Hello, and welcome
to Pillars of Faith.
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We are here
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in the Thompsonville
Seventh-day Adventist Church,
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also known as the
3ABN Worship Center
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in Thompsonville, Illinois.
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A small town of
about 600 people,
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but God is using this area
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to bring the
gospel to all the world
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through Three
Angels Broadcasting Network
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via nine satellites
that are beaming the message
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all around the world.
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And we praise the
Lord for what He has done
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in this series so far.
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We have our
speaker for this series
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is Pastor John Lomacang.
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You are acquainted with him
through the House Calls program
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and as well as the
Wednesday night Bible Study
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that you can see here on
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Three Angels
Broadcasting Network.
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We want to tell you that
this is a five part series.
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The series has the title,
"The Anatomy of the Crisis."
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Already we have
heard the message,
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"The Crisis in Heaven."
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This is message
number two of five.
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And the title for this message
is "The Crisis in the Garden."
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On the next time,
you see this program
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or hear this program,
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you will see the
message and hear the message
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"The Crisis in the Family."
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"The Crisis in the
Heart," will be the next one.
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And finally,
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"Solving the
Crisis in the Church."
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We hope that you are prepared
to study God's word together,
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and we
appreciate Pastor Lomacang's
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dedication to the
study of the scriptures.
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When he comes before
you to present a message,
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it is because he
has studied and prayed
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and asked for
the Lord to bless him
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with the Holy Spirit.
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And we know that
you'll be blessed.
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And we encourage
you to remain with us
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until the very moment
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this message
comes to its conclusion.
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Before we begin, we like
to go to the Lord in prayer,
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and ask Him to bless our
speaker and also bless you.
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It does not mean that
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Pastor Lomacang
will not also pray,
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but we want to pray for him
as he leads us in this study.
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So for now,
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we encourage you to
stop what you're doing,
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and join us in prayer.
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And as we pray,
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we're going to ask
for the Lord's blessing.
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Let us pray together.
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Our loving heavenly
Father, we are grateful Lord
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for this opportunity to bring
this message to Your children
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all around the world.
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And we thank You for the speaker
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that You have brought to us.
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We pray that as You
have used him in the past,
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use him once again Lord.
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Therefore, we ask that You'll
bless him with the Holy Spirit.
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Give him the words
to speak and direct us
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as we study the Holy Scriptures.
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We pray that as we
dig into the scriptures,
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your holy angels will
draw near to every person
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that stops to
listen to this program.
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And we pray that
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Your Holy Spirit
will direct our thoughts
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to what we need to do
as we hear this message.
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We pray for revival and
transformation to take place,
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and we pray that all honor
and glory be on to your name.
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And we thank you Father
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for hearing our
prayer, for we ask it
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in the mighty and
wonderful name of Jesus.
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Amen. Amen.
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Well, at this time, we
like to invite our speaker
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Pastor John Lomacang,
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and we leave the
rest of the time with him.
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May God bless each
and every one of you.
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Pastor.
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Thank you, Pastor Dinzey,
I appreciate it very much.
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And hello, everyone, once again
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welcome to the second
part in a five part series
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entitled "The
Anatomy of the Crisis."
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We are praying
that the Lord will
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once again open our eyes
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and give us understanding
and wisdom from His Word.
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And as I did in
my last presentation,
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I want to always
put my mind in my life,
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and this message
in the hand of the God
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that I've been called
and asked to represent.
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So bow your heads with me
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as I ask the Lord
to give me wisdom.
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Heavenly Father,
this is Your message,
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I'm Your servant, I pray
that You'll give understanding
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where right now their,
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the
understanding may be lacking.
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Give wisdom and
direction, and may this message
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find the fertile soil
that will come to understand
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Your purpose and
will for their life,
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in Jesus name, I pray.
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Amen.
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Genesis 3:8-10 is where we
find our scripture reading.
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And I'm going to open
my Bible, my Bible has...
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I share that verse with
you, The Crisis in the Garden.
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If I could give this message
a another title, it would be,
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"I heard your voice."
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I heard your voice.
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Genesis Chapter 3, and
look with me to verse 8-10.
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And we read in
Genesis Chapter 3,
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"And they heard the
sound of the Lord God
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walking in the garden
in the cool of the day.
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And Adam and his
wife hid themselves
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from the presence of God
among the trees of the garden.
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Then the Lord God
called to Adam and said to him,
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"Where are you?"
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So he said,
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"I heard your
voice in the garden,
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and I was afraid
because I was naked
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and I hid myself."
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Crisis in the garden.
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I heard your voice.
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Ours is an age of one
crisis after the other.
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We are in the midst
of a political crisis.
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Our world is wrecked
by a financial crisis.
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When we look at the
world in the broad sense,
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we are under a very
unstable economic foundation.
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There is an economic crisis.
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Unemployment,
double dip recession.
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We are in the midst
of a real estate crisis.
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There are more homes
than there are buyers.
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We live amidst a military crisis
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now engaged in
a new kind of war,
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a war that has
brought the fight to America.
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We are in an
international crisis.
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The constant threat
to the United States,
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and war from rouge nations
and rouge underground movements.
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And also there is an oil crisis.
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Instability in the Middle East.
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We live in an economy
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that has seen gas prices go
as high as almost five dollars
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and almost as low
as under a dollar.
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The instability
of the oil market
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brings to humanity in the world,
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a crisis of that
kind of magnitude.
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And add to that,
the family crisis,
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the health crisis,
and the moral crisis.
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But let me suggest
to you that in the midst
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of all of this broken
glass, there is still a diamond.
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God still brings hope
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in the midst of
a hopeless world.
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In the midst of
these turbulent times,
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serenity because of Jesus Christ
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can still be found.
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In the midst of
a society gone mad,
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there is still a
better world that's coming.
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Praise the Lord for that.
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I'm so glad that this
is not the final world.
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Can you say amen to that?
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This is not the final world.
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There is a better world coming.
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And I thank the Lord
that as we read His word,
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He has told us
how the story ends.
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But there are
questions that are begging
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to be answered.
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And I hope to
answer those questions
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through this message.
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How did we get into this mess
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that we are
living amongst today?
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Did we just wake up one
morning and chaos existed?
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Did we miss the
broadcast, from now on the world
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will be messed up?
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Did we get assigned
to the wrong planet?
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Did we win a
one-way ticket to misery?
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Well, as bizarre as it may seem,
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it all started in a quiet place.
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It started in one of
the most perfect settings.
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Now in the last message,
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we talked about this
crisis that began in heaven.
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But I also pointed out that,
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that crisis was
transferred to the earth.
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It began in a quiet setting
where God gave Adam and Eve,
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His first creation, the mother
and the father of all humanity.
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He gave them everything
that they would ever need.
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Listen for a moment.
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They had the best
library, instant intelligence.
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They had the best communication,
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open face-to-face
communication with God.
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And the Bible gives us a glimpse
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into the
imagination of our Creator.
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Genesis 1:31 says it this way,
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"And God saw
everything that he had made
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and indeed it was very good."
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Not somewhat
good, not pretty good,
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indeed it was very good.
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"And so the
evening and the morning
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were the sixth day."
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Let's think about
Adam for a moment.
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Adam was fit beyond
any modern standards.
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There were no
preexisting medical conditions
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in Adam's life to
limit his creative ability.
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He was the consummate athlete,
flawless in every particular,
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because God made him.
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His eyesight was
at peak performance.
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As a matter of fact,
I can say it this way,
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he had his father's eyes.
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Adam was a prototype
built by the master designer
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God Himself.
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But think about Eve,
because Eve was the crowning act
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of God's creation.
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If you've seen
beautiful people before,
00:10:04.70\00:10:06.60
Eve was beauty personified.
00:10:06.63\00:10:09.77
She was in fact the
original Miss Universe
00:10:09.80\00:10:13.11
because there was no
woman on planet earth
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to rival the beauty
that God had imparted to her.
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They also had the best economy.
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Adam and Eve did not
have to go to the store
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like here in southern Illinois.
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We get excited
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when we go to
Wal-Mart or to the mall.
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They live in the best economy.
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People get excited
about fashion designers.
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God was the best designer.
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Their garments radiated
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with the glory of
the righteousness of God.
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There are no designers
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that can give you a
garment radiating with glory
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that also guarantees the pure
00:10:46.84\00:10:49.78
and unsullied
righteousness of God.
00:10:49.81\00:10:53.15
And there are no
gardens in our world today
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that could ever
rival the Garden of Eden.
00:10:55.88\00:10:59.22
Think about it.
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There was no
disease or decay, nor death.
00:11:00.62\00:11:02.76
Vitality was bursting forth
00:11:02.79\00:11:05.03
from everything that
their eyes rested upon.
00:11:05.06\00:11:08.73
The atmosphere was
filled with the life.
00:11:08.76\00:11:11.63
Life was in every leaf,
every flower, and every tree.
00:11:11.67\00:11:17.51
Adam and Eve roam freely
00:11:17.54\00:11:19.71
with the most
powerful beast of the earth.
00:11:19.74\00:11:22.48
And before sin,
there was no fear at all.
00:11:22.51\00:11:25.48
They were able to communicate
with lions, and tigers,
00:11:25.51\00:11:30.02
and bears.
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They were able to
speak to the birds,
00:11:31.42\00:11:33.22
and everything that
God had placed in creation
00:11:33.25\00:11:36.12
for their enjoyment.
00:11:36.16\00:11:38.63
However, there was
a controversy brewing
00:11:38.66\00:11:42.06
that would eventually
threaten homeland security.
00:11:42.10\00:11:47.10
And God told
Adam and Eve to watch.
00:11:47.14\00:11:49.44
He informed them that
an assault was coming.
00:11:49.47\00:11:52.74
And he said that
failure would be devastating.
00:11:52.77\00:11:57.55
The Lord warned Adam and Eve of
the far-reaching consequences.
00:11:57.58\00:12:01.35
Look at Genesis Chapter 2,
00:12:01.38\00:12:03.28
notice what God said
to this perfect pair.
00:12:03.32\00:12:07.09
"And the Lord God
commanded the man, saying,
00:12:07.12\00:12:11.83
"Of every tree of the
garden, you may freely eat..."
00:12:11.86\00:12:16.03
In other words, God
placed no restrictions
00:12:16.06\00:12:18.90
on what He had
created for Adam, except one.
00:12:18.93\00:12:23.34
"Of every tree of the
garden, you may freely eat,
00:12:23.37\00:12:27.61
but of the tree of the
knowledge of good and evil,
00:12:27.64\00:12:31.55
you shall not eat of it.
00:12:31.58\00:12:33.42
For in the day
that you eat of it,
00:12:33.45\00:12:36.38
you shall surely die."
00:12:36.42\00:12:39.49
Not might die, not could
die, but you shall surely die.
