Hello, friends, grab
your Bible and a friend
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and sit back as we
explore God's word together
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on this edition
of "House Calls".
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Hello, friends, and welcome
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to another
edition of "House Calls."
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My name is John Lomacang
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and thank you for tuning in
to one of the most informative
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Bible programs
anywhere on the planet.
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At least, I think so
and don't you think so?
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I agree. I agree.
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We have a lot of fun
here but we make sure
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we stick to the word and
that's key. That's right.
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And so we would
like to invite you
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to get your
friends, your family,
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get all the people
that are walking around
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your house or maybe your church.
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Tell them to sit down,
get their bibles, their pens
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and also ask for
the Lord to guide them
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as we talk about some very
vitally important topics today,
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beginning with
your Bible questions.
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And we're gonna
talk about faith today,
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something that the world
does not have a whole lot of
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and something
that's waning tremendously.
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But before we do anything,
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before we get to your Bible
questions and your comments,
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we always begin with prayer.
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So, John, have
prayer for us today.
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Let's do that.
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Gracious Father in heaven,
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we thank You so
much for another day.
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And on this day
we want to make sure
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we spend time with You,
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and so, Lord, as
we open up the word,
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Your word given to us,
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we pray that You would lead
and guide us into all truth.
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We pray that Your Holy
Spirit would be here with us
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as we talk about the
questions that have come in,
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those that are watching as well
us who are presenting, Lord.
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Be here in it all, we pray
in Jesus' name, amen. Amen.
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And I know because you
have your Bibles with you,
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we like to begin with questions.
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Now we'd like to
let you know that
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if you have any questions that
you would like to send to us,
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you can send those
to housecalls@3abn.org.
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That's housecalls@3abn.org.
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We will go to the internet,
download those questions
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and hopefully get to
them in one of our programs.
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If we don't get
to your questions,
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send it again but try your
best to send short questions.
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You know, John,
sometimes people send,
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you know,
doctoral dissertations.
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And when we see it,
it gets so overwhelming
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sometimes we
choose not to answer them.
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Well, just move on to
the next one. Exactly.
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Yeah, it's too tough
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to read through that
much material. That's right.
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But we do
appreciate these questions
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because they're
really a part of the program.
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If we don't have
these questions from you
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then the program
becomes much less interactive
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and so we appreciate them.
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And I'll start off
with a question here
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that's one that I know
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that comes up in churches
from time to time. Okay.
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And a good
question we haven't had this
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that I remember before
actually, and it comes from--
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actually doesn't say actually
who this one is coming from
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but it says, "Dear pastors,
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would you please
explain Deuteronomy 22:5?
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Thank you." Okay.
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So let's go to Deuteronomy
22:5 and we'll read that.
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This is part of the different
laws given to the Israelites
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as far as how they are to
conduct their faith in God.
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And so this one is
specifically about clothing
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and it says in
verse 5 of Deuteronomy 22,
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"A woman shall not wear
anything that pertains to a man,
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nor shall a man put
on a woman's garment,
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for all who do so
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are an abomination
to the Lord your God."
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Now it's--obviously,
when you read that,
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it's like, whoa, this
is a serious issue, right?
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I mean, abomination to God,
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no one wants to be an
abomination to the Lord.
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But I think we need
to really understand
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what this verse is
saying and to do so,
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I think, probably
the most common mistake
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is to focus on the
articles of clothing
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which are not identified here.
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John, what I mean by
that is there's no list here
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of what a woman or a
man should be wearing.
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That's a very good point.
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So the issue
really here in this verse
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is not the articles of clothing,
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it is whether or not a woman
is dressing to look like a man
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or whether a man is
dressing to look like a woman.
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Okay, good--
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And so when it comes to that,
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you know, some people
want to assign well, pants.
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Men wear pants,
women shouldn't wear pants.
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And I know that this restriction
has been thrown out there
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amongst some groups today.
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But to read that or
conclude that from this verse
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is to read into the verse
something that is not there.
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There are no
articles of clothing here.
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So the point is, is
that women should dress
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beautiful to be
like women. Right.
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Men should dress macho,
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you know, strong,
to look like a man.
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And that's what
we're called to do.
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Now in our culture today
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and I speak from,
you know, as an American,
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it is common for
women to wear pants. Right.
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And so to say
that God is talking
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down through time to us today
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and saying women
should not wear pants
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is what we call, eyes of Jesus,
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reading into the text
something that is not there,
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rather than exegetically
pulling out of the text
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what really is there
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and what is there is
not a list of clothing
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but the principle
that we should not as men
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look like women or
women look like men.
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That's all you can
get from this text. Right.
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And back then, that was
important for them to do
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because if you think
about it in terms of,
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you know, what they were wearing
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and what they looked like,
it was to be very different.
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I think the difference is
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probably much
greater than even today.
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So this verse is in the
Bible to give them a principle,
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not to give a restrictive
list of clothing items
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as to what they should wear
and what they shouldn't wear
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that we carry down through time.
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It's a cultural
aspect of the Bible
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that sometimes people
just don't really pull into
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or take into account
when they're reading the word.
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You know, what is
also amazing about that is,
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a lot of times we
read these Bible verses
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and we put them,
we superimpose them,
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somewhat like
taking your picture
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and saying you are
the complete example.
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And superimpose
John's face and arms
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over every man on planet earth.
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And make John
or the way he looks
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or the way he
dresses the standard.
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Oh, that would be dreadful.
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That would--he said
that would be dreadful.
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Okay, I won't argue with
that-- with you on that one,
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but I leave that
up to you to say.
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But the point of the matter is,
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we have to first
look at the cultures
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and this is, I think,
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one of the most
important things here,
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culture to culture,
things are different.
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I use an example, in--
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I think it's Ireland or
Scotland where the kilt is worn.
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Is which one is
it, Scotland? Scotland.
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Scotland, where
the kilt is worn.
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You would not commonly
see a man in the United States
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wearing a kilt
to work every day.
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That would be the opposite
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of men should not wear
a woman's garment. Right.
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But that's only because
of the culture that is here.
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And even still you can't apply
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the principles of
Scotland in the way they dress
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to the principles of
America the way that they dress.
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Nor do--nor does
the culture of Scotland
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view the kilt
as feminine. Right.
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So it doesn't--this is not
gonna apply to that culture.
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So, yeah, I mean, I
think the principle is there.
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We can find the
principle here but I think,
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I don't think you can
read into it a list of things
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that we should take
in our culture today.
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Putting that list
together is really,
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kind of, putting together
your own agenda and we can't,
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we should be very
careful not to do that.
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And so you've the Old
Testament Scripture there
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but you also have a principle
that's pointed out by Timothy.
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In the Book of
Timothy, we find 1 Timothy 2:9,
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this issue is addressed again.
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It says, "In like manner also,
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that the women adorn
themselves in modest apparel,
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with proprietary" or
propriety "and moderation
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not with broidered hair or gold,
or pearls, or costly array."
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Paul was talking
about the modest way
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in which women are
to present themselves
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and one of the principles
that were listed here,
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if you look this up in context,
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that the context of
this is in verse 10,
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"women who profess godliness."
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And so now if you apply that
principle to our society today,
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you could--I don't want to
be judgmental on this theory
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but you could sometimes tell
where the line is being crossed
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between a person
professing godliness
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or person not
professing godliness.
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And oftentimes it's
based on the way they dress.
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Now, we want to once again
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not be judges in
this particular area
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because some
people may say, well,
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well, I heard-- let
me just put it the way
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I heard somebody say it.
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A good friend of mine
said, "Do you dress to--
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do you dress in a way
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that is provocative
to get a man's attention
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or if a man is looking at
a woman, is it his problem?"
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See, and I think the issue here
is we're talking about modesty.
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Sometimes people say,
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well, the way you
dress is distracting to me.
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Somebody also may say,
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well, that bright
blue shirt you have on
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is distracting to me.
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So it depends on
what context you're in.
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Now I wouldn't wear this
bright blue shirt to a funeral.
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All right, out
of context. Right.
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Nor would you wear a
red suit to a black tie,
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black suit formal event.
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Totally out of context.
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And so what is being talked
about here is, as you dress,
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make sure that the way you dress
is in context to the setting,
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also to the
society in which you live.
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And if you're a Christian,
you must apply modesty to that.
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It's very
important. Exactly right.
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And I think the
other part of this too,
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is that you have to understand
why God is giving this counsel.
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And now again,
now I'm giving you
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some of my
opinion would be in this,
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but at least it
follows most of the counsel
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that I find in
Scripture on these things.
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When God is saying
this, His intent here is
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so that the effect
that the individual has,
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is it negative on
those around them.
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So it's not intended to
say that wearing this clothing
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defiles the
individual that's wearing it
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as much as it is a problem
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or becomes a problem to those
around them in this respect.
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So when we talk about,
okay, if someone wants to say,
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well, women
shouldn't wear pants.
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You know, that's the typical
one that's often applied here.
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People that are
really restrictive of that.
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Well, the question really is,
00:10:57.26\00:10:59.88
are those pants
affecting those around her
00:10:59.91\00:11:03.05
in a way that is not
conducive to godliness? Right.
00:11:03.08\00:11:06.06
And this is where we're
tying in Timothy's counsel here
00:11:06.09\00:11:08.50
or Paul's counsel
in the Book of Timothy.
00:11:08.53\00:11:10.72
And that is, you know,
like when women come to church
00:11:10.75\00:11:14.66
and if they're
wearing this low cut dress
00:11:14.69\00:11:16.19
with cleavage
hanging out, they may say,
00:11:16.22\00:11:18.94
well, this doesn't hurt me
00:11:18.97\00:11:21.95
but they're not
giving proper consideration
00:11:21.98\00:11:23.85
to what wearing that clothing
does to those around them.
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The counsel for not wearing
that is for what others perceive
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about that individual
not for maybe herself.
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She can wear that clothing
in her house all day long
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and God will have
no problem with that
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if she chose it to
do that on her own.
00:11:38.24\00:11:40.10
But bringing this
into the church setting,
00:11:40.13\00:11:42.28
men are visual,
immediately what they see,
00:11:42.31\00:11:44.45
they react to and he's trying
00:11:44.48\00:11:46.97
to protect from
the reaction. Right.
00:11:47.00\00:11:50.11
That's the way these principles
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and especially this
text should be read.
00:11:51.75\00:11:53.79
And so I really encourage,
00:11:53.82\00:11:55.94
especially, those who
have put a very restrictive
00:11:55.97\00:11:59.60
interpretation on
this text to consider that
00:11:59.63\00:12:02.30
because that is
really the key issue here,
00:12:02.33\00:12:05.30
for mine, from what I see here
00:12:05.33\00:12:06.84
and what the rest of God gives
in His word is intended to do.
00:12:06.87\00:12:10.58
And the other thing here,
00:12:10.61\00:12:11.98
didn't want to spend a
whole lot of time on this
00:12:12.01\00:12:13.38
but really, it comes down
to the principle of modesty
00:12:13.41\00:12:16.03
and what
message are you sending,
00:12:16.06\00:12:17.55
because the very
same thing can be applied.
