Hello, friends, grab your Bible
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and a friend and
sit back as we explore
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God's word together on
this edition of House Calls.
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Welcome to the
program engineered
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for people like you
and me that want to know
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more about what the Bible says.
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I got that from John, he
is pretty good in directing.
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He's directing
me from a distance.
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But that's good saying
and so thank you so much
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for tuning into the
program that truly does say
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what the word of God
says, "we don't settle
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for second best or
substitutes if it doesn't
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come from God's
word, we don't want it."
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Amen. And we're
not gonna give it.
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So get your Bibles,
your friends, your pens,
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hit the record button,
because we are going to
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dive into the
best book ever written,
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still the number one best
seller of the word of God,
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that's why House Calls us here.
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Good to have you here, John.
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It's great to be
here John, yeah--
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Looking forward
to another program.
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I tell you we had
a really good program
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that we are gonna continue
on today about listening,
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the art of listening
for the voice of God.
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One of the arts
that are lost today
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and our ears have been burned up
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and our ears have
been taken captive
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and we are slaves
mentally to something
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other than what
God is saying. Tickled.
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Tickled, but you
know, I tell you.
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But we have a good
program, so just stay tuned
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and John I'd like you to
begin the program with prayer,
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we always like to do that today.
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We're gonna spend
little less time on questions,
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because we wanna really
dive into our topic today
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and go head and cover it
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and to do a
justice with this program.
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Let's do that.
Our father in heaven,
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we ask here for Your presence
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to guide and
direct our thoughts today.
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And we pray for a
blessing that can only come from
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Your hand and that is
a knowledge of Your word.
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And to be able to
listen for Your voice,
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please speak to
each and everyone of us
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who are--both John and I
and those who are listening
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who are viewing
this program today,
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in Jesus name, amen. Amen.
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Well, friends,
as you know we have
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Bible questions and comments
that come to us periodically
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and we have quite
a bit, matter of fact
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I look on our website today.
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And if we haven't got
into your question yet,
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be patient because
we have about 400 pages
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of emails that
come, some times--
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Over, over a
long period of time.
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Over a period of time that is.
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And we have to
filter through those.
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What really helps
is if your question is
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small and concise and condense.
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Because when we open
a page and its starts
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folding many pages
down, we just kinda--
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it overwhelms
us and we just say,
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"If we have to try to figure out
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what you're trying
to ask us then it really
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probably not
gonna get addressed."
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I want to bring a
little clarification
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to your statement
too, because the lot of it
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includes spam, the
stuff they get through,
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we get put on email list. Yeah.
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So you know, out
of one whole page,
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there could be
maybe five questions.
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Out of page of 30 to
40, so maybe even 50.
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But it does take
some filtering through.
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But we appreciate
all of you who are
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sending in these questions,
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because every time we sit
down, they are great ones.
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Right, if you could
be so artistic as to
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at the very
beginning of your email,
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put Bible question, we could
see a jump out right away--
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Exactly because we
don't want those advertises
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and you know nowadays
it's impossible to get an email
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without an advertise to try
to find a way in and they do,
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that's how it is
in the Google world.
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Anyhow what's our
question for today, John?
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What do you have for?
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I got a question
from Randy and he says,
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"Hi, gentleman, I
cannot understand or know
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how to reconcile
the Chapter 1 John 3
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with the rest of scripture in
regard to the severity of sin."
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He says, it looks like
that my sin is evidence
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that you do not have
the Holy Spirit in you.
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And so let's take a
look at 1 John Chapter 3
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and I kinda give you a
few principles here to follow
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and also the context
of sin and its nature
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and what John is speaking up
here in this specific chapter,
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1 John Chapter 3. Okay.
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First of all, I want
you to notice verse 2.
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Let's build in the
context or build up to
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where we're going here first.
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The verse 2 says,
beloved, now we are.
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When? Now.
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Now we are the children of God
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and it has not yet been
revealed what we shall be,
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but we know that,
when He is revealed,
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we shall be like Him, for
we shall see Him as He is.
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Praise the Lord.
And everyone--verse 3,
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everyone who
has this hope in Him
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purifies himself,
just as He is pure.
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So you'll see
the context here is
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when we see Jesus
we will be like He is,
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we will see him as He
is and we will be like Him.
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And because we want
to have that experience,
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John is telling
us that we need to be
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engage in the process
of purifying ourselves,
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submitting
ourselves to the purification
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of the Holy Spirit through
the power of the Holy Spirit
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of our lives,
purging ourselves from sin.
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That is what the
purification process is.
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If you look at
water that's purified,
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it removes all
the foreign elements,
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it removes all the bacteria,
all the stuff that should not be
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that is unhealthy for us
equated the Christian life
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that is to removal
of sin from our lives.
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So that's the context with which
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we begin to read chapter 3.
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Then of course it
defines what sin is in verse 4,
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whoever commits sin
also commits lawlessness
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and sin is lawlessness or
sin is transgression of the law.
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So breaking the
commandments that equates to sin
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and then he says,
"And you know that
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He was manifested
to take away our sins
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and in Him there is no sin.
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Whoever abides
in Him does not sin.
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Whoever sins has
neither seen Him nor knows Him."
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That's where the beginning
of the trouble that Randy
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has given in this
question and others have had
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with regard to this chapter.
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There are two
possibilities here,
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number one if you
read it literally,
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it seems to be saying
that if you commit a sin
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or if you make a
mistake in your life,
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if you're going
throughout the day
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and you get angry at
someone, you yell at him
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and tell him off, then it says,
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look you've never known Christ.
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But we know that's not
true because he is writing to
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individuals who have
already become children of God.
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So he begins to
qualify what he means by sin
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in the very
next couple of verses
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and this is the key
to the whole chapter.
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Little children, verse
7, let no one deceive you,
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He who practices
righteousness is righteous,
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just as He is righteous.
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John is telling us that it's
not the commission of a sin,
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a single sin that determines
whether you or not you are--
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you know God, follow
Him, or unrighteous entirely.
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It is the practice of sin
that takes you away from God,
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that puts you out
of the will of God,
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and the
practice of righteousness
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that keeps you
in the will of God.
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Practice is the issue here.
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And if you pickup
verse 3, you would say
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then practice
makes what? Perfect.
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Practice brings
about spiritual maturity.
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Practice is what purifies,
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allows God to purify your heart.
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So when it comes
to our Christian walk,
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John is saying,
"I want to engage
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in the practice
of righteousness.
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In the repeating
everyday, day in and day out,
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the performance,
the engaging in the work
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of purity in your life
bring holiness into your life."
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Those things in your
life that Paul speaks of
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adding to your faith
virtue and virtue knowledge.
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Paul also speaks on
what you should think on,
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think on things that are pure
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and edifying and all the others,
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many--I'm thinking of all
the different translations
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to Bible when it
comes to that verse.
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But things that
appear in your life
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to allow God to bring
those things that are holy
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and not things that are sinful.
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And then of
course look at verse 8,
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He who sins and that
would equate with those who are
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doing the opposite of
practicing righteousness,
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but are
practicing unrighteousness.
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He who sins is of the devil,
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for the devil has
sinned from the beginning.
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For this purpose, the
Son of God was manifested
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that He might destroy
the works of the devil.
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So when sin is mentioned here,
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it's mentioned within the
context of the practice of sin,
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not the
occasional deed or misdeed,
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but the trend of
the life, the trend of
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how you are living
the Christian life.
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That's right. I
think you said it well,
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I mean I can't really
add a whole lot to that.
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This is not
speaking about the fact that
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people won't--in the process
of growing won't make mistakes,
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but we are not
looking to practice--
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That's right. In
these areas that we fall.
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We are not looking to stay there
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and sharpen our skill for evil,
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which is in fact
where a fall that--
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if you stay on the
ground-- let's put it this way.
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When we're growing up, we
had this three-second rule.
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And some of you may know exactly
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where I'm headed right away.
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If you drop
something on the ground,
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if you could pick it up
before three seconds are done,
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and you-- it's okay.
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But if you leave it
down there all day long
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and go to pick it up and eat it.
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Now some of you
probably say, "that's gross,
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I wouldn't eat it anyway
if it fell on the ground."
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Well, here is the key, it
depends on where it falls.
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That's a big part of it.
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If it falls in a,
you know, a pile of mud,
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if it's down there a
second it's too long.
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If it falls on
the carpet or maybe
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if your floors are
clean, that's all conditional.
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I'm not saying practice
that, but here's my point.
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The longer it stays down there,
00:09:47.23\00:09:48.86
let's go to the next level.
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If you fall into dirt, sin,
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and you stay
there and wallow in it.
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Begin to practice
or live that life.
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Oh, I love the
way this might feels,
00:10:00.86\00:10:02.73
oh and you walking
around and people see you,
00:10:02.74\00:10:05.64
what happened to you?
00:10:05.65\00:10:06.92
Oh, I fell, I've
been in mud all day.
00:10:06.93\00:10:10.18
And then the next
day, you are in mud
00:10:10.19\00:10:11.44
and the next day you are
in mud, your life is filthy.
00:10:11.45\00:10:13.93
You see, why would you wanna
be around a person like that.
00:10:13.94\00:10:15.76
He fell and he loved it.
And that was the problem.
00:10:15.77\00:10:19.20
It goes
according to the proverb,
00:10:19.21\00:10:21.24
the pig returns
to wallow in his mire
00:10:21.25\00:10:24.26
and the dog
returns to his vomit.
00:10:24.27\00:10:26.14
So that's the person
who just loves to practice
00:10:26.15\00:10:28.60
unrighteousness,
but the Lord is saying
00:10:28.61\00:10:30.38
as long as the trend of
your life is you are practicing
00:10:30.39\00:10:32.35
righteousness, I like that
text that you just read here.
00:10:32.36\00:10:35.38
Little children,
let no one deceive you.
00:10:35.39\00:10:39.42
He who practices righteousness
00:10:39.43\00:10:41.74
that is
justification is justified.
00:10:41.75\00:10:45.36
He who practices righteousness
that is sanctification
00:10:45.37\00:10:48.89
is justified just
as He is justified.
00:10:48.90\00:10:51.31
And I'm putting
those other words in there,
00:10:51.32\00:10:53.08
because when you
practice righteousness
00:10:53.09\00:10:54.83
you are being sanctified.
00:10:54.84\00:10:56.41
He who practices righteousness,
00:10:57.54\00:10:59.77
the sanctifying
effective it is righteous
00:10:59.78\00:11:04.20
just as he has been justified.
00:11:04.21\00:11:06.74
The Lord justifies
you, you practice that,
00:11:06.75\00:11:08.66
that sanctification and
that's the righteousness
00:11:08.67\00:11:11.10
of Christ that he imputes to you
00:11:11.11\00:11:13.13
because he has
imparted to you remains.
00:11:13.14\00:11:16.11
And so that's
the beauty of that.
00:11:16.12\00:11:17.91
All right. Very good.
00:11:17.92\00:11:19.16
Let's go to one
more question here,
00:11:19.17\00:11:20.81
because we gonna spend
some time on our topic today
00:11:20.82\00:11:22.50
by listening to the Lord.
00:11:22.51\00:11:24.51
Isaiah 66 verse
17, turn there with us
00:11:24.52\00:11:27.14
if you have your
Bible, very important passage.
