Hello
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and welcome to
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Exalting His Word.
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Today, we'll look
at what the Bible calls
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'useless religion'.
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Now, that's a provocative term
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isn't it?
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Stay tuned to learn
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how the slander that's been
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published about God
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has created an identity crisis
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for the people of the world.
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I'd like to explain
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where this theme text came from.
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It's Psalms 138:2
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and in that verse
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the Bible says that
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God exalts His name
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and His word above all things.
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And that He magnifies His word
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even above His name.
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Now, what does that mean?
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The bottom line is this...
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God exalts His word
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above all things.
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He has promoted His word to
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the highest rank of importance.
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He has positioned His word
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to the highest place of praise.
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God has empowered
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His word with more
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creative life force
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than anything else.
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The creative life force
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to accomplish all of His will.
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If God exalts His word
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above everything else,
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I think it's important that
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you and I do likewise!
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Don't you?
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It's time that
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we got our desires lined up
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with His desires.
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The people of God are
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suffering from
an identity crisis
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because we don't understand
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God's plan for our lives.
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Sinners don't realize
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how much they're worth to God.
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You and I are both sinners
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aren't we?
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Still we're very
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valuable to God.
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You are worth nothing less than
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the price He paid to redeem you
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with the
precious blood of Jesus.
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He wants you to accept
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His gift of salvation.
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A few people can believe that
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God not only wants to
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forgive us our sin but that
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He also wipes our
record clean of sins
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if we sincerely repent
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and confess them before Him.
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There's plenty of scripture
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to support this truth.
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I encourage you to look it up.
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You know,
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Christians suffer from
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the identity crisis too because
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we have little awareness of
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who we are in Christ.
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There are several causes for
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the identity
crisis for Christians.
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The first category of
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Christians suffer from
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mistaken identity because
of the shameful neglect of
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Bible study.
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The second
category of Christians
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are devoted to Bible study
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And yet they still walk in
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the darkness of
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mistaken identity because
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they can't quite wrap
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their minds around
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the wonderful promises of God
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and apply them personally.
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They want to believe but
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it seems too
incredibly wonderful
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to accept God's testimony.
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In James 1:22,24
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the Bible tells us that
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God's word gives us a vision.
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A reflection of our new nature.
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The nature of our
recreated beings of
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who we have become since
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we were included in Christ.
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Now, we're going to look at
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James 1 today but,
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we're gonna skip over for now
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verse 25 where He speaks of
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the hope found in abiding in
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the perfect law of liberty.
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When that law is
at work within us,
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James says we'll be blessed in
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the practice of God's word.
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But I want to reserve that
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for an upcoming program
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so we can spend plenty of time
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on this wonderful truth.
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It will really help us to
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overcome our identity crisis.
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Instead today,
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we're gonna begin in
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James 1:26 and 27.
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Here we find an
interesting contrast to
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the perfect law of liberty.
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Let me read what
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James 1:26 and 27 has to say...
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"If anyone among you
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"thinks he is religious
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"and does not bridal his tongue,
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"but deceives it's own heart,
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"this one's religion is useless.
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"Pure and undefiled religion
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before God the Father is this,
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"to visit orphans
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"and widows in their troubled
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"and to keep oneself
unspotted from the world."
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Useless religion...
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What a thought
provoking concept!
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If we study our Bibles
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we can find plenty examples of
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worthless religious practices.
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Is it possible that
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we could be regular church goers
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possibly even
ministers of the Gospel,
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teachers
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and still be practicing
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useless religion?
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This introduces a third category
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of professing Christians
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who suffer the identity crisis.
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The cause for
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their condition is chasing
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after the doctrines of men
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rather than the word of God.
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Look at what
Jesus says about this
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in Mark 7:13...
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[text on screen]
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Jesus said,
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if we followed commandments
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and the traditions of men,
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we make God's word of no effect.
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We've illegally
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emptied God's word of
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His lawful authority.
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Now, how do unlawful
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teachings of men develop?
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Let's look at the practices that
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cause unlawful
teachings to occur...
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[information on screen]
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In Mark 7:6,7
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Jesus said this...
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[text on screen]
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In vain do they worship me.
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Doctrines of men can be
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so wildly developed that
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they become useless religion!
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Now, I don't believe that
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walking in unknown error
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automatically qualifies us
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as worshiping in vain.
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If that were true...
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we'd all be in trouble!
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Because none of us have yet
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to receive all of God's truth!
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In fact, in Proverbs 4:18
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the Bible tells us that
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the path of the righteous
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will grow brighter and brighter
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until the coming of Jesus.
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In Psalms 119:130
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explains it's the
entrance of His word that
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brings increased
light and understanding.
