Hello, friends, we have
made it to the halfway point
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of our third quarter study
on "Making Friends for God."
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And, of course, we
are always excited for you
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to join us in
our weekly studies.
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And we thank
you for following us
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and studying with
us each and every week.
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This week, week seven,
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we're going to
be taking on a study
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entitled "Sharing God's Word."
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And that's why
we're going to be talking
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about the
significance and importance
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of sharing God's Word
when we are witnessing.
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So if you don't
have a copy of the study,
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please go to your local
Seventh-day Adventist Church
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and get that copy for free
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or simply go on to the internet
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to www.absg.Adventist.org.
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Again, that's absg.Adventist.org
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and you can get a copy
of the lesson for free.
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So again, get your
pens, pencils, paper, iPads,
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whatever it is you use.
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Grab your Bibles
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and join us this week on
3ABN Sabbath School Panel.
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Hello, friends,
and welcome again
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to another edition
of 3ABN Sabbath Panel.
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Again, we are so
thankful that you are joining us
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again this week,
we're at our halfway point.
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We're studying our...
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We're studying about
how to make friends for God.
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And that's what we're doing.
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We're talking about witnessing,
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how we can witness the
importance of witnessing
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and sharing the
Word of God with others.
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That's what our
lesson is this week.
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Lesson number seven.
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We're halfway
through this thing already.
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Sharing God's Word.
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Before we go any further,
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I want to go ahead and introduce
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this magnificent panel.
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To my left, we
have Miss Jill Morikone.
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It's always a blessing.
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I know you got some list for us.
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We might have one or two.
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It's privileged
to studying together.
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Amen. Praise the Lord.
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Brother Kenny,
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it's a blessing to
have you, Brother, always.
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It's always good to
study the Word of God together.
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Thank you. Amen.
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Praise the Lord.
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And, of course,
Pastor John Lomacang,
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always brings a powerful word.
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We appreciate you, Brother.
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Good to be here.
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God is going to work
through all of us today.
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Amen.
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And, of course,
Brother Danny Shelton,
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it's always a
privilege to have you.
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And we know that you
have something special
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to share with us today.
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Oh, just the Word of God. Amen.
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It's always great to
be here with you all.
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Amen. Praise the Lord.
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Again, as I said,
just a few seconds ago,
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we're studying
lesson number seven
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entitled "Sharing the Word."
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It is important
that we understand
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the importance, the significance
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of sharing God's Word
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when we are witnessing
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and how that fits
into the plan of salvation,
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how it fits into
the overall narrative
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of Scripture.
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And so we're gonna be
talking about that this morning,
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this evening, whatever
time you're watching this.
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But we thank you
again for joining us.
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Before we go any
further into the study though,
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I would like to
ask Brother Danny,
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if he would
have a prayer for us.
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I will.
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Lord, we want to thank You
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for Your many
wonderful blessings
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that You've given us.
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And, Lord, we thank
you for this opportunity
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to be here
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to be able to
communicate with people
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literally around the world.
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And I pray that each of us
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once we carry
the name Christian,
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we accept you as Lord
and Savior of our life,
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that we will go and tell
what You have done for us.
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I pray now for
anointing the Holy Spirit
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upon each person,
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upon this panel on
those that are watching,
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those that are studying with us,
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that Your truth
will come forward.
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In Jesus' name we pray, amen.
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Amen.
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Thank you so
much, Brother, for that.
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Our memory text this
week comes from Isaiah 55:11,
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which says,
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"So shall my word
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be that goes
forth from my mouth."
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Yes.
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"It shall not return to me void,
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but it shall
accomplish what I please,
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and it shall
prosper in the thing
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for which I sent it."
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Amen. I love that scripture.
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It shall not return to me void.
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When we declare the Word of God,
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it will not return void.
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It will plant seeds,
it will change lives.
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It will do
marvelous, wonderful works
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in a person's life.
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And that's what
we're talking about today,
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the importance of
sharing God's Word.
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And I'm going to just jump
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right into Sabbath
afternoon's lesson.
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And I have done this
throughout this study,
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because as I've
mentioned before,
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many times, I love
Pastor Mark Finley,
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the way he writes,
the way he preaches.
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He has a
wonderful way with words,
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and I love how he
set this study up.
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But I'm just gonna
read little something
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from the opening portion
of Sabbath afternoon study.
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He says, "When we
witness, we speak of Jesus.
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But what would we know
about Jesus without the Bible?
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In fact, how much would we know
about the great controversy,
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the love of God, the
birth, life, ministry,
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death, resurrection,
and return of our Lord,
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if we did not have
the scriptures," right?
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That's right.
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"Although nature reveals
the majesty and power of God,
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it does not reveal
the plan of salvation.
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Jesus, through the
person of the Holy Spirit
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is the true light,
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which gives light to
every man coming into the world.
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Still without the Word of God
to fully explain divine truth,
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the Holy Spirit's revelation
to our hearts is limited.
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God's written
Word is the clearest
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and fullest revelation of Jesus,
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the Living Word.
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Jesus is the Living Word."
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And I love that
scripture in John 5:39,
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you guys will know this.
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It's one of my favorite texts,
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I quoted often in
my evangelistic series,
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but it says it very plainly,
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Jesus says,
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You certainly
speaking to the Pharisees,
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again, this is John 5:39.
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He says to the Pharisees,
"You search in the scriptures,
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for in them you think
you have eternal life,
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and these are they
which testify of Me."
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You see, when we
open the Word of God,
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and we study not
just these words,
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but the multiple passages
and the chapters in the books,
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we're studying who Jesus
is, that's what it's all about.
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It's revealing God to us.
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The scriptures were not given
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for the primary reason
of proving others wrong
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and ourselves right
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even though sometimes
we get caught up in that,
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but to reveal Jesus
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in every aspect of
truth that we share,
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and I want to jump
right into Sunday's lesson,
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because right
here in Sunday's lesson
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it's entitled
"Symbols of the Word of God."
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And this was
right down my alley,
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because we often,
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we often reveal these
truths about the very nature
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and the very
essence of God's Word,
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and how it's an authority to us
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and how that
authority changes people's lives
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when we approach them
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from the perspective
of these multiple symbols.
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So I want to start
right in on Psalm 119:105.
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That's always the
best one to start with.
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It's one that we're
very, very familiar with.
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Psalm 119:105,
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you probably could
quote it from memory.
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It says, "Your word
is a lamp unto my feet,
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and a light unto my path."
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The paths of life are
seen more clearly once,
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of course, it is lit by
the power of God's Word.
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It changes lives, it
illuminates everyone's life
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when we dig deep
into studying God's Word.
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Minds darkened with a
misunderstanding of God
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are illuminated
by the Holy Spirit
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through the Word of God.
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The Medieval Dark Ages,
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and I think of
this historically,
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the Medieval Dark Ages
were thrust away though
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by the mass
publishing of God's Word
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which shone into
the hearts of men
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in nearly every
home across the globe.
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And so when we dive deep
into studying God's Word,
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and then in return
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share that
beautiful, bright shining word
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with someone else,
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it illuminates
them, it lights them,
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it ignites their hearts to in
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which it burns
within them for salvation.
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Another one, Jeremiah 23:29,
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it says, again,
this is Jeremiah 23:29,
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"Is not my word like
a fire, " says the Lord.
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Yeah.
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"And like a hammer
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that breaks the rock in pieces."
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I like that.
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So according to
Jeremiah here that we just read,
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the Word of God is
like a fire and a hammer.
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It consumed,
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I love how Pastor
Finley brought this out
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in this study lesson.
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He says it consumes the
dross of sin in our lives
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and breaks our
heart, hard hearts.
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When we help
people see in Scripture,
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the glory of Jesus,
their hard hearts are broken.
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And the fire of His love
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consumes the
dross of selfishness,
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greed, lust and
self centeredness,
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like the two
disciples on the road to Emmaus.
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And I love that.
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That's one of my
favorite stories in Scripture
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and found there
in the Book of Luke,
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these disciples are
on the road to Emmaus,
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and I'll never
forget what they say
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after having this
personal Bible study
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with Jesus.
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If I could have
been a fly on the wall,
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you know, to hear
what Jesus had to say,
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as He was revealing
Himself in the scriptures,
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you know, like the
two on the road to Emmaus.
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Indeed, our hearts
can burn within us.
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Like Jeremiah says,
"My Word is like a fire."
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Our hearts can burn within us
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if we engage in
deep study of God's Word.
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Another passage
that comes to mind.
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And again, we're talking
about the symbols of God's Word
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and how it
reveals the very nature,
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the very essence
and the authority
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and significance of God's
Word throughout Scripture.
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Luke 8:11.
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And, of course, this is,
this is within the context
00:09:17.39\00:09:19.85
of the Parable of the Sower,
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which is one of
my favorite parables.
00:09:22.36\00:09:23.73
In fact, many
people may not know this,
00:09:23.76\00:09:25.86
but Jesus told His
disciples and those listening,
00:09:25.89\00:09:27.90
He says, "If
you don't understand
00:09:27.93\00:09:29.60
the Parable of the Sower,
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then how will you
understand all other parables?"
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There was something
about the Parable of the Sower
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that He wanted us to comprehend.
00:09:35.40\00:09:37.21
And right there in
the midst of that parable,
00:09:37.24\00:09:39.07
Luke 8:11, He says,
00:09:39.11\00:09:41.34
Now the parable is this
and in very simple He says,
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"The seed is the Word of God."
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So right here we
see the Word of God
00:09:46.92\00:09:48.82
is in symbolism is
communicated as a seed.
00:09:48.85\00:09:53.19
And the lesson study
brings out very clearly
00:09:53.22\00:09:55.09
and I liked how
he worded it here,
00:09:55.12\00:09:56.46
the Word of God
is likened to a seed.
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The key
characteristics of a seed
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is that it is life giving.
00:10:00.93\00:10:03.30
Seed takes time to grow.
00:10:03.33\00:10:05.60
Not all seeds
germinate at the same time,
00:10:05.63\00:10:07.87
not all plants
grow at the same rate,
00:10:07.90\00:10:10.34
but under the right conditions,
00:10:10.37\00:10:12.27
okay, and this is a
little bit of gardening analogy
00:10:12.31\00:10:15.74
brought in here, okay?
00:10:15.78\00:10:17.91
He says here but
under the right conditions
00:10:17.95\00:10:19.85
the life in the seed burst forth
00:10:19.88\00:10:21.98
through the soil into new life.
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When we plant the
seed of the Word of God
00:10:24.89\00:10:26.82
in the hearts
and minds of others,
00:10:26.86\00:10:29.06
we will not always
see immediate results.
00:10:29.09\00:10:31.73
But silently the seed is growing
00:10:31.76\00:10:34.66
and in God's own time,
00:10:34.70\00:10:36.63
if they respond
00:10:36.67\00:10:38.00
to the Holy Spirit's promptings,
00:10:38.03\00:10:40.34
it will produce a
harvest for God's kingdom.
00:10:40.37\00:10:42.77
Praise the Lord.
00:10:42.80\00:10:44.14
We must make sure
00:10:44.17\00:10:45.51
just like in that
Parable of the Sower,
00:10:45.54\00:10:47.18
we must make sure
that we are receiving
00:10:47.21\00:10:50.88
that seed on good ground.
00:10:50.91\00:10:53.62
Remember, there are
four different soils
00:10:53.65\00:10:55.18
that are mentioned in
that particular parable.
00:10:55.22\00:10:57.95
And, of course,
we want to make sure
00:10:57.99\00:10:59.32
that we're not
allowing God's seed
00:10:59.35\00:11:00.92
to just fall by the
wayside or on a stony heart,
00:11:00.96\00:11:03.59
or in a life that is
clouded in and crowded by thorns
00:11:03.63\00:11:07.86
in which the cares of the world
00:11:07.90\00:11:09.23
and all of the lust of the world
00:11:09.26\00:11:11.13
and the pride of life is
choking out the Word of God,
00:11:11.17\00:11:14.20
so that it cannot
spring forth and grow
00:11:14.24\00:11:16.17
and bear much fruit.
00:11:16.20\00:11:17.54
We want to receive
it on that good ground
00:11:17.57\00:11:18.91
because God wants that seed
to grow in our hearts and minds
00:11:18.94\00:11:21.58
so that as we receive it,
00:11:21.61\00:11:23.18
and people see the
fruit growing in us,
00:11:23.21\00:11:25.88
as we bear fruit,
00:11:25.91\00:11:27.25
others want that
same fruit in their life.
