¤ ¤
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Hello friends. Welcome to
another Wednesday night Bible
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study here in Thompsonville,
Illinois. You know, we say
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Thompsonville, we say West
Frankfort. Well if you ever
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visited 3ABN there's just one
thin line apart in two different
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little towns. But this is the
3ABN Worship Center and we thank
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you for tuning in tonight to
continue with our with us in our
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study: How to Live a Spiritual
Life in a Natural Body and we're
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going to be transitioning into
a new series and it is entitled
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How to Know the Truth About the
Truth. You probably tilted your
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head to the side like a puppy,
huh? What did he mean by that?
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But you'll find out when we get
there. But tonight if you'd like
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to follow along with our lesson
go to this website ASF.3ABN.ORG.
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and download Lesson Number
17 as well as Lesson Number 18.
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Now our attempt will be to
finish Lesson 17 and transition
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to Lesson 18. But in the event
that we don't you'll be ahead of
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us and that is you'll be able
to study out Lesson Number 18
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and be prepared for the
next broadcast. But invite your
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friends and family members
to sit down with us for a
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thoughtful hour as we walk
through our Bibles together.
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Can we say amen to that? No
better thing to do than to spend
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time in the word of God. We'd
like to thank you for tuning in
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from around the world to make
this broadcast as special as we
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believe it is from the word
of God led by His Holy Spirit.
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For tonight let's bow our heads
and invite God's presence to be
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with us. Our heavenly Father, we
thank you for your goodness, for
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your mercy and always for your
grace for we discover that your
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grace truly is sufficient for
us and we also know Lord that in
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our weakness your strength
is truly made perfect. Tonight
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Father as we open your word we
pray that you'll open our hearts
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and our minds and unite us
around the world together in the
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study of your word and may your
Holy Spirit, who promises to
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lead and guide us into all truth
prepare us for the reception of
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truth. In Jesus' name we pray.
Amen. Well you know we like
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to sing our theme song and
you'd like to join us if you can
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Now you know our theme song is
Victory in Jesus. The words will
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be on our screen and they will
be on yours. I know that many of
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you have joined us as the song
so let's sing our song tonight
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Victory in Jesus. ¤ ¤
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¤I heard an old, old story
how the Savior came from glory¤
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¤How He gave His life on Calvary
to save a wretch like me¤
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¤I heard about His groaning
how the precious blood's atoning
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¤And I repented of my
sin and won the victory¤
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¤O Victory in
Jesus my Savior forever¤
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¤He sought me and bought
me with His redeeming blood¤
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¤He loved me e'er I knew
Him and all my love is due Him¤
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¤He plunged me to victory
Beneath the cleansing flood¤
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¤I heard about a mansion
He has built for me in glory¤
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¤And I heard about
the streets of gold¤
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¤Beyond the crystal sea¤
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¤About the angels singing
and the old redemption story¤
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¤And some sweet
day I'll sing up there¤
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¤A song of Victory¤
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¤O victory in
Jesus my Savior forever¤
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¤He sought me and bought
me with His redeeming blood¤
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¤He loved me e'er I knew
Him and all my love is due Him¤
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¤He plunged me to victory
beneath the cleansing flood¤
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Amen? We are about to get a
flood here in Southern Illinois.
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We've been getting a lot of rain
and I don't know if it was like
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this in the days of Noah because
they had never had rain before
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but at the site of clouds, those
who live in places like Oklahoma
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and Texas and Kentucky and
Tennessee and Illinois, we kind
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of hunker down because we know
that it could bring with it a
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lot of other things. And even
forecasted possibility of hail,
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strong winds. But the only wind
we're waiting for tonight is the
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wind of God's Holy Spirit,
Amen? We are here, though not
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many in number, we're glad that
you are making up the difference
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as we join together around the
world. We have been studying the
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topic How to Become a Christian.
That may seem strange because
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those of us who are studying are
"Christians." At least in our
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labels we are. But there's a lot
more that pertains to being a
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Christian than just having the
label whether the denomination
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is a small on or a large one,
the most confused place in the
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world today is among Christians.
That's why I'm beginning a new
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series on the heels of this
one called How to Know the Truth
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About the Truth. Because when
I study different religions, I
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don't spend a ton of time with
that but sometimes you think of
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and I want to be kind but
I think about the 1.2 billion
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Catholics and I think for the
most part they all believe the
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same thing. That is you have
a charismatic Catholic and you
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have other branches, but for
the most part the 1.2 billion
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members of the Catholic church,
whether infants or adults tend
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to be under one creed, one
banner, and one set of beliefs
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found in the Converts Catechism
of Catholic Doctrine. But then
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when you mention the word
Christian, people say what
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flavor, what brand or what
denomination. Because the word
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Christian doesn't mean what
it did in the Bible. The word
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Christian in the Bible meant
there was one Lord, one faith,
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one baptism, one God, one Father
of all, one set of beliefs that
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was unifying all Christians
together. It was just Jews and
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Gentiles. There was just error
and truth. There was falsehood
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and there was light. There was
no massive diversity and in the
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context of Christianity nowadays
people say well I'm Christian
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and to me that really
doesn't mean anything. Because
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Christianity is a lot larger
than just having a label and
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that's why the next series
is going to really put a great
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highlight on the importance
of knowing the truth about the
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truth. Now people may say
okay sounds like a redundant
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statement to know the truth
about the truth. But let me just
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go ahead and give you a preview
so that you can prepare yourself
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and tonight we'll see it also
fit into this topic on how to
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become a Christian or what
it means to be a Christian. I
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mentioned to you the word
Christian. What is a Christian?
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Somebody tell me. Let's say this
together: What is a Christian?
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A follower of Christ. That's
an easy definition, the most
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appropriate definition, the true
definition, a Christian is a
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follower of Christ. Jesus
mentioned in Matthew 7 that the
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way that leads to eternal life
is a narrow path and few there
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be that find it. But He also
in that very same context, I
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thought it was not unusual but
how appropriate in the passage
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where you mention you'll
know them by their fruits, He
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mentioned the road to eternal
life is narrow and He also said
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not everyone that says to
me Lord, Lord, will enter the
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kingdom of heaven, only those
who do the will of my Father
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which is in heaven. So what he
in essence is saying is there's
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a lot more to being a Christian
than just saying you're a
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Christian but he wants those who
are willing to do the will of
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His Father in heaven. Then when
Jesus came, He says, I came unto
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my own and my own did not
receive me. And we'll find
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out... I don't want to jump
ahead. I'm just kind of holding
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the brakes because it's just
flowing over. I don't want to
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go to the book that I have put
in the new lesson, but you'll
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discover that how to become
a Christian brings with it
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tremendous benefit. So
our topic tonight although our
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theme is how to live a
spiritual life in a natural body
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our topic is...
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And we left off on Question
Number 12 so that means tonight
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we're going to go ahead and
begin with Question Number 13.
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Setting the stage. And this
question is as follows. It's on
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out screen and you'll see
it also on your screen. The
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question is...
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And we're going to go to the
book of John. What book did I
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say? John, my book. John
17 and we're going to look
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together at verse 3. You know
John is a powerful book in that
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there's John, there's 1st,
2nd, 3rd John, then there's
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Revelation. And a lot of people
look at the book of John as the
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book from the one that was most
beloved by Christ. He was the
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youngest of the disciples
yet he was one of the sons of
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thunder, meaning he was loud.
But he learned how to tone it
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down and allow Jesus to... I'm
not referring to anybody in my
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presence here. We have a brother
It's okay to be loud for Jesus.
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Isn't that right, as long as
you're thundering the gospel,
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but he learned to love Jesus,
he learned to communicate with
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tones of love. He was the one
that was the last disciple to
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die and he died of natural
causes, because God, as Pastor
00:11:00.82\00:11:05.19
Doug Batchelor says, until God
is finished with you, you are
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immortal, that is nobody can do
anything to take your life until
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God is done with you. That's
the immortal sense, not that you
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have immortality. But then
if anything happens to you, you
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have the gift of immortality
which we'll all put on when
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Jesus comes. But let's look
at what the major change will be
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after we become Christians. John
17:3- And the answer is verse 3
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John 17:3... Thankfully you all
have your lessons and your Bible
00:11:34.66\00:11:38.23
Let's read the first one
together, and it reads as
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follows...
