Participants: Pr. Dwight K. Nelson
Series Code: NP
Program Code: NP082810
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00:04 The Lord is blessing us this day.
00:07 Let's read this next passage responsibly. 00:12 "How great is the God that we serve? 00:15 Has He not created man and beast, 00:18 water and air, fish and fowl? 00:22 Does He not keep the heavens in motion 00:24 and yet also promises to be near His people when they pray? 00:30 Oh Lord, Creator of the heavens and the earth, 00:34 we ask you to be near today. 00:38 He has promised that whatever we ask 00:40 in the name of Jesus, that He will provide. 00:44 Why, then, do we ask so little of our mighty God? 00:50 Oh Lord, we ask that you will teach us to pray 00:54 as your Son, Jesus Christ, prayed. 00:58 If My people who are called by My name 01:02 will humble themselves, and pray and seek My face, 01:07 and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, 01:11 and will forgive their sin and heal their land. 01:16 Oh Lord, forgive us of our sins. 01:20 Hear our prayer and bless your people in this community. 01:25 Make us a community united in Your name, 01:29 to be a light unto the world." 01:40 I must tell Jesus all of my trials 01:46 I cannot bear these burdens alone 01:53 In my distress He kindly will help me 02:00 He ever loves and cares for His own 02:06 I must tell Jesus! I must tell Jesus! 02:13 I cannot bear my burdens alone 02:20 I must tell Jesus! I must tell Jesus! 02:26 Jesus can help me Jesus alone 02:33 I must tell Jesus all of my trials 02:39 He is a kind compassionate Friend 02:46 If I but ask Him He will deliver 02:53 Makes of my troubles quickly an end 02:59 I must tell Jesus! I must tell Jesus! 03:06 I cannot bear my burdens alone 03:13 I must tell Jesus! I must tell Jesus! 03:19 Jesus can help me Jesus alone 03:26 O how the world to evil allures me! 03:32 O how my heart is tempted to sin! 03:39 I must tell Jesus And He will help me 03:45 Over the world that vict'ry to win 03:52 I must tell Jesus! I must tell Jesus! 03:58 I cannot bear my burdens alone 04:05 I must tell Jesus! I must tell Jesus! 04:11 Jesus can help me Jesus alone 04:51 O, my sister and my brother 04:56 All who walk upon this earth 05:00 Fold to your hearts each other 05:08 Where mercy dwells The peace of the Lord is there 05:18 To live rightly is to love one another 05:25 Each kindness a gift 05:28 Each deed a prayer 05:35 O, my sister and my brother 05:40 Fold to your hearts each other 05:48 Listen, listen to one another Listen, listen to one another 05:55 Walk with reverence in the steps of those who have gone before 06:03 Where forgiveness and wisdom has stood 06:10 So shall the wide earth become our temple 06:18 Each life a psalm of gratitude 06:22 Each life a psalm of gratitude 06:35 Listen, listen to one another Listen, listen to one another 06:41 Listen, listen to one another 06:47 Listen, listen to one another Listen, listen to one another 06:52 Listen, listen to one another 06:55 Listen, listen to one another Listen, listen to one another 07:00 Then shall all shackles fall 07:06 The violence of war over the earth shall cease 07:12 Love shall tread out the fire of anger 07:17 And in its ashes plant a tree of peace 07:25 Then shall all shackles fall 07:35 The violence of war over the earth shall cease 07:45 Love shall tread out the fire of anger 07:54 And in its ashes plant a tree of peace` 08:00 And in its ashes plant a tree of peace 08:20 And in its ashes plant a tree of peace 08:25 And in its ashes plant a tree of peace 08:43 Plant a tree of peace 08:46 Plant a tree of peace 08:50 Plant a tree of peace 08:53 Listen, listen to one another 08:59 Listen, listen to one another 09:05 Listen, listen to one another 09:18 Plant a tree of peace 09:45 Oh, God, we are in a war when will the shackles fall? 09:52 When can we plant that tree of peace 09:58 or have You already planted it? 10:03 Embarking on this uncharted journey 10:04 together holy Father, through the mighty Holy Spirit 10:07 let holy scripture inform our minds 10:13 and guide our lives we pray in Christ name, amen. 10:20 This summer I read Eric Metaxas highly acclaimed 10:29 brand new biography on Dietrich Bonhoeffer. 10:34 You heard of Dietrich Bonhoeffer, 10:37 bright, young, Lutheran, pastor, theologian, writer, 10:43 tragically executed at the age of 39 10:47 just before the end of World War II. 10:49 Six hundred pages long, title of it, 10:53 you would be blessed, Bonhoeffer. 10:56 I read several biographies of Bonhoeffer over the years 11:00 but I must tell you that Metaxas treatment of his life 11:03 does something no other biography has done. 11:05 In that it draws the reader into the sea change 11:10 surrounding Adolf Hitler's political rise 11:14 in Germany in the 1930s. 11:18 And you can't help but wonder 11:21 how could an entire nation be duped into excoriating 11:26 and seeking to eventually exterminate a race of people? 11:32 It is utterly beyond our comprehension 11:36 and yet and I speak this only as an aside. 11:42 I must tell you that I worry over the way 11:46 some Americans are being whipped up into a frenzy 11:51 over the Muslims in our midst. 11:54 To the place I went just this last week 11:56 there is an American pastor who on the anniversary 11:59 of September 11 is going to burn a stack of Qurans. 12:06 How could a peace loving people 12:09 like the Germans be drawn into such a terrible and tragic war? 12:14 The life of Dietrich Bonhoeffer 12:15 is a-- is a response to that tragedy. 