Participants: Mollie Steenson (Host), Brian Hamilton, Jill Morikoni, Pr Kenny Shelton
Series Code: SSP
Program Code: SSP000006A
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00:01 The Bible tells us, in the beginning was the word,
00:03 and the word was with God, and the word was God. 00:07 It says to receive with meekness the implanted word, 00:10 which is able to save your souls, 00:13 and to be diligent to present yourself approved to God, 00:17 rightly dividing the word of truth. 00:20 Join us now for the 3ABN Sabbath School Panel. 00:24 Our study today is 00:25 "The Holy Spirit and Spirituality." 00:32 Happy Sabbath and welcome to 3ABN's Bible Study Panel. 00:36 We are so appreciative that you are here. 00:39 If it wasn't for you, we wouldn't be necessary. 00:41 Is that not the truth? 00:43 We are here to share with you 00:45 what God has laid upon our heart, 00:47 and our prayer today is that the power of this word 00:51 will penetrate all of our hearts 00:53 and change us into the very image and likeness 00:55 of the Lord Jesus Christ. 00:57 We are in the sixth lesson of our Bible Study quarterly. 01:02 The title is the Holy Spirit and Living a Holy Life. 01:06 And if you don't have a copy of the Bible Study, 01:10 let me tell you how to get it. 01:12 You go online at absg.adventist.org. 01:17 You can go there right now. Click that in. 01:20 It's on the screen, put that address in your computer, 01:23 you can then either watch on your device, 01:25 your iPad, your iPhone or download it, copy it off 01:29 and you will have your Bible Study guide too. 01:31 And we would love to have you with us, with us, 01:35 get your Bible. 01:36 You need to follow the scriptures. 01:38 Faith comes by hearing and hearing by this word. 01:42 Amen. 01:43 Let me now introduce this panel to you. 01:46 We've got an illustrious panel. 01:49 And to my left, we have Pastor Kenny Shelton. 01:52 Kenny, it's always a joy to have you with us. 01:55 I always appreciate the enthusiasm 01:58 that is not man inspired, but Holy Spirit inspired 02:03 that you bring to our panel. 02:04 Thank you for being here with us. 02:06 It's good to be here. 02:07 I thank you for the opportunity to be here. 02:09 And, you know, to study with the people that join us. 02:11 You know, every week that we're here, you know... 02:14 And when we study, I automatically in my mind 02:16 realizes more than just a few maybe they are here. 02:19 There's multitudes out there that will listen 02:22 and we're speaking and talking and studying with you. 02:25 Thank you for joining us. 02:26 To my left, Brother Brian Hamilton. 02:29 God bless you, friend. 02:30 It's always good when you're around. 02:32 You come up with something good every time. 02:33 The Holy Spirit inspires you. Well, thank you. 02:35 It inspires us. 02:36 Thank you for joining us. 02:37 And to my left is Jill. 02:41 Jill is a teacher at heart. 02:46 She teaches music. 02:47 Has taught music for many years. 02:49 Yes. 02:50 She is also a student of God's word 02:53 and teaches God's word. 02:55 Jill, it's good to have you part of our team. 02:58 Thank you so much, Brian. 02:59 It's just a privilege to open up God's word 03:01 and to study about the Holy Spirit. 03:03 And I'm just privileged and humble to be here 03:06 on the panel with each one of you. 03:08 And, Mollie, I'll toss it back to you. 03:10 Mollie is... 03:11 One of the things I love about Mollie, 03:13 is that her heart is open to what the word of God, 03:17 what the Holy Spirit tells her to do. 03:20 I've seen that over and over, Mollie. 03:22 You will say, "Well, the Lord convicted me of this. 03:24 The Lord showed me this in my life." 03:26 And so you have a spirit that is open to God 03:29 and we're just blessed 03:31 that you're moderating our panel today. 03:32 Well, thank you very much. 03:34 And something that, I think we all are aware of, is that, 03:37 any conviction or anything that God does in your heart, 03:41 it's a work of the Holy Spirit. 03:43 And if it wasn't for that working of the Holy Spirit, 03:46 we would be of omen in such a desperate situation. 03:50 Thank God for this study that we're doing on the Holy Spirit. 03:54 You know, we're going to share our memory verse now 03:58 and after we share our memory verse, 04:01 I want Jill to open in prayer. 04:03 And our memory verse, I want you to read along with us. 04:06 It's 1 Thessalonians 5:23. 04:08 So let's all read the memory verse together if you will. 04:12 "Now may the God of peace himself sanctify you entirely, 04:18 and may your spirit and soul and body 04:21 be preserved complete without blame 04:25 at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ." 04:28 Amen. Jill, open in prayer. 04:30 Holy Father, we come before You in the name of Jesus 04:33 and we thank You for Sabbath. 04:36 We thank You for this time we have to come apart 04:39 and to open up Your word. 04:41 We thank You for our brothers and sisters 04:42 who are joining with us. 04:45 And we ask, as we open up this holy pages, 04:48 that You would by the power of Your spirit 04:50 open up and enlightened our minds, our understanding 04:55 that You will give us ears to hear 04:57 what Your Holy Spirit has for us today, 05:01 in Jesus' name, amen. 05:03 Amen. Amen. Thank you. 05:05 Now our lesson study today, it's lesson number six 05:10 is the Holy Spirit and living a holy life. 05:13 Wow. 05:14 And I think I want to start out with this question. 05:19 How do we even begin to grasp the holiness of God 05:25 with our nature in such a fallen carnal condition? 05:30 And what's the nature of God? 05:32 Perfect, holiness. 05:35 And we with this finite mind ought to understand 05:39 the infinite holiness of a pure and holy God. 05:43 And we're asking even now, 05:46 Father, by the power of Your spirit 05:48 quicken this, this holiness to us 05:52 and let us see that it is possible. 05:55 Do you remember when you first became a Christian. 05:58 Think back, Ken, it will take us way back to there, Kenny. 06:01 When we first became Christians, 06:03 everything was new, we were very sensitive 06:07 to the prompting of the Holy Spirit. 06:09 We could just have an ugly thought 06:13 and you would be quick to repent. 06:15 And now I ask... 06:17 Now maybe this isn't true with any of you, 06:20 but have things changed through the years? 06:23 It's a process called desensitization. 06:27 I'm sure, I got that word just right. 06:28 We get desensitized. 06:30 What desensitizes us? 06:31 We're living in this world. 06:33 We're in this world, we're not of this world, 06:35 but we're living in this world. 06:37 And we see and hear things everyday 06:41 that would have appalled our grandparents 06:44 and our parents would have whipped us for it... 06:46 Now, that's the truth. 06:47 Because, I mean, you can't even walk through the mall 06:50 and not hear things 06:51 that you don't want going into your ears. 06:53 We're to, to guard our hearts and our eyes. 06:56 Guards our heart without diligence. 