Thank you for
tuning in to this message
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entitled "In the
year King Uzziah died."
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Very humbling
message, a message I believe
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that will get our hearts ready
for the coming of the Lord.
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And I'm not
gonna begin with music,
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I'm gonna begin with prayer.
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And I'll sing at
the end of the sermon.
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So let's bow our hearts
as I kneel before the Lord.
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Our Father God in heaven,
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as we bow our hearts before You,
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we thank You
that You are almighty,
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and that You are all knowing.
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And that, Father, You
sent Your Holy Spirit to
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be in our hearts to
accomplish Your work
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in preparation for
the coming of our Lord.
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And, Father, if these
are not the last days,
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then what kind of days are they?
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And so help us to be mindful
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that any defects
in our character,
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Father, we must pray,
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and diligently label
with Your Holy Spirit
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to correct the flaws
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that will disqualify
us to be in the kingdom.
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And we pray that
You'll speak to us now,
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Lord, that Your
purposes may be accomplished
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and that we will
be that much closer
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to being renewed
in Your character.
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In Jesus' name we pray.
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Amen.
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I chose this message
in response to an article
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that Pastor Hal Steenson
put in our 3ABN World Magazine,
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and it was a very
insightful message
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on the issue of pride.
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Now there are very few of us.
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I should say
there are very few of us
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that will admit that we
have an issue with pride.
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Shall I say, "We
are almost too prideful
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to admit that we
struggle with pride?"
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But I also discovered
that pride is something
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that is insidious.
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It lies dormant
and it manifests itself
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to our destruction
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if we failed to acknowledge that
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it is an issue
that we struggle with.
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When I read that
article, I thought to myself,
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"I don't see
myself in everything,
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but there are
some areas in our lives
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where when we
are either offended
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or spoken wrongly against,
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or someone does
something better than us,
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or someone gets more
recognition than we get,
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or someone gets a
position we desire."
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Sometimes out pride
comes to the forefront
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and battles with us,
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and while people
around us may never understand
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what the difficulty is.
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Pride is something that if
no one ever knows about it,
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it's still
something that can defeat you
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and lead to your destruction.
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Now, I wanna also say
this, "I'm a lot wiser now
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that I'm getting older
than when I was younger."
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Anybody else
could say amen to that?
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I mean as we get
older the record should say,
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"I've learned about something's
that I would never do again."
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There are certain things
that I did when I was young,
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that I thank the
Lord, I will never do again.
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But what if the record
were the other way around?
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That as we got
older, we began to do things
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that we never thought of
doing when we were young?
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What if instead
of getting better,
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we got worst as time went on?
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What if instead
of God blessing us
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as we're getting older,
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God is removing His blessings
as we are getting older,
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because we're failing to grow,
we are almost going backward.
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We are back sliding,
ignorant of our direction.
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Well, I've chosen
someone in the Bible that
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the Bible in 2
Chronicles Chapter 26
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beginning with verse 1,
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talks about a man
by the name of Uzziah.
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What was his name? Uzziah.
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Uzziah, very well-known
man, as a matter of fact
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you'll discover
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quite a few
things about his life
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that many of us
would hope to be true
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about our own lives.
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But before I
read, 2 Chronicles 26:1,
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I wanna begin with a Bible verse
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that I have been wondering
about for years what it meant.
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Go with me to
Isaiah 6:1, Isaiah 6:1,
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if you have your Bible's,
you can turn it with us.
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Isaiah 6:1, and we
have a sermon outlined
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and when we get to
the particular points
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that you notice are missing
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that there is some blank,
missing words, that outline,
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the answers will
appear on the screen
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and those of us
watching the program,
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you'll be able to see it,
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but unfortunately you
don't have an outline,
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but those of you who are here,
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will be able to fit
those missing words in.
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This text bewildered
me for many, many years.
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But when I began to
study the life of Uzziah,
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I finally understood
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why God gave Isaiah the prophet,
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this very profound single verse
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that summarized a man's life.
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Isaiah 6:1, the Bible says,
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"In the year
that king Uzziah died
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I saw the Lord
sitting on the throne,
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high and lifted up,
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and the train of His
robe filled the temple."
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Now the emphasis on the verse
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was in the early
part of the verse,
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in the year that
King Uzziah died,
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Isaiah received a vision.
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And he saw, I believe,
and I'll try to prove that
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as I go on in the message.
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Isaiah saw what God
intended for Uzziah to see,
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but instead of Uzziah seeing it,
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Isaiah saw it.
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That's why I began
by saying in the year
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that King Uzziah died,
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I saw the Lord
high and lifted up.
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I would haste to say
that God has a vision
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for every one of our lives.
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God has a vision far
beyond our imagination.
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What God wants us to
become is far exceedingly,
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abundantly above all
that we can ever ask or think.
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But it is our own
ideas, our own ideologies,
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our own
decisions, our own direction
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that will be the only
reason why we failed to see
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what God intends for us to see.
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And I would also haste
to say that if we don't see
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what God intents for
us to see by the time
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we're 68 years old,
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chances are we missed the boat.
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Now let's go back to
2 Chronicles Chapter 26.
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The Bible says, and
beginning with verse 1,
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"Now all the people
of Judah took Uzziah,
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who was," how old? Sixteen.
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"Sixteen years
old, and made him king
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instead of his father Amaziah."
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Now I got to say
something right here.
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Many of us wouldn't even
give a 16 year old car keys.
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Am I right?
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Many of us wouldn't
leave our 16 year old home
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by himself.
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Can you imagine
the wisdom of God
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to make a 16 year old king?
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God sees in us
regardless of our age,
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something that God can use.
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Can you say amen to that?
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So age is not the
thing that disqualifies us
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from being used by
God, it's the human heart,
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it's the condition of the life.
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God shows a young man,
who he saw a bright feature
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quite ahead of
him, and the Bible said
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they made him king.
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And in every one of
us, there is a little king.
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Think about it.
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I mean we like to be recognized
for our accomplishments.
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We like to be handled at
times with special gloves.
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We like to know that
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when we speak,
people are listing to us.
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We like to know that
every once in a while
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God rolls out a
red carpet for us,
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and blesses us
more than any people.
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Amen.
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And every now and then,
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we like to get
that special seat.
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There's a little
king in every one of us,
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that's why the
story about Uzziah is true
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about every one of
us to a great degree.
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God allowed this young man
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at 16 years old to
be made king in Israel.
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The blessings that
God however gives to us
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are always for His
glory and not for ours.
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What do you say?
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So at 16 years old,
Uzziah was blessed by God.
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But I've come
around full circle now
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that as I'm getting
older, and I already told you
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about the fact
that I've resigned
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to coloring my hair.
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My vision is getting worst
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whether I get new
contacts or new glasses,
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anybody else?
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So I've decided to go ahead
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and if God wanted
my hair to stay dark,
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God would have kept
it dark at this age.
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But the reason why
I'm allowing it to change
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is because the Bible says that,
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"Wise men have gray hair."
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Amen.
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You get wiser as you get
older, and God gives you a cap
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to let people
say, "See that guy?
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He's wiser than
you are, he's got...
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He at least has learnt something
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that you are yet to learn."
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I said to a lady
just a few days ago,
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I said, "When
you marry somebody,
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make sure that you
marry an archaeologist.
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Because as you get
older you won't lose value,
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you'll gain value.
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Make sure you
marry an antique seller.
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You won't be old furniture,
you'll be valuable furniture."
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As you get older, you
should be getting better.
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You discover,
also at the same time
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that the good things
we did when we were young
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will either tell
for or against us
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when we get older.
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Think about it for a moment.
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There are those
that became promiscuous
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when they were
young, never thinking
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that they would have
to pay for their decisions
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when they got older.
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There's some people
that were very promiscuous,
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went from one
partner to the other,
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and they got a disease
and as they are getting older,
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the disease is
beginning to take tolls
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in a way that it never
did when they were young.
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They were those if they
could reverse their lives
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would do things
quite differently.
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Every one of us,
when we get older,
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what we did when we were young
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is going to either be
for our good or for our evil.
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Every one of us
will influence somebody
00:11:09.40\00:11:12.33
towards God or against God.
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When you look at
the story of Uzziah
00:11:15.57\00:11:17.21
he was a very influential man.
00:11:17.24\00:11:19.94
He was influential in wealth,
he was influential as a king,
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he was almost as
influential as Solomon was.
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But he also had of
many of Solomon's traits.
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Now Solomon was
wise, but I tell you what?
00:11:31.29\00:11:34.39
I'm glad I didn't
do a lot of the things
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that Solomon did, anybody else?
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I got one wife,
I'm happy with one.
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Don't need 700.
00:11:42.46\00:11:44.87
Amen, men. Amen.
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Don't need 700 men.
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Look at verse 2 of
26, 2 Chronicles 26,
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talking about
the blessing of God
00:11:52.31\00:11:53.78
on this young man Uzziah.
00:11:53.81\00:11:56.24
The Bible says,
"He built Eloth..."
00:11:56.28\00:11:58.85
Look at his
resume, "He built Eloth,
00:11:58.88\00:12:01.05
and restored it to Judah,
00:12:01.08\00:12:03.32
after the king
rested with his fathers.
00:12:03.35\00:12:06.25
Uzziah was sixteen
years old when he became king
00:12:06.29\00:12:10.43
and he reigned," how long?
00:12:10.46\00:12:12.79
"Fifty two years."
00:12:12.83\00:12:15.20
Now, can you
imagine having Bill Clinton
00:12:15.23\00:12:19.47
for president for 52
years, or George Bush?
00:12:19.50\00:12:24.74
Fifty two years or
anybody's leadership
00:12:24.77\00:12:27.64
after a while, you gonna say,
00:12:27.68\00:12:29.51
"Lord, I mean,
00:12:29.54\00:12:32.11
I don't really like the way
00:12:32.15\00:12:33.48
he's taking these things.
