I want to ask a
question, couple of
00:01:00.39\00:01:03.50
questions to start
off with. First of all,
00:01:03.51\00:01:05.76
who controls the
Will? The selfish man
00:01:05.77\00:01:11.92
or the spiritual man?
The selfish carnal man
00:01:13.91\00:01:18.09
or the unselfish spiritual man?
00:01:18.10\00:01:21.26
Now, internally
they were gonna go to
00:01:21.96\00:01:23.82
Romans, if you have
your Bibles you know
00:01:23.83\00:01:25.28
turn to Romans
chapter 8 you can follow
00:01:25.29\00:01:28.23
along there, at
some of the texts that
00:01:28.24\00:01:31.48
we're gonna
look at to start off.
00:01:31.49\00:01:33.76
Now, I'm going to
start right off with,
00:01:33.77\00:01:35.72
with Romans chapter
8 and I'm looking at,
00:01:35.73\00:01:39.83
at the word, I'm sorry
I don't have that verse,
00:01:39.84\00:01:44.40
it's right there,
it's starting with verse 3,
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starting verse
3, "For what the law
00:01:47.78\00:01:50.72
could not do, and
that it was weak through
00:01:50.73\00:01:53.16
the flesh, God did
by sending His own Son
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in the likeness
of sinful flesh."
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And there is the
good news, the bad news
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and the good news.
The bad news is that
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the law, there are
some things that law
00:02:03.30\00:02:05.09
could not do, but
then it says, but God did.
00:02:05.10\00:02:09.20
So, what the law
could not do God did it,
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isn't that good
news? Amen. And let's,
00:02:11.86\00:02:15.65
let's just watch
this going down to,
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to the next, to
the, no, the same verse.
00:02:18.59\00:02:22.70
Lets stay right
there on the same verse.
00:02:22.71\00:02:24.18
"God did by sending
His own Son in the likeness
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of sinful flesh,
on account of sin;
00:02:27.18\00:02:29.61
He condemned sin in
the flesh." Now, let's
00:02:29.62\00:02:32.06
understand the data
of what we just read.
00:02:32.07\00:02:34.36
First of all, the law
is weak because when it
00:02:34.37\00:02:37.61
commanded sinful
man to do something,
00:02:37.62\00:02:42.13
sinful man cannot
respond, because of our
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sinfulness. So, the
law says do not or do
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and it doesn't get
our response out of us.
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The law had no power to
change the sinful nature
00:02:53.53\00:02:59.46
of men. And all of us
in this room are in the
00:02:59.47\00:03:01.36
same boat, we all
have a sinful nature
00:03:01.37\00:03:03.70
and the law has no
power to change it.
00:03:03.71\00:03:06.35
Therefore, it's power
was limited to informing
00:03:06.36\00:03:11.52
and condemning sin
in us, but it couldn't
00:03:11.53\00:03:15.56
change us, but the
good news again is what
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the law could not do God did.
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And let me just go
right now real, real quickly
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because it's not the main thing,
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I want to get to
how the mind things
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and how the carnal
mind has to be conquered
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and so forth.
God gave His own son
00:03:30.34\00:03:33.42
to the human race. Number two,
00:03:33.43\00:03:36.35
by His living,
Christ living he ruined
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the rule of sin in
our lives. The reason
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we can't respond to God's laws
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because sin is
ruling in our lives
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and Jesus came and he
ruined the rule of sin
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in human flesh. I
think that's real good news
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as well. Then he
paid the penalty with his,
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of sin with his
life as our substitute
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he played our game
of life and he won where
00:04:00.14\00:04:03.70
we lost. Now,
what is a substitute,
00:04:03.71\00:04:05.97
we use the word
substitute quite a bit,
00:04:05.98\00:04:08.24
although we
practice it quite a bit
00:04:08.25\00:04:10.97
in our culture,
although we don't use the word
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so much, but let me
give a good example.
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When I drive west sometimes on
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Sabbath morning, which would be
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Saturday morning and you are,
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and I'm driving west
towards out of Lansing
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toward Grand Rapids, Michigan.
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All of a sudden I'm
met in the other line
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streaming toward
Lansing or streaming toward
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Ann Arbor, I met
with streams of cars
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flying flags. Some
of the flags are green
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and some of them are
blue. Now, if you're a
00:04:42.84\00:04:46.07
Michigander you know
what I'm talking about?
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Now, the people that
are flying those flags
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they're into this
thing. Now, you may know
00:04:51.54\00:04:54.43
some of them at
work. They'll say something
00:04:54.44\00:04:57.85
like this to you,
they'll look at you
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and they will say,
you maybe for the green
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and maybe therefore
they're for the blue
00:05:03.44\00:05:04.64
or vice versa,
they will say you know,
00:05:04.65\00:05:08.00
Saturday morning
we're going to beat,
00:05:08.01\00:05:10.94
we're going to beat you good.
00:05:10.95\00:05:12.89
We're going to do
it, we're, we're going to
00:05:13.89\00:05:16.56
win this, we're
going to do this.
00:05:16.57\00:05:18.09
They will going to
come back, no you're not,
00:05:18.10\00:05:20.14
you're weak, you
just wait and you know
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how this conversation goes.
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Then on Monday
morning, they show up to work
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and they say, I
told you, we're going to
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beat you and we. We,
we, we never touch the ball,
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never. What, what
was going on here?
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This is called
substitution. Whatever
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their team did
whether it was green or blue
00:05:55.28\00:05:57.98
whatever their team
did, it was as though
00:05:57.99\00:06:01.39
it happened to
them. When the team
00:06:01.40\00:06:06.06
made a touch down,
they made a touch down.
00:06:06.07\00:06:08.12
We call that
substitution. Now, let's
00:06:09.31\00:06:14.13
just play, but
what I'm talking about
00:06:14.14\00:06:17.52
is very real. Amen. Not
even in the same league.
00:06:17.53\00:06:24.96
The father of
our race Adam lost,
00:06:24.97\00:06:29.37
and when he lost
every one of us lost.
00:06:29.38\00:06:32.78
Real, we're born
because of Adam's defeat,
00:06:33.94\00:06:37.52
we're born into
his defeat. We wake up
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from our momma's
womb already messed up.
00:06:41.17\00:06:44.66
God send His
only begotten son into
00:06:47.20\00:06:51.15
human flesh, He
played the game all over
00:06:51.16\00:06:55.89
and won, amen, amen. That means,
00:06:55.90\00:07:01.07
that His victory can
now become my victory,
00:07:01.08\00:07:05.90
that sin does not
have to rule in my life,
00:07:05.91\00:07:10.70
that the rule of
sin can be kick out
00:07:11.55\00:07:15.24
of by living, and I
want to say praise God. Amen.
00:07:15.25\00:07:20.70
You, you've to
understand that the
00:07:21.72\00:07:23.81
rule of sin is an
awful thing, we talk
00:07:23.82\00:07:26.42
more about that
as we go along here
00:07:26.43\00:07:28.00
just a little bit.
Now, the other thing is that
00:07:28.01\00:07:31.10
by faith we can
accept His life in place
00:07:31.11\00:07:34.13
of our life. Just
as they accept the team
00:07:34.14\00:07:36.98
in place of them
and the teams play,
00:07:36.99\00:07:39.92
we accept the
life of Christ in place
00:07:39.93\00:07:42.28
of our life. In
response when we put our faith
00:07:42.29\00:07:45.68
in Him to do that, He
sets us free from sins
00:07:45.69\00:07:49.90
rule and sins
penalty. Now, look at,
00:07:49.91\00:07:52.48
continuing looking
verse 4, if you would.
00:07:52.49\00:07:54.47
And so, he
condemned sinful, he condemns,
00:07:54.48\00:07:58.72
I'm usually the
new international
00:07:58.73\00:07:59.84
at this point.
So, we condemn sin
00:07:59.85\00:08:01.45
and sinful man, and
order that the righteous
00:08:01.46\00:08:04.89
requirements of the
law might be fully met
00:08:04.90\00:08:06.98
in us, who do not
live according to the
00:08:06.99\00:08:09.57
sinful nature, but
according to spirit.
00:08:09.58\00:08:11.42
So, he's simply
saying that because of Christ
00:08:11.43\00:08:13.67
we can live a different life.
00:08:13.68\00:08:15.93
And it's going to,
it's gonna deal into our
00:08:15.94\00:08:17.88
thinking here, we're
going to see how that
00:08:17.89\00:08:19.05
works in thinking. The
requirements of the law,
00:08:19.06\00:08:22.39
here are the
results. The requirements
00:08:22.40\00:08:24.29
of the law can be
fully met in our lives.
00:08:24.30\00:08:27.93
Now, that's
amazing, because we've much
00:08:27.94\00:08:29.33
of the Christian
world that says, you know,
00:08:29.34\00:08:32.16
it's over with,
don't worry about
00:08:32.17\00:08:33.67
the God's law, etc,
etc. The requirements
00:08:33.68\00:08:36.73
of the law however,
according to this text
00:08:36.74\00:08:38.61
can be fully met on
the following conditions.
00:08:38.62\00:08:41.88
One if we no
longer trust our rule,
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the rule of our life
to our carnal nature.
00:08:45.86\00:08:47.59
Now, let me tell you
this is where the rubber
00:08:47.60\00:08:49.67
really starts to meet the road.
