Music...
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Hello there... blessings...
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we want to welcome everybody
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to the 2020
Secrets Unsealed Summit.
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We pray that this
will be a blessing to you.
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Today's message that
we're going to be sharing
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is on Elijah and
the Kingdom of God.
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I want to open with a
text from Exodus chapter 19.
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It says, "Now therefore... "
verse 5... Exodus 19 verse 5...
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"Now therefore,
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if ye will obey My voice indeed
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and keep My
covenant... " my promises...
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"then you shall be a
peculiar treasure unto Me
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above all the people;
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for all the earth is Mine.
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And you shall be unto
Me a kingdom of priests
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and a holy nation. "
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It's interesting that it says,
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"we will be a
kingdom of priests. "
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Normally, in this
world, we see a separation
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of church and State.
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The kingdom represents
State... earthly power
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or political or civil power
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where a priest
represents spiritual authority
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but here God says,
"We shall be unto Him
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a kingdom of priests. "
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I want you just
to do some research.
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Our Savior who took
the throne in heaven...
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the Lord Jesus Christ...
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He was anointed as King
when He ascended on high.
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You can look this
up in Desire of Ages...
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last two
chapters of Desire of Ages
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tell about His inauguration...
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but what's beautiful
is the Bible tells us
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that He is also
our great High Priest
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and it tells us specifically
that He is a High Priest
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after the order of Melchizedek.
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The interesting
thing about Melchizedek
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is... he was king and
priest at the same time.
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He did not take the
throne and then become a priest
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or be a priest first
and then take the throne.
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He was both king and
priest at the same time
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just as our Savior.
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It's beautiful
here because He tells us
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and He repeats this
also in 1st Peter chapter 2.
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He talks about us
being a kingdom of priests.
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So, we want to look
at this at this kingdom
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and what this has to
do with the Elijah message
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that is going out into
the whole world right now.
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Pause...
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In Malachi chapter 4, the
Lord prophesies of our day.
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He says, "For
behold the day cometh,
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that shall burn as an oven;
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and all the proud, yea,
and all that do wickedly,
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shall be as stubble.
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And the day that is
coming shall burn them up,
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saith the LORD of hosts,
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that it shall leave them
neither root nor branch. "
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A lot of people will ask me...
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you know, because I used to
be involved in the Martial Arts
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and they'll say, "You know,
what if I'm doing Martial Arts
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but we don't have any
of the Spiritualism...
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we don't bow... we
don't... we don't meditate...
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you know, is there
anything wrong with that?"
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And my answer is
always very simple,
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"The one thing that Marital Arts
and all of the Eastern Mysticism
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and Hollywood and
the business world
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and the Music Industry...
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the one thing
above everything else
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that it puts inside
of a person is Pride.
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It turns men's eyes and
women's eyes to themselves
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rather than their eyes
being on the Lord God. "
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The Lord says right here,
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"The proud and all that do
wickedly... will be burned up. "
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It says that it will leave
them neither root nor branch.
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"But unto you... "
put your name in there...
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"unto you that fear My name
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shall the Sun of
Righteousness arise,
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with healing in His wings. "
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That word "wings" is important
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because in the Hebrew it
actually has a definition
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that is very eye opening.
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The word "wings" means
the borders of the garment.
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Do you remember when that
woman was pressing her way
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through the crowd...
trying to reach Jesus
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and she finally
bent down low probably
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where no one could see her
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and took hold of the
border of His garment
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and Jesus said,
"Somebody touched me
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because I felt virtue... "
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that means, "Divine Power"
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go out of Him.
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How did that woman
know that by touching Him,
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she would be healed?
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She knew because this
promise in Malachi said
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that He will have healing
in the borders of His garment
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and then the Lord promises
us... you shall go forth
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and grow up as
calves of the stall.
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Calves that grow
up out in the wild,
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you know, they've
got a different life...
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but a calf that is kept in
the stall... it's babied...
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they make sure that
it has the best food...
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it has the best milk...
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it has the best hay...
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they have a life of luxury.
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God says... we're going to grow
up as calves that are fed...
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like calves that
are fed in a stall.
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Pause...
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There are a number of
events that the Word of God
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and Sister White
tells us will take place
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just prior to the second
coming of the Lord Jesus Christ.
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The first thing that we talked
about in our previous message
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is the shaking...
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and all of this is taking place
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while the Elijah
message is being sounded.
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The shaking will take place
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and there is a reference in
Hebrews 12 verse 18 through 29
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I encourage you to
look up on your own.
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After the shaking,
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we are told the
Latter Rain will come.
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The Latter Rain is
absolutely essential
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for us to be able to make
it through the time of trouble
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and for us to be
able to give the loud cry
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of the righteousness of Christ.
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I want you to look up
when you have a chance
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Hosea chapter 6
verses 1 through 3.
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This is an important subject
that we all need to be praying
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and... and seeking the
Lord to better understand.
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In Matthew 17, the
disciples asked Jesus saying,
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"Why then say the scribes
that Elias... " or Elijah...
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"must first come?
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Then Jesus
answered and said unto them,
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'Elijah truly shall first come,
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and he shall
restore all things. '"
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The Bible says... he
will be one that restores
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the paths to dwell in...
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"But I say unto you,
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that Elias is come already,
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and they have done unto him
whatsoever they desired... "
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and here Jesus was
speaking of John the Baptist
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so, in the Old Testament,
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we have Elijah the prophet...
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then in the time of
Christ at His first advent,
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John the Baptist was
filled with the Spirit
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that Elijah was filled with.
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He went forth in the same power
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and under the same
commission that Elijah did
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but yet we have the promise
that Elijah will come again
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before the second advent
of the Lord Jesus Christ.
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Pause...
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In Malachi
chapter 4 verses 5 and 6,
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this prophecy was spoken
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between Malachi and the
advent of Jesus Christ...
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there was almost
500 years of space
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where there was
no prophet recorded.
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In the last chapter
of the last prophet,
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before Christ
came the first time,
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this is what we are told.
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"Behold, I will send
you Elijah the prophet
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before the coming of the great
and dreadful day of the LORD...
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and he shall turn
the hearts of the fathers
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back to their children,
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and the hearts of the
children to their fathers. "
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"And the disobedient to
the wisdom of the Just... "
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Luke tells us...
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"to make ready a people prepared
for our Sovereign King...
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the Lord Jesus Christ. "
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A lot of times when we
think about the Elijah message,
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we think about warning
the world about Babylon
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and... and warning the
world about the deceptions
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and the deceptions with what
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the Roman
Catholic Church is doing...
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we... we think of
the Elijah message
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as... you
know... like a sword...
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like we're going out to
battle with other people
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but when we look at
this verse in Malachi,
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it says that the
primary purpose of Elijah,
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is to turn the hearts of the
fathers back to the children.
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Do you know that right
now in... in our country
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and I'm sure across the world,
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we are seeing a
breakdown of family.
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We're seeing marriages
that are... are torn apart...
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we're also seeing
children and their parents...
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especially
children and their fathers
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being separated by rejection...
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by bitterness... by rebellion...
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by not feeling loved.
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Satan knows that
for us as a people
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to accomplish this work
that God has given us to do,
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he knows that the
family has to be strong...
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the marriage has to be strong...
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the children have to know
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that their fathers and
their mothers love them.
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They have to
know by experience...
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not just intellectually
but with the heart...
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they have to feel
loved by their father.
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A lot of times,
we as Christians...
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we say, "Well, we walk by
faith... not by feeling... "
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and that's correct
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but I want to
tell you something.
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How would you feel if the
Lord God spoke to you audibly
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and He told you, "Listen... "
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your name... Susie or
Mary of Joe or Eric or John...
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"Listen, John, I love you
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but my love is an
intellectual decision...
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I don't have feelings...
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I can't really
stand who you are...
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I can't stand the things you do
but I have chosen to love you. "
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How would that make you
feel if God said that to you?
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How would that make a
wife feel if her husband said,
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"Listen, I really
don't even like you...
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I mean, I don't
think you're pretty...
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you get on my nerves
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but I'm making a
choice to love you
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because it's the
right thing to do. "
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How do you think
that wife would feel?
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How do you think
a husband would feel
00:11:53.34\00:11:55.58
if his wife said that
00:11:55.61\00:11:57.41
or a son or a daughter
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or if their mother and
father said that to them?
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Pause.
00:12:01.38\00:12:03.65
We are not able to show
our family the love of God
00:12:03.69\00:12:09.09
because we have been lied to
00:12:09.12\00:12:11.36
and we think
that's how He views us.
00:12:11.39\00:12:14.53
The Bible tells us
over and over again
00:12:14.56\00:12:17.07
in the Old and
the New Testament...
00:12:17.10\00:12:20.04
He says that God longs for us...
00:12:20.10\00:12:22.97
long... longing
with His heart for us.
00:12:23.00\00:12:27.48
He misses us when we skip a day
00:12:27.51\00:12:30.15
and don't have time with Him.
00:12:30.21\00:12:33.55
God has emotions for us...
00:12:33.58\00:12:36.48
He has that desire for us.
00:12:36.52\00:12:39.42
Pause...
00:12:39.45\00:12:42.26
In Luke chapter 1,
00:12:42.29\00:12:43.76
John the Baptist's
father, Zechariah...
