Participants: C.A. Murray (Host), Kenny Shelton, Shelley Quinn
Series Code: TDY
Program Code: TDY016017A
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00:01 I want to spend my life
00:07 Mending broken people 00:12 I want to spend my life 00:18 Removing pain 00:23 Lord, let my words 00:29 Heal a heart that hurts 00:34 I want to spend my life 00:40 Mending broken people 00:45 I want to spend my life 00:51 Mending broken people 01:06 Hello and welcome to 3ABN today. 01:09 My name is C.A. Murray 01:10 and thank you once again for sharing 01:12 just a little of your no doubt busy day with us. 01:15 And thank you for partnering with us 01:17 in taking the gospel of Jesus Christ. 01:19 And the good news of our soon coming Lord to the whole world. 01:22 We're calling these programs one of the better title 01:25 3ABN Today Present Truth. 01:27 Because we're gonna be discussing 01:29 in these particular kinds of programs 01:31 and not only doctrinal matters, 01:34 not only the 28 fundamentals of the church. 01:37 But also those things that affect the body of Christ. 01:40 They are problems that we have here 01:41 that we face they're problems that you face 01:43 as children of God trying to serve the Lord 01:45 in the world that does not always 01:47 follow the things of Christ. 01:49 Trying to make your way, 01:50 how do you get along with your neighbor, 01:52 how do you deal with your job on Monday morning, 01:55 along with the 28 fundamentals 01:56 with the state of the dead in the sanctuary. 01:58 They are all kinds of things that we need 02:00 as a body of Christ such as it does. 02:02 And to bring the antiseptic light of the gospel too 02:07 and that's why we're gonna be doing during these programs. 02:09 I'm joined by two people who are eminently qualified 02:12 to discuss the things of the Lord, 02:14 people who I love personally and respect highly. 02:17 I always called the lady, Shelley Quinn. 02:19 Shelley, good to have you here. 02:20 It's very nice to be here, sir. 02:23 Sir Murray. 02:25 Student of the word, preacher, teacher 02:29 and a really efficient worker for Christ 02:31 and someone that we love daily here at 3ABN. 02:33 Thank you. 02:34 And pastor Kenny Shelton, 02:37 he of Behold the Lamb Ministries. 02:38 Pastor, good to have you here. 02:40 Oh, it's good to be here. 02:41 Always love to study the word of God. 02:42 Amen. 02:44 Again, grace to another word, good preacher, 02:47 good man of our-- good friend, good person. 02:49 I sort of hangout with, fun guy. 02:52 We had some good times together. 02:54 But today our work is very serious. 02:56 Because we're gonna be talking about addressing and redressing 03:00 unity in the body of Christ. 03:02 In these last days, 03:05 one of the things that we feel the church 03:07 needs to do is come together and press together. 03:10 And of course, that was a call of Christ, 03:12 it was a call of their early church. 03:13 Fathers, it was a call of their early church, 03:16 reformers in the Adventist Movement. 03:20 This idea that we need to come together for efficiency, 03:22 for service to do the work of God 03:24 and to put the correct face of Christ 03:27 on the church of Christ so that people will know 03:29 that we're Christians by our love. 03:32 So we're gonna be talking about that today 03:34 and some of the challenges that are, 03:36 trying to work against unity? 03:38 And some of the things that we can do as children of God 03:41 to promote unity and then talk about what happens 03:44 when the church does come together 03:46 and becomes that mighty tool in the hand God 03:48 for the salvation of the souls of men and women. 03:50 So that is our task this very day. 03:52 And as I said, I've got two people 03:54 that I love and respect 03:55 who will join me as we wade into that, that heady topic. 03:59 We're gonna go to some music, 04:01 we're gonna do that sort of dispense of that 04:03 and then we can get right into the word of God. 04:05 Our music is coming from our own pastor, 04:07 Pastor John Lomacang. 