00:08:49.68\00:08:50.79
We struggle with
putting Christ in control
00:08:52.45\00:09:01.00
of our life and giving
up control of our life.
00:09:01.01\00:09:05.98
Let me explain, so
it's really serious.
00:09:07.91\00:09:10.96
Wouldn't you give
your life to Christ,
00:09:12.08\00:09:14.82
your, that's a,
that's a cliche, so easily,
00:09:14.83\00:09:17.67
what you're really saying is,
00:09:17.68\00:09:19.14
I'm, I'm actually
putting you in control
00:09:19.15\00:09:22.86
of my living. So, if
Jesus wants me to die
00:09:23.61\00:09:31.04
or wants you to die
tomorrow, it's okay.
00:09:31.05\00:09:37.27
Because he is in
control, if He want you
00:09:39.70\00:09:45.79
to live tomorrow,
He wants me to live
00:09:45.80\00:09:47.70
tomorrow, it's okay because
00:09:47.71\00:09:51.06
he is in
control. You following me?
00:09:51.07\00:09:56.34
In other words, am I
willing to trust Christ
00:09:58.54\00:10:02.95
with all of my
life? I'm giving some
00:10:02.96\00:10:12.00
Bible studies to
very talented young man
00:10:12.01\00:10:15.12
and I'm enjoying
that and his, his life,
00:10:15.13\00:10:19.52
he's making
changes in his life and,
00:10:19.53\00:10:22.18
and he said to
me just yesterday.
00:10:23.06\00:10:26.73
We were talking,
he says you know, I,
00:10:26.74\00:10:28.34
I don't drink
anymore. He says, when I,
00:10:28.35\00:10:30.58
when I go to this kind of event
00:10:30.59\00:10:32.17
and that kind of
event, I just tell people no,
00:10:32.18\00:10:33.90
I, I don't drink and he says,
00:10:33.91\00:10:35.76
I really am enjoying
that and he says, I'm
00:10:35.77\00:10:37.24
in full control
of myself and he was
00:10:37.25\00:10:39.58
telling me the joys
of that, but he says
00:10:39.59\00:10:43.34
I got an event coming
up, but I'm going back
00:10:43.35\00:10:45.13
to my old fraternity,
my college fraternity.
00:10:45.14\00:10:47.71
And he looked at me and
he says it's going to be
00:10:47.72\00:10:49.58
awfully hard not to drink.
00:10:49.59\00:10:52.62
And I said, I talked
to him about the moment,
00:10:56.55\00:11:00.19
about the issue of
Christ being in control
00:11:00.20\00:11:04.08
of his life. And I
said, you've come to that
00:11:04.09\00:11:07.75
moment where Christ
is asking you to pick up
00:11:07.76\00:11:11.04
the Cross. I said, I don't know
00:11:11.05\00:11:15.14
what will happen
in that, people may
00:11:15.15\00:11:16.53
make fun of you and
they may laugh at you,
00:11:16.54\00:11:18.31
but I said somebody
is going to be impressed
00:11:18.32\00:11:20.48
with you,
you're sent there to be
00:11:20.49\00:11:22.61
Christ's
ambassador. Amen. You sit there
00:11:22.62\00:11:27.17
to be his man, but sometimes in
00:11:27.18\00:11:30.93
Christianity we
give our life to Christ,
00:11:30.94\00:11:32.25
but we don't
really give Him our life.
00:11:32.26\00:11:33.98
We've got to make
Christ back in charge
00:11:33.99\00:11:36.75
of our life in
our living. And so,
00:11:36.76\00:11:41.09
we've got to trust
our life to the rule
00:11:41.10\00:11:42.61
of Christ. Now,
we got to understand
00:11:42.62\00:11:44.55
the struggle of sins,
so if you're looking down
00:11:44.56\00:11:46.31
and there and we, I
want to look again at,
00:11:46.32\00:11:48.69
at verse 5, understanding
00:11:48.70\00:11:54.28
the struggle with sin. Verse 5,
00:11:54.29\00:11:56.04
"For those who live
according to the flesh
00:11:56.05\00:11:59.21
set their."
According to the sinful nature,
00:11:59.22\00:12:03.12
I'm using the New International.
00:12:03.13\00:12:04.32
"Those who live according to the
00:12:04.33\00:12:05.50
sinful nature have
their minds set on what that
00:12:05.51\00:12:10.18
nature desires; but
those who live according
00:12:10.19\00:12:13.56
to the Spirit have
their mind set on what the
00:12:13.57\00:12:16.23
Spirit desires."
Notice the mind here is either
00:12:16.24\00:12:20.17
set on what the
Spirit desires or what the
00:12:20.18\00:12:22.82
carnal nature desires.
What, what does it mean
00:12:22.83\00:12:26.44
to have your
mind set on something?
00:12:26.45\00:12:29.25
A question, what did
Hitler have his mind set
00:12:29.26\00:12:34.10
on? Now, I, I got
some German in me,
00:12:34.11\00:12:37.38
but I'm mostly Scot-Irish but,
00:12:37.39\00:12:38.74
and English, but
we're all the hinds variety.
00:12:38.75\00:12:41.57
So, I got, I got enough German,
00:12:41.58\00:12:42.96
I can talk I
think. What did Hitler
00:12:42.97\00:12:49.79
have his mind set
on? What was he thinking?
00:12:49.80\00:12:54.89
What did he want? And why did,
00:12:56.23\00:13:00.59
why did enough
not our German people,
00:13:00.60\00:13:02.86
but why did
enough German people?
00:13:02.87\00:13:04.51
Why did they go along with that?
00:13:04.52\00:13:06.27
What Hitler wanted is he wanted,
00:13:10.82\00:13:13.74
he wanted them to
become, and he wanted
00:13:13.75\00:13:17.09
to be remembered
always as the great leader,
00:13:17.10\00:13:19.32
who made them the world
dominant superior power.
00:13:19.33\00:13:24.54
It was all about
self. And that's why
00:13:26.15\00:13:31.11
he was popular, became popular.
00:13:31.12\00:13:34.02
We kept the uno
number one O for the world.
00:13:35.09\00:13:37.85
And we know that
when you have the mind
00:13:37.86\00:13:40.64
set on the carnal,
when, what happened to
00:13:40.65\00:13:44.37
Germany? We know
the terrible reason,
00:13:44.38\00:13:46.98
there was euphoria,
it's gonna be great,
00:13:46.99\00:13:49.43
it's gonna be
wonderful, we will do whatever
00:13:49.44\00:13:51.39
it take to bring
this great vision about,
00:13:51.40\00:13:53.69
but when it was
all done and said,
00:13:53.70\00:13:56.26
Germany was in
ruins. If you set your mind
00:13:56.27\00:14:02.60
on the carnal self,
the carnal self will
00:14:02.61\00:14:07.98
eventually ruin
you, no matter how nice
00:14:07.99\00:14:11.41
and good it
sounds now. That's why we
00:14:11.42\00:14:18.33
have to have; we
must have our mind set on
00:14:18.34\00:14:22.09
what the Spirit
desires. What does the
00:14:22.10\00:14:23.69
Spirit desire?
Well, let me illustrate
00:14:23.70\00:14:29.07
this again, what,
what is it that you want
00:14:29.08\00:14:31.63
your children to
have when they grow up.
00:14:33.97\00:14:35.83
Now, most Americans
will say I want my children
00:14:35.84\00:14:38.52
to be healthy, I
want them to be wealthy,
00:14:38.53\00:14:43.25
I want them to be famous,
00:14:43.26\00:14:44.76
I want them to be
happy, I want them to be
00:14:44.77\00:14:46.66
whatever. We usually
think in carnal terms
00:14:46.67\00:14:51.70
or earthly terms,
I'll put it that way.
00:14:51.71\00:14:54.25
There's nothing
wrong with being happening,
00:14:54.26\00:14:55.91
we want them to be
happy, but what is,
00:14:55.92\00:14:59.09
what is the spirit
of God want for your
00:14:59.10\00:15:00.91
children? Let me
tell you what he wants.
00:15:00.92\00:15:06.76
He wants them to
have a noble Christ like
00:15:06.77\00:15:11.21
character because in
that nobility of Christ
00:15:11.22\00:15:17.86
likeness and God
likeness there is
00:15:17.87\00:15:21.70
eternal life. So, we,
we need to have our minds
00:15:21.71\00:15:29.66
set on what the spirit desires.
00:15:29.67\00:15:31.63
Now, the mind is used
a lot here on this text,
00:15:31.64\00:15:35.71
still in Romans 8 verses 5 to 8.
00:15:35.72\00:15:38.38
"The mind of
sinful man is death,
00:15:38.39\00:15:40.00
but the mind
controlled by the Spirit is life
00:15:40.01\00:15:42.66
and peace. The sinful
mind is hostile to God,
00:15:42.67\00:15:47.52
the sinful it, the
sinful mind does not
00:15:48.10\00:15:50.75
submit to God's
law." Now, if a sinful mind
00:15:50.76\00:15:53.25
does not submit to God's law,
00:15:53.26\00:15:55.73
what does the spiritual mind do?
00:15:56.61\00:15:58.37
Let me do that
again. If the carnal mind,
00:15:59.92\00:16:04.05
the selfish mind does
not submit to God's law.
