To God be the glory,
great things He hath done
00:00:32.26\00:00:38.03
So loved He the world
that He gave us His Son
00:00:38.07\00:00:44.37
Who yielded His
life an atonement for sin
00:00:44.41\00:00:50.48
And opened the life
gate that all may go in
00:00:50.51\00:00:57.12
Praise the Lord, praise the Lord
00:00:57.15\00:01:00.12
Let the earth hear His voice
00:01:00.16\00:01:03.36
Praise the Lord, praise the Lord
00:01:03.39\00:01:06.33
Let the people rejoice
00:01:06.36\00:01:09.73
O come to the
Father, through Jesus the Son
00:01:09.76\00:01:15.90
And give Him the glory
00:01:15.94\00:01:19.31
Great things He hath done
00:01:19.34\00:01:25.01
O perfect redemption,
the purchase of blood
00:01:25.05\00:01:31.42
To every believer
the promise of God
00:01:31.45\00:01:38.39
The vilest
offender who truly believes
00:01:38.43\00:01:45.13
That moment from
Jesus a pardon receives
00:01:45.17\00:01:52.71
Praise the Lord, praise the Lord
00:01:52.74\00:01:55.88
Let the earth hear His voice
00:01:55.91\00:01:58.98
Praise the Lord, praise the Lord
00:01:59.01\00:02:01.85
Let the people rejoice
00:02:01.88\00:02:05.45
O come to the
Father, through Jesus the Son
00:02:05.49\00:02:11.83
And give Him the glory
00:02:11.86\00:02:15.70
Great things He hath done
00:02:15.73\00:02:21.30
Great things He hath taught
us, great things He hath done
00:02:21.34\00:02:28.14
And great our
rejoicing through Jesus the Son
00:02:28.18\00:02:34.78
But purer, and higher,
00:02:34.82\00:02:38.19
and greater will be
00:02:38.22\00:02:41.52
Our wonder, our transport,
00:02:41.56\00:02:45.26
when Jesus we see
00:02:45.29\00:02:49.03
Praise the Lord, praise the Lord
00:02:49.06\00:02:52.37
Let the earth hear His voice
00:02:52.40\00:02:55.70
Praise the Lord, praise the Lord
00:02:55.74\00:02:58.77
Let the people rejoice
00:02:58.81\00:03:02.21
O come to the
Father, through Jesus the Son
00:03:02.24\00:03:08.68
And give Him the glory,
great things He hath done
00:03:08.72\00:03:16.29
Pray with me this morning,
00:03:22.46\00:03:23.87
praise the Lord all
you servants of the Lord
00:03:23.90\00:03:26.47
who minister by night
in the house of the Lord.
00:03:26.50\00:03:29.14
Lift up your
hands in the sanctuary
00:03:29.17\00:03:31.87
and praise the Lord.
00:03:31.91\00:03:33.68
Father, may our hearts be true.
00:03:33.71\00:03:36.21
May our submission be total,
00:03:36.24\00:03:38.25
may our
recognition of you as God
00:03:38.28\00:03:40.38
and King of this
universe be complete,
00:03:40.42\00:03:42.68
in Jesus' name we pray, amen.
00:03:42.72\00:03:46.25
I will give, you all my worship
00:03:49.32\00:03:53.60
I will give, you all my praise
00:03:53.63\00:03:58.73
You alone, I long to worship
00:03:58.77\00:04:03.44
You alone, are
worthy of my praise
00:04:03.47\00:04:09.08
I will worship I will worship
00:04:22.12\00:04:26.36
With all of my
heart With all of my heart
00:04:26.39\00:04:31.00
I will praise
you I will praise you
00:04:31.03\00:04:35.50
With all of my
strength All my strength
00:04:35.54\00:04:40.38
I will seek you I will seek you
00:04:40.41\00:04:44.85
All of my days All of my days
00:04:44.88\00:04:49.18
I will follow I will follow
00:04:49.22\00:04:53.89
All of your ways All your ways
00:04:53.92\00:04:59.03
I will give, you all my worship
00:04:59.06\00:05:03.37
I will give, you all my praise
00:05:03.40\00:05:07.80
You alone, I long to worship
00:05:07.84\00:05:12.57
You alone, are
worthy of my praise
00:05:12.61\00:05:18.25
I will bow down I will bow down
00:05:25.59\00:05:29.72
Hail you as king
And hail you as king
00:05:29.76\00:05:34.23
I will serve
you I will serve you
00:05:34.26\00:05:38.37
I will give you
everything Everything
00:05:38.40\00:05:43.27
I will lift up I will lift up
00:05:43.30\00:05:47.61
My eyes to your
throne My eyes to your throne
00:05:47.64\00:05:52.01
I will trust
you I will trust you
00:05:52.05\00:05:56.58
Trust you alone
00:05:56.62\00:06:01.56
I will give, you all my worship
00:06:01.59\00:06:05.96
I will give, you all my praise
00:06:05.99\00:06:10.50
You alone, I long to worship
00:06:10.53\00:06:14.90
You alone, are
worthy of my praise
00:06:14.94\00:06:19.67
I will give, you all my worship
00:06:19.71\00:06:24.01
I will give, you all my praise
00:06:24.05\00:06:28.45
You alone, I long to worship
00:06:28.48\00:06:33.05
You alone, are
worthy of my praise
00:06:33.09\00:06:38.63
Have you thought for a moment
00:06:42.30\00:06:43.70
what idols you
might have in your life?
00:06:43.73\00:06:46.90
You know, we think of
idols in Old Testament terms,
00:06:46.94\00:06:49.00
we think of these
little things, right?
00:06:49.04\00:06:50.71
The statues that we put
in our homes and we say,
00:06:50.74\00:06:53.94
that's not a good thing to have.
00:06:53.98\00:06:57.28
But I'm confident that we
have re-contextualized idols
00:06:57.31\00:07:00.32
and basically in
idols anything that gives
00:07:00.35\00:07:03.22
more of your devotion than God.
00:07:03.25\00:07:07.19
Anything that you
think will give you a power
00:07:07.22\00:07:10.03
that only God can give you,
00:07:10.06\00:07:11.39
only, anything that you
think will give you a strength
00:07:11.43\00:07:13.56
and a healing
that only God can do.
00:07:13.60\00:07:17.23
And we come here to
worship every Sabbath.
00:07:17.27\00:07:21.44
I hope we're reminding ourselves
00:07:21.47\00:07:22.80
that nothing else will do
00:07:22.84\00:07:24.71
except for worship
with the Most High.
00:07:24.74\00:07:28.51
None else and nothing
else has the power that He has,
00:07:28.54\00:07:33.42
nothing else and no one else
00:07:33.45\00:07:35.52
has sacrificed as much as He has
00:07:35.55\00:07:38.85
for your devotion.
00:07:38.89\00:07:40.79
So we come here,
00:07:40.82\00:07:42.72
we come to glorify Him
00:07:42.76\00:07:45.23
'cause He alone
deserves the glory.
00:07:45.26\00:07:48.36
We will glorify
the King of kings
00:08:12.65\00:08:18.19
We will glorify the Lamb
00:08:18.23\00:08:23.26
We will glorify
the Lord of lords
00:08:23.30\00:08:29.10
Who is the great I am
00:08:29.14\00:08:33.17
Lord Jehovah reigns in majesty
00:08:37.41\00:08:42.78
We will bow before His throne
00:08:42.82\00:08:47.92
We will worship
Him in righteousness
00:08:47.96\00:08:53.43
We will worship Him alone
00:08:53.46\00:08:57.50
He is Lord of
Heaven, Lord of Earth
00:09:06.71\00:09:11.75
He is Lord of all who live
00:09:11.78\00:09:16.62
He is Lord above the universe
00:09:16.65\00:09:22.26
All praise to Him we give
00:09:22.29\00:09:29.90
We will glorify
the King of kings
00:09:29.93\00:09:35.34
We will glorify the Lamb
00:09:35.37\00:09:40.91
We will glorify
the Lord of lords
00:09:40.94\00:09:46.21
Who is the great I am
00:09:46.25\00:09:51.65
Who is the great I am
00:09:51.69\00:09:55.96
One of the amazing things
00:09:59.56\00:10:00.90
when you look at scripture
00:10:00.93\00:10:02.26
about worship is
that it's intended,
00:10:02.30\00:10:05.60
worship with Him is
intended to engage your mind,
00:10:05.63\00:10:08.07
engage your spirit
and engage your body.
00:10:08.10\00:10:11.34
When Moses came
to the burning bush,
00:10:11.37\00:10:13.61
God said to him,
00:10:13.64\00:10:14.98
run holy ground, take
off your sandals and so,
00:10:15.01\00:10:17.01
Moses had to
physically remove his sandals
00:10:17.05\00:10:19.45
to be in the presence of God.
00:10:19.48\00:10:21.68
When the angels
appeared in all of their majesty
00:10:21.72\00:10:24.82
to the shepherds in their glory
and proclaiming who Jesus was,
00:10:24.85\00:10:27.86
they were taken back,
00:10:27.89\00:10:29.49
and the Bible records
their physical response
00:10:29.52\00:10:31.76
to all of that
glory and majesty,
00:10:31.79\00:10:33.36
which is dim compared to
that of the glory of God.