00:12:39.52\00:12:44.03
In other words, the
stop signs were posted,
00:12:44.06\00:12:48.00
the guardrails were
lowered, the path of destruction
00:12:48.03\00:12:51.43
was outlined with
flashing warning lights.
00:12:51.47\00:12:54.67
The road to the tree of
the knowledge of good and evil
00:12:54.70\00:12:57.31
was replete with
severe penalty signs
00:12:57.34\00:13:01.24
posted everywhere.
00:13:01.28\00:13:03.45
This was the
road of stiff fines,
00:13:03.48\00:13:05.51
and a jail sentence.
00:13:05.55\00:13:06.88
Hear me carefully.
00:13:06.92\00:13:08.25
With a consequence of more than
6,000 years of human suffering,
00:13:08.28\00:13:13.29
this journey was wrapped
in irreversible consequences.
00:13:13.32\00:13:17.66
And so God warned
Adam, whatever you do Adam,
00:13:17.69\00:13:20.73
I've given you everything
that your eyes can sit upon,
00:13:20.76\00:13:24.43
but just stay away
from this one tree.
00:13:24.47\00:13:29.20
And John the
Revelator made it clear
00:13:29.24\00:13:31.04
as to why God's
warning was so urgent.
00:13:31.07\00:13:33.61
Revelation 12:9,
we read these words
00:13:33.64\00:13:36.51
from our Creator.
00:13:36.54\00:13:39.98
So the great dragon,
00:13:40.02\00:13:42.25
that one who lost the war
against Michael, the archangel,
00:13:42.28\00:13:45.52
who is Christ by the way.
00:13:45.55\00:13:47.29
So the great
dragon was cast out,
00:13:47.32\00:13:51.39
that serpent of
old called the devil
00:13:51.43\00:13:54.86
and Satan who
deceives the whole world.
00:13:54.90\00:13:59.40
He was cast to the earth,
00:13:59.43\00:14:01.84
and his angels
were cast out with him.
00:14:01.87\00:14:06.21
When Satan lost
that battle of deception
00:14:06.24\00:14:09.14
that he spread clearly
among the other angels.
00:14:09.18\00:14:12.85
We read also in Revelation that
when Satan lost this battle.
00:14:12.88\00:14:16.02
Also one third of
the angels fell with him.
00:14:16.05\00:14:18.72
The Bible says, "He drew a
third of the stars of heaven
00:14:18.75\00:14:22.39
and they were
cast to the ground."
00:14:22.42\00:14:24.56
Now even though one-third fell,
00:14:24.59\00:14:26.19
the good news is
two-thirds remained.
00:14:26.23\00:14:29.66
There are more
on the side of good
00:14:29.70\00:14:32.90
than there are
on the side of evil.
00:14:32.93\00:14:34.47
Can you say amen?
00:14:34.50\00:14:35.90
You see, God still has
the greater good on his side.
00:14:35.94\00:14:39.47
So when you feel as though
00:14:39.51\00:14:41.11
the world has
turned against you,
00:14:41.14\00:14:42.48
when you feel as though
you have been abandoned,
00:14:42.51\00:14:44.65
all you've got
to do is turn to God
00:14:44.68\00:14:46.88
and discover that
there are more with us
00:14:46.92\00:14:50.39
than there are more
with the enemy of deception.
00:14:50.42\00:14:53.76
The Bible made it clear that
Satan lost the initial battle.
00:14:53.79\00:14:57.89
And so this innocent pier
00:14:57.93\00:14:59.53
that just rolled off
of God's assembly line
00:14:59.56\00:15:02.33
was in the midst of the
second stage of the battle.
00:15:02.36\00:15:05.93
A crisis brewing in
this perfect garden.
00:15:05.97\00:15:09.54
It was clear that Satan
had become in his own mind
00:15:09.57\00:15:12.84
the
representative now of the earth.
00:15:12.87\00:15:15.61
In Job 1:7, we read
00:15:15.64\00:15:18.05
about a meeting
that had taken place.
00:15:18.08\00:15:20.35
And the Bible says in
verse 7 of Job Chapter 1,
00:15:20.38\00:15:23.28
and the Lord said to
Satan in this meeting.
00:15:23.32\00:15:26.15
"From where do you come?"
00:15:26.19\00:15:27.86
God knew, but testimony
always reveals our own position,
00:15:27.89\00:15:31.46
and so Satan
answer the Lord and said,
00:15:31.49\00:15:34.06
"From going to
and fro on the earth
00:15:34.10\00:15:37.03
and from walking
back and forth on it."
00:15:37.07\00:15:40.54
You know, the amazing
thing about that is this,
00:15:40.57\00:15:42.40
when you think about temptation.
00:15:42.44\00:15:44.14
He said, "I was going to and fro
00:15:44.17\00:15:45.97
walking back and forth,"
00:15:46.01\00:15:47.44
but God limited Satan.
00:15:47.48\00:15:50.11
God did not allow
Satan to pursue Adam and Eve.
00:15:50.15\00:15:55.05
God placed the hedge
of protection around them.
00:15:55.08\00:15:58.19
They were in a garden home
that was secured day and night.
00:15:58.22\00:16:02.42
The angels of God
watched over them.
00:16:02.46\00:16:04.96
So Satan could not bring
the temptation to Adam nor Eve.
00:16:04.99\00:16:08.16
You'll discover,
friends, often times,
00:16:08.20\00:16:10.13
one of the ways that
we fall into temptation
00:16:10.17\00:16:12.30
is when we go to the temptation.
00:16:12.33\00:16:14.67
You see the bar doesn't
come to us, we go to the bar.
00:16:14.70\00:16:17.77
The places of ill
repute do not come to us,
00:16:17.81\00:16:20.38
we go to the
places of ill repute.
00:16:20.41\00:16:22.94
The immorality of the
nation doesn't come to us,
00:16:22.98\00:16:24.65
we go to it.
00:16:24.68\00:16:26.01
Often times, we find ourselves
00:16:26.05\00:16:28.28
where God never
gave us permission to go.
00:16:28.32\00:16:32.19
So God protected
this pair from everything
00:16:32.22\00:16:34.66
that Satan
could bring their way.
00:16:34.69\00:16:36.96
But he said, "I'm
walking back and forth
00:16:36.99\00:16:39.73
and going to and
fro in the earth."
00:16:39.76\00:16:42.46
And then the scene
changes to Genesis 3:1,
00:16:42.50\00:16:46.17
for this self made, I
would say real estate owner,
00:16:46.20\00:16:51.97
as he thought he was,
00:16:52.01\00:16:54.51
was about to establish
the greatest temptation
00:16:54.54\00:16:58.15
that humanity would ever endure.
00:16:58.18\00:17:01.45
This predator angel
began to change his approach.
00:17:01.48\00:17:06.09
And so we read in Genesis 3:1,
00:17:06.12\00:17:09.39
the first
temptation to humanity.
00:17:09.42\00:17:12.03
The Bible says,
00:17:12.06\00:17:13.40
"Now the serpent
was more cunning,"
00:17:13.43\00:17:15.76
the King James
Version says, more subtle.
00:17:15.80\00:17:18.77
In other words,
he came in a manner
00:17:18.80\00:17:21.64
that was almost
imperceptible to the one
00:17:21.67\00:17:24.67
that he had focused on.
00:17:24.71\00:17:26.04
You've seen
those pictures before,
00:17:26.07\00:17:27.98
tigers and lions, and cheetahs
00:17:28.01\00:17:32.31
and leopards in the jungle.
00:17:32.35\00:17:33.92
You see them as
they focus on their prey,
00:17:33.95\00:17:36.18
they walk so stealthily,
they move almost imperceptibly,
00:17:36.22\00:17:41.39
they allow the
grass not to ruffle
00:17:41.42\00:17:43.53
any of their surroundings,
00:17:43.56\00:17:44.96
they keep their eyes
fixed on their victims.
00:17:44.99\00:17:47.20
And I believe that as death
00:17:47.23\00:17:51.13
is the outcome of any hunt,
00:17:51.17\00:17:53.23
Satan saw the very same thing.
00:17:53.27\00:17:55.70
The Bible says, "The
serpent was more cunning,
00:17:55.74\00:17:58.47
more subtle than
any beast of the field
00:17:58.51\00:18:01.78
which the Lord God had made.
00:18:01.81\00:18:05.31
But he could not tempt Eve,
00:18:05.35\00:18:07.52
except she's strayed away
from the protective custody
00:18:07.55\00:18:11.05
that God has established
for her, her husband.
00:18:11.09\00:18:13.46
And that's why the Bible said,
00:18:13.49\00:18:14.82
"It's not good that
man should be alone."
00:18:14.86\00:18:16.32
Let me amplify that,
it wasn't just the phrase,
00:18:16.36\00:18:19.76
speaking of the agenda,
00:18:19.79\00:18:21.40
but when God establishes
a relationship of safety,
00:18:21.43\00:18:25.50
it's always dangerous
00:18:25.53\00:18:26.87
when we stray outside of
that relationship of safety.
00:18:26.90\00:18:29.90
It was not good
for Eve to be alone.
00:18:29.94\00:18:32.14
It was not good
for Adam to be alone.
00:18:32.17\00:18:34.54
They were placed
in a relationship
00:18:34.58\00:18:37.08
to establish checks and
balances on each of them
00:18:37.11\00:18:40.15
that they both together
can be obedient to God's word.
00:18:40.18\00:18:44.75
And so he said to
the woman, Genesis 3:1,
00:18:44.79\00:18:49.39
"Has God indeed said that
00:18:49.42\00:18:51.99
you shall not eat of
every tree of the garden."
00:18:52.03\00:18:55.36
Is that what God had said?
00:18:55.40\00:18:57.13
Are you sure that God said that?
00:18:57.17\00:19:00.44
You see, friends, the
first phrase of this crisis
00:19:00.47\00:19:04.97
was to put a question mark
where God had placed a period.
00:19:05.01\00:19:09.01
God did not say it's
possible for you to die.
00:19:09.04\00:19:12.31
God didn't say, "Adam, I
think that you might die,"
00:19:12.35\00:19:14.62
God said, "You will surely die."
00:19:14.65\00:19:17.29
And the devil said,
00:19:17.32\00:19:19.82
"Are you sure you're
clear on what God has said."
00:19:19.85\00:19:22.72
You see, friends,
today, one of the reasons
00:19:22.76\00:19:25.46
why Christians
of varying degrees
00:19:25.49\00:19:28.30
that don't pay
attention to what God has said
00:19:28.33\00:19:30.87
find themselves
in an eventual crisis
00:19:30.90\00:19:33.20
is they to put a question mark
where God has placed a period.