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Now this verse brings into view
two persons of the Godhead, the
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Father and the Son. So when
the Bible says, and this is life
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eternal that they may know
you, the only true God AND Jesus
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Christ whom you have sent, it's
hard for anybody to think of
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Jesus or God in three
manifestations. You know there
00:12:15.80\00:12:18.73
is this belief that God
manifests Himself in different
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ways or God metamorphosed
from God the Father, then he
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metamorphosed like the butterfly
into God the Son and then he
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left His shell like an aphid
and left behind the Holy Spirit.
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Those who believe in three
manifestations of God rather
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than the persons of the Godhead,
the Father, the Son and the Holy
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Spirit. So what this text is
in essence saying to us and I'll
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go ahead and show you the answer
you can write it down, the
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answer is...
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And you have that personal
relationship with God through
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whom? Somebody tell me. Through
whom? Through Jesus. Because
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you're no longer coming straight
to God, but as Jesus says no one
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comes to the Father except
through me. Go with me to the
00:13:04.01\00:13:08.52
book of John, chapter 10. You're
putting the answer down, you
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have a personal relationship
with God. In other words, the
00:13:11.89\00:13:17.13
door is open now for us to have
access to the Father. There's
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only one way to the Father and
that's through the Son, Christ
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Jesus. That's not a very popular
statement nowadays because
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people think there are many
different ways. But there's only
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one way to the Father. Okay
John 10 and I want to look at
00:13:33.54\00:13:46.96
verse 1. I'm not going to read
too many of them but I'll select
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the verses that are most
appropriate to the point I'm
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trying to make. Because Jesus is
the way, Jesus is the one that
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connects us to the Father.
John 10. I'm going to read it
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from the New King James Version
but the translation is really
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not that important. It says:
Most assuredly I say to you
00:14:01.40\00:14:05.11
he who does not enter the sheep
fold by the door but climbs up
00:14:05.14\00:14:10.28
some other way the same is a
thief and a robber, but he who
00:14:10.31\00:14:17.62
enters by the door is the
shepherd of the sheep. To him
00:14:17.65\00:14:22.76
the doorkeeper opens and
the sheep hear his voice and he
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calls his own sheep by name
and leads them out. You should
00:14:27.60\00:14:32.50
rejoice when you read that
text because Revelation 18 talks
00:14:32.53\00:14:34.67
about another call come out,
Come out of her my people. The
00:14:34.70\00:14:38.87
only way that He can lead them
out is by them hearing His voice
00:14:38.91\00:14:42.04
That's so instrumental in the
topic that's coming up. And He
00:14:42.08\00:14:45.15
goes and says in verse 4 and
when he brings out His own sheep
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He goes before them and the
sheep follow Him for they know
00:14:53.32\00:14:58.09
His voice. They not only know
Him but they even know His voice
00:14:58.13\00:15:01.90
Those of you who get phone calls
sometimes you get a phone call
00:15:01.93\00:15:05.37
and it may be somebody you
haven't heard from in a long
00:15:05.40\00:15:07.47
time but the moment you hear
their voice you say, Naw, tell
00:15:07.50\00:15:13.71
me this is not Jeffrey.
Yep, this is Jeffrey because you
00:15:13.74\00:15:17.75
sound a little older but I can
never forget that voice. Have
00:15:17.78\00:15:19.95
you ever had that experience
before? Sometimes you talk to
00:15:19.98\00:15:22.08
people that you haven't heard
from in a long time and you say
00:15:22.12\00:15:25.09
I can't believe this is who
I think it is. Is this, and you
00:15:25.12\00:15:29.32
mention their name. And how do
you know them, how do you know
00:15:29.36\00:15:30.93
them over the phone, by their
voice, unless you have one of
00:15:30.96\00:15:35.76
those new phones that has video.
But for the most part and the
00:15:35.80\00:15:39.03
very same thing happened
with Mary when she waited in the
00:15:39.07\00:15:42.04
garden on the resurrection
morning. She thought that Jesus
00:15:42.07\00:15:44.57
was the gardener until He said
her name and the she thought
00:15:44.61\00:15:49.38
wait a minute, is this who
I think it is. She identified
00:15:49.41\00:15:53.01
Jesus by His voice. Very
important point I'm making here.
00:15:53.05\00:15:55.65
You see, a lot of people think
that the voice of God is audible
00:15:55.68\00:15:59.09
but the voice of God is also
written. Amen? God spoke these
00:15:59.12\00:16:05.83
words. Holy men of God spake
as they were moved by the Holy
00:16:05.86\00:16:12.90
Spirit. So these words were
spoken, these words were written
00:16:12.93\00:16:18.61
but they came forth from
the Father, they came forth from
00:16:18.64\00:16:21.61
Christ, they came forth through
the work of the Holy Spirit.
00:16:21.64\00:16:25.05
These words are not born in the
mind and lives of men. It was
00:16:25.08\00:16:29.02
communicated through their
experiences but these are the
00:16:29.05\00:16:32.95
words of God. And we'll find
that in just a moment. But let
00:16:32.99\00:16:37.06
me go and finish this, I want
to end the point here. Let's go
00:16:37.09\00:16:41.33
down to verse 7 of John chapter
10. Jesus said to them, Most
00:16:41.36\00:16:47.27
assuredly I say to you, what's
those four words? I am the door.
00:16:47.30\00:16:53.11
I am the door of the sheep
and whoever came before me are
00:16:53.14\00:17:02.08
thieves and robbers but the
sheep did not hear them. I am
00:17:02.12\00:17:06.55
the door. If anyone enters
by me he will be saved and will
00:17:06.59\00:17:13.13
go in and out and find rest. So
we see right away this personal
00:17:13.16\00:17:18.53
relationship that we have
with the Lord is very important
00:17:18.57\00:17:21.40
because if you have this
personal relationship you're not
00:17:21.44\00:17:24.14
just in a relationship with Him
by name. There's some people...
00:17:24.17\00:17:26.74
people who are called
name callers. You ever know
00:17:27.44\00:17:30.98
people like that? When you
mention...Yeah, Yeah I know Him.
00:17:31.01\00:17:34.08
What's his nick name? I do that.
And somebody did that once and
00:17:34.12\00:17:39.19
I'll show you about a personal
relationship. Not that we want
00:17:39.22\00:17:41.99
to minimize Jesus in any
way, but usually if you say to
00:17:42.02\00:17:45.96
somebody Oh I know and
you mention the person's name.
00:17:45.99\00:17:50.40
I want to be vague so I don't
really bring out... Okay, let me
00:17:50.43\00:17:54.37
use myself as an example. I know
that this is going to happen.
00:17:54.40\00:17:59.14
When I go all over the
world people are going to start
00:17:59.17\00:18:00.64
calling me this. If anybody ever
calls me Junior they have to
00:18:00.68\00:18:07.52
know me from way back when I was
a little boy. They have to know
00:18:07.55\00:18:11.29
me from Madison Street in
Brooklyn. Now I can even go
00:18:11.32\00:18:14.92
further. If anyone calls me
Jun-Jun, they had to know me
00:18:14.96\00:18:18.03
when I was a little boy, a tiny
tyke, because that was what my
00:18:18.06\00:18:21.90
sister called me before she was
able to say John. She would say
00:18:21.93\00:18:26.07
Jun-Jun. And I discovered that
was not an accident but it's
00:18:26.10\00:18:32.57
traditional in some Philippino
families, the name Jun-Jun is
00:18:32.61\00:18:34.98
very common. So Jun-Jun when I
was a little boy, Junior growing
00:18:35.01\00:18:39.78
up but John as an adult. I
remember somebody one day, my
00:18:39.81\00:18:43.95
sister was with us and somebody
00:18:43.99\00:18:46.19
said as they saw
me as a pastor and
00:18:46.22\00:18:49.72
they said Junior. She said, He's
a pastor now you need to call
00:18:49.76\00:18:51.93
him John. Call him John. He's
not Junior anymore, he's grown
00:18:51.96\00:18:56.93
up. He's a pastor now, you need
to call him John. There's some
00:18:56.97\00:19:00.54
connection to that. Jesus
had such a personal relationship
00:19:00.57\00:19:04.74
with His disciples that he
said, Let's kind of get off this
00:19:04.77\00:19:09.98
Master thing. Let's call
each other friends. See? They
00:19:10.01\00:19:15.68
referred to Him as Friend. And
there are those, my good friend
00:19:15.72\00:19:19.92
Pastor Dwight Nelson always
speaks about the forever Friend,
00:19:19.95\00:19:23.86
Jesus our forever Friend, a
friendship with Jesus. So that's
00:19:23.89\00:19:28.30
where that personal relationship
comes in. You know, why is this
00:19:28.33\00:19:30.80
important? If you have a
personal relationship with
00:19:30.83\00:19:33.94
Christ you are never in the
dark, because friends stay in
00:19:33.97\00:19:38.87
touch. The best way to stay in
touch with Jesus is through
prayer, through the
00:19:38.91\00:19:43.45
reading of His word, and
through the listening to hear
00:19:43.48\00:19:46.41
Him speak to us. When I read the
Bible, I study the Bible. You'll
00:19:46.45\00:19:50.89
find many references to after
people have prayed, they waited
00:19:50.92\00:19:54.72
to hear from the Lord. They
waited for the Spirit of God to
00:19:54.76\00:19:58.79
guide them and lead them and
impress them strongly on what
00:19:58.83\00:20:01.63
they have studied in the word
of God. So having a personal
00:20:01.66\00:20:03.97
relationship with God is
extremely important. That's
00:20:04.00\00:20:07.24
Number 13. Now Number 14. Let's
go to that one. Number 14...
