Hello, friends,
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welcome to our
Wednesday night Bible study here
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at the 3ABN Worship Center.
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As you know A Sharper Focus
is a time to open our Bibles
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and study the
Word of God together,
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and we welcome you
with a hearty amen.
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Can we say amen? Amen.
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And we know that
wherever you're joining us from,
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you will join us as we
walk through God's Word together
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on a very important
topic, Living In Victory.
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In a moment, I'll tell you
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how to get a copy of the lesson,
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but thank you for
taking the time to tune in.
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Get your Bibles, get your pens,
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and we know that as we
walk through God's Word,
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we will not be disappointed.
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But let's pause now and
begin with a word of prayer.
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Loving Father in heaven,
thank You for the opportunity
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of opening Your Word,
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we pray that
You'll open our hearts
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as we study together,
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that our minds will be
furnished with what we need
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to not only understand Your Word
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but to find that
victorious walk with You.
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We pray in Jesus' name.
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Amen.
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Now what do we do
before we sing our theme song?
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We tell them where to
get the lesson, right?
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Go to the following website
to get a copy of the lesson,
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ASF.3ABN.org and
download lesson number 40.
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What number did we say?
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Lesson number 40,
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as my crowd
enthusiastically said,
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what did we say?
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Forty.
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Number 40, and the
lesson is Living In Victory.
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As we download that lesson,
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we will study in a beautiful way
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and find the
secrets in Scripture
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as to how we can gain
and appreciate victory.
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But we're going to
sing our theme song,
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which is in fact
Victory in Jesus.
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So join us as we sing
this theme song together.
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I heard an old, old story
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How the Savior came from glory
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How He gave His life on Calvary
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To save a wretch like me
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I heard about His groaning
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Of His precious blood's atoning
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Then I repented of my sins
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And won the victory
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O victory in Jesus
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My Savior, forever
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He sought me and bought me
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With His redeeming blood
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He loved me ere I knew Him
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And all my love is due Him
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He plunged me to victory
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Beneath the cleansing flood
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I heard about a mansion
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He has built for me in glory
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And I heard about
the streets of gold
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Beyond the crystal sea
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About the angels singing
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And the old redemption story
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And some sweet
day I'll sing up there
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The song of victory
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Key change.
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O victory in Jesus
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My Savior, forever
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He sought me and bought me
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With His redeeming blood
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He loved me ere I knew Him
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And all my love is due Him
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He plunged me to victory
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Beneath the cleansing flood
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He plunged me to victory
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Beneath the cleansing flood
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Amen? Amen.
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Living In
Victory, say that with me,
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Living In Victory.
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Now what's amazing
about this topic is...
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I don't know of anyone
who wants to be a loser.
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I don't know of anyone
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who wants to be
on the losing team.
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I don't know of anyone
who pursues all the principles
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of being a person who
never experiences victory.
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As a person who likes sports,
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I know that when
the seasons come,
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whether it's
baseball, or basketball,
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or where you may be
living, it's rugby, or soccer,
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or cricket, whatever
that might be the case of,
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teams often study each other
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to find out how to
win against the opponent.
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And let me ask you
the question tonight,
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who is our opponent?
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Satan. Satan is.
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The adversary,
that serpent of old
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called the Devil and Satan.
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If you could see them, I
want you to remember this,
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if you can see them,
they are not your enemy.
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Amen.
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The enemy is Satan.
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Every other person
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has either been
delivered by Christ
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or still in
bondage to the enemy.
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But if we can see
them, they are not our enemy.
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So what we're going
to talk about tonight
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is the pursuit of
victory, how to live in victory,
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how to know that
you're victorious.
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Go with me first to
Ephesians chapter 4,
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I want to show you a text.
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We're going to begin
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at question
number seven tonight,
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but I want to go ahead
and read Ephesians chapter 4
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because what I want
you to see is the pursuit.
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What is the ultimate aim?
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What does Jesus want us to do?
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Now a lot of us sometimes think
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that the ultimate
aim is to get to heaven.
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Well, that's the end result
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of what Jesus
accomplishes in our lives.
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But that's not the aim.
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The aim of the Christian
is not to get to heaven,
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that's the joy and the reward.
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He brings His
reward with us, with Him.
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But that's not the aim.
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The aim is for...
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Well, the aim is not something
that we wait for till then,
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the aim that Christ has
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is something that
can be accomplished now.
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Ephesians chapter 4.
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And I'll go ahead and read...
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Well, I'll start
with verse 11, verse 11.
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"And he
himself," Ephesians 4:11,
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"And he himself gave some
to be apostles, some prophets,
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some evangelists, and
some pastors, and teachers, "
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we have some
teachers here tonight,
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"for the
equipping of the saints,
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for the work of the...?"
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Ministry.
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"Ministry, for the
edifying of the Body of Christ,
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till we all come to
the unity of the faith
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and the knowledge of the
Son of God to a perfect man,
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to the measure of the stature
of the fullness of Christ."
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So what is the aim
that Jesus has established?
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Where is He guiding us?
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Where is He going? Talk
to me, where is He going?
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What did you see in verse 13?
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What do you see
in verse 13? Unity.
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Okay, unity is one.
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What's the next one?
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Knowledge of the Son of God.
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The knowledge of the
Son of God was another one.
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What do you say, Ann? Faith.
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Faith, but where is...
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What do you see His
words of aim or goal?
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Perfect man.
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Perfect man, and then also,
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the measure of the
stature of the what?
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Fullness. Fullness of Christ.
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You know, I have had
opportunity years ago...
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I lived in Brooklyn, New York,
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and we had a
swimming pool in our backyard.
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Now if you know what I
mean, we lived in Brooklyn,
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we didn't have
backyards that were huge,
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and in some places in Brooklyn,
they have large backyards
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but not where we lived
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because the
houses were side by side,
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brownstone homes
there in Brooklyn, New York.
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We had a swimming pool.
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We had a plastic swimming pool.
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One that you blow up,
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one that you better not dive in.
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Because it was deep
enough that if you knelt in it
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the water would
get up to your waist.
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That's if you knelt in it.
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So it wasn't a...
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I don't know why they
called it a swimming pool
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because you couldn't swim in it.
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If I tried to
flatten my body out,
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I'd probably reach
from one end to the next.
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It was a little swimming pool.
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It was a swimming pool
at, a mini swimming pool.
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But my job was to
fill up the swimming pool
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and I always thought
that was kind of funny
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because it didn't take very long
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to fill up the swimming pool,
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you know, first of
all I had to blow it up.
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And back then,
there were no air pumps,
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not in our family,
there were no compressors.
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So that's what took the longest
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for me to blow up the
parts of the swimming pool
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that could inflate, so
the sides would get solid.
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And then I was
supposed to take this
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kind of galvanized wall
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and bring it
around to make it rigid,
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and then clip it so that
the plastic swimming pool
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will have some rigidity,
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then I'm supposed to fill it up.
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Well...
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The fullness was
what everybody waited for.
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They said to me,
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"Tell me when the pool is full."
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And I think about that...
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The Lord might be looking at us
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and the angels of
God might be saying,
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"Tell us when your
children are full."
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Because we are not going
to be allowed into the kingdom
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until the measure of the stature
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of the fullness of
Christ is reproduced in us.
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Because none of us
is going to get it in,
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nothing about
us is making it in.
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Only when Christ is
fully reproduced in us,
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the measure of the stature
of the fullness of Christ,
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when He's fully
reproduced in us,
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when that verse is fulfilled,
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when the perfect
man comes into view.
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So what I want you to
find out to understand...
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Go with me now to
the Book of Philippians.
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Galatians, Ephesians,
the next book is Philippians.
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And this is the encouraging part
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of this pursuit of excellence.
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Because if it was something
that we were responsible for,
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then we would have
a lot of work to do,
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we would be busy
filling ourselves up.
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But here is the
encouraging phrase,
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Philippians 1:6.
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What are the first
two words you see there?
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What are they?
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Talk to me, what it is.
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Being confident,
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being confident, in other words,
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no fear there, being confident,
"We can be confident of," what?
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"Of this very thing
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that He who Has
begun a good work," where?
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"In you will do," what?
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"Will perform it or complete it
until the day of Jesus Christ."
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Both of those words, the
word in the King James is
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"perform it"
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and the New King James
version is "complete it."
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He's performing it
and He will do what else?
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Complete it.
00:11:10.20\00:11:11.53
Now go to Philippians chapter 2.
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Look at Philippians chapter 2.
00:11:14.44\00:11:16.04
Verse 12 is often the
verse that brings people
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to the point of a
trepidation and they wonder
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"Well, how I'm going
to get this accomplished?"
00:11:20.71\00:11:24.11
Philippians 2:12,
"Therefore, my beloved,
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as you have always
obeyed, not in my presence only,
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but now much
more in my absence,"
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look at this phrase,
00:11:35.46\00:11:36.79
what's the next two words?
00:11:36.83\00:11:38.16
Work out.
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"Work out your own salvation
with fear and trembling."
00:11:39.56\00:11:42.30
And a lot of people
finish that and say,
00:11:42.33\00:11:43.80
"How long is this work of
my salvation going to take?"
00:11:43.83\00:11:47.74
But don't stop reading.
00:11:47.77\00:11:50.34
Verse 13, let's read verse
13 together, "For it is," who?
00:11:50.37\00:11:54.71
"God who works in you
both to will and to do
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of His good pleasure."
00:12:00.35\00:12:01.88
So who's doing the work?
00:12:01.92\00:12:03.25
God.
00:12:03.28\00:12:04.62
We have to simply
participate with the process.
00:12:04.65\00:12:06.55
We have to present ourselves
to Him as a living sacrifice,
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holy, and acceptable
to Him, Romans 12:1-2,
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we have to present ourselves,
when we present ourselves,
00:12:14.40\00:12:17.50
He does the work in us.
00:12:17.53\00:12:19.07
So this idea of
living in victory
00:12:19.10\00:12:20.67
is something we
have to keep in mind
00:12:20.70\00:12:22.30
that the work that
is being done in us,
00:12:22.34\00:12:24.27
even though the work
is being done by Christ,
00:12:24.31\00:12:26.74
the participation on our part
00:12:26.78\00:12:28.68
is we have to present
ourselves, we have to do what?
00:12:28.71\00:12:32.15
Present ourselves.
00:12:32.18\00:12:33.55
When we present ourselves,
then He does the work in us.
00:12:33.58\00:12:37.25
So this is not, it's not...
00:12:37.29\00:12:39.72
We're not
automatons, we're not robots
00:12:39.75\00:12:42.16
just waiting for
Him to finish the work.
00:12:42.19\00:12:44.13
But we present
ourselves to Him how often?
00:12:44.16\00:12:46.16
Every day.
00:12:46.19\00:12:47.53
Every day, presenting ourselves
to Him on a day-by-day basis.
00:12:47.56\00:12:50.93
So let's look at
question number seven
00:12:50.97\00:12:52.30
because this whole beauty...
