Participants: Pr. Doug Batchelor
Series Code: EG
Program Code: EG002913
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00:01 [MUSIC]
00:09 >> IT'S BEEN 2,000 YEARS SINCE THE GLORIOUS LIGHT OF THE CROSS 00:12 ILLUMINATED A WORLD VEILED IN DARKNESS AND CONFUSION 00:15 ABOUT THE CHARACTER OF GOD. 00:17 AND STILL TODAY THE GREATEST NEED OF MANKIND IS A REVELATION 00:20 OF GOD'S LOVE AS REVEALED IN THE LIFE OF CHRIST. 00:24 AMAZING FACTS PRESENTS, "THE EVERLASTING GOSPEL" 00:27 WITH PASTOR DOUG BATCHELOR COMING TO YOU EACH WEEK FROM 00:30 SACRAMENTO CENTRAL CHURCH IN SUNNY CALIFORNIA. 00:33 DISCOVER HIDDEN TREASURES IN GOD'S WORD TODAY. 00:39 >> I WANTED TO SPECIFICALLY FOCUS OUR ATTENTION TODAY ON 00:42 THE FIRST OF THE PSALMS BECAUSE IT IS SO UNIQUE AND SO 00:48 REMARKABLE. 00:49 MATTER OF FACT, I BELIEVE THIS WAS SO IMPORTANT THAT I 00:54 PROVIDED NOTES FOR ALL OF YOU. 00:57 THEY'RE IN YOUR BIBLE. 00:59 YOU'LL FIND IT IN THE BOOK OF PSALMS. 01:02 IT'S THE FIRST ONE. 01:04 THAT IS THE OUTLINE FOR OUR STUDY TODAY, AND I WANT YOU 01:08 TO JOIN ME AS WE GO THROUGH THAT PSALM AND THIS IS GOING TO BE 01:12 SOMETHING OF AN EXPOSITORY BIBLE STUDY, BUT I HOPE THAT 01:16 YOU'LL GET AS EXCITED AS I DO WHEN YOU JUST LOOK AT THE POWER 01:19 OF THE WORD OF GOD. 01:20 I'LL TELL YOU WHAT REALLY EXCITES ME ABOUT PSALM 1, IT IS 01:24 SO CONCISE, IT IS SO SHORT AND YET IT IS SO FULL OF MEANING. 01:32 IT ENCOMPASSES EVERYTHING, LISTEN, LISTEN, THE FIRST PSALM 01:38 COVERS EVERYTHING IN EVERY FOLLOWING PSALM. 01:44 EVERY FOLLOWING PSALM TOUCHES ON SOMETHING IN THE FIRST 01:49 PSALM. 01:52 IT'S THAT INCREDIBLE. 01:53 IT'S THAT COMPLETE AND COMPREHENSIVE IN ITS MESSAGE. 01:56 NOW GO BACK THERE. 01:57 I KNOW WE JUST READ IT IN OUR SCRIPTURE READING, 01:59 BUT I'M GONNA READ IT TO YOU ONE MORE TIME. 02:01 I'M READING FROM THE NEW KING JAMES VERSION. 02:05 "BLESSED IS THE MAN WHO WALKS NOT IN THE COUNSEL OF THE 02:09 UNGODLY NOR STANDS IN THE PATH OF SINNERS NOR SITS IN THE SEAT 02:16 OF THE SCORNFUL, BUT HIS DELIGHT IS IN THE LAW OF 02:20 THE LORD AND IN HIS LAW HE MEDITATES DAY AND NIGHT. 02:25 HE SHALL BE LIKE A TREE PLANTED BY THE RIVERS OF WATER THAT 02:29 BRINGS FORTH ITS FRUIT IN SEASON WHOSE LEAF ALSO SHALL 02:33 NOT WITHER AND WHATEVER HE DOES SHALL PROSPER. 02:38 THE UNGODLY ARE NOT SO BUT ARE LIKE THE CHAFF 02:41 WHICH THE WIND DRIVES AWAY. 02:43 THEREFORE THE UNGODLY WILL NOT STAND IN THE JUDGMENT NOR 02:46 SINNERS IN THE CONGREGATION OF THE RIGHTEOUS, FOR THE LORD 02:50 KNOWS THE WAY OF THE RIGHTEOUS BUT THE WAY OF THE UNGODLY 02:54 WILL PERISH." 02:55 THERE YOU HAVE IT. 02:57 STARTS WITH A BLESSING. 03:00 BLESSED, HAPPY, ENDS WITH PERISH. 03:05 THERE ARE TWO DESTINIES, HAPPY OR PERISH. 03:11 GOD SO LOVED THE WORLD HE GAVE HIS SON THAT YOU MIGHT HAVE 03:15 EVERLASTING LIFE AND BE HAPPY AND NOT PERISH. 03:21 IT BEGINS LIKE THE SERMON ON THE MOUNT, BLESSED. 03:24 IT BEGINS WITH WHAT EVERYBODY WANTS. 03:27 THE WORD "BLESSED," WHAT DOES THAT MEAN? 03:29 HAPPY. 03:31 WHEN JESUS SAID, "BLESSED ARE THE MEEK IN HEART, 03:34 BLESSED ARE THE PEACEMAKERS, BLESSED ARE 03:36 THOSE WHO ARE PERSECUTED" HE'S SAYING, HAPPY, 03:38 HAPPY, HAPPY. 03:39 AND THIS PSALM REALLY BEGINS WITH WHAT EVERYBODY WANTS. 03:45 ANYBODY HERE NOT WANT TO BE HAPPY? 03:48 YOU NEED TO SCHEDULE AN APPOINTMENT WITH A CHRISTIAN 03:51 PSYCHIATRIST BECAUSE SOMETHING'S WRONG IF 03:55 YOU DON'T WANT TO BE HAPPY. 03:57 I MEAN, THAT'S THE NATURE DESIRE THAT GOD OUR LORD HAS PUT 04:00 INTO EVERYBODY'S HEART IS THIS DESIRE FOR HAPPINESS. 04:05 THE FIRST PSALM IS REALLY CALLED THE PSALM OF PSALMS. 04:09 IN THE SAME WAY THAT THE BOOK OF CANTICLES 04:13 OR THE SONG OF SOLOMON'S CALLED THE SONG OF SONGS. 04:16 OF ALL THE PSALMS, THIS IS THE MOST BEAUTIFUL. 04:20 THAT'S PROBABLY PART OF THE REASON IT'S AT THE BEGINNING 04:22 OF THE LIST. 04:23 IT WAS NOT NECESSARILY THE FIRST PSALM THAT DAVID WROTE, 04:27 BUT IT IS SO COMPLETE AND SO BEAUTIFUL AND SO PROFOUND, 04:31 IT'S PLACED AS SORT OF THE INTRODUCTION FOR EVERY 04:34 OTHER PSALM. 04:36 THE PSALM OF PSALMS, IT BEGINS BY ADDRESSING WHAT EVERYBODY 04:41 IS LOOKING FOR, HAPPINESS. 04:45 HAPPY, BLESSED IS THE MAN. 04:48 THAT'S WHAT THE MESSAGE IS. 04:50 AND BY THE WAY, WHEN IT TALKS ABOUT BLESSED IS THE MAN, IT'S 04:53 USING THE WORD "MAN" IN THE WAY THAT MOSES USED IT, MALE 04:56 AND FEMALE MADE HE THEM. 04:59 WHEN IT SAYS GOD MADE MAN IN HIS OWN LIKENESS, THAT'S 05:02 INCLUDING MALE AND FEMALE. 05:05 SO I'M NOT READING FROM ONE OF THESE POLITICALLY CORRECT 05:08 REWRITTEN BIBLES, AND I FIGURE THAT YOU'RE ALL SMART ENOUGH 05:11 TO KNOW WHAT IT MEANS. 05:13 IT'S TALKING ABOUT HAPPINESS FOR EVERYBODY HERE. 05:15 GOD'S GOSPEL AND HIS SALVATION IS NOT GENDER EXCLUSIVE, AMEN? 05:23 HAPPINESS IS A GIFT THAT HE WANTS US ALL TO HAVE. 05:27 JESUS CAME REALLY TO BRING US THE GIFT OF HAPPINESS, 05:31 AND IT COMES FROM WHAT ROAD YOU WALK IN. 05:35 AT THE VERY BEGINNING YOU'LL NOTICE THAT THERE'S SOME 05:39 CONTRASTS THAT ARE MADE. 05:40 IN THE BEGINNING WHEN ITS SAYS, "HAPPY IS THE MAN," 05:44 IT REALLY TRANSLATES "OH, THE BLESSEDNESS OF THE MAN." 05:49 IT'S CALLING IT FROM JUST IT'S KIND OF A VOLCANIC PERSPECTIVE. 05:58 HAPPINESS DOESN'T COME FROM THE ABUNDANCE OF THINGS 05:59 SOMEONE POSSESSES. 06:02 ACTUALLY PUTTING GOD FIRST AND BEING ON THE RIGHT ROAD IS 06:05 WHAT LEADS TO ALL PROSPERITY. 06:08 ANDREW CARNEGIE SAID MILLIONAIRES WHO LAUGH ARE 06:11 RARE. 06:13 PEOPLE WHO ARE TRYING TO FIND HAPPINESS IN THE WORLD WITHOUT 06:15 GOD, IT'S LIKE SOMEONE LOST IN THE DESERT WHO SEES A MIRAGE OF 06:19 AN OASIS AND IT'S ALWAYS JUST OUTSIDE OF THEIR REACH, 06:23 THEY NEVER GET THERE. 06:24 THE HAPPINESS THAT THE WORLD OFFERS IS A MIRAGE. 06:29 PROVERBS 16:20, "HE WHO HEEDS THE WORD WISELY WILL FIND GOOD 06:36 AND WHOEVER TRUSTS IN THE LORD, HAPPY IS HE." 06:40 REAL HAPPINESS COMES FROM GOD AND IT'S CLEAR AT THE BEGINNING 06:43 OF THIS PSALM, BUT IT STATES IT IN THREE NEGATIVES 06:47 AT THE BEGINNING. 06:49 IT SAYS, "BLESSED IS THE MAN WHO DOES NOT DO THIS 06:53 NOR THIS NOR THIS." 06:57 IT'S WARNING US THAT THIS IS NOT WHERE HAPPINESS COMES FROM. 07:00 WHY DOES IT START THAT WAY? 07:02 BECAUSE YOU AND I ARE NATURALLY PRONE TOWARDS GOING THE WRONG 07:06 WAY LOOKING FOR HAPPINESS. 07:09 YOU KNOW IN THE LORD'S PRAYER, WHEN YOU PRAY "LEAD US NOT INTO 07:13 TEMPTATION," WHY WOULD YOU SAY, "LORD, DON'T LEAD US 07:16 INTO TEMPTATION?" 07:17 IS GOD OUT THERE WANTING TO LEAD US INTO TEMPTATION AND 07:20 WE'RE BEGGING HIM "LORD, PLEASE DON'T LEAD ME INTO TEMPTATION?" 07:23 WHY IS IT STATED LIKE THAT? 07:26 IT ACTUALLY TRANSLATES "LEAD US AWAY FROM OUR NATURAL 07:30 TENDENCY TOWARDS TEMPTATION." 