00:11:27.15\00:11:29.98
And this is speaking
about the second coming
00:11:29.99\00:11:31.97
of the Lord, the coming of Lord.
00:11:31.98\00:11:33.59
In general sense,
let me turn there.
00:11:33.60\00:11:35.62
I have it on my
page, but I want to read
00:11:35.63\00:11:37.14
more than just
that particular verse.
00:11:37.15\00:11:39.81
Isaiah 66 verse
17. Okay, here we are.
00:11:39.82\00:11:46.22
We are there, we are there.
00:11:46.23\00:11:48.66
Okay, start with verse 15,
00:11:48.67\00:11:52.41
for behold, the
Lord will come with fire,
00:11:52.42\00:11:56.11
and with his
chariots like a whirlwind
00:11:56.12\00:11:58.94
to render his anger and fury
00:11:58.95\00:12:02.71
and his rebuke
with flames of fire.
00:12:02.72\00:12:06.01
For by fire and by His sword,
00:12:06.02\00:12:09.66
the Lord will judge all flesh
00:12:09.67\00:12:11.84
and the slain of
the Lord shall be many.
00:12:11.85\00:12:15.30
And then He
points out to category,
00:12:15.31\00:12:17.33
those who sanctify themselves
and purify themselves.
00:12:17.34\00:12:21.31
That's those whose righteousness
is not from Christ.
00:12:21.32\00:12:24.93
In other words, they say
as Isaiah 4, he points out,
00:12:24.96\00:12:28.34
they will say,
"I'll eat my own bread,
00:12:28.35\00:12:30.26
I'll wear my own apparel,
I'll have my own clothing,
00:12:30.27\00:12:33.48
I'll have my own righteousness."
00:12:33.49\00:12:35.62
But he goes on further.
00:12:35.63\00:12:37.76
It says to go to the
garden, that's the groves.
00:12:37.77\00:12:41.52
When you look at
the Old Testament,
00:12:41.53\00:12:43.03
many of those who worshiped
false God went to the groves
00:12:43.04\00:12:46.56
that were set up in gardens.
00:12:46.57\00:12:48.92
He says, I'm gonna deal with
those who go to the gardens,
00:12:48.93\00:12:51.31
and then what happens?
00:12:51.32\00:12:54.27
After in idol, to go to
the gardens after an idol
00:12:54.28\00:12:58.11
in the midst and
look what they do?
00:12:58.12\00:13:01.85
Eating swine's
flesh and the abomination
00:13:01.86\00:13:06.28
and the mouse shall be consumed
together, says the Lord.
00:13:06.29\00:13:12.04
So the question
was, does this verse mean
00:13:12.05\00:13:14.84
God will destroy
those that defile
00:13:14.85\00:13:16.69
their body by eating
things, the Lord said
00:13:16.70\00:13:21.24
was an abomination
unto them and it's sure?
00:13:21.25\00:13:24.28
Yes. It's exactly
what He is saying.
00:13:24.29\00:13:26.43
Any comments before
I go any further, John?
00:13:26.44\00:13:28.21
No, I think that's good.
00:13:28.22\00:13:29.50
I think the context here
is clearly the second coming,
00:13:29.51\00:13:32.38
the coming of the Lord, right?
00:13:32.39\00:13:34.25
We've covered this
several times about how God--
00:13:34.26\00:13:36.87
when Jesus comes
that He will consume
00:13:36.88\00:13:38.68
the wicked with
brightness of His coming,
00:13:38.69\00:13:40.68
a fire will be
kindled, the earth will melt
00:13:40.69\00:13:42.92
with fervent heat,
all these other things.
00:13:42.93\00:13:44.82
So this is in
context of the second coming
00:13:44.83\00:13:46.87
and He continues to
punish those who are
00:13:46.88\00:13:52.04
doing these abominations which
include eating swine's flesh.
00:13:52.05\00:13:55.73
And it comes back to the
principle of New Testament,
00:13:55.74\00:13:58.06
you find--let's just go
couple of examples very quickly.
00:13:58.07\00:14:00.86
In the Old Testament
when they had the tabernacle,
00:14:00.87\00:14:03.78
whether the temporary one or
the temple the permanent one.
00:14:03.79\00:14:07.26
There were no unclean
animals included in that at all.
00:14:07.27\00:14:10.72
Not only that the
temples of the--the body temple
00:14:10.73\00:14:14.30
the Lord establish from
the very beginning in Genesis.
00:14:14.31\00:14:16.57
That nothing
that is designed as my
00:14:16.58\00:14:18.63
sanitation department
should go into my temple.
00:14:18.64\00:14:22.62
So they couldn't bring
pigs and swine's flesh and mice
00:14:22.63\00:14:28.31
and rats and rodents to
the altar to sacrifice, why?
00:14:28.32\00:14:32.31
The main reason is
because nothing unclean
00:14:32.32\00:14:34.30
could represent
Christ, but secondly
00:14:34.31\00:14:36.75
and most importantly in
the context of your question.
00:14:36.76\00:14:39.43
Our 1
Corinthians 3 and verse 17,
00:14:39.44\00:14:42.15
if anyone defiles
the temple of God,
00:14:42.16\00:14:45.70
God will destroy
him, for the temple of God
00:14:45.71\00:14:49.31
is Holy which temple you are.
00:14:49.32\00:14:52.26
Yes. That's right.
00:14:52.27\00:14:53.90
Your body is the temple of God,
00:14:53.91\00:14:55.27
1 Corinthians 6 verse 19,
or do you not know that your
00:14:55.28\00:14:59.20
body is the temple of the
Holy Spirit, who is in you,
00:14:59.21\00:15:02.44
whom you have from God,
and you are not your own.
00:15:02.45\00:15:05.34
1 Corinthians 10:31,
whether you eat or drink
00:15:05.35\00:15:07.71
or whatever you do, do
all through the glory of God.
00:15:07.72\00:15:10.00
And our example in the
Bible and Daniel 1 verse 8,
00:15:10.01\00:15:12.88
Daniel determined in his heart
00:15:12.89\00:15:15.07
that he would
not defile his body.
00:15:15.08\00:15:17.99
And so the
question is, does God have
00:15:18.00\00:15:20.25
any right over our bodies?
00:15:20.26\00:15:22.38
Absolutely, we
gave him that right
00:15:23.47\00:15:25.67
when we gave our life to Him.
00:15:25.68\00:15:26.92
Right, and so to say I
know I belong to you Lord,
00:15:26.93\00:15:30.11
but you can't
tell me what to do,
00:15:30.12\00:15:31.83
far too many people nowadays.
00:15:32.86\00:15:34.50
And let me just give you
another added to mention.
00:15:34.51\00:15:36.17
I don't want to
spend lot of time on this.
00:15:36.18\00:15:38.67
But there are people
that are poking holes
00:15:38.68\00:15:40.38
in God's temple, there
are people that are tattoo.
00:15:40.39\00:15:44.10
There is the other sin today
00:15:44.11\00:15:45.64
not just defiling of the inside,
00:15:45.65\00:15:48.35
but the defiling of the outside.
00:15:48.36\00:15:50.36
They are becoming like
Dennis Rodman, this society.
00:15:50.37\00:15:53.06
You remember Dennis Rodman.
He was a basketball player.
00:15:53.07\00:15:55.95
You may not have heard his name,
00:15:55.96\00:15:57.01
but if you punch
it upon the internet,
00:15:57.02\00:15:58.07
you will see exactly
what I'm talking about.
00:15:58.08\00:15:59.92
There are some
people that walk around
00:15:59.93\00:16:01.24
looking like coloring
books and the Bible even forbids
00:16:01.25\00:16:04.50
the tattooing of the flesh.
00:16:04.51\00:16:06.44
Because once again
its God's body temple,
00:16:06.45\00:16:09.71
the poking of
holes and nose rings
00:16:09.72\00:16:12.09
and tongue rings is just
like there is abuse to the body.
00:16:12.10\00:16:15.95
And God is
saying, don't you know
00:16:15.96\00:16:18.11
that your body is my
temple and then the abuse of
00:16:18.12\00:16:22.26
promiscuity and homosexuality
and all these, you know,
00:16:22.27\00:16:25.27
sexual crimes, the
body is under an assault
00:16:25.28\00:16:28.02
and all of those
categories, everyone of those
00:16:28.03\00:16:30.54
is a candidate
for being defiled--
00:16:30.55\00:16:33.34
and everyone of those not a
candidate for being defiled,
00:16:33.35\00:16:36.44
but everyone of those
candidate for being loss.
00:16:36.45\00:16:38.91
Now here is the
question, if a person
00:16:38.92\00:16:40.74
has a tattoo can they be saved?
00:16:40.75\00:16:42.43
If you turn your life over
to the Lord, of course you can.
00:16:42.44\00:16:45.53
Any of those
categories I mentioned
00:16:45.54\00:16:47.15
once you repent and turn
your life over to the Lord,
00:16:47.16\00:16:49.58
He can bring you
into saving relationship.
00:16:49.59\00:16:51.82
That's what I'm saying
because I've seen people that--
00:16:51.83\00:16:55.78
I was working with Pastor
John in the evangelistic series.
00:16:55.79\00:16:59.47
And it was a summer
time and he had a tattoo
00:17:00.89\00:17:03.06
of a woman and a
heart on his arm.
00:17:03.07\00:17:07.42
And I said, pastor,
we are going visiting,
00:17:08.66\00:17:11.30
put a jacket on
it. He said, why?
00:17:11.31\00:17:13.49
I said that tattoo of a
woman and a cross on your arm.
00:17:13.50\00:17:18.39
He said, you know, I
used to be a motorcyclist.
00:17:18.40\00:17:21.00
I used to be
hardcore Harley rider.
00:17:21.01\00:17:25.29
And I said so does that
help when you go to your visits?
00:17:26.82\00:17:30.07
He said, you know, I've
given my life to the Lord
00:17:31.39\00:17:34.54
and I didn't necessarily
agree with His philosophy,
00:17:34.55\00:17:37.91
His philosophy, but he said
00:17:37.92\00:17:39.48
that's there to remind
me of where I came from.
00:17:39.49\00:17:43.13
Couldn't argue with
that, I left that between him
00:17:43.14\00:17:45.09
and the Lord, but I said
but still put on a jacket.
00:17:45.10\00:17:48.42
Because I don't want to
see, we go and give people
00:17:48.43\00:17:51.12
Bible studies, they
don't know all that,
00:17:51.13\00:17:53.59
unless you explain that to them,
00:17:53.60\00:17:55.69
they'll have a different
interpretation of a man
00:17:55.70\00:17:57.47
who's studying the words of God
00:17:57.48\00:17:58.74
and he has a woman
and I'm not gonna say
00:17:58.75\00:18:00.79
what kind of-- what
the woman look like,
00:18:00.80\00:18:03.96
but woman and a cross on his arm
00:18:03.97\00:18:05.95
and it didn't look godly at all,
00:18:05.96\00:18:07.80
it looked very provocative.
00:18:07.81\00:18:09.55
So bottom line is getting back
00:18:09.56\00:18:11.41
to the eating of
the swine's flesh, yes.
00:18:11.42\00:18:13.34
We cannot defile our
temple and still be saved.
00:18:13.35\00:18:16.44
All right. Good.
00:18:16.45\00:18:18.13
Well, we're gonna just
stop right there today.
