I welcome the sunrise
as night turns to day,
00:00:31.61\00:00:38.14
should I try again,
or turn and walk away?
00:00:38.17\00:00:45.52
The journey to this
point seems so very hard
00:00:45.55\00:00:52.95
yet I'm standing
praying right here in the yard.
00:00:54.40\00:01:00.90
The tears that I shed
don't seem like it is worth it,
00:01:00.93\00:01:07.33
yet I know that
you are on your way.
00:01:09.55\00:01:15.52
Lord lead me home,
00:01:18.07\00:01:21.95
there is no
place to run and hide
00:01:24.73\00:01:27.91
you know what I keep inside
00:01:27.94\00:01:32.17
Lord lead me home,
00:01:32.20\00:01:37.40
I need to find a place to rest
00:01:39.57\00:01:43.18
where life in you
is best, lead me home.
00:01:43.21\00:01:48.70
I know that I can trust
You, You never let me down.
00:01:55.73\00:02:01.53
I know that I need You,
You keep me off the ground.
00:02:03.33\00:02:09.63
Through disappointments
You say it is okay.
00:02:09.66\00:02:16.59
My child I love you,
there will be a brighter day.
00:02:18.52\00:02:24.70
So I made up my
mind to keep on walking.
00:02:24.73\00:02:31.21
Yes dressing on the higher way.
00:02:31.24\00:02:38.06
Lord lead me home.
00:02:41.33\00:02:45.72
For there is no
place to run and hide
00:02:47.62\00:02:51.89
You know what I keep inside.
00:02:51.92\00:02:56.15
Lord lead me home.
00:02:56.18\00:03:02.42
For I need to
find a place to rest
00:03:02.45\00:03:06.70
where life in You is best.
00:03:06.73\00:03:10.10
Lead me home.
00:03:10.13\00:03:13.51
I'm going to trust
You ever more each day.
00:03:14.64\00:03:19.44
Climbing higher as I pray.
00:03:22.12\00:03:27.22
Lord lead me home.
00:03:32.58\00:03:36.89
For there is no
place to run and hide
00:03:39.52\00:03:42.94
You know what I keep inside.
00:03:42.97\00:03:47.61
So Lord lead me home
00:03:47.64\00:03:52.52
I need to find a place to rest
00:03:54.74\00:03:58.11
where life in you
is best, lead me home.
00:03:58.14\00:04:04.03
I need to find a place to rest
00:04:06.18\00:04:09.72
where life in You
is best, lead me home.
00:04:09.75\00:04:17.87
Lord, lead me home.
00:04:21.10\00:04:25.57
Amen and Amen!
00:04:39.11\00:04:41.28
Thank you Pastor John.
00:04:41.31\00:04:44.00
We have entitled our
discussion for this night,
00:04:44.03\00:04:46.83
our message,
Imperfectly Perfect.
00:04:46.86\00:04:50.70
We live in an imperfect world
and yet we have been called to
00:04:50.73\00:04:54.82
perfection in Christ.
00:04:54.85\00:04:56.83
So we want to just
discuss this night.
00:04:56.86\00:04:58.61
As we look at the
subject, Imperfectly Perfect,
00:04:58.64\00:05:01.65
and coming on Friday evening,
tomorrow night we take a break
00:05:01.68\00:05:08.23
to give you a chance to
catch her breath and we're back
00:05:08.26\00:05:11.30
on Friday evening and as I
recall the subject is Home Depot
00:05:11.33\00:05:18.02
Just A Hammer and A Nail.
00:05:18.05\00:05:21.81
Home Depot, Just
A Hammer and A Nail.
00:05:21.84\00:05:27.33
You are looking at me as if
to say what is he going to talk
00:05:27.36\00:05:30.44
about Friday evening?
00:05:30.47\00:05:32.02
Well, come back Friday
evening and we will discover
00:05:32.05\00:05:34.14
what the Lord has
to say in Home Depot,
00:05:34.17\00:05:37.38
Just A Hammer and Nail.
00:05:37.41\00:05:39.89
Shall we pray, Father God, again
we call upon You and we thank
00:05:39.92\00:05:45.79
You dear Lord for Jesus,
for what we have learned, and we
00:05:45.82\00:05:50.40
thank thee that through Your
strength and power we can do all
00:05:50.43\00:05:54.93
things that
pertain to salvation.
00:05:54.96\00:05:57.91
Teach us again this night, to be
like Jesus and then enable us to
00:05:57.94\00:06:03.95
do that which we
know to be right.
00:06:03.98\00:06:05.55
We thank you dear
Father, in Jesus name, Amen!
00:06:05.58\00:06:09.81
I want to thank you, there
has been a marked change in the
00:06:09.84\00:06:13.86
weather since my coming to
Chicago whereas a few nights ago
00:06:13.89\00:06:18.48
we were all in
short sleeves and fanning.
00:06:18.51\00:06:21.17
No one is fanning this
night, and everyone is in
00:06:21.20\00:06:24.20
long sleeves and coats.
00:06:24.23\00:06:25.85
The weather has indeed
changed for which I am thankful.
00:06:25.88\00:06:29.36
We have gotten a little
break, it is a little cooler
00:06:29.39\00:06:34.26
and a little breezier
and I am thankful that
00:06:34.29\00:06:35.97
you came out to be with us.
00:06:36.00\00:06:37.24
One of the things that
occurs to me, that as we find
00:06:37.27\00:06:43.90
out new truth, I think
you will agree with me, that
00:06:43.93\00:06:48.73
this thing we call
Christianity is not a past time.
00:06:48.76\00:06:55.02
Christianity, Bible Christianity
is invasive and pervasive,
00:06:55.05\00:07:02.50
it weaves itself into
every aspect of our life.
00:07:02.53\00:07:06.63
You can't be a part-time
Christian or a sometime
00:07:06.66\00:07:10.54
Christian, because Christ
makes demands on our lives
00:07:10.57\00:07:15.15
that are radical.
00:07:15.18\00:07:16.96
He asks for a lot,
but He also gives us lot.
00:07:16.99\00:07:22.64
Can you say Amen?
00:07:22.67\00:07:24.02
Even the casual Bible
student will understand that
00:07:24.05\00:07:32.50
when you take on the
name Christian, you are taking
00:07:32.53\00:07:37.08
on weighty responsibility.
00:07:37.11\00:07:40.18
It takes nerve
to be a Christian.
00:07:40.21\00:07:44.13
It takes
fortitude to be a Christian,
00:07:44.16\00:07:48.61
because Christians many times
have to swim upstream against
00:07:48.64\00:07:54.47
the tide of popular culture.
00:07:54.50\00:07:56.98
So to be Christian means that
you are going to have to rely on
00:07:57.01\00:08:02.86
Christ to do a
superhuman worked through you.
00:08:02.89\00:08:05.99
Because Christianity
weaves its way into every
00:08:06.02\00:08:08.91
aspect of our lives.
00:08:08.94\00:08:10.82
Even if you stop doing bad
things, you don't get credit
00:08:10.85\00:08:17.28
because you have to
do things through Jesus.
00:08:17.31\00:08:20.91
It is not just enough
to stop doing a bad deed,
00:08:20.94\00:08:23.97
you have to replace bad
things with good things,
00:08:24.00\00:08:27.83
and the power to do
that comes from Jesus.
00:08:27.86\00:08:31.50
So let's launch out.
00:08:31.53\00:08:33.15
I am in the book of
John, what book did I say?
00:08:33.18\00:08:35.70
John 3:7, let's
set our foundation.
00:08:35.73\00:08:40.96
There are few texts in the
Bible that are more important as
00:08:52.09\00:08:58.87
respect to the methodology
of how to do salvation,
00:08:58.90\00:09:03.14
than this text
and perhaps John 3:16.
00:09:03.17\00:09:06.04
Marvel not Christ said
to Nicodemus that night.