06:58 Above all that you guard, 06:59 because out of it flow the issues of life, 07:02 but living in this world, 07:03 we're going to be exposed to things that desensitize us. 07:10 The goal of every Christian and I'm sure it's true for you 07:13 is to be like Jesus. 07:15 Isn't that what we want to be? 07:16 We want purity and holiness working within us. 07:19 We've to be imitators. 07:20 It's Ephesians 5:1-2. 07:22 And I know we, we read this quite often. 07:25 But the scripture says, 07:27 "Therefore be imitators of God as dear children. 07:31 And walk in love, as Christ also has loved us 07:34 and given Himself for us, 07:36 an offering and a sacrifice to God..." 07:39 I like this. 07:41 "..for a sweet-smelling savor." 07:43 Our lives are to be a sweet-smelling savor to God. 07:46 So here's our questions for today. 07:49 I'm full of questions I think today. 07:52 Are we a sweet-smelling aroma to God, and if not, 07:58 how can we become a sweet-smelling savor to God? 08:00 Now my topic for Sunday is the Holiness of God. 08:05 And 1 Peter 1:14-16, and turn, turn in your Bible there. 08:11 1 Peter 1:14-16, the scripture says, 08:15 "As obedient children, not conforming yourselves 08:19 to the former lusts, as in your ignorance; 08:23 but as He who called you is holy, 08:26 you also be holy in all your conduct, 08:30 because it is written, 'Be ye holy, for I am holy.'" 08:34 Wow. That is powerful. 08:36 For us who have not an inkling of what holiness is 08:40 and we confess sins and, 08:42 and we're gonna look at this a little later. 08:44 Oh, He's faithful and just to forgive us and to cleanse us. 08:47 And we can stand there and be in a right relationship, 08:50 maybe have a few moments of actually being 08:54 in a righteous condition. 08:57 But then something always comes along. 09:00 And, so God is calling us to holiness. 09:04 What is holiness? 09:06 That's being separated from sin. 09:09 And, and we know we can't be separated from sin 09:12 in this world. 09:13 It goes on all around us. 09:15 Where are we to be separated from sin? 09:17 Within ourselves. 09:18 We can have sin separated from us in our actions, 09:23 in our thoughts and all these areas. 09:25 And is it difficult to do? Sure it is. 09:28 Because we're carnal man, 09:31 but by the power of the Holy Spirit, 09:33 He is drawing us out of darkness and into life. 09:38 Amen. 09:39 You know, I actually think rather than the scripture 09:43 I just read where God says, "Be holy for I'm holy." 09:46 I think, I like 1 John 4:8 better. 09:49 It says that God is love. 09:51 Oh, I can identify with that. 09:53 God is love. He loves me. 09:56 But to say God is love, that is a description of God. 10:00 And thank God, the love of God is shed abroad in our heart, 10:03 but that is to help us move into a holy condition. 10:07 Holiness describes the purity and moral perfection 10:11 of God's nature. 10:13 His holiness means, that He is perfectly good 10:18 and completely free from evil. 10:20 However, it is His holiness that is the very foundation 10:25 of all of His other attributes. 10:27 Without that holy nature, 10:29 His love wouldn't have the power or the effect 10:33 that it must have. 10:34 Thank God. 10:36 What would we want or would you want a omnipotent God... 10:42 What is omnipotent? 10:43 Oh, knowing all powerful. 10:46 One that has infinite power, or omniscient God, all knowing, 10:51 perfect, omnipresent, God is everywhere at all times. 10:55 Would you want a God that has all of those attributes 10:59 and He wasn't morally perfect in His holy nature? 11:05 See, if you've got something, if you've got a God... 11:08 Dangerous. 11:10 I think we'll be scared of him 11:13 to have an omnipotent, all powerful, all knowing. 11:16 His power would, would be overwhelming to us. 11:21 It could harm us, but we know that our God has got 11:25 a holy nature, perfectly holy, totally holy in every area, 11:30 full of love. 11:31 That is the God we can be drawn to. 11:34 And, and, see God is, His power is holy power, 11:39 His mercy is holy mercy, His wisdom is holy wisdom 11:45 and His love is holy love. 11:48 Holiness defines His very nature. 11:51 It defines who God is. 11:54 God is holy. 11:55 And He is saying to us, "Be ye holy, for I'm holy." 12:01 Now I've heard teachings 12:02 and I'm sure you have on both sides of this. 12:05 There is no way we can be holy. 12:07 No, not within ourselves. 12:09 And, and have you ever prayed, oh... 12:12 And I know you have. 12:13 God exchange my weakness for your strength, 12:16 exchange my unholiness for your holiness, 12:20 in my insufficiency be my all sufficiency, 12:23 in my weakness, make me strong. 12:25 I need your strength, O Lord. 12:27 See, we know that there is no good thing working in us 12:31 that we could never have a holy thought 12:34 except by the power of the Holy Spirit 12:36 working within us. 12:37 That's right. And I love Isaiah 6:3. 12:41 See, in the Bible when God really wants 12:46 to emphasize something, He repeats it. 12:49 Remember Jesus would say, truly, truly I say unto you. 12:54 He is telling you, this is vitally important, 12:57 listen to me. 12:58 He says, open Jerusalem. 13:00 His heart was breaking over Jerusalem. 13:02 Oh, Jerusalem, Jerusalem. 13:05 It was of highest importance to Him at that time. 13:09 Talking to Martha, remember He called her, Martha, Martha. 13:14 So we look here in Isaiah 6:3. 13:18 Here is something that is repeated three times 13:21 signifying, this is of highest importance. 13:25 Isaiah 6:3, "Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts, 13:31 the whole earth is full of His glory!" 13:35 He says, holy, holy is our God 13:38 and He's calling us into that holiness. 13:40 His hearts desire. 13:42 God's heart desire. 13:44 Do you know that God has desires? 13:47 His heart's desire is for us to be like Him, for us to be holy. 13:54 And, and I just want to touch on this for a moment. 13:57 I did a little earlier. 13:58 It's 1 John 1:9. 14:00 Every single one of us, better thank God everyday 14:04 for 1 John 1:9. 14:06 What is 1 John 1:9 say? 14:08 "If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just" 14:14 to do two things, Kenny. 14:16 "He forgives us of our sins" but he goes one step further. 14:20 "He cleanse us from all unholiness, 14:25 all unrighteousness." 14:28 If you are cleansed from... 14:30 Brian, if you're cleansed from all unrighteousness... 14:33 Now I'm gonna say, at that moment, 14:35 if I can confess my sins, 14:37 God's not just gonna forgive me, 14:39 He's gonna cleanse me. 14:41 I'm cleansed from all unrighteousness. 14:43 So at that moment, what does that make me? 14:46 What does it make you 14:48 if you're cleansed from all unrighteousness? 14:49 Holy. It makes you holy. 14:50 It makes you holy. 14:52 It makes you righteous. 