My wife and I had several gospel singing groups 00:00:33.97\00:00:37.24 through the years beginning with Maranatha Singers 00:00:37.27\00:00:39.83 and then at seminary Voices of Praise 00:00:39.86\00:00:42.87 and then Abundant Life Singers back in the 90s 00:00:42.90\00:00:46.71 and I just love harmony and instrumentation 00:00:46.74\00:00:51.15 and it really is like the harmonies 00:00:51.18\00:00:53.63 that the love of Jesus ought to set forth in our hearts 00:00:53.66\00:00:56.76 and minds, isn't it. 00:00:56.79\00:00:58.55 And tippling our groups we would have nine 00:00:58.58\00:01:01.07 and ten singers stretched out here 00:01:01.10\00:01:02.96 kind of they were with mikes 00:01:02.99\00:01:04.94 and instrumentation and our first album 00:01:04.97\00:01:09.35 we released with Chapel Records 00:01:09.38\00:01:11.53 was the album Worship His Majesty. 00:01:11.56\00:01:13.82 I still love the music on some on that album. 00:01:13.85\00:01:17.01 And then the second release with did back in 94' 00:01:17.04\00:01:20.50 "I Go to the Rock." 00:01:20.53\00:01:22.88 And music is a lot of fun, music is a beautiful thing 00:01:22.91\00:01:28.57 and you know we're gonna spend a lot of time in heaven 00:01:28.60\00:01:31.41 doing a lot of singing and praising. 00:01:31.44\00:01:33.82 We truly are, aren't we? 00:01:33.85\00:01:35.99 Well, here you are Sabbath morning 00:01:36.02\00:01:38.68 and we're going to get right into the Word of God 00:01:38.71\00:01:40.94 this morning but you will remember 00:01:40.97\00:01:43.31 this is number three in the series 00:01:43.34\00:01:46.29 the Revival series that we are doing on Sabbath mornings 00:01:46.32\00:01:48.99 during the course of the Life Discoveries Series. 00:01:49.02\00:01:52.33 And the first three Sabbaths 00:01:52.36\00:01:53.98 have been uniquely designed for you 00:01:54.01\00:01:56.81 and beginning with next Sabbath 00:01:56.84\00:01:59.11 as we invite our guest from the community 00:01:59.14\00:02:01.51 that have been coming. 00:02:01.54\00:02:02.65 You will remember that last week in our Revival 00:02:02.68\00:02:06.18 we were looking at the wonderful beautiful subject of Jesus. 00:02:06.21\00:02:09.77 Jesus in His righteousness, 00:02:09.80\00:02:12.41 Jesus in His imputed righteousness 00:02:12.44\00:02:14.92 that is when we accept Jesus Christ by faith, 00:02:14.95\00:02:18.21 His perfect life becomes ours. 00:02:18.24\00:02:20.71 And God accepts us as if we have never sinned. 00:02:20.74\00:02:25.10 I tell you it doesn't get any better than that. 00:02:25.13\00:02:28.25 We call that justification and we call that being accounted 00:02:28.28\00:02:33.58 or considered righteous. 00:02:33.61\00:02:35.96 And we also looked at the fact 00:02:35.99\00:02:37.31 that the Bible teaches that His righteousness, 00:02:37.34\00:02:40.09 His life, His very life is in imparted to us 00:02:40.12\00:02:43.87 in the process of the relationship 00:02:43.90\00:02:46.06 as through the months and years 00:02:46.09\00:02:48.41 of our relationship in Jesus Christ 00:02:48.44\00:02:50.56 we are becoming like Him. 00:02:50.59\00:02:54.21 We're becoming like the one that we loved, 00:02:54.24\00:02:56.13 the one that abides in us and we abide in Him. 00:02:56.16\00:03:00.95 It is transformational 00:03:00.98\00:03:02.85 the relationship in Jesus Christ. 00:03:02.88\00:03:06.39 And by the way I mentioned something the other night 00:03:06.42\00:03:08.97 I'd like to mention this morning. 00:03:09.00\00:03:10.17 When it comes to the Bible 00:03:10.20\00:03:13.11 and relates to this whole thing of Righteousness by Faith 00:03:13.14\00:03:16.14 when it comes to the Bible and the Spirit of Prophecy 00:03:16.17\00:03:19.44 there are two major things 00:03:19.47\00:03:20.99 that we have always see if we take a good look at it. 00:03:21.02\00:03:23.84 Number one, we are going to see 00:03:23.87\00:03:25.26 that the standard is high. 00:03:25.29\00:03:27.89 The standard of God's righteousness is perfect. 00:03:27.92\00:03:31.92 God demands absolute perfection of us 00:03:31.95\00:03:35.56 and how do we measure up 00:03:35.59\00:03:37.43 to that expectation on God's part, 00:03:37.46\00:03:39.63 that perfection. 00:03:39.66\00:03:40.69 What's the answer? 00:03:40.72\00:03:42.96 Through the righteousness of Jesus, right. 00:03:42.99\00:03:46.57 It means the perfect requirements 00:03:46.60\00:03:48.99 that we find in the Bible and the Spirit of Prophecy 00:03:49.02\00:03:51.51 and by the way some people never get 00:03:51.54\00:03:53.21 beyond their requirements. 00:03:53.24\00:03:55.00 They just kind of cringe and they just kind of melt 00:03:55.03\00:03:57.79 because how can anybody ever measure up to it, 00:03:57.82\00:04:00.39 nobody apart from Jesus Christ 00:04:00.42\00:04:02.20 ever can measure up to the things 00:04:02.23\00:04:03.87 that God requires of us. 00:04:03.90\00:04:06.72 But that which He requires of us, 00:04:06.75\00:04:09.12 he makes provision for us through Jesus Christ 00:04:09.15\00:04:12.31 and that's the other great thing. 00:04:12.34\00:04:14.82 The great power the love 00:04:14.85\00:04:16.59 and grace that is ours in Jesus Christ. 00:04:16.62\00:04:20.93 And so as we study the Bible or the Spirit of Prophecy 00:04:20.96\00:04:23.75 as we see these two things, 00:04:23.78\00:04:26.14 we must keep them in sharp focus. 00:04:26.17\00:04:29.26 Yes, high standard but His love, His love is all sufficient. 00:04:29.29\00:04:34.05 Jesus said it, My grace is sufficient for you. 00:04:34.08\00:04:37.17 Where sin abounds grace does much more abounds, 00:04:37.20\00:04:41.00 the standard is so high, it is. 00:04:41.03\00:04:43.31 And it is impossible for us to ever measure up 00:04:43.34\00:04:46.94 other sides apart from Jesus Christ. 00:04:46.97\00:04:49.96 Can you say amen to that? Amen. 00:04:49.99\00:04:51.84 And then I am gonna take you to a text as we get 00:04:51.87\00:04:54.83 and it's a continuation of our study here 00:04:54.86\00:04:57.07 on Righteousness by Faith that we began last week. 00:04:57.10\00:05:00.62 And the computer is been a little bit slow 00:05:00.65\00:05:02.73 but its Romans 3:28 where Paul says we are, 00:05:02.76\00:05:06.08 "Justified by faith apart from the works of the law." 00:05:06.11\00:05:11.89 That is through our obedience, 00:05:11.92\00:05:13.49 our attempt our feeble attempt that would be 00:05:13.52\00:05:16.83 because we have been deeply effected by sin 00:05:16.86\00:05:19.15 our feeble attempt again to keep the law. 00:05:19.18\00:05:23.64 And so we are justified, 00:05:23.67\00:05:25.62 we are saved apart from the words of the law. 00:05:25.65\00:05:29.26 And the scriptures are certainly clear 00:05:29.29\00:05:31.28 that our salvation is dependent on our faith 00:05:31.31\00:05:35.94 not on our works or our obedience. 00:05:35.97\00:05:39.49 However, there is a relationship between faith and obedience, 00:05:39.52\00:05:43.50 absolutely there is a relationship. 00:05:43.53\00:05:45.35 In fact, Paul in writing his second letter to Timothy, 00:05:45.38\00:05:48.89 its in Timothy Chapter 3, 00:05:48.92\00:05:51.53 he is speaking of the end times 00:05:51.56\00:05:53.13 when he makes his observation that there will be many 00:05:53.16\00:05:55.90 who would have the form of godliness 00:05:55.93\00:05:59.70 but they would deny the power thereof. 00:05:59.73\00:06:03.24 And now my friend, the privilege that we have in Jesus Christ 00:06:03.27\00:06:06.28 is not to just make a confession of Jesus. 00:06:06.31\00:06:09.75 Not just to have the doctrines, 00:06:09.78\00:06:12.24 do you know have that understanding 00:06:12.27\00:06:13.51 proper understanding that doctrines 00:06:13.54\00:06:15.06 and teachings my friend, its much more than that. 00:06:15.09\00:06:18.95 It is experiencing the power that is ours in Jesus Christ 00:06:18.98\00:06:23.90 through His love and grace 00:06:23.93\00:06:25.39 and through the power of His word. 00:06:25.42\00:06:28.86 And my friend, there is no power apart from Jesus 00:06:28.89\00:06:33.20 and His word, word and the grace 00:06:33.23\00:06:35.78 that is freely offered to each one of us. 00:06:35.81\00:06:39.33 Indeed God's word indicates 00:06:39.36\00:06:40.99 that there going to be many last days 00:06:41.02\00:06:43.18 before the coming of Jesus 00:06:43.21\00:06:44.61 who are going to have an empty form of Christianity, 00:06:44.64\00:06:48.62 whose wives are a denial of His saving power. 