Music...
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Hello Friends and
welcome to another
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Wednesday Night Bible Study
here at the 3ABN Worship Center
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in Thompsonville, Illinois
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and we appreciate
you taking the time
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to tune in to join us
for continuing Bible Study.
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As you know, the theme is...
wait... let me just get off
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to tell you... the theme is:
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How to live a...
what kind of life?
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Spiritual life in
a... what kind of body?
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In a natural body...
that's what God has called us...
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every one of us to do...
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live a spiritual life
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but live that
life in a natural body
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until the day comes
when this body is replaced
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by a glorious and perfect body
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and I'm looking forward
to that day... anybody else?
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Audience: Amen.
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Tonight, we want you to
follow along in our lesson
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and here's the
website that you can go to
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to get a copy of
the lesson for tonight,
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go to: ASF.3ABN.org
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and download Lesson Number 14,
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also, Lesson Number 15
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because we're going to be
starting a new lesson tonight
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if we can get to that,
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the lesson tonight,
we're going to be covering is,
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first of all, The Empowered Life
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and then, How to
Live a Servant's Life.
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So, get both of those copies
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and at that website,
you can also get copies
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of all the
lessons prior to that one,
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if you've missed any broadcast,
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you'll also be
able to follow through
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by looking at some of the
videos from the prior broadcasts
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but tonight, get your Bibles...
invite your friends and families
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if you are a church,
gather together and pray with us
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as we invite the presence of God
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and after the
prayer, we'll sing our song,
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"Victory in Jesus"
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so let's pray together.
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"Gracious Father in heaven,
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we thank you for the opportunity
tonight to open your Word,
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but we pray that we
just not open a book
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but we open our hearts.
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We invite your
presence to abide with us...
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to strengthen us...
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to speak to us at
the point of our need
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and Lord to not only open up
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what is important to
us in our understanding
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but plant within us a willing
spirit to follow as you lead
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this is our prayer in
Jesus' name we pray, amen. "
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Tonight, join us,
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many of you know our
song, "Victory in Jesus"
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if you know it by heart,
you can sing along with us
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and we always praise the Lord
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because this is our theme,
in fact, Victory in Jesus.
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Let's sing the song.
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Music...
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I heard an old, old story,
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How a 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,
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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. Audience: Amen.
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Tonight as we
continue in our topic:
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How to Live a
Spiritual Life in a Natural Body
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it is: How to live
the Empowered Life.
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Let's say it together,
"How to live... " what?
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Audience and Pastor:
"the Empowered Life. "
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Everything we have needs power.
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The universe is a place
where God's power is displayed
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but God does not
just want the power of God
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to be displayed in the universe
in the sun, the moon, the stars,
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the most important blessing is,
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God wants His power
to be seen in our lives.
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As a matter of fact,
I'd like to begin tonight
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instead of going
to the first question,
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I want to go the
book of Romans chapter 1,
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Romans chapter 1,
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I want you to see a
very important verse,
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this I would refer to
as a transitional verse.
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It allows us to so-to-speak
use this verse as a springboard
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because Paul the
apostle had a desire
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and one of the things that
we have to keep in mind is that
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when we focus on the gospel,
which is the good news...
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what is the gospel?
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Audience: The good news...
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we have to make sure that
our attitude toward the gospel
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is correct
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because a lot of
people know about the gospel
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but our attitude toward
the gospel has to be correct
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and let me just
lay the foundation.
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People that are in the world...
you can walk up to a person
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that does not know Christ...
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you can stand in a crowd
of people at 4th of July's...
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4th of July Fireworks Show,
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you could be
walking in the mall,
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you could be standing at
a counter in the bookstore,
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you could be in a
very secular environment
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and in many cases, a
person wouldn't hesitate
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to talk to you about the thing
that interests them the most.
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I mean, they wouldn't be
afraid to talk about that,
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people that want to sell
cars or any kind of device
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or maybe real estate,
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or they want to send
you or sell you a program...
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for example, the
other morning I was at a...
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I remember being in
a particular city...
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I want to be very vague on this
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and waiting for
the light to change
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and as soon as
the light turned red,
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on... in each of the four
points of the intersection,
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four guys ran into the streets
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and they had a large
stack of cards in their hands
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and they tapped on the cars...
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they had a stack
of cards in their hand
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and they tapped on the
windows of each of the cars
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and wanting the people
to roll their window down
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so they can give them a card
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and when the light turned
green, they moved out of the way
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and I could suggest or assume
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that when the
light turned red again,
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they jumped in the
streets... ran up to the cars
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and were passing out cards
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making sure that
everybody that stopped there
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was aware of
what they were selling
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but you find in the
Christian world today,
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that it's really hard to...
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it's really hard for
Christians to stand out
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because unlike the
world, we are not really...
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let me use this
phrase in the proper way,
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we have to be more diligent
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about getting
our product out there
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but this text...
this springboard text...
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reveals one of the reasons
why Christians are obviously
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blending into the
crowd more than standing out.
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The Lord wants
Christians to stand out.
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He doesn't want us
to blend into the crowd.
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You'll never really know
a Christian, in many cases,
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unless some...
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something of that person's
life stands out in the crowd
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and I believe that's
what Jesus meant when He said,
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"Let your light
so shine before men"
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but when you look at this verse,
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one of the reasons why Paul
the apostle stood out so much
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is... verse 16 reveals
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what was different
about his walk with God
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that should be
similar in our lives
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based on his testimony,
look at Romans 1 and verse 16,
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And Paul said,
"For I am not... " what?
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Audience: Ashamed.
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"I am not ashamed
of the gospel of Christ
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for it is the power of God
to salvation... " for how many?
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Audience: For everyone.
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Pastor: for
every one who believes
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so here's my point, if
we say that we are believers
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should we be
ashamed about the gospel?
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Audience: No.
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But... but I see a
lot of... now-a-days
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is Christians don't stand out
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as God intends
for them to stand out.
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One person once said,
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"I mean... I'm a
Christian but I mean
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do I have to tell everybody?"
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Well, in fact, God
didn't light the candle
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to put it in the closet,
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He said, "A candle that's lit
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should not be
put under a bushel"
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a city that is set
ablaze is put on a hill
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so that the world could see it.
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As a matter of fact,
if you study the Bible,
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Jerusalem wasn't in a
valley, Jerusalem was on a hill.
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You went up to Jerusalem...
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whenever you left
Jerusalem, you were going down
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which is synonymous
to the spiritual life.
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Whenever we are on our way to
that spiritual walk with Christ,
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we're going up
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but whenever we are
going away from Christ,
00:10:04.90\00:10:06.23
our lives are going down
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and so, Jerusalem is
a city set on a hill.
00:10:07.64\00:10:09.47
The Lord does not
want the Christian life
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to be in the valley,
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He doesn't want us to blend in
with the world during the week
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and then, struggle to stand out
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when we get together
in a spiritual gathering
00:10:18.78\00:10:20.85
so I want to
begin by saying tonight
00:10:20.88\00:10:23.12
one of the ways that the
life that God has given to us
00:10:23.15\00:10:26.09
is a life that's empowered
is we cannot be ashamed.
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Let's say that together,
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"We cannot be ashamed. "
00:10:30.66\00:10:32.16
So if the... if the
topic of Jesus comes up,
00:10:32.19\00:10:35.06
that's a topic
that we should be glad
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to preach and to talk about.
00:10:39.27\00:10:40.87
Or... or.. or more
specifically, it should be good
00:10:40.90\00:10:44.01
if many of us equip ourselves
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so that when we
are in a situation,
00:10:46.11\00:10:48.14
we can be one of the first
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to bring up the fact
that we are Christians.
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I think somebody once said...
00:10:51.68\00:10:53.25
some people I know...
they have their car stacked
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with the pamphlets and
things they can hand out
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some people go on airplanes
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and before they leave they
leave a pamphlet or a flyer
00:11:01.72\00:11:04.43
inside the magazine,
00:11:04.46\00:11:06.03
I've gone to truck stops
and I've seen books there
00:11:06.09\00:11:09.26
and I know, "Hey, a
Christian was here. "
00:11:09.30\00:11:11.50
So, God is in
essence saying to Christians,
00:11:11.53\00:11:13.74
we need to do a better job
00:11:13.77\00:11:16.30
and not just
saying we're not ashamed
00:11:16.37\00:11:18.74
but living a life
that lets the world know...
00:11:18.77\00:11:21.58
we are not
ashamed of the gospel.
00:11:21.61\00:11:23.14
Can you say "amen" to that?
00:11:23.18\00:11:24.51
So that's what the
empowered life really is,
00:11:24.55\00:11:26.92
the foundation to
diving into that would be,
00:11:26.95\00:11:29.45
"If we're not ashamed
of the gospel of Christ,
00:11:29.48\00:11:31.95
we truly are a believer. "
00:11:31.99\00:11:34.26
But in the day and
age in which we live,
00:11:34.29\00:11:37.09
the Lord doesn't
need a silent majority.
00:11:37.13\00:11:39.83
He needs a visible...
I mean, vocal majority.
00:11:39.89\00:11:43.06
Right?
00:11:43.13\00:11:44.47
Now, a lot of
things happened in the news
00:11:44.50\00:11:46.27
and I don't want
to date this program
00:11:46.33\00:11:48.14
but I got to mention this
00:11:48.20\00:11:51.71
because it's
like hot off the press
00:11:51.74\00:11:53.61
you know, all the
world was wondering
00:11:53.68\00:11:55.51
who the next
Pope was going to be
00:11:55.54\00:11:57.68
and the multiple
billions of followers
00:11:57.71\00:12:00.85
or the billion-plus followers
of the Roman Catholic Church
00:12:00.88\00:12:03.62
we're not ashamed to
stand out in the rain
00:12:03.65\00:12:06.89
be it all day or all night
00:12:06.92\00:12:08.72
to see who that next
person was going to be.
00:12:08.76\00:12:11.56
To see whether or not the
smoke was going to be white
00:12:11.59\00:12:14.30
or whether or not the
smoke was going to be black
00:12:14.36\00:12:17.47
and I wonder...
people are willing to do that
00:12:17.50\00:12:20.54
to see who the
next man is going to be
00:12:20.60\00:12:23.51
but Christians
that are connected
00:12:23.84\00:12:26.27
more indelibly directly to Jesus
00:12:26.31\00:12:28.68
should be as
willing to put ourselves
00:12:28.74\00:12:31.38
in situations where our
testimony is as powerful
00:12:31.41\00:12:35.42
as those standing for
things that are temporary.
00:12:35.45\00:12:39.45
Right? Look at the question.
00:12:39.49\00:12:41.56
Question Number 11 leads
us right to where we're headed
00:12:41.59\00:12:44.36
for our topic tonight.
00:12:44.39\00:12:45.96
Question Number 11:
00:12:45.99\00:12:47.96
What does the Bible describe
as the "Message of the Cross?"
00:12:48.00\00:12:53.10
And we're going to go to
the book of 1st Corinthians
00:12:53.13\00:12:55.77
chapter 18.