00:19:33.23\00:19:36.84
The Lord said,
00:19:36.87\00:19:38.21
"Remember the
Sabbath day to keep it holy."
00:19:38.24\00:19:39.61
And they say, "Do I have
to keep the Sabbath holy?"
00:19:39.64\00:19:43.38
The Bible says, "The
dead know not anything."
00:19:43.41\00:19:46.21
And they say, "Do
the dead know anything?"
00:19:46.25\00:19:49.22
The Bible says, "Honor
thy father and thy mother,"
00:19:49.25\00:19:50.69
and children say,
00:19:50.72\00:19:52.05
"Do we have to honor
our father and our mother?"
00:19:52.09\00:19:54.56
When you put a question
mark where God puts a period,
00:19:54.59\00:19:57.79
a crisis is in development.
00:19:57.83\00:20:01.10
For Satan asked an
ambiguous question.
00:20:01.13\00:20:03.80
He made it vague by intent,
00:20:03.83\00:20:06.57
because his object
was to plan uncertainty
00:20:06.60\00:20:09.84
to put uncertainty
in the mind of Eve.
00:20:09.87\00:20:14.01
And so whenever you
doubt what God has said,
00:20:14.04\00:20:18.65
revisit the Word of
God and always choose
00:20:18.68\00:20:22.48
on the side of caution.
00:20:22.52\00:20:24.99
If you're not
sure what the God said,
00:20:25.02\00:20:26.82
go or not go, don't go.
00:20:26.86\00:20:30.03
Always make your
decision on the side of caution.
00:20:30.06\00:20:34.46
Did God really mean Eve
00:20:34.50\00:20:36.90
that you could not eat
of every tree of the garden?
00:20:36.93\00:20:41.10
How can you trust a God
with such restrictive abilities?
00:20:41.14\00:20:45.87
How can you feel comfortable
00:20:45.91\00:20:48.14
if God does not
give you complete freedom
00:20:48.18\00:20:50.38
to do what ever you want?
00:20:50.41\00:20:52.95
Every tree, if
you think about it,
00:20:52.98\00:20:54.75
implies all trees.
00:20:54.78\00:20:58.42
Any tree implies some trees.
00:20:58.45\00:21:02.76
The Lord said, "I'm giving
you every tree except one."
00:21:02.79\00:21:06.86
Satan said,
00:21:06.90\00:21:08.23
"God's holding from you
every tree," that was not true.
00:21:08.26\00:21:12.50
You see, friends,
00:21:12.53\00:21:13.87
when we feel that
God is restrictive,
00:21:13.90\00:21:16.14
there's a reason
why God establishes
00:21:16.17\00:21:19.41
parameters in our lives.
00:21:19.44\00:21:21.61
He does it because
there's no greater safety
00:21:21.64\00:21:24.61
than staying
within the parameters
00:21:24.65\00:21:26.48
that God has established.
00:21:26.51\00:21:28.18
For example,
think about as a driver.
00:21:28.22\00:21:30.69
There are many people
that don't like red lights,
00:21:30.72\00:21:32.32
but I tell you, red
lights are not stop lights,
00:21:32.35\00:21:33.69
they're go lights.
00:21:33.72\00:21:35.06
If you don't think that
when the red light breaks down,
00:21:35.09\00:21:36.93
traffic comes to
a screeching halt.
00:21:36.96\00:21:38.96
Red lights are go lights.
00:21:38.99\00:21:40.93
And some people
in cities think that
00:21:40.96\00:21:42.46
they speed right
through the red lights,
00:21:42.50\00:21:44.03
that's not what I mean.
00:21:44.07\00:21:45.53
But when they're functioning,
00:21:45.57\00:21:46.90
when these
restrictions that are placed
00:21:46.94\00:21:48.60
there for our
safety are in operation,
00:21:48.64\00:21:51.17
we find that we can
enjoy continuous safety.
00:21:51.21\00:21:54.54
But when the lights of
safety go out, chaos ensues.
00:21:54.58\00:21:59.01
And so God placed green
lights on the good things,
00:21:59.05\00:22:01.55
yellow lights of
temperance on the things
00:22:01.58\00:22:04.09
that should be
taken by temperance,
00:22:04.12\00:22:06.05
and a red light on that
which we should always avoid.
00:22:06.09\00:22:10.76
And you discover that
Satan's level of success
00:22:10.79\00:22:13.93
was evident.
00:22:13.96\00:22:15.53
Somehow, he made a
way into the mind of Eve,
00:22:15.56\00:22:18.83
because Eve changed
God's statement of certainty.
00:22:18.87\00:22:23.14
It was statement of possibility.
00:22:23.17\00:22:24.74
Notice Genesis 3:2
and 3, God was certain
00:22:24.77\00:22:28.94
but Eve changed it to a
statement of possibility.
00:22:28.98\00:22:32.78
Verse 2 and 3 of
Genesis Chapter 3,
00:22:32.81\00:22:34.75
and the woman
said to the serpent.
00:22:34.78\00:22:37.92
"We may eat of the fruit
of the trees of the garden,
00:22:37.95\00:22:41.32
but of the fruit of the trees
00:22:41.36\00:22:44.99
which is in the
midst of the garden
00:22:45.03\00:22:47.63
or the fruit of the tree
00:22:47.66\00:22:49.06
which is in the
midst of the garden.
00:22:49.10\00:22:51.90
God has said you
shall not eat it."
00:22:51.93\00:22:56.34
But here's what she
added that God didn't say,
00:22:56.37\00:22:58.81
"Nor shall you
touch it, lest you die."
00:22:58.84\00:23:02.04
God didn't say that
death would be in the touching.
00:23:02.08\00:23:04.91
God said death
would be in the ingesting.
00:23:04.95\00:23:07.98
God said death
would be in the taking.
00:23:08.02\00:23:11.32
You know, sometimes
we pick up a cigarette
00:23:11.35\00:23:13.99
and we look at it.
00:23:14.02\00:23:15.42
A cigarette that you look at
00:23:15.46\00:23:16.79
cannot bring
danger to your life,
00:23:16.83\00:23:18.29
but a cigarette that you
light and put to your mouth
00:23:18.33\00:23:20.46
can begin to shorten
your life by minutes.
00:23:20.50\00:23:23.23
Every puff begins
to shorten your life.
00:23:23.26\00:23:25.40
You may pick up a
bottle of alcohol,
00:23:25.43\00:23:27.84
something that could
00:23:27.87\00:23:29.20
kill your brain cells
every time you ingest it.
00:23:29.24\00:23:32.31
It doesn't bring
danger when you pick it up,
00:23:32.34\00:23:34.31
but it brings danger
when you begin to ingest it.
00:23:34.34\00:23:36.88
You may hold a
marijuana in your hand,
00:23:36.91\00:23:38.71
and you may hold illicit drugs
00:23:38.75\00:23:40.38
and illegal prescriptions
in your possession.
00:23:40.42\00:23:42.95
That's not
where the death comes,
00:23:42.98\00:23:44.32
but it comes when we
begin to ingest in our bodies,
00:23:44.35\00:23:47.22
God's temple,
those things that God
00:23:47.26\00:23:49.39
has strictly and
unequivocally prohibited.
00:23:49.42\00:23:54.00
And she said, "God
said, don't touch it."
00:23:54.03\00:23:55.96
God said, "No, don't eat it.
00:23:56.00\00:23:58.07
In the day you eat
of it, you'll die."
00:23:58.10\00:24:00.67
And lest you die
also implies that
00:24:00.70\00:24:02.80
there is a
possibility that you might die,
00:24:02.84\00:24:05.17
but God didn't
leave any room for doubt,
00:24:05.21\00:24:07.18
He said, "You will die."
00:24:07.21\00:24:09.11
God did not say
there was a possibility.
00:24:09.14\00:24:11.75
He said, "You will surely die."
00:24:11.78\00:24:14.12
And then the light came.
00:24:14.15\00:24:15.82
Genesis 3:4,
00:24:15.85\00:24:17.65
that's why
Satan's next statement was
00:24:17.69\00:24:19.95
so easily accepted.
00:24:19.99\00:24:21.32
Let me lay the foundation.
00:24:21.36\00:24:23.12
Once you think that
00:24:23.16\00:24:24.49
there's a
possibility that you won't die,
00:24:24.53\00:24:26.56
then you open yourself
up to possible options.
00:24:26.59\00:24:29.73
Eve said well, "There's
a chance that I won't die.
00:24:29.76\00:24:32.73
So then the risk is lessened."
00:24:32.77\00:24:34.80
God never lessened the risk.
00:24:34.84\00:24:36.30
God said, "There is a
certainty of death coming
00:24:36.34\00:24:39.34
if you make a
decision against my will,
00:24:39.37\00:24:42.01
but Satan had led
her to believe that,
00:24:42.04\00:24:44.11
"Well there's a
chance, you might,
00:24:44.15\00:24:45.48
but there's a
chance you won't die.
00:24:45.51\00:24:47.68
But he even made it
even more impacting,
00:24:47.72\00:24:49.78
and her choice
followed his statement.
00:24:49.82\00:24:52.19
Genesis 3:4, the
serpent said to the woman,
00:24:52.22\00:24:55.42
"You will not surely die."
00:24:55.46\00:25:00.13
If you read there in the Hebrew,
00:25:00.16\00:25:01.66
it really reads this way.
00:25:01.70\00:25:03.03
I am sure Eve
that you will not die.
00:25:03.06\00:25:06.03
I think about the young
people that I was raised with,
00:25:06.07\00:25:07.74
many of the young people
00:25:07.77\00:25:09.10
that I went to
school with are dead today
00:25:09.14\00:25:10.67
because they thought that
00:25:10.71\00:25:12.04
marijuana could
not possibly kill,
00:25:12.07\00:25:14.18
it's just a
harmless cannabis plant,
00:25:14.21\00:25:17.58
some died of brain
cancer, and lung cancer.
00:25:17.61\00:25:20.68
I mean they
thought surely I won't die.
00:25:20.72\00:25:23.45
Some people got
involved in gang violence
00:25:23.49\00:25:25.59
and promiscuity and died of
sexually transmitted diseases.
00:25:25.62\00:25:29.59
Surely, I won't be the
victim of my own choices.
00:25:29.62\00:25:31.99
Friends, don't fool yourself.
00:25:32.03\00:25:33.36
Any time we ignore
God's direct command,
00:25:33.40\00:25:37.07
consequences
always are the result.
00:25:37.10\00:25:39.97
We could never
ignore God's command
00:25:40.00\00:25:42.30
and think that
death does not begin.
00:25:42.34\00:25:44.21
Now you may not die immediately,
00:25:44.24\00:25:46.71
but I heard just
recently in a report
00:25:46.74\00:25:49.54
that sometimes a disease could
00:25:49.58\00:25:51.65
hide itself in your
body for 20 to 30 years
00:25:51.68\00:25:54.58
and then later on
begin to manifest itself.
