Music...
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Hello Friends and
welcome to another
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Wednesday night Bible Study
here in Thompsonville, Illinois
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at 3ABN Worship Center.
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Welcome to a Sharper Focus
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and so get your Bibles...
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invite your
friends and family members
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of your church joining us,
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just sit back and relax for the
next 57 minutes and 28 seconds
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as we walk through
the Word of God together.
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Those of us who are
here in Thompsonville
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want to welcome you,
let's all say, "Welcome. "
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Audience: Welcome.
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And wherever
you're joining us from...
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whether it's on the same
time zone... Central, Midwest,
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Mountain, Pacific or
maybe around the world,
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Philippines,
Australia, the Virgin Islands...
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wherever you're joining
us from, "Welcome" tonight.
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We're going to
continue in our overall Series,
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"How to live a
Spiritual Life in a... "
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what kind of body?
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"In a natural body. "
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This is the natural body
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and until the
Lord changes this body,
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we need to understand
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how to live a life
that is disconnected
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from this mortal body.
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The Lord has
called us to go up higher
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and tonight we want to continue
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and our topic tonight
is, "The Empowered Life"
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"The Empowered Life... "
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Now, before we
have our opening song,
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we'd like to invite you
to bow your heads with us
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as we invite the Lord's
presence to be with us tonight.
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Let's pray.
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"Our gracious Father in heaven,
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we thank you that we could
connect to the empowered life
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that we can be sons
and daughters of God
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as you said in your
Word, 'As many as received you,
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to them you gave the power
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to become sons and
daughters of God. '
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Tonight Lord, we pray that
you'll be not only in our minds
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but in our study,
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connect our
hearts one with another,
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connect us with our brothers
and sisters around the world
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and may we experience tonight
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what that power
really is all about
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but not only for here...
when we leave this place,
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may the power of
Christ go with us
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to live a life that is
in harmony with Your will
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and for Your glory, we do
pray in Jesus' name, amen. "
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Now, we're going to
sing our theme song tonight,
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many of you that are joining us,
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if you've been here
before or joined us before,
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you know the song,
let's all sing it together,
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"Victory in Jesus. "
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Music...
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I've heard an old, old story,
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How the Savior came from glory,
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How He gave His life on Calvary
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To save a wretch like me;
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I heard about His groaning,
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of His precious blood's atoning
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Then I repented of my sins,
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And won the victory.
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O victory in Jesus,
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My Savior, forever.
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He sought me and bought me
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With His redeeming blood,
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He loved me ere I knew Him,
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And all my love is due Him,
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He plunged me to victory,
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Beneath the cleansing flood.
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I heard about a mansion
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He has built for me in glory.
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And I heard about
the streets of gold
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Beyond the crystal sea,
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About the angels singing,
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And the old redemption story,
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And some sweet
day I'll sing up there
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The song of victory.
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O victory in Jesus,
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My Savior, forever.
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He sought me and bought me
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With His redeeming blood,
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He loved me ere I knew Him,
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And all my love is due Him,
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He plunged me to victory,
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Beneath the cleansing flood.
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He plunged me to victory,
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Beneath the cleansing flood.
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Amen.
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Audience: Amen.
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I forgot to mention earlier,
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if you'd like a copy of the
lesson to follow us tonight,
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Lesson Number 14
go to this website:
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ASF.3abn. org
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don't put: www you won't find it
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and download Lesson Number 14
entitled, "The Empowered Life. "
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Now, there's one
correction on that lesson,
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I'll let you know what
that is in just a moment.
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Once again: ASF.3abn. org
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and that's the same
website that you can access
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all the prior lessons
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and also all the
other video presentations
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that you may have missed.
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Now, tonight, the lesson is
entitled, "The Empowered Life. "
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Say that with me together.
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Audience: The Empowered Life.
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Or "How to live
the Empowered Life"
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I must confess, I
am a child of the 1970s
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now that doesn't mean a lot
to those of you born in 1995...
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1998... 1985... I
mean, that just...
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to me that's just the other day.
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I won't to tell
you when I was born
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but I was in my
heyday in the '70s and '80s
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and having come
from New York City,
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in 1977... I was looking through
some old pictures the other day
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and I saw myself
with a black T-shirt on
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with the bold lettering: I
survived the blackout of '77.
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Audience: Laughter.
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Now for those of you
that live in the Midwest
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or in Thompsonville,
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a blackout is nothing...
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what a "blackout"
simply is is a power outage
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and we know that many people
that live in the Midwest...
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in these small communities,
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most people own
generators right?
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Because they
expect the power to go out
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but in New York City,
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people don't expect
the power to go out...
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not a city of 19 million people
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and so, 1977 when
the power went out,
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I remember very
well where I was,
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I must tell the story
since I opened the door to 1977,
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that was the heyday when I
was really not a Christian...
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I was attending church
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but I was not in the
Lord... I was in the building
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and I remember very
well I was on Nostrand Avenue
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if you live in New York,
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you know exactly
what I'm talking about.
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Nostrand Avenue...
right off of Putnam Avenue
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and there was a
big Pool Hall there,
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four large
regulation size Billiard tables
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and I was playing
pool and it was my shot
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and I leaned over to make
the shot and the lights went off
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and I said,
"Hey, that's not fair,
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don't turn the
lights off on my shot"
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and then I walked outside
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and the guy yelled, "I
didn't turn the lights off"
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and we walked outside
and as I looked to the left,
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I saw the lights going
off like this in sequence...
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tsh... tsh... tsh..
tsh... tsh... tsh...
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I'm just... like somebody
had, almost in a sequential way,
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the lights started going
off in different directions
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and then going...
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and all of a sudden, in
a matter of a minute or so,
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the city was in total darkness,
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all five boroughs
were in total darkness
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and then, everyone went crazy.
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People started
looting, breaking into stores,
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turning cars over,
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setting fires,
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I remember very well...
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about a few
months earlier than that,
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I had purchased a brand-new
bicycle, a Fuji bike...
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it's a name that I don't
hear very much about now-a-days
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but they broke into
a store that sold...
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had thousands of bikes
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and the very next day,
that store was completely looted
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all the bikes were gone
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and the police were checking,
anybody with a brand-new bike...
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they were checking to
see if they had a receipt.
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Thankfully I
had a receipt and...
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but it was a
terrible thing that night,
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the power went off
before we even had a hint
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that the power
was going to go off.
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Now, when you think about that,
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the Bible talks about the
conditions of the last days
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and one of the...
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one of the indications
we get in the last days,
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the Bible says in Matthew
as well as Mark and Luke,
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"As it was in the days of Noah,
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so also shall it be
in the days of the coming
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of the Son of man. "
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There's something that
happened in the days of Noah
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that sometimes we forget.
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Now we think of
crime and violence
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and murder and immorality
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we think of all those things
but there's something that
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because of this one
thing I'm referring to,
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because of that happening,
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all of the other things
were heightened to a degree
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to the point where God said,
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it had... it had repented Him...
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God had...
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had a heart that He was
regretting that He had made man.
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Now, the thing
that had happened...
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go with me to the
book of Genesis...
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what book did I say?
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Audience: Genesis.
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The book of Genesis,
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I want to show you what happened
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and it's going to happen again.
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Pause.
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The Lord has warned us
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about this event
that is going to happen
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and let me get there first
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and I'll tell you
exactly what chapter, okay,
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we are in Genesis chapter 6 and
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pause
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"The ungodly
multiplied and the Lord... "
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okay, Genesis chapter 6
and let's go ahead and look at
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where am I?
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Yeah, verse 3
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Genesis chapter 6 and verse 3.
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Let's look at this together,
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"And the Lord said... "
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what are the next two words?
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"My Spirit
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shall not strive
with man forever"
00:10:05.97\00:10:07.30
I've got the King
James Version in my mind...
00:10:07.34\00:10:10.97
"My Spirit shall not
always strive with man,
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for that he is indeed flesh:
00:10:14.48\00:10:17.18
yet his days shall be one
hundred and twenty years. "
00:10:17.21\00:10:22.05
So, notice what happened there,
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one of the signs of the last
days is the Spirit of God...
00:10:23.99\00:10:26.86
is not always
going to strive with man.
00:10:26.89\00:10:29.32
What does that mean?
00:10:29.36\00:10:30.69
That the Holy Spirit is
not going to always be knocking
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on the doors of man's hearts,
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in other words, the more
we reject the Spirit of God,
00:10:35.86\00:10:38.53
the more faint the knock gets.
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The more we reject the
voice of the Holy Spirit,
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the more we tune our ears to
not even hearing it any longer.
00:10:45.71\00:10:50.11
Like a child that whose
mom is saying, "Johnny, Johnny,
00:10:50.15\00:10:54.52
Johnny... all of a sudden,
he doesn't hear it any longer
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like when we were
visiting in Trinidad once
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a number of years ago
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and we were staying
at the home of someone
00:11:01.06\00:11:02.86
and at about 4
o'clock in the morning
00:11:02.89\00:11:04.76
and I... I heard this mega horn
00:11:04.79\00:11:07.30
I mean, it was
just this massive...
00:11:07.33\00:11:09.76
what I did not know... there
was a mosque not too far away
00:11:09.80\00:11:13.17
and at about 4
o'clock in the morning,
00:11:13.20\00:11:16.40
this sound went out...
"ma huara have me nan... "
00:11:16.44\00:11:20.74
and I jumped and
I... I picked up the phone
00:11:20.78\00:11:24.75
like I was in America
00:11:24.78\00:11:26.55
and I dialed 9-1-1
and didn't get anything...
00:11:26.58\00:11:29.32
but the Operator
came on and I said,
00:11:29.35\00:11:33.29
like I'm, "Can you
get me the police... "
00:11:33.32\00:11:35.36
I'm visiting in someone's
house in another country...
00:11:35.39\00:11:39.66
and I said, "Did you guys
know there's a really loud...
00:11:39.69\00:11:42.60
there's something really
near here that is really loud,
00:11:42.63\00:11:45.27
I don't know what it is but
it woke me up and it's 4:30"
00:11:45.30\00:11:47.90
and they said,
"You'll get used to it. "
00:11:47.97\00:11:50.74
Audience: Laughter.
00:11:50.77\00:11:52.44
You see, there are those people
that are so used to these sounds
00:11:52.47\00:11:58.51
that it doesn't really...
they sleep right through it.
00:11:58.55\00:12:02.65
There are some
people that have ignored
00:12:02.68\00:12:04.75
the voice of the
Holy Spirit so long
00:12:04.79\00:12:06.76
that when the voice of
the Lord is calling them,
00:12:06.79\00:12:09.89
they sleep right through it.
00:12:09.92\00:12:12.43
That's why one of my
favorite texts in the Bible
00:12:12.46\00:12:14.93
is in Romans chapter 13,
00:12:14.96\00:12:17.50
"Knowing the time,
that now it is high time
00:12:17.53\00:12:21.17
to awake out of sleep... "
00:12:21.20\00:12:23.44
and so, when you think about
the world in which we live,
00:12:23.51\00:12:26.88
what made it so
significant in New York
00:12:26.94\00:12:29.04
in just ending the story here,
00:12:29.08\00:12:30.78
is that, no matter how much
00:12:30.85\00:12:32.48
all of these electronic
devices cost in New York City,
00:12:32.51\00:12:36.38
none of them were functioning
because the power was turned off
00:12:36.42\00:12:40.89
and in the very same way,
we could look ever so valuable,
00:12:40.92\00:12:45.13
we could look ever so precious
00:12:45.16\00:12:47.50
but if the power is turned
off, we will cease to function.