00:12:52.33\00:12:55.34
The whole aim of the kingdom
00:12:55.37\00:12:57.67
is to reveal and
to reflect Christ,
00:12:57.71\00:13:00.74
is to reveal and to reflect.
00:13:00.78\00:13:04.51
I could ask the question
00:13:04.55\00:13:05.88
but it's kind
of a dumb question.
00:13:05.91\00:13:08.78
Well, let me ask it anyway.
00:13:08.82\00:13:10.15
Well, it's kind of
a ridiculous question
00:13:13.25\00:13:15.06
'cause I don't
think you know the answer.
00:13:15.09\00:13:18.06
Do you remember
00:13:18.09\00:13:19.43
when you saw
your first reflection?
00:13:19.46\00:13:20.80
Okay, I told you it
is a ridiculous question.
00:13:23.80\00:13:26.94
Now the reason that
question is important,
00:13:26.97\00:13:30.67
is because do we
see our reflection
00:13:30.71\00:13:32.91
on a day-by-day basis?
00:13:32.94\00:13:35.64
I hope the answer is yes
00:13:35.68\00:13:37.38
because it's good
to look in the mirror
00:13:37.41\00:13:38.75
before you go out in public.
00:13:38.78\00:13:40.88
My mamma taught me that.
00:13:40.92\00:13:42.38
Make sure you
look the way you should
00:13:42.42\00:13:44.02
before you go out in public.
00:13:44.05\00:13:45.52
Now the beauty of that question
00:13:45.55\00:13:47.52
is one day we're
going to look in the mirror
00:13:47.56\00:13:50.96
and we're going to see
the measure of the stature
00:13:50.99\00:13:52.73
of the fullness of Christ.
00:13:52.76\00:13:55.43
And the reason why
that's so important
00:13:55.46\00:13:56.97
is because one of my favorite
verses in the Bible says,
00:13:57.00\00:14:01.20
you could look in
the mirror every day
00:14:01.24\00:14:03.20
and it has not yet been revealed
00:14:03.24\00:14:05.47
what you shall
be but keep looking.
00:14:05.51\00:14:08.74
I have to turn there with me,
00:14:08.78\00:14:10.55
I have to have you turn
there with me, are you ready?
00:14:10.58\00:14:12.81
1 John.
00:14:12.85\00:14:15.05
If you keep
looking in the mirror
00:14:15.08\00:14:16.75
and submit to the process,
00:14:16.79\00:14:18.62
one day you're going
to look in the mirror
00:14:18.65\00:14:20.59
and you're going to
see the work completed.
00:14:20.62\00:14:23.39
And that's when
he's going to seal us,
00:14:23.43\00:14:25.09
that's when the Bible
says, He that is un...
00:14:25.13\00:14:27.46
He that is
righteous, let him be righteous,
00:14:27.50\00:14:29.40
still he that is
holy, let him be holy,
00:14:29.43\00:14:31.97
still when the work is
done, we are sealed that way.
00:14:32.00\00:14:35.87
Look at 1 John
chapter 3, 1 John chapter 3,
00:14:35.90\00:14:40.48
and I'm just
going to read verse 2.
00:14:40.51\00:14:43.24
Verse 2 says, "Beloved,
now we are children of God,"
00:14:43.28\00:14:47.32
when are we children of God?
00:14:47.35\00:14:48.68
Now.
00:14:48.72\00:14:50.05
Now, and this is the part
00:14:50.09\00:14:51.89
that has to do
with the reflection,"
00:14:51.92\00:14:54.12
and it has not yet been revealed
00:14:54.16\00:14:56.26
what we shall be."
00:14:56.29\00:14:57.63
So if you look
every day, you see,
00:14:57.66\00:14:58.99
"Man, I still see so much of me,
00:14:59.03\00:15:01.36
I still see so much of me,
I still hear so much of me,
00:15:01.40\00:15:04.13
I still struggle
with so much of me."
00:15:04.17\00:15:05.93
But as you submit to
the process every day,
00:15:05.97\00:15:08.30
you're going to notice wow,
that doesn't bother me anymore,
00:15:08.34\00:15:12.34
I don't say that anymore,
I don't desire that any more,
00:15:12.37\00:15:15.34
that doesn't
appeal to me anymore.
00:15:15.38\00:15:17.55
You'll begin to sense
that you are diminishing
00:15:17.58\00:15:20.75
and Christ is increasing.
00:15:20.78\00:15:22.98
But if you keep
looking for the image,
00:15:23.02\00:15:25.15
you'll say, well, it
has not yet been revealed
00:15:25.19\00:15:27.32
what we shall be,
00:15:27.36\00:15:28.69
but look at the confidence here.
00:15:28.72\00:15:30.79
"It has not yet been
revealed what we shall be
00:15:30.83\00:15:33.50
but we know that
when He is revealed,
00:15:33.53\00:15:38.80
we shall be," what?
00:15:38.83\00:15:40.17
Like Him.
00:15:40.20\00:15:41.54
"Like Him for we
shall see Him as He is."
00:15:41.57\00:15:46.51
Now how many of you
want to see Jesus as He is?
00:15:46.54\00:15:52.81
Everybody is
raising their hands.
00:15:52.85\00:15:54.82
But now, what's even
more exciting than that
00:15:54.85\00:15:58.85
is Jesus wants
to see us as He is.
00:15:58.89\00:16:04.49
Because that's what He
says, we will see Him as He is,
00:16:04.53\00:16:07.13
so Christ is waiting
00:16:07.16\00:16:08.50
to reproduce His
nature completely in us.
00:16:08.53\00:16:11.37
What's even more joyful
00:16:11.40\00:16:12.83
than our desire
to see Him as He is,
00:16:12.87\00:16:15.50
He wants to see us as He is.
00:16:15.54\00:16:19.07
That's what the text says,
00:16:19.11\00:16:20.44
when He's
revealed, we'll be like Him
00:16:20.48\00:16:22.14
for we will see Him as He is.
00:16:22.18\00:16:24.85
But let's look at what
are we going to be reflecting.
00:16:24.88\00:16:27.25
Let's begin with
question number seven.
00:16:27.28\00:16:29.78
Question number seven.
00:16:29.82\00:16:31.92
Here it is.
00:16:31.95\00:16:33.29
What is the source of the
light that shines through us?
00:16:33.32\00:16:38.86
John 8:12.
00:16:38.89\00:16:40.90
What is the source of
light that shines through us?
00:16:40.93\00:16:46.63
Okay, I'm turning there.
00:16:46.67\00:16:50.07
Even though I
have it on the screen,
00:16:50.11\00:16:52.27
I want my Bible to be active.
00:16:52.31\00:16:55.81
Okay, and since it's our
first scripture for the night,
00:16:55.84\00:16:59.78
I like to have you
all look at the screen
00:16:59.81\00:17:01.25
and read it with me.
00:17:01.28\00:17:02.62
Are you all ready?
00:17:02.65\00:17:03.99
Here we go, "Then Jesus
spoke to them again, saying,"
00:17:04.02\00:17:07.16
together, "'I am
the light of the world.
00:17:07.19\00:17:10.93
He who follows Me
shall not walk in darkness,
00:17:10.96\00:17:15.83
but have the light of life.'"
00:17:15.86\00:17:17.57
So how is that light
going to be revealed in us?
00:17:17.60\00:17:24.21
I heard somebody
say, by following.
00:17:24.24\00:17:27.28
Have you ever
walked with somebody
00:17:27.31\00:17:28.71
that had a flashlight
and it was really dark?
00:17:28.74\00:17:31.85
What do you do?
00:17:31.88\00:17:33.62
You follow the light.
00:17:33.65\00:17:35.48
The moment you stop
and the light keeps moving,
00:17:35.52\00:17:37.99
you realize wait a minute,
it's getting darker and darker
00:17:38.02\00:17:40.16
and I can't see my way,
but if we follow Christ...
00:17:40.19\00:17:43.93
Okay, 1 John, go there with me.
00:17:43.96\00:17:47.76
Jesus is the light of the world.
00:17:47.80\00:17:50.00
So write that down, the
answer to number question,
00:17:50.03\00:17:52.57
what is the source of
light that shines through us?
00:17:52.60\00:17:56.17
What is it? Jesus.
00:17:56.20\00:17:57.81
Exactly, it says
who is it, it is Jesus.
00:17:57.84\00:18:00.64
But now as Cynthia
answered the question,
00:18:00.68\00:18:04.28
let's go ahead and
confirm that with scripture.
00:18:04.31\00:18:06.92
1 John, look at the
beauty of walking in the light.
00:18:06.95\00:18:12.09
Look at the beauty
of walking in the light.
00:18:12.12\00:18:15.82
And this is a
very important passage
00:18:15.86\00:18:17.46
because what we
try to accomplish
00:18:17.49\00:18:20.23
can only be accomplished
if we walk in the light.
00:18:20.26\00:18:23.20
Some people come to church
for friendship and for social
00:18:23.23\00:18:26.70
but it's broader than that.
00:18:26.74\00:18:28.07
The word that the
Lord will accomplish in us
00:18:28.10\00:18:29.70
is fellowship.
00:18:29.74\00:18:31.37
But what do we have to do?
00:18:31.41\00:18:33.17
Here it is.
00:18:33.21\00:18:34.91
1 John chapter 1 and
look together at verse 6.
00:18:34.94\00:18:39.71
The comparisons.
00:18:44.45\00:18:46.72
"If we say that we
have fellowship with Him,
00:18:46.76\00:18:52.16
and walk in," what?
00:18:52.19\00:18:53.73
"Darkness, we lie, and
do not practice the truth."
00:18:53.76\00:18:57.27
So can you walk
in darkness and say
00:18:57.30\00:18:59.03
you have fellowship with Christ?
00:18:59.07\00:19:00.40
No. Why not?
00:19:00.44\00:19:01.77
Because He is the what? Light.
00:19:01.80\00:19:03.61
It's not possible to be
with Him and be in the dark,
00:19:03.64\00:19:06.11
it just cannot happen.
00:19:06.14\00:19:07.48
He is the light of the
world and it's a radiant light,
00:19:07.51\00:19:10.35
it's a divine light,
00:19:10.38\00:19:11.71
it's a light
that never diminishes.
00:19:11.75\00:19:13.08
So you cannot walk in darkness,
00:19:13.11\00:19:14.45
that means you
can't practice darkness,
00:19:14.48\00:19:15.82
you can't partake of darkness,
00:19:15.85\00:19:17.39
you can't find joy in darkness,
00:19:17.42\00:19:19.15
and say you have
fellowship with Him.
00:19:19.19\00:19:21.32
But look at the next verse.
Look at the converse of that.
00:19:21.36\00:19:25.26
"But if we," do what?
00:19:25.29\00:19:29.00
Verse...
00:19:29.03\00:19:30.37
No, verse 7, verse
7, "But if we," do what?
00:19:30.40\00:19:33.90
"Walk in the
light as He is," where?
