¤ ¤
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Hello friends and welcome to A
Sharper Focus, a Wednesday night
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Bible study here coming to
you live from the 3ABN Worship
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Center located here in
Thompsonville, Illinois.
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Every time you hear that address
you think what about West
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Frankfort. Well that's right
across the line, not too far
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away from here. But thank you
so much for tuning in. We always
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encourage you to get your Bibles
get your pens and invite your
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family and your friends to join
us in this study. We always walk
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through the word of God together
and as we know in the past
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whenever we ask God to be here
we will not be disappointed. Now
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if you'd like to get a copy
of the lesson tonight go to this
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website. Remember don't put www.
Put ASF.3ABN.ORG and download
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lesson 008. That's the lesson
that's going to be covering our
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topic tonight as we hope to
wind it up on How to Grow In
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Christ. Say that with me again.
How to grow who? In Christ.
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That's our topic for tonight and
we're going to do some review to
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begin the lesson tonight
but also we have just about nine
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questions which will take up our
time surprisingly enough. But
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whatever you do get the word
of God and join us for the study
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and, as I said, you will not be
disappointed. But tonight let's
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pray before we go into the word
of God and then we're going to
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sing our theme song, which
is Victory in Jesus. Let's pray.
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first. Father in heaven, thank
you so much that you challenge
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us to study your word in this
world that's rushing to and fro.
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We pray that tonight Lord that
this would not be seen as a show
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or a program alone, but a time
to study your word more deeply,
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to be fed from that which never
dies. And so Lord tonight send
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your Holy Spirit to be our
teacher and open our minds that
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we may understand. In Jesus'
name we pray. Amen. Now join me
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if you can in our theme song.
We always enjoy this theme song.
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It's Victory in Jesus and the
words will appear on our screen,
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but as you hear us singing, we
hope that you'll join us. Let's
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sing the song together. ¤ ¤
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¤I've heard an old, old story
how the Savior came from glory¤
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¤How He gave His life on Calvary
to save a wretch like me¤
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¤I heard about his groaning,
of his precious blood atoning¤
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¤Then I repented of my
sin and won the victory¤
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¤O victory in
Jesus My Savior forever¤
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¤He sought me and bought
me with his redeeming love¤
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¤He loved me e're I knew
Him And all my love is due Him¤
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¤He plunged me to victory
Beneath the cleansing flood¤
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¤I heard about a mansion
He has built for me in glory¤
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¤And I heard about the streets
of gold beyond the crystal sea¤
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¤About the angels singing
and the old redemption story¤
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¤And some sweet day I'll sing
up there the song of victory¤
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Key change ¤O Victory
in Jesus my Savior forever¤
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¤He sought me and bought
me with His redeeming blood¤
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¤He loved me e're I knew
Him and all my love is due Him¤
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¤He plunged me to victory
beneath the cleansing flood¤
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Can you say Amen?
Tonight our topic is...
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But tonight we're going to do
something a little differently
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that does not appear in your
syllabus, that's in your lesson.
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By the way, if you've
just joined us you can download
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a copy of this lesson at
ASF.3ABN.ORG and download lesson
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008. Whatever you do don't
put www. Tonight we're going to
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begin with a review. So I could
entitle it reviewing growth.
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We're going to be reviewing
growth. Every one of us needs
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to know what is important when
it comes to growth. Can we say
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Amen to that? Because if
you have a plant and it's not
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growing, something's wrong.
If you have children and they're
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not growing something's wrong.
And if you're not growing,
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something's wrong. Unlike the
principle of neutrality, we are
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either growing or we are what?
Ohhh no, nobody grows backwards.
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We are either growing or what's
the opposite of growth? What's
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the opposite of life? OK, so
we are either growing or we are
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what? Dying. We are dying
spiritually. That's why Paul
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said, it's important for
us every day to die to self in
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order for us to live in Christ.
We are either growing or we are
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what? Say that together. We are
what? Dying. There's no yellow
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line in Christianity. There's no
neutral place that we pull off
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the road to decide whether or
not we're going to continue to
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grow. We're either growing
in Christ or we're dying.
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And tonight what I want to do
is point out four very essential
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points that we talked about
earlier in our study. Because
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this is one of the longest
studies, 29 questions, but in
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the very beginning our first
four questions establish the
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foundation for the principles
of growth. So if you have your
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lesson, you can go back with me
to the first four answers, the
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scriptural answers, but I'm
going to put them in a context
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tonight of not a question but a
statement. Statement number one
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about the important principles
of growth and here it is. Review
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point number one...
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The text that links us to that
very truth is II Peter 3 and
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verse 18. Here it is on
the screen. The Bible says:
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He's in essence saying that's
the truth. Now get this. And I
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want to emphasize this. This is
so vitally important because one
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of the first principles of
becoming a Christian is you
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have to understand what it means
to grow in grace. We don't grow
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into grace; we grow in grace. A
fish doesn't swim into the sea;
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a fish swims where? In the sea.
A plant doesn't grow into the
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pot, a plant grows where? In
the pot. We are saved by grace
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through faith. We are saved by
what? Grace. Talk to me. We are
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saved by what? Grace through
faith. And it has nothing to do
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with us. The grace that we are
saved in or by is God's grace.
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So if we are saved by grace we
have to grow in that grace. But
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it's not just enough to grow in
grace because if all we say is
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well I'm saved by grace. I'm in,
I'm locked in. I'm not going to
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be lost. Then we are not really
growing in the area that God
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intends for us to grow. So we
don't only grow in grace but we
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also grow in, what' the other
word that I used earlier. We
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grow in what? Knowledge. We grow
in grace and we also grow in
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knowledge. So in order for us
to grow in knowledge there is an
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essential element in our lives
that needs to be there. Now
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every one of us, I hope you have
your Bibles with you because the
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Bible is what I refer to
as the best equipment in the
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Christian's backpack. Some
people may think it's a song,
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some people may think it's a
really good church choir, some
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people may think it's good
community programs, but the best
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equipment in the Christian's
backpack is the Bible. Is the
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what? The Bible. If you don't
have a Bible in your backpack
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you're in trouble. Because the
only way that the Christian's
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going to grow is by have a Bible
in his or her backpack. So look
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at the second point. I pointed
out the first thing on how to
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mature, we have to grow in grace
and knowledge. But look at this
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review point number two and
we're going to go to our Bibles
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in just a moment. But the review
point number two. Read this with
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me. It says, together...
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Now this one I'm going to
spend a little bit more time on
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because if you don't have the
Bible... Well let me just put it
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this way. I've not purchased
anything that doesn't come with
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instructions. Even toothpaste
comes with instructions. Why do
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instructions for tooth paste?
What are you going to do with
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tooth paste. I have even picked
up my clothes at the cleaners
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and I'm surprised on the plastic
bag that's covering my suit
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there's a notice that says this
is not to be used to cover your
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head. Have you ever noticed
that? Some of the simplest
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things you do. Whatever possible
use can I. OK. Good. I'm going
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take this suit bag and give
it to my toddler so he can cover
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his head. Instructions.
And there are certain things,
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instructions for pencils and for
crayons as if they could be used
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for other things. In the very
same way, the word of God is a
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book of instructions and in
order to put things together.
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There are those individuals that
buy a desk and I've in the past
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been able to help individuals
put certain things together.
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For example, they'll buy a
cabinet, or they will buy a book
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shelf. And the book shelf looks
nice on the outside of the box.
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Doesn't it? Have you noticed
that? But when you open the box
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it come with like 600 pieces,
(I'm exaggerating obviously)
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but 50 pieces and then it comes
with a pack of screws. Have you
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noticed that? In the pack of
screws you gotta pick the right
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one because some screws are an
inch-and-a-half, some screws are
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an inch-and-three-quarters, some
screws are two inches long, some
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screws are wood screws, some
screws are metal screws. Have
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you noticed that? And if you get
them mixed up you're in trouble.
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And I learned that the hard way.