00:20:07.27\00:20:11.87
Let's go to Titus 1:16. Okay.
This Christian label. I mean
00:20:19.91\00:20:29.92
I've met people that nowadays
actually sometimes we talk about
00:20:29.96\00:20:34.00
a flavor. What flavor are you.
Ah, Christianity nowadays has
00:20:34.03\00:20:39.43
been reduced down to a brand of
cereal. But the challenge that's
00:20:39.47\00:20:45.51
going to come out of the next
topic we talk about. The problem
00:20:45.54\00:20:48.48
that is people minimize their
beliefs and they maximize the
00:20:48.51\00:20:56.69
word Jesus. Now let me take
a minute on that. They minimize
00:20:56.72\00:21:02.39
what they believe, but they
maximize the fact that well we
00:21:02.42\00:21:07.26
all have the same God. You've
heard them say that, you've
00:21:07.30\00:21:10.47
heard people say that. But Jesus
taps them on the shoulder and
00:21:10.50\00:21:13.47
says Ah wait a minute. Are you
talking about Jesus? We all have
00:21:13.50\00:21:16.81
Jesus in common? Yeah you know
we have Jesus in common. Well
00:21:16.84\00:21:21.01
aren't we all called by His
name You see where I'm headed?
00:21:21.04\00:21:24.05
In Isaiah 4:1 says, wait a
minute, but you have your own
00:21:24.08\00:21:28.98
Jesus, you have your own bread.
You have your own doctrines.
00:21:29.02\00:21:33.09
They're not connected. You
have your own apparel, your own
00:21:33.12\00:21:36.02
method of righteousness. But all
you really want from me is my
00:21:36.06\00:21:39.76
name. That's not enough. That's
why when we go to the series on
00:21:39.79\00:21:42.56
How to Know the Truth About the
Truth, it's going to open your
00:21:42.60\00:21:46.23
mind to see it's not just
important to emphasize the fact
00:21:46.27\00:21:51.37
that ah we all, it doesn't
really matter what we believe
00:21:51.41\00:21:53.74
we know we all love Jesus. James
completely obliterated that
00:21:53.78\00:22:01.75
ideology that all you have to do
is believe because he said even
00:22:01.78\00:22:05.15
the devils believe and what do
they do? They are more convinced
00:22:05.19\00:22:08.99
that there's a God than many
of us are. They're so convinced
00:22:09.02\00:22:12.76
that He exists that they're
warring against Him every day.
00:22:12.79\00:22:15.93
And some of us are so convinced
that He exists that we don't
00:22:15.96\00:22:19.53
even call on Him every
day. So let's see. Why is it
00:22:19.57\00:22:23.41
important to have more than a
Christian label? Titus 1:16 look
00:22:23.44\00:22:27.58
at what it says. It says...
00:22:27.61\00:22:43.79
Isn't that amazing. That's a
powerful passage. They profess
00:22:43.83\00:22:46.66
to know God. Somebody once was
on the radio on I forgot what
00:22:46.70\00:22:50.67
channel it was but I was driving
in the car and whatever the talk
00:22:50.70\00:22:53.50
show host was, whoever
the talk show host was, they
00:22:53.54\00:22:55.44
were talking about people that
say they know Michael Jordan.
00:22:55.47\00:23:00.58
And he said Ah well
what's that really mean?
00:23:00.61\00:23:05.85
He said okay when
you first meet him you
00:23:05.88\00:23:08.05
don't call him Mike because
you're not on that basis with
00:23:08.08\00:23:10.72
him. You say Mr. Jordan or Mr.
Michael Jordan. You address him
00:23:10.75\00:23:16.12
at the point of respect.
And then if you go further, you
00:23:16.16\00:23:20.06
could say, if he lets you
in the circle, you could say
00:23:20.10\00:23:22.43
Mike. Then if you go even
further, he said you can call
00:23:22.46\00:23:25.67
him Boo. Whatever nickname he
has. People are like that. Each
00:23:25.70\00:23:30.91
of us are known in our family
circles with different names.
00:23:30.94\00:23:33.21
So if somebody professed to know
somebody, you say, if you know
00:23:33.24\00:23:38.11
him that well, okay, could you
get us into this event, could
00:23:38.15\00:23:41.18
you get us into this gala event.
Could you get us into this party
00:23:41.22\00:23:44.79
Well I don't know him on that
level. See so the Lord is saying
00:23:44.82\00:23:48.02
in this verse people profess
to know God but if you look at
00:23:48.06\00:23:52.19
their actions their actions
don't connect to somebody that
00:23:52.23\00:23:56.53
claims to have that kind of
connection with God. So here is
00:23:56.56\00:24:00.20
why it's important to have more
than a label. The answer: Our
00:24:00.24\00:24:03.87
works must match our profession.
Our works must match our
00:24:03.91\00:24:12.38
profession. The answer to number
14. So the works which is how we
00:24:12.41\00:24:18.42
live our lives, must be in
harmony with what we profess to
00:24:18.45\00:24:22.96
believe or who we profess to be.
Isn't that right? Okay, let's
00:24:22.99\00:24:26.76
go on. Let's try to get as
much as we can in tonight and
00:24:26.80\00:24:29.50
hopefully transition to the next
one. I'm just so excited about
00:24:29.53\00:24:32.43
it. I don't want it to be next
year before I get to that one.
00:24:32.47\00:24:35.20
You know how that
goes. Okay Number 15...
00:24:35.24\00:24:41.98
A lot of people are Christians
but not really. Okay. Now let me
00:24:50.12\00:24:55.52
get down the nitty gritty.
We're taking our shoes off,
00:24:55.56\00:24:57.69
we're taking our socks off,
we're walking on ground. You
00:24:57.73\00:25:00.76
can't tell if the ground is hot
or cold if you have on shoes and
00:25:00.80\00:25:04.53
socks. But if you take your
socks off and your shoes off you
00:25:04.57\00:25:08.30
are where the foot meets the
road. This text or this question
00:25:08.34\00:25:15.08
brings the foot in touch with
the road. In other words, it
00:25:15.11\00:25:17.71
brings the label Christian
in touch with whether or not
00:25:17.75\00:25:21.45
you're really walking the
Christian life. Question again.
00:25:21.48\00:25:25.52
What must we include in our
lives after becoming Christians?
00:25:25.55\00:25:28.26
John 9:4 Turn there with me.
John 9:4. There's something that
00:25:28.29\00:25:38.20
must be in our lives after
we become Christians. I remember
00:25:38.23\00:25:42.10
when I joined the baseball team
in high school some years ago
00:25:42.14\00:25:45.67
I was so skinny in high school.
They gave me a baseball uniform
00:25:45.71\00:25:48.64
I was trying to small one but
they gave me a baseball uniform
00:25:48.68\00:25:51.41
that was so oversized that I had
to sew up the inseams just so
00:25:51.45\00:25:56.35
I didn't look like I had on
pajamas. Now follow what I'm
00:25:56.38\00:26:01.16
saying. Once you join the team
you got the equipment, you got
00:26:01.19\00:26:04.39
the uniform, you got the emblem,
you got your number, you were
00:26:04.43\00:26:08.66
assigned to a particular
position to fill and then you
00:26:08.70\00:26:13.60
were included in the game. You
follow me? So if you were on the
00:26:13.64\00:26:19.07
baseball team what a lot of our
guys excuse me hey let me see
00:26:19.11\00:26:23.04
your cleats what kind of cleats
did you get, let me see your
00:26:23.08\00:26:26.25
uniform, let me see your glove.
