Participants:
Series Code: SSH
Program Code: SSH021804A
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00:00 (MUSIC)
00:35 HELLO AND WELCOME TO ANOTHER EDITION OF THE SABBATH SCHOOL 00:37 STUDY HOUR. IT'S SO GOOD TO BE ABLE TO HAVE 00:39 YOU JOIN US HERE TODAY AS WE COME TOGETHER, NOT ONLY WITH ALL 00:42 OF US HERE THAT ARE LIVE AND MEMBERS OF THE GRANITE BAY 00:46 CHURCH, BUT ALSO, OF COURSE, WE ALWAYS HAVE MANY THAT ARE ONLINE 00:50 MEMBERS THAT ARE JOINING US - OTHER VISITORS AND GUESTS THAT 00:53 ARE ONLINE WATCHING US LIVE EVEN HERE TODAY. 00:56 IT'S ALWAYS GOOD TO BE ABLE TO HAVE YOU COME AND JOIN US AS 00:59 WELL AS THOSE WHO ARE WATCHING THIS RECORDED ISSUE IN THE 01:03 FUTURE ON VARIOUS TELEVISION NETWORKS. 01:05 IT'S ALWAYS GOOD TO BE ABLE TO HAVE YOU COME AS WE COME 01:08 TOGETHER HERE NEAR SACRAMENTO, CALIFORNIA TO BE ABLE TO STUDY 01:13 THE WORD OF GOD AS WE COME TOGETHER AND WE LOOK AT A 01:15 RELATIVELY NEW QUARTERLY THAT WE'VE BEEN STUDYING NOW FOR THE 01:19 LAST THREE WEEKS. AND TODAY WE'RE LOOKING AT STUDY 01:22 #4 - LESSON #4 WHICH IS ENTITLED ESCAPE FROM THE WORLD'S WAYS - 01:27 ESCAPE FROM THE WORLD'S WAYS - AND, OF COURSE, OUR QUARTERLY IS 01:30 ENTITLED STEWARDSHIP: MOTIVES OF THE HEART . 01:34 NOW, IF YOU DON'T HAVE A COPY OF THIS PARTICULAR QUARTERLY YET, 01:37 YOU'RE MISSING OUT ON A LOT OF GOOD MATERIAL. 01:40 AND SO, I JUST WANT TO HIGHLY RECOMMENDED TO YOU TAKE THE 01:42 OPPORTUNITY TO GO TO YOUR LOCAL SEVENTH-DAY ADVENTIST CHURCH AND 01:45 ASK FOR A COPY OF THAT. NOW IF THAT IS NOT POSSIBLE WE 01:50 ALSO WANT TO ENCOURAGE YOU TO GO ON TO THE AMAZING FACTS WEBSITE. 01:53 THAT'S AMAZINGFACTS.ORG - AND YOU CAN FIND, ON THAT WEBSITE, A 01:57 LINK TO FIND A DIGITAL COPY AND YOU CAN DOWNLOAD LOAD THAT ONTO 02:02 YOUR COMPUTER, YOUR TABLET, YOUR PHONE, OR WHATEVER WOULD WORK 02:05 FOR YOUR CONVENIENCE. SO, ONCE AGAIN, THANK YOU 02:07 SO MUCH FOR JOINING US. WE'RE HAPPY TO HAVE YOU HERE. 02:10 WE ALWAYS HAVE A FREE OFFER THAT WE LIKE TO GIVE YOU AS WELL AND 02:13 I'M EXCITED ABOUT TODAY'S FREE OFFER, IT'S CALLED 02:16 ALONE IN THE CROWD - ALONE IN THE CROWD. 02:20 AND THAT'S OFFER #714 - ALL YOU HAVE TO DO IS DIAL 02:24 1-866-788-3966 AND WE'LL BE HAPPY TO GIVE THAT TO YOU. 02:31 ONCE AGAIN, IF YOU'RE NOT ABLE TO CALL AND, OF COURSE, THIS IS 02:34 ONLY AVAILABLE FOR THOSE WHO ARE IN NORTH AMERICA. 02:36 IF YOU'RE OUTSIDE OF NORTH AMERICA AND YOU'D STILL LIKE TO 02:39 BE ABLE TO ENJOY THIS PARTICULAR FREE GIFT, YOU CAN GO TO AMAZING 02:42 FACTS WEBSITE AGAIN AND YOU CAN FIND A LINK FOR A FREE DIGITAL 02:45 DOWNLOAD OF THAT. AND, AGAIN, I HIGHLY RECOMMEND THAT. 02:50 WE'RE GOING TO INVITE OUR SINGERS BACK FORWARD - AS THEY 02:53 COME FORWARD AND LEAD US IN SONG - AS THEY ALWAYS DO SO 02:57 FAITHFULLY FROM WEEK TO WEEK AND THANK YOU VERY MUCH. 03:02 (PIANO MUSIC) 07:12 >>THANK YOU FOR SINGING WITH US. 07:13 HAVE A BLESSED SABBATH. (PIANO MUSIC) 07:24 >>FATHER IN HEAVEN, I WANT TO THANK YOU SO 07:26 MUCH FOR THIS OPPORTUNITY TO BE ABLE TO STUDY TOGETHER. 07:29 WE THANK YOU FOR THE FREEDOM TO BE ABLE TO OPEN UP YOUR WORD. 07:32 AND GOD, AS WE OPEN UP YOUR WORLD TODAY, WE WANT TO PRAY 07:34 THAT YOUR HOLY SPIRIT WILL BE WITH US. 07:36 WE WANT TO PRAY THAT YOU WILL BE WITH THE MIND OF PASTOR DOUG AS 07:40 HE SHARES WITH US THAT YOUR SPIRIT WILL GUIDE HIM AND LEAD 07:43 HIM TO UNDERSTAND AND REMEMBER ALL THAT YOU GAVE TO HIM TO 07:45 SHARE WITH US TOGETHER AS WE OPEN YOUR WORD. 07:48 WE PRAY THAT YOUR HOLY SPIRIT WILL BE OUR TEACHER TODAY. 07:51 WE CLAIM THAT PROMISE THAT WHEN WE COME TO YOU IN THE NAME OF 07:54 JESUS AND ASK FOR YOUR SPIRIT THAT YOU WILL GIVE IT AND THAT 07:57 YOU'LL GIVE US UNDERSTANDING AND GUIDE US INTO ALL TRUTH. 08:00 HELP US TO DO THAT TODAY AS WE LOOK AT THIS IMPORTANT AND 08:02 RELEVANT SUBJECT. AND WE PRAY IT IN THE 08:05 PRECIOUS NAME OF JESUS. AMEN. PASTOR DOUG, THANK YOU. 08:15 >>THANK YOU, PASTOR SHAWN AND THANK YOU TO MICHELLE AND OUR 08:19 MUSICIANS - OUR SINGERS - MORNING FRIENDS. 08:22 >>MORNING. >>WANT TO WELCOME YOU TO - IF 08:24 YOU'RE VISITING TO GRANITE BAY CHURCH, WE KNOW THERE ARE ALWAYS 08:28 PEOPLE WHO ARE VISITING THAT ARE WATCHING ONLINE OR WATCHING ON 08:31 SATELLITE TELEVISION OR ONE OF THE DIFFERENT STATIONS AND IT'S 08:37 A LITTLE CONFUSING FOR YOU. THIS WILL SEEM LIKE THE FOURTH 08:40 INSTALLMENT IN OUR STUDY ON STEWARDSHIP. 08:44 AT THE TIME OF RECORDING IT, IT IS THE FIRST SABBATH OF 2018. 08:47 SO I WANT TO WISH THOSE OF YOU HERE A BLESSED NEW YEAR. 08:51 THIS IS OUR FIRST SABBATH IN THE NEW YEAR AND A SPECIAL TIME. 08:54 AND I ALSO WANT TO REMIND YOU IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS REGARDING 08:59 THE LESSON TODAY, FOR THOSE THAT ARE WATCHING THE LIVE STREAM 09:03 RIGHT NOW, YOU CAN GO TO THE FACEBOOK PAGE AND SEND ANY 09:07 QUESTIONS. IF THEY GIVE ME THE SIGNAL 09:10 HERE WE'LL BRING SOME OF THOSE QUESTIONS TO YOU LIVE RIGHT 09:13 DURING THE PRESENTATION. AND WE'LL HAVE A FEW OF OUR 09:15 FRIENDS HERE ACTUALLY HELP US READ. 09:18 OUR LESSON, AGAIN, TODAY IS #4. IT'S ESCAPE FROM THE WORLD . 09:23 AND THIS IS IN THE MAJOR LESSON ON STEWARDSHIP. 09:27 WE HAVE A MEMORY VERSE. MEMORY VERSE IS FROM PROVERBS 09:31 11, VERSE 4 AND VERSE 28 PROVERBS 11:4 AND THEN VERSE 28 09:37 - IT'S GOING TO BE EASIER FOR YOU TO READ THAT RIGHT OUT OF 09:38 YOUR QUARTERLY THAN JUMP FROM VERSE TO VERSE. 09:41 YOU READY? "RICHES DO NOT PROFIT IN THE 09:45 DAY OF WRATH, BUT RIGHTEOUSNESS DELIVERS FROM DEATH." 09:50 - AND THEN VERSE 28 - "HE WHO TRUSTS IN HIS RICHES WILL FALL, 09:55 BUT THE RIGHTEOUS WILL FLOURISH LIKE FOLIAGE." 09:59 SO THE THEME OF THIS LESSON IS REALLY TALKING ABOUT THE 10:03 PRINCIPLE THAT FULFILLMENT, HAPPINESS, SUCCESS DO NOT COME 10:08 FROM EARTHLY WEALTH AND A PART OF STEWARDSHIP IS HAVING THE 10:13 RIGHT PERSPECTIVE OF HOW DO YOU LIVE IN THE WORLD WITHOUT THE 10:16 WORLD LIVING IN YOU? HOW DO YOU DEAL WITH THE 10:19 PRACTICAL NECESSITIES OF THE THINGS THAT WE NEED FROM DAY TO 10:22 DAY WITHOUT THEM HAVING SUCH A GRIP ON US THAT THEY CONTROL US? 10:27 AND SO, WE'LL BE TALKING ABOUT THAT LITTLE BIT. 10:29 NOW JUST TO SORT OF PAVE THE WAY. THERE IS A COUPLE VERSES I 10:33 WANT TO BRING TO YOUR ATTENTION AND ONE IS FROM - WELL, THEY'RE 10:37 BOTH FROM DAVID - ONE IS PSALM 34, VERSE 10. 10:39 DAVID SAID, "THE YOUNG LIONS LACK AND SUFFER HUNGER; BUT 10:45 THOSE WHO SEEK THE LORD SHALL NEVER LACK ANY GOOD THING." 10:49 SO WE WORRY SOMETIMES WILL WE RUN OUT OF THINGS? 10:52 WILL WE HAVE THE THINGS THAT WE NEED? 10:56 I HEARD A FACT THIS WEEK. I HEARD IT IN A SERMON. 