One day... 'cause I'm the kind
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of guy that don't always like to
read instructions and so what I
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did is I look at the picture
on the outside of the box and I
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decide as long as this book
shelf looks like that when I'm
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done I'm happy. Have you
ever been there before? So but I
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learned. So one day I was
getting to the critical pieces
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in the building of the book
shelf and realized that these
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screws just don't fit. And what
did I have to do? Go back to
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another piece that was held
together. And you know it's hard
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when you put the sides of the
book shelf together and you get
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that middle shelf you
feel really good. But what had
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happened is I had used the
screws for that middle shelf
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that should be someplace else,
so I had to take all the middle
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pieces out and when you take the
middle pieces out what happens
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to the book shelf? It falls
apart. So I've learned, even
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though I'm pretty savvy,
I've learned that we all need to
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follow instructions to
experience the feeling of
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getting it right. What's
the feeling of getting it right.
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Now that's a rewarding feeling.
But I want you to notice this
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text because this text really
opens our eyes to the power of
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understanding that the main
ingredient for Christian living
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in in the Bible. Here it is.
Matthew 4:4. Read this with me.
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It says:
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So when you read instructions,
how much of the instructions do
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you need to read? All of
it. When you follow directions
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from where
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you are to somebody else's
house how much of the directions
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should you follow? Huh? When
you're following a GPS, at what
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point in the GPS, if you're
going someplace you don't know,
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at what point do you say, I
don't need any more directions?
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You follow it from the beginning
of the route to the end of the
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route. But the reason why I want
to emphasize this verse a little
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bit more before we dive into our
questions tonight is this. When
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the Bible says man shall live by
the word that proceeds from the
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mouth of God, do you realize
that the world was created by
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the words that proceeded from
the mouth of God? The Bible says
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he spake and it was done,
he commanded and it what? Stood
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fast. So the word of God was
good enough for man until the
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entrance of sin. As a matter of
fact, and the reason why this is
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so vitally important is because
the devil attacked Eve on the
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basis of the word of God. He met
her at the tree of the knowledge
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of good and evil and he asked
her the question about the word
00:14:01.50\00:14:05.37
of God. He says, has God said.
So he questions whether or not
00:14:05.41\00:14:09.04
she was clear about what God had
said. But if she was clear about
00:14:09.08\00:14:12.25
what God had said, he would not
have found a way in but because
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she was not clear about what God
had said, his suggestions caused
00:14:16.48\00:14:20.56
her to question what God had
said. What happened after that?
00:14:20.59\00:14:24.33
What did she do? She took of the
fruit of the tree, she ate it
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and then she gave it to her
husband and he ate it. And from
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that point on appetite has been
perverted. Now follow me really
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carefully. People today indulge
in things that (I want to use
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the right word here because the
word of God tastes good to me).
00:14:44.25\00:14:48.88
People today indulge in junk
food rather than nourishing food
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I mean the junk food industry
is a large industry, is it not?
00:14:53.99\00:14:58.76
Tell me now, let's get some
confession. Is it not? Now we
00:14:58.79\00:15:03.50
must all confess that somebody
in this group has some junk food
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in his or her house. Maybe
potato chips or some kind of
00:15:06.74\00:15:11.84
soda or cake. We all at some
point or another introduce into
00:15:11.87\00:15:16.98
our diet junk food, do we not?
Can we confess to that? What has
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happened is when man sinned
God's original appetite was
00:15:22.12\00:15:29.22
attacked. I want you to follow
this. This text talks about us
00:15:29.26\00:15:33.90
returning to the original
appetite. So get this. You have
00:15:33.93\00:15:38.53
a man, a sinful human
being, that's who we are with
00:15:38.57\00:15:43.51
tendencies that always lean
toward sin and then we're asking
00:15:43.54\00:15:48.04
ourselves to naturally desire
the word of God. You can't
00:15:48.08\00:15:52.51
naturally desire the word of
God The spiritual diet has to be
00:15:52.58\00:15:56.92
desired by the spiritual
individual. Spiritual things are
00:15:56.95\00:16:00.66
what? Spiritually discerned.
Also those spiritual things are
00:16:00.72\00:16:04.33
spiritually desired. If there's
no spiritual desire then you're
00:16:04.36\00:16:07.70
not going to desire something
that's out of harmony with your
00:16:07.76\00:16:11.60
natural appetite. What happened
is the Bible, the study of God's
00:16:11.63\00:16:15.47
word restores the spiritual
diet. It restores the diet that
00:16:15.50\00:16:20.18
God intended for us to have.
Now before Adam and Eve fell,
00:16:20.21\00:16:24.81
was God's word good enough? Talk
to me. Do you think they trusted
00:16:24.88\00:16:29.78
what God said? Did they have
any reason not to trust what God
00:16:29.82\00:16:34.72
said? After man fell in sin, one
of the reasons today why there
00:16:34.76\00:16:39.96
is such a diversity of Christian
movements with a plethora of
00:16:40.00\00:16:45.17
different beliefs, some
that really disrupt the way that
00:16:45.20\00:16:48.10
Jesus is presented, some that
really disrupt the truth about
00:16:48.14\00:16:51.87
God, is because man's appetite
has been perverted. And also
00:16:51.91\00:16:55.01
sometimes when you try to
introduce it to somebody's life
00:16:55.04\00:16:58.41
the truth about God's word,
their appetites are so perverted
00:16:58.45\00:17:02.68
that they don't even want to
have that which is spiritual.
00:17:02.72\00:17:06.86
In other words, I don't want to
go too far because my next point
00:17:06.92\00:17:09.02
brings this out as to what I'm
talking about. So what happens
00:17:09.09\00:17:12.39
is when you desire the bread
of life, that's why it says man
00:17:12.43\00:17:15.43
shall not live by bread alone
but every word that proceeds
00:17:15.46\00:17:17.47
from the mouth of God. In
other words our diet is not just
00:17:17.50\00:17:20.87
physical, our diet in
order for us to be sustained and
00:17:20.90\00:17:24.27
grow should be
00:17:24.31\00:17:25.64
spiritual, right? Now let's
go to the next point because I
00:17:25.67\00:17:27.78
don't want to jump ahead of
myself. This next point makes it
00:17:27.81\00:17:30.55
really significant.
Here's the third review point...
00:17:30.58\00:17:38.29
And I based that on this
particular text: By the way this
00:17:38.35\00:17:44.43
is just review. We haven't
gotten yet to the place where
00:17:44.46\00:17:50.47
we begin the answer in. Review
third one. Let's read this text
00:17:50.50\00:17:54.17
together. I Peter 2 verses 2 and
3. It's on the screen. Are you
00:17:54.20\00:17:57.81
ready? Here we go...
00:17:57.84\00:18:13.36
or as the King James Version
says, I like that one, it says
00:18:13.39\00:18:16.06
taste and see that the Lord is
good. Gracious is nice, but good
00:18:16.09\00:18:18.69
is better that gracious. They
both go together in the real
00:18:18.73\00:18:24.30
content. Here's the point of
this one. Until we desire God's
00:18:24.33\00:18:28.44
word we will not experience the
goodness of God. Now I want you
00:18:28.50\00:18:32.11
to notice there's a word at the
end of the first line. What is
00:18:32.14\00:18:35.74
that word? Pure. What is
the next word right after pure?
00:18:35.78\00:18:40.32
Now let me ask you the question.
Where was God leading the
00:18:40.35\00:18:44.62
children of Israel, to what
land? The land of what? The land
00:18:44.65\00:18:50.19
of milk and honey. That was the
earthly Canaan. Did you not know
00:18:50.23\00:18:53.46
that one of the reasons why this
text is in the New Testament is
00:18:53.50\00:18:58.47
because Peter draws off of
the analogy that the Lord was
00:18:58.50\00:19:02.20
leading the Israelites to a land
of milk and honey. What kind of
00:19:02.24\00:19:05.81
milk would have been in that
land? It's on the screen. Pure
00:19:05.84\00:19:09.94
milk. So saying in essence
the word of God is what kind of
00:19:09.98\00:19:14.05
milk? Pure milk. Now those of
you who are mothers who've ever
00:19:14.08\00:19:17.72
fed your babies, you know that
when you have a newborn babe you
00:19:17.75\00:19:20.52
want to make sure that there's
nothing wrong with the milk.
