Pastor Batchelor, I want to
invite you come to the pulpit.
00:01:02.26\00:01:05.49
I want to say, thank you,
00:01:05.50\00:01:07.47
for coming to
Michigan Conference.
00:01:07.48\00:01:10.28
It's just been a
joy to have you here
00:01:10.29\00:01:12.45
and have your wife
here and your family here.
00:01:12.46\00:01:17.24
And he'll be leaving
with his family, of course.
00:01:17.25\00:01:19.92
He'll be here,
there, everywhere.
00:01:19.93\00:01:21.38
We will be seeing you on 3ABN
00:01:21.39\00:01:23.42
in other methods such as video.
00:01:23.43\00:01:25.37
We'll be hearing
you on the radio.
00:01:25.38\00:01:27.31
We'll be seeing materials.
00:01:27.32\00:01:28.48
We'll be using materials
that Amazing Facts produces.
00:01:28.49\00:01:31.74
We'll be using those
materials to win souls.
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And we're grateful
for that soul winning fire
00:01:34.44\00:01:37.76
that burns in your heart
and drives your ministry.
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Amen, thank you so much.
00:01:40.58\00:01:41.78
And so when you go, you're
gonna go with all our prayers
00:01:41.79\00:01:44.41
and I wanna pray right now
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and thank the
Lord for sending you.
00:01:46.08\00:01:48.04
"Father in Heaven,
00:01:48.05\00:01:49.29
you're so good
as our dear brother,
00:01:49.30\00:01:51.79
Pastor Batchelor, leaves us,
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he gives us his
last sermon tonight.
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I know your Holy
Spirit will be here.
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You've already
blessed us, blessed us
00:01:58.31\00:02:00.68
as we went down the
road with the Good Samaritan
00:02:00.69\00:02:02.65
and saw the parallels between
bad and the plan of salvation.
00:02:02.66\00:02:06.83
Talk to us about our pride,
00:02:06.84\00:02:08.86
how we want to
walk with humility,
00:02:08.87\00:02:10.45
true humility before you?
00:02:10.46\00:02:13.06
Bless him as he speaks tonight
and as he goes his journey,
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please Heavenly Father,
00:02:18.57\00:02:19.83
continue to send the angels
with him, be with his family.
00:02:19.84\00:02:22.95
Build little hedge about them.
00:02:22.96\00:02:24.87
May they sense
your leadership ever
00:02:24.88\00:02:27.51
and use the ministry that
you have given into their hands
00:02:27.52\00:02:31.05
to have a greater impact
than they can even imagine.
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We look forward to all being
together in the Sea of Glass.
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Keep our dear
Pastor and his family
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now in your hands, in
Jesus name, amen. Amen.
00:02:39.19\00:02:43.90
Please turn with
me in your Bibles
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to Philippians
4:8. Philippians 4:8.
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"Finally,
brothers, whatever is true,
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whatever is
noble, whatever is right,
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whatever is pure,
whatever is lovely,
00:03:16.43\00:03:19.17
whatever is admirable,
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if anything is
excellent or praiseworthy
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think about such things."
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Some of the praiseworthy
things that we've gotten to,
00:03:35.32\00:03:37.95
some of the praiseworthy things
that we've enjoyed this week
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have been the beautiful music.
00:03:40.62\00:03:42.79
Dr. Eric Umali
accompanied by Kathy Price,
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brings us a special number.
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In letters of
crimson, God wrote His love
00:04:02.91\00:04:12.43
On the hillside
so long, long ago
00:04:12.44\00:04:21.74
For you and for me Jesus died,
00:04:21.75\00:04:31.59
And love's
greatest story was told
00:04:31.60\00:04:43.38
I love you, I love you
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That's what Calvary said
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I love you, I love you
00:05:02.27\00:05:14.78
I love you written in red
00:05:14.79\00:05:25.10
Down through the
ages, God wrote His love
00:05:33.26\00:05:41.91
With the same hands
that suffered and bled
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Giving all he had to give
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A message so easily read
00:06:01.29\00:06:12.88
I love you, I love you
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That's what Calvary said
00:06:22.65\00:06:31.34
I love you, I love you
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I love you written in red
00:06:43.67\00:06:54.13
Oh, precious is the flow
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That makes me white as snow
00:07:03.52\00:07:12.66
No other fount I know,
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nothing but the
blood, the blood of Jesus
00:07:22.53\00:07:31.95
I love you, I love you
00:07:31.96\00:07:41.85
That's what Calvary said
00:07:41.86\00:07:50.82
I love you, I love you
00:07:50.83\00:08:03.66
I love you written in Red
00:08:03.67\00:08:18.22
Amen.
00:08:29.21\00:08:30.83
Thank you. That
was a beautiful song.
00:08:35.94\00:08:38.44
I've
appreciated your music here.
00:08:38.45\00:08:41.50
Thank you so
much for inviting us
00:08:41.51\00:08:43.89
to be part of your camp meeting.
00:08:43.90\00:08:45.70
I'm really been
impressed with the spirit here.
00:08:45.71\00:08:48.07
I'm not just
trying to be patronizing,
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I really mean that.
00:08:50.45\00:08:51.44
It's, you sense
something different.
00:08:51.45\00:08:55.24
But I won't compare you
with any other camp meetings.
00:08:55.25\00:08:57.75
Keep, keep Amazing Facts in
your prayers, God is blessing.
00:09:03.31\00:09:09.41
We're doing everything
00:09:09.42\00:09:10.50
we know how to do to win souls
00:09:10.51\00:09:13.36
and even more important than
00:09:13.37\00:09:14.56
that to equip the
saints to win the souls.
00:09:14.57\00:09:19.61
That's really what
our ministry is all about.
00:09:19.62\00:09:23.36
And we're not
only using the radio
00:09:23.37\00:09:25.44
and the TV, we're publishing.
00:09:25.45\00:09:26.93
Oh, I'll be at the ABC
after the program tonight.
00:09:26.94\00:09:28.98
I hope to meet
some of you there.
00:09:28.99\00:09:30.48
That means I won't be visiting
with you until I get there.
00:09:30.49\00:09:32.69
So please understand
I'm gonna run over there
00:09:32.70\00:09:34.35
so I can greet you.
00:09:34.36\00:09:36.15
And we're doing--
using the internet.
00:09:36.16\00:09:38.56
Any of you ever used a POP
CD, the Panorama Prophecy CDs?
00:09:38.57\00:09:42.01
Have you given
some of those out?
00:09:42.02\00:09:43.49
You'll be excited about
something new we're developing.
00:09:43.50\00:09:46.06
It's gonna have all the
final events of prophecy
00:09:46.07\00:09:49.03
with animation
that will take someone
00:09:49.04\00:09:51.56
through the final scenario.
00:09:51.57\00:09:53.29
I get so
frustrated when I hear people
00:09:53.30\00:09:55.48
talking about
this left behind idea
00:09:55.49\00:09:57.49
that we're all gonna
get zapped out of here
00:09:57.50\00:09:59.54
before the
tribulation and, you know,
00:09:59.55\00:10:02.00
the same thing the devil did
00:10:02.01\00:10:03.17
when Jesus came the first time.
00:10:03.18\00:10:05.12
Mixing up the church
about how it was gonna happen.
00:10:05.13\00:10:08.32
He's doing it again.
00:10:08.33\00:10:10.08
The church is very mixed
up about how He's coming.
00:10:10.09\00:10:13.02
And the devil is paving
the way for a major deception.
00:10:13.03\00:10:17.09
And so we're doing
that. We've got our college.
00:10:17.10\00:10:19.42
I've met several
of our graduates here.
00:10:19.43\00:10:21.90
And it's good to see the
way they're using their gifts.
00:10:21.91\00:10:24.71
And so just keep
us in your prayers.
00:10:24.72\00:10:26.34
God has opened
some wonderful doors.
00:10:26.35\00:10:28.11
I'd like to conclude tonight
00:10:32.39\00:10:36.15
by directing our
attention to a theme
00:10:36.16\00:10:39.40
that you've been
focusing on this week, Holiness.
