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It's been 2000 years since
the glorious light of the cross
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illuminated the world veiled
in darkness and confusion about
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the character of God. And
still today the greatest need of
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mankind is a revelation of God's
love as revealed in the life of
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Christ. Amazing facts presents
the everlasting gospel with
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Pastor Doug Batchelor
coming to you each week from
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Sacramento Central Church
in sunny California. Discover
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hidden treasures
in God's word today.
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A happy Sabbath friends. Good to
see each of you there. We pray
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you will pray for me as I
speak this morning. I have an
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important subject and you might
think, Pastor Doug why would
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you dedicate time Sabbath
morning worship service to
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something like this. I ask
you to hear me out and I think
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you'll better understand. I
remember when I was a boy one of
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the highlights of my youth
was maybe once or twice a week
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I would be given a box
of crackerjacks. Some of you
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remember when there wasn't
the proliferation of candy,
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choices that we have today.
There were only a few things
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you could get, a Babe Ruth, a
box of crackerjacks and I forget
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what else, Hershey bar and what
was the best thing about the
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crackerjacks? The prize inside.
And every now and then of course
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they'd have to upgrade their
prizes. And I remember at one
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point they went through a
series of prizes that were
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charms. You had to get your own
bracelet but they would supply
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these little, and they were
probably plastic, charms that
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were in the crackerjacks box.
Each of them represented some
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different power, you know. They
had a shoe that was supposed to
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help you run faster, a little
horseshoe to give you good
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luck. I don't remember what all
of them were but I ate a whole
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lot of crackerjacks trying
to fill up a charm bracelet with
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all these things so I could have
the powers that were connected
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with it. Well that will set the
stage a little bit for what I
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have to share this
morning. The message is titled
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Unlucky Charms, Unlucky Charms.
Turn with me in your Bibles to
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the book of Ezekiel chapter 13
and I'm going to be reading two
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verses, verse 18. I'm reading
out of the New King James
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Version here, verse 18 and
verse And say thus says the Lord
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God, Woe to the women who sew
magic charms on their sleeves
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and make veils for the heads,
the heads of the people on the
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height to hunt souls. And then
verse 20: Therefore thus says
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the Lord God, behold I
am against your magic charms
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by which you hunt for souls
like birds. He's talking about
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these charms. What in the
world is that dealing with?
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As a matter of fact, in the
King James Version they'll say
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pillows. You say what's the
difference between a pillow and
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a charm? These are these charms
that were like crescent moons
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and they were involved in sun
worship, moon worship and they
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would cast spells with these
things and it was supposed to be
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enchanting and it was connected
also with immorality and
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worshiping of pagan gods. So the
people were being ensnared with
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this pagan worship. A lot
o f Ezekiel deals with those
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issues. Now I should probably
say something that Jesus said.
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You pray for me as I share
this message because it is a
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controversial subject but I
believe it's much more important
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that people think. Jesus said
in John 6:66 and 6:67: From that
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time many of his disciples went
back and walked with him no more
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Some of you after today's
message may not want to come
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back. But I'm going to share
the truth with you and isn't
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that what you want? I believe
you want the truth and I want to
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be sensitive. I want to do it
with love and with compassion,
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but I also want to do it with
conviction and clarity. Turn in
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your Bibles to II Kings. How
many of you know the story of
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the bronze serpent? II Kings
chapter 18 verse 4. First I'll
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give you the background for this
You remember the Old Testament.
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The children of Israel were
bitten by these serpents and
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they were dying. So God,
God, instructed Moses to take a
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bronze serpent, to fashion one
with their metal workers, put it
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on a shepherd's staff or pole,
hold it up so if the people
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looked at it they would be
healed from the venom of the
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snake bite. And of course this
was a type of Christ. Jesus said
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As Moses lifted up the serpent
so will the Son of Man be
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lifted up and whoever who
believes in him should not
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perish but have everlasting life
That's the precursor story to
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John 3:16. Well now, I want you
to fast forward about a thousand
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years. It's talking about the
reign of Hezekiah. Was Hezekiah
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a good king or a bad king? Good
king, godly king. Listen to what
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he did. Part of the revival that
Hezekiah affected, he removed
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the high places and broke
down the pillars. These were the
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pagan implements of worship that
had found their way into the
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kingdom again. And he cut down
the Asherah poles and he broke
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in pieces the brazen serpent
that Moses had made. Why would
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you break the bronze serpent
that Moses made? Wasn't it
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God's instruction? Moses
was a good guy. Why break it?
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I'll tell you why, keep reading.
For in those days the children
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of Israel did burn incense to
it and he, Hezekiah, called it
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Nehushtan, which means piece of
bronze. They had made a god out
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of it and that was never his
plan. They began to worship and
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revere it and it was distracting
them and it really had become an
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idol. So he broke it to pieces
and said it's just a piece of
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metal. He never intended you
to worship it. The Bible forbids
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idolatry. Perhaps you remember
the story in the Bible where the
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children of Israel were going
into battle with the Philistines
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and the two sons of Eli, Hophni
and Phenahas, they said let's
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bring the ark with us into
battle and if we've got the ark
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there with us in battle well
you know it's a good luck charm.
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We can't lose. And they went off
fighting against the Philistines
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singing before the ark.
What happened in that battle?
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The ark was not a good luck
charm for them. They lost the
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battle and it was captured by
the Philistines. The Philistines
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said, Aha, we've got the ark
now. We will have the power of
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their gods. They took the
ark of God. And by the way, who
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instructed the ark to be made?
God. What was it made out of?
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Gold with the rocks inside. The
important thing about the ark,
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everyone wants the gold around
the ark and they didn't want the
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important thing. It was just
a box with the rocks in the box.
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It was the stones that were the
10 commandments inside. That was
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the treasure in the ark. Well
now the ark was captured by the
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Philistines. They put it in the
temple of Dagon and it became
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an unlucky charm for them.
They woke up in the morning and
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Dagon had fallen on his face.
This big idol fell over and they
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said well it must be an
earthquake during the night.
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They thought what was that? They
stood him back up and the next
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morning he fell over again and
his head and his hands fell off
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showing here was a god that
could not speak and he couldn't
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do anything. Had no brain
and no hands. So pretty soon the
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plague came on the Philistines.
They said why is this plague?
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And they said, It must be
the Ark of the Covenant. We have
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stolen their God and he's
punishing us. So they said let's
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make an offering. So they put
these charms inside the ark as
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an offering. They were being
plagued with mice and we're not
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even sure what it was, it says
tumors. Some versions translate
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that hemorrhoids, really. They
don't know what it was but they
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put these gold mice and things
and tumors inside the ark and
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sent it back as an offering.
Well now the ark comes back into
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the land of Israel and it
ends up landing with a man named
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Obed Edom and God ended up
blessing that man because he
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received it when everyone else
was afraid of it. They thought
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it was bad luck. The problem was
never with the ark. The problem
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was people were not obeying
the rocks in the box. God wanted
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them to obey the law. It wasn't
a relic, it wasn't a charm, it
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wasn't an emblem of good luck.
I'm surprised there's an element
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of superstition in the church.
And I don't think that sometimes
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we realize what these things
mean. Now having said that, do
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we sometimes get sidetracked
with good luck charms and some
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of those emblems in our culture?
Let me tell you what I want to
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talk about. I'm going to tell
you what I want to talk about
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then I'm going to tell you about
it, then I'll tell you what it
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is I talk about. I want to talk
about jewelry. Oh listen to the
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gasp. And I want to preface any
remarks that I'm making on this
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subject by saying I believe
there are going to be millions,
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thousands of people in
heaven who wear or wore jewelry.
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is that clear? I don't want you
to be looking around to see what
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someone sitting next to you
has on. I have given our studio
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careful instructions about
their audience shots not to make
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anybody self-conscious because
this is one of those sermons
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that when you talk in a church
like this where people come from
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all different backgrounds about
a subject, someone could be made
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to feel self-conscious. But
when do I get another chance?
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Someone's got to say something
because friends I think there's
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an epidemic. I think it's gotten
out of hand. I'm one of those
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people who believes that
Christian jewelry is an oxymoron
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and the Bible talks about it
and we need to talk about it.
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A little bit of history.
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When did people start
wearing jewelry? Do you
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think Eve was walking along in
the Garden of Eden one day and
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said oh look, a piece of gold.
I think I'll put it in my ear.
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Why would she do that? I mean,
when did it start? The best they
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can tell when they try to
trace back the history of people
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wearing minerals, I'm not even
getting to the piercing yet.
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That's later... was because it
was associated with the various
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gods that they worshipped.
There's no example of it really
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before the flood. You find
in history more and more of it
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appears after the flood and
it's all been with serpents and
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things. The sun and the moon
were primary objects of worship.
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This is an emblem. I looked at
some artifacts they had online
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and one of these was connected
with moon worship, one with sun
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worship. As a matter of fact,
the Egyptians, one of their
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principle gods was the sun
and you can see everywhere...