00:12:47.53\00:12:52.00
So, the focus of
tonight's lesson is,
00:12:52.03\00:12:54.30
in order for us to
live the empowered life,
00:12:54.37\00:12:56.47
we've got to make sure that
the power doesn't come from us,
00:12:56.50\00:12:58.94
that the power
comes from somewhere else.
00:12:58.97\00:13:02.04
Now right now, I've
got to turn my mind off
00:13:02.08\00:13:04.85
because verses are
popping up like popcorn.
00:13:04.88\00:13:07.35
I'm thinking of Acts
1 verse 8 which says,
00:13:07.38\00:13:09.82
"And you shall receive power,
00:13:09.85\00:13:11.19
after that the Holy
Ghost is come upon you:
00:13:11.22\00:13:13.39
and you shall be witnesses... "
00:13:13.42\00:13:14.76
and now the point is,
00:13:14.79\00:13:16.12
unless the Holy
Spirit comes upon us,
00:13:16.16\00:13:17.49
we can't be witnesses
00:13:17.53\00:13:18.86
and witnessing begins
not just outside of your home
00:13:18.89\00:13:21.93
but it begins
where? In your home.
00:13:21.96\00:13:24.23
Witnessing begins
first between you and God.
00:13:24.27\00:13:26.63
God witnesses your life...
00:13:26.67\00:13:28.87
"You shall be witnesses
to Me not just for Me. "
00:13:28.90\00:13:33.41
So, tonight I want to go to
our first question tonight...
00:13:33.44\00:13:36.04
talking about the importance
of power in our lives,
00:13:36.08\00:13:38.65
in order for us to live a
spiritual life in a natural body
00:13:38.68\00:13:41.58
we've got to find
power somewhere else
00:13:41.62\00:13:45.45
and let me tell you what I mean,
00:13:45.49\00:13:46.99
in New York City, the
lights in that Pool Hall...
00:13:47.02\00:13:49.92
the power that we
thought was in that building,
00:13:49.99\00:13:52.83
but we learned that night...
the power didn't start there.
00:13:52.86\00:13:56.00
It started from
some major power grid
00:13:56.06\00:13:58.13
and I don't
remember where it was
00:13:58.17\00:14:00.04
but trains got stuck in the
tunnels, elevators were stuck
00:14:00.07\00:14:03.00
that the power
wasn't in that location,
00:14:05.84\00:14:07.48
it was somewhere else.
00:14:07.54\00:14:08.88
So, let's not fool
ourselves in thinking
00:14:08.91\00:14:10.81
the power is in this location,
00:14:10.85\00:14:13.01
the power is somewhere else.
00:14:13.05\00:14:15.08
Question Number 1, tonight,
00:14:15.12\00:14:16.58
here it is,
00:14:16.65\00:14:18.45
"How does the Bible describe the
life disconnected from Christ?"
00:14:18.49\00:14:23.89
John chapter 15 verse 5, if
you have the lesson tonight,
00:14:23.93\00:14:27.80
I told you I was going
to tell you this one typo...
00:14:27.83\00:14:29.40
this is the typo,
John chapter 15 verse 5,
00:14:29.43\00:14:33.50
if you downloaded the lesson,
00:14:33.54\00:14:34.87
it's John 15 verse
5... not John 15:15.
00:14:34.90\00:14:37.54
"How does the Bible describe the
life disconnected from Christ?"
00:14:37.57\00:14:42.84
Okay, here it
is, Jesus speaking...
00:14:42.88\00:14:47.65
and by-the-way, this
is really an amazing book
00:14:47.68\00:14:51.05
because if you
look at the gospels,
00:14:51.09\00:14:52.95
the words of Christ
are often in what color?
00:14:52.99\00:14:55.22
Audience: Red.
00:14:55.26\00:14:56.59
When you read the book of John,
00:14:56.62\00:14:57.96
specifically this part,
00:14:57.99\00:14:59.33
you'll find
chapter after chapter
00:14:59.36\00:15:00.70
after chapter after
chapter, all in red...
00:15:00.73\00:15:02.50
Christ is speaking very clearly,
00:15:02.53\00:15:04.77
so what is He saying to us?
00:15:04.80\00:15:06.13
The relationship of
the believer to Christ.
00:15:06.17\00:15:08.84
He says in John 15 and verse 5,
00:15:08.90\00:15:10.64
let's read this
first one together,
00:15:10.67\00:15:12.34
Jesus says... what?
00:15:12.37\00:15:13.71
"I am the vine,
you are the branches;
00:15:13.74\00:15:18.31
he who abides
in Me and I in him,
00:15:18.38\00:15:23.05
he bears much fruit,
00:15:23.08\00:15:26.02
for apart from Me
you can do... " what?
00:15:26.05\00:15:29.39
"nothing"
00:15:29.42\00:15:31.09
he bears much fruit...
00:15:31.13\00:15:32.69
apart from
Christ, he can do nothing.
00:15:32.76\00:15:35.10
Can we do
anything apart from Christ?
00:15:35.13\00:15:37.80
And the answer is
what? Absolutely not.
00:15:37.83\00:15:40.50
Apart from
Christ, we can do nothing.
00:15:40.54\00:15:44.07
So, now let's get this,
where is the power source
00:15:44.11\00:15:46.44
according to this verse?
00:15:46.47\00:15:47.81
Christ...
00:15:47.84\00:15:49.18
He says, "I am the
vine, you are the branches"
00:15:49.21\00:15:52.25
If you think about a...
a... a... a... fruit tree,
00:15:52.28\00:15:55.48
let's use the grape... let's
use the vineyard for example
00:15:55.52\00:15:59.39
and we lived in
Napa... we lived in California,
00:15:59.42\00:16:02.69
Brother Dick, you
know exactly, Napa Valley.
00:16:02.72\00:16:05.19
Once my wife and I
would take our bikes
00:16:05.23\00:16:06.93
it's one of the most
beautiful places in the world...
00:16:07.00\00:16:09.33
Napa Valley...
spring day, summer day...
00:16:09.36\00:16:12.37
low humidity...
Marlena, no mosquitos,
00:16:12.40\00:16:15.37
you could lie outside at night
00:16:15.40\00:16:18.17
and no mosquito is going
to be dive-bombing at you,
00:16:18.21\00:16:20.54
you could... we rode our bikes
through the vineyard and stopped
00:16:20.58\00:16:23.95
you know, took a grape
here and a grape there,
00:16:23.98\00:16:26.92
but we noticed, for
the grapes to grow, Pastor,
00:16:26.98\00:16:29.58
they had to be
connected to the vine,
00:16:29.62\00:16:31.55
if the grape is not
connected to the vine,
00:16:31.59\00:16:35.52
it has no power in
and of itself to mature
00:16:35.56\00:16:39.43
and the proof of that is,
when the weather turned bad
00:16:39.46\00:16:44.20
and it rained hard or
the wind started blowing,
00:16:44.27\00:16:46.53
you could see little
tiny grapes on the ground
00:16:46.57\00:16:48.70
all dried up... all rotten...
ants eating these grapes up
00:16:48.74\00:16:56.24
and you'll discover
00:16:56.28\00:16:57.78
that the reason why
they never matured, Jerry,
00:16:57.81\00:16:59.91
is because they
disconnected themselves...
00:16:59.98\00:17:01.85
or they were
disconnected from the vine,
00:17:01.88\00:17:03.75
what's the application to us?
00:17:03.79\00:17:05.65
If we don't have a
connection with Christ
00:17:05.72\00:17:07.56
on a day-by-day
basis, we could be...
00:17:07.59\00:17:09.22
you know what the... by-the-way,
00:17:09.26\00:17:10.59
you know what a raisin is?
00:17:10.63\00:17:11.96
What's a raisin?
00:17:11.99\00:17:13.33
Audience: A dried-up grape.
00:17:13.36\00:17:14.70
A raisin is a grape
that never got enough power.
00:17:14.73\00:17:17.97
Laughter...
00:17:18.00\00:17:19.63
So you could be a... you
could be a "raisin Christian"
00:17:19.67\00:17:21.87
or you could be a grape,
what would you rather be?
00:17:21.90\00:17:23.81
Audience: Grape.
00:17:23.84\00:17:25.17
I'd rather be a grape,
see... so, connected to Christ
00:17:25.21\00:17:28.64
now I know that somebody that's
a Botanist is going to say,
00:17:28.68\00:17:32.28
"No, a raisin is not a
grape that was disconnected... "
00:17:32.31\00:17:35.88
whatever they do to
dry them up, I mean,
00:17:35.92\00:17:37.72
okay, I'm not
going on that road...
00:17:37.75\00:17:39.09
but the fact of the
matter is, when you disconnect,
00:17:39.12\00:17:42.59
those grapes naturally...
the ones that are on the ground
00:17:42.62\00:17:44.79
shriveled up and dead
00:17:44.83\00:17:46.16
are the ones that
disconnected from the vine.
00:17:46.19\00:17:48.23
So... but the source of power
00:17:48.26\00:17:50.50
is from somewhere
else other than us.
00:17:50.53\00:17:52.13
Audience: Amen.
00:17:52.17\00:17:54.04
He is the source of power
00:17:54.07\00:17:55.64
and unlike New York City,
that power never goes out.
00:17:55.67\00:18:02.71
Go with me to
Matthew chapter 28,
00:18:02.74\00:18:04.48
that power never goes out.
00:18:04.51\00:18:06.15
So, if you want to write
the answer, "How much does...
00:18:06.18\00:18:08.02
how does the Bible describe the
life disconnected from Christ?"
00:18:08.05\00:18:10.85
put, "I can do nothing...
00:18:10.89\00:18:14.62
I can do nothing... "
let's make it personal.
00:18:14.66\00:18:17.89
Let's go to Matthew...
00:18:17.93\00:18:19.63
Matthew 28...
00:18:19.66\00:18:22.30
pause...
00:18:22.33\00:18:27.57
pause
00:18:27.60\00:18:32.01
okay,
00:18:32.04\00:18:36.38
and once again
what I like about this
00:18:36.41\00:18:40.05
I'm a King-James-Version
person in my head
00:18:40.08\00:18:43.52
Matthew 28:18
00:18:43.55\00:18:45.82
Jesus came and
spoke to them saying,
00:18:45.85\00:18:49.32
"All... " what?
"All power or authority"
00:18:49.36\00:18:52.06
the word there,
"Power and authority"
00:18:52.09\00:18:54.80
are synonymous
00:18:54.83\00:18:56.16
but it's not just
authority in the sense of...
00:18:56.20\00:18:58.83
I like the Greek
word that's used there,
00:18:58.87\00:19:00.70
the word that's
used there is: Dunamis.
00:19:00.74\00:19:02.54
When I think of "Dunamis"
00:19:02.57\00:19:05.07
when I think of dynamite...
I don't think of authority,
00:19:05.11\00:19:06.78
what do I think
of? Power... right?
00:19:06.81\00:19:09.24
Is that powerful?
00:19:09.31\00:19:10.65
"He has a lot of
dynamite in it. "
00:19:10.68\00:19:12.01
You don't say, "There's
a lot of authority in it"
00:19:12.05\00:19:13.85
when you throw a dynamite...
