Hello, and welcome to
the 3ABN Worship Center.
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My name is John Lomacang.
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I'll be your host
for these meetings,
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"Foundation of our Faith,"
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put on by Dare to Dream Network.
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Welcome.
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We know that the Lord
has a message in-store
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for everyone of you
joining us whether by satellite,
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by internet, whatever the means.
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We want you to stay tuned
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for the Lord has
called to this hour,
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a man of God to
impart the word of God.
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Our speaker is gonna
be Pastor Cory Jackson.
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He was born and
raised in Chicago, Illinois,
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and became a
Seventh-day Adventist Christian
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at 16 years old.
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Now prior to that,
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Pastor Jackson was
a probation officer
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in Grand Rapids, Michigan
and he's been pastoring now
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for 14 years.
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He is currently
the senior pastor
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for the Burns
Seventh-day Adventist Church
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in Detroit, Michigan,
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a city that's on the comeback,
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as well as the Inner
City Ministries director
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for the Lake Region Conference.
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Pastor Jackson says he
loves street evangelism
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connecting with young people,
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bringing the gospel of
the kingdom to their hearts.
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He's also internationally known
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as he's been
invited around the world,
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to preach and to
baptize many precious souls
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into the kingdom of God.
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He has three lovely children.
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Sierra 25, CJ 21 and
Isaiah who is 15 years old.
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Pastor Jackson loves being
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a Seventh-day
Adventist Christian.
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Can you say amen to that?
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He loves preaching
the message of grace,
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love and the
Three Angels' messages
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as well as character
building for the kingdom of God.
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There are five things you need
to know about this man of God.
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One is, he loves the
Lord with all of his heart.
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He loves his children.
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He loves his church.
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He loves being and
working in the community.
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And number five, he
loves helping others
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by way of personal evangelism.
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Pastor Jackson's
personal statement for ministry
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is in John 15:16,
which is a wonderful passage.
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"You have not chosen
me, but I have chosen you,
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and ordained you,
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that you should go
and bring forth fruit,"
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Now there's something I left
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until the end
of his introduction
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because before pastor
Jackson became a preacher,
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he was studying
to be a black Muslim
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and a black
evangelist, black panther,
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but he became a
black pastor instead.
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Amen, someone?
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Studying to be a black
Muslim, the black panther
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but he became a
black pastor instead.
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His message for tonight
is entitled "Rags to Riches."
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And we know that the
Lord is going to bless.
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But before he comes,
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Louis Cleare who is
our musical evangelist,
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a native of the
Nassau, Bahamas region.
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He started singing when
he was about five years old.
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Joined choirs at
10 and at 15 years old
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began his solo ministry.
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Just 22 years old, we met
him when we were in the Bahamas
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and he sang during one of
3ABN's camp meetings there.
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Tonight, he's
going to sing the song
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"What a Friend
We Have in Jesus."
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And after you hear
him, the next voice
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that you will hear is
that of Pastor Cory Jackson.
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What a friend..
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...we have in Jesus
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All our sins and griefs to bear
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What a privilege to carry
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Everything to God...
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...in prayer
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Oh, what peace...
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...we often forfeit
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Oh, what needless pain we bear
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All because we do not carry
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Everything to God in prayer
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Have we trials...
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...and temptations?
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Is there trouble anywhere?
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We should never be...
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...discouraged
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Take it to the Lord in prayer
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Can we find a
friend so faithful?
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Who will all our sorrows share?
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Jesus knows...
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...our every weakness
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Take it to the Lord in prayer
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Are we weak and heavy-laden
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Cumbered with a load of care?
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Oh, precious Savior,
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still our refuge
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Take it to the Lord in prayer
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Do your friends
despise, forsake you?
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Take it to the Lord in prayer
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Oh, in His arms He'll take
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and shield you
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You will find...
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...a solace there
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Amen.
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I don't know
what to do with that.
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When you listen to him talk,
he does not sound how he sings?
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I feel like passing out.
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"What a Friend
We Have in Jesus."
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Amen.
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"What a Friend
We Have in Jesus."
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Brother Louis, thank
you very much for singing.
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Welcome to
Foundations of our Faith.
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It's good to see you
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for those who are looking
and listening around the world.
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And for those
who are here today,
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welcome, welcome, welcome.
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I'm excited to be
here, among you today.
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I've come a long
way from Detroit,
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it does not look
like Detroit, that's okay,
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but I will make it through.
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So I'm hoping
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that you will spend
your time with us today.
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And for the
remaining couple of days
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as we are here today
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talking about
foundations of our faith.
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Why don't you pray
with me for a moment?
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Father in heaven, thank
you Lord for just another day.
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Thank you for being our friend,
a friend that we can depend on.
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Bless us as we go
through this time together.
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And Your Holy
Spirit bless us abundantly.
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And may You touch the soul
of those who are listening.
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And may You bring
us into a closer walk
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and understanding
with the Holy Spirit.
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Do your appointed work.
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Speak to this preacher
and move upon Your people,
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In Jesus' name, amen.
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Everyone has
something that they horn in on
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when it comes to teaching.
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One of the things
that I tend to horn in on
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that is a personal for me,
is that of Christian character.
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Often times we don't, do
not talk about character.
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I understand
we're in the last days.
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I understand the
times that we're living in.
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But I want to tell you that,
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well, we need to make
sure that we're focusing on is,
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making sure that our
characters reflect Jesus.
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And if it does
not reflect Jesus,
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then we have some challenges.
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In Matthew 4,
just to give an idea
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of the type of preacher I am.
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Matthew 4:35 and
particularly, the Bible says
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that Jesus went
into the synagogues,
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into the villages
teaching, preaching and healing.
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Three things, teaching,
preaching, and healing.
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Those are the three things
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I plan on doing for this series.
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Teaching is simply instructing.
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Preaching is encouraging.
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And healing is making whole,
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because someone today
needs to be made whole.
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And so I want to
give you some scriptures
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that we're going to
spend time with this week.
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The first one is Ezekiel 36:26.
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Ezekiel 36, and if
you have your Bibles,
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please follow along.
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Ezekiel is in the Old
Testament right after Jeremiah.
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And we are going to
spend some time learning.
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In my church in
Detroit what I tend to do is,
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teach a little,
preach a little then get out.
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So I teach, get
encouraged and then I move on,
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then I leave the people alone.
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Ezekiel 36:26.
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The Bible says, "A new
heart also will I give you,
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and a new spirit I
will put within you:
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and I will take away
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the stony heart
out of your flesh,
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and I will give
you a heart of flesh."
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The key here is something new.
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God says I'm gonna give
you a new heart, new mind,
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new way of thinking,
talking about the inner.
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And all of us
need to experience that
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because I think sometimes,
because we come to church
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people tend to think
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that we are right
if we don't drink,
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we don't smoke, we don't party,
we don't listen secular music.
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But also God is
dealing what's on the inside,
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those who are mean and
those who are unforgiving
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and those who tend to gossip
and those who tend to divide.
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And those are things we
don't tend to talk about
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or even address,
but doing this series
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we're gonna talk
about the inner things
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that people can't see.
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See, people can see
how the outside look good,
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but only inside
we have to make sure
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that we are thoroughly complete
and have surrendered in Christ.
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And so God promises
to give us a new heart.
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He promises to give us of what?
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A new heart and a new spirit.
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Roman Chapter 12. Romans 12.
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Romans 12. Romans Chapter 12.
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Romans Chapter 12,
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I want to just focus in
on verse 2 for a moment.
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The Bible says, "And be
not conformed to this world:
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but be ye transformed by
the renewing of your mind,
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that you may
prove what is that good,
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and acceptable, and
perfect, will of God."
00:13:11.35\00:13:13.59
And I just want to deal
with the second part I think,
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be transformed.
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The Bible says, by
renewing of your mind,
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not confirmed, transformed.
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Confirm simple
means that you adapt
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to the world's standards.
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Transform is a complete change.
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And this week during
"Foundations of our Faith"
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we want to have
a complete change.
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And so the reason why
this is important to me...
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And "The Spirit of Prophecy"
fifth volume, page 310.
00:13:40.72\00:13:45.19
Lewis says this, "For
if the thoughts are wrong,
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the feelings are wrong,
thoughts and feelings combined
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make up moral character."
00:13:52.23\00:13:54.86
Let me say that again.
00:13:54.90\00:13:56.23
Volume five, page 310 says,
"If the thoughts are wrong,
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the feelings are wrong,
00:14:00.47\00:14:02.10
thoughts and feelings combined
make up moral character."
00:14:02.14\00:14:05.41
So let's look at
this for a moment.
00:14:05.44\00:14:07.48
Just the teaching
part, all this teaching.
00:14:07.51\00:14:09.28
So if my thoughts about someone
is messed up, then guess what,
00:14:09.31\00:14:13.85
my feelings about that
person is, messed up as well.
00:14:13.88\00:14:17.19
And so it makes sense when
folk may not treat you nice
00:14:17.22\00:14:20.26
or treat you as a Christian
00:14:20.29\00:14:22.26
because how they think
about you is all messed up.