00:12:17.58\00:12:19.39
I was invited over
to another country,
00:12:19.42\00:12:21.53
I don't want to
mention which one it is,
00:12:21.56\00:12:22.93
just to be vague to do
a seminar on adornment.
00:12:22.96\00:12:27.94
And I was surprised
after one of the seminars
00:12:27.97\00:12:30.46
that the young
ladies came to me and said,
00:12:30.49\00:12:32.69
well, the problem that's being
expressed here is the guys.
00:12:32.72\00:12:36.55
They come to church
with shorts and flip-flops on
00:12:36.58\00:12:39.78
like they're gonna be
going surfing after church
00:12:39.81\00:12:42.44
and that's really
beginning to upset us.
00:12:42.47\00:12:44.81
And we were
thinking in some cases
00:12:44.84\00:12:46.23
that the complaint would be
00:12:46.26\00:12:47.68
the guys complaining
about the girls. Right.
00:12:47.71\00:12:49.66
But then I went to another
place in the United States
00:12:49.69\00:12:52.19
and the guys, they were
complaining about the women,
00:12:52.22\00:12:54.24
how difficult it was
for them to think about God
00:12:54.27\00:12:57.03
and keep their minds on the Lord
00:12:57.06\00:12:58.82
when the women came
to church on Sabbath,
00:12:58.85\00:13:00.59
because their
dresses are very short
00:13:00.62\00:13:03.13
or the clothing
was very, very tight.
00:13:03.16\00:13:05.58
And so the one thing
that is really important here,
00:13:05.61\00:13:07.98
the principle
we'll wind up on is,
00:13:08.01\00:13:09.91
be modest and
express by the way you live.
00:13:09.94\00:13:12.58
You want to
reflect the glory of God,
00:13:12.61\00:13:14.93
not dress in such a way
that it's gonna be distracting
00:13:14.96\00:13:17.93
or it's gonna be out of context.
00:13:17.96\00:13:19.36
Nor do you go the
opposite direction
00:13:19.39\00:13:21.52
and come to
church with your clothing
00:13:21.55\00:13:24.16
dragging on the ground
looking out of context.
00:13:24.19\00:13:27.10
I like the way that
one of my favorite writers
00:13:27.13\00:13:29.04
Ellen White talked about this.
00:13:29.07\00:13:30.44
She says the people of God
should not be so distracting,
00:13:30.47\00:13:33.72
and I'm paraphrasing here,
00:13:33.75\00:13:35.12
that they look out
of context to the times.
00:13:35.15\00:13:38.16
Dress in context to the
times but do dress modestly
00:13:38.19\00:13:41.54
and let the principle be godly.
00:13:41.57\00:13:44.92
God is being glorified
by the way that you look.
00:13:44.95\00:13:47.44
Very important.
00:13:47.47\00:13:48.84
No matter what you
do, do all to the--
00:13:48.87\00:13:50.24
"Do all to the glory of
God", 1 Corinthians 10:31.
00:13:50.27\00:13:52.55
Yes, very important.
00:13:52.58\00:13:54.40
Here's another question.
00:13:54.43\00:13:56.57
"At the
resurrection, will the unsaved
00:13:56.60\00:13:59.98
who are livingat the
time, at that time be destroyed,
00:14:00.01\00:14:04.05
sent to their graves
until the second resurrection?"
00:14:04.08\00:14:07.27
And I think the second part,
00:14:07.30\00:14:08.67
"During the 1,000 year
reign with our Lord in heaven,
00:14:08.70\00:14:11.90
will there be any
humans living on the earth?"
00:14:11.93\00:14:15.75
Okay, very good question.
00:14:15.78\00:14:17.15
Let's first start in Jeremiah,
00:14:17.18\00:14:19.02
and I want to put
the context together.
00:14:19.05\00:14:20.58
The Lord has
returned and there are only
00:14:20.61\00:14:25.40
really two
groups when Jesus comes.
00:14:25.43\00:14:27.56
There are the saved
and there are the unsaved.
00:14:27.59\00:14:29.94
What I want to first begin with
00:14:29.97\00:14:31.34
is Revelation
22:12 which simply says,
00:14:31.37\00:14:33.91
"He that is unjust,
let him be unjust still,
00:14:33.94\00:14:36.55
he that is righteous,
let him be righteous still,
00:14:36.58\00:14:38.38
he that is filthy,
let him be filthy still,
00:14:38.41\00:14:40.50
he that is holy,
let him be holy still."
00:14:40.53\00:14:42.58
Not necessarily in that order.
00:14:42.61\00:14:44.05
But simply there
are only two groups,
00:14:44.08\00:14:45.51
those who are holy, unholy,
00:14:45.54\00:14:46.91
those who are righteous
and those who are filthy.
00:14:46.94\00:14:49.31
There's no third
category. That's right.
00:14:49.34\00:14:50.92
And so when the Lord comes,
1 Thessalonians 4:13-18 says,
00:14:50.95\00:14:55.81
"That the Lord
himself will descend,
00:14:55.84\00:14:58.03
the dead in
Christ will rise first."
00:14:58.06\00:15:00.07
That's the first resurrection
but they're not gone yet.
00:15:00.10\00:15:02.85
"Then we which
are alive and remain
00:15:02.88\00:15:04.25
shall be caught up together
with them in the clouds,
00:15:04.28\00:15:06.64
to meet the Lord in the air."
00:15:06.67\00:15:08.73
So there's a first resurrection.
00:15:08.76\00:15:10.16
Then there's the
ascension of the righteous.
00:15:10.19\00:15:12.69
The righteous who
were dead are now alive,
00:15:12.72\00:15:15.55
the righteous who
are alive did not die
00:15:15.58\00:15:18.47
and they ascend together,
00:15:18.50\00:15:19.97
once again dispelling the idea
00:15:20.00\00:15:21.46
that people die and
go to heaven right away.
00:15:21.49\00:15:23.73
But there's another class.
00:15:23.76\00:15:25.94
And go with me to Thessalonians,
00:15:25.97\00:15:28.75
2 Thessalonians Chapter
2. 2 Thessalonians Chapter 2.
00:15:28.78\00:15:34.64
And we're going to
look at verse 8, all right?
00:15:34.67\00:15:39.78
And obviously, this is speaking
about the coming of the Lord.
00:15:45.08\00:15:48.48
I'll start with verse
1, it says, "Now, brethren,
00:15:48.51\00:15:50.41
concerning the coming
of our Lord Jesus Christ
00:15:50.44\00:15:54.55
and our
gathering together to Him,
00:15:54.58\00:15:58.19
we ask you not to
be soon shaken in mind,
00:15:58.22\00:16:02.82
or troubled, either by spirit,
00:16:02.85\00:16:05.38
or by word, or by
letter as if from us,
00:16:05.41\00:16:09.91
as though the day
of Christ had come."
00:16:09.94\00:16:13.21
And then he goes on and
speaks of all the events
00:16:13.24\00:16:17.44
that must transpire
before the Lord comes.
00:16:17.47\00:16:21.00
Then he speaks about
the lawless one in verse 8
00:16:21.03\00:16:23.87
and he says, "And then the
lawless one will be revealed
00:16:23.90\00:16:27.84
whom the Lord will consume
with the breath of his mouth
00:16:27.87\00:16:31.59
and destroy with the
brightness of His coming."
00:16:31.62\00:16:34.67
So when you think of
the lawless one who is--
00:16:34.70\00:16:37.92
he's not only the lawless
one or that the one of iniquity,
00:16:37.95\00:16:41.39
there are others of iniquity.
00:16:41.42\00:16:42.79
They are the righteous
and they are the unrighteous
00:16:42.82\00:16:44.70
and all those who are
unrighteous will be destroyed
00:16:44.73\00:16:47.23
by the brightness of
the coming of Christ.
00:16:47.26\00:16:49.83
But the question you ask
and I go back to that here says,
00:16:49.86\00:16:52.29
"Will they be
sent to their graves?"
00:16:53.71\00:16:55.08
Well, Jeremiah
25:33 says it this way
00:16:55.11\00:16:59.40
and I'm gonna go
ahead and magnify this
00:16:59.43\00:17:01.37
a little bit here
for my own benefit.
00:17:01.40\00:17:03.45
Forgot my glasses today.
00:17:03.48\00:17:05.49
But Jeremiah speaks of
the condition of the world
00:17:05.52\00:17:09.05
when the Lord comes and
what's gonna happen to those
00:17:09.08\00:17:10.78
who are destroyed
when the Lord appears.
00:17:10.81\00:17:13.30
It says, "And at the day,
00:17:13.33\00:17:15.87
the slain of the Lord shall
be from one end of the earth
00:17:15.90\00:17:19.42
even to the
other end of the earth.
00:17:19.45\00:17:22.11
They shall not be lamented,
or gathered, or buried,
00:17:22.14\00:17:28.93
they shall become
refuse on the ground."
00:17:28.96\00:17:32.10
When you think of refuse,
00:17:32.13\00:17:33.86
I think one of the best
ways of thinking of refuse
00:17:33.89\00:17:36.11
is look at a baseball
stadium after the game.
00:17:36.14\00:17:39.64
Well, look at a New
Years Eve celebration
00:17:39.67\00:17:41.20
after the crowd disperses
in Time Square in New York.
00:17:41.23\00:17:43.40
That's refuse, it's everywhere.
00:17:43.43\00:17:45.56
And if you left it there
and you just never cleaned it up
00:17:45.59\00:17:48.30
you'll find from day
to day from day to day,
00:17:48.33\00:17:50.64
it's like a garbage strike
in a major city like New York.
00:17:50.67\00:17:54.11
There's refuse
all over the ground.
00:17:54.14\00:17:56.16
It's not gathered, it's
not being put into piles
00:17:56.19\00:17:59.33
and buried in a
garbage heap anywhere.
00:17:59.36\00:18:02.20
It's just all over the ground.
00:18:02.23\00:18:03.60
And the Bible's
describing the very same thing
00:18:03.63\00:18:05.21
that when the Lord returns,
00:18:05.24\00:18:07.32
there will be no funerals
being held for the wicked.
00:18:07.35\00:18:10.63
There will be no
gathering of bodies,
00:18:10.66\00:18:14.57
like for example,
wherever the funeral home is,
00:18:14.60\00:18:17.32
they won't be having
funerals for all those
00:18:17.35\00:18:19.79
because there won't be any
place to put them. That's right.
00:18:19.82\00:18:23.56
No one here to
put them anywhere.
00:18:23.59\00:18:25.17
Even the funeral
director if he's not saved,
00:18:25.20\00:18:27.58
he's gonna be
refuse on the ground.
00:18:27.61\00:18:30.36
Matter of fact,
I'm from New York City
00:18:30.39\00:18:32.33
and I know that there are
a couple of major cemeteries.
00:18:32.36\00:18:34.66
One is Evergreen Cemetery,
00:18:34.69\00:18:37.01
the other one is
Cypress Hills Cemetery,
00:18:37.04\00:18:39.66
and my sister who
works for-- she was an EMT,
00:18:39.69\00:18:42.90
works for the fire
department, police department.
00:18:42.93\00:18:45.43
They point out
that unless you had
00:18:45.46\00:18:47.96
a plot purchased many years ago,
00:18:48.00\00:18:50.17
there's no space to bury you
00:18:50.20\00:18:51.89
in Cypress
Hills or in Evergreen.