00:25:54.62\00:25:57.45
When your kidney begins to die
00:25:57.49\00:25:58.95
or your liver
begins to function less,
00:25:58.99\00:26:01.72
or all of a
sudden you begin to see
00:26:01.76\00:26:03.43
legions break out on your body,
00:26:03.46\00:26:05.06
and they trace it
back to an activity that
00:26:05.09\00:26:07.33
you participated in
when you were a young person.
00:26:07.36\00:26:10.53
So young folk,
take it seriously.
00:26:10.57\00:26:12.60
If God says don't
do it, don't do it.
00:26:12.63\00:26:14.90
Because somewhere along the way,
00:26:14.94\00:26:16.34
your body will begin to operate,
00:26:16.37\00:26:18.64
not at the peak
perfection and performance
00:26:18.67\00:26:21.18
that God knows it could be.
00:26:21.21\00:26:23.21
You will somehow surely die.
00:26:23.24\00:26:27.58
Eve followed
00:26:27.62\00:26:30.42
the suggestion
of this rogue angel.
00:26:30.45\00:26:34.86
But I suggest to you today
that Eve would not have taken
00:26:34.89\00:26:39.76
his suggestion unless
he made it seem as though
00:26:39.79\00:26:43.80
there were no consequences.
00:26:43.83\00:26:46.37
You see, the
crisis in the garden
00:26:46.40\00:26:49.80
today has now become
the crisis in the world.
00:26:49.84\00:26:53.11
And think about that,
00:26:53.14\00:26:54.48
what was the
suggestion of Satan?
00:26:54.51\00:26:55.98
What did he say?
00:26:56.01\00:26:57.35
You will not surely die.
00:26:57.38\00:26:58.71
Today, you hear in funerals,
people say they're not dead,
00:26:58.75\00:27:01.28
they're in heaven.
00:27:01.32\00:27:02.65
They're not dead,
they are now your angel.
00:27:02.68\00:27:04.52
They're not dead,
00:27:04.55\00:27:05.89
they have just
moved somewhere else.
00:27:05.92\00:27:07.52
We talk about
this embodied spirits,
00:27:07.56\00:27:09.09
they're really not there,
they're now watching over you,
00:27:09.12\00:27:11.93
but that's not the truth.
00:27:11.96\00:27:13.29
The Bible says, "The
dead know not anything.
00:27:13.33\00:27:15.86
You do die when you die."
00:27:15.90\00:27:17.73
Your battery in
your car when it dies,
00:27:17.77\00:27:19.13
it doesn't work in another car.
00:27:19.17\00:27:20.67
When your pets die, they don't
become somebody else's pet.
00:27:20.70\00:27:23.44
I don't want to sound
cynical, but when we die,
00:27:23.47\00:27:25.51
death is obvious, there
is no existence of life.
00:27:25.54\00:27:30.38
And so today, to the
disobedient and rebellious,
00:27:30.41\00:27:33.82
they follow the
same lie, the lies told,
00:27:33.85\00:27:36.52
you will not surely die.
00:27:36.55\00:27:37.89
To the drug abuser,
to the alcohol drinker,
00:27:37.92\00:27:40.32
the lie is told,
you will not surely die,
00:27:40.36\00:27:42.69
to the sexually immoral
and sexually promiscuous,
00:27:42.72\00:27:45.43
the lie is told and believed
that you will not surely die.
00:27:45.46\00:27:49.20
To those who ignore
God's word and turn their backs
00:27:49.23\00:27:53.87
on a thus smith the
Lord, the lie is not only told,
00:27:53.90\00:27:57.64
but accepted that
you will not surely die.
00:27:57.67\00:28:00.88
The liar of all time
told a lie of all time,
00:28:00.91\00:28:04.31
you will not surely die.
00:28:04.35\00:28:08.05
You see,
friends, Eve could absorb,
00:28:08.08\00:28:10.25
before Eve could
absorb what had happened,
00:28:10.29\00:28:13.02
Satan furthered his attack.
00:28:13.05\00:28:15.79
And get this, by blaming God
00:28:15.82\00:28:18.39
for Eve's
apparent misunderstanding.
00:28:18.43\00:28:21.46
In other words,
00:28:21.50\00:28:22.93
how could I find myself
in a situation like this,
00:28:22.96\00:28:26.50
he is saying to Eve,
00:28:26.53\00:28:29.04
unless there was
some misunderstanding
00:28:29.07\00:28:30.57
between God and me.
00:28:30.61\00:28:31.94
Maybe God wasn't as
clear as He could have been.
00:28:31.97\00:28:34.04
And that's exactly
what Satan suggested.
00:28:34.08\00:28:36.61
You see, if God
was really clear Eve,
00:28:36.64\00:28:39.18
he really
wouldn't be in this mess.
00:28:39.21\00:28:41.78
And so people today
teach the very same thing,
00:28:41.82\00:28:44.85
is God really clear
about which day is holy?
00:28:44.89\00:28:48.16
If he meant the Sabbath and
why do so many honor Sunday?
00:28:48.19\00:28:51.59
God really wasn't that
clear, it really doesn't matter.
00:28:51.63\00:28:54.23
Friends, you
better revisit God's word.
00:28:54.26\00:28:56.23
He says, remember
00:28:56.26\00:28:57.60
the Sabbath day to keep it holy.
00:28:57.63\00:28:59.70
He only blessed
one day, the seventh.
00:28:59.73\00:29:02.74
God was clear about His
Word, but so many people today
00:29:02.77\00:29:07.14
are falling for the same tactics
00:29:07.18\00:29:09.01
that Satan used on Eve.
00:29:09.04\00:29:11.21
See God knows
something he said to Eve.
00:29:11.25\00:29:13.18
God knows something that
he doesn't want you to know.
00:29:13.21\00:29:17.22
Listen to Genesis 3:5, listen
to the way that Satan maligned
00:29:17.25\00:29:21.39
and misrepresented
what God had said.
00:29:21.42\00:29:23.79
He said to Eve, for God knows,
that is the word in the Hebrew,
00:29:23.83\00:29:29.33
Elohim, for God knows
00:29:29.36\00:29:32.53
that in the day you eat of it.
00:29:32.57\00:29:37.94
Here's what's
going to happen, Eve,
00:29:37.97\00:29:39.61
you're going to
have better eyesight,
00:29:39.64\00:29:40.98
your eyes will be opened.
00:29:41.01\00:29:44.05
And you know what, Eve,
finally, you'll be like God.
00:29:44.08\00:29:49.75
I mean, I'm sure
he made you very well
00:29:49.78\00:29:52.72
but if you just disobey Him,
00:29:52.75\00:29:55.76
you would be
elevated to a status that God
00:29:55.79\00:29:58.13
never wanted you to accomplish.
00:29:58.16\00:30:00.43
You will be like
God and not only that,
00:30:00.46\00:30:04.17
your intellect will expand.
00:30:04.20\00:30:05.90
You will know good
and you will know evil.
00:30:05.93\00:30:08.60
Well, you know, I
want to say this again,
00:30:08.64\00:30:10.64
I think, I said this
in my last presentation.
00:30:10.67\00:30:13.17
It is not necessary to
know evil to appreciate good.
00:30:13.21\00:30:16.78
Come on, can you
say amen to that?
00:30:16.81\00:30:18.21
You don't have to know
death to appreciate life.
00:30:18.25\00:30:21.18
You don't have to know pain
to enjoy a life free from pain.
00:30:21.22\00:30:25.35
You don't have to experience
00:30:25.39\00:30:26.82
freedom from a broken down
life to appreciate a pure life.
00:30:26.86\00:30:31.16
If they had only
made the right decision,
00:30:31.19\00:30:33.70
I want to say this clearly,
00:30:33.73\00:30:35.36
we would not be in the
mess that we are in today.
00:30:35.40\00:30:39.43
But Satan made it ambiguous.
00:30:39.47\00:30:41.74
God is trying
to hold out on you.
00:30:41.77\00:30:43.71
There's a knowledge that
God doesn't want you to have.
00:30:43.74\00:30:46.64
You see,
00:30:46.68\00:30:48.01
you could have more
freedom than God has offered
00:30:48.04\00:30:50.31
you to this point if
you just disobey him.
00:30:50.35\00:30:52.75
And there are people
that live like that today.
00:30:52.78\00:30:55.15
There are people that
00:30:55.18\00:30:56.52
as the Bible says
in 1 Thessalonians,
00:30:56.55\00:30:58.45
"They are the children of
the night, not of the day.
00:30:58.49\00:31:01.42
They're of the
world, not of the kingdom.
00:31:01.46\00:31:03.56
They believe that they are
free, they can do anything,
00:31:03.59\00:31:06.70
they can go anywhere,
they can dress anyhow,
00:31:06.73\00:31:09.50
they can eat anything,
they can wear anything,
00:31:09.53\00:31:12.37
they can say anything,
00:31:12.40\00:31:13.74
they are completely free
00:31:13.77\00:31:15.24
when in fact
they are bound by sin.
00:31:15.27\00:31:19.14
But Satan makes
it feel like freedom.
00:31:19.17\00:31:21.28
He says, "You don't
have to answer to God,
00:31:21.31\00:31:23.28
you are your own voice,
00:31:23.31\00:31:24.75
you are your own
person of accountability."
00:31:24.78\00:31:27.68
And that's why today, I
spoke to somebody recently,
00:31:27.72\00:31:30.75
they said, "Now I
don't know if God exists
00:31:30.79\00:31:32.89
but whomever you may speak to
00:31:32.92\00:31:35.12
or whomever you may acknowledge,
00:31:35.16\00:31:36.89
I mean, it could be the
stars that are lined up,
00:31:36.93\00:31:39.46
it could be
everything's working out right,
00:31:39.49\00:31:41.10
it could be karma."
00:31:41.13\00:31:42.46
And I said to the person,
"Look, just don't tell me that,
00:31:42.50\00:31:45.27
just say God
answered your prayer."
00:31:45.30\00:31:48.04
Amen.
00:31:48.07\00:31:49.57
Don't give the credit of God's
blessing to the stars lining up
00:31:49.60\00:31:53.17
or to karma or things
just falling into place.
00:31:53.21\00:31:56.08
We don't serve a
coincidental God,
00:31:56.11\00:31:57.71
we serve a God that
answers every prayer
00:31:57.75\00:32:00.72
in harmony with His will.
00:32:00.75\00:32:03.59
But Satan offered a
life quite different
00:32:03.62\00:32:06.29
than the life that God intended
for Adam and Eve to have.
00:32:06.32\00:32:09.22
He said, "God is not
being upfront with you Eve,
00:32:09.26\00:32:13.50
He's hiding something.
