And this is eternal
life that they may know you,
00:00:06.10\00:00:10.27
the only true God,
00:00:10.31\00:00:12.57
and Jesus Christ
whom You have sent.
00:00:12.61\00:00:15.81
Welcome to 3ABN
Australia Homecoming.
00:00:20.52\00:00:24.09
Hello, and welcome to
2018 3ABN Australia Homecoming
00:00:29.79\00:00:34.66
down under, that's
kind of a mouthful.
00:00:34.70\00:00:36.87
Yes.
00:00:36.90\00:00:38.23
We are delighted that
you have joined us at home.
00:00:38.27\00:00:40.34
Amen.
00:00:40.37\00:00:41.70
And we are so
thankful to be in the presence,
00:00:41.74\00:00:44.44
the church of
the Avondale Memorial
00:00:44.47\00:00:46.84
Seventh-day Adventist Church
00:00:46.88\00:00:48.21
and for their
hospitality with this event.
00:00:48.24\00:00:51.15
A special thanks to Pastor Abel,
00:00:51.18\00:00:53.31
the pastoral team
and the church board
00:00:53.35\00:00:55.32
for opening up their
church for this event.
00:00:55.35\00:00:58.15
My name is Jill Morikone,
and I'm from 3ABN in the US.
00:00:58.19\00:01:01.76
And I'm standing here
with my friend Angela Lomacang
00:01:01.79\00:01:05.46
who is 3ABN Radio
producer and host.
00:01:05.49\00:01:08.30
And, Angie, we're
having a wonderful time.
00:01:08.33\00:01:10.33
Oh, we are
having a blessed time.
00:01:10.37\00:01:12.33
And you know what?
I love meeting people.
00:01:12.37\00:01:14.64
I am made in a part
of the family of God,
00:01:14.67\00:01:17.31
some of you for the first time
00:01:17.34\00:01:18.67
and some of you
I have met before
00:01:18.71\00:01:20.68
since coming to Australia.
00:01:20.71\00:01:22.68
And we are going to
have a blessed time here.
00:01:22.71\00:01:25.41
Absolutely wonderful
time. The Spirit of God is here.
00:01:25.45\00:01:29.65
Amen.
00:01:29.68\00:01:31.02
We're divine service,
this is Sabbath today.
00:01:31.05\00:01:34.79
And where the message,
00:01:34.82\00:01:36.73
the entire theme
has been knowing God
00:01:36.76\00:01:40.30
based on John 17:3 and
this is life eternal...
00:01:40.33\00:01:42.90
That's right.
00:01:42.93\00:01:44.27
That they will know
you, the only true God,
00:01:44.30\00:01:45.97
and Jesus Christ,
whom You have sent.
00:01:46.00\00:01:50.07
The theme for
this particular message
00:01:50.11\00:01:52.67
is knowing God
through His truth.
00:01:52.71\00:01:55.71
Amen.
00:01:55.74\00:01:57.08
And our speaker today
is Pastor John Lomacang
00:01:57.11\00:01:59.38
who happens to be my pastor,
00:01:59.41\00:02:01.08
and he's kind of
special to you too.
00:02:01.12\00:02:02.45
Yeah, he's very
special to me. He's my husband.
00:02:02.48\00:02:05.69
And he's been...
00:02:05.72\00:02:07.06
I told him, you're
going to be my pastor
00:02:07.09\00:02:08.69
for the rest of my life.
00:02:08.72\00:02:11.99
And we've been
married for 35 years.
00:02:12.03\00:02:15.40
I can't believe
it's gone so fast.
00:02:15.43\00:02:17.50
We have no children. He
always says we have sheep.
00:02:17.53\00:02:23.20
And so I am thrilled.
00:02:23.24\00:02:24.91
We are thrilled to
be here to be a part
00:02:24.94\00:02:27.18
of this wonderful worship
and this wonderful weekend,
00:02:27.21\00:02:30.61
and we're looking
forward to God's blessings.
00:02:30.65\00:02:33.95
Amen. Absolutely.
00:02:33.98\00:02:35.32
Elder John
Lomacang is a man of God,
00:02:35.35\00:02:37.59
he and his wife.
00:02:37.62\00:02:39.29
He's a man of the Word
00:02:39.32\00:02:41.42
and a man who
stands for principle.
00:02:41.46\00:02:42.99
Yes.
00:02:43.02\00:02:44.36
And I'm looking forward
to what God is going to do
00:02:44.39\00:02:46.03
in and through him for
this divine worship hour.
00:02:46.06\00:02:49.40
But before he speaks... Oh, yes.
00:02:49.43\00:02:51.57
We're going to hear
from Tim Parton and Ryan Day.
00:02:51.60\00:02:55.54
Tim is the general manager
00:02:55.57\00:02:56.97
of the Praise Him Music Network,
00:02:57.01\00:02:58.97
and Ryan Day is his assistant.
00:02:59.01\00:03:00.74
And the song they
will be ministering
00:03:00.78\00:03:02.84
is "Where No One Stands Alone."
00:03:02.88\00:03:05.91
After they shall have sung,
the next voice you will hear
00:03:05.95\00:03:09.05
is that of our pastor and
friend Elder John Lomacang.
00:03:09.08\00:03:13.32
Thank you.
00:03:13.36\00:03:14.69
Once I stood in the night
00:03:24.90\00:03:30.07
With my head bowed low
00:03:30.11\00:03:35.41
In the darkness
00:03:35.44\00:03:38.55
As black as could be
00:03:38.58\00:03:45.25
And my heartfelt alone
00:03:45.29\00:03:50.19
And I cried, oh Lord
00:03:50.23\00:03:56.03
Don't hide
00:03:56.06\00:03:58.53
Your face from me
00:03:58.57\00:04:05.47
Hold my hand all the way
00:04:05.51\00:04:10.65
Every hour, every day
00:04:10.68\00:04:16.18
Come here to the great unknown
00:04:16.22\00:04:23.16
Take my hand
00:04:26.93\00:04:31.87
Let me stand
00:04:31.90\00:04:36.37
Where no one stands alone
00:04:36.40\00:04:44.35
Like a king
00:04:51.39\00:04:54.29
I may live
00:04:54.32\00:04:57.63
In a palace so tall
00:04:57.66\00:05:03.20
With great riches
00:05:03.23\00:05:06.74
To call my own
00:05:06.77\00:05:14.34
But I don't know a thing
00:05:14.38\00:05:19.91
In this whole wide world
00:05:19.95\00:05:26.12
That's worse
00:05:26.15\00:05:28.76
Than being alone
00:05:28.79\00:05:36.40
Hold my hand all the way
00:05:36.43\00:05:42.00
Every hour, every day
00:05:42.04\00:05:47.58
Come here to the great unknown
00:05:47.61\00:05:55.58
Take my hand
00:05:58.65\00:06:03.59
Let me stand
00:06:03.63\00:06:08.20
Where no one
00:06:08.23\00:06:11.20
Stands alone
00:06:11.23\00:06:18.47
Take my hand
00:06:18.51\00:06:23.48
Let me stand
00:06:23.51\00:06:30.72
Where no one
00:06:30.75\00:06:35.42
Stands alone
00:06:35.46\00:06:43.43
Amen.
00:06:53.98\00:06:55.31
Can the church say amen again?
00:07:01.38\00:07:03.02
Amen.
00:07:03.05\00:07:04.39
Let us pray.
00:07:09.72\00:07:11.06
Our Gracious Father in heaven,
00:07:15.90\00:07:17.23
this is a moment
that belongs to You.
00:07:17.27\00:07:23.44
And we invite Your
holy angels to come
00:07:23.47\00:07:27.58
and inhabit this place.
00:07:27.61\00:07:32.28
Send your all
sufficient Holy Spirit today
00:07:32.31\00:07:37.99
to speak to our hearts.
00:07:38.02\00:07:39.39
And when this message is done,
00:07:42.39\00:07:43.86
may Your work
continue in our hearts
00:07:43.89\00:07:46.93
and in our lives
00:07:46.96\00:07:50.13
that we may be ready for
that great and glorious day
00:07:50.17\00:07:54.54
that is just over the horizon.
00:07:54.57\00:07:58.57
Lord, I give You my heart,
and my hands, and my voice,
00:07:58.61\00:08:01.14
and I pray that even now,
00:08:01.18\00:08:03.85
I will recognize as I stand here
00:08:03.88\00:08:08.22
that I do not stand alone.
00:08:08.25\00:08:11.22
Take Your word anointed
00:08:11.25\00:08:16.99
and find the heart
that needs to hear it
00:08:17.03\00:08:20.46
in this urgent hour.
00:08:20.50\00:08:22.63
In Jesus' name I pray.
00:08:22.66\00:08:25.23
Amen.
00:08:25.27\00:08:28.50
John 17:3 has been
the scripture reading
00:08:28.54\00:08:31.77
for this entire homecoming,
00:08:31.81\00:08:37.61
and I'd like to begin
by pointing us back to it.
00:08:37.65\00:08:41.25
My title is
"Knowing God by His Truth."
00:08:41.28\00:08:46.15
John 17:3, and
we read as follows.
00:08:46.19\00:08:51.03
"And this is eternal
life, that they may know You,
00:08:51.06\00:08:57.17
the only true God,
00:08:57.20\00:08:59.83
and Jesus Christ
whom You have sent."
00:08:59.87\00:09:04.74
My brothers and my sisters,
00:09:04.77\00:09:06.11
Jesus links salvation
not only to knowing Him,
00:09:06.14\00:09:10.05
but to knowing the truth.
00:09:10.08\00:09:13.92
He not only says
00:09:13.95\00:09:15.28
that eternal
life is knowing Him,
00:09:15.32\00:09:16.65
but He also says in John 8:32.
00:09:16.69\00:09:19.42
"And you shall know the truth,
00:09:19.45\00:09:20.86
and the truth
shall make you free."
00:09:20.89\00:09:25.69
There's quite a difference
between being set free
00:09:25.73\00:09:27.80
and being made free.
00:09:27.83\00:09:29.46
You see, being set
free is a singular act,
00:09:29.50\00:09:32.60
but being made free is
a continual day by day,
00:09:32.63\00:09:37.87
moment by moment
00:09:37.91\00:09:40.44
connected
relationship with Christ.