00:18:51.92\00:18:54.22
They're burying them
far away out on Long Island
00:18:54.25\00:18:57.07
or some other
location upstate New York
00:18:57.10\00:18:59.38
because there are
too many people to bury.
00:18:59.41\00:19:02.64
So now let's just
put this in context.
00:19:02.67\00:19:04.64
What will happen
when the Lord comes?
00:19:04.67\00:19:06.26
And multiple
millions, I'm assuming,
00:19:06.29\00:19:09.85
that are not saved
in the city of New York
00:19:09.88\00:19:11.92
are just all over the ground.
00:19:11.95\00:19:14.12
They're in
elevators, they're in cars,
00:19:14.15\00:19:15.97
they are on the sixth
floor, they're destroyed
00:19:16.00\00:19:18.70
by the brightness
of Christ's coming.
00:19:18.73\00:19:20.10
They are all over.
00:19:20.13\00:19:21.60
There's not gonna be
some general gathering
00:19:21.63\00:19:23.90
sending body bags
00:19:23.93\00:19:25.33
to New York City
to start funerals.
00:19:25.36\00:19:28.64
They will be like
refuse on the ground
00:19:28.67\00:19:30.85
and then eventually,
what's gonna happen with them
00:19:30.88\00:19:33.68
as Malachi tells us
what's gonna happen with them
00:19:33.71\00:19:35.78
because this is a second portion
00:19:35.81\00:19:37.39
wondering what's
gonna happen with them
00:19:37.42\00:19:39.93
when this timeframe is done.
00:19:39.96\00:19:41.82
Well, and before you go there,
00:19:41.85\00:19:43.22
just a couple of
verses to add to that if you,
00:19:43.25\00:19:45.60
if you note in Revelation 19
right after the coming of Christ
00:19:45.63\00:19:50.32
the appearing of
Christ in the sky,
00:19:50.35\00:19:52.33
it says here in regard to those
that are not caught up with Him.
00:19:52.36\00:19:56.15
Okay, I see where
you're headed here.
00:19:56.18\00:19:57.55
It says in verse 17,
00:19:57.58\00:19:58.95
"Then I saw an
angel standing in the sun,
00:19:58.98\00:20:00.35
and he cried with a loud voice,
00:20:00.38\00:20:01.75
saying to all the birds
that fly in the midst of heaven,
00:20:01.78\00:20:04.20
'Come and gather together
00:20:04.23\00:20:05.60
for the great
supper of the great God,
00:20:05.63\00:20:07.19
that you may eat
the flesh of kings,
00:20:07.22\00:20:08.88
the flesh of captains,
and the flesh of mighty men,
00:20:08.91\00:20:11.24
and the flesh of horses,
and those who sit on them.'"
00:20:11.27\00:20:14.08
Now this is
highly symbolic. Right.
00:20:14.11\00:20:16.41
And we shouldn't
interpret this as meaning,
00:20:16.44\00:20:18.35
well, then He keeps
the birds alive to eat.
00:20:18.38\00:20:20.75
Now the idea here is
that as birds circle a corpse
00:20:20.78\00:20:24.39
on the ground that is unburied,
00:20:24.42\00:20:26.46
this is the invitation that
birds have food on the ground,
00:20:26.49\00:20:31.42
which are the bodies of
wicked men who have perished.
00:20:31.45\00:20:34.71
And it's exactly
an opposition to--
00:20:34.74\00:20:37.01
it's opposite to
Psalms 79:2 where it says,
00:20:37.04\00:20:41.56
"The dead
bodies of your servants
00:20:41.59\00:20:43.04
they have given as food
00:20:43.07\00:20:44.44
for the birds of
the heavens." Okay.
00:20:44.47\00:20:45.93
See, so what wicked
men have done to saints,
00:20:45.96\00:20:49.49
now God is going
to do to wicked men.
00:20:49.52\00:20:51.63
So that's the antithesis
here of what's happening
00:20:51.66\00:20:54.00
at Christ's
return. That's right.
00:20:54.03\00:20:55.66
So nothing buried
00:20:55.69\00:20:57.06
or the birds wouldn't be
able to get to it. That's right.
00:20:57.09\00:20:59.45
But literally, I mean,
00:20:59.48\00:21:00.99
we're not talking
about literal picture here
00:21:01.02\00:21:02.94
but the imagery here is
strewn bodies on the ground
00:21:02.97\00:21:05.12
as Jeremiah indicates as well.
00:21:05.15\00:21:06.67
Well, it's gonna be quite an end
00:21:06.70\00:21:08.07
because you know the birds of
the heavens are God's arsenal.
00:21:08.10\00:21:11.20
You see that in
many places in the Bible
00:21:11.23\00:21:13.31
that God called nature.
00:21:13.34\00:21:14.88
He talks about in Job, He says,
"Have I not stored up snow,"
00:21:14.91\00:21:19.07
somewhat like a
treasure house or storage house.
00:21:19.10\00:21:22.94
He speaks of all the arsenal
00:21:22.97\00:21:24.53
and He speaks of natural things
like snow and hail and fire,
00:21:24.56\00:21:29.03
like it was in the
antediluvian time, water.
00:21:29.06\00:21:32.17
But it's gonna be quite a scene.
00:21:32.20\00:21:34.65
I want to encourage you
00:21:34.68\00:21:36.05
if you are
listening to the program
00:21:36.08\00:21:38.07
when you ask this question.
00:21:38.10\00:21:40.93
I know you probably
don't have to determine
00:21:40.96\00:21:43.81
or even be fearful of what we
responded to you by saying today
00:21:43.84\00:21:47.21
because you're planning to
be in the first resurrection
00:21:47.24\00:21:50.80
or be in the first group
ascending to go to heaven.
00:21:50.83\00:21:54.10
And by the way if
you're not in the first group
00:21:54.13\00:21:55.82
that ascends to heaven,
00:21:55.85\00:21:57.22
there's no
second group ascending.
00:21:57.25\00:21:59.14
Yeah. There's no rapture.
00:21:59.17\00:22:00.54
That's another
whole topic altogether.
00:22:00.57\00:22:02.89
You have one more? Yes, I do.
00:22:02.92\00:22:04.65
It's a good question
that kind of segues us
00:22:04.68\00:22:07.62
into the topic
here of faith. Okay.
00:22:07.65\00:22:10.23
"Hi, pastors.
00:22:10.26\00:22:12.42
Jesus came to set
the captives free.
00:22:12.45\00:22:16.06
How does one become free?
00:22:16.09\00:22:18.10
How can it happen in my life?"
00:22:18.13\00:22:21.22
And so we're gonna go to John,
00:22:21.25\00:22:24.16
John Chapter 8, I believe,
00:22:24.19\00:22:30.15
and right around verse 32.
00:22:33.86\00:22:36.96
Okay, John 8:32.
00:22:36.99\00:22:39.37
Okay, here we are.
00:22:39.40\00:22:40.77
We'll start with verse 1,
give it some context here.
00:22:43.10\00:22:46.37
"Then Jesus said to
those Jews who believed in Him,
00:22:48.27\00:22:52.08
'If you abide in my word,
you are my disciples indeed.'"
00:22:52.11\00:22:56.91
Okay, so now what
are you talking about?
00:22:56.94\00:22:59.25
Abiding in the word of God,
spending time in the word of God
00:22:59.28\00:23:01.98
searching for the
truths of God's word.
00:23:02.01\00:23:04.59
Verse 32, "And you
shall know the truth,
00:23:04.62\00:23:07.75
and the truth
shall make you", what?
00:23:07.78\00:23:09.70
Free. "Free."
00:23:09.73\00:23:12.40
So what is happening here
00:23:12.43\00:23:14.37
is Jesus is
talking to these disciples
00:23:14.40\00:23:16.37
and He's saying if
you abide in My word,
00:23:16.40\00:23:17.83
if you trust in My
word and look to it
00:23:17.86\00:23:21.52
for the answers of
life, you'll be free.
00:23:21.55\00:23:24.82
But without the word
there are no answers to life
00:23:24.85\00:23:28.15
and you'll be held
captive to the enemy,
00:23:28.18\00:23:30.57
to Satan for the
duration of your life.
00:23:30.60\00:23:33.32
You see, from the
moment we are conceived
00:23:33.35\00:23:36.17
and then we are born,
we are captive to sin.
00:23:36.20\00:23:39.46
Through Adam's disobedience,
00:23:39.49\00:23:41.14
sin has passed down
through generations.
00:23:41.17\00:23:43.14
We are naturally
sinful. You will--
00:23:43.17\00:23:46.45
Sin is spoken of as
being slavery to the enemy
00:23:46.48\00:23:50.92
that is Satan
and his demonic host
00:23:50.95\00:23:52.48
who are
constantly seeking to tempt.
00:23:52.51\00:23:54.73
And as they do
that, your natural flesh,
00:23:54.76\00:23:57.85
you're inclined,
you're bent toward evil,
00:23:57.88\00:24:00.07
it's easy for you to
follow their suggestions.
00:24:00.10\00:24:03.03
But what Christ
has come to do is
00:24:03.06\00:24:05.06
put amity between that natural
inclination to want to be sinful
00:24:05.09\00:24:11.01
and this is
amity within your mind
00:24:11.04\00:24:12.69
to desire the things of God.
00:24:12.72\00:24:14.55
And so when you
look at God's word,
00:24:14.58\00:24:16.45
you're studying, you trust
it, looking for the truths.
00:24:16.48\00:24:19.00
The truths about you
condition, sinful condition,
00:24:19.03\00:24:21.71
truths about
repentance and confession
00:24:21.74\00:24:24.38
and belief and faith
in Jesus as your Savior.
00:24:24.41\00:24:27.09
You make Him your
Lord. You follow Him in life.
00:24:27.12\00:24:29.80
All those things help to reveal,
00:24:29.83\00:24:32.48
help to set you free
from the captivity of sin
00:24:32.51\00:24:35.60
to the freedom you
have, the newness you have
00:24:35.63\00:24:39.01
as a new
creation in Jesus Christ.
00:24:39.04\00:24:41.55
That is why He
came to this earth
00:24:41.58\00:24:43.36
to live that perfect life
for us and by faith in Him,
00:24:43.39\00:24:46.99
He gives us that perfect life.
00:24:47.02\00:24:48.62
He also paid the penalty
for your sins at the cross.
00:24:48.65\00:24:51.27
All those things
are taken care of.
00:24:51.30\00:24:52.92
He says, "I've
taken care of everything
00:24:52.95\00:24:54.73
that the enemy has
sought to bring you down,
00:24:54.76\00:24:56.37
to hold you captive,
00:24:56.40\00:24:57.95
and in Me and in My
truth as you find that,
00:24:57.98\00:25:00.57
you will be set free."
00:25:00.60\00:25:02.89
And so the answer there
00:25:02.92\00:25:04.29
as to what can I do in
my life to be set free?
00:25:04.32\00:25:07.60
The answer is study the word
and search for Christ first,
00:25:07.63\00:25:11.44
start with the gospels,
and invite Him into your life
00:25:11.47\00:25:14.00
and He will begin to
set you free from Satan
00:25:14.03\00:25:17.18
and his constant
harassment to fall into sin.