00:16:04.06\00:16:09.77
What does the spiritual mind do?
00:16:09.78\00:16:14.00
Just the
opposite, so it submits,
00:16:14.92\00:16:17.44
the spiritual mind
submits to God's law.
00:16:17.45\00:16:20.57
Alright, let's,
let's go on here.
00:16:22.42\00:16:24.70
Those controlled
by the sinful nature
00:16:24.71\00:16:27.20
cannot please
God, so two questions.
00:16:27.21\00:16:29.68
How is the sinful
mind taken out of control
00:16:29.69\00:16:34.01
of our lives? And
how do we bring our mind
00:16:34.02\00:16:38.80
under the control of Christ?
00:16:38.81\00:16:41.16
Well, first of all
we've got to cooperate
00:16:42.22\00:16:45.16
with divine agencies.
Now, you probably heard
00:16:45.17\00:16:47.73
this illustration
before, but I'm going
00:16:47.74\00:16:49.12
to use it. There was
once a farmer who had a
00:16:49.13\00:16:51.46
beautiful farm
and somebody showed up
00:16:51.47\00:16:54.76
one day and, and he
looked at the cornfield
00:16:54.77\00:16:57.46
and, and the beans and he says,
00:16:57.47\00:16:59.49
I've never seen
such beautiful beans
00:16:59.50\00:17:01.47
and such, God
has sure blessed you
00:17:01.48\00:17:03.18
with those beans and corn.
00:17:03.19\00:17:04.50
Then he looked at the
cattle and he said, I've
00:17:04.51\00:17:05.80
never seen such
slick cattle in my life,
00:17:05.81\00:17:07.86
God has so blessed you with such
00:17:07.87\00:17:09.61
beautiful cattle,
I've just never seen
00:17:09.62\00:17:11.09
anything like it. And
he looked at his garden,
00:17:11.10\00:17:13.13
he looked at this
and everything he turned
00:17:13.14\00:17:14.69
around, he said, God
has just been so good,
00:17:14.70\00:17:16.44
look what God has given you,
00:17:16.45\00:17:17.74
he's given you
that beautiful barn,
00:17:17.75\00:17:18.90
you got a lovely
home and God has been so,
00:17:18.91\00:17:21.08
and kept doing and
then finally the man
00:17:21.09\00:17:22.41
looked at him. And
I'm not saying this to be
00:17:22.42\00:17:25.80
fun because I think
it's actually blasphemies.
00:17:25.81\00:17:27.64
The man looked at him,
the farmer looked at him
00:17:28.65\00:17:30.29
and he said, well
you should have seen what
00:17:30.30\00:17:32.10
it looked like when
God had it by himself.
00:17:32.11\00:17:34.02
Now, lets just
analyze that just a minute.
00:17:37.22\00:17:39.42
You could, the
farmer would say, yeah,
00:17:41.71\00:17:45.20
he says I
actually produced this,
00:17:45.21\00:17:46.77
I mean, I'm the
guy that put the seed
00:17:46.78\00:17:49.86
in the ground, yes,
that's true where did
00:17:49.87\00:17:51.33
you get the seed? Well, yeah,
00:17:51.34\00:17:55.92
God gave us the seed,
I put it in the earth,
00:17:55.93\00:17:58.84
yeah, that's true,
but where did the dirt
00:17:58.85\00:18:01.67
come from? Oh, yeah that's true.
00:18:01.68\00:18:05.25
Well, I hoed it, that's true,
00:18:05.26\00:18:07.62
but where did the
wood for the hoe handle
00:18:07.63\00:18:09.68
come from, where did
the metal for the hoe
00:18:09.69\00:18:11.88
come from?
Listen, when you get down
00:18:11.89\00:18:13.88
at the end of
it, he says, well I,
00:18:13.89\00:18:16.08
I put the energy into it. Yes,
00:18:16.09\00:18:19.29
but where did
you get the energy?
00:18:19.30\00:18:20.82
Well, I have the mind to. Yeah,
00:18:23.48\00:18:24.69
who gave you the mind to do it?
00:18:24.70\00:18:25.84
Well, you get ride on
to it, all you can say
00:18:27.33\00:18:29.50
is the farmer
cooperated with God,
00:18:29.51\00:18:32.97
that's all he
did. Let me tell you,
00:18:32.98\00:18:36.00
to develop a noble
Christian character,
00:18:36.01\00:18:38.08
you give your life to Christ,
00:18:38.09\00:18:39.21
Christ has
provided everything for us
00:18:39.22\00:18:42.39
including His own
power to help us develop it,
00:18:42.40\00:18:46.90
but we must cooperate with Him
00:18:46.91\00:18:50.00
in the
development of that character.
00:18:50.01\00:18:52.10
It's just like your
child, he says daddy,
00:18:52.95\00:18:55.59
I want to build a
nice model plane you know
00:18:55.60\00:18:58.00
one of those which
you, you fly by radio
00:18:58.01\00:18:59.78
control, I want
to do that daddy.
00:18:59.79\00:19:01.43
Fine son, you go out
and you buy all the stuff,
00:19:01.44\00:19:04.62
you brought the radio control,
00:19:04.63\00:19:05.60
you brought the PC,
you brought the wood,
00:19:05.61\00:19:06.71
you brought
everything, get down,
00:19:06.72\00:19:07.69
so okay here's the
plan son. And I'll help you,
00:19:07.70\00:19:10.30
I'll guide you
and he looks at you,
00:19:10.31\00:19:12.02
and he says daddy you do it,
00:19:12.03\00:19:13.03
I don't want to
do. Well, I thought son
00:19:13.04\00:19:15.58
you wanted to
build this, I thought you
00:19:15.59\00:19:17.24
grew up, no I
wanted. Now, listen,
00:19:17.25\00:19:18.93
if it's gonna be
his plane, as a father,
00:19:18.94\00:19:21.63
you're going to
insist that he cooperate
00:19:21.64\00:19:24.03
with you, you're
not gonna sit there
00:19:24.04\00:19:25.44
and do it for
him. It's the same way
00:19:25.45\00:19:28.64
with your character,
you've got to cooperate
00:19:28.65\00:19:30.31
with the Savior,
and He will help you
00:19:30.32\00:19:34.45
and power you to
build a noble Christian
00:19:34.46\00:19:38.45
character. What does
it mean when God says;
00:19:38.46\00:19:41.10
I will put a new
spirit, a heart and this is an
00:19:41.11\00:19:43.13
Ellen White comment from Mind,
00:19:43.14\00:19:44.58
Character, Personality, page 95.
00:19:44.59\00:19:47.11
It means a new
mind I will give you.
00:19:49.04\00:19:51.71
This change of
heart is always attended,
00:19:51.72\00:19:54.98
attended by a
clear conception of
00:19:54.99\00:20:01.53
Christian duty and an
understanding of truth.
00:20:01.54\00:20:05.57
I've never seen a
man converted that said
00:20:05.58\00:20:10.28
to me you know, I
just given my heart
00:20:10.29\00:20:12.60
to Christ, I'm so
happy I've given my heart
00:20:12.61\00:20:14.09
to Christ. Now,
I'm, I, I've got a,
00:20:14.10\00:20:15.82
I got a go out
here, when I'm here,
00:20:15.83\00:20:17.09
I got to do a
little cruising tonight
00:20:17.10\00:20:18.47
till about midnight or
1 O'clock in the morning
00:20:18.48\00:20:20.72
at the local bar.
I've never had that happen.
00:20:20.73\00:20:22.70
Because people when
their life is changed,
00:20:24.32\00:20:27.10
people know
basically, they may not know
00:20:27.11\00:20:30.12
everything, but they know that
00:20:30.13\00:20:31.59
there's got to be a
change and that all of
00:20:31.60\00:20:34.32
that was not
right, they know it.
00:20:34.33\00:20:36.08
God gives us a
certain understanding.
00:20:38.72\00:20:42.55
Now, men are going to understand
00:20:42.56\00:20:44.86
this here at men's conference.
00:20:44.87\00:20:46.70
The mind and I
don't want to be too rigid
00:20:47.56\00:20:49.44
with this, but just
kind of give us an overview.
00:20:49.45\00:20:51.37
Think of the mind
like a calculator,
00:20:51.38\00:20:54.17
think about it like
the logic, the computer
00:20:54.18\00:20:57.51
if you please,
it's where the reason
00:20:57.52\00:21:00.13
and the judgment
and the calculations
00:21:00.14\00:21:01.89
take place. And
then there's your heart,
00:21:01.90\00:21:05.41
your heart is where
your affections are,
00:21:05.42\00:21:07.42
it's what you
like. And then of course
00:21:07.43\00:21:10.87
there is the conscious,
what is the conscious,
00:21:10.88\00:21:12.78
the conscious is,
is that what measures
00:21:12.79\00:21:15.36
right and wrong and
if it's awake it will
00:21:15.37\00:21:18.69
tell you that's
not right you know,
00:21:18.70\00:21:20.77
that's not right, this
is right, this is good,
00:21:20.78\00:21:23.32
this isn't right.
And then there are
00:21:23.33\00:21:26.87
the motions, the
feelings that come
00:21:26.88\00:21:30.14
and then there's the will power.
