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]
00:10:40.84\00:10:42.74
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\00:11:05.49
So please stay tuned...
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If this dynamic series
00:11:10.67\00:11:12.00
is making a
difference in your life,
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then you should know about
00:11:13.40\00:11:14.74
a special study guide
00:11:14.77\00:11:16.10
written by Shelley Quinn.
00:11:16.14\00:11:17.47
Exalting His Word with
00:11:17.51\00:11:18.84
Life Affirmations From Scripture
00:11:18.87\00:11:20.21
is an in depth
study of the word of God.
00:11:20.24\00:11:21.91
Please send
your love gifts to...
00:11:24.78\00:11:26.98
We don't have much time
00:11:40.66\00:11:42.40
to spend on these steps but
00:11:42.43\00:11:43.87
let me quickly review these
00:11:43.90\00:11:46.67
and give you an idea of
00:11:46.70\00:11:48.37
how I go through this process.
00:11:48.40\00:11:50.61
To plow up my heart so that
00:11:50.64\00:11:52.91
I can receive from the Lord.
00:11:52.94\00:11:55.28
The first is
00:11:55.34\00:11:56.68
experiencing the
joy of repentance.
00:11:56.71\00:12:00.55
You know,
00:12:00.62\00:12:02.22
with all of life's demands
00:12:02.28\00:12:03.69
it is easy to let
00:12:03.75\00:12:05.09
our priorities get out of order.
00:12:05.12\00:12:07.52
Some people think because
00:12:07.59\00:12:08.92
I'm in full time ministry that
00:12:08.96\00:12:11.03
I don't have this problem.
00:12:11.09\00:12:12.73
But, just as
with any profession...
00:12:12.79\00:12:14.76
I can let
ministry work take priority
00:12:14.83\00:12:19.67
over my relationship with God.
00:12:19.70\00:12:22.77
And then the intimacy of
00:12:22.80\00:12:25.04
my relationship
begins to suffer.
00:12:25.07\00:12:28.41
Suddenly I am aware that
00:12:28.48\00:12:30.11
my constant companion is...
00:12:30.18\00:12:32.91
I'm just not
aware of His presence.
00:12:32.98\00:12:35.45
And when I have
00:12:35.52\00:12:38.85
gotten to this point,
00:12:38.92\00:12:40.42
I realize that
Christ is no longer
00:12:40.49\00:12:44.03
my first love.
00:12:44.09\00:12:45.59
And when I'm there
00:12:45.66\00:12:47.00
I realize how far I've fallen.
00:12:47.03\00:12:49.33
But what the Lord has done
00:12:49.40\00:12:51.53
in the past...
00:12:51.57\00:12:53.54
I used to just
00:12:53.57\00:12:55.30
beat myself up over this!
00:12:55.34\00:12:56.67
And I would let
guilt and condemnation
00:12:56.71\00:12:58.54
keep me away from Him!
00:12:58.57\00:13:00.61
But now what
the Lord has done is
00:13:00.64\00:13:03.35
He has taught me to
00:13:03.41\00:13:04.75
come quickly back to Him
00:13:04.78\00:13:07.22
because I understand
00:13:07.25\00:13:09.02
the perfect law of liberty that
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I am totally dependent upon God.
00:13:10.89\00:13:13.86
And I've learned
the joy of repentance.
00:13:13.92\00:13:17.36
I come before the Lord
00:13:17.43\00:13:19.13
and I humbly confess my sin.
00:13:19.19\00:13:21.73
And I just acknowledge
00:13:21.76\00:13:23.67
my complete
dependence upon His power
00:13:23.73\00:13:26.30
to change me.
00:13:26.33\00:13:27.67
He gives me a new beginning
00:13:27.70\00:13:29.17
and He wipes my record clean.
00:13:29.20\00:13:31.24
Praise God I'm so thankful that
00:13:31.27\00:13:34.51
His compassion never fail.