00:12:33.52\00:12:34.95
Maybe it's time
for a new president?
00:12:34.98\00:12:38.12
And so Bill Clinton is replaced
by, Reagan who's replaced by,
00:12:38.15\00:12:42.16
you know so on and so forth.
00:12:42.19\00:12:43.73
I may have got them backward.
00:12:43.76\00:12:47.50
But God saw fit for
this young man to be king
00:12:47.53\00:12:51.37
in Jerusalem for 52 years.
00:12:51.40\00:12:54.10
And I would haste to say.
00:12:54.14\00:12:56.30
I'm sure that there
were people in Jerusalem
00:12:56.34\00:12:58.64
that did not like the
fact that after 20 years
00:12:58.67\00:13:01.18
that Uzziah was still there,
00:13:01.21\00:13:04.38
or maybe after 30 years
00:13:04.41\00:13:06.11
that he was still
there, or maybe after 40 years
00:13:06.15\00:13:09.48
that he was still there.
00:13:09.52\00:13:10.99
But your longevity
is not based on whether
00:13:11.02\00:13:14.19
or not people like you,
it's based on God's plan.
00:13:14.22\00:13:16.89
Can you say amen?
00:13:16.93\00:13:18.59
So Uzziah was there not because
00:13:18.63\00:13:20.16
the people gave
him that position,
00:13:20.20\00:13:21.96
but God prospered him as king
00:13:22.00\00:13:24.50
in Jerusalem for 52 years.
00:13:24.53\00:13:28.27
The verse goes on to say,
00:13:28.30\00:13:29.94
"His mother's name was
Jecoliah of Jerusalem."
00:13:29.97\00:13:33.58
And I like chapter, verse 4,
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"And he did that what was right
00:13:35.28\00:13:38.58
in the sight of the
Lord, according to all
00:13:38.61\00:13:41.15
that his father
Amaziah had done."
00:13:41.18\00:13:43.39
Uzziah reigned till
he was 68 years old.
00:13:43.42\00:13:47.02
Sixteen to 68,
that's a successful life,
00:13:47.06\00:13:49.82
to be known as
king for 52 years.
00:13:49.86\00:13:53.46
But here's my first
point, which is on the screen.
00:13:53.50\00:13:56.46
"Doing what is
right in the sight of God
00:13:56.50\00:14:01.30
and doing what is
right in the sight of men
00:14:01.34\00:14:05.44
are not always the same."
00:14:05.47\00:14:06.81
Let me say that again,
00:14:06.84\00:14:08.21
"Doing what is
right in the sight of men
00:14:08.24\00:14:10.71
and doing what is
right in the sight of God
00:14:10.75\00:14:13.52
are not always the same."
00:14:13.55\00:14:17.85
See, God sees into the
inner chambers of our life
00:14:17.89\00:14:20.99
where men may never see.
00:14:21.02\00:14:23.43
God sees our actions,
00:14:23.46\00:14:25.03
but God also
measures our motives.
00:14:25.06\00:14:27.60
God sees what we say it publicly
00:14:27.63\00:14:29.96
and how we live privately.
00:14:30.00\00:14:31.83
Amen?
00:14:31.87\00:14:33.20
So how we live
in the sight of men
00:14:33.23\00:14:35.67
and doing what we
do in the sight of men
00:14:35.70\00:14:37.77
or doing what is
right in the sight of men
00:14:37.81\00:14:39.77
is not always the same as doing
00:14:39.81\00:14:42.34
what is right in
the sight of God.
00:14:42.38\00:14:44.18
So when the Bible says,
00:14:44.21\00:14:45.61
"He did what was
right in the sight of God."
00:14:45.65\00:14:48.02
That means he had a good life.
00:14:48.05\00:14:52.32
I would rather
people say, "You know what?
00:14:52.35\00:14:55.52
I don't like him."
00:14:55.56\00:14:56.89
But God says, "He
did what was right."
00:14:56.93\00:14:59.63
You missed the
chance to say amen.
00:14:59.66\00:15:02.90
I may not agree
with him but God says,
00:15:02.93\00:15:04.27
"But he's doing what's right."
00:15:04.30\00:15:05.63
When we live
according to God's approval,
00:15:11.91\00:15:16.85
we will not always
have man's approval.
00:15:16.88\00:15:19.01
But you got to decide
00:15:19.05\00:15:20.38
whose approval
means more to you.
00:15:20.42\00:15:23.69
When we live to impress God,
00:15:23.72\00:15:26.92
we may or may not
really impress men.
00:15:26.96\00:15:29.06
But does it really
matter when God is impressed.
00:15:29.09\00:15:32.76
When God says,
00:15:32.79\00:15:34.13
"Well done thou good
and faithful servant."
00:15:34.16\00:15:36.36
Does it really matter
what the multitude says?
00:15:36.40\00:15:40.04
We've got to live
for the glory of God,
00:15:40.07\00:15:41.84
obedient to the will of God,
obedient to the vision of God.
00:15:41.87\00:15:46.78
That's why, I wanna say that,
00:15:46.81\00:15:48.31
that's why I'm
still here at 3ABN.
00:15:48.34\00:15:50.95
If I didn't believe
that this ministry was moving
00:15:50.98\00:15:54.18
into direction that
God intended for it to go,
00:15:54.22\00:15:57.02
I wouldn't be here.
00:15:57.05\00:15:59.65
I wouldn't be here,
because the one thing that
00:15:59.69\00:16:01.99
I don't wanna have experience
00:16:02.02\00:16:03.36
in life is to
go down with a ship
00:16:03.39\00:16:05.36
when I had a chance
to get off the ship.
00:16:05.39\00:16:07.83
Amen.
00:16:07.86\00:16:10.60
So I'm here because I
believe firmly with all my heart
00:16:10.63\00:16:14.10
that what's happening here
is right in the sight of God
00:16:14.14\00:16:17.74
whether or not men
accept it or believe it.
00:16:17.77\00:16:23.68
Look at verse 5 of 2
Chronicles Chapter 26,
00:16:23.71\00:16:28.05
his resume continues to unfold.
00:16:28.08\00:16:30.92
The Bible says,
00:16:30.95\00:16:32.29
"He sought God in
the days of Zechariah,
00:16:32.32\00:16:35.16
who had understanding
in the visions of God,
00:16:35.19\00:16:38.39
and as long as
he sought the Lord,
00:16:38.43\00:16:41.66
God made him prosper."
00:16:41.70\00:16:43.63
The Bible says,
00:16:43.67\00:16:45.00
"Seek the Lord
while He may be found.
00:16:45.03\00:16:46.77
Call upon Him while He is near."
00:16:46.80\00:16:48.90
When you seek Him first,
00:16:48.94\00:16:50.34
when you seek the kingdom of God
00:16:50.37\00:16:51.77
and His righteousness,
every need you have
00:16:51.81\00:16:54.78
will be added to you.
00:16:54.81\00:16:56.61
The Bible says,
"He sought the Lord."
00:16:56.64\00:16:59.05
And as long as
he sought the Lord,
00:16:59.08\00:17:00.98
God made him prosper.
00:17:01.02\00:17:03.28
When Uzziah made
sure to put God first,
00:17:03.32\00:17:05.29
God made sure Uzziah came first.
00:17:05.32\00:17:07.92
Uzziah never fell
to the back of the line
00:17:07.96\00:17:10.46
when he made sure and put
God at the front of the line.
00:17:10.49\00:17:14.90
And, my brethren,
that's what the Bible says,
00:17:14.93\00:17:16.60
"We got to love the
Lord with our heart,
00:17:16.63\00:17:18.07
mind, soul and strength first."
00:17:18.10\00:17:21.30
When it comes to
making decisions,
00:17:21.34\00:17:22.67
put God first, when it
comes to loving, put God first.
00:17:22.70\00:17:27.01
Uzziah put God first.
00:17:27.04\00:17:30.95
In the words that we
speak, put God first.
00:17:30.98\00:17:35.45
In the life that we
live, put God first.
00:17:35.48\00:17:38.32
When you put God
first, God will make sure
00:17:38.35\00:17:41.26
that you do not come
in last, what do you say?
00:17:41.29\00:17:45.59
But being first in God's book,
00:17:45.63\00:17:48.33
you may not be
first in men's book.
00:17:48.36\00:17:50.97
So it may look like
you had a disadvantage.
00:17:51.00\00:17:52.63
Remember Paul the Apostle,
00:17:52.67\00:17:54.00
when we was in
chains on his way to Rome,
00:17:54.04\00:17:56.34
he had appealed to
Caesar, he was shackled,
00:17:56.37\00:17:58.77
he was in chains.
00:17:58.81\00:18:00.14
But when the
boat was in trouble,
00:18:00.18\00:18:01.88
they listened to Paul
even while he was handcuffed.
00:18:01.91\00:18:06.58
When Paul and
Silas was in prison,
00:18:06.61\00:18:09.28
shackled, chained to
guards in the prison.
00:18:09.32\00:18:14.12
When the time came,
the prisoners asked Paul
00:18:14.16\00:18:16.09
how to be saved?
00:18:16.12\00:18:17.99
So being in an
unfavorable position
00:18:18.03\00:18:20.40
in the sight of men is
not the same as being in
00:18:20.43\00:18:23.13
an unfavorable
position in the sight of God.
00:18:23.16\00:18:26.63
Never measure your
success by how people see you,
00:18:26.67\00:18:29.00
but how God sees you.
00:18:29.04\00:18:32.41
Uzziah did what was
right in the sight of God.
00:18:32.44\00:18:34.28
Look at verse 6 and 7,
00:18:34.31\00:18:36.04
just the first
part of verse 6 and 7,
00:18:36.08\00:18:38.31
I like this, just the first
part of each of those verses,
00:18:38.35\00:18:42.52
"Now when he went out and
made war, God helped Him."
