Participants: Pr. Dwight K. Nelson
Series Code: NP
Program Code: NP102707
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00:29 And hail him as thy matchless King
00:36 Through all eternity 00:41 Sing it, Worthy is the Lamb. 00:44 Worthy is the Lamb 00:50 Seated on the throne 00:57 Crown You now with many crowns 01:03 You reign victorious 01:10 High and lifted up 01:17 Jesus, Son of God 01:24 The Darling of Heaven crucified 01:32 Worthy is the Lamb 01:39 Worthy is the Lamb 01:46 Worthy is the Lamb 01:53 Worthy is the Lamb 02:06 Soon I will be done with the troubles of the world 02:14 Troubles of the world 02:18 The troubles of the world 02:22 Soon I will be done with the troubles of the world 02:29 Going home to live with God 02:41 Soon I will be done with the troubles of the world, 02:44 Troubles of the world, 02:46 Troubles of the world. 02:48 Soon I will be done with the troubles of the world 02:50 Going home to live with God 02:54 I want to meet my mother 02:57 I want to meet my mother 03:01 I want to meet my mother 03:04 I'm going home to live with God I'll be going... 03:07 I want to meet my mother 03:10 I want to meet my mother 03:14 I want to meet my mother 03:17 I'm going home to live with God 03:20 Soon I will be done with the troubles of the world 03:23 Troubles of the world 03:25 Troubles of the world 03:26 Soon I will be done with the troubles of the world 03:29 Going home to live with God 03:32 Soon I will be done with the troubles of the world 03:36 Troubles of the world 03:37 Troubles of the world 03:39 Soon I will be done with the troubles of the world 03:42 Going home to live with God 03:54 I'm going to live with God 04:01 No more crying No more tears 04:14 No more suffering 04:17 No more crying No more tears 04:29 Soon I will be done with the troubles of the world 04:32 Troubles of the world 04:34 Troubles of the world 04:35 Soon I will be done with the troubles of the world 04:38 Going home to live with God 04:41 I want to meet my Jesus 04:45 I want to meet my Jesus 04:48 I want to meet my Jesus 04:51 I'm going home to live with God 04:54 I want to meet my Jesus 04:57 I want to meet my Jesus 05:00 I want to meet my Jesus 05:03 I'm going home to live with God 05:10 I'm going home to live with God 05:18 With God 05:34 Powerful, powerful, perfect song for a Sabbath 05:38 in which we are celebrating two anniversaries, 05:41 perfect song they just sang. 05:45 It's in the confluence of these two anniversaries 05:50 and their juxtaposition today, 05:54 that I have been pondering God's call to the chosen. 06:01 One anniversary for four days from today and 490 years ago. 06:09 A young German, priest, 06:14 pastor and professor 06:17 strode across the least room plaza 06:20 of the tiny little village, 06:22 walked up to the castle church door, 06:26 wooden, pounded onto that door, 06:31 95 challenges to the sale of indulgences 06:36 by the church of the middle ages. 06:39 October 31, 1517 in the village of Wittenberg, 06:45 just in Germany four weeks ago, 06:48 just to be in that nation where Martin Luther. 06:52 Wow, Martin Luther, 06:55 unwittingly ignited the spiritual revolution 07:02 that we still call the Protestor Reformation. 07:06 Four days from now, the anniversary, 07:08 four days before today another anniversary. 07:12 Four days plus 163 years ago, 07:16 a middle age American Baptist farmer 07:17 turned preacher in upstate New York, 07:19 quietly awaited the fulfillment of four passionate years 07:23 of preaching his heart out. 07:26 So convicted and convince was he of the veracity 07:29 of the Daniels prophecies 07:31 that he had unashamedly predicted on the authority 07:34 of the word of God that on October 22, 1844 07:37 Jesus would return to this planet. 07:41 So four days ago plus 163 years ago, 07:46 William Miller and thousands of Christian believers 07:50 up and down the eastern seaboard 07:52 counted the hours until Jesus would come. 07:57 Soon I will be done with the troubles 08:00 of the world, going home. 08:04 They hoped and prayed but Jesus didn't come. 08:09 So 490 years after Martin Luther 08:14 and 163 years after William Miller, 08:16 we're still here. 08:19 The Protestor Reformation is still in progress. 08:22 In fact, I carry in the back of my Bible 08:23 a quotation just to buck my spirits 08:25 up at times when I get discouraged. 08:27 A quotation that declares the reformation 08:29 did not end with Martin Luther 08:30 but that reformation that he ignited shall continue 08:33 until the last day of earth's history, 08:36 that reformation must go on. 08:38 And it occurs to me in a university setting like this 08:40 that we have some young Martin Luther's here. 08:45 We have some young William Millers here 08:48 or Wilhelmina Millers here. 08:53 We've got you here, God has already spotted you. 08:57 You weren't born by accident, 08:59 this series began reminding you, 09:00 you are a child a destiny. 09:03 You are you because God called you to live. 09:07 So we're still here, 09:10 which is why we're tracking the footsteps of the chosen 09:15 through the wilderness to the Promise Land. 09:16 We're on the same journey going to the promise land, 09:19 also wandering in this wilderness, 09:21 this series "The Chosen." 09:22 We come to the heart of this series 09:24 for critical issues to the children of Israel 09:27 as they tiptoed across those hot deserts sands 09:30 and obviously these four issues are critical to us 09:32 because in our pulpit survey, 09:34 this last spring you wrote it down. 09:36 I want to know about this, 09:37 this, this and this and so these four 09:39 what do we do with the prophet, 09:41 that was last time you and I were together. 09:43 How to stone the prophet? 09:45 Question number two, what do we do with the diet? 09:48 Read, alcohol, that would be today. 09:52 Question number three, what do we do with the dress? 09:55 That's coming up next Sabbath, 09:57 how much of naked is acceptable. 10:00 Question number four, what do we do with the sex? 10:04 That's two Sabbaths from now. 10:06 How to live without sex for a while? 10:09 And in the second service only, as we will today, 10:12 we will end with live Q and A. 10:17 Any question that you have on the subject today, 10:20 I hope you'll ask and I hope I'll have the answers. 10:23 But let's hear the question, we'll check together. 10:26 So today, you get a question 10:27 in the middle of the presentation here, 10:28 scribble it down. 10:29 All right, just scribble it down 10:30 then step up to one of these mics, 10:32 then we'll be ready to go. 10:33 Let's pray. 10:34 Oh, God, soon I will be done with the troubles of the world, 10:37 going home to live with God. 10:38 That passion has ignited generations 10:44 since the days of Enoch on this planet. 10:47 We're not abandoning that hope, that our university raised up 10:51 because of that hope as we worship today, 10:55 in Holy Scripture. 10:56 Please, please let this be clear, 10:59 that the spirit of access to my mind 11:01 and all of our minds, 11:03 for the sake of Christ Jesus 11:04 in whose name we pray. Amen. 11:07 So I'm going into the cafeteria 11:09 this last week to have to the lunch. 11:11 I like to eat the cafeteria food 11:12 because it's great food. 11:14 I go into the cafeteria to eat 11:16 and I'm always looking for somebody to sit with 11:18 and four students said, 11:19 "Hey, pastor, come on over here." 11:20 I love to eat with students. 