Hello, friends.
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Welcome to the 3ABN
Worship Center once again
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for the final message
in a series of messages
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brought to us by
Pastor Dr. Abraham Jules.
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He has been blessing us
for the last three meetings
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and this being his final message
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we are looking forward
to the blessing of the Lord
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to continue once again.
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Welcome to
Foundation of our Faith,
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one of 3ABN flagship programs
for the Dare to Dream network
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under the
direction of Dr Yvonne Lewis.
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We appreciate all the work
that she does for this network
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and bringing to you messages
that are from the word of God
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through the
servants of the Lord.
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But if you are
tuning in for the first time
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to our Foundation of our Faith,
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the speaker for this meeting
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is going to be Dr.
Abraham Julius Jules,
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who is a native of the
Caribbean Island of Trinidad.
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If you are from Trinidad,
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you have a reason
to thank the Lord today
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for he brought
Pastor Jules a long way
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from the streets of Trinidad
to the halls of learning
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into the place
where now he can stand
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and speak in behalf
through the power of the Lord.
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He's a fourth generation
Seventh-Day Adventist,
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one who knows the message.
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But now he's not just one
who intellectually knows it,
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but he lives the
message in his life.
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He has a Masters degree,
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Bachelor's
degree and also a D.Min.
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that he received
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from the United
Theological Seminary in 1995.
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Now pastor Jules
has been married now,
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only for 12 years
to Dr. Dominique Jules.
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She is a doctor of dentistry
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and they have
two lovely children
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and it's always
a blessing to see
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that behind the man
stands a woman who's Godly,
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and a family who also stands
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on the same
foundation to serve the Lord.
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He's been in
ministry for 32 years
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and presently in the
North Eastern Conference,
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he's the pastor
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of the Community
Worship Center in Queens,
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I know that his congregation
is praying for their pastor
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as he rightly
divides the word of truth.
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And he's been
all over the world,
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including Anchorage, Alaska.
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How does Caribbean
get to Anchorage, Alaska?
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I think you fly
and I thank the Lord,
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he went there during the summer.
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Thousands of souls
have come to the Lord
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through his preaching and
his diligent Evangelistic work,
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and we are blessed
to have him here today.
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If you were at the General
Conference Session in 2010,
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he was one of the
featured speakers.
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And as we're coming upon
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the next series of
General Conference,
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we look forward to the
Lord blessing once again.
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But this international
singer, speaker, pastor,
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one that rightly
divides the word of Truth,
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is going to be presenting
a message today entitled
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Logging into God's power.
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How do you log
into the power of God?
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Stay tuned as he brings
that message to you today.
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We will also have
some wonderful music,
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the song People Need The Lord.
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In fact, it's not
just a song title,
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it's the truth of the day
and the age in which we live,
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and Mark Udo Williams
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will bring that
song in just a moment.
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But before we go any further,
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let's invite the Lord's
presence to continue with us.
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Let's pray together.
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Gracious Father in
Heaven, we thank You.
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This opportunity is
one that is not something
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that can be
fulfilled by a human vessel.
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And so Lord, we invite
Your Holy Spirit to come.
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Come into the strength and power
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that in days of
old you imbued Elijah
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and the prophets of old
with the same Holy Spirit.
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Come, Holy Spirit today
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and flow through
Pastor Abraham Jules
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and take his words from the page
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and cause it to
be the living word.
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And as we seek
Lord to lock into,
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to log into your power,
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may it be that our
desire is to be used of You
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and not to use You.
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And so speak to Your
people that are here,
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presently and may this message
resonate around the world.
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We ask in Christ's
name and for his glory.
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Amen.
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And Mark is going to bless us.
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After Mark Udo
William blesses us
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the next voice
that you will hear
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will be that of
Dr. Abraham Jules.
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Everyday they pass me by
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I can see it in their eyes
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Empty people filled with cares
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Headed who knows where?
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On they go through private pain
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Living fear to fear
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Laughter hides
their silent cries
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Only Jesus hears
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People need the Lord
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People need the Lord
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At the end of broken dreams
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He's the open door
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People need the Lord
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People need the Lord
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When will we realize
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People need the Lord
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We are called to take His light
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To a world where
wrong seems right
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What could be so great
a cost for sharing life
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With one who's lost
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With His love
our hearts can feel
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All the grief they bear
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We must take these Words of Life
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Only we can share
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People need the Lord
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People need the Lord
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At the end of broken dreams
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He's the open door
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People need the Lord
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People need the Lord
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When will we realize
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That we must give our lives
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For people
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Need the Lord
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For people
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Need the Lord
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The song never
ceases to bless my heart.
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People need the Lord
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and what a great God we serve.
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Wonderful Savior, marvelous God.
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I wish to thank Mark
again for being used by God.
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What a marvelous
gift He has given to him.
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And as Mark
continues to use this gift,
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we pray that many
would come to know
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our Lord and
savior, Jesus Christ
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as theirs
personal savior from Sin.
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John, again, thank you for your
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very kind words of introduction.
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And to Yvonne Lewis,
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we... I would be remissive
if I did not express my thanks
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and appreciation to
her for the invitation
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to be here with you for
Foundations of our Faith
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and I have been
richly blessed being here.
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My soul has been rewarded
00:10:05.77\00:10:07.47
and I praise God
for the fellowship
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and certainly for the
worship experiences each day.
00:10:09.44\00:10:15.11
There's a word of us today.
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It comes to us out of the
Book of John, the 15th Chapter
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and I'll read and
you're hearing verses 1-8.
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John 15, Verses 1-8.
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It reads, "I am the true vine,
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and my Father is the husbandman.
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Every branch in me
that beareth not fruit
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He taketh away.
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and every branch
that beareth fruit,
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He purgeth it,
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that it may
bring forth more fruit.
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Now ye are
clean through the word
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which I have spoken unto you.
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Abide in me, and I in you.
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As the branch cannot
bear fruit of itself,
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except it abide in
the vine, no more can ye,
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except ye abide in me.
00:11:15.97\00:11:18.57
I am the vine,
ye are the branches.
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He that abideth
in me, and I in him,
00:11:23.55\00:11:27.32
the same
bringeth forth much fruit.
00:11:27.35\00:11:30.42
For without me
ye can do nothing.
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If a man abide not in me,
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he is cast forth as a branch,
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and is withered,
and men gather them,
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and cast them into the
fire, and they are burned.
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If ye abide in me,
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and my words abide in you,
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ye shall ask what ye will,
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and it shall be done unto you.
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Herein is my Father glorified,
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that ye bear much fruit,
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so shall ye be my disciples."
00:12:05.85\00:12:10.53
Want to bring to you a message,
00:12:10.56\00:12:11.89
Faithbook or Facebook,
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Logging into God's Power.
00:12:14.23\00:12:17.57
Let us pray.
00:12:17.60\00:12:19.47
Gracious God and
our Father, we indeed
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thank You for this blessed
day You have given to us.
00:12:22.27\00:12:26.14
We thank You for Your holy word,
00:12:26.17\00:12:27.54
we thank You for the
truths that are there in.
00:12:27.58\00:12:31.81
We thank You for
having been with us
00:12:31.85\00:12:33.45
and blessed us
through our lives.
00:12:33.48\00:12:35.55
But in this moment,
00:12:35.58\00:12:37.75
we pray again for Your
presence and Your power,
00:12:37.79\00:12:41.82
as we open this word, we
ask that You may teach us
00:12:41.86\00:12:45.36
and lead us in the
paths of righteousness.
00:12:45.39\00:12:48.40
We pray God that
You may remind us
00:12:48.43\00:12:50.23
that we are nothing without You.
00:12:50.27\00:12:54.04
We pray, oh, God,
00:12:54.07\00:12:55.50
for Your blessings to
rest upon this preached word
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as it goes forth, may
hearts be changed and challenged
00:12:58.34\00:13:02.28
and may lives be
rescued from the pit of sin.
00:13:02.31\00:13:06.05
We pray this prayer
in the name of Jesus,
00:13:06.08\00:13:07.82
our Lord and our
savior, amen, amen.
00:13:07.85\00:13:13.92
Facebook, the...
00:13:13.96\00:13:16.42
ubiquitous Facebook.com
is an internet phenomenon
00:13:16.46\00:13:22.80
and it has over 1.35
billion users per month.
00:13:22.83\00:13:27.64
It is by far the most popular
00:13:27.67\00:13:30.64
social networking
site in the world.
00:13:30.67\00:13:34.51
And the reason
why it is so popular
00:13:34.54\00:13:38.21
is because it fulfills
an essential human need,
00:13:38.25\00:13:43.79
the need for connectedness.