00:18:18.14\00:18:19.98
We have some great topics,
00:18:19.99\00:18:22.72
but if you gonna
send any questions to us,
00:18:22.73\00:18:24.75
if you have any
comments to send,
00:18:24.76\00:18:27.19
anything you want to say to
us about anything we've covered,
00:18:27.20\00:18:29.92
send those to
housecalls@3abn.org
00:18:29.93\00:18:33.04
that's housecalls@3abn.org,
00:18:33.05\00:18:36.58
or let me put it this
way, if you're sending mail,
00:18:36.59\00:18:40.23
you know where to send it.
00:18:40.24\00:18:41.38
So thank you so much for
all you do for the program,
00:18:41.39\00:18:43.30
your prayers,
your financial support.
00:18:43.31\00:18:45.18
And even if you
come and volunteer,
00:18:45.19\00:18:46.70
we won't mind that either.
00:18:46.71\00:18:48.16
But John take us
into our topic today,
00:18:48.17\00:18:50.38
"Listening to the Voice of God,"
00:18:50.39\00:18:51.76
we laid some foundation,
but now let's dive into it.
00:18:51.77\00:18:54.76
Yeah, we have several
ways that God speaks to us.
00:18:54.77\00:18:59.05
He established the
relationship with us,
00:18:59.06\00:19:01.45
a saving relationship with us,
00:19:01.46\00:19:02.79
so that he can
communicate His will to us.
00:19:02.80\00:19:04.97
Transform our
lives and change us.
00:19:04.98\00:19:07.10
And these are some of the
things we're talking about
00:19:07.11\00:19:08.69
when we answer
these questions as well.
00:19:08.70\00:19:10.62
But how do we listen and become
00:19:10.63\00:19:15.13
effective
listener for God's voice.
00:19:15.14\00:19:17.46
How do we know that He is
communicating to us His will?
00:19:17.47\00:19:20.90
How do we know it's God's voice
and not the voice of another?
00:19:20.91\00:19:23.83
So there are
several ways to do that
00:19:23.84\00:19:25.76
and the first
step is to understand
00:19:25.77\00:19:28.14
that there are four ways
that God communicates to us.
00:19:28.15\00:19:31.58
We already begin
to cover the first way
00:19:31.59\00:19:33.99
which is He
communicates to us His will,
00:19:34.00\00:19:37.08
His voice
through the written word.
00:19:37.09\00:19:39.50
And the supreme written
word is, the word of God,
00:19:39.51\00:19:42.81
the Bible and
that becomes the test
00:19:42.82\00:19:45.74
by which all other
communication is comes under.
00:19:45.75\00:19:49.86
It's the way that
we test any other way
00:19:49.87\00:19:53.95
or communication that we think
that we're hearing from God,
00:19:53.96\00:19:57.08
we test it
according to God's word.
00:19:57.09\00:19:59.56
The second way is
through audible means
00:19:59.57\00:20:02.17
and we cover some of those.
00:20:02.18\00:20:04.43
The third way is through
our thoughts and impressions
00:20:04.44\00:20:07.04
and then the fourth will be
everyday circumstances of life.
00:20:07.05\00:20:10.64
But I think we are in
the middle of the word of God
00:20:10.65\00:20:13.89
being that test for
all other communication
00:20:13.90\00:20:17.80
that God brings to us.
00:20:17.81\00:20:18.83
This is the first
thing that He gave us.
00:20:18.84\00:20:20.87
A matter of fact, go with
me to the book of Timothy.
00:20:20.88\00:20:23.78
I'll tell you
which one right now,
00:20:23.79\00:20:24.78
I'm--look at
that, I just returned.
00:20:24.79\00:20:27.96
And I'm amazing. All right.
00:20:28.80\00:20:31.76
Okay, here we are.
00:20:33.87\00:20:35.23
1 Timothy, you know
what's amazing about this, John,
00:20:35.24\00:20:38.00
and the beauty of this topic
is that the Lord wants us to
00:20:38.01\00:20:43.18
really focus our
hearts and our lives
00:20:43.19\00:20:48.55
on what He says first.
00:20:48.56\00:20:51.92
I like what my
parents used to say
00:20:53.64\00:20:55.38
when I was growing up, I
would come home sometimes
00:20:55.39\00:20:58.61
with an excuse as to
how I got in trouble.
00:20:58.62\00:21:02.58
And I would say,
well, so and so said
00:21:02.59\00:21:04.89
and so and so
said and so and so said
00:21:04.90\00:21:08.01
and my mother would
say, but what did I say?
00:21:08.02\00:21:09.72
What did I say? Exactly.
00:21:11.00\00:21:12.60
I don't care what
anyone said, what did I say?
00:21:12.61\00:21:16.10
If you do what I
said, you don't have to
00:21:16.11\00:21:18.84
worry about getting in trouble.
00:21:18.85\00:21:21.48
But if you ignore what I say,
00:21:21.49\00:21:23.61
then that's where you in danger.
00:21:23.62\00:21:24.92
And we find here in the
word of God that Paul makes it
00:21:24.93\00:21:29.01
very, very clear that listening
00:21:29.02\00:21:31.30
to God's word is
the first element.
00:21:31.31\00:21:34.19
As a matter of
fact as I'm going,
00:21:34.20\00:21:35.66
I want to just segway
into that with this text.
00:21:35.67\00:21:38.20
You find this phrase
throughout the Bible,
00:21:38.21\00:21:39.85
"Thus says the
Lord, thus says the Lord."
00:21:39.86\00:21:44.41
And that's what this text
here in 2 Timothy Chapter 4,
00:21:44.42\00:21:47.60
is speaking to us,
"Thus says the Lord."
00:21:47.61\00:21:51.50
I came back to my
parent. What did I say?
00:21:53.83\00:21:55.96
Thus says the parent.
00:21:55.97\00:21:57.99
Today we can't get to
heaven with thus says the pastor
00:21:58.00\00:22:01.50
or thus says my
church if it's not connected
00:22:01.51\00:22:04.25
to God's word and
here is the reason why.
00:22:04.26\00:22:06.36
And I like that John, you
said, use the Bible first.
00:22:06.37\00:22:08.35
Here it is, 2
Timothy Chapter 3 verse 16,
00:22:08.36\00:22:12.77
all scripture is
given by inspiration of God
00:22:12.78\00:22:19.34
and is profitable for doctrine.
00:22:19.35\00:22:22.16
Be careful if your church says
00:22:22.17\00:22:23.63
it doesn't teach
doctrine and uses the Bible,
00:22:23.64\00:22:26.07
you are in
trouble, run for your life.
00:22:26.08\00:22:28.23
I mean, really. Yeah.
00:22:29.25\00:22:30.28
We don't teach
doctrines, they have this term
00:22:30.29\00:22:32.18
nowadays, we are
non-denominational.
00:22:32.19\00:22:34.62
Well, if I go to the
bank and I want money,
00:22:34.63\00:22:37.52
what denomination is gonna be?
00:22:37.53\00:22:38.59
It's gonna be a penny, a
nickel, a dime, a quarter,
00:22:38.60\00:22:41.01
or a half a dollar
or a silver dollar.
00:22:41.02\00:22:42.72
Some
denomination one, five, ten,
00:22:42.73\00:22:45.07
fifteen-- whatever the case,
00:22:45.08\00:22:46.29
not fifteen but
one, you get the point.
00:22:46.30\00:22:48.39
It's gonna be one
of those denominations
00:22:48.40\00:22:50.26
and there is no such thing as
00:22:50.27\00:22:52.09
a non-denominational
church and that's the danger.
00:22:52.10\00:22:55.33
So they say, we
don't teach doctrines,
00:22:55.34\00:22:56.87
so you are safe here.
Now you are in danger there.
00:22:56.88\00:23:00.96
The Bible is profitable
for doctrine, for reproof,
00:23:00.97\00:23:05.00
for correction, for
instruction in righteousness
00:23:05.01\00:23:09.35
that the man of
God may be complete,
00:23:09.36\00:23:12.11
thoroughly equipped or
furnished for every good work.
00:23:12.12\00:23:16.77
But I read this, I want
you to read verse 14 and 15
00:23:16.78\00:23:19.36
because this is what I
left out and this is why
00:23:19.37\00:23:23.41
the word of God is
so vitally important.
00:23:23.42\00:23:25.29
This is why it's the
first line of defense.
00:23:25.30\00:23:26.88
You got that? Yeah. 14 and 15?
00:23:28.90\00:23:31.33
"But you must
continue in the things
00:23:31.34\00:23:33.28
which you have
learned and been assured of
00:23:33.29\00:23:36.23
knowing from whom
you have learned them
00:23:36.24\00:23:38.76
and that from
childhood you have known
00:23:38.77\00:23:40.42
the Holy
Scriptures, which are able to
00:23:40.43\00:23:42.22
make you wise for salvation
00:23:42.23\00:23:44.43
through faith which
is in Jesus Christ."
00:23:44.44\00:23:46.56
Okay, the Holy
Scriptures, they are able to
00:23:46.57\00:23:49.05
make you wise, be
careful and the reason
00:23:49.06\00:23:51.43
I'm going
backward here is because
00:23:51.44\00:23:53.73
the premise that
Paul is dealing--
00:23:53.74\00:23:56.80
the situation
he is dealing with,
00:23:56.81\00:23:59.47
he is trying to prevent
people from being deceived.
00:23:59.48\00:24:03.62
That was the
whole context of this.
00:24:03.63\00:24:04.92
We often start
with verse 16 and 17,
00:24:04.93\00:24:07.68
then we jump back
to verse 14 and 15,
00:24:07.69\00:24:09.84
but look at
verse 12 and 13. Okay.
00:24:09.85\00:24:16.64
Verse 12 says, "Yes all
who desire to live godly
00:24:16.65\00:24:20.55
in Christ Jesus
will suffer persecution.
00:24:20.56\00:24:23.15
But evil men and impostors
will grow worse and worse
00:24:23.16\00:24:27.92
deceiving and being deceived."
00:24:27.93\00:24:30.03
John talk about that
deception and the context of
00:24:30.04\00:24:31.95
the word of God being left
out as a first line of defense.
00:24:31.96\00:24:34.72
Why there's so
much deception today?
00:24:34.73\00:24:36.16
If you--there are many
today who are--they are gauging
00:24:36.17\00:24:40.21
the truth by the
feeling they get.
00:24:40.22\00:24:42.47
I think you've mentioned
that in the last program.
00:24:42.48\00:24:44.53
I know its truth when God gives
me that feeling in my bosom.
00:24:45.79\00:24:49.46
Here right here, I just--
00:24:49.47\00:24:50.67
when I get that
feeling then I know its truth.
00:24:50.68\00:24:53.26
Feelings are very--
can be very deceptive
00:24:54.79\00:24:57.01
and we have to be very careful
with feelings, even emotions.
00:24:57.02\00:25:00.26
The word of God--the
Bible is an intellectual book.
00:25:00.27\00:25:06.95
There is an
element of connecting
00:25:06.96\00:25:08.94
and reasoning with God
and listening to His voice
00:25:08.95\00:25:10.90
and letting Him
communicate His will to us.
00:25:10.91\00:25:12.82
That goes beyond a
feeling and we must test
00:25:12.83\00:25:15.69
our feelings in
light of the word of God.