11:21 So I sit down and we're following a conversation 11:23 and I noticed on the cafeteria food table 11:26 that we were sitting at. 11:27 These little sandwich boards 11:28 you know these are little cardboard triangle thing 11:30 that they put to advertise stuff. 11:32 And so I pick it up, apparently it's health week, 11:34 either next week or this week 11:35 I'm not sure but there is health week going on. 11:38 And then there's this quotation from Mark Twain 11:41 and so I had my receipt from eating there, 11:45 great food and a great price. 11:48 And on the back of the receipt I scribble down, 11:50 I scribble down Mark Twain, 11:52 okay, this is a quotation from Mark Twain. 11:54 It sets us up for our teaching this morning. 11:57 The Mark Twain once said, 11:58 "The only way to keep your health, 12:02 is to eat what you don't want." 12:05 All right, "drink what you don't like 12:09 and do what you rather not and you'll keep healthy." 12:14 With that thought in mind, 12:15 would you open your Bible please 12:16 to the New Testament the book first Corinthians 10, 12:20 forget about Mark Twain, 12:21 we don't need him we'll take Saint Paul 12:22 instead 1 Corinthians 10. 12:25 Didn't bring a Bible, you really need to track 12:27 as we got a dynamite story coming up 12:28 and so you want to grab the pew Bible in front of you. 12:31 This will be page 772 New King James Version 12:34 that'll be what I'm in this morning 12:36 1 Corinthians 10, 1 Corinthians 10. 12:42 All right, this is a perfect set up by the way, 12:45 these few verses set us up 12:47 for the next three presentations 12:48 covering the heart of this series. 12:50 Here we go, so this is 1 Corinthians 10 verse 1, 12:52 "Moreover brethren" 12:53 I like to say brothers and sisters, 12:55 the new translations that's what I like about them, 12:57 their gender inclusive. 12:58 "Moreover brothers and sisters, 13:00 I do not want you to be unaware that all our fathers" 13:03 oh, time out Paul, who're you writing to? 13:05 I'm writing to a bunch of pagans 13:06 who become Christians in court. 13:08 Are you serious? 13:09 You mean, once we're baptized into Jesus Christ, 13:12 the whole story of Israel becomes ours? 13:14 That's my point boy. 13:16 Our fathers, I'm calling them our fathers. 13:19 "Moreover brothers and sisters, 13:20 I do not want you to be unaware 13:21 that all our fathers were under the cloud 13:25 all pass to the sea," that would be the Red Sea. 13:27 Verse 2, "all were baptized into Moses 13:30 in the cloud and the sea," 13:32 and that really feel strange, 13:34 I mean baptized into Moses, please. 13:36 What's going on here? 13:37 Here's Paul's point there was a cloud overhead, 13:39 so there's water content, 13:40 there's water on this side of the Red Sea. 13:42 Water on this side, they went under the water. 13:44 Paul is saying, and by the way, 13:47 they're baptized into their leader. 13:50 It's a metaphor for Christian baptism. 13:51 When you're baptized into Christ, 13:53 he's your leader you go into the water 13:54 and you come out certain of who your leader is. 13:56 That's what Paul's saying, 13:57 so they were all baptized into Moses. 13:59 And now notice this verse 3, 14:00 "All ate the same spiritual food 14:03 because it was a supernatural in origin, 14:05 all drank the same spirit to drink 14:07 because it was supernatural in origin. 14:10 For they drank of that spiritual rock 14:12 that followed them and that rock was Christ." 14:14 Hallelujah, when you're wandering 14:16 through the hot desert sands of life, 14:18 "I've got" Paul says, "I've got great news for you. 14:21 There is a rock that will be your shade, 14:24 your shelter, your safety, and your salvation." 14:27 Thank you, Jesus. The rock is Christ. 14:30 You will find that rock in your wandering 14:32 through this university 14:34 and through the rest of your life, 14:35 that rock will always be there. 14:38 Uh-oh, but some bad news verse 5, 14:40 "But with most of them God was not well pleased, 14:44 for their bodies were scattered in the wilderness." 14:46 i.e., they never made it to the promise land. 14:49 Died, little burial mounds tracking their journey, 14:54 little humps, little humps, one by one, 14:56 an entire generation is married. 14:58 Oh, what's going on here? 14:59 Verse 6, "Now these things became are examples, 15:03 to the intent that we should not lust 15:07 after evil thing as they also lusted." 15:10 I need to tell you that the that the Greek word 15:11 for lust here is epithumeo. 15:13 It means to desire deeply. 15:14 It is not a sin to desire deeply, 15:16 you can come on, God majored with desires. 15:18 So desire deeply just don't desire that 15:21 which will kill you, 15:23 just don't desire what will kill you. 15:29 That punch line is so important to Paul that he repeats it. 15:32 He does it in the verse 6 and dropped down to verse 11. 15:34 All over again, 15:35 "Now all these things happen to them as examples, 15:39 and they were written for our admonition 15:41 upon whom the ends of the ages have come." 15:46 Paul's point, the story of the chosen 15:48 in the beginning will be book end 15:51 by the story of the chosen in the ending, 15:54 in the-- they upon whom the ends of the ages have come. 15:58 They'll be the story and by the way Paul says, 16:00 their story is preserved here 16:03 so that the story of our movement 16:05 will be protected over here. 16:07 That's my point, Paul says. 16:08 Learn the lessons that they went through. 16:11 In fact, that point so critical 16:12 would you grab a study guide out. 16:13 Is it there in your worship bulletin, 16:14 pull your study guide out, please. 16:15 Thank you, ushers, you're gonna want to study guide 16:18 we're going to get to alcohol-- 8 resilient factors. 16:21 You want this list, trust me, hold your hand up, 16:23 if you don't have a study guide. 16:24 We have enough for everybody in the balcony, 16:27 here in the front, hold your hand up, 16:29 take your study guide out let me say to those of you 16:31 watching on television right now. 16:33 Delighted to have you. 16:34 Let me put our website on the screen for you, 16:35 "www" see it there on your screen 16:37 www.pmchurch.tv. 16:42 As soon as you go there you'll see different logos 16:44 for the various sermon series 16:45 this is the one called "The Chosen." 16:46 Click onto "The Chosen" 16:47 and it will show you the teachings, 16:49 you want this teaching, 16:50 "How to eat drink and be merry without getting stoned." 16:54 Click on to that and it will say study guide. 16:57 You will have the identical study guide 17:00 we're gonna go through this morning together. 17:01 So if you're watching on DVD 17:03 just hit the pause get that and then rejoin us please. 17:06 All right, the sentence at the top, let's fill it up. 17:09 First sentence of the study guide. 17:11 Their story was preserved 17:12 so that our movement might be protected. 17:16 Key point, protected, keep your pen moving. 17:19 The lessons of the chosen in the beginning 17:22 must be lessons for the chosen at the ending. 17:25 Some of you are still getting your study guides, 17:27 let me just remind you 17:28 that if you don't get an answer here, 17:30 go to our website. 