00:09:06.07\00:09:11.08
You must be, not you
should be, not it would be nice
00:09:11.11\00:09:17.94
if you were, not it's a great
thing to be, but Christ told
00:09:17.97\00:09:22.84
Nicodemus during that night
meeting, you must be born again,
00:09:22.87\00:09:28.78
of course that
foundation under girds
00:09:28.81\00:09:31.43
this entire chapter.
00:09:31.46\00:09:33.84
The truth is that the
first step to true Christianity
00:09:33.87\00:09:40.25
is conversion,
what is that step?
00:09:40.28\00:09:42.15
Conversion, conversion is
that which follows conviction.
00:09:42.18\00:09:47.51
I want you to
stick with me here.
00:09:47.54\00:09:48.73
Conviction is the
sense, the understanding that
00:09:48.76\00:09:54.88
something is
wrong, what did I say?
00:09:54.91\00:09:57.55
It is the understanding
that something is wrong
00:09:57.58\00:10:01.36
in your life.
00:10:01.39\00:10:02.36
You are walking along,
you are living your life,
00:10:02.37\00:10:04.50
You are walking along and
all of a sudden you come to the
00:10:04.54\00:10:07.73
realization something is wrong.
00:10:07.76\00:10:09.63
That is conviction and
at that point, you stop.
00:10:09.66\00:10:11.23
Because you realize there
is something wrong in going
00:10:12.64\00:10:15.73
in this direction.
00:10:15.76\00:10:16.87
You are convicted that
this way is the wrong way.
00:10:16.90\00:10:21.55
So conviction
stops you in your tracks.
00:10:21.58\00:10:24.25
You realize that
Christ is going that way,
00:10:24.28\00:10:28.34
and you are going this way, and
the longer you continue to go
00:10:28.37\00:10:31.88
this way the farther
you are getting from who?
00:10:31.91\00:10:34.27
From Jesus, so conviction
says something is wrong
00:10:34.30\00:10:39.12
with this path that I am on.
00:10:39.15\00:10:41.08
Now what are you
going to do if you want
00:10:41.11\00:10:43.88
to follow Jesus?
00:10:43.91\00:10:44.99
Jesus is back there
and I am going this way,
00:10:45.02\00:10:48.67
what do I have to do?
00:10:48.70\00:10:49.69
I have got to
make a U-turn, Amen!
00:10:49.72\00:10:52.73
Yeah, I have to make a U-turn.
00:10:52.76\00:10:55.11
So I am going this
way and I make a U-turn.
00:10:55.14\00:10:58.64
The moment that I make
that U-turn, that U-turn,
00:10:58.67\00:11:02.33
ladies and
gentlemen, is conversion.
00:11:02.36\00:11:03.94
Conversion is a U-turn,
say it with me, conversion is a
00:11:03.97\00:11:09.12
U - turn, it is a
change in your direction.
00:11:09.15\00:11:14.35
It doesn't mean you are perfect,
doesn't mean you never have a
00:11:14.38\00:11:18.86
bad day, doesn't mean the devil
leaves you alone, doesn't mean
00:11:18.89\00:11:23.30
your home and scot-free.
00:11:23.33\00:11:25.01
It simply means that you
have changed your direction.
00:11:25.04\00:11:29.58
So when somebody says are you
converted, if you have changed
00:11:29.61\00:11:34.03
your direction, you
can say, Oh! yes I am!
00:11:34.06\00:11:37.02
Because I have
changed the direction in which
00:11:37.05\00:11:39.67
my life is going.
00:11:39.70\00:11:41.47
Now we are in John 3:3 it says:
00:11:41.50\00:11:45.91
You cannot see the
kingdom of God without that
00:11:45.94\00:11:49.84
new birth experience,
without that conversion.
00:11:49.87\00:11:52.80
Over and over the
Bible seems to indicate that
00:11:52.83\00:11:56.15
unless our lives,
our hearts are converted,
00:11:56.18\00:11:58.47
unless we have made
that U-turn in our lives,
00:11:58.50\00:12:01.78
we cannot see
the kingdom of God.
00:12:01.81\00:12:04.98
1 Corinthians 1:23 says that,
00:12:05.01\00:12:08.23
to the Greek or to the
Gentile if somebody does not
00:12:08.26\00:12:11.58
know the Lord,
this thing that we call
00:12:11.61\00:12:13.85
Christianity is foolishness.
00:12:13.88\00:12:16.09
You know I was, years ago
when I got audited by the IRS,
00:12:16.12\00:12:20.51
the fellow that was
auditing my tax return asked
00:12:20.54\00:12:26.13
me if I was telling the truth
about the figure that I put that
00:12:26.16\00:12:29.21
I gave to the Church each year?
00:12:29.24\00:12:30.53
He said to you
really give that much money
00:12:30.56\00:12:32.10
to the church?
00:12:32.13\00:12:33.19
I said yeah, he said are
you serious, I said yeah.
00:12:33.22\00:12:38.04
Why? That was his question, why?
00:12:38.07\00:12:42.58
Why would you give the
church that much of your money?
00:12:42.61\00:12:45.36
I said because I believe in
Jesus and I believe in fostering
00:12:45.39\00:12:49.58
His work, and he
could not understand that.
00:12:49.61\00:12:51.80
So he made me prove that I gave
that much money to the church,
00:12:51.83\00:12:56.35
and luckily I had a receipt
from the church for all the
00:12:56.38\00:12:58.48
money that I had
given to the Church.
00:12:58.51\00:13:00.58
He just couldn't understand
why anybody would give that much
00:13:00.61\00:13:04.41
money to the church.
00:13:04.44\00:13:05.52
To him it was foolishness.
00:13:05.55\00:13:07.21
So you cannot see
the kingdom of God.
00:13:07.24\00:13:11.87
1 Corinthians 2:14 tells
me that spiritual things are
00:13:11.90\00:13:15.65
spiritually discerned,
spiritually seen, so a lot
00:13:15.68\00:13:18.46
of the things that God's
people do don't make sense
00:13:18.49\00:13:21.25
to people who
don't believe in God.
00:13:21.28\00:13:23.14
Why would you get up and
give one seventh of your time?
00:13:23.17\00:13:27.27
All day Saturday.
00:13:27.30\00:13:29.65
It's like the fellow I
was telling you last night,
00:13:29.68\00:13:31.18
my friend that
owns the dry cleaners,
00:13:31.21\00:13:32.72
it doesn't make sense to him.
00:13:32.75\00:13:34.39
You can make a lot
of money on Saturday.
00:13:34.42\00:13:36.86
You are a church all day?
00:13:36.89\00:13:40.09
His church they go to
church one hour and that
00:13:40.12\00:13:42.91
is it, they get the Lord
one hour and then he's gone.
00:13:42.94\00:13:45.31
And you are going to give
the Lord from sundown Friday to
00:13:45.34\00:13:49.00
sundown Saturday, all day?
00:13:49.03\00:13:52.82
Yeah, and I don't
regret it, do you?
00:13:52.85\00:13:56.81
I love to do it, because I
love to be with the One who has
00:13:56.84\00:14:01.73
given me life,
and that is Jesus.
00:14:01.76\00:14:03.09
Spiritual things are
spiritually discerned.
00:14:03.12\00:14:05.58
A lot of the things that
we as Christians do don't
00:14:05.61\00:14:08.68
make sense to those
who aren't in Christ Jesus.
00:14:08.71\00:14:11.66
So they cannot see it.
00:14:11.69\00:14:13.51
Verse 5 of the same
chapter says, they cannot enter.
00:14:13.54\00:14:17.28
Not only do they not see
it, they don't enter into it.
00:14:17.31\00:14:21.91
When we talk about the joys of
serving the Lord, the blessings
00:14:21.94\00:14:24.83
of serving the
Lord, there are people who
00:14:24.86\00:14:26.53
cannot enter into that.
00:14:26.56\00:14:27.96
Do you not know that when
you give your life to Jesus your
00:14:27.99\00:14:32.56
life does actually
get better here and now?
00:14:32.59\00:14:35.36
Can you say Amen?
00:14:35.39\00:14:37.01
You get the promise of
eternity, but you also get,
00:14:37.04\00:14:40.21
as one Pastor said, you also
get some goodies here and now.