00:19:33.94\00:19:36.81
"In the light, we have
fellowship with one another,"
00:19:36.84\00:19:41.41
and look at the
residual benefit,
00:19:41.44\00:19:43.45
"and the blood of Jesus
Christ his Son," does what?
00:19:43.48\00:19:47.12
"Cleanses us from all sin."
00:19:47.15\00:19:49.48
So in order to
stay in the light,
00:19:49.52\00:19:52.49
you can't just
say, "I have a light,"
00:19:52.52\00:19:55.22
what do you have to do?
00:19:55.26\00:19:56.93
You have to walk in
the light, and Jesus says,
00:19:56.96\00:19:59.36
"Walk in the light, lest
darkness comes upon you."
00:19:59.39\00:20:03.37
And so flood
lights, flash lights,
00:20:03.40\00:20:06.87
I always have a light,
00:20:06.90\00:20:08.60
but when the night time comes,
00:20:08.64\00:20:10.24
you begin to realize
how beautiful that light is.
00:20:10.27\00:20:12.67
And I'll give you in just a
moment, I believe it's here,
00:20:12.71\00:20:15.14
I don't want to
jump ahead of myself,
00:20:15.18\00:20:16.64
if I don't see the text here,
00:20:16.68\00:20:18.01
I'm going to go
ahead and give it to you.
00:20:18.05\00:20:19.38
Let's go very quickly to Isaiah,
00:20:19.41\00:20:21.15
and this is something
00:20:21.18\00:20:22.78
why living in victory
is so vitally important,
00:20:22.82\00:20:24.62
Isaiah 60, go there with me.
00:20:24.65\00:20:26.52
When you're living in victory,
00:20:26.55\00:20:27.89
only then can other
people find victory.
00:20:27.92\00:20:31.23
Did you hear what I said?
00:20:31.26\00:20:32.66
When you're living in
victory and reflecting Christ,
00:20:32.69\00:20:36.73
only then will someone
else be able to find Christ
00:20:36.77\00:20:40.84
through your life.
00:20:40.87\00:20:42.20
They'll not find it
unless you commit yourself
00:20:42.24\00:20:44.71
to walking in the light.
00:20:44.74\00:20:46.27
It's not
possible to reject light
00:20:46.31\00:20:48.51
and expect people to
find Christ in your life,
00:20:48.54\00:20:50.45
it's not possible.
00:20:50.48\00:20:51.81
But look at the reason why.
00:20:51.85\00:20:54.25
There's a powerful
reason why the Lord wants us
00:20:54.28\00:20:58.25
to walk in the light
00:20:58.29\00:20:59.82
because there's a word
that He wants to accomplish,
00:20:59.85\00:21:02.29
and when Jesus left,
00:21:02.32\00:21:04.26
He made a statement
that I want to show you
00:21:04.29\00:21:05.69
the fulfillment of it.
00:21:05.73\00:21:07.06
He said to His disciples,
He says, "Greater works,"
00:21:07.10\00:21:10.37
what two words did I just say?
00:21:10.40\00:21:12.70
He said to them, "Greater
works than these will you do
00:21:12.73\00:21:16.81
because I go to the Father."
00:21:16.84\00:21:18.17
"You won't see Me
anymore, I'll come back
00:21:18.21\00:21:19.54
but you won't see Me anymore
00:21:19.57\00:21:20.91
but greater works
than these will you do."
00:21:20.94\00:21:23.35
Now the reason why He said that
00:21:23.38\00:21:25.35
is because when
Jesus rose, He had...
00:21:25.38\00:21:29.75
He forever was now our brother.
00:21:29.78\00:21:34.29
But He was our
brother in victorious flesh,
00:21:34.32\00:21:38.29
He was our brother
prior to His trial,
00:21:38.33\00:21:41.50
He put on our human nature,
and He took that human nature
00:21:41.53\00:21:46.50
to the cross and defeated it,
00:21:46.53\00:21:48.77
then He came
forth in perfect flesh.
00:21:48.80\00:21:50.84
The Bible says,
Philippians, glorified body.
00:21:50.87\00:21:55.11
We will want to
have His glorify,
00:21:55.14\00:21:57.18
He will transform our lowly body
00:21:57.21\00:21:59.55
that it might be fashioned
like unto His glorious body.
00:21:59.58\00:22:03.49
So the reason why
He wants all of us,
00:22:03.52\00:22:06.62
that is wherever
we are in the world,
00:22:06.65\00:22:08.56
the reason why He
wants to allow this light
00:22:08.59\00:22:10.36
to be developed in us
00:22:10.39\00:22:11.73
is because that's the only way
00:22:11.76\00:22:14.26
the work is going
to be accomplished,
00:22:14.30\00:22:16.40
the only way the light
is going to be reflected
00:22:16.43\00:22:18.53
into the world
00:22:18.57\00:22:20.67
is as it is
reflected through His people.
00:22:20.70\00:22:24.51
So somebody might
say, "Well, you know,
00:22:24.54\00:22:27.08
can He finish the work Himself?"
00:22:27.11\00:22:29.01
Of course, He can.
00:22:29.04\00:22:30.75
But He wants us to be lights.
00:22:30.78\00:22:33.42
Why does He
want us to be lights?
00:22:33.45\00:22:34.78
Because He's not here,
He's the light of the world
00:22:34.82\00:22:37.52
but when He left, He said what?
00:22:37.55\00:22:39.19
"You are the
light of the world."
00:22:39.22\00:22:41.22
So when that light is
reflected all over the world,
00:22:41.26\00:22:43.93
look at what happens, Isaiah 60.
00:22:43.96\00:22:47.66
Isaiah 60, beautiful.
00:22:47.70\00:22:49.93
And this is...
00:22:49.96\00:22:52.90
Not only is this a
prophecy of the glory
00:22:52.93\00:22:55.77
that will be
revealed through God's people
00:22:55.80\00:22:57.87
but this is a glory
that will be revealed
00:22:57.91\00:22:59.94
in the future to the world,
00:22:59.97\00:23:01.81
"Arise, shine,"
00:23:01.84\00:23:03.65
say that with me, "arise, shine,
00:23:03.68\00:23:07.12
for your light has come,
00:23:07.15\00:23:09.48
and the glory of the
Lord is risen," where?
00:23:09.52\00:23:12.32
"Upon you.
00:23:12.35\00:23:13.86
For, behold,"
look at the context,
00:23:13.89\00:23:17.23
"for, behold,
darkness shall cover the earth,
00:23:17.26\00:23:20.33
and deep or gross darkness,"
00:23:20.36\00:23:22.50
as the King James Version says,
"gross darkness the people,
00:23:22.53\00:23:26.40
but the Lord will arise over you
00:23:26.43\00:23:29.34
and His glory," His what?
00:23:29.37\00:23:32.47
"His glory will be seen," where?
00:23:32.51\00:23:35.28
"Upon you."
00:23:35.31\00:23:36.64
How will that
glory be seen upon us?
00:23:36.68\00:23:38.25
When we come to the
measure of the stature
00:23:38.28\00:23:40.08
of the fullness of Christ.
00:23:40.12\00:23:41.62
So do you now wonder
why Satan is so determined
00:23:41.65\00:23:45.39
to keep us from reflecting
the measure of the stature
00:23:45.42\00:23:47.82
of the fullness of Christ?
00:23:47.86\00:23:49.56
Because if we're
able to allow Jesus
00:23:49.59\00:23:51.63
to be reflected through us,
look at what's going to happen,
00:23:51.66\00:23:54.53
verse 3.
00:23:54.56\00:23:55.93
Look at what's going to happen,
00:23:55.96\00:23:57.43
"The Gentiles shall
come to your," what?
00:23:57.47\00:24:01.64
"To your light and kings
to the brightness of your,"
00:24:01.67\00:24:05.17
what? "Of your rising."
00:24:05.21\00:24:07.08
So when the glory of God
is being revealed through us,
00:24:07.11\00:24:10.18
then people see it
and they come to it.
00:24:10.21\00:24:12.51
They say, "What is
there about Courtney?
00:24:12.55\00:24:14.62
What is there about Cindy?
00:24:14.65\00:24:16.52
What is there about Yannick?"
00:24:16.55\00:24:18.89
Exactly, thank
you, very good example.
00:24:18.92\00:24:21.29
When they saw Moses
was in the presence of God,
00:24:21.32\00:24:23.79
the glory was so great
00:24:23.83\00:24:25.16
that they had to cover his face.
00:24:25.19\00:24:26.59
The glory of God
was seen upon him.
00:24:26.63\00:24:28.86
He was in the presence of God.
00:24:28.90\00:24:30.27
Can you imagine
20 million people
00:24:30.30\00:24:33.07
circling the globe and
the Lord turns the light on
00:24:33.10\00:24:36.44
and lights up the world?
00:24:36.47\00:24:39.44
And everywhere,
Revelation 18 is fulfilled,
00:24:39.47\00:24:44.65
an angel coming down
and the earth was lightened
00:24:44.68\00:24:47.75
with His glory.
00:24:47.78\00:24:49.12
That's what that is.
00:24:49.15\00:24:50.49
So Isaiah 60
00:24:50.52\00:24:51.85
is a forecast of
Revelation chapter 18.
00:24:51.89\00:24:56.83
God is going to one day
accomplish through His people
00:24:56.86\00:24:59.39
and the earth is
going to be the lightened
00:24:59.43\00:25:01.00
with the glory of God
00:25:01.03\00:25:02.36
and how is that
going to be revealed?
00:25:02.40\00:25:03.87
How it's going to be revealed?
00:25:03.90\00:25:06.53
Thank you, say it again. In us.
00:25:06.57\00:25:08.04
In us, through us.
00:25:08.07\00:25:09.87
So the light that
this talked about,
00:25:09.90\00:25:11.44
the source is Christ
but now that He's not here,
00:25:11.47\00:25:16.48
who is the source on earth?
00:25:16.51\00:25:19.18
He says, "You are
the light of the world.
00:25:19.21\00:25:21.28
I'm not here, I'm coming back,
00:25:21.32\00:25:23.25
but in My
absence, who's the source?
00:25:23.28\00:25:26.22
You are."
00:25:26.25\00:25:27.72
That's why the devil
surrounds us with darkness
00:25:27.76\00:25:29.76
in so many avenues.
00:25:29.79\00:25:31.83
In the media, in the music,
in society, in entertainment,
00:25:31.86\00:25:37.17
he plummets us with the darkness
00:25:37.20\00:25:39.13
because he doesn't
want the light to be seen.
00:25:39.17\00:25:41.90
Because if the light is
seen, the gentiles will come
00:25:41.94\00:25:45.67
to the
brightness of your rising.
00:25:45.71\00:25:48.58
And the word "gentiles"
there means, in this context,
00:25:48.61\00:25:51.45
the unsaved, those
that don't know Christ,
00:25:51.48\00:25:54.32
will see rest and say,
"What is there about her?"
00:25:54.35\00:25:57.85
And they'll come
as the glory of God
00:25:57.89\00:25:59.99
is risen upon you and
shall be seen upon you.
00:26:00.02\00:26:02.62
Amen?