00:06:48.65\00:06:52.67 In fact, Jesus spoke of it Himself in Matthew Chapter 7 00:06:52.70\00:06:56.08 and looking at verse 21 00:06:56.11\00:06:58.01 where He said "Not everyone who says to Me, 00:06:58.04\00:07:00.04 'Lord, Lord,' 00:07:00.07\00:07:01.10 will enter the kingdom of heaven, 00:07:01.13\00:07:02.98 but he who does the will of My Father 00:07:03.01\00:07:05.59 who is in heaven will enter." 00:07:05.62\00:07:08.24 Now I just read almost 3:28 where it says by the words 00:07:08.27\00:07:12.20 you know by the words of the law 00:07:12.23\00:07:13.48 no one is going to justified 00:07:13.51\00:07:15.32 or saved and yet Jesus said it here. 00:07:15.35\00:07:17.90 Not everybody who says Lord, Lord, 00:07:17.93\00:07:19.80 not every one who makes a profession of Me 00:07:19.83\00:07:23.14 is going to be in the kingdom of heaven. 00:07:23.17\00:07:25.35 But he who does now that word "does" how we understand 00:07:25.38\00:07:31.58 how we do is essential to understanding of faith 00:07:31.61\00:07:36.10 and our relationship to Jesus Christ. 00:07:36.13\00:07:38.13 Would you not say absolutely essential 00:07:38.16\00:07:42.01 "But he who does the will of My Father 00:07:42.04\00:07:44.00 who is in heaven will enter." 00:07:44.03\00:07:46.53 And my friend, the gospel is proactive. 00:07:46.56\00:07:51.22 It is powerful. 00:07:51.25\00:07:53.03 It is not experience passively 00:07:53.06\00:07:55.60 in the Christian believer's heart. 00:07:55.63\00:07:58.38 It is not a passive experience, 00:07:58.41\00:08:00.87 its dynamic, it's also subtle, often it's subtle. 00:08:00.90\00:08:07.22 And so again you know Jesus talks about a profession, 00:08:07.25\00:08:10.81 a empty profession without a living, 00:08:10.84\00:08:13.89 living powerful experience in Jesus Christ. 00:08:13.92\00:08:18.20 And I think its pulled together, 00:08:18.23\00:08:21.28 its pulled together in the epistle of James 00:08:21.31\00:08:23.76 the letter written by James. 00:08:23.79\00:08:25.37 So I invite you to take your Bibles 00:08:25.40\00:08:26.76 and turn with me to James Chapter 2, 00:08:26.79\00:08:28.79 the New Testament page 178, 178 00:08:28.82\00:08:33.76 as we look at James 2, James 2 00:08:33.79\00:08:38.11 and beginning with let's see I think its verse 14. 00:08:38.14\00:08:43.06 Let me get there myself. Yes it is. 00:08:43.09\00:08:45.01 James Chapter 2 and looking at verse 14. 00:08:45.04\00:08:47.62 You will remember, this is this fascinating 00:08:47.65\00:08:50.61 and for some probably 00:08:50.64\00:08:52.75 this course on the relationship between faith and works, 00:08:52.78\00:08:59.36 and again you see the connection 00:08:59.39\00:09:00.54 if you were with us last night a last, 00:09:00.57\00:09:03.73 last Saturday morning as we looked at the imputed 00:09:03.76\00:09:06.51 and the imparted righteousness of Jesus. 00:09:06.54\00:09:09.62 I just wanted to look at that a little bit more deeper 00:09:09.65\00:09:13.91 so that it's a little clearer to us. 00:09:13.94\00:09:16.77 In James 2:14, James says, "What use is it, my brethren, 00:09:16.80\00:09:22.22 if someone says he has faith but he has no works?" 00:09:22.25\00:09:27.48 What use is it and what is James trying to get out? 00:09:27.51\00:09:32.72 What's the point that he is trying to get at here? 00:09:32.75\00:09:36.14 "What use is it, my brethren, 00:09:36.17\00:09:37.22 if someone says he has faith but he has no works?" 00:09:37.25\00:09:41.55 I think that the very least, we understand 00:09:41.58\00:09:45.97 as we begin to look at this passage of scripture 00:09:46.00\00:09:47.97 that James is making a, is establishing 00:09:48.00\00:09:52.78 or speaking of a relationship between faith and works. 00:09:52.81\00:09:59.00 And the question what use is it, 00:09:59.03\00:10:01.55 I think directly you know James is getting at the point 00:10:01.58\00:10:05.47 that faith without works is useless. 00:10:05.50\00:10:10.35 Faith and there's leaders 00:10:10.38\00:10:11.48 who are doing the right thing is useless. 00:10:11.51\00:10:15.29 And then he asks the question 00:10:15.32\00:10:16.42 further can that faith save him? 00:10:16.45\00:10:19.13 What kind of faith? Faith that doesn't work. 00:10:19.16\00:10:23.19 Faith that doesn't work, can it save an individual 00:10:23.22\00:10:26.19 and what's the obvious answer that James is getting? 00:10:26.22\00:10:28.87 That faith will not save anybody 00:10:28.90\00:10:31.53 because it's a denial of the power 00:10:31.56\00:10:33.88 that is our work in us by the means of faith, right. 00:10:33.91\00:10:40.07 There is a power that is that work at us. 00:10:40.10\00:10:41.76 And on and again immediately 00:10:41.79\00:10:43.58 sometimes it is very subtle 00:10:43.61\00:10:45.79 but nevertheless, it is powerful as we take a look at, 00:10:45.82\00:10:50.52 at faith and how it works within us. 00:10:50.55\00:10:52.39 Let's move on to verses 15 and 16. 00:10:52.42\00:10:55.60 James 2:15, 16. 00:10:55.63\00:10:59.46 where he says "If a brother or sister is without clothing 00:10:59.49\00:11:02.95 and in need of daily food and one of you says to them, 00:11:02.98\00:11:06.69 'Go in peace, be warmed and be filled,' 00:11:06.72\00:11:09.05 and yet you do not give them 00:11:09.08\00:11:10.34 what is necessary for their body, 00:11:10.37\00:11:12.10 what use is that?" 00:11:12.13\00:11:14.30 It is just fascinating to me in the world of theology 00:11:14.33\00:11:17.50 when we talk about faith and works 00:11:17.53\00:11:19.15 we really do get just very philosophical 00:11:19.18\00:11:22.13 and very technical and all the rest of it. 00:11:22.16\00:11:25.21 But when you look out 00:11:25.24\00:11:26.27 what James is talking about here, 00:11:26.30\00:11:27.81 when he talks about this illustration 00:11:27.84\00:11:30.08 in verses 15 and 16, 00:11:30.11\00:11:31.71 he is talking about something that is very practical. 00:11:31.74\00:11:35.27 And every time I read this verse, 00:11:35.30\00:11:37.96 I think about couple of people that in my community 00:11:37.99\00:11:41.59 stand on the corner of Sprague and Pines, 00:11:41.62\00:11:45.74 in tattered cloths with a little cardboards sign 00:11:45.77\00:11:50.27 begging for money, and for food. 00:11:50.30\00:11:54.45 And if my wife and I are in the car 00:11:54.48\00:11:57.20 and we're passing somebody with one of those cars-- 00:11:57.23\00:11:58.88 you probably don't have this in Court Wallace do you? 00:11:58.91\00:12:00.82 You are a more, you do, 00:12:00.85\00:12:04.56 you wouldn't not in Court Wallace. 00:12:04.59\00:12:06.13 This is, this is a, educated 00:12:06.16\00:12:08.51 I mean this is a high class city isn't it. 00:12:08.54\00:12:12.54 That's what they're told but anyway 00:12:12.57\00:12:14.50 and so my wife and I are in this conversation 00:12:14.53\00:12:18.58 and I am saying to myself 00:12:18.61\00:12:20.82 is it that you're gonna use it for drugs, 00:12:20.85\00:12:22.90 is it you're gonna use it for alcohol, for his smokes. 00:12:22.93\00:12:26.92 And my wife is saying, 00:12:26.95\00:12:28.11 I don't know what is he gonna use it for 00:12:28.14\00:12:30.04 but if he or she is really in need 00:12:30.07\00:12:33.27 I am gonna them five bucks or whatever. 00:12:33.30\00:12:36.22 And that's the tenderness of my-- my wife's heart. 00:12:36.25\00:12:40.45 And I am working on it, 00:12:40.48\00:12:42.63 you know I am working on it. 00:12:42.66\00:12:44.75 The other day I came across a woman that, 00:12:44.78\00:12:47.62 that was you know, she was outside Wal-Mart 00:12:47.65\00:12:51.32 there in Spokane Valley and I went into the parking lot. 00:12:51.35\00:12:55.43 I went right by her 00:12:55.46\00:12:56.99 and she said single mother in need. 00:12:57.02\00:13:00.36 Young woman and I went in there, 00:13:00.39\00:13:02.42 she was all my mind the whole time 00:13:02.45\00:13:03.88 I was in there picking up a few things 00:13:03.91\00:13:05.58 and I came out and I decided that 00:13:05.61\00:13:06.78 I am gonna do something for that woman. 00:13:06.81\00:13:08.93 You know, what if there was my, 00:13:08.96\00:13:10.66 my daughter and what if there was my son? 00:13:10.69\00:13:12.86 And they were truly down and out, 00:13:12.89\00:13:15.46 hungry, didn't know where to go, 00:13:15.49\00:13:17.15 didn't know what to do 00:13:17.18\00:13:18.25 and so I came by opened my window and gave her $5. 