00:19:20.56\00:19:24.19
Am I right? Because you want
your baby to do what? To grow
00:19:24.23\00:19:28.60
thereby or grow through the
ingestion of that milk. The word
00:19:28.63\00:19:33.13
of God is pure milk. If we're
not drinking pure milk, what
00:19:33.17\00:19:37.81
kind of milk are we drinking?
No, just give me the real word.
00:19:37.84\00:19:40.68
Spoiled milk. 'Cause there
are only two types of milk, am I
00:19:40.71\00:19:47.12
right? Have you ever had spoiled
milk in your refrigerator. Even
00:19:47.15\00:19:51.55
if it's rice milk, it can spoil.
I learned that the hard way.
00:19:51.59\00:19:55.99
We have been doing so much
traveling this summer that we
00:19:56.02\00:19:59.53
came home and I thought you know
rice milk doesn't spoil. It's
00:19:59.56\00:20:03.63
not real milk. It's rice milk,
forgetting that rice does spoil.
00:20:03.67\00:20:08.34
And I poured this rice milk on
the last bit of cereal left in
00:20:08.37\00:20:13.68
the box, the last bit. And my
wife you know she has an almond
00:20:13.71\00:20:18.98
you almond chunks, I
forget what it's called. Anyway,
00:20:19.01\00:20:25.15
but almonds and cherries and
all that stuff and it was really
00:20:25.19\00:20:28.66
nice. And I'm wanting a bowl of
cereal because we just got back
00:20:28.69\00:20:31.99
home and there's nothing in the
house to eat. You know, and I go
00:20:32.03\00:20:35.30
don't want to buy anything
before we go. We don't want
00:20:35.33\00:20:37.00
anything to spoil. So there's
nothing to eat. So I find in the
00:20:37.03\00:20:40.90
bottom of the cereal box this
last bit of cereal and I got my
00:20:40.94\00:20:48.61
milk. Pour the milk on good
cereal. First bite. You know you
00:20:48.64\00:20:56.38
talk through that bite, Oh no,
no, no. I talked through that
00:20:56.45\00:21:01.52
Honey, what am I doing wrong?
What's wrong with the milk?
00:21:01.56\00:21:06.19
And she said, I bought a new
one. I said, ahh, I wish you had
00:21:06.23\00:21:10.20
told me. Now there's no more
cereal. And for those of us who
00:21:10.23\00:21:14.67
live out here, it's 20 miles
plus round trip, Walmart. You
00:21:14.70\00:21:19.07
just don't get cereal just that
quickly. And I'm looking through
00:21:19.11\00:21:23.01
the cabinet, no bread, no cereal
I'm thinking ahh. And I, with
00:21:23.04\00:21:28.12
disgust, go to the bathroom and
just dump the cereal and I see
00:21:28.15\00:21:32.95
the nice new milk. Here's the
point I want to make. If you're
00:21:32.99\00:21:38.26
feeding on spoiled milk you're
feeding on the word of man. If
00:21:38.29\00:21:42.83
you're feeding on pure milk
you're feeding on the word of
00:21:42.86\00:21:46.77
God. The word of God will never
be spoiled milk. Can somebody
00:21:46.80\00:21:50.94
say amen to that? But the key
element in this passage is, as
00:21:50.97\00:21:55.24
newborn babes, what's the next
word after babes? Desire. If
00:21:55.28\00:21:59.25
your desire is not for God's
word, you'll never partake of
00:21:59.28\00:22:02.98
God's word. You'll never know
what it means to have pure milk.
00:22:03.02\00:22:06.82
Everybody likes to open a brand
new container of milk because
00:22:06.86\00:22:10.36
you know it's going to be good,
at least for the most part.
00:22:10.39\00:22:14.83
There was one church member
we had that was, you know, she
00:22:14.86\00:22:18.27
wanted to bless our hearts and
this was many years ago when we
00:22:18.33\00:22:22.10
lived in California. She was
an older lady and we were just
00:22:22.14\00:22:24.71
really new in the ministry and
didn't have a whole lot of food
00:22:24.74\00:22:27.74
in our house. So she wanted to
kind of give us a bag of food to
00:22:27.78\00:22:30.71
take home and she gave us
all this stuff and she gave us a
00:22:30.75\00:22:34.62
small can of condensed milk,
condensed milk, right? What's
00:22:34.65\00:22:37.95
condensed; it's really thick.
You just don't pour condensed
00:22:37.99\00:22:41.79
milk. You just like... and look
at your watch and it will come
00:22:41.82\00:22:45.96
eventually. We opened this can
of condensed milk and I've never
00:22:45.99\00:22:49.93
seen dark brown condensed milk
before. And I looked on the date
00:22:49.96\00:22:53.90
This thing had expired
like eight years earlier. And I
00:22:53.94\00:22:58.57
didn't tell her about it.
But the reason I'm making this
00:22:58.61\00:23:03.14
illustration is if you're not
feeding on the pure milk of the
00:23:03.21\00:23:09.18
word, you're feeding on expired
milk. If you're not digesting
00:23:09.25\00:23:14.26
the pure milk of God's word,
your appetite is filled with
00:23:14.29\00:23:18.99
spoiled milk or old milk,
because the word of men comes
00:23:19.06\00:23:23.73
and goes as new books come out.
But the word of God stands fast
00:23:23.77\00:23:28.04
for how long? Ever and ever and
ever. Amen to that? And our last
00:23:28.07\00:23:31.11
review point, then we're going
to dive right into the lesson,
00:23:31.14\00:23:33.78
make sure that the word of God
is in your life every day and
00:23:33.81\00:23:36.44
you get the nourishment that
it intends because it's pure and
00:23:36.48\00:23:39.28
then it says you'll grow. If you
got pure milk in our life, if
00:23:39.31\00:23:42.08
you got the pure word of God in
your life you will grow. Now the
00:23:42.15\00:23:46.12
devotional books, those are good
but don't just replace the study
00:23:46.15\00:23:50.16
of God's word with devotional
books. Because if somebody wants
00:23:50.19\00:23:54.20
to give you pure gold and
somebody says man here this is
00:23:54.23\00:24:00.30
two carat gold. You didn't
get that. Two carat gold! That's
00:24:00.34\00:24:05.24
gold dust. But if somebody says
ah God is not going to build
00:24:05.27\00:24:09.24
heaven out of two carat gold.
He's going to build it out of
00:24:09.28\00:24:13.21
what kind of gold? Pure. So God
never gives you anything that's
00:24:13.25\00:24:17.39
less in value, less in strength,
less in property. Always make
00:24:17.42\00:24:20.96
sure that when you study the
word of God, even if you have
00:24:20.99\00:24:23.93
your devotion, if you have a
devotional book, it's good to
00:24:23.96\00:24:27.06
have, but also have a study life
in the word of God so you can
00:24:27.10\00:24:29.96
really get the power that you
need. Last review point, very
00:24:30.00\00:24:32.80
quickly and it says:
00:24:32.83\00:24:40.61
What's that word potent mean?
Strong or powerful. Have you
00:24:40.64\00:24:45.05
ever had something strong
like medicine. I have a lot of
00:24:45.08\00:24:48.68
lessons that I've learned as
I've grown up. Sometimes I find
00:24:48.75\00:24:52.79
that after I put it in my mouth
that I should have diluted it.
00:24:52.85\00:24:56.86
The word of God is potent.
Here's what the Bible says
00:24:56.89\00:25:00.36
very carefully.
Hebrews 4 verses 12-13:
00:25:00.40\00:25:16.68
Emphasizing the earlier part
of that. If the word of God is
00:25:31.49\00:25:35.83
living, that means the word of
God never dies. The word of God
00:25:35.86\00:25:39.37
what? Never dies. I've got books
in my library, matter of fact,
00:25:39.40\00:25:42.87
I have books from when I
went to school and I was taking
00:25:42.90\00:25:45.04
electronics in school and I look
back on those principles and I
00:25:45.07\00:25:50.71
must say, the principles in that
book are so old that it couldn't
00:25:50.75\00:25:56.35
apply to anything. Now truly
the principles of electricity
00:25:56.38\00:25:58.75
and current are the same
but some of the ways that it
00:25:58.79\00:26:02.09
recommended to do certain
procedures, if I would use that
00:26:02.12\00:26:05.26
today, I would be out of step.