00:26:02.66\00:26:04.19
It's vitally
important, that's why the devil
00:26:04.23\00:26:05.66
makes it so difficult for us.
00:26:05.69\00:26:07.40
He tries to beset us
with trials, and difficulties,
00:26:07.43\00:26:10.07
and hardships.
00:26:10.10\00:26:11.67
Earlier today, you
know, when my wife came home,
00:26:11.70\00:26:15.27
she looked at my face,
she said, "Are you okay?"
00:26:15.30\00:26:17.44
And I was playing...
00:26:17.47\00:26:20.08
Maranatha, you
know Maranatha praise,
00:26:20.11\00:26:22.24
"Be still and
know that He is God."
00:26:22.28\00:26:25.81
And she said, "You okay?"
00:26:25.85\00:26:27.42
I said, "You
know, earlier I felt
00:26:27.45\00:26:29.42
Satan's oppression on me,
00:26:29.45\00:26:31.45
I felt him just
trying to really oppress me,
00:26:31.49\00:26:34.69
and I put on Christian
music, and I began to sing,
00:26:34.72\00:26:36.96
and, you know what?
00:26:36.99\00:26:38.33
It wasn't a minute, it
wasn't even two minutes,
00:26:38.36\00:26:40.83
that oppression was gone
00:26:40.86\00:26:42.30
'cause he wasn't there to sing
any Christian music with me,
00:26:42.33\00:26:45.00
he was not
about to sing Be Still
00:26:45.03\00:26:46.67
and know that He is God."
00:26:46.70\00:26:48.34
There is no
other. There is no other.
00:26:48.37\00:26:50.74
That's why the servant of
the Lord, Ellen White says,
00:26:50.77\00:26:53.11
"When we are surrounded
by darkness and distress,
00:26:53.14\00:26:55.94
lift our voices to God in song,
00:26:55.98\00:26:58.65
the devil doesn't like to hear
his children praise the Lord."
00:26:58.68\00:27:02.02
That's why Paul and
Silas, when they were in prison,
00:27:02.05\00:27:04.75
what were they doing?
00:27:04.79\00:27:06.12
At midnight, singing
hymns, and psalms, and...
00:27:06.15\00:27:08.29
hymns and spiritual
songs, hymns, and psalms,
00:27:08.32\00:27:11.29
and spiritual
songs at midnight...
00:27:11.33\00:27:14.66
in prison singing
to the glory of God.
00:27:14.70\00:27:17.47
Why?
00:27:17.50\00:27:18.83
Because wherever
God is being glorified,
00:27:18.87\00:27:20.64
the devil cannot be there.
00:27:20.67\00:27:22.40
So if you ever
feeling depressed,
00:27:22.44\00:27:24.14
I thought it's not bad
to call and say to somebody,
00:27:24.17\00:27:26.88
"Pray for me."
00:27:26.91\00:27:28.24
But the quickest
thing you can do,
00:27:28.28\00:27:29.61
put on some Christian music
00:27:29.64\00:27:31.38
and start songs where
Jesus is being uplifted
00:27:31.41\00:27:34.58
or open your voice and say,
00:27:34.62\00:27:36.18
you know, "To God be the glory."
00:27:36.22\00:27:39.25
And the devil
says, "I'm leaving."
00:27:39.29\00:27:41.52
Exactly.
00:27:41.56\00:27:42.89
He doesn't want to
hear, he doesn't want to be
00:27:42.92\00:27:44.26
in the presence
of any praise to God.
00:27:44.29\00:27:46.29
He cannot handle that.
00:27:46.33\00:27:49.60
At the name of
Jesus, every knee will bow,
00:27:49.63\00:27:51.80
every tongue will confess.
00:27:51.83\00:27:53.90
And the devil has to run
00:27:53.94\00:27:55.27
because he doesn't want
the light to be turned on.
00:27:55.30\00:27:57.74
Years ago, we got to
question number eight,
00:27:57.77\00:27:59.54
but years ago when
this term came out,
00:27:59.57\00:28:01.11
I thought, I went like this,
00:28:01.14\00:28:02.48
"Man, how can we
didn't get that first?"
00:28:02.51\00:28:06.41
Motel 6.
00:28:06.45\00:28:08.28
Motel 6, what was
their saying, their slogan?
00:28:08.32\00:28:11.49
"We'll leave the
light on for you."
00:28:11.52\00:28:14.12
Shouldn't that have
been a Christian term?
00:28:14.16\00:28:15.69
Yes.
00:28:15.72\00:28:17.06
"We'll leave the
light on for you."
00:28:17.09\00:28:18.83
Man.
00:28:18.86\00:28:20.20
And Motel 6, every
time you hear that,
00:28:20.23\00:28:22.36
you don't think of
a Christian church,
00:28:22.40\00:28:23.73
you think of a motel.
00:28:23.77\00:28:26.20
We're ought to
buy that from Motel 6,
00:28:26.23\00:28:28.40
we'll leave the
light on for you.
00:28:28.44\00:28:30.94
Question number eight.
00:28:30.97\00:28:32.47
Wow, question number
eight, how does the transaction
00:28:32.51\00:28:37.15
of accepting Jesus
change our standing?
00:28:37.18\00:28:41.68
How does the
transaction of accepting Jesus
00:28:41.72\00:28:44.55
change our standing?
00:28:44.59\00:28:47.26
We must remember our
standing is not the same
00:28:47.29\00:28:50.33
after we accept Jesus.
00:28:50.36\00:28:52.43
How does it change our standing?
00:28:52.46\00:28:54.73
Look at 1 Peter 2:9.
00:28:54.76\00:28:57.23
I'm going to go
right there, 1 Peter 2:9.
00:28:57.27\00:29:01.67
And if we would remember this,
if we would appreciate this,
00:29:01.70\00:29:05.34
if we would embrace it,
00:29:05.37\00:29:06.84
it would change the
way we see ourselves,
00:29:06.88\00:29:09.04
it really would.
00:29:09.08\00:29:10.48
We live in a society that
says, "We are biological birth
00:29:10.51\00:29:12.91
but we want to explosion
or we evolved out of monkeys."
00:29:12.95\00:29:16.25
But if you tell children
this, they'll act like it.
00:29:16.28\00:29:19.99
Let's read it together.
00:29:20.02\00:29:21.72
1 Peter 2:9,
"But you are a," what?
00:29:21.76\00:29:24.83
"Chosen
generation, a," what else?
00:29:24.86\00:29:28.26
"Royal
priesthood, a," what else?
00:29:28.30\00:29:31.47
"Holy nation, his own," what?
00:29:31.50\00:29:35.17
"Special people."
00:29:35.20\00:29:36.54
Can you imagine
what would happen
00:29:36.57\00:29:37.91
if you said to children,
00:29:37.94\00:29:39.27
"You're special, you're royal,
you're holy, you're chosen."
00:29:39.31\00:29:43.48
They say, "I am?
00:29:43.51\00:29:45.11
I am special?"
00:29:45.15\00:29:46.65
"You're special."
00:29:46.68\00:29:48.65
We're special.
00:29:48.68\00:29:51.69
And why did He make us that way?
00:29:51.72\00:29:53.86
That you may proclaim or
as the King James Version
00:29:53.89\00:29:57.23
says that "You may show forth,
00:29:57.26\00:29:59.89
that you may show
forth the praises of Him
00:29:59.93\00:30:03.20
who called you out of
darkness into his," what?
00:30:03.23\00:30:07.00
"Marvelous light."
00:30:07.04\00:30:09.20
Marvelous light.
00:30:09.24\00:30:10.74
Recently somebody gave
me a green laser pointer
00:30:10.77\00:30:14.68
and I'm so glad they gave to
me because that's not something
00:30:14.71\00:30:16.81
that should be in
the hands of children.
00:30:16.85\00:30:18.75
Because just a day before
that, I was reading an article
00:30:18.78\00:30:20.75
where a child, a young child,
00:30:20.78\00:30:22.65
I think maybe
seven or eight years old
00:30:22.68\00:30:24.32
had a green laser
00:30:24.35\00:30:25.69
and he kept pointing in his eye,
00:30:25.72\00:30:27.29
he was fascinated by it, he
kept pointing it in his eye.
00:30:27.32\00:30:30.73
And they showed the X-ray
or I guess the X-ray it is
00:30:30.76\00:30:34.60
of what happened to
his eye, the retina,
00:30:34.63\00:30:36.46
the hole was burned so large
00:30:36.50\00:30:38.53
that they
couldn't even repair it.
00:30:38.57\00:30:40.17
So they said,
"He'll be permanently blind
00:30:40.20\00:30:41.74
in that section of his eye."
00:30:41.77\00:30:44.14
And what I discovered is,
00:30:44.17\00:30:45.94
light is not
something to look at,
00:30:45.97\00:30:48.31
light is something to walk in.
00:30:48.34\00:30:50.88
And so
continuing with the story,
00:30:50.91\00:30:52.91
a few nights ago, my wife
likes to go to sleep before me,
00:30:52.95\00:30:58.65
and the lights were off,
00:30:58.69\00:31:00.06
and we had just done our prayer,
00:31:00.09\00:31:01.72
and I went to see how
bright that green laser was.
00:31:01.76\00:31:05.19
Because it's one of those laser
that you can literally point up
00:31:05.23\00:31:07.40
in the sky and point...
00:31:07.43\00:31:08.80
I mean, it
could just go forever.
00:31:08.83\00:31:10.73
I tested it out
00:31:10.77\00:31:12.10
in the country
up in the Michigan,
00:31:12.13\00:31:14.14
dark country.
00:31:14.17\00:31:15.50
And it's like piercing, bright.
00:31:15.54\00:31:18.54
So I just decided to
aim it on the ceiling
00:31:18.57\00:31:21.44
and it lit up the
room like a meteor.
00:31:21.48\00:31:24.28
It just...
00:31:24.31\00:31:25.65
It radiated off it,
because we have the...
00:31:25.68\00:31:29.22
What do you call
that, popcorn ceiling?
00:31:29.25\00:31:31.45
And of all the pop,
00:31:31.49\00:31:32.82
it just started
bouncing everywhere,
00:31:32.85\00:31:34.19
and I thought wow,
00:31:34.22\00:31:35.56
let me turn that
off real quickly.
00:31:35.59\00:31:36.93
It was brighter
than the big bulb
00:31:36.96\00:31:39.23
that was right next to my bed.
00:31:39.26\00:31:41.33
It just
literally lit up the room.
00:31:41.36\00:31:44.63
And the guy that gave to me,
00:31:44.67\00:31:47.90
I don't know if
I should say this,
00:31:47.94\00:31:49.27
the guy that gave
it to me, he says,
00:31:49.30\00:31:50.64
"If you're ever brave enough,
00:31:50.67\00:31:52.01
while you're
driving on the highway,
00:31:52.04\00:31:53.38
just aim it at one of
those big green exit signs
00:31:53.41\00:31:56.18
and see the green explode."
00:31:56.21\00:31:58.11
I said, "I'll never do that."
