Hello, friends, grab
your Bible and a friend
00:00:01.06\00:00:02.67
and sit back as we
explore God's word together
00:00:02.70\00:00:05.15
on this edition
of "House Calls."
00:00:05.18\00:00:07.74
Welcome back or
welcome to the first time,
00:00:21.69\00:00:24.79
if you are just tuning in
00:00:24.82\00:00:26.44
and you've never
been here before, welcome.
00:00:26.47\00:00:28.67
We ring the bell for you
that you are now joining us
00:00:28.70\00:00:31.21
on the best
Bible program anywhere.
00:00:31.24\00:00:34.36
Don't you believe that, John?
00:00:34.39\00:00:36.10
Well, we wouldn't be here
00:00:36.13\00:00:37.51
if we didn't know
the Lord was with us.
00:00:37.54\00:00:39.23
Exact-- Best Bible program ever.
00:00:39.26\00:00:41.26
He is reluctant to say that,
00:00:41.29\00:00:42.32
but he believes that I know.
00:00:42.35\00:00:44.18
Well, anyway thank you so much
for tuning into House Calls.
00:00:44.21\00:00:46.67
We enjoy what we do.
00:00:46.70\00:00:48.33
As you can tell I'm
John and he is John,
00:00:48.36\00:00:50.65
we share that and we also share
00:00:50.68\00:00:52.95
our passion for
sharing the word of God.
00:00:52.98\00:00:54.85
So sit back with
us for the next hour
00:00:54.88\00:00:56.77
or so that is under an hour
00:00:56.80\00:00:58.95
and we're gonna walk through
the word of God together.
00:00:58.98\00:01:00.99
And get your
Bibles, get your pens,
00:01:01.02\00:01:03.21
invite your
family and your friends.
00:01:03.24\00:01:04.83
It's kind of
become a mantra of my own
00:01:04.86\00:01:06.85
and join us for a
very exciting program.
00:01:06.88\00:01:09.74
We're gonna be taking your
questions and your comments,
00:01:09.77\00:01:11.91
but before we do anything
we always like to have prayer.
00:01:11.94\00:01:14.38
And John has been
designated to pray on the air.
00:01:14.41\00:01:16.64
I do pray, I pray off the air.
00:01:16.67\00:01:18.42
He prays on the
air. Pray for us, John.
00:01:18.45\00:01:20.64
All right, let's do that.
00:01:20.67\00:01:21.70
Father in Heaven, we invite
Your presence to be here with us
00:01:21.73\00:01:25.30
send Your spirit to guide and
lead us through the study today.
00:01:25.33\00:01:29.27
May the presence of
Jesus fill us with joy,
00:01:29.30\00:01:32.01
with happiness,
with a confidence
00:01:32.04\00:01:34.16
that His word is not
only transforming our lives,
00:01:34.19\00:01:37.11
but will bear
fruit and will help us
00:01:37.14\00:01:39.11
to know Him better, in
Jesus' name, amen. Amen.
00:01:39.14\00:01:42.86
Now may of you sit down
when this program starts
00:01:42.89\00:01:46.34
and you go, get your laptops or
you're sitting at your desktop
00:01:46.37\00:01:49.02
or you have your
iPad or your iPhone,
00:01:49.05\00:01:50.66
your android or
whatever you have,
00:01:50.69\00:01:52.77
whatever kind of
device you have and you think,
00:01:52.80\00:01:54.59
hey, I've got a question that
I want to send to these guys.
00:01:54.62\00:01:57.86
And some of you
guys try to stunt us,
00:01:57.89\00:01:59.60
some of you guys send
us doctoral dissertation.
00:01:59.63\00:02:02.16
We don't really take time
00:02:02.19\00:02:03.29
to read those
multiply long documents.
00:02:03.32\00:02:05.37
Do we, John? No.
00:02:05.40\00:02:07.00
The question or the
scripture or something
00:02:07.03\00:02:09.33
and always as best, yeah.
00:02:09.36\00:02:11.43
And some people
just send us comments,
00:02:11.46\00:02:13.54
but for those of
you who have questions,
00:02:13.57\00:02:15.50
you can send those questions
to this following email address,
00:02:15.53\00:02:18.30
housecalls@3abn.org.
That's housecalls@3abn.org.
00:02:18.33\00:02:22.30
And we will do our best by God's
word to answer these questions.
00:02:24.04\00:02:28.04
So, John, swing the bag
today for us for the first time.
00:02:28.31\00:02:31.69
All right, I'm gonna
cover a question here
00:02:31.72\00:02:34.13
that is brought to us
by Harry and he is asking,
00:02:34.16\00:02:38.13
"Please, tell me
if forgiving yourself
00:02:38.93\00:02:41.24
is just as
important as forgiving others
00:02:41.27\00:02:43.85
in order for
God to forgive you?"
00:02:43.88\00:02:46.22
Good question, and
I think this question
00:02:46.25\00:02:48.99
really comes from a lot of
discussion in psychology today
00:02:49.02\00:02:52.99
as to guilt and
other things like that.
00:02:53.21\00:02:56.48
But I understand
what he's saying.
00:02:56.51\00:02:57.89
It is important to
"forgive ourselves."
00:02:57.92\00:03:00.95
Technically, we cannot do that,
00:03:00.98\00:03:02.01
only the Lord can
forgive us of our sins.
00:03:02.04\00:03:04.61
But it's important in
other ways to recognize
00:03:04.64\00:03:07.54
and have confidence
in Christ' forgiveness.
00:03:07.57\00:03:10.90
And when we have
confidence in His forgiveness
00:03:10.93\00:03:13.39
then we can let it go in
an essence forgive ourselves.
00:03:13.42\00:03:17.39
And I'm gonna
go to a text, John,
00:03:18.05\00:03:19.25
that is probably the
most confident building text,
00:03:19.28\00:03:21.75
on forgiveness at
least in my life has been
00:03:21.78\00:03:24.39
and that is 1 John 1:9. Okay.
00:03:24.42\00:03:28.39
A text that many of you I'm sure
00:03:29.06\00:03:30.96
have heard,
have read, have known
00:03:30.99\00:03:33.44
and it says, "If
we confess our sins,
00:03:33.47\00:03:37.44
He, that is Jesus, is faithful
and just to forgive us our sins
00:03:37.47\00:03:41.47
and to cleanse us
from all unrighteousness."
00:03:43.10\00:03:46.52
This is, John, a
promise. That's right.
00:03:46.55\00:03:50.48
That if we confess, if we
say, "Lord, I have sinned,
00:03:50.51\00:03:54.48
I am sorry, I
give that sin to You,
00:03:55.45\00:03:58.70
I'm gonna turn and
walk the other direction
00:03:58.73\00:04:00.99
with You as my strength."
00:04:01.02\00:04:03.03
That He will in response
according to this promise,
00:04:03.06\00:04:06.51
forgive us of that
sin and cleanse our lives
00:04:06.54\00:04:09.19
from the sin that's affected us.
00:04:09.22\00:04:12.22
And in that
respect, that confidence
00:04:12.25\00:04:14.77
we have in Jesus to forgive us
00:04:14.80\00:04:16.62
allows us to
"forgive ourselves."
00:04:16.65\00:04:20.62
One of the things that I
know that has been a struggle,
00:04:20.79\00:04:23.27
I think for some is, is
when people asks for forgiveness
00:04:23.30\00:04:27.27
and they seem to have to
ask for over and over again
00:04:27.82\00:04:30.47
because of something that just,
00:04:30.50\00:04:32.84
it's a strong hold the
enemy has on their life
00:04:32.87\00:04:35.69
and that sin whether
it'd be anger, whether--
00:04:35.72\00:04:38.91
You know, Jealously or gossip
or something keeps coming back
00:04:38.94\00:04:42.91
and they keep
asking for forgiveness.
00:04:43.18\00:04:44.81
And you get to a point
where you almost feeling like,
00:04:44.84\00:04:47.43
"Boy, I guess I'm
just never forgiving
00:04:47.46\00:04:49.20
'cause I just can't
seem to get over this hump."
00:04:49.23\00:04:50.92
Well, first of all know that
when you ask for forgiveness,
00:04:50.95\00:04:54.68
when you get up off
that floor, off your knees
00:04:54.71\00:04:58.68
that you are forgiven in Jesus.
00:04:59.29\00:05:01.57
The more you
bring it back to Him,
00:05:01.60\00:05:03.39
especially if you've
asked for forgiveness,
00:05:03.42\00:05:05.24
if you haven't
committed the sin again,
00:05:05.27\00:05:07.49
don't keep
brining it back up to God,
00:05:07.52\00:05:09.32
be confident that
He has wiped your slate
00:05:09.35\00:05:11.77
and He's blooded that sin
out and that you are forgiven.
00:05:11.80\00:05:15.26
The other part of this to is--
00:05:15.29\00:05:18.64
Was a big help to me
at least in this area is,
00:05:18.67\00:05:21.93
if you remember when Jesus
was asked by the disciples,
00:05:21.96\00:05:25.93
if my brother
keep sinning against me
00:05:27.97\00:05:30.16
how many times do I
need to forgive him?
00:05:30.19\00:05:32.55
That's right. And
he said, seven times.
00:05:32.58\00:05:36.55
And Jesus said,
"Seventy times seven."
00:05:36.58\00:05:40.57
which, I mean, if you
read that in a literal way
00:05:41.39\00:05:44.31
it's 490 times, right?
00:05:44.34\00:05:47.80
I think the point
Jesus was making there though
00:05:47.83\00:05:50.80
was in regard to the continual
extending of forgiveness
00:05:50.83\00:05:54.80
and how He's willing
to do that to someone
00:05:55.38\00:05:57.24
who is truly,
contrite and repentant.
00:05:57.27\00:06:00.81
So just because you've
committed the sin before
00:06:00.84\00:06:02.82
you've done it again,
don't get in your mind
00:06:02.85\00:06:05.07
that this time He's
not gonna forgive me.
00:06:05.10\00:06:07.32
Repent, confess
that sin, turn from it,
00:06:07.35\00:06:10.88
trust in God to be your strength
00:06:10.91\00:06:12.62
and be confident that
He has forgiven your sin.
00:06:12.65\00:06:15.35
You know, it's amazing
00:06:15.38\00:06:16.66
that you're talking
about the sin question
00:06:16.69\00:06:18.35
because a lot of times
people hold on to something
00:06:18.38\00:06:22.35
longer than God
holds on to it. Yeah.
00:06:23.77\00:06:26.68
And I have people that
call me sometimes and I--
00:06:26.71\00:06:30.33
They would say, "Pray for me."
00:06:30.36\00:06:31.88
And I say,
"Well, have you prayed?
00:06:31.91\00:06:33.49
They say, "Yes, I have,
00:06:33.52\00:06:35.04
but I don't think
God is hearing me."
00:06:35.07\00:06:36.91
And I'd say, "Why?"
00:06:36.94\00:06:38.33
"Because I feel so
depressed, I just feel--"
00:06:38.36\00:06:42.14
And they go through this whole
retinue of feelings they have.
00:06:42.17\00:06:46.14
I don't feel, I feel,
I don't think, I think.
00:06:46.77\00:06:50.77
And I say, "Well,
here's where faith comes in.
00:06:53.28\00:06:56.18
You know, Hebrew 11:6.
00:06:56.21\00:06:58.11
But one of the things
we have to keep in mind is
00:06:58.14\00:07:00.97
as John just read 1 John 1:9.
00:07:01.00\00:07:03.98
He is faithful, God is faithful.