00:14:22.29\00:14:25.89
And so the Bible says
we need to be transformed
00:14:25.93\00:14:28.60
by the renewing of our mind.
00:14:28.63\00:14:30.87
Now, second volume
00:14:30.90\00:14:34.04
of "Mind
Character and Personality"
00:14:34.07\00:14:36.97
page 670 says,
00:14:37.01\00:14:38.34
"Transformation
begins with our thoughts."
00:14:38.37\00:14:41.31
"Transformation
begins with our thoughts."
00:14:41.34\00:14:45.11
And so often we allow
our thoughts to just run,
00:14:45.15\00:14:49.08
run wild, run
here, it runs there.
00:14:49.12\00:14:52.35
And when you look at the
state of our world today,
00:14:52.39\00:14:55.16
cities included,
even the suburbs,
00:14:55.19\00:14:58.56
you can see the
devastation that's taken place,
00:14:58.59\00:15:02.83
because the minds of
individuals are wrong,
00:15:02.86\00:15:06.07
are corrupt.
00:15:06.10\00:15:08.90
So it makes sense.
00:15:08.94\00:15:10.27
Proverbs 23:7 says, "As
a man thinketh so is he."
00:15:10.31\00:15:14.91
So in other words
we are what we think.
00:15:14.94\00:15:18.78
So if I'm always
thinking negative thoughts,
00:15:18.81\00:15:21.55
then I'm gonna
have negative behavior.
00:15:21.58\00:15:23.82
If I'm always thinking good
things, then it's gonna follow.
00:15:23.85\00:15:27.46
And one of the reasons,
this is-- stands out to me
00:15:27.49\00:15:32.29
because I came
across the statement
00:15:32.33\00:15:34.30
about five years ago
00:15:34.33\00:15:35.66
that really moved
me in a certain way.
00:15:35.70\00:15:39.73
Christ Object Lessons,
you probably heard it before.
00:15:39.77\00:15:42.70
Page 69 says, "When
the character of Christ
00:15:42.74\00:15:46.78
has been perfectly
reproduced in His people,
00:15:46.81\00:15:50.98
then He will come to
reclaim them as His own."
00:15:51.01\00:15:56.55
Now I'm happy that we're doing
Bible studies around the world.
00:15:56.58\00:16:01.29
I'm happy that the
gospel is being spread
00:16:01.32\00:16:04.09
to 200 plus
countries around the world.
00:16:04.13\00:16:07.30
But that one thing Christ
seemly to me, is waiting on,
00:16:07.33\00:16:11.07
is when His church
reflects His character.
00:16:11.10\00:16:14.87
And when the church reflects
His character, in totality,
00:16:14.90\00:16:19.14
then she says, that
He's coming to get us.
00:16:19.17\00:16:22.64
So that means that even though
00:16:22.68\00:16:24.91
we give a thousand Bible studies
00:16:24.95\00:16:26.82
and even though people
come to our church daily,
00:16:26.85\00:16:30.29
if the
character has not changed,
00:16:30.32\00:16:34.02
then we're in trouble.
00:16:34.06\00:16:36.26
We're in trouble.
00:16:36.29\00:16:37.63
And so He's
waiting for character
00:16:37.66\00:16:40.40
to be manifested
back in His church.
00:16:40.43\00:16:42.46
Not character
that's inconsistent.
00:16:42.50\00:16:45.07
Not character that is
characterized on Sabbath.
00:16:45.10\00:16:49.77
Not character that lasts
Friday night to Saturday night
00:16:49.80\00:16:53.48
But character that represents
Him seven days a week,
00:16:53.51\00:16:58.08
24 hours a day,
168 hours in the week.
00:16:58.11\00:17:02.85
He's looking for His
folk to have His character
00:17:02.88\00:17:06.59
so that when somebody would
make you mad you can smile.
00:17:06.62\00:17:09.66
When somebody
stepped on your big toe,
00:17:09.69\00:17:11.99
you can just say,
you can pray for him.
00:17:12.03\00:17:15.90
So whatever the case may be,
00:17:15.93\00:17:17.77
you will reflect
the character of Christ
00:17:17.80\00:17:19.73
to the point that you would
00:17:19.77\00:17:21.10
even start blessing your enemies
00:17:21.14\00:17:23.77
and loving your enemies.
00:17:23.81\00:17:26.11
And many of us, if not most
of us are not at that point yet
00:17:26.14\00:17:29.61
and so we struggle, but yet
00:17:29.64\00:17:31.61
and still we spend a lot of time
00:17:31.65\00:17:34.48
making sure that we tell
people that world is ending.
00:17:34.52\00:17:37.19
And listen, I'm
all for that, trust me.
00:17:37.22\00:17:40.22
I believe in the Three
Angles' message whole heartedly,
00:17:40.26\00:17:42.62
but also I've been
in this thing since 1997
00:17:42.66\00:17:45.49
and I've seen some things
00:17:45.53\00:17:47.93
that sometimes
scare me from the saint.
00:17:47.96\00:17:49.83
I won't even call them saints,
00:17:49.86\00:17:51.40
in Detroit I call them "ain'ts."
00:17:51.43\00:17:54.40
Because a "ain't" is someone
00:17:54.44\00:17:55.77
you don't want to
be near or part of.
00:17:55.80\00:17:59.44
The saints are the ones
00:17:59.47\00:18:00.81
who smile at you and teach you-
00:18:00.84\00:18:02.38
but the ain'ts
are something else.
00:18:02.41\00:18:05.25
And I do understand
because they are wheat
00:18:05.28\00:18:07.28
and tares in the church.
00:18:07.32\00:18:09.65
Amen.
00:18:09.68\00:18:11.02
And so because of that I have
taken the liberty to spend time
00:18:11.05\00:18:15.89
talking about character
as a preacher, as a father,
00:18:15.92\00:18:21.46
as an individual, as
a member of this church.
00:18:21.50\00:18:25.47
And I can't preach about,
what I'm not going to live.
00:18:25.50\00:18:29.70
And so there are
days when, listen y'all,
00:18:29.74\00:18:32.57
God shows me my
character in Detroit.
00:18:32.61\00:18:34.68
Now being here
at 3ABN is very nice
00:18:34.71\00:18:39.38
because you don't
have all the traffic,
00:18:39.41\00:18:42.55
it's two lane road
and everybody like,
00:18:42.58\00:18:45.45
they want to wave at you
00:18:45.49\00:18:46.82
and there's not
congesting at all.
00:18:46.86\00:18:49.56
But where I'm from in Detroit,
00:18:49.59\00:18:51.06
oh, my goodness,
people cut you off.
00:18:51.09\00:18:53.09
They are driving super fast.
00:18:53.13\00:18:54.50
And, and they are many times
I just grab that steering like,
00:18:54.53\00:18:57.40
"Oh, Lord, can I
just curse one time?
00:18:57.43\00:19:01.74
Can I just
curse one time, Lord?"
00:19:01.77\00:19:03.91
And sometimes I
start thinking not to say,
00:19:03.94\00:19:06.07
"get the behind me, Satan.
00:19:06.11\00:19:07.44
In other words we all
have a character to work on,
00:19:07.48\00:19:12.68
all it has to be.
00:19:12.71\00:19:14.05
Someone has to find
you at your worst day.
00:19:14.08\00:19:16.32
The time that you
been up all night.
00:19:16.35\00:19:18.55
And the kids
have made you tired,
00:19:18.59\00:19:20.49
your spouse is
getting on your nerve
00:19:20.52\00:19:22.09
and the preacher
didn't preached too long,
00:19:22.12\00:19:24.13
whatever it may be,
everybody has a moment
00:19:24.16\00:19:26.83
where their
character gets tested.
00:19:26.86\00:19:32.20
But again, she says
when the character of Christ
00:19:32.23\00:19:36.00
has been perfectly
reproduced in His people,
00:19:36.04\00:19:39.84
then He will come to
reclaim them as His own.
00:19:39.87\00:19:44.25
That's how I want to live.
00:19:44.28\00:19:45.85
I want to be ready for that day.
00:19:45.88\00:19:49.78
So because He's
waiting on this transformation,
00:19:49.82\00:19:52.79
let's start from the
beginning and go in between.
00:19:52.82\00:19:56.42
And then let's get to our story.
00:19:56.46\00:19:58.43
Genesis 1, in
the very beginning.
00:19:58.46\00:20:00.83
Genesis 1.
00:20:00.86\00:20:03.06
Genesis 1:26, the
Bible says this way.
00:20:03.10\00:20:08.70
"And God said, 'let
us make man in our image,
00:20:08.74\00:20:13.17
after our likeness
and let them have dominion
00:20:13.21\00:20:15.58
over the fish of the sea,
00:20:15.61\00:20:17.28
and over the fowl of the
air, and over the cattle,
00:20:17.31\00:20:19.91
and over all the earth,
and over every creeping thing
00:20:19.95\00:20:23.49
that creepeth upon the earth.'
