.77
Because by living, by
the will of the father
00:43:23.80\00:43:26.40
we become candidates for heaven.
00:43:26.43\00:43:29.67
The will of the Father
00:43:29.70\00:43:31.51
increases our
candidacy for heaven.
00:43:31.54\00:43:34.68
Now notice this,
00:43:34.71\00:43:36.24
Lord, Lord, is not the
means by which we enter.
00:43:36.28\00:43:38.65
Singing is not
the means by which,
00:43:38.68\00:43:40.02
preaching is not the means,
00:43:40.05\00:43:41.38
evangelism is not the
means by which we enter.
00:43:41.42\00:43:43.08
Nothing we do but simply
00:43:43.12\00:43:45.95
"He who does the
will of the Father."
00:43:45.99\00:43:47.66
You asked the
question what is the will?
00:43:47.69\00:43:49.72
The will is
simply to allow the Lord
00:43:49.76\00:43:51.09
to come in to do His will.
00:43:51.13\00:43:53.09
To allow Him to
come in and not say,
00:43:53.13\00:43:55.20
well, Lord, well,
let me see that first.
00:43:55.23\00:43:57.83
What are you gonna
do when you come in?
00:43:57.87\00:44:00.90
We don't need a list from God.
00:44:00.94\00:44:02.94
He says, just let Me come in
00:44:02.97\00:44:05.27
and I guarantee you,
Yonnick, that when He comes in
00:44:05.31\00:44:09.41
He is gonna do
better than you can do.
00:44:09.44\00:44:12.55
Am I right? Yes.
00:44:12.58\00:44:15.22
Hundred plus
better. Question number 18.
00:44:15.25\00:44:19.52
Question number 18
00:44:19.55\00:44:20.89
and then we're
gonna to the benefits.
00:44:20.92\00:44:22.26
I think one more
before we get to the benefits.
00:44:22.29\00:44:23.93
"What have we been given
00:44:23.96\00:44:25.49
that enables us to
choose the will of God?"
00:44:25.53\00:44:29.53
What have we been given
00:44:29.56\00:44:30.90
that enables us to
choose the will of God?
00:44:30.93\00:44:33.77
John 1:12, 13.
00:44:33.80\00:44:40.64
John 1:12, 13.
00:44:40.68\00:44:42.74
Depending on the
translation you read
00:44:47.12\00:44:48.48
you find the word
power, you find the word right.
00:44:48.52\00:44:50.79
But I, you know, I
like them both, okay.
00:44:50.82\00:44:54.22
So I'm gonna modify little
bit just in my own application
00:44:54.26\00:44:56.39
but I'm not gonna
modify the scripture.
00:44:56.42\00:44:58.19
Look at the answer.
00:44:58.23\00:44:59.56
"What have we been given
00:44:59.59\00:45:00.93
that enables us to
choose the will of God?"
00:45:00.96\00:45:02.33
This is beautiful. Here it is.
00:45:02.36\00:45:04.27
John 1:12,
00:45:04.30\00:45:06.33
"But as many as received
Him, to them He gave" what?
00:45:06.37\00:45:11.54
"The right" and also
the power. Isn't that right?
00:45:11.57\00:45:15.21
When you have
power, you have the right.
00:45:15.24\00:45:17.35
When you have the
right you got power.
00:45:17.38\00:45:19.71
To them He gave
the right" or the power
00:45:19.75\00:45:21.48
"to become" what?
00:45:21.52\00:45:23.35
"Children of God,
00:45:23.39\00:45:26.12
to those who
believe in His name"
00:45:26.15\00:45:29.22
and this is important
00:45:29.26\00:45:30.59
"who were born, not of blood,
nor of the will of the flesh,
00:45:30.63\00:45:35.66
nor of the will
of man, but of God."
00:45:35.70\00:45:39.13
What we got to get is,
00:45:39.17\00:45:40.90
you know, we talk
about the royal family.