00:07:04.01\00:07:07.08
All we have to keep in mind
00:07:07.11\00:07:08.17
is when God makes
a covenant with us
00:07:08.20\00:07:10.20
it's not based
on our faithfulness,
00:07:10.23\00:07:12.68
it's based on His faithfulness,
He makes the covenant.
00:07:12.71\00:07:16.45
And although the covenant,
our fulfillment is conditional
00:07:16.48\00:07:19.79
to us being willing to follow
the parameters of the covenant.
00:07:19.82\00:07:23.28
God still doesn't
break His covenant with us.
00:07:23.31\00:07:25.29
We often break
our covenant with Him.
00:07:25.32\00:07:27.38
And so keeping this in mind or
the Lord even reminds us again.
00:07:27.41\00:07:31.38
There is a text
00:07:31.47\00:07:35.17
that talks about the
way that God looks at sin
00:07:35.20\00:07:37.71
and I just really appreciate
00:07:37.74\00:07:39.62
the way that
David brings this out.
00:07:39.65\00:07:42.53
I want to go ahead and
let me see how far back.
00:07:42.56\00:07:45.41
Okay, I'll start
with-- Psalms what?
00:07:45.44\00:07:48.25
Psalms 103 verse,
starting with verse 8.
00:07:48.28\00:07:51.81
Starting with verse 8
because a lot of times
00:07:51.84\00:07:55.27
God has
depicted us as agree guy,
00:07:55.30\00:07:57.62
they just has an attitude
and He just wants to get at us.
00:07:57.65\00:08:00.17
Right, He's
waiting for you to mess up.
00:08:00.20\00:08:01.95
He's waiting for us to mess
up and give us this divine aha,
00:08:01.98\00:08:05.76
but verse 8 of Psalms 103 says,
00:08:05.79\00:08:07.81
"The Lord is
merciful and gracious,
00:08:07.84\00:08:11.08
slow to anger, and
abounding in mercy,
00:08:11.11\00:08:15.08
He will not
always strive with us
00:08:16.41\00:08:18.99
nor will He keep
His anger for ever."
00:08:19.02\00:08:22.51
But here's the beautiful news.
00:08:22.54\00:08:24.14
"He has not dealt with
us according to our sins,
00:08:24.17\00:08:28.00
nor punished us
according to our iniquities."
00:08:28.03\00:08:30.30
And that's true,
if God dealt with us
00:08:30.33\00:08:32.67
the way we should be dealt with,
00:08:32.70\00:08:33.88
you know, sometimes parents say,
00:08:33.91\00:08:35.43
I'm gonna let you
get away this time,
00:08:35.46\00:08:37.06
but you know that
what you did was not--
00:08:37.09\00:08:41.06
is not right or was not
acceptable to this family.
00:08:43.15\00:08:47.15
God doesn't let us get
away, but praise the Lord
00:08:48.30\00:08:52.30
in His correcting of us,
there is an abundance of mercy,
00:08:53.21\00:08:57.21
there is the grace,
the graciousness of God
00:08:59.75\00:09:02.91
all mixed into
that so He does not
00:09:02.94\00:09:05.42
grab us by the collar and just
throw us up against the wall
00:09:05.45\00:09:08.65
and handcuff us until we repent.
00:09:08.68\00:09:10.95
Sometimes people
see that picture of God
00:09:10.98\00:09:13.50
and then he says in verse
11 and 12 and I love these.
00:09:13.53\00:09:16.49
"For as the heavens
are high above the earth,
00:09:16.52\00:09:19.85
so great is his mercy
toward those who fear him,
00:09:19.88\00:09:23.85
as far as the
east is from the west,
00:09:24.37\00:09:27.90
so far has he removed
our transgressions from us,
00:09:27.93\00:09:31.90
as a father pities his children,
00:09:33.31\00:09:37.08
so the Lord pities
those who fear Him,
00:09:37.11\00:09:41.08
for He knows our frame He
remembers that we are dust."
00:09:41.20\00:09:45.20
And when you keep going, I
mean just continues to unfold
00:09:45.77\00:09:49.77
and God compares His
mercy with so many attributes
00:09:50.67\00:09:54.67
that we can identify with,
00:09:54.71\00:09:56.69
but he's in essence saying
to us I'm not that kind of guy.
00:09:56.72\00:10:00.02
I mean, wherever you
got that idea from that
00:10:00.05\00:10:01.59
I'm just
perpetuate of tournament
00:10:01.62\00:10:03.79
or there's perpetuate-- I
got you, that's not who I am.
00:10:03.82\00:10:06.93
I'm a God who forgives.
00:10:06.96\00:10:08.45
And our confidence
in that forgiveness
00:10:08.48\00:10:11.07
that He promises to us is in the
covenant that He's made with us,
00:10:11.10\00:10:15.07
the covenant is giving to
us we respond to that covenant
00:10:17.00\00:10:20.20
and we live
according to that covenant
00:10:20.23\00:10:22.26
and then we can be confident
00:10:22.29\00:10:24.72
in fact if you read
down a little further
00:10:24.75\00:10:26.57
in Psalm 103 it says verse 17,
00:10:26.60\00:10:30.39
"But the mercy of the
Lord is from everlasting
00:10:30.42\00:10:32.04
to everlasting on
those who fear Him,
00:10:32.07\00:10:34.63
and His righteousness
to children's children,
00:10:34.66\00:10:37.17
to such who keep His covenant,
00:10:37.20\00:10:39.44
and to those who remember
His commandments to do them."
00:10:39.47\00:10:42.90
So if I'm
willingly disobeying God
00:10:42.93\00:10:46.90
and I'm asking for
forgiveness for other things,
00:10:47.44\00:10:49.69
but I'm not
giving up something else
00:10:49.72\00:10:52.16
that hurts my confidence level
00:10:52.19\00:10:55.38
and trust that God will respond
to me according to His covenant
00:10:55.41\00:10:58.04
because I have not
kept my part of the covenant
00:10:58.07\00:11:00.53
and I think you
mentioned that. Yes.
00:11:00.56\00:11:02.62
It's very important
for me to make sure that
00:11:02.65\00:11:04.40
I'm living in
harmony with God's word
00:11:04.43\00:11:06.30
then my confidence
I can sure, I can be--
00:11:06.33\00:11:10.13
I can have a strong faith that
what I read what He promises,
00:11:10.16\00:11:13.29
He will do and
that is to forgive me.
00:11:13.32\00:11:15.49
But just to live
with known disobedience
00:11:15.52\00:11:19.42
and then pray and
ask for forgiveness,
00:11:19.45\00:11:22.09
you can have a lot
of confidence there
00:11:22.12\00:11:23.84
because first God asked us
to obey Him, to follow Him.
00:11:23.87\00:11:27.79
Now there will be times where
you make mistakes, you do sin,
00:11:27.82\00:11:30.57
but then get back on
that road to obedience to God
00:11:30.60\00:11:34.49
and you can be confident that
that sin that you've committed
00:11:34.52\00:11:36.91
will be forgiving
you. That's right.
00:11:36.94\00:11:39.44
And we have to accept that fact
00:11:39.47\00:11:41.72
because the
opposite side of that is
00:11:41.75\00:11:45.11
we become prisoners of our own,
00:11:45.14\00:11:48.80
I don't think or I think
or I don't feel and I feel.
00:11:48.83\00:11:51.90
You have to lay that down
and lean on the mercy of God.
00:11:51.93\00:11:54.96
If God said He is gonna forgive
you and you confess your sins
00:11:54.99\00:11:57.95
and you acknowledge
you are wrong before Him.
00:11:57.98\00:12:00.33
He will forgive you, cleanse
you from all unrighteousness
00:12:00.36\00:12:04.33
and then restore to
you as David talked about,
00:12:04.45\00:12:07.36
restore to me the
joy of my salvation
00:12:07.39\00:12:10.53
and he would not take
His Holy Spirit from you.
00:12:10.56\00:12:12.88
Praise God for that.
00:12:12.91\00:12:14.29
You know, we have another
question here from a gentleman.
00:12:14.32\00:12:16.95
Anyone-- Anything else
you want to add there, John?
00:12:16.98\00:12:18.12
No, that's good.
00:12:18.15\00:12:19.62
We have another question
from a guy named Kenneth.
00:12:19.65\00:12:22.56
And I want to
leave his last name out.
00:12:22.59\00:12:24.31
And this is a
very good question.
00:12:24.34\00:12:26.50
He says, "I have a
question about John 20:23.
00:12:26.53\00:12:29.23
I was listening to a
speaker on 3ABN talking about
00:12:29.26\00:12:32.48
the identifying characteristics
of the little horn--
00:12:32.51\00:12:35.48
Of little horn
power of Daniel 7,
00:12:35.51\00:12:38.29
one of the
characteristics is that
00:12:38.32\00:12:39.80
the little horn
power would blasphemed,
00:12:39.83\00:12:42.67
the biblical
definition of blasphemy
00:12:42.70\00:12:44.75
is found in the
story of the paralytic.
00:12:44.78\00:12:46.97
Jesus tells the paralytic.
00:12:47.00\00:12:48.40
Your sins are
forgiven, arise and walk.
00:12:48.43\00:12:50.74
Jesus is accused of blasphemy
00:12:50.77\00:12:53.67
because only God
can forgive sins.
00:12:53.70\00:12:56.07
In John 20:23,
Jesus tells the apostles
00:12:56.10\00:12:59.27
that they the
right to forgive sins,
00:12:59.30\00:13:01.57
if the apostles can forgive sins
why not a modern day priest?"
00:13:01.60\00:13:05.57
Beautiful illustration.
00:13:06.72\00:13:07.91
Thank you so much
for that question.
00:13:07.94\00:13:09.86
What is missed here in
the story between the--
00:13:09.89\00:13:13.86
Between the priests
stepping in the place of God
00:13:14.02\00:13:17.40
and the
apostles are establishing
00:13:17.43\00:13:19.35
the authority of
the Church of God?
00:13:19.38\00:13:21.31
There is a different
dichotomy here all together.
00:13:21.34\00:13:23.26
If that were the
only particular passage
00:13:23.29\00:13:25.14
then we could say, wow.
00:13:25.17\00:13:27.13
Well, you know, God has
really given the apostles,
00:13:27.16\00:13:31.13
the power that
belongs only to Him.
00:13:31.64\00:13:34.22
But if you look further,
the Lord was establishing
00:13:34.25\00:13:37.48
the authority of the church,
the authority of the church.
00:13:37.51\00:13:40.93
And as pastor
I've been in situations
00:13:40.96\00:13:43.22
where we've had
to talk to people
00:13:43.25\00:13:44.29
about certain
things they've done.
00:13:44.32\00:13:45.72
And we've had to
extend to them leniency
00:13:45.75\00:13:49.43
not so much in that
we have the right to--
00:13:49.46\00:13:53.24
I want to use this word in
the-- In the improper sense.
00:13:53.27\00:13:56.16
Have the right to vindicate
them because of this sin
00:13:56.19\00:13:59.94
or absolve as the word
is used in certain faiths.
00:13:59.97\00:14:03.94
We don't have
that ability to do so,
00:14:04.24\00:14:06.27
but we have had
to deal with matters
00:14:06.30\00:14:09.13
where forgiveness
of sin was necessary.
00:14:09.16\00:14:11.84
And we're now saying to them,
00:14:11.87\00:14:13.87
my child, I
forgive you of your sin.
00:14:13.90\00:14:16.83
We're leading to
the-- We're leading them
00:14:16.86\00:14:18.76
to acknowledge
their forgiveness of sin
00:14:18.79\00:14:21.64
is what they need to seek.