10:59 IT'S ACTUALLY AN OLD SERMON SO IT PROBABLY NEEDS TO BE UPDATED. 11:01 BUT IF YOU GO BACK A HUNDRED AND FIFTY YEARS AGO THERE IS ONLY 11:05 ABOUT THREE HUNDRED THINGS YOU COULD BUY - A HUNDRED AND FIFTY 11:08 YEARS AGO THERE WAS ABOUT THREE HUNDRED THINGS YOU COULD 11:11 BUY. RIGHT NOW THERE ARE MULTIPLIED MILLIONS OF THINGS 11:15 YOU COULD BUY. AND SO THERE'S SO MANY THINGS, 11:19 IT'S EASY FOR US TO BE CONFUSED INTO THINKING THAT A MAN'S LIFE 11:23 CONSISTS IN THE ABUNDANCE OF THINGS YOU COULD POSSESS. 11:27 AND HAVE YOU EVER HAD A GARAGE SALE? HAVE YOU EVER BEEN TO A 11:32 GARAGE SALE TO BUY THINGS THAT PEOPLE COULD NOT FIT IN THEIR 11:34 GARAGE? AND THEN YOU TAKE IT HOME AND 11:37 YOU PUT IT IN YOUR GARAGE. I MAY HAVE TOLD YOU A FEW WEEKS 11:41 AGO I WAS WALKING AROUND HARBOR FREIGHT TOOLS. SOME OF YOU MEN 11:46 HAVE BEEN THERE MAYBE SOME YOU LADIES HAVE BEEN THERE. 11:48 IT'S A TOOL STORE AND THEY'VE GOT JUST ALL KINDS OF DIFFERENT 11:52 TOOLS THERE AND THEN SOMEHOW I'M ON THEIR MAILING LIST SO THEY 11:54 EMAIL ME WHEN THEY'VE GOT A SALE. 11:57 AND I GOT THEIR NEW YEAR'S SPECIAL SPECIAL. 12:00 IT HAD TWENTY-FIVE PERCENT OFF ANY ITEM IN THE STORE, WHICH WAS 12:04 KIND OF COOL - WHATEVER IT IS, 25 PERCENT OFF. 12:07 AND THEN IF YOU BOUGHT SOMETHING, YOU GOT THESE KIND OF 12:11 BONUS GIFTS FREE AND YOU COULD CHOOSE. IT COULD BE SOME TARPS 12:14 OR RAGS, SOME FLASHLIGHTS, SCREWDRIVERS - WHATEVER I WANT. 12:17 I THOUGHT, 'BOY, I'VE GOT GO BUY SOMETHING ON SALE AND THEN I GET 12:20 THESE FREE GIFTS.' SO I TOOK MY COUPONS WITH ME AND I WENT TO 12:23 HARBOR FREIGHT TOOL, AND I'M WANDERING UP AND DOWN THE AISLES 12:25 FOR QUITE A WHILE AND SOMEONE SAID, 'CAN I HELP YOU?' 12:30 AND I SAID 'WELL, PROBABLY NOT.' - I SAID, 'I JUST KNOW THERE'S 12:33 SOMETHING HERE THAT'S GOING TO BRING ME LASTING HAPPINESS, I 12:35 JUST HAVEN'T FOUND IT YET.' AND THEY LAUGHED BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, 12:42 SOMETIMES WE THINK YOU, BUY SOMETHING THERE IS SOME 12:45 TEMPORARY PLEASURE ON ACQUIRING SOME NEW SHINY THING, BUT DOES 12:50 IT LAST? A MAN'S LIFE DOES NOT COME FROM 12:53 THE ABUNDANCE OF THINGS HE POSSESSES. 12:56 BY THE WAY I DID BUY SOMETHING - 25 PERCENT OFF. 12:59 I GOT IT HOME AND IT WAS BROKEN. I WAS SO EXCITED I HAD TO TAKE - 13:05 I RETURNED IT THE NEXT DAY - BUT I GOT TO KEEP MY BONUS GIFT. 13:09 SO I DID COME OUT AHEAD IN THE LONG RUN. 13:14 SO - AND YOU KNOW, DURING THE HOLIDAY SEASON, THEY SAY MORE 13:18 AND MORE PEOPLE, NOW, ARE BUYING GIFTS ONLINE. 13:21 YOU EVER TRY AND SHOP ONLINE? AND YOU JUST TYPE IN THE WORD 13:25 AND THERE ARE THOUSANDS OF THINGS. 13:26 AND YOU KNOW WHAT THEY DO NOW? 13:28 THIS IS IN KEEPING WITH THE LESSON SO STAY WITH ME. 13:32 THE COMPANIES AND GOOGLE AND SOME OF THESE OTHER COMPANIES 13:36 ARE SO SOPHISTICATED NOW THAT THEY ARE ABLE TO TRACK WHEN YOU 13:40 TYPE IN A SEARCH FOR A PARTICULAR PRODUCT. 13:44 I KNOW A FEW MONTHS BACK I TYPED IN THAT I WAS LOOKING FOR SOME 13:47 SHOES AND I ENDED UP BUYING MY SHOES AT A LOCAL STORE. 13:52 BUT SOMEBODY IN THAT DEEP DARK SOPHISTICATED WEB FOUND OUT THAT 14:00 DOUG WAS SEARCHING FOR SHOES AND THEY SOLD THAT INFORMATION TO 14:04 ALL THESE SHOE COMPANIES, AND NOW EVERY TIME I SEARCH FOR 14:07 ANYTHING THE SIDE OF MY COMPUTER IS TRYING TO SELL ME SHOES THAT 14:10 I DON'T WANT. YOU KNOW WHAT I'M TALKING ABOUT? 14:15 IT'S JUST KIND OF SPOOKY. THEY KNOW EVERYTHING. 14:21 WELL, A LOT OF STUFF YOU CAN BUY. BUT IS THAT WHAT HAPPINESS 14:24 COMES FROM? PSALM 37, VERSE 25. 14:28 KING DAVID SAID, "I HAVE BEEN YOUNG AND I AM NOW OLD, YET I 14:33 HAVE NOT SEEN THE RIGHTEOUS FORSAKEN NOR HIS SEED" - HIS 14:37 DESCENDANTS - "BEGGING FOR BREAD." 14:40 DAVID IS SAYING, 'DON'T WORRY ABOUT THINGS. 14:43 GOD IS GOING TO TAKE CARE OF YOU. 14:46 IT'S LIKE WE SAID IN AN EARLIER LESSON, 'SEEK FIRST THE KINGDOM 14:49 OF GOD AND HIS RIGHTEOUSNESS AND ALL THE OTHER THINGS THAT YOU 14:53 NEED WILL BE ADDED TO YOU.' GOD SAYS - OR DAVID SAID, 'I'VE BEEN 14:58 YOUNG I'M NOW OLD. I'VE NEVER SEEN THE RIGHTEOUS 15:00 FORSAKEN OR HIS SEED BEGGING BREAD.' DAVID LIVED IN A CAVE, 15:04 HE HAD HIS UPS AND DOWNS. HE RAN FOR HIS LIFE, BUT GOD 15:07 ALWAYS MIRACULOUSLY, SOMEHOW, TOOK CARE OF HIM. 15:11 GOD'S PEOPLE IN THE WILDERNESS, DID HE FEED THEM? 15:14 DID HE PROVIDE WATER FOR THEM? AND HE NOT ONLY - THE THINGS 15:19 THAT THEY NEEDED, HE EITHER GAVE IT TO THEM OR HE 15:22 MADE IT LAST FOREVER. THEIR SHOES LASTED 40 YEARS. 15:27 I HAD A PAIR OF SHOES LIKE THAT ONCE. 15:30 THEY WENT OUT OF STYLE; THEY CAME BACK IN STYLE. 15:32 THEY WENT OUT OF STYLE; THEY CAME BACK IN STYLE. 15:34 AND - IT'S TRUE - I ONLY WORE THEM ONCE A WEEK BUT THEY LASTED 15:40 FOREVER AND EVER. SO HE'LL BLESS WHAT YOU HAVE. 15:42 SO WE SHOULDN'T BE PREOCCUPIED AND WORRIED ALL THE TIME ABOUT 15:45 STUFF BECAUSE STUFF IS - HOW MUCH STUFF DO WE TAKE TO HEAVEN 15:51 FROM THIS WORLD? YOU KNOW I AM FREQUENTLY - AS I 15:56 TRAVEL, I NOT ONLY GO TO SCHOOLS AND I TALK TO YOUNG PEOPLE BUT 16:00 SOMETIMES I GO TO SEMINARIES AND I TALK TO YOUNG PASTORS 16:02 THAT ARE TRAINING. AND I TELL 'EM YOU'VE GOT THE 16:05 BEST JOB IN THE WORLD BECAUSE, WHILE I'M THANKFUL FOR AUTO 16:10 MECHANICS, AND I LIKE WORKING ON CARS MYSELF, ALL THE CARS THAT 16:15 THE MECHANICS HAVE WORKED ON WILL NOT GO TO HEAVEN. 16:19 THEY'RE GOING TO RUST OR BURN OR MELT WHEN JESUS COMES. 16:22 AND I AM VERY THANKFUL. FOR CARPENTERS THAT CAN BUILD A 16:27 HOUSE OR MAKE A CABINET, BUT - AND I LIKE BUILDING, BUT ALL THE 16:32 HOUSES ARE GOING TO BURN WHEN JESUS COMES. 16:35 AND ALL THE THINGS THAT WE MAKE AND WE DO AND WE CREATE HERE - I 16:40 AM THANKFUL FOR PEOPLE THAT ARE ARTISTIC AND CRAFTY. 16:44 THEY CAN MAKE THINGS. BUT NONE OF THAT STUFF 16:48 IS GOING TO HEAVEN. YOU'VE PROBABLY SEEN THE POSTER 16:51 BEFORE WHERE IT SHOWED A HEARSE PULLING A U-HAUL. 16:59 IT'S A JOKE. YOU CAN'T TAKE IT WITH YOU. 17:02 RIGHT? AND I TELL THE YOUNG PASTORS, 17:05 I SAY, YOU'RE WORKING WITH SOMETHING THAT YOU WILL SEE THE 17:09 RESULTS OF WHAT YOU DO THROUGH ETERNITY. 17:11 THE MECHANIC WILL NEVER SEE HIS CAR AGAIN IN HEAVEN AND THE 17:16 CARPENTER WILL NEVER SEE HIS HOUSE AGAIN IN HEAVEN. 17:19 BUT WHEN YOU WORK FOR SOULS, YOU'RE WORKING WITH SOMETHING 17:21 THAT LASTS FOREVER. SO THIS IS THE PRIORITY 17:25 THAT WE NEED TO KEEP. NOW THE WAY SOME PASTORS PREACH 17:28 THE GOSPEL, YOU WOULD THINK THAT IT'S ALL ABOUT STUFF HERE. 17:32 IT'S THESE PROSPERITY PREACHERS - IT'S ALL ACQUIRING THE GLITTER 17:36 AND THE - AND THE TOYS IN THIS LIFE. 17:40 I HEARD ABOUT ONE PASTOR THAT SAID GOD HAD TOLD HIM THAT HE - 17:45 HIS CONGREGATION WAS SUPPOSED TO BUY HIM A BENTLEY - A NEW 17:50 BENTLEY - AND HE SOMEHOW PERSUADED THEM THAT WAS FROM THE 17:54 LORD. AND THEY BOUGHT HIM A NEW 17:55 BENTLEY AND HE DROVE THAT THING AROUND AS EVIDENCE 17:58 OF GOD'S BLESSING. BOY, THAT IS NOT THE GOSPEL. 