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If we're walking
in unknown error,
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it doesn't mean that
we are worshiping in vain.
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God is merciful!
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He looks at the
intent of our hearts!
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In fact 1 Samuel 16:7 says that
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the Lord does
not sees as man sees.
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For man just looks at
the outward appearance
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but the Lord look sat the heart!
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The name of the
church that we attend is not
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the basis for salvation!
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I believe the Bible teaches that
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many sincere seekers of God
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have received the gift of
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eternal life but they're still
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walking in unknown error.
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In fact,
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based on Revelation 18:4
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where the voice from heaven
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calls God's people
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out of spiritual Babylon.
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I believe God has His people
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in every denomination today.
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If you have your Bible,
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please turn to Revelation 18:1-5
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and let's look at that together!
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That's Revelation 18:1-5...
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"After these things
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"I saw another angel
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"coming down from heaven
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"having great authority.
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"And the earth was illuminated
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"with his glory.
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"And he cried madly
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"with a loud voice
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"saying...
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"Babylon the great is fallen
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"is fallen!
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"As has become
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"a dwelling place of demons!
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"A prison for every fowl spirit!
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"And a cage for every unclean
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"and hated bird!
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"For all the
nations have drunk of
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"the wine of the wrath
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"of her fornication.
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"The kings of the earth have
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"committed fornication with her
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"and the merchants of the earth
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"have become rich through
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"the abundance of her luxury.
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"And I heard another voice
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"speaking from heaven saying...
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"Come out of her my people.
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"Lest you share in her sins.
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"Lest you
receive of her plagues.
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"For her sins have reached
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"to the heaven
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"and God has
remembered her iniquity!"
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You know,
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the other voice of verse four is
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the voice of the Lamb of God,
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Jesus Christ.
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He says
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come out of her my people.
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Babylon in Revelation represents
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the religions that
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claim to worship God but
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follow unlawful
teachings of men.
00:09:38.77\00:09:41.68
They don't walk in obedience
00:09:41.73\00:09:44.35
to God's word.
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It's the counterfeit
religious system that
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exalts man's opinion over
00:09:50.23\00:09:51.82
the word of God.
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Yet Jesus
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recognizes that there are
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good hearted sincere people
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who love Him
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and they belong to Him
00:10:00.57\00:10:01.75
and they're in these churches
00:10:01.80\00:10:03.45
walking in unknown error.
00:10:03.50\00:10:06.15
Still it's critical
00:10:06.20\00:10:08.25
to heed His call.
00:10:08.30\00:10:09.88
To come out of err.
00:10:09.93\00:10:11.35
We must study the
Bible for ourselves!
00:10:11.40\00:10:13.85
To see if what
we've been taught is truly
00:10:13.90\00:10:17.25
the Commandments of men.
00:10:17.30\00:10:20.18
Or if it's the word of God.
00:10:20.23\00:10:22.58
You know,
00:10:22.63\00:10:23.65
the best advise that
00:10:23.70\00:10:24.68
my mother ever
gave me was this...
00:10:24.73\00:10:26.98
She said,
00:10:27.03\00:10:28.00
"Shelley, don't believe
00:10:28.01\00:10:29.08
"something that you hear from
00:10:29.13\00:10:31.28
the pulpit just because
00:10:31.33\00:10:33.12
"a Pastor says so.
00:10:33.17\00:10:35.45
"You get into
00:10:35.50\00:10:36.95
"the word of God
00:10:37.00\00:10:38.28
"and study it out for yourself."
00:10:38.33\00:10:40.38
When I did follow her advice
00:10:40.43\00:10:41.88
finally at the Lord's leading
00:10:41.93\00:10:43.72
and prompting,
00:10:43.77\00:10:45.62
I found that
00:10:45.67\00:10:46.64
I had been
walking in and supporting
00:10:46.65\00:10:50.42
some very grievous errors.
00:10:50.47\00:10:52.35
Jesus said that
00:10:52.40\00:10:53.42
we could know who belongs to Him
00:10:53.47\00:10:57.02
by their fruit.
00:10:57.07\00:10:58.04
Fruit only comes
by spiritual union.
00:10:58.07\00:11:00.98
And, if we're grafted into Jesus
00:11:01.03\00:11:03.52
the fruit which
represents our actions,
00:11:03.57\00:11:06.72
will be of His spirit.
00:11:06.77\00:11:09.72
And, we still though
00:11:09.77\00:11:12.15
need to test every action,
00:11:12.20\00:11:15.18
every fruit,
00:11:15.23\00:11:16.32
to make sure we are not
00:11:16.37\00:11:18.22
being fooled.
