Music... 00:00:02.80\00:00:19.05 Hello friends and welcome to our Wednesday night Bible Study 00:00:19.08\00:00:22.42 here at 3ABN Worship Center. 00:00:22.48\00:00:23.99 We thank you so much for taking the time to tune in tonight 00:00:24.02\00:00:26.72 as we continue our topic on the gifts of the Spirit. 00:00:26.76\00:00:31.56 In just a few moments 00:00:31.59\00:00:33.19 I'll tell you exactly how to get a copy of the lesson 00:00:33.23\00:00:35.53 and how to follow along 00:00:35.56\00:00:37.63 but all you really need is your Bible... 00:00:37.67\00:00:39.33 an open heart... prayer... 00:00:39.37\00:00:41.27 and we'd like to welcome all of you with a hearty "Amen. " 00:00:41.30\00:00:43.71 Can we all say "Amen. " 00:00:43.74\00:00:45.07 Audience: Amen. 00:00:45.11\00:00:46.44 And this is our 3ABN Audience here in Southern Illinois 00:00:46.47\00:00:48.74 and each week, we get together to study God's Word 00:00:48.78\00:00:52.61 and before I give you information about where to copy 00:00:52.68\00:00:56.48 where to get the downloaded copy of the lesson, 00:00:56.55\00:00:58.75 I'd like to begin with a word of prayer. 00:00:58.79\00:01:01.22 "Loving Father in heaven, thank you 00:01:01.26\00:01:03.66 that as you attend our hearts 00:01:03.69\00:01:07.83 we pray that you will send your Holy Spirit 00:01:07.86\00:01:10.20 to speak to our minds. 00:01:10.23\00:01:12.50 We pray that as we read your Word, 00:01:12.53\00:01:14.74 that our intellect and our spiritual discernment 00:01:14.77\00:01:19.07 will be... will be expanded 00:01:19.11\00:01:21.71 and what we study will also increase our desire to serve you 00:01:21.74\00:01:26.08 now bless this topic we pray, in Jesus' name, amen. " 00:01:26.11\00:01:31.02 If you'd like a copy of the lesson, 00:01:31.05\00:01:33.96 go to the following website: ASF.3ABN.org 00:01:33.99\00:01:37.93 that's ASF.3ABN.org 00:01:37.96\00:01:40.83 and download lesson number 41, what number do we have? 00:01:40.86\00:01:44.73 Number 41: The Gifts of the Spirit. 00:01:44.77\00:01:49.77 At that very same website, 00:01:49.80\00:01:51.97 you can look at all the prior lessons, 00:01:52.01\00:01:54.64 we've been conducting "A Sharper Focus" 00:01:54.68\00:01:57.25 for more than five years... more like, seven years 00:01:57.28\00:01:59.15 and there are more than a 145 videos... 00:01:59.21\00:02:02.35 lots of lessons that you could use as your resource 00:02:02.38\00:02:05.49 and... including your church or your family or your community 00:02:05.52\00:02:08.92 but before we do anything else, 00:02:08.96\00:02:11.09 we always like to sing our theme song 00:02:11.13\00:02:13.50 and our theme song is: Victory in Jesus, 00:02:13.53\00:02:15.83 let's sing that together. 00:02:15.86\00:02:17.40 Music... 00:02:17.47\00:02:25.54 I heard an old, old story, 00:02:25.57\00:02:29.01 how the Savior came from glory 00:02:29.04\00:02:32.68 How He gave His life on Calvary 00:02:32.71\00:02:36.32 to save a wretch like me 00:02:36.35\00:02:40.16 I heard about His groaning, 00:02:40.19\00:02:43.96 of His precious blood's atoning 00:02:43.99\00:02:47.70 Then I repented of my sin 00:02:47.76\00:02:51.87 and won the victory. 00:02:51.90\00:02:55.50 Oh victory in Jesus 00:02:55.54\00:02:59.17 my Savior forever 00:02:59.21\00:03:02.78 He sought me and bought me 00:03:02.81\00:03:06.65 with His redeeming blood 00:03:06.68\00:03:10.45 He loved me 'ere I knew Him 00:03:10.49\00:03:14.26 and all my love is due Him 00:03:14.29\00:03:18.06 He plunged me to victory 00:03:18.09\00:03:21.83 beneath the cleansing blood. 00:03:21.86\00:03:25.53 I heard about a mansion 00:03:25.57\00:03:29.20 He has built for me in glory 00:03:29.24\00:03:33.24 And I heard about the streets of gold 00:03:33.27\00:03:36.88 beyond the crystal sea 00:03:36.91\00:03:40.65 About the angels singing 00:03:40.68\00:03:44.52 and the old redemption story 00:03:44.55\00:03:48.32 and some sweet day I'll sing up there 00:03:48.36\00:03:52.36 the song of victory 00:03:52.39\00:03:56.53 Oh victory in Jesus 00:03:56.56\00:04:00.67 my Savior forever 00:04:00.70\00:04:03.71 He sought me and bought me 00:04:03.74\00:04:08.01 with His redeeming blood 00:04:08.04\00:04:11.35 He loved me 'ere I knew Him 00:04:11.38\00:04:15.12 and all my love is due Him 00:04:15.15\00:04:18.95 He plunged me to victory beneath the cleansing flood, 00:04:18.99\00:04:27.73 He plunged me to victory 00:04:27.76\00:04:32.03 beneath the cleansing blood. 00:04:32.07\00:04:36.30 Amen. 00:04:36.34\00:04:37.87 Tonight our topic is: The Gifts of the Spirit. 00:04:37.91\00:04:43.55 What is it tonight? The Gifts of the Spirit. 00:04:43.58\00:04:49.12 Now, the reason why this is so vitally important... 00:04:49.15\00:04:54.22 what I... what I want to do tonight 00:04:54.26\00:04:56.39 is I want to go to the book of 1st Corinthians chapter 12, 00:04:56.42\00:05:00.30 pause 00:05:00.33\00:05:01.96 I want to go to 1st Corinthians chapter 12 00:05:02.00\00:05:04.60 and we are going to cover that later on in greater detail 00:05:04.63\00:05:08.44 but I don't know of anyone that doesn't like a gift. 00:05:08.47\00:05:14.64 Now the difference with the gifts that we're talking about 00:05:14.68\00:05:19.85 there are some similarities 00:05:19.88\00:05:22.42 to gifts that everyone of us receives 00:05:22.45\00:05:25.22 but there are also some differences. 00:05:25.25\00:05:27.99 Now, I remember growing up... 00:05:28.02\00:05:30.53 as we got closer to the holiday season, 00:05:30.56\00:05:34.36 sometimes my mom or dad would say, 00:05:34.40\00:05:38.57 "Put a list of gifts you want together 00:05:38.60\00:05:40.34 and give them to me and maybe I'll surprise you 00:05:40.40\00:05:43.97 with whatever's on that list 00:05:44.01\00:05:45.34 or maybe you'll get something that's not on the list. " 00:05:45.37\00:05:48.74 Now, many of us when we think of gifts 00:05:48.81\00:05:52.48 and we're talking about the gifts of the Spirit, 00:05:52.51\00:05:54.62 we cannot give the Holy Spirit a list of gifts and say, 00:05:54.65\00:06:01.12 "I want that one... I want that one" 00:06:01.19\00:06:04.46 He gives us the gifts that He knows 00:06:04.49\00:06:07.70 best fits the need that we have as a church. 00:06:07.73\00:06:13.03 Now, I want to make that really clear. 00:06:13.07\00:06:15.30 He gives the gift that He knows 00:06:15.34\00:06:17.77 that the local body of believers has. 00:06:17.81\00:06:21.21 Whatever need that that body of believers... 00:06:21.24\00:06:23.78 if it's a single need or many needs, 00:06:23.81\00:06:26.31 He'll say, "Well that gift is missing 00:06:26.35\00:06:28.78 so I need to insert that gift in this body of believers 00:06:28.82\00:06:33.39 so that the body of believers can be complete. 00:06:33.46\00:06:36.39 You follow me carefully... 00:06:36.42\00:06:37.86 so, in that very same vein, we can say to the Spirit, 00:06:37.89\00:06:42.43 "Well, that's the gift I want. " 00:06:42.46\00:06:44.03 And He might say, if it were a two-way conversation, 00:06:44.07\00:06:47.17 "What do you need it for?" 00:06:47.20\00:06:48.54 "Well, that's the gift I like. " 00:06:48.57\00:06:51.01 But He says, "Does the church need it?" 00:06:51.04\00:06:53.24 If the answer is "No" He's not going to give it 00:06:53.27\00:06:55.54 and so, tonight we're going to look at that list 00:06:55.58\00:06:57.78 because so many people today 00:06:57.81\00:06:59.25 and many Christians are told 00:06:59.31\00:07:00.65 that if there's a particular gift that they don't have, 00:07:00.72\00:07:04.09 then it's evidence that they don't have Holy Spirit, 00:07:04.12\00:07:07.46 but the Bible says, "By their... blank... 00:07:07.49\00:07:11.13 you will know them. " 00:07:11.16\00:07:12.49 By their... what? 00:07:12.53\00:07:13.86 By their fruits... you'll know them. 00:07:13.90\00:07:15.56 The same way we know an apple tree and an orange tree, 00:07:15.60\00:07:18.87 as a matter of fact, I'll tell you a story, 00:07:18.93\00:07:20.37 at our home in the front yard, 00:07:20.40\00:07:22.80 and every time I go to cut the lawn, 00:07:22.84\00:07:24.87 I have a nice John Deere tractor not tractor... lawn mower... 00:07:24.91\00:07:28.41 but it's a nice... it's not one of those push mowers in the city 00:07:28.44\00:07:31.65 if I have one of those, 00:07:31.68\00:07:33.01 it would take me four weeks to cut my grass 00:07:33.05\00:07:34.38 but whenever I... 00:07:34.42\00:07:36.69 there's a particular fruit tree in the yard 00:07:36.72\00:07:39.05 that when I prune it the year before, 00:07:39.09\00:07:41.39 just so I can cut around it, it grows viciously the next year 00:07:41.42\00:07:46.53 and it always reaches to the ground 00:07:46.59\00:07:48.70 literally touching the ground and I said to my wife, 00:07:48.73\00:07:51.30 "You know, I'm going to cut that... 00:07:51.33\00:07:53.54 I'm going to cut those branches off" 00:07:53.57\00:07:55.70 but I asked myself the question, "When I cut them off... 00:07:55.74\00:07:58.71 and I cut them short... 