00:12:43.79\00:12:47.03
he spoke under the inspiration
of the spirit of God,
00:12:47.06\00:12:52.33
and listen to what
he said about his son.
00:12:52.37\00:12:54.40
"And thou child shall be called
the prophet of the Highest;
00:12:54.44\00:13:00.14
for thou shalt go before
the face of the Lord our King,
00:13:00.18\00:13:05.85
to prepare His paths...
00:13:05.88\00:13:08.58
to give
knowledge... understanding...
00:13:08.62\00:13:14.52
of salvation unto His people
00:13:14.56\00:13:17.96
through the
remission of their sins. "
00:13:17.99\00:13:21.86
Here we see
that John the Baptist
00:13:21.90\00:13:25.27
was not merely preaching the law
00:13:25.30\00:13:28.60
but to give an understanding
of the way of salvation
00:13:28.64\00:13:34.44
to His people through
the remission of their sins.
00:13:34.48\00:13:40.22
"Through the tender
mercy of our God... "
00:13:40.25\00:13:44.25
Malachi says,
00:13:44.29\00:13:45.62
"whereby through
which the Dayspring...
00:13:45.65\00:13:50.53
the Sun of Righteousness
from on high has visited us!"
00:13:50.56\00:13:54.70
It's important
there to notice something.
00:13:54.73\00:13:57.87
The knowledge of salvation
00:13:57.93\00:14:00.34
through the
remission of our sins.
00:14:00.37\00:14:02.34
It says in the next
verse, Luke chapter 1 verses 79,
00:14:02.37\00:14:08.11
"To give light to
those that sit in darkness
00:14:08.14\00:14:11.48
and in the shadow of death...
00:14:11.51\00:14:13.18
to guide our feet
in the way of peace!"
00:14:13.21\00:14:17.39
Have you ever
wondered about that?
00:14:17.42\00:14:18.89
What does it mean?
00:14:18.92\00:14:20.26
People were living
under the shadow of death?
00:14:20.29\00:14:21.79
Let me ask you a question,
00:14:21.82\00:14:23.66
"The wages of sin is... " what?
00:14:23.73\00:14:26.26
Pause.
00:14:26.29\00:14:27.96
"Death... "
00:14:28.00\00:14:29.33
How many sins you have to
commit to be worthy of death?
00:14:29.36\00:14:32.33
how many?
00:14:32.37\00:14:33.70
One.
00:14:33.74\00:14:35.20
Every single human
being that has ever been born
00:14:35.24\00:14:40.78
except for Jesus Christ
00:14:40.81\00:14:42.71
is born under
the shadow of death.
00:14:42.74\00:14:46.48
2nd Corinthians chapter
1 verses 9 and 10 tells us,
00:14:46.51\00:14:51.52
"For we had the
sentence of death in ourselves,
00:14:51.55\00:14:55.69
so that we should
not trust in ourselves...
00:14:55.72\00:14:59.36
but in God which
raiseth the dead!"
00:14:59.39\00:15:03.26
Hallelujah... that's exciting.
00:15:03.30\00:15:06.17
We were born under
the sentence of death
00:15:06.20\00:15:09.94
just like a slave 200 years ago
00:15:09.97\00:15:12.51
that was born to
two other slaves,
00:15:12.54\00:15:15.34
that child is
born to two slaves...
00:15:15.41\00:15:18.18
he is born... sold into sin...
00:15:18.21\00:15:21.55
he's born... sold into slavery.
00:15:21.58\00:15:24.42
It's not because
of what he did...
00:15:24.45\00:15:27.22
he's born that way
because his parents were slaves.
00:15:27.26\00:15:30.36
We were born in sin,
00:15:30.43\00:15:33.09
Romans chapter 5
verses 12 through 19 tells us,
00:15:33.13\00:15:36.26
because of what Adam did.
00:15:36.30\00:15:38.07
Pause...
00:15:38.10\00:15:41.44
Now look at word "remission... "
00:15:41.47\00:15:44.74
Elijah is to
show the knowledge...
00:15:44.77\00:15:47.98
the understanding of salvation
through the remission of sins.
00:15:48.01\00:15:52.05
The word "remission... "
there are two Greek words...
00:15:52.08\00:15:55.22
the main word and its root.
00:15:55.25\00:15:57.42
This is the
definition in Strong's...
00:15:57.45\00:16:00.72
pardon...
freedom... deliverance...
00:16:00.76\00:16:03.96
liberty from sin...
00:16:03.99\00:16:06.46
forgiveness for sin...
00:16:06.49\00:16:08.90
to send forth or to lay aside.
00:16:08.96\00:16:12.27
Do you know the Bible
says in Hebrews chapter 10
00:16:12.30\00:16:15.70
verses 4 through 20,
00:16:15.74\00:16:18.24
it talks about our Savior
00:16:18.27\00:16:20.48
versus the Old Testament economy
of sacrifices and offerings
00:16:20.51\00:16:27.75
and the Lord actually tells us
00:16:27.78\00:16:29.38
that the blood
of bulls and goats
00:16:29.42\00:16:32.35
could never take away sins.
00:16:32.39\00:16:35.52
All they did was cover sin.
00:16:35.56\00:16:38.69
It's almost like my
daughter coming to me
00:16:38.73\00:16:41.03
and she's got a good job now.
00:16:41.06\00:16:42.40
She says, "Daddy,
I've got a good job...
00:16:42.43\00:16:45.33
I'm making good money
00:16:45.37\00:16:46.70
but I don't have
any Credit History.
00:16:46.74\00:16:48.14
Would you co-sign for me
to get a loan for a car?"
00:16:48.17\00:16:52.54
And I co-signed that loan.
00:16:52.57\00:16:55.08
She still has to
make the payment...
00:16:55.11\00:16:57.91
me co-signing the
loan does not pay it off
00:16:57.95\00:17:02.58
but when Christ
cried out on Calvary,
00:17:02.62\00:17:06.29
He said, "It is finished... "
00:17:06.32\00:17:07.76
in Greek it
reads: Paid in full...
00:17:07.79\00:17:13.09
debt paid in full.
00:17:13.13\00:17:15.46
Pause...
00:17:15.50\00:17:17.90
When we look at what
happened, He is the Lamb of God
00:17:17.93\00:17:22.77
which took away
the sin of the world.
00:17:22.80\00:17:26.27
Isaiah 53 verses 1 through 12,
00:17:26.34\00:17:28.94
I encourage you to read that.
00:17:28.98\00:17:31.55
It says, All we like
sheep have gone astray;
00:17:31.58\00:17:35.08
we have turned
everyone to his own way... "
00:17:35.12\00:17:38.59
our own paths...
00:17:38.62\00:17:39.95
"and the LORD hath laid on Him
00:17:39.99\00:17:43.32
the iniquities of us all!"
00:17:43.36\00:17:46.66
All of us...
00:17:46.70\00:17:48.26
the word
"iniquity" means in Hebrew,
00:17:48.30\00:17:51.17
it means
"perversity and mischief. "
00:17:51.23\00:17:54.34
The word
transgression in Hebrew means:
00:17:54.37\00:17:57.47
rebellion and apostasy.
00:17:57.51\00:17:59.77
God laid all of it on Him...
00:17:59.81\00:18:04.45
not just the... the
slip-up if you make a mistake
00:18:04.48\00:18:08.62
but when you
rebelled against Him,
00:18:08.65\00:18:11.09
God put that on Jesus.
00:18:11.12\00:18:12.62
When you are involved in
some kind of perverse action
00:18:12.65\00:18:17.09
or you were doing
things that were crooked...
00:18:17.13\00:18:19.66
that's what the
word "perverse" means...
00:18:19.69\00:18:21.30
it's like an arrow that
you shoot out of the bow.
00:18:21.33\00:18:24.17
An arrow that is crooked
is called: a perverse arrow...
00:18:24.20\00:18:26.70
It's crooked.
00:18:26.74\00:18:28.07
God laid all of
that on Jesus personally.
00:18:28.10\00:18:32.34
I know when I was
young, I used to drink...
00:18:32.37\00:18:36.78
I used to drink probably
$200 worth of alcohol a week
00:18:36.81\00:18:39.58
by myself.
00:18:39.61\00:18:41.45
God put everything I ever
did under those circumstances
00:18:41.48\00:18:47.32
of being drunk...
00:18:47.36\00:18:48.69
He put it all on Jesus...
00:18:48.72\00:18:50.06
my personal sins
and your personal sins.
00:18:50.09\00:18:53.80
Now, listen to
what Ellen White says,
00:18:53.83\00:18:57.63
Youth's Instructor,
December 20, 1900...
00:18:57.67\00:19:01.44
"This entire chapter... "
00:19:01.47\00:19:04.17
she's speaking of Isaiah 53...
00:19:04.21\00:19:06.24
"should be committed to memory.
00:19:06.27\00:19:08.24
Its influence... "
00:19:08.28\00:19:10.51
if you read it out loud and
if you read your name into it,
00:19:10.55\00:19:13.88
"Its influence
will subdue and humble
00:19:13.92\00:19:17.39
every soul that
is defiled by sin
00:19:17.42\00:19:20.82
and uplifted by
pride or self-exaltation.
00:19:20.86\00:19:24.99
Think of Christ's humiliation.
