It's been 2000
years since the glorious
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light of the cross
illuminated a world
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veiled in darkness and confusion
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about the character of God.
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And still today, the
greatest need of mankind
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has a revelation of Gods love
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as reveled in
the life of Christ.
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Amazing Facts
presents the everlasting gospel
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with Pastor Doug Batchelor,
coming to you each week
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from Sacramento Central
Church in Sunny California.
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Discover hidden
treasures in God's word today.
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The theme of our
message this morning
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is dealing with the subject
of the "Two Great Motives,"
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that you find in scripture.
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There is a great controversy
between Christ and Satan.
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Jesus is love, God is love.
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The devil is the opposite
or the antithesis of that.
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He is selfishness.
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Man originally
was created by God
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with a natural desire to love.
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Adam when he came from the hands
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of the Creator and Eve,
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they felt this normal responses
well spring of love within them.
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It was natural for them.
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It was how man was motivated
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before the fall but after sin,
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if you could
summarize what was the disease
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that came upon the
fallen nature of man.
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You could summarize it
pretty well in one word
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and it would be
selfishness where before man
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was motivated by love
now in his fallen state men
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was absorbed with himself.
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You see, God
created every persons heart
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with the space in
the heart to be filled
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with the object of worship,
that's where God belongs.
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But man in his fallen
state puts himself on the altar.
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You know, in the
First Commandment,
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"You shall not have other Gods."
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Really all pagan and
all idolatrous religions
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they put self on the altar.
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And never was that more
true then in our culture today.
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I remember we're hearing in
Greek mythology about Narcissus.
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Narcissus was
one of the Greek Gods
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and there was
another Nymph Goddess
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by the name of
Echo who loved him
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but they came to a pool of water
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and as he looked at
his reflection in the pool,
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he fell in love with the image
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that he saw of
reflecting back at him.
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And she was wanting
to get his attention
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but you see
Echo could not speak.
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Echo could only
repeat what she heard
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someone else speaking and
he would not speak to her.
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So that broke her heart.
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She left and went
into a cave and died
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but her voice lived
on that's why you hear
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an echo in a cave.
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It's true story.
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And Narcissus could not pull
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himself away
from his reflection.
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He became so
enamored with this reflection
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that he
eventually pined away there.
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And you heard of
course of narcissism.
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A person who is
in love with himself.
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And most of us have a
little tinge of that disease.
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Matter of fact all fallen
men, babies are not born loving
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and considerate and kind.
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Babies are initially the most
selfish creatures in the world.
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Well, you really think about it?
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Middle of the
night the babies crying
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because it's hungry or bored
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or a plumbing problem
or something like that.
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And mommy comes and
leans over and says,
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"Could this wait
until the morning?
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I'm really tired."
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He could care
less how tired she is.
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All he can think
about is what his needs are.
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And you know some of us
never really out growled that
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we just learn to
conceal it a little better.
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It's easy for us to
go through our lives
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even doing
outwardly Christian things
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for selfish reasons.
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Well, there's a story I'd
like to use as a springboard,
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please turn to John
Chapter 12 and we're gonna start
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with the first verse.
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This is a dinner where Jesus
was invited and the characters
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I want us to
notice here principally
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a Mary and Judas at this feast.
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John 12:1, "Then six
days before the Passover
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Jesus came to
Bethany, where Lazarus was,
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who had been dead,
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whom He had
raised from the dead.
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There they made Him a
supper, and Martha served
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but Lazarus was one of those
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who sat at the table with Him.
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Then Martha," I'm sorry then
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"Mary took a pound of
very costly oil of spikenard,
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and anointed the feet of Jesus,
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and wiped His feet with her hair
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and the house was filled
with the fragrance of the oil.
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Then one of the disciples,
Judas Iscariot, Simon's son,
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who would betray Him,
said, why was this fragrant oil
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not sold for 300
denarii that's US wages,
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and given to the poor?"
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Now you've got two of
the Disciples of Christ,
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one is there at His
feet, serving, giving,
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lavishing Him with love
and adoration, anointing Him.
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The other is ostensibly
saying all but the poor,
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this what she's
doing is not right.
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What about the poor?
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Well, you read on and
John helps us understand
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what's going on
behind the scenes.
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This Judas said, "Not
that He cared for the poor
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but because He was a
thief, and He had the money box,
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and He used to take
what was put in it."
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Now this story
demonstrates that man looks on
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the outward appearance
but God looks in the heart.
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It's not just the deed
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it's what's
happening at the heart.
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Matter of fact in another gospel
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regarding the same
story, Gospel of Luke,
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Jesus talks to
the host who is Simon.
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It was Simon the
leopard who has been the host
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for this party and
he's thinking within himself
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as Mary is
anointing the feet of Jesus.
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Well, the Jesus
was really a prophet
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surely He'd know who and
what man or woman this is
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that's touching him
for she is a sinner.
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She's got a bad reputation.
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Everyone in town
knows about Mary.
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You know, why Mary do something
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like that especially in public
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and to touch you
like that she is a sinner.
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And Jesus knowing
the thoughts of Simon
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he retarded with a story.
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He said, Simon, "I've
got something to say to you."
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He said, say on, Master.
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He said, there
was a certain debtor,
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there was a certain
man and he had two debtors.
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One owed 500 pence, one owed 50
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but they could not pay so
He freely forgive them both.
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Which of the two do you
think will love Him more?
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And Simon said,
well probably the one
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who was forgiven more.
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And He said, you vitally judged.
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I came into your
house you did not kiss Me.
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This woman is not
ceased kissing My feet.
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You did not washed My feet
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she is washing My
feet with her tears.
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And I say unto you her sins
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though they are
many are forgiven for
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she loved much.
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"For he who was
forgiven little loves a little."
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Saying, he was
forgiven much loves much.
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Mary was doing what
she did with motive?
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Love, because she'd
been forgiven so much.
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Judas had this high position.
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Matter of fact,
he was campaigned
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behind the scenes
where he could be CEO,
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no, no, CFO of the new kingdom
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highly respected by
the other disciples.
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Tradition says, he was a scribe.
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Everyone else looked at him.
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Nobody expected that
Judas would be the one
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that will betray Jesus.
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Outwardly doing
generous religious things
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with inwardly totally selfish.
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He was thinking about
his position in the kingdom.
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Mary was willing to
worship an annoying Christ
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at His feet for love.
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Judas wanted the high position.
It's interesting this--
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a record of two people
kissing Jesus, two people.
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Mary kissed His feet
and served Him and gave.
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Judas kissed His face
and then betrayed Him.
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Now I'm sure that
his mom kissed Him
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but it's not recorded.
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I'm just saying
there's two records.
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And I think in Christianity
there's a lot of people
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that are going through the
motions of being a Christian
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but the motive isn't right.
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If there's
anything that we get right,
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you've got to get
this right for us.
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This message is so
important because it's so basic.
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It needs, it saying
that we need to have
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a change of
heart and to be doing
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the right things
for the right reason.
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We need to be serving
God because we love Him.
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There are so many
people that are going through
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their Christian experience
and their motives are not right.
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Mary did not seek any attention,
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she did not seek any praise.
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Matter of fact,
she was trying to find
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a way to do it
without attracting attention.
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Willing to serve
because she loved.
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Christ regarded, this
is J.B. Phillips wrote this
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who wrote that
great book on prayer.
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"Christ
regarded the self-loving,
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self-regarding,
self-seeking sprit
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as the direct
antithesis of real living."
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His two
fundamental rules for life were
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that "love-energy."
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Instead of being
turned in upon itself
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should first go out to
God then to other people."
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The equation of priorities,
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love the Lord
with all your heart,
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love your neighbor as
yourself is the foundation.
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First loving God,
then loving others,
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then loving yourself.
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And God does not say
that you shouldn't think
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about yourself, your needs.
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I'm not here to try and
make you feel guilty about that.
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But what is
your motive for life?
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Is it what's in it for me?
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A selfish heart
loves for what it can get.
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A Christ like heart
loves for what it can give.
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We all want the heart of Christ.
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Isn't that right?
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Now there are different
kinds of Christians of people
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who at least
claim to be Christians
00:10:43.99\00:10:46.53
some are selfish Christians.
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You know, really
that is an oxymoron
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because a genuine Christian
is a follower of Christ
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and Christ is love.
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So real Christian
should be driven by love.
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A selfish
Christian is an oxymoron.
00:10:58.65\00:11:01.36
Luke 22:24.
00:11:01.39\00:11:04.39
What were the
disciples arguing about
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just before
Jesus went to the cross
00:11:07.06\00:11:09.20
to show His love for them?
00:11:09.23\00:11:11.18
They were arguing about
00:11:11.21\00:11:12.88
which of them was the greatest?
00:11:12.91\00:11:14.45
Now it's pretty
scary when you think
00:11:14.48\00:11:17.75
that the cream of the
crop that Jesus is picked
00:11:17.78\00:11:19.92
to be the leaders
of this new religion
00:11:19.95\00:11:22.30
still don't have
the basics right.
00:11:22.33\00:11:25.15
It's scary and it's encouraging.
00:11:25.18\00:11:27.11
It's scary because it tells us
how easy it is to be deceived.
00:11:27.14\00:11:32.20
Jesus had sent the disciples
out teaching and preaching
00:11:32.23\00:11:35.63
and healing and doing
all of these religious things
00:11:35.66\00:11:38.79
and still they were
doing for the wrong reasons.
00:11:38.82\00:11:41.36
I mean, I'm sure they love Jesus
00:11:41.39\00:11:43.78
but it seem like the priority
and they're following Him
00:11:43.81\00:11:46.58
was what will my position be?
00:11:46.61\00:11:49.29
Which of us is the greatest?
00:11:49.32\00:11:51.83
And, you know, it's
scary 'cause that still happens
00:11:51.86\00:11:55.49
in the church more
than we hate to admit.
00:11:55.52\00:11:58.41
More than we like to admit.
00:11:58.44\00:12:01.26
It's encouraging
because if the Lord could
00:12:01.29\00:12:04.23
change their hearts so
quickly He can change ours.
00:12:04.26\00:12:08.80
He took them for men
that were still very selfish
00:12:08.83\00:12:10.88
at the core and He changed them.