00:10:33.40\00:10:35.73
When the elders in
Revelation are seated
00:10:35.76\00:10:37.97
around the throne of
God proclaiming his holy,
00:10:38.00\00:10:40.37
they are bowing down before Him,
00:10:40.40\00:10:43.41
in a physical way
giving themselves up
00:10:43.44\00:10:46.27
and surrendering
themselves to Him
00:10:46.31\00:10:48.31
and recognize that
He alone is worthy.
00:10:48.34\00:10:53.52
So when we worship, it's
a total human experience.
00:10:53.55\00:10:59.65
It's giving our mind,
it's giving our heart,
00:10:59.69\00:11:02.89
our spirit and our
bodies entirely to God.
00:11:02.92\00:11:07.00
Total submission to Him.
00:11:07.03\00:11:10.17
So this morning,
00:11:10.20\00:11:11.80
we have you standing as a
symbol of that submission.
00:11:11.83\00:11:17.61
We have you singing
00:11:17.64\00:11:19.27
as a
demonstration of your hearts
00:11:19.31\00:11:21.94
giving to Him,
00:11:21.98\00:11:23.75
the only one who deserves it.
00:11:23.78\00:11:26.25
And we're praying
00:11:26.28\00:11:28.12
'cause our spirit must
confess our need for Him.
00:11:28.15\00:11:33.89
We need to look to
Him to teach us the way,
00:11:33.92\00:11:36.62
the truth and the life.
00:11:36.66\00:11:38.59
Speak, O Lord, as we come to You
00:11:52.41\00:11:59.21
To receive the food
00:11:59.25\00:12:02.92
Of Your Holy Word
00:12:02.95\00:12:07.69
Take Your truth,
plant it deep in us
00:12:07.72\00:12:14.10
Shape and fashion us
00:12:14.13\00:12:18.00
In Your likeness
00:12:18.03\00:12:23.64
That the light of
Christ might be seen today
00:12:23.67\00:12:30.98
In our acts of love
00:12:31.01\00:12:34.68
And our deeds of faith
00:12:34.72\00:12:39.45
Speak, O Lord, and fulfill in us
00:12:39.49\00:12:45.89
All Your purposes for Your glory
00:12:45.93\00:12:53.84
So many of us here need
00:12:53.87\00:12:55.20
God's purpose
fulfilled in our lives,
00:12:55.24\00:12:56.91
there are so many
things at the end of this week
00:12:56.94\00:12:58.77
that are unresolved.
00:12:58.81\00:13:00.58
There're still
hearts that are broken.
00:13:00.61\00:13:02.14
There is still
bodies that need healing.
00:13:02.18\00:13:05.21
But the scripture
says this, it says that,
00:13:05.25\00:13:07.62
"He is the powder
and we're the clay."
00:13:07.65\00:13:10.75
So this morning if
you need that powder
00:13:10.79\00:13:13.05
to shape something in your life,
00:13:13.09\00:13:15.49
we invite you to come forward
as we sing this next verse.
00:13:15.52\00:13:17.93
Come as close to the cross
00:13:17.96\00:13:20.33
and invite Him to
shape you, to direct you,
00:13:20.36\00:13:23.77
to give new
purpose to your life.
00:13:23.80\00:13:25.73
Come forward.
00:13:25.77\00:13:27.10
Teach us, Lord, full obedience
00:13:32.87\00:13:39.48
Holy reverence
00:13:39.51\00:13:43.28
True humility
00:13:43.32\00:13:47.99
Test our
thoughts and our attitudes
00:13:48.02\00:13:54.30
In the radiance of Your purity
00:13:54.33\00:14:00.67
Cause our faith to
rise, cause our eyes to see
00:14:03.77\00:14:10.81
Your majestic love
00:14:10.85\00:14:14.45
And authority
00:14:14.48\00:14:19.55
Words of pow'r
that can never fail
00:14:19.59\00:14:25.66
Let their truth
prevail over unbelief
00:14:25.69\00:14:33.60
When Christ was on the
cross, He stretched out His arms
00:14:33.64\00:14:38.17
and because of His sacrifice,
00:14:38.21\00:14:39.67
He was able to receive
00:14:39.71\00:14:41.44
as the Father is
able to receive us.
00:14:41.48\00:14:44.45
This morning if
you want to receive
00:14:44.48\00:14:46.45
what God has for
you in your life,
00:14:46.48\00:14:48.48
I ask you to do the same.
00:14:48.52\00:14:50.55
Open your arms up to Him
00:14:50.59\00:14:53.05
as an act of
worship this morning,
00:14:53.09\00:14:54.49
just put your
arms in front of you
00:14:54.52\00:14:56.39
and open it up and receive
00:14:56.42\00:14:58.33
what He has to give you
as we sing this final verse.
00:14:58.36\00:15:01.13
Speak, O Lord,
and renew our minds
00:15:22.62\00:15:29.52
Help us grasp the heights
00:15:29.56\00:15:33.50
Of Your plans for us
00:15:33.53\00:15:37.97
Truths unchanged
from the dawn of time
00:15:38.00\00:15:44.61
That will echo down
00:15:44.64\00:15:48.18
Through eternity
00:15:48.21\00:15:54.15
And by grace we'll
stand on Your promises
00:15:54.18\00:16:01.69
And by faith we'll walk
00:16:01.72\00:16:05.49
As You walk with us
00:16:05.53\00:16:10.40
Speak, O Lord, till
Your church is built
00:16:10.43\00:16:16.97
And the earth is
filled with Your glory
00:16:17.01\00:16:23.78
Speak, O Lord, till
Your church is built
00:16:31.55\00:16:38.66
And the earth is
filled with Your glory.
00:16:38.69\00:16:44.70
Amen.
00:16:48.90\00:16:50.24
Good morning.
00:16:53.34\00:16:55.84
This morning as a anthem
is a Spanish setting of words
00:16:55.88\00:16:59.38
that come from the
gospel of Matthew 18:19 and 20.
00:16:59.41\00:17:03.79
And in English this reads,
00:17:03.82\00:17:05.85
"Again, I say to you,
00:17:05.89\00:17:07.79
if two of you agree on
earth about anything they ask,
00:17:07.82\00:17:10.86
it will be done for
them by my Father in heaven.
00:17:10.89\00:17:14.40
For where two or three
are gathered in my name,
00:17:14.43\00:17:17.20
there am I among them."
00:17:17.23\00:17:18.83
That was beautiful, wasn't it?
00:20:51.88\00:20:56.05
In any language,
00:20:56.08\00:21:00.62
it's the truth we need.
00:21:00.66\00:21:03.26
Two of you over
there, I'm there.
00:21:03.29\00:21:07.80
You agree about something
in the word with someone else,
00:21:07.83\00:21:14.30
I give you that word.
00:21:14.34\00:21:15.67
Thank you, chamber singers.
00:21:19.04\00:21:22.54
Great promise to
begin the New Year.
00:21:22.58\00:21:27.75
Dear God, what they just sang.
00:21:27.78\00:21:30.15
Oh, my.
00:21:30.19\00:21:32.02
The red letter promise of Jesus,
00:21:32.05\00:21:33.92
two or three of you
together, I'm there.
00:21:33.96\00:21:37.86
Two of you agree about
anything you need of heaven,
00:21:37.89\00:21:41.86
I will give you.
00:21:41.90\00:21:47.07
Well, we're all agreed,
00:21:47.10\00:21:51.04
that this teaching
00:21:51.07\00:21:53.51
whatever it is
00:21:53.54\00:21:56.51
needs the full awed power
00:21:56.54\00:21:59.61
of the mighty third person that
the God had release through it,
00:21:59.65\00:22:02.02
so please have your way,
00:22:02.05\00:22:03.39
hide me, hide any
distractions right now,
00:22:03.42\00:22:06.05
may your voice
be the voice of God
00:22:06.09\00:22:08.66
somehow penetrate our
inner thought processes
00:22:08.69\00:22:11.99
and leave us
never the same again,
00:22:12.03\00:22:14.56
in Jesus name we pray,
00:22:14.60\00:22:16.53
amen.
00:22:16.56\00:22:18.43
Because you see
that's particularly
00:22:18.47\00:22:20.90
why I'm really
enthusiastic about this series,
00:22:20.94\00:22:24.94
been working all summer on it.
00:22:24.97\00:22:29.18
I believe that what
you're about to discover
00:22:29.21\00:22:31.51
that we will discover together
is going to change your life.
00:22:31.55\00:22:34.05
You will never
be the same again,
00:22:34.08\00:22:35.48
it will change
your life forever.
00:22:35.52\00:22:37.25
The only reason I know
that is because this teaching,
00:22:37.29\00:22:40.59
this summer has changed my life
00:22:40.62\00:22:44.83
and my mind how I think.
00:22:44.86\00:22:46.93
And I will never
be the same again.
00:22:46.96\00:22:53.17
I tell you this,
00:22:53.20\00:22:54.54
not because I
have found something,
00:22:54.57\00:22:56.64
I'm nothing.