00:13:43.82\00:13:46.52
We were created,
00:13:46.55\00:13:48.26
my brothers and
sisters, with an innate desire
00:13:48.29\00:13:51.59
to be connected to each other.
00:13:51.63\00:13:54.63
And we are connected
through relationships,
00:13:54.66\00:13:56.67
the quality of which impacts,
00:13:56.70\00:13:59.07
really, the
quality of our lives.
00:13:59.10\00:14:02.37
When God said to Adam,
00:14:02.40\00:14:04.07
"It is not good
for Man to be alone,"
00:14:04.11\00:14:07.34
not only did He affirm
Adam's need for companionship,
00:14:07.38\00:14:12.11
but He also described our
social or horizontal dimension,
00:14:12.15\00:14:17.52
the dimension
exploited by Mr. Zuckerberg
00:14:17.55\00:14:20.66
to the tune of an
estimated 100 billion dollars.
00:14:20.69\00:14:26.46
So Facebook helps the world
00:14:26.49\00:14:28.76
to connect in the
horizontal dimension.
00:14:28.80\00:14:34.07
Now Faithbook on the other hand,
00:14:34.10\00:14:36.87
helps the Christian
to commit and connect
00:14:36.91\00:14:41.18
at the vertical
dimension to Jesus Christ.
00:14:41.21\00:14:44.65
As important and as critical
00:14:44.68\00:14:47.62
as the horizontal dimension
00:14:47.65\00:14:49.05
is to our
relationships with each other,
00:14:49.08\00:14:52.55
apart from the
vertical dimension
00:14:52.59\00:14:54.82
offered only through accepting
00:14:54.86\00:14:57.09
Jesus' friend
request on Faithbook,
00:14:57.13\00:15:00.90
we will ultimately be bereft
00:15:00.93\00:15:03.83
of that which forms the essence,
00:15:03.87\00:15:05.67
the substance and the meaning
00:15:05.70\00:15:07.97
of all worthwhile relationships.
00:15:08.00\00:15:11.41
St. Augustine, the great Ante
Nicene African Bishop of Hippo,
00:15:11.44\00:15:16.21
said these often
quoted and immortal words,
00:15:16.24\00:15:19.88
"Thou hast made us
for Thyself, O Lord,
00:15:19.91\00:15:22.78
and our heart is restless
until it finds rest in Thee."
00:15:22.82\00:15:29.62
And what he is telling
us is that in every heart,
00:15:29.66\00:15:32.43
there is a God shaped
hole that only God can fill.
00:15:32.46\00:15:38.73
Apart from that
vertical dimension,
00:15:38.77\00:15:42.24
that commitment and
connectedness to God,
00:15:42.27\00:15:46.74
we become the restless
victims of dissatisfaction
00:15:46.78\00:15:52.21
because we were
created by Him and for Him.
00:15:52.25\00:15:56.79
Ellen White said that the desire
00:15:56.82\00:15:59.05
has been placed
in the heart by God,
00:15:59.09\00:16:01.92
so that it might lead to God.
00:16:01.96\00:16:06.49
There is at least,
ladies and gentlemen,
00:16:06.53\00:16:08.20
five levels of life that
helped to illustrate this point.
00:16:08.23\00:16:13.20
The lowest level is
minerals in the ground,
00:16:13.23\00:16:16.64
and one level
above minerals is plants,
00:16:16.67\00:16:21.01
and one level above
the plants we find animals.
00:16:21.04\00:16:24.88
And one level above
the animals are the humans.
00:16:24.91\00:16:29.28
And the highest
of all levels is God.
00:16:29.32\00:16:33.19
These are the
five levels of life.
00:16:33.22\00:16:36.22
Now let us imagine if
the minerals were animated
00:16:36.26\00:16:38.86
and they were
talking to each other
00:16:38.89\00:16:40.40
and they were saying,
00:16:40.43\00:16:41.76
"There is no
level higher than us.
00:16:41.80\00:16:45.07
Aren't you glad
you are minerals?
00:16:45.10\00:16:47.30
You can't get any
higher than being a mineral."
00:16:47.34\00:16:50.51
But then all of a sudden,
00:16:50.54\00:16:52.07
somebody plants some
flowers in the minerals
00:16:52.11\00:16:55.48
and those roots are lodged
in the minerals in the ground.
00:16:55.51\00:16:58.91
And the minerals begin to
talk to each other and they say,
00:16:58.95\00:17:01.62
"What's going on here?"
00:17:01.65\00:17:03.62
And the plants reply,
00:17:03.65\00:17:05.42
"I know you have
never seen us before,
00:17:05.45\00:17:08.32
but we are plants and
we are higher than you.
00:17:08.36\00:17:11.69
And you thought you were high,
00:17:11.73\00:17:13.29
but you minerals can
go up a little bit higher
00:17:13.33\00:17:16.26
if you do just one
thing and that is surrender.
00:17:16.30\00:17:20.84
And if you surrender,
00:17:20.87\00:17:22.20
we will take you up in our roots
00:17:22.24\00:17:23.61
and you will become a
part of something higher."
00:17:23.64\00:17:27.18
And only when the
minerals say, "Yes,"
00:17:27.21\00:17:29.64
do they get
absorbed into the plant
00:17:29.68\00:17:32.11
and they get transported above.
00:17:32.15\00:17:35.25
And then the plants
begin going around bragging,
00:17:35.28\00:17:37.75
"We are beautiful.
00:17:37.79\00:17:39.85
Look at us.
00:17:39.89\00:17:41.32
And there is
nothing higher than us."
00:17:41.36\00:17:44.96
But then all of a sudden,
00:17:44.99\00:17:46.59
here's comes the
cow and the cow says,
00:17:46.63\00:17:48.90
"I know you plants think that
00:17:48.93\00:17:50.27
there's nothing higher than you,
00:17:50.30\00:17:52.20
but there is a
level higher than you,
00:17:52.23\00:17:55.00
if you will just
surrender to me, the cow.
00:17:55.04\00:17:58.57
If you allow me to absorb
you and you get caught up in me,
00:17:58.61\00:18:02.14
and let me take you
plants to another level."
00:18:02.18\00:18:04.51
If the plants surrender,
00:18:04.55\00:18:07.25
then the plants get transformed
and become a part of the cow
00:18:07.28\00:18:12.32
and the cow
goes around thinking,
00:18:12.35\00:18:14.86
"Nothing is higher than me.
00:18:14.89\00:18:16.79
Nothing is greater than me."
00:18:16.83\00:18:18.79
And then a human
being comes along and says,
00:18:18.83\00:18:21.70
"You know something, cow?
00:18:21.73\00:18:23.26
There is
something higher than you.
00:18:23.30\00:18:25.57
If you would just submit to
McDonald's and to Burger King.
00:18:25.60\00:18:28.87
You can just
get absorbed into me
00:18:31.57\00:18:33.61
and become a part
of something higher
00:18:33.64\00:18:36.38
than what you are right now."
00:18:36.41\00:18:39.15
And then we human beings
walk around like we all that,
00:18:39.18\00:18:42.05
thinking to ourselves,
00:18:42.08\00:18:44.19
"There couldn't be
anything higher than us.
00:18:44.22\00:18:47.99
Look at the
creativity of our hands
00:18:48.02\00:18:49.79
and look at what we have
manufactured and fractured
00:18:49.82\00:18:53.06
and brought to
pass in the world.
00:18:53.09\00:18:55.43
Nothing is higher than us."
00:18:55.46\00:18:58.70
And while, ladies and gentlemen,
00:18:58.73\00:19:00.74
we will acknowledge that
00:19:00.77\00:19:02.14
there are three
kingdoms lower than us,
00:19:02.17\00:19:05.34
we will not acknowledge
00:19:05.37\00:19:06.94
there is a
kingdom higher than us.
00:19:06.98\00:19:10.31
And then God shows up
and God says, "Guess what?
00:19:10.35\00:19:14.15
Just as the minerals
surrendered to the plants,
00:19:14.18\00:19:17.99
and the plants
surrendered to the animals,
00:19:18.02\00:19:21.32
and the animals
surrendered to the humans.
00:19:21.36\00:19:24.73
If you humans
will surrender to Me,
00:19:24.76\00:19:26.93
I will take your
life to another level."
00:19:26.96\00:19:30.60
And what we ought not to miss is
00:19:30.63\00:19:33.70
that those who
go to another level
00:19:33.74\00:19:35.90
are simply people
00:19:35.94\00:19:37.74
who have learned
how to surrender.
00:19:37.77\00:19:41.88
In fact, there's always a
conflict between surrenders.
00:19:41.91\00:19:46.98
Since you as a human
00:19:47.02\00:19:48.82
are between God and the animals.