00:12:10.91\00:12:14.36
I think most of the men
their hearts were broken
00:12:14.39\00:12:15.89
when He wash their
feet of the last supper.
00:12:15.92\00:12:18.27
Judas was the one who
still did not submit to that
00:12:18.30\00:12:21.53
and allowed his
heart to be changed.
00:12:21.56\00:12:25.23
To illustrate this
I heard about a mother
00:12:25.26\00:12:26.65
that was preparing
pancakes for two young sons
00:12:26.68\00:12:29.10
one was three, one was five,
00:12:29.13\00:12:31.52
I don't know one was
five and one was seven.
00:12:31.55\00:12:33.23
They were two young boys
00:12:33.26\00:12:35.01
and they both were
clamoring for the first pancake.
00:12:35.04\00:12:38.00
And she thought well
this was a good opportunity
00:12:38.03\00:12:39.84
to teach them moral lesson.
00:12:39.87\00:12:41.49
And she said, now
boys, if Jesus were here,
00:12:41.52\00:12:45.20
He would want to give the
first pancake to his brother.
00:12:45.23\00:12:48.63
And then the boys began to argue
00:12:48.66\00:12:49.98
about who had to be Jesus.
00:12:50.01\00:12:51.83
And that we all like
the idea of Christians
00:12:56.27\00:12:59.73
loving and sharing
but we all want to be
00:12:59.76\00:13:01.63
at the receiving
side of that equation.
00:13:01.66\00:13:05.67
I heard someone say one time
00:13:05.70\00:13:07.47
we were
discussing some arrangement
00:13:07.50\00:13:12.03
and he said,
"WIIFM." I said what?
00:13:12.06\00:13:15.01
He said, "WIIFM."
00:13:15.04\00:13:16.71
So what's that supposed to mean?
00:13:16.74\00:13:18.08
Well, that's the principle
of what is in it for me.
00:13:18.11\00:13:24.42
He says, that is the operating
principle of most mergers
00:13:24.45\00:13:26.94
and discussions and contracts,
it's the WIIFM principle.
00:13:26.97\00:13:30.13
Everybody is coming to the
table with the WIIFM attitude.
00:13:30.16\00:13:34.13
What is in it for me?
00:13:34.16\00:13:37.69
And we naturally think that way
00:13:37.72\00:13:41.94
because we are
naturally selfish creatures.
00:13:41.97\00:13:46.00
There are some rare individuals
who had loving parents
00:13:46.03\00:13:48.70
had exuded loving some of it
00:13:48.73\00:13:50.86
penetrated the
hearts of their children
00:13:50.89\00:13:52.81
and they learned
how to think lovingly.
00:13:52.84\00:13:56.52
Those are very rare individuals.
00:13:56.55\00:13:59.25
Most of us learned
how to pretend to love.
00:13:59.28\00:14:03.33
Most of us
learned about courtesy
00:14:03.36\00:14:06.56
and politeness and
acceptable behavior.
00:14:06.59\00:14:09.87
But even while we're doing
it we still are thinking WIIFM.
00:14:09.90\00:14:15.32
We often are doing
it because it's expected
00:14:15.35\00:14:19.04
that we do it and in the
end that will be better for me
00:14:19.07\00:14:23.41
and so selfishness is still
of the core of our motives.
00:14:23.44\00:14:26.91
This is something
that needs to change.
00:14:26.94\00:14:29.78
I heard about the
llinois Secretary of State
00:14:29.81\00:14:32.98
when they started doing
personalize license plates
00:14:33.01\00:14:36.64
they had to have a plate
that said number 1 on it.
00:14:36.67\00:14:40.99
And so the
Secretary of State said,
00:14:41.02\00:14:42.53
"It was a real problem about
who to assign this plate to
00:14:42.56\00:14:46.26
because I was about to make
a thousand people feel hurt."
00:14:46.29\00:14:49.93
So he now he solved that.
He assigned it to himself.
00:14:49.96\00:14:54.89
Under the pretends
of not winning to hurt
00:14:54.92\00:14:56.39
everyone else in the state
00:14:56.42\00:14:57.75
he gave himself
the license plate
00:14:57.78\00:14:59.12
he said, "numero uno."
00:14:59.15\00:15:00.62
Look out for number one.
00:15:06.04\00:15:08.16
John Powell said, "I
doubt there has ever been
00:15:08.19\00:15:10.21
one recorded case of
deep and lasting fulfillment
00:15:10.24\00:15:13.01
reported by a person
whose basic mindset was only
00:15:13.04\00:15:16.77
'what am I
getting out of all this?'"
00:15:16.80\00:15:18.86
Jesus said, "If you seek
the savior life you lose it.
00:15:18.89\00:15:21.43
You never find
satisfaction and saying,
00:15:21.46\00:15:24.02
what's in it for me?"
00:15:24.05\00:15:26.71
That's of
course the abbreviation
00:15:26.74\00:15:27.80
of "what is in
it for me or WIIFM."
00:15:27.83\00:15:31.76
Someone else said-- men
are generally not against you
00:15:31.79\00:15:35.05
they're merely for themselves.
00:15:35.08\00:15:36.99
It appears they're against you
00:15:37.02\00:15:38.27
but they're
really for themselves.
00:15:38.30\00:15:42.03
Someone else said,
people who were self centered
00:15:42.06\00:15:44.52
live in a very
unpleasant environment.
00:15:44.55\00:15:49.95
Admit it we're all infected.
00:15:49.98\00:15:54.40
If someone gives
you a group photo
00:15:54.43\00:15:56.63
and you are in the group
00:15:56.66\00:15:57.73
who do you first look
for when you get the picture?
00:15:57.76\00:16:01.86
I wonder how I
look in this picture.
00:16:01.89\00:16:05.71
And I've
noticed at Amazing Facts
00:16:05.74\00:16:09.63
we take group
photos with after we take
00:16:09.66\00:16:11.28
office group photos periodically
00:16:11.31\00:16:12.92
and I'm just as
vein as the rest of you
00:16:12.95\00:16:15.53
and I'll see the
picture and sometimes,
00:16:15.56\00:16:18.57
you know, they
take several pictures
00:16:18.60\00:16:19.63
and we're done with the--
00:16:19.66\00:16:20.69
it's so hard to
get everybody together,
00:16:20.72\00:16:22.35
you know, get them all together
00:16:22.38\00:16:23.48
get them all looking the
right way to take the picture.
00:16:23.51\00:16:26.06
And sometimes there will
be one person in the picture
00:16:26.09\00:16:29.64
and they're just their eyes
are closed or something is wrong
00:16:29.67\00:16:31.85
and I'll say, well, you know,
00:16:31.88\00:16:32.91
the other 60 people look
okay, we could use that picture.
00:16:32.94\00:16:36.44
But if my eyes, if I blinked
00:16:36.47\00:16:38.35
we're taken that
picture over again.
00:16:38.38\00:16:41.50
You know, I've done
that I've ever done that
00:16:41.53\00:16:43.15
but that's kind of how we think.
00:16:43.18\00:16:45.57
I heard about
this politician people
00:16:45.60\00:16:47.61
who always sending him books
that they wanted him to read
00:16:47.64\00:16:51.67
and evaluate and he had a game
00:16:51.70\00:16:53.61
that he would play
as he'd send the book
00:16:53.64\00:16:56.14
to someone else and he'd say,
00:16:56.17\00:16:58.78
"Let me know that
you think about this book
00:16:58.81\00:17:00.43
and I hope you don't
mind the reference to yourself
00:17:00.46\00:17:03.66
that you're
going to find in it."
00:17:03.69\00:17:07.04
They would read the entire book
00:17:07.07\00:17:08.34
to find where that reference was
00:17:08.37\00:17:09.83
and that he'd ask them what
they thought about the book.
00:17:09.86\00:17:11.68
And he said,
well, how was the book?
00:17:11.71\00:17:12.74
Well, the book was okay,
00:17:12.77\00:17:13.80
or is good, or is bad he said.
00:17:13.83\00:17:15.24
But where was
that reference myself.
00:17:15.27\00:17:16.55
Well, maybe
that wasn't the book.
00:17:16.58\00:17:19.45
But he would get them
to read an entire book
00:17:19.48\00:17:21.57
by just saying that
there was a reference in there
00:17:21.60\00:17:23.68
and we hope you don't
mind that you're portrayed.
00:17:23.71\00:17:27.24
Because people are
so naturally selfish.
00:17:27.27\00:17:31.47
A man will
generally listen for hours
00:17:31.50\00:17:34.57
if they are the
topic of your discussion.
00:17:34.60\00:17:39.70
Selfish Christians.
00:17:39.73\00:17:41.50
Sometimes we can
pray even selfish prayers.
00:17:41.53\00:17:45.56
Luke 18:11.
00:17:45.59\00:17:48.16
Jesus said, "The Pharisee stood
and prayed thus with himself,
00:17:48.19\00:17:52.51
God, I thank you that
I am not as other people,
00:17:52.54\00:17:56.47
extortioners,
unjust, adulterers,
00:17:56.50\00:17:58.37
or even as this publican.
00:17:58.40\00:17:59.70
I fast twice a week,
00:17:59.73\00:18:01.09
I pay to all tithes
of all that I possess."
00:18:01.12\00:18:04.49
Who is the center
of that prayer? "I."
00:18:04.52\00:18:10.03
You know, I was
amazed a few years ago
00:18:10.06\00:18:11.78
there was a book that came on it
00:18:11.81\00:18:12.88
was a blockbuster
success among Christians.
00:18:12.91\00:18:15.12
And I'm not critic in the
book. I'm acquainted with it.
00:18:15.15\00:18:18.17
It was called
the Prayer of Jabez.
00:18:18.20\00:18:20.41
And the whole book is
based upon a scripture
00:18:20.44\00:18:22.06
and I loved the scripture.
00:18:22.09\00:18:23.44
But I think it was interesting,
if you read the prayer of Jabez,
00:18:23.47\00:18:26.86
let me read it to
you. 1 Chronicles 4:10.