00:45:40.94\00:45:42.54
Right now I think I
forgot the name of this--
00:45:42.57\00:45:46.24
sometimes I get my
royal weddings all crossed.
00:45:46.27\00:45:49.51
What was the name
of the most recent
00:45:49.54\00:45:50.98
royal lady added to the--
00:45:51.01\00:45:53.52
Prince William
and Kate Middleton.
00:45:53.55\00:45:55.42
Kate, okay.
00:45:55.45\00:45:57.05
Well, her
sister came to New York
00:45:57.09\00:45:58.62
and it's like the news
media just infatuated over.
00:45:58.65\00:46:02.69
Everywhere she
goes, everywhere she goes
00:46:02.72\00:46:04.83
and the one news
commentator said,
00:46:04.86\00:46:06.83
"Royalty is in New York City."
00:46:06.86\00:46:08.96
Well, actually, you know,
she is the sister of royalty.
00:46:09.00\00:46:11.93
But, you know, they already,
00:46:11.97\00:46:13.30
you just that one
step away from royalty
00:46:13.34\00:46:15.10
they already given her royalty.
00:46:15.14\00:46:16.47
He said, "Royalty has
come to New York City"
00:46:16.50\00:46:19.87
because she is
the sister of the one
00:46:19.91\00:46:22.21
who has now become royalty.
00:46:22.24\00:46:24.11
The one who has royalty
has the right and has power.
00:46:24.15\00:46:28.55
Sometimes we forget
that we are a holy nation,
00:46:28.58\00:46:33.12
a royal priesthood,
God's own special people.
00:46:33.15\00:46:38.49
He has called us out of darkness
00:46:38.53\00:46:39.86
into this what kind of life?
00:46:39.89\00:46:41.26
Marvelous life.
00:46:41.30\00:46:42.86
I mean, when you think of the,
00:46:42.90\00:46:44.23
when you think of
the rights and privileges
00:46:44.27\00:46:46.47
that come with
being a child of God.
00:46:46.50\00:46:49.90
This text just jumps out at us.
00:46:49.94\00:46:51.97
"We were not born of blood,
or of the will of the flesh,
00:46:52.01\00:46:55.08
nor of the will
of man, but of God."
00:46:55.11\00:46:56.48
In other words, our new birth
00:46:56.51\00:46:58.58
was a plan that
God could not wait
00:46:58.61\00:47:01.28
to bring it to effect.
00:47:01.32\00:47:02.65
He says, in order for you
to get into a divine place
00:47:02.68\00:47:05.82
you got to be the
child of a divine one.
00:47:05.85\00:47:09.19
So we are not just born
again, we are not just forgiven,
00:47:09.22\00:47:12.06
we are not just in Christ
00:47:12.09\00:47:14.00
but we are partakers
of what kind of a nature?
00:47:14.03\00:47:16.46
A divine nature.
00:47:16.50\00:47:18.83
Now when you think of yourself
00:47:18.87\00:47:20.20
you don't think
of yourself as divine
00:47:20.24\00:47:21.57
don't do that.
00:47:21.60\00:47:22.94
Don't say I'm divine
00:47:22.97\00:47:24.31
but I've partaken
of a divine nature.
00:47:24.34\00:47:25.67
In other words, we
are children of God when?
00:47:25.71\00:47:27.04
Now.
00:47:27.08\00:47:28.41
Go with me 1 John,
I think I'll find it.
00:47:28.44\00:47:30.41
Okay.
00:47:30.45\00:47:33.72
Okay, here we
are. Beautiful text.
00:47:33.75\00:47:37.22
Okay, here we are, 1
John 3:2, verse 1 and 2.
00:47:37.25\00:47:43.29
1 John 3:1, 2.
00:47:43.32\00:47:46.73
This is a beautiful passage.
00:47:46.76\00:47:48.20
Are you all there? Amen.
