Participants: Pr. John Lomacang
Series Code: ASHF
Program Code: ASHF000052
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00:18 Hello, friends,
00:19 and welcome to another Wednesday night Bible study 00:22 here at the 3ABN Worship Center. 00:24 This is A Sharper Focus. 00:27 We thank you for tuning in. 00:29 We thank you for inviting your friends 00:31 and your family members to join us 00:32 for the next hour as we continue our study on 00:36 how to live the servant's life. 00:38 And if we finish up that lesson tonight, 00:40 we'll transition into how a servant worships. 00:44 So invite your family and friends, 00:46 and if you are joining us from one of churches, 00:49 we welcome those of you 00:51 who have gathered together to study with us. 00:54 If you like a copy of the lesson, by the way, 00:56 you can go to our website. 00:58 The website is ASF.3ABN.org, 01:02 and download lesson number 15 and 16, 01:07 that is 15 and 16. 01:09 If you already have 15, that's fine. 01:11 But also at that website, 01:12 you can see the previous programs 01:15 and access the previous lessons. 01:17 But tonight, we're gonna ask the Lord's presence to guide us 01:20 as we unite around the world and study of God's Word. 01:23 Let's bow our heads together. 01:25 Our gracious Father in heaven, tonight, 01:27 whenever we open Your Word, 01:28 it's an opportunity to walk into territory 01:32 that is so deep and so broad 01:34 that unless we are aided by Your Holy Spirit, 01:36 we seek to understand that which is divine 01:41 through that which is human. 01:42 And, Lord, we know that it is not possible for us 01:45 to understand the mind of God. 01:47 And so, Lord, tonight, 01:48 send Your Holy Spirit to be our teacher, to be our guide, 01:52 and when we receive what You have prepared for us, 01:55 may we also receive that spirit of desire 01:58 to worship You and to serve You. 02:00 In Jesus' name we pray, amen. 02:05 Now tonight, we'd like you to join us on our theme song. 02:07 It always appears on our screen, 02:09 it's become a favorite. 02:10 And there are some people 02:12 that always wait for the key change. 02:13 I've actually had emails where people have said, 02:16 "Oh, I can't wait till you say key change." 02:19 I mean, in the whole song, they wait for the key change. 02:22 Well, tonight, we are gonna have a key change. 02:24 But hopefully, we'll have more than that, 02:25 we'll have a change of heart and a change of life 02:28 as we sing our theme song "Victory in Jesus." 02:39 I heard an old, old story 02:43 How the Savior came from glory 02:47 How He gave His life on Calvary 02:51 To save a wretch like me 02:55 I heard about His groaning 02:58 Of His precious blood's atoning 03:02 Then I repented of my sins 03:06 And won the victory 03:10 O victory in Jesus 03:14 My Savior, forever 03:17 He sought me and bought me 03:21 With His redeeming blood 03:25 He loved me 'ere I knew Him 03:29 And all my love is due Him 03:32 He plunged me to victory 03:36 Beneath the cleansing flood 03:40 I heard about a mansion 03:44 He has built for me in glory 03:47 And I heard about the streets of gold 03:51 Beyond the crystal sea 03:55 About the angels singing 03:59 And the old redemption story 04:03 And some sweet day, I'll sing up there 04:06 The song of victory Key change. 04:10 O victory in Jesus My Savior, forever 04:18 He sought me and bought me 04:22 With His redeeming blood 04:25 He loved me 'ere I knew Him 04:29 And all my love is due Him 04:33 He plunged me to victory 04:37 Beneath the cleansing flood 04:40 He plunged me to victory 04:44 Beneath the cleansing flood 04:51 Can we say amen? Amen. 04:53 That's about baptism, the cleansing flood. 04:57 But each of us needs that cleansing flood 05:00 on a day by day basis. 05:03 Every morning of everyday, 05:05 we need to recommit ourselves to the cause of Christ, 05:08 and then we can get the power that 05:10 we don't have in order to live that servant's life. 05:13 Ain't that right? Yes. 05:14 When I sit down to put these lessons together, 05:19 something happens when I open the Word of God 05:22 and begin to study, 05:24 it becomes more than just trying to find the question, 05:27 or trying to find a scripture, 05:29 or trying to match the topic with the verse in the Bible. 05:33 It becomes a discovery all over again 05:36 of what the Lord requires of me. 05:38 And so it's not just my position 05:40 to teach you and to share with you 05:42 what the Lord requires of you 05:44 but it's a constant reminder to me, Robert, 05:46 what the Lord requires of me, 05:48 not just what the Lord wants me to tell you 05:50 or what the Lord wants you to learn. 05:52 But even as a servant of the Lord, 05:55 even as the pastor for as many years 05:57 as I have been able to be in the Lord's work, 06:00 He reminds me over and over about my servant's life. 06:03 He asks me the question, 06:05 "Are you living that servant life 06:07 or are you just teaching the servant's life? 06:10 Are you having a victorious walk with Me 06:13 or are you just encouraging other people 06:15 to be victorious in their walk with Christ?" 06:17 And so I'm hoping that as we get together and study, 06:20 we're not just gaining information 06:21 but we're asking ourselves the question, 06:23 "Am I having the kind of life I'm studying about?" 06:26 And what I want to encourage you to know is 06:29 anytime we ask for the power of Christ to come in, 06:32 we will have the experience 06:35 that Christ says we are able to have. 06:37 Ain't that right? 06:38 Tonight, go with me to a book in the Bible 06:40 that's one of my favorites and a text... 06:44 I have a lot of favorite texts 06:45 but this one always reminds in an encompassing way 06:48 of the power that's available to us. 06:50 Go with me to Galatians. 06:53 What book did I say? 06:54 Galatians. Galatians. 06:56 And if you have your pens, that's a good thing 06:59 because I want you to write this text down. 07:03 This text has all the components of before, 07:06 during, and after. 07:08 What we were not able to do, what we are able to do, 07:12 and how we're able to do that. 07:14 Galatians is the book, the chapter is chapter 2. 07:20 What chapter? Two. 07:22 And the verse is verse 20. 07:25 So Galatians 2:20 talks about 07:30 how do you become a servant. 07:32 This verse encapsulates all of it together 07:36 because if in order for us to be a servant of God, 07:39 we have to cease to be a servant of anything else 07:43 or anyone else, 07:45 we have to cease to be a servant of ourselves. 07:47 We have to serve the Lord in the beauty of holiness. 07:51 But how could we do that 07:53 unless something has happened in our lives, 07:55 unless there's some kind of transformation 07:57 that has taken place, 07:58 and this verse reminds us of that transformation. 08:01 We sing the song Victory in Jesus, here is that victory. 08:04 And I like us to read this together if you can. 08:06 It says, "I have been," 08:07 what is the next word, "crucified." 08:11 Let's not run past that. 08:12 You know, we got it, "with Christ." 08:14 Let's first not include "with Christ". 08:17 The crucifixion that the Lord wants to experience 08:20 is the death of ourselves. 