00:26:26.28\00:26:27.88
for evidences that you are
connected to the team. So if I
00:26:29.88\00:26:33.56
said I'm on the team they'd
say well where's your uniform. I
00:26:33.59\00:26:35.52
don't have a uniform. Well then
you're not on the team. What
00:26:35.56\00:26:38.16
position are you playing. Well I
haven't got a position yet. Then
00:26:38.19\00:26:41.10
you're not on the team. Anybody
on any team has been assigned a
00:26:41.13\00:26:46.17
position. If you don't have a
position then you're not on the
00:26:46.20\00:26:49.50
team. Right? Then you also
have practices. When is your
00:26:49.54\00:26:53.94
basketball practice. I don't
even know. Aren't you on the
00:26:53.98\00:26:56.64
team? Yeah but everybody else
has a schedule. How come you
00:26:56.68\00:26:58.98
didn't get a schedule? Well I am
on the team but I didn't get a
00:26:59.01\00:27:02.58
schedule. Now everybody got
their schedule so you're not on
00:27:02.62\00:27:06.76
the team. We used to say
in the city, you're fronting.
00:27:06.79\00:27:08.76
That means you're
not telling the truth.
00:27:08.79\00:27:10.86
Well let me say something here.
00:27:10.89\00:27:12.99
This is a very powerful point.
To say that we are Christians,
00:27:13.03\00:27:19.77
there's something that we
must include in our lives after
00:27:19.80\00:27:21.24
becoming Christians or else by
not including this we are saying
00:27:21.27\00:27:26.24
we are not on the team. You've
got to play if you're on the
00:27:26.27\00:27:34.15
team and if you're on the team
you can get on the field. And
00:27:34.18\00:27:38.85
those who are not on the field
are not getting any championship
00:27:38.89\00:27:42.79
trophies, they're not
getting any paycheck when the
00:27:42.82\00:27:44.69
championship happens. They're
not getting any remuneration of
00:27:44.73\00:27:47.06
any kind because they're just
sitting in the stands. I think
00:27:47.10\00:27:50.23
I've laid enough foundation.
Here's the answer in John 9:4.
00:27:50.27\00:27:55.47
Here's the answer. John
9:4 Let's read this together...
00:27:55.50\00:28:00.44
Okay. Perfect timing for
this one because the basketball
00:28:15.62\00:28:19.46
season just ended. So if
anybody says to me they're going
00:28:19.49\00:28:23.37
to an NBA basketball game I'm
going to say you need to go back
00:28:23.40\00:28:27.27
to bed and wake up
again because there are no NBA
00:28:27.30\00:28:29.84
basketball games. There are none
till way down in the later part
00:28:29.87\00:28:35.08
of September. If anybody says I
got tickets to a basketball game
00:28:35.11\00:28:38.48
you want to go with me, I'd
say which basketball game. There
00:28:38.51\00:28:42.48
are no games happening until
later on in the year. Here's my
00:28:42.52\00:28:47.56
point. There's a work that God
has chosen every one of us to be
00:28:47.59\00:28:50.83
involved in if we are Christians
Notice the second word in this
00:28:50.86\00:28:57.33
statement. What's your second
word? Somebody tell me. It
00:28:57.37\00:28:59.73
doesn't say you should, it
doesn't say you should think
00:28:59.77\00:29:03.07
about it. What does it say? Say
it with some gusto. What does
00:29:03.10\00:29:06.78
it say? Must. You must work the
works of Him who sent me while
00:29:06.81\00:29:13.48
it is day. Anybody that
says they are Christians and not
00:29:13.52\00:29:17.72
involved in working for God is
not a Christian. Can I say that
00:29:17.75\00:29:22.96
with authority? You cannot be a
Christian and not be working for
00:29:22.99\00:29:27.73
the person that has hired you.
He didn't hire you to listen to
00:29:27.76\00:29:32.83
sermons. He didn't hire you to
parts of socials or just to be
00:29:32.87\00:29:37.77
involved in sitting down. One
writer said if there's a mist
00:29:37.81\00:29:43.98
in the pulpit, there's a fog in
the pews. You know. The frozen
00:29:44.01\00:29:51.72
chosen. The inactive active.
There's no such thing. The
00:29:51.75\00:29:55.39
Christian world is the only
place where you can do nothing
00:29:55.42\00:29:58.43
and expect to go to heaven.
Isn't that terrible. Go with me
00:29:58.46\00:30:02.86
to Revelation 22. I don't want
to start preaching but I just
00:30:02.90\00:30:08.00
might. Look at Revelation 22.
Very powerful verse. You've got
00:30:08.04\00:30:11.37
to realize God hasn't chosen us
how to become a Christian. I'm
00:30:11.41\00:30:15.41
a Christian. What are you doing
for the kingdom of God. Nothing.
00:30:15.44\00:30:17.15
I'm just waiting for Him to come
I'm at the bus stop. I'm waiting
00:30:17.18\00:30:20.32
for the train to come. I'm
waiting for the clouds to part.
00:30:20.35\00:30:22.78
That's why people that are
inactive... This is an amazing
00:30:22.82\00:30:26.25
thing. People that are often
inactive doing nothing, they
00:30:26.29\00:30:29.09
get tired of waiting. So those
are the people that say I can't
00:30:29.12\00:30:31.89
wait till Jesus comes. Well
that's all you been doing is
00:30:31.93\00:30:36.16
waiting. Haven't been
doing anything. And then you ask
00:30:36.20\00:30:40.34
people to do stuff, ah I don't
know. You do that same thing at
00:30:40.37\00:30:46.34
work. The boss asks you to
do something. I don't know. You
00:30:46.37\00:30:50.18
don't know?! I've hired you, I'm
paying you. You're going to tell
00:30:50.21\00:30:55.02
me you don't know?! Well look
at the word, Revelation 22 and
00:30:55.05\00:31:02.52
we're going to look at verse
12. Verse 12 completely... I've
00:31:02.56\00:31:08.90
adopted this word tonight;
completely obliterates the idea
00:31:08.93\00:31:12.43
that Christians should be
inactive. Look at what Jesus
00:31:12.47\00:31:16.27
said: And behold I am coming
quickly and my reward is with
00:31:16.30\00:31:24.71
me to give to everyone
according as his works shall be
00:31:24.75\00:31:30.09
in the King James Version.
You're going to get a reward
00:31:30.12\00:31:32.55
according to your works. In
other words, no works, no reward
00:31:32.59\00:31:40.56
It's like you don't go to work
and on Friday you show up and
00:31:40.60\00:31:44.33
stand in line. I used to
remember those pictures of
00:31:44.37\00:31:47.00
construction sites. You know a
construction is a strange thing.
00:31:47.04\00:31:49.70
There's no really established
office, but on Friday all the
00:31:49.74\00:31:53.07
guys take their hard hats off
and they're all standing in line
00:31:53.11\00:31:55.21
in front of the foreman's
shelter. You know how that is?
00:31:55.24\00:31:57.81
They're all standing in line and
somebody turns around and says
00:31:57.85\00:32:00.45
hey Mike I haven't seen
you all week. Been sick.
00:32:00.48\00:32:03.12
So do you know
what line this is?
00:32:03.15\00:32:05.52
The paycheck line yeah. So
why are you standing in this
00:32:05.55\00:32:08.82
line? And you get to the front
of the line and the foreman says
00:32:08.86\00:32:12.83
hey Mike good to see you.
Why are you here? Well everybody
00:32:12.86\00:32:17.33
else got a check. Mike we
pay people for the work they do.
00:32:17.37\00:32:23.91
This may sound like a
revolutionary idea, but God
00:32:23.94\00:32:28.41
calls Christians to work, Amen?
Somebody. Just tired of this
00:32:28.44\00:32:32.91
whole idea. I'm tired of this
whole idea of Christians that
00:32:32.95\00:32:37.25
just don't want to do anything
and they go well I'm a Christian
00:32:37.29\00:32:40.06
and they mention
their denomination. Anyway.
00:32:40.09\00:32:43.99
John 14:12. My good buddy was
on the battlefield for the Lord,
00:32:44.03\00:32:50.70
told me look at John 14:12.