04:09 And he's gonna be singing "Do You See My Jesus Coming." 04:31 Don't you see my Jesus coming 04:37 Don't you see Him any in yonder clouds? 04:44 With ten thousand angels round Him 04:50 See how they my Jesus crowd! 04:57 I am bound for the kingdom 05:03 Will you go to glory with me? 05:09 Hallelujah! 05:11 O praise ye the Lord! 05:19 Don't you see the saints ascending 05:24 Hear them shouting thro' the air 05:30 Jesus smiling, trumpets sounding 05:35 Now His glory they shall share 05:41 I am bound for the kingdom 05:46 Will you go to glory with me? 05:52 Hallelujah! 05:55 O praise ye the Lord! 05:58 Hallelujah, hallelujah! 06:03 Hallelujah, hallelujah 06:06 Hallelujah! 06:12 Don't you see the heavens opened? 06:18 And the saints saying glory then 06:25 Shouts of triumph bursting round them 06:30 Glory, glory 06:33 Everywhere 06:40 I am bound for the kingdom 06:45 Will you go to glory with me? 06:51 Hallelujah! 06:53 O praise ye the Lord! 06:57 Hallelujah! 07:00 O praise ye the Lord! 07:19 Amen, Pastor Lomacang. Don't you see my Jesus coming? 07:23 Well done from our Pillars Project 07:26 and just very, very well done. 07:28 Again, we're talking about 07:29 I'm gonna be addressing and redressing 07:31 the unity in the body of Christ I'm with Shelley Quinn 07:34 and Pastor Kenney Shelton. 07:37 Just to get some little, a little context 07:40 in something that occurred to me. 07:42 When I was doing some studying 07:45 on the interplay between Christ and the woman at the well, 07:50 and looking at that particular event, 07:55 how Christ would go around convention 07:58 and 700 years of hostility and ill-will 08:02 to try to bring someone back into, into the full? 08:06 Jews as we all know, 08:08 had nothing to do with Samaritans. 08:09 And it was not just the dislike, 08:11 it was a distrust and antagonism, 08:14 a hatred, a series of evil acts 08:18 perpetrated one against the other. 08:19 I mean, Jews went north and burned down 08:21 the Samaritan temple on Mount Garisan. 08:23 And several hundred years later, 08:24 I think still hadn't rebuild 08:26 so it's a constant reminder of their hatred. 08:27 So the idea is that Jews had nothing to do with Samaritans. 08:32 But Christ in His love for all people 08:35 wanted to heal that 08:37 because he wanted, he wanted unity. 08:39 And of course, he is the leader of a group of men 08:43 who are xenophobic, 08:47 who are racist, who are elitist, 08:53 who didn't like women, didn't like poor people, 08:55 who didn't like Samaritans, didn't like non-Jews. 08:56 You know, the stuff that he had to wrestle with 09:00 to try to bring unity among that group 09:02 was, was immeasurable. 09:04 But, but yet his goal was that they maybe one 09:08 like I and my father are one. 09:10 And I believe, Shelley and Pastor Kenny, 09:13 that's what Christ wants for the church today. 09:15 Amen. Amen. 09:16 That we cannot be as efficient, as we could be or should be 09:21 if we're not working together. 09:22 We're got to all be pulling in the same directions, 09:25 which is one of the things, I also plug that. 09:26 I like about working here at 3ABN. 09:29 When you, when you are on the rope, 09:31 you notice everybody is pulling in the same direction, 09:34 which is a blessing. 09:36 That's right. Absolutely. 09:37 You know, but-- and that's what I think Christ wants, 09:40 has always wanted for his church. 09:42 He wants unity and with that platform blessed launch, 09:45 Shelley, I'll go to you first and hear what you have to say. 09:47 Well, the thought that came to my mind 09:50 as you were sharing the woman at the well story 09:54 and the problems of Christ disciples was this, 09:58 that they had the root 10:03 of original sin which was what? 10:05 Pride. 10:06 You know, Isaiah 14, Ezekiel 28, 10:09 when the Lucifer this covering cherub 10:14 when he stood up and he became prideful. 