00:09:40.48\00:09:42.98
You can set a prisoner free,
00:09:43.01\00:09:45.28
but until he's free in his life,
00:09:45.31\00:09:47.35
until he's free in his mind,
00:09:47.38\00:09:49.42
he will return from
whence he had been set free.
00:09:49.45\00:09:53.92
And so the Lord has not come
00:09:53.96\00:09:55.72
to just set us free,
00:09:55.76\00:09:57.09
He wants us moment by moment,
day by day, hour by hour,
00:09:57.13\00:10:03.90
experience by experience
00:10:03.93\00:10:06.57
to maintain a relationship
00:10:06.60\00:10:12.17
that is being made,
00:10:12.21\00:10:14.04
that is making us free
by our walk with Christ
00:10:14.08\00:10:17.91
on a day by day basis.
00:10:17.95\00:10:19.71
The truth makes us free,
00:10:19.75\00:10:21.38
the truth does
not just set us free.
00:10:21.42\00:10:24.05
But Jesus did not stop there.
00:10:24.09\00:10:26.62
My brother, please
don't tear me down,
00:10:26.65\00:10:28.66
just kind of keep
it up there for me.
00:10:28.69\00:10:30.03
Appreciate it.
00:10:30.06\00:10:32.73
And John 14:6,
Jesus continues, He says,
00:10:32.76\00:10:35.26
"I am the way, the
truth, and the life.
00:10:35.30\00:10:40.10
No one comes to the
Father except through Me."
00:10:40.14\00:10:43.10
These words burned like brass
00:10:43.14\00:10:47.51
in the minds of the apostles
00:10:47.54\00:10:50.31
when the Lord commissioned them
00:10:50.35\00:10:52.38
after the
outpouring of His Holy Spirit.
00:10:52.41\00:10:55.75
They were able
to ignite the world
00:10:55.78\00:10:57.29
because these words
burn supreme in His mind,
00:10:57.32\00:11:00.29
I am the way, the
truth, and the life.
00:11:00.32\00:11:03.96
They knew very well
that the truth of God
00:11:03.99\00:11:07.03
could not be disconnected
00:11:07.06\00:11:08.76
from the
commission of the gospel.
00:11:08.80\00:11:11.17
And so they
went forth conquering
00:11:11.20\00:11:13.34
and to conquer as
Revelation shows us
00:11:13.37\00:11:16.00
the rise of the
church of Ephesus.
00:11:16.04\00:11:18.51
Nothing was able to withstand
the progress of the gospel
00:11:18.54\00:11:22.88
because when you go
forward in the power
00:11:22.91\00:11:26.25
and the glory that
comes only from God,
00:11:26.28\00:11:29.78
the Bible says,
00:11:29.82\00:11:31.15
"If God before us,
who can be against us?"
00:11:31.19\00:11:36.26
And when you
study the Book of Acts,
00:11:36.29\00:11:37.63
12 times in the Book of Acts,
00:11:37.66\00:11:39.89
the success of the
early church was linked
00:11:39.93\00:11:44.77
to the preaching of
God's Word every juncture,
00:11:44.80\00:11:47.94
at every point in all
12 of those references,
00:11:47.97\00:11:51.97
each time the success of
the early church was linked
00:11:52.01\00:11:58.25
to the
proclamation of the gospel.
00:11:58.28\00:12:01.18
I would suggest today
00:12:01.22\00:12:03.42
that we need the
proclamation of the Word
00:12:03.45\00:12:07.22
to be linked to the
ending of the gospel.
00:12:07.26\00:12:10.83
Come on, say amen somebody.
00:12:10.86\00:12:12.89
As the church is winding down,
00:12:12.93\00:12:14.80
we ought to adopt and go
back to the very foundation
00:12:14.83\00:12:18.27
that God inserted in the church
as the church was winding up.
00:12:18.30\00:12:24.41
In Acts 4:31,
00:12:24.44\00:12:27.08
Dr. Luke writes
the following words,
00:12:27.11\00:12:28.91
and he says, "And
when they had prayed,
00:12:28.94\00:12:34.18
the place where they
were assembled together
00:12:34.22\00:12:37.49
was shaken,
00:12:37.52\00:12:39.82
and they were all
filled with the Holy Spirit,
00:12:39.85\00:12:43.46
and they spoke the
word of God with boldness."
00:12:43.49\00:12:47.63
Now I'm in Australia,
but I started in New York.
00:12:47.66\00:12:51.57
And if you've
never been to New York,
00:12:51.60\00:12:53.64
allow me to
introduce you to a New Yorker,
00:12:53.67\00:12:57.61
where we do everything
with boldness in New York.
00:12:57.64\00:13:01.24
Case in point, Donald Trump.
00:13:01.28\00:13:03.08
But God took the
mind of this New Yorker,
00:13:07.42\00:13:10.82
He synchronized my word,
my words to His Holy Spirit
00:13:10.85\00:13:15.96
because when I was being raised,
00:13:15.99\00:13:17.43
my mouth was in fifth
gear but my mind was in first.
00:13:17.46\00:13:21.93
But somewhere along the way,
God inserted His Holy Spirit
00:13:21.96\00:13:26.90
to make sure that my mouth
00:13:26.94\00:13:28.77
and His will were
synchronized together.
00:13:28.80\00:13:32.07
In these last days,
00:13:35.11\00:13:37.78
the people of God
must pray for their minds
00:13:37.81\00:13:40.92
and the truth of God's Word
to be synchronized together.
00:13:40.95\00:13:44.99
Because if you believe
that the devil was subtle
00:13:45.02\00:13:49.22
and intense in
the Garden of Eden,
00:13:49.26\00:13:52.79
and subtle and determined
00:13:52.83\00:13:54.66
as the Israelites
journey from Egypt,
00:13:54.70\00:13:57.13
and his theory intensified
00:13:57.17\00:13:59.03
as the New Testament church
was born and began to grow.
00:13:59.07\00:14:02.57
If you think that he was intense
00:14:02.60\00:14:03.97
at those times in history,
00:14:04.01\00:14:07.08
he is more intense
today than ever before.
00:14:07.11\00:14:10.98
Now I want you to
stay awake this morning
00:14:11.01\00:14:13.78
because right now,
00:14:13.82\00:14:16.65
the devil might make you think
00:14:16.69\00:14:18.02
that you're
sitting on a mattress.
00:14:18.05\00:14:21.12
This is not St.
Mattress Cathedral.
00:14:21.16\00:14:22.99
Come on, say amen. Amen.
00:14:23.02\00:14:25.03
So be awake.
00:14:25.06\00:14:26.59
After the sermon is done,
you can sleep in the foyer,
00:14:26.63\00:14:30.10
in the aisles.
00:14:30.13\00:14:31.47
But be awake, be
sober, be vigilant,
00:14:31.50\00:14:33.80
God has a message for you today.
00:14:33.84\00:14:37.71
The servant of
the Lord in the book
00:14:37.74\00:14:39.37
"Darkness Before Dawn"
writes the following words.
00:14:39.41\00:14:43.71
And she says,
00:14:43.75\00:14:45.08
"None but those who
have fortified the mind
00:14:45.11\00:14:49.22
with the truths of
the Bible will stand
00:14:49.25\00:14:51.15
through the
last great conflict."
00:14:51.19\00:14:53.96
So to know God, you
got to know His truth,
00:14:53.99\00:14:55.79
not just say you
know Jesus, because today,
00:14:55.82\00:14:58.93
there is this
impotent Christianity
00:14:58.96\00:15:01.10
that's inserted into our church.
00:15:01.13\00:15:02.90
Many of our churches
are walking away from truth
00:15:02.93\00:15:05.63
and saying, all
we need is Jesus.
00:15:05.67\00:15:07.70
If all we needed was Jesus,
He would not give us His Word.
00:15:07.74\00:15:12.84
It's time to get
back to the Word.
00:15:12.87\00:15:14.21
Can you say amen?
00:15:14.24\00:15:15.58
But not just get back to
it, fortify your mind with it.
00:15:15.61\00:15:18.75
That means, allow
your soul, your will,
00:15:18.78\00:15:23.69
your life, to be permeated,
to be infused like medication
00:15:23.72\00:15:28.62
throughout your life,
throughout your thoughts,
00:15:28.66\00:15:31.26
throughout the
way you live, fortify.
00:15:31.29\00:15:35.26
She says, "To every soul
will come the searching test."
00:15:35.30\00:15:39.37
And here it is,
it's come and it's alive.
00:15:39.40\00:15:42.94
"Shall I obey
God rather than men?
00:15:42.97\00:15:46.57
The decisive hour
is even now at hand."
00:15:46.61\00:15:50.31
And those of you in Australia
where so much apostasy is born,
00:15:50.35\00:15:55.22
you know it better than I do.
00:15:55.25\00:15:58.15
We've got apostasy in America.
00:15:58.19\00:16:01.02
We've got the arsenal of
Satan against our institutions,
00:16:01.06\00:16:04.13
our churches, our schools,
00:16:04.16\00:16:06.39
we've got disharmony
brimming over at the rim,
00:16:06.43\00:16:10.27
we've got people shouting
their likes and dislikes
00:16:10.30\00:16:13.17
from the congregation,
00:16:13.20\00:16:14.67
we got people that hate
and like our leadership,
00:16:14.70\00:16:17.41
the devil has aimed
his arsenal at our church.
00:16:17.44\00:16:20.34
It is time for
God's people to once again
00:16:20.38\00:16:23.38
rededicate themselves
00:16:23.41\00:16:24.98
to following Jesus and His Word.
00:16:25.01\00:16:27.72
Can you say amen? That's right.
00:16:27.75\00:16:30.05
And so much is
happening in our world today,
00:16:30.09\00:16:32.65
we're being pulled in
one direction or the other
00:16:32.69\00:16:34.99
forgetting that the Bible says,
"Look unto me, and be saved.
00:16:35.02\00:16:37.96
For I am God, and
there is no other."
00:16:37.99\00:16:40.43
I'm not looking at
who's in Parliament
00:16:40.46\00:16:42.66
or who's in the White House,
00:16:42.70\00:16:44.37
my mind today is
set on the right house
00:16:44.40\00:16:46.84
and they tell me that
Jesus is still on the throne.
00:16:46.87\00:16:51.77
But she goes on to say,
00:16:51.81\00:16:53.68
"Are our feet
planted on the rock
00:16:53.71\00:16:55.24
of God's immutable Word?