00:19:25.03\00:19:27.80
He took upon Himself
fallen, suffering human nature,
00:19:27.83\00:19:34.20
degraded and defiled by sin. "
00:19:34.24\00:19:36.97
I'm not saying Christ ever
had sinned or committed sin.
00:19:37.01\00:19:41.31
Ellen White tells us that He
was not born identical to us.
00:19:41.34\00:19:45.61
We are born with one nature...
00:19:45.65\00:19:47.78
that of fallen Adam.
00:19:47.82\00:19:49.82
She says Christ was
born with two natures.
00:19:49.85\00:19:53.19
He had fallen human nature
00:19:53.25\00:19:55.82
and he had the divine
nature from His father.
00:19:55.86\00:19:59.96
So, through His
Father's presence and power...
00:20:00.00\00:20:04.07
through the power
of the Holy Spirit,
00:20:04.10\00:20:07.44
Christ conquered
our personal sins
00:20:07.47\00:20:10.71
through the
deity that was in Him.
00:20:10.77\00:20:13.98
"He endured all the temptations
wherewith man is beset. "
00:20:14.01\00:20:20.78
Listen to this:
00:20:20.82\00:20:22.78
"He united
humanity with Divinity:
00:20:22.82\00:20:26.82
a Divine Spirit dwelt
in a temple of flesh. "
00:20:26.86\00:20:32.96
That's her words.
00:20:32.99\00:20:34.56
He united
Himself with the temple.
00:20:34.60\00:20:38.77
Remember the Bible says,
we are the temple of God?
00:20:38.80\00:20:42.24
The Word was made
flesh and dwelt among us
00:20:42.27\00:20:46.94
because by so doing
thus, Jesus could associate
00:20:46.98\00:20:51.71
with the sinful sorrowing
sons and daughters of Adam.
00:20:51.78\00:20:55.22
Jesus is the
only hope of the soul
00:20:55.25\00:21:00.22
by faith... that's our
whole key to this Series...
00:21:00.26\00:21:04.33
by faith... that means
believing that God will do
00:21:04.36\00:21:08.43
and has done what He promised.
00:21:08.46\00:21:10.30
Every soul may
say with the Psalmist,
00:21:10.37\00:21:13.17
"Whom have I in
heaven but Thee, O Lord?
00:21:13.23\00:21:15.97
And there is none upon
earth that I desire beside thee.
00:21:16.00\00:21:21.21
"The moment the sinner
lays hold of Christ by faith,
00:21:21.24\00:21:26.21
that moment... his sins
are no longer upon him. "
00:21:26.25\00:21:30.32
I cannot tell you how
many Christians will call me
00:21:30.39\00:21:34.42
or e-mail me and they've fallen
00:21:34.46\00:21:36.22
and maybe it was a year ago...
00:21:36.26\00:21:37.99
maybe it was a month ago...
00:21:38.03\00:21:39.66
maybe it was a week ago...
00:21:39.69\00:21:41.30
maybe it was last night...
00:21:41.33\00:21:42.86
they've fallen
00:21:42.93\00:21:44.30
and they are so overwhelmed
by the guilt and the shame
00:21:44.33\00:21:48.80
and the devil... Satan...
00:21:48.84\00:21:50.81
his name means: the
accuser... is accusing them...
00:21:50.84\00:21:54.18
he's whispering
everything they've done wrong...
00:21:54.21\00:21:57.48
how helpless and
worthless they are...
00:21:57.51\00:21:59.71
"There's no hope for you... "
00:21:59.75\00:22:01.65
but he's a liar.
00:22:01.68\00:22:04.05
The Lord's servant says,
00:22:04.09\00:22:06.59
"The moment the sinner lays
hold on Christ by faith... "
00:22:06.62\00:22:09.69
that moment... his
sins are no longer upon him.
00:22:09.72\00:22:13.83
"Christ stands in
the sinner's place... "
00:22:13.90\00:22:17.97
in heaven... He
stands in the sinner's place
00:22:18.00\00:22:21.84
"and declares, 'I
have borne his guilt... '"
00:22:21.87\00:22:25.67
put your name in there...
00:22:25.71\00:22:27.54
"I have been punished
for his transgressions.
00:22:27.58\00:22:31.05
I have taken his or her sins,
00:22:31.08\00:22:35.78
and I have put My
righteousness upon them.
00:22:35.82\00:22:39.45
In Christ the
sinner stands guiltless
00:22:39.49\00:22:45.39
before the law of God!"
00:22:45.43\00:22:47.50
We've talked about that
over the last couple of messages
00:22:47.53\00:22:51.17
about us being
found as Paul says,
00:22:51.20\00:22:54.17
"In Christ... "
00:22:54.20\00:22:55.54
here the Lord's servant says
00:22:55.57\00:22:58.01
that in Christ the
sinner stands guiltless.
00:22:58.04\00:23:01.81
Guiltless does not
mean only forgiven...
00:23:01.84\00:23:05.55
it means: you never did
it, you're guilt free...
00:23:05.58\00:23:09.72
you never did it.
00:23:09.75\00:23:11.19
Ellen White calls
this: The Divine Exchange.
00:23:11.25\00:23:15.96
Christ takes our life from us
00:23:15.99\00:23:19.23
but the only way He
can do that is if He...
00:23:19.26\00:23:21.96
if we will allow
Him to impart His life
00:23:22.00\00:23:24.63
in exchange for ours.
00:23:24.70\00:23:26.50
Pause.
00:23:26.53\00:23:29.30
In Ezekiel
chapter 37 we're told,
00:23:29.34\00:23:32.54
"The hand of
the LORD was upon me
00:23:32.57\00:23:35.71
and He carried me out
in the Spirit of the LORD,
00:23:35.74\00:23:38.71
and He set me in
the midst of a valley
00:23:38.75\00:23:40.62
which was full of bones.
00:23:40.65\00:23:42.85
And He caused me to
pass by them round about. "
00:23:42.88\00:23:46.42
And then Ezekiel says,
00:23:46.45\00:23:48.69
"And behold, there were
very many in the open valley...
00:23:48.72\00:23:53.80
and lo, they were very dry!"
00:23:53.83\00:23:57.50
Do you remember all
those times in the gospels
00:23:57.53\00:24:00.44
where Jesus talked about
the scribes and Pharisees...
00:24:00.47\00:24:03.37
many of them...
00:24:03.41\00:24:04.74
and He said, they're
like whited sepulchers...
00:24:04.77\00:24:07.58
on the outside
they appear beautiful
00:24:07.61\00:24:10.31
but inside, they are
full of dead men's bones.
00:24:10.35\00:24:15.28
that's what
Ezekiel was seeing...
00:24:15.32\00:24:17.59
an open valley and
the bones were very dry.
00:24:17.62\00:24:22.29
And the Lord said unto Ezekiel,
00:24:22.32\00:24:24.99
"Son of man, can
these dry bones live?"
00:24:25.03\00:24:30.20
and Ezekiel answered,
00:24:30.23\00:24:32.50
"O Lord GOD... " Adonai Yahweh
00:24:32.53\00:24:36.67
"Thou only knowest. "
00:24:36.71\00:24:39.94
If you look at dry
bones, it seems impossible.
00:24:39.97\00:24:45.05
Sometimes, there are
different places in our country
00:24:45.08\00:24:48.62
where there hasn't been
rain and we had fires raging
00:24:48.68\00:24:52.19
and you know what
God is asking us to do?
00:24:52.22\00:24:54.42
"Don't look at the dry ground...
00:24:54.46\00:24:56.89
don't look at the
weather forecast...
00:24:56.93\00:24:59.56
look to the power
of the Word of God.
00:24:59.59\00:25:02.56
I can make those
dry bones live...
00:25:02.60\00:25:05.53
I can pour rain
from an empty sky. "
00:25:05.57\00:25:08.50
Zechariah 4:6 tells us,
"Not by might, nor by power,
00:25:08.54\00:25:15.81
but by my Spirit
saith the LORD of hosts. "
00:25:15.84\00:25:18.58
And Jesus tells us in John 6:63,
"The words I speak unto you,
00:25:18.61\00:25:23.69
they are Spirit,
and they are life. "
00:25:23.75\00:25:27.56
Pause.
00:25:27.59\00:25:30.83
As it is written in the book of
the words of Isaiah the prophet,
00:25:30.86\00:25:35.86
this is from Luke chapter
4 verse 6 and Matthew 3:3,
00:25:35.90\00:25:40.47
"The voice of one
crying in the wilderness... "
00:25:40.54\00:25:44.87
I live in North Carolina now...
00:25:44.91\00:25:47.51
my wife and I do and
it's green everywhere...
00:25:47.54\00:25:52.61
everything is green...
00:25:52.65\00:25:54.18
we get rain showers
almost every afternoon...
00:25:54.22\00:25:56.58
it's lush and green...
00:25:56.62\00:25:59.02
tall
mountains... rugged cliffs...
00:25:59.05\00:26:02.06
so, when I
thought of wilderness,
00:26:02.09\00:26:04.63
I've always
pictured... wilderness...
00:26:04.66\00:26:07.16
you know, like, Colorado or...
00:26:07.20\00:26:09.36
or the Rocky Mountains
00:26:09.40\00:26:10.93
or some place that's just lush
00:26:10.97\00:26:12.53
but that's not what
the word means in Hebrew,
00:26:12.57\00:26:14.60
it means: a desert...