00:20:23.52\00:20:25.52
So God created
man in his own image,
00:20:25.55\00:20:28.56
in the image of
God created He him;
00:20:28.59\00:20:30.69
male and female
created He them."
00:20:30.73\00:20:33.40
Now, now.
00:20:33.43\00:20:34.76
This is quite interested, that
God that we serve and love...
00:20:34.80\00:20:40.37
The God has said
let's make man in our image.
00:20:40.40\00:20:47.04
Not just outter resemblance,
but in our character.
00:20:47.08\00:20:52.31
The closest thing I
can help you understand
00:20:52.35\00:20:54.45
is when two people
really love each other
00:20:54.48\00:20:56.45
and they are married
00:20:56.48\00:20:57.82
and they say let's have a child.
00:20:57.85\00:21:01.56
And hoping that this
child would pattern themselves
00:21:01.59\00:21:04.99
after who we are as parents.
00:21:05.03\00:21:08.20
That's the closest I can
bring you to understanding
00:21:08.23\00:21:11.57
perhaps what the
Godhead were thinking.
00:21:11.60\00:21:14.57
So God created
both male and female
00:21:14.60\00:21:17.57
and then just a
couple of chapters over,
00:21:17.61\00:21:19.77
didn't last too long.
00:21:19.81\00:21:21.78
Genesis chapter 3 we
see the fall at the tree
00:21:21.81\00:21:25.25
and then all stuff breaks lose.
00:21:25.28\00:21:29.02
By the time you
get to Isaiah 64,
00:21:29.05\00:21:31.65
look at what God
is saying about us.
00:21:31.69\00:21:34.82
Quite sad I must say.
00:21:34.86\00:21:36.56
Isaiah the 64 chapter.
00:21:36.59\00:21:38.29
Isaiah is in the Old Testament
considered about many scholars
00:21:38.33\00:21:41.93
as the fifth gospel.
00:21:41.96\00:21:43.57
Isaiah 64:6.
00:21:43.60\00:21:47.74
Isaiah 64:6.
00:21:47.77\00:21:50.11
The Bible says,...
00:21:50.14\00:21:51.94
Now remember we started with God
00:21:51.97\00:21:53.31
so let us make in
our own, in our image.
00:21:53.34\00:21:55.64
Not just in our
resemblance again,
00:21:55.68\00:21:57.31
but also in our character.
00:21:57.35\00:21:59.78
All right.
00:21:59.81\00:22:01.15
But by the time we
hear now the Bible says,
00:22:01.18\00:22:03.08
"But we are all
as an unclean thing.
00:22:03.12\00:22:07.56
And all of our righteousness
is as a filthy rag."
00:22:07.59\00:22:12.16
Whoa, that's a
blower right there.
00:22:12.19\00:22:16.20
In other words the
best that I can give God
00:22:16.23\00:22:19.17
is as a filthy rag
because of where we are now.
00:22:19.20\00:22:24.47
And the best of what I can
give Him is as a filthy rag.
00:22:24.51\00:22:30.41
And in the
context of what it means
00:22:30.45\00:22:33.21
is a woman's menstrual rag.
00:22:33.25\00:22:37.35
It's the best.
00:22:37.39\00:22:39.02
Jeremiah 17 still teaching.
00:22:39.05\00:22:41.32
Jeremiah 17.
00:22:41.36\00:22:42.69
You know when
the preaching start
00:22:42.72\00:22:44.46
I'll start sweating some more
00:22:44.49\00:22:45.83
and I'll start smiling a
lot and going across the stage.
00:22:45.86\00:22:51.13
Jeremiah 17.
00:22:51.17\00:22:53.64
Jeremiah 17:9.
00:22:53.67\00:22:58.91
The Bible says, "The heart
is deceitful above all things,
00:22:58.94\00:23:05.68
and desperately
wicked: who can know it?"
00:23:05.71\00:23:11.52
So we go from Genesis 1,
00:23:11.55\00:23:14.39
God saying, let us
make men in our own image.
00:23:14.42\00:23:17.66
Isaiah 64, we are
all as an unclean thing.
00:23:17.69\00:23:21.46
And now in
Jeremiah the Bible says
00:23:21.50\00:23:24.73
"That the heart or
the mind is deceitful
00:23:24.77\00:23:28.74
above all things
and desperately wicked."
00:23:28.77\00:23:34.21
Listen, y'all,
we're living in a time
00:23:34.24\00:23:36.95
where I felt that
there are certain things
00:23:36.98\00:23:39.71
that shock me
about the state of man.
00:23:39.75\00:23:43.08
But we're living in time
when things are just happening
00:23:43.12\00:23:46.35
so often, it just...
00:23:46.39\00:23:48.19
This text really comes to light.
00:23:48.22\00:23:51.33
You know I'm living
in Detroit and of course,
00:23:51.36\00:23:53.13
everybody read about Detroit
and the interesting thing
00:23:53.16\00:23:55.33
is when people see me,
first thing they say is.
00:23:55.36\00:23:57.67
Is it true what they say
about Detroit and the crime?
00:23:57.70\00:24:00.77
Yes, it's true, but Detroit
also has some good parts,
00:24:00.80\00:24:05.44
some good people.
00:24:05.47\00:24:07.11
But a couple of months ago,
00:24:07.14\00:24:08.64
we talked about
the mind being wicked.
00:24:08.68\00:24:11.58
This lady who lives about
10 minutes from the church
00:24:11.61\00:24:17.49
where I pastor, she
decided to become God
00:24:17.52\00:24:23.36
and take in her own
hands to kill her two children.
00:24:23.39\00:24:28.76
She said because
the two older ones
00:24:28.80\00:24:30.43
were sexually
molesting the younger ones
00:24:30.47\00:24:34.17
and they did
not deserve to live.
00:24:34.20\00:24:35.74
Now she didn't say,
let's get them help.
00:24:35.77\00:24:38.51
But she said the best
thing that can happen to them
00:24:38.54\00:24:40.88
is that I need
to take their life.
00:24:40.91\00:24:43.11
She kills them and
puts them in the freezer
00:24:43.14\00:24:47.18
in her basement for two years.
00:24:47.22\00:24:51.05
Now where their father's
at, that's a whole another bog,
00:24:51.09\00:24:53.19
that's a whole another story.
00:24:53.22\00:24:55.22
She gets into court.
Now you think that's bad.
00:24:55.26\00:24:58.06
To me this is the
worst part of her thinking.
00:24:58.09\00:25:01.40
She gets into
court, pleads guilty,
00:25:01.43\00:25:05.27
and says before the
court in her last statement.
00:25:05.30\00:25:08.60
"They deserve to die.
00:25:11.31\00:25:14.84
The son who they were molesting,
00:25:14.88\00:25:17.05
he wanted me to kill them.
00:25:17.08\00:25:19.58
They did not deserve to live.
00:25:19.61\00:25:22.35
And if you think
they wanted to live,
00:25:22.38\00:25:24.72
talk to the
prosecutor and the judge,
00:25:24.75\00:25:26.59
then you all are crazy."
00:25:26.62\00:25:29.12
Now what mother do you know,
well, not only think like that,
00:25:29.16\00:25:34.60
but talk like that?
00:25:34.63\00:25:36.87
We are living in
some wicked times.
00:25:36.90\00:25:40.70
When a young man
can go into a church,
00:25:40.74\00:25:43.51
stay for the whole service
and decide at the very end
00:25:43.54\00:25:47.68
that I'm gonna kill
as many people as I can.
00:25:47.71\00:25:51.81
That's a scary
feeling, but that's the mind
00:25:51.85\00:25:57.15
that has become
desperately wicked.
00:25:57.19\00:26:01.72
That's what we are.
00:26:01.76\00:26:03.43
All the way from
Genesis 1, we are now here.
00:26:03.46\00:26:08.50
Revelation 3.
00:26:08.53\00:26:10.70
We've started in the
beginning, let's go to the end.
00:26:10.73\00:26:12.20
Revelation 3 still teaching,
00:26:12.23\00:26:13.74
still teaching,
preaching coming.
00:26:13.77\00:26:16.81
Still teaching. Revelation 3.
00:26:16.84\00:26:20.58
This last church we
often talk about quite a bit,
00:26:20.61\00:26:24.08
the Laodicean Church,
00:26:24.11\00:26:27.22
who's not cold
nor hot, but lukewarm.
00:26:27.25\00:26:31.82
In verse 17 Bible
says, "Because thou sayest,
00:26:31.85\00:26:38.89
I am rich, and
increased with goods,
00:26:38.93\00:26:44.03
and have need of nothing."
00:26:44.07\00:26:48.57
We've gone to the
point according to this text
00:26:48.60\00:26:52.17
that because of our materialism
00:26:52.21\00:26:55.58
and because we've
been increased with goods
00:26:55.61\00:26:57.98
and because we
think we know this,
00:26:58.01\00:27:00.32
that and I thought
that, that we are right.
00:27:00.35\00:27:04.95
Because life is not as
hard maybe as it used to be
00:27:04.99\00:27:07.96
and because things
are a little bit different
00:27:07.99\00:27:10.63
that we feel we don't
have a need of nothing.