00:13:18.28\00:13:23.39 I mean that was a pittance wasn't it. 00:13:23.42\00:13:26.07 So when we talk about faith and works 00:13:26.10\00:13:27.73 we can be so very theological 00:13:27.76\00:13:29.50 but James is so very practical 00:13:29.53\00:13:32.33 and he is talking about 00:13:32.36\00:13:33.39 you can have all the faith of the world. 00:13:33.42\00:13:35.13 You can pat somebody on the back that really is in need and say 00:13:35.16\00:13:38.94 "you know, be a good courage, 00:13:38.97\00:13:40.81 go in peace, be warned, be warmed, be feel up. 00:13:40.84\00:13:47.38 And then she don't give them anything. 00:13:47.41\00:13:50.24 That wouldn't be true of us will it? 00:13:50.27\00:13:53.09 No, faith is so practical. 00:13:53.12\00:13:56.02 Genuine faith, genuine faith 00:13:56.05\00:14:00.65 cannot be disassociated from the life is what we find. 00:14:00.68\00:14:05.34 You can't disassociate from the life. 00:14:05.37\00:14:08.42 Genuine faith will always reveal itself 00:14:08.45\00:14:10.90 in loving concern for others. 00:14:10.93\00:14:14.12 I'll tell you there have been battles 00:14:14.15\00:14:15.66 that have been fought over in the Christian church 00:14:15.69\00:14:18.00 and in the Seventh-day Adventist church, 00:14:18.03\00:14:19.93 battles fought over this matter of faith 00:14:19.96\00:14:22.09 and some of the coldest 00:14:22.12\00:14:23.27 and some of the most cruel things 00:14:23.30\00:14:25.82 have been done and said over this matter of faith. 00:14:25.85\00:14:30.48 And what constitutes faith, 00:14:30.51\00:14:32.57 you know what I am talking about don't you 00:14:32.60\00:14:35.15 for hitting that, 00:14:35.18\00:14:36.67 you know the very basis of the law is love. 00:14:36.70\00:14:40.05 We didn't have this battles but it's about love. 00:14:40.08\00:14:44.20 Faith is about love, it's about His loving us, 00:14:44.23\00:14:48.27 us loving Him, and us loving others. 00:14:48.30\00:14:52.39 Because of Him faith really cannot be genuine without it. 00:14:52.42\00:14:58.60 In fact in 1 John 3:17-19 and it says 00:14:58.63\00:15:04.89 "But whoever has the world's goods, 00:15:04.92\00:15:07.44 and beholds his brother in need 00:15:07.47\00:15:09.54 and closes his heart against him, 00:15:09.57\00:15:12.39 how does the love of God abide in him? 00:15:12.42\00:15:15.40 Little children, let us not love with word or with tongue, 00:15:15.43\00:15:19.02 but in deed and truth." 00:15:19.05\00:15:21.66 You know, my generation, 00:15:21.69\00:15:24.19 you know or my let me begin with my parents generation. 00:15:24.22\00:15:27.89 I knew my parents loved me 00:15:27.92\00:15:29.48 but I never heard those words 00:15:29.51\00:15:30.83 until I was well-- well, into my adult years. 00:15:30.86\00:15:34.53 My parent's generation just did not utter those words often. 00:15:34.56\00:15:41.63 But my generations 00:15:41.66\00:15:43.58 some of you are part of my generation 00:15:43.61\00:15:45.64 my wife and I are very expressive. 00:15:45.67\00:15:48.94 We, verbalize our love often to our sons. 00:15:48.97\00:15:52.56 We have done that since they were little kids. 00:15:52.59\00:15:54.66 And I still will often put my arms around David 00:15:54.69\00:15:58.78 who is 27 and I'll say" David, I love you." 00:15:58.81\00:16:01.22 And you know what he'll tell me 00:16:01.25\00:16:02.68 "I love you too dad." 00:16:02.71\00:16:04.82 And I will grab my arms around Kevin 00:16:04.85\00:16:07.37 he got out the door before I could do that 00:16:07.40\00:16:09.41 on Thursday night, 00:16:09.44\00:16:10.47 they came over for dinner we had a family dinner together 00:16:10.50\00:16:13.58 and he was headed out and I am not gonna see him 00:16:13.61\00:16:15.44 for at least ten to ten days, two weeks. 00:16:15.47\00:16:19.06 And I was regretting that 00:16:19.09\00:16:21.56 I didn't rush out there to the car 00:16:21.59\00:16:23.61 and put my arms around Kevin and say 00:16:23.64\00:16:25.60 "Kevin, I love you, I love you." 00:16:25.63\00:16:29.56 It's good to verbalize ones love and affection 00:16:29.59\00:16:34.14 and we need to verbalize our love and affection 00:16:34.17\00:16:36.97 for one another within a certain context that's just fine. 00:16:37.00\00:16:40.71 But my friend, actions do speak louder than words. 00:16:40.74\00:16:44.28 We got to back up what we say with our lips 00:16:44.31\00:16:46.87 with what we do, love in action. 00:16:46.90\00:16:50.58 And that's what he is talking about here. 00:16:50.61\00:16:52.88 Love in action. 00:16:52.91\00:16:54.50 Anyway I had privilege of, 00:16:54.53\00:16:55.75 privilege of being in Kenya about six, seven years, 00:16:55.78\00:16:58.09 down there in south western Kenya 00:16:58.12\00:17:00.83 not far from the beside country. 00:17:00.86\00:17:03.58 And it was a fascinating experience. 00:17:03.61\00:17:05.78 I remember on one Sabbath morning 00:17:05.81\00:17:07.51 we had 25,000 people on the football field. 00:17:07.54\00:17:10.64 You know it's a soccer field over there. 00:17:10.67\00:17:13.21 Football field that they gathered together 00:17:13.24\00:17:15.84 in a congregation largest group I had ever preached to 00:17:15.87\00:17:19.54 and I will tell you they were workers. 00:17:19.57\00:17:21.63 We had some pastors and lay workers 00:17:21.66\00:17:24.06 and let me tell you 00:17:24.09\00:17:25.55 they have wonderful choirs in Kenya. 00:17:25.58\00:17:29.14 They are witnessing choirs, 00:17:29.17\00:17:31.75 they are not just you know and they I could-- 00:17:31.78\00:17:34.54 I gonna bring in clips one night I have them on my computer. 00:17:34.57\00:17:36.88 Actually it's some of the wonderful choirs 00:17:36.91\00:17:39.09 and how they come in singing. 00:17:39.12\00:17:41.65 But they would come into a village, 00:17:41.68\00:17:43.54 they will go into a town and they will go to the homes 00:17:43.57\00:17:46.81 and they are witnessing. 00:17:46.84\00:17:49.31 And then they will sing, 00:17:49.34\00:17:51.13 you know, they were singing the meetings. 00:17:51.16\00:17:52.82 That's the kind of, you know, I love that. 00:17:52.85\00:17:55.04 [ Singing in foreign language ] 00:17:55.07\00:18:00.04 So in the process of being down in Kenya 00:19:00.53\00:19:02.79 we discovered 50% of that population 00:19:02.82\00:19:05.36 some two million in that part of Kenya 00:19:05.39\00:19:07.71 were gonna die because of AIDS. 00:19:07.74\00:19:09.28 It's just rampant and through the pastor's wife, 00:19:09.31\00:19:14.56 who also was the pastor Silvia, 00:19:14.59\00:19:15.91 that's Silvia bending over there. 00:19:15.94\00:19:18.24 Through Silvia I discovered that 00:19:18.27\00:19:20.31 she had established a ministry with 300 widows 00:19:20.34\00:19:24.66 whose husbands all had died of AIDS 00:19:24.69\00:19:26.66 and everyone last, every last one them had AIDS. 00:19:26.69\00:19:30.81 And they were living primitively, 00:19:30.84\00:19:33.04 they were living in what we would typically think 00:19:33.07\00:19:35.84 of as an African hut with a dirt floor 00:19:35.87\00:19:39.79 and we were in an elevation and it got cold 00:19:39.82\00:19:43.21 they didn't have one blanket. 00:19:43.24\00:19:45.58 The Quite Hour had given us $500. 00:19:45.61\00:19:48.32 James Zechariah said "Hey, somebody gave us some money 00:19:48.35\00:19:51.25 here take this money and use it for something good." 00:19:51.28\00:19:54.53 And so among the things that we did was 00:19:54.56\00:19:57.39 we bought them all blankets, 300 blankets. 00:19:57.42\00:20:01.59 We were-- buy out of Kisii town 00:20:01.62\00:20:04.14 which is a small, it's a city actually. 00:20:04.17\00:20:06.77 Silvia is telling me we have enough blankets for each one 00:20:06.80\00:20:11.96 which is really need here. 00:20:11.99\00:20:13.38 Thank you very much. Okay. 00:20:17.85\00:20:21.43 And we were able to give them to each one of those women 00:20:21.46\00:20:24.22 we were able to buy seven Chinese 00:20:24.25\00:20:26.50 finely made Chinese sewing machines. 00:20:26.53\00:20:31.00 And we got material and thread 00:20:31.03\00:20:34.02 and because they were just so poor 00:20:34.05\00:20:37.07 and we found they were several 00:20:37.10\00:20:38.26 that already were sew mistress but they didn't have the tools. 00:20:38.29\00:20:41.31 We provided it, 00:20:41.34\00:20:42.46 and then we provided somebody to teach them 00:20:42.49\00:20:44.61 how to sew and then we made arrangements to rent a shop 00:20:44.64\00:20:50.77 where they could sell the clothing they have made 00:20:50.80\00:20:54.97 because this was a big item in that culture, clothing. 