12:20 A life snuffed out of the at hand of hangman's noose 12:24 as I learn through Metaxas. 12:27 Other biographies have not caught this 12:28 by direct order of Hitler himself 12:31 three weeks before his prison campus liberated 12:34 by the allies near the end of World War II. 12:36 War, we are a generation, 12:41 not the baby boomer generation, not the GI Generation, 12:44 we are a generation now steeped in war. 12:48 Iraq, may be Iran, Afghanistan, Pakistan, 12:54 North and South Korea, the Sudan, Somalia, 12:59 and the list goes on and on and on 13:00 and yet nobody did taking about the most deadly draw 13:03 that is drawn all of us into its dark vortex. 13:07 The series we begin together right now 13:10 is book ended by that war. 13:14 So pull out your Bible. 13:16 Open your Bible with me please, 13:17 to what we are supposed to been a happily 13:19 ever after story of a new planet and a new race 13:22 and a brand new divine human venture. 13:26 It was supposed to have been but then there was war. 13:30 Open your Bible to the book of beginnings, 13:32 the Book of Genesis. 13:36 If you didn't bring a Bible grab the pew Bible in front of you. 13:37 You need to track this one, sir, madam, 13:40 both pull the pew Bible out in front of you. 13:42 It's an easy page, page two. 13:45 If you are freshmen and you have received 13:47 your brand new Andrews study Bible 13:51 I'll give you the page number there. 13:52 No, you don't need a page number. 13:54 I hope you bring your Andrews study Bible, 13:56 every single piece of this puzzle 14:00 that we put together this new season. 14:03 Genesis Chapter 3 let's take a look at it. 14:05 Genesis Chapter 3, you can't believe it, 14:08 here it is in the book of beginnings. 14:12 We have one line in Genesis 3 that intrigues us 14:14 but we need to run on to that line 14:15 so let's pick it up in verse 13, please Genesis Chapter 3. 14:18 This is the New King James Version, 14:21 Andrews--the brand new Andrews study Bible 14:23 is the New King James Version. 14:25 Any translation you have is fine with me, 14:27 I'm just glad you brought your Bible. 14:28 Let's go. 14:29 Let's pick it up in verse 13, Genesis 3, 14:32 and the Lord-- this is right after the meltdown 14:34 at the tree of knowledge of good and evil, 14:35 all right, the more meltdown. 14:37 "And the Lord God said to the woman, 14:39 'What is this you have done? ' 14:42 And the woman said, 'The serpent deceived me, and I ate.' 14:48 So the Lord God said to the serpent" verse 14 14:51 "Because you have done this, 14:54 you are cursed more than all cattle, 14:56 and more than every beast of the field, 14:58 and 'On your belly you shall go, 14:59 and you shall eat dust all the days of your life.'" 15:02 And here comes the line now. 15:03 "And I will put enmity between you and the woman, 15:05 and between your seed and her seed. 15:07 He shall bruise your head and you shall bruise His heel." 15:15 The pre-incarnate Christ is speaking these words by the way. 15:18 This is Jesus, the one who would become Jesus. 15:22 And what is He just done, He just declared war. 15:24 I am declaring war He pronounces. 15:30 Three paces into the brand new story 15:33 and we are in war already. 15:36 That point is so critical, 15:37 this business of God Himself declaring war, 15:39 that I need you to pull 15:40 your worship bulletin out right now, would you. 15:42 Pull your worship bulletin. 15:43 You're brand new here and say, 15:45 you say why do I need to go to the worship bulletin 15:47 because inside of the bulletin is the study guide. 15:49 Pull that study guide out of your new bulletin. 15:53 You didn't get your study guide 15:54 we got friendly ushers who are coming your way. 15:56 You want a study guide for what's on the backside. 15:58 The backside is what's important on the study guide. 16:00 If you didn't get a study guide hold your hand up, 16:02 you are in an overflow hold your hand up, 16:05 in the balcony hold your hand up. 16:06 Everybody gets a study guide today 16:08 and we are delighted to have those of you 16:10 who are joining us on television 16:11 I hope this, this brand new series 16:13 will stir your soul as well. 16:15 Let me give you our website 16:16 and then you can get the same study guide that we have. 16:18 Put it on the screen for you, there it is www-- 16:22 you see there at the bottom, www.pmchurch.tv. 16:27 You're looking for the brand new series 16:28 The Gift, today's teaching 40 Days and 40 Nights. 16:33 When you find that you click on the study guide 16:36 because it will say study guide right beneath that title 16:38 and you'll get the same study guide that we have. 16:41 You don't want to miss 16:42 the back side of that study guide. 16:44 Everybody gets one today. 16:47 In fact, let's get it right down. 16:50 Let's just read Genesis 3:15 one more time. 16:53 Be patience here come the ushers 16:54 they will get you keep your hand up. 16:56 We're gonna read 3:15 one more time. 16:58 God speaking Christ, the pre-incarnate Christ. 17:00 "And I will put enmity between you and the woman," 17:02 o serpent "and between your seed and her seed, 17:05 and he shall bruise your head and you shall bruise His heel" 17:09 I love the way Eugene Peterson 17:11 in his rendition called "The Message" 17:13 I love how he puts it and you will scribble it down 17:16 now please in your study guide. 