Hello!
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I'm Shelley Quinn
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and I welcome you to
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Exalting His Word!
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Today, we'll be looking at
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how to prepare our hearts
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to receive the promises of God
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and how to get the
power of His promises
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planted in our hearts.
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But first,
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let's discuss our
theme text for just a moment.
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That's Psalms 138:2
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And in that verse
the Bible says that
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God exalts His name and His word
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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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You know, this
truth is so important!
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It will impact our
lives in a great way
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if we understand it.
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So, what does it mean?
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It means that
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God exalts His word
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above everything.
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That means nothing
is more important to God
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than His word.
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He has promoted it
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to the highest
rank of importance.
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He has assigned it
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the highest position of praise!
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And, He has empowered His word
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with greater force
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than anything else.
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Creative life giving force
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to accomplish all of His will.
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I believe that
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it's safe to
say if God's word is
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most important to Him that
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it should also be
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what's most important to us.
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The Bible reveals
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God's plan for our lives.
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And it also has the
creative life giving power
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to put that plan into motion
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and to transform our lives.
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To get our reminds ready
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to receive the
Bible teaching for today
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on planting God's promises
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let's briefly
consider a couple of things
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about God's design
for the harvest potential.
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In the physical
realm we know that
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if we sow corn... we reap corn.
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Sow wheat... we reap wheat!
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Why?
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By God's design!
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The potential of the harvest is
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wrapped inside this seed.
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And in the spiritual realm
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the Bible counsels us that
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if we sow to our flesh nature
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we reap CORRUPTION!
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But if we sow to the spirit
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we reap everlasting life!
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The conclusion is obvious...
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YOU REAP WHAT YOU SOW!!
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When Jesus told the parable of
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the sewer and the
seed in Luke chapter 8...
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He described the
word of God as "seed".
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We can draw an
obvious conclusion here.
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Since God designed the
potential of the harvest
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to be wrapped
inside the seed, then
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all of your potential is
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wrapped inside God's word.
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I'd like to summarize
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the four steps
that Jesus identified
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in Luke 8:15
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for us to sow seeds
and yield a crop that is
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a hundred times
greater than what was sown.
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Here are the four
steps necessary to
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plant God's promises for
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a harvest of righteousness.
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[information on screen]
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Before we begin today's study,
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let's go to the Lord in prayer.
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Heavenly Father,
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we come today to ask
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your blessing on this study.
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We thank you Father God that
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the potential of the
harvest is in the seed.
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We thank you Father
for your design that
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your word is life giving
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transforming seed that
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we can plant in our hearts Lord.
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And I ask in the
name of Jesus that
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the Holy Spirit
would teach us today
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how to prepare our
hearts to receive from you.
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In Jesus name Amen.
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Let's take a closer
look at step number one...
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Making our hearts good soil.
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Soil prepared for
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the planting of God's promises.
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You know, most Christians
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believe they are good soil.
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Simply because they
are the people of God.
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Yet, if we think
about what God said
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in Jeremiah 4:3 to
his people, of Judah
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and Jerusalem,
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He said,
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"Break up your fallow ground
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"and do not sow among thorns."
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Do you know what
fallow ground is?
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It's ground that
hasn't been plowed or tilled.
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Now, what about us?
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Is the planting ground of
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our hearts
hardened and unplowed?
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Are today's
Christians sowing among
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weeds and thorns?
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Christianity has changed
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since the early church.
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We're different.
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We're comfortable.
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Complacent.
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Compromising.
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It's easy to
identify today's church age
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with the Laodicean church of
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Revelation 3.
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So many of us
think we have it all!!
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And that we're
in need of nothing.
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This hardened
attitude has left us with
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untilled
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unplowed ground.
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We're sowing among thorns.
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Focusing our attention on
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the temporary
things of the world
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rather than the
eternal things of God!
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Our hardened hearts,
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luke warm with indifference,
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keep us from understanding
our identity in Christ
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and God's true
purposes for our lives.
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God's word cannot take root
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and flourish in our hearts if
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we have a hardened attitude.
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We can learn
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a valuable lesson by looking at
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the ground of the earth.
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If the ground is exposed to
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the elements of
nature for a period of time
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without rain then
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the soil becomes hardened.