00:25:17.21\00:25:21.64
And I enjoy that freedom
because obviously if now since--
00:25:21.67\00:25:26.31
oh, it's been 20 years
00:25:26.34\00:25:27.71
since I've been
following the Lord actively.
00:25:27.74\00:25:29.11
I mean, I grew up in the
church and I grew up in a home
00:25:29.14\00:25:31.44
that believed in Jesus
00:25:31.47\00:25:34.07
and was taught the right
way but I didn't follow it.
00:25:34.10\00:25:37.32
And I know you
have a similar story
00:25:37.35\00:25:39.33
but I can see the contrast
in the way I used to live
00:25:39.36\00:25:42.67
and now how I live today.
00:25:42.70\00:25:44.29
Praise the Lord. And I am free.
00:25:44.32\00:25:46.31
And that is something that I
want the world to know about,
00:25:46.34\00:25:49.98
which is why I
became a preacher,
00:25:50.01\00:25:51.38
why you became a preacher,
is to set the captives free.
00:25:51.41\00:25:54.42
That is the
message of the gospel,
00:25:54.45\00:25:56.39
the good news of
the gospel of salvation.
00:25:56.42\00:25:58.31
Praise the Lord.
Thank you for that.
00:25:58.34\00:25:59.71
I think I have one more I
could fit in here very quickly.
00:25:59.74\00:26:02.67
Question: "I've
been wondering about
00:26:02.70\00:26:04.13
the significance
of 40 in the Bible.
00:26:04.16\00:26:06.51
40 years in the wilderness,
40 days in the desert,
00:26:06.54\00:26:09.04
40 pieces of
silver, 40 days of rain,
00:26:09.07\00:26:11.61
etcetera, etcetera.
00:26:11.64\00:26:13.01
I've not heard
any discussion on this
00:26:13.04\00:26:14.66
but I know the Bible
always has some message
00:26:14.69\00:26:17.53
when something is repeated."
00:26:17.56\00:26:19.44
Well, the number 40 is
often used in the Bible
00:26:19.47\00:26:21.45
to denote the
existence of a generation.
00:26:21.48\00:26:24.42
And also let's--
I'm gonna give you
00:26:24.45\00:26:25.82
a couple of
examples in the Bible here.
00:26:25.85\00:26:27.83
First of all, Numbers 32:13,
00:26:27.86\00:26:30.69
speaking of the Lord's anger
00:26:30.72\00:26:32.27
against the
children of Israel it says,
00:26:32.30\00:26:33.85
"So the Lord's anger
was aroused against Israel."
00:26:33.88\00:26:36.21
Numbers 32:13,
"and He made them wander
00:26:36.24\00:26:39.95
in the wilderness forty years,
00:26:39.98\00:26:43.04
until all the
generation that had done evil
00:26:43.07\00:26:46.24
in the sight of
the Lord was gone."
00:26:46.27\00:26:48.69
So 40 years is commonly referred
to in the Bible as a generation.
00:26:48.72\00:26:52.76
Another example you
have in Psalms 95:10,
00:26:52.79\00:26:55.45
"For forty years I was
grieved with that generation,
00:26:55.48\00:26:58.37
and said, 'It is a people
who go astray in their hearts,
00:26:58.40\00:27:02.35
and they do not know My ways.'"
00:27:02.38\00:27:04.37
And lastly, the one
that we commonly refer to,
00:27:04.40\00:27:06.39
Numbers 14:34, "According
to the number of the days
00:27:06.42\00:27:13.39
in which you spied
out the land, forty days,
00:27:13.42\00:27:17.30
for each day you shall
bear your guilt one year,
00:27:17.33\00:27:21.02
namely forty years,
00:27:21.05\00:27:23.26
and you shall
know My rejection."
00:27:23.29\00:27:25.45
And so what
happened is the generation
00:27:25.48\00:27:27.50
that came out of
Egypt died during that time
00:27:27.53\00:27:31.49
of the 40 years
sojourn in the wilderness
00:27:31.52\00:27:33.84
and out of them,
only the ones that were--
00:27:33.87\00:27:36.13
of the men 20 years and older,
00:27:36.16\00:27:38.46
only Joshua and Caleb
were spared out of those
00:27:38.49\00:27:42.59
who were responsible
men 20 years and older,
00:27:42.62\00:27:45.76
they made it into
the promised land.
00:27:45.79\00:27:47.37
So the comment here is 40,
00:27:47.40\00:27:50.16
the number 40 is often referred
to as a generation of time.
00:27:50.19\00:27:55.22
By the way, when you look at--
00:27:55.25\00:27:56.95
when you look at the
Book of Matthew chapter 1,
00:27:56.98\00:27:58.57
it speaks about 14 generations
from this, 14 generations,
00:27:58.60\00:28:02.03
14 generations
putting into considerations
00:28:02.06\00:28:04.65
there were 42 generations from--
00:28:04.68\00:28:08.11
if I go back to
that very quickly,
00:28:08.14\00:28:09.51
since I brought the point
up, I need to verify that.
00:28:09.54\00:28:13.90
Well, I'll let you have
some fun doing the homework
00:28:13.93\00:28:16.65
but the Bible
speaks of 42 generations.
00:28:16.68\00:28:19.91
"So all the generations from
Abraham to David were fourteen,
00:28:19.95\00:28:23.11
from David to the captivity
in Babylon are fourteen,
00:28:23.14\00:28:26.24
and from the captivity
in Babylon until Christ
00:28:26.27\00:28:28.22
are fourteen
generations." Matthew 1:17.
00:28:28.25\00:28:31.51
Talking about how long it was
00:28:31.54\00:28:33.90
from Abraham to
Christ, 42 generations.
00:28:33.93\00:28:38.20
You add that up and
you get the timeframe
00:28:38.23\00:28:39.95
if you put 40
years per generation.
00:28:39.98\00:28:42.04
Very interesting. Yeah, yeah.
00:28:42.07\00:28:43.44
Anyway, thank you so much
00:28:43.47\00:28:45.12
for your
questions and your comments.
00:28:45.15\00:28:46.87
Once again if you want to send
00:28:46.90\00:28:48.27
any comments to us or questions
00:28:48.30\00:28:49.83
send them to our email
address housecalls@3abn.org.
00:28:49.86\00:28:54.22
That's housecalls@3abn.org.
00:28:54.25\00:28:57.05
And even if you have snail mail,
sometimes we get snail mail.
00:28:57.08\00:29:01.16
You can send
those to PO Box 220,
00:29:01.19\00:29:03.05
West Frankfort, Illinois, 62896
00:29:03.08\00:29:06.31
and we'll try our
best to get to them.
00:29:06.34\00:29:07.95
Thank you very much.
00:29:07.98\00:29:09.36
Now, John, why don't you
segue into our topic today?
00:29:09.39\00:29:11.50
We're talking about
something that everyone needs,
00:29:11.53\00:29:13.93
something that every
one of us in need of.
00:29:13.96\00:29:16.25
And what is that?
00:29:16.28\00:29:17.65
Well, one of our questions
was about being set free. Okay.
00:29:17.68\00:29:20.91
And the key to
being set free is faith
00:29:20.94\00:29:24.04
and so we would
like to share at least
00:29:24.07\00:29:25.89
during a couple of
programs here with you
00:29:25.92\00:29:29.19
various aspects of
faith. What is faith?
00:29:29.22\00:29:31.99
How do you exercise your faith?
00:29:32.02\00:29:33.44
How do you strengthen your
faith, increase your faith?
00:29:33.47\00:29:35.72
All these different elements.
00:29:35.75\00:29:37.48
So, you know, our thought
here is why not do a program
00:29:37.51\00:29:40.99
to give a solid
foundation of faith
00:29:41.02\00:29:44.14
to those that areviewing
it because it could be--
00:29:44.17\00:29:47.40
and John, I know that
you and I have had times
00:29:47.43\00:29:50.67
where we had experienced this
00:29:50.70\00:29:52.17
but, you know, most of
us probably would not say,
00:29:52.20\00:29:55.49
"You know what, I'm perfectly,
00:29:55.52\00:29:57.24
exactly where I
want to be with Christ.
00:29:57.27\00:29:59.40
I'm perfectly
content in my Christian,
00:29:59.43\00:30:01.55
my spiritual experience."
00:30:01.58\00:30:03.41
Well, contentment
is a little different,
00:30:03.44\00:30:04.81
maybe I shouldn't
use the word content,
00:30:04.84\00:30:06.28
but to say I've
arrived at where I need to be--
00:30:06.31\00:30:09.10
Right. No, okay.
00:30:09.13\00:30:10.98
All of us want more of Christ.
00:30:11.01\00:30:12.97
We want to experience
more in this walk of faith.
00:30:13.00\00:30:16.48
And so how do we do that?
00:30:16.51\00:30:18.58
Well, it's all
about Christ in us,
00:30:18.61\00:30:20.36
the hope of glory. That's right.
00:30:20.39\00:30:21.76
The one that moves
us along in our faith.
00:30:21.79\00:30:23.25
So let's take a look at
that through these various,
00:30:23.28\00:30:26.21
kind of, a window into
faith and what that means,
00:30:26.24\00:30:28.63
so that we might
00:30:28.66\00:30:30.03
have a greater spiritual walk
with Jesus day by day. Okay.
00:30:30.06\00:30:35.32
When you talk about faith,
00:30:35.35\00:30:37.51
what is the first
text that comes to mind?
00:30:37.54\00:30:40.36
I could ask you
if you had emailed
00:30:40.39\00:30:42.89
directly to me right now,
00:30:42.92\00:30:44.29
I'm sure you'll come
up with Hebrews 11:1.
00:30:44.32\00:30:46.50
Faith is, and
you go there, right?
00:30:46.53\00:30:49.26
You know, we ask
people what is sin?
00:30:49.29\00:30:51.43
Sin is?
Transgression of the law.
00:30:51.46\00:30:53.50
What is faith? Faith is?
00:30:53.53\00:30:54.98
Let's go to Hebrews 11:1,
00:30:55.01\00:30:56.68
beginning there
because this article,
00:30:56.71\00:31:00.65
this word and I want
to use the word 'article'
00:31:00.68\00:31:05.69
rather than the word
'word' when it comes to faith
00:31:05.72\00:31:09.70
because faith is
more than a word.
00:31:09.73\00:31:12.33
Faith is an article of our
walk with Christ. Faith is?
00:31:12.36\00:31:18.95
Go ahead, John,
read that for us.
00:31:18.98\00:31:20.35
I almost like this
word better though even,
00:31:20.38\00:31:22.25
faith is substance. Okay.
00:31:22.28\00:31:25.41
"Now faith is the
substance of things hoped for,
00:31:25.44\00:31:29.79
the evidence of
things not seen."
00:31:29.82\00:31:31.97
So faith is substance
and faith is evidence. Right.
00:31:32.00\00:31:36.50
In everything, in every
part of our Christian walk,
00:31:36.53\00:31:39.46
we need something
that we can hold on to,
00:31:39.49\00:31:41.20
something tangible.
00:31:41.23\00:31:42.72
Faith is just a
word, it's not tangible.