00:26:14.64\00:26:15.97
a wilderness
means: a desolate place.
00:26:16.00\00:26:18.97
Speaking of
Isaiah, it says here,
00:26:19.01\00:26:22.14
of Elijah... it says...
00:26:22.18\00:26:24.68
"He shall be the voice of
one crying in the desolate place
00:26:24.71\00:26:29.42
in that valley of dry bones
00:26:29.45\00:26:31.55
saying, 'Prepare ye
the way of our King...
00:26:31.59\00:26:35.62
make His path straight...
00:26:35.66\00:26:38.29
every valley shall be filled
00:26:38.33\00:26:40.93
and every mountain
shall be brought low
00:26:40.96\00:26:43.57
and the crooked things
shall be made straight,
00:26:43.60\00:26:47.24
and the rough ways
shall be made smooth. "
00:26:47.27\00:26:50.81
That means that our
understanding of salvation...
00:26:50.87\00:26:54.88
God is going to straighten
out those crooked paths
00:26:54.91\00:26:58.88
where we have not understood
00:26:58.91\00:27:00.48
and then he says,
"And all flesh shall see
00:27:00.52\00:27:05.05
the salvation of God!"
00:27:05.09\00:27:06.82
Pause.
00:27:06.86\00:27:10.56
Isaiah chapter 32
verse 1 and 16 verse 5...
00:27:10.59\00:27:15.86
listen to the
promise the Lord makes.
00:27:15.90\00:27:18.30
"Behold, a King shall
reign in righteousness,
00:27:18.33\00:27:23.71
and princes shall
rule in judgment. "
00:27:23.74\00:27:27.44
Now, I want to go
back and re-read that
00:27:27.48\00:27:30.31
and put the
actual Hebrew words in.
00:27:30.35\00:27:33.15
"Behold, a King shall
reign in righteousness,
00:27:33.18\00:27:37.49
and princes... "
00:27:37.55\00:27:39.42
how do you become a
prince or a princess?
00:27:39.45\00:27:42.12
There's only one way...
00:27:42.16\00:27:44.19
that's if your father is a king.
00:27:44.23\00:27:46.19
He says, "and princes"
that means: the children of God.
00:27:46.23\00:27:51.53
"shall rule and have
dominion in the judgment.
00:27:51.57\00:27:57.41
And in mercy shall the
throne be established. "
00:27:57.44\00:28:01.41
Remember it says
there in Isaiah 32,
00:28:01.44\00:28:04.88
"A King shall reign... "
00:28:04.91\00:28:06.25
in chapter 16 he says,
00:28:06.28\00:28:07.98
"in mercy the throne
will be established. "
00:28:08.02\00:28:11.29
There was a question
that came to my mind:
00:28:11.32\00:28:14.52
What throne is
there in the sanctuary?
00:28:14.56\00:28:17.89
It's the Ark of the Covenant.
00:28:17.96\00:28:20.70
It has the two
covering cherubim's on it.
00:28:20.73\00:28:23.97
It has the Law
of God inside of it
00:28:24.00\00:28:26.74
and what is it that sits
between the two cherubim's?
00:28:26.77\00:28:29.70
A mercy seat...
00:28:29.74\00:28:32.67
that's the throne of God
00:28:32.71\00:28:34.71
but do you know
what's even more beautiful?
00:28:34.74\00:28:37.41
We know from God's
Word and from Sister White
00:28:37.45\00:28:40.05
that the throne
He wants to reign in
00:28:40.08\00:28:42.52
is not simply one in heaven,
00:28:42.58\00:28:44.92
He wants to reign on
the throne of our hearts
00:28:44.95\00:28:50.56
and He tells us: in mercy
the throne will be established.
00:28:50.59\00:28:56.06
"And He... "
speaking of Jesus...
00:28:56.10\00:28:58.83
"shall sit upon that
throne in unfailing verity...
00:28:58.87\00:29:04.11
in truth... in the
tabernacle of David.
00:29:04.14\00:29:07.34
Do you know what the
word "David" means in Hebrew?
00:29:07.38\00:29:10.91
It's the name of... of
the greatest king that we had
00:29:10.95\00:29:14.42
in the Bible
00:29:14.45\00:29:15.98
but do you know what
his name literally means?
00:29:16.02\00:29:17.59
It means: my well beloved.
00:29:17.62\00:29:19.92
God is promising
us that He... Jesus...
00:29:19.95\00:29:26.06
will sit in unfailing verity
00:29:26.09\00:29:28.80
in the tabernacle
of His well beloved.
00:29:28.86\00:29:32.30
That's you and I...
00:29:32.33\00:29:33.67
He will sit there
judging and seeking justice
00:29:33.70\00:29:37.81
and hasting righteousness.
00:29:37.84\00:29:40.74
The word "hasting" means...
to cause to flow with water.
00:29:40.78\00:29:44.45
"Until the Spirit be
poured upon us from on high,
00:29:44.48\00:29:50.89
and our wilderness
be a fruitful field,
00:29:50.92\00:29:54.72
and our
fruitful field be counted
00:29:54.76\00:29:58.26
or reckoned as a forest. "
00:29:58.29\00:29:59.89
This is from Isaiah
chapter 32 verses 15 through 17,
00:29:59.93\00:30:04.60
he says, "Then
judgment" or justice
00:30:04.63\00:30:07.67
"shall dwell in
the wilderness... "
00:30:07.70\00:30:10.71
in that desolate place
00:30:10.74\00:30:12.17
"and righteousness shall
remain in the fruitful field. "
00:30:12.21\00:30:15.64
Have you ever wondered why
God says: a fruitful field?
00:30:15.68\00:30:20.02
Galatians 2 tells us that
the fruits of the Spirit of God
00:30:20.05\00:30:24.35
are these.
00:30:24.39\00:30:25.72
He wants our hearts
and our lives to be filled
00:30:25.75\00:30:30.49
with the fruits of His Spirit.
00:30:30.53\00:30:32.93
He says,
"Righteousness shall remain
00:30:32.96\00:30:36.80
in the fruitful field... "
00:30:36.83\00:30:38.47
and then listen to this,
00:30:38.50\00:30:40.07
"The work of righteousness
shall be peace... "
00:30:40.14\00:30:44.71
peace between God and man...
00:30:44.74\00:30:47.48
"and the effect of righteousness
00:30:47.54\00:30:50.21
shall be quietness
and assurance forever!"
00:30:50.25\00:30:55.22
How many people
do you and I know
00:30:55.25\00:30:57.99
even in our own churches...
00:30:58.02\00:30:59.92
even in our own homes
00:30:59.95\00:31:02.02
that don't have peace
and don't have assurance?
00:31:02.09\00:31:07.16
God has promised
this in Christ Jesus.
00:31:07.20\00:31:11.33
Pause...
00:31:11.37\00:31:14.60
"For in Him... "
the Lord Jesus Christ
00:31:14.64\00:31:18.21
"mercy and truth
are met together,
00:31:18.24\00:31:21.74
righteousness and peace
have kissed each other!"
00:31:21.78\00:31:26.68
They've covenanted together.
00:31:26.72\00:31:30.05
Pause.
00:31:30.09\00:31:33.66
God tells us in Romans chapter 3
00:31:33.69\00:31:38.73
that because of what
Jesus did, God can now be just
00:31:38.76\00:31:44.50
and yet He can be the
justifier of all those
00:31:44.53\00:31:49.20
that ae willing
to believe in Jesus.
00:31:49.27\00:31:52.37
Do you know what the
word "Jesus" is in Hebrew?
00:31:52.41\00:31:55.14
Yeshua or Jehoshua...
however you want to pronounce it
00:31:55.18\00:31:59.38
Greek or Hebrew...
it's not a salvation issue
00:31:59.41\00:32:02.38
but it's interesting to
find out what the word means.
00:32:02.42\00:32:05.29
Jesus... in the Old
Testament... was Yeshua.
00:32:05.32\00:32:09.39
Do you know that that word
literally means: Jehovah saves
00:32:09.42\00:32:14.30
or Yahweh's salvation.
00:32:14.33\00:32:17.00
Jesus' very name is a
promise that God will save us.
00:32:17.07\00:32:21.40
Ellen White said...
there is nothing we can do more
00:32:21.44\00:32:25.77
to dishonour God
00:32:25.81\00:32:27.28
than by doubting
that He will save us.
00:32:27.31\00:32:30.05
Amen.
00:32:30.08\00:32:32.65
It says here:
00:32:32.68\00:32:34.78
"I will make her...
" that's you and I...
00:32:34.82\00:32:38.05
we're the daughter of
Zion... we're Christ's bride.
00:32:38.09\00:32:40.82
"I will make
her that halted... "
00:32:40.86\00:32:43.49
that was crippled
and limped and lame...
00:32:43.53\00:32:46.90
"I will make her a remnant
00:32:46.93\00:32:49.43
and her that was cast off,
I will make a strong nation...
00:32:49.46\00:32:53.97
and the LORD shall
reign in mount Zion. "
00:32:54.00\00:32:59.14
We are Zion... it's not
just some mountain in heaven,
00:32:59.17\00:33:03.55
it's Him reigning
within your and my life.
00:33:03.58\00:33:07.05
Daniel chapter 9
tells us of Zion...