07:34 AND SO THIS PSALM BEGINS BY INTERRUPTING OUR LOST 07:38 PROPENSITIES AND SAYING, BLESSED IS THE MAN THAT 07:41 DOESN'T DO WHAT THEY'RE NATURALLY INCLINED TO DO. 07:45 SEE, IN OUR FALLEN NATURE, WE WANT TO WALK IN THE WRONG PATH 07:49 AND STAND IN THE WRONG PLACE AND SIT IN THE WRONG SEAT, AND 07:53 THAT PROBABLY IS A GOOD PLACE TO GET TO THAT NEXT SUBJECT, 07:57 PLACE WHERE THERE'S NO WALKING, STANDING OR SITTING IF YOU'RE 08:01 A BELIEVER. 08:03 YOU NOTICE THAT? 08:04 IT SAYS, "BLESSED IS THE MAN WHO WALKS NOT IN THE COUNSEL 08:08 OF THE UNGODLY." 08:10 THERE'S A PLACE WHERE WE CAN GET THE WRONG COUNSEL. 08:13 AND SIN IS PROGRESSIVE, IT STARTS WITH LISTENING 08:16 TO THE WRONG COUNSEL. 08:17 SALVATION BEGINS WITH LISTENING TO THE RIGHT COUNSEL. 08:21 PEOPLE WHO MAYBE KNOW THE LORD OFTEN DRIFT OUT. 08:26 A PERSON RAISED IN A CHRISTIAN HOME, MIGHT EVER BE HOME 08:28 SCHOOLED AND THEN THEY GO OFF TO A SECULAR COLLEGE AND THEY 08:32 WERE DOING FINE UNTIL THEY STARTED GETTING SOME OF THE 08:34 WRONG COUNSEL AND EVERYTHING JUST UNRAVELS AFTER THAT. 08:39 I BELIEVE ONE OF THE GREATEST-- YOU HEARD ME SAY THIS BEFORE. 08:45 SOME OF YOU HAVEN'T HEARD IT, SO I'M GONNA SAY IT AGAIN. 08:48 ONE OF THE GREATEST THREATS TO HOLINESS IN THE CHURCH IS 08:53 THE TYPICAL TELEVISION THAT PEOPLE WATCH. 08:57 LITTLE BY LITTLE EVEN THOUGH IT'S SUBTLE, EVEN THOUGH YOU 08:58 THINK YOU'VE GOTTA FILTER IN YOUR MIND, YOU'RE FOOLING 09:01 YOURSELF IF YOU DON'T THINK YOU AREN'T BEING CONTAMINATED BY 09:04 THE COUNSEL OF THE UNGODLY. 09:06 IT'S IN THE COMMERCIALS, IT'S IN THE PROGRAMS, 09:08 YOU CATCH IT WHEN YOU'RE FLIPPING BETWEEN GOOD CHANNELS, 09:11 IF THERE IS SUCH A THING. 09:14 AND LITTLE BY LITTLE YOU'RE BEING CORRUPTED BY EVIL COUNSEL. 09:19 YOU'RE HEARING THESE THINGS. 09:20 THERE'S A BLESSING ON THE MAN THAT DOESN'T WALK IN THAT 09:22 COUNSEL. 09:24 YOU'RE NOT GONNA BE ON THE ROAD WHERE THAT HAPPENS. 09:28 IT SAYS YOU WALK NOT IN THE COUNSEL OF THE UNGODLY NOR 09:31 STAND IN THE PATH OF SINNERS. 09:34 YOU DON'T LINGER WHERE YOU'RE GOING TO HEAR IT. 09:37 YOU DON'T HANG AROUND THAT PATH NOR SIT IN THE SEAT OF 09:41 THE SCORNFUL. 09:41 WHEN I GO TO THE SUPERMARKET, THERE IS A SECTION THAT IS 09:46 DEDICATED TO ALCOHOL. 09:48 THERE'S A ROW FOR ALCOHOL, AND I DON'T KNOW WHAT IT IS WITH 09:53 ME BUT I STILL DON'T REMEMBER WHERE ANYTHING IS IN THE MARKET 09:57 EVEN AFTER YEARS OF GOING TO THE SAME MARKET. 10:01 BUT THERE'S ONE ROW, I KNOW WHERE IT IS 10:04 AND I DON'T GO DOWN THAT ROW. 10:07 IT'S NOT BECAUSE I'M AFRAID I'M GONNA GET TEMPTED, IT'S NOT 10:11 THAT I'M BEYOND THAT BUT I DON'T EVEN WANT TO BE SEEN 10:15 GOING DOWN THAT ROW. 10:16 I DON'T HAVE ANY REASON TO GO DOWN THAT ROW, AND IF I NEED TO 10:18 GET FROM ONE END OF THE STORE TO THE OTHER END OF THE STORE 10:21 AND THAT IS THE SHORTEST DISTANCE THROUGH THE ROW OF 10:24 WINE AND ALCOHOL, I'LL GO TO THE NEXT ROW AND CROSS OVER. 10:30 AND MAYBE YOU JUST THINK I'M A FANATIC, BUT I KNOW IN THE 10:33 BIBLE IT SAYS DON'T EVEN GO IN THE ROAD WHERE THE WICKED GO 10:38 AND SO I DON'T GO DOWN THAT AISLE. 10:40 I KNOW THEY'RE VIDEO TAPING TOO UP THERE EVERYWHERE YOU WALK 10:43 IN THAT STORE. 10:44 I DON'T EVEN WANT TO GO DOWN THERE. 10:48 OR SITS IN THE SEAT OF THE SCORNFUL. 10:52 THIS IS A PROGRESSION THAT HAPPENS. 10:55 YOU KNOW IN 2 PETER 3:3 IT STARTS OUT, YOU KNOW, 11:01 WITH THE MAN WHO WALKS IN THE WRONG PLACE. 11:05 AND AFTER WALKING IN THE WRONG PLACE, YOU MIGHT FIND YOURSELF 11:07 STANDING IN THE WRONG PLACE AND ULTIMATELY YOU PARK AND PLANT 11:10 YOURSELF, YOU SIT DOWN AND GET COMFORTABLE IN THE SEAT OF 11:13 THE SCORNFUL. 11:15 LISTEN TO WHAT PETER SAYS ABOUT THAT, 2 PETER 3:3, "KNOWING THIS 11:18 FIRST THAT SCOFFERS WILL COME IN THE LAST DAYS WALKING 11:22 ACCORDING TO THEIR OWN LUSTS SAYING, 'WHERE IS THE PROMISE 11:25 OF HIS COMING?'" PEOPLE WHO DENY GOD AND DENY 11:27 THE RETURN OF CHRIST--AND YOU KNOW THE BIBLE SAYS THOSE FOLKS 11:31 WILL ARISE FROM AMONG US. 11:34 THEY STARTED OUT WALKING WITH US AND THEY END UP. 11:38 THEY GOT THEIR DOCTORATES IN DOUBT AND THEY ARE TRYING 11:42 TO RECRUIT OTHER PEOPLE. 11:43 THEY'RE SCORNING WHAT WE BELIEVE. 11:46 YOU KNOW WHERE THE GREATEST ADVERSARIES OF THE TRUTH 11:48 ARE GOING TO COME FROM IN THE LAST DAYS? 11:51 AND FROM YOUR OWN SELVES SHALL ARISE TEACHERS TEACHING HERESY, 11:57 DOCTRINES OF DEVILS. 11:58 THE BRIGHTEST LIGHTS AMONG US WILL GO OUT AND TURN INTO OUR 12:00 WORST ADVERSARIES. 12:02 WHO WAS IT THAT BETRAYED JESUS? 12:04 ONE OF THE 12 APOSTLES, NOT JUST ANY OLD DISCIPLE, 12:08 AN APOSTLE STARTED OUT WALKING WITH THE LORD BECAUSE HE WAS 12:14 LINGERING ON THE OUTSKIRTS, HE ENDS UP BEING A SCORNER 12:16 AND SELF-DESTRUCTS. 12:19 PETER KNEW WHAT HE WAS TALKING ABOUT. 12:21 PETER IS EXHIBIT A OF SOMEBODY WHO LEARNED THE HARD WAY WHAT 12:24 HAPPENS. 12:25 LOOK AT THE DENIAL THAT PETER MADE OF JESUS. 12:30 HOW DID THAT BEGIN? 12:31 JOHN 18:16, "BUT PETER STOOD AT THE DOOR OPPOSITE THE OTHER 12:38 DISCIPLE WHO WAS KNOWN TO THE HIGH PRIEST AND HE WENT OUT 12:41 AND SPOKE TO HER WHO KEPT THE DOOR AND BROUGHT PETER IN." 12:44 HE THEN FOR A WHILE HE WAS STANDING THERE KIND OF ON THE 12:48 OUTSIDE OF THE PLACE WHERE THE ENEMIES OF CHRIST WERE GATHERED 12:52 FIRST WALKING, THEN STANDING. 12:55 AND THEN YOU READ IN MATTHEW 26:58, "AND THEN PETER 12:59 WENT IN AND HE SAT DOWN WITH THE SERVANTS TO SEE THE END." 13:03 HE SAT DOWN AND BEGIN TO MINGLE AMONG THEM AND HE TRIED TO 13:07 SOUND LIKE THEM. 13:09 AND FINALLY WHEN THEY ASKED PETER, "AREN'T YOU ONE OF HIS 13:11 FOLLOWERS?" 13:14 HE BEGINS TO TALK LIKE THE SCOFFERS AND THE SCORNERS 13:19 AND HE SAYS, "I DON'T KNOW THE MAN OF WHO YOU SPEAK." 13:23 THIRD TIME WITH SWEARING AND CURSING HE PUNCTUATES 13:25 HIS DENIAL. 13:27 DID IT HAPPEN IMMEDIATELY OR WAS IT A SEQUENCE OF FIRST HE 13:32 WALKED KIND OF AT A DISTANCE, TRIED TO LOOK LIKE 13:35 EVERYBODY ELSE, THEN HE STOOD AND THEN HE SAT? 13:40 YOU KNOW, TURNING OUR BACKS ON THE LORD, IT'S A SEQUENCE 13:43 OF THINGS THAT HAPPEN. 13:47 DO YOU THINK THAT ALL HAPPENED TO PETER THAT NIGHT OR DID IT 13:50 HAPPEN ALONG THE WAY AS PETER WAS TRUSTED IN HIMSELF? 13:54 THOUGH ALL MEN FORSAKE YOU, I'LL NOT FORSAKE YOU. 13:57 HE WAS ON THE WRONG ROAD RIGHT THEN WHEN HE SAID THAT, HIS 14:00 FAITH WAS IN THE WRONG PLACE. 14:03 SEE, IT STARTS OUT WALKING IN THE COUNSEL OF THE UNGODLY, 14:09 STANDING IN THE PATH OF SINNERS AND THEN SITTING IN THE SEAT OF 14:13 THE SCORNFUL. 14:15 NOW CONTRASTED WITH THE ONE WHO DENIES THE LORD, 14:19 WHO IS THE UNHAPPY MAN IS THE ONE WHO IS THE HAPPY MAN. 14:23 I'M IN VERSE 2 NOW. 14:26 "BUT HIS DELIGHT," SPEAKING OF THE MAN WHO DELIGHTS IN THE 14:29 LAW, HE'S YOUR HAPPY MAN, "HIS DELIGHT IS IN THE LAW 14:34 OF THE LORD." 14:35 NOW, WHO HERE THINKS ABOUT I TELL YOU WHAT, WE'RE GONNA 14:38 PARTY AND WE'RE ALL GONNA BE REALLY HAPPY. 