08:22 Not just crucifixion with Christ, 08:24 but He wants us to be crucified 08:26 and how frequently did Paul say we need to be crucified? 08:28 Daily. Daily. 08:30 "I die daily." 08:32 When we wake up in the morning, 08:33 that crucifixion is waiting for us 08:35 at the foot of our bed, right at the side of our bed 08:38 as we slide out unless we die to self that day, 08:42 then self is going to be living and thriving. 08:45 And you know what happens when self comes back to life, 08:48 then the life that God intends for us live 08:50 begins to die quickly. 08:51 And I don't know if you've ever experienced that 08:53 but it doesn't take long if you go through the day 08:56 without committing yourself to Christ, 08:58 it doesn't take long for you to remember 09:00 or to be aware of the fact that, wait a minute, 09:02 this is not who God wants me to be. 09:04 Have you ever had those experiences? 09:06 It doesn't take long for that old man, 09:08 and people talk about the old man, 09:10 and Paul talks about the old man that died. 09:12 As we gave our lives to Christ, the old man was put to death. 09:16 That was the crucifixion. 09:17 But he stays around... 09:19 And let me just make something very clear. 09:21 The old man stays around, and let me quiz you. 09:25 If you know the answer, you can go to our website 09:27 I just gave you and text it to me 09:30 or email it to me. 09:31 How long does the old man stay around? 09:36 Somebody give me the answer. 09:40 Huh? 09:43 Okay. 09:45 You said till we die our natural death? 09:46 Okay. Anyone else? 09:53 Till we commit to Christ? Okay, anyone else? 09:57 Come on. Don't give me too much dead time here. 09:59 Huh? As long as we let him. 10:01 As long as we let him? Okay. 10:03 Let me go ahead and remind you of the topic. 10:06 How to live a spiritual life in a... 10:09 In a natural body. 10:10 Why is the body is still natural? 10:14 It's in sin, right? 10:16 The body is still the resident place 10:19 of all the reminders of sin. 10:21 So that old man, if you don't die daily, 10:25 he's just waiting to come back to life 10:27 because you're living in his house. 10:29 You're living a spiritual life, where, in a natural body. 10:33 The body, as Paul talks about, 10:37 this body is spiritually put to death. 10:40 But I like what Kim said, that old man lives 10:43 as long as we are alive naturally. 10:46 As long as this body is alive, as long as you're breathing, 10:49 that old man wants to come back to life. 10:51 We've got to keep this old man under the submission 10:55 and the restraint of a power that's greater than our own. 10:59 So when it says, "It is no longer I who live, 11:02 I have been crucified with," who, friends? 11:04 With Christ. 11:05 "With Christ." 11:06 Christ is the one that we join in our day by day life. 11:10 We join Him on the cross. 11:12 "If anyone will be My disciples, 11:14 He must take up his cross daily and come after Me." 11:18 We must crucify the deeds that are done in our bodies, 11:22 the deeds of the flesh. 11:24 I've been crucified with Christ. 11:26 And thus, "it is no longer who lives." 11:29 I who live, but Christ who lives where, "in me, 11:33 and the life which I now live in the flesh, " 11:36 that old man's address, "I live by," what, 11:40 "faith in the Son of God, who loved me," and did what, 11:43 "gave Himself for me." 11:46 That's why verse 21 is so vitally important. 11:49 You know, we're saved by, what? 11:52 We're saved by what? We're saved by grace. 11:54 When you read verse 21, Paul adds in addition to that, 11:57 and because of his desire, 11:59 because of this need to be crucified, 12:01 he says in verse 21, "I do not set aside the," 12:05 what of God? 12:07 If you set aside the grace of God, what happens? 12:09 You cease to be walking in that saving relationship 12:11 because it's only by grace through faith 12:14 that the salvation is an experience 12:16 on a day by day basis. 12:17 Now what I'm not saying is that, 12:19 you're saved and you're lost, 12:20 and you're saved and you're lost, 12:21 and you're saved and you're lost, 12:23 I'm saying that that saving experience will elude you 12:26 on a day by day basis. 12:28 You may have a commitment to Christ, 12:31 you may have the promise that you are walking 12:33 in a saving relationship, 12:34 but you won't have the saving experience 12:36 if you don't allow yourself to be put to death every day, 12:38 the deeds of your flesh, the desires of your mind, 12:41 the actions of your own life. 12:43 If they're not put to death every day, 12:44 you'll wake up in the morning 12:46 and you'll waste your entire day. 12:49 Until finally somewhere along the way, you'll realize, 12:51 "Wait a minute, I didn't pray today. 12:53 Wait a minute, I didn't even study today. 12:55 Wait a minute, I didn't even ask Jesus 12:57 to come into my life today. 12:59 No wonder my day is so messed up." 13:01 And so when we talk about the servant's life, 13:02 I want you to keep in mind that the only way 13:05 that this servant's life could be effective 13:07 is if we commit ourselves to Christ, 13:09 how many times a week? 13:12 Every moment of every day, 13:15 that's only way it's going to happen 13:16 because the old man is just waiting 13:18 to come back to life. 13:19 That's why tonight our topic is entitled, 13:22 "How to live a Servant's Life." 13:25 Let's go to question number 18 as we continue in our study. 13:30 Going to question number 18. 13:32 This is a promise. 13:33 This is a promise the Lord has made to us, 13:36 to those who serve Him. 13:39 What promise has the Lord made to those that serve Him? 13:42 And by the way 13:43 if you don't have the prior lesson, 13:45 we are finishing a servant's life which is, 13:50 we're on question number 18 of a servant's life. 13:53 If you've only downloaded number 16, 13:56 then go to number 15 13:57 where we can finish that one together. 13:59 Okay? Let's look at this. 14:02 What promise has the Lord made to those that serve Him? 14:05 Go to Psalms 34:22. 14:10 Psalm 34:22. 14:13 You know, somebody once said to me, 14:15 if you only read one verse in Psalms, it's Psalm. 14:18 If you read more than one verse, it's Psalms. 14:22 Right? 14:23 So it's Psalm. 14:24 Go to Psalm 34:22, but it's in Psalms 34:22. 14:28 Notice what the Lord says the promise He's made to us. 14:33 He says, "The Lord..." 14:35 Let's read this first one together. 14:36 "The Lord redeems the soul of His servants, 14:41 and none of those who trust in Him shall be," what, 14:45 "shall be condemned." 14:47 If you trust in the Lord, you won't be condemned. 14:50 Now let's break that down. 14:51 What does it mean to be condemned? 14:53 Does it mean somebody is going to be condemning you? 14:54 Does it mean you walk around with a condemning feeling 14:56 or condemning spirit? 14:58 No, it means that the life of sin 15:02 won't have power over you. 15:04 Therefore, you won't come under condemnation. 15:08 If the life of sin doesn't have power over you, 15:13 you can't come under the law and feel condemned. 15:16 That's what Paul meant when he says, 15:18 "We are no longer under the law, 15:20 but under grace." 