00:47:51.33\00:47:53.03
"Behold what manner of love
the Father has bestowed on us,
00:47:53.07\00:47:59.31
that we should be called" what?
00:47:59.34\00:48:01.38
"Children" or sons "of God!
00:48:01.41\00:48:03.65
Therefore the
world does not know us,
00:48:03.68\00:48:05.98
because it did not know Him."
00:48:06.01\00:48:08.02
But I like verse 2.
00:48:08.05\00:48:09.38
"Beloved," what's the next word?
00:48:09.42\00:48:11.39
"Now we are children of God."
00:48:11.42\00:48:14.19
When are we
children of God? Now.
00:48:14.22\00:48:16.52
Here and now.
00:48:16.56\00:48:18.26
When? In this world now.
00:48:18.29\00:48:20.53
Right this minute,
Jill, child of God.
00:48:20.56\00:48:23.20
Hannah, child of God.
Anthony, child of God.
00:48:23.23\00:48:25.67
We are children
of God when? Now.
00:48:25.70\00:48:28.44
And I like the rest of it though
00:48:28.47\00:48:29.80
because it's encouraging.
00:48:29.84\00:48:31.61
"And it has not
yet been revealed
00:48:31.64\00:48:33.54
what we shall
be," in other words
00:48:33.58\00:48:35.44
don't get
discouraged by what you see.
00:48:35.48\00:48:36.98
Even though you
are a child of God.
00:48:37.01\00:48:38.35
That's not, that's
not it I'm still working.
00:48:38.38\00:48:40.42
In other words,
Lord, I'm still working.
00:48:40.45\00:48:42.78
So don't get
discouraged by what you see.
00:48:42.82\00:48:46.62
Wow.
00:48:46.65\00:48:49.16
"It has not yet been
revealed what we shall be
00:48:49.19\00:48:51.43
but we know that
when He is revealed,
00:48:51.46\00:48:56.06
we shall be" what?
00:48:56.10\00:48:57.60
"Like Him, for we
shall see Him" what?
00:48:57.63\00:49:01.00
"As He is."
Isn't that wonderful?
00:49:01.04\00:49:03.84
Now, you know, one of the things
00:49:03.87\00:49:05.21
that Bible writers didn't
get the opportunity to do.
00:49:05.24\00:49:07.91
They didn't get the
opportunity to see God.
00:49:07.94\00:49:09.61
Moses said, can I see you, Lord?
00:49:09.64\00:49:12.51
He said, Now,
you got two options.
00:49:12.55\00:49:15.52
You want to live
or you want to die?
00:49:15.55\00:49:18.89
Because you
can't see me and live.
00:49:18.92\00:49:21.52
I'll tell you what
00:49:21.56\00:49:23.86
Why don't you just hide
in the cliff of the rock
00:49:23.89\00:49:26.46
and when I pass by you
just peek up real quick
00:49:26.49\00:49:28.23
but don't get back
in there real quick
00:49:28.26\00:49:30.87
because God is a consuming fire.
00:49:30.90\00:49:32.43
He gave him a
glimpse of divinity
00:49:32.47\00:49:34.87
and just that glimpse
oh, when you read the story.
00:49:34.90\00:49:37.24
He came down from
the mountain so lit up,
00:49:37.27\00:49:40.91
he came down from
the mountain so lit
00:49:40.94\00:49:42.44
that they had to put a,
they had to put some drapes.
00:49:42.48\00:49:45.98
Hold those drapes
down the glory of God
00:49:46.01\00:49:48.85
shown from His
countenance just a glimpse.
00:49:48.88\00:49:51.19
Brethren, can you
imagine what it's gonna be like
00:49:51.22\00:49:53.52
to see the face of God?
00:49:53.56\00:49:57.06
Let's not spend a
whole lot of time in that
00:49:57.09\00:49:58.43
because your mind
can't even connect
00:49:58.46\00:50:01.10
because the beauty is beyond.