14:40 WE'RE GONNA TALK ABOUT THE LAW OF GOD. 14:43 ISN'T THE LAW OF GOD A BUNCH OF DON'Ts? 14:46 WELL, IN THE BIBLE TIMES THE LAW OF GOD WAS NOT JUST 14:48 THE TEN COMMANDMENTS. 14:50 MATTER OF FACT WHEN KING DAVID WROTE THIS PSALM, HOW MUCH OF 14:54 THE LAW WAS WRITTEN? 14:56 HOW MUCH OF THE BIBLE DID THEY HAVE? 14:59 WELL, THEY HAD THE FIRST FIVE BOOKS OF MOSES, 15:01 THAT WAS CALLED THE LAW. 15:02 THEY HAD JOSHUA, THEY HAD JUDGES, THEY HAD RUTH, 15:06 1 SAMUEL, PROBABLY MOST OF 2 SAMUEL WHEN HE WROTE THIS, 15:12 BUT THAT WAS ENOUGH FOR HIM TO DELIGHT IN. 15:15 IT'S TALKING ABOUT DELIGHTING IN THE WORD OF GOD. 15:17 IS THE WORD OF GOD YOUR DELIGHT? 15:20 IF YOU'RE DELIGHTING IN THE WORD OF GOD, IF YOU'RE 15:22 MEDITATING ON THE WORD OF GOD, YOU WILL NOT BE WALKING 15:25 IN THE WRONG PATH. 15:27 IF YOU'RE NOT DELIGHTING IN THE WORD OF GOD, YOU'RE DELIGHTING 15:30 IN SOMETHING ELSE AND YOU'RE GONNA BE DRIFTING INTO 15:34 THE WRONG PATH. 15:35 DID DAVID DELIGHT IN THE WORD OF GOD? 15:39 MATTER OF FACT, I HOPE I DIDN'T GIVE YOU THE WRONG IMPRESSION. 15:42 YOU SHOULD DELIGHT IN THE LAW OF GOD, YES, 15:45 THE TEN COMMANDMENTS. 15:47 DELIGHT IN IT. 15:48 WHY? 15:49 'CAUSE IT'S LIFE. 15:51 MOSES, WHEN HE GAVE THE LAW TO THE PEOPLE, HE SAID, "YOU KNOW, 15:54 I'M SENDING BEFORE YOU LIFE AND DEATH, BLESSING AND CURSING, 15:58 GOOD AND EVIL, CHOOSE LIFE. 16:01 THE BIBLE TELLS US OVER AND OVER AGAIN, 16:03 THIS IS THE SOURCE OF LIFE. 16:04 PSALMS 37:4, "DELIGHT YOURSELF ALSO IN THE LORD AND HE 16:09 WILL GIVE YOU THE DESIRES OF YOUR HEART." 16:12 YOU DELIGHT YOURSELF IN GOD AND HE'LL BLESS YOU WITH WHAT 16:15 WILL BRING YOU REAL HAPPINESS. 16:17 BY THE WAY, WHAT IS DELIGHT? 16:19 SOMETHING THAT GIVES GREAT PLEASURE AND ENJOYMENT. 16:22 WHEN YOU THINK OF THE LAW OF GOD AND YOU THINK OF THE WORD 16:25 OF GOD, YOU THINK OF SOMETHING THAT'S SORT OF A NECESSARY EVIL 16:28 LIKE TASTING--TAKING A MEDICINE THAT'S JUST IS BITTER. 16:32 YOU GOTTA DO IT, BUT IT'S BITTER. 16:34 OR DO YOU THINK ABOUT IT LIKE A HOT FUDGE SUNDAE? 16:39 THAT'S NO GOOD FOR YOU ANYWAY. 16:41 I SHOULD FIND A DIFFERENT ILLUSTRATION. 16:44 HONEY, THE BIBLE SAYS EAT A LITTLE HONEY, FOR IT IS GOOD. 16:47 THINK OF SOMETHING SWEET, SOMETHING THAT'S DELIGHTFUL. 16:51 THINK OF WHATEVER JUST DELIGHTS YOUR HEART THAT'S GOOD. 16:53 THAT'S THE FEELING YOU SHOULD HAVE ABOUT THE WORD OF GOD. 16:56 OR YOU LOOK UPON IT AS-- YOU KNOW, IT'S SORT OF A LEGAL 17:01 DOCUMENT THAT YOU NEED TO SIGN IF YOU WANT ETERNAL LIFE. 17:05 YOU GOTTA READ IT. 17:05 IT'S A LOT OF FINE PRINT. 17:07 IT'S SORT OF A NUISANCE BUT YOU GOTTA GO THROUGH IT. 17:10 THE WORD OF GOD SHOULD BE DELIGHTFUL FOR YOU. 17:13 WHEN YOU REALIZE THAT IT BRINGS YOU LIFE, IT'S THE KEY 17:16 TO LIFE AND HAPPINESS. 17:18 PSALMS 119:48, "MY HANDS I WILL LIFT UP TO YOUR COMMANDMENTS 17:24 WHICH I LOVE. 17:25 I WILL MEDITATE ON YOUR STATUTES." 17:27 THAT'S WRITTEN BY DAVID. 17:29 "LIFTING UP HIS HANDS FOR THE COMMANDMENTS WHICH I LOVE 17:32 AND TO MEDITATE ON HIS STATUTES." 17:35 HOW MANY OF YOU REMEMBER THE STORY IN THE BIBLE WHEN DAVID 17:37 FINALLY BROUGHT THE ARK OF GOD? 17:40 WHAT'S IN THE ARK OF GOD? 17:42 TEN COMMANDMENTS. 17:43 HE BRINGS THE ARK OF GOD INTO JERUSALEM IN PREPARATION FOR 17:48 ITS ULTIMATE HOME IN THE TEMPLE, AND HE WAS SO THANKFUL 17:53 TO HAVE THE LAW OF GOD IN HIS HOMETOWN WHERE IT HAD BEEN 17:57 EITHER IN THE TABERNACLE OR IT WAS CAPTURED ONCE BY THE 18:00 PHILISTINES OR IN ANOTHER TOWN. 18:02 HE WANTED IT THERE IN JERUSALEM WITH HIM. 18:05 IF I TOLD YOU THAT YOU KNOW WE'RE GONNA GIVE YOU A COPY 18:07 OF THE TEN COMMANDMENTS, WOULD THAT BE A DELIGHT FOR YOU? 18:14 FOR SOME REASON, DAVID DELIGHTED IN THE LAW OF GOD. 18:18 AND FINALLY WHEN THEY DID BRING IT UP, YOU KNOW AT ONE TIME, 18:20 THEY BROUGHT IT UP THE WRONG WAY AND UZZAH--THEY WEREN'T 18:24 SUPPOSED TO CARRY IT ON AN OXCART AND UZZAH TOUCHED 18:27 THE ARK AND HE DIED BECAUSE THAT WAS FORBIDDEN AND DAVID 18:30 WAS DEPRESSED. 18:31 AND FINALLY HE READ THE BIBLE AND REALIZED WHAT THEY HAD DONE 18:33 WRONG. 18:34 MOSES HAD INSTRUCTED IT WAS TO BE CARRIED ON THE SHOULDERS 18:36 OF THE PRIESTS. 18:37 HE GOT IT RIGHT AND THEN THEY BROUGHT IT THE REMAINDER 18:40 OF THE WAY. 18:40 AND WHEN THEY DID THAT AND HE KNEW HE WAS DOING WHAT GOD TOLD 18:44 HIM TO DO, IN THE PATH FROM THE HOUSE OF OBED-EDOM WHERE THEY 18:49 BROUGHT THE ARK TO JERUSALEM, THEY WERE WALKING IN THE WAY 18:52 OF THE LORD. 18:53 DAVID KNEW "WE'RE DOING IT THE RIGHT WAY NOW." 18:55 HE HAD PEACE, HE WAS HAPPY, HE WAS EXUBERANT, HE WAS JOYFUL. 18:59 LISTEN TO WHAT IT SAYS HERE. 19:01 2 SAMUEL 6:14-15, "AND DAVID DANCED BEFORE THE LORD WITH 19:07 ALL OF HIS MIGHT. 19:08 AND DAVID WAS WEARING A LINEN EPHOD, SO DAVID AND ALL 19:11 THE HOUSE OF ISRAEL BROUGHT THE ARK, TEN COMMANDMENTS, 19:15 OF THE LORD UP WITH SHOUTING AND THE SOUND OF THE TRUMPET." 19:19 WERE THEY DELIGHTED? 19:21 THEY WERE FILLED WITH DELIGHT AND THEY'RE BRINGING THE LAW 19:23 OF GOD UP TO THEIR TOWN. 19:26 THERE WAS A JOY FROM SHOUTING, TRUMPETS. 19:29 THEY WERE WALKING IN THE WAY OF THE LORD. 19:33 YOU KNOW, THIS KIND OF DELIGHT, I WAS READING THE NUMBER OF 19:36 COMMENTARIES ON THIS AND I READ SOMETHING THAT ADAM CLARK WROTE 19:40 AND I THOUGHT, "YOU KNOW WHAT HERE CAN I PLAGIARIZE?" 19:43 YOU CAN'T REALLY PLAGIARIZE BECAUSE HE'S BEEN DEAD 19:45 FOR MORE THAN 50 YEARS. 19:47 HE'S BEEN DEAD FOR PROBABLY 200 YEARS. 19:49 BUT FINALLY I THOUGHT WELL, I'M JUST GONNA GIVE HIM CREDIT 19:52 AND READ IT FROM HIS PEN. 19:55 THESE ARE ADAM CLARK'S THOUGHTS ON JUST THE IDEA OF THE MAN 20:00 WHO MEDITATES AND DELIGHTS IN THE LAW OF GOD. 20:03 "HIS WILL, DESIRE, AFFECTION, EVERY MOTIVE IN HIS HEART 20:09 AND EVERY MOVING PRINCIPLE IN HIS SOUL ARE ON THE SIGHT 20:12 OF GOD AND IN HIS TRUTH. 20:15 HE TAKES UP THE LAW OF THE LORD AS THE RULE OF HIS LIFE. 20:18 HE BRINGS ALL OF HIS ACTIONS AND AFFECTIONS TO THIS HOLY 20:21 STANDARD. 20:22 HE LOOKS INTO THE PERFECT LAW OF LIBERTY AND IS NOT 20:24 A FORGETFUL HEARER BUT A DOER OF THE WORD AND IS THEREFORE 20:28 BLESSED IN HIS DEED. 20:29 HE NOT ONLY READS TO GAIN KNOWLEDGE FROM THE DIVINE 20:32 ORACLES, BUT HE MEDITATES ON WHAT HE READS, FEEDS ON IT. 20:35 AND THUS RECEIVING THE SINCERE MILK OF THE WORD, HE GROWS 20:39 THEREBY UNTO ETERNAL LIFE. 20:41 THIS IS NOT AN OCCASIONAL STUDY TO HIM. 20:43 IT IS HIS WORK DAY AND NIGHT AS HIS HEART IS IN IT AS 20:47 THE EMPLOYMENT MUST BE FREQUENT AND THE DISPOSITION TO IT 20:50 PERPETUAL." 20:52 BOY, THESE GUYS WERE GOOD. 20:55 I WISH I HAD A VOCABULARY LIKE THAT. 20:59 WE'RE TALKING ABOUT A PERSON WHO BASICALLY JUST--THEY BRING 21:02 THE WORD OF GOD INTO EVERY FIBER OF THE WORK AND THE WOOF 21:05 OF WHO THEY ARE. 21:07 IT PENETRATES THE FABRIC. 