00:18:42.55\00:18:48.19
You see that, verse 6
and 7, just the first part.
00:18:48.22\00:18:52.19
Wouldn't you like
God to be on your side
00:18:52.23\00:18:53.73
when you go out to battle?
00:18:53.76\00:18:56.26
When a difficult
situation arises, you say,
00:18:56.30\00:18:58.60
"Who's on my side?"
00:18:58.63\00:18:59.97
And you get a phone
call, God's on your side.
00:19:00.00\00:19:03.51
Isn't that all
that really matters?
00:19:03.54\00:19:04.87
Muhammad Ali calls
himself the greatest,
00:19:07.84\00:19:10.35
but he got knocked out
at one, he lost some fights.
00:19:10.38\00:19:13.28
But you know,
brothers and sisters,
00:19:13.31\00:19:14.88
I'm here today to tell you
that Jesus never lost a fight,
00:19:14.92\00:19:19.25
and He's not about to lose now.
00:19:19.29\00:19:23.43
When Uzziah went to
war, God was with him.
00:19:23.46\00:19:27.33
I could imagine how
the people must have felt,
00:19:27.36\00:19:30.97
when they heard that
Uzziah was on his way.
00:19:31.00\00:19:34.37
You see when
Uzziah was faithful,
00:19:34.40\00:19:37.74
God was with
him in every battle.
00:19:37.77\00:19:40.91
Look at verse 8,
this is an amazing resume,
00:19:40.94\00:19:44.01
this is an amazing resume.
00:19:44.05\00:19:45.71
He became prominent, no
nation could withstand him,
00:19:45.75\00:19:49.32
every advancement
he made went forward
00:19:49.35\00:19:51.15
because God was with him.
00:19:51.19\00:19:52.52
Look at verse 8,
00:19:52.55\00:19:53.89
"Also the Ammonites
brought tribute to Uzziah.
00:19:53.92\00:19:58.96
And his fame spread as
far as the entrance of Egypt,
00:19:58.99\00:20:04.77
for he became," how?
00:20:04.80\00:20:06.60
Say that word.
00:20:06.63\00:20:07.97
Say that word, exceedingly.
00:20:08.00\00:20:10.14
Say it exceedingly.
00:20:10.17\00:20:11.94
Sound exceedingly. Exceedingly.
00:20:11.97\00:20:14.24
There you go, "He
became exceedingly strong."
00:20:14.28\00:20:17.95
Have you met people
that are exceedingly strong?
00:20:17.98\00:20:20.15
I met a guy the other
day and I shook His hand,
00:20:20.18\00:20:22.22
I felt like I was
shaking a mountain.
00:20:22.25\00:20:25.25
This guy was stone
through and through.
00:20:25.29\00:20:28.76
Tall...
00:20:28.79\00:20:30.13
You ever met those people
that are just really round,
00:20:30.16\00:20:32.03
but their roundness
has nothing to do with fat,
00:20:32.06\00:20:33.93
everything to do with muscle.
00:20:33.96\00:20:36.87
I mean I hugged him, he
said, "Good to see you!"
00:20:36.90\00:20:39.07
And my arms couldn't reach.
00:20:39.10\00:20:41.47
I was hugging a pile of muscle.
00:20:41.50\00:20:43.91
I shook his hand and I felt like
00:20:43.94\00:20:45.47
I was using my entire body
to try to just shake his hand.
00:20:45.51\00:20:50.11
Exceedingly
strong, God is saying
00:20:50.15\00:20:53.62
when you stand with God,
00:20:53.65\00:20:55.25
you can be exceedingly
strong in the power of God.
00:20:55.28\00:20:59.79
Classic example,
who was stronger?
00:20:59.82\00:21:02.42
David or Goliath?
00:21:02.46\00:21:05.03
David was, because
God stood with him.
00:21:05.06\00:21:08.86
This young man's life
was very, very powerful.
00:21:08.90\00:21:11.57
As a matter of fact,
00:21:11.60\00:21:12.93
Jerusalem under the
leadership of Uzziah,
00:21:12.97\00:21:14.80
they lacked absolutely nothing,
they had fertile grounds,
00:21:14.84\00:21:18.07
they had livestock
that could not be counted.
00:21:18.11\00:21:20.68
They had plush
gardens, strong armies,
00:21:20.71\00:21:23.71
and they had the
most well protected walls
00:21:23.75\00:21:26.48
and gates of any
city in the region.
00:21:26.51\00:21:29.42
Uzziah made sure
they had everything
00:21:29.45\00:21:31.39
and the reason why
they prospered so well,
00:21:31.42\00:21:33.49
is because God spoke to Uzziah
00:21:33.52\00:21:35.72
and told Uzziah
in his night visions
00:21:35.76\00:21:37.89
what to do, and how to do it.
00:21:37.93\00:21:39.49
You know what?
00:21:39.53\00:21:40.86
When you spent
time in the Word of God,
00:21:40.90\00:21:42.53
you'll always be a step
or two ahead of your enemy.
00:21:42.56\00:21:46.47
You'll always be ahead of
those plotting against you,
00:21:46.50\00:21:49.04
Uzziah gave God all the credit.
00:21:49.07\00:21:51.54
Matter of fact, look
at his military resume.
00:21:51.57\00:21:54.04
Verse 14 and verse 15,
00:21:54.08\00:21:55.44
"Then Uzziah,"
00:21:58.65\00:21:59.98
the Bible says,
"prepared for them
00:22:00.02\00:22:03.59
for the entire army,
00:22:03.62\00:22:05.69
shields, spears,
helmets, body armor, bows,
00:22:05.72\00:22:11.39
and slings to cast stones.
00:22:11.43\00:22:13.90
And he made
devices in Jerusalem,
00:22:13.93\00:22:16.73
invented by skilful men,
00:22:16.77\00:22:20.30
to be on the
towers and the corners,
00:22:20.34\00:22:23.61
to shoot arrows
and large stones.
00:22:23.64\00:22:25.91
So his fame spread far and wide,
00:22:25.94\00:22:29.38
for he was
marvelously helped..."
00:22:29.41\00:22:32.31
Oh, but there
are those four words
00:22:32.35\00:22:33.75
that no one really wants to see,
00:22:33.78\00:22:35.92
"Till he became strong."
00:22:35.95\00:22:38.89
Have you noticed?
00:22:38.92\00:22:40.36
All the good things said
about him could have continued.
00:22:40.39\00:22:44.33
But before I go to that
point, I wanna point out
00:22:44.36\00:22:46.13
what kind of a man he was.
00:22:46.16\00:22:47.50
Uzziah was the kind of
man that every defeated king
00:22:47.53\00:22:51.17
had Uzziah's
name on their tongue.
00:22:51.20\00:22:53.67
He was the poster boy
for success, every magazine,
00:22:53.70\00:22:57.77
front cover,
Uzziah, Fortune 500, Uzziah,
00:22:57.81\00:23:01.18
Time Magazine, Uzziah,
Christianity Today, Uzziah.
00:23:01.21\00:23:05.65
He was the king
that every other king
00:23:05.68\00:23:08.12
was measured by.
00:23:08.15\00:23:09.48
When you mention
the word success,
00:23:09.52\00:23:10.85
they said, "Like Uzziah?"
00:23:10.89\00:23:12.25
He had it all.
00:23:12.29\00:23:13.96
He had no lack, he
was filled with power
00:23:13.99\00:23:17.93
and every gift
that God gave him,
00:23:17.96\00:23:20.43
God gave to him so
that he can prosper
00:23:20.46\00:23:23.37
in the ways of the Lord.
00:23:23.40\00:23:27.20
But remember
this, God gives us gifts
00:23:27.24\00:23:31.47
for His glory and not for ours.
00:23:31.51\00:23:35.74
I like to sing,
every now and then I...
00:23:35.78\00:23:40.88
I guess it's becoming
less and less of a desire.
00:23:40.92\00:23:43.55
Many, many years ago,
maybe this desire was greater.
00:23:43.59\00:23:45.69
But every now
and then I see people
00:23:45.72\00:23:47.22
sing on television and I say,
00:23:47.26\00:23:48.59
"Man, they can't
sing as good as I do.
00:23:48.62\00:23:51.66
If I could just get out there,
00:23:51.69\00:23:53.03
maybe I'll get as
rich as they are."
00:23:53.06\00:23:54.53
And God taps me on the
shoulder and says, "Sit still."
00:23:54.56\00:23:59.23
Because they are
those who are famous
00:23:59.27\00:24:00.77
in the eyes of the
world that are not famous
00:24:00.80\00:24:02.40
in the eyes of God.
00:24:02.44\00:24:05.81
So the fame that you desire,
if it's not in God's plan,
00:24:05.84\00:24:09.28
it's something that's
gonna become a stumbling block
00:24:09.31\00:24:11.95
rather than a
stepping stone in God's grace.
00:24:11.98\00:24:15.15
The problem was not what
00:24:19.95\00:24:21.69
other people
thought about Uzziah,
00:24:21.72\00:24:24.03
the problem was
00:24:24.06\00:24:25.59
what Uzziah
thought about himself.
00:24:25.63\00:24:29.36
Brethren, we
are most vulnerable,
00:24:29.40\00:24:31.77
don't miss this
point, we are most vulnerable
00:24:31.80\00:24:34.70
when we are most successful.
00:24:34.74\00:24:38.24
Not when we are
poor, you don't hear
00:24:38.27\00:24:39.81
poor people going to jail a lot.
00:24:39.84\00:24:41.94
White color crime,
you know, going to jail
00:24:41.98\00:24:44.08
for embezzling
billions and millions.
00:24:44.11\00:24:45.85
And what's that place
that a couple of year ago
00:24:45.88\00:24:48.52
that stock E...Enron.
00:24:48.55\00:24:53.12
Guy going in suit...
