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Series Code: SSH
Program Code: SSH021707A
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00:00 (MUSIC)
00:33 >>GOOD MORNING, FRIENDS. WELCOME TO SABBATH SCHOOL STUDY 00:35 HOUR COMING TO YOU FROM THE GRANITE BAY SEVENTH-DAY 00:37 ADVENTIST CHURCH NEAR SACRAMENTO, CALIFORNIA. 00:40 A VERY WARM WELCOME TO OUR ONLINE MEMBERS AND ALSO OUR 00:43 REGULAR VISITORS ACROSS THE COUNTRY AND AROUND THE WORLD 00:46 THAT TUNE IN EVERY WEEK TO STUDY THE LESSON WITH US. 00:49 ALSO, I'D LIKE TO WELCOME THE MEMBERS AND THE VISITORS HERE AT 00:51 THE GRANITE BAY CHURCH. ALWAYS GOOD TO SEE YOU WEEK 00:54 AFTER WEEK AS WE STUDY OUR LESSON DEALING WITH 00:57 THE HOLY SPIRIT. TODAY WE FIND OURSELVES ON 01:00 LESSON #7 ENTITLED THE HOLY SPIRIT AND THE FRUIT OF THE 01:04 SPIRIT - THE HOLY SPIRIT AND THE FRUIT OF THE SPIRIT. 01:07 NOW, FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO ARE JOINING US, IF YOU DON'T HAVE A 01:09 COPY OF TODAY'S LESSON, YOU CAN DOWNLOAD LESSON #7 - JUST GO TO 01:13 THE AMAZING FACTS WEBSITE - AMAZINGFACTS.ORG - DOWNLOAD THE 01:17 LESSON AND YOU CAN STUDY ALONG WITH US. 01:20 WE HAVE A FREE OFFER THAT GOES ALONG WITH OUR LESSON TODAY, IT 01:23 IS A DVD ENTITLED SPIRITUAL WARFARE - AND THIS IS PART 2 - 01:28 PART 1 WE OFFERED LAST WEEK. IF YOU'D LIKE TO RECEIVE 01:31 THIS, CALL 866-788-3966. THAT NUMBER AGAIN IS 01:36 866-788-3966 - AND YOU CAN ASK FOR OFFER #823. 01:43 WE'LL BE HAPPY TO SEND THIS TO ANYBODY (IN NORTH AMERICA) WHO 01:45 CALLS AND ASKS. YOU CAN ALSO WATCH THIS ONLINE. JUST GO TO 01:49 THE AMAZING FACTS WEBSITE. YOU CAN ACTUALLY DOWNLOAD SPIRITUAL 01:52 WARFARE AND YOU CAN WATCH THE SERMON RIGHT THERE. 01:56 WELL, BEFORE WE GET TO OUR LESSON, AS WE NORMALLY DO, WE 01:59 LIKE TO BEGIN BY LIFTING OUR VOICES IN SONG. 02:02 I'D LIKE TO INVITE OUR SONG LEADERS TO COME FORWARD AND LEAD 02:04 US IN OUR PRAISE THIS MORNING. (SOFT PIANO MUSIC) 02:14 >>THANK YOU, PASTOR ROSS. THOSE OF YOU AT HOME, I KNOW 02:17 THAT YOU ARE READY FOR WHAT WE'RE GOING TO DO NOW, SO PULL 02:19 OUT YOUR HYMNALS AND JOIN WITH US. 02:22 OUR FIRST ONE IS A GOOD ROUSING SONG - LEANING ON THE 02:26 EVERLASTING ARMS - THAT IS #469 IN YOUR HYMNALS - #469 - AND 02:32 WE'RE GOING TO DO ALL THREE STANZAS - LEANING ON THE 02:34 EVERLASTING ARMS . (PIANO MUSIC) 04:43 >>THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR JOINING WITH US, AND AT 04:45 THIS TIME PASTOR ROSS WILL HAVE OUR OPENING PRAYER. 04:48 >>DEAR FATHER IN HEAVEN, WHAT A PRIVILEGE TO BE ABLE TO GATHER 04:50 TOGETHER AND OPEN UP YOUR WORD AND STUDY TOGETHER ABOUT THE 04:53 GREAT GIFTS OF THE HOLY SPIRIT - THAT WHICH YOU WANT TO BE 04:58 MANIFEST IN THE LIVES ALL BELIEVERS. 05:01 SO WE ASK THE HOLY SPIRIT, ONCE AGAIN, TO COME AND GUIDE OUR 05:03 HEARTS AND MINDS. BLESS OUR TIME TOGETHER. 05:05 IN JESUS' NAME, AMEN. OUR LESSON THIS MORNING WILL BE 05:09 BROUGHT TO US BY PASTOR DOUG. >>GOOD MORNING. 05:14 >>GOOD MORNING. >>I WANT TO WELCOME EVERYBODY 05:16 HERE AT THE GRANITE BAY CHURCH AND WELCOME, AGAIN, TO THOSE WHO 05:19 ARE PART OF THE EXTENDED STUDY GROUP - AND ALSO, SOME OF YOU 05:23 ARE ONLINE MEMBERS OF GRANITE BAY - WE WELCOME YOU. 05:26 IT'S FUN TO GET THE CORRESPONDENCE AND LETTERS. 05:29 SOME OF YOU ARE SCATTERED AT DIFFERENT PARTS OF THE GLOBE, 05:32 OSTENSIBLY YOU'RE IN A COUNTRY WHERE ENGLISH IS, AT LEAST, 05:36 SPOKEN AS A SECOND LANGUAGE AND MAYBE THERE IS NO LOCAL 05:38 SEVENTH-DAY ADVENTIST CHURCH YOU CAN GO TO. 05:41 IF YOU'D LIKE TO KNOW WHAT'S INVOLVED IN BEING PART OF THE 05:43 GRANITE BAY CHURCH AS AN ONLINE MEMBER, JUST E-MAIL US AT 05:47 GRANITEBAYSDA.ORG - I THINK THAT'S RIGHT. 05:54 SOMETIMES I GET THE NET, COM, ORG ALL MIXED UP. 05:57 BUT I WANT TO WELCOME YOU. 05:58 WE'RE GOING TO CONTINUE OUR STUDY DEALING WITH THE HOLY 06:00 SPIRIT AND SPIRITUALITY AND TODAY WE'RE ON LESSON #7 - 06:04 THAT SHOULD BE GOOD, IT'S A BIBLICAL NUMBER, RIGHT? 06:08 AND IT'S DEALING WITH THE FRUITS OF THE SPIRIT. 06:11 NOW, ALRIGHT, YOU'VE GOT TO HEAR THIS: JESUS SAID, 'UNLESS YOU 06:17 ARE BORN OF THE WATER AND THE SPIRIT, YOU CANNOT' - YOU WHAT? 06:29 'CANNOT' - NOT LESS LIKELY, BUT 'UNLESS YOU'RE BORN OF THE WATER 06:34 AND THE SPIRIT, YOU CANNOT ENTER THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN.' SO, HOW 06:38 IMPORTANT IS STUDYING THE SPIRIT? 06:41 THIS IS ABOUT ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT THINGS THAT WE COULD 06:43 BE ASKING FOR - WHAT IT MEANS TO BE A CHRISTIAN. 06:46 IT DOESN'T MATTER OF YOU'RE BORN IN A CHURCH. 06:49 IT DOESN'T MATTER IF YOUR PARENTS ARE IN MINISTRY, IT 06:53 DOESN'T MATTER IF YOU LIVE SURROUNDED BY CHRISTIANS, UNLESS 06:56 THE HOLY SPIRIT IS IN YOU - BECAUSE THAT'S HOW CHRIST IS IN 06:59 YOU - YOU CANNOT ENTER THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN. 07:02 YOU CAN'T LIVE A CHRISTIAN LIFE. IF THE HOLY SPIRIT'S IN YOU, YOU 07:05 WILL HAVE THE EVIDENCE OF THAT, WHICH IS THE FRUITS 07:08 OF THE SPIRIT. AND WE HAVE A MEMORY VERSE THAT TALKS ABOUT 07:12 THAT - THAT'S GALATIANS 5:22, 23 - IF YOU'D LIKE 07:15 TO SAY THIS WITH ME - BY THE WAY, IN YOUR LESSON, YOU CAN 07:17 READ IT RIGHT OUT OF THERE. IT'S THE NEW AMERICAN STANDARD 07:19 VERSION, WHICH IS A FAIRLY GOOD VERSION. ARE YOU READY? 07:23 "BUT THE FRUIT OF THE SPIRIT IS LOVE, JOY, PEACE, PATIENCE, 07:29 KINDNESS, GOODNESS, FAITHFULNESS, GENTLENESS, 07:33 SELF-CONTROL; AGAINST SUCH THINGS THERE IS NO LAW." 07:37 IT'S TALKING ABOUT, PREVIOUSLY, THINGS THERE WERE LAWS AGAINST, 07:39 HE SAID, 'BUT THERE'S NO LAW AGAINST HAVING THE FRUITS OF THE 07:42 SPIRIT IN YOUR LIFE. AND, OBVIOUSLY, IF YOU'VE GOT 07:45 THE FRUITS OF THE SPIRIT, YOU'LL BE KEEPING THE OTHER LAWS. 07:49 NOW, YOU CAN FIND FRUIT - YOU KNOW, FRUIT IS A METAPHOR - 07:54 YOU CAN FIND FRUIT ALL THROUGH THE BIBLE. 07:56 DO YOU FIND FRUIT IN THE FIRST CHAPTER OF THE BIBLE? 07:59 DO YOU FIND FRUIT IN THE LAST CHAPTER OF THE BIBLE? 08:05 YOU FIND FRUIT FROM COVER TO COVER. 08:08 ABOUT 208 TIMES THE BIBLE TALKS ABOUT FRUITS. 08:11 I'VE GOT A FRIEND UP IN THE HILLS NEAR US IN COVELO - HE'D 08:17 BEEN A NEIGHBOR FOR YEARS AND HE'S QUITE A GARNER AND HE HAS 08:22 AN APPLE TREE THAT HE HAS GRAFTED MULTIPLE DIFFERENT 08:25 VARIETIES OF APPLE ON ONE TREE. I THINK AT ONE TIME HE 08:28 TOLD ME HE HAD TWELVE. IT'S KIND OF SOMETHING WHEN YOU 08:30 SEE ONE APPLE TREE AND IT'S GOT YELLOW FRUIT, IT'S GOT RED 08:35 FRUIT, IT'S GOT SOME SWEET FRUIT, IT'S GOT SOME TART FRUIT 08:38 - JUST ALL THESE DIFFERENT FRUITS ON ONE TREE. AND THEN I 08:43 THOUGHT THAT WAS IMPRESSIVE AND I READ ABOUT THIS GUY - LET ME 08:46 READ THIS TO YOU STRAIGHT - HIS NAME IS SAM VAN AIKEN - HE HAS 08:54 DEVELOPED A TREE - HE'S ACTUALLY AN ART PROFESSOR, BUT THE FIRST 08:58 TIME HE HEARD ABOUT GRAFTING TWO DIFFERENT KINDS OF FRUIT ON ONE 09:01 TREE, HE THOUGHT IT WAS LIKE FRANKENSTEIN, BUT IT FASCINATED 09:04 HIM, AND SO THIS SYRACUSE UNIVERSITY ART PROFESSOR, HE 09:08 WANTED TO KNOW HOW FAR YOU CAN GO. 09:10 HE ENDED UP DEVELOPING SOMETHING CALLED THE TREE OF FORTY FRUIT - 09:15 AND I THINK WE'VE GOT A PICTURE OF THAT - MAYBE CHERLE COULD PUT 09:17 THAT ON THE SCREEN FOR US - A COUPLE DIFFERENT PICTURES OF THE 09:20 TREE OF FORTY FRUIT - AND YOU'VE GOT ONE FRUIT TREE - THESE ARE 09:23 STONE FRUITS - THERE YOU GO - ALL ON ONE TREE - APRICOTS, 09:29 NECTARINES, PEACHES AND ALL DIFFERENT KINDS - YELLOW PLUMS 09:33 AND RED PLUMS AND, IT'S ACTUALLY QUITE A BEAUTIFUL TREE TOO. 09:37 AN ARTIST DID A RENDITION OF WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE WHEN IT'S IN 09:39 FULL BLOOM. AND HE HAD TO LEARN, YOU KNOW, 09:42 SOME FRUITS BUD AT DIFFERENT TIMES SO HE EVALUATED WHAT TIMES 09:46 THEY - DIFFERENT BUD - AND SO HE GRAFTS THE BUDS IN AND MOST OF 09:49 THEM TAKE BECAUSE HE'S LEARNED THE SCIENCE OF IT. WELL, WE'RE 09:53 GOING TO TALK ABOUT YOU BEING A TREE WITH MANY FRUITS. 