Hello, friends, grab
your Bible and a friend
00:00:01.01\00:00:03.16
and sit back as
we explore God's word
00:00:03.17\00:00:05.27
together on this
edition of House calls.
00:00:05.28\00:00:08.42
Welcome to another
edition of House calls.
00:00:22.27\00:00:24.21
My name is John
Lomacang and to my right
00:00:24.22\00:00:26.06
is my good friend,
Pastor John Stanton.
00:00:26.07\00:00:28.50
And we are in the saddle
again getting ready to go
00:00:28.51\00:00:32.94
and carry you
with us on an excursion
00:00:32.95\00:00:36.96
through the word of God.
00:00:36.97\00:00:38.06
And it's gonna be
exciting because whenever you go
00:00:38.07\00:00:40.65
into the word of
God, there are treasures
00:00:40.66\00:00:42.22
that you always discover.
00:00:42.23\00:00:43.23
So thank you for tuning in.
00:00:43.24\00:00:44.81
Get your Bibles, get
your friends, get your pens.
00:00:44.82\00:00:47.43
Hit record button
and stay for an hour
00:00:47.44\00:00:49.68
of exhilarating
Bible study together.
00:00:49.69\00:00:51.98
Good to have you here, John.
00:00:51.99\00:00:53.01
It's good to be here, John,
00:00:53.02\00:00:54.02
and ready to
open up the scriptures
00:00:54.03\00:00:56.86
and let the Lord speak to us.
00:00:56.87\00:00:58.74
Praise the Lord.
And, you know friends,
00:00:58.75\00:00:59.74
we always like to
let you know that,
00:00:59.75\00:01:01.83
whenever we join
you, there is a time
00:01:01.84\00:01:04.47
for the spirit of God in heaven,
00:01:04.48\00:01:06.31
to connect to the
hearts of humanity on earth.
00:01:06.32\00:01:08.62
But it always
happens most effectively
00:01:08.63\00:01:10.42
if we begin with prayer.
00:01:10.43\00:01:11.57
So, John, pray for us today.
00:01:11.58\00:01:13.14
Let's do that.
Our Father in Heaven,
00:01:13.15\00:01:14.77
we need You today
as we do everyday.
00:01:14.78\00:01:17.65
And we pray for Your
presence to be here to guide
00:01:17.66\00:01:20.44
and to lead
throughout the program
00:01:20.45\00:01:22.45
to be with every aspect of it.
00:01:22.46\00:01:24.50
And to be with us as
we open up the scriptures,
00:01:24.51\00:01:26.91
we look at a few questions,
and try to do our best
00:01:26.92\00:01:30.56
to provide the answers
that come from on High.
00:01:30.57\00:01:33.30
And so we thank You
Lord for the promise
00:01:33.31\00:01:35.09
You've given to us
that You would send
00:01:35.10\00:01:36.67
the Spirit to anyone who asks.
00:01:36.68\00:01:38.26
And so we ask
believing and knowing
00:01:38.27\00:01:41.00
that we'll receive, in
Jesus name, amen. Amen.
00:01:41.01\00:01:44.08
As you know,
friends, a lot of this program
00:01:45.32\00:01:46.84
has to do with your
questions and your comments.
00:01:46.85\00:01:48.76
Today, I have snail
mail, not that it is slow
00:01:48.77\00:01:53.39
but if you could
send an email and get here
00:01:53.40\00:01:55.26
in a matter of a nanosecond.
00:01:55.27\00:01:56.99
For those of you
who don't have internet,
00:01:58.31\00:02:00.27
we still accept mail
through the postal service.
00:02:00.28\00:02:03.59
And we have two
of them here today,
00:02:03.60\00:02:05.29
but John has the hi-tech mail.
00:02:05.30\00:02:08.44
And we're gonna begin
with the hi-tech question,
00:02:08.45\00:02:10.70
back to snail
mail, back to hi-tech,
00:02:10.71\00:02:12.66
back to snail mail.
00:02:12.67\00:02:13.94
And we're gonna have a
good time in the study today.
00:02:13.95\00:02:15.99
Amen, amen.
00:02:16.00\00:02:17.25
You know, this
question is coming,
00:02:17.26\00:02:18.87
actually it's come to
us several times before,
00:02:18.88\00:02:20.99
but I am not sure we really have
00:02:21.00\00:02:22.17
spent time on it here of late.
00:02:22.18\00:02:24.40
And it comes from Andrew.
00:02:24.41\00:02:26.34
And he says thank
you for the great job
00:02:26.35\00:02:29.03
you guys are doing,
thank you very much, Andrew.
00:02:29.04\00:02:31.45
And my question centers around
00:02:31.46\00:02:34.18
the new and Old Covenants.
00:02:34.19\00:02:36.59
There seems to
be so much confusion
00:02:36.60\00:02:38.77
regarding what
stays and what goes.
00:02:38.78\00:02:43.62
In specifics, how
does eating pork and other
00:02:43.63\00:02:47.02
unclean meats still
relate to modern Christians?
00:02:47.03\00:02:50.99
Is it a sin to eat such things?
00:02:51.00\00:02:53.74
And then, there're some
other things that he asks
00:02:53.75\00:02:55.91
in regard to like
Passover and a feast.
00:02:55.92\00:02:58.32
Should we be keeping
those kinds of things?
00:02:58.33\00:03:00.51
And so we'll try and
touch on a few of those items,
00:03:00.52\00:03:02.79
but first of all,
let's really dive into,
00:03:02.80\00:03:07.07
what the essence is
00:03:07.08\00:03:09.57
in the Old Covenant
and the New Covenant.
00:03:09.58\00:03:11.64
Now first, we're
gonna start with the heart.
00:03:11.65\00:03:14.37
If you go to Exodus Chapter 24--
00:03:14.38\00:03:17.89
Exodus Chapter
24, you're gonna find
00:03:19.70\00:03:22.19
how the Old
Covenant was established.
00:03:23.12\00:03:25.93
And I'm gonna read here
from verses 3 through 7.
00:03:26.94\00:03:31.60
Exodus 24:3-7 it
says, so Moses came
00:03:33.07\00:03:36.39
and told the people
all the words of the Lord
00:03:36.40\00:03:40.13
and all the
judgments, and all the people
00:03:40.14\00:03:42.76
answered with
one voice and said,
00:03:42.77\00:03:45.85
"All the words which the
Lord has said we will do."
00:03:45.86\00:03:49.00
What verse are you in again?
00:03:49.01\00:03:50.10
I am in verse 3
of Exodus 24. Okay.
00:03:50.11\00:03:53.46
And Moses wrote all
the words of the Lord
00:03:53.47\00:03:56.27
and he rose early in the
morning and built an altar
00:03:56.28\00:03:58.84
at the foot of the
mountain, and twelve pillars,
00:03:58.85\00:04:01.99
according to the
twelve tribes of Israel.
00:04:02.00\00:04:04.55
Then he sent young men
of the children of Israel
00:04:04.56\00:04:06.86
who offered burn
offerings and sacrificed
00:04:06.87\00:04:08.82
peace offerings
of oxen to the Lord.
00:04:08.83\00:04:10.85
And Moses took half the
blood and put it in basins,
00:04:10.86\00:04:14.40
and half the blood he
sprinkled on the altar.
00:04:14.41\00:04:16.88
Then he took the Book
of the Covenant, okay,
00:04:16.89\00:04:19.44
so we're looking at
this Book of the Covenant
00:04:19.45\00:04:21.55
now that has been
established and read it
00:04:21.56\00:04:24.65
in the hearing of the people.
00:04:24.66\00:04:26.77
And they said, and
here's the second time,
00:04:26.78\00:04:29.88
"All that the Lord has said,
we will do, and be obedient."
00:04:29.89\00:04:35.38
And Moses took the blood,
sprinkled it on the people
00:04:35.39\00:04:37.95
and said, this is
the blood of the Covenant
00:04:37.96\00:04:40.60
which the Lord has
made with, excuse me,
00:04:40.61\00:04:43.16
with you according
to all these words.
00:04:43.17\00:04:45.68
Talk for a
second, John, because--
00:04:45.69\00:04:46.87
Yeah, you got--you've
got crud going on in there.
00:04:46.88\00:04:49.61
Well, you know, the Lord
makes the covenant, John.
00:04:49.62\00:04:51.61
This covenant that He makes
first of all is a covenant--
00:04:51.62\00:04:54.73
if He makes a covenant,
He is the one responsible
00:04:54.74\00:04:57.75
for keeping the covenant.
00:04:57.76\00:05:00.26
But also, covenant can't
be made with just one person.
00:05:00.27\00:05:02.73
A covenant is a
two-sided agreement.
00:05:02.74\00:05:04.17
You know, for example,
if you go and purchase a car
00:05:04.18\00:05:07.32
you make a covenant
with the car manufacturer
00:05:07.33\00:05:09.13
when you sign the dotted line
00:05:09.14\00:05:11.58
as we use that
phrase, the dotted line.
00:05:11.59\00:05:13.82
Well, when the covenant is made,
00:05:13.83\00:05:15.48
the covenants have
to be first of all put
00:05:15.49\00:05:19.66
that is constructed,
agreed upon, and ratified.
00:05:19.67\00:05:25.21
And so you see
every time there was
00:05:25.22\00:05:27.78
the shedding of
blood in the Old Testament.
00:05:27.79\00:05:31.27
After the Lord
established that covenant
00:05:31.28\00:05:33.59
that was a
continuation to reiterate that,
00:05:33.60\00:05:36.83
we agree with the
covenant that you made.
00:05:36.84\00:05:39.64
You agree to follow
your side of the agreement
00:05:39.65\00:05:45.22
and we will agree to follow
our side of the agreement.
00:05:45.23\00:05:49.18
But even more
than the human side,
00:05:49.19\00:05:52.09
one of the things
that makes the covenant
00:05:52.10\00:05:53.34
so wonderful is when
one high priest died,
00:05:53.35\00:05:56.65
the covenant still continued.
00:05:56.66\00:05:58.79
When the people or
the leaders of the tribes
00:05:58.80\00:06:01.14
of Israel passed on from
generation to generation,
00:06:01.15\00:06:04.25
the covenants still continued.
00:06:04.26\00:06:06.10
Because the most
important part of the covenant
00:06:06.11\00:06:07.77
it is made by God
and God's covenants
00:06:07.78\00:06:10.51
are eternal
because God is eternal.
00:06:10.52\00:06:13.10
Now when we speak
about Old and New Covenant,
00:06:13.11\00:06:17.19
each of those covenants
served a specific purpose
00:06:17.20\00:06:20.74
and had a specific timeframe.
00:06:20.75\00:06:22.67
You're gonna talk
about that-- That's right.
00:06:22.68\00:06:23.68
In a moment
before we transition.
00:06:23.69\00:06:24.92
Yeah, I think
one of the few things
00:06:24.93\00:06:26.65
to remember here as
we're looking at the covenants
00:06:26.66\00:06:28.44
is that God has made
a covenant with mankind
00:06:28.45\00:06:32.09
and that covenant is
an everlasting covenant,
00:06:32.10\00:06:35.50
a covenant that was established
00:06:35.51\00:06:37.06
from the
beginning to redeem mankind.
00:06:37.07\00:06:39.48
We find evidence
of that in the garden
00:06:39.49\00:06:42.33
just after the Garden of
Eden between Cain and Abel,
00:06:42.34\00:06:44.17
we find the two altars
there that the only acceptable
00:06:44.18\00:06:47.06
sacrifice was that from the Lamb
00:06:47.07\00:06:50.42
that was put on
the altar by Abel.
00:06:50.43\00:06:52.47
The one that was not
sac-- accepted was that,
00:06:52.48\00:06:54.96
that was put on by Cain,
00:06:54.97\00:06:56.48
which was the
fruit of his own labors.
00:06:56.49\00:06:59.12
And so what we're
finding here in the Old Covenant
00:06:59.13\00:07:01.48
is God coming back
to Israel and saying
00:07:01.49\00:07:04.42
here's the
covenant, the book was read
00:07:04.43\00:07:07.07
in front of the
people and the people
00:07:07.08\00:07:08.42
responded saying
that they will do that.
00:07:08.43\00:07:10.48
Did you read
verse 8, by the way?
00:07:10.49\00:07:12.36
I don't know if
you read verse 8, yes.
00:07:12.37\00:07:13.89
Okay. Yeah, all right.