14:53 See, through the blood of the Lord Jesus Christ, 14:55 a pathway has been made. 14:57 Christ rot at that Calvary, everything necessary for us 15:02 to walk in holiness and you may have to repent. 15:05 Go back to that repentant table 15:08 and repent, every, every other few minutes. 15:13 But as, as you have that pure repentant heart before God, 15:17 you stand before God with clean hands and a pure heart 15:20 and there is holiness working within you. 15:23 But, we need to go back to that, 15:25 that repentant prayer over and over again. 15:28 Do we not? Amen. 15:29 Who's got thoughts on this, Kenny? 15:30 Well, you know, you're helping us to think. 15:33 This is good. 15:34 Because the scripture you're giving us... 15:36 And, and, you know, the time will come that 15:39 when the Holy Spirit is impressing someone to go. 15:41 You say to the people, go there and confess and forsake. 15:45 We need to do it because there will come a time, 15:47 when we'll live in the side of a holy God without a mediator. 15:50 We'll not have that mediator, we'll not have Christ, you see, 15:53 when probation closes. 15:55 So we needed to be very, very careful. 15:56 So when the opportunity comes, jump on that, do it right now. 16:00 Do it right now while our probation is still lingering. 16:04 Well, it reminds of the beatitude 16:07 of Matthew 5:6. 16:10 "Blessed are those who hunger and thirst 16:13 for righteousness..." 16:15 And thus, you can put the word holy in there, holiness. 16:18 Well, in the promise "For they shall be filled." 16:22 Thank you. Lot of meaning to that. 16:23 Yes, there is. 16:25 Amen. God wants to change us. 16:27 You know, He wants us to make us into the image of Jesus. 16:29 And I love that, because as we come before Him, 16:32 as we ask, as we know that He forgives us, He cleanses us. 16:37 And I think day by day we have choices to make, 16:40 to seek first His kingdom, to spend time in His word. 16:43 When His Holy Spirit speaks to us, 16:45 to make that choice for Jesus because every time we do that, 16:48 His character is being worked in our hearts and lives. 16:51 Amen. And that's true, that's true. 16:53 And as that convicting power of the Holy Spirit is upon you, 16:58 for you to confess those sins, 16:59 don't reject the convicting power of the Holy Spirit. 17:02 Remember, it's the goodness of God 17:04 that brings us to repentance and it's... 17:07 The scripture also tells us 17:09 that repentance is a gift from God. 17:11 So as there is conviction there, 17:14 be sure to have that sensitivity. 17:17 Oh, God, remove from us the insensitivity 17:22 to God's Holy Spirit and quicken this sensitivity 17:25 that we need to be quick to repent. 17:28 Now on Monday, the title of Monday 17:31 is the nature of holiness 17:33 and that the panel is gonna discuss between us. 17:37 And I wanted to start out with a quote from Sister White 17:42 in Steps to Christ. 17:43 That's another good book that you can get 17:46 from the 3ABN Call Center. 17:48 It will just help you in your walk with God. 17:51 Sister White tells us that, "The closer you come to Jesus, 17:56 the more faulty you will appear in your own eyes; 18:00 for your vision will be clearer, 18:02 and your imperfections will be seen 18:04 in broad and distinct contrast to His perfect nature. 18:10 This is evidence that Satan's delusions have lost their power 18:15 with the vivifying influence of the Spirit of God 18:21 is arousing you." 18:22 Amen. 18:23 That gives me hope. 18:25 When I read that because so many times when you, 18:28 in your journey, at least in my own journey with Jesus. 18:31 Sometimes I think, wow, 18:34 I didn't know that was in there. 18:36 I didn't know there was something going on in my heart. 18:39 Thank you Father, for showing me that, 18:41 but this gives me hope 18:42 because the closer, the more you look at Jesus, 18:46 the more we see our filthiness in contrast to His purity. 18:51 Now the closer we get to that light, 18:53 the darkness in us is exposed. 18:55 Yes, that's it. 18:56 Yeah. 18:57 It's interesting because when you talk to some people, 19:00 you talk to them, they will say... 19:01 You might be pointing out. They may be asking questions. 19:03 They are pointing out. 19:05 Some may say, well, you know, well, 19:06 I don't see anything wrong with it, you talk some... 19:08 I don't see anything wrong with it. 19:10 You know, my first response. 19:11 Well, I don't see anything right with it. 19:13 But you go back is... 19:15 Remember we just brought this point out. 19:17 The closer we get to Him, the more we see our self, 19:21 the choices that we make, the life that we live 19:24 is unholy, it's unclean, 19:26 there needs to be some changes made. 19:29 So rather than looking at 19:30 someone's trying to question it, you know, 19:31 just, you know, look at and say, you know what? 19:33 He's holy and I want to be holy like Him. 19:36 Make the right choices and right decisions, 19:38 and I know God's gonna bless you for it. 19:39 And don't always just say, oh, I don't, 19:41 there's nothing wrong with this. 19:43 You know, if it's of the world, there's a lot wrong with it. 19:46 Okay. 19:47 We're looking at the nature of holiness, Brian. 19:49 Yeah. 19:51 I was just looking at that title "The Nature." 19:53 The word, "The Nature." 19:55 And then there's what is holiness like. 19:57 Is holiness like the rigid harsh rules 20:03 that one must abide by. 20:05 Rigid heart or the lesson had us look 20:09 at Ephesians 5:25 20:12 and I have my Bible open to that. 20:14 Me too. 20:16 I do. 20:17 Husbands love your wife. 20:20 Is that a harsh rule? 20:23 No. 20:24 Love is something warm. 20:26 It's, it's, it feels good, it is good, it's holy. 20:32 You know, love is a good thing, it's not a, not a bad thing. 20:36 So it seems to me, part of the nature of holiness 20:40 is whatever love is like. 20:43 And love is something good, it is not something harsh, 20:46 it's usually soft, it's... 20:50 I don't know what, just, how, what verse to use 20:52 to describe this is love your wife just as Christ 20:55 also loved the church and gave himself for her. 20:59 So holiness must be like love, 21:02 which is all about self-giving and not self-getting. 21:06 Self sacrificing. Yeah. 21:08 If you look at the next verse. Okay. 21:10 Why does He loved the church? 21:12 Why does He give Himself for her? 21:14 That He might sanctify and cleanse her 21:17 with the washing of the water of the word. 21:19 So because of His love, He sanctifies. 21:23 So He cleanses us. 21:25 He brings us through the fire, He purges us because of love. 21:31 Because if He loves us and loves us as His people. 21:37 We cannot live in the presence of a holy God, 21:40 when there's sin and spots and defilement, 21:43 and He wants to prepare us for heaven, 21:45 prepare us for spending the eternity in His presence. 