00:13:34.58\00:13:36.58
They are new every morning!
00:13:36.61\00:13:39.38
And then the
second step after that
00:13:39.41\00:13:42.55
I pray to be
filled with the Spirit.
00:13:42.62\00:13:46.12
I ask God to forgive me
00:13:46.19\00:13:48.26
for grieving Him
00:13:48.32\00:13:50.39
and for resisting
00:13:50.46\00:13:52.93
or even
quenching His Holy Spirit.
00:13:52.96\00:13:57.03
You know,
00:13:57.10\00:13:58.47
it is something that
00:13:58.50\00:14:00.24
we must constantly be aware of
00:14:00.27\00:14:03.00
how our actions
are affecting the Lord.
00:14:03.04\00:14:05.47
I ask God to
help me to die to self
00:14:05.51\00:14:09.91
and live for Him.
00:14:09.94\00:14:11.45
And I pray that by
00:14:11.51\00:14:12.85
the power of
His Holy Spirit that
00:14:12.88\00:14:16.32
I will put to death
00:14:16.38\00:14:18.25
the misdeeds of my flesh
00:14:18.32\00:14:20.06
and be emptied of self.
00:14:20.12\00:14:21.66
Then, I pray
that the Holy Spirit
00:14:21.72\00:14:24.93
will give me understanding of
00:14:24.99\00:14:27.13
God's spiritual words
00:14:27.20\00:14:28.96
and teach me His will.
00:14:29.03\00:14:31.03
Asking Him to teach me
00:14:31.07\00:14:34.40
to know God's character better.
00:14:34.44\00:14:36.74
To know His plan.
00:14:36.77\00:14:38.54
And to be taught
00:14:38.57\00:14:40.54
who I am in Christ.
00:14:40.58\00:14:43.51
I ask God to fill me
00:14:43.55\00:14:45.58
with His Spirit.
00:14:45.65\00:14:47.75
In Luke 11
00:14:47.82\00:14:49.95
Jesus said...
00:14:50.02\00:14:51.35
-You're gonna be
familiar with this text...
00:14:51.39\00:14:53.32
Because most
people say it this way...
00:14:53.39\00:15:00.96
"Ask,...
00:15:00.96\00:15:02.30
Ask and it shall be given
00:15:02.33\00:15:03.67
seek and ye shall find,
00:15:03.70\00:15:05.03
knock and the
door shall be opened.
00:15:05.07\00:15:06.40
But did you know in
the Greek it really is...
00:15:06.43\00:15:08.80
"Ask and keep on asking..."
00:15:08.84\00:15:12.04
"Knock and keep on knocking.
00:15:12.07\00:15:16.41
And He says
00:15:16.44\00:15:17.78
How much more
00:15:17.81\00:15:19.15
will your Heavenly Father
00:15:19.18\00:15:21.28
give the Holy
Spirit to those who ask
00:15:21.35\00:15:24.82
and continue to ask for Him?
00:15:24.89\00:15:28.16
We also need to
pray to be sanctified
00:15:28.22\00:15:32.23
by the word of God.
00:15:32.29\00:15:34.46
When Jesus prayed
to the Father for us,
00:15:34.46\00:15:37.67
He said in John 17:17
00:15:37.70\00:15:40.24
"Father sanctify
them by your truths.
00:15:40.27\00:15:43.77
"Your word is truth."
00:15:43.81\00:15:45.94
Every time I pick up the Bible
00:15:45.97\00:15:48.18
I always try to
remember this prayer
00:15:48.21\00:15:50.81
and make it mine.
00:15:50.88\00:15:52.28
I ask God to do
00:15:52.35\00:15:54.18
a sanctifying work in me
00:15:54.22\00:15:56.35
through His word.
00:15:56.42\00:15:58.02
Creating a pure
00:15:58.09\00:15:59.82
and undivided heart in me.