00:21:30.15\00:21:32.85
The will is the,
the administrator,
00:21:32.86\00:21:36.47
the will is the
executor, the will
00:21:36.48\00:21:38.72
carries out what
the mind wants it to
00:21:38.73\00:21:41.51
carry out, but
it makes it happen.
00:21:41.52\00:21:43.83
When God changes
us, he takes the mind,
00:21:46.24\00:21:49.65
he takes the
logic and the reasoning
00:21:49.66\00:21:51.58
and he
enlightens it, because sin
00:21:51.59\00:21:54.02
has darken our intelligence.
00:21:54.03\00:21:56.50
And he changes our affections;
00:21:57.50\00:21:59.71
the things we used
to love we now no longer
00:21:59.72\00:22:01.78
love, our things are,
our mind is focused on
00:22:01.79\00:22:03.97
spiritual things.
The conscious that's been
00:22:03.98\00:22:06.59
asleep, that just
let you do all kinds of
00:22:06.60\00:22:08.63
bad things and you
don't feel anything
00:22:08.64\00:22:10.06
about the
conscious, now wakes up
00:22:10.07\00:22:12.99
and it's start to
say, this is right,
00:22:13.00\00:22:15.59
this is wrong. The
emotions that have been
00:22:15.60\00:22:19.06
directed toward
carnal pursuits are now
00:22:19.07\00:22:21.75
directed towards
care and love and sympathy
00:22:21.76\00:22:25.68
and goodness. And the
will, that will power,
00:22:25.69\00:22:29.77
that will now serves
not the old carnal self,
00:22:29.78\00:22:33.94
but it serves the
new master, Christ Jesus.
00:22:33.95\00:22:37.33
Now, I'm going to
share with you a quote from
00:22:41.42\00:22:44.09
Steps to Christ,
again by Ellen White,
00:22:44.10\00:22:46.52
a powerful quote, you
may hear yourself in it.
00:22:46.53\00:22:49.61
I certainly have
heard myself in it.
00:22:50.58\00:22:52.50
"Many are inquiring how
am I to make a surrender
00:22:54.44\00:22:57.63
of myself to
God." Now, as a minister
00:22:57.64\00:22:59.53
I've called a lot
of people to surrender,
00:22:59.54\00:23:00.97
surrender your life to Christ,
00:23:00.98\00:23:02.49
but what do we mean by that?
00:23:02.50\00:23:03.97
You desire to
give yourself to Him,
00:23:05.96\00:23:08.25
but you're weak and moral power,
00:23:08.26\00:23:10.09
don't raise your
hand. Ever felt that way?
00:23:10.10\00:23:13.29
In slavery today
control, there is that
00:23:16.42\00:23:19.65
word again controlled by habits,
00:23:19.66\00:23:23.22
by the habits of
your life of sin.
00:23:23.23\00:23:25.95
Doug Batchelor told
a story this morning
00:23:28.78\00:23:31.05
but how he used to
smoke and, and he felt
00:23:31.06\00:23:34.35
the power of that
control to cry out
00:23:34.36\00:23:36.27
for God given victory over that.
00:23:36.28\00:23:38.15
Your promises and
resolutions are like
00:23:41.27\00:23:46.57
ropes of sand.
You cannot control
00:23:46.58\00:23:52.06
your thoughts, I'm
gonna talk more about that,
00:23:52.07\00:23:54.34
you cannot control your thoughts
00:23:54.35\00:23:55.91
or your impulses
or your affections.
00:23:55.92\00:23:59.71
Do you know why
sometimes I, I'll tell
00:24:02.99\00:24:08.79
you an illustrates a
story I had one time,
00:24:08.80\00:24:10.67
as a pastor I had, I
had a couple coming to me
00:24:10.68\00:24:13.91
and they, and they said, look I,
00:24:13.92\00:24:16.46
we would like
to get married. So,
00:24:16.47\00:24:17.47
that's nice, we
would like for you to do
00:24:17.48\00:24:19.19
the wedding. Oh,
I said, I'm honored.
00:24:19.20\00:24:20.42
Well, tell me a
little bit about yourself.
00:24:20.43\00:24:22.89
I said, how did you meet? Oh,
00:24:22.90\00:24:24.72
we fell in love with each other
00:24:24.73\00:24:25.70
at her wedding. I,
the red lights went on I,
00:24:25.71\00:24:33.57
you know, I, I
think I better get to know
00:24:33.58\00:24:35.66
more about this.
And I so began to probe
00:24:35.67\00:24:40.78
a little bit, that's what tell
00:24:40.79\00:24:41.81
you what's
happens. As well you know,
00:24:41.82\00:24:43.19
she was bride; I
was one of the groom.
00:24:43.20\00:24:45.22
We locked into each others eyes
00:24:45.23\00:24:47.61
and we just fell in
love at our wedding.
00:24:47.62\00:24:49.87
And we believe
because it was a religious
00:24:49.88\00:24:52.16
service that God
ordained it that way.
00:24:52.17\00:24:54.92
And so, well I'm
gonna have to help you out
00:24:55.79\00:24:57.47
a little bit. You,
you could probably guess
00:24:57.48\00:25:01.23
the rest of that
story. Could not control
00:25:01.24\00:25:07.78
neither of them, could control
00:25:07.79\00:25:11.56
their affections.
They could not control
00:25:11.57\00:25:18.23
their impulses.
The knowledge of your
00:25:18.24\00:25:26.06
broken promise is
in, and don't raise
00:25:26.07\00:25:28.42
your hand. Maybe
that's melancholy like I do,
00:25:28.43\00:25:30.30
I've got a little
bit, let me at least you,
00:25:30.31\00:25:32.09
you ever feel down or melancholy
00:25:32.10\00:25:34.46
or discouraged, the
devil likes to do that
00:25:34.47\00:25:36.95
to all of us.
The knowledge of your
00:25:36.96\00:25:38.26
broken promises,
forfeited pledges
00:25:38.27\00:25:40.33
weakens your
confidence in your own sincerity
00:25:40.34\00:25:43.99
and causes you to
feel that God cannot
00:25:44.00\00:25:47.62
accept you, but
then I love these next
00:25:47.63\00:25:50.19
few words, but you need
not despair. Amen. Amen,
00:25:50.20\00:25:55.89
that's right. What
you need to understand
00:25:55.90\00:25:58.88
is a true force of the will,
00:25:58.89\00:26:00.31
the power of choice
God has given to men
00:26:00.32\00:26:03.22
and it is there's to exercise.
00:26:03.23\00:26:06.23
Now, men will
understand this next statement
00:26:07.05\00:26:08.79
a little better
maybe then, then our,
00:26:08.80\00:26:11.13
our ladies, you
cannot change your heart,
00:26:11.14\00:26:14.71
you cannot of yourself
give God its affections,
00:26:15.75\00:26:19.09
that's very
important to understand,
00:26:19.10\00:26:20.92
I cannot just as the
law cannot change me,
00:26:20.93\00:26:24.07
I cannot change
me. The only person
00:26:24.08\00:26:26.22
that can change me is
the Lord Jesus Christ.
00:26:26.23\00:26:28.86
Amen. Yeah, we've
to under, that's what
00:26:28.87\00:26:30.83
we call Jesus
calling being born again.
00:26:30.84\00:26:32.44
You cannot change your heart,
00:26:33.77\00:26:35.66
you cannot
change your affections,
00:26:35.67\00:26:36.95
you cannot change what you love,
00:26:36.96\00:26:38.17
but you, you can
choose to serve Him.
00:26:38.18\00:26:46.42
Now, as men we're
not always as emotionally
00:26:46.43\00:26:49.96
triggered. Now Jesus,
a man of great emotions
00:26:49.97\00:26:54.37
he wept in prayer.
There are times that
00:26:54.38\00:26:56.93
he wept, but,
but sometimes we just
00:26:56.94\00:27:01.64
don't feel, so we, we may say,
00:27:01.65\00:27:04.89
well I'd like to
surrender my life to
00:27:04.90\00:27:06.44
Christ, but I
don't feel anything.
00:27:06.45\00:27:08.04
The religious
thing in America today
00:27:08.05\00:27:09.87
it's all feeling.
People say, well I felt
00:27:09.88\00:27:12.15
something that's,
I felt this, I felt,
00:27:12.16\00:27:14.16
listen your choice
for Christ, well certainly
00:27:14.17\00:27:18.61
there can be emotions involved,
00:27:18.62\00:27:19.97
but it doesn't
have to have emotions.
00:27:19.98\00:27:22.20
Your chores for
Christ ought to be because
00:27:22.21\00:27:25.55
you choose to
surrender and to serve the
00:27:25.56\00:27:28.42
Lord Jesus Christ. Amen, amen.
00:27:28.43\00:27:30.52
And as men we can
do that by His grace.
00:27:30.53\00:27:33.32
We don't have to have emotions,
00:27:33.33\00:27:34.78
but we can
choose to serve Christ.
00:27:34.79\00:27:36.92
And we can say
to Him Lord Jesus,
00:27:36.93\00:27:39.31
by your grace, I
want to serve you.