00:19:48.85\00:19:51.25
There's often a temptation
00:19:51.29\00:19:53.02
drawing you to
what the law of nature
00:19:53.05\00:19:56.22
but there's always
a higher part of you
00:19:56.26\00:19:58.79
that is calling
you to divine purposes.
00:19:58.83\00:20:02.26
Now the belief
that there's no level
00:20:02.30\00:20:04.67
higher than the human
level is what's called humanism.
00:20:04.70\00:20:08.87
The philosophy that
00:20:08.90\00:20:10.47
knowledge and reason
are socially constructed,
00:20:10.51\00:20:14.28
and that there is
nothing higher than humans.
00:20:14.31\00:20:16.98
In short, there is no God.
00:20:17.01\00:20:20.15
But through embracing humanism,
00:20:20.18\00:20:22.58
we closed a door of
access to the next level
00:20:22.62\00:20:26.02
because the only
way to the next level
00:20:26.05\00:20:28.26
is through surrender.
00:20:28.29\00:20:30.23
And if there is no God,
then why do we surrender?
00:20:30.26\00:20:35.20
Let me be clear.
00:20:35.23\00:20:36.83
There is a God and
we surrender to God
00:20:36.87\00:20:39.50
so that God
might surrender to us.
00:20:39.53\00:20:43.77
Listen carefully
to this principle,
00:20:43.81\00:20:45.94
whatever is
surrendered to your life,
00:20:45.97\00:20:48.48
is what your life
is surrendered to.
00:20:48.51\00:20:51.41
Surrender is the
basic fabric of life.
00:20:51.45\00:20:54.48
You surrender
your body to the pew
00:20:54.52\00:20:56.65
and that pew
surrenders comfort and rest.
00:20:56.69\00:21:00.76
If I were to surrender
my body to the treadmill,
00:21:00.79\00:21:03.79
that treadmill will
surrender lower blood pressure,
00:21:03.83\00:21:07.00
lower cholesterol and a
better heart rate to me.
00:21:07.03\00:21:11.33
If you surrender
your mind to a book,
00:21:11.37\00:21:15.04
the book will
surrender knowledge to you.
00:21:15.07\00:21:18.07
The principle of
surrender can result
00:21:18.11\00:21:19.94
in either positive or
negative consequences.
00:21:19.97\00:21:23.31
For example,
00:21:23.35\00:21:24.98
people who smoke
surrender to cigarettes,
00:21:25.01\00:21:27.75
and the cigarette smoking
00:21:27.78\00:21:29.48
surrenders addiction
or infancema to them.
00:21:29.52\00:21:33.25
You will always get an exchange,
00:21:33.29\00:21:35.72
you will reap
what you have sown.
00:21:35.76\00:21:38.39
The reward is
always inherent in the act.
00:21:38.43\00:21:41.86
So if you
surrender to negativity,
00:21:41.90\00:21:44.67
and if you surrender' to
feeling sorry for yourself,
00:21:44.70\00:21:47.60
which is always a temptation
00:21:47.64\00:21:48.97
when you're going
through something,
00:21:49.00\00:21:50.37
you will no doubt reap the
consequences of being paralyzed
00:21:50.41\00:21:54.34
by those
unhealthy emotional states.
00:21:54.38\00:21:58.15
Now the apostle John
articulates in these words
00:21:58.18\00:22:02.05
we read for our
scripture lesson,
00:22:02.08\00:22:04.19
four dimensions of
surrender in his gospel.
00:22:04.22\00:22:07.69
The first is the
surrender principle.
00:22:07.72\00:22:11.99
Second, we'll talk
about the surrender problem.
00:22:12.03\00:22:15.00
Thirdly, we'll talk
about the surrender process.
00:22:15.03\00:22:18.83
And fourth, we'll talk
about the surrender product.
00:22:18.87\00:22:22.04
First, the surrender principle.
00:22:22.07\00:22:24.64
Jesus uses the metaphor
of the vine and the branches.
00:22:24.67\00:22:29.04
It is inconceivable,
00:22:29.08\00:22:31.98
it is not inconceivable, rather,
00:22:32.01\00:22:34.35
that as Jesus
speaks with His disciples,
00:22:34.38\00:22:37.09
He is actually in a vineyard.
00:22:37.12\00:22:40.09
As His eyes take in
the view of the orchard,
00:22:40.12\00:22:42.82
the metaphor comes to life
00:22:42.86\00:22:44.89
and then Jesus identifies
Himself as the true vine.
00:22:44.93\00:22:49.46
He notices the vine and
its intersecting branches
00:22:49.50\00:22:53.00
and it draws from His creation,
00:22:53.03\00:22:55.87
a lesson designed to
enlighten His disciples
00:22:55.90\00:22:58.94
about the nature of the
relationship that He desires
00:22:58.97\00:23:02.64
for them to have.
00:23:02.68\00:23:04.11
And so he says to
them, "I am the true vine."
00:23:04.15\00:23:08.92
Jesus does not initially
He say that he is the vine,
00:23:08.95\00:23:13.59
but rather He says,
"I am the true vine."
00:23:13.62\00:23:17.56
It appears that Jesus wants to
draw the attention to the fact,
00:23:17.59\00:23:22.36
that there is much in nature
that serves as object lessons
00:23:22.40\00:23:26.27
of greater realities.
00:23:26.30\00:23:28.60
It suggests that
inherent in material realities
00:23:28.64\00:23:33.78
there are often
deeply embedded truths.
00:23:33.81\00:23:36.95
In verse 5, after
they've gotten the point,
00:23:36.98\00:23:39.55
Jesus then
says, "I am the vine."
00:23:39.58\00:23:42.65
But in verse 1, He
says, "I am the true vine."
00:23:42.68\00:23:46.82
Now the implicit message is that
00:23:46.86\00:23:49.02
something can be
real but not true.
00:23:49.06\00:23:52.36
And in uncritically
connecting ourselves to false,
00:23:52.39\00:23:56.30
impersonating vines,
00:23:56.33\00:23:58.13
we will inevitably
produce contaminated
00:23:58.17\00:24:00.70
or poisonous fruit.
00:24:00.74\00:24:02.94
Jesus equates His
Father with the husbandman,
00:24:02.97\00:24:07.01
the gardener.
00:24:07.04\00:24:08.44
So we've got a vineyard,
00:24:08.48\00:24:10.45
we've got a vine and
we've got a gardener.
00:24:10.48\00:24:14.18
Having established this graphic,
00:24:14.22\00:24:16.18
Jesus now beings' to
focus on the braches,
00:24:16.22\00:24:19.55
and He says,
everyone who abides in Him,
00:24:19.59\00:24:23.09
Jesus identifies as a branch.
00:24:23.12\00:24:27.06
Jesus is the vine,
00:24:27.10\00:24:29.23
we are the branches
00:24:29.26\00:24:31.13
and the grapes are
the product of a branch
00:24:31.17\00:24:33.87
abiding in the vine.
00:24:33.90\00:24:36.40
Notice however,
00:24:36.44\00:24:38.11
that Jesus talks
about two kinds of branches,
00:24:38.14\00:24:41.58
and in verse 2-6, He says,
00:24:41.61\00:24:43.71
"Every branch in Me
that beareth not fruit
00:24:43.75\00:24:48.78
is cast forth as a branch."
00:24:48.82\00:24:51.55
Ironically,
ladies and gentlemen,
00:24:51.59\00:24:53.36
there are some in
the Christian world
00:24:53.39\00:24:55.99
who are well meaning
00:24:56.02\00:24:57.36
but who teach the
doctrine of eternal security.
00:24:57.39\00:25:00.90
Once saved, always saved.
00:25:00.93\00:25:03.90
But Jesus' words describe
00:25:03.93\00:25:06.33
that a branch
that was once abiding,
00:25:06.37\00:25:09.84
is now being cutoff
and cast in the fire
00:25:09.87\00:25:14.08
which is a reference to Hell.
00:25:14.11\00:25:17.15
Now someone may protest,
00:25:17.18\00:25:19.05
the Bible teaches
that once you're saved,
00:25:19.08\00:25:21.15
you cannot be cut off.
00:25:21.18\00:25:22.85
You can't go to Hell.
00:25:22.88\00:25:24.49
Well, here it is.
00:25:24.55\00:25:25.99
Jesus says, He will cut
off the unfruitful branch.
00:25:26.02\00:25:31.73
You've got to
understand something about
00:25:31.76\00:25:34.16
this unfruitful branch.
00:25:34.20\00:25:36.36
This unfruitful
branch is masquerading
00:25:36.40\00:25:40.07
as though it is
connected to Christ.