00:25:15.70\00:25:18.03
Or we're gonna be
deceive, that's the way God,
00:25:18.04\00:25:20.67
I think this is the
handbook that God has given us
00:25:20.68\00:25:24.13
to keep us from being deceived
and that's why it's got to be
00:25:24.14\00:25:26.69
the first line in the
way that God speaks to us.
00:25:26.70\00:25:29.82
Now I do want to be
careful and not getting so much
00:25:29.83\00:25:32.15
on the word of God in
this because we won't have
00:25:32.16\00:25:34.69
time to cover the
rest of the things
00:25:34.70\00:25:37.32
as to how to be an
effective listener.
00:25:37.33\00:25:38.75
But do need to say
that the word of God
00:25:38.76\00:25:41.79
is the way that we test
all other communication from--
00:25:41.80\00:25:46.32
that we receive in
our Christian walk.
00:25:46.33\00:25:48.74
And that would
be audibly or even
00:25:48.75\00:25:51.98
on the written word
level, it could be through books
00:25:51.99\00:25:55.63
or other kinds of things
that people say are good,
00:25:55.64\00:25:59.15
this is a great
book, you've to read this.
00:25:59.16\00:26:01.01
God really spoke
His will to this.
00:26:01.02\00:26:02.51
Well, it is good book
as long as it lines up
00:26:02.52\00:26:04.49
with the word of God, right?
00:26:04.50\00:26:07.13
There is a whole another
denomination that advocates--
00:26:07.14\00:26:09.18
another book
that's greater light
00:26:09.19\00:26:11.98
or that is light as
the word of God is light.
00:26:11.99\00:26:14.60
Well, I'll tell you
if you read both books,
00:26:14.61\00:26:16.23
they don't agree with each
other so you gotta be careful.
00:26:16.24\00:26:19.53
So other written
word has to be compared
00:26:19.54\00:26:21.62
with the word of
God, but secondly
00:26:21.63\00:26:23.28
in an audible way,
God can speak to us.
00:26:23.29\00:26:25.70
And I just want to kinda give
an example of that here we go.
00:26:25.71\00:26:27.70
But there's a
story, a friend of us told.
00:26:27.71\00:26:31.38
And they were driving
around-- driving through town,
00:26:31.39\00:26:34.17
going over to somebody's house.
00:26:34.18\00:26:35.24
They were going
in Angwin, California
00:26:35.25\00:26:37.18
on a very narrow road.
00:26:37.19\00:26:38.23
For those of you who live
in Angwin, who are been there,
00:26:38.24\00:26:40.44
Brookside road or
Brookside Drive there.
00:26:40.45\00:26:43.76
Very narrow and he
was going around an area
00:26:43.77\00:26:45.68
that's had a kind of a blind
corner and all of the sudden,
00:26:45.69\00:26:48.84
he slammed on his brakes
00:26:48.85\00:26:50.42
and pulled over to
his right and stopped.
00:26:50.43\00:26:53.77
And the moment he did that.
00:26:53.78\00:26:56.10
A car coming the other
direction barreled around
00:26:56.11\00:26:57.78
the corner in their lane
would have hit them for sure.
00:26:57.79\00:27:01.57
And his wife said, wow, and
it's a good thing you pulled
00:27:01.58\00:27:05.47
over right when you did, I
didn't even see him coming.
00:27:05.48\00:27:08.06
And he said, no, it's a good
thing you told me to pull over.
00:27:08.07\00:27:11.00
She says, told you to pull over?
00:27:11.01\00:27:13.61
He said, yeah, you
said pull over now and stop.
00:27:13.62\00:27:17.60
She said, I didn't say a word.
00:27:17.61\00:27:19.01
He said, I heard
you specifically say,
00:27:20.05\00:27:21.57
pull over now and stop.
00:27:21.58\00:27:24.08
She said, I didn't say anything.
00:27:24.09\00:27:25.27
Well, that was an
angel. That's right.
00:27:25.28\00:27:27.55
That intervened to keep
them from that accident.
00:27:27.56\00:27:30.85
There are ways God
communicates His will to us
00:27:30.86\00:27:33.69
that comes
through angels possibly.
00:27:33.70\00:27:37.15
The Bible speaks
of angles visiting us
00:27:37.16\00:27:38.89
that we are completely
unaware of as being angels.
00:27:38.90\00:27:41.43
He also
communicates His will to us
00:27:42.66\00:27:44.34
potentially
audibly through friends,
00:27:44.35\00:27:46.76
through family
who are godly people.
00:27:46.77\00:27:49.83
That's another way we
hear the audible will of God.
00:27:49.84\00:27:52.09
Someone
prophesying as to Christ will,
00:27:52.10\00:27:54.67
but that prophesying
always is measured by, what?
00:27:54.68\00:27:56.86
The word. The word of God.
00:27:56.87\00:27:58.52
This is the key
that we must measure
00:27:58.53\00:28:01.38
everything in
light of the word of God.
00:28:01.39\00:28:03.84
But that will be
the second one audibly.
00:28:03.85\00:28:05.45
That's right. Anything else--
00:28:05.46\00:28:07.53
Because even if a
group of individuals
00:28:07.54\00:28:09.90
and I like the
fact that you tied it
00:28:09.91\00:28:11.83
right back to the word of God
00:28:11.84\00:28:13.24
because we're building on--
00:28:13.25\00:28:14.32
we're a building a cake here--
00:28:14.33\00:28:16.04
well, not a cake, we're
building a structure here,
00:28:16.05\00:28:20.11
but the foundation of that
structure is the word of God.
00:28:20.12\00:28:23.85
Okay, now, let
me use that example.
00:28:23.86\00:28:26.08
God clearly
spoken in that respect
00:28:26.09\00:28:28.53
because he would not
have heard what he heard
00:28:28.54\00:28:33.65
and end result was
God just spares your life.
00:28:33.66\00:28:37.58
Right. See.
00:28:37.59\00:28:39.41
Or the angels could
have, however, God did that.
00:28:39.42\00:28:42.68
You know, we tried to figure out
00:28:42.69\00:28:43.69
how God does certain things--
00:28:43.70\00:28:45.19
in fact that He does it
just what makes the difference.
00:28:45.20\00:28:48.59
But if you would say
that the Lord use angels
00:28:48.60\00:28:51.75
in the same-- in the same sense
00:28:51.76\00:28:53.60
of the story of
Balaam, he used a donkey.
00:28:53.61\00:28:57.27
I did a sermon
called "Dumb and Dumber."
00:28:57.28\00:28:58.70
Who is the dumber?
The donkey or Balaam.
00:28:58.71\00:29:00.78
But Hebrews 1 verse 14
speaks of the angels role.
00:29:00.79\00:29:05.72
Are they not all ministering
spirits sent forth to
00:29:05.73\00:29:08.78
minister to those who
will inherit salvation?"
00:29:08.79\00:29:11.19
So the angels of
God are really busy.
00:29:11.20\00:29:14.30
The Lord didn't send an
email to Mary, an angel,
00:29:14.31\00:29:17.22
the angel
Gabriel came and spoke--
00:29:17.23\00:29:18.86
Even the name
angel, what does it mean?
00:29:18.87\00:29:20.69
Messenger. That's right.
00:29:20.70\00:29:21.94
So a messenger with a message.
00:29:21.95\00:29:23.67
So that's wonderful,
but I like the fact that
00:29:23.68\00:29:26.08
you tied back
to the word of God,
00:29:26.09\00:29:27.57
because when you
mentioned about impressions
00:29:27.58\00:29:30.45
through friends,
these audible impressions.
00:29:30.46\00:29:32.83
When a person's mind is
guided by the word of God,
00:29:32.84\00:29:35.14
then you could say,
oh, that's a godly woman,
00:29:35.15\00:29:37.72
that's a godly
man. But you know what?
00:29:37.73\00:29:39.71
The way that you will
continue to know that that
00:29:39.72\00:29:41.58
person is being led
by God's inspiration
00:29:41.59\00:29:43.87
is always check it
out. That's why I say,
00:29:43.88\00:29:46.06
the first one the written word
00:29:46.07\00:29:47.77
is all encompassing through
00:29:47.78\00:29:49.07
the writing but the key here is,
00:29:49.08\00:29:51.80
the written word, the
Bible, that's the foundation.
00:29:51.81\00:29:55.43
Then you have the
number two, the audible
00:29:55.44\00:29:57.36
we just spoke about
that. Then you have--
00:29:57.37\00:29:58.89
But let's now run
away from that too quickly.
00:29:58.90\00:29:59.89
Go ahead, go ahead.
00:29:59.90\00:30:00.90
Because, you
know, John, you and I,
00:30:00.91\00:30:02.24
we are techie in some degree--
00:30:02.25\00:30:05.39
and where I know lot of
guys that are really techie.
00:30:05.40\00:30:07.26
They read computer magazines.
00:30:07.27\00:30:08.58
They are staying upon
00:30:08.59\00:30:09.73
the latest gadget
that's coming out.
00:30:09.74\00:30:11.77
When we speak
about those gadgets,
00:30:13.64\00:30:15.24
we speak
intelligently because we have
00:30:15.25\00:30:17.08
informed ourselves.
00:30:17.09\00:30:18.61
What's a Geiger or a nanosecond.
00:30:18.62\00:30:20.87
You know what a gigabyte?
What are all those things?
00:30:20.88\00:30:23.73
And my sister called me
one day and she said, hey,
00:30:23.74\00:30:26.21
I have--I got a hard drive
with six--with 20 Geiger's.
00:30:26.22\00:30:30.65
Let's say when on
earth is a Geiger.
00:30:30.66\00:30:32.55
I like that thought.
It's got 20 Geiger's.
00:30:34.22\00:30:37.45
I said, no it's gigabytes.
00:30:37.46\00:30:39.36
Well, I don't
know what Geiger or--
00:30:39.37\00:30:41.02
they really matter to me.
00:30:41.03\00:30:42.48
The whole point of the matter is
00:30:42.49\00:30:44.30
I'm going back to
the word of God here.
00:30:44.31\00:30:46.07
In 2 Timothy Chapter 3 verse 10,
00:30:46.08\00:30:48.31
it's gonna take you a while
to get over that one, John.
00:30:48.32\00:30:50.76
Yeah, you told
me that one before.
00:30:50.77\00:30:51.97
Yeah, she said I
got 20 Geiger drive.
00:30:51.98\00:30:54.21
I said, no, that's gigabytes.
00:30:54.22\00:30:55.96
I don't know what that means.
00:30:55.97\00:30:57.05
Anyway but tying your back
when you speak if you speak
00:30:57.06\00:31:01.39
intelligently
of the word of God.
00:31:01.40\00:31:03.64
I've been in circles
where people have been
00:31:03.65\00:31:05.07
highly
intelligent, very well educated,
00:31:05.08\00:31:08.23
but when I start to
speaking about the word of God.
00:31:08.24\00:31:10.12
All those
intellectual esoteric minds
00:31:10.13\00:31:12.68
were captured,
because they said, wow!
00:31:12.69\00:31:15.60
you've entered into
an enlightened area,
00:31:15.61\00:31:18.34
a place where the light
of the divine one is shining
00:31:18.35\00:31:21.18
that many people that
are intellectual just on
00:31:21.19\00:31:23.08
the basis of human
wisdom have not entered.
00:31:23.09\00:31:25.27
Right. But
here's the reason, why?