00:27:39.32\00:27:41.99
You can give him
your will, now you say,
00:27:42.00\00:27:44.93
is that hard? Let me
tell you how hard it is,
00:27:44.94\00:27:48.11
if you work for
one of the automotive,
00:27:48.12\00:27:49.97
Ford, or Chrysler, or
GM. And you go to work
00:27:49.98\00:27:54.58
for them; I want to
ask you who during that
00:27:54.59\00:27:58.37
eight hour period that
you're working for them,
00:27:58.38\00:28:00.80
who owns your will,
there as far as work is
00:28:00.81\00:28:04.34
concerned. Who
owns it? Do you walk
00:28:04.35\00:28:07.19
and say, oh hello
Ford motor company,
00:28:07.20\00:28:10.06
I'm so glad you've got me now,
00:28:10.07\00:28:11.59
you've, you've been
wise enough to hire me.
00:28:11.60\00:28:13.61
Now, let me tell you
what I like to do today,
00:28:13.62\00:28:15.50
is that the way it works?
00:28:15.51\00:28:16.99
Then work that. We, we
practice giving our will
00:28:21.92\00:28:27.37
a lot in, in
different circumstances,
00:28:27.38\00:28:30.66
if we can give our will
to our employer for work
00:28:30.67\00:28:34.93
purposes, can we not
give our will to Christ,
00:28:34.94\00:28:38.00
we can do this by His grace.
00:28:39.53\00:28:41.05
What it means is,
Lord, I'm putting you
00:28:41.06\00:28:42.95
in charge, I'm
gonna do even I may not
00:28:42.96\00:28:44.91
feel like it, I'm
gonna do it anyway because
00:28:44.92\00:28:46.83
you told me to do
it. You may not feel like
00:28:46.84\00:28:51.21
you know, putting
that screw and that motor
00:28:51.22\00:28:54.31
a hundred times
or wherever it does
00:28:54.32\00:28:56.95
or wherever it
is, that do in car,
00:28:56.96\00:28:58.69
'cause I don't
know they have robots,
00:28:58.70\00:29:00.53
all kinds of
sophisticated marvelous
00:29:00.54\00:29:01.84
things, at least
here in Michigan they do.
00:29:01.85\00:29:04.28
I, I don't know
what all they do,
00:29:05.11\00:29:06.90
but you could get tired of doing
00:29:06.91\00:29:09.55
what all they ask
you to do, you could,
00:29:09.56\00:29:10.89
am I right? You
could feel like you'd like
00:29:10.90\00:29:13.79
not do that anymore,
but you keep doing it
00:29:13.80\00:29:15.73
because you chosen
to let them be in charge
00:29:15.74\00:29:18.94
of that that
project, of the work.
00:29:18.95\00:29:23.01
Can you not do
that with Christ Jesus?
00:29:23.95\00:29:25.65
Can we not give him my will?
00:29:27.45\00:29:29.27
He will then work in
you to will and to do
00:29:30.27\00:29:32.63
His good according
to his good pleasure.
00:29:32.64\00:29:35.01
The problem of sin
is that we also have
00:29:35.02\00:29:39.03
satanic forces
that we're up against.
00:29:39.04\00:29:40.92
And there are
many, there are many
00:29:40.93\00:29:44.19
who are really
troubled because of low
00:29:44.20\00:29:46.33
debasing thoughts
that come into their mind
00:29:46.34\00:29:49.36
that are not easily
banished, don't raise
00:29:49.37\00:29:51.04
your hand, if you
have low debased evil
00:29:51.05\00:29:54.49
thoughts that
come into your mind,
00:29:54.50\00:29:56.08
even as the Christian and that
00:29:56.09\00:29:58.20
they're not easily blandish,
00:29:58.21\00:29:59.48
if you never have any of that,
00:29:59.49\00:30:01.89
I want to talk
to you later because
00:30:01.90\00:30:03.88
I'm not sure you're part of
00:30:03.89\00:30:04.89
the sinful human race.
00:30:04.90\00:30:07.00
There's the devil,
by the way this quote
00:30:12.34\00:30:17.14
goes onto say that
the devil studies us,
00:30:17.15\00:30:20.57
and studies our
weaknesses and then
00:30:20.58\00:30:21.89
he makes evil, he
makes evil suggestions,
00:30:21.90\00:30:25.72
he makes suggestions
where our weakest areas
00:30:25.73\00:30:29.21
are, I don't
know how he does that,
00:30:29.22\00:30:33.26
I know how he can
you know, he can make
00:30:33.27\00:30:35.70
suggestions that
that, that we hear or see
00:30:35.71\00:30:39.32
or whatever, but
somehow he's able to do that.
00:30:39.33\00:30:42.20
How do we, how do
we as a Christian,
00:30:47.32\00:30:49.84
how do we rid of
that kind of thing?
00:30:50.96\00:30:52.79
It's how we think
and I want to talk about
00:30:52.80\00:30:55.95
that let, let me
say this, that Satan
00:30:55.96\00:30:59.43
not only knows your
mommy and your daddy
00:30:59.44\00:31:01.06
and your
grandma, and your grandpa,
00:31:01.07\00:31:02.22
he knows your
ancestors all the way back
00:31:02.23\00:31:04.43
to Adam. And he studies you,
00:31:04.44\00:31:07.35
it's not like he goes
in the park for a lark
00:31:07.36\00:31:09.08
and he says, oh
there is X and there is Y,
00:31:09.09\00:31:11.71
let's see if we
can get him today.
00:31:11.72\00:31:12.99
It's not that all.
These guys are cold
00:31:13.00\00:31:15.94
and calculating.
They know all of the
00:31:15.95\00:31:18.24
ancestors that
they've already destroyed
00:31:18.25\00:31:20.15
of yours and mine
because they've already
00:31:20.16\00:31:22.26
got secured for
eternal destruction.
00:31:22.27\00:31:24.75
And they also know
who Jesus has already
00:31:24.76\00:31:27.96
rescued out of
their hand. They pretty,
00:31:27.97\00:31:29.84
they've got a
pretty good knowledge
00:31:29.85\00:31:30.88
I think of that,
that's my personal opinion.
00:31:30.89\00:31:33.33
I think they
understand where Jesus has won
00:31:33.34\00:31:36.36
and where they've
lost. And they're,
00:31:36.37\00:31:39.38
they're
calculating to destroy you,
00:31:39.39\00:31:42.54
and to destroy me.
And they say, oh yeah
00:31:42.55\00:31:45.82
this work on
ancestor 25 and it's just,
00:31:45.83\00:31:50.61
he's just like
that one, lets see
00:31:50.62\00:31:51.96
if it'll work on
this one. That's what's
00:31:51.97\00:31:54.28
going on. Aren't you
glad you have a savior?
00:31:54.29\00:31:58.21
Amen. And we
have a mighty savior
00:31:58.22\00:32:02.68
who's counteracting
all of that by His grace,
00:32:02.69\00:32:04.74
but we've got to
cooperate with him.
00:32:04.75\00:32:06.20
Now, here's
from Mind, Character,
00:32:06.21\00:32:08.10
and Personality
Volume 2, Page 656.
00:32:08.11\00:32:10.72
Right thoughts
pure and holy purposes,
00:32:10.73\00:32:14.55
do not come to us naturally,
00:32:14.56\00:32:17.54
we have to strive
for them. What it means?
00:32:17.55\00:32:21.54
When you strive for something?
00:32:21.55\00:32:23.25
Have you ever had a car struck?
00:32:23.26\00:32:25.18
I got my lawn
mower stuck in my swamp
00:32:25.19\00:32:28.87
this spring. And I,
I could even pull it,
00:32:28.88\00:32:32.50
I got another old lawn
mower that we inherited,
00:32:32.51\00:32:34.67
and I couldn't even
pull it out with that,
00:32:34.68\00:32:36.52
I had to go get my
wise jeep and pull it out.
00:32:36.53\00:32:39.61
I tell you, I was
striving, I was pushing,
00:32:40.93\00:32:43.36
I was trying
everything, when you strive for
00:32:43.37\00:32:45.67
something you're
putting energy and thinking
00:32:45.68\00:32:47.73
and mind into it. And
even the jeep was having
00:32:47.74\00:32:50.22
problem until I went
and got some cat litter
00:32:50.23\00:32:53.18
and put it on the
wheels to gets some traction.
00:32:53.19\00:32:54.96
Strive, now it goes
onto say, the thoughts
00:32:55.97\00:33:06.60
must be
trained. How do you train
00:33:06.61\00:33:08.97
your thoughts?
The thoughts must be
00:33:08.98\00:33:11.34
controlled. How do
you control your thoughts?
00:33:11.35\00:33:15.65
This sometimes you
know, this is a surprise
00:33:15.66\00:33:17.96
to people,
sometime people say, oh I,
00:33:17.97\00:33:19.78
where do I, I just
think about wherever comes
00:33:19.79\00:33:21.92
in my mind. Hey,
listen if you're just thinking
00:33:21.93\00:33:27.16
about wherever
comes in your mind,
00:33:27.17\00:33:28.29
you're in big
trouble. Your mind is a gift
00:33:28.30\00:33:33.85
from God and the
marvelous thing about
00:33:33.86\00:33:36.31
it is that you
have a choice to control
00:33:36.32\00:33:39.09
what you think
about. The battle is over,
00:33:39.10\00:33:45.66
the mind Christ
wants to control the mind
00:33:45.67\00:33:49.53
with his principles
till they become in essence
00:33:49.54\00:33:54.23
our very own. Well,
what does it mean to train?