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I think I've got this slide of
Horus the falcon god but always
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above their head they've got
this solar disk. Matter of fact,
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many of the halos you see around
medieval art are taken from
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ancient paganism and those were
solar disks. I mean nothing in
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the Bible talks about folks
going around with glows of gold
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behind their heads. It all
springs from sun worship. A lot
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of it, a shocking amount of
the ancient jewelry, has demonic
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symbols in it. It's serpents and
dragons. It's amazing how much
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they have recovered of these
serpents and dragons. So some of
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the jewelry was money. Matter of
fact, when Eliezer went to get a
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wife for Isaac it says he took
a bracelet off and he gave it to
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her and it tells the weight
of the bracelet because it was
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a value of money. They didn't
have paper money back then.
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Sometimes they wore it and they
got into trouble doing that and
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we'll talk a little bit
more about that in a little bit.
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But now we're living in an age
where idolatry and spiritualism
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is still connected with minerals
and stones and most jewelry is
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made out of various forms
of minerals unless you've got
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plastic jewelry and if you do
you probably don't tell people.
00:12:26.15\00:12:30.42
But the new age movement, you'd
be surprised at some of the
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things they teach. I found
one article on healing crystals.
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Let me read you an excerpt from
an article by Michael McKnight.
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Listen carefully. Metaphysically
the quartz crystal can be easily
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programmed to help provide a
positive outcome. It can clear
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away negative energy from
the aura and realign the chakra;
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that's the energy, centers of
the body. It can also be useful
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in long distance healing through
imaging and meditation. Did you
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catch that? I've never heard so
much rubbish in my life. Quartz
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crystals, metaphysical alignment
and energy. You know these
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people are just so superstitious
But you know it is all connected
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with very ancient pagan
practices of believing that
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there are some enchanting
properties to these minerals
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and these charms and they were
often associated with various
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spirits and gods. I don't think
people really understand the
00:13:31.54\00:13:34.95
history of wearing of jewels and
minerals and where it came from.
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By the way, since we're talking
about charm. You know what charm
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means? Enchanting magical
attraction. Have you ever heard
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someone say why they're charming
They have got this enchanting
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attraction about them. Is it
just my imagination? You know
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friends, I just have to say that
I am aware of what's out there
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in the movies. I don't go to the
theater but all you've got to do
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is fly on an airplane and unless
you put a bag over your head
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it's hard not to know what's
out there. They had this recent
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trilogy of blockbusters called
Lord of the (audience) Rings.
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Aha you see you know too, right?
It's all built around the ring.
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Titanic was a blockbuster and
it's talking about this necklace
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The whole thing is built around
looking for this necklace and
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it's finally offered to the sea.
The rings are offered to the
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volcano. You'd be surprised if
you look. Everything from King
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Arthur's sword, it's got
magical powers. People are very
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superstitious and they start to
become attracted to these charms
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and things. I think that we
invite, I think that we invite
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evil influences subconsciously
without even realizing it by
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embracing some of this. Now
let's go to the Bible. Some of
00:14:53.51\00:14:57.55
you remember a story in the
Bible, Genesis chapter 35, it's
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Jacob and you'll see there's a
connection between idolatry and
00:15:02.25\00:15:06.86
various forms of jewelry
and various forms of jewelry.
00:15:06.89\00:15:08.24
Specifically ear rings are
mentioned here. Jacob's sons had
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gotten into big trouble. They
had just slaughtered the people
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of Shechem and Jacob now needs
to reconsecrate himself and his
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family to the Lord. And God said
to Jacob, Arise and go to Bethel
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Who knows what the word Bethel
means? House of God. Arise and
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go to Bethel and dwell there and
make an altar unto God. I want
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you to return to me,
reconsecrate your family to me.
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The God who appeared to you. I
made a covenant with you. You're
00:15:35.34\00:15:38.74
drifting, when you fled from the
face of Esau your brother. Then
00:15:38.77\00:15:42.25
Jacob said to his household and
to all who were with him, not
00:15:42.28\00:15:45.40
not just his family but all the
others, the servants and some
00:15:45.44\00:15:49.69
that had joined him, put away
the foreign gods that are among
00:15:49.73\00:15:53.91
you and purify yourselves and
change your garments and let us
00:15:53.94\00:15:57.99
arise, be pure, and go to Bethel
Let's arise and go to the house
00:15:58.02\00:16:01.70
of God and I'll make there an
altar unto God who answered me
00:16:01.74\00:16:05.28
in the day of my distress and
was with me in the way in which
00:16:05.32\00:16:09.30
I went and they gave unto Jacob
all the foreign gods that were
00:16:09.33\00:16:13.95
in their hand and the rings
that were in their ears. Did you
00:16:13.98\00:16:18.83
catch the association that
is made between idols, gods and
00:16:18.86\00:16:22.85
rings in their ears. Evidently,
I mean if there was nothing
00:16:22.88\00:16:26.80
wrong why did he say take it off
and then they buried it under an
00:16:26.84\00:16:29.85
oak tree and then they went and
they met with the Lord. Do you
00:16:29.89\00:16:32.49
think they went back and dug up
their idols again later? Was it
00:16:32.53\00:16:35.41
just for that one church service
He said dwell there in Bethel.
00:16:35.44\00:16:38.96
They didn't go back. And I think
some of us would do well to find
00:16:39.00\00:16:44.64
an oak tree and dig a hole and
make an offering. This stuff is
00:16:44.68\00:16:49.03
just becoming so prevalent among
God's people. It didn't used to
00:16:49.06\00:16:53.38
be that way. By the way, what
I'm teaching you today is not
00:16:53.41\00:16:57.52
just what used to be the
theology of my church. This used
00:16:57.56\00:17:01.60
to be the theology of the
Baptists, the Methodists, the
00:17:01.63\00:17:05.60
Puritans, as a matter of fact,
most protestants. I'm just an
00:17:05.64\00:17:09.37
old hold out. Most have given
it up. I think there should be a
00:17:09.40\00:17:13.10
distinction between the
appearance and the attire
00:17:13.13\00:17:15.48
of Christians in the world.
Let's look at another example
00:17:15.52\00:17:18.74
here in the Bible. I think that
there are pagan connections with
00:17:18.78\00:17:23.15
these things. Deuteronomy tells
us there shall not be found in
00:17:23.18\00:17:28.14
your midst enchanter, a charmer
it says in some translations.
00:17:28.18\00:17:32.95
How many of you remember the
golden calf story? Exodus 35.
00:17:32.98\00:17:37.68
The children of Israel got tired
of waiting for Moses. I'm going
00:17:37.72\00:17:41.25
give you the background first
while you find Exodus 35 verse 5
00:17:41.28\00:17:45.44
and they said, look we don't
know what happened to this Moses
00:17:45.48\00:17:49.15
that's Exodus 32. He want up
a mountain and he hasn't come
00:17:49.18\00:17:53.52
back and they said let's make
gods. They wanted to make gods
00:17:53.56\00:17:58.06
like the Egyptians. So Aaron
said, break off the ear rings
00:17:58.10\00:18:01.61
that are in your ears and they
took the ear rings out of the
00:18:01.65\00:18:05.13
ears of their sons and
their daughters. Now you know
00:18:05.16\00:18:08.41
20 years ago when you preached
this sermon it would only relate
00:18:08.45\00:18:11.07
to the girls. Today it relates
to the boys too. Am I right?
00:18:11.10\00:18:15.77
By the way, this was the church
wasn't it? So don't feel bad,
00:18:15.80\00:18:19.46
this was the church. Oh by the
way, how did they get the ear
00:18:19.49\00:18:23.48
rings in their ears? When they
left Egypt the Bible says in
00:18:23.51\00:18:27.68
Exodus 12 verse 35 they had not
been paid for their service of
00:18:27.72\00:18:32.16
slavery and so they spoiled
the Egyptians and what was the
00:18:32.20\00:18:35.61
money back then? They didn't
take out George Washington and
00:18:35.64\00:18:38.99
Ben Franklin. They gave
the articles of silver and gold
00:18:39.03\00:18:42.50
which they frequently wore
their money and they paid the
00:18:42.54\00:18:45.94
Israelites with this. Well they
didn't just put it in their bags
00:18:45.98\00:18:49.63
They're now wearing it because
it said break them off from your
00:18:49.66\00:18:53.28
ears. So the payment they
received from the Egyptians they
00:18:53.31\00:18:56.54
began to wear it like the
Egyptians wore it. God intended
00:18:56.57\00:18:59.77
for them to plunder the
Egyptians so they could use
00:18:59.80\00:19:02.14
those resources to build the
sanctuary. Because later when
00:19:02.18\00:19:05.43
they got it straight they
brought those things, they
00:19:05.46\00:19:07.05
brought those things, they
melted them down, they built
00:19:07.09\00:19:08.61
the temple to God. Now they were
hanging them on their bodies and
00:19:08.65\00:19:11.81
building golden calves. So you
got the background for what's
00:19:11.84\00:19:14.91
happening here. They took up
a big collection and they turned
00:19:14.94\00:19:17.98
it into an idol and they
worshipped it. And listen to
00:19:18.01\00:19:23.39
what the Lord says. Now go to
Exodus 33 verse 5. For the Lord
00:19:23.43\00:19:27.35
had said to Moses, Say unto the
children of Israel, you are a
00:19:27.39\00:19:31.22
stiff-necked people. I will come
up into the midst of thee in a
00:19:31.25\00:19:35.05
moment and consume thee.