00:07:58.74\00:08:00.68 why do they grow back so quickly 00:08:00.74\00:08:02.78 and why do they bend and touch the ground every year 00:08:02.81\00:08:06.18 even though I cut them?" 00:08:06.21\00:08:08.32 Until a few nights ago and even last week, 00:08:08.35\00:08:11.22 when we pulled up in the driveway 00:08:11.25\00:08:13.05 and our headlights shined in that direction, 00:08:13.12\00:08:16.02 we saw a deer lying right by that tree 00:08:16.06\00:08:18.93 and then we noticed during the day... 00:08:18.99\00:08:21.76 the deer standing by that tree eating the fruit 00:08:21.80\00:08:26.10 and I thought, 00:08:26.13\00:08:27.64 "Man! now I see why God allowed that tree to grow every year 00:08:27.67\00:08:32.34 and touch the ground 00:08:32.37\00:08:33.71 because the deer couldn't jump up to get it, 00:08:33.74\00:08:36.24 so the Lord... knowing that those deer 00:08:36.28\00:08:38.41 had need of that particular fruit, 00:08:38.45\00:08:40.52 he gifted it to them 00:08:40.55\00:08:43.39 so I said to my wife, "Well, you know what? 00:08:43.42\00:08:45.02 I'm not going to cut it, I'm going to leave it 00:08:45.05\00:08:47.96 because they need it, the Lord knew they needed it 00:08:47.99\00:08:50.99 and if I cut it, Jay, I'm kind of fighting the Lord 00:08:51.03\00:08:54.03 to feed his own animals 00:08:54.06\00:08:55.40 so I decided, "I'm not going to cut it, 00:08:55.43\00:08:57.63 I'm going to cut around it with my mower 00:08:57.67\00:08:59.90 but I'm just going to let it hang" 00:08:59.93\00:09:01.37 because I remember in the past when I cut around that tree 00:09:01.40\00:09:04.11 or when I didn't cut it, I passed by... 00:09:04.17\00:09:06.34 and that's why I cut my lawn with a helmet on now, 00:09:06.37\00:09:09.28 I passed by and it grabbed my shirttail 00:09:09.31\00:09:12.41 or I'd go past it and it would sling back and whack me 00:09:12.45\00:09:15.55 and I thought, "That tree doesn't like me 00:09:15.58\00:09:19.35 but I realize it has what the animals need 00:09:19.39\00:09:23.12 so I'm not going to cut it. " 00:09:23.19\00:09:24.69 And the Lord does it the very same way, 00:09:24.73\00:09:27.43 if He sees that there is a particular need, 00:09:27.46\00:09:30.10 He's going to supply it 00:09:30.13\00:09:31.73 but He'll not put it... if the church doesn't have that need. 00:09:31.77\00:09:34.77 First Corinthians chapter 12, 00:09:34.80\00:09:36.40 all right, let's look at something very quickly. 00:09:36.44\00:09:41.58 I'm going to go down to oh... let's say, verse 4. 00:09:41.61\00:09:46.75 First Corinthians chapter 12, verse 4, 00:09:46.78\00:09:49.22 this is a little foundation... very important... 00:09:49.25\00:09:52.22 the Bible says, "There are diversities of... " 00:09:52.25\00:09:55.19 what? "gifts but the same Spirit. " 00:09:55.22\00:09:58.49 Meaning different gifts but the same Spirit. 00:09:58.53\00:10:01.66 "There are differences of ministries 00:10:01.70\00:10:04.83 but the same... " what? "Same Lord" 00:10:04.90\00:10:07.30 We've got health and temperance ministries... 00:10:07.34\00:10:09.10 we got women's ministries... we got men's ministries... 00:10:09.14\00:10:10.87 we have many ministries in our church 00:10:10.91\00:10:12.67 but there's only... how many Lords? 00:10:12.71\00:10:14.11 say it... "one Lord" 00:10:14.14\00:10:15.48 how many Holy Spirits? One... 00:10:15.51\00:10:17.65 so the Holy Spirit and the Lord are working actively together 00:10:17.68\00:10:22.22 to make sure His church has everything 00:10:22.25\00:10:24.12 that it is in need of. 00:10:24.15\00:10:25.49 Let's look at that... verse 6... 00:10:25.52\00:10:27.42 "And there are diversities of activities 00:10:27.46\00:10:30.23 but the same God" 00:10:30.26\00:10:32.03 notice the God... the Lord... the Spirit... 00:10:32.06\00:10:34.50 the... the... the Trinity that God has working together 00:10:34.53\00:10:38.70 to keep the church furnished. 00:10:38.73\00:10:40.27 Let's look at some of those, verse 7. 00:10:40.30\00:10:42.84 "But it is the same God... " verse 6, 00:10:42.87\00:10:45.41 "who works all in all. " 00:10:45.44\00:10:47.18 God is active in all of the gifts... 00:10:47.21\00:10:49.64 all of the ministries... 00:10:49.68\00:10:51.01 "but the manifestation of the Spirit is given to each one 00:10:51.05\00:10:55.55 for the profit of... " how many? 00:10:55.58\00:10:57.32 How many? "All" 00:10:57.35\00:11:00.32 and then it says, "for to one is given the word of wisdom 00:11:00.36\00:11:05.26 through the Spirit, 00:11:05.29\00:11:06.73 to another the word of knowledge 00:11:06.76\00:11:08.46 through the same Spirit, 00:11:08.50\00:11:09.83 to another faith by the... " together, 00:11:09.86\00:11:13.37 "same Spirit, to another gifts of healings by the same Spirit, 00:11:13.44\00:11:18.17 to another working of miracles, to another prophecy, 00:11:18.24\00:11:22.74 to another discerning of Spirits, 00:11:22.78\00:11:25.21 to another different kinds of tongues, 00:11:25.25\00:11:28.22 to another the interpretation of tongues... " 00:11:28.25\00:11:31.95 and verse 11, "but one and the same Spirit 00:11:31.99\00:11:35.66 works all these things 00:11:35.69\00:11:37.76 distributing to each one individually... " 00:11:37.79\00:11:41.03 and tell me the last few words together, what are they? 00:11:41.06\00:11:44.17 "as He wills. " 00:11:44.20\00:11:46.60 In other words, He decides... 00:11:46.63\00:11:48.67 He decides what is needed... He wills it... He determines it. 00:11:48.70\00:11:53.91 He distributes it as He wills. 00:11:53.94\00:11:56.28 Now, a very important question, let's go down to verse... 00:11:56.31\00:11:59.15 verse 29... 00:11:59.18\00:12:00.58 as a matter of fact, verse 28... 00:12:00.62\00:12:03.79 pause 00:12:03.85\00:12:06.82 "And God has appointed these in the church... " 00:12:06.86\00:12:11.59 1st Corinthians 12 verse 27 and verse 28, sorry, 00:12:11.63\00:12:16.30 "And God has appointed these in the church: 00:12:16.33\00:12:18.53 first... " 00:12:18.57\00:12:19.90 I want you to respond... first... what? 00:12:19.93\00:12:21.40 apostles, second prophets, 00:12:21.44\00:12:24.14 third teachers, after that miracles, 00:12:24.17\00:12:26.94 then gifts of healings... " what else? 00:12:26.98\00:12:29.64 helps, administrations, varieties of tongues. " 00:12:29.68\00:12:33.38 You know, why don't churches say, 00:12:33.42\00:12:34.88 "We all should pray for the gift of helps. " 00:12:34.92\00:12:37.09 Does the church need help? 00:12:37.12\00:12:40.26 Yes. 00:12:40.29\00:12:41.62 Why don't some pastors say, 00:12:41.66\00:12:43.32 "The evidence that the Spirit of God 00:12:43.36\00:12:45.23 is in your life is, if you have the gift of helps. " 00:12:45.26\00:12:47.93 No, but they use these ethereal gifts that can be twisted 00:12:47.96\00:12:53.03 and misconstrued 00:12:53.07\00:12:54.40 to make a person think 00:12:54.44\00:12:55.77 that they've risen to some higher level. 00:12:55.80\00:12:58.01 You'll find that Jesus said it very clearly, 00:12:58.04\00:13:00.98 "The greater is not the one that's being served 00:13:01.01\00:13:03.41 but the one that is involved in... " what? 00:13:03.45\00:13:05.78 Service... those involved in service... 00:13:05.81\00:13:08.08 so the more we serve... 00:13:08.12\00:13:09.68 we're greater than the one that is being served. 00:13:09.72\00:13:13.76 If you just said, "I just want everybody to serve me... " 00:13:13.79\00:13:15.69 you're not greater than the person that is involved 00:13:15.72\00:13:17.76 in giving the service 00:13:17.79\00:13:19.13 but some very important questions 00:13:19.16\00:13:20.80 before we go to the next question in our lesson, 00:13:20.83\00:13:23.16 here it is in verse 29 and 30 00:13:23.20\00:13:26.74 and I want you to answer to me the questions. 00:13:26.77\00:13:29.44 "Are all apostles? 00:13:29.47\00:13:31.61 Are all prophets? 00:13:31.64\00:13:33.51 Are all teachers? 00:13:33.54\00:13:35.34 Are all workers of miracles? 00:13:35.38\00:13:37.95 Do all have gifts of healings? 00:13:37.98\00:13:40.62 Do all speak with tongues? 00:13:40.65\00:13:43.65 Do all interpret? No... 00:13:43.69\00:13:46.65 Verse 31... "But earnestly desire the best gifts. 00:13:46.69\00:13:51.13 And yet I show you a more excellent way. " 00:13:51.16\00:13:55.16 And by-the-way, 00:13:55.20\00:13:56.53 that's the transition into 1st Corinthians chapter 13 00:13:56.56\00:13:59.03 because Paul will say in 1st Corinthians 13, 00:13:59.07\00:14:01.50 "You can have all the gifts in the world 00:14:01.54\00:14:03.87 but if you don't have love, what do you have?" 00:14:03.91\00:14:05.44 Nothing... absolutely nothing. 00:14:05.47\00:14:07.81 So, the reason why we're going to talk about the 00:14:07.84\00:14:09.54 gifts of the Spirit 00:14:09.58\00:14:10.91 is because we want to... 00:14:10.95\00:14:12.55 we want to clear up the confusion in the Christian world 00:14:12.58\00:14:15.68 and also help us to understand 00:14:15.72\00:14:17.82 why God has given us the gifts He has. 00:14:17.85\00:14:21.49 If you are satisfied with the gift you have, 00:14:21.52\00:14:24.89 but you don't use it for the building up of the church, 00:14:24.93\00:14:29.16 then you're like a gas station with tanks full of gas 00:14:29.20\00:14:33.37 but you have absolutely no nozzles to fill up the vehicles. 00:14:33.40\00:14:37.87 You're full... but you have no outlet... 00:14:37.91\00:14:40.24 nothing's coming through your life 00:14:40.28\00:14:42.54 to make a difference in anybody else's life. 00:14:42.58\00:14:44.81 But, tonight we're going to begin with question number 5 00:14:44.85\00:14:48.88 because last time we had the study, 00:14:48.92\00:14:52.12 we looked at Revelation chapter 12 and verse 17 00:14:52.15\00:14:54.96 and I want to... I want to go there first, 00:14:54.99\00:14:56.62 Revelation 12 verse 17, 00:14:56.66\00:14:58.46 before we go to our first question for tonight, 00:14:58.49\00:15:00.70 because here is one of the very important points. 