10:17 And he wanted the worship with God, 10:19 he wanted to be like God. 10:22 And he had Yiddish, you know, I will be like the most high. 10:27 But the thought that came to me is, 10:29 and I've got to say this carefully 10:31 because sometimes people get upset with me 10:33 when I, I will slip and say, 10:35 "Well, the Lord said such and such to me." 10:37 And people will just... I get the letters and you know, 10:40 who do you think you are, prophet? 10:42 And if you, I've just have to say this, 10:47 how many of you know that you know 10:50 that the Holy Spirit has impressed 10:53 a thought of the Lord on your mind? 10:56 Now people will say, yes to that. 10:59 They know that God has impressed 11:01 the thought on their mind 11:03 by the power of the Holy Spirit. 11:04 Well, if I slip and say, "God told me something." 11:08 Then what I'm simply saying is that the still small boys 11:12 that spoken of in 1 Kings 19:12 11:15 is God impressing his thoughts 11:18 upon your mind by the Holy Spirit 11:19 and He did so with me one day. 11:22 I was offended by something that someone did 11:27 when I was in fulltime ministry before coming to 3ABN. 11:31 There was a man who was following me 11:33 around five different cities. 11:35 He claimed to be a prophet. 11:36 He kept trying to takeover the meetings 11:39 that I had going in these five different cities. 11:42 And there was, you know, I became offended 11:45 by something he did, he was really out there. 11:48 And so I am praying one morning and I'm just like, Lord, 11:51 straitening him out you know, blah, blah, blah. 11:54 Suddenly you know what the Lord said to me? 11:57 A still small voice that Lord impressed upon my mind. 12:01 The spirit of offense is this spirit of pride, 12:05 which is the spirit of antichrist. 12:08 Sometime later He said to me again 12:11 the impression came to my mind... 12:13 Okay. 12:15 ...that prejudice is the spirit of pride. 12:20 Now which is the spirit of antichrist. 12:24 So you think about this the problem we have 12:27 why we are not more unified, 12:30 the problem Christ had with His disciples 12:33 is they were cutting off some of the fruit of the sin 12:37 but they hadn't got to the root of the sin 12:39 which was the spirit of the pride. 12:40 Agreed, yes. 12:42 And so you can't be offended unless your pride pops up. 12:46 What causes more people 12:48 to lead the church than anything? 12:50 They have become offended by something, 12:52 someone has said or done. 12:53 Or, for example, if we don't agree. 12:58 We recently had some disagreement 13:01 in our denomination 13:04 on the issue of women's ordination. 13:07 Well, people become polarized. 13:10 You're either for or you're against it. 13:11 But rather than studying in this spirit of love, 13:16 some people become offended 13:19 that someone else has taken this position. 13:21 And therefore their pride rises up. 13:25 Now their antagonistic toward one another or prejudice. 13:30 If we think that we... there are certain people 13:33 we don't want to have communion and fellowship with, 13:38 that's all a pride issue. 13:41 And I think God wants us to deal with that. 13:43 You know, Hebrews 12:14, Paul said, 13:47 assuming he is the author of Hebrews, 13:52 that we are to pursue peace, to pursue... 13:59 And then he adds and holiness. 14:01 Pursue peace and holiness 14:03 without which no one will see the Lord. 14:05 So the burden is on us... 14:08 Yes. 14:09 ...to pursue peace 14:10 and if we will get our pride out of the way 14:12 and let God work in us 14:15 then, I think that's how we would begin 14:19 to really become more unified. 14:21 I like the idea, the notion 14:25 that if we strip ourselves of pride 14:27 because it's you know, it's, 14:29 "Okay, we'll they did it to me." 14:32 You know, that kind of thing. 