17:31 The answers are at the bottom of all the study guide 17:33 so you'll be able to get what you missed here. 17:36 Now let me repeat that number two, 17:38 the lessons of the chosen in the beginning 17:39 must be the lessons for the chosen at the ending. 17:42 Paul says, remember their story what story do you suppose 17:45 Paul is talking about here in verse 6? 17:47 Ah, let's track Israel for a couple days 17:50 in the wilderness. 17:51 Go back to the fourth book in the Bible, 17:53 that would be the book of Numbers. 17:55 In our teaching last time, how to stone the prophet? 17:59 We were also in Numbers, go back to Numbers, please, 18:02 only this time we're going to be in Numbers 11. 18:06 I believe, last time we were Numbers 12. 18:07 So go back to Numbers 11, 18:10 Paul says, I want to tell you-- 18:11 I want to remind you of a story. 18:13 We'll be reminded right here, Numbers 11, 18:16 oh, I didn't give you the page number, 101. 18:18 If you're looking for it there in the Old Testament, 101, 18:21 Numbers 11: 4, " Now the mixed multitude" 18:27 I need to just hit the pause button right there 18:28 because scholars are scratching their heads 18:29 and saying who, who, who are these? 18:32 They're not quite sure who they are. 18:34 One commentator says, it really out-- 18:35 The Hebrew ought to be translated, 18:37 now the rift raft, riff-raff, 18:41 what seems clear is that when Israel fled 18:44 in that midnight hour from Egypt. 18:47 They were Egyptians they said, we are going with you. 18:49 You've just messed up our pantheon of Gods-- 18:52 we're going with your God. 18:53 He must be the strongest around we'll follow you. 18:56 So there is this, there's this-- 18:57 there's this crowd within the community of faith. 19:00 There's always a crowd within the community of faith. 19:02 There's this crowd, 19:04 their bodies are in the community 19:06 but their hearts are back in Egypt. 19:10 Kind of like Mrs. Lot who left her heart in Sodom, 19:12 you remember that? 19:13 So it's the same here, verse 4 so, 19:17 "Now the mixed multitude who were among them yielded" 19:22 look at this "yielded to intense craving." 19:26 Hit the pause button again 19:27 because and you have this new study guide 19:28 those words "intense craving" 19:30 in English are actually the Hebrew Ta'avah, avah, 19:34 those are two words, 19:35 same word back to back it means craving, craving 19:37 in other words it said double craving, 19:39 it's intense, double craving. 19:43 Which by the way, jot this down, 19:44 is a classic definition of appetite. 19:48 Write in the word appetite, please. 19:50 For what is appetite 19:51 but an intense craving for food, 19:56 for alcohol, for tobacco, for chocolate, for caffeine, 20:00 for cocaine, for sex, for gambling. 20:02 I mean the list goes on and on and on. 20:05 Our appetite is that craving and in fact, 20:08 keep your pen moving, 20:09 appetite constantly yielded to results in addiction. 20:15 If you keep yielding to that appetite, 20:17 you become addicted. 20:19 Whatever, whatever. 20:21 Here's something from Wikipedia, 20:23 technical definition you have it in your study guide, 20:25 we'll put it on the screen for those of you viewing 20:27 and Wikipedia got this from the Neuro ed okay, 20:30 dealing with psychology and neurology 20:32 they got it from that website. 20:34 Here it is, "Addiction is a state a physiological 20:36 or psychological dependence 20:38 or devotion to something manifesting as a condition 20:42 in which medically significant symptoms 20:44 liable to have a damaging effect are present." 20:49 I.e., if you do this long enough, 20:52 it will affect you. 20:53 If you eat this long enough it will affect you. 20:56 If you drink this long enough it will affect you. 20:59 It will-- it will impact your organism, 21:02 that's what addiction does. 21:06 Okay, so now that we got that clear verse 4 21:08 "Now the mixed multitude who are among them 21:10 yielded to intense craving;" 21:12 now here the plot thickens. 21:13 "So the children of Israel also wept again." 21:18 Now that word again is key 21:21 because this has been going on over 21:23 and over and over. 21:25 Moses almost melts down 21:27 in just a few verses we'll note that. 21:28 It's happened all over again. 21:30 These belly achers are going all over again. 21:33 "And so, the children of Israel also wept 21:35 again said who will give us meat?" 21:39 That's Hebrew for flesh food. Who will give us flesh to eat? 21:44 Look at this, "We remember the fish 21:48 which we ate freely in Egypt the cucumbers, 21:52 the melons, the leaks, the onions and garlic." 21:55 It get's you hungry for dinner, doesn't it? 21:57 Verse 6 "But now own our whole being is dried up. 22:01 There is nothing at all except this manna" 22:09 I'm sick of this manna, 22:12 "nothing but this manna before our eyes." 22:16 We went to-- this summer as a Nelson 22:19 kind of a family thing, a tribe 22:21 and we conducted 22:22 for simultaneous evangelistic crusades 22:25 in a great city La Ceiba, 22:26 and if you've gone south of the border 22:27 you know this is true, 22:28 those cooks south of the border 22:30 they can take just a little bit a cornmeal, 22:31 have you noticed this? 22:32 Just a little bit of cornmeal 22:34 and they can make soft tortillas, 22:36 they can make hard taco shells they can make stuffed burritos. 22:40 They can make crunchy chips 22:41 all from just a little bit a cornmeal. 22:44 And they come up north of the border 22:45 by the way and they say, what is up with you Americans? 22:47 You are always eating bread. You have bread in the morning. 22:49 You call it toast. 22:50 You have bread at lunch, you call it sandwiches. 22:51 You put everything under the sun 22:53 between those slices. 22:54 You have bread at night, you call them dinner rolls. 22:55 Why are you always eating bread? 22:58 And if you go over to China, 22:59 morning noon and night forever its rice. 23:03 Cultures tend to gravitate around a particular staple 23:07 and the children of Israel are no exception. 23:09 Only for them, it was genuine miracle food. 23:12 I watched television, I see these advertising oh, 23:14 this a great miracle food, no, 23:16 they had genuine miracle food and it was called manna. 23:21 It was a white, seedy, 23:22 frost like substance that appeared 23:24 with the dew every morning, six days a week. 23:26 So you had manna for breakfast and lunch and supper on Sunday. 23:31 And then on Monday you had manna for breakfast 23:33 and lunch and supper. 23:35 And then Tuesday, 23:36 manna breakfast lunch and supper 23:38 and you get the picture. 23:39 It's just manna the whole blooming week until-- 23:46 until you come to Sabbath. 23:49 No manna, oh, it's true. 23:52 You're gonna eat manna again, 23:53 it just don't come on the Sabbath. 23:56 Something supernatural. 23:57 God says I want to tell you something, guys, 23:59 I want to tell you about my Seventh-day Sabbath. 24:00 I've given this to the human race, 24:02 I did from the beginning in Genesis 24:04 and I'm gonna, by a supernatural miracle, 24:06 show you which day of the week. 24:07 You don't have calendars on your tent walls, 24:08 that's okay. 24:09 I'll show you every Seventh-day. 24:10 There won't be a drop of manna, so on Friday, 24:12 what I want you to do is go out and get a double portion. 24:15 I rest on the Sabbath, 24:16 I want you to rest on the Sabbath. 