00:20:55.00\00:20:59.74 And so you see it's just doing practical things 00:20:59.77\00:21:03.99 to meet the needs of others. 00:21:04.02\00:21:05.78 We could be so caught up in our minds 00:21:05.81\00:21:07.42 doing our own thing going on our own way 00:21:07.45\00:21:09.95 that we just kind of blinders on its 00:21:09.98\00:21:11.79 as if we were just unconscious that people have needs. 00:21:11.82\00:21:15.68 And my friend, there is needs right here in the fellowship. 00:21:15.71\00:21:18.99 There are needs and some of you have will never speak of, 00:21:19.02\00:21:21.87 something you just want to hold close to you. 00:21:21.90\00:21:24.46 But nevertheless, we all have needs 00:21:24.49\00:21:27.79 and that's part of the reason why we have fellowship, 00:21:27.82\00:21:31.06 is in love to support and to encourage others 00:21:31.09\00:21:35.90 and to meet the needs of individuals. 00:21:35.93\00:21:39.23 So what would you do if you had somebody 00:21:39.26\00:21:40.93 in your, in your congregation 00:21:40.96\00:21:43.06 who is going through the awful financial situation 00:21:43.09\00:21:46.00 the housing market who is on the verge 00:21:46.03\00:21:47.85 of losing their house. 00:21:47.88\00:21:49.62 We have this going on in my home church 00:21:49.65\00:21:52.29 and you know not due to anything 00:21:52.32\00:21:54.55 that they had done foolishly would we seek 00:21:54.58\00:22:00.23 to help somebody out in that situation. 00:22:00.26\00:22:04.02 What are the limits? 00:22:04.05\00:22:05.61 You know, everybody is on their own, 00:22:05.64\00:22:08.20 everybody has got to take care of their own needs work it out. 00:22:08.23\00:22:12.81 Well, I think there is something more 00:22:12.84\00:22:14.72 that we can do but you see practical faith in Jesus 00:22:14.75\00:22:17.66 always reaches out to touch the lives of others. 00:22:17.69\00:22:20.72 If our lives have been touched by His love, 00:22:20.75\00:22:24.04 His love will touch the lives of others through us. 00:22:24.07\00:22:27.25 We become the instruments, we become the channels. 00:22:27.28\00:22:30.13 In James Chapter 2 and moving on to verse 17, 00:22:30.16\00:22:34.31 James 2:17 he says "Even so faith, 00:22:34.34\00:22:38.36 if it has no works, is dead being by itself." 00:22:38.39\00:22:43.45 Now think of the import of this statement. 00:22:43.48\00:22:47.37 "Faith without works is dead." 00:22:47.40\00:22:52.55 And so I examine my own heart 00:22:52.58\00:22:54.55 what's the condition of my spiritual life, 00:22:54.58\00:22:56.27 what's the condition of my relationship to Jesus 00:22:56.30\00:22:58.40 and all that I profess is my faith is the genuine 00:22:58.43\00:23:02.91 or could it be possible to have dead faith? 00:23:02.94\00:23:06.57 You know that's, you know just believing that. 00:23:06.60\00:23:10.78 You know not really experiencing 00:23:10.81\00:23:14.00 and its all about experiencing, isn't it, it's experiential. 00:23:14.03\00:23:18.96 And so I ask you this morning 00:23:18.99\00:23:20.37 how is your faith in Jesus this morning? 00:23:20.40\00:23:22.50 Is it thriving, is it growing, is it affecting your life, 00:23:22.53\00:23:26.83 is it affecting my life with the spirit of His love 00:23:26.86\00:23:30.10 and with His grace? 00:23:30.13\00:23:32.46 Does my life bear testimony 00:23:32.49\00:23:34.23 to the genuineness of my profession of Jesus? 00:23:34.26\00:23:38.69 Does it? 00:23:38.72\00:23:40.55 You know, nobody else can answer that for us. 00:23:40.58\00:23:43.96 And then I am gonna take you on James 2 00:23:43.99\00:23:45.97 and looking at verse 18 where he says 00:23:46.00\00:23:48.74 "But someone may well say, 'You have faith 00:23:48.77\00:23:52.12 and I have works show me your faith without the works, 00:23:52.15\00:23:55.20 and I will show you my faith by my works.'" 00:23:55.23\00:23:59.96 So now we begin to see a correlation 00:23:59.99\00:24:01.67 that is my life will bear a testimony 00:24:01.70\00:24:06.60 to who possesses the heart. 00:24:06.63\00:24:10.53 If self is in throne it will be seen 00:24:10.56\00:24:16.08 in what I do and what I say. 00:24:16.11\00:24:19.66 If Christ is in throne it will, 00:24:19.69\00:24:24.13 you know, the life will give testimony of His presence. 00:24:24.16\00:24:28.22 Will it not in some ways? 00:24:28.25\00:24:30.70 Now I am not perfect, 00:24:30.73\00:24:32.65 you know you're not perfect we sometimes will stumble, 00:24:32.68\00:24:35.67 sometimes we may lose it. 00:24:35.70\00:24:37.45 May be we'll get a little impatient 00:24:37.48\00:24:39.05 or may be a little bit irritable on some mornings 00:24:39.08\00:24:42.91 but we are talking about the tendency of our experience 00:24:42.94\00:24:46.43 in Jesus will reveal itself in our lives. 00:24:46.46\00:24:49.78 This is a growing experience 00:24:49.81\00:24:52.02 and if I would say as how many of you have attained 00:24:52.05\00:24:54.08 you have reached the fullness 00:24:54.11\00:24:55.54 what it means to be just like Jesus 00:24:55.57\00:24:59.47 under every circumstance of the life 00:24:59.50\00:25:01.74 and every situation of life. 00:25:01.77\00:25:03.87 And you know what this hand goes down 00:25:03.90\00:25:06.51 along with the rest of you. 00:25:06.54\00:25:08.90 You know because we are growing 00:25:08.93\00:25:11.06 but that's the beauty of what we have studied last night. 00:25:11.09\00:25:13.69 Where He is in the good times? 00:25:13.72\00:25:15.56 Where He is when things are going wrong in our lives? 00:25:15.59\00:25:20.38 That's the confidence and the assurance 00:25:20.41\00:25:22.59 that we have in Jesus Christ. 00:25:22.62\00:25:25.42 My oldest son David was three months old when we, 00:25:25.45\00:25:28.82 we started this work three months old. 00:25:28.85\00:25:31.96 And we are in the Dakotas for two years 00:25:31.99\00:25:34.18 and then we were in Montana for another two years. 00:25:34.21\00:25:36.74 We are in Montana we just finished a series of meetings. 00:25:36.77\00:25:39.67 We were even renting a home in Montana 00:25:39.70\00:25:42.01 which meant we were living fulltime on the road 00:25:42.04\00:25:44.11 in a 40-foot fifth wheel trailer 00:25:44.14\00:25:46.31 which has its challenges of itself 00:25:46.34\00:25:49.60 where you get cabin fever on occasion 00:25:49.63\00:25:51.68 and so we are to finish this series of meetings. 00:25:51.71\00:25:53.94 And we are pulling the trailer 00:25:53.97\00:25:55.69 heading back to Bozeman, Montana, 00:25:55.72\00:25:57.90 to get a about nine day break 00:25:57.93\00:26:01.27 before the next series of meetings. 00:26:01.30\00:26:03.00 We pulled into a service station 00:26:03.03\00:26:04.64 because I had a 1979, Ford truck, 00:26:04.67\00:26:08.69 460 horse, 4 barrel carburetor 00:26:08.72\00:26:13.15 and that thing just sucked up the fuel, let me tell you. 00:26:13.18\00:26:17.47 So we often had to stop you 00:26:17.50\00:26:18.74 even though I have two fuel tanks in it. 00:26:18.77\00:26:21.02 And so I was feeling inept and I went in to pay up 00:26:21.05\00:26:23.92 and David I don't know what's about kids 00:26:23.95\00:26:25.72 but if there is toys anywhere in the store they just 00:26:25.75\00:26:29.05 and it's almost like they make a beeline to it. 00:26:29.08\00:26:31.44 And he had found this rack with these plastic 00:26:31.47\00:26:35.53 you know, these, these plastic packages 00:26:35.56\00:26:39.44 with very simple toys in it. 00:26:39.47\00:26:41.25 And he had found this train set and he looked at me, 00:26:41.28\00:26:46.01 3-years old, and he is saying 00:26:46.04\00:26:47.86 "daddy can you buy that for me." 00:26:47.89\00:26:50.10 And so I looked at it 00:26:50.13\00:26:51.40 and then we just like couple of box 00:26:51.43\00:26:52.84 I bought it for him 00:26:52.87\00:26:54.65 and we were just not very far from the hotel, 00:26:54.68\00:26:58.03 where we gonna stay in the motel 00:26:58.06\00:26:59.26 we are going to stay for that night. 00:26:59.29\00:27:00.82 He could hardly wait until we got settle in there. 00:27:00.85\00:27:03.79 We had to bring in the suitcases and all rest of it. 00:27:03.82\00:27:06.35 They get settled in there 00:27:06.38\00:27:07.58 so you know his daddy could help him 00:27:07.61\00:27:10.34 put together the toy train. 00:27:10.37\00:27:12.96 And so finally, I mean, he was so anxious. 00:27:12.99\00:27:15.88 We sat at that roundtable and we laid up the oval track. 00:27:15.91\00:27:19.75 It was very simple. 