00:12:55.80\00:12:57.24
What does the Bible describe
as the message of the cross?
00:12:57.27\00:13:03.71
Okay, 1st
Corinthians 1 and verse 18.
00:13:03.75\00:13:08.58
Pause.
00:13:08.62\00:13:13.72
What I like about this
question is it has two answers.
00:13:13.76\00:13:17.09
It has two answers, right?
00:13:17.13\00:13:19.26
So the answer... keep in mind
00:13:19.29\00:13:21.36
depending on what
side of the fence you fall
00:13:21.40\00:13:24.77
based on this question,
the answer could be one
00:13:24.80\00:13:28.14
or the answer
could be the other.
00:13:28.17\00:13:29.90
Notice what Paul
the Apostle says,
00:13:29.94\00:13:31.61
"What does the Bible describe
as the message of the cross?"
00:13:31.64\00:13:33.71
He said, "For the message
of the cross is... " what?
00:13:33.74\00:13:37.71
Come on, let's talk
about that, are you ready,
00:13:37.75\00:13:40.78
are you guys ready?
00:13:40.82\00:13:42.15
"For the message of
the cross is... " what?
00:13:42.18\00:13:43.52
Audience: Foolishness.
Pastor: Foolishness...
00:13:43.55\00:13:44.95
and it's on the screen...
00:13:44.99\00:13:46.79
"to those who are perishing,
00:13:46.82\00:13:48.52
but to us who are being
saved it is the... " what?
00:13:48.59\00:13:52.99
Audience and
Pastor: "power of God. "
00:13:53.03\00:13:54.70
So on one side, if you're
not... if you're not saved...
00:13:54.73\00:13:58.53
it's foolishness
00:13:58.60\00:14:00.24
but if you're being
saved, it's... what?
00:14:00.27\00:14:02.30
The power of God.
00:14:02.34\00:14:04.87
And notice that...
between... we have...
00:14:04.94\00:14:07.51
at our Production
Center here at behind stage...
00:14:07.54\00:14:11.15
I want to kind of
give you the glimpse
00:14:11.18\00:14:12.51
for those of you who
have not been at 3ABN.
00:14:12.55\00:14:14.85
Behind stage we have
this little plastic box,
00:14:14.88\00:14:17.09
if you're part of
the Production Team,
00:14:17.12\00:14:18.62
you know where
I'm headed with this
00:14:18.65\00:14:21.22
and... and it's
filled with batteries
00:14:21.26\00:14:23.83
pause
00:14:23.86\00:14:25.89
but unless you have a...
unless you have a Tester,
00:14:25.93\00:14:30.23
you cannot tell which battery
has power and which one doesn't.
00:14:30.27\00:14:35.80
So, in the box,
00:14:35.84\00:14:38.54
there are two labels that
are written on white tape...
00:14:38.57\00:14:41.71
black marker... on the
left side it says, "Bad"
00:14:41.74\00:14:46.01
on the right side
it says, what? "Good. "
00:14:46.08\00:14:48.62
And... but if you look
at the external wrapping,
00:14:48.65\00:14:51.59
they don't look any different.
00:14:51.62\00:14:53.05
Energizer batteries or
Duracell batteries in one pile
00:14:53.09\00:14:57.53
Duracell batteries or
Energizers in the other pile,
00:14:57.56\00:15:01.96
there's no
external visible difference.
00:15:02.00\00:15:04.63
But where do you
think the difference lies?
00:15:04.67\00:15:07.27
Somebody tell me.
00:15:07.30\00:15:08.64
Audience: What is on the inside.
00:15:08.67\00:15:10.17
The power of God resides
not on the outside alone...
00:15:10.21\00:15:13.94
it's just not seen outside
as a visible representation
00:15:13.98\00:15:17.68
but it can only be
seen on the outside
00:15:17.71\00:15:19.81
if there's a power of
God residing on the... where?
00:15:19.88\00:15:22.98
Inside...
00:15:23.02\00:15:24.35
Acts 1:8... He says,
"If you are born again,
00:15:24.39\00:15:27.19
if you are a follower of
Christ, you shall receive power"
00:15:27.22\00:15:30.63
so, if we say we have the
power of God residing in us
00:15:30.66\00:15:34.03
should not the power
of God make a difference
00:15:34.10\00:15:36.00
on the outside
of us... yes or no?
00:15:36.03\00:15:37.50
Audience: Yes.
00:15:37.57\00:15:38.90
Pastor: There
should be a difference,
00:15:38.93\00:15:40.27
not just a difference in
what we say but how we live.
00:15:40.30\00:15:42.04
So write the answer down,
00:15:42.10\00:15:44.47
"What does the Bible
describe as the message of God?"
00:15:44.51\00:15:47.01
Foolishness to the perishing,
00:15:47.04\00:15:49.04
power of God to
those being saved.
00:15:49.08\00:15:52.91
Foolishness and
the power of God.
00:15:52.95\00:15:54.65
Put foolishness on the left
00:15:54.68\00:15:56.52
and the power of
God on the right.
00:15:56.58\00:15:58.62
The power of God should
always appear on the right
00:15:58.65\00:16:01.32
and that's an amazing text here
00:16:01.36\00:16:03.96
because depending on
whatever category you may be in,
00:16:03.99\00:16:06.39
that's how the answer
comes to the forefront.
00:16:06.46\00:16:09.06
If you don't know Christ,
you don't want to know Christ,
00:16:09.10\00:16:11.63
then the message is foolishness,
00:16:11.67\00:16:13.27
there are those individuals
00:16:13.30\00:16:14.74
that would not even think
about going to a church service,
00:16:14.77\00:16:17.77
because they say, "What's
happening at the service?"
00:16:17.84\00:16:20.24
"Oh, there's a
sermon this weekend. "
00:16:20.28\00:16:21.71
"I don't want
to hear a sermon. "
00:16:21.74\00:16:23.88
To them the message
is what? Foolishness...
00:16:23.91\00:16:27.02
but for those that are hungering
00:16:27.05\00:16:29.48
and thirsting
after righteousness,
00:16:29.52\00:16:31.89
they're not just
hungering and thirsting
00:16:31.92\00:16:33.52
for something transient,
00:16:33.56\00:16:34.89
they are going to
be filled by what?
00:16:34.92\00:16:36.62
By what? The power of God...
00:16:36.66\00:16:40.76
the power of God is
being revealed to them.
00:16:40.80\00:16:43.16
First in a message
00:16:43.20\00:16:45.20
but if you abide that
and allow that to affect
00:16:45.23\00:16:47.67
and impact your
life the way you live,
00:16:47.70\00:16:49.97
then the power of
God will be revealed
00:16:50.01\00:16:51.97
and I tell you what...
00:16:52.01\00:16:53.38
the Christian life
is not an easy life.
00:16:53.44\00:16:55.81
It's not just a
life of testimony,
00:16:55.84\00:16:57.81
it's not just a life of baptism,
00:16:57.85\00:16:59.75
it's not just a life
of church attendance.
00:16:59.78\00:17:01.95
It's a life of transformation
00:17:01.98\00:17:04.29
and unless the
transformation takes place,
00:17:04.32\00:17:06.52
then the power of God
cannot be experienced.
00:17:06.55\00:17:08.72
Isn't that right?
00:17:08.76\00:17:10.09
Let's go to the next
question, Question Number 12,
00:17:10.13\00:17:12.66
Question Number 12
00:17:12.69\00:17:14.80
"What did Paul
describe as the reason
00:17:14.83\00:17:18.07
we are able to
represent Christ?"
00:17:18.10\00:17:20.24
What did Paul
the apostle describe
00:17:20.30\00:17:24.24
as the reason we are
able to represent Christ?
00:17:24.27\00:17:28.08
What did he describe?
00:17:28.11\00:17:31.88
And we're going to go to
2nd Corinthians 13 and verse 4,
00:17:31.91\00:17:34.38
all right, 2nd
Corinthians 13 and verse 4.
00:17:34.42\00:17:38.92
Pause.
00:17:38.95\00:17:41.09
Here's how he
describes the reason
00:17:41.12\00:17:44.43
why we are able
to represent Christ.
00:17:44.46\00:17:47.33
Okay, look at
the verse together.
00:17:47.36\00:17:50.17
It says, "For though He
was crucified in weakness,
00:17:50.20\00:17:55.40
yet He lives by
the power of God.
00:17:55.47\00:17:59.51
For we also are weak in Him,
00:17:59.54\00:18:01.94
but we shall live
with Him by the... " what?
00:18:01.98\00:18:05.48
power of God toward you.
00:18:05.51\00:18:08.48
So, the reason he describes that
we are able to represent Christ
00:18:08.52\00:18:11.85
is what?
00:18:11.89\00:18:13.22
The power of God.
00:18:13.25\00:18:14.92
I was stringing lights together,
00:18:14.96\00:18:20.43
we use lights for all
different kinds of things,
00:18:20.50\00:18:22.73
one of the things...
I went to an exten...
00:18:22.76\00:18:25.37
I went to a I
wouldn't say a hardware store,
00:18:25.43\00:18:27.94
I went to Home Depot...
that's that's a hardware store,
00:18:28.00\00:18:30.37
that's another statement to
say that's a hardware store,
00:18:30.41\00:18:32.64
it's a place where...
00:18:32.67\00:18:34.08
you know, guys love to
spend hours in Home Depot,
00:18:34.11\00:18:37.05
women... they don't really
like Home Depot very much.
00:18:37.08\00:18:39.95
Most women don't,
00:18:39.98\00:18:41.58
I can't make that
a blanket statement
00:18:41.62\00:18:42.98
but in a Home Depot, I was...
00:18:43.02\00:18:45.32
I have a power
cord and when I travel,
00:18:45.35\00:18:47.82
I plug in my
microphone wherever I go
00:18:47.89\00:18:50.09
but I can't always
tell whether or not it's on
00:18:50.13\00:18:52.13
so what I did was,
00:18:52.16\00:18:53.50
I bought one of those
little short extension...
00:18:53.53\00:18:56.06
they call them
piglets, piglet tails,
00:18:56.13\00:18:59.07
and when you
plug it in, it glows,
00:18:59.13\00:19:02.00
that is, it has either a
red light... an orange light
00:19:02.04\00:19:06.04
a green light,
00:19:06.07\00:19:07.48
depending on
whatever color you buy,
00:19:07.51\00:19:08.94
so I bought all the ones that
would radiate an orange light
00:19:08.98\00:19:12.48
because sometimes
if I'm in a distance,
00:19:12.51\00:19:14.38
the only way that I
can tell that my microphone
00:19:14.42\00:19:17.32
or my computer is
plugged into a living socket,
00:19:17.35\00:19:20.22
is that thing glows
00:19:20.26\00:19:21.86
and I travel to different places
00:19:21.89\00:19:23.49
and I don't always
find living sockets,
00:19:23.53\00:19:26.29
they look like they're sockets,
00:19:26.33\00:19:27.76
they look like
they're supposed to work
00:19:27.83\00:19:29.16
but until you plug something in
00:19:29.20\00:19:30.53
and the... and the
current passes through it,
00:19:30.57\00:19:32.57
and the plug
glows, you'll never know
00:19:32.63\00:19:34.87
whether or not
that socket is alive.