00:11:18.27\00:11:19.62
The Bible tells us
00:11:19.67\00:11:20.65
to put everything to the test.
00:11:20.70\00:11:22.02
To see if the
outward appearance that
00:11:22.07\00:11:26.32
we see is really
what's happening.
00:11:26.37\00:11:29.28
I want you to stay tuned.
00:11:29.33\00:11:30.68
We're going to take
00:11:30.73\00:11:32.42
a quick break
00:11:32.47\00:11:33.58
but we're gonna come
back in just a moment
00:11:33.63\00:11:35.48
and I'll tell you how
00:11:35.53\00:11:36.50
the outward appearance of fruit
00:11:36.51\00:11:38.45
actually fooled me!
00:11:38.50\00:11:40.32
If this dynamic series is making
00:11:42.30\00:11:43.65
a difference in your life,
00:11:43.70\00:11:44.67
then you should know
00:11:44.68\00:11:45.65
about a special study guide
00:11:45.66\00:11:46.92
written by Shelley Quinn.
00:11:46.97\00:11:48.15
Exalting His Word with
00:11:48.20\00:11:49.17
Life Affirmations From Scripture
00:11:49.18\00:11:50.28
is an in depth
study of the word of God.
00:11:50.33\00:11:52.95
Please send
your love gifts to...
00:11:56.40\00:11:58.45
Let me tell you
00:12:12.73\00:12:14.35
what happened to me
00:12:14.40\00:12:15.58
while visiting a
friend's home recently.
00:12:15.63\00:12:17.88
I had skipped lunch
00:12:17.93\00:12:19.02
and my empty
stomach was growling!
00:12:19.07\00:12:20.85
And I spotted a bowl of fruit
00:12:20.90\00:12:23.18
on her table.
00:12:23.23\00:12:24.20
And, my mouth began to water!
00:12:24.23\00:12:25.48
So I asked her permission
00:12:25.53\00:12:27.55
and I grabbed one for a snack.
00:12:27.60\00:12:29.52
(They were apples.)
00:12:29.57\00:12:31.25
And, although it looked
00:12:31.30\00:12:32.85
very authentic.
00:12:32.90\00:12:34.28
As authentic as the real thing,
00:12:34.33\00:12:35.88
it had a strange feeling
00:12:35.93\00:12:37.58
when I picked it up.
00:12:37.63\00:12:38.75
So, examining it more carefully
00:12:38.80\00:12:40.55
and hearing my
friend's laughter,
00:12:40.60\00:12:42.75
I realized
00:12:42.80\00:12:45.22
A fruit that was
appealing to the eye
00:12:45.27\00:12:48.35
but artificial.
00:12:48.40\00:12:49.85
Likewise there
are practices that
00:12:49.90\00:12:52.72
might appeal to our senses
00:12:52.77\00:12:54.58
as fruit of the spirit
00:12:54.63\00:12:55.98
but we must examine everything
00:12:56.03\00:12:58.52
in the light of His word
00:12:58.57\00:13:00.25
to see if they stand
00:13:00.30\00:13:02.35
the test of truth.
00:13:02.40\00:13:04.82
What then is useless religion?
00:13:04.87\00:13:08.48
Well as we've already discussed,
00:13:08.53\00:13:10.72
any religious practice that
00:13:10.77\00:13:11.82
doesn't line up
with God's commandments
00:13:11.87\00:13:14.55
and council
00:13:14.60\00:13:15.58
is useless.
00:13:15.63\00:13:16.78
Still another
useless practice is
00:13:16.83\00:13:19.98
if our religious observance
00:13:20.03\00:13:21.78
is merely external.
00:13:21.83\00:13:23.35
Consider the
lives of the Pharisees
00:13:23.40\00:13:25.75
and we can see that
00:13:25.80\00:13:27.25
they based everything
00:13:27.30\00:13:29.05
on self performance
00:13:29.10\00:13:31.22
and they did not recognize
00:13:31.27\00:13:33.02
the need for a personal Savior
00:13:33.07\00:13:36.18
and developing
00:13:36.23\00:13:37.42
a living relationship
00:13:37.47\00:13:38.98
with a perfect Savior.
00:13:39.03\00:13:40.88
We can't work our way to heaven!
00:13:40.93\00:13:43.12
We are saved by grace.
00:13:43.17\00:13:45.62
We become children of God
00:13:45.67\00:13:47.95
only by relationship.
00:13:48.00\00:13:49.95
And only His children will enter
00:13:50.00\00:13:52.25
the New Jerusalem that
00:13:52.30\00:13:54.02
the Bible speaks of
00:13:54.07\00:13:55.78
in Revelation 21.