00:31:25.28\00:31:27.60
Second Timothy 3 verse 15,
00:31:27.61\00:31:29.59
the Holy Scriptures
are able to make you wise.
00:31:29.60\00:31:34.54
See that's true, the
entrance of your word
00:31:34.55\00:31:36.41
gives light,
David the Psalmist says,
00:31:36.42\00:31:38.54
"So yes,
through the impressions,
00:31:38.55\00:31:40.55
through the
audible, through the speaking
00:31:40.56\00:31:42.41
through friends,
those three methods
00:31:42.42\00:31:44.73
all tie back to the
foundation of God's word."
00:31:44.74\00:31:47.73
And obviously we are
pastors so we would expect that,
00:31:47.74\00:31:50.70
you know, God uses us
to communicate a message to
00:31:50.71\00:31:53.94
the people who come out
each Sabbath to worship.
00:31:53.95\00:31:58.08
And so the audible
word is very important.
00:31:58.09\00:32:00.49
Now the third one as we
transition to the third way,
00:32:00.50\00:32:02.95
he communicates to thoughts
00:32:02.96\00:32:04.20
and impressions
by the Holy Spirit.
00:32:04.21\00:32:06.75
Now we've all been convicted
of something at some point.
00:32:06.76\00:32:11.08
Just in general, we
think thoughts and we say,
00:32:11.09\00:32:13.84
you know, that's
really important,
00:32:13.85\00:32:15.08
you know, we realize, you know,
00:32:15.09\00:32:16.64
that could be a
life changing thought
00:32:16.65\00:32:19.87
or impression
that we just received,
00:32:19.88\00:32:23.70
and so God does that as well.
00:32:23.71\00:32:25.53
He can speak to
us through our mind
00:32:25.54\00:32:28.04
and through the
Holy Spirit to give us
00:32:28.05\00:32:30.59
thoughts or impressions that
are communication of His will.
00:32:30.60\00:32:34.40
Again it goes back to measuring
those thoughts and impressions
00:32:34.41\00:32:37.32
according to the word
of God, we always go there.
00:32:37.33\00:32:40.16
But He does that
also through thoughts
00:32:40.17\00:32:41.99
and impressions and so
that's the third method
00:32:42.00\00:32:44.31
in the way that He speaks to us.
00:32:44.32\00:32:46.05
And that is most often through
the work of the Holy Spirit.
00:32:46.06\00:32:50.91
I don't deny that
angels ministering
00:32:50.92\00:32:52.83
can also breathe a
word to you as well.
00:32:52.84\00:32:55.15
I do believe that,
that can happen too.
00:32:55.16\00:32:57.16
But the Holy
Spirit residing in us,
00:32:57.17\00:32:58.91
that's why Jesus
said so importantly
00:32:58.92\00:33:02.00
that when the Holy Spirit comes,
00:33:02.01\00:33:06.28
when He ask the father to send
00:33:06.29\00:33:07.36
the Holy Spirit, He's
gonna enter into your life
00:33:07.37\00:33:10.12
and thus bring a voice from
the inside to speak His will
00:33:10.13\00:33:15.91
and to prove establish His will
00:33:15.92\00:33:17.42
and prove His will in your life.
00:33:17.43\00:33:19.55
And you find in the scriptures,
00:33:19.56\00:33:20.81
it's so wonderful and
I appreciate this topic,
00:33:20.82\00:33:24.95
John, because when we
are in difficult situations,
00:33:24.96\00:33:29.78
the impression that even
comes into our lives are like,
00:33:31.63\00:33:35.60
one of the reasons I
like read in the word of God
00:33:35.61\00:33:37.27
is because the other
thing the spirit does
00:33:37.28\00:33:39.56
and I like this,
you've mentioned Holy Spirit,
00:33:39.57\00:33:41.75
you've mentioned
through impressions.
00:33:41.76\00:33:43.11
What He also does is He
00:33:43.12\00:33:44.18
brings back to our remembrance.
00:33:44.19\00:33:47.08
Those things we've learned
and so when a person says
00:33:47.09\00:33:51.29
the spirit spoke to me,
I listened very carefully
00:33:51.30\00:33:54.64
because a lot of
times people give authority
00:33:54.65\00:33:56.70
to what they
say by just throwing
00:33:56.71\00:33:58.63
the spirit into the midst.
It's a vicarious authority.
00:33:58.64\00:34:00.49
Yeah, very, very
important. Vicarious authority.
00:34:00.50\00:34:04.11
They say, you know,
God spoke to me and told me
00:34:04.12\00:34:05.84
to tell you and I'm thinking,
let me still pray about it,
00:34:05.85\00:34:09.98
because I don't know if
whether or not God spoke
00:34:09.99\00:34:11.88
to that person especially
if I don't know him from Adam.
00:34:11.89\00:34:15.09
But in fact, you find
that the Lord sometimes speaks
00:34:15.10\00:34:18.14
in a way that's
almost inaudible,
00:34:18.15\00:34:21.31
but unless you're
listening, it is inaudible.
00:34:21.32\00:34:23.14
It is audible but it's a
thought or an impression, yeah.
00:34:23.15\00:34:25.55
And I like this one
in I Kings 19 verse 11,
00:34:25.56\00:34:28.38
behold the Lord passed by
and a great and strong wind
00:34:30.65\00:34:36.58
tore into the mountains
and broke the rocks in pieces
00:34:36.59\00:34:39.36
before the Lord, but the
Lord was not in the wind.
00:34:39.37\00:34:42.80
And after the
wind and earthquake,
00:34:42.81\00:34:44.56
but the Lord was
not in the earthquake.
00:34:44.57\00:34:47.06
And after the earthquake a fire,
00:34:47.07\00:34:49.35
but the Lord
was not in the fire.
00:34:49.36\00:34:52.28
And after the fire
a still small voice.
00:34:52.29\00:34:58.11
So what it was
when Elijah heard it,
00:34:58.12\00:35:00.88
that he wrapped his face
in his mantle and went out
00:35:00.89\00:35:03.19
and stood in the
entrance of the cave,
00:35:03.20\00:35:05.45
suddenly a voice
came to him and said,
00:35:05.46\00:35:07.86
what are you doing here, Elijah?
00:35:09.16\00:35:10.93
You see, God was
impressing him through
00:35:10.94\00:35:12.79
all this
magnificent powerful displace,
00:35:12.80\00:35:15.49
but God wasn't--and this
is the point I want to make.
00:35:15.50\00:35:19.42
Sometimes you may be captured
00:35:19.43\00:35:21.41
by the
excitement of an environment
00:35:21.42\00:35:24.35
and God may not even be in that.
00:35:25.71\00:35:27.57
That's why
sometime I'll find the text
00:35:29.44\00:35:31.30
and give it to you, but
I'll give it back to you
00:35:31.31\00:35:32.84
while I look for this text.
00:35:32.85\00:35:34.21
So if the Lord
is speaking to you,
00:35:34.22\00:35:35.93
sometimes He speaks
to you most effectively
00:35:35.94\00:35:38.55
that still small voice,
the impression that you get
00:35:38.56\00:35:42.24
as you sit and
abide in His presence
00:35:42.25\00:35:45.19
and listen for Him to
speak to you and communicate.
00:35:45.20\00:35:48.04
Now we're gonna get
to some of these things
00:35:48.05\00:35:49.42
because we're gonna
provide you with some steps
00:35:49.43\00:35:51.72
that you can take. Very good.
00:35:51.73\00:35:53.24
To be a more effective
listener for God's voice.
00:35:53.25\00:35:55.74
We're now giving you the
ways God communicates to us.
00:35:55.75\00:35:58.82
Then we're gonna
get you to the steps
00:35:58.83\00:36:00.03
that you can become a better
listeners for God's voice.
00:36:00.04\00:36:02.99
The fourth way in
which God communicates to us
00:36:04.12\00:36:07.13
is through the
everyday circumstances of life.
00:36:07.14\00:36:09.94
And we can't go by
this very quickly either,
00:36:09.95\00:36:11.99
because God
communicates His will at times
00:36:12.00\00:36:15.29
through just the circumstances
that are around us.
00:36:15.30\00:36:18.53
And I'll tell you a story
00:36:18.54\00:36:19.93
and it's not
specific story necessarily,
00:36:19.94\00:36:22.41
but several times in
my life as I look back
00:36:22.42\00:36:25.90
at there those times, you know,
00:36:25.91\00:36:27.79
20/20s it's great
high in-sight vision.
00:36:27.80\00:36:30.68
As I look back at
those circumstances,
00:36:30.69\00:36:32.07
I can see God was
not opening the door
00:36:32.08\00:36:35.49
for a certain
thing, but I pushed
00:36:35.50\00:36:38.05
and forced my foot
through it to make it happen.
00:36:38.06\00:36:41.35
And if I paid more
attention to the circumstances
00:36:42.67\00:36:45.53
and the fact that it
was hard to make this thing
00:36:45.54\00:36:48.18
come to for wishing to work.
00:36:48.19\00:36:50.22
I would have seen
that through circumstances
00:36:50.23\00:36:52.03
he was actually closing the door
00:36:52.04\00:36:54.49
on something that I thought
I was doing for His will.
00:36:54.50\00:36:57.45
So in that respect,
He didn't speak to me,
00:36:59.05\00:37:00.96
He didn't speak to me audibly,
00:37:00.97\00:37:02.49
he didn't speak to me
through thoughts and impressions
00:37:02.50\00:37:04.12
that were specific
although he may have been
00:37:04.13\00:37:05.79
trying to convict me at times,
00:37:05.80\00:37:07.47
but he used circumstances to try
00:37:07.48\00:37:09.01
and close the door and something
00:37:09.02\00:37:10.06
that wasn't in
accordance with His will.
00:37:10.07\00:37:12.05
And we need to be in
tune for whether or not
00:37:13.39\00:37:16.18
we are forcing
something to happen
00:37:16.19\00:37:18.27
or we're seeing that
God's clearly opening
00:37:18.28\00:37:20.84
a pathway for us to
go, do you understand?
00:37:20.85\00:37:23.17
So in that
respect, it's different than
00:37:23.18\00:37:25.49
written word
obviously, than audible,
00:37:25.50\00:37:27.28
than thoughts and impressions,
00:37:27.29\00:37:28.29
it is the everyday
circumstances of life
00:37:28.30\00:37:30.91
that God works
and becomes important.
00:37:30.92\00:37:33.40
I'm reading a book right now
00:37:33.41\00:37:34.69
and doing some
studies on the book of Esther.
00:37:34.70\00:37:36.24
The name God is not
in that book one time.
00:37:38.81\00:37:41.20
But what you can see
clearly throughout that book
00:37:42.30\00:37:44.39
that it is speaking to us,
saying that the circumstances
00:37:44.40\00:37:48.90
that have happened
throughout the book
00:37:48.91\00:37:50.22
are clearly God's leading and
the events that are happening.
00:37:50.23\00:37:54.81
God isn't mentioned,
God isn't even alluded too.
00:37:54.82\00:37:58.45
God is clearly
through the circumstances
00:37:58.46\00:38:00.91
in Esther's life
and Mordecai's life
00:38:00.92\00:38:03.27
working through circumstances
to reveal His will.
00:38:03.28\00:38:06.69
I see you're
looking for something there.
00:38:07.97\00:38:09.53
Yeah, when you talked
about how God blocks our path.