00:19:34.90\00:19:37.11
So also it's the same
thing with the Christians,
00:19:37.14\00:19:39.57
unless we connect
ourselves to a living...
00:19:39.61\00:19:42.38
and how does
Jesus describe that?
00:19:42.41\00:19:44.08
Go with me to John
chapter 15, you see, we...
00:19:44.11\00:19:46.98
we sometimes talk about this
00:19:47.02\00:19:48.42
but there's a
connection that has to be made,
00:19:48.45\00:19:50.45
there's a
connection that enables us
00:19:50.49\00:19:53.76
to have the power of
Christ resident in our lives.
00:19:53.79\00:19:58.96
I know when my
computer is plugged in
00:19:58.99\00:20:00.80
because the plug glows orange,
00:20:00.83\00:20:02.96
if it's not plugged
in, it doesn't glow,
00:20:03.00\00:20:05.60
As a matter of fact, I...
00:20:05.63\00:20:06.97
I had my computer
plugged in a few weeks ago
00:20:07.00\00:20:10.07
in a socket and
what I didn't realize is
00:20:10.11\00:20:13.64
when I turned
the wall switch off,
00:20:13.68\00:20:15.68
it also turned off the socket,
00:20:15.71\00:20:18.18
and I thought... all
night my computer was charging
00:20:18.21\00:20:20.68
and I woke up the next
day, it was at two percent,
00:20:20.72\00:20:23.15
I said, "What happened?"
00:20:23.18\00:20:24.95
And I realized... when
I turned the light off,
00:20:24.99\00:20:28.12
I also turned the socket off.
00:20:28.16\00:20:29.72
So, you got to make
sure the connection is...
00:20:29.76\00:20:31.59
let me just say this,
00:20:31.63\00:20:32.96
before I read this text,
we have to keep this in mind,
00:20:32.99\00:20:34.76
whenever we are connected
to Christ, we are connected...
00:20:34.80\00:20:37.03
and I'm going to
use this phrase very...
00:20:37.07\00:20:38.87
we are connected to a
living source of power.
00:20:38.90\00:20:41.57
Audience: Amen.
00:20:41.60\00:20:42.97
I don't want to use the word
"Socket" to refer to Christ,
00:20:43.00\00:20:45.21
we are connected to
a living power source.
00:20:45.24\00:20:48.38
No disconnect right there.
00:20:48.41\00:20:50.05
Notice what Jesus talks about,
John chapter 15, all right,
00:20:50.08\00:20:54.38
and I'd like to
start with verse 4.
00:20:54.42\00:20:58.95
He says, what's the first word?
00:20:58.99\00:21:03.53
Audience: Abide.
00:21:03.56\00:21:04.89
Pastor: Abide... how?
00:21:04.93\00:21:06.26
in me... do you
see the connection?
00:21:06.29\00:21:07.93
"abide in me and I in you
00:21:07.96\00:21:11.03
as the branch cannot
bear fruit of itself"
00:21:11.07\00:21:16.10
unless it does what?
00:21:16.14\00:21:17.67
"unless it abides in the
vine neither can you... "
00:21:17.71\00:21:22.44
unless you do what?
00:21:22.48\00:21:23.81
"abide in me"
00:21:23.85\00:21:25.18
so... so how good is a computer
if it has no power source?
00:21:25.21\00:21:28.15
How good is a television monitor
00:21:28.18\00:21:29.88
or anything that
needs a power source,
00:21:29.92\00:21:31.29
how good is it if
it is not connected
00:21:31.32\00:21:33.96
to a living power source.
00:21:33.99\00:21:35.39
If there's no current
flowing through... Jesus says,
00:21:35.42\00:21:38.13
"neither can you
unless you abide in me. "
00:21:38.16\00:21:41.73
And I tell you,
00:21:41.76\00:21:43.87
when you think about how
difficult the devil makes it
00:21:43.90\00:21:47.44
for Christians
to... to be productive,
00:21:47.47\00:21:49.50
when you read the parable of
the sower in Matthew chapter 13,
00:21:49.54\00:21:53.48
you discover that
75 percent of those
00:21:53.51\00:21:58.18
that receive the sprinkling
of the seed were unproductive.
00:21:58.21\00:22:01.82
Only 25 percent were
00:22:01.88\00:22:04.42
and when you look
at the categories there
00:22:04.45\00:22:06.25
that kept the person
from being unproductive,
00:22:06.29\00:22:07.99
and I'm trying to put
this in a practical setting,
00:22:08.02\00:22:09.99
is, we as
Christians have to keep in mind
00:22:10.03\00:22:12.39
that as God's Word is being
spread abroad in our lives,
00:22:12.43\00:22:16.53
we have to make sure that
our hearts are receptive soil
00:22:16.56\00:22:20.64
because some soil
was instantly receptive
00:22:20.67\00:22:24.81
but it had no depth.
00:22:24.84\00:22:26.24
Some soil was hard
and it couldn't penetrate
00:22:26.27\00:22:32.98
others started growing
but it grew up among thorns
00:22:33.01\00:22:38.45
that choked its growth process
and it died along the way
00:22:38.49\00:22:42.19
and produced absolutely nothing.
00:22:42.22\00:22:43.83
and when you
think about those things
00:22:43.86\00:22:45.69
that choke our
growth as Christians,
00:22:45.73\00:22:47.50
is sometimes... the Bible says,
"The deceitfulness of riches
00:22:47.53\00:22:50.63
the cares of this life,
the trials of this world,
00:22:50.67\00:22:53.74
sometimes become the focal
point of the Christian's life,
00:22:53.77\00:22:56.57
that strangles
them from their growth.
00:22:56.60\00:22:59.54
So, what am I saying
in this particular...
00:22:59.57\00:23:02.44
in this particular setting...
00:23:02.48\00:23:04.61
we may be connected to the vine,
00:23:04.65\00:23:06.72
but we cannot allow
the trials and difficulties
00:23:06.75\00:23:10.05
and challenges of life
00:23:10.09\00:23:11.42
to disconnect us from
our only source of survival.
00:23:11.45\00:23:15.26
Right?
00:23:15.29\00:23:16.62
Look at the next
verse, verse 5 in John 15,
00:23:16.66\00:23:20.00
He says, "I am the
vine, you are the branches:
00:23:20.03\00:23:23.40
he who abides in me, and
I in him, bears... " what?
00:23:23.43\00:23:28.00
"much fruit: for
without Me you can do... " what?
00:23:28.04\00:23:32.61
"nothing. "
00:23:32.64\00:23:33.98
Once again, can we do
anything without Christ?
00:23:34.01\00:23:38.15
Audience: No.
00:23:38.18\00:23:39.51
Now what about
our 28 Fundamentals?
00:23:39.55\00:23:41.08
What about all of
our doctrinal beliefs?
00:23:41.12\00:23:42.45
Isn't that enough?
00:23:42.48\00:23:43.82
What about all of our
Institutions and our schools
00:23:43.85\00:23:47.32
and our colleges and
our medical facilities?
00:23:47.36\00:23:50.13
Isn't that enough?
00:23:50.16\00:23:51.69
He said, you can
lump all that together
00:23:51.73\00:23:53.40
and all together it
becomes unproductive
00:23:53.43\00:23:55.76
if it is not
connected to Christ.
00:23:55.80\00:23:59.30
And not on a singular-weekly
basis, not on a 7th-day basis,
00:23:59.33\00:24:03.87
but on a 7-day basis
00:24:03.91\00:24:06.07
and I would...
00:24:06.11\00:24:08.21
I would tell you, we have
to be really, really careful
00:24:08.24\00:24:10.65
because Paul also talks about
guarding our walk with Christ.
00:24:10.68\00:24:16.45
Guarding our lives
on a day-by-day basis
00:24:16.48\00:24:18.59
because you know,
you can get so busy
00:24:18.62\00:24:20.89
that you can forget
to connect to Christ
00:24:20.96\00:24:23.02
and then, what happens?
00:24:23.06\00:24:25.13
As we go through the day,
00:24:25.16\00:24:27.16
going through the
motions of Christianity
00:24:27.20\00:24:29.06
and realizing that it's like,
00:24:29.10\00:24:31.87
it's like trying to
find water in the desert.
00:24:31.90\00:24:35.50
You're digging all day long
00:24:35.57\00:24:38.27
and you're
finding absolutely nothing
00:24:38.31\00:24:41.04
because you did not
consult the water of life
00:24:41.11\00:24:44.25
at the beginning of your day
00:24:44.28\00:24:45.81
but when you begin
your day with Christ
00:24:45.88\00:24:47.62
and I want to be
very practical tonight
00:24:47.65\00:24:49.38
because we could be
rushing through the lesson,
00:24:49.42\00:24:51.15
but when you begin
your day with Christ,
00:24:51.19\00:24:52.55
you'll discover that the
life does become empowered
00:24:52.59\00:24:55.12
and so I don't know, I
don't want to ask the question
00:24:55.16\00:24:57.69
but I want to just
throw it out there,
00:24:57.73\00:24:59.06
how many of you...
don't raise your hands...
00:24:59.09\00:25:00.93
but how many of you
watching this broadcast
00:25:00.96\00:25:02.30
or listening to it...
00:25:02.33\00:25:03.67
how many of you have a
morning devotional life?
00:25:03.70\00:25:06.10
Pause.
00:25:06.13\00:25:07.87
If you don't have that,
00:25:07.90\00:25:09.24
you're doing
everything on your own power,
00:25:09.27\00:25:11.44
you may be good at what you do,
00:25:11.47\00:25:13.01
but you'll find that you
will dry up early in the day
00:25:13.04\00:25:15.84
and all of a sudden, all of
the activity becomes meaningless
00:25:15.88\00:25:18.71
because your
life is void and empty
00:25:18.78\00:25:20.85
and you sit down
tired and exhausted
00:25:20.88\00:25:22.92
and the thoughts of Christ
00:25:22.98\00:25:24.79
never entered your
mind during the day.
00:25:24.85\00:25:26.55
You got to begin your day...
00:25:26.59\00:25:28.26
that's why with all
the technology now-a-days
00:25:28.32\00:25:31.09
each of us could
have it on our iPad
00:25:31.13\00:25:33.23
or... or
whatever device we have,
00:25:33.26\00:25:35.30
it's a Droid or
whatever device you have,
00:25:35.33\00:25:38.07
your computer, your laptop,
00:25:38.10\00:25:39.70
your cell phone,
00:25:39.73\00:25:41.07
it's so
available to us now-a-days
00:25:41.10\00:25:42.87
that we should not
ever be without some source
00:25:42.90\00:25:45.74
of getting nourishment
for our minds and our lives
00:25:45.77\00:25:48.38
and when is the best time
to get it... somebody tell me.