00:14:40.24\00:14:43.80
Pastor John mentioned 9/11.
00:14:43.83\00:14:47.75
Let me tell you
just one story, I like to
00:14:47.78\00:14:49.37
collect miracle stories.
00:14:49.40\00:14:50.51
Down through the years I've
collected miracle stories and
00:14:50.54\00:14:52.50
one day if I ever get a
chance I would like to put it,
00:14:52.53\00:14:54.42
put them all in a book.
00:14:54.45\00:14:56.40
But having been in New
York during 9/11, I had worked
00:14:56.43\00:15:00.04
in the conference office
during those fateful days,
00:15:00.07\00:15:02.38
I've got story upon story.
00:15:02.41\00:15:04.14
I will tell you about
one story, a fellow by
00:15:04.17\00:15:06.54
the name of Alteno.
00:15:06.57\00:15:07.93
He actually worked at the World
Trade Center building number
00:15:07.96\00:15:12.25
two, Seventh-day
Adventist, went to church on
00:15:12.28\00:15:16.43
Saturday praise the Lord.
00:15:16.46\00:15:18.01
He also was a singer in
the choir and a deacon in
00:15:18.04\00:15:21.47
the church, he was
also a window washer at the
00:15:21.50\00:15:24.31
World Trade Center.
00:15:24.34\00:15:25.65
You talk about a dangerous
occupation, washing Windows 110
00:15:25.68\00:15:29.48
stories in the sky.
00:15:29.51\00:15:30.75
They always make the window
washers work in pairs because it
00:15:30.78\00:15:36.83
can be dangerous.
00:15:36.86\00:15:38.74
So he and his partner worked
for twenty plus years on the
00:15:38.77\00:15:43.93
World Trade Center.
00:15:43.96\00:15:45.28
Every year brother Alteno,
member of the Lynden church, in
00:15:45.31\00:15:50.83
fact Pastor Lomacang's wife
family there in New York are
00:15:50.86\00:15:54.59
members of that same church.
00:15:54.62\00:15:55.63
They know this fellow.
00:15:55.66\00:15:56.63
Always took his vacation in
August, every year because the
00:15:56.64\00:16:02.10
Sun is so hot in New York
in August that the light shines
00:16:02.13\00:16:04.83
and the sun shines off
those window panes and it
00:16:04.86\00:16:06.81
just bakes your skin.
00:16:06.84\00:16:08.33
So everybody likes
to be off in August.
00:16:08.36\00:16:09.81
He always took his vacation
in August, four weeks in August.
00:16:09.84\00:16:12.31
20 year habit, every year.
00:16:12.34\00:16:14.61
For some reason in 2001, brother
Alteno decided, this year I
00:16:14.64\00:16:22.45
think I will take my
vacation in September.
00:16:22.48\00:16:25.69
And what day in September?
00:16:25.72\00:16:30.41
I think I'll start my
vacation on September 11.
00:16:30.44\00:16:33.86
So the first day of his
vacation was September 11, 2001.
00:16:33.89\00:16:38.59
Twenty years August, for
some reason when the sheet
00:16:38.62\00:16:44.04
came around in January
of that year, he put down
00:16:44.07\00:16:46.83
September 11, 2001.
00:16:46.86\00:16:49.51
He broke a twenty year habit.
00:16:49.54\00:16:51.19
His partner took his
vacation in August like usual.
00:16:51.22\00:16:57.09
So on the morning of
September 11, 2001 his partner
00:16:57.12\00:17:01.33
was in the little cart outside
of the World Trade Center
00:17:01.36\00:17:06.16
and he perished.
00:17:06.19\00:17:08.40
Brother Alteno was on
his first day of vacation and
00:17:08.43\00:17:14.25
he is praising God today.
00:17:14.28\00:17:17.24
Now do you think
that was a coincidence?
00:17:17.27\00:17:20.27
Just blind luck, that he
chose September 11, after twenty
00:17:20.30\00:17:26.26
years of going on
vacation in August that
00:17:26.29\00:17:28.64
he just happened
to take that day.
00:17:28.67\00:17:30.02
Do you really think
that was just a coincidence?
00:17:30.05\00:17:32.80
The Bible says that
without the new birth experience
00:17:36.19\00:17:38.90
you cannot see the kingdom
and you cannot enter into
00:17:38.93\00:17:42.22
the joys of the kingdom.
00:17:42.25\00:17:43.93
I am saying when you
give your life to Jesus,
00:17:43.96\00:17:47.16
God gives you the
promise of eternity, but He
00:17:47.19\00:17:50.80
gives you some
blessings right here, right now!
00:17:50.83\00:17:53.83
So the Christians life
is qualitatively better
00:17:53.86\00:17:58.62
than one who does
not know the Lord.
00:17:58.65\00:18:00.65
I'm going through this by way of
recapitulation because as I said
00:18:00.68\00:18:06.10
at the outset, coming to
Jesus calls for radical changes
00:18:06.13\00:18:10.66
in our lives.
00:18:10.69\00:18:12.09
And I want you to know
that with Jesus you can
00:18:12.12\00:18:15.43
indeed make
those radical changes.
00:18:15.46\00:18:17.22
Without being born again
you cannot have a new birth
00:18:17.25\00:18:20.72
experience, you cannot have
continual consistent Christian
00:18:20.75\00:18:24.68
living, in fact it
is impossible without
00:18:24.71\00:18:28.82
the new birth experience.
00:18:28.85\00:18:30.25
What you will have is
what 2 Timothy 3: calls a form
00:18:30.28\00:18:35.77
of godliness, but you
will not have the power.
00:18:35.80\00:18:39.36
You won't have the
victorious living unless you
00:18:39.39\00:18:42.62
had Jesus within.
00:18:42.65\00:18:44.19
How do I know?
00:18:44.22\00:18:45.19
Romans 12:1, 2,
what book did I say?
00:18:45.20\00:18:47.88
Are you with me in your word?
00:18:47.91\00:18:49.93
Paul is saying, I beg
you, I ask you, I'm imploring
00:19:30.41\00:19:34.50
by the mercies of God,
to look how good God is.
00:19:34.53\00:19:38.41
This is not an unreasonable
request that you present your
00:19:38.44\00:19:41.96
bodies, give them over
to God, because God can
00:19:41.99\00:19:46.95
do things with you, to
you, for you, and through you
00:19:46.98\00:19:50.67
that will amaze you.
00:19:50.70\00:19:52.07
Don't be
conformed to this world.
00:19:52.10\00:19:55.05
Don't be molded into
the shape of this world,
00:19:55.08\00:19:57.92
but be transformed, have
your mind renewed by the power
00:19:57.95\00:20:03.47
of the indwelling Jesus Christ.
00:20:03.50\00:20:05.62
The secret ladies and
gentlemen is surrender.
00:20:05.65\00:20:07.69
The secret is surrender, not
fighting your self, or fighting
00:20:07.72\00:20:13.30
against the world, but
surrendering to Jesus Christ
00:20:13.33\00:20:16.38
and we will come back to
that in just a little bit,
00:20:16.41\00:20:18.01
keep that in mind.
00:20:18.04\00:20:19.41
Let's go to Matthew
5:48, what book did I say?
00:20:19.44\00:20:22.91
Now, it almost
appears as though that text is
00:20:37.58\00:20:41.59
simply saying you
have to be perfect.
00:20:41.62\00:20:44.26
It is saying that, but
it is saying something else.
00:20:44.29\00:20:48.81
So I want you to go back with
me to Matthew 5 and back up to
00:20:48.84\00:20:52.20
verse 43, because
there is a qualification to
00:20:52.23\00:20:55.59
that perfect that I
want you to know about.
00:20:55.62\00:20:57.43
I'm in Matthew
5:43, look at this:
00:20:57.46\00:21:00.27
Piece of cake right!
00:21:25.04\00:21:27.60
You are going
to persecute me and
00:21:27.63\00:21:32.26
I am going to love you.