00:13:55.83\00:13:58.85
What about those who think
00:13:58.90\00:14:00.42
they're in relationship
00:14:00.47\00:14:01.95
with the Lord?
00:14:02.00\00:14:03.28
Does the potential exist
00:14:03.33\00:14:04.68
to be deceived
about eternal security?
00:14:04.73\00:14:07.92
What does Jesus say?
00:14:07.97\00:14:09.25
Let's look at Matthew 7:21-23.
00:14:09.30\00:14:16.38
[text on screen]
00:14:16.43\00:14:18.42
Now please note
00:14:46.17\00:14:47.14
the two
patterns of behavior that
00:14:47.15\00:14:48.95
Christ is contrasting
in that previous text.
00:14:49.00\00:14:53.18
He says that the one who does
00:14:53.23\00:14:55.82
the will of my Father
00:14:55.87\00:14:57.32
will enter the
kingdom of heaven.
00:14:57.37\00:14:59.55
But He rejects those
00:14:59.60\00:15:01.25
who practice lawlessness.
00:15:01.30\00:15:04.18
You know
00:15:04.23\00:15:05.20
unfortunately some Bibles
00:15:05.21\00:15:07.48
translate that word
00:15:07.53\00:15:09.55
"lawlessness" as evil.
00:15:09.60\00:15:10.57
And that makes me wonder...
00:15:10.58\00:15:12.92
...if the ones who receive
00:15:12.97\00:15:15.08
Christ's stinging
indictment when He says
00:15:15.13\00:15:17.45
"I never knew you".
00:15:17.50\00:15:18.92
Do you think that they thought
00:15:18.97\00:15:20.78
they were practicing
00:15:20.83\00:15:23.08
evil in His name?
00:15:23.13\00:15:24.10
Other translations choose
00:15:24.11\00:15:25.08
the word in equity which is
00:15:25.09\00:15:26.35
the synonym for lawlessness.
00:15:26.40\00:15:28.22
The most accurate
00:15:28.27\00:15:29.38
and easiest translation to
00:15:29.43\00:15:31.68
understand of the Greek text
00:15:31.73\00:15:33.58
is the term "lawlessness".
00:15:33.63\00:15:35.88
According to the Bible
00:15:35.93\00:15:37.85
in I John 3:4
00:15:37.90\00:15:39.42
the definition of
sin is lawlessness.
00:15:39.47\00:15:42.68
[definition on screen]
00:15:42.73\00:15:45.08
And let's just look at this!
00:15:51.67\00:15:53.78
I John 3:4 says that.
00:15:53.83\00:15:55.75
[text on screen]
00:15:55.80\00:15:57.85
Those who will hear
00:16:06.23\00:16:10.35
and say to the Lord
00:16:10.40\00:16:12.02
"Lord, Lord have we not made
00:16:12.07\00:16:13.48
"many wonders in your name?"
00:16:13.53\00:16:15.52
Evidently
00:16:15.57\00:16:16.54
they had no
genuine love for God.
00:16:16.55\00:16:17.98
Jesus said that if
00:16:18.03\00:16:19.52
we loved Him we would
00:16:19.57\00:16:20.82
keep His commandments.
00:16:20.87\00:16:22.55
This group who broke
00:16:22.60\00:16:23.92
His
commandments while professing
00:16:23.97\00:16:25.65
to know Him is defined
00:16:25.70\00:16:27.68
as liars by the Bible.
00:16:27.73\00:16:28.95
You can look it
up in I John 2:3,4.
00:16:29.00\00:16:32.68
Let me read that to you!
00:16:32.73\00:16:34.75
That's I John 2:3,4
00:16:35.40\00:16:38.45
and that says,
00:16:38.50\00:16:44.02
"Now by this we know that
00:16:44.07\00:16:46.35
"we know Him if
00:16:46.40\00:16:49.45
"we keep His commandments.
00:16:49.50\00:16:52.48
"He who says I know Him.
00:16:52.53\00:16:55.48
(I know Jesus)
00:16:55.53\00:16:56.72
"and does not
keep His commandments
00:16:56.77\00:16:59.65
"is a liar."
00:16:59.70\00:17:00.88
That's what the Bible says!
00:17:00.93\00:17:03.05
"And, the truth
00:17:03.10\00:17:04.95
"is not in Him."
00:17:05.00\00:17:07.18
That's I John 2:3,4.
00:17:07.23\00:17:11.25
Christ rejects this group
00:17:11.30\00:17:13.45
because they had not been
00:17:13.50\00:17:15.18
born again of His Spirit
00:17:15.23\00:17:16.75
living in union with Him.
00:17:16.80\00:17:18.72
By His power.
00:17:18.77\00:17:19.85
Doing the will of His Father.