00:07:13.90\00:07:15.56
Yeah, and so as you
look then at this covenant
00:07:15.57\00:07:19.47
established or
ratified, I guess, you would say
00:07:19.48\00:07:22.00
with the people of Israel
what they're communing to do
00:07:22.01\00:07:24.78
is to obey that covenant
as we read from verse 7.
00:07:24.79\00:07:29.34
Well, the problem
with the Old Covenant
00:07:29.35\00:07:31.86
is that asking a
sinner to-- in his own power
00:07:31.87\00:07:38.17
to obey something that
God has given is impossible.
00:07:38.18\00:07:42.35
And that's the
situation that Paul writes about
00:07:42.36\00:07:45.81
especially in the Book
of Romans where he says,
00:07:45.82\00:07:47.77
you know, we're
carnal, we're sold under sin.
00:07:47.78\00:07:49.94
It's not possible
that we would even
00:07:49.95\00:07:51.68
be able to keep the law of God.
00:07:51.69\00:07:53.71
And so the Lord knew
that He would need to do
00:07:53.72\00:07:57.37
more than just ask the people
00:07:57.38\00:07:59.78
to keep their end
of the deal. Right.
00:07:59.79\00:08:01.60
And so what He did was He
sent Jesus who is the seed
00:08:01.61\00:08:06.29
that would come
and be established.
00:08:06.30\00:08:08.68
He would be the one
individual that would be
00:08:08.69\00:08:10.25
established, the New Covenant
00:08:10.26\00:08:11.91
would be established
upon, and that He would
00:08:11.92\00:08:14.75
bring about all of the
blessings and the fruit
00:08:14.76\00:08:18.72
that would come as a
result of the covenant,
00:08:18.73\00:08:20.88
the everlasting covenant,
00:08:20.89\00:08:22.03
as it
transitions from old to new,
00:08:22.04\00:08:24.92
and so what we find
here in Ezekiel Chapter 36.
00:08:24.93\00:08:29.64
If you look at
Ezekiel Chapter 36 here,
00:08:29.65\00:08:31.95
and starting around, I
think, it's verse 27, okay.
00:08:33.77\00:08:37.74
Okay, I am there.
All right, it says--
00:08:44.22\00:08:47.46
in fact, let's
start with verse 24, okay,
00:08:50.30\00:08:52.84
for I will take you
from among the nations,
00:08:52.85\00:08:54.85
gather you out of all countries
00:08:54.86\00:08:56.78
and bring you
into your own land.
00:08:56.79\00:08:59.07
Then I will
sprinkle clean water on you,
00:08:59.08\00:09:01.38
when you shall be
clean, I will cleanse you
00:09:01.39\00:09:03.66
from all of your filthiness
and from all your idols.
00:09:03.67\00:09:06.62
I would give you a new heart
00:09:06.63\00:09:08.22
and put a new spirit within you.
00:09:08.23\00:09:10.69
I will take out
the heart of stone
00:09:10.70\00:09:12.76
out of your flesh. And
give you a heart of flesh.
00:09:12.77\00:09:16.98
I will put my spirit
within you and cause you to walk
00:09:16.99\00:09:20.57
in my statutes and you will keep
00:09:20.58\00:09:22.45
my judgments and do them.
00:09:22.46\00:09:24.69
So what we have
is a transition here
00:09:24.70\00:09:28.15
from the Old
Covenant, which was an outward
00:09:28.16\00:09:31.16
obedience and
effort that the people
00:09:31.17\00:09:32.78
would go into
engage in to obey God.
00:09:32.79\00:09:35.86
To where God would takeover,
put His spirit within them
00:09:35.87\00:09:39.95
that these
commandments that were on stone
00:09:39.96\00:09:43.26
now are written
on the heart and then
00:09:43.27\00:09:46.44
the heart of each
individual then now empowered
00:09:46.45\00:09:48.72
by the spirit of God
will be able to then keep
00:09:48.73\00:09:50.75
the commandments
because it's not they
00:09:50.76\00:09:52.69
who are doing it
in their own flesh,
00:09:52.70\00:09:54.48
in their own
power, it is God in them
00:09:54.49\00:09:57.54
who was going to
work to will and to do
00:09:57.55\00:09:59.78
according to His good pleasures.
00:09:59.79\00:10:01.36
You read in Romans-- or
Philippians Chapter 2:13.
00:10:01.37\00:10:04.70
And so you'll see
that Paul wrote about this
00:10:05.53\00:10:09.27
in 2 Corinthians
3:5-8. This is the last one.
00:10:09.28\00:10:11.69
I'll kind of
transition it over to you,
00:10:11.70\00:10:13.01
John, to make some
comments, but if you look at
00:10:13.02\00:10:15.10
2 Corinthians 3:5-8,
you'll see that this is exactly
00:10:15.11\00:10:20.70
what Paul was talking
about and writing about.
00:10:20.71\00:10:24.60
It says, not that
we're sufficient of ourselves
00:10:26.26\00:10:28.48
to think anything
as being from ourselves
00:10:28.49\00:10:30.45
but our
sufficiency is from, who?
00:10:30.46\00:10:32.76
From Christ. From God.
00:10:32.77\00:10:33.96
Who also made us
sufficient as ministers
00:10:35.74\00:10:39.13
of the New Covenant not of
the letter but of the Spirit.
00:10:39.14\00:10:42.65
For the letter kills,
but the Spirit gives what?
00:10:42.66\00:10:46.92
Life. Gives life, but
if the ministry of death
00:10:46.93\00:10:49.42
written and engraved on stones,
00:10:49.43\00:10:51.10
do you see the trends,
the same language here?
00:10:51.11\00:10:53.41
Was glorious so that
the children of Israel
00:10:53.42\00:10:55.71
could not look
steadily at the face of Moses
00:10:55.72\00:10:57.67
because of the
glory of His countenance,
00:10:57.68\00:10:59.55
which glory was passing away.
00:10:59.56\00:11:01.80
How would the
ministry of the spirit
00:11:01.81\00:11:04.08
not be more glorious?
00:11:04.09\00:11:06.21
For the ministry of
condemnation had glory,
00:11:06.22\00:11:08.25
the ministry of righteousness
exceeds much more in glory.
00:11:08.26\00:11:10.86
In other words, when
the Holy Spirit comes
00:11:10.87\00:11:13.14
and takes over
under the new covenant
00:11:13.15\00:11:14.88
and brings Christ into the
life, the individuals empowered
00:11:14.89\00:11:18.93
then to keep the covenant
that God has established
00:11:18.94\00:11:23.07
with and to obey
Him, and in response to
00:11:23.08\00:11:27.10
the great love that
God has for him and her,
00:11:27.11\00:11:29.18
they are able to give
back to God the obedience
00:11:29.19\00:11:32.42
that comes from
the heart because now
00:11:32.43\00:11:33.94
it is the spirit driving
that obedience, that's right.
00:11:33.95\00:11:36.62
That is the essence of
the internal transition
00:11:36.63\00:11:39.40
from old to New Covenant.
00:11:39.41\00:11:41.16
Now, I recognize
we're going to get into
00:11:41.17\00:11:42.87
some of the aspects of
the Old and New Covenant
00:11:42.88\00:11:45.46
because-- some
of the other aspects
00:11:45.47\00:11:47.44
because the question was
in regard to certain things
00:11:47.45\00:11:49.92
to eat and other stuff too.
00:11:49.93\00:11:51.80
So we'll comment on
that here in just a minute.
00:11:51.81\00:11:53.38
But do you wanna add anything,
00:11:53.39\00:11:54.38
John, on the stuff we're
talking about here so far?
00:11:54.39\00:11:56.54
Well, when you
speak about the covenant,
00:11:56.55\00:11:57.96
Hebrews--the Book of
Hebrews is wonderful.
00:11:57.97\00:12:00.54
If you look at
Hebrews Chapter 9,
00:12:00.55\00:12:02.49
it speaks in detail
about the first covenant.
00:12:02.50\00:12:05.43
Then Hebrews Chapter 10
introduces the second covenant,
00:12:05.44\00:12:08.96
but the point that's made
is both covenants are ratified
00:12:08.97\00:12:12.85
or brought into effect
00:12:12.86\00:12:16.63
by the shedding of
blood, really important.
00:12:16.64\00:12:19.91
But some of the differences
is what I want to point out
00:12:19.92\00:12:22.08
because you'll find
one of the reasons today
00:12:22.09\00:12:24.14
we don't sacrifice
animals, blood of bulls,
00:12:24.15\00:12:26.84
and goats, and
calves, and doves.
00:12:26.85\00:12:28.75
The reason why we
don't do that any longer
00:12:28.76\00:12:30.34
is because each of those aspects
pointed to the coming of Christ.
00:12:30.35\00:12:33.93
Letting you know that the
first covenant was temporary.
00:12:33.94\00:12:36.92
That's why Galatians
says when the fullness
00:12:36.93\00:12:39.42
of time had come,
God sent forth his son,
00:12:39.43\00:12:41.39
born of a woman,
born under the law.
00:12:41.40\00:12:43.56
Jesus even made it
very clear He says.
00:12:43.57\00:12:45.68
Not one jot or
tittle shall in no wise pass
00:12:45.69\00:12:48.28
from the law,
till all be fulfilled.
00:12:48.29\00:12:49.93
Lot of times we only
apply one covenant there
00:12:49.94\00:12:53.03
but He was speaking about
00:12:53.04\00:12:55.11
all of the aspects
of the old covenant
00:12:55.12\00:12:57.20
was to be
fulfilled through His life.
00:12:57.21\00:12:59.56
But the commandments
were to continue that's why
00:12:59.57\00:13:01.52
He says not one jot or tittle
00:13:01.53\00:13:03.28
shall in no wise
pass from the law.
00:13:03.29\00:13:05.08
And then He says if
anyone therefore shall break
00:13:05.09\00:13:07.45
one of the least
of these commandments.
00:13:07.46\00:13:09.25
So He's put up the law
and the commandments there.
00:13:09.26\00:13:11.44
But one of the
points I wanna make here
00:13:11.45\00:13:13.60
in Hebrews 9, look at verse 1,
00:13:13.61\00:13:17.59
then I am going to go
through a few of those
00:13:17.60\00:13:20.39
and then probably
around verse 10 stop.
00:13:20.40\00:13:23.40
Hebrews 9:1 it
says, "then indeed even
00:13:23.41\00:13:26.59
the first covenant had
ordinances of divine service
00:13:26.60\00:13:29.31
and the earthly sanctuary
for a tabernacle was present."
00:13:29.32\00:13:33.50
The first part it describes
all of the tabernacles.
00:13:33.51\00:13:36.49
Verse 4, which
had the golden altar
00:13:36.50\00:13:37.79
describing all the
articles of furniture.
00:13:37.80\00:13:39.77
And verse 6 says,
"now when these things
00:13:39.78\00:13:41.51
had been thus prepared,
00:13:41.52\00:13:43.15
the priest always
went into the first part
00:13:43.16\00:13:44.95
of the tabernacle
performing the services."
00:13:44.96\00:13:47.33
Then it was an earthly priest.
00:13:47.34\00:13:48.99
But under the second covenant,
00:13:49.00\00:13:51.41
it's Jesus the High Priest.
00:13:51.42\00:13:53.50
That's the
difference, a major difference.
00:13:53.51\00:13:55.08
One is as an earthly priest,
00:13:55.09\00:13:56.53
which was replaced over
and over and over again.
00:13:56.54\00:13:58.84
That's why the Bible
says, Jesus is a priest
00:13:58.85\00:14:01.00
after the order of Melchizedek.
00:14:01.01\00:14:03.29
He didn't need the
temple and the tabernacle
00:14:03.30\00:14:05.79
and all that to
be the High Priest.
00:14:05.80\00:14:07.55
Melchizedek was a priest
before this was established.
00:14:07.56\00:14:10.89
So Jesus is that priest
which meant eternal priesthood,
00:14:10.90\00:14:15.01
not one that
sits up and sits down
00:14:15.02\00:14:16.56
because there's a
tabernacle or not.
00:14:16.57\00:14:18.76
Goes on further
he says in verse 9,
00:14:18.77\00:14:24.44
"it was symbolic
for the present time
00:14:24.45\00:14:26.64
in which both gifts
and sacrifices are offered,
00:14:26.65\00:14:29.39
which cannot make him
who performed this service
00:14:29.40\00:14:32.22
perfect in regard
to the conscience."
00:14:32.23\00:14:34.45
And here is the difference,
00:14:34.46\00:14:35.67
"concerned only
with foods and drinks,
00:14:35.68\00:14:39.09
various washings, and
fleshy ordinances imposed."