18:02 THAT'S WHAT YOU CALL DOCTRINES OF DEVILS. 18:05 IT'S MATERIALISM AND THAT'S WHAT OUR LESSON IS ABOUT TODAY. 18:08 ESCAPE FROM THE WORLD'S WAYS OF VIEWING THESE THINGS. 18:12 YOU KNOW, THERE'S AN INTERESTING INTRODUCTION IN THE LESSON. 18:14 IT SAYS HERE "EVEN IF WE DON'T HAVE MANY EARTHLY POSSESSIONS 18:18 THE PASSIONATE DESIRE TO ATTAIN MATERIAL GOODS CAN BECOME A 18:21 TERRIBLE CURSE THAT WILL LEAD A SOUL AWAY FROM SALVATION. 18:25 SATAN KNOWS THIS, WHICH IS WHY HE USES THE LOVE OF MATERIAL 18:29 POSSESSIONS TO ENSNARE AS MANY AS HE POSSIBLY CAN." 18:33 HE TRIED TO USE THAT SNARE ON JESUS. 18:36 HE DID IT IN A COUPLE OF DIFFERENT WAYS. 18:38 ONE IS, HE SAID 'YOU CAN TURN THESE STONES INTO BREAD. 18:43 MONEY'LL BUY YOU FOOD AND THE DELIGHTS OF THE SENSES. 18:47 OR' - HE SAID - 'I WILL GIVE YOU ALL THE KINGDOMS AND ALL THE 18:51 GLORY AND ALL THEY CONTAIN. JESUS RESISTED THAT TEMPTATION. 18:56 WE DON'T ALWAYS HAVE THE SAME SUCCESS. 18:58 LOOK IN SOME - NOW SOMEONE'S GOING TO READ FOR ME, IN A 19:01 MOMENT, MATTHEW 6:19 TO VERSE 21 SO YOU CAN GET READY FOR THAT. 19:08 I'M GOING TO READ HEBREWS 11:24. "FOR BY FAITH, WHEN HE WAS 19:13 BECOME OF AGE HE REFUSED TO BE CALLED THE SON OF PHARAOH'S 19:16 DAUGHTER CHOOSING, RATHER, TO SUFFER AFFLICTION WITH THE 19:20 PEOPLE OF GOD THAN TO ENJOY THE PASSING PLEASURES OF SIN. 19:25 ESTEEMING THE APPROACH OF CHRIST GREATER RICHES THAN THE 19:29 TREASURES IN EGYPT, FOR HE LOOKED TO THE REWARD.' YOU KNOW 19:37 MARK TWAIN WROTE A VERY INTERESTING STORY CALLED THE 19:41 PRINCE AND THE PAUPER ABOUT THIS POOR BOY. 19:47 IT'S KIND OF HISTORICAL FICTION BECAUSE HE BASES IT IN ENGLAND 19:51 DURING THE REIGN OF ONE OF THEIR KINGS - BUT A POOR BOY WHO JUST 19:54 HAPPENED TO LOOK IDENTICAL TO THE CROWN PRINCE. 19:57 AND THEY GO THROUGH THIS SWAP. WHERE THE CROWN PRINCE HE WANTS 20:01 TO FIND OUT HOW THE POOR PEOPLE LIVE. 20:04 AND THE PAUPER JUST - WHAT PAUPER DOESN'T WANT TO BE KING? 20:09 AND IT'S A VERY INTERESTING STORY ABOUT HOW, YOU KNOW, IT'S 20:14 EN - ITS ENCHANTING TO PEOPLE TO READ THE STORY BECAUSE SO MANY 20:18 PEOPLE THAT WANT TO GO FROM BEING CINDERELLA TO BEING THE 20:22 PRINCESS THEY WANT TO GO FROM BEING THE PAUPER TO BEING THE 20:25 PRINCE OR THE KING. AND YET, IN THIS STORY, YOU'VE 20:29 GOT A KING WHO GOES TO PAUPER. WELL YOU KNOW THERE'S A FEW OF 20:33 THOSE STORIES IN THE BIBLE AND EVEN THOUGH MARK TWAIN WAS 20:37 PRETTY MUCH AN AGNOSTIC, HE WAS PRETTY BIBLICALLY LITERATE. 20:40 HE USED TO READ IT AND YOU WONDER IF THAT'S WHERE HE GOT 20:42 SOME OF THE IDEA. HERE YOU'VE GOT THE STORY OF 20:46 MOSES WHO GOES FROM BEING BORN A SLAVE TO BEING ADOPTED 20:53 BY THE PRINCESS. BUT THEN HE REJECTS HAVING ALL 20:58 OF THE TREASURES OF EGYPT AND HE CHOOSES TO SUFFER AFFLICTION 21:02 WITH THE PEOPLE OF GOD RATHER THAN TO ENJOY THE RICHEST 21:07 KINGDOM AND ALL THE TREASURES IT COULD AFFORD. EVERY CHRISTIAN 21:11 NEEDS TO MAKE THAT DECISION. DID YOU GET ME? 21:15 YOU HAVE TO DECIDE 'WHERE DO I WANT MY KINGDOM?' 21:19 DO I WANT ALL THE TOYS AND THE TREASURES IN THIS WORLD, OR AM I 21:23 WILLING TO SAY 'LORD, I'M PUTTING EVERYTHING IN THIS LIFE 21:25 ON THE ALTAR. I WANT THE ETERNAL KINGDOM.'? 21:29 THAT DOESN'T MEAN YOU WON'T ENJOY ANY OF THE THINGS IN THIS 21:31 WORLD, IT MEANS THAT WILL NOT BE THE PRIORITY. 21:33 THE PRIORITY IS GOING TO BE THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN. 21:37 AND - PLEASE READ FOR ME MATTHEW 6:19. 21:42 >>MATTHEW 6:19 "LAY NOT UP FOR YOURSELVES TREASURES UPON THIS 21:48 EARTH WHERE MOTH AND RUST DOETH CORRUPT AND WHERE THIEVES BREAK 21:54 THROUGH AND STEAL. BUT LAY UP FOR YOURSELVES 21:57 TREASURES IN HEAVEN WHERE NEITHER MOTH NOR RUST DOETH 22:03 CORRUPT AND WHERE THIEVES DO NOT BREAK THROUGH NOR STEAL, FOR 22:10 WHERE YOUR TREASURE IS, THERE WILL YOUR HEART BE ALSO." 22:16 >>VERY GOOD. THANK YOU. THAT'S PRETTY CLEAR, ISN'T IT? 22:20 YOU NOTICE JESUS USES THE WORDS 'LAY UP'? 22:23 IT'S NOT LIKE A GO MAKE ONE PURCHASE, IT MEANS AS YOU GO 22:26 FROM DAY TO DAY YOU ARE COMPOUNDING TREASURE. 22:31 YOU'RE EITHER DEVELOPING - PILING UP TREASURE HERE. 22:35 YOU KNOW, AS TIME GOES BY, IF YOU HAVE SPACE IN YOUR HOUSE YOU 22:38 WILL FILL THAT SPACE EVEN HOMELESS PEOPLE COLLECT STUFF. 22:44 AND HAVE YOU EVER SEEN - KIND OF - THE SAD STORY - A HOMELESS 22:48 PERSON THEY CAN'T EVEN FIT IT ALL IN ONE SHOPPING CART - 22:51 THEY'VE GOT TWO SHOPPING CARTS. YOU WILL COLLECT STUFF 22:55 AS YOU GO THROUGH LIFE. SO WHERE ARE YOU COLLECTING? 22:57 ARE YOU LAYING UP TREASURE FOR YOURSELF IN HEAVEN, OR ARE YOU 23:01 LAYING UP TREASURE HERE ON EARTH? 23:04 BECAUSE WHEREVER YOUR TREASURE IS, THAT'S WHERE YOUR HEART IS. 23:06 IF YOU GET TOO MUCH STUFF HERE YOU START WORRYING ABOUT ALL 23:09 YOUR STUFF. YOU'VE GOT TO INSURE YOUR STUFF 23:11 HERE AND YOU'VE GOT TO GET ALARMS TO WATCH YOU STUFF HERE. 23:14 BUT - AND I THINK YOU MAYBE HEARD ME REFERENCE THIS BEFORE, 23:19 THAT OLD SONG FREEDOM'S ANOTHER WORD FOR NOTHING LEFT TO LOSE . 23:24 AND I THINK THAT WAS WRITTEN BY KRIS KRISTOFFERSON. 23:30 SOMETIMES YOU HAVE GREAT PEACE WHEN YOU DON'T HAVE ANYTHING. 23:34 AND THE MORE STUFF YOU HAVE THE MORE YOU HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT. 23:37 BUT IF YOU TREASURE'S IN HEAVEN, YOU'RE REALLY - YOUR HEART IS 23:40 GOING TO BE THERE IN HEAVEN AS WELL. 23:43 ALRIGHT, I WANT TO READ COLOSSIANS 3, VERSE 2, "SET YOUR 23:48 MIND ON THINGS ABOVE NOT ON THINGS OF THE EARTH." 23:51 SO WHERE'S OUR FOCUS AND OUR ATTENTION TO BE? 23:54 IT'S - WE'D BE FOCUSING THERE. 23:57 I REMEMBER HEARING A STORY WHERE, YEARS AGO, JUST BEFORE 24:02 THE CIVIL WAR WHEN SLAVERY WAS STILL IN AMERICA THIS PLANTATION 24:07 OWNER WAS BEING BURIED AND THE PREACHER WAS TALKING ABOUT HOW 24:12 BROTHER CHARLES WAS UP IN HEAVEN - WHATEVER HIS NAME WAS - AND 24:17 WHILE HE WAS PREACHING THIS SERMON ARE ONE OF HIS FAITHFUL 24:20 SLAVES, TOM, WAS STANDING THERE BY THE GRAVE SITE AND HE WAS 24:23 SHAKING HIS HEAD AND HE SAID, 'HE AIN'T IN HEAVEN.' AND THE 24:27 PEOPLE SITTING AROUND THOUGHT, 'WELL, THAT'S KIND OF A RUDE 24:29 THING TO SAY AT THE FUNERAL.' AND THE PREACHER KEPT PREACHING 24:32 AND TALKING ABOUT HOW HE WAS UP IN HEAVEN, ENJOYING HEAVEN AND 24:34 HE KEPT SHAKING HIS HEAD AND SAYING, 'HE AIN'T IN HEAVEN.' 