00:15:59.89\00:16:02.29
I pray that
00:16:02.36\00:16:03.69
God will give me
00:16:03.73\00:16:05.33
the power to overcome!
00:16:05.39\00:16:06.73
And I give Him permission
00:16:06.76\00:16:08.70
to cause me to be all that
00:16:08.76\00:16:11.43
He has called me to be!
00:16:11.47\00:16:14.27
The fourth step is...
00:16:14.30\00:16:16.24
Pray for the
desire to read the Bible.
00:16:16.27\00:16:19.71
You know I often pray that
00:16:19.74\00:16:21.08
God will give me
an unquenchable desire
00:16:21.11\00:16:24.45
for His word.
00:16:24.51\00:16:25.85
A prayer that He
is eager to answer!
00:16:25.88\00:16:29.28
I acknowledge to Him that
00:16:29.35\00:16:31.35
His word is life to me.
00:16:31.42\00:16:33.29
I ask Him to open
my spiritual eyes.
00:16:33.36\00:16:36.52
And give me His wisdom.
00:16:36.59\00:16:38.89
If we humble ourselves
00:16:38.96\00:16:40.86
before the Lord in this way,
00:16:40.90\00:16:43.47
He will make our
hearts good soft soil.
00:16:43.53\00:16:46.30
He will teach us to trust Him
00:16:46.33\00:16:48.04
and lean on His understanding.
00:16:48.07\00:16:50.21
Then the spirit
00:16:50.24\00:16:51.57
and the word will
be ready to come with
00:16:51.61\00:16:53.27
a demonstration of His power
00:16:53.31\00:16:55.21
to change us.
00:16:55.28\00:16:57.11
Glory to God!!
00:16:57.18\00:16:58.58
Now it's time to talk about
00:16:58.65\00:17:00.58
broadcasting the
seed of His word.
00:17:00.65\00:17:04.39
When the soil is ready,
00:17:04.45\00:17:05.89
it's time to plant the seed.
00:17:05.95\00:17:07.86
God will not disappoint us
00:17:07.92\00:17:09.99
when we approach Him
00:17:10.06\00:17:11.49
with a plowed up heart.
00:17:11.53\00:17:13.03
He will expand our trust in Him
00:17:13.09\00:17:15.33
and He will give us
an increased measure of
00:17:15.36\00:17:19.27
faith in His testimony.
00:17:19.30\00:17:21.44
That faith comes
00:17:21.47\00:17:23.34
as we meditate on His word.
00:17:23.37\00:17:26.11
The Bible says that
faith comes by hearing.
00:17:26.14\00:17:29.04
And when it says that
faith comes by hearing,
00:17:29.11\00:17:31.41
it doesn't mean
that faith produces... or
00:17:31.48\00:17:35.08
Hearing produces faith.
00:17:35.15\00:17:36.62
Rather, faith is
00:17:36.69\00:17:38.32
the broadcasting system that
00:17:38.39\00:17:40.69
broadcasts the seed of His word.
00:17:40.76\00:17:43.93
Excuse me...
00:17:43.99\00:17:45.33
Hearing is the
broadcasting system that
00:17:45.36\00:17:47.66
broadcasts the seed of His word.
00:17:47.76\00:17:50.17
Let me explain what I mean.
00:17:50.23\00:17:52.73
Have you ever used your hand
00:17:52.77\00:17:54.84
to broadcast flower or
00:17:54.87\00:17:56.20
vegetable seeds in a garden?
00:17:56.24\00:17:58.04
You know, I've
seen many folks that
00:17:58.07\00:18:00.08
sow wild seeds this way.
00:18:00.11\00:18:01.88
And it always
fascinates me to see
00:18:01.94\00:18:04.65
the results come up in season.
00:18:04.68\00:18:06.35
Now, my gardening
skills aren't the best,
00:18:06.38\00:18:08.85
so, usually when
I plant something
00:18:08.92\00:18:10.92
I chose seedlings to plant.