09:56 THEY SAY CALIFORNIA'S THE LAND OF FRUITS AND NUTS, RIGHT? 10:01 BUT WE WANT GRANITE BAY TO BE A CHURCH OF MANY FRUITS AND WE 10:05 DON'T MEAN FRUITCAKES, WE MEAN - CHRISTMAS IS OVER - WE MEAN 10:09 FRUITS OF THE SPIRIT, AMEN? >>AMEN. 10:12 >>SO THAT'S REALLY WHAT OUR LESSON IS, WE'RE GOING TO BE 10:13 GOING THROUGH GALATIANS AND LOOKING AT THE DIFFERENT FRUITS 10:15 OF THE SPIRIT. THE FIRST THING WE SHOULD PROBABLY UNDERSTAND IS 10:19 - GO TO JOHN 15 - CONDITION OF FRUITFULNESS. WHAT'S THE 10:23 CONDITIONS TO HAVING THE FRUITS OF THE SPIRIT? JOHN 15, VERSE 1 10:27 - AND I'M GOING TO READ PROBABLY THROUGH VERSE 11. I'LL MAYBE 10:30 STOP WITH SOME COMMENT ALONG THE WAY, "I AM THE VINE," - NOW, DO 10:35 YOU FIND THIS IN OTHER BOOKS OF THE BIBLE? DOES MATTHEW, MARK, 10:40 OR LUKE TALK ABOUT THIS PARABLE? NOT EXACTLY, IT'S ONLY 10:45 IN JOHN YOU FIND THIS. JESUS SAID, "I AM THE TRUE 10:48 VINE, AND MY FATHER IS THE VINE DRESSER. 10:52 EVERY BRANCH IN ME THAT DOES NOT BEAR FRUIT HE TAKES AWAY;" 10:56 ALRIGHT, HOW IMPORTANT IS IT FOR US TO HAVE FRUIT? 11:00 EVERY BRANCH THAT BEARS FRUIT - GOOD? 11:04 IT DOESN'T - BAD, TAKES IT AWAY - "AND EVERY BRANCH THAT BEARS 11:08 FRUIT HE PRUNES, THAT IT MAY BEAR MORE FRUIT." 11:13 - ANY OF YOU HAVE VINES? I FIGURED YOU DID, JOHN. 11:16 WE'VE GOT SOME GRAPE VINES UP IN COVELO. 11:18 YEARS AGO I PLANTED SOME THOMPSON RED SEEDLESS GRAPES AND 11:25 THEY - THEY PRODUCE PRETTY WELL, MOST YEARS, BUT YOU'VE GOT TO 11:29 CUT THEM. IT ALMOST LOOKS LIKE YOU'RE BEING MEAN. 11:32 ONCE A YEAR YOU'VE GOT TO GO - IT'S BRUTAL - YOU'VE GOT TO CUT 11:34 ALL THE VINES AWAY AND YOU BURN ALL THAT STUFF AND YOU GET THEM 11:37 BACK TO THE NUBS AGAIN AND SOMEHOW THEY GROW OUT AND 11:40 PRODUCE ANOTHER CROP. BUT YOU'VE GOT TO PRUNE THEM BACK. 11:43 FOR US TO BE FRUITFUL, DOES GOD NEED TO PRUNE US? 11:47 HE DOES. AND IS THAT ALWAYS PLEASANT? NO. 11:51 WHY DOES HE PRUNE US? >>TO BEAR MORE FRUIT. 11:56 >>BECAUSE HE WANTS US TO BE MORE FRUITFUL. 11:59 HE SAID, "AS THE BRANCH CANNOT BEAR FRUIT OF ITSELF, UNLESS IT 12:03 ABIDES IN THE VINE, NEITHER CAN YOU, UNLESS YOU ABIDE IN ME." 12:08 SO THERE'S THE KEY. IN ORDER FOR US TO BE FRUITFUL, 12:11 WHAT DO WE NEED TO DO? >>ABIDE IN CHRIST. 12:13 >>ABIDE IN CHRIST. WHAT DOES THAT MEAN? 12:16 YOU KNOW, THE BIBLE SAYS WHOEVER ABIDES IN HIM SINNETH NOT. 12:21 AND SO, ABIDING IN CHRIST MEANS YOU ARE ROOTED IN CHRIST. 12:25 WHOEVER ABIDES IN ME "BEARS MUCH FRUIT; FOR WITHOUT ME YOU CAN DO 12:32 NOTHING." SO WHAT'S THE KEY? YOU'VE GOT TO ABIDE IN CHRIST. 12:36 THAT MEANS WE WALK WITH HIM THROUGH PRAYER, READING OF HIS 12:42 WORD, LETTING OUR LIGHT SHINE, BEING CONSCIOUS OF HIM, 12:47 SUBMITTING TO HIS WILL DAY BY DAY - HE'S OUR KING, HE'S OUR 12:50 SAVIOR, HE'S OUR LORD - "BY THIS MY FATHER IS GLORIFIED, 12:55 THAT YOU BEAR MUCH FRUIT;" - SO WHAT DOES THE LORD WANT FROM US? 12:58 THE FATHER? >>TO BEAR FRUIT. 13:00 >>BEARING MUCH FRUIT. AND HE SAYS, "AS THE FATHER 13:06 LOVED ME, I ALSO HAVE LOVED YOU; ABIDE IN MY LOVE. 13:09 IF YOU KEEP MY COMMANDMENTS, YOU WILL ABIDE IN MY LOVE." 13:12 - NOW, YOU NOTICE A CONNECTION BETWEEN KEEPING THE COMMANDMENTS 13:15 AND ABIDING? - "JUST AS I HAVE KEPT MY 13:18 FATHER'S COMMANDMENTS AND ABIDE IN HIS LOVE. 13:20 THESE THINGS I HAVE SPOKEN TO YOU, THAT MY JOY" - NOW, IS 13:24 ABIDING IN CHRIST AND BEARING FRUIT, IS IT PAINFUL? 13:28 OR DOES HE SAY IT'S JOYFUL? IT'S A JOYFUL EXPERIENCE. 13:33 "THESE THINGS I HAVE SPOKEN TO YOU, THAT MY JOY MAY REMAIN IN 13:36 YOU, AND THAT YOUR JOY MAY BE FULL." 13:38 SO, WHAT IS OUR EFFORT AS A CHRISTIAN? 13:40 IS IT PRODUCING OR ABIDING? IF WE'RE GOING TO BE FRUITFUL? 13:44 IT'S TO ABIDE. AND IF YOU ABIDE IN HIM, YOU WILL PRODUCE FRUIT. 13:50 YOU KNOW, IN HAMPTON COURT, LONDON THERE IS A GRAPEVINE AT A 13:55 GARDEN THEY HAVE THERE AND IT IS, PROBABLY, THE OLDEST GRAPE 14:00 VINE IN THE WORLD. IT'S 250 YEARS OLD AND THE 14:04 BOTTOM OF THE GRAPEVINE IS 4-FEET ACROSS THE STALK. 14:09 THEY PRUNE IT BACK EVERY YEAR BUT IT PRODUCES VINES THAT ARE 14:14 150-FEET AND IT'S AMAZING THAT THE PLANT CARRIES THE SAP ALL 14:20 THE WAY DOWN 150 FEET. THAT'S FURTHER THAN FROM HERE TO 14:23 THE WALL. BUT, SOMEHOW, IT SUCKS THE 14:25 MOISTURE AND THE NUTRIENTS AND IT SENDS IT ALL THE WAY 14:28 DOWN AND PRODUCES GRAPES. AND, IN SOME YEARS, IT PRODUCES 14:33 - ONE VINE - 800 POUNDS OF GRAPES, IF YOU CAN IMAGINE THAT. 14:39 USED TO BE FOR THE PALACE AND THE QUEEN FINALLY SAID, 'WE 14:41 CAN'T EAT 'EM ALL.' SO SHE DONATED THEM TO THE PEOPLE. 14:46 BUT, AS SOON AS YOU SNIP ONE OF THOSE VINES AND IT BECOMES 14:49 DETACHED, IT DOESN'T PRODUCE ANYTHING IF IT'S SEVERED. 14:55 WE NEED TO REMAIN CONNECTED IF WE'RE GOING TO BE FRUITFUL. 14:59 JESUS IS THE VINE, WE ARE THE BRANCHES. 15:02 ALRIGHT, SOMEONE'S GOING TO READ FOR ME, IN JUST A MOMENT, 15:04 GALATIANS 5:16 AND 17 - YOU'LL HAVE THAT, HAFDIS? 15:08 YOU KNOW, I'VE GONE INTO THE TREE PLANTING BUSINESS RECENTLY. 15:11 YOU KNOW, WE'RE MOVING - WE'VE MOVED, SORT OF - WE'RE LIVING IN 15:16 OUR NEW HOUSE BUT WE'RE STILL - HAVE TO CLEAN THE OLD ONE - BUT 15:19 OUR NEXT-DOOR NEIGHBORS, FOR YEARS, THE HENRYS, THEY'VE GOT A 15:24 POMELO TREE AND ITS FRUIT SOMETIMES FALLS OVER ON OUR 15:27 SIDE, WHICH IS FINE WITH US, AND THEY FOUND OUT THAT WE LIKED 15:31 THEM AND SO THEY STARTED BRINGING THEM OVER. 15:32 AND I LIKED THEM SO MUCH. Y'ALL KNOW WHAT A POMELO IS? THEY'RE 15:35 LIKE GIGANTIC - I'VE TOLD YOU ABOUT THIS - GRAPEFRUIT. 15:37 AND SO, I WENT ONLINE AND FOUND OUT 'CAN YOU ACTUALLY SPROUT A 15:42 POMELO FROM THE REGULAR SEED?' AND YOU CAN. 15:44 THIS - YOU KNOW, YOU'VE GOT TO TAKE THE SEEDS AND YOU WRAP THEM 15:46 IN A PAPER TOWEL AND THEN YOU PUT THEM IN A PLASTIC BAG AND 15:48 YOU KEEP IT MOIST AND THEY SPROUT AND THEN YOU PUT THEM - 15:51 AND I HAVE BEEN BABY-ING - KAREN, YOU CAN ASK HER, I JUST - 15:55 I TAKE THEM OUT EVERY DAY, GIVE THEM SOME SUNSHINE. 15:57 I BRING THEM BACK IN - DON'T WANT THEM TO GET TOO COLD - AND 15:59 YOU WATER THEM - I'VE TRANSPLANTED THEM A COUPLE OF 16:02 TIMES - BECAUSE I WANT FRUIT. I'M SPENDING ALL THIS ENERGY ON 16:07 THESE LITTLE TREES BECAUSE I WANT FRUIT. 