00:19:13.88\00:19:15.32
when you throw a grenade,
you don't want authority,
00:19:15.35\00:19:17.02
you want... what? Power.
00:19:17.05\00:19:18.69
So, in the very same way,
I like the word "power" there
00:19:18.72\00:19:21.19
better than the word "authority"
00:19:21.22\00:19:22.56
when in fact it
also means authority,
00:19:22.59\00:19:24.26
what that word is in
essence saying here, is:
00:19:24.33\00:19:26.59
"All authority has
been given to Him. "
00:19:26.63\00:19:28.73
So let's go back
to the power source.
00:19:28.76\00:19:30.83
We don't have any on our own
00:19:30.87\00:19:32.53
but where does
all the power reside?
00:19:32.57\00:19:34.64
All the power resides in Christ.
00:19:34.67\00:19:36.67
So, therefore, if you put on
Christ on a day-by-day basis,
00:19:36.71\00:19:40.44
what are you
actually encasing yourself in?
00:19:40.48\00:19:43.01
Huh...
00:19:43.04\00:19:44.91
His power... you got to...
00:19:44.95\00:19:47.22
when... when the Bible says,
"Put on the Lord Jesus Christ"
00:19:47.25\00:19:50.95
put... what? on the
Lord Jesus Christ...
00:19:50.99\00:19:53.52
and make no
provision for the flesh...
00:19:53.56\00:19:55.99
when you put on the
Lord Jesus Christ daily.
00:19:56.02\00:19:58.79
you're connecting
yourself to the power grid.
00:19:58.83\00:20:01.53
You're connecting
yourself to a source
00:20:01.56\00:20:04.30
that knows no power outages.
00:20:04.33\00:20:06.84
The only way the
power is going to go out,
00:20:06.87\00:20:09.37
is if you disconnect...
00:20:09.40\00:20:11.21
is if you separate...
00:20:11.24\00:20:12.77
is if you pull apart...
00:20:12.81\00:20:14.21
I remember when I
got my first computer,
00:20:14.28\00:20:16.81
and let's go back
to John chapter 15
00:20:16.85\00:20:19.08
because we're going to go to the
next question in just a moment,
00:20:19.11\00:20:21.02
when I got my first computer,
00:20:21.05\00:20:22.38
we were living up in the
mountains of northern California
00:20:22.42\00:20:24.79
pastoring a church in
Weaverville, California
00:20:24.82\00:20:27.46
2,500 feet above sea level,
00:20:27.49\00:20:28.92
and David, this
was the funniest thing,
00:20:28.96\00:20:31.36
pause...
00:20:31.39\00:20:32.83
I got my first
computer... internet was...
00:20:32.89\00:20:35.66
internet was
00:20:35.70\00:20:37.93
internet was,
00:20:37.97\00:20:40.17
not even internet...
00:20:40.20\00:20:42.67
you know it was like, 14... 4...
00:20:42.70\00:20:48.64
14... 4 K wasn't
even the internet speed,
00:20:48.68\00:20:51.95
the most you could
download is just...
00:20:51.98\00:20:55.22
you pray for there to
be a connection back than
00:20:55.25\00:20:58.22
but I got my first
computer, a Tandy computer...
00:20:58.25\00:21:01.16
it wasn't
Windows... it wasn't Mac...
00:21:01.19\00:21:03.09
it was just DOS...
00:21:03.12\00:21:04.46
and I put that
whole thing together
00:21:04.49\00:21:07.26
and I was so excited
about it, my first computer...
00:21:07.30\00:21:10.73
by-the-way, why I
remember that well
00:21:10.77\00:21:12.67
was because I
had a motorcycle also
00:21:12.70\00:21:14.57
and my wife said,
00:21:14.60\00:21:15.94
"Okay, if you're
going to get a motorcycle...
00:21:16.00\00:21:18.11
if you're going
to get a computer,
00:21:18.14\00:21:19.51
you got to get
rid of the motorcycle
00:21:19.54\00:21:21.74
because you can't
pay for both of them"
00:21:21.78\00:21:24.05
and we were only
making $500 a month
00:21:24.08\00:21:26.31
so that was a logical deduction,
00:21:26.35\00:21:28.52
what do you think?
00:21:28.55\00:21:29.92
So, I said, "Well, I think I
can live longer with a computer
00:21:29.95\00:21:32.25
than with a motorcycle"
00:21:32.29\00:21:34.12
so I got rid of
my Honda Nighthawk
00:21:34.16\00:21:37.19
candy red... shiny red helmet...
00:21:37.23\00:21:40.10
driving through the
mountains of California...
00:21:40.16\00:21:42.66
but I'm still alive
today that's a good thing.
00:21:42.70\00:21:45.13
So I put this computer together,
made all the connections...
00:21:45.17\00:21:49.07
printed to the main
tower, monitored the main tower,
00:21:49.10\00:21:51.61
"Honey, come
here, check this out"
00:21:51.64\00:21:53.61
and I called her in and
I... pyeeek... nothing...
00:21:53.64\00:21:59.41
pause
00:21:59.45\00:22:00.98
and I opened the Manual...
00:22:01.02\00:22:02.35
read it...
00:22:02.38\00:22:08.79
opened the Manual...
00:22:08.82\00:22:11.93
"Okay, that's
connected... that's connected,
00:22:11.99\00:22:13.83
that's connected
that's connected... "
00:22:13.90\00:22:15.23
pressed the "on" button
00:22:15.26\00:22:17.33
pressed it again...
00:22:17.37\00:22:18.83
nothing...
00:22:18.90\00:22:20.24
pause
00:22:20.27\00:22:22.40
I said, "Honey, they
sent me a bad computer. "
00:22:22.44\00:22:25.01
Didn't I say that?
00:22:25.04\00:22:26.37
Until I thought...
it's like the Lord said,
00:22:26.44\00:22:30.55
"Check the plug. "
00:22:30.58\00:22:32.58
Audience: Laughter.
00:22:32.61\00:22:34.55
And I pulled out
my homemade table
00:22:34.58\00:22:37.65
and behind the wall,
there was no connection.
00:22:37.69\00:22:43.22
I was blaming the condition
of the computer on the company
00:22:43.26\00:22:50.10
but I hadn't made a connection.
00:22:50.13\00:22:53.03
This is a powerful spiritual...
00:22:53.07\00:22:55.27
we can blame our
condition on the company
00:22:55.30\00:22:58.31
but they didn't
make the mistake...
00:22:58.34\00:23:01.34
I didn't make the connection.
00:23:01.38\00:23:03.18
So, we cannot blame the Lord
for the condition of our lives
00:23:03.21\00:23:07.92
if we haven't
made the connection.
00:23:07.95\00:23:10.69
Look at the next question,
got to make the connection...
00:23:10.75\00:23:13.42
very important...
00:23:13.46\00:23:14.79
Question Number 2,
00:23:14.82\00:23:16.16
"What is the essential element
that validates our connection?"
00:23:16.19\00:23:21.93
John 15 and this time
we're going to go to verse 7.
00:23:21.96\00:23:26.20
John 15 verse 7,
00:23:26.23\00:23:29.17
not a ton of
difference from verse 5
00:23:29.20\00:23:31.94
but I just want
to go to verse 7.
00:23:31.97\00:23:34.64
I have that... that option.
00:23:34.71\00:23:38.31
What is the essential element
that validates our connection?
00:23:38.35\00:23:42.35
All right, here it
is, John 15 and verse 7
00:23:42.38\00:23:45.69
and the Bible reads
as follows, it says,
00:23:45.72\00:23:49.02
"If you abide... " where?
00:23:49.06\00:23:51.69
"in me, and... " my what?
00:23:51.73\00:23:54.33
"words abide in you,
00:23:54.36\00:23:57.10
you will ask what you
desire, and... " what?
00:23:57.13\00:23:59.90
"it shall be done for you. "
00:23:59.93\00:24:02.50
Isn't that huge? So
what's in essence being said
00:24:02.54\00:24:05.81
now I want to... I want to
go ahead and speak to the...
00:24:05.84\00:24:09.31
the single word... words...
00:24:09.34\00:24:12.21
how does the Word
of God abide in us?
00:24:12.28\00:24:14.75
Somebody tell me.
00:24:14.78\00:24:16.12
Huh...
00:24:16.15\00:24:17.49
By reading it... by what else?
00:24:17.52\00:24:19.85
Listening... what else?
00:24:19.89\00:24:22.36
I'm looking for
another word, another word...
00:24:22.39\00:24:24.86
another word... reading
it, listening... what else?
00:24:24.89\00:24:26.70
applying it... what else?
00:24:26.73\00:24:28.83
Speaking it... what else?
00:24:28.86\00:24:31.17
sharing it... what else?
00:24:31.20\00:24:33.44
living it... what else?
00:24:33.47\00:24:35.77
Believing it... what else?
00:24:35.80\00:24:37.84
there's a singular word
used by Timothy... study...
00:24:37.87\00:24:42.61
let's say that word
together, "Study... "
00:24:42.64\00:24:45.85
because you can read
the Word but not study it.
00:24:45.88\00:24:48.15
There are people that
have Bible Reading Plans
00:24:48.18\00:24:50.45
but they don't study it.
00:24:50.49\00:24:52.05
You got to study...
00:24:52.09\00:24:54.32
I was talking to
somebody a few nights ago,
00:24:54.36\00:24:56.32
my wife and I actually were
having a conversation with him
00:24:56.36\00:24:58.19
and they were saying, "You know,
00:24:58.23\00:24:59.56
our church has a lot of things
but we don't have Bible study. "
00:24:59.59\00:25:02.60
We don't study our Bibles
00:25:02.63\00:25:04.93
and if you really look at
the Christian world now-a-days
00:25:04.97\00:25:06.87
one of the reasons
why the condition exists
00:25:06.90\00:25:08.30
the way it does in Christianity,
00:25:08.34\00:25:09.74
is because people
don't study the Word.
00:25:09.77\00:25:12.11
The Bible says, "Study to
show yourself approved unto God,
00:25:12.14\00:25:16.85
a workman that
needeth not to be ashamed,
00:25:16.88\00:25:19.25
rightly dividing
the word of truth. "
00:25:19.28\00:25:21.48
So, when the Word
of God abides in you,
00:25:21.52\00:25:23.69
it usually gets there
00:25:23.72\00:25:25.09
and let me just
make this very clear...
00:25:25.12\00:25:26.76
you can't read the
Bible for three minutes
00:25:26.79\00:25:28.36
and expect it to abide in you.
00:25:28.42\00:25:31.33
You can't run
past the soda machine
00:25:31.39\00:25:34.00
and get something to drink.
00:25:34.03\00:25:35.60
You got to stay
there... you got to connect...
00:25:35.63\00:25:37.97
you cannot drive
through a gas station
00:25:38.00\00:25:40.57
and get your car
filled up, right?
00:25:40.60\00:25:43.07
And you can't have
a seven-course meal
00:25:43.10\00:25:45.57
in three minutes.
00:25:45.61\00:25:46.94
The Word of God is the
book that we have to abide in
00:25:46.98\00:25:49.74
and you know what's the
problem with Society today?
00:25:49.78\00:25:52.68
Everything is instant.
00:25:52.71\00:25:54.05
Commercials are
instant, Programs are instant,
00:25:54.08\00:25:57.09
there are sermons now-a-days
that have been shot down...
00:25:57.12\00:26:02.29
instant sermons... they say.