00:18:10.99\00:18:12.79
Because I figure,
00:18:12.85\00:18:14.19
since they've already sprouted
00:18:14.22\00:18:15.56
they have a better
chance of surviving my care!
00:18:15.59\00:18:18.09
Yet I do recall
an exiting experience
00:18:18.13\00:18:21.20
I had in
witnessing some dried up seeds
00:18:21.26\00:18:25.20
burst forth with life!
00:18:25.23\00:18:27.57
When I was on the third grade
00:18:27.60\00:18:29.84
I was curious
where the seeds for
00:18:29.87\00:18:31.54
pinto bean came from.
00:18:31.57\00:18:34.84
Now my teacher explained that
00:18:34.91\00:18:37.31
the beans that we ate
00:18:37.35\00:18:38.68
were actually the
seeds for the bean stalk.
00:18:38.71\00:18:41.32
She also said that
00:18:41.38\00:18:42.72
if we planted these beans
00:18:42.75\00:18:44.59
in warm soil and
kept them moist that
00:18:44.65\00:18:47.09
they would sprout back to life.
00:18:47.16\00:18:50.13
My nine year old mind had
00:18:50.19\00:18:51.53
a difficult time grasping
00:18:51.56\00:18:52.89
how those dead looking beans
00:18:52.96\00:18:54.56
could produce a life plant.
00:18:54.56\00:18:56.83
And I wanted to see for my self!
00:18:56.87\00:18:58.70
So I set up an experiment.
00:18:58.73\00:19:01.00
Taking several pinto beans,
00:19:01.04\00:19:02.80
I wrapped them securely
00:19:02.84\00:19:04.57
inside a cotton dish towel.
00:19:04.61\00:19:06.54
And then, I set them
00:19:06.57\00:19:08.74
on the window sill.
00:19:08.78\00:19:10.75
And I moistened them.
00:19:10.78\00:19:12.11
They were in the sunlight
00:19:12.15\00:19:13.48
and I moistened
them daily with water.
00:19:13.52\00:19:15.15
And in a few weeks
00:19:15.22\00:19:17.02
I peaked inside that towel
00:19:17.09\00:19:18.42
and found that
they had germinated.
00:19:18.49\00:19:20.72
To my delight,
00:19:20.79\00:19:22.12
there were little green sprouts
00:19:22.16\00:19:23.49
coming out of each bean!!
00:19:23.53\00:19:25.93
You know,
00:19:25.99\00:19:27.30
the experiment
wasn't performed because
00:19:27.36\00:19:29.80
I had great faith that
00:19:29.86\00:19:31.60
those pinto beans would sprout.
00:19:31.63\00:19:33.70
Rather I had faith
00:19:33.74\00:19:35.67
in my teacher
00:19:35.70\00:19:37.04
who appeared to be
smarter than I was.
00:19:37.07\00:19:39.41
Her words had seemed
00:19:39.44\00:19:41.14
impossible of fulfillment.
00:19:41.21\00:19:43.85
But her explanation made me seek
00:19:43.88\00:19:45.81
an experience with the truth.
00:19:45.85\00:19:48.72
Faith was ushered
in by hearing that
00:19:48.78\00:19:53.05
the possibility existed
00:19:53.12\00:19:54.46
and trusting in
the person who told me.
00:19:54.49\00:19:56.76
And through that
small window of faith,
00:19:56.83\00:19:59.63
I witnessed what seemed
00:19:59.69\00:20:01.96
like a miracle to me.
00:20:02.03\00:20:03.93
Dried up old beans were
00:20:03.97\00:20:05.60
transformed into living plants.
00:20:05.63\00:20:09.40
I've heard unfortunately
00:20:09.44\00:20:11.54
people refer...
00:20:11.57\00:20:13.74
...some people have
referred to the Bible as
00:20:13.78\00:20:16.98
a bunch of dead letters.