00:22:56.67\00:22:58.01
But I came across three
authors who found this for me
00:22:58.04\00:23:00.68
and because they have helped me,
00:23:00.71\00:23:02.81
I promised God,
00:23:02.84\00:23:04.18
if this is clear to me
I will teach it to you.
00:23:04.21\00:23:09.28
Now the title of
this series is a hashtag
00:23:09.32\00:23:13.09
#RxF4now.
00:23:13.12\00:23:18.76
The reason it's a
hashtag is number one,
00:23:18.79\00:23:23.70
you can use that hashtag.
00:23:23.73\00:23:25.07
We've got a team
00:23:25.10\00:23:26.43
that will be monitoring
the hashtags on Twitter
00:23:26.47\00:23:28.27
all through every presentation.
00:23:28.30\00:23:30.51
You can use that
hashtag, I bet you do it.
00:23:30.54\00:23:32.54
I started it last night,
00:23:32.57\00:23:35.51
because I tweet
on Friday night's.
00:23:35.54\00:23:38.81
Number two, the
reason for this hashtag
00:23:38.85\00:23:42.32
as our title is because
the hashtag says it all.
00:23:42.35\00:23:45.99
You say, Dwight, I
don't see a thing in that,
00:23:46.02\00:23:47.62
that's okay.
00:23:47.66\00:23:48.99
It will come to you someday.
00:23:49.02\00:23:52.03
Even if you
think you know it now,
00:23:52.06\00:23:56.13
we're gonna plunge in it,
00:23:56.16\00:23:57.57
plunge into it together.
00:23:57.60\00:23:58.93
So without further ado,
let's roll that video trailer
00:23:58.97\00:24:00.87
and then go to the Word of God.
00:24:00.90\00:24:02.24
In the beginning God created
00:24:38.31\00:24:41.81
the heavens and the earth.
00:24:41.84\00:24:45.98
Listen to our president,
00:24:46.01\00:24:47.35
our brand new
president Andrea Luxton
00:24:47.38\00:24:48.72
standing right here on Thursday,
00:24:48.75\00:24:50.55
preaching to the
entire university community.
00:24:50.59\00:24:53.32
And she announces to us,
00:24:53.36\00:24:54.69
"Hey, you know what
00:24:54.72\00:24:56.06
this New Year's
going to be about?
00:24:56.09\00:24:57.43
It's gonna be about stories
00:24:57.46\00:24:58.79
because we are all
stories in the writing,
00:24:58.83\00:25:00.16
thousands of stories
at Andrews University,
00:25:00.20\00:25:01.86
thousands at the
Pioneer Memorial Church.
00:25:01.90\00:25:04.70
It's the blending of the story.
00:25:04.73\00:25:06.07
So why not start
off with the story
00:25:06.10\00:25:08.04
that predates us all.
00:25:08.07\00:25:09.80
Genesis 1, let's go.
00:25:09.84\00:25:11.74
Genesis 1, in the beginning...
00:25:11.77\00:25:14.44
You didn't bring a Bible,
00:25:14.48\00:25:16.34
got a pew Bible
right in front of you.
00:25:16.38\00:25:17.85
Page one in the pew Bible.
00:25:17.88\00:25:19.55
I'm in the New
International Version.
00:25:19.58\00:25:22.45
Genesis 1, here we go.
00:25:22.48\00:25:27.22
Verse 1,
00:25:27.26\00:25:28.76
"In the beginning God created
the heavens and the earth.
00:25:28.79\00:25:35.06
Now the earth was
formless and empty,
00:25:35.10\00:25:37.03
darkness was over
the surface of the deep,
00:25:37.07\00:25:39.07
and the Spirit of God
was hovering over the waters.
00:25:39.10\00:25:42.80
And God said,
'Let there be light,'
00:25:42.84\00:25:47.24
and there was light."
00:25:47.28\00:25:52.05
' We might as
well cut to the chase.
00:25:52.08\00:25:55.18
There is no more powerful
force in the entire universe
00:25:55.22\00:25:58.55
than the word God speaks.
00:25:58.59\00:26:03.59
That point is so
critical to the truth
00:26:03.63\00:26:05.29
we will discover
together this morning,
00:26:05.33\00:26:07.10
that we got to
write it down right now.
00:26:07.13\00:26:09.40
Grab your study guide
out of your worship bulletin,
00:26:09.43\00:26:11.13
there is a study guide,
a brand new study guide.
00:26:11.17\00:26:13.87
We've gone all
summer without study guides
00:26:13.90\00:26:15.87
but we're back into them now.
00:26:15.90\00:26:18.64
Come on, ushers.
00:26:18.67\00:26:20.01
Thank you for making sure that
00:26:20.04\00:26:21.38
everybody here
gets a study guide.
00:26:21.41\00:26:24.41
Now, here they come.
00:26:24.45\00:26:26.18
You didn't get a study
guide, hold your hand up.
00:26:26.21\00:26:27.92
The ushers will come in
here, they will assist you.
00:26:27.95\00:26:31.49
Those of you watching right now
00:26:31.52\00:26:32.85
on a screen somewhere,
00:26:32.89\00:26:34.22
let we put our
00:26:34.26\00:26:37.19
website on the screen.
00:26:37.23\00:26:38.56
There you go. You see it.
00:26:38.59\00:26:39.93
There it is.
00:26:39.96\00:26:41.30
New Series #RxF4Now.
00:26:41.33\00:26:45.70
Title of today's
teaching Believe!
00:26:45.73\00:26:48.10
Notice the
exclamation mark, all right.
00:26:48.14\00:26:50.21
Believe!
00:26:50.24\00:26:51.94
You go to that
website www.newperceptions.tv,
00:26:51.97\00:26:57.18
you'll see the hashtag.
00:26:57.21\00:26:59.38
Click on study
guide, you'll have it.
00:26:59.41\00:27:01.18
You want this collection,
there is a chain right now.
00:27:01.22\00:27:05.09
And we go.
00:27:05.12\00:27:06.45
Okay, so come on,
let's jot it down.
00:27:06.49\00:27:09.02
Genesis 1:3 we
just read these words.
00:27:09.06\00:27:11.43
"And God said, let..."
00:27:11.46\00:27:15.00
Oh, circle that word
00:27:15.03\00:27:16.36
'cause we're coming back to you,
00:27:16.40\00:27:17.73
you see that word
all the way through.
00:27:17.77\00:27:19.10
"Let there be light
and there was light."
00:27:19.13\00:27:23.84
Keep writing,
00:27:23.87\00:27:25.21
"There is no more powerful force
00:27:25.24\00:27:26.57
in all the universe than
the word that God speaks."
00:27:26.61\00:27:30.28
What's that mean, Dwight?
00:27:30.31\00:27:31.65
Hang on. Keep writing.
00:27:31.68\00:27:33.01
"Whatever he says, is..."
00:27:33.05\00:27:37.25
In other words
when God speaks a word,
00:27:37.29\00:27:39.42
that spoken word creates
the reality it describes.
00:27:39.45\00:27:45.03
God speaks the word light
and in a nanosecond, boom.
00:27:45.06\00:27:48.16
there is light.
00:27:48.20\00:27:50.53
Because the Word of God
is the most powerful force
00:27:50.57\00:27:53.84
in the universe, that's why.
00:27:53.87\00:27:56.94
And so that's why
in the creation account
00:27:56.97\00:27:58.91
you'll find two phrases
woven all the way through
00:27:58.94\00:28:01.21
and God said and it was
so, and God said and it was so.
00:28:01.24\00:28:04.65
Day number two, and God said,
00:28:04.68\00:28:06.01
"Let there be
atmosphere and it was so."
00:28:06.05\00:28:07.58
Day number three, God said,
00:28:07.62\00:28:08.95
"Let there be land
with vegetation upon it
00:28:08.98\00:28:11.15
and it was so."
00:28:11.19\00:28:12.52
Day number four, God said,
00:28:12.55\00:28:13.89
"Let there be lights in the sky,
00:28:13.92\00:28:15.26
sun, moon and
planets and it was so.
00:28:15.29\00:28:16.66
Day number five,
00:28:16.69\00:28:18.29
"Let there be birds in the air
00:28:18.33\00:28:19.66
and fishes in the
sea and it was so."
00:28:19.69\00:28:22.43
Day number six,
00:28:22.46\00:28:23.87
"Let there be
animals that roam and crawl
00:28:23.90\00:28:26.03
over the face of the
earth and it was so."
00:28:26.07\00:28:28.80
Also day number
six, let there be man,
00:28:28.84\00:28:30.71
let there be woman
and it was not so."
00:28:30.74\00:28:34.51
You know why?
00:28:34.54\00:28:35.88
Because he never said it.
00:28:35.91\00:28:38.95
We are the only
part of this creation
00:28:38.98\00:28:41.75
that God refused to
speak into existence.
00:28:41.78\00:28:44.35
He is so in love with the
very thought of this new race,
00:28:44.39\00:28:47.86
that He will
painstakingly personally sculpt.
00:28:47.89\00:28:53.09
A man and a woman into existence
00:28:53.13\00:28:55.70
and then He will
with His own breath,
00:28:55.73\00:28:58.93
you could almost say that
00:28:58.97\00:29:00.54
when He created us,
it took His breath away.