00:14:39.10\00:14:43.13
And here is the key
"until the time of reformation".
00:14:43.14\00:14:46.78
And look at the transition,
the time of reformation,
00:14:46.79\00:14:49.16
"but Christ came as High Priest.
00:14:49.17\00:14:51.74
Of the good things to
come with a greater and more
00:14:51.75\00:14:54.95
perfect tabernacle
not made with the hands,
00:14:54.96\00:14:59.08
that is, not of this creation."
00:14:59.09\00:15:01.08
And I like this
here in verse 12,
00:15:01.09\00:15:03.12
"For if the blood
of bulls and goats,
00:15:03.13\00:15:06.09
the ashes of a heifer
sprinkling the unclean
00:15:06.10\00:15:08.52
sanctifies for the
purifying of the flesh,
00:15:08.53\00:15:12.30
how much more shall
the blood of Christ,
00:15:12.31\00:15:14.96
who through the
eternal spirit offered Himself
00:15:14.97\00:15:17.14
without spot to God,
purge your conscience".
00:15:17.15\00:15:20.38
And here is the covenant here,
00:15:20.39\00:15:22.40
"from dead works to
serve the living God."
00:15:22.41\00:15:25.74
And for this reason,
He is the mediator of the,
00:15:25.75\00:15:28.42
what covenant? Better.
00:15:28.43\00:15:29.77
A New Covenant in
verse 15. The New Covenant.
00:15:29.78\00:15:32.90
So verse 18 therefore
not even the first covenant
00:15:32.91\00:15:35.87
was dedicated without blood.
00:15:35.88\00:15:36.89
So you clearly see
that there could be
00:15:36.90\00:15:39.09
no covenant
unless there was blood.
00:15:39.10\00:15:41.00
But now go to Hebrews
10 and we begin to see in
00:15:41.01\00:15:43.51
two places the New
Covenant spoken about.
00:15:43.52\00:15:45.99
Hebrews 10
particularly verse 16.
00:15:46.00\00:15:49.78
"And this is the covenant
that I will make with them
00:15:49.79\00:15:52.06
after those
days," says the Lord,
00:15:52.07\00:15:54.69
"I will put my
laws into their hearts,
00:15:54.70\00:15:57.48
and in their
minds, I will write them".
00:15:57.49\00:15:59.53
Then He adds, "Their
sins and their lawless deeds,
00:15:59.54\00:16:02.19
I will remember no more."
00:16:02.20\00:16:03.69
Now the reason
why He mentions that,
00:16:03.70\00:16:05.94
remember no more
is because in the
00:16:05.95\00:16:08.66
earthly
tabernacle, this is powerful.
00:16:08.67\00:16:11.09
He says, every year there
was a remembrance of those sins
00:16:11.10\00:16:14.80
because all these
blood, all these sacrifices.
00:16:14.81\00:16:17.80
It was a constant remembrance
00:16:17.81\00:16:19.73
in the most holy
place the sins linger there
00:16:19.74\00:16:22.36
all year long until
the-- Day of Atonement.
00:16:22.37\00:16:27.58
But it said in
Christ though there was
00:16:27.59\00:16:29.39
no remembrance of those sins.
00:16:29.40\00:16:30.99
He, as the Bible
says, puts them into
00:16:31.00\00:16:33.47
the depths of the sea
and remembers them no more.
00:16:33.48\00:16:35.64
Their sins and
their lawless deeds
00:16:35.65\00:16:37.20
I will remember no more.
00:16:37.21\00:16:39.71
And so one, an earthly priest,
00:16:39.72\00:16:42.56
secondly Christ, a
Heavenly High Priest,
00:16:42.57\00:16:46.04
the major
differences in the covenants.
00:16:46.05\00:16:48.23
Now as we look at the covenants
00:16:48.24\00:16:50.28
and we apply to
some practical aspects.
00:16:50.29\00:16:52.16
'Cause the question is here with
00:16:52.17\00:16:53.56
what about the eating of pork.
00:16:53.57\00:16:55.54
And say the festivals
and other thing that were
00:16:55.55\00:16:58.49
associated with
the Old Covenant.
00:16:58.50\00:17:00.94
Because as you look at Exodus,
00:17:00.95\00:17:02.64
as you look at
Leviticus, you see clearly
00:17:02.65\00:17:07.80
in those two-were
in politic in general,
00:17:07.81\00:17:12.68
a delineation of the things that
00:17:12.69\00:17:14.24
were under the
Old Covenant. Right.
00:17:14.25\00:17:16.32
Now one of the things
you're finding there is,
00:17:16.33\00:17:19.19
I'm gonna search for the
best word to say this here.
00:17:21.01\00:17:23.60
You'll find basic
principles that God had
00:17:23.61\00:17:27.85
given his people
back then that will place
00:17:27.86\00:17:30.67
within the context
of the Old Covenant.
00:17:30.68\00:17:33.92
That still remained
under the New Covenant
00:17:33.93\00:17:37.94
because their principles
are good, and pure, and holy.
00:17:37.95\00:17:42.74
Okay.
00:17:42.75\00:17:43.76
So there are things
that are-- that foreshadowed
00:17:43.77\00:17:47.72
the coming of
Christ and what He would do
00:17:47.73\00:17:50.04
as He took over his ministry
00:17:50.05\00:17:52.36
that pointed
directly to His ministry yes.
00:17:52.37\00:17:55.01
Those things
were done away with.
00:17:55.02\00:17:56.28
Specifically, those
were the ceremonial aspects
00:17:56.29\00:17:58.76
of the law, the
sacrifices of bulls and goats
00:17:58.77\00:18:02.24
and the shedding of blood.
00:18:02.25\00:18:05.06
Even with regard to the feast,
00:18:05.07\00:18:07.21
we do not keep the feast today
00:18:07.22\00:18:08.52
because the feast pointed
to the various ministries,
00:18:08.53\00:18:11.17
the things that
Christ did when He came
00:18:11.18\00:18:13.74
as a minister
of the New Covenant
00:18:13.75\00:18:14.94
that He has already fulfilled.
00:18:14.95\00:18:17.64
And He is still fulfilling.
00:18:17.65\00:18:19.13
But still in
Christ is where we stand
00:18:19.14\00:18:21.32
not on those things.
00:18:21.33\00:18:23.57
But now let's talk
about a couple of aspects,
00:18:23.58\00:18:26.12
few aspects, with
regard to the Old Covenant
00:18:26.13\00:18:29.04
that are good for
us to still abide by.
00:18:29.05\00:18:31.81
Number one,
you'll find throughout
00:18:31.82\00:18:33.08
the Old Covenant, John,
this constant commandment
00:18:33.09\00:18:36.67
to continue to
wash, to be clean. Right?
00:18:36.68\00:18:40.48
And I'm not talking about
00:18:40.49\00:18:41.50
the ceremonial
aspects of being clean.
00:18:41.51\00:18:43.66
I'm talking about just the
00:18:43.67\00:18:44.66
general
cleanliness of individuals.
00:18:44.67\00:18:47.00
God knew what
sin was going to do.
00:18:47.01\00:18:50.03
And He repeatedly
was trying to instruct
00:18:50.04\00:18:51.88
the people in
many areas of life,
00:18:51.89\00:18:53.93
how to live a
full and abundant life?
00:18:53.94\00:18:56.64
To not allow the
diseases to come upon them,
00:18:56.65\00:18:59.46
like another thing
you could say is that
00:18:59.47\00:19:01.64
He did not want His
people to eat a lot of meat
00:19:01.65\00:19:07.29
or to even meat at all.
00:19:07.30\00:19:08.84
But the people asked for it.
00:19:08.85\00:19:10.57
God gave permission
for them to do that.
00:19:10.58\00:19:12.75
But He did so knowing
that they would suffer
00:19:12.76\00:19:15.78
as some consequences
as a result of that.
00:19:15.79\00:19:17.49
I think consequences we're
still suffering from today.
00:19:17.50\00:19:20.44
So these things were put into
00:19:20.45\00:19:22.06
the confines of
the Old Covenant.
00:19:22.07\00:19:24.04
But they weren't
ceremonial per se.
00:19:24.05\00:19:26.28
So when you talk
about eating pork,
00:19:26.29\00:19:28.42
God says in the
Old Covenant that,
00:19:28.43\00:19:31.19
that was
something that was unclean.
00:19:31.20\00:19:34.93
The animal itself was unclean
00:19:36.17\00:19:37.75
and therefore
was not fit for food.
00:19:37.76\00:19:39.43
Now John, one of the
things that I've been
00:19:39.44\00:19:41.86
studying here
lately or a few months ago,
00:19:41.87\00:19:44.75
actually did some study on it,
00:19:44.76\00:19:46.45
was the subject of
clean and unclean foods.
00:19:46.46\00:19:49.05
'Cause this question
comes up from time to time
00:19:49.06\00:19:51.42
and I know that many of those
00:19:51.43\00:19:53.73
who are out
there who are listening
00:19:56.43\00:19:57.80
or viewers of this program,
00:19:57.81\00:19:59.52
probably do eat
some of these things.
00:19:59.53\00:20:01.94
But let me try
and give you kind of
00:20:01.95\00:20:03.31
a synopsis what I've discovered.
00:20:03.32\00:20:04.97
Within the Bible
from the very beginning
00:20:04.98\00:20:08.16
even in the day of Noah,
He took seven clean animals--
00:20:08.17\00:20:13.66
of each of the clean
animals into the Ark,
00:20:13.67\00:20:15.26
he took only two of the unclean.
00:20:15.27\00:20:17.85
Part of that was I
think because ceremonially
00:20:17.86\00:20:21.35
they were to only
sacrifice clean animals.
00:20:21.36\00:20:23.60
Right. Because only Christ
could be represented as clean.
00:20:23.61\00:20:26.15
As something clean.
00:20:26.16\00:20:27.93
The secondarily, I think
he was looking ahead as well
00:20:27.94\00:20:30.49
in the
reproduction of these animals
00:20:30.50\00:20:31.96
that they would be
available or that He would get
00:20:31.97\00:20:34.01
permission to use them for food.
00:20:34.02\00:20:36.25
I think that's
probably the lesser of the two.
00:20:36.26\00:20:38.75
But still here is the principle.
00:20:38.76\00:20:40.80
When God said you can
eat, all of the animals
00:20:40.81\00:20:45.73
that are from the
clean line as food,
00:20:45.74\00:20:48.83
but you could not
eat any of the animals
00:20:50.87\00:20:52.87
that were from the
unclean line for food.
00:20:52.88\00:20:56.22
What He was saying was
00:20:56.23\00:20:57.97
that the unclean
animals are not food.
00:20:57.98\00:21:02.84
The clean animals are
food so when you use the term
00:21:04.35\00:21:08.29
or anyone uses
the term unclean meat
00:21:08.30\00:21:11.33
or unclean
food, it's a misnomer.
00:21:11.34\00:21:16.09
It's kind of an oxymoron there.
00:21:17.14\00:21:18.27
Because if it's
unclean-- It's not food.
00:21:18.28\00:21:20.68
It can't be food. Right.
00:21:20.69\00:21:22.56
So all this arguing we
do sometimes back and forth
00:21:22.57\00:21:25.57
about whether or not we
can eat now unclean foods.
00:21:25.58\00:21:28.98
If you look back
at the principle,
00:21:30.01\00:21:31.42
it's an oxymoron.
00:21:31.43\00:21:32.89
There is no such
thing as unclean food.
00:21:32.90\00:21:35.22
Right, people don't
even eat in unclean plates
00:21:35.23\00:21:37.10
let alone unclean food.
00:21:37.11\00:21:38.67
Every bit all the
food that was spoken of
00:21:38.68\00:21:42.97
and debated over as
being clean or unclean
00:21:42.98\00:21:45.13
in the New Testament especially
in the writings of Paul,
00:21:45.14\00:21:48.21
they are in regard to
food sacrificed to idols.
00:21:48.22\00:21:51.93
By virtue of a clean
animal being sacrificed to idols
00:21:53.29\00:21:57.18
that are not part of the--
00:21:57.19\00:21:58.98
all those things that
are sacrificed many were
00:22:02.60\00:22:05.04
debating over as to whether
or not you could eat them
00:22:05.05\00:22:07.60
after they were
offered to idols.
00:22:07.61\00:22:10.62
And so that was the
debate within the church.
00:22:10.63\00:22:13.60
There was no debate on
whether or not you could
00:22:13.61\00:22:15.29
eat from the line
of unclean animals
00:22:15.30\00:22:18.11
and use them now as food.