15:21 In other words, we're no longer 15:22 under the condemnation of the law. 15:24 So when we trust in the Lord every day, 15:26 we don't come under condemnation, 15:29 why, because who's the one that's redeeming us? 15:32 We just read it. 15:33 Who's the one that's redeeming us? 15:36 The Lord is redeeming us. 15:40 We sing that song, "Redeemed, how I love to proclaim it!" 15:42 Well, the Lord is the one redeeming us. 15:44 It's not the song we sing, 15:45 but it's the Lord in whom we trust. 15:48 The Lord redeems the soul of His servants 15:51 and none of those who trust in Him shall be condemned. 15:57 Now, you know, when you hear the phrase, 16:01 "Trust in Him", what verse comes to your mind? 16:06 "Trust in Him." Trust the Lord. 16:08 Okay, what passage is that? 16:10 Proverbs 3:5-6. 16:11 Proverbs 3:5-6, let's go there. 16:13 A very important lesson in that chapter. 16:17 Proverbs 3:5-6. 16:20 'Cause you said, well, look. 16:22 Okay, none of those who trust in Him 16:23 shall be condemned 16:24 but then what level of trust does He want, 16:27 is the question that this brings to the forefront. 16:30 What level of trust does He want? 16:33 Proverbs 3:5-6. 16:38 Okay? 16:40 Another one we could all read by heart, 16:42 so why don't we just do that? 16:44 "Trust in the Lord with all your heart, 16:50 and lean not on your own understanding. 16:54 In all your ways, acknowledge Him," 16:58 and what will He do, "He'll direct your paths." 17:01 Now, 17:04 how many of us don't need God to direct us 17:06 on a day by day basis? 17:08 I mean, really! 17:09 If we walk in through valleys and shadows of death 17:12 and trials, and tribulations and temptations, 17:14 we've got to have a reliable Lord, 17:16 the one in whom we trust to guide our paths. 17:19 We cannot rely on our own understanding. 17:21 That verse has been so repeated. 17:23 Sometimes we don't allow it to sink in 17:26 what is actually being said, 17:28 "Trust in the Lord your God with all your heart." 17:31 I saw someone... 17:33 Matter of fact, we were in India recently. 17:35 And one of the things 17:37 I learned really that impressed me 17:39 is we went to school in Bobbili, 17:41 and it's called a blind school. 17:44 And there's such a camaraderie 17:45 among the students that are there 17:47 because they all realize 17:49 they're in the same boat pretty much, 17:50 and that boat is they can't see, 17:52 but some of the students can see partially. 17:57 And what happens is 17:59 for the students that have the ability to see, 18:03 they become the keeper or the steward of the kids 18:08 or the other students that can't see. 18:10 And they gravitate to them. 18:13 And what I've discovered is the wellbeing of that 18:16 that person that cannot see at all 18:18 is in the hand of the person who can see. 18:21 And I wonder to myself, 18:23 how much trust 18:24 does the completely blind person have 18:27 in the person that can see? 18:29 How much trust do you think they have? 18:33 Total trust. 18:34 They can't have anything but total trust. 18:38 Now, 18:41 how much can't we see? 18:45 There's so much that we cannot see, 18:46 there's so much that we cannot perceive. 18:48 God does not see as we do, God does not think as we do, 18:51 God's ways are not like our ways, 18:53 His thoughts are not like our thoughts. 18:55 So there's so much that we cannot see. 18:56 And sometimes we wonder, 18:58 "Why would God lead us down that path 18:59 when it seems to be 19:01 one of the most undesired paths?" 19:04 Well, you know, God sees beyond the present, 19:09 beyond the present circumstances, 19:10 beyond the difficulties we presently face. 19:13 And He knows that every path He leads us down 19:15 if we trust Him with all of our heart, 19:17 we'll come out of that journey 19:19 stronger than when we went into that journey. 19:21 I've come to the place, and my wife and I 19:23 can say this out of a clear testimony. 19:25 We are where we are today 19:28 not because God has led us 19:29 from away from all the trials and tribulations 19:32 but God has led us through the trials and tribulations. 19:36 Amen? 19:37 I mean, if you're Daniel, wouldn't you say, 19:38 "Lord, can't you leave me away from the lion's den?" 19:42 But the Lord did what? 19:43 Led him, what, through the lion's den. 19:47 I mean, they just heated the furnace seven times hotter. 19:49 Can you lead us away from the furnace? 19:52 But what did God do? 19:53 He led them, what, in the furnace. 19:56 So you can't say, Lord, I trust you. 19:58 How did I end up in here? I trusted you. 20:02 And so many of us don't know that those moments 20:06 of when our lives are heating up are moments 20:10 that will be greater than the smallest blessing. 20:13 We don't understand that in those moments, 20:15 sometimes God is refining us. 20:18 There were times in our lives where you said, 20:20 "Lord, this is not the time 20:22 we need to have this kind of trial. 20:24 Not now!" 20:27 And the Lord allowed the trial to come. 20:29 And as Maya Angelou said, 20:31 I was watching Oprah a number of years ago, 20:34 and she's a very wise lady, she's a poet. 20:37 And Oprah asked her the question, 20:39 "What have you learned 20:40 in all the years of your trials?" 20:42 And something she said, I never forgot it. 20:44 She said, "If God allows a trial to come, 20:48 what's on the other side of it is a whole lot better 20:50 than what's on this side of it." 20:53 He would not allow a trial to come 20:56 if what's on the other side of that is not better 20:58 than what's on this side of the trial. 21:01 You see? 21:02 So the servant has to be at the place 21:04 where he completely or she completely trusts. 21:07 "Okay, Father, 21:08 I don't know what this lion's den is all about, 21:11 but I'll go in it because You want me to. 21:15 I don't know what this furnace is all about, whatever it is, 21:18 please make it clear to me." 21:19 And God sometimes reveals Himself in the fire. 21:22 So let's not always say, 21:24 "Lord, deliver me from the trial." 21:25 As one person says, 21:27 "Don't ask God to deliver you from your burdens, 21:29 pray for God to give you a stronger back." 21:32 See, the servant's life, 21:34 He redeems the soul of His servants. 21:36 And none of those who trust in Him 21:38 shall be condemned. 21:39 So what's the answer? 21:40 What promise has the Lord made to those that serve Him? 21:42 He is your Redeemer. 21:44 He's your Redeemer. 21:48 Kinsman redeemer, that's exactly who He is, 21:53 all right? 21:56 And look at number 19. 21:58 Number 19. 22:00 And this is also beautiful, wonderful question here 22:03 because sometimes we wonder whether or not 22:04 God is going to let us know what's going on. 22:06 And I've given this an expanded understanding. 22:09 How has the Lord shown favor to His servants? 22:14 How has the Lord shown favor to His servants? 22:17 Question number 19. Amos 3:7. 22:20 I know you've read this passage before, 22:22 but sometimes you read it in a different context. 22:24 You may have read this in a prophecy seminar, 22:26 but its understanding is far greater 22:27 than just prophecy. 22:29 Okay, notice what the Lord says. 22:31 All right. 22:33 Amos 3:7. 22:35 Are we all there? 