00:16:55.28\00:16:57.58
Are we prepared to
stand firm in defense
00:16:57.61\00:17:02.08
of the commandments of
God and the faith of Jesus?"
00:17:02.12\00:17:07.82
The apostles were
commissioned to preach the Word
00:17:07.86\00:17:11.43
because the preaching of
the Word was not intended
00:17:11.46\00:17:13.86
to just stimulate the
mind, but to sanctify the life.
00:17:13.90\00:17:18.13
You know, we have
people that have degrees,
00:17:18.17\00:17:19.87
and there's nothing
wrong with a degree.
00:17:19.90\00:17:21.74
But if all the degree has done,
00:17:21.77\00:17:23.27
has stimulated
you intellectually,
00:17:23.30\00:17:25.21
not sanctified your
life, it is of no value.
00:17:25.24\00:17:28.78
God is calling us
for the Word of God
00:17:28.81\00:17:30.61
to not stimulate our minds,
but also to sanctify our lives.
00:17:30.65\00:17:34.65
The Word of God ought to effect
the change in the way we live.
00:17:34.68\00:17:39.59
That's why the Apostle
John writes the words of Jesus,
00:17:39.62\00:17:41.86
and I love it
because Jesus Himself said
00:17:41.89\00:17:44.13
in John 17:17,
00:17:44.16\00:17:45.93
"Sanctify them
through thy truth,
00:17:45.96\00:17:47.86
thy word is truth."
00:17:47.90\00:17:50.33
And effective discipleship
00:17:50.37\00:17:52.53
begins in a relationship
with the living word,
00:17:52.57\00:17:57.21
but continues in a relationship
with the written word.
00:17:57.24\00:18:01.61
It begins with Jesus,
but it doesn't end there.
00:18:04.75\00:18:07.48
And we cannot
connect to the living word
00:18:07.52\00:18:10.49
and disconnect
from the written word
00:18:10.52\00:18:14.59
because in the Book of Acts,
00:18:14.62\00:18:17.29
when you chronicle
and follow the success
00:18:17.33\00:18:19.03
of the New Testament
Church, the apostles preached,
00:18:19.06\00:18:23.83
not caring who heard what,
00:18:23.87\00:18:26.17
and because of
their faithfulness,
00:18:26.20\00:18:27.54
the Bible says, but
the Word of God grew
00:18:27.57\00:18:29.17
and multiplied.
00:18:29.20\00:18:30.77
Acts 12:24.
00:18:30.81\00:18:33.64
And I must say today,
00:18:33.68\00:18:35.01
if the preaching
of the Word was needed
00:18:35.04\00:18:37.15
for the
inauguration of the church,
00:18:37.18\00:18:39.45
the preaching of
the Word is needed
00:18:39.48\00:18:40.88
for the
coronation of the church.
00:18:40.92\00:18:42.58
For soon and very
soon, Jesus is going to come,
00:18:42.62\00:18:45.95
and I'm excited about that.
00:18:45.99\00:18:47.32
What about you? Amen.
00:18:47.36\00:18:49.19
But if the preaching
of the Word was needed
00:18:49.22\00:18:50.86
to get the church started,
00:18:50.89\00:18:52.29
how much more is the
preaching of the Word
00:18:52.33\00:18:55.06
needed to keep the church going,
00:18:55.10\00:18:58.53
getting ready for the
coming of our Lord and Savior?
00:18:58.57\00:19:02.84
The preaching of the Word.
00:19:02.87\00:19:05.37
"In the beginning," the
Bible says, "was the Word,
00:19:05.41\00:19:07.51
and the Word was with
God, and the Word was God."
00:19:07.54\00:19:09.41
And there is some
today that are denying
00:19:09.44\00:19:11.85
whether or not Jesus is
even the eternal Word of God.
00:19:11.88\00:19:15.75
They come to you
with their suggestions
00:19:15.78\00:19:17.32
ever so subtle,
but ever so satanic,
00:19:17.35\00:19:21.16
somehow making you
believe that unless you believe
00:19:21.19\00:19:23.16
that Jesus is
somehow a being that was born
00:19:23.19\00:19:26.56
or begotten
somewhere in the eons of time,
00:19:26.59\00:19:30.10
that somehow your
salvation is affected.
00:19:30.13\00:19:33.34
My brother, it is too
late, my sister, it is too late
00:19:33.37\00:19:36.47
to deny the divinity of Jesus.
00:19:36.50\00:19:40.11
No amens necessary.
00:19:40.14\00:19:43.65
In the beginning was the Word.
00:19:43.68\00:19:45.98
The Bible tells
me in Revelation,
00:19:46.01\00:19:47.72
"When Jesus come,
00:19:47.75\00:19:49.08
He was clothed with a
robe that dipped in blood
00:19:49.12\00:19:52.29
and His name is
called the Word of God."
00:19:52.32\00:19:55.66
The Living Word
of God is the alpha
00:19:55.69\00:19:58.46
and the living Word
of God will be the omega.
00:19:58.49\00:20:03.00
The Apostle Paul outlined
the condition of the last days.
00:20:03.03\00:20:06.57
And he inserts a
pandemic condition
00:20:06.60\00:20:08.97
that is affecting
not only the world
00:20:09.00\00:20:11.31
but affecting us.
00:20:11.34\00:20:12.67
Go to 2 Timothy 4:3-4 with me.
00:20:12.71\00:20:16.11
This pandemic is
becoming widespread.
00:20:16.14\00:20:18.81
And the amazing
thing about a pandemic,
00:20:18.85\00:20:20.98
you see, a
pandemic is much larger
00:20:21.02\00:20:23.49
than just a cold or a disease.
00:20:23.52\00:20:25.85
It affects
society on a grand scale.
00:20:25.89\00:20:28.56
And Paul the apostle,
talks about a pandemic
00:20:28.59\00:20:30.99
that's not only
affecting the world,
00:20:31.03\00:20:33.09
but it's also
affecting the church.
00:20:33.13\00:20:35.76
2 Timothy 4:3-4.
00:20:35.80\00:20:39.87
The Bible says, "For
the time will come..."
00:20:39.90\00:20:42.57
And let me alter that,
00:20:42.60\00:20:43.94
"For the time has come
00:20:43.97\00:20:47.01
when men will not
endure sound doctrine,
00:20:47.04\00:20:50.41
but according to
their own desires,
00:20:50.45\00:20:52.28
because they have itching ears,
00:20:52.31\00:20:55.25
they will heap up
for themselves teachers,
00:20:55.28\00:20:58.52
and they will turn their
ears away from the truth,
00:20:58.55\00:21:02.59
and be turned aside to fables."
00:21:02.62\00:21:07.10
It's very simple to me.
00:21:07.13\00:21:08.46
If the Bible doesn't support it,
00:21:08.50\00:21:10.87
don't preach it
00:21:10.90\00:21:13.44
Very simple.
00:21:13.47\00:21:16.81
And I don't have a problem
with the words of inspiration.
00:21:16.84\00:21:19.64
I believe firmly that
God inspired Ellen White.
00:21:19.67\00:21:21.84
But when people begin to arise,
00:21:28.58\00:21:31.75
questioning the
validity of God's Word
00:21:31.79\00:21:37.79
and beginning to erode
our foundational principles,
00:21:37.83\00:21:41.60
our teachings,
00:21:41.63\00:21:43.83
and begin to
question whether or not
00:21:43.87\00:21:46.00
what God has revealed to us
00:21:46.03\00:21:49.54
through hours
and months and weeks
00:21:49.57\00:21:51.71
and years of
prayer and Bible study,
00:21:51.74\00:21:55.61
we ought to know
that the time has come
00:21:55.64\00:21:57.51
that men will not
endure sound doctrine.
00:21:57.55\00:22:00.52
What we ought to keep in
mind is Satan's first attack
00:22:00.55\00:22:02.88
and his last
attack will be identical.
00:22:02.92\00:22:05.52
Satan rejected God's
truth and authority in heaven.
00:22:05.55\00:22:09.29
He led the first woman
00:22:09.32\00:22:10.66
to doubt the
truth of God's Word,
00:22:10.69\00:22:13.96
and he's seeking to do
it again to the last woman.
00:22:14.00\00:22:17.20
Look at Acts 20. Acts 20:28-30.
00:22:17.23\00:22:22.24
The first woman in
the Garden of Eden,
00:22:22.27\00:22:24.44
he led her to doubt
the truth of God's Word,
00:22:24.47\00:22:26.98
and he's seeking to do
it again as we near the end.
00:22:27.01\00:22:30.48
Acts 20:28-30.
00:22:34.02\00:22:38.59
We are told by Dr. Luke,
00:22:38.62\00:22:41.42
"Therefore take
heed to yourselves
00:22:41.46\00:22:46.39
and to all the flock,
00:22:46.43\00:22:48.86
among which the Holy
Spirit has made you overseers,
00:22:48.90\00:22:52.87
to shepherd the church of God
00:22:52.90\00:22:55.07
which He has
purchased with His own blood.
00:22:55.10\00:22:59.51
For I know this
that after my departing,
00:22:59.54\00:23:03.35
savage wolves..."
00:23:03.38\00:23:04.71
What kind of wolves?
00:23:04.75\00:23:06.48
"Savage wolves
will come in among you,
00:23:06.51\00:23:09.08
not sparing the flock.
00:23:09.12\00:23:10.95
Also from among
yourselves, men will arise up,
00:23:10.99\00:23:15.32
speaking perverse things,
00:23:15.36\00:23:18.03
to draw away the
disciples after themselves."
00:23:18.06\00:23:23.03
Savage wolves will
come in with the intent
00:23:23.06\00:23:25.73
to destroy the flock.
00:23:25.77\00:23:27.10
I've had to deal with this
in my church in Thompsonville.
00:23:27.14\00:23:28.97
You would think that
3ABN is immune to that,
00:23:29.00\00:23:31.71
but the devil
goes where he can get
00:23:31.74\00:23:33.24
the most bank for his buck.
00:23:33.27\00:23:35.81
So he goes to our institutions,
00:23:35.84\00:23:38.55
he goes to those
of higher learning
00:23:38.58\00:23:40.65
and high degree,
00:23:40.68\00:23:42.12
he goes to men and women
00:23:42.15\00:23:43.49
who have established
credibility through the years
00:23:43.52\00:23:45.65
and finds an
opening in their armor
00:23:45.69\00:23:47.92
where they have not allowed
that opening to be closed.