00:33:07.08\00:33:10.72
"Thy city and Thy people which
are called by Thy name... "
00:33:10.75\00:33:15.39
The Lord shall reign in us
from henceforth even forever!"
00:33:15.42\00:33:20.86
And then he makes this promise
to Jesus... the Father did,
00:33:20.90\00:33:26.27
"And Thou, O Tower of the flock,
00:33:26.30\00:33:29.24
yeah, the Stronghold
of the daughter of Zion...
00:33:29.27\00:33:33.41
unto Thee shall it come,
00:33:33.44\00:33:35.98
even the first dominion;
00:33:36.01\00:33:38.48
yea, the Kingdom shall come
to the daughter of Jerusalem!"
00:33:38.51\00:33:43.05
God promised His Son that
all that was lost in Adam,
00:33:43.08\00:33:49.32
the Cross of
Christ will fully restore.
00:33:49.36\00:33:51.99
God promised His Son,
00:33:52.06\00:33:54.36
"I'm going to give you back
the dominion which Adam lost
00:33:54.40\00:33:59.27
through transgression to Satan
00:33:59.33\00:34:01.50
and Micah
chapter 4 verse 8 says...
00:34:01.54\00:34:04.84
Jesus took back that dominion.
00:34:04.87\00:34:08.21
It's interesting too as a note,
00:34:08.24\00:34:11.55
we're the bride of Christ.
00:34:11.58\00:34:13.55
Whatever belongs to
Jesus... if we have married Him,
00:34:13.58\00:34:18.69
we're not just
trying to date Him...
00:34:18.72\00:34:20.89
I hate to hear people say that.
00:34:20.92\00:34:23.26
We're not dating
God or dating Jesus...
00:34:23.29\00:34:26.33
He wants a bride.
00:34:26.36\00:34:27.70
If we have been married to
Him and become one with Him,
00:34:27.73\00:34:32.40
everything that
belongs to Him is ours
00:34:32.43\00:34:36.04
and that's why it says,
00:34:36.07\00:34:37.87
"Even unto Thee shall it
come, even the first dominion...
00:34:37.91\00:34:42.34
yea, the kingdom
shall come to us...
00:34:42.38\00:34:46.01
to the daughter of Jerusalem!"
00:34:46.05\00:34:48.18
Pause.
00:34:48.22\00:34:50.62
Jesus said in
Matthew 28 and in Mark 16,
00:34:50.65\00:34:54.79
"All power is given unto Me,
00:34:54.82\00:34:58.53
both in heaven and in earth.
00:34:58.56\00:35:02.20
Go ye therefore
into all the world
00:35:02.23\00:35:05.33
and proclaim these glad
tiding to every creature!"
00:35:05.37\00:35:08.50
I used to read that...
I could not comprehend it.
00:35:08.54\00:35:11.61
It was crooked to me...
I... I couldn't understand it.
00:35:11.64\00:35:14.64
It was rough.
00:35:14.71\00:35:16.04
I was like: what do you mean?
00:35:16.08\00:35:18.25
He had everything
in heaven and in earth
00:35:18.28\00:35:20.15
when He was in heaven?
00:35:20.18\00:35:21.82
And then I read
something from Sister White
00:35:21.85\00:35:23.72
and it's in the Bible
that helped to open my eyes.
00:35:23.75\00:35:26.79
Jesus came down
here and became a man.
00:35:26.82\00:35:30.26
When He ascended on high,
He is the man Christ Jesus...
00:35:30.33\00:35:37.63
fully Human... but yet,
fully Divine at the same time.
00:35:37.67\00:35:44.97
He took back what Adam lost
00:35:45.01\00:35:49.71
and now, He is King in
heaven and here on the earth.
00:35:49.74\00:35:55.25
In John... the gospel of John,
00:35:55.28\00:35:57.39
I think it's John
chapter 8 and John chapter 12,
00:35:57.42\00:35:59.85
you have to look it up.
00:35:59.89\00:36:01.22
Jesus actually said
something before Calvary.
00:36:01.26\00:36:04.19
He said, "The prince
of this world is coming,
00:36:04.23\00:36:07.40
but he hath nothing in me... "
00:36:07.43\00:36:10.00
and then He said
in the other verse,
00:36:10.03\00:36:12.83
He said,
00:36:12.87\00:36:15.90
"Now is the
judgment of this world,
00:36:15.94\00:36:18.07
now, if I be lifted up, I
will draw all men unto me... "
00:36:18.11\00:36:23.45
and He also said,
00:36:23.48\00:36:25.21
"Now the prince of
this world is cast out. "
00:36:25.25\00:36:28.28
Pause.
00:36:28.32\00:36:30.22
Christ took back the
dominion over the world
00:36:30.25\00:36:33.66
and that dominion
and power and authority
00:36:33.69\00:36:37.03
He has given unto us.
00:36:37.06\00:36:38.49
Pause.
00:36:38.53\00:36:43.26
Now, I want to
look at this personally
00:36:43.30\00:36:47.17
and I share this...
I share this because
00:36:47.20\00:36:50.67
all the years
I've been in ministry,
00:36:50.71\00:36:53.68
a lot of the
focus has been on...
00:36:53.71\00:36:56.64
on helping people to
understand doctrinally...
00:36:56.68\00:37:00.95
to understand the Word of God
00:37:00.98\00:37:02.72
and the Lord... in
the past year or two
00:37:02.78\00:37:06.22
has really been opening
my eyes to see something.
00:37:06.25\00:37:09.92
What we teach
has to be practical.
00:37:09.99\00:37:14.36
It has to change the life.
00:37:14.40\00:37:17.37
There are many times that
I have sat when I was younger
00:37:17.40\00:37:20.64
and I would watch a great
sermon by strong men of God
00:37:20.70\00:37:23.91
and I would go,
"Man, that is so neat... "
00:37:23.94\00:37:25.84
and I'd be taking notes
and I'd have pages of notes
00:37:25.87\00:37:28.64
from a Camp Meeting
00:37:28.68\00:37:30.25
and I would go home
and what I wrote down...
00:37:30.28\00:37:32.35
it was good... it was up here...
00:37:32.41\00:37:34.75
but it didn't affect my life,
00:37:34.78\00:37:37.05
it didn't change my
interaction with my family.
00:37:37.09\00:37:41.29
Pause...
00:37:41.32\00:37:43.93
I want to show you something...
00:37:43.96\00:37:45.29
the Bible says that
Jesus is High Priest
00:37:45.33\00:37:53.10
after the order of Melchizedek.
00:37:53.13\00:37:55.30
A priest has one purpose...
00:37:55.34\00:37:57.41
they intercede on
behalf of someone else...
00:37:57.47\00:37:59.84
an intercessor...
00:37:59.87\00:38:01.84
there's another word
that is also used: a Mediator.
00:38:01.88\00:38:04.91
A Mediator is like a... a...
00:38:04.98\00:38:07.88
somebody that
stands between two people.
00:38:07.92\00:38:10.69
Sometimes when I've
gone out of the country
00:38:10.72\00:38:13.29
and I've had to go somewhere
00:38:13.32\00:38:14.66
where English is not
the primary language,
00:38:14.69\00:38:16.06
I had to have an
interpreter there.
00:38:16.09\00:38:18.33
That's what a Mediator does.
00:38:18.36\00:38:19.79
They interpret for you
00:38:19.83\00:38:23.47
so, what Jesus does is:
00:38:23.50\00:38:27.10
He is mediating on our behalf.
00:38:27.14\00:38:30.61
It says, "He is the High Priest
of our profession... profession"
00:38:30.64\00:38:38.88
that means what you speak...
what you speak out loud.
00:38:38.91\00:38:42.35
If I get on my knees
00:38:42.38\00:38:45.52
and I'm praying
doubt and unbelief...
00:38:45.55\00:38:48.72
what does Christ have... to
interpret to the Father for me?
00:38:48.76\00:38:53.19
Pause.
00:38:53.23\00:38:54.56
Do you understand?
00:38:54.60\00:38:56.33
But if I get on my
knees and I open up God's Word
00:38:56.36\00:38:59.73
and I says, "God, I'm helpless
00:38:59.77\00:39:02.80
but Thou hast promised... "
00:39:02.87\00:39:05.84
and I take to
God His promises...
00:39:05.87\00:39:09.01
that's called:
praying in the Spirit...
00:39:09.04\00:39:11.21
"For the words I speak
unto you... " Jesus said,
00:39:11.28\00:39:13.45
"they are Spirit and life. "
00:39:13.48\00:39:15.18
When I go to God and
I take His Word to Him
00:39:15.22\00:39:18.82
and say, "Lord, you
swore with an oath to me
00:39:18.85\00:39:22.42
that you will save my children,
00:39:22.46\00:39:24.56
you swore with an oath to me
00:39:24.59\00:39:26.63
that you will
restore my marriage... "
00:39:26.66\00:39:28.66
as He told my wife...
00:39:28.70\00:39:30.33
He promised my wife in His Word,
00:39:30.37\00:39:33.13
"What I have joined together,
let no man put asunder. "
00:39:33.17\00:39:36.64
When you go to
God with His promises,
00:39:36.67\00:39:41.18
then Jesus has God's own promise
00:39:41.21\00:39:45.78
to present to the Father
00:39:45.81\00:39:47.55
and do you know what God does?