00:25:48.41\00:25:51.75
Early morning...
in the morning...
00:25:51.78\00:25:55.25
if you try to get manna after
the sun rises, what happens?
00:25:55.28\00:25:58.62
Ain't going to find it.
00:25:58.65\00:26:00.26
If you don't spend
that time with Christ
00:26:00.29\00:26:02.59
before you do anything else,
00:26:02.62\00:26:04.26
you're going to
find yourself exhausted
00:26:04.29\00:26:06.29
and you're going to say,
"Why Jesus, do I feel so empty?"
00:26:06.33\00:26:09.56
He will say,
"Because I'm not in you...
00:26:09.60\00:26:11.83
that's the...
that's the major reason...
00:26:11.87\00:26:14.07
I'm not there.
00:26:14.10\00:26:16.34
But if Christ is
connected to your life,
00:26:16.37\00:26:18.77
you'll find that the
empowerment does come.
00:26:18.84\00:26:21.18
So, that's why he says, I
want to read this text again,
00:26:21.21\00:26:23.78
"For though He was
crucified in weakness,
00:26:23.81\00:26:26.31
yet He lives by... "
what? "the power of God. "
00:26:26.35\00:26:30.09
"For we also are weak in
Him, but we shall live with Him
00:26:30.12\00:26:34.29
by the power of
God toward... " who?
00:26:34.32\00:26:37.16
"toward you. "
00:26:37.23\00:26:38.56
So, here's the question,
00:26:38.59\00:26:39.93
"What does Paul
describe as the reason
00:26:39.96\00:26:41.86
we are able to
represent Christ?"
00:26:41.90\00:26:44.20
Together again,
"The power of God. "
00:26:44.23\00:26:46.47
Let's not take that for granted,
00:26:46.50\00:26:47.87
that's
something that's by faith,
00:26:47.90\00:26:49.37
we've got to connect with that
00:26:49.40\00:26:50.84
because there's no
signs outside saying,
00:26:50.87\00:26:52.84
"Stop here for
the power of God. "
00:26:52.87\00:26:54.61
The power of God is
available to us where we live.
00:26:54.64\00:26:57.68
The power of God is
available to us on our knees.
00:26:57.71\00:27:00.68
The power of God is available
to us in our devotional life.
00:27:00.72\00:27:04.05
All right, Number 13.
00:27:04.09\00:27:06.65
Right along, Number 13.
00:27:06.69\00:27:09.22
"How does the Bible describe
00:27:09.26\00:27:11.13
the reason why we
are able to prosper?"
00:27:11.19\00:27:13.56
I really like this
one, go to Deuteronomy 8,
00:27:13.60\00:27:16.33
turn there with me,
Deuteronomy chapter 8,
00:27:16.36\00:27:19.07
I pulled out a
certain portion of it
00:27:19.10\00:27:21.37
but I want to
make this practical
00:27:21.40\00:27:23.64
because the power of
God is not just available
00:27:23.67\00:27:26.57
for your spiritual life,
00:27:26.61\00:27:27.94
but it's for your
temporal life also.
00:27:27.98\00:27:31.11
God wants to be in
every area of our lives.
00:27:31.15\00:27:36.65
Deuteronomy 8 and I
want to start with verse 10,
00:27:36.69\00:27:41.92
then we're going to
eventually get to verse 18,
00:27:42.26\00:27:43.59
and when we get to
verse 18, I want to...
00:27:43.63\00:27:45.33
as a matter of
fact, I'll read verse 18
00:27:45.36\00:27:47.06
and then I'll go
back to verse 10.
00:27:47.10\00:27:48.43
Okay, let's read verse
18 as our answer is there.
00:27:48.46\00:27:51.80
"How does the
Bible describe the reason
00:27:51.83\00:27:53.47
why we are able to prosper?"
00:27:53.50\00:27:54.84
Here's what's on the screen
00:27:54.87\00:27:56.20
and it says, "And you shall
remember the LORD your God,
00:27:56.24\00:28:00.51
for it is He who
gives you... " what?
00:28:00.54\00:28:03.38
"power to get wealth,
00:28:03.41\00:28:05.75
that He may
establish His covenant
00:28:05.78\00:28:10.09
which He swore to your
fathers, as it is this day. "
00:28:10.12\00:28:14.52
So, now, who gives
us power to get wealth?
00:28:14.56\00:28:16.69
Audience: God.
00:28:16.73\00:28:18.06
Okay now, so now,
let's make it very practical.
00:28:18.09\00:28:20.80
How is that power
revealed on a daily basis.
00:28:20.83\00:28:23.63
Pause.
00:28:23.67\00:28:27.77
Huh, say it again.
00:28:27.80\00:28:29.14
With life... first
and foremost with life.
00:28:29.17\00:28:32.37
Secondly, with what else?
00:28:32.44\00:28:34.01
Audience:
Relationship with the Lord.
00:28:34.04\00:28:36.78
Relationship with the Lord,
00:28:36.81\00:28:38.15
let's get...
okay, say it again...
00:28:38.18\00:28:39.68
life and health, right?
00:28:39.71\00:28:42.48
Two of the most
practical things...
00:28:42.52\00:28:44.92
now what would you rather?
00:28:44.95\00:28:46.39
Let's go ahead and...
00:28:46.42\00:28:47.76
we're going to make
this very functional today.
00:28:47.79\00:28:49.19
What would you rather have
if you had only two choices,
00:28:49.22\00:28:54.13
wealth or health,
what would you rather have?
00:28:54.16\00:28:57.37
Audience: Health.
00:28:57.40\00:28:58.77
People say that,
00:28:58.80\00:29:00.14
even the wealthy man will
eventually say that but...
00:29:00.17\00:29:03.30
but... but when it
comes to the world,
00:29:03.34\00:29:05.27
the world's mindset
is, "Give me wealth"
00:29:05.34\00:29:07.24
but I say, "Give me health"
00:29:07.28\00:29:09.61
if I can get
health, I can get wealth.
00:29:09.64\00:29:12.15
This text says, "God"
00:29:12.18\00:29:14.35
now let's go
back to verse 10 okay,
00:29:14.38\00:29:16.12
in Deuteronomy chapter 8,
00:29:16.15\00:29:17.62
if you have your
Bibles, Deuteronomy 8,
00:29:17.65\00:29:19.39
let's start with the verse 10,
00:29:19.42\00:29:20.76
the Lord had to
remind His people,
00:29:20.79\00:29:22.39
He made a covenant with them
00:29:22.42\00:29:24.13
and the covenant
was not to be forgotten
00:29:24.16\00:29:26.70
no matter how
prosperous they became
00:29:26.73\00:29:29.00
but some of them
became very prosperous
00:29:29.03\00:29:31.37
and forgot God and
then He reminded them,
00:29:31.40\00:29:33.64
"Wait a minute, without me
you don't even have that wealth,
00:29:33.70\00:29:36.60
you don't... you
wouldn't have that wealth
00:29:36.67\00:29:38.37
if you didn't have
the health I gave to you.
00:29:38.41\00:29:40.08
and that's why they had
wealth because they had health.
00:29:40.11\00:29:43.01
Look at verse 10,
00:29:43.04\00:29:45.08
He says, "When you
have eaten and are full,
00:29:45.11\00:29:48.65
then you shall
bless the LORD your God
00:29:48.68\00:29:52.55
for the good land
which He has given you.
00:29:52.59\00:29:56.39
Beware... " what's that word?
00:29:56.42\00:29:59.49
"Beware... " verse 11...
00:29:59.53\00:30:01.30
"that you do not
forget the LORD your God
00:30:01.33\00:30:03.77
by not keeping His commandments,
00:30:03.83\00:30:06.27
His judgments, and His statutes
00:30:06.30\00:30:08.74
which I command you today,
00:30:08.77\00:30:10.57
lest when you have
eaten and are full,
00:30:10.61\00:30:13.88
and have built beautiful
houses and dwell in them;
00:30:13.91\00:30:17.05
and when your herds
and your flocks... "
00:30:17.08\00:30:20.05
let's say stocks and bonds today
00:30:20.08\00:30:22.12
when your 401K or 403
B whatever you have...
00:30:22.15\00:30:26.12
when your investments
00:30:26.15\00:30:27.69
"and your silver and
your gold are multiplied,
00:30:27.72\00:30:30.93
and all that you
have is multiplied;
00:30:30.96\00:30:35.23
when your heart is lifted up"
00:30:35.26\00:30:38.63
that is... becomes proud,
"Look at all the stuff I have. "
00:30:38.67\00:30:41.97
"And you forget
the LORD your God
00:30:42.00\00:30:46.34
who brought you out
of the land of Egypt,
00:30:46.37\00:30:48.51
from the house of bondage;
00:30:48.54\00:30:50.28
who fed you through that
great and terrible wilderness,
00:30:50.31\00:30:54.92
in which you... in
which were fiery serpents
00:30:54.95\00:30:57.82
and scorpions and thirsty
land where there was no water;
00:30:57.85\00:31:03.73
who brought water for
you out of the rock of flint;
00:31:03.76\00:31:06.70
who fed you in the
wilderness with... " what?
00:31:06.73\00:31:09.60
"manna which your
fathers did not know,
00:31:09.63\00:31:13.20
that He might humble
you... that He might test you,
00:31:13.23\00:31:17.44
to do good in the end...
then you say in your heart... "
00:31:17.47\00:31:21.48
whose power?
00:31:21.51\00:31:23.38
'My power and
the might of my hand
00:31:23.41\00:31:27.22
have gained me this wealth. '"
00:31:27.28\00:31:29.25
That's the danger,
00:31:29.28\00:31:31.45
when you think that
it's your strategic plan
00:31:31.49\00:31:34.69
your careful consulting
of financiers and accountants
00:31:34.72\00:31:38.39
that have made you
wealthy, God said, "Pause... "
00:31:38.43\00:31:42.03
because... because Babylon that
great Empire was very wealthy
00:31:42.06\00:31:46.27
and God had to cut
Nebuchadnezzar's knees off
00:31:46.30\00:31:48.80
to help him realize,
"Wait a minute, I set you up,
00:31:48.87\00:31:51.74
I can bring you down. "
00:31:51.77\00:31:53.11
God can bless us and He
can withdraw our blessing
00:31:53.14\00:31:55.78
and when we forget that
He's the source of the blessing,
00:31:55.81\00:31:58.18
then verse 18 comes in,
00:31:58.21\00:31:59.68
"And you shall
remember the LORD your God,
00:31:59.71\00:32:03.99
for it is He who
gives you... " what?
00:32:04.02\00:32:06.35
"power to get wealth,
00:32:06.39\00:32:08.16
that He may
establish His covenant
00:32:08.22\00:32:10.26
which He swore to your
fathers, as it is this day. "
00:32:10.33\00:32:15.40
So, the answer to Number 13,
00:32:15.43\00:32:18.13
"How does the
Bible describe the reason
00:32:18.17\00:32:19.73
why we are able to
prosper?" It is the... what?