00:18:26.89\00:18:29.60
"And Jabez called on
the God of Israel, saying,
00:18:29.63\00:18:31.94
Oh that You
would bless me indeed,
00:18:31.97\00:18:35.02
and enlarge my territory,
00:18:35.05\00:18:37.88
that You would be with
me, that You would keep me."
00:18:37.91\00:18:42.60
Now this is a scripture
00:18:42.63\00:18:43.66
and it's a good
scripture and it's a prayer.
00:18:43.69\00:18:45.79
God never makes any
comment on the prayer of Jabez,
00:18:45.82\00:18:47.83
He just records it.
00:18:47.86\00:18:50.33
And a book written on
prayer that says, me, me, me
00:18:50.36\00:18:53.21
was a
blockbuster among Christians.
00:18:53.24\00:18:57.40
Do you know the word "Me"
00:18:57.43\00:18:58.57
does not appear
in the Lord's Prayer.
00:18:58.60\00:19:01.24
Neither does the
word "I." It's our.
00:19:01.27\00:19:06.52
Forgive us our.
It's about us together.
00:19:06.55\00:19:12.45
Jesus when He prayed He said,
00:19:12.48\00:19:13.69
not my will but
thy will be done.
00:19:13.72\00:19:18.28
James 4:3, "You ask
and you do not receive
00:19:18.31\00:19:23.85
because you ask amiss,
00:19:23.88\00:19:25.27
that you may consume
it upon your pleasures."
00:19:25.30\00:19:30.01
Some see God as a
big cow on the sky
00:19:30.04\00:19:33.46
that is gonna give them
their milk and their cheese.
00:19:33.49\00:19:36.71
And if He should stop
supplying, what they need
00:19:36.74\00:19:40.05
they'll be willing to
slaughtering Him for beef.
00:19:40.08\00:19:43.27
The reason
they're interested in God
00:19:43.30\00:19:44.75
is because of
what they might get.
00:19:44.78\00:19:49.27
Most prayers sound like,
00:19:49.30\00:19:50.51
Our Father which art in heaven
give me, give me, give me.
00:19:50.54\00:19:55.88
What's in it for me?
00:19:55.91\00:19:58.81
Jesus said in Matthew 15:8,
00:19:58.84\00:20:00.63
"These people draw
near to Me with their mouth,
00:20:00.66\00:20:02.78
and honor Me with their lips
00:20:02.81\00:20:04.78
but their heart is far from Me."
00:20:04.81\00:20:08.72
How long would our prayers be
00:20:08.75\00:20:09.92
if we're only
allowed to pray for others?
00:20:09.95\00:20:12.99
Some of our
prayers are pretty short
00:20:13.02\00:20:14.56
even though we do
pray for ourselves.
00:20:14.59\00:20:16.62
But really if your
prayer could only be
00:20:16.65\00:20:18.68
what would I pray
for that God would want?
00:20:18.71\00:20:23.36
They will pray for his kingdom,
00:20:23.39\00:20:24.42
pray for his
people, pray for others.
00:20:24.45\00:20:26.20
How long would our prayers be
00:20:26.23\00:20:27.38
if we could only
pray for our enemies?
00:20:27.41\00:20:30.61
But only a loving
heart can do that.
00:20:30.64\00:20:33.71
It's only about the
grace of God that can happen.
00:20:33.74\00:20:36.42
Teddy Roosevelt one of my heroes
00:20:36.45\00:20:37.96
but I remember his daughter,
00:20:37.99\00:20:39.37
his oldest
daughter commented one time.
00:20:39.40\00:20:41.90
He wasn't a very
humble or timid person.
00:20:41.93\00:20:46.60
She said, her
father always wanted to be
00:20:46.63\00:20:48.22
the bride at every wedding
and the corps at every funeral.
00:20:48.25\00:20:52.22
It was all about him.
00:20:52.25\00:20:55.23
And some of us never outgrow
that idea that a baby has
00:20:55.26\00:20:58.53
of the universal
revolves around them.
00:20:58.56\00:21:02.98
Selfish prayers.
00:21:03.01\00:21:06.91
Sometimes our
giving can be selfish
00:21:06.94\00:21:09.35
or ostensibly giving out
of love but that's basic.
00:21:09.38\00:21:13.34
Some people give
because they want to know,
00:21:13.37\00:21:15.64
what will I get?
00:21:15.67\00:21:16.85
I know how it works
00:21:16.88\00:21:19.02
when I do the message
on tithe for instance.
00:21:19.05\00:21:23.33
Sometimes the only
way I can encourage people
00:21:23.36\00:21:25.24
to pay a faithful tithe
00:21:25.27\00:21:26.58
is by accentuating the
promise there in Malachi 8,
00:21:26.61\00:21:29.61
this is "God will open
for you the windows of heaven
00:21:29.64\00:21:32.00
and pour out a blessing
00:21:32.03\00:21:33.06
that will not be room
enough to receive it."
00:21:33.09\00:21:34.90
And then I began to go
through a litany of stories
00:21:34.93\00:21:36.97
of people who
experience miraculous blessings
00:21:37.00\00:21:39.46
that came to them
because they give their tithe.
00:21:39.49\00:21:41.96
And so in the end why
are they paying their tithe?
00:21:41.99\00:21:45.33
They are afraid of the curse.
00:21:45.36\00:21:48.60
It says, your curse with
the curse 'cause you don't pay
00:21:48.63\00:21:50.84
and they want the
windows of heaven open.
00:21:50.87\00:21:55.49
And I think
there's whole lot of people
00:21:55.52\00:21:56.78
that they do paid faithful tithe
00:21:56.81\00:21:58.52
but in their animal
sold they're thinking
00:21:58.55\00:22:00.58
I want the
windows of heaven open
00:22:00.61\00:22:02.14
and I don't want the
curse and my resources.
00:22:02.17\00:22:03.92
Who they're thinking about?
00:22:03.95\00:22:06.20
I mean that's not all bad
00:22:06.23\00:22:07.26
and your God
knows we're selfish.
00:22:07.29\00:22:10.05
And sometimes He teaches us
00:22:10.08\00:22:11.53
by coming at us
from where we're at.
00:22:11.56\00:22:14.46
I mean even parents when
they're teaching their children,
00:22:14.49\00:22:16.34
you know, how often we operate
00:22:16.37\00:22:18.16
on a reward of punishment basis.
00:22:18.19\00:22:20.39
And it appeals that
they're normally selfish nature.
00:22:20.42\00:22:23.62
You get this if you do this.
00:22:23.65\00:22:25.31
This benefit if you do this,
00:22:25.34\00:22:27.07
you get this
punishment if you disobey.
00:22:27.10\00:22:29.15
And we're appealing
to what part of them?
00:22:29.18\00:22:31.46
What's in it for me?
00:22:31.49\00:22:33.87
Do I get praise and
pleasure or do I get punishment?
00:22:33.90\00:22:39.18
We should grow out
of that as Christians.
00:22:39.21\00:22:41.14
It's not about
what's in it for me.
00:22:41.17\00:22:43.50
Its what will this mean for God.
00:22:43.53\00:22:45.94
What will this mean for others?
00:22:45.97\00:22:47.60
And it is so hard,
I don't know about you
00:22:47.63\00:22:49.64
but I'm having hard
time. I am naturally selfish.
00:22:49.67\00:22:54.54
And it's just it's a
core that you grow up with
00:22:54.57\00:22:58.36
and sometimes our parents
00:22:58.39\00:22:59.65
help model that
for their children
00:22:59.68\00:23:01.30
and we wonder why
are they so selfish?
00:23:01.33\00:23:03.68
Well, they learned from us.
00:23:03.71\00:23:05.10
Takes a miracle of
grace for our hearts
00:23:09.32\00:23:11.36
to be changed into
model that love for them.
00:23:11.39\00:23:15.83
Selfish giving.
00:23:15.86\00:23:18.67
I don't know if you
say it, I was amazed.
00:23:18.70\00:23:21.94
Its probably happened for
years but it finally sunk in.
00:23:21.97\00:23:27.34
Was it Thursday
night after Thanksgiving
00:23:27.37\00:23:29.52
they had on the news
00:23:29.55\00:23:31.79
that people were
camping out at malls
00:23:31.82\00:23:36.16
and stores around the country
00:23:36.19\00:23:38.99
and it was cold out there.
00:23:39.02\00:23:41.90
And they were lined up.
Tell me if you saw that.
00:23:41.93\00:23:46.05
Because I guess there
were special sales on the day
00:23:46.08\00:23:48.67
what was that yesterday,
on the day after Christmas.
00:23:48.70\00:23:52.24
And some people got their,
you know, on Thanksgiving yeah,
00:23:52.27\00:23:55.49
in preparation for Christmas.
00:23:55.52\00:23:59.63
And some people
brought tents and their coolers
00:23:59.66\00:24:03.83
and they showed up at 5
o'clock on Thanksgiving Day
00:24:03.86\00:24:08.41
'cause they're gonna get a sale
00:24:08.44\00:24:09.86
and as they went down the line
00:24:09.89\00:24:10.95
they're
interviewing these people,
00:24:10.98\00:24:12.34
they're saying well, you know,
they're having the special deal
00:24:12.37\00:24:14.64
and there was $200
off on this computer
00:24:14.67\00:24:16.67
and so they're
staying up all night along
00:24:16.70\00:24:18.51
freezing for the stores to open.
00:24:18.54\00:24:20.00
Sometimes 4 or 5 in the morning.
00:24:20.03\00:24:22.08
And all these people crowded
00:24:22.11\00:24:23.29
and they pulled and
tug on each other and--Wow.
00:24:23.32\00:24:30.07
So they can give gifts.
00:24:30.10\00:24:31.35
Can I make your confession?
00:24:35.91\00:24:37.12
No, I didn't go. No,
I didn't go shopping.
00:24:40.65\00:24:43.57
I didn't even go to Walmart.
00:24:43.60\00:24:45.79
I didn't go
anywhere. No, I take that back.
00:24:45.82\00:24:48.49
I went to Trader
Joe's, I went to Trader Joe's
00:24:48.52\00:24:52.25
and bought cookies for me.
00:24:52.28\00:24:56.50
Then why don't
you think of anybody?
00:24:56.53\00:25:00.67
But I was gonna
make you confession.