00:29:00.57\00:29:05.27
And by the way,
who's the creator?
00:29:05.31\00:29:08.28
Never forget that
the creator in Genesis 1
00:29:08.31\00:29:11.11
is the creator in John 1.
00:29:11.15\00:29:14.48
You look all these
verses up in your Bible
00:29:14.52\00:29:15.85
and mark them down.
00:29:15.88\00:29:17.22
I know you will.
00:29:17.25\00:29:18.59
So we're just gonna
put them on the screen now.
00:29:18.62\00:29:19.95
John 1:1, 3 and 14, jot it down.
00:29:19.99\00:29:24.23
"In the beginning was the..."
00:29:24.26\00:29:25.59
what?
00:29:25.63\00:29:26.96
Say that to me.
00:29:27.00\00:29:28.33
What is it? In the
beginning was the word.
00:29:28.36\00:29:30.03
The most powerful
force in the universe.
00:29:30.07\00:29:31.87
"In the beginning was the
Word and the Word was with God,
00:29:31.90\00:29:35.00
and the Word was God.
00:29:35.04\00:29:37.57
Through him or are
all things were made",
00:29:37.61\00:29:39.77
and God said and it was so
and God said and it was so.
00:29:39.81\00:29:44.28
"Through Him all
things were made,
00:29:44.31\00:29:45.75
without Him nothing was
made that has been made,
00:29:45.78\00:29:47.52
and the word..."
00:29:47.55\00:29:48.88
Who is this word by the way?
00:29:48.92\00:29:50.25
And verse 14,
00:29:50.29\00:29:51.62
"And the Word became
flesh and dwelt among us."
00:29:51.65\00:29:56.16
Christ Jesus was and
still is our creator.
00:29:56.19\00:30:00.70
He is the
creator of the universe.
00:30:00.73\00:30:03.77
That's the point.
00:30:03.80\00:30:06.90
In the beginning
when He spoke a word,
00:30:06.94\00:30:11.31
that's spoken word created
the reality it described.
00:30:11.34\00:30:15.04
Today when He speaks the word,
00:30:15.08\00:30:17.25
that spoken word will
create a reality it describes.
00:30:17.28\00:30:22.25
God says, you can't miss
this, you can't miss this,
00:30:22.28\00:30:24.49
so it is replete
throughout scripture.
00:30:24.52\00:30:26.59
Here's what I want
you to see in your Bible.
00:30:26.62\00:30:29.46
I don't want you to read
it off the screen, Isaiah.
00:30:29.49\00:30:33.16
Oh, this is good.
00:30:33.19\00:30:34.53
Isaiah 55,
00:30:34.56\00:30:36.93
Isaiah 55,
00:30:36.97\00:30:39.73
page 498 in the pew Bible.
00:30:39.77\00:30:41.54
Isaiah 55, so we go
back to the creation
00:30:41.57\00:30:45.04
that the theme of the creation
is woven in the verse 10.
00:30:45.07\00:30:47.54
We want to get to verse 11
00:30:47.58\00:30:48.91
but verse 10 sets this
up with the creation motive.
00:30:48.94\00:30:51.51
Isaiah 55:10, you got it there.
00:30:51.55\00:30:55.28
Good.
00:30:55.32\00:30:56.65
"As the rain and the
snow come down from heaven."
00:30:56.69\00:30:58.79
There is only one place on earth
00:30:58.82\00:31:00.16
where you can get
rain and snow the same day
00:31:00.19\00:31:01.86
and that's Michigan.
00:31:01.89\00:31:03.22
This text was written
for people from Michigan.
00:31:03.26\00:31:05.53
How did God know?
00:31:05.56\00:31:07.03
How did He know?
00:31:07.06\00:31:08.93
But He did.
00:31:08.96\00:31:10.70
"As the rain and the
snow come down from heaven,
00:31:10.73\00:31:12.87
and do not return to it
without watering the earth
00:31:12.90\00:31:16.00
and making it bud and flourish,
00:31:16.04\00:31:17.97
so that it yields
seed for the sower
00:31:18.01\00:31:19.91
and bread for the eater."
00:31:19.94\00:31:21.28
Here it comes now.
00:31:21.31\00:31:22.64
"So is my word that
goes out from my..."
00:31:22.68\00:31:26.11
what? From my what?
00:31:26.15\00:31:27.72
From my mouth.
00:31:27.75\00:31:29.38
I speak it.
00:31:29.42\00:31:31.42
"So is my word that
goes out from my mouth.
00:31:31.45\00:31:33.76
It will not return to me empty,
00:31:33.79\00:31:36.19
but will
accomplish what I desire
00:31:36.22\00:31:38.09
and achieve the
purpose for which I sent it."
00:31:38.13\00:31:43.06
That is so dynamite.
00:31:43.10\00:31:44.47
You got to fill that verses in,
00:31:44.50\00:31:45.83
we're gonna need a
double reading of this.
00:31:45.87\00:31:47.70
Write it down, "So is my word
that goes out from my mouth.
00:31:47.74\00:31:54.58
It will not return to me empty,
00:31:54.61\00:31:56.81
but it will
accomplish what I desire
00:31:56.85\00:32:01.58
and achieve the
purpose for which I sent it."
00:32:01.62\00:32:05.85
You see whatever God says is.
00:32:05.89\00:32:11.73
When God speaks the word,
00:32:11.76\00:32:13.09
that spoken word creates
the reality that it describes.
00:32:13.13\00:32:19.77
I'm reading the Message
Bible Through right now.
00:32:19.80\00:32:21.90
And so I began reading
it middle of the summer.
00:32:21.94\00:32:24.61
And I said, I want to
read the Message Bible Through
00:32:24.64\00:32:26.41
before Hope trending.
00:32:26.44\00:32:27.88
And the only way I
could do it, I calculated it,
00:32:27.91\00:32:29.38
it would, was to
read 30 pages a day.
00:32:29.41\00:32:31.31
So as a part of my worship now
00:32:31.35\00:32:32.68
30 pages a day from the Message,
00:32:32.71\00:32:34.05
so just this week I'm in
Isaiah and I found this verse.
00:32:34.08\00:32:37.29
Eugene Peterson
00:32:37.32\00:32:38.65
who only can render
something with in a fresh twist.
00:32:38.69\00:32:41.72
I put it on the
screen for you, jot it down.
00:32:41.76\00:32:43.43
Isaiah 45:23, from the message.
00:32:43.46\00:32:47.83
"Every word out of my
mouth does what it says?"
00:32:47.86\00:32:53.74
Isn't that good?
00:32:53.77\00:32:55.10
"Every word out of my
mouth does what it says."
00:32:55.14\00:32:59.91
Which is why by
the way Titus 1:2.
00:32:59.94\00:33:02.84
I'm gonna put Titus 1:2,
throwing for a loop up there.
00:33:02.88\00:33:05.18
I'm gonna put Titus 1:2
on the screen right now,
00:33:05.21\00:33:08.15
because you see it
in your study guide.
00:33:08.18\00:33:10.29
"God cannot lie."
00:33:10.32\00:33:13.46
Every word out of my
mouth does what it says.
00:33:13.49\00:33:15.66
So if God steps into
our space today said,
00:33:15.69\00:33:19.03
"Oh, by the way I
have a little option
00:33:19.06\00:33:20.40
to make the sky
today's chartreuse."
00:33:20.43\00:33:22.40
Guess what color of the sky is?
00:33:22.43\00:33:25.13
It's chartreuse.
00:33:25.17\00:33:26.50
If God says, I haven't even
looked at the color out there
00:33:26.53\00:33:28.10
but whatever God speaks, exists.
00:33:28.14\00:33:31.04
He cannot lie.
00:33:31.07\00:33:32.77
Because, if He says
it, what's the point?
00:33:32.81\00:33:35.14
If He says it,
00:33:35.18\00:33:37.78
it is.
00:33:37.81\00:33:40.72
Wow.
00:33:40.75\00:33:42.98
Omnipotent power.
00:33:43.02\00:33:44.59
Not only in the words of
God but in the Word of God.
00:33:44.62\00:33:48.69
Watch this 2 Timothy 3:16.
00:33:48.72\00:33:52.03
Jot it down.
00:33:52.06\00:33:53.40
"All Scripture is God-breathed."
00:33:53.43\00:33:57.33
Hyphenated word.
00:33:57.37\00:33:58.80
I love it in the NIV.
00:33:58.83\00:34:00.17
"All Scripture is God-breathed."
00:34:00.20\00:34:02.94
Remember we just
read it a moment ago.
00:34:02.97\00:34:04.54
Read it with John as he
read our scripture Psalm 33:6,
00:34:04.57\00:34:08.34
"And all the starry host of them
00:34:08.38\00:34:10.78
by the breath of his mouth."
00:34:10.81\00:34:13.68
All Scripture...
00:34:13.72\00:34:15.48
"All scripture is God-breathed
00:34:15.52\00:34:19.65
and is useful for teaching,
00:34:19.69\00:34:21.02
rebuking, correcting and
training in righteousness."