00:26:02.32\00:26:03.66
People's attention
span is only 20 minutes
00:26:03.69\00:26:05.59
I don't believe that
00:26:05.66\00:26:07.00
because most of them
watch the Super Blow.
00:26:07.03\00:26:08.50
Am I right?
00:26:08.56\00:26:10.73
Well, why don't they just watch
20 minutes of the Super Bowl
00:26:10.77\00:26:13.20
and turn it off... the rest of
the game doesn't really matter.
00:26:13.23\00:26:15.67
So, it's not necessarily true,
00:26:15.70\00:26:18.41
here's the reason why I
believe people have a 20-minute
00:26:18.44\00:26:21.71
attention span
for spiritual things,
00:26:21.74\00:26:23.28
because they don't feed
themselves with spiritual things
00:26:23.31\00:26:26.98
therefore, they
don't want to stay
00:26:27.02\00:26:28.98
in the presence of God too long
00:26:29.02\00:26:30.82
pause
00:26:30.85\00:26:32.19
because if you feed
yourself with spiritual things,
00:26:32.22\00:26:34.12
you want to go
back you say, "Wow!"
00:26:34.16\00:26:36.09
How many guys go to electronic
stores for 20 minutes?
00:26:36.12\00:26:39.19
How many women go to
shoe stores for 20 minutes?
00:26:39.26\00:26:42.30
See... whatever...
00:26:42.33\00:26:44.23
how many... how many
people go to Art Stores
00:26:44.27\00:26:46.60
if you're an
artist for 20 minutes?
00:26:46.63\00:26:47.97
and how many play...
00:26:48.00\00:26:49.34
how many kids play
video games for 20 minutes?
00:26:49.37\00:26:51.97
How many kids text
only 20 minutes a day?
00:26:52.01\00:26:54.61
Think about the reality of that.
00:26:54.64\00:26:57.08
The church is
crippled and insipid
00:26:57.11\00:26:59.45
because people don't spend
time abiding in God's Word.
00:26:59.51\00:27:03.08
So if you can... if you
have to fill your car up,
00:27:03.12\00:27:06.86
you'd better have more
than a minute, am I right?
00:27:06.89\00:27:09.59
Robert, you've got to
have more than a minute...
00:27:09.62\00:27:12.26
he's a mechanic...
00:27:12.29\00:27:13.66
anybody sensible knows
it takes more than a minute
00:27:13.70\00:27:16.77
to fill up a tank
that's almost empty to full...
00:27:16.80\00:27:19.60
in the very same way,
the life that we live...
00:27:19.63\00:27:22.37
every day, we have to
spend time abiding in the Word
00:27:22.40\00:27:25.21
and you know what?
00:27:25.24\00:27:26.57
It's not natural...
does anybody know that?
00:27:26.61\00:27:28.54
It's not
natural... it doesn't...
00:27:28.58\00:27:30.88
you don't wake up in the morning
unless you've nurtured yourself
00:27:30.91\00:27:33.21
to the point where it's a habit,
00:27:33.25\00:27:34.58
you don't necessarily
wake up in the morning and say,
00:27:34.62\00:27:36.52
"You know what?
00:27:36.58\00:27:37.92
I need to spend a
half hour in my Bible"
00:27:37.95\00:27:42.36
because the nature that we have
wants to just get up and go.
00:27:42.39\00:27:48.63
I'm a Type A Personality...
00:27:48.66\00:27:50.60
I have to... I
have to command myself
00:27:50.63\00:27:53.84
to not get up and
run, Pastors, am I right?
00:27:53.87\00:27:56.87
When pastors wake up,
they think of all the things...
00:27:56.91\00:27:59.11
got to call this person...
got to make that connection...
00:27:59.14\00:28:01.34
this Bible Study...
that hospital visit...
00:28:01.38\00:28:02.71
I got to pray...
00:28:02.74\00:28:04.08
I've got to make sure the
lesson is ready for tonight,
00:28:04.11\00:28:05.45
I got to...
00:28:05.48\00:28:06.82
and pastors sometimes get
so busy feeding everybody else,
00:28:06.85\00:28:10.02
isn't that
right... true... Pastor?
00:28:10.05\00:28:11.95
That they don't take
time to feed themselves
00:28:11.99\00:28:14.82
and so, here we are,
emaciated and starving
00:28:14.86\00:28:17.63
feeding somebody
else, you're really...
00:28:17.79\00:28:20.46
that's why I understand...
00:28:20.50\00:28:21.93
this phrase may not
fit in everybody's life
00:28:21.96\00:28:24.50
but it says, "Never
trust a skinny cook"
00:28:24.53\00:28:27.00
Audience: Laughter.
00:28:27.04\00:28:29.24
Now, apply that
only as you like,
00:28:29.27\00:28:31.64
but in the
Italian world, you know,
00:28:31.67\00:28:33.88
if the lady is hefty
and nice mamma mia...
00:28:33.91\00:28:37.41
you know... they say,
"She spends time in the kitchen
00:28:37.45\00:28:39.75
she really cooks good"
00:28:39.78\00:28:41.28
the point of the matter...
00:28:41.32\00:28:42.92
if you were
emaciated spiritually,
00:28:42.95\00:28:44.55
you can't really
help anybody else out.
00:28:44.59\00:28:46.86
If you feel weak and you
can't make it through the day,
00:28:46.89\00:28:50.03
how... how can you
be spiritually weak
00:28:50.06\00:28:52.29
and go give a Bible Study?
00:28:52.33\00:28:54.13
You got to abide
in the Word of God
00:28:54.16\00:28:56.87
so what's the answer?
00:28:56.90\00:28:58.50
"What is the essential element
that validates our connection?"
00:28:58.53\00:29:01.17
Abide in the Word...
00:29:01.20\00:29:03.57
abide in the Word.
00:29:03.61\00:29:05.87
Jesus is the
Word... abide in Christ,
00:29:05.94\00:29:08.64
and His living
Word... His living Word...
00:29:08.68\00:29:11.35
and this... the written Word.
00:29:11.41\00:29:12.75
Abide in Christ and
in the study of His Word.
00:29:12.78\00:29:15.58
All right, that's
what you have to do,
00:29:15.65\00:29:18.25
if you do one
without doing the other,
00:29:18.29\00:29:20.36
and you know...
the reason why that...
00:29:20.39\00:29:22.42
there are some people
that say, "I abide in Christ"
00:29:22.46\00:29:24.86
but you can't just
say you abide in Christ
00:29:24.89\00:29:28.86
the validating connection is,
"I'm studying the Word of God. "
00:29:28.93\00:29:33.07
Got to keep the
Word of God with you.
00:29:33.10\00:29:35.90
Okay... that's right...
00:29:35.94\00:29:38.44
"If you abide in
me... " Christ...
00:29:38.47\00:29:41.44
"and My words abide
in you" the connection...
00:29:41.51\00:29:44.05
"you will ask what you desire
and it shall be done for you. "
00:29:44.08\00:29:47.48
You know what?
00:29:47.52\00:29:48.85
And there's something
else I want to add here because
00:29:48.88\00:29:50.69
I don't want
people to think that
00:29:50.72\00:29:52.05
you know, you call God and say,
00:29:52.09\00:29:53.42
"Well, God I need a... "
00:29:53.46\00:29:54.79
and He doesn't give it to you,
00:29:54.82\00:29:56.16
what that in
essence also teaches us
00:29:56.19\00:29:58.29
when you abide
in the Word of God,
00:29:58.33\00:30:00.40
it teaches you what to ask for.
00:30:00.43\00:30:02.43
Am I right?
00:30:02.46\00:30:04.57
It's like... if you
go to... if you go to...
00:30:04.60\00:30:07.47
if you go to Best Buy...
00:30:07.50\00:30:09.44
I'm hoping I'm doing this right,
00:30:09.50\00:30:12.37
if you go to Best Buy
which is an electronics store,
00:30:12.41\00:30:14.61
if you go to Best
Buy to buy transmission,
00:30:14.64\00:30:16.61
would you be able to get one?
00:30:16.64\00:30:18.71
Okay... if you've been in...
00:30:18.75\00:30:20.75
if you've stayed in
Best Buy long enough,
00:30:20.78\00:30:22.92
you will know what you
cannot get in Best Buy.
00:30:22.95\00:30:25.42
If you stay in the
Word of God long enough,
00:30:25.45\00:30:27.86
you'll know what not to ask for
00:30:27.92\00:30:29.72
because it's not
going to be given.
00:30:29.76\00:30:31.53
So, that's what I want
to make very, very clear.
00:30:31.56\00:30:33.46
Some people will say,
"Well, I've been in Word
00:30:33.50\00:30:35.16
and I've been
asking all these things
00:30:35.23\00:30:36.56
and God's not listening. "
00:30:36.60\00:30:37.93
Because you're in Best
Buy asking for transmission.
00:30:37.97\00:30:40.07
Pause.
00:30:40.10\00:30:41.87
God's Word also
teaches you what to ask for.
00:30:41.90\00:30:44.17
He will supply all of your need,
00:30:44.21\00:30:46.54
He'll give you sometimes
the desires of your heart
00:30:46.57\00:30:49.74
but you've got to
know what to ask for
00:30:49.78\00:30:51.75
and the Word of God
will tell you what that is
00:30:51.78\00:30:53.75
because the Word of
God is not carnal...
00:30:53.78\00:30:55.35
sometimes we use the Word of God
to try to ask for carnal things.
00:30:55.38\00:30:59.19
The Word of God is not
here to satisfy the flesh.
00:30:59.22\00:31:02.79
Sometimes we say,
00:31:02.82\00:31:04.16
"Okay Lord, I study
my lesson every day,
00:31:04.19\00:31:06.83
I gave out tracts, I
did this... I did that...
00:31:06.86\00:31:10.77
now, could I get that bike?"
00:31:10.83\00:31:12.20
Pause.
00:31:12.23\00:31:13.80
God doesn't work that way,
00:31:13.84\00:31:15.97
don't... don't use
God to connect yourself
00:31:16.00\00:31:19.17
to fleshy, lustful things,
00:31:19.21\00:31:21.04
as a matter-of-fact,
in the Book of James,
00:31:21.08\00:31:23.04
he says, one of the
reasons why we don't have...
00:31:23.08\00:31:25.85
is not only because we
don't ask but we ask amiss...
00:31:25.88\00:31:28.35
just spend it on ourselves...
00:31:28.38\00:31:31.09
so we say, "God,
I need 300 bucks...
00:31:31.12\00:31:33.19
that's how much that TV costs. "
00:31:33.25\00:31:34.72
Audience: Laughter.
00:31:34.76\00:31:36.16
And God says, "You
ain't gettin 300 bucks
00:31:36.19\00:31:37.89
whenever you turn... whenever
you return an honest tithe. "
00:31:37.93\00:31:41.20
See... and some
people hold back from God
00:31:41.23\00:31:45.13
to try to get something
that's going to go out of style
00:31:45.17\00:31:47.94
in a matter of months...
00:31:47.97\00:31:49.30
because they're not
abiding in the Word of God.
00:31:49.34\00:31:50.87
If you abide in God's Word,
00:31:50.91\00:31:52.47
it also teaches
you what not to ask for
00:31:52.51\00:31:54.88
and what to ask for.