00:17:19.90\00:17:25.75
the Bible clearly teaches
00:17:25.80\00:17:26.95
they would have obeyed.
00:17:27.00\00:17:28.15
If you have your Bible
00:17:28.20\00:17:29.18
let's turn to the book of I John
00:17:29.23\00:17:32.25
for just two of
00:17:32.30\00:17:34.05
many examples of this.
00:17:34.10\00:17:35.58
And you might wanna make a note.
00:17:35.63\00:17:37.85
In I John 2:29
00:17:37.90\00:17:40.52
the Bible says
00:17:40.57\00:17:41.72
"If you know
that He is righteous,
00:17:41.77\00:17:44.35
"you know that everyone
00:17:44.40\00:17:46.15
"who practices righteousness
00:17:46.20\00:17:49.35
"is born of Him. "
00:17:49.40\00:17:51.02
Righteousness is doing things
00:17:51.07\00:17:52.95
according to God's
00:17:53.00\00:17:54.52
right way of doing things.
00:17:54.57\00:17:56.62
And in I John 3:4-10
00:17:56.67\00:17:59.22
says this,
00:17:59.27\00:18:00.68
"Whoever commits sin
00:18:00.73\00:18:02.22
"also commits lawlessness
00:18:02.27\00:18:03.52
"and sin is lawlessness
00:18:03.57\00:18:04.75
"And you know
that He was manifested
00:18:04.80\00:18:07.85
-(that's Christ)
00:18:07.90\00:18:08.87
"to take away our sins
00:18:08.88\00:18:10.65
"and in Him there is no sin.
00:18:10.70\00:18:12.12
"Little children
let no one deceive you.
00:18:12.17\00:18:15.42
"He who practices righteousness
00:18:15.47\00:18:19.45
"Just and he is righteous.
00:18:19.50\00:18:21.72
"He who sins,
00:18:21.77\00:18:22.75
"is of the devil."
00:18:22.80\00:18:24.35
(...Now remember,
00:18:24.40\00:18:25.48
(...sin is lawlessness!)
00:18:25.53\00:18:26.50
For the Devil has sinned
00:18:26.51\00:18:27.48
from the beginning.
00:18:27.49\00:18:28.78
For this purpose
00:18:28.83\00:18:29.80
the Son of God
was manifested that
00:18:29.81\00:18:32.12
He might destroy
00:18:32.17\00:18:33.62
the works of the devil.
00:18:33.67\00:18:35.18
Whoever has been born of Him
00:18:35.23\00:18:37.58
does not sin.
00:18:37.63\00:18:38.68
For His seed remains in Him
00:18:38.73\00:18:40.98
and He can not sin because
00:18:41.03\00:18:43.35
He has been born of God.
00:18:43.40\00:18:45.98
In this,
00:18:46.03\00:18:47.00
the children of God
00:18:47.01\00:18:48.25
and the children of
00:18:48.30\00:18:49.38
the Devil are manifest.
00:18:49.43\00:18:51.75
Listen...
00:18:51.80\00:18:52.77
"Who ever does not
00:18:52.80\00:18:54.18
"practice righteousness
00:18:54.23\00:18:57.65
"Nor is He who
00:18:57.70\00:18:58.72
"does not love His brother."
00:18:58.77\00:19:01.05
Now, this doesn't mean that
00:19:01.10\00:19:02.82
the children of God
00:19:02.87\00:19:04.45
are without sin.
00:19:04.50\00:19:05.47
But that our love motivates us
00:19:05.48\00:19:08.05
to please our Lord.
00:19:08.10\00:19:10.35
His spirit working within us
00:19:10.40\00:19:13.22
empowers us
00:19:13.27\00:19:14.38
to walk in obedience
00:19:14.43\00:19:16.12
and keeps us from walking
00:19:16.17\00:19:17.65
in the practice of disobedience.
00:19:17.70\00:19:20.78
We are quick to recognize
00:19:20.83\00:19:22.88
when we're not
pleasing our Lord.
00:19:22.93\00:19:25.12
And we're even
quicker to repent.
00:19:25.17\00:19:28.35
And nothing can separate us from
00:19:28.40\00:19:31.45
the love that Christ has for us.
00:19:31.50\00:19:35.62
Our loving Savior will not
00:19:35.67\00:19:38.02
reject a child of His.
00:19:38.07\00:19:40.15
On the contrary...
00:19:40.20\00:19:41.58
One of my
favorite Bible promises
00:19:41.63\00:19:43.58
is Hebrew 7:25
00:19:43.63\00:19:45.78
And that says...