Therefore, now put off thine
00:19:35.08\00:19:39.54
ornaments that I might know
what to do with thee and the
00:19:39.57\00:19:43.20
children of Israel stripped
themselves of their ornaments
00:19:43.23\00:19:46.79
by Mount Horeb. God was about to
pronounce a judgment on them for
00:19:46.83\00:19:51.37
this sin with the golden calf
and he said you're a stubborn
00:19:51.40\00:19:54.37
people. I saved you from the
Egyptians and you're acting like
00:19:54.41\00:19:57.35
the Egyptians. Take
your ornaments off before I
00:19:57.38\00:19:59.88
announce what your judgment
is. Have you noticed that when
00:19:59.92\00:20:03.23
people go to court and they're
going to stand before the judge
00:20:03.27\00:20:07.18
they sometimes dress different.
I remember one time, I won't
00:20:07.21\00:20:09.99
tell you what it was all about,
but I had to appear in court.
00:20:10.03\00:20:13.28
I wasn't in trouble, I was there
and the attorney asked me what
00:20:13.32\00:20:17.23
will you be wearing? He was very
particular about what I would be
00:20:17.26\00:20:21.14
wearing. And it does make
a difference. I Corinthians
00:20:21.17\00:20:26.03
chapter 10 verse 11, Paul
speaking of the children of
00:20:26.07\00:20:30.86
Israel said all these things
happened unto them for examples
00:20:30.90\00:20:35.37
They are written for our
admonition upon whom the ends
00:20:35.40\00:20:38.24
of the earth are come. What the
children of Israel went through
00:20:38.28\00:20:40.92
By the way, that was God's
church. They were his people.
00:20:40.95\00:20:43.42
He had saved them, but they were
starting to migrate back to the
00:20:43.46\00:20:46.89
practices of the people they had
been saved out of and God said
00:20:46.93\00:20:50.00
break off your ornaments that
I can know what to do with you.
00:20:50.03\00:20:53.67
You are a stubborn people. That
is what he said. Would God say
00:20:53.70\00:20:57.90
that to his church today? That
was a little thing. I mean you'd
00:20:57.93\00:21:01.38
think the golden calf was the
big problem. But he said look
00:21:01.42\00:21:05.44
if you're going to meet before
me purify yourselves. Stop
00:21:05.48\00:21:09.96
looking like the world.
And I think that is the central
00:21:09.99\00:21:14.30
message of God this morning.
There are so many big things we
00:21:14.33\00:21:17.95
can talk about. This may be a
comparatively little thing but
00:21:17.98\00:21:21.53
it's important enough for God to
mention it in his word. I know
00:21:21.57\00:21:25.19
you're going to have questions
and I want to do my best to
answer them. Does it
00:21:25.23\00:21:28.78
matter what we wear? When you
get to the book of Revelation
00:21:28.82\00:21:33.19
and God identifies the true
church and the apostate church
00:21:33.22\00:21:37.52
church through what symbols does
he identify the two churches?
00:21:37.56\00:21:42.08
The symbol of a woman, two women
One is in Revelation 12 and one
00:21:42.11\00:21:46.60
is in Revelation 17. Through
both prophecies neither of the
00:21:46.63\00:21:51.58
women speak. The way we
know which is the true woman and
00:21:51.61\00:21:56.42
which is the apostate church
is based on what? What they're
00:21:56.45\00:22:00.76
Wearing? One is clothed with
God-made light. She is standing
00:22:00.79\00:22:04.86
on the moon, she is clothed
with the sun and she's got 12
00:22:04.90\00:22:08.82
stars hovering above her head
representing the sun, the moon
00:22:08.86\00:22:12.13
and the stars, the light that
God made. This is natural light
00:22:12.17\00:22:14.89
that God made. God made the sun,
he made the moon, he made the
00:22:14.92\00:22:17.39
stars. Jesus said to the church
you are the light of the world.
00:22:17.43\00:22:19.87
It's God's light. The other
woman is wearing the gold and
00:22:19.90\00:22:25.81
the pearls and the purple
and scarlet and there's nothing
00:22:25.85\00:22:30.71
divine about the illumination
she has. It's all worldly. They
00:22:30.75\00:22:34.77
may both be beautiful, but one
is the beauty of the world and
00:22:34.81\00:22:38.59
one is the beauty of God.
Can you sometimes tell something
00:22:38.62\00:22:42.37
about... I know, we're not
supposed to judge a book by
00:22:42.41\00:22:44.95
the cover and we all know
there's some people that had a
00:22:44.98\00:22:48.29
good cover and a bad book,
and there are some people who've
00:22:48.32\00:22:52.37
got dubious covers but they're
good inside. Right? Matter of
00:22:52.40\00:22:55.55
fact, I've been surprised by
some books. The cover was so bad
00:22:55.59\00:22:58.71
but the contents was good.
So I agree with that, you're not
00:22:58.74\00:23:02.65
supposed to, but how many of
us do look at a cover before you
00:23:02.69\00:23:05.69
read the book? They spend
millions of dollars working on
00:23:05.72\00:23:08.23
those covers because they want
you to buy the book and it does
00:23:08.27\00:23:11.15
matter what's on the cover if
you can make a difference with
00:23:11.19\00:23:14.98
it. We are to represent Jesus.
Let me read a few verses for
00:23:15.02\00:23:18.20
you. New Testament. I've
given you a couple from the Old
00:23:18.23\00:23:22.54
Testament. I Timothy 2 verses
9 and 10. Paul said, In like
00:23:22.57\00:23:26.91
manner also that women adorn
themselves in modest apparel
00:23:26.95\00:23:31.22
with shamefacedness. That means
humility and sobriety. Not with
00:23:31.26\00:23:35.39
broidered, they used to weave
gold in their hair, broidered
00:23:35.42\00:23:41.27
hair or gold. Not with gold,
or pearls or with costly array.
00:23:41.31\00:23:46.25
That means that we don't need
clothing that's flamboyant and
00:23:46.29\00:23:51.20
distracting, but that
which becomes women professing
00:23:51.23\00:23:56.55
godliness with good works. It's
not that these things are good
00:23:56.59\00:24:00.97
luck charms, it's the obedience
in the life that God is looking
00:24:01.00\00:24:05.72
for. I Peter 3 verses 3 and
4. Whose adorning, he's speaking
00:24:05.76\00:24:10.38
of godly women but this applies
to men too, let it not be the
00:24:10.42\00:24:15.01
outward adorning of the
plaiting of hair, of wearing of
00:24:15.04\00:24:18.80
gold, let it not be the wearing
of gold, or putting on of
00:24:18.84\00:24:22.32
apparel but let it be the
hidden man of the heart which is
00:24:22.35\00:24:25.14
not corruptible even the
ornament, here's the ornament
00:24:25.18\00:24:27.90
God wants us to wear, here's the
lucky charm, I shouldn't even
00:24:27.94\00:24:33.13
say that, a meek and quiet
spirit which in the site of God
00:24:33.16\00:24:37.01
is of great price. It's what's
supposed to be on the inside.
00:24:37.04\00:24:40.90
I'll be very honest with you,
forgive me for being so frank,
00:24:40.94\00:24:46.08
but I have never yet met a man
who said boy I really like that
00:24:46.12\00:24:52.12
girl. Yeah, why? I think it's
her jewelry. Or I've never heard
00:24:52.15\00:24:56.13
a man, I mean I've sat around
with a lot of men just talking
00:24:56.16\00:25:00.43
like men talk and I've never
heard a man say you know she'd
00:25:00.47\00:25:04.76
be more beautiful if she wore
more jewelry. That's a myth.
00:25:04.80\00:25:07.92
If anyone out here, ladies if
you didn't know that surprise,
00:25:07.95\00:25:11.04
surprise. But I don't any
man who's ever thought that.
00:25:11.07\00:25:17.12
The Bible says a beautiful woman
without discretion is like a
00:25:17.16\00:25:22.43
jewel of gold in a pig's nose.