21:48 Washing of water by the word, what is that? 21:51 Again, it's the word of God, with the Holy Spirit 21:55 breathed initially in the first place, 21:57 that's what we're cleansed with 21:59 and now go back to, I think it's Psalms 119. 22:05 It might be 189, but I'm not sure what the scripture says. 22:08 It's not... 22:09 The entrance of thy word gives life, 22:11 it gives understanding to the simple. 22:14 I know it's Psalms 119. I'm looking. 22:16 And so as the entrance of God's word enters, 22:19 it exposes the darkness and it, 22:22 the light then will dispel that darkness. 22:25 Let's go along with that scripture. 22:27 That he might present her, her what? 22:30 Her the church to himself a glorious church 22:34 not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing 22:39 but that she should be holy and without blemish. 22:44 God wants us to be holy 22:47 and He is doing everything necessary 22:49 to bring that holiness into. 22:52 You know, when He says the church, 22:54 you can say, oh, that's the church, 22:55 that's all those people out there. 22:57 No, you're part of the church, 22:58 you have to take those scriptures to yourself. 23:01 So holiness has to have what, you mentioned yourself love 23:04 because holiness is Christ's likeness. 23:07 It has to be so, you know, God is certainly is love here. 23:11 But I have a question because I hear people say this 23:14 all the time, we might want to discuss it 23:16 because we talk about perfection, 23:17 we talk about holiness. 23:19 Now jot it down. 23:20 It says, some people say 23:21 being holy does not make a person perfect or sinless. 23:28 But as the Holy Spirit comes in, 23:32 they can start to live a pure and holy lifestyle. 23:36 Now, I'm trying to figure out 23:38 in my poor little mind the difference. 23:41 Now notice what it says, "Make a person... 23:42 Read that one more time. 23:43 Makes a person perfect, 23:45 some says holy does not make a person perfect or sinless 23:50 but as the Holy Spirit comes in, 23:53 they can start to live a pure and holy lifestyle. 23:58 That sounds to me like perfection. 24:01 Still sounds like holiness 24:03 if you're talking about pure and holy lifestyle. 24:06 It's like we kind of went around the barn with that, 24:09 but again Hebrews 12:14 says, you know, pursue holiness, 24:14 notice, without which no man will see God. 24:18 That's right. 24:19 So this is something we need to take serious. 24:20 We may be haven't for years in among God's people 24:23 His last day church, 24:25 is God means exactly what He says. 24:28 As you take Matthew 5:18, I've heard people... 24:31 May I use a word butchered. 24:33 It says, you know, be ye perfect as a father 24:35 which art in heaven is perfect. 24:37 They'll say, well, it doesn't really mean that. 24:38 No, it means just that. 24:40 And can give you probably 30 Spirit of Prophecy quotes 24:43 on that itself if we have doubts. 24:45 Be ye perfect as a father which art in heaven is perfect. 24:49 Desire of Ages, 311, quickly, 24:51 "The ideal of Christian character is Christ-likeness. 24:55 As the Son of man was perfect in His life..." 24:58 The Son of who? The Son of man. 25:00 Jesus here in the flesh just like us. 25:02 As He was perfect in His life 25:04 so His followers are to be perfect in their life. 25:09 His character is to be ours, 25:11 so we realize it's His character, 25:12 but they still has to come in, 25:14 when you invite him in, changes our heart and our life. 25:17 Rather than trying to push it off 25:19 and say well, it'll never happen that way. 25:21 We need to be careful about that. 25:23 Because we need to be holy as He is holy. 25:26 That the word perfection is at least 25:30 sometimes a little bit scary sounding 25:33 because in the English definition 25:36 of perfection is like in ultimate state. 25:41 Coming to a point of ultimate, 25:46 where nothing is ever wrong, you know. 25:50 And you go, well, you look at yourself and you say, 25:52 man, I have not arrived, I don't know if anybody else 25:56 that I have seen that has arrived. 25:58 So how do I handle this perfect? 26:01 I think the biblical view of perfection 26:05 is something that is always out there 26:11 that you always live for and strive for 26:14 and you grow in, in a continuous way. 26:17 It's, it's kind of like climbing a mountain, 26:19 then there is another one on the other side, 26:21 and you climb that one, and then there is another one, 26:23 and there is joy in that. 26:27 God is the only being that I know 26:28 of that is infinite perfect. 26:32 In other words, an end point, He isn't becoming. 26:35 He is, He is not becoming, 26:38 but we have the privilege of always becoming.. 26:42 Because Christ came here to do what? 26:45 He set the example that in the human flesh 26:48 of what could happen to the power of the Holy Spirit 26:50 that you can live a perfect life, 26:52 He had no edge over us, you know, 26:55 whatsoever so we have to look at it in the reality of it. 26:58 There will be a people 27:01 when His character is fully reproduced in us 27:04 He will come, Christ's Object Lessons. 27:06 He's not waiting for the Sunday Laws, 27:07 He's not waiting for a bunch of all this other stuff 27:09 to take place even though it will happen. 27:11 He is waiting for His character 27:12 to be perfectly reproduced in us 27:15 and then He will come. 27:18 Says quickly, it says, "First the blade, 27:21 then the ear and what? 27:22 The full corn. The full corn. 27:24 Let me ask you a question. 27:25 When the blade first comes up, is it perfect in that stage? 27:28 It is. 27:29 Absolutely, then the corn and then the full corn, 27:32 so it's sanctification work for lifetime is still going on. 27:35 Right. Perfect in its sphere. 27:36 Because of grace of God and forgiveness of sin, 27:38 we can live that life when the Holy Spirit 27:40 simply says to you need, you know, 27:42 get on your knees and ask forgiveness. 27:43 You stay at that point, the time will come again 27:46 we will not have a mediator so like. 27:48 It's something we really need to look at 27:50 and not just throw it off like it doesn't really matter. 27:53 Kenny, it sounds to me like you've already started 27:55 on your portion which is Tuesday... 27:56 Ooh, glory, I probably have. The agent of sanctification. 27:59 I did want to throw in Psalms 119:160, 28:02 I hate to leave somebody 28:03 without the scripture reference. 28:05 The entrance of thy word gives like, 28:07 gives understanding to the simple. 28:08 Kenny, tell us about sanctification? 28:10 Sanctification, we call the agent of sanctification. 28:13 First passage of scripture we've to be quickly 28:15 in Hebrews 12, Hebrews 12. 