00:24:53.15\00:24:54.49
Guy going to jail
in an expensive suit.
00:24:54.52\00:24:58.49
When he gets there,
they put an orange one on him
00:24:58.53\00:25:00.13
and he just looks
like everybody else.
00:25:00.16\00:25:01.50
The problem was
00:25:05.80\00:25:07.14
what Uzziah
thought about himself.
00:25:07.17\00:25:08.57
Remember the
Beatles in the 1960's?
00:25:08.60\00:25:10.37
Anybody been around long enough?
00:25:10.41\00:25:11.74
I'm looking at
all the gray hair,
00:25:11.77\00:25:13.11
you know exactly
what I'm talking about.
00:25:13.14\00:25:14.84
They were famous until they said
00:25:14.88\00:25:17.48
that they were
more famous than God.
00:25:17.51\00:25:20.92
The problem was not
what the people thought
00:25:20.95\00:25:23.15
about the Beatles,
00:25:23.18\00:25:24.52
but what the
Beatles thought themselves.
00:25:24.55\00:25:26.35
It was not the
people praising them,
00:25:26.39\00:25:28.12
it was them praising themselves
00:25:28.16\00:25:29.69
that lead to the Beatles demise.
00:25:29.72\00:25:32.13
After that they
dropped off the chart,
00:25:32.16\00:25:34.50
like the world
really did have an edge
00:25:34.53\00:25:36.56
and they rolled off of it.
00:25:36.60\00:25:38.53
Their fame plummeted
because all the people loved
00:25:38.57\00:25:42.04
what they did and how they sang,
00:25:42.07\00:25:43.71
they said, "We are
more famous than God."
00:25:43.74\00:25:45.91
But do you realize
that still even today
00:25:45.94\00:25:47.94
the number one selling
book is still God's Word.
00:25:47.98\00:25:50.41
Can you say amen?
00:25:50.45\00:25:51.78
Do you realize
you got the number one
00:25:51.81\00:25:53.15
best seller in your lap!
00:25:53.18\00:25:56.38
We don't need any more books,
00:25:56.42\00:25:57.75
we just need to
get into this one.
00:25:57.79\00:26:00.32
Also the Kennedy
Family, I am so glad
00:26:00.36\00:26:02.46
my last name is not Kennedy.
00:26:02.49\00:26:05.03
John F. Kennedy, at the
height of his fame, gunned down.
00:26:05.06\00:26:10.00
Robert Kennedy, as
he was rising to fame,
00:26:10.03\00:26:13.20
gunned down.
00:26:13.23\00:26:14.87
John F. Kennedy Jr.
as he was rising to fame,
00:26:14.90\00:26:18.07
brand new magazine,
new bride, lost his life.
00:26:18.11\00:26:22.48
I'm glad my last
name is Lomacang.
00:26:22.51\00:26:24.41
Amen.
00:26:24.45\00:26:26.85
Dr. Martin Luther
King, God raised him up
00:26:26.88\00:26:30.45
to make an impact on
the civil rights movement,
00:26:30.49\00:26:32.15
but at the high of his life
00:26:32.19\00:26:33.52
before he hit 40,
he was gunned down.
00:26:33.56\00:26:36.42
It's when you
are most successful
00:26:36.46\00:26:39.39
and most visible that
you are most vulnerable,
00:26:39.43\00:26:43.83
which takes me
to my second point.
00:26:43.87\00:26:45.47
Look at the screen.
00:26:45.50\00:26:47.97
"When God prospers
us we must never forget
00:26:48.00\00:26:52.37
that God still
places limits on us."
00:26:52.41\00:26:57.78
When God prospers
us, we must never forget
00:26:57.81\00:27:00.92
that God still
places limits on us.
00:27:00.95\00:27:04.65
In other words, simply
God still has boundaries,
00:27:04.69\00:27:06.76
no matter how famous you
are, you better listen to God
00:27:06.79\00:27:08.92
because God is
God and we are not.
00:27:08.96\00:27:10.29
Amen.
00:27:10.33\00:27:11.66
So God places limits
on us for what reason?
00:27:11.69\00:27:14.23
Look at verse 16 of Chapter 26.
00:27:14.26\00:27:17.17
This is the reason
why God always has limits.
00:27:17.20\00:27:19.67
2 Chronicles 26:16,
00:27:19.70\00:27:22.34
the Bible gives a sad commentary
00:27:22.37\00:27:24.14
about a man whose
life could have ended
00:27:24.17\00:27:25.54
quite differently,
00:27:25.57\00:27:26.91
that's why when God
gives you something...
00:27:26.94\00:27:28.38
Let me say this right
now before I read the verse.
00:27:28.41\00:27:30.08
When God gives you
wealth, or fame, or visibility,
00:27:30.11\00:27:34.15
or influence, you got to handle
that like you handle an egg
00:27:34.18\00:27:39.19
because it could be
as productive as an egg,
00:27:39.22\00:27:42.59
but at the same time
just as fragile as an egg.
00:27:42.62\00:27:46.13
It can bring life
00:27:46.16\00:27:48.73
or it could
spell the end of life
00:27:48.76\00:27:50.27
if you drop it and
not handle it carefully.
00:27:50.30\00:27:52.83
When God gives you
influence, and wealth and fame,
00:27:52.87\00:27:55.30
and materialism,
don't boast about it
00:27:55.34\00:27:57.07
because God gives you
00:27:57.11\00:27:58.44
what He gives
you for the blessings
00:27:58.47\00:27:59.81
of those around you.
00:27:59.84\00:28:01.18
What do you say?
00:28:01.21\00:28:02.54
Uzziah forgot that.
00:28:02.58\00:28:03.91
And verse 26
came to the forefront.
00:28:03.95\00:28:05.98
As he began to get
older, he got worst.
00:28:06.01\00:28:10.15
Verse 16,
00:28:10.19\00:28:13.52
it begins with that
all too familiar word, but.
00:28:13.56\00:28:17.96
"But when he was
strong, his heart was lifted up
00:28:17.99\00:28:22.56
to his
destruction, for he transgressed
00:28:22.60\00:28:26.67
against the Lord his
God by entering the temple
00:28:26.70\00:28:30.41
of the Lord to burn incense
on the altar of incense."
00:28:30.44\00:28:34.41
Which takes me to truth point A.
00:28:34.44\00:28:36.95
Look at the screen.
00:28:36.98\00:28:38.31
Brethren, this is powerful.
00:28:38.35\00:28:40.05
"There is still a line
00:28:40.08\00:28:42.92
that we cannot safely cross."
00:28:42.95\00:28:47.29
Have you heard people
say, "Don't cross the line?"
00:28:47.32\00:28:49.86
Have your
parents ever said that?
00:28:49.89\00:28:51.59
You know no matter
how famous you are,
00:28:51.63\00:28:53.70
there's a line over
which we cannot safely cross.
00:28:53.73\00:28:58.20
God called Uzziah to be king,
00:28:58.23\00:29:01.37
Uzziah wanted what
God never gave to him.
00:29:01.40\00:29:04.97
You see the line
where safety ends,
00:29:05.01\00:29:07.21
is when you want go into areas
00:29:07.24\00:29:08.64
that God never
intended for you to be in.
00:29:08.68\00:29:11.28
When you want to accomplish
what God never intended for you
00:29:11.31\00:29:13.58
to accomplish or become
00:29:13.62\00:29:15.02
what God never
intended for you to become.
00:29:15.05\00:29:17.42
Uzziah crossed a line
that God never intended.
00:29:17.45\00:29:21.26
God called him to be king,
00:29:21.29\00:29:24.46
but he wanted to
be priest instead,
00:29:24.49\00:29:27.50
which brings me to
point number three.
00:29:27.53\00:29:29.63
Look at the screen again.
00:29:29.66\00:29:32.53
"When God prospers
us, we must understand
00:29:32.57\00:29:38.01
where our authority begins
00:29:38.04\00:29:41.31
and where it ends."
00:29:41.34\00:29:44.11
When God prospers
us, we must understand
00:29:44.15\00:29:46.41
where our authority
begins and where it ends.
00:29:46.45\00:29:50.52
There are people that I have met
00:29:50.55\00:29:51.89
that think they have authority.
00:29:51.92\00:29:53.25
You know what, brethren?
00:29:53.29\00:29:54.62
I let them go on
until they make an...
00:29:54.66\00:29:55.99
I'm saying this
in the right context.
00:29:56.02\00:29:57.36
Until they make an
absolute fool of themselves
00:29:57.39\00:29:59.49
because God is the only
one that really has authority.
00:29:59.53\00:30:03.53
Can you say amen?
00:30:03.57\00:30:05.87
So when people talk about all...
00:30:05.90\00:30:07.24
You know some people like
to rattle of their resume.
00:30:07.27\00:30:09.14
I got an ABC next to
my PhD, next to my MBC,
00:30:12.67\00:30:16.31
next to my ABC, next to my CNN.
00:30:16.34\00:30:17.95
All these names that
is behind their name...
00:30:17.98\00:30:19.65
and it doesn't mean
anything because they are really
00:30:22.68\00:30:24.75
just a pile of dust
with a lot of paper work.
00:30:24.79\00:30:28.49
Amen.
00:30:28.52\00:30:31.03
So don't let what you have
00:30:31.06\00:30:33.03
become the sum
total of who you are.
00:30:33.06\00:30:34.73
A man's life does not
consist in the abundance
00:30:34.76\00:30:38.10
of the things he possesses.
00:30:38.13\00:30:39.60
If you die wealthy,
you leave back a whole lot,
00:30:39.63\00:30:42.57
if you die poor
you leave very little,
00:30:42.60\00:30:44.74
but you go to the
grave with nothing.
00:30:44.77\00:30:48.68
That's the bottom line.