24:18 So every Sabbath, a supernatural proof 24:22 this is the Seventh-day. 24:24 Now by the way, its, its--it's miraculous 24:26 because during the week, if on Wednesday saying 24:28 you know what I'm sleeping in on Thursday. 24:29 I'll go out today and get a double portion, 24:31 by Thursday morning that stuff is stinking rotten. 24:35 It will not keep, 24:37 only that double collection on Friday keeps. 24:41 Proof by the way, 24:42 to those who say at the Sabbath was given on Mount Sinai. 24:45 The Sabbath is the gift of the Jews 24:46 that came of the Ten Commandments. 24:47 So you kidding, this story is before the Ten Commandments. 24:49 The Sabbath goes all the way back to creation 24:53 and God supernaturally proved 24:55 which day by the Seventh-day miracle. 24:58 Yeah, well of course that doesn't make 24:59 the manna any more palatable. 25:01 If you've got that we got to have 25:02 that meat hungries in your heart and they got it. 25:07 So Moses says, 25:08 let me tell you about the manna by the way. 25:10 Let's pick it up again at verse 6, people weeping 25:13 "But our whole being is dried up; 25:16 there's nothing at all except his manna 25:17 before our eyes!" 25:18 Now verse 7, "Now the manna was like coriander seed, 25:20 and its color like the color of bdellium" 25:22 that would be white. 25:23 Verse 8, The people went about it gathered it," 25:26 just like south of the border. 25:27 "They gathered at they grounded on millstones 25:29 or they beat it in the mortar, 25:31 they cooked in a pans, and made cake of it, 25:33 and its tastes is like the taste the pastry 25:35 prepared with oil." 25:36 I'm thinking kind of like Krispy Kreme doughnuts. 25:38 I'm thinking that's probably the taste. 25:41 It says, it's like pastry, so it must have been good. 25:43 Verse-- but you know what, 25:44 you get tired of Krispy Kreme if you had it every day. 25:47 Verse 9 "And when the dew fell on the camp in the night, 25:51 the manna fell on it." 25:53 Now verse 10 watch this, 25:54 "Then Moses heard the people 25:56 weeping throughout their families, 25:59 everyone at the door of his tent..." 26:00 I've got to tell you about the Middle East. 26:01 You just watch the film out of Iraq, 26:03 when people mourn, 26:05 they never mourn in private, not in the Middle East, 26:07 you go out in the middle of the street 26:08 and then you beat your chest and you cry to the heavens. 26:13 They got it from way back then. 26:15 Everybody is in the door of their house 26:17 and they're all just wailing, and I'm telling you, 26:21 it is cutting Moses to the quick. 26:25 Apparently, it bothered God too, 26:26 it says the anger the Lord was greatly aroused 26:30 and Moses also was displeased. 26:33 You know what? 26:35 We're too hard on our leaders, way too hard on our leaders. 26:39 Do you think it is a picnic 26:41 to lead the lives of you and me? 26:44 Do you think, for a moment, don't you know? 26:47 You know what Moses does? 26:48 He said, I just can't take this 26:50 and he gets alone with God the next few verses. 26:52 He gets alone with God and he says, 26:53 now let me just run this by you again. 26:55 I'm supposed lead this people how long? 26:58 What have you called me to be? 26:59 He says it, have you called me to be a nurse maid. 27:02 What I have to do give them a little bottle 27:03 and burp them everyday. 27:05 Get them through this. 27:07 They're driving me crazy, God, I'm tired of leadership. 27:11 Trust me, our leaders get tired of leading. 27:15 So when you and I are given extra digs and jabs, 27:19 were only making it harder for the leader. 27:23 Next time you got an issue with the leader, 27:25 why don't you pray for her? 27:27 Why didn't you pray for him? 27:28 That's what you're supposed to do. 27:29 No way and get a little crowd weeping with you. 27:35 In fact, Moses is so-- 27:36 Moses is so heartbroken over this. 27:39 Look at verse 15, you know what Moses says guys, 27:40 he says, "God, hey God, tell me do you love me?" 27:42 God says, "Of course I love you." 27:44 And Moses says, "If you love me, kill me." 27:46 Look at that, it's right there in verse 15, "kill me." 27:49 Well, now that gone-- put me out of my misery. 27:53 It's tough sometimes to be a leader 27:58 and then God says, "Hey, the Lord God, 28:00 all right, children, Israel, all right. 28:03 I've heard you, you have an intense craving 28:05 an appetite for flesh food, 28:07 do you-- I'm gonna give you meat 28:08 until it comes out your nostrils." 28:12 And he does, verse 31 look at this, 28:14 can you believe it? 28:15 Verse 31, "Now a wind went out from the Lord, 28:18 and it brought quail from the sea 28:20 and left them fluttering near the camp, 28:22 about a day's journey on this side 28:24 and about a day's journey on the other side, 28:26 all around the camp, 28:27 and about two cubits above the surface of the ground." 28:30 I used to think of that quail stacked up to about two cubits. 28:33 One cubit, tip elbow to tip, 18 inches one cubit. 28:38 So two cubits would be about three feet, 28:40 about a yard, yard and half, they're not quite not sure. 28:43 I used to think that the quail piled up that high. 28:45 No, that's not what happened. 28:47 I was reading a scholar this last week, 28:48 you know what happened? 28:50 The quail came down and fluttered at three feet 28:53 above the ground. 28:54 Because of the-- 28:55 if the quail are fluttering at eight feet, 28:57 I'm out of luck 28:58 but when the birds are right here... 29:02 and that's exactly what they did. 29:04 They fluttered with arms reach. 29:06 Look at this, you can't believe this. 29:09 Verse 32 "And the people stayed up all that day, 29:14 and the people stayed up all that night, 29:17 and the people stayed up all the next day, 29:20 and they gathered the quail" 29:21 and hold on, now hold onto your seat 29:23 "He who gathered least gathered ten homers" 29:26 that's the-- this is the least, 29:27 that's the equivalent of 62 bushels of quail. 29:32 The guy that got the least, 29:33 had 62 of those apple bushels around this tent, 29:41 "And they spread them out for themselves 29:43 all around the camp." 29:44 They killed it they wanted meat to dry, 29:46 they're gonna cure and hey, baby, we got-- 29:48 we got meat to the Promise Land, hallelujah. 29:51 But watch this, verse 33, 29:53 "But while the meat was still between their teeth, 29:56 before it was chewed, 29:58 the wrath of the Lord was aroused against the people, 30:02 and the Lord struck the people with a very great plague." 30:04 You know, what God didn't have to do a thing. 30:07 If you are eating with a feverish pitch, 30:10 you will kill yourself cramming it into your mouth. 30:15 You'll kill yourself and what happened in verse 34, 30:20 "So Moses called the name 30:21 of that place Kibroth Hattaavah," 30:25 remember tavah avah, intense craving, 30:27 he named it the graves of craving. 30:31 The graves of craving, so here's the question. 30:33 So what is it that you crave for? 30:36 What is it that I crave for? 30:37 What do we crave for here at Andrews University. 30:39 What do we crave for in the Pioneer Memorial Church? 30:42 What is it? 30:43 The list could be endless, I suppose, 30:45 but may I mention one that turns out to be two. 30:50 I had a mother come up to me at camp meeting this summer. 30:53 She said, "Pastor have to talk with you." 30:55 So we got off the beaten path, 30:58 turns out the mother has a daughter 30:59 that is attending at-- 31:01 is a student at Andrews University. 