00:25:40.10\00:25:43.07
Something can be
real but not true.
00:25:43.10\00:25:47.41
We are in the 15th chapter,
00:25:47.44\00:25:50.25
and in the larger
context of the 14th chapter,
00:25:50.28\00:25:53.35
the Lord's Supper is recorded.
00:25:53.38\00:25:56.02
And in the 13th chapter,
00:25:56.05\00:25:58.29
Jesus references a
branch that has the appearance,
00:25:58.32\00:26:02.46
are being connected
00:26:02.49\00:26:04.19
but one that is
connected only in appearance.
00:26:04.23\00:26:08.30
And despite the fact
that Jesus is in the company
00:26:08.33\00:26:13.13
of these branches
and into fraternity
00:26:13.17\00:26:16.94
of the disciples,
and in spite of the fact
00:26:16.97\00:26:20.08
that all of
Christ's disciples are there,
00:26:20.11\00:26:22.34
there is one who has not
learned to be disciplined
00:26:22.38\00:26:26.68
and disciplined
and his name is Judas.
00:26:26.72\00:26:30.39
And Jesus eventually
allows Judas' actions
00:26:30.42\00:26:35.12
to expose to who he really was.
00:26:35.16\00:26:38.69
And in spite of the fact
that he is connected to Jesus
00:26:38.73\00:26:42.73
through just association,
00:26:42.76\00:26:44.33
he's not connected to
Christ through a relationship.
00:26:44.37\00:26:48.57
You are aware
that it is possible
00:26:48.60\00:26:50.51
to be around other branches
00:26:50.54\00:26:52.84
and around Jesus, the vine,
00:26:52.87\00:26:54.78
and then not be
connected to Jesus.
00:26:54.81\00:26:57.61
Nobody knew that
Judas was a traitor
00:26:57.65\00:27:00.45
because Judas
sufficiently appeared
00:27:00.48\00:27:02.28
to be like the other disciples.
00:27:02.32\00:27:04.32
He had the right words,
he had the right disposition.
00:27:04.35\00:27:06.72
He embodied the right
persona, he had the right lingo.
00:27:06.76\00:27:10.03
He had mastered all
of the external variables
00:27:10.06\00:27:12.63
and attributes
that convinced others
00:27:12.66\00:27:15.26
that he was abiding in the vine.
00:27:15.30\00:27:17.13
Judas looked and talked
like every other disciple.
00:27:17.17\00:27:21.54
He was not only convincing,
00:27:21.57\00:27:23.41
but he was downright impressive,
00:27:23.44\00:27:26.17
but he did not
abide in the vine.
00:27:26.21\00:27:30.55
So there are two
kinds of branches,
00:27:30.61\00:27:33.08
the unfaithful branch.
00:27:33.11\00:27:36.22
The branch that is
just hanging around,
00:27:36.25\00:27:39.52
the branch that
appears to be fruitful,
00:27:39.55\00:27:41.89
the one which Jesus
declares, "Just cut it off."
00:27:41.92\00:27:47.50
And there's the fruitful branch,
00:27:47.53\00:27:49.90
the one to which
Jesus refers when He says,
00:27:49.93\00:27:52.57
"And every branch
that beareth fruit."
00:27:52.60\00:27:56.77
This is the branch that is
connected to the true vine.
00:27:56.81\00:28:00.08
The branch that is not
only connected in reality,
00:28:00.11\00:28:04.41
but also connected in truth.
00:28:04.45\00:28:07.78
Notice now what
the husbandman does.
00:28:07.82\00:28:11.45
The Bible says, "He
purges the fruitful branch
00:28:11.49\00:28:15.19
in order for it to
produce more fruit."
00:28:15.22\00:28:19.19
So He cuts off
the unfruitful branch,
00:28:19.23\00:28:22.90
but He cuts back
the fruitful branch.
00:28:22.93\00:28:26.63
If we are committed to Christ,
00:28:26.67\00:28:28.70
He will inevitably cut back
00:28:28.74\00:28:30.94
and prude away some
things from our lives,
00:28:30.97\00:28:34.24
it's called purging.
00:28:34.28\00:28:36.41
And sometimes,
00:28:36.44\00:28:38.25
He purges stuff out of our lives
00:28:38.28\00:28:40.65
that makes
absolutely no sense to us.
00:28:40.68\00:28:44.55
And we go around wondering,
00:28:44.59\00:28:46.02
"God, why did You
cut that out of my life?
00:28:46.05\00:28:49.32
I really needed it."
00:28:49.36\00:28:52.56
But notice in
verse 2 why He purges it.
00:28:52.59\00:28:57.10
He says, "So that it
may bringforth more fruit."
00:28:57.13\00:29:02.04
God often gets rids of
a good thing in our lives
00:29:02.07\00:29:07.18
in order to bless
us with a better thing.
00:29:07.21\00:29:10.41
The God now cuts back the good,
00:29:10.45\00:29:13.92
so that he can bless you
with that which is better.
00:29:13.95\00:29:17.95
Now that is what I referred
to as the surrender principle.
00:29:17.99\00:29:22.22
That's why we should
never doubt God's leading.
00:29:22.26\00:29:25.83
If you are God's child,
00:29:25.86\00:29:27.43
if you have
surrendered your life to Him,
00:29:27.46\00:29:30.00
some things that God
will do on our behalf
00:29:30.03\00:29:33.10
will be very strange and we'll
never be able to understand it.
00:29:33.13\00:29:36.84
It might just be
that God is purging us
00:29:36.87\00:29:40.44
and He is not punishing us.
00:29:40.48\00:29:43.68
The surrender principle.
00:29:43.71\00:29:45.38
Then secondly, there
is the surrender problem.
00:29:45.41\00:29:49.28
In Romans 7:18-20, Paul
writes, "For I know that in me,
00:29:49.32\00:29:55.79
that is in my flesh,
dwelleth no good thing,
00:29:55.82\00:29:59.89
for to will is present with me,
00:29:59.93\00:30:03.13
but how to perform that
which is good, I find not.
00:30:03.16\00:30:07.17
For the good
that I would I do not,
00:30:07.20\00:30:11.77
but the evil which I
would not, that I do.
00:30:11.81\00:30:16.04
Now if I do that
which I would not,
00:30:16.08\00:30:18.51
it is no more I that do it,
00:30:18.55\00:30:20.72
but sin that dwelleth in me."
00:30:20.75\00:30:23.92
The surrender problem then
is the problem of the flesh.
00:30:23.95\00:30:28.86
It is the problem
of living in this world
00:30:28.89\00:30:31.66
under the curse of sin.
00:30:31.69\00:30:34.26
In John 15, Verses 4 and 5,
00:30:34.30\00:30:36.77
Jesus acknowledges
our universal challenge
00:30:36.80\00:30:40.24
when He says,
"Abide in me, and I in you.
00:30:40.27\00:30:45.97
Without me, you can do nothing."
00:30:46.01\00:30:49.84
That is to say,
00:30:49.88\00:30:51.55
apart from abiding in Him
through surrendering to Him,
00:30:51.58\00:30:56.05
we will constantly be afflicted
by the surrender problem,
00:30:56.08\00:31:01.02
susceptible to the flesh
00:31:01.06\00:31:03.43
and the
resistance of the spirit.
00:31:03.46\00:31:05.89
Now if you are
operating in the flesh,
00:31:05.93\00:31:08.10
it goes without saying
00:31:08.13\00:31:09.60
that you have not
yet submitted to God.
00:31:09.63\00:31:12.67
And if you are not submitted,
you are not connected.
00:31:12.70\00:31:16.17
And if you are not connected,
00:31:16.20\00:31:17.84
you are operating in
opposition to the Spirit of God.
00:31:17.87\00:31:21.91
You may have
ushered in the flesh,
00:31:21.94\00:31:24.91
you may have sang in
the choir in the flesh,
00:31:24.95\00:31:28.35
you may have
preached in the flesh,
00:31:28.38\00:31:31.19
you may have worked in
the treasury in the flesh,
00:31:31.22\00:31:34.22
you may have even
served as an elder
00:31:34.26\00:31:36.32
of the church in the flesh,
00:31:36.36\00:31:38.49
but the anointing
of God does not come
00:31:38.53\00:31:42.03
because you do those things.
00:31:42.06\00:31:44.17
It comes when you
are submitted to Christ
00:31:44.20\00:31:48.07
and when you are
connected to God.