00:33:54.24\00:33:57.46
It means you educate your mind.
00:33:57.47\00:33:59.02
How do you educate your mind?
00:33:59.03\00:34:00.11
That's why the
Bible is so important.
00:34:00.12\00:34:01.56
Now, that's why
we're so grateful for gifts
00:34:01.57\00:34:03.76
of like the spirit of
prophecy for instance.
00:34:03.77\00:34:06.61
It, it, it
educates our mind and,
00:34:06.62\00:34:09.62
and then we have to
exercise and discipline
00:34:09.63\00:34:11.58
our mind. Listen, if,
if you were to do forty
00:34:11.59\00:34:14.64
pushups and you can
only do twenty pushups,
00:34:14.65\00:34:17.11
what are you gonna
have to do to get to forty?
00:34:17.12\00:34:18.83
It's called discipline,
it's called you push out
00:34:20.36\00:34:23.96
twenty and then you
just make yourself push out
00:34:23.97\00:34:26.86
21, am I right? And
when you get 21 mastered
00:34:26.87\00:34:30.08
you make yourself push out 22,
00:34:30.09\00:34:31.98
and then finally
you get to forty.
00:34:31.99\00:34:33.60
I got the, you got
the picture that's,
00:34:33.61\00:34:36.32
that's what it
means. You've got to do
00:34:36.33\00:34:37.70
your mind that
way. You said, you mind,
00:34:37.71\00:34:39.49
no you're not
gonna think about that,
00:34:39.50\00:34:40.66
I don't choose for
you to think about that.
00:34:40.67\00:34:42.21
I'll talk a little
bit more about that
00:34:42.22\00:34:43.38
in a moment, but you
choose what you think
00:34:43.39\00:34:45.74
about. And so you
make your mind behave
00:34:45.75\00:34:48.28
the way you want it to behave,
00:34:48.29\00:34:49.46
you control it
because you direct your mind,
00:34:49.47\00:34:51.85
and you manage your
mind. And you organize
00:34:51.86\00:34:54.74
your mind. So, how do we train
00:34:54.75\00:34:57.13
and how do we control our mind?
00:34:57.14\00:34:58.78
First of all, you
train your mind by choosing
00:34:59.73\00:35:02.34
what it thinks
about, have you ever had,
00:35:02.35\00:35:04.26
have you ever had bad thoughts
00:35:04.27\00:35:06.60
coming to your mind?
And they won't go away.
00:35:06.61\00:35:10.20
How, how do you handle that?
00:35:11.69\00:35:13.31
Well, first of
all I like to say,
00:35:14.23\00:35:16.20
when, let me ask you this way.
00:35:16.21\00:35:19.73
Can you think
of something in the
00:35:19.74\00:35:22.08
writings of the
Apostle Paul that says,
00:35:22.09\00:35:23.92
this is how you should think?
00:35:23.93\00:35:25.36
Can you think of a text? Yes,
00:35:25.37\00:35:29.13
Philippians 4, what does it say?
00:35:29.14\00:35:31.91
"Whatsoever things are pure,
00:35:33.10\00:35:35.74
whatsoever things are lovely,
00:35:35.75\00:35:36.82
whatsoever things
are of good report."
00:35:36.83\00:35:38.05
It goes on, and then he
ends the text by saying,
00:35:38.06\00:35:40.58
think on these
things. So, first of all
00:35:40.59\00:35:49.39
you choose that
you're going to think
00:35:49.40\00:35:50.53
and know, if you
want to be a noble man,
00:35:50.54\00:35:52.43
you got to think noble thoughts,
00:35:52.44\00:35:53.96
am I right? If you
want to be a noble person,
00:35:53.97\00:35:56.76
you got to take
the high road even
00:35:56.77\00:35:58.05
if other people
take the low road.
00:35:58.06\00:35:59.35
So, what happens
when you're, when,
00:36:04.00\00:36:05.82
when evil thoughts
comes flashing in your mind,
00:36:05.83\00:36:08.39
and they won't go
away, they're not easily
00:36:08.40\00:36:10.53
banished. You say
I don't want to think
00:36:10.54\00:36:11.98
about. First of
all, you got to make a
00:36:11.99\00:36:13.53
conscious decision
when that happens to you,
00:36:13.54\00:36:15.60
and I'm a fellow
traveler along with all
00:36:15.61\00:36:17.77
the rest of you. When
that, when this kind of
00:36:17.78\00:36:19.49
thing starts jumping in
my mind and this is what
00:36:19.50\00:36:22.09
goes on and, first of all I say,
00:36:22.10\00:36:23.72
I recognize it, and I say, okay.
00:36:23.73\00:36:25.82
I do not choose
to think about that,
00:36:25.83\00:36:27.32
thought get out of
here, enemy of souls,
00:36:27.33\00:36:31.01
leave me alone, I'm
not thinking about that.
00:36:31.02\00:36:33.20
If it pops back
I'll say, Lord Jesus
00:36:34.04\00:36:35.91
you and I have
already decide that you and I
00:36:35.92\00:36:38.30
are not thinking about that,
00:36:38.31\00:36:39.37
and I've got help
from divine power,
00:36:39.38\00:36:41.60
and I keep praying
that prayer until that thing
00:36:41.61\00:36:44.01
goes and leaves me
alone, and I have since
00:36:44.02\00:36:46.21
the power, the
presence of Lord Jesus banishing
00:36:46.22\00:36:48.80
thoughts from my
mind. And He will do that
00:36:48.81\00:36:52.12
for you, but
you've got to cooperate
00:36:52.13\00:36:56.07
with divine power.
Amen. Another way that you,
00:36:56.08\00:37:00.40
you control your
mind is that you,
00:37:00.41\00:37:04.83
you choose ahead of
the time what is not going
00:37:04.84\00:37:09.00
to think about. Let,
let me, let me explain
00:37:09.01\00:37:17.06
what I mean by that. You know,
00:37:18.43\00:37:21.58
there is a place
that and that Ellen White
00:37:21.59\00:37:25.79
says that we should
spend, it would be a
00:37:25.80\00:37:27.24
wonderful thing to
spend an hour a day
00:37:27.25\00:37:29.79
contemplating
the life of Christ.
00:37:29.80\00:37:31.49
Why is that idea given to us?
00:37:32.64\00:37:36.17
Don't you
already know the facts?
00:37:36.18\00:37:38.51
It's not so you
can get more facts.
00:37:40.81\00:37:43.57
So, why would you
need to spend an hour a day
00:37:44.29\00:37:46.39
contemplating
the life of Christ?
00:37:46.40\00:37:47.92
Let, let me suggest
to you that when you
00:37:50.22\00:37:53.66
contemplate the life
of Christ, when you say
00:37:53.67\00:37:55.51
Lord Jesus, I want to
think about your life.
00:37:55.52\00:37:57.63
You're beginning
to understand your own
00:37:57.64\00:38:01.82
weaknesses. How
did, how do you think
00:38:01.83\00:38:07.19
Jesus thought
about Mary Magdalene,
00:38:07.20\00:38:13.37
I mean she had
a history, now the
00:38:15.19\00:38:19.87
carnal man would
go down one road,
00:38:19.88\00:38:22.01
but how would
Jesus think about her?
00:38:22.02\00:38:25.17
When, when, when
Mary pours the ointment
00:38:28.00\00:38:31.54
with weeping and wipes
his feat with her hair.
00:38:31.55\00:38:37.03
Jesus is in a place
of power and influence.
00:38:39.66\00:38:43.40
How will he think
about her? You, you see
00:38:43.41\00:38:49.45
when you spend time
with Jesus thinking about
00:38:49.46\00:38:51.93
his life. You begin to
discover your own self.
00:38:51.94\00:38:58.24
And then you say to
Lord Jesus you know,
00:38:59.96\00:39:02.23
Lord I, I've got a,
I've got a problem over here
00:39:02.24\00:39:05.13
with green. I mean,
how would Jesus handle
00:39:05.14\00:39:10.59
Judas, how did he?
How, what did he think about
00:39:10.60\00:39:13.92
when Judas, he
knew Judas was betraying
00:39:13.93\00:39:16.59
him was he vengeful
was he, he just wanted
00:39:16.60\00:39:19.77
to get him? In thinking
about the life of Christ
00:39:19.78\00:39:26.28
we begin to
understand where our weaknesses
00:39:26.29\00:39:29.24
are, and then we
say to the Lord Jesus,
00:39:29.25\00:39:31.34
Lord Jesus, you and I know now,
00:39:31.35\00:39:33.25
painful as it is
that I've got a weakness
00:39:33.26\00:39:37.05
here. I, you know
I've got a weakness here.
00:39:37.06\00:39:39.95
And, and I really,
you and I've got to decide
00:39:39.96\00:39:43.05
ahead of time because you know
00:39:43.06\00:39:44.10
and I know the
Satan knows that I
00:39:44.11\00:39:45.48
got a weakness
there. And you know,
00:39:45.49\00:39:47.07
and I know that
when he gets a chance,
00:39:47.08\00:39:48.71
he's gonna try to hit
me there. So, you know,
00:39:48.72\00:39:51.04
and I know that we can
make a choice right now
00:39:51.05\00:39:53.88
that when that happens
that we're gonna yield.
00:39:53.89\00:39:56.48
Is that making
sense, following me.