One of the reasons why doctors
00:26:05.29\00:26:08.00
continue to practice is because
the things that they did 15
00:26:08.03\00:26:12.53
years ago may be not as relevant
or as good as the new findings
00:26:12.57\00:26:16.67
are today. Every time you read
the word of man, there's always
00:26:16.71\00:26:20.21
something that is subject to
change. But the word of God is
00:26:20.24\00:26:23.41
living, it's powerful, it's
quick, it never changes. Can you
00:26:23.45\00:26:26.78
say amen to that? So you got
to have the word of God in your
00:26:26.82\00:26:29.95
life. In fact, without the word
of God in your life, there is no
00:26:29.98\00:26:33.09
power in your life because
the word of God is living and
00:26:33.12\00:26:36.83
powerful. You want power in your
life? Do we need power in our
00:26:36.89\00:26:40.43
lives. Does the Christian need
power to overcome temptation?
00:26:40.46\00:26:44.67
Overcome sin. Overcome struggles
with attitude and habits. Do we
00:26:44.70\00:26:48.87
need that power? You cannot sin
while you're reading the word of
00:26:48.90\00:26:53.44
God. Either sin will keep you
from God's word or the word of
00:26:53.48\00:26:57.25
God will protect you from sin.
But you have to have the living
00:26:57.28\00:27:00.75
and powerful word of God in your
life. Now question number 21
00:27:00.78\00:27:03.55
which is where we're going to
go to our syllabus if you have
00:27:03.59\00:27:06.12
that syllabus. Question number
21 is where we're going now.
00:27:06.15\00:27:09.82
Just a quick review to bring you
up to date. Now we're going to
00:27:09.86\00:27:13.09
fly. Are you ready New Yorkers?
We're going to fly like we do in
00:27:13.13\00:27:16.33
New York. Question number 21:
00:27:16.36\00:27:22.80
If you have your syllabus, we're
going to turn to this text:
00:27:22.84\00:27:27.64
II Timothy 3:15: To what extent
can the word of God impact our
00:27:27.68\00:27:32.71
lives? OK. The answer is found
in II Timothy chapter 3 and
00:27:32.75\00:27:38.25
verse 15. You know sometimes
people say OK they ask questions
00:27:38.29\00:27:43.32
like to what extent whatever the
context may be. To what extent?
00:27:43.36\00:27:48.36
In other words, how far will
this benefit me? How far will
00:27:48.40\00:27:51.40
this benefit take me? How
far will this vehicle take me?
00:27:51.43\00:27:54.80
To what extent will my life
be enhanced? Here's the answer.
00:27:54.84\00:27:58.61
II Timothy 3 and verse 15 and
it's funny that it has the word
00:27:58.67\00:28:02.34
child. We have a young man
who is named Timothy and he's a
00:28:02.38\00:28:06.01
child. So this fits. It says:
00:28:06.05\00:28:23.43
So to what extent, to
what extent can the word of God
00:28:23.47\00:28:27.57
impact our lives? What's the key
word in this text. Ah. Say that
00:28:27.64\00:28:35.41
again. It makes you wise. I
don't know how many of you have
00:28:35.44\00:28:39.18
ever taken the time to
read the books of Proverbs and
00:28:39.21\00:28:42.95
Ecclesiastes. If you want
short little nuggets that are
00:28:42.98\00:28:46.69
concentrated. I mean, when I say
potent, little nuggets. If you
00:28:46.72\00:28:51.09
a thought for the day, open the
book of proverbs and just grab a
00:28:51.13\00:28:55.46
proverb. Isn't that true? You
walk out of the house feeling
00:28:55.50\00:28:58.37
like a man of intellect
and wisdom. Matter of fact, you
00:28:58.40\00:29:01.17
ready, let 'em come. I'm ready.
I got my wisdom. The word of God
00:29:01.20\00:29:05.77
is a book of wisdom. And
not only wisdom that's temporal,
00:29:05.81\00:29:09.41
but because Paul talks about the
wisdom of man is earthly, but
00:29:09.44\00:29:13.82
the wisdom that God gives
you is able to make you wise to
00:29:13.85\00:29:17.45
to salvation. It says for
salvation, same thing but is
00:29:17.49\00:29:20.32
able to make you wise to
salvation. One of the things
00:29:20.36\00:29:23.12
that I always pray for, my wife
talks about this sometimes and
00:29:23.16\00:29:26.49
people say wow. And I'm not
glorifying me, I'm glorifying
00:29:26.53\00:29:30.73
God, but when I sit down
and counsel people or deal with
00:29:30.77\00:29:36.00
issues in the church I always
pray for wisdom because what's
00:29:36.04\00:29:40.34
coming to my table are issues
that I've not previously heard
00:29:40.38\00:29:45.01
about. Sometimes people will say
pastor I've got this issue and
00:29:45.05\00:29:48.65
I don't know what to do. And
I say how old are you? In some
00:29:48.68\00:29:51.99
cases they're older than I am.
I'm thinking if age and wisdom
00:29:52.02\00:29:56.06
are connected then what am I
going to tell you. But brethren
00:29:56.09\00:30:00.10
age and wisdom are not
synonymous. Say Amen to that.
00:30:00.13\00:30:03.47
Studying the word
00:30:03.50\00:30:04.83
of God and wisdom are
synonymous. Now I must say this.
00:30:04.87\00:30:11.71
There are certain things you
learn in life as you get older
00:30:11.77\00:30:14.61
that you would not do again.
Like some people say, if I knew
00:30:14.64\00:30:17.65
this when I was younger, boy, I
wouldn't have done that. That's
00:30:17.68\00:30:20.72
the wisdom that we get from
life's experiences. But when it
00:30:20.78\00:30:23.85
comes to handling people's lives
you gotta pray for wisdom and
00:30:23.89\00:30:26.96
one of the best places to
get wisdom is the word of God.
00:30:26.99\00:30:29.42
Remember that story when the
king was faced with a decision
00:30:29.46\00:30:33.70
about whose child is whose
child Remember the king's name?
00:30:33.73\00:30:37.90
OK. What did he do? Prayed for
wisdom and God led him. OK since
00:30:37.93\00:30:42.77
it's not your child let's go
ahead and kill him. No! give the
00:30:42.80\00:30:47.58
child to the other just to
spare the life of the child.
00:30:47.61\00:30:52.78
So whenever you study the word
of god you will leave your house
00:30:52.81\00:30:57.05
with more wisdom than you woke
up with. When you study God's
00:30:57.09\00:31:01.06
word you'll find, this is
something I've experienced also,
00:31:01.09\00:31:04.39
is when you study God's word
you'll discover that through
00:31:04.43\00:31:07.70
God's going to bring you in
touch with somebody that you can
00:31:07.73\00:31:12.83
share the very thing that
you studied that morning. You'll
00:31:12.87\00:31:17.07
God's word and you'll say
you know this morning I'll study
00:31:17.11\00:31:20.34
things out of my devotion. And
they'll say what did you read?
00:31:20.38\00:31:23.21
And then all of a sudden you
share with them that particular
00:31:23.24\00:31:26.65
It's amazing how that happens.
God never gives you that day
00:31:26.68\00:31:30.19
what you're not going to use
through that day. So when the
00:31:30.22\00:31:34.59
example of prayer was given
by Jesus he said What was the
00:31:34.62\00:31:39.89
prayer? Give us this day our
daily bread. When you feed on
00:31:39.96\00:31:45.17
the bread of God it is going to
make you wise. And it's the Holy
00:31:45.23\00:31:49.30
Scriptures that make you wise.
So here's the answer. To what
00:31:49.34\00:31:52.97
extent can the word of God
affect our lives? Makes us wise.
00:31:53.04\00:31:57.18
Put that down as your answer.