It's in Proverbs somewhere, but
00:25:22.46\00:25:27.13
I don't remember where. I mean,
you know, it's what's in the
00:25:27.17\00:25:31.04
heart. You can put all kind
of jewels on somebody and it
00:25:31.07\00:25:34.87
doesn't make them more beautiful
in the sight of God and quite
00:25:34.91\00:25:36.75
frankly it doesn't make them
more beautiful in the sight of
00:25:36.90\00:25:40.29
men either. Now women will
sometimes say oooh isn't that
00:25:40.33\00:25:45.79
pretty. They've got a jewelry
channel. I just went up to
00:25:45.83\00:25:51.22
Covelo and we got one of those
great big old satellite dishes
00:25:51.26\00:25:54.64
and we're not paying for
anything. So you've got to surf
00:25:54.67\00:25:57.34
the sky and see if there's
any news. I wanted to get the
00:25:57.38\00:25:59.99
president's address this week,
see if I could see it. So I'm
00:26:00.03\00:26:02.13
moving the satellite around and
the only thing I could get was
00:26:02.16\00:26:04.23
this jewelry channel. Any
men enjoy watching the jewelry
00:26:04.26\00:26:08.47
channel? But if we don't have
a problem, we've got a whole
00:26:08.51\00:26:12.76
channel dedicated to looking at
jewelry on television and they
00:26:12.80\00:26:16.36
almost sell it making it sound
like there are magical qualities
00:26:16.39\00:26:20.86
to these different things. It's
enchanting. And these things are
00:26:20.90\00:26:25.34
beautiful. I mean did God
make gold? Did God make pearls?
00:26:25.37\00:26:30.10
The high priest, what's on the
vestments of the high priest?
00:26:30.13\00:26:34.61
The high priest had get this
beautiful garment and it's got
00:26:34.64\00:26:39.81
gold and beautiful stones that
were made for representing the
00:26:39.85\00:26:44.99
different tribes and on
his shoulders he had two great
00:26:45.02\00:26:47.94
jewels that were the Urim
and the Thummim and they would
00:26:47.98\00:26:51.90
consult God and he spoke in
a way. That was a symbol for
00:26:51.94\00:26:55.46
prayer and the mediation
of Christ, but God never asked
00:26:55.49\00:26:59.28
anybody else in Israel to do
that. Well I'll get to that in
00:26:59.32\00:27:02.48
just a minute, talking about the
Day of Atonement. What are we
00:27:02.52\00:27:07.70
going to walk on in heaven? Gold
Does God like jewels? I mean
00:27:07.74\00:27:12.60
what's the 12 foundations of
the new Jerusalem. Beautiful,
00:27:12.63\00:27:16.59
precious stone. We're going
to walk on gold. What are the
00:27:16.63\00:27:20.88
gates made of? Pearl. Did the
devil make these things or God?
00:27:20.91\00:27:24.59
They're beautiful things. You
can love and appreciate them.
00:27:24.63\00:27:28.24
The question is do we hang them
on our bodies? By the way before
00:27:28.28\00:27:35.77
I leave heavenly examples,
how was Lucifer adorned? Did you
00:27:35.80\00:27:40.48
know the Bible says if you read
there in Ezekiel every precious
00:27:40.52\00:27:46.81
stone was thy covering and
look where it got him. So there!
00:27:46.85\00:27:52.71
Another reason for us to
consider this is the reason of
00:27:52.74\00:27:57.86
if we follow Christ Jesus
was meek and lowly. It has to do
00:27:57.90\00:28:02.51
with pride and humility.
Proverbs chapter 30 verse 12.
00:28:02.55\00:28:06.36
Here we are told there is a
generation that is pure in its
00:28:06.39\00:28:10.62
own eyes yet is not washed from
its filthiness. I have never
00:28:10.66\00:28:16.11
heard so many people try to
justify all these excuses for
00:28:16.15\00:28:21.53
poking holes in our nose and our
ears and wearing minerals and
00:28:21.57\00:28:27.68
justifying themselves. Really
at the heart of it is a lack of
00:28:27.71\00:28:32.91
the spirit of Christ. Keep in
mind, I want to reiterate, I am
00:28:32.95\00:28:36.94
not here to judge anybody. I
have met some of the most godly
00:28:36.97\00:28:40.47
loving people who wear various
amounts of jewelry. They maybe
00:28:40.50\00:28:43.65
have never have even thought
about it before. I've had a lot
00:28:43.69\00:28:46.21
of people come up after a
message like this and say Pastor
00:28:46.24\00:28:48.78
Doug, I'm so glad you
talked about that. I've got some
00:28:48.81\00:28:51.28
beautiful jewelry, I've worn
jewelry all my life. I've just
00:28:51.32\00:28:53.75
never thought about it before.
And now I see it in God's word
00:28:53.78\00:28:56.68
it makes sense. So nobody's here
to judge anybody but you don't
00:28:56.71\00:28:59.76
hear too many messages like
this do you these days? It's not
00:28:59.80\00:29:04.11
considered popular especially
when the whole business has
00:29:04.15\00:29:08.07
gotten so far out of hand.
Read with me in Isaiah chapter 3
00:29:08.10\00:29:11.87
verse 16 while we still are
talking about the pride issue.
00:29:11.90\00:29:17.86
Isaiah 3:16: Moreover the Lord
says, because the daughters of
00:29:17.89\00:29:22.95
Zion are haughty... what does
haughty mean? Proud... and walk
00:29:22.99\00:29:28.36
with stretched forth necks and
wanton eyes... It's connected
00:29:28.39\00:29:33.44
also with trying to be sexually
tantalizing... walking and
00:29:33.48\00:29:37.91
mincing as they go. You know
what that means? You want me to
00:29:37.95\00:29:42.35
demonstrate how a woman walks
and swishes. I won't do that
00:29:42.39\00:29:45.78
because it will be on camera
and it will be used against me.
00:29:45.82\00:29:49.43
...walking and mincing as they
go and making a tinkling with
00:29:49.46\00:29:53.64
their feet... They also had
toe bells I guess. Therefore the
00:29:53.67\00:29:57.25
Lord will smite with a scab
the crown of the head of the
00:29:57.29\00:30:00.72
daughters of Zion. The Lord
will discover their secret parts
00:30:00.76\00:30:03.74
and humiliate them in other
words, in that day of judgment.
00:30:03.78\00:30:06.99
The Lord will take away, listen,
the bravery of their tinkling
00:30:07.02\00:30:10.98
ornaments about their feet and
their calls, that's a word that
00:30:11.01\00:30:15.25
is also translated charms, the
round tires like the moon, their
00:30:15.29\00:30:19.50
chains and their bracelets,
the mufflers, the bonnets, the
00:30:19.53\00:30:22.50
ornaments of the legs, the
head bands, the tablets, the ear
00:30:22.54\00:30:26.09
rings, that's also translated
charms in some Bibles, the rings
00:30:26.12\00:30:30.13
the nose jewels, that wasn't an
issue in North America. You know
00:30:30.17\00:30:33.49
I came back from India and the
church there some of them have
00:30:33.52\00:30:37.49
a little bit of a moral dilemma
because a lot of ladies they
00:30:37.53\00:30:40.77
wear a jewel in their nose
signifying whether or not they
00:30:40.81\00:30:44.63
are married. But let me just
tell you for the record, it is
00:30:44.67\00:30:48.83
not practical. I won't go into
details, but those dear ladies
00:30:48.87\00:30:53.68
struggle with that nose jewel
and it causes a problem. I don't
00:30:53.72\00:30:57.84
think God ever intended for us
to add any holes to the existing
00:30:57.88\00:31:02.55
ones he designed us with. He
designed us perfectly with the
00:31:02.59\00:31:06.14
appropriate number and I don't
think he wants us to add to that
00:31:06.18\00:31:09.70
or diminish from it. It causes
problems. Your body is the
00:31:09.73\00:31:13.36
temple of the Holy Spirit
and so he would take that away.
00:31:13.40\00:31:16.96
...nose jewels. Now you might
say Pastor Doug, but everybody's
00:31:17.00\00:31:20.77
doing it. It's so prevalent.
Listen to what Jesus said.
00:31:20.80\00:31:24.37
Luke 16:15: For that which is
highly esteemed among men is an
00:31:24.41\00:31:29.20
abomination in the sight of God.
Just because something might
00:31:29.24\00:31:33.43
be highly esteemed in the world
and even in the church, does not
00:31:33.47\00:31:37.63
mean that God looks at it the
same way. Matter of fact, one
00:31:37.66\00:31:40.83
of the characteristics of the
church in the last days is the
00:31:40.87\00:31:44.20
Laodicean condition you find
in Revelation chapter 3 which is
00:31:44.24\00:31:48.42
not knowing that they are
poor and wretched and blind and
00:31:48.46\00:31:52.57
naked thinking they are rich and
increased with goods. And what
00:31:52.61\00:31:55.01
is one of the reasons they think
they are rich and increased with
00:31:55.05\00:31:58.74
goods? Because they're wearing
their riches and God says I will
00:31:58.78\00:32:02.50
spew you out of my mouth. They
don't have the humility and the
00:32:02.54\00:32:08.38
mind of Christ. Body piercing.