00:31:54.91\00:31:56.24
All right, so the answer is,
"Abide in God and His Word. "
00:31:56.28\00:31:58.71
Question Number
3... Question Number 3,
00:31:58.75\00:32:01.55
"In what way does the
apostle Peter describe
00:32:01.58\00:32:06.25
the impact of the Word?
00:32:06.29\00:32:08.52
In what way does the
Apostle Peter describe
00:32:08.56\00:32:12.16
the impact of the Word?
00:32:12.19\00:32:13.86
Everything we do
should have an impact.
00:32:13.90\00:32:16.67
As a matter-of-fact,
00:32:16.70\00:32:18.03
if what you do
does not have an impact,
00:32:18.07\00:32:20.24
then you're wasting your time,
00:32:20.27\00:32:21.87
the Bible wants us to
live lives that have an impact.
00:32:21.90\00:32:26.14
The Bible wants us to live
lives that make a difference.
00:32:26.17\00:32:30.38
The Word of God impacts us
00:32:30.41\00:32:32.65
and then our lives
impact someone else.
00:32:32.68\00:32:35.15
See ourselves in the
chain of events that transpire
00:32:35.18\00:32:39.85
for the purpose of
building your life up...
00:32:39.89\00:32:41.86
that you may
build somebody else up.
00:32:41.89\00:32:43.79
I think the phrase is
this way, "No man is an island"
00:32:43.83\00:32:46.59
and when the Bible talks
about even asking for gifts,
00:32:46.66\00:32:49.40
when you read the
book of Romans chapter 12,
00:32:49.43\00:32:51.67
when you read 1st
Corinthians chapter 14,
00:32:51.70\00:32:54.97
it talks about...
"Desire the best gift"
00:32:55.00\00:32:57.01
and what is that?
00:32:57.04\00:32:58.41
"That you might
edify somebody. "
00:32:58.44\00:32:59.87
So, how does Peter describe
the impact of God's Word?
00:32:59.91\00:33:04.28
1st Peter Chapter 1 and
look at verses 22 and 23,
00:33:04.31\00:33:08.65
I think most of you
turned there already,
00:33:08.68\00:33:10.22
let's look at it together,
00:33:10.25\00:33:11.59
it's on the
screen... here we are,
00:33:11.62\00:33:12.95
It says, "Since you
have... " done what?
00:33:12.99\00:33:15.69
"purified your
souls in obeying the truth
00:33:15.72\00:33:18.66
through the Spirit in
sincere love of the brethren,
00:33:18.69\00:33:22.36
love one another
fervently with a... "
00:33:22.40\00:33:25.50
what kind of heart?
00:33:25.53\00:33:26.87
"With a pure heart
having been born again"
00:33:26.90\00:33:30.17
and I like this...
00:33:30.21\00:33:31.54
"not of corruptible
seed but... " what kind?
00:33:31.57\00:33:33.88
"incorruptible... "
00:33:33.91\00:33:35.41
get this,
"through the word of God
00:33:35.44\00:33:39.35
which... " does what?
00:33:39.38\00:33:40.72
"lives and
abides... " for how long?
00:33:40.75\00:33:43.59
"Forever. "
00:33:43.62\00:33:45.02
You know why the Word of
God lives and abides forever?
00:33:45.05\00:33:47.12
Because the Word
of God is God's Word.
00:33:47.16\00:33:49.66
If God is around forever,
00:33:49.69\00:33:51.46
how long is His
Word going to be around?
00:33:51.49\00:33:52.99
Forever... so here's the key,
00:33:53.06\00:33:54.56
if I plan on living forever,
00:33:54.60\00:33:56.06
I need to get in
harmony with those things
00:33:56.10\00:33:57.43
that are going to live forever.
00:33:57.47\00:33:58.80
God and His Word...
00:33:58.83\00:34:00.64
when you read Revelation,
00:34:00.67\00:34:02.64
when Jesus comes back,
00:34:02.67\00:34:04.57
He's going to have
written on His thigh,
00:34:04.61\00:34:05.94
the Word of God.
00:34:05.97\00:34:07.34
Not only the Word
of God personified,
00:34:07.38\00:34:10.28
but the Word of God is going
to be coming from His mouth
00:34:10.31\00:34:13.35
a two-edged sword...
00:34:13.52\00:34:15.38
the Word of God...
00:34:15.42\00:34:17.12
so, if you think
about this, the impact...
00:34:17.15\00:34:19.75
"In what way does the
Apostle Peter describe
00:34:19.79\00:34:22.36
the impact of the Word?
00:34:22.39\00:34:23.73
How does he describe the impact?
00:34:23.76\00:34:25.86
Pause.
00:34:25.89\00:34:28.36
How does he describe the impact?
00:34:28.43\00:34:30.73
Huh? Say it again...
00:34:30.77\00:34:32.63
"Born again incorruptibly"
00:34:32.67\00:34:36.97
"Born" the Word of God leads
us to a born-again experience.
00:34:37.01\00:34:43.11
Born again... not
of the corruptible seed
00:34:43.14\00:34:45.71
but incorruptible... how?
00:34:45.75\00:34:47.32
Through the Word of God.
00:34:47.35\00:34:48.85
Born again...
00:34:48.88\00:34:50.82
pause
00:34:50.85\00:34:53.96
I think the most important
piece of equipment we have today
00:34:53.99\00:34:57.19
in our arsenal
is the Word of God.
00:34:57.23\00:34:59.49
Pause.
00:34:59.53\00:35:00.86
When you look at the
entire armor of God...
00:35:00.90\00:35:03.77
the Word of God is the only
offensive weapon that's there.
00:35:03.80\00:35:06.60
You have to have the Word
of God in order to live...
00:35:06.63\00:35:08.90
and you know what? Let
me encourage young people
00:35:08.94\00:35:11.17
because young
people now-a-days...
00:35:11.21\00:35:12.54
as we get older... as
Christians we get older
00:35:12.57\00:35:15.84
you know, and we
hit our 20s and our 30s
00:35:15.88\00:35:18.61
and our 40s and our 50s
00:35:18.65\00:35:20.22
and the numbers
go on... 60s and 70s
00:35:20.25\00:35:22.08
and God blesses
those in their 80s
00:35:22.12\00:35:23.95
and if you're in the
90s you are way blessed
00:35:23.99\00:35:26.79
and if you get a
100... you are triple blessed
00:35:26.82\00:35:29.72
but one of the things
that happens as we get older
00:35:29.76\00:35:32.29
and this is true...
00:35:32.33\00:35:33.66
one of the
reasons why God allows...
00:35:33.70\00:35:36.46
one of the reasons
why age is a blessing
00:35:36.50\00:35:38.80
is because as we get older,
00:35:38.83\00:35:40.20
all of a sudden, we
begin to become less frivolous
00:35:40.24\00:35:43.44
and all of a sudden,
life comes into focus.
00:35:43.47\00:35:47.48
We start thinking of
the word like, "Legacy"
00:35:47.51\00:35:51.41
and what will people
remember of me... when I'm gone?
00:35:51.45\00:35:56.32
We start
thinking of those ways...
00:35:56.38\00:35:57.92
what can I do that's
going to make a difference
00:35:57.95\00:36:01.12
and I've discovered
that the older a person is,
00:36:01.16\00:36:04.26
the more he or she...
that is... if they're Christian
00:36:04.29\00:36:07.46
the more he or she studies
and abides in the Word of God.
00:36:07.50\00:36:11.10
Young people think they are
going to be around all the time,
00:36:11.13\00:36:14.67
so they think
they have more time
00:36:14.70\00:36:17.11
before they start
studying the Word of God
00:36:17.14\00:36:18.57
so let me...
my... my point here is
00:36:18.61\00:36:21.31
that young
people... teenagers...
00:36:21.34\00:36:24.01
20s... 30s...
00:36:24.05\00:36:25.98
if you don't have a Bible
that's becoming very well worn,
00:36:26.01\00:36:30.02
then you are a power plant...
00:36:30.05\00:36:32.39
well let me just
change that phrase,
00:36:32.42\00:36:34.19
you're not a power plant,
you are a shriveled-up grape.
00:36:34.22\00:36:37.03
You're
disconnected from the vine...
00:36:37.06\00:36:39.13
I don't even want
to give you a hint
00:36:39.16\00:36:40.93
that you're a power plant,
00:36:40.96\00:36:42.30
you're... you're disconnected...
00:36:42.33\00:36:43.67
you've got to get
into the Word of God...
00:36:43.73\00:36:45.33
you've got to have
the Word of God with you
00:36:45.37\00:36:46.90
and you know what? Let
me also make another point.
00:36:46.94\00:36:48.54
I like to use my iPad
00:36:48.60\00:36:50.51
but nothing replaces
having a Bible in your hand.
00:36:50.54\00:36:55.14
Audience: That's true.
00:36:55.21\00:36:56.54
Ain't that right?
Because just to touch the pages
00:36:56.58\00:36:59.45
it's like having
a... it's like having...
00:36:59.48\00:37:02.58
and here's... here's
the perfect analogy...
00:37:02.62\00:37:04.39
what would you
rather have in a battle?
00:37:04.42\00:37:06.99
A picture of a
sword or an actual sword?
00:37:07.02\00:37:09.69
you've got to have a
sword in your hand...
00:37:09.72\00:37:12.33
you can't turn around and say,
00:37:12.36\00:37:13.70
"Back... I got a
picture of a sword. "
00:37:13.73\00:37:15.93
Audience: Laughter...
00:37:15.96\00:37:17.30
"I got a sword on my iPad... "
00:37:17.33\00:37:18.67
that's not going to work.
00:37:18.70\00:37:20.04
You've got to have that in
your hand... am I right, Dave?
00:37:20.07\00:37:22.17
you've got to have...
you've got to have that...
00:37:22.20\00:37:24.01
you've got to be able to
pull it out of the sheath.
00:37:24.07\00:37:26.27
Romans did not go to
battle with pictures of swords
00:37:26.31\00:37:28.31
and they didn't say,
"My friend has a sword"
00:37:28.34\00:37:30.08
they didn't say,
"Wait I'll get my sword...
00:37:30.11\00:37:31.81
I'll be right
back, you wait here,
00:37:31.85\00:37:33.18
I'll kill you when I get back"
00:37:33.21\00:37:34.55
I'm using "battle" language,
00:37:34.58\00:37:35.92
you cannot go on the
battlefield without a sword
00:37:35.95\00:37:38.82
and the more you
study the Word of God,
00:37:38.85\00:37:40.86
the more you become
proficient with the sword.
00:37:40.89\00:37:44.46
The more the sword is
first nature to you...
00:37:44.49\00:37:48.00
"I got it... it's right
here... Proverbs... see... "
00:37:48.03\00:37:51.37
you can pull those
texts right out of the sky.
00:37:51.40\00:37:53.40
"Here is one that's beautiful,
go with me to Proverbs 16... "
00:37:53.44\00:37:56.04
Pause.
00:37:56.07\00:38:01.01
I want to show you some
texts that are beautiful
00:38:01.04\00:38:02.74
that you can't find
00:38:02.78\00:38:04.41
unless you're spending
time through the Word...
00:38:04.45\00:38:06.55
and by-the-way,
00:38:06.58\00:38:08.08
something we've done in
the past... my wife and I,
00:38:08.12\00:38:09.55
as you read through the Word,
00:38:09.58\00:38:11.05
as you read chapter by
chapter, verse by verse,
00:38:11.09\00:38:13.42
you know what happens?