00:25:00.70\00:25:06.69
You know, what? You
often think about Christmas.
00:25:06.72\00:25:09.77
Who do I have
to buy present for?
00:25:09.80\00:25:11.36
At least that's what I think.
00:25:11.39\00:25:12.63
Any man be willing to
admit that what's on my list?
00:25:12.66\00:25:15.54
I got to buy
computer, I got for it
00:25:15.57\00:25:16.60
who they got to buy for it.
00:25:16.63\00:25:17.66
What time I mean I
have no idea what they want.
00:25:17.69\00:25:19.44
And all they bought a
present for us last week
00:25:19.47\00:25:20.76
and so we got to
buy a present for them.
00:25:20.79\00:25:23.95
And, you know,
really for many people
00:25:23.98\00:25:26.86
it sort of becomes it's
a burden and some folks,
00:25:26.89\00:25:29.56
you know, we survive okay
but some folks go into debt
00:25:29.59\00:25:33.86
because of these obligations
that the holiday dictates.
00:25:33.89\00:25:40.01
And here's really
what I wanted to get at.
00:25:40.04\00:25:42.90
We have nothing
left to give to God
00:25:42.93\00:25:45.48
because we're trying to keep up
00:25:45.51\00:25:46.78
with the
expectations of the culture
00:25:46.81\00:25:48.82
and the family and,
and if you boil it down
00:25:48.85\00:25:53.74
at the Bair Foundation
of so much of this giving
00:25:53.77\00:25:56.88
you would find that we
are at the center of it
00:25:56.91\00:26:00.15
where God should really be
at the center of it and others.
00:26:00.18\00:26:02.75
It's good to give gifts.
00:26:02.78\00:26:04.40
How many like
receiving gifts? Sure.
00:26:04.43\00:26:08.10
Salvation is a gift
you need to receive it.
00:26:08.13\00:26:11.57
It's good to get
gifts. We like getting gifts.
00:26:11.60\00:26:14.79
It's good to give gifts,
00:26:14.82\00:26:15.85
it's good to love and
to think about others.
00:26:15.88\00:26:17.86
It should be done for--
what are we talking about?
00:26:17.89\00:26:19.95
The right reason.
00:26:19.98\00:26:21.22
Oswald Chambers
said, "Much of philanthropy
00:26:25.83\00:26:28.20
is simply the
impulse to save ourselves
00:26:28.23\00:26:30.48
an uncomfortable feeling."
00:26:30.51\00:26:33.23
A lot of people give
not because they love
00:26:33.26\00:26:35.45
but they feel
guilty, I've got so much
00:26:35.48\00:26:36.96
so better give something.
00:26:36.99\00:26:40.83
"Many people do not cast their
00:26:40.86\00:26:42.17
bread upon the
water until its stale."
00:26:42.20\00:26:46.15
I like that one.
00:26:46.18\00:26:48.85
And who was it
Mother Teresa that said,
00:26:48.88\00:26:51.90
"He merits no thanks who does
a kindness for his own ends."
00:26:51.93\00:26:56.84
Someone else maybe
this was Mother Teresa,
00:26:56.87\00:26:59.33
"If you give something
that you cannot live without
00:26:59.36\00:27:01.56
it's not a sacrifice."
00:27:01.59\00:27:04.88
So much of our
giving is tainted by WIIFM.
00:27:04.91\00:27:09.50
What's in it for me?
00:27:09.53\00:27:10.56
Is this an expectation we got
to open the windows of heaven,
00:27:10.59\00:27:12.76
well, I receive a curse.
00:27:12.79\00:27:14.78
And the reason to do it is
00:27:14.81\00:27:15.84
'cause you love the
Lord and to be faithful.
00:27:15.87\00:27:20.68
Heard about a Scotsman
00:27:20.71\00:27:21.76
who wrote the
editor of a magazine,
00:27:21.79\00:27:24.65
he said, "You better
stop saying terrible things
00:27:24.68\00:27:27.52
and printing your
jokes about Scots.
00:27:27.55\00:27:29.86
I'm gonna stop
borrowing your magazine."
00:27:29.89\00:27:31.60
Henry David Thoreau said, "I
would rather sit on a pumpkin
00:27:36.81\00:27:39.51
and have it all to myself,
00:27:39.54\00:27:40.75
than be on a
crowded velvet cushion."
00:27:40.78\00:27:44.62
We're naturally
selfish in grasping.
00:27:44.65\00:27:48.28
Rather sit on a
pumpkin by myself
00:27:48.31\00:27:49.85
and say it's my pumpkin
00:27:49.88\00:27:52.66
then to sit on a
crowded velvet cushion.
00:27:52.69\00:27:55.56
That kind it resonates
with me for some reason.
00:27:55.59\00:28:00.68
It's possible to
serve for selfish reasons.
00:28:00.71\00:28:05.37
Most people live
according to the cafeteria plan
00:28:05.40\00:28:08.79
which is self service
with the A.M, P.M plan.
00:28:08.82\00:28:13.81
Matthew 19:27, Peter
answered and said to Jesus,
00:28:13.84\00:28:18.12
"see Lord we've left
everything to follow you.
00:28:18.15\00:28:21.42
What will we get?"
00:28:21.45\00:28:24.80
And you know did
the Lord answer him?
00:28:24.83\00:28:26.70
Yeah, sure God tells
us that there's heaven
00:28:26.73\00:28:28.59
and there's blessings
and we want to know WIIFM.
00:28:28.62\00:28:32.36
What's in it for me?
00:28:32.39\00:28:33.73
Even Peter asked
that, the Apostles ask that.
00:28:33.76\00:28:37.13
And Jesus said look,
anyone who is left anything.
00:28:37.16\00:28:39.93
Father and mother, houses, lands
00:28:39.96\00:28:43.16
for my sake and the gospel
00:28:43.19\00:28:44.29
he'll receive the
100 full more in the life
00:28:44.32\00:28:46.17
and eternal life
in the life to come.
00:28:46.20\00:28:48.04
God tells us there are rewards,
00:28:48.07\00:28:49.96
there are prison benefits.
00:28:49.99\00:28:51.64
But for the mature Christian,
00:28:51.67\00:28:54.32
you know that you're getting
00:28:54.35\00:28:55.42
where you're
supposed to be as a Christian
00:28:55.45\00:28:56.92
when it's not just
what you're doing it
00:28:56.95\00:28:58.30
it's why you're doing it.
00:28:58.33\00:29:00.43
Are you doing it
for the right reason?
00:29:00.46\00:29:02.45
Are you
motivated by love for God?
00:29:02.48\00:29:05.09
Love for your fellow man.
00:29:05.12\00:29:08.53
Someone said, "He
is the greatest slave
00:29:08.56\00:29:11.14
who serves nothing but himself."
00:29:11.17\00:29:16.00
Jesus said, "The loving motive
00:29:16.03\00:29:18.58
and who compels
you to go one mile
00:29:18.61\00:29:21.39
if you want to really
develop your loved muscles
00:29:21.42\00:29:23.34
don't do what you're forced
to do, go the extra mile."
00:29:23.37\00:29:27.96
Say I know I'm
required to serve this much
00:29:27.99\00:29:30.24
but I'm gonna go beyond that.
00:29:30.27\00:29:32.33
One of the ways you
can identify a Christian
00:29:32.36\00:29:34.83
is they're going the extra mile.
00:29:34.86\00:29:37.40
I think Christian employees
00:29:37.43\00:29:38.64
should be the best
employees in the world.
00:29:38.67\00:29:41.34
Now they're not only putting in
00:29:41.37\00:29:42.41
faithful time
while they're there.
00:29:42.44\00:29:44.33
They are the
ones who wanted always
00:29:44.36\00:29:45.78
putting in for the overtime.
They're going the second mile.
00:29:45.81\00:29:50.75
I heard one time about a man
who called a doctor years ago
00:29:50.78\00:29:53.61
when they made house calls
00:29:53.64\00:29:54.67
and I guess some
doctors they makes house calls.
00:29:54.70\00:29:58.41
And it was cold
raining night and the man said,
00:29:58.44\00:30:02.65
my wife is not doing very
well, doctor, can you come over?
00:30:02.68\00:30:05.90
And the doctor said,
"I'll be happy to come,
00:30:05.93\00:30:07.58
he says, but my car was
broken down can you pick me up?"
00:30:07.61\00:30:10.46
And the man at the
other end of the line said,
00:30:10.49\00:30:11.54
are you crazy
it's miserable out.
00:30:11.57\00:30:13.85
He had no problem
when the doctor driving
00:30:15.04\00:30:16.09
through that weather
but he didn't want to come
00:30:16.12\00:30:17.97
and get him in that weather.
00:30:18.00\00:30:19.65
We want Christian service
but we want at the receiving
00:30:20.94\00:30:24.53
end of that Christian service.
00:30:24.56\00:30:26.67
Oh, confess.
00:30:28.75\00:30:30.21
See I'm really
talking to myself.
00:30:30.24\00:30:31.88
I want to talk to you
about this 'cause, you know,
00:30:31.91\00:30:33.62
it's easy to go through
the motions of being a pastor
00:30:33.65\00:30:35.87
and being a Christian
but I know too much now.
00:30:35.90\00:30:38.91
And I know God has not
just interested in the actions,
00:30:38.94\00:30:42.21
He's interested in the attitude.
00:30:42.24\00:30:44.38
I mean this was the
core teaching of Jesus.
00:30:44.41\00:30:47.00
He said to the religious
leaders, religious leaders,
00:30:47.03\00:30:49.95
you pray to be seeing of man,
you fast to be seeing of man,
00:30:49.98\00:30:52.81
you give to be seeing of man.
00:30:52.84\00:30:53.91
And he said, it's the only
00:30:53.94\00:30:55.00
reward you get is the publicity.
00:30:55.03\00:30:57.86
He said, you've
got to be doing it
00:30:57.89\00:30:59.41
from the heart
for the right reason.
00:30:59.44\00:31:01.75
So I become very
sensitive to this
00:31:01.78\00:31:04.41
and I have a
feeling I'm not alone
00:31:04.44\00:31:06.03
so I'm sharing this with you.
00:31:06.06\00:31:07.86
I used to pick up hitchhikers.