00:32:13.53\00:32:14.93
God is concerned that
you could become his equal."
00:32:14.96\00:32:19.10
And then Satan
led Eve to attempt.
00:32:19.13\00:32:20.94
Hear me carefully.
00:32:20.97\00:32:22.57
He led Eve to attempt, what he
knew could not be accomplished.
00:32:22.60\00:32:29.51
Example, there
is no life in death.
00:32:29.54\00:32:33.95
There is no
blessing in disobedience.
00:32:33.98\00:32:36.58
There is no safety in rebellion.
00:32:36.62\00:32:39.55
You never accomplish a safe life
00:32:39.59\00:32:43.43
driving with a
rebellious attitude.
00:32:43.46\00:32:46.96
You never find
the blessings of God
00:32:47.00\00:32:49.56
on the edge of disobedience.
00:32:49.60\00:32:52.10
You will never experience life
when you make death choices.
00:32:52.13\00:32:56.47
In the Book of
Deuteronomy, the Bible says,
00:32:56.50\00:32:58.71
"Behold, I place
before you two rows,
00:32:58.74\00:33:00.78
life and blessings on the right,
00:33:00.81\00:33:02.68
death and cursings
and I add, on the left,
00:33:02.71\00:33:05.68
the Bible doesn't
say right and left.
00:33:05.71\00:33:08.78
Life and
blessings, death and cursings
00:33:08.82\00:33:11.25
and God loves us so much.
00:33:11.29\00:33:12.79
He doesn't say, "Pick
one," He says "Choose life."
00:33:12.82\00:33:16.32
God's plan for every one of
us is that we might have life.
00:33:16.36\00:33:19.63
John 10:10, and
have it more abundantly.
00:33:19.66\00:33:23.03
As a matter of fact, he
said the thief Satan himself,
00:33:23.06\00:33:25.83
the father of
lies, the thief, he said,
00:33:25.87\00:33:27.24
"The thief comes to kill,
to steal, and to destroy."
00:33:27.27\00:33:32.74
But he said, "Don't
mess up why I've come.
00:33:32.77\00:33:35.24
I haven't come to
make your life miserable.
00:33:35.28\00:33:36.81
I have come that
you might have life,
00:33:36.85\00:33:38.95
and have it more abundantly."
00:33:38.98\00:33:41.62
Now somebody might say,
00:33:41.65\00:33:42.98
"Well, you're not
going to live forever.
00:33:43.02\00:33:44.35
So you're going
to die of something."
00:33:44.39\00:33:45.72
I heard a person
once say that, he said,
00:33:45.75\00:33:47.99
"Pastor John, no
matter how old good you live,
00:33:48.02\00:33:50.06
no matter how good you eat,
00:33:50.09\00:33:51.43
you're not going
to live forever."
00:33:51.46\00:33:53.03
And so since I'm not
going to live forever,
00:33:53.06\00:33:54.96
you might as
well choose your vice,
00:33:55.00\00:33:57.43
you might as well just
enjoy yourself and just die.
00:33:57.47\00:33:59.70
He said, "You're going to
die, and I'm going to die."
00:33:59.73\00:34:01.90
I said, "No, no, no, you
are going to die eternally,
00:34:01.94\00:34:05.34
I might die and come
forth to eternal life."
00:34:05.37\00:34:08.28
Amen.
00:34:08.31\00:34:09.64
So it's not about the
time the world gives to you
00:34:09.68\00:34:11.48
when God establishes a blessing,
00:34:11.51\00:34:13.95
He does it so that we can
enjoy life more abundantly.
00:34:13.98\00:34:18.25
I think of that deceased now
George Burns, many years ago,
00:34:18.29\00:34:21.26
he was in a movie
entitled, "Oh, God, You devil."
00:34:21.29\00:34:24.39
I never forgot that.
00:34:24.43\00:34:26.06
I was on a plane
coming back from Taipei,
00:34:26.09\00:34:27.86
Taiwan on my way to Hawaii.
00:34:27.90\00:34:29.80
When I was in the singing group,
00:34:29.83\00:34:31.17
the Heritage
Singers, I never forgot that.
00:34:31.20\00:34:33.47
They were showing the
movie on the plane entitled,
00:34:33.50\00:34:35.64
"Oh, God, You devil."
00:34:35.67\00:34:37.01
And the flight attendant
came by, and she asked me,
00:34:37.04\00:34:40.54
if I want a pair of headsets
to listen to that movie.
00:34:40.58\00:34:42.94
Well, I have to tell
you the rest of the story.
00:34:42.98\00:34:46.25
I said, "There is no way
I'm going to watch a movie
00:34:46.28\00:34:48.58
with a man with a cigar in
his mouth claiming to be God.
00:34:48.62\00:34:52.99
I'm not going to watch
anything blasphemous like that
00:34:53.02\00:34:56.12
when I'm in an
airplane over God's ocean
00:34:56.16\00:34:59.96
and I need the
safety and security of God
00:35:00.00\00:35:02.20
to hold this thing up
until we get to safety.
00:35:02.23\00:35:04.47
There is no way I'm
going to watch that movie."
00:35:04.50\00:35:06.77
So I refused, I opened my Bible,
00:35:06.80\00:35:08.90
I began to read the Word of God,
00:35:08.94\00:35:10.51
I began to read
the Book of Hebrews.
00:35:10.54\00:35:12.67
And I remember very
carefully even to this very day
00:35:12.71\00:35:14.74
when I open my Bible.
00:35:14.78\00:35:16.11
I see the Book of
Hebrews outlined carefully.
00:35:16.14\00:35:18.38
I'm now up to my fourth Bible,
00:35:18.41\00:35:20.45
but when I open the Book
of Hebrews to this very day
00:35:20.48\00:35:22.45
I never forget that experience.
00:35:22.48\00:35:26.12
That plane flying
over the Pacific Ocean.
00:35:26.15\00:35:28.96
And God found a way to
get everyone's attention,
00:35:28.99\00:35:31.33
because during the
portion of the flight
00:35:31.36\00:35:32.89
where they began
to give out the meals.
00:35:32.93\00:35:35.40
It always seems to happen
when they give out the food,
00:35:35.43\00:35:37.87
the plane began
to shake and rock
00:35:37.90\00:35:39.53
and turbulence began to hit,
00:35:39.57\00:35:41.20
and the flight attendants
locked down their carts
00:35:41.24\00:35:43.14
and found the nearest seat,
00:35:43.17\00:35:45.21
and the pilot
made the announcement.
00:35:45.24\00:35:46.91
"Please, we're suspending all
service until further notice."
00:35:46.94\00:35:50.21
And the plane
began to shake, this 747,
00:35:50.25\00:35:53.01
this monstrosity of a plane
00:35:53.05\00:35:54.72
with nowhere to land
shaking over the Pacific Ocean.
00:35:54.75\00:35:58.15
And I thought to
myself if we go down,
00:35:58.19\00:36:01.02
I rather go down with the
knowledge of God in my head
00:36:01.06\00:36:03.66
than with a blasphemous
movie like "Oh, God, You devil."
00:36:03.69\00:36:06.93
With the very last thought
00:36:06.96\00:36:08.30
before I close my eyes in death.
00:36:08.33\00:36:09.70
So I stayed in the
word, I stayed in the word,
00:36:09.73\00:36:12.70
and somebody saw me,
00:36:12.73\00:36:14.07
I remember somebody on the plane
00:36:14.10\00:36:15.44
that I know very
well, I won't give his name,
00:36:15.47\00:36:16.91
but he saw me and he said,
00:36:16.94\00:36:18.27
"John, I was
holding on to the seat
00:36:18.31\00:36:20.34
with dear life
or for dear life."
00:36:20.38\00:36:22.31
And he said to me,
"John, don't you know
00:36:22.34\00:36:25.28
that if the plane goes down,
the seat goes down with it."
00:36:25.31\00:36:29.78
And I thought to
myself, that's true,
00:36:29.82\00:36:32.35
but even more than the seat
00:36:32.39\00:36:34.56
was my concern of
the condition of my mind.
00:36:34.59\00:36:37.79
If I were to close my
eyes in death at that moment,
00:36:37.83\00:36:42.13
how wonderful that
would have been to know
00:36:42.16\00:36:44.37
that my last thoughts were
the last six books of Hebrews
00:36:44.40\00:36:48.10
that my mind was now
00:36:48.14\00:36:50.94
enjoying that I was
imbibing that I was thinking on.
00:36:50.97\00:36:55.84
Friends, you see so
many people live their lives
00:36:55.88\00:36:57.71
not considering the
last moments of their lives.
00:36:57.75\00:37:01.15
The blessing will never
come on the heels of rebellion.
00:37:01.18\00:37:05.55
Life will never be
found in activity of death,
00:37:05.59\00:37:08.36
and there is no
safety in any rebellion.
00:37:08.39\00:37:12.96
When you think of the situation
that Adam and Eve was in,
00:37:12.99\00:37:16.16
the Bible said, "It was clear
that Satan directly related
00:37:16.20\00:37:21.34
the condition that
he insinuated upon Eve
00:37:21.37\00:37:26.41
to the attempts
he had in his mind,
00:37:26.44\00:37:29.21
when he began his
rebellion in God's government.
00:37:29.24\00:37:31.21
He said, "I will be like
the most high, but God said,
00:37:31.25\00:37:33.95
"No, you won't, you will
be cast down to the ground.
00:37:33.98\00:37:38.05
You will be seen
for who you really are.
00:37:38.09\00:37:41.36
And this fallen being found
a way to bring to humanity,
00:37:41.39\00:37:47.26
the choices of a
fallen, broken rebellious angel.
00:37:47.30\00:37:52.07
One writer once said
00:37:52.10\00:37:54.37
that "If God is small
enough for us to understand,
00:37:54.40\00:37:58.81
he is not big
enough for us to worship.
00:37:58.84\00:38:01.34
Satan tried to bring
God down to Eve's level
00:38:01.38\00:38:04.85
for her to understand.
00:38:04.88\00:38:06.51
But I want to tell you today.
00:38:06.55\00:38:07.92
I like what the
Book of Job says,
00:38:07.95\00:38:09.78
"Can you search out
the deep things of God?
00:38:09.82\00:38:11.69
Can you find out the
limits of the Almighty?"
00:38:11.72\00:38:13.79
Job 11: 7.
00:38:13.82\00:38:15.52
You see,
friends, here's the point.
00:38:15.56\00:38:16.93
It is not necessary
to understand everything
00:38:16.96\00:38:20.26
God calls us to accept.
00:38:20.30\00:38:22.90
It is not important for
God to give us every reason
00:38:22.93\00:38:27.07
why we need to be
obedient, anymore than a parent
00:38:27.10\00:38:30.74
qualifies every statement that
00:38:30.77\00:38:32.11
he or she makes
to their children.