Do you think a pastor needs to
00:32:08.42\00:32:13.22
talk about this in our day
and age? Is it part of practical
00:32:13.25\00:32:17.85
Christianity when you got a
culture where self-mutilation is
00:32:17.88\00:32:22.76
just absolutely rampant? Where
did this come from? Let's take a
00:32:22.80\00:32:26.93
little tour. I went to India and
saw some of this when I was here
00:32:26.96\00:32:31.06
just last November. In
these pagan cultures where they
00:32:31.09\00:32:34.50
worship the pagan gods,
thousands of gods, they mutilate
00:32:34.54\00:32:37.88
and punish themselves to please
the gods. They hang all these
00:32:37.92\00:32:40.32
charms and there are symbols
for everything they are doing,
00:32:40.36\00:32:43.32
hooks all through their bodies
and they pull things with it.
00:32:43.36\00:32:47.45
Some people come out to look but
it's a religious festival. They
00:32:47.49\00:32:51.55
are not doing it for
entertainment. If you go to
00:32:51.58\00:32:54.44
Nepal you'll find there that
for hundreds if not thousands of
00:32:54.48\00:32:59.06
years it was the custom to
surround the ear with special
00:32:59.09\00:33:03.10
charms and the purpose was
to prevent evil spirits from
00:33:03.14\00:33:07.08
speaking to you. Africa. Again
I could go from tribe to tribe
00:33:07.12\00:33:12.47
and there'd be all different
kinds of examples I could give.
00:33:12.51\00:33:16.63
I just captured this one where
they're piercing and all those
00:33:16.67\00:33:20.54
things are supposed to have
spiritual significance. But is
00:33:20.57\00:33:23.69
it Christian significance?
That is my question. If it's not
00:33:23.73\00:33:27.53
Christian, what kind of spirit
is it? Burma. You've probably
00:33:27.56\00:33:31.59
seen this before. Actually their
necks aren't longer. What they
00:33:31.63\00:33:35.07
do is they start adding these
rings when they're young and it
00:33:35.11\00:33:38.52
basically pushes their collar
bones down in their torso.
00:33:38.55\00:33:41.43
They have very short life
expectancy. It's extremely
00:33:41.46\00:33:44.27
unhealthy. But again, religious
purposes for these things.
00:33:44.31\00:33:48.18
Now of course, California. We've
got similar religious things.
00:33:48.22\00:33:52.06
(Laughter) It's the cheese!
Let me read some very plain
00:33:52.09\00:33:57.49
verses for you. I thought
we needed to lighten things up
00:33:57.52\00:34:01.61
a little bit because I knew
this would be tense. Leviticus
00:34:01.65\00:34:05.67
19:28: You shall not make, now
that to me sounds like a command
00:34:05.71\00:34:10.24
I mean when God says thou shalt
not it means thou shall not just
00:34:10.28\00:34:14.16
like all the other commands. You
shall not make any cuttings in
00:34:14.20\00:34:18.09
your flesh for the dead. They
used to do it for the dead. It
00:34:18.13\00:34:23.27
was what the pagans did. He says
I am the Lord. You are holy.
00:34:23.31\00:34:27.39
When the prophets of Baal wanted
to get the attention of their
00:34:27.43\00:34:31.28
God, what did they ultimately
do? They jumped up and down on
00:34:31.31\00:34:35.13
the altar and they cut
themselves. If you want that
00:34:35.17\00:34:38.14
verse? I Kings chapter 18 verse
28, till the blood ran out.
00:34:38.18\00:34:42.82
When Jesus encountered a man
filled with a legion of demons
00:34:42.85\00:34:47.46
what was one of the
characteristics of his
00:34:47.49\00:34:49.18
demonic possession. Mark 5 verse
And always night and day he
00:34:49.21\00:34:53.65
was in the mountains and in the
tombs, crying out and cutting
00:34:53.68\00:34:58.09
himself with stones.
Deuteronomy 14 verse 1 and 2:
00:34:58.12\00:35:03.39
You are the children of the
Lord your God, you shall not cut
00:35:03.42\00:35:07.07
yourselves for you are a holy
people. Your body is the temple
00:35:07.11\00:35:11.71
of the Holy Spirit. We are not
to deface God's temple and yet
00:35:11.74\00:35:15.77
what do we see in the world
around us today? I even wondered
00:35:15.81\00:35:18.88
whether or not to show you some
of these pictures because for me
00:35:18.92\00:35:21.96
it's revolting. But I thought
I'd use a little bit of shock
00:35:21.99\00:35:26.22
effect. This stuff is not
made up. People are really doing
00:35:26.25\00:35:30.83
these things and it is
connected with satanic worship.
00:35:30.86\00:35:34.48
Well you might say Oh Pastor
Doug of course this stuff is
00:35:34.51\00:35:38.49
going to an extreme, but
you know a little bit's okay. Oh
00:35:38.53\00:35:42.33
really? How much like the world
and diabolical worship do we
00:35:42.36\00:35:46.13
want to look? Well but Pastor
Doug, what do I do? I've already
00:35:46.16\00:35:49.89
my ears or my nose, I've
got a hole there. Well God will
00:35:49.92\00:35:53.77
forgive you. Some of you have
got tattoos too. I mean God will
00:35:53.81\00:35:57.39
forgive you, Amen? But take that
stuff off and live a holy life
00:35:57.43\00:36:01.50
and be pure. We're living in the
last days. Oh by the way, you
00:36:01.53\00:36:06.52
know who does believe in body
piercing? The devil. How did
00:36:06.56\00:36:12.56
Jesus die? Jesus died at
the hands of Satan's piercing.
00:36:12.60\00:36:17.54
Another reason for us to
consider this; I Corinthians 8
00:36:17.58\00:36:22.45
verse 12. We don't want to be
a stumbling block. Now I've told
00:36:22.49\00:36:25.52
you there's going to be a lot
of good Christian men and women
00:36:25.55\00:36:28.55
that have worn various
amounts of jewelry for different
00:36:28.58\00:36:32.68
purposes and sometime we might
say well it was a wedding ring
00:36:32.72\00:36:35.45
of it was a family heirloom or
whatever. I mean we're not here
00:36:35.48\00:36:38.31
to judge. God knows the heart.
Amen? And I'm not here to judge
00:36:38.35\00:36:40.79
anyone's heart. I just need to
be faithful to preach the word
00:36:40.82\00:36:43.23
and get you to think. What
you do about what you hear is
00:36:43.26\00:36:46.26
between you and the Lord,
but I'd like to challenge you to
00:36:46.30\00:36:49.50
think about not just you and
what you're doing for you but
00:36:49.53\00:36:53.53
what are other people seeing?
You might say well look I just
00:36:53.57\00:36:57.50
wear a couple of little tasteful
pearl ear rings. Now I'm talking
00:36:57.53\00:37:00.27
to the men. Could be, huh?
And the women. But someone else
00:37:00.30\00:37:09.02
might look at you and let's face
it are there people who struggle
00:37:09.05\00:37:11.97
with insecurity? Are there
people who struggle with low
00:37:12.00\00:37:15.64
self-worth. It's a fact that
some people think, it's a fact
00:37:15.68\00:37:18.78
they think they're going
to raise their perceived value
00:37:18.81\00:37:22.31
by putting valuables on and
they're trying to raise their
00:37:22.35\00:37:25.88
perceived beauty or their
perceived worth by putting these
00:37:25.91\00:37:30.34
things on and they go hog wild
and they start dressing up, I
00:37:30.38\00:37:34.78
won't use any names. And
in order not to make someone
00:37:34.81\00:37:38.82
stumble I don't wear any. I used
to wear a tie clip and today
00:37:38.85\00:37:42.57
let me tell you I picked my
tie carefully today. One time I
00:37:42.60\00:37:46.10
preached this message and I'd
worn a Rush Limbaugh tie, these
00:37:46.14\00:37:49.26
fluorescent, cosmic tie somebody
gave me and everybody saw my tie
00:37:49.30\00:37:52.75
and they say how dare you talk
about jewelry? So today I tried
00:37:52.79\00:37:56.52
to get the most boring tie I
could wear. By the way don't use
00:37:56.55\00:38:00.98
the inconsistency in some other
area as an excuse for another
00:38:01.02\00:38:04.89
one. Because if you continue
to use inconsistency in one area
00:38:04.93\00:38:08.92
to excuse your inconsistency,
your always walking down towards
00:38:08.96\00:38:12.65
more inconsistency. If something
is true it's true and I know one
00:38:12.68\00:38:15.73
thing I will not stand before
the Lord in the judgment day and
00:38:15.76\00:38:18.68
have God say Doug, I'm sorry,
I'd like to let you in but I
00:38:18.72\00:38:23.04
can't. Why Lord? You didn't wear
enough jewelry. You see what
00:38:23.08\00:38:26.91
I'm saying. I'm safe. I don't
want to do anything to make
00:38:26.94\00:38:30.70
anybody else stumble. I'm not
bragging because I'm not humble,
00:38:30.74\00:38:34.65
but my father gave me a Rolex
watch. It was my brother's. My
00:38:34.69\00:38:38.20
brother was a jeweler. He put a
new face on it and fixed it up.