16:09 DOES THE LORD DO THAT FOR US? YOU KNOW THAT PARABLE THAT JESUS 16:12 TELLS ABOUT A CERTAIN MAN - LUKE 13 - AND THEN HAFDIS IS GOING 16:17 TO READ HERS - LUKE 13:6, "A CERTAIN MAN HAD A FIG TREE 16:21 PLANTED IN HIS VINEYARD, AND HE CAME SEEKING FRUIT 16:23 ON IT AND FOUND NONE. THEN HE SAID TO THE VINE 16:26 DRESSER, 'LOOK, FOR THREE YEARS I HAVE COME SEEKING FRUIT ON 16:29 THIS FIG TREE AND FIND NONE. CUT IT DOWN; 16:31 WHY DOES IT USE UP THE GROUND?' 16:33 BUT HE ANSWERED AND SAID TO HIM, 'SIR,' - HE SAID 'I'VE BEEN 16:36 TAKING CARE OF THIS TREE, I'VE BEEN BABYING THIS TREE, PLEASE, 16:39 GIVE IT SOME MORE TIME.' - GIVE IT ANOTHER YEAR. 16:42 I'LL "DIG AROUND IT AND FERTILIZE IT. 16:44 AND IF IT BEARS FRUIT, WELL. BUT IF NOT...CUT IT DOWN." 16:47 SO WHAT'S THE FATE OF A TREE THAT'S FRUITLESS? 16:50 IT'S CUT DOWN. BUT YOU NOTICE THE TENDERNESS OF THE GARDNER? 16:54 HE SAID, 'GIVE IT ANOTHER CHANCE. DON'T CUT IT DOWN. 16:57 I WANT IT TO BEAR FRUIT.' HOW MANY OF YOU KNOW FRUIT TREES 17:00 DON'T BEAR EVERY YEAR? SOME? 17:02 SOME HAVE GOOD YEARS, SOME HAVE BAD YEARS. 17:04 WE'VE GOT SOME PEAR TREES IN COVELO THAT - THEY GET RANSACKED 17:08 BY THE BEARS WHENEVER THEY DO BEAR FRUIT, BUT SOME YEARS 17:11 THERE'S NO PEARS. JUST - WHATEVER - THE BLOSSOMS 17:13 GOT FROZE OFF AND SOME YEARS IT'S JUST A BUSHEL. 17:17 AND THE LORD WANTS US TO BE FRUITFUL AND HE DOES EVERYTHING 17:19 HE CAN. GO AHEAD, READ FOR US, PLEASE, GALATIANS 5:16. 17:23 >>"I SAY THEN: WALK IN THE SPIRIT, AND YOU SHALL NOT 17:26 FULFILL THE LUST OF THE FLESH. 17:29 FOR THE FLESH LUSTS AGAINST THE SPIRIT, AND THE SPIRIT AGAINST 17:33 THE FLESH; AND THESE ARE CONTRARY TO ONE ANOTHER, SO THAT 17:38 YOU DO NOT DO THE THINGS THAT YOU WISH." 17:41 >>ALRIGHT, NOW OUR MEMORY VERSE IS FROM GALATIANS 5, TALKING 17:44 ABOUT THE FRUITS OF THE SPIRIT - LOVE, JOY, PEACE, SO FORTH - 17:47 WHAT HAFDIS JUST READ WAS GALATIANS 5 JUST BEFORE THAT. 17:52 NOTICE THE CONNECTION HE MADE BETWEEN WALKING IN THE SPIRIT 17:55 AND NOT FULFILLING THE LUSTS OF THE FLESH TO PRODUCE THE FRUITS 17:59 OF THE SPIRIT, BECAUSE IF YOU'RE LIVING FOR THE FLESH, IT IS 18:03 CONTRARY TO THE FRUITS OF THE SPIRIT. 18:06 YOU CAN'T REALLY BE GROWING BOTH PLANTS. 18:09 ONE WILL - YOU REMEMBER WHAT HAPPENED WHEN THE SEED FELL IN 18:14 THE THORNY GROUND, IN THE PARABLE OF JESUS? 18:17 SOME OF THE SEED FELL - WHAT HAPPENED TO IT? 18:19 IT SPROUTED BUT THE THORNS CHOKED IT. 18:23 AND IF WE'RE TRYING TO LIVE A SPIRIT-FILLED LIFE AND ALSO 18:28 FULFILL THE LUSTS OF THE FLESH, OUR LIFE - OUR CHRISTIAN LIFE IS 18:33 GOING TO BE CHOKED. IT'S CONSTANTLY STRANGLED. 18:36 IT'S FIGHTING FOR THE NUTRIENTS AND THE SUNSHINE AND THE TWO 18:39 DON'T FLOURISH TOGETHER, SO MOVING ON, MATTHEW 7:15, TALKING 18:45 ABOUT FRUIT STILL, "BEWARE OF FALSE PROPHETS, WHO COME TO YOU 18:49 IN SHEEP'S CLOTHING, BUT INWARDLY THEY ARE RAVENOUS 18:52 WOLVES. YOU WILL KNOW THEM BY THEIR" - WHAT? - 18:56 "BY THEIR FRUITS." SO IF A PERSON SAYS, 'LORD, 18:59 LORD' AND THEY DO NOT THE THINGS THAT JESUS SAYS, ARE THEY HIS? 19:04 SO HOW DO YOU KNOW IF SOMEONE BELONGS TO HIM? 19:06 JESUS SAID, 'LOOK AT THE' - WHAT? THE FRUIT. 19:09 IF YOU WANT TO KNOW WHAT KIND OF TREE IT IS, LOOK AT THE FRUIT. 19:13 NOW, SOME WOLVES PUT ON SHEEP'S CLOTHING SO THEY LOOK, ON THE 19:20 OUTSIDE, LIKE SHEEP, BUT THEY HOWL LIKE WOLVES. 19:27 I'VE NEVER HEARD A WOLF BLEAT LIKE A SHEEP. 19:31 AND SOME TREES CAN BE DECEPTIVE TOO. 19:33 I DID AN AMAZING FACT LAST WEEK - GUINNESS BOOK OF WORLD RECORDS 19:38 CALLS THIS THE DEADLIEST TREE IN THE WORLD. 19:40 ANYBODY KNOW WHAT IT IS? EUCALYPTUS? NO. 19:44 ANYONE KNOW WHAT THE DEADLIEST TREE IN THE WORLD IS? 19:47 THE MANOKILL TREE - MACKINEEL - MANCHINEEL - MANCHINEEL TREE - 19:51 THEY'RE FOUND IN THE MANGROVES AROUND THE CARIBBEAN, FLORIDA, 19:57 GULF OF MEXICO - IT'S A TREE THAT THEY CALL IT - 20:01 COLUMBUS CALLED THEM 'DEATH APPLES'. 20:04 ALMOST SOUNDS LIKE GARDEN OF EDEN, HUH? 20:06 THEY GROW IN PARADISE BUT YOU DON'T WANT TO EAT THESE TREES. 20:09 THEY PRODUCE A FRUIT THAT LOOKS VERY MUCH LIKE A CRABAPPLE, AND 20:14 WHEN YOU WALK UNDER THE TREE, IT ACTUALLY SMELLS SWEET. 20:17 AND, IN A LOT OF TOURIST LOCATIONS, THE GOVERNMENT HAS 20:21 LABELED THEM 'DO NOT EAT THIS TREE - IT WILL KILL YOU' BUT 20:26 SOME TOURISTS, THERE'S PLACES WHERE THEY'RE NOT LABELED 20:28 EVERYWHERE, AND NOT TOO LONG AGO, A TOURIST AND HER FRIEND, 20:32 THEY SAW THIS TREE AND SAID, 'HMMM, I WONDER WHAT THEY TASTE 20:34 LIKE.' AND THEY TOOK A BITE - BAD IDEA. 20:38 THEY BIT INTO ONE OF THESE APPLE-LIKE FRUITS AND, AT FIRST, 20:43 IT'S SWEET TO THE MOUTH, THEN IT STARTS GIVING YOU A PEPPERY 20:47 FEELING AND THEN YOUR THROAT BEGINS TO TIGHTEN UP AND BURN 20:52 AND IT'S, I UNDERSTAND, EXCRUCIATING AND THEN IT BEGINS 20:55 TO CAUSE ALL KINDS OF GASTRONOMICAL PROBLEMS AND SOME 20:59 PEOPLE HAVE DIED - MOST PEOPLE DON'T DIE, BUT IT CAN SCAR YOU 21:03 AND YOU CAN'T BREATHE - YOU CAN'T EAT - YOUR THROAT SWELLS 21:07 UP. I DID A WHOLE STUDY AND AMAZING 21:10 FACT ON THIS LAST WEEK, TALKING ABOUT TREES OF LIFE AND TREES 21:13 OF DEATH, BUT IT LOOKS GOOD. IT EVEN SMELLS GOOD. 21:18 AND EVEN THE FIRST BITE - ISN'T THAT WHAT HAPPENED WITH EVE? 21:22 THE FIRST BITE WAS INVIGORATING, BUT THEN THE TOXINS ARE RELEASED 21:26 AT THAT POINT AND THEN IT CAN KILL. AND SOME PEOPLE. 21:30 THEY LOOK LIKE THEY'VE GOT THE FRUITS, BUT THEY'RE DECEPTIVE - 21:35 "A GOOD TREE CANNOT BEAR BAD FRUIT" - I'M STILL IN MATTHEW 7 21:38 - "NOR CAN A BAD TREE BEAR GOOD FRUIT. 21:41 EVERY TREE THAT DOES NOT BEAR GOOD FRUIT IS" - WHAT? 21:44 - "CUT DOWN AND THROWN INTO THE FIRE." NOW, YOU KNOW, I DON'T 21:49 WANT TO BE HARD ON YOU, BUT I WANT TO BE FAITHFUL. 21:52 HAVE YOU NOTICED THAT IN THE PARABLE OF THE VINE, JESUS SAID, 21:56 'THE VINE THAT DOESN'T BEAR FRUIT IS THROWN IN THE FIRE'? 22:00 JESUS, IN MATTHEW 7 SAID THE BAD TREE THAT DOESN'T BEAR FRUIT IS 22:05 THROWN IN THE FIRE. IN THE PARABLE OF THE WHEAT AND 22:08 THE TARES, THE WEEDS THAT AREN'T PRODUCING WHEAT, THEY'RE 22:12 GATHERED IN BUNDLES AND BURNED. AND SO, WE'VE GOT TWO CHOICES, 22:16 FRIENDS, THIS IS A REALLY IMPORTANT STUDY. 22:18 WE'VE GOT THE FRUITS OF THE SPIRIT OR WE'RE USELESS. 22:21 GOD WANTS TO LIVE OUT HIS LIFE IN US. 22:23 SO, ONE OF THE KEYS TO HAVING THE FRUITS OF THE SPIRIT IS LOOK 22:27 AT WHAT GOD DOES, BECAUSE JESUS HAD THE FRUITS OF THE SPIRIT. 22:31 SO, IF YOU'RE LIKE JESUS, YOU'LL HAVE THE FRUITS. AND WE'RE GOING 22:35 TO GET MORE INTO WHAT THE SPECIFICS ARE IN JUST A MINUTE. 22:38 THE BIBLE TALKS ABOUT THOSE THAT HAVE 'A FORM OF GODLINESS ON THE 22:41 OUTSIDE, BUT THEY DENY ITS POWER. 22:43 FROM SUCH PEOPLE TURN AWAY.' THERE'S ONLY TWO THINGS THAT 22:51 DIED BECAUSE OF JESUS: ONE WAS A HERD OF PIGS - I GUESS THAT'S 22:55 MORE THAN TWO THINGS, REALLY - AND THE OTHER WAS A FIG TREE. 22:59 WHY DID THE FIG TREE GET CURSED? >>IT WASN'T BEARING FRUIT. 23:03 >>JESUS WENT LOOKING FOR FRUIT AND HE DIDN'T FIND ANY. 23:06 BY THE WAY, THAT'S IN MATTHEW 21:19. 