00:11:27.28\00:11:29.38
And so we want to make
sure we receive that seed,
00:11:29.42\00:11:31.39
the Word of God,
00:11:31.42\00:11:32.75
allow it to be planted
within our hearts and minds
00:11:32.79\00:11:34.52
that it may grow forth
00:11:34.56\00:11:36.16
and produce good fruit
for the kingdom of God.
00:11:36.19\00:11:40.20
Matthew 4:4.
00:11:40.23\00:11:42.03
Of course, this comes
within the context of Christ
00:11:42.06\00:11:44.63
being tempted by the enemy.
00:11:44.67\00:11:46.70
Satan is tempting Him
right there in the wilderness.
00:11:46.74\00:11:50.57
And, of course,
Jesus doesn't waver.
00:11:50.61\00:11:53.07
He fights him with the Word,
00:11:53.11\00:11:54.94
He combats him
with God's Holy Word.
00:11:54.98\00:11:57.61
And it says here in Matthew 4:4,
00:11:57.65\00:12:00.42
"But He answered and said,
00:12:00.45\00:12:01.78
'It is written,
00:12:01.82\00:12:03.65
man shall not
live by bread alone,
00:12:03.69\00:12:05.65
but by every word
00:12:05.69\00:12:07.36
that proceeds from
the mouth of God.'"
00:12:07.39\00:12:10.13
So he likens the Word of
God unto bread, unto food.
00:12:10.16\00:12:14.66
The Word of God satisfies
00:12:14.70\00:12:16.33
the hunger of
the soul, my friends,
00:12:16.36\00:12:18.33
and nourishes our
inter, inner spiritual longing.
00:12:18.37\00:12:22.40
It will provide
strength, healing, restoration
00:12:22.44\00:12:25.67
and revitalization
00:12:25.71\00:12:27.11
to the weakest
spiritually malnourished person,
00:12:27.14\00:12:30.61
like the priest in
the sanctuary service,
00:12:30.65\00:12:33.08
and this is a little bit
of a sanctuary analogy here.
00:12:33.11\00:12:36.02
We must eat of the
bread of life everyday
00:12:36.05\00:12:38.79
to remain strong in our faith
00:12:38.82\00:12:40.59
and equipped for
spiritual battle.
00:12:40.62\00:12:43.63
And one last one
that I want to share here
00:12:43.66\00:12:45.19
before we end my
particular segment
00:12:45.23\00:12:47.70
is found in Hebrews 4:12,
00:12:47.73\00:12:50.23
"The Word of God is likened
unto a two-edged sword, "
00:12:50.27\00:12:53.34
or as Paul puts it,
the sword of the Spirit.
00:12:53.37\00:12:56.10
So Hebrews 4:12, the Bible says,
00:12:56.14\00:12:58.67
"For the Word of God
is living and powerful
00:12:58.71\00:13:00.58
and sharper than
any two-edged sword,
00:13:00.61\00:13:02.88
piercing even to
the division of soul
00:13:02.91\00:13:05.15
and spirit, and
joints and marrow,
00:13:05.18\00:13:07.48
and is a
discerner of the thoughts
00:13:07.52\00:13:08.98
and intents of the heart."
00:13:09.02\00:13:11.52
You see, the Word
of God sometimes cuts,
00:13:11.55\00:13:13.82
it happens that way.
00:13:13.86\00:13:15.29
It cuts to the
deepest core of our hearts
00:13:15.32\00:13:17.63
only to expose the shadows
in our life that need light.
00:13:17.66\00:13:20.93
Remember, Jesus is
the light of the world,
00:13:20.96\00:13:23.10
and the Word of God
is a light unto our path,
00:13:23.13\00:13:25.67
unto our feet, right?
00:13:25.70\00:13:27.54
The sword of the
Spirit will only cut
00:13:27.57\00:13:29.80
those whose lives
are not in harmony
00:13:29.84\00:13:31.94
with the
everlasting will of God.
00:13:31.97\00:13:33.91
And so when I find someone
who finds a Bible passage
00:13:33.94\00:13:36.34
where I share truth with them,
and they say, ah, you know,
00:13:36.38\00:13:38.28
they have contention with that,
00:13:38.31\00:13:39.71
or they not
receiving that truth,
00:13:39.75\00:13:41.52
because it's cutting them,
00:13:41.55\00:13:42.98
it's cutting them because again,
00:13:43.02\00:13:44.35
they're thinking
their life is not in harmony
00:13:44.39\00:13:47.36
with that truth.
00:13:47.39\00:13:49.09
And unfortunately, you know,
00:13:49.12\00:13:50.46
what was designed to
be a weapon of defense,
00:13:50.49\00:13:52.46
again, the sword of the Spirit
00:13:52.49\00:13:53.96
to defend
ourselves as Christ did
00:13:54.00\00:13:56.20
from the
temptations of the enemy.
00:13:56.23\00:13:59.37
Sometimes people
often use and twist
00:13:59.40\00:14:01.74
and abuse the Word of God
00:14:01.77\00:14:03.24
and use that as
an offensive weapon
00:14:03.27\00:14:04.81
to drive people
further away from God.
00:14:04.84\00:14:07.74
And we have to remember
that in Revelation 13:10,
00:14:07.78\00:14:11.01
it says, "Those
who kill with a sword
00:14:11.05\00:14:14.48
will be killed with a sword."
00:14:14.52\00:14:16.58
My friends, I want
to encourage you today
00:14:16.62\00:14:18.85
rather than just
reading and preaching words.
00:14:18.89\00:14:22.22
And sometimes when
people open this word,
00:14:22.26\00:14:23.79
that's all that they
see, they see words on paper.
00:14:23.83\00:14:27.03
But rather than just
reading and preaching words,
00:14:27.06\00:14:29.70
we need to allow ourselves
00:14:29.73\00:14:32.00
and others to come to
know the God of the Word.
00:14:32.03\00:14:35.24
Amen.
00:14:35.27\00:14:36.60
When we read this word of life,
we allow it to be the light,
00:14:36.64\00:14:39.41
when we allow
it to be that fire,
00:14:39.44\00:14:41.41
it will burn a fire within us
00:14:41.44\00:14:42.78
and we will come to
know the God of the Word
00:14:42.81\00:14:45.71
because as John 1:1
says it very, very clearly,
00:14:45.75\00:14:48.92
"In the beginning was the Word,
00:14:48.95\00:14:50.65
and the Word was with
God, and the Word was God."
00:14:50.69\00:14:53.86
Amen! That's powerful, Ryan.
00:14:53.89\00:14:56.76
Thank you so much.
What an incredible opening.
00:14:56.79\00:14:59.59
The Word of God is a lamp,
and a fire, and a hammer, seed,
00:14:59.63\00:15:03.77
bread and then
the two-edged sword.
00:15:03.80\00:15:05.93
I like that.
00:15:05.97\00:15:07.40
On Monday we have
00:15:07.44\00:15:08.77
the Creative
Power of God's Word.
00:15:08.80\00:15:11.71
And I'm so grateful I
have this particular lesson
00:15:11.74\00:15:14.94
because I love studying,
00:15:14.98\00:15:17.75
thinking, talking
and applying the thought
00:15:17.78\00:15:21.15
that the Word of God has
creative life giving power.
00:15:21.18\00:15:25.75
In fact, when I discovered
00:15:25.79\00:15:27.12
that God's Word
had life giving power
00:15:27.16\00:15:29.36
when His Word is
alive, when I discovered that,
00:15:29.39\00:15:32.39
it revolutionized
my walk with Jesus
00:15:32.43\00:15:35.33
in my prayer life.
00:15:35.36\00:15:36.70
We're going to talk today
00:15:36.73\00:15:38.07
about both the
spoken Word of God
00:15:38.10\00:15:39.73
and the written Word of God.
00:15:39.77\00:15:41.90
So turn with me to
Hebrews, Hebrews Chapter 1.
00:15:41.94\00:15:46.21
We're going to
look at Hebrews 1,
00:15:46.24\00:15:48.34
John 1, and Genesis 1,
00:15:48.38\00:15:50.55
so we're gonna toss
00:15:50.58\00:15:51.95
between all three
of those passages.
00:15:51.98\00:15:53.65
We're starting with Hebrews 1.
00:15:53.68\00:15:55.32
You know the world's
religions and philosophies,
00:15:55.35\00:15:57.62
they try to
answer certain questions,
00:15:57.65\00:15:59.45
is there a God?
00:15:59.49\00:16:00.89
Where is He?
00:16:00.92\00:16:02.32
Can we know Him?
00:16:02.36\00:16:03.69
How do we make sense out
of the trials of our life?
00:16:03.73\00:16:08.00
The letter to Hebrews
answers these questions.
00:16:08.03\00:16:11.73
Hebrews simply
says, Jesus is better.
00:16:11.77\00:16:14.80
The temple in heaven is better.
00:16:14.84\00:16:16.57
Our high priest is better.
00:16:16.60\00:16:18.67
Jesus' sacrifice is better.
00:16:18.71\00:16:21.54
Hebrews teaches absolute truth.
00:16:21.58\00:16:24.68
There's nothing subjective
or even tolerant about it.
00:16:24.71\00:16:28.82
Hebrews says that God
is and that He has spoken,
00:16:28.85\00:16:32.69
and that God's Son Jesus
is the supreme ruler over all.
00:16:32.72\00:16:37.06
And He asks for total allegiance
00:16:37.09\00:16:40.30
from us to Him.
00:16:40.33\00:16:41.73
So let's look at Hebrews 1:1,
00:16:41.76\00:16:43.40
and we're going to compare this
with John 1:1 and Genesis 1:1.
00:16:43.43\00:16:47.44
Hebrews 1:1,
00:16:47.47\00:16:48.80
God who at various
times and in various ways
00:16:48.84\00:16:52.24
spoken time passed to
the fathers by the prophets.
00:16:52.27\00:16:56.85
So I see
immediately three truths
00:16:56.88\00:16:59.85
outlined in this first verse.
00:16:59.88\00:17:02.42
First of all, God exists.
00:17:02.45\00:17:04.59
The author of Hebrews
doesn't even question,
00:17:04.62\00:17:06.76
doesn't say,
00:17:06.79\00:17:08.12
okay, now let me begin
to tell you a bit about God.
00:17:08.16\00:17:11.03
He begins with God
who at various times,
00:17:11.06\00:17:14.30
he begins with
the presupposition
00:17:14.33\00:17:16.13
that God exists,
00:17:16.16\00:17:17.77
that God, the second
truth is God has spoken,
00:17:17.80\00:17:21.80
because it said
He's spoken time passed
00:17:21.84\00:17:24.51
to the fathers by the prophets.
00:17:24.54\00:17:25.94
The third truth is
that God's Word is divine,
00:17:25.97\00:17:30.25
because God's the one who
spoke through the prophets.
00:17:30.28\00:17:32.78
Right.
00:17:32.81\00:17:34.15
Let's compare
that with John 1:1.
00:17:34.18\00:17:35.82
We could quote that and
you just quoted that, Ryan.
00:17:35.85\00:17:38.65
"In the beginning was the Word,
00:17:38.69\00:17:40.19
and the Word was with
God, and the Word was God."
00:17:40.22\00:17:44.23
What truths are here?
00:17:44.26\00:17:45.63
God is preexistent.
00:17:45.66\00:17:47.66
In other words,
00:17:47.70\00:17:49.03
God existed from
the beginning of time,
00:17:49.06\00:17:51.57
before there was
anything God existed,
00:17:51.60\00:17:54.30
not only God but
the Lord Jesus Christ,
00:17:54.34\00:17:56.54
the Word who was made
flesh and dwelt among us.
00:17:56.57\00:17:59.34
Jesus is preexistent.
00:17:59.37\00:18:01.04
God and Jesus existed
from the beginning of time,
00:18:01.08\00:18:04.41
and Jesus is divine.
00:18:04.45\00:18:07.28
That's very
clear from that passage
00:18:07.32\00:18:09.32
that the Word was with God
00:18:09.35\00:18:10.69
and the Word,
that's Jesus, was God.
00:18:10.72\00:18:13.82
Let's jump to Genesis 1:1.
00:18:13.86\00:18:15.89
You can quote this
passage too, I'm sure.
00:18:15.92\00:18:18.66
"In the beginning,
00:18:18.69\00:18:20.03
God created the
heavens and the earth."
00:18:20.06\00:18:24.47
Again, Genesis 1:1
begins much like Hebrews 1,
00:18:24.50\00:18:27.60
and the fact that it just begins
00:18:27.64\00:18:29.60
with the
presupposition that God exists.
00:18:29.64\00:18:31.57
That's right.
00:18:31.61\00:18:32.94
There's no discussion,
just simply God exists.