24:37 AFTER THE SERVICE SOMEONE COULDN'T CONTROL THEMSELVES AND 24:39 SAID, 'TOM, WHY DID YOU KEEP SAYING 'HE AIN'T IN HEAVEN' 24:41 DURING THE SERMON?' HE SAID, 'BECAUSE I KNOW 24:43 MY MASTER' - AND HE SAID - 'WHENEVER HE WAS GOIN' ANYWHERE' 24:47 - HE SAID - 'HE WOULD PLAN AND HE WOULD PACK AND HE'D MAKE 24:49 NOTES AND HE'D TALK ABOUT IT.' AND HE SAID - 'HE NEVER 24:51 TALKED ABOUT HEAVEN. HE NEVER PLANNED. 24:53 HE NEVER PACKED.' - HE SAID - 'HE'S NOT THERE.' IN THIS LIFE, 24:58 IF WE'RE GOING TO BE GOING TO HEAVEN, WOULDN'T WE BE THINKING 25:01 ABOUT IT AND TALKING ABOUT IT MORE? 25:03 >>YES. >>YEAH. AND SO, WE SHOULD BE 25:07 PREOCCUPIED WITH THE GLORIES OF HEAVEN. ALRIGHT. 25:11 PSALM 119 VERSE 11, IT SAYS, "YOUR WORD I HAVE HIDDEN IN MY 25:16 HEART THAT I MIGHT NOT SIN AGAINST YOU." 25:19 SO WHAT ARE OUR PROTECTIONS TO DEVELOP THIS RELATIONSHIP WITH 25:23 CHRIST? IT'S THROUGH THE WORD. 25:26 IT'S THROUGH THE WORD WE LEARN ABOUT HEAVEN; WE CONTINUE TO 25:28 GROW AND THINK ABOUT THESE THINGS THAT ARE HEAVENLY. 25:31 LUKE 21, VERSE 34, "TAKE HEED YOURSELF LEST YOUR HEART BE 25:36 WEIGHED DOWN WITH CAROUSING, DRUNKENNESS, AND THE CARES OF 25:40 THIS LIFE, AND THAT DAY COME UPON YOU UNEXPECTEDLY." 25:44 SO WE'RE GOING TO WANT TO BE FOCUSING IN ON THE THINGS THAT 25:46 ARE GOING ON DOWN HERE. NO, WE WANT TO BE FOCUSING ON 25:50 THE THINGS THAT ARE GOING ON UP THERE. WHERE IS YOUR - 25:55 WHERE IS YOUR MIND? IS IT IN HEAVEN. 25:57 THE BIBLE SAYS YOU CAN BECOME SO PREOCCUPIED WITH THE THINGS THAT 26:00 ARE HAPPENING IN THIS LIFE THAT THAT DAY OVERTAKES YOU AS A 26:03 THIEF. AND SO IT CAN BE - IT CAN BE 26:09 VERY DISCOURAGING IF YOU ARE JUST ALWAYS THINKING ABOUT 26:12 THIS STUFF DOWN HERE. YOU CAN LOSE YOUR JOY. 26:15 YOU CAN BE WORRIED ABOUT IT AND YOU'RE NOT PREPARING FOR 26:17 ETERNITY. AND THE VERY FACT THAT JESUS 26:22 SAID, 'TAKE HEED TO YOURSELF LEST YOUR HEARTS BE WEIGHED 26:26 DOWN.' NOW DO YOU HAVE TO THINK ABOUT STUFF? 26:29 I PREACHED A SERMON A FEW WEEKS AGO CALLED WORRYING ABOUT STUFF . 26:33 DO WE HAVE TO THINK ABOUT STUFF? SOMETIMES? 26:37 I TRIED TO INSTILL IN MY BOYS THAT YOU CAN'T JUST DRIVE YOUR 26:42 CAR, YOU HAVE TO THINK ABOUT YOUR ENGINE. 26:46 YOU GOTTA CHECK YOUR OIL, YOU GOTTA LOOK AT YOUR TIRE TREAD 26:50 AND THINK ABOUT THINGS LIKE ROTATING THEM NOW AND THEN. 26:52 I SAID, 'YOU GOTTA THINK ABOUT STUFF.' YOU GOTTA TAKE CARE YOUR 26:55 STUFF OR YOUR HOUSE FALLS APART. BUT YOU DON'T WANT YOUR HEART 26:58 WEIGHED DOWN WITH STUFF, YOU REALLY WANT THAT TO BE HAVING 27:03 THAT BE SECONDARY TO YOUR LOVE FOR HEAVEN. 27:06 AND PHILIPPIANS - STILL TALKING ABOUT WHAT WE THINK ABOUT, 27:09 "FINALLY BRETHREN, WHATEVER THINGS ARE TRUE, WHATEVER THINGS 27:14 ARE NOBLE, WHATEVER THINGS ARE JUST, WHATEVER THINGS ARE PURE, 27:19 WHATEVER THINGS ARE LOVELY, WHATEVER THINGS ARE OF GOOD 27:22 REPORT, IF THERE IS ANY VIRTUE, IF THERE IS ANYTHING 27:25 PRAISEWORTHY, MEDITATE ON THESE THINGS." 27:30 YOU KNOW, ONE OF MY RESOLUTIONS - I THINK I ALREADY FAILED. 27:35 I KNOW I HAVE, BUT I'M NOT GIVING UP - IS I WANT TO BE 27:39 POSITIVE. IT IS SO EASY TO GRAVITATE INTO 27:45 SAYING SOMETHING CRITICAL OR NEGATIVE OR COMPLAINING, AND YOU 27:52 WILL ALWAYS FIND OTHER PEOPLE THAT WILL COMMISERATE WITH YOU. 27:56 YOU KNOW WHAT COMMISERATE MEANS IT MEANS CON MISERY - SHARING 27:59 MISERY WITH YOU. BUT WHAT DOES PAUL TELL US WE 28:05 OUGHT TO BE THINKING ABOUT? I WANT TO BE MORE POSITIVE AND, 28:09 YOU KNOW, HOW DO YOU CHANGE SOMETHING LIKE THAT? 28:12 YOU PRAY FOR THE HOLY SPIRIT TO HELP YOU NOTICE WHENEVER YOU'RE 28:16 BEING PULLED OFF IN THAT DIRECTION. 28:22 AND SO JUST PRAY THAT GOD WILL HELP US TO KEEP OUR MINDS ON 28:24 THOSE THINGS. NOTICE WHAT HE SAYS: TRUE, 28:27 NOBLE, JUST, PURE, LOVELY, GOOD REPORT, VIRTUE, PRAISE WORTHY. 28:35 THINK ABOUT THE POSITIVE THINGS. AND FINALLY, I'M STILL UNDER THE 28:39 FIRST SECTION ON RELATIONSHIP WITH CHRIST, IN EPHESIANS 6:18, 28:43 "PRAYING ALWAYS WITH ALL PRAYER AND SUPPLICATION IN THE SPIRIT, 28:47 BEING WATCHFUL TO THIS END WITH ALL PERSEVERANCE AND 28:50 SUPPLICATION FOR ALL THE SAINTS." 28:52 IT SAYS, 'ALL PRAYER, ALL PERSEVERANCE, ALL THE SAINTS, 28:58 ALWAYS PRAYING. THERE IS EFFORT INVOLVED IN 29:05 MAINTAINING AN ATTITUDE OF WALKING WITH GOD. 29:08 NOW, WHEN THE BIBLE TALKS ABOUT PRAYING ALWAYS SO YOU CAN KEEP 29:10 YOUR MIND ON THE THINGS ABOVE AND NOT THE THINGS BELOW, DOES 29:13 THAT MEAN YOU GO THROUGH YOUR DAY ON YOUR KNEES? 29:16 YOU CAN GO TO A HOME DEPOT AND GET KNEEPADS AND YOU JUST GO 29:19 AROUND ON YOUR KNEES ALL DAY LONG. 29:21 WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO BE PRAYING ALWAYS? 29:24 CAN YOU REALLY PRAY ALWAYS - LIKE WHEN YOU'RE READING A 29:27 RECIPE AND COOKING? YOU CAN BE IN ATTITUDE OF 29:30 PRAYER, WHERE YOU'RE SENDING UP LITTLE PRAYERS ALL THE TIME, 29:34 YOU'RE TALKING WITH THE LORD YOU'RE COMMUNING WITH HIM. 29:36 WHAT DOES IT MEAN WHEN IT SAYS ENOCH WALKED WITH GOD? 29:40 NOAH WALKED WITH GOD. THE DISCIPLES WALK WITH JESUS. 29:45 BEING CONSTANTLY AWARE OF HIS PRESENCE. 29:47 YOU FIND IF YOU DO THAT, THAT YOU DON'T BECOME SO DEPENDENT ON 29:51 THE THINGS OF THE WORLD AROUND YOU. 29:54 ALRIGHT, NEXT SECTION, IN THE WORD . 29:58 AND THIS IS - IN THIS SECTION WE'RE TALKING ABOUT HOW TO 30:01 ESCAPE THE WORLD'S WAYS. ONE OF THE WAYS TO ESCAPE THE 30:03 WAYS OF THE WORLD IS TO STAY IN THE WORD AND NOT THE WORLD. 30:07 HEBREWS 4:12, "FOR THE WORD OF GOD IS LIVING AND POWERFUL AND 30:13 SHARPER THAN ANY TWO-EDGED SWORD PIERCING EVEN TO THE DIVISION OF 30:17 SOUL AND SPIRIT IN THE JOINTS AND MARROW. AND IT IS A 30:20 DISCERNER OF THE THOUGHT AND THE INTENTS OF THE HEART." 30:25 NOW IF A COMPUTER - LET ME SAY THIS DIFFERENTLY - DO YOU 30:31 BELIEVE THERE'S SOMETHING SUPERNATURALLY DIFFERENT ABOUT 30:33 THE WORD OF GOD? I BELIEVE THERE IS. 30:39 I WONDERED WHAT YOU BELIEVE. 30:41 IS IT DIFFERENT FROM OTHER WORDS? 30:43 CAN YOU READ A DICTIONARY AND HAVE YOUR HEART CHANGED? 30:48 YOU CAN READ AN ENCYCLOPEDIA AND YOU'LL BE A LOT SMARTER. 30:52 BUT THERE'S SOMETHING ABOUT THE WORDS OF GOD THAT ARE POWERFUL. 30:56 NOW ARE THE WORDS OF GOD POWERFUL IF NOBODY HEARS THEM? 31:02 WELL, GOD SAID, 'LET THERE BE' - AND THERE WAS, SO THERE'S SOME 31:05 POWER TO GOD'S WORD IN THAT SENSE, BUT THE POWER OF GOD'S 31:09 WORD IN YOUR LIFE IS AS YOU HEAR IT. 31:11 THAT'S WHY THE BIBLE SAYS 'LET HIM WHO HEARS'. 31:15 SO HAVE YOU EVER HEARD THE EXPRESSION 'IF A TREE FALLS IN 31:18 THE WOODS AND NO ONE'S AROUND, DOES IT MAKE ANY NOISE? 31:24 YOU EVER HEARD THAT QUESTION? AND THEN, YOU KNOW, THIS IS ONE 31:28 OF THOSE DUMB PHILOSOPHICAL QUESTIONS, OF COURSE IT MAKES 31:30 NOISE, BUT HOW DO YOU KNOW IF NOBODY IS THERE? 