23:09 HE SAID, 'LET NO FRUIT GROW ON YOU AGAIN FOREVER.' NOW, DO YOU 23:14 AND I HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY - SUPPOSE YOUR LIFE HAS BEEN 23:16 FRUITLESS - OR NOT VERY MUCH FRUIT - CAN YOU IMPROVE THE 23:20 FRUIT? CAN THE GARDENER GRAFT BETTER FRUIT? 23:25 AND CAN HE NURTURE THE SOIL AND GIVE IT MORE SUNSHINE? 23:30 THERE'S A LOT OF THINGS YOU CAN DO TO MAKE A TREE BE MORE 23:32 FRUITFUL. BUT YOU CAN REACH A POINT WHERE, 23:37 IF YOU'RE UNFRUITFUL FOR TOO LONG, THAT THERE'S THAT CURSE 23:41 AND WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE START BEARING FRUIT. 23:43 I THINK ALL OF US AGREE, 'YEAH, WE NEED THE FRUITS OF THE 23:45 SPIRIT. SO WHEN ARE WE GOING TO START? 23:47 THAT'S THE QUESTION, WHEN ARE WE GOING TO START LETTING HIM 23:50 REPRODUCE HIS FRUITS IN OUR LIVES? 23:54 ALRIGHT, THE FRUIT - WE'RE GOING INTO THE FRUITS NOW - GALATIANS 23:57 5:22 AND 23 - HOW MANY OF YOU HAVE MEMORIZED THESE VERSES? 24:00 THE FRUITS OF THE SPIRIT? KAREN HAS. I KNEW SHE HAD - I 24:03 SEE A COUPLE OF HANDS - IT'S A GOOD ONE TO MEMORIZE. 24:06 SO, THE FRUIT OF THE SPIRIT, WHAT'S THE FIRST ONE? 24:08 LOVE. WHAT IS GOD LIKE? LOVE. THE FRUIT OF THE SPIRIT IS LOVE, 24:13 JOY, PEACE, LONGSUFFERING, KINDNESS, GOODNESS, FAITH, 24:16 GENTLENESS, SELF-CONTROL, AGAINST SUCH THERE IS NO LAW. 24:20 I HEARD ABOUT A BOY - GETTING HIMSELF DRESSED FOR PRE-SCHOOL 24:24 ONE DAY AND HE TOLD HIS MOMMY HE WANTED TO WEAR THESE FRUIT OF 24:29 THE LOOM UNDERWEAR. HE SAID, 'I WANT TO WEAR THEM 24:31 BECAUSE THEY'VE GOT THE FRUITS OF THE SPIRIT IN 'EM.' 24:34 (LAUGHTER) SO IT SAYS THE FRUIT OF THE SPIRIT IS IN ALL 24:40 GOODNESS, RIGHTEOUSNESS, AND TRUTH. 24:42 ALRIGHT, THAT FIRST FRUIT IS LOVE. 24:44 SOMEONE'S GOING TO READ FOR ME, IN JUST A MOMENT, JOHN 13:35 - 24:50 OKAY, BEFORE WE GET TO THAT 1 CORINTHIANS 13:13 SAYS WHAT? 24:58 "AND NOW ABIDE FAITH, HOPE, LOVE...THE GREATEST OF THESE IS" 25:02 - WHAT? - "LOVE." IF YOU COULD SUMMARIZE THE WHOLE 25:07 LAW - LET ME TAKE THAT BACK - IF YOU SUMMARIZE GOD IN 25:10 ONE WORD - GOD IS LOVE. BUT, YOU KNOW, THE BIBLE ALSO 25:13 SAYS THAT YOU CAN SUMMARIZE GOD IN GOOD. 25:16 IT SAYS GOD IS GOOD, ALSO. GOD IS LOVE. 25:20 HIS LAW IS A REFLECTION OF HIS CHARACTER. 25:23 HIS LAW IS LOVE. LOVE IS THE FULFILLING OF THE LAW. 25:27 THE FIRST FOUR COMMANDMENTS DEAL WITH LOVE FOR GOD, THE LAST SIX 25:30 COMMANDMENTS - LOVE FOR YOUR FELLOW MAN. 25:33 IF YOU LOVE, YOU'VE GOT EVERYTHING. 25:35 YOU KNOW, I'VE OFTEN PRAYED, I SAID, 'LORD, IF I LOVE PEOPLE 25:37 BETTER, I'D BE A BETTER PASTOR. IF I LOVE PEOPLE BETTER, I'D BE 25:41 A BETTER EVANGELIST.' IF YOU REALLY LOVE PEOPLE AND YOU KNOW 25:45 THAT FOLKS, EVERYDAY, ARE FACING POTENTIAL ETERNAL LIFE AND 25:49 DEATH, YOU'D FEEL MORE URGENCY TO LET THEM KNOW. 25:52 AND SO, I'VE BOILED IT DOWN: MY PROBLEM IS A LOVE PROBLEM. 25:56 MOST OF MY PROBLEMS WITH PEOPLE - LOVE PROBLEMS. 25:58 THE WHOLE PLAN OF SALVATION IS TO TEACH US TO LOVE GOD AND TO 26:02 LOVE OUR NEIGHBOR. AND MOST OF THE CHALLENGES WE 26:06 HAVE ARE CHALLENGES WITH LOVE, AMEN? 26:11 GO AHEAD, READ THAT FOR ME, PLEASE. 26:13 >>JOHN 13:35, "BY THIS ALL WILL KNOW THAT YOU ARE MY DISCIPLES, 26:18 IF YOU HAVE LOVE FOR ONE ANOTHER." 26:21 >>'BY THIS ALL WILL KNOW YOU ARE MY DISCIPLES, YOU SING ON KEY.' 26:28 'BY THIS ALL PEOPLE WILL KNOW THAT YOU ARE MY DISCIPLES, 26:31 BECAUSE YOU'VE GOT A BEAUTIFUL BUILDING.' 'BY THIS WILL ALL 26:36 PEOPLE KNOW THAT YOU'RE MY DISCIPLES, BECAUSE YOU HAVE 26:38 COPYRIGHTED THE BEST POSSIBLE NAME FOR A CHURCH.' YOU KNOW, IF 26:44 I LIVED BACK IN 1863 I PROBABLY WOULDN'T HAVE PICKED SEVENTH-DAY 26:48 ADVENTIST AS THE NAME - I WOULD HAVE BEEN WRONG, BUT PROBABLY, 26:51 FOR MARKETING PURPOSES, I WOULD HAVE WANTED TO FIND SOMETHING 26:54 MORE GENERIC. I MEAN, I LIKE THE 26:56 NAME 'CHURCH OF GOD'. THAT'S A GOOD NAME - SIMPLE. 26:59 CHURCH OF CHRIST - THAT'S A GOOD NAME. 27:02 WHEN THOSE WERE USED UP THEY DID ASSEMBLY OF GOD - ALL THESE 27:04 DENOMINATIONS HAVE BEEN, YOU KNOW, SCRAMBLING TO TRY AND FIND 27:08 GOOD NAMES BEFORE THEY'RE ALL USED UP. 27:10 I TALKED TO ONE OF OUR MEMBERS THIS MORNING, HE SAID HE SAW A 27:12 CHURCH THAT'S CALLED 'ELEVEN PLUS ONE' - I SAID, 'BOY, 27:15 THEY'RE JUST RUNNING OUT OF NAMES TO COPYRIGHT AT THAT 27:17 POINT. YEAH, SO, I MEAN - THAT'S NOT WHAT MAKES YOU - HOW ARE 27:25 PEOPLE GOING TO KNOW HIS DISCIPLES, BY THE NAME? 27:27 BY THE CLOTHES YOU WEAR? WELL, CLOTHES CAN SAY SOMETHING, 27:33 BUT THAT'S NOT HOW YOU KNOW. THE NUMBER ONE TESTIMONY THAT WE 27:37 ARE HIS DISCIPLES IS THE WAY WE LOVE EACH OTHER. 27:41 AND THEN THAT LOVE SPILLS OUT INTO OTHERS, NOT JUST LOVING THE 27:43 MEMBERSHIP. ROMANS 5:8, "BUT GOD DEMONSTRATES HIS OWN LOVE TOWARD 27:49 US, IN THAT WHILE WE WERE STILL SINNERS, CHRIST DIED FOR US." 27:52 NOW, I HAVE NO PROBLEM LOVING THOSE OF YOU WHO ARE LOVABLE. 27:56 I'VE OFTEN SAID I WOULDN'T MIND BEING A PASTOR IF IT WASN'T FOR 27:59 PEOPLE. BUT IT'S REALLY HARD 28:02 TO RECONCILE THE TWO. SOME PEOPLE ARE MORE LOVABLE 28:07 THAN OTHERS, DO YOU KNOW THAT? >>AMEN. 28:09 >>I DON'T HAVE A PROBLEM LOVING THE LOVABLE ONES, BUT IS THAT 28:12 HOW YOU MEASURE A CHRISTIAN? 28:14 YOU KNOW, JESUS, WHAT MAKES HIM SO WONDERFUL IS HE LOVES THE 28:18 UNLOVABLE AND HE'S CALLING US TO LOVE - HE SAYS LOVE YOUR 28:24 ENEMIES. THAT'S HARD. IT'S HARD LOVING PEOPLE 28:29 WHO ARE JUST DIFFICULT. THEY MAY NOT EVEN BE ENEMIES, 28:31 THEY'RE JUST DIFFICULT. BUT, TO LOVE YOUR ENEMIES, 28:34 THESE ARE PEOPLE WHO ARE OUT TO DESTROY YOU. THEY'RE PRAYING FOR 28:37 YOUR DOWNFALL. AND THE LORD SAYS TO LOVE THEM. 28:43 AND SO THIS IS WHAT THE KIND OF LOVE IS WHEN HE SAYS THE FRUIT 28:46 OF THE SPIRIT IS LOVE - IS IT JUST LOVE FOR THE LOVABLE? 28:49 OR IS IT EVEN LOVE FOR YOUR ENEMIES. 28:51 I LIKE WHEN I TELL PEOPLE TO INVITE THEIR FRIENDS TO AN 28:53 EVANGELISTIC PROGRAM, I SAY, 'BRING YOUR FRIENDS AND 28:55 ENEMIES.' AND I HEARD ABOUT A LITTLE GIRL WHO WAS PRAYING ONE 29:00 DAY, SHE SAID, 'LORD, YOU'VE TOLD ME TO LOVE MY ENEMIES. 29:04 I DON'T HAVE ANY ENEMIES. PLEASE GIVE ME SOME SO I CAN 29:06 LOVE THEM.' (LAUGHTER) JUST WAIT. 1 JOHN 4:7, "BELOVED, LET 29:17 US LOVE ONE ANOTHER, FOR LOVE IS OF GOD; 29:19 AND EVERYONE WHO LOVES IS BORN OF GOD AND KNOWS GOD. 29:24 HE WHO DOES NOT LOVE DOES NOT KNOW GOD, FOR GOD IS LOVE." 29:31 AND THEN YOU HAVE ROMANS 13:10 - I ALREADY ALLUDED TO THIS - 29:38 "LOVE DOES NOT HARM TO A FULFILLMENT OF THE LAW." NEIGHBOR; THEREFORE LOVE IS THE NOW SOME PEOPLE HAVE READ THAT 29:41 AND THEY THINK IT MEANS THAT WHEN YOU SAY LOVE IS THE 29:43 FULFILLING OF THE LAW, THAT IF WE JUST REALLY LOVE EACH OTHER 29:45 WE DON'T NEED TO KEEP THE TEN COMMANDMENTS. 29:47 THAT'S CRAZY THINKING. SORRY, THAT'S BAD THEOLOGY. 29:51 WHAT PAUL IS SAYING HERE: THAT WHEN YOU DO LOVE, YOU WILL 29:55 FULFILL THE KEEPING OF THE TEN COMMANDMENTS. 