00:19:45.83\00:19:46.80
..."He is also able
00:19:46.81\00:19:48.88
to say to the uttermost,
00:19:48.93\00:19:51.22
those who come to Him,
00:19:51.27\00:19:52.98
or to God through Him,
00:19:53.03\00:19:54.88
since He (Christ) always lives
00:19:54.93\00:19:58.85
to make intercession for them.
00:19:58.90\00:20:01.52
To overcome useless religion
00:20:01.57\00:20:04.48
we must always
seek a balanced teaching
00:20:04.53\00:20:08.38
from God's word.
00:20:08.43\00:20:09.98
For example,
00:20:10.03\00:20:11.00
the Bible clearly teaches,
00:20:11.01\00:20:12.48
we're made righteous
00:20:12.53\00:20:13.95
by faith in Christ.
00:20:14.00\00:20:15.58
In fact,
00:20:15.63\00:20:16.60
righteousness by faith is
00:20:16.61\00:20:17.78
the only kind of righteousness
00:20:17.83\00:20:19.65
that there is!
00:20:19.70\00:20:20.85
Though this is true...
00:20:20.90\00:20:22.15
... the Bible also says,
00:20:22.20\00:20:23.95
that when we've received
00:20:24.00\00:20:26.05
the righteousness of Christ
00:20:26.10\00:20:27.85
in our hearts
00:20:27.90\00:20:29.18
we'll be empowered
00:20:29.23\00:20:30.45
to practice righteousness.
00:20:30.50\00:20:33.28
We're not trying
00:20:33.33\00:20:34.78
to earn salvation.
00:20:34.83\00:20:36.58
The desire
00:20:36.63\00:20:37.65
and the power
00:20:37.70\00:20:38.67
to follow God's teaching
00:20:38.70\00:20:40.12
flows naturally from
00:20:40.17\00:20:42.02
our born again hearts.
00:20:42.07\00:20:44.05
Salvation is a gift from God.
00:20:44.10\00:20:47.48
We are saved by grace
00:20:47.53\00:20:50.12
through faith in Christ.
00:20:50.17\00:20:51.82
There is absolutely nothing that
00:20:51.87\00:20:54.22
we can do to save ourselves.
00:20:54.27\00:20:56.25
But that doesn't release us
00:20:56.30\00:20:57.98
from obedience.
00:20:58.03\00:20:59.32
The Holy Spirit empowers us
00:20:59.37\00:21:02.38
to walk in obedience
00:21:02.43\00:21:03.78
to God's truth.
00:21:03.83\00:21:05.28
Obedience is the pathway
00:21:05.33\00:21:07.22
to His blessings
00:21:07.27\00:21:09.32
and it is also,
00:21:09.37\00:21:11.35
the highest expression of
00:21:11.40\00:21:12.92
worship for God.
00:21:12.97\00:21:14.75
Christ is the source of
00:21:14.80\00:21:17.55
eternal salvation
00:21:17.60\00:21:19.08
for all those who
00:21:19.13\00:21:20.62
walk in obedience to Him.
00:21:20.67\00:21:22.65
This is not my opinion!
00:21:22.70\00:21:24.32
I have it on
00:21:24.37\00:21:25.58
the authority of God's word.
00:21:25.63\00:21:27.82
Listen to what the Bible says
00:21:27.87\00:21:29.95
in Hebrews 5:9...
00:21:30.00\00:21:31.58
[text on screen]
00:21:31.63\00:21:33.28
God's people are suffering
00:21:39.27\00:21:40.98
from an identity crisis.
00:21:41.03\00:21:43.02
The symptoms vary
00:21:43.07\00:21:44.08
and they might
be mental anguish,
00:21:44.13\00:21:46.45
lukewarm indifference or
00:21:46.50\00:21:48.82
stony cold hearts.
00:21:48.87\00:21:50.55
The identity crisis is
00:21:50.60\00:21:52.28
the greatest problem in
00:21:52.33\00:21:53.82
the Christian community today.
00:21:53.87\00:21:55.82
Now, that's a bold statement!
00:21:55.87\00:21:57.45
It causes me to pause
00:21:57.50\00:21:58.88
and think maybe that
00:21:58.93\00:22:00.22
I should water it down with
00:22:00.27\00:22:01.72
some little qualifier.
00:22:01.77\00:22:03.32
Like ONE of the
greatest problems
00:22:03.37\00:22:05.78
or in my opinion.
00:22:05.83\00:22:07.55
Why is it so great a problem?
00:22:07.60\00:22:10.65
Human reasoning demands
00:22:10.70\00:22:12.58
the answer.