31:33 WELL YOU - NOW WE'VE RECORDED IT SO WE KNOW. 31:36 WE LISTENED TO IT LATER AND IT MADE NOISE. 31:39 BUT IF THE BIBLE - IF A COMPUTER-GENERATED VOICE IS 31:43 READING THE BIBLE IN AN EMPTY ROOM, IS THERE POWER TO CHANGE 31:47 HEARTS. DOESN'T HAPPEN UNLESS 31:51 YOU'RE LISTENING TO IT. BUT WHEN YOU LISTEN TO THE WORD 31:56 OF GOD SOMETHING SUPERNATURAL HAPPENS. 31:59 THE WORD OF GOD IS POWERFUL IF IT'S SPOKEN - NOT EVERYBODY CAN 32:02 READ - THE WORD OF GOD IS POWERFUL IF YOU READ IT OFF A 32:05 PAGE. I HAVE LEARNED THE WORD OF GOD 32:08 IS POWERFUL IF YOU READ IT OFF A TV SCREEN. 32:12 THE WORD OF GOD IS POWERFUL IF YOU READ IT ON PAPER OR A 32:15 DIGITAL DEVICE. THERE'S SOMETHING ABOUT THE 32:18 WORDS OF GOD THAT HAVE A SUPERNATURAL EFFECT THAT IT 32:22 CONVERTS, IT CONVICTS, IT CHANGES, IT SOOTHES, IT 32:26 COMFORTS, IT INSPIRES. AND IF YOU WANT TO KEEP YOUR 32:31 PERSPECTIVE RIGHT, THEN YOU NEED TO BE READING THOSE WORDS. 32:35 IT'S LIVING, THE BIBLE SAYS, IT'S POWERFUL. 32:39 IT'S SHARPER THAN ANY TWO-EDGED SWORD PIERCING EVEN TO THE 32:42 DIVISION OF SOUL AND OF SPIRIT. MATTHEW 4:4 JESUS SAID, 'IT IS 32:48 WRITTEN: MAN SHALL NOT LIVE BY BREAD ALONE BUT BY EVERY WORD 32:52 THAT PROCEEDS FROM THE MOUTH OF GOD.' NOW WE NEED THINGS. 32:57 WE NEED FOOD. WE NEED HOUSES. WE NEED CLOTHES. 33:00 WE NEED JOBS AND STUFF. BUT CHRIST SAID THAT'S NOT 33:06 WHAT YOU REALLY LIVE BY. WHAT YOU LIVE BY S THE WORDS OF 33:10 GOD, BECAUSE THAT SHAPES YOU. DO YOU KNOW WHAT? 33:14 THE WORD OF GOD IS SO POWERFUL, IT EVEN SHAPES THINGS. 33:18 THE WORD OF GOD'LL SHAPE GOVERNMENTS. 33:20 THE WORD OF GOD'LL SHAPE PRODUCTS IN A COUNTRY. 33:25 IN HEAVEN, THE BIBLE SAYS THAT - IT USES SOME POETIC LANGUAGE IN 33:30 ISAIAH AND IT SAYS WE ARE GOING TO BEAT OUR SWORDS INTO PRUNING 33:34 SHEARS. THE PRODUCTS ARE DIFFERENT. WHY? 33:40 BECAUSE OF THE WORD OF GOD. WE'RE NOT GOING TO BE USING 33:42 METAL TO KILL, WE'LL BE USING IT TO PRUNE, YOU SEE 33:46 WHAT I'M SAYING? AND SO THE WORLD CHANGES 33:48 EVERYTHING IN YOUR SOCIETY, IN YOUR LIFE, IN YOUR PRIORITIES. 33:53 HERE'S A FEW OTHER VERSES FROM THE GOSPEL OF JOHN THAT JUST 33:56 TALK ABOUT HOW TO STAY IN THE WORD. 33:58 JOHN 5:39, "YOU SEARCH THE SCRIPTURES FOR IN THEM YOU THINK 34:03 YOU HAVE ETERNAL LIFE. THESE ARE THEY THAT TESTIFY OF ME." 34:07 SO HOW MUCH OF THE WORD OF GOD TELLS US ABOUT JESUS? 34:10 IF A CHRISTIAN IS A FOLLOWER OF CHRIST AND IF WE WANT TO BE LIKE 34:13 CHRIST,WHERE DO WE GO TO FIND OUT WHAT HE'S LIKE? 34:18 NEW TESTAMENT OR THE OLD TESTAMENT? BOTH. 34:23 WHEN CHRIST MADE THAT STATEMENT - JOHN 5:39 - "YOU SEARCH THE 34:26 SCRIPTURES IN THEM YOU THINK YOU HAVE ETERNAL LIFE; THESE ARE 34:29 THEY THAT TESTIFY OF ME." I MEAN JUST GET MY MARK. 34:32 MY POINT HERE JUST OKAY. HERE YOU'VE GOT THE OLD 34:35 TESTAMENT - IT'S APPROXIMATELY THREE QUARTERS. 34:38 HERE YOU'VE GOT THE NEW TESTAMENT - IT IS ABOUT THREE 34:40 QUARTERS BECAUSE THIS BIBLE'S GOT A LOT OF ADDITIONAL STUDY 34:43 MATERIAL IN THE BACK. HOW MUCH BIBLE WAS WRITTEN WHEN 34:47 JESUS MADE THAT STATEMENT? >>THE OLD TESTAMENT. 34:50 >>ALL THE OLD TESTAMENT. WAS ANY NEW TESTAMENT WRITTEN? 34:53 SO DOES THAT MEAN JESUS CANNOT BE FOUND IN THE NEW TESTAMENT? 34:57 NO, HE'S IN BOTH BECAUSE THE NEW TESTAMENT TALKS ABOUT CHRIST. 35:00 BUT SOME CHURCHES DON'T REALIZE THAT WHEN CHRIST MADE THE 35:04 STATEMENT THERE WAS ONLY AN OLD TESTAMENT. 35:07 AND SO CAN YOU FIND JESUS IN THE STORY OF JOSEPH? 35:10 DO YOU FIND JESUS IN THE STORY OF ABRAHAM? 35:12 DO YOU FIND JESUS IN THE STORY OF MOSES AND DAVID? 35:15 HE'S ALL THROUGH THE BIBLE. AND SO, WHEN YOU READ THE BIBLE 35:19 WITH THAT IN MIND, YOU'LL FIND CHRIST - YOU FIND OUT HOW TO 35:21 LIVE LIKE A CHRISTIAN THROUGH READING HIS WORD. 35:24 JOHN 14:6, "JESUS SAID TO HIM, I AM THE WAY, THE TRUTH, AND THE 35:29 LIFE. NO ONE COMES TO THE FATHER EXCEPT THROUGH ME." 35:34 SO IF WE WANT TO FIND OUT HOW TO BE SAVED - IT'S ONLY THROUGH 35:36 CHRIST - WHERE DO WE FIND OUT ABOUT CHRIST? 35:39 CAN WE FLY TO THE MIDDLE EAST AND TALK TO JESUS? 35:42 >>NO. >>WHERE DO WE FIND HIM? 35:46 HE'S IN HIS WORD. BUT YOU CAN'T COME TO THE 35:48 FATHER EXCEPT THROUGH HIM. YOU FIND HIM THROUGH SPEAKING TO 35:50 HIM THROUGH PRAYER AND THROUGH HIS WORD. 35:52 JOHN 6:63, "IT IS THE SPIRIT THAT GIVES LIFE. 35:57 THE FLESH PROFITS NOTHING." JESUS SAID, "THE WORDS THAT I 36:01 SPEAK TO YOU, THEY ARE SPIRIT AND THEY ARE LIFE. 36:04 THIS COMES UP, ACTUALLY, LATER TODAY IN OUR MESSAGE. 36:07 THE WORDS THAT I SPEAK, THEY'RE SPIRITUAL. 36:11 PAUL SAID SPIRITUAL THINGS ARE SPIRITUALLY DISCERNED. 36:16 AND SO AS WE READ THE WORD OF GOD WE NEED TO PRAY FOR THE HOLY 36:20 SPIRIT TO BRING THEM TO LIFE. YOU KNOW, IF YOU'VE GOT A 36:25 HEARING AID AND YOU'VE GOT NO BATTERY, IT'S NOT HELPING YOU. 36:30 SOME OF YOU OUT THERE KNOW WHAT I'M TALKING ABOUT, IT WON'T BE 36:34 LONG BEFORE I KNOW HOW THAT WORKS ALSO. 36:38 IF YOU'RE READING THE BIBLE WITHOUT THE HOLY SPIRIT - HAVE 36:42 YOU EVER HEARD SOMEONE SAY, 'I READ THE BIBLE, I'M JUST NOT 36:44 GETTING ANYTHING OUT OF IT'? DID YOU ASK THE AUTHOR TO 36:47 HELP YOU UNDERSTAND IT? SPIRITUAL THINGS ARE SPIRITUALLY 36:51 DISCERNED AND WITHOUT THE SPIRIT, YOU CAN'T DISCERN 'EM. 36:55 SO WHEN YOU READ THE BIBLE AND YOU SAY, 'LORD I DON'T 36:58 UNDERSTAND' OR 'I'M NOT GETTING ANYTHING OUT OF IT.' NOW HERE WE 37:02 ARE AT THE BEGINNING OF A NEW YEAR. HAVE ANY OF YOU MADE A 37:05 COVENANT TO TRY TO READ THE BIBLE EVERY DAY? A RESOLUTION? 37:10 DON'T HAVE TO RAISE YOUR HANDS. I HOPE YOU HAVE. 37:12 YOU'LL GET MORE OUT OF IT IF YOU TAKE A FEW MOMENTS BEFORE YOU 37:14 READ AND SAY, 'LORD, HELP ME TO UNDERSTAND. 37:18 GIVE ME YOUR SPIRIT TO GUIDE ME.' SO THE SPIRIT HELPS US 37:21 ESCAPE FROM THE WORLD'S WAYS THROUGH THE WORD. 37:26 AND THEN YOU READ IN JOHN 8:36, "THEREFORE IF THE SON WILL MAKE 37:30 YOU FREE, YOU WILL BE FREE INDEED." 37:33 DO WE NEED TO BE ENSLAVED TO THE THINGS OF THE WORLD? 37:36 NO, HE SETS US FREE AND IT'S A REAL FREEDOM. 37:39 NOW THERE IS A PRACTICAL CHALLENGE THAT WE ALL GRAPPLE 37:43 WITH AND IT IS THIS: YOU'VE GOT TWO SIDES. 37:48 WE ARE PHYSICAL CREATURES THAT LIVE IN A PHYSICAL WORLD. 37:51 WE'VE GOT PHYSICAL NEEDS - WE NEED STUFF - WE NEED FOOD, WE 37:53 NEED SHELTER - WE NEED THESE THINGS. 37:55 THAT'S CALLED THE CARNAL SIDE - THE FLESHLY NEEDS. 37:59 WHEN YOU BECOME A CHRISTIAN YOU DO NOT LOSE YOUR BODY AND ITS 38:04 NEEDS. YOU DO NOT LOSE THE PRACTICAL 38:07 NECESSITIES OF LIFE THAT NEED TO BE CONSIDERED EVERY DAY. 38:11 WHAT CHANGES BETWEEN THE SPIRIT AND THE FLESH? 