00:38:32.14\00:38:34.38
But if they say don't do this,
00:38:34.41\00:38:36.38
be certain that they have
your best interest in mind.
00:38:36.41\00:38:39.91
At least, I know that's
true about our heavenly Father.
00:38:39.95\00:38:41.88
When God says don't, He
means don't for our safety.
00:38:41.92\00:38:45.32
When He says don't, He
means that for our blessings.
00:38:45.35\00:38:47.46
When He says don't go, He means
there's danger lurking there,
00:38:47.49\00:38:50.46
don't go on that path.
00:38:50.49\00:38:55.50
But the fact is,
the deed was done,
00:38:55.53\00:38:58.80
and the seeds of
doubt began to sprout.
00:38:58.83\00:39:03.64
What were they?
00:39:03.67\00:39:05.01
Think of this carefully.
00:39:05.04\00:39:06.37
What were they?
00:39:06.41\00:39:07.74
There were only
three areas of temptation
00:39:07.78\00:39:09.48
continually
outlined in scripture,
00:39:09.51\00:39:11.98
"The lust of the flesh,
00:39:12.01\00:39:14.25
the lust of the eyes,
and the pride of life."
00:39:14.28\00:39:16.95
Adam and Eve failed
in the lust of the flesh
00:39:16.99\00:39:20.46
because she saw that
the tree was good for food.
00:39:20.49\00:39:23.36
In the lust of the eyes,
00:39:23.39\00:39:24.86
the tree was
pleasant to her eyes,
00:39:24.89\00:39:27.33
and in the pride of life,
00:39:27.36\00:39:29.00
desiring to make herself
more wise than even God Himself.
00:39:29.03\00:39:33.97
There are only
three temptations,
00:39:34.00\00:39:35.40
that's why Jesus
was tempted three times.
00:39:35.44\00:39:37.87
In 1 John 2:15, talks
about these three temptations.
00:39:37.91\00:39:42.48
But here's the good news.
00:39:42.51\00:39:44.71
Where Adam and Eve
failed, Jesus succeeded.
00:39:44.75\00:39:48.48
Can you say amen to that?
00:39:48.52\00:39:49.98
When Adam and Eve
failed, Jesus was successful.
00:39:50.02\00:39:53.86
There're only three temptations,
00:39:53.89\00:39:55.72
three categories that
outline every temptation
00:39:55.76\00:39:59.39
that humanity will ever face.
00:39:59.43\00:40:02.03
The lust of the flesh,
the thing they want so much,
00:40:02.06\00:40:06.84
it looks good for food.
00:40:06.87\00:40:09.17
The lust of the
eyes, when we see it,
00:40:09.20\00:40:11.21
we want it, it's pleasant,
I like the way it looks.
00:40:11.24\00:40:15.11
And the pride of life.
00:40:15.14\00:40:16.48
If I fall into it,
it'll make me better.
00:40:16.51\00:40:19.55
If I decide to accept it, I
will become more intelligent
00:40:19.58\00:40:22.78
than I am outside
of God's restrictions.
00:40:22.82\00:40:25.52
You see, the
crisis in the earth began,
00:40:25.55\00:40:28.62
the rejection of truth
00:40:28.66\00:40:29.99
proved to be
the truth after all.
00:40:30.03\00:40:33.29
Adam disqualified himself
00:40:33.33\00:40:35.10
by joining Eve in the rebellion,
00:40:35.13\00:40:38.83
that's why 1 Corinthians
15:22 says these words,
00:40:38.87\00:40:41.90
"For as in Adam all die."
00:40:41.94\00:40:44.64
You see, friends, the
reason why we die today
00:40:44.67\00:40:47.18
is not because we
eventually break down,
00:40:47.21\00:40:49.64
but we have a
nature that was given to us
00:40:49.68\00:40:51.68
by our father Adam.
00:40:51.71\00:40:53.21
In the Garden of
Eden, when he rebelled,
00:40:53.25\00:40:55.28
when he chose to
follow even her rebellion,
00:40:55.32\00:40:58.89
he became a victim of the very
same experience that she had.
00:40:58.92\00:41:03.06
The Bible says,
"Eve was deceived,"
00:41:03.09\00:41:06.33
but Romans 5:12 makes it clear
that Adam was not deceived.
00:41:06.36\00:41:11.10
Let me read that verse to you,
00:41:11.13\00:41:13.00
listen to Romans 5:12, it says,
00:41:13.03\00:41:15.60
"Therefore, just as through
one man sin entered the world,
00:41:15.64\00:41:20.01
and death through sin,
00:41:20.04\00:41:21.84
and thus death
spread to all men,
00:41:21.88\00:41:26.11
because all sinned."
00:41:26.15\00:41:28.82
Now you think about
that, you might say,
00:41:28.85\00:41:30.62
"Well, Pastor John,
are you saying baby sin?"
00:41:30.65\00:41:32.35
"No, what I'm saying is
00:41:32.39\00:41:33.72
babies are not guilty
of the actions of sin,
00:41:33.76\00:41:36.12
but babies are born
with the nature that
00:41:36.16\00:41:38.29
as it leans as it
continues to grow,
00:41:38.33\00:41:41.26
it always leads in the
direction of rebellion,
00:41:41.30\00:41:44.00
and disobedience, and
dishonesty, and lies."
00:41:44.03\00:41:46.30
Have you ever seen a baby lie?
00:41:46.33\00:41:48.10
Have you ever seen children
with dishonest practices?
00:41:48.14\00:41:50.71
These small little innocent
children that look so cute,
00:41:50.74\00:41:54.24
they gonna lie so beautifully,
but it's still a lie.
00:41:54.28\00:41:57.48
That's why Lord allows
them to be born so young.
00:41:57.51\00:42:00.75
You see, Adam gave
to us the best he could.
00:42:00.78\00:42:05.19
Even though he was the
only male created before a sin,
00:42:05.22\00:42:08.92
he handed down
the best he could,
00:42:08.96\00:42:11.09
''as in Adam, all die."
00:42:11.13\00:42:16.70
The second phrase
of any crisis is this,
00:42:16.73\00:42:20.37
thinking that
we're gonna accomplish
00:42:20.40\00:42:22.40
a greater level of
success by ignoring God's word.
00:42:22.44\00:42:26.71
Look at Genesis
3:7, Genesis 3:7,
00:42:26.74\00:42:30.75
amazing how this
unfolds in God's word.
00:42:30.78\00:42:34.35
After they follow the
suggestions of the evil one,
00:42:34.38\00:42:37.65
after Eve fell by deception
and Adam fell by choice,
00:42:37.69\00:42:43.12
the Bible says in
verse 7 of Genesis 3,
00:42:43.16\00:42:46.80
"Then the eyes of
both of them were opened,
00:42:46.83\00:42:50.77
and they knew
that they were naked,
00:42:50.80\00:42:54.04
they saw
themselves in a condition
00:42:54.07\00:42:56.84
that they never
saw themselves before.
00:42:56.87\00:43:00.58
And they sewed
fig leaves together,
00:43:00.61\00:43:02.68
and made themselves coverings."
00:43:02.71\00:43:05.01
Friends, God gave them
00:43:05.05\00:43:06.72
a glorious robe
of righteousness,
00:43:06.75\00:43:08.85
a robe of
incomprehensible glorious light.
00:43:08.88\00:43:15.82
And they traded that
garment for fig leaves.
00:43:15.86\00:43:18.73
You see, anytime we
choose anything other than
00:43:18.76\00:43:20.76
what God has given to us,
it's nothing but fig leaves.
00:43:20.80\00:43:24.37
Fig leaves of excuses,
fig leaves of decisions,
00:43:24.40\00:43:27.40
fig leaves of indulgences.
00:43:27.44\00:43:28.94
It's nothing but fig leaves,
00:43:28.97\00:43:30.84
and it's not
sufficient to cover our lies.
00:43:30.87\00:43:34.81
Now if you read further on,
00:43:34.84\00:43:36.38
God didn't settle
for the fig leaves,
00:43:36.41\00:43:38.68
he killed animals and
covered their nakedness,
00:43:38.71\00:43:41.48
so that their
shame would not appear.
00:43:41.52\00:43:43.39
But think about it for a moment.
00:43:43.42\00:43:45.49
They tasted what they realized
they should not have tasted.
00:43:45.52\00:43:49.96
They saw what they
wish they had never seen.
00:43:49.99\00:43:53.06
They understood what God
never intended for them to know
00:43:53.09\00:43:56.83
and that's the
lot of humanity today.
00:43:56.87\00:43:59.23
We do what we
should not have done.
00:43:59.27\00:44:01.27
We see what we
wish we had never seen,
00:44:01.30\00:44:04.27
and we understand
what God never intended
00:44:04.31\00:44:07.14
for us to experience,
that's our world today.
00:44:07.18\00:44:10.08
When you go on the internet,
00:44:10.11\00:44:11.45
you have to be
careful where you go.
00:44:11.48\00:44:12.91
When you turn on television,
00:44:12.95\00:44:14.28
you have to be
careful what you watch.
00:44:14.32\00:44:15.65
When you listen to the radio,
00:44:15.68\00:44:17.02
you have to be careful
what channels do you stop on,
00:44:17.05\00:44:19.19
things that we do,
we taste, we touch,
00:44:19.22\00:44:22.02
we understand, we
see, we participate in.
00:44:22.06\00:44:25.26
This world is just like it was
after the fall of Adam and Eve,
00:44:25.29\00:44:29.70
all because of one rogue angel,
00:44:29.73\00:44:32.33
this angel once called Lucifer
00:44:32.37\00:44:34.47
fallen now into the
pit of satanic activity,
00:44:34.50\00:44:38.74
the lights went out,
00:44:38.77\00:44:40.11
their righteous garments
went out confiscated by sin,
00:44:40.14\00:44:43.04
the feelings of a new discovery
00:44:43.08\00:44:45.91
that seem like it was a
right thing was now dissolved
00:44:45.95\00:44:48.65
by the reality of an old lie.
00:44:48.68\00:44:51.42
It was not a new
discovery, it was an old lie,
00:44:51.45\00:44:53.69
they fell hook line and sinker
00:44:53.72\00:44:55.89
for something that
Satan knew would bring
00:44:55.92\00:44:57.86
misery, death, and destruction.
00:44:57.89\00:45:00.36
But I want to end my
message with not sad news,
00:45:00.40\00:45:02.96
I want to end my
message with good news.
00:45:03.00\00:45:06.13
For you read in the Bible,
in the midst of every crisis
00:45:06.17\00:45:10.01
there is an all of a sudden.