00:10:39.41\00:10:44.15
And, in summary, my
message would be tonight,
00:10:44.16\00:10:47.28
there is power in purity.
00:10:47.29\00:10:51.48
And just please pray
with me one more time.
00:10:51.49\00:10:55.78
Father in Heaven,
now as we long to hear
00:10:55.79\00:11:00.19
what you have to
say to us, I pray Lord,
00:11:00.20\00:11:02.96
that you would
remove any distraction.
00:11:02.97\00:11:05.15
Give us ears to
hear and even more than
00:11:05.16\00:11:07.08
that I pray that
we'll not be hearers only
00:11:07.09\00:11:09.93
but doers of the word.
00:11:09.94\00:11:11.76
We ask in the name
of your son Jesus, amen.
00:11:11.77\00:11:17.26
I like Amazing Facts.
00:11:17.27\00:11:19.65
And I remember reading,
00:11:19.66\00:11:21.34
I think this
one is in that book,
00:11:21.35\00:11:22.82
Amazing Facts Book
about the water spider.
00:11:22.83\00:11:26.78
You know they've got this
curious little water spider
00:11:26.79\00:11:29.11
that lives in parts of
South and Central America,
00:11:29.12\00:11:31.42
some parts of Asia.
00:11:31.43\00:11:33.72
That builds its nest under water
00:11:33.73\00:11:36.62
usually by the shore
of a river or a lake bed.
00:11:36.63\00:11:41.36
And it weaves a web
inside the little grasses
00:11:41.37\00:11:44.47
and things that
grow there by the edge.
00:11:44.48\00:11:46.10
And then it brings down bubbles,
00:11:46.11\00:11:48.44
a few at a time on its
legs, it brushes them off.
00:11:48.45\00:11:51.96
And it slowly
builds a big bubble
00:11:51.97\00:11:55.15
that is a diving bell
basically and its, its home.
00:11:55.16\00:11:59.19
Now can you, imagine
anything in evolution
00:11:59.20\00:12:04.81
that would require
the need for a spider
00:12:04.82\00:12:06.77
start living
under water in a bubble.
00:12:06.78\00:12:08.17
In any event, it
lives under there,
00:12:12.03\00:12:15.44
catches its food under
there, eats under there,
00:12:15.45\00:12:18.52
multiplies under there.
00:12:18.53\00:12:22.26
Every now and
then, it has to go up
00:12:22.27\00:12:23.55
and get fresh bubbles,
bring it back down again.
00:12:23.56\00:12:25.96
So it can keep the
air supply refreshed.
00:12:25.97\00:12:29.35
It lives below by surviving
on a resource from above.
00:12:29.36\00:12:36.64
This is I think the
key for Christians to live
00:12:36.65\00:12:39.34
a Holy life in a world
that is extremely wicked.
00:12:39.35\00:12:44.66
You know, that is one
of our greatest challenges.
00:12:44.67\00:12:46.65
And I think that
especially in the last days
00:12:46.66\00:12:50.14
where sin is multiplying,
00:12:50.15\00:12:52.38
Jesus said the
condition of the world
00:12:52.39\00:12:54.28
would be a
combination of the condition
00:12:54.29\00:12:57.65
of Sodom and
Gomorrah and the days
00:12:57.66\00:13:00.08
before the flood all at one
time before Jesus comes back.
00:13:00.09\00:13:03.81
Jesus draws on the two worse
scenarios for human decadence.
00:13:03.82\00:13:09.13
And he said the whole world
00:13:09.14\00:13:10.21
would be like that
before Jesus comes back.
00:13:10.22\00:13:12.90
Well, I think we've arrived.
00:13:12.91\00:13:16.00
And once again the
thoughts of men's hearts
00:13:16.01\00:13:18.82
are only evil continually.
00:13:18.83\00:13:21.54
Selfishness and wickedness
00:13:21.55\00:13:23.21
and things that not even
the world would think about
00:13:23.22\00:13:26.19
a few years ago, are
being embraced by the church.
00:13:26.20\00:13:29.96
Would you like me to
mention some of those?
00:13:33.24\00:13:36.09
Not yet, you're
not ready for it.
00:13:36.10\00:13:39.13
You know, I remember hearing
00:13:39.14\00:13:40.34
Floyd Brezig
give an illustration
00:13:40.35\00:13:41.76
that really made an impression
on me at a camp meeting.
00:13:41.77\00:13:45.07
And when he is
talking about the church
00:13:45.08\00:13:47.23
has a desire to be
better than the world.
00:13:47.24\00:13:50.92
And instead of using
the Lord as our gauge,
00:13:50.93\00:13:54.20
we often say as long as
we're better than the world,
00:13:54.21\00:13:56.24
we must be doing our job.
00:13:56.25\00:13:57.80
We have the illusion of Holiness
00:13:57.81\00:13:59.28
as long as we can say
we're better than the world.
00:13:59.29\00:14:02.03
But what has
happened is the standards
00:14:02.04\00:14:04.07
of the world keeps cycling down.
00:14:04.08\00:14:07.04
And if the church is
using the world as its standard,
00:14:07.05\00:14:09.54
just stay better than the world.
00:14:09.55\00:14:11.62
What happens is as the world
slowly gets worse and worse,
00:14:11.63\00:14:16.03
how many would
agree that's happening?
00:14:16.04\00:14:19.09
Okay, we're together still.
00:14:19.10\00:14:20.44
As the world
gets worse and worse,
00:14:20.45\00:14:22.43
eventually the standards
for the church are lower
00:14:22.44\00:14:26.01
than the standards
of the world used to be.
00:14:26.02\00:14:27.69
I remember when I
went to public school
00:14:32.19\00:14:33.82
in New York
City, a friend of mine,
00:14:33.83\00:14:37.22
Vickie Ornstein was sent home
00:14:37.23\00:14:40.39
from P.S. 87 for
immodest clothing,
00:14:40.40\00:14:45.20
public school in New York City.
00:14:45.21\00:14:49.10
Those same
clothes would probably
00:14:49.11\00:14:51.30
now be accepted in
many Adventist schools.
00:14:51.31\00:14:56.34
So what does that
tell you, is happening?
00:14:56.35\00:14:58.78
That is one of the
thousand examples I could use.
00:14:58.79\00:15:03.11
I remember a day when it
was considered scandalous,
00:15:03.12\00:15:07.86
when I don't remember
was it Dick Van Dyke Show
00:15:07.87\00:15:09.92
or the I love Lucy Show,
00:15:09.93\00:15:10.95
but one of those the first time
00:15:10.96\00:15:12.32
they showed a bedroom on TV,
00:15:12.33\00:15:17.10
you know, what
I'm talking about?
00:15:17.11\00:15:18.32
You don't act like you don't
know what I'm talking about.
00:15:18.33\00:15:22.89
I don't know, I've
never heard of I love Lucy.
00:15:22.90\00:15:24.97
But now, just the stuff that
comes lilting over the radio
00:15:28.96\00:15:36.88
and the TV is
just, it is so decadent.
00:15:36.89\00:15:40.73
How can we be pure in
such a polluted world?
00:15:40.74\00:15:45.27
You know, Jesus did not ask
to call us out of the world.
00:15:45.28\00:15:48.47
He doesn't want us all
to run to a cave, does he?
00:15:48.48\00:15:51.76
He told Elijah,
"What doest thou here?"
00:15:51.77\00:15:54.53
When He thought that the things
were beyond hope in Israel.
00:15:54.54\00:15:59.08
You cannot bail a boat
when you are in the water.
00:15:59.09\00:16:02.18
You've got to be in the boat.
00:16:02.19\00:16:03.22
You cannot clean a
house from the outside.
00:16:03.23\00:16:05.33
And there are
those in the church
00:16:05.34\00:16:06.77
that think because
there is sin in the world
00:16:06.78\00:16:08.81
and in the church
that we need to run off
00:16:08.82\00:16:11.02
and isolate ourselves
and insulate ourselves.
00:16:11.03\00:16:12.97
And that's not what
Jesus calls us to do.