00:23:47.96\00:23:51.33
If the devil can find a
way to get into our lives,
00:23:51.36\00:23:54.00
he'll use all of our experience
00:23:54.03\00:23:56.13
and twist it as
he did to Uzziah.
00:23:56.16\00:23:59.37
Uzziah was a king for 58 years,
00:23:59.40\00:24:02.37
and all 58 of those years
were linked to the success
00:24:02.40\00:24:06.01
of everything he did.
00:24:06.04\00:24:07.38
But in the 58th
year of his life,
00:24:07.41\00:24:10.78
he stepped over a
line that God established,
00:24:10.81\00:24:14.95
and all of his
credibility went out the window.
00:24:14.98\00:24:17.55
And today, my
brothers and sisters,
00:24:17.59\00:24:19.25
no matter how
credible somebody is,
00:24:19.29\00:24:21.59
no matter how long
they've been around,
00:24:21.62\00:24:24.03
everything that we
are told must be measured
00:24:24.06\00:24:26.80
by the Word of God.
00:24:26.83\00:24:29.43
And by the
revealed inspired words
00:24:29.46\00:24:32.87
that God has
gifted this church with.
00:24:32.90\00:24:37.47
Can you say amen?
00:24:37.51\00:24:39.41
Check it out
00:24:39.44\00:24:40.78
because there's some
great minds among us,
00:24:40.81\00:24:43.41
minds that are
far greater than ours,
00:24:43.45\00:24:45.58
minds that are intellectual.
00:24:45.61\00:24:47.92
And I've been around the world,
my wife and I were in Colombia
00:24:47.95\00:24:50.02
and we became
aware of the great battle
00:24:50.05\00:24:51.99
that our church is
undertaking even as we sit here
00:24:52.02\00:24:54.96
in Autumn Council,
00:24:54.99\00:24:56.49
Satan is trying
to divide our church.
00:24:56.52\00:24:58.56
Let me make a
point that's very clear.
00:24:58.59\00:25:00.60
It doesn't matter to me
00:25:00.63\00:25:04.00
who's in the first seat
in the conference office,
00:25:04.03\00:25:08.94
who is in the union office,
00:25:08.97\00:25:11.97
who is in the division office,
00:25:12.01\00:25:14.91
or who is in the
general conference,
00:25:14.94\00:25:17.25
because my mind is
set on the immutable
00:25:17.28\00:25:20.02
Word of God which never changes.
00:25:20.05\00:25:22.28
And as long as God
is still on the throne,
00:25:22.32\00:25:25.52
I'm going to make it in.
00:25:25.55\00:25:28.32
But I want to
say something else.
00:25:28.36\00:25:31.49
When God puts a
man in leadership,
00:25:31.53\00:25:33.93
you ought to study the Bible,
00:25:33.96\00:25:35.66
you ought to study every attempt
00:25:35.70\00:25:37.17
that adverse powers
made to overthrow men
00:25:37.20\00:25:41.27
that God put in power,
00:25:41.30\00:25:42.70
God never put
men that are perfect
00:25:42.74\00:25:46.81
and beyond
reproach in seats of power.
00:25:46.84\00:25:51.28
But don't forget what
David said about Saul,
00:25:51.31\00:25:54.92
he said, "Touch
not, the Lord's anointed,
00:25:54.95\00:26:00.59
and do my prophet no harm."
00:26:00.62\00:26:02.42
If anybody had the
right to unseat Saul
00:26:02.46\00:26:05.66
and to take revenge
against Saul, David did.
00:26:05.69\00:26:08.36
I read a story.
00:26:08.40\00:26:09.73
My wife and I are
reading our Bibles together,
00:26:09.76\00:26:11.23
I read a story, as David came
to soothe Saul in his moments
00:26:11.27\00:26:16.24
of internal conflict,
and he was playing his harp,
00:26:16.27\00:26:21.68
Saul picked up a
spear and threw it at David
00:26:21.71\00:26:24.21
with the intent of
pinning him to the wall.
00:26:24.25\00:26:29.18
But for the grace of
God, servant of the Lord says,
00:26:29.22\00:26:31.45
an angel deflected that
spear so it did not hit David.
00:26:31.49\00:26:35.42
And David saw Saul sleeping,
he could have taken his life.
00:26:35.46\00:26:37.83
But what he did?
00:26:37.86\00:26:39.19
He took just a clip up his robe
00:26:39.23\00:26:40.56
to show him that I
cannot even touch you.
00:26:40.60\00:26:42.63
I may not agree with you,
00:26:42.66\00:26:44.73
but don't ever place
yourself in the position
00:26:44.77\00:26:49.30
where we believe that
it is our responsibility
00:26:49.34\00:26:53.58
to correct somebody
who only God can correct.
00:26:53.61\00:26:59.58
Because God remove any
adverse position out of the way,
00:26:59.61\00:27:02.05
God has taken leaders
down, God has removed men.
00:27:02.08\00:27:05.12
You look at Nehemiah,
00:27:05.15\00:27:06.49
all the adverse powers
that came up against Nehemiah
00:27:06.52\00:27:10.73
when his only desire
was to rebuild the walls
00:27:10.76\00:27:13.76
of Jerusalem.
00:27:13.80\00:27:17.93
And when they could not do it...
00:27:17.97\00:27:21.00
When they could not do
it, they made a statement,
00:27:21.04\00:27:23.44
they perceived after the
work was finished in 52 days,
00:27:23.47\00:27:26.61
they perceived that the
work have been done by God.
00:27:26.64\00:27:29.01
Let me make a
very important point.
00:27:29.04\00:27:30.38
The work is not
being finished by us,
00:27:30.41\00:27:33.42
it's being finished by God.
00:27:33.45\00:27:35.55
God will finish the work.
00:27:35.58\00:27:37.95
Those of us who exist
in this short span of life
00:27:37.99\00:27:41.26
described by James as a vapor,
we ought to handle this dash
00:27:41.29\00:27:46.56
between our birth date
00:27:46.59\00:27:47.93
and our death date with humility
00:27:47.96\00:27:50.17
and not with intent to do a work
00:27:50.20\00:27:51.80
that only God can do.
00:27:51.83\00:27:54.84
Savage wolves will come in,
from inside men will rise up
00:27:54.87\00:27:59.81
attempting to distort the truth.
00:27:59.84\00:28:01.51
I don't have any fear
today. Listen to this quotation.
00:28:01.54\00:28:04.75
And it's not on the screen,
00:28:04.78\00:28:06.11
but I'm going to go
ahead and read it to you.
00:28:06.15\00:28:07.58
In the devotional book,
"The Faith I Live By" page 282.
00:28:07.62\00:28:10.82
The servant of the Lord says,
"There is no need to doubt,
00:28:10.85\00:28:13.76
to be fearful that the
world will not succeed.
00:28:13.79\00:28:16.62
God is at the
head of the work..."
00:28:16.66\00:28:18.99
Presidents come and go,
00:28:22.43\00:28:24.67
but God is the same,
yesterday, today, and forever.
00:28:24.70\00:28:28.74
"And He will set
everything in order.
00:28:28.77\00:28:33.48
If matters need adjusting
at the head of the work,
00:28:33.51\00:28:36.75
God will attend to that."
00:28:36.78\00:28:39.68
Who will attend to that?
00:28:39.71\00:28:41.68
Not committees, not
men writing articles,
00:28:41.72\00:28:46.39
not people publishing material
00:28:46.42\00:28:49.19
that Satan can use
to split this church,
00:28:49.22\00:28:51.96
but God will do it.
00:28:51.99\00:28:53.33
God will attend to that,
and work to right every wrong.
00:28:56.36\00:29:01.00
Let us have faith that God
00:29:01.04\00:29:02.57
is going to carry the noble ship
00:29:02.60\00:29:04.84
which bears the people
of God safely into port.
00:29:04.87\00:29:08.71
Read about Adventist history.
00:29:08.74\00:29:10.48
You discover we had
earthquakes along the way,
00:29:10.51\00:29:12.81
we had our butlers,
00:29:12.85\00:29:14.68
we had all of the controversies
00:29:14.72\00:29:17.59
that are still
stirring up our church today.
00:29:17.62\00:29:20.76
But every
president that come and went,
00:29:20.79\00:29:23.43
every leader that came
and was replaced by another,
00:29:23.46\00:29:26.29
the one consistency
that God's Church has is God.
00:29:26.33\00:29:30.80
He's always there.
00:29:30.83\00:29:33.94
Amen, church. Amen.
00:29:33.97\00:29:36.77
What does the Bible mean
when it says perverse things,
00:29:36.81\00:29:39.67
headstrong,
stubborn, tenacious, willful?
00:29:39.71\00:29:42.64
Their intentions will
be to draw away disciples
00:29:42.68\00:29:45.08
after themselves.
00:29:45.11\00:29:46.48
But I want to make a
point as you go to John 10.
00:29:46.51\00:29:49.68
John 10:1-5.
00:29:49.72\00:29:51.05
Look at this, a very
powerful part of scripture.
00:29:51.09\00:29:53.82
John 10:1-5.
00:29:53.86\00:29:57.23
You see, Satan
knows who to target,
00:29:57.26\00:29:58.99
he does not come after everyone.
00:29:59.03\00:30:01.43
He sets a trap for those
who do not listen to the voice
00:30:01.46\00:30:03.80
of the shepherd.
00:30:03.83\00:30:05.80
Look at John Chapter
10, a very profound truth
00:30:05.83\00:30:07.97
that Jesus taught.
00:30:08.00\00:30:10.94
Beginning with verse 1,
the words of Jesus, He said,
00:30:10.97\00:30:14.54
"Most assuredly, I say to you,
00:30:14.58\00:30:17.45
he who does not enter
the sheepfold by the door,
00:30:17.48\00:30:20.62
but climbs up some other way,
00:30:20.65\00:30:22.95
the same is a
thief and a robber."
00:30:22.98\00:30:26.69
I've had to deal
with issues in my church.
00:30:26.72\00:30:29.69
And through the
years of pastoring,
00:30:29.72\00:30:31.06
31 years of pastoring,
and 35 years of marriage,
00:30:31.09\00:30:34.33
I've been in congregations
where people will come in.