00:15:00.73\00:15:02.90 Nothing troubles the... the devil more 00:15:02.93\00:15:07.44 than a church where the gifts are fully active. 00:15:07.47\00:15:11.54 Pause. 00:15:11.57\00:15:12.91 I want you all to look up for a moment, 00:15:12.94\00:15:14.28 we're going to Revelation 12:17, you know it, 00:15:14.31\00:15:16.21 nothing troubles the enemy more 00:15:16.24\00:15:18.95 than a church where the gifts are fully active. 00:15:18.98\00:15:22.48 If a church is active... 00:15:22.52\00:15:25.69 if the church is using the gifts 00:15:25.72\00:15:27.49 that God has entrusted to it, 00:15:27.52\00:15:29.59 nothing troubles the enemy more. 00:15:29.62\00:15:31.43 Let me use a different illustration, 00:15:31.46\00:15:34.40 nothing troubles the enemy's army more 00:15:34.43\00:15:37.27 than the opposing army that had all the artillery... 00:15:37.30\00:15:44.27 and all the military men fully qualified 00:15:44.31\00:15:48.28 and fully active. 00:15:48.31\00:15:49.91 On the other side, 00:15:49.94\00:15:51.51 nothing gives the enemy more reason to exalt 00:15:51.55\00:15:55.38 than an army that's asleep with all of its gifts dormant. 00:15:55.42\00:15:59.99 But what does the Bible say in Revelation 12 and verse 17? 00:16:00.02\00:16:04.53 Look at the particular gift... the particular gift 00:16:04.56\00:16:09.16 that angers Satan more than anything else. 00:16:09.20\00:16:13.54 Revelation 12 and verse 17, 00:16:13.60\00:16:15.64 we... we mostly know that by heart. 00:16:15.70\00:16:17.64 The Bible says, "And the dragon was enraged... " 00:16:17.67\00:16:21.74 or wroth with the woman, the dragon is who? 00:16:21.78\00:16:24.15 and the woman is who? 00:16:24.18\00:16:26.38 The dragon is Satan and the woman is the church. 00:16:26.41\00:16:29.12 You have Revelation 12 verse 7 to 9... 00:16:29.15\00:16:32.75 will make that clear... 00:16:32.79\00:16:34.29 in all of Revelation earlier... will talk about the woman 00:16:34.32\00:16:36.46 but it says, "And he went to make war 00:16:36.49\00:16:39.09 with the rest of her offspring... " 00:16:39.13\00:16:41.73 or the remnant of her seed 00:16:41.76\00:16:43.10 and what two identities do they have? 00:16:43.13\00:16:45.07 "Who keep the... " what? 00:16:45.10\00:16:46.43 "Commandments of God and have the.. " what else? 00:16:46.47\00:16:48.50 "Testimony of Jesus Christ. " 00:16:48.54\00:16:50.77 Now, let's go ahead to question 5 00:16:50.81\00:16:53.44 and see as we begin our study tonight 00:16:53.48\00:16:56.48 we'll begin our outlined study tonight... 00:16:56.51\00:16:59.41 the answer to the question... question number 5... 00:16:59.45\00:17:02.28 and that question is, 00:17:02.32\00:17:03.69 "How does the Bible describe the testimony of Jesus?" 00:17:03.72\00:17:08.72 Let's go to Revelation 19 and verse 10. 00:17:08.76\00:17:11.03 Revelation 19 and verse 10. 00:17:11.06\00:17:13.60 Pause. 00:17:13.63\00:17:18.57 Here it is... Revelation 19 and verse 10. 00:17:18.60\00:17:21.27 Pause. 00:17:21.30\00:17:24.01 And we read, "And I fell at his feet to worship him. " 00:17:24.04\00:17:27.58 That is John falling before the angel he sees. 00:17:27.61\00:17:31.68 "But he said to me, 'See that you do not do that!' 00:17:31.71\00:17:35.72 I am your fellow servant, 00:17:35.75\00:17:38.25 and of your brethren who have the... " what? 00:17:38.29\00:17:40.86 "testimony of Jesus. Worship God!" 00:17:40.89\00:17:45.43 and let's read the last part together, 00:17:45.46\00:17:46.83 "For the testimony of Jesus is... " the what? 00:17:46.90\00:17:50.27 "spirit of prophecy. " 00:17:50.30\00:17:53.40 That means, the Holy Spirit... and I want you to get this 00:17:53.44\00:17:58.07 because I want to show you the broad... 00:17:58.11\00:18:01.81 how long has the Holy Spirit existed? 00:18:01.84\00:18:05.48 Audience: Always. 00:18:05.51\00:18:08.32 Okay, say it again, always... 00:18:08.35\00:18:10.85 the Bible says, "In the beginning God... " 00:18:10.89\00:18:15.12 and the Bible makes it clear, 00:18:15.16\00:18:17.33 "In the beginning the Lord created the... " what? 00:18:17.36\00:18:20.90 "Heaven and the earth. 00:18:20.93\00:18:22.50 And the earth was without form, and void; 00:18:22.53\00:18:25.30 and darkness moved upon the face of the deep. 00:18:25.33\00:18:28.00 And the Spirit of God hovered over the face of the waters. " 00:18:28.04\00:18:33.27 So, from the very beginning, 00:18:33.31\00:18:34.98 you have the Godhead involved in creating this world 00:18:35.01\00:18:38.41 and the Spirit is there. 00:18:38.45\00:18:39.98 But what is amazing about this is that same Spirit... 00:18:40.02\00:18:44.19 when man fell... 00:18:44.22\00:18:45.55 God gave 00:18:45.59\00:18:48.59 to His children... to Israel... 00:18:48.62\00:18:51.69 even prior to that... prophets were active 00:18:51.73\00:18:54.00 but more specifically, when God established His people, 00:18:54.03\00:18:57.50 He sent messages to His people through the prophets. 00:18:57.53\00:19:00.97 Can you name a prophet for me? 00:19:01.00\00:19:02.80 Kind of... I'm going to give you an opportunity... 00:19:02.90\00:19:04.37 give me a name of a prophet. 00:19:04.41\00:19:05.74 Daniel... who else? 00:19:05.77\00:19:07.54 Elijah... who else? 00:19:07.58\00:19:09.64 Hosea... who else? 00:19:09.68\00:19:11.65 Jeremiah... anyone else? 00:19:11.68\00:19:14.15 well... Moses... 00:19:14.18\00:19:16.32 there's not a book of Moses but yes... 00:19:16.38\00:19:18.35 Moses was God's spokesperson, what else? 00:19:18.39\00:19:20.36 Pause... 00:19:20.39\00:19:24.26 okay... Hannah... 00:19:24.29\00:19:25.69 who else...? 00:19:25.73\00:19:27.06 Paul was an apostle... 00:19:27.10\00:19:28.76 but you have Isaiah, you have Nahum, 00:19:28.80\00:19:30.97 you have so many... 00:19:31.03\00:19:32.37 you have Old and New Testament 00:19:32.40\00:19:33.84 and then you have John the Baptist 00:19:33.87\00:19:35.34 where the Lord said, "he was greater than all of them" 00:19:35.37\00:19:38.11 when in fact, he had the shortest lifespan... 00:19:38.14\00:19:41.68 very short lifespan... 00:19:41.71\00:19:43.68 but when we have... write the answer in... 00:19:43.71\00:19:46.88 write the answer in... the answer's very clear... 00:19:46.92\00:19:49.32 it says, "How does the Bible describe 00:19:49.35\00:19:52.12 the testimony of Jesus?" 00:19:52.15\00:19:53.49 It is the what? Spirit of Prophecy. 00:19:53.52\00:19:55.39 In other words, the question... 00:19:55.42\00:19:57.36 could Elijah have been an effective prophet 00:19:57.39\00:20:00.63 without the Holy Spirit working in his life? 00:20:00.66\00:20:03.77 Yes or no? Could not. 00:20:03.80\00:20:05.40 What about Ezekiel or Daniel or Hosea, or Joel 00:20:05.43\00:20:10.21 or Amos or Isaiah? 00:20:10.24\00:20:11.87 Did they all need the guidance of the Spirit? 00:20:11.91\00:20:14.51 Yes or no? 00:20:14.54\00:20:15.88 Yes they all did so this... 00:20:15.91\00:20:17.31 when the Bible speaks about the Spirit of Prophecy, 00:20:17.35\00:20:19.71 it's not talking about a single individual, 00:20:19.78\00:20:22.28 it's talking about the Spirit working through the person 00:20:22.32\00:20:26.05 who's actively using the gift of prophecy, 00:20:26.12\00:20:29.19 vitally important... so, you'll find in all ages, 00:20:29.22\00:20:33.29 as a matter of fact, let's go... 00:20:33.33\00:20:36.26 go with me now to 1st Peter, 00:20:36.30\00:20:39.20 I'm going there now, 00:20:39.23\00:20:41.04 I'm almost there... 00:20:41.07\00:20:42.80 I have a new Bible, I miss my old Bible 00:20:42.84\00:20:47.24 because it's written up everywhere, okay, 00:20:47.28\00:20:52.55 it's written up everywhere okay, here it is 00:20:52.58\00:20:57.82 and 2nd Peter... did I say first? 00:20:57.85\00:21:01.22 I meant 2nd... I meant 2nd, sorry. 00:21:01.26\00:21:04.49 2nd Peter 1 verse 20... 00:21:04.53\00:21:07.40 ah... verse 19 to 21. 00:21:07.43\00:21:10.23 This is an additional Scripture to the lesson 00:21:10.27\00:21:12.70 I want to show you the very point that's being made 00:21:12.73\00:21:15.97 because a lot of times people say, 00:21:16.00\00:21:17.61 "The Bible was written by men" 00:21:17.67\00:21:19.01 I want you to get that very clear. 00:21:19.04\00:21:20.51 Look at verse 19, 00:21:20.54\00:21:21.94 "And so we have the prophetic word confirmed... " 00:21:21.98\00:21:25.88 or the prophetic word made more sure... 00:21:25.91\00:21:30.35 "which you do well to heed as a... " what? 00:21:30.39\00:21:34.82 "a light that shines" in a what? 00:21:34.86\00:21:37.13 "dark place. " 00:21:37.16\00:21:38.79 Prophecy is a light that shines in a dark place. 00:21:38.83\00:21:44.10 In other words, when your eyes are obscured 00:21:44.13\00:21:47.10 and you don't know what the future holds, 00:21:47.14\00:21:50.07 prophecy turns the light on, amen. 00:21:50.11\00:21:54.01 So, when you read Daniel and Revelation, 00:21:54.04\00:21:56.58 it turns the light on to the future... 00:21:56.61\00:21:59.08 as a matter of fact to make a very important point, 00:21:59.11\00:22:01.65 Atheists cannot argue with prophecy, 00:22:01.68\00:22:04.69 they have no answer for it, 00:22:04.75\00:22:07.26 how can... how can someone thousands of years ago 00:22:07.32\00:22:10.73 predict something that comes to pass thousands of years later 00:22:10.76\00:22:15.96 when they are not around to make it happen. 