21:09 THEY'RE THINKING ABOUT IT. 21:10 IF THEY WAKE UP AT NIGHT AND THEY CAN'T SLEEP, 21:11 THEY'RE MEDITATING ON THE WORD. 21:13 AS THEY GO ABOUT THEIR BUSINESS DURING THE DAY, 21:15 THEY'RE MEDITATING ON THE WORD. 21:17 AND YOU KNOW IF THERE EVER WAS A TIME WHEN IT WAS EASY TO DO 21:21 THAT, IT'S NOW. 21:24 I MEAN, BACK IN THE TIME OF DAVID, IF YOU WANTED TO 21:26 MEDITATE ON THE WORD, YOU WOULD HAVE TO HAVE A SCROLL OR MAYBE 21:30 HAVE A SCRIBE READ IT TO YOU. 21:32 BUT NOW IF YOU WANT TO MEDITATE ON THE WORD, YOU'VE GOT THE 21:35 BIBLE YOU CAN LISTEN TO ON CD. 21:38 YOU'VE GOT IT ON THE RADIO. 21:40 SOMEBODY JUST RECENTLY JUST GAVE ME A LITTLE iPOD AND THIS 21:43 iPOD CAME FACTORY PREPARED WITH ALL THE BIBLE ON IT 21:46 AND ALL THE SPIRIT OF PROPHECY ON IT. 21:48 YOU CAN WALK AROUND, YOU CAN LISTEN TO IT DURING THE DAY. 21:51 SO GRANTED WE ARE LIVING IN AN AGE OF THE WORLD WHEN IT'S 21:55 HARDER THAN IT PROBABLY EVER HAS BEEN TO KEEP FOCUSED 21:57 ON THE WORD OF GOD AND NOT BE DISTRACTED BY THE COUNSEL 21:59 OF THE WICKED. 22:01 WE ALSO ARE LIVING IN AN AGE, IN THE TIME OF THE WORLD WHEN 22:04 WE HAVE MORE OPPORTUNITY AND WAYS TO LISTEN TO THE WORD 22:07 OF GOD. 22:09 HAVE IN OUR CARS AND, YOU KNOW, LITTLE iPODS. 22:13 PEOPLE GO TO THE GYM. 22:14 YOU NOTICE THEY GOT THE COUNSEL OF THE WICKED ON A TV SCREEN 22:17 ABOVE YOU. 22:20 EVERY TREADMILL AND STEP MASTER IN THE GYM, YOU CAN BE WATCHING 22:25 THAT, BUT THEN I SEE OTHER PEOPLE THAT BRING THEIR OWN 22:27 LITTLE iPODS AND I THOUGHT, YOU KNOW I KNOW A LOT OF PEOPLE 22:30 THAT GO TO THE GYM AND THEY LISTEN TO SERMONS AND SO IT'S 22:33 POSSIBLE FOR EVERYBODY TO BE ABLE TO PARTICIPATE THIS WAY. 22:38 HE MEDITATES ON THE WORD OF GOD. 22:39 GO WITH ME IN YOUR BIBLES, ISAIAH 2:3, "MANY PEOPLE SHALL 22:45 COME--" I'M SORRY, YEAH. 22:47 "MANY PEOPLE SHALL COME AND SAY, 'COME AND LET US GO UP TO 22:50 THE MOUNTAIN OF THE LORD TO THE HOUSE OF THE GOD 22:53 OF JACOB. 22:54 HE WILL TEACH US HIS WAYS AND WE WILL WALK IN HIS PATHS. 22:58 FOR OUT OF ZION SHALL GO FORTH THE LAW AND THE WORD 23:01 OF THE LORD FROM JERUSALEM.'" AND SO THIS IS TALKING ABOUT 23:05 A TIME WHERE PEOPLE SAID, "OH, LET'S GO UP TO THE HOUSE OF GOD 23:08 AND HEAR THE WORD OF GOD TOGETHER." 23:11 THROUGH THE WEEK WE MEDITATE ON THE WORD OF GOD AND WE DELIGHT 23:14 IN THE WORD OF GOD, BUT HOW MUCH MORE SHOULD IT BE? 23:16 IS IT BETTER TO GO TO A POTLUCK AND FELLOWSHIP TOGETHER, LET'S 23:21 ASSUME THE FOOD IS ALWAYS GOOD, OR TO EAT AT HOME ALONE? 23:26 DO YOU ENJOY EATING A GOOD MEAL WITH PEOPLE OR EATING BY 23:30 YOURSELF? 23:33 AT THE OFFICE DURING LUNCH, I'VE NOTICED THAT, YOU KNOW, 23:36 WE GOT QUITE A FEW PEOPLE. 23:37 FREQUENTLY PEOPLE GO FROM OFFICE TO OFFICE AND THEY'LL 23:40 SAY, "I'M GOING TO LUNCH. 23:42 WOULD YOU LIKE TO GO WITH ME? 23:43 WOULD YOU LIKE TO GO WITH ME? 23:43 LET'S GO DO IT TOGETHER." 23:45 'CAUSE IT SEEMS LIKE PEOPLE ENJOY FELLOWSHIPPING AND EATING 23:48 TOGETHER. 23:49 EATING'S PLEASANT, BUT IT'S FUN WHEN YOU CAN DO IT WITH 23:51 CONVERSATION. 23:54 IT'S NICE TO READ THE WORD OF GOD AND DELIGHT IN THE WORD 23:56 OF GOD AND MEDITATE IN THE WORD OF GOD ON YOUR OWN. 23:59 HOW MUCH MORE, WHEN WE CAN DO IT TOGETHER LIKE THIS? 24:04 IT'S JUST AN HONOR, FRIENDS, IT'S A PRIVILEGE. 24:06 AND THEN IT SAYS, VERSE 3, I'M ON SCHEDULE. 24:12 HE, THIS PERSON WHO MEDITATES ON THE WORD OF GOD, 24:14 WHAT'S THE FRUIT OF THAT. 24:15 WHAT'S THE RESULT? 24:16 HE WILL BE LIKE A TREE PLANTED BY THE RIVERS OF WATER THAT 24:22 BRINGS FORTH ITS FRUIT IN ITS SEASON WHOSE LEAF ALSO WILL 24:26 NOT WITHER AND WHATEVER HE DOES WILL PROSPER. 24:29 ALL RIGHT, FIRST OF ALL, THIS REMINDS ME OF THE GARDEN 24:34 OF EDEN. 24:35 DOES IT TELL US IN THE BIBLE? 24:40 REVELATION 22:2, "IN THE MIDDLE ITS STREET ON EITHER SIDE 24:44 OF THE RIVER WAS THE TREE OF LIFE." 24:47 SO YOU GOT A TREE, YOU GOT A RIVER, YOU GOT LEAVES 24:53 AND THE LEAVES OF THE TREE WERE FOR THE HEALING OF THE NATIONS, 24:55 RIGHT? 24:56 IN THE GARDEN OF EDEN, HOW MANY RIVERS WERE THERE? 25:00 FOUR RIVERS. 25:01 DOES IT SAY HE WILL BE LIKE A TREE THAT SPROUTS UP BY 25:05 A RIVER? 25:07 I WANT YOU TO LOOK AT THE WORDS. 25:09 HE WILL BE LIKE A TREE PLANTED. 25:12 NOW IS THERE A DIFFERENCE BETWEEN A TREE THAT JUST KIND 25:15 OF SPRINGS UP WILD AND A TREE THAT'S PLANTED? 25:18 WHEN IT SAYS A TREE PLANTED, IT MEANS A TREE THAT HAS BEEN 25:22 PLUCKED UP SOMEWHERE ELSE, PLANTED HERE. 25:27 IT'S FERTILIZED. 25:28 IT'S CULTIVATED. 25:30 IT'S PRUNED. 25:31 IT'S IRRIGATED. 25:33 YOU MAY HAVE REMEMBERED THE PLACE IN THE BIBLE WHERE MOSES 25:35 SAID, "THE LAND IN WHICH I'M BRINGING YOU IS THE LAND 25:38 FLOWING WITH MILK AND HONEY. 25:39 IT'S NOT LIKE EGYPT WHERE YOU WATER BY YOUR FOOT." 25:44 WHAT THAT MEANS IS IN THE LAND OF EGYPT IT WAS A BIG FLAT 25:47 PLAIN BY THE NILE RIVER. 25:48 THEY WOULD DIG CANALS, THEY CALLED THEM RIVERS, AND THEY 25:51 WOULD IRRIGATE THEIR ORCHARDS AND THEY'D TAKE A CLOD OF DIRT 25:54 WITH THEIR FOOT AND THEY'D BLOCK ONE AND THEY'D MAKE IT 25:57 FLOW AND IRRIGATE ANOTHER ROW OF TREES. 25:59 AND THEN THEY'D TAKE THEIR FOOT AND THEY'D BLOCK ANOTHER ONE 26:01 THEN MAKE IT IRRIGATE. 26:02 OR IF IT WAS TIME TO IRRIGATE ONE, THEY'D KICK THE CLOD 26:04 OUT OF THE WAY, THE WATER WOULD RUN. 26:06 IN SACRAMENTO, WE UNDERSTAND THIS. 26:09 THEY GOT THE RICE PATTIES OUT HERE, AND THEY DO THIS. 26:11 THEY IRRIGATE THEIR FIELDS LIKE THAT. 26:13 IT'S VERY SIMPLE GRAVITY IRRIGATION. 26:15 WELL, HE'S SAYING THIS IS A TREE THAT IS PLANTED BY 26:19 AN ABUNDANT WATER SUPPLY. 26:23 BUT DON'T MISS THE POINT, IT'S PLANTED. 26:26 DOES CHRIST TALK ABOUT THE IMPORTANCE OF PLANTING? 26:30 MATTHEW 15:13, "EVERY PLANT WHICH MY HEAVENLY FATHER HAS 26:35 NOT PLANTED WILL BE UPROOTED." 26:39 SO IF THIS IS A TREE PLANTED AND IF IT SAYS THE LORD GOD 26:43 PLANTED A TREE IN THE GARDEN OF EDEN AND IF THE TREE OF LIFE 26:47 IS BY THE RIVER OF LIFE, YOU ARE TO BE TREES OF LIFE 26:50 PLANTED BY RIVERS OF LIFE CHRIST IS THE LIVING WATER, 26:54 RIGHT? 26:55 THAT IS BRINGING FORTH FRUIT. 26:59 AND HOW MUCH DOES THE LORD WANT FRUIT? 27:01 HOW DISAPPOINTED IS HE WHEN HE DOESN'T GET FRUIT? 27:04 SOMETIMES THE FRUIT DOESN'T COME RIGHT AWAY BUT THERE'S 27:06 NO EXCUSE FOR THAT. 27:08 YOU REMEMBER IN THE--I BELIEVE IT'S IN LUKE 13 WHERE JESUS 27:11 TELLS A PARABLE ABOUT A MAN WHO PLANTED A TREE IN HIS GARDEN. 27:16 AND 3 YEARS HE COMES LOOKING FOR FRUIT ON THE TREE AND HE 27:19 DOESN'T FIND IT AND HE SAYS TO THE GARDENER, THE MAN WHO CARES 27:22 FOR THE ORCHARD, HE SAID, "I'VE GOT THIS TREE HERE. 27:24 I'VE IRRIGATED IT. 27:25 I'VE PRUNED IT. 27:26 I'VE FERTILIZED IT. 27:27 NO FRUIT, CUT IT DOWN." 27:29 BUT, YOU KNOW, THE GARDENER'S SORT OF GROWN--DEVELOPED 27:32 A RELATIONSHIP WITH THE TREE, I GUESS. 27:35 HE SAID, "MASTER, GIVE IT ANOTHER YEAR." 27:37 HE SAID, "I'LL IRRIGATE IT BETTER. 27:38 I'LL PRUNE IT BETTER. 27:39 I'LL FERTILIZE IT BETTER. 