31:04 And the daughter has confided in her mother 31:07 that she's worried for her friends, 31:09 who go off campus on weekends for drinking parties. 31:14 And the mother looked me straight in the eyes, 31:16 and she says, "Pastor, you're gonna have 31:18 to say something about this." 31:22 I came home from camp meeting 31:23 and then got out the surveys from this spring, 31:24 and began to look at the surveys 31:26 and you were saying the same thing, 31:27 so today, I'm saying something. 31:34 May I read a list of statistics to you? 31:38 These are compiled over 12 months 31:40 by the Alcohol Abuse 31:44 and Alcoholism Task Force on college drinking. 31:48 Adventist Review came out 31:49 with a special issue on addiction, 31:53 care of these statistics. 31:55 The following statistics for a year bring into focus 31:57 the consequences of college drinking. 31:59 All right, over 12 month period 32:00 in the United States of America here's what happens, 32:03 1,400 students aged 18 to 24 die. 32:09 Do you understand? Die. They don't get sick. 32:12 They die, 1,400 every year, 18 to 24. 32:15 500,000 students aged 18 to 24 are unintentionally injured, 32:21 half-a-million, 600,000 students aged 18 to 24 32:24 are assaulted by another student. 32:25 70,000 students in that same age bracket 32:28 are victims of alcohol-related sexual assault or date rape. 32:32 And hold on to this, 400,000 students 32:33 in that same age bracket have unprotected sex 32:36 and more than, 100,000 of them are too intoxicated 32:39 to know whether they had consented or not. 32:44 25% percent of college students report 32:45 negative academic consequences from their drinking. 32:49 150,000 students develop 32:50 an alcohol related health problem 32:51 1.2 to 1.5 % of students indicates suicide attempts 32:55 within the past year 32:56 as a result of alcohol or drug use. 33:00 What's going on? 33:02 We got an epidemic in America 33:03 and it's happening on our campuses. 33:07 This is the whole nation. 33:12 I'll tell you what, based on empirical evidence alone, 33:14 you can understand why a university like ours 33:17 would forbid the use of alcohol, period. 33:22 We're not dealing with rocket science here. 33:30 Does it then get used around here, 33:32 since it's forbidden? 33:34 I've had several conversations with Dwayne McBride. 33:37 He's a sociologist and a researcher here 33:39 at Andrews University. 33:40 And Dwayne just told me about a 20 year study 33:42 that he and a team of researchers 33:44 have undertaken 20 years studying only Adventist 33:47 young adults attending Adventist colleges 33:50 and universities in the United States. 33:56 And they've discovered that our students 33:57 use alcohol and drugs at a rate two-third 34:00 less than the students in the general population. 34:03 Hallelujah. 34:07 Except obviously there's still concern for the one-third, 34:12 nobody needs me to stand in front of you today 34:14 and present a case 34:15 for the destructive effects of alcohol in the human brain. 34:18 The college statistics we just shared are evidence enough. 34:22 Please, however the biblical-- the biblical case 34:26 for the abstinence from alcohol, 34:29 while it is made textually 34:30 and I put a few verses there in your study guide 34:32 Proverbs, 20: 1, Proverbs 23: 29-35. 34:37 You've got a 1 Corinthians 10:31, 34:38 you can go to 1 Corinthian 16, 19 and 20, 34:40 "Your body is a temple of God, you cannot defile it." 34:43 I mean, we can make a case textually, 34:44 the Bible strongest case however, 34:46 listen, the Bible strongest case 34:48 is made anecdotally through stories. 34:52 I heard a story just two weeks ago, 34:53 in fact, it was our children story 34:54 in the First Church. 34:55 Two weeks ago, about a village in India 34:56 where elephants broke into the village distillery. 34:59 They didn't know what was in it, 35:01 they broke into the distillery 35:02 drank everything in the distillery 35:04 and then trashed the village. 35:09 The elephants had to be euthanized, 35:13 now nobody is recommending euthanasia 35:15 for those who consume alcohol in our midst. 35:19 However in the Bible narrative, euthanasia was once, 35:23 one time, it was a strategy. 35:25 I'm talking about the two preacher kids. 35:27 The two preacher boys, the sons of Aaron, 35:31 their names Nadab and Abihu 35:33 who in a drunken stupor stagger into the sanctuary 35:37 and the glory of God-- 35:40 as their bodies are being dragged 35:42 by their brothers to be buried. 35:46 God makes a point, take a look at this, 35:48 Leviticus chapter 10:9 "God says, 35:50 do not drink wine or intoxicating drink, 35:53 you, nor your sons with you, 35:54 when you go into the tabernacle of meeting, lest you die. 35:57 It should be a statute forever throughout your generations 36:00 that you may distinguish between the Holy and the unholy 36:03 between the unclean and the clean." 36:08 Anecdotally, the Bible makes its case. 36:10 Do you ever heard of the story about Daniel and his four-- 36:12 his three university student peers Daniel 36:14 and there's-- 36:16 they discover they're gonna be served the wine of Babylon. 36:19 And so Daniel makes a choice everybody knows 36:21 Daniel chapter 1: 8 put it on the screen please, 36:23 "But Daniel purposed in his heart 36:25 that he would not defile himself 36:27 with a portion of the Kings delicacies" 36:30 and it also says, we left that line out, 36:32 but also says the wine 36:35 and "therefore he requested the chief of the eunuchs 36:37 that he might not defile himself." 36:42 Anecdotally, the Bible makes the case. 36:44 Let's take the death of our Lord Jesus, 36:46 who, as he's hanging on the cross. 36:47 They bring to him just as they're preparing, 36:49 maybe just before hoisting him, 36:51 they bring him sour wine mixed with gall you know, 36:53 what he says he tastes it. 36:55 Let's look at the record here Matthew 27, 36:57 "They gave him sour wine mingled with gall to drink 36:59 but when He had tasted it," 37:01 and realize what it was and new why they wanted him too 37:04 because alcohol will numb the mind. 37:07 That's a no brainer, he said I will not have that, 37:10 thank you and pushed it away with his jaw. 37:14 He would not drink it. 37:17 So we had anecdotal evidence as well as textual 37:20 but you know what, 37:21 I'm gonna take a different approach 37:23 and I'd like to come back to appetite for a moment. 37:25 You know what appetite is? 37:26 That very God given, 37:28 that very wonderful capacity we all have, 37:30 to hunger and thirst, to be able to savor tasty food, 37:33 to be able to relish delectable drink. 37:36 I mean, thank God for appetite. 37:38 I mean, can you imagine being a machine 37:40 just you'd be like a car-- 37:41 is just give me that gas, 37:42 I'll suck it up, no taste, no nothing. 37:45 God made us with appetite but God created the human race, 37:49 let me do the anatomy, 37:50 I'll step around from behind this pulpit. 37:52 God made the human race intentionally one way. 37:55 He said I want your reason, 37:56 by the way, point on your own body 37:59 to where reason is in your body. 38:01 Just point, you follow me, point to where reason is, 38:04 yeah, put your finger up here. 38:05 Come on, put your finger up here. 38:07 This is where reason takes place, 38:08 is that not right? 