00:20:17.01\00:20:19.08
Even notable figures within
00:20:19.11\00:20:21.28
the evangelical community have
00:20:21.35\00:20:23.95
unfortunately echoed
that sentiment of late.
00:20:24.02\00:20:27.36
And these poor confused souls,
00:20:27.42\00:20:30.23
promote the idea of
00:20:30.29\00:20:32.23
worshipping in
spirit and in truth
00:20:32.26\00:20:34.46
as a concept that is somehow
00:20:34.50\00:20:36.90
above the word of God
00:20:36.93\00:20:38.50
and requires little attention to
00:20:38.53\00:20:40.60
the old writings of the Bible.
00:20:40.64\00:20:42.80
I believe that such comments
00:20:42.84\00:20:46.37
are blasphemous.
00:20:46.41\00:20:47.74
There's no other
way to describe it.
00:20:47.78\00:20:49.68
I pray that the Lord will open
00:20:49.71\00:20:52.35
the eyes of these
professed followers who...
00:20:52.38\00:20:56.82
...So that they may understand
00:20:56.89\00:20:58.29
the life giving
power of God's word.
00:20:58.35\00:21:01.19
Because obedience to the word is
00:21:01.26\00:21:03.83
the highest
expression of worship for God.
00:21:03.89\00:21:08.70
Jesus said...
00:21:08.73\00:21:10.57
[text on screen]
00:21:10.63\00:21:12.57
God says there
is life in His word.
00:21:25.55\00:21:29.72
If we want to worship
00:21:29.78\00:21:31.42
in spirit and in truth
00:21:31.49\00:21:33.36
we need to worship in the word.
00:21:33.42\00:21:37.19
Making the Bible
our primary focus!
00:21:37.26\00:21:41.53
Jesus is the word become flesh!
00:21:41.60\00:21:45.03
He calls his word spirit
00:21:45.07\00:21:47.50
and He calls his word life!
00:21:47.54\00:21:49.90
It is by the
power of its word that
00:21:49.94\00:21:53.04
we are sanctified by His truth
00:21:53.07\00:21:55.34
and develop His holy nature.
00:21:55.38\00:21:58.08
The Council of
God's word is eternal!
00:21:58.15\00:22:01.52
Bible writings are not
00:22:01.58\00:22:03.59
inoperative words of the past.
00:22:03.65\00:22:06.42
In Hebrews 4:12
the word of God is
00:22:06.49\00:22:08.82
described as alive,
00:22:08.89\00:22:11.49
living and powerful!
00:22:11.56\00:22:13.93
You know
00:22:14.00\00:22:15.30
my pinto beans appeared lifeless
00:22:15.33\00:22:16.90
to a mind that
could not comprehend
00:22:16.93\00:22:18.97
the miracle of
life stored within them.
00:22:19.00\00:22:21.57
Likewise the word
of God appears lifeless
00:22:21.60\00:22:25.31
to men without comprehension.
00:22:25.34\00:22:27.54
To those without
the spirit of God.
00:22:27.58\00:22:30.31
The Bible is God's
message to His creatings.
00:22:30.35\00:22:34.42
The writings are
00:22:34.48\00:22:35.88
inspired spiritual words
00:22:35.95\00:22:38.05
only understood by
00:22:38.12\00:22:39.45
the help of the Holy Spirit!
00:22:39.49\00:22:41.22
Now, I don't want to sound harsh
00:22:41.29\00:22:43.63
with my comments
about those who call
00:22:43.69\00:22:46.09
the Bible dead letters.
00:22:46.16\00:22:47.50
I'm not judging
the motivation of
00:22:47.50\00:22:50.20
these poor souls.
00:22:50.23\00:22:51.73
Rather, by the word of God
00:22:51.77\00:22:53.10
I can determine
their actions are wrong.
00:22:53.13\00:22:56.10
Jesus would reply to
these individuals saying...