00:22:16.00\00:22:18.00 Cannot argue with it 00:22:18.03\00:22:20.14 that's why it says, 00:22:20.17\00:22:22.17 "The prophetic word confirmed" or made sure 00:22:22.20\00:22:24.91 and it says, "Until the day dawns 00:22:24.97\00:22:27.91 and the morning star... or the day star 00:22:27.94\00:22:29.81 rises in your hearts. " 00:22:29.84\00:22:31.41 Now, here's the verse... two key verses... 00:22:31.45\00:22:34.02 "knowing this first, that no prophecy... " 00:22:34.05\00:22:36.58 how many prophecies? 00:22:36.62\00:22:37.95 "no prophecy of Scripture is of any private interpretation" 00:22:37.99\00:22:42.66 so when anybody comes with a private interpretation, 00:22:42.72\00:22:45.66 not supporting with Scripture, should we follow it? Yes or no? 00:22:45.69\00:22:48.60 No, the Bible has to confirm it and here's the key verse, 00:22:48.63\00:22:52.77 "For prophecy never came by the will of man... " 00:22:52.80\00:22:56.04 but what kind of men? 00:22:56.10\00:22:58.37 "holy men of God spoke 00:22:58.41\00:23:00.61 as they were moved by the... " what? 00:23:00.64\00:23:02.81 " Holy Spirit. " 00:23:02.84\00:23:04.58 So, were they prophesying? Yes or no? 00:23:04.61\00:23:08.48 Yes... they were forecasting what is to come... 00:23:08.52\00:23:12.79 but who was the One actively working in their lives? 00:23:12.82\00:23:15.69 It was the Holy Spirit, very clear, 00:23:15.72\00:23:19.09 so when you see this... 00:23:19.16\00:23:20.50 and so, what we're going to talk about tonight 00:23:20.53\00:23:21.86 are the particular gifts that are very active in the church 00:23:21.90\00:23:25.37 and why they're there. 00:23:25.40\00:23:26.74 Let's go to question number 6. 00:23:26.77\00:23:28.10 Question number 6. 00:23:28.14\00:23:29.47 "What particular gift... 00:23:29.50\00:23:31.27 what particular gift 00:23:31.31\00:23:33.44 is to remain active in the last day church? 00:23:33.48\00:23:36.78 And I say, "particular" 00:23:36.81\00:23:38.41 but really the answer is, all of them 00:23:38.45\00:23:40.52 but I want to highlight one particular one 00:23:40.55\00:23:43.89 because it was always active in every age 00:23:43.92\00:23:46.99 and we're going to go to Ephesians 4 verse 8. 00:23:47.02\00:23:50.06 Ephesians 4 and verse 8 00:23:50.13\00:23:52.36 pause 00:23:52.39\00:23:56.46 okay, here we are, 00:23:56.50\00:23:58.33 pause 00:23:58.37\00:24:01.47 okay, here... here we are. 00:24:01.50\00:24:02.90 Here it is, Ephesians 4 verse 8 00:24:02.94\00:24:05.61 and the Bible says: 00:24:05.67\00:24:08.78 Therefore He says: 00:24:08.81\00:24:11.85 "When He ascended on high, He led captivity captive, 00:24:11.91\00:24:15.92 and... " what did He do? 00:24:15.95\00:24:17.82 "And He gave gifts to men. " 00:24:17.85\00:24:19.65 Let's see what the next verse says. 00:24:19.69\00:24:21.92 "And He Himself gave some... " verse 11 now... 00:24:21.96\00:24:25.63 "gave some to be... " walk with me... 00:24:25.66\00:24:28.63 "apostles, some... " what else? 00:24:28.66\00:24:30.80 "prophets, some... " what else? 00:24:30.83\00:24:33.00 "evangelists... some... " what else? 00:24:33.03\00:24:34.94 "pastors and some... " what else? "Teachers. " 00:24:35.00\00:24:37.84 He gave them all 00:24:37.87\00:24:39.21 and when you look at Ephesians 4 verse 8 and 11, 00:24:39.24\00:24:42.48 He gave them for a particular reason, 00:24:42.54\00:24:44.78 I'll read verse 12 in the Bible. 00:24:44.81\00:24:46.15 "For the equipping of the saints... " 00:24:46.18\00:24:48.22 in other words, if you have the job 00:24:48.25\00:24:50.05 what do you need to fulfill the job? 00:24:50.09\00:24:52.12 You need what? You need equipment. 00:24:52.15\00:24:54.12 He gave us equipment... 00:24:54.16\00:24:57.63 He gave us equipment 00:24:57.66\00:25:01.03 for the work of the ministry 00:25:01.06\00:25:03.87 for the edifying of building up of the body of Christ 00:25:03.90\00:25:07.64 and what does it accomplish? 00:25:07.67\00:25:09.24 Verse 13... "till we all come to the unity of the faith 00:25:09.27\00:25:14.68 and of the knowledge of the Son of God, 00:25:14.71\00:25:17.18 to a mature or perfect man, 00:25:17.21\00:25:19.61 to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ... " 00:25:19.65\00:25:23.65 when these gifts are working 00:25:23.69\00:25:27.16 it brings the church to a place of maturity 00:25:27.19\00:25:30.13 and I want to tell you, 00:25:30.16\00:25:31.49 you'll be very concerned if your children grew up... 00:25:31.53\00:25:34.13 they got older... but they were not maturing, right? 00:25:34.16\00:25:36.83 If you had a kid in the ninth grade 00:25:36.87\00:25:39.17 and he's walking through the door with a pacifier, 00:25:39.20\00:25:41.34 you'd say, "Are you okay?" 00:25:41.37\00:25:44.27 "Ahhh... I'm just fine mom. " 00:25:44.31\00:25:46.71 "No, you're not... " 00:25:46.74\00:25:48.08 that little pacifier is an indication 00:25:48.11\00:25:50.18 that you are growing up but you're not maturing 00:25:50.21\00:25:52.01 and unfortunately, there are some "pacifier Christians" 00:25:52.05\00:25:57.45 because the Bible says, 00:25:57.49\00:25:59.49 "There are those who are still on the milk of the Word, 00:25:59.52\00:26:03.43 they haven't transitioned yet to the meat of the Word 00:26:03.46\00:26:07.33 but if they're letting these gifts 00:26:07.36\00:26:09.83 become actively used in their lives, 00:26:09.86\00:26:12.27 they'll be building up not only the church 00:26:12.30\00:26:15.67 but they themselves will be personally built up, am I right? 00:26:15.70\00:26:20.11 So, let's... let's put the answer down... 00:26:20.14\00:26:22.38 "What particular gifts remain active in the last-day Church?" 00:26:22.44\00:26:25.11 That's right... put them all... 00:26:25.15\00:26:28.78 prophets, evangelists, pastors, teachers, apostles... 00:26:28.82\00:26:33.29 and the apostle today... 00:26:33.32\00:26:34.76 another word for "apostle" today 00:26:34.79\00:26:36.66 would be a person who is an evangelist on the road, 00:26:36.69\00:26:40.43 an apostle... somebody once said, 00:26:40.46\00:26:42.90 "An apostle... an epistle is an apostle's wife" 00:26:42.93\00:26:46.27 but we know that's not the case 00:26:46.30\00:26:48.34 but it sounds so close. 00:26:48.37\00:26:49.70 An "Epistle" is a message... 00:26:49.74\00:26:51.44 an "Apostle" is one carrying that message. 00:26:51.47\00:26:54.01 So an apostle is one that has a message to carry, 00:26:54.08\00:26:57.95 he could be an itinerant preacher 00:26:57.98\00:26:59.61 if you want to use that particular classification, 00:26:59.65\00:27:02.28 but now let's go to question number 7... 00:27:02.32\00:27:04.29 question number 7... 00:27:04.32\00:27:06.22 pause 00:27:06.25\00:27:08.79 "How can we know that one claiming the gifts 00:27:08.82\00:27:12.46 is guided by the Holy Spirit?" 00:27:12.49\00:27:17.40 1st John 4:1... 00:27:17.43\00:27:20.30 1st John 4:1, 00:27:20.34\00:27:23.14 it is so good to know that when we read the Bible 00:27:23.17\00:27:26.01 it not only asks question but it also contains the answers. 00:27:26.04\00:27:31.11 Pause. 00:27:31.15\00:27:34.48 And on that note, it's very important 00:27:34.52\00:27:36.82 that whatever you study is supported by the Scriptures. 00:27:36.89\00:27:41.52 1st John 4:1... very important... 00:27:41.56\00:27:45.63 and this Scripture, by-the-way is a safeguard 00:27:45.66\00:27:49.13 particularly for the church in the last days. 00:27:49.16\00:27:52.60 Here it is... 1st John 4:1. 00:27:52.63\00:27:55.27 The Bible says, "Beloved, do not believe... " 00:27:55.30\00:27:58.21 how many spirits? 00:27:58.24\00:27:59.57 "every spirit" 00:27:59.61\00:28:00.94 but what else should we do? 00:28:00.98\00:28:02.31 "but test the spirits, whether they are of God; 00:28:02.34\00:28:05.65 because many false prophets have gone out into the world. " 00:28:05.71\00:28:11.55 How many? "Many... " 00:28:11.59\00:28:14.62 Now, if you are a false prophet, 00:28:14.66\00:28:17.86 who do you think Satan would implore you to go after? 00:28:17.89\00:28:24.23 Think about it, if you were a false prophet, 00:28:24.27\00:28:29.10 who do you think Satan would implore you to go after? 00:28:29.14\00:28:34.68 Say it again, "God's people" 00:28:34.74\00:28:37.95 what else? A true prophet... 00:28:37.98\00:28:41.15 that's right, like a counterfeit... 00:28:41.18\00:28:42.72 what else? 00:28:42.75\00:28:44.09 That those that are described as keeping the commandments of God 00:28:44.12\00:28:48.82 and having the... having the gifts active... 00:28:48.86\00:28:50.43 he wouldn't send you... 00:28:50.46\00:28:52.03 he would never send a false prophet 00:28:52.09\00:28:54.63 after someone who's making no impact 00:28:54.66\00:28:57.13 but if the message is an impact to the kingdom of darkness, 00:28:57.17\00:29:01.77 he'll send a counterfeit... 00:29:01.80\00:29:03.97 he'll send someone to impact the work... 00:29:04.01\00:29:07.04 he'll send a diversion 00:29:07.08\00:29:08.94 so, when the Bible says, "But test the spirits" 00:29:08.98\00:29:12.81 notice it says, "test the spirits" 00:29:12.85\00:29:14.82 then he uses the word, "false prophets" 00:29:14.85\00:29:17.02 meaning... you've got to ask yourself the question 00:29:17.05\00:29:20.12 so somebody will give a prophecy... 00:29:20.16\00:29:21.49 and you'll read that 00:29:21.52\00:29:23.02 and I don't want to jump ahead of myself but I almost feel... 00:29:23.06\00:29:25.49 I want to go all the way down some questions and come back 00:29:25.53\00:29:27.73 because I know we won't cover tonight, can I do that? 00:29:27.76\00:29:29.96 Great, they just gave me license to jump way ahead and come back 00:29:30.00\00:29:33.84 now... now don't go ahead of me on the screen 00:29:33.90\00:29:36.07 but I want to show you why this is so vitally important. 