38:09 Am I making this up? 38:10 No, now point to where appetite takes place. 38:13 I know what happens to the nerve signals 38:15 but where does appetite involved? 38:17 Yeah, right-- right here, 38:19 God says, hey, I want to-- 38:20 I want you to see how I made you. 38:22 Reason is to be elevated above appetite, 38:27 you'll be just fine with reason up here 38:29 and appetite down here. 38:30 The devil comes along, 38:31 who is the enemy of God and it turns out, 38:33 he's the enemy the human race. 38:34 And he immediately sets out to reverse God's grace, 38:39 and you know what he does? 38:40 The devil makes fools of us 38:42 because he said I'm gonna make you walk on your hands. 38:43 I'm gonna make you walk on your hands 38:46 'cause I want your head down and I want your belly up. 38:49 I want the belly over the head. 38:52 I want a visceral to control the rational and the spiritual. 38:55 Would you jot that down, please? 38:57 In our creation, 38:58 God elevated reason over appetite, 39:00 but in our fall, Satan elevated appetite over reason. 39:05 He did it with Adam and Eve at the tree, didn't he? 39:07 He said, hey, good looking, come here. 39:09 Girl, come here, hey, you ought to taste this. 39:15 If in fact, if you taste this. 39:17 it'll give you a high so high, 39:19 you'll be higher than God himself, eat it. 39:23 Appetite elevated over reason, did at-- 39:27 did it right at the beginning. 39:29 He did it with Esop, remembers the story of Esop? 39:31 He's been hunting all day, and he's coming in and oh, 39:33 man, is he famished and he gets 39:35 a whiff of his twin brother Jacobs lentil stew. 39:39 How you could get mouth watering over that, 39:42 I have no idea but he smells that lentil stew. 39:45 And he says, ah, and then Satan whispers to him, 39:49 hey Esop, let me just a something, 39:50 boy, you are hungry. 39:53 Oh, Esop, I want to tell you something, 39:54 you are so hungry. 39:55 I predict you will die if you don't get that. 39:58 So while Satan's doing that number, 39:59 getting appetite over reason, he's over here, 40:01 Jacob is saying hey, by the way boy, 40:02 this is your big chance, 40:03 why don't you make a deal make a deal with your brother. 40:05 Tell him you'll give him the stew 40:07 if he'll give you the birthright, boom! 40:08 And so Satan comes-- 40:10 Esop who should have been the Prince, 40:12 the leader of that tribe. 40:14 Oh, come on, this silly little birthright stuff, 40:16 you don't believe Gods promises do you? 40:18 You're hungry boy. 40:19 You're hungry, eat, appetite over reason. 40:23 Nadab and Abihu, appetite over reason, 40:26 Satan attempted that with Daniel, 40:28 appetite over reason, he lost. 40:30 Satan comes to Almighty God in human form 40:33 in the wilderness and makes the same play, 40:35 appetite over reason. 40:37 Come on, hey, who are you? 40:40 Look like you haven't eaten 40 days and 40 nights. 40:44 Pitiful and suppose you think you are who they-- 40:47 who you've been saying you are, son of God. 40:49 Yeah, right, give me another one, 40:51 I tell you what, I'm from heaven, 40:53 if you're really the son of God, see those-- 40:55 I bet you're hungry. 40:56 See those stones, 40:57 you turned one of them into baked bread 40:59 and I will believe you, sir, that you are who you are. 41:02 Appetite elevated over reason but Jesus sniffed a snake, 41:08 smelled the old serpent and you know what Jesus does, 41:11 this is incredible. 41:12 He goes to our theme book for this series 41:15 Deuteronomy and by memory, 41:18 he quotes Deuteronomy 8:3 our last text to look up. 41:21 I need you to see it in your Bible please, 41:23 Deuteronomy your numbers just go the next book 41:26 over Deuteronomy chapter 8, amazing. 41:30 He takes our theme book and quotes from it, 41:35 Deuteronomy chapter 8:3, 41:38 Moses's farewell address 41:40 he'll be dead at the end to this address, 41:42 he'll climb Mount Nebo leader fail, leaders failed. 41:46 It's a high price leaders pay, tough job but also high price. 41:54 So Moses talking to these grown up children 41:56 whose parents are now buried in the wilderness. 41:57 "So God humbled you, and he allowed you to hunger," 42:03 would you hit the pause button right there. 42:05 I want to suggest that there are times 42:07 when God lets you and me hunger in order to reveal to us 42:11 the ferocious power of appetite. 42:16 I was flying to another camp meeting, 42:18 it's over in New Jersey. 42:21 And so you have a good breakfast, 42:22 it's Friday so I'm gonna start preaching 42:23 first things Sabbath morning. 42:24 It's--It's Friday, you get a good breakfast 42:26 and then a you fly over 42:28 to the east coast going to New Jersey. 42:30 And I fly United 42:31 and you know what United serves you? 42:32 Nothing. Nothing. 42:33 Nothing but these pitiful, pitiful pretzels 42:37 that's all you get a tiny little bag. 42:39 If you have another airline 42:40 that feed you better let me know. 42:42 Nothing, so I get this little-- 42:44 I get this little bag, 42:46 so I get the thickest drink I can get 42:48 and that's tomato juice 42:49 and wolf it all down with tomato juice. 42:51 The story of my life, the plane is late, 42:52 so I get into wherever it is in New Jersey late. 42:55 And then I have this rental car 42:56 and I'm thinking you know the Sabbath has come, 42:57 I'll find a place to eat there will be a place to eat. 43:00 I'm going on a turnpike 43:01 I have never driven on in my life 43:02 and I cannot find a-- 43:03 find a blooming place to eat. 43:06 That evening and I'm saying, this is terrible. 43:09 I had only breakfast. 43:11 I'm-- I'm dying. 43:14 I'm telling you, I have a problem with appetite. 43:17 Some of you think that you know what, 43:19 if you're thin, you don't have a problem with appetite. 43:20 I want to tell you something, 43:22 don't you ever fall into that kind of thinking. 43:24 Appetite is not determined by the size of your body. 43:26 Appetite is determined by the force of that hunger. 43:30 It has nothing to do with your weight, 43:31 don't let anybody either side of the spectrum 43:34 lock you into a corner. 43:36 Do you understand? Appetite. 43:37 I see skinny little people running around 43:39 and that appetite 43:40 is out of control in their lives. 43:41 They're eating all through the day this well, 43:43 it's no problem with me. 43:45 No, it is a problem with you, sir. 43:48 It's a problem with me, I'll tell you. 43:50 So I'm driving, I say, 43:51 oh, I can't find anything to eat, 43:52 I'll go without food. I'll do this for you, God. 43:57 So I get to this hotel 43:59 and I check it is there any place to eat? 44:00 No, nowhere to eat. 44:01 The breakfast in the morning at six, okay, 44:04 little, a little bottle of mints, 44:07 I was tempted to empty them in my pocket 44:09 and go up to my room. 44:11 I didn't but I got up into the room 44:13 and you know what, 44:14 by now I'm throwing a tizzy fit with God, 44:16 I'm just, God I don't-- 44:17 What is the problem? 44:18 And just like that God came to me and said, 44:20 let's just take a little time out, 44:21 would you breath? 44:25 You skipped two meals and you're going ballistic. 44:30 I went 40 days and 40 nights without a morsel to eat. 44:33 Don't you tell me 44:35 the power of appetite in your life. 44:38 It ain't nothing. 44:41 And boy was I chastised and sat straight. 