Increases our wisdom, increases
00:31:57.25\00:32:01.95
our wisdom. As a matter of fact,
you'll also discover for those
00:32:01.98\00:32:06.15
who come out of one kind of life
and want to prepare themselves
00:32:06.19\00:32:10.19
for the spiritual life, they
have to have a large diet of the
00:32:10.23\00:32:13.56
word of God. You know why?
Because the word of God is kind
00:32:13.60\00:32:16.87
of like a... Well our minds are
like a large glass of water or a
00:32:16.90\00:32:22.54
large glass of Kool Aid or a
large glass of anything. If you
00:32:22.57\00:32:28.54
have a large glass of purple
Kool-Aid and you cannot pour
00:32:28.58\00:32:33.11
that Kool aid out to empty the
glass and you say now empty the
00:32:33.15\00:32:36.48
glass but you can't pick it
up and pour it out and you can't
00:32:36.52\00:32:41.19
drink it, what do you do?
You fill it up with a different
00:32:41.22\00:32:44.99
liquid all together. And you'll
notice that if you just stand
00:32:45.03\00:32:48.86
under the faucet and fill up
that purple glass of Kool-Aid
00:32:48.90\00:32:53.13
with pure water what happens
after a time? What happens?
Somebody tell me. The
00:32:53.17\00:32:57.77
purple starts to vanish have you
noticed? It eventually gets to
00:32:57.81\00:33:01.48
gray and then before you know it
if you stand there long enough,
00:33:01.54\00:33:05.18
what happens. It's clear.
You've got to think of that
00:33:05.21\00:33:08.68
illustration when it comes to
studying the word of God. If you
00:33:08.75\00:33:11.55
want to declutter your mind, the
more of the word of God you put
00:33:11.59\00:33:14.62
in you'll discover those things
that were dark, those things
00:33:14.69\00:33:17.96
that were hard to get rid of,
those things that you couldn't
00:33:17.99\00:33:21.63
dump, because you can't dump
your mind. You can't dump your
00:33:21.66\00:33:24.23
thoughts. But you have to
continue to pour into your mind
00:33:24.27\00:33:26.74
that which is pure and fresh and
as time comes on, as time goes,
00:33:26.77\00:33:31.64
you'll discover that which was
dark is gray and then all of a
00:33:31.67\00:33:34.61
sudden it gets light and then
all of a sudden before you know
00:33:34.64\00:33:37.51
it it's not even there anymore.
That's how people grow and they
00:33:38.85\00:33:42.48
get stronger. And I can
guarantee you those who become
00:33:42.52\00:33:44.79
strong Christians are those who
are spending time filling their
00:33:44.82\00:33:48.29
with the pure word of God. It's
not just pure milk, but he's the
00:33:48.32\00:33:52.29
water of life and when the water
of life is being poured into
00:33:52.33\00:33:55.93
your life, there's not going
to be room enough for those dark
00:33:55.96\00:33:59.57
things. But I also want
to caution you. While you're
00:33:59.60\00:34:05.37
studying the word of God don't
mix the study of the word of God
00:34:05.41\00:34:08.51
with a life of dark things.
Because just continue that
00:34:08.54\00:34:13.98
illustration. So you have a pure
glass of water and you stood
00:34:14.02\00:34:17.95
there with a dropper that had
purple Kool Aid in it how much
00:34:17.99\00:34:21.32
how many drops does it take
to start changing that water?
00:34:21.36\00:34:24.59
One drop. If your life is a life
that, well I'll study God's word
00:34:24.66\00:34:32.13
today and tomorrow that
old nature begins to desire the
00:34:32.17\00:34:36.94
things that are carnal. The
thing that was in your mind that
00:34:37.01\00:34:40.31
was pure all of a sudden becomes
tainted when your life goes in a
00:34:40.34\00:34:43.68
different direction. When
you begin to fill your mind with
00:34:43.71\00:34:45.88
those things that do not elevate
and do not purify. So be careful
00:34:45.91\00:34:49.45
Keep with that illustration.
When you pick up God's word I'm
00:34:49.48\00:34:52.05
going to keep the water pure.
I want to keep my thoughts pure.
00:34:52.09\00:34:55.12
But when the world begins to
come in into that dropper one
00:34:55.16\00:34:59.09
drop and all of a sudden that
pure water is tainted. Go to the
00:34:59.13\00:35:03.03
next one. Number 22...
00:35:03.06\00:35:13.11
You know we don't want to
be immature, but the Bible does
00:35:13.14\00:35:15.34
that there's those who are
immature. And there's a reason
00:35:15.38\00:35:18.98
why, there a reason why. OK.
Hebrews chapter 5 and verse 13
00:35:19.01\00:35:23.35
is where you're turning. And
if you have your syllabus, we'll
00:35:23.39\00:35:28.32
fill this in also. Hebrews 5 and
verse 13. OK. Here's the answer
00:35:28.36\00:35:33.29
on the screen and it's coming
up for those of you who are
00:35:33.33\00:35:36.30
watching and if your listening
it's Hebrews 5 verse 13.
00:35:36.33\00:35:39.30
Now a moment ago I said to you
desire the pure milk of the word
00:35:53.68\00:35:57.59
but what was the context of our
desire for the pure milk of the
00:35:57.62\00:36:01.92
word? Somebody tell me. That we
may grow in wisdom. What else?
00:36:01.96\00:36:09.10
Did you guys miss it? As newborn
babes. That was the context.
00:36:09.13\00:36:14.94
As newborn babes. Now let's...
You got to get this picture.
00:36:14.97\00:36:20.24
You're 15 year old come home
from school. She walks over to
00:36:20.28\00:36:24.15
the frig, takes out a baby
bottle, warms it up and sits at
00:36:24.18\00:36:31.12
the dinner table sucking on
a baby bottle. Are you OK? I'm
00:36:31.15\00:36:38.59
fine mom. Can you see it? Can
you see it? I mean hilarious at
00:36:38.63\00:36:44.73
the least. You'll turn to your
husband and say honey there's
00:36:44.77\00:36:50.81
something wrong with your
daughter. Did you ever notice
00:36:50.84\00:36:53.51
how we disconnect ourselves from
bad things. Your daughter is
00:36:53.54\00:36:57.11
going through something. And she
says the next day, now you think
00:36:57.15\00:37:00.68
it's just a joke, for that
evening, but the next day, mom
00:37:00.72\00:37:04.32
did you pack my lunch? I forgot
to pack... That's OK and she
00:37:04.35\00:37:06.96
in the frig, she takes out
a baby bottle, puts it in her
00:37:06.99\00:37:10.76
backpack. Are you, are, are
you going to eat that at school?
00:37:10.83\00:37:15.43
Yeah, I'm going to have this
for lunch. Don't let anybody in
00:37:15.46\00:37:20.50
school see you drinking from
a baby bottle. My point is very
00:37:20.54\00:37:25.84
clear. If you are a growing
Christian you got to get past
00:37:25.87\00:37:30.81
the simple things of God's word
to the deeper things of God's
00:37:30.85\00:37:35.58
word. Because if you read
this Paul, who I believe is the
00:37:35.62\00:37:40.26
writer of Hebrews, he compares
the milk with the meat. He says
00:37:40.32\00:37:45.96
that after so long you are just
still... and the only text that
00:37:45.99\00:37:52.07
you can quote is John 3:16. Can
you quote any other verses? Man
00:37:52.10\00:37:58.17
alive, you're locked into
the babe syndrome. And there are
00:37:58.21\00:38:01.54
some Christians that never
mature because they don't spend
00:38:01.58\00:38:04.85
time in the word of God. They're
content that they have the label
00:38:04.88\00:38:08.18
Christian. But if you notice
what the Bible says in Isaiah 4
00:38:08.22\00:38:11.72
and verse 1 what's going to
happen there will be those who
00:38:11.75\00:38:15.16
will eat our own bread and wear
our own apparel. Only let us be
00:38:15.22\00:38:18.99
called by your name to take
away our reproach. And Amos also
00:38:19.03\00:38:22.76
points out that in the last days
there's going to be a famine for
00:38:22.80\00:38:25.90
the hearing of the word of God.