00:31:58.15\00:31:59.88
You know why?
00:31:59.91\00:32:02.58
You could blind somebody.
00:32:02.62\00:32:04.12
Why would you want
to blind another driver?
00:32:04.15\00:32:06.32
But here's my point, the
light of God is to walk in,
00:32:06.35\00:32:10.33
not just to look at.
00:32:10.36\00:32:12.03
Now understand the analogy.
00:32:12.06\00:32:16.77
When you read your Bible,
are you looking at the light?
00:32:16.80\00:32:21.94
That's not a
trick question. Yes.
00:32:21.97\00:32:23.67
Is the Word of God light? Yes.
00:32:23.71\00:32:25.24
"Thy word is lamp unto
my feet and light to my..."
00:32:25.27\00:32:27.64
So when you read God's Word,
are you looking at the light?
00:32:27.68\00:32:29.54
Yes.
00:32:29.58\00:32:30.91
So...
00:32:30.95\00:32:32.28
But if you don't follow
it, you're not walking in it.
00:32:32.31\00:32:35.88
It's one thing to read it,
00:32:35.92\00:32:37.65
it's something
altogether to live by it.
00:32:37.69\00:32:40.06
So when the Bible
says, "Walk in the light,"
00:32:40.09\00:32:42.76
you read it and
say, "Okay, Lord,
00:32:42.79\00:32:44.99
give me the
willing heart to walk in
00:32:45.03\00:32:46.83
what I just read and learned."
00:32:46.86\00:32:48.93
That's what
walking in the light mean.
00:32:48.96\00:32:50.53
It doesn't mean trying to find
this glowing light somewhere
00:32:50.57\00:32:53.44
in the sky or in the
community and walk in it.
00:32:53.47\00:32:55.40
It means the
light of God's Word,
00:32:55.44\00:32:57.47
"Thy word is a
lamp and a light."
00:32:57.51\00:32:59.74
It means walking in the light.
00:32:59.77\00:33:01.41
And it changes our standing.
00:33:01.44\00:33:02.81
So here's the question,
how does the transaction
00:33:02.84\00:33:05.35
of accepting Jesus
change our standing?
00:33:05.38\00:33:08.48
You can pick any of those words.
00:33:08.52\00:33:10.45
But what I like
more than anything else,
00:33:10.49\00:33:11.92
rather than the royal,
and the holy, and the special,
00:33:11.95\00:33:14.89
it means proclaiming him,
showing him, proclaiming him,
00:33:14.92\00:33:20.10
it changes us, we are
special, we're chosen,
00:33:20.13\00:33:22.66
we're royal, we're holy,
00:33:22.70\00:33:24.60
all those things matter,
00:33:24.63\00:33:26.27
and you can put
that in any capacity
00:33:26.30\00:33:28.07
that you'd like or any
answer that you'd like.
00:33:28.10\00:33:30.31
The entire verse is perfect.
00:33:30.34\00:33:33.01
But you can put any
answer that you'd like there.
00:33:33.04\00:33:35.64
Moving right along
to question number nine,
00:33:35.68\00:33:39.78
question number nine.
00:33:39.81\00:33:41.15
What makes the difference
00:33:45.29\00:33:47.66
in being able to reflect Christ?
00:33:47.69\00:33:51.33
In other words,
how does that happen?
00:33:51.36\00:33:53.53
What makes the difference?
00:33:53.56\00:33:55.00
Do you just say,
00:33:55.03\00:33:56.36
"Well, I learned
these wonderful doctrines
00:33:56.40\00:33:58.87
and I'm going to go ahead
and live it out in my life,
00:33:58.90\00:34:01.67
I will find a way to do it."
00:34:01.70\00:34:05.21
How does it happen?
00:34:05.24\00:34:06.57
Galatians 2:20.
00:34:06.61\00:34:08.31
Go there with
me, Galatians 2:20.
00:34:08.34\00:34:11.18
And you'll discover
what I'm pointing at tonight
00:34:11.21\00:34:13.95
as I'm pointing
away from human ability
00:34:13.98\00:34:18.12
to divine capability,
00:34:18.15\00:34:21.09
from human ability
to divine capability.
00:34:21.12\00:34:24.79
In other words, we
only have a capacity
00:34:24.83\00:34:26.56
to do certain things.
00:34:26.59\00:34:28.06
But there is nothing
that divinity cannot do.
00:34:28.10\00:34:31.50
That's why this
verse is so important.
00:34:31.53\00:34:33.60
Galatians 2:20, what
makes the difference?
00:34:33.64\00:34:34.97
In other words,
00:34:35.00\00:34:36.34
how is
reflecting God accomplished?
00:34:36.37\00:34:39.64
The Apostle Paul
put it in these words.
00:34:39.67\00:34:42.94
He says, "I have
been crucified," how?
00:34:42.98\00:34:46.05
"With Christ," and get this,
00:34:46.08\00:34:47.42
and I have this
highlighted in yellow,
00:34:47.45\00:34:49.25
"it is no longer I who
live, but Christ lives," where?
00:34:49.28\00:34:54.16
"In me, and the life
which I now live in the flesh,
00:34:54.19\00:34:59.23
I live by faith in the
Son of God, who loved me,
00:34:59.26\00:35:02.93
and," did what else?
00:35:02.96\00:35:04.30
"Gave Himself for me."
00:35:04.33\00:35:06.03
So are you the one
reflecting the light?
00:35:06.07\00:35:10.11
Yes or no? Yes.
00:35:10.14\00:35:12.21
I want you to get that.
00:35:12.24\00:35:14.04
But where is a
light coming from?
00:35:14.08\00:35:15.41
Christ.
00:35:15.44\00:35:16.78
Christ because it's no
longer you who are living,
00:35:16.81\00:35:19.11
but Christ who's living in you
and the beautiful transaction,
00:35:19.15\00:35:23.32
as 1 John chapter 3 says,
00:35:23.35\00:35:25.39
"Behold, what manner of love
the Father has bestowed on us,
00:35:25.42\00:35:28.02
that we should be
called the children of God."
00:35:28.06\00:35:30.09
We're called
the children of God,
00:35:30.13\00:35:31.63
not because He's
just our Father but...
00:35:31.66\00:35:33.90
it's not just a lateral
relationship, not just a...
00:35:33.93\00:35:39.07
horizontal
relationship, that's vertical,
00:35:39.10\00:35:40.77
but not just a
horizontal relationship,
00:35:40.80\00:35:43.00
but a relationship
where the two become one.
00:35:43.04\00:35:46.61
Did you get that?
00:35:46.64\00:35:48.01
Because if
Christ is living in us,
00:35:48.04\00:35:51.15
the two have become what?
00:35:51.18\00:35:53.31
One.
00:35:53.35\00:35:54.72
And then it says, "It
is no longer I who live."
00:35:54.75\00:35:59.19
So the beauty of that,
00:35:59.22\00:36:00.62
while we're living in the flesh,
00:36:00.66\00:36:02.66
and I want you to grab this,
00:36:02.69\00:36:04.19
while we're living in the flesh,
00:36:04.23\00:36:06.73
is it possible,
this is the question,
00:36:06.76\00:36:09.30
while we're
living in this flesh,
00:36:09.33\00:36:11.63
is it possible for
Christ to be seen in us?
00:36:11.67\00:36:14.67
Yes.
00:36:14.70\00:36:16.04
Yes, because
that's what the text says,
00:36:16.07\00:36:17.47
"The life which I
now live in the flesh."
00:36:23.04\00:36:26.05
You see, Satan
doesn't want us to think
00:36:30.29\00:36:33.29
that it is possible to be
human and to reveal Christ.
00:36:33.32\00:36:38.19
He says, "Look at you."
00:36:38.23\00:36:39.86
And that's why we have to
focus less on our failures
00:36:39.89\00:36:42.70
and focus more on
Christ's successes.
00:36:42.73\00:36:47.37
Because if we look
at ourselves so much,
00:36:47.40\00:36:49.54
and I don't know of anybody...
00:36:49.57\00:36:50.91
I mean, I'm critical of myself,
if we look at ourselves...
00:36:50.94\00:36:56.04
As one writer
says it so beautifully,
00:36:56.08\00:36:58.21
if we keep looking at ourselves,
00:36:58.25\00:36:59.58
we can't see any way
we're going to be saved.
00:36:59.61\00:37:02.35
But if we look at Christ,
00:37:02.38\00:37:03.72
we can't see any way
we're going to be lost.
00:37:03.75\00:37:06.39
So when you look at yourself,
00:37:06.42\00:37:07.76
it's for the
purpose of self examination.
00:37:07.79\00:37:10.43
For what?
00:37:10.46\00:37:11.79
Self-examination,
00:37:11.83\00:37:13.16
only to realize
what your need is.
00:37:13.19\00:37:16.23
And we need
that self-examination
00:37:16.26\00:37:18.17
to help us understand our
great dependency on Christ.
00:37:18.20\00:37:22.30
Because this verse,
according to this verse,
00:37:22.34\00:37:25.17
the first thing
that has to happen
00:37:25.21\00:37:26.88
for Christ to now reign in us
00:37:26.91\00:37:29.04
is we have to be
crucified with Him.
00:37:29.08\00:37:31.78
That mean that old person,
that person that has failed,
00:37:31.81\00:37:35.92
that has fallen,
that is incapable
00:37:35.95\00:37:38.32
of doing anything right,
00:37:38.35\00:37:39.69
that person has
to be put to death.
00:37:39.72\00:37:42.52
And then Christ has to come in
00:37:42.56\00:37:44.26
and when He comes
in, we have to declare,
00:37:44.29\00:37:46.93
"I'm living in the
flesh, I'm still in this flesh",
00:37:46.96\00:37:49.66
and by the way, the
last thing to be consumed,
00:37:49.70\00:37:52.50
the last thing to be
changed is the flesh.
00:37:52.53\00:37:56.97
How is that going to be changed?
00:37:57.01\00:37:58.64
From what to what?
00:37:58.67\00:38:00.01
Say it again. From
mortal to immortal.
00:38:02.28\00:38:03.95
From mortal to immortal.
00:38:03.98\00:38:06.45
But what this text is saying,
what this verse is saying
00:38:06.48\00:38:09.02
is while we're still mortal,
00:38:09.05\00:38:12.25
Christ can be reflected in us.
00:38:12.29\00:38:15.06
Isn't that good news? Amen.
00:38:15.09\00:38:17.16
But it can only
be done as we submit,
00:38:17.19\00:38:20.46
as we submit to the
cross of Christ every day.
00:38:20.50\00:38:23.06
Now that's why Paul
says, "I die," how often?
00:38:23.10\00:38:25.03
"Every day."
00:38:25.07\00:38:26.40
So that crucifixion
has to be every day,
00:38:26.43\00:38:28.27
and you'll discover
the day that you are not...
00:38:28.30\00:38:30.34
The day that you don't
take up your cross daily,
00:38:30.37\00:38:34.41
the day you don't take up
your cross, you realize man,
00:38:34.44\00:38:38.28
at the end of the day,
now I know what happened.