44:44 There are times when God allows hunger to overtake us, 44:48 to show us the ferocious visceral power of appetite. 44:54 Jesus didn't quote the whole verse to-- 44:56 Satan he knew the whole verse. 44:58 "So he humbled you, allowed you to hunger, 45:00 and fed you with manna" 45:01 by the way, if you're struggling with appetite 45:03 that is one of the solutions to appetite, 45:05 I'm telling you the truth. 45:06 Nutritionists will tell you, if you move to a simple diet, 45:10 this rich, this multiple 500 course eating, 45:15 you don't have to live that way. 45:16 You can you can cut back the power, 45:19 go for simplicity. 45:21 So we fed you with manna 45:23 which you do not know nor did your father's know 45:25 that he might make you know that, 45:26 here it comes, 45:27 "Man shall not live by bread alone 45:29 but man lives by every word 45:31 that proceeds from the mouth of God." 45:33 Write it down please, 45:34 there's Jesus talking about sliced bread, 45:36 we don't live by slice bread alone. 45:37 No. No. No. 45:38 Write it down man and woman 45:39 shall not live by appetite alone. 45:42 Appetite must be subservient to reason, 45:45 that's the point. 45:47 Lucifer's going for the jugular, 45:48 he's going for appetite 45:50 as he's done all through history 45:52 but Jesus stops him cold, 45:54 he says, I'm not gonna live by that way. 45:56 Now when I yield to this force, 45:57 of course it's a force in me but I will not yield to it. 46:00 "Man should not live by bread alone, 46:02 by appetite alone 46:03 but by every word that proceeds" 46:04 capital W word the word got the proceeds 46:07 from the mouth of God, 46:08 Jesus points to Satan write it down, 46:10 "Reason must supersede appetite." 46:12 Faith must rise above food. 46:15 Your life must be dictated through your mind 46:17 and not your belly. 46:20 And I put a verse there, 46:21 let me put the verse on the screen for you. 46:23 This is an amazing verse, Paul with tears writes this, 46:26 he's writing in prison by the way. 46:28 Brothers and sisters, join in following my example 46:30 and note those who so walks as you walk from us a pattern. 46:34 So go ahead and follow the way we live. 46:36 "For many walk of whom I have told you often 46:39 and now tell you even weeping." 46:41 I'm telling you in tears 46:42 "that they are the enemies of the cross of Christ." 46:44 Who are they? 46:45 "Whose end is destruction, whose god is their belly, 46:50 and whose glory is in their shame-- 46:51 who set their minds on earthly things." 46:56 The tragedy is that even for the chosen, 47:00 the belly can become the God, 47:02 not just for drink but also for food. 47:08 That's why this sermon on alcohol 47:09 is really a teaching on appetite. 47:11 Yeah, but come on, pastor, give me a break, 47:13 alcohol is a lot worse. 47:14 Oh, really? 47:15 A hundred years ago, jot this down, 47:16 hundred years ago these words were written. 47:18 "The word of God places the sin of gluttony 47:21 in the same catalog 47:23 in the same category with drunkenness." 47:31 Because appetite out of control is appetite out of control, 47:35 whether it is food or drink. 47:38 And by the way, whether you are a college student 47:41 or a leader of the Seventh-day Adventist Church. 47:43 If you don't have your appetite under control, 47:45 you got a problem. 47:47 I have a problem. 47:49 I have a problem. 47:52 'Cause we want this will be come on Dwight, 47:53 get them in these alcohol thing. 47:55 'Cause I don't touch alcohol. Get them. Get them. Get them. 47:57 No, it's not about alcohol, it's about appetite, appetite. 48:04 So let's not you and I be too hard 48:05 on the alcohol drinker. 48:07 We who also struggle with our appetite and I'm one. 48:11 So what hope is there for our addictions? 48:14 I got some great news for you, great news for you. 48:15 Great news for your roommate. 48:16 Great news for your spouse. Great news for your children. 48:21 By the way, when you leave here, 48:23 there will be a magazine, want to put a magazine. 48:25 You take it home, you take a look at-- 48:27 delightful magazine that will be at the door 48:28 when you leave. 48:30 By the way, if you're watching on television right now, 48:32 call the 800 number at the end. 48:34 You'll see this 800 number, we're right near the end now. 48:36 Call that 800 number when you see it, 48:38 write it down and we'll make sure 48:40 the magazine is mailed to you. 48:41 All right, but here's the great news, 48:44 Dwayne McBride okay, our research, 48:46 our sociologist here, 48:48 in their study of Adventist young 48:51 in our colleges over this 20 period, 48:52 they discovered-- 48:54 and here's where your study guides is 48:55 worth all of this, 8 resilience factors. 48:58 They found out that there are 8 resilience factors 49:00 that were either keep young adult out an alcohol 49:03 or help young adults get out alcohol. 49:06 8 of them and by the way, 49:08 Dwayne says that these eight factors, 49:10 resilience factors work for any addiction. 49:12 So they're good news for all of us. 49:13 Okay jot them down and then I'll sit down. 49:16 Number one parents, these are 8 factors. 49:20 "Parents accept youth unconditionally in a home 49:24 characterized by love and warmth." 49:26 That's great by the way, these are not in priority. 49:29 I'll show you the number one predictor in just a moment. 49:32 Number one, "Parent except youth unconditional." 49:34 The kids need to live in a home, 49:35 where I'm accepted. 49:36 Number two "The young adult is able to talk 49:39 to another adult about anything." 49:41 There has to be some adult in that young adult's life 49:44 that he can talk to or she can talk too. 49:46 Number three "Able to talk to faculty 49:48 or staff about anything." 49:50 You know what, God has called you and me 49:52 to teach classes at this university. 49:54 Our mission is not only behind the lectern, 49:56 our mission is in front of that lectern. 49:58 It is in the mixing and blending with young adults, 50:02 somebody's looking is this the guy that I can trust? 50:04 Is this the woman, 50:06 is this the teacher I can trust with everything on my heart. 50:09 They're looking. When they have that-- 50:12 It's a factor that to keep them 50:13 out of alcohol or gets them out. 50:15 Okay and here is the number one predictor, 50:17 isn't this amazing? 50:18 Number one predictor, 50:19 they attend church nearly every week. 50:23 The young adults surveyed who attend church 50:25 nearly every week answered no to the question. 50:28 Did you-- 50:29 did you subsist with alcohol last year? 50:33 This is the highest predictor 50:35 so let me just tell you something ladies and gentlemen, 50:37 you are in the right place 50:40 to live a life set free from addictions, any addiction. 50:44 You came to the right place. 50:45 I don't care where you go as long as you go 50:49 and that's something. 50:50 Number five "They attend Sabbath School 50:51 nearly every week." 50:52 Amazing. 50:53 Number-- these are 8 resilience predicted. 50:55 Number six, "They have personal prayer 50:56 several times a week praying." 50:59 Number seven "They read the Bible at least weekly." 51:01 "Man does not live by bread alone 51:03 but by word that comes out of my mouth of God." 51:05 They read the Bible at least weekly 51:07 and find the number eight 51:08 "Community service four plus hours a month." 