00:45:10.04\00:45:13.21
You see, some
people say to themselves
00:45:13.24\00:45:15.64
why didn't God just
get rid of Adam and Eve
00:45:15.68\00:45:18.31
and start all over again,
00:45:18.35\00:45:20.18
He could have, He is god.
00:45:20.22\00:45:22.08
Why didn't God wipe out Satan
00:45:22.12\00:45:24.02
when Satan fell into rebellion?
00:45:24.05\00:45:26.29
Why didn't God just
get rid of all the angels
00:45:26.32\00:45:28.92
that had followed
him in his deception
00:45:28.96\00:45:31.13
and his war that
failed in heaven?
00:45:31.16\00:45:32.73
Why didn't God
just wipe them all out?
00:45:32.76\00:45:35.00
And we wouldn't
be in the problems
00:45:35.03\00:45:36.40
that we are in today.
00:45:36.43\00:45:37.80
You see, friends, let
me make it very clear,
00:45:37.83\00:45:39.73
God's love is so far
beyond our understanding
00:45:39.77\00:45:42.20
that He is not a wipe out God,
00:45:42.24\00:45:43.74
He is a rescue God.
00:45:43.77\00:45:46.71
He is the God who loves
us with an everlasting love.
00:45:46.74\00:45:49.44
He is a God that
ceases in our sin
00:45:49.48\00:45:52.61
but He doesn't
leave us in our sin.
00:45:52.65\00:45:54.52
He came looking
for Adam and Eve.
00:45:54.55\00:45:56.55
He came to find them
00:45:56.58\00:45:58.05
in their disappointing moments.
00:45:58.09\00:46:00.06
When coldness introduced itself
in an atmosphere of comfort,
00:46:00.09\00:46:04.06
when the trees began to die
00:46:04.09\00:46:05.76
and the roses that
would bloom for ever
00:46:05.79\00:46:07.73
began to start to fade,
00:46:07.76\00:46:09.70
when animals that
had no fear for man
00:46:09.73\00:46:11.97
was now filled with great fear,
00:46:12.00\00:46:13.84
and the night was filled
with a chill of disobedience.
00:46:13.87\00:46:17.31
God came looking
for Adam and Eve.
00:46:17.34\00:46:20.18
You see, we looked at
the phases of the fall,
00:46:20.21\00:46:22.38
but the first phase
in reversing any crisis
00:46:22.41\00:46:25.78
or the first
phrase or first step
00:46:25.81\00:46:28.95
that has to be taken
00:46:28.98\00:46:30.32
in reversing
any crisis is Jesus.
00:46:30.35\00:46:32.65
He comes to rescue
us from our own choices.
00:46:32.69\00:46:36.69
I say praise God for that.
00:46:36.73\00:46:39.33
If there was no
one to rescue us,
00:46:39.36\00:46:43.20
we would be for
ever bound in sin.
00:46:43.23\00:46:46.97
And so there are four questions
00:46:47.00\00:46:48.34
that every one
of us must answer,
00:46:48.37\00:46:49.90
Genesis 3:9, four questions,
00:46:49.94\00:46:52.87
these are the
questions of redemption,
00:46:52.91\00:46:55.34
not the
questions of condemnation.
00:46:55.38\00:46:57.71
The Lord wants us to
understand what we have done,
00:46:57.75\00:47:01.58
where we are,
00:47:01.62\00:47:02.95
the consequences of our choices,
00:47:02.98\00:47:04.45
but He doesn't
bring that to make us
00:47:04.49\00:47:06.25
feel worse than we already feel.
00:47:06.29\00:47:08.56
He says, see what your
choices have made of you,
00:47:08.59\00:47:13.09
and thus in the
midst of your choices,
00:47:13.13\00:47:15.20
here are the
choices I can give to you.
00:47:15.23\00:47:17.33
Genesis 3:9 the Bible says,
00:47:17.37\00:47:19.23
"Then the Lord
God called to Adam
00:47:19.27\00:47:20.90
and said, 'Where are you?'
00:47:20.94\00:47:23.10
" I read that
statement sometimes
00:47:23.14\00:47:24.47
and one day it
came and dawned on me
00:47:24.51\00:47:26.11
that God was not
asking for location,
00:47:26.14\00:47:28.24
God was asking for confession.
00:47:28.28\00:47:30.75
He knew where Adam
was but the question was
00:47:30.78\00:47:34.98
Adam now where
are you physically?
00:47:35.02\00:47:37.39
Adam now where are
you geographically?
00:47:37.42\00:47:39.52
But Adam where are you
in response to my word?
00:47:39.55\00:47:44.03
Where are you in
relationship to the things
00:47:44.06\00:47:46.49
that I've told you to do?
00:47:46.53\00:47:48.70
Where are you in relationship
00:47:48.73\00:47:50.07
to the things
you know are right?
00:47:50.10\00:47:51.73
Where are you in relationship
00:47:51.77\00:47:54.04
to the life that
I've given to you?
00:47:54.07\00:47:55.64
You see, friends, unless
we answer those questions,
00:47:55.67\00:47:57.74
we stay behind the
trees of our own rebellion.
00:47:57.77\00:48:00.98
We continually
hide in the home that
00:48:01.01\00:48:03.35
we have made for ourselves.
00:48:03.38\00:48:04.85
We live a life of uncertainty
and abandoned member.
00:48:04.88\00:48:07.68
When we answer those
questions where are you,
00:48:07.72\00:48:11.32
we discover that God
is on a rescue mission.
00:48:11.35\00:48:14.62
Adam came out of hiding
00:48:14.66\00:48:16.59
with the same 'I' trouble
that he had when he went in.
00:48:16.62\00:48:19.76
You see, Satan said, I
will be, I will be, I will be,
00:48:19.79\00:48:22.36
and Satan came and Adam came out
00:48:22.40\00:48:25.37
from behind the tree
with the same situation,
00:48:25.40\00:48:27.64
now fallen into sin,
00:48:27.67\00:48:29.60
now embracing the character
that was delivered to him
00:48:29.64\00:48:32.91
by the rebellious
one himself, Satan.
00:48:32.94\00:48:36.48
Look at Genesis 3:10,
00:48:36.51\00:48:39.51
Adam came out with
the bunch of 'I's'.
00:48:39.55\00:48:41.42
He said, "I heard
Your voice in the garden,
00:48:41.45\00:48:44.55
and I was afraid
00:48:44.59\00:48:46.82
because I was
naked, and I hid myself."
00:48:46.86\00:48:51.69
Notice the same
problems that Lucifer had,
00:48:51.73\00:48:54.56
I will be, I
will do, I will exalt,
00:48:54.60\00:48:57.77
the same issues, ''I''
00:48:57.80\00:49:00.67
it's all about 'I', in
the midst of sin is 'I'.
00:49:00.70\00:49:07.24
Friends, be careful, be careful
00:49:07.28\00:49:10.05
because when it's all about you,
00:49:10.08\00:49:11.58
you're about to fall into sin.
00:49:11.61\00:49:14.28
If it's about Jesus,
00:49:14.32\00:49:15.68
you are walking on
the foundation of safety,
00:49:15.72\00:49:18.29
it was all about I.
00:49:18.32\00:49:21.19
But I like what
the Lord ask him,
00:49:21.22\00:49:23.16
who told you
that you were naked?
00:49:23.19\00:49:24.66
Now think about
that for a moment.
00:49:24.69\00:49:26.29
He said to Adam,
00:49:26.33\00:49:28.20
who have you been listening to?
00:49:28.23\00:49:31.33
Now follow this very carefully.
00:49:31.37\00:49:33.03
The Lord knew who
he was listening to.
00:49:33.07\00:49:35.40
He listened to
the voice of his wife.
00:49:35.44\00:49:37.31
She listened to the
voice of the serpent
00:49:37.34\00:49:38.67
and when you fall,
when you go down the line,
00:49:38.71\00:49:41.38
you'll see how that unfolded.
00:49:41.41\00:49:43.04
If you were not
listening to what I said, Adam,
00:49:43.08\00:49:46.41
who told you?
00:49:46.45\00:49:47.78
Where did you get
your information from?
00:49:47.82\00:49:49.22
Here's my point.
00:49:49.25\00:49:50.72
If the things that you believe
don't come from God's word,
00:49:50.75\00:49:53.56
who told you?
00:49:53.59\00:49:55.19
Who told you that there
was a new day of worship?
00:49:55.22\00:49:57.43
Who told you that the
dead are alive in heaven?
00:49:57.46\00:50:00.90
You don't find that in
my word I never said that,
00:50:00.93\00:50:02.73
who told you that?
00:50:02.76\00:50:04.60
Who told you that
there is a secret rapture?
00:50:04.63\00:50:06.80
It's not in my word.
00:50:06.84\00:50:08.17
When I come back,
it's gonna be visible,
00:50:08.20\00:50:09.54
it's gonna be audible,
it's gonna be earthshaking.
00:50:09.57\00:50:11.77
Who have you been listening to?
00:50:11.81\00:50:13.74
Christian, you see the
point as you may be a Christian,
00:50:13.78\00:50:16.21
but if your beliefs are
not found in God's word,
00:50:16.24\00:50:18.21
I ask you the same question
00:50:18.25\00:50:19.58
that God asked
Adam, who told you?
00:50:19.61\00:50:22.92
Where did you get that from?
00:50:22.95\00:50:24.75
And then he brought
it home he said to Adam
00:50:24.79\00:50:27.72
okay, I can tell by your answer
00:50:27.76\00:50:29.79
that you've eaten something
00:50:29.82\00:50:31.36
I never gave you to eat,
00:50:31.39\00:50:33.56
that's why we say today in
our world we swallow a lie.
00:50:33.60\00:50:38.50
When you eat what
God has not given you,
00:50:38.53\00:50:40.97
friends, you are
ingesting something
00:50:41.00\00:50:42.70
that God never
created to be ingested,
00:50:42.74\00:50:45.54
you swallowed a lie.
00:50:45.57\00:50:47.38
Don't swallow lies and think
00:50:47.41\00:50:48.94
that it brings the
nourishment of righteousness.
00:50:48.98\00:50:50.85
Don't swallow lies and think
00:50:50.88\00:50:52.61
that it brings a heart at peace.
00:50:52.65\00:50:54.12
Don't swallow
lies and think that
00:50:54.15\00:50:55.78
somehow it gives a new
and exalted way of worship.
00:50:55.82\00:50:59.42
Only when it
comes from God's word
00:50:59.45\00:51:02.22
is it on the safe plane.
00:51:02.26\00:51:03.73
Have you eaten?
00:51:03.76\00:51:05.09
In other words,
have you done, Adam,
00:51:05.13\00:51:06.90
what I told you not to do?
00:51:06.93\00:51:10.87
Now at this point,
Adam could have confessed
00:51:10.90\00:51:14.30
but Adam looked
into the eyes of God
00:51:14.34\00:51:16.54
and he blamed his wife.