29:58 SO TO SAY, 'OH, NO, I LOVE MY NEIGHBOR NOW SO IT'S OKAY, I CAN 30:00 KILL 'EM BECAUSE I LOVE 'EM.' OF COURSE YOU CAN KEEP THAT 30:03 COMMANDMENT IF YOU LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR. 30:05 SO PEOPLE SAY, 'WELL, IF YOU LOVE GOD' - OF COURSE YOU'RE NOT 30:08 GOING TO WORSHIP OTHER GODS OR USE HIS NAME IN A DISRESPECTFUL 30:14 OR IRREVERENT WAY. AND, IF YOU LOVE GOD, YOU'RE GOING TO WANT 30:18 THAT SACRED APPOINTMENT WITH HIM CALLED THE SABBATH. 30:21 YOU SEE, LOVE IS THE REASON FOR KEEPING EVERY COMMANDMENT, 30:23 RIGHT? OKAY. NEXT SECTION: JOY, PEACE, AND PATIENCE . 30:30 MAYBE WE SHOULD DO A DEFINITION HERE. 30:32 SOMEONE'S GOING TO READ FOR ME, IN A MOMENT, ROMANS 5:1. 30:35 WHAT IS JOY? 'AN INTENSE, ESPECIALLY ECSTATIC 30:40 OR EXALTANT HAPPINESS; THE EXPRESSION OR MANIFESTATION 30:45 OF THAT FEELING.' HOW MANY CHRISTIANS SHOULD HAVE JOY? 30:49 >>ALL OF THEM. >>ON THE GOOD DAYS? 30:53 CAN YOU HAVE JOY AND BE HAVING A BAD DAY? 30:56 SEE, THIS IS THE THING THAT SOME PEOPLE IN THE WORLD CAN'T 30:58 COMPREHEND IS - AND, YOU KNOW, - YOU EVER GO TO A CASHIER AND 31:03 THEY'RE JUST TRYING TO MAKE CONVERSATION - THEY TRY 31:05 TO INTERACT WITH THE CUSTOMER AND THEY SAY, 'SO, 31:06 HOW'S YOUR DAY GOING?' THAT HAPPENED TO ME YESTERDAY 31:08 - 'HOW'S YOUR DAY GOING?' I SAID, 'GREAT, HOW'S YOUR DAY?' 31:10 I ALWAYS LIKE TO ASK THEM TOO. 'I'M DOING GREAT, HOW ARE YOU?' 31:13 'THANKS FOR ASKING.' AND SOME PEOPLE SAY, 'OH, I'M NOT HAVING 31:18 A GOOD DAY.' BUT YOU CAN STILL HAVE JOY EVEN IF YOU'RE HAVING A 31:21 BAD DAY. HAPPINESS IS A FEELING. 31:25 JOY IS AN ATTITUDE ABOUT LIFE. WHO WAS IT THAT SAID - OH, F.B. 31:31 MEYER - "JOY IS PEACE DANCING. PEACE IS JOY AT REST." 31:38 AND WE'LL GET TO THE PEACE PART IN JUST A MOMENT. 31:42 READ FOR US, PLEASE, ROMANS 5:1. >>ROMANS 5:1, "THEREFORE, HAVING 31:49 BEEN JUSTIFIED BY FAITH, WE HAVE PEACE WITH GOD THROUGH OUR LORD 31:53 JESUS CHRIST," >>JESUS SAID - 31:56 JOHN 14:27 - "PEACE I LEAVE WITH YOU, MY PEACE I GIVE YOU." 32:02 - SO WHERE DO WE GET THE PEACE? IT'S FROM HIM - "MY PEACE I GIVE 32:07 YOU; NOT AS THE WORLD GIVES DO I GIVE TO YOU." NOW, WHEN THE 32:11 WORLD THINKS ABOUT PEACE, WHAT DO THEY ENVISION? NO STRESS FOR 32:16 A LITTLE WHILE - IN A HAMMOCK WITH SOME ALCOHOL DRINK, LOOKING 32:22 AT A BEAUTIFUL SUNSET - THEY SAY, 'AHH, PEACE.' NOW, THAT IS 32:25 A PEACEFUL ENVIRONMENT, BUT IS THAT BIBLICAL PEACE? 32:29 BIBLICAL PEACE CAN BE POSSESSED BY A PERSON WHO HAS FIREWOOD 32:33 STACKED AROUND THEM AND THEY'RE ABOUT TO BE BURNT FOR THEIR 32:35 FAITH AND THEY CAN HAVE PEACE. ISN'T THAT RIGHT? 32:39 THERE ARE - THERE ARE MARTYRS WHO HAD GREAT PEACE IN THE MIDST 32:42 OF A STORM BECAUSE THEY KNEW THAT GOD WAS WITH THEM. 32:46 SO, IN THE WORLD THEY THINK ABOUT PEACE AS PEACEFUL 32:48 CIRCUMSTANCES, BUT FOR THE CHRISTIAN, PEACE IS SOMETHING 32:51 INSIDE THE DEVIL CAN'T TAKE AWAY. 32:53 THE BIBLE CALLS IT A PEACE THAT PASSES UNDERSTANDING, MEANING 32:56 THE WORLD CAN'T UNDERSTAND IT - HOW YOU CAN BE AT PEACE WHEN 33:00 YOU'VE GOT ALL KINDS OF TRIALS AND TURMOIL. 33:03 AND I KNOW I'VE GONE TO THE HOSPITAL TO VISIT SAINTS BEFORE 33:05 AND I KNEW THEY WERE STRUGGLING WITH ALL KINDS OF PAIN AND THEN 33:10 I'D SAY SOMETHING THAT, YOU KNOW, I'M NOT REALLY GOOD 33:12 SOMETIMES IN A HOSPITAL VISIT - THEY'RE OBVIOUSLY SUFFERING - 33:15 I'LL SAY, 'HOW ARE YOU?' AND THEN THEY - THEY'LL TURN AND 33:19 SAY, 'OH, THE LORD'S BEEN SO GOOD TO ME. 33:21 HE'S GIVEN ME SUCH PEACE.' I THINK, 'WOW!' 33:24 I'D LIKE THAT - WHERE YOU CAN JUST HAVE PEACE, EVEN THOUGH 33:27 YOU'RE SUFFERING PHYSICALLY, EVEN THOUGH YOU'RE GOING THROUGH 33:29 TRIALS, EVEN THOUGH YOUR TIRE JUST WENT FLAT - OR WHATEVER THE 33:31 PROBLEM IS, YOU'VE GOT A PEACE THAT GOD'S ON THE THRONE AND 33:34 YOUR LIFE IS IN HIS HANDS. YOU DON'T HAVE TO WORRY. 33:37 I WANT THAT - THAT'S A FRUIT OF THE SPIRIT. 33:39 BUT I LIKED WHAT MEYERS SAID, 'JOY IS PEACE DANCING' - IT'S 33:43 EXPRESSING - IT DOESN'T MEAN YOU GO DANCE, IT'S DANCING IN YOUR 33:46 LIFE - AND 'PEACE IS JOY AT REST'. 33:51 SO THEY'RE CONNECTED. PAUL SAYS IN ROMANS 14:17, "FOR 33:55 THE KINGDOM OF GOD IS NOT EATING AND DRINKING, BUT RIGHTEOUSNESS 33:59 AND PEACE AND JOY IN THE HOLY SPIRIT." THE KINGDOM OF GOD IS 34:03 ABOUT PEACE AND JOY AND THE HOLY SPIRIT. 34:06 ROMANS 12:18, "IF IT IS POSSIBLE, AS MUCH AS DEPENDS ON 34:11 YOU, LIVE PEACEABLY WITH ALL MEN." SO PART OF THE PEACE THAT 34:15 A CHRISTIAN HAS - WE CAN BE AT PEACE WITH OURSELVES AND WE 34:17 DO ALL WE CAN TO BE AT PEACE, LITERALLY, WITH OTHERS. 34:21 'BLESSED ARE THE' - >>PEACEMAKERS. 34:23 >>'PEACEMAKERS' - THEY ARE CALLED THE CHILDREN OF GOD. 34:27 AND THEN PHILIPPIANS 4:9, "THE THINGS WHICH YOU LEARNED AND 34:31 RECEIVED AND HEARD AND SAW IN ME, THESE DO, AND THE GOD OF 34:35 PEACE WILL BE WITH YOU." NOW, CAN YOU BE - DO YOU WANT TO 34:37 BE - DO YOU WANT TO BE AT PEACE IF YOU'RE LIVING 34:40 IN DISOBEDIENCE? THAT'S KIND OF LIKE A PERSON 34:44 WHO'S FLOATING PLACIDLY ALONG IN THE RIVER, NOT KNOWING - THEY 34:48 DON'T HEAR THE DEADLY WATERFALLS UP AHEAD. 34:51 YOU DON'T WANT TO BE COMFORTABLE ON YOUR WAY TO DESTRUCTION. 34:57 OTHERWISE, YOU'RE LIKE PETER SLEEPING ON DEATH ROW THERE 34:59 IN ACTS CHAPTER 12 - THE ANGEL HAD TO WAKE HIM UP TO SAVE 35:02 HIM. OR YOU'RE LIKE JONAH - YOU'RE 35:05 ASLEEP IN THE STORM WHEN EVERYONE ELSE IS PRAYING. 35:08 THERE'S A LOT OF PEOPLE ON THEIR WAY TO DESTRUCTION AND THEY'RE 35:11 LOST AND THEY'RE AT PEACE. THEY'VE GOT THIS - THEY'VE BEEN 35:15 SEDATED BY SATAN. YOU DON'T WANT THAT KIND OF PEACE. 35:19 YOU WANT A PEACE THAT COMES FROM SURRENDER AND KNOWING YOUR 35:23 LIFE'S IN GOD'S WILL. THE BIBLE SAYS, 'GREAT PEACE 35:26 HAVE THEY' - WHO KNOWS THE REST OF THAT VERSE? 35:30 'GREAT PEACE HAVE THEY THAT LOVE THE LAW AND NOTHING WILL OFFEND 35:34 THEM.' GREAT PEACE HAVE THEY WHICH LOVE THY LAW AND NOTHING 35:38 WILL OFFEND THEM. HE SAID, 'LET NO YOUR HEART BE 35:42 TROUBLED, NEITHER LET IT BE AFRAID. 35:45 ALRIGHT, LET'S GO ON TO KINDNESS AND FAITHFULNESS - OH, AND - DID 35:51 I LEAVE OUT PATIENCE? I DID LEAVE OUT PATIENCE! YEAH, HERE 35:57 IS THE PATIENCE OF THE SAINTS - 'HERE ARE THOSE THAT KEEP THE 36:00 COMMANDMENTS OF GOD AND THE FAITH OF JESUS.' 'IN PATIENCE 36:05 POSSESS YE YOUR SOULS.' NOW, WHAT DOES IT MEAN - WHEN YOU 36:08 THINK ABOUT PATIENCE, HOW MANY HERE ARE IMPATIENT? IMPATIENT? 36:13 ANYONE? IS ALL IMPATIENCE BAD? IF THERE WERE NO SEMI-IMPATIENT 36:20 PEOPLE, I HAVE A FEELING NOT A LOT WOULD GET DONE. 36:25 THE LORD, YOU KNOW, WANTS US TO HAVE A LITTLE BIT OF A DESIRE TO 36:30 KEEP THINGS MOVING AND WHEN I'M GOING FROM POINT A TO POINT B 36:34 AND I KNOW THAT I DON'T HAVE A LOT GOING ON UNTIL I GET TO 36:36 POINT B, I WANT TO GET THERE QUICK. 36:39 I GO AS FAST AS I CAN SAFELY GO AND, SOMETIMES, EVEN AS FAST AS 36:44 I CAN CAN LEGALLY GO, BECAUSE I'M IN A HURRY TO GET THERE. 