00:39:47.58\00:39:49.12
There's nothing that
brings Him greater joy
00:39:49.18\00:39:51.75
than for us to
wrestle in faith like that.
00:39:51.79\00:39:54.29
Pause...
00:39:54.32\00:39:55.66
In Proverbs chapter 18,
the Lord tells us something,
00:39:55.69\00:40:00.53
He says, "Death and life
are in the power of our tongue
00:40:00.56\00:40:05.47
and they that love
shall eat the fruit thereof!"
00:40:05.53\00:40:10.24
Pause...
00:40:10.27\00:40:11.97
They that love
will eat the fruit...
00:40:12.01\00:40:14.71
they will gain the
benefits of that love.
00:40:14.74\00:40:17.18
Pause.
00:40:17.25\00:40:19.18
When you look
the word "Love" up,
00:40:19.21\00:40:21.45
the perfect and
number one definition
00:40:21.48\00:40:23.82
in all of the
Bible is John 15:13.
00:40:23.85\00:40:26.09
Jesus said, "No greater
love hath any man than this,
00:40:26.12\00:40:30.23
that a man lay down
his life for his friends. "
00:40:30.29\00:40:34.06
That's what love is...
00:40:34.10\00:40:36.53
true love is
sacrificing ourselves
00:40:36.56\00:40:40.77
on behalf of every other.
00:40:40.80\00:40:43.81
Sometimes it's easy to tell,
00:40:43.84\00:40:46.78
you know, your
wife or your husband,
00:40:46.81\00:40:48.28
"I love you"
00:40:48.31\00:40:49.64
or your children, "I
love you, have a good day. "
00:40:49.68\00:40:51.25
One morning, I woke up
00:40:51.28\00:40:53.78
and I've shared
this story before,
00:40:53.82\00:40:56.82
but I know we have people
here that may not have heard it.
00:40:56.85\00:40:59.62
I woke up one morning
and my wife was asleep...
00:40:59.65\00:41:02.52
she was still a
school teacher...
00:41:02.56\00:41:03.89
she's now a Principal
00:41:03.93\00:41:05.26
but because she was so
busy with her school work
00:41:05.29\00:41:09.26
and... and grading
and everything else
00:41:09.30\00:41:12.10
and helping to get everything
taken care of with the family,
00:41:12.13\00:41:14.50
I would get up in the
morning and I would help my wife
00:41:14.54\00:41:17.34
and I would make the
lunches for her and our children
00:41:17.41\00:41:20.18
and I would make
everybody's breakfast
00:41:20.21\00:41:22.88
and I'm in ministry
while I'm doing this
00:41:22.91\00:41:25.51
and I woke up one
morning and I went in there
00:41:25.55\00:41:28.55
and I'm... I'm making lunches,
00:41:28.58\00:41:30.09
and I got them all
packed for everybody
00:41:30.12\00:41:31.95
and set over by the
door... on the counter
00:41:31.99\00:41:33.92
and then I went to
make everybody's breakfast
00:41:33.96\00:41:35.89
and my wife had
something special
00:41:35.92\00:41:38.23
and then the two
children wanted, like, granola
00:41:38.26\00:41:40.33
and they always like
berries and banana in it
00:41:40.36\00:41:43.10
and I went over to
where the bananas were
00:41:43.13\00:41:45.83
and we had two bananas left.
00:41:45.87\00:41:47.20
Now, I also would eat
a banana every morning,
00:41:47.24\00:41:49.60
I would have a
smoothie and toast or something,
00:41:49.64\00:41:52.27
so, there were two bananas left
00:41:52.31\00:41:54.44
so, I knew I've got
to split one of them
00:41:54.51\00:41:56.08
between my two children
00:41:56.11\00:41:57.78
and the other one,
I'll save for the smoothie.
00:41:57.81\00:41:59.38
Well, the
bananas were not joined,
00:41:59.41\00:42:01.68
you know, anymore at the stem...
00:42:01.72\00:42:03.95
they were like, you know,
00:42:03.99\00:42:05.55
the bananas that were
sort of like the leftover
00:42:05.59\00:42:07.59
of the rest of the... the bunch.
00:42:07.62\00:42:09.46
One of them looked still
really firm and healthy...
00:42:09.49\00:42:14.16
the other banana looked
like it had seen better days...
00:42:14.20\00:42:19.27
bruised... more brown spots
on it where it was getting ripe
00:42:19.30\00:42:24.34
and I did not
even think about it
00:42:24.37\00:42:27.74
but I'm sitting there and a
thought went through my head,
00:42:27.78\00:42:32.45
and the thought was in my voice
00:42:32.48\00:42:33.88
because when the devil
talks to us and whispers to us
00:42:33.92\00:42:36.58
normally he
whispers in our own voice
00:42:36.62\00:42:39.15
so that we won't recognize
that the thought is not our own.
00:42:39.19\00:42:41.89
So, I'm looking at those bananas
00:42:41.92\00:42:44.09
and I pick them up
and I'm like, "Okay,
00:42:44.13\00:42:45.46
I'll save that good one
for me for that smoothie
00:42:45.49\00:42:48.10
and I took the other one that
was, you know, less desirable
00:42:48.13\00:42:51.50
and I peeled it... I cut
half of it up in their cereal
00:42:51.53\00:42:54.94
and half up in the other
00:42:54.97\00:42:56.30
and then the Lord
spoke to me and said,
00:42:56.34\00:42:58.11
"Eric, you didn't prefer
your children over yourself... "
00:42:58.14\00:43:00.61
I mean, just a still small voice
00:43:00.64\00:43:02.64
and you know what I did?
00:43:02.68\00:43:04.08
I pushed that voice to the back
00:43:04.11\00:43:06.11
so, I acted like
I could not hear Him
00:43:06.15\00:43:09.08
and you know what I justified?
00:43:09.12\00:43:11.05
I said, "Well, they're going to
be chewing this cereal up anyway
00:43:11.09\00:43:14.56
the bruises aren't going
to make any difference... "
00:43:14.59\00:43:16.36
and you know
what God spoke to me?
00:43:16.39\00:43:18.33
I mean, He spoke to me.
00:43:18.39\00:43:19.73
He said, "Eric, you're going to
put your banana in a blender...
00:43:19.76\00:43:21.93
what's the difference?"
00:43:21.96\00:43:24.23
And I stepped back and
I looked at those bananas
00:43:24.27\00:43:28.44
and I realized the selfishness
that was inside of me
00:43:28.47\00:43:32.57
and I said, "God, I trust you,
I'm going to do what you want. "
00:43:32.61\00:43:37.65
I took those little pieces
of the children's banana...
00:43:37.68\00:43:40.72
already cut up... put
them in a zip-lock bag,
00:43:40.75\00:43:43.99
stuck them in the
freezer and I said,
00:43:44.02\00:43:45.35
"I'll eat that bruised
banana for breakfast... "
00:43:45.39\00:43:47.96
and I gave them
that fresh banana.
00:43:47.99\00:43:49.89
They never knew...
00:43:49.92\00:43:51.59
they didn't have any
idea that that had happened
00:43:51.63\00:43:53.36
but God knew what
was inside my heart.
00:43:53.40\00:43:55.56
Love is the sacrifice
of yourself for others.
00:43:55.60\00:44:01.37
Pause.
00:44:01.40\00:44:06.31
Listen to this statement,
00:44:06.34\00:44:07.88
"Jesus did not come to men
with commands and threatenings,
00:44:07.91\00:44:14.48
but with love that
is without a parallel. "
00:44:14.52\00:44:18.29
I was raised in a home
00:44:18.32\00:44:20.86
and I know my parents...
my mother and father...
00:44:20.89\00:44:23.32
they did what
they thought was right.
00:44:23.36\00:44:25.63
You know, I did the same thing.
00:44:25.69\00:44:27.40
When my children were young,
00:44:27.43\00:44:29.06
I tried to teach
them righteousness
00:44:29.10\00:44:31.33
and the love of God with
commands and threatenings
00:44:31.37\00:44:34.77
and you know what?
00:44:34.80\00:44:36.14
It doesn't
work... it doesn't work.
00:44:36.17\00:44:38.64
We have people in
our... our churches...
00:44:38.67\00:44:41.28
not just our churches...
every denomination right now
00:44:41.34\00:44:44.18
that are saying, "What do we
do to keep our young people...
00:44:44.25\00:44:47.52
to keep our children?"
00:44:47.55\00:44:48.88
You have to win
their hearts by love...
00:44:48.92\00:44:52.65
by sacrificing
yourself on behalf of them.
00:44:52.69\00:44:56.59
Ellen White goes on and
says in "Confrontation" page 72
00:44:56.62\00:45:01.70
"Love begets love... "
00:45:01.76\00:45:05.33
sacrificing yourself
on behalf of your family
00:45:05.37\00:45:10.01
will cause them to want
to sacrifice on your behalf.
00:45:10.04\00:45:15.04
She's says, "Thus the love
of Christ displayed on the cross
00:45:15.11\00:45:21.35
woos and wins the sinner,
00:45:21.38\00:45:25.35
and binds them
repenting to the cross,
00:45:25.39\00:45:29.29
believing and
adoring the matchless depths
00:45:29.32\00:45:33.19
of a Savior's love!"
00:45:33.23\00:45:34.56
I just went to a
Camp Meeting recently
00:45:34.60\00:45:37.43
and we were
sharing messages there
00:45:37.47\00:45:39.60
and it was a
family camp meeting.