22:38 Daniel, Hosea, Joel, Amos. 22:43 Find Daniel, Daniel is after Ezekiel. 22:47 Okay? 22:48 Get that gigantic book of Ezekiel 22:49 and start your track. 22:51 Ezekiel, Daniel, Joel, Hosea. 22:54 Daniel, Hosea... 22:57 Daniel. 22:58 I'm getting myself confused. Let's stop right there. 23:01 I said it right the first time. 23:03 See what happens 23:04 when you guys start confusing me? 23:09 Daniel, Hosea, Joel, Amos. 23:11 Thank you. 23:12 Okay, I'm back on track. 23:14 Amos 3:7. 23:15 Here's what it says. 23:16 And the question is how has the Lord shown 23:18 favorite to His servants? 23:20 I want you to stop and read this verse with me. 23:22 But I want to have everybody emphasize the first word. 23:26 What's the first word? 23:27 Together, "Surely the Lord God does nothing, 23:32 unless He reveals," what, 23:34 "His secrets to His servants the prophets." 23:40 You see, one of the reasons 23:42 why it's so important to be a servant, 23:44 a faithful servant is there things that 23:47 God will reveal to us 23:48 that He wouldn't reveal to someone else. 23:51 You know, when the Lord spoke parables, 23:54 He only explained those parables to His disciples 23:56 when the multitudes were away. 23:59 They met with Him privately. 24:00 You read that in Matthew 24, Mark 13. 24:04 You read that there. 24:05 He met with His disciples privately. 24:07 And they said, "Lord, tell us when shall these things..." 24:11 What's the meaning of this? 24:12 What does this mean? 24:13 And the Lord spoke to the multitudes in parables 24:15 that seeing they will not see 24:17 and hearing they will not be able to understand. 24:20 And so when people read the Bible 24:22 that are not servants of God, 24:24 it can be a book that's extremely confusing. 24:27 That's why it's so important to be a faithful servant 24:30 because a faithful servant of God 24:31 will be able to say to a person 24:33 that's not familiar with the Bible 24:34 as Philip 24:39 said to the Ethiopian eunuch. 24:42 He said, "Do you understand what you're reading?" 24:45 And the Ethiopian eunuch said, 24:46 "Well, could you explain it to me?" 24:49 And he climbed in the chariot and began to explain 24:51 to the Ethiopian eunuch what he was reading, 24:55 and he explained to him, what book, remember? 24:58 Isaiah. 25:00 He explained to him from the book of Isaiah. 25:01 The reason I remember that story very well, 25:04 I sometimes say, 25:05 "Was it Stephen or was it Philip?" 25:06 I remember that because Philip means 25:08 a lover of horses in the Greek, means a lover of horses. 25:12 So Lord sent him out in a desert 25:14 to have a one-on-one evangelistic series, 25:16 and Philip who loved horses saw a royal steed, 25:20 and the Spirit of God allowed him to catch up to that 25:22 that one who took the gospel back to Ethiopia 25:25 and outside of the nation of the Jews, 25:27 the Sabbath has been kept secondly as long 25:30 in the nation of Ethiopia 25:32 as compared to how long the Sabbath 25:34 has been kept among the Jews. 25:36 And so you see here, 25:37 what's the reason for being faithful? 25:39 Because God reveals to us 25:41 things that others don't understand. 25:43 And if you are allowing God to reveal to you 25:45 because of your faithfulness to Him, 25:47 you'll be able to sit down with somebody 25:48 who doesn't understand the Bible 25:50 and be able to unfold it with them 25:52 and give them an understanding of something 25:54 that is not clear to them. 25:56 But it only comes as we are servants 25:59 of the Most High God 26:00 because this didn't say He reveals it to anybody, 26:04 He reveals His secrets to His servants. 26:08 So when we serve the Lord, 26:09 there's an upper hand we have 26:12 compared to those that don't serve the Lord. 26:14 Some people buy the Bible and read it 26:16 as a book of literature, or book of poetry, 26:19 or for information, or to argue with Christians, 26:24 but they'll never get the understanding 26:25 that spiritual if they are not servants 26:27 of the Most High God. 26:28 So what's the promise that God has made? 26:30 How does He show favor? 26:33 He reveals His secrets to His servants. 26:35 He gives us an insight that others don't have. 26:40 All right? 26:41 You want to put that one down for question number 19. 26:46 I know you're counting. 26:48 You're saying, "Okay, we just have two more." 26:50 Actually, we have 12 more or 11 more 26:54 or 12 more, 11 more. 26:59 I'll get it together sooner or later. 27:01 Moving right along to question number 20, 27:04 question number 20. 27:07 Here it is. 27:09 What is the best commendation 27:11 a servant of God will receive? 27:16 Is it the crown of life? 27:18 How many want a crown of life? 27:20 We all want a crown of life. 27:24 But this question is intended to weed out 27:26 just the crown of life. 27:27 What is the best commendation a servant of God will reveal? 27:30 Matthew 25:21. 27:33 Matthew 25:21. 27:44 And the importance of this passage 27:46 cannot be overemphasized 27:48 because sometimes people get weary. 27:51 You know, it's not an easy job serving the Lord. 27:53 He never said it would be easy. 27:55 Matter of fact, the Lord Himself 27:56 went through persecution, the apostles, the disciples, 27:59 everyone that serve the Lord goes through persecution, 28:02 everyone that serves the Lord has trials. 28:05 It comes to every one of us, 28:06 why, because we are pilgrims of a foreign land 28:10 in enemy's territory. 28:12 So we are going to have tribulation, 28:14 He said we're going to have it. 28:16 But the reason why we should not become weary 28:20 is because this battle is not an eternal battle. 28:24 The results are eternal and that's eternal victory. 28:29 Amen? Amen. 28:31 So we have to hold on 28:32 while the battle is winding down. 28:35 And I'll say, "I am so tired." 28:38 I think of this battle that comes to my mind. 28:41 Maybe some of you who are military people, 28:43 there was a hill. 28:45 It was during one of those wars against the Japanese. 28:51 Was it Iwo Jima, where they were fighting, 28:55 trying to gain access to hill and soldiers were dying 28:58 by the numbers, 29:00 but they kept storming the hill 29:03 until they finally took it over. 29:04 Now I thought to myself, 29:06 "Man, as soldiers of the cross, 29:08 has those who are on the battlefield 29:09 for the Lord. 29:11 We've got to stay in the battle. 29:13 We've got to hang in there 29:14 because the victory has already been won. 29:17 Soon the war is going to be over." 29:19 So here's the best commendation we can all receive. 29:23 Matthew 25:21, and here it is. 29:27 "His Lord said to him," what did he say, 29:30 "Well done, thou good and faithful servant. 29:35 You were faithful over," a what, "a few things. 29:40 I will make you ruler over many things." 29:44 And I like this part. 29:45 "Enter into the joy of your Lord." 29:51 Into the joy of your Lord. 29:54 You know, there's a lot of joy also, not just trials, 29:58 there's a lot of joy in serving the Lord. 30:00 And you'll find that if you endure the trials. 30:03 But you can't let the trials rob you of the joy 30:05 of serving the Lord. 30:07 I don't want to paint the servant's life 30:08 as one that's just, "Oh, it's so horrible." 