00:38:09.54\00:38:13.72
Well, who came to my
mind, I just made illusion
00:38:13.73\00:38:15.66
to him earlier, a
Balaam. Yeah, there we go.
00:38:15.67\00:38:19.67
He was
determined, Balaam was a man
00:38:19.68\00:38:21.36
that had become
selfish and he had
00:38:21.37\00:38:22.83
become motivated
by financial gain.
00:38:22.84\00:38:26.11
And I liked the story,
I just preached a sermon,
00:38:26.12\00:38:28.01
it's so clear in my mind.
00:38:28.02\00:38:29.24
The Lord made it
very clear that Balaam
00:38:29.25\00:38:31.51
was not to have
any kind of allegiance
00:38:31.52\00:38:33.27
to the nations
around him that were
00:38:33.28\00:38:35.25
going to be destroyed
by the children of Israel.
00:38:35.26\00:38:37.31
That God sent them in the battle
00:38:37.32\00:38:38.99
and I think I
counted 28 specific times
00:38:39.00\00:38:41.26
or independent times
that the phrase in the Bible,
00:38:41.27\00:38:44.80
Israel defeated
and then the name
00:38:44.81\00:38:47.22
of the nation
followed to indicate
00:38:47.23\00:38:49.19
who they brought
down by God's strength.
00:38:49.20\00:38:51.46
But Balaam was a
man who was motivated
00:38:51.47\00:38:54.78
for financial gainand he
said to the princess of Balak.
00:38:54.79\00:39:02.33
He said, first of all he
turned the messengers away,
00:39:02.34\00:39:07.74
because he says
I'm not supposed--
00:39:07.75\00:39:09.27
God told me not to go.
00:39:09.28\00:39:11.33
He said the Lord refused
to allow me to go which means,
00:39:11.34\00:39:14.60
I would have gone if he let me.
00:39:14.61\00:39:16.20
God was saying in no
uncertain terms, "Don't go".
00:39:16.21\00:39:19.22
Secondly, Balak sent princess
00:39:20.31\00:39:22.86
and people are
more and higher honor.
00:39:22.87\00:39:26.12
And so this is what blew me away
00:39:26.13\00:39:27.89
and this is where you have
to get the story out of this.
00:39:27.90\00:39:29.90
Balaam said, if
you filled my house
00:39:31.22\00:39:33.97
with gold and
silver, I will not go.
00:39:33.98\00:39:38.06
Forget this, but spend a night.
00:39:38.07\00:39:40.26
I'm gonna talk to the
Lord and see what He says.
00:39:40.27\00:39:42.15
Is that ridiculous? It's crazy.
00:39:43.82\00:39:45.37
And don't people do
that. He begins to justify.
00:39:46.45\00:39:48.63
Right, don't
people do that sometimes?
00:39:48.64\00:39:50.13
I know God said,
remember the Sabbath day
00:39:50.14\00:39:53.33
to keep it Holy,
but I need the money.
00:39:53.34\00:39:55.38
Oh, I need to think
about it to make sure
00:39:56.61\00:39:57.94
that God gives me that feeling.
00:39:57.95\00:39:59.32
Somebody said to me
once and I gave this--
00:40:01.38\00:40:03.83
I made it very
clear and I thank the Lord
00:40:03.84\00:40:05.26
for this
because I'm very careful
00:40:05.27\00:40:06.95
not to think of myself
in the position of authority
00:40:06.96\00:40:09.30
to give people permission to do
00:40:09.31\00:40:10.32
something that
God says, don't do.
00:40:10.33\00:40:12.56
I'm speaking like a New Yorker,
00:40:12.57\00:40:13.62
so you listen like a New Yorker.
00:40:13.63\00:40:15.18
One person said to me,
he was having a challenge
00:40:15.19\00:40:18.08
with the Sabbath
and I didn't know until
00:40:18.09\00:40:20.33
his baptism was
just the next day.
00:40:20.34\00:40:22.84
Everything was clear.
Everything was all done.
00:40:22.85\00:40:25.54
He and his wife were
ready for the baptism
00:40:25.55\00:40:26.96
and then his wife mentioned,
00:40:26.97\00:40:28.10
but you know he's
still working on the Sabbath.
00:40:28.11\00:40:32.29
He hasn't given-- they haven't
00:40:32.30\00:40:33.70
given him the Sabbath off yet.
00:40:33.71\00:40:36.62
Do you think he should wait?
00:40:36.63\00:40:37.86
And at that moment
the Lord impressed me
00:40:37.87\00:40:41.36
to say to him, no, don't wait.
00:40:41.37\00:40:43.39
But what about my Sabbath?
00:40:44.61\00:40:46.71
I said, okay, I'm going to
00:40:46.72\00:40:49.10
give you a
letter I'll do my part.
00:40:49.11\00:40:52.54
And I said, don't
think for a moment
00:40:52.55\00:40:54.95
that I'm giving you permission
00:40:54.96\00:40:56.71
to violate a
direct command of God.
00:40:56.72\00:40:59.01
I am never able to
say wait 'cause today
00:40:59.02\00:41:02.83
is the day of salvation,
but I'm not able to say
00:41:02.84\00:41:05.61
God will understand if
you violate the Sabbath
00:41:05.62\00:41:08.46
a couple of more weeks
as long as you accept Him.
00:41:08.47\00:41:11.24
I said, I can't
say either of those,
00:41:11.25\00:41:12.81
but let me do my part and I know
00:41:12.82\00:41:15.00
God will honor
you for honoring Him.
00:41:15.01\00:41:17.56
Ran home, got the
letter, gave it to him,
00:41:17.57\00:41:19.90
took it to work as
soon as they got to work
00:41:19.91\00:41:22.17
and gave him the letter,
he called his wife saying,
00:41:22.18\00:41:23.77
I'm on my way back home.
00:41:23.78\00:41:25.63
It was like 3 o'clock
in the afternoon on Friday.
00:41:25.64\00:41:26.95
I'm on my way back home.
00:41:26.96\00:41:28.87
They told me, no
problem, God will--
00:41:28.88\00:41:32.18
they'll honor the timeframes.
00:41:32.19\00:41:33.81
And he has told
me ever since then,
00:41:33.82\00:41:35.53
he said, I've taken Fridays off.
00:41:35.54\00:41:37.07
I left certain
time and taken the--
00:41:37.08\00:41:39.44
and just allow that time
without pay to just go by.
00:41:39.45\00:41:43.54
I leave always
before the Sabbath comes in.
00:41:43.55\00:41:46.07
And you know, my point
is this, God will honor you,
00:41:46.08\00:41:49.60
but in that situation
God impressed me as to--
00:41:49.61\00:41:52.95
I would often
say to a person, no,
00:41:52.96\00:41:54.62
wait till you get that
whole situation resolved.
00:41:54.63\00:41:57.46
But the Lord impressed me.
00:41:57.47\00:41:58.58
This man and this
woman wants to honor God.
00:41:58.59\00:42:01.19
God will honor
him for standing up
00:42:02.89\00:42:04.37
because he
didn't have to tell me.
00:42:04.38\00:42:05.84
And praise the Lord,
God responded right away
00:42:07.33\00:42:09.86
that's through the impressions.
00:42:09.87\00:42:11.58
That's through spirit of God--
00:42:11.59\00:42:12.60
We're kinda going
back and forth here
00:42:12.61\00:42:13.98
to because we kinda got
to circumstances of life,
00:42:13.99\00:42:16.19
but you can see
all these various ways
00:42:16.20\00:42:18.07
that God just
communicated to us.
00:42:18.08\00:42:20.82
And so with this foundation then
00:42:20.83\00:42:23.49
is to the ways God
communicates to us.
00:42:23.50\00:42:25.88
What are some steps
that we can take to engage
00:42:25.89\00:42:29.39
a more effective
listening skill--
00:42:29.40\00:42:31.81
Okay. All
right. For God's voice.
00:42:31.82\00:42:33.65
And we wanna just kinda give you
00:42:33.66\00:42:35.12
or share with you several
ways in which we can do that.
00:42:35.13\00:42:38.01
And I wanna
start with number one.
00:42:38.02\00:42:39.38
Which is pray for and
nurture Christ's abiding
00:42:40.50\00:42:45.26
presence through His spirit.
00:42:45.27\00:42:46.84
Jesus said in the context too
00:42:48.27\00:42:52.24
to the disciples
as He was leaving,
00:42:52.25\00:42:54.18
just before He
ascended to heaven.
00:42:54.19\00:42:55.45
He said, I want you to
go now and I want you to
00:42:55.46\00:42:57.62
gather together and
pray in the upper room
00:42:57.63\00:42:59.81
and wait for the Holy
Spirit to come upon you
00:42:59.82\00:43:02.76
before you go out to do the will
00:43:02.77\00:43:05.62
that I'd given
you, which is fulfilling
00:43:05.63\00:43:06.69
the great commission
of spreading the gospel.
00:43:06.70\00:43:08.84
He also said in the
context within John Chapter 14,
00:43:08.85\00:43:13.69
He talks about
praying to the Father
00:43:13.70\00:43:18.32
that He would
send another comforter,
00:43:18.33\00:43:21.52
that comforter
would dwell with them
00:43:21.53\00:43:23.89
and that in fact bring Christ
into the life to help them
00:43:23.90\00:43:27.12
to live the life that
God has given them to do.
00:43:27.13\00:43:30.41
So one of the
ways that we can become
00:43:30.42\00:43:32.08
a better listener is
to first of all make sure
00:43:32.09\00:43:35.80
that we are walking and
living and doing everything
00:43:35.81\00:43:39.59
we do in the name
of God in His spirit.
00:43:39.60\00:43:43.39
And that is first and foremost
00:43:43.40\00:43:45.23
after praying and
seeking God's face,
00:43:45.24\00:43:47.25
we had another
program on this recently.
00:43:47.26\00:43:49.36
Seeking God's face and
asking for the outpouring of
00:43:49.37\00:43:52.21
the Holy Spirit in
their life, in your life.
00:43:52.22\00:43:55.88
Without His
spirit working in you,
00:43:55.89\00:43:58.45
He cannot communicate
His will to you in ways
00:43:58.46\00:44:02.12
that will become
fruitful in your life.
00:44:02.13\00:44:05.31
I think if it is a
dollar bill torn in half.
00:44:05.32\00:44:08.43
I remember somebody, I
was at a big convocation,
00:44:08.44\00:44:11.76
somebody gave me a dollar,
00:44:11.77\00:44:13.73
a dollar bill torn
in half and they said,
00:44:13.74\00:44:16.95
if you go look for so
and so in this big hall,
00:44:16.96\00:44:21.01
they'll have the other
half of the dollar bill
00:44:22.15\00:44:24.37
and you'll know
that I spoke to them.
00:44:24.38\00:44:27.58
See and that's the whole key.
00:44:29.25\00:44:31.23
The Holy Spirit,
half of the bill,
00:44:31.24\00:44:34.00
the word of
God, half of the bill
00:44:35.18\00:44:38.36
and when God is--
when you're praying
00:44:38.37\00:44:40.27
for the abiding
presence of Christ
00:44:40.28\00:44:42.11
through His Holy Spirit,
we get the whole dollar bill.