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And in this condition
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the ground is
unfit for planting seed
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until its plowed!
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We're not any different!
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When all our focus shifts from
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depending on the Spirit of God
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and on His word
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and when we allow our hearts
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to be exposed to the elements of
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the world system
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a spiritual dryness
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and a certain hardening of
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the heart occurs.
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And I could tell
you from experience
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when we allow this to happen
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then our hearts just quench
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the living water
of the Holy Spirit!
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And the result is suffocating
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to our spiritual growth.
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In fact, our hearts become dry
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and crusty to the word of God.
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Jesus wants our
hearts to be good soil.
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Gardens committed to Him.
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Plowed and ready
for the planting.
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Now, most of us
have some area of
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our lives that needs plowing.
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The center of our
hearts may be good soil
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ready to receive His word
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while outside
corners remain hardened.
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For example;
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-Some may accept
all that He has to say
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about salvation by grace
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but deny the
requirements of obedience
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to His commandments.
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Then there are those
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who walk in obedience to His law
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but reject His love
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and forgiveness that
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He wants to pour
into their hearts
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for others.
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The Bible declares
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God is love.
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And God is Holy.
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His Spirit is
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the spirit of love and holiness.
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You know, we must recognize that
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any action that we take that
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is not motivated by love
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and holiness is not of God.
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Because we sow among thorns
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we spoil God's harvest of
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righteousness in us.
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And the heart of
our Heavenly Father
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is breaking.
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I know that we can listen to
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the voice of the
Lord in Jeremiah 3:19
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when He said,
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"I thought you
would call me Father
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"and not turn away
from following me."
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God wants to cut
away the thorns of
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worldly habits and attitudes.
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He wants our hearts to be plowed
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and pliable
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so we can receive His seed...
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THE WORD OF GOD.
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Our loving Creator desires that
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we put forth an earnest effort
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to seek Him
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and to know the good plan that
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He has for our lives.
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If we're willing,
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He is ready and
able to conform us to
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the image of His
Son Jesus Christ.
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The heart of our Father longs
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to send showers
of blessings upon us.
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He waits for our cooperation.
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Here's His
message to us today...
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[text on screen]
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You know, only plowed grown is
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fit for planting seed.
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It's time that you and I
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put the hand to the plow!
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And here are some steps that
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I've found helpful
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in turning over
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or tilling up my heart...
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And getting my
heart prepared for God.
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Number one...
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[information on screen]
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We'll be right back to
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discuss these four points
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after these brief announcement.
00:11:03.73\00:11:05.52
So please stay tuned...
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If this dynamic series
00:11:10.73\00:11:11.70
is making a
difference in your life,
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then you should know about
00:11:13.20\00:11:14.18
a special study guide
00:11:14.23\00:11:15.55
written by Shelley Quinn.
00:11:15.60\00:11:16.75
Exalting His Word with
00:11:16.80\00:11:17.77
Life Affirmations From Scripture
00:11:17.78\00:11:19.12
is an in depth
study of the word of God.
00:11:19.17\00:11:21.95
Please send
your love gifts to...
00:11:24.83\00:11:27.02
We don't have much time
00:11:40.73\00:11:42.48
to spend on these steps but
00:11:42.53\00:11:43.95
let me quickly review these
00:11:44.00\00:11:46.75
and give you an idea of
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how I go through this process.
00:11:48.50\00:11:50.68
To plow up my heart so that
00:11:50.73\00:11:52.98
I can receive from the Lord.
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The first is
00:11:55.43\00:11:56.68
experiencing the
joy of repentance.
00:11:56.73\00:12:00.58
You know,
00:12:00.63\00:12:02.25
with all of life's demands
00:12:02.30\00:12:03.72
it is easy to let
00:12:03.77\00:12:04.95
our priorities get out of order.
00:12:05.00\00:12:07.55
Some people think because
00:12:07.60\00:12:08.88
I'm in full time ministry that
00:12:08.93\00:12:11.05
I don't have this problem.
00:12:11.10\00:12:12.75
But, just as
with any profession...
00:12:12.80\00:12:14.82
I can let
ministry work take priority
00:12:14.87\00:12:19.72
over my relationship with God.