Look up John 14:12. That's right
00:32:50.73\00:32:55.94
A good one. See you could...
He just been, anyway I don't
00:32:55.97\00:32:59.97
want to put him up higher but
he's just been in the church for
00:33:00.01\00:33:03.98
more than a year and out there
on the field working for the
00:33:04.01\00:33:05.55
Lord. That's why these texts are
popping out at him. John 14:12:
00:33:05.58\00:33:09.58
Notice what it says. Jesus
speaking to his disciples. He's
00:33:09.62\00:33:12.92
comforting them and telling
them, I'm leaving now but
00:33:12.95\00:33:15.16
there's something you must do.
00:33:15.19\00:33:16.52
Verse 12. Most assuredly I
say to you, he who believes in
00:33:16.56\00:33:24.07
me, the work that I do, he will
do also and greater works than
00:33:24.10\00:33:29.17
these he will do. Why? Because
I go to my Father. In other
00:33:29.20\00:33:33.17
words the Lord is saying I'm
getting out of the way. But you
00:33:33.21\00:33:35.94
know what you can do while I'm
gone? You're going to do what
00:33:35.98\00:33:38.58
I've done and even more. In
other words, I'm just one man
00:33:38.61\00:33:42.55
but there's 12 of you and after
the day of Pentecost there's
00:33:42.58\00:33:46.55
going to be a whole lot more and
you know the rest of the story,
00:33:46.59\00:33:49.62
3000, 5000 and the church clerk
lost it and couldn't even keep
00:33:49.66\00:33:52.99
up with the numbers and just
wrote down the word multitudes.
00:33:53.03\00:33:56.40
That's how God does it. Right?
Just multitudes. But why did the
00:33:56.43\00:34:01.40
gospel get to the world then
in only 34 years. You know why?
00:34:01.44\00:34:04.71
Because they believed so much in
the coming of the Lord they got
00:34:04.74\00:34:08.28
together and worked in
preparation for the coming of
00:34:08.31\00:34:12.31
the Lord. Even John as he was
on the Isle of Patmos, he was so
00:34:12.35\00:34:15.68
diligent to finish his work, he
wrote even so come Lord Jesus.
00:34:15.72\00:34:19.55
Because he knew he was busy
working for the Lord. You got
00:34:19.59\00:34:23.06
me in prison but you can't
stop me from writing the book of
00:34:23.09\00:34:26.19
Revelation. They worked in
prison. Paul and Silas in prison
00:34:26.23\00:34:30.07
singing. They had a choir
rehearsal at midnight. God broke
00:34:30.10\00:34:34.54
them out of jail and they
baptized the jailer. I mean that
00:34:34.57\00:34:38.81
didn't even stop them. Somebody
said Paul if you do this again
00:34:38.84\00:34:42.98
they're going to whip you.
That's okay. I've been whipped
00:34:43.01\00:34:45.15
already. So he said I must press
toward the mark for the prize
00:34:45.18\00:34:52.02
of the high calling of God which
is in Christ Jesus. He pressed.
00:34:52.05\00:34:55.72
He didn't sit, he pressed. He
had a goal. So many people who
00:34:55.76\00:35:00.70
become Christians and the
evidence of a Christian...
00:35:00.73\00:35:02.26
Here's a point I want to bring
up. We must involve ourselves
00:35:02.30\00:35:05.93
in working for the Lord.
This ideology that we could be
00:35:05.97\00:35:09.30
Christians and just wait
for Jesus to come, it's insipid,
00:35:09.34\00:35:11.77
it's like warm milk. Can
you imagine drinking milk in a
00:35:11.81\00:35:17.58
container that's been left
outside on a 100 degree day?
00:35:17.61\00:35:19.95
We don't drink milk as it is.
Even if it's rice milk it tastes
00:35:19.98\00:35:24.59
bad. Oh you know, warm. Where's
the milk? In the back of your
00:35:24.62\00:35:28.36
car. My wife, whenever we go to
the airport we put extra bottles
00:35:28.39\00:35:30.99
of water in the car. Because you
know how it is when you get home
00:35:31.03\00:35:34.53
you get thirsty like half way to
the airport. So we put like four
00:35:34.56\00:35:37.93
bottles, drink two when we're
going. We'll have two in the car
00:35:37.97\00:35:41.04
coming back, at
least. So she said but while
00:35:41.07\00:35:44.37
the car's at the airport
00:35:44.41\00:35:45.74
it's going to get warm. I
said Honey, we're coming back at
00:35:45.77\00:35:47.18
night. So it might be
cooler. At least it will be room
00:35:47.21\00:35:51.78
temperature. Lord have mercy if
you come back during the day in
00:35:51.81\00:35:55.25
the summer, because no one wants
warm water when you're thirsty.
00:35:55.28\00:36:00.42
You see, Jesus had the very same
position about Christians that
00:36:00.46\00:36:03.83
just don't do anything. He says,
I can't drink you, I can't even
00:36:03.86\00:36:09.06
digest you're profession. The
only thing I can do is spit you
00:36:09.10\00:36:11.87
out of my mouth because
you're not hot. You've not doing
00:36:11.90\00:36:14.17
anything for me. You're not
cold You're not even against me.
00:36:14.20\00:36:17.61
You're just taking up space and
we've got all these Christians
00:36:17.64\00:36:22.04
taking up space and I'm just
looking pretty waiting for Jesus
00:36:22.08\00:36:25.95
to come. This is a Bible study
not a sermon, but I'm making the
00:36:25.98\00:36:33.09
points here that's what it's
all about. Those of you who are
00:36:33.12\00:36:35.46
watching, get involved in your
church's mission. Do not get
00:36:35.49\00:36:38.99
uninvolved thinking that somehow
when God comes back He's going
00:36:39.03\00:36:42.03
say you know what, I'm going
to let you pass. I'm going to
00:36:42.06\00:36:45.50
give you eternal life
even though you did nothing. No
00:36:45.53\00:36:48.90
that's not why He calls us.
Ephesians 2:10 For we are his
00:36:48.94\00:36:54.04
workmanship created in Christ
Jesus for good works which God
00:36:54.08\00:36:58.41
prepared beforehand that we
should walk therein. He's got
00:36:58.45\00:37:03.08
all these positions, but He's
looking for people to hire. What
00:37:03.12\00:37:05.95
did he say to Isaiah. He
was talking about man there's so
00:37:05.99\00:37:08.59
many people, we've got so
much to do. Who shall I send and
00:37:08.62\00:37:12.56
Isaiah said... What'd he say?
Here I am Lord, send me. And
00:37:12.59\00:37:17.23
then Jesus Old Testament
and New Testament he said to His
00:37:17.27\00:37:20.27
disciples I send you forth as
lambs among wolves. He doesn't
00:37:20.30\00:37:24.77
call us to sit down, He calls us
to stand up. He calls us, trains
00:37:24.81\00:37:29.21
us, sends us. Right? Number 16
and I'm having a sneaky feeling
00:37:29.24\00:37:33.42
we might not get to the next
lesson tonight. Somehow this has
00:37:33.45\00:37:36.42
transitioned into an exciting
study. Question Number 16. Here
00:37:36.45\00:37:40.29
it is...
00:37:40.32\00:37:51.17
How do we declare that? This
is another one. I'm just really
00:37:51.20\00:37:55.80
swinging tonight. Not from
a lamp but I'm swinging in the
00:37:55.84\00:38:00.88
Holy Spirit. You know that
winnowing tool that God had in
00:38:00.91\00:38:04.55
His hand? Swept away all the
tares, gathered in the wheat.
00:38:04.58\00:38:08.08
How do we know? Malachi
3:10 is where we're all turning.
00:38:08.12\00:38:12.15
Malachi 3:10 How do we declare
to the church that we are
00:38:12.19\00:38:16.06
connected to Christ? This
one has always baffled me and my
00:38:16.09\00:38:19.46
brother you know where I'm
headed, right? so I'm not going
00:38:19.49\00:38:21.70
to get there yet. We're going
to wait till we read the text,
00:38:21.73\00:38:23.67
then we're going to make
reference, but here it is,
00:38:23.70\00:38:25.77
Malachi 3:10: This is called
minimal Christianity. What's
00:38:25.80\00:38:30.71
the word that I used? Minimal.