00:27:10.66\00:27:14.40
We got enough money in the bank,
00:27:14.43\00:27:15.76
we have enough clothes to
wear and our cars are running
00:27:15.80\00:27:19.37
and I'm happy
coming to church every week
00:27:19.40\00:27:22.50
or reading my Bible and praying.
00:27:22.54\00:27:24.71
And we feel as though there's
no other need of nothing.
00:27:24.74\00:27:31.01
And if we stop
there we're in trouble.
00:27:31.05\00:27:33.52
But the rest of the verse says,
00:27:33.55\00:27:36.15
"And knowest not
that thou art wretched,
00:27:36.18\00:27:40.42
and miserable, and
poor, and blind, and naked."
00:27:40.46\00:27:46.80
Christ says there's five
things that's wrong with you.
00:27:46.83\00:27:50.43
You are wretched, means
oppressed with the burden.
00:27:50.47\00:27:54.14
You're miserable, unhappy.
00:27:54.17\00:27:56.54
You're poor,
destitute of Christian values.
00:27:56.57\00:28:00.68
You're blind
spiritually and most of all
00:28:00.71\00:28:04.58
you're naked
stripped of God's glory.
00:28:04.61\00:28:08.65
The messed up thing is
00:28:08.68\00:28:10.05
when you don't
know you're messed up.
00:28:10.09\00:28:12.95
That's what is messed up.
00:28:12.99\00:28:14.66
And a lot of us,
listen to me closely,
00:28:14.69\00:28:18.06
if we don't
believe we're messed up
00:28:18.09\00:28:21.26
because life is good
00:28:21.30\00:28:23.20
and we can pay
ourselves to one another.
00:28:23.23\00:28:26.50
And we just don't
think the things are as bad
00:28:26.53\00:28:30.17
like everybody else.
00:28:30.21\00:28:32.97
But I'm talking to you
tonight, talking to me tonight.
00:28:33.01\00:28:36.48
I grew up in a poor family.
00:28:36.51\00:28:38.85
My mother raised, my
brother and I by herself,
00:28:38.88\00:28:41.98
city of Chicago,
gangs all around us,
00:28:42.02\00:28:45.69
drug dealers,
hustlers, pimps, prostitutes,
00:28:45.72\00:28:50.86
everybody on my
block, the parent was single.
00:28:50.89\00:28:55.83
There were no dads on our block.
00:28:55.86\00:28:57.20
The only dads we saw were
coming in and leaving out,
00:28:57.23\00:28:59.53
no one staying.
00:28:59.57\00:29:01.90
And so I vow to
myself and I said,
00:29:01.94\00:29:04.31
I can not grow up poor.
00:29:04.34\00:29:07.61
I got to do
something with my life
00:29:07.64\00:29:10.45
so that I will not
continue this cycle.
00:29:10.48\00:29:13.98
I decided to go to college,
00:29:14.02\00:29:16.35
decided to become a professional
00:29:16.38\00:29:18.25
as pastor Lomocang
mentioned as probation officer
00:29:18.29\00:29:21.39
to make a nice
money and it feels good.
00:29:21.42\00:29:25.16
Not going to the
store with food stamps.
00:29:25.19\00:29:27.70
Boy, in today's
time the EBT card.
00:29:27.73\00:29:30.30
And I have to tell
you I wish I had it now.
00:29:30.33\00:29:32.47
There's no tax on that food.
00:29:32.50\00:29:34.60
As much as my sons eat,
I'm looking for EBT card
00:29:34.64\00:29:39.87
because my sons eat
me out of house and home.
00:29:39.91\00:29:43.18
So sometimes I still
wish I had that EBT card.
00:29:43.21\00:29:47.45
But you get to a point in
life where you got in the bank,
00:29:47.48\00:29:51.39
you're traveling on
vacations and you in church
00:29:51.42\00:29:54.92
and you're doing the
will of God you believe
00:29:54.96\00:29:57.53
and you got a savings account
and when the emergency come up,
00:29:57.56\00:30:01.33
hey, you can take care of it
00:30:01.36\00:30:02.83
and you just don't
think that you need anything.
00:30:02.86\00:30:08.84
My Brothers and
Sisters, I'm here to tell you
00:30:08.87\00:30:11.04
that God will eventually
show you what you need,
00:30:11.07\00:30:14.41
and show you
exactly what you are.
00:30:14.44\00:30:19.48
And so this series
that we're talking about
00:30:19.51\00:30:23.35
is going to do exactly that.
00:30:23.39\00:30:24.72
We're gonna
start slow and build.
00:30:24.75\00:30:27.92
We got to stay hard way
till the last one is over,
00:30:27.96\00:30:32.53
because we struggle
00:30:32.56\00:30:33.90
and we don't want to
admit our challenges.
00:30:33.93\00:30:37.37
So I want to take you
somewhere where someone gives us
00:30:37.40\00:30:40.14
a perfect
example of the situation.
00:30:40.17\00:30:45.91
Mark chapter
10. Mark chapter 10.
00:30:45.94\00:30:48.71
Mark is one of
my favorite gospels.
00:30:48.74\00:30:52.11
Mark the 10th Chapter.
00:30:52.15\00:30:57.29
Mark the 10th Chapter
starting with verse 46.
00:30:57.32\00:31:00.29
Remember, Christ
says there are five things
00:31:00.32\00:31:02.06
about us in these last days.
00:31:02.09\00:31:04.49
Even though He's talked
to the Laodicean Church,
00:31:04.53\00:31:06.80
it's the literal
local application for us.
00:31:06.83\00:31:11.23
There are five things
that's going on in your life,
00:31:11.27\00:31:14.94
wretchedness,
miserableness, poorness,
00:31:14.97\00:31:17.41
blindness and nakedness.
00:31:17.44\00:31:19.94
The problem is we
don't want to admit
00:31:19.97\00:31:22.84
that anyone of those
five or all the five are us.
00:31:22.88\00:31:26.35
There are thousands
upon thousands of people
00:31:26.38\00:31:28.88
come to church every week,
00:31:28.92\00:31:31.39
discouraged,
depressed, playing the part.
00:31:31.42\00:31:35.76
And so I researched
that says, 50 percent,
00:31:35.79\00:31:38.29
52 percent of congregations
suffer with depression
00:31:38.33\00:31:42.26
and discouragement.
00:31:42.30\00:31:44.60
And if we would just
admit how discouraging we are
00:31:44.63\00:31:47.94
or how challenged we are,
00:31:47.97\00:31:49.50
the help that we
need is right there.
00:31:49.54\00:31:51.51
The young brother just said,
00:31:51.54\00:31:52.87
"What a friend
we have in Jesus."
00:31:52.91\00:31:57.25
But in this Laodicean Age,
00:31:57.28\00:31:59.95
we feel we have need of nothing.
00:31:59.98\00:32:02.55
Mark Chapter 10.
00:32:02.58\00:32:04.62
And as I do
with my congregation,
00:32:04.65\00:32:06.15
I will do with you.
00:32:06.19\00:32:07.96
Kind of go verse by verse.
00:32:07.99\00:32:09.32
We want the
scriptures to speak tonight.
00:32:09.36\00:32:11.33
Verse 46 says, "And
they came to Jericho,
00:32:11.36\00:32:14.26
and as He went out of
Jericho with His disciples
00:32:14.30\00:32:16.13
and a great number of people,
00:32:16.16\00:32:18.03
blind Bartimaeus,
the son of Timaeus,
00:32:18.07\00:32:20.57
sat by the
highway side begging."
00:32:20.60\00:32:24.77
So we have an
encounter, we have a following
00:32:24.81\00:32:29.14
and Jesus
always has a following,
00:32:29.18\00:32:31.45
there's always throngs
of people following Jesus,
00:32:31.48\00:32:34.18
but the Bibles narrows in
on a man named Bartimaeus.
00:32:34.22\00:32:40.89
And his name
means son of Timaeus
00:32:40.92\00:32:43.46
or son of the unclean.
00:32:43.49\00:32:45.66
So already he got
something bad going for him
00:32:45.69\00:32:48.06
and the Bible says he's blind.
00:32:48.10\00:32:50.77
And we know his economic
status because he's begging.
00:32:50.80\00:32:54.67
So there are three things
00:32:54.70\00:32:56.30
that are taking
place with this man.
00:32:56.34\00:32:57.77
He's physically blind.
00:32:57.81\00:32:59.64
He's begging, he's poor
00:32:59.67\00:33:02.54
and he's not a
part of any church.
00:33:02.58\00:33:05.61
He's not a part of anything,
not even Jesus at this point.
00:33:05.65\00:33:09.85
All right.
00:33:09.88\00:33:11.22
Blind, he's poor,
00:33:11.25\00:33:14.56
and he's on the
outside, three things.
00:33:14.59\00:33:20.00
Verse 47 says,
00:33:20.03\00:33:22.30
"And when he heard that
it was Jesus of Nazareth,
00:33:22.33\00:33:26.17
he began to cry out, and say,
00:33:26.20\00:33:28.70
Jesus, thou Son of
David, have mercy upon me."