27:42 I'LL DO EVERYTHING I CAN, GIVE IT ONE MORE YEAR." 27:45 HE SAID, "ALL RIGHT, AFTER THAT, CUT IT DOWN." 27:47 BY THE WAY, THAT WAS A PARABLE OF THE JEWISH NATION. 27:49 REMEMBER JESUS WENT TO A TREE ONE TIME? 27:52 THE ONLY TIME CHRIST EVER CURSED ANYTHING, HE WENT 27:56 LOOKING FOR FRUIT ON A TREE THAT HAD LEAVES BUT NO FRUIT 28:00 AND HE CURSED IT. 28:03 SO HE DOESN'T WANT US TO JUST HAVE THE LEAVES OF NOMINAL 28:06 CHRISTIANITY AND SAY, "I'M A MEMBER OF THE CHURCH." 28:10 YOU KNOW, ONE OF THE THINGS IT SAYS ABOUT THE RIGHTEOUS, 28:12 I DIDN'T ADDRESS THIS SPECIFICALLY. 28:16 IT SAYS, "THE RIGHTEOUS MAN DOESN'T SIT IN THE SEAT 28:18 OF THE SCORNFUL. 28:19 HAVE YOU EVER BEEN IN A MEETING WHERE SOMEONE WAS TAKING 28:23 THE NAME OF THE LORD IN VAIN OR THERE'S A GROUP OF PEOPLE 28:27 OR MAYBE THE SUPPOSED TO BE CHRISTIAN MUSIC, BUT YOU KNOW 28:32 IT'S NOT, IT'S MAYBE CHRISTIAN WORDS AND DIABOLICAL MUSIC, 28:36 AND YOU JUST HAD TO GET UP AND WALK OUT? 28:39 I'LL SUBMIT TO YOU THAT IF YOU'RE A BIBLE CHRISTIAN, 28:42 SOMEWHERE ALONG THE WAY YOU OUGHT TO BE WALKING AWAY FROM 28:44 SOME CONVERSATIONS. 28:46 YOU OUGHT TO BE GETTING UP AND WALKING OUT OF SOME ASSEMBLIES 28:48 BECAUSE IF YOU'RE A REAL CHRISTIAN, YOU'RE GONNA BE PUT 28:51 IN THOSE SITUATIONS PERIODICALLY WHERE YOU NEED 28:53 TO STAND UP TO THE LORD AND JUST SAY, "EXCUSE ME, I DON'T WANT 28:55 TO BE LISTENING TO THIS," AND WALK AWAY. 28:58 AND I DON'T MEAN YOU GOTTA BE RUDE OR OBNOXIOUS BUT AT SOME 29:01 POINT YOU GOTTA SAY, "I AM RIGHT NOW SURROUNDED WITH 29:03 THE SCORNFUL AND I'M LEAVING." 29:05 'CAUSE THE BIBLE SAYS DON'T BE THERE. 29:08 OR THIS IS THE PATH OF THE WICKED AND I'M GETTING 29:12 OUT OF HERE. 29:17 BUT THE RIGHTEOUS, JEREMIAH 17:8, HE QUOTES DAVID. 29:26 "HE WILL BE LIKE A TREE PLANTED BY THE WATERS WHICH SPREADS 29:30 OUT ITS ROOTS." 29:32 IT'S GOT ROOTS. 29:33 YOU KNOW WHEN YOU FIRST PLANT THE TREE, THE FIRST YEAR'S KIND 29:35 OF--YOU'RE HOPING IT'S GONNA DO OKAY. 29:38 WHEN IT BEGINS TO PUT OUT NEW LIFE, I'LL TELL YOU 29:40 A SECRET ABOUT TREES. 29:41 YOU CAN ALMOST ALWAYS TELL WHAT'S HAPPENING BELOW THE 29:44 GROUND BY WHAT'S HAPPENING ABOVE THE GROUND. 29:49 YOU GOT THAT? 29:50 A LAW, NOT ALWAYS BUT MOST OF THE TIME, IF YOU WANT TO KNOW 29:55 ABOUT HOW FAR OUT A TREE'S ROOTS GO, THEY OFTEN GO OUT 29:59 UNDERGROUND AS FAR AS THEY'RE GOING OUT ABOVE GROUND. 30:06 THEY OFTEN GO AS DEEP AS THEY GO HIGH. 30:08 NOW THAT'S NOT ALWAYS TRUE. 30:09 SOME TREES GO DEEPER LIKE OAKS, THEY GO WAY DOWN. 30:16 BUT YOU CAN OFTEN TELL WHAT'S HAPPENING WITH THE HEALTH OF 30:19 THE ROOT BY WHAT'S HAPPENING WITH THE FRUIT. 30:23 AND IF IT'S NOT BUDDING AND LEAVING ABOVE GROUND, 30:27 IT MIGHT BE SICK BELOW GROUND. 30:29 ARE YOU ROOTED IN THE WORD? 30:32 ARE YOUR ROOTS GOING DOWN? 30:36 I LIKE THIS, THIS TREE IS BY THE RIVERS OF WATER. 30:42 IF ONE FAILS, IT'S GOT AN ALTERNATE. 30:45 YOU DON'T HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT THE DROUGHT. 30:47 IF A CHRISTIAN IS LIVING DURING THE TIME OF SPIRITUAL FAMINE, 30:52 IF THEY'RE ROOTED IN THE WORD, THEY'RE DOING OKAY. 30:58 WHAT WILL HAPPEN TO HIM? 31:00 IT SAYS WHATEVER HE DOES WILL PROSPER. 31:03 I'M JUST CURIOUS, ANYBODY HERE WANT TO PROSPER? 31:06 NOW YOU'VE HEARD ABOUT PROSPERITY PREACHERS? 31:10 WHEN A PROSPERITY PREACHER TALKS ABOUT PROSPERITY, 31:11 HE'S THINKING MONEY. 31:14 NOW THAT CAN BE PART OF PROSPERITY BUT WHEN I'M TALKING 31:17 ABOUT PROSPERITY, IT'S LIKE JOHN SAYS, "I HOPE THAT YOU 31:20 PROSPER IN SPIRIT AND PHYSICALLY. 31:23 I HOPE YOU PROSPER PHYSICALLY AND SPIRITUALLY." 31:26 HE DOESN'T EVEN MENTION THE MONEY PART. 31:29 I WANT YOU TO PROSPER ON THE INSIDE BECAUSE IF YOU PROSPER 31:32 ON THE INSIDE, YOU WILL PROSPER FINANCIALLY. 31:37 YOU'LL EVENTUALLY BE ON STREETS OF GOLD, RIGHT, 31:40 LIVING IN A MANSION. 31:41 EVERYBODY'S GONNA GET THE HOUSE OF YOUR DREAMS IF YOU PROSPER 31:44 SPIRITUALLY FIRST. 31:46 IF YOU SEEK FIRST GOD'S KINGDOM, EVERYTHING ELSE IS 31:48 GONNA BE ADDED TO YOU. 31:49 I DON'T KNOW WHEN. 31:50 SOME YOU IT WILL START IN THIS LIFE, MOST OF US IT WILL START 31:53 IN THE NEXT LIFE BUT YOU WILL PROSPER THAT WAY. 31:58 WHATEVER HE DOES WILL PROSPER. 32:01 SPURGEON SAID THIS ABOUT THIS VERSE, "THERE IS A CURSE 32:05 WRAPPED UP IN THE WICKED MAN'S MERCIES AND SO THERE'S 32:08 A BLESSING CONCEALED IN THE RIGHTEOUS MAN'S CROSSES, 32:12 LOSSES AND SORROWS." 32:13 WHEN THE BIBLE PROMISES THAT IF YOU MEDITATE ON THE LAW OF GOD 32:16 AND YOU'RE IN THE PATH OF GOD, THAT YOU WILL PROSPER 32:20 IN WHATEVER YOU DO AND YOU'LL BRING FORTH FRUIT. 32:22 THAT IS NOT A GUARANTEE THAT THERE'LL BE NO TRIALS IN LIFE. 32:26 WHAT IT'S SAYING IS WITH ALL THE TRIALS, YOU'LL STILL 32:29 PROSPER ON THE INSIDE. 32:32 DID JOSEPH HAVE TRIALS? 32:34 OH, YEAH. 32:37 BUT YOU ADD UP HOW MUCH OF HIS TRIALS AND THEN YOU SAY 32:39 HE LIVED TO 110 IN THE LAST 70 YEARS OF HIS LIFE, HE WAS 32:44 THE PRIME MINISTER OF EGYPT. 32:45 DID JOSEPH HAVE TRIALS? 32:49 I'M SORRY, DID JOB HAVE TRIALS? 32:52 YEAH, AND IT MAY HAVE LASTED A MATTER OF WEEKS AND THEY WERE 32:55 SEVERE TRIALS. 32:59 BUT ON THE CONTINUUM OF HIS LIFE WHEN IT SAYS THAT HE WAS 33:04 A BLESSED MAN BEFORE AND HE WAS A BLESSED MAN AND HE WAS 33:07 THE GREATEST MAN, A HOLY MAN BEFORE AND AFTER, YOU'VE GOT 33:10 THIS DARK SPOT IN THE MIDDLE WHEN HE SUFFERED THESE TRIALS. 33:16 SOME PEOPLE'S LIVES ARE THE NEGATIVE OF THAT. 33:19 THEY GOT A LITTLE BRIGHT SPOT AND CURSES ALL THE REST 33:21 OF THE TIME. 33:23 WHICH WOULD YOU RATHER HAVE? 33:26 SO YEAH, CHRISTIANS DO SUFFER. 33:27 DID ABRAHAM LIVE DURING A TIME OF FAMINE? 33:31 HE DID THAT'S WHY HE HAD TO GO DOWN TO EGYPT AND SAY THAT 33:33 SARAH WAS HIS SISTER. 33:36 BUT DID GOD PROSPER HIM? 33:39 CAME OUT OF EGYPT WITH GREAT WEALTH, NOT BECAUSE HE SAID 33:42 SARAH WAS HIS SISTER. 33:44 I'M JUST SAYING THAT GOD'S PEOPLES THEY ALSO HAD TRIALS, 33:47 THEY HAD FAMINE BUT HE PROSPERED THEM AND HE'LL 33:49 PROSPER YOU IF YOU MAKE THE LORD YOUR CENTER. 33:53 PSALM 128:1-2, "BLESSED IS EVERYONE WHO FEARS THE LORD 33:59 WHO WALKS IN HIS WAYS. 34:00 WHEN YOU EAT THE LABOR OF YOUR HANDS, YOU WILL BE HAPPY 34:05 AND IT WILL BE WELL WITH YOU. 34:07 WALKING IN THE WAYS OF GOD, YOU WILL BE HAPPY." 34:10 THAT'S WHY I'M TELLING YOU THIS MESSAGE THIS MORNING. 34:11 I WANT YOU TO SEE IT FOR YOURSELF. 34:14 IT'LL BE WELL WITH YOU AND YOU'LL BE HAPPY. 34:20 AND THEN THE BIBLE SAYS THAT BECAUSE THIS TREE'S PLANTED BY 34:22 THE RIVERS, THERE IS SPIRITUAL FRUIT. 34:25 YOU DON'T HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT THAT. 34:28 GENESIS 39:3 WITH JOSEPH THE BIBLE SAYS THAT ALL THAT-- 34:35 HIS MASTER SAW THAT ALL THAT HE DID, THE LORD WAS WITH HIM 34:41 AND THE LORD MADE ALL HE DID TO PROSPER IN HIS HAND. 34:44 IN JOSHUA 1:7, AND I TOLD YOU A MINUTE AGO ABOUT JEREMIAH 34:50 READING WHAT DAVID SAID AND QUOTING HIM. 34:54 HERE YOU'VE GOT DAVID QUOTING WHAT JOSHUA SAID 'CAUSE JOSHUA 34:57 LIVED BEFORE KING DAVID SO WHEN DAVID WRITES THE FIRST PSALM, 35:01 HE MAY HAVE BEEN INFLUENCED BY THIS VERSE. 