00:22:12.63\00:22:13.82
Unless we recognize
00:22:13.87\00:22:15.88
what this barrier is
00:22:15.93\00:22:18.78
and what it is
00:22:18.83\00:22:20.88
it will continue
00:22:20.93\00:22:22.32
to block our advancement.
00:22:22.37\00:22:24.48
The root of the problem
00:22:24.53\00:22:26.12
is IGNORANCE.
00:22:26.17\00:22:28.42
Not knowing God's word
00:22:28.47\00:22:31.35
or, what I call...
00:22:31.40\00:22:33.62
IGNORE-ance.
00:22:33.67\00:22:34.98
In other words
00:22:35.03\00:22:36.05
IGNORING.
00:22:36.10\00:22:37.07
Knowing but
neglecting God's word.
00:22:37.08\00:22:39.12
If we don't know God's plan.
00:22:39.17\00:22:41.55
If we don't understand
00:22:41.60\00:22:43.32
who we have become when
00:22:43.37\00:22:45.52
we're included in Christ
00:22:45.57\00:22:47.02
this prevents us from
00:22:47.07\00:22:48.72
walking in the grace of God.
00:22:48.77\00:22:50.75
It repels the heavenly
00:22:50.80\00:22:52.75
love, light, life and power.
00:22:52.80\00:22:56.55
The kingdom of God is not
00:22:56.60\00:22:58.05
a matter of talking the talk.
00:22:58.10\00:23:00.22
But it's the power to walk in
00:23:00.27\00:23:02.62
the footsteps of Christ
00:23:02.67\00:23:04.98
along the path of life.
00:23:05.03\00:23:07.82
Still I had to ask.
00:23:07.87\00:23:10.18
Lord am I making
00:23:10.23\00:23:12.22
an overstatement
00:23:12.27\00:23:13.75
when I say that this IS
00:23:13.80\00:23:15.15
the greatest
problem in the church?
00:23:15.20\00:23:17.68
You know, it's funny
00:23:17.73\00:23:19.28
how we can know something
00:23:19.33\00:23:20.65
and not realize that we know.
00:23:20.70\00:23:23.18
In fact,
00:23:23.23\00:23:24.20
God had given me the answer
00:23:24.21\00:23:26.58
before I even asked.
00:23:26.63\00:23:27.60
We discussed it
a few programs ago
00:23:27.61\00:23:29.95
and if, if you were with us
00:23:30.00\00:23:33.42
you are going
to understand this.
00:23:33.47\00:23:35.32
Remember when we talked about
00:23:35.37\00:23:37.58
the children of...
00:23:37.63\00:23:40.95
The Israelites as they were
00:23:41.00\00:23:42.38
brought out of the desert
00:23:42.43\00:23:43.75
and God delivered
them from bondage but
00:23:43.80\00:23:46.42
they wouldn't accept
00:23:46.47\00:23:48.15
God's plan for their lives.
00:23:48.20\00:23:50.78
He promised them
00:23:50.83\00:23:52.18
the Promise Land!!
00:23:52.23\00:23:53.98
They wouldn't appreciate
00:23:54.03\00:23:56.52
who they were as
00:23:56.57\00:23:57.62
His chosen people!
00:23:57.67\00:23:58.78
Their crisis of identity
00:23:58.83\00:24:00.38
kept them from entering
00:24:00.43\00:24:01.98
into the promises of God.
00:24:02.03\00:24:03.08
And they had to wonder around
00:24:03.13\00:24:04.75
in the desert.
00:24:04.80\00:24:07.08
Doubt and disbelief in His word
00:24:07.13\00:24:10.35
kept them from entering
00:24:10.40\00:24:12.28
into His divine promises.
00:24:12.33\00:24:15.48
Do we want
00:24:15.53\00:24:17.25
to repeat their mistake?
00:24:17.30\00:24:20.08
Please,
00:24:20.13\00:24:23.45
understand that
00:24:23.50\00:24:24.47
we can praise God because
00:24:24.50\00:24:27.25
there is a way
00:24:27.30\00:24:28.52
to overcome the identity crisis!
00:24:28.57\00:24:30.65
We'll find it by
knowing the scriptures!
00:24:30.70\00:24:33.98
And experiencing
00:24:34.03\00:24:35.85
the power of God that is
00:24:35.90\00:24:37.22
available to us.
00:24:37.27\00:24:38.62
We must understand
00:24:38.67\00:24:39.88
God's plan for our lives.
00:24:39.93\00:24:41.98
We must learn
00:24:42.03\00:24:44.05
who we are in Christ.
00:24:44.10\00:24:45.32
Then motivated by love
00:24:45.37\00:24:46.72
and empowered by God
00:24:46.77\00:24:48.52
His commandments become a joy
00:24:48.57\00:24:51.28
to follow as part
of His loving plan.