00:14:21.67\00:14:23.11
And the difference
between this passage
00:14:23.14\00:14:25.12
and the authority that is
identified as the little horn,
00:14:25.15\00:14:29.12
the little horn is taking in,
00:14:29.17\00:14:31.63
usurping the power
that belongs to God alone
00:14:31.66\00:14:34.40
and that is the
power to forgive sin.
00:14:34.43\00:14:36.65
In other words, the
Bible said John-- 1 John 1:9,
00:14:36.68\00:14:39.95
"If we confess our
sins, He is faithful
00:14:39.98\00:14:42.25
and just to
forgive us of our sins."
00:14:42.28\00:14:43.70
Now the confession
here is not confessing
00:14:43.73\00:14:46.34
to the
confession spoken on this,
00:14:46.37\00:14:48.14
confessing to
God if we confess--
00:14:48.17\00:14:50.16
Or confessing to another
as we have wrong one another.
00:14:50.19\00:14:53.27
But in the case of
little horn, He is saying,
00:14:53.30\00:14:55.72
"Okay, you
confess your sin to me
00:14:55.75\00:14:57.64
and I'll extend
forgiveness to you."
00:14:57.67\00:14:59.66
Well, that's not what God has
00:14:59.69\00:15:00.89
established here
for the apostles to do.
00:15:00.92\00:15:03.24
The Lord is simply
saying to the apostles in the--
00:15:03.27\00:15:05.94
In the exercise of the
authority of the church,
00:15:05.97\00:15:09.84
you'll have to speak and
deal with various matters.
00:15:09.87\00:15:13.16
And one of those is
leading people to understand
00:15:13.19\00:15:15.70
the importance of
the forgiveness of sin
00:15:15.73\00:15:17.80
that's what this
passage is talking about here
00:15:17.83\00:15:19.63
rather than-- rather
than taking on for themselves.
00:15:19.66\00:15:23.63
The role of forgiving the sins
00:15:24.39\00:15:26.67
of all of those who
maybe in their presence.
00:15:26.70\00:15:28.71
Secondly, what is bringing
out even more directly is,
00:15:28.74\00:15:31.91
if somebody sins against
you and you forgive them,
00:15:31.94\00:15:34.32
it's gonna be forgiven,
00:15:34.35\00:15:35.48
but if your retain it,
it's gonna be retained.
00:15:35.51\00:15:37.78
He is speaking
about the personal,
00:15:37.81\00:15:39.71
the personal insults
and the personal attacks
00:15:39.74\00:15:43.03
that each of the
apostles will have to deal with.
00:15:43.06\00:15:45.80
That's why if you read
the text here says John 20:23,
00:15:45.83\00:15:49.80
"If you forgive the sins
of any, they are forgiven them
00:15:50.79\00:15:54.36
if you retain the sins
of any, they are retained."
00:15:54.39\00:15:57.06
He didn't say, "Go
around forgiving people's sin
00:15:57.09\00:16:01.06
when they need to be confessing
those sins before God."
00:16:01.63\00:16:03.87
And this is talking about
personal attack on the apostles
00:16:04.04\00:16:06.74
and you may remember
one of the illustrations
00:16:06.77\00:16:08.78
where the Lord talked
about, the Lord talked about
00:16:08.81\00:16:11.24
they were going
from city to city
00:16:11.27\00:16:12.81
and the people
gonna be receive them.
00:16:12.84\00:16:14.32
He said, "Shake off
the dust from your feet."
00:16:14.35\00:16:16.69
And in other
words, that's gonna be
00:16:16.72\00:16:19.23
a symbol of
judgment against those
00:16:19.26\00:16:21.07
who refused to receive you as
apostles or disciples of Christ.
00:16:21.10\00:16:25.07
But He's not talking about
this general booth setup where,
00:16:25.80\00:16:29.13
"Okay, guys have sins
that you need to confess,
00:16:29.16\00:16:32.84
we're going to forgive them
00:16:32.87\00:16:34.35
and then take God
out of the equation."
00:16:34.38\00:16:37.22
That's not what this
is talking about here.
00:16:37.25\00:16:38.85
That's not what's been
talked about here at all.
00:16:38.88\00:16:41.43
It's very much the
personal dynamic relationships.
00:16:41.46\00:16:44.25
And we are ambassadors of Christ
00:16:44.28\00:16:46.80
in the ministry
of reconciliation.
00:16:46.83\00:16:49.58
So if we're
ministries of reconciliation
00:16:49.61\00:16:52.14
then we need to do all we can
00:16:52.17\00:16:53.85
especially in
the forgiveness arena
00:16:53.88\00:16:55.54
to make sure that
the barriers are removed
00:16:55.57\00:16:57.83
and when you
forgive somebody else
00:16:57.86\00:16:59.52
who extend
forgiveness to somebody else,
00:16:59.55\00:17:00.99
you're removing a
barrier between you and them.
00:17:01.02\00:17:02.94
Right, that's what
this is talking about.
00:17:02.97\00:17:04.08
That's an important thing, yeah.
00:17:04.11\00:17:05.17
Because Jesus made it
very clear like in Matthew 9,
00:17:05.20\00:17:07.36
when He talked about the
paralytic who couldn't walk,
00:17:07.39\00:17:09.86
He says, "Your
sins are forgiven you."
00:17:09.89\00:17:11.97
You know, and then He said,
00:17:12.00\00:17:13.26
"Take up your
bed and walk arise,
00:17:13.29\00:17:14.59
take up your bed
and go to your home."
00:17:14.62\00:17:16.61
That was an
exercise and the power
00:17:16.64\00:17:18.14
that only has the power
and the authority to exercise.
00:17:18.17\00:17:21.80
But what He is saying
to the disciples here is,
00:17:21.83\00:17:24.10
if anybody wrongs
you and you forgive him,
00:17:24.13\00:17:26.92
I'll accept it, if you
retain it I'll accept that
00:17:26.95\00:17:30.39
and that is on the
authority of the church.
00:17:30.42\00:17:32.69
And He is speaking to men
00:17:32.72\00:17:33.75
who are being
imbued by the Holy Spirit
00:17:33.78\00:17:35.88
that's what the verse
prior to that is talking about.
00:17:35.91\00:17:38.58
The Holy Spirit is gonna
be working through your lives
00:17:38.61\00:17:40.77
to carry out these
functions in your life
00:17:40.80\00:17:44.77
as apostles dealing with
large groups of individuals
00:17:44.86\00:17:48.35
as the New Testament
Church is being established.
00:17:48.38\00:17:50.88
What else do you
have for us, John?
00:17:50.91\00:17:52.63
I've got a
question from-- Let's see.
00:17:52.66\00:17:56.63
Well, he doesn't
actually give his name,
00:17:57.58\00:17:59.01
so I'll go ahead and
just read the question here.
00:17:59.04\00:18:00.95
It's from Leviticus 10:1-5.
00:18:00.98\00:18:04.95
"Fire went out from the Lord
and devoured Nadab and Abihu,
00:18:05.14\00:18:09.14
since the fire devoured
them, what was left of them
00:18:09.63\00:18:13.62
for their brethren to
pick up by their tunics
00:18:13.65\00:18:15.77
and remove from the sanctuary.
00:18:15.80\00:18:18.24
If God inspired
it then I believe it,
00:18:18.27\00:18:19.88
it seems I'm
missing a vital point here.
00:18:19.91\00:18:22.21
Will you please explain? Okay.
00:18:22.24\00:18:24.17
So I went through here
and looked at this passage
00:18:24.20\00:18:26.25
and it says
exactly as presented there.
00:18:26.28\00:18:30.01
"Nadab and Abihu were offering
profane fire before the Lord."
00:18:30.04\00:18:34.01
It says in verse 9.
00:18:34.34\00:18:35.64
"Something the
Lord did not command."
00:18:35.67\00:18:39.08
And it says in verse 2,
"So fire went out from the Lord
00:18:39.11\00:18:42.09
and devoured them and
they died before the Lord.
00:18:42.12\00:18:45.67
And Moses said to
Aaron, what is the Lord--
00:18:45.70\00:18:49.31
This is what the
Lord spoke, saying
00:18:49.34\00:18:52.09
'By those who come near me
I must be regarded as holy.
00:18:52.12\00:18:55.49
And before all the
people I must be glorified.'"
00:18:55.52\00:18:59.02
Then Moses called Mishael and
Elzaphan and sons of Uzziel--
00:18:59.05\00:19:03.02
The sons of Uzziel
and the uncle of Aaron,
00:19:05.47\00:19:09.04
and said to them, "Come
near, carry your brethren
00:19:09.07\00:19:12.61
from before the
sanctuary out of the camp.
00:19:12.64\00:19:15.82
So they went near
and carried them out
00:19:15.85\00:19:17.58
by their tunics from the
camp, as Moses had said."
00:19:17.61\00:19:21.58
We read elsewhere when the fire
00:19:22.73\00:19:25.33
that comes from the
Lord devourers people,
00:19:25.36\00:19:29.33
especially in the
end, referring to the end.
00:19:29.36\00:19:30.87
Malachi Chapter 4 says that
00:19:30.90\00:19:34.02
it will leave them
as ashes under our feet.
00:19:34.05\00:19:36.86
I believe that
that's a pretty good
00:19:36.89\00:19:40.86
description of what
would've happened here.
00:19:42.11\00:19:45.12
The only reason
to mention the tunics
00:19:45.15\00:19:47.57
carrying them
out by the tunics was
00:19:47.60\00:19:48.79
because what was left were
the ashes of Nadab and Abihu.
00:19:48.82\00:19:52.79
There will be no reason
if it was body themselves,
00:19:53.28\00:19:55.71
itself to be
carried out by the tunic.
00:19:55.74\00:19:59.27
They're no need to do that,
but because they were ashes
00:19:59.30\00:20:02.08
and they were
devoured the tunic,
00:20:02.11\00:20:04.11
they were able to carry the
ashes out from the sanctuary
00:20:04.14\00:20:07.53
and deposit them
outside the camp.
00:20:07.56\00:20:11.27
Consumed or devoured
does not me disappeared.
00:20:11.30\00:20:15.27
It's an important thing as well.
00:20:15.30\00:20:17.58
So it's not just they
were suddenly vanished
00:20:17.61\00:20:19.69
or they were totally gone,
but there were ashes remaining
00:20:19.72\00:20:23.08
that were evidence that they had
00:20:23.11\00:20:24.52
been devoured by
the fire of the Lord
00:20:24.55\00:20:25.94
and it was those ashes that were
carried out by these gentlemen.
00:20:25.97\00:20:29.94
Which the names I had
a tough time pronounce.
00:20:32.79\00:20:34.34
Nadab and Abihu? No,
no, no the other one.
00:20:34.37\00:20:37.45
Mishael and Elzaphan. Okay.
00:20:37.48\00:20:40.56
I'm so glad we use the
names like John, Rick nowadays.
00:20:40.59\00:20:44.52
I know the names
had a lot of meanings.
00:20:44.55\00:20:46.02
If your name was Elzaphan,
I'd find some nickname for you.
00:20:46.05\00:20:48.63
El. El.
00:20:49.36\00:20:51.56
And not to be little
00:20:51.59\00:20:52.68
but the significance
of those scripture names
00:20:52.71\00:20:54.58
because the names had so many
00:20:54.61\00:20:56.99
spiritual
connotations connect to them
00:20:57.02\00:21:00.17
and that's why
today, what's in your name.
00:21:00.20\00:21:04.07
Boy, that was huge
in scriptural days.
00:21:04.10\00:21:06.83
One other question, Isaiah
45:7. What is this saying here?
00:21:06.86\00:21:10.83
This question comes from a
person name Vince, all right?
00:21:11.41\00:21:15.41
And let me go ahead
and answer this from Vince.