00:21:32.29\00:21:33.42
You are going to
steal from me and
00:21:33.45\00:21:36.17
I'm going to love you.
00:21:36.20\00:21:37.47
You are going to beat me up and
00:21:37.50\00:21:39.67
I'm going to love you.
00:21:39.70\00:21:40.95
A piece of cake!
00:21:40.98\00:21:42.28
I don't think so, even that
little baby doesn't like that
00:21:42.31\00:21:46.33
idea, but God
calls us to do that.
00:21:46.36\00:21:51.54
To do good to those
who won't do good to us,
00:21:51.57\00:21:55.71
is that an easy thing to do?
00:21:55.74\00:21:57.18
No it is not!
00:21:57.21\00:21:58.94
Then comes verse 48: "therefore
you shall be perfect. "
00:22:01.61\00:22:06.86
Now I want you to look at
the context and look at what the
00:22:06.89\00:22:12.11
Lord is trying to do here.
00:22:12.14\00:22:13.11
Verse 48, let's go back
there can you put it up for me?
00:22:13.12\00:22:17.36
Matthew 5:48, can
you bring that back?
00:22:17.40\00:22:20.02
It says:
00:22:20.05\00:22:21.97
What is the first
word in that text?
00:22:28.14\00:22:30.48
Therefore, therefore
you shall be perfect.
00:22:30.52\00:22:36.60
Does the text say, be perfect?
00:22:36.63\00:22:40.17
Ah ha, no it does not, it
says therefore, be perfect.
00:22:40.20\00:22:48.12
When ever you have a
therefore, it presupposes that
00:22:48.15\00:22:54.77
you have a wherefore.
00:22:54.80\00:22:56.62
You have to remember that
when looking at Bible text.
00:22:56.65\00:22:59.62
If you have a therefore
it presupposes you have a
00:22:59.65\00:23:05.43
wherefore so than you can
not translate therefore be
00:23:05.46\00:23:09.74
perfect the same as you
would translate be perfect,
00:23:09.77\00:23:13.07
because the
therefore frames the context.
00:23:13.10\00:23:17.17
I want you to stick with me.
00:23:17.20\00:23:18.18
Therefore frames the
context for discussion.
00:23:18.21\00:23:23.43
When you see a therefore it
means that everything on the
00:23:23.46\00:23:27.13
back side of therefore is
based on everything on the
00:23:27.16\00:23:31.76
front side of the therefore
which is the wherefore.
00:23:31.79\00:23:34.94
Some of you are
scratching your head saying what
00:23:34.97\00:23:37.68
is he talking about?
00:23:37.71\00:23:39.05
Well it is like contract,
the contract would say wherefore
00:23:39.08\00:23:43.90
this is true, and this is true,
and this is true, therefore
00:23:43.93\00:23:50.00
this is true, do you follow me?
00:23:50.03\00:23:51.82
Guy meets a girl, falls in love
and wants to form a contract,
00:23:51.85\00:23:56.69
we call it marriage.
00:23:56.72\00:23:57.90
Wherefore I love you, wherefore
I care about you, wherefore
00:23:57.93\00:24:02.28
I want to spend my
life with you, therefore,
00:24:02.31\00:24:04.66
I want to marry you.
00:24:04.69\00:24:06.15
Does it make sense?
00:24:06.18\00:24:07.53
So every time you
have a therefore you always
00:24:07.56\00:24:11.38
have to have a wherefore.
00:24:11.41\00:24:13.89
If I just walked up and said,
therefore I want to marry you,
00:24:13.92\00:24:17.85
therefore what?
00:24:17.88\00:24:20.08
You have to do the wherefore
before you get to the therefore,
00:24:20.11\00:24:25.13
does that make sense?
00:24:25.16\00:24:26.46
Is it a little clearer?
00:24:26.49\00:24:27.59
Clear as mud, praise God!
00:24:27.62\00:24:30.17
So it doesn't mean simply be
perfect, it means therefore be
00:24:30.20\00:24:37.69
perfect, because
there is a wherefore.
00:24:37.72\00:24:40.29
The wherefore it is,
verse 43, "you have heard that
00:24:40.32\00:24:43.62
said you shall love your
neighbor and hate your enemy,
00:24:43.65\00:24:47.31
but I say to you love
your enemies, bless those who
00:24:47.34\00:24:51.95
curse you, do good to
those who hate you, and pray
00:24:51.98\00:24:56.05
for those who despitefully
use you and persecute you. "
00:24:56.08\00:24:59.81
Now let's pick
it up with verse 46:
00:24:59.84\00:25:01.39
So Christ is making a
point here, He is not just
00:25:23.12\00:25:25.22
putting down tax collectors,
Jesus loved everybody,
00:25:25.25\00:25:30.67
but of course as you well know
the tax collectors were hated
00:25:30.70\00:25:33.57
by the Jewish
community back in Christ time.
00:25:33.60\00:25:36.16
Tax collectors were
Jews hired by the Romans to
00:25:36.19\00:25:39.58
take texts from their
own people, so they were
00:25:39.61\00:25:42.07
hated because the Jews
thought the tax collectors
00:25:42.10\00:25:44.60
were sellouts to the Romans.
00:25:44.63\00:25:46.72
The Romans would charge
a certain amount of tax and
00:25:46.75\00:25:49.67
tell the Jewish tax
collector, get us this money and
00:25:49.70\00:25:53.04
if you want to add any tax in
addition to a you are going to
00:25:53.07\00:25:55.92
pay us you can raise
it as high as you want.
00:25:55.95\00:25:58.04
So if the Roman tax was
5 dollars, the Jewish tax
00:25:58.07\00:26:01.86
collector would charge the
people 10 dollars and give 5
00:26:01.89\00:26:04.98
to the Romans and
keep 5 for themselves.
00:26:05.01\00:26:06.62
So the tax collectors were
hated by the Jewish people,
00:26:06.65\00:26:11.38
but Christ loved everybody
including tax collectors.
00:26:11.41\00:26:14.92
Can you say Amen?
00:26:14.95\00:26:16.20
Matthew was a tax
collector and of course short
00:26:16.23\00:26:18.32
little Zacchaeus, who
Jesus went to his house
00:26:18.35\00:26:20.56
was the chief of tax collectors.
00:26:20.59\00:26:22.51
So that let's me know
that Christ loves even me.
00:26:22.54\00:26:25.55
Therefore you shall be perfect.
00:26:25.58\00:26:27.74
So the context of this
perfection then is a loving
00:26:27.77\00:26:32.10
relationship with Jesus Christ.
00:26:32.13\00:26:34.48
That whole scenario,
everything the Bible says about
00:26:34.51\00:26:38.63
perfection is in a
context of a loving relationship
00:26:38.66\00:26:42.96
with Jesus Christ.
00:26:42.99\00:26:44.66
That reflects on how
we love the Lord and also
00:26:44.69\00:26:49.65
how we treat others.
00:26:49.68\00:26:52.68
The context then is
perfect relationship,
00:26:52.71\00:26:56.07
everything that has to
do with the Lord has to do
00:26:56.10\00:26:58.99
with perfect relationships.
00:26:59.02\00:27:00.77
Let's go to the book of
Matthew, what book did I say?
00:27:00.80\00:27:02.36
Matthew 22:36-39,
the word of God says:
00:27:02.39\00:27:10.94
Powerful words, powerful
words, now let me hasten to say,
00:27:35.23\00:27:40.64
these two
commandments do not replace
00:27:40.67\00:27:43.79
the Ten Commandments.
00:27:43.82\00:27:46.00
I have heard some
preachers say, all you have to
00:27:46.03\00:27:48.31
do is love and that replaces
the Decalogue, 1-10 gone.
00:27:48.34\00:27:51.93
All you have to do is
Matthew 22:36, love the Lord,
00:27:51.96\00:27:55.55
love your neighbor, but
if you examine it closely
00:27:55.58\00:27:59.31
what you find is
these two commandments are
00:27:59.34\00:28:02.74
the Ten Commandments.