00:18:32.97\00:18:35.41
And we see here
that God is the Creator.
00:18:35.44\00:18:38.75
That's the second truth I see.
00:18:38.78\00:18:40.12
God created the
heavens and the earth.
00:18:40.15\00:18:43.15
And again, we see
that God preexisted.
00:18:43.18\00:18:46.02
Everything we know
here because God existed
00:18:46.05\00:18:48.22
before there was anything,
00:18:48.26\00:18:49.76
before there was heaven
or before there was earth.
00:18:49.79\00:18:52.49
Now that word created,
00:18:52.53\00:18:54.20
Pastor Mark did
an incredible job
00:18:54.23\00:18:55.56
in the lesson
00:18:55.60\00:18:56.93
talking about the
Hebrew origin of that word,
00:18:56.97\00:18:59.57
and I wanna spend
just a moment on that.
00:18:59.60\00:19:01.57
It's Bara, it
means to shape or create,
00:19:01.60\00:19:05.11
but in this particular form,
00:19:05.14\00:19:07.24
it is used of God's activity
00:19:07.28\00:19:09.01
to create
something from nothing.
00:19:09.04\00:19:12.55
So this verb is used
only when God is the subject,
00:19:12.58\00:19:17.39
that is only God can Bara.
00:19:17.42\00:19:19.95
Only God can create
something from nothing.
00:19:19.99\00:19:23.32
So when it says,
"In the beginning,
00:19:23.36\00:19:25.59
God created the
heavens and the earth."
00:19:25.63\00:19:28.26
That means literally,
only God can take nothing,
00:19:28.30\00:19:33.13
and create
something, create life.
00:19:33.17\00:19:36.64
It's in fact the same
word used in Psalm 51:10,
00:19:36.67\00:19:39.57
which was incredible to me
00:19:39.61\00:19:40.94
because I had never studied this
00:19:40.98\00:19:42.31
before now.
00:19:42.34\00:19:43.68
You know, David says what?
Create in me a clean heart.
00:19:43.71\00:19:45.91
It's the same word Bara,
00:19:45.95\00:19:48.62
meaning only God
can take what was dead.
00:19:48.65\00:19:53.29
What was nothing in
your heart and in your life
00:19:53.32\00:19:57.33
and create something.
00:19:57.36\00:19:59.03
Only God can take nothing
and turn it into something.
00:19:59.06\00:20:04.47
That's how when it says,
He spoke and it was created,
00:20:04.50\00:20:08.10
He did that and it stood fast,
00:20:08.14\00:20:09.70
He commanded and it stood fast.
00:20:09.74\00:20:11.27
Only God can do that,
the power of His Word.
00:20:11.31\00:20:14.98
Let's go back to Hebrews 1.
00:20:15.01\00:20:16.34
We're going to read
the first three verses now.
00:20:16.38\00:20:18.25
Hebrews 1:1-3.
00:20:18.28\00:20:20.88
We already read the first verse,
00:20:20.92\00:20:22.58
God who at various
times, and in various ways
00:20:22.62\00:20:25.02
spoken time passed to
the fathers by the prophets.
00:20:25.05\00:20:27.72
We already
discovered that God exists,
00:20:27.76\00:20:30.56
that God has spoken,
that God's Word is divine.
00:20:30.59\00:20:34.23
Let's go to verse 2.
00:20:34.26\00:20:35.70
I see a couple
truths outlined in verse 2.
00:20:35.73\00:20:39.07
"Has in these last days
spoken to us by His son."
00:20:39.10\00:20:44.47
Clearly, Jesus is God's Son.
00:20:44.51\00:20:48.31
He's the fulfillment
00:20:48.34\00:20:49.68
of the Old Testament prophecies.
00:20:49.71\00:20:51.05
Remember the
first messianic prophecy
00:20:51.08\00:20:52.81
in Genesis 3:15,
00:20:52.85\00:20:55.38
about the seed and the
bruising that would take place.
00:20:55.42\00:20:58.69
He's the
fulfillment of the Messiah,
00:20:58.72\00:21:00.46
the prophecies
about the Messiah,
00:21:00.49\00:21:01.82
the Anointed One.
00:21:01.86\00:21:03.19
He is our
Deliverer, He is our Savior.
00:21:03.22\00:21:07.56
Let's continue, "Whom
He has appointed heir,
00:21:07.60\00:21:10.17
this is the Son Jesus,
00:21:10.20\00:21:11.53
He is appointed
heir of all things,
00:21:11.57\00:21:13.84
through whom also
he made the world.
00:21:13.87\00:21:17.74
Now some people say
00:21:17.77\00:21:19.11
only God was
involved in creation.
00:21:19.14\00:21:21.31
With John 1:1 is very clear
00:21:21.34\00:21:22.84
that Jesus was
involved in 2 and 3,
00:21:22.88\00:21:25.58
as well as this
verse in Hebrews,
00:21:25.61\00:21:27.68
that through whom?
00:21:27.72\00:21:29.05
Through the Son Jesus,
He made all the worlds,
00:21:29.08\00:21:31.99
that means Jesus
was involved intimately
00:21:32.02\00:21:35.92
in the creation of the worlds.
00:21:35.96\00:21:37.33
Let's read verse 3,
00:21:37.36\00:21:38.76
"Who being the
brightness of His glory,
00:21:38.79\00:21:42.90
only through Jesus
can we know the Father."
00:21:42.93\00:21:45.97
Remember Philip said in John 14,
00:21:46.00\00:21:48.24
"Show us the Father and
it is sufficient for us."
00:21:48.27\00:21:50.84
And what did Jesus say?
00:21:50.87\00:21:52.21
Have I not been with
you such a long time?
00:21:52.24\00:21:54.81
If you've seen Me,
you have seen the Father.
00:21:54.84\00:21:58.41
He is the brightness of
the glory of the Father.
00:21:58.45\00:22:01.62
And if the
writer says, Paul says,
00:22:01.65\00:22:04.05
if you want to be even clearer,
00:22:04.09\00:22:05.82
He is the express
image of his person.
00:22:05.85\00:22:09.66
Jesus is divine.
00:22:09.69\00:22:11.46
He's the exact representation,
00:22:11.49\00:22:13.29
the exact
likeness of the Father.
00:22:13.33\00:22:17.40
Continuing on,
00:22:17.43\00:22:18.77
He's expressed
image of His person,
00:22:18.80\00:22:20.14
upholding all things
by the word of his power,
00:22:20.17\00:22:22.74
when He had by
Himself purged our sins,
00:22:22.77\00:22:25.37
He is our Redeemer,
00:22:25.41\00:22:27.14
and sat down at the right
hand of the Majesty on High.
00:22:27.18\00:22:30.95
Let's jump back to
John 1:1-3 quickly here.
00:22:30.98\00:22:35.18
"In the beginning was the Word,
00:22:35.22\00:22:36.55
and the Word was with
God, and the Word was God."
00:22:36.58\00:22:39.39
He was in the
beginning with God,
00:22:39.42\00:22:41.36
that means Jesus was
in the beginning with God.
00:22:41.39\00:22:44.16
"All things were
made through Him.
00:22:44.19\00:22:47.16
And without Him
00:22:47.20\00:22:48.53
nothing was made that was made."
00:22:48.56\00:22:50.40
Meaning, Jesus was
intimately involved
00:22:50.43\00:22:54.04
in the creation process.
00:22:54.07\00:22:56.54
We also know not only
was God the Father involved
00:22:56.57\00:22:58.77
and God the Son,
but God the Holy Spirit.
00:22:58.81\00:23:00.91
Genesis 1:2
00:23:00.94\00:23:02.28
talks about the earth
being without form and void,
00:23:02.31\00:23:04.48
darkness upon the
face of the earth.
00:23:04.51\00:23:06.58
And the Spirit of God
00:23:06.61\00:23:08.78
was hovering over
the face of the water.
00:23:08.82\00:23:10.72
So all three of the Godhead
been involved in creation.
00:23:10.75\00:23:14.42
But God's Word has
creative, life giving power,
00:23:14.46\00:23:20.00
Psalm 33:6, "By
the word of the Lord,
00:23:20.03\00:23:22.56
the heavens were made,
00:23:22.60\00:23:24.03
and all the host of them
by the breath of His mouth."
00:23:24.07\00:23:29.20
Psalm 33:9, "For He
spoke, and it was done.
00:23:29.24\00:23:31.77
He commanded and it stood fast."
00:23:31.81\00:23:33.34
And we see this in
the Genesis account.
00:23:33.38\00:23:35.58
We see God saying,
00:23:35.61\00:23:36.95
"Let there be light and
where there was nothing,
00:23:36.98\00:23:39.61
there's light,"
00:23:39.65\00:23:40.98
God's saying,
"Let there be air, "
00:23:41.02\00:23:42.68
and all of a sudden air appears.
00:23:42.72\00:23:45.05
God said, "Let there be
trees, and flowers, and seeds,
00:23:45.09\00:23:48.29
and fish, and mammals."
00:23:48.32\00:23:49.82
And God said, "Let there be, "
00:23:49.86\00:23:51.89
and it existed and it happened.
00:23:51.93\00:23:54.30
The creative power,
00:23:54.33\00:23:55.76
only God can create
something from nothing.
00:23:55.80\00:23:59.90
That same creative power Bara
00:23:59.93\00:24:02.94
is inherent right
here in the Word of God,
00:24:02.97\00:24:07.31
not just in the
spoken Word of God
00:24:07.34\00:24:09.54
at creation,
00:24:09.58\00:24:10.91
but in the written Word of God.
00:24:10.95\00:24:12.28
Ryan read Hebrews 4:12
00:24:12.31\00:24:14.62
about the Word of God
having this life giving power.
00:24:14.65\00:24:18.25
It is quick and powerful.
00:24:18.29\00:24:20.46
Isaiah 55:11, which
was our memory text.
00:24:20.49\00:24:23.12
"So shall my word be
that goes forth from my mouth,
00:24:23.16\00:24:26.73
it should not return to Me void,
00:24:26.76\00:24:28.50
but it shall
accomplish what I please
00:24:28.53\00:24:30.43
and it shall
prosper in the thing
00:24:30.47\00:24:31.80
for which I sent it."
00:24:31.83\00:24:33.17
God's Word has
life giving power.
00:24:33.20\00:24:34.84
John 6:63,
00:24:34.87\00:24:36.77
"It is the
Spirit who gives life,
00:24:36.81\00:24:38.74
the flesh profits nothing.
00:24:38.77\00:24:41.61
The words I speak to
you, the Word of God.
00:24:41.64\00:24:45.38
They are spirit
and they are life."
00:24:45.41\00:24:47.78
Finally, Romans 4:17,
00:24:47.82\00:24:49.78
"God who gives life to the dead
00:24:49.82\00:24:52.19
and calls those things
00:24:52.22\00:24:53.56
that are not as
though they already were."
00:24:53.59\00:24:56.93
So I don't know
where you are today,
00:24:56.96\00:24:59.03
but if you need a new heart,
00:24:59.06\00:25:00.80
if you want something
new done in your life,
00:25:00.83\00:25:03.93
read the Word of God,
00:25:03.97\00:25:06.23
the same creative
power in God's Word
00:25:06.27\00:25:08.60
when He spoke this
world into an existence
00:25:08.64\00:25:11.14
exists in the Word of God today.
00:25:11.17\00:25:12.87
Amen. Amen.
00:25:12.91\00:25:14.24
Thank you so much. Yes.
00:25:14.28\00:25:15.61
God can create
something from nothing.
00:25:15.64\00:25:18.01
Andy tells often
my atheist friends
00:25:18.05\00:25:20.62
I believe in a Big Bang theory.
00:25:20.65\00:25:23.18
God said it and
bang it happened.
00:25:23.22\00:25:26.52
We're gonna take a short break.
00:25:26.55\00:25:27.89
Don't go anywhere.
We'll be right back.
00:25:27.92\00:25:29.26
Ever wish you could watch
00:25:34.90\00:25:36.23
a 3ABN Sabbath
School Panel again,
00:25:36.26\00:25:38.37
or share it on
Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter?
00:25:38.40\00:25:41.54
Well, you can by visiting
3abnsabbathschoolpanel.com.
00:25:41.57\00:25:46.54
A clean design makes it easy
00:25:46.57\00:25:48.98
to find the
program you're looking for.
00:25:49.01\00:25:51.11
There are also links to
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00:25:51.15\00:25:54.55
so you can follow along.
00:25:54.58\00:25:56.38
Sharing is easy.
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00:25:57.79\00:26:00.92
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00:26:00.96\00:26:04.69
Hello and welcome back to
3ABN Sabbath School Panel.