00:31:42.75\00:31:45.97
Faith exercised,
experienced as substance
00:31:46.00\00:31:51.21
is something you can hold on to,
00:31:51.24\00:31:52.61
that's tangible. That's right.
00:31:52.64\00:31:54.14
So faith is not
this ethereal cloth
00:31:54.17\00:31:55.79
that you're grabbing on
00:31:55.82\00:31:57.19
as you're falling
toward the ground.
00:31:57.22\00:31:58.99
Faith is a
parachute, it holds you,
00:31:59.02\00:32:00.67
it brings you down.
00:32:00.70\00:32:02.71
It causes you to
reach your destination.
00:32:02.74\00:32:05.92
It's substance,
it has a tangible--
00:32:05.95\00:32:09.29
in the economy or in the
walk that we have with Christ.
00:32:09.32\00:32:15.47
It's a tangible aspect
of it. It's substantial.
00:32:15.50\00:32:19.16
Faith is the
substance, it's evidence,
00:32:19.19\00:32:21.54
it is what can be presented
to prove our walk with Christ.
00:32:21.57\00:32:25.51
So if somebody says,
00:32:25.54\00:32:26.91
how do I know
you're a Christian?
00:32:26.94\00:32:29.82
Well, I have faith.
00:32:29.85\00:32:32.14
But as you know,
00:32:32.17\00:32:33.54
that's not the only
thing that a Christian has.
00:32:33.57\00:32:35.56
Because if faith is just it,
00:32:35.59\00:32:37.91
then lots of people
can claim to be Christians.
00:32:37.94\00:32:40.76
And this is a problem
here too, because it's--
00:32:40.79\00:32:43.07
often faith does boil
down to just the word.
00:32:43.10\00:32:45.40
You know, well, I
believe, I have faith.
00:32:45.43\00:32:48.76
Well, faith there
is-- if it is substance,
00:32:48.79\00:32:53.75
if it is evidence,
it must be exercised.
00:32:53.78\00:32:56.87
There's got to be a
trust element to it.
00:32:56.90\00:33:01.29
So if you want a
true understanding
00:33:01.32\00:33:05.30
whether or not
you are a Christian,
00:33:05.33\00:33:07.16
it's not whether you
believe that God exists,
00:33:07.19\00:33:11.25
that's faith as the word.
00:33:11.28\00:33:12.81
It's whether you
exercise your faith
00:33:12.84\00:33:15.85
when you face the
challenges of life
00:33:15.88\00:33:18.16
and the exercising of
faith always involves trust.
00:33:18.19\00:33:22.98
And that's the substance,
00:33:23.01\00:33:24.88
the evidence that we
have of our relationship,
00:33:24.91\00:33:27.99
in our relationship with God.
00:33:28.02\00:33:29.39
And one of the reasons why
this topic is vitally important
00:33:29.42\00:33:32.27
is because if you
look at our walk today,
00:33:32.30\00:33:36.42
someone also
gave the definition,
00:33:36.45\00:33:38.09
I believe it was
Robert Schuller, I'm not sure.
00:33:38.12\00:33:41.59
I don't necessarily
espouse to everything
00:33:41.62\00:33:44.59
that he propagate, propagates.
00:33:44.62\00:33:46.99
I don't really
buy into all of that
00:33:47.02\00:33:49.69
but I think one of
the statements he made
00:33:49.72\00:33:51.40
which has some validity to it.
00:33:51.43\00:33:53.20
He said, faith-- sin
is the absence of faith.
00:33:53.23\00:33:58.69
And I thought, well, that, okay,
00:33:58.72\00:34:01.80
I could see that to some degree.
00:34:01.83\00:34:03.61
And when you think about
it, I could see it this way,
00:34:03.64\00:34:06.07
sometimes people make
decisions to go into sin
00:34:06.10\00:34:11.16
because they don't have faith
00:34:11.19\00:34:12.56
that God can bring them through
or that the Lord can provide,
00:34:12.59\00:34:16.98
or the Lord can sustain them.
00:34:17.01\00:34:19.37
One of the examples
would be the Bible says,
00:34:19.40\00:34:21.61
"I've never seen
the righteous forsaken,
00:34:21.64\00:34:23.47
nor his seed begging bread."
00:34:23.50\00:34:24.91
So somebody says,
00:34:24.94\00:34:27.18
oh, the Lord has not
responded quickly enough
00:34:27.21\00:34:30.00
so I don't have faith that
He's gonna come through for me,
00:34:30.03\00:34:32.02
so I'm gonna go
ahead and steal what I need
00:34:32.05\00:34:34.10
or, you know, take by
force what I'm in need of.
00:34:34.13\00:34:38.53
And so when you don't
have faith in the Lord,
00:34:38.56\00:34:40.84
then the only
thing you have is this--
00:34:40.87\00:34:43.23
this burning desire
to provide your own need
00:34:43.26\00:34:45.92
rather than saying my God
will supply all of my need
00:34:45.95\00:34:48.87
according to
His riches in glory.
00:34:48.90\00:34:50.85
But when you think
about how important faith is,
00:34:50.88\00:34:53.54
it's a huge component
to our walk with Christ
00:34:53.57\00:34:58.13
because that's something
00:34:58.16\00:34:59.53
that was lacking in
the children of Israel.
00:34:59.56\00:35:02.55
I mean, think about
their journey, John.
00:35:02.58\00:35:04.72
The Lord brought
them out of Egypt,
00:35:04.75\00:35:06.63
crying to be led free
and the Lord brought them out
00:35:06.66\00:35:09.53
and the Bible says
"with a mighty hand."
00:35:09.56\00:35:11.82
So do I have faith
that God can bring me out?
00:35:11.85\00:35:14.19
No, I don't know--
00:35:14.22\00:35:15.59
only have
faith, I have evidence.
00:35:15.62\00:35:17.18
I saw it happen.
00:35:17.21\00:35:18.58
I was there. I was there.
00:35:18.61\00:35:19.98
On one of those he brought out,
00:35:20.01\00:35:21.38
can God get us
through the Red Sea?
00:35:21.41\00:35:23.18
Not only can I, do I
believe he could, but He did.
00:35:23.21\00:35:26.74
Can God save us
from the Egyptians?
00:35:26.77\00:35:29.73
I believe He can
00:35:29.76\00:35:31.13
but not only did I
believe it, He did.
00:35:31.16\00:35:33.34
And so you see
continually, we need water,
00:35:33.37\00:35:35.53
we're dying of
thirst in the wilderness.
00:35:35.56\00:35:37.72
I have faith
that God can provide.
00:35:37.75\00:35:39.12
Not only did he--
00:35:39.15\00:35:40.52
not only did they have
faith He could, but He did.
00:35:40.55\00:35:42.68
I'm starving, what
am I gonna eat tomorrow?
00:35:42.71\00:35:46.09
I believe that God can provide,
00:35:46.12\00:35:47.49
not only do we
believe He can but He did.
00:35:47.52\00:35:49.85
So we have evidence
after evidence after evidence
00:35:49.88\00:35:51.52
after evidence after evidence
00:35:51.55\00:35:52.92
after evidence that what God
did for the children of Israel,
00:35:52.95\00:35:56.83
He can do for us.
00:35:56.86\00:35:59.07
But what was the problem
of the children of Israel?
00:35:59.10\00:36:01.61
Now, I don't know if
you want to say something
00:36:01.64\00:36:03.01
before I go to the text. No, no.
00:36:03.04\00:36:04.41
The problem with
Israel is that they,
00:36:04.44\00:36:06.58
they stopped keeping their eyes
on the God who could provide.
00:36:06.61\00:36:10.44
They started looking elsewhere
00:36:10.47\00:36:12.47
besides putting their
faith and trust in God.
00:36:12.50\00:36:14.65
Look at Deuteronomy 32:20.
00:36:14.68\00:36:16.62
This comes down to the question
00:36:16.65\00:36:18.72
what was one of
the major downfalls
00:36:18.75\00:36:20.39
in the lives of
the children of Israel?
00:36:20.42\00:36:21.91
One of the major
downfalls. Deuteronomy.
00:36:21.94\00:36:24.08
Deuteronomy 32:20,
00:36:24.11\00:36:25.76
I would like to have you
read that one for us, John.
00:36:25.79\00:36:28.18
Because when you
think about this,
00:36:28.21\00:36:29.58
this often is expressed
about those whose faith--
00:36:29.61\00:36:34.33
who do not
exercise faith in God,
00:36:34.36\00:36:36.12
who do not have the assurance
that God can do for them
00:36:36.15\00:36:39.07
all the things He did
for the children of Israel,
00:36:39.10\00:36:41.18
for His own children.
00:36:41.21\00:36:42.87
"And He said, 'I will
hide my face from them,
00:36:42.90\00:36:45.79
I will see what
their end will be,
00:36:45.82\00:36:48.14
for they are a
perverse generation,
00:36:48.17\00:36:50.10
children in whom
there is no faith.'"
00:36:50.13\00:36:54.27
Children in whom there
is how much faith? No faith.
00:36:54.30\00:36:58.10
So when you think about that,
00:36:58.13\00:36:59.82
how many times
did God prove himself
00:36:59.85\00:37:03.95
in their wilderness
journey? Over and over again.
00:37:03.98\00:37:06.23
Over and over again.
00:37:06.26\00:37:07.63
Okay, let's bring it to--
00:37:07.66\00:37:09.03
how many times
has God proved Himself
00:37:09.06\00:37:10.43
in your life and
my life? Many times.
00:37:10.46\00:37:11.83
Over and over and over again.
00:37:11.86\00:37:13.23
Matter of fact, I think we
don't even have enough records
00:37:13.26\00:37:14.84
to keep track of that.
00:37:14.87\00:37:17.08
But one of the
challenges here is Habakkuk says
00:37:17.11\00:37:22.35
if the Lord has justified you
00:37:22.38\00:37:24.09
now you've got to
live from a different walk.
00:37:24.12\00:37:28.26
"The just shall live by faith."
00:37:28.29\00:37:31.42
We live not by
sight but by faith.
00:37:31.45\00:37:35.06
You know, I was reading a story
here recently in a magazine
00:37:35.09\00:37:39.77
and that was a great story,
00:37:39.80\00:37:42.03
a faith story, a
faith building story
00:37:42.06\00:37:44.08
about what God does
today for His people.
00:37:44.11\00:37:46.66
And it was this
couple who had been--
00:37:46.69\00:37:49.38
they had gone over to an island
to minister in dental work
00:37:49.41\00:37:53.48
and to support the people there.
00:37:53.51\00:37:55.36
And they got there
and the circumstances were
00:37:55.39\00:37:58.31
that they really didn't
work out the wage issue. Oh.
00:37:58.34\00:38:01.26
That they would
just be provided for,
00:38:01.29\00:38:03.13
but it wasn't really worked
out as to how that would happen.
00:38:03.16\00:38:06.44
Well, they were
there for I don't know
00:38:06.47\00:38:07.84
how many weeks it was,
00:38:07.87\00:38:09.41
and they agreed to
go for several months.
00:38:09.44\00:38:12.26
And they got over there
00:38:12.29\00:38:13.66
and the husband
was in the next room
00:38:13.69\00:38:17.03
and he heard his wife sighing,
you know, crying out to him.