This is the minimal requirement
00:38:30.74\00:38:34.18
of a person who says they're
connected to Christ. This is the
00:38:34.21\00:38:37.88
bare minimum. This is not the
maximum. This is what you got to
00:38:37.91\00:38:41.25
do. This is what you must do as
you're connected to Christ. Here
00:38:41.28\00:38:44.85
it is: Together...
00:38:44.89\00:39:07.58
I know that in the King James
Version by heart. That there
00:39:07.61\00:39:09.84
shall not be room enough
to receive it. A lot of people
00:39:09.88\00:39:12.01
think of tithing well okay,
I'm going to go ahead and pay my
00:39:12.05\00:39:16.12
tithe. No, no, no, cut. You
don't pay tithe, you return it.
00:39:16.15\00:39:22.66
Right? Because God owns
everything. Somebody once said
00:39:22.69\00:39:28.06
Lord if you, then I will. How
could you bargain with somebody
00:39:28.10\00:39:30.70
when you don't own anything
to bargain with Him with. God if
00:39:30.73\00:39:35.00
you do this for me, I'll do that
for you. It's like an ant saying
00:39:35.04\00:39:38.17
to a big 18-wheeler, if you
do this for me I'll clean your
00:39:38.21\00:39:43.68
tires. I mean think about that.
An ant, an ant compared to an
00:39:43.71\00:39:48.18
18-wheeler is not even a good
comparison because we're smaller
00:39:48.22\00:39:51.45
than an ant when it comes to
comparison to God. It's like an
00:39:51.49\00:39:56.26
ant trying to take an 18-
wheeler on its back and say
00:39:56.29\00:39:58.99
well we need some more ants to
do this. No matter how many ants
00:39:59.03\00:40:01.63
you get, you are not going
to move an 18-wheeler. No matter
00:40:01.66\00:40:04.30
how many of us join together
we cannot move God. But the
00:40:04.33\00:40:08.60
point of the matter is a lot of
Christians nowadays have what's
00:40:08.64\00:40:12.04
called... Let me just put the
answer on the board while I'm
00:40:12.07\00:40:13.58
emphasizing the important point.
00:40:13.61\00:40:22.32
You notice how this is different
from all the other topics. We
00:40:22.35\00:40:25.29
talked about sanctification,
justification, glorification.
00:40:25.32\00:40:28.06
We talked about pressing
toward the goal. We talked about
00:40:28.09\00:40:29.79
studying our Bibles, all the
facets of Christianity and the
00:40:29.82\00:40:33.70
important aspects to it,
but this is now saying, okay now
00:40:33.73\00:40:37.87
let's get down to the brass
tacks of it. You are a Christian
00:40:37.90\00:40:39.80
Do you support the church
financially? Well, um. Whenever
00:40:39.83\00:40:45.24
I have money to. Well you
know the reason why you may not
00:40:45.27\00:40:47.88
have money to is because that's
not a part of your heart. The
00:40:47.91\00:40:49.98
Bible says where you treasure
is there will your heart be also
00:40:50.01\00:40:54.12
You know God has a habit of
multiplying what we give to Him.
00:40:54.15\00:40:59.29
If you give a little, He'll take
it and multiply it and you'll
00:40:59.32\00:41:05.53
have much. Now let's go ahead
and qualify that. God is not
00:41:05.56\00:41:10.47
going to say I am an investment
project. But God promises, as
00:41:10.50\00:41:15.34
David the psalmist says, I was
young, I am old and I have never
00:41:15.37\00:41:24.71
seen the righteous forsaken nor
their seed begging for bread.
00:41:24.75\00:41:29.38
Paul, Philippians 2, I believe
it's verse 12. He says, And my
00:41:29.42\00:41:35.82
God shall supply all of my need
according to His riches in glory
00:41:35.86\00:41:42.26
through Christ Jesus. God's
got a bank. We always worry
00:41:42.30\00:41:45.40
about the economy. I'm not
worried about the economy, not
00:41:45.43\00:41:47.97
at all. You know my retirement
may go up and down but then
00:41:48.00\00:41:51.64
the government hasn't been
making a difference in my life
00:41:51.67\00:41:55.44
to this point. God is supplying
all my needs. When Elijah was
00:41:55.48\00:41:59.11
out there running from Ahab and
Jezebel God sent him air mail
00:41:59.15\00:42:02.28
God sent him Federal Express
food, a raven, brought him his
00:42:02.32\00:42:06.45
lunch all the time he was out
there. He had air mail coming in
00:42:06.49\00:42:12.83
every day. He never starved.
Isn't that right? So we've got
00:42:12.86\00:42:19.07
to show the church and the Lord
by our actions. Let's go to the
00:42:19.10\00:42:22.40
next one, Number 17, How to
support your church financially.
00:42:22.44\00:42:26.14
I was amazed and I was pointing
to my brother Richard here how
00:42:26.17\00:42:31.68
as treasurer in Fairfield and
he's been my head elder for many
00:42:31.71\00:42:35.88
years and also over here in
Thompsonville. The percentage
00:42:35.92\00:42:41.76
of members that literally
support the church hovers around
00:42:41.79\00:42:46.29
25-30 percent. That's in tithing
And then some of them tithe
00:42:46.33\00:42:53.10
this is the other thing
that really blows me away, some
00:42:53.13\00:42:55.04
members tithe because they know
in the Adventist church that all
00:42:55.07\00:42:58.31
that money goes directly to the
conference, but they won't give
00:42:58.34\00:43:01.41
offerings because they
don't like what the church does.
00:43:01.44\00:43:06.18
So they're only going to give
offering if I like the sermon or
00:43:06.21\00:43:11.75
if I like the members. Well let
me tell you something. You don't
00:43:11.79\00:43:15.52
do that. You do it because you
love the Lord. Amen somebody?
00:43:15.56\00:43:18.83
Will a man rob God? And they had
the audacity to ask God in what
00:43:18.86\00:43:29.34
way have we robbed Thee. He said
in tithes AND in offerings. The
00:43:29.37\00:43:35.78
curse comes to you, not to
the church. God will sustain the
00:43:35.81\00:43:38.71
church. Isn't that right? So for
those of you who think that okay
00:43:38.75\00:43:42.58
if I must do it, I'll do it. But
let's look at this next question
00:43:42.62\00:43:46.82
2 Corinthians 9:7. Isn't this
a good lesson. There's a sermon
00:43:51.43\00:43:55.93
right here. 2 Corinthians
9:7. How does you Christian walk
00:43:55.96\00:44:07.94
become acceptable to the
Lord? Because God doesn't need
00:44:07.98\00:44:13.38
anything, but he's established
a system whereby the church on
00:44:13.42\00:44:17.22
earth will have all of its needs
provided. That is through the
00:44:17.25\00:44:21.49
people that are members of
it. But He always relies on the
00:44:21.52\00:44:25.49
heart. God doesn't say okay
now that you're a member give me
00:44:25.53\00:44:28.66
your 1040, give me your 1099,
give me your W2. So I'll figure
00:44:28.70\00:44:33.20
out how much you make and
I'll have direct deposit. No God
00:44:33.23\00:44:35.34
doesn't do that. If you want
to do that you can, but God says
00:44:35.37\00:44:38.71
wait a minute. I'm want to see
where your heart is, I'm going
00:44:38.74\00:44:42.48
to see where your heart is. Like
a mother who gave her son 10
00:44:42.51\00:44:46.11
oranges and he goes to school
and one of the kids asks for one
00:44:46.15\00:44:48.22
He say no! These are my oranges.
Do you think you're going to
00:44:48.25\00:44:52.89
lose vitamin C by giving away
one orange? Really? We think
00:44:52.92\00:44:58.16
somehow that... And you know
what God is better than all the
00:44:58.19\00:45:02.96
stores, God is better than the
stores. God is better than the
00:45:03.00\00:45:04.70
restaurants. They want 15
percent gratuity, isn't that
00:45:04.73\00:45:06.97
right? But let's look
on the heart God looks for.
00:45:07.00\00:45:10.11
2 Corinthians 9:7
Here it is on the screen...
00:45:10.14\00:45:18.58
2 Corinthians 9:7...
00:45:18.61\00:45:33.50
That word cheerful is a powerful
word in the Greek. In other
00:45:33.53\00:45:35.93
words, people are happy to give.
What else can I do Lord? What
00:45:35.96\00:45:40.54
can I give thee for all they
benefits toward me? Anything
00:45:40.57\00:45:43.67
else I can do Lord? Sure. You
know what I love as a pastor?
