Participants: Bill Liversidge
Series Code: IHS
Program Code: IHS000004A
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00:13 Eat the bread you'll have life,
00:16 eat my flesh you'll have life, 00:18 drink my blood you'll have life. 00:21 The evidence is our willingness 00:23 to hear and obey the word of God, 00:26 especially since we realize this is God's speaking. 00:32 This is not an ordinary book 00:35 we're talking about this morning, 00:37 this is the word of life. 00:40 This is the word of God. 00:42 We are in his presence. 00:47 The Holy Spirit's ability to inspire. 00:58 Let's bow our heads to give our hearts 01:00 to get into the word in this morning. 01:02 Our loving Father in heaven, 01:06 We only catch a glimpse of your magnificent 01:09 some were overwhelmed. 01:11 We are humbled Lord even to be used by You 01:15 as vessels to receive and to share You to others. 01:18 What a privilege we have and this morning 01:21 as we continue to open up the good news 01:23 and to expand that even further, 01:26 we just pray for great clarity, Father, 01:28 so that anyone sitting here this morning 01:31 who has spent years of their lives 01:33 trying to do the right things, only to end up with no peace 01:38 and to still feel so short of Your glory, 01:42 give them great grace this morning, Father, 01:45 as they come to the cross. 01:47 In Jesus' precious name, Amen. 01:53 What a tragedy to spend years of your life 01:56 and someone just walked up to me yesterday and said this, 01:59 "I've spent years of my life 02:01 trying to do all the right things 02:06 and I'm still not perfect." 02:10 I said, "Well, praise God for that, 02:13 'cause if you were, 02:15 you might not need the grace of God." 02:17 Have you noticed something about God 02:19 how He keeps us all in check, 02:22 that the more clearly we be behold 02:25 the righteousness of Jesus, 02:28 the more clearly we see our own, 02:33 our own imperfections. 02:36 We see His beautiful perfection 02:39 and the same time as we compare ourselves 02:41 we see our own imperfections 02:44 and I want to tell you that is of God. 02:49 Because He is the altogether perfect one. 02:55 And as we've been seeing the plan of salvation embraces 03:00 all that God has done for us 03:03 through the atoning death of Jesus 03:06 followed by all that He then does in us 03:12 by imparting His beautiful life to us. 03:19 Having done so much for us 03:24 through the atoning death of Jesus, 03:27 God then decides to endure us sin 03:30 as a controlling power in our lives. 03:35 He's lifted the burden of guilt from us 03:38 but we're still under the control of sin. 03:42 So how does He handle that? 03:45 It's unthinkable what He did. 03:48 He decided to indwell us. 03:52 Amen. 03:54 To bring His Holiness into us, 04:00 Oh what it's gonna take? 04:06 I guess my character needs building this week, you know. 04:12 I gonna repeat it the third time, 04:13 you'll never know. 04:16 I'm a beggar for punishment. 04:19 Having done so much for us 04:22 and someone said to me yesterday, 04:24 "Please keep saying these things 04:26 until we get it." 04:28 I said, "Well, then I will, 04:29 I'm equal to that challenge believe me." 04:32 Amen. 04:33 You don't know how tough I am 04:34 'cause you haven't met my mother yet, 04:39 you know, who's getting more vigorous with her age. 04:43 Having done so much for us 04:47 through the atoning death of Jesus, 04:51 lifting all that guilt and condemnation 04:54 and death from us, freeing us up basically, 04:58 not to sinners we found out 05:02 but to actually put on the living Christ everyday. 05:06 Amen. 05:07 To be able to spend every day of our lives 05:10 with Christ in us. 05:12 Amen. 05:14 What a privilege that is. Amen. 05:16 Wow, this is how God breaks the strangle hold, 05:22 the slavery of sin that will be in under. 05:27 He doesn't make us 05:28 stronger everyday with a shot in the arm, 05:32 so we get a little more holy everyday 05:34 and we look in the mirror and say, "Yes, 05:35 praise God, I'm getting there, you know. 05:38 What He does is, He indwells us. 05:41 Amen. 05:43 He brings His magnificent Holiness into us. 05:48 I can hardly stand it 05:49 sometimes, God is so Holy and I'm so unholy by comparison 05:55 that when He's Holiness comes into me at times 05:57 it's just, it's almost overwhelming 06:01 you know, the feeling because you realize 06:03 that somebody so purer, so far above anything you are, 06:10 is actually dine in to come and live in you 06:16 for another day of your life. 06:17 It struck me one day 06:18 as I'm driving around the freeways of Los Angeles. 