00:28:02.77\00:28:05.35
They do not replace
the ten, they are the ten,
00:28:05.38\00:28:08.22
in fact they tie a nice
little bow around the ten.
00:28:08.25\00:28:11.22
They encapsulate the
ten, if you love the Lord you
00:28:11.25\00:28:14.69
are not going to
have any gods before you,
00:28:14.72\00:28:16.21
you're not going to
worship graven images,
00:28:16.24\00:28:17.76
you're going to
keep the Sabbath holy.
00:28:17.79\00:28:19.08
The first four are
dealing with our love to God,
00:28:19.11\00:28:21.88
and the second six are
dealing with our love to man.
00:28:21.91\00:28:24.70
We love the Lord supremely,
and our neighbors as ourselves,
00:28:24.73\00:28:28.77
and that
includes the neighbor who
00:28:28.80\00:28:30.54
doesn't talk to you.
00:28:30.57\00:28:32.15
That includes the
neighbor who doesn't like you.
00:28:32.18\00:28:34.74
That includes the neighbor
who does not treat you well.
00:28:34.77\00:28:37.29
Let me say this to you, no
one was ever won to Jesus by
00:28:37.32\00:28:41.17
somebody that they did not like.
00:28:41.20\00:28:42.53
If they're going to love your
Jesus, they have to love you and
00:28:45.85\00:28:48.61
we are called to let our light
so shine before men that they
00:28:48.64\00:28:52.45
will see our good
works and glorify our Father
00:28:52.48\00:28:55.64
which is in heaven.
00:28:55.67\00:28:56.64
So these two commandments
encapsulate the 10 Commandments,
00:28:56.66\00:29:00.76
ladies and gentlemen
that is perfect love.
00:29:00.79\00:29:04.74
Be Ye therefore perfect,
perfect what, perfect love.
00:29:04.77\00:29:11.30
Our job, my job, your
job is not to live sinless,
00:29:11.34\00:29:17.80
our job is to fall in love
with Jesus Christ and allow
00:29:17.83\00:29:24.20
Christ to work out His
sinless life in and through us.
00:29:24.23\00:29:28.70
It's not your job
try to stop sinning,
00:29:28.73\00:29:31.54
it's your job to love Jesus,
00:29:31.58\00:29:34.08
and Jesus will stop
sinning through you.
00:29:34.12\00:29:36.67
Can you say Amen?
00:29:36.70\00:29:38.09
Isaiah 64, what book did I say?
00:29:38.12\00:29:40.26
Isaiah 64:6; the Bible says,
00:29:40.29\00:29:43.86
Our best, our best
efforts are insufficient to meet
00:29:58.45\00:30:06.05
the requirements of God.
00:30:06.08\00:30:07.46
All you can do is love
Jesus with all your heart,
00:30:07.49\00:30:12.40
all your mind,
and all your soul.
00:30:12.43\00:30:15.78
Our best efforts, in
fact in Philippians 3: 5-9,
00:30:15.81\00:30:20.55
Paul gives his pedigree.
00:30:20.58\00:30:22.62
He talks about being a
Pharisee, as touching the law
00:30:22.65\00:30:25.35
blameless, he said you
want to talk about pedigrees,
00:30:25.38\00:30:27.51
if you want talk about
how good a person can be,
00:30:27.54\00:30:29.35
look at my rap sheet,
nobody does it like I did.
00:30:29.38\00:30:32.95
Yet I realized that I had to
give all that self-righteousness
00:30:32.98\00:30:36.71
up for Jesus Christ.
00:30:36.74\00:30:38.61
Philippians 2:5,
let's go to Philippians,
00:30:38.64\00:30:41.71
what book did I say?
00:30:41.74\00:30:42.71
In the book is
Philippians chapter two.
00:30:42.72\00:30:44.46
Philippians is asking
us to open up our minds to
00:30:52.63\00:30:56.93
the power of the
indwelling of Jesus Christ.
00:30:56.96\00:30:58.93
Open up our hearts,
open up our souls and let
00:30:58.96\00:31:02.52
Christ come within and
fight the battle for you
00:31:02.55\00:31:05.83
and through you.
00:31:05.86\00:31:07.44
Let me give you an example.
00:31:07.47\00:31:08.45
Suppose a person has a desire
for someone, a man for woman,
00:31:09.93\00:31:19.63
something that is unholy.
00:31:19.66\00:31:21.11
In his mind he's a Christian
and he says to himself I know
00:31:21.14\00:31:26.16
this is not right, so
I'm going to have to stop it.
00:31:26.19\00:31:29.65
I'm going to use my
will to not think about her.
00:31:29.68\00:31:34.23
So every time he used his
will to not think about her,
00:31:34.26\00:31:38.62
what is he doing?
00:31:38.65\00:31:39.64
He's thinking about her, he
is thinking about not thinking
00:31:39.67\00:31:43.69
about her, so in thinking about
not thinking about her he is
00:31:43.72\00:31:47.70
in effect thinking about her.
00:31:47.73\00:31:49.84
Amen, do you follow?
00:31:49.87\00:31:51.74
Okay I am not going to look
at her, I am not going to think
00:31:51.77\00:31:54.42
about her, I'm not going to
let her come through my mind and
00:31:54.45\00:31:57.67
his long as you are saying that
you are still thinking about
00:31:57.70\00:32:00.05
not thinking about her,
00:32:00.08\00:32:01.36
which is in effect
thinking about her.
00:32:01.39\00:32:02.83
So how do I get from
not thinking about thinking
00:32:02.86\00:32:06.46
about her, to really
not thinking about her?
00:32:06.49\00:32:08.75
Think about
something else, makes sense?
00:32:08.78\00:32:14.35
Now what can come into my mind
and occupy my mind so that I'm
00:32:14.38\00:32:20.46
not thinking about her?
00:32:20.49\00:32:21.97
Jesus, Jesus, when I fill
my mind with Jesus I am not
00:32:22.00\00:32:29.97
thinking about her,
nor am I thinking about not
00:32:30.00\00:32:34.68
thinking about her
because I thinking about Jesus.
00:32:34.71\00:32:38.32
So the Bible says let this
mind be in you which also was in
00:32:38.35\00:32:46.52
Christ Jesus, so that if
you stop thinking about her long
00:32:46.55\00:32:51.73
enough, and keep thinking about
Jesus, the thoughts of Jesus
00:32:51.76\00:32:56.28
replaced the thoughts
of thinking about her.
00:32:56.31\00:32:58.70
After a while you really
are not thinking about her,
00:32:58.73\00:33:01.05
you are only
thinking about Jesus.
00:33:01.08\00:33:02.80
Amen! Let this mind
being you which was also
00:33:02.83\00:33:06.30
in Christ Jesus.
00:33:06.33\00:33:07.45
The context again is a loving
relationship with Jesus Christ.
00:33:07.48\00:33:11.63
Philippians 2:13,
what book did I say?
00:33:11.66\00:33:13.87
Philippians 2:13, powerful text,
00:33:13.90\00:33:18.87
Powerful text on
successful Christian living.
00:33:30.82\00:33:33.90
It is God who works in
you both to will and to do.
00:33:33.93\00:33:42.26
Lord I want to stop
thinking bad thoughts,
00:33:42.29\00:33:46.44
I have the will but
I need the power to do.
00:33:46.47\00:33:50.85
So God in His goodness, will
give us the will to stop and the
00:33:50.88\00:33:57.87
power to stop, can you say Amen?
00:33:57.90\00:34:01.12
That is a powerful thought
when it comes to successful
00:34:01.15\00:34:04.96
Christian living and
perfect relationships.
00:34:04.99\00:34:07.99
No matter what you have
done, where you have been,
00:34:08.02\00:34:11.70
what you have committed,
God will give you the will
00:34:11.73\00:34:15.91
to stop and the power to stop.
00:34:15.94\00:34:19.19
It would be terrible if
God would tell us to stop
00:34:19.22\00:34:20.96
doing something and didn't
do not give us the ability, not
00:34:20.99\00:34:24.12
give us the ability to stop.