00:29:36.10\00:29:39.97 Growing up in New York City, 00:29:40.01\00:29:43.71 we used to go to a place called Coney Island 00:29:43.75\00:29:45.81 and one of the things that they had at Coney Island... 00:29:45.85\00:29:48.02 this is an Amusement Park, 00:29:48.05\00:29:49.38 is there's always this little dark shady booth 00:29:49.42\00:29:53.02 with big bright neon signs, 00:29:53.05\00:29:55.56 you know, it was for Fortune Tellers 00:29:55.59\00:29:57.09 and they'd say, "Come on in, we can tell... " 00:29:57.13\00:29:59.83 and they had a big palm that reads your palm 00:29:59.86\00:30:02.40 they'll tell your fortune, they'd read the card, 00:30:02.43\00:30:04.77 they'll try to show you what's happening in the future 00:30:04.80\00:30:06.70 and we... we never went in there 00:30:06.74\00:30:09.27 because we can look at that and we'd say, 00:30:09.30\00:30:10.91 "That's from the devil" 00:30:10.94\00:30:12.57 can you see that obviously outright? 00:30:12.61\00:30:14.88 But what Satan has done... 00:30:14.91\00:30:16.88 he has converted after the modern order of things, 00:30:16.91\00:30:20.35 so he doesn't put them in parlors any longer, 00:30:20.38\00:30:23.82 but he dresses them up in robes and in suits 00:30:23.89\00:30:26.45 to look just like a preacher should look 00:30:26.49\00:30:29.02 but they're actively involved in doing the work of the enemy. 00:30:29.06\00:30:35.23 That's why it says, "Test the spirits. " 00:30:35.26\00:30:37.67 Go with me to 2nd Corinthians, test the spirits. 00:30:37.70\00:30:41.44 Now, I didn't go to the text I was talking about yet, 00:30:41.50\00:30:44.14 I'm going to go there in a moment, 00:30:44.17\00:30:45.81 it says, "Test the spirits" 00:30:45.84\00:30:47.44 because you know what? 00:30:47.48\00:30:48.81 Satan thinks of ways on how he could be most effective 00:30:48.84\00:30:53.42 and we see... here it is... 00:30:53.45\00:30:55.75 pause 00:30:55.78\00:30:58.32 looking for it here right now, 00:30:58.35\00:31:00.39 okay, verse... 00:31:00.42\00:31:02.22 pause 00:31:02.26\00:31:04.99 he thinks of the ways that he can be most actively involved 00:31:05.03\00:31:08.03 I think it's 2nd Corinthians chapter 11 verses 13 to 14, 00:31:08.06\00:31:11.03 let me see it here, 00:31:11.07\00:31:12.40 pause 00:31:12.43\00:31:15.50 yeah, here it is, verse 13, 00:31:15.54\00:31:18.67 2nd Corinthians chapter 11 verse 13 down to 15. 00:31:18.71\00:31:23.71 I'm committing all these to memory 00:31:23.75\00:31:25.98 the reason is, because my other Bible is highlighted, 00:31:26.01\00:31:28.35 I can find it right away, 00:31:28.38\00:31:29.72 I'm getting used to a new sword. 00:31:29.75\00:31:31.72 Look at verse 13 00:31:31.75\00:31:33.09 and this is so relevant, so significant to the topic, 00:31:33.12\00:31:35.92 it says, "For such are... " what kind of apostles? 00:31:35.99\00:31:38.79 "false" 00:31:38.83\00:31:40.16 remember the Lord gave some apostles and prophets, 00:31:40.20\00:31:42.26 but there are false apostles, 00:31:42.30\00:31:44.57 "For such are false apostles, deceitful workers" 00:31:44.60\00:31:50.37 notice what they're doing, 00:31:50.41\00:31:52.27 "they're transforming themselves into apostles of Christ" 00:31:52.34\00:31:57.68 in other words, they look the part, 00:31:57.71\00:31:59.38 and it says in verse 14, "And no wonder!" 00:31:59.41\00:32:02.22 Or as the King James Version says, "And no marvel... " 00:32:02.25\00:32:04.95 "For Satan himself transforms himself into... " 00:32:04.99\00:32:12.39 what? "an angel of light. " 00:32:12.43\00:32:14.60 Verse 15, "Therefore, it is no great thing if his... " 00:32:14.63\00:32:21.40 tell me the next word, "if his ministers... " 00:32:21.44\00:32:25.27 now, think about that. 00:32:25.31\00:32:26.64 Satan has ministers, that's what the Bible just said, 00:32:26.68\00:32:30.51 if... you wouldn't think of that word... 00:32:30.55\00:32:33.35 but it says, "Satan has ministers" 00:32:33.38\00:32:35.15 it is no great thing if his ministers... do what? 00:32:35.18\00:32:40.26 "Transform themselves into ministers of righteousness 00:32:40.29\00:32:45.33 whose end will be according to their works. " 00:32:45.36\00:32:48.33 So, what the Bible is in essence is saying 00:32:48.36\00:32:51.27 is, "Be careful when somebody says, 'I'm a minister... '" 00:32:51.33\00:32:54.44 find out... of who? 00:32:54.50\00:32:56.37 When somebody says, "I'm a prophet" 00:32:56.40\00:32:59.37 find out... from where? 00:32:59.41\00:33:01.18 Find out what their foundation is, 00:33:01.21\00:33:03.78 find out what they teach 00:33:03.81\00:33:05.65 and see whether or not it links it to the Bible, 00:33:05.68\00:33:07.62 because the devil has apostles that are transformed... 00:33:07.68\00:33:11.22 they look like ministers of righteousness 00:33:11.25\00:33:14.32 so you'll never be able to tell by the exterior 00:33:14.39\00:33:17.53 but what do you check them out by? 00:33:17.56\00:33:20.00 somebody tell me, the Word of God. 00:33:20.03\00:33:22.36 If it doesn't match up with God's Word, 00:33:22.40\00:33:25.43 the exterior is a transformed deception 00:33:25.50\00:33:28.34 and while we should respect people, 00:33:28.37\00:33:31.34 we could disrespect what they say 00:33:31.37\00:33:34.31 without being disrespectful. 00:33:34.34\00:33:37.15 All right... very important... 00:33:37.18\00:33:39.88 so you got to test it, you test it by God's Word. 00:33:39.91\00:33:42.55 Now let's look at question number 8... 00:33:42.58\00:33:44.19 so the answer to number 7 is, 00:33:44.22\00:33:46.35 "How can we know that one claiming the gift is... 00:33:46.39\00:33:48.12 is guided by the Spirit?" 00:33:48.16\00:33:49.49 You got to test it... you've got to test it. 00:33:49.52\00:33:52.16 Let's look at some of the tests. 00:33:52.19\00:33:54.00 Question number 8, 00:33:54.03\00:33:55.36 "What test does the Bible prescribe 00:33:55.40\00:33:58.33 to determine a legitimate prophet?" 00:33:58.37\00:34:01.30 1st John chapter 2 verse 3... 00:34:01.34\00:34:05.11 1st John chapter 2 verse 3 and 4. 00:34:05.14\00:34:08.91 Okay... 00:34:08.94\00:34:11.01 pause 00:34:11.05\00:34:13.08 there are certain Scriptures that just stay in my mind, okay, 00:34:13.11\00:34:18.65 pause 00:34:18.69\00:34:22.52 okay 00:34:22.56\00:34:26.33 1st John chapter 2 verse 3. 00:34:26.39\00:34:29.86 The Bible says, "Now... " let me put this on the screen, 00:34:29.90\00:34:33.27 "Now by this... 00:34:33.30\00:34:34.64 now by this we know... " 00:34:34.67\00:34:36.74 should we know? Come on, talk to me, 00:34:36.77\00:34:38.51 should we know? Yes, we must know... 00:34:38.54\00:34:40.04 "Now by this we know that we know Him... " 00:34:40.08\00:34:43.51 here's a test that we could know that we know God. 00:34:43.55\00:34:47.25 "If we... " together... "keep His commandments" 00:34:47.28\00:34:50.95 now, here comes a minister, 00:34:50.99\00:34:53.12 here comes a minister now... 00:34:53.15\00:34:55.22 a minister is coming... and this is what you ask him... 00:34:55.26\00:34:58.73 bring it back up on the screen... 00:34:58.76\00:35:00.70 he... "Do you know the Lord?" Yes... 00:35:00.76\00:35:02.46 let me ask you a Scripture... 00:35:02.53\00:35:04.23 "He who says, 'I know Him... '" 00:35:04.27\00:35:05.93 "Do you keep His commandments?" 00:35:05.97\00:35:07.44 "Well, no... " 00:35:07.47\00:35:08.80 "And does not keep His commandments... " is a what? 00:35:08.87\00:35:11.97 "is a liar, and the truth is not in him. " 00:35:12.01\00:35:15.64 On the unequivocal unbending Word of God, 00:35:15.68\00:35:19.21 somebody comes along and says, "Hey, I'm a minister. " 00:35:19.25\00:35:22.42 Let me ask you a question, "Do you keep the commandments?" 00:35:22.45\00:35:25.59 "Well, no, they've been nailed to the cross. " 00:35:25.62\00:35:27.32 "Well, you're not a minister of God" 00:35:27.36\00:35:29.59 I got to be clear... can I be clear? 00:35:29.62\00:35:31.83 got to be clear... 00:35:31.89\00:35:33.40 in these last days, the devil has got robes, 00:35:33.43\00:35:36.16 he's got temples, he's got sanctuaries... 00:35:36.20\00:35:39.63 he's got music, lights, camera, action. 00:35:39.67\00:35:41.00 He's got the feeling but he doesn't have the truth 00:35:41.04\00:35:43.24 and so many people today 00:35:43.27\00:35:45.24 are being inoculated by things that have the appearance, 00:35:45.27\00:35:49.81 Timothy says, "A form of godliness 00:35:49.84\00:35:53.55 but denying the power thereof... " 00:35:53.58\00:35:57.25 what is the power? 00:35:57.29\00:35:58.62 The Holy Spirit 00:35:58.65\00:35:59.99 and the Lord says, 00:36:00.02\00:36:01.36 "You'll be my witnesses, 00:36:01.39\00:36:02.79 after that the Holy Spirit is come upon you" 00:36:02.82\00:36:05.19 and when the Holy Spirit comes, 00:36:05.23\00:36:07.73 John 16:13 says that Holy Spirit 00:36:07.76\00:36:10.17 will lead you and guide you into all truth 00:36:10.23\00:36:12.33 and Acts 5:29 says, 00:36:12.37\00:36:14.70 "The Lord gives His Spirit to those who obey Him. " 00:36:14.74\00:36:17.37 So, if you don't obey the Lord, 00:36:17.41\00:36:19.04 but you say, you're connected to Him, 00:36:19.07\00:36:20.78 and you don't face this test or pass this test, 00:36:20.81\00:36:24.31 then you are not a minister of God... 00:36:24.35\00:36:26.51 that's the fact... 00:36:26.55\00:36:28.28 and you know why that's so vitally important? 