00:32:19.77\00:32:22.90
It is the power of God
00:32:22.94\00:32:24.27
and you could put
health, you could put life,
00:32:24.31\00:32:26.91
you could put clear mind,
00:32:26.94\00:32:28.88
fit body, however
you want to describe that
00:32:28.91\00:32:31.48
without God's power, we
could be sickly and unhealthy
00:32:31.51\00:32:35.32
and money won't mean anything.
00:32:35.35\00:32:37.19
You know, I've never met
people that... when their...
00:32:37.22\00:32:39.69
when their lives
are slipping away...
00:32:39.72\00:32:41.86
I've never went to the bedside
of a person in a hospital
00:32:41.89\00:32:46.09
that says, "I need a better car"
00:32:46.13\00:32:47.93
when they... when they...
00:32:47.96\00:32:49.80
when they get the
terminal diagnosis.
00:32:49.86\00:32:51.53
I've never heard a
person say, "You know what?
00:32:51.60\00:32:54.14
I wish my house had
more square footage"
00:32:54.17\00:32:55.94
when they... when they
cannot find the medical answers
00:32:55.97\00:33:00.01
for their dilemma
00:33:00.04\00:33:01.38
so you got to put
that in perspective.
00:33:01.41\00:33:03.21
All those things
that are temporary,
00:33:03.24\00:33:05.05
wood, stone, brick, metal,
00:33:05.08\00:33:07.15
no matter how many
miles per gallon it gets,
00:33:07.18\00:33:09.52
God is saying,
"Don't forget Him"
00:33:09.55\00:33:11.32
because He is the
One that gives you power
00:33:11.35\00:33:13.49
to get all those things
00:33:13.52\00:33:14.86
to be able to
accomplish good investments,
00:33:14.89\00:33:17.36
stabilize your
family but in the end,
00:33:17.39\00:33:19.93
don't glorify the things...
always give glory to God.
00:33:20.00\00:33:23.20
Number 14, moving right along.
00:33:23.23\00:33:26.50
Okay, "Where do we get
00:33:26.53\00:33:30.31
the most valuable
source for Christian living?"
00:33:30.34\00:33:35.51
Where do we get the
most valuable source
00:33:35.54\00:33:39.21
for Christian living?
00:33:39.25\00:33:40.58
Huh... Audience: resource.
00:33:40.62\00:33:42.55
Pastor: the most valuable
resource... thank you...
00:33:42.58\00:33:44.72
for Christian living.
00:33:44.75\00:33:47.22
The most valuable
resource for Christian living.
00:33:47.26\00:33:49.29
2nd Samuel 22:33,
00:33:49.32\00:33:51.69
2nd Samuel is a wonderful book.
00:33:51.73\00:33:53.53
As a matter of fact,
that's where you find the...
00:33:53.60\00:33:56.53
this phrase "Speak Lord,
for your servant heareth. "
00:33:56.56\00:33:59.50
But notice, the answer...
and you know the answer
00:33:59.53\00:34:02.74
but I want you to always tie
the answers to the Scriptures
00:34:02.80\00:34:05.71
one thing you can be sure
of here at The Sharper Focus
00:34:05.74\00:34:08.61
is that we're
going to use the Bible
00:34:08.64\00:34:10.21
because it's easy
to give people answers
00:34:10.25\00:34:11.58
off the top of our heads
00:34:11.61\00:34:12.95
but if we use the Bible,
00:34:12.98\00:34:14.32
we can always have
a point of reference
00:34:14.35\00:34:15.78
that's why we have
connected everything here
00:34:15.82\00:34:18.22
to the Word of God.
00:34:18.25\00:34:19.59
Here is the answer,
2nd Samuel 22 and verse 33
00:34:19.62\00:34:22.92
and the Bible says,
00:34:22.96\00:34:24.89
let's read this
together, this is short text,
00:34:24.93\00:34:26.26
are you ready?
00:34:26.29\00:34:27.63
Here we go, it's on the screen.
00:34:27.66\00:34:29.83
"God is my strength and" what?
00:34:29.86\00:34:32.13
"and power and He
makes my way" what?
00:34:32.20\00:34:35.64
"perfect. " So,
things work out...
00:34:35.67\00:34:39.04
the Bible says that's how
it's going to be with God...
00:34:39.07\00:34:42.81
that's how things are
going to be when we follow God.
00:34:42.84\00:34:45.58
Did He not say... what's
some of your favorite texts?
00:34:45.61\00:34:48.22
And I think right
now to connect with this,
00:34:48.25\00:34:50.95
I can hear
Romans 8:28 resonating
00:34:50.99\00:34:53.19
in the back of our minds
00:34:53.22\00:34:54.56
and we know
that... how many things?
00:34:54.59\00:34:56.49
"All things work together
for good to those who love God
00:34:56.52\00:35:01.23
and are the called
according to... " what?
00:35:01.26\00:35:03.90
"His purpose. "
00:35:03.93\00:35:05.27
So thereby we connect
with the testimony of Samuel,
00:35:05.30\00:35:08.14
God is my strength,
it's going to work out,
00:35:08.17\00:35:10.44
it may not look
like it right now
00:35:10.47\00:35:12.97
but He'll make my way perfect,
00:35:13.01\00:35:15.38
God's going to
work it out, amen.
00:35:15.41\00:35:17.98
So do we... do we
belong to the Lord?
00:35:18.01\00:35:20.52
Do we belong to the Lord?
00:35:20.55\00:35:22.05
He's going to
make the way perfect.
00:35:22.08\00:35:23.72
Be patient, God is
going to work it all out
00:35:23.75\00:35:26.02
but you got to
commit your way to the Lord.
00:35:26.05\00:35:28.29
When we do our committing,
00:35:28.32\00:35:29.92
when we commit our
ways and hearts to the Lord,
00:35:29.96\00:35:32.03
He will give us the
desires of our heart
00:35:32.09\00:35:34.40
that are in
harmony with His will.
00:35:34.43\00:35:36.67
I was listening
to a Christian song
00:35:36.70\00:35:38.87
as I was driving the other day
00:35:38.90\00:35:40.24
and it kept...
it kept emphasizing
00:35:40.27\00:35:43.54
the... the whole chorus
was, "God loves me just as I am,
00:35:43.57\00:35:47.84
God loves me just as I am"
00:35:47.88\00:35:49.44
and I got the message
00:35:49.48\00:35:50.81
that God is not going to
try to change anything about you
00:35:50.85\00:35:53.18
pause
00:35:53.21\00:35:54.55
and that to me was
kind of half of the message.
00:35:54.58\00:35:56.95
He does love us just as
we are, isn't that right?
00:35:56.99\00:35:59.59
But does He leave
us the way He finds us?
00:35:59.65\00:36:01.96
Audience: No.
00:36:01.99\00:36:03.32
There's not a
person that Jesus met
00:36:03.36\00:36:06.09
that He left the
way He found them
00:36:06.13\00:36:08.83
unless they made the
decision not to accept
00:36:08.86\00:36:13.03
what He offered to them.
00:36:13.07\00:36:14.40
The rich young ruler was
one that came to my mind,
00:36:14.44\00:36:16.84
we call him "rich young ruler"
00:36:16.91\00:36:18.24
but he was a young man
with a lot of possessions
00:36:18.27\00:36:19.61
and he went away with all
of his possessions sorrowfully
00:36:19.67\00:36:23.51
because he didn't want
what Jesus was offering to him
00:36:23.55\00:36:27.35
and you know what?
00:36:27.38\00:36:28.72
Let's think about the
wealth side... the Lord said,
00:36:28.75\00:36:31.05
"He would have given him a
100 times more than he had,
00:36:31.12\00:36:33.66
that is...
possession wise in this life
00:36:33.72\00:36:36.26
and in the world to come,
he would have had eternal life.
00:36:36.32\00:36:38.93
But the reason why
God doesn't ever...
00:36:38.96\00:36:40.93
that God doesn't
hang out a carrot...
00:36:40.96\00:36:42.86
I remember years ago when I
used to watch "Little Rascals"
00:36:42.90\00:36:44.87
anybody remember that?
00:36:44.90\00:36:46.23
You may not know what the
Little Rascals are overseas
00:36:46.27\00:36:48.90
if you're watching
from a foreign land,
00:36:48.94\00:36:50.27
but it was a little Show...
00:36:50.31\00:36:51.64
black and white Show of
little boys and girls...
00:36:51.67\00:36:53.78
they were all probably
single digits or maybe 11...
00:36:53.84\00:36:56.14
I don't know if
anybody was 12 years old
00:36:56.21\00:36:57.81
but they were little chubby...
00:36:57.85\00:36:59.61
they used to
call them, "Our Gang"
00:36:59.65\00:37:01.18
a bunch of
unruly little children
00:37:01.22\00:37:02.68
but they would come up with
things that just made us laugh
00:37:02.72\00:37:05.45
and everything
was in a child's way
00:37:05.49\00:37:07.36
but I... I'll never forget this
00:37:07.39\00:37:09.19
they... they had
this donkey they had,
00:37:09.22\00:37:12.03
they couldn't get him to move
00:37:12.06\00:37:13.43
and they were
trying to go somewhere
00:37:13.46\00:37:16.26
and they had a wagon
connected to this donkey
00:37:16.30\00:37:19.67
and they could not
get this donkey to move
00:37:19.70\00:37:23.00
until one of the little
chubby kids says, "Feed him. "
00:37:23.04\00:37:27.28
Audience: Laughter.
00:37:27.34\00:37:29.58
"What does a donkey like?"
00:37:29.61\00:37:31.35
"Anything... feed him... "
00:37:31.38\00:37:33.05
and so, before
the cartoon ended...
00:37:33.08\00:37:35.88
not the cartoon,
before the Program ended,
00:37:35.92\00:37:37.69
one of the kids came up
with a brilliant idea...
00:37:37.75\00:37:41.02
put a carrot on a long stick
00:37:41.06\00:37:44.03
and put it on the donkey's head
00:37:44.06\00:37:46.93
and put it far enough in front
of him so he couldn't reach it
00:37:46.96\00:37:49.90
so he'll think
that by walking...
00:37:49.93\00:37:52.70
the faster he walks, he'll
eventually catch the carrot
00:37:52.73\00:37:55.54
and that's how
they got to the lake.
00:37:55.57\00:37:56.94
Audience: Laughter.
00:37:56.97\00:37:58.31
He never caught the carrot
00:37:58.34\00:37:59.67
because they put it
out in front of him,
00:37:59.71\00:38:01.14
See, they found a
way to motivate him
00:38:01.18\00:38:03.04
and that's how it is sometimes.
00:38:03.08\00:38:05.18
God's got... but God doesn't
hold a carrot out in front of us
00:38:05.21\00:38:08.12
and say, "If you follow
me, I'll give you a carrot. "
00:38:08.15\00:38:10.65
Audience: Laughter.
00:38:10.69\00:38:12.39
We got to follow God
not by sight but by what?
00:38:12.42\00:38:15.82
Audience and Pastor: Faith.
00:38:15.86\00:38:17.19
So many people...