00:50:01.13\00:50:02.90
I believe Elder
Brooks last week he said
00:50:02.93\00:50:07.14
and we heard him
preach in Indiana he said,
00:50:07.17\00:50:08.90
you know, just one foot
on, just when you get one foot
00:50:08.94\00:50:12.31
on the inside of
the New Jerusalem
00:50:12.34\00:50:13.68
you are gonna forget everything
00:50:13.71\00:50:15.04
on the outside of New Jerusalem.
00:50:15.08\00:50:16.85
When you get a one foot on there
00:50:16.88\00:50:18.91
everything on the outside,
00:50:18.95\00:50:20.38
that's why I think Isaiah says,
00:50:20.42\00:50:21.75
"The former things
will not be remembered,
00:50:21.78\00:50:24.09
nor come to mind."
00:50:24.12\00:50:25.45
What was that I
thought about that,
00:50:25.49\00:50:26.92
what was that, Maserati?
00:50:26.96\00:50:28.72
No, I don't need
a Maserati up here.
00:50:28.76\00:50:30.93
I mean, these
things are gonna just,
00:50:30.96\00:50:33.06
these things are
gonna be incinerated
00:50:33.09\00:50:35.83
and so often we
put all the energies
00:50:35.86\00:50:37.70
and try to be everything that,
00:50:37.73\00:50:39.80
you know, compete with
wanting to be down here.
00:50:39.83\00:50:41.60
Be famous, be well-known.
00:50:41.64\00:50:45.11
I don't care about all that
00:50:45.14\00:50:46.68
as long as my name is
called when Jesus comes.
00:50:46.71\00:50:50.65
So when are we
children of God? When?
00:50:50.68\00:50:52.61
Say it with me. Now.
00:50:52.65\00:50:54.88
You are son and daughter of God,
00:50:54.92\00:50:57.49
that's the good news.
00:50:57.52\00:50:58.92
Question number
19, let's move along.
00:50:58.95\00:51:01.86
Number 19, I want
to try to get this,
00:51:01.89\00:51:03.22
we have seven
minutes I think we can do it
00:51:03.26\00:51:06.09
but I'm not gonna rush.
00:51:06.13\00:51:08.03
"How does living in
harmony with the will of God
00:51:08.06\00:51:10.57
impact our prayers?"
00:51:10.60\00:51:13.37
You know,
sometimes we say, pray.
00:51:13.40\00:51:14.74
Sometimes it's hard to
pray but this is encouraging.
00:51:14.77\00:51:17.51
"How does living"
00:51:17.54\00:51:18.87
"How does living in
harmony with the will of God
00:51:22.34\00:51:24.91
impact our prayers?"
00:51:24.95\00:51:26.28
Okay, Romans 8:27, we
all know Romans 8:28, right.
00:51:26.31\00:51:30.85
Romans 8:27 now, here it is.
00:51:30.89\00:51:33.22
"Now He who searches the hearts
00:51:33.25\00:51:35.82
knows what the
mind of the Spirit is,
00:51:35.86\00:51:41.13
because He makes" what?
00:51:41.16\00:51:43.93
"Intercession for the
saints according to" what?
00:51:43.97\00:51:48.44
"The will of God."
00:51:48.47\00:51:49.80
You know, when you
pray, when you pray
00:51:49.84\00:51:51.94
it's like sending
out an email sometimes
00:51:51.97\00:51:54.64
and it's like
putting an advertisement
00:51:54.68\00:51:56.71
on the internet.
00:51:56.75\00:51:58.08
You wonder who is
gonna even see that?
00:51:58.11\00:51:59.78
Who is gonna even buy into that?
00:51:59.81\00:52:01.62
Who is gonna-- am I gonna get--
00:52:01.65\00:52:02.98
you know, when
people start business,
00:52:03.02\00:52:04.45
"Well, I'm waiting
for my first customer."