14:34 And we'll so persecuted the prophets 14:37 which were before you. 14:39 What is happening to you is not going be brand new, 14:41 someone else got it and got over it 14:44 and we have to, we have to also. 14:46 And pride does separate us because it's ascendancy of self 14:50 and that has to be... 14:53 And you got, you got to be choose to be offended. 14:56 You know, one day I say, 14:57 "Hey, Shelley, how are you doing?" 14:58 The other day I walked by, you don't speak. 15:00 What is the matter with him? 15:02 You know, so all of the sudden, a little something rises up. 15:04 "Okay, next I'm not going to speak to him." 15:06 So then our thing develops, you know, kind of thing. 15:08 And it's pride. 15:10 And so we are separated and maybe I didn't see that 15:13 they're someone was on my mind, 15:15 so we can develop something and our mind and heart 15:17 that is not even real it's an illusion. 15:19 Yes. 15:20 "Well, Shelley didn't speak to me today. 15:21 What's wrong with her? 15:23 Okay, I'm not going to speak to her." 15:24 So I got this whole thing bubbling. 15:25 Shelley is living her life, going out about her business 15:27 and I've developed just whole thing which is the consequence 15:28 of my pride and my egotism 15:31 and we've-- and I've created a division 15:34 and she may not even know. 15:36 You know, she is living her life. 15:39 So I think the point is very well taken, 15:41 the Bible says, 15:43 "How beautiful to dwell together in unity." 15:45 And that unity is gonna be attested 15:47 but pride is a response 15:49 that we can choose to have or not. 15:50 Amen. Pastor Kenney we got. 15:52 Well you know, 15:53 what are all is being said here is I go back to, 15:55 I think it's Philippians 21. 15:59 For me to live is Christ. 16:02 So therefore it boils down to 16:04 do we have Christ really in our hearts 16:06 and really in our lives? 16:08 If so, our attitudes will be a little bit different. 16:13 For me to live is Christ. 16:14 So we to live our live the way that Jesus lived his. 16:18 He needed, he said, 16:19 "I want the church to be unified." 16:21 Amen. 16:22 And unified now, again, when you say unity, 16:25 automatically you realize that there is some disunity. 16:28 You automatically know 16:30 the devil has a counterfeit for unity. 16:33 So he has a counterfeit. 16:35 So we have to be very careful about the counterfeit, 16:37 which is, let's just get together on 16:40 common ground, common thoughts. 16:42 And if we can't agree let's just let these things go. 16:46 Some of the doctored tape, 16:48 but we don't, we stand on principles of God's word. 16:51 He never asks us or requires us to let down 16:54 the principle of His word in order to have unity. 16:57 See pastor, you're touching on some thing 16:58 that had not, it hadn't reckoned into my thinking 17:01 but it's very, very true. 17:02 That if there is a false unity, Shelley. 17:04 Yes, that's true. 17:06 Yeah, if we'll say, okay, 17:07 I believe this but in order to get along with you, 17:09 I'm going to swallow that or put that in my back pocket. 17:12 That's kind of for unity, that's almost a politically 17:15 correct kind of unity. 17:17 That's not true unity in the body of Christ. 17:19 That's right. 17:20 Because if the Bible says something 17:22 and I've got sort of put that away 17:24 just to get along with you, 17:26 is that unity or is that coercion? 17:27 That's not unity, and that's not unity. 17:29 No, no, not at all. 17:30 And you talk about unity, I looked up the word I thought 17:34 how interesting because you can look at unite, 17:37 you can look at united, you can look at unison, 17:41 it's all of combining people, individuals together, 17:46 so that they become an acting as one, 17:49 as Christ, as God. 17:51 It's an arrangement. 17:52 You talk with people of things, 17:54 of parts that will come together 17:57 to make a harmonious home. 17:59 Yes. 18:00 So they're the gifts of the church, different gifts. 18:02 And sometime we have the difficulty. 