30:10 I mean, what will make you sing 30:14 and praise God at midnight in prison 30:16 if you were not filled with joy? 30:19 Really! 30:20 What would give you the boldness to preach 30:23 in spite of the fact that your head maybe cut off, 30:26 and you're standing before the powers that be, 30:29 what will give you the boldness 30:30 because, you know, that 30:31 that's not the last chapter in the book of the servant, 30:34 there's a better chapter to be written, 30:36 that's joy for evermore. 30:38 That's joy for, how long, evermore. 30:40 So when it says, 30:42 enter into the joy of your Lord, 30:43 think of the New Jerusalem as entering into that joy, 30:46 that eternal joy. 30:48 And I tell you, I can't wait. 30:50 I've read about the city, 30:52 I've taught people about this wonderful city. 30:54 Every now and then, 30:56 you've got to visit revelation all over again 30:57 to remember that that's your home, 31:00 that's the blueprint right there. 31:02 That's where you're going to live. 31:03 Amen? Amen. 31:05 So when you get tired of this world 31:07 and all the things that you hear in the news, 31:09 it just gets more depressing as the days go on 31:11 because the devil is cut loose like a roaring lion 31:14 seeking whom he may devour. 31:16 But every now and then, if you feel homesick, 31:18 remember like Abraham said, 31:20 "I'm looking for a city which has foundations 31:23 whose builder and maker is God." 31:27 And then Jesus made a promise, 31:29 "I'm going but I'll be back so that where I am there 31:31 you may be also. 31:33 I'm going to get your mansion ready 31:34 so that where I am there you may be also. 31:37 So hold on," He tells the person sitting next to you, 31:39 "Hold on." 31:41 Oh, no, if you tell me hold on like that, 31:42 I wouldn't want to hold on. Hold on! 31:45 Can you imagine, you're over the cliff 31:46 and you say, "Hold on"? 31:50 Tell him like you mean it. 31:51 Tell him, "Hold on." Hold on. 31:54 Yeah, hold on. 31:56 Paramedics are on the way. 31:58 Now hold on, Jesus is on the way. 32:01 Amen? 32:02 Oh, I tell you 'cause we got to encourage one another. 32:04 We're in this thing together. 32:06 We don't suffer by ourselves. 32:08 We're not going to rejoice by ourselves, 32:11 we're going to rejoice together. 32:14 "Enter into the joy of your Lord." 32:15 Can you imagine, I don't know 32:17 where you're going to stand in that line 32:18 because I'm sure that there's going to be somebody 32:20 because this is gonna be a long line. 32:22 Let's just go to heaven for a brief moment. 32:24 It's gonna be a long line. 32:26 And not everybody's going to enter at the same time. 32:29 They may enter in alphabetically. 32:31 I'm way back in the Ls. 32:34 But then again, we are going to get a new name. 32:36 Ain't that right? 32:37 If you give me a new name, Lord, give me one 32:39 that ends with the letter A 32:42 'cause can you imagine, you hear the saints says, 32:43 "They each walkthrough..." 32:46 That's right. Maybe He'll move my line. 32:48 But can you imagine as the saints are walking 32:51 through the gates into the New Jerusalem, 32:53 you hear this explosion of joy and praise as they enter in 32:57 through the gates into the city. 33:00 As they walk past the pearly gate 33:02 and they realize, "I'm in." 33:06 Come on, somebody to help me out. 33:07 I'm in. I'm in. 33:10 And you say to your friend, "Could you pinch me? 33:13 I'm in. 33:14 See, we got to dream that way 33:17 because it's not a dream, it's a reality. 33:19 I'm paying down on my mansion. 33:22 When we give... 33:23 And when we give like the Lord says, 33:26 when we store up treasure in heaven, 33:27 where moth and rust does not corrupt them, 33:30 where thieves cannot break into steel, 33:32 we've got some to look forward to. 33:34 So I'm looking forward to the day when I get in, 33:36 I know my wife and I 33:38 are going to be in the line together, 33:39 she's an Angela so she may get in before me. 33:41 She may say, "John, it's great in here. 33:45 Move up, Honey." 33:47 I am looking forward to that day. 33:49 So when I read text like this, I'm envisioning that. 33:53 "Enter into the joy of your Lord." 33:56 And don't let the joy just be there 33:59 because you'll discover in the very next lesson. 34:00 I need to get to it in a hurry. 34:02 You'll just go, 34:03 "There's a whole lot of joy down here." 34:05 Amen? 34:06 The servant's life is joyful down here. 34:07 Matter of fact, people say, 34:09 why does it seem like 34:10 the sinner enjoys his life so much? 34:11 Oh, no, no, no, no. 34:13 The way of the transgressor is hard. 34:16 It looks easy, 34:18 but you don't see the other side of the picture. 34:21 You know, when you see these commercials, 34:22 and everybody's, you know, 34:23 the beer commercials, and the alcohol commercials, 34:26 and they have all the nightlife, 34:28 and they're walking off their jets, 34:30 or standing in front of their massive mansions 34:33 or getting out of their 150,000-dollar car, 34:35 nothing wrong with having car 34:36 if you could afford it like that. 34:38 That's not my issue. 34:39 But they make it look like the highlife is just 34:41 the way you want to go. 34:42 And at the end the commercial, "Bud Light!" 34:46 I'm thinking, "Oh, really?" 34:47 Was that all about a beer can? 34:51 Is that what gets me to that stage? 34:53 Well, I've been out there. 34:54 I know that does not get you to that stage. 34:58 And in years ago, 34:59 when they had the smoking commercials, 35:01 nowadays they show you the truth, 35:03 the trachea and the people who are battling with cancer. 35:07 The real joy as the song said, 35:10 we got to resurrect this song saints. 35:12 If you want joy, real joy, wonderful joy, 35:18 what does it say? 35:19 Let Jesus come into your hearts. 35:21 Remember that song, Brother Dick? 35:22 That was an old evangelist song, right, Pastor? 35:25 If you want joy 35:28 Real joy, wonderful joy 35:31 Let Jesus come into your heart 35:36 Didn't mean to sing but I'm in joy right now. 35:39 That's what you got to do sometimes. 35:40 You got to sing away. 35:42 And the devil will say, 35:43 "Oh, guys, let's go on next door. 35:45 I don't want to hear this." 35:46 Right? 35:47 If the clouds are trying to shut you in, sing, 35:52 and the devil will leave because the Lord inhabits, 35:56 what, the praises of His people. 35:58 Well, that was a long answer, wasn't it? 36:01 That's number 21, is it? 36:02 Number 20. Okay. 36:04 What is the best commendation a servant of God will receive? 36:07 Well done! Well done! 36:09 Good job. Good job. 36:13 Praise the Lord for that commendation. 36:16 Somebody is going to hear that, it might as well be me. 36:19 What do you say? 36:21 Somebody is going to hear, well done, and might as well... 36:23 When you go home tonight, say, "It might as well be me." 36:27 Somebody's going to be saved, it might as well, right, 36:29 might as well be me. 36:31 Somebody's going to sit down at that dinner table in heaven, 36:34 it might as well be me. 36:37 Kind of preach a sermon called it might as well be me. 36:41 That'd be coming down the road. 36:43 Question number 21. 