00:30:34.36\00:30:37.00
They come in through the door,
00:30:37.03\00:30:38.43
they come in
through another way,
00:30:38.47\00:30:39.80
not through the door.
00:30:39.83\00:30:41.84
They come in
through the back door,
00:30:41.87\00:30:45.11
they climb up another way.
00:30:45.14\00:30:46.68
And the only way you
know that they are there
00:30:46.71\00:30:50.35
is you begin to
hear the rumblings
00:30:50.38\00:30:51.91
among your members of people
00:30:51.95\00:30:53.58
teaching things
that are perverse.
00:30:53.62\00:30:56.15
I've been in churches
where I've had to deal
00:30:56.18\00:30:57.52
with the Shepherd's
Rod, and the Brinsmead,
00:30:57.55\00:30:58.99
and the Fordyce,
and the Davidians
00:30:59.02\00:31:00.36
and the list goes on and on.
00:31:00.39\00:31:01.82
And if you think the past
hasn't taught us something
00:31:07.96\00:31:10.90
about the future, the
one thing it has taught me
00:31:10.93\00:31:12.87
is that the devil has
come down having great wrath
00:31:12.90\00:31:17.64
because he knows he
has but a short time.
00:31:17.67\00:31:21.28
Verse 2, the
Bible says, in John 10,
00:31:21.31\00:31:24.31
"But he who enters by the door
is the shepherd of the sheep.
00:31:24.35\00:31:28.05
To him the door keeper opens,
and the sheep hears His voice,
00:31:28.08\00:31:32.02
and he calls his own sheep
by name and leads them out.
00:31:32.05\00:31:38.03
And when he
brings out his own sheep,
00:31:38.06\00:31:40.20
he goes before them,
and the sheep follow him..."
00:31:40.23\00:31:43.83
And why do they follow
him? Look at the reason why.
00:31:43.87\00:31:46.20
"For they know His voice."
00:31:46.23\00:31:49.24
Knowing God through His
truth, they know His voice.
00:31:49.27\00:31:54.34
I'm going to
reiterate what I said
00:31:54.38\00:31:55.74
to lead into this text.
00:31:55.78\00:31:57.15
The devil doesn't come
00:31:57.18\00:31:58.51
after those that
study God's Word,
00:31:58.55\00:32:00.38
he can't.
00:32:00.42\00:32:02.35
He can't.
00:32:02.38\00:32:04.85
It's impossible for a
person that is established
00:32:04.89\00:32:08.72
on the unchanging Word of God,
00:32:08.76\00:32:10.63
it is impossible
for them to be shaken.
00:32:10.66\00:32:14.33
That's why the Bible says,
00:32:14.36\00:32:15.70
"If it were possible,
00:32:15.73\00:32:17.07
he shall
deceive the very elect."
00:32:17.10\00:32:18.53
What makes the elect elect?
00:32:18.57\00:32:20.84
Because they study God's Word,
00:32:20.87\00:32:23.91
and their faith is
established on God's Word.
00:32:23.94\00:32:26.88
"Faith comes by hearing,
hearing by the Word of God."
00:32:26.91\00:32:30.15
Romans 10:17.
00:32:30.18\00:32:31.91
When you spend time
studying God's Word,
00:32:31.95\00:32:33.82
I worked in a Bank of America,
00:32:33.85\00:32:35.72
Downtown Manhattan
in the Wall Street area.
00:32:35.75\00:32:38.89
And when I got the job
there, they told us, they said,
00:32:38.92\00:32:41.42
"We want you to
study the real money.
00:32:41.46\00:32:44.13
Look at the real currency."
00:32:44.16\00:32:46.43
If you study real currency,
00:32:46.46\00:32:49.33
you can spot the fake
the moment it shows up.
00:32:49.36\00:32:53.10
The problem with us
00:32:53.13\00:32:55.24
is we spend time
studying fake currency.
00:32:55.27\00:32:59.47
Let me make it even clear.
00:32:59.51\00:33:00.84
We spend time studying
books that people write
00:33:00.88\00:33:04.58
to try to gain
access to our minds.
00:33:04.61\00:33:06.92
The reason I don't
waste time with that
00:33:06.95\00:33:08.48
'cause I study
the real currency.
00:33:08.52\00:33:09.85
Come on, somebody say amen.
00:33:09.88\00:33:11.75
When you study
the real currency,
00:33:11.79\00:33:13.15
you can smell a
counterfeit message
00:33:13.19\00:33:15.92
a mile away.
00:33:15.96\00:33:19.53
And so people come
in subtlety, they say,
00:33:19.56\00:33:21.10
"Well, if you would
just simply study this,
00:33:21.13\00:33:23.03
maybe you'll see the
truth that I have seen."
00:33:23.06\00:33:25.13
Well, in just a
moment, I'll tell you
00:33:25.17\00:33:26.63
why error is never harmless.
00:33:26.67\00:33:29.97
And verse 5 ends by
saying, and I love this passage.
00:33:30.01\00:33:33.41
John 10:5,
00:33:33.44\00:33:35.58
when all the
adverse voices come,
00:33:35.61\00:33:37.35
the Bible says,
00:33:37.38\00:33:38.71
"Yet they will by no
means follow a stranger,
00:33:38.75\00:33:42.88
but will flee from him,
00:33:42.92\00:33:44.55
for they do not know
the voice of strangers."
00:33:44.59\00:33:47.26
When you study God's
Word, you know the voice of God.
00:33:47.29\00:33:49.42
Amen somebody.
00:33:49.46\00:33:50.79
You can tell if
somebody says, like,
00:33:50.83\00:33:52.46
I remember reading years ago
00:33:52.49\00:33:54.06
Jehovah's Witness
material and they quoted,
00:33:54.10\00:33:56.33
they tried to
give it to the Sabbath.
00:33:56.36\00:33:57.77
They said, they
quoted the passage
00:33:57.80\00:34:00.40
in Ephesians 2 and it says
00:34:00.44\00:34:04.07
that the Lord did
away with the commandments
00:34:04.11\00:34:08.28
and they quoted
that part of the passage.
00:34:08.31\00:34:10.61
You know, doing away
with the commandments,
00:34:10.65\00:34:13.62
but they deleted
contained in ordinances.
00:34:13.65\00:34:17.69
And so when one of the Jehovah's
00:34:17.72\00:34:19.49
Witnesses gave me that material,
00:34:19.52\00:34:21.02
I said to them, "What happened
to the rest of the passage?"
00:34:21.06\00:34:24.86
He said, "The
rest of the passage..."
00:34:24.89\00:34:26.23
I said, "The rest
of the passage..."
00:34:26.26\00:34:27.60
There are three words
missing contained in ordinances,
00:34:27.63\00:34:32.07
which completely changes
what God said in His Word.
00:34:32.10\00:34:37.44
It's happening in our church.
00:34:37.47\00:34:39.24
People are taking
bits of Ellen White quotes
00:34:39.27\00:34:41.14
here and there.
00:34:41.18\00:34:42.84
I had a very good friend
that was a Shepherd's Rod.
00:34:42.88\00:34:45.55
He tried his best to
gain access to my mind,
00:34:45.58\00:34:47.38
and for time I studied
with him when I was a young man
00:34:47.42\00:34:49.95
before I became
an Adventist pastor.
00:34:49.98\00:34:53.69
And the one thing it
did for me was I went back
00:34:53.72\00:34:56.22
and studied through the...
00:34:56.26\00:34:58.26
I studied the whole picture.
00:34:58.29\00:35:00.23
I didn't just take a
piece here and a piece there.
00:35:00.26\00:35:02.86
I study what Ellen White said
00:35:02.90\00:35:04.23
before three pages
and three pages after
00:35:04.27\00:35:08.20
what they showed me.
00:35:08.24\00:35:10.31
And I came to discover
00:35:10.34\00:35:13.17
that Satan is more clever
00:35:13.21\00:35:14.54
than we even
give him credit to be.
00:35:14.58\00:35:19.18
But when we don't study,
00:35:19.21\00:35:21.38
our minds are open to
deception very easily.
00:35:21.42\00:35:25.35
My brother and my
sister, the time has come
00:35:25.39\00:35:28.89
that the Apostle
Paul said would come
00:35:28.92\00:35:31.93
and we must be a
people of the Word.
00:35:31.96\00:35:33.46
Can you say amen?
00:35:33.50\00:35:35.06
2 Thessalonians 2:10-12,
notice what we are told.
00:35:35.10\00:35:39.90
2 Thessalonians 2:10-12,
00:35:39.93\00:35:43.41
what kind of attitude...
00:35:43.44\00:35:46.04
We are told,
00:35:46.07\00:35:47.41
the Apostle Paul
speaking of the deception
00:35:47.44\00:35:49.08
of the last days, he says,
00:35:49.11\00:35:50.75
"And with all
unrighteous deception
00:35:50.78\00:35:53.31
among those who perish,
00:35:53.35\00:35:56.02
because they did not receive
the love of the truth..."
00:35:56.05\00:36:00.79
Notice, it didn't say the truth,
00:36:00.82\00:36:02.16
it said, "The love of the truth,
00:36:02.19\00:36:06.63
that they might be saved.
00:36:06.66\00:36:08.43
For this reason
00:36:08.46\00:36:10.10
God will send
them strong delusions,
00:36:10.13\00:36:12.20
that they
should believe the lie,
00:36:12.23\00:36:15.54
that they all may be condemned
who did not believe the truth
00:36:15.57\00:36:20.24
but had pleasure
in unrighteousness."
00:36:20.28\00:36:22.71
My brothers and sisters,
error is never harmless.
00:36:22.74\00:36:26.41
This is the words of Ellen White
00:36:26.45\00:36:28.68
in Testimony Treasures.
00:36:28.72\00:36:30.05
Listen to what she said.
00:36:30.09\00:36:32.82
"Error is never harmless."
00:36:32.85\00:36:36.79
I'll move aside
so you can see it.
00:36:36.83\00:36:39.06
"Error is never harmless.
00:36:39.09\00:36:41.40
It never sanctifies,
but always brings," what?
00:36:41.43\00:36:46.23
"Confusion and dissension."
00:36:46.27\00:36:48.84
One of the earmarks of
error, confusion and dissension.