00:22:18.12\00:22:19.89
It doesn't make
any sense. Right.
00:22:19.90\00:22:21.32
They didn't have
that kind of debate.
00:22:21.33\00:22:23.05
It wasn't food in first place.
00:22:23.06\00:22:24.81
That's why we're
so repulsive to Peter
00:22:24.82\00:22:26.49
when he had the
vision in Acts 10.
00:22:26.50\00:22:28.03
Lord, I never--
00:22:28.04\00:22:29.41
I never, never eat
anything common or unclean.
00:22:29.42\00:22:33.07
It wasn't an issue
because He didn't say
00:22:33.08\00:22:36.17
when He said He never ate
anything common or unclean,
00:22:36.18\00:22:38.97
because I know
I'm not supposed to.
00:22:38.98\00:22:40.72
It's just unclean.
00:22:40.73\00:22:42.56
You don't eat
that kind of stuff.
00:22:42.57\00:22:44.43
And the Lord had
to use these examples
00:22:44.44\00:22:45.97
because of the fact
that they considered
00:22:45.98\00:22:47.92
the gentiles to be unclean.
00:22:47.93\00:22:49.78
That's why even
Jesus had to breakthrough
00:22:49.79\00:22:51.53
the mindset of the
disciples when He referred to
00:22:51.54\00:22:54.17
the Samaritans
and those who were
00:22:54.18\00:22:55.62
not Jews as dogs or swine.
00:22:55.63\00:22:59.39
You know, "cast your
pearl among the swine
00:22:59.40\00:23:02.18
or you give the food of
the children to the dogs."
00:23:02.19\00:23:05.38
He made that--He
made those statements
00:23:05.39\00:23:06.88
because they didn't dog
and they didn't eat pig.
00:23:06.89\00:23:09.32
And they consider
these people unclean.
00:23:09.33\00:23:10.99
But the Lord made it clear.
00:23:11.00\00:23:12.21
Nobody that I have created
00:23:12.22\00:23:14.17
human-- humanistically
speaking is common or unclean.
00:23:14.18\00:23:18.89
And so to suggest or to
argue under the New Covenant,
00:23:18.90\00:23:22.37
that God has
taken all of a sudden
00:23:22.38\00:23:24.44
an entire line of
unclean that is never been
00:23:24.45\00:23:27.18
available for food, nor
has He ever called it food.
00:23:27.19\00:23:29.61
And make it food is
simply not Biblical.
00:23:29.62\00:23:33.01
Not scriptural at all.
Is not scriptural at all.
00:23:33.02\00:23:34.79
So don't go back and
don't get into debates
00:23:34.80\00:23:37.79
over whether
something that is unclean food--
00:23:37.80\00:23:40.57
remember that's
not a right term.
00:23:40.58\00:23:43.60
Is now food or
available for food.
00:23:43.61\00:23:45.56
It's the fact
that there is nothing
00:23:45.57\00:23:48.20
in the unclean line
that's ever been food.
00:23:48.21\00:23:50.97
And so we shouldn't
even be talking about it.
00:23:50.98\00:23:52.78
That's right,
you know it's amazing
00:23:52.81\00:23:54.35
that you bring it out. I
was looking at some texts here
00:23:54.36\00:23:56.02
because you was talking
about wash and the clean.
00:23:56.03\00:23:58.09
There were four
kinds of laws in the Bible.
00:23:58.10\00:23:59.64
The health laws, dietary laws,
00:23:59.65\00:24:01.88
ceremonial laws, and moral laws.
00:24:01.89\00:24:04.75
And so you find lot
of times people said
00:24:04.76\00:24:07.37
while the
ceremonial laws were the ones
00:24:07.38\00:24:09.77
that were nailed to the cross.
00:24:09.78\00:24:11.78
Well, the dietary
laws, the health laws,
00:24:11.79\00:24:15.09
the moral law was
not nailed to the cross
00:24:15.10\00:24:18.90
because at no point do
you say to your children,
00:24:18.91\00:24:20.90
from now on you
could be unhealthy.
00:24:20.91\00:24:23.08
From now on, you
can eat anything.
00:24:23.09\00:24:25.64
From now on, it doesn't matter
00:24:25.65\00:24:26.76
whether you kill, or
lie, or steal, or cheat,
00:24:26.77\00:24:28.38
or violate the
Sabbath, or commit adultery.
00:24:28.39\00:24:30.25
Those things were never
a part of God's character.
00:24:30.26\00:24:33.02
The only purpose is
for the ceremonial law,
00:24:33.03\00:24:35.89
which were the
clean and unclean foods
00:24:35.90\00:24:37.44
also couldn't because
Christ is not represented
00:24:37.45\00:24:41.07
by anything that's
common and unclean.
00:24:41.08\00:24:44.13
So that's the
only reason for the
00:24:44.14\00:24:45.57
clean and unclean
in a ceremonial sense.
00:24:45.58\00:24:48.11
But there was clean and
unclean in a dietary sense.
00:24:48.12\00:24:51.71
That's where the
people get it mixed up.
00:24:51.72\00:24:53.50
Dietary clean and
unclean, don't eat this stuff.
00:24:53.51\00:24:56.34
That goes back to
Genesis, Chapter 2.
00:24:56.35\00:24:58.87
He says, this is
what you should eat.
00:24:58.88\00:25:00.87
This is what I've
given you for food.
00:25:00.88\00:25:02.14
This is what I've not given you.
00:25:02.15\00:25:03.47
That's way back to Genesis,
00:25:03.48\00:25:04.97
before sin entered the world.
00:25:04.98\00:25:06.31
That's the health, the
dietary principles of it.
00:25:06.32\00:25:09.70
The ceremonial
were added in Galatians,
00:25:09.71\00:25:13.08
I think it's Galatians 3:19,
00:25:13.09\00:25:14.54
they were added because of sin
00:25:14.55\00:25:16.49
till the seed should come.
00:25:16.50\00:25:17.65
That was dealing
with the sin problem.
00:25:17.66\00:25:19.58
So the only thing that
was nailed to the cross
00:25:19.59\00:25:21.84
where the ceremonial
laws, not the dietary,
00:25:21.85\00:25:26.16
not the moral, not the health.
00:25:26.17\00:25:28.06
Right. Okay. Very good point.
00:25:28.07\00:25:29.39
Galatians 2 speaks of
that because it speaks about
00:25:29.40\00:25:31.52
the ordinances that
were specifically guiding
00:25:31.53\00:25:34.63
the ceremonial
aspects of the law,
00:25:34.64\00:25:36.56
the shadow of things to come.
00:25:36.57\00:25:38.18
Various washings,
carnal ordinances imposed on.
00:25:38.19\00:25:42.34
By the way,
festivals are in there.
00:25:42.35\00:25:43.91
Yeah, exactly. That's right.
00:25:43.92\00:25:46.86
So all those things were--
00:25:46.87\00:25:48.54
all those were part
of the ceremonial law.
00:25:48.55\00:25:51.50
And anyway, but
very, thank you very--
00:25:51.51\00:25:53.97
that was a lot of
explanation but it was
00:25:53.98\00:25:55.06
very important
and very necessary.
00:25:55.07\00:25:56.69
Here's a quick
question we have here
00:25:58.76\00:26:00.81
about okay--about
two to three weeks ago
00:26:00.82\00:26:04.61
you stated that if a
person handled church problems
00:26:04.62\00:26:08.77
anyway beside Matthew 18
00:26:08.78\00:26:10.83
that they were
using the devil's methods.
00:26:10.84\00:26:13.23
Let me explain
that even further.
00:26:13.24\00:26:14.95
The specific issue we
were speaking about is
00:26:14.96\00:26:17.53
brother to
brother, sister to sister.
00:26:17.54\00:26:21.05
When it came to
issues in that respect
00:26:21.06\00:26:23.73
for not all church issues--
we are not speaking about
00:26:23.74\00:26:27.64
when it comes to
building projects
00:26:27.65\00:26:29.15
or settling issues
interdepartmentally.
00:26:29.16\00:26:31.62
That's not the issue.
00:26:31.63\00:26:32.83
The issue that we
were speaking of is,
00:26:32.84\00:26:34.90
whenever there is
a controversy between
00:26:34.91\00:26:36.86
brother and sister, the
Bible outlined principles
00:26:36.87\00:26:39.18
clearly as to how
those need to be handled
00:26:39.19\00:26:41.58
and that's were
Matthew 18 comes in.
00:26:41.59\00:26:44.17
Matthew 18
beginning with verse 15.
00:26:44.18\00:26:46.77
It says "moreover if
your brother sins against you,
00:26:46.78\00:26:51.25
go and tell him his fault
between you and him alone.
00:26:51.26\00:26:56.58
If he hears you,
you've gained your brother."
00:26:56.59\00:26:59.97
What I was saying is
there are lot of churches
00:26:59.98\00:27:01.83
that are split and divided.
00:27:01.84\00:27:03.36
We get these
chiefs and Indian chiefs
00:27:03.37\00:27:05.57
that sometimes when
a person is injured,
00:27:05.58\00:27:08.52
socially injured,
or spiritually injured,
00:27:08.53\00:27:10.42
or injured however,
where they feel that
00:27:10.43\00:27:12.58
somebody has done
something against them.
00:27:12.59\00:27:14.52
They go and take
it to this person
00:27:14.53\00:27:16.14
and that person and
they go take it to the board.
00:27:16.15\00:27:18.62
They submit a
letter to the church board.
00:27:18.63\00:27:20.97
And they say we would like
you to call this person in.
00:27:20.98\00:27:22.99
Matter of fact, I had a
guy once who sent me a letter.
00:27:23.00\00:27:26.21
I was pastoring
one of my churches.
00:27:26.22\00:27:27.45
I won't tell you which one.
00:27:27.46\00:27:29.09
And he said to the church board,
00:27:29.10\00:27:31.48
I demand you to
call my wife in and say--
00:27:31.49\00:27:36.44
and demand her because
in this particular instance
00:27:36.45\00:27:39.36
was another state I was in.
00:27:39.37\00:27:40.65
He says, she wants
to leave me because
00:27:40.66\00:27:42.33
she doesn't want to
stay with me any longer.
00:27:42.34\00:27:44.17
I suggest you
call her and demand
00:27:44.18\00:27:47.46
that she stays with me.
00:27:47.47\00:27:49.07
And I said, well have you
spoken to your wife about this?
00:27:49.08\00:27:51.31
Oh no.
00:27:51.32\00:27:52.31
How do you bypass
one-to-one conversation
00:27:54.29\00:27:57.74
in a covenant
relationship, husband and wife?
00:27:57.75\00:28:01.86
And then says
to the church board
00:28:01.87\00:28:03.75
call her in here and
demand that she stays with me.
00:28:03.76\00:28:06.79
And the kind of life this guy
was living was the kind of life.
00:28:06.80\00:28:09.86
You know, I
don't recommend people
00:28:09.87\00:28:11.59
leaving and
staying with each other.
00:28:11.60\00:28:12.59
But I said his
situation was the most ideal
00:28:12.60\00:28:15.45
if anybody
wanted to find reasons
00:28:15.46\00:28:17.95
to not stay with a person,
00:28:17.96\00:28:19.77
she had all the
reasons in the world.
00:28:19.78\00:28:21.77
But the point of the matter is,
00:28:21.78\00:28:22.94
when it came to moral issues,
00:28:22.95\00:28:24.12
and lot of people
bypassed the process here.
00:28:24.13\00:28:26.73
And they go and
tell and I've said to
00:28:26.74\00:28:29.16
many church members when
they come to me with an issue,
00:28:29.17\00:28:31.37
I said have you
spoken to so and so about it?
00:28:31.38\00:28:33.36
No, I haven't.
00:28:33.37\00:28:34.55
Well, go talk to them about it.
00:28:34.56\00:28:36.18
Uh, but I'm afraid.
Well, don't be fearful.
00:28:36.19\00:28:38.87
We'll give you--we'll help
you in the method of approach.
00:28:38.88\00:28:41.42
But you must speak to
them about it before we
00:28:41.43\00:28:43.85
hit them with
the heavy artillery.
00:28:43.86\00:28:46.10
Because it goes through levels.
00:28:46.11\00:28:48.27
First of all, you go one to one
00:28:48.28\00:28:49.86
and then verse 16 says,
"but if he will not hear,
00:28:49.87\00:28:52.44
take with you one or two more.