51:11 The bus will be leaving this afternoon 51:13 to Benton Harbor inner city. 51:15 You want to give some hours of public service, 51:17 get involved in community service 51:19 here at Andrews University. 51:20 And by the way adults, 51:21 that's true for you and me with our addictions as well. 51:23 You need to be helping others not just me. 51:26 Me. Me. Me. 51:28 I-- there you are, can you believe it? 51:30 8 resilience factors to keep your appetite 51:32 under control of reason 51:33 and away from alcohol or addictive behavior. 51:36 8 of them, turns out Jesus knew what he was talking about, 51:39 when he said man and woman do not live by bread alone, 51:42 not by appetite, no. 51:43 But by every word to proceed out of the mouth of God, 51:46 if you go to the word of God 51:47 It will elevate your reason above your appetite. 51:50 Right now, you have appetite up go to the word of God 51:53 it will reverse you back 51:54 to your divinely intended creation. 51:59 Reason here, appetite here. Reason higher than appetite. 52:05 I want to end with this quotation. 52:07 Oh, this is great news. 52:08 This is something, this is desire of ages wow. 52:11 "By passing over the ground which man must travel, 52:15 our Lord has prepared the way for us to overcome. 52:17 It is not His will that we should be placed 52:19 at a disadvantage in the conflict with Satan. 52:21 He would not have us intimidated 52:22 and discouraged by the assaults of the serpent." 52:24 And I love this, "'Be of good cheer,' 52:26 Jesus says, 'I have overcome the world.' 52:28 John 16:33. 52:30 Let him, let her who is struggling 52:32 against the power of appetite look to the Savior 52:34 in the wilderness of temptation. 52:36 See Him in His agony upon the cross, 52:38 as He exclaimed, 'I thirst.' 52:41 He has endured all that it is possible for us to bear. 52:45 His victory, "hallelujah write it down, 52:47 "His victory is ours." 52:50 Ladies and gentlemen how could the news 52:52 the any better than that, huh? 52:53 I have overcome the world, be of good cheer. 52:58 My victory is your victory. 53:01 Some of are struggling 53:03 with alcohol abuse in your life. 53:05 You're struggling with it, I'm telling you my friend, 53:06 I'm not giving you a simplistic solution 53:09 because if you join AA 53:11 and some of you need to join AA, 53:12 one of the first things they'll tell you is 53:14 you've got to depend on divine power. 53:16 That divine power has a name and his name is Jesus. 53:20 My victory is your victory, 53:22 what I did for you at cavalry I will do for you now. 53:25 I will give you the power 53:29 to put reason back up again over appetite. 53:37 How many want to-- hey, come on guys, 53:40 how many want to say Jesus, 53:43 you know what's going on in my life right now? 53:45 I need to say this to him, 53:46 you know what's going on in my life right now? 53:48 Jesus, please, through the power of you 53:51 victory at Calvary, 53:52 would you reverse, 53:53 do what you must do 53:55 but would you put reason at the top? 53:58 And let me live in the power of your victory. 54:02 You want to say that to Jesus, right? 54:03 Now stand to your feet. 54:04 If you want to say that to Jesus, 54:06 stand to your feet and say Jesus, do it please. 54:10 Why wouldn't I stand? But of course I would stand. 54:14 Oh, Christ we're not promising you anything 54:17 because our will is like ropes of sand. 54:20 We've been there and done that 54:22 but we're standing to our feet, Holy Christ. 54:26 On the cross, the power of your victory, 54:31 it can be ours and so we stand 54:35 and we got addictions come on look at us. 54:37 We got appetite please, we got it 54:40 but we're on the borders of the promise land. 54:43 Paul was right, some stuff has to get dealt with now, 54:48 we can't deal with it. 54:50 Don't have the guts but Holy Christ, 54:53 you have the power. 54:54 You said, be a good cheer, I've overcome the world. 54:59 My victory is yours and so we stand Jesus, 55:01 give it to every man women and child standing 55:04 and what you begin here Holy Christ journey with us 55:08 every step of the way. 55:14 For your name sake 55:17 let all the people say, amen and amen. 55:23 Before you go, 55:24 I wanted to take one more moment 55:26 to let you know, 55:27 how glad I am you shared this hour of worship 55:29 and Bible teachings with us. 55:30 This is the Pioneer Memorial Church, 55:32 we're on the campus of Andrews University 55:34 and the series is The Chosen. 55:36 This is the series that has been growing 55:39 and it's burned on my heart 55:40 and over the last few weeks before this new season began. 55:44 And some concentrated prayer time, 55:46 I believe the spirit of God led me to the series 55:49 out of book of Deuteronomy, 55:51 for this generation within our community of faith 55:53 and outside this community of faith. 55:55 I believe both-- 55:57 both communities need to hear the compelling Bible truth 56:03 captured in the series called The Chosen. 56:04 So thank you for joining, 56:06 joining me and all of us as we continue our journey 56:09 deeper and deeper into the heart of-- 56:10 of this theme. 56:12 Living as you and I do and I'm-- 56:14 I'm-- I know I'm preaching to the choir now, 56:16 living as we do on the edge of the civilization 56:19 that is surviving through constant upheaval and change, 56:23 I'm so grateful and I know you are 56:26 for the bedrock hope we have in Jesus. 56:29 I'm thankful that you and I been given the-- 56:31 privilege by God to partner, 56:33 to reach this generation 56:35 the world over through the satellite telecast. 56:37 I don't know how it works, 56:38 I just know that those satellites 56:39 drop the signals and those foot prints 56:42 all over the planet are helping disseminate. 56:46 This divine called to become a part of the chosen, 56:48 God's last generation on earth. 56:50 So please, here's what I wanted you to know, 56:52 I thank God for you, in the generous way 56:55 you have partnered with us in the past, 56:57 in making New perceptions possible, globally. 57:00 Your tax deductible gifts are being multiplied 57:03 all across the earth. 57:04 I believe for such a time is this. 57:06 Look, would you like to order copy of today's teaching, 57:10 you can order DVD, 57:11 you get all the PowerPoint everything is there. 57:13 You can share it with your friends, 57:14 share it with your family. 57:16 I want to just insert this here, 57:17 if you go to our website and we've been advertising 57:19 our website all along the way 57:20 and I'm gonna insert it right here, 57:22 www.pmchurch.tv go to website. 57:26 You can get a podcast of this, 57:27 we have people now subscribing to podcasts the world over. 57:31 It's time for this message to get out. 57:33 Thank you for your partnership and helping us do that. 57:36 Call one of our friendly operators, 57:37 the toll free number won't cost you a penny. 57:40 Here in North America 877-HIS-WILL, 57:42 you call that number, 57:44 I promise you every penny that you share, 57:47 we will invest your generosity in Gods mission 57:50 to reach this final generation now. 57:53 Thank you very, very much and be assured, 57:55 I'm looking forward to seeing you here, 57:58 right here, again next time as we continue 58:01 our fascinating journey into The Chosen. 58:04 God bless you. |
Revised 2015-06-22