00:44:42.12\00:44:45.54
And it comes
together so beautifully,
00:44:46.56\00:44:48.15
so when Jesus pray
for the spirit of God,
00:44:48.16\00:44:50.01
the spirit of God
became the helper,
00:44:51.96\00:44:53.60
I will give you another helper
00:44:53.61\00:44:55.47
or the other word we
use, another comforter.
00:44:55.48\00:44:58.72
And that comforter is
gonna lead us and guide us,
00:44:58.73\00:45:00.92
because we need
the spirit of God
00:45:00.93\00:45:02.36
because He helps us,
discern the voice of God.
00:45:02.37\00:45:06.54
If you don't wanna
follow the word of God,
00:45:06.55\00:45:07.95
the spirit is not gonna come in,
00:45:07.96\00:45:09.50
because I think as in Acts
Chapter 5 from verse 29 to 32,
00:45:09.51\00:45:13.07
you'll find in
that context there,
00:45:13.08\00:45:15.07
the Bible--the
writer, Luke says,
00:45:16.31\00:45:19.10
"The Lord gives His
spirit to those who obey Him."
00:45:20.36\00:45:23.65
And that's a
future step to obedience.
00:45:25.13\00:45:27.40
So we'll get to
that point. Okay.
00:45:27.41\00:45:30.41
So praying for the
outpouring of the Holy Spirit,
00:45:30.42\00:45:32.11
without the Holy
Spirit working in your life
00:45:32.12\00:45:34.67
having been invited to be a
part of that Christian walk,
00:45:34.68\00:45:38.70
you can do nothing
but walk in the flesh
00:45:38.71\00:45:41.76
because there's no way to walk
00:45:41.77\00:45:43.16
in the spirit if
the spirit isn't in you.
00:45:43.17\00:45:46.24
So walking in the spirit
comes as a result of praying for
00:45:46.25\00:45:50.52
and nurturing the
presence of the Holy Spirit.
00:45:50.53\00:45:53.40
That's right.
Okay. So that's step one.
00:45:53.41\00:45:56.30
Now I like the way you
brought the word into that too
00:45:56.31\00:46:00.68
because step two is
study the word of God.
00:46:00.69\00:46:04.22
Okay. Okay.
00:46:04.23\00:46:05.68
So let's talk about
the-- how this kind both go
00:46:05.69\00:46:08.19
in harmony together. All right.
00:46:08.20\00:46:09.55
Step two
studying the word of God,
00:46:12.80\00:46:14.59
if you look to John Chapter 16,
00:46:14.60\00:46:18.88
in fact let's go there here.
00:46:18.89\00:46:20.41
John Chapter 16,
verses 13 and 14.
00:46:20.42\00:46:24.76
It says there, however,
00:46:24.77\00:46:25.90
when He the
Spirit of truth has come.
00:46:25.91\00:46:29.69
Has come where by
the way? Into our hearts.
00:46:29.70\00:46:31.76
Into your life,
right, into your heart.
00:46:31.77\00:46:33.84
He will guide
you into all truth,
00:46:33.85\00:46:37.23
for he will not
speak on his own authority,
00:46:37.24\00:46:39.71
but whatever he
hears he will speak
00:46:39.72\00:46:42.52
and he will tell
you things to come.
00:46:42.53\00:46:44.48
He will glorify
me, for he will take of
00:46:44.49\00:46:47.19
what is mine and
declare it to you.
00:46:47.20\00:46:49.78
So you see here that first
step the Holy Spirit coming in.
00:46:49.79\00:46:53.62
Second step then He can be
00:46:53.63\00:46:55.67
the guide for
you into all truth.
00:46:55.68\00:46:58.40
And He does that
through the word of God.
00:46:58.41\00:47:01.45
So when we say, you
know, the word of God
00:47:01.46\00:47:03.94
is the authority as we
already established that.
00:47:03.95\00:47:05.96
Now we're saying
as a step to study it.
00:47:05.97\00:47:09.40
That doesn't mean
just read the story
00:47:09.41\00:47:10.97
so those who are nice
but study it by topic.
00:47:10.98\00:47:14.83
Study it by, you
know, earnestly seeking
00:47:14.84\00:47:17.53
and searching for God's
will on whatever matter,
00:47:17.54\00:47:19.92
whatever issues
that you are seeking
00:47:19.93\00:47:21.94
His will in
your life for. Right.
00:47:21.95\00:47:23.82
And you can only
understand it if you're praying
00:47:23.83\00:47:26.72
and asking for the
Holy Spirit to do that
00:47:26.73\00:47:28.82
in your life
because He dwells within.
00:47:28.83\00:47:32.19
John, actually when
I prepared this topic,
00:47:32.20\00:47:37.11
I struggled with a
bit what comes first?
00:47:37.12\00:47:39.52
Right. I mean, good question.
00:47:41.17\00:47:42.34
The Holy Spirit comes
first and then you can know
00:47:42.35\00:47:45.43
the will of God or do
you read God's word and say,
00:47:45.44\00:47:48.89
Oh, I need to start
with the Holy Spirit
00:47:48.90\00:47:50.95
and then you pray
for the Holy Spirit.
00:47:50.96\00:47:52.48
Let me tell you the
answer, both. Right.
00:47:52.49\00:47:55.24
That's why the steps
we're giving you are cumulative.
00:47:55.25\00:47:58.13
You can't say,
step one, not step two.
00:47:58.14\00:48:00.72
These are all part of becoming
00:48:00.73\00:48:03.34
a better
listener for God's voice.
00:48:03.35\00:48:07.26
One Holy Spirit
asking and praying
00:48:07.27\00:48:10.13
for the Holy Spirit to come in.
00:48:10.14\00:48:11.43
Number two, study God's word.
00:48:11.44\00:48:12.90
Those both are essential to
be a listener for God's will.
00:48:12.91\00:48:16.52
Very important that's
why when you think about
00:48:16.53\00:48:17.91
the Holy Spirit, you
know, the whole context
00:48:17.92\00:48:19.62
I find it not coincidental
by any means that every message
00:48:19.63\00:48:24.34
to every church
in the New Testament
00:48:24.35\00:48:26.55
in Revelation particularly.
00:48:26.56\00:48:28.58
It always ends by
saying, he who has ears to hear,
00:48:28.59\00:48:32.96
let him hear what the
spirit says to the churches.
00:48:32.97\00:48:35.53
But he doesn't
disconnect that from the word.
00:48:35.54\00:48:39.09
See that's what
you're just saying. Okay.
00:48:39.10\00:48:41.17
Now we got two steps.
What's our third step?
00:48:41.18\00:48:43.86
Well, our third step
is of course building
00:48:43.87\00:48:46.57
on the previous one and
that is we need to recognize
00:48:46.58\00:48:50.63
that there are competing voices.
00:48:50.64\00:48:53.15
Now this is the key
because you may think
00:48:53.16\00:48:56.18
you're hearing God's voice,
but it may not be God's voice.
00:48:56.19\00:49:00.46
And so I wanna suggest
to you a few things here.
00:49:00.47\00:49:03.22
Number one,
there are three sources
00:49:03.23\00:49:05.77
of conviction that we can have.
00:49:05.78\00:49:08.18
Three sources that come
as conviction to our hearts.
00:49:08.19\00:49:11.42
Number one that source is God.
00:49:11.43\00:49:13.83
That's the
conviction we want, right?
00:49:13.84\00:49:15.29
That's the one we
really want the most.
00:49:15.30\00:49:16.99
Number two, Satan, the enemy.
00:49:17.00\00:49:20.16
But there's a third, yourself.
00:49:20.17\00:49:22.97
There are such things
as personal convictions.
00:49:24.66\00:49:26.73
I sat across from
somebody not too long ago
00:49:26.74\00:49:31.17
and we were talking about
this conviction that they had--
00:49:31.18\00:49:34.88
that they said was from
God that we adjust our music
00:49:34.89\00:49:38.37
according to how they see
it and I mentioned to her,
00:49:38.38\00:49:42.03
I said, you know there are
three kinds of convictions,
00:49:42.04\00:49:45.69
the sources of our convictions.
00:49:45.70\00:49:46.74
There's God and there is Satan.
00:49:46.75\00:49:49.00
And I don't mean to suggest
because I disagree with you
00:49:49.01\00:49:51.03
that you're
listening to Satan's voice.
00:49:51.04\00:49:52.78
I believe you are
so personally convicted
00:49:52.79\00:49:54.68
about this issue
that you're making it,
00:49:54.69\00:49:56.18
you're championing it
from your own resource. Right.
00:49:56.19\00:49:59.49
And so it may not be from God.
00:49:59.50\00:50:01.08
It may not even be from
Satan, although we need to
00:50:01.09\00:50:03.21
be concerned if it's
from Satan, but there are
00:50:03.22\00:50:05.91
personal
convictions individually
00:50:05.92\00:50:07.55
that we can arrive
that, that aren't legitimate,
00:50:07.56\00:50:09.52
aren't true,
because they don't lineup
00:50:09.53\00:50:10.94
with the word of
God, so be careful
00:50:10.95\00:50:13.32
of even personal
convictions about things.
00:50:13.33\00:50:15.47
Right. And that's
why the Bible says,
00:50:15.48\00:50:17.42
beloved, 1 John 4 and verse 1.
00:50:17.43\00:50:20.52
Beloved, do not
believe every spirit.
00:50:20.53\00:50:23.87
That's not only every
voice that impresses you,
00:50:23.88\00:50:28.44
but it says, test the spirits,
whether they are of God,
00:50:28.45\00:50:32.90
because many false prophets
have gone out into the world.
00:50:32.91\00:50:35.80
And the Bible
says, prove all things,
00:50:35.81\00:50:39.55
hold fast to that
which is good. That's right.
00:50:39.56\00:50:42.64
So these competing
voices, I tell you,
00:50:42.65\00:50:45.96
Pastor Wintley
Phipps had a song,
00:50:45.97\00:50:47.41
"I choose you again and again.
00:50:47.42\00:50:49.09
He said, in the world of
many voices amidst to call--
00:50:49.10\00:50:52.21
in the world of many choices
00:50:52.22\00:50:53.94
amidst to call of many voices.
00:50:53.95\00:50:56.28
When they all
call out to greet me,
00:50:56.29\00:50:58.57
I turn my eyes to thee.
00:50:58.58\00:51:00.25
Very beautiful lyrical
rendition of the fact that
00:51:00.26\00:51:03.49
yes, we are living in a
world that's calling you--
00:51:03.50\00:51:06.59
the
telemarketers are calling you.
00:51:06.60\00:51:09.95
The credit services to
give you a package deal
00:51:09.96\00:51:13.05
on whether or not you know,
00:51:13.06\00:51:14.21
what's on your credit
report is calling you.
00:51:14.22\00:51:16.59
Other churches are calling you.
00:51:16.60\00:51:18.11
People are calling you to share
00:51:18.12\00:51:19.42
their issues or their problems.
00:51:19.43\00:51:21.08
None of those things in and
of themselves are the problem,
00:51:21.09\00:51:23.69
but if you don't get
your voice, your heart tuned
00:51:23.70\00:51:27.61
to listening to the God
who's calling you. That's right.
00:51:27.62\00:51:31.33
Then you don't have
the wisdom to even deal
00:51:31.34\00:51:32.96
with all those other
issues you get burnout.
00:51:32.97\00:51:34.54
And that's the way--that's
the reason why Isaiah 8:20,
00:51:34.55\00:51:36.92
talks about to the
law and to the testimony,
00:51:36.93\00:51:38.60
if they speak not according
to this word. There you go.