00:38:38.23\00:38:41.19
It's probably worth thousands
of dollars. He gave me a Rolex
00:38:41.22\00:38:43.96
watch. I don't wear my Rolex.
For one thing, it's heavy. You
00:38:44.00\00:38:48.07
know jewelry is not practical is
it. No it's not practical. Did
00:38:48.10\00:38:52.13
you ever try to cook with a
bunch of jewelry on. Can't do it
00:38:52.16\00:38:57.99
Cassio, $19, indestructible.
I hit it with my racket ball all
00:38:58.02\00:39:03.02
the time. It's practical. I mean
God wants us to be practical.
00:39:03.05\00:39:06.61
Jewelry is not really practical.
You have to take it off when
00:39:06.64\00:39:10.16
you go through the metal
detector at the airport, right?
00:39:10.20\00:39:14.91
By the way, there's a metal
detector in heaven. I can't show
00:39:14.94\00:39:19.58
you the scripture for that right
now. I Corinthians 8:12, I never
00:39:19.62\00:39:24.14
did read this to you. But
when you sin thus against the
00:39:24.18\00:39:27.95
brethren and you wound their
weak conscience you sin against
00:39:27.98\00:39:32.24
Christ. Therefore, if food makes
my brother stumble I'll never
00:39:32.28\00:39:36.55
eat meat again. The issue back
then was some of their converts
00:39:36.59\00:39:40.48
to Christianity from Judaism,
they couldn't even eat the clean
00:39:40.52\00:39:43.53
meats that had been butchered
in the pagan temples. They said
00:39:43.57\00:39:46.44
why they butchered this in a
pagan temple. If I eat it then
00:39:46.48\00:39:49.51
I'm involved in idol worship.
Paul said well if you didn't
00:39:49.55\00:39:52.51
offer it it's no big deal but if
it's going to make someone else
00:39:52.55\00:39:55.38
stumble, them seeing me do it
if they think that it's idolatry
00:39:55.41\00:39:58.21
I won't even ever eat meat
again rather than made someone
00:39:58.25\00:40:01.35
stumble. If that was the
attitude of Paul then why would
00:40:01.38\00:40:04.48
we want to dress in a way and
cross a line. There is a line
00:40:04.52\00:40:08.28
where you either do or you don't
wear jewelry and my appeal to
00:40:08.31\00:40:12.13
you is don't. You're never
going to get in trouble for not
00:40:12.16\00:40:15.91
wearing it. Does that make sense
Day of Atonement. Here is what
00:40:15.94\00:40:21.30
I think is another
very compelling reason.
00:40:21.33\00:40:23.50
Yeah there have been examples in
history where different people
00:40:23.53\00:40:26.45
wore different amounts.
King David wore a crown. I just
00:40:26.48\00:40:29.13
talked to you about where
they gave Rebekah a bracelet.
00:40:29.17\00:40:31.75
The prodigal son comes home and
the Father says put on him the
00:40:31.78\00:40:35.32
best robe and put a ring on his
finger. Of course that was the
00:40:35.36\00:40:39.10
family signet ring and it was
a utilitarian thing in purpose.
00:40:39.14\00:40:43.42
But keep in mind frequently in
the Bible Jesus talks about and
00:40:43.46\00:40:47.31
the Bible talks about what facts
are. It doesn't mean it endorsed
00:40:47.34\00:40:51.16
what was happening. Does the
Bible talk about laws regarding
00:40:51.19\00:40:56.58
how to treat multiple wives?
Yes it does. Does that mean that
00:40:56.61\00:41:01.96
God endorsed multiple
wives? Karen, somebody, help me.
00:41:02.00\00:41:07.23
(Laughter) No, of course not.
So God often talked about things
00:41:07.26\00:41:10.62
that were prevalent but it
doesn't mean he approved of it.
00:41:10.66\00:41:13.95
Does God make laws about how to
treat your slaves? Yes, even in
00:41:13.98\00:41:17.60
the 10 commandments. That mean
he endorses slavery? No. Because
00:41:17.64\00:41:21.22
of the hardness of our heart
he dealt with these things.
00:41:21.25\00:41:22.76
So if you find varying examples
in the Bible of people wearing
00:41:22.79\00:41:25.71
jewelry it doesn't ever mean
that God intended Adam and Eve
00:41:25.75\00:41:30.04
to hang minerals on their bodies
That wasn't his plan. Now in
00:41:30.07\00:41:34.35
heaven God will give you a crown
but him giving you a crown is
00:41:34.38\00:41:38.14
different than your crowning
yourself. By the way, you know
00:41:38.18\00:41:41.84
when David crowned himself?
Right after he killed Uriah and
00:41:41.87\00:41:46.78
sinned with Bathsheba. His heart
was not right at that time.
00:41:46.82\00:41:50.43
We are living in the day of
atonement. We are in the last
00:41:50.46\00:41:53.80
phase of Christ's priestly
ministry. He is the Holy of
00:41:53.83\00:41:57.09
Holies in heaven. You know there
was one time in the year when
00:41:57.13\00:42:00.63
the priest would minister before
God and he did not wear his
00:42:00.67\00:42:04.94
ornaments, the Day of Atonement.
He stripped himself of those.
00:42:04.97\00:42:08.36
Listen. Leviticus 16 is where
you find the passage about the
00:42:08.39\00:42:12.78
Day of Atonement. He shall
put on the holy linen tunic and
00:42:12.82\00:42:17.13
linen trousers on his body and
gird it with a linen sash. Linen
00:42:17.17\00:42:20.89
linen, linen. And with a linen
turban. He had all this white on
00:42:20.92\00:42:24.32
him. These are the holy garments
Therefore, he shall wash his
00:42:24.36\00:42:27.64
body and put them on. He was to
be pure and put them on and that
00:42:27.67\00:42:31.30
is how he went in on the Day of
Atonement. And the people when
00:42:31.33\00:42:34.51
they met before the Lord, what
was their attitude on that day?
00:42:34.55\00:42:39.15
The Lord says here, Leviticus
16:31 It is a Sabbath, a solemn
00:42:39.18\00:42:43.07
rest for you. You shall afflict
your soul. You know what that
00:42:43.11\00:42:47.79
means? Humble yourselves. You
shall afflict your souls. It is
00:42:47.82\00:42:52.46
a statute forever. It was
a day when they would humble
00:42:52.50\00:42:54.95
themselves before the Lord.
As the children of Israel came
00:42:54.98\00:42:57.72
before the Lord there at
Mount Sinai he said strip your
00:42:57.75\00:43:01.44
ornaments. As Jacob came with
his family before Bethel they
00:43:01.47\00:43:04.74
stripped themselves of their
ornaments. Is Jesus getting
00:43:04.77\00:43:07.97
ready to come? As we near the
end of time are we to be getting
00:43:08.00\00:43:11.95
closer to the ideal of Christ
or further away? But what do you
00:43:11.99\00:43:15.94
see happening in the church.
Karen said something last night
00:43:15.98\00:43:19.28
and I said I've got to share
that with people. I sometimes
00:43:19.31\00:43:23.07
bounce my messages off of her.
We have known people who have
00:43:23.11\00:43:26.84
been raised in the remnant
church that believe as I'm
00:43:26.87\00:43:29.80
teaching to you that you don't
wear jewelry. But somewhere
00:43:29.84\00:43:32.08
along the way they struggle and
they say you know maybe it's not
00:43:32.11\00:43:34.67
that big a deal and they put
it back on to varying degrees.
00:43:34.70\00:43:38.30
I have never yet seen one of
those people who when they do
00:43:38.33\00:43:41.99
that they suddenly become
more spiritual. Their lives then
00:43:42.02\00:43:45.53
suddenly start drifting the
other way. It is almost like it
00:43:45.57\00:43:49.71
is an unlucky charm. And they're
giving the devil permission to
00:43:49.74\00:43:53.85
draw them like it's a magnet.
I have never seen anybody
00:43:53.88\00:43:58.53
who has said, I'm just going
to put a little on and then I'm
00:43:58.57\00:44:01.32
going to have a personal revival
It doesn't work that way. I have
00:44:01.35\00:44:05.73
seen many, many people say I'm
going to take it off and they do
00:44:05.76\00:44:09.78
experience a spiritual revival.
Because they see that like I
00:44:09.82\00:44:14.08
said you're getting more like
Jesus. When he died... By the
00:44:14.12\00:44:17.41
way, that's my next point.
Christ is our example in all
00:44:17.44\00:44:20.67
things, Amen? I John 2 verse
6: He who says he abides in him
00:44:20.70\00:44:27.38
ought himself also to walk
just as he walked. I Peter 2:21:
00:44:27.42\00:44:32.56
For to this you were called
because Christ also suffered for
00:44:32.60\00:44:36.69
us leaving us an example that
we should follow in his steps.