00:16:12.98\00:16:14.91
The challenge for a
Christian is to be pure
00:16:14.92\00:16:17.94
while living in an impure world.
00:16:17.95\00:16:21.33
Jesus says in Mark Chapter 15--
00:16:21.34\00:16:24.47
no that's not the one I wanted.
00:16:24.48\00:16:27.24
John Chapter
17, verse 14 and 15.
00:16:27.25\00:16:31.07
He says, "I have
given them your word
00:16:31.08\00:16:33.31
and the world has hated them,
00:16:33.32\00:16:34.47
because they
are not of the world
00:16:34.48\00:16:36.14
just as I am not of the world.
00:16:36.15\00:16:37.65
I do not pray that you should
take them out of the world
00:16:37.66\00:16:40.56
but that you should
keep them from the evil one."
00:16:40.57\00:16:43.28
Christians in the church,
00:16:43.29\00:16:45.86
it's something like
a ship in the water.
00:16:45.87\00:16:50.00
Matter of fact the
ship looks out of place
00:16:50.01\00:16:51.83
when it's on dry land.
00:16:51.84\00:16:55.21
Ship belongs in the water,
00:16:55.22\00:16:57.79
but as soon as you
get the water in the ship,
00:16:57.80\00:16:59.07
it goes down.
00:16:59.08\00:17:01.47
The church has
this delicate balance
00:17:01.48\00:17:04.30
of really being in
a foreign environment.
00:17:04.31\00:17:07.35
And as long as it
can maintain separation,
00:17:07.36\00:17:10.42
it can move in the water.
00:17:10.43\00:17:12.73
It's like an airplane.
00:17:12.74\00:17:13.87
Airplanes don't look like
they belong up in the air.
00:17:13.88\00:17:16.31
And when they start moving,
00:17:16.32\00:17:17.36
they don't stay
in the air, do they?
00:17:17.37\00:17:18.67
And the church when it
seizes to move, it falls.
00:17:21.70\00:17:25.77
One of the best ways for
us to maintain this attitude
00:17:25.78\00:17:28.98
of Holiness to stay involved
working for the Lord, amen.
00:17:28.99\00:17:33.77
Now how can we be pure
in such an impure world?
00:17:33.78\00:17:39.99
Well, probably the
most important thing to do
00:17:40.00\00:17:41.97
is as it says in
Hebrews Chapter 12,
00:17:41.98\00:17:44.46
"Seeing then
that we are surrounded
00:17:44.47\00:17:45.85
with such a great
cloud of witnesses,
00:17:45.86\00:17:48.01
let us lay aside every sin
00:17:48.02\00:17:49.40
and the weight which
doth so easily beset us,"
00:17:49.41\00:17:52.45
looking on, "And
let us run the race."
00:17:52.46\00:17:54.97
Looking unto Jesus,
00:17:54.98\00:17:57.59
the author and
finisher of our faith.
00:17:57.60\00:17:59.70
Looking unto
Jesus, you are transformed
00:17:59.71\00:18:02.69
by what you behold,
00:18:02.70\00:18:04.34
instead of calibrating our
compass by the world and saying
00:18:04.35\00:18:07.60
as long as I'm better
than the world, I'm okay.
00:18:07.61\00:18:09.86
Keep your eyes fixed on Jesus,
focus on Jesus, look at Jesus.
00:18:09.87\00:18:14.12
You become like
what you look at.
00:18:14.13\00:18:17.19
We're transformed from glory
to glory by what we behold.
00:18:17.20\00:18:21.51
But I know that so much
of what is being beheld,
00:18:21.52\00:18:25.21
not only by the
world but by the church,
00:18:25.22\00:18:28.13
is not the right thing.
00:18:28.14\00:18:32.54
We spend our times
reading what the world reads,
00:18:32.55\00:18:35.32
watching what the world watches
00:18:35.33\00:18:37.01
and listening to
what the world listens to.
00:18:37.02\00:18:39.00
And then we wonder
why we have trouble
00:18:39.01\00:18:41.22
acting like angels when we
live on the food of devils.
00:18:41.23\00:18:48.05
The Pastor who
baptized me shared a very simple
00:18:48.06\00:18:50.44
illustration
I've never forgotten.
00:18:50.45\00:18:53.50
We have two
natures that are at war,
00:18:53.51\00:18:55.69
the spirit and the flesh.
00:18:55.70\00:18:58.94
We got that carnal lower nature
00:18:58.95\00:19:01.60
and we've got
the yearning inside
00:19:01.61\00:19:03.16
to be Holy, to be like God.
00:19:03.17\00:19:04.65
Paul describes this
in Romans Chapter 6,
00:19:04.66\00:19:06.92
Romans Chapter 7.
00:19:06.93\00:19:10.02
"Whatever nature you feed,
00:19:10.03\00:19:12.93
is the one that is
going to be victorious
00:19:12.94\00:19:15.22
when temptations
and battles come."
00:19:15.23\00:19:18.92
If you have two
dogs from the same breed,
00:19:18.93\00:19:21.19
same size, about same age.
00:19:21.20\00:19:25.27
And you're going to fight them.
00:19:25.28\00:19:26.45
I don't recommend you do
this. It's an illustration.
00:19:26.46\00:19:29.28
And for one week
you feed one dog,
00:19:29.29\00:19:32.35
just the very best of food,
00:19:32.36\00:19:33.64
give it lots of water, exercise.
00:19:33.65\00:19:35.66
The other one you chain him up
00:19:35.67\00:19:36.70
with about an inch
of chain by his neck.
00:19:36.71\00:19:38.69
Don't feed him.
00:19:38.70\00:19:39.86
Don't give him
anything to drink.
00:19:39.87\00:19:40.96
No exercise.
00:19:40.97\00:19:41.99
And a week
later, you fight them.
00:19:42.00\00:19:45.98
Which one's gonna win?
00:19:45.99\00:19:48.62
The one that's
been taken care of.
00:19:48.63\00:19:51.43
You've got these two
natures that are at war.
00:19:51.44\00:19:53.68
Peter says, there is a war--
there is a war in our members.
00:19:53.69\00:19:58.15
How many of you have felt that?
00:19:58.16\00:20:00.03
If you don't feel it,
it's 'cause you're dead.
00:20:00.04\00:20:03.09
If you say, "I
don't ever get tempted."
00:20:03.10\00:20:04.28
Well, that means,
you're just going down stream.
00:20:04.29\00:20:05.89
You're not resisting at all.
00:20:05.90\00:20:08.09
But if you're
trying to be a Christian,
00:20:08.10\00:20:09.27
you feel the war.
00:20:09.28\00:20:11.59
And the way that we win the war
00:20:11.60\00:20:14.03
and the battles
get so much easier
00:20:14.04\00:20:15.84
is if we will feed
on that which is good.
00:20:15.85\00:20:18.14
You heard that
scripture reading,
00:20:18.15\00:20:20.70
what sort of things
are just noble, holy, pure.
00:20:20.71\00:20:26.13
A doctor in this congregation
came to a pastor offered him
00:20:26.14\00:20:29.88
two movie tickets that he had.
00:20:29.89\00:20:33.90
And he said, "I
can't accept those."
00:20:33.91\00:20:35.88
Oh, you need to
relax. Take your wife out.
00:20:35.89\00:20:38.23
You take things too
seriously. Enjoy yourself.
00:20:38.24\00:20:43.26
And the Pastor
said to the physician,
00:20:43.27\00:20:44.69
he said, "You're
a brain surgeon."
00:20:44.70\00:20:47.12
Is that right? He said, "Yes."
00:20:47.13\00:20:48.84
He said would you enter
into the operating theater
00:20:48.85\00:20:51.72
and start working
on somebody's brain
00:20:51.73\00:20:54.16
without washing your hands?
00:20:54.17\00:20:55.62
He said, "No."
00:20:55.63\00:20:57.76
He said, well, with my work,
00:20:57.77\00:20:58.90
I can't do it
with a dirty heart.
00:20:58.91\00:21:02.92
And so many of us are
trying to live a Holy life
00:21:02.93\00:21:06.15
while we're
feeding on the wrong food.