00:45:39.63\00:45:41.70
It was designed for the
restoration of marriages
00:45:41.74\00:45:44.87
and children to their parents
00:45:44.91\00:45:46.34
and, you know, every
Speaker that was there
00:45:46.37\00:45:48.98
brought this out.
00:45:49.01\00:45:50.68
The number one thing
that is causing our children
00:45:50.71\00:45:53.31
to leave the church
00:45:53.35\00:45:54.78
is because they don't believe
that God really loves them
00:45:54.82\00:45:57.75
even when they
mess up and do wrong.
00:45:57.79\00:46:00.16
Pause.
00:46:00.19\00:46:02.52
And do you know why
they don't believe that?
00:46:02.56\00:46:03.89
Because their
parents don't believe it.
00:46:03.93\00:46:05.86
I was that parent.
00:46:05.89\00:46:07.56
I thought that God loved me
00:46:07.60\00:46:11.30
on a great day when I
was doing everything perfect
00:46:11.33\00:46:15.00
and I had not failed
00:46:15.04\00:46:16.37
and I thought that
God only tolerated me
00:46:16.40\00:46:19.91
when I messed up and failed
00:46:19.97\00:46:22.74
and because of that...
00:46:22.78\00:46:24.81
because that was
my picture of God...
00:46:24.85\00:46:27.42
that was how I portrayed God
to my wife and to my children.
00:46:27.45\00:46:31.32
I showed that kind of love...
00:46:31.35\00:46:34.19
"God is angry when you mess up
00:46:34.22\00:46:37.03
but He loves you
when you do good... "
00:46:37.06\00:46:39.56
and you know what? It
terrified my children.
00:46:39.59\00:46:41.56
They got to the
point where they were like,
00:46:41.60\00:46:43.57
"I don't want anything
to do with that God... "
00:46:43.60\00:46:45.27
and you know Ellen
White even says that...
00:46:45.30\00:46:47.97
if you read "Adventist Home"
00:46:48.00\00:46:49.34
she talks about...
00:46:49.37\00:46:50.71
"We should never scare
or try to just scare a child
00:46:50.74\00:46:55.54
into doing right. "
00:46:55.58\00:46:57.18
She said, "That's
the way Satan works...
00:46:57.21\00:46:59.51
not the way that Jesus does. "
00:46:59.55\00:47:00.92
Pause.
00:47:00.98\00:47:07.56
When we deal with
brothers and sisters
00:47:07.59\00:47:10.73
and we have them come to us
00:47:10.76\00:47:12.19
and they have
questions about their family...
00:47:12.23\00:47:14.60
they have questions
about their husbands
00:47:14.63\00:47:19.47
and their
children and their wives,
00:47:19.50\00:47:22.37
I want to show you
00:47:22.40\00:47:24.84
that I've got to be
careful how I do this
00:47:24.87\00:47:28.78
because we have
a mixed audience.
00:47:28.84\00:47:31.35
I want to show you what
happens in a very simple way
00:47:31.41\00:47:36.32
when somebody does not
understand the love of God.
00:47:36.35\00:47:41.22
Pause...
00:47:41.26\00:47:44.53
When a child is
nursing from its mother,
00:47:44.56\00:47:48.70
when the mother
is breast-feeding,
00:47:48.73\00:47:50.70
there is a chemical released
inside of the child's brain
00:47:50.73\00:47:56.50
called: Oxytocin.
00:47:56.54\00:47:57.87
That same
chemical is also released
00:47:57.91\00:48:01.71
within the brain of the mother.
00:48:01.74\00:48:03.95
God put that chemical there
00:48:03.98\00:48:06.08
because the chemical is
not just a feel-good chemical,
00:48:06.11\00:48:09.08
it's a chemical of comfort...
00:48:09.15\00:48:11.25
it's a chemical that
causes you to feel loved
00:48:11.29\00:48:14.42
and cared for and comforted
00:48:14.46\00:48:16.59
and secure and safe...
00:48:16.62\00:48:18.59
pause...
00:48:18.63\00:48:21.06
when someone does not feel
loved... and I mean, feel it...
00:48:21.10\00:48:28.17
you could say it but
that doesn't mean anything.
00:48:28.20\00:48:31.07
If they do not feel
that you really care for them
00:48:31.11\00:48:34.01
and love them,
00:48:34.04\00:48:35.38
they... without even
realizing what they're doing...
00:48:35.41\00:48:39.18
they will seek for that
comfort from some other source.
00:48:39.21\00:48:43.18
It can be partying...
00:48:43.22\00:48:44.75
it can be drinking...
00:48:44.82\00:48:46.29
it's also interesting to
find that the drug Cocaine...
00:48:46.32\00:48:51.49
when it is taken,
it releases a chemical
00:48:51.53\00:48:55.40
that is almost
identical to Oxytocin...
00:48:55.43\00:48:59.23
almost identical
00:48:59.30\00:49:01.20
and again, I want to
be careful how I say this,
00:49:01.24\00:49:05.71
pause...
00:49:05.74\00:49:07.74
you know how there
used to be a... a...
00:49:07.78\00:49:09.78
a statement that was made
00:49:09.81\00:49:11.15
about people that
were searching for love
00:49:11.18\00:49:13.01
in all the wrong places...
00:49:13.05\00:49:14.38
have you ever heard that before?
00:49:14.42\00:49:15.75
Pause...
00:49:15.78\00:49:18.52
When a man or a woman
does not feel loved at home
00:49:18.55\00:49:23.06
or by God,
00:49:23.09\00:49:24.79
they search for
that chemical release...
00:49:24.83\00:49:28.36
even though they don't
realize that's what it is...
00:49:28.40\00:49:30.47
in all the wrong places.
00:49:30.50\00:49:32.57
If that be watching
movies that are sensual
00:49:32.60\00:49:36.87
or that have women on
there that you like looking at,
00:49:36.91\00:49:40.04
you think they're pretty...
00:49:40.08\00:49:41.41
they call it, I think
now a days a celebrity crush,
00:49:41.44\00:49:44.68
if it be looking at magazines...
00:49:44.71\00:49:48.78
if it be looking on the
internet... at pornography...
00:49:48.82\00:49:51.92
the same chemical,
Oxytocin, as well as Dopamine
00:49:51.95\00:49:56.36
is released while
viewing those types of images
00:49:56.39\00:50:00.80
and it's addictive.
00:50:00.83\00:50:02.83
People do not realize that.
00:50:02.86\00:50:04.83
That type of desire is
even more addictive than Cocaine
00:50:04.87\00:50:09.54
because the chemical...
00:50:09.57\00:50:11.64
God designed it to
be released within us
00:50:11.67\00:50:14.98
between a mother and a
child that's nursing...
00:50:15.01\00:50:17.78
that's what binds a
mother to her children
00:50:17.81\00:50:20.68
but do you know
what God also designed?
00:50:20.72\00:50:23.49
He also designed that that
same chemical would be released
00:50:23.52\00:50:27.46
in an unbelievable way
00:50:27.49\00:50:29.32
when a husband and a
wife are joined as one.
00:50:29.36\00:50:32.79
Satan has done everything he can
00:50:32.83\00:50:36.36
to counterfeit that
00:50:36.43\00:50:37.80
so, he is working
to cause people to feel
00:50:37.83\00:50:43.30
that God has rejected
them because of their love...
00:50:43.34\00:50:45.51
their wife has rejected them...
00:50:45.54\00:50:47.34
their husband
has rejected them...
00:50:47.38\00:50:49.21
their parents
have rejected them...
00:50:49.24\00:50:51.71
and because they
feel that rejection,
00:50:51.75\00:50:54.12
they begin searching
in sinful, ungodly ways
00:50:54.18\00:50:59.39
to find that attachment again.
00:50:59.42\00:51:02.02
Many of the women that...
that expressed need for help
00:51:02.09\00:51:09.40
at these Camp Meetings...
00:51:09.43\00:51:11.60
they talked about the fact
00:51:11.63\00:51:13.74
that they did not feel
that their husband loved them.
00:51:13.77\00:51:16.17
He could tell them he loved them
00:51:16.20\00:51:18.47
but they didn't feel love.
00:51:18.51\00:51:20.81
I've had many men that have...
have written to me or called me
00:51:20.84\00:51:25.28
and they will talk about...
"I've got problems with my wife"
00:51:25.31\00:51:29.68
and I'm like,
"Well, describe it...
00:51:29.75\00:51:31.09
what kind of problems?"
00:51:31.12\00:51:32.45
"I can't stand her...
00:51:32.49\00:51:33.82
I mean, like, I
cannot stand her,
00:51:33.86\00:51:35.19
she gets on my nerves... "
00:51:35.22\00:51:36.56
The first question I ask them...
the very first question...
00:51:36.59\00:51:39.53
"Have you ever
looked at pornography?"
00:51:39.59\00:51:42.06
and if they answer "yes"
00:51:42.10\00:51:43.97
I'll say, "When
was the last time?"
00:51:44.00\00:51:45.33
"Well, it was six months
ago but I repented of that. "
00:51:45.37\00:51:49.40
I'm like, "You
don't understand...