00:12:19.77\00:12:22.82
And then the intimacy of
00:12:22.87\00:12:25.08
my relationship
begins to suffer.
00:12:25.13\00:12:28.48
Suddenly I am aware that
00:12:28.53\00:12:30.18
my constant companion is...
00:12:30.23\00:12:32.98
I'm just not
aware of His presence.
00:12:33.03\00:12:35.52
And when I have
00:12:35.57\00:12:38.92
gotten to this point,
00:12:38.97\00:12:40.48
I realize that
Christ is no longer
00:12:40.53\00:12:44.08
my first love.
00:12:44.13\00:12:45.65
And when I'm there
00:12:45.70\00:12:46.98
I realize how far I've fallen.
00:12:47.03\00:12:49.42
But what the Lord has done
00:12:49.47\00:12:51.62
in the past...
00:12:51.67\00:12:53.62
I used to just
00:12:53.67\00:12:55.38
beat myself up over this!
00:12:55.43\00:12:56.40
And I would let
guilt and condemnation
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keep me away from Him!
00:12:58.67\00:13:00.62
But now what
the Lord has done is
00:13:00.67\00:13:03.38
He has taught me to
00:13:03.43\00:13:04.65
come quickly back to Him
00:13:04.70\00:13:07.22
because I understand
00:13:07.27\00:13:09.05
the perfect law of liberty that
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I am totally dependent upon God.
00:13:10.90\00:13:13.88
And I've learned
the joy of repentance.
00:13:13.93\00:13:17.38
I come before the Lord
00:13:17.43\00:13:19.15
and I humbly confess my sin.
00:13:19.20\00:13:21.78
And I just acknowledge
00:13:21.83\00:13:23.72
my complete
dependence upon His power
00:13:23.77\00:13:26.35
to change me.
00:13:26.40\00:13:27.62
He gives me a new beginning
00:13:27.67\00:13:29.22
and He wipes my record clean.
00:13:29.27\00:13:31.28
Praise God I'm so thankful that
00:13:31.33\00:13:34.58
His compassion never fail.
00:13:34.63\00:13:36.62
They are new every morning!
00:13:36.67\00:13:39.42
And then the
second step after that
00:13:39.47\00:13:42.62
I pray to be
filled with the Spirit.
00:13:42.67\00:13:46.18
I ask God to forgive me
00:13:46.23\00:13:48.32
for grieving Him
00:13:48.37\00:13:50.45
and for resisting
00:13:50.50\00:13:52.98
or even
quenching His Holy Spirit.
00:13:53.03\00:13:57.12
You know,
00:13:57.17\00:13:58.55
it is something that
00:13:58.60\00:14:00.25
we must constantly be aware of
00:14:00.30\00:14:03.02
how our actions
are affecting the Lord.
00:14:03.07\00:14:05.48
I ask God to
help me to die to self
00:14:05.53\00:14:09.92
and live for Him.
00:14:09.97\00:14:11.48
And I pray that by
00:14:11.53\00:14:12.62
the power of
His Holy Spirit that
00:14:12.67\00:14:16.35
I will put to death
00:14:16.40\00:14:18.28
the misdeeds of my flesh
00:14:18.33\00:14:20.08
and be emptied of self.
00:14:20.13\00:14:21.68
Then, I pray
that the Holy Spirit
00:14:21.73\00:14:24.95
will give me understanding of
00:14:25.00\00:14:27.18
God's spiritual words
00:14:27.23\00:14:29.02
and teach me His will.
00:14:29.07\00:14:31.08
Asking Him to teach me
00:14:31.13\00:14:34.45
to know God's character better.
00:14:34.50\00:14:36.78
To know His plan.
00:14:36.83\00:14:38.58
And to be taught
00:14:38.63\00:14:40.58
who I am in Christ.
00:14:40.63\00:14:43.55
I ask God to fill me
00:14:43.60\00:14:45.65
with His Spirit.
00:14:45.70\00:14:47.82
In Luke 11
00:14:47.87\00:14:50.02
Jesus said...
00:14:50.07\00:14:51.12
-You're gonna be
familiar with this text...
00:14:51.17\00:14:53.38
Because most
people say it this way...
00:14:53.43\00:15:00.95
"Ask,...