00:21:06.16\00:21:10.54
I understand
there's this beautiful
00:21:10.55\00:21:11.91
dainty little butterfly
about half an inch across.
00:21:11.92\00:21:14.68
It's got blue wings with
little jewels on the wings.
00:21:14.69\00:21:18.56
And you would think
00:21:18.57\00:21:19.61
it's one of the
most beautiful creatures
00:21:19.62\00:21:21.02
until you find out that
it doesn't live on nectar.
00:21:21.03\00:21:23.80
It feeds on dung.
00:21:23.81\00:21:27.00
And we've got some
folks in the church
00:21:27.01\00:21:30.00
that look like
butterflies on the outside.
00:21:30.01\00:21:33.93
But if you watch
them long enough,
00:21:33.94\00:21:35.04
they're feeding
on the wrong thing.
00:21:35.05\00:21:38.44
You cannot be holy
00:21:38.45\00:21:40.78
if we're feeding on
the food of the world.
00:21:40.79\00:21:44.28
You cannot resist the
temptations that come.
00:21:44.29\00:21:49.72
What's the solution?
00:21:49.73\00:21:50.75
Well, there is power and purity.
00:21:50.76\00:21:54.62
You know, you read in the Bible
00:21:54.63\00:21:56.06
as long as there was
an Achan in the camp,
00:21:56.07\00:21:59.40
they couldn't win any
battles with the enemy.
00:21:59.41\00:22:04.64
Now I'm gonna take
this in two directions.
00:22:04.65\00:22:08.76
First of all, as a Pastor,
00:22:08.77\00:22:11.14
a constant battle that I fight
00:22:11.15\00:22:13.96
is whenever you bring
up to the church board
00:22:13.97\00:22:16.02
and then to the
church business meeting,
00:22:16.03\00:22:17.43
people whose
names need dropping,
00:22:17.44\00:22:21.54
everybody rises up and they say,
00:22:21.55\00:22:23.06
well, who are we to judge
00:22:23.07\00:22:24.14
and we need to love them
and we need to be patient.
00:22:24.15\00:22:26.59
Folks don't know what
they're talking about.
00:22:26.60\00:22:30.12
If someone is
taking the name Christian,
00:22:30.13\00:22:33.63
don't take his name in vain.
00:22:33.64\00:22:36.53
If someone says
they're Seventh Day Adventists,
00:22:36.54\00:22:38.11
then they're going to the
bar and they're smoking cigars
00:22:38.12\00:22:40.43
and they're running around on
their family, drop their name.
00:22:40.44\00:22:45.57
You know, when
you end up doing this,
00:22:45.58\00:22:46.60
we continue to lower
the standards of the church
00:22:46.61\00:22:49.72
under the pretence of love
00:22:49.73\00:22:51.47
and it really
isn't love for God,
00:22:51.48\00:22:52.94
its love for the world.
00:22:52.95\00:22:56.07
And I believe God could
do more to bless the church
00:22:56.08\00:22:58.52
if we deal with some
of the Achans in the camp
00:22:58.53\00:23:00.40
and that is the
loving thing to do for them.
00:23:00.41\00:23:05.06
We got some cases,
00:23:05.07\00:23:07.21
50 percent of the members
in the church don't even come.
00:23:07.22\00:23:10.34
Some one don't even
know they're on the books.
00:23:10.35\00:23:13.16
I baptized this
man in California
00:23:13.17\00:23:16.36
and as we got ready to
vote him into membership,
00:23:16.37\00:23:18.18
the pastor said, well,
he's already on the books.
00:23:18.19\00:23:21.55
He said, you're kidding me.
00:23:21.56\00:23:23.45
He said, you know,
back in World War II,
00:23:23.46\00:23:26.94
I think, I got baptized.
00:23:26.95\00:23:29.28
I haven't been to
Church since then.
00:23:29.29\00:23:32.30
They never dealt with him
and he'd been just completely
00:23:32.31\00:23:34.49
submerged in the world.
00:23:34.50\00:23:37.93
So that's one thing
00:23:37.94\00:23:38.93
when I talk about
Achans in the camp,
00:23:38.94\00:23:40.41
they couldn't win any battles.
00:23:40.42\00:23:41.48
The other thing is
our lives personally.
00:23:41.49\00:23:46.75
If we're
fraternizing with the enemy,
00:23:46.76\00:23:49.24
we lose our power.
00:23:49.25\00:23:51.10
How did Samson
lose his strength?
00:23:51.11\00:23:54.46
He was sleeping
with the enemy, right?
00:23:54.47\00:23:57.46
And then he went
to fight and one day
00:23:57.47\00:23:58.55
there was no strength there.
00:23:58.56\00:24:00.37
Gideon, before
God could use Gideon,
00:24:00.38\00:24:02.15
God said to him,
00:24:02.16\00:24:03.19
now before I lead you
against the Midianites,
00:24:03.20\00:24:06.80
you need to knock
down those offers of bail
00:24:06.81\00:24:08.57
that you've got in your triumph.
00:24:08.58\00:24:12.32
And God could do so much
more to work with the church,
00:24:12.33\00:24:15.10
if we recognize that
there is power in purity.
00:24:15.11\00:24:18.12
If we fix our eyes on
Jesus, if you look at the cross
00:24:22.18\00:24:25.32
and the more we understand
how our sins have hurt Him,
00:24:25.33\00:24:29.13
the easier it is
to live a new life.
00:24:29.14\00:24:32.14
Think about it,
friends, be honest.
00:24:32.15\00:24:34.43
If, if right now somehow
00:24:34.44\00:24:35.92
you could be
transported back in time
00:24:35.93\00:24:37.84
and you could be
given a vision of Jesus,
00:24:37.85\00:24:40.46
right here before you
on His cross, bleeding.
00:24:40.47\00:24:45.72
Have you ever
watched anyone die?
00:24:45.73\00:24:49.15
Dying,
suffering, and then you know
00:24:49.16\00:24:52.09
that he is on your
cross you are Barabbas.
00:24:52.10\00:24:54.01
He took your
place for your sins.
00:24:54.02\00:24:57.01
How can you walk
away from the cross
00:24:57.02\00:24:59.27
and be indifferent about sin.
00:24:59.28\00:25:02.17
The more time we spend
at the foot of the cross,
00:25:02.18\00:25:04.74
the easier it is
for us to recognize,
00:25:04.75\00:25:08.18
how much sin hurts Him
and the easier it is for us
00:25:08.19\00:25:10.81
to turn away from it.
00:25:10.82\00:25:12.57
We realize that it's deadly.
00:25:12.58\00:25:15.66
The devil does everything
he can with his clever
00:25:15.67\00:25:17.81
advertising campaign to
make sin look attractive.
00:25:17.82\00:25:22.26
This old bachelor on
his way to work everyday,
00:25:22.27\00:25:24.72
walked by this antique shop
00:25:24.73\00:25:26.63
and there on the
window of his antique shop
00:25:26.64\00:25:28.45
was this beautiful, it
wasn't a vase, it was a vase.
00:25:28.46\00:25:33.31
I say that with
the little finger out.
00:25:33.32\00:25:37.32
And he knows there's
just something about it.
00:25:37.33\00:25:38.98
It was a multi-colored ceramic
thing that was just beautiful.
00:25:38.99\00:25:42.20
He thought it was beautiful.
00:25:42.21\00:25:43.70
And he'd slow down
everyday and he'd stare at it.
00:25:43.71\00:25:45.57
And then finally
one day he thought,
00:25:45.58\00:25:46.57
"What's wrong with me?"
He says, "I've got the money.
00:25:46.58\00:25:48.39
I enjoy it so much.
00:25:48.40\00:25:49.39
I stand there in
the rain and look
00:25:49.40\00:25:50.47
at the window, and I look at it.
00:25:50.48\00:25:52.32
Why didn't I buy it?"
00:25:52.33\00:25:54.13
So he finally broke
down, he bought the vase.