00:21:17.29\00:21:20.62
Let me go ahead and
read the context of it
00:21:20.65\00:21:21.99
because you know, a lot of
times we read a single scripture
00:21:22.02\00:21:24.72
and you could say a ton
of things that is by itself
00:21:24.75\00:21:27.52
like the absent from the body,
present with the Lord scripture.
00:21:27.55\00:21:30.23
You could read that by itself
and you can insert in that
00:21:30.26\00:21:33.14
while the soul is
absent from the body,
00:21:33.17\00:21:34.65
therefore the soul
must be present with Lord.
00:21:34.68\00:21:37.04
But it didn't say
anything to that affect at all,
00:21:37.07\00:21:39.37
nor does it even
support that even.
00:21:39.40\00:21:41.41
It doesn't even
support that ideology.
00:21:41.44\00:21:43.86
Let me go and read
the context to you.
00:21:43.89\00:21:45.38
I'll read the text Isaiah 45:7
00:21:45.41\00:21:48.52
and then I'll go and
read the context, all right?
00:21:48.55\00:21:51.84
"I form the light."
Verse 7 of Isaiah 45.
00:21:51.87\00:21:55.37
"And create darkness. I
make peace and create calamity
00:21:55.40\00:21:58.91
I the Lord do all these things."
00:21:58.94\00:22:02.87
Now when you look at the
context God had chosen Cyrus.
00:22:02.90\00:22:06.87
If you look at verse 1,
00:22:09.12\00:22:10.58
"Thus says the Lord to
his anointed, to Cyrus,
00:22:10.61\00:22:14.58
whose right hand I have held."
00:22:16.59\00:22:18.66
Or King James says holden
"To subdue nations before him,
00:22:18.69\00:22:22.66
to loose the armor of
kings, to open before him
00:22:23.02\00:22:26.84
the double doors so that
the gates will not be shut."
00:22:26.87\00:22:30.43
What God is talking about
00:22:30.46\00:22:31.51
is the arsenal He's
using in behalf of Cyrus,
00:22:31.54\00:22:34.55
as Cyrus goes for concurring,
as Cyrus goes forth in war,
00:22:34.58\00:22:38.55
as Cyrus goes forth to encounter
the force of any other nation.
00:22:38.93\00:22:42.93
The Lord says,
"I'll use calamity,
00:22:44.43\00:22:46.62
I'll use
darkness, I'll use light,
00:22:46.65\00:22:48.74
I'll use anything
that I need to use
00:22:48.77\00:22:50.84
in order for
Cyrus to be victorious.
00:22:50.87\00:22:52.81
Thus the context of that.
00:22:52.84\00:22:55.10
But in fact, let me just even go
outside of the context of that.
00:22:55.13\00:22:59.10
There are times
when calamity does come.
00:22:59.47\00:23:02.21
And not all the
time does calamity come
00:23:02.24\00:23:05.30
as a result of Satan's arm,
00:23:05.33\00:23:07.26
but sometimes God
allows this calamity to come.
00:23:07.29\00:23:10.13
And you'll find
the Lord talks about.
00:23:10.16\00:23:12.21
He says, "For
those who ignore His law,
00:23:12.24\00:23:14.63
He will laugh at
them when calamity comes
00:23:14.66\00:23:17.27
from the presence
of the Lord." Yeah.
00:23:17.30\00:23:19.63
And the other thing to
that always jumps out of me with
00:23:19.66\00:23:21.31
when it comes to
disasters is this picture
00:23:21.34\00:23:24.27
that Paul paints of
earth groaning. Right.
00:23:24.30\00:23:26.90
The earth groans and it moves
00:23:26.93\00:23:29.01
and it is really
struggling to sustain itself
00:23:29.04\00:23:32.03
and disasters are truly
natural in some cases. Right.
00:23:32.06\00:23:35.99
God can withhold those
and keep those from happening,
00:23:36.02\00:23:38.30
but a lot of times
He allows them to happen
00:23:38.33\00:23:40.81
and it's not necessary
Satan who is doing them,
00:23:40.84\00:23:43.65
but the earth is groaning.
00:23:43.68\00:23:44.75
We are seeing more
and more disasters.
00:23:44.78\00:23:46.79
This earth is falling
apart. I mean, can you image?
00:23:46.82\00:23:48.69
Here we are at
the time of the year
00:23:48.72\00:23:49.88
where it should be very
much colder than it is now
00:23:49.91\00:23:52.99
and the weather is just
heating up all over the place.
00:23:53.02\00:23:55.47
But does God have the
ability to create calamity? Yes.
00:23:55.50\00:23:59.47
Can God create darkness? Yes.
00:24:00.16\00:24:02.53
Can He create light? Yes.
00:24:02.56\00:24:04.03
So when He says in verse 7,
00:24:04.06\00:24:06.06
"I the Lord do
all these things."
00:24:06.09\00:24:08.17
He is simply
displaying the fact that
00:24:08.20\00:24:10.13
because He is the Lord, He
can do whatever He wants to do.
00:24:10.16\00:24:13.47
He can use any of these--
00:24:13.50\00:24:15.59
any of these attributes
in His spiritual arsenal
00:24:15.62\00:24:19.29
and you find that for the
sake of the children of Israel.
00:24:19.32\00:24:22.46
Let me use the example
00:24:22.49\00:24:23.62
when He led the Israelites
out of the Land of Egypt.
00:24:23.65\00:24:26.55
How do you think He
kept the Egyptians at bay?
00:24:26.58\00:24:29.92
He created a pillar
of fire that was a wall
00:24:29.95\00:24:33.49
separating them
continually from the destruction
00:24:33.52\00:24:35.77
that Egyptians wanted
to bring to the Israelis.
00:24:35.80\00:24:39.09
They just could not get
to the children of the Israel
00:24:39.12\00:24:41.60
'cause God
created this wall of fire.
00:24:41.63\00:24:44.36
And also not only that God
created calamity through the sea
00:24:44.39\00:24:48.29
the very sea that
became a medium of deliverance
00:24:48.32\00:24:52.29
for the children of Egypt,
for the children of Israel,
00:24:53.12\00:24:56.00
became a destructive
force to the Egyptians.
00:24:56.03\00:24:59.98
Who created that
calamity? God did.
00:25:00.01\00:25:02.15
But in whose behalf?
In behalf of His people.
00:25:02.18\00:25:05.25
And so you find all the
plagues that fell upon Egypt.
00:25:05.28\00:25:08.45
All of these were
directed by the hand of God.
00:25:08.48\00:25:11.21
Was He able to create
calamity in Egypt? Yes, he did.
00:25:11.24\00:25:14.04
Did he use
darkness? Yes, he did.
00:25:14.07\00:25:16.23
Will he use darkness
again in the seven last plagues?
00:25:16.26\00:25:18.41
Yes, he will.
00:25:18.44\00:25:19.66
So God is saying, "I have
got the capacity and the ability
00:25:19.69\00:25:23.51
to create all these
things, but in the story of Job,
00:25:23.54\00:25:27.42
there were not done by the Lord.
00:25:27.45\00:25:28.78
So you have to
understand the context of it.
00:25:28.81\00:25:31.19
Is this in behalf of His people?
00:25:31.22\00:25:33.01
Is He protecting His
people from an adversary
00:25:33.04\00:25:35.55
were something that
could consume their lives.
00:25:35.58\00:25:37.54
If the answer is yes,
00:25:37.57\00:25:39.25
then God is the one
creating these calamities.
00:25:39.28\00:25:43.25
Wisdom is very much needed,
but when the insurance companies
00:25:43.47\00:25:46.74
blame everything on
God, I don't support that.
00:25:46.77\00:25:49.41
Because we have a world
00:25:49.44\00:25:50.47
that's on a natural
course of destruction
00:25:50.50\00:25:52.63
because of the presence of sin
00:25:52.66\00:25:54.57
and not everything
that happens in our world
00:25:54.60\00:25:56.27
like earthquakes, disasters,
00:25:56.30\00:25:58.11
fire, floods and
you go down the list.
00:25:58.14\00:26:00.92
These are not the
instrument of God's hand
00:26:00.95\00:26:03.40
bringing torment and
death and suffering to humanity.
00:26:03.43\00:26:07.40
But can God create
calamity? Yes, He can.
00:26:07.65\00:26:11.35
Anything else for us,
John? No, I don't think so.
00:26:11.38\00:26:14.33
All right. And
we're ready for our topic.
00:26:14.36\00:26:15.96
Okay, Well, we're
doing pretty good today.
00:26:15.99\00:26:18.12
Well, you know, friends, we
may have opened a can of worms,
00:26:18.15\00:26:20.56
or we may have just stimulated
a thought on your mind
00:26:20.59\00:26:23.07
or maybe have your own thought
that you want to share with us.
00:26:23.10\00:26:25.92
If you'd like to do
so, we have an email
00:26:25.95\00:26:27.88
send us questions or
comments to housecalls@3abn.org
00:26:27.91\00:26:31.33
That's housecalls@3abn.org
00:26:31.36\00:26:34.98
And we thank you for all
you do to support this program,
00:26:35.01\00:26:38.98
to keep this network on the air
00:26:39.72\00:26:41.75
and we surely do appreciate that
from the bottom of our hearts.
00:26:41.78\00:26:45.54
John, take us into--
Take us into our topic today.
00:26:45.57\00:26:48.67
Try to get my throat
clear. You know, there is a--
00:26:48.70\00:26:51.99
Yeah, flogs come up sometimes.
00:26:52.02\00:26:53.51
Yeah, sometimes
they show up uninvited.
00:26:53.54\00:26:55.86
You know, we as a church
00:26:55.89\00:26:58.62
and pastors of the Seventh-Day
Adventists Church had been doing
00:26:58.65\00:27:02.82
and engaging in a united effort
for revival and reformation,
00:27:02.85\00:27:07.64
we believe that our
church has arrived at a time,
00:27:07.67\00:27:10.00
we are living in a day where
we need that spiritual revival
00:27:10.03\00:27:14.70
and the question always comes
to those that hear that call,
00:27:14.73\00:27:19.92
the clearing calls for
revival. What does that mean?
00:27:19.95\00:27:23.40
And we interpret it differently.
00:27:23.43\00:27:24.58
What does revival look like?
00:27:24.61\00:27:26.82
Well, I think it's important to
go through and see scripturally
00:27:26.85\00:27:31.43
what a revival look like in
the period of the early church
00:27:31.46\00:27:36.33
because this church
went forth to conquer
00:27:36.36\00:27:39.15
victoriously in Christ
by supporting the gospel.
00:27:39.18\00:27:42.06
They were
inspired by the Holy Spirit
00:27:42.09\00:27:45.84
and engage in the work
of Christ and His mission
00:27:45.87\00:27:51.09
giving
specifically for the church.
00:27:51.12\00:27:53.04
We will
experience that "Pentecost"
00:27:53.07\00:27:57.49
latter rain outpouring.
00:27:57.52\00:28:00.17
The Pentecost is the early rain,
00:28:00.20\00:28:01.56
but we will have a
Pentecost type of experience
00:28:01.59\00:28:03.56
in the latter
rain as it's poured out
00:28:03.59\00:28:04.88
to revive the
church in the last days.
00:28:04.91\00:28:07.32
So I think it's good, maybe
take a look at true revival.
00:28:07.35\00:28:10.84
What does it look
like? What it look like then?
00:28:10.87\00:28:13.19
What can we expect
here in the future?
00:28:13.22\00:28:15.51
And, John, I actually moved
one of our things in our handout
00:28:15.54\00:28:20.06
they are down a little bit,
00:28:20.09\00:28:21.12
so maybe I'll
iterate which one's
00:28:21.15\00:28:22.83
and you'll be able to
follow on very easily.