00:15:01.00\00:15:01.97
Ask and it shall be given
00:15:01.98\00:15:02.98
seek and ye shall find,
00:15:03.03\00:15:04.02
knock and the
door shall be opened.
00:15:04.07\00:15:05.55
But did you know in
the Greek it really is...
00:15:05.60\00:15:08.82
"Ask and keep on asking..."
00:15:08.87\00:15:12.05
"Knock and keep on knocking.
00:15:12.10\00:15:16.42
And He says
00:15:16.47\00:15:17.55
How much more
00:15:17.60\00:15:18.68
will your Heavenly Father
00:15:18.73\00:15:21.32
give the Holy
Spirit to those who ask
00:15:21.37\00:15:24.85
and continue to ask for Him?
00:15:24.90\00:15:28.18
We also need to
pray to be sanctified
00:15:28.23\00:15:32.25
by the word of God.
00:15:32.30\00:15:34.48
When Jesus prayed
to the Father for us,
00:15:34.53\00:15:37.72
He said in John 17:17
00:15:37.77\00:15:40.28
"Father sanctify
them by your truths.
00:15:40.33\00:15:43.82
"Your word is truth."
00:15:43.87\00:15:45.98
Every time I pick up the Bible
00:15:46.03\00:15:48.22
I always try to
remember this prayer
00:15:48.27\00:15:50.88
and make it mine.
00:15:50.93\00:15:52.35
I ask God to do
00:15:52.40\00:15:54.22
a sanctifying work in me
00:15:54.27\00:15:56.42
through His word.
00:15:56.47\00:15:58.08
Creating a pure
00:15:58.13\00:15:59.88
and undivided heart in me.
00:15:59.93\00:16:02.28
I pray that
00:16:02.33\00:16:03.45
God will give me
00:16:03.50\00:16:05.32
the power to overcome!
00:16:05.37\00:16:06.55
And I give Him permission
00:16:06.60\00:16:08.72
to cause me to be all that
00:16:08.77\00:16:11.45
He has called me to be!
00:16:11.50\00:16:14.28
The fourth step is...
00:16:14.33\00:16:16.25
Pray for the
desire to read the Bible.
00:16:16.30\00:16:19.72
You know I often pray that
00:16:19.77\00:16:20.85
God will give me
an unquenchable desire
00:16:20.90\00:16:24.48
for His word.
00:16:24.53\00:16:25.52
A prayer that He
is eager to answer!
00:16:25.57\00:16:29.32
I acknowledge to Him that
00:16:29.37\00:16:31.38
His word is life to me.
00:16:31.43\00:16:33.32
I ask Him to open
my spiritual eyes.
00:16:33.37\00:16:36.55
And give me His wisdom.
00:16:36.60\00:16:38.92
If we humble ourselves
00:16:38.97\00:16:40.88
before the Lord in this way,
00:16:40.93\00:16:43.52
He will make our
hearts good soft soil.
00:16:43.57\00:16:46.35
He will teach us to trust Him
00:16:46.40\00:16:48.08
and lean on His understanding.
00:16:48.13\00:16:50.25
Then the spirit
00:16:50.30\00:16:51.27
and the word will
be ready to come with
00:16:51.28\00:16:53.32
a demonstration of His power
00:16:53.37\00:16:55.28
to change us.
00:16:55.33\00:16:57.18
Glory to God!!
00:16:57.23\00:16:58.65
Now it's time to talk about
00:16:58.70\00:17:00.58
broadcasting the
seed of His word.
00:17:00.63\00:17:04.38
When the soil is ready,
00:17:04.43\00:17:05.88
it's time to plant the seed.
00:17:05.93\00:17:07.85
God will not disappoint us
00:17:07.90\00:17:09.98
when we approach Him
00:17:10.03\00:17:11.48
with a plowed up heart.
00:17:11.53\00:17:13.02
He will expand our trust in Him
00:17:13.07\00:17:15.35
and He will give us
an increased measure of
00:17:15.40\00:17:19.28
faith in His testimony.
00:17:19.33\00:17:21.45
That faith comes
00:17:21.50\00:17:23.35
as we meditate on His word.
00:17:23.40\00:17:26.12
The Bible says that
faith comes by hearing.