00:34:21.06\00:34:23.46
The book, here's the deal.
00:34:23.49\00:34:25.09
The book is the Word of God
00:34:25.13\00:34:28.93
and this book as the Word of God
00:34:28.96\00:34:32.10
can unleash omnipotent power
00:34:32.13\00:34:36.04
in your mind.
00:34:36.07\00:34:37.67
I'm gonna share a testimony
with you in just a moment,
00:34:37.71\00:34:42.64
how this has changed my life.
00:34:42.68\00:34:47.22
It would change
the way you think.
00:34:47.25\00:34:50.39
It would change
the way you feel.
00:34:50.42\00:34:53.32
It would change
the way you live.
00:34:53.36\00:34:55.59
It will change your new year.
00:34:55.62\00:34:58.23
The power is in
this God-breathed word.
00:34:58.26\00:35:02.83
Amen. Wow.
00:35:02.86\00:35:05.13
In fact when the word
was here among us made flesh,
00:35:05.17\00:35:09.50
He drove home that point.
00:35:09.54\00:35:10.87
Don't want you to miss it.
00:35:10.91\00:35:12.24
These would be red
letters in your Bible,
00:35:12.27\00:35:14.61
but we'll put it on the screen,
John 6:63, Jesus speaking.
00:35:14.64\00:35:17.58
"The words I
have spoken to you",
00:35:17.61\00:35:20.55
the what?
00:35:20.58\00:35:22.18
The words.
00:35:22.22\00:35:23.72
All the red letter
words in the gospels.
00:35:23.75\00:35:26.12
Those are the words He spoke.
00:35:26.15\00:35:27.49
"The words I have spoken to you,
00:35:27.52\00:35:30.56
they are full of the Spirit..."
00:35:30.59\00:35:32.09
And by the way the Greek
word for spirit is breath
00:35:32.13\00:35:34.43
can be trust out of
the wind, breath, spirit.
00:35:34.46\00:35:37.10
They are full of
the breath of God,
00:35:37.13\00:35:39.63
the spirit and life.
00:35:39.67\00:35:42.10
Now there is an idea for you.
00:35:42.14\00:35:43.87
You want a little
unique devotional life
00:35:43.91\00:35:46.37
at the beginning
of this New Year?
00:35:46.41\00:35:48.98
Why not go on a red letter diet?
00:35:49.01\00:35:52.25
For your worship
just the red letters.
00:35:52.28\00:35:54.45
You work your way slowly
through one of the gospels
00:35:54.48\00:35:56.52
one at a time.
00:35:56.55\00:35:57.89
Why not?
00:35:57.92\00:35:59.25
Every word is breath,
breath in the spirit of God.
00:35:59.29\00:36:02.72
Every word has my
life embedded in it.
00:36:02.76\00:36:05.49
What Jesus is saying?
He's saying read My word.
00:36:05.53\00:36:08.66
Believe My words.
00:36:08.70\00:36:11.27
And they will
come to life in you.
00:36:11.30\00:36:16.17
By the way,
that's the only variable,
00:36:16.20\00:36:18.67
the only variable,
00:36:18.71\00:36:20.04
the only condition
for this profound truth
00:36:20.08\00:36:21.94
that we are
coming to grips with.
00:36:21.98\00:36:24.71
Some of you encountering it
00:36:24.75\00:36:26.08
for the first time in your life.
00:36:26.11\00:36:27.85
That's the only variable
to this truth and that is,
00:36:27.88\00:36:31.25
you must believe.
00:36:31.29\00:36:35.29
And by the way,
00:36:35.32\00:36:36.66
I just, because I
know what you're thinking.
00:36:36.69\00:36:38.69
God is not like
00:36:38.73\00:36:40.06
these long legal releases
you have to scroll through
00:36:40.10\00:36:42.36
when you're downloading
an app on to your device
00:36:42.40\00:36:44.50
and you go through,
read, read, read, read,
00:36:44.53\00:36:46.57
get all--
00:36:46.60\00:36:47.94
I agree or I have
read this agreement,
00:36:47.97\00:36:49.40
you know those
that you never read.
00:36:49.44\00:36:53.61
God is not like that.
00:36:53.64\00:36:55.78
Is our God is doing with
this stupendous promise of His
00:36:55.81\00:36:59.15
embedding it with
so many exceptions
00:36:59.18\00:37:01.52
that He'll
never have to deliver.
00:37:01.55\00:37:03.05
Nope, nope, nope
only one condition.
00:37:03.08\00:37:06.62
Here it is. Jot it down.
00:37:06.65\00:37:08.22
Hebrews 11, the
Bible hall of faith.
00:37:08.26\00:37:10.93
Hebrews 11
definition of faith verse 1.
00:37:10.96\00:37:13.29
"Now faith is
confidence in what we hope for
00:37:13.33\00:37:17.37
and assurance in
what we do not see."
00:37:17.40\00:37:22.97
That's what faith
is, I don't see it.
00:37:23.00\00:37:24.44
I can't feel it but I believe.
00:37:24.47\00:37:28.34
Oh, don't miss
verse 6 also there.
00:37:28.38\00:37:30.51
Verse 6,
00:37:30.55\00:37:31.88
"And without faith
00:37:31.91\00:37:33.42
it is impossible
to please God..."
00:37:33.45\00:37:35.32
You know why?
00:37:35.35\00:37:36.69
Because anyone who
comes to God must believe,
00:37:36.72\00:37:39.32
number one, that He
exists and number two,
00:37:39.35\00:37:41.86
that He rewards those
who earnestly seek Him.
00:37:41.89\00:37:47.16
Now guys, look,
00:37:47.20\00:37:48.53
God is not trying
to play hard to get,
00:37:48.56\00:37:49.90
I will make this so hard
00:37:49.93\00:37:51.27
you'll never be
able to get to me.
00:37:51.30\00:37:52.63
Are you kidding?
00:37:52.67\00:37:54.00
This is the most
logical thing for God to say,
00:37:54.04\00:37:55.37
Hey, you and me,
00:37:55.40\00:37:56.74
we're going to do
business together.
00:37:56.77\00:37:58.11
Now I got to tell you,
if you don't believe me,
00:37:58.14\00:37:59.74
if you do not accept My word,
00:37:59.77\00:38:02.24
you reject it, we
can't do business.
00:38:02.28\00:38:04.88
It's not my fault.
00:38:04.91\00:38:06.25
I want to do business
but you have to trust Me,
00:38:06.28\00:38:08.62
you have to believe Me.
00:38:08.65\00:38:11.05
That's what He's saying.
00:38:11.09\00:38:13.92
Reminds me of the story
00:38:13.96\00:38:15.39
of the desperate
father of the boy
00:38:15.42\00:38:17.53
possessed with the evil demon
00:38:17.56\00:38:19.89
and the disciples are absolutely
00:38:19.93\00:38:21.26
unable to cast out that demon.
00:38:21.30\00:38:22.76
And all of a
sudden Jesus shows up.
00:38:22.80\00:38:24.77
You remember this?
00:38:24.80\00:38:26.13
And the desperate father,
heartbroken father cries out,
00:38:26.17\00:38:30.17
"Yo, if you can have
mercy on me and my boy,
00:38:30.21\00:38:35.41
and Jesus turns right
around and He quotes the father.
00:38:35.44\00:38:38.35
What is this, Mark 9:23
and Jesus says, ""If you can"?"
00:38:38.38\00:38:42.15
You're saying to me, if you can?
00:38:42.18\00:38:45.85
Fill it in.
00:38:45.89\00:38:47.22
Everything is possible
for the one who believes.
00:38:47.26\00:38:51.43
"And immediately the
boy's father exclaimed,
00:38:51.46\00:38:53.63
'Oh, I do believe.
00:38:53.66\00:38:55.33
Please, help me
overcome my unbelief.''"
00:38:55.36\00:38:58.67
And with that the
boy is boom, he's healed,
00:38:58.70\00:39:01.30
the demon cast out.
00:39:01.34\00:39:04.94
What's up with that?
00:39:04.97\00:39:06.31
I'll tell you
what's up with this.
00:39:06.34\00:39:07.78
That father did
not have pure belief.
00:39:07.81\00:39:10.91
By his own
admission he had some belief
00:39:10.95\00:39:13.78
and he had some disbelief.
00:39:13.82\00:39:17.42
But apparently Jesus is
not demanding perfect faith.
00:39:17.45\00:39:22.22
Not even requiring a
faith with no doubts.
00:39:22.26\00:39:25.56
I'll take you with your doubts.
00:39:25.59\00:39:26.96
All I need is just a
grain of mustard seed
00:39:27.00\00:39:29.20
amount of faith.
00:39:29.23\00:39:30.57
Just give me a
grain, just a grain.
00:39:30.60\00:39:33.40
That's all I
needed for the father,
00:39:33.44\00:39:34.77
that's all I need for you
00:39:34.80\00:39:36.50
but I have to
have that mustard seed.
00:39:36.54\00:39:41.31
What do we just read,
00:39:41.34\00:39:42.68
"Faith is
confidence in what we hope for
00:39:42.71\00:39:44.28
and assurance in
what we do not see."