17:17 What does God say? What is the Creator saying? 17:20 "I am declaring war." 17:23 There it is I'm telling you 17:25 book ended through Holy Scripture. 17:28 "I am declaring war between you and the woman." 17:32 Look at the way the New Living Translation renders. 17:33 Jot it down. 17:35 "From now on you and woman will be enemies." 17:38 Three chapters into this pristine prime evil story 17:42 and we are already at war. 17:48 The war that will not only draw 17:49 Adolf Hitler and Dietrich Bonhoeffer 17:51 into its blood vertex 17:54 but it has drawn you and me as well. 17:57 The stream of war will continue 17:58 through the entire Holy Scriptures. 18:01 In fact, I was brooding over this message, 18:03 this teaching this last week and it occurred to me 18:05 that you can sum up all of sacred history, 18:08 this history of war you can summit up 18:11 with one little triangle. 18:16 The scholars who deal in sacred literature tell us 18:19 that these triangles are actually called chiasm. 18:22 The chiasm is a literary device to draw the reader's attention 18:26 to what is most important of all 18:28 so that the author very skillfully sets up 18:30 through parallel thoughts 18:32 until he can get the reader to the pinnacle, the essence. 18:37 It has no parallel. 18:38 What the-- the summit will have no parallel. 18:41 So it goes like this, 18:42 let we put it on the screen for us 18:43 to show how chiasm works. 18:45 Let's put that triangle up. 18:47 So at the bottom on one side you're gonna have A1 18:50 and there would be an opposite-- 18:51 this can be one verse, this can be an entire chapter, 18:54 it can be an entire biblical book. 18:56 I'm suggesting it's the entire Bible. 18:58 Watch this, so what's at the beginning 19:00 we will have a parallel at the end 19:02 and you go little further from the beginning 19:03 then you're gonna have B1, 19:04 it will have a parallel at the end. 19:06 Go little further and you're gonna have C1 19:08 and it will have a parallel at the end 19:10 but the whole point of this chiasm 19:12 by the writer is to get you 19:13 to focus on D which is at the top. 19:16 The summit, the apex, the unparalleled truth. 19:23 It occurred to me this last week 19:24 as I'm brooding over this passage. 19:25 Wait a minute, the whole book is a chiasm. 19:29 In fact, you think about it, Genesis begins-- 19:34 the Bible begins in Genesis with a garden 19:39 and it ends in Revelation with a garden. 19:41 Isn't that true? 19:42 Genesis 1 and 2 garden, Revelation 21 and 22 garden. 19:47 Jot it down we will as well put it on the screen. 19:49 You can go and fill that, flip it over 19:50 because this is the back side of your study guide 19:53 which you need. 19:56 Garden, garden in the beginning. 19:58 The chiasm of the Bible, garden in the beginning, 20:00 garden at the end. 20:02 But immediately after the garden theme in Genesis 20:04 as we've just noted 20:06 this cosmic war theme is introduced. 20:08 The question is, would we find the cosmic war theme 20:11 right behind the garden in Revelation. 20:13 Let's find out, let's go to Revelation. 20:14 So you are in the book of beginnings, 20:16 let's go to the book of endings. 20:17 Our only two books today. 20:19 Let's go to Revelation, Revelation Chapter 12, 20:24 Revelation Chapter 12. 20:26 Not surprisingly, yep, there it is, 20:30 before the garden that end a book there is war. 20:34 Revelation 12:7, it's page 829 in your pew Bible. 20:41 Revelation 12:7, And war, there it is. 20:44 "And war broke out in heaven. 20:47 Michael and his angels" the pre-incarnate Christ 20:49 "fought with the dragon and the dragon 20:51 and his angels fought," verse 8 20:53 "but they did not" the dragon and its angels did not "prevail, 20:55 nor was a place found for them in heaven any longer. 20:59 So the great dragon was cast out," 21:00 hey, wait a minute. 21:01 Who is this great dragon? Keep reading. 21:03 "So the great dragon was cast out 21:04 that serpent of old, called the Devil and Satan," 21:08 serpent there it is, there is the Genesis serpent. 21:12 "That serpent of old, called the Devil and Satan, 21:15 who deceives the whole world, he was cast to the earth, 21:17 and his angels were cast out with him." 21:19 That's that primordial war. 21:22 But there is a war at the end of times. 21:23 Just go to the-- go to the last line 21:25 of Revelation 12, take a look at this. 21:26 Verse 17, this is the final generation. 21:30 The last chapter verse history. 21:32 "And the dragon was enraged with the woman, 21:35 and he went to make war with the rest of her offspring," 21:39 that's how the New King James reads. 21:41 The Greek word is sperma. 21:43 You know what a sperm is? 21:44 It's a male reproductive seed. Sperma means seed. 21:48 You plant sperma in the ground, it's the same word. 21:52 So it should and the dragon-- how its going, 21:54 "And the dragon was enraged with the woman, 21:56 and he went to make war with the rest of her seed, 21:59 who keep the commandments of God 22:01 and have the testimony of Jesus Christ." 22:03 There will be a war straight to the end of time. 22:08 That goes-- put it down. 22:09 Jot it down in your chiasm on the back of your study guide 22:12 would you fill it out please. 22:14 War, clearly it's put it up war on both sides. 22:17 No question and nobody is making this up. 22:19 There it is. 22:20 Parallel thinking all the way to a us-- 22:22 to a thought that stands 22:24 uniquely unparalleled and unrivaled. 