28:20 You know, as we look at these, these are going to be 28:22 we're calling agents so we're going to 28:24 define sanctification, true sanctification, 28:27 but you also need to see, is that God's really say, 28:30 His really, His plan for us? 28:32 Hebrews 12, we've read it several times verse 14, 28:35 Hebrews 12:14, the Bible says, 28:40 "Follow peace with how many men?" 28:42 All men. 28:43 "All men and holiness without which no man will see God." 28:50 So this is God's plan for us. 28:52 Turn back a few chapters there, 1 Thessalonians, 28:56 1 Thessalonians 4, 1 Thessalonians 4:3-4. 29:01 This is what the Bible says, 29:03 that's why you have your Bible out at home, 29:04 you have your guide so you can get in on this 29:06 where there's good discussion. 29:08 Notice verse 3, 1 Thessalonians 4, 29:11 "For this is the will of God even your sanctification 29:15 that you should abstain from fornication, 29:18 that everyone of you should know 29:20 how to possess his vessel in, what, 29:24 in sanctification and honor." 29:27 God's plan certainly is still, still for us. 29:31 Let's read 1 Thessalonians I think it's in 5:23, 29:35 we're already right there, 1 Thessalonians 5:23, 29:40 I'll find it here, I've got it. 29:41 It says, "And the very God of peace sanctify you" how? 29:45 Partly. Completely. 29:47 Completely. 29:48 "Holy, completely, I pray God 29:50 your whole spirit, soul and body be preserve" how. 29:54 Blameless. With a little bit of Blame... 29:55 "Blameless unto to the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ." 30:00 This kind of gives us an idea, 30:02 2 Thessalonians just one more quick, 30:03 2 Thessalonians 2:13, 2 Thessalonians 2:13, 30:10 I always like to say, this is what the Bible says... 30:12 ..that ends it for me. That's right. 30:13 Is what the Bible says, verse 13, 30:16 "But we are bound to give things always to God 30:19 for you brethren beloved other Lord 30:21 because hath from the beginning 30:23 chosen you to salvation through" what? 30:26 Sanctification. 30:28 "Sanctification of the spirit and belief of the truth." 30:30 Belief of sanctification, preparation for heaven, 30:34 kind of put it, kind of plain, sanctification for heaven. 30:38 Sanctification and true sanctification, 30:40 let's just to go through. 30:42 Remember sanctification to me is a continual growth in grace. 30:46 So we have to balance the issue here 30:48 and not get too far out on the limb. 30:49 But still we're to seek the character of Christ 30:52 or still to be like Him. 30:54 He came, He lived, 30:55 He set the example with no edge over us. 30:57 So something He set for us. 30:59 It's growth in grace 31:01 and it's daily conforming to the will of God. 31:05 That'd be sanctification, isn't it? 31:07 Conforming to the will of God. 31:09 So it continues on. 31:10 Sanctification then, there is about nine things 31:12 I want to just run by quickly. 31:14 Sanctification is accomplished by beholding Christ, 31:18 that makes sense to me. 31:19 By beholding Him we become what? 31:22 We become changed. That's right. 31:23 Only by faith in Christ can this be attained. 31:28 It's by the power of the Holy Spirit 31:31 that sanctification comes about. 31:33 Again daily conforming to the will of God. 31:39 Sanctification is a... 31:41 For me it's like everyday dying to self. 31:44 I've often said, self is my biggest enemy. 31:46 Absolutely. 31:47 It's not the preacher, it's not the teacher. 31:50 We say it's not the enemy but, you know, 31:52 the enemy is part of the self business 31:53 but us were our biggest enemy. 31:57 Daily dying to self, that's why Jesus said 31:59 in Isaiah 1 in all the other. 32:01 Purity then brings Christ like purity. 32:04 So we seek that sanctification that purity 32:07 because it helps it to be pure like Christ. 32:10 Sanctification is the work of a lifelong obedience. 32:15 Always obey, we've talked about that several times, 32:17 by obeying a lifetime, you see this is sanctification. 32:22 Sanctification is truth received in the heart 32:26 and it's then carried out in my life, 32:27 it's not, we often said, to have it where? 32:30 In our hearts. That's right. 32:31 We have to carry it out in our life. 32:34 Why do I need to be sanctified? 32:36 Why we worry about being sanctified? 32:38 You know why? Because I'm a sinner. 32:39 Right. 32:40 I'm a sinner and I need to change. 32:42 Born in the sinful world, we've all sinned 32:45 and come short of the glory of God. 32:47 I need a change to take place. 32:48 Sanctify to me is being preparation for heaven, 32:52 and only those who are like Christ will make it to heaven. 32:55 Living up to every ray, every bit of light that we have, 32:59 I hope that make sense. 33:01 We behold Him, as we behold Him, 33:03 we become like Him. 33:05 So we need it because our natures need to be changed 33:09 in that sinful to sinless. 33:12 Holiness helps us to look to Jesus. 33:15 Something else I want to read here quickly 33:17 because time is running out. 33:18 2 Corinthians we realized 3:18 just quickly, 33:21 'cause we said, by beholding we become like Him. 33:24 2 Corinthians 3:18, 33:25 but we all with an open face beholding him in a glass 33:30 the glory, I like it, of the Lord, 33:32 we are changed from what? 33:34 From image, what? Glory to glory. 33:36 From glory to glory even as by the spirit of the Lord. 33:39 Continue growth process glory to glory 33:42 we're always upward and onward 33:43 and being more and more like Christ as we behold Him. 33:49 I believe it's Manuscript 1890 says this, listen carefully. 33:52 "When the soul is brought into close relationship 33:55 with the great author of light and truth 33:57 which you brought out here. 33:59 Impressions are made upon it 34:01 revealing its true position before God. 34:05 Then self will die, pride will be laid low, 34:09 Christ will draw out His image in deeper lines upon the soul. 34:14 A progressive work when we behold Him, 34:18 we see our true position. 34:20 Again Hebrews 12:2, we're looking unto Jesus 34:23 who is the author and the finisher of our faith. 34:27 You know, He that has begun a good work 34:29 and He will do, what? 34:30 He will bring it to completion. That's right. 34:32 If He begins it and it's not completed, 34:33 oh, we're in a bad position. 34:36 It says, I'm gonna complete that work 34:38 so I believe by the grace of God, 34:39 He started on you, He started on me. 34:42 And I ask Him daily to please finish that work, why? 34:45 Because I recognized, I need to be finished. 34:47 I realized, He's still working on me, 34:49 I'm still seeing that little tent. 34:50 He is still working on me. 34:52 I do not use that as an excuse to sin. 34:54 I do not use that to say, well, that's why I'm weak, 34:56 and that's why I do this and that. 34:58 There is no... 34:59 Ellen White says this, she said, 35:01 "There is no excuse for sinning." 35:02 Well, that hit me pretty hard. 35:05 But you know what? I did not back up from it. 35:07 By the grace of God, I looked at and said, 35:08 you know what, you're exactly right 35:10 because of the power that's offered to me, 35:12 because of what heaven offers me, you know. 35:15 All of heaven would be empty 35:17 rather than see me go the wrong direction. 