18:04 I think I run across is I don't know anybody here 18:07 but God does give gifts to the church, 18:10 to the individuals. 18:11 And their son who has somewhat the same gift 18:14 but they utilized it differently. 18:16 Their little stronger willed and they, 18:18 and so when they are the other one looks at him and says, 18:20 "That's not the way that should be done." 18:21 So we start criticizing and condemning rather than to do 18:25 what God has impressed our minds and our hearts 18:28 to do the gift that He's given us. 18:31 That, what to change our character, 18:33 this is all about character development 18:34 as far as I'm concerned. 18:36 It has to do with denying of self, 18:38 following him. 18:39 So it has to do with getting ready for the coming of Jesus 18:42 and you much in the pride issue. 18:45 It's very... There can be no unity 18:47 when pride is in their life. 18:49 Because you said that has to be harmony. 18:52 Harmony requires peace 18:55 and when you are prideful person, 18:57 you're doing everything to stir the pot. 19:00 I mean, because it's self focus. 19:02 It is very true. 19:03 Go ahead. 19:05 I looked at that one... I've jotted down a quote. 19:06 I want you to just listen it's interesting 19:08 because this is what you're talking about 19:09 here it says here, 19:10 God is talking about God and man. 19:12 It says, "A man at peace with God 19:14 and His fellow man cannot be made miserable." 19:19 Somebody needs to hang on to that, 19:20 I may have to buckle down myself. 19:22 A man that peace with God 19:24 and His fellowman cannot be made miserable. 19:28 Envy will not be in his heart, that's impossible. 19:32 Evil surmising will find no room there. 19:37 Hatred cannot exist. 19:41 That just covers at all. 19:42 Define the term for me, "evil surmising." 19:44 Some may not know that term is. 19:45 What does that mean to you? 19:47 Well, I don't know. 19:48 I'd say in times past I probably been guilty of that. 19:51 I mean, I think we out to lay it out here and just say, 19:54 "The Lord gets a hold of us, we probably all been involved." 19:57 So we're not looking at here and trying to say, 19:58 "Oh, you did this." 20:00 But there is time that we look at situations 20:02 and maybe we're at a distance. 20:03 We really don't even know the person. 20:05 We begin to think and it looks like they might. 20:08 Yeah. 20:09 I think I saw them and then I tell you about it, 20:12 and you all of a sudden say, 20:13 "Hmm" I'm gonna go to someone else 20:15 and I'm gonna do a little you know, 20:18 I'm gonna, I'm going to embellish it just a little bit. 20:21 But before it's over, we are evil surmising. 20:23 And remember, even if it be a truth. 20:26 Yes. 20:27 If it hurts an individual character, 20:29 we are to never repeat it. 20:32 And you will say why. 20:34 Why? Because that person whom may be did something, 20:37 maybe it was open, maybe it was obvious, 20:39 they may have a change of heart. 20:42 They asked for forgiveness. 20:43 God clingers them from all and rise and sin, 20:45 they stand just before God. 20:47 But all those looking around say, 20:48 "Well, that can't possibly be because I knew them when." 20:51 Right, or to add another level to evil surmising, 20:56 Shelley Quinn goes out and she is feeding the poor. 20:58 Yes. 21:00 Which is a good act. 21:01 And I say, well, she is doing that 21:03 because she wants to be, 21:04 you know, she wants to be popular. 21:05 She wants people to-- you know that's, 21:07 you taken a good act and you judged it as evil. 21:10 You assigned an evil motive. 21:11 And you know, of course, 21:13 you don't know going us on a person's heart. 21:14 But you surmise. 21:16 "Well, she just want to be popular, 21:18 that's not genuine." 21:19 And we tend to want to do that. 21:22 Something you touched on moment ago, 21:24 I'm going back to 1 Corinthian 12. 21:25 You know, what Paul, 21:27 talks about the different parts of the body 21:28 that all work together. 