00:33:28.74\00:33:33.54
Now Luke 18 gives a
better picture that I like.
00:33:33.58\00:33:36.91
And the Bible says,
as the crowd throng by
00:33:36.95\00:33:40.15
the blind man say,
"Yo, what's going on?"
00:33:40.18\00:33:44.39
And I can imagine
the people are saying,
00:33:44.42\00:33:46.45
"Yo, man, that's Jesus."
00:33:46.49\00:33:49.42
And because he can't
see, he says, "What? Jesus?"
00:33:49.46\00:33:53.70
So the man realized that
this is no ordinary person.
00:33:53.73\00:33:57.50
The man realized is that,
this is not just some anybody,
00:33:57.53\00:34:01.27
but he gives Jesus' name.
00:34:01.30\00:34:02.90
"Jesus thou son of David."
00:34:02.94\00:34:06.51
He gave Him the Masonic name.
00:34:06.54\00:34:08.61
He meant, what
he meant by this is,
00:34:08.64\00:34:10.61
You are the
promise one. "Yo, Jesus."
00:34:10.65\00:34:13.95
He realized his condition
and he realized where he was
00:34:13.98\00:34:17.19
and he realized
that he's the only one
00:34:17.22\00:34:20.39
at this time that can help him.
00:34:20.42\00:34:23.06
"Jesus thou son of
David, have mercy upon me.
00:34:23.09\00:34:27.66
I'm tired of being
blind. I'm tired of being poor.
00:34:27.70\00:34:31.10
I'm tired of begging.
Lord, I need some help."
00:34:31.13\00:34:35.07
So often we can
identify with that.
00:34:35.10\00:34:37.14
Lord, my life
is not going right.
00:34:37.17\00:34:39.37
Things always
seemed to be going wrong.
00:34:39.41\00:34:41.14
Lord, I just need some help.
00:34:41.18\00:34:45.78
Jesus thou son of
David, have mercy upon me.
00:34:45.81\00:34:49.12
Point number one.
00:34:54.42\00:34:56.86
One must
understand their condition.
00:34:56.89\00:35:01.53
Point number one,
00:35:01.56\00:35:02.90
listen to me closely
for those who are here
00:35:02.93\00:35:04.70
and those who are listening.
00:35:04.73\00:35:06.84
One must
understand their condition
00:35:06.87\00:35:10.97
and then be prompt
to call on Him for help.
00:35:11.01\00:35:15.91
No one but Jesus can help us.
00:35:15.94\00:35:19.61
The Bible says in
Acts there's no other name
00:35:19.65\00:35:22.02
on the heaven
whereby men might be saved.
00:35:22.05\00:35:24.69
No one else can do
me like Jesus can do me.
00:35:24.72\00:35:29.22
What was key as the Bible says,
00:35:29.26\00:35:30.83
he heard that it was Jesus.
00:35:30.86\00:35:34.53
Now I can't really
go somewhere with that
00:35:34.56\00:35:37.50
because sometimes all
it takes is you hearing.
00:35:37.53\00:35:40.70
You don't have to hear,
00:35:40.74\00:35:42.07
you don't have to see anything,
00:35:42.10\00:35:43.44
you can just hear
that Jesus is near
00:35:43.47\00:35:45.77
and all of a sudden
that thing can just change
00:35:45.81\00:35:48.18
the very existence
of what you believe.
00:35:48.21\00:35:54.45
Verse 48, Bible
says, "And many charged him
00:35:54.48\00:35:59.89
that he should hold his peace"
00:35:59.92\00:36:02.09
Wait a minute.
00:36:02.12\00:36:03.69
Wait a minute.
00:36:03.73\00:36:06.19
Wait a minute.
00:36:06.23\00:36:08.06
"Brother, you're
making too much noise.
00:36:08.10\00:36:11.67
You making us look bad,
calling upon this Jesus.
00:36:11.70\00:36:14.60
What's wrong with you, man?"
00:36:14.64\00:36:17.67
And it amazes me that
in your attempt to change
00:36:17.71\00:36:23.08
or wanted to change,
others will try to block you
00:36:23.11\00:36:27.15
from which you're trying to get.
00:36:27.18\00:36:28.58
What? Because
misery loves company.
00:36:28.62\00:36:32.25
Hardly, when I was
going through my conversion
00:36:32.29\00:36:33.92
listen, I used to party
all the time except Tuesday.
00:36:33.96\00:36:36.86
And I don't know why
everyday except Tuesday?
00:36:36.89\00:36:38.86
I don't know why.
00:36:38.89\00:36:40.23
Maybe that was the
Sabbath for me, but,
00:36:40.26\00:36:41.60
but I used to party
everyday except Tuesday.
00:36:41.63\00:36:44.53
And I finally realized it.
00:36:44.57\00:36:45.90
I finally started having
bible studies on Tuesday,
00:36:45.93\00:36:47.50
so maybe the Lord
was preparing me to rest.
00:36:47.54\00:36:51.07
But I'd party
everyday except Tuesday.
00:36:51.11\00:36:55.04
I remembered, you know,
00:36:55.08\00:36:57.41
'cause I love
to party back then,
00:36:57.45\00:36:59.65
love to dance back then,
00:36:59.68\00:37:02.72
still trying to think about,
still love to dance back then.
00:37:02.75\00:37:07.02
I just love having
a good time back then
00:37:07.06\00:37:09.36
and I remember
going through my change.
00:37:09.39\00:37:13.46
And as I'm going
through my change,
00:37:13.50\00:37:15.26
my homies, which
are my close friends,
00:37:15.30\00:37:18.90
they would try
to steer me from it.
00:37:18.93\00:37:21.37
My nick name is Kojak,
00:37:21.40\00:37:22.74
that's what
people call me Kojak.
00:37:22.77\00:37:24.84
I got the hair and I'm much
handsome than Telly Savalas,
00:37:24.87\00:37:28.84
because who loves you, baby?
00:37:28.88\00:37:30.21
Amen.
00:37:30.25\00:37:32.01
And so I remember
going through my transition
00:37:32.05\00:37:35.02
and my friends would do
everything possible to stop me
00:37:35.05\00:37:39.49
from getting close to Jesus,
00:37:39.52\00:37:42.26
from changing my
life to something better.
00:37:42.29\00:37:45.76
The things we were doing,
00:37:45.79\00:37:47.23
many times we
should have been in jail,
00:37:47.26\00:37:49.36
but they were trying
to stop me from my change.
00:37:49.40\00:37:51.80
And I told to myself, listen,
I'm trying to better myself,
00:37:51.83\00:37:55.67
not stay back here.
00:37:55.70\00:37:57.04
And they are like, "Jack,
00:37:57.07\00:37:58.41
man, you need to just
keep on hanging with us."
00:37:58.44\00:38:02.21
That thing is not going
to last, it's only temporary.
00:38:02.24\00:38:07.12
There will be those, who
in your attempt to change,
00:38:07.15\00:38:13.05
will get in your way.
00:38:13.09\00:38:15.22
That's point number two.
00:38:15.26\00:38:17.19
"But he cries, the
more, a great deal," you see.
00:38:17.23\00:38:20.90
So you can't allow your
haters to get into your way.
00:38:20.93\00:38:23.67
You can't allow those who are
miserable to get in your way.
00:38:23.70\00:38:26.63
Point number three is,
00:38:26.67\00:38:28.00
when you really want something
you got to go after it.
00:38:28.04\00:38:30.77
You just can't
sit still and pretend
00:38:30.81\00:38:33.84
and try to be cool about it.
00:38:33.88\00:38:35.21
But he said, "Lord, Jesus,"
he got louder and louder.
00:38:35.24\00:38:39.38
"Lord, help me. I need help."
00:38:39.41\00:38:43.08
Lord God Almighty,
00:38:43.12\00:38:44.82
I'm tired of not
being able to see.
00:38:44.85\00:38:48.76
Tired of not being
able to go to the store
00:38:48.79\00:38:51.46
and be able to buy
something without begging first.
00:38:51.49\00:38:55.80
Tired of being on the outside.
00:38:55.83\00:38:58.90
See when you realize
the condition you're in,
00:38:58.93\00:39:01.44
listen, no one
on God's green earth
00:39:01.47\00:39:04.01
can stop you from crying out.
00:39:04.04\00:39:08.44
You got to cry out loud.
00:39:08.48\00:39:11.51
You can't worry
about who's listening.
00:39:11.55\00:39:15.05
The only one
that you're concerned
00:39:15.08\00:39:16.42
about listening
is Christ Himself.
00:39:16.45\00:39:21.69
The Bible says in verse
49. "And Jesus stood still."
00:39:21.72\00:39:26.33
Now you asked
yourself the question.
00:39:26.36\00:39:28.63
Why did it take two
for Jesus to stand still?
00:39:28.66\00:39:32.10
Listen, Isaiah 65:24 says,
00:39:32.13\00:39:34.74
"Before our call
He would answer."
00:39:34.77\00:39:37.41
And while I'm praying
He already got the thing.