00:36:48.87\00:36:53.17
"It's always dangerous.
00:36:53.21\00:36:56.58
The enemy has
great power over minds
00:36:56.61\00:36:58.91
that are not
thoroughly fortified by prayer
00:36:58.95\00:37:03.08
and established in Bible truth."
00:37:03.12\00:37:06.72
That's why I
guard the new people
00:37:06.76\00:37:08.29
that come to my church.
00:37:08.32\00:37:09.66
Anytime new people
walk into my church,
00:37:09.69\00:37:11.39
I can always see
those adverse influences
00:37:11.43\00:37:14.03
trying to find
out where they sit
00:37:14.06\00:37:15.40
for fellowship lunch,
00:37:15.43\00:37:17.17
and I can always see
them waiting for them
00:37:17.20\00:37:18.93
when they're
walking out the church,
00:37:18.97\00:37:20.30
they stand by the
front door and they say,
00:37:20.34\00:37:21.74
we want to give
you something to read,
00:37:21.77\00:37:23.57
and I have my elders say,
00:37:23.61\00:37:24.94
"Go get what
they gave that person,
00:37:24.97\00:37:26.47
we must guard the
flock that is among us."
00:37:26.51\00:37:28.88
Come on, pastor, say amen.
00:37:28.91\00:37:30.38
Got to guard the flock.
00:37:30.41\00:37:32.11
And somebody said to me,
00:37:32.15\00:37:33.48
"Pastor, but you
don't want to offend them?"
00:37:33.52\00:37:34.85
Yes, I do.
00:37:34.88\00:37:38.69
Of course, I want to
offend. I'm from New York.
00:37:38.72\00:37:40.29
I offend everybody.
00:37:40.32\00:37:43.63
Not really.
00:37:43.66\00:37:45.53
But if telling
the truth offends you,
00:37:45.56\00:37:48.16
the problem is not me, it's you
00:37:48.20\00:37:50.67
because my good brother
who's now resting in Jesus,
00:37:50.70\00:37:53.10
Elder Brooks said,
Elder C.D. Brooks said,
00:37:53.13\00:37:55.77
"Sometimes we preach a
message and one person likes it,
00:37:55.80\00:37:58.41
the other person
has an issue with it."
00:37:58.44\00:37:59.77
He said, "Sun melts
butter, but it hardens clay."
00:37:59.81\00:38:05.58
The issue is not the sun,
00:38:05.61\00:38:06.95
it's the
condition of your heart.
00:38:06.98\00:38:09.15
But error is never harmless.
00:38:09.18\00:38:11.25
And Satan comes to those
00:38:11.29\00:38:12.62
whose minds are easily engaged
through the same subtle methods
00:38:12.65\00:38:16.99
he used to engage Eve.
00:38:17.03\00:38:20.00
The deception of Eve started
with a simple conversation.
00:38:20.03\00:38:23.16
Let's talk about what God said.
00:38:23.20\00:38:26.63
Have you forgotten David Koresh.
00:38:26.67\00:38:29.27
He was a young man
that gave Bible studies
00:38:29.30\00:38:31.67
about 15 miles away
from where my church was.
00:38:31.71\00:38:34.31
Sabbath afternoon, he began,
had Bible studies with people,
00:38:34.34\00:38:37.21
young people that
wanted to have Bible studies.
00:38:37.25\00:38:39.61
People like Bible studies,
so he had Bible studies.
00:38:39.65\00:38:43.92
You know the rest of the story.
00:38:43.95\00:38:46.39
Burned down in Waco, Texas.
00:38:46.42\00:38:50.76
But it all began
00:38:50.79\00:38:52.13
with the same subtle invitation.
00:38:52.16\00:38:53.50
Let's talk about God's Word.
00:38:53.53\00:38:54.86
You want to talk
about God's Word,
00:38:54.90\00:38:56.23
go to your
pastor. Come on, somebody.
00:38:56.26\00:39:00.00
No amens on that one.
00:39:00.04\00:39:02.67
That's okay.
00:39:02.70\00:39:04.04
I'm working
hard for you, Pastor.
00:39:04.07\00:39:06.98
Our churches
ought to be the place
00:39:07.01\00:39:08.44
where the truth of
God can be communicated
00:39:08.48\00:39:10.81
without fear of distortion.
00:39:10.85\00:39:12.45
And my aim is to make sure
that my leaders don't teach
00:39:16.05\00:39:18.75
what another
leader is not teaching.
00:39:18.79\00:39:21.99
When I have
people among our church,
00:39:22.02\00:39:23.59
whether in
leadership or otherwise
00:39:23.63\00:39:25.76
that become confused
about what they believe,
00:39:25.79\00:39:28.36
I would personally sit
them down and iron it out
00:39:28.40\00:39:31.73
because we must
maintain unity at all costs,
00:39:31.77\00:39:37.31
and unity is
never to be sacrificed
00:39:37.34\00:39:41.71
on the platform of something
that's called a new light.
00:39:41.74\00:39:46.82
Look at Testimony
Treasures, volume 2, page 104,
00:39:46.85\00:39:51.25
the devil introduced a lie
to Eve and she fell for it,
00:39:51.29\00:39:53.49
but he hasn't stopped.
00:39:53.52\00:39:54.86
Notice what
happens. Notice what happens.
00:39:54.89\00:39:58.93
"One accepts some
new and original idea
00:39:58.96\00:40:01.13
which does not seem to
conflict with the truth."
00:40:01.16\00:40:03.87
That's how it always begins.
It doesn't seem to conflict.
00:40:03.90\00:40:06.60
"He talks of it
and dwells upon it
00:40:06.63\00:40:10.17
until it seems to him
00:40:10.21\00:40:12.17
to be clothed with
beauty and importance,
00:40:12.21\00:40:16.24
for Satan has power to
give this false appearance."
00:40:16.28\00:40:21.28
It goes on to say,
00:40:21.32\00:40:23.49
"At last, it becomes
the all-absorbing theme,
00:40:23.52\00:40:28.22
the one great point
00:40:28.26\00:40:30.23
around which everything centers,
00:40:30.26\00:40:33.19
and the truth is
uprooted from the heart."
00:40:33.23\00:40:36.43
That's what's
happening to this whole idea
00:40:36.46\00:40:37.80
about the Holy Spirit
not being the Holy Spirit,
00:40:37.83\00:40:39.93
and Jesus being a lesser God
created somewhere in eons past.
00:40:39.97\00:40:43.17
You could believe that
foolishness if you'd like.
00:40:43.20\00:40:46.37
But I'm not going to put myself
00:40:46.41\00:40:47.84
the salvation on line offending
the work of God's Holy Spirit.
00:40:47.88\00:40:51.41
No, not me.
00:40:51.45\00:40:54.32
Grieve not the Holy Spirit
00:40:54.35\00:40:58.69
whereby you are sealed
until the day of redemption.
00:40:58.72\00:41:03.93
How could he not be divine?
00:41:03.96\00:41:06.90
How can he not
be the third person
00:41:06.93\00:41:08.46
of the Godhead?
00:41:08.50\00:41:09.83
Peter made it very
clear to Ananias and Sapphira.
00:41:09.86\00:41:11.87
When they came
to Peter and lied,
00:41:11.90\00:41:13.74
Peter said to
Ananias and Sapphira,
00:41:13.77\00:41:15.74
how has Satan filled thine heart
00:41:15.77\00:41:17.57
to lie to the Holy Spirit?
00:41:17.61\00:41:19.37
You have not lied
to man, but to God.
00:41:19.41\00:41:23.08
Nowadays, all of a sudden,
00:41:23.11\00:41:26.61
the Holy Spirit
whom Jesus has sent
00:41:26.65\00:41:29.62
to finish the work
00:41:29.65\00:41:32.92
is all of a sudden,
not really the Holy Spirit,
00:41:32.95\00:41:36.73
but some force
that's just floating around
00:41:36.76\00:41:39.56
amongst our
leadership and our church.
00:41:39.59\00:41:41.50
My brother,
00:41:41.53\00:41:42.86
the devil has come
down having great wrath
00:41:42.90\00:41:44.40
because he knows
he has a short time.
00:41:44.43\00:41:47.57
And I had seven quick keys
00:41:47.60\00:41:49.20
and I'm going
to hit very quickly
00:41:49.24\00:41:50.57
before I end the sermon.
00:41:50.61\00:41:51.94
But one of those is...
00:41:51.97\00:41:53.31
One of the earmarks of apostasy
00:41:53.34\00:41:54.68
is it creates
rebellion and attacks the unity.
00:41:54.71\00:41:58.41
Did you hear that?
00:41:58.45\00:41:59.78
It creates
rebellion and attacks unity.
00:41:59.81\00:42:02.25
That's why I
like what Jesus said
00:42:02.28\00:42:03.62
in John and Matthew 16:18.
00:42:03.65\00:42:05.79
He says, "Upon this
rock I build my church
00:42:05.82\00:42:08.02
and the gates of hell
will not prevail against it."
00:42:08.06\00:42:10.93
The church is not
built on our institutions,
00:42:10.96\00:42:13.70
the church is not
built on our administration,
00:42:13.73\00:42:16.43
the church is built
on the rock Christ Jesus.
00:42:16.46\00:42:18.93
Amen.
00:42:18.97\00:42:20.30
And I've learned if
I hang on long enough,
00:42:23.67\00:42:25.21
the storm will pass over.
00:42:25.24\00:42:27.74
If I stay in
the boat with Jesus,
00:42:27.78\00:42:29.34
He'll calm the waves.
00:42:29.38\00:42:31.48
If I stay in
the ship with Jesus,
00:42:31.51\00:42:34.08
He'll say to
the waves chill out,
00:42:34.12\00:42:37.85
and to the wind, shut up.
00:42:37.89\00:42:40.39
And we'll make
it safely into port.
00:42:40.42\00:42:43.43
So I'm not getting
blown away by one theory here,
00:42:43.46\00:42:46.13
I have people come
to me ever so sincerely.
00:42:46.16\00:42:48.63
They say, "Pastor
John, have you studied this?"
00:42:48.66\00:42:51.00
I say, "Young
man, how old are you?"
00:42:51.03\00:42:54.30
I'm 60. That's right.
00:42:54.34\00:42:56.10
I'm a good
looking 60 by the way.