00:52:04.49\00:52:06.22
You know, when you pray
you don't have to wonder
00:52:06.25\00:52:09.16
whether or not your
prayers gonna get through
00:52:09.19\00:52:11.09
because God who knows
00:52:11.13\00:52:13.83
what the mind of
the Spirit is Christ
00:52:13.86\00:52:15.60
who knows what the
mind of the Spirit is
00:52:15.63\00:52:18.57
he makes intercession.
00:52:18.60\00:52:20.77
He is our mediator
between us and God.
00:52:20.80\00:52:23.17
He makes
intercession and he says,
00:52:23.20\00:52:26.98
I know what Greg is
trying to pray about.
00:52:27.01\00:52:28.74
Don't worry about
it, Greg, I will fix it.
00:52:28.78\00:52:30.85
And it says in verse
26, "He makes intercession
00:52:30.88\00:52:34.45
with groans which
cannot be uttered."
00:52:34.48\00:52:37.72
So sometimes we
pray and we wonder
00:52:37.75\00:52:40.16
have you ever
prayed and felt like
00:52:40.19\00:52:41.52
it just didn't go anywhere?
00:52:41.56\00:52:43.56
You know, like a heavy prayer?
00:52:43.59\00:52:44.93
Like a brick
prayer, no wings on it?
00:52:44.96\00:52:47.33
You just get off your feet and,
"Lord, I hope You heard me."
00:52:47.36\00:52:51.07
And all of a
sudden God moves in a way
00:52:51.10\00:52:53.23
that you never
thought was possible
00:52:53.27\00:52:55.10
because the will of
God, God searches your life
00:52:55.14\00:52:57.67
and so He says, "I know
what Greg is praying for
00:52:57.71\00:52:59.74
but I really know
what Greg really needs."
00:52:59.77\00:53:02.34
Like Billy Graham's wife said
00:53:02.38\00:53:03.71
and you may have
heard what she said.
00:53:03.75\00:53:05.41
She is so glad that God doesn't
answer prayer all the time
00:53:05.45\00:53:08.38
because if He does she
would be married five times
00:53:08.42\00:53:11.15
before she married Billy Graham.
00:53:11.19\00:53:13.56
So God searches.
00:53:13.59\00:53:15.46
He knows when that
prayer need to be answered
00:53:15.49\00:53:17.66
and how that prayer
needs to be answered, right.
00:53:17.69\00:53:20.16
And let me tell
you when a prayer,
00:53:20.20\00:53:21.53
when a prayer is
answered, it's always answered
00:53:21.56\00:53:25.63
in harmony with the will of God.
00:53:25.67\00:53:28.20
He never send you any blessing
00:53:28.24\00:53:29.67
that's gonna pull you
outside of the will of God.
00:53:29.70\00:53:31.91
That's why I always question
when people say, I was praying
00:53:31.94\00:53:34.54
and God gave me
a job on Sabbath.
00:53:34.58\00:53:37.28
What will you gonna be doing?
00:53:37.31\00:53:38.65
Well, you know, I will be
driving the bus on Sabbath.
00:53:38.68\00:53:41.25
Well, God didn't
give you that job,
00:53:41.28\00:53:42.98
you got to also, you
got also measure the answer
00:53:43.02\00:53:47.42
with the God that you serve
00:53:47.46\00:53:49.36
to say that God
gave you that job,
00:53:49.39\00:53:50.83
you can't be very
familiar with God.
00:53:50.86\00:53:53.13
But those who
are familiar with God
00:53:53.16\00:53:54.70
and not just saying,
Lord, Lord will understand
00:53:54.73\00:53:57.30
who could have
answered it like that but God.
00:53:57.33\00:53:59.77
That's the connection.
00:53:59.80\00:54:01.14
So the Spirit of
God, we get the benefits.
00:54:01.17\00:54:02.67
Now let's look at the
benefits very quickly.