35:03 JOSHUA SAID, "ONLY BE STRONG AND VERY COURAGEOUS THAT YOU 35:09 MAY OBSERVE TO DO ALL THAT THE LORD--ALL THAT THE LORD 35:13 WHICH MOSES MY SERVANT COMMANDED YOU--" I'M SORRY, "ACCORDING 35:17 TO ALL THE LAW WHICH MOSES MY SERVANT COMMANDED YOU. 35:21 AND DO NOT TURN FROM IT TO THE RIGHT HAND OR THE LEFT 35:24 THAT YOU MAY PROSPER WHEREVER YOU GO." 35:29 SO IN OBEYING THE LAW OF GOD, HE'S PROMISING THAT YOU'LL 35:31 PROSPER. 35:33 IT'S NOT IN MY NOTES BUT I REMEMBER IN DEUTERONOMY 5 35:37 I THINK IT'S VERSE 29, MOSES SAID, "OH, THAT THERE WAS SUCH 35:42 A HEART IN THEM THAT THEY WOULD FEAR ME AND KEEP ALL OF MY 35:46 COMMANDMENTS ALWAYS THAT IT MIGHT BE WELL WITH THEM AND 35:51 THEIR CHILDREN AFTER THEM." 35:54 THAT THEY MIGHT FEAR ME AND KEEP ALL, HOW MANY? 35:57 ALWAYS. 35:58 WHY? 35:59 THAT IT MIGHT BE WELL WITH THEM AND THEIR CHILDREN AFTER THEM. 36:04 IT'S A SIMPLE TRUTH. 36:06 GOD WANTS TO BLESS US. 36:08 AND THEN, OF COURSE, IT TALKS ABOUT THE WICKED. 36:12 IT'S CONTRASTING THE LIFE, THE LEAVES OF THE RIGHTEOUS, 36:16 THEIR LEAF DOES NOT WITHER. 36:17 YOU KNOW SOMETIMES YOU GOT THE FRUIT BUT THE LEAF STARTS 36:19 TO WITHER WHEN IT GETS DRY. 36:21 THEIR BEAUTY HOLDS UP. 36:23 THE TREE STILL HAS ITS SYMMETRY. 36:24 IT'S GOT ITS BALANCE. 36:25 IT'S STILL TAKING IN ENERGY AND IT'S PROSPERING EVEN DURING 36:29 A DROUGHT BECAUSE IT'S PLANTED IN THE RIVERS. 36:32 THE TREE IS NOT INFLUENCED BY WHAT'S HAPPENING ON THE OUTSIDE 36:37 WITH THE COLD OF NIGHT AND THE HEAT OF THE DAY WITH 36:39 THE RAIN OR WITH THE DROUGHT BECAUSE OF WHERE ITS ROOTS ARE. 36:43 ITS ROOTS ARE WRAPPED AROUND A ROCK BY A RIVER AND THAT'S 36:47 HOW A CHRISTIAN IS. 36:48 YOU DON'T NEED TO BE INFLUENCED BY WHAT'S HAPPENING WITH 36:51 THE WIND OR THE WEATHER ABOVE GROUND BECAUSE OF WHAT'S 36:54 HAPPENING IN YOUR HEART THAT CANNOT BE SEEN BECAUSE YOU'RE 36:58 ROOTED IN CHRIST. 37:00 AND THE WORLD MAY NOT SEE, BUT YOU'VE GOT ROOTS 37:02 FOR THE WICKED ARE NOT SO. 37:05 IT GOES ON TO DESCRIBE THEM. 37:07 THE UNGODLY--MATTER OF FACT IN THE ORIGINAL MOORE SAYS, 37:10 "NOT SO WITH THE UNGODLY." 37:14 THAT'S HOW IT READS IN THE VULGATE. 37:15 "BUT THEY ARE LIKE THE CHAFF WHICH THE WINDS DRIVES AWAY." 37:21 NOW WE DON'T GET TO SEE THIS VERY OFTEN THESE DAYS BUT BACK 37:28 IN BIBLE TIMES WHEN PEOPLE HARVESTED AND THEY HAD THEIR 37:31 GRAIN AND THEY HAD THEIR BREAD, THEY WOULD--YOU COULD RUB THE 37:34 GRAIN IN YOUR HANDS AND YOU COULD BLOW, THE CHAFF WOULD 37:37 BLOW AWAY AND THE WEIGHT OF THE GRAIN STAYS IN YOUR HAND. 37:41 THE USELESS PART OF THE DRY CHAFF BLOWS AWAY. 37:44 IT'S THE RESIDUE. 37:46 IT'S THE SHELL, THE HUSKS, THE EMPTINESS OF THE FRUIT. 37:51 IT'S LIKE IF I WERE TO SAY, "HEY, LET'S SIT DOWN BY THE FIRE 37:56 AND WE'LL HAVE SOME PEANUTS TOGETHER." 37:58 ANY OF YOU LIKE JUST SITTING THERE BY A CAMPFIRE EATING 38:00 LIKE SALTED PEANUTS? 38:02 OR MAYBE YOUR THINKING SUNFLOWER SEEDS. 38:04 DOES ANYBODY KNOW WHAT I'M TALKING ABOUT? 38:06 PISTACHIOS? 38:08 TAKE YOUR PICK, I MEAN, YOU MUST LIKE SOMETHING. 38:13 SO WE SIT DOWN TOGETHER AND I SAY, "WELL, LOOK, 38:16 LET'S SHARE 50/50. 38:19 I'LL EAT THE NUTS, YOU EAT THE SHELLS. 38:24 WHICH WOULD YOU RATHER HAVE? 38:27 NOW I DON'T KNOW, I WILL ADMIT THAT WHEN THEY'RE SALTED, 38:30 SOMETIMES I'LL SUCK THE SALT OFF THE SHELL AND THEN I'LL EAT 38:32 THE NUT OUT OF IT, BUT I DON'T SWALLOW THE SHELLS. 38:37 I KNEW A GUY ONE TIME, HE'D EAT SUNFLOWER SEEDS 38:39 SHELL AND ALL... 38:42 WHOO. 38:43 TALK ABOUT ROUGHAGE. 38:47 BUT THIS IS WHAT THE CHAFF IS. 38:50 THIS IS THE STUFF THAT'S CAST OFF, IT'S WEIGHTLESS. 38:54 IT HAS NO WEIGHT. 38:55 IT HAS NO ANCHOR. 38:55 IT BLOWS AWAY WHICHEVER WAY THE WIND GOES. 38:58 IT GETS BURNED UP. 38:59 IT'S USELESS. 39:02 CHRIST TALKS ABOUT THE CHAFF, IT'S DRY, USELESS, 39:07 LOST TO OBLIVION. 39:10 LOOK AT THE CONTRAST AND THE METAPHOR BETWEEN 39:12 THE FRUIT AND THE CHAFF. 39:15 ONE GIVES LIFE, ONE IS USELESS AND IT'S CONSIGNED 39:19 TO THE FLAMES. 39:22 MATTHEW 3:12, SPEAKING OF JOHN THE BAPTIST WHERE JOHN 39:26 THE BAPTIST IS PREACHING HERE. 39:27 SPEAKING OF THE MESSIAH, "HIS WINNOWING FAN IS IN HIS HAND." 39:33 NOW DO Y'ALL KNOW WHAT A WINNOWING FAN IS? 39:35 WHAT THEY WOULD DO IN BIBLE TIMES, THEY'D HAVE ONE PERSON, 39:39 IT'S USUALLY THE WOMEN THAT OFTEN DID THIS, THEY WOULD TAKE 39:42 SOMETHING LIKE A PITCHFORK BUT IT HAD THICK BLADES. 39:45 THEY'D SCOOP THE WHEAT, THEY'D BEAT IT, THEN THEY'D 39:49 SCOOP THE WHEAT. 39:50 THEY'D THROW IT IN THE AIR. 39:51 IF THERE WAS A BREEZE, THE BREEZE WOULD BLOW 39:53 THE CHAFF ASIDE. 39:55 THAT'S WHY THEY HAVE THESE THRESHING FLOORS. 39:57 THEY'D CATCH ALL THE GRAIN ON THIS NICE PAVEMENT. 39:59 IT WOULD BLOW ALL THE CHAFF ASIDE, THAT WOULD BE EVENTUALLY 40:02 BURNED. 40:02 THE GOOD WHEAT WOULD FALL DOWN. 40:04 A LOT OF TIMES DURING THE HARVEST, THERE WAS NO WIND AND 40:07 SO THEY HAD A COUPLE OF PEOPLE THAT THEY WOULD WEAVE THESE BIG 40:09 OLD FANS AND THEY'D GO LIKE THIS... 40:12 THEY'D HAVE A COUPLE OF PEOPLE THAT WERE FANNING JUST LIKE 40:14 THIS WHILE THE OTHER PERSON WAS THROWING THE WHEAT UP IN 40:16 THE GROUND AND IT WAS BLOWING THE CHAFF AWAY. 40:19 SO IT IS A PROACTIVE TYPE OF SEPARATING THE WHEAT 40:23 FROM THE CHAFF. 40:25 THE BIBLE SAYS THE LORD, WHEN HE COMES, IS GOING TO 40:27 PROACTIVELY SEPARATE THE WHEAT FROM THE CHAFF. 40:30 NOW DO WE HAVE THE WHEAT AND THE TARES MIXED UP TODAY? 40:35 YOU GOT SOME WHEAT IN THE CHURCH AND YOU GOT 40:37 SOME WEEDS IN THE CHURCH. 40:39 YOU GOT SOME SHEEP AND YOU GOT SOME WOLVES. 40:42 AND RIGHT NOW YOU CAN'T TELL SOMETIMES WHO'S WHO UNLESS YOU 40:46 GET ON FACEBOOK, YOU CAN TELL PRETTY QUICK WHEN YOU GO ON 40:49 THERE. 40:51 I'VE SAID TOO MUCH ABOUT THAT ALREADY. 40:55 IT SAYS, "HIS WINNOWING FAN IS IN HIS HAND." 40:57 I'M STILL IN MATTHEW 3:12. 40:59 "AND HE WILL THOROUGHLY CLEAN OUT HIS THRESHING FLOOR 41:02 AND GATHER HIS WHEAT." 41:04 THERE'S NO CHAFF LEFT AMONG THE WHEAT, IT IS SEPARATED. 41:07 "HE WILL GATHER HIS WHEAT INTO THE BARN, BUT HE WILL BURN UP 41:10 THE CHAFF WITH UNQUENCHABLE FIRE." 41:14 CHAFF IS WHAT'S LEFT WHEN ALL THE GOOD IS GONE. 41:16 IT HAS NO GOOD IN IT. 41:18 IT HAS NO WHEAT, HAS NO WEIGHT. 41:21 IT'S LIKE A SHIP WITHOUT AN ANCHOR. 41:23 IT'S LIKE THAT HOUSE THAT'S BUILT ON SAND RATHER THAN ROCK. 41:27 WHEN THE STORM COMES, IT JUST TAKES THE FOUNDATION AWAY, 41:30 IT WASHES IT AWAY. 41:31 WHEN THE STORM COMES, THE CHAFF IS BLOWN AWAY. 41:35 YOU'VE GOTTA BE ROOTED LIKE A TREE. 41:36 THE ONLY WAY TO GIVE YOU ROOT IS YOU'VE GOTTA WRAP YOUR ROOTS 41:38 AROUND THE ROCK OF GOD'S WORD, HIS LAW. 41:42 CHRIST IS THAT ROCK OF AGES AND THAT'S WHAT'S GONNA GIVE 41:44 YOU STANDING AND THAT'S WHAT'S GONNA GIVE YOU HAPPINESS. 