00:38:38.31\00:38:41.42
And you can always
trace your failures to the day
00:38:41.45\00:38:44.09
you choose to
lay down your cross.
00:38:44.12\00:38:46.59
But let me add a component
here that's really important
00:38:46.62\00:38:49.26
because sometimes
people will hear that statement
00:38:49.29\00:38:51.99
and they say, "Well,
does that mean I'm saved,
00:38:52.03\00:38:54.26
then I'm lost, then
I'm saved, then I'm lost,
00:38:54.30\00:38:57.07
then I'm saved, then I'm lost?"
00:38:57.10\00:38:59.03
And what's the answer?
00:38:59.07\00:39:00.40
No.
00:39:00.44\00:39:01.77
Because a runner, I
want you to get this now,
00:39:01.80\00:39:04.34
run the race with
patience that I said before you.
00:39:04.37\00:39:08.54
If a runner is running
00:39:08.58\00:39:09.91
in the direction
of the finish line,
00:39:09.94\00:39:12.45
and he falls,
00:39:12.48\00:39:14.48
and he gets back
up, and keeps running,
00:39:14.52\00:39:16.75
where is he running to?
00:39:16.79\00:39:18.32
The finish line.
00:39:18.35\00:39:21.59
And it's not once
saved, always saved,
00:39:21.62\00:39:24.13
you have to make
that commitment to Christ.
00:39:24.16\00:39:26.46
But here is where...
00:39:26.49\00:39:27.83
Here's where He judges the life.
00:39:27.86\00:39:29.46
He doesn't judge
it on any single deed
00:39:29.50\00:39:32.33
or any single misdeed.
00:39:32.37\00:39:35.70
But He says, which
direction was he running?
00:39:35.74\00:39:39.37
Towards the finish line.
00:39:39.41\00:39:40.74
That's why the
Apostle Paul says,
00:39:40.78\00:39:42.11
"Press toward the
mark for the prize
00:39:42.14\00:39:43.68
of the upper call of
God and Christ Jesus."
00:39:43.71\00:39:45.78
Which direction was
he running when he fell?
00:39:45.81\00:39:49.18
That direction.
00:39:49.22\00:39:50.85
I heard a preacher say,
and this is really interesting,
00:39:50.89\00:39:54.02
David the Psalmist says,
00:39:54.06\00:39:56.89
"A righteous man
falls seven times,
00:39:56.93\00:40:01.43
and he gets back up.
00:40:01.46\00:40:03.83
But a wicked man falls once."
00:40:03.87\00:40:07.64
Now what is so
beautiful about that?
00:40:07.67\00:40:10.34
If you're running, and
you stumble along the way,
00:40:10.37\00:40:15.14
and you get back
up, what do you do?
00:40:15.18\00:40:18.11
You keep running.
00:40:18.15\00:40:19.51
If you keep running,
and you stumble on way,
00:40:19.55\00:40:21.25
and you get back
up, what do you do?
00:40:21.28\00:40:22.68
Come on, say it.
00:40:22.72\00:40:24.05
Keep running. Keep running.
00:40:24.09\00:40:25.42
See, the righteous
man in the journey,
00:40:25.45\00:40:27.32
we stumble along the way
00:40:27.36\00:40:29.19
but the Lord will govern us
00:40:29.22\00:40:33.90
by the direction
our lives are going in,
00:40:33.93\00:40:37.57
not by the periodical misdeed.
00:40:37.60\00:40:41.30
But don't make that
misdeed intentional iniquity,
00:40:41.34\00:40:45.07
there's a difference altogether.
00:40:45.11\00:40:46.88
You might stumble on the
way, that's why the Bible says,
00:40:46.91\00:40:50.21
if anyone sins,
00:40:50.25\00:40:51.71
he has an
advocate with the Father,
00:40:51.75\00:40:54.32
Jesus Christ, the what?
00:40:54.35\00:40:55.68
Righteous.
00:40:55.72\00:40:57.05
He's not saying...
00:40:57.09\00:40:58.42
Because in this
flesh, this flesh is so Adam,
00:40:58.45\00:41:00.76
this flesh is so Adam, but
this character is so Jesus.
00:41:00.79\00:41:04.49
Amen.
00:41:04.53\00:41:06.80
So the devil's claim is
00:41:06.83\00:41:08.53
Adam's Jesus
Christ's righteousness
00:41:08.56\00:41:12.10
can never be revealed
in a body that's defective
00:41:12.13\00:41:16.97
based on Adam's nature.
00:41:17.01\00:41:19.71
So the Lord takes that nature,
destroys it, He moves in,
00:41:19.74\00:41:24.41
and then He
says, "Can you see Me?"
00:41:24.45\00:41:27.55
And the devil doesn't like
it when Christ is being revealed
00:41:27.58\00:41:30.35
through a body
that is still mortal.
00:41:30.39\00:41:34.16
But He does it
00:41:34.19\00:41:35.52
because there's nothing
too difficult for Christ.
00:41:35.56\00:41:37.63
Amen. Amen?
00:41:37.66\00:41:39.53
"It is no longer I who live."
00:41:39.56\00:41:42.06
And then the
last part of the verse
00:41:42.10\00:41:43.43
which I don't want to run past,
00:41:43.47\00:41:44.80
what do you need for
this to happen in you?
00:41:44.83\00:41:46.67
Look at the line
just before the last,
00:41:46.70\00:41:48.77
what do you need in
order for this transaction
00:41:48.80\00:41:51.37
to be real in your life?
00:41:51.41\00:41:52.74
Faith. Faith.
00:41:52.77\00:41:54.28
What do we need?
00:41:54.31\00:41:55.64
Faith. Faith.
00:41:55.68\00:41:57.01
For by grace, are
you saved through faith,
00:41:57.05\00:41:59.61
without faith it is
impossible to please Him.
00:41:59.65\00:42:02.12
"For he that comes to
God must believe that He is
00:42:02.15\00:42:05.15
and that He is the rewarder
00:42:05.19\00:42:06.52
of those that
diligently seek Him,"
00:42:06.55\00:42:08.02
Hebrews 11:6.
00:42:08.06\00:42:09.66
Do you see Jesus every day?
00:42:09.69\00:42:12.99
But how you see Him?
00:42:13.03\00:42:14.70
By faith. By faith.
00:42:14.73\00:42:18.83
Now question 10,
write the answer down,
00:42:18.87\00:42:21.14
what makes the difference
in being able to reflect
00:42:21.17\00:42:23.37
the glory of God?
00:42:23.41\00:42:24.74
The answer is, "It
is no longer I who live
00:42:24.77\00:42:27.81
but Christ lives in me."
00:42:27.84\00:42:29.18
Or you could shorten
it, Christ lives in me.
00:42:29.21\00:42:32.11
That verse itself
is a whole message
00:42:39.05\00:42:41.82
all by itself.
00:42:41.86\00:42:43.19
I don't want to take
much more time on it.
00:42:43.22\00:42:45.53
But that whole...
00:42:45.56\00:42:46.90
that one verse, verse 20
of the Galatians chapter 2
00:42:46.93\00:42:49.66
is a story all by itself.
00:42:49.70\00:42:52.20
Now we're going to
take a little detour here
00:42:52.23\00:42:55.27
just for the
purpose of understanding
00:42:55.30\00:42:57.67
how the Bible describes.
00:42:57.71\00:42:59.04
Look at question number 10.
00:42:59.07\00:43:00.88
How does the Bible
describe our character
00:43:00.91\00:43:04.05
before we accept Christ?
00:43:04.08\00:43:05.78
We're going to go through this.
00:43:05.81\00:43:07.18
We're going to go
through this kind of at a...
00:43:07.22\00:43:09.45
at a cadence that
will help us move along.
00:43:09.48\00:43:12.29
We'll begin with Isaiah 64:6.
00:43:12.32\00:43:15.59
Now this is going to
be a complete contrast
00:43:15.62\00:43:19.39
to what we just read.
00:43:19.43\00:43:20.93
We're going to
begin to see ourselves,
00:43:20.96\00:43:22.40
and the reason I included
this is because a lot of times
00:43:22.43\00:43:25.03
I hear phrases like,
"Well, I'm a nice person,"
00:43:25.07\00:43:28.27
and then I read these
verses that I put here
00:43:28.30\00:43:31.54
and I realize
wow, without Christ,
00:43:31.57\00:43:34.01
there is nothing nice about me.
00:43:34.04\00:43:37.65
Without Christ,
there's nothing nice about me.
00:43:37.68\00:43:40.75
I might be able to camouflage
my intent or the life I live,
00:43:40.78\00:43:44.19
but without Christ,
there's nothing nice about me.
00:43:44.22\00:43:47.99
Because as an Adam, all die.
00:43:48.02\00:43:51.53
Let's look at this,
Isaiah 64:6, together,
00:43:51.56\00:43:55.46
"We are all like
an unclean thing,
00:43:55.50\00:43:58.50
and all," how much?
00:43:58.53\00:44:00.74
"All our
righteousnesses are like," what?
00:44:00.77\00:44:05.87
"Filthy rags, we all fade
as a leaf, and our iniquities,
00:44:05.91\00:44:11.81
like the wind, have," done what?
00:44:11.85\00:44:14.18
"Taken us away."
00:44:14.22\00:44:15.82
So is any of our
righteousness clean?
00:44:15.85\00:44:18.82
No.
00:44:18.85\00:44:20.19
Isn't that depressing?
00:44:20.22\00:44:21.56
If that was the only
verse in the Bible, you'd say,
00:44:21.59\00:44:22.92
"Forget this...
00:44:22.96\00:44:25.76
I'm looking for answers."
00:44:25.79\00:44:27.13
But the doctor,
Christ Jesus is diagnosing us
00:44:27.16\00:44:30.47
and He's saying,
00:44:30.50\00:44:33.60
"You really need
a transformation.
00:44:33.64\00:44:37.21
Because here is what you are."
00:44:37.24\00:44:41.14
And we think about ourselves,
00:44:41.18\00:44:42.94
"Well, how much
progress have I made?
00:44:42.98\00:44:46.75
I'm better than I used to be."
00:44:46.78\00:44:48.55
And He says, "But
all your righteousnesses
00:44:48.58\00:44:51.85
is as filthy rags."
00:44:51.89\00:44:53.96
"But ain't I doing
better than I used to be?"
00:44:53.99\00:44:58.73
"But all..."
00:44:58.76\00:45:00.93
How much, Nori?
00:45:00.96\00:45:02.30
All.
00:45:02.33\00:45:04.07
So what He is saying to us,
"Don't ever get to the place
00:45:04.10\00:45:08.40
where you think
that there is anything
00:45:08.44\00:45:10.47
about you that's righteous
00:45:10.51\00:45:13.78
'cause all," come
on, together, how much?
00:45:13.81\00:45:17.01
"All your righteousnesses..."
So you say, "What?
00:45:17.05\00:45:21.32
But I've had 1600 baptisms.