00:30:48.71\00:30:50.55
So actually the poor man
is in a better condition,
00:30:50.58\00:30:52.81
he doesn't really
miss much when he dies.
00:30:52.85\00:30:56.48
Now you don't
miss anything anyway
00:30:56.52\00:30:57.85
because you're not conscious.
00:30:57.89\00:30:59.25
But if you could be conscious,
you'll miss a whole lot
00:30:59.29\00:31:01.72
when you die when
you're wealthy, right?
00:31:01.76\00:31:05.16
Look at verse 17,
00:31:05.19\00:31:11.13
and before I read that...
00:31:11.17\00:31:13.23
Matter of fact,
let me read that first.
00:31:13.27\00:31:17.31
This is amazing verse.
00:31:17.34\00:31:20.48
If you ever wake up
one day, and I'm a pastor,
00:31:20.51\00:31:22.94
and I can put this in
a context of a pastor.
00:31:22.98\00:31:25.35
If I wake up one day
00:31:25.38\00:31:26.72
and I got 25 elders of
my church ringing the door,
00:31:26.75\00:31:31.12
and they're not
smiling, I better run for cover.
00:31:31.15\00:31:34.66
Am I right?
00:31:34.69\00:31:36.83
If you ring a doorbell
and all your church members
00:31:36.86\00:31:39.59
are outside and
they are not smiling,
00:31:39.63\00:31:42.33
and they got bats and gloves,
00:31:42.36\00:31:44.60
and rope and tar, and feathers,
00:31:44.63\00:31:47.10
you better find a
hole in your house
00:31:47.14\00:31:49.40
that they don't know about.
00:31:49.44\00:31:50.77
Am I telling the truth?
00:31:50.81\00:31:52.14
Uzziah, when he
crossed the line,
00:31:52.17\00:31:54.84
the priest who was
still being led by God
00:31:54.88\00:31:58.38
did not hesitate
to straighten him out.
00:31:58.41\00:32:01.98
There are some
folks that are messed up
00:32:02.02\00:32:03.49
because people
don't take the time
00:32:03.52\00:32:04.85
to straighten them out.
00:32:04.89\00:32:07.06
There are some folks
00:32:07.09\00:32:08.42
that are in high
positions in this church
00:32:08.46\00:32:10.26
and others that think somehow
00:32:10.29\00:32:12.06
that they got
control of something
00:32:12.09\00:32:14.00
when they don't
have control of anything.
00:32:14.03\00:32:17.20
Ellen White says,
00:32:17.23\00:32:18.57
"If there are
matters in God's work
00:32:18.60\00:32:20.04
that need to be
straightened out,
00:32:20.07\00:32:21.70
God will take
care of His own church,
00:32:21.74\00:32:24.47
it's God's church."
00:32:24.51\00:32:25.84
Can you say amen?
00:32:25.87\00:32:27.24
You remember that
you could be in the GC,
00:32:27.28\00:32:28.61
the division, the
union, the conference,
00:32:28.64\00:32:30.75
you could be a local pastor.
00:32:30.78\00:32:32.21
God is the only one
that really has any power
00:32:32.25\00:32:36.22
to straighten anything out
00:32:36.25\00:32:37.59
because God
doesn't see like we see.
00:32:37.62\00:32:40.46
God sees the human heart,
00:32:40.49\00:32:42.86
when all we see
is just the exterior.
00:32:42.89\00:32:44.93
Look at verse 17 and 18,
00:32:44.96\00:32:49.40
"So Azariah the
priest went in after him,"
00:32:49.43\00:32:53.34
that is after Uzziah,
00:32:53.37\00:32:55.20
"and with him were
00:32:55.24\00:32:56.57
eighty priests of
the Lord, valiant men."
00:32:56.60\00:33:00.08
In other words, they
were ready for the fight.
00:33:00.11\00:33:01.98
They say, "We're
gonna Uzziah down today,
00:33:02.01\00:33:03.91
no matter what he
did, we're ready for him."
00:33:03.95\00:33:05.65
And it goes on in verse 18,
00:33:05.68\00:33:07.12
"And they withstood Uzziah,
00:33:07.15\00:33:11.02
to burn incense to the Lord."
00:33:11.05\00:33:14.66
Let me say this, "And
they withstood Uzziah,
00:33:14.69\00:33:16.52
and said to him,
00:33:16.56\00:33:17.89
'It is not for you, Uzziah,
00:33:17.93\00:33:19.56
to burn incense to the
Lord, but for the priests,
00:33:19.59\00:33:23.10
the sons of Aaron,
00:33:23.13\00:33:24.50
who are
consecrated to burn incense.
00:33:24.53\00:33:27.80
Get out of the
sanctuary, for you have..."
00:33:27.84\00:33:30.37
What's the next word?
00:33:30.41\00:33:31.74
"Trespassed, you
shall have no honor
00:33:31.77\00:33:35.84
from the Lord."
00:33:35.88\00:33:37.41
Which takes me to
truth B, write it down.
00:33:37.45\00:33:41.45
Which takes me to truth B.
00:33:41.48\00:33:44.82
"There is still an authority
reserved for God alone."
00:33:44.85\00:33:49.82
Can the church say amen?
00:33:49.86\00:33:51.79
God is all powerful,
only God sits in the top seat.
00:33:51.83\00:33:57.53
If this world were pyramid,
00:33:57.57\00:33:58.97
God would be up
there all by Himself.
00:33:59.00\00:34:02.04
That's why I'm amazed,
when people come and go.
00:34:02.07\00:34:04.24
I'm at the place in
life, I'm almost 50,
00:34:04.27\00:34:07.01
I'll go ahead and say it.
00:34:07.04\00:34:08.38
You know why I'm saying
it because I don't look 50.
00:34:08.41\00:34:10.05
Amen. Say amen for me.
00:34:10.08\00:34:14.38
I'm still fast.
00:34:14.42\00:34:16.62
Don't throw anything at me,
00:34:16.65\00:34:17.99
I can duck, I can see it coming.
00:34:18.02\00:34:20.56
I'm at the place after
these many years to know that,
00:34:20.59\00:34:22.92
you know what?
00:34:22.96\00:34:24.29
I don't bow to the
positions of men anymore,
00:34:24.33\00:34:27.76
I just bow to God.
00:34:27.80\00:34:29.73
You got to get
to the place in life
00:34:29.76\00:34:31.10
where you gonna say
what you got to say it
00:34:31.13\00:34:32.50
regardless of
the person's position
00:34:32.53\00:34:34.24
because they can't...
00:34:34.27\00:34:35.60
What can they do to
you? What can man do to me?
00:34:35.64\00:34:38.37
God is our
helper and our strength.
00:34:38.41\00:34:40.91
Whom shall we
fear, if God before us,
00:34:40.94\00:34:43.35
who can be against us?
00:34:43.38\00:34:44.88
Sometimes you
got to look at people
00:34:44.91\00:34:46.25
in high positions to say,
00:34:46.28\00:34:47.62
"You know what? You
just stepped out of line.
00:34:47.65\00:34:49.98
And you are where
00:34:50.02\00:34:51.35
God never
intended for you to be."
00:34:51.39\00:34:53.42
That's exactly
what they did to Uzziah.
00:34:53.46\00:34:55.92
Point four, look
at this, point four.
00:34:55.96\00:34:58.89
You got to get this.
00:34:58.93\00:35:01.50
"If we fail to acknowledge
the limits God place on us,
00:35:01.53\00:35:06.94
the honor that God
gives us will be removed."
00:35:06.97\00:35:11.07
If we fail to acknowledge
the limits God places on us,
00:35:11.11\00:35:16.01
the honor that God
gives us will be removed.
00:35:16.04\00:35:21.95
You know what
Uzziah's problem was?
00:35:21.98\00:35:24.02
He ignored the limits
that God placed on him.
00:35:24.05\00:35:26.79
He walked through a
door that God never opened.
00:35:26.82\00:35:29.39
He tried to occupy a position
that God never gave him.
00:35:29.42\00:35:33.03
He exercised an authority
that ignored God's authority,
00:35:33.06\00:35:36.77
which take me right
away to point number five.
00:35:36.80\00:35:40.07
Here it is, are
you ready for it?
00:35:40.10\00:35:41.44
I wanna read verse 19
00:35:45.34\00:35:48.94
before I give you point five.
00:35:48.98\00:35:53.82
"Then," the Bible
says, "Uzziah became," what?
00:35:53.85\00:35:59.45
"Furious, angry
and he had a censer
00:35:59.49\00:36:03.32
in his hand to burn incense.
00:36:03.36\00:36:05.93
And while he was
angry with the priests..."
00:36:05.96\00:36:09.43
Let me just stop and
say, you got to watch out
00:36:09.46\00:36:11.53
who you get angry with.
00:36:11.57\00:36:15.40
You may think it,
00:36:15.44\00:36:16.77
but sometimes you
better not say it.
00:36:16.81\00:36:19.34
Amen.
00:36:19.37\00:36:20.71
There are times
that wisdom dictates,
00:36:23.95\00:36:25.81
you better keep your mouth shut
because the next thing you say
00:36:25.85\00:36:29.22
could spell your demise.
00:36:29.25\00:36:30.95
Am I telling the truth?
00:36:30.99\00:36:32.65
Look at the verse,
00:36:32.69\00:36:34.02
"And while he was
angry with the priest,
00:36:34.06\00:36:36.73
leprosy broke
out on his forehead
00:36:36.76\00:36:40.10
before the priests in
the house of the Lord,
00:36:40.13\00:36:42.80
beside the incense altar."
00:36:42.83\00:36:44.67
He was where God
never called him to be.
00:36:44.70\00:36:47.24
Let me make this very clear.
00:36:47.27\00:36:48.60
Uzziah had power
in all of the kingdom,
00:36:48.64\00:36:50.67
but there was a place
00:36:50.71\00:36:52.04
that God reserve
for certain people
00:36:52.07\00:36:53.41
that Uzziah wanted that
too, that's covetousness.