06:22 I've got many children 06:23 living around the Los Angeles area 06:26 so I'm constantly having to drive up daily 06:28 and they all think it's a huge distance to drive down to me 06:31 but I think it's nothing to drive to them 06:34 'cause I don't have little children either. 06:38 And it just struck me as I was driving, 06:40 oh, my goodness, the Holy God is living in me 06:45 for another day of my life 06:46 and I stopped the car on the shoulder. 06:48 It's a dangerous thing to do in LA 06:51 and I got out of the car and I stood there 06:53 and raised my hands in the air like this 06:56 and I moved into the most incredible praise. 06:59 'Cause you know, in LA 07:01 nobody thought it was anything unusual 07:02 you know, I just, 07:04 and I just stood there for a minute or two 07:06 and lifted up my heart in praise to God 07:09 that the Holy God of heaven humbled Himself to the point. 07:16 He not only took upon himself the likeness of sinful flesh 07:21 but He's choosing to indwell me 07:25 for another day of my life 07:27 so that I need not be a slave to sin 07:31 for another day of my life. 07:32 Amen. 07:34 Isn't that remarkable? 07:35 Yes. 07:36 This is the kind of grace 07:38 that God is offering His children 07:42 and we still got people 07:43 that are all hung up on being perfect. 07:48 They spend their lives 07:49 trying to do all the right things 07:52 and never reaching satisfaction. 07:55 Let me share a verse with you this morning. 07:57 It's one of my favorites in Hebrews, chapter 10. 08:01 I keep coming back to the Cross 08:03 I can't get away from it. 08:05 It's the key to everything. 08:07 Hebrews, chapter 10, 08:13 I believe this is 08:14 one of the most balanced and profound things 08:16 that the apostle Paul ever wrote. 08:20 Hebrews, 10 and verse 14, 08:23 look at the balance in this verse, 08:26 "By one offering, " what is that a reference to? 08:31 His atoning death, that's the offering. 08:34 "By one offering He has," 08:41 did you actually allow yourself to hear that this morning? 08:44 He has what? 08:47 "He has perfected," 08:52 for how long? 08:54 Very long time. 08:55 Are you actually hearing it? 09:00 In God's sight you are perfect for how long? 09:06 Forever because you're trying harder everyday, 09:10 is that what it says? 09:11 No. 09:13 Because to got a list of rules 09:14 and you checked them off faithfully? 09:16 Is that how it reads? 09:18 No. 09:20 We are perfect forever by one offering. 09:28 Well, let's sink in this morning 09:30 'cause it's another way of saying, 09:35 you're justified. 09:38 God is declaring you to be perfect forever 09:42 but look at the rest of the verse. 09:46 If you got a good translation of we'll reflect 09:48 a continuous tense in-- 09:50 Does anyone have the continuous tense out there 09:53 that will show the word being will be used? 09:56 You got up there? 09:57 Hang on I'm going to bring you a microphone for you. 10:00 This young lady in the second queue there. 10:05 If you would read, 10:07 what translation do you have there? 10:11 The NIV. 10:13 NIV, okay, we'll pray for you, please read it- 10:15 Sorry. 10:21 "Because of one sacrifice He has made perfect forever 10:25 those who are being made holy." 10:27 The NIV has done a good job here. 10:29 They've picked up the continuous tense. 10:31 Once more would you in a slightly 10:32 more evangelistic voice. 10:33 You could use a little evangelistic voice. 10:38 "Because of one sacrifice," or as you said offering, 10:44 "He has made perfect forever those who are being made holy." 10:51 And her version says, 10:52 "Those who are being made holy," 10:54 other versions read, 10:55 "those who are being sanctified," it brings, 10:58 that is the word sanctified there. 11:01 But thank you, for having the continuous tense in there 11:04 because sanctification is a process, isn't it? 11:06 Yes. Isnt it? 11:08 This is an accomplished fact. 11:10 But this is a process, a life long process. 11:17 We are being sanctified. 11:18 There are two loaded words in this verse, aren't they. 11:22 One of them is, perfection, the other is sanctified 11:26 and the good news is they are not identical. 11:31 One of them, you have through the death of Jesus 11:35 for how long? 11:36 Forever. 11:37 Forever, the other is a process 11:40 going on in your life leading you to maturity. 11:45 But I challenge you this morning 11:46 you'll never reach a point 11:48 where you'll rise up and say, "Thank you, God, I'm perfect. 11:51 As long as you've got your eyes on the perfect one 11:54 that will never happen. 11:56 I'm convinced by the way 11:57 we are going to spend eternity growing still 12:00 into His likeness. 12:03 How is your faith? 