00:36:28.32\00:36:31.05 because there is a way that seems right 00:36:31.09\00:36:33.32 but the end is the way of death. 00:36:33.36\00:36:35.86 So, people today are going down religious roads 00:36:35.89\00:36:39.03 but they're not going down roads of righteousness 00:36:39.06\00:36:42.13 and the devil has fully employed people to look the part. 00:36:42.16\00:36:47.54 Unfortunately in America, 00:36:47.57\00:36:49.30 we are one of the hotspots where people look the part 00:36:49.34\00:36:52.74 but they're leading people down the wrong road 00:36:52.77\00:36:54.61 because they're saying, 00:36:54.64\00:36:55.98 "The Commandments of God are not important" 00:36:56.01\00:36:57.68 and the Lord is saying, 00:36:57.71\00:36:59.05 "If you say that, you don't know me and I don't know you. " 00:36:59.08\00:37:01.95 Okay... did you write that down? 00:37:01.98\00:37:05.02 Let's look at another one... 00:37:05.05\00:37:07.09 let's look at another one. 00:37:07.12\00:37:09.16 Pause. 00:37:09.29\00:37:12.06 Number 9... 00:37:12.09\00:37:13.43 pause 00:37:13.46\00:37:15.10 long question, 00:37:15.13\00:37:16.46 "How else are we instructed to determine 00:37:16.50\00:37:19.53 whether a prophet is genuine?" 00:37:19.60\00:37:21.34 And by-the-way, what I like about the Bible... 00:37:21.37\00:37:23.67 you got the Old Testament test 00:37:23.71\00:37:25.84 and you have the New Testament test... 00:37:25.87\00:37:27.51 and you know what? 00:37:27.54\00:37:28.88 they both jive... 00:37:28.91\00:37:30.25 there's a reconciliation there, 00:37:30.28\00:37:32.11 there's a connection there. 00:37:32.15\00:37:34.35 Isaiah... in Isaiah... when we read Isaiah... 00:37:34.38\00:37:38.09 what's powerful about Isaiah is not just... 00:37:38.12\00:37:41.72 a beautiful... this passage is not just a beautiful passage, 00:37:41.79\00:37:44.83 but this passage particularly 00:37:44.86\00:37:47.43 deals with a shield against Spiritualism 00:37:47.46\00:37:50.63 and people claiming to be able to contact the dead... 00:37:50.67\00:37:53.34 that was the particular context of this 00:37:53.37\00:37:56.17 so, we're going to read verse 20 first 00:37:56.20\00:37:58.97 Isaiah 8 and verse 20 and so, here's the answer. 00:37:59.01\00:38:02.71 Let's look at it. 00:38:02.74\00:38:05.58 "To the law and to the... " what else? 00:38:05.61\00:38:08.62 "testimony" notice, remember now, 00:38:08.65\00:38:10.49 "To the law and to the testimony! 00:38:10.52\00:38:12.29 If they do not speak according to this word, 00:38:12.32\00:38:15.72 it is because there is... " together, "no light in them. " 00:38:15.76\00:38:21.86 How much light? 00:38:21.90\00:38:23.67 No light... 00:38:23.70\00:38:25.37 now let me tell you why it says, "no light" 00:38:25.40\00:38:26.84 some people might say, 00:38:26.90\00:38:28.24 "Well, they got some things right. " 00:38:28.27\00:38:29.67 Well, let me tell you something, if you had a GPS, Cindy, 00:38:29.70\00:38:32.64 that had some directions right, 00:38:32.67\00:38:35.71 but a certain way it has a glitch 00:38:35.74\00:38:38.68 and it sent you into a river... would you keep it? No... 00:38:38.71\00:38:42.05 "Well, it almost got me there 00:38:42.08\00:38:44.25 but I'm in the river now in Missouri" 00:38:44.29\00:38:46.05 before GPSs got really good, and some of them, 00:38:46.09\00:38:53.03 they still say, "When you make this turn, 00:38:53.09\00:38:54.96 make sure that it's an authorized road" 00:38:55.00\00:38:56.87 my GPS even says that, 00:38:56.90\00:38:58.23 whenever I turn on New Lake Road where we live, 00:38:58.27\00:39:00.47 it says, "Make a left turn only if you can. " 00:39:00.50\00:39:03.04 Because some people have been reported... 00:39:03.07\00:39:05.57 led in the lake... 00:39:05.61\00:39:06.94 some people driving off down roads and into ditches 00:39:06.98\00:39:09.74 because the GPSs... before they refined them... 00:39:09.78\00:39:12.61 they didn't really know if it worked 00:39:12.65\00:39:15.15 but now with all these satellites and coordinates 00:39:15.18\00:39:17.49 and all that good stuff, it's a lot sharper now, 00:39:17.52\00:39:19.75 but, if you have anything that gives you partial truth 00:39:19.79\00:39:26.80 and leaves out the most important details, 00:39:26.83\00:39:30.03 and by the way, if you're on your way to the airport 00:39:30.07\00:39:34.90 and any bit of your directions is incorrect, 00:39:34.94\00:39:38.87 are you going to get to the airport? 00:39:38.91\00:39:40.74 So you can't say, "Well, it began with good directions 00:39:40.78\00:39:44.61 but it ended with bad 00:39:44.65\00:39:45.98 or it began with bad directions but ended with good" 00:39:46.01\00:39:49.58 anywhere along the way 00:39:49.62\00:39:51.55 if those directions vary 00:39:51.59\00:39:53.49 and it takes you in the wrong direction, 00:39:53.52\00:39:55.39 it doesn't matter how much good is in there 00:39:55.42\00:39:57.23 you're still not going to make your destination. 00:39:57.26\00:39:59.26 So, there are people that have some light 00:39:59.29\00:40:02.73 but what the Lord is saying, 00:40:02.76\00:40:05.73 "If they don't speak according to my Law and Testimony, 00:40:05.77\00:40:10.04 do not use that GPS, 00:40:10.11\00:40:12.97 don't use it... don't buy it 00:40:13.01\00:40:15.71 because it's going to lead you in the wrong direction. " 00:40:15.74\00:40:19.81 So let's write that down, 00:40:19.85\00:40:21.65 "How else are we instructed to determine 00:40:21.68\00:40:23.72 whether a prophet is genuine?" 00:40:23.75\00:40:25.09 They must speak according to two things... what are they? 00:40:25.12\00:40:28.16 The Law and the... what else? The Law and the Testimony. 00:40:28.19\00:40:31.46 That is God's word clearly 00:40:31.49\00:40:33.63 and nothing can be rooted out from that. 00:40:33.66\00:40:35.36 You know what I found today and I'm... 00:40:35.40\00:40:37.07 I'm one that... I'm like a... 00:40:37.13\00:40:38.57 I'm like an Air-Traffic-Controller Pastor 00:40:38.60\00:40:41.10 and let me tell you what I mean, 00:40:41.14\00:40:42.84 I don't want to belittle myself but I do have ears, 00:40:42.87\00:40:47.11 these ears are always open to strange sounds. 00:40:47.14\00:40:52.91 Now, I don't know if you've ever viewed animals... 00:40:52.95\00:40:56.02 I like to look at deer 00:40:56.05\00:40:57.92 because the deer will be staring at you 00:40:57.95\00:40:59.92 and its ear is turning in all these different directions. 00:40:59.95\00:41:02.12 You know what he's doing? 00:41:02.16\00:41:03.49 He's listening for sounds that could be a threat to him. 00:41:03.53\00:41:05.96 An Air Traffic Controller... 00:41:05.99\00:41:07.60 that thing is going around all the time... 00:41:07.63\00:41:09.43 they're looking for anything 00:41:09.46\00:41:10.80 that could be of critical danger to something else, 00:41:10.83\00:41:12.60 more specifically... aircraft... 00:41:12.63\00:41:14.50 anything that could be in the path of a plane landing 00:41:14.54\00:41:16.91 or taking off or on the runway or wherever the case, 00:41:16.94\00:41:19.44 they have to be keen to see what's happening around them 00:41:19.47\00:41:22.81 and I've been noticing that a lot of books are being written 00:41:22.84\00:41:26.11 that take Christians in one tangent or the other, 00:41:26.15\00:41:30.25 when in fact, if they would simply read the GPS, 00:41:30.29\00:41:34.06 they'll never be lost. 00:41:34.09\00:41:36.73 So, not to... not to blow the cover off of this yet, 00:41:36.76\00:41:42.96 in the future discussion 00:41:43.00\00:41:45.00 I'll share what I'm specifically talking about, 00:41:45.03\00:41:46.77 that's why it's important that if anybody writes a book, 00:41:46.84\00:41:50.11 if anyone publishes a book, 00:41:50.14\00:41:52.47 if the person that has published or written that book 00:41:52.51\00:41:55.54 or preached that sermon 00:41:55.58\00:41:57.25 does not measure to the standards of God's Word, 00:41:57.28\00:42:00.82 don't mess with him or her or don't read the book. 00:42:00.85\00:42:04.32 Pause. 00:42:04.35\00:42:06.62 The next question tells you why. 00:42:06.65\00:42:08.96 Question number 10, look at it. 00:42:08.99\00:42:11.19 "What will be honored among those claiming to be disciples?" 00:42:11.23\00:42:19.40 Isaiah 8:16... you don't have to turn 00:42:19.43\00:42:21.54 because it's right there. 00:42:21.57\00:42:23.10 Isaiah 8 verse 16, here it is. 00:42:23.14\00:42:26.21 The Bible says, "Bind up the... " what? 00:42:26.24\00:42:30.15 "testimony and seal the... " what? 00:42:30.18\00:42:32.88 "law among my disciples. " 00:42:32.91\00:42:36.15 A lot of times we think "disciples" 00:42:36.18\00:42:37.92 is a New Testament word, 00:42:37.95\00:42:39.29 that's Old Testament, 00:42:39.32\00:42:40.66 God has always had followers. 00:42:40.69\00:42:43.49 He's always had followers 00:42:43.53\00:42:46.39 and what does the word "bind" mean? 00:42:46.43\00:42:49.33 Tied up... not just tied up but... 00:42:49.36\00:42:52.50 yeah, like a runner with sneakers. 00:42:52.53\00:42:55.07 Before they take off, they say, 00:42:55.10\00:42:57.57 "You'd better make sure those laces are tight" 00:42:57.61\00:42:58.97 because you know you'll be turning from the finish line, 00:42:59.01\00:43:01.54 and you'll say, "Oh, I lost because the laces were loose. " 00:43:01.58\00:43:04.08 And in the Roman... in the Roman arenas, 00:43:04.11\00:43:08.95 they strapped... they strapped their... 