00:44:36.72\00:44:40.99
Jesus said whoever's going
to come after me, let him deny
00:44:41.03\00:44:45.00
himself, take up his cross and
follow me. Now when Jesus took
00:44:45.04\00:44:48.45
up his cross we know exactly
what he was wearing because they
00:44:48.48\00:44:51.59
took away everything he was
wearing at the cross. Isn't that
00:44:51.63\00:44:54.70
right? When they gambled
for his clothing, does anyone
00:44:54.73\00:44:57.41
remember saying anything about
jewelry there? They took away
00:44:57.44\00:45:01.43
his outer garment, his robe,
his undergarments. They never
00:45:01.47\00:45:05.38
gambled for his jewels. He did
not wear them. He's our example.
00:45:05.42\00:45:09.93
Well but Pastor Doug, I just
wear a cross. It's for good luck
00:45:09.96\00:45:15.39
Does Jesus ask us to wear the
cross or to bear the cross. Talk
00:45:15.42\00:45:19.50
about a good luck charm, at
least some people think it is.
00:45:19.54\00:45:23.72
Remember those old vampire
movies. You do too so don't act
00:45:23.75\00:45:28.33
so pious. (Laughter) Where the
vampire comes and they take out
00:45:28.36\00:45:32.56
the cross and hold it up and
he goes ah oooh. Is the devil
00:45:32.59\00:45:35.93
scared of somebody wearing a
cross. I know people they hang
00:45:35.96\00:45:38.85
the cross around my neck. I've
got to wear my cross, I'm flying
00:45:38.89\00:45:41.75
this week. Or they hang it
from the mirror in their car.
00:45:41.79\00:45:45.30
I really had a friend tell
me. I said what's that? I didn't
00:45:45.34\00:45:47.86
know you were a Christian. He
said, Oh I'm not. He said when
00:45:47.90\00:45:50.39
I'm driving and I'm drunk
it keeps me safe. (Laughter)
00:45:50.42\00:45:54.34
They think it's a good luck
charm. Did Jesus say wear the
00:45:54.38\00:45:57.89
cross anywhere in the Bible
or did he say bear the cross?
00:45:57.93\00:46:01.51
Whole lot easier to wear one
than bear one. I think I told
00:46:01.54\00:46:05.86
you, I think Christian jewelry
is an oxymoron. Ultimately
00:46:05.90\00:46:09.69
friends there's going to be
a big liquidation sale someday.
00:46:09.72\00:46:15.66
Did you know that? Isaiah
chapter 2 verse 20, verse 21.
00:46:15.69\00:46:20.68
In that day, speaking of the
judgment day, a man will cast
00:46:20.71\00:46:25.27
away his idols of silver and his
idols of gold which they have
00:46:25.30\00:46:29.78
made each one for themselves.
Cast them away to the rats and
00:46:29.82\00:46:33.71
the bats and the moles. Well
I tell you if you're going to
00:46:33.75\00:46:37.20
unload do it now when you
can invest that stuff and put it
00:46:37.23\00:46:40.76
into God's work. Amen? I
mean otherwise you'll just be
00:46:40.80\00:46:44.26
throwing it into the dirt. If
everybody waits until there's a
00:46:44.29\00:46:47.83
big sell off, what happens to
the house prices when everybody
00:46:47.86\00:46:51.65
is selling. Do they go up or
down? If you're waiting until
00:46:51.69\00:46:55.44
everybody says oh better
liquidate, you've waited too
00:46:55.48\00:46:58.45
long. If you're going to
liquidate, better liquidate now.
00:46:58.49\00:47:01.40
Ezekiel 7 verses 18 and 19. They
will be girded with sackcloth
00:47:01.43\00:47:06.13
horror will cover them, shame
will be on every face, baldness
00:47:06.16\00:47:10.01
on their heads. They will throw
the silver into the streets and
00:47:10.05\00:47:14.44
their gold will be like refuse.
And we're going to wear it now.
00:47:14.47\00:47:18.83
You now we want to be good
witnesses and a... Bear with me
00:47:18.86\00:47:25.21
for just a moment here. I'll be
back...I went shopping yesterday
00:47:25.25\00:47:35.43
I've got big old fat fingers.
If I concluded this message
00:47:35.47\00:47:47.14
like this would you find
it distracting? You would?
00:47:47.18\00:47:53.97
Why? It's a little too big.
If it was smaller it'd be okay?
00:47:54.00\00:47:58.37
But everyone's got varying ideas
how big and small it should be.
00:47:58.40\00:48:02.27
Did you have a problem before
I put on any? No, because if you
00:48:02.31\00:48:07.14
don't have it it's not a
problem But wait. I'm not done.
00:48:07.17\00:48:09.63
You know I worked with some...
00:48:09.66\00:48:11.98
I can't even get my hand in
my pocket with this thing on.
00:48:12.01\00:48:17.86
I worked with the Navajos for
a year and a half and they wore
00:48:17.90\00:48:25.32
and made the most beautiful
turquoise jewelry and I would
00:48:25.35\00:48:30.33
say to them, I shared this
message, I've shared it my whole
00:48:30.36\00:48:34.03
Christian experience because
I think it's a biblical message.
00:48:34.06\00:48:37.35
And they would say Pastor Doug
it's different for us because
00:48:37.38\00:48:40.60
this is our money. And it's true
They would make these beautiful
00:48:40.64\00:48:43.82
turquoise and silver jewelry
and I'd say well it's fine to
00:48:43.86\00:48:49.69
have money but does God want us
to wear it? What do you think of
00:48:49.73\00:48:53.61
somebody... Oh wait a second.
You know what I'm going to do?
00:48:53.65\00:48:57.46
If I can get my hand here in
my pocket. I started to make my
00:48:57.50\00:49:01.14
offering and I put it back in
my pocket. Did anybody see that?
00:49:01.17\00:49:04.55
Because I decided rather than
give it and this would just be
00:49:04.59\00:49:07.99
$1 costume jewelry. Here's a
$100 bill. By the way that's not
00:49:08.02\00:49:11.71
our offering. Karen makes the
real offering in a check. I just
00:49:11.75\00:49:14.83
like to do something up front
so you'll know that I'm being
00:49:14.87\00:49:19.61
supportive. But where would you
rather see this? In the church
00:49:19.65\00:49:26.22
offering envelope or like this?
No really if you were an angel
00:49:26.26\00:49:31.98
and you know in heaven... what's
the asphalt in heaven? Gold.
00:49:32.01\00:49:37.78
Would we wear asphalt on our
bodies? In California I know but
00:49:37.81\00:49:42.83
I do these things because
it's the only part of the sermon
00:49:42.86\00:49:46.67
they'll remember. Would you
rather see it in my ears or in
00:49:46.71\00:49:50.76
the church offering envelope?
Now some of you say, well Pastor
00:49:50.80\00:49:54.04
Doug, we spend too much money
on our houses and we spend too
00:49:54.07\00:49:57.79
much money on our cars and...
You're right. Remember what I
00:49:57.82\00:50:01.50
said, Don't use one
inconsistency as an excuse for
00:50:01.53\00:50:04.22
another. Let me read something
to you. John Wesley. I told you
00:50:04.25\00:50:09.56
this is not new. This is the
founder of the Methodist church.
00:50:09.60\00:50:14.87
This is not unique to our church
00:50:14.91\00:50:17.05
I don't think people know that
to some extent I do believe that
00:50:52.57\00:50:55.95
We can inhibit what God
wants to do through our witness
00:50:55.99\00:50:59.22
through these things. E.G.
White in case you're wondering,
00:50:59.25\00:51:02.78
Testimonies Vol. 3, p. 366
and I could read hundreds of
00:51:02.82\00:51:06.31
statements. We are commanded...
00:51:06.34\00:51:16.09
Now, I'm watching the clock.
I think I have time. I prayed
00:51:16.12\00:51:20.58
about whether or not... I
thought if there's still time on
00:51:20.61\00:51:24.45
the clock Lord I'll say
something. There's still time.
00:51:24.49\00:51:29.22
What about a wedding ring.
Pastor Doug our church baptized
00:51:29.25\00:51:33.66
that a few years ago. No they
didn't. You haven't read it.
Some people in some
00:51:33.70\00:51:38.08
countries wear wedding
rings because it is just about
00:51:38.11\00:51:40.43
mandatory in their culture
or they are ostracized and they
00:51:40.46\00:51:43.94
could even be imprisoned
because they are considered
00:51:43.98\00:51:45.71
to be philandering. And they
only wear a simple gold band.