00:38:13.46\00:38:14.79
You start
finding all those texts
00:38:14.82\00:38:16.69
that you've heard people
quote throughout the years,
00:38:16.73\00:38:19.23
now you know where it's found.
00:38:19.29\00:38:21.90
That's why, you have to
study the Word of God...
00:38:21.93\00:38:24.43
your fingers have
to get used to it,
00:38:24.47\00:38:25.80
Proverbs 16 verse 7,
look at this beautiful verse.
00:38:25.83\00:38:30.37
This is a beautiful verse,
00:38:30.41\00:38:32.34
but you just can't find that
00:38:32.37\00:38:34.28
by just flipping
through your iPad
00:38:34.31\00:38:37.58
or even your iPhone...
00:38:37.61\00:38:39.45
or whatever device
you have or your Droids...
00:38:39.48\00:38:41.22
just let the other market get
involved in the conversation,
00:38:41.28\00:38:44.62
look at what it says
in verse 7, Proverbs 16,
00:38:44.65\00:38:46.52
"When a man's ways... " what?
00:38:46.55\00:38:48.22
"please the LORD,
00:38:48.26\00:38:50.13
He makes even his enemies
to be at peace with him. "
00:38:50.16\00:38:53.83
That's the text I highlighted
00:38:53.86\00:38:55.83
as I was going
through the book of Proverbs.
00:38:55.86\00:38:58.57
Another very familiar one,
look at Proverbs 16 verse 25,
00:38:58.60\00:39:02.50
another one... these are...
these are familiar verses,
00:39:02.54\00:39:06.01
these are familiar verses
00:39:06.04\00:39:08.08
giving you some
samples of how beautiful
00:39:08.11\00:39:09.88
the Word of God
impacts your life.
00:39:09.91\00:39:11.25
Look at verses... verse 25...
have you heard this one before?
00:39:11.28\00:39:14.02
"There's a way that
seems right to a man
00:39:14.05\00:39:16.48
but his end is
the way of... " what?
00:39:16.52\00:39:18.25
Audience: Death.
00:39:18.29\00:39:19.62
You got to find those as
you're turning and flipping
00:39:19.65\00:39:22.99
through the Bible
00:39:23.02\00:39:24.59
and you notice, go back
to Proverbs 14 and verse 12,
00:39:24.63\00:39:27.36
you'll see that again...
this is a reiterated text,
00:39:27.40\00:39:29.86
pause
00:39:29.90\00:39:32.00
Proverbs 16:25 is also
in Proverbs 14 verse 12,
00:39:32.03\00:39:35.24
"There is a way that
seems right to a man,
00:39:35.27\00:39:38.17
but its end is the
way of... " what? "death"
00:39:38.21\00:39:41.14
you say to yourself,
"Well, isn't once enough?"
00:39:41.18\00:39:44.08
No, some people need to
hear that more than once
00:39:44.11\00:39:47.18
because you'll hear in
chapter 14 and forget it
00:39:47.22\00:39:50.25
you go back to
chapter 16 you say,
00:39:50.29\00:39:52.19
"Wait a minute,
I've got it now. "
00:39:52.22\00:39:54.06
See God's redundancy of
teaching us is not repetition,
00:39:54.09\00:39:57.09
it's not because the
prophet didn't write it down,
00:39:57.13\00:40:00.10
it's because
something... we didn't get it
00:40:00.13\00:40:02.06
sometimes we don't get
it on the first time around,
00:40:02.10\00:40:03.77
right, Pastor?
00:40:03.80\00:40:05.17
Sometimes, we don't get
it the first time around,
00:40:05.20\00:40:07.07
here's another one, look
at Proverbs 15 and verse 1.
00:40:07.10\00:40:09.30
I'm giving you
some familiar ones
00:40:09.34\00:40:11.27
just so that you
can see the impact...
00:40:11.31\00:40:12.84
the reason I'm doing this
00:40:12.87\00:40:14.34
is because I want
to spark your interest
00:40:14.38\00:40:16.34
in going home and
digging for these treasures...
00:40:16.38\00:40:19.71
these gems that we hear about.
00:40:19.75\00:40:22.58
If you'd like to
argue, here's one for you.
00:40:22.62\00:40:24.95
Audience: Laughter.
00:40:24.99\00:40:26.82
"A soft answer
turns away... " what?
00:40:26.86\00:40:28.39
"wrath...
00:40:28.42\00:40:29.76
but a harsh word
stirs up... " what? "anger
00:40:29.79\00:40:32.79
the tongue of the
wise uses knowledge rightly
00:40:32.83\00:40:35.86
but the mouth of fools
pour forth foolishness. "
00:40:35.90\00:40:38.83
There are some people that just
don't know how to stop talking
00:40:38.90\00:40:43.04
pause
00:40:43.10\00:40:44.57
and you say,
"Here he comes again,
00:40:44.61\00:40:46.07
go left... he's...
he's to the right... "
00:40:46.11\00:40:48.84
because there are some people
00:40:48.88\00:40:50.21
that don't know how
to bridle the tongue,
00:40:50.25\00:40:51.75
but even in the
points of argument,
00:40:51.78\00:40:53.88
you can't argue by yourself,
00:40:53.92\00:40:55.32
if one's going to be the
fire, let one be the water.
00:40:55.35\00:40:58.85
Soft answers.
00:40:58.92\00:41:01.29
You can answer a
question by saying,
00:41:01.32\00:41:03.73
"Yes... "
00:41:03.76\00:41:05.73
or you could say, "Of
course, what's wrong with you?"
00:41:05.76\00:41:08.96
You can really change
the way a person looks
00:41:09.00\00:41:12.87
when you answer that...
00:41:12.90\00:41:14.24
enough of the lessons, let's
go back to Question Number 4
00:41:14.27\00:41:16.60
but that's giving you some idea.
00:41:16.67\00:41:18.11
If you find time
to study God's Word,
00:41:18.14\00:41:20.58
all of a sudden, these valuable
gems will jump out at you.
00:41:20.64\00:41:23.85
There's so much more in the
book of Ezekiel and Jeremiah
00:41:23.91\00:41:27.12
but you can't find that...
00:41:27.15\00:41:28.85
I mean, you could find it on
an iPad, but it's not the same,
00:41:28.88\00:41:33.62
it's just not the same.
00:41:33.66\00:41:36.16
You know why?
Because the Bible has a...
00:41:36.19\00:41:38.29
a... a tangible feeling to it
00:41:38.33\00:41:40.73
but the iPad...
00:41:40.76\00:41:43.03
let the blind man teach you...
00:41:43.06\00:41:47.54
a blind man does not use
an iPad to read his Bible,
00:41:47.60\00:41:50.44
pause
00:41:50.47\00:41:52.21
he has to feel it...
let's learn that lesson...
00:41:52.24\00:41:55.01
let the Word of God
be something you handle.
00:41:55.04\00:41:57.61
Number 4, here it is,
00:41:57.85\00:41:59.81
"What two descriptions does the
Bible give to... to God's Word?"
00:41:59.85\00:42:05.55
to God's Word...
00:42:05.59\00:42:07.92
What two...
Hebrews 4 verse 12...
00:42:07.96\00:42:11.43
I just gave you
the answer a moment ago
00:42:11.46\00:42:13.13
so let's go to Hebrews 4:12.
00:42:13.16\00:42:15.53
Hebrews chapter 4 verse 12.
00:42:15.56\00:42:17.83
Let me now show it
to you very quickly...
00:42:17.87\00:42:19.97
Hebrews 4 verse 12, I
think you saw it already,
00:42:20.00\00:42:23.37
okay... Hebrews 4 verse 12.
00:42:23.41\00:42:28.68
Pause...
00:42:28.71\00:42:32.21
"What two descriptions does
the Bible give to God's Word?"
00:42:32.25\00:42:35.42
Okay...
00:42:35.45\00:42:37.45
Since I already cracked the egg,
00:42:37.49\00:42:41.59
let me go ahead and give
you the answer, you ready?
00:42:41.62\00:42:43.36
Hebrews 4:12, here it is.
00:42:43.39\00:42:45.23
"For the word of God
is living and powerful,
00:42:45.26\00:42:52.57
and sharper... "
00:42:52.60\00:42:53.94
it's actually giving three...
00:42:53.97\00:42:55.30
"living and
powerful, and sharper
00:42:55.34\00:42:59.14
than any two-edged sword,
00:42:59.17\00:43:01.88
piercing even to the
division of soul and spirit,
00:43:01.91\00:43:06.95
and of joints and marrow
00:43:06.98\00:43:10.05
and is a
discerner of the thoughts
00:43:10.09\00:43:14.82
and intents of the heart. "
00:43:14.86\00:43:17.23
Now, you know what that means?
00:43:17.29\00:43:19.59
Not only is the Bible
letting you know what you think
00:43:19.63\00:43:25.53
but I found it even more
of a benefit to me as a...
00:43:25.57\00:43:29.70
as a Pastor... as a Counselor...
00:43:29.74\00:43:32.14
sometimes I want to learn how
to handle a certain situation,
00:43:32.17\00:43:35.41
I let the Bible plant...
00:43:35.44\00:43:37.91
I let the Bible
guide my thoughts...
00:43:37.95\00:43:40.82
I let the Bible
govern my intentions.
00:43:40.85\00:43:43.65
So, you're dealing
with a particular difficulty
00:43:43.69\00:43:46.59
and you say, "What
should I think about this?"
00:43:46.62\00:43:49.19
And then you read the Bible
and the Bible gives instruction
00:43:49.22\00:43:53.09
and so you're now
walking into a situation
00:43:53.13\00:43:55.16
with all your thoughts
being molded and governed
00:43:55.20\00:43:57.20
by the Word of God,
00:43:57.23\00:43:58.63
not only that, sometimes
I read a particular text
00:43:58.70\00:44:01.17
like the one we just
read there in Proverbs 15,
00:44:01.20\00:44:03.81
"A soft answer turns away...
00:44:03.84\00:44:05.27
turns away wrath... "
00:44:05.31\00:44:06.64
You think, "Oh, this
person is really hot-headed...
00:44:06.68\00:44:10.18
I'm going to go ahead and
keep all my words really calm
00:44:10.25\00:44:12.88
when I speak to that individual
00:44:12.91\00:44:15.22
but what are the things
that the Bible gives us?
00:44:15.28\00:44:18.42
If we go back to that, it
says, "The Word of God is...
00:44:18.45\00:44:22.09
write three things down...
the Word of God is... what?
00:44:22.12\00:44:25.73
living... and what else?
00:44:25.76\00:44:27.16
powerful... and what else?
00:44:27.20\00:44:28.56
sharper...
00:44:28.60\00:44:29.93
so, I add three things...
00:44:29.96\00:44:31.30
I was just going to pull
two... "living and powerful"
00:44:31.33\00:44:33.64
but I like the
word "sharper" also
00:44:33.67\00:44:35.40
because we're talking
about a sharper focus,
00:44:35.44\00:44:37.44
why leave out "sharp"?
00:44:37.47\00:44:39.37
And the reason for that...
00:44:39.41\00:44:41.24
if you notice it
doesn't just say "sharp"
00:44:41.28\00:44:42.74
but it also adds something else,
00:44:42.78\00:44:44.71
"piercing even to the
division of soul and spirit. "
00:44:44.75\00:44:49.22
In other words, our intellect
and our reasoning capacity...