00:27:19.78\00:27:21.57 And put the engine on the track 00:27:21.60\00:27:24.06 and then a couple of cars and then the caboose 00:27:24.09\00:27:25.85 that was meant to be pulled around the track. 00:27:25.88\00:27:28.85 But you see when we put it on the track 00:27:28.88\00:27:30.86 and we begin to pull it, it always derailed. 00:27:30.89\00:27:33.22 We put it on and it again it would derail, it kept derailing. 00:27:33.25\00:27:37.39 And that was frustrating. 00:27:37.42\00:27:38.49 It was frustrating for me 00:27:38.52\00:27:39.74 because he was looking forward to it. 00:27:39.77\00:27:42.38 It was frustrating to him 00:27:42.41\00:27:43.81 because he was looking forward to it. 00:27:43.84\00:27:46.78 And it was, it was frustrating. 00:27:46.81\00:27:51.98 And you know what we ended up, 00:27:52.01\00:27:53.04 what we ended up doing with it? 00:27:53.07\00:27:55.81 We tossed it. It didn't work. 00:27:55.84\00:27:59.64 It wasn't any good. 00:27:59.67\00:28:01.47 And so we just, we ended up throwing it away. 00:28:01.50\00:28:06.02 Faith, genuine faith does work, 00:28:06.05\00:28:09.53 it does work. 00:28:09.56\00:28:11.63 That's what we find as we study the Word of God. 00:28:11.66\00:28:15.15 Galatians 2:20 as we-- 00:28:15.18\00:28:18.44 probably what the Bible teaches about this matter of faith, 00:28:18.47\00:28:22.03 Galatians 2 and here it is 00:28:22.06\00:28:24.40 one of my favorite passages of scripture 00:28:24.43\00:28:26.17 where he says, "I have been crucified with Christ 00:28:26.20\00:28:30.02 and it is no longer I who live, but Christ." 00:28:30.05\00:28:35.56 Christ what? "Christ lives in me." 00:28:35.59\00:28:39.70 And that happens by faith. 00:28:39.73\00:28:42.29 "Christ lives in me and the life which I now live in the flesh 00:28:42.32\00:28:45.77 I live by faith in the Son of God, 00:28:45.80\00:28:48.31 who loved me and gave Himself up for me." 00:28:48.34\00:28:52.22 Oh, my friend, if indeed by faith Christ is living in you 00:28:52.25\00:28:55.44 and He is living in me 00:28:55.47\00:28:59.11 His life cannot be hidden within. 00:28:59.14\00:29:02.93 If Christ is living in you and me 00:29:02.96\00:29:04.72 His life will be manifested through us. 00:29:04.75\00:29:09.25 He will be manifested through us. 00:29:09.28\00:29:12.95 And I don't know about you but I pray about this everyday. 00:29:12.98\00:29:16.34 I just pray Lord Jesus I take of myself as a lump of clay. 00:29:16.37\00:29:19.73 I just saw that in Romania several years, some years ago 00:29:19.76\00:29:23.59 a potter with clay I've never seen that before. 00:29:23.62\00:29:26.18 And it's left the impression on me ever since. 00:29:26.21\00:29:28.58 And I just see myself as a clay 00:29:28.61\00:29:31.20 I was praying that about this morning. 00:29:31.23\00:29:33.48 Oh Jesus, like You where a potter would 00:29:33.51\00:29:36.32 put his hands to clay 00:29:36.35\00:29:37.69 put Your hands to this heart and to this mind. 00:29:37.72\00:29:42.06 Mold me and fashion me into Your likeness 00:29:42.09\00:29:47.25 because I think all of us are in this together 00:29:47.28\00:29:49.79 we want to have the Spirit of Jesus. 00:29:49.82\00:29:54.36 Not just the profession of it 00:29:54.39\00:29:56.44 we want the genuine article of the Spirit of Jesus 00:29:56.47\00:30:00.77 to become more like Jesus. 00:30:00.80\00:30:02.76 His tenderness, His compassion, His gentleness 00:30:02.79\00:30:07.46 and how we relate to others 00:30:07.49\00:30:09.00 beginning in our home 00:30:09.03\00:30:10.40 that's the first place where it begins. 00:30:10.43\00:30:13.17 Beginning in my marriage, beginning with my children, 00:30:13.20\00:30:17.36 beginning with my friends, includes some of my friends, 00:30:17.39\00:30:20.05 including the fellowship with the great diversity 00:30:20.08\00:30:23.58 that is usually present among most churches, 00:30:23.61\00:30:27.95 learning of lot not just those who are just like me, 00:30:27.98\00:30:30.85 but those who may be are not like me 00:30:30.88\00:30:32.76 in temperament or whatever. 00:30:32.79\00:30:35.87 It's about loving and accepting and caring 00:30:35.90\00:30:38.84 for and caring for those who are outside of the walls. 00:30:38.87\00:30:42.17 I assume that's part of the reason 00:30:42.20\00:30:43.65 why you wanted to do a series of meetings more than you-- 00:30:43.68\00:30:46.33 the fact that he has money sitting in the bank account 00:30:46.36\00:30:48.73 you need to do something with it. 00:30:48.76\00:30:51.56 There are people out there 00:30:51.59\00:30:52.91 you have, you care about them. 00:30:52.94\00:30:56.67 You want to reach them. 00:30:56.70\00:30:57.73 You want to do it effectively. 00:30:57.76\00:30:59.58 I know that you want to do this effectively 00:30:59.61\00:31:02.36 as you possibly can. 00:31:02.39\00:31:03.77 On Colossians 1:27 00:31:03.80\00:31:06.42 where Paul says "To whom God willed 00:31:06.45\00:31:08.73 to make known what is the riches 00:31:08.76\00:31:10.40 of the glory of this mystery." 00:31:10.43\00:31:12.63 And my friend, it is mysterious 00:31:12.66\00:31:16.17 this spiritual process because it you know 00:31:16.20\00:31:19.04 at this process of becoming like Jesus, 00:31:19.07\00:31:21.58 the Holy Spirit working in our hearts. 00:31:21.61\00:31:25.71 "The riches of the glory of this mystery, 00:31:25.74\00:31:27.75 which is Christ in you, 00:31:27.78\00:31:31.28 the hope of glory." 00:31:31.31\00:31:35.46 It's a thing of beauty. 00:31:35.49\00:31:37.98 It's powerful. 00:31:38.01\00:31:39.48 And my friend, if Christ is in us 00:31:39.51\00:31:42.24 He will be in what we do. 00:31:42.27\00:31:45.22 Jesus will be in what we say. 00:31:45.25\00:31:48.47 He will, won't He? 00:31:48.50\00:31:50.95 Again we can't just disassociate a genuine faith from the life. 00:31:50.98\00:31:57.10 And that's why the imputed 00:31:57.13\00:31:58.72 and important righteousness of Jesus 00:31:58.75\00:32:00.54 is vital to understand and to experience 00:32:00.57\00:32:03.37 this process of becoming like him 00:32:03.40\00:32:07.59 which is again something wonderful, 00:32:07.62\00:32:10.27 something that is great. 00:32:10.30\00:32:11.90 Taking you on, 00:32:11.93\00:32:12.96 because I have little more I want to share with you. 00:32:12.99\00:32:16.80 I want to take you to John 15:5 00:32:16.83\00:32:22.10 and you know this text well 00:32:22.13\00:32:23.26 where Jesus said "Abide in Me and I in you." 00:32:23.29\00:32:26.90 And again my friend, if Jesus is abiding in the heart 00:32:26.93\00:32:30.20 the life will give the evidence of His presence. 00:32:30.23\00:32:34.23 It will, there is a correlation 00:32:34.26\00:32:36.87 and my friend, if what we profess 00:32:36.90\00:32:39.50 is disassociated from our lives 00:32:39.53\00:32:42.62 what we do out there. 00:32:42.65\00:32:44.01 How we are living how we are interacting. 00:32:44.04\00:32:47.64 If it's not to direct us-- 00:32:47.67\00:32:48.82 if there is disassociation 00:32:48.85\00:32:51.77 then my friend, something has gone wrong. 00:32:51.80\00:32:55.53 There's an integration that takes place by faith 00:32:55.56\00:33:00.14 in our relationship to Jesus 00:33:00.17\00:33:02.17 and integration between what we profess 00:33:02.20\00:33:05.43 and what we live. 00:33:05.46\00:33:08.53 And that's part of the problem 00:33:08.56\00:33:09.65 with extremeness of that we have seen 00:33:09.68\00:33:11.50 in this whole subject of Righteousness by Faith 00:33:11.53\00:33:13.66 because some have been 00:33:13.69\00:33:14.82 so legalistic in this whole thing of the faith 00:33:14.85\00:33:17.63 and so legalistic over this whole thing 00:33:17.66\00:33:19.72 of Righteousness by Faith. 00:33:19.75\00:33:21.60 This whole thing, this whole idea works 00:33:21.63\00:33:24.54 and what we do and how we live 00:33:24.57\00:33:26.71 comes under suspicion. 00:33:26.74\00:33:29.48 It almost seems to have a taint of legalism 00:33:29.51\00:33:32.07 to suggest that we do matters. 00:33:32.10\00:33:36.70 But it does matter because it is reflective 00:33:36.73\00:33:40.03 of what is in the heart or better yet. 00:33:40.06\00:33:43.18 Who is in the heart? 00:33:43.21\00:33:47.67 And there will be disharmony, 00:33:47.70\00:33:51.81 there will be disharmony between the two. 00:33:51.84\00:33:53.91 And Steps to Christ, page 57, 00:33:53.94\00:33:55.90 we have this statement it says "While we cannot" 00:33:55.93\00:33:57.90 look at this its right there in the Bible 00:33:57.93\00:34:00.57 it's certainly biblical. 