00:31:07.89\00:31:10.16
And the reason I
pick up hitchhikers
00:31:10.19\00:31:12.00
do sometimes the
reason I'd pick him up
00:31:12.03\00:31:13.89
is because it's a great context
00:31:13.92\00:31:15.93
to witness to them
to preach the gospel.
00:31:15.96\00:31:17.70
You've got to captive audience
00:31:17.73\00:31:19.71
especially if you got
the automatic door lock.
00:31:19.74\00:31:23.06
They get in and
I would calculate
00:31:23.09\00:31:25.88
how far they were
going and how I would
00:31:25.91\00:31:28.30
paste my gospel presentation
by how much time I had.
00:31:28.33\00:31:31.98
And I've actually
picked up some in Arizona
00:31:33.25\00:31:35.23
talked to him to California
and they were not only
00:31:35.26\00:31:37.29
accepting Christ, they
were joining the Church
00:31:37.32\00:31:38.90
by the time we got there.
00:31:38.93\00:31:40.91
I've gone
through 27 fundamentals
00:31:40.94\00:31:42.73
with them in one trip.
00:31:42.76\00:31:45.13
But, you know, I'm
ashamed to tell you
00:31:45.16\00:31:48.49
sometimes I would
be making a short trip
00:31:48.52\00:31:51.01
and I'd see a hitchhiker
and I'd think to myself,
00:31:51.04\00:31:54.01
no sins picking him
up I'm only going 5 miles
00:31:54.04\00:31:57.27
I won't have
time to convert them.
00:31:57.30\00:31:59.87
And the Lord spoke to me said,
00:31:59.90\00:32:01.71
that did it ever occurred to you
00:32:01.74\00:32:03.68
that you might pick
them up and give them a ride
00:32:03.71\00:32:06.74
'cause they need a
ride and you won't get
00:32:06.77\00:32:09.06
a notch in your
Bible for another soul
00:32:09.09\00:32:12.19
but at least you
can give him a ride.
00:32:12.22\00:32:13.94
And I thought why?
Something is wrong with me.
00:32:13.97\00:32:15.88
I only think is
we're picking them up
00:32:15.91\00:32:17.02
if I can convert them.
00:32:17.05\00:32:19.16
What about serving
them? Help them out.
00:32:19.19\00:32:22.49
Nothing in it for you.
00:32:22.52\00:32:24.40
You won't be able to
brag in your church next week
00:32:24.43\00:32:26.30
about another soul
you brought to Christ,
00:32:26.33\00:32:28.00
just help him out of will.
00:32:28.03\00:32:31.30
There's a novel
idea. Selfish service.
00:32:31.33\00:32:36.43
Sometimes our words betray
to selfishness in the heart.
00:32:38.46\00:32:43.59
You've heard Jesus
say in Matthew Chapter 12,
00:32:43.62\00:32:46.12
"Out of the abundance of
the heart the mouth speaks."
00:32:46.15\00:32:50.11
And if you talk to
someone long enough
00:32:50.14\00:32:51.90
you can find out
what's in their heart.
00:32:51.93\00:32:55.36
So often we are in
conversation with the person
00:32:55.39\00:32:59.81
and we're waiting that
for them to stop talking
00:32:59.84\00:33:02.46
so about themselves so we can
start talking about ourselves.
00:33:02.49\00:33:06.19
And I've discovered many times
00:33:06.22\00:33:07.65
especially with the group of men
00:33:07.68\00:33:09.47
and then they're
telling some outrageous story
00:33:09.50\00:33:11.40
immediately before
saying him into their story
00:33:11.43\00:33:14.37
I'm thinking about topping
their story with my story.
00:33:14.40\00:33:16.48
And I've got, I
got a bigger story
00:33:18.22\00:33:19.46
you want to hear this one?
00:33:19.49\00:33:20.52
You know what happened to you
00:33:20.55\00:33:21.58
and this all
what happened to me.
00:33:21.61\00:33:23.33
A bore is a person
who spends so much time
00:33:25.30\00:33:27.86
talking about himself that
you can't talk about yourself.
00:33:27.89\00:33:30.50
Remember the
story about the novelist
00:33:32.86\00:33:35.06
who cornered a friend
he ran into on the street
00:33:35.09\00:33:36.94
and after two
hours, the novelist said
00:33:36.97\00:33:39.96
look we've talked
about me too much,
00:33:39.99\00:33:42.08
let's about talk you.
00:33:42.11\00:33:43.54
What do you
think of my last book?
00:33:43.57\00:33:44.83
Talk to a man about himself
00:33:49.68\00:33:51.09
he'll listen for
hours does really said.
00:33:51.12\00:33:54.34
Even folks with bad
manners know how to be polite
00:33:55.59\00:33:58.03
to those who can
do something for them.
00:33:58.06\00:34:00.84
A little boy and a sister were
00:34:03.95\00:34:05.79
riding together
on this wooden horse.
00:34:05.82\00:34:08.54
And a little boy said,
"One of us should get off
00:34:10.55\00:34:14.19
so I can ride alone."
00:34:14.22\00:34:16.02
Typical of the human nature.
00:34:18.89\00:34:21.06
You know, at the core what I'm
sharing with you right now is,
00:34:21.09\00:34:26.08
this is the cancer in
the church, selfishness.
00:34:26.11\00:34:30.83
Am I right?
00:34:32.02\00:34:33.32
You name a sin, name a
commandment you can break
00:34:33.35\00:34:36.02
I can put this handle on it.
00:34:36.05\00:34:38.51
The handle of selfishness
and conversely it is true
00:34:38.54\00:34:43.06
that when you love, Paul says,
00:34:43.09\00:34:45.72
love is the
fulfilling of the law.
00:34:45.75\00:34:48.79
If you love your
neighbor you don't lie to him,
00:34:48.82\00:34:51.96
you don't steal from
him, you don't kill him,
00:34:51.99\00:34:53.96
you don't take his spouse.
00:34:53.99\00:34:56.83
If you love God, you're
not gonna worship other Gods,
00:34:56.86\00:35:00.44
you're not gonna
insult Him with idolatry
00:35:00.47\00:35:02.77
or abuse His name, you'll
cherish your time with God.
00:35:02.80\00:35:07.60
You go through the
commandments and love
00:35:07.63\00:35:09.24
is the fulfilling of
the law and selfishness
00:35:09.27\00:35:12.11
if you don't have love you
00:35:12.14\00:35:13.51
will be breaking
every other commandment.
00:35:13.54\00:35:15.49
Another words, no
matter how hard you try
00:35:16.95\00:35:22.84
you might go
through the motions of
00:35:22.87\00:35:24.35
obeying God's Commandments
but if you don't have
00:35:24.38\00:35:25.99
loving your heart you
never can really do it right.
00:35:26.02\00:35:30.12
You can come to church
00:35:30.15\00:35:31.63
and you can spend
your time with God
00:35:31.66\00:35:32.72
but it your hurt you're
saying I'm putting in my time
00:35:32.75\00:35:34.72
'cause I know
this was required to me
00:35:34.75\00:35:35.89
I can't wait for
the sun to go down
00:35:35.92\00:35:37.17
and Sabbath to be over.
00:35:37.20\00:35:39.51
Why are you doing it?
From love or self interest?
00:35:39.54\00:35:43.58
Self preservation.
00:35:43.61\00:35:46.41
I would steal that
item from the store
00:35:46.44\00:35:50.76
but I might get caught
and what would that do to me,
00:35:50.79\00:35:54.59
who are you thinking about?
00:35:54.62\00:35:57.10
You're not
thinking about not stealing
00:35:57.13\00:35:58.49
because stealing is
wrong and it would dishonor God
00:35:58.52\00:36:00.78
and it will hurt your neighbor.
00:36:00.81\00:36:02.04
You're thinking about
what would happen to me?
00:36:02.07\00:36:03.54
You can go
through the commandments
00:36:03.57\00:36:04.80
and is not really not possible
00:36:04.83\00:36:06.01
to keep any of the commandments
right unless you love.
00:36:06.04\00:36:10.21
But having said
that you've got to insert
00:36:10.24\00:36:12.70
a disclaimer here
please don't miss this,
00:36:12.73\00:36:14.61
it is always still
better to do the right thing
00:36:14.64\00:36:18.30
even if you're doing
it for the wrong reasons.
00:36:18.33\00:36:21.54
Did you hear that?
00:36:21.57\00:36:23.51
If you're saying,
well, look I'm not doing it
00:36:23.54\00:36:25.04
for the right
reasons I may as well through
00:36:25.07\00:36:26.10
my hands in the
air and quit, wrong.
00:36:26.13\00:36:29.23
It is always better
to do the right thing
00:36:29.26\00:36:31.74
and you're ought to
be doing the right thing
00:36:31.77\00:36:33.08
even if it's
for the wrong motive
00:36:33.11\00:36:35.65
until you can
get the motive right.
00:36:35.68\00:36:39.02
You might be going
in the right direction
00:36:39.05\00:36:40.84
for the wrong reason
00:36:40.87\00:36:41.90
but keep going in
the right direction
00:36:41.93\00:36:43.46
and then try and
get your reasons right.
00:36:43.49\00:36:45.33
See what I'm saying?
00:36:45.36\00:36:47.09
Some people say, well,
my motive is not right,
00:36:47.12\00:36:48.76
you know, and
these will go steal,
00:36:48.79\00:36:50.63
commit adultery,
killing and because my heart
00:36:50.66\00:36:52.30
isn't right I need some
break so I'm coming to church.
00:36:52.33\00:36:54.59
No, no, no, that's exactly what
the devil wants you to think.
00:36:55.60\00:36:57.63
God isn't telling you
there's a motive problem
00:36:57.66\00:37:00.45
to get you to give up.
00:37:00.48\00:37:01.77
He wants you to keep
doing the right thing
00:37:01.80\00:37:03.19
and going in the right direction
00:37:03.22\00:37:04.25
and by the way there are always
00:37:04.28\00:37:05.72
benefits and
blessings for you in obeying
00:37:05.75\00:37:08.39
even if your heart is selfish.
00:37:08.42\00:37:10.09
You'll always be
better off obeying.