00:45:43.71\00:45:47.01
I like people that have a good
attitude when you ask them to do
00:45:47.04\00:45:50.08
something. And I'm thinking even
people who have bad attitudes
00:45:50.11\00:45:53.52
like other people that have good
attitudes when they ask them to
00:45:53.55\00:45:55.95
do something. Did you get that?
Some people have a bad attitude
00:45:55.98\00:45:59.35
but they want people to have a
good attitude when they ask them
00:45:59.39\00:46:01.42
for something. You know,
I've got to go home. What do you
00:46:01.46\00:46:08.10
need? Never mind, go home, I've
got it. I remember once, not
00:46:08.13\00:46:14.17
here, I remember once walking.
I was just like so loaded down
00:46:14.20\00:46:18.24
trying to get the church door
open and I've got an umbrella,
00:46:18.27\00:46:21.91
I've got my brief case, I've got
my backpack, my Bible and it is
00:46:21.94\00:46:25.91
rainy and the rain is pointing
sideways and my clothes I'm
00:46:25.95\00:46:29.08
trying to keep from getting them
wet. And I'm standing at the
00:46:29.12\00:46:31.95
door of this particular entrance
and I'm trying to find a way to
00:46:31.99\00:46:34.99
get in and there are people
standing on the other side of
00:46:35.02\00:46:36.56
of the door looking at me, is he
going to do it? Is he going to
00:46:36.59\00:46:40.23
do it. I bet five dollars he's
not going to do it. It looked
00:46:40.26\00:46:43.87
they were betting on it. And
I walked through, almost slipped
00:46:43.90\00:46:47.17
on the floor which was totally
wet. And I'm thinking what were
00:46:47.20\00:46:50.71
you thinking? And that's what
Jesus meant when He said he that
00:46:50.74\00:46:53.68
is not with me is against me. He
who is not gathering with me is
00:46:53.71\00:47:00.12
what? Scattering abroad. God
doesn't need anything. If you
00:47:00.15\00:47:02.15
don't like to do, God says
forget it. I'll get somebody
00:47:02.18\00:47:04.52
else to do it. God didn't need
Judas. Judas needed God. You see
00:47:04.55\00:47:11.09
he thought well Lord I'm the
treasurer of the group. That's
00:47:11.13\00:47:15.26
why you're in trouble because
you don't see your need of me.
00:47:15.30\00:47:18.67
And that's an amazing thing. God
wants cheerful givers. So here's
00:47:18.70\00:47:22.14
the answer. It's
kind of a long one...
00:47:22.17\00:47:27.91
And notice I didn't just say
giving money to the Lord, giving
00:47:27.94\00:47:32.18
our time, giving our talents,
giving our testimony and also
00:47:32.21\00:47:36.28
giving our treasure. That's
the four T's: Time, Talent,
00:47:36.32\00:47:42.72
Testimony and Treasure. If
it was up to some Christians the
00:47:42.76\00:47:47.16
world would never know that
anybody has done anything for
00:47:47.20\00:47:49.96
us. Because some people never
testify about God's goodness.
00:47:50.00\00:47:53.44
Some people never say that God
has done anything for them. The
00:47:53.47\00:47:58.27
Bible says, Let the redeemed
of the Lord say so. So somebody
00:47:58.31\00:48:02.04
says what has God done for you.
And they're like has He done
00:48:02.08\00:48:09.32
anything for you in the last
three weeks. They go back to
00:48:09.35\00:48:12.02
17 years ago. Is that the last
thing He did for you? What has
00:48:12.05\00:48:18.79
God done for you yesterday? If
all you can say is He woke me up
00:48:18.83\00:48:24.13
He gave me a mouth to eat
and a tongue to taste it when I
00:48:24.17\00:48:30.31
swallow my food. My legs are
working. He woke me up and I'm
00:48:30.34\00:48:34.08
functioning. Although I don't
have as much as I'd like to
00:48:34.11\00:48:37.55
everything that I have I'm
thankful for because somebody
00:48:37.58\00:48:41.22
else. See that's right. Any day
above the ground is a good day.
00:48:41.25\00:48:45.49
Isn't that right? People got to
learn. Ellen White says we must
00:48:45.52\00:48:50.99
educate our lips to praise God.
But some people, you wait for a
00:48:51.03\00:48:56.06
testimony. I never... Ah people
are listening. Hey that's the
00:48:56.10\00:49:00.47
point! They want to hear what
the Lord has done for you. There
00:49:00.50\00:49:03.41
maybe somebody across the
room or on the other side of the
00:49:03.44\00:49:05.74
church that needs to hear. I
know that brother was struggling
00:49:05.77\00:49:09.88
God did that for him. I'm going
to trust God to do what he needs
00:49:09.91\00:49:13.82
to do for me. But when you don't
talk about it. God does not need
00:49:13.85\00:49:17.79
silent majority. He owned
the world. You're walking in the
00:49:17.82\00:49:19.89
mall. You don't even ask for it.
You walk in the mall and music
00:49:19.92\00:49:22.56
is piped into your ears. You
don't even ask for it. You're at
00:49:22.59\00:49:25.86
the stop light and there's
profanity coming from the car
00:49:25.89\00:49:28.40
or the vehicle next to you. You
don't ask for it. That's why I
00:49:28.43\00:49:31.30
like my good friend Doug
Batchelor and I've taken this up
00:49:31.33\00:49:33.44
ever since he told me this years
ago. If you're next to somebody
00:49:33.47\00:49:37.04
and they're blasting their music
turn up yours, but make yours
00:49:37.07\00:49:41.74
Christian. Amen? One day Doug
Batchelor was at the light and
00:49:41.78\00:49:44.41
there was this car next to him.
He opened his window and C.D.
00:49:44.45\00:49:47.22
Brooks was preaching and
he waved and C.D. Brooks said
00:49:47.25\00:49:48.78
REPENT! He said perfect timing.
We've got to educate ourselves
00:49:48.82\00:49:55.26
no we got to educate our lips
to praise the Lord. Am I telling
00:49:55.29\00:49:58.06
you the truth? The world is
not afraid of the garbage that's
00:49:58.09\00:50:04.80
there yet Christians are so
quiet. Are there Christians in
00:50:04.83\00:50:07.67
your community? I have no idea.
They never knock on my door.
00:50:07.70\00:50:11.81
I don't know. I see somebody
going out of that house. Is that
00:50:11.84\00:50:14.74
a Christian? I guess so. We must
have a love for the people even
00:50:14.78\00:50:20.18
around us. We will have a
positive attitude about giving
00:50:20.22\00:50:23.99
to the Lord. You want to write
this down. Time is the hardest
00:50:24.02\00:50:27.56
thing to give. People can give
money; that's the last thing on
00:50:27.59\00:50:31.36
the list. Give time value, the
most important commodity that
00:50:31.39\00:50:35.56
God gives us is time. Isn't
that right? Give your time.
00:50:35.60\00:50:39.03
Your talent. Don't ever think
that you could put your talent
00:50:39.07\00:50:42.97
on hold for the next year
because you're tired of working
00:50:43.00\00:50:45.97
for God. You know what I say
to people when they say that?
00:50:46.01\00:50:48.58
Quit your job. Say
to your boss I'm tired.
00:50:48.61\00:50:50.91
I'm tired every day, 7:30
00:50:50.95\00:50:54.42
to 5:30, I'm tired. I'm quitting
for the next two years. You
00:50:54.45\00:50:58.35
just keep paying me. I'll figure
out when I need to come back.
00:50:58.39\00:51:04.43
But I ain't working for the next
year because I've been doing
00:51:04.46\00:51:06.90
this for 17 years. There's some
people that have that attitude
00:51:06.93\00:51:09.06
about God's work. Pastor do I
have to do this again? And I'm
00:51:09.10\00:51:14.07
who do you work for? It's not
me because I don't have a dime
00:51:14.10\00:51:17.87
to give you at the end of this
road. But when I think about the
00:51:17.91\00:51:21.04
Lord, he's going to be standing
there with a crown. This is what
00:51:21.08\00:51:23.28
I want to hear. I want to hear
well done thou good and faithful
00:51:23.31\00:51:25.88
servant. Don't you want to hear
that? That's what I want to hear
00:51:25.91\00:51:28.78
But well done; what have you
done. Nothing, but I want to be
00:51:28.82\00:51:33.32
in heaven. Well what have you
done. Nothing. Although we're
00:51:33.36\00:51:37.73
not saved by works, we deny Him
by our works. And where there is
00:51:37.76\00:51:43.83
no work, there is tremendous
denial. I'm glad I'm on your
00:51:43.87\00:51:47.10
team but don't ask me to do
anything. We'll have a positive
00:51:47.14\00:51:51.07
attitude about giving to
the Lord. Look at the next one.