00:17:26.17\00:17:29.08
And when it says that
faith comes by hearing,
00:17:29.13\00:17:31.45
it doesn't mean
that faith produces... or
00:17:31.50\00:17:35.12
Hearing produces faith.
00:17:35.17\00:17:36.65
Rather, faith is
00:17:36.70\00:17:38.35
the broadcasting system that
00:17:38.40\00:17:40.72
broadcasts the seed of His word.
00:17:40.77\00:17:43.95
Excuse me...
00:17:44.00\00:17:44.97
Hearing is the
broadcasting system that
00:17:44.98\00:17:47.72
broadcasts the seed of His word.
00:17:47.77\00:17:50.22
Let me explain what I mean.
00:17:50.27\00:17:52.78
Have you ever used your hand
00:17:52.83\00:17:54.88
to broadcast flower or
00:17:54.93\00:17:56.05
vegetable seeds in a garden?
00:17:56.10\00:17:58.08
You know, I've
seen many folks that
00:17:58.13\00:18:00.05
sow wild seeds this way.
00:18:00.10\00:18:01.88
And it always
fascinates me to see
00:18:01.93\00:18:04.62
the results come up in season.
00:18:04.67\00:18:06.32
Now, my gardening
skills aren't the best,
00:18:06.37\00:18:08.85
so, usually when
I plant something
00:18:08.90\00:18:10.92
I chose seedlings to plant.
00:18:10.97\00:18:12.78
Because I figure,
00:18:12.83\00:18:13.80
since they've already sprouted
00:18:13.81\00:18:15.02
they have a better
chance of surviving my care!
00:18:15.07\00:18:18.08
Yet I do recall
an exiting experience
00:18:18.13\00:18:21.22
I had in
witnessing some dried up seeds
00:18:21.27\00:18:25.22
burst forth with life!
00:18:25.27\00:18:27.58
When I was on the third grade
00:18:27.63\00:18:29.85
I was curious
where the seeds for
00:18:29.90\00:18:31.55
pinto bean came from.
00:18:31.60\00:18:34.88
Now my teacher explained that
00:18:34.93\00:18:37.32
the beans that we ate
00:18:37.37\00:18:38.68
were actually the
seeds for the bean stalk.
00:18:38.73\00:18:41.35
She also said that
00:18:41.40\00:18:42.37
if we planted these beans
00:18:42.38\00:18:44.62
in warm soil and
kept them moist that
00:18:44.67\00:18:47.12
they would sprout back to life.
00:18:47.17\00:18:50.15
My nine year old mind had
00:18:50.20\00:18:51.52
a difficult time grasping
00:18:51.57\00:18:52.92
how those dead looking beans
00:18:52.97\00:18:54.58
could produce a life plant.
00:18:54.63\00:18:56.88
And I wanted to see for my self!
00:18:56.93\00:18:58.75
So I set up an experiment.
00:18:58.80\00:19:00.98
Taking several pinto beans,
00:19:01.03\00:19:02.78
I wrapped them securely
00:19:02.83\00:19:04.55
inside a cotton dish towel.
00:19:04.60\00:19:06.52
And then, I set them
00:19:06.57\00:19:08.72
on the window sill.
00:19:08.77\00:19:10.72
And I moistened them.
00:19:10.77\00:19:12.05
They were in the sunlight
00:19:12.10\00:19:13.07
and I moistened
them daily with water.
00:19:13.08\00:19:15.15
And in a few weeks
00:19:15.20\00:19:17.02
I peaked inside that towel
00:19:17.07\00:19:18.42
and found that
they had germinated.
00:19:18.47\00:19:20.72
To my delight,
00:19:20.77\00:19:21.74
there were little green sprouts
00:19:21.75\00:19:23.35
coming out of each bean!!
00:19:23.40\00:19:25.92
You know,
00:19:25.97\00:19:26.94
the experiment
wasn't performed because
00:19:26.95\00:19:29.82
I had great faith that
00:19:29.87\00:19:31.62
those pinto beans would sprout.
00:19:31.67\00:19:33.72
Rather I had faith
00:19:33.77\00:19:35.68
in my teacher
00:19:35.73\00:19:36.70
who appeared to be
smarter than I was.