41:47 THE PSALM IS SO SIMPLE, BUT IT'S LAYING OUT FOR US 41:51 THE PRINCIPLES OF LIFE. 41:53 YOU KNOW, I THOUGHT ABOUT THE CHAFF AND IT USES ACTUALLY 41:57 DANIEL 2:35. 42:00 REMEMBER THE IMAGE DANIEL TALKS ABOUT OF THAT GIANT MAN MADE 42:05 OUT OF ALL THE METAL EMERALDS, MINERALS RATHER. 42:09 YOU GOT THE HEAD OF GOLD-- THIS IS IN DANIEL 2. 42:11 HEAD OF GOLD, CHEST OF SILVER, BELLIES AND THIGHS OF BRONZE, 42:16 LEGS OF IRON, FEET OF IRON AND CLAY. 42:19 AND HE WATCHES UNTIL A STONE IS CUT OUT A MOUNT WITHOUT HANDS. 42:22 WHO'S THAT STONE? 42:24 THAT'S CHRIST. 42:25 THAT'S THE ROCK OF AGES, THAT'S THE LAW OF GOD. 42:27 IT COMES AND IT SMITES THE IMAGE ON THE FEET AND THE WHOLE 42:30 IMAGE, NOT JUST THE FEET, IS PULVERIZED. 42:34 AND LISTEN TO WHAT IT SAYS, "IT'S CRUSHED TOGETHER BECAME 42:38 LIKE THE CHAFF OF THE SUMMER THRESHING FLOOR AND THE WIND 42:42 CARRIED THEM AWAY. 42:43 NO TRACE OF THEM ARE FOUND, BUT THE STONE THAT STRUCK THE IMAGE 42:48 BECOMES A GREAT MOUNT AND FILLS THE WHOLE EARTH." 42:52 THE ONLY WAY FOR US TO SURVIVE THE STORM OF THE SECOND COMING, 42:54 YOU CAN'T BE CHAFF. 42:56 YOU GOTTA BE ROOTED IN THE ROCK. 42:59 JOB 21:18, "THEY THE WICKED ARE LIKE THE STRAW BEFORE THE WIND 43:03 AND LIKE THE CHAFF THAT A STORM CARRIES AWAY." 43:06 THEY'RE JUST GONNA BE BLOWN AWAY. 43:09 THE WHEAT AND TARES WILL BE SEPARATED. 43:12 PSALM 1:5, "THEREFORE THE UNGODLY WILL NOT STAND 43:16 IN THE JUDGMENT NOR SINNERS IN THE CONGREGATION 43:19 OF THE RIGHTEOUS." 43:21 THEY'LL NOT BE THERE. 43:24 LUKE 21:36 JESUS SAID, "WATCH THEREFORE AND PRAY ALWAYS THAT 43:28 YOU MIGHT BE COUNTED WORTHY TO ESCAPE ALL THESE THINGS THAT 43:31 WILL COME TO PASS AND TO STAND BEFORE THE SON OF MAN." 43:36 WHO IS GONNA STAND IN HIS PRESENCE? 43:38 NOT THE SINNERS 'CAUSE THEY DON'T STAND. 43:43 TALKING ABOUT THOSE THAT HAVE NOT BEEN CLEANSED 43:44 FROM THEIR SINS. 43:50 REVELATION 15:2, "I SAW SOMETHING LIKE A SEA OF GLASS 43:55 MINGLED WITH FIRE AND THOSE WHO HAVE GOTTEN THE VICTORY OVER 43:59 THE BEAST AND OVER HIS IMAGE AND OVER THE MARK AND OVER THE 44:02 NUMBER OF HIS NAME STANDING ON THE SEA OF GLASS HAVING HARPS." 44:06 THAT'S WHAT HE'S TALKING ABOUT IN VERSE 5 WHERE HE CALLS IT 44:08 THE CONGREGATION OF THE RIGHTEOUS. 44:11 THERE THEY ARE STANDING ON THE SEA OF GLASS. 44:13 THEY'VE GOT THE HARPS, THEY'RE SINGING PRAISES TO GOD. 44:16 YOU WON'T BE IN THAT CONGREGATION IF YOU'RE WALKING 44:19 IN THE WAYS OF THE WICKED OR SITTING IN THE SEAT OF 44:22 THE SCORNFUL OR LISTENING TO THE COUNSEL OF THE UNGODLY. 44:31 AND THEN IN VERSE 6, FINAL VERSE, "FOR THE LORD KNOWS 44:36 THE WAY OF THE RIGHTEOUS BUT THE WAY OF THE UNGODLY 44:40 WILL PERISH." 44:42 THAT'S IT. 44:45 TWO WAYS. 44:47 YOU GOT THE TRUE WAY AND THEN THERE'S THE FALSE WAY. 44:50 THERE'S TWO ROADS IN LIFE. 44:53 JESUS SAID, "ENTER BY THE NARROW GATE FOR WIDE IS THE 44:55 GATE AND BROAD IS THE WAY THAT LEADS TO DESTRUCTION AND THERE 44:59 ARE MANY WHO GO IN BY IT. 45:01 NARROW IS THE GATE AND DIFFICULT IS THE WAY THAT LEADS 45:03 TO LIFE AND THERE ARE FEW THAT FIND IT." 45:07 ISAIAH 3:10, "SAY TO THE RIGHTEOUS, IT WILL BE WELL WITH 45:11 THEM FOR THEY'LL EAT THE FRUIT OF THEIR DOINGS. 45:14 WOE TO THE WICKED, IT WILL BE ILL FOR HIM. 45:17 FOR THE REWARD OF HIS HANDS SHALL BE GIVEN TO HIM." 45:21 WE'VE GOTTA MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE ALL ON THE RIGHT PATH. 45:23 THERE'S ONLY TWO ROADS. 45:25 YOU GOT THE ROAD TO LIFE, THE ROAD TO DEATH AND SOME MAYBE 45:27 HAVE BEEN IN THE WRONG PATH. 45:31 I REMEMBER READING ABOUT SOME SETTLERS THAT WERE COMING 45:33 ACROSS THE PLAINS AND SOMEWHERE I GUESS IN NEVADA THERE WAS 45:38 A PLACE WHERE THIS GREAT TRAIL SPLIT AND YOU HAD THEN GOT 45:41 THE RIGHT TRAIL. 45:43 YOU END UP TAKING THE TRAIL THAT GOES UP TO OREGON AND THE 45:46 OTHER ONE ENDED UP GOING DOWN TO SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA. 45:49 WELL, THIS ONE FAMILY OF SETTLERS THAT USED TO CROSS 45:51 SEASONALLY 'CAUSE SOME PARTS OF THE YEAR YOU COULDN'T CROSS, 45:54 THEY HAD A WAGON BREAK DOWN AND EVERYONE LEFT THEM BEHIND. 45:58 AND WHEN THEY CAME TO THE FORK IN THE ROAD, THERE WAS THIS 46:00 SPLIT AND THERE'S NO OTHER PEOPLE WHO KNEW THE WAY 46:03 TO TELL THEM. 46:04 THE WAGON MASTER HAD ALL GONE ON WITH THE DIFFERENT GROUPS 46:06 THAT SPLIT. 46:07 THEY DIDN'T KNOW WHICH TRAIL TO TAKE. 46:10 AND SO THEY MADE THEIR BEST GUESS. 46:12 THERE'S NO TOWNS. 46:13 THIS IS THE EARLY DAYS OF CONQUERING THE WEST. 46:18 THEY WENT 2 WEEKS DOWN THE WRONG ROAD THROUGH GRUELING 46:21 CONDITIONS AND THEN FOUND OUT THAT THEY'D GONE THE WRONG WAY. 46:27 I REMEMBER JUST 2 DAYS AGO, I TOOK A WRONG EXIT AND I HAD 46:34 TO DOUBLE BACK A MILE, AND YOU KNOW I WAS SO UPSET. 46:38 THOUGHT ABOUT THE EXTRA GAS I WAS BURNING. 46:40 THOUGHT ABOUT THE WASTED TIME AND I WAS SO UPSET IT JUST 46:43 ABOUT RUINED MY DAY. 46:47 AND THEN I REMEMBERED THIS STORY 'CAUSE THE REASON I'M 46:49 TELLING YOU THIS IS I READ THE DIARY OF THE MOTHER WHO 46:53 DESCRIBED THE DISCOURAGEMENT AND THE GRIEF OF FINDING OUT 46:58 THEY NOW HAD TO PLOD, THEY HAD TO TURN AROUND AND PLOD BACK 47:03 2 WEEKS TO WHERE THEY HAD MISSED THE RIGHT FORK IN THE ROAD. 47:07 AND I THOUGHT, I DON'T HAVE ANY PROBLEMS. 47:09 IT'S VERY MOVING AND TOUCHING TO THINK ABOUT THE HARDSHIP 47:13 THEY WENT THROUGH 'CAUSE THEY JUST MISSED THEIR TURN AND ALL 47:16 THE EXPENSES AND THE STARVING CHILDREN 'CAUSE THEY DIDN'T GET 47:19 TO THE NEXT TOWN IN TIME AND JUST MAKING THAT WRONG TURN. 47:24 YOU KNOW SO MANY PEOPLE WASTE SO MANY YEARS ON THE WRONG ROAD 47:28 AND THEY MISS OUT ON LIFE. 47:32 I HEARD ABOUT AN INDIAN MAN WHO WAS SITTING BY A RIVER ONE DAY 47:35 AND HE SAW THERE WAS A STONE THERE IN THE RIVER. 47:37 AND HE PICKED IT UP AND IT WAS A FAIR SIZE STONE AND HE 47:39 THOUGHT FOR A MOMENT. 47:41 HE SAID, "THIS STONE'S BEEN IN THE RIVER FOR HUNDREDS 47:43 OF YEARS, MAYBE CENTURIES, MAYBE THOUSANDS OF YEARS." 47:46 AND HE CRACKED THE STONE, RIGHT AFTER HE PULLED IT OUT OF THE 47:48 RIVER, HE CRACKED IT IN HALF AND IT WAS DRY ON THE INSIDE. 47:52 AND HE THOUGHT TO HIMSELF, YOU KNOW THAT'S THE WAY IT IS 47:55 WITH PEOPLE IN THE WORLD THAT DON'T KNOW THE LORD. 47:58 THEY'RE SURROUNDED BY EVIDENCE OF GOD. 47:59 THEY'RE SURROUNDED BY OPPORTUNITIES. 48:01 THEY'RE SURROUNDED BY MAYBE CHRISTIANS, BUT THEY'RE 48:04 UNTOUCHED BY IT. 48:06 THERE ARE EVEN SOME PEOPLE IN THE CHURCH LIKE THAT, 48:09 SURROUNDED BY CHRISTIAN PEOPLE, SURROUNDED BY THE WORD OF GOD, 48:11 SURROUNDED BY RELIGIOUS INFLUENCE AND THEY'RE DRY 48:14 ON THE INSIDE. 48:16 THEY'RE STILL NOT PLANTED BY THE WATERS. 