00:28:22.86\00:28:25.08
But these are 12
characteristics then
00:28:25.11\00:28:28.52
of what true revival looks like.
00:28:28.55\00:28:30.96
I don't know, if
we'll finish in one program,
00:28:30.99\00:28:32.42
we may a take a
couple of programs
00:28:32.45\00:28:33.85
which will be just fine.
00:28:33.88\00:28:35.33
But let's dive
right in. Okay, go for it.
00:28:35.36\00:28:37.67
All right. Here's number one.
00:28:37.70\00:28:39.43
The revival began
in the church. Okay.
00:28:39.46\00:28:43.30
When God is about to bestow
spiritual blessings upon people
00:28:43.33\00:28:47.26
specifically His people,
00:28:47.29\00:28:49.25
it is His usual method
00:28:49.28\00:28:50.74
first to awake them
out of a spiritual sleep.
00:28:50.77\00:28:54.45
They recognize
their spiritual need. Wow.
00:28:54.48\00:28:58.75
He begins with the
church. This is where He goes.
00:28:58.78\00:29:01.47
There's not any isolated groups.
00:29:01.50\00:29:03.48
He starts with His
people in His church
00:29:03.51\00:29:06.24
and He awakens them to a need.
00:29:06.27\00:29:09.49
And in response to that
then He can begin to work. Wow.
00:29:09.52\00:29:15.55
And I think we see that
clearly in the New Testament,
00:29:15.58\00:29:18.47
specifically The Book of Acts.
00:29:18.50\00:29:19.88
All right, you want to
go to the Book of Acts.
00:29:19.91\00:29:22.17
I think it's kind
of a good ground work
00:29:22.20\00:29:23.95
because Acts obviously
is where Pentecost occurred.
00:29:23.98\00:29:28.49
And Jesus said to His
disciples before He left them,
00:29:28.52\00:29:32.12
after His
resurrection before He left
00:29:32.15\00:29:33.74
and went to His father He said,
00:29:33.77\00:29:35.58
specifically that
He'd have come together
00:29:35.61\00:29:38.45
and they were to
unify do other things.
00:29:38.48\00:29:40.62
And we'll cover these
things in specific details,
00:29:40.65\00:29:43.03
but they were to
come together as a church,
00:29:43.06\00:29:46.54
recognizing their
need and depending upon Him
00:29:46.57\00:29:49.28
for spiritual
revival. All right.
00:29:49.31\00:29:51.86
What text are
you turning to there?
00:29:51.89\00:29:55.27
Well, let's see. Let's
start with Chapter 1:4.
00:29:55.30\00:29:59.94
Okay. "And being
assembled together with them,
00:29:59.97\00:30:03.96
He commanded, that is Jesus,
00:30:03.99\00:30:05.53
commanded them not to
depart from Jerusalem,
00:30:05.56\00:30:07.90
but to wait for the
Promise of the Father,
00:30:07.93\00:30:10.72
which, He said,
'you have heard from Me',
00:30:10.75\00:30:12.97
for John truly
baptized with water,
00:30:13.00\00:30:14.95
but you shall be
baptized with the Holy Spirit
00:30:14.98\00:30:17.58
not many days from now.
00:30:17.61\00:30:19.85
Therefore, when
they had come together,
00:30:19.88\00:30:21.36
they asked Him, saying,
00:30:21.39\00:30:22.42
'Lord, will You at this time
restore the kingdom to Israel?'
00:30:22.45\00:30:27.01
And He said to them, 'It is not
for you to know times or seasons
00:30:27.04\00:30:29.95
which the Father has
put in His own authority.
00:30:29.98\00:30:32.34
But you shall receive power
00:30:32.37\00:30:34.83
when the Holy
Spirit has come upon you
00:30:34.86\00:30:36.83
and you shall be
witnesses to Me in Jerusalem,
00:30:36.86\00:30:39.26
and in all Judea and Samaria,
and to the end of the earth.'"
00:30:39.29\00:30:43.31
Okay, so that revival primarily,
00:30:43.34\00:30:46.81
that began was a
spiritual blessing.
00:30:46.84\00:30:50.77
You know, the
disciples and the apostles
00:30:50.80\00:30:52.75
could not go into the work
of God without having a power
00:30:52.78\00:30:56.23
and that power had
to come out of the sin,
00:30:56.26\00:30:57.66
so the spiritual blessing
that the Lord poured upon them.
00:30:57.69\00:31:02.45
I like that, It's usually
His method to awaken His people.
00:31:02.48\00:31:06.50
I saw, I saw another
passage here in Psalms 138.
00:31:06.53\00:31:10.81
Let's look at that, Psalm 138.
00:31:10.84\00:31:14.55
Okay, I'm turning
there and here I am.
00:31:14.58\00:31:19.40
Okay, Psalms 138. And...
00:31:19.43\00:31:27.22
Let me see if that's
the right one to that one.
00:31:27.25\00:31:29.68
Okay, here it is.
00:31:29.71\00:31:33.03
Okay, Psalms 143:11.
00:31:33.06\00:31:36.79
Actually that's the one
I'm looking to, Psalms 143:11.
00:31:36.82\00:31:41.26
This is the one I'm
actually looking at.
00:31:41.29\00:31:44.06
I like the two words that begins
within the verse, verse 11.
00:31:44.09\00:31:48.01
Revive me. Notice what it says.
00:31:48.04\00:31:50.32
Revive me,
Revive means wake me up.
00:31:50.35\00:31:53.20
"Revive me, O Lord,
for Your name's sake.
00:31:53.23\00:31:56.67
For Your righteousness sake
bring my soul out of trouble."
00:31:56.70\00:32:01.59
David was using
this here in the context
00:32:01.62\00:32:03.66
of delivering
him from his enemies,
00:32:03.69\00:32:05.68
but what I want to use
00:32:05.71\00:32:06.74
in this particular
passage is the revive part.
00:32:06.77\00:32:09.45
You know, we've
talked about reformation.
00:32:09.48\00:32:11.20
You cannot have reformation
unless you have revival.
00:32:11.23\00:32:15.22
So who is doing the
reviling? Only the Lord does.
00:32:15.25\00:32:19.58
When we talk about The
Parable of the Ten Virgins?
00:32:19.61\00:32:21.45
How many of them
slept? They all slept.
00:32:21.48\00:32:24.59
So in order for God
do a work in the church,
00:32:24.62\00:32:27.19
one of the first things he has
to do is, wake up the church.
00:32:27.22\00:32:30.54
Revive me and then reform me,
00:32:30.57\00:32:34.57
get me back on
track, strengthen me.
00:32:34.60\00:32:37.21
And whose names sake
is that being done for?
00:32:37.24\00:32:40.39
For His name sake.
00:32:40.42\00:32:42.15
And that's at the
request of the church corporate
00:32:42.18\00:32:44.14
that is come
together recognizing
00:32:44.17\00:32:45.65
they have this need
for spiritual revival.
00:32:45.68\00:32:48.22
You know, I
think one thing that is
00:32:48.25\00:32:51.64
a powerful statement
about revival and reformation
00:32:51.67\00:32:54.20
and the need for
both hand in hand
00:32:54.23\00:32:56.99
is that revival
without reformation.
00:32:57.02\00:32:59.61
In other words, a changed life,
00:32:59.64\00:33:01.04
a reordering
restructuring of the life.
00:33:01.07\00:33:02.69
Revival without value
brings nothing but fanaticism.
00:33:02.72\00:33:07.58
It's a shoot in the dark
of firing off of the emotions
00:33:07.61\00:33:11.42
and trying to figure
out how God's working.
00:33:11.45\00:33:14.57
But reformation without revival
is nothing but cold formalism.
00:33:14.60\00:33:19.93
It's a dead faith.
00:33:19.96\00:33:21.07
It's a doing the works
for the works themselves,
00:33:21.10\00:33:23.63
but it's relegated
to a legalistic approach
00:33:23.66\00:33:26.71
to our faith in
following God because we have to
00:33:26.74\00:33:29.86
or we have to follow
these sets of guide lines.
00:33:29.89\00:33:32.20
In those cases, we need
a revival of the spirits.
00:33:32.23\00:33:34.65
So revival of the
heart, the spirit of God
00:33:34.68\00:33:37.48
poured out on us with a
response of a changed life
00:33:37.51\00:33:40.51
and then reforms changes made
in our lives in response to that
00:33:40.54\00:33:43.65
is what's needed
together, they go hand in hand.
00:33:43.68\00:33:45.84
Okay and another one in
David's writing, Psalms 139.
00:33:45.91\00:33:49.96
Psalms 119:37 he
says, "Turn away my eyes
00:33:49.99\00:33:54.39
from looking at worthless things
and revive me in Your way."
00:33:54.42\00:33:59.58
Excuse me. One of things that we
do often times is people that--
00:33:59.61\00:34:04.06
People that are
wasting their time,
00:34:04.09\00:34:05.46
looking at worthless things.
00:34:05.49\00:34:07.27
Today, we could
easily transit that
00:34:07.30\00:34:09.24
it's a televisions, it's
movies and just a waste of time.
00:34:09.27\00:34:13.88
The Lord is in essence
being beseeched by David.
00:34:13.91\00:34:17.37
He says, "Turn away my eyes
from looking at worthless things
00:34:17.40\00:34:21.08
and revive me in your way."
00:34:21.11\00:34:23.77
In other words,
give my eyes a new focus,
00:34:23.80\00:34:25.96
give my eyes a new direction
00:34:25.99\00:34:27.48
that is so
indicative of what God does.
00:34:27.51\00:34:30.02
And one of the needs of the
church Laodicea is open my--
00:34:30.05\00:34:34.74
Anoint my eyes with eye salve
00:34:34.77\00:34:37.04
and I would need to say
this fits so wonderfully
00:34:37.07\00:34:39.11
into the context of
revival and reformation
00:34:39.14\00:34:41.26
because the
question of the prayer
00:34:41.29\00:34:43.02
turn my eyes from looking
at worthless things, really.
00:34:43.05\00:34:48.05
What's worthless
in our generation?
00:34:48.08\00:34:49.73
There are so many worthless
things in our generation
00:34:49.76\00:34:53.07
that gropes for our attention
00:34:53.10\00:34:55.98
that that cries
out for our attention
00:34:56.01\00:34:58.93
and when we give them attention
or when we give it attention,
00:34:58.96\00:35:02.65
we fail to be alive
unto the things of God.
00:35:02.68\00:35:06.99
So David is saying turn
them-- Turn my eyes away
00:35:07.02\00:35:09.34
from worthless
things from looking at them
00:35:09.37\00:35:11.38
and revive me how in
Your way. Psalms 119:37.
00:35:11.41\00:35:17.24
So the revival
comes, there is a change
00:35:17.27\00:35:19.75
not only in the
things we say and preach,
00:35:19.78\00:35:22.87
but in what we
spend our time looking at.
00:35:22.90\00:35:25.22
And that's actually
one of them coming up.
00:35:25.25\00:35:27.43
All right, go for it.
00:35:27.46\00:35:28.92
Well, no, when
we get to that list,
00:35:28.95\00:35:30.24
I'm just saying
that what you're saying
00:35:30.27\00:35:32.20
is very, very true about that.
00:35:32.23\00:35:33.53
In fact, it's identified here as
one of the true revival elements
00:35:33.56\00:35:37.17
which is both their
pursuits and appearances,
00:35:37.20\00:35:39.66
it's their lives, you can see
the noticeable change in their--
00:35:39.69\00:35:43.37
in what their desires are.