00:28:52.45\00:28:54.64
That by the mouth of
two or three witnesses
00:28:54.65\00:28:56.95
every word maybe established."
00:28:56.96\00:28:58.51
In other words you go--
it wouldn't be your word
00:28:58.52\00:29:00.57
against his any longer.
00:29:00.58\00:29:01.92
It is you were there, you heard.
00:29:01.93\00:29:04.05
You heard his response
and there are situations
00:29:04.06\00:29:06.24
you have to deal
with that way because
00:29:06.25\00:29:08.11
the Lord wanted
everybody to be dealt with
00:29:08.12\00:29:10.09
equitably and
that's the key thing.
00:29:10.10\00:29:12.27
No rush to judgment.
00:29:12.28\00:29:14.25
Don't--like the Bible says,
00:29:14.26\00:29:16.62
Jesus said I would not bruise.
00:29:16.63\00:29:19.59
I would not
break a bruised reed.
00:29:19.60\00:29:22.25
I would not
quench a smoking flax.
00:29:22.26\00:29:24.74
That means if the
coal is just about to die,
00:29:24.75\00:29:26.87
you don't take a whole
board of church members
00:29:26.88\00:29:30.77
and just go after this
person who's barely have
00:29:30.78\00:29:33.01
enough faith and
just douse it on them
00:29:33.02\00:29:34.37
and put their fire out.
00:29:34.38\00:29:36.15
Or if they are also injured,
00:29:36.16\00:29:37.53
you don't carry
after them a baton with you
00:29:37.54\00:29:40.25
and just break this,
break this bruised reed.
00:29:40.26\00:29:43.24
He's preventing these things.
00:29:43.25\00:29:45.08
And lastly, it says in verse 17,
00:29:45.09\00:29:47.60
"and if he refuses to hear
them, tell it to the church.
00:29:47.61\00:29:50.29
But if he refuses
even to hear the church,
00:29:51.94\00:29:55.43
let him be to you like a
heathen and a tax collector."
00:29:55.44\00:29:59.68
And so it goes--
and whatever you,
00:29:59.69\00:30:01.47
"in this process,
this is the process
00:30:01.48\00:30:04.13
where the Lord
says where two or three
00:30:04.14\00:30:05.56
are gathered in my name,
00:30:05.57\00:30:06.82
I will be there in
the midst of them."
00:30:06.83\00:30:08.63
That's what he
was talking about.
00:30:08.64\00:30:09.81
Not just, if two or
three people gathered together
00:30:09.82\00:30:12.69
for an evil thing, God
is not in the midst of that.
00:30:12.70\00:30:15.36
He was talking about a
process by which we deal
00:30:15.37\00:30:17.71
with people equitably
and lovingly and kindly.
00:30:17.72\00:30:21.10
He said I'm in
the middle of that.
00:30:21.11\00:30:23.09
But I'm not in the
middle of rush to judgment
00:30:23.10\00:30:24.87
or mobs to take
people to the board
00:30:24.88\00:30:26.72
and beat them over the head.
00:30:26.73\00:30:28.16
That was the
context of the statement.
00:30:28.17\00:30:30.64
If we use any
other method than that,
00:30:30.65\00:30:33.05
we are using Satan's methods.
00:30:33.06\00:30:34.45
That's what I meant by that.
00:30:34.46\00:30:35.50
One of the big reasons
for doing that is because
00:30:35.51\00:30:37.12
often it's said,
well so and so hurt me.
00:30:37.13\00:30:39.69
They need to come
to me and apologize.
00:30:39.70\00:30:41.49
And you're talking about
that on one of our last program.
00:30:41.50\00:30:43.15
You know, and-- the
Matthew 18 principle is
00:30:43.16\00:30:46.38
that the one that is
hurt goes to the one that
00:30:46.39\00:30:48.38
did the hurting
first to let them know
00:30:48.39\00:30:51.14
that they were hurt to
try and work out the issues.
00:30:51.15\00:30:54.16
And the reason
they do that is because
00:30:54.17\00:30:55.95
in hope that the one
that was doing the hurting
00:30:55.96\00:30:57.80
isn't going around, doing a
lot of hurting of someone else.
00:30:57.81\00:31:00.51
And you can let
them know what their--
00:31:00.52\00:31:02.95
what the problem is in
treating people like this
00:31:02.96\00:31:05.78
in the hope that
they might turn or change
00:31:05.79\00:31:08.24
and see the error of their way.
00:31:08.25\00:31:09.88
And that's what
it is talking about.
00:31:09.89\00:31:11.02
If they hear you
and then they change,
00:31:11.03\00:31:14.54
you've gained
obviously a brother.
00:31:14.55\00:31:16.99
That's right. That's right.
00:31:17.00\00:31:18.18
Or a sister, but in
the context of brother,
00:31:18.19\00:31:20.28
it's a spiritual sense.
00:31:20.29\00:31:21.74
You know, we are
brothers in Christ.
00:31:21.75\00:31:23.41
That means a
brotherhood, which also include
00:31:23.42\00:31:26.46
"the sisterhood," so to speak.
00:31:26.47\00:31:29.29
Well, we spent some
time on our questions today.
00:31:29.30\00:31:30.90
We have some questions coming up
00:31:30.91\00:31:32.04
in other programs
that we'd like to address.
00:31:32.05\00:31:34.25
But if you have any questions,
00:31:34.26\00:31:35.80
if you have any comments,
if you have any statements
00:31:35.81\00:31:37.61
that you'd like to
make, brief please,
00:31:37.62\00:31:40.15
send those to
housecalls@3abn.org.
00:31:40.16\00:31:42.62
That's housecalls@3abn.org
and we do appreciate
00:31:42.63\00:31:46.42
all you do to
follow this program
00:31:46.43\00:31:48.66
and get into the
hearts, and homes, and lives
00:31:48.67\00:31:50.47
of those who are
supporters as well as
00:31:50.48\00:31:53.00
maybe new adherents to our
broadcast station here at 3ABN.
00:31:53.01\00:31:59.01
We're going to
transition today into a topic
00:31:59.02\00:32:00.92
that is widely important.
00:32:00.93\00:32:02.81
You know, John,
today lot of people pray
00:32:04.22\00:32:06.04
but we're gonna talk
about aspects of prayer.
00:32:06.05\00:32:08.10
How--what are the
barriers through prayer?
00:32:08.11\00:32:12.03
What are some of
the prayer killers?
00:32:12.04\00:32:14.50
Why is it so important to pray?
00:32:14.51\00:32:17.11
One of the things we
have nowadays in society--
00:32:17.12\00:32:19.66
I should've done this
with my cell phone in the hand.
00:32:19.67\00:32:22.09
But I don't have it here.
00:32:22.10\00:32:23.20
We always turn
our cell phones off.
00:32:23.21\00:32:25.01
We like to communicate.
00:32:25.02\00:32:26.43
I mean, we are
the most communicating
00:32:26.44\00:32:29.56
social network,
computer literate.
00:32:29.57\00:32:33.64
We are
electronically bought and sold.
00:32:33.65\00:32:38.85
We love to keep in
touch. Generation is just--
00:32:38.86\00:32:41.57
it's truly the
generation of information.
00:32:41.58\00:32:45.19
The ironic thing
about that though
00:32:45.20\00:32:46.88
and this fits into
the topic today is,
00:32:46.89\00:32:49.99
we are one of the
most inept generations
00:32:50.00\00:32:52.71
when it comes to
personal relationships.
00:32:52.72\00:32:54.72
Yeah, one to one.
00:32:54.73\00:32:56.01
One to one, because the family,
00:32:56.02\00:32:57.71
the child
communicates on Facebook.
00:32:57.72\00:32:59.88
I actually saw
John-- this is funny.
00:32:59.89\00:33:01.72
This happened in
my church office.
00:33:01.73\00:33:03.09
There were two young
people sitting on the couch
00:33:03.10\00:33:04.67
and they were
texting each other.
00:33:04.68\00:33:05.88
And they were sitting
right next to each other.
00:33:05.89\00:33:08.08
They were sitting right--
they're texting each other.
00:33:08.09\00:33:11.19
And they look like
this, did you get my text?
00:33:11.20\00:33:12.78
Did you get my text?
00:33:12.79\00:33:13.87
And I'm thinking, could you just
00:33:13.88\00:33:15.85
look at each
other and talk already?
00:33:15.86\00:33:18.86
And in this same
sense, some of us are so
00:33:18.87\00:33:22.54
computer so bought and
sold and we are so controlled
00:33:22.55\00:33:26.26
by devices that
we have lost the art
00:33:26.27\00:33:30.00
and the beauty of
spending time talking to God.
00:33:30.01\00:33:34.61
And that's something that
cannot be replaced by devices.
00:33:34.62\00:33:37.91
I met somebody yesterday
that we were having lunch
00:33:37.92\00:33:40.66
at Subway and
having a nice pizza
00:33:40.67\00:33:44.03
with all the fixings
and veggie meat on it.
00:33:44.04\00:33:46.67
It was really
good. It was filling.
00:33:46.68\00:33:48.42
But this person
said on Facebook,
00:33:48.43\00:33:50.49
they pray on Facebook.
00:33:50.50\00:33:53.40
They could not do it audibly.
00:33:53.41\00:33:54.63
So they type out their prayers.
00:33:54.64\00:33:55.87
Because they said if
somebody says pray for me,
00:33:55.88\00:33:57.62
they don't want
to forget later on.
00:33:57.63\00:33:59.10
So they literally
type out their prayers.
00:33:59.11\00:34:00.83
I think in that sense for
another person it's acceptable.
00:34:00.84\00:34:03.47
And sometimes we write
our prayers out for God.
00:34:03.48\00:34:05.42
But today we're gonna talk about
00:34:05.43\00:34:06.92
some of the most
beneficial aspects of prayer.
00:34:06.93\00:34:09.06
Why it's so vitally important?
00:34:09.07\00:34:10.83
How and how not to
pray and what we can do to
00:34:10.84\00:34:16.15
strengthen our life of prayer?
00:34:16.16\00:34:18.99
The Lord wants
us to pray to Him.
00:34:19.00\00:34:22.06
There is no doubt about that.
00:34:22.07\00:34:23.31
He wants us to communicate
with Him, to seek Him.
00:34:23.32\00:34:26.25
He is available 24x7, 365.
00:34:26.26\00:34:31.82
He wants us
everyday to come to Him.
00:34:31.83\00:34:34.91
And, I think, He longs for
us to communicate with Him.
00:34:34.92\00:34:38.83
And how often do we
engage in prayer each day.
00:34:38.84\00:34:43.81
Really, I think to a
degree it's can measure it
00:34:43.82\00:34:45.96
with how strong our spiritual
relation or spiritual walk is.
00:34:45.97\00:34:51.48
Paul gets to--
talks about getting to
00:34:51.49\00:34:53.05
a point of
praying without ceasing,
00:34:53.06\00:34:54.56
this constant attitude of
this constant attitude of prayer
00:34:54.57\00:34:56.59
throughout everyday
that keeps that line open.
00:34:56.60\00:35:00.42
John I-- just a quick story,
00:35:00.43\00:35:01.76
I went through a period
of time where I was convicted
00:35:01.77\00:35:03.91
that I wasn't praying enough.
00:35:03.92\00:35:05.21
And it hit me that-- well,
00:35:06.93\00:35:12.63
it was the way
that God taught me this.
00:35:12.64\00:35:14.55
I did not use amen at the
end of prayers for a while.
00:35:14.56\00:35:19.80
Because--this isn't
a theological thing.
00:35:19.81\00:35:22.62
It's not the reason why.
00:35:22.63\00:35:23.86
Because I want to keep
the communication line open.
00:35:23.87\00:35:27.18
There are sometimes I felt like
00:35:27.19\00:35:28.62
when I was saying amen that
I was saying I'm done talking.
00:35:28.63\00:35:31.98
Oh, okay. Okay.
00:35:31.99\00:35:33.33
You know, to be real--I mean--
It's like the capping off.
00:35:33.34\00:35:36.15
If we pray and all of a
sudden we say amen and we go.
00:35:36.16\00:35:38.91
Well, I was feeling like that.
00:35:38.92\00:35:40.09
It was too much a part of amen.
00:35:40.10\00:35:42.32
So I got to the end of
the prayer and I said Lord,
00:35:42.33\00:35:44.91
you know, thank you so
much for being with me today.
00:35:44.92\00:35:47.84
And I pause and I just getup.
00:35:47.85\00:35:51.12
And I just--I was impressed
that the line stayed open.