48:18 YOU CAN BE IN THE WATER AND THE WATER NOT BE IN YOU. 48:23 AND YOU ALL KNOW THAT THERE'S A LOT OF PEOPLE LIKE THAT 48:27 AND THERE'S SOME CHURCHES LIKE THAT. 48:29 I WAS TELLING NATHAN A STORY I HEARD, ACTUALLY I HEARD 48:32 DAVID JEREMIAH SHARE THIS ILLUSTRATION OF THIS ORGAN 48:36 GRINDER HAD A MONKEY. 48:40 IN NEW YORK CITY IN THE COLD, BITTER COLD WINTER AND THE 48:43 MONKEY GOT SEPARATED FROM HIS MASTER, BROKE HIS CHAIN, 48:46 RAN OFF AND THEN GOT LOST. 48:48 AND THE POOR, SHIVERING MONKEY RUNNING UP AND DOWN THE STREETS 48:50 EVENTUALLY FOUND A HOME AND HE LOOKED IN THE WINDOW AND HE SAW 48:54 A FIRE BURNING IN THE HOUSE AND SMART ENOUGH TO KNOW HE HAD 48:59 TO GET BY THE FIRE. 49:00 HIS ORGAN MASTER HAD HAD A FIRE AND HE KNEW WHAT THEY LOOKED 49:03 LIKE AND SO HE SCRAMBLED AROUND THE HOUSE AND EVENTUALLY FOUND 49:06 A WAY IN. 49:08 WENT UP BEFORE THE FIRE AND HELD UP HIS LITTLE PAWS AND 49:11 FROZE TO DEATH BECAUSE IT WAS JUST A PAINTING OF A FIRE. 49:19 AND YOU WONDER HOW MANY CHURCHES THERE ARE LIKE THAT, 49:21 THEY JUST GOT THE PAINTING OF A FIRE. 49:25 IT'S NOT A REAL FIRE. 49:29 DO YOU HAVE REAL LIFE GOING IN THROUGH YOUR ROOTS? 49:32 ARE YOU TAKING IN REAL NOURISHMENT AND MINERALS 49:33 FROM CHRIST AND HIS WORD? 49:35 ARE YOU MEDITATING ON HIS WORD SO THAT IT KEEPS YOU OUT 49:38 OF THE DEADLY WAY? 49:42 ONE MORE TIME LET'S LOOK AT THAT. 49:45 BLESSED IS THE MAN. 49:46 HOW MANY OF YOU WANT TO BE THAT MAN AND THAT WOMAN? 49:49 "WHO WALKS NOT IN THE COUNSEL OF THE UNGODLY NOR SITS IN THE 49:53 PATH OF SINNERS--NOR STANDS IN THE PATH OF SINNERS NOR SITS 49:59 IN THE SEAT OF THE SCORNFUL. 50:01 BUT HIS DELIGHT IS IN THE LAW OF THE LORD AND IN HIS LAW HE 50:05 MEDITATES DAY AND NIGHT." 50:08 THAT'S WHERE IT COMES FROM, FRIENDS. 50:10 YOU MIGHT BE THINKING, "I WANT TO BE ONE OF THOSE PEOPLE THAT 50:12 IS BLESSED, BUT I'M A SINNER. 50:15 DOES THAT MEAN I'M JUST DOOMED TO BE CHAFF?" 50:18 YOU KNOW KING DAVID ALSO WROTE IN PSALM 32:1, "BLESSED IS HE 50:24 WHOSE SIN, WHOSE TRANSGRESSION IS FORGIVEN, WHOSE SIN IS 50:29 COVERED." 50:30 EVERYBODY HERE CAN BE BLESSED STARTING TODAY. 50:33 YOU CAN COME AND SAY, "LORD, I'VE BEEN LIKE THE WICKED. 50:37 I'VE BEEN WALKING AND SITTING AND STANDING IN THE WRONG 50:39 PLACE. 50:41 IT'S NOT IN MY HEART. 50:42 I'M NOT BRINGING FORTH THE FRUITS OF THE SPIRIT, LOVE 50:45 AND JOY AND PEACE, AND I WANT THAT IN MY LIFE. 50:48 I'M GONNA START OUT BY SAYING I WANT TO BE BLESSED BY ASKING 50:51 YOU TO FORGIVE MY SINS. 50:53 HELP ME TO BE LIKE A TREE PLANTED BY RIVERS OF WATER." 50:56 YOU KNOW ALL WEEK LONG, HOW MANY OF YOU KNOW THAT CHORUS, 51:02 "LIKE A TREE PLANTED BY THE WATERS I SHALL NOT BE MOVED"? 51:08 NOW I GOTTA START FROM THE BEGINNING, I JUST REMEMBERED 51:10 THE END. 51:11 "I SHALL NOT BE, I SHALL NOT BE MOVED. 51:15 I SHALL NOT BE, I SHALL NOT BE MOVED. 51:18 LIKE A TREE PLANTED BY THE WATERS, 51:22 I SHALL NOT BE MOVED." 51:26 NOW THAT'S GONNA BE IN YOUR HEAD ALL WEEK LONG. 51:30 THAT'S NOT OUR CLOSING SONG BECAUSE IT'S NOT IN OUR 51:31 HYMN BOOK. 51:33 BUT I WANT TO BE LIKE THAT, DON'T YOU? 51:36 YEAH, IT SHOULD BE IN OUR HYMN BOOK. 51:38 LET'S STAND UP TOGETHER AND SING 554 'CAUSE WE WANT TO WALK 51:41 WITH THE LORD IN HIS PATH AND IT'S "O LET ME WALK WITH THEE." 51:48 [MUSIC] 52:46 >> YOU KNOW IN THAT RIGHT PATH THAT HELPS US AVOID THE WRONG 52:51 PATH, THE WRONG STANDING THE WRONG SITTING, 52:54 WE'RE NOT WALKING ALONE. 52:56 WHEN WE CHOOSE TO MEDITATE ON THE WORD OF THE LORD, THAT'S 53:00 REALLY ALL ABOUT WALKING WITH GOD. 53:02 AND MAYBE YOU'VE BEEN MISSING THE BLESSINGS GOD WANTS YOU 53:05 TO HAVE. 53:06 YOU WANT TO PROSPER, YOU WANT TO BE WITH 53:08 THE RIGHTEOUS AND NOT WITH THE WICKED. 53:10 TWO DESTINIES, BLESSED OR PERISH. 53:13 FIRST WORD IN THE PSALM, THE LAST WORD IN THE PSALM. 53:16 YOU CAN DECIDE WHAT YOU WANT BUT IT COMES FROM THAT 53:20 RELATIONSHIP WITH JESUS. 53:22 BLESSED IS THE MAN WHOSE TRANSGRESSION IS FORGIVEN. 53:24 MAYBE YOU FEEL LIKE THAT YOU'VE SUFFERED FROM THE FAMINE. 53:28 YOUR LEAF IS WITHERED, YOU DON'T HAVE THAT LIFE BUT YOU 53:31 WANT IT NOW. 53:32 YOU DON'T WANT TO TRY AND LIVE OUT WARMING YOURSELF BEFORE THE 53:36 PAINTING OF A FIRE. 53:38 YOU WANT TO HAVE THE REAL THING. 53:40 IF YOU HAVE SPECIAL PRAYER AND YOU'D LIKE TO MAKE THAT 53:42 DECISION THIS MORNING, AS WE SING VERSE 2, 53:44 COME TO THE FRONT. 53:45 WE'LL PRAY TOGETHER. 53:47 [MUSIC] 55:28 >> HOW MANY THIS MORNING WOULD LIKE TO SAY LORD, BY YOUR 55:31 GRACE, I WANT TO BE LIKE THAT TREE PLANTED BY THE WATERS? 55:36 I WANT TO BE THAT BLESSED MAN, THAT BLESSED WOMAN AND BY YOUR 55:39 GRACE, I WANT TO MEDITATE AND DELIGHT IN YOUR WORD 55:43 AND IN YOUR LAW THAT IT'LL BE THE GUIDING PRINCIPLE OF 55:45 MY LIFE. 55:47 LET'S PRAY TOGETHER AND ASK HIM. 55:51 FATHER IN HEAVEN, LORD, WE READ THE STORY OF HOW DAVID JUST 55:57 REJOICED AND DELIGHTED. 56:00 HE SANG AND SHOUTED AS HE BROUGHT THE LAW UP TO HIS HOME. 56:05 I PRAY THAT WE CAN HAVE THAT KIND OF HUNGER AND THIRST AFTER 56:08 RIGHTEOUSNESS, LORD, THAT WE'LL YEARN TO HAVE YOU THE LIVING 56:11 WORD IN OUR HEARTS AND MINDS. 56:14 LORD, ALSO THAT WE CAN REALLY EXPERIENCE THAT PRAYER THAT YOU 56:22 LEAD US NOT INTO TEMPTATION. 56:25 HELP US, LORD, TO AVOID OUR NATURAL BENT, TO WALK IN 56:31 THE PATH OF THE UNGODLY, TO STAND IN THE WRONG PLACE, 56:37 TO SIT IN THE SEAT OF THE SCORNFUL. 56:40 LORD, WE PRAY THAT YOU'LL GIVE US VICTORY THROUGH THIS WORD OF 56:45 TRUTH THAT FILLS US. 56:47 WE WANT TO BE FOUND AMONG THE RIGHTEOUS WHEN JESUS COMES. 56:50 WE DON'T WANT TO BE LIKE THE CHAFF THAT WILL BE BLOWN AWAY 56:52 AND CONSUMED BY FIRE. 56:54 WE SEE IN THIS PSALM THE TWO ULTIMATE DESTINIES, 56:57 LORD. 56:58 WE WANT THE BLESSING, WE WANT TO AVOID THE PERISHING AND WE 57:02 KNOW THAT JESUS IS THE ONLY ANSWER. 57:04 SO BE WITH US, LORD, THAT WE MIGHT BE THOSE PEOPLE THAT ARE 57:06 CHRISTIANS IN OUR LIVES, IN OUR WORDS AND IN OUR DEEDS, 57:10 THAT IT'S NOT JUST THE FRUIT ABOVE GROUND BUT IT'S THE ROOT 57:13 DOWN BY THE RIVERS. 57:16 WE THANK YOU, LORD, WE'RE ASKING THIS AND PRAYING AND 57:19 ALSO WE PRAY FOR THOSE WHO'VE RESPONDED THIS MORNING 57:22 AND HAVE COME FORWARD. 57:23 WHATEVER THE NEEDS ARE IN THEIR LIVES AND HELP THEM TO 57:26 EXPERIENCE YOUR PRESENCE AND BLESSINGS, YOUR MIRACLES. 57:29 IN JESUS' NAME WE ASK, AMEN. 57:33 >> A WEB SITE WHOSE ROOTS DATE BACK TO THE BEGINNING OF TIME, 57:36 SABBATHTRUTH.COM IS THE DEFINITIVE RESOURCE FOR 57:39 BIBLE LIGHT ON THE LORD'S DAY. 57:41 CLEAR BIBLE ANSWERS FOR EVERY QUESTION YOU'VE EVER HAD 57:44 ABOUT THE SABBATH. 57:45 SEVEN KEY TOPIC HEADINGS GUIDE YOU THROUGH 57:47 "THE PURPOSE OF THE SABBATH," "WHICH DAY IS THE LORD'S DAY," 57:50 "THE SABBATH IN PROPHECY," "QUESTIONS ABOUT THE SABBATH," 57:53 "HOW TO KEEP IT HOLY," "THE SABBATH IN HISTORY" 57:56 AND MANY SABBATH RESOURCES. 57:58 VISIT SABBATHTRUTH.COM TODAY AND SHARE YOUR NEWFOUND 58:02 TREASURE WITH A FRIEND. 58:05 [MUSIC] |
Revised 2015-02-05