00:37:10.12\00:37:12.50
The promises that God
makes for tithes paying,
00:37:12.53\00:37:15.50
He promises to remove the curse
00:37:15.53\00:37:16.99
to open the windows of heaven.
00:37:17.02\00:37:18.05
You still get
that even if you're
00:37:18.08\00:37:19.46
doing it for the wrong reason.
00:37:19.49\00:37:21.52
But you want to learn to
do it for the right reason
00:37:21.55\00:37:24.77
that's what this
message is really all about.
00:37:24.80\00:37:28.57
There are two primary
players they're at the core,
00:37:28.60\00:37:32.90
it's Christ and Satan.
00:37:32.93\00:37:34.51
His love and selfishness.
00:37:34.54\00:37:36.11
And in our hearts they're either
00:37:36.14\00:37:38.67
ruled by one or the other.
00:37:38.70\00:37:42.43
And I'm just encouraging you
to get it right in the heart.
00:37:42.46\00:37:46.61
Do it from love.
00:37:48.39\00:37:50.81
You know, someone did a study
00:37:50.84\00:37:52.90
and they discovered
selfishness destroys nations.
00:37:52.93\00:37:58.51
Over the history of
nations the rise and their fall
00:38:00.79\00:38:03.79
there was a cycle that happens.
00:38:03.82\00:38:06.60
It usually takes about
200 years in this cycle.
00:38:06.63\00:38:10.44
Here's how it works.
00:38:10.47\00:38:12.66
They often start from slavery
00:38:12.69\00:38:14.61
and in slavery they
develop spiritual faith.
00:38:14.64\00:38:17.73
This happened to Israel.
00:38:17.76\00:38:19.62
From spiritual faith
they develop courage,
00:38:19.65\00:38:22.60
from courage to liberty,
from liberty to abundance,
00:38:22.63\00:38:27.96
from abundance to selfishness,
from selfishness to apathy,
00:38:27.99\00:38:35.40
from apathy to dependence,
00:38:35.43\00:38:38.37
from dependence back to slavery.
00:38:38.40\00:38:41.52
Americans used to say
give me a liberty or death.
00:38:44.61\00:38:49.00
And they said, give me liberty.
00:38:50.29\00:38:53.06
And then it was just give me.
00:38:53.09\00:38:55.18
And then give me benefits.
00:38:56.93\00:38:59.14
This is what is
I think at the core
00:39:03.37\00:39:05.47
what's destroying not only
the country but the church.
00:39:05.50\00:39:11.15
You know most churches
00:39:11.18\00:39:12.43
begin with great
sacrifice and struggle
00:39:12.46\00:39:15.87
and then as they
become more prosperous
00:39:15.90\00:39:17.60
and apathy can set it.
00:39:17.63\00:39:19.29
And they study churches
and they often go through
00:39:19.32\00:39:21.93
about 4, 5
generations until they
00:39:21.96\00:39:23.65
lose the reason why they exist.
00:39:23.68\00:39:26.20
Lot of the mainline churches
are just struggling right now
00:39:26.23\00:39:28.44
and they're trying to pump
some new life into the church
00:39:28.47\00:39:30.82
by developing new
worship services and things
00:39:30.85\00:39:32.91
when they've lost the
idea of love and selflessness
00:39:32.94\00:39:37.70
being the core
tenant of their faith.
00:39:37.73\00:39:40.54
Everything else is trappings.
00:39:40.57\00:39:43.33
If we don't have the new hearts
00:39:43.36\00:39:45.13
then we're just we're
going through the motions.
00:39:45.16\00:39:47.64
So how do we
develop right motives?
00:39:48.73\00:39:51.55
I don't want just focus
on the selfishness I think
00:39:52.70\00:39:55.39
we're all
convicted enough, amen.
00:39:55.42\00:39:57.26
Amen. Look not Philippians 2:4.
00:39:57.29\00:40:01.16
"Look not every
man on his own things,
00:40:01.19\00:40:04.20
but every man also on
the things of others."
00:40:04.23\00:40:08.16
Developing right
motives involves a choice.
00:40:08.19\00:40:11.24
1 Corinthians 10,
"Let no one seek his own,
00:40:11.27\00:40:15.20
but each man the
others well being."
00:40:15.23\00:40:18.34
See selfishness is an animal
00:40:18.37\00:40:21.00
that we all have
inside that can be starved.
00:40:21.03\00:40:23.83
And you may not feel like it
but you've got to starve him.
00:40:24.90\00:40:29.71
You starve it all the way
you get light out of a room
00:40:29.74\00:40:33.22
is by introducing darkness.
00:40:33.25\00:40:35.01
The way you get
selfishness out of the heart
00:40:35.04\00:40:37.56
is by choosing love.
00:40:37.59\00:40:40.56
Some people use a
religion like a bus.
00:40:43.37\00:40:45.62
They're riding only
when it's going their way.
00:40:45.65\00:40:47.57
There's prosperity preaching
that's become very popular.
00:40:49.33\00:40:52.16
Some churches are trying to grow
00:40:52.19\00:40:53.47
and pump life into
their churches by saying,
00:40:53.50\00:40:55.69
if you've got enough faith,
00:40:55.72\00:40:57.14
you're gonna be
wealthy and healthy and wise
00:40:57.17\00:41:00.31
and you'll get
everything you want
00:41:00.34\00:41:01.70
and God wants to
bless you and make you rich.
00:41:01.73\00:41:03.72
And, you know,
what that tells me?
00:41:03.75\00:41:05.66
Who was the religion
about? It's all about me.
00:41:05.69\00:41:09.72
And some pastors
have just absolutely
00:41:09.75\00:41:12.82
rocket into fame and popularity
00:41:12.85\00:41:14.63
because they
print book after book
00:41:14.66\00:41:15.97
and sermon after sermon
00:41:16.00\00:41:17.03
dealing about what's
God gonna do for you?
00:41:17.06\00:41:19.37
What's in it for you?
Here's what you can get.
00:41:19.40\00:41:22.20
And we're in such a
selfishly programmed
00:41:22.23\00:41:25.89
society so that's appealing.
00:41:25.92\00:41:28.30
But the real marketing of Jesus
00:41:29.46\00:41:31.25
let everyman deny himself
take up His cross follow me,
00:41:31.28\00:41:34.38
live for others, live for
God, it's hard to mark it that.
00:41:34.41\00:41:40.00
You're probably never gonna see
00:41:40.03\00:41:41.06
a best seller on how
you can just live for God
00:41:41.09\00:41:44.73
and live for love as supposed
for living for yourself.
00:41:44.76\00:41:48.86
Developing right motives.
00:41:48.89\00:41:51.02
Ezekiel 18:31,
"Cast away from you
00:41:51.05\00:41:55.45
all the transgressions,
which you have committed
00:41:55.48\00:41:57.70
and get yourself a new
heart and a new spirit."
00:41:57.73\00:42:02.04
Now the heart is
the being of who we are.
00:42:02.07\00:42:04.23
The spirit is why are you doing?
00:42:04.26\00:42:06.20
What spirit is motivating you?
00:42:06.23\00:42:08.54
Why does God
tell us get yourself
00:42:08.57\00:42:10.87
a new heart in a new spirit?
00:42:10.90\00:42:12.70
What do we get it?
I've got to keep reading.
00:42:12.73\00:42:16.78
Ezekiel 36:26, "I
will give you a new heart
00:42:16.81\00:42:21.91
and put a new spirit."
00:42:21.94\00:42:23.77
Where do we get it? The
Lord gives us a new heart.
00:42:23.80\00:42:27.56
He gives us new motives.
00:42:27.59\00:42:30.23
"I'll give you a new heart
and a new spirit within you.
00:42:30.26\00:42:32.75
I will take the heart
a stone out of your flesh
00:42:32.78\00:42:34.54
and give you a heart of flesh.
00:42:34.57\00:42:36.90
I will put My spirit
within you, and cause you,"
00:42:36.93\00:42:40.36
here's is a motive,
"to walk in My statutes,
00:42:40.39\00:42:43.56
and you keep My
judgments, and do them.
00:42:43.59\00:42:46.31
Then you will dwell in the
land that I gave your fathers
00:42:47.50\00:42:49.86
and you will be My
people, and I will be your God."
00:42:49.89\00:42:52.98
You know one of
the things the Lord
00:42:53.01\00:42:55.70
there's a downside to
the blessings of the Lord.
00:42:55.73\00:43:00.61
When God saved the
children of Israel from Egypt
00:43:00.64\00:43:03.77
and He brought them
into the Promised Land
00:43:03.80\00:43:06.66
He warned them through Moses.
00:43:06.69\00:43:08.80
He said, now be aware
says, I'm gonna bless you.
00:43:08.83\00:43:11.26
When you obey me,
that's good and I'll bless you.
00:43:11.29\00:43:15.09
But you've got to stay
on that plateau recognizing
00:43:15.12\00:43:19.31
that you're doing it for
the reasons of love for me.
00:43:19.34\00:43:21.46
Because what
happens when I bless you,
00:43:21.49\00:43:23.22
you could start thinking
about it's all about you.
00:43:23.25\00:43:26.80
And he says, you're
gonna move in the houses
00:43:26.83\00:43:28.23
that the Canaanites
built and live in their houses
00:43:28.26\00:43:30.14
and you'll be eating from
the trees that they planted
00:43:30.17\00:43:31.84
and you'll be drinking
from the wells that they dug,
00:43:31.87\00:43:34.29
and he said be aware.
00:43:34.32\00:43:36.39
Moses warned them, he said,
00:43:36.42\00:43:37.45
be aware because
when you are abundant
00:43:37.48\00:43:40.35
and when you are fat
and when you are happy
00:43:40.38\00:43:43.01
that you don't forget about me
00:43:43.04\00:43:44.63
and he start
thinking it's about you.
00:43:44.66\00:43:46.01
And, you know,
prosperity destroys us
00:43:47.86\00:43:52.78
many people as want.
00:43:52.81\00:43:55.06
I think prosperity destroys
more Christians than want.
00:43:55.09\00:43:59.25
Last week we
talked about thankfulness,
00:44:00.84\00:44:03.25
this week please
receive as a general warning
00:44:03.28\00:44:05.82
as we move into
the holiday season.