00:22:56.14\00:22:59.81
You are in error because
00:22:59.84\00:23:02.44
you do not know
the scriptures or
00:23:02.51\00:23:05.01
the power of God.
00:23:05.05\00:23:06.72
Christ warned us...
00:23:06.78\00:23:08.88
[text on screen]
00:23:08.95\00:23:10.82
We must be
careful of what we hear.
00:23:30.91\00:23:34.81
We should always measure
00:23:34.84\00:23:36.91
the message by the scriptures.
00:23:36.95\00:23:40.12
It doesn't matter
00:23:40.18\00:23:41.52
how much theological training
00:23:41.55\00:23:43.95
a person has.
00:23:44.02\00:23:45.35
There can be no understanding
00:23:45.39\00:23:46.92
without the spirit of God.
00:23:46.99\00:23:48.76
We must guard our hearts
00:23:48.82\00:23:50.66
to prevent scholarly credentials
00:23:50.73\00:23:54.36
from swaying us.
00:23:54.40\00:23:55.73
There is only one
standard for truth.
00:23:55.76\00:23:59.47
THE HOLY BIBLE!!
00:23:59.50\00:24:01.04
Romans 10:17 says...
00:24:01.07\00:24:03.71
[text on screen]
00:24:03.74\00:24:07.01
The broadcast
system that God uses
00:24:12.68\00:24:16.05
to spread seeds of faith
00:24:16.12\00:24:17.45
is hearing the word.
00:24:17.49\00:24:20.32
Hearing introduces
00:24:20.39\00:24:22.26
the message of God's love
00:24:22.32\00:24:23.66
and His wonderful
plan for our lives.
00:24:23.69\00:24:27.50
But, as we already studied,
00:24:27.60\00:24:29.83
hearing alone
does not produce faith.
00:24:29.86\00:24:32.93
When the seed of
His word is broadcast
00:24:32.97\00:24:36.24
it will not
take root and develop
00:24:36.27\00:24:38.81
unless our soil is good.
00:24:38.84\00:24:42.08
Do you want more faith?
00:24:42.11\00:24:43.91
Open your heart
00:24:43.95\00:24:45.91
to God's broadcasting system.
00:24:45.98\00:24:48.95
Invest more time in hearing
00:24:49.02\00:24:50.82
church sermons,
00:24:50.89\00:24:52.49
Bible studies,
00:24:52.55\00:24:53.89
Christian television,
00:24:53.92\00:24:55.26
radio,
00:24:55.32\00:24:56.69
oh, tapes and books!!!
00:24:56.76\00:24:58.39
These are all wonderful tools
00:24:58.46\00:25:01.23
to renew the
attitudes of our minds.
00:25:01.26\00:25:05.10
The most effective way
00:25:05.13\00:25:08.27
to broadcast the word is...
00:25:08.30\00:25:10.61
...that I've discovered...
00:25:10.64\00:25:13.14
is to read the Bible out loud.
00:25:13.17\00:25:15.34
Hearing it with my own voice
00:25:15.41\00:25:17.91
makes such a difference!
00:25:17.95\00:25:19.85
And I often as I study,
00:25:19.91\00:25:21.25
I will read out loud.
00:25:21.28\00:25:22.95
This practice seems to
00:25:23.02\00:25:25.62
increase my focus
00:25:25.69\00:25:27.12
and open my ears
00:25:27.19\00:25:28.52
and cause my heart to open
00:25:28.56\00:25:30.53
and receive God's word.
00:25:30.59\00:25:32.46
You ought to give it a try!
00:25:32.49\00:25:34.73
When I discover a promise of God
00:25:34.73\00:25:37.97
I lay hold of it
00:25:38.00\00:25:39.33
and I claim it for myself!
00:25:39.37\00:25:40.70
Then I return God's word to Him
00:25:40.74\00:25:43.04
as an affirmation!