00:35:51.13\00:35:54.91
And it was the way that
I think God was teaching me
00:35:54.92\00:35:57.69
this attitude of
prayer throughout the day
00:35:57.70\00:35:59.47
of seeking Him, of
communicating with Him,
00:35:59.48\00:36:01.69
keeping that line
of communication open,
00:36:01.70\00:36:04.21
not to say that that's
the way you should do it.
00:36:04.22\00:36:05.95
I'm just saying that's the
way that God kind of helped me
00:36:05.96\00:36:08.41
understand
that-- my prayer line,
00:36:08.42\00:36:10.92
the prayer line with
God needed to stay open
00:36:10.93\00:36:13.45
throughout each and everyday.
00:36:13.46\00:36:14.91
And the point is
here in all of this,
00:36:14.92\00:36:17.41
is that we need to
keep the line open.
00:36:17.42\00:36:18.83
We need to keep
prayer constantly going.
00:36:18.84\00:36:20.32
It's not just something we
do in the morning really quick
00:36:20.33\00:36:22.05
before we leave the house.
00:36:22.06\00:36:23.56
It's not something that we do.
00:36:23.57\00:36:25.10
I mean, come on, all
of us have been on our bed
00:36:25.11\00:36:26.70
and we're praying
this, we fall asleep.
00:36:26.71\00:36:28.80
We're saying, Lord thank
you so much for the day--
00:36:28.81\00:36:31.33
I mean, we have all done
that and God deserves our time.
00:36:32.35\00:36:38.75
That's right. And He
wants to give us His time
00:36:38.76\00:36:42.07
And so we're gonna
spend some time here
00:36:42.08\00:36:44.02
on all these
different aspects of prayer
00:36:44.03\00:36:46.04
and how you can
improve your prayer life.
00:36:46.05\00:36:48.00
And also the expectancy that
God will answer your prayers
00:36:48.01\00:36:51.33
because I think, all of
us would like to think that
00:36:51.34\00:36:53.43
we are talking to
God and He is hearing us.
00:36:53.44\00:36:55.69
Not, that we're talking
to a wall that can't respond.
00:36:55.70\00:36:58.76
I've heard people
say as I feel like
00:36:58.77\00:37:00.87
I'm talking to the
ceiling, but my prayers
00:37:00.88\00:37:02.46
are going no
further than the ceiling.
00:37:02.47\00:37:04.30
We're gonna hopefully try
to give you some tools here.
00:37:04.31\00:37:08.01
And this may take a
couple of programs, actually.
00:37:08.02\00:37:12.16
Because it's a
great, it's a dynamic topic.
00:37:12.17\00:37:14.96
As a matter fact, what I'd like
to do is begin with probably
00:37:14.97\00:37:19.04
one of the most famous,
00:37:19.05\00:37:21.40
famous passages on
prayer in the Bible.
00:37:21.41\00:37:24.67
And it is in fact, I
could sometimes refer to it
00:37:24.68\00:37:29.90
as the blueprint for success.
00:37:29.91\00:37:34.03
Second Chronicles
7:14, second Chronicles 7:14,
00:37:34.04\00:37:40.51
this is
the--okay, as a matter fact,
00:37:40.52\00:37:44.77
we were speaking about
covenants a moment ago.
00:37:44.78\00:37:47.99
This is the prayer
through which the Lord confirmed
00:37:48.00\00:37:52.81
His covenant with
the children of Israel.
00:37:52.82\00:37:56.08
And there are
certain passages in the Bible
00:37:56.09\00:37:59.05
that have a
whole lot more to it.
00:37:59.06\00:38:01.03
At the beginning of it
and toward the ending of it,
00:38:01.04\00:38:05.30
but the middle of it
is so vitally important.
00:38:05.31\00:38:08.38
I did--I did a study
on this and just looked
00:38:08.39\00:38:12.95
at the word over and
over my, my, my, my, my.
00:38:12.96\00:38:17.10
And I counted from verse yes,
00:38:17.11\00:38:21.92
I counted from
verse 14 down to verse 21.
00:38:21.93\00:38:26.47
And let me just do
that one more time.
00:38:26.48\00:38:27.89
One, two, three, four, five,
six, seven, eight, nine, ten,
00:38:27.90\00:38:31.29
eleven, twelve, thirteen,
fourteen, fifteen times.
00:38:31.30\00:38:35.12
You find though single word my.
00:38:35.13\00:38:37.64
So there was no doubt that
the Lord was in essence saying,
00:38:37.65\00:38:41.38
"My people, My face, My eyes,
00:38:41.39\00:38:45.73
My ears, My heart, My statutes,
00:38:45.74\00:38:48.49
My judgments, My commandments,
My land, My sight, My name,"
00:38:48.50\00:38:52.43
over and over again.
00:38:52.44\00:38:53.61
There was no doubt
as to who was in fact
00:38:53.62\00:38:56.13
pleading with the
people of God here.
00:38:56.14\00:38:58.89
So John why don't you walk us
through Second Chronicles 7:14
00:38:58.90\00:39:04.81
and at those
places emphasize that,
00:39:04.82\00:39:06.56
do you want to say something--
00:39:06.57\00:39:07.56
Well, I was gonna say,
I like to start with 12
00:39:07.57\00:39:09.01
to give them the
context-- Okay, let's do that.
00:39:09.02\00:39:10.58
How the Lord is
appearing to Solomon here? Okay.
00:39:10.59\00:39:12.87
"And the Lord
appeared to Solomon by night,
00:39:12.88\00:39:14.53
and said to him,
I've heard your prayer."
00:39:14.54\00:39:17.32
"And have chosen
this place for myself
00:39:17.33\00:39:19.96
as a house of sacrifice.
00:39:19.97\00:39:23.26
When I shut up
heavens and there is no rain,
00:39:23.27\00:39:26.19
or command the
locust to devour the land,
00:39:26.20\00:39:28.04
or send
pestilence among my people,
00:39:28.05\00:39:30.68
if my people, who
are called by my name,
00:39:30.69\00:39:34.28
will humble themselves
and pray and seek my face
00:39:34.29\00:39:38.48
and turn from their wicked ways,
00:39:38.49\00:39:40.72
then I will hear from heaven
00:39:40.73\00:39:42.88
and will forgive their
sin and heal their land."
00:39:42.89\00:39:46.62
Is that a blueprint or
what? As just beautiful.
00:39:46.63\00:39:49.90
But you know,
notice what's happening,
00:39:49.91\00:39:52.36
verse 13 is huge because
verse 13 is a lot of time
00:39:52.37\00:39:57.80
the experience that people have,
00:39:57.81\00:40:00.59
their plans are not working out,
00:40:00.60\00:40:02.85
everything they
do just doesn't--
00:40:02.86\00:40:05.53
it just keeps falling apart
it seems like all their savings
00:40:05.54\00:40:09.59
or a being consumed
and it talks about here.
00:40:09.60\00:40:13.42
Sometimes the Lord would
do that or allow that to cause
00:40:13.43\00:40:19.39
His people to turn and,
and go into the direction
00:40:19.40\00:40:22.05
that He wants them to move.
00:40:22.06\00:40:23.54
And that's what I
see is happening here,
00:40:23.55\00:40:26.14
read verse 13 one more
time and I want to stop you
00:40:26.15\00:40:28.75
at few points there.
00:40:28.76\00:40:31.00
Well, I'll just go
ahead and read the socket,
00:40:31.01\00:40:32.71
since you read it
first, I'll just reiterate.
00:40:32.72\00:40:35.08
He says "when I
shut up heaven," okay.
00:40:35.09\00:40:37.75
Now what happens
when heaven is shut?
00:40:37.76\00:40:39.67
Oh, when heaven a shut--
00:40:41.24\00:40:42.48
No rain, no answers to prayer,
00:40:42.49\00:40:44.88
because the flipside of
that He says in Malachi,
00:40:44.89\00:40:48.05
"I will open for you
the windows of heaven
00:40:48.06\00:40:51.80
and I pour out of
blessing that they're will not
00:40:51.81\00:40:53.99
be room enough to receive it."
00:40:54.00\00:40:54.99
So what happens
as if heaven is shut,
00:40:55.00\00:40:57.29
the blessings are not coming.
00:40:57.30\00:40:58.74
That's right, even the
blessing the Holy Spirit,
00:40:58.75\00:41:01.17
the former and later any power.
00:41:01.18\00:41:02.75
All of that. It's not coming.
00:41:02.76\00:41:03.89
So what's
happening here He says,
00:41:03.90\00:41:05.16
if I shut up heaven that means,
00:41:05.17\00:41:07.06
I'm not even responding
because I'm just not really into
00:41:07.07\00:41:10.04
what you're into.
00:41:10.05\00:41:11.56
God is saying I'm not into that
00:41:11.57\00:41:13.38
and then He says,
and there is no rain.
00:41:13.39\00:41:16.53
"Or command the
locust to devour the land."
00:41:16.54\00:41:20.35
So what's happening,
that mean you're planting,
00:41:20.36\00:41:22.91
you're waiting for the harvest.
00:41:22.92\00:41:24.49
In Malachi this is such
a-- this is such an opposite
00:41:24.50\00:41:27.29
to Malachi here, such a contrast
to Malachi because it says,
00:41:27.30\00:41:30.64
"I will rebuke the
devourer for your sake.
00:41:30.65\00:41:35.03
Neither shall your
tree cast his fruits
00:41:35.04\00:41:37.29
before the time into the field,"
00:41:37.30\00:41:39.01
says the Lord of the host.
00:41:39.02\00:41:40.22
So He isn't saying,
when God is blessing you
00:41:40.23\00:41:43.77
He is rebuking the devourer.
00:41:43.78\00:41:47.68
I tell you this brings
to my mind so many stories
00:41:47.69\00:41:50.52
about how God
rebuke the devourer.
00:41:50.53\00:41:52.05
Can I testify it briefly?
Yeah. I've done the same.
00:41:52.06\00:41:54.90
I'll tell you, I
remember so often you know
00:41:54.91\00:41:57.10
when you look at
the children of Israel
00:41:57.11\00:41:58.30
and they traveled
through the desert.
00:41:58.31\00:41:59.79
Their shoes didn't wear out.
00:41:59.80\00:42:01.01
Their clothing didn't wear out
because the Lord was with them.
00:42:01.02\00:42:03.77
And I have seen in
so many instances where,
00:42:03.78\00:42:07.82
you hear about things that
are happening all around you,
00:42:07.83\00:42:10.57
but then you're moving
right along in a prosperous way,
00:42:10.58\00:42:13.53
not in abundant way.
00:42:13.54\00:42:14.92
Not in a way
where things, you know,
00:42:14.93\00:42:16.97
where your pockets are
flowing over with money
00:42:16.98\00:42:18.88
and your fridge is
always jam packed with food.
00:42:18.89\00:42:21.36
But God has sustained you
00:42:21.37\00:42:22.69
against all
obstacles and all odds.
00:42:22.70\00:42:26.21
And we had a number
of instances that way,
00:42:26.22\00:42:28.06
my wife and I, in our lives,
over and over and over again.
00:42:28.07\00:42:30.79
As a matter of fact, we
would we were considering
00:42:30.80\00:42:32.97
writing a book
about just blessings,
00:42:32.98\00:42:35.60
how God blesses us.
00:42:35.61\00:42:36.87
But these are the
principles right here.
00:42:36.88\00:42:38.72
He, He keeps the devourer from,
00:42:38.73\00:42:44.12
from eating up all your crops.
00:42:44.13\00:42:46.52
But when you're not
obedient He commands the locust,
00:42:46.53\00:42:49.74
I mean, He created the locust.
00:42:49.75\00:42:52.01
He commands them
and the pestilence
00:42:52.02\00:42:55.26
also comes among us people.
00:42:55.27\00:42:56.43
So these are, these are opposite
to blessings in verse 13,
00:42:56.44\00:43:00.51
but look at how it
turns it around, John.
00:43:00.52\00:43:01.99
And walks us
through that verse again.
00:43:02.00\00:43:03.79
What does God want us to do?
00:43:03.80\00:43:05.74
I'll try to stop you as you
go from one point to the next.
00:43:05.75\00:43:08.44
13 or 14. 14, sorry.
00:43:08.45\00:43:10.56
"If my people, who
are called by my name,
00:43:10.57\00:43:13.21
will humble
themselves." First thing.
00:43:13.22\00:43:15.62
That's important. "And
pray and seek my face." Three.
00:43:15.63\00:43:21.90
"And turn from
their wicked ways." Four.