00:44:05.85\00:44:08.30
The right reasons
to do what we're doing
00:44:08.33\00:44:11.00
it must be motivated by love.
00:44:11.03\00:44:14.14
How we do develop
the right motives?
00:44:14.17\00:44:16.01
Here's the key.
00:44:16.04\00:44:17.70
1 John 4:19, "We love Him," why?
00:44:17.73\00:44:23.93
"Because He first loved us."
00:44:23.96\00:44:27.94
How do you know
He first loved you?
00:44:27.97\00:44:29.95
Well, you've got
to behold that love.
00:44:29.98\00:44:31.71
Why did Mary love Jesus?
00:44:31.74\00:44:35.40
Well, you got to
read the book but I think
00:44:35.43\00:44:37.07
that Mary was that woman caught
in adultery that Jesus forgave
00:44:37.10\00:44:42.58
and that when she
say the love of the Lord,
00:44:42.61\00:44:44.43
and she
experience that forgiveness
00:44:44.46\00:44:46.04
it just broke her heart
that's why you always sit--
00:44:46.07\00:44:49.03
see her sitting at Jesus feet.
00:44:49.06\00:44:51.46
Just an adoration
and listening and love
00:44:51.49\00:44:53.80
because He loved her so much.
00:44:53.83\00:44:56.03
He said basically
I'm gonna take your place
00:44:56.06\00:44:57.90
I'm gonna dye in your behalf.
00:44:57.93\00:44:59.20
Why do you
think she anointed Him
00:44:59.23\00:45:00.35
for his burial
while He was still alive?
00:45:00.38\00:45:02.93
She knew that the
only way He could say
00:45:02.96\00:45:05.55
I do not condemn
you, you're free to go
00:45:05.58\00:45:07.28
and since the lost
of the penalty was dead
00:45:07.31\00:45:09.41
He was gonna take Her penalty.
00:45:09.44\00:45:10.92
He was the Lamb of
God and she anointed Him.
00:45:10.95\00:45:14.82
By the way that's
what the word Christ means.
00:45:16.60\00:45:19.13
So she saw His love
and it broke her heart
00:45:21.43\00:45:24.41
and it produced
love within her heart.
00:45:24.44\00:45:27.23
By beholding we become changed,
00:45:27.26\00:45:30.60
by beholding the
love of the Lord.
00:45:30.63\00:45:32.26
So how do we get this new heart?
00:45:32.29\00:45:34.06
Jeremiah 31:3.
00:45:35.59\00:45:38.59
"The Lord has
appeared of old to me, saying,
00:45:38.62\00:45:41.69
I have loved you
with an everlasting love,
00:45:41.72\00:45:44.24
therefore with loving
kindness I have drawn you."
00:45:44.27\00:45:47.41
What is it that
changes our heart
00:45:47.44\00:45:48.77
as we behold the
loving kindness of the Lord?
00:45:48.80\00:45:51.19
There's something
in our primal natures
00:45:51.22\00:45:54.41
that God created us with.
00:45:54.44\00:45:56.06
The original plan that Adam have
00:45:56.09\00:45:58.26
that were drawn to
that something inside
00:45:58.29\00:46:00.64
God spirit in it
reciprocates in it.
00:46:00.67\00:46:02.81
It says, this is
really what's missing.
00:46:02.84\00:46:05.55
I've got self on the throne,
00:46:05.58\00:46:07.54
I'm never gonna be satisfied
until Gods on the throne.
00:46:07.57\00:46:10.59
And when we see the love of God
00:46:10.62\00:46:12.78
there's something that resonates
00:46:12.81\00:46:14.43
deep within him we say,
00:46:14.46\00:46:15.49
that's the only thing
it's ever gonna satisfy.
00:46:15.52\00:46:17.75
As long as you've got
yourself on the throne
00:46:17.78\00:46:19.69
you've never gonna be happy.
00:46:19.72\00:46:22.53
John 15:13, "Greater
love has no man than this,
00:46:22.56\00:46:27.34
that he would lay down
his life for his friends."
00:46:27.37\00:46:30.44
When we see the love of
Jesus that He would lay down
00:46:32.16\00:46:34.93
His life for us
that we might live.
00:46:34.96\00:46:38.14
Some of you remember
the story of Louis Slotin
00:46:38.17\00:46:40.78
who was there in 1946
he was part of the people
00:46:40.81\00:46:43.66
who were leftover who'd
worked on the Manhattan Project
00:46:43.69\00:46:45.76
to develop the atomic bomb.
00:46:45.79\00:46:47.58
And they continued experiments
00:46:47.61\00:46:48.81
even after
World War II was over.
00:46:48.84\00:46:51.14
And one of these experiments
in Los Alamos, New Mexico
00:46:51.17\00:46:54.12
they were in a room of
bunch of people over there
00:46:54.15\00:46:56.22
and they were experimenting
with very potent plutonium
00:46:56.25\00:47:00.66
and you must not let
these two pieces touch
00:47:00.69\00:47:02.86
and all Louis
had was a screwdriver
00:47:02.89\00:47:05.99
separating these two
pieces and it slipped.
00:47:06.02\00:47:08.84
And the two pieces of
plutonium came together
00:47:08.87\00:47:11.92
and the power was so
enormous, the radioactive power
00:47:11.95\00:47:14.39
that the room began
to buzz and glow blue.
00:47:14.42\00:47:17.53
And he knew it would be fatal
but he instead of reaching down
00:47:17.56\00:47:22.30
and picking up the screwdriver
and trying to pull it apart.
00:47:22.33\00:47:24.53
He knew every second was vital
for the others in the room.
00:47:24.56\00:47:27.04
He grabbed the
plutonium with his own hands
00:47:27.07\00:47:28.80
and pulled it apart.
00:47:28.83\00:47:30.07
And he almost--since then
he began to feel nauseous.
00:47:30.10\00:47:32.35
He said to his friends
00:47:32.38\00:47:33.87
when they were taking
him to the hospital he said,
00:47:33.90\00:47:35.45
"I'm gonna die but
you have a chance."
00:47:35.48\00:47:38.45
And he basically knew that he
had to do this to save others.
00:47:38.48\00:47:42.74
Probably shouldn't have
been using a screwdriver
00:47:44.22\00:47:46.06
that's another story.
00:47:46.09\00:47:49.33
But the idea of self-sacrifice
it touches our hearts.
00:47:49.36\00:47:53.93
And when you see the cross
00:47:53.96\00:47:55.84
by beholding we become changed.
00:47:55.87\00:47:58.17
We look at His love for us.
00:47:58.20\00:48:01.08
And it breaks our
hearts and it changes us.
00:48:01.11\00:48:04.88
1 John 3:1,
"We're changed by behold.
00:48:04.91\00:48:10.35
Behold, what manner of love
00:48:10.38\00:48:11.97
the Father has bestowed on us,
00:48:12.00\00:48:14.29
that we should be
called children of God."
00:48:14.32\00:48:16.53
As we behold His
love it touches our hearts
00:48:16.56\00:48:20.11
and it does something within us.
00:48:20.14\00:48:22.17
You've heard me tell the story
before about Henry Stanley,
00:48:22.20\00:48:25.54
he is an interesting in
study in history all by himself.
00:48:25.57\00:48:29.00
He'd survived the
civil war and then becoming
00:48:31.28\00:48:33.20
a reporter went to
Africa was sort of given
00:48:33.23\00:48:35.32
the mandate of
seeing of David Livingstone
00:48:35.35\00:48:37.08
was still alive looking
all over continent for this man
00:48:37.11\00:48:40.70
finally he finds
Livingstone out there
00:48:40.73\00:48:42.92
by Lake Victoria and
supposedly added those lines,
00:48:42.95\00:48:46.75
Dr. Livingstone I
presume because here he sees
00:48:46.78\00:48:49.88
his one white face in
the sea of black faces
00:48:49.91\00:48:52.75
and they became
very good friends.
00:48:52.78\00:48:54.82
Along the way
Stanley tells how he started
00:48:54.85\00:48:57.17
with hundreds of books
being carried by porters
00:48:57.20\00:48:59.34
and but along the several months
00:48:59.37\00:49:03.26
that he journeyed pretty soon
he through out all the books
00:49:03.29\00:49:06.05
I think he had like
a 180 pounds of books
00:49:06.08\00:49:07.69
and all he left
with this was this Bible
00:49:07.72\00:49:09.84
which he had read through.
00:49:09.87\00:49:12.30
He was a cynic
when he began the trip
00:49:12.33\00:49:14.07
but he knew
Livingstone was a missionary.
00:49:14.10\00:49:16.22
And he was
wondering and what motivated
00:49:16.25\00:49:18.50
him to do what he was doing.
00:49:18.53\00:49:19.79
Listen to what Stanley writes.
00:49:19.82\00:49:22.84
"I went to Africa as prejudiced
00:49:22.87\00:49:24.95
as the biggest
atheist in London.
00:49:24.98\00:49:27.33
But there came a time for
me a long time for reflection.
00:49:28.43\00:49:33.07
I saw this solitary old
man there and asked myself,
00:49:33.10\00:49:36.52
'How on earth does he stop here.
00:49:36.55\00:49:39.19
Is he cracked or what?
What is it that inspires him?'
00:49:39.22\00:49:43.97
For months after
we met I found myself
00:49:44.00\00:49:46.50
wondering at the
old man carrying out
00:49:46.53\00:49:48.97
all that was said in the Bible.
00:49:49.00\00:49:50.70
'Leave all
things and follow Me.'
00:49:50.73\00:49:52.27
Little by little." How
do we get the new heart?
00:49:52.30\00:49:55.76
There's necessarily happened
on the road to Damascus.
00:49:55.79\00:50:00.44
"Little by little
his sympathy for others
00:50:00.47\00:50:02.92
became contagious,
my sympathy was aroused,
00:50:02.95\00:50:07.04
seeing his
piety, his gentleness,
00:50:07.07\00:50:09.39
his zeal, his earnestness,
00:50:09.42\00:50:11.48
and how he went
about his business,
00:50:11.51\00:50:13.02
I was converted by him,
00:50:13.05\00:50:15.11
although he did
not tried to do it."