21:29 Why should the hand be jealous of the foot? 21:32 You know, you got your gifts, I've got mine. 21:35 Why should I be jaundiced looking at 21:36 what God does for you to you with through you? 21:40 Use your own gifts, you know, for the glory of God. 21:42 Absolutely. 21:44 And then, see, when somebody does good... 21:46 And one thing I like about here, 21:48 when we, when we preach here, we're all support each other. 21:51 If Shelley preachers a good sermon, 21:52 man, I love that. 21:54 In fact, earlier this year you preach a sermon, 21:56 I came back, and I preach one of kind following up 21:58 because, it's like the Spirit of God draws you together. 22:02 It pulls together. 22:04 And so that someone says, 22:06 "Amen, she did a good job." 22:07 Why should that bother me? 22:08 Yeah. 22:10 Why should I think evil of that? 22:11 Well, that's, that's where you get 22:13 into once again, pride. 22:16 People who are prideful have a difficult time 22:18 when someone else, if someone else's 22:21 is complimenting or affirming them. 22:23 Yes. 22:25 People who are prideful it's kind of like, 22:26 "Well, I'm as good a preacher, I'm better preacher than she. 22:29 I'm this, I'm that." 22:31 Pride is what causes that. 22:33 And when you're talking about the peace, 22:35 let me share a couple of scriptures 22:36 and it looks like you got something 22:38 that you want to share as well. 22:39 But here is one of my favorite scriptures on peace. 22:44 It's Isaiah 48:18. This is God speaking. 22:47 And he says, 22:48 "Oh, that you had heeded My commandments! 22:52 Then your peace would have been like a river, 22:57 and your righteousness, your right being, 23:00 your right acting, 23:01 your right doing like the waves of the sea." 23:05 Now, in Matthew 22: 37 and through 40, 23:10 when Christ was asked, 23:13 "What's the most important commandment?" 23:16 He said, "Here it is. 23:17 Love the Lord your heart... 23:19 The Lord, your God with all of your heart, soul, mind 23:22 and I like Mark 12:30 adds in strength. 23:26 "But to love your neighbor as yourself." 23:28 And he says, 23:30 "On these hang all the law on the prophet." 23:35 All the commandments hang on these two. 23:36 Yes. 23:38 So, if God is saying to us and in Isaiah 48:18. 23:41 If he is saying, 23:43 "If you will heed my commandments, 23:45 your peace will be like a river." 23:48 The commandment He is asking us to heed, 23:51 first and foremost is to love Him. 23:55 And love our neighbors. 23:57 And it is only as we do that, 24:00 that Paul tells us Romans 14:9. 24:04 "Let us pursue the things which make for peace." 24:07 Make for peace, yes. 24:09 Okay, so that means, obeying God's commandments, 24:11 "Loving our neighbors, loving the other's 24:14 and the things by which one may edify another." 24:20 So to building up. 24:24 To edify means to build up like you're building a building. 24:27 Yes, amen. 24:28 So if we want unity in the Christ... 24:31 J.D. has a saying and I think he's so true. 24:35 He is very good at affirming others. 24:39 And he says, "Nobody gets enough out of boys. 24:42 That's on the shoulders." 24:44 That's his saying. 24:45 Have mercy now. 24:47 There is also another saying and I'm not sure 24:50 who said this but it's not mine. 24:52 But they said, 24:54 "Treat everyone as if their heart is breaking." 24:56 Because it probably is. 24:59 You may go to church, and as you said, 25:02 someone may not speak to you and they may be sitting 25:05 there trying to look composed but they're dying inside. 25:10 Something has happened. 25:11 Something's going on in their relationships. 25:15 We need to reach out and affirm others 25:19 not in a false complimentary way. 25:22 But in, you know, 25:23 we can find something good about anyone. 25:26 This helps unify the body of Christ. 25:28 Oh, I agree. 25:29 And we also have to be careful how we give... 25:36 Be careful never to give 25:37 the glory of God to another one. 25:39 And what I'm saying and please listen to what I'm saying. 