12:05 Isn't this morning-- isn't that a beautiful verse? 12:07 Yes. 12:08 Perfection and sanctification are not the same things. 12:12 God knows that. 12:14 That's why He grants us perfection 12:17 as we are undergoing sanctification. 12:23 We have complete perfection. 12:25 We are justified everyday of our lives. 12:29 It's the most under appreciated gift 12:32 that God has given the human race. 12:35 I have so few friends still 12:38 that are coming to the Cross everyday, 12:40 looking at the broken body of Jesus 12:42 and saying, "Thank you, God, 12:45 for allowing Jesus to become sinful me. 12:49 Amen. 12:50 For declaring me to be righteous, 12:52 I don't feel righteous but God says in His sight, 12:56 I am righteous. 12:59 I'm claiming again this morning, Roman 6:11. 13:03 "Consider yourself to be," 13:07 well some of you haven't even got that yet. 13:10 Romans 6:11, 13:11 "Consider yourself to be dead to sin," 13:15 consider it says, Paul. 13:16 Don't wait to feel it. 13:19 Got nothing to do with your feelings, 13:21 it's an act of faith 13:23 because Jesus has been accepted by God in your stead. 13:29 Amen. 13:31 The resolution of the sin problem 13:33 has been placed on Jesus not on you and me. 13:40 Another feeble response, how can I live with this, huh? 13:45 The resolution of the sin problem 13:48 has been placed on Jesus and not on you and me. 13:52 Amen. 13:54 Is that good news or what? 13:57 It's the very best news we could ever have 14:00 because it frees us up 14:03 to move into a daily walk with Jesus, 14:07 to have Him in us everyday so that His Holiness 14:12 can bring about maturity 14:14 and sanctification within us. 14:19 One of us still got that little statement. 14:22 Yes, I've still got it here. 14:24 Powerful little statement 14:25 that I occasionally bring into my favorite Christian author, 14:31 this is a very beautiful statement 14:33 from The Review and Herald, July 7, 1904, 14:40 in an article titled, Genuine Conversion. 14:43 This is the clearest statement 14:48 of understanding the new birth. 14:51 It sheds light on the biblical term, 14:53 the New Birth 14:56 which is another way of saying, 14:57 having the mind of Jesus in you every single day. 15:01 This is the clearest statement 15:03 about the mind of Jesus in us or the New Birth 15:07 I have ever read in my entire life. 15:09 And every time now, 15:10 when I read those words in the scripture, 15:13 I allow this thought to jump into my mind. 15:17 "The leaven of truth," 15:18 that's how I have describing the Holy Spirit. 15:21 "The leaven of truth works secretly, 15:24 silently, steadily, to transform the soul." 15:30 Do you like that alliteration there, 15:33 secretly, silently, steadily? 15:36 I love the English here. 15:38 It's beautiful. 15:40 "The natural inclinations are softened and subdued. 15:45 So now is the interesting part. 15:47 "New," let's see, we are running out of space here, 15:51 aren't we? 15:52 "New," we're still back here, remember? 15:56 We're in here. 15:59 Christ in us now. 16:00 I'm moving fully into the second section 16:04 and she uses the term "New." 16:09 This is where it gets very exciting. 16:11 "New thoughts, 16:17 New feelings, 16:22 New motives are implanted." 16:31 Seriously, I think they are. 16:35 A new standard of character 16:37 has set up the life of Christ Himself. 16:42 Pray that it hits you this morning please, 16:46 pray that it hits you. 16:47 You've come to the Cross, 16:50 you've taken hold of the atoning death of Jesus, 16:52 you've allowed God to declare you righteous again. 16:57 You've realized in the atoning death of Jesus, 17:01 your death has taken place. 17:05 Your guilt fell on Him, your condemnation fell on Him, 17:10 your judgment fell on him. 17:14 And you're so grateful that you lift up your heart 17:17 and you say thank you, Father. 17:21 Do you know what God's response is? 17:24 He immediately puts His spirit upon you 17:28 and the Holy Spirit only has one focus in ministry. 17:31 By the way, in the afternoon meetings 17:33 I'm going to develop this. 17:34 The afternoon service is not the same 17:36 as the morning series. 17:39 We are going to deal with the baptism of the Holy Spirit. 17:42 That'd be at 4 o'clock in the afternoon 17:44 and you will be much more participative in the afternoon. 17:46 So those of you that have the gift of martyrdom 17:49 should be hear at 4o'clock in the afternoon. 17:52 They don't have a lot of time for participation 17:55 in these morning meetings. 