00:34:24.15\00:34:25.88
So if God says don't do it,
praise God that He gives you the
00:34:25.91\00:34:29.44
will not to do it, and
the ability to stop doing it.
00:34:29.47\00:34:33.29
To be like Christ Jesus.
00:34:33.32\00:34:34.72
So our job is to let
God work in our lives.
00:34:34.75\00:34:38.41
Our job is to be like
Christ and let Christ do His
00:34:38.44\00:34:42.35
wonderful work in us.
00:34:42.38\00:34:44.14
That is biblical perfection.
00:34:44.17\00:34:46.05
Here's a powerful text,
Romans 8, what book did I say?
00:34:46.08\00:34:48.75
I'm in the book of Romans and
I want to commend to you again
00:34:48.78\00:34:51.47
this book of Romans.
00:34:51.50\00:34:52.98
It is a powerful
book in the New Testament,
00:34:53.01\00:34:55.21
one of the strongest book that
is just full of powerful God
00:34:55.24\00:35:01.24
breathed statements that
will help us along our Christian
00:35:01.27\00:35:05.76
journey and this is one of them.
00:35:05.79\00:35:07.34
Romans 8:1, let's
take a look at it.
00:35:07.37\00:35:09.88
There is no condemnation, and
why is this so very important?
00:35:26.95\00:35:29.95
For this reason, even if you
stop doing something of your own
00:35:30.37\00:35:37.73
suppose I am a thief.
00:35:37.77\00:35:41.56
One day the spirit of
God touches me, or rather the
00:35:41.59\00:35:45.94
law is reaching out and I
say you know what I am not going
00:35:45.97\00:35:50.75
to steal anymore.
00:35:50.78\00:35:52.46
And I never steal again, from
the moment I stop stealing I am
00:35:52.49\00:35:57.55
no longer guilty of
being a thief, true or false?
00:35:57.59\00:36:01.54
True, but what about the
stealing I did in the past?
00:36:01.58\00:36:05.50
You see if the
statutes of limitations run out,
00:36:05.53\00:36:09.27
and the police don't get me
for 7 years, I cannot be held
00:36:09.30\00:36:12.95
responsible any more.
00:36:12.99\00:36:14.52
To the police I am not
a thief, but what about
00:36:14.56\00:36:18.05
my sins of the past?
00:36:18.09\00:36:20.84
Those sins have
to be taken care of.
00:36:21.83\00:36:24.16
Those sins have
to be atoned for.
00:36:24.19\00:36:26.46
Those sins have to be dealt
with or they still condemn me,
00:36:26.49\00:36:30.83
do you follow me?
00:36:30.87\00:36:32.19
So the Bible says there is
now therefore no condemnation to
00:36:32.22\00:36:35.55
those that are in Christ Jesus,
because being in Christ Jesus
00:36:35.58\00:36:38.88
takes care of my future
sins, but it also takes care
00:36:38.91\00:36:42.85
of my past sins.
00:36:42.88\00:36:45.58
My old life becomes buried
in the sea of forgetfulness.
00:36:45.61\00:36:49.75
They rise up to condemn me
no more because Christ washes
00:36:49.79\00:36:53.89
those sins away so I can
proudly say now there is no
00:36:53.93\00:36:57.93
condemnation
because I am in Christ.
00:36:57.97\00:37:00.06
He takes care of my past,
my present, and my future.
00:37:00.10\00:37:03.47
Praise God!
00:37:03.51\00:37:05.25
Let's go to verse 14.
00:37:05.28\00:37:09.73
These are
indeed the sons of God.
00:37:20.72\00:37:24.05
Verse 16, let's go to verse 16.
00:37:24.08\00:37:27.37
So it is no longer fighting
against ourselves, it is walking
00:37:32.45\00:37:37.50
with Jesus by faith.
00:37:37.54\00:37:39.19
Perfection then is a process
that comes in us and through us,
00:37:39.22\00:37:43.15
we love to do the will of God.
00:37:43.18\00:37:45.18
We are pleased to do the
will of God, because Christ
00:37:45.22\00:37:47.97
now is in us and anything
that hurts God, hurts us.
00:37:48.01\00:37:50.69
Anything that is against God,
is against what we are doing
00:37:50.72\00:37:53.15
because we are in
Christ and Christ is in us.
00:37:53.19\00:37:55.83
Powerful text Ephesians
2:8, we have used it before,
00:37:55.86\00:38:00.87
what book did I say?
00:38:00.91\00:38:01.99
This is what is exciting about
this thing called Christianity,
00:38:11.45\00:38:14.05
all you need to
be saved comes to you
00:38:14.09\00:38:18.33
free of charge. Amen!
00:38:18.36\00:38:21.33
Free of charge, you
don't have to pay for anything.
00:38:21.37\00:38:25.07
Everybody likes free of charge.
00:38:25.10\00:38:27.39
The only thing that
my wife likes better
00:38:27.43\00:38:30.22
then clearance, is free.
00:38:30.26\00:38:33.46
There is one word that
tends to stop her in the store,
00:38:33.50\00:38:36.19
it's when she sees
the word clearance.
00:38:36.22\00:38:37.92
She stops cold in her tracks.
00:38:37.96\00:38:39.62
Because she is a bargain
hunter, my wife doesn't like
00:38:39.65\00:38:42.37
to pay full price for
anything and I don't blame her.
00:38:42.40\00:38:45.16
But when she sees that word
clearance, it is like putting
00:38:45.19\00:38:47.92
on a red light, she
screeches to a halt and heads
00:38:47.95\00:38:50.79
to the clearance rack.
00:38:50.82\00:38:52.33
The only thing better
then clearance, is free.
00:38:52.37\00:38:55.96
God says salvation is
free because the grace is free
00:38:55.99\00:39:01.57
and the faith is free.
00:39:01.61\00:39:03.54
All you have to do is
open up and accept a free gift.
00:39:03.57\00:39:07.35
Don't you like
to get free stuff?
00:39:07.39\00:39:08.76
I love free things.
00:39:08.80\00:39:10.09
The other day I went to a gas
station and a lady gave my wife,
00:39:10.13\00:39:13.26
as we were driving up, a bunch
of little scratch off card to
00:39:13.29\00:39:16.39
see if we could get free gas.
00:39:16.42\00:39:17.93
She scratched off, I think,
15, nothing sorry, sorry, sorry,
00:39:17.97\00:39:23.46
sorry, sorry, sorry, I
said throw those things out,
00:39:23.50\00:39:28.49
nobody ever wins those things.
00:39:28.52\00:39:29.92
Sorry, sorry and all of a
sudden bing, winner, 5 dollars
00:39:29.96\00:39:34.14
worth of gas, one gallon ha ha.
00:39:34.18\00:39:37.14
Maybe a gallon and a
half, but we got a 5 dollar
00:39:37.18\00:39:39.85
gift certificate for free gas
and we were excited like we won
00:39:39.89\00:39:43.69
a million dollars.
00:39:43.73\00:39:44.70
Five dollars, but it was
free, well it wasn't really free
00:39:44.71\00:39:51.17
because you pay
for it over time.
00:39:51.21\00:39:53.24
But it felt free and
we were happy about it.
00:39:53.28\00:39:56.53
By grace you have been
saved through faith and that not
00:39:56.56\00:40:00.11
of yourselves, it
is a gift from God.
00:40:00.14\00:40:03.01
In the Old Testament there's
a bunch of these statements.
00:40:03.05\00:40:06.89
Let's look up the book
of Habakkuk, it is not one
00:40:06.93\00:40:09.02
that we turn to too often,
but it has a very powerful
00:40:09.05\00:40:11.11
statement and is one
of the ones that touched
00:40:11.15\00:40:13.51
Martin Luther's heart
back there in 1500's when
00:40:13.54\00:40:16.27
he talked about and
found out about free grace
00:40:16.31\00:40:19.00
and free faith.
00:40:19.04\00:40:20.52
Habakkuk 2:4, a Bible says.
00:40:20.56\00:40:23.13
A powerful statement.