00:36:53.44\00:36:56.41
When what you have becomes
the desire of somebody else,
00:36:56.44\00:36:59.55
that person can
be very well taken
00:36:59.58\00:37:01.48
the very first step
to their destruction.
00:37:01.52\00:37:04.82
Because God has a square,
00:37:04.85\00:37:06.19
He say, "Don't
touch my anointed."
00:37:06.22\00:37:08.09
Amen.
00:37:08.12\00:37:09.52
When you step over that line
and try to mess with somebody
00:37:09.56\00:37:11.53
that God says, "Keep hands off."
00:37:11.56\00:37:12.89
God steps in.
00:37:12.93\00:37:14.60
God called the
priest to be priest,
00:37:14.63\00:37:16.80
He did not call
Uzziah to be priest,
00:37:16.83\00:37:19.50
which brings me
to point number five.
00:37:19.53\00:37:21.74
Are you ready
for it? Here we go.
00:37:21.77\00:37:25.41
"The intensity of your
anger could be very well spell
00:37:25.44\00:37:30.61
the beginning of your fall."
00:37:30.65\00:37:33.82
The intensity of your
anger can very well spell
00:37:33.85\00:37:38.09
the beginning of your fall.
00:37:38.12\00:37:39.85
If that's ever
true, it's true today.
00:37:39.89\00:37:42.66
The Bible says,
"Be angry and sin not."
00:37:42.69\00:37:46.76
Let not the sun go
down on your wrath,
00:37:46.80\00:37:50.23
because when the sun
goes down on your wrath,
00:37:50.27\00:37:52.33
it goes down on you too.
00:37:52.37\00:37:55.10
Think about that.
00:37:55.14\00:37:56.47
It's not going
down on everybody else.
00:37:56.50\00:37:58.34
Everybody is going to
bed with a pleasant heart.
00:37:58.37\00:38:00.28
But when the sun
goes down on your wrath,
00:38:00.31\00:38:02.08
you sense the sun going down.
00:38:02.11\00:38:03.61
When you get angry,
when you lose your mind,
00:38:06.61\00:38:10.29
God doesn't have a
whole lot to work with.
00:38:10.32\00:38:13.69
The intensity of
Uzziah's anger spelled
00:38:13.72\00:38:17.36
the beginning of his downfall.
00:38:17.39\00:38:19.13
And, brethren, the place
where the leprosy broke out
00:38:19.16\00:38:23.00
pointed to the
problem, it broke out on
00:38:23.03\00:38:25.77
Uzziah's head which meant
00:38:25.80\00:38:27.37
that Uzziah's
problem was high-mindedness.
00:38:27.40\00:38:31.57
The Bible says,
"In the last days,
00:38:31.61\00:38:33.88
men will be
lovers of themselves,
00:38:33.91\00:38:36.41
boastful, proud, blasphemers,
lovers of themselves,
00:38:36.44\00:38:41.65
high-minded, heady."
00:38:41.68\00:38:44.52
And I will haste to say that,
00:38:44.55\00:38:45.89
Satan wants that
problem to be in the church.
00:38:45.92\00:38:49.46
Matter of fact,
see God's plan is,
00:38:49.49\00:38:52.23
a good ending to a bad journey.
00:38:52.26\00:38:54.56
Satan's plan is a bad
ending to a good journey.
00:38:54.60\00:38:58.50
Satan had a plan for
Uzziah, that's why no matter
00:38:58.53\00:39:00.80
how old you get, no
matter how successful you get,
00:39:00.84\00:39:03.00
you better keep
your hand and your life
00:39:03.04\00:39:04.77
under the humbling
almighty hand of God.
00:39:04.81\00:39:07.58
What do you say?
00:39:07.61\00:39:08.94
Because at any point
you think that you're safe,
00:39:08.98\00:39:10.75
look at the story of Abraham.
00:39:10.78\00:39:12.45
Ellen White says that,
00:39:12.48\00:39:13.82
"His greatest test came
to him when he was oldest."
00:39:13.85\00:39:18.85
The greatest
test that came to him
00:39:18.89\00:39:20.56
came to him when
he was an older man.
00:39:20.59\00:39:22.96
Not when he was
the young personnel
00:39:22.99\00:39:24.33
and not when we
was 16 years old.
00:39:24.36\00:39:26.83
And the reason why
God brought that test
00:39:26.86\00:39:28.30
or allowed them
is because God knew
00:39:28.33\00:39:30.90
that when you
get older, brethren,
00:39:30.93\00:39:32.87
you ought to know better.
00:39:32.90\00:39:35.27
Amen?
00:39:35.30\00:39:36.67
Look at the next verse.
00:39:36.71\00:39:40.51
Verse 20, "And
Azariah the chief priest,
00:39:40.54\00:39:44.15
and all the
priests, looked at him,
00:39:44.18\00:39:47.28
and there on his
forehead, he was leprous,
00:39:47.32\00:39:52.19
so they thrust
him out of that place.
00:39:52.22\00:39:54.46
Indeed he also
hurried to get out,
00:39:54.49\00:39:56.59
because the
Lord had struck him."
00:39:56.62\00:39:57.96
God said, "You
better got out of here,
00:39:57.99\00:39:59.33
I'm gonna whip you."
00:39:59.36\00:40:00.70
Matter of fact,
have you ever had
00:40:00.73\00:40:02.06
whipping before?
00:40:02.10\00:40:03.77
Now you may have had
a really good whipping,
00:40:03.80\00:40:05.20
I call those...
00:40:05.23\00:40:06.84
What do I call
them again, honey?
00:40:06.87\00:40:08.20
I use a phrase.
00:40:08.24\00:40:10.07
A blazing saddle,
that's what I call them.
00:40:10.11\00:40:13.81
You think that man can
make your saddle blaze,
00:40:13.84\00:40:16.01
let God whack you.
00:40:16.04\00:40:18.01
The reason why Uzziah ran out
00:40:18.05\00:40:19.55
is because God was
about to whack him,
00:40:19.58\00:40:21.38
and he was trying
to run faster than God
00:40:21.42\00:40:23.49
could swing His hand.
00:40:23.52\00:40:26.12
He got out real
fast, he ran out.
00:40:26.15\00:40:28.62
And the reason why he ran out
00:40:28.66\00:40:29.99
because he finally
realized that in his old age,
00:40:30.03\00:40:34.03
he was not as wise as
God intended for him to be.
00:40:34.06\00:40:38.77
Got to pray for
wisdom at every age,
00:40:38.80\00:40:40.14
but especially
when you get older.
00:40:40.17\00:40:41.57
Some people...
00:40:41.60\00:40:42.94
I've heard people
say, "Ah, that's how he is,
00:40:42.97\00:40:44.71
he's getting older, ignore him."
00:40:44.74\00:40:46.68
Brethren, that's
when we should be
00:40:46.71\00:40:48.14
really right
fruits for the Lord.
00:40:48.18\00:40:49.91
Amen.
00:40:49.94\00:40:51.28
We shouldn't be nuts
anymore, we should be fruits.
00:40:51.31\00:40:53.01
Age is no
license to being foolish.
00:40:59.32\00:41:03.56
Look at point number six.
00:41:03.59\00:41:04.93
"God places limits on us
00:41:09.86\00:41:14.40
so that we can be safe
00:41:14.44\00:41:16.87
to occupy an exalted position."
00:41:16.91\00:41:20.04
God places limits on
us so that we can be safe
00:41:20.08\00:41:24.45
to occupy an exalted position.
00:41:24.48\00:41:26.92
Can you imagine having
a United States president
00:41:26.95\00:41:29.85
that didn't have
to even ask Congress
00:41:29.88\00:41:31.89
for any
permission to do anything?
00:41:31.92\00:41:34.22
That would be a dictatorship.
00:41:34.26\00:41:36.52
I'm so glad that God does
not have His church that way.
00:41:36.56\00:41:39.23
At every stage in the
Seventh-day Adventist Church
00:41:39.26\00:41:41.46
there is accountability.
00:41:41.50\00:41:43.20
From the local level,
to the conference level,
00:41:43.23\00:41:46.33
to the union level,
to the division level,
00:41:46.37\00:41:48.80
to the GC level, at every stage
00:41:48.84\00:41:50.71
God puts in place
checks and balances,
00:41:50.74\00:41:53.14
so that no man or woman
become a law unto themselves.
00:41:53.17\00:41:56.88
And a reason why
God places limits there,
00:41:56.91\00:41:58.85
so that we can be safe to
occupy an exalted position.
00:41:58.88\00:42:02.18
But hear this point.
00:42:02.22\00:42:03.62
An exalted position
is not a safe place,
00:42:03.65\00:42:06.35
you're gonna be shot at
when you're high up there,
00:42:06.39\00:42:08.02
am I right?
00:42:08.06\00:42:09.39
An exalted position
is not a safe place.
00:42:09.42\00:42:11.56
But get this
part, but a safe person
00:42:11.59\00:42:15.66
can occupy an exalted position.
00:42:15.70\00:42:19.53
When a person's
heart is changed by God
00:42:19.57\00:42:21.40
and pure Holy Spirit, a
safe person can be trusted
00:42:21.44\00:42:26.74
in an exalted position.
00:42:26.78\00:42:28.28
Watch out for prideful people.
00:42:28.31\00:42:30.28
The Bible says,
"Whoever exalts himself
00:42:30.31\00:42:32.21
will be humbled and
whoever humbles himself
00:42:32.25\00:42:34.12
will be exalted."
00:42:34.15\00:42:35.48
Matthew 23:12.
00:42:35.52\00:42:36.85
We got to make
sure that we stay humble
00:42:36.89\00:42:39.55
under the hand of God and
never think that we are it.