00:51:51.11\00:51:56.14
Number 18. Okay...
00:51:56.18\00:52:06.45
I was talking so fast the word
the was too short for me to wait
00:52:06.49\00:52:09.36
Okay. What's the difference?
Colossians 3:2. Okay. Look at
00:52:15.60\00:52:28.71
that one. Colossians 3:2. I'm
ahead of the curve but I don't
00:52:28.74\00:52:33.98
think I'm going to get to the
next lesson tonight. But that's
00:52:34.02\00:52:36.28
okay. You can still do it
in preparation for the next
00:52:36.32\00:52:38.39
broadcast. Colossians 3:2 Here
we are. Even though I have it
00:52:38.42\00:52:43.39
right in front of me, I like to
turn to it because there's some
00:52:43.43\00:52:45.36
extra stuff in there
that you don't want to miss.
00:52:45.39\00:52:47.13
Colossians 3:2, reads as follows
Let's read this short one
00:52:47.16\00:52:52.07
together. Are you ready?...
00:52:52.10\00:53:04.98
Some people say you're so
heavenly minded that you're no
00:53:05.01\00:53:07.08
earthly good. That's not my
concern sometimes. Sometimes
00:53:07.12\00:53:09.95
people are so earthly minded
that they are no heavenly good.
00:53:09.98\00:53:12.95
You see the Lord is saying the
challenge to the church in the
00:53:12.99\00:53:15.96
last days is they're going to
be so earthly minded they're no
00:53:15.99\00:53:19.53
heavenly good. I've not met very
many people that are so heavenly
00:53:19.56\00:53:23.33
minded that they're no earthly
good. I've met people that are
00:53:23.37\00:53:26.13
so earthly minded that they're
no heavenly good. They're so
00:53:26.17\00:53:32.94
concerned about the world. So
concerned and so enamored by the
00:53:32.97\00:53:35.01
world that God even if you try
using them they're like you know
00:53:35.04\00:53:38.75
like a car out of tune. They
like a piston that the chamber
00:53:38.78\00:53:43.22
has been blown. They just
have no connection. It's like
00:53:43.25\00:53:45.12
they've missed their connection
with God. I like the way the
00:53:45.15\00:53:49.76
King James says this. It's
Set your affections. What does
00:53:49.79\00:53:53.53
affection mean. What do
you think somebody is an
00:53:53.56\00:53:56.13
affectionate person, what do you
mean. Huh? Loving. That means
00:53:56.16\00:54:01.04
it's not just in their heads.
It's not like saying I like John
00:54:01.07\00:54:05.07
Dinzey. You'd say You know a
really like John Dinzey. Boy I
00:54:05.11\00:54:09.48
appreciate him. That's
affection. You know when you say
to your wife, I like you
00:54:09.51\00:54:12.71
Anybody can say that. But
if you say Honey I, ah, my
00:54:12.75\00:54:17.15
affections are wrapped up in
you. When the Lord says set your
00:54:17.19\00:54:20.32
affections on things above, you
know what He's saying? Get your
00:54:20.36\00:54:23.29
mind set for the place you're
headed. When we go on vacation
00:54:23.32\00:54:26.80
you know what we do? Man
when we finally figure out where
00:54:26.83\00:54:30.27
we're staying we look at that
brochure. And when we get there
00:54:30.30\00:54:33.84
and we come back, You should
have seen where we were. When
00:54:33.87\00:54:38.67
people get excited about
vacation don't they tell other
00:54:38.71\00:54:40.84
people? Don't they have a smile
on their face? Ahh, I'm going to
00:54:40.88\00:54:45.11
miss you guys, but I'm not going
to be thinking about you because
00:54:45.15\00:54:47.35
I'm going to be gone. I'm going
to relax. I'm not going to do my
00:54:47.38\00:54:52.05
hair. I don't use hair spray
when I go on vacation. I have
00:54:52.09\00:54:57.89
no shoes on, I mean sandals. I
don't go to Alaska for vacation
00:54:57.93\00:55:00.26
either. I go where it's warm.
But the point of the matter is
00:55:00.30\00:55:02.66
my affections are altered when
it's on the place I'm headed.
00:55:02.70\00:55:06.84
That's what's happening here
in this text. If your mind is on
00:55:06.87\00:55:10.91
heaven it ought to alter
the way you think._ now Jesus is
00:55:10.94\00:55:15.91
coming. You know what, I think
I should get to work. Amen! I
00:55:15.94\00:55:20.72
think I should do something.
He's coming. Didn't the Lord
00:55:20.75\00:55:25.59
say? Blessed is the servant who
when the master comes he finds
00:55:25.62\00:55:32.16
doing. Right? Blessed is a...
Hold Lord, I'm almost done with
00:55:32.19\00:55:38.13
this Bible study. Wait a few
seconds. We should be so excited
00:55:38.17\00:55:41.97
about the coming of the Lord
that we're working up to the
00:55:42.00\00:55:43.67
very moment. Come on sir. Accept
Jesus. I mean I can tell by the
00:55:43.71\00:55:47.68
rumblings of the world it's not
going to be long. Get excited
00:55:47.71\00:55:52.51
about the coming of the Lord.
Set your affections on things
00:55:52.55\00:55:54.62
above. Here's the
answer to that one...
00:55:54.65\00:56:03.66
So many people are into pleasing
themselves. We've got to be more
00:56:03.69\00:56:07.03
connected to pleasing the Lord.
Isn't that right? I don't know
00:56:07.06\00:56:12.40
happened to me. The Lord's got
into... I prayed and the Holy
00:56:12.43\00:56:16.44
Spirit jumped in and that's
why I'm so fired up about this.
00:56:16.47\00:56:20.48
Number 19. Here it is.
Let's try to get this one...
00:56:20.51\00:56:23.91
You know your life ought to
mean something to somebody else.
00:56:33.25\00:56:35.86
Isn't that right. No such as a
disconnected Christian. When you
00:56:35.89\00:56:41.36
read the book of Acts, the book
of Acts is a powerful blueprint
00:56:41.40\00:56:46.74
for how Christians ought
to be. You know they all had
00:56:46.77\00:56:49.50
possessions but nobody
considered his possessions his
00:56:49.54\00:56:52.07
own. If somebody else had a need
they said we got it. If they had
00:56:52.11\00:56:58.08
a need somebody else gave.
If somebody else had a need they
00:56:58.11\00:57:00.42
gave. They were disconnected
from all those things.
00:57:00.45\00:57:04.29
Let's get the
last text for tonight.
00:57:04.32\00:57:05.65
How do fellow
Christians experience the change
00:57:05.69\00:57:07.89
in our life? Here's the
answer. Read that together.
00:57:07.92\00:57:11.19
Oh man I tell you this is an
inspired lesson here. I'm going
00:57:17.13\00:57:21.20
use this for a sermon one day.
I'm not going to tell you when.
00:57:21.24\00:57:23.44
But I tell you this is going
to be a Bible study sermon. We
00:57:23.47\00:57:26.17
should understand that the
presence of Christ in our lives
00:57:26.21\00:57:30.21
should alter our affections,
should alter our love for the
00:57:30.25\00:57:33.42
Lord, should also activate our
desire to do something for the
00:57:33.45\00:57:36.82
advancement of the kingdom,
for the saving of souls, for the
00:57:36.85\00:57:40.42
lifting of one another's burdens
But the one thing you don't want
00:57:40.46\00:57:43.29
to do; you don't want to be a
Christian and just sit down and
00:57:43.32\00:57:48.36
have no use to heaven and no
use to earth. That's not what
00:57:48.40\00:57:54.57
Jesus is coming back for. So
friends keep on trusting God.
00:57:54.60\00:57:57.41
Focus on what He's called
you to do and one day whatever's
00:57:57.44\00:57:59.87
not clear will come
into A Sharper Focus.
00:57:59.91\00:58:02.18
God bless you.
00:58:02.21\00:58:03.88
¤ ¤
00:58:03.91\00:58:21.56