00:34:00.60\00:34:02.16 It says "While we cannot do anything 00:34:02.19\00:34:04.42 to change our hearts or to bring ourselves 00:34:04.45\00:34:06.72 into harmony with God." 00:34:06.75\00:34:08.55 And all of us because of our own experience 00:34:08.58\00:34:11.00 with sin would say, amen. 00:34:11.03\00:34:13.98 I can't do it, you can't do it. 00:34:14.01\00:34:16.27 It can't change-- may want something better, 00:34:16.30\00:34:18.62 may long for something better, 00:34:18.65\00:34:19.97 so it says in Roman 7. 00:34:20.00\00:34:21.46 I may have the desire to do what is right. 00:34:21.49\00:34:23.84 But the doing is not present within me. 00:34:23.87\00:34:27.08 It's not because we're soul in the bondage to sin. 00:34:27.11\00:34:30.87 Okay so "While we cannot do anything to change our hearts 00:34:30.90\00:34:33.64 or to bring ourselves into harmony with God 00:34:33.67\00:34:36.22 while we must not trust at all to ourselves 00:34:36.25\00:34:39.47 or our good works." 00:34:39.50\00:34:41.04 We must not, we cannot, we dare not. 00:34:41.07\00:34:46.99 "Our lives" it goes on to say "will reveal." 00:34:47.02\00:34:49.96 Our lives will reveal this, 00:34:49.99\00:34:52.35 "Whether the grace of God is dwelling within us." 00:34:52.38\00:34:59.65 See there is this, this thing about grace 00:34:59.68\00:35:02.06 that often is overlooked. 00:35:02.09\00:35:03.12 Grace is the American favor of God grace is 00:35:03.15\00:35:06.32 but grace also it involves the power of God. 00:35:06.35\00:35:11.56 That's often overlooked 00:35:11.59\00:35:12.94 when we come under grace the power that's transforming. 00:35:12.97\00:35:16.09 2 Corinthians 12 00:35:16.12\00:35:17.89 where Jesus said to Paul "My grace is sufficient for you, 00:35:17.92\00:35:21.54 for my strength is made perfected in weakness." 00:35:21.57\00:35:25.33 And there we see the correlation 00:35:25.36\00:35:26.64 between grace and the perfecting of His power 00:35:26.67\00:35:29.76 and strength within us. 00:35:29.79\00:35:31.72 And this is the privilege we have. 00:35:31.75\00:35:33.77 You know, I have been talking about the fact 00:35:33.80\00:35:35.26 that we need to, 00:35:35.29\00:35:37.13 you know, we can have 00:35:37.16\00:35:38.74 this first love experience with Jesus. 00:35:38.77\00:35:43.82 That vibrant love in Jesus that some of us 00:35:43.85\00:35:46.64 you know may be we've got in a little bit 00:35:46.67\00:35:49.46 this is like a couple of just been living together too long. 00:35:49.49\00:35:54.00 You know, may be they're sleeping in two different rooms. 00:35:54.03\00:35:57.41 And I heard of this couple they couldn't afford the divorce 00:35:57.44\00:36:02.10 so he occupied the main floor well, 00:36:02.13\00:36:04.70 she occupied and it was a really nice house 00:36:04.73\00:36:06.58 she occupied the lower level that was hers, 00:36:06.61\00:36:09.46 that was her too and the two were never to meet. 00:36:09.49\00:36:13.78 You know, they had the same household address 00:36:13.81\00:36:18.79 that to the casual observer they seem to be married 00:36:18.82\00:36:22.69 and all that but they weren't really. 00:36:22.72\00:36:24.74 They were going through the motions of it. 00:36:24.77\00:36:27.59 And my friend, if we have been 00:36:27.62\00:36:29.40 going through the motions of it 00:36:29.43\00:36:32.39 then we have not been experiencing the tremendous joy 00:36:32.42\00:36:37.06 and the tremendous power 00:36:37.09\00:36:39.06 that comes from a vibrant relationship in Jesus. 00:36:39.09\00:36:43.22 And it's a growth thing 00:36:43.25\00:36:45.21 and my friend, just the trust the Lord to do it. 00:36:45.24\00:36:47.01 You can't manufacture it I can't manufacture it 00:36:47.04\00:36:50.45 but it comes as we yield to give ourselves 00:36:50.48\00:36:52.75 to the one that we love. 00:36:52.78\00:36:53.81 As we yield ourselves 00:36:53.84\00:36:55.07 then we begin to experience in a deeper level 00:36:55.10\00:36:59.63 what I am talking about this morning. 00:36:59.66\00:37:03.59 Okay, and then I must take you 00:37:03.62\00:37:07.15 on to Selected Messages, book 1, page 397 00:37:07.18\00:37:11.50 "Genuine faith will be manifested in good works 00:37:11.53\00:37:17.03 for good works are the fruits of faith." 00:37:17.06\00:37:21.48 And I think all of us would agree with that. 00:37:21.51\00:37:23.29 "As God works" now there is a reason 00:37:23.32\00:37:26.01 why I am sharing with you. 00:37:26.04\00:37:27.28 Now notice the dynamic 00:37:27.31\00:37:28.53 the spiritual dynamic that's taking place. 00:37:28.56\00:37:30.55 "As God works in the heart, 00:37:30.58\00:37:33.21 and man surrenders his will to God." 00:37:33.24\00:37:35.47 That's all yielding to Him. 00:37:35.50\00:37:37.56 "And cooperates with God." 00:37:37.59\00:37:39.37 That's our part isn't it-- 00:37:39.40\00:37:41.34 that's really all that we could do. 00:37:41.37\00:37:43.62 Yield ourselves and to cooperate with God. 00:37:43.65\00:37:46.79 "He works out." 00:37:46.82\00:37:48.45 That is man, women 00:37:48.48\00:37:50.46 and we're using in generic sense. 00:37:50.49\00:37:52.36 "He works out in the life" by faith 00:37:52.39\00:37:56.32 "where God works in by the Holy Spirit, 00:37:56.35\00:38:00.58 and there is harmony between the purpose of the heart 00:38:00.61\00:38:03.35 and the practice of the life." 00:38:03.38\00:38:05.84 And so that's our part by faith 00:38:05.87\00:38:08.28 we are working out by the grace of Jesus, 00:38:08.31\00:38:11.88 by the grace of Jesus, 00:38:11.91\00:38:12.95 we are working out of our lives 00:38:12.98\00:38:14.90 that which God is working into our lives. 00:38:14.93\00:38:20.23 It's a beautiful statement. 00:38:20.26\00:38:21.97 And really it puts it so well. 00:38:22.00\00:38:23.33 Spurgeon it this way 00:38:23.36\00:38:24.76 "Faith and obedience are bound up 00:38:24.79\00:38:26.61 in the same bundle. 00:38:26.64\00:38:27.95 He that obeys God trusts God 00:38:27.98\00:38:30.09 and he that trusts God obeys God. 00:38:30.12\00:38:32.30 He that is without faith is without works 00:38:32.33\00:38:35.58 and he that is without works is without faith." 00:38:35.61\00:38:39.67 Well he really got hold of that one, didn't he? 00:38:39.70\00:38:43.41 You see in the world of theology 00:38:43.44\00:38:45.71 when we talk about faith of works, 00:38:45.74\00:38:47.07 we want to break things down, faith is here, works is here. 00:38:47.10\00:38:51.89 We talk about one or the other 00:38:51.92\00:38:53.64 and sometimes we talk about them together 00:38:53.67\00:38:55.72 but in reality they are in separable. 00:38:55.75\00:38:59.84 Without faith works are legalism. 00:39:02.76\00:39:07.82 Faith without works, well we have read it dead, 00:39:07.85\00:39:12.48 its impractical, it's just a profession. 00:39:12.51\00:39:15.93 In fact, this from the Interpreters 00:39:18.76\00:39:20.57 One-Volume Commentary, page 920, I love this one. 00:39:20.60\00:39:24.25 Where it says "Faith and works are two sides 00:39:24.28\00:39:27.05 of the same reality." 00:39:27.08\00:39:29.17 The same reality. 00:39:29.20\00:39:31.70 "Faith is the inner side of the action, 00:39:31.73\00:39:34.63 works are the outward expression of faith." 00:39:34.66\00:39:39.88 So they are not separate, 00:39:39.91\00:39:41.87 one is the inner side and one is the outer expression of it, 00:39:41.90\00:39:46.25 you see that. 00:39:46.28\00:39:48.85 And so one will follow the other, 00:39:48.88\00:39:51.63 that is works will follow the faith is what we find. 00:39:51.66\00:39:55.10 Take a look at James 2:19. 00:39:55.13\00:40:00.00 James 2:19, and as we continue on here 00:40:00.03\00:40:04.96 where James says "You believe that God is one. 00:40:04.99\00:40:08.72 You do well, the devils also believe, and shudder." 00:40:08.75\00:40:12.05 Do the devils really believe? 00:40:12.08\00:40:13.24 Do the demons, do those fallen angels really believe? 00:40:13.27\00:40:15.57 Of course they do. They once inhabited heaven. 00:40:15.60\00:40:19.48 They once stood in the presence of God. 00:40:19.51\00:40:21.00 They once were singing those praise before God 00:40:21.03\00:40:23.38 the Father the Son and the Holy Spirit. 00:40:23.41\00:40:27.49 But then they rebelled, they rebelled. 00:40:27.52\00:40:31.55 Yes, they believed that their works-- 00:40:31.58\00:40:35.47 we know something about their works don't we. 00:40:35.50\00:40:37.60 Their works, their testimony that it is not really faith. 00:40:37.63\00:40:44.37 So we really should talk about that for a moment. 