00:42:56.14\00:42:59.77
I must say that since I
know you're thinking that.
00:42:59.81\00:43:01.74
But I've been
around long enough.
00:43:05.41\00:43:07.55
My wife and I've
covered 60 different countries,
00:43:07.58\00:43:10.69
well, maybe 62 or
whatever the case may be.
00:43:10.72\00:43:12.45
We've been in various fields.
00:43:12.49\00:43:16.86
We've seen God's Word suffering
00:43:16.89\00:43:18.63
because they don't
understand how Satan works.
00:43:18.66\00:43:23.13
And people always
having some new method
00:43:23.16\00:43:25.87
to draw them away.
00:43:25.90\00:43:27.70
They create rebellion.
00:43:27.74\00:43:31.74
But as the Lord made
it very clear to Saul,
00:43:31.77\00:43:35.41
rebellion is as
the sin of witchcraft
00:43:35.44\00:43:38.15
and stubbornness is
as iniquity and idolatry.
00:43:38.18\00:43:42.48
Don't join any movement
00:43:42.52\00:43:44.19
that determines
to be rebellious.
00:43:44.22\00:43:49.46
When you find
yourself in the camp
00:43:49.49\00:43:51.86
that wants to
overthrow leadership,
00:43:51.89\00:43:55.10
you better watch out.
00:43:55.13\00:43:56.60
And when the church
becomes more absorbed
00:44:02.17\00:44:03.74
in women's
ordination than evangelism,
00:44:03.77\00:44:05.74
something's wrong.
00:44:05.77\00:44:07.11
I'm leaving next week,
00:44:10.61\00:44:11.95
so I got to tell you like it is.
00:44:11.98\00:44:13.31
The amounts of
millions of dollars spent
00:44:17.89\00:44:20.12
trying to figure
out whether or not
00:44:20.16\00:44:21.49
a woman should be ordained.
00:44:21.52\00:44:22.86
Does ordination,
00:44:26.29\00:44:29.13
all of a sudden, give
you the right to speak?
00:44:29.16\00:44:34.44
I didn't think so,
00:44:34.47\00:44:35.80
but maybe somebody
had a different answer.
00:44:35.84\00:44:38.97
I don't disrespect gender.
00:44:39.01\00:44:41.41
I believe everybody is gifted
00:44:41.44\00:44:43.48
and God has
called every one of us
00:44:43.51\00:44:44.98
to proclaim this message.
00:44:45.01\00:44:46.35
Come on, say amen somebody.
00:44:46.38\00:44:48.02
But I'm not spending my life
00:44:48.05\00:44:49.38
trying to figure
out whether or not
00:44:49.42\00:44:52.05
when the voice of
the church is expressed
00:44:52.09\00:44:54.26
in general conference session,
00:44:54.29\00:44:55.99
and we determined to go
in a different direction,
00:44:56.02\00:44:58.76
we are standing
on unsafe ground.
00:44:58.79\00:45:01.93
Maranatha, page 60,
look at this quotation.
00:45:07.37\00:45:10.81
Don't understand how
Satan is working in secret.
00:45:10.84\00:45:13.78
Once again listen to this.
00:45:13.81\00:45:17.75
You can't see him
coming? Here is why.
00:45:17.78\00:45:19.61
"Therefore
Satan's step is noiseless,
00:45:19.65\00:45:23.28
his movements are," what?
00:45:23.32\00:45:25.09
"Stealthy, and
his batteries masked.
00:45:25.12\00:45:29.06
He does not venture
to show himself openly,
00:45:29.09\00:45:33.09
lest he arouse the
Christian's dormant energies
00:45:33.13\00:45:37.53
and send him to God in prayer."
00:45:37.57\00:45:39.90
He doesn't say I'm on
my way, he just shows up.
00:45:39.93\00:45:43.97
He shows up through issues,
he shows up in newsletters,
00:45:44.01\00:45:48.28
he shows up in
magazine articles,
00:45:48.31\00:45:50.58
and unless we are sanctified
by the truth of God's Word,
00:45:50.61\00:45:53.48
unless we are not
distracted by side issues.
00:45:53.52\00:45:58.19
There are enough side issues
00:45:58.22\00:46:00.19
to build all the
denominations you want to build,
00:46:00.22\00:46:03.69
but I'm keeping my eye fixed
00:46:03.73\00:46:05.26
because the Bible says the road
00:46:05.29\00:46:06.63
that leads to
eternal life is a narrow path
00:46:06.66\00:46:09.20
and few there be that find it.
00:46:09.23\00:46:11.50
I'm staying on the narrow path.
00:46:11.53\00:46:12.87
Come on, somebody
else, can you say amen?
00:46:12.90\00:46:15.14
Be sober, be vigilant because
your adversary, the devil,
00:46:15.17\00:46:18.41
walks about like a roaring
lion seeking whom he may devour.
00:46:18.44\00:46:22.64
Satan is not
interested in a church
00:46:22.68\00:46:25.15
that doesn't keep
God's commandments.
00:46:25.18\00:46:28.48
And whether you know it or not,
00:46:28.52\00:46:30.79
like I said to a
Congressman on Capitol Hill,
00:46:30.82\00:46:32.92
I was invited to Washington DC
00:46:32.95\00:46:34.66
when Pope Francis was
invited to speak to Congress.
00:46:34.69\00:46:37.79
And a Baptist Senator
invited me into his chambers
00:46:37.83\00:46:40.63
with his entire staff.
00:46:40.66\00:46:43.13
And he said to me,
00:46:43.16\00:46:44.50
I don't support
Roman Catholicism,
00:46:44.53\00:46:46.80
I'm a Baptist.
00:46:46.84\00:46:48.17
He said, "But
why don't you tell me
00:46:48.20\00:46:49.54
what you think is
happening here today."
00:46:49.57\00:46:54.48
That's like
telling the dog to succumb.
00:46:54.51\00:46:57.85
I began in Daniel
2, went to Daniel 7,
00:46:57.88\00:47:02.35
then Revelation
13, then Revelation 14,
00:47:02.38\00:47:07.09
Revelation 17, Revelation 18,
00:47:07.12\00:47:10.29
I had the ear of a US
Senator for 47 minutes
00:47:10.33\00:47:15.13
and his entire
staff, you know why?
00:47:15.16\00:47:18.17
Because I believe
what the Apostle Paul says,
00:47:18.20\00:47:20.27
"One plants,
00:47:20.30\00:47:22.80
another waters,
00:47:22.84\00:47:24.61
but God gives the increase."
00:47:24.64\00:47:28.14
But I also remember
something very clearly.
00:47:28.18\00:47:29.81
And I said to him, my brother...
00:47:29.84\00:47:32.11
Dear, Congressman,
00:47:32.15\00:47:34.25
America is the only nation
00:47:34.28\00:47:41.06
that Rome is interested in
00:47:41.09\00:47:44.93
because it was established
00:47:44.96\00:47:48.56
to guarantee religious freedom.
00:47:48.60\00:47:52.63
It's the final battalion,
00:47:52.67\00:47:54.54
the final gauge
00:47:54.57\00:47:56.54
against Rome's
universal dominance.
00:47:56.57\00:48:00.11
That's why they're
interested in America.
00:48:00.14\00:48:03.08
Now let me segue on my point.
00:48:03.11\00:48:05.11
The Seventh-day Adventist Church
00:48:05.15\00:48:07.45
has been established
as a fortress of truth.
00:48:07.48\00:48:12.19
And the Bible says,
00:48:12.22\00:48:13.66
and the dragon is
angry with the woman,
00:48:13.69\00:48:16.79
and went to make war
with the remnant of her seed,
00:48:16.83\00:48:19.69
which keep the
commandments of God
00:48:19.73\00:48:22.16
and have the
testimony of Jesus Christ.
00:48:22.20\00:48:23.87
That's why all the
major controversies
00:48:23.90\00:48:25.93
are aimed at the
Seventh-day Adventist Church.
00:48:25.97\00:48:28.57
You got the
Brinsmead, the Shepherd's Rod,
00:48:28.60\00:48:30.74
the Davidians, the
Fordyce, the Feast people.
00:48:30.77\00:48:33.88
I got to take a breath.
00:48:39.81\00:48:43.95
And the new ones
00:48:43.99\00:48:45.32
that kind of like a
hurricane from the down under,
00:48:45.35\00:48:49.16
just finds its way in America.
00:48:49.19\00:48:51.13
I had to cut people
off on my Facebook page.
00:48:51.16\00:48:54.13
I'm not a Facebook junkie.
00:48:54.16\00:48:58.03
Amen somebody.
00:48:58.07\00:49:00.04
But I had
Australians argue with me
00:49:00.07\00:49:02.10
about the nature of Jesus.
00:49:02.14\00:49:04.14
And I said to them,
00:49:04.17\00:49:05.51
being on my page is a privilege,
00:49:05.54\00:49:06.88
not a right, click.
00:49:06.91\00:49:08.24
I'm not giving
them room on my wall
00:49:11.58\00:49:13.95
to spread their cancerous lies.
00:49:13.98\00:49:16.08
And there are
people that are suggesting
00:49:21.92\00:49:23.59
that doctrines
are more controversial
00:49:23.63\00:49:26.19
than unity.
00:49:26.23\00:49:27.56
There're even some churches
00:49:27.60\00:49:28.93
that claim not to
teach doctrine at all.
00:49:28.96\00:49:30.93
But I'm going to
give you a few more points
00:49:30.97\00:49:32.30
before I close
because the clock just
00:49:32.33\00:49:33.90
is refusing to stop.
00:49:33.94\00:49:36.54
Go to 1 Samuel 17 with me.
00:49:36.57\00:49:39.04
Look, I had a
couple of passages.
00:49:39.07\00:49:42.08
1 Samuel 17,
00:49:42.11\00:49:44.78
how should we deal with issues
00:49:44.81\00:49:48.62
that have not been tested
00:49:48.65\00:49:51.52
by God's Word?
00:49:51.55\00:49:53.49
1 Samuel 17:38,
00:49:53.52\00:49:57.03
notice what happened.
00:49:57.06\00:49:58.39
"So Saul clothed
David with his armor..."
00:50:02.93\00:50:07.04
Let me make a point.
00:50:07.07\00:50:08.40
Watch out
00:50:08.44\00:50:09.77
when people want to
give you their armor.