00:25:54.14\00:25:56.03
He brought it in to his
musty dusty bachelor pad
00:25:56.04\00:25:58.50
and he set it down
in a prominent place
00:25:58.51\00:26:00.76
in the middle of the apartment.
00:26:00.77\00:26:01.99
And then he looked at it.
00:26:02.00\00:26:02.99
All of a sudden, he
realized that next to that vase,
00:26:03.00\00:26:05.83
his curtains
were torn and faded.
00:26:05.84\00:26:07.72
He thought, "You
know, I really need
00:26:07.73\00:26:08.72
to get some new curtains
and fix up the curtains."
00:26:09.02\00:26:13.14
Then he noticed that the springs
00:26:13.15\00:26:14.25
and stuffing were coming
out of his favorite chair.
00:26:14.26\00:26:16.72
It just didn't look right
there with the vase in the room.
00:26:16.73\00:26:18.61
And he fixed up the chair.
00:26:18.62\00:26:19.78
And then, the carpet
was stained and musty
00:26:19.79\00:26:23.68
and he changed out the carpet.
00:26:23.69\00:26:25.01
Little by little, the
whole room was transformed
00:26:25.02\00:26:27.99
because he
introduced something pure.
00:26:28.00\00:26:30.45
He didn't
realize all those years
00:26:30.46\00:26:31.95
he was living in that apartment
00:26:31.96\00:26:33.14
that it was slowly
deteriorating around him.
00:26:33.15\00:26:37.72
Don't point any fingers.
00:26:37.73\00:26:39.29
But have you ever met old people
00:26:39.30\00:26:40.39
that decorate their
house and they do it once,
00:26:40.40\00:26:42.82
50 years later, they haven't
noticed that things have aged.
00:26:42.83\00:26:45.56
And you might think it's
'cause they're being frugal.
00:26:52.69\00:26:54.97
They just have not noticed
and that's the way sin is.
00:26:54.98\00:26:59.02
Little by little, it
creeps into our lives
00:26:59.03\00:27:01.29
and it begins to
deteriorate things.
00:27:01.30\00:27:03.65
Things begin to rust,
and to rotten, to mold.
00:27:03.66\00:27:06.31
But it happened so slowly.
00:27:06.32\00:27:07.45
We don't know
what's going on around us
00:27:07.46\00:27:08.64
until something
pure is introduced.
00:27:08.65\00:27:12.60
The Bible says that when Isaiah
got a glimpse of God's glory,
00:27:12.61\00:27:16.29
and the angels
calling, "The holy, holy, holy."
00:27:16.30\00:27:18.95
He said, "Woe is me."
00:27:18.96\00:27:20.94
Up until that point,
he probably felt fine.
00:27:20.95\00:27:24.95
But then, he saw
himself through God's eyes.
00:27:24.96\00:27:28.64
In contrast, with
the holiness of God,
00:27:28.65\00:27:31.25
he got a picture of himself.
00:27:31.26\00:27:32.67
You know, the word of God
00:27:35.68\00:27:37.44
which is Christ
is what we're to use
00:27:37.45\00:27:39.50
to calibrate what is truth.
00:27:39.51\00:27:43.01
A man went to
visit a friend of his
00:27:43.02\00:27:44.72
that was an
artist in his studio.
00:27:44.73\00:27:47.66
And there by the
canvas, on a small table,
00:27:47.67\00:27:51.23
was a basket of gems.
00:27:51.24\00:27:56.58
They may not have
been valuable gems
00:27:56.59\00:27:58.25
like diamonds and rubies,
00:27:58.26\00:27:59.64
but they were
beautiful colored rocks.
00:27:59.65\00:28:03.43
Many of them brightly colored.
00:28:03.44\00:28:05.76
And someone said, "What's
with the basket of rocks?"
00:28:05.77\00:28:08.99
He said, "Well, when
I'm working with my palette
00:28:09.00\00:28:10.91
with all these
pigments and hues,
00:28:10.92\00:28:12.57
it's easy for my sensitivity
to color to become corrupted.
00:28:12.58\00:28:19.31
And so as I'm mixing my colors,
00:28:19.32\00:28:20.97
I hold my palette
by the basket of rocks
00:28:20.98\00:28:23.84
because they are constant."
00:28:23.85\00:28:26.68
What a tuning fork
is to the musician,
00:28:26.69\00:28:31.02
that's what this
basket was to the artist.
00:28:31.03\00:28:36.00
And it's easy for us
for our vision to fade.
00:28:36.01\00:28:40.85
You know, Karen
and I have a piano
00:28:40.86\00:28:42.63
at our home up in Covelo.
00:28:42.64\00:28:44.01
And I don't know
that it's been tuned
00:28:44.02\00:28:46.08
by a professional in 20 years.
00:28:46.09\00:28:49.16
Now I can tune the piano,
00:28:49.17\00:28:50.47
but I don't
have any instruments.
00:28:50.48\00:28:51.52
And so what I do
is I tune each string
00:28:51.53\00:28:53.97
with the other
strings around it.
00:28:53.98\00:28:55.20
Right now I suppose
00:28:58.27\00:28:59.43
it's about an
octave off a normal piano.
00:28:59.44\00:29:02.82
And it's gotten there
little by little by little
00:29:02.83\00:29:06.63
by comparing one
string with another.
00:29:06.64\00:29:10.31
That's what's been
happening with the church.
00:29:10.32\00:29:12.46
We're off key, friends.
00:29:12.47\00:29:14.49
It's because we're
making that mistake
00:29:14.50\00:29:15.87
that Paul refers
to where we compare
00:29:15.90\00:29:18.12
ourselves among ourselves
00:29:18.13\00:29:19.75
and measure
ourselves by ourselves.
00:29:19.76\00:29:22.04
And as we do this,
the standard of the church
00:29:22.05\00:29:24.31
as long as we're better
than each other in the world,
00:29:24.32\00:29:26.28
we feel like we're okay.
00:29:26.29\00:29:28.19
But if we get a
glimpse of God and His glory,
00:29:28.20\00:29:30.35
we say, "Woe is
me, I am undone."
00:29:30.36\00:29:33.84
"Blessed are the pure in
heart, they will see God."
00:29:33.85\00:29:38.61
God is calling us to purity.
He's calling us to holiness.
00:29:38.62\00:29:42.89
It's a standard that
is so far high and above
00:29:42.92\00:29:45.81
even what the church
advertises as acceptable.
00:29:45.82\00:29:49.65
Jesus said there are things
00:29:49.66\00:29:50.85
that are highly
esteemed among men
00:29:50.90\00:29:52.43
that are an abomination to God.
00:29:52.44\00:29:54.36
And you know who He
said that to was the church.
00:29:54.37\00:29:57.47
He was talking
about church traditions
00:29:57.48\00:29:58.83
and church rules and our
own kind of manufactured dogmas.
00:29:58.84\00:30:03.88
And there are things
that we think are just fine
00:30:03.89\00:30:06.04
and they're accepted
and we'll even joke about.
00:30:06.05\00:30:08.68
And God says,
"They're an abomination."
00:30:08.69\00:30:11.51
How are we gonna know
what's right, what's wrong?
00:30:11.52\00:30:15.32
We've got to go by His word.
00:30:15.33\00:30:18.01
We have to keep our
eyes fixed upon Jesus.
00:30:18.02\00:30:20.02
He is our example
in all of these things.
00:30:20.03\00:30:24.18
There is power and purity.
00:30:24.19\00:30:26.57
Why was it that
David could bring down
00:30:26.58\00:30:28.30
Goliath and Saul could not?
00:30:28.33\00:30:29.94
Because Saul had
turned his back on God.
00:30:32.22\00:30:35.66
David went against the
giant trusting the Lord.
00:30:35.67\00:30:37.99
There is power in purity.
00:30:38.00\00:30:42.51
You know in our home,
00:30:42.52\00:30:43.76
I think I already told you
that there's solar electric.
00:30:43.77\00:30:47.24
And up on our roof, we've got
00:30:47.25\00:30:48.69
about eight solar panels
that power the whole house,
00:30:48.72\00:30:53.09
but every now and then,
00:30:53.10\00:30:54.12
you know, in the fall
the leaves blow around
00:30:54.13\00:30:56.14
and you just get
your natural sediment
00:30:56.15\00:30:57.82
in your dusty buildup.