00:31:48.10\00:31:50.27
The works of the flesh,
00:31:50.31\00:31:51.67
those works done
without surrender
00:31:51.71\00:31:54.18
and without a connection,
00:31:54.21\00:31:56.11
produce sour fruit or no fruit
00:31:56.14\00:31:59.01
but when I am surrendered,
and when I abide in Christ,
00:31:59.05\00:32:03.28
He gives me the
anointing and the power
00:32:03.32\00:32:05.79
to do His Will and
bringforth much fruit.
00:32:05.82\00:32:11.23
It is amazing
00:32:11.26\00:32:13.46
that there are two
ways that you can bear fruit
00:32:13.50\00:32:15.30
and be productive.
00:32:15.33\00:32:17.10
You can do it
either through self
00:32:17.13\00:32:19.60
or you can do it through sap.
00:32:19.63\00:32:21.84
Sap is that which runs
from the vine to the branch.
00:32:21.87\00:32:25.31
Sap is the fluid,
00:32:25.34\00:32:27.08
chiefly water
with dissolved sugars
00:32:27.11\00:32:29.14
and mineral
salts that circulates
00:32:29.18\00:32:31.61
in the vascular
system of a plant,
00:32:31.65\00:32:33.65
giving it
nourishment, energy and a color.
00:32:33.68\00:32:37.19
Whatever is in the vine
gets spread to the branches
00:32:37.22\00:32:40.69
and the other extremities.
00:32:40.72\00:32:43.36
And if Jesus is the true vine
00:32:43.39\00:32:46.66
and I am connected to him,
00:32:46.70\00:32:48.76
Jesus is reminding us
that everything we have,
00:32:48.80\00:32:52.97
we got it through sap.
00:32:53.00\00:32:55.60
If you are trying to
do it in through self,
00:32:55.64\00:32:57.61
it will always
lead to two things,
00:32:57.64\00:32:59.91
frustration and failure.
00:32:59.94\00:33:03.51
But if you do it through sap,
00:33:03.55\00:33:05.25
you will find
satisfaction in service.
00:33:05.28\00:33:08.55
Have you ever met people
00:33:08.58\00:33:09.92
who are really
unhappy at church?
00:33:09.95\00:33:14.62
Serving as an usher and
mad to pass out the bulletins?
00:33:14.66\00:33:18.69
Working with the
children's department
00:33:18.73\00:33:20.13
and don't like children?
00:33:20.23\00:33:25.33
They are doing it through self
00:33:25.37\00:33:27.50
because when you
are doing through sap,
00:33:27.54\00:33:28.90
when Christ abides in you,
00:33:28.97\00:33:31.01
you are not working
for people around you,
00:33:31.04\00:33:33.68
you are working for God Almighty
00:33:33.71\00:33:36.08
and there is a
satisfaction that comes
00:33:36.11\00:33:37.98
from knowing God for yourself.
00:33:38.01\00:33:40.85
And working for Him is a joy.
00:33:40.88\00:33:44.05
It's not about success,
it's about sacrificial service.
00:33:44.09\00:33:48.22
It's not about what you
can get from what you do,
00:33:48.26\00:33:51.06
it's about knowing that
you are serving God faithfully
00:33:51.09\00:33:55.03
and you are
doing it through sap,
00:33:55.06\00:33:56.70
because you are
connected through the vine.
00:33:56.73\00:34:00.14
Now some of us are
trying to do some stuff,
00:34:00.17\00:34:02.47
but we are
laboring in the flesh,
00:34:02.50\00:34:05.11
and so we are
frustrated and we are failing.
00:34:05.14\00:34:08.78
Notice if you will,
00:34:08.81\00:34:10.15
that when you
become a Christian,
00:34:10.18\00:34:11.81
you go through at
least four stages.
00:34:11.85\00:34:14.88
The first stage is,
"Oh, this is so easy.
00:34:14.92\00:34:19.05
Just get baptized,
and all will be well."
00:34:19.09\00:34:23.79
Then there's a second stage.
00:34:23.83\00:34:25.83
"Oh, this is
harder than I thought.
00:34:25.86\00:34:28.56
Hard to stop
drinking, hard to stop lying,
00:34:28.60\00:34:31.60
hard to stop shacking
up, hard to love my enemies,
00:34:31.63\00:34:35.24
hard to study, hard to pray,
00:34:35.27\00:34:37.81
hard to witness, it's hard.
00:34:37.84\00:34:40.84
Then in the third
stage we begin to think,
00:34:40.88\00:34:43.28
"This is impossible.
00:34:43.31\00:34:45.31
I could never be
what God wants me to be.
00:34:45.35\00:34:48.82
Not only can I not do it,
00:34:48.85\00:34:50.45
but it can't be done by anyone."
00:34:50.49\00:34:53.25
And then there is a fourth stage
00:34:53.29\00:34:55.82
in which we honestly say,
00:34:55.86\00:34:57.63
"This is exciting
00:34:57.66\00:35:00.36
because we are doing
things and being productive,
00:35:00.40\00:35:05.57
and bearing fruit and
accomplishing some things
00:35:05.60\00:35:09.34
just a year ago we could not do.
00:35:09.37\00:35:11.77
And how did we do it?
00:35:11.81\00:35:13.14
By abiding in Christ.
00:35:13.17\00:35:16.38
Christ makes it possible.
00:35:16.41\00:35:19.01
I cannot live
righteously on my own.
00:35:19.05\00:35:21.58
I cannot become all that
God wants me to be on my own.
00:35:21.62\00:35:24.92
I cannot witness
effectively on my own.
00:35:24.95\00:35:27.82
I cannot resist
temptation on my own.
00:35:27.86\00:35:30.66
But with God, all
things are possible."
00:35:30.69\00:35:34.03
All of a sudden,
00:35:36.33\00:35:38.43
the victory seems
remarkably possible
00:35:38.47\00:35:42.74
because our failures
have finally taught us
00:35:42.77\00:35:46.84
and it has taught us
something about surrender.
00:35:46.88\00:35:50.45
How did we move from the
unlikely to the possible?
00:35:50.48\00:35:54.45
How did we move from the
improbable to the actual?
00:35:54.48\00:35:58.05
How did we move
from defeat to victory?
00:35:58.09\00:36:01.29
It was simply that the sap
00:36:01.32\00:36:03.49
that was in the
vine got into you
00:36:03.53\00:36:06.26
and things you didn't think
00:36:06.29\00:36:07.80
you would ever
accomplish in the past,
00:36:07.83\00:36:10.33
now you are fulfilling
because you are connected.
00:36:10.37\00:36:13.90
Connected to the
source, connected to the root,
00:36:13.94\00:36:17.11
connected to divine power.
00:36:17.14\00:36:20.44
A few things worse than
seeing and meeting believers
00:36:20.48\00:36:23.85
who are all defeated,
discouraged and disconnected.
00:36:23.88\00:36:28.38
But when you are
connected to the true vine,
00:36:28.42\00:36:30.95
you will find yourself
operating in an atmosphere
00:36:30.99\00:36:33.96
that far transcends the
disconnected dysfunction
00:36:33.99\00:36:38.03
of the broken branch.
00:36:38.06\00:36:40.36
Remember, my
brothers and sisters,
00:36:40.40\00:36:42.53
your boyfriend
was not the true vine,
00:36:42.56\00:36:45.67
your girlfriend
was not the true vine,
00:36:45.70\00:36:48.07
your boss was not the true vine,
00:36:48.10\00:36:50.27
your new car was
not the true vine,
00:36:50.31\00:36:52.84
your degree on the
wall was not the true vine.
00:36:52.87\00:36:56.18
As much promise as
they all may have held,
00:36:56.21\00:37:00.02
Jesus alone is the true vine.
00:37:00.05\00:37:04.32
You cannot live a holy, joyful,
00:37:04.35\00:37:07.42
victorious life and a happy life
00:37:07.46\00:37:10.06
except you are
connected to Christ
00:37:10.09\00:37:12.73
and you abide in Him.
00:37:12.76\00:37:15.70
It is then that the
words of the apostle Paul,
00:37:15.73\00:37:18.93
"I can do all things through
Christ who strengthens me,"
00:37:18.97\00:37:22.97
will become a
living and a true reality
00:37:23.00\00:37:25.81
in your walk with the Lord.
00:37:25.84\00:37:29.28
So first, there's a
surrender principle.
00:37:29.31\00:37:32.48
Secondly, there's
the surrender problem
00:37:32.51\00:37:36.32
and thirdly, the
surrender process.
00:37:36.35\00:37:39.12
Abiding in Christ
involves an ongoing process.
00:37:39.15\00:37:44.16
We begin, first of all,
by cultivating our roots.
00:37:44.19\00:37:49.06
Jeremiah 17,
Verses 7 and 8 says,
00:37:49.10\00:37:51.87
"Blessed is the man
that trusteth in the Lord,
00:37:51.90\00:37:55.34
and whose hope the Lord is.