36:44 Let's stop preaching and get to teaching again. 36:47 Question number 21, here it is. 36:49 What will those that serve God here have to look forward to? 36:55 What will those that serve God here have to look forward to? 36:58 Oh, this is the beautiful one. 37:01 If you serve God here, 37:02 what do you have to look forward to? 37:04 Sometimes people say... 37:05 When my wife is planning vacation, 37:08 you know, she goes on the websites 37:09 and she looks at all the amenities, 37:11 and she would say, "Oh, can you imagine, Sandals." 37:17 When we go to Sandals in Jamaica 37:18 or on St. Lucia, "Oh, 37:20 Sandals, white beaches." 37:23 So how much it's going to cost? 37:25 "Well, I was just dreaming." 37:29 And you got to dream sometimes, 37:31 you got to get away in your mind. 37:34 You cannot let your surroundings 37:36 become your prison. 37:37 You got to close your eyes sometimes and say, 37:41 "I could see that cloud about the size of man's hand. 37:45 I could hear the flapping of the angel's wings. 37:49 I could hear the trumpet, 37:51 and I could hear my name being called." 37:54 You got to get away in your head. 37:57 People say, "Are you okay?" 37:59 "No, I'm all right." 38:00 That's why the prophets that were envisioned, 38:03 they enjoy being envisioned 38:05 because they were somewhere else. 38:07 They were not down here in this dark and cruel world. 38:10 So what do we have to look forward to 38:12 if we serve the Lord down here? 38:13 Revelation 22:3. 38:15 Revelation 22:3. 38:17 This is what we have to look forward to 38:19 as we serve God down here. 38:21 Are you ready? 38:23 I want us to read this together. 38:25 We got to make a down payment on this. 38:27 By the way, God has already done, 38:28 so together, 38:30 "And there shall be no more curse, 38:33 but the throne of God and of the Lamb shall be in it, 38:39 and His servants shall," do what, "serve Him." 38:43 There shall be no more curse. 38:45 Ever since the entrance of sin, 38:47 everything on this planet was cursed, 38:49 the trees, the fish of the sea, the animals, the vegetables, 38:53 the fruits, everything has been diminished 38:57 because of the curse of sin. 39:00 But in heaven, ladies that love flowers, 39:03 you wait, you're going to see roses, 39:07 you're going to see the beauty of perfection. 39:11 In the New Earth, 39:13 we're going to see the beauty of perfection. 39:16 We're not going to be fearful of anything in the new earth 39:19 because there'll be no more death, no more sin. 39:22 There'll be no more curse for the throne of God 39:24 and of the Lamb will be in it. 39:26 And what are we going to be able to do? 39:27 We're going to be able to serve the Lord. 39:30 So if we're going to serve the Lord in eternity, 39:32 shouldn't we get started now? 39:35 Right, Mark? 39:36 If that's what I'm going to do... 39:38 If that's what I'm going to be doing in eternity, 39:40 I need to get started doing it now. 39:43 I need to learn how to serve the Lord now. 39:46 Not just come to church service, 39:48 but to serve the Lord on a day by day basis, 39:51 asking God to guide us and to direct us. 39:55 All right, that was question number 21. 39:57 Now let's go to our new lesson. 40:00 Our new lesson for tonight, 40:02 after you have the servant's life, 40:04 boy, then the next thing you have is 40:06 The Servant's Worship, The Servant's Worship. 40:11 Wow! 40:12 Do you know 40:14 that the highest thing 40:19 that we can give to God 40:21 is our worship? 40:25 If that were not the highest thing, 40:27 then the devil wouldn't desire it. 40:29 He wants to take from God that which is due to Him alone. 40:35 When the Lord had a battle 40:36 with the devil in the wilderness, 40:38 He said, "You shall worship the Lord your God, 40:41 in Him only shall you serve." 40:43 I want you to notice that. 40:45 He connected serve and worship in the same passage. 40:49 You shall worship the Lord your God, 40:50 In Him only shall you serve. 40:53 So the reason why we're going from service to worship 40:56 is because that's how the Lord connected it. 40:59 "If you serve to Me then you must worship Me." 41:03 And Lord says, "The only one that you must serve 41:05 and the only one 41:07 that you must worship is the Lord." 41:08 Get the hands, get thee behind me as it were. 41:13 So the servant's worship, the highest thing 41:16 that we can offer to the Lord is worship. 41:19 Now the first passage we're going to go to 41:22 or the first question is as follows, 41:24 but I want to just caution you 41:26 because when we go to this verse, 41:28 I want you to pay particular attention 41:29 to the way the question is phrased. 41:31 And I want you to pay attention to a particular word there. 41:34 Each of you has question number one of lesson number 16. 41:37 And by the way, if you don't have that yet, 41:39 you can go to our website ASF.3ABN.org, 41:43 ASF.3ABN.org and download that lesson number 16, 41:48 that is, by the way if you just tuned in. 41:51 But here's the question. 41:53 What is the, what's the next word, 41:57 on the screen. 41:59 What is the only way that God can be worshipped? 42:04 Now this is really important because all over the world, 42:14 in every particular movement on the planet, 42:17 there's a claim to be worshiping God. 42:20 But the reason why the question is phrased this way 42:22 is because when I read the Bible, 42:24 it begins to narrow down 42:26 the kind of worship that God requires. 42:30 God does not need worship in music. 42:32 God does not need worship in dance. 42:34 God does not need worship in drama. 42:37 God does not need worship in shouting. 42:40 All those things are part of worship in some places. 42:44 But the kind of worship that God is asking 42:47 is found in John 4:23 and 24. 42:51 What is the only way that God can be worshiped? 42:56 All right, here it is. 42:59 You ready for it? 43:00 Most of you have already turned there. 43:01 Thank you for that. 43:03 But here's the answer. 43:05 The Lord says, "But the hour is coming, 43:08 and now is, when the," what kind of worshiper, 43:12 "when the true worshipers 43:16 will worship the Father," two ways, 43:19 in what, "spirit and," in what, "truth, 43:22 for the Father is seeking such to worship Him." 43:27 What is God looking for? Let's finish the text. 43:30 "God is Spirit, and those who worship Him 43:33 might worship Him..." 43:36 what's the word? 43:38 It's not might, it's not could. 43:41 "Those who worship Him," together, 43:44 "must worship in," what, "spirit and truth." 43:49 Spirit and truth. 43:50 One of the preachers I heard once said, 43:53 "Too much spirit, you blow up. 43:56 Too much truth, you dry up. 43:59 But if you combine them together, you grow up." 44:03 I thought that was really good 44:04 because there's some people who spent all their time, 44:06 "What's the truth, what's the truth, what's the truth?" 44:07 There's others, "I don't need the truth, 44:08 I need to see the spirit. 44:10 Too much spirit, you blow up. 44:12 Too much truth, you dry. 44:13 But you combine them together, you grow up. 44:16 God is saying, "I'm looking for worshipers." 