36:48 ANYONE ELSE LIKE THAT? AND I KNOW THAT I'M ONLY ALIVE 36:52 FOR A LITTLE WHILE - YOU'VE ONLY GOT SO MANY MINUTES IN YOUR LIFE 36:55 AND IF YOU JUST SIT AROUND, YOU'RE WASTING YOUR LIFE. 36:59 TIME IS THE STUFF THAT LIFE IS MADE OF AND SO I'M CONSCIOUS OF 37:04 THAT AND SO I - I'M ONE OF THESE PEOPLE THAT WANTS TO GET THINGS 37:07 DONE. AND YOU LIKE TO HAVE THOSE PEOPLE WORKING WITH YOU, BUT YOU 37:11 DON'T WANT PEOPLE TO BE IMPATIENT, WHICH MEANS THEY 37:13 BECOME IRRITABLE AND THEY MAKE MISTAKES AND - I WAS LISTENING 37:18 TO A SERMON BY DAVID JEREMIAH ON THE RADIO AND HE SAID, 'MORE 37:22 DAMAGE IS CAUSED BY IMPATIENCE THAN PATIENCE.' YOU GET RECKLESS 37:26 WHEN YOU'RE IN A HURRY SOMETIMES. 37:28 YOU'RE TRYING TO DO TOO MANY THINGS, YOU DON'T DO ANYTHING 37:30 WELL. BUT, YOU KNOW, I ALWAYS WONDER 37:34 HOW JESUS MANAGED TO STAY FOCUSED AND AT PEACE. 37:39 HE'D HAVE PEOPLE CLAMORING ALL AROUND HIM WANTING HEALING AND 37:42 HE'D BE ON HIS WAY TO RAISE A GIRL - OR TO TRY AND SAVE A GIRL 37:46 THAT WAS DYING AND HE'D STOP AND HE'D HELP OTHER PEOPLE. 37:49 I THINK - WOULDN'T YOU FEEL RESTLESS AND SAY, 'OH LOOK, I 37:52 CAN'T HELP YOU RIGHT NOW. I'VE GOT TO GET GOING.' BUT HE 37:56 JUST, YOU KNOW, HE WAS NEVER TROUBLED. 37:59 BUT HE SEEMED TO GET SO MUCH DONE, SO I WANT TO HAVE THE 38:02 PEACE AND THAT PATIENCE. PATIENCE, IN THE BIBLE, DOESN'T 38:05 MEAN THAT YOU JUST WAIT, IT MEANS AN ENDURANCE. 38:11 SO, WITH THAT IN MIND, WHEN JESUS SAID, 'HE THAT ENDURES TO 38:14 THE END, THE SAME WILL BE SAVED. HERE IS THE PATIENCE OF THE 38:17 SAINTS', REALLY SHOULD TRANSLATE 'HERE IS THE ENDURANCE OF THE 38:21 SAINTS' - THE CHRISTIAN LIFE IS NOT A SPRINT, IT'S A MARATHON. 38:26 YOU'VE GOT TO KEEP ON GOING. YOU NEED TO ENDURE 38:29 AND DON'T GIVE UP. YOU NEED TO HOLD ON. 38:33 ALRIGHT - AND THANK YOU FOR REMINDING ME I LEFT OUT 38:35 PATIENCE. NEXT IS KINDNESS, GOODNESS, AND FAITHFULNESS . 38:39 ALRIGHT, 1 CORINTHIANS 13:4, "LOVE SUFFERS LONG AND IS KIND;" 38:45 - SO ONE OF THE FRUITS OF LOVE IS KINDNESS - "LOVE DOES NOT 38:50 ENVY; LOVE DOES NOT PARADE ITSELF, IS NOT PUFFED UP;" - 38:53 BUT I WANT YOU TO NOTICE - KINDNESS - WHAT IS KINDNESS? 38:56 KINDNESS MEANS 'OF A FRIENDLY, GENEROUS OR WARM-HEARTED NATURE; 39:01 SHOWING SYMPATHY OR UNDERSTANDING; CHARITABLE; A 39:04 KIND WORD; HUMANE; CONSIDERATE' - AS IN BEING KIND TO ANIMALS - 39:09 'FORBEARING; TOLERANT; GENEROUS; LIBERAL; KIND WORDS OF 39:13 PRAISE'. WE ALL KNOW WHAT KIND MEANS. 39:18 DO WE KNOW WHAT UNKIND MEANS? SOME TIMES WE SAY THINGS THAT 39:23 ARE UNKIND OR WE'RE - MIGHT PUT A PERSON DOWN OR WE'RE NOT 39:30 CONSIDERATE OF THEIR NEEDS - THAT'S THE UNKINDNESS. 39:34 EPHESIANS 4:32, "AND BE KIND" - NOW, WHENEVER - I DON'T KNOW IF 39:40 EVERYONE ELSE DOES THIS, BUT IT MADE A BIG IMPRESSION ON ME, 39:44 WHEN I STARTED READING THE BIBLE, THAT GOD SAID, 'LET THERE 39:46 BE LIGHT' - LET THERE BE - AND THE WORD 'BE' JUMPS OUT AT ME. 39:52 AND SO WHEN THE BIBLE SAYS, 'BE KIND TO ONE ANOTHER' I ALWAYS 39:57 SEE THE WORD 'BE' AS ENABLING FOR GOD. 40:00 IT MEANS - IT'S EMPOWERING. WHEN GOD SAYS, 'LET THERE BE 40:04 LIGHT' OR WHEN GOD SAID, 'BE YE CLEAN' AND THE MAN WAS CLEANSED 40:07 FROM HIS LEPROSY JUST BY SAYING 'BE' WHEN GOD SAYS THAT IN HIS 40:11 WORD. SO WHEN HE SAYS 'BE KIND' CAN WE BE KIND? 40:14 >>YES. >>IT'S AN EMPOWERING WORD. 40:16 "BE KIND TO ONE ANOTHER, TENDERHEARTED, FORGIVING ONE 40:19 ANOTHER," - HOW? - "EVEN AS GOD IN CHRIST FORGAVE YOU." 40:23 WHEN WE SEE HOW MUCH HE'S DONE FOR US, IT OUGHT TO EMPOWER US 40:26 TO HAVE THAT SAME KIND OF KINDNESS AND GENTLENESS FOR 40:29 OTHERS. AND THEN EXODUS 33:19 - MOSES SAID, 'LORD, SHOW ME YOUR 40:37 GLORY.' AND NOW WE'RE TALKING ABOUT GOODNESS HERE - "THEN HE 40:41 SAID, 'I WILL MAKE ALL MY GOODNESS PASS BEFORE YOU, AND I 40:45 WILL PROCLAIM THE NAME OF THE LORD BEFORE YOU. 40:47 I WILL BE GRACIOUS TO WHOM I WILL BE GRACIOUS, AND I WILL 40:50 HAVE COMPASSION ON WHOM I WILL HAVE COMPASSION.'" SO THE LORD 40:54 PUT MOSES IN THAT CLEFT OF THE ROCK - THIS IS EXODUS 34, VERSE 40:57 6 - "AND THE LORD PASSED BEFORE HIM AND PROCLAIMED, 'THE LORD, 41:02 THE LORD, GOD, MERCIFUL AND GRACIOUS, LONGSUFFERING, AND 41:06 ABOUNDING IN GOODNESS" - THE LORD IS GOOD, THE BIBLE SAYS 41:12 OVER AND OVER. LAMENTATIONS - NOW, WE'RE 41:16 TALKING ABOUT NOT ONLY KINDNESS AND GOODNESS - WHAT 41:19 WAS THE LAST ONE? FAITHFULNESS IN THIS SECTION. 41:22 IN THE BOOK OF LAMENTATIONS - YOU ALL KNOW THIS ONE - THROUGH 41:25 THE LORD'S MERCIES WE ARE NOT CONSUMED BECAUSE HIS COMPASSIONS 41:29 FAIL NOT. THEY ARE NEW EVERY MORNING. 41:33 GREAT IS YOUR' - WHAT? >>FAITHFULNESS. 41:35 >>GREAT IS YOUR FAITHFULNESS. THAT'S PROBABLY ONE OF MY 41:37 FAVORITE SONGS. I TOLD KAREN THAT NOT TOO LONG AGO. 41:40 SHE SAID - I SAID, 'DO THAT AT MY FUNERAL.' 41:42 >>I WROTE IT DOWN. >>GOOD, SHE MADE A NOTE OF THAT. 41:44 (LAUGHTER) AND I'M SUPPOSED TO DO WHAT A FRIEND WE HAVE IN 41:47 JESUS FOR HER. AND IF WE GO TOGETHER, 41:52 WE'LL DO A DUET. (LAUGHTER) SO GOD IS FAITHFUL. SOMEONE'S GOING 41:59 TO READ FOR ME MATTHEW 25:23 - IN JUST A MOMENT, OKAY? 42:04 I'M GOING TO READ ONE MORE - REVELATION 2:10 - HE SAYS THERE, 42:07 "BE FAITHFUL UNTIL DEATH AND I WILL GIVE YOU THE CROWN OF 42:11 LIFE." WHAT DOES 'FAITHFUL' MEAN? 42:15 YOU'RE FULL OF FAITH; TO BE CONSISTENT; TO HANG ON. 42:20 ALRIGHT, GO AHEAD, READ FOR US, PLEASE, MATTHEW 25. 42:23 >>"HIS LORD SAID TO HIM, 'WELL DONE, GOOD AND FAITHFUL SERVANT; 42:27 YOU HAVE BEEN FAITHFUL OVER A FEW THINGS, I WILL MAKE YOU 42:30 RULER OVER MANY THINGS. ENTER INTO THE JOY OF YOUR LORD.'" 42:35 >>THANK YOU. NOW, WHEN JESUS SAID THAT TO THE 42:37 SERVANT IN THE PARABLE, WHAT HAD THE SERVANT BEEN DOING? 42:41 THE MASTER GAVE HIM SOME TALENTS OR MINNAS - THERE'S TWO 42:44 DIFFERENT PARABLES - SOME MONEY TO INVEST AND HE SAID, 'OCCUPY 42:48 UNTIL I COME. I'VE GIVEN YOU RESOURCES, MAKE 42:51 THE MOST OF THESE RESOURCES AND WHEN I COME BACK, WE'LL DO AN 42:53 ACCOUNTING.' AND, BECAUSE HE WAS FAITHFUL TO MULTIPLY THE KING'S 42:58 RESOURCES, THE KING SAYS, 'WELL DONE, GOOD AND FAITHFUL 43:02 SERVANT.' SO WHAT DOES FAITHFUL MEAN? DOING WHATEVER YOU CAN DO 43:09 WITH THE RESOURCES GOD HAS GIVEN YOU TO MULTIPLY THEM. 43:13 THAT WOULD BE YOUR NATURAL ABILITIES AND TALENTS. 43:15 IT MAY BE MONEY. IT MAY BE TIME. 43:18 THESE ARE THINGS WE'LL GIVE AN ACCOUNT TO GOD FOR, IN THE 43:20 JUDGMENT, RIGHT? HE WANTS US TO MULTIPLY THEM. 43:23 IMPROVE YOUR TALENTS, MAKE THE MOST OF YOUR TIME FOR DOING 43:25 GOOD, DO EVERYTHING YOU CAN WITH YOUR TIME AND YOUR GIFTS AND 43:31 RESOURCES TO TRY TO DO AS MUCH GOOD AS YOU CAN. 43:34 AND, IF WE ARE FAITHFUL, AND TRY TO GROW GOD'S KINGDOM USING 43:37 THOSE GIFTS, HE DECLARES TO US, 'YOU ARE A FAITHFUL SERVANT.' 43:40 ALRIGHT, LAST SECTION HERE: GENTLENESS AND SELF-CONTROL . 