00:37:55.37\00:37:57.91
For he shall be as a
tree planted by the waters,
00:37:57.94\00:38:02.04
that spreadeth out
her roots by the river,
00:38:02.08\00:38:05.51
and shall not
see when heat cometh,
00:38:05.55\00:38:09.65
but her leaf shall be green,
00:38:09.68\00:38:12.69
and shall not be in
the year of drought,
00:38:12.72\00:38:16.06
neither shall cease
from yielding fruit."
00:38:16.09\00:38:19.73
Look at the results
00:38:19.76\00:38:21.10
when one is connected
to the source of life.
00:38:21.13\00:38:24.43
"For he shall be like a
tree whose roots are planted."
00:38:24.47\00:38:29.77
And when the heat is
on, and the pressure is on,
00:38:29.80\00:38:34.31
your leaves will not turn brown.
00:38:34.34\00:38:38.95
In other words,
ladies and gentlemen,
00:38:38.98\00:38:40.78
when troubles come your way,
00:38:40.82\00:38:43.42
and when
difficulties come your way,
00:38:43.45\00:38:46.76
and when you are living
through turbulent times,
00:38:46.79\00:38:49.69
the Lord is saying
to you, "Don't worry.
00:38:49.72\00:38:53.43
During those difficult moments,
if you are connected to Me,
00:38:53.46\00:38:58.80
your leaves will not turn brown.
00:38:58.83\00:39:02.67
You will still flourish
00:39:02.70\00:39:05.17
when the sun is
at its highest peak.
00:39:05.21\00:39:09.34
You will still have green leaves
00:39:09.38\00:39:13.08
when the
troubles come your way."
00:39:13.11\00:39:15.55
Even when the heat
and the pressure is on.
00:39:15.58\00:39:19.49
Though your leaves should
have fallen off a long time ago,
00:39:19.52\00:39:22.92
they remain intact
because of the sap.
00:39:22.96\00:39:28.26
The sap in the vine.
00:39:28.30\00:39:30.40
And Jeremiah says,
00:39:30.43\00:39:31.80
"You shall not be
careful in the day of drought."
00:39:31.83\00:39:36.04
So even in the
midst of recession,
00:39:36.07\00:39:38.44
when everyone is downsizing,
00:39:38.47\00:39:39.87
your bread and your
water will still be sure.
00:39:39.91\00:39:44.31
And when I am broke,
00:39:44.35\00:39:45.68
I am still going to make it
00:39:45.71\00:39:47.08
because the earth is the
Lord's and the fullness thereof.
00:39:47.12\00:39:51.22
And our God shall
supply all of our needs
00:39:51.25\00:39:54.99
according to His
riches and glory.
00:39:55.02\00:39:58.46
God says, even in
the day of drought,
00:39:58.49\00:40:02.06
He'll take care of you.
00:40:02.10\00:40:04.27
But only should we
cultivate our roots,
00:40:04.30\00:40:08.20
but we should learn
to eliminate the weeds.
00:40:08.24\00:40:12.24
We can never get
all that God has for us
00:40:12.27\00:40:15.34
if we've got a lot
of weeds in our lives.
00:40:15.38\00:40:18.25
Do you know what weeds are?
00:40:18.28\00:40:20.45
Weeds are anybody
00:40:20.48\00:40:23.69
who might be trying
to just steal your water.
00:40:23.72\00:40:27.09
You see when it rains,
00:40:27.12\00:40:28.46
if you've got
weeds in the garden,
00:40:28.49\00:40:30.03
they will compete with
the flowers with the rain.
00:40:30.06\00:40:33.03
The noxious weeds steal the rain
00:40:33.06\00:40:35.63
from the aromatic flowers.
00:40:35.66\00:40:37.73
But when you get
rid of the weeds,
00:40:37.77\00:40:39.73
the flowers get
all of the water.
00:40:39.77\00:40:42.60
Now the reason why many of
us are not producing any fruit
00:40:42.64\00:40:46.27
is because our lives
are overspread by weeds.
00:40:46.31\00:40:50.75
Weeds represent a
variety of activities that steal
00:40:50.78\00:40:54.32
spiritual
nourishment from our lives.
00:40:54.35\00:40:57.39
Weeds can also be people,
00:40:57.42\00:40:59.69
people who do nothing more than
00:40:59.72\00:41:01.06
block the blessings
of God from our lives.
00:41:01.09\00:41:04.06
So some of us need
00:41:04.09\00:41:05.89
for the weeds in our
lives to be uprooted.
00:41:05.93\00:41:08.80
In other words, we
need to de-weed those weeds.
00:41:08.83\00:41:12.80
You know, there are some
people if you got rid of them,
00:41:12.83\00:41:15.37
got them out of your lives,
kick them out of your lives,
00:41:15.40\00:41:17.67
your lives will be better off.
00:41:17.71\00:41:19.81
Some people are blocking the
blessings of God in our lives
00:41:19.84\00:41:22.94
and we believe we
need to hold on to them.
00:41:22.98\00:41:25.85
The process of
abiding in Christ,
00:41:25.88\00:41:27.88
not only involves
cultivating our roots
00:41:27.92\00:41:30.15
and eliminating the weeds,
00:41:30.19\00:41:32.72
but also, thirdly,
cooperating with God's pruning.
00:41:32.75\00:41:36.86
God prunes us,
00:41:36.89\00:41:38.89
the God now cuts
back the superfluous
00:41:38.93\00:41:42.13
and the unnecessary.
00:41:42.16\00:41:43.53
And when He's
cutting back the excess,
00:41:43.57\00:41:45.63
we still need to praise God.
00:41:45.67\00:41:48.04
There is a tendency to
mistake pruning for punishing.
00:41:48.07\00:41:52.01
But notice if you will,
that there's a difference
00:41:52.04\00:41:54.28
between the
pruning and the punishing.
00:41:54.31\00:41:56.91
Please don't think that
because God has cut the...
00:41:56.95\00:42:00.88
superfluous and the
excess out of our lives,
00:42:00.92\00:42:03.85
that we are
being punished or no,
00:42:03.89\00:42:06.72
we are just being pruned.
00:42:06.76\00:42:09.32
And the more we
resist the pruning,
00:42:09.36\00:42:11.63
the more it
feels like punishment,
00:42:11.66\00:42:15.90
and that's why
we must surrender.
00:42:15.93\00:42:19.30
God is so good that sometimes
00:42:19.33\00:42:20.70
He'll get rid of some good stuff
00:42:20.74\00:42:23.20
because He's got
some better stuff for us.
00:42:23.24\00:42:25.87
And do you know whom God
normally uses to prune us?
00:42:25.91\00:42:29.71
He uses enemies,
haters, liars and backbiters.
00:42:29.74\00:42:33.92
God will let them come in
00:42:33.95\00:42:35.32
and cut some
things out of our lives
00:42:35.35\00:42:37.25
and we think to ourselves,
00:42:37.29\00:42:38.62
"God, why are You allowing them
to get the upper hand on me?"
00:42:38.65\00:42:43.79
But do you know
what the Bible says
00:42:43.83\00:42:45.16
about your enemies?
00:42:45.19\00:42:46.53
The Bible says, God will
take care of your enemies.
00:42:46.56\00:42:48.93
He'll make your
enemies your footstool,
00:42:48.96\00:42:50.67
Same- as the body.
00:42:50.70\00:42:52.77
I don't care what
you are going through,
00:42:52.80\00:42:54.64
the pruning that is most
effective with your cooperation
00:42:54.67\00:42:58.24
through surrender will
only take you higher in Christ.
00:42:58.27\00:43:02.71
And so the process of
abiding in Christ involves
00:43:02.74\00:43:05.15
the surrender principle.
00:43:05.18\00:43:07.12
Secondly, the surrender problem.
00:43:07.15\00:43:09.18
Thirdly, the surrender process.
00:43:09.22\00:43:11.09
And finally, the
surrender product.
00:43:11.12\00:43:14.76
Verse 8 says,
"If you abide in Me."
00:43:14.79\00:43:19.06
If you cultivate your roots,
if you eliminate the weeds,
00:43:19.09\00:43:22.10
and if you
cooperate with God's pruning,
00:43:22.13\00:43:24.17
then God will make you fruitful
00:43:24.20\00:43:26.77
and God will
make you productive.
00:43:26.80\00:43:30.07
God wants you to not
just have some fruit,
00:43:30.11\00:43:33.88
He wants you to have much fruit.