00:39:44.31\00:39:47.65
After all by the way,
00:39:47.68\00:39:49.48
that was certainly on display
in that pagan Roman centurion
00:39:49.52\00:39:53.25
who interrupts Jesus one
beautiful Palestine morning,
00:39:53.29\00:39:56.99
when he says, "Excuse me, sir,
00:39:57.03\00:39:59.43
I have a servant
very dear to my heart
00:39:59.46\00:40:02.16
and he is dying.
00:40:02.20\00:40:04.00
I need you to heal
him. I'll go to your house.
00:40:04.03\00:40:05.80
No, no, no, you're
not coming to my place.
00:40:05.83\00:40:09.04
No.
00:40:09.07\00:40:10.41
You just say the
word, you just say the word
00:40:10.44\00:40:14.04
and my servant will be healed.
00:40:14.08\00:40:15.71
And Jesus quilts
around on His heal.
00:40:15.74\00:40:21.58
And He says,
00:40:21.62\00:40:22.95
I have been hanging
around to save for years
00:40:22.98\00:40:25.95
and I have never
found his kind of faith,
00:40:25.99\00:40:29.06
that this pagan
Roman just has displayed,
00:40:29.09\00:40:32.03
and then Jesus
turns back to that soldier
00:40:32.06\00:40:34.96
and eye to eye,
Jesus speaks these words.
00:40:35.00\00:40:37.27
Matthew 8:13 "Go! Let..."
00:40:37.30\00:40:41.94
Now I want you
to write that word
00:40:41.97\00:40:43.30
in because there it is again.
00:40:43.34\00:40:44.67
"Let it be done
00:40:44.71\00:40:47.28
just as you
believed it would be."
00:40:47.31\00:40:50.48
Let it be done, the
same creator who cried out,
00:40:50.51\00:40:52.71
"Let there be light."
00:40:52.75\00:40:55.18
Cries out to
this pagan centurion,
00:40:55.22\00:40:58.22
let it be done as you
believe and boom, it was.
00:40:58.25\00:41:02.62
God said it was done.
00:41:02.66\00:41:04.46
God said it was
done. Let, it was done.
00:41:04.49\00:41:10.57
Wow.
00:41:10.60\00:41:12.43
"Faith is
confidence in what we hope for
00:41:12.47\00:41:16.24
and assurance in
what we do not see."
00:41:16.27\00:41:19.61
Now look,
there's one more story.
00:41:19.64\00:41:22.04
We got to share this one.
00:41:22.08\00:41:23.41
In the middle of the
night, once upon a time,
00:41:26.31\00:41:32.02
God shows up to a friend of His
00:41:32.05\00:41:35.16
who's sound asleep.
00:41:35.19\00:41:38.83
And God says,
00:41:38.86\00:41:40.83
"Hey, Abraham, Abraham,
00:41:40.86\00:41:44.93
feel sorry to wake you up.
00:41:44.97\00:41:47.74
But I've been thinking,
00:41:47.77\00:41:49.74
I've been
listening to you and Sarah.
00:41:49.77\00:41:52.31
I know how
disappointed you are with Me.
00:41:52.34\00:41:56.38
You know,
00:41:56.41\00:41:57.75
I promised you a child
and you're beginning to doubt
00:41:57.78\00:42:00.05
that I could ever give
you, what I promised you.
00:42:00.08\00:42:05.15
So you and I need
to have a conversation,
00:42:05.19\00:42:06.76
crawl out of that bed please.
00:42:06.79\00:42:09.96
Abraham tiptoes out of the tent.
00:42:09.99\00:42:12.13
He steps beneath this
midnight sea of silver.
00:42:12.16\00:42:17.80
Like that
little boy on the cover
00:42:17.83\00:42:19.17
of today's worship bulletin.
00:42:19.20\00:42:21.50
And he looks up,
00:42:21.54\00:42:24.24
and God says to him,
the pre-incarnate Christ,
00:42:24.27\00:42:27.94
good for you Abraham, I
want you to look up there.
00:42:27.98\00:42:30.68
Look, look, look.
00:42:30.71\00:42:32.05
Do me a favor,
will you account them,
00:42:32.08\00:42:33.42
count them for me.
00:42:33.45\00:42:34.78
I need to know.
Okay, God I will.
00:42:34.82\00:42:37.59
Oh, God this is
crazy. This is impossible.
00:42:37.62\00:42:41.86
That's my point, Abraham.
00:42:41.89\00:42:45.39
That's my point.
00:42:45.43\00:42:48.76
I promised you,
00:42:48.80\00:42:51.03
the word came out of my mouth,
00:42:51.07\00:42:54.00
you will get it from me.
00:42:54.04\00:42:57.91
Amen.
00:42:57.94\00:42:59.61
And both Genesis
15:6 and Romans 4:3
00:42:59.64\00:43:03.04
read the identical way.
00:43:03.08\00:43:04.48
Jot it down.
00:43:04.51\00:43:05.85
"Abraham believed God,
00:43:05.88\00:43:09.75
and it was credited
to him as righteousness."
00:43:09.78\00:43:14.02
Do you know what Abraham did
as he's looking up to the stars
00:43:14.06\00:43:15.92
and God whispers in his ears,
00:43:15.96\00:43:17.29
you're going to have
descendants this many.
00:43:17.33\00:43:19.43
Do you know what
Abraham did, he said,
00:43:19.46\00:43:22.40
amen.
00:43:22.43\00:43:25.60
That's all he did.
00:43:25.63\00:43:27.24
They are not having a
theological discussion.
00:43:27.27\00:43:29.30
God is not unfolding
the plan of salvation.
00:43:29.34\00:43:31.31
They're having,
they're talking about a promise
00:43:31.34\00:43:32.71
that Abraham once upon
a time received from God,
00:43:32.74\00:43:34.81
and he's not sure it's
going to come through now.
00:43:34.84\00:43:36.44
And Abraham finally says, amen.
00:43:36.48\00:43:41.35
And God said, perfect.
00:43:41.38\00:43:43.75
You are righteous.
00:43:43.79\00:43:46.55
That's all I need.
I accept your amen.
00:43:49.62\00:43:52.26
I now declare you right
00:43:52.29\00:43:54.83
because
righteousness at its gut essence
00:43:54.86\00:43:57.83
simply means right.
00:43:57.87\00:43:59.50
I declare you right.
00:43:59.53\00:44:02.44
A kind physician
00:44:02.47\00:44:03.81
who lives on the other
side of the lake from us,
00:44:03.84\00:44:06.34
the state over
there to the west,
00:44:06.37\00:44:08.44
sent me a book this summer.
00:44:08.48\00:44:10.51
I read it.
00:44:10.55\00:44:13.38
It has hugely
impacted my thinking,
00:44:13.42\00:44:18.92
and my living.
00:44:18.95\00:44:21.02
It's written by a
young New Zealander named
00:44:21.06\00:44:23.12
Camron Schofield.
00:44:23.16\00:44:24.89
Title of the book,
"Heralding the Loud Cry."
00:44:24.93\00:44:28.93
Schofield captures this moment
00:44:28.96\00:44:32.30
that we just lived.
00:44:32.33\00:44:34.40
I'll put
Schofield's words on the screen,
00:44:34.44\00:44:35.90
you read off the screen.
00:44:35.94\00:44:37.27
It's in your study
guide, you take it home.
00:44:37.31\00:44:38.91
"God said to Abraham,
00:44:38.94\00:44:42.04
'Look at the stars,
00:44:42.08\00:44:43.41
tell the number of them
and so shall thy seed be.'
00:44:43.45\00:44:46.78
And Abraham believed God.
00:44:46.82\00:44:50.05
He said 'Amen.'
00:44:50.09\00:44:52.95
And what did God say?
00:44:52.99\00:44:54.82
God said, 'You are
right. You are righteous.'"
00:44:54.86\00:44:58.66
Now he asks us,
readers a question,
00:44:58.69\00:45:01.26
Camron does.
00:45:01.30\00:45:02.63
"Are you willing to believe
00:45:02.66\00:45:04.10
that is how
Abraham became righteous?
00:45:04.13\00:45:07.10
But does that sound too easy?
00:45:07.14\00:45:10.84
"When God says
something, is He right?"
00:45:10.87\00:45:13.54
Of course, Camron, He's right.
00:45:13.58\00:45:15.14
"And if I say that that is
so, that what He has said is so,
00:45:15.18\00:45:18.78
then am I not right as well?"
00:45:18.81\00:45:20.82
Of course Camron, you're right.
00:45:20.85\00:45:22.78
"If God is right
when He says it and I say,
00:45:22.82\00:45:25.25
'Amen, let it be, so be it.'"
00:45:25.29\00:45:27.72
It was a ways to
translate the word.
00:45:27.76\00:45:30.13
"Then am I not right?"
00:45:30.16\00:45:32.79
In fact, "Am I then
not as right as God is?
00:45:32.83\00:45:37.40
But of course, you are
00:45:37.43\00:45:38.77
because if God's
right and I say amen,
00:45:38.80\00:45:41.17
I'm right, I'm
just as right as He.