00:38:17.06\00:38:20.77
"Come in and look at this."
00:38:20.80\00:38:22.17
And he comes into the kitchen.
00:38:22.20\00:38:23.57
She opens up the
fridge and he says,
00:38:23.60\00:38:25.71
"Yeah, it's a refrigerator."
00:38:25.74\00:38:28.13
She says, "No, look."
00:38:28.16\00:38:29.65
He looked in there and said,
"Yeah, the light's working."
00:38:29.68\00:38:32.17
And she says, "No,
there's nothing in it.
00:38:32.20\00:38:35.03
We're out of food."
00:38:35.06\00:38:37.23
And he said,
00:38:37.26\00:38:38.63
"We know that God
brought us here." That's right.
00:38:38.66\00:38:40.58
Right now, instead of panicking
00:38:40.61\00:38:42.08
and finding all the things
that we can do to try and,
00:38:42.11\00:38:45.69
you know, solve this
problem, let's kneel down,
00:38:45.72\00:38:48.51
let's pray and put our
faith and trust in God. Right.
00:38:48.54\00:38:51.13
What they did not only
to trust in God was to pray
00:38:51.16\00:38:55.46
but they said,
I'll tell you what,
00:38:55.49\00:38:56.86
let's get some
friends and let's go out
00:38:56.89\00:38:58.26
and let's snorkel.
00:38:58.29\00:38:59.66
We need to work off
this anxiety we have.
00:38:59.69\00:39:01.18
Let's go snorkeling a bit.
00:39:01.21\00:39:02.79
It's a great area to snorkel,
00:39:02.82\00:39:04.34
you know, to go
through and look at the fish.
00:39:04.37\00:39:05.74
Don't know what to
do when you're hungry.
00:39:05.77\00:39:07.17
Well, you know, I mean, come on.
00:39:07.20\00:39:08.83
Okay. I'm following.
00:39:08.86\00:39:10.23
It's amazing, just to
kind of alleviate that anxiety.
00:39:10.26\00:39:12.81
So they're snorkeling
and a little time goes by
00:39:12.84\00:39:16.40
and his wife
yells out to him again.
00:39:16.43\00:39:18.72
"Honey, come over
here and look at this."
00:39:18.75\00:39:20.56
And she's pointing down,
00:39:20.59\00:39:22.61
in fact, I'm not even
sure she's able to express this
00:39:22.64\00:39:24.31
but she's saying, "Look down."
00:39:24.34\00:39:26.43
You know, she's--her
mouth with a snorkel. Right.
00:39:26.46\00:39:28.57
And he looks down
there and he says,
00:39:28.60\00:39:29.97
"Oh, that's despicable."
00:39:30.00\00:39:31.37
She says, "No, look."
00:39:31.40\00:39:32.77
He looked little
closer, so he swam down
00:39:32.80\00:39:35.98
and as he got down
about 15 feet, there's a bag.
00:39:36.01\00:39:40.02
And as he opened the bag,
it was a plastic kind of a bag,
00:39:40.05\00:39:43.28
guess what was in it? What?
00:39:43.31\00:39:44.68
$100 bills. $100.
00:39:44.71\00:39:49.64
There were five of them
00:39:49.67\00:39:51.17
and the bag was
kind of open in a way.
00:39:51.20\00:39:52.57
And he said, you
know, he was down there,
00:39:52.60\00:39:54.35
you know, just
holding his breath.
00:39:54.38\00:39:55.86
I guess he was
holding his breath
00:39:55.89\00:39:57.26
and went through
them and he felt them
00:39:57.29\00:39:58.68
and the ink didn't
come off and they felt real.
00:39:58.71\00:40:01.15
Came up and sure
enough, five $100 bills. Wow.
00:40:01.18\00:40:06.73
So he went and looked
for others real quick,
00:40:06.76\00:40:10.32
spending some
time, didn't get out
00:40:10.35\00:40:11.72
and he found three more.
00:40:11.75\00:40:13.67
Eight $100 bills,
00:40:13.70\00:40:15.47
they went in
thanked the Lord right there
00:40:15.50\00:40:18.29
because they knew
in their experience,
00:40:18.32\00:40:19.69
not only did they
exercise their faith
00:40:19.72\00:40:22.51
and go out to show that,
00:40:22.54\00:40:24.01
Lord, we're not
gonna go panic about this,
00:40:24.04\00:40:25.47
You're gonna
provide. That's right.
00:40:25.50\00:40:26.87
God responded
immediately to their faith
00:40:26.90\00:40:28.57
and said here is the money,
00:40:28.60\00:40:30.01
I'm gonna put in that bag
00:40:30.04\00:40:31.41
right under where
you're snorkeling,
00:40:31.44\00:40:32.81
so you can have it.
00:40:32.84\00:40:34.21
That $800 lasted them
00:40:34.24\00:40:35.61
for the rest of their
time there before they left.
00:40:35.64\00:40:39.03
A provision that
they couldn't dream
00:40:39.06\00:40:41.63
would have come in that way.
00:40:41.66\00:40:43.83
But because they
exercised their faith and said,
00:40:43.86\00:40:45.98
Lord, we're gonna trust in You.
00:40:46.01\00:40:47.70
They went out
and just let Him do
00:40:47.73\00:40:49.10
do what He was
gonna do, He provided.
00:40:49.13\00:40:50.99
And sometimes we
don't experience the miracle
00:40:51.02\00:40:54.12
because we don't
exercise the faith.
00:40:54.15\00:40:55.79
Wow. That's very, very true.
00:40:55.82\00:40:57.96
So we need to know what this--
00:40:57.99\00:41:00.25
how this faith works
because the more we practice it,
00:41:00.28\00:41:03.52
the more we exercise our faith
00:41:03.55\00:41:05.75
in an active
way not passive way,
00:41:05.78\00:41:07.38
I believe, but in an active way,
00:41:07.41\00:41:09.54
the more God will through
faith make our experience grow,
00:41:09.57\00:41:13.22
our Christian walk grow.
00:41:13.25\00:41:14.73
He rewards our faith.
00:41:14.76\00:41:18.70
Wow, but, you know, let me
go to the flip side of that.
00:41:18.73\00:41:21.73
There are some
individuals who say,
00:41:21.76\00:41:23.13
"Well, I have faith that
my check was mailed today.
00:41:23.16\00:41:25.83
Oh, I have faith that
my check has arrived,"
00:41:25.86\00:41:27.97
but they sit on their
couch in the living room
00:41:28.00\00:41:31.06
and refuse to go
to the post office
00:41:31.09\00:41:32.58
or even out to the mail
box to see if it's there.
00:41:32.61\00:41:34.96
So they want that check
to get legs and come in.
00:41:34.99\00:41:37.62
I have faith that
God can find me a job
00:41:37.65\00:41:39.72
but they don't
even look for one.
00:41:39.75\00:41:41.12
They don't go, sign up, apply.
00:41:41.15\00:41:44.51
So what am I saying?
00:41:44.54\00:41:45.91
Faith requires more
than just an ethereal,
00:41:45.94\00:41:48.67
intellectual knowledge that--
00:41:48.70\00:41:50.41
or an intellectual
assertion that God will do it.
00:41:50.44\00:41:55.89
Because God is not
working with the automatous
00:41:55.92\00:41:57.73
or nor is God programming us.
00:41:57.76\00:42:00.07
I like Mark 11: 22, he
says, first of all understand
00:42:00.10\00:42:02.89
where the source
of your faith is.
00:42:02.92\00:42:04.34
Have faith in God,
Mark says in Mark 11: 22.
00:42:04.37\00:42:07.43
So we have faith in God
but we also have faith that,
00:42:07.46\00:42:10.09
that God, not just in God
00:42:10.12\00:42:12.92
but that God can do more
than we can possibly imagine.
00:42:12.95\00:42:17.06
You know, in this message
00:42:17.09\00:42:18.50
that I was preaching
here this last Sabbath,
00:42:18.53\00:42:19.97
I talked about
exercising our faith.
00:42:20.00\00:42:24.32
And one of the things I
brought up for the elements
00:42:24.35\00:42:26.08
of how we can listen better
to God's--for God's voice,
00:42:26.11\00:42:28.45
for His leading is to wait.
00:42:28.48\00:42:31.57
Now, I know we just talked
about sitting on the couch
00:42:31.60\00:42:33.73
and actually going out
and applying for a job,
00:42:33.76\00:42:36.08
when you're asking
God to bring you a job
00:42:36.11\00:42:37.55
that's not how to
exercise your faith.
00:42:37.58\00:42:39.44
Sometimes, faith in the
Bible is always an active word.
00:42:39.47\00:42:46.28
And even waiting can be active.
00:42:46.31\00:42:50.45
Waiting can be
anticipating the blessing
00:42:50.48\00:42:53.09
when you can't do anything else.
00:42:53.12\00:42:54.83
In other words,
waiting isn't a lazy waiting.
00:42:54.86\00:42:59.22
Waiting is an
exercising your faith in the God
00:42:59.25\00:43:02.85
who will do something,
who will move that mountain,
00:43:02.88\00:43:05.24
who will do something for you
so you can pass through. Right.
00:43:05.27\00:43:08.63
Waiting happens when
you can't do anything.
00:43:08.66\00:43:11.18
That's right.
Sometimes you can't do--yeah.
00:43:11.21\00:43:13.03
But many times God says,
00:43:13.06\00:43:15.37
now go do something
and you need to do it.
00:43:15.40\00:43:17.62
So I think what
we're doing in this program
00:43:17.65\00:43:19.99
is figuring out when do I wait?
00:43:20.02\00:43:22.37
When do I go do something?
00:43:22.40\00:43:24.41
And how do I know God's in it,
00:43:24.44\00:43:26.00
what He wants me to do
and all these things are about
00:43:26.03\00:43:30.61
understanding how faith works
00:43:30.64\00:43:32.72
and how God wants
us to experience faith
00:43:32.75\00:43:35.28
and put our faith in
Him throughout our lives.
00:43:35.31\00:43:37.91
Truly, because there
was a situation in the Bible
00:43:37.94\00:43:39.64
where the Lord
said to the Israelites,
00:43:39.67\00:43:41.98
"Stand still and see
the salvation of the Lord
00:43:42.01\00:43:45.12
which He will
accomplish for you today",
00:43:45.15\00:43:48.17
which required nothing on
their part but to stand still.
00:43:48.20\00:43:51.25
So on the flip side of actively
participating with your faith,
00:43:51.28\00:43:56.19
there's also a side where
you sometime have to acquiesce
00:43:56.22\00:43:59.48
and say, "Okay, God,
this is way beyond me.
00:43:59.51\00:44:04.25
I don't even know what to do."
00:44:04.28\00:44:06.18
And the Lord says, "Stand still
00:44:06.21\00:44:09.13
and see the
salvation of the Lord."
00:44:09.16\00:44:11.22
And then sometimes He
says like he did to Moses,
00:44:11.25\00:44:14.53
what's that in your hand?