00:50:15.14\00:50:18.02
Through
association by beholding,
00:50:18.05\00:50:20.21
by spending time
with Livingstone,
00:50:20.24\00:50:21.63
Stanley was converted.
00:50:21.66\00:50:23.21
That same
principle works with us
00:50:23.24\00:50:25.09
as we spend time with Jesus.
00:50:25.12\00:50:28.09
We behold Him, we look at Him,
00:50:28.12\00:50:30.29
and ultimately we
have the right motives.
00:50:30.32\00:50:33.55
We're
transformed into His image,
00:50:33.58\00:50:35.14
we're changed by beholding
until pretty soon we love Him,
00:50:35.17\00:50:38.76
because He first loved us.
00:50:38.79\00:50:40.65
And then we can
have that experience
00:50:40.68\00:50:42.34
that Paul talks about.
00:50:42.37\00:50:44.65
Galatians 2:19,
"For I through the law
00:50:44.68\00:50:49.77
died to the law,
that I might live to God.
00:50:49.80\00:50:52.74
I have been
crucified with Christ,
00:50:52.77\00:50:55.68
it is no longer I who
lives, but Christ lives in me,"
00:50:55.71\00:51:00.36
he can't have both,
00:51:00.39\00:51:01.86
he can't have eye on the throne.
00:51:01.89\00:51:04.42
"And the life which
I now live in the flesh
00:51:04.45\00:51:06.97
I live by faith
in the Son of God,
00:51:07.00\00:51:09.47
who loved me, and
gave Himself for me."
00:51:09.50\00:51:13.03
I pray that I can
have the experience
00:51:13.06\00:51:15.93
John the Baptist had
when they came to him
00:51:15.96\00:51:18.55
and they said,
"Aren't you jealous,
00:51:18.58\00:51:19.82
Jesus ministry is growing
and your ministry is shrinking."
00:51:19.85\00:51:23.10
And John, the Baptist said
00:51:23.13\00:51:25.10
"He must
increase, I must decrease."
00:51:25.13\00:51:28.35
You know that
something every one of us
00:51:28.38\00:51:30.04
could probably say
that's the key to conversion.
00:51:30.07\00:51:34.80
Within our
hearts, within our motives
00:51:34.83\00:51:36.58
he increases I decrease.
00:51:36.61\00:51:39.75
Its not gonna happen
without the choice on your part
00:51:39.78\00:51:43.31
to cling to Jesus
that you might observe Him.
00:51:43.34\00:51:48.19
Said Him before you if Christ
has lifted up will be drawn.
00:51:48.22\00:51:51.84
By beholding Him
we're transformed.
00:51:51.87\00:51:53.78
If you're not reading
your Bible and beholding Him,
00:51:53.81\00:51:55.79
if you're not trying to hang out
00:51:55.82\00:51:57.06
with others who love Christ,
00:51:57.09\00:51:58.40
if you're not
spending time and worship
00:51:58.43\00:51:59.96
and seeking Him, you
won't have that new heart
00:51:59.99\00:52:03.33
and those right motives.
00:52:03.36\00:52:04.39
You can go
through the actions of
00:52:04.42\00:52:05.88
pretending to be a Christian
and doing it selfish motives.
00:52:05.91\00:52:09.54
But if you really
want the heart changed,
00:52:09.57\00:52:11.74
you've got to
get a hold of Jesus
00:52:11.77\00:52:13.41
and squeeze Him until
He becomes one with you.
00:52:13.44\00:52:16.74
And there's no
longer you that you live
00:52:16.77\00:52:18.80
but Christ is
living his life out of you.
00:52:18.83\00:52:22.02
Christianity is contagious
I wish we should start
00:52:22.05\00:52:24.14
an epidemic,
wouldn't that be nice.
00:52:24.17\00:52:27.91
If that's your
desire why don't we
00:52:27.94\00:52:29.55
sing our closing
hymn, "Not I, but Christ."
00:52:29.58\00:52:31.61
It's 570 that pretty well
00:52:31.64\00:52:33.77
covers the theme of our message.
00:52:33.80\00:52:35.41
"Not I, but
Christ." Let's stand 570.
00:52:35.44\00:52:37.98
Not I, but Christ, be
honored, loved, exalted
00:53:00.58\00:53:08.31
Not I, but Christ, be
seen, be known, be heard
00:53:08.34\00:53:16.01
Not I, but Christ,
in every look and action
00:53:16.04\00:53:23.77
Not I, but Christ, in
every thought and word
00:53:23.80\00:53:31.77
Before we sing
verse 2, to begin with
00:53:33.59\00:53:37.37
I'd like to just
make a general appeal
00:53:37.40\00:53:39.49
to at least before
heaven get some acknowledgment
00:53:39.52\00:53:43.52
that we need
help, we're selfish.
00:53:43.55\00:53:46.16
During the course
of the message today,
00:53:46.19\00:53:48.24
if you recognize that possibly
00:53:48.27\00:53:50.14
you're trying to do
some of the right things
00:53:50.17\00:53:52.75
but still it's
for the wrong reasons.
00:53:52.78\00:53:55.48
Would you like to say Lord,
help me sometimes I'm selfish.
00:53:55.51\00:53:58.95
I might pray, I might give,
00:53:58.98\00:54:00.42
I might serve and I'm
wondering what's in it for me.
00:54:00.45\00:54:04.07
That's not all bad you've
got to think those things.
00:54:04.10\00:54:06.80
I mean, you got to
take care of your life
00:54:06.83\00:54:08.38
and be with yourself and cloth
yourself and home yourself.
00:54:08.41\00:54:11.54
But Jesus said, "What
should be the priority be?"
00:54:11.57\00:54:14.21
Seek first the Kingdom of God.
00:54:14.24\00:54:17.12
The love needs to
start and love for Him.
00:54:17.15\00:54:19.82
Now there may
also be some of you
00:54:21.16\00:54:23.04
and you're thinking Doug,
00:54:23.07\00:54:25.38
my heart is so
full of selfishness.
00:54:25.41\00:54:27.87
And I need that new heart.
00:54:27.90\00:54:29.68
I'd like to ask a special prayer
00:54:29.71\00:54:31.85
then God will help me
to experience a change.
00:54:31.88\00:54:34.75
New heart and new spirit, I
can't do it without his help.
00:54:34.78\00:54:39.55
And you like to
ask a special prayer,
00:54:39.58\00:54:40.87
we'll pray for you.
00:54:40.90\00:54:42.13
Come, as we sing verse 2.
00:54:42.16\00:54:44.72
Not I, but Christ, to
gently soothe in sorrow
00:54:52.92\00:55:00.79
Not I, but Christ,
to wipe the falling tear
00:55:00.82\00:55:08.35
Not I, but Christ,
to lift the weary burden
00:55:08.38\00:55:16.17
Not I, but Christ,
to hush away all fear
00:55:16.20\00:55:24.17
Not I, but Christ,
my every need supplying
00:55:26.86\00:55:34.46
Not I, but Christ, my
strength and health to be
00:55:34.49\00:55:42.36
Christ, only Christ,
00:55:42.39\00:55:46.60
for body, soul, and spirit
00:55:46.63\00:55:51.50
Christ, only
Christ, here and eternity
00:55:51.53\00:55:59.50
Dear Father in heaven,
00:56:03.49\00:56:06.68
Lord, we've talked this morning
00:56:06.71\00:56:08.67
about the core
issue in the gospel.
00:56:08.70\00:56:11.56
It's the right motives.
00:56:11.59\00:56:14.28
And Lord we know that
You can look upon our hearts
00:56:14.31\00:56:17.03
and in our fallen nature
we are also naturally selfish.
00:56:17.06\00:56:23.43
There's a danger
that we might even
00:56:23.46\00:56:25.26
have enough
religion to deceive ourselves
00:56:25.29\00:56:27.09
because we're
outwardly doing the right things
00:56:27.12\00:56:29.93
but inwardly doing
them for the wrong reasons.
00:56:29.96\00:56:32.95
Lord, I pray that You
will remove the scales
00:56:32.98\00:56:35.23
from our eyes and help us to see
00:56:35.26\00:56:37.05
our own hearts
need for transformation.
00:56:37.08\00:56:40.21
Lord, we want to keep
doing the right things,
00:56:41.56\00:56:44.29
but we want to do
them for the right reasons.
00:56:44.32\00:56:46.58
Please destroy this
monster of selfishness
00:56:48.15\00:56:50.56
that we all have inside.
00:56:50.59\00:56:52.67
We all have a--
our own personal devil
00:56:52.70\00:56:55.74
that just wants to exalt himself
00:56:55.77\00:56:58.91
and consider his own needs.
00:56:58.94\00:57:00.60
And I pray that
Jesus will cast him out.
00:57:00.63\00:57:03.89
And that He will seat himself
00:57:03.92\00:57:05.39
on the throne of our
hearts and our minds.
00:57:05.42\00:57:08.16
Help us, Lord, to
take these principles
00:57:08.19\00:57:09.95
from this place annoying
that it's only by beholding
00:57:09.98\00:57:13.45
there Your love by
spending time with You
00:57:13.48\00:57:17.36
that we will absorb
those characteristics
00:57:17.39\00:57:21.84
that they'll be
superimposed on our souls.
00:57:21.87\00:57:25.21
Help us to lift
up Jesus for others,
00:57:25.24\00:57:27.94
help them to see
His love in our hearts
00:57:27.97\00:57:30.45
and ultimately we
pray that we can do
00:57:30.48\00:57:33.57
the right things
for the right reasons.
00:57:33.60\00:57:36.18
Love for You and
love for our fellowman.
00:57:36.21\00:57:38.45
And it will be our
prayer that You might increase
00:57:38.48\00:57:41.39
and that we will decrease.
00:57:41.42\00:57:43.12
Bless us to this saying Lord,
00:57:43.15\00:57:44.51
be with each
persons coming forward
00:57:44.54\00:57:46.51
and bless them with
their special needs.
00:57:46.54\00:57:48.71
And we pray that
all have chosen Jesus
00:57:48.74\00:57:50.95
and to seek for His Kingdom
00:57:50.98\00:57:53.11
and we're
praying His name, amen.
00:57:53.14\00:57:55.35