00:51:45.75\00:51:50.20
They don't wear the diamond
studded things. Where does the
00:51:50.24\00:51:54.63
wedding ring come from. Well it
comes from Babylon and it found
00:51:54.66\00:51:57.92
it's way into Egypt. Once a
woman was no longer a virgin
00:51:57.96\00:52:01.12
they would put a ring on her
finger. There was a connotation
00:52:01.16\00:52:04.23
that you'll understand, I won't
go into. From Egypt the Romans
00:52:04.27\00:52:08.15
adopted it when they conquered
Egypt. From pagan Rome it found
00:52:08.18\00:52:12.05
it's way into the Roman church.
Protestants in North America
00:52:12.09\00:52:15.71
never had anything to do with
it until it became... You know
00:52:15.74\00:52:19.22
largely we're a Catholic country
now by population and the
00:52:19.25\00:52:22.71
culture changed in the last
150 years. Let me read something
00:52:22.75\00:52:26.14
to you from history that I found
amazing. I didn't know this till
00:52:26.18\00:52:29.43
this week. When the New King
James Bible was translated they
00:52:29.46\00:52:33.96
had a historical footnote that
they put in and you can find
00:52:33.99\00:52:37.85
this online and read this for
yourself. When King James was
00:52:37.88\00:52:41.41
approached, when he first came
to the throne, they had a number
00:52:41.45\00:52:44.94
of the Puritan protestant
preachers that came to him and
00:52:44.97\00:52:48.68
they had a petition. It was
called the millenary petition
00:52:48.71\00:52:51.93
because they claimed they had
a thousand pastors in England
00:52:51.97\00:52:55.15
who had switched to
Protestantism and here's
00:52:55.19\00:52:58.54
what their appeal was to King
James to relieve them from the
00:52:58.57\00:53:01.24
pressures, because in case
you didn't know, some of the
00:53:01.27\00:53:04.00
monarchs in England were
Protestant, some were Catholic,
00:53:04.04\00:53:06.70
some were Anglican, they went
back and forth from king to king
00:53:06.73\00:53:10.02
Now they had a king who was
friendly to the protestants and
00:53:10.05\00:53:13.51
so they appealed to him. Listen
to their appeal. The petition
00:53:13.55\00:53:17.16
requested the removal of all
popish elements from the worship
00:53:17.19\00:53:20.87
of the church. It asked they not
be forced to show the sign of
00:53:20.91\00:53:24.95
the cross, that it be abolished
in baptism, the use of the ring
00:53:24.98\00:53:28.99
be dropped from the marriage
ceremony and the wearing of the
00:53:29.02\00:53:32.89
garments that the priest wore
and they've got a whole list of
00:53:32.92\00:53:36.75
things. But isn't that
interesting? And that's where
00:53:36.78\00:53:39.32
it comes from. By the way,
you know when it became popular?
00:53:39.36\00:53:43.14
It's all over the world now.
But the De Beers Diamond Company
00:53:43.17\00:53:46.92
spent multiple millions
of dollars on a campaign for
00:53:46.95\00:53:52.11
wedding rings about 100 years
ago and it suddenly became very
00:53:52.15\00:53:56.55
prevalent and especially diamond
wedding rings. Japan never wore
00:53:56.58\00:54:00.04
any kind of wedding rings and
now everybody in Japan there's
00:54:00.07\00:54:03.79
a wedding ring that's a diamond
wedding ring. It's just begun to
00:54:03.83\00:54:06.65
spread. You say Pastor it's
got a function. I'm not here to
00:54:06.68\00:54:09.52
condemn anybody I'm just telling
you nobody has ever had a
00:54:09.56\00:54:12.61
problem with me not wearing a
ring. Mrs. Batchelor has never
00:54:12.65\00:54:16.04
worn a ring in our marriage
and she works in the hospital at
00:54:16.08\00:54:19.40
UC Davis and there was never any
problem. This idea that all of a
00:54:19.44\00:54:22.56
sudden you're going to be
assaulted from every side,
00:54:22.59\00:54:24.74
that's a myth in my opinion.
I haven't found that. People who
00:54:24.77\00:54:30.23
are married sort of exude
the aura that they're married.
00:54:30.26\00:54:33.16
The men all kind of look hen
pecked and the women all look
00:54:33.20\00:54:37.05
tired. (Laughter) No, I'm sorry,
I shouldn't have said that.
00:54:37.08\00:54:41.52
But you people can tell when
you're married. Well I won't
00:54:41.55\00:54:45.11
take that very far. Let me add
one more thing I was going to
00:54:45.15\00:54:50.70
share on that subject of
the wedding ring. Um. John Henry
00:54:50.73\00:54:55.65
Newman Catholic cardinal, he
wrote giving a history of the
00:54:55.68\00:55:00.39
church, Constantine the Roman
emperor, this is a Catholic
00:55:00.43\00:55:05.10
cardinal. In order to recommend
the new religion, Christianity,
00:55:05.13\00:55:08.28
to the heathen, the pagan
Romans, he transferred in the
00:55:08.32\00:55:11.82
outward adornments to which they
were accustomed in their own.
00:55:11.85\00:55:15.28
It's not necessary to go into
the subject with diligence. The
00:55:15.31\00:55:18.11
Protestant writers have
done this. The use of temples,
00:55:18.14\00:55:20.91
dedicating of saints, incense,
the ring in marriage are among
00:55:20.94\00:55:26.40
the many things that were
introduced. It's just come
00:55:26.43\00:55:28.62
straight out of paganism. Show
me in the Bible a wedding ring.
00:55:28.65\00:55:32.60
Yep. It's totally from the pagan
culture. And I'm not here to
00:55:32.64\00:55:36.55
condemn anybody. I'm just
telling you. I want you to
00:55:36.58\00:55:38.53
think about these
things. Because what ends up
00:55:38.57\00:55:40.82
happening is someone looks at
one little crack in the dam and
00:55:40.86\00:55:44.81
pretty soon the flood gates
break. My sermon today is not
00:55:44.84\00:55:48.43
going to change everything
friends. I'm just hoping that I
00:55:48.47\00:55:52.24
can help hold the flood back
a little bit by my small voice.
00:55:52.28\00:55:55.45
I hope you take this tape
and you circulate it among God's
00:55:55.48\00:55:58.58
people, not to beat them up with
it but as a truth that we want
00:55:58.62\00:56:02.12
to represent Jesus in these
last days before he comes. Amen?
00:56:02.16\00:56:07.00
This is just one little thing
important of many things where
00:56:07.03\00:56:11.84
we in our lives attempt to
become more like Christ and
00:56:11.88\00:56:15.45
less like the world. That's
my concern, that's my appeal.
00:56:15.48\00:56:18.98
There's just so much compromise
going on friends. Jesus is our
00:56:19.02\00:56:23.61
example. He's concerned with
the inner adorning. It's not the
00:56:23.64\00:56:27.25
gold on the outside, it's the
rocks in the box. It's the law
00:56:27.29\00:56:31.65
in the heart. What's the new
covenant? It's the rocks inside.
00:56:31.69\00:56:35.56
Jesus is the Rock. Jesus is the
Word. He was the Word written on
00:56:35.59\00:56:39.42
those stones that was in the
heart and when we've got that
00:56:39.46\00:56:42.51
mineral, that's the only
mineral I want you to wear.
00:56:42.54\00:56:45.09
The law of God in your heart.
When you've got that written in
00:56:45.13\00:56:48.80
your hearts then it begins
to change the whole life. That's
00:56:48.83\00:56:51.66
the reason to change, because of
the love for the Lord friends.
00:56:51.69\00:56:55.48
I have never seen people when
they're in love have a problem
00:56:55.52\00:56:58.99
with any kind of restriction.
When we're in love we're willing
00:56:59.02\00:57:02.44
to make all kinds of sacrifices
for those we love. So my appeal
00:57:02.48\00:57:06.21
to you is if you're born again
and if you love Jesus that we do
00:57:06.24\00:57:09.71
what God commanded the children
of Israel to do, that we unload
00:57:09.74\00:57:13.18
and we get ready to
meet before the Lord. Amen?
00:57:13.21\00:57:18.56
Loving Father, Lord we
have explored and studied some
00:57:18.60\00:57:22.26
difficult subjects today. Some
things that strike close to home
00:57:22.29\00:57:26.12
some things that can be
sensitive and we pray right now
00:57:26.16\00:57:30.57
Lord that you will take the
showers of the Holy Spirit and
00:57:30.61\00:57:34.96
sprinkle them on every mind and
heart so we can know, we can be
00:57:34.99\00:57:38.80
illuminated to know how to apply
the truths that we considered.
00:57:38.83\00:57:42.89
Lord help us to represent you.
Help us to remember that we are
00:57:42.92\00:57:46.82
living in the final hours of
earth's history that we are at
00:57:46.86\00:57:50.33
a time when we are to humble
ourselves before you and come
00:57:50.36\00:57:54.60
into your presence pure, a holy
people. Bless each person so
00:57:54.64\00:57:58.34
that we might know how we can
best apply the things and also
00:57:58.37\00:58:03.23
represent you in a fallen world.
In Jesus' name we ask, Amen.
00:58:03.26\00:58:08.08