00:30:57.83\00:30:59.29
And about once a year
or so, I go up on the roof
00:30:59.30\00:31:02.01
and I just take some Windex
00:31:02.02\00:31:03.24
and I wipe off the solar panels.
00:31:03.25\00:31:04.98
And I can go downstairs
and I've got an amp meter.
00:31:04.99\00:31:08.94
And all you gotta do is
you clean off the panels
00:31:08.95\00:31:11.41
and you can see they
start putting up more amps
00:31:11.42\00:31:14.66
'cause the light
is getting through.
00:31:14.67\00:31:18.58
What is it that's gonna give
us more power, more amperage?
00:31:18.59\00:31:22.89
"Thy word is a
lamp unto my feet,
00:31:22.90\00:31:25.51
and a light unto my path."
00:31:25.52\00:31:27.87
If we would spend
more time in God's word,
00:31:27.88\00:31:30.28
we'd find that power.
00:31:30.29\00:31:32.31
There's power in prayer.
00:31:32.32\00:31:36.33
You know, whenever I really
pray earnestly for something,
00:31:36.34\00:31:40.75
God gives me miraculous answer.
00:31:40.76\00:31:42.94
I just have this
epiphany and I think to myself,
00:31:42.95\00:31:45.72
"Why don't I do this more often?
00:31:45.73\00:31:48.33
This really works."
00:31:48.34\00:31:50.32
You're surprised,
your pastor say that.
00:31:50.33\00:31:52.24
I think its part
of my job description.
00:31:52.25\00:31:54.61
But we don't pray like this.
00:31:54.62\00:31:56.54
The founders and the fathers
of the church used to pray.
00:31:56.55\00:31:59.92
They would pray for hours.
00:31:59.93\00:32:01.02
We sing that song
'Sweet Hour Of Prayer'.
00:32:01.03\00:32:02.79
Most of us are lying
when we sing that, right?
00:32:02.80\00:32:06.92
Come on, fess up.
00:32:06.93\00:32:09.09
We sing that song 'O For
A Thousand Tongues To Sing.'
00:32:09.10\00:32:11.54
We don't use the
one tongue we do have.
00:32:11.55\00:32:16.21
There's power in prayer.
There's power in God's word.
00:32:16.22\00:32:21.48
Some of you remember
the story of King Arthur
00:32:21.49\00:32:23.90
and the Knights
of the Round Table.
00:32:23.91\00:32:26.22
One of his
knights was Sir Galahad.
00:32:26.23\00:32:29.19
And in Tennyson's poem,
00:32:29.20\00:32:33.60
he said, "I have
the strength of 10 men
00:32:33.61\00:32:36.36
because my heart is pure."
00:32:36.37\00:32:39.82
God wants us to have that.
00:32:39.86\00:32:42.65
When was it that
the Lord poured out
00:32:42.66\00:32:44.32
the Holy Spirit on the church?
00:32:44.36\00:32:47.77
You know it was after
Passover what happens--
00:32:47.78\00:32:52.38
it's a time of
sacrifice and cleansing.
00:32:52.39\00:32:55.73
It was after the Passover,
after they got on their knees,
00:32:55.74\00:32:59.79
after Jesus washed their feet.
00:32:59.80\00:33:02.11
After they were made
pure, then they had power.
00:33:02.12\00:33:06.36
There is no limit to
the usefulness of one
00:33:06.37\00:33:09.53
who by laying self aside
makes room for the working of
00:33:09.54\00:33:12.49
the Holy Spirit in their hearts.
00:33:12.50\00:33:14.51
God wants to do so
much for us and through us,
00:33:14.52\00:33:17.31
He wants to fill us
but He cannot fill a vessel
00:33:17.32\00:33:20.24
that is already
full of the world.
00:33:20.25\00:33:24.28
If we'd empty
ourselves, He could fill us.
00:33:24.29\00:33:29.42
But we need to make our
vessels available to Him.
00:33:29.43\00:33:31.19
Our hearts are just so full
00:33:31.20\00:33:32.47
and overcharged, you
know, Jesus warned us.
00:33:32.48\00:33:34.21
He said, "Beware
less for your hearts
00:33:34.22\00:33:36.71
be overcharged
with eating and drinking
00:33:36.72\00:33:38.66
and the cares of this life."
00:33:38.67\00:33:40.06
Our hearts can even be
overcharged with good things.
00:33:40.07\00:33:44.87
And then after that happened,
00:33:44.88\00:33:46.17
thousands were
baptized in a day.
00:33:46.18\00:33:49.54
God is inviting
us and calling us
00:33:49.55\00:33:52.46
to a standard of purity.
00:33:52.47\00:33:54.40
I think we need
a revival in what
00:33:54.41\00:33:56.10
we decide to look at.
00:33:56.11\00:33:58.38
We need to spend more time
reading God's word, friends.
00:33:58.39\00:34:01.76
Let me explain
how important this is.
00:34:01.77\00:34:03.41
It's simple.
00:34:03.42\00:34:06.75
I just want you to
know I do see the time.
00:34:06.76\00:34:10.66
And I'm just
acknowledging I see it.
00:34:12.02\00:34:13.08
That's all I said.
00:34:13.09\00:34:17.71
You know, I know that--
I know that you have plans.
00:34:17.72\00:34:22.22
You cannot obey God
if you don't love Him.
00:34:22.23\00:34:25.51
You cannot love
somebody you do not know.
00:34:25.52\00:34:28.00
Eternal life is in knowing God.
00:34:28.01\00:34:31.02
The way that you
get to know somebody
00:34:31.03\00:34:32.94
is they talk to you
and you talk to them.
00:34:32.95\00:34:35.65
Most marriages where
people marry the same day
00:34:35.66\00:34:38.32
that they meet each other
in Las Vegas, they do no last.
00:34:38.33\00:34:41.43
They get to know each
other their chances are better.
00:34:41.44\00:34:45.91
And I should add at this
point for any young people
00:34:45.92\00:34:48.03
who might be listening
that think you get to know
00:34:48.04\00:34:49.79
somebody by living
with them, sharing the bed
00:34:49.80\00:34:52.97
so you get to know them.
00:34:52.98\00:34:56.20
You want to get to know
someone shared checkbook,
00:34:56.21\00:34:57.94
you don't need to share bed.
00:34:57.95\00:34:59.14
We love
somebody-- we love someone
00:35:03.42\00:35:09.46
'cause they communicate.
00:35:09.47\00:35:10.51
We talk to God when we pray.
00:35:10.52\00:35:13.53
He speaks to us
primarily through His word.
00:35:13.54\00:35:16.62
The more we
communicate with God,
00:35:16.63\00:35:18.70
the more we will know Him.
00:35:18.71\00:35:20.11
The more we know
Him, the more we love Him.
00:35:20.12\00:35:21.79
The more we love Him,
00:35:21.80\00:35:22.85
the easier it
will be to obey Him.
00:35:22.86\00:35:25.20
It's that simple, friends?
00:35:25.21\00:35:27.67
Now I know how
desperately I need this.
00:35:27.68\00:35:32.00
I barely make it.
00:35:32.01\00:35:33.87
I barely make it as a Christian.
00:35:33.88\00:35:35.68
Sometimes I
wonder if I'm making it.
00:35:35.69\00:35:37.27
I'm being honest with you.
00:35:37.28\00:35:38.67
It's a struggle to be
holy in this wicked world.
00:35:38.68\00:35:41.76
And I know that what the Lord
really wants is purity here.
00:35:45.10\00:35:49.63
The last frontier, inner space.
00:35:49.64\00:35:52.50
Amen! Amen!
00:35:52.51\00:35:54.31
I mean it's easy
for us to fabricate
00:35:54.32\00:35:55.96
this façade of
holiness when you go to church
00:35:55.97\00:35:58.31
and you take your Bible--
00:35:58.32\00:36:00.70
But God looks on the inside.