44:19 And I want you to look at that text in particular 44:20 because He says what kind of worshipers 44:22 is He looking for? 44:24 What kind of worshipers, Robert? 44:26 True. 44:27 He's not just looking for worshipers 44:29 because so many people desire to worship God. 44:32 But what they do is they design worship. 44:34 And he said, 44:36 "God, is this how you want me to worship you?" 44:37 Or more specifically, 44:38 this is how I'm going to worship You. 44:40 And God said, "That's fine." 44:42 Remember, in the very beginning, 44:43 two kinds of worshipers were established, 44:45 isn't that right, Pastor? 44:47 What were their names? 44:48 Cain and Abel. 44:51 One brought to God, both brought an offering, 44:56 but only one brought a sacrifice. 45:00 If your worship is not a sacrifice, 45:04 then God is not going to accept the offering. 45:08 If the worship that we give to God 45:10 does not require a sacrifice, He says of us we must... 45:15 Well, let's go to Romans 12. 45:18 Okay, Romans 12. 45:22 There it is. 45:25 Romans 12. 45:27 We're looking together at verse 1. 45:32 All right? 45:35 Sacrifice, these are worship texts. 45:38 Romans 12:1 is a worship text. 45:43 God wants to be worshiped, and He's telling us how 45:47 because the body is used for all kinds of things. 45:49 And unfortunately, 45:51 not everything that it's used for 45:54 is acceptable to the Lord. 45:57 He says in Romans 12:1, "I beseech you therefore, 45:59 brethren, by the mercies of God, 46:02 that you present your, " what, 46:04 "bodies a," what kind of sacrifice, 46:06 "living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, 46:11 which is your," what, "reasonable service." 46:14 And now he says, 46:15 which is your spiritual act of worship. 46:19 And that only happens when you choose 46:21 not to be conformed to the world, 46:23 but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. 46:27 Verse 2, "That you may prove what is that good 46:31 and acceptable and perfect will of God." 46:34 When that happens, a person is humbled, 46:36 he doesn't think 46:38 more of himself than he ought to. 46:39 You see, if you just read verse 1 and 2, 46:41 you say, "Well, great," 46:43 because the only one that should be exalted 46:44 is God and not us. 46:48 And unfortunately, 46:49 I've been in worship services where the person 46:51 that's upfront is being exalted and not the Lord. 46:55 But the kind of worship that God requires exalts Him 46:58 and not the worshiper. 47:00 Amen? 47:01 So we got to be really careful when we give to God, 47:04 when we give back to God what he's given to us, 47:06 make sure that it does not glorify us 47:08 because God is the one that... 47:09 He's the only one worthy of glory, 47:11 He's the only one worthy of praise, not us. 47:14 So put the answer down. 47:15 What is the only way that God can be worshiped? 47:17 And the answer is, how, in spirit and in truth. 47:21 That's a very strange concept nowadays in a world that says, 47:25 "What is truth?" 47:27 Yeah, really. 47:29 You talk about truth nowadays, 47:30 I got a phone call from a lady today that I never met. 47:33 She watches House Calls, she's a fairly new Christian, 47:37 a fairly new Adventist, 47:39 and she's in a situation where 47:43 her son is having to read a book 47:45 about somebody dying and going to heaven. 47:48 And she doesn't believe that. 47:49 And it just... 47:51 The Lord... 47:52 She was saying, I was trying to... 47:54 I was tossed the best to who to call, 47:56 whether to call Doug Batchelor or you. 48:00 And Lord impressed me to call you. 48:02 She said, 'cause I watch House Calls, 48:03 I watch A Sharper Focus, I watch 3ABN, 48:09 listen to your sermons. 48:10 Lord impressed me to call you 48:11 because I don't know how to deal with the topic. 48:13 I don't want my son reading books 48:15 that are being assigned him about a kid 48:17 that has an experience that he went to heaven. 48:20 And I know that's not supported by the Bible. 48:21 How do I handle that? 48:23 And let me use this in a tongue in cheek way. 48:25 It just so happened. 48:27 Does it just so happened? 48:29 It never just so happened. 48:31 Months ago, 48:33 when I was broken on a funeral service, 48:35 God impressed me to put together 48:37 a nine-page paper on what the Bible teaches, 48:41 specifically about what happens when you die, 48:43 about the fact that man does not have an immortal soul, 48:46 about the resurrection, all the specifics 48:48 that she needed that information for. 48:51 She said, "I know what it teaches. 48:52 But I'm still such a novice in the Word. 48:54 I don't know how to communicate it 48:56 and I don't know all the Bible texts to that 48:57 connect together." 48:59 And I want my son to accept... 49:01 I want to be able to share the truth 49:06 with my son's instructors. 49:08 But I need to understand the truth 49:10 in order to be able to share it. 49:13 And I said, "It's amazing you asked 49:15 because I have a paper right now. 49:17 I could email it to you right away." 49:18 And I sent it to her right away. 49:20 She was even a novice in email, 49:21 but if you're watching the program, 49:23 I know that God is going to use 49:24 what He's allowed you to receive 49:26 what is from His word to be able to lead 49:29 those who are not clear on the topic 49:31 to an understanding of the truth of God's Word. 49:33 We must desire not to just worship God, 49:36 we must desire to worship God in spirit and in, what, 49:38 in truth. 49:40 Why in spirit? Go with me to John 16. 49:43 Why in spirit? 49:44 We know what the truth is. 49:46 As many, many years ago, you got to be a little older 49:49 to remember that. 49:50 Years ago, there was a time... 49:53 I mean, for those... 49:55 I see a couple of people that I know 49:56 may understand this statement. 49:58 Years ago, there was an officer. 50:01 Years ago, 50:02 on television Officer Joe Friday. 50:04 And he would say, "Just the facts, ma'am, 50:07 just the facts." 50:09 'Cause nowadays, 50:11 it seems like the facts don't matter. 50:14 Right? 50:16 Just the facts. 50:17 What's the fact? 50:19 People don't die and go to heaven. 50:21 People often hear that is like, 50:22 we're not going to go to heaven. 50:23 I said, "That's not what I'm saying. 50:25 We're going to all go together. 50:26 It's going to be a bus outing. 50:29 We're gonna all go on the same plane, 50:32 United Airlines." 50:35 We're going together. Amen? 50:38 See, we're going together. 50:39 But some folk, when they fly away, 50:41 they sing a song, "I'll fly away when I die." 50:43 You can sing that song, but you ain't going anywhere. 50:46 And nowadays, they have this new phrase, 50:48 "Home going service". 50:50 You ever hear that? 50:51 "Well, we have a home going service." 50:52 Yeah, you're going home, you read the book of Job, 50:54 he says, "If I wait, the grave will be my house." 50:57 That's where you go, and you're going that home. 50:58 You ain't going to that home. 51:00 You can't go to that home until you put on immortality. 51:03 And that does not happen until the last trumpet. 51:08 But anyway, that's another topic. 51:09 After we finish this series, by the way, 51:11 on how to live a spiritual life and natural body, 51:13 we're going to go through 51:15 some of the most difficult doctrinal issues. 