00:24:51.33\00:24:54.38
Because of our faith in Christ
00:24:54.43\00:24:57.05
and His conquering power
00:24:57.10\00:24:58.55
at work within us
00:24:58.60\00:25:00.18
we become victorious over
00:25:00.23\00:25:02.25
the polluted ways of
00:25:02.30\00:25:03.55
the world's system.
00:25:03.60\00:25:04.72
That's a promise
that we should look at
00:25:04.77\00:25:07.18
from I John 5:3,5
00:25:07.23\00:25:11.42
[text on screen]
00:25:11.47\00:25:13.48
God is drawing us closer to Him
00:25:38.67\00:25:42.22
and away from useless religion.
00:25:42.27\00:25:45.38
You know,
00:25:45.43\00:25:46.40
if we're walking in the dark,
00:25:46.41\00:25:48.08
we can't find our way.
00:25:48.13\00:25:50.28
We can't see our reflection of
00:25:50.33\00:25:53.85
our new image.
00:25:53.90\00:25:54.92
Our loving Savior is calling us
00:25:54.97\00:25:57.35
out of darkness
00:25:57.40\00:25:58.48
and into the Land of Promise.
00:25:58.53\00:26:01.12
He will turn
all of our obstacles
00:26:01.17\00:26:04.85
into stepping stones
00:26:04.90\00:26:07.02
as we follow the light
00:26:07.07\00:26:09.05
of His word!
00:26:09.10\00:26:10.85
Well,
00:26:10.90\00:26:12.78
once again,
00:26:12.83\00:26:13.80
our time is almost gone.
00:26:13.81\00:26:16.45
I hope that you're beginning
00:26:16.50\00:26:18.62
to see what a problem
00:26:18.67\00:26:21.05
the identity crisis is
00:26:21.10\00:26:22.85
in the church.
00:26:22.90\00:26:23.98
In fact, I'll tell you
00:26:24.03\00:26:26.08
as I've gone
from church to church
00:26:26.13\00:26:28.62
in many different denominations,
00:26:28.67\00:26:30.85
and as I've
ministered to people,
00:26:30.90\00:26:33.92
I find that
00:26:33.97\00:26:36.45
I really don't know that
00:26:36.50\00:26:38.08
any of us understand
00:26:38.13\00:26:39.58
who we are in Christ.
00:26:39.63\00:26:40.98
I think that we're all suffering
00:26:41.03\00:26:43.22
from an identity crisis
00:26:43.27\00:26:44.72
to some extent.
00:26:44.77\00:26:46.28
And I hope that
00:26:46.33\00:26:47.88
you'll tune in next week
00:26:47.93\00:26:49.82
when we begin to look at
00:26:49.87\00:26:53.55
what the Bible says.
00:26:53.60\00:26:55.45
As to how we can over come
00:26:55.50\00:26:58.52
our identity crisis.
00:26:58.57\00:27:00.25
I wanna say just
00:27:00.30\00:27:01.72
a quick word of prayer with you.
00:27:01.77\00:27:03.78
Heavenly Father
00:27:03.83\00:27:04.92
I ask in the name of Jesus that
00:27:04.97\00:27:07.35
you will help us
to acknowledge that
00:27:07.40\00:27:10.58
we know little about you.
00:27:10.63\00:27:13.92
And Lord,
00:27:13.97\00:27:15.28
we're coming to you
00:27:15.33\00:27:16.82
in sincerity
00:27:16.87\00:27:18.22
with love in our hearts
00:27:18.27\00:27:19.58
asking that you would teach us
00:27:19.63\00:27:21.72
who you are
00:27:21.77\00:27:22.74
and who we are in you.
00:27:22.75\00:27:24.52
In Jesus name, amen.
00:27:24.57\00:27:27.15
May God multiply
00:27:27.20\00:27:28.45
His mercy, love
00:27:28.50\00:27:29.95
and grace to you
00:27:30.00\00:27:31.15
and watch over His word
00:27:31.20\00:27:32.55
to perform it in your life
00:27:32.60\00:27:34.08
as you cooperate with Him.
00:27:34.13\00:27:37.02
I'm praying that you will spend
00:27:37.07\00:27:40.12
more of your time
00:27:40.17\00:27:41.82
making that
00:27:41.87\00:27:43.58
which is most important to Him,
00:27:43.63\00:27:46.28
your Savior
00:27:46.33\00:27:47.58
the very thing that
00:27:47.63\00:27:49.08
is also most important to you.
00:27:49.13\00:27:52.62
And we know what that is...
00:27:52.67\00:27:54.82
... Exalting His Word.
00:27:54.87\00:27:58.48