25:43 If your pastor has preached a wonderful message, 25:46 what...be careful how you tell him how wonderful it is. 25:51 I always try to say to someone 25:53 if I'm going to compliment them on that. 25:55 Glory to God for the message He gave you. 25:58 Exactly. 25:59 Because it is so easy to feed the pride of another. 26:05 If you are giving them the wrong kind of compliments, 26:08 God the glory, but thank them 26:10 for being the servant who delivered it. 26:11 Praise the Lord, well said. Well said. 26:13 Amen. When you're in tune with the spirit, 26:16 automatically you know it's the Holy Spirit doing the work 26:20 through an instrument. 26:22 You see, I realize and I'm sure each one sitting here in those. 26:26 We have nothing within ourself from which to give. 26:29 That's the... those who are starting out 26:31 maybe in ministry need to get that settled quickly. 26:35 You really have nothing in which to give of your own. 26:39 You give yourself to Christ, 26:41 you let the Holy Spirit come in. 26:43 The Holy Spirit will take, I often say this, 26:45 I always pray every time before I speak. 26:47 And I say these words and people can. 26:49 They can laugh if they want to I say, 26:50 "Lord, take the mess that I'm getting ready to make. 26:54 I don't mean to. 26:55 But in my humanness, please take it. 26:57 I give it to You and You let the people hear 26:59 what they need here and not what's being said. 27:02 But what they need to hear." 27:03 Edification, the building up. 27:06 There's too much if you're not building up, 27:07 what are we doing? 27:09 Tearing down. Matthew 12:30. 27:10 If you're, if...Jesus said, 27:11 "He who is not with me is against me." 27:15 In the church, we need shoulder to shoulder. 27:18 We don't need to be clawing and digging. 27:20 One of the, the prime things, in my opinion, 27:23 that hurts the unity among the brother, 27:26 and this I think can be substantiated 27:28 from the word of God spirit of prophecy, 27:30 floating rumors that you mentioned a while ago. 27:32 That is the biggest enemy against unity in the church. 27:36 If we had would just stop, 27:38 realize where we're at in the stream of time, 27:40 realizing the judgment, probation is about to close, 27:43 Jesus is coming. 27:45 Where are our loved ones? 27:46 Where are we in our relationship with Christ? 27:49 We would not have time to worry about 27:51 what Joe Blow's doing down there 27:53 talking about him and judging. 27:55 Can I add something to that? It's interesting to me. 27:58 I heard a story on the news last week 28:03 where they were saying something came out on Twitter 28:06 that Joel O'steen was supporting Donald Trump. 28:09 Well, now, first of all, 28:11 if you are a nonprofit organization 28:13 and you make any endorsement, 28:16 you can lose your 501(C)(3) 28:22 So, O'steen then had to print out and say, 28:25 "Hey. No, I've never said that. 28:28 I said he was a decent person", or however he said it. 28:32 But my point is this. 28:35 In today's world, 28:36 what you're talking about this backbiting, 28:40 this gossiping, you know, spreading false rumors. 28:44 In today's world, this article that I read 28:47 or saw on TV they said, 28:48 "It doesn't matter how much Joel O'steen denies it. 28:53 There are still people because it was on Twitter, 28:55 because it was on the Internet, 28:57 it is it gets a life of its own. 29:01 So it seems to me that when something... 29:03 somebody read something in print, 29:06 they assume it's true. 29:09 You know, even I had-- 29:13 I was watching a movie once 29:14 that I was sharing with another person. 29:18 It was based on a true story and I said, 29:22 "Did you see that? It was so amazing." 29:25 It was a historical piece. 29:26 And I said, "That was so amazing." 29:28 They said, "That's so far off the truth." 29:31 I suppose it is based on a true story 29:33 and this person happens to be a screenwriter. 