00:51:16.57\00:51:18.34
The first domestic dispute
I believe in human history
00:51:18.37\00:51:22.11
Adam said to God in
verse 12 of Genesis 3,
00:51:22.14\00:51:25.58
"Then the man said,
00:51:25.61\00:51:27.45
"The woman You
gave to be with me,
00:51:27.48\00:51:29.88
she gave me of
the tree, and I ate."
00:51:29.92\00:51:32.62
In other words God,
00:51:32.65\00:51:34.09
God, if you didn't
give me this kind of women
00:51:34.12\00:51:35.86
I wouldn't be in trouble.
00:51:35.89\00:51:37.23
Friends, don't ever blame
your wife for your predicament.
00:51:37.26\00:51:39.46
Don't ever blame your spouse
00:51:39.49\00:51:40.83
for the
situation that you're in.
00:51:40.86\00:51:42.46
Don't blame the
person that's with you
00:51:42.50\00:51:44.53
for the choices you make.
00:51:44.57\00:51:46.84
In other words, God
if you didn't create
00:51:46.87\00:51:48.60
a woman like that,
00:51:48.64\00:51:50.14
I wouldn't be in a
predicament like this.
00:51:50.17\00:51:52.57
He couldn't open his eyes
in his mind to blame himself,
00:51:52.61\00:51:55.91
he couldn't take
personal responsibility,
00:51:55.94\00:51:58.95
somehow God had to be
the reason for his misery.
00:51:58.98\00:52:03.82
But it didn't stop there.
00:52:03.85\00:52:06.82
Eve stepped out
to face the music.
00:52:06.86\00:52:08.66
And I'm sure, and I say
this as a marriage counselor,
00:52:08.69\00:52:11.19
I'm sure that may be the
first time in human history
00:52:11.23\00:52:13.23
that a woman wanted to
go upside a man's head.
00:52:13.26\00:52:15.36
If she had frying pan,
00:52:15.40\00:52:16.73
she may have hit
Adam in the head,
00:52:16.77\00:52:18.67
but she came out with
the same infected position.
00:52:18.70\00:52:22.47
She said in
verse 13 of Genesis 3,
00:52:22.50\00:52:25.64
"And the Lord God
said to the woman,
00:52:25.67\00:52:28.04
'What is this
that you have done?'
00:52:28.08\00:52:30.55
And the woman said,
00:52:30.58\00:52:33.55
'The serpent
deceived me, and I ate."
00:52:33.58\00:52:37.79
The serpent
deceived me, and I ate.
00:52:37.82\00:52:41.62
In other words, Lord, you see,
00:52:41.66\00:52:45.69
Father, as Adam and
I talked about this,
00:52:45.73\00:52:47.76
I know he blamed me
but let me just tell you,
00:52:47.80\00:52:49.73
if you really
think about it, Lord,
00:52:49.76\00:52:51.10
if you didn't create a serpent
00:52:51.13\00:52:53.23
Adam nor I would be
in this predicament.
00:52:53.27\00:52:55.90
They couldn't take
personal responsibility,
00:52:55.94\00:52:58.07
they blamed God's creation.
00:52:58.11\00:52:59.87
Adam blamed his
wife, you gave me a woman,
00:52:59.91\00:53:01.44
she blamed the serpent,
00:53:01.48\00:53:02.81
God it was your creation
that brought us this problem,
00:53:02.84\00:53:08.28
but I want to tell you,
00:53:08.32\00:53:09.88
you got to ask
yourself the question.
00:53:09.92\00:53:11.62
Whose fault is it
that we are where we are?
00:53:11.65\00:53:16.66
The bottom-line is,
friends, it is our fault.
00:53:16.69\00:53:19.39
The death sentence was passed,
eternal life was forfeited,
00:53:19.43\00:53:24.33
the serpent's
wings were clipped,
00:53:24.37\00:53:26.23
the ground was cursed,
00:53:26.27\00:53:28.00
thorns and thistles began
to be connected to the roses.
00:53:28.04\00:53:31.64
The first
eviction notice was served.
00:53:31.67\00:53:34.01
They would not have
access to the tree of life
00:53:34.04\00:53:37.65
and they would have
no strength to continue,
00:53:37.68\00:53:41.82
to propagate sin in the earth.
00:53:41.85\00:53:44.59
And God put Satan on notice.
00:53:44.62\00:53:46.45
You see this is a tragic
story but has a good ending.
00:53:46.49\00:53:49.22
God put the devil on notice.
00:53:49.26\00:53:52.56
Nearly 6,000 years
ago, God so loved the world
00:53:52.59\00:53:55.80
that he put the enemy on notice
00:53:55.83\00:53:57.53
He says, I've
seen the heartache,
00:53:57.57\00:53:59.83
and devastation
I've seen the pain,
00:53:59.87\00:54:02.44
the multiple millions
and billions that have died
00:54:02.47\00:54:05.31
through the
thousands and thousands
00:54:05.34\00:54:06.78
and thousands of
years of human existence,
00:54:06.81\00:54:08.94
but Satan tonight I'm
gonna put you on notice
00:54:08.98\00:54:11.81
because the
trouble you've caused
00:54:11.85\00:54:13.18
humanity will one
day come to an end.
00:54:13.21\00:54:15.98
Hallelujah somebody.
00:54:16.02\00:54:17.35
The trouble that you
have brought to humanity
00:54:17.39\00:54:19.45
will one day be forever crushed,
00:54:19.49\00:54:21.89
for ever brought down
00:54:21.92\00:54:23.29
and God gave us a message
of insurance tonight, friends,
00:54:23.32\00:54:27.83
here it is, Genesis 3:15,
00:54:27.86\00:54:31.57
he said, "I will put enmity
between you and the woman,
00:54:31.60\00:54:37.57
And between your
seed and her seed,
00:54:37.61\00:54:41.44
he will bruise your head,
and you shall bruise His heel."
00:54:41.48\00:54:46.41
The first prophecy
of the coming Messiah.
00:54:46.45\00:54:48.82
When Jesus comes,
you'll nip His heel
00:54:48.85\00:54:51.19
but He's gonna crush your head.
00:54:51.22\00:54:52.55
Hallelujah, when Jesus comes
00:54:52.59\00:54:54.16
all the people that
have rested in their graves
00:54:54.19\00:54:56.59
because of sin that you
caused to come upon humanity,
00:54:56.62\00:54:59.29
it will be reversed,
00:54:59.33\00:55:00.83
I will win over you eventually.
00:55:00.86\00:55:04.70
God put the devil on notice.
00:55:04.73\00:55:07.30
When My Son comes,
He's gonna crush your head.
00:55:07.34\00:55:10.34
You wound Him temporarily
00:55:10.37\00:55:11.97
but in the end
He will rise again.
00:55:12.01\00:55:14.08
All, friends,
today don't cry yet
00:55:14.11\00:55:16.54
because this
series is not only title,
00:55:16.58\00:55:18.88
the anatomy of the crisis
but also from crisis to Christ.
00:55:18.91\00:55:22.48
You see, in every
crisis there is a way out.
00:55:22.52\00:55:26.45
No temptation has overtaken you,
00:55:26.49\00:55:29.09
but such as it's common to man,
00:55:29.12\00:55:30.89
but God is faithful,
00:55:30.93\00:55:32.49
who will not
suffer you to be tempted
00:55:32.53\00:55:34.70
above that what you're able
00:55:34.73\00:55:36.06
but with every
temptation make a way of escape
00:55:36.10\00:55:39.40
that you may be able to bear it.
00:55:39.43\00:55:42.87
1 Corinthians
10:13, so friends, today
00:55:42.90\00:55:45.77
it's not where you are but
is where God knows you are.
00:55:45.81\00:55:48.48
It's not what you have done
00:55:48.51\00:55:49.91
but is what God
knows you have done.
00:55:49.94\00:55:51.61
Today there is still
hope because Jesus lives.
00:55:51.65\00:55:54.75
Today there is still forgiveness
00:55:54.78\00:55:56.22
because Jesus reigns.
00:55:56.25\00:55:57.59
Today there're still freedom
00:55:57.62\00:55:58.95
because Jesus has the
keys of death and of a grave.
00:55:58.99\00:56:02.09
Today they are still alive
because Jesus is Lord of lords.
00:56:02.12\00:56:06.16
And so if there
was only one garden,
00:56:06.19\00:56:10.03
we would be lost,
00:56:10.07\00:56:11.40
but there was another garden,
00:56:11.43\00:56:12.80
the Garden of Gethsemane
00:56:12.83\00:56:14.34
where Jesus bled
and prayed for us,
00:56:14.37\00:56:17.24
the hill called Golgotha
00:56:17.27\00:56:18.64
where Jesus shed
His blood to save us.
00:56:18.67\00:56:20.48
There is not just
one garden where we fail,
00:56:20.51\00:56:22.81
but one garden where
Jesus was victorious.
00:56:22.84\00:56:25.61
So today whatever
crisis you may be in,
00:56:25.65\00:56:28.38
whatever situation
you find yourself in,
00:56:28.42\00:56:31.09
you don't need another plan,
00:56:31.12\00:56:32.85
just give your life to Jesus,
you don't need any leader,
00:56:32.89\00:56:35.86
don't need another leader
00:56:35.89\00:56:37.83
just turn your
life over to the Lord
00:56:37.86\00:56:40.13
who is Lord of all,
00:56:40.16\00:56:41.76
not about
presidents but about kings,
00:56:41.80\00:56:43.67
not about the White House
but about the right house.
00:56:43.70\00:56:45.47
So today, friends,
whatever your crisis may be,
00:56:45.50\00:56:48.00
let me encourage
you with these words.
00:56:48.04\00:56:50.24
The anatomy of
the fall is replaced
00:56:50.27\00:56:53.17
by the anatomy of the raise,
00:56:53.21\00:56:55.48
Jesus is
victorious were Adam failed,
00:56:55.51\00:56:58.41
don't be discouraged,
don't be downhearted,
00:56:58.45\00:57:01.32
don't walk away
sad, don't be discourage
00:57:01.35\00:57:04.19
or distress for in the
midst of your difficulty,
00:57:04.22\00:57:07.56
there is an eternal
answer and his name is Jesus.
00:57:07.59\00:57:11.66
So today make that choice
00:57:11.69\00:57:13.36
for one day the serpent's head
00:57:13.40\00:57:15.90
will be forever
eternally crushed
00:57:15.93\00:57:17.87
and when that day comes,
00:57:17.90\00:57:19.70
you want to be on the side
00:57:19.73\00:57:21.10
of the one who is King
of kings and Lord of lords.
00:57:21.14\00:57:24.34
God bless you
until we see you again.
00:57:24.37\00:57:26.37