38:15 BEFORE YOU ARE CONVERTED, YOU ARE CONTROLLED BY THE FLESH. 38:20 YOU MIGHT HAVE THE HOLY SPIRIT CONVICT YOU BUT YOU ARE 38:23 CONTROLLED BY THE FLESH. YOU MAKE YOUR DECISIONS BASED ON 38:25 THE FLESH - THE CARNAL NATURE. AFTER YOU'RE CONVERTED, YOU MAKE 38:29 YOUR DECISIONS BASED ON THE SPIRIT. 38:31 YOU'VE STILL GOT THE CARNAL NATURE. 38:34 THERE'S A STORY I LIKE TO TELL, IN THE BIBLE. 38:38 THIS MAN IS CARRIED TO JESUS ON A BED. 38:41 HE IS PARALYZED. HE CAN'T GO ANYWHERE. 38:44 HE DEPENDS ON FRIENDS TO CARRY HIM. 38:46 HE GOES WITH THE BED - THE BED CARRIES HIM EVERYWHERE. 38:49 JESUS HEALS HIM, AFTER HE'S BROUGHT TO CHRIST. 38:52 HE STILL HAS THE BED, BUT WHEN HE LEAVES JESUS, HE CARRIES THE 38:56 BED. CHRIST SAID 'STAND UP, TAKE YOUR 38:59 BED, AND GO YOUR WAY.' IT'S KIND OF LIKE THE CARNAL NATURE. 39:04 YOU KNOW, BEFORE WE COME TO JESUS, IT CARRIES US AROUND. 39:07 AFTER CHRIST YOU'VE STILL GOT IT BUT YOU CARRY IT. SO YOU STILL 39:11 HAVE YOUR PHYSICAL NEEDS BUT THEY DON'T CONTROL YOU. 39:13 HERE IS A VERSE THAT TALKS ABOUT THAT - ROMANS 8:5 AND 6 - MATTER 39:17 OF FACT, YOU CAN READ THE WHOLE CHAPTER IN ROMANS THERE - 39:20 CHAPTER 8, "FOR THOSE WHO LIVE ACCORDING TO THE FLESH SET THEIR 39:23 MINDS ON THE THINGS OF THE FLESH, BUT THOSE WHO LIVE 39:26 ACCORDING TO THE SPIRIT THE THINGS OF THE SPIRIT. 39:29 TO BE CARNALLY - THE WORD 'CARNE' MEANS FLESH OR MEAT - TO 39:32 BE CARNALLY MINDED IS DEATH BUT TO BE SPIRITUALLY MINDED IS LIFE 39:38 AND PEACE." SO IF ARE BEING CONTROLLED BY 39:41 THE FLESH - THE THINGS OF THE WORLD, IT'S DEATH. 39:45 TO BE SPIRITUALLY CONTROLLED, THAT IS LIFE AND PEACE. 39:48 NOW, HOW MANY OF YOU WANT LIFE AND PEACE? 39:51 THEN YOU NEED TO BE CONTROLLED BY THOSE THINGS. 39:53 THE NEXT IS THE LIFE OF PRAYER. NOW SOMEONE'S GOING TO 39:57 READ FOR ME MARK 11:24. WHO'S GOT THAT? 40:02 ALRIGHT, GO AHEAD, YOU CAN READ THAT FOR ME. 40:04 >>MARK 11, VERSE 24, "THEREFORE I SAY UNTO YOU, WHAT THINGS SO 40:09 EVER YE DESIRE, WHEN YE PRAY BELIEVE THAT YE RECEIVE THEM AND 40:14 YE SHALL HAVE THEM." >>SO HE SAYS 'WHATEVER YOU ASK, 40:19 PRAY FOR IT AND YOU'LL HAVE IT.' NOW, HOW MANY OF 40:22 YOU HAVE TRIED THAT? AND MAYBE YOU DON'T GET IT. 40:26 MAYBE YOU DID. ARE THERE CERTAIN CRITERIA? 40:30 DO YOU PRAY FOR STUFF? JANICE JOPLIN USED TO TEASE 40:38 SOME OF THE RELIGIOUS MATERIALISTIC PEOPLE. 40:42 SHE WROTE A SONG THAT MANY PEOPLE REMEMBER. 40:44 'OH LORD WON'T YOU BUY ME A MERCEDES BENZ. 40:48 MY FRIENDS ALL HAVE PORSCHES I MUST MAKE AMENDS. 40:53 WORKED HARD ALL MY LIFETIME NO HELP FROM MY FRIENDS. 40:56 OH LORD WON'T YOU BUY ME A MERCEDES BENZ." 41:00 SOMETHING LIKE THAT. AND SOMEONE ELSE MADE A SONG UP 41:06 TO TEASE - WOULD JESUS WEAR A ROLEX? 41:11 - WHAT ARE YOU PRAYING FOR? YOU KNOW, AT THE HEART OF EVERY 41:14 PRAYER IT OUGHT TO BE 'LORD WHAT WILL BRING YOU GLORY' RIGHT? 41:18 NOW, WHILE I'VE BEEN TEACHING WE'LL BACK TO THE LESSON IF TIME 41:21 PERMITS. WE DO HAVE SOME QUESTIONS 41:23 THAT CAME IN ON FACEBOOK. PASTOR ROSS IS SICK TODAY SO 41:27 I'LL BE - AND PASTOR BRUMMOND IS TEACHING ANOTHER CLASS, SO 41:30 I'LL BE READING SOME OF THESE QUESTIONS. 41:32 ONE PERSON IS ASKING, 'DOES TITHE' - WE'RE TALKING ABOUT 41:35 MATERIALISM AND STEWARDSHIP - 'DOES TITHE GO FOR A SPECIFIC 41:39 PURPOSE OR CAN YOU GIVE YOUR TITHE TO OTHER NON-PROFIT 41:42 ORGANIZATIONS IN THE CHURCH? 41:45 WELL, LET'S TALK ABOUT THAT FOR A MOMENT. 41:47 IF EVERYBODY IN THE CHURCH SAYS I'M GOING TO SEND MY TITHE TO MY 41:52 FAVORITE MINISTRY, AND IF THE PASTORS IN THE CHURCH ARE 41:57 SUPPORTED FROM THE TITHE, WHAT WOULD HAPPEN TO PASTORS IF 42:00 EVERYBODY SENT THEIR TITHE TO THEIR FAVORITE MINISTRY? 42:04 EVENTUALLY CHURCHES WOULD NOT HAVE MONEY FOR THEIR PASTORS. 42:08 AND SO THERE NEEDS TO BE A COMMITMENT TO SUPPORT THE - NOW, 42:12 YOU KNOW, THE BIBLE ACTUALLY TALKS ABOUT A SECOND TITHE. 42:15 SOME PEOPLE PAY A SECOND TITHE. 42:17 IF THE LORD HAS BLESSED YOU AND YOU CAN DO THAT AND YOU MIGHT, 42:20 YOU KNOW, SAY 'I'M GOING TO MAKE A COMMITMENT TO ANOTHER 42:23 MINISTRY,' BUT TITHE NEEDS TO GO FOR THE FURTHERANCE OF THE 42:26 GOSPEL AND THE SUPPORT OF THE ORGANIZED MINISTRY. 42:31 'WHAT DOI DO IF MY SPOUSE GETS UPSET WHEN I GIVE TITHE?' 42:34 YOU'VE GOT A BELIEVER MARRIED TO AN UNBELIEVER. 42:37 UNFORTUNATELY, I'VE EVEN SEEN WHERE YOU'VE GOT TWO BELIEVERS 42:39 AND ONE DOESN'T BELIEVE IN TITHE. 42:41 SUPPOSED TO BE BELIEVERS. WHAT DO YOU DO? 42:46 NOW THIS IS NOT AS MUCH A PROBLEM IF THE ONE WHO'S DOING 42:50 THE GIVING IS THE ONE WHO IS WORKING. 42:57 WHAT'S DIFFICULT IS IF ONE, LET'S JUST USE THE TYPICAL 43:00 ANALOGY - YOU'VE GOT A HUSBAND WHO'S WORKING THE WIFE STAYING 43:03 HOME TAKING CARE OF THE CHILDREN. 43:04 THE HUSBAND IS NOT THE BELIEVER AND HE SAYS, 'I'M NOT GIVING TO 43:07 THAT CHURCH. I'M NOT PAYING 43:10 TITHE - 10 PERCENT? YOU OUT OF YOUR MIND? 43:13 HOW ARE WE GOING TO GET BY ON OUR BUDGET WITH 10 PERCENT?' 43:16 WELL, I WOULD SAY, TO START WITH, YOU NEED TO HAVE 43:19 COMMUNICATION WITH YOUR SPOUSE AND SAY, 'I WORK AT HOME. 43:24 I'M TAKING CARE OF THE KIDS AND TAKING CARE OF THE HOME AND THE 43:27 OTHER AFFAIRS OF LIFE THAT CAN BE A FULL-TIME JOB. 43:30 DOES ANY OF YOUR INCOME BELONG TO ME? 43:34 DO YOU THINK I HAVE A RIGHT TO ANY DISCRETIONARY INCOME OR ARE 43:37 YOU SAYING IT'S ALL YOURS?' WELL YOU HAVE TO BE A PRETTY 43:42 DESPOTIC SPOUSE THAT WOULD SAY 'IT'S ALL MINE.' AND THEN SAY, 43:47 'ALRIGHT, WHAT PART OF THE BUDGET IS MINE? 43:49 THEN I'M GOING TO PAY A TITHE OF WHATEVER YOU BELIEVE IS FAIRLY 43:53 MINE. SO YOU MIGHT NEGOTIATE THAT 43:56 WAY OR HE MIGHT SAY, YOU KNOW, CONVINCE THEM 'DO YOU WANT GOD 43:59 TO BLESS ANY OF WHAT YOU HAVE? GOD SAYS IT'LL BE CURSED 44:03 IF YOU DON'T PAY TITHE. AND REASON WITH THEM. 44:06 SOMETIMES AFTER SPOUSES SEE THAT THEIR FUNDS ARE BEING CURSED, 44:09 THEY SAY, 'WELL, MAYBE I OUGHT TO TRY THE TITHE PAYING.' 44:13 DO YOU KNOW GOD WILL EVEN BLESS THE TITHE OF A PERSON WHO 44:16 DOESN'T HAVE A HUNDRED PERCENT OF FAITH? 44:18 DOES GOD KEEP HIS PROMISES? HE SAYS, 'IF YOU PROVE ME IN 44:23 THIS AND SEE IF I DON'T OPEN FOR YOU THE WINDOWS OF HEAVEN.' SO 44:25 I'D SAY ASK HIM TO PROVE GOD. SO THAT IS A CHALLENGE THOUGH. 44:31 'I GIVE MY TITHE TO THE CHURCH, BUT I ASK THEM TO GIVE IT TO THE 44:35 POOR. IS THAT OKAY? 44:37 WELL, IF YOU GIVE IT TO THE CHURCH, ONCE YOU GIVE YOUR TITHE 44:40 TO SOMEONE YOU DON'T THEN DICTATE HOW IT'S TO BE USED. 44:45 IF YOU GIVE SOMETHING TO SOMEONE AND YOU TELL THEM WHAT TO DO, 44:47 YOU HAVEN'T REALLY GIVEN IT YET. YOU'VE GOT TO GIVE - TELL 44:49 THEM WHAT YOUR SUGGESTED RECOMMENDATION IS BEFORE 44:53 THE GIFT AND THAT'S CALLED RESTRICTED INCOME. 