00:43:08.98\00:43:12.52 all the way up to half way in their calf... 00:43:12.55\00:43:15.42 not like today... and they tie it all the way up 00:43:15.46\00:43:17.99 so when they said "bind" they were like this... 00:43:18.03\00:43:20.53 they tied it and tied it... came up 00:43:20.56\00:43:21.93 and they tied it... tied it toward the top, 00:43:21.96\00:43:24.33 so that it would not slip off... 00:43:24.40\00:43:25.77 that's what the "binding" was all about. 00:43:25.80\00:43:27.67 So, the Lord is saying to us 00:43:27.70\00:43:30.21 that if you want to find my disciples, 00:43:30.24\00:43:32.87 what... what should you look for? 00:43:32.91\00:43:34.51 Let's say that word together, what should you look for? 00:43:34.54\00:43:37.41 His Law will be there... 00:43:37.45\00:43:39.95 His Law will be there. 00:43:40.02\00:43:42.45 not 9... not 8... not 7... but how many? 00:43:42.48\00:43:45.92 All ten... 00:43:45.95\00:43:47.29 any time anybody says, 00:43:47.32\00:43:49.49 "Well, one of them is unnecessary... " 00:43:49.52\00:43:51.76 "See ya... " 00:43:51.79\00:43:53.43 don't hang around because they have... 00:43:53.46\00:43:57.57 they have on the cloak... they have on the exterior... 00:43:57.60\00:44:00.17 now, I want to add something to this, 00:44:00.20\00:44:02.17 there are some... even ministers who don't understand it. 00:44:02.20\00:44:05.54 There are some ministers 00:44:05.57\00:44:07.91 who will come to a knowledge of light 00:44:07.94\00:44:09.28 and they themselves will say, 00:44:09.31\00:44:10.85 "Up until this point, I didn't understand it" 00:44:10.88\00:44:13.45 and you'll be able to tell 00:44:13.48\00:44:15.75 they're sincere people that sometimes 00:44:15.78\00:44:17.52 will open their hearts to when God leads them 00:44:17.55\00:44:20.02 whether they're in the pulpit or whether they're in the pew 00:44:20.06\00:44:23.19 but if one is claiming it with... with recalcitrance, no. 00:44:23.22\00:44:26.33 "I am a disciple of Christ 00:44:26.36\00:44:27.70 but I don't have to keep His Law... " 00:44:27.73\00:44:29.20 wave goodbye... 00:44:29.23\00:44:31.27 run for your life. 00:44:31.30\00:44:33.34 Pause. 00:44:33.37\00:44:35.10 Question number 11, Question number 11... 00:44:35.14\00:44:38.37 pause 00:44:38.41\00:44:42.68 "What practices will be found among leaders 00:44:42.71\00:44:47.05 that are in opposition to God?" 00:44:47.12\00:44:49.12 "What practices will be found among leaders 00:44:49.15\00:44:52.25 that are in opposition to God?" 00:44:52.29\00:44:54.26 We're going to Ezekiel... you know where Ezekiel is? 00:44:54.29\00:44:59.09 Find Daniel and turn back one book... 00:44:59.13\00:45:01.66 Ezekiel 22... 00:45:01.70\00:45:03.77 You know, two of the longest books in the Old Testament 00:45:03.83\00:45:06.80 that people don't read... actually three... 00:45:06.84\00:45:08.57 that people don't read a lot are: 00:45:08.60\00:45:09.94 Jeremiah, Isaiah and Ezekiel. 00:45:09.97\00:45:11.61 They're very long... 00:45:11.64\00:45:12.97 and... well Psalms is so quoted but it's a 165 chapters 00:45:13.01\00:45:18.65 you know, if somebody says, 00:45:18.68\00:45:20.68 "Well, I just read Psalm 119 today" 00:45:20.72\00:45:23.02 that means, you read 165 verses 00:45:23.08\00:45:26.15 but Ezekiel, Isaiah and Jeremiah 00:45:26.19\00:45:29.22 are not tiptoe-through-the tulip books. 00:45:29.26\00:45:31.69 They were written at the time when apostasy and... 00:45:31.73\00:45:35.70 and rebellion was at its height 00:45:35.73\00:45:37.73 and God sent those concentrated prophets 00:45:37.77\00:45:39.83 to try to turn Israel back 00:45:39.87\00:45:41.94 but he pointed out some very important practices 00:45:41.97\00:45:44.31 that were among those who were in rebellion 00:45:44.34\00:45:46.64 or opposition to God 00:45:46.68\00:45:48.04 Here it is, Ezekiel 22 starting with verse 26. 00:45:48.08\00:45:52.31 The Bible says, "Her priests" have done what? 00:45:52.35\00:45:56.52 "violated My law" 00:45:56.55\00:45:58.65 they've done what? "violated my law... 00:45:58.69\00:46:02.52 profaned My holy things; 00:46:02.56\00:46:06.13 they have not distinguished between the holy... " 00:46:06.16\00:46:09.63 and the what else? 00:46:09.66\00:46:11.00 "unholy, nor have they made known 00:46:11.03\00:46:13.44 the difference between... " the what else? 00:46:13.47\00:46:17.27 "unclean and the clean... " and it says, 00:46:17.31\00:46:21.01 "and they have hidden their eyes from My... " what? 00:46:21.04\00:46:23.51 "Sabbaths, so that I am profaned among them. " 00:46:23.55\00:46:27.52 Now notice what the Bible points out, 00:46:27.55\00:46:29.45 a couple of things that they did 00:46:29.48\00:46:31.32 and I'll bring this back just for us here, 00:46:31.35\00:46:33.36 it says, first of all, "they violated God's Law" 00:46:33.39\00:46:36.46 let me give you an insight, 00:46:36.49\00:46:37.83 when you... when you look at Revelation... 00:46:37.86\00:46:39.49 the picture of Babylon... 00:46:39.53\00:46:40.86 we'll get into this a little later on, 00:46:40.90\00:46:42.80 when you look at the picture in Revelation about Babylon, 00:46:42.83\00:46:45.80 the woman is dressed in purple and red... 00:46:45.83\00:46:49.70 she has on purple and red... 00:46:49.74\00:46:52.11 when you look at how the Sanctuary was built, 00:46:52.14\00:46:56.64 the curtains had gold, purple, red and blue. 00:46:56.68\00:47:01.58 Blue was a representation of the Commandments 00:47:01.65\00:47:05.85 so, the woman in Revelation has the golden cup 00:47:05.92\00:47:10.09 she's dressed in... she's dressed in purple and red 00:47:10.13\00:47:14.63 but what color is missing? Blue. 00:47:14.66\00:47:17.13 "She's violated my law" and that violation... 00:47:17.17\00:47:23.14 that's why she's called a harlot in Revelation 18... 00:47:23.17\00:47:26.17 Revelation 17... 00:47:26.21\00:47:27.54 she has taken God's Law out of the picture 00:47:27.58\00:47:29.28 and when you look at the vast platform of deception 00:47:29.31\00:47:33.05 in the Christian world today... 00:47:33.08\00:47:34.42 is... God's Law has been altered, abrogated or deleted. 00:47:34.45\00:47:38.52 "Violated my Law... " 00:47:38.55\00:47:41.42 then the other thing she's done is profaned my holy sins. 00:47:41.46\00:47:44.59 You find one of the things that caused Babylon to fall 00:47:44.63\00:47:47.76 is... Babylon took the golden vessels of the Lord 00:47:47.80\00:47:50.83 from Jerusalem... took them to Babylon... 00:47:50.87\00:47:53.74 and poured wine in the holy vessels of God. 00:47:53.80\00:47:56.60 Now, let's think about that, let's look at the comparisons. 00:47:56.64\00:48:00.18 The things that are holy to God should never be profaned 00:48:00.21\00:48:04.18 but he says, "Wherever you see false prophets at work, 00:48:04.21\00:48:08.18 my holy things will not be honored. " 00:48:08.22\00:48:11.85 Pause. 00:48:11.92\00:48:14.22 And I'm going to tell you today, 00:48:14.26\00:48:16.56 when you listen to the news, it is a sad reality... 00:48:16.59\00:48:20.66 I'm just going to try to be kind 00:48:20.70\00:48:22.36 but I have to be very candid today, 00:48:22.43\00:48:24.17 it was listed on the news today 00:48:24.20\00:48:26.84 of how many children were abused... 00:48:26.87\00:48:29.44 were abused and violated 00:48:29.47\00:48:32.01 by people in positions of authority 00:48:32.07\00:48:35.04 in leadership... priests... 00:48:35.08\00:48:36.41 made no difference between the holy and the unholy 00:48:36.44\00:48:40.28 "profaned My holy things" made no difference... 00:48:40.32\00:48:44.22 these young lives... 00:48:44.25\00:48:45.79 and the Bible says, "it's better that a millstone 00:48:45.82\00:48:47.96 would be put around somebody's neck 00:48:47.99\00:48:49.69 and then cast into the ocean 00:48:49.72\00:48:51.19 than to violate one of these little children. 00:48:51.23\00:48:54.16 Pause. 00:48:54.20\00:48:56.03 That's just in Pennsylvania, that's not the other 49 States, 00:48:56.06\00:49:01.14 pause 00:49:01.17\00:49:03.67 because they have established principles 00:49:03.71\00:49:05.54 that are not supported by the Bible... 00:49:05.57\00:49:07.34 when you say... and I'm going to be very candid, 00:49:07.38\00:49:10.08 when you say that you're a man... 00:49:10.11\00:49:13.82 but you cannot be married to serve in that role, 00:49:13.85\00:49:15.95 you're trying to suppress natural tendencies that God gave 00:49:15.98\00:49:21.29 and when they're not guided and held in check by God's Spirit, 00:49:21.32\00:49:26.56 that's what happens. 00:49:26.59\00:49:27.93 Pause. 00:49:27.96\00:49:29.56 Violated... not only that, let me go further, 00:49:29.60\00:49:34.40 "made no difference between the holy and unholy 00:49:34.44\00:49:39.21 nor have they made the difference 00:49:39.24\00:49:40.68 between the unclean and the clean. " 00:49:40.71\00:49:42.04 Now, watch this, 00:49:42.08\00:49:43.41 you can't eat fish on a particular day of the week 00:49:43.45\00:49:45.88 but you could drink, you could smoke, 00:49:45.91\00:49:47.78 you could eat pork, 00:49:47.82\00:49:49.15 you could gamble, you could party. 00:49:49.18\00:49:50.52 Somebody help me out, and so... He says... so... 00:49:50.55\00:49:53.69 and then also that... "the Sabbath has been abrogated" 00:49:53.76\00:49:56.93 deleted... pushed aside... replaced... 00:49:56.96\00:50:00.20 they have... "they have hidden their eyes from My Sabbaths 00:50:00.23\00:50:04.37 and I am profaned among them. " 00:50:04.40\00:50:05.93 So, when you begin to see this 00:50:05.97\00:50:07.44 and it's spreading far and wide through various... 