00:54:02.70\00:54:04.07
We may not get
through all of them
00:54:04.11\00:54:06.04
but look at the benefits.
00:54:06.07\00:54:07.41
Now the benefits
of the will of God.
00:54:07.44\00:54:08.98
Question number 20,
00:54:09.01\00:54:12.25
the benefits of the
will of God, all right.
00:54:12.28\00:54:14.78
So how does living in
harmony with the will of God
00:54:14.82\00:54:16.92
impact our prayers?
00:54:16.95\00:54:18.55
Christ intercedes and
answers according to God's will.
00:54:18.59\00:54:24.19
The answer is always in harmony
with God's will, all right.
00:54:24.23\00:54:27.90
Question number 20,
00:54:27.93\00:54:29.26
"What lasting value
does the will of God
00:54:29.30\00:54:31.43
make available to us?"
00:54:31.47\00:54:32.93
"What lasting value
00:54:32.97\00:54:34.57
does the will of God
make available to us?"
00:54:34.60\00:54:36.30
This is beautiful.
00:54:36.34\00:54:37.67
I was gonna leave this as a last
00:54:37.71\00:54:39.04
but I said, if I
don't get to this one
00:54:39.07\00:54:40.81
I want to get this
before the question ends.
00:54:40.84\00:54:42.98
"What lasting value
00:54:43.01\00:54:44.71
does the will of God
make available to us?"
00:54:44.75\00:54:46.92
Okay, 1 John, 1 John 2:17.
00:54:46.95\00:54:51.22
I think those of you
who are Bible students
00:54:51.25\00:54:53.19
know this one.
00:54:53.22\00:54:54.89
Are you ready? Yes.
00:54:54.92\00:54:56.39
"And the world is" what?
00:54:56.42\00:54:58.06
"Passing away,
and the lust of it,
00:54:58.09\00:55:00.40
but he who does the
will of God abides forever."
00:55:00.43\00:55:04.90
When you ask the question
what's the lasting value?
00:55:04.93\00:55:07.44
What could be more
valuable than abiding forever?
00:55:07.47\00:55:11.47
Now it didn't just
say living forever.
00:55:11.51\00:55:13.34
I want you to catch that
00:55:13.38\00:55:14.71
because John
talks about abiding.
00:55:14.74\00:55:16.85
John 17 he talks
about abiding in Christ.
00:55:16.88\00:55:19.08
Abiding in Christ.
00:55:19.11\00:55:20.72
Unless you abide in Me
00:55:20.75\00:55:23.59
as the vine abides in the branch
00:55:23.62\00:55:25.29
and the branch
abides in the vine
00:55:25.32\00:55:26.86
you can't do anything.
00:55:26.89\00:55:28.22
Abiding is more than living.
00:55:28.26\00:55:30.53
There are those
people that are living
00:55:30.56\00:55:31.89
but they are not thriving.
00:55:31.93\00:55:33.26
When you abide,
you are thriving.
00:55:33.29\00:55:35.93
When you abide, you are growing.
00:55:35.96\00:55:38.20
You are being sustained.
You are becoming victorious.
00:55:38.23\00:55:41.24
So it's more than
being a church member
00:55:41.27\00:55:43.57
but as abiding in Christ.
00:55:43.61\00:55:45.57
And the reason
why it's so important
00:55:45.61\00:55:46.94
to abide in Christ,
00:55:46.98\00:55:48.31
when you are abiding
in Christ all week long,
00:55:48.34\00:55:49.68
when you come to
church on Sabbath morning
00:55:49.71\00:55:51.08
or if you go to church
on the first day of the week
00:55:51.11\00:55:52.55
whenever you go, when
you go, you go to be a vessel
00:55:52.58\00:55:56.35
out of which Christ is worshiped
00:55:56.38\00:55:58.72
not just a vessel.
00:55:58.75\00:56:00.12
Now what does the
pastor have for me today?