So here's the point, for those
00:38:25.93\00:38:28.90
who are not feeding on the
word of God, they're going to be
00:38:28.94\00:38:31.61
unskilled and would you send
as soldiers into the battlefield
00:38:31.64\00:38:35.04
those who are unskilled? Would
you want that person on your
00:38:35.08\00:38:39.85
team in a battle debate or in
a Bible study. Nothing is more
00:38:39.91\00:38:45.52
embarrassing to the Lord, and I
hope this kind of agitates us a
00:38:45.55\00:38:50.13
little bit here and those of you
who are listening. If you find
00:38:50.19\00:38:54.83
after being a Christian many,
many, many years still saying I
00:38:54.86\00:38:59.40
know it's somewhere in the Bible
uh and you find yourself in that
00:38:59.43\00:39:03.94
valley all the time, I
would suggest to you you need to
00:39:03.97\00:39:06.98
study God's word more. Because
unless you have a mental issue,
00:39:07.01\00:39:10.65
unless there's a block there try
not to put yourself where you're
00:39:10.68\00:39:13.78
always guessing. The somebody
will say well what does the word
00:39:13.82\00:39:17.52
of God say? Well uh. What is the
reason for your faith? Well uh.
00:39:17.55\00:39:21.29
How come you believe the Sabbath
Well uh. If you're at that place
00:39:21.32\00:39:24.83
where you can't even share and
defend your faith then you need
00:39:24.86\00:39:28.86
more time studying the word of
God. You should intelligently be
00:39:28.90\00:39:32.63
able to say well you know what,
and if it's not in your mind say
00:39:32.67\00:39:35.77
you know let's get together and
study that in the word of God.
00:39:35.80\00:39:38.57
And put yourself in a position
where you both can break and
00:39:38.61\00:39:41.31
open and look in the word
of God together. But try not to
00:39:41.34\00:39:44.81
communicate to another person
that you are so immature that
00:39:44.85\00:39:47.52
you've been a Christian for
many many years. We should be
00:39:47.55\00:39:50.19
Christians that are growing in
Christ, growing in his word and
00:39:50.22\00:39:54.09
growing in his grace. Amen
to that? Paul is saying everyone
00:39:54.12\00:39:57.36
who partakes only of milk is
unskilled in the word. There are
00:39:57.39\00:40:00.70
those people that only study
their Bibles enough to get the
00:40:00.73\00:40:05.67
answers to the Sabbath School
lesson. I know that for a fact.
00:40:05.70\00:40:09.10
Because there were some people
like that that used to be in my
00:40:09.17\00:40:12.54
school. They would only
read their textbook to get the
00:40:12.57\00:40:16.64
answers. But what I was told
by somebody that said, read the
00:40:16.68\00:40:20.08
whole story in your history book
and you'll get more than just
00:40:20.12\00:40:23.82
the answer to the question. If
you read the whole story in the
00:40:23.85\00:40:27.32
Bible you'll get more than
just the answer to the question.
00:40:27.36\00:40:30.89
Right? You'll get the whole
picture and we need the whole
00:40:30.93\00:40:34.70
picture because the picture
represents Christ. So what is
00:40:34.73\00:40:37.97
the answer to number 22- What
does the Bible tell us is the
00:40:38.00\00:40:41.14
reason for spiritual immaturity?
What would you put down? Lack of
00:40:41.20\00:40:49.41
study. There it is. Lack of
study. Because their just stuck
00:40:49.44\00:40:52.95
in the milk. They heard these
things, they studied the 27
00:40:52.98\00:40:56.45
fundamentals, the 28
fundamentals as we have now.
00:40:56.48\00:40:58.69
They did enough just to
get ready for baptism. They got
00:40:58.72\00:41:01.79
baptized and they've forgotten
what the baptismal certificate
00:41:01.82\00:41:04.76
says. They stuck it on the shelf
All the got is the signature of
00:41:04.79\00:41:07.73
the church that they belong
to but they don't know a thing
00:41:07.76\00:41:09.53
about that baptismal vow. That's
not what God has called us to be
00:41:09.56\00:41:14.04
He calls us to be workman that
need not to be ashamed rightly
00:41:14.07\00:41:19.01
dividing the word of truth. We
cannot be unskilled, not in this
00:41:19.04\00:41:23.98
battle. Because Satan was
successful in getting Eve to
00:41:24.01\00:41:27.68
fall because she was not clear
what God had said. But when
00:41:27.75\00:41:31.22
Satan came to Jesus, what
did Jesus say, what did he say?
00:41:31.25\00:41:35.56
It is written. That's our
defense. Not my church teaches
00:41:35.59\00:41:39.93
that, not I think. Jesus didn't
say I think. He said it is
00:41:39.96\00:41:43.50
written. That's our greatest
defense, that's our greatest
00:41:43.57\00:41:47.07
weapon. Number 23:
00:41:47.10\00:42:00.55
Huh. Ah. There you go. Now let's
look at this though. Just see
00:42:00.58\00:42:05.75
what happens though. Let's
see what happens. I kind of went
00:42:05.79\00:42:09.42
ahead of myself a little bit
there. He does talk about that.
00:42:09.49\00:42:13.19
Lack of faith. But here's the
answer in I Corinthians chapter
00:42:13.26\00:42:18.07
3 verses 1 and 2. The answer's
on the screen by the way. But
00:42:18.10\00:42:21.70
let's turn there and I'll go to
the screen and we can begin to
00:42:21.74\00:42:25.34
read this together. This
is an amazing one here because
00:42:25.37\00:42:30.01
sometimes people sit down on the
sermon and the preacher's doing
00:42:30.05\00:42:32.81
his job, but it just never
sticks. You know why? Because
00:42:32.85\00:42:36.18
the people have not properly
prepared their minds for what
00:42:36.25\00:42:39.32
the preacher is saying to make
any sense to them. Do you know
00:42:39.35\00:42:42.79
that you can't just hear a
sermon but you have to prepare
00:42:42.82\00:42:45.96
yourself to receive the message.
Just like when you go to a
00:42:45.99\00:42:49.30
restaurant you sit down at the
table, you got your napkin, you
00:42:49.36\00:42:52.63
got your fork, you got your
spoon. You got everything you
00:42:52.67\00:42:54.97
need to receive the food that's
coming. You got to prepare
00:42:55.00\00:42:57.57
yourself spiritually so that
when the message goes forth it
00:42:57.61\00:43:01.14
can find it's intended target.
Look at what Paul says. He says
00:43:01.18\00:43:04.71
Now how would you feel. Go back
to that 15-year-old girl with
00:43:24.87\00:43:32.57
the bottle of milk. You'll have
a discussion with her before she
00:43:32.61\00:43:38.75
goes to bed wouldn't you? Now
honey I know that you may like
00:43:38.78\00:43:45.55
milk but mommy made some solid
food and open your mouth. See
00:43:45.59\00:43:50.63
those teeth. Once teeth start
showing up it's time to get rid
00:43:50.66\00:43:55.66
of the bottle, remember?
Yes mommy. Nothing is more
00:43:55.70\00:44:03.10
concerning to you as a parent
that your child who's 15, 16, 17
00:44:03.14\00:44:07.41
years old to begin to display
properties and characteristics
00:44:07.44\00:44:12.25
that were present when they were
a toddler. That's exactly what
00:44:12.28\00:44:16.92
Paul is saying. The displaying
of characteristics that were
00:44:16.95\00:44:21.16
there when we were toddlers as
Christians should not be there
00:44:21.19\00:44:25.39
if we claim to be mature
Christians. So if somebody said
00:44:25.43\00:44:29.23
you know I got baptized 15 years
ago but I'm still struggling
00:44:29.26\00:44:34.60
with... And the question is is
your sin greater than your God?
00:44:34.64\00:44:40.28
Is Satan's ability to get you in
sin greater than God's ability
00:44:40.34\00:44:45.45
to deliver you from sin? I'm
still struggling. And Paul says
00:44:45.48\00:44:49.25
well I can't really tell you
as much as I'd like to tell you
00:44:49.28\00:44:53.05
because you're still a babe.