00:42:39.59\00:42:42.39
When we rush ahead
of God's timetable,
00:42:45.93\00:42:47.76
we are at risk.
00:42:47.80\00:42:49.13
When we live outside of
God's plans, we are at risk.
00:42:49.16\00:42:53.77
Look at verse 21,
00:42:53.80\00:42:55.14
"King Uzziah was a leper
00:42:59.74\00:43:01.31
until the day of his death,
00:43:01.34\00:43:03.65
he dwelt in an
isolated house..."
00:43:03.68\00:43:05.71
What a commentary
to 68 years of fame?
00:43:05.75\00:43:09.25
What a commentary
to 68 years of success?
00:43:09.28\00:43:12.72
He was a leper until
the day of his death.
00:43:12.75\00:43:15.22
He dwelt in an isolated
house because he was a leper,
00:43:15.26\00:43:19.73
for he was cast off
from the house of the Lord.
00:43:19.76\00:43:22.16
Then Jotham his son
was over the king's house,
00:43:22.20\00:43:26.40
judging the people of the land."
00:43:26.43\00:43:28.74
Now get this,
brethren, I caught this one,
00:43:28.77\00:43:30.57
I read the story.
00:43:30.61\00:43:31.94
You see every
one of us is a leper.
00:43:31.97\00:43:35.11
Say amen.
00:43:35.14\00:43:36.58
But when we are
leper is the big deal.
00:43:36.61\00:43:40.72
You see, Naaman was a
leper until God touched his life
00:43:40.75\00:43:44.42
and changed his heart.
00:43:44.45\00:43:46.76
He started out with
pride, but God changed him
00:43:46.79\00:43:49.39
and the Bible says,
00:43:49.42\00:43:50.76
"Good things about
Naaman from that day on."
00:43:50.79\00:43:52.76
But, brethren, if you become
00:43:52.79\00:43:54.13
a leper at the end of your life,
00:43:54.16\00:43:55.50
you are in serious trouble.
00:43:55.53\00:43:58.13
If God places leprosy on you
00:43:58.17\00:44:00.17
when He should be
sealing you up for the kingdom,
00:44:00.20\00:44:02.40
that's a sad commentary.
00:44:02.44\00:44:05.01
Naaman was a leper,
00:44:05.04\00:44:06.68
the Bible says,
Uzziah is a leper.
00:44:06.71\00:44:10.15
What a
difference? What a contrast?
00:44:10.18\00:44:12.35
Two different
directions, two different men.
00:44:12.38\00:44:15.82
Everyone is a leper,
but when we become a leper
00:44:15.85\00:44:18.39
is the big issue.
00:44:18.42\00:44:19.75
Look at verse 23,
00:44:19.79\00:44:21.12
"So Uzziah
rested with his fathers,
00:44:21.16\00:44:22.92
and they buried
him with his fathers
00:44:22.96\00:44:25.43
in the field of burial
00:44:25.46\00:44:27.10
which belongs to the
kings, for they said..."
00:44:27.13\00:44:29.80
Notice this is not past
tense, it's in a present tense,
00:44:29.83\00:44:33.40
"He is a leper,
00:44:33.44\00:44:35.77
then Jotham his son
reigned in his place."
00:44:35.80\00:44:38.57
This is powerful,
00:44:38.61\00:44:39.94
this is righteousness
by faith right here.
00:44:39.97\00:44:41.34
Listen to this.
00:44:41.38\00:44:43.35
If King Uzziah had died to sin,
00:44:43.38\00:44:49.05
he would have seen the vision
00:44:49.08\00:44:51.12
that God had for him.
00:44:51.15\00:44:53.32
If he had died to sin,
but King Uzziah died in sin
00:44:53.36\00:44:58.59
and that's why Isaiah 6:1 says,
00:44:58.63\00:45:01.00
"In the year
that King Uzziah died,
00:45:01.03\00:45:02.96
Isaiah saw the Lord."
00:45:03.00\00:45:05.57
Let me tell you
something, brethren,
00:45:05.60\00:45:06.94
this is a humbling sermon.
00:45:06.97\00:45:08.30
It made me check myself out.
00:45:08.34\00:45:09.67
If you think
that you got it all,
00:45:09.70\00:45:11.61
and nobody else has it,
00:45:11.64\00:45:13.61
you better be
careful, because God took
00:45:13.64\00:45:16.34
what He intended to be Uzziah's
and gave it to Isaiah instead.
00:45:16.38\00:45:21.05
In the year that Uzziah died,
00:45:21.08\00:45:22.45
Isaiah got the vision.
00:45:25.62\00:45:26.96
There's only
one king and kingdom
00:45:30.33\00:45:31.83
that will never end.
00:45:31.86\00:45:33.26
Uzziah thought it
was going to be his.
00:45:33.29\00:45:35.46
But, brethren, today,
it's still God's kingdom.
00:45:35.50\00:45:37.80
Can you say amen?
00:45:37.83\00:45:39.80
Truth C, here it is.
00:45:39.83\00:45:43.71
Truth C.
00:45:43.74\00:45:45.74
"There is still..."
00:45:45.77\00:45:47.38
And I'm gonna add today in 2007,
00:45:47.41\00:45:49.24
whatever the year may be,
00:45:49.28\00:45:50.61
"There is still a place
that belongs to God alone."
00:45:50.65\00:45:55.15
And He's
inviting us to be there.
00:45:58.92\00:46:01.16
We are not gonna
get there by pride,
00:46:01.19\00:46:02.92
we're gonna get
there by a changed heart.
00:46:02.96\00:46:04.46
Can you say amen?
00:46:04.49\00:46:07.10
When he was strong in verse
16, when Uzziah became strong
00:46:07.13\00:46:11.43
and popular, and
famous and puffed up,
00:46:11.47\00:46:14.37
and he thought
he was the only one,
00:46:14.40\00:46:16.04
when he became strong,
00:46:16.07\00:46:17.97
his heart was lifted
up to his destruction.
00:46:18.01\00:46:21.91
The sin that brought down
00:46:21.94\00:46:23.51
Uzziah is the
sin of presumption.
00:46:23.55\00:46:27.22
What is the sin of presumption?
00:46:27.25\00:46:28.92
Here it is,
"When you want to have
00:46:28.95\00:46:31.65
more than God gave
you, that's presumption.
00:46:31.69\00:46:34.86
When you go where
God never sent you,
00:46:34.89\00:46:37.49
that's presumption.
00:46:37.53\00:46:38.86
When you stand where
God never placed you,
00:46:38.89\00:46:41.40
that's presumption.
00:46:41.43\00:46:42.76
When you do
00:46:42.80\00:46:44.13
what God never
intended for you to do,
00:46:44.17\00:46:45.97
that presumption.
00:46:46.00\00:46:47.34
When you live how God
never intended for you to live
00:46:47.37\00:46:50.54
and think God's
gonna bless you anyhow,
00:46:50.57\00:46:52.74
that's presumption."
00:46:52.77\00:46:54.14
Brethren, I don't
wanna be a person that preach
00:46:54.18\00:46:56.88
for people to be
saved and be lost myself.
00:46:56.91\00:46:59.01
Can anybody else say amen?
00:46:59.05\00:47:00.62
I don't want to be a
member of this church
00:47:00.65\00:47:02.08
and not a member of
the heavenly kingdom.
00:47:02.12\00:47:04.69
We got to pray for
those in high position from GC
00:47:04.72\00:47:07.02
all the way down
00:47:07.06\00:47:08.82
to the back
room of our churches.
00:47:08.86\00:47:11.26
Because pride, the
thing that keeps Satan out,
00:47:11.29\00:47:13.56
we're not taking it in.
00:47:13.60\00:47:15.26
And my last point,
point number seven.
00:47:15.30\00:47:19.37
I like this point.
00:47:19.40\00:47:21.14
It ends on a high
note, a positive note.
00:47:21.17\00:47:24.44
"There is no greater blessing
00:47:24.47\00:47:28.31
than the
blessing that we receive
00:47:28.34\00:47:31.11
from the Lord
for being faithful."
00:47:31.15\00:47:35.35
Don't just write
it down, say amen.
00:47:35.38\00:47:37.95
When you are faithful,
all my brothers and sisters,
00:47:37.99\00:47:40.36
my wife and I can
sit you down for hours
00:47:40.39\00:47:42.62
and tell you how
God has blessed us,
00:47:42.66\00:47:44.29
because our
prayer has always been,
00:47:44.33\00:47:46.06
since the day
we've been married,
00:47:46.09\00:47:47.43
just celebrated 24 years.
00:47:47.46\00:47:48.93
From the day we got
married, our prayer has
00:47:48.96\00:47:51.43
and continues to be,
00:47:51.47\00:47:52.80
Lord, keep us humble.
00:47:52.83\00:47:56.74
Because I know at any given day,
00:47:56.77\00:47:58.41
I could be gone, I
could be forgotten,
00:47:58.44\00:48:00.94
somebody else could
sing better than me,
00:48:00.98\00:48:02.84
preach better than me, do
programming better than me.
00:48:02.88\00:48:05.31
Brethren, when God
gives you what He gives you,
00:48:05.35\00:48:07.52
He gives it for His
glory, not for ours.
00:48:07.55\00:48:11.65
There is no greater
blessing than the blessing
00:48:11.69\00:48:13.29
that we receive from
the Lord for being faithful
00:48:13.32\00:48:16.19
which is the final scripture.
00:48:16.22\00:48:17.56
Look at the last scripture,
beauty of it all, here it is.
00:48:17.59\00:48:22.26
Ephesians 6:10,
if you can see that,
00:48:22.30\00:48:24.53
let's read that together."
00:48:24.57\00:48:25.90
Finally, my
brethren..." All ready?
00:48:25.93\00:48:28.27
"Be strong in the Lord
00:48:28.30\00:48:30.47
and in the power of His might."