22:28 All right, so now we know there is war. 22:31 And by the way, it's not any old sort of war 22:32 it is a cosmic war clearly 22:34 so would you put that down as the next step up? 22:36 Let's put it down. 22:37 In Genesis you have a serpent versus the Woman's Seed. 22:41 Write in the capital "S" by the way. 22:43 You have the serpent versus the Woman's Seed 22:45 and in sure enough in Revelation 22:48 you have the dragon versus the woman's seed. 22:51 Little "s." Parallel, parallel, parallel. 22:57 The garden in the beginning a garden that leads to war 23:00 between the serpent and the woman 23:02 at the ending a war between the dragon and the woman 23:05 that leads back to the garden. 23:06 Everything happens in reverse, 23:07 coming down that mountain on the other side. 23:09 Anyway you cut it ladies and gentlemen, 23:11 the simple truth is evident 23:13 for the inhabitance of this planet 23:14 it is war from beginning to end. 23:19 Doesn't matter where you come from 23:21 or what your major is, 23:25 don't care who you are or who your daddy is, 23:28 doesn't matter, you are in the war 23:31 sucked in like all of us. 23:33 Every your child born in to this planet is in war. 23:36 I was visiting with a human being 23:39 the other day whose been pinned down 23:42 on the bloody crossfire of this war, 23:44 tears trickling down the cheeks. 23:47 I'll tell you what, when you are an earth child 23:49 and you have been morally shut up by the enemy 23:52 it is not a very pretty picture at all. 23:56 I was visiting with another human being 24:00 the other day who is also pinned down 24:03 in the deadly crossfire of this war. 24:04 Life ebbing away as the body is wasting away 24:08 all because of an enemy implanted disease. 24:14 When you are an earth child 24:15 and you are physically under attack by the enemy 24:17 it is not a very pretty picture 24:22 and if we were all left 24:24 with only these bloody photographs 24:26 of the morally wounded and the physically slain 24:28 this decaying garden will turnout to be a hell 24:32 of unprecedented proportions. 24:36 But hallelujah, hallelujah, there is more to this triangle. 24:41 There is the apex, there is the summit 24:44 of unparallel, unrivalled truth we got to get to that summit. 24:48 We've hurried too, too quickly through these two passages. 24:51 Let's go back to Genesis and see it tucked to where there. 24:53 Very cryptically here but it's tucked away. 24:56 Genesis Chapter 3, go back to Genesis 3 please verse 15. 25:00 Let's read it again, the Creator speaking 25:04 "And I will put enmity between you" serpent 25:06 "And the woman, and between your seed and her seed. 25:09 He shall bruise your head and you shall bruise His heel. 25:15 Now ladies and gentlemen, we need to note this 25:17 that the Creator is announcing, 25:18 when He declares war profound pronouncement, 25:23 you can't believe this. 25:24 You know, what He is saying, 25:27 I'm going to implant in every human psyche 25:30 born into this planet, 25:32 every human being will have implanted 25:35 a hostility, a bias against evil. 25:42 Everyone of us when we were born implanted deep within, 25:50 I don't care how dark, how dark the society 25:54 you may have grown up in it doesn't matter, 25:56 implanted deep within an hostility, a bias. 26:02 By the way God did not plant a bias toward God, 26:05 he could have but then there were-- 26:08 time out you can't do that. 26:11 It's a bias against evil not a bias toward God. 26:17 That's why no matter how dark our conscience 26:18 there still beats within every human heart 26:20 a subliminal sense of right and wrong. 26:22 You think about that, 26:23 were that hostility toward evil not implanted 26:26 we would be a irretrievably, irreparably, irreversibly 26:29 allied with the forces of darkness 26:31 and we would be irredeemable. 26:32 I cannot save the human race, he had to do this. 26:36 They didn't have the advantage you had, 26:37 this is what I'm planting in them 26:39 a natural hostility to the premises of your kingdom. 26:44 By the way here's how it works. Let's make this practical. 26:49 What difference it will make in my life? 26:50 The next time-- the next time 26:53 that implanted hostility to evil begins to flash red 26:56 and your conscience do not smother it obey it, obey it. 27:01 If it's flashing red stop, 27:04 somebody is telling you something. 27:06 You already have that in you, 27:07 you know what's right and you know what's wrong 27:10 but here's the other, the flip side of that coin. 27:12 The next time you're praying for a loss person 27:15 you can know his conscience 27:17 her conscience is already on your side 27:21 because of this implanted hostility to evil. 27:24 Well, that's wonderful. 27:26 You're already a step ahead when you pray for a lost person. 27:30 She-- he already has that bias against darkness. 27:38 Read it again "And I will put enmity" verse 15 27:44 "I will put between you and the woman, 27:46 and between your seed and her seed. 27:48 He shall bruise your head and shall bruise His heel." 27:54 Wait a minute. 27:55 God is not talking about everybody coming from the woman. 27:57 We are all the seed of the woman, 27:59 Eve is the mother of us all 28:01 but He is-- the word is singular 28:03 which is why the New King James Version which you have, 28:06 the New King James Version capitalizes the "S." 28:09 What's God saying? 