00:51:49.44\00:51:51.07
when you look and desire
that woman in that picture,
00:51:51.11\00:51:54.51
whether it be on
the screen or in a book
00:51:54.54\00:51:56.85
or wherever...
00:51:56.88\00:51:58.21
a billboard when you're
driving down the highway...
00:51:58.25\00:52:00.72
'if you have
looked with desire... '
00:52:00.75\00:52:02.48
Jesus says, you've already
committed adultery with her
00:52:02.52\00:52:05.15
in your heart... you
have been joined to her. "
00:52:05.22\00:52:08.26
Paul says in 1st
Corinthians chapter 6...
00:52:08.29\00:52:11.43
"Don't you realize that
he that is joined to a harlot
00:52:11.46\00:52:15.13
becomes one flesh. "
00:52:15.16\00:52:17.80
So, whatever evil
spirits are influencing her,
00:52:17.83\00:52:22.07
now, have legal rights
to begin tormenting you.
00:52:22.10\00:52:26.24
When someone brings those
spirits into their marriage,
00:52:26.27\00:52:33.01
those spirits will
do everything they can
00:52:33.05\00:52:35.05
to destroy that marriage.
00:52:35.08\00:52:36.42
Pause.
00:52:36.45\00:52:39.09
For a father to love his wife
or a husband to love his wife,
00:52:39.12\00:52:42.86
he has to know
first that God loves Him
00:52:42.89\00:52:47.00
and he has to know God's
power to keep him from falling.
00:52:47.03\00:52:50.43
For a mother to love her husband
00:52:50.47\00:52:53.00
or a wife to love her husband...
00:52:53.03\00:52:55.54
for her to do that,
00:52:55.57\00:52:57.34
she has to first
know the love of God
00:52:57.37\00:53:01.24
which passes all understanding
00:53:01.28\00:53:03.18
because if she
knows that God loves her,
00:53:03.21\00:53:05.71
no matter what
the circumstances are,
00:53:05.75\00:53:08.18
she's secure...
00:53:08.22\00:53:09.55
she's not looking to her
husband to fulfill that need.
00:53:09.58\00:53:13.69
She can then love her husband
00:53:13.72\00:53:15.92
without expecting
anything in return
00:53:15.96\00:53:18.76
and for a child to know that
God and Jesus really love them,
00:53:18.79\00:53:24.83
they have to
feel that love of God
00:53:24.87\00:53:28.47
through their
father and their mother.
00:53:28.50\00:53:32.51
This is why
Satan hates families...
00:53:32.54\00:53:36.18
this is why he
hates marriages...
00:53:36.24\00:53:39.68
this is why he
hates the relationships
00:53:39.71\00:53:42.42
that God has designed
00:53:42.48\00:53:43.82
and he's doing everything
he can to destroy them.
00:53:43.85\00:53:46.86
We have to know what
took place on Calvary.
00:53:46.89\00:53:52.29
We have to know that
our sins were blotted out
00:53:52.33\00:53:57.70
when Christ
yielded up His Spirit.
00:53:57.73\00:54:00.24
We have to know the
power of His resurrection.
00:54:00.27\00:54:04.54
As Paul says in Romans chapter 6
00:54:04.57\00:54:06.94
that when He was raised,
00:54:06.98\00:54:09.01
we were raised to
walk in newness of life.
00:54:09.04\00:54:12.98
If you know the gospel...
00:54:13.01\00:54:16.45
if you know
personally by experience
00:54:16.48\00:54:19.85
the glad tidings,
00:54:19.89\00:54:21.22
then the light of
Christ will shine in your home.
00:54:21.26\00:54:26.83
It's not just legal doctrines
that we have to know...
00:54:26.90\00:54:32.20
we have to know the
power and the love of our God.
00:54:32.23\00:54:37.54
"Love begets
love.. " Ellen White said.
00:54:37.57\00:54:41.94
My wife... she was
raised Roman Catholic,
00:54:41.98\00:54:46.28
I think she's probably the
only person in ten generations
00:54:46.31\00:54:50.32
in her family that ever
left the Catholic Church
00:54:50.35\00:54:52.59
but I want to
tell you something,
00:54:52.62\00:54:54.46
she understood this long
before I ever even grasped it.
00:54:54.49\00:54:59.39
I remember when my son
had reached teenage years,
00:54:59.43\00:55:06.84
14... 15... 16...
00:55:06.90\00:55:09.40
he loves to play ball...
00:55:09.47\00:55:11.91
it doesn't matter if it's
soccer, football, baseball,
00:55:11.94\00:55:15.14
basketball... my son
loves anything outdoors,
00:55:15.18\00:55:18.31
kayaking... rope climbing...
00:55:18.38\00:55:20.62
tree climbing...
whatever it is...
00:55:20.68\00:55:22.15
and he would come home from
school at 14... 15 years old
00:55:22.18\00:55:28.06
and at that age, it
was like there was a wedge
00:55:28.09\00:55:31.76
that the devil was trying
to put between my son and I
00:55:31.79\00:55:34.30
and I could feel it but
I didn't know how to fix it
00:55:34.36\00:55:36.83
and I didn't realized
for his whole 15 years,
00:55:36.87\00:55:42.37
I had been
teaching the gospel to him
00:55:42.40\00:55:44.87
with commands and threatenings
00:55:44.94\00:55:46.61
and my wife knew
and she was like...
00:55:46.68\00:55:50.25
Eric, don't sit there and
lecture your son and daughter,
00:55:50.28\00:55:53.78
our son and daughter
00:55:53.82\00:55:55.15
because when you start lecturing
with commands and threatenings,
00:55:55.18\00:55:59.35
she said,
they're listening to you
00:55:59.39\00:56:01.26
but you can see
their eyes just glaze over
00:56:01.29\00:56:03.79
and it's like, they're gone.
00:56:03.83\00:56:05.16
They're running
from the kitchen table
00:56:05.19\00:56:07.43
because they don't
want to hear another lecture
00:56:07.50\00:56:09.13
and I was like, "Yeah, but
I want them to be in heaven...
00:56:09.16\00:56:11.73
I want them to
do what's right. "
00:56:11.77\00:56:13.37
You know, and my wife was
like, "that won't fix it. "
00:56:13.40\00:56:16.60
One day I was in there
working in the Ministry...
00:56:16.64\00:56:19.67
working for the Lord
00:56:19.71\00:56:21.14
and my wife came
in there... she said,
00:56:21.18\00:56:22.51
"Why don't you go outside,
our son just got home...
00:56:22.54\00:56:24.55
he's out there
shooting basketball by himself
00:56:24.61\00:56:26.35
you know, in our driveway... "
00:56:26.38\00:56:27.72
and I said, "Honey, I've
got more important things to do
00:56:27.75\00:56:30.69
than... than shoot basketball.
00:56:30.72\00:56:32.05
I mean, Christ is coming... "
00:56:32.09\00:56:33.42
and she looked
at me and she said,
00:56:33.46\00:56:34.96
"So, what are you going to do?
00:56:34.99\00:56:36.42
Save the whole world
and our own son be lost?"
00:56:36.46\00:56:39.29
She said, "Take 15
minutes and go out there
00:56:39.33\00:56:42.13
and shoot the ball with him. "
00:56:42.16\00:56:43.50
And the Lord just impressed
me to... to listen to my wife
00:56:43.53\00:56:47.67
and I thought, "Okay, fine. "
00:56:47.70\00:56:49.50
I got up, I walked out there
00:56:49.54\00:56:51.24
and I told my
son, I said you know,
00:56:51.27\00:56:53.07
"I'm no good at ball...
" I said, "but can I help?
00:56:53.11\00:56:55.31
I mean, do you
need me to do something
00:56:55.34\00:56:56.98
I'll shoot the ball with you. "
00:56:57.01\00:56:58.35
He said... he just
kind of looked at me...
00:56:58.38\00:56:59.95
he was holding the
ball and dribbling it.
00:56:59.98\00:57:01.55
He said, "Okay, well you
can act like you're the...
00:57:01.58\00:57:04.89
the opposing team
00:57:04.92\00:57:06.52
and I'll tell
you what I need to do
00:57:06.55\00:57:08.56
and I can work on
the... the layouts
00:57:08.59\00:57:10.56
and the things I need to do. "
00:57:10.59\00:57:11.93
I spent 15 or 20
minutes out there
00:57:11.96\00:57:14.96
after that with him
00:57:15.00\00:57:16.33
and do you know, the
next night when I asked
00:57:16.36\00:57:18.57
the family to come
together for worship,
00:57:18.60\00:57:20.84
he was overjoyed to come
00:57:20.87\00:57:23.27
because I
showed him that I cared
00:57:23.30\00:57:27.11
about what he cares about.
00:57:27.14\00:57:28.78
Do you understand?
00:57:28.84\00:57:30.65
When you express
interest in your wife...
00:57:30.68\00:57:35.25
in the things that interest her,
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when you express
interest in your son...
00:57:36.82\00:57:39.02
in your daughter...
00:57:39.05\00:57:40.39
that's what wins
their heart to Christ
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because they see that
He's interested in them.
00:57:44.16\00:57:47.80
I pray that this message
00:57:47.83\00:57:51.63
and all of those at
this meeting at the Summit
00:57:51.67\00:57:54.50
will be a blessing to you.
00:57:54.54\00:57:55.87
May the Lord bless and keep you.
00:57:55.90\00:57:58.01