44:57 EVERY NOW AND THEN AMAZING FACTS WE GET A GIFT AND SOMEONE SAYS 45:00 WE WANT THIS TO GO TO CHINA. 45:01 WE, BY LAW - AND BY ETHICS, NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT MONEY IS 45:05 REGISTERED - IT'S ALLOCATED TO JUST CHINA. 45:08 AND SOMETIMES WE'LL RAISE MONEY FOR A PARTICULAR PROJECT AND WE 45:12 GET IN MORE THAN WE NEED FOR THE PROJECT. 45:14 WE KEEP IT IN A RESTRICTED FUND AND IT MAY HELP WITH INDONESIA 45:17 OR CHINA - WHATEVER IT IS - FOR YEARS TO COME UNTIL IT'S USED 45:20 UP, BECAUSE IT'S RESTRICTED MONEY. 45:22 SO WHEN YOU GIVE TITHE THE CHURCH HAS DESIGNATED WHAT THE 45:27 TITHE IS TO GO TOWARDS. IF YOU WANT TO GIVE MONEY TO THE 45:29 POOR THEN DON'T GIVE IT TO THE CHURCH AND THEN TELL THE CHURCH 45:31 WHAT TO DO, YOU GIVE IT TO THE POOR. 45:33 BUT ARE YOU NOT SUPPOSED TO BE DOING THAT WITH TITHE. 45:35 AND SOME - NO, I THINK MOST OF THE TITHE GOES TOWARDS - THERE 45:44 WAS A SECOND TITHE IN THE BIBLE WHEN THEY WENT TO THE FEAST THEY 45:47 COULD GIVE TO THE POOR. AND READ ABOUT THAT 45:49 IN DEUTERONOMY. OKAY, IS THERE ANY 45:53 OTHER QUESTIONS. YEAH. 45:54 ANOTHER QUESTION: 'SHOULD WE GET RID OF ALL THINGS WE HAVE 45:57 COLLECTED IN LIFE, SO I'M AVAILABLE TO GO WHERE GOD SENDS 46:01 ME?' MAYBE. YOU KNOW, I THINK AS YOU AS YOU 46:06 GET OLDER - I'VE BEEN SENDING THINGS TO OUR KIDS AND THEY SAY, 46:14 'WELL DON'T YOU WANT TO KEEP THIS? 46:15 IT'S A GREAT MEMORY.' I SAID, YOU KNOW, WHEN I'M GONE YOU'RE 46:16 JUST GOING TO HAVE TO GO THROUGH THIS STUFF SO I'D JUST AS SOON 46:19 HAVE MORE ROOM IN MY HOUSE NOW.' SO WE'RE DOWNSIZING. 46:24 YOU KNOW, KAREN AND I SOLD OUR HOUSE. 46:25 WE MOVED INTO A SMALLER HOUSE. SO WE MOVED OUT OF OUR 46:27 HOUSE INTO A SMALLER HOUSE. WE'RE TRYING TO DOWNSIZE. 46:30 IT FREES YOU UP MORE. SOME PEOPLE GET PETS AND YOU 46:35 CAN'T GO ON A MISSION TRIP BECAUSE YOU CAN'T DO 46:37 ANYTHING BUT YOUR PETS. I LOVE MY PETS BUT I'M AFRAID TO 46:40 GET ANOTHER PET BECAUSE I WANT TO BE FREE AND AVAILABLE TO GOD. 46:44 SO I THINK EVERYBODY OUGHT TO TRY AND DO WHAT THEY CAN SO THEY 46:46 CAN DO AS MUCH AS THEY CAN IN MISSIONARY WORK AND SOUL 46:50 WINNING. IF YOUR THINGS ARE WEIGHING YOU 46:52 DOWN, YOU MIGHT WANT TO LIGHTEN THE LOAD. 46:55 YOU TRAVEL LIGHTER, YOU CAN GO SOMETIMES FARTHER, RIGHT? 47:00 ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? YEAH WE DO. 47:03 'I BELIEVE IN TITHING BUT SOMETIMES I DON'T HAVE ENOUGH 47:06 MONEY FOR FOOD AND BILLS. WHAT SHOULD I DO? 47:09 THAT'S TOUGH. WELL, LET ME ASK THIS QUESTION. 47:14 IF YOU'RE SHORT ON FOOD IS IT OKAY TO STEAL? NO. 47:21 WHAT DOES GOD CALL IT IF WE REFUSE TO RETURN TITHE TO HIM? 47:25 >>STEALING. >>STEALING. NOW I KNOW THAT MAY 47:28 SEEM BRUTAL AND THERE'S SOME UNBELIEVER WATCHING THIS 47:30 BROADCAST AND THINKING, 'YOU PASTORS, YOU HAVE NO COMPASSION. 47:33 YOU'RE TELLING PEOPLE THAT SAY THEY'RE HAVING TROUBLE GIVING' - 47:37 WHAT DID JESUS SAY OF THAT WIDOW THAT GAVE HER LAST TWO CENTS? 47:42 DID HE SAY 'WOMAN ARE YOU OUT OF YOUR MIND? 47:45 HERE YOU MIGHT HAVE ORPHANED CHILDREN AND WHAT ARE YOU DOING 47:48 COMING TO THE TEMPLE GIVING YOUR LAST TWO CENTS?' 47:52 I MEAN SHOULDN'T HE HAVE SAID, 'NO, NO GIVE IT BACK TO HER. 47:55 SHE HAS NOTHING ELSE.' JESUS COMMENDED HER FOR HER FAITH. 48:01 NOW DO YOU THINK THE LORD LET THAT WOMAN GO HUNGRY? 48:03 NO. I AM CONFIDENT THAT HE PROVIDED. 48:08 IT'S LIKE DAVID SAID, 'I WAS YOUNG, I'M NOW OLD, I'VE NOT 48:11 SEEN THE RIGHTEOUS FORSAKEN OR RECEIVE BEGGING BREAD.' YOU SEEK 48:14 FIRST THE KINGDOM OF GOD AND HIS RIGHTEOUSNESS AND ALL THE OTHER 48:17 THINGS WILL BE ADDED. AND SO PROVE THE LORD AND THE 48:20 VERY FACT YOU'RE ASKING THIS QUESTION MEANS 48:22 YOU'RE STILL ALIVE. WHOEVER ASKED LAST 48:24 QUESTION, RIGHT? WHICH MEANS HE HAS TAKEN CARE OF 48:28 YOU AND HE WILL CONTINUE TO TAKE CARE OF YOU. 48:30 ALRIGHT, WE'RE GOING TO GET BACK TO THE LESSON. 48:32 WE STILL HAVE A FEW MORE THOUGHTS - I LIKE THAT, WHERE 48:34 THEY JUST - SOME OF OUR VIEWERS THAT ARE WATCHING RIGHT NOW ARE 48:36 ABLE TO GET INVOLVED IN SHARING THEIR QUESTIONS. 48:40 ALRIGHT, SO WE READ THAT VERSE, 'PRAY WHATEVER YOU ASK, 48:44 BELIEVING YOU WILL RECEIVE.' IS THAT A CARTE BLANCHE STATEMENT? 48:49 IS THAT A BLANK CHECK? 'PRAY, JUST BELIEVE YOU'RE GOING 48:53 TO GET WHATEVER YOU ASK FOR.' SOME PEOPLE HAVE 48:55 READ IT THAT WAY. THERE ARE OTHER MITIGATING 48:57 VERSES YOU NEED TO COMBINE WITH THAT. 49:00 FIRST OF ALL, WILL IT GLORIFY GOD? 49:03 GO TO JOHN 14, VERSE 13, "WHATEVER YOU ASK IN MY NAME 49:07 THAT I WILL DO, THAT MY - THAT THE FATHER MIGHT BE GLORIFIED IN 49:11 THE SON. IF YOU ASK ANYTHING IN 49:13 MY NAME I WILL DO IT." IF iT IS SOMETHING THAT WILL 49:16 BE GLORIFYING THE FATHER AND THE SON. 49:19 AND THEN YOU ALSO NEED TO - YOU CAN READ JAMES - JAMES 1:6, "BUT 49:25 LET HIM ASK IN FAITH NOTHING DOUBTING, FOR HE WHO DOUBTS LIKE 49:28 A WAVE OF THE SEA DRIVEN AND TOSSED BY THE WIND. 49:31 FOR LET NO MAN SUPPOSE THAT HE'LL RECEIVE ANYTHING FROM THE 49:34 LORD." SO ONE OF THE WAYS WE ESCAPE 49:37 FROM THE WORLD'S WAYS IS WE READ THE WORD. 49:40 THE OTHER ONE IS PRAYER. THESE ARE JUST SOME OF THE MOST 49:43 IMPORTANT ASPECTS TO SUCCESS IN THE CHRISTIAN LIFE. 49:48 BUT YOU CAN'T JUST PRAY AND SAY 'LORD I WANT TO BELIEVE.' 49:51 YOU DO NEED TO ASK IN FAITH. JAMES ALSO SAYS, IN THE SAME 49:55 BOOK, 'YOU ASK AND YOU DO NOT RECEIVE BECAUSE YOU ASK AMISS 49:59 THAT YOU MAY SPEND IT ON YOUR PLEASURES.' SO ARE THERE THOSE 50:02 WHO ASK AND MAYBE THEY THINK THEY'RE ASKING IN FAITH AND 50:05 THEY STILL DON'T GET IT? WHY? 50:07 YOU'RE ASKING FOR THE WRONG THING. 50:09 YOU'RE ASKING FOR SOMETHING THAT CAN BE SQUANDERED SELFISHLY. 50:12 AND HE DOESN'T PROMISE TO ANSWER THAT PRAYER. 50:14 WHAT IS ANOTHER CRITERIA TO HAVING YOUR PRAYERS ANSWERED? 50:17 BIBLE SAYS IF I TURN AWAY MY EAR FROM HEARING THE LAW, MY 50:21 PRAYER IS AN ABOMINATION. SO IF THERE'S SOME AREA IN YOUR 50:25 LIFE WHERE YOU ARE LIVING IN AN ONGOING AND DELIBERATE 50:27 DISOBEDIENCE - I'M NOT SAYING THAT IF YOU SIN GOD WON'T 50:30 ANSWER YOUR PRAYERS. I'M SAYING IF YOU'RE LIVING IN 50:32 KNOWN REBELLION TO GOD'S WILL, AND THEN YOU'RE PRAYING AND 50:35 YOU'RE GIVING GOD YOUR SHOPPING LIST. 50:39 IF YOU TURN AWAY YOUR EAR FROM HEARING THE LAW YOUR PRAYER IS 50:41 AN ABOMINATION. THE BIBLE ALSO SAYS 'IF I REGARD 50:44 INIQUITY IN MY HEART HE WILL NOT HEAR ME. 50:48 IF YOUR HEART IS FILLED WITH EVIL - WHAT ABOUT FORGIVING 50:52 OTHERS? IS THAT A CRITERIA? 