00:35:43.40\00:35:44.76
I think a lot of reasons
why people need revival is
00:35:44.79\00:35:46.94
because they are
generally spending their times
00:35:46.97\00:35:49.56
on things that are
not spiritually uplifting.
00:35:49.59\00:35:52.89
They're spending their time
doing things that are just--
00:35:52.92\00:35:55.14
It saps their energies.
00:35:55.17\00:35:56.74
And let me also talk
about the caffeine effect
00:35:56.77\00:35:59.31
and I'm not talking
about diet here at all
00:35:59.34\00:36:00.95
nor am I literally talking about
the actual caffeine itself.
00:36:00.98\00:36:04.87
But what happens is the
world has this thing I call,
00:36:04.90\00:36:07.12
I call it the caffeine effect.
00:36:07.15\00:36:08.72
It pumps us up on
this level of excitement
00:36:08.75\00:36:11.47
and drama and intensity
00:36:11.50\00:36:14.35
and it keeps us in
that arena all the time,
00:36:14.38\00:36:16.44
looking for a new high.
00:36:16.47\00:36:18.09
When our eyes are
focused on that new high
00:36:18.12\00:36:20.59
and then all of a
sudden when it comes down
00:36:20.62\00:36:22.45
to studying the word of
God which is just sitting here
00:36:22.48\00:36:26.29
asking us to spend quality
quite time in the word of God
00:36:26.32\00:36:33.00
without all this
drama, it gets to be--
00:36:33.03\00:36:36.39
Boring, yeah. Right.
00:36:36.42\00:36:38.76
So the world is
killing off a person's desire
00:36:38.79\00:36:41.99
to even sit down and
look into the word of God
00:36:42.02\00:36:44.95
and spend quality time
focusing his or her eyes
00:36:44.98\00:36:48.18
where they would as the text
says teach me to do your will.
00:36:48.21\00:36:52.83
But you got to
study the word of God.
00:36:52.86\00:36:54.28
And if your eyes are focused
on all those things are just,
00:36:54.31\00:36:57.21
oh, look what
happened, who is next.
00:36:57.24\00:36:59.74
I'm giving you the starry look.
00:36:59.77\00:37:02.24
Then it becomes a laborious task
00:37:02.27\00:37:06.00
to sit down and
study God's word.
00:37:06.03\00:37:07.78
And so that's why today, John,
I think one of the challenges
00:37:07.81\00:37:10.65
the church has in general
is reason why Bible studies,
00:37:10.68\00:37:14.63
the desire to
have Bible studies.
00:37:14.66\00:37:16.92
The desire to show up
00:37:16.95\00:37:18.26
and have cooperate
studies together is dying out
00:37:18.29\00:37:20.99
because we have
been trilled by a world
00:37:21.02\00:37:23.96
that's taking
sapping all of our energies
00:37:23.99\00:37:26.59
except leading
us into the things
00:37:26.62\00:37:27.92
that God wants us to
pay our attention to.
00:37:27.95\00:37:30.17
Very, very, true.
You know, it's just--
00:37:30.20\00:37:32.25
Let's look at
number two here. All right.
00:37:32.28\00:37:34.65
Nothing was said
about dreams and visions,
00:37:34.68\00:37:38.37
hearing voices or seeing signs
00:37:38.40\00:37:41.48
at least as the
evidence of revival.
00:37:41.51\00:37:44.08
No extravagance, either in
gestures or outcries appeared,
00:37:44.11\00:37:47.30
no wild enthusiasm
intended the revival. Yeah.
00:37:47.33\00:37:51.61
It was not just-- It was not
bedlam of noise in other words.
00:37:51.64\00:37:54.58
No, it wasn't an emotionally
driven charged thing.
00:37:54.61\00:37:57.44
It wasn't based on feelings.
00:37:57.47\00:37:59.58
It was based on the
knowledge of the presence of God
00:37:59.61\00:38:02.41
and what was happening in
the life to change the life.
00:38:02.44\00:38:06.46
1 Peter 2:1-3, let's
take a look at 1 Peter 2:1-3.
00:38:06.49\00:38:13.91
Okay, let's do that. All right.
00:38:16.88\00:38:19.29
1 Peter 2:1-3, read that for us.
00:38:19.32\00:38:21.99
Oh, yeah,
that's a beautiful one.
00:38:22.02\00:38:24.51
This is really--
This is a wonderful text
00:38:24.54\00:38:28.00
indicating what happens when
rival is taking place in lives.
00:38:28.03\00:38:32.45
Go ahead and read that one.
00:38:32.48\00:38:34.04
"Therefore, laying
aside all malice, all deceit,
00:38:34.07\00:38:36.87
hypocrisy, envy,
and all evil speaking,
00:38:36.90\00:38:38.81
as newborn babes desire
the pure milk of the word
00:38:38.84\00:38:43.69
that you may grow thereby,
00:38:43.72\00:38:45.24
if indeed you have tasted
that the Lord is gracious."
00:38:45.27\00:38:49.85
If indeed, that's right.
00:38:49.88\00:38:51.05
So what's
happening here in revival?
00:38:51.08\00:38:52.82
What happens people get together
00:38:52.85\00:38:54.43
and begin to pour out
their hearts before God
00:38:54.46\00:38:56.86
and what gets laid side?
00:38:56.89\00:38:58.41
Malice, deceit, hypocrisy,
envy, all evil speaking.
00:38:58.44\00:39:06.41
It is not possible for
a church to seek revival
00:39:06.44\00:39:09.97
without seeking to put away
these things in their lives.
00:39:10.00\00:39:13.11
You know, all of a
sudden the new birth
00:39:13.14\00:39:14.65
is a fresh
anointing from the Lord
00:39:14.68\00:39:16.99
and then these
babies that are coming back
00:39:17.02\00:39:19.77
into the realization
of how beautiful it is
00:39:19.80\00:39:21.75
to be in the presence of
God, their desires change,
00:39:21.78\00:39:24.93
they begin to desire now
the pure milk of the word
00:39:24.96\00:39:28.28
that now there's
gonna be some growth
00:39:28.31\00:39:31.03
because they have now
realized that God is gracious.
00:39:31.06\00:39:35.90
So when you talk about this,
00:39:35.93\00:39:37.64
I like the point
that John is making here
00:39:37.67\00:39:39.72
is the key
element of the strength
00:39:39.75\00:39:43.07
of the New Testament Church was
00:39:43.10\00:39:44.23
that they
studied the word of God
00:39:44.26\00:39:46.02
and they prayed for all
these things to be laid aside
00:39:46.05\00:39:49.19
that's how they were
able to in one accord
00:39:49.22\00:39:51.43
when the Day of Pentecost came.
00:39:51.46\00:39:53.78
Absolutely, good. Okay.
00:39:53.81\00:39:56.72
All right, number three,
00:39:56.75\00:39:57.99
it began with an
emphasis on the grace of God
00:39:58.02\00:40:01.31
and bestowed, as bestowed
by the work by the Holy Spirit.
00:40:01.34\00:40:05.54
Now, John, this is an
important piece of this
00:40:05.57\00:40:08.66
because when we
use the word grace,
00:40:08.69\00:40:10.81
sometimes we don't understand
the fullness of what that means.
00:40:10.84\00:40:16.37
All right.
00:40:16.40\00:40:17.54
And over the last few years,
00:40:17.57\00:40:20.91
about the last two
and a half, three years,
00:40:20.94\00:40:23.21
I have began to share a
different definition of grace
00:40:23.24\00:40:26.47
'cause typically when
you say, well, what is grace,
00:40:26.50\00:40:28.58
what is the response you here?
00:40:28.61\00:40:29.64
Unmerited favor.
Unmerited favor, okay.
00:40:29.67\00:40:31.99
And that's a good definition,
00:40:32.02\00:40:33.82
but it doesn't
expand really much,
00:40:33.85\00:40:35.61
doesn't give a
picture of God's grace.
00:40:35.64\00:40:37.80
It kind of gives it a pretty
straight just a pure definition.
00:40:37.83\00:40:41.69
But here is-- Here is
my definition of grace.
00:40:41.72\00:40:44.22
I felt the Lord
really impress me with this
00:40:44.25\00:40:46.11
I was studying this topic.
00:40:46.14\00:40:48.03
Anytime God reaches
down to something for us
00:40:48.06\00:40:52.48
that we cannot do for
ourselves that's grace.
00:40:52.51\00:40:55.89
Okay, all right, I like that.
00:40:55.92\00:40:58.11
Whether it's to save
us, whether it's to help us,
00:40:58.14\00:41:03.09
to protect us, to
strengthen us, to empower us--
00:41:03.12\00:41:08.52
Anything He does to reach
down to do something for us,
00:41:08.55\00:41:11.40
we can't do for ourselves,
that's God's grace. All right.
00:41:11.43\00:41:15.28
And so this expands grace
from just a realm of saving us.
00:41:15.31\00:41:20.75
Justification to
sanctify and working to grow us
00:41:20.78\00:41:26.93
in every area of our life,
it's all because of God's grace.
00:41:26.96\00:41:30.55
He does something for us,
we cannot do for ourselves.
00:41:30.58\00:41:34.39
And so the emphasis
in revival on grace is,
00:41:34.42\00:41:38.76
it brings about other
complete dependence upon God
00:41:38.79\00:41:42.54
for the change that
we want to take place.
00:41:42.57\00:41:45.32
Well, I could support
that in the God's grace truly.
00:41:45.35\00:41:49.15
First of all, I want to go back
00:41:49.18\00:41:50.62
to the unmerited
favor aspect of it
00:41:50.65\00:41:53.04
because we
really don't deserve it,
00:41:53.07\00:41:55.31
but because of God's grace.
00:41:55.34\00:41:56.98
He is gracious,
longsuffering toward us.
00:41:57.01\00:42:01.67
Because of His
grace He sees our need
00:42:01.70\00:42:04.02
before we even
realize the depth of our need.
00:42:04.05\00:42:07.66
He sees where we
are before we realize
00:42:07.69\00:42:09.39
or even where He wants us to be
00:42:09.42\00:42:11.12
and then that grace
begins to activate in our lives,
00:42:11.15\00:42:15.08
the power that
sometimes we don't really have
00:42:15.11\00:42:17.73
an experience of with
this power knowing that
00:42:17.77\00:42:21.41
it could change our
hearts and change our lives.
00:42:21.44\00:42:23.91
And the way that Paul
says this in the Book of Titus.
00:42:23.94\00:42:27.89
"This is for the grace of God
00:42:27.92\00:42:29.06
that brings salvation
has appeared to all men."
00:42:29.09\00:42:32.47
What is that grace do as John
was saying just a moment ago.
00:42:32.50\00:42:35.48
It does for us the things
that we will not naturally do.
00:42:35.51\00:42:38.62
Teaching us, He teaches us.
What does He teach us to do?
00:42:38.65\00:42:42.64
"To denying
ungodliness and worldly lusts
00:42:42.67\00:42:46.17
that we should live
soberly, righteously
00:42:46.20\00:42:49.78
and godly in this present age."
00:42:49.81\00:42:51.89
What passage is that?
00:42:51.92\00:42:52.95
This is Titus
2:11 down to verse 13.
00:42:52.98\00:42:59.07
So when you look at the
grace of God, what is it do?
00:42:59.10\00:43:02.87
You know, it teaches us.
00:43:02.90\00:43:04.42
Not only does
it bring salvation,
00:43:04.45\00:43:05.83
but it teaches us to deny
ungodliness and worldly lusts
00:43:05.86\00:43:09.78
and live soberly,
righteously and godly.