00:26:04.73\00:26:07.40
We're going to pass it
on to Brother Kenny Shelton
00:26:07.43\00:26:10.07
on Tuesday's lesson
00:26:10.10\00:26:11.77
entitled "The
Benefits of Sharing God's Word"
00:26:11.80\00:26:14.24
or studying God's Word actually.
00:26:14.27\00:26:15.60
There we go,
sharing and studying,
00:26:15.64\00:26:16.97
we'll just split it out.
00:26:17.01\00:26:18.34
Sharing and
studying is very good
00:26:18.37\00:26:19.71
and I'm kind of like
Sister Jill said here,
00:26:19.74\00:26:21.08
I'm glad that I
got this portion.
00:26:21.11\00:26:23.88
Amen.
00:26:23.91\00:26:25.25
When we, you know,
when they're divided up,
00:26:25.28\00:26:28.18
I believe the Holy
Spirit does the dividing.
00:26:28.22\00:26:29.72
Praise God for that.
00:26:29.75\00:26:31.09
So anyway, we're
going to be studying
00:26:31.12\00:26:32.45
the benefits of
studying God's Word,
00:26:32.49\00:26:33.82
and there are a lot of benefits,
00:26:33.86\00:26:35.52
we'll not be able to
go through all of them,
00:26:35.56\00:26:36.89
but I thought it'd
be nice to start out
00:26:36.93\00:26:38.26
with a little
simple Bible study.
00:26:38.29\00:26:39.63
That means looking up
00:26:39.66\00:26:41.00
some passage of
scripture real quick,
00:26:41.03\00:26:42.60
and we won't be
able to look them all up
00:26:42.63\00:26:44.27
because I'll just
read portions of them,
00:26:44.30\00:26:45.67
but please jot them down.
00:26:45.70\00:26:47.70
Let's go through a few
of these text, shall we,
00:26:47.74\00:26:49.40
the benefits of
studying God's Word?
00:26:49.44\00:26:52.41
2 Peter 1:4.
00:26:52.44\00:26:54.84
2 Peter 1:4.
00:26:54.88\00:26:58.31
Now again, a benefit
of studying God's Word,
00:26:58.35\00:27:00.48
we become partakers
of the divine nature.
00:27:00.52\00:27:02.92
That's right.
00:27:02.95\00:27:04.29
How desperately we need that
00:27:04.32\00:27:05.65
by the grace of
God to become what?
00:27:05.69\00:27:07.09
Like Jesus.
00:27:07.12\00:27:08.59
James 1:21.
00:27:08.62\00:27:12.03
James speaks of
the implanted word,
00:27:12.06\00:27:15.06
notice that, that
means the engrafted word,
00:27:15.10\00:27:18.37
which is able
to save your souls.
00:27:18.40\00:27:21.44
Oh, I like that,
00:27:21.47\00:27:22.80
to have it
implanted in the mind,
00:27:22.84\00:27:24.17
to put it into the mind,
to insert it into the mind,
00:27:24.21\00:27:27.21
then it's able
to save your soul.
00:27:27.24\00:27:29.84
This talk about benefits
of studying the Word of God.
00:27:29.88\00:27:32.01
Acts 20:32.
00:27:32.05\00:27:34.68
Acts 20:32,
Paul's speaking here.
00:27:34.72\00:27:38.95
He said, "The word of His grace
00:27:38.99\00:27:41.02
is able to build
you up and give you an"
00:27:41.06\00:27:44.16
hmm, "an inheritance
00:27:44.19\00:27:45.83
among all those
who are sanctified.
00:27:45.86\00:27:48.66
And then John 5:39.
00:27:48.70\00:27:50.97
Mitch, I love this.
00:27:51.00\00:27:52.57
Jesus says to the Jews,
00:27:52.60\00:27:54.74
no, He said,
"Search the scriptures,
00:27:54.77\00:27:57.31
for in them you
think you have" what?
00:27:57.34\00:27:59.57
"Eternal life," but what?
00:27:59.61\00:28:00.94
"They are they
which testify of Me."
00:28:00.98\00:28:03.78
I love that scripture.
00:28:03.81\00:28:05.55
2 Timothy 3:15.
00:28:05.58\00:28:07.95
2 Timothy 3:15.
00:28:07.98\00:28:09.95
Notice, it says,
00:28:09.98\00:28:11.32
"The Holy
Scriptures are able to make
00:28:11.35\00:28:13.12
the wise unto
salvation, know, through faith,
00:28:13.15\00:28:18.19
which is in Christ Jesus."
00:28:18.23\00:28:19.56
This just a few passages,
00:28:19.59\00:28:20.93
we'll do a few
more here in a moment.
00:28:20.96\00:28:22.30
But as we look,
00:28:22.33\00:28:23.67
as we started from
the top at 2 Peter 1:4,
00:28:23.70\00:28:25.50
if we look into the Word
of God and the benefits of it,
00:28:25.53\00:28:28.40
I become a
partaker of divine nature,
00:28:28.44\00:28:31.21
then the Word of
God if it's implanted
00:28:31.24\00:28:33.74
and grafted in me
and put in my heart
00:28:33.78\00:28:35.91
and my mind is
able to save your soul.
00:28:35.94\00:28:38.21
Good. That's right.
00:28:38.25\00:28:39.58
All of us want to be
saved in the kingdom of God,
00:28:39.61\00:28:41.38
is that not right or
at least engraft this,
00:28:41.42\00:28:42.95
put it in our
minds and in our hearts.
00:28:42.98\00:28:46.19
Paul says right here,
00:28:46.22\00:28:47.56
that it's the Word of
God is able to build you up.
00:28:47.59\00:28:51.39
All of us want to be
built up in the cause of Christ,
00:28:51.43\00:28:54.46
not in this world, but
in the cause of Christ.
00:28:54.50\00:28:56.73
And then as this built up,
we'll receive an inheritance.
00:28:56.77\00:29:00.80
Praise God.
00:29:00.84\00:29:02.17
That means to me the
inheritance is heaven.
00:29:02.20\00:29:03.97
And that's what it's all about.
00:29:04.01\00:29:05.34
The bottom line is heaven.
00:29:05.37\00:29:06.98
And then, of course, Jesus says,
00:29:07.01\00:29:08.38
search the scriptures,
00:29:08.41\00:29:09.74
because when you, listen,
when you search the scriptures,
00:29:09.78\00:29:12.61
it says, you will find Jesus,
00:29:12.65\00:29:15.02
you cannot help but find Jesus
00:29:15.05\00:29:17.75
when you began to
study and read Scripture.
00:29:17.79\00:29:20.42
And in 2 Timothy
we talked about here,
00:29:20.46\00:29:22.52
the scriptures are
able, praise God for this,
00:29:22.56\00:29:25.56
is able to make you wise.
00:29:25.59\00:29:28.70
I have no wisdom in this world,
00:29:28.73\00:29:30.10
but I'm telling
you, scripture reading,
00:29:30.13\00:29:31.60
it makes you
wise unto salvation.
00:29:31.63\00:29:34.84
You know, I praise God
that we can find Jesus,
00:29:34.87\00:29:37.14
we can be wise unto salvation.
00:29:37.17\00:29:38.81
Read a couple of more,
I think here a few more,
00:29:38.84\00:29:40.64
studying God's Word, John 14:6.
00:29:40.68\00:29:43.68
If we get no
farther than this, it's okay
00:29:43.71\00:29:45.11
because I'm
getting excited myself
00:29:45.15\00:29:46.68
about the word here.
00:29:46.72\00:29:48.35
John 14:6. Why?
00:29:48.38\00:29:50.09
Because Jesus said, He said,
"I'm the way and I'm the what?
00:29:50.12\00:29:53.79
I'm the truth and I'm the life.
00:29:53.82\00:29:55.86
No man cometh to
the Father but by Me.
00:29:55.89\00:29:58.29
He is the way.
00:29:58.33\00:29:59.66
We find this by
studying Scripture.
00:29:59.69\00:30:01.03
He's the way, He's the
truth, and He is the life.
00:30:01.06\00:30:04.50
Romans 6:23,
00:30:04.53\00:30:05.87
just the last
part as you will know.
00:30:05.90\00:30:08.30
It says the gift of God is what?
00:30:08.34\00:30:09.67
Eternal life.
00:30:09.70\00:30:11.04
The gift of God is eternal life.
00:30:11.07\00:30:12.54
Benefits of
studying the Word of God?
00:30:12.57\00:30:14.41
We're going to have by
the grace, a gift of God,
00:30:14.44\00:30:16.24
it says eternal life,
00:30:16.28\00:30:17.61
which I'm very grateful
and thankful for 1 John 5:11.
00:30:17.65\00:30:20.92
It says this, 1 John 5:11.
00:30:20.95\00:30:23.28
This is the record
00:30:23.32\00:30:25.05
that God had given
to us eternal life.
00:30:25.09\00:30:27.72
Notice this, this
life is in His Son.
00:30:27.76\00:30:31.69
Praise God.
00:30:31.73\00:30:33.06
This is the record,
this is written down.
00:30:33.09\00:30:34.76
This is the way that it is,
God has given us well already.
00:30:34.80\00:30:38.33
He's given us eternal life.
00:30:38.37\00:30:39.70
He's given you eternal life.
00:30:39.73\00:30:41.50
Just by faith, we need
to reach out and grasp,
00:30:41.54\00:30:43.84
but we talked about the Word,
00:30:43.87\00:30:45.21
you mentioned while ago
00:30:45.24\00:30:46.57
that His Word
will not return void.
00:30:46.61\00:30:48.24
Put that word out there,
there's going to be a harvest.
00:30:48.28\00:30:50.05
There's going to be
the souls into the kingdom.
00:30:50.08\00:30:52.61
God says right
here, eternal life.
00:30:52.65\00:30:54.42
He is life and
life is in His Son.
00:30:54.45\00:30:57.49
1 Timothy 1:15.
00:30:57.52\00:30:59.39
1 Timothy 1:15.
00:30:59.42\00:31:02.19
Jesus simply said,
He came to do what?
00:31:02.22\00:31:04.23
Jesus came to this
world for a purpose.
00:31:04.26\00:31:08.66
And if you could
put a bottom line
00:31:08.70\00:31:10.03
also maybe may go
different direction,
00:31:10.07\00:31:12.00
but I like to go this direction
00:31:12.03\00:31:13.40
because the Bible
said, 1 Timothy 1:15,
00:31:13.44\00:31:16.24
"He came to save sinners."
00:31:16.27\00:31:18.77
Paul said, he
was, was he the chief?
00:31:18.81\00:31:20.74
Chief. He's a chief.
00:31:20.78\00:31:22.11
And I think each of us as
we look in the mirror today
00:31:22.14\00:31:24.25
when it should be real to
us to look and say I'm chief.
00:31:24.28\00:31:27.52
I'm the chief of sinner,
00:31:27.55\00:31:28.88
because the Bible
said there's none good,
00:31:28.92\00:31:31.02
no, not one.
00:31:31.05\00:31:32.39
We have nothing to tout.
00:31:32.42\00:31:33.76
We have nothing
to try to elevate.
00:31:33.79\00:31:35.12
We simply have
Jesus we want to lift up,
00:31:35.16\00:31:36.86
save sinners.
00:31:36.89\00:31:38.23
And then we learned
this in Matthew 1:21.
00:31:38.26\00:31:41.03
The Bible simply says,
00:31:41.06\00:31:42.40
"Why did Jesus
come into this world?"
00:31:42.43\00:31:43.97
He came to save His
people from their what?
00:31:44.00\00:31:46.67
He comes to save
us from their sin.
00:31:46.70\00:31:48.37
Everybody else says, well,
not in their sins, absolutely,
00:31:48.40\00:31:50.57
but from their sins.
00:31:50.61\00:31:52.37
So the benefits of
studying God's Word,
00:31:52.41\00:31:54.34
you could go passage
after passage after passage,
00:31:54.38\00:31:57.08
and each one I think
would give you encouragement
00:31:57.11\00:31:59.28
and give you strength here.
00:31:59.31\00:32:00.85
So, you know, again
was Tuesday's lesson
00:32:00.88\00:32:02.82
we start out this thought,
which is a good foundation.
00:32:02.85\00:32:06.12
I've always believed
in a good foundation.
00:32:06.15\00:32:09.92
Sometime I
think maybe I've stood
00:32:09.96\00:32:11.29
on some has been
a little bit crumbly
00:32:11.33\00:32:12.66
and little bit
shaky and they've cracked
00:32:12.69\00:32:14.03
and they'll fall through.