28:11 God is saying... 28:15 I am going to send into the stream of the human race 28:22 one who become just like you born of a woman. 28:27 And when he comes, the literal Hebrew reads 28:30 "He will crush your head" 28:33 or set right in the moral conflict 28:35 "you will crush his heel." 28:37 What's that mean? I'll tell you what it means. 28:41 While you were gone this summer, 28:43 just before the end of the summer by the way 28:45 the university resurfaced beautiful black top 28:49 around this circle in front of Pioneer. 28:52 It's a lovely circle, you can drive it 28:54 as many times as you want 28:55 you don't ever have to stop 28:56 you just keep going around and around. 28:58 Don't forget the speed bumps always in the same place. 29:00 Beautiful. 29:02 So we saw this coming 29:04 and one day I drove up just as this-- 29:07 have you ever seen one of these this huge steam roller. 29:10 You ever seen these steam rollers? 29:12 It is rolling over the steaming hot fresh tar turning it, 29:18 transforming it into a solid rocky surface. 29:23 So question, which would you rather have happened to you 29:26 that steam roller roll over your heel 29:31 or roll over your head? 29:32 Which would you prefer? 29:35 Answer, I prefer neither, 29:37 of course but that's God's point. 29:40 I here we put you on notice 29:42 oh, serpent when the Seed comes born of a woman 29:45 into the human stream and race 29:46 when that seed arrives he will steam roll your head 29:50 but in the mortal conflict you will steam roll his heel. 29:54 Precisely, cryptic but precisely the truth about Calvary. 30:00 Isn't it? 30:01 isn't that the truth about Calvary? 30:02 When we go to the flip side of the chiasm 30:04 and we go to Revelation the apocalypse unlocks 30:07 and says yep, you read it right, boy, girl, you read it right. 30:10 Go right back one last time to Revelation 12. 30:15 Take a look at this, Revelation 12:10, 30:20 "Then I heard a loud voice" megalofoni in the Greek. 30:24 Loud, megaphone, megaphone. 30:26 "Then I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, 30:29 'Now'" something has just happened. 30:31 "Now salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, 30:36 and the power of His Christ have come 30:38 for the accuser of our brothers and sister, 30:40 who is accused them before our God day and night, 30:42 has been cast down. 30:44 And they" the followers of Christ 30:47 "they overcame him" the dragon "by the blood of the Lamb" 30:50 code language in the apocalypse. 30:52 Whenever you run into blood of the Lamb 30:53 code language for Calvary. 30:56 Because of Calvary "they over came him 30:59 by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony, 31:02 and they did not love their lives to the death." 31:08 There it is prime evil mystery unlocked 31:12 other side of the triangle. 31:14 No question, Calvary is front in center. 31:18 When the Seed crushed the head of the serpent and warned. 31:26 Look at this Hebrews 2:14, Hebrews 2, 31:32 "Inasmuch then as the children have partaken 31:34 of flesh and blood, He" Christ 31:36 "Himself likewise shared in the same, 31:39 that through death" all right Calvary 31:42 "through death He might destroy him 31:45 who had the power of death, that is, the devil." 31:49 I'm telling you it is this is the truth. 31:52 That little apocalyptic classic Great Controversy, 31:55 I love this one line of Great Controversy. 31:57 Can we put that on the screen, please? 31:58 "In the Savior's expiring cry, 32:00 'It is finished,'" it's Calvary clearly. 32:03 "The death knell of Satan was rung. 32:06 The great controversy which had been 32:07 so long in progress was then decided, 32:10 and the final eradication of evil was made certain." 32:14 Ladies and gentlemen, there it is the shining summit, 32:16 the unparalleled, unrivaled truth in the universe. 32:20 Put it at the top please, of your chiasm write at the top, 32:25 "At the cross, Christ defeated Satan!" 32:30 That's it, at the cross, Christ defeated Satan. 32:36 You know, what that means? 32:37 Any claw hold he has in my life 32:41 that claw can be forcibly withdrawn. 32:46 Any ball and chain that he has attached to my ankle 32:50 guilt from the past, sins that I'm convinced 32:53 I could never be forgiven. 32:54 Now I got a letter from a viewer 32:56 who just opened up his heart 32:58 in the middle of nowhere just reading it yesterday. 33:03 You don't know how I struggle. 33:05 You have no idea how I struggle. 33:07 Is there any hope for me? 33:09 I'm telling you what my friends, there is hope 33:11 because at Calvary, at the cross, 33:13 at the cross Christ defeated past tense, 33:18 He has already defeated Satan 33:20 and guess what, by defeating Satan 33:22 He has already guarantee 33:25 the outcome of the war, God wins. 33:28 God wins. 33:29 Put a little cross at the top of your chiasm. 33:31 Put a little cross. 33:32 You can make it as big as you wish 33:34 because that's the unparallel, unrivaled truth 33:37 in all of sacred scripture. 33:39 God wins because Christ has already 33:43 defeated and triumphed over the enemy. 33:46 And guess what, in Him we can too. 33:49 You say how, Dwight? The same way Jesus did. 33:53 Let's say this is the gates of the garden. 33:54 By the way they are locked now. 33:56 The garden is locked. 33:58 These are the gates to the Garden of Eden, right here. 34:00 Guess whose standing there. 