00:19:36.71\00:19:39.42
Her words had seemed
00:19:39.47\00:19:41.18
impossible of fulfillment.
00:19:41.23\00:19:43.85
But her explanation made me seek
00:19:43.90\00:19:45.82
an experience with the truth.
00:19:45.87\00:19:48.75
Faith was ushered
in by hearing that
00:19:48.80\00:19:53.08
the possibility existed
00:19:53.13\00:19:54.35
and trusting in
the person who told me.
00:19:54.40\00:19:56.78
And through that
small window of faith,
00:19:56.83\00:19:59.65
I witnessed what seemed
00:19:59.70\00:20:02.02
like a miracle to me.
00:20:02.07\00:20:03.98
Dried up old beans were
00:20:04.03\00:20:05.65
transformed into living plants.
00:20:05.70\00:20:09.45
I've heard unfortunately
00:20:09.50\00:20:11.58
people refer...
00:20:11.63\00:20:13.78
...some people have
referred to the Bible as
00:20:13.83\00:20:17.02
a bunch of dead letters.
00:20:17.07\00:20:19.12
Even notable figures within
00:20:19.17\00:20:21.35
the evangelical community have
00:20:21.40\00:20:24.02
unfortunately echoed
that sentiment of late.
00:20:24.07\00:20:27.42
And these poor confused souls,
00:20:27.47\00:20:30.28
promote the idea of
00:20:30.33\00:20:32.28
worshipping in
spirit and in truth
00:20:32.33\00:20:34.52
as a concept that is somehow
00:20:34.57\00:20:36.98
above the word of God
00:20:37.03\00:20:38.58
and requires little attention to
00:20:38.63\00:20:40.68
the old writings of the Bible.
00:20:40.73\00:20:42.88
I believe that such comments
00:20:42.93\00:20:46.45
are blasphemous.
00:20:46.50\00:20:47.47
There's no other
way to describe it.
00:20:47.48\00:20:49.75
I pray that the Lord will open
00:20:49.80\00:20:52.42
the eyes of these
professed followers who...
00:20:52.47\00:20:56.92
...So that they may understand
00:20:56.97\00:20:58.38
the life giving
power of God's word.
00:20:58.43\00:21:01.22
Because obedience to the word is
00:21:01.27\00:21:03.85
the highest
expression of worship for God.
00:21:03.90\00:21:08.75
Jesus said...
00:21:08.80\00:21:10.62
[text on screen]
00:21:10.67\00:21:12.62
God says there
is life in His word.
00:21:25.60\00:21:29.78
If we want to worship
00:21:29.83\00:21:31.48
in spirit and in truth
00:21:31.53\00:21:33.42
we need to worship in the word.
00:21:33.47\00:21:37.25
Making the Bible
our primary focus!
00:21:37.30\00:21:41.62
Jesus is the word become flesh!
00:21:41.67\00:21:45.12
He calls his word spirit
00:21:45.17\00:21:47.58
and He calls his word life!
00:21:47.63\00:21:49.98
It is by the
power of its word that
00:21:50.03\00:21:53.12
we are sanctified by His truth
00:21:53.17\00:21:55.42
and develop His holy nature.
00:21:55.47\00:21:58.18
The Council of
God's word is eternal!
00:21:58.23\00:22:01.55
Bible writings are not
00:22:01.60\00:22:03.62
inoperative words of the past.
00:22:03.67\00:22:06.45
In Hebrews 4:12
the word of God is
00:22:06.50\00:22:08.85
described as alive,
00:22:08.90\00:22:11.52
living and powerful!
00:22:11.57\00:22:13.95
You know
00:22:14.00\00:22:15.02
my pinto beans appeared lifeless
00:22:15.07\00:22:16.95
to a mind that
could not comprehend
00:22:17.00\00:22:19.02
the miracle of
life stored within them.
00:22:19.07\00:22:21.62
Likewise the word
of God appears lifeless
00:22:21.67\00:22:25.35
to men without comprehension.
00:22:25.40\00:22:27.58
To those without
the spirit of God.
00:22:27.63\00:22:30.35
The Bible is God's
message to His creatings.