00:39:37.44\00:39:39.17
So why would it take two?
00:39:39.21\00:39:40.54
You see, this is
just me right now.
00:39:40.58\00:39:42.34
I really believe
that it took two because
00:39:42.38\00:39:44.81
Jesus want to see how
sincere his brother was.
00:39:44.85\00:39:48.28
He wanted to make sure
that his call was sincere
00:39:48.32\00:39:50.89
because sometimes we
are forced to change.
00:39:50.92\00:39:54.56
Get locked up in
jail, we need Jesus.
00:39:54.59\00:39:58.43
You need your bill
to pay, we need Jesus.
00:39:58.46\00:40:01.50
You need something
done, I need Jesus.
00:40:01.53\00:40:03.43
So, so Jesus want to make sure
00:40:03.47\00:40:05.63
that this
brother's call was sincere.
00:40:05.67\00:40:08.87
And the Bible says that,
00:40:08.90\00:40:10.24
"That He stood still, and
commanded him to be called.
00:40:10.27\00:40:13.84
And they call the
blind man, saying unto him,
00:40:13.88\00:40:17.28
Be of good courage,
rise; he calleth you."
00:40:17.31\00:40:20.02
They are saying, hey,
this is not your friend,
00:40:20.05\00:40:21.52
watch out now.
00:40:21.55\00:40:23.65
That's a whole
another sermon itself.
00:40:23.69\00:40:28.52
Verse 50 says, "And he,
casting away his garment,
00:40:28.56\00:40:33.53
rose, and came to Jesus."
00:40:33.56\00:40:37.83
Point number four, this
time our character change.
00:40:37.87\00:40:41.37
Number one,
recognizing your condition.
00:40:41.40\00:40:44.17
Two, realizing
that they are others
00:40:44.21\00:40:47.41
who will try to stop you.
00:40:47.44\00:40:49.94
Three, understanding
how important it is.
00:40:49.98\00:40:53.25
You got to yell
that thing even louder.
00:40:53.28\00:40:56.85
Point number four is,
00:40:56.89\00:40:58.49
the three things you have to do.
00:40:58.52\00:41:00.86
The three things you need
to do when coming to Jesus.
00:41:00.89\00:41:04.43
Number one, you need
to change your garments.
00:41:04.46\00:41:08.30
Now typically in a Bible
when we talk about garments,
00:41:08.33\00:41:10.47
we're talking
about righteousness.
00:41:10.50\00:41:13.03
So in the context of
what we're talking tonight,
00:41:13.07\00:41:16.57
you have to let go
your self righteousness.
00:41:16.60\00:41:19.57
If anybody is gonna
come all the way to Jesus,
00:41:19.61\00:41:22.21
it starts with letting
go our self righteousness.
00:41:22.24\00:41:25.68
Our self
righteousness just come out
00:41:25.71\00:41:27.22
when we can easily
judge somebody else.
00:41:27.25\00:41:29.08
We can easily say,
00:41:29.12\00:41:30.45
what somebody
else should have done
00:41:30.49\00:41:31.82
or we can tell them why they
are in the situation, you see.
00:41:31.85\00:41:34.59
When you are self righteous,
00:41:34.62\00:41:36.22
you know, you can
simply walk around like,
00:41:36.26\00:41:38.76
I'm-- nothing wrong with me
and I'm okay and I'm all right
00:41:38.79\00:41:43.67
and God doesn't need that.
00:41:43.70\00:41:46.07
He don't want you
like the Luke 18 guy
00:41:46.10\00:41:48.84
who said, Lord, I
tithe twice a week.
00:41:48.87\00:41:52.21
I fast twice a week, excuse me.
00:41:52.24\00:41:54.04
I tithe all I've got.
00:41:54.08\00:41:55.41
You see, I want to
be like the brother
00:41:55.44\00:41:56.78
who's barely coming to
church, just have mercy on me.
00:41:56.81\00:42:00.05
That's what I want to be like.
00:42:00.08\00:42:02.15
But we have too
much self righteousness.
00:42:02.18\00:42:05.45
So in order to come to Jesus,
00:42:05.49\00:42:07.12
you have to take off
that robe of righteousness,
00:42:07.16\00:42:09.76
take that thing off.
00:42:09.79\00:42:12.19
The second thing you have
to do is you got to get up,
00:42:12.23\00:42:14.76
you got to change your position.
00:42:14.80\00:42:16.53
The Bible says,
that He was sitting down,
00:42:16.56\00:42:18.60
but he had to get up.
00:42:18.63\00:42:20.14
You can't stay
in the same position
00:42:20.17\00:42:22.37
expecting a different result.
00:42:22.40\00:42:24.94
So now you have to let go
off yourself righteousness,
00:42:24.97\00:42:27.81
but you also got to
change your position.
00:42:27.84\00:42:30.18
You got to change
when you do something.
00:42:30.21\00:42:32.11
You got to change some things.
00:42:32.15\00:42:34.38
You can't except,
00:42:37.05\00:42:38.52
listen, I couldn't
expect to get close to Christ
00:42:38.55\00:42:41.06
if I'm always in
the club just dancing.
00:42:41.09\00:42:44.53
It just won't happen.
00:42:44.56\00:42:46.73
I can't except to
get close to Christ
00:42:46.76\00:42:48.53
if I'm gonna keep
on smoking marijuana,
00:42:48.56\00:42:50.93
even though I never did, amen.
00:42:50.97\00:42:53.74
I can't expect to
get close to Christ
00:42:53.77\00:42:55.64
when He find myself in
the casino every weekend...
00:42:55.67\00:42:59.87
Or drinking.
00:42:59.91\00:43:03.48
You got to make some changes.
00:43:03.51\00:43:06.35
You got to start
cleaning yourself up.
00:43:06.38\00:43:08.88
The alcoholic can
never become sober
00:43:08.92\00:43:10.92
if he has liquor
around him all the time.
00:43:10.95\00:43:14.96
And the third
thing you got to do,
00:43:18.56\00:43:21.33
you got to start
coming close to the Savior.
00:43:21.36\00:43:25.00
You got to put
yourself in a area
00:43:25.03\00:43:28.90
where you can Jesus can
get real close to one another.
00:43:28.94\00:43:34.41
These things will not
work if all three are not done.
00:43:34.44\00:43:40.55
You can't do one of the three.
00:43:40.58\00:43:43.89
That's only 33 percent.
00:43:43.92\00:43:46.19
You can't do two of the
three, that's only 66 percent.
00:43:46.22\00:43:49.86
God expects all three.
00:43:49.89\00:43:53.29
God expects no
self righteousness.
00:43:53.33\00:43:57.80
We have to be
stripped of who we are.
00:43:57.83\00:44:02.14
I was telling Dr. Louis today...
00:44:02.17\00:44:05.11
God had to strip
me of some things to
00:44:08.54\00:44:11.58
help me become a
little bit more humble.
00:44:11.61\00:44:14.88
Four years ago I
went through a divorce
00:44:14.92\00:44:17.32
that I thought
will never happen.
00:44:17.35\00:44:20.39
When I told my wife at the time,
00:44:20.42\00:44:23.39
I said I want to
get married once,
00:44:23.43\00:44:24.96
this before I'd
came into the church.
00:44:24.99\00:44:28.36
Who would have thought
00:44:28.40\00:44:30.17
18 years later I'll
be eating those words.
00:44:30.20\00:44:36.47
Took me through an experience
00:44:36.50\00:44:38.24
and I was a young preacher
just going up the ranks.
00:44:38.27\00:44:42.34
You know, I didn't go
to any of our schools.
00:44:42.38\00:44:44.71
I went to a small Black hills,
00:44:44.75\00:44:46.35
Mission College for evangelism.
00:44:46.38\00:44:48.02
God called me into this thing
from being a probation officer.
00:44:48.05\00:44:51.05
Every church I've
been at has grown.
00:44:51.09\00:44:52.89
I've traveled internationally.
00:44:52.92\00:44:54.76
I have done some amazing things
00:44:54.79\00:44:57.63
in my short time of
ministry of 14 years,
00:44:57.66\00:45:00.40
that preachers who
have been in 20 years,
00:45:00.43\00:45:02.33
25 years have not done.
00:45:02.36\00:45:04.17
I've been in places
that I can't even pronounce
00:45:04.20\00:45:07.47
without my- Without a single.
00:45:07.50\00:45:11.97
And I just knew I'm
on top of the world.
00:45:12.01\00:45:16.95
And when I went
through my divorce,
00:45:16.98\00:45:21.32
I was stripped of
everything it felt like.
00:45:21.35\00:45:24.72
Listen to me, I'm getting
up close and personal with you.
00:45:24.75\00:45:28.42
See I know how
it feels to sit high
00:45:28.46\00:45:30.53
especially coming
from a poor background,
00:45:30.56\00:45:32.79
having money in your pocket,
00:45:32.83\00:45:34.16
having two incomes
making a nice amount of money.