00:44:49.28\00:44:54.06
our intellect and
our reasoning capacity...
00:44:54.09\00:44:56.83
the Bible
00:44:56.86\00:44:59.03
is a book that can make a
man that is not very wise...
00:44:59.06\00:45:03.80
the Bible can make a man wise.
00:45:03.83\00:45:06.87
Pause.
00:45:06.94\00:45:09.60
The entrance of
the Word gives a...
00:45:09.64\00:45:11.61
as a matter of
fact, go with me...
00:45:11.64\00:45:13.51
I'm going to turn
there very quick, Psalm 19.
00:45:13.58\00:45:15.24
Pause...
00:45:15.28\00:45:19.55
What I like
about this... okay...
00:45:19.58\00:45:23.45
Psalm 19... hmmm...
00:45:23.49\00:45:26.19
verse 7...
00:45:26.22\00:45:28.79
wouldn't know that one hadn't
I studied the Bible, right Jill?
00:45:28.82\00:45:32.29
It's another beautiful
text, Psalm 19 verse 7.
00:45:32.33\00:45:35.66
Talk about the Word of God...
00:45:35.70\00:45:37.70
how wonderful it is.
00:45:37.73\00:45:40.37
It reads as follows,
00:45:40.40\00:45:42.97
"The Law of the
Lord... " is what?
00:45:43.00\00:45:45.94
"Perfect... converting the soul:
00:45:45.97\00:45:48.84
the testimony of
the Lord is" what?
00:45:48.88\00:45:51.45
"sure... " come on
read the rest of it,
00:45:51.48\00:45:54.02
"making wise the simple. "
00:45:54.05\00:45:57.75
There are some people that
I've met that don't have...
00:45:57.79\00:46:01.26
and it goes both ways...
00:46:01.29\00:46:03.12
there are some people that
say they have a lot of degrees
00:46:03.16\00:46:05.46
but they are ignorant
compared to the Word of God
00:46:05.49\00:46:07.53
and there are some
people that don't have any...
00:46:07.60\00:46:09.60
but they are so
deep in the Word of God.
00:46:09.63\00:46:12.33
The key is not what
we're able to accomplish
00:46:12.37\00:46:15.04
but if the Word
of God enters in,
00:46:15.07\00:46:16.74
it truly will fulfill what it
says, "Making wise the simple. "
00:46:16.77\00:46:21.64
What that means is,
00:46:21.68\00:46:23.35
you remember what
happened in the book of Acts,
00:46:23.41\00:46:25.38
the apostles were seen by
the Pharisees as uneducated
00:46:25.41\00:46:30.95
and what else? Unlearned
00:46:30.99\00:46:33.25
but when they saw
the power in their lives
00:46:33.29\00:46:36.62
and they heard their
words and their preaching,
00:46:36.69\00:46:38.53
they said, "But it's evident
that they had been with Jesus"
00:46:38.56\00:46:42.43
because the Word was
active in their lives...
00:46:42.46\00:46:46.00
the Word was making
an impact on their lives.
00:46:46.03\00:46:49.47
When the Word of
God enters our lives,
00:46:49.50\00:46:51.91
it makes us wise.
00:46:51.94\00:46:54.04
You show me a person
that studies the Word of God
00:46:54.08\00:46:56.34
I'll show you a person that's
becoming wiser by the day.
00:46:56.41\00:46:59.75
You show me a person that really
dives into the Word of God...
00:46:59.78\00:47:02.78
as a matter-of-fact, I
know somebody who once said,
00:47:02.82\00:47:04.75
and this is a few years ago,
00:47:04.79\00:47:06.35
they were
listening to a Bible Study
00:47:06.39\00:47:08.72
and they said to me,
00:47:08.76\00:47:11.46
"If I could just download
your head into my head... "
00:47:11.49\00:47:17.10
I said, "It will
take a long time"
00:47:17.13\00:47:19.57
but the point of the matter is,
you can have the same experience
00:47:19.63\00:47:23.71
if the more time
you spend in God's Word,
00:47:23.74\00:47:27.08
the more your mind
begins to expand...
00:47:27.11\00:47:30.38
there's a term in the... in
the chiropractic world called
00:47:30.41\00:47:34.28
"Myofascial Release"
00:47:34.32\00:47:37.42
that's a phrase
that's often used,
00:47:37.45\00:47:38.79
what that means is the muscle
when... when it's not active...
00:47:38.82\00:47:42.06
it creates somewhat of a webbing
00:47:42.09\00:47:43.86
and in order for that
muscle to become supple again,
00:47:43.89\00:47:47.13
you got to break the
webbing that restricts it,
00:47:47.16\00:47:49.53
I know because I'm
working on that now every night
00:47:49.56\00:47:51.87
still working on recovering the
full range of my singing voice
00:47:51.90\00:47:55.40
my... my
physical therapist says,
00:47:55.44\00:47:57.87
"You got to work really
hard because you got a lot of...
00:47:57.94\00:48:00.48
lot of fascial tissue here... "
00:48:00.51\00:48:02.34
I think that's the phrase where
00:48:02.41\00:48:04.18
the muscles have to
become released again.
00:48:04.21\00:48:06.72
What happens is, when
the Word of God comes in,
00:48:06.75\00:48:09.58
it softens up the brain
to be able to receive...
00:48:09.65\00:48:12.45
and just to give you the
physiological impact of that
00:48:12.49\00:48:14.79
as you go to the... as
you go to the next question,
00:48:14.82\00:48:17.56
what happens is, when you
study a particular thought,
00:48:17.59\00:48:19.89
just following me very
carefully I'm going to that one,
00:48:19.93\00:48:22.20
when you study a
particular topic in the Bible,
00:48:22.23\00:48:24.67
or when you read your Bible,
00:48:24.70\00:48:26.40
your brain begins
to create new pathways
00:48:26.43\00:48:30.11
pause
00:48:30.14\00:48:32.07
anything that you spend
a long period of time on...
00:48:32.11\00:48:35.84
your brain begins to
fire... just like spark plugs,
00:48:35.88\00:48:39.58
and what happens...
00:48:39.61\00:48:40.95
it starts creating a
new groove in your brain
00:48:40.98\00:48:43.08
somebody might say,
"Well, your brain is not smooth"
00:48:43.15\00:48:45.65
you don't want a smooth brain,
00:48:45.69\00:48:47.02
a smooth brain
belongs to a person
00:48:47.06\00:48:49.32
that does not have
a whole lot up there
00:48:49.36\00:48:50.69
but what happens is,
you can create new pathways
00:48:50.73\00:48:54.03
and as you continue
firing more and more
00:48:54.06\00:48:57.13
on that new pathway,
00:48:57.17\00:48:58.50
it starts branching out
and creating connections
00:48:58.53\00:49:02.44
all through the brain,
00:49:02.50\00:49:03.84
and what happens now...
00:49:03.87\00:49:05.21
you find that what
was hard six months ago,
00:49:05.24\00:49:08.31
is now easy
because you have read
00:49:08.34\00:49:12.05
beyond the feeling
of not wanting to read
00:49:12.08\00:49:14.65
and now you've
developed such a new pathway
00:49:14.68\00:49:17.29
that the neurons and all
the things... I'm not a doctor
00:49:17.32\00:49:20.22
but I know that all those
things that you created...
00:49:20.26\00:49:23.12
new pathways are now working
the way that they should work
00:49:23.16\00:49:27.30
but six months ago,
they were just a spark,
00:49:27.33\00:49:30.10
they were just a
seed planted there,
00:49:30.13\00:49:33.94
that seed... huh...
that's right, Isaiah 1:8,
00:49:33.97\00:49:37.94
"Learn to do good"
00:49:37.97\00:49:39.57
so, if you don't feel
like reading your Bible
00:49:39.61\00:49:41.64
and you want to learn a
lot, what should you do?
00:49:41.68\00:49:43.68
Read your Bible...
00:49:43.71\00:49:45.71
like kids say,
00:49:45.75\00:49:47.65
"Mom, I don't like the
way the medicine tastes"
00:49:47.68\00:49:49.28
pause
00:49:49.35\00:49:50.69
take it anyway... right...
00:49:50.72\00:49:52.05
the Word of God
sometimes is like good medicine,
00:49:52.09\00:49:54.89
it doesn't necessary
taste good right away
00:49:54.92\00:49:57.63
but when you see the results,
00:49:57.66\00:49:58.99
"Wow! I'm so glad I
took all my antibiotics...
00:49:59.03\00:50:02.66
I'm so glad I drank
all my cough medicine"
00:50:02.70\00:50:06.60
that is... not at the same time.
00:50:06.63\00:50:08.07
You got to
really... ain't that right?
00:50:08.10\00:50:11.01
And let me also add
a balance to this...
00:50:11.04\00:50:13.88
if all you do is study
the Bible and nothing else,
00:50:13.91\00:50:16.18
God doesn't just want
you to study the Bible,
00:50:16.21\00:50:18.71
He wants you to
be able to share it
00:50:18.75\00:50:20.68
because it's in
sharing the Bible,
00:50:20.72\00:50:22.52
that really makes another groove
00:50:22.58\00:50:24.32
because now you are responsible
for somebody else learning
00:50:24.35\00:50:28.16
what you have learned
00:50:28.19\00:50:29.52
and if you make a mistake,
00:50:29.56\00:50:30.89
you can go back
and rediscover that
00:50:30.93\00:50:32.26
and share that again
00:50:32.29\00:50:33.63
and all of a
sudden, you'll begin to see,
00:50:33.66\00:50:35.00
"Wow! I'm learning things
and I'm able to do things now
00:50:35.03\00:50:39.13
that I was not
able to do naturally. "
00:50:39.17\00:50:41.00
That's where
that groove comes in,
00:50:41.04\00:50:42.50
that's why spending time
in God's Word really matters.
00:50:42.54\00:50:44.71
Isaiah 1:17... okay
let's go to that one,
00:50:44.77\00:50:47.98
Isaiah 1:17... my
wife told me to do that
00:50:48.01\00:50:51.21
and if you've
been married 29 years,
00:50:51.25\00:50:52.78
you do what your wife says.
00:50:52.81\00:50:54.55
Pause.
00:50:54.58\00:50:57.39
Oh, yeah, Isaiah 1:17
is... "Learn to do good"
00:50:57.42\00:51:00.26
that's what she
was telling me...
00:51:00.29\00:51:01.82
so you don't have to
necessarily turn there,
00:51:01.86\00:51:03.63
Isaiah 1 and verse
17, "Learn to do good. "
00:51:03.66\00:51:05.99
Let's go to Question Number 5,
00:51:06.03\00:51:08.60
Question Number 5...
00:51:08.63\00:51:09.96
here we are... "What two
things does Jesus connect
00:51:10.00\00:51:14.90
to an unproductive mind?"
00:51:14.94\00:51:17.74
What two things does Jesus
connect to an unproductive mind?
00:51:17.77\00:51:24.78
Pause.
00:51:24.81\00:51:27.85
Matthew 22 verse 29...
00:51:27.88\00:51:29.38
Matthew 22 verse 29,
00:51:29.42\00:51:33.22
pause
00:51:33.25\00:51:35.12
He connects two things
to an unproductive mind.
00:51:35.16\00:51:36.49
Pause.