00:45:41.20\00:45:42.74
"And if He is right...
00:45:47.21\00:45:49.04
and I say the same
thing that He has said,
00:45:54.02\00:45:57.89
can He say I am wrong?"
00:45:57.92\00:46:00.86
No, He can't. You're right.
00:46:00.89\00:46:04.39
You're not wrong, you're right.
00:46:04.43\00:46:06.73
Amen, you said.
00:46:06.76\00:46:10.70
One more line.
00:46:10.73\00:46:12.07
"Whatever it is,
00:46:12.10\00:46:14.14
no matter what it
is, whatever He says,
00:46:14.17\00:46:16.71
if we will
believe it, God will say,
00:46:16.74\00:46:20.11
'You are right. You are right.'"
00:46:20.14\00:46:25.31
Bing.
00:46:28.68\00:46:32.25
You see that word righteousness
00:46:32.29\00:46:33.62
can be a
formidable barrier for us.
00:46:33.66\00:46:35.82
It's a kind of a scary word.
00:46:35.86\00:46:38.03
It's the word that
threw Martin Luther for a loop
00:46:38.06\00:46:40.20
creating this deep
fear of the holy God
00:46:40.23\00:46:42.50
he was seeking to please,
00:46:42.53\00:46:43.87
whose acceptance, he
was desperate to win.
00:46:43.90\00:46:46.03
He was never sure that
his sins were forgiven,
00:46:46.07\00:46:48.04
let alone forgotten.
00:46:48.07\00:46:49.64
And so he would
flagellate himself for hours
00:46:49.67\00:46:51.84
and hoping that
this will win God's.
00:46:51.87\00:46:55.01
Okay, you are okay
Martin, you're okay.
00:46:55.04\00:46:59.65
But as Camron helps
us see at its vital core
00:47:04.15\00:47:07.59
righteousness is simply
about being in the right.
00:47:07.62\00:47:11.26
And what part of me
needs to be in the right?
00:47:11.29\00:47:12.96
The part of me that
says, amen to God's promise
00:47:12.99\00:47:15.23
which also is right.
00:47:15.26\00:47:18.90
Abraham believed God
00:47:18.93\00:47:20.80
and it was credited
to him as righteousness.
00:47:20.84\00:47:25.01
What's the it?
Tell me what that it?
00:47:25.04\00:47:26.88
What's the antecedent to the it?
00:47:26.91\00:47:28.24
What's the it?
At it, what is it?
00:47:28.28\00:47:31.71
Believe.
00:47:31.75\00:47:33.08
Yeah, it was the
act of believing.
00:47:33.11\00:47:36.25
Abraham said, amen.
00:47:36.28\00:47:39.95
You got it. You got it.
00:47:39.99\00:47:45.89
When God declared
Abraham righteous,
00:47:45.93\00:47:47.50
God was saying, you are right.
00:47:47.53\00:47:50.57
I accept your amen.
00:47:50.60\00:47:53.44
I accept your
believing in my promise,
00:47:53.47\00:47:56.34
you are right.
00:47:56.37\00:47:58.04
Read that line
again, put it up please,
00:47:58.07\00:47:59.51
Camron, "Whatever it
is, no matter what it is,
00:47:59.54\00:48:01.81
whatever God says,
if we will believe it,
00:48:01.84\00:48:04.68
God will say, 'You are right.
00:48:04.71\00:48:06.92
You are right.'"
00:48:06.95\00:48:09.28
And what is so
right about you and me?
00:48:09.32\00:48:11.89
What is right is that we
say amen to the promise of God.
00:48:11.92\00:48:15.46
By the way, any promise of God.
00:48:15.49\00:48:18.93
Not just if reserved.
00:48:18.96\00:48:20.73
Any promise of God
say, amen to it, He says,
00:48:20.76\00:48:23.77
you're right because I'm
right. We're right together.
00:48:23.80\00:48:27.44
Too simple.
00:48:30.71\00:48:33.78
Too simplistic.
00:48:33.81\00:48:36.44
We're gonna spend
a few days this fall
00:48:36.48\00:48:39.85
exploring this truth.
00:48:39.88\00:48:43.22
I know it will
leave you never the same
00:48:43.25\00:48:45.55
because of what's happened to me
00:48:45.59\00:48:47.22
just in a few weeks.
00:48:47.26\00:48:49.99
So if it's okay with you,
00:48:50.03\00:48:51.36
I would like to close
with a personal testimony.
00:48:51.39\00:48:54.23
There's been some stuff
00:48:54.26\00:48:55.60
I have
struggled with in my life,
00:48:55.63\00:48:58.03
most all in my life I suppose.
00:48:58.07\00:49:02.90
I want to share
struggle with you.
00:49:02.94\00:49:05.61
To show you the divine
power behind this teaching
00:49:05.64\00:49:08.91
that when God speaks the word,
00:49:08.94\00:49:10.28
that spoken word creates
the reality it describes.
00:49:10.31\00:49:16.12
Because you see the God
who says, "Let there be light."
00:49:16.15\00:49:18.75
That God who
said, let there be light
00:49:18.79\00:49:20.62
is the same God who
said, jot this down please.
00:49:20.66\00:49:23.12
John 14:27,
00:49:23.16\00:49:24.59
"Let not your heart be troubled,
00:49:24.63\00:49:27.16
neither let it be afraid."
00:49:27.20\00:49:32.90
I have struggled with fear,
00:49:32.93\00:49:35.24
on and off throughout my life.
00:49:35.27\00:49:37.97
Sometimes quite
rational I think,
00:49:38.01\00:49:40.78
sometimes very irrational.
00:49:40.81\00:49:45.68
But when a
writer named EJ. Wagner
00:49:45.71\00:49:49.38
and another one
named Camron Schofield,
00:49:49.42\00:49:52.79
let me through the
series of Bible verses
00:49:52.82\00:49:54.96
we have just
shared this morning,
00:49:54.99\00:49:56.59
it suddenly dawned on me.
00:49:56.62\00:49:59.63
God spoken word
00:49:59.66\00:50:02.43
creates the
reality that it describes.
00:50:02.46\00:50:07.24
And I was out running
one morning this summer.
00:50:07.27\00:50:09.77
I know the very place,
00:50:09.80\00:50:11.14
I know the very
second in that run,
00:50:11.17\00:50:12.67
I'm near the end of the run.
00:50:12.71\00:50:15.18
And I am just opening
my heart up to God, I said,
00:50:15.21\00:50:18.85
"God, these fears,
00:50:18.88\00:50:23.95
can't you say
00:50:23.99\00:50:25.32
anything to me for them.
00:50:25.35\00:50:31.09
And just like that,
00:50:31.13\00:50:33.70
the Spirit of God said to me,
00:50:33.73\00:50:36.43
while I'm running,
00:50:36.46\00:50:39.77
let not your heart be troubled,
00:50:39.80\00:50:42.10
neither let it be afraid.
00:50:42.14\00:50:44.91
And it was just,
it was one of those
00:50:44.94\00:50:48.14
eureka moments
00:50:48.18\00:50:49.51
when all of the studying
and reading I've been doing
00:50:49.54\00:50:53.01
just came together
in my personal struggle.
00:50:53.05\00:50:57.62
And I realize the one who says,
00:50:57.65\00:50:59.05
let there be light
just said to me, Dwight,
00:50:59.09\00:51:02.86
"Let not your heart be troubled.
00:51:02.89\00:51:04.83
Let it not be afraid."
00:51:04.86\00:51:06.63
And you know what?
00:51:06.66\00:51:08.00
It hasn't been since.
00:51:08.03\00:51:10.33
What's up with that?
00:51:10.37\00:51:12.33
Who thought of this?
00:51:12.37\00:51:16.14
God says, when the
word comes out of My mouth,
00:51:16.17\00:51:18.84
it will accomplish
00:51:18.87\00:51:20.88
what I designed
it to accomplish.
00:51:20.91\00:51:23.35
I don't want you
to ever be afraid.
00:51:23.38\00:51:26.05
Leather of fishy
skiff that's going down,
00:51:26.08\00:51:28.72
they didn't have to be afraid.
00:51:28.75\00:51:31.25
You don't have to fear.
00:51:31.29\00:51:32.85
Let not your heart be afraid.
00:51:32.89\00:51:35.06
Boom, gone.
00:51:35.09\00:51:38.33
So then I said
and I said, "Wow."
00:51:38.36\00:51:41.30
I'm gonna say how many
of these little let commands
00:51:41.33\00:51:43.47
that God has
woven into scripture.
00:51:43.50\00:51:46.77
I found 28 of them.
00:51:46.80\00:51:49.90
Let and don't come up
afterwards and asking me for it
00:51:49.94\00:51:53.78
'cause you're not
getting a single one of them.
00:51:53.81\00:51:56.31
You do the work,
00:51:56.34\00:51:58.41
I pointed it
out, you do the work.
00:51:58.45\00:52:01.12
You find them, all
you need is a concordance
00:52:01.15\00:52:03.12
and look up the word let.
00:52:03.15\00:52:04.49
And look up
every reference to let,
00:52:04.52\00:52:06.02
you'll see
they're way more than 28.