00:45:34.20\00:45:38.17
Preaching at this place,
that place, doing this thing,
00:45:38.20\00:45:40.34
doing that thing, I
know what that feels like.
00:45:40.37\00:45:45.57
But I had to deal
with my self righteousness
00:45:45.61\00:45:48.91
in all of that.
00:45:48.94\00:45:51.71
And I could no longer
sit where I was sitting.
00:45:51.75\00:45:54.22
He says, you
need to stand up now
00:45:54.25\00:45:56.55
and you need to come even
closer to Me than ever before.
00:45:56.58\00:46:02.32
See if you stay sitting there,
00:46:02.36\00:46:04.03
you're gonna
wallow in your misery.
00:46:04.06\00:46:06.43
But He says you got to get up,
00:46:06.46\00:46:08.20
take off self righteousness
and stand yourself up.
00:46:08.23\00:46:11.00
But you got to come near to Me
00:46:11.03\00:46:12.80
and the closer
I come near to You
00:46:12.83\00:46:14.17
the more stuff just
starting to falling off.
00:46:14.20\00:46:17.77
Adventist Home
page 49 I believe it is.
00:46:17.81\00:46:20.24
She says, "Talk of Christ."
00:46:20.28\00:46:22.11
And the more we
talk of Christ...
00:46:22.14\00:46:24.21
"Whatever is not in harmony
with Christ would fallout."
00:46:24.25\00:46:26.21
Because you got to talk of Him,
00:46:26.25\00:46:27.58
you got to get close to
Him and I start marching
00:46:27.62\00:46:29.65
and stuff just
start to shading off
00:46:29.68\00:46:31.89
as I'm marching towards Him.
00:46:31.92\00:46:33.36
Why?
00:46:33.39\00:46:34.72
Because now He got me in
the place that He wants me.
00:46:34.76\00:46:40.10
Humility, but the
majority of us at times,
00:46:40.13\00:46:46.20
that's somebody else's problem.
00:46:46.23\00:46:49.04
We can't admit that we
are challenged on every side.
00:46:49.07\00:46:52.54
We can't admit
that they are problems
00:46:52.57\00:46:55.51
and situations in our
lives that we need help.
00:46:55.54\00:46:58.41
The preacher calls for
prayer and few people stand up.
00:46:58.45\00:47:02.58
He makes the appeal
00:47:02.62\00:47:03.95
and only a
sprinkle come down when,
00:47:03.99\00:47:06.55
perhaps the
majority of the congregation
00:47:06.59\00:47:08.39
is struggling in
some sway shape or form,
00:47:08.42\00:47:11.06
whether it's with some bad kid
00:47:11.09\00:47:13.06
that, you thought was
gonna turn on all right.
00:47:13.09\00:47:16.46
The spouse or work
situation, it does not matter,
00:47:16.50\00:47:20.30
everybody has problems.
00:47:20.34\00:47:23.10
Everybody has some circumstance
that's taking place.
00:47:23.14\00:47:27.41
And God allow this story
of this blind man to happen
00:47:27.44\00:47:32.61
so that everybody else
can see what can happen
00:47:32.65\00:47:35.28
when one cries
out for one Savior.
00:47:35.32\00:47:39.29
Verse 51 says.
00:47:42.42\00:47:45.59
"And Jesus
answered and said unto him,
00:47:45.63\00:47:50.87
"What wilt thou that
I should do unto thee?
00:47:50.90\00:47:55.30
The blind man said,
Lord, all I want to do is see."
00:47:55.34\00:48:00.34
I'm not concerned about riches.
00:48:00.38\00:48:03.24
I'm not concerned about any...
00:48:03.28\00:48:04.61
I just want to
open my eyes and see.
00:48:04.65\00:48:11.95
Verse 52 says...
00:48:11.99\00:48:16.66
"And Jesus said unto him,
00:48:16.69\00:48:18.83
'Go thy faith
hath made thee whole.'
00:48:18.86\00:48:24.27
And immediately he
received his sight,
00:48:24.30\00:48:27.50
and followed Jesus in the way."
00:48:27.54\00:48:32.24
Point number five. Let
me review the four points.
00:48:32.27\00:48:34.41
Number one is this.
00:48:34.44\00:48:37.05
You got to
understand your condition.
00:48:37.08\00:48:40.12
And once you
understand your condition,
00:48:40.15\00:48:41.58
you have to act on
understanding your condition,
00:48:41.62\00:48:44.65
you have to call out.
00:48:44.69\00:48:46.02
See, see as a pastor I
deal with so many folks
00:48:46.05\00:48:49.39
that they don't want to
admit what their condition is.
00:48:49.42\00:48:52.86
They want me to tell
them what their problem is
00:48:52.89\00:48:54.50
and even when you
tell them their problem...
00:48:54.53\00:48:55.86
Oh, pastor, that's not me.
00:48:55.90\00:48:57.60
That you must be
mixed up with them
00:48:57.63\00:48:59.17
that sit on the left
side, I sit on the right side.
00:48:59.20\00:49:03.14
Point number one, you
must understand your situation.
00:49:03.17\00:49:06.31
Number two, realize that,
00:49:06.34\00:49:08.41
in you attempt to
make a change in character,
00:49:08.44\00:49:11.45
a change in your life,
00:49:11.48\00:49:13.11
a change in the way you think,
a change in the way you are,
00:49:13.15\00:49:16.48
that they are gonna be
some who try to bring you down.
00:49:16.52\00:49:20.86
Point number three,
00:49:20.89\00:49:22.22
don't let nothing get in
your way of becoming whole.
00:49:22.26\00:49:26.59
Don't let nothing stand
between you and your Jesus.
00:49:26.63\00:49:30.60
That means you got to
cry aloud a little bit more.
00:49:30.63\00:49:33.20
Now it gets uncomfortable,
00:49:33.23\00:49:35.80
it gets very
uncomfortable 'cause no one...
00:49:35.84\00:49:38.17
Listen to me now.
00:49:38.21\00:49:39.54
No one likes to be in
uncomfortable situations.
00:49:39.57\00:49:43.08
No one likes to be in situations
00:49:43.11\00:49:45.08
where they are
totally uncomfortable,
00:49:45.11\00:49:46.78
but when you cry for Jesus
it makes you uncomfortable.
00:49:46.82\00:49:51.05
Because now you're
admitting that you need help,
00:49:51.09\00:49:53.56
you need Jesus, and you
got to cry aloud sometimes.
00:49:53.59\00:49:58.99
Point number four,
00:49:59.03\00:50:00.40
once you have His attention
three things you got to do.
00:50:00.43\00:50:03.73
Number one, you got to change.
00:50:03.77\00:50:05.80
Take off that
self righteousness.
00:50:05.83\00:50:09.44
Number two, you got
to change your position.
00:50:09.47\00:50:12.91
You can't expect
a different result
00:50:12.94\00:50:15.81
if life has not begun to change.
00:50:15.84\00:50:18.08
And point number three and four,
00:50:18.11\00:50:21.12
that you got to
come towards Christ.
00:50:21.15\00:50:22.55
You can't keep
living like the world
00:50:22.58\00:50:27.59
and expect to be close to Jesus.
00:50:27.62\00:50:31.13
It just doesn't happen. Why?
00:50:31.16\00:50:33.23
Because 1 John 2:15 says,
00:50:33.26\00:50:34.86
"Love not the world, nor
the things of the world."
00:50:34.90\00:50:40.50
Point number
five. Hot diggity dog!
00:50:40.54\00:50:44.51
Jesus gives us more
then what we ask for.
00:50:44.54\00:50:48.91
Oh, you got to get excited here.
00:50:48.94\00:50:50.58
All that man
asked for was his sight.
00:50:50.61\00:50:53.85
Jesus not only
gave him his sight,
00:50:53.88\00:50:55.88
but Jesus also,
listen to me now,
00:50:55.92\00:50:58.09
Jesus also gave
him spiritual sight.
00:50:58.12\00:51:01.32
Ellen White says,
that He opened his eyes
00:51:01.36\00:51:03.22
physically and spiritually.
00:51:03.26\00:51:05.16
This man goes
from begging to now,
00:51:05.19\00:51:07.60
look at the
verse, verse 52 says.
00:51:07.63\00:51:09.50
"He's now
following Jesus in the way."
00:51:09.53\00:51:11.97
He's not on the outside anymore,
00:51:12.00\00:51:14.70
he's on the inside.
00:51:14.74\00:51:16.07
When he was outside begging,
he went from rags to riches.
00:51:16.10\00:51:19.64
He went from having nothing
00:51:19.67\00:51:21.14
to having a Savior
and having everything.
00:51:21.18\00:51:23.88
He went from rags
nothing to riches to Christ
00:51:23.91\00:51:26.98
that we serve.
00:51:27.02\00:51:29.22
He went from
being on the outside
00:51:29.25\00:51:32.25
to now being on the inside.
00:51:32.29\00:51:35.82
Now see when
you're on the inside,
00:51:35.86\00:51:37.56
you walk different.
00:51:37.59\00:51:38.93
You don't walk aridly,
you just walk different.