00:43:33.91\00:43:37.08
When God's get to prune you
as long as you stay connected,
00:43:37.11\00:43:40.82
you will have so much fruit
that it will blow your mind
00:43:40.85\00:43:44.39
and it will
confuse your enemies.
00:43:44.42\00:43:47.36
And if you are
bearing good fruit,
00:43:47.39\00:43:49.42
it shows that you are a disciple
00:43:49.46\00:43:51.46
and that you are saved.
00:43:51.49\00:43:54.00
Don't tell me you are saved
and you are not bearing fruit.
00:43:54.03\00:43:57.37
One of the ways you can
tell that you are Christian
00:43:57.40\00:43:59.07
is by bearing good fruit.
00:43:59.10\00:44:01.54
If I see apples
hanging from a branch,
00:44:01.57\00:44:03.61
I have enough sense
to know that the branch
00:44:03.64\00:44:07.08
is the branch of an apple tree
because you can identify a tree
00:44:07.11\00:44:10.65
by the fruit it bears.
00:44:10.68\00:44:13.11
God wants your
life to be productive
00:44:13.15\00:44:16.08
and Jesus is saying,
00:44:16.12\00:44:17.65
"That the way to productivity
is by surrendering to Me."
00:44:17.69\00:44:22.12
He assures us that
00:44:22.16\00:44:24.13
"If you surrender
to Me on a daily basis,
00:44:24.16\00:44:26.90
I am going to surrender
to you everything you need
00:44:26.93\00:44:29.66
in order to do what
I've called you to do."
00:44:29.70\00:44:32.50
Because whatever
you need, God's got it.
00:44:32.53\00:44:35.77
And the Devil wants you to think
00:44:35.80\00:44:37.34
that God has forgotten you
and that God has abandoned you,
00:44:37.37\00:44:40.18
and that it's all over for you.
00:44:40.21\00:44:42.31
No, no, no.
00:44:42.34\00:44:43.68
It's not over,
00:44:43.71\00:44:45.58
because Jesus says,
00:44:45.61\00:44:46.95
"If you connect
with me in the morning,
00:44:46.98\00:44:49.88
and say, 'God,
00:44:49.92\00:44:51.32
I don't want to start
this day without You',
00:44:51.35\00:44:54.32
and if You declare, 'God,
00:44:54.36\00:44:55.92
I want You to abide
with me all day long,
00:44:55.96\00:44:58.59
I want You in my
mind, I want You in my soul,
00:44:58.63\00:45:01.16
I want You to walk with me.'
00:45:01.20\00:45:02.83
"That is how
you abide in Christ.
00:45:02.86\00:45:06.23
Then God will
cause to be fruitful
00:45:06.27\00:45:09.67
and produce an abundance
of good fruit in your life.
00:45:09.70\00:45:13.07
Now if you give your life
to Christ on a daily basis
00:45:13.11\00:45:16.38
and say, "God, I surrender all."
00:45:16.41\00:45:19.81
God says, "In
return for your surrender,
00:45:19.85\00:45:22.65
I will surrender sap to you."
00:45:22.68\00:45:26.19
Yes, sap.
00:45:26.22\00:45:27.72
I told you about sap.
00:45:27.76\00:45:29.46
Sap is that fluid transported
in xylems cells of a tree.
00:45:29.49\00:45:34.63
Xylem sap
consists primarily of water
00:45:34.66\00:45:37.43
along with hormones
and minerals and nutrients
00:45:37.47\00:45:39.87
and is characterized
00:45:39.90\00:45:41.24
by movement from the
roots toward the extremities.
00:45:41.27\00:45:44.31
God says,
00:45:44.34\00:45:45.67
"I'm going to go pour
into the root of your life.
00:45:45.71\00:45:48.08
Everything you need in
order for you to bring forth
00:45:48.11\00:45:51.65
what you must in My name."
00:45:51.68\00:45:54.62
I'm talking
about the unexpected,
00:45:54.65\00:45:57.49
the unanticipated,
00:45:57.52\00:45:59.15
the impossible
and the improbable.
00:45:59.19\00:46:01.56
Things that have not
yet come to your mind
00:46:01.59\00:46:04.59
and one of the things we must do
00:46:04.63\00:46:06.09
when we are connected to Christ
and we are abiding in Him,
00:46:06.13\00:46:09.26
we must
anticipate that God will do
00:46:09.30\00:46:11.93
do some outrageous
things in our lives,
00:46:11.97\00:46:14.64
things we have
never dreamt possible,
00:46:14.67\00:46:16.97
things we have
never believed before.
00:46:17.01\00:46:19.47
We must start anticipating
00:46:19.51\00:46:21.28
that God will do some
miraculous things in our lives
00:46:21.31\00:46:24.61
because we are connected to Him.
00:46:24.65\00:46:28.38
The Bible says, "You have not,
00:46:28.42\00:46:31.15
because you've asked not."
00:46:31.19\00:46:33.36
If you ask God to do
something powerful in your life
00:46:33.39\00:46:37.46
as you abide in Him,
00:46:37.49\00:46:39.19
I can guarantee
you He will not fail.
00:46:39.23\00:46:41.66
Paul says, "Now unto him
00:46:41.70\00:46:44.40
that is able to do
exceeding abundantly above
00:46:44.43\00:46:47.17
and beyond all that you
are able to ask or think."
00:46:47.20\00:46:50.04
God wants do in
your life and in my life
00:46:50.07\00:46:53.27
much more than
we can even imagine.
00:46:53.31\00:46:58.35
You see, it is no
secret what God can do.
00:46:58.38\00:47:01.35
While you are
trying to figure it out,
00:47:01.38\00:47:03.15
God has already worked it out.
00:47:03.18\00:47:06.45
Somebody said
that sap is the acronym
00:47:06.49\00:47:10.36
for significant
appropriation of power.
00:47:10.39\00:47:13.76
Power over drugs,
power over alcohol,
00:47:13.80\00:47:17.70
power over fornication,
power over adultery,
00:47:17.73\00:47:21.90
power over lying,
power over stealing,
00:47:21.94\00:47:26.37
power over pornography,
power over cheating,
00:47:26.41\00:47:30.11
power over broken
branches and broken power,
00:47:30.15\00:47:33.92
power over disconnectedness.
00:47:33.95\00:47:36.38
If you abide in Christ,
00:47:36.42\00:47:38.99
believe me, my
brother, my sister,
00:47:39.02\00:47:40.86
God will give you sap.
00:47:40.89\00:47:43.96
A significant
appropriation of power
00:47:43.99\00:47:47.26
and it's power that
transforms, power that renews,
00:47:47.30\00:47:51.07
power that
inspires, power that amends,
00:47:51.10\00:47:54.20
power that
corrects, power that converts,
00:47:54.24\00:47:56.77
power that revives,
00:47:56.81\00:47:58.31
power that flows
from the true vine
00:47:58.34\00:48:00.48
and produces good
00:48:00.51\00:48:02.04
and abundant fruit in our lives.
00:48:02.08\00:48:04.51
You know, the Golden
Gate Bridge in San Francisco,
00:48:08.82\00:48:13.86
it's a masterpiece
of modern engineering.
00:48:13.89\00:48:17.06
It is a 1.7
mile expansive steel,
00:48:17.09\00:48:21.20
wire and rivets
00:48:21.23\00:48:23.33
spanning the gap between
the city of San Francisco
00:48:23.37\00:48:25.50
and neighboring Marin
County across the bay.
00:48:25.53\00:48:29.50
Apart from the air
transit and ferry transport,
00:48:29.54\00:48:34.34
there would be no way
00:48:34.38\00:48:36.58
for the hundreds of
thousands of commuters
00:48:36.61\00:48:39.81
to go through and fro
from San Francisco to Marin.
00:48:39.85\00:48:44.35
On May 27, 2012,
the Golden Gate Bridge
00:48:44.39\00:48:47.46
celebrated its 75th anniversary.
00:48:47.49\00:48:50.96
Taking four years to complete,
00:48:50.99\00:48:52.93
construction began
on January 5th, 1933.
00:48:52.96\00:48:56.56
The bridge opened to
pedestrians on May 27, 1937,
00:48:56.60\00:49:01.60
and to cars the next day.
00:49:01.64\00:49:04.01
It took 83,000 tons of steel,
00:49:04.04\00:49:07.98
nearly 60,000 strands of wire,
00:49:08.01\00:49:11.31
which if stretched out would
measure nearly 80,000 miles.
00:49:11.35\00:49:15.82
And more than 600,000 rivets
00:49:15.85\00:49:19.05
in each of the
towers to build that bridge.