35:19 All of heaven was empty. 35:20 All of heaven would be emptied again, 35:22 sister Mollie, if you really need that help, 35:24 it would be emptied for you. 35:26 That's how special you are, you know. 35:28 Have we resisted? 35:30 I thought about this, and I said, 35:31 no, I haven't resisted. 35:33 Have you resisted unto blood? 35:35 You see, until we come to that point, somebody stay with me. 35:38 Until we had rather die than willfully sin, 35:43 we're in trouble. 35:45 That means you resist in the blood. 35:46 Jesus resisted unto blood. 35:48 Before He would sin, He gave His life. 35:51 I'm so grateful and thankful for that. 35:53 I'll tell you just, it makes me happy. 35:55 I'll say this as reminder, our time is going down. 35:58 For those of you making little excuses, bless your heart. 36:00 There is no biblical sanctification for anyone 36:05 who cast aside part of any truth. 36:09 We will be judged by the light that we have 36:13 or have opportunity to come in contact with. 36:16 I mean, that's pretty heavy duty, 36:18 but you know, we live in a time 36:19 where I believe it needs to be heavy duty. 36:22 We don't need to be dancing around the barn. 36:24 We don't need to be mincing words 36:25 or try to agree with this person or that. 36:27 I want to come in agreement with what the word of God says, 36:30 regardless of how it might seem, 36:32 because I know what help awaits me 36:34 and what help awaits each one of us 36:36 if we just call on that dynamic power. 36:39 So when this work of sanctification 36:41 comes to full completion, Brian, 36:44 what is our condition gonna be? 36:45 That of holiness, and you're gonna give us 36:48 the rules of holiness in God's law. 36:51 Okay. 36:53 Kenny, I appreciated that what you shared there. 36:58 I just have a little something I wanted to add to it 37:00 if I could. 37:02 The title was the agent of sanctification. 37:06 Sanctification that work of a lifetime, 37:08 but how is that possible? 37:11 It takes an agent. Amen. 37:13 And 1 Corinthians defines that to us is 37:18 Chapter 6 in verse 11. 37:23 But such were some of you, 37:26 in other words, there were good things, 37:28 but such were some of you but you're washed 37:32 and that's the Holy Spirit doing it. 37:33 Come on now. 37:35 And you were sanctified, again that's the Holy Spirit doing, 37:38 and you were justified, again that's Jesus' blood, 37:41 in the name of Lord Jesus by the spirit of our God. 37:47 Amen. Amen. 37:48 So the agent for any of us to accomplish anything 37:52 in the way of holiness and sanctification 37:55 has to be and only the Holy Spirit. 37:59 Amen, absolutely. Amen. 38:02 The lesson in Wednesday start out with the question 38:05 I had never ever thought about. 38:09 It was like and when I read it, 38:11 it was like, what? 38:13 This is a... 38:14 I mean why even ask the question. 38:16 Why should we keep His law if we can't be saved by it? 38:22 Interesting. 38:24 It's a good question, I never thought that. 38:25 That's kind of like saying, 38:27 why should I keep the laws of the, 38:31 you know, traffic of driving a car, you know, 38:35 you have to go and read the book 38:37 and take the test. 38:38 Why should I keep any of those rules 38:42 if I won't get a ticket for breaking up? 38:45 Well... 38:47 Well, let me think now. 38:49 Come to a red light, I can just go right through it. 38:54 I won't get a ticket. Well, if you want to. 38:55 Yeah. 38:57 I can, if I want to go 110 miles an hour 39:01 on a country road out here in Illinois, I can do it, 39:04 I'm not gonna get a ticket for it. 39:05 Oh, oh. 39:07 Well, that is kind of the dumb. 39:08 Yeah. 39:10 I mean, I could lose my life going through a red light. 39:13 I could take somebody else's life 39:15 going through a red light. 39:17 I could wreck my nice truck I have, you know, 39:22 by going 110 miles an hour on a country road, you know. 39:26 There's all kinds of reasons 39:27 why you would want to keep God's law 39:31 even if the fact is we aren't saved by doing that. 39:34 That's right. 39:36 So that's what, you know, 39:38 I thought that was an interesting way 39:40 to start the lesson is, 39:42 why should we keep His law if we can't be saved by it. 39:46 Well, let's turn to Romans 7:12. 39:52 We're looking for reasons, 39:55 why we would want to keep God's law 39:58 even though we're not saved by it. 40:00 But let me ask this, you can help me on it. 40:04 Why is it that we aren't saved by keeping the law? 40:09 The law has a function. 40:10 Romans 3, I think tells us 40:12 the law simply points out what sin is. 40:14 That's the function of law. 40:16 So the law can't remove our guilt. 40:18 No. 40:20 And it can't absolve us once we have broke the law. 40:24 That's right. Okay, so we need a savior. 40:26 Amen. Amen. 40:27 So that's the reason why keeping the law isn't... 40:31 that if we don't keep it to be saved, 40:34 we have a savior and we need a savior. 40:36 Praise the Lord. 40:37 But, okay, Romans 7:12, 40:41 "Therefore the law is holy 40:46 and the commandments holy, just and good." 40:51 So it seems to me one of the reasons 40:53 why we would want to keep God's law 40:56 is because it's good. 40:58 Good. Amen. 40:59 It's just good. 41:00 A good thing to do, you know, it's not a bad thing. 41:03 No. We want to do what's good. 41:07 You know, that's God's character 41:09 is reflected in His law. 41:10 Yes. 41:12 And we want God's character reflected in our lives. 41:14 Lives. Amen. 41:16 So it seems like to have God's character 41:18 reflected in our lives, 41:19 we would want to order ourselves 41:21 after His good, His character. 41:25 Amen. 41:27 There was a sentence in the middle of the paragraph, 41:31 right in the middle of the page. 41:32 In fact I did mine in a colorful red, 41:36 you know, color. 41:37 You know, I think there is the camera I guess. 41:39 I did mine in red because it's really... 41:42 To keep the law is not legalism. 41:47 Think about that. That's good. 41:48 Keeping God's law and that's usually what someone, 41:52 when Seventh-day Adventist present the law of God, 41:56 the first thing coming from back out is legalism. 42:00 You guys are just legalistic, okay. 42:03 That's it for. No. 42:05 To keep the law is not legalism, 42:07 it is faithfulness. 42:10 That's good. 42:11 That thing just jump out at me, that is, 42:14 I'm gonna remember that for the future. 42:16 When someone goes and throws that, 42:18 oh, you're just being legalistic. 42:21 No, I'm being faithful. That's what... 42:24 Doesn't it become legalistic 42:27 if we keep it as a matter of salvation? 42:29 Yes. 42:30 Then it becomes a little, this is salvation we have to do so, 42:32 then it's legalistic but we never do that, 42:34 the Bible doesn't teach it that way 42:36 but they will get thrown at you, so good point. 