50:54 SO WHEN YOU PRAY IN JESUS' NAME WHAT DOES THAT MEAN? 50:58 IS THAT LIKE JUST PUTTING THE PERIOD ON THE END OF YOUR 51:00 PRAYER? YOU'VE GOT TO ALWAYS SAY, 'IN 51:02 JESUS' NAME' AND THAT'S SORT OF, LIKE, YOU KNOW, THAT 51:05 SEALS YOUR PRAYER? IT'S THE MAGIC WORD AT 51:08 THE END OF YOUR PRAYER. WHEN IT MEANS PRAYING IN JESUS' 51:12 NAME THAT MEANS PRAYING IN JESUS' SPIRIT. 51:15 DO YOU HAVE FORGIVENESS IN YOUR HEART? 51:17 DO YOU HAVE THE FAITH OF CHRIST? ARE YOU ASKING 51:19 TRUSTING IN HIS MERITS? AND SO IT'S THESE KIND OF 51:23 PRAYERS THAT HELP US ESCAPE. ALRIGHT, LAST SECTION HERE THAT 51:27 WE'RE GOING TO PROBABLY HAVE TIME FOR IS A LIFE OF WISDOM . 51:30 SOMEONE'S GOING TO READ A VERSE FOR ME - PROVERBS 3:13 AND 14 - 51:34 OKAY, MANJEET I'LL GET TO YOU IN JUST A MOMENT. 51:36 FIRST I'M GOING TO READ PSALM 111, VERSE 10, "FOR THE FEAR OF 51:41 THE LORD IS THE BEGINNING OF WISDOM. 51:44 A GOOD UNDERSTANDING HAVE ALL THEY THAT DO HIS COMMANDMENTS." 51:47 YOU NEED WISDOM TO KNOW HOW TO BALANCE YOUR SPIRITUAL NEEDS 51:52 WITH THE PRACTICAL NEEDS OF LIFE. 51:54 BUT THE SPIRITUAL NEEDS TO BE THE PRIORITY. 51:57 AND IT SAYS OBEYING HIS COMMANDMENTS IS THE BEGINNING OF 52:01 WISDOM. GO AHEAD, READ FOR US PROVERBS 3:13 AND 14. 52:04 >>PROVERBS 3:13 AND 14, "HAPPY IS THE MAN WHO FINDS WISDOM AND 52:11 THE MAN WHO GAINS UNDERSTANDING FOR HIS PROFITS ARE BETTER THAN 52:17 THE PROFIT OF SILVER AND HIS GAIN THEN FINE GOLD." 52:23 >>ANYONE OUT THERE WANT MORE GOLD AND SILVER. 52:27 WHAT DOES SOLOMON SAY? DID SOLOMON HAVE A LOT 52:29 OF GOLD AND SILVER? SOLOMON HAD ONE OF THE BIGGEST 52:32 INHERITANCES OF ANY PRINCE THAT CAME INTO THE THRONE. 52:36 DAVID WAS AT THE ZENITH OF HIS CONQUEST JUST BEFORE HE DIED. 52:41 AND YOU START READING THE LAST FEW CHAPTERS THERE IN CHRONICLES 52:44 AND IT TELLS YOU ABOUT ALL THE WEALTH THAT DAVID GOT FROM THE 52:47 EDOMITES, FROM THE MOABITES, FROM THE AMMONITES, FROM THE 52:51 SYRIANS. TRADE WAS COMING IN FROM EGYPT 52:55 AND, BASICALLY - HAVE YOU EVER BEEN - YOU EVER DRIVEN ACROSS 52:59 A TOLL BRIDGE LIKE AROUND SAN FRANCISCO - THE BAY BRIDGE - 53:02 AND YOU SEE THAT RIVER OF CARS? FIVE DOLLARS A CAR - 53:07 IT'S A RIVER OF MONEY. KAREN AND I WERE WATCHING 53:11 SOMETHING ON THE PANAMA CANAL THIS WEEK. 53:13 YOU KNOW WHEN ONE OF THOSE SHIPPING CONTAINERS GOES THROUGH 53:16 THE PANAMA CANAL, IT'S LIKE A NINE HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLAR FEE 53:20 AND THERE'S A ONE AFTER ANOTHER AND THEN YOU LOOK AT THE TALL 53:24 SKYSCRAPERS IN PANAMA YOU KNOW HOW THEY GOT THERE. 53:27 JUST A RIVER OF MONEY. ISRAEL HAD A RIVER OF MONEY 53:30 COMING IN WHEN SOLOMON BECAME KING BECAUSE ALL THE TARIFFS TO 53:35 PASS THROUGH THAT LAND FOR THE TRADE ROUTE, THEY 53:37 WERE ON THE BRIDGE. ISRAEL OWNED THE BRIDGE BETWEEN 53:42 ASIA AND AFRICA AND EUROPE - MIDDLE EAST. 53:47 HE HAD A RIVER OF MONEY. THE BIBLE SAYS THE SILVER WAS 53:50 COUNTED FOR NOTHING EVERYTHING WAS MADE OF GOLD DURING 53:54 THE TIME OF SOLOMON. AND YOU KNOW WHAT SOLOMON SAID? 53:57 'WISDOM IS MORE IMPORTANT THAN ALL OF THAT.' WISDOM IS THE MOST 54:02 IMPORTANT THING. SO PRAY FOR THE HOLY SPIRIT TO 54:04 GIVE YOU THE GIFT OF WISDOM. AND I'M GOING TO JUST READ THE 54:10 LAST SECTION HERE, THE HOLY SPIRIT. 54:12 CHRIST SAID, 'NO ONE CAN COME TO ME UNLESS THE FATHER WHO SENT ME 54:17 DRAWS HIM AND I'LL RAISE HIM UP THE LAST DAY.' THE HOLY SPIRIT 54:21 MUST DRAW US. WE NEED TO HAVE THE SPIRIT 54:23 LEADING US IF WE'RE GOING TO ESCAPE THE WORLD'S WAYS. 54:27 1 JOHN 2:16 AND 17, "FOR ALL THAT'S IN THE WORLD THE LUST OF 54:30 THE FLESH AND THE LUST OF THE EYES AND THE PRIDE OF LIFE, IT'S 54:33 NOT OF THE FATHER BUT THE WORLD, AND THE WORLD IS PASSING AWAY 54:37 AND THE LUST OF IT. BUT HE THAT DOES THE WILL 54:39 OF GOD WILL ABIDE FOREVER." SO WE NEED TO BE LISTENING TO 54:42 THE SPIRIT GUIDING US AWAY FROM THE THINGS OF THE WORLD. 54:46 CHRIST SAID JOHN 16 13, "HOWEVER, WHEN HE" - HOLY 54:51 SPIRIT'S NOT AN IT, HE IS A HE - "FOR WHEN HE THE SPIRIT OF TRUTH 54:55 HAS COME HE WILL GUIDE YOU INTO ALL TRUTH. 54:57 HE WILL NOT SPEAK ON HIS OWN AUTHORITY BUT WHATEVER HE HEARS 55:01 HE WILL SPEAK AND HE WILL TELL YOU THINGS TO COME." 55:05 I JUST LIKE TO EMPHASIZE THAT BECAUSE THERE'S SOME PEOPLE THAT 55:07 STILL INSIST THE HOLY SPIRIT IS JUST AN IMPERSONAL FORCE. 55:11 IT'S THE ELECTRICITY GOD USES OR SOMETHING. 55:14 JESUS MADE IT PRETTY CLEAR THE HOLY SPIRIT IS A HE. 55:16 HE IS THE THIRD PERSON OF THE GODHEAD. 55:18 BUT HE WILL GUIDE YOU. HE TEACHES YOU. 55:20 HE SHOWS YOU THINGS TO COME. WELL I THINK WE LEARNED SOME 55:24 PROFITABLE THINGS ABOUT HOW TO ESCAPE THE WORLD'S WAYS. 55:27 WANT TO THANK THOSE OF YOU WHO JOINED US AND REMIND YOU JUST IN 55:29 CLOSING WE HAVE A FREE AFTER IT'S CALLED ALONE IN THE CROWD. 55:33 WE'LL SEND IT TO YOU SIMPLY FOR ASKING. 55:35 CALL 866-788-3966 THAT'S 866-STUDY MORE AND IT'S OFFER 55:43 #714. GOD BLESS YOU TILL WE READ 55:46 HIS WORD TOGETHER AGAIN. THANK YOU. 55:50 >>LET'S FACE IT, IT'S NOT ALWAYS EASY TO UNDERSTAND EVERYTHING 55:53 YOU READ IN THE BIBLE. WITH OVER 700,000 WORDS 55:56 CONTAINED IN 66 BOOKS, THE BIBLE CAN GENERATE A LOT OF QUESTIONS. 56:01 TO GET BIBLICAL STRAIGHTFORWARD ANSWERS CALL IN TO BIBLE 56:04 ANSWERS LIVE - A LIVE NATIONWIDE CALL-IN 56:06 RADIO PROGRAM WHERE YOU CAN TALK TO PASTOR DOUG BATCHELOR AND ASK 56:10 HIM YOUR MOST DIFFICULT BIBLE QUESTIONS. 56:13 FOR TIMES AND STATIONS IN YOUR AREA, OR TO LISTEN TO ANSWERS 56:16 ONLINE, VISIT BAL.AMAZINGFACTS.ORG . 56:22 >>TIME. ALL THAT IS AND ALL THAT WAS AND ALL THAT IS TO BE LIES 56:30 WITHIN THIS DIMENSION THAT WE KNOW AS TIME. 56:35 BUT WHAT IF THERE WAS A POWERFUL BEING WHO IS UNBOUND BY THE 56:40 CONSTRAINTS OF TIME? A BEING WITH ABSOLUTE 56:45 POWER OVER TIME AND SPACE? POSSIBLE? 56:51 WELL, WHAT IF I COULD PROVE IT? 57:01 >>ROME WAS CRUSHING EVERYTHING IN IT'S WAY. 57:04 >>THAT WAS AN EXACT FULFILLMENT OF PROPHECY. 57:06 >>THEY FELT LIKE THEY WOULD LAST FOREVER. 57:13 >>THERE IS NO DOUBT THAT JESUS EXISTED, THAT HE WAS CRUCIFIED, 57:16 THAT HE WAS BURIED. >>I DON'T THINK THAT ANY 57:18 HISTORIAN WOULD DENY THAT. (DRAMATIC MUSIC) 57:44 >>CAN'T GET ENOUGH AMAZING FACTS BIBLE STUDY? 57:46 YOU DON'T HAVE TO WAIT UNTIL NEXT WEEK TO ENJOY MORE 57:49 TRUTH-FILLED PROGRAMMING, VISIT THE AMAZING FACTS MEDIA LIBRARY 57:53 AT 'AFTV.ORG'. AT 'AFTV.ORG' YOU CAN ENJOY 57:58 VIDEO AND AUDIO PRESENTATIONS AS WELL AS PRINTED MATERIAL ALL 58:03 FREE OF CHARGE, 24 HOURS A DAY 7 DAYS A WEEK, RIGHT FROM YOUR 58:07 COMPUTER OR MOBILE DEVICE. VISIT 'AFTV.ORG'. 58:13 (MUSIC) |
Revised 2018-01-22