34:01 We already know, you have Christ himself 34:03 and you have the fallen. 34:05 You have the king of angels standing there 34:06 with the fallen rebel angel. 34:08 Isn't that right? 34:09 Weren't they standing there together at the gates, 34:11 the locked gates of the garden? 34:12 The next time they will meet face to face. 34:15 The next time they will meet, 34:16 they will be standing right here. 34:19 The king of angels has become a bone of a woman now, 34:22 a seed in here tummy 34:25 and was birthed into the human race. 34:27 The next time they meet face to face, hand to hand now. 34:31 It's after 40 days and 40 nights 34:34 of Jesus baptism afterwards they meet face to face again. 34:42 Only now the tables are turned 34:49 and the angel who has come 34:50 and he knows who the king of angels is 34:52 the angel who has come 34:54 paces about the emaciated form of this human being 34:57 and he says, you know who I'm, 35:03 I know who you are I think. 35:07 So tell you what, 35:10 if you are who you think you are show me, 35:16 turn these stones into bread. 35:22 But it had been a temptation for Christ 35:25 40 days and 40 nights without food. 35:28 Mahatma Gandhi, the great peace protestor in India, 35:32 twice in his life went through a 21 day fast. 35:36 No food, water but no food. 35:39 I went online and found that the diary entry of a woman 35:43 who has gone 56 days without food. 35:47 Just water and at the end 35:48 a little bit of diluted carrot juice. 35:51 And as I was reading her diary entries and thinking 35:55 why would anybody, anybody endure this for any reason. 36:02 You know, Moses did 40 days and 40 nights. 36:04 Moses did twice. 36:05 Elijah did 40 days and 40 nights just like Jesus. 36:09 So why, why Jesus? It's going on here. 36:17 Truth be known. 36:20 In that second showdown right here 36:22 in the wilderness Jesus has only two weapons. 36:25 Do you understand that the two weapons 36:27 that Jesus has were actually given to the human race 36:29 at the gates of the lock-- 36:30 at the locked gates of the garden. 36:32 Only two weapons, no nuclear power, 36:39 no instant evaporation. 36:42 Just two weapons. 36:47 And when the chance of the fallen angel, 36:50 or the king of angels is ended. 36:54 Jesus reaches into his sheath and pulls out one sword. 37:02 It is written, it is written 37:07 "Man shall not live by bread alone, 37:14 but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God." 37:20 You been over that story so many times 37:21 we know exactly how it's gonna end. 37:23 But what you don't know in that story 37:25 He has only the two weapons. 37:29 The two gifts entrusted to the human race 37:32 outside the locked gates of the garden. 37:33 In fact, I wish you scribbled that down right now. Will you? 37:36 Two life-sustaining, battle-conquering gift weapons 37:42 for a fallen race that could no longer enjoy 37:45 and endure a face to face communion with their Creator. 37:47 As Adam and Eve is sobbing outside that locked gate 37:51 God is looking into their brook-- 37:53 their broken continuances and He says, 37:55 but you must know because of your sin 37:58 My glory will become more and more destructed to you. 38:01 So while I'm locking the gates to that garden 38:04 you need to know as well I'm not locking the gates of My kingdom. 38:06 I'm giving you two gifts right now, 38:08 two gifts exercise these gifts. 38:12 Two gift weapons against our mortal enemy. 38:16 We share the same enemy. 38:18 What are the two gifts jot them down. 38:20 Number one, the gift of prayer 38:25 because God would desperately need to hear from us. 38:29 We think Jesus was doing for 40 days and 40 nights 38:31 it was a gift of prayer 38:34 but a lot of people don't know that His second weapon-- 38:38 Jesus was actually like 38:39 the Japanese samurai put out two. 38:44 The only two He has, the only two you have. 38:48 First gift, the gift of prayer. 38:49 You know, that one was there 38:50 but would you put this down please, 38:51 the second gift is the gift of prophecy. 38:54 First gift the prayer 38:55 is because God would desperately need 38:57 to hear from us and the gift of prophecy 38:58 because we would desperately need to hear from God. 39:01 God says listen, I'm gonna pick a certain man once a while, 39:04 I'm gonna pick a certain woman once upon time 39:06 and I will communicate directly to them 39:08 and that human being will come to you 39:10 and give you messages from Me. 39:11 Listen to the prophets very carefully 39:14 it's the only way I can commune with you. 39:16 No more face to face, no more, no more ever 39:20 until I come back and move in. 39:23 So pull it out when the enemy is there 39:28 and that's what He did. 39:29 You say come on, 39:30 Jesus didn't pull out the gift of prophecy 39:32 when He fought with Lucifer in there-- 39:34 Satan let's call him Satan in the wilderness. 39:36 Oh, yes, He did. 39:38 Who wrote those words, 39:39 "Man shall not live by bread alone, 39:40 but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God." 39:42 Who wrote those words? 39:43 The great prophet, the greatest of the prophets, Moses. 39:46 Christ memorized Moses as a boy. 39:49 He memorized the prophets. 39:51 He had no score opened up, 39:52 it's all here and He pulls it out and it's ready. 40:00 Two gifts reference, gift of prayer 40:04 and the gift of prophecy 40:06 because guess what we have to have both 40:10 to win in Christ the war. 40:16 Two gifts, gift weapons. 