00:45:21.35\00:45:25.55
I preached 4,000 sermons.
00:45:25.59\00:45:28.16
I've been a pastor 31 years.
00:45:28.19\00:45:30.53
I've got nine albums.
00:45:30.56\00:45:32.99
I've been to 62 countries.
00:45:33.03\00:45:34.36
People love me."
00:45:37.30\00:45:39.43
And He says, "You know
what, what did I say, John?
00:45:39.47\00:45:41.10
How much of your
righteousness? All."
00:45:41.14\00:45:43.81
That's humbling, that's like...
00:45:43.84\00:45:47.58
Put yourself back in
the wrapper and seal it
00:45:47.61\00:45:50.78
'cause nobody wants you'
00:45:50.81\00:45:52.61
'Cause if you gave
yourself to somebody and says,
00:45:52.65\00:45:54.62
"You know, I've done so much,
00:45:54.65\00:45:55.98
if you put on my character,
you'll make it, Marlina."
00:45:56.02\00:45:58.29
"And you'll put
on my character",
00:45:58.32\00:45:59.65
and Lord will say,
00:45:59.69\00:46:01.02
"Marlina, hey, guess what,
all of his righteousnesses,
00:46:01.06\00:46:04.13
all of his unrighteousnesses
00:46:04.16\00:46:06.33
are now your unrighteousnesses."
00:46:06.36\00:46:10.07
You're double trouble.
00:46:10.10\00:46:12.07
So don't try
to... So what that...
00:46:12.10\00:46:13.84
And the reason I say that is
00:46:13.87\00:46:15.20
because I've heard people say,
"Oh, I want to be like him."
00:46:15.24\00:46:18.24
"Man, I want to
preach like him."
00:46:21.38\00:46:24.85
"I want to sing like him."
00:46:24.88\00:46:26.48
"I want to lead
people to Christ like him."
00:46:26.51\00:46:29.98
No, I only have one
aim, I want to be like Jesus.
00:46:30.02\00:46:32.65
Amen.
00:46:32.69\00:46:34.02
Because anybody you idolize
00:46:34.06\00:46:36.12
and put in that place of Christ,
00:46:36.16\00:46:38.39
he becomes antichrist,
anti doesn't mean against,
00:46:38.43\00:46:41.86
it means in place of.
00:46:41.90\00:46:44.30
So as beautiful as
people do certain things,
00:46:44.33\00:46:46.74
don't ever idolize
another human being
00:46:46.77\00:46:49.34
for any quality they have.
00:46:49.37\00:46:51.07
Amen.
00:46:51.11\00:46:52.44
And that's why Paul said
it very carefully, he says,
00:46:52.47\00:46:56.28
"Be imitators of Christ."
00:46:56.31\00:46:59.45
Be imitators of who?
00:46:59.48\00:47:01.05
Christ, imitate Him, do
what He does, and he said,
00:47:01.08\00:47:05.69
"The only time
you should follow me
00:47:05.72\00:47:07.69
is as I follow Christ."
00:47:07.72\00:47:09.39
Because the
game the kids played,
00:47:09.42\00:47:10.76
what it's called?
00:47:10.79\00:47:12.13
Follow the...?
00:47:12.16\00:47:13.50
Leader. Follow the leader.
00:47:13.53\00:47:14.86
I'll Follow Him, you
follow me, we both follow Him.
00:47:14.90\00:47:18.30
Only follow me,
if I follow Christ.
00:47:18.33\00:47:20.94
It's a very
humbling reality, all of us.
00:47:20.97\00:47:25.31
It's a passage that says,
00:47:25.34\00:47:27.68
"Lord, did I
get anything clean?"
00:47:27.71\00:47:30.65
"You really tried."
00:47:30.68\00:47:33.11
So write it down.
00:47:33.15\00:47:35.72
Wow.
00:47:35.75\00:47:37.39
Boy, that's kind of
hard one to put, 64:6.
00:47:37.42\00:47:40.49
How does the Bible
describe our character
00:47:40.52\00:47:42.19
before we accept Christ?
00:47:42.22\00:47:44.13
Just put unclean.
00:47:44.16\00:47:45.49
Wow, filthy, unclean.
00:47:48.50\00:47:51.93
Boy.
00:47:51.97\00:47:53.30
Now let's...
00:47:53.34\00:47:54.67
Maybe we'll find
something good on the next one.
00:47:54.70\00:47:56.97
Jeremiah 17:9.
00:47:57.01\00:47:59.04
Let's see if our
neighbors are real nice.
00:47:59.07\00:48:01.44
'Cause people say, "Well,
my neighbor has a nice heart,
00:48:01.48\00:48:03.61
well, my kids have a nice heart,
00:48:03.65\00:48:04.98
well, he has a nice heart."
00:48:05.01\00:48:06.35
And then I read
a text like this.
00:48:06.38\00:48:08.65
Jeremiah 17:9.
00:48:08.68\00:48:10.79
It's on the
screen, are you ready?
00:48:10.82\00:48:12.15
"The heart is," what?
00:48:12.19\00:48:13.92
"Deceitful above all things,
00:48:13.96\00:48:17.69
and," what else?
00:48:17.73\00:48:19.06
Desperate.
00:48:19.09\00:48:20.43
"Desperately
wicked, who can know it?"
00:48:20.46\00:48:23.73
Now whose heart is
that talking about?
00:48:23.77\00:48:26.07
Your neighbor's heart?
00:48:26.10\00:48:28.64
Whose heart? Mine.
00:48:28.67\00:48:30.51
Wow.
00:48:30.54\00:48:32.51
We used to call
that a dress down.
00:48:32.54\00:48:35.81
You just be like, "Okay, I
just, you know, address down,
00:48:35.84\00:48:39.01
the Lord just revealed me."
00:48:39.05\00:48:41.02
Let a man examine himself.
Let a man examine himself.
00:48:41.05\00:48:44.75
So what kind of
heart do we have?
00:48:44.79\00:48:46.92
Write it down,
deceitful and what else?
00:48:46.96\00:48:49.89
Desperately wicked,
00:48:49.92\00:48:51.26
don't forget the
word "desperately"
00:48:51.29\00:48:53.53
'cause we're kind of...
00:48:53.56\00:48:54.90
"Well, he is wicked."
00:48:54.93\00:48:56.26
The Lord said, "No, he
is desperately wicked."
00:48:56.30\00:48:58.27
That's really sad.
00:48:58.30\00:48:59.73
The heart can flip,
00:48:59.77\00:49:01.47
and the heart
there is interchangeable
00:49:01.50\00:49:02.84
with the mind.
00:49:02.87\00:49:05.14
That's why when they
do those polygraph tests,
00:49:05.17\00:49:07.84
they strap around your heart
00:49:07.88\00:49:09.21
because when you
start thinking differently,
00:49:09.24\00:49:10.58
the heart registers it.
00:49:10.61\00:49:12.98
They say...
00:49:13.01\00:49:15.62
"That was a lie."
00:49:15.65\00:49:17.42
"How do you know?"
00:49:17.45\00:49:18.79
"'Cause your heart told me."
00:49:18.82\00:49:20.89
Look at the next one, I
think we'll find one here.
00:49:20.92\00:49:25.63
Psalms 14:1,
00:49:25.66\00:49:28.16
"The fool has said in his heart,
00:49:28.20\00:49:32.00
'There is,'" what?
00:49:32.03\00:49:33.50
"'No God.'
00:49:33.54\00:49:34.90
They are corrupt,
00:49:34.94\00:49:37.01
they have done
abominable works,"
00:49:37.04\00:49:39.91
and look at the last
part, say it with me,
00:49:39.94\00:49:43.98
"there is none who does," what?
00:49:44.01\00:49:46.85
"Who does good."
00:49:46.88\00:49:48.55
That's why when the rich
young ruler came to Jesus
00:49:48.58\00:49:50.92
and he said, "Good Master,"
00:49:50.95\00:49:52.52
He said, "There
is none that's good.
00:49:52.55\00:49:56.02
There's nobody that's good.
00:49:56.06\00:49:59.76
That's right, only My Father,
there's none that's good."
00:49:59.79\00:50:02.46
And you know
why Jesus said that?
00:50:02.50\00:50:05.57
We often say, and this is...
00:50:05.60\00:50:08.10
Be ready for it, we often say,
00:50:08.14\00:50:09.80
"Well, He should
have said I am good."
00:50:09.84\00:50:13.31
But what hadn't He done yet?
00:50:13.34\00:50:15.81
This is really deep.
00:50:15.84\00:50:17.18
He had not yet gone to the cross
00:50:21.05\00:50:24.69
and been
victorious over that nature.
00:50:24.72\00:50:27.46
Right.
00:50:27.49\00:50:28.82
But when He was victorious
over that nature, He said,
00:50:28.86\00:50:32.89
"All authority is given to Me."
00:50:32.93\00:50:37.07
You see, until
you are victorious,
00:50:37.10\00:50:39.23
He was carrying the very
nature that we just read about
00:50:39.27\00:50:41.97
in Jeremiah 79 and Isaiah 64:6.
00:50:42.00\00:50:45.41
He was carrying that
unclean, filthy nature
00:50:45.44\00:50:48.81
but He never
allowed it to pollute Him.
00:50:48.84\00:50:51.41
He never participated in that.
00:50:51.45\00:50:53.05
Do you know how hard that is?
00:50:53.08\00:50:55.58
Do you know hard that is? Yes.
00:50:55.62\00:50:58.65
To be in a defective place,
00:50:58.69\00:51:02.42
and not allow it to affect you
00:51:02.46\00:51:04.99
or infect you, that's...
00:51:05.03\00:51:07.40
I mean, we talk about...
00:51:07.43\00:51:08.76
Some people say, "But
he never had marijuana."
00:51:08.80\00:51:10.30
Well, you try it.
00:51:10.33\00:51:11.67
You try to be
good for one month.
00:51:11.70\00:51:13.87
No, sorry, try to
be good for one day.
00:51:13.90\00:51:15.90
Right.
00:51:15.94\00:51:17.27
That's why He says
there's nobody good but one
00:51:22.64\00:51:25.21
because He had not
yet been victorious,
00:51:25.25\00:51:27.35
He had not yet
taken that human flesh
00:51:27.38\00:51:29.32
and pulverized it on the cross.
00:51:29.35\00:51:32.15
The devil was
trying to get Him to...
00:51:32.19\00:51:33.69
He was trying to
prevent him from doing that.
00:51:33.72\00:51:36.39
If He could prevent
him from doing that,
00:51:36.42\00:51:38.69
not even Jesus would
be good enough to save us.
00:51:38.73\00:51:44.53
That's why He said that.
00:51:44.57\00:51:45.90
Look at the next one,
we're going to get it.
00:51:49.57\00:51:52.41
So write that down.
00:51:52.44\00:51:53.88
How many of us are good?
00:51:53.91\00:51:55.64
None, there's
none who does good.
00:51:55.68\00:51:58.35
Let's look at James 3:8.