00:22:30.40\00:22:34.48
The writings are
00:22:34.53\00:22:35.95
inspired spiritual words
00:22:36.00\00:22:38.12
only understood by
00:22:38.17\00:22:39.48
the help of the Holy Spirit!
00:22:39.53\00:22:41.28
Now, I don't want to sound harsh
00:22:41.33\00:22:43.68
with my comments
about those who call
00:22:43.73\00:22:46.15
the Bible dead letters.
00:22:46.20\00:22:47.48
I'm not judging
the motivation of
00:22:47.53\00:22:50.28
these poor souls.
00:22:50.33\00:22:51.82
Rather, by the word of God
00:22:51.87\00:22:53.12
I can determine
their actions are wrong.
00:22:53.17\00:22:56.18
Jesus would reply to
these individuals saying...
00:22:56.23\00:22:59.88
You are in error because
00:22:59.93\00:23:02.48
you do not know
the scriptures or
00:23:02.53\00:23:05.02
the power of God.
00:23:05.07\00:23:06.75
Christ warned us...
00:23:06.80\00:23:08.92
[text on screen]
00:23:08.97\00:23:10.85
We must be
careful of what we hear.
00:23:30.97\00:23:34.85
We should always measure
00:23:34.90\00:23:36.95
the message by the scriptures.
00:23:37.00\00:23:40.18
It doesn't matter
00:23:40.23\00:23:41.35
how much theological training
00:23:41.40\00:23:44.02
a person has.
00:23:44.07\00:23:45.04
There can be no understanding
00:23:45.05\00:23:46.98
without the spirit of God.
00:23:47.03\00:23:48.82
We must guard our hearts
00:23:48.87\00:23:50.72
to prevent scholarly credentials
00:23:50.77\00:23:54.45
from swaying us.
00:23:54.50\00:23:55.62
There is only one
standard for truth.
00:23:55.67\00:23:59.55
THE HOLY BIBLE!!
00:23:59.60\00:24:01.05
Romans 10:17 says...
00:24:01.10\00:24:03.72
[text on screen]
00:24:03.77\00:24:07.02
The broadcast
system that God uses
00:24:12.70\00:24:16.08
to spread seeds of faith
00:24:16.13\00:24:17.45
is hearing the word.
00:24:17.50\00:24:20.35
Hearing introduces
00:24:20.40\00:24:22.28
the message of God's love
00:24:22.33\00:24:23.62
and His wonderful
plan for our lives.
00:24:23.67\00:24:27.55
But, as we already studied,
00:24:27.60\00:24:29.88
hearing alone
does not produce faith.
00:24:29.93\00:24:32.98
When the seed of
His word is broadcast
00:24:33.03\00:24:36.28
it will not
take root and develop
00:24:36.33\00:24:38.85
unless our soil is good.
00:24:38.90\00:24:42.12
Do you want more faith?
00:24:42.17\00:24:43.95
Open your heart
00:24:44.00\00:24:45.98
to God's broadcasting system.
00:24:46.03\00:24:49.02
Invest more time in hearing
00:24:49.07\00:24:50.88
church sermons,
00:24:50.93\00:24:52.55
Bible studies,
00:24:52.60\00:24:53.75
Christian television,
00:24:53.80\00:24:55.32
radio,
00:24:55.37\00:24:56.75
oh, tapes and books!!!
00:24:56.80\00:24:58.45
These are all wonderful tools
00:24:58.50\00:25:01.25
to renew the
attitudes of our minds.
00:25:01.30\00:25:05.12
The most effective way
00:25:05.17\00:25:08.28
to broadcast the word is...
00:25:08.33\00:25:10.62
...that I've discovered...
00:25:10.67\00:25:13.15
is to read the Bible out loud.
00:25:13.20\00:25:15.38
Hearing it with my own voice
00:25:15.43\00:25:17.92
makes such a difference!
00:25:17.97\00:25:19.88
And I often as I study,
00:25:19.93\00:25:21.25
I will read out loud.
00:25:21.30\00:25:22.98
This practice seems to
00:25:23.03\00:25:25.65
increase my focus
00:25:25.70\00:25:27.15
and open my ears
00:25:27.20\00:25:28.52
and cause my heart to open
00:25:28.57\00:25:30.55
and receive God's word.