00:38:17.23\00:38:19.03
there'll be a lot
more followers of Christ
00:38:19.06\00:38:21.03
if we had a sign
out in the church,
00:38:21.06\00:38:23.83
"God will give you a 100 times
more than you have right now
00:38:23.87\00:38:27.54
if you simply follow Him. "
00:38:27.57\00:38:28.90
Can you imagine that?
00:38:28.94\00:38:30.41
We'd have a lot of millionaires,
00:38:30.44\00:38:32.77
they want to be
100 millionaires.
00:38:32.84\00:38:35.14
Pause.
00:38:35.18\00:38:36.91
If you had a 1,000 dollars,
00:38:36.95\00:38:38.31
you say, "God will
give you a 100 times more"
00:38:38.35\00:38:40.08
people will come in
and have 100,000 dollars...
00:38:40.12\00:38:41.78
they will follow God for
the things that are sightful
00:38:41.82\00:38:44.45
rather than those
things that are based on faith.
00:38:44.49\00:38:46.72
So, God doesn't say,
00:38:46.76\00:38:48.09
"I'll give you anything
you want but just follow me. "
00:38:48.12\00:38:50.56
He says, "If you follow me,
00:38:50.59\00:38:52.96
if you're willing
to take up your cross,
00:38:52.99\00:38:54.66
crucify self... follow me...
00:38:54.70\00:38:57.53
then let me work on
the other blessings. "
00:38:57.57\00:39:01.44
You know the story,
some of you know the story.
00:39:01.47\00:39:03.41
I don't know if... I
don't think it's true
00:39:03.44\00:39:05.57
but it serves the
purpose right here,
00:39:05.61\00:39:07.71
the Lord was trying to get
His disciples to follow Him
00:39:07.74\00:39:10.65
and... and He told each of them
at the beginning of the journey
00:39:10.68\00:39:13.52
that... pick up a stone
00:39:13.55\00:39:15.35
and the lazy ones
picked up little tiny pebbles
00:39:15.38\00:39:18.32
and when they got to
the end of their journey...
00:39:18.35\00:39:21.22
this is just an...
this is an allegory...
00:39:21.26\00:39:22.72
this is not in the
Bible, and the... and the...
00:39:22.76\00:39:24.79
as the saying goes,
00:39:24.83\00:39:26.16
when they got to the
end of their journey,
00:39:26.19\00:39:27.53
there was... they were hungry
00:39:27.56\00:39:30.27
and the Lord turned that
little stone into piece of bread
00:39:30.30\00:39:33.23
and some of them
had a little muffin.
00:39:33.27\00:39:34.60
Others had a big loaf of bread.
00:39:34.64\00:39:37.74
That's just an
allegory... this is not...
00:39:37.77\00:39:39.61
once again... this
is not in the Bible,
00:39:39.64\00:39:41.38
so, the greedy ones
that were lazy realized,
00:39:41.41\00:39:45.35
"Ah, if only I had
taken up a larger stone,
00:39:45.38\00:39:48.28
I would have had
more bread for lunch. "
00:39:48.32\00:39:51.15
So now, on their way
back, the Lord says... what?
00:39:51.19\00:39:54.49
"Pick up a stone. "
00:39:54.52\00:39:56.36
Now what do you think
those that had a pebble took?
00:39:56.39\00:39:59.23
Man! they took a
big stone with them
00:39:59.26\00:40:01.86
and when they got
back to the end, they said,
00:40:01.90\00:40:05.20
"Well, aren't you going
to give us something to eat?"
00:40:05.23\00:40:07.64
And the Lord said, "Man
shall not live by bread alone,
00:40:07.67\00:40:10.34
but by every word that proceeds
from the mouth of God. "
00:40:10.37\00:40:12.97
See, that's an
illustration that I connected
00:40:13.01\00:40:15.84
to that text in the Bible.
00:40:15.88\00:40:17.21
It's not a real story
but my point is made there.
00:40:17.25\00:40:19.81
Don't serve God for
the loaf of bread...
00:40:19.85\00:40:22.48
serve the Lord
because you do... what?
00:40:22.52\00:40:25.15
"You love Him" right?
00:40:25.19\00:40:26.52
Audience: Yes.
00:40:26.55\00:40:27.89
That's why the next
lesson is, "A Servant's Life"
00:40:27.92\00:40:31.16
A Servant's Life... all
this about dying to self.
00:40:31.19\00:40:34.66
Let's put this together.
00:40:34.70\00:40:36.03
Dying to self...
walking in the newness of life,
00:40:36.06\00:40:39.53
serving God not only in
obedience to His Commandments
00:40:39.57\00:40:43.54
but serving Him through the...
the... the consecrated life...
00:40:43.57\00:40:47.84
the transformed life...
then the empowered life...
00:40:47.88\00:40:52.75
it's all leading somewhere.
00:40:52.78\00:40:54.28
It leads to the next natural
topic we're going to talk about
00:40:54.32\00:40:57.75
is: after God empowers
you, then He puts you to work.
00:40:57.79\00:41:01.92
God doesn't... God
doesn't let me use...
00:41:01.96\00:41:06.53
do you start up your car
and drive it into the garage
00:41:06.56\00:41:08.43
and leave it on?
00:41:08.46\00:41:09.80
Audience: No.
00:41:09.83\00:41:11.17
Don't even try that
00:41:11.20\00:41:12.53
because the carbon
monoxide will remind you...
00:41:12.57\00:41:15.40
it's not a good thing to do.
00:41:15.44\00:41:16.77
God does not
empower us to sit us down,
00:41:16.81\00:41:20.71
God empowers us
to get us moving.
00:41:20.74\00:41:23.78
Right?
00:41:23.81\00:41:25.15
He did not pour
out the Holy Spirit
00:41:25.18\00:41:27.75
on the day of Pentecost
00:41:27.78\00:41:29.12
for the disciples to go
to Jerusalem and go to bed.
00:41:29.15\00:41:31.95
He sent them to Jerusalem
to turn the world upside down.
00:41:31.99\00:41:35.89
Right, so where I'm
headed with this whole thing
00:41:35.92\00:41:38.43
about how to live a spiritual
life in a natural body...
00:41:38.46\00:41:40.26
you have to keep in mind
00:41:40.30\00:41:41.63
the spiritual life is a
life not just of declaration,
00:41:41.66\00:41:44.63
but the spiritual life
is a life of preparation
00:41:44.67\00:41:47.87
and consecration
and then mobilization.
00:41:47.90\00:41:53.07
Now I don't know how...
I didn't write that down
00:41:53.14\00:41:55.91
that just came up that way.
00:41:55.94\00:41:57.95
God does not...
00:41:57.98\00:41:59.31
God does not get us
saved to put us on a shelf.
00:41:59.35\00:42:05.42
Right?
00:42:05.45\00:42:07.39
God is my strength and power
and He makes my way perfect.
00:42:07.42\00:42:11.49
He gets us perfectly ready for
the work that is ahead of us.
00:42:11.53\00:42:15.53
Look at the next
question, Number 15,
00:42:15.56\00:42:18.57
moving right along...
00:42:18.60\00:42:20.54
"How does the Bible describe
God in times of conflict?"
00:42:20.57\00:42:26.51
How does the Bible describe
God in times of conflict?
00:42:26.54\00:42:32.48
Pause.
00:42:32.51\00:42:34.25
2nd Chronicles 25:8
00:42:34.32\00:42:36.75
by the way, you find in
the Old Testament many battles,
00:42:36.79\00:42:39.42
the children of
Israel faced many battles.
00:42:39.45\00:42:41.49
They faced battles from
Egypt all the way to Canaan
00:42:41.52\00:42:45.76
and along the way, God
reminded them continuously
00:42:45.79\00:42:49.96
and with many
shows of His power,
00:42:50.00\00:42:52.67
that no matter
what the battle is,
00:42:52.73\00:42:55.37
if they still trust the Lord,
00:42:55.40\00:42:58.17
if they commit
themselves to Him,
00:42:58.21\00:43:00.14
He'll bring them through
whatever conflict lies ahead.
00:43:00.18\00:43:03.08
Notice what He said to
them here in 2nd Chronicles
00:43:03.11\00:43:05.98
chapter 25 and verse 8.
00:43:06.01\00:43:07.82
"How does the Bible describe
God in times of conflict?"
00:43:07.85\00:43:12.49
Here's what the Bible
says, "But if you go, be gone!
00:43:12.52\00:43:17.09
Be strong in battle!
00:43:17.13\00:43:19.29
Even so, God shall make
you fall before... " what?
00:43:19.33\00:43:24.13
"the enemy; for God
has power to do... " what?
00:43:24.17\00:43:28.90
"help and... " also to do what?
00:43:28.97\00:43:31.81
"overthrow. "
00:43:31.87\00:43:33.21
When you read the...
00:43:33.24\00:43:34.58
when you read the
battle of this story,
00:43:34.61\00:43:36.68
you'll find that
the Children of Israel
00:43:36.71\00:43:38.98
had a couple of
battles that backfired.
00:43:39.01\00:43:41.72
One of the ones
that I remember very well
00:43:41.75\00:43:44.42
was when they went
to the Battle of Ai...
00:43:44.45\00:43:46.59
you remember that?
00:43:46.62\00:43:47.96
How do you spell Ai? A i
00:43:47.99\00:43:49.62
they went to the battle of Ai
00:43:49.66\00:43:52.76
but there was among
the people of Israel
00:43:52.79\00:43:56.83
one person who had disobeyed God
00:43:56.87\00:44:00.54
does anybody remember this
man that lived in the camp?
00:44:00.57\00:44:03.97
Audience: Achan.
00:44:04.01\00:44:05.34
Achan in the camp.
00:44:05.37\00:44:06.71
And the Lord said to
them, "Don't go out of this...
00:44:06.74\00:44:09.04
don't go out and fight" God knew
00:44:09.08\00:44:12.38
but they had just won such a
great battle against a huge army
00:44:12.41\00:44:15.92
they thought, "Ai is
just as small as its name. "
00:44:15.95\00:44:20.59
Ai...
00:44:20.66\00:44:22.06
Audience: Laughter.
00:44:22.12\00:44:23.83
"So, if we beat this huge
army, man! we will wipe out Ai,
00:44:23.86\00:44:28.26
wouldn't even be a problem. "
00:44:28.30\00:44:29.63
"But if you go be gone!
Be strong in the battle!
00:44:29.66\00:44:33.74
Even so, God shall make
you fall before the enemy;
00:44:33.77\00:44:37.77
for God has power to
help and to overthrow. "
00:44:37.84\00:44:40.08
And what happened
in the battle of Ai?
00:44:40.11\00:44:42.04
They got whipped...
00:44:42.08\00:44:44.08
they lost a lot
of men in battle.
00:44:44.11\00:44:45.81
And the fact of the matter
was, their hearts were not...