I've talked to you about this
00:44:53.09\00:44:55.86
before. This is like a
counseling session. I've talked
00:44:55.89\00:44:58.89
to you about this before but
here we are again and I still
00:44:58.93\00:45:02.43
can't talk to you other than as
a babe. This is not sinking in
00:45:02.46\00:45:05.23
and it's not going to stick. The
word of God is not going to make
00:45:05.27\00:45:08.04
a difference in your life
if you're not conditioning your
00:45:08.07\00:45:11.41
mind. Good preachers like C.D.
Brooks and M.E. Wright and Mark
00:45:11.47\00:45:14.14
Finley and the lists goes on
and on. They may get there and
00:45:14.18\00:45:16.78
they're digging into the word of
God. They've divided the word of
00:45:16.85\00:45:20.58
God and you sit there and
you go like this. You know why?
00:45:20.62\00:45:25.69
Because that's what a baby does.
A baby sleeps. But somebody else
00:45:25.72\00:45:31.59
will say oh that message was
powerful and somebody else will
00:45:31.63\00:45:36.06
say I didn't get a thing out
of it. That what happens; most
00:45:36.10\00:45:41.10
babes don't get anything out
of sermons. They cry and they
00:45:41.14\00:45:45.81
sleep and they drink milk.
And the church members that are
00:45:45.84\00:45:51.81
crying over spilled milk and
sleeping and just desiring milk
00:45:51.85\00:45:56.65
that's why today if you look
at Christianity, Christianity is
00:45:56.69\00:46:01.49
undernourished. Christianity
has substitutes introduced where
00:46:01.52\00:46:06.29
God is saying the study
of the word of God should be.
00:46:06.33\00:46:09.83
Christianity is entertainment
based. I wish I had the time to
00:46:09.86\00:46:12.30
show you this. I can't do
it because this program doesn't
00:46:12.33\00:46:14.60
give me the platform to do
it but I'll show you after we go
00:46:14.67\00:46:17.37
off the air. Would that be OK?
I got to show you something that
00:46:17.41\00:46:20.28
will really blow you away. I
went to the internet and there's
00:46:20.31\00:46:23.14
a push, there's a push right now
underway in America to really
00:46:23.18\00:46:26.55
get everybody back to church
on Sunday and in this particular
00:46:26.58\00:46:30.45
push the church pastors, I can
just describe it to you. It's on
00:46:30.49\00:46:34.02
a website kind of called back
to church Sunday and there's a
00:46:34.06\00:46:37.56
four-minute video of
different ministers of different
00:46:37.59\00:46:42.03
denominations wrapping to hip-
hop music. I'm going back to
00:46:42.06\00:46:45.67
church on Sunday (in rap).
Can you imagine. They're using
00:46:45.70\00:46:49.80
the world to get people to come
to church. And that's why we
00:46:49.84\00:46:53.68
find that what the world needs
is not for the church to come
00:46:53.71\00:46:57.48
down to the world, but the world
to come up to the church. And it
00:46:57.51\00:47:00.88
never happens if people are
being fed by things that they
00:47:00.92\00:47:04.55
are borrowing from the world
to try to activate spiritual,
00:47:04.59\00:47:08.36
uh, uh, what's the word,
spiritual desires. You cannot
00:47:08.39\00:47:13.36
get bitter water and
nourish somebody who can only be
00:47:13.40\00:47:18.30
nourished by pure water. It blew
me away and I said honey now get
00:47:18.33\00:47:23.94
past what you're hearing,
but look at who's doing it.
00:47:23.97\00:47:26.47
Preachers with robes on. Clergy
of every description, every race
00:47:26.51\00:47:31.78
every class, every creed. And
they're hip-hopping, banging and
00:47:31.81\00:47:37.45
rapping. (Rap) And I'm thinking
has the church become that
00:47:37.49\00:47:41.22
impotent that we have to use
the world to try to get people
00:47:41.26\00:47:44.79
to come back to the church. I'm
saying here the reason for the
00:47:44.83\00:47:48.63
study of how to grow in Christ
is if people were feeding more
00:47:48.66\00:47:52.40
on the word of God there'd
be more strong Christianity than
00:47:52.43\00:47:57.01
there is today. But it's
impotent because it's based on
00:47:57.04\00:48:00.74
music and style, seminars and
all these things that are not
00:48:00.78\00:48:04.51
bad in and of themselves, but
they are substitutes when you
00:48:04.55\00:48:08.68
only are being fed by milk. I
look at some of these television
00:48:08.72\00:48:13.86
programs, large auditoriums,
mega auditoriums, great. But I'm
00:48:13.89\00:48:18.56
going to hear a sermon from
Jeremiah or Isaiah or Nahum or
00:48:18.59\00:48:23.87
Zephaniah. I never hear solid
sermons. How to expand your
00:48:23.90\00:48:29.84
portfolio. Milk. It's amazing.
Let's go to the next one.
00:48:29.87\00:48:35.71
I don't want to preach, I want
to teach. Here we go, number 24.
00:48:35.74\00:48:38.88
So the answer to number 23, how
does Paul the apostle describe
00:48:38.91\00:48:41.98
the effect of a lack of
spiritual study? How does he
00:48:42.02\00:48:46.32
describe it? You never mature.
You never mature. Immaturity.
00:48:46.35\00:48:52.43
Number 24...
00:48:52.46\00:48:59.27
OK. We're going to II Peter
1 and verse 19. II Peter 1 and
00:49:01.07\00:49:07.21
verse 19. What assurance do we
have that we can trust in God's
00:49:07.28\00:49:15.58
word? II Peter 1 and verse
19 and here's the answer on the
00:49:15.62\00:49:23.89
screen...
00:49:23.93\00:49:43.55
So what kind of word do we have?
It's confirmed. The assurance
00:49:50.99\00:49:56.36
that we receive. According to
the question, what assurance do
00:49:56.42\00:50:00.80
we have that we can trust
the word of God? It's confirmed.
00:50:00.83\00:50:05.20
It's sure. Who do you
think confirms the word of God?
00:50:05.23\00:50:09.10
Who is the confirmer of the word
of God? Huh? Jesus confirms it.
00:50:09.14\00:50:14.98
He's the living word. You can
say the Father, you can say the
00:50:15.04\00:50:19.15
Son, you can say the Holy Spirit
It is empowered by the Holy
00:50:19.18\00:50:24.05
Spirit. It is God-breathed, God
inspired and the life of Christ
00:50:24.09\00:50:30.66
He's the living word. It's sure.
It's confirmed. Now whenever
00:50:30.73\00:50:36.67
you buy an airline ticket make
sure that your seat is confirmed
00:50:36.70\00:50:42.77
Right? My wife and I have done
this a few times. I must blame
00:50:42.80\00:50:47.18
myself because I got so excited.
We got on a plane coming back
00:50:47.21\00:50:53.08
from, was it Australia? I just
glanced at the seat. It was in
00:50:53.11\00:50:57.42
same row as we sat on the way
going but on the way going we
00:50:57.45\00:51:01.69
were in E and F. On the way back
we were in A and B. And I looked
00:51:01.72\00:51:05.13
at it, it says 53. I said honey
we're in the same seats that we
00:51:05.16\00:51:08.56
were sitting in when we left.
And I ran to 53 E and F. And
00:51:08.60\00:51:15.80
somebody came and said you're in
my seat. And later on when they
00:51:15.87\00:51:20.94
announced over the loud speaker
make sure that the seat you're
00:51:20.98\00:51:24.91
sitting in is confirmed seating.
And I said to myself, I didn't
00:51:24.95\00:51:28.85
pay attention to the small
details. The small details.