40:21 In fact, would you jot it down please? 40:22 "Which is why both gifts, like a drawn sword, 40:25 were wielded by Jesus in that desert battle." 40:32 And the one before because I just skipped it. 40:35 As it turns out "Both gifts are strategic 40:37 in the divine war plan for the human race. 40:39 You gonna both now, that's it. 40:43 Forty days and forty nights 40:45 He unsheathed both weapons and He is victorious. 40:49 Forty days and forty nights, that's a long time to pray 40:53 and yet today 40:55 first time in the 50 year history of Andrews University 40:58 and the 51 year history of Pioneer Memorial Church 41:01 today we are joining together 41:04 in a consolidated 40 days of praying, never before ever. 41:12 What's up with that? Let me show you. 41:15 Let me hold this book so you can see it. 41:17 I want you to get this book. We got it for you. 41:19 We got it-- we have it for you today. 41:22 We have it for you back in the dormitory, 41:24 you go to that front desk 41:26 into Lamson, Meier, Burman we got it for you. 41:30 We got enough for everybody. 41:32 Can you see this title on the screen 40 Days, 41:37 what's the subtitle? 41:38 Prayer and Devotions to Prepare for the Second Coming. 41:43 Here's a deal, we're gonna start these 40 days 41:45 on the same day together September 1, 41:48 that's just a few days away that's Wednesday 41:51 and we're gonna pray for 40 days and 40 nights. 41:54 Dwight, there's no way 41:55 I can pray 40 days and 40 nights. 41:57 Are you crazy? 41:58 No, it's not as complicated as it sounds. 42:01 Inside this little, this little, 42:03 this little booklet are 40 readings. 42:06 There are two pages, 40 readings. 42:09 You read the reading, it's focusing on 42:14 asking God to be filled 42:16 with the mighty third person of the God head. 42:19 Because you know what, that's a truth of the two gifts 42:20 the gift weapons, they both the Holy Spirit. 42:23 They both in His domain. 42:25 So you want to be victorious? 42:26 You want this New Year to be unlike any year 42:28 you have ever lived in your life? 42:30 Then you ask, you ask 42:33 for the fullness of the Holy Spirit. 42:36 So that's it, there is a-- 42:38 you read day one and then day two and three so on. 42:41 At the end of every little reading 42:43 there will be a Bible promise to claim and a suggested prayer. 42:47 You can do it in 10 minutes, its piece of cake 42:50 but there is a little provider that will make this more 42:52 than just reading a book through because who wants to read a book 42:54 so you already got enough books you got to read 42:55 through this semester I believe. 42:59 Here's what you do. 43:00 You pick a friend, you pick somebody you know 43:04 and say, hey, you, you and me 43:07 will be partners for these 40 days. 43:09 You don't have to get together with that friend 43:10 and read it out loud together. 43:11 You may, but the two of you-- 43:16 do you have your iPhone 4? 43:19 If you pick a friend that has an iPhone 4 43:22 then you do this video thing together the whole time 43:29 and give me yours when you are tired of it 43:32 because I need one of those. 43:35 I don't. 43:37 So you can do it on the phone, you can do it what, 43:40 you know, do it over lunch break whatever. 43:43 But everyday-- here's the deal 43:44 everyday you connect with that friend 43:46 40 days and 40 nights 43:48 and you claim the promises together and you ask-- 43:51 you will ask God to fill you with the Holy Spirit 43:53 at the beginning of this uncharted journey. 43:55 Oh, God, fill me. 43:56 I want to live like Jesus. 43:58 I want to live on the cutting edge 44:00 with both weapons drawn in this war. 44:06 Take me to the tree of peace everyday, 44:08 take me to Calvary, take me to that tree of peace. 44:09 Take me, take me, take me. 44:11 So that's what this book is for. 44:12 There one another little suggestion in the praying. 44:14 We're all being invited to do this. 44:16 We have a prayer partner 44:17 so everybody has a prayer partner. 44:18 You can have your spouse or you can have your roommate. 44:20 Please, you are not to make this hard for yourself, 44:22 make it easy somebody is close to you, right. 44:26 So everyday we do this but here's the deal. 44:29 We're all being invited 44:30 to include in our praying not only ourselves, 44:32 me, me, me, me, me, no pray for lost people. 44:35 Five lost people, boy, come one you will come up 44:37 with five lost people I know you can. 44:39 Five lost people that you know, five human beings 44:42 who are not in Christ who need to be saved. 44:44 I don't care who they are. 44:45 It Could be a father, it could be a mother, 44:46 it could be a child, it could be a brother, 44:49 it could be a neighbor, could be a classmate, 44:51 could be your roommate 44:52 doesn't matter five of them, five. 44:55 You want to have more you may but five. 44:58 And every single day you pray for those five, everyday. 45:05 Wouldn't it be something everyday? 45:07 Look if a 1,000 of us we got enough books for everybody. 45:09 If a 1,000 of us had five people a day 45:13 we will pray for that is 5,000 lost human beings 45:17 that night and day will be remembered 45:19 before the throne of God. 45:21 I mean, can you imagine 45:23 the impact that would have on our lives, 45:25 not to mention a 1,000 of us 45:27 living in a same space together doing the same thing, wow. 45:31 So that's a deal, pick up your book 45:34 when you leave right here at all the greeting stations. 