00:50:07.50\00:50:10.34 various places that are termed "God's Church" 00:50:10.37\00:50:14.51 but in them all, the Lord still has His people 00:50:14.54\00:50:17.81 and He will call them out, can I get an "Amen. " 00:50:17.85\00:50:20.85 God's people are everywhere but the Institutions themselves 00:50:20.88\00:50:24.15 have to be seen for what they really are. 00:50:24.19\00:50:26.99 The Lord is showing how 00:50:27.06\00:50:28.69 you just can't say that a person is a prophet 00:50:28.72\00:50:31.33 and then you don't even have to go to that Institution 00:50:31.36\00:50:33.29 of Roman Catholicism 00:50:33.33\00:50:34.66 because my family is 99.9% Catholic... 00:50:34.70\00:50:37.40 beautiful people... 00:50:37.43\00:50:38.77 but it's the Institution itself that's corrupt 00:50:38.80\00:50:40.77 but you have people of other walks of life 00:50:40.84\00:50:42.80 that are in various walks of faith 00:50:42.84\00:50:44.37 that are under some other kind of deceptions... 00:50:44.41\00:50:47.11 "tongues" in this avenue and crazy practices on that side 00:50:47.14\00:50:51.48 and that's what happens when God's Law is ignored. 00:50:51.51\00:50:56.22 No light... "If they don't speak according to that, 00:50:56.25\00:51:00.92 there is no light... " 00:51:00.96\00:51:02.29 and He's making it very, very clear. 00:51:02.32\00:51:03.66 Look at Question number 12, Question number 12, here it is. 00:51:03.73\00:51:08.80 "What has God promised to do to those who disobey His Law?" 00:51:08.83\00:51:13.74 Pause. 00:51:13.77\00:51:15.10 What has God promised to do? 00:51:15.14\00:51:16.97 And by-the-way, this is... 00:51:17.01\00:51:19.04 and I want to say tonight, "The Lord has patience. " 00:51:19.07\00:51:22.54 Can we all say "Amen" to that? 00:51:22.58\00:51:23.98 The Lord gives us turn after turn to decide 00:51:24.01\00:51:27.68 at what point we're going to go straight 00:51:27.72\00:51:31.32 but when it comes down to the final reconciliation 00:51:31.35\00:51:36.12 which Revelation talks about... 00:51:36.16\00:51:37.99 the Lord has to make a decision 00:51:38.03\00:51:39.83 and He's already forecasted what that decision would be. 00:51:39.86\00:51:43.30 What has God promised to do to those that disobey His Law? 00:51:43.33\00:51:46.74 Listen to Ezekiel 7 verse 26. 00:51:46.77\00:51:48.84 The Bible says, "Disaster will come upon disaster, 00:51:48.87\00:51:54.04 and rumor will be upon rumor. " 00:51:54.08\00:51:57.05 You will see that when you get to Revelation 18 00:51:57.08\00:51:59.48 it talks about... people will be surprised 00:51:59.51\00:52:01.92 that Babylon came to ruin. 00:52:01.95\00:52:03.49 "Then they will seek a vision from a... " what? 00:52:03.52\00:52:06.79 "from a prophet... " 00:52:06.82\00:52:08.52 but listen to this, 00:52:08.56\00:52:10.19 "but the law will perish from the priest, 00:52:10.23\00:52:13.86 and the counsel from the elders. " 00:52:13.90\00:52:16.43 When they get to that... 00:52:16.46\00:52:18.03 when they pass that point of no return, 00:52:18.07\00:52:20.60 then they're going to look for something 00:52:20.64\00:52:23.10 and it's not going to be there. 00:52:23.14\00:52:24.84 Amos talks about that, 00:52:24.87\00:52:27.78 he said, "There's a famine coming. " 00:52:27.84\00:52:29.18 Hosea talks about it, 00:52:29.21\00:52:30.65 a famine not for bread but for water... 00:52:30.68\00:52:33.05 not for bread or water 00:52:33.08\00:52:34.78 but for the hearing of the Word of God 00:52:34.82\00:52:36.48 and those who ignore the Word of God while it could be found, 00:52:36.52\00:52:38.95 he said, "they'll look from east to west, north to south 00:52:39.02\00:52:42.49 and they won't find it. " 00:52:42.52\00:52:43.86 And this is talking about the irreversible result 00:52:43.89\00:52:47.33 of those who live a life of recalcitrance... 00:52:47.36\00:52:49.96 ignoring God's Word and then it comes to the place 00:52:50.00\00:52:52.97 where they say... like the five foolish virgins, 00:52:53.03\00:52:55.97 "Can you give us some oil?" 00:52:56.00\00:52:57.34 And what do they say? "We don't have any, 00:52:57.37\00:53:00.24 we can't give you any oil, we don't own the oil, 00:53:00.28\00:53:02.61 go to those who have it and buy for yourselves" 00:53:02.64\00:53:04.85 and they went to buy the oil and they came back, 00:53:04.88\00:53:06.88 the door was shut 00:53:06.92\00:53:08.25 and the Lord said, "I never knew you. " 00:53:08.28\00:53:10.09 So it's important to listen to God's Word 00:53:10.12\00:53:12.39 while God is speaking, "amen" somebody... 00:53:12.45\00:53:14.66 very important... let's see how many more we can get here. 00:53:14.69\00:53:17.63 Okay, Question number 13, 00:53:17.66\00:53:19.69 moving at a good pace... 00:53:19.73\00:53:21.70 Question number 13, 00:53:21.73\00:53:23.10 "What does the Bible teach about prophets 00:53:23.13\00:53:25.93 that falsely used God's name?" 00:53:25.97\00:53:28.77 What does the Bible... what does the Bible teach 00:53:28.80\00:53:31.87 about prophets that falsely used God's name? 00:53:31.91\00:53:34.44 And He said in Matthew, "This is going to happen, 00:53:34.48\00:53:36.88 many are going to come in My name 00:53:36.91\00:53:38.25 saying, 'I am Christ' they're going to deceive many. " 00:53:38.28\00:53:41.18 What did the Lord do? 00:53:41.22\00:53:42.82 What does the Bible teach? 00:53:42.85\00:53:44.69 Here it is, Jeremiah 14:14, 00:53:44.72\00:53:46.49 I'm kind of going into the Prophet books. 00:53:46.52\00:53:48.26 because we don't often spend a lot of time there, 00:53:48.29\00:53:51.16 and then in our future lessons, 00:53:51.19\00:53:53.16 we're going to talk about the gifts and how they operate. 00:53:53.19\00:53:54.96 Okay, Jeremiah 14:14, "And the Lord said to me, 00:53:55.00\00:54:00.27 'The prophets prophesy lies in My name. 00:54:00.30\00:54:06.11 I have not sent them, commanded them, 00:54:06.14\00:54:11.88 nor spoken to them; 00:54:11.91\00:54:14.25 they prophesy to you a... " what kind of a vision? 00:54:14.28\00:54:18.35 "false vision... " 00:54:18.39\00:54:19.99 something else, "divination" that's a spirit medium 00:54:20.02\00:54:24.59 "a worthless thing, and the deceit of their heart. " 00:54:24.63\00:54:29.13 They're telling you stuff... 00:54:29.16\00:54:30.57 it wasn't too long ago, okay, well, about ten years ago, 00:54:30.60\00:54:33.70 my wife and were looking on one Saturday night 00:54:33.74\00:54:35.67 and we ran into this Program on television 00:54:35.70\00:54:37.57 of this guy selling a five... 00:54:37.61\00:54:39.37 a five-part Series 00:54:39.41\00:54:42.31 on how to become a Prophet or a Prophetess. 00:54:42.34\00:54:44.55 You have various levels... you had the Beginners... $19.95 00:54:44.61\00:54:48.28 then you had Level Two... $29.95 00:54:48.32\00:54:51.19 then you had Level 3... $49.95 00:54:51.22\00:54:53.39 I'm trying to remember the prices 00:54:53.42\00:54:55.52 but it went up to like, $299.95 00:54:55.56\00:54:57.43 if you want to be a mega prophet, 00:54:57.46\00:54:59.19 you had to buy the whole Series together... 00:54:59.23\00:55:01.76 it's $299.95 and he was the Prophet 00:55:01.80\00:55:05.27 and had three ladies sitting there... 00:55:05.30\00:55:06.84 Prophetess this one... 00:55:06.87\00:55:08.34 Prophetess that one... 00:55:08.37\00:55:09.70 Prophetess that one 00:55:09.74\00:55:11.07 and they were all teaching you the prophecies 00:55:11.11\00:55:12.87 of how to become witch... I'm sorry... right word... 00:55:12.91\00:55:16.01 rich and wealthy. 00:55:16.04\00:55:18.08 They were using God's Word 00:55:18.11\00:55:20.38 to kind of conjure up some Get-rich-quick Scheme 00:55:20.42\00:55:24.15 and the Bible says, let's look at that again, 00:55:24.19\00:55:26.72 the Bible says... and they say... 00:55:26.76\00:55:30.03 "And the Lord said to me, 00:55:30.06\00:55:31.39 the prophets prophesied lies in my name. " 00:55:31.43\00:55:33.96 "I have not sent them, 00:55:34.00\00:55:37.23 commanded them nor spoken to them, 00:55:37.27\00:55:39.73 they prophesy to say a false vision, divination, 00:55:39.77\00:55:44.34 a worthless thing and the deceit of their heart. " 00:55:44.37\00:55:48.94 And that's what's happening today 00:55:48.98\00:55:50.58 and so many sincere people looking for the truth 00:55:50.61\00:55:52.45 are being deceived but let me tell you something 00:55:52.48\00:55:54.28 as I wind up tonight's study, 00:55:54.32\00:55:55.65 the Lord is not done and He will shine His light 00:55:55.68\00:55:59.39 to those that are looking for it can I get an "Amen. " 00:55:59.42\00:56:01.79 There are many sincere... he said, 00:56:01.82\00:56:04.16 "My sheep will hear my voice, 00:56:04.19\00:56:06.13 they'll know my voice and they will follow me. " 00:56:06.19\00:56:09.43 And many of you are here today... 00:56:09.46\00:56:11.27 many of you are where you are in the fellowship of truth 00:56:11.30\00:56:13.50 because you heard the voice of God... 00:56:13.54\00:56:15.27 He's called you out of darkness into this... 00:56:15.30\00:56:17.47 what kind of light? 00:56:17.51\00:56:18.84 Marvelous light. 00:56:18.87\00:56:20.21 So friends, continue studying... 00:56:20.24\00:56:21.74 in the next Program, continue studying 00:56:21.78\00:56:24.05 because one day we know, if it doesn't make sense now, 00:56:24.08\00:56:26.82 one day it will come into a sharper focus. 00:56:26.85\00:56:29.65 God bless you. 00:56:29.68\00:56:31.02