43:44 A GIRL WAS BEING ASKED TO RECITE THE FRUITS OF THE SPIRIT AND SHE 43:48 SAID, 'LOVE, JOY, PEACE, PATIENCE, KINDNESS, GOODNESS, 43:52 FAITHFULNESS, GENTLENESS AND REMOTE-CONTROL.' (LAUGHTER) 43:57 IT JUST, YOU KNOW, SEEMS PRETTY COMMON THESE DAYS. 44:02 'BLESSED ARE THE MEEK' - SO WE'VE GOT ONE OF THEM HERE IS 44:05 GENTLENESS. THE WORD 'GENTLENESS' IS 44:07 TYPICALLY - WE USE THE WORD MEEK. 44:10 WE THINK OF THE WORD 'MEEK' AND WE GET MEEK CONFUSED WITH A WORD 44:14 THAT HAS 'W' IN IT - WHAT'S THAT? 44:15 >>WEAK. >>WEAK. 44:17 DOES BEING MEEK MEAN BEING WEAK? WHO WAS STRONGER, 44:23 JESUS OR SAMSON? TRICK QUESTION, ISN'T IT? 44:29 DO YOU KNOW THAT THE BIBLE SAYS WHEN THE SPIRIT OF THE LORD LEFT 44:33 SAMSON HE WAS AS OTHER MEN? WE ALWAYS THINK OF SAMSON WE 44:37 THINK OF A GUY WHO'S, YOU KNOW, LIKE SCHWARZENEGGER ON STEROIDS 44:43 AND JUST, YOU KNOW, BIG MUSCULAR AND - BUT THE BIBLE SAYS WHEN 44:51 THE HOLY SPIRIT LEFT HIM HE WAS LIKE OTHER MEN. 44:54 WE'RE GOING TO TALK ABOUT DAVID TODAY AND THE HOLY SPIRIT CAME 44:56 ON DAVID AND HE KILLED A LION - SAME SPIRIT THAT CAME ON SAMSON. 45:00 WAS JESUS SPIRIT-FILLED? SO WHAT MAKES A PERSON STRONG 45:06 IS NOT MUSCULAR STRENGTH. MEEKNESS IS TALKING 45:11 ABOUT A KINDNESS. IT'S A - IT REPRESENTS A 45:20 GENTLENESS, I GUESS, IS THE BETTER WORD WE'RE LOOKING FOR. 45:23 WHO'S GOING TO INHERIT THE EARTH? 45:25 >>THE MEEK. >>BLESSED ARE THE MEEK - THE 45:28 GENTLE - FOR THEY WILL INHERIT THE EARTH. 45:31 YOU KNOW THE DISCIPLES SAID, 'OH JESUS, YOU'RE TOO BUSY TO BLESS 45:34 THE CHILDREN.' HE WAS MUCH DISPLEASED AND HE GENTLY TOOK 45:37 THEM UP, PLACED HIS HANDS ON THEM - JESUS WAS GENTLE WITH 45:40 PEOPLE. YOU KNOW, HE SEES MARY MAGDALENE 45:43 AS CAUGHT IN ADULTERY - ASSUMING THAT WAS MARY - AND, INSTEAD OF 45:47 SAYING, 'YOU'RE RIGHT, YOU ARE A TERRIBLE WICKED SINNER', HE WAS 45:50 JUST GENTLE IN THE WAY THAT HE DEALT WITH HER. 45:52 HE WAS GENTLE WITH THE WOMAN AT THE WELL. CHRIST WAS GENTLE WITH 45:54 SINNERS. HE TOLD THEM THAT THEIR SIN WAS FATAL, BUT HE WAS GENTLE 45:58 IN THE WAY HE APPROACHED THEM. ISN'T IT NICE TO HAVE A DOCTOR 46:02 AND A NURSE WITH A GOOD BEDSIDE MANNER? 46:05 I DON'T KNOW IF YOU'VE EVER HAD A SERIOUS SURGERY AND THE NURSE 46:09 HAS TO COME IN AND TURN YOU AND RE-BIND YOUR WOUNDS OR WHATEVER 46:13 LIKE THAT, AND IF THEY'RE ROUGH - HEARD A STORY ABOUT SOMEONE 46:17 WHO WAS IN THE HOSPITAL AND THEY HAD HAD SOME, YOU KNOW, MAJOR 46:20 ABDOMINAL SURGERY AND ANOTHER NURSE NEEDED TO COME IN AND MOVE 46:23 THEM AROUND AND DO STUFF WITH THE BANDAGES AND JUST - REALLY 46:26 LIKE A WRESTLER - REALLY ROUGH AND SHE WAS GROANING AND THE 46:32 NEXT DAY ANOTHER NURSE CAME IN AND HAD TO PERFORM THE SAME KIND 46:35 OF CLEANING AND TREATMENTS AND CHECKING THE BANDAGES AND MOVING 46:38 A PERSON AROUND AND THEY WERE VERY GENTLE AND SAYING, 46:40 'IS THAT OKAY? HERE WE GO. 46:42 SLOWLY NOW.' AND THEY COULDN'T BELIEVE THE DIFFERENCE. 46:45 AND THE LADY THAT TOLD ME THIS, THAT HAD THE SURGERY, SAID, 46:48 'THAT NURSE YESTERDAY WAS JUST LIKE A, YOU KNOW, POLO PLAYER - 46:54 BODY SLAMMING.' SHE SAID, 'YOU'RE SO GENTLE.' SHE SAID, 46:58 'WELL, I'LL LET YOU IN ON A SECRET, I HAD THE SAME SURGERY 47:01 YOU HAD. I KNOW HOW YOU FEEL.' IT MAKES 47:05 A PERSON A LOT MORE GENTLE WHEN THEY KNOW HOW YOU FEEL. 47:10 JESUS KNOWS, EVEN THOUGH HE NEVER SINNED, HE KNOWS 47:12 EVERYTHING AND HE KNOWS HOW WE FEEL. 47:15 SO THAT'S WHAT IT MEANS TO BE GENTLE - TO BE TENDER WITH 47:17 PEOPLE. IT TELLS US IN PROVERBS 16:32, 47:21 "HE WHO IS SLOW TO ANGER" - AND PART OF THIS IS NOW SELF-CONTROL 47:25 - "HE WHO IS SLOW TO ANGER IS BETTER THAN THE MIGHTY, AND HE 47:29 WHO RULES HIS SPIRIT THAN HE WHO TAKES A CITY." 47:33 YOU KNOW, MOSES WAS CALLED ONE OF THE MEEKEST MEN IN THE WORLD. 47:37 AND JESUS SAID, 'I AM MEEK AND LOWLY.' BUT ONE TIME MOSES LOST 47:40 HIS TEMPER - WELL, TWICE I CAN THINK OF HE LOST HIS TEMPER. 47:43 ONCE HE MURDERED A FELLOW AT THE BEGINNING OF THE FORTY YEARS, 47:46 AND AT THE END OF THE FORTY YEARS HE LOST HIS TEMPER AND IN 47:48 A RAGE HE BEAT THE ROCK WHERE HE WAS SUPPOSED TO SPEAK TO THE 47:52 ROCK AND GOD HAD WANTED HIM TO DEMONSTRATE CHRIST'S CHARACTER 47:57 FOR THE PEOPLE THROUGH THAT SELF-CONTROL - AND HE LOST IT. 48:02 AND THAT WAS NOT GOOD. YOU KNOW, WHILE WE'RE TALKING 48:06 ABOUT THE FRUITS OF THE SPIRIT, I WANT TO EMPHASIZE, HOW MUCH 48:11 FRUIT DO WE HAVE WITHOUT JESUS? THERE'S NO FRUIT. 48:17 JESUS SAID - JOHN 15:5 - "I AM THE VINE, YOU ARE THE BRANCHES. 48:22 HE WHO ABIDES IN ME, AND I IN HIM, BEARS MUCH FRUIT; FOR 48:25 WITHOUT ME YOU CAN DO NOTHING." YOU KNOW, I THOUGHT IT WAS 48:28 INTERESTING - WILL THERE BE FRUIT TREES IN HEAVEN? 48:32 HOW MANY KINDS OF FRUIT ON THE TREE OF LIFE. 48:35 >>TWELVE. >>TWELVE DIFFERENT KINDS OF 48:37 FRUIT - AND I TOLD YOU I GOT A FRIEND THAT HAD A DOZEN AND 48:39 THIS MAN SUPPOSEDLY PUT FORTY DIFFERENT KINDS OF 48:43 FRUIT ON ONE TREE. IN HEAVEN, DO YOU KNOW, IT TELLS 48:49 ABOUT THE TREE OF LIFE - TWELVE DIFFERENT KINDS OF FRUIT. 48:52 HAVE YOU EVER READ THE LAST CHAPTERS? 48:53 NOT ONLY IS FRUIT MENTIONED IN THE LAST PART OF THE BIBLE IN 48:56 REVELATION, IT'S DRAWING - AND WHAT ARE THE LEAVES OF THE TREE 49:00 FOR? >>THE HEALING OF THE NATIONS. 49:01 >>THE HEALING OF THE NATIONS. YOU KNOW WHERE JOHN GETS THAT? 49:05 OR AT LEAST IT'S CONNECTED - HAVE YOU READ THE LAST CHAPTER 49:08 OF EZEKIEL? LET ME READ THIS - EZEKIEL 47, 49:12 VERSE 12 - "ALONG THE BANK [OF THE RIVER], ON THIS SIDE AND 49:17 THAT, WILL GROW ALL KINDS OF TREES USED FOR FOOD; THEIR 49:21 LEAVES WILL NOT WITHER, AND THEIR FRUIT WILL NOT FAIL. 49:24 THEY WILL BEAR FRUIT EVERY MONTH, BECAUSE THEIR WATER FLOWS 49:27 FROM THE SANCTUARY. THEIR FRUIT WILL BE FOR FOOD, 49:30 AND THEIR LEAVES FOR MEDICINE." ISN'T THAT INTERESTING? 49:33 DOESN'T THAT SOUND AN AWFUL LOT LIKE WHAT YOU FIND THERE IN 49:36 REVELATION? I WANT TO TAKE YOU ONE MORE PLACE HERE. 49:40 GO WITH ME TO THE FIRST PSALM, SINCE WE'RE TALKING ABOUT FRUIT 49:44 - AND IT'S CONNECTED WITH WHAT I JUST READ THERE IN EZEKIEL - 49:47 PSALM 1 IS A BLESSING - THE WHOLE BOOK OF PSALMS BEGINS WITH 49:52 A BLESSING - "BLESSED IS THE MAN" - IT'S ALSO TRUE OF THE 49:55 WOMAN - "WHO WALKS NOT IN THE COUNSEL OF THE UNGODLY, NOR 50:00 STANDS IN THE PATH OF SINNERS, NOR SITS IN THE SEAT OF THE 50:03 SCORNFUL; BUT HIS DELIGHT IS IN THE LAW OF THE LORD, AND IN HIS 50:07 LAW HE MEDITATES DAY AND NIGHT." NOW, WE TALKED ABOUT THE 50:10 CONNECTION BETWEEN THE COMMANDMENTS AND FRUITFULNESS. 50:13 WHEN A PERSON DOES THAT, IT SAYS, "HE SHALL BE LIKE A TREE 50:17 PLANTED BY THE RIVERS OF WATER, THAT BRINGS FORTH ITS FRUIT IN 50:21 ITS SEASON, WHOSE LEAF ALSO WILL NOT WITHER; AND WHATEVER HE DOES 50:25 SHALL PROSPER." THE BIBLE SAYS THAT WHEN WE LOVE 50:30 THE LORD, WE LOVE HIS LAW, WE WILL BE ROOTED LIKE 50:33 A TREE BY THE RIVER. YOU KNOW, THIS ALWAYS STANDS OUT 50:37 TO ME IS - BECAUSE LIVING IN THE DESERT, IF YOU'RE LOOKING FOR 50:40 WATER, YOU KNOW WHAT YOU LOOK FOR? LOOK FOR A TREE. 50:43 IF YOU'RE OUT IN THE - IN SAUDI ARABIA AND YOU'RE LOOKING FOR AN 50:45 OASIS, YOU BETTER HOPE YOU SEE A TREE, BECAUSE THE TREES LOOK FOR 50:50 THE WATER TOO. THEY DON'T EVEN SEEM TO THRIVE 50:51 WITHOUT THERE'S WATER. AND I JUST READ THERE THAT IN 50:55 EZEKIEL IT SAYS THAT THOSE TREES THAT GROW BY THE RIVER, THE 51:01 WATER FLOWS FROM THE SANCTUARY. AND, BECAUSE IT GETS THAT LIVING 51:06 WATER FROM THE SANCTUARY, THEY BEAR THIS MIRACULOUS FRUIT. 