51:17 Amen? 51:18 We're going to tackle those topics like the Sabbath, 51:20 and the state of the dead, 51:22 and hell, is it burning forever and ever? 51:23 All those topics that are controversial, 51:26 we're not going to go through all of those. 51:29 And the reason why... 51:30 What did I tell you to turn? 51:31 John. 51:33 Why am I in the index? 51:34 I'm thinking, 51:36 "Why am I in the index in the middle of the Bible?" 51:39 Why the Spirit? 51:40 'Cause this is what the spirit promises to do. 51:43 John 16:13, didn't tell you where but I tell you what book. 51:46 John 16:13. 51:48 Notice what happens. 51:50 When you're worshiping God in the spirit, 51:51 here's what you get. 51:52 You get what other people don't get. 51:55 And they don't get it 51:56 because they don't submit to the Holy Spirit. 51:59 Here's what it says in verse 13, 52:00 "However," or "how be it, " 52:02 as the King James Version says, 52:04 "when He, the Spirit of truth has come, 52:07 He will," do what, "guide you into," 52:11 what, notice spirit and truth 52:14 in the same verse which says, 52:18 you cannot say you're being led by the spirit 52:22 if you don't want the truth. 52:26 Is that a false accusation? 52:28 The Spirit of God is leading me, 52:29 but I don't want the truth. 52:31 Is that an indictment against the Holy Spirit? 52:34 So the Holy Spirit makes an exception to Hannah. 52:37 Hannah, I'm gonna lead you, but just for you, 52:39 I'm not going to give you any truth, 52:41 just going to give you a journey. 52:43 And that's what happened nowadays. 52:45 Christianity is being boiled down to an experience, 52:48 and the truth is being omitted. 52:49 But that's not would have been, that's not how it ends. 52:51 He says, "He will guide you into all truth, 52:54 for He will not speak on His own authority, 52:57 but whatever He hears He will speak. 53:00 And He will tell you things to come." 53:02 You know what, tell you things to come 53:04 is a parallel to Amos 3:7, 53:06 the servants of God will be shown, 53:09 God will reveal to them and His secrets 53:11 through the Holy Spirit. 53:12 He'll show us things that are to come. 53:15 But you cannot have that benefit 53:17 if you're not willing to be led by the spirit 53:20 into the truth of God's Word. 53:22 Do yourself a favor, and just get yourself an index. 53:26 I used to travel around when I was in Heritage Singers. 53:29 We didn't have laptops back then with, 53:31 you know, those quick concordances, 53:33 and you can just type in the word 53:34 and it just pops up like that. 53:36 I had a thick strong concordance in mylocker. 53:40 I still have it? 53:42 I had a thick strong concordance 53:43 in my locker in the bus, 53:45 and I used to travel with the Heritage Singers. 53:47 And I remember once 53:48 I had a topic, I was discussing... 53:50 Somebody was discussing a topic with me 53:52 while the rest of the group was sleeping. 53:54 There I was with my thick strong concordance 53:59 going through every line, looking for a particular word. 54:04 And by the Sabbath afternoon, I handwrote all these. 54:10 And I still have it in my file at home. 54:11 I saw it last week, 54:12 that's why it's back in my mind. 54:14 I handwrote all that the Bible 54:15 said about the commandments of God. 54:19 But nowadays, you can type in the word commandments 54:21 and it pops up. 54:22 So do yourself a favor, type in the word truth, 54:24 and you'll be startled about what you see 54:27 how relevant the truth is. 54:28 Matter of fact, one more text I want to give you. 54:30 Go with me to the book of Thessalonians. 54:34 Okay. 54:38 Here I am. 54:40 2 Thessalonians. 54:44 Show you how important truth is. 54:45 Some people say, "It doesn't matter 54:47 what the truth is as long as I serve God." 54:49 As the kid used to say 54:51 when I was growing up, "Nuh-uh." 54:53 Remember that, "Nah-uh"? 54:55 Little kids, "Nuh-uh." 54:56 No, no. 54:58 You got a... 54:59 God is a particular God, is He not? 55:01 You don't just throw God leftovers and say, 55:03 "Well, I hope you like this." 55:05 It doesn't matter how I worship you 55:06 as long as I worship you. 55:07 No! 55:09 You can't say that to your boss. 55:10 Doesn't matter if I do the job right 55:12 as long as I do the job. 55:13 No! God is an awesome God. 55:16 Here's what it says about truth. 55:18 In verse... 55:19 2 Thessalonians 2, that's where I'm going. 55:22 Here's what it says. 55:24 In verse 10, I'm just going to shorten it. 55:26 "And with all unrighteous deception, " 55:29 or as the King James Version says, 55:30 "all deceivableness of unrighteousness 55:34 among those who perish, 55:35 because they did not receive the love of the truth, 55:40 that they might be saved." 55:41 It's not just the truth, but you got to love the truth. 55:46 And what happens in verse 11, "And for this reason, 55:49 God will send them strong delusion, 55:51 that they should believe the lie," the opposite, 55:55 "that they all may be condemned who did not believe the truth 55:59 but had pleasure in," what, "unrighteousness." 56:02 It's either a lie or it's the truth. 56:04 There are no middle ground. 56:06 And so as we continue in this study 56:09 of how to live a spiritual life in the natural body, 56:14 or specifically in this case, the servant's worship, 56:17 we have to keep in mind, God is a particular God. 56:20 What we give to God is vitally important. 56:24 Let's look at question number two very quickly. 56:26 Question number two, last one. 56:28 Psalms 29:2. 56:30 Here's the question. 56:32 Let me go back. 56:33 How are we instructed to worship the Lord? 56:36 How are we instructed to worship the Lord? 56:41 Psalms 29:2. 56:43 You ready for it? 56:45 This is beautiful. 56:47 This is wonderful. 56:49 This is beautiful. 56:51 One day, we're going to really experience this, 56:53 looking forward to it. 56:55 And the Bible says, let's read this one together 56:57 as we wind up our topic tonight. 56:59 It's on the screen. 57:00 Ready? 57:02 "Give unto the Lord the," what, "glory due his name, 57:07 worship the Lord in the," what, "beauty of holiness." 57:12 What is the three angels' message? 57:14 "Fear God and give glory to Him 57:16 for the hour of His judgment has come," 57:18 and do what, "worship Him 57:20 that made the heavens and the earth, and the seas, 57:23 and the fountains of waters." 57:25 This is the time that God is seeking true worship, 57:29 not just manmade worship, 57:32 not just the worship that I'm comfortable with, 57:34 not just the worship that fits into my schedule, 57:37 or into my theology, or into those things 57:39 that are convenient to me. 57:41 God wants us to worship Him in the beauty of holiness. 57:46 And when you think about holiness, 57:48 holiness has a requirement to it. 57:50 God requires everything 57:52 that His Word has revealed to us. 57:53 And so, friends, as you worship the Lord, 57:56 as you desire to give Him the glory that's due his name, 57:59 keep following Him. 58:00 And one day, what does not make sense 58:02 will come into a sharper focus. 58:05 God bless you. |
Revised 2019-01-03