42:38 Yeah, so, sometimes people can, 42:42 can keep God's law in legalistic ways. 42:47 Well. 42:49 And usually those ways are devoid of love. 42:52 Right. Yes. 42:54 And so you can be minutely 42:57 keeping the details of a law or a rule 43:01 and be as mean as Satan himself at the same time. 43:04 Well. Yeah. 43:06 And is that any good. 43:07 That's like a... 43:10 Like a 1 Corinthians says it... 43:14 Going, a cymbal. Yeah, cymbal, yeah. 43:17 You know, it's hollow, nothing to it. 43:20 Good. 43:22 It goes on to say, that in the paragraph there, 43:25 lawlessness will be, will increase, 43:29 this is talking about the last days. 43:31 "Lawlessness will increase 43:33 and the love of many will grow cold." 43:37 So what is the reason for keeping God's law? 43:41 Is that if that text is right, it seem part of a good reason 43:47 to keep the law is that lawful about. 43:51 Because as people become more and more lawless 43:55 and we see that in society around us... 43:57 As God's law is removed from their hearts, 44:01 their love grows cold. 44:04 And when love grows cold, the person becomes cruel. 44:07 You know, an exacting and severe. 44:12 And so to me reason, at least the big reason is 44:17 do you want love in your heart? 44:19 If you want love in your heart, 44:21 then you want God's law ruling in your heart. 44:25 Amen. 44:28 So it would say that the more you live by God's law, 44:35 the more loving you should become. 44:39 If you're no becoming loving, 44:41 then maybe you're not living by God's law. 44:44 Okay. 44:46 You know, some extra reading that I had a chance to review. 44:52 It talked about the story of the good Samaritan 44:55 and you'll find that in Luke 10, 44:57 we won't turn there, only half a minute or so left. 45:00 But the good Samaritan was a story about a man 45:06 who fell among thieves and left on the side of the road 45:09 bleeding and dying, okay. 45:11 And some people who were 45:13 shall we say pastors and Bible teachers 45:16 came walking behind. 45:18 And they were so either concerned 45:21 about their own safety or about becoming unclean 45:27 and not being able to do their duties, 45:30 that they couldn't help the man on the side of the road. 45:34 And so they just left him and they pass by. 45:37 But then another fella came by of another culture 45:43 who were despised. 45:45 In fact, they were enemies of the Hebrew culture, 45:49 Samaritans were not friends. 45:52 And yet he lived out the law of God in his heart. 45:58 He took pity... Yes. 46:00 He had love and compassion for the man 46:02 lying on the side of the road. 46:03 That's good. 46:05 And took and helped him, put him on his own vehicle, 46:09 here I might say is donkey. 46:10 He bound his wounds... Yeah. 46:13 He took him to a nice motel, not to Motel 6, 46:17 but I mean to a Hilton. 46:19 All right. Okay, took him to the Hilton. 46:20 All right. 46:22 Paid for his room, he got breakfast there in the morning 46:25 that was on the hotel you know, and... 46:27 Paid for him. He paid for him, okay. 46:30 So that is where the rule of God 46:35 governs a person's life. 46:37 You're more like the good Samaritan 46:40 than the Bible teachers and the pastor who walked away 46:43 because they didn't want to become defiled. 46:46 Amen. Good, amen. That's right. 46:48 You know, the scripture that comes to my mind of God's law 46:53 is what does the word say, if you love me, 46:56 how do you show me you really love God. 46:58 Keep my commandments. 46:59 Keep my commandments. 47:01 Well, Jill, on Thursday, 47:04 you're gonna cap this off with pursuing holiness. 47:07 Amen. 47:08 The scripture that came to my mind 47:10 before we jump into pursuing holiness, 47:12 while you were talking. 47:13 Romans 13:10, "Love is the fulfilling of the law." 47:20 So it's a good. 47:21 Exactly goes on, love is the fulfilling of the law. 47:24 So on Thursday, we look at pursuing holiness, 47:27 becoming like God, becoming in the character of Jesus. 47:32 And the lesson said, "Holiness is the precondition 47:36 for enjoying the happiness of fellowship with God. 47:39 It is also the precondition for our usefulness to God." 47:45 We're not talking about self sanctification by self-effort. 47:50 We're talking about dying to self 47:53 and allowing the Holy Spirit to do his work, 47:57 the agent of sanctification, 47:59 his work in our hearts and lives. 48:02 I think of the lawns of sowing and reaping. 48:04 You know, Galatians, 48:06 "Whatsoever man sows, that shall he also reap.'' 48:10 If we sow a thought, we reap a feeling. 48:14 So a feeling reap an action. 48:17 So when action reap a habit, so a habit reap a character. 48:24 So a character reap your destiny. 48:27 And all goes back to the beginning... 48:30 With your thought. What you think. 48:31 As a man thinks in his heart so is he... 48:35 I remember, Greg and I were in Florida, 48:37 this is probably a couple of years ago. 48:38 And we went to the zoo. 48:40 We like going to the zoo, just seeing God's creation. 48:44 So we were at the big cats, you know, 48:47 the lions and the leopards and the tigers. 48:52 So this was one of the leopard's cages, 48:54 and I don't remember what kind of leopard it was. 48:58 But I remember he had a pretty good size cage. 49:01 But when Greg and I were there, 49:03 he walked down this side of the cage 49:04 right against the wire. 49:06 Down this side, he got to the end, 49:07 he turned around and he came back. 49:09 And then he turned around and he went back and forth, 49:13 and back and forth. 49:15 And the grass was lush and beautiful, 49:19 but where he was walking there was no grass. 49:22 And not only wasn't just dirt, 49:25 there was a rut where he had walked. 49:28 And not only was he walking there 49:30 that day we were at the zoo. 49:32 He probably walked there everyday 49:33 in order to form such a deep rut. 49:36 It reminds me of our thoughts. 49:38 I can think about things of the world. 49:43 Things of my own selfishness, my pride, my self pity, 49:50 wallowing that back and forth, 49:52 and back and forth over by the power of God's spirit. 49:56 I can say, God, I want to think a new way. 50:00 I want a new thought. 50:02 It reminds me of Romans 12, it says, 50:05 "Be not conformed to this world but be transformed." 50:09 In the Greek the word is metamorphous 50:12 like a butterfly, completely transformed, 50:15 changed by the renewing of your mind. 50:19 So God wants to change us by changing the way we think. 50:24 It all begins with the way we think. 50:26 So we're going to look at two questions here. 50:29 Mollie, said I have questions today. 50:31 We're going to look at two questions. 50:33 What type of character does God want us to develop 50:35 and we've been discussing that this whole time, 50:37 a Holy character just like Jesus. 50:40 And how is this character developed? 50:42 Psalm 15. 50:45 Turn in your Bibles to Psalm 15. 50:50 I'm in Proverbs, I need to get to Psalm. 