00:49:19.09\00:49:22.99
According to Daniel Mohn
00:49:23.02\00:49:24.69
the bridge's
former chief engineer
00:49:24.73\00:49:27.33
who co-authored a
book about the span,
00:49:27.36\00:49:30.07
one of the bridges
original designers said
00:49:30.10\00:49:32.07
on opening day in 1937,
00:49:32.10\00:49:34.44
"I present to you a
bridge that will last forever."
00:49:34.47\00:49:39.64
83,000 tons of steel
and 80,000 miles of wire
00:49:39.67\00:49:45.68
masterfully engineered
to span a gap of 1.7 miles
00:49:45.71\00:49:51.35
is an impressive
feat, to say the least.
00:49:51.39\00:49:54.99
But more impressive
still, my brothers and sisters,
00:49:55.02\00:49:58.49
is the infinite gap between
a Holy God and sinful humanity,
00:49:58.53\00:50:04.33
understanding the dilemma,
00:50:04.37\00:50:06.47
the Heavenly Father
of an Earthly Carpenter,
00:50:06.50\00:50:10.21
decided that He would connect
the gap with only two boards
00:50:10.24\00:50:13.74
and the three nails.
00:50:13.78\00:50:16.14
So about 2,000 years ago,
Jesus climbed Golgotha's hill,
00:50:16.18\00:50:22.15
spread Himself wide
00:50:22.18\00:50:24.45
and bridged the infinite
gap between time and eternity,
00:50:24.49\00:50:28.99
so we can be connected to Him,
00:50:29.02\00:50:31.56
so that we can
abide in Him and He in us.
00:50:31.59\00:50:36.40
The stars shunned in the sky
00:50:36.43\00:50:40.44
and then the place went black,
00:50:40.47\00:50:42.74
as God literally turned
His back on His dying Son.
00:50:42.77\00:50:47.31
But out of that death came life.
00:50:47.34\00:50:50.21
And God has bridged the gap
00:50:50.25\00:50:52.85
between a sinful
humanity and a Saving Savior,
00:50:52.88\00:50:57.69
a Loving God, a Mighty Savior.
00:50:57.72\00:51:01.02
He has bridged that gap,
00:51:01.06\00:51:03.43
He now wants to abide in us.
00:51:03.46\00:51:07.10
He says, "I am the vine.
00:51:07.13\00:51:09.56
You are the braches.
00:51:09.60\00:51:13.07
If you only abide
in Me and I in you,
00:51:13.10\00:51:16.34
You are going to get some power,
00:51:16.37\00:51:18.37
you will get some sap.
00:51:18.41\00:51:20.04
You will be able to live
above your circumstances,
00:51:20.08\00:51:22.88
you will be able to
transcend your own weaknesses
00:51:22.91\00:51:25.71
and you will be
able to abide in Me."
00:51:25.75\00:51:29.68
The day is coming,
my brothers and sisters.
00:51:29.72\00:51:32.45
If we are faithful to God,
00:51:32.49\00:51:34.59
He's promised to
come back to this earth,
00:51:34.62\00:51:37.16
take us to live
with Him forever.
00:51:37.19\00:51:39.16
He says, "We could only do it.
00:51:39.19\00:51:41.36
We can only live
the overcomer's life
00:51:41.40\00:51:44.23
if we abide in Him.
00:51:44.27\00:51:47.67
Every head is bowed,
every eye is closed."
00:51:47.70\00:51:52.37
Loving Lord, we pray...
00:51:52.41\00:51:56.95
that You will give us
not only overcoming power
00:51:56.98\00:51:59.15
but more
importantly, becoming power.
00:51:59.18\00:52:02.55
We want to be like You.
00:52:02.58\00:52:05.99
We want to
remain connected to You.
00:52:06.02\00:52:09.29
And everyday our
lives are under attack.
00:52:09.32\00:52:13.29
Help us to keep focused,
00:52:13.33\00:52:15.60
help us to remain
connected to the true vine
00:52:15.63\00:52:20.77
and give us, Lord,
00:52:20.80\00:52:22.14
the power we need' to
live the overcomer's life.
00:52:22.17\00:52:26.34
There might be somebody
who has heard this message,
00:52:26.37\00:52:28.91
I pray, Oh God, that You'll
help them even now to surrender
00:52:28.94\00:52:33.48
We can only receive Your power
00:52:33.52\00:52:35.32
when we surrender to Your power.
00:52:35.35\00:52:39.32
Bless each life,
bless each heart.
00:52:39.35\00:52:41.89
Prepare us to meet You in peace.
00:52:41.92\00:52:44.23
Keep us faithful until that day,
00:52:44.26\00:52:46.59
when we shall
see Your lovely face
00:52:46.63\00:52:49.13
and live with You
throughout eternity.
00:52:49.16\00:52:51.67
We pray this prayer
in the name of the Father
00:52:51.70\00:52:53.27
and of the Son,
and of the Holy Spirit.
00:52:53.30\00:52:57.04
Amen.
00:52:57.07\00:52:58.54
Please listen to
the words of this song
00:52:58.57\00:53:02.01
to bring this message
of the service to a close.
00:53:02.04\00:53:05.38
Our father,
00:53:13.76\00:53:21.73
Which art in heaven
00:53:22.16\00:53:30.17
Hallowed be
00:53:30.61\00:53:38.61
Thy name
00:53:39.61\00:53:47.62
Thy kingdom come,
00:53:48.16\00:53:54.10
Thy will be done
00:53:54.13\00:53:58.53
On Earth
00:53:58.57\00:54:02.50
As it is
00:54:02.54\00:54:06.47
In Heaven
00:54:06.51\00:54:14.45
Give us this day
00:54:27.30\00:54:32.20
Our daily bread
00:54:32.23\00:54:37.41
And forgive us our debts
00:54:37.44\00:54:42.41
As we forgive our debtors
00:54:42.44\00:54:48.42
And lead us not into temptation
00:54:52.05\00:54:57.89
But deliver us from evil
00:54:57.93\00:55:04.13
For thine is the kingdom
00:55:04.17\00:55:10.11
And the power
00:55:10.14\00:55:12.64
And the glory Forever
00:55:12.67\00:55:20.62
Amen
00:55:23.89\00:55:31.86
Amen
00:55:36.10\00:55:44.11
Were you blessed this afternoon?
00:55:54.18\00:55:57.12
What a powerful message,
00:55:57.15\00:56:00.12
plugging into,
logging into God's power.
00:56:00.16\00:56:04.99
Now I am a preacher and
I have been for 28 years,
00:56:05.03\00:56:07.96
but I was sitting
back there taking notes.
00:56:08.00\00:56:11.00
If you remember the four things
00:56:11.03\00:56:12.43
that Pastor
Jules shared with you,
00:56:12.47\00:56:14.40
surrender
principle, surrender process,
00:56:14.44\00:56:17.94
surrender possibility
and surrender product.
00:56:17.97\00:56:21.94
And there are those of you
00:56:21.98\00:56:23.45
that have tuned
in for all four parts
00:56:23.48\00:56:25.68
of Foundation of our Faith
00:56:25.71\00:56:28.12
and we thank you for
tuning in but remember,
00:56:28.15\00:56:30.62
our desire is not just
to bring you good messages,
00:56:30.65\00:56:33.56
but to challenge you
to log into God's power
00:56:33.59\00:56:37.03
to be all that the
Lord wants you to be.
00:56:37.06\00:56:40.26
And I tell you,
00:56:40.30\00:56:42.73
you never know what you can be
00:56:42.76\00:56:44.30
until you log
into the power of God.
00:56:44.33\00:56:47.77
You will be like a
tree planted by the waters
00:56:47.80\00:56:52.67
that bringeth forth
his fruit in his season,
00:56:52.71\00:56:55.04
his leaf also shall not wither
00:56:55.08\00:56:57.38
and whatsoever he
do, it shall prosper.
00:56:57.41\00:57:00.08
I was blessed
when Pastor Jules said
00:57:00.12\00:57:02.35
that God sometimes
cuts off the unnecessary.
00:57:02.38\00:57:06.82
How did I see it?
00:57:06.86\00:57:08.19
God is cutting out the
rest to give you His best.
00:57:08.22\00:57:13.23
And so at Foundation of Faith,
of our faith here at 3ABN,
00:57:13.26\00:57:17.27
we pray that you will
plug in to the power of God.
00:57:17.30\00:57:20.44
God may remove the rest
00:57:20.47\00:57:22.60
that God will give you His best.
00:57:22.64\00:57:24.61
Until we see you again,
00:57:24.64\00:57:26.14
may you experience the
power of God in your life
00:57:26.17\00:57:29.18
that you may be all that
God intends for you to be.
00:57:29.21\00:57:32.51
God bless you.
00:57:32.55\00:57:33.98