00:50:09.80\00:50:13.01
Did you get that?
00:50:13.04\00:50:15.14
Your armor ain't my armor.
00:50:15.18\00:50:19.35
And he put a
bronze helmet on his head.
00:50:19.38\00:50:22.12
People are trying
to get to your head.
00:50:26.05\00:50:29.36
So he clothed him
with a coat of mail,
00:50:29.39\00:50:32.53
weighed him down,
little guy, little kid.
00:50:32.56\00:50:37.03
David fastened
his sword to his armor
00:50:37.07\00:50:40.24
and tried to walk
powerful, powerful analogy.
00:50:40.27\00:50:45.14
Giving, taking
things from people
00:50:45.17\00:50:47.68
that challenge your walk.
00:50:47.71\00:50:51.81
Why did he have a
hard time walking,
00:50:51.85\00:50:53.52
for he had not tested them?
00:50:53.55\00:50:56.85
And David said to Saul,
I cannot walk with these,
00:50:56.89\00:51:00.16
for I have not tested
them, so David took them off.
00:51:00.19\00:51:04.86
Ooh!
00:51:04.89\00:51:07.40
On Monday morning,
you're going to wake up and say,
00:51:07.43\00:51:09.16
"Hallelujah, it's
going to sink in."
00:51:09.20\00:51:14.27
Don't let people put on you
00:51:14.30\00:51:18.14
what the devil has put on them.
00:51:18.17\00:51:19.77
Don't let them cover your head
00:51:27.32\00:51:30.65
with what's
messing up their head.
00:51:30.69\00:51:32.79
And if they have
been wearing an armor
00:51:37.99\00:51:39.39
that can't
straighten out their walk,
00:51:39.43\00:51:42.26
their armor is not going
to straighten out your walk.
00:51:42.30\00:51:44.37
Do you know who Saul was?
00:51:48.14\00:51:51.17
Saul ended up
at a witch's table,
00:51:51.21\00:51:54.18
eating lunch with a witch,
00:51:54.21\00:51:56.44
claiming divine protection
00:51:56.48\00:52:00.02
until God spoke the
words of final judgment
00:52:00.05\00:52:03.72
to that king and apostasy.
00:52:03.75\00:52:09.42
If it has not been
tested by the Word of God,
00:52:09.46\00:52:12.23
take it off.
00:52:12.26\00:52:13.60
Matter of fact,
don't even put it on.
00:52:13.63\00:52:17.30
The Apostle Paul
says, "Prove all things,
00:52:17.33\00:52:20.84
hold fast that which is good."
00:52:20.87\00:52:23.14
1 Thessalonians 5:21.
00:52:23.17\00:52:26.34
When we preach the Word,
00:52:26.37\00:52:27.71
we don't need immediate evidence
00:52:27.74\00:52:29.08
that the Word of God is
going to make a difference
00:52:29.11\00:52:30.45
because the Lord
says in Isaiah 55:11,
00:52:30.48\00:52:32.51
"My word shall not
return to me void."
00:52:32.55\00:52:36.22
I don't even rush
people into baptism.
00:52:36.25\00:52:38.89
I'm not after numbers
00:52:38.92\00:52:40.62
'cause I believe
that premature birth
00:52:40.66\00:52:42.09
leads to premature death.
00:52:42.12\00:52:44.99
I'm not into numbers.
00:52:45.03\00:52:46.49
If you cannot
believe this message,
00:52:46.53\00:52:47.93
you don't need to be
a part of this church
00:52:47.96\00:52:52.77
'cause this is not my church.
00:52:52.80\00:52:54.24
Somebody once said,
00:52:54.27\00:52:55.60
"Is this what
you require of me?"
00:52:55.64\00:52:56.97
I said, "No, that's
what God requires of us."
00:52:57.01\00:52:59.61
So let's talk about
00:53:04.65\00:53:05.98
the most
powerful weapon on earth,
00:53:06.01\00:53:09.12
the Word of God.
00:53:09.15\00:53:11.45
It can outlast any onslaught
and transform any life.
00:53:11.49\00:53:16.02
It can humble the
exalted and educate the simple,
00:53:16.06\00:53:18.59
the Word of God.
00:53:18.63\00:53:20.20
It is a light in darkness
and a pathway to the lost
00:53:20.23\00:53:23.03
to the Word of God.
00:53:23.06\00:53:24.77
It can encourage the
weak and comfort the weary.
00:53:24.80\00:53:27.57
If you are
hungry, it will feed you.
00:53:27.60\00:53:29.54
If you are thirsty,
God's Word will soothe you.
00:53:29.57\00:53:32.51
I speak of nothing
other than the Holy Bible,
00:53:32.54\00:53:34.54
the book of truth.
00:53:34.58\00:53:36.24
This book reveals the
mind of God, the state of man,
00:53:36.28\00:53:39.01
the way of
salvation, the doom of sinners,
00:53:39.05\00:53:40.92
and the happiness of believers.
00:53:40.95\00:53:42.88
Its precepts are
binding, its history is true,
00:53:42.92\00:53:46.39
and its decisions are immutable.
00:53:46.42\00:53:48.99
Read it to be wise,
00:53:49.02\00:53:50.63
believe it to be saved,
and practice it to be holy.
00:53:50.66\00:53:54.63
It contains the
light to direct you,
00:53:54.66\00:53:56.23
food to support you,
and comfort to cheer you.
00:53:56.26\00:53:58.90
It is a traveler's map,
the Christian's charter,
00:53:58.93\00:54:01.64
it cannot lie,
but it can detect one.
00:54:01.67\00:54:04.27
It has no pulse
and yet it lives.
00:54:04.31\00:54:06.54
In it, paradise is restored,
00:54:06.57\00:54:08.68
heaven opened and the
gates of hell are closed.
00:54:08.71\00:54:10.75
Can you say amen?
00:54:10.78\00:54:12.31
Christ is the grand
theme are good is its design
00:54:12.35\00:54:16.52
and the glory of God its end.
00:54:16.55\00:54:18.89
Read it slowly,
frequently, and prayerfully.
00:54:18.92\00:54:22.32
It is a mind of
wealth, a paradise of glory,
00:54:22.36\00:54:24.73
a river of pleasure.
00:54:24.76\00:54:26.66
It will reward
the greatest labor
00:54:26.70\00:54:28.30
and condemn all who
trifle with its sacred contents.
00:54:28.33\00:54:31.57
Paul turned the
world upside down with it.
00:54:31.60\00:54:34.50
Elijah called
down fire through it,
00:54:34.54\00:54:37.01
and God created the world by it.
00:54:37.04\00:54:39.21
It can't be stopped,
prevented, denied, destroyed,
00:54:39.24\00:54:42.34
it will outlive any
novel and outlast any show.
00:54:42.38\00:54:45.15
It is divine, dynamic,
didactic, and delightful
00:54:45.18\00:54:49.75
at the same time.
00:54:49.78\00:54:51.59
It is a conundrum to the proud
and a solution to the humble.
00:54:51.62\00:54:54.89
It can open and close
your eyes at the same time.
00:54:54.92\00:54:57.19
It can confuse the scoffer
and enlightened the seeker.
00:54:57.23\00:55:00.43
The book, the book of
books, the book of life,
00:55:00.46\00:55:03.03
the book of God, the Bible,
the revelation of God to man,
00:55:03.06\00:55:06.00
and it comes with a warning.
00:55:06.03\00:55:08.80
This book will keep you from sin
00:55:08.84\00:55:10.87
or sin will keep
you from this book.
00:55:10.91\00:55:13.48
Reading it and
confessing this book
00:55:13.51\00:55:15.18
will terrify the devil,
00:55:15.21\00:55:16.88
stupefy the
rebellious, mystify the world,
00:55:16.91\00:55:19.95
pacify the critics,
ratify the covenant,
00:55:19.98\00:55:22.68
edify the
church, magnify the Word,
00:55:22.72\00:55:25.09
and glorify the Lord.
00:55:25.12\00:55:27.29
And it is still the number one
bestselling book in the world.
00:55:27.32\00:55:29.56
Can you say amen?
00:55:29.59\00:55:30.93
So I tell you as I close,
00:55:30.96\00:55:32.39
they didn't give me enough time,
00:55:32.43\00:55:33.76
but I'm going to tell you this.
00:55:33.80\00:55:35.13
Wherever I go, I
carry my Bible with me.
00:55:35.16\00:55:36.97
I carry my God with me,
00:55:37.00\00:55:38.73
I carry the
truth of God with me,
00:55:38.77\00:55:40.34
I carry my wife with me.
00:55:40.37\00:55:41.97
We got plans on
spending eternity together,
00:55:42.00\00:55:47.08
knowing God through the truth,
00:55:47.11\00:55:49.08
knowing God through His Word.
00:55:49.11\00:55:51.08
We've travelled
together my Bible and I
00:55:51.11\00:55:53.72
through all kinds of weather
00:55:53.75\00:55:56.05
with smile or with sigh!
00:55:56.08\00:55:57.92
In sorrow or
sunshine in tempest or calm!
00:55:57.95\00:56:00.96
My friendship
unchanging my lamp and my psalm
00:56:00.99\00:56:04.59
We've travelled
together my Bible and I
00:56:04.63\00:56:07.16
When life has grown
weary and death even nigh!
00:56:07.20\00:56:09.86
But all through the
darkness of mist or of wrong
00:56:09.90\00:56:12.67
I found there a solace,
00:56:12.70\00:56:14.60
a prayer and a song.
00:56:14.64\00:56:16.24
So now who shall
part us my Bible and I?
00:56:16.27\00:56:19.31
Shall "isms" or "schisms"
or "new light" just try?
00:56:19.34\00:56:24.18
Shall shadow for substance
00:56:24.21\00:56:25.55
or stone for good bread
supplant thy sound wisdom
00:56:25.58\00:56:28.68
and give folly instead?
00:56:28.72\00:56:31.19
And, no, my dear
Bible exponent of light!
00:56:31.22\00:56:34.06
Thou sword of the
spirit put error to flight!
00:56:34.09\00:56:37.13
And still through life's journey
00:56:37.16\00:56:38.76
until my last sigh,
00:56:38.79\00:56:41.20
we'll travel
together my Bible and I.
00:56:41.23\00:56:44.17