00:44:45.85\00:44:49.42
there was someone
in amongst their army
00:44:49.48\00:44:51.39
that was... whose heart
was not right before God
00:44:51.42\00:44:53.86
that's why it's important,
not just some of us to say,
00:44:53.89\00:44:57.13
"Well, I'm doing okay but
some of our church members
00:44:57.16\00:45:00.36
are really not living right"
00:45:00.40\00:45:01.73
you know the
incorrect living of one
00:45:01.76\00:45:03.77
could affect the
success of so many others.
00:45:03.83\00:45:06.23
God wants them
all to be dedicated
00:45:06.27\00:45:08.60
and so when you
follow the answer,
00:45:08.64\00:45:10.94
when you put the answer down,
00:45:10.97\00:45:12.31
"Where do we get the
most valuable resource
00:45:12.34\00:45:14.14
for Christian living?
00:45:14.18\00:45:15.58
Where do we get it from?
00:45:15.64\00:45:17.01
We get it from God.
00:45:17.05\00:45:18.65
God has power to help
00:45:18.68\00:45:20.55
and God has power
to do what? Overthrow.
00:45:20.58\00:45:23.28
One of the misconceptions about
the children of Israel is this
00:45:23.32\00:45:26.12
that God prospered
them in everything.
00:45:26.15\00:45:29.06
God prospered them when
they were obedient, right?
00:45:29.09\00:45:33.16
He prospered them when they
followed His plan for obedience
00:45:33.19\00:45:36.36
because God does not
bless the disobedient.
00:45:36.40\00:45:39.00
God does not bless
those who are wayward,
00:45:39.03\00:45:41.54
God does not bless
those who are in rebellion.
00:45:41.60\00:45:44.01
As a matter of fact, in
Isaiah 1 verse 19 He says,
00:45:44.04\00:45:46.34
"If you are willing, you
will eat of the good of the land
00:45:46.37\00:45:49.41
but if you refuse and rebel,
00:45:49.44\00:45:50.85
you'll get
devoured by the sword. "
00:45:50.88\00:45:52.41
God wants us to be obedient.
00:45:52.45\00:45:54.28
Let's go to Number...
Let's go to Number... what?
00:45:54.32\00:45:57.32
Number 16...
00:45:57.35\00:45:58.69
Number 16... okay...
00:45:58.72\00:46:02.19
"What do we do well to remember
00:46:02.22\00:46:05.66
when faced with
life's challenges?"
00:46:05.69\00:46:08.46
What do we do well to remember
00:46:08.50\00:46:10.93
when faced with
life's challenges?
00:46:10.97\00:46:14.40
Okay, wonderful
transition to the next question.
00:46:14.44\00:46:20.78
Wonderful transition.
00:46:20.81\00:46:22.51
Jeremiah 32 and verse 17,
what do we do well to remember
00:46:22.54\00:46:26.78
when faced with
life's challenges?
00:46:26.82\00:46:28.52
And the answer is... I want
us to read this one together.
00:46:28.55\00:46:32.65
Let's say that
first word, "Ah, Lord God!
00:46:32.72\00:46:37.66
Behold, You have made
the heavens and the earth
00:46:37.69\00:46:43.77
by Your great
power and your... " what?
00:46:43.80\00:46:46.23
"outstretched arm.
00:46:46.27\00:46:48.27
There is... " what?
00:46:48.30\00:46:50.24
"nothing too hard for You. "
00:46:50.27\00:46:53.58
That nothing is
too difficult for Thee.
00:46:53.61\00:46:57.31
When you are
faced with hard times...
00:46:57.35\00:47:00.98
when you are faced
with challenging times,
00:47:01.02\00:47:04.19
you've got to remember
00:47:04.22\00:47:05.59
that there is
nothing too hard for God.
00:47:05.62\00:47:08.56
What do you say,
church? Audience: Amen.
00:47:08.59\00:47:10.46
Absolutely nothing,
00:47:10.49\00:47:11.89
the reason why we
sometimes come up against a wall
00:47:11.93\00:47:15.70
is because we think,
"Oh, God give me time...
00:47:15.73\00:47:19.67
I... I need to work
on a few things here
00:47:19.70\00:47:21.20
before I put
this in Your hand. "
00:47:21.24\00:47:23.34
No, if we put it in God's hand,
00:47:23.37\00:47:25.11
all the things that need to be
worked out will be worked out.
00:47:25.14\00:47:28.28
I've had people
that... you know...
00:47:28.31\00:47:30.71
you can always tell
when things are going wrong
00:47:30.75\00:47:33.21
because they
disappear for a while
00:47:33.25\00:47:35.42
and I said,
"Well, where were you?"
00:47:35.45\00:47:37.39
"Trying to get some things
together before I came back. "
00:47:37.42\00:47:40.82
"But did you get
them all together?"
00:47:40.86\00:47:42.62
"Still working it out. "
00:47:42.66\00:47:44.03
"Well, if you had
come back a long time ago,
00:47:44.06\00:47:46.23
who would have worked it out?"
00:47:46.26\00:47:48.23
God would have worked it out
00:47:48.26\00:47:50.17
because if He can stretch out
the heavens by His great power
00:47:50.20\00:47:53.44
and made the heavens and
the earth by His great power
00:47:53.47\00:47:56.30
and His outstretched arm,
00:47:56.34\00:47:57.67
there is nothing
too difficult for God.
00:47:57.71\00:48:00.28
So, the transformed life...
00:48:00.31\00:48:01.91
or the empowered life happens
00:48:01.94\00:48:03.48
because if God could do
all that that surrounds us,
00:48:03.51\00:48:06.11
we are small and
very difficult...
00:48:06.15\00:48:09.02
sorry... very easy project...
project in the hand of God,
00:48:09.05\00:48:12.62
nothing difficult for God
00:48:12.65\00:48:14.32
but what God gets us
ready for is the next topic
00:48:14.36\00:48:18.89
and I'm going to
dive into that tonight
00:48:18.96\00:48:20.30
with the time that we have left.
00:48:20.50\00:48:21.83
Look at our study
for the next topic,
00:48:21.86\00:48:23.77
"How to live a...
" what kind of life?
00:48:23.80\00:48:25.13
Audience: Servant's Life.
00:48:25.17\00:48:26.57
How to live a...
what kind of life?
00:48:26.60\00:48:29.20
Ah... how to live
a what kind of life?
00:48:29.24\00:48:32.37
Audience and
Pastor: Servant's life.
00:48:32.41\00:48:34.48
God does not empower us to
put us back on the shelves.
00:48:34.51\00:48:38.58
God does not
fill us with batteries
00:48:38.61\00:48:41.55
for our light to go out,
00:48:41.58\00:48:43.32
God does not put
fuel in our gas tanks...
00:48:43.35\00:48:46.65
our spiritual gas tanks for
us to be... just to a show a car
00:48:46.69\00:48:50.56
God fills us for
a specific reason
00:48:50.63\00:48:54.20
and you know what
I like about this?
00:48:54.23\00:48:56.03
I'm going to begin... I'm
going to dive right into this,
00:48:56.06\00:48:57.73
to the first
question here because it shows
00:48:57.77\00:49:00.34
that there is a reason why
God calls every one of us...
00:49:00.37\00:49:03.54
there is a reason
why God sets us free.
00:49:03.57\00:49:05.97
He doesn't just set us free
00:49:06.01\00:49:07.88
for us to be lights
on a Christmas tree,
00:49:07.91\00:49:09.78
glowing for the glory of God,
00:49:09.81\00:49:11.61
but He sets us free
for a specific purpose.
00:49:11.65\00:49:14.22
Long before God made
the nation of Israel great,
00:49:14.25\00:49:17.82
long before they got
into the Promise Land,
00:49:17.85\00:49:21.52
there was a reason
why God set them free.
00:49:21.56\00:49:25.46
Here's Question
Number 1... ahh... Lesson 15
00:49:25.49\00:49:29.36
so you should have Syllabus
Number 15 that you downloaded.
00:49:29.40\00:49:34.64
"What request did God
make of the Pharaoh of Egypt?"
00:49:34.67\00:49:40.48
What request did God
make of the Pharaoh of Egypt?
00:49:40.51\00:49:46.25
And I... I did this little...
00:49:46.28\00:49:48.58
we're going to go to
Exodus chapter 9 and verse 1.
00:49:48.62\00:49:50.92
I did this little
exercise in my Bible actually,
00:49:50.95\00:49:54.39
I highlighted how many
times the Lord said this
00:49:54.42\00:49:57.33
and I don't want to
take a whole lot of your time
00:49:57.36\00:50:00.20
but the ones that I
can come up with is...
00:50:00.23\00:50:03.16
I'll tell you what the
answer... 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7...
00:50:03.20\00:50:11.84
yeah, 7 times the
Lord made this statement.
00:50:11.87\00:50:15.88
In other words,
seven means what?
00:50:15.91\00:50:19.01
Perfection.
00:50:19.05\00:50:20.45
Seven times the
Lord made this request.
00:50:20.48\00:50:22.82
Here is the answer,
Exodus 9 and verse 1,
00:50:22.85\00:50:25.09
"What request did the Lord
make to the Pharaoh of Egypt?"
00:50:25.12\00:50:27.32
Here it is: Then
the LORD said to Moses,
00:50:27.36\00:50:30.73
"Go in to Pharaoh and tell him,
00:50:30.76\00:50:33.66
'Thus says the
LORD... " LORD capital...
00:50:33.70\00:50:37.53
"God of the Hebrews"
00:50:37.57\00:50:39.53
let's read the
last part together,
00:50:39.57\00:50:41.20
"Let My people go,
that they may... " what?
00:50:41.24\00:50:45.57
"serve Me. "
00:50:45.61\00:50:47.51
Now, I want you to let that
sink in just a few seconds...
00:50:47.58\00:50:51.25
think about it,
00:50:51.28\00:50:52.61
meditate on it
after the program,
00:50:52.65\00:50:54.45
but God does not let us go
that we may just sing to Him
00:50:54.48\00:50:59.42
or that we may just study,
00:50:59.45\00:51:01.72
He doesn't just let us go
that we may attend church,
00:51:01.76\00:51:05.29
He sets us free that
we may do what... Church?
00:51:05.33\00:51:08.70
Say together, "Serve Him. "
00:51:08.73\00:51:10.67
A life without service is a life
that's still in Egypt somewhere
00:51:10.70\00:51:15.30
because when they were in
Egypt, they could not serve God
00:51:15.34\00:51:18.87
but when He led them...
when He freed them from Egypt,
00:51:18.91\00:51:22.38
from Egypt... His intention was
00:51:22.41\00:51:24.51
to turn them into the greatest
nation of servants for God
00:51:24.55\00:51:29.55
but as you know,
through the wilderness,
00:51:29.58\00:51:32.65
some of the plans of man changed
00:51:32.69\00:51:34.82
and many of those that
God had slated for service
00:51:34.86\00:51:37.59
died off in the wilderness
00:51:37.63\00:51:39.19
because their
focus became themselves
00:51:39.23\00:51:41.20
and not the cause of God.