00:52:06.05\00:52:09.66
Because you see
another struggle I've had
00:52:09.69\00:52:11.19
and some of you
have the same struggle.
00:52:11.23\00:52:12.86
I really
struggle to be like Jesus,
00:52:16.03\00:52:18.33
to be honest with you.
00:52:18.37\00:52:19.70
It's just that.
00:52:19.73\00:52:21.07
I just struggle and the
people who know me best know.
00:52:21.10\00:52:24.91
He struggles.
00:52:24.94\00:52:28.34
Yeah.
00:52:28.38\00:52:30.61
And so as I'm putting
these 'Let's' together, boom.
00:52:30.65\00:52:33.75
There it is.
00:52:33.78\00:52:35.12
Put it on the
screen Philippians 2:5,
00:52:35.15\00:52:37.32
"Let this mind be in you
00:52:37.35\00:52:39.99
which was also in Christ Jesus."
00:52:40.02\00:52:43.12
Isn't that some?
00:52:43.16\00:52:44.86
The same God who said,
let there be light just said,
00:52:44.89\00:52:47.76
let this mind be in you boy,
my mind, I'm gonna put my mind,
00:52:47.80\00:52:52.10
Dwight, inside of you
because I am your creator.
00:52:52.13\00:52:55.20
You will have my mind
00:52:55.24\00:52:57.84
and then I said to
God as soon as that done.
00:52:57.87\00:52:59.87
I said, God, oh, I
know I'll forget this.
00:52:59.91\00:53:02.81
"Would you please
remind me constantly?"
00:53:02.84\00:53:05.21
And God says, "Okay,
Gabriel, give the boy a break."
00:53:05.25\00:53:09.88
Let's remind him and
all through the day now,
00:53:09.92\00:53:12.49
all through the day, boom, boom,
00:53:12.52\00:53:14.56
let this mind be in you, Dwight.
00:53:14.59\00:53:15.92
And before I walk into talk
with somebody who's in trouble,
00:53:15.96\00:53:18.16
before I walk into a
committee, before I walk in,
00:53:18.19\00:53:20.80
before I step up
into this pulpit,
00:53:20.83\00:53:22.36
before I have a conversation,
00:53:22.40\00:53:24.47
before, before, boom.
00:53:24.50\00:53:29.27
Let this mind be in
you which was in me.
00:53:29.30\00:53:33.31
You'll be fine.
00:53:33.34\00:53:34.81
Have I failed?
00:53:34.84\00:53:36.18
I hang my head in
shame, because I forget,
00:53:36.21\00:53:39.51
even with constant
reminders, I forget.
00:53:39.55\00:53:42.75
But I'm telling you what,
these two verses have just
00:53:42.78\00:53:45.59
rewritten the
game plan for my life.
00:53:45.62\00:53:49.49
Last night late, God
and I were talking I said,
00:53:49.52\00:53:51.96
"God, why does it take you
so long to figure this out?"
00:53:51.99\00:53:56.77
He says, "You're the
one that took so long."
00:53:56.80\00:54:00.84
But I need it now in your life.
00:54:00.87\00:54:03.44
I need you to know this now.
00:54:03.47\00:54:05.94
Stuff is beginning to happen
00:54:05.97\00:54:08.11
and I need you in
me to be like this.
00:54:08.14\00:54:13.31
Why do I share this with you
00:54:13.35\00:54:14.68
because some of you
are struggling right now,
00:54:14.72\00:54:16.22
oh my, you are struggling.
00:54:16.25\00:54:19.02
There's something you long
for that you're not getting.
00:54:19.05\00:54:21.86
There's something
you want to overcome
00:54:21.89\00:54:23.53
that is not going away.
00:54:23.56\00:54:24.89
There's a child,
there's a spouse,
00:54:24.93\00:54:29.00
there's stuff
happening all around you
00:54:29.03\00:54:32.60
that is hurting you.
00:54:32.63\00:54:34.10
You are struggling and I
am here to tell you today
00:54:34.14\00:54:38.34
that the God of the universe,
00:54:38.37\00:54:40.11
the
pre-incarnate Christ who said,
00:54:40.14\00:54:42.24
let there be
light is saying to you
00:54:42.28\00:54:45.55
what Jesus said in
that little fishing skiff,
00:54:45.58\00:54:48.25
peace, let there
be peace be still.
00:54:48.28\00:54:52.42
Forces of darkness around her,
00:54:52.45\00:54:54.69
forces of
darkness inside of him,
00:54:54.72\00:54:56.86
I command you be still.
00:54:56.89\00:54:58.96
The Greek actually
reads be muscled, shut up.
00:54:58.99\00:55:02.46
He needs to hear me,
00:55:05.73\00:55:08.10
she needs to hear
the word out of my mouth
00:55:08.14\00:55:10.71
not her mind,
00:55:10.74\00:55:13.27
and not out of
your's dark enemy.
00:55:13.31\00:55:17.81
God is ready for you.
00:55:17.85\00:55:19.95
He's gonna take you place,
00:55:19.98\00:55:21.32
you will never
be the same again.
00:55:21.35\00:55:22.75
I promise you what
you've just heard today
00:55:22.78\00:55:24.35
it's too late,
you know too much.
00:55:24.39\00:55:27.26
You will never
be the same again.
00:55:27.29\00:55:30.63
If you believe with
an exclamation mark,
00:55:30.66\00:55:34.56
believe, believe.
00:55:34.60\00:55:37.83
You got it.
00:55:41.00\00:55:44.41
I promise you.
00:55:44.44\00:55:46.88
It may take me as long
00:55:46.91\00:55:48.24
as it took Isaac to come
00:55:48.28\00:55:50.91
but you hang on to me.
00:55:50.95\00:55:52.28
No, plan B like, hey,
God, stay away from plan B's,
00:55:52.31\00:55:55.02
they'll kill you.
00:55:55.05\00:55:56.58
You stay with me.
00:55:56.62\00:55:58.95
I have a dream for your life
00:55:58.99\00:56:00.32
and that dream is
going to come true.
00:56:00.36\00:56:03.09
How do I know that's to be true?
00:56:03.12\00:56:05.13
Let's put this on the
cross and put it on the screen.
00:56:05.16\00:56:07.23
Isn't this
something, isn't this something?
00:56:07.26\00:56:09.10
1 Thessalonians 5:24. Come on.
00:56:09.13\00:56:12.37
Put it on the screen.
00:56:12.40\00:56:14.60
"The One who
calls you is faithful,
00:56:14.64\00:56:20.58
and He will do it."
00:56:20.61\00:56:24.68
I say, ladies and gentlemen,
that we say amen, let it be so,
00:56:24.71\00:56:28.85
so be it to this promise.
00:56:28.88\00:56:30.62
What do you say? Amen.
00:56:30.65\00:56:32.35
Amen. Amen. Let us pray.
00:56:32.39\00:56:35.82
Oh, God, a string of verses
00:56:35.86\00:56:39.66
but they're all
words out of Your mouth
00:56:39.69\00:56:43.23
to these worshippers who
have been bowed before You
00:56:43.26\00:56:46.84
with receptive minds
they have heard Your words
00:56:46.87\00:56:51.41
and those words have gone deep.
00:56:51.44\00:56:53.54
Dear God, now operationalize
this humble little teaching,
00:56:53.58\00:56:58.75
operationalize it.
00:56:58.78\00:57:02.85
And may they
never be the same again
00:57:02.88\00:57:06.76
as they walk with Him...
00:57:06.79\00:57:08.26
who is the creator
00:57:12.59\00:57:15.76
of the universe and of us too,
00:57:15.80\00:57:18.77
in Jesus' name we pray,
00:57:18.80\00:57:21.64
amen, amen.
00:57:21.67\00:57:26.17
I want take an extra moment
00:57:26.21\00:57:27.54
and let you know
how grateful I am,
00:57:27.58\00:57:28.91
you joined us today.
00:57:28.94\00:57:30.28
I hear from the
viewers and listeners like you
00:57:30.31\00:57:32.38
all across this
nation and literally,
00:57:32.41\00:57:33.98
around the world
and I'm thankful.
00:57:34.02\00:57:36.38
Because it's
through the generosity
00:57:36.42\00:57:37.75
of the members
of this congregation
00:57:37.79\00:57:39.12
and people like you
00:57:39.15\00:57:40.49
that we're able to
bring you this program.
00:57:40.52\00:57:42.46
So far we shared today
has touched your heart,
00:57:42.49\00:57:44.63
I like to invite you to become
a financial partner with us.
00:57:44.66\00:57:46.86
Just give us a call.
00:57:46.90\00:57:48.23
Toll free number 877,
the two words HIS-WILL,
00:57:48.26\00:57:51.53
877-HIS-WILL or if you'd rather,
00:57:51.57\00:57:54.30
go to our
website www.pmchurch.tv.
00:57:54.34\00:57:58.64
Either way your
generosity will bless
00:57:58.67\00:58:00.61
a new generation in cyber
space all over this planet.
00:58:00.64\00:58:04.38
So thank you.
00:58:04.41\00:58:05.75
Thank you very much
for your partnership.
00:58:05.78\00:58:08.35