00:51:38.96\00:51:40.90
There's a
different pep in your step.
00:51:40.93\00:51:42.56
You're not
walking with your hand up.
00:51:42.60\00:51:44.40
You walk in a...
00:51:44.43\00:51:46.84
Give somebody, what? You gab.
00:51:46.87\00:51:48.44
Remember Peter said,
"Silver and gold have I not,
00:51:48.47\00:51:51.47
but that which I do
have, I'm gonna give to you."
00:51:51.51\00:51:54.81
So he says what,
00:51:54.84\00:51:56.18
"In the name of Jesus
I command at you," what?
00:51:56.21\00:51:58.38
"Rise up" and the Bible says
00:51:58.41\00:51:59.75
"that he stuck
his right hand down
00:51:59.78\00:52:01.12
and picked the man up
00:52:01.15\00:52:02.48
and the man just
started dancing."
00:52:02.52\00:52:05.35
See now you can
give, folk, what you got,
00:52:05.39\00:52:08.02
you see blind
Bartimaeus is no longer blind.
00:52:08.06\00:52:11.46
Blind Bartimaeus is no
longer the son of the unclean.
00:52:11.49\00:52:15.70
Now he's the son of the
righteous one which is Jesus.
00:52:15.73\00:52:18.90
He gave him more
than what he asked for.
00:52:18.93\00:52:23.17
He didn't just
give him sight to see,
00:52:23.20\00:52:25.04
He gave him not only sight
to see, but spiritual sight.
00:52:25.07\00:52:28.18
And theologians
believe that Bartimaeus became
00:52:28.21\00:52:30.85
one of Jesus' most
prominent disciples.
00:52:30.88\00:52:34.88
So now he's going
from rags to riches,
00:52:34.92\00:52:40.42
all because he was
willing to call upon the Savior,
00:52:40.46\00:52:45.83
all because he was willing
to go outside the comfort zone.
00:52:45.86\00:52:49.90
Now here's your question.
00:52:49.93\00:52:51.30
Out of all these people,
00:52:51.33\00:52:53.90
why is it that only
one man decided to call?
00:52:53.94\00:52:58.31
Why is it only one man
decided that he had an issue?
00:52:58.34\00:53:03.31
When all of them folk
probably had issues too,
00:53:03.35\00:53:07.25
because we tend
to follow the crowd,
00:53:07.28\00:53:11.42
instead of following Jesus.
00:53:11.45\00:53:14.06
See, it's one
thing to follow Him,
00:53:14.09\00:53:16.62
but it's a whole another
thing to call out unto Him.
00:53:16.66\00:53:19.43
See folk will
follow all day long
00:53:19.46\00:53:21.66
like we tend to follow people.
00:53:21.70\00:53:23.63
And we follow the prominent
preacher speaking over here,
00:53:23.67\00:53:25.87
we'll go and
listen to preacher preach
00:53:25.90\00:53:27.64
and when he make the appeal,
oh, they ain't talking to me,
00:53:27.67\00:53:30.04
there's talking about
them who came to see him,
00:53:30.07\00:53:31.51
even though you're the
ones who came to see Him.
00:53:31.54\00:53:34.44
But we tend to follow
people and just like Jesus.
00:53:34.48\00:53:39.75
Folk follows Him.
00:53:39.78\00:53:41.12
So how is it that one
man out of all these folk,
00:53:41.15\00:53:46.42
was the only one
that had a change?
00:53:46.45\00:53:51.46
What that means to me
00:53:51.49\00:53:52.83
that you may be the only
one that makes that change.
00:53:52.86\00:53:57.00
But that change cannot
happen if you don't call.
00:53:57.03\00:54:01.17
Psalms 145, text reminds
me, getting ready to close.
00:54:01.20\00:54:05.07
Here Psalms 145.
00:54:05.11\00:54:08.21
Psalms 145, the Bible says this.
00:54:08.24\00:54:11.78
"The Lord is near unto
all them that call upon Him.
00:54:11.81\00:54:16.69
To all that call
upon Him in truth."
00:54:16.72\00:54:20.06
The Bible says, God draws
near to folk who call upon Him.
00:54:20.09\00:54:27.86
That call upon Him in truth,
that's what a sincere heart--
00:54:27.90\00:54:33.20
The question today is
this. Will you call upon Him?
00:54:33.23\00:54:37.37
The question is,
"Will you call upon Him
00:54:37.41\00:54:40.61
regardless of
anybody else is calling?"
00:54:40.64\00:54:42.94
Will you call upon Him?
00:54:42.98\00:54:45.65
Do you see your need?
00:54:45.68\00:54:47.75
Do you
understand your condition?
00:54:47.78\00:54:50.29
Do you realize where
you stand or where you sit?
00:54:50.32\00:54:54.56
But will you call upon Him?
00:54:54.59\00:54:56.89
Because you
realized you're wretched.
00:54:56.93\00:55:00.20
You realized you're miserable.
00:55:00.23\00:55:02.16
You realized you're blind.
00:55:02.20\00:55:04.27
You realized you're poor.
00:55:04.30\00:55:06.07
You realized you're naked.
00:55:06.10\00:55:07.74
Will you call upon
him like blind Bartimaeus?
00:55:07.77\00:55:11.87
How is it that a
blind man can call
00:55:11.91\00:55:14.48
and folk who can seek didn't?
00:55:14.51\00:55:18.05
Will you call upon Him today?
00:55:18.08\00:55:19.55
He's waiting for the call.
00:55:19.58\00:55:21.82
What a friend, the
young brother sung,
00:55:21.85\00:55:23.95
we having Jesus,
He's waiting for the call.
00:55:23.99\00:55:28.96
Character cannot
change internally
00:55:28.99\00:55:33.80
unless one
realized their condition.
00:55:33.83\00:55:38.10
And our Foundations
of our Faith tonight,
00:55:38.13\00:55:40.74
we're building, it
starts with a call.
00:55:40.77\00:55:43.67
It starts with a call.
00:55:43.71\00:55:46.27
It's what it
starts with, a call.
00:55:46.31\00:55:49.51
The challenge that
each one of us face,
00:55:49.54\00:55:52.98
is that we only
call when we have to.
00:55:53.01\00:55:56.05
But you need to call right now.
00:55:56.08\00:55:57.75
See, I had to call
when my divorce happened.
00:55:57.79\00:56:02.12
I had to call like none other.
00:56:02.16\00:56:05.26
I had to call loud.
00:56:05.29\00:56:07.53
Call with tears.
00:56:07.56\00:56:09.63
Call with everything...
00:56:09.66\00:56:11.10
I remember praying on my
couch I would beat the couch
00:56:11.13\00:56:14.67
as though I'm beating
God because I was that mad,
00:56:14.70\00:56:16.57
but I'm calling
at the same time,
00:56:16.60\00:56:17.97
Lord, help me and Lord, save me.
00:56:18.01\00:56:21.11
And Lord, have mercy on me,
00:56:21.14\00:56:22.74
I can't live as a
single man anymore.
00:56:22.78\00:56:26.82
Calling loud!
00:56:26.85\00:56:30.99
Didn't care who heard me
00:56:31.02\00:56:34.16
because I wanted
to be made whole.
00:56:34.19\00:56:36.69
I wanted to be free.
00:56:36.73\00:56:39.43
I wanted Jesus in my life,
the way that only Jesus can do.
00:56:39.46\00:56:44.63
As we pray, if you
have not made that call,
00:56:44.67\00:56:50.64
you need to make it.
00:56:50.67\00:56:53.51
His phone never gets busy
and His bills are always paid.
00:56:53.54\00:56:58.61
Father in heaven,
thank you so much,
00:56:58.65\00:57:02.82
the word that we have,
00:57:02.85\00:57:05.49
as you can take us
from rags to riches.
00:57:05.52\00:57:10.16
Thank you heavenly Father,
00:57:10.19\00:57:11.53
for giving us
examples in Your word
00:57:11.56\00:57:15.43
that can give us hope.
00:57:15.46\00:57:17.47
We have a blind
man named Bartimaeus
00:57:17.50\00:57:19.53
who was poor and begging
00:57:19.57\00:57:21.37
and we find that
he made a difference,
00:57:21.40\00:57:26.34
which is to call.
00:57:26.37\00:57:27.91
Have mercy upon me, Lord.
00:57:27.94\00:57:30.28
Someone need
mercy. Someone need mercy.
00:57:30.31\00:57:35.48
Walk in there vicinity
00:57:35.52\00:57:37.32
so they can
have mercy right now.
00:57:37.35\00:57:40.56
So as you walk by they can
call and you can stand still
00:57:40.59\00:57:44.86
and they can relate
to You what they need.
00:57:44.89\00:57:48.06
So bless them, Holy Spirit.
00:57:48.10\00:57:49.80
Set them up, give them
the courage right now to do it
00:57:49.83\00:57:53.17
and not to be afraid
00:57:53.20\00:57:54.97
and we ask this in no
other name unto heaven
00:57:55.00\00:57:57.84
but Jesus Christ, amen.
00:57:57.87\00:58:00.51