00:40:44.40\00:40:46.48 It's not just believing, believing at least a doctrines 00:40:46.51\00:40:52.14 though the teachings are important 00:40:52.17\00:40:53.86 because they are relevant to who Jesus is. 00:40:53.89\00:40:56.19 It's a content to the relationship, 00:40:56.22\00:40:58.32 the teachings are content to the relationship. 00:40:58.35\00:41:01.24 That is more than just the intellectual belief 00:41:01.27\00:41:04.90 it is an engagement of the heart with Jesus Christ. 00:41:04.93\00:41:09.54 It's not just believing intellectual 00:41:09.57\00:41:11.31 it's an engagement of the heart with Jesus Christ. 00:41:11.34\00:41:14.39 It is being connected to Jesus Christ. 00:41:14.42\00:41:17.81 It is faith and other word for faith is love. 00:41:17.84\00:41:20.72 It is a commitment of love. 00:41:20.75\00:41:22.31 A commitment of love on God's part to us 00:41:22.34\00:41:25.27 and a response of love in commitment to Him. 00:41:25.30\00:41:30.82 So there is faith has love and it has commitment. 00:41:30.85\00:41:35.36 I asked you, was it the last weekend 00:41:35.39\00:41:37.43 any of you know something about a committed 00:41:37.46\00:41:40.07 or in a committed relationship? 00:41:40.10\00:41:42.99 Well, you know something the dynamics 00:41:43.02\00:41:45.37 just on a human side of it. 00:41:45.40\00:41:47.78 But that really is just a reflection 00:41:47.81\00:41:50.86 of the deeper experience that we have the privilege 00:41:50.89\00:41:54.15 of knowing in Jesus Christ. 00:41:54.18\00:41:55.55 Verse 20, "But are you willing to recognize, 00:41:55.58\00:41:58.11 you foolish fellow, that faith without works is" is what? 00:41:58.14\00:42:05.80 Verse 20, right? "Is useless?" 00:42:05.83\00:42:07.99 Its dead and then it fascinates me 00:42:08.02\00:42:10.71 as you continue on. 00:42:10.74\00:42:12.07 As he is talking about fathom words 00:42:12.10\00:42:14.25 that he refers to an Old Testament 00:42:14.28\00:42:16.68 illustration of what he is talking about. 00:42:16.71\00:42:18.44 Take a look at verse 22. 00:42:18.47\00:42:20.22 "You see" he says you see, that-- well just a minute. 00:42:20.25\00:42:26.54 Verse 21, I was in 22, verse 21. 00:42:26.57\00:42:29.44 "Was not Abraham our father justified by works 00:42:29.47\00:42:33.65 when he offered up Isaac his son on the altar?" 00:42:33.68\00:42:37.02 Just a minute does that bother anybody, 00:42:37.05\00:42:39.73 justified by works? 00:42:39.76\00:42:40.85 We just read in Romans 3:28 00:42:40.88\00:42:43.48 and there is a reason why I began with that text. 00:42:43.51\00:42:46.37 That no one is justified by the words of the law 00:42:46.40\00:42:49.25 but here it saying and it's in the New Testament 00:42:49.28\00:42:52.53 that Abraham was justified by his works. 00:42:52.56\00:42:58.15 That's problematic and he is talking about 00:42:58.18\00:43:02.42 when he offered up his son on the altar. 00:43:02.45\00:43:05.77 So it's referring to Old Testament story 00:43:05.80\00:43:07.58 that most of us probably are familiar with. 00:43:07.61\00:43:09.65 You know that story don't you? 00:43:09.68\00:43:12.14 You know Abraham, 00:43:12.17\00:43:13.23 I mean, he was required of bring himself 00:43:13.26\00:43:14.98 of everything that he knew 00:43:15.01\00:43:16.23 from the culture and the society. 00:43:16.26\00:43:17.78 There Mesopotamia and God says, 00:43:17.81\00:43:20.11 I am going to take you to if I way place 00:43:20.14\00:43:21.94 I am gonna give it to you and your inhabitants 00:43:21.97\00:43:24.04 and by the way that's gonna be like 00:43:24.07\00:43:25.51 the sands on a seashore. 00:43:25.54\00:43:28.89 Look at up in the heavens they're gonna be 00:43:28.92\00:43:30.31 like the stars unnumbered you are descendant. 00:43:30.34\00:43:33.32 Nations are gonna come forth from you. 00:43:33.35\00:43:36.14 And you're going to have a son. 00:43:36.17\00:43:38.92 He was the son of promise. 00:43:38.95\00:43:44.47 Years begin to click by one by one. 00:43:44.50\00:43:47.88 Decades began to go by no son. 00:43:47.91\00:43:51.02 They're getting older, you know the story 00:43:51.05\00:43:53.17 and, and you know finally Sara said 00:43:53.20\00:43:56.37 "you know want to take my handmade 00:43:56.40\00:43:59.41 and you would have a son and it would be fulfilled." 00:43:59.44\00:44:04.23 And so Ishmael was born and that God said no 00:44:04.26\00:44:08.75 he has not any part of the inheritance 00:44:08.78\00:44:11.50 that I'm promised. 00:44:11.53\00:44:13.76 It was hard but Ishmael had to leave. 00:44:13.79\00:44:16.33 You know so they tried a couple of different ways 00:44:16.36\00:44:18.64 to try to fulfill that which God had promised. 00:44:18.67\00:44:21.83 By the way that's legalism. 00:44:21.86\00:44:25.48 That was legalistic 00:44:25.51\00:44:26.72 because they were not depending upon God 00:44:26.75\00:44:28.71 to fulfill what he said he would do. 00:44:28.74\00:44:32.81 Okay, so Abraham knew-- so after many years-- 00:44:32.84\00:44:37.01 I mean they're hundred what a 100-years old. 00:44:37.04\00:44:40.57 They are told Sarah is going to conceive 00:44:40.60\00:44:43.66 and you're gonna have a son about a year from now. 00:44:43.69\00:44:46.42 And Sarah is in her tent just laughing herself to that almost, 00:44:46.45\00:44:52.24 how could it be. 00:44:52.27\00:44:54.20 She says "our bodies are dead. And we are old it just can't be. 00:44:54.23\00:45:00.02 In my old age I am gonna be a mother. 00:45:00.05\00:45:03.66 It just won't happen." But it did happen. 00:45:03.69\00:45:06.57 And let me tell you they treasure that boy of promise. 00:45:06.60\00:45:10.94 They loved him. Didn't they? 00:45:10.97\00:45:12.63 They just loved him. 00:45:12.66\00:45:14.31 Isaac, they waited so long and God had fulfilled his word 00:45:14.34\00:45:19.44 as He had promised, all of their hopes 00:45:19.47\00:45:22.44 where the present and the future were wrapped up 00:45:22.47\00:45:24.50 in that boy that they loved. 00:45:24.53\00:45:28.67 So I move forward about some 20-years 00:45:28.70\00:45:30.28 or whatever it was from that point forward 00:45:30.31\00:45:32.52 and Abraham has his dream in his path. 00:45:32.55\00:45:35.02 And God comes to him and says 00:45:35.05\00:45:36.69 "I want you to take the son of yours. 00:45:36.72\00:45:39.57 I want to see if you really do love me. 00:45:39.60\00:45:41.79 And I want you to take him 00:45:41.82\00:45:42.90 and I want you to sacrifice him." 00:45:42.93\00:45:46.52 Now remember, 00:45:46.55\00:45:47.58 Abraham had the sentiment relationship with God 00:45:47.61\00:45:50.16 and he knew when God was speaking 00:45:50.19\00:45:52.30 He could have said "oh this could be God 00:45:52.33\00:45:55.15 but did I eat last night." 00:45:55.18\00:45:57.07 And so case introgression, what it is. 00:45:57.10\00:46:00.06 Then no, no how do we know. 00:46:00.09\00:46:01.94 Now here is the question 00:46:01.97\00:46:03.30 how do we know that Abraham had faith? 00:46:03.33\00:46:06.31 Well, we know from the biblical record 00:46:06.34\00:46:07.51 he didn't sleep in the next morning 00:46:07.54\00:46:08.71 he got up extra early 00:46:08.74\00:46:10.40 that's how we know that he had faith. 00:46:10.43\00:46:12.76 How do we know that Abraham had faith? 00:46:12.79\00:46:15.13 He went over stood one of his servants 00:46:15.16\00:46:17.20 he said "We'll be called sacrifice prepared the animals, 00:46:17.23\00:46:21.42 prepare we have got a journey to take." 00:46:21.45\00:46:23.40 He was instructed that he was to go to Mt. Moriah 00:46:23.43\00:46:25.61 that was gonna be ending up to be 00:46:25.64\00:46:27.31 a three days journey as it played out. 00:46:27.34\00:46:30.24 How do we know that Abraham had faith? 00:46:30.27\00:46:34.19 Abraham can you imagine this went over to where his son 00:46:34.22\00:46:39.61 was yet sleeping. 00:46:39.64\00:46:41.61 And he stirred him, he said "Isaac, wake up. 00:46:41.64\00:46:46.27 God has called us to sacrifice." 00:46:46.30\00:46:50.13 How do we know that Abraham had faith? 00:46:50.16\00:46:52.98 For the next three days can you imagine 00:46:53.01\00:46:55.72 what was on Abraham's heart? 00:46:55.75\00:46:57.86 For the next three days 00:46:57.89\00:47:00.23 they were traveling through the wilderness. 00:47:00.26\00:47:02.95 Every step was a step of faith. 00:47:02.98\00:47:07.43 How do we know that Abraham had faith? 