00:32:14.06\00:32:15.40
But when you build something,
00:32:15.43\00:32:16.77
you want it on
a good foundation.
00:32:16.80\00:32:18.13
You're building
your life in Christ.
00:32:18.17\00:32:20.54
You must have
the good foundation,
00:32:20.57\00:32:22.17
you must have that solid
rock and this rock is on,
00:32:22.20\00:32:25.31
this rock is Jesus,
but He's the only one.
00:32:25.34\00:32:29.04
The Great Controversy,
00:32:29.08\00:32:30.41
page 555, the
lesson brings it out,
00:32:30.45\00:32:33.25
Great Controversy 555 says this,
00:32:33.28\00:32:35.88
"It is the law,
00:32:35.92\00:32:37.49
both of the
intellect and spiritual nature,
00:32:37.52\00:32:41.12
that by" what?
00:32:41.16\00:32:42.49
"Beholding" what happens?
00:32:42.52\00:32:43.86
"We become changed."
00:32:43.89\00:32:45.29
Now notice this,
00:32:45.33\00:32:46.66
the mind gradually adopts itself
00:32:46.70\00:32:49.16
to the subjects
00:32:49.20\00:32:50.53
upon which it is
allowed to dwell.
00:32:50.57\00:32:53.44
Now that could be good and bad.
00:32:53.47\00:32:55.27
Could it?
00:32:55.30\00:32:56.64
So something in the mind
00:32:56.67\00:32:58.17
that has if we
dwell on these things
00:32:58.21\00:33:00.41
that's what we become like.
00:33:00.44\00:33:02.41
So we want to make sure
00:33:02.44\00:33:03.78
we dwell on the
good things of God.
00:33:03.81\00:33:05.15
Don't let the
things of the world
00:33:05.18\00:33:06.51
and things of the enemy come in.
00:33:06.55\00:33:07.88
And that certainly
supported by 2 Corinthians 3:18,
00:33:07.92\00:33:12.49
to simply paraphrasing,
but we behold Christ.
00:33:12.52\00:33:15.92
We behold Him in His
Word, then we become what?
00:33:15.96\00:33:17.99
Changed.
00:33:18.03\00:33:19.36
Like ourself in a mirror, right?
00:33:19.39\00:33:20.73
We become like Him.
00:33:20.76\00:33:22.10
Again, again,
looking at the benefits
00:33:22.13\00:33:24.73
of studying God's Word.
00:33:24.77\00:33:26.40
I've heard this say
00:33:26.43\00:33:27.77
and I think
probably you have too,
00:33:27.80\00:33:30.11
to know God is to love Him.
00:33:30.14\00:33:32.74
To know God is to love Him.
00:33:32.77\00:33:34.61
But you know,
there's only one reason
00:33:34.64\00:33:36.61
people maybe
they don't love God.
00:33:36.64\00:33:38.35
You say, "They don't love God."
00:33:38.38\00:33:40.02
It's because you don't know Him.
00:33:40.05\00:33:42.22
I mean, it's very simple.
00:33:42.25\00:33:43.59
That's really is mind
boggling as you think about it.
00:33:43.62\00:33:45.79
If you know Him,
you will love Him.
00:33:45.82\00:33:51.29
Our love for Him
00:33:51.33\00:33:52.66
and our love for Him
00:33:52.69\00:33:54.03
and as we gain a
knowledge of Him,
00:33:54.06\00:33:56.20
it just continues to
grow and grow and grow,
00:33:56.23\00:33:59.60
and we have this kind of love
00:33:59.63\00:34:00.97
that we need to
share with one another.
00:34:01.00\00:34:02.37
I need that kind
of love in my heart,
00:34:02.40\00:34:04.57
not only for my
fellow man, but you know,
00:34:04.61\00:34:06.71
we need that for God
and for our fellow man
00:34:06.74\00:34:09.08
that we might reach out
and touch someone for Jesus.
00:34:09.11\00:34:12.18
So it's a
knowledge then of the truth
00:34:12.21\00:34:14.72
about God which
sanctifies, sanctifies,
00:34:14.75\00:34:18.09
and only those
00:34:18.12\00:34:19.45
who were gonna make it to heaven
00:34:19.49\00:34:20.82
that needs to be
sanctified, isn't that right?
00:34:20.86\00:34:22.19
That's right. Was it
John 17:17 says what?
00:34:22.22\00:34:25.39
Sanctify them through thy truth,
00:34:25.43\00:34:27.90
thy word is truth."
00:34:27.93\00:34:29.46
Benefits of the Word of God.
00:34:29.50\00:34:30.83
It brings
sanctification to the life.
00:34:30.87\00:34:32.20
That's right.
00:34:32.23\00:34:33.57
No one's going to
make it to the kingdom
00:34:33.60\00:34:34.94
without being
sanctified by the Word of God
00:34:34.97\00:34:36.44
and certainly we're
talking about Christ.
00:34:36.47\00:34:38.44
God transforms us
through the means of truth,
00:34:38.47\00:34:43.41
and certainly of a
knowledge of Himself
00:34:43.45\00:34:46.48
which would be His character
00:34:46.51\00:34:48.55
and, of course, of His love
by constantly beholding Him.
00:34:48.58\00:34:53.86
That means how do we
constantly behold Christ?
00:34:53.89\00:34:55.96
In His Word.
00:34:55.99\00:34:57.33
Be constantly
beholding Him in His Word.
00:34:57.36\00:34:59.36
We will continue
constantly be growing in grace.
00:34:59.39\00:35:03.63
And then growing
in grace allows us
00:35:03.67\00:35:06.33
to become more and more
like Him into His character.
00:35:06.37\00:35:10.74
Benefits of studying God's Word.
00:35:10.77\00:35:12.27
Many of those, absolutely,
00:35:12.31\00:35:13.78
we receive a
knowledge of the truth.
00:35:13.81\00:35:16.01
It certainly
converts, it convicts,
00:35:16.04\00:35:17.88
we realize that it
sanctifies, it transforms,
00:35:17.91\00:35:20.72
it perfects the character.
00:35:20.75\00:35:22.88
You know, I need
perfection of character,
00:35:22.92\00:35:24.45
you know, I could
look in the mirror,
00:35:24.49\00:35:25.82
I can look in the Word of God.
00:35:25.85\00:35:27.56
And I can see some
changes need to take place
00:35:27.59\00:35:29.82
before the coming
of the Lord and Savior.
00:35:29.86\00:35:31.93
Why?
00:35:31.96\00:35:33.29
because I'm not
looking at the world,
00:35:33.33\00:35:34.66
I'm not looking at the preacher,
00:35:34.70\00:35:36.03
I'm not looking at evangelists,
00:35:36.06\00:35:37.40
I'm not looking at
anybody for my example.
00:35:37.43\00:35:38.90
I'm looking to Jesus
Christ, My Lord and my Savior.
00:35:38.93\00:35:41.14
And every time I look
at Him, I see I fall short.
00:35:41.17\00:35:43.44
That's right.
00:35:43.47\00:35:44.81
That doesn't discourage
me and make me want to quit
00:35:44.84\00:35:46.78
like some people say,
"Well, I just want to give up."
00:35:46.81\00:35:48.61
No, it drives me to my
knees and to Jesus, you see,
00:35:48.64\00:35:53.45
and then by
beholding we become changed.
00:35:53.48\00:35:55.22
It will give us
exactly what we need
00:35:55.25\00:35:57.29
because the Word of God
can change us and convert us.
00:35:57.32\00:36:00.66
You know, I think we
need a cleansing, don't you?
00:36:00.69\00:36:03.19
Last passage, Ephesians
5:26, that "He might do" what?
00:36:03.22\00:36:07.23
"Sanctify and cleanse it."
00:36:07.26\00:36:09.53
Who is He gonna
sanctify and cleanse?
00:36:09.56\00:36:11.03
He's talking about the church.
00:36:11.07\00:36:12.40
He's talking about
us, remember we need,
00:36:12.43\00:36:14.20
you know, some of us need
a little more than cleansing,
00:36:14.24\00:36:15.77
a little more
water, we need scrubbed.
00:36:15.80\00:36:17.21
That's right.
00:36:17.24\00:36:18.57
We need a little
scrubbing going on.
00:36:18.61\00:36:19.94
So I'm asking God to come in
00:36:19.97\00:36:21.31
and do some
scrubbing on me first.
00:36:21.34\00:36:22.78
That's what I do.
00:36:22.81\00:36:24.15
And, you know, the Word
of God does build us up,
00:36:24.18\00:36:26.48
edifies us and
it does cleanse us
00:36:26.51\00:36:28.42
and leads us to Him.
00:36:28.45\00:36:29.78
Amen.
00:36:29.82\00:36:31.15
Thank you, Pastor
Kenny, appreciate that.
00:36:31.19\00:36:32.69
Now, Wednesday is
"Applying God's Word."
00:36:32.72\00:36:35.42
Amen.
00:36:35.46\00:36:36.79
You know, applying God's
Word and you both are builders.
00:36:36.83\00:36:39.63
To me if I could use
this analogy quickly,
00:36:39.66\00:36:41.76
applying God's Word
00:36:41.80\00:36:43.47
is like applying
paint to a house.
00:36:43.50\00:36:45.47
Okay. It's not
enough to have it.
00:36:45.50\00:36:48.14
It has to be applied
to make it different.
00:36:48.17\00:36:49.54
Come on, it's good.
00:36:49.57\00:36:50.91
And so when we think
about the power of God's Word,
00:36:50.94\00:36:53.31
you know, Pastor
Finley pointed out
00:36:53.34\00:36:54.91
that somebody mentioned
00:36:54.94\00:36:56.28
that there are more
than 3000 promises of God
00:36:56.31\00:36:58.81
in the Word,
00:36:58.85\00:37:00.18
but promises mean
nothing if you don't apply them.
00:37:00.22\00:37:03.39
So I thought
about a couple of things
00:37:03.42\00:37:04.75
and one of my favorite speakers
00:37:04.79\00:37:06.35
who's resting in the
Lord now Pastor CD Brooks.
00:37:06.39\00:37:08.76
He said the issue
is never God's Word,
00:37:08.79\00:37:10.79
is how a person applies it.
00:37:10.83\00:37:12.79
As he said in a
beautiful way, he says,
00:37:12.83\00:37:14.53
"You know the Son of
God or the Word of God
00:37:14.56\00:37:17.37
melts butter but
also hardens clay."
00:37:17.40\00:37:20.44
It depends on the
condition of the human heart.
00:37:20.47\00:37:22.80
The Word of God is
surgical for one person,
00:37:22.84\00:37:26.01
but healing for the other.
00:37:26.04\00:37:28.11
For the other
person it's dynamic,
00:37:28.14\00:37:29.58
for the other
person it's didactic,
00:37:29.61\00:37:31.61
meaning it's
continually leading,
00:37:31.65\00:37:32.98
continually guiding.
00:37:33.01\00:37:34.35
To one it's a lie disseminator,
00:37:34.38\00:37:36.65
to the other one
it's a lie detector.
00:37:36.69\00:37:38.55
So the Word of God is,
00:37:38.59\00:37:39.92
you know, it has
multifaceted aspects to it.
00:37:39.95\00:37:42.26
The Bible
reveals the mind of God.
00:37:42.29\00:37:44.39
It also reveals
the state of man,
00:37:44.43\00:37:46.33
reveals the way of salvation,
reveals the doom of sinners
00:37:46.36\00:37:49.26
and the happiness of believers.
00:37:49.30\00:37:50.90
Its precepts are
binding, its history is true,
00:37:50.93\00:37:54.27
its decisions are immutable,
00:37:54.30\00:37:55.94
but it always depends
00:37:55.97\00:37:57.31
on how you
apply the Word of God.
00:37:57.34\00:37:58.97
For example,
David in Psalm 119:130,
00:37:59.01\00:38:01.44
he talks about the
light disseminating qualities
00:38:01.48\00:38:04.78
of God's Word.
00:38:04.81\00:38:06.15
He said, "The entrance
of Your Word gives light.
00:38:06.18\00:38:09.55
It gives an
understanding to the simple."
00:38:09.58\00:38:12.35
Also the Bible
is a sin preventer.
00:38:12.39\00:38:15.39
David in Psalm 119:111,
00:38:15.42\00:38:17.23
"Your Word have I
hidden in my heart,
00:38:17.26\00:38:19.83
that I might not
sin against thee."
00:38:19.86\00:38:21.36
But in every one of
these applications so far,
00:38:21.40\00:38:24.17
it's applied.