00:51:36.52\00:51:38.86
By-the-way, this statement
comes in the form of a rebuke,
00:51:38.89\00:51:41.00
but it says, very carefully,
00:51:41.03\00:51:45.77
"Jesus answered
and said to them,
00:51:45.80\00:51:49.17
'You are mistaken... " and why?
00:51:49.20\00:51:52.84
"not knowing the Scriptures
nor the power of God. "
00:51:52.87\00:51:58.25
You don't have
knowledge of the Word,
00:51:58.28\00:51:59.81
and the Holy Spirit is
not active in your life
00:51:59.85\00:52:01.88
in the way that He should be.
00:52:01.92\00:52:03.52
You got to know the Scriptures
and you have to also have
00:52:03.55\00:52:06.52
an understanding and experience
00:52:06.55\00:52:08.52
with the power
of God in your life.
00:52:08.56\00:52:10.36
Power is not something that's
arbitrarily there for us to use,
00:52:10.39\00:52:14.26
God is not saying,
00:52:14.30\00:52:15.63
"walking around
talking about you're powerful"
00:52:15.66\00:52:17.33
and... "I can do anything... "
00:52:17.37\00:52:18.77
but He's saying, "No...
00:52:18.80\00:52:20.17
if the Scripture is developing
your mind and your life,
00:52:20.20\00:52:22.87
you'll experience the
power of God in your life. "
00:52:22.90\00:52:25.11
It comes through
the study of God's Word
00:52:25.14\00:52:27.31
but the reason why
mistakes often occur
00:52:27.34\00:52:29.94
is because we
don't know the Scriptures
00:52:29.98\00:52:32.51
nor the power of God
00:52:32.55\00:52:35.15
and when you put that
in modern context today,
00:52:35.18\00:52:38.02
there are a lot
of people that say,
00:52:38.05\00:52:39.45
"I'm filled with the Spirit
00:52:39.49\00:52:41.82
but I don't know the Bible. "
00:52:41.89\00:52:44.03
Come on David, is
there such a thing?
00:52:44.06\00:52:45.89
David: No.
00:52:45.93\00:52:47.26
You cannot be
filled with the Spirit...
00:52:47.30\00:52:49.76
filled... and
not know the Bible.
00:52:49.80\00:52:52.40
It's not possible.
00:52:52.43\00:52:54.30
It's like
saying, "I'm out of gas
00:52:54.34\00:52:56.24
but my car has no
fuel now look at it...
00:52:56.27\00:52:58.91
'Hey, hey, Robert,
isn't that on full?'"
00:52:58.94\00:53:01.31
Robert: Yeah.
00:53:01.34\00:53:02.68
If it's got fuel...
00:53:02.71\00:53:04.05
unless there's some other
connection that's wrong...
00:53:04.08\00:53:06.01
you've got enough... you've
got enough to get you started.
00:53:06.05\00:53:11.19
To put that back in
the context of where it is,
00:53:11.22\00:53:13.89
you cannot say
you're filled by the Spirit,
00:53:13.92\00:53:16.19
if you don't have a
knowledge of God's Word
00:53:16.22\00:53:18.46
and there are so many
Christians now-a-days,
00:53:18.49\00:53:20.50
"I'm walking in the Spirit...
" "I'm living in the... "
00:53:20.53\00:53:22.43
"I'm singing in the Spirit...
praying in the Spirit...
00:53:22.46\00:53:24.33
but I don't know
what the Bible says. "
00:53:24.37\00:53:26.94
That's not possible.
00:53:26.97\00:53:28.74
Look at John 16 very carefully.
00:53:28.77\00:53:30.74
The nice thing
about our study is,
00:53:30.77\00:53:32.54
we don't have to
end it all tonight
00:53:32.57\00:53:34.41
but I want you to
see the connection
00:53:34.44\00:53:36.81
and so, if you
really know the Spirit...
00:53:36.85\00:53:39.15
if you are in the Spirit...
00:53:39.18\00:53:41.32
when the Lord talked about...
00:53:41.38\00:53:43.42
when the Bible
speaks about praying...
00:53:43.49\00:53:45.02
it says, "Praying in the
Spirit and with understanding. "
00:53:45.05\00:53:48.79
Okay, where did I say to turn?
00:53:48.82\00:53:51.19
Audience: John 16...
00:53:51.23\00:53:52.79
I thought so, just was checking.
00:53:52.83\00:53:55.73
John 16 verse 13, okay,
00:53:55.76\00:54:00.04
this is what the
Spirit does, John 16:13,
00:54:00.07\00:54:05.31
"However, when He
the Spirit of... " what?
00:54:05.34\00:54:10.55
truth... "
00:54:10.61\00:54:11.95
you can't say you're in the
Spirit and not want the truth,
00:54:11.98\00:54:14.48
it's just not possible...
it's an invalid connection.
00:54:14.52\00:54:17.82
"However, when He, the
Spirit of truth, has come,
00:54:17.85\00:54:21.12
He will guide you
into... " most truth...
00:54:21.16\00:54:23.36
Audience: All truth.
00:54:23.43\00:54:24.86
Pastor: Some
truth... Audience: All...
00:54:24.89\00:54:26.49
Pastor: Say that
word again, "All... "
00:54:26.53\00:54:28.93
"He will guide
you into all truth;
00:54:28.96\00:54:31.27
for He will not
speak on His own authority,
00:54:31.30\00:54:34.00
but whatever He
hears He will speak;
00:54:34.04\00:54:37.41
and He will... " what?
00:54:37.44\00:54:39.27
"tell you things to come. "
00:54:39.34\00:54:40.91
But there's something else I
want you to get here in verse 14
00:54:40.94\00:54:43.48
"He will glorify Me,
00:54:43.51\00:54:45.81
for He will take of what is
Mine and declare it to you. "
00:54:45.85\00:54:49.68
Some people glorify the Spirit
00:54:49.72\00:54:51.72
when Jesus is to be the
One that is to be glorified,
00:54:51.75\00:54:55.32
get that...
00:54:55.36\00:54:56.69
so they say, "Oh,
I got this Spirit...
00:54:56.73\00:54:58.06
I'm praying for the
um and the Spirit. "
00:54:58.09\00:54:59.43
Well, wait a minute... wait...
the Spirit glorifies Christ,
00:54:59.46\00:55:02.93
The Spirit doesn't
glorify the Spirit.
00:55:02.96\00:55:05.13
You got to pray for the Spirit,
00:55:05.17\00:55:07.10
and it doesn't...
the Bible doesn't say,
00:55:07.14\00:55:08.60
"And if I... and if I,
the Holy Spirit, be lifted up"
00:55:08.64\00:55:12.54
the Spirit leads us to
lift up Christ, all right,
00:55:12.57\00:55:16.41
so here's the
answer to Number 5:
00:55:16.44\00:55:18.15
What two things does Jesus
connect to an unproductive mind?
00:55:18.21\00:55:21.62
Not knowing the Scriptures
00:55:21.68\00:55:23.59
and not being
connected to the power of God
00:55:23.62\00:55:26.42
that is the Spirit of
God active in our lives.
00:55:26.45\00:55:29.22
All right, let's go to Number
6, very quick one we can cover,
00:55:29.26\00:55:33.23
I think you all know the
answer to this one already,
00:55:33.26\00:55:35.33
but it's one of our questions,
00:55:35.46\00:55:37.33
"After we commit
our lives to Jesus,
00:55:37.37\00:55:40.74
what gift does He impart to us?"
00:55:40.77\00:55:44.01
After we commit
our lives to Jesus
00:55:44.04\00:55:47.34
what gift does He impart to us?
00:55:47.38\00:55:50.11
We're going to
Acts 1 and verse 8.
00:55:50.15\00:55:52.81
Acts 1 and verse 8.
00:55:52.85\00:55:55.25
Those of you who are
very familiar with your Bible,
00:55:55.28\00:55:58.42
you know exactly
what that is, all right,
00:55:58.45\00:56:00.99
but notice the pattern
here very, very carefully.
00:56:01.02\00:56:03.53
Acts 1 verse 8, and
it reads as follows,
00:56:03.56\00:56:06.46
"But you shall
receive... " what?
00:56:06.49\00:56:11.20
"power when the Holy
Spirit has come upon you"
00:56:11.23\00:56:16.37
and what's going to happen when
the power comes into your life?
00:56:16.40\00:56:19.47
"and you shall be... " what?
00:56:19.51\00:56:21.04
"witnesses to Me...
00:56:21.08\00:56:24.71
to Me in
Jerusalem, and... " what else?
00:56:24.75\00:56:29.32
"and all
Judea... " and what else?
00:56:29.35\00:56:31.75
"and Samaria... " and then...
00:56:31.79\00:56:33.89
"to the end of the earth. "
00:56:33.92\00:56:35.42
So, get the process now,
00:56:35.46\00:56:37.53
first of all, the first person
00:56:37.56\00:56:40.10
that's going to be
examining your life,
00:56:40.13\00:56:41.96
is Christ.
00:56:42.03\00:56:43.67
"You shall be
witnesses to Me and of Me... "
00:56:43.70\00:56:46.97
"You shall be witnesses... "
00:56:47.00\00:56:48.70
Christ is the
first one examining...
00:56:48.74\00:56:50.54
and then, notice He
says, "begin in Jerusalem... "
00:56:50.57\00:56:52.84
just to give you
the proper context,
00:56:52.87\00:56:55.08
Jerusalem is home...
00:56:55.14\00:56:56.48
where do we begin to
make the biggest impact?
00:56:56.51\00:56:59.01
In our home life,
in our family life...
00:56:59.08\00:57:01.35
that's where the
biggest impact comes...
00:57:01.38\00:57:03.65
and then, you go to Judea,
00:57:03.69\00:57:06.12
that's the people that you
have a hard time with... right?
00:57:06.15\00:57:10.63
Then you go... when
you get past them...
00:57:10.66\00:57:12.53
the people you
have a hard time with...
00:57:12.56\00:57:14.40
then you're more
mature to go to Samaria...
00:57:14.43\00:57:17.47
the folk that you don't
want to even be connected to.
00:57:17.50\00:57:20.70
When you get past them,
00:57:20.74\00:57:22.90
then you're ready to go
to the rest of the world.
00:57:22.94\00:57:26.17
Some people want to
go from the Upper Room
00:57:26.24\00:57:29.24
to the rest of the world.
00:57:29.28\00:57:30.61
You got to go...
Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria...
00:57:30.65\00:57:33.62
then... to the
uttermost parts of the earth.
00:57:33.65\00:57:35.95
Okay, is that
going to take some time?
00:57:35.98\00:57:37.65
It takes time... but it
happens as we continue nurturing
00:57:37.69\00:57:40.59
so here's the answer,
00:57:40.62\00:57:41.96
"After we commit
our lives to Jesus,
00:57:41.99\00:57:43.32
what gift does He impart to us?"
00:57:43.36\00:57:44.69
The gift of the Holy Spirit.
00:57:44.73\00:57:46.70
You see, Friends, the
empowered life is a life
00:57:46.73\00:57:49.23
that's filled by the
power of God's Holy Spirit.
00:57:49.26\00:57:52.90
In order for
you to be victorious
00:57:52.93\00:57:54.90
in your attempt to
uplift Jesus Christ,
00:57:54.94\00:57:57.14
you've got to pray
for the Spirit of God
00:57:57.17\00:57:59.27
and then your life will
come into a sharper focus.
00:57:59.31\00:58:02.61
God bless you.
00:58:02.64\00:58:03.98