50:53 It's all right, you'll get there. 50:55 Psalm 15, 50:59 and my Bible has subtitles at the start of each chapter 51:02 and the subtitle for Psalm 15 says, 51:05 "The character of those who may dwell with the Lord." 51:10 First one, "Lord, who may abide in your tabernacle?" 51:14 The word abide literally means sojourn. 51:19 "Who may dwell in your holy hill? 51:22 Dwell means to settle down for a while. 51:26 So we're talking about 51:27 who's going to actually dwell with Jesus. 51:31 You think the tabernacle in the Old Testament, God said, 51:34 "Let them make me a sanctuary that I may dwell with them." 51:38 Sit down and settle down. 51:41 He who walks, so who can dwell with God? 51:43 I think of this is who can spend eternity with Jesus? 51:47 Who is fit to dwell with God forever? 51:51 Who can dwell? 51:52 He who walks uprightly, 51:56 and that word uprightly means complete whole or blameless. 52:01 We talked about that word blameless. 52:03 "He who walks uprightly, and works righteousness, 52:06 and speaks the truth in his heart." 52:09 We don't have time to read all the verses here. 52:12 They say the Jewish tradition. 52:16 It says that all 613 commandments of the Torah 52:19 are in this one Psalm. 52:22 All the commandments in this one Psalm. 52:24 And they say you can even find the Ten Commandments 52:26 in this one Psalm. 52:28 God's character, who is righteous and holy. 52:33 God wants us to develop that type of character 52:35 'cause He wants to spend eternity with us. 52:38 But how is that developed, let's look at Ephesians 4. 52:41 Now Pastor Kenny talked about, 52:42 I think it was you, talk about beholding Jesus? 52:45 I love that, beholding Jesus. 52:49 Ephesians 4. 52:52 And as we behold Jesus, 52:55 as we're turning to Ephesians 4, 52:56 I think beholding Jesus is not a momentary fix. 52:59 It's not a quick. 53:01 I'll spend time in God's word, I'm done. 53:02 I got it. I go on about my day. 53:05 We're talking about a consistent, 53:06 constant beholding. 53:08 I remember a story and my husband Greg 53:10 and he would tell the story. 53:13 Where he was driving on 57 53:14 and you know it's very flat in same the dotted white line, 53:18 you know not a lot of variety. 53:20 So all of a sudden there comes a pothole in front of him. 53:24 And he expertly turned the wheel 53:25 and avoided the pothole. 53:27 Well, then he decided to see how the guy behind him, 53:32 if he avoided the pothole or not. 53:33 Oh, oh. 53:35 So just when he looked in the rearview mirror to see... 53:37 Oh, oh lookout now. 53:38 Is the guy behind me avoiding the pothole like I just did? 53:41 He hit an even bigger pothole than the one he had avoided. 53:48 So when God calls us to behold Jesus, 53:50 we don't look behind us and say, 53:52 I wonder how Brian's keeping up with me. 53:54 And you're ahead of me, so I'm not saying that 53:55 but I wonder how so and so is keeping up, 53:58 or we don't look to the side, I wonder what's going on. 54:00 We just look at Jesus. Thank you. 54:02 Study Him, behold Him. 54:04 Ephesians 4: 22-24. 54:13 Let's start in 20, "But you have not so learned Christ, 54:16 if indeed you have heard Him and have been taught by Him, 54:19 as the truth in Jesus. 54:21 That you put off..." 54:23 This is what He taught, Jesus. 54:25 "That you put off concerning your former conduct, 54:28 the old man which grows corrupt 54:31 according to the deceitful lusts. 54:33 So the first thing 54:35 God calls us to put off the old man surrender. 54:39 Surrender myself which is my worst enemy, 54:42 surrender the sin that crops up. 54:45 But we don't stop there, 54:46 we don't just put off and stay there. 54:47 It says, "And be renewed in the spirit of your mind." 54:52 Amen. 54:53 God calls us to be renewed 54:55 to spend time in the word of God. 54:57 Amen. 54:59 I think the word of God is the most powerful 55:01 life changing agent. 55:03 Absolutely. Yeah. I know. 55:04 The washing of the water of the word, 55:06 God wants to change us. 55:08 Be renewed, spend time in prayer. 55:10 The lesson had a statement, "When we are too busy to pray, 55:13 we are too busy to be Christians." 55:15 Ooh, that's deep. 55:17 Yeah, well. 55:18 Put off the old man, be renewed in the spirit of our mind 55:21 and then we do something, put on the new man. 55:24 Amen. 55:25 Which was created according to God 55:27 in true righteousness and holiness. 55:31 And I want to look at one more scripture real fast, 55:34 2 Timothy 2, 55:36 2 Timothy 2: 20 and 21. 55:40 "In a great house 55:42 there are not only vessels of gold and silver, 55:44 but also of wood and clay", 55:46 we're all different. 55:48 "But some to honor and some for dishonor." 55:51 Oh, Lord Jesus, I do not want to be a vessel of dishonor. 55:55 It says, "If anyone cleanse himself 55:57 from the latter, from that vessel of dishonor, 55:59 God wants to purify us. 56:01 He will be a vessel for honor, 56:03 sanctified and useful for the Master, 56:05 prepared for every good work." 56:07 God says, I want to change you 56:10 and to make you a vessel of honor 56:12 so that you can in turn pour out to other people. 56:15 Amen. Yes. 56:17 Comments. Yeah. 56:20 We all want to be a vessel. 56:22 We can't be that vessel until we empty out the old, 56:24 put on the new 56:26 and move in the spirit and power of the Holy Spirit. 56:28 God will use us, I want to be that pure vessel for Him. 56:31 You know, something I think this lesson today has shown us 56:34 is that God has made everything necessary for us. 56:38 He never ask us to do anything that He doesn't equip us to do. 56:42 And He says, "Be ye holy, for I'm holy." 56:45 And then He turns right around 56:47 and gives us everything necessary 56:49 for that holiness to be at work within us. 56:52 Amen. 56:53 So life quest, the life quest. Yes. 56:56 It's not a moment, just one moment, 56:59 like I did this two weeks ago and it's over. 57:02 No, this is something that... 57:04 Continue on. Yeah. 57:05 And continue on. 57:06 Amen. 57:08 What I sure appreciate all of you being with us today. 57:10 Thank you. 57:12 You've shared beautifully from your hearts. 57:14 And I want to go ahead and encourage you 57:16 to download next week's lesson, so that you'll be prepared 57:21 when you come to watch us next week. 57:24 We're always here same time, same station. 57:27 But I also want to encourage you in this, 57:30 if there is a Seventh-day Adventist church 57:32 in your community and there probably is, 57:35 find that church, go and visit them. 57:38 Take that Bible study with you. 57:40 They have Sabbath school, 57:41 every Sabbath morning probably 9:30, 10 o'clock 57:44 you can find the time. 57:46 It's always good. 57:47 The scripture says, 57:48 "To forsake not the assembling of ourselves together." 57:52 So we want you to also enjoy Sabbath school with us. 57:56 So same time, same station, next week. 57:59 God bless you all. |
Revised 2017-01-30