00:38:24.20\00:38:25.77
In every one of
these scriptures so far,
00:38:25.80\00:38:27.64
it has to be
applied to prevent sin,
00:38:27.67\00:38:30.01
to give light and
also it's a life provider.
00:38:30.04\00:38:34.08
Psalm 19:150,
00:38:34.11\00:38:35.84
"This is my
comfort in my affliction,
00:38:35.88\00:38:38.51
for Your Word
has given me life."
00:38:38.55\00:38:41.22
One of the greatest
problems in the world today
00:38:41.25\00:38:43.69
is have to have
something so powerful, Danny,
00:38:43.72\00:38:47.22
and just let it sit
on your dining table.
00:38:47.26\00:38:51.63
I mean, can you imagine
it's surgical, it's healing,
00:38:51.66\00:38:55.20
it's dynamic,
didactic, it leads, it guides,
00:38:55.23\00:38:58.87
it disseminates
lie, it prevents sin,
00:38:58.90\00:39:01.37
it gives wisdom,
all these things.
00:39:01.40\00:39:03.87
And it's better
than any medication
00:39:03.91\00:39:05.24
you have in your house.
00:39:05.27\00:39:06.61
That's right.
00:39:06.64\00:39:07.98
But people complain and
they have the best antidote
00:39:08.01\00:39:09.91
right there on their...
00:39:09.94\00:39:13.15
nightstand.
00:39:13.18\00:39:14.68
Healing is just
an extended arm away.
00:39:14.72\00:39:17.62
Elijah talked
00:39:17.65\00:39:18.99
about how the
application of God's Word
00:39:19.02\00:39:21.36
was a blessing to him.
00:39:21.39\00:39:22.72
1 Kings 18:36, the Bible says,
00:39:22.76\00:39:25.29
"And it came to pass at
the time of the offering
00:39:25.33\00:39:27.20
of the evening sacrifice,
00:39:27.23\00:39:29.00
that Elijah the
Prophet came near and said,
00:39:29.03\00:39:32.73
'Oh Lord, God of
Abraham, Isaac in Israel,
00:39:32.77\00:39:36.10
let it be known this day
that you are God in Israel,
00:39:36.14\00:39:39.84
and I am your
servant, and that,"
00:39:39.87\00:39:42.34
I love this, "I
have done all things,
00:39:42.38\00:39:46.01
all these things at Your Word."
00:39:46.05\00:39:49.32
So once again,
00:39:49.35\00:39:51.35
that's the
application of God's Word.
00:39:51.39\00:39:53.49
Everything that we
do as servants of God
00:39:53.52\00:39:56.99
should not be
done by whim or by,
00:39:57.03\00:39:59.76
whoa, this is what
I think would work.
00:39:59.79\00:40:01.83
But God's Word guides
us, enlightens our path.
00:40:01.86\00:40:05.33
It gives us wisdom,
it makes the simple.
00:40:05.37\00:40:07.64
It makes the simple wise.
00:40:07.67\00:40:09.37
You know, as the Bible
talked about the testimony,
00:40:09.40\00:40:11.47
the testimony of the Lord
is sure making wise the simple.
00:40:11.51\00:40:14.71
The testimony
come from God's Word.
00:40:14.74\00:40:16.91
But not only that,
00:40:16.95\00:40:18.38
it, even all the
things I've mentioned,
00:40:18.41\00:40:20.92
well, Danny, you
know, this passage.
00:40:20.95\00:40:22.85
It's able to do
exceedingly abundantly
00:40:22.88\00:40:25.85
above all that you
could ask or think.
00:40:25.89\00:40:28.69
That's God's Word. Amen.
00:40:28.72\00:40:30.26
So we could come up
with all these applications
00:40:30.29\00:40:33.73
for God's Word,
00:40:33.76\00:40:35.10
and then the Bible says
00:40:35.13\00:40:36.60
He's still able to do
exceedingly, abundantly
00:40:36.63\00:40:40.00
above all that you ask or think.
00:40:40.04\00:40:42.34
So that's a powerful tool
to have this tool in your hand,
00:40:42.37\00:40:45.04
and I found that when we
need light and understanding.
00:40:45.07\00:40:50.75
I've had examples.
00:40:50.78\00:40:52.11
I'll use an
anecdotal story here.
00:40:52.15\00:40:53.65
You know, there's some
evenings when I'm just tired.
00:40:53.68\00:40:55.58
You know, when we put
together Sabbath School
00:40:55.62\00:40:57.65
and we really go at it.
00:40:57.69\00:41:00.66
And we are, we get busy,
00:41:00.69\00:41:02.22
we go home become
drained and exhausted.
00:41:02.26\00:41:04.46
I'm sitting
there and Angie said,
00:41:04.49\00:41:05.83
"We have devotions."
00:41:05.86\00:41:07.20
I said, "I'm tired."
00:41:07.23\00:41:10.33
She gets out the Bible,
00:41:10.37\00:41:12.47
and it's like
dropping a match in the fire.
00:41:12.50\00:41:16.44
And she gets the fire started
00:41:16.47\00:41:17.81
and I'm applying
for another hour.
00:41:17.84\00:41:19.17
She said,
00:41:19.21\00:41:20.54
"Would you please
turn the light off?
00:41:20.58\00:41:21.91
I got to go to bed."
00:41:21.94\00:41:23.28
I said, "Honey,
you started a fire.
00:41:23.31\00:41:24.65
And I just found something
that I didn't see before."
00:41:24.68\00:41:27.42
That shows the
breathing of God's Word
00:41:27.45\00:41:30.82
is the living Word.
00:41:30.85\00:41:32.32
I did a sermon few years ago
called The Book that Breathes.
00:41:32.35\00:41:35.82
It gives continual light.
00:41:35.86\00:41:37.76
And it is by the Word of God
00:41:37.79\00:41:40.30
that Paul the Apostle
is able to say these words.
00:41:40.33\00:41:44.10
He who did not
spare, Romans 8:32,
00:41:44.13\00:41:47.40
"He who did not
spare his own Son,
00:41:47.44\00:41:49.97
but delivered him up for us all,
00:41:50.01\00:41:52.74
how shall he not with him
00:41:52.77\00:41:54.21
also freely give us all things?"
00:41:54.24\00:41:57.08
So through the Word of God,
we have access to all things,
00:41:57.11\00:42:00.35
because the Word of God
is not just the written Word,
00:42:00.38\00:42:02.55
it is the living Word.
00:42:02.58\00:42:04.15
Right.
00:42:04.19\00:42:05.52
The Living Word of
God, we have all things.
00:42:05.55\00:42:07.42
So let's look at
some of the promises.
00:42:07.46\00:42:09.29
The promises of God's Word
00:42:09.32\00:42:11.29
is based on the
provision of God's Word.
00:42:11.33\00:42:13.53
He says, "If we
confess our sins,
00:42:13.56\00:42:15.56
He is faithful and
just to forgive us our sins
00:42:15.60\00:42:18.37
and cleanse us" from how much?
00:42:18.40\00:42:19.83
"All." Can we
take Him at His word?
00:42:19.87\00:42:22.80
Of course, it's a promise.
00:42:22.84\00:42:24.67
That's a promise.
00:42:24.71\00:42:26.04
Not only is it a passage
00:42:26.07\00:42:27.54
that we have
repeated a number of times,
00:42:27.58\00:42:29.81
but it's a promise,
00:42:29.84\00:42:31.18
as a little kids
who say to the parents,
00:42:31.21\00:42:32.61
but you promised.
00:42:32.65\00:42:34.68
Yes, Father, He
promised if we confess our sins,
00:42:34.72\00:42:38.32
He is faithful
and just to do what?
00:42:38.35\00:42:40.06
Forgive us and
cleanse us from how much?
00:42:40.09\00:42:42.46
All.
00:42:42.49\00:42:43.83
One that ends with all.
00:42:43.86\00:42:45.19
So if you cleanse
from all unrighteousness,
00:42:45.23\00:42:47.30
what are you?
00:42:47.33\00:42:48.66
Righteous.
00:42:48.70\00:42:50.03
Thank you, say it again, Jill.
00:42:50.07\00:42:51.40
Righteous. Thank you.
00:42:51.43\00:42:52.77
We can only be righteous
00:42:52.80\00:42:54.14
by the cleansing
promises of God's Word.
00:42:54.17\00:42:57.07
Not only that, we
have the assurance
00:42:57.11\00:42:59.57
that comes through God's Word.
00:42:59.61\00:43:01.21
Philippians
4:13, we all know what?
00:43:01.24\00:43:02.74
I can do all
things through Christ.
00:43:02.78\00:43:04.85
How many things, Danny? All.
00:43:04.88\00:43:06.55
All things.
00:43:06.58\00:43:07.98
Danny, it's all God,
all power, all authority,
00:43:08.02\00:43:11.39
probably all you need.
00:43:11.42\00:43:12.95
I can do all
things through Christ
00:43:12.99\00:43:14.32
who strengthens me,
00:43:14.36\00:43:15.69
but not only
through the living Christ,
00:43:15.72\00:43:17.79
but through the written.
00:43:17.83\00:43:19.16
Yes. Jesus is the written Word.
00:43:19.19\00:43:21.16
He's the living Word
and the written Word.
00:43:21.20\00:43:23.47
Not only that, another
promise, Philippians 4:19.
00:43:23.50\00:43:28.67
"And my God shall supply
00:43:28.70\00:43:31.41
all of my need
according to his."
00:43:31.44\00:43:33.71
Good thing you're
sitting right next to me.
00:43:33.74\00:43:35.64
I don't have anybody to talk to.
00:43:35.68\00:43:37.45
Thank you. I'd
remember that one.
00:43:37.48\00:43:40.02
But in God, my God shall supply
00:43:40.05\00:43:41.85
all of your need
00:43:41.88\00:43:43.65
according to his
riches and glory.
00:43:43.69\00:43:45.35
These are promises that
when we have times of lean
00:43:45.39\00:43:49.52
or times of plenty.
00:43:49.56\00:43:50.89
In times of plenty,
00:43:50.93\00:43:52.26
we must
remember God gave us all.
00:43:52.29\00:43:54.36
In times of
lean, we must remember
00:43:54.40\00:43:56.06
God can give us all
because He owns all.
00:43:56.10\00:43:59.60
Also but however, however,
00:43:59.63\00:44:02.37
there are
conditions to these promises.
00:44:02.40\00:44:04.84
Hebrews 3:19.
00:44:04.87\00:44:06.64
Look at one of the conditions
to the promises of God.
00:44:06.68\00:44:08.74
Here it is.
00:44:08.78\00:44:10.88
So we see that
they could not enter in
00:44:10.91\00:44:14.02
because of unbelief.
00:44:14.05\00:44:16.75
So if you don't
believe God's promises,
00:44:16.79\00:44:19.02
can't do anything for you.
00:44:19.05\00:44:20.56
Hebrews 11:6 says,
"But without faith,
00:44:20.59\00:44:24.66
it is impossible to please Him.
00:44:24.69\00:44:27.60
For he who comes to God
must believe that He is,
00:44:27.63\00:44:31.40
that He is a rewarder of
those who diligently seek Him."
00:44:31.43\00:44:36.37
You got to believe that, if
you're going to come to God,
00:44:36.40\00:44:39.04
you know, people
might say dimensionally,
00:44:39.07\00:44:40.58
can I feel God?
00:44:40.61\00:44:41.94
Can I see God? No.
00:44:41.98\00:44:43.31
But His promises
continually repeated
00:44:43.35\00:44:45.81
and fulfilled,
00:44:45.85\00:44:47.18
is evidence that God is real.
00:44:47.22\00:44:49.38
His continual
evidence that God is real,
00:44:49.42\00:44:53.09
but without
faith, it's impossible
00:44:53.12\00:44:55.22
because you'd
have to come to Him
00:44:55.26\00:44:56.62
through the curtain of belief.
00:44:56.66\00:44:58.63
Not only that,
00:44:58.66\00:45:00.00
Matthew 13:58 points out
how effective God's Word can be
00:45:00.03\00:45:04.50
and how ineffective it can be.
00:45:04.53\00:45:07.00
He says, "Now he did
not do many works there
00:45:07.04\00:45:11.21
because of their unbelief."
00:45:11.24\00:45:13.34
That's the place
where Jesus was raised
00:45:13.38\00:45:15.14
in his own community.
00:45:15.18\00:45:16.51
Now, how many
times is that true?
00:45:16.54\00:45:18.78
A profit is without
honor in his own country.
00:45:18.81\00:45:22.45
Some people, I've met
people at Walmart say,
00:45:22.48\00:45:25.22
"I know, Mr. Shelton.