00:44:14.56\00:44:16.58
See, so you have
to pray and ask God,
00:44:16.61\00:44:18.64
in those days when they come,
00:44:18.67\00:44:20.85
God does not apply one principle
00:44:20.88\00:44:22.83
or one scripture
to every situation
00:44:22.86\00:44:24.89
because you find that Abraham,
00:44:24.92\00:44:26.54
he was--his faith was
affirmed by his works. Right.
00:44:26.57\00:44:30.14
See, he didn't just
have this intellectual assent
00:44:30.17\00:44:33.29
that God is in charge
and God is in control.
00:44:33.32\00:44:35.59
He did something that his
faith was accepted before God.
00:44:35.62\00:44:39.23
There's also--
maybe you could speak
00:44:39.26\00:44:40.63
on this a little bit, John.
00:44:40.66\00:44:42.03
There's also this
little misunderstanding
00:44:42.06\00:44:44.65
that the Old
Testament, it's all about works.
00:44:44.68\00:44:49.80
That, you know, the people
were saved because they obeyed,
00:44:49.83\00:44:52.55
because they followed,
they did exactly as prescribed
00:44:52.58\00:44:55.42
in the--under the old covenant
system of rules and regulations.
00:44:55.45\00:45:01.59
I mean, this is the way that
their salvation was worked out.
00:45:01.62\00:45:05.20
But you read on
in Hebrews chapter 11
00:45:05.23\00:45:09.14
and it speaks of these old
patriarchs of the Old Testament
00:45:09.17\00:45:12.13
and in every
case, it says by faith,
00:45:12.16\00:45:15.49
by faith, by faith, by faith.
00:45:15.52\00:45:18.41
So if anyone is telling you
this kind of law and grace thing
00:45:18.44\00:45:23.10
where the law or the
dispensation of the law
00:45:23.13\00:45:25.35
was in the old covenant system,
00:45:25.38\00:45:26.85
now under grace we
exercise faith in Christ,
00:45:26.88\00:45:29.98
that is completely contrary
to a reasonable understanding,
00:45:30.01\00:45:35.14
a reasonable
reading of the entire book
00:45:35.17\00:45:38.11
or all the books of the Bible
because over and over again
00:45:38.14\00:45:40.98
you didn't see
the exercise of law
00:45:41.01\00:45:42.56
to be saved in
the Old Testament,
00:45:42.59\00:45:43.96
you saw the exercise
of faith. That's right.
00:45:43.99\00:45:46.27
And grace that came from God.
00:45:46.30\00:45:49.42
And so similarly you have
elements of not only faith
00:45:49.45\00:45:55.65
in the Old Testament,
00:45:55.68\00:45:57.39
because that's
the way we're saved,
00:45:57.42\00:45:58.79
but you have elements of
law in the New Testament.
00:45:58.82\00:46:02.44
Because part of faith is
obeying Him. Right, right.
00:46:02.47\00:46:06.46
And I think we'll
get into that as well
00:46:06.49\00:46:07.87
but I just--I wanted to give
this thing because this idea,
00:46:07.90\00:46:10.72
concept sometimes
that in the Old testament,
00:46:10.75\00:46:12.80
we talk about
some of these stories,
00:46:12.83\00:46:14.43
well, you know,
they had to obey,
00:46:14.46\00:46:15.85
they had to do this and
that and then God accepted them.
00:46:15.88\00:46:18.23
Never has that been the
requirement for salvation,
00:46:18.26\00:46:21.49
for that
redemption, is obedience
00:46:21.52\00:46:23.52
so that you can be saved. Right.
00:46:23.55\00:46:25.68
It's faith and trust in
God who did the saving for you.
00:46:25.71\00:46:29.58
We obey because we love Him
00:46:29.61\00:46:31.38
and this is the way
He would want us to walk.
00:46:31.41\00:46:34.62
And so now you come
into the walk of faith
00:46:34.65\00:46:38.60
and by the way,
00:46:38.63\00:46:40.03
"For by grace are you
are saved through faith",
00:46:40.06\00:46:41.77
that has always been the fact.
00:46:41.80\00:46:43.68
Noah found grace
in the eyes of Lord.
00:46:43.71\00:46:46.24
God in the Old Testament
described Himself as gracious,
00:46:46.27\00:46:49.73
long suffering,
good--long suffering,
00:46:49.76\00:46:53.81
and abundant in mercy and truth.
00:46:53.84\00:46:56.27
This is God, He's
always been gracious.
00:46:56.30\00:46:58.97
So there's not a work
salvation and faith salvation,
00:46:59.00\00:47:03.77
"For by grace are
you saved through faith
00:47:03.80\00:47:06.25
and that not of yourselves,
it is the gift of God,
00:47:06.28\00:47:08.67
not of works lest
anyone should boast."
00:47:08.70\00:47:10.61
So you have those who say,
00:47:10.64\00:47:12.01
"Well, didn't they work
their way into salvation
00:47:12.04\00:47:15.13
through the laws
of the Old Testament?"
00:47:15.16\00:47:16.96
No, the laws of
the Old Testament,
00:47:16.99\00:47:18.36
the ceremonial laws, the
laws that required a sacrifice
00:47:18.39\00:47:21.61
and offering, burnt
offering, sin offering,
00:47:21.64\00:47:24.21
the wave sheaf
offering that came to the Lord,
00:47:24.24\00:47:26.25
those were
simply there to affirm
00:47:26.28\00:47:28.56
that we are offering
00:47:28.59\00:47:30.25
these offerings to a
God that we don't see.
00:47:30.28\00:47:33.39
That I would even
say what they were doing
00:47:33.42\00:47:35.52
was the practicing
of their faith. Right.
00:47:35.55\00:47:38.25
'Cause I'm offering
these offerings to a God
00:47:38.28\00:47:39.89
that I don't see,
00:47:39.92\00:47:41.35
then I must believe
He is. That's right.
00:47:41.38\00:47:43.16
And so, you know, you have
the other definition of faith.
00:47:43.19\00:47:46.06
"Without faith it is
impossible to please God,"
00:47:46.09\00:47:48.77
for he that cometh
to God with an offering,
00:47:48.80\00:47:51.16
with a prayer, with a request,
00:47:51.19\00:47:53.40
"he that cometh to God
must believe that he is.
00:47:53.43\00:47:56.77
And that he is a rewarder of
those who diligently seek Him."
00:47:56.80\00:48:00.94
So we come to God,
00:48:00.97\00:48:02.34
how do you come to
somebody you can't see?
00:48:02.37\00:48:05.68
You come to Him by
faith. That's right.
00:48:05.71\00:48:08.03
Substance of things hoped for,
00:48:08.06\00:48:09.64
the evidence of the
one that we can't see.
00:48:09.67\00:48:13.00
And the Bible says,
"No man has seen God
00:48:13.03\00:48:14.91
at anytime but by faith."
00:48:14.94\00:48:16.58
He said it to Thomas, he
said it to the disciples,
00:48:16.61\00:48:19.06
"Have I been with you so long
you haven't seen the father."
00:48:19.09\00:48:22.57
So it's a very much of
faith aspect in their walk
00:48:22.60\00:48:25.75
Well, I was just looking
here at Isaiah Chapter 1. Okay.
00:48:25.78\00:48:29.60
Starting around
verse 10, talking about,
00:48:29.63\00:48:34.32
this is God speaking to
the people and He's saying,
00:48:34.35\00:48:37.46
"Hear the word of the
Lord, you rulers of Sodom,
00:48:37.49\00:48:40.30
give ear to the law of our
God, you people of Gomorrah,
00:48:40.33\00:48:43.42
to what purpose is the multitude
of your sacrifices to me?"
00:48:43.45\00:48:45.98
And he goes through,
you know, their sacrificing,
00:48:46.01\00:48:48.15
their burnt offerings,
00:48:48.18\00:48:49.72
the cattle that
they slaughtered for Him,
00:48:49.75\00:48:52.10
how they appear
before Him in His court room,
00:48:52.13\00:48:54.88
how they observed
the different feasts,
00:48:54.91\00:48:58.17
new moon, Sabbaths,
00:48:58.20\00:48:59.57
all that's all the
different ceremonial
00:48:59.60\00:49:00.97
Sabbaths that
are going on there,
00:49:01.00\00:49:03.63
all the things they were doing,
00:49:03.66\00:49:05.03
God is saying
what is that to me?
00:49:05.06\00:49:08.37
What was missing? Faith.
00:49:08.40\00:49:10.27
Deuteronomy, what was it 32?
00:49:10.30\00:49:12.48
20. 20.
00:49:12.51\00:49:13.88
These people are
doing these things
00:49:13.91\00:49:15.28
but they have
no faith. No faith.
00:49:15.31\00:49:16.77
We've got to mix
faith in everything
00:49:16.80\00:49:18.70
we do or it becomes,
00:49:18.73\00:49:20.91
our obedience to
God becomes legalism.
00:49:20.94\00:49:24.09
That's the
definition, it's a transition.
00:49:24.12\00:49:26.25
Obedience is by faith, legalism
is without faith. That's right.
00:49:26.28\00:49:30.45
By law alone, and Paul
addressed that in Romans 4,
00:49:30.48\00:49:32.87
he says, "For if those
who are of the law are heirs,
00:49:32.90\00:49:37.98
faith is made void,
00:49:38.01\00:49:40.32
and the promise
made of no effect."
00:49:40.35\00:49:43.18
Isn't that a powerful one?
00:49:43.21\00:49:44.58
That's a powerful.
Which one is that one again?
00:49:44.61\00:49:45.98
Romans 4: 14, "For if those
who are of the law are heirs,
00:49:46.01\00:49:49.95
and faith is made void,
00:49:49.98\00:49:51.35
and the promise
made of no effect."
00:49:51.38\00:49:53.30
So if we were saved by the law,
00:49:53.33\00:49:54.94
only by the sacrifices,
burnt offerings, sin offerings
00:49:54.97\00:49:57.26
and all the other
aspects of the law of God,
00:49:57.29\00:49:59.69
if that was our
sole method of salvation,
00:49:59.72\00:50:02.46
then he said, well, you
made everything of no effect,
00:50:02.49\00:50:05.76
you don't even need
faith but on the contrary,
00:50:05.79\00:50:09.41
he says we're saved by the grace
of faith that not of ourselves
00:50:09.44\00:50:12.93
and it's
amazing you mention that
00:50:12.96\00:50:14.33
and I have the scripture
poised. That's perfect.
00:50:14.36\00:50:16.13
Right, to mention here, we
didn't even coordinate that.
00:50:16.16\00:50:19.33
But truly, faith
is not a major part
00:50:19.36\00:50:23.39
but it's the key evidential
part of our walk with God.
00:50:23.42\00:50:27.22
As a matter of fact,
one of the questions here
00:50:27.25\00:50:30.06
in Luke 18: 8, a question,
00:50:30.09\00:50:33.78
let's go to that
question here, Luke 18: 8.
00:50:33.81\00:50:36.37
The question is
what did Jesus ask
00:50:36.40\00:50:38.20
or what did Jesus
say would characterize,
00:50:38.23\00:50:41.00
the last days.
00:50:41.03\00:50:42.62
And the reason why we're
bringing this topic to you is
00:50:42.65\00:50:45.88
because it's more than just--
it's a lot more than just,
00:50:45.91\00:50:49.38
well, we need to be
a people of more faith.