00:40:32.61\00:40:34.29
Those who are justified,
those who are righteous in God's
00:40:34.33\00:40:38.07
sight will live by faith.
00:40:38.10\00:40:40.98
And even the faith that
we get is a gift from God.
00:40:41.02\00:40:45.49
Can you say Amen!
00:40:45.53\00:40:46.77
This is one of the greatest of
all the doctrines of salvation,
00:40:46.81\00:40:51.16
the idea that faith
comes from the Lord.
00:40:51.20\00:40:54.65
Hebrews 11:1,
what book did I say?
00:40:54.68\00:40:57.19
The book is Hebrews 11:,
00:40:57.22\00:40:59.33
I think we have the wrong one,
00:41:03.63\00:41:05.31
I want to go to Hebrews
11:1, come back to me brethren
00:41:05.34\00:41:08.94
Hebrews 11:1, you know it.
00:41:08.97\00:41:11.74
But I want to read from the
word of God rather than give you
00:41:11.77\00:41:15.38
my digest of it.
00:41:15.41\00:41:16.78
"Now faith is the
substance of things hoped for,
00:41:20.25\00:41:23.04
the evidence of
things not seen. "
00:41:23.07\00:41:26.33
Faith makes the unreal, real.
00:41:26.36\00:41:31.10
Faith makes the unseen, seen.
00:41:31.14\00:41:35.81
Faith takes a God who inhabits
the universe, and brings Him
00:41:35.84\00:41:41.12
down and places
Him inside my heart.
00:41:41.15\00:41:44.22
Can you say Amen!
00:41:44.25\00:41:45.45
Faith does that and you
can't do anything without faith.
00:41:45.48\00:41:49.39
The Bible says without faith
it is impossible to please Him,
00:41:49.43\00:41:53.49
that is just six verses later.
00:41:53.52\00:41:55.05
Hebrews 11:6, For he who comes
to God must believe that he is
00:41:55.09\00:41:59.18
and that he is a rewarder for
those who diligently seek Him.
00:41:59.22\00:42:03.28
When we go to God, we
know He is there and we know
00:42:03.32\00:42:06.39
that He hears us.
00:42:06.42\00:42:08.08
Let's look at faith,
Hebrews 11:7, and now
00:42:08.11\00:42:11.04
we are ready for that.
00:42:11.08\00:42:12.05
Act of faith, Hebrews 11:8.
00:42:15.42\00:42:19.07
And your obedience
comes by faith to, lets go on.
00:42:21.11\00:42:23.86
And we'll get to the land of
promise by faith, lets go on.
00:42:27.61\00:42:30.01
You know the story, past
childbearing age, but by faith
00:42:35.33\00:42:38.32
God gave her a son.
00:42:38.35\00:42:39.79
Hebrews 11:17.
00:42:39.83\00:42:41.64
Only son, he offered them up
for a sacrifice and that had to
00:42:44.40\00:42:47.39
be an act of faith, let's go on.
00:42:47.43\00:42:48.57
Hebrews 11:20.
00:42:48.60\00:42:49.60
Again act of faith,
let's go on, Hebrews 11:21.
00:42:52.78\00:42:57.01
Again act of faith, we
do these things by faith.
00:43:00.53\00:43:03.30
Hebrews 11:22.
00:43:03.34\00:43:04.96
He said I am is here in Egypt,
I am dying, when I am gone,
00:43:08.07\00:43:11.70
when we get free, dig up my
bones and take me back to the
00:43:11.73\00:43:15.32
promised land, act of faith.
00:43:15.36\00:43:17.04
Again act of faith, he should
have been killed, act of faith
00:43:21.05\00:43:23.85
held him there.
00:43:23.89\00:43:25.00
He knew that God had a plan
for his life and he stepped into
00:43:29.02\00:43:31.59
that plan by faith.
00:43:31.62\00:43:32.95
Hebrews 11:27.
00:43:32.98\00:43:34.27
He left the palace, left all
the comforts of the palace to
00:43:36.23\00:43:39.11
dwell with God's people.
00:43:39.14\00:43:40.23
Hebrews 11:28.
00:43:40.27\00:43:41.52
Talking about that faithful
night when God had His people
00:43:43.62\00:43:46.13
leave and they had to put blood
on the door post to make sure
00:43:46.16\00:43:48.64
that the death Angel
passed over, let's go on.
00:43:48.68\00:43:50.60
Hebrews 11:29.
00:43:50.63\00:43:51.93
Act of faith, they had to put
their feet in the water to make
00:43:57.23\00:44:00.31
sure God was going to do what
God said He was going to do,
00:44:00.34\00:44:03.30
but God always does what He
says He's going to do as long as
00:44:03.33\00:44:06.26
we do what we are
supposed to do, Amen?
00:44:06.29\00:44:07.93
Hebrews 11:30.
00:44:07.96\00:44:09.37
Giants people in a giant city
with giant walls, they walked
00:44:12.16\00:44:15.22
around the, down
the walls came by faith.
00:44:15.26\00:44:18.65
Hebrews 11:31.
00:44:18.68\00:44:20.02
Woman of ill-repute, by faith
she stuck with God's people,
00:44:24.68\00:44:28.24
stayed with God's people
and God was true to His word.
00:44:28.27\00:44:31.79
God is always true to
His word, can you say Amen?
00:44:31.83\00:44:36.11
Always, all we need to
do is be true to our word.
00:44:36.15\00:44:40.37
Anyone who's ever accomplished
anything glorious to the cause
00:44:40.40\00:44:43.85
of Christ, did so by faith.
00:44:43.88\00:44:45.95
Without faith it is
impossible to please Him.
00:44:45.99\00:44:50.12
James 2:23.
00:44:50.16\00:44:53.45
Abraham, the
Bible says, James 2:23.
00:44:53.48\00:44:57.40
You get to be called
righteous simply because
00:45:07.06\00:45:09.89
you believe in God.
00:45:09.92\00:45:11.47
The word that is
translated, belief and faith are
00:45:11.50\00:45:15.96
the same there coming
from the Greek, same word.
00:45:16.00\00:45:20.42
Paul uses the
same word in Hebrew and
00:45:20.46\00:45:23.50
it is translated faith.
00:45:23.53\00:45:24.73
Abraham's faith was accredited
to him for righteousness.
00:45:24.77\00:45:28.82
What God did for Abraham,
ladies and gentlemen I submit,
00:45:28.86\00:45:32.88
He will do for you.
00:45:32.92\00:45:34.31
Theologians call this
justification, a moment you give
00:45:34.34\00:45:38.62
your heart to Jesus it is
at that same moment that Christ
00:45:38.66\00:45:42.91
credits your faith
with righteousness.
00:45:42.94\00:45:46.87
God is saying because you love
Jesus, because you believe in
00:45:46.90\00:45:51.06
Him I give you
credit for the perfection
00:45:51.10\00:45:54.99
that you are working towards.
00:45:55.02\00:45:57.33
While I'm in the
process of making you a Saint,
00:45:57.36\00:45:59.87
I give you credit
for being a saint.
00:45:59.90\00:46:02.74
I give you credit for
being a true child of God.
00:46:02.77\00:46:06.68
I want to tell you what
Christ can do for a person.
00:46:06.71\00:46:10.55
I mentioned this a couple
nights ago, when I Pastored in
00:46:10.58\00:46:16.29
Manhattan, I did 117
funerals at one church.
00:46:16.33\00:46:20.17
The very first funeral I did
at that church I had just gotten
00:46:20.20\00:46:25.91
there, I guess
less than a month.
00:46:25.94\00:46:28.41
There was Lady they are who
stands out in my mind to this
00:46:28.45\00:46:32.38
day and I can call her name.
00:46:32.42\00:46:33.41
Her name was
Sister Kathleen Downes.
00:46:33.44\00:46:35.66
Kathleen Downes was a very
faithful Deaconess in the church
00:46:35.69\00:46:39.59
an officer in the
church, one of the mothers
00:46:39.62\00:46:41.51
of the church.