00:47:07.46\00:47:11.47 Son and father climb to the heights of Mt. Moriah 00:47:11.50\00:47:16.20 and there Abraham lays his son upon the altar 00:47:16.23\00:47:21.48 and after those good byes, 00:47:21.51\00:47:25.58 he raises his hand with a knife 00:47:25.61\00:47:29.98 and only then the God step in 00:47:30.01\00:47:34.11 and He said "do not harm the child 00:47:34.14\00:47:37.32 for now I know that you love Me." 00:47:37.35\00:47:40.63 Right? 00:47:40.66\00:47:42.31 Now I know that you have faith in Me. 00:47:42.34\00:47:44.37 And now did He know it. 00:47:44.40\00:47:46.37 His actions showed it right. 00:47:46.40\00:47:50.83 And by the way now-- this was not just a task 00:47:50.86\00:47:54.43 this was to be a Revelation to Abraham 00:47:54.46\00:47:57.01 and to Isaac was there a sacrifice on that occasion. 00:47:57.04\00:48:01.59 What did they find over in the thicket 00:48:01.62\00:48:03.25 caught in the thicket, a ram? 00:48:03.28\00:48:07.42 And they sacrificed that ram. 00:48:07.45\00:48:09.21 What did the ram prefigure or symbolize? 00:48:09.24\00:48:13.38 The sacrifice of Jesus. 00:48:13.41\00:48:15.03 And so there was a substitution that was provided 00:48:15.06\00:48:19.80 on the top of the heights of that mountain 00:48:19.83\00:48:22.69 which gave Abraham and Isaac deeper insights 00:48:22.72\00:48:25.75 into the substitution that God would offer 00:48:25.78\00:48:29.09 on their behalf or their salvation. 00:48:29.12\00:48:32.68 And by the way we would know 00:48:32.71\00:48:35.17 this mountain by a different name. 00:48:35.20\00:48:37.38 I am gonna bring it up here. 00:48:37.41\00:48:41.30 Gonna bring it up here because Mt. Moriah is Mt. Zion. 00:48:41.33\00:48:48.98 And the mount somewhere else it says 00:48:49.01\00:48:50.23 under the dome of rock there is a rock there 00:48:50.26\00:48:53.22 under the dome of the rock is the very place 00:48:53.25\00:48:56.25 where this story took place with Abraham and Isaac. 00:48:56.28\00:49:00.35 Think of it. 00:49:00.38\00:49:02.55 At the very place that God would give up 00:49:02.58\00:49:06.08 His son for the life of the world is the place 00:49:06.11\00:49:10.94 that He brought Abraham to offer up his son. 00:49:10.97\00:49:16.43 And I say it in doing so in acting out his faith 00:49:16.46\00:49:21.75 he gained a greater insight into God's love 00:49:21.78\00:49:25.66 and the plan of salvation. 00:49:25.69\00:49:27.35 He knew what it was gonna cost 00:49:27.38\00:49:29.05 God the Father to give up His only Son 00:49:29.08\00:49:34.49 in a way that He would never have known 00:49:34.52\00:49:37.45 if He had not had experienced it 00:49:37.48\00:49:40.96 when He had been called to give up His own Son. 00:49:40.99\00:49:44.79 In Old Testament story of faith 00:49:44.82\00:49:46.74 and how faith works and my friend, 00:49:46.77\00:49:48.99 we too will be blessed as by faith 00:49:49.02\00:49:53.32 we are willing to act 00:49:53.35\00:49:55.87 in accordance with the will of God we will. 00:49:55.90\00:50:02.18 James 2:22 00:50:02.21\00:50:04.95 we finish up with these last two verses, 00:50:04.98\00:50:07.83 "You see that faith was working with his works, 00:50:07.86\00:50:12.09 and as a result of the works, faith was perfected." 00:50:12.12\00:50:15.31 My friend, when you're being tried 00:50:15.34\00:50:17.55 and you're not sure that you can hold on 00:50:17.58\00:50:19.29 that you can you know persevere through in faith 00:50:19.32\00:50:23.45 just keep praying, just keep trusting God 00:50:23.48\00:50:26.72 just keep paying on by faith. 00:50:26.75\00:50:29.23 And let me tell you, 00:50:29.26\00:50:30.29 you will come out the other side strengthened 00:50:30.32\00:50:32.65 in you faith in Jesus. 00:50:32.68\00:50:35.01 You'll have the deeper experience in Him than you had. 00:50:35.04\00:50:38.74 If you just simply just threw up your hands and say 00:50:38.77\00:50:41.14 "you know, works so matter anyway. 00:50:41.17\00:50:43.99 Its all legalism." 00:50:44.02\00:50:45.46 No it's not necessarily, 00:50:45.49\00:50:48.32 its opportunities for us to grow in faith. 00:50:48.35\00:50:54.72 You know, I have this in life experiences 00:50:54.75\00:50:57.01 and I you know may be shouldn't refer to in publicly 00:50:57.04\00:50:59.79 but my family was wrenched apart, 00:50:59.82\00:51:01.47 my birth family over this issue of money. 00:51:01.50\00:51:05.60 One family member who taught to they ought to get it all. 00:51:05.63\00:51:09.12 And had sued my dad's estate after his death 00:51:09.15\00:51:13.51 to get out his money and sued my mother for her money 00:51:13.54\00:51:16.92 and went after my sister and I, over money. 00:51:16.95\00:51:23.85 That was pretty tough, it was hard. 00:51:23.88\00:51:27.32 You know, have somebody in the family with such hate 00:51:27.35\00:51:31.86 and you know just I just have never seen especially in family 00:51:31.89\00:51:35.81 that it should be such hate and such determination 00:51:35.84\00:51:38.81 to destroy with such intensive anger. 00:51:38.84\00:51:42.93 And you know I have been around in the world. 00:51:42.96\00:51:45.10 I have been around in people. 00:51:45.13\00:51:46.16 I just had never seen something 00:51:46.19\00:51:47.39 as intensive and as venomous. 00:51:47.42\00:51:52.19 And as I showed you other night 00:51:52.22\00:51:54.51 that the other one thing I could do, 00:51:54.54\00:51:56.01 I put on my mirror 00:51:56.04\00:51:58.27 in my master bathroom several texts. 00:51:58.30\00:52:01.52 They've posted by the way on the website. 00:52:01.55\00:52:05.98 A several texts and often I would read those texts 00:52:06.01\00:52:09.93 and I would say "well, Jesus, 00:52:09.96\00:52:11.62 I am gonna trust You no matter what." 00:52:11.65\00:52:15.71 It took about two years unravel the whole thing 00:52:15.74\00:52:18.78 but by His grace it was. 00:52:18.81\00:52:21.77 And my friend, having gone through hard times 00:52:21.80\00:52:25.03 trusting in Jesus strengthens our faith 00:52:25.06\00:52:29.01 for the future, it does. 00:52:29.04\00:52:31.92 Alas and did my Savior bleed 00:52:31.95\00:52:39.09 And did my Sovereign die? 00:52:39.12\00:52:46.26 Would He devote that sacred head 00:52:46.29\00:52:53.91 For such a worm as I? 00:52:53.94\00:53:00.22 Was it for crimes that I have done 00:53:05.54\00:53:13.03 He groaned upon the tree? 00:53:13.06\00:53:20.63 Amazing pity! 00:53:20.66\00:53:24.88 Grace unknown! 00:53:24.91\00:53:28.22 And love beyond degree! 00:53:28.25\00:53:35.36 At the cross, at the cross 00:53:35.39\00:53:39.07 Where I first saw the light 00:53:39.10\00:53:42.91 And the burden of my heart rolled away 00:53:42.94\00:53:50.55 It was there by faith 00:53:50.58\00:53:54.36 I received my sight 00:53:54.39\00:53:58.07 And now I am happy all the day 00:53:58.10\00:54:04.29 But drops of grief can never repay 00:54:09.54\00:54:17.36 The debt of love I owe 00:54:17.39\00:54:23.65 Here, Lord, 00:54:25.02\00:54:27.46 I give myself away 00:54:27.49\00:54:33.12 It is all that I can do 00:54:33.15\00:54:40.33 At the cross, at the cross 00:54:40.36\00:54:43.76 Where I first saw the light 00:54:43.79\00:54:47.72 And the burden of my heart rolled away 00:54:47.75\00:54:54.29 It was there by faith 00:54:54.32\00:54:59.09 I received my sight 00:54:59.12\00:55:02.67 And now 00:55:06.69\00:55:09.74 I am happy all the day 00:55:09.77\00:55:17.03 Let's pray. 00:55:26.69\00:55:28.17 Father in heaven, how grateful we are 00:55:28.20\00:55:31.75 that You are who You are and who You say that You are. 00:55:31.78\00:55:36.38 That You are God 00:55:36.41\00:55:38.29 the all powerful one omnipotent, almighty. 00:55:38.32\00:55:43.77 Ruler, sovereign of this universe 00:55:43.80\00:55:47.08 but You are also as You are declared 00:55:47.11\00:55:49.54 You are a God of love, 00:55:49.57\00:55:51.81 of compassion, of mercy and gentleness. 00:55:51.84\00:55:56.50 And this morning we are humbled 00:55:56.53\00:55:59.76 that You would consider us of any importance 00:55:59.79\00:56:05.82 that You would love us, that You would value us, 00:56:05.85\00:56:09.05 that You would seek us that we would matter. 00:56:09.08\00:56:13.16 And Lord, we just want to respond 00:56:13.19\00:56:15.21 and give our very selves to You. 00:56:15.24\00:56:17.49 We invite You to come into our hearts 00:56:17.52\00:56:19.90 to abide in us to posses us to live out Your life in us. 00:56:19.93\00:56:25.05 Oh Lord Jesus, 00:56:25.08\00:56:26.74 fuel us to the fullness of the measure 00:56:26.77\00:56:28.94 of the glory that is Yours 00:56:28.97\00:56:31.04 is our prayer in Jesus name, Amen. 00:56:31.07\00:56:34.16