00:51:38.61\00:51:41.52
Then there is no light in them.
00:51:41.53\00:51:43.00
You do not want to hear or
listen to a voice or anyone
00:51:43.01\00:51:46.67
that is against or speaking
00:51:46.68\00:51:49.35
not in line
with the word of God.
00:51:49.36\00:51:51.75
You know, just to
show how much John and I
00:51:51.76\00:51:53.10
think a lot alike,
John put this syllabus
00:51:53.11\00:51:55.71
together for this
program, but as he mentioned
00:51:55.72\00:51:58.64
about competing voices
right away to my mind came
00:51:58.65\00:52:01.84
1 John 4:1 and this
right in your syllabus,
00:52:01.85\00:52:03.96
I didn't even see it there.
00:52:03.97\00:52:04.99
Yeah. It's right in there.
00:52:05.00\00:52:06.33
That shows you that truly
God has given us this ability
00:52:06.34\00:52:10.40
to understand the impressions
that God makes on both of us.
00:52:10.41\00:52:15.05
Now how with that impression,
00:52:15.06\00:52:16.30
this is the perfect
example that's why I'm using it.
00:52:16.31\00:52:19.07
God impressed him to
write in here 1 John 4:1.
00:52:19.08\00:52:22.15
God impressed me
to look up 1 John 4:1.
00:52:22.16\00:52:24.90
If we both gave you the
scripture and you check it up
00:52:24.91\00:52:27.70
by the word you
say, they're both right.
00:52:27.71\00:52:29.52
Impression and
guidance both correct,
00:52:30.64\00:52:33.41
but the word of God
was the measuring tool.
00:52:33.42\00:52:35.76
Okay, that's the third
one. What was the fourth one?
00:52:35.77\00:52:38.29
Here's another one. Number
four, remove all of the noise.
00:52:38.30\00:52:42.95
It's so important
to remove the noise
00:52:42.96\00:52:46.43
and I'm not talking
about just audible noise.
00:52:46.44\00:52:50.39
I mean there is thought noise.
00:52:50.40\00:52:52.51
There is busyness that is noise.
00:52:52.52\00:52:55.13
There is all kinds of
noise and God is saying,
00:52:55.14\00:52:59.74
be still and know that I am God.
00:52:59.75\00:53:01.87
Oh, I like that. You
know, comes back to you,
00:53:01.88\00:53:03.40
you'll see the passage
right in here underneath
00:53:03.41\00:53:04.98
this of Elijah the one
you've already brought up here.
00:53:04.99\00:53:08.21
It wasn't until the quiet
came and the noise was gone
00:53:08.22\00:53:12.44
that God could
actually speak to Elijah.
00:53:12.45\00:53:14.66
Is that amazing that
was-- I'm at a loss for words.
00:53:14.67\00:53:20.10
That's beautiful.
That's beautiful. Yeah.
00:53:20.11\00:53:23.08
You know, John, this
brings to me whenever
00:53:23.09\00:53:25.31
I go to New York City
and I mention New York City
00:53:25.32\00:53:26.98
because I was
raised in New York City.
00:53:26.99\00:53:28.21
I was born in New York
City. I'm a New Yorker.
00:53:28.22\00:53:30.05
Okay, but I'm-- I
live in the Midwest
00:53:30.06\00:53:33.95
where I could hear
birds, I could hear little--
00:53:33.96\00:53:36.32
I could hear the
groundhog coming up
00:53:37.81\00:53:39.91
the steps to eat
the black oil seeds.
00:53:39.92\00:53:41.58
I could hear the
raccoon sliding over--
00:53:41.59\00:53:45.11
sliding our
screen door open at night
00:53:45.12\00:53:47.34
waiting for his
crackers and his food.
00:53:47.35\00:53:49.21
I mean those are the
noises that you miss in the city
00:53:49.22\00:53:51.60
and the other thing
about that is when you,
00:53:51.61\00:53:53.96
when you're in a city
there is so much noise
00:53:53.97\00:53:56.60
that's why the
cities are so ungodly.
00:53:56.61\00:54:00.82
It's hard to
remove all the noise.
00:54:00.83\00:54:04.06
Yeah. When you're in a
building that had 30 storeys,
00:54:04.07\00:54:07.39
28 apartments on one
floor, banging elevators,
00:54:07.40\00:54:12.66
music next door,
cars down the road.
00:54:12.67\00:54:16.41
It's meant to-- it's
meant to distract you
00:54:16.42\00:54:18.92
from the true voice
you're trying to listen to.
00:54:18.93\00:54:21.64
Psalms 4:4,
meditate within your heart
00:54:21.65\00:54:23.59
and on your bed and be still.
00:54:23.60\00:54:25.92
Psalms 46:10, be still
and know that I am God.
00:54:25.93\00:54:28.80
That's right. All right.
All these things come into play.
00:54:28.81\00:54:31.22
Okay. Number five, Wait!
00:54:31.23\00:54:32.92
Sometimes you just
gonna wait on the Lord.
00:54:35.13\00:54:37.39
Good. Good. You're
praying and you're listening
00:54:37.40\00:54:39.54
for His voice and
you don't hear it.
00:54:39.55\00:54:41.44
It doesn't mean get
going, it means wait.
00:54:41.45\00:54:45.20
And sometimes in
less we're waiting,
00:54:45.21\00:54:47.03
we're willing to go
through that process of waiting.
00:54:47.04\00:54:49.21
We're not going to hear finally
00:54:49.22\00:54:50.77
when He speaks to
us what His will is.
00:54:50.78\00:54:52.77
That's right. So
we gotta wait too.
00:54:52.78\00:54:55.23
And waiting can be
very difficult to do
00:54:55.24\00:54:57.18
sometimes I know,
but those who wait
00:54:57.19\00:54:59.39
on the Lord will
renew their strength as--
00:54:59.40\00:55:02.32
I'm waiting Lord, but hurry up.
00:55:02.33\00:55:03.90
Hurry up and
wait, some people say.
00:55:05.80\00:55:07.20
That's what Isaiah.
Say that one more time.
00:55:07.21\00:55:09.34
Isaiah 40:31, those
who wait on the Lord
00:55:09.35\00:55:11.98
shall renew their
strength, they shall mount up
00:55:11.99\00:55:13.68
with wings like eagles,
they shall run and not be weary,
00:55:13.69\00:55:15.61
they shall walk and not faint.
00:55:15.62\00:55:17.32
But will wait on the Lord.
00:55:17.33\00:55:18.58
Isaiah 30:18, for the
Lord is a God of justice,
00:55:18.59\00:55:21.49
blessed are all
those who wait for Him.
00:55:21.50\00:55:23.60
The blessing comes. Wonderful.
00:55:23.61\00:55:24.68
That's right-- God
we've waited for Him.
00:55:24.69\00:55:26.98
There are a couple of others.
00:55:26.99\00:55:28.06
Number six, is
that where we're at?
00:55:28.07\00:55:29.68
Yeah, number six.
Number six is, obey.
00:55:29.69\00:55:31.93
When you hear be ready
to respond, look to obey.
00:55:31.94\00:55:34.60
We talked about
when God speaks being
00:55:34.61\00:55:36.65
an active listener is
one who's willing to put
00:55:36.66\00:55:38.60
into practice what
God is telling you.
00:55:38.61\00:55:40.63
Right. You don't say, well,
00:55:40.64\00:55:42.12
I don't wanna hear
that one and then let's wait
00:55:42.13\00:55:44.05
for the next voice when you
tell me something to do next.
00:55:44.06\00:55:45.90
No, God will say,
no, I want you to do
00:55:45.91\00:55:47.54
this first and
then we'll move forward.
00:55:47.55\00:55:49.61
I like--let me go back to, wait.
00:55:49.62\00:55:51.58
It doesn't mean wait
till the more opportune time.
00:55:51.59\00:55:53.73
It means wait on the Lord.
00:55:53.74\00:55:55.45
God is--I'm waiting
in your presence, Lord.
00:55:55.46\00:55:57.60
It doesn't mean
delay. Right. Thank you.
00:55:57.61\00:56:00.37
Exactly. Wait
does not mean delay.
00:56:00.38\00:56:01.66
Wait patiently
sometimes for Him to work out
00:56:01.67\00:56:04.02
His will and to
communicate His will. Right.
00:56:04.03\00:56:06.26
But obedience is
always part of the listening,
00:56:06.27\00:56:10.02
active listening, hearing
and responding to God's will.
00:56:10.03\00:56:13.31
The Bible always
speaks of obedience
00:56:13.32\00:56:15.55
in the context of
hearing God's voice.
00:56:15.56\00:56:17.40
He gives the
spirit to those who obey.
00:56:17.41\00:56:19.13
Without obedience, you
don't have God's spirit.
00:56:19.14\00:56:21.44
He's not going to
give you more if you cannot
00:56:21.45\00:56:23.93
be obedient with what
He's given you already.
00:56:23.94\00:56:25.80
And if you're not
getting rid of that one sin
00:56:25.81\00:56:27.21
that He's telling you to remove,
00:56:27.22\00:56:28.46
obedient to that, it
doesn't move on to the next.
00:56:28.47\00:56:31.18
That's right. And
cap it off for me.
00:56:31.19\00:56:32.40
The cap--the last
one, believe. Right.
00:56:32.41\00:56:34.86
Let not one who doubt
think that he would receive
00:56:34.87\00:56:37.60
anything from the
Lord, we've got to believe
00:56:37.61\00:56:40.34
that God will do what
He says, work forward,
00:56:40.35\00:56:43.23
move forward on that
on the basis of faith
00:56:43.24\00:56:45.47
and then we know
that we're walking
00:56:45.48\00:56:47.85
in God's will and
hearing His voice.
00:56:47.86\00:56:49.66
That's right. I tell
you, John, this is beautiful
00:56:49.67\00:56:51.51
and thank you for
putting that together.
00:56:51.52\00:56:53.65
We all have to learn
to listen and if you have
00:56:53.66\00:56:56.33
a voice tuned to
the voice of God,
00:56:56.34\00:56:58.58
you'll know that
what you're listening for
00:56:58.59\00:57:00.22
is the best thing,
any comments on that
00:57:00.23\00:57:03.07
before we segway out of this.
00:57:03.08\00:57:04.41
We all--everyone of us
want to hear God's voice.
00:57:04.42\00:57:07.78
And practicing these
steps and knowing how
00:57:07.79\00:57:09.57
He communicates to
us is the first step
00:57:09.58\00:57:11.77
in a knowledgeable way of being
00:57:11.78\00:57:14.52
an effective listener
and walking in God's will.
00:57:14.53\00:57:17.21
Well, friends, you know,
00:57:17.22\00:57:18.22
we believe in listening
for God's voice that's why
00:57:18.23\00:57:20.26
we start of the best
foundation in word of God.
00:57:20.27\00:57:22.53
When you start there
you will hear because
00:57:22.54\00:57:24.52
God will speak clearly,
so turn your ears toward
00:57:24.53\00:57:27.56
heaven today, God has
something to say to you.
00:57:27.57\00:57:30.26
Walk on His word and you
will not be led into darkness.
00:57:30.27\00:57:33.07
God bless you. Have
a great day in Christ.
00:57:33.08\00:57:35.34