00:25:43.07\00:25:44.74
The affirmation is
00:25:44.77\00:25:47.14
a declaration.
00:25:47.18\00:25:48.51
Confirming that
00:25:48.54\00:25:49.88
I accept what God has to say
00:25:49.91\00:25:51.48
about me as absolute truth.
00:25:51.55\00:25:54.35
Let me give you an example.
00:25:54.42\00:25:56.22
If I were to read for example
00:25:56.28\00:25:58.35
II Corinthians 5:17 which says
00:25:58.42\00:26:02.19
if anyone is in
Christ he is a new creation.
00:26:02.26\00:26:04.89
The old is gone
and the new is come.
00:26:04.93\00:26:06.96
Then I might say
thank you Father.
00:26:07.03\00:26:10.63
Thank you for
including me in Christ.
00:26:10.67\00:26:13.13
Thank you Lord for
making all things new!
00:26:13.17\00:26:16.74
I am a new
creation in Christ Jesus
00:26:16.77\00:26:20.71
My old nature has passed away
00:26:20.74\00:26:23.21
and now my new nature has come!
00:26:23.24\00:26:26.55
You know something?
00:26:26.61\00:26:28.25
Hearing my own voice
00:26:28.32\00:26:30.42
speaking God's word is
00:26:30.49\00:26:31.89
the greatest way
that I've learned
00:26:31.95\00:26:34.52
to usher in faith.
00:26:34.59\00:26:36.39
We're gonna be examining
00:26:36.46\00:26:37.79
the benefits of
this more closely
00:26:37.83\00:26:40.63
in some upcoming programs.
00:26:40.70\00:26:43.90
For now
00:26:43.93\00:26:45.87
the most critical
point to recognize is that
00:26:45.90\00:26:48.57
we should approach
God in absolute trust
00:26:48.60\00:26:51.37
when we come to the scriptures.
00:26:51.41\00:26:53.27
The challenge
that faces us is...
00:26:53.31\00:26:57.38
...in learning not to
00:26:57.41\00:26:58.75
lean on our own understanding.
00:26:58.78\00:27:00.98
We need to
00:27:01.05\00:27:02.38
abandon human opinions.
00:27:02.42\00:27:04.22
We need to ask God
to give us His wisdom
00:27:04.29\00:27:08.12
and by the power
of His Holy Spirit
00:27:08.19\00:27:11.09
to teach us His will.
00:27:11.13\00:27:14.13
You know,
00:27:14.20\00:27:15.53
much of what God says
00:27:15.56\00:27:19.27
from our
limited human viewpoint.
00:27:19.30\00:27:21.44
But our minds should
readily accept God's word!
00:27:21.47\00:27:25.24
Believing in His testimony!
00:27:25.27\00:27:27.14
As being from the Almighty God
00:27:27.18\00:27:29.34
who cannot lie!
00:27:29.41\00:27:30.81
Well today we've learned
00:27:30.85\00:27:32.91
how to plow our hearts for
00:27:32.95\00:27:34.28
the planting of God's promises.
00:27:34.32\00:27:35.72
And how to broadcast His seed
00:27:35.78\00:27:37.49
into our hearts
through hearing His word.
00:27:37.55\00:27:40.39
Please tune in next time
00:27:40.46\00:27:42.09
and we'll discuss
00:27:42.16\00:27:43.49
how to receive and
retain His promises.
00:27:43.53\00:27:45.36
And persevere until He produces
00:27:45.39\00:27:48.06
His divine nature in us!
00:27:48.13\00:27:50.70
May God multiply His mercy,
00:27:50.73\00:27:52.07
love and grace to you.
00:27:52.10\00:27:53.44
And watch over His
word to perform it.
00:27:53.47\00:27:55.54
Please spend your time
00:27:55.57\00:27:57.87
"Exalting His Word"!
00:27:57.91\00:28:00.64