00:51:58.38\00:52:00.48
Let's see if
there's something about us
00:52:00.52\00:52:01.85
that we can find us good.
00:52:01.88\00:52:03.82
James 3:8.
00:52:03.85\00:52:07.49
It says, "But no
man can tame the," what?
00:52:07.52\00:52:12.09
"Tongue.
00:52:12.13\00:52:13.53
It is an unruly
evil, full of," what?
00:52:13.56\00:52:16.50
"Deadly poison."
00:52:16.53\00:52:17.87
You all want to say it.
00:52:17.90\00:52:19.70
Full of what?
00:52:19.73\00:52:21.07
"Deadly poison."
00:52:21.10\00:52:23.37
Have you ever had a
battle with your tongue?
00:52:23.41\00:52:27.94
No responses necessary.
00:52:27.98\00:52:32.51
Because...
00:52:32.55\00:52:34.88
I think right now,
we live in a society
00:52:34.92\00:52:36.85
where people are
battling with their tongue.
00:52:36.89\00:52:39.75
There's things
00:52:39.79\00:52:41.12
that are happening in the world,
00:52:41.16\00:52:43.02
people are battling.
00:52:43.06\00:52:45.19
And people even say...
00:52:45.23\00:52:48.83
You don't want to
hear what I just thought.
00:52:48.86\00:52:53.07
The tongue is full
of what kind of poison?
00:52:53.10\00:52:55.40
Deadly.
00:52:55.44\00:52:56.77
Deadly poison.
00:52:56.81\00:52:58.14
I did a sermon years ago
00:52:58.17\00:53:00.28
called "the worst
member in the church."
00:53:00.31\00:53:04.58
But on the board, they
put the sign on the board
00:53:04.61\00:53:06.92
in front of the
church, you may remember that,
00:53:06.95\00:53:09.92
and I was preaching the
sermon, instead of them putting
00:53:09.95\00:53:13.79
Pastor Lomacang, sermon title,
00:53:13.82\00:53:16.32
"the worst
member in the church, "
00:53:16.36\00:53:20.23
they put "Pastor Lomacang,
00:53:20.26\00:53:21.90
the worst member in the church."
00:53:21.93\00:53:24.80
And it was all over Facebook.
00:53:24.83\00:53:26.84
And I said
that's not even right.
00:53:26.87\00:53:30.51
You know, and I
began the sermon,
00:53:30.54\00:53:32.17
and I described
00:53:32.21\00:53:33.54
the worst member of the church,
00:53:33.58\00:53:34.94
and everybody is
smiling, and next thing I know
00:53:34.98\00:53:36.85
it's all over
Facebook, and the sad reality,
00:53:36.88\00:53:39.41
and this is what I
rebuke, people click like.
00:53:39.45\00:53:43.15
That was not right.
00:53:43.18\00:53:46.86
But I want to
make the point today,
00:53:46.89\00:53:48.32
this text applies to all of us.
00:53:48.36\00:53:50.03
Amen.
00:53:50.06\00:53:51.39
No amen necessary,
it's a fact of the Bible,
00:53:51.43\00:53:54.40
the tongue is
full of deadly poison,
00:53:54.43\00:53:56.00
and the tongue, I tell you,
boy, that's why quiet people...
00:53:56.03\00:53:59.33
See, Jodie is working on
not having much to repent of
00:53:59.37\00:54:03.14
because the Bible
says, "By your words,
00:54:03.17\00:54:04.94
shall you be
justified, by your words,
00:54:04.97\00:54:07.48
shall you be condemned."
00:54:07.51\00:54:09.24
Jodie is going to
have like 115th of...
00:54:09.28\00:54:12.65
I am very
talkative, in eternity,
00:54:12.68\00:54:15.98
they're going to
bring Jodie's books out
00:54:16.02\00:54:17.35
with just one angel,
these are Jodie's books,
00:54:17.39\00:54:19.09
this all she said.
00:54:19.12\00:54:20.86
And when they
bring out my books,
00:54:20.89\00:54:22.22
it's going to be like a train.
00:54:22.26\00:54:23.59
Yes.
00:54:23.63\00:54:24.96
It's like he's
done nothing but talk.
00:54:24.99\00:54:27.03
"What do you mean by that?"
00:54:27.06\00:54:29.00
And so in a nice hearted way,
00:54:29.03\00:54:32.33
we have to
really watch our words.
00:54:32.37\00:54:33.70
Amen.
00:54:33.74\00:54:35.07
But who's the only
one that can make us
00:54:35.10\00:54:36.44
watch our words?
00:54:36.47\00:54:37.81
Christ.
00:54:37.84\00:54:39.17
When Christ is in us, He
cleanses that deadly poison,
00:54:39.21\00:54:41.74
and that's why the Bible says,
00:54:41.78\00:54:43.51
"With our tongue,
we praise the Lord
00:54:43.55\00:54:45.38
and with our
tongue, we curse men."
00:54:45.41\00:54:47.95
And sometimes, it's
just a matter of seconds
00:54:47.98\00:54:49.88
between the two.
00:54:49.92\00:54:51.25
Amen.
00:54:51.29\00:54:52.62
And look at Romans 3, Romans 3.
00:54:52.65\00:54:54.66
Wow, Romans
3:10-12 and the Bible says,
00:54:59.13\00:55:02.60
the Apostle Paul
writes, "As it is written,
00:55:02.63\00:55:06.10
there is none
righteous," how many?
00:55:06.13\00:55:09.10
"No, not one."
00:55:09.14\00:55:12.37
There is none who
understands," how many?
00:55:12.41\00:55:15.41
"None, there is
none who seek after God."
00:55:15.44\00:55:19.45
Man.
00:55:19.48\00:55:21.72
Verse 12, "They
have all turned aside,
00:55:21.75\00:55:26.39
they have together
become unprofitable,
00:55:26.42\00:55:29.79
there is none who does
good," let's end it together,
00:55:29.82\00:55:33.19
"no, not one."
00:55:33.23\00:55:36.60
That's really a sad reality.
That's really a sad reality.
00:55:36.63\00:55:40.47
So when we look
at this diagnosis,
00:55:40.50\00:55:43.91
we realize how our need
for Christ is very great,
00:55:43.94\00:55:48.44
right?
00:55:48.48\00:55:49.81
How our need for
Christ is very great.
00:55:49.84\00:55:53.25
That's a diagnosis
that's hard to get past.
00:55:53.28\00:55:56.32
So I can't even go home
and say, "But, Lord, I mean,
00:55:56.35\00:55:59.32
I've been in the
ministry 31 years,
00:55:59.35\00:56:01.46
I've been singing for
You for like a long time,
00:56:01.49\00:56:04.43
people have been coming to You
00:56:04.46\00:56:06.36
based on my
studies and Bible lessons."
00:56:06.39\00:56:08.50
And He says, "I
could use a goat,
00:56:08.53\00:56:12.93
I could talk, I
could use a tree,
00:56:12.97\00:56:14.74
I could use a donkey,
00:56:14.77\00:56:16.60
nothing that
happened through you was you.
00:56:16.64\00:56:19.44
If you brought
people to me, it was Me
00:56:19.47\00:56:22.68
bringing people
to Me through you."
00:56:22.71\00:56:25.41
So we can't even
boast about that.
00:56:25.45\00:56:28.15
Let's look at one
more. Let's look at one more.
00:56:28.18\00:56:32.22
Question number 11.
00:56:32.25\00:56:34.82
What is the greatest
distance in the Bible?
00:56:34.86\00:56:37.49
Wow.
00:56:37.53\00:56:38.99
What is the greatest
distance in the Bible?
00:56:39.03\00:56:40.90
Matthew 15:8.
00:56:40.93\00:56:45.30
Wow.
00:56:45.33\00:56:47.20
Jesus...
00:56:47.24\00:56:48.57
And by the way, just
to qualify this passage,
00:56:48.60\00:56:50.97
Jesus was in particular,
00:56:51.01\00:56:52.54
and this applies
to all of us though,
00:56:52.57\00:56:54.21
Jesus was in particular
rebuking the Pharisees,
00:56:54.24\00:56:57.28
the religious men,
and He made these words,
00:56:57.31\00:57:00.32
He made this statement,
00:57:00.35\00:57:01.68
"These people draw near
to Me with their," what?
00:57:01.72\00:57:05.25
"Mouth and honor
Me with their," what?
00:57:05.29\00:57:08.02
"Lips, but
their heart is," what?
00:57:08.06\00:57:10.96
"Far from Me."
00:57:10.99\00:57:13.73
"Their heart is," what?
00:57:13.76\00:57:15.26
"Far from me."
00:57:15.30\00:57:16.97
I...
00:57:17.00\00:57:19.10
Wow.
00:57:19.13\00:57:21.70
I don't want to just
praise the Lord with my mouth
00:57:21.74\00:57:24.21
and with my lips, I
want my heart to be with Him.
00:57:24.24\00:57:26.68
Anybody else?
00:57:26.71\00:57:28.04
We have to pray
that prayer of David,
00:57:28.08\00:57:29.64
"Create in me,"
what kind of heart?
00:57:29.68\00:57:31.05
Clean. "A clean heart."
00:57:31.08\00:57:33.08
The prayer of the David
the Psalmist, Psalms 51,
00:57:33.11\00:57:36.42
"Create in me a
clean heart, oh God,
00:57:36.45\00:57:38.35
and renew," what kind of spirit?
00:57:38.39\00:57:40.12
"A right spirit within us."
00:57:40.16\00:57:42.09
And only as we pray that prayer,
00:57:42.12\00:57:44.09
will that be our experience.
00:57:44.13\00:57:46.43
And so what
we've studied so far,
00:57:46.46\00:57:48.33
and we're gonna pick
up on question number 12
00:57:48.36\00:57:49.86
the next time,
00:57:49.90\00:57:51.23
but what I want to cap off
tonight's lesson by saying,
00:57:51.27\00:57:54.64
we're going to see further on,
where we get this divine aid,
00:57:54.67\00:57:58.54
and we're going to
see some comparisons
00:57:58.57\00:58:00.61
between our
helplessness and our hopefulness
00:58:00.64\00:58:05.45
because when you
look at the picture
00:58:05.48\00:58:06.82
that was just drawn, it
could be pretty hopeless.
00:58:06.85\00:58:09.72
But when you look at
00:58:09.75\00:58:11.09
where the power
comes from with Christ,
00:58:11.12\00:58:13.89
we are no longer helpless.
00:58:13.92\00:58:15.69
Amen?
00:58:15.72\00:58:17.06
Hopeless on one side
but when you look to Christ,
00:58:17.09\00:58:20.00
we'll find that
we are not helpless.
00:58:20.03\00:58:22.26
So, friends,
00:58:22.30\00:58:23.63
it really may not make
sense to you right now,
00:58:23.67\00:58:25.33
but I guarantee you,
if you keep on studying,
00:58:25.37\00:58:27.67
one day it will come
into A Sharper Focus.
00:58:27.70\00:58:30.84
God bless you.
00:58:30.87\00:58:32.21