00:45:25.25\00:45:26.99
I knew when he was a little kid,
00:45:27.02\00:45:28.52
I saw him raised up."
00:45:28.56\00:45:30.19
And I said, "Well, why
don't you come out to 3ABN
00:45:30.23\00:45:31.86
and see what God has
done through his life."
00:45:31.89\00:45:33.26
"Well, I watch
him on television,
00:45:33.29\00:45:34.63
that's good enough for me."
00:45:34.66\00:45:36.56
God can do much more.
00:45:36.60\00:45:37.93
Oh, yeah. Yeah.
00:45:37.97\00:45:39.30
If we understand
that by God's Word,
00:45:39.33\00:45:40.67
everything is done.
00:45:40.70\00:45:42.04
This ministry
came into existence
00:45:42.07\00:45:43.51
by God's Word,
00:45:43.54\00:45:44.87
but Danny had to believe it.
00:45:44.91\00:45:47.44
And so we all have to
believe that what God can do
00:45:47.48\00:45:50.18
and has done is
done by His Word.
00:45:50.21\00:45:52.61
And then I like
this one, Mark 9:23.
00:45:52.65\00:45:57.09
Mark 9:23.
00:45:57.12\00:45:58.75
This is what the
promise of God is all about.
00:45:58.79\00:46:01.62
You see, friends,
when you are doubting
00:46:01.66\00:46:04.49
and when you are without,
00:46:04.53\00:46:06.19
and when you are
lonely and when you feel
00:46:06.23\00:46:08.70
that you've been
tossed aside and forgotten.
00:46:08.73\00:46:11.73
Remember what the
Lord said in Mark 9:23.
00:46:11.77\00:46:16.54
He says, "If you can
believe, all things are," what?
00:46:16.57\00:46:23.31
"Possible."
00:46:23.35\00:46:24.68
And the Apostle
Peter in 2 Peter 1:3,
00:46:24.71\00:46:27.82
made it clear
00:46:27.85\00:46:29.28
about how the platform
of God's promises are based.
00:46:29.32\00:46:33.22
He says, "As His divine
power has given to us all things
00:46:33.25\00:46:37.76
that pertain to
life and godliness
00:46:37.79\00:46:40.50
through the knowledge of Him
00:46:40.53\00:46:42.13
who called us by
glory and virtue."
00:46:42.16\00:46:45.53
Amen. Yes, it's beautiful.
00:46:45.57\00:46:46.94
I love it.
00:46:46.97\00:46:48.30
Good news for sharing, right?
00:46:48.34\00:46:49.67
That's right.
00:46:49.70\00:46:51.04
Danny, when you got married,
did you send out announcements?
00:46:51.07\00:46:55.21
Were you telling
everybody about it?
00:46:55.24\00:46:57.35
Absolutely. Yeah.
00:46:57.38\00:46:58.71
Kenny, how about when you
got that 1957 Chevrolet car
00:46:58.75\00:47:01.42
in high school,
00:47:01.45\00:47:02.78
it was fairly new back then,
I hate to say that, beautiful.
00:47:02.82\00:47:05.49
Did you tell anybody about it?
00:47:05.52\00:47:06.86
Told everybody about it,
and I call it Dragon Main.
00:47:06.89\00:47:09.52
Dragon Main go
up and down street,
00:47:09.56\00:47:11.33
we drag Main
Street, West Frankfort.
00:47:11.36\00:47:13.09
You're excited about.
00:47:13.13\00:47:14.46
How about when you've
got your first Good job?
00:47:14.50\00:47:16.00
You graduated school?
00:47:16.03\00:47:17.73
How about when you got
your first home you moved into,
00:47:17.77\00:47:20.50
whether you rented it,
you built it, you own it?
00:47:20.54\00:47:23.10
That's exciting news.
00:47:23.14\00:47:24.47
You told everybody, didn't you?
00:47:24.51\00:47:25.84
Yeah.
00:47:25.87\00:47:27.21
I remember when
Melody was born way back.
00:47:27.24\00:47:28.94
She won't let me say her age.
00:47:28.98\00:47:30.41
She should brag
about it at that age.
00:47:30.45\00:47:31.98
But way back
when Melody was born,
00:47:32.01\00:47:34.32
I went to the
hospital and they told me,
00:47:34.35\00:47:35.68
you have a little girl.
00:47:35.72\00:47:37.05
Now I thought it
was going to be a boy
00:47:37.09\00:47:38.42
because they didn't weren't able
00:47:38.45\00:47:39.79
to tell back then.
00:47:39.82\00:47:41.16
But I was thrilled.
00:47:41.19\00:47:42.52
When I saw that
little baby girl,
00:47:42.56\00:47:43.89
I told everybody,
00:47:43.93\00:47:45.43
I didn't do the
passing out the cigars,
00:47:45.46\00:47:47.33
which we used to do you
know when you had a baby.
00:47:47.36\00:47:49.26
I didn't do that.
00:47:49.30\00:47:50.63
But I told
everybody about Melody
00:47:50.67\00:47:52.83
and how wonderful this
was to have this little girl.
00:47:52.87\00:47:55.74
Now all these years later,
00:47:55.77\00:47:58.07
I'm still telling everybody
00:47:58.11\00:47:59.61
how wonderful it is
to have this little girl.
00:47:59.64\00:48:02.28
Now I see her up
front singing for Jesus.
00:48:02.31\00:48:04.58
And I'm so happy.
00:48:04.61\00:48:05.95
I'm still in love
with my little girl,
00:48:05.98\00:48:08.42
still love her
with all my heart.
00:48:08.45\00:48:10.19
Same way with your spouse,
you fall in love with that.
00:48:10.22\00:48:13.59
When you fall
in love with Jesus,
00:48:13.62\00:48:14.96
can you remember
being that excited
00:48:14.99\00:48:16.76
about your
first love with Jesus,
00:48:16.79\00:48:18.93
when you fell
in love with Jesus?
00:48:18.96\00:48:20.53
We should remember that.
00:48:20.56\00:48:22.16
You should be, Kenny,
going back to that 57 car,
00:48:22.20\00:48:24.73
that impressed me.
00:48:24.77\00:48:26.10
And I mean, I
was younger than you,
00:48:26.13\00:48:27.47
I didn't have a car at the time.
00:48:27.50\00:48:28.84
That's, I still remember that.
00:48:28.87\00:48:30.51
But when you fall
in love with Jesus,
00:48:30.54\00:48:32.27
how many times do
we forget about it
00:48:32.31\00:48:35.11
over the years.
00:48:35.14\00:48:36.54
So today what we want to
talk about is sharing the Word.
00:48:36.58\00:48:39.78
And I'm so thankful to
be a part of a ministry
00:48:39.81\00:48:42.88
that believes in
sharing the Word.
00:48:42.92\00:48:45.55
And I like to go back,
00:48:45.59\00:48:47.72
we're going to go
back to the Bible,
00:48:47.76\00:48:49.09
we're at Acts 4:20.
00:48:49.12\00:48:50.46
And so, it says,
00:48:50.49\00:48:51.83
"When the religious leaders
tried to stop the apostles
00:48:51.86\00:48:54.60
from preaching the gospel,
00:48:54.63\00:48:56.20
Peter declared,
00:48:56.23\00:48:58.10
'For we cannot
but speak the things
00:48:58.13\00:49:00.54
which we have seen and heard.'"
00:49:00.57\00:49:02.04
In other words, I
can't control myself.
00:49:02.07\00:49:05.01
Even if I don't
want to, I have to.
00:49:05.04\00:49:07.71
It's in me, what I've
learned, what I've experienced,
00:49:07.74\00:49:10.11
what I've seen, what I've heard,
00:49:10.15\00:49:11.71
the joy of the
Lord is my strength.
00:49:11.75\00:49:14.05
And now I can't quit.
00:49:14.08\00:49:15.75
Then Paul over in Romans 1 says,
00:49:15.78\00:49:18.22
"I'm ready to preach the gospel
00:49:18.25\00:49:19.69
to those of you
that are in Rome,
00:49:19.72\00:49:21.46
for I'm not ashamed
of the Gospel of Christ,
00:49:21.49\00:49:23.86
or there's a power
of God unto salvation
00:49:23.89\00:49:26.23
to everyone that
believe it, to the Jew first,
00:49:26.26\00:49:28.56
and then also to the Greek."
00:49:28.60\00:49:30.40
I want to tell you this today,
00:49:30.43\00:49:32.03
you are the most
effective preacher there is.
00:49:32.07\00:49:35.97
I might stop for a
second, let you think about it.
00:49:36.00\00:49:38.61
I'm talking about you.
00:49:38.64\00:49:40.21
You all are great
preachers and teachers.
00:49:40.24\00:49:42.51
But the greatest
teacher and preacher
00:49:42.54\00:49:44.71
on this earth right now is you,
00:49:44.75\00:49:46.58
it's not Pastor
Finley who wrote this,
00:49:46.61\00:49:48.18
it's not the others.
00:49:48.22\00:49:49.55
You know why?
00:49:49.58\00:49:50.92
Because your personal testimony
is your greatest asset.
00:49:50.95\00:49:54.76
So when you tell people
about what Jesus did for you,
00:49:54.79\00:49:58.49
that's life changing for people.
00:49:58.53\00:50:00.83
When they hear it,
they can read the Bible.
00:50:00.86\00:50:03.83
Somebody can tell
them what happened.
00:50:03.87\00:50:05.60
But when you say, this
is what happened to me,
00:50:05.63\00:50:08.84
your life changes.
00:50:08.87\00:50:10.21
You're not who you used to be.
00:50:10.24\00:50:12.31
I mean, I...
00:50:12.34\00:50:13.88
Something really big
happens when you meet Jesus.
00:50:13.91\00:50:16.24
There's a song says,
"Then I met the master.
00:50:16.28\00:50:18.91
Now I belong to Him."
00:50:18.95\00:50:20.28
Yeah.
00:50:20.32\00:50:21.65
So when you meet
Jesus, you meet the master,
00:50:21.68\00:50:23.28
your whole
life's going to change.
00:50:23.32\00:50:24.65
That's right.
00:50:24.69\00:50:26.02
It's not going to
be business as usual.
00:50:26.05\00:50:28.32
I tell you, I've
interviewed over the years
00:50:28.36\00:50:30.59
many of you have too.
00:50:30.63\00:50:31.96
We've interviewed prostitutes,
thieves, drug addicts,
00:50:31.99\00:50:36.06
yes and even murderers,
00:50:36.10\00:50:38.20
but their
testimony when they get on
00:50:38.23\00:50:40.90
and you give your
personal testimony,
00:50:40.94\00:50:43.14
it's life or
death to somebody else.
00:50:43.17\00:50:45.51
So what I'm saying
today is you can watch 3ABN
00:50:45.54\00:50:47.81
and you can
watch all the people,
00:50:47.84\00:50:49.38
but responsibility
comes back to you.
00:50:49.41\00:50:51.78
Do you really love Jesus?
00:50:51.81\00:50:53.31
If you do, Ryan, you can't help.
00:50:53.35\00:50:55.78
Ryan can't stop
preaching. That's right.
00:50:55.82\00:50:57.32
Even if you wanted to,
you can't stop preaching
00:50:57.35\00:50:59.79
because you're still
excited about the Lord,
00:50:59.82\00:51:02.46
you still have that first
love that we all should have.
00:51:02.49\00:51:06.66
2 Peter 4:2 says,
00:51:06.70\00:51:08.76
"Preach the word,
be instant in season,
00:51:08.80\00:51:11.23
out of season,
reprove, rebuke, exhort,
00:51:11.27\00:51:15.00
and with all with
longsuffering and doctrine."
00:51:15.04\00:51:18.21
So let me ask you this.
00:51:18.24\00:51:19.57
How long after you
fall in love with Jesus
00:51:19.61\00:51:21.98
should it be
before you're able to go
00:51:22.01\00:51:24.51
preach the Word?
00:51:24.55\00:51:26.08
Do you need to go the seminary
that we always say seminary,
00:51:26.11\00:51:30.05
sometimes cemetery,
00:51:30.09\00:51:31.45
but should we go
the seminary a few years
00:51:31.49\00:51:33.59
and then decide to preach?
00:51:33.62\00:51:35.26
Do I need to study
with Pastor John for a year?
00:51:35.29\00:51:37.96
Once you accept Jesus,
00:51:37.99\00:51:39.56
when you have that
come to Jesus moment,
00:51:39.59\00:51:42.20
Lord Jesus come into my life,
00:51:42.23\00:51:43.77
forgive me for my
sins, and He's faithful
00:51:43.80\00:51:46.17
and just as you
already talked about,
00:51:46.20\00:51:48.30
and cleanse me from
all unrighteousness.