17:57 But the moment you take hold of that atoning death 18:01 a new God's glorious gift to you, 18:03 His responses is to bring the Spirit into you 18:06 and the Spirit's work is to bring 18:08 the living Christ into us. 18:12 Amen. 18:13 And in actual fact, 18:15 you'll receive the thoughts of Jesus 18:22 you'll receive the feelings. 18:23 Is that good news? Yes. 18:26 You'll receive the feelings of Jesus, 18:31 you'll receive the motives of Jesus 18:38 everyday of your life. 18:41 The living Christ through the spirit 18:43 is coming into the minds 18:46 of those who come to the Cross 18:48 and take hold of His amazing death. 18:51 God's gift then is to bring 18:53 the beautiful life of Christ into you, 18:56 you'll start thinking totally different thoughts. 19:02 I doubted for two years, 19:03 once I started practicing this and God rebuked me so strongly. 19:06 He said to me one morning, 19:08 "Didn't you pray for my mind this morning? 19:12 So whose thoughts do you think you're having?" 19:15 I said, "Well, forgive me." 19:17 Why am I doubting? 19:19 These are the thoughts of Jesus 19:20 and I am empowered to act upon them. 19:24 I can have the feelings of Jesus every single day. 19:29 I used to seriously doubt the will of God. 19:32 How do I really know what God's will is? 19:37 Now I know by putting on the mind of Jesus 19:40 every single day. 19:44 I know exactly His will and purpose in my life. 19:48 Whereas I used to doubt before nine times out of ten, 19:51 now it's crystal clear and if it's not clear, 19:55 God's advice to me is don't act, 19:57 continue to seek my mind until it's crystal clear 20:01 and then act upon it. 20:04 I know my older son 20:06 who is a pastor in Southern California, 20:08 he had a call recently to move to Maryland 20:11 to pastor the New Hope Church over there. 20:14 It's a big contemporary church 20:16 where there are 800 members and he was like a see-saw. 20:22 He would call me up every other day, 20:23 "I don't know what to do. 20:25 I think I'm gonna go." 20:26 The next day he would call me and say, 20:28 "I think I'm not gonna go." 20:30 So one day I call him up and said, 20:31 "I want to tell you something, 20:32 that's the lesson is not from of God. 20:35 If this is a call from God, 20:37 you'll be crystal clear in your thinking. 20:41 You will know beyond any shadow of doubt 20:44 this is God's call to you. 20:46 But this see-sawing business 20:48 suggests to me this is not of God." 20:50 So he called me up two days later 20:52 when he says that "I'm going," I said, "Praise the Lord." 20:55 I said, "I would have supported you 20:57 if you'd called me up and said 20:59 this is God's call and I'm going 21:00 but you were like a see-saw, back and forth." 21:03 You will not be a see-saw 21:05 if you put in the mind of Jesus every single day. 21:09 You will know the will of God, 21:11 you have no accidental encounters in your life, 21:15 by the way 21:16 because Jesus in you 21:18 will be constantly seeking for souls. 21:23 I was in Atlanta about 12 months ago. 21:28 I needed a new shirt 21:31 so I went to the mall in Buckhead, 21:35 my favorite part of Atlanta. 21:37 And there were two big stalls there, 21:39 Bloomingdale's was here and Macys was there. 21:43 And in my mind 21:44 I felt a strong compulsion to go into Macys. 21:48 I'm not a big shopper 21:50 so it didn't make any difference to me. 21:52 So I went into Macys 21:53 and I finally I get lost in these stores, 21:55 I finally found the Men's wear section 21:59 and I walked up to the counter 22:00 and there's a young woman behind the counter 22:02 and she's weeping her eyes out. 22:05 Well, I said, it's just my destiny. 22:09 I come into buy a shirt and the shopkeeper is weeping. 22:14 So I said to her, "Can I help you?" 22:15 She said, "No, it's just too terrible." 22:18 I said well, I said, "I have been known to help people 22:21 who are in pain before. 22:23 Do you want to share it with me?" 22:25 "No, it's awful, it's terrible, 22:26 it just happened to me this morning." 22:29 I said, "Please share it with me 22:30 and I believe that I might be able to help you." 22:34 I said, "What terrible thing has happened to you? 22:36 I'm trying to imagine 22:37 what terrible thing must, this is a young woman, 22:40 couldn't be more than 21years of age. 22:43 Well, she said, "I happened this morning 22:44 when I came to work." 22:47 And I'm preparing myself for some terrible revelation. 22:51 She said, "The manager called me this morning 22:54 and he said to me, 22:56 'We're moving you from Cosmetics to Men's wear." 23:05 Oh, I said, "How disastrous." 23:08 I mean that is disastrous. 23:12 Fancy have been moved her from cosmetics to men's wear. 23:15 I'm trying to keep a straight face. 23:17 This is a big disaster, you know. 23:20 I said, "Well, look on the bright side." 23:22 For which she said, "Is there a bright side?" 23:23 I said, absolutely. 