00:43:21.91\00:43:25.03
"Then I will hear
from heaven." One.
00:43:25.04\00:43:28.25
"And will
forgive their sin." Two.
00:43:28.26\00:43:30.33
"And heal their land." Three.
00:43:30.34\00:43:32.00
Notice what happens
the transition, if then.
00:43:32.01\00:43:35.04
If you, if you wrote a
very, very short story,
00:43:35.05\00:43:37.32
if you behave yourself
00:43:37.33\00:43:39.15
then I'll give you
the keys to the car.
00:43:39.16\00:43:40.62
It's essentially a trill
of things on both. Oh, yes.
00:43:40.63\00:43:43.70
Because I think you're
looking at "humble themselves,
00:43:43.71\00:43:46.06
pray and seek my face,
turn from their wicked ways,"
00:43:46.07\00:43:49.00
there is three. Right. Right.
00:43:49.01\00:43:50.07
God says, "then I
will hear from heaven
00:43:50.08\00:43:52.63
forgive their sin
and heal their land."
00:43:52.64\00:43:54.77
That's right. So
in giving the three,
00:43:54.78\00:43:58.07
He gives back the three.
00:43:58.08\00:43:59.46
That's a very good point,
00:43:59.47\00:44:00.76
humble yourself
and pray exactly.
00:44:00.77\00:44:02.63
That's is one, seek my face two,
turn from their wicked ways--
00:44:02.64\00:44:05.47
Well, I was thinking
pray and seek my face,
00:44:05.48\00:44:06.92
'cause when you pray
that's what you're doing.
00:44:06.93\00:44:08.70
You are seeking the face of God.
00:44:08.71\00:44:09.82
But anyway, you see a
trill I think here it said,
00:44:09.83\00:44:12.53
is that if you do
this, the trill of things
00:44:12.54\00:44:15.01
I will respond in these ways.
00:44:15.02\00:44:16.98
Okay, I can see
that humble yourself
00:44:16.99\00:44:18.33
and pray and seek my face, two,
00:44:18.34\00:44:20.00
turn from your
wicked ways, three.
00:44:20.01\00:44:21.83
Yeah, then I will
hear from the heaven
00:44:21.84\00:44:23.02
to give you something,"
00:44:23.03\00:44:24.02
that's right
three up, three down.
00:44:24.03\00:44:25.50
Yeah. Very cool. Oh,
man that's a good sermon.
00:44:25.51\00:44:28.66
You need that. You need
that, that's a good sermon.
00:44:28.67\00:44:31.72
You know, one thing John
here and when we are ready
00:44:31.73\00:44:34.33
to leave this
here and maybe we are--
00:44:34.34\00:44:36.59
I want to show you how Laodicea,
00:44:36.60\00:44:38.64
the last church, is
the antithesis of this?
00:44:38.65\00:44:42.59
Because if you look at Laodicea
in Revelation Chapter 3,
00:44:42.60\00:44:46.58
the language there is
very much the opposite
00:44:46.59\00:44:51.31
of what's happening
here, even the language.
00:44:51.32\00:44:55.00
Because if you look
at the language there,
00:44:55.01\00:44:57.24
you know, we have
obviously initially it's says
00:44:57.25\00:44:59.96
in regard to
Laodicea that it says,
00:44:59.97\00:45:04.81
because you say I'm
wealthy, I've became wealthy,
00:45:04.82\00:45:09.00
I've needed nothing,
I'm rich and do not know
00:45:09.01\00:45:11.61
that you're wretched, miserable,
poor, blind, and naked.
00:45:11.62\00:45:15.20
Those words you
say we glass over them,
00:45:15.21\00:45:17.89
you say, but I say.
00:45:17.90\00:45:22.88
See. So that's the
response, you say this.
00:45:22.89\00:45:25.94
But I know you are wretched,
00:45:25.95\00:45:29.21
miserable, poor,
blind, and naked.
00:45:29.22\00:45:31.35
But then if you go
on a little further,
00:45:31.36\00:45:32.60
you look at Revelation
20, you have the exact words
00:45:32.61\00:45:35.46
that are coming as
the result which is
00:45:35.47\00:45:38.02
"behold I stand at
the door and knock,
00:45:38.03\00:45:39.50
if anyone hears my
voice," what will I do?
00:45:39.51\00:45:42.94
Open the door. I open the door
00:45:42.95\00:45:44.52
and I will come in
and I will sit with him.
00:45:44.53\00:45:46.74
And then there-- if
anyone hears my voice.
00:45:46.75\00:45:50.50
See sometimes we're
so busy just talking
00:45:50.51\00:45:54.33
because you say, that we're
not listening what he says.
00:45:54.34\00:46:00.59
And humility here
is when we turn from
00:46:00.60\00:46:03.99
what we say and
hear what he says.
00:46:04.00\00:46:08.54
And that's what he says,
then I will hear from heaven.
00:46:08.55\00:46:12.36
Then your prayers will
become effectual before me.
00:46:12.37\00:46:17.41
And I think that's what
we're talking about here is
00:46:17.42\00:46:19.54
how do I-- how
can I have confidence
00:46:19.55\00:46:21.49
that my prayers
are heard by God.
00:46:21.50\00:46:24.09
And that is, make
sure we are humble,
00:46:24.10\00:46:27.61
praying and seeking God's face
00:46:27.62\00:46:29.42
and that we've
turned from our wicked ways,
00:46:29.43\00:46:32.52
which is put away
the sin from our lives.
00:46:32.53\00:46:35.58
That's true. You know the Bible
give us examples of prayers
00:46:35.59\00:46:37.89
and so many different
aspects, sometimes you will read
00:46:37.90\00:46:40.53
entire chapters where
there is a constant prayer
00:46:40.54\00:46:43.22
where David prayed
long and lengthy prayers.
00:46:43.23\00:46:45.99
And then you have
the opposite of that
00:46:46.00\00:46:47.29
where Peter prayed a
three word prayer, Lord save me.
00:46:47.30\00:46:50.28
And both were
honest and both were
00:46:50.29\00:46:52.06
responded to immediately.
00:46:52.07\00:46:53.95
So length in prayer
and sincerity of prayer
00:46:53.96\00:46:58.83
are not always the same thing.
00:46:58.84\00:47:00.59
If you're heading
towards the ground,
00:47:00.60\00:47:03.53
if you are in a difficult
situation and your life
00:47:03.54\00:47:05.65
is going down
quickly, you don't say,
00:47:05.66\00:47:07.45
"oh Lord, our help in ages past,
our hope for years to come,
00:47:07.46\00:47:10.11
the shelter from
the stormy blast,
00:47:10.12\00:47:11.35
and our eternal home."
00:47:11.36\00:47:12.42
You don't get into
the soliloquize thought,
00:47:12.43\00:47:14.40
eloquently reciting the Bible.
00:47:14.41\00:47:16.72
You know, Peter
would've drowned he done that.
00:47:16.73\00:47:19.15
And there are some situations
we have to say, Lord save me.
00:47:19.16\00:47:23.10
And He immediately
reaches down and He gets us.
00:47:23.11\00:47:25.12
And then there are
those, the prayer of repentance.
00:47:25.13\00:47:28.17
John sometimes
when we get on our knees
00:47:28.18\00:47:31.06
and I'm speaking to
myself to because both of us
00:47:31.07\00:47:33.28
are in a spinning world,
00:47:33.29\00:47:36.23
you know, our world is
a very, very fast moving.
00:47:36.24\00:47:39.12
But sometimes you
have those moments
00:47:39.13\00:47:41.62
and thank the God they are more
frequent than they are rare.
00:47:41.63\00:47:46.66
Where you sit
down and you just say,
00:47:46.67\00:47:48.14
I'm gonna just talk to God.
00:47:48.15\00:47:50.37
I remember this morning,
I just talking to the Lord,
00:47:50.38\00:47:55.63
last night just
talking to the Lord
00:47:55.64\00:47:57.42
before you go to bed.
00:47:57.43\00:47:59.73
We talk to the Lord, our Father,
00:47:59.74\00:48:02.26
you know just speak to Him.
00:48:02.27\00:48:03.27
And I just said,
dear Lord in heaven,
00:48:03.28\00:48:05.00
you know, our
Father who art in heaven,
00:48:05.01\00:48:06.91
those sometimes fallen to
the cookie cut of prayers.
00:48:06.92\00:48:10.11
So God wants us to be
sincere and open with Him.
00:48:10.12\00:48:12.29
And that's why we are
gonna cover some principles
00:48:12.30\00:48:13.79
about prayer today,
how vitally important it is
00:48:13.80\00:48:16.68
in the
development of the Christian.
00:48:16.69\00:48:20.18
If you look at
your cell phone bills,
00:48:20.19\00:48:23.05
those of you who are
communication addicts,
00:48:23.06\00:48:26.08
nothing wrong with
that you can communicate
00:48:26.09\00:48:27.54
as much as you
can, but if you, if you,
00:48:27.55\00:48:29.46
if you got a bill from the
Lord for using your cell phone
00:48:29.47\00:48:32.72
how much would that bill be?
00:48:32.73\00:48:34.67
You know, that is
just to prayer line to God.
00:48:34.68\00:48:37.27
Thankfully, He could hear us
all without sending us a bill.
00:48:37.28\00:48:40.00
That's the beautiful
thing, but how many calls
00:48:40.01\00:48:42.17
would be listed
in your prayer call?
00:48:42.18\00:48:44.96
And, or your prayer chart,
and that would be really, man!
00:48:44.97\00:48:48.70
How many times
have I called God today?
00:48:48.71\00:48:51.37
Look at Jeremiah 29:11 or 13.
00:48:51.38\00:48:54.13
Another beautiful--Similar
to what we're talking about.
00:48:54.14\00:48:56.45
About another beautiful, okay.
00:48:56.46\00:48:59.51
Jeremiah 29
beginning with verse 11.
00:48:59.52\00:49:01.79
Hey, I'm almost
there, here I am, I'm there.
00:49:01.80\00:49:04.91
It says, "For I
know the thoughts
00:49:04.92\00:49:06.66
that I think toward
you, saith the Lord,
00:49:06.67\00:49:08.80
thoughts of
peace, and not of evil,
00:49:08.81\00:49:11.14
to give you a feature and hope.
00:49:11.15\00:49:13.83
Then you will call upon
me and go and pray to me,
00:49:13.84\00:49:17.37
and I will listen to you.
00:49:17.38\00:49:19.00
And you will seek Me and
find Me when you search for Me
00:49:19.01\00:49:23.43
with all of your heart."
00:49:23.44\00:49:25.70
And that is, is really
what God was telling Solomon,
00:49:25.71\00:49:29.50
king Solomon that,
00:49:29.51\00:49:31.13
is that when you
humble yourselves
00:49:31.14\00:49:32.72
you pray and seek my
face, you put away from you
00:49:32.73\00:49:35.45
the sins in your life.
00:49:35.46\00:49:36.73
That's when we can
communicate with each other.
00:49:36.74\00:49:39.82
That's when I listen to you.
00:49:39.83\00:49:41.53
That's when I see that
you want my will for you,
00:49:41.54\00:49:43.94
the plans I've
established for you.
00:49:43.95\00:49:46.77
And when you search for
me that's when we engaged
00:49:46.78\00:49:50.18
in this two-way communication
to where I lead you through life
00:49:50.19\00:49:54.04
and you know, that I'm with You.
00:49:54.05\00:49:55.76
And I think all of
us want that confidence
00:49:55.77\00:49:57.43
that we know God is with us.
00:49:57.44\00:49:59.29
And He is taking us though
life working out His plans.
00:49:59.30\00:50:01.49
By the way, the
words thoughts there
00:50:01.50\00:50:02.64
in the New Kings James Version,
and the King James Version.
00:50:02.65\00:50:05.28
If you look at up in
the descriptions here,
00:50:05.29\00:50:07.86
it's intense it's, it's--
that's why it's translated
00:50:07.87\00:50:11.28
in many versions
as "plans I have you"
00:50:11.29\00:50:14.60
because it's intentive,
it's preconceived. Okay.
00:50:14.61\00:50:20.07
God has something He's
already prepared for us
00:50:20.08\00:50:22.95
we just aren't
connecting with Him,
00:50:22.96\00:50:24.89
asking for Him to
work out His plans
00:50:24.90\00:50:27.01
those good
thoughts that He has for us.
00:50:27.02\00:50:28.85
Isn't that nice?
00:50:28.86\00:50:30.16
Jeremiah is also the one he said
00:50:30.17\00:50:31.70
"before any of days who
came to pass I saw them all."