00:51:48.34\00:51:50.54
How long do you need
before you become qualified
00:51:50.57\00:51:53.71
and equipped to preach?
00:51:53.74\00:51:55.08
Instantly?
00:51:55.11\00:51:56.44
You're ready
00:51:56.48\00:51:57.81
because your
life has been changed.
00:51:57.85\00:51:59.18
I'll never forget
that I interviewed a couple
00:51:59.21\00:52:01.25
from way in the northern
part of the United States.
00:52:01.28\00:52:04.65
The guy owned
pornography magazine.
00:52:04.69\00:52:07.59
His wife was a madam
of you know what it is,
00:52:07.62\00:52:10.56
I'm not gonna explain it to you.
00:52:10.59\00:52:12.13
All right, just trust me.
00:52:12.16\00:52:13.50
It wasn't good
thing at the time.
00:52:13.53\00:52:15.10
So they're on vacation,
00:52:15.13\00:52:16.93
and they're gone
for several weeks,
00:52:16.97\00:52:18.63
they come home,
00:52:18.67\00:52:20.00
and they turn on the television
at night the guy does,
00:52:20.04\00:52:22.40
I love watching TV.
00:52:22.44\00:52:24.01
And he didn't
have any television.
00:52:24.04\00:52:25.67
His cable had been disconnected.
00:52:25.71\00:52:27.68
So the cable is disconnected.
00:52:27.71\00:52:29.61
So he said, "What
am I going to do?"
00:52:29.64\00:52:31.71
Well, he hadn't paid the
bill. They forgot about it.
00:52:31.75\00:52:33.72
So they just, the
only channel he could get
00:52:33.75\00:52:36.85
was 3ABN, the only channel.
00:52:36.89\00:52:39.25
So during the night,
he watched for hours.
00:52:39.29\00:52:42.26
He said, "I watched
for hours, I couldn't stop.
00:52:42.29\00:52:44.99
Then probably two or
three in the morning,
00:52:45.03\00:52:47.26
Elder John Carter was on
00:52:47.30\00:52:48.66
and made an appeal
00:52:48.70\00:52:50.27
to accept Jesus
Christ as Lord and Savior.
00:52:50.30\00:52:52.97
And he said, "If you're unhappy,
00:52:53.00\00:52:54.47
if you don't have peace."
00:52:54.50\00:52:55.87
And all of a sudden guy says,
"I'm unhappy, I have money.
00:52:55.90\00:52:58.61
I have all these
things. I don't have peace.
00:52:58.64\00:53:00.24
I don't have joy in my life.
00:53:00.28\00:53:02.44
So I gave my life to Jesus."
00:53:02.48\00:53:04.31
I was so excited
that I woke my wife up.
00:53:04.35\00:53:07.85
Now remember our businesses.
00:53:07.88\00:53:09.32
I said, Honey, I've
just become a Christian.
00:53:09.35\00:53:11.75
Jesus has saved me.
00:53:11.79\00:53:13.52
I thought she'd be excited.
00:53:13.56\00:53:14.89
He said, she said,
00:53:14.92\00:53:16.26
"What in the world
is wrong with you?"
00:53:16.29\00:53:18.13
And he said, "Nothing.
00:53:18.16\00:53:19.49
I've accepted Jesus, I
felt the change in my life."
00:53:19.53\00:53:23.16
They got into a big argument.
00:53:23.20\00:53:24.53
She became so
upset that he said,
00:53:24.57\00:53:27.34
"I saw demons in
her coming at me."
00:53:27.37\00:53:31.07
And I, he said,
"I'm brand new Christian,
00:53:31.11\00:53:33.07
but what I do?
00:53:33.11\00:53:34.44
I rebuke the
demons when they came.
00:53:34.48\00:53:36.31
All right.
00:53:36.34\00:53:37.68
So how long does it take
00:53:37.71\00:53:39.05
once we accept Jesus Christ
as Lord and Savior of our life?
00:53:39.08\00:53:42.65
Instantly.
00:53:42.68\00:53:44.02
God can, just as He created
the world with the Big Bang,
00:53:44.05\00:53:46.96
you said, He spoke
it and bang it happened.
00:53:46.99\00:53:49.12
That's right. Absolutely.
00:53:49.16\00:53:50.49
I agree with
that too, I love it.
00:53:50.53\00:53:52.53
My appeal today as we look back
over our Christian experiences,
00:53:52.56\00:53:55.43
do you still love Jesus?
00:53:55.46\00:53:56.80
Amen. Or have you drifted away?
00:53:56.83\00:53:58.50
Are you still
so happy with Jesus
00:53:58.53\00:54:00.44
that everybody
around you knows it, right?
00:54:00.47\00:54:02.54
You can't contain it.
00:54:02.57\00:54:04.27
The devil will
try to deceive you.
00:54:04.31\00:54:05.81
He'll try to
rob you of your joy.
00:54:05.84\00:54:07.74
But you've got
to stay in contact
00:54:07.78\00:54:09.58
just like your relationship.
00:54:09.61\00:54:11.45
You got to pray, Bible studies,
00:54:11.48\00:54:13.28
John says even
though you're tired,
00:54:13.31\00:54:14.95
you and Angie, you
have your Bible studies.
00:54:14.98\00:54:17.72
Because if we
lose our first love,
00:54:17.75\00:54:19.92
Revelation 2:4-5 says,
00:54:19.95\00:54:21.99
"But I have this against you,
00:54:22.02\00:54:23.36
that you've abandoned
the love you had first.
00:54:23.39\00:54:26.49
Remember therefore
that where you have fallen,
00:54:26.53\00:54:28.96
repent and do the
works you did at first."
00:54:29.00\00:54:32.13
He says, "If not,
I'll come and remove you,
00:54:32.17\00:54:34.30
remove your lampstand
00:54:34.34\00:54:35.67
from its place
unless you repent."
00:54:35.70\00:54:38.24
So my question
today in the closing is,
00:54:38.27\00:54:41.74
are we ready for Jesus to come?
00:54:41.78\00:54:43.88
Do you have that first
love that you once had?
00:54:43.91\00:54:46.21
If Jesus came to your house,
there's an old song years ago,
00:54:46.25\00:54:49.88
most of you too
young to remember
00:54:49.92\00:54:51.25
it says of Jesus.
00:54:51.29\00:54:52.62
I'm gonna give you the words.
00:54:52.65\00:54:53.99
One of these you talk
and you sing at the same,
00:54:54.02\00:54:55.82
I think Porter
Wagoner or somebody.
00:54:55.86\00:54:57.86
If Jesus came to your
house to spend a day or two,
00:54:57.89\00:55:00.63
if He came unexpectedly,
I wonder what you'll do?
00:55:00.66\00:55:03.60
When you saw Him coming,
00:55:03.63\00:55:04.97
would you meet Him at the door
00:55:05.00\00:55:06.33
with arms outstretched
00:55:06.37\00:55:07.70
and welcome your
heavenly visitor?
00:55:07.74\00:55:09.77
Or would you need
to change some things
00:55:09.80\00:55:11.87
before you let Him in?
00:55:11.91\00:55:13.38
Like burn some magazines
00:55:13.41\00:55:14.84
and put the Bible
where they'd been?
00:55:14.88\00:55:17.35
Oh, I know that you'd
give Him your nicest room
00:55:17.38\00:55:19.68
to such an honored guest.
00:55:19.71\00:55:21.25
And all the food you'd serve Him
00:55:21.28\00:55:22.68
would be your very best,
00:55:22.72\00:55:24.65
that serving Him in your
home was a joy beyond compare.
00:55:24.69\00:55:28.06
But what about your
family conversation?
00:55:28.09\00:55:30.53
Would it keep
up its normal pace?
00:55:30.56\00:55:32.36
And would you find it hard
to say a grace, table grace?
00:55:32.39\00:55:36.67
Would you be glad to have
Him stay forever on and on?
00:55:36.70\00:55:39.30
Or would you sigh relief
when He would finally gone?
00:55:39.33\00:55:43.20
You know, it
might be interesting
00:55:43.24\00:55:44.57
to know the things you would do
00:55:44.61\00:55:46.07
if Jesus came in person
to spend some time with you.
00:55:46.11\00:55:50.25
What would you do if
Jesus came to your house?
00:55:50.28\00:55:54.32
Hmm, good question.
00:55:54.35\00:55:55.98
My question is for you,
00:55:56.02\00:55:57.35
would Jesus recognize
Himself in You and me.
00:55:57.39\00:56:02.59
If Jesus came to my house,
if Jesus came to your house,
00:56:02.62\00:56:05.29
would He
recognize Himself in us?
00:56:05.33\00:56:09.06
If so, would He see that desire
00:56:09.10\00:56:12.30
to take this great
gospel of the kingdom?
00:56:12.33\00:56:14.94
Go ye therefore
into all the world.
00:56:14.97\00:56:17.74
That's my hope and
prayer for each one of us today,
00:56:17.77\00:56:20.91
as we have the opportunity
00:56:20.94\00:56:23.08
to share the
great gospel commission
00:56:23.11\00:56:25.51
and the love of Jesus
Christ to lost and dying world.
00:56:25.55\00:56:29.05
Amen. Praise the Lord.
00:56:29.08\00:56:30.42
Man, I'm getting
excited down here,
00:56:30.45\00:56:31.79
all that enthusiasm.
00:56:31.82\00:56:33.15
Praise the Lord. We
got a little over a minute.
00:56:33.19\00:56:35.12
Give some final thoughts.
00:56:35.16\00:56:36.76
2 Corinthians 1:20,
00:56:36.79\00:56:38.96
"All the promises in God,
00:56:38.99\00:56:41.46
of God in Him are yes
and amen in Christ Jesus."
00:56:41.50\00:56:45.50
So, claim those
promises in the Word.
00:56:45.53\00:56:47.90
There's power in the Word.
00:56:47.94\00:56:49.27
Amen.
00:56:49.30\00:56:50.64
Simply what we've
been studying about here.
00:56:50.67\00:56:52.77
Excuse me, through the
study of God's Word and prayer.
00:56:52.81\00:56:55.48
The heart is
melted and it's changed.
00:56:55.51\00:56:58.31
It's filled with
love, grace and patience.
00:56:58.35\00:57:01.92
May the Spirit of the living God
00:57:01.95\00:57:03.28
just come in and do that
00:57:03.32\00:57:04.65
in each of our
hearts in our lives today.
00:57:04.69\00:57:07.36
And if the Word of God
00:57:07.39\00:57:08.72
was needed at the
inauguration of the church,
00:57:08.76\00:57:11.83
how much more is
the Word of God needed
00:57:11.86\00:57:13.63
when we are preparing
00:57:13.66\00:57:15.00
for the
coronation of the church.
00:57:15.03\00:57:16.36
Yes. Amen.
00:57:16.40\00:57:17.83
Are you still
excited about Jesus?
00:57:17.87\00:57:20.04
Do you have that first love?
00:57:20.07\00:57:21.40
If not, today is a great time.
00:57:21.44\00:57:23.47
This is a great
moment to ask Jesus
00:57:23.51\00:57:25.67
to come into your
heart, mind, in your life,
00:57:25.71\00:57:28.41
and to start all over
and get that excitement
00:57:28.44\00:57:30.41
and that joy to go tell
others of His soon coming.
00:57:30.45\00:57:34.35
Amen. Praise the Lord.
00:57:34.38\00:57:35.72
I think Lanny
Wolfe wrote it best
00:57:35.75\00:57:37.09
in the song Jesus did it for me.
00:57:37.12\00:57:38.45
All right.
00:57:38.49\00:57:39.82
It says, you ask me how I know,
00:57:39.85\00:57:41.19
Jesus' blood washed
me whiter than snow.
00:57:41.22\00:57:43.43
I can say that I know it so
because Jesus did it for me.
00:57:43.46\00:57:47.73
We all have a
powerful testimony.
00:57:47.76\00:57:49.46
Share that testimony
for Jesus today, my friends.
00:57:49.50\00:57:51.33
We're so thankful
00:57:51.37\00:57:52.70
that you've joined us this week.
00:57:52.73\00:57:54.37
We hope that you
join us next week.
00:57:54.40\00:57:55.94
We're going to have
another powerful study
00:57:55.97\00:57:57.31
lesson number eight
00:57:57.34\00:57:58.67
entitled,
"Ministering like Jesus."
00:57:58.71\00:58:01.41
God bless. Have a good day.
00:58:01.44\00:58:02.91
Amen.
00:58:02.94\00:58:04.28