00:48:30.51\00:48:34.48
Not your own.
00:48:34.51\00:48:36.28
I didn't read the rest,
00:48:36.31\00:48:37.65
because I wanna
emphases the fact
00:48:37.68\00:48:39.28
that the power is God's power.
00:48:39.31\00:48:41.48
If you gonna have any
power, it better come from God.
00:48:41.52\00:48:44.75
If you gonna have any position,
it better come from God.
00:48:44.79\00:48:47.36
If you gonna have any influence,
00:48:47.39\00:48:48.72
it better come from God.
00:48:48.76\00:48:50.33
The answer to Uzziah's
syndrome is the answer for us.
00:48:50.36\00:48:54.43
Just before I sing this song,
00:48:54.46\00:48:56.13
let me tell you
what that answer is.
00:48:56.16\00:48:58.00
By the way, the
answer is always Jesus.
00:48:58.03\00:48:59.67
Can you say amen?
00:48:59.70\00:49:01.07
But here is Jesus in detail.
00:49:01.10\00:49:03.34
The answer that Uzziah's
00:49:03.37\00:49:04.91
should have sought is the answer
00:49:04.94\00:49:06.78
that we still
have a chance to see.
00:49:06.81\00:49:10.85
Uzziah's heart needed
to be searched by God,
00:49:10.88\00:49:14.38
but he never prayed the prayer.
00:49:14.42\00:49:16.35
Uzziah's pride
needed to be uncovered,
00:49:16.38\00:49:19.52
but he never prayed the prayer.
00:49:19.55\00:49:21.32
Uzziah did not
see his own weakness
00:49:21.36\00:49:23.26
because he
didn't pray the prayer.
00:49:23.29\00:49:25.46
Uzziah paid no
attention to the dangers
00:49:25.49\00:49:27.96
that lay in his path
00:49:28.00\00:49:29.33
because he
didn't pray the prayer.
00:49:29.36\00:49:31.60
Uzziah never realized the joy
00:49:31.63\00:49:35.60
of knowing that all is well
00:49:35.64\00:49:39.31
because he
didn't pray the prayer.
00:49:39.34\00:49:42.24
My prayer for you
today, as I sing this song
00:49:42.28\00:49:44.75
is that we will
pray this prayer.
00:49:44.78\00:49:46.95
Search me O
God, reveal my heart,
00:49:46.98\00:49:50.35
as I sing this song
and that's your desire,
00:49:50.39\00:49:52.99
I'm gonna ask you
to just bow your heads
00:49:53.02\00:49:54.36
and listen as God
speaks to us in this message.
00:49:54.39\00:49:57.83
The greatest desire
00:49:57.86\00:49:59.19
we should have is
for God to search us.
00:49:59.23\00:50:01.46
Search me, oh
God Reveal my heart
00:50:05.50\00:50:12.21
Expose my sin
00:50:12.24\00:50:14.41
That it may be confessed
00:50:14.44\00:50:20.28
Search me, oh God
Unveil each thought
00:50:23.02\00:50:29.52
And leave no
hidden motive unaddressed
00:50:29.56\00:50:36.53
Uncover every
action born in pride
00:50:40.94\00:50:46.61
Show me the worldly ways
00:50:49.68\00:50:52.71
I still embrace
00:50:52.75\00:51:00.19
May every anxious thought
00:51:00.22\00:51:04.16
Be brought to light
00:51:04.19\00:51:09.30
And each unspoken fear
00:51:09.33\00:51:12.47
With faith replaced
00:51:12.50\00:51:18.07
Isn't that a prayer
today for changed heart?
00:51:18.11\00:51:21.14
Listen.
00:51:21.18\00:51:24.75
Search me, oh
God Observe my life
00:51:24.78\00:51:31.49
Bring to my mind
Each idle word I speak
00:51:31.52\00:51:38.33
Search me, oh God
00:51:42.46\00:51:45.53
Test my resolve
00:51:45.57\00:51:49.67
And alert me
Where you find it weak
00:51:49.70\00:51:55.74
Reveal all weakened walls
00:51:59.98\00:52:03.42
With in my soul
00:52:03.45\00:52:08.76
And show me
potential dangers Unforeseen
00:52:08.79\00:52:15.33
Then clothe my conscience
00:52:19.67\00:52:22.70
With your holiness
00:52:22.74\00:52:28.88
Help me to guard it well
00:52:28.91\00:52:31.95
And keep it clean
00:52:31.98\00:52:35.95
Search me, oh God
00:52:39.22\00:52:42.06
That I may walk in peace
00:52:42.09\00:52:49.36
Filled with the joy
Of knowing all is well
00:52:49.40\00:52:55.64
My heart surrendered
00:52:59.64\00:53:03.04
And my conscience clean
00:53:03.08\00:53:09.85
So great a joy
00:53:09.88\00:53:11.79
My tongue can scarcely tell
00:53:11.82\00:53:18.86
Oh what a joy of
knowing That all is well
00:53:18.89\00:53:26.67
Today I wanna pray,
00:53:48.09\00:53:51.69
that the pride
that's building up in us,
00:53:51.73\00:53:55.53
be the pride that
we say, Lord, today,
00:53:55.56\00:53:58.57
I want you to take that
00:53:58.60\00:53:59.93
Holy Spirit vacuum
and begin to remove it,
00:53:59.97\00:54:02.37
what do you say?
00:54:02.40\00:54:04.74
If there's anybody here
today that wanna join with me
00:54:04.77\00:54:06.84
in that prayer of saying,
00:54:06.88\00:54:09.34
"Lord, do
whatever You need to do
00:54:09.38\00:54:10.88
to get me into the kingdom.
00:54:10.91\00:54:12.51
Take whatever You need to take
to make sure that I make it.
00:54:12.55\00:54:15.72
Let not my life of success end
00:54:15.75\00:54:18.69
with a sad statement,
00:54:18.72\00:54:22.76
that I died on the
outside of the kingdom
00:54:22.79\00:54:24.56
You prepared for me,
00:54:24.59\00:54:25.93
that I died short
of the realization
00:54:25.96\00:54:29.36
that all is well with me."
00:54:29.40\00:54:30.73
If you wanna join me
today, and asking God to begin
00:54:30.77\00:54:33.30
to search you out
and show you who you are,
00:54:33.34\00:54:36.34
stand with me as we pray.
00:54:36.37\00:54:38.47
You can join us at home.
00:54:38.51\00:54:40.14
Just bow your heads with us.
00:54:40.18\00:54:43.21
Our gracious God and
our everlasting Father,
00:54:43.24\00:54:45.41
what a joy it is to
know that our record
00:54:45.45\00:54:48.22
is not finished being written,
00:54:48.25\00:54:50.95
and our lives are
not finished being lived.
00:54:50.99\00:54:54.92
Today, Lord, we
stand before You,
00:54:54.96\00:54:56.66
humbly asking You to
look into our hearts,
00:54:56.69\00:54:59.23
into our words,
into our actions,
00:54:59.26\00:55:00.93
into our deeds and
show us who we are,
00:55:00.96\00:55:05.50
that we may see who You are.
00:55:05.53\00:55:09.20
The glory,
Lord, that You desire,
00:55:09.24\00:55:11.44
may it be just Yours.
00:55:11.47\00:55:13.48
The success You entrust to us,
00:55:13.51\00:55:15.71
may it glorify
You and You alone.
00:55:15.74\00:55:18.38
The position we
occupy may we desire
00:55:18.41\00:55:21.48
that position to be
where You stand with us.
00:55:21.52\00:55:25.15
And, Father, when the day comes
00:55:25.19\00:55:26.52
that we stand
before Your presence,
00:55:26.55\00:55:28.09
may it be to hear
the words well done
00:55:28.12\00:55:30.49
rather than depart from me.
00:55:30.53\00:55:33.53
Today the
decision is being made,
00:55:33.56\00:55:34.90
Lord, we are Your
people, get us ready for that
00:55:34.93\00:55:38.50
which we cannot
prepare ourselves for
00:55:38.53\00:55:41.74
and all that we do and
say, our desire is to be saved.
00:55:41.77\00:55:46.57
Save us the way
that you see fit, Lord,
00:55:46.61\00:55:49.34
and we pray this to Your holy
00:55:49.38\00:55:51.51
and honorable name.
00:55:51.55\00:55:53.35
In Jesus' name we pray
and God's people said amen.
00:55:53.38\00:55:58.05
Friends, as this
program is ending,
00:55:58.09\00:56:00.96
we're gonna ask that God
will also speak to your heart.
00:56:00.99\00:56:04.23
That whatever challenges
you may find in your home,
00:56:04.26\00:56:06.33
in your life, and
in your spiritual walk
00:56:06.36\00:56:07.70
with the pastor,
leader, parishioner,
00:56:07.73\00:56:10.73
whatever position
you occupy in life,
00:56:10.77\00:56:12.43
give God the first place.
00:56:12.47\00:56:14.44
So that when the time
comes for Jesus to come,
00:56:14.47\00:56:18.37
you'll know that all is well
in your heart and in your life.
00:56:18.41\00:56:22.71
We are living in the
last days, days where God says
00:56:22.74\00:56:25.61
that we must
examine our own hearts.
00:56:25.65\00:56:28.38
Pray the prayer of David, Lord,
00:56:28.42\00:56:29.82
if there is any
wicked way in me,
00:56:29.85\00:56:32.09
lead me into the
way of everlasting life.
00:56:32.12\00:56:34.46
That's my prayer for you,
that's 3ABNs prayer for you,
00:56:34.49\00:56:37.23
continue praying for us
that when the Lord comes,
00:56:37.26\00:56:40.23
we will all be found
faithful and be ready
00:56:40.26\00:56:43.67
to enter God's eternal kingdom.
00:56:43.70\00:56:46.27
May God bless you.
00:56:46.30\00:56:47.97