00:56:00.16\00:56:02.82
You are not going to Wal-Mart,
you're going to worship God.
00:56:02.86\00:56:05.53
You're not going
to Macy's to find out
00:56:05.56\00:56:06.90
what's the new cologne.
00:56:06.93\00:56:08.26
You're going, if you've been
abiding in Christ all week long
00:56:08.30\00:56:11.00
then you are looking
forward to abiding forever.
00:56:11.03\00:56:13.74
Now you wouldn't
desire to abide forever
00:56:13.77\00:56:16.81
unless you abide in
Christ all week long.
00:56:16.84\00:56:19.41
For why would you desire
to have something eternally
00:56:19.44\00:56:21.94
that you don't have daily?
00:56:21.98\00:56:23.31
Abide forever.
00:56:26.51\00:56:28.92
What he's in essence saying is
00:56:28.95\00:56:30.72
if you ever spent
time in the presence of God
00:56:30.75\00:56:33.62
you want to stay there forever,
that's what he is saying.
00:56:33.66\00:56:38.39
And when the world
passes away because I spent time
00:56:38.43\00:56:40.36
in the presence of God every day
00:56:40.40\00:56:42.30
I want to be in the
presence of God forever
00:56:42.33\00:56:45.23
but you will never
know, you will never know.
00:56:45.27\00:56:47.67
The next one, I'm just
gonna give one part of it.
00:56:47.70\00:56:49.84
"How does accepting God's will
00:56:49.87\00:56:51.61
impact our
attitude towards His work?"
00:56:51.64\00:56:55.14
"How does accepting God's will
00:56:55.18\00:56:56.64
impact His
attitude towards our work?"
00:56:56.68\00:57:00.42
Here it is, John 4:34
in the interest of time
00:57:00.45\00:57:04.89
I'm gonna give
it to you right now.
00:57:04.92\00:57:06.55
"How does abiding in Christ
00:57:06.59\00:57:07.92
impact our
attitude towards His work?"
00:57:07.96\00:57:11.53
He says, "Jesus said to them,
00:57:11.56\00:57:13.23
'My food is to do the
will of Him who sent Me,
00:57:13.26\00:57:15.83
and to" do what?
00:57:15.86\00:57:17.20
"Finish the work."
00:57:17.23\00:57:19.20
You know, when you
are abiding in Christ
00:57:19.23\00:57:20.87
you've got one goal in mind.
00:57:20.90\00:57:22.37
You know, there are projects,
00:57:22.40\00:57:23.94
some person's once
said, I'm really busy.
00:57:23.97\00:57:26.34
You know, I heard a
business person say,
00:57:26.37\00:57:28.38
it's not how busy you are
00:57:28.41\00:57:29.78
but it's how much are
you getting accomplished.
00:57:29.81\00:57:32.11
There are lots
of busy Christians.
00:57:32.15\00:57:33.62
Busy singing for
Christ, busy living for Christ,
00:57:33.65\00:57:35.55
busy ministering for Christ
00:57:35.58\00:57:37.02
but how much you're
getting accomplished?
00:57:37.05\00:57:38.39
Are you accomplishing,
00:57:38.42\00:57:39.75
are you going from
one victory to the other,
00:57:39.79\00:57:41.82
from one fight that you face
to another victory in Christ?
00:57:41.86\00:57:45.33
Well, friends,
here at Sharper Focus
00:57:45.36\00:57:48.13
we believe that the
most important thing
00:57:48.16\00:57:49.70
is not just to know about Christ
00:57:49.73\00:57:52.27
but to abide in Him.
00:57:52.30\00:57:53.64
So spend time in His
word, spend time in prayer
00:57:53.67\00:57:57.27
and one day you will
see that walking with Christ
00:57:57.31\00:57:59.67
always brings you
into His sharper focus.
00:57:59.71\00:58:02.88
God bless you.
00:58:02.91\00:58:04.25