45:37 You're under grad you want to go to the dorm 45:39 you got them right there. 45:40 We've got boxes of them for you, pick it up. 45:43 You're in the academy you got them at the front desk. 45:46 You say Dwight, I'm not in the dorm, 45:47 I'm a university student. Fine, pick it up here. 45:50 These are for all the rest of us, pick it up. 45:53 Oh, by the way, if you would like 45:54 to put a little donation 45:56 put it right there, 45:58 there will be place to give a donation. 46:00 It's only to cover the cost. 46:01 We had this specially printed designed for us right here. 46:06 You're gonna be blessed. 46:07 Seventy of us secretly did this 46:09 at the beginning of this calendar year. 46:11 We didn't make any fanfare about it, 46:12 didn't tell a soul about it 46:13 but we went through the 40 days and 40 nights together 46:16 and when we sat in a huddle 70 of us 46:18 and we said, how did it go? 46:20 Hands down the conviction was 46:21 we got to do this all of us together. 46:25 You will never be the same again, I promise. 46:30 Forty days and forty nights 46:33 you will be taking the gift of prophecy 46:35 and holy scripture and the gift of prayer 46:39 and with two swords 46:41 and the power of the Lord Jesus Christ 46:44 you will move straight ahead in victory. 46:51 Forty days, forty nights, grab your book as you leave. 46:58 Facebook, we'll have a page on Facebook. 47:01 You got stories to share go right to Facebook. 47:02 It's already there waiting for your, 47:04 thank you Richard Parks, 47:06 got that page ready for you. 47:08 We're ready to go, guys. 47:09 We had never done it before. 47:11 Don't you think that time is about right 47:13 that we join together in prayer? 47:14 I mean, I'm watching this economy. 47:16 Now the president talk about the economy in his address 47:19 to the whole campus on Thursday, 47:21 the brightest minds on earth have no clue 47:25 that whistling in the dark pass the cemetery. 47:29 Nobody knows, will it bounce out? 47:32 I don't know. 47:34 But the unsettledness of the planet, 47:39 some people are-- we are on the verge of something 47:43 we don't know what it is. 47:44 Guys, this is the time to pray, 40 days and 40 nights. 47:48 God bless you. 47:49 Oh, by the way September 1, 47:52 right here okay, we'll start it together. 47:54 September 1, Wednesday night house of prayer right here 47:57 in the sanctuary everybody come. 48:00 We'll have some extras here you want more, 48:02 we will have them here. 48:04 September 1, right here and we will do it together. 48:07 We'll just kind of do it and see how it feels 48:09 then you can get a better sense. 48:13 Every New Year that we begin on this campus together 48:18 we end with the most powerful prayer you can pray. 48:20 It's a prayer Jesus taught us to pray 48:23 and I can't think of a better time than right now 48:25 for you and me to sing this prayer. 48:28 Stephen Zork our choral director here at the university 48:31 is gonna lead us. 48:33 "Our Father, which art in heaven, 48:36 Hallowed be Thy name." 48:40 Let's stand together and pray as we sing together. 48:53 Our Father, 49:01 which art in heaven 49:12 Hallowed be 49:20 Thy name 49:29 Thy kingdom come 49:37 Thy will be done 49:43 On earth as it is in heaven 50:13 Give us this day our daily bread 50:24 And forgive us our debts 50:29 As we forgive our debtors 50:42 And lead us not into temptation 50:49 But deliver us from evil 50:55 For Thine is the kingdom 51:03 And the power 51:06 And the glory 51:11 Forever and ever 51:20 Amen 51:49 It's been a pleasure to be able to worship with you today. 51:52 I hope that the Spirit of Jesus has blessed your time 51:55 with us right here in the Pioneer Memorial Church 51:56 on the campus of Andrews University. 51:59 Do you know that around the world 52:00 people join us every week for this hour of worship? 52:02 We're always looking as a consequence 52:04 for new ways to bridge, 52:05 somehow to connect with these people 52:07 who come here to worship via the telecast. 52:10 One of the areas that is quickly growing for is our website. 52:14 We had more than a 140,000 visitors last year. 52:18 It's an incredible opportunity that God has given us 52:20 to expand His kingdom. 52:22 If you'd like to help partner with us 52:24 as we seek to spread the everlasting gospel 52:27 I would love to have you call our toll free number. 52:30 We've got very friendly operator standing by. 52:32 Here's the number 877-His-Will, 52:35 877 and then the two words His Will. 52:38 One of the operators will be happy to give you 52:40 the details of how you can partner 52:42 with this global ministry. 52:44 If you prefer listen, you can do it all online. 52:46 Go to our website please, www.pmchurch.tv. 52:51 I would be honored to have 52:52 the privilege of partnering with you 52:53 as we seek to spread the truth about God for this generation. 52:56 We are living in urgent times now more than never. 53:00 We've got to go to the world 53:03 where the good news entrusted to us. 53:05 So once again here's that toll free number 877-His-Will. 53:09 Thank you in advance for your generosity. 53:12 That blesses me and you grow this ministry. 53:15 I pray that the Spirit of Christ 53:16 will abide with you every step of the way 53:19 and I hope you'll come back again next time 53:21 right here as we continue our worship journey together. |
Revised 2014-12-17