00:39:57.87\00:40:00.60
So, you actually
think ahead of time
00:40:01.69\00:40:04.52
with Christ what
you're not going to do
00:40:04.53\00:40:08.98
when the
temptation comes because
00:40:08.99\00:40:10.59
you're fairly certain
you're going to get in
00:40:10.60\00:40:11.87
temptation with
that. If you know,
00:40:11.88\00:40:19.26
the Bible says about
the Apostle John that
00:40:19.27\00:40:21.54
he was naturally
vengeful, you remember
00:40:21.55\00:40:26.58
when they went to, by
the village of Samaria
00:40:26.59\00:40:28.31
and they
wouldn't let Jesus spend
00:40:28.32\00:40:29.29
the night there. You
know, the story, Lord.
00:40:29.30\00:40:32.60
They made him
mad, they made him mad.
00:40:32.61\00:40:36.32
And he said
Lord, and he knew Jesus
00:40:37.67\00:40:39.40
had the power,
don't just, just tell us
00:40:39.41\00:40:42.14
to call down fire from heaven,
00:40:42.15\00:40:43.42
we'll just turn
these people to toast
00:40:43.43\00:40:45.05
that'll teach them
something. Of course,
00:40:45.06\00:40:47.82
nobody in this room
has ever felt themselves
00:40:47.83\00:40:49.45
feeling like that. He
had a vengeful spirit.
00:40:49.46\00:40:58.12
Now, he became
just the opposite,
00:40:58.13\00:41:01.58
isn't that good
news? Jesus called him
00:41:01.59\00:41:04.66
the son of
thunder, but he became
00:41:04.67\00:41:06.07
known as the Apostle
of love, principle love,
00:41:06.08\00:41:10.14
just, just the
opposite. So, you, you have to
00:41:11.92\00:41:16.02
anticipate ahead
of time that there is,
00:41:16.03\00:41:20.53
there's that there
might be a problem.
00:41:20.54\00:41:22.50
And it can be in
lots of areas of life.
00:41:23.24\00:41:25.24
Now, and I want to
say this, and I know
00:41:26.53\00:41:28.86
this is being
broadcast and probably women
00:41:28.87\00:41:31.35
will be looking at
this as well as men,
00:41:31.36\00:41:33.07
but I'm talking to
men, so if you're a woman
00:41:33.08\00:41:35.74
listening to this
you probably won't
00:41:35.75\00:41:37.02
understand it, but
you might want to run
00:41:37.03\00:41:38.15
and get your
husband. Although, a lot of
00:41:38.16\00:41:45.29
women could
learn a lot from about
00:41:45.30\00:41:47.04
what I'm about to
say. And so, the women
00:41:47.05\00:41:49.80
can add and subtract. You know,
00:41:49.81\00:41:55.54
God made women
beautiful for a reason.
00:41:55.55\00:41:58.72
And, and I praise
God for that. Women are,
00:41:58.73\00:42:01.38
are, women are
wonderful. A wonderful
00:42:01.39\00:42:04.06
invention of God.
God, God made women
00:42:04.07\00:42:07.91
and He made us to like women.
00:42:07.92\00:42:09.67
And He also
created us visual as men
00:42:09.68\00:42:14.63
to appreciate the beauty. And,
00:42:14.64\00:42:18.64
and by the way
this is a side trip,
00:42:18.65\00:42:20.96
ask in evolution
where beauty came from.
00:42:20.97\00:42:23.55
They, they can't
figure that one out.
00:42:23.56\00:42:25.40
I mean, you can
evolve beauty, can you?
00:42:28.18\00:42:31.87
Like the gladiolus
on my table. So, God,
00:42:33.03\00:42:38.21
God wants us to
appreciate beauty.
00:42:38.22\00:42:40.98
Now, I'm gonna
leave that for a moment
00:42:40.99\00:42:43.42
and I wanna go to the
temptations of Christ.
00:42:43.43\00:42:45.51
And I, and I want
to say that you know,
00:42:46.44\00:42:48.79
there, there are,
there is the higher powers
00:42:48.80\00:42:51.60
and the, and the lower powers
00:42:51.61\00:42:54.30
or the lower nature,
lower nature is not bad.
00:42:54.31\00:42:56.53
It's just that
is got to be subject
00:42:56.54\00:42:58.86
to the higher
powers. When Jesus was
00:42:58.87\00:43:02.71
in the temptation
of the wilderness.
00:43:02.72\00:43:04.52
Let me ask you
this way. Is appetite
00:43:05.41\00:43:09.11
a legitimate need,
yes or no? Absolutely,
00:43:09.12\00:43:14.00
a legitimate needs.
When Jesus was in the
00:43:14.01\00:43:18.32
wilderness
temptation, however He made a
00:43:18.33\00:43:22.04
decision. Listen
to this carefully;
00:43:22.05\00:43:24.46
He made a
decision not to fulfill
00:43:24.47\00:43:31.52
a legitimate
need. What kind of need?
00:43:31.53\00:43:34.94
Legitimate, with an
illegitimate solution.
00:43:35.85\00:43:43.67
What kind of solution? He said,
00:43:43.68\00:43:49.13
I would rather die then fulfill
00:43:49.14\00:43:55.63
a legitimate need
with an illegitimate
00:43:55.64\00:44:02.64
sinful solution.
That is surrender to the
00:44:02.65\00:44:16.21
will of God. Now,
feminine duty is a,
00:44:16.22\00:44:28.71
is a wonderful
thing. We're designed to
00:44:28.72\00:44:31.64
appreciate that,
but what is immodest
00:44:31.65\00:44:38.78
on the side walk can
be perfectly acceptable
00:44:38.79\00:44:48.20
within the marriage
covenant, am I right?
00:44:48.21\00:44:53.35
I had, I had a
physician and he was handing
00:44:54.51\00:45:00.09
these cards out, I
don't know where he got them
00:45:00.10\00:45:02.18
from, but I think
that he actually put them
00:45:02.19\00:45:03.93
together and he was
talking and he gave me
00:45:03.94\00:45:06.94
one of the cards
and he was talking about
00:45:06.95\00:45:08.45
even when something
is presented before you,
00:45:08.46\00:45:11.26
and he was
talking about immodesty
00:45:11.27\00:45:14.18
or feminine beauty
in the wrong context
00:45:14.19\00:45:17.00
when it's presented
to you, even if it's
00:45:17.01\00:45:19.38
presented to you, you turn away,
00:45:19.39\00:45:21.41
you don't look.
Now, as men we have to
00:45:21.42\00:45:26.56
discipline our
mind to do that because
00:45:26.57\00:45:28.16
our society sells everything
00:45:28.17\00:45:31.53
with feminine
beauty. Am I right?
00:45:31.54\00:45:37.19
Including tooth
paste. Its perversion,
00:45:37.83\00:45:42.37
God never intended
for women to be used
00:45:42.38\00:45:45.08
that way. No man
wants his daughter
00:45:45.09\00:45:48.73
used that way,
some of you should have
00:45:48.74\00:45:51.98
said amen. That's a perversion.
00:45:51.99\00:45:56.15
So your mind, my
mind is constantly being
00:45:59.07\00:46:02.38
bombarded with
these things and we have
00:46:02.39\00:46:05.79
choose ahead of
time what we're gonna do
00:46:05.80\00:46:08.89
when it's
presented in front of us.
00:46:08.90\00:46:11.18
And if we don't
choose ahead of time
00:46:13.92\00:46:15.92
we find ourselves getting sucked
00:46:15.93\00:46:17.83
into the
temptation. Am I making sense?
00:46:17.84\00:46:21.98
And we also have
to make up our mind
00:46:23.65\00:46:26.08
that I will not
fulfill a legitimate need
00:46:26.89\00:46:30.43
with an legitimate
way. I don't have to say
00:46:30.44\00:46:35.31
that pornography
is legitimate because
00:46:35.32\00:46:39.40
you know that. I see
some billboards they are
00:46:39.41\00:46:43.63
illegitimate,
there are some news sites
00:46:43.64\00:46:47.13
that I don't go
to anymore because
00:46:47.14\00:46:48.57
they have a
practice of putting stuff
00:46:48.58\00:46:50.48
they ought not put on there,
00:46:50.49\00:46:52.14
regular normal news sites.
00:46:54.27\00:46:55.86
We have to make up
our mind ahead of time
00:46:58.86\00:47:01.37
with Christ Jesus. So,
we say to Christ Jesus,
00:47:01.38\00:47:03.79
look you made feminine beauty.
00:47:03.80\00:47:06.36
You made me from the head of my,
00:47:06.37\00:47:07.72
from the top of my
head to the sole of my feet,
00:47:07.73\00:47:09.78
everything you made
about me is a wonderful
00:47:09.79\00:47:11.55
and good thing, sin
has perverted everything,
00:47:11.56\00:47:13.85
I live in a perverted
world, but by your grace
00:47:13.86\00:47:16.28
I'm choosing not to
think about satisfying
00:47:16.29\00:47:21.30
a legitimate need
in an illegitimate way.
00:47:21.31\00:47:24.87
So, you and I are
saying right now Lord Jesus,
00:47:24.88\00:47:27.61
that when I'm
confronted with this,
00:47:27.62\00:47:29.00
where ever it's at.