00:25:30.60\00:25:32.48
You ought to give it a try!
00:25:32.53\00:25:34.75
When I discover a promise of God
00:25:34.80\00:25:38.02
I lay hold of it
00:25:38.07\00:25:39.04
and I claim it for myself!
00:25:39.05\00:25:40.65
Then I return God's word to Him
00:25:40.70\00:25:43.08
as an affirmation!
00:25:43.13\00:25:44.78
The affirmation is
00:25:44.83\00:25:47.18
a declaration.
00:25:47.23\00:25:48.45
Confirming that
00:25:48.50\00:25:49.85
I accept what God has to say
00:25:49.90\00:25:51.55
about me as absolute truth.
00:25:51.60\00:25:54.42
Let me give you an example.
00:25:54.47\00:25:56.28
If I were to read for example
00:25:56.33\00:25:58.42
II Corinthians 5:17 which says
00:25:58.47\00:26:02.18
if anyone is in
Christ he is a new creation.
00:26:02.23\00:26:04.88
The old is gone
and the new is come.
00:26:04.93\00:26:06.95
Then I might say
thank you Father.
00:26:07.00\00:26:10.65
Thank you for
including me in Christ.
00:26:10.70\00:26:13.15
Thank you Lord for
making all things new!
00:26:13.20\00:26:16.75
I am a new
creation in Christ Jesus
00:26:16.80\00:26:20.72
My old nature has passed away
00:26:20.77\00:26:23.22
and now my new nature has come!
00:26:23.27\00:26:26.58
You know something?
00:26:26.63\00:26:28.28
Hearing my own voice
00:26:28.33\00:26:30.45
speaking God's word is
00:26:30.50\00:26:31.92
the greatest way
that I've learned
00:26:31.97\00:26:34.55
to usher in faith.
00:26:34.60\00:26:36.42
We're gonna be examining
00:26:36.47\00:26:37.78
the benefits of
this more closely
00:26:37.83\00:26:40.65
in some upcoming programs.
00:26:40.70\00:26:43.95
For now
00:26:44.00\00:26:45.92
the most critical
point to recognize is that
00:26:45.97\00:26:48.62
we should approach
God in absolute trust
00:26:48.67\00:26:51.42
when we come to the scriptures.
00:26:51.47\00:26:53.32
The challenge
that faces us is...
00:26:53.37\00:26:57.42
...in learning not to
00:26:57.47\00:26:58.45
lean on our own understanding.
00:26:58.50\00:27:00.98
We need to
00:27:01.03\00:27:02.05
abandon human opinions.
00:27:02.10\00:27:04.22
We need to ask God
to give us His wisdom
00:27:04.27\00:27:08.12
and by the power
of His Holy Spirit
00:27:08.17\00:27:11.08
to teach us His will.
00:27:11.13\00:27:14.15
You know,
00:27:14.20\00:27:15.17
much of what God says
00:27:15.18\00:27:19.28
from our
limited human viewpoint.
00:27:19.33\00:27:21.45
But our minds should
readily accept God's word!
00:27:21.50\00:27:25.25
Believing in His testimony!
00:27:25.30\00:27:27.15
As being from the Almighty God
00:27:27.20\00:27:29.38
who cannot lie!
00:27:29.43\00:27:30.82
Well today we've learned
00:27:30.87\00:27:32.92
how to plow our hearts for
00:27:32.97\00:27:34.05
the planting of God's promises.
00:27:34.10\00:27:35.75
And how to broadcast His seed
00:27:35.80\00:27:37.52
into our hearts
through hearing His word.
00:27:37.57\00:27:40.42
Please tune in next time
00:27:40.47\00:27:42.12
and we'll discuss
00:27:42.17\00:27:43.15
how to receive and
retain His promises.
00:27:43.20\00:27:45.38
And persevere until He produces
00:27:45.43\00:27:48.12
His divine nature in us!
00:27:48.17\00:27:50.75
May God multiply His mercy,
00:27:50.80\00:27:52.08
love and grace to you.
00:27:52.13\00:27:53.18
And watch over His
word to perform it.
00:27:53.23\00:27:55.58
Please spend your time
00:27:55.63\00:27:57.92
"Exalting His Word"!
00:27:57.97\00:28:00.62