00:43:09.81\00:43:12.22
And that is revival that brings
these things back to context
00:43:12.25\00:43:15.48
because there's some people--
and this always troubles me
00:43:15.51\00:43:17.95
when I think about
statements, some people say,
00:43:17.98\00:43:20.60
"Well, we'll be
sinning till Jesus comes."
00:43:20.63\00:43:23.79
And it almost
leads this hopeless,
00:43:23.82\00:43:27.97
it leaves us
hopeless table there.
00:43:28.00\00:43:30.05
I like this table of-- is
my table going to be dirty
00:43:30.08\00:43:32.93
every time guest come
over to have dinner with us?
00:43:32.96\00:43:35.38
Is our hearts and
live gonna be dirty
00:43:35.41\00:43:37.63
every time you
go before the Lord?
00:43:37.66\00:43:39.30
Are we gonna be hopelessly
bound by the chains of sin?
00:43:39.33\00:43:42.75
Is they're not gonna be
any change in our direction.
00:43:42.78\00:43:45.75
This shows us
what grace really does.
00:43:45.78\00:43:48.84
You know, it can make a
serious change in your life.
00:43:48.87\00:43:52.02
You may sin by your motive
00:43:52.05\00:43:55.86
and your desire
is always to not sin.
00:43:55.89\00:43:58.43
Right. You may stumble it.
00:43:58.46\00:44:00.57
You may stumble or
you may fall through,
00:44:00.60\00:44:02.99
but you're not practicing
sin, that's where this is--
00:44:03.02\00:44:06.93
When it says
teaching us that denying.
00:44:06.96\00:44:11.13
Got to deny ourselves.
00:44:11.16\00:44:12.67
The Lord told His disciples,
"Deny yourselves everyday,
00:44:12.70\00:44:16.60
deny yourself
because if you don't,
00:44:16.63\00:44:19.18
godliness and lusts
will have a constant battle
00:44:19.21\00:44:23.32
if you don't deny yourself."
00:44:23.35\00:44:25.02
That's what that cross
00:44:25.06\00:44:26.11
in the Christian
life really is all about.
00:44:26.14\00:44:28.31
So the other one is that's a
very important point, denying.
00:44:28.34\00:44:33.57
You know, as we're
taking about this stuff,
00:44:33.60\00:44:35.75
I'm adding a few
things more to this list
00:44:35.78\00:44:38.52
because I think there is so
much in scripture on what the--
00:44:38.55\00:44:43.04
The New, the early church,
00:44:43.07\00:44:44.55
this fledgling
church that God established,
00:44:44.58\00:44:47.46
what it went
through as the Holy Spirit
00:44:47.49\00:44:49.70
came down upon the people
00:44:49.73\00:44:50.89
and revived them
not just your Pentecost,
00:44:50.92\00:44:53.63
but even going forward that
empowered them to do this work.
00:44:53.66\00:44:56.57
We want this in
our churches today.
00:44:56.60\00:44:58.56
We want our
people to experience it.
00:44:58.59\00:45:00.42
So it's good to go back
00:45:00.45\00:45:01.48
and look at what was
happening in their days well.
00:45:01.51\00:45:04.26
Are we down to
them five? Let's see.
00:45:04.29\00:45:08.26
No, this on here is
one of the last changes
00:45:08.29\00:45:11.22
I made in moving order here.
00:45:11.25\00:45:13.55
Number four is, it
was the work of God,
00:45:13.58\00:45:16.92
there was a mark change
in the lives of the people
00:45:16.95\00:45:19.30
both their
pursuits and appearances.
00:45:19.33\00:45:21.86
And I just added this
because of your comment.
00:45:21.89\00:45:24.17
They began to
practice righteousness,
00:45:24.20\00:45:26.98
that's first, John, okay. Okay.
00:45:27.01\00:45:29.38
So their pursuits,
their desires and things,
00:45:29.41\00:45:32.46
they didn't out
things in front of their eyes
00:45:32.49\00:45:33.95
that would draw
them away from God,
00:45:33.99\00:45:35.28
they put things in front,
00:45:35.31\00:45:36.34
they fed off of the things
that were righteous and holy
00:45:36.37\00:45:39.30
that was what marked
their life as revival king.
00:45:39.33\00:45:45.07
That's important, John,
because I want you to share
00:45:45.10\00:45:49.22
that text with me again,
which one is you add to that?
00:45:49.25\00:45:52.14
The practicing righteousness,
1 John, I believe chapter 3.
00:45:52.18\00:45:56.43
While you're turning there,
the one that I added to that
00:45:56.46\00:45:58.91
was in Psalm 139:23 and 24.
00:45:58.94\00:46:02.61
You know, it
was the work of God,
00:46:02.64\00:46:04.94
there was a mark change
in the lives of the people
00:46:04.97\00:46:07.08
both their
pursuits and appearances.
00:46:07.11\00:46:09.11
Now, how could
that change happen?
00:46:09.14\00:46:11.01
This is the way
that I see it happening,
00:46:11.04\00:46:12.79
David, when he prayed the pray.
00:46:12.82\00:46:14.67
And he is I tell you by far
00:46:14.70\00:46:17.23
one of my
favorite Bible characters,
00:46:17.26\00:46:19.73
one of my favorite
Bible personalities
00:46:19.76\00:46:21.81
because David in order
for the change to come,
00:46:21.84\00:46:24.10
he used these two
words, "Search me."
00:46:24.13\00:46:27.86
He said, "Search me."
00:46:27.89\00:46:29.55
Now, I tell you If anybody could
thoroughly search you, God can.
00:46:29.58\00:46:36.44
But not your pockets and to
see if you have any contraband,
00:46:36.47\00:46:39.86
but he said, "Search me, O God,
00:46:39.89\00:46:42.28
and know my heart, try me
00:46:42.31\00:46:46.52
and know my
anxieties or my thoughts,
00:46:46.55\00:46:49.42
and see if there is
any wicked way in me,
00:46:49.45\00:46:52.14
and lead me in
the way everlasting."
00:46:52.17\00:46:55.71
So David was asking God here
00:46:55.74\00:46:57.79
for the marked changed to
be manifested in his life,
00:46:57.82\00:47:00.46
both in
pursuits and appearances,
00:47:00.49\00:47:02.41
God starts searching His church,
00:47:02.44\00:47:04.40
He starts, the eyes of the Lord,
go to and fro on the earth.
00:47:04.43\00:47:09.35
And that's what he talked
about in the book of Revelation.
00:47:09.38\00:47:11.29
Zachariah talks about that.
00:47:11.32\00:47:13.21
"The eyes of the Lord are
going to and fro on the earth,
00:47:13.24\00:47:15.82
the lamb with seven eyes."
00:47:15.85\00:47:17.59
It's talking about the
searching ability of God,
00:47:17.62\00:47:20.77
looking into the
lives of his people,
00:47:20.80\00:47:22.78
seeing where they are and
seeing where they need to be.
00:47:22.81\00:47:25.59
He changes their
pursuit as well as those things
00:47:25.62\00:47:28.01
that appeared before
him that are not acceptable.
00:47:28.04\00:47:31.62
Amen. All right.
00:47:31.65\00:47:32.77
What do you
have for the next one
00:47:32.80\00:47:33.83
or do you have anymore?
00:47:33.86\00:47:34.89
No, number 4-- No, number 5.
00:47:34.92\00:47:36.94
Okay. Prayer becomes precious.
00:47:36.97\00:47:40.10
There was a
commitment to corporate prayer.
00:47:40.13\00:47:43.58
Now there is a lot on this.
00:47:43.61\00:47:46.24
And I think one of the
places to go is Acts Chapter 2
00:47:46.27\00:47:50.74
and so we all part
of that and of course,
00:47:50.77\00:47:52.60
if you can have some
other things there as well.
00:47:52.63\00:47:54.66
I have another one.
So as I'm turning here.
00:47:54.69\00:47:59.35
Prayer. Who doesn't need prayer?
00:47:59.38\00:48:02.10
For those of us
who just use prayer
00:48:02.13\00:48:04.27
for our dinner, our
breakfast, our lunch
00:48:04.30\00:48:06.01
or just when we
wake up in the morning,
00:48:06.04\00:48:07.83
which one of us
doesn't need prayer.
00:48:07.86\00:48:09.73
Prayer is one of those things
that you can't rush through.
00:48:09.76\00:48:14.06
Sometimes, when I
get held up for meeting
00:48:14.09\00:48:17.67
and I arrive at the
meeting a few minutes late,
00:48:17.70\00:48:21.57
the reason is I
was on the phone.
00:48:21.60\00:48:25.87
But when it comes to
time praying for God,
00:48:25.90\00:48:27.91
you've got to put your
phone time with God aside
00:48:27.94\00:48:30.80
so that nothing else
interrupts that time.
00:48:30.83\00:48:33.48
You got to put your
prayer time aside with God
00:48:33.51\00:48:37.61
so you can sit down
and really talk to the Lord
00:48:37.64\00:48:40.56
then after you
speak to the Lord,
00:48:40.59\00:48:42.67
you beseech Him and wait
for Him to impress upon you,
00:48:42.70\00:48:46.51
His will and His
way and His desire
00:48:46.54\00:48:48.61
to guide you to make a
difference in your life.
00:48:48.64\00:48:51.88
The text that you're
gonna read is in Acts 2?
00:48:51.91\00:48:54.10
Actually it's Acts
1. All right, Acts 1.
00:48:54.13\00:48:56.00
Which one is it? Acts 1:14.
00:48:56.03\00:48:58.50
All right.
00:48:58.53\00:49:00.22
And it says, just the
first part of this especially.
00:49:00.25\00:49:02.56
These all, speaking of
the disciples, the apostles.
00:49:02.59\00:49:06.94
"These all
continued with one accord
00:49:06.97\00:49:10.36
in prayer and supplication."
00:49:10.39\00:49:14.67
So in response to Jesus saying
come together, what do they do?
00:49:14.70\00:49:18.10
They came together to pray.
00:49:18.13\00:49:20.29
Matter of fact, that's
what the Day of Pentecost,
00:49:20.32\00:49:22.04
that's what they
did in preparation
00:49:22.07\00:49:23.23
for the Day of
Pentecost, they prayed.
00:49:23.26\00:49:24.85
That's right. They
got together and prayed.
00:49:24.88\00:49:26.94
Now I have taken a
different approach to that
00:49:26.97\00:49:30.59
which is in harmony with that.
00:49:30.62\00:49:32.55
I've gone to the
favorite passage for prayer,
00:49:32.58\00:49:36.38
2 Chronicles
7:14. 2 Chronicles 7:14.
00:49:36.41\00:49:40.95
You remember Jesus
also indicted Pharisees
00:49:40.98\00:49:43.69
and the religious
leaders of his day,
00:49:43.72\00:49:45.58
he said, "My
house shall be called
00:49:45.61\00:49:47.34
a house of
prayer for all people,
00:49:47.37\00:49:49.09
but you've made
it a den of thieves."
00:49:49.12\00:49:51.20
Prayer is so significant
00:49:51.23\00:49:53.10
in the strength and
direction of a church.
00:49:53.13\00:49:56.26
2 Chronicles 7 and
I start with verse 12.
00:49:56.29\00:49:59.60
"Then the Lord
appeared to Solomon by night
00:49:59.63\00:50:01.42
and said to him, 'I
have heard your prayer
00:50:01.45\00:50:06.09
and I have chosen
this place for myself
00:50:06.12\00:50:09.24
as a house of sacrifice.'"
00:50:09.27\00:50:13.83
Notice what he says and
this is the context of it.
00:50:13.86\00:50:16.60
That's why I'm reading
the verses before that.