00:50:49.41\00:50:52.90
Today with all the
things that we are trusting
00:50:52.93\00:50:54.82
and we're trusting
in a stable economy,
00:50:54.85\00:50:56.55
we're trusting in
our political leaders,
00:50:56.58\00:50:58.56
we're trusting
in-- we're hoping that
00:50:58.59\00:51:01.18
weather is
becoming more predictable.
00:51:01.21\00:51:05.06
In reality, you can't
predict the weather anymore
00:51:05.09\00:51:07.34
even the meteorologists can't
predict the weather anymore
00:51:07.37\00:51:09.91
because it still out of
whack and out of ordinary.
00:51:09.94\00:51:13.05
But Jesus made a statement,
00:51:13.08\00:51:14.45
He said what is gonna be
the challenge of the last days.
00:51:14.48\00:51:17.04
They are in Luke
18: 8. Well, yeah.
00:51:17.07\00:51:20.56
Starting with verse 7,
00:51:20.59\00:51:22.54
"And shall God not
avenge His own elect
00:51:22.57\00:51:24.58
who cry out day
and night to Him?
00:51:24.61\00:51:27.59
Though he bears long with them,
00:51:27.62\00:51:31.81
I tell you that He
will avenge them", how fast?
00:51:31.84\00:51:34.56
Speedily. "Speedily.
00:51:34.59\00:51:36.28
Nevertheless, when
the Son of Man comes,
00:51:36.31\00:51:37.98
will He--" It's a good question,
00:51:38.01\00:51:39.96
"Will He find
faith on the earth?"
00:51:39.99\00:51:42.97
In other words, for
those who are looking around
00:51:43.00\00:51:44.73
at all the problems and
all the things happening,
00:51:44.76\00:51:47.39
will he find them
exercising their faith
00:51:47.42\00:51:50.24
and trust that
He will avenge them?
00:51:50.27\00:51:52.84
The question is not will God
00:51:52.87\00:51:55.04
or does He even want
to avenge His people,
00:51:55.07\00:51:58.01
of course, He does,
He loves His people,
00:51:58.04\00:52:00.01
the question is will
those who He wants to avenge
00:52:00.04\00:52:04.26
be exercising their faith.
00:52:04.29\00:52:05.66
Will they be actively trusting
and putting their faith in God
00:52:05.69\00:52:09.99
who can and is ready to deliver.
00:52:10.02\00:52:14.26
This is where a lot of
people come up with this idea
00:52:14.29\00:52:16.55
that the gentiles and the
Jews are saved differently,
00:52:16.58\00:52:21.06
the Jews were saved by Law,
00:52:21.09\00:52:22.83
the gentiles that accepted
Christ were saved by faith.
00:52:22.86\00:52:27.37
They were both saved
by grace through faith.
00:52:27.40\00:52:30.63
The reason why
God had established
00:52:30.66\00:52:32.20
the ceremonial
system was to point them to
00:52:32.23\00:52:35.83
the work that Christ would
accomplish on their behalf.
00:52:35.86\00:52:38.87
So the gentiles come along after
Christ accomplished this work
00:52:38.90\00:52:44.37
and they look back,
the Jews looked forward,
00:52:44.40\00:52:49.34
they had a meeting
point, the cross of Christ.
00:52:49.37\00:52:51.66
So one wasn't saved by a
different form than the other
00:52:51.69\00:52:55.45
and the reason I mention this
00:52:55.48\00:52:56.85
because nowadays
a lot of people say,
00:52:56.88\00:52:58.36
well, since we're saved by grace
through faith in Christ alone,
00:52:58.39\00:53:02.00
we don't need to
keep the commandments.
00:53:02.03\00:53:03.78
And that's a contrary statement
compared to what the Bible says.
00:53:03.81\00:53:08.43
Knowing that, it
ignores the explicit statements
00:53:08.46\00:53:11.51
in the New Testament about
keeping the commandments of God
00:53:11.54\00:53:14.53
and it's watered down as such
00:53:14.56\00:53:16.69
where as they
begin to reinterpret
00:53:16.72\00:53:18.58
what those commands are.
00:53:18.61\00:53:21.21
And really, we know that
00:53:21.24\00:53:22.86
probably we don't have a
problem with nine of them.
00:53:22.89\00:53:26.10
It's just one that they
have an issue with but anyway,
00:53:26.13\00:53:30.60
as we're starting to
wrap up this program,
00:53:30.63\00:53:32.09
I see time's slipping away here.
00:53:32.12\00:53:34.69
In regard to faith,
faith and pleasing God
00:53:34.72\00:53:40.30
through obedience in the
life comes together. Right.
00:53:40.33\00:53:43.92
When you hear about faith,
00:53:43.95\00:53:45.40
never let faith be this ethereal
non-substance form out there,
00:53:45.43\00:53:49.94
faith is
something to be practiced,
00:53:49.97\00:53:51.45
to be exercised in life.
00:53:51.48\00:53:52.95
And if we're gonna
put our faith in God,
00:53:52.98\00:53:54.67
don't need to read his word
and say what do I do to exercise
00:53:54.70\00:53:57.54
or practice my faith? Right.
00:53:57.57\00:53:59.74
Right? You have to.
00:53:59.77\00:54:01.14
And that's the
question, what do I do, God,
00:54:01.17\00:54:04.09
to put into practice the
faith that I have in You?
00:54:04.12\00:54:07.05
He says, okay, now we can start.
00:54:07.08\00:54:09.40
Let me help to--let me
first put my spirit within you
00:54:09.43\00:54:12.88
and begin to transform
your life and make you over new.
00:54:12.91\00:54:15.93
And then help you to
be able to live in harmony
00:54:15.96\00:54:19.13
with the
precepts and the things,
00:54:19.16\00:54:20.81
the ways that I've set
forth through the Scriptures.
00:54:20.84\00:54:24.68
And that's just a--
that is the Christian walk.
00:54:24.71\00:54:27.55
That's why
Christians are committed
00:54:27.58\00:54:30.44
and should always be committed
00:54:30.47\00:54:31.84
to following the Lord
in every respect. Yeah.
00:54:31.87\00:54:35.53
Very, very important, following
the Lord in every respect.
00:54:35.56\00:54:38.72
But I want to just
complete that statement
00:54:38.75\00:54:40.68
with this statement
I made a moment ago,
00:54:40.71\00:54:43.12
how the people of God
00:54:43.15\00:54:45.54
in the last days
will be characterized
00:54:45.57\00:54:47.35
as the people of obedience.
00:54:47.38\00:54:49.02
Obviously through
the indwelling Christ.
00:54:49.05\00:54:51.43
Well, Revelation 14:12 says--
00:54:51.46\00:54:53.22
We're going there,
how did I know that?
00:54:53.25\00:54:54.62
How did you know that?
00:54:54.65\00:54:56.96
It says here, "Here is
the patience of the saints,
00:54:56.99\00:55:01.92
here are they that
keep the commandments of God
00:55:01.95\00:55:06.48
and have the
faith of Jesus." Amen.
00:55:06.51\00:55:09.84
Commandments and faith.
00:55:09.87\00:55:12.18
So you see,
they go hand in hand.
00:55:12.21\00:55:14.21
Faith, the means whereby we are
saved by grace through faith,
00:55:14.24\00:55:19.22
faith is the door that we walk
into that relationship with,
00:55:19.25\00:55:22.13
actually, Christ is the door,
00:55:22.16\00:55:23.88
but faith makes the Christ that
we do not see accessible to us,
00:55:23.91\00:55:29.30
we see Him by faith.
00:55:29.33\00:55:31.49
When Abraham was traveling,
00:55:31.52\00:55:33.95
by faith he looked for a city
00:55:33.98\00:55:35.92
which had foundations
whose builder and maker is God.
00:55:35.95\00:55:38.61
He looked way beyond what
he could see with his eyes
00:55:38.64\00:55:41.32
but he knew
that there was a city
00:55:41.35\00:55:43.03
that would be
apparently existing one day
00:55:43.06\00:55:45.40
who--whose builder
and maker is God. Yeah.
00:55:45.43\00:55:49.45
And it's about, it really
comes down to the relationship
00:55:49.48\00:55:52.36
and we haven't
brought this word out yet
00:55:52.39\00:55:53.78
but when you
establish your faith in Christ
00:55:53.81\00:55:57.61
and you believe in Him,
00:55:57.64\00:55:59.27
and we're talking about
substance and evidence, right?
00:55:59.30\00:56:02.28
That's how the relationship
begins to grow with God.
00:56:02.31\00:56:06.87
And so every day
when you wake up,
00:56:06.90\00:56:09.24
before those feet
even hit the floor,
00:56:09.27\00:56:11.09
it's--Good morning, Lord. Right.
00:56:11.12\00:56:13.76
It's communicating with Him,
you know, prayer, through prayer
00:56:13.79\00:56:18.77
and through just
constant walking with Him,
00:56:18.80\00:56:22.17
you know, pray without ceasing
is a constant attitude of prayer
00:56:22.20\00:56:24.90
live throughout the daily life,
00:56:24.93\00:56:26.95
that is how we
exercise our faith
00:56:26.98\00:56:28.60
knowing that God is
always there with us.
00:56:28.63\00:56:31.98
And this is the walk of
faith, that's why Paul--
00:56:32.01\00:56:34.27
and I know we don't have
time to get into this now,
00:56:34.30\00:56:35.75
we'll do it in the next
program but the walk of faith,
00:56:35.78\00:56:38.86
Romans 8, you
know, we don't walk
00:56:38.89\00:56:42.02
now in the old
fleshly body that once we had,
00:56:42.05\00:56:44.45
the body of sin, we
walk in the newness of life
00:56:44.48\00:56:47.27
which is in the
spirit given to us,
00:56:47.30\00:56:49.80
we walk by faith knowing
and communicating with God
00:56:49.83\00:56:53.41
in every step of the way.
00:56:53.44\00:56:54.81
And when you think
about the trials that come
00:56:54.84\00:56:57.88
because the people of God
00:56:57.91\00:56:59.28
are not just to
serve God in easy times
00:56:59.31\00:57:01.19
but in
difficult times, you know,
00:57:01.22\00:57:03.30
the time is not far distance
00:57:03.33\00:57:04.70
where there'll be those who'd
be under severe persecution,
00:57:04.73\00:57:07.86
there'll be those who'll
be at the edge of the sword,
00:57:07.89\00:57:10.17
spiritually speaking.
00:57:10.20\00:57:11.92
But the Lord
says at that moment,
00:57:11.95\00:57:14.62
here is where the patience
00:57:14.65\00:57:16.02
and the faith of the
saints come in. That's right.
00:57:16.05\00:57:18.32
And so, friends, as we
continue here at "House Calls",
00:57:18.35\00:57:20.26
we want to encourage you
00:57:20.29\00:57:21.71
that making a
relationship with Christ
00:57:21.74\00:57:23.51
is more than just something that
is bogged down in exercises.
00:57:23.54\00:57:28.16
Give your heart to Christ
and have a faith walk with him
00:57:28.19\00:57:30.47
and when He
comes, you'll be ready.
00:57:30.50\00:57:32.63
God bless you
till we see you again.
00:57:32.66\00:57:35.12