I'm going to turn away
00:47:29.01\00:47:31.31
and I am going
to say Lord Jesus,
00:47:31.32\00:47:33.33
I choose not to look at that,
00:47:33.34\00:47:35.74
thank you for
helping me take my mind
00:47:35.75\00:47:37.58
in a noble
direction. Amen. Is that a
00:47:37.59\00:47:41.64
good thing for
Christians? Is Jesus
00:47:41.65\00:47:43.86
able to do that
with Christian men? Amen.
00:47:43.87\00:47:46.61
I, I believe that
Jesus wants to do great
00:47:49.54\00:47:51.81
and mighty things by helping us.
00:47:51.82\00:47:53.38
So, we must
anticipate temptation.
00:47:53.39\00:47:55.00
Now, I've used this
illustration before,
00:47:55.01\00:47:56.30
but since, I'm
going to use it since
00:47:56.31\00:47:57.96
we're on the air
I'm gonna use it,
00:47:57.97\00:47:59.35
in Grayling,
Michigan, last fall,
00:47:59.36\00:48:02.33
as I left Grayling,
Michigan, they have a
00:48:02.34\00:48:04.49
changing sign board
because they give you
00:48:04.50\00:48:06.60
weather
information or driving tips
00:48:06.61\00:48:09.68
or whatever and the
message said something
00:48:09.69\00:48:12.34
like this, it said
you know, if you are,
00:48:12.35\00:48:15.90
if a deer runs
across do not swerve.
00:48:15.91\00:48:18.80
Now, they
didn't say that because
00:48:19.70\00:48:21.01
they hated deer.
They said that because
00:48:21.02\00:48:25.56
they loved human
life. If you're at
00:48:25.57\00:48:30.80
high speed and you're
driving down the highway
00:48:30.81\00:48:34.06
and a deer
jumps in front of you,
00:48:34.07\00:48:36.05
you are
naturally, normally going
00:48:36.06\00:48:38.49
to swerve. If you're
at high speed the chances
00:48:38.50\00:48:42.82
of you losing control
of your car are very high.
00:48:42.83\00:48:45.75
I learned that the
hard way didn't turn the car
00:48:45.76\00:48:48.37
over, but for a
split second I thought I'd
00:48:48.38\00:48:52.42
totally lost control
of my car at probably
00:48:52.43\00:48:55.29
about 70 miles an
hour. One man told me that
00:48:55.30\00:48:59.71
he actually did
and he just flipped
00:48:59.72\00:49:01.19
over and over,
over again. We have to
00:49:01.20\00:49:04.18
understand ourselves
and make up ourselves
00:49:04.19\00:49:06.49
ahead of time what
we're going to choose to do
00:49:06.50\00:49:11.90
or not to do by
the grace of God.
00:49:11.91\00:49:14.35
Are you following
me? Does this make sense?
00:49:14.36\00:49:16.90
Listen, we want to come out,
00:49:16.91\00:49:18.24
is Jesus
interested in your pleasure?
00:49:18.25\00:49:20.18
Is Jesus had, does
Jesus want you happy?
00:49:20.19\00:49:23.30
Is He able to make us happy?
00:49:23.31\00:49:25.53
You think Jesus was happy even
00:49:25.54\00:49:27.75
if he was willing to
die but not fulfilling
00:49:27.76\00:49:31.36
a legitimate need
in an illegitimate way.
00:49:31.37\00:49:34.03
Do you think the
three Hebrew worthies,
00:49:35.46\00:49:37.17
who faced Nebuchadnezzar,
00:49:37.18\00:49:38.21
say we don't
need a second chance,
00:49:38.22\00:49:39.27
I don't think
they felt real fussy,
00:49:39.28\00:49:40.76
warm about that, I
think that took a lot of
00:49:40.77\00:49:42.94
grid in them,
but they trusted God
00:49:42.95\00:49:44.91
with their
happiness, they believe it
00:49:44.92\00:49:46.16
be better to be
thrown in the fiery furnace,
00:49:46.17\00:49:48.02
they believe He would
bring them out of that
00:49:48.03\00:49:49.37
one way or another
either resurrection
00:49:49.38\00:49:50.87
of that moment, which He did.
00:49:50.88\00:49:52.42
Do you think they
spend the rest of their lives
00:49:52.43\00:49:55.02
thinking about
that marvelous moment,
00:49:55.03\00:49:56.46
I think they did? Let
me, let me keep going,
00:49:56.47\00:50:01.19
I've got to tell
a little something
00:50:01.20\00:50:03.56
right here, if you
want, if you want to make
00:50:03.57\00:50:06.53
a big difference
in your life practice
00:50:06.54\00:50:08.23
the spirit of
gratitude, three minutes.
00:50:08.24\00:50:11.54
Okay, this I
want to get through,
00:50:11.55\00:50:13.75
practice the spirit of gratitude
00:50:13.76\00:50:16.86
and practice it
on your wife. Amen.
00:50:17.60\00:50:20.78
I bet you all
that you could tell me
00:50:21.45\00:50:23.36
really quickly
the flaws in your wife
00:50:23.37\00:50:25.92
because a sinful man,
the sinful carnal nature
00:50:25.93\00:50:28.45
naturally thinks that way.
00:50:28.46\00:50:29.94
But do you spend
time thinking about
00:50:30.68\00:50:32.42
the blessings of your
wife and do you let her
00:50:32.43\00:50:35.58
know that, let's,
now let me tell you
00:50:35.59\00:50:38.47
last night my
wife made a homemade
00:50:38.48\00:50:40.53
spaghetti sauce that would,
00:50:40.54\00:50:43.16
that was just
plain out marvelous.
00:50:43.17\00:50:45.06
And you know, I told
her, I not only told her
00:50:46.75\00:50:49.85
then, I told her this morning.
00:50:49.86\00:50:51.27
I said that was,
that was marvelous stuff.
00:50:51.28\00:50:53.79
What am I doing when I do that?
00:50:54.84\00:50:57.11
It's like a boomerang
guys. You throw it out
00:50:57.12\00:51:00.03
there it's gonna
come back, on top of that
00:51:00.04\00:51:03.10
it has an affect on
you, you're happier.
00:51:03.11\00:51:05.22
Don't dwell
negatively on the faults of
00:51:05.23\00:51:07.98
your wife, just like
you don't want to her
00:51:07.99\00:51:09.51
dwelling
negatively on your faults,
00:51:09.52\00:51:12.35
because she didn't
marry a perfect man
00:51:12.36\00:51:14.12
and you didn't
marry a perfect women
00:51:14.13\00:51:15.57
and any of you
that says you married a
00:51:15.58\00:51:16.93
perfect women
talk to me air I got,
00:51:16.94\00:51:18.57
you got other
problems. But you choose
00:51:18.58\00:51:23.21
your attitude, what is
it that you want to do?
00:51:23.22\00:51:25.86
Where is it that you want to go.
00:51:25.87\00:51:27.67
Well, I think Jesus
looks down at your home
00:51:27.68\00:51:29.92
and he sees the
man telling his wife
00:51:29.93\00:51:31.44
how wonderful
she is and how much
00:51:31.45\00:51:33.38
he appreciates
that and, and how much
00:51:33.39\00:51:35.15
he is grateful
for Jesus giving her,
00:51:35.16\00:51:36.73
I tell you Jesus
looks at that and He says,
00:51:36.74\00:51:39.71
the heavenly Father
looks at it and says
00:51:39.72\00:51:41.87
that's what my son
did on Calvary's cross.
00:51:41.88\00:51:44.03
He made that kind
of happiness possible
00:51:44.04\00:51:46.04
and He looks over here
to another were fighting
00:51:46.05\00:51:47.84
and fussing and
caring on. And he looks
00:51:47.85\00:51:49.36
at the devil and
says that's what you did.
00:51:49.37\00:51:50.82
We are Christian
men, let us feel the
00:51:52.67\00:51:55.40
grace of God, put
these carnal natures
00:51:55.41\00:51:57.76
down where they
belong. And let Christ Jesus
00:51:57.77\00:51:59.58
rule our lives by
His grace and power,
00:51:59.59\00:52:02.00
and let's turn
homes into something
00:52:02.01\00:52:03.86
that's wonderful and marvelous.
00:52:03.87\00:52:05.66
I want to close with
this wonderful promise.
00:52:05.67\00:52:08.42
I want you have it's
a, it's a promise that
00:52:08.43\00:52:12.05
you just got to
have, I want to say this
00:52:12.06\00:52:14.47
and then I'm gonna
give you the promise,
00:52:14.48\00:52:15.54
you are what you
choose and here's the promise,
00:52:15.55\00:52:20.71
mind, character, personality,
00:52:20.72\00:52:21.96
if you fight the
fight of faith with all
00:52:21.97\00:52:27.58
your will power you will conquer
00:52:27.59\00:52:33.13
by the power of
Christ Jesus. Amen, amen.
00:52:33.14\00:52:38.54
Let us pray, Father in
Heaven, make us strong,
00:52:38.55\00:52:42.10
noble, powerful Christian men,
00:52:42.11\00:52:46.22
who are conquerors
of self and the world
00:52:46.23\00:52:50.00
around us and the devil, by
00:52:50.01\00:52:52.52
your grace, in Jesus name, Amen.
00:52:52.53\00:52:56.11