00:50:16.63\00:50:18.94
"When I shut up
heaven and there is no rain,
00:50:18.97\00:50:22.23
or command
locusts to devour the land
00:50:22.26\00:50:25.14
or send
pestilence among my people."
00:50:25.17\00:50:27.61
Talking about God
sending calamity now.
00:50:27.64\00:50:30.29
So he is saying, "If
I disapprove of the way
00:50:30.32\00:50:33.76
that my people are living
these things I am going to do,
00:50:33.79\00:50:36.59
but what should your response be
00:50:36.62\00:50:38.09
when you see
these calamites coming?"
00:50:38.12\00:50:40.21
John, read verse 14 for us.
00:50:40.24\00:50:42.16
"If my people who are called by
my name will humble themselves,
00:50:42.19\00:50:46.25
and pray and seek my face
and turn from their wicked ways,
00:50:46.28\00:50:49.99
then I will hear from heaven
00:50:50.02\00:50:51.51
and will forgive their
sin and heal their land."
00:50:51.54\00:50:55.07
If you keep going, you'll find
00:50:55.10\00:50:56.65
that the word My
continually shows up.
00:50:56.68\00:51:00.24
I could say the
word My in verse 15.
00:51:00.27\00:51:03.09
My, my, 16. My,
my, my 17, 18, 19, 20.
00:51:03.12\00:51:09.35
Always
continually, my commandment,
00:51:09.38\00:51:12.29
my judgment, my
statues, my heart, my name,
00:51:12.32\00:51:15.34
my eyes, my lamb, my site.
00:51:15.37\00:51:18.06
The Lord is an essence
saying, I am the one that--
00:51:18.09\00:51:20.59
I am one that assessing
the inventory of my people.
00:51:20.62\00:51:24.26
And what they need
more than anything else.
00:51:24.29\00:51:26.58
That word if is a huge
word because if is the bridge
00:51:26.61\00:51:32.02
that keeps me on
this side of failure
00:51:32.05\00:51:34.93
or on this side of success.
00:51:34.96\00:51:37.35
If, and so many people that--
00:51:37.38\00:51:39.90
Two letters, but big, big words.
00:51:39.93\00:51:43.10
I mean, it makes
the difference between
00:51:43.13\00:51:45.29
a person who is
willing to humble himself
00:51:45.32\00:51:47.93
or willing to humble herself
00:51:47.96\00:51:50.23
or if my people
will humble themselves,
00:51:50.26\00:51:52.37
if my people will do this,
then here's what I will do.
00:51:52.40\00:51:55.72
So now, John, asking a question.
00:51:55.75\00:51:57.85
The burden of action is
on the side of the people,
00:51:57.88\00:52:02.05
but God promises,
there's that covenant again.
00:52:02.08\00:52:04.94
I've made a covenant,
this is what I am going to do,
00:52:04.97\00:52:07.95
if you're willing to do that.
00:52:07.98\00:52:11.52
Formally working in
the insurance industry,
00:52:11.55\00:52:14.35
they have in
policies, homeowner's policies,
00:52:14.38\00:52:17.53
other policies, various
things, conditions. Causes.
00:52:17.56\00:52:21.98
Well, no,
specifically conditions.
00:52:22.01\00:52:23.75
It says conditions
of this contract. Okay.
00:52:23.78\00:52:28.49
But if you do
this, we will do this.
00:52:28.52\00:52:31.94
And you need to
meet those conditions
00:52:31.97\00:52:33.47
before the policy itself will
be engage or kick into affect.
00:52:33.50\00:52:39.33
If you don't
meet those conditions,
00:52:39.36\00:52:41.01
it won't happen,
they won't do their piece.
00:52:41.04\00:52:43.56
And God is
essentially with the word If,
00:52:43.59\00:52:45.42
He is putting in
a condition there.
00:52:45.45\00:52:46.97
This is conditional,
if you pray, seek my face,
00:52:47.00\00:52:51.96
humble yourselves and
seek my face, I will respond.
00:52:51.99\00:52:54.45
Right.
00:52:54.48\00:52:56.24
And part of prayer
isn't just the words,
00:52:56.27\00:53:00.18
it's the act of humbleness
00:53:00.21\00:53:02.67
and it's the act of
turning from our wicked ways,
00:53:02.70\00:53:05.33
it's the act of warning
what God has to provide,
00:53:05.36\00:53:08.92
not warning what we want in
our prayers that causes Jesus,
00:53:08.95\00:53:13.46
the Lord to respond to us
00:53:13.49\00:53:15.75
and to pour out
his blessing upon us.
00:53:15.78\00:53:17.66
Because God wants to bless us,
00:53:17.69\00:53:18.81
but He doesn't
do so arbitrarily.
00:53:18.84\00:53:20.60
God blesses us
always on conditions.
00:53:20.63\00:53:22.46
Let me turn to another If,
00:53:22.49\00:53:24.20
all the way in
the New Testament,
00:53:24.23\00:53:25.57
1 John Chapter
5. 1 John Chapter 5.
00:53:25.60\00:53:29.28
That I like to read
verse 14 and verse 15.
00:53:29.31\00:53:33.90
1 John 5:14 and 15.
00:53:33.93\00:53:37.49
And pay particular attention
to the word, If, all right.
00:53:37.52\00:53:42.18
notice what it says in verse 14.
00:53:42.21\00:53:43.90
"Now this is the
confidence that we have in Him,
00:53:43.93\00:53:47.85
that if we ask
anything according to His will,
00:53:47.88\00:53:52.82
He hears us and if we
know that He hears us,
00:53:52.85\00:53:56.98
whatever we ask, we know
that we have the petitions
00:53:57.01\00:53:59.96
that we have asked of Him."
00:53:59.99\00:54:01.73
See, what's the condition here?
Asking according to His will.
00:54:01.76\00:54:06.92
If you do that, here's
what I'm willing to do.
00:54:06.95\00:54:10.00
God makes the
covenant on the condition
00:54:10.03\00:54:11.97
that we follow His prescribed
method of beseeching Him
00:54:12.00\00:54:17.99
or coming into oneness with Him.
00:54:18.02\00:54:19.95
If we do that, I will do this.
00:54:19.98\00:54:22.96
And there is another
piece to this too with prayer.
00:54:22.99\00:54:25.20
It's not just individual
prayer, it's corporate prayer,
00:54:25.23\00:54:29.00
it's coming together to prayer.
00:54:29.03\00:54:31.66
The evidence is
throughout scripture
00:54:31.69\00:54:34.30
that corporate
prayer does things
00:54:34.33\00:54:36.88
that individual
prayers won't do.
00:54:36.91\00:54:40.00
God response in a
way for His people
00:54:40.03\00:54:42.44
to corporate
prayer that He will not do
00:54:42.47\00:54:46.73
when we're just
praying individually.
00:54:46.76\00:54:49.36
And I believe
that it's time that we,
00:54:49.39\00:54:52.60
if we want revival as
a church, as a people,
00:54:52.63\00:54:55.74
we need to come
together and pray. That's right.
00:54:55.77\00:54:59.06
And seek God's face and spend
time together in united prayer.
00:54:59.09\00:55:02.66
And I tell you as a pastor,
00:55:02.69\00:55:04.62
this is one of the most
challenging things to do.
00:55:04.65\00:55:06.55
To get the people
out, outside of our
00:55:06.58\00:55:10.23
normal worship
services there for the week,
00:55:10.26\00:55:13.02
to get people to come
out and to pray together.
00:55:13.05\00:55:15.96
When you say we're gonna have
00:55:15.99\00:55:17.02
a prayer service
coming up on Wednesday night,
00:55:17.05\00:55:21.46
you get five or six
people that show up.
00:55:21.49\00:55:24.47
To me, everybody
needs to show up.
00:55:24.50\00:55:27.62
It's like the guy
that-- the pastor that--
00:55:27.65\00:55:30.78
was in the middle of a town
00:55:30.81\00:55:31.93
and they hadn't had
rain for a long time.
00:55:31.96\00:55:34.19
There's a lot of
spiritual analogies to this.
00:55:34.22\00:55:36.17
Hadn't had a rain
for very long time
00:55:36.20\00:55:38.41
and they were
desperate for rain.
00:55:38.44\00:55:40.95
And he said to the towns' people
that we're part of this church.
00:55:41.05\00:55:43.12
He said, I want you to come out
00:55:43.15\00:55:44.44
on Wednesday night
and we're gonna pray.
00:55:44.47\00:55:48.10
We're gonna pray for
rain, and many, many came out.
00:55:48.13\00:55:53.18
And as he looked out he said,
"I think we're in trouble."
00:55:53.21\00:55:58.40
People said, "Well, we
know we're in trouble."
00:55:58.43\00:56:00.12
But he said, "No."
00:56:00.15\00:56:01.18
He says, "We're in
trouble because I look around
00:56:01.21\00:56:03.64
I don't see
many umbrellas here."
00:56:03.67\00:56:07.03
Anyway, that's a kind of a thing
about faith and trust in God,
00:56:07.06\00:56:10.13
but coming together to
pray is what God wants us to do
00:56:10.16\00:56:14.96
and it moves upon His heart
to do for His people corporately
00:56:14.99\00:56:18.08
and it's a very important thing.
00:56:18.11\00:56:19.14
Yeah, we take it very lightly
I think as a church many times.
00:56:19.17\00:56:21.87
What I'm getting
out of that analogy
00:56:21.90\00:56:23.29
is that you just used was
I saw it in a different way
00:56:23.32\00:56:26.13
where a little boy
showed up with an umbrella
00:56:26.16\00:56:28.11
and he asked the
adults, "Where is your faith?"
00:56:28.14\00:56:30.83
You know, if you believe God
00:56:30.86\00:56:32.41
according to His promise
and His covenant He has made,
00:56:32.44\00:56:35.18
we have to have
some external evidence
00:56:35.21\00:56:37.92
that we believe that
God has made a covenant
00:56:37.95\00:56:40.26
and God will promise
and honor that covenant.
00:56:40.29\00:56:42.89
If you're praying for rain,
man, at least get an umbrella.
00:56:42.92\00:56:46.13
Show up with some evidence
00:56:46.16\00:56:47.34
that you truly trust
and believe the will of God.
00:56:47.37\00:56:49.90
Show up with some evidence that
00:56:49.93\00:56:51.53
you believe in the power
and the advocacy of prayer.
00:56:51.56\00:56:56.37
That's right, we'll
move upon the heart of God,
00:56:56.40\00:56:59.50
not to make Him do
something He doesn't want to do.
00:56:59.53\00:57:02.02
That's not what prayer is about.
00:57:02.05\00:57:03.34
Prayer changes us and
builds confidence in us.
00:57:03.37\00:57:06.02
Faith in us to
trust Him at His word
00:57:06.05\00:57:07.92
that He will do
according to what He says.
00:57:07.95\00:57:10.19
I was in Arizona and I
was-- We were coming down
00:57:10.22\00:57:12.41
on a big, big,
big mountain there
00:57:12.44\00:57:13.99
I mean, it was
like, thousand of feet up
00:57:14.02\00:57:15.93
and I thought, I love to
take a ride on the outside
00:57:15.96\00:57:19.24
'cause there was
one person up there
00:57:19.27\00:57:20.58
and I said to see the world in
a way that God sees it finally.
00:57:20.61\00:57:23.76
Well, friends, you know,
00:57:23.79\00:57:24.82
God is gonna make a
house call on your life.
00:57:24.85\00:57:26.85
And if you are a
praying person and trust in God,
00:57:26.88\00:57:29.63
you will meet the Lord in peace.
00:57:29.66\00:57:31.77
Make that decision
today. God bless you.
00:57:31.80\00:57:34.26