00:50:31.71\00:50:34.55
Yeah, you know, that's also
the beautiful thing about that,
00:50:34.56\00:50:37.81
the Lord has plans for us,
00:50:37.82\00:50:39.51
but if we constantly say
Lord, hey check this out.
00:50:39.52\00:50:43.66
I got some plans,
You check this out.
00:50:43.67\00:50:44.84
We are doing all the
talking like Laodicea is,
00:50:44.85\00:50:46.74
you say, we keep rather
doing when He is talking.
00:50:46.75\00:50:50.41
And he wants to
say wait, wait, wait,
00:50:50.42\00:50:52.21
like I could tell the story now
00:50:52.22\00:50:54.04
that we're near the
still, of Elder Cleveland.
00:50:54.05\00:50:56.84
I was in a convocation,
00:50:56.85\00:50:58.81
that's like a big camp
meeting inside of a church
00:50:58.82\00:51:01.16
in Sacramento,
California in 1999, 1998.
00:51:01.17\00:51:08.32
I was singing in
there and afterwards,
00:51:08.33\00:51:11.67
I was so excited
to see Elder Cleveland
00:51:11.68\00:51:14.27
and I ran over to him.
00:51:14.28\00:51:15.42
And I was just
pouring out accolade,
00:51:15.43\00:51:17.25
Elder Cleveland, God bless you.
00:51:17.26\00:51:18.48
Love to hear your
voice, love your sermons.
00:51:18.49\00:51:21.12
He turned to me and he
said, young man, shut up.
00:51:21.13\00:51:26.54
He just said to
me, shut up young man.
00:51:26.55\00:51:30.64
And I said, you know--
00:51:30.65\00:51:33.23
Something for appearing is like.
00:51:33.24\00:51:35.35
He said, and he said to me,
00:51:35.36\00:51:37.27
I need to tell you
something, you know, he says.
00:51:37.28\00:51:40.77
And I said, okay he says,
God has an anointing on you.
00:51:40.78\00:51:46.59
And you know what?
00:51:46.60\00:51:47.92
He said that two
more times that evening
00:51:47.93\00:51:50.52
and praise the Lord
00:51:50.53\00:51:52.50
you know, from a person that way
00:51:52.51\00:51:53.83
who doesn't have to
give any accolade at all
00:51:53.84\00:51:56.57
who is not a person
is bought us all by,
00:51:56.58\00:51:59.08
you know, vexing
anybody or complimenting people,
00:51:59.09\00:52:02.71
it was an honor
to hear those words.
00:52:02.72\00:52:04.31
But I couldn't hear
them, this is a point.
00:52:04.32\00:52:06.39
It's not so much what he
said, but I couldn't hear them,
00:52:06.40\00:52:08.53
if I was
continuing to talk. Right.
00:52:08.54\00:52:10.79
And so the Lord is,
in essence is saying,
00:52:10.80\00:52:12.78
"if you seek me, you'll find me.
00:52:12.79\00:52:16.96
But I've got plans
and have you asked me--"
00:52:16.97\00:52:19.76
so one of the
things that I like,
00:52:19.77\00:52:21.63
one of my favorite
authors Ellen White says,
00:52:21.64\00:52:23.79
submit your plans to God.
00:52:23.80\00:52:25.86
But at the same time,
what are your plans for today?
00:52:25.87\00:52:30.09
Wouldn't that be nice?
00:52:30.10\00:52:31.33
If you are working with
God to know what His plans are,
00:52:31.34\00:52:34.58
so that you could
know that when you go up,
00:52:34.59\00:52:36.71
get up off your knees
00:52:36.72\00:52:38.37
you're actually
living in His plans.
00:52:38.38\00:52:40.25
So that's what
talking to God is all about.
00:52:40.26\00:52:41.93
Well, it's the foundation
00:52:41.94\00:52:42.95
for one of the most
powerful subjects prayer,
00:52:42.96\00:52:46.17
when you do less talking.
00:52:46.18\00:52:48.04
And so I heard people say,
00:52:48.05\00:52:50.84
okay Lord I've spoken
to You, now speak to me.
00:52:50.85\00:52:55.19
And some people have just
sat in quietude of their home
00:52:55.20\00:52:57.96
and just allow the Lord to,
00:52:57.97\00:52:59.90
to speak to
them through His word
00:52:59.91\00:53:01.66
and then some people
have done of this way.
00:53:01.67\00:53:03.27
They've read the Bibles,
00:53:03.28\00:53:04.83
then they have had prayer
and then they wait on the Lord.
00:53:04.84\00:53:07.96
And the Bible says,
"wait, I say, on the Lord."
00:53:07.97\00:53:10.07
And sometimes you do
that through quiet solace
00:53:10.08\00:53:12.80
and not humming
and being new age,
00:53:12.81\00:53:16.37
but sometimes a
meditation is a beautiful thing,
00:53:16.38\00:53:19.08
mediate on God's word
and ask God to let you know,
00:53:19.09\00:53:23.96
from what you read today,
00:53:23.97\00:53:25.76
what His will for
this day particularly is.
00:53:25.77\00:53:27.87
Yeah, yeah.
00:53:27.88\00:53:29.45
My last, the
last two sermons I did
00:53:29.46\00:53:32.12
before I came down here,
the title was I'm listening.
00:53:32.13\00:53:36.97
And so it's exactly
on this topic. Right.
00:53:36.98\00:53:39.42
And I just-- I learned so much
00:53:39.43\00:53:41.53
in studying for that message,
00:53:41.54\00:53:43.23
on how we can be
better listeners to God,
00:53:43.24\00:53:45.04
not just constantly talking.
00:53:45.05\00:53:47.19
You know, David says
in Psalms 81 verse 13,
00:53:47.20\00:53:53.25
actually he's
referring to what God is saying,
00:53:53.26\00:53:56.93
"oh, that my
people would listen to me,
00:53:56.94\00:54:00.10
that Israel
would walk in my ways."
00:54:00.11\00:54:02.82
If they would listen.
00:54:02.83\00:54:03.82
"If they would listen
to me and walk in my ways."
00:54:03.83\00:54:05.88
Wow!
00:54:05.89\00:54:06.91
And what I found
was over and over again
00:54:06.92\00:54:09.44
listening equated with doing.
00:54:09.45\00:54:15.55
Your not a good
affective listener
00:54:15.56\00:54:18.84
unless you put what
you hear into practice.
00:54:18.85\00:54:21.67
True.
00:54:21.68\00:54:23.06
God biblically listening
00:54:23.07\00:54:25.31
has nothing to do with
hearing God's voice only.
00:54:25.32\00:54:28.20
He has everything
to do with hearing
00:54:28.21\00:54:30.35
and responding and doing.
00:54:30.36\00:54:32.47
So these words, all
that they would listen to me
00:54:32.48\00:54:35.26
and walk in my ways,
00:54:35.27\00:54:37.20
is the model that we
should have when we listen,
00:54:37.21\00:54:41.47
when we say I'm
listening Lord speak to me.
00:54:41.48\00:54:44.13
We should be also ready to say,
what you tell me, I will do.
00:54:44.14\00:54:49.64
And to expect or
to not anticipate
00:54:49.65\00:54:52.58
that we will
have to do something
00:54:52.59\00:54:53.76
that maybe is contrary
00:54:53.77\00:54:55.03
to our own
personal plans in life,
00:54:55.04\00:54:58.17
is not true
active listening for God,
00:54:58.18\00:55:00.39
because He already knows
the intense of your heart,
00:55:00.40\00:55:02.40
and if He knows you're gonna do
00:55:02.41\00:55:03.40
what you're wanna do anyway.
00:55:03.41\00:55:04.68
Why would He
give you any message?
00:55:04.69\00:55:06.70
Why would He speak to you?
00:55:06.71\00:55:08.56
God will speak to those
who are not only hearing,
00:55:08.57\00:55:11.53
but are willing
to put into practice
00:55:11.54\00:55:13.75
the things that He puts in place
00:55:13.76\00:55:16.50
or puts in their
heart, lays upon their heart.
00:55:16.51\00:55:19.08
And there are several
ways that He speaks to us.
00:55:19.09\00:55:22.25
John He speaks
to us several ways.
00:55:22.26\00:55:25.74
First of all, He
speaks to us through His word,
00:55:25.75\00:55:28.18
through the
written word. That's right.
00:55:28.19\00:55:29.75
He speaks to us audibly,
00:55:29.76\00:55:31.60
okay now people make,
oh are sure about that?
00:55:31.61\00:55:34.40
Through angels,
00:55:34.41\00:55:35.97
through someone coming
and giving a message to us.
00:55:35.98\00:55:38.85
Checking out there.
00:55:38.86\00:55:39.95
The third is strong impressions,
00:55:39.96\00:55:41.75
the conscience,
He works through that
00:55:41.76\00:55:43.07
avenue two, and then fourth
00:55:43.08\00:55:44.94
through their
circumstances of life.
00:55:44.95\00:55:47.08
Those are the four
ways God's speaks to us.
00:55:47.09\00:55:48.58
He speaks to us
even through the mundane,
00:55:48.59\00:55:50.56
the things are going in life.
00:55:50.57\00:55:51.98
How many of us
have pushed open a door,
00:55:51.99\00:55:54.67
forced open a door that
God's trying to keep closed
00:55:54.68\00:55:57.62
because we are
not listening? True.
00:55:57.63\00:55:59.60
A circumstance in line
that He shutting a door on it,
00:55:59.61\00:56:02.31
but we keep pushing
it open and once we do,
00:56:02.32\00:56:04.44
we go that way we realize
I wish I'd never gone there.
00:56:04.45\00:56:07.34
Oh, man I could tell
you some stories about--
00:56:07.35\00:56:09.11
Those are circumstances
in life that we've done that,
00:56:09.12\00:56:12.13
the God is trying to
speak to us, saying don't,
00:56:12.14\00:56:14.85
I'm not opening this up for you.
00:56:14.86\00:56:17.53
But we push it
through and we do it anyway.
00:56:17.54\00:56:19.26
So these four
ways He speaks to us,
00:56:19.27\00:56:20.87
I think maybe
if we want to cover
00:56:20.88\00:56:22.13
in the next
program a little deeper.
00:56:22.14\00:56:23.57
But these are the ways
God speaks to our hearts
00:56:23.58\00:56:27.51
and I believe
that if we're listening
00:56:27.52\00:56:30.71
and if we're
active listeners listening
00:56:30.72\00:56:32.09
knowing we put into practice
00:56:32.10\00:56:33.33
when He speaks
then we will hear Him
00:56:33.34\00:56:35.09
in those ways much more clearly.
00:56:35.10\00:56:37.48
You know, Luke I
like the way he says,
00:56:37.49\00:56:39.28
"why do you call Me 'Lord, Lord'
00:56:39.29\00:56:42.81
and do not do the
things which I say."
00:56:42.82\00:56:45.42
And so we don't
just call Him Lord, Lord
00:56:45.43\00:56:47.33
but sometimes we
call Him Lord, Lord.
00:56:47.34\00:56:51.08
Yeah. And he
says, wait a minute.
00:56:51.09\00:56:52.93
What did you do it I say? Yeah.
00:56:52.94\00:56:54.80
And that's really
what prayers all about.
00:56:54.81\00:56:56.71
Sometimes people just in
the, they caught in the cycle,
00:56:56.72\00:56:59.84
the vicious cycle of wanting
to drive their things home
00:56:59.85\00:57:03.44
and not listen to the Lord
what do He have to say to us.
00:57:03.45\00:57:05.98
Yeah. In both cases it
is about two or three cases
00:57:05.99\00:57:09.03
where Lord, Lord
appears, the double Lord.
00:57:09.04\00:57:11.58
It's always negative.
00:57:11.59\00:57:13.18
I'll tell you.
That's right Luke,
00:57:13.19\00:57:15.18
Luke is one,
Matthew is another one.
00:57:15.19\00:57:17.96
And so here at House Calls
we believe in calling our Lord.
00:57:17.97\00:57:20.48
We're gonna talk about that
in one of our upcoming programs
00:57:20.49\00:57:22.56
but know this, if you
begin your day with prayer
00:57:22.57\00:57:25.11
and seek God's
face, He promises us,
00:57:25.12\00:57:27.47
He will hear from heaven,
00:57:27.48\00:57:28.96
forgive your sin
and heal your land,
00:57:28.97\00:57:30.83
have a great day as you
listen to the voice of God.
00:57:30.84\00:57:33.77