23:25 If you hadn't move to men's wear, 23:27 you would not be meeting me." 23:32 I said, "Trust me, 23:34 you would not have met me in cosmetics." 23:40 Well, she said, why is that so important?" 23:42 I said, "It's important because I have the solution 23:46 to your problem. 23:47 I can offer you something 23:49 that will guarantee you peace of mind. 23:53 Even if your circumstances are horrible, 23:56 you can keep your peace of mind 23:59 and I would like to share it with you 24:01 if you'll stop weeping for one minute. 24:04 I want to tell you some very good news." 24:08 And I shared the good news with her. 24:10 She dried her eyes and she said, 24:12 "Oh, I thought I was a Christian." 24:15 I said, "Well, I'm encouraging you 24:17 now to be a stronger Christian. 24:19 This is what God is offering you in Jesus Christ 24:22 and I would like to pray with you right now 24:24 in the middle of Macys. 24:26 Let's get all this on video tape, you know." 24:30 She said, "Do you see those two young men over there? 24:33 They need prayer as much as me, 24:34 can I pull them into?" 24:36 I said, "of course, let's have a prayer meeting 24:37 right here in Macys, you know." 24:41 So they came over and joined us. 24:42 It was now four of us. 24:44 She said, "And I've also got a physical problem. 24:46 I'm losing my hearing in one ear." 24:48 I said, "I lay hands on people for things like that. 24:52 So as I pray if you all have my hand on your ear." 24:55 We had the most powerful time of prayer 24:58 and uplift together. 24:59 So just recently I was back in Atlanta again 25:01 and I walked into Macys 25:03 and they all came running up to me, 25:04 "Can we have another meeting?" 25:06 I said, "That's why I'm here." 25:09 Well, they said, "We got eight people now." 25:11 I said, "Fantastic." 25:14 Now I looked up and I laughed at myself, 25:15 I'm taking over Macys now for Jesus. 25:20 You know, what I said to myself? 25:22 I never used to have these encounters, 25:24 I never used to have these experiences 25:28 until I understood the meaning of putting on the mind of Jesus 25:34 because Jesus is hungry for ministry. 25:38 You know that, don't you? 25:39 He doesn't miss these opportunities. 25:43 How's your faith this morning? 25:45 You want to become more like Christ? 25:49 Then put on the mind of Jesus every single day. 25:54 You'll have His thoughts, you'll have His feelings, 25:58 you'll have His convictions in you 26:01 and all of a sudden 26:02 the ordinary things in your life 26:04 will become extraordinary. 26:07 Because Jesus has such a hunger for souls, 26:11 He feels every hurt of every human being. 26:18 Father in heaven, what an amazing God you are. 26:24 You're sitting up there 26:26 administrating the entire universe 26:29 and that you have time to look down to my home town 26:33 and spot one middle aged homeless woman in great pain 26:38 and you want to reach out 26:40 to your loving arm and express your compassion to her 26:43 through a human instrument. 26:45 I'm humbled father that you allowed me 26:47 the privilege of experiencing 26:49 your compassion and your love for this woman. 26:54 And I'm overjoyed that the knowledge 26:56 that Jesus can complete His ministry through us. 27:00 Give us all the gift of faith today 27:03 so that as we come to the cross and express our gratitude 27:06 a new for all that you've done for us, 27:09 where we begin to seriously appreciate 27:11 what you can now do in and through us 27:14 every single day. 27:16 So that You will ultimately be glorified on this earth 27:20 in your people who are truly like you. 27:23 Thank you, in anticipation. 27:25 In Jesus' precious name, Amen. 27:32 If would like more information about this ministry 27:35 or how you can obtain a copy of this entire series 27:37 and other recourses by Pastor Bill Liversidge, 27:40 please contact us. 27:42 Creative Media Ministries 27:43 proclaims the full ministry of Jesus 27:45 through the Sanctuary. 27:46 With the growing cost of TV production and broadcasting, 27:49 this dynamic ministry needs partners 27:51 committed to spreading the good news 27:53 through out the entire world. 27:55 You are invited to prayerfully consider 27:56 making a tax deductible donation 27:58 to Creative Media Ministries. 28:00 Contact us online at www.creativemediaministries.org 28:06 That's www.creativemediaministries.org 28:11 By mail at Creative Media Ministries, 28:13 P.O. Box 1981, 28:15 Palm Springs, California, 92263 28:19 or call us at 888-744-0443. 28:24 That's 888-744-0443. |
Revised 2015-09-03