00:51:41.23\00:51:43.30
Got to guard against
that because day by day
00:51:43.33\00:51:45.53
if your motives
are not the same...
00:51:45.57\00:51:47.34
that is... being
a servant of God,
00:51:47.37\00:51:49.44
then the motives
that are around you,
00:51:49.47\00:51:51.47
can end up pulling you in
and defeating the plan of God
00:51:51.51\00:51:56.28
so here is the answer,
00:51:56.31\00:51:57.65
"What request did God
make of the pharaoh of Egypt?"
00:51:57.68\00:51:59.45
"Let my people go
that they may serve Me. "
00:51:59.48\00:52:02.65
Okay, let them go
that they may serve me.
00:52:02.68\00:52:05.82
we cannot serve God and Egypt.
00:52:05.85\00:52:07.52
There are a lot of
people that are in the world
00:52:07.56\00:52:09.22
that talk about God, you
know, somebody once said...
00:52:09.26\00:52:12.09
you go to a club or a bar
and people when they're drunk
00:52:12.13\00:52:14.90
they talk about God but
they ain't serving God...
00:52:14.93\00:52:17.57
you see, and don't
get distracted by people
00:52:17.60\00:52:20.44
that are in the world
that are not Christians
00:52:20.50\00:52:23.27
that are really nice
people because some people say,
00:52:23.30\00:52:25.87
"Well, there are people in
the church that are really...
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they say they
serve God but they're...
00:52:27.68\00:52:29.01
sometimes they're not so nice
00:52:29.04\00:52:30.55
and people in the bars
and the clubs are better. "
00:52:30.58\00:52:33.15
Don't get deceived
by that, there's no...
00:52:33.18\00:52:35.48
there's no battle there,
00:52:35.52\00:52:37.39
when you're... when
you're living for the world,
00:52:37.42\00:52:40.12
Satan has no reason to try
to fight against your growth
00:52:40.16\00:52:42.86
but when you're
living for Christ,
00:52:42.89\00:52:44.86
there's a whole lot
of battle going on there.
00:52:44.89\00:52:47.16
Keep praying as God
carries out His work
00:52:47.20\00:52:49.80
in the lives of His children.
00:52:49.86\00:52:51.47
Okay, God set us free
that we may serve Him.
00:52:51.53\00:52:55.20
Look at the next
question, Question Number 2,
00:52:55.24\00:52:58.91
and we have about
five minutes or so,
00:52:58.94\00:53:00.98
we're going to go as
far as we can tonight.
00:53:01.04\00:53:03.58
Question Number 2,
"What was the message
00:53:03.61\00:53:06.11
that Jesus delivered to
Satan in the wilderness?"
00:53:06.15\00:53:09.48
See... see... I want
you to get the connection,
00:53:09.52\00:53:12.65
God was about to set
the children of Israel free
00:53:12.72\00:53:15.82
and put them in the wilderness
00:53:15.86\00:53:17.79
and the purpose of
the wilderness journey
00:53:17.83\00:53:20.80
was to get them
ready for service.
00:53:20.86\00:53:22.53
Now the battle comes to Jesus
as He is in the wilderness,
00:53:22.56\00:53:27.20
now I want you to
get the parallel here,
00:53:27.24\00:53:29.14
the children of Israel...
00:53:29.17\00:53:30.51
many of them
failed in the wilderness
00:53:30.54\00:53:32.91
so the devil now comes to
tempt Jesus in the wilderness.
00:53:32.94\00:53:36.51
What did Jesus say to the devil?
00:53:36.54\00:53:39.01
What message did
He deliver to him?
00:53:39.05\00:53:41.25
Matthew 4 and verse 10 is
where the answer is found.
00:53:41.28\00:53:44.05
Right, Matthew 4 and
verse 10, here it is.
00:53:44.09\00:53:48.52
In the interest of
time: Then Jesus said to him,
00:53:48.56\00:53:51.69
"Away with you,
Satan! For it is written,
00:53:51.73\00:53:56.80
'You shall worship the
LORD your God, and... '" what?
00:53:56.83\00:54:01.17
"Him only you shall serve. "
00:54:01.20\00:54:05.81
Now, this text may seem
like a pretty rudimentary
00:54:05.84\00:54:10.65
and pretty average text,
00:54:10.68\00:54:12.01
but when you read the
writings of Paul the apostle,
00:54:12.05\00:54:14.12
you'll discover that
many Christian leaders...
00:54:14.15\00:54:16.89
many Christians today
00:54:16.92\00:54:18.45
are not serving God
for the right reason.
00:54:18.49\00:54:21.59
There's this thing called the
Prosperity Gospel, now-a-days
00:54:21.62\00:54:24.39
that motivates
people to serve God
00:54:24.43\00:54:26.39
because God's going to
"give you your bank account
00:54:26.43\00:54:29.63
or increase your
portfolio or make you wealthy
00:54:29.66\00:54:32.83
or you're going
to get yours... "
00:54:32.90\00:54:34.24
God is not a... God is
not JC Penney's or Macy's
00:54:34.30\00:54:38.64
some people are serving
God for materialistic gain
00:54:38.67\00:54:42.14
and you get these... you
get the prosperity gospel
00:54:42.18\00:54:45.58
and you see all these preachers
with four houses and six houses
00:54:45.61\00:54:48.38
and many, many cars and
all this material wealth
00:54:48.42\00:54:50.92
and golden
staircases lead to their houses,
00:54:50.99\00:54:53.39
you see all this material wealth
00:54:53.42\00:54:55.46
and many people think that
that's why we should serve God,
00:54:55.49\00:54:58.29
no... that's not
the reason to serve God.
00:54:58.33\00:55:00.70
so when He says, "Him
only you shall you serve"
00:55:00.73\00:55:03.40
you'll discover that
one of the commandments
00:55:03.43\00:55:06.53
forbade people from
serving anything else.
00:55:06.57\00:55:09.47
The second commandment...
00:55:09.50\00:55:12.27
when there were idols
and images in their lives,
00:55:12.31\00:55:14.54
and idols take
on many forms today,
00:55:14.61\00:55:16.58
whenever there's
something in your life
00:55:16.61\00:55:18.51
that you're serving
more than you're serving God,
00:55:18.55\00:55:20.22
then, Satan has found a way in
00:55:20.25\00:55:22.92
to distract you
from serving God.
00:55:22.95\00:55:25.55
Jesus said, "The only
one that we should serve
00:55:25.59\00:55:28.22
is the Lord God,
00:55:28.26\00:55:29.59
the only one that we
should worship is the Lord God,
00:55:29.62\00:55:32.19
the only one that we
should serve is the Lord God. "
00:55:32.23\00:55:34.50
So what is the message
00:55:34.53\00:55:35.86
that Jesus delivered to
Satan in the wilderness?
00:55:35.90\00:55:37.87
Only serve God...
00:55:37.93\00:55:40.50
only serve God.
00:55:40.54\00:55:43.04
We find the
apostles had challenges
00:55:43.07\00:55:47.61
and I... in my mind I'm
thinking of these things,
00:55:47.64\00:55:50.65
because the people...
the New Testament Church
00:55:50.71\00:55:53.38
as it began to grow...
00:55:53.42\00:55:54.75
the apostles... whose primary
purpose was to preach the gospel
00:55:54.78\00:56:01.06
the people were
trying to get them distracted
00:56:01.12\00:56:03.86
by doing all the other functions
of the... of the church...
00:56:03.89\00:56:06.59
and Paul said...
and the apostles...
00:56:06.63\00:56:09.86
in agreement,
00:56:09.90\00:56:11.47
why should I leave the
preaching of the gospel
00:56:11.50\00:56:15.37
for waiting tables?
00:56:15.40\00:56:17.11
Pause.
00:56:17.14\00:56:19.07
See, God does not want
those called to share the gospel
00:56:19.11\00:56:22.11
to be distracted by the
rudimentary things of the world
00:56:22.14\00:56:25.25
He wants our minds and
specifically of those preachers
00:56:25.28\00:56:28.35
and teachers that He called...
00:56:28.38\00:56:29.72
He wants specifically
their minds to be focused on
00:56:29.75\00:56:31.52
the carrying forth
of the gospel message.
00:56:31.55\00:56:34.22
All right, let's get in one more
00:56:34.26\00:56:36.19
before we're done
tonight, if we can,
00:56:36.22\00:56:38.06
"How does David the patriarch
describe our service to God?"
00:56:38.09\00:56:43.26
How does David the patriarch
describe our service to God?
00:56:43.30\00:56:48.40
And when we read this text,
00:56:48.44\00:56:50.07
I want to read it the
way that David wrote it.
00:56:50.11\00:56:52.91
I want to read it with
the attitude he had in mind
00:56:52.94\00:56:55.38
when he wrote it.
00:56:55.41\00:56:56.75
Psalm 100 and verse 2, I
had on the screen verse 3,
00:56:56.78\00:57:02.82
but it's Psalm 100...
I believe it's verse 2.
00:57:02.85\00:57:05.35
Correct me if I'm
incorrect, here it is,
00:57:05.39\00:57:08.26
together, let's
read this together,
00:57:08.29\00:57:10.66
"Serve the LORD with... " what?
00:57:10.69\00:57:13.03
"gladness...
00:57:13.06\00:57:14.60
come before His presence
with... " what? "singing. "
00:57:14.63\00:57:17.87
Serve Him... how Church?
00:57:17.90\00:57:19.23
"With gladness"
you got to be glad.
00:57:19.27\00:57:21.60
If God has done so
much for us as He has,
00:57:21.64\00:57:24.37
we should be glad to serve Him.
00:57:24.41\00:57:26.64
There should be no...
00:57:26.68\00:57:28.01
"Well, do I have to
serve Him this year?"
00:57:28.04\00:57:29.71
"Okay, what does
He want me to do?"
00:57:29.74\00:57:31.95
"What office does
He want me to hold?"
00:57:31.98\00:57:34.15
"Do I really have to serve Him?"
00:57:34.18\00:57:35.58
"Ah, man, I have been
serving for so many years,
00:57:35.62\00:57:37.92
can I rest this year?"
00:57:37.95\00:57:39.29
You know, Brothers and Sisters,
00:57:39.32\00:57:40.66
there is no Rest
Area for the Christian
00:57:40.69\00:57:42.76
when it comes to
service, am I telling the truth?
00:57:42.79\00:57:44.13
Audience: Yes.
00:57:44.16\00:57:45.49
You rest when you die.
00:57:45.53\00:57:46.86
"That they may
rest from their labors
00:57:46.90\00:57:48.56
and their works do follow them"
00:57:48.60\00:57:50.07
until then, we keep
serving God with gladness
00:57:50.10\00:57:52.50
so, here at Sharper
Focus, keep trusting the Lord
00:57:52.53\00:57:54.74
and those things
that don't make sense...
00:57:54.77\00:57:56.94
if you serve God
and do it gladly,
00:57:57.01\00:57:59.27
one day, they'll
come into a sharper focus.
00:57:59.34\00:58:02.01
God bless you.
00:58:02.04\00:58:03.81