00:36:00.71\00:36:04.22
And I surround
myself with the word of God.
00:36:04.23\00:36:08.32
You maybe heard me say this
before but it bears repeating,
00:36:08.33\00:36:11.23
"I wake up in the
morning, I read my Bible.
00:36:11.24\00:36:13.98
Through the day, I
listen to Christian music."
00:36:13.99\00:36:17.65
And no such
thing is Christian rap.
00:36:17.66\00:36:18.94
That's an oxymoron. I
listen to Bible tapes.
00:36:18.95\00:36:26.89
I go to sleep at night
listening to Bible tapes.
00:36:26.90\00:36:30.17
We have 3ABN.
00:36:30.18\00:36:32.38
Matter of fact,
we got Sky Angel.
00:36:32.39\00:36:34.52
I even sample some
of the other religions
00:36:34.53\00:36:36.48
so I keep my finger on
the pulse of what's happening.
00:36:36.49\00:36:40.29
There're some good
preachers out there.
00:36:40.30\00:36:42.64
You need to know
how to eat the melon
00:36:42.65\00:36:43.89
and spit out the seeds, right?
00:36:43.90\00:36:46.71
But, you know,
we're not the only ones
00:36:46.75\00:36:47.83
that God speaks through.
00:36:47.84\00:36:50.04
But I have to really surround
myself with these influences
00:36:50.05\00:36:53.60
just to keep my
compass calibrated,
00:36:53.64\00:36:56.96
to focus on the Lord.
00:36:56.97\00:36:58.91
You need it too.
00:36:58.92\00:37:00.30
What do you think,
preachers have it easier?
00:37:00.31\00:37:01.55
We might have it tougher.
00:37:01.56\00:37:03.48
Smite the shepherd and
the sheep will scatter.
00:37:03.49\00:37:07.81
Psalms 51, "Create
in me a clean heart."
00:37:07.82\00:37:09.94
You'd been singing
about that all week.
00:37:09.95\00:37:11.73
Renew a
steadfast spirit within me.
00:37:11.74\00:37:13.96
This man was showing his
friend his homing pigeons.
00:37:16.78\00:37:22.33
And up on the
roof in New York City,
00:37:22.34\00:37:24.82
the while he was showing
them the different pigeons,
00:37:24.83\00:37:26.54
you know, there are
more breeds of pigeons
00:37:26.58\00:37:28.01
than any other
bird in the world.
00:37:28.05\00:37:30.44
They have been crossbred
00:37:30.45\00:37:31.48
and there're some pigeons
that looked like hippies.
00:37:31.49\00:37:32.98
They're all these
different pigeons.
00:37:32.99\00:37:36.27
And while he was
showing him all his pigeons,
00:37:36.28\00:37:40.45
a beautiful white dove,
which is a pigeon, you know,
00:37:40.46\00:37:46.81
flew in and the man
was happy to see it.
00:37:46.82\00:37:49.64
And he picked it up and
he inspected and he said,
00:37:49.65\00:37:51.98
"Well, you look at this."
00:37:51.99\00:37:53.30
he said, "This dove
just flew in from St Louis
00:37:53.31\00:37:56.58
and didn't even stop."
00:37:56.59\00:37:58.57
And his friend said,
"Well, how do you know that?
00:37:58.58\00:38:00.30
Did it talk to you?"
00:38:00.31\00:38:02.93
He said, "No, it came in clean."
00:38:02.94\00:38:04.78
He said, "There is no
pollen or maze on its feet.
00:38:07.51\00:38:10.04
No mud on its wings.
00:38:10.05\00:38:12.09
All it could think
about was getting home
00:38:12.10\00:38:13.67
and so it came in clean."
00:38:13.68\00:38:18.00
Do you have your attention
fixed on Jesus, friends?
00:38:18.01\00:38:22.41
If we stay focused on
Him, that's the only way
00:38:22.42\00:38:25.36
we can live pure lives.
00:38:25.37\00:38:27.45
You become like what you
look at, Christ is our example.
00:38:27.46\00:38:32.01
As we fix our eyes on
Him, we will become like Him.
00:38:32.02\00:38:37.50
We can say like Paul,
"It's not I that lived
00:38:37.51\00:38:39.28
but that Christ
that lives in me."
00:38:39.29\00:38:41.11
And if everyday we
are taking up our cross,
00:38:41.12\00:38:43.09
the Bible says, "Jesus declared,
00:38:43.10\00:38:45.25
'You cannot come after me,
00:38:45.26\00:38:47.44
unless you deny yourself daily
and pray the Lord's Prayer,
00:38:47.45\00:38:52.62
give me this day my
daily bread.'" That's this.
00:38:52.63\00:38:56.31
Most of you don't worry
about bread from day-to-day.
00:38:56.32\00:38:59.31
Give us this
day our daily bread.
00:38:59.32\00:39:00.67
Daily deny ourselves.
00:39:00.68\00:39:01.90
Daily take up our
crosses and follow him.
00:39:01.91\00:39:04.43
And if we daily are
crucified with Christ,
00:39:04.44\00:39:07.15
then daily
born-again as new creatures
00:39:07.16\00:39:09.77
that's the only way we're
gonna live a victorious life.
00:39:09.78\00:39:13.74
The Bible tells
us in the last days
00:39:13.75\00:39:15.51
the attacks of the
devil will be so affective.
00:39:15.52\00:39:19.67
That if it were possible,
00:39:19.68\00:39:20.68
even the very
elect would be deceived.
00:39:20.69\00:39:23.03
I want to--I want to
read you a statement.
00:39:26.55\00:39:30.01
I keep wanting to stop
'cause I respect your time
00:39:30.02\00:39:32.36
but I keep
thinking of some things,
00:39:32.37\00:39:34.30
I just feel
like I need to share.
00:39:34.31\00:39:36.00
Steps to Christ, page
29, Isaiah saw the Lord
00:39:36.01\00:39:39.64
and he said, "Woe is me."
00:39:39.65\00:39:40.64
Daniel saw the
Lord and he fell down
00:39:40.65\00:39:41.93
as though he was dead.
00:39:41.94\00:39:43.14
John, the Apostle saw the Lord,
00:39:43.15\00:39:47.63
"One ray of the glory of God,
00:39:47.64\00:39:49.41
one gleam of the
purity of Christ,
00:39:49.42\00:39:52.69
penetrating the soul,
00:39:52.70\00:39:54.00
makes every spot of
defilement painfully distinct,
00:39:54.01\00:39:57.63
and lays bare the deformity
00:39:57.64\00:39:59.14
and the defects of
the human character.
00:39:59.15\00:40:00.91
It makes apparent
the unhallowed desires,
00:40:00.92\00:40:03.40
the infidelity of the heart,
the impurity of the lips."
00:40:03.41\00:40:07.11
You know the Bible
says we'll give an account
00:40:07.12\00:40:08.71
for every idle
word that we speak.
00:40:08.72\00:40:10.91
For by your words
you'll be justified
00:40:10.92\00:40:12.45
and by your words
you'll be condemned.
00:40:12.46\00:40:14.12
How do we change our words?
00:40:14.13\00:40:16.86
Why are our mouths closed?
00:40:16.87\00:40:18.55
Is it some kind
of Christian muzzle,
00:40:18.56\00:40:21.43
or does the Bible say out
of the abundance of the heart,
00:40:21.44\00:40:23.53
the mouth speaks?
00:40:23.54\00:40:25.72
When our hearts are changed,
our words will be changed.
00:40:25.73\00:40:28.69
"The impurity of the lips."
00:40:28.70\00:40:30.26
The sinner's acts of disloyalty
00:40:30.27\00:40:31.97
in making void the law of
God are exposed to his sight,
00:40:31.98\00:40:34.78
and his spirit is
stricken and afflicted
00:40:34.79\00:40:36.41
under the searching
influence of the Spirit of God.
00:40:36.42\00:40:38.80
He loathes himself
as he views the pure,
00:40:38.81\00:40:41.55
spotless character of Christ."
00:40:41.56\00:40:44.18
The more you look at Jesus,
the more clear and accurate
00:40:44.22\00:40:49.62
your picture of
your standing will be.