00:46:41.55\00:46:42.62
She was stricken down with
cancer and Kathleen Downes,
00:46:42.66\00:46:47.25
I suspect when she was
healthy she was about 5 foot 7,
00:46:47.29\00:46:51.85
maybe a 140, a 145 pounds.
00:46:51.88\00:46:54.00
When I met Kathleen she was 5
foot 7, about 92 or 93 pounds.
00:46:54.03\00:47:01.91
Cancer had taken control of
her body and she could barely
00:47:03.78\00:47:07.69
speak, her sight was failing,
her hearing was failing, but the
00:47:07.72\00:47:13.48
nurses and the doctors they
are at Calvary Hospital in the
00:47:13.52\00:47:20.18
Bronx said, Pastor this
lady is amazing because we know
00:47:20.21\00:47:26.84
she is in pain.
00:47:26.87\00:47:28.16
She doesn't take any
of the pain medications.
00:47:28.19\00:47:31.79
She will not allow us to treat
her, she's is failing fast.
00:47:31.83\00:47:37.13
But when you come into her
room, all day long all she does
00:47:37.16\00:47:42.43
is sing about Jesus.
00:47:42.47\00:47:44.95
They said we know she is
in pain, we know that she is
00:47:44.98\00:47:49.00
suffering and yet all day long
there is a melody coming from
00:47:49.03\00:47:53.03
her room singing about Jesus.
00:47:53.07\00:47:55.25
Those times that I met with
her, she never had a hard word
00:47:55.29\00:47:59.64
to say, she was not
angry, she was not upset,
00:47:59.67\00:48:03.44
she wasn't
shaking her fist at God.
00:48:03.48\00:48:06.08
She was just praising the Lord
for life and for Jesus and for
00:48:06.12\00:48:11.59
the promise of the future.
00:48:11.62\00:48:13.04
Now the reason I say
that is because I got a e-mail
00:48:13.07\00:48:17.17
just today, and
someone said in that e-mail,
00:48:17.21\00:48:20.03
how can I praise
God through the pain?
00:48:20.06\00:48:26.53
I am in pain all the
time, how can I be faithful?
00:48:26.57\00:48:32.54
How can I praise the Lord?
00:48:32.58\00:48:33.96
I think about Kathleen
Downes who praised the Lord
00:48:33.99\00:48:38.26
and sang for Him until
she drew her last breath.
00:48:38.30\00:48:42.54
That is what faith
in Jesus can do for you.
00:48:42.57\00:48:46.84
It can perfect you.
00:48:46.87\00:48:49.19
2 Corinthians 12:9 says
Paul hearing from the Lord,
00:48:49.23\00:48:56.96
"My grace is sufficient
for you, for my strength is
00:48:56.99\00:49:04.69
made perfect in your weakness. "
00:49:04.72\00:49:07.61
The weaker you are
the stronger God is.
00:49:07.64\00:49:12.15
The more you need Him,
the more available He becomes.
00:49:12.19\00:49:17.16
Great peace have
they who love God's law.
00:49:20.02\00:49:22.70
One of my favorite texts there
in Isaiah 26:3 lets us know that
00:49:22.74\00:49:28.70
even in the toughest of times,
00:49:28.74\00:49:30.03
we can have joy and
peace in Jesus, because of the
00:49:30.07\00:49:35.88
faith we have in Him.
00:49:35.91\00:49:37.72
Our weakness can be made
perfect in His strength as
00:49:37.75\00:49:42.65
long as we hold on to the Lord.
00:49:42.68\00:49:46.31
I want to go to 2 Peter 1:5.
00:49:46.34\00:49:49.94
That comes by studying the word,
and to virtue knowledge, and
00:50:04.82\00:50:09.40
knowledge there
comes this desire
00:50:09.43\00:50:12.61
for self control in our lives.
00:50:12.65\00:50:15.76
You know when you
commit your life to Jesus and
00:50:15.79\00:50:17.81
Jesus gives you control.
00:50:17.84\00:50:18.99
I heard one preacher
say that life really is,
00:50:19.03\00:50:21.63
Christian life, really
is commitment and control.
00:50:21.66\00:50:24.16
If you give your life
Jesus, Jesus gives you control.
00:50:24.19\00:50:26.66
Then there's
perseverance, and godliness,
00:50:26.69\00:50:29.31
and brotherly
kindness, and love.
00:50:29.35\00:50:31.90
All of these things mixed
together to make us successful
00:50:31.93\00:50:34.97
in Jesus, don't you want
to be successful in Christ?
00:50:35.01\00:50:38.01
Do you want be
successful in Christ?
00:50:38.04\00:50:40.31
You know I have said this
before, one of the hardest
00:50:40.35\00:50:43.07
thing I think there is
to do is try to be a server,
00:50:43.11\00:50:45.63
or a lover of Christ
and not have Christ within.
00:50:45.67\00:50:48.12
One of the most miserable
people I know are people who are
00:50:48.16\00:50:50.38
trying to be Christians
without Jesus dwelling within.
00:50:50.41\00:50:52.60
You can't do it.
00:50:52.63\00:50:53.88
Because then your
religion is just a form.
00:50:53.91\00:50:56.66
You have to have
Christ dwelling within you.
00:50:56.70\00:51:00.86
Again I say let this
mind be in "who?", in you.
00:51:00.89\00:51:04.98
Form this perfect, abiding,
loving relationship with Jesus
00:51:05.02\00:51:11.02
Christ and I guarantee you that,
00:51:11.05\00:51:13.05
Jesus will see you through.
00:51:13.09\00:51:14.52
And every night
when you call upon Him,
00:51:14.55\00:51:16.45
He will be there.
00:51:16.48\00:51:17.60
And every morning when you ask
him to bless your day's work,
00:51:17.64\00:51:20.17
He will be there to bless you.
00:51:20.20\00:51:21.28
And when you are
driving on the streets,
00:51:21.31\00:51:22.63
He will be there.
00:51:22.66\00:51:23.63
And when you're working at
your job, He will be there.
00:51:23.64\00:51:25.39
And when you're at
school, He will be there.
00:51:25.43\00:51:26.98
And when you are
home with your family,
00:51:27.01\00:51:28.52
Jesus will be there.
00:51:28.56\00:51:29.76
And finally one day you
will look up and see Him
00:51:29.79\00:51:32.31
face-to-face and He
will reach out to you
00:51:32.34\00:51:37.86
and say come ye
blessed of My Father and
00:51:37.90\00:51:43.38
inherit the
kingdom I have for you.
00:51:43.42\00:51:44.74
And perfect hope will
blend into perfect love,
00:51:44.77\00:51:49.09
the reality of an
everlasting relationship with
00:51:49.13\00:51:53.41
Jesus Christ without end.
00:51:53.45\00:51:55.83
How many love Him tonight?
00:51:55.86\00:51:58.17
How many want to
be perfect in Christ?
00:51:58.21\00:52:02.77
Therefore, be ye perfect.
00:52:02.80\00:52:05.64
If that is your will stand
with me and we will close in
00:52:05.67\00:52:08.79
prayer, let's pray together.
00:52:08.82\00:52:10.23
Shall we stand, Father God,
00:52:10.27\00:52:12.85
help us to be perfect in You.
00:52:12.89\00:52:15.41
Perfect love,
perfect relationship.
00:52:15.44\00:52:20.18
For truly perfect
love casts out all fear.
00:52:20.21\00:52:26.15
Oh Lord, let there be no fear
in our hearts, no fear of what
00:52:26.18\00:52:31.70
the world has to bring.
00:52:31.74\00:52:33.03
No fear of Satan and his trick's
but give us a perfect love
00:52:33.07\00:52:38.78
relationship with You.
00:52:38.82\00:52:40.87
You said therefore be perfect,
help us Lord to love You with
00:52:40.90\00:52:46.60
all our heart, with all our
mind, and all our soul and we
00:52:46.64\00:52:52.27
will give our lives to You and
we thank You in the worthy and
00:52:52.31\00:52:57.73
blessed name of Jesus, Amen!
00:52:57.76\00:53:01.00