51:10 THE TREE OF LIFE HAS THE RIVER OF LIFE FLOWING BY IT. 51:12 ISN'T THAT WHAT IT SAYS IN REVELATION? 51:14 AND IT'S GOT - WE ARE TO BE CALLED TREES OF RIGHTEOUSNESS - 51:19 PLANTING OF THE LORD - AND IF WE'RE DRAWING OF THE LIVING 51:22 WATER, WHICH IS JESUS, WE WILL HAVE THE FRUITS OF THE SPIRIT, 51:26 AMEN? WHAT DID JESUS DIE ON? A CROSS? 51:35 DO YOU KNOW WHAT THE BIBLE CALLS IT ALSO? A TREE. 51:38 AND, IN A SENSE, YOU MIGHT SAY THAT JESUS SAID, 'EXCEPT YOU EAT 51:42 MY FLESH AND DRINK MY BLOOD YOU HAVE NO LIFE IN YOU.' IS JESUS, 51:46 AND WAS THE CROSS, A TREE OF LIFE? 51:49 WHERE DID JESUS FIND ZACCHEUS? IN A TREE. 51:55 YOU KNOW, IN A PREVIOUS CHAPTER, GOD SAID IT'S SO HARD FOR A RICH 51:58 MAN TO GET INTO THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN. 52:00 IT'S EASIER FOR A CAMEL TO GO THROUGH THE EYE OF A NEEDLE. 52:03 THEN, ALL OF A SUDDEN, YOU FIND - IT SAYS THERE WAS THIS MAN WHO 52:06 WAS VERY RICH AND JESUS FOUND FRUIT IN A TREE. 52:10 YOU KNOW WHAT KIND OF TREE IT WAS? SYCAMORE. 52:13 YOU KNOW WHAT A SYCAMORE IS? SYCAMORE IS ANOTHER NAME FOR A 52:18 TYPE OF FRUIT TREE - A FIG TREE, RATHER - IN PALESTINE. 52:23 THEY HAD THESE MUCH MORE CAREFULLY CULTIVATED FIGS THAT 52:26 THE PEOPLE WOULD EAT, BUT THEN THEY HAD THE COMMON - THE FIGS 52:29 FOR THE POOR PEOPLE AND THE ANIMALS. 52:31 JESUS WENT TO ONE FIG TREE; HE CURSED IT BECAUSE THERE WAS NO 52:34 FRUIT. AND THEN HE COMES TO JERICHO AND 52:36 HE FINDS FRUIT IN A FIG TREE - CALLED ZACCHEUS. HE COMES TO THE 52:40 LORD AND HE SAYS, 'HALF MY GOODS I GIVE TO THE POOR. 52:44 IF I'VE TAKEN ANYTHING FROM ANYBODY, I RESTORE IT.' HE 52:47 INVITES JESUS INTO HIS HOME AND HE HAD THE FRUITS OF THE SPIRIT. 52:51 SO, MAYBE I'M MAKING TOO MUCH OUT OF TREES, BUT THOSE STORIES, 52:54 I THINK, ARE ALL VERY INTERESTING. WELL, THIS HAS BEEN 52:57 A GOOD LESSON. I WANT TO HAVE THE FRUITS OF 52:58 THE SPIRIT, DON'T YOU, FRIENDS? >>AMEN. 53:00 >>AND I WANT TO REMIND THOSE WHO ARE WATCHING AT HOME ABOUT - WE 53:04 HAVE A STUDY ON SPIRITUAL WARFARE AND SO, THIS IS PART 2. 53:10 I THINK LAST WEEK THEY OFFERED PART 1. 53:11 PROBABLY SHOULD HAVE OFFERED PART 1 AND PART 2 TOGETHER. 53:14 BUT IF YOU'D LIKE A FREE COPY OF THIS, JUST ASK FOR SPIRITUAL 53:17 WARFARE . LISTEN TO IT AND THEN SHARE IT 53:18 WITH SOMEBODY, IT'LL TELL YOU SOMETHING ABOUT THE SPIRITUAL 53:21 BATTLE AND THE FRUITS OF THE SPIRIT AS WELL. 53:24 IT'S #823 WHEN YOU CALL AND THE NUMBER IS 866-STUDY-MORE - 53:30 THAT'S 866-788-3966 - AND WE'LL SEND THAT TO YOU. 53:35 GOD BLESS YOU, FRIENDS, AND LORD WILLING, WE'LL STUDY HIS WORD 53:38 TOGETHER AGAIN NEXT WEEK. >>LET'S FACE IT, IT'S NOT ALWAYS 53:43 EASY TO UNDERSTAND EVERYTHING YOU READ IN THE BIBLE. 53:46 WITH OVER 700,000 WORDS CONTAINED IN 66 BOOKS, THE BIBLE 53:50 CAN GENERATE A LOT OF QUESTIONS. TO GET BIBLICAL STRAIGHTFORWARD 53:54 ANSWERS CALL IN TO BIBLE ANSWERS LIVE - A LIVE NATIONWIDE CALL-IN 53:58 RADIO PROGRAM WHERE YOU CAN TALK TO PASTOR DOUG BATCHELOR AND ASK 54:02 HIM YOUR MOST DIFFICULT BIBLE QUESTIONS. 54:05 FOR TIMES AND STATIONS IN YOUR AREA, OR TO LISTEN TO ANSWERS 54:08 ONLINE, VISIT BAL.AMAZINGFACTS.ORG . (MUSIC) 54:24 >>YOU'VE PROBABLY HEARD THE EXPRESSION BEFORE, 'IF YOU 54:26 DON'T LIKE THE WEATHER IN TEXAS, JUST WAIT; IT'LL CHANGE.' AND 54:30 YOU'VE ALSO HEARD, 'EVERYTHING IS BIGGER IN TEXAS - THE 54:32 RANCHES, THE BELT BUCKLES, THE COWBOY HATS...' BUT THE MOST 54:36 FAMOUS SLOGAN ABOUT TEXAS IS 'REMEMBER THE ALAMO!' 54:44 THE VIOLENT BATTLES AND BRAVERY OF ICONIC HEROES, HAVE BEEN THE 54:47 STUFF OF LEGENDS, THROUGHOUT WHICH ENTIRE CULTURES OFTEN DRAW 54:50 THEIR IDENTITY AND PRIDE, EVEN LONG AFTER CENTURIES ARE PAST. 54:54 AND IN TEXAS, THE STORY OF THE ALAMO HAS BEEN A RALLYING CRY OF 54:58 TEXAS INDEPENDENCE FOR 200 YEARS. 55:01 ONE REASON THAT TEXANS LOVE TO BRAG THAT EVERYTHING IS BIGGER 55:04 IN TEXAS IS, OF COURSE, BECAUSE TEXAS IS THE LARGEST OF THE 55:08 LOWER 48 U.S. STATES. IT'S HARD TO BELIEVE THAT THIS 55:11 MASSIVE STATE GOT ITS BEGINNING IN A VERY SMALL CHRISTIAN 55:15 MISSION DURING THE BATTLE OF THE ALAMO. 55:19 EVERY YEAR THIS FAMOUS MISSION MUSEUM RECEIVES OVER TWO AND A 55:22 HALF MILLION VISITORS FROM ALL PARTS OF THE PLANET, THAT ARE 55:25 EAGER TO GET A GOOD LOOK AT THIS LEGENDARY SITE. 55:28 THE ALAMO PLAYED A CRITICAL ROLE IN THE TEXAS REVOLUTION. 55:32 IN DECEMBER 1835, TEXANS AND TEJANO VOLUNTEERS BATTLED 55:36 MEXICAN TROOPS QUARTERED IN THE CITY, FORCING GENERAL MARTIN 55:40 PERFECTO DE COS TO SURRENDER. THE VICTORIOUS VOLUNTEERS 55:43 THEN OCCUPIED THE ALAMO AND STRENGTHENED ITS DEFENSES. 55:47 FAMOUS AMERICANS LIKE DAVY CROCKETT, JIM BOWIE, AND COLONEL 55:50 WILLIAM TRAVIS MADE THIS LOCATION - THIS ANCIENT MISSION 55:54 - THE BEACHHEAD - THE LAST STAND IN AN EPIC BATTLE TO WIN 55:58 INDEPENDENCE OF TEXAS FROM MEXICO. ON FEBRUARY 23, 1836, 56:04 THE ARRIVAL OF GENERAL ANTONIO LOPEZ SANTA ANA NEARLY CAUGHT 56:08 THEM BY SURPRISE. UNDAUNTED, THE TEXANS AND TEJANOS PREPARED TO 56:12 DEFEND THE ALAMO. FOR THIS SMALL RAG-TAG GROUP OF REBELS, THE 56:16 YOUNGEST OF WHOM WAS ABOUT SIXTEEN AND THE OLDEST 56:18 SEVENTY-FIVE, WAS AGAINST THE WELL-TRAINED AND ORGANIZED 56:21 MEXICAN ARMY OF SIX THOUSAND-PLUS SOLDIERS. 56:24 IT WAS A FIERCE AND LOPSIDED BATTLE, YET THE SMALL FORCE OF 56:28 REBELS WAS ABLE TO REPEL THE TROOPS FOR THIRTEEN DAYS. 56:32 LEGEND HOLDS THAT WITH THE POSSIBILITY OF ADDITIONAL HELP 56:36 FADING, COLONEL TRAVIS DREW A LINE IN THE GROUND WITH A SWORD 56:39 AND ASKED ANY MAN WILLING TO STAY AND FIGHT TO STEP OVER THE 56:43 LINE. ALL EXCEPT ONE CROSSED OVER. 56:47 THE FINAL ASSAULT CAME BEFORE DAYBREAK. 56:49 ON THE MORNING OF MARCH 6, 1836, THE THIRTEENTH DAY OF THE SIEGE, 56:54 CANON AND SMALL ARMS FIRE FROM INSIDE THE ALAMO BEAT BACK 56:58 SEVERAL MEXICAN ATTACKS. REGROUPING, SANTA ANA'S SOLDIERS 57:02 SCALED THE WALLS AND RUSHED INTO THE COMPOUND. THE DESPERATE 57:06 STRUGGLE CONTINUED UNTIL THE DEFENDERS WERE OVERWHELMED. 57:09 BY SUNRISE, THE BATTLE HAD ENDED AND THE GARRISON WAS SLAIN. 57:14 YOU KNOW, HISTORIANS MAY DEBATE SOME OF THE DETAILS REGARDING 57:16 THE BATTLE OF THE ALAMO, BUT NONE OF THEM QUESTION THE 57:19 INCREDIBLE SACRIFICE THAT WAS MADE AND THE COURAGE THAT WAS 57:21 DISPLAYED DURING THAT INTENSE CONFLICT. THEY MADE THE ULTIMATE 57:26 SACRIFICE - GIVING THEIR LIVES - AND THIS IS WHY THE STORY OF THE 57:29 ALAMO IS SO INSPIRING AND SO ENCOURAGING, YOU KNOW? 57:33 AND THAT'S WHY THE BIBLE IS SO INSPIRING, FRIENDS, BECAUSE 57:35 SOMEONE WAS WILLING TO MAKE THE ULTIMATE SACRIFICE AND GIVE HIS 57:38 LIFE SO YOU COULD HAVE FREEDOM AND ETERNAL LIFE. 57:41 DON'T YOU THINK YOU COULD TRUST YOUR LIFE TO A FRIEND LIKE THAT, 57:45 THAT WOULD GIVE EVERYTHING? THE STORY OF THE GOSPEL IS A 57:47 STORY OF COURAGE AND HOPE. IT'S THE STORY OF GOD WHO WILL 57:50 NEVER LEAVE YOU WITHOUT DEFENSE AND SUPPORT. JESUS IS THE GOOD 57:54 NEWS AND THE GOSPEL IS A STORY WORTH REMEMBERING. 57:58 (MUSIC) |
Revised 2017-02-09