00:40:49.66\00:40:51.76
The Bible tells us, that's why
00:40:51.77\00:40:53.34
you're not supposed to go
around judging each other.
00:40:53.35\00:40:57.75
If you're gonna do it,
judge a righteous judgment.
00:40:57.76\00:41:01.53
But you're to examine yourself.
00:41:01.54\00:41:04.43
Paul says, "Examine
yourself if you're in the faith.
00:41:04.44\00:41:06.72
Prove your own selves.
Do you not know yourself?
00:41:06.75\00:41:10.13
Do you know that
you're becoming like Christ."
00:41:10.14\00:41:13.86
How are you gonna know that?
00:41:13.87\00:41:14.87
By looking at the
church? Don't do that.
00:41:14.88\00:41:18.02
You look at Jesus.
00:41:18.03\00:41:20.10
We compare
ourselves with Christ.
00:41:20.11\00:41:23.15
Revelation
Chapter 7, the angel says,
00:41:23.16\00:41:27.01
"You know who these
are red and white robes?
00:41:27.02\00:41:30.73
And he says, These are the ones
00:41:30.74\00:41:31.92
who have washed their
robes and made them white
00:41:31.93\00:41:33.89
in the blood of the Lamb."
00:41:33.90\00:41:35.85
How do we become
pure in this sinful world?
00:41:35.86\00:41:38.82
It's the blood of Jesus that
washes us, amen, friends. Amen.
00:41:38.83\00:41:43.08
I don't know how it
works, but it works.
00:41:46.47\00:41:51.22
Someone asked,
Billy Sunday about that,
00:41:51.23\00:41:53.76
he said I don't
know how a black cow
00:41:53.77\00:41:55.29
can eat green grass and make
00:41:55.30\00:41:56.77
yellow butter and
white milk, but it works.
00:41:56.78\00:41:59.58
And if you come to
Jesus as you are and say,
00:42:01.62\00:42:04.55
"Lord, wash me from my sins,
00:42:04.56\00:42:07.56
cover me with your
robe of righteousness."
00:42:07.57\00:42:09.81
Like the prodigal son
you can--just like you are
00:42:09.82\00:42:13.15
He'll embrace you
and He'll give you
00:42:13.16\00:42:15.16
that royal robe like the
robe that Jacob gave to Joseph.
00:42:15.17\00:42:19.52
Like the robes that
David's daughters wore.
00:42:19.53\00:42:22.63
He'll give you that royal robe
00:42:22.64\00:42:24.03
and you can be pure
00:42:24.04\00:42:25.15
through
justification right now tonight.
00:42:25.16\00:42:27.32
Isn't that good news? Amen!
00:42:27.33\00:42:29.04
You can be pure tonight
through the blood of Christ.
00:42:29.05\00:42:32.02
And then He can
give you power to be pure
00:42:32.03\00:42:35.86
through sanctification
and live a new life.
00:42:35.87\00:42:39.30
Would you like to
have that, friends? Amen!
00:42:39.31\00:42:41.45
Not just to be putting on
00:42:41.46\00:42:44.13
the dramatic
garments of Christianity
00:42:44.14\00:42:48.83
where we pray and fast
00:42:48.84\00:42:50.29
and give to be seen of
men, but we're pure in hearts.
00:42:50.30\00:42:55.58
Father in Heaven,
00:42:55.59\00:42:57.71
Lord, I believe that this
is the yearning of Your heart
00:42:57.72\00:43:02.45
that Your children might reflect
00:43:02.46\00:43:04.73
the character of Your Son.
00:43:04.74\00:43:07.73
This is the
bull's-eye in the gospel
00:43:07.74\00:43:10.11
of the Great Controversy
that God might have a people
00:43:10.12\00:43:14.76
that are pure in heart.
00:43:14.77\00:43:16.65
Lord, this is a wicked world
and it's not getting better.
00:43:16.66\00:43:20.85
Evil men and seducers
are waxing worse and worse,
00:43:20.86\00:43:23.30
but Lord, in the midst of this,
00:43:23.31\00:43:24.64
if Jesus could
grow up in Nazareth
00:43:24.65\00:43:26.56
and be pure as a
Lily comes up in a swamp,
00:43:26.57\00:43:29.42
then we can be pure too.
00:43:29.43\00:43:31.57
Lord, I pray
that we will believe
00:43:31.58\00:43:33.17
that first of all
cleanse us right now,
00:43:33.18\00:43:36.43
apply the blood of
Your Son to wash us
00:43:36.44\00:43:39.43
from all unrighteousness.
00:43:39.44\00:43:41.95
And then we would ask Lord
00:43:41.96\00:43:42.97
that You give us the
power to live new lives.
00:43:42.98\00:43:46.21
Help us to take
advantage of the gifts
00:43:46.22\00:43:50.03
you've given us in Your word
00:43:50.04\00:43:51.85
and the privilege of prayer
00:43:51.86\00:43:53.80
to increase our knowledge
in our love and then help us
00:43:53.81\00:43:56.71
to be witnesses
for You in our family,
00:43:56.72\00:43:58.69
in our community
and have that power
00:43:58.70\00:44:01.67
to bring souls into thee.
00:44:01.68\00:44:03.61
Thank You again for
Your blessings here.
00:44:03.62\00:44:06.25
And we ask this in Jesus' name.
00:44:06.26\00:44:08.47
Amen. Amen.
00:44:08.48\00:44:10.44
Now, before you jump up
00:44:10.45\00:44:11.92
and do that
last meeting shuffle,
00:44:11.93\00:44:13.73
we're gonna close with
our theme song, thank you.
00:44:13.74\00:44:16.52
Change my heart oh God
00:44:29.98\00:44:35.17
Make it ever true
00:44:35.18\00:44:39.64
Change my heart oh God
00:44:39.65\00:44:43.93
May I be like You
00:44:43.94\00:44:49.12
You are the potter
00:44:49.13\00:44:53.41
I am the clay
00:44:53.42\00:44:58.68
Mold me and make me
00:44:58.69\00:45:03.35
This is what I pray
00:45:03.36\00:45:08.47
Change my heart oh God
00:45:08.48\00:45:13.30
Make it ever true
00:45:13.31\00:45:18.09
Change my heart oh God
00:45:18.10\00:45:23.03
May I be like You
00:45:23.04\00:45:27.19
As we close this evening,
00:45:31.77\00:45:33.50
I would just like to make this--
00:45:33.51\00:45:35.23
these couple of statements.
00:45:35.24\00:45:36.87
These wonderful green plants
if you would like one of those,
00:45:36.88\00:45:40.39
Linda Pellandini has
the information for that.
00:45:40.40\00:45:43.34
And if you would just help us
00:45:43.35\00:45:44.63
by taking your chair
with you out the side doors
00:45:44.64\00:45:47.39
to one of those crates,
00:45:47.40\00:45:48.44
we would be very
appreciative. Let's pray.
00:45:48.45\00:45:53.24
Our gracious Father in Heaven,
00:45:53.25\00:45:55.67
how good and rich has
been our experience this week.
00:45:55.68\00:46:00.62
We have felt the presence
and the power of Your spirit.
00:46:00.63\00:46:04.35
We have opened our hearts
to the preaching of the word.
00:46:04.36\00:46:08.50
We have seen Jesus here.
00:46:08.51\00:46:11.20
And we've felt
the Father's love.
00:46:11.21\00:46:14.64
Lord, we know that on this earth
00:46:14.65\00:46:16.75
we cannot gather
like this all the time.
00:46:16.76\00:46:21.16
You have called us to
live among our families,
00:46:21.17\00:46:24.29
our friends, our
neighbors, our coworkers
00:46:24.30\00:46:28.94
what would they do
without us living this holiness.
00:46:28.95\00:46:34.57
Give us the power to
take this experience with us
00:46:34.58\00:46:39.40
and to put it in place wherever
we are for the coming year.
00:46:39.41\00:46:46.64
We thank You for the
blood, in Jesus' name, amen.
00:46:46.65\00:46:50.41