00:51:28.88\00:51:31.65
I was on the opposite side
of the plane, the right row but
00:51:31.69\00:51:34.62
but I was in the wrong
seat. When you study the word of
00:51:34.66\00:51:37.49
God it will never lead you to
the wrong place. It will always
00:51:37.53\00:51:40.96
lead you to a place that has
been confirmed of God. In other
00:51:41.00\00:51:44.10
words, if you think about this,
you get this picture of the word
00:51:44.13\00:51:47.17
of God as it is being God-
breathed through these holy men
00:51:47.20\00:51:50.64
that wrote it down the Lord, the
Holy Spirit, made sure that what
00:51:50.67\00:51:53.98
these men penned were inspired
by God, directed by the Holy
00:51:54.01\00:51:57.95
Spirit. So therefore, before
they wrote it down, God said
00:51:57.98\00:52:02.02
that's what needs to be there.
He inspired that. So don't let
00:52:02.05\00:52:05.12
anybody ever say to you that
the words that are in the Bible
00:52:05.15\00:52:09.66
came from man, because they are
inspired by God, communicated
00:52:09.72\00:52:14.00
through the experiences of men
but they have a divine origin.
00:52:14.03\00:52:18.30
Always beginning from God,
breathed through the Spirit,
00:52:18.33\00:52:22.60
penned by man under the
inspiration of the Spirit of God
00:52:22.64\00:52:27.41
The word of God is confirmed.
Amen? Look at the next one,
00:52:27.48\00:52:30.85
number 25. I think we may get
through the questions tonight.
00:52:30.88\00:52:34.55
It's just shocking me but I
think I'm on tap to finish this
00:52:34.58\00:52:39.82
tonight. Number 25. And by the
way if you answered number 24,
00:52:39.85\00:52:44.39
the answer you want to put there
is the word of God is sure, the
00:52:44.43\00:52:48.96
word of God is confirmed.
It's been checked and rechecked
00:52:49.00\00:52:52.83
before. Men were inspired to
write it down. And that's the
00:52:52.87\00:52:56.54
human picture, but God didn't
have to check His words. God
00:52:56.57\00:52:59.67
didn't have to say would
somebody edit this before it's
00:52:59.71\00:53:02.74
sent down. God is never wrong.
All right I want to make sure
00:53:02.81\00:53:05.88
you understand that. Number 25..
00:53:05.91\00:53:12.05
I like this because I tell you
we have experiences that we can
00:53:12.09\00:53:15.26
share with you about how God's
word kept us in times of trial.
00:53:15.29\00:53:18.43
You got to have something
to anchor you. You cannot have
00:53:18.46\00:53:21.36
have just past experiences.
You got to have something that's
00:53:21.40\00:53:24.40
fresh and living and the word of
God is something that does that
00:53:24.43\00:53:27.94
every time. All right. Now we're
going to Psalm 119 and verse 50.
00:53:27.97\00:53:31.41
Psalm 119 and verse 50. And
I like the words used in this
00:53:31.44\00:53:34.74
particular verse.
Here it is. It says:
00:53:34.78\00:53:47.59
When you are in affliction, when
you are going through trials
00:53:47.66\00:53:49.69
you need comfort in your
affliction and where do you get
00:53:49.72\00:53:52.29
that comfort from; the word of
God. I don't know if you've ever
00:53:52.33\00:53:56.43
had this experience, but
whenever you go through trials,
00:53:56.46\00:53:59.10
if you go back to the word
of God you know what happens?
00:53:59.13\00:54:01.70
All of a sudden there's a bright
light that shines through the
00:54:01.74\00:54:05.34
dark clouds of your present
circumstances. But if you're not
00:54:05.37\00:54:08.98
in the word of God, you're
sitting there trembling and
00:54:09.01\00:54:10.35
crying and you're nervous.
You need a word that's sure, you
00:54:10.38\00:54:13.01
need a word that's going to give
you life, because trials will
00:54:13.05\00:54:15.82
sap the life out of you.
David is saying here this is my
00:54:15.85\00:54:19.65
comfort in my affliction
for Your word has given me life.
00:54:19.69\00:54:23.43
If you're going to be sustained
in times of difficulty, you got
00:54:23.46\00:54:27.66
to study the word of God and if
you haven't a good time to start
00:54:27.70\00:54:31.83
is now before the trials come.
Because I've discovered that
00:54:31.87\00:54:33.97
those who know where to find
God before the trials don't have
00:54:34.04\00:54:37.27
a question where God is when the
trials come. He never changes
00:54:37.31\00:54:41.34
address. So the answer is on
number 25, what is God's word
00:54:41.38\00:54:45.91
able to do for us in times
of trial, what? Comfort us and
00:54:45.95\00:54:50.39
renew our life. Comfort us and
sustain our life. Surely we find
00:54:50.42\00:54:55.42
comfort in those times. That's
number 25. All right, you ready
00:54:55.46\00:54:59.79
to go? You ready? Here we go.
The next one. We may try to get
00:54:59.83\00:55:06.84
it. If we don't, we'll finish
it next time. Number 26...
00:55:06.87\00:55:13.84
I'm giving you all these because
this is where we all live. We
00:55:13.88\00:55:17.25
live in trials and affliction.
That's the life of humanity.
00:55:17.28\00:55:21.35
Going very quickly to Psalm 119
verse 107. Here's the answer.
00:55:21.38\00:55:25.42
Psalm 119, verse 107. David says
00:55:25.45\00:55:39.20
The word of God does not just
bring us comfort and give us
00:55:39.23\00:55:42.90
life but it does what friends?
Revive us. Have you every
00:55:42.94\00:55:46.54
splashed cold water on your face
on a hot day? What does it do?
00:55:46.57\00:55:51.21
Have you every dived into a pool
on a hot day. What does it do?
00:55:51.25\00:55:55.92
Revive. Have you taken a cold
shower on a hot day. Even a hot
00:55:55.95\00:56:00.26
shower on a cold day will revive
you. The word of God-nothing
00:56:00.29\00:56:04.36
revives like the word of
God does. Amen to that? So write
00:56:04.39\00:56:08.30
that down. Revives you. You
need a revival. Revivals are not
00:56:08.36\00:56:11.63
sustained by music. Revivals
are not sustained by seminars.
00:56:11.67\00:56:15.87
Revivals are sustained by the
study of God's word. Number 27.
00:56:15.90\00:56:20.04
In our points of decisions. Once
again in Psalm 119 and we're
00:56:28.85\00:56:37.03
looking at verse 133. Here
it is. David once again says...
00:56:37.06\00:56:42.20
You know what he's in essence
saying. If I don't follow your
00:56:42.23\00:56:45.93
word I'm going to fall into
iniquity. If I don't let your
00:56:45.97\00:56:48.87
word direct me, I'm going to
make the wrong turn and there
00:56:48.90\00:56:52.01
will I find myself in iniquity.
But he said Lord direct me
00:56:52.04\00:56:54.98
according to your word. Young
man, young woman, if you want
00:56:55.01\00:56:58.35
direction in your life to keep
you from iniquity, the word of
00:56:58.38\00:57:01.42
God is just like the map that
you need. He will direct us and
00:57:01.45\00:57:04.72
keep us from iniquity. Can
you say amen to that? Number 28.
00:57:04.75\00:57:07.99
I think we can do it...
00:57:08.02\00:57:13.40
What are we told about
how reliable God's leading is?
00:57:13.43\00:57:15.96
OK. I may have to end on this
one. Proverbs 3 verses 5 and 6.
00:57:16.03\00:57:23.71
You know how you acknowledge
God? You acknowledge God by
00:57:34.45\00:57:38.62
studying His word. You say I
need advice. You may call your
00:57:38.65\00:57:41.92
friend and you get no answer.
But if you pick up the word of
00:57:41.96\00:57:44.93
God you'll always get answers.
Am I right to that? And friends
00:57:44.99\00:57:47.86
as you can see here at Sharper
Focus we believe strongly in
00:57:47.90\00:57:50.90
studying the word of God. There
is no book that's more powerful
00:57:50.93\00:57:53.94
and more potent. So here's
my advice. Study God's word and
00:57:53.97\00:57:58.17
you'll find that a foggy life,
a cloudy life, will come into a
00:57:58.21\00:58:02.41
Sharper Focus. God
bless you. Let's pray.
00:58:02.44\00:58:04.95