29:37 He said, "Based on a true story means 29:40 they could have five percent truth. 29:42 And the rest of it..." 29:43 So this is something that we have to be careful in today 29:48 and I know I've been guilty of it 29:49 just like that right there. 29:51 I've been guilty given myself is that 29:53 you see something on the Internet, 29:54 you read about something, and you think they, 29:56 oh, well, they wouldn't have printed 29:58 this if it wasn't true. 30:00 And then, we can begin spreading 30:02 false rumors ourselves. 30:04 Very true, very true. 30:05 We don't think people are so gullible, 30:08 pastor, sometime but I can remember back... 30:10 This might make sense, to some it may not. 30:12 But my, my grandpa, when TV, 30:16 the black and white in the westerns first came on, 30:19 you might have heard somebody missionaries 30:20 before was very interesting. 30:22 He was serious. 30:23 This is this is how we are, like you said, 30:24 "We see things in print, automatic all it must be." 30:28 One thing I know for sure is the word of God. 30:30 Rest I don't trust unless it lines up with Him, 30:33 I don't have time for it, to be honest. 30:35 But my grandpa, he found a game, 30:37 a little black and white TV set, 30:39 I don't know, in the 50's or whatever, 30:40 it's just coming on. 30:41 He looked at...He used to like to watch westerns. 30:45 Basically what he said, he watched it through, 30:47 he said down he looked at grandma and he said, 30:51 "I just can't probably... 30:52 half of what was on there is not true." 30:56 So, he was accepting the half of it 30:58 probably was the truth, 30:59 not realizing just because it's on TV. 31:02 Yeah. 31:03 So he accepted part two, 31:05 he said that half of that can't possibly be true. 31:07 Even when we watch the news nowadays, 31:09 we have to sort and proof. 31:10 You do have to question. You really do. 31:12 I mean, I'm in 2 Corinthians Chapter 13 31:15 picking up with verse 11, 31:17 "Finally brethren, farewell. 31:20 Become complete, mature grown whole. 31:23 Be of good comfort, be of one mind. 31:27 Live in peace and the God of love and peace 31:31 will be with you." 31:33 When, when he asks us to, to live in peace 31:37 and to be of one mind, 31:39 Shelley Quinn, Pastor Kenny Shelton, 31:41 do I got to think exactly like you? 31:44 Do we have to approach everything exactly the same? 31:46 Is there any room for two Christians 31:49 to have a different view? 31:51 I don't want to say disagree 31:52 but a different view of something? 31:53 Or does be of one mind mean 31:56 I've got to think exactly like you think, 31:57 act is act like you act, speak exactly like you speak. 32:00 Is that what Paul this is pushing towards you 32:02 in 1 Corinthians? 32:03 I don't think Paul is asking us to be cookie cutter Christians. 32:07 I think that, and this is something that... 32:11 I believe there's always going to be conflict in the church, 32:16 which isn't a bad thing. 32:18 We're unique individuals. 32:20 And as when we come together... 32:23 Again, I'll go back to something 32:25 that's still painful in our church 32:27 but because of the arguments that ensued, 32:31 but on women's ordination, 32:32 some people very earnest interpreters of the scriptures 32:39 came out against women's ordination, 32:41 other very earnest interpreters came out for. 32:46 Now, when you have people unique people 32:51 who come together, there will be conflict 32:53 because you won't always agree on something. 32:55 It is how you handle the conflict that is important. 33:00 And I have a scripture that I think goes 33:02 with that very well. 33:05 In Colossians 3, 12 through 17, Paul wrote to the Colossians. 33:10 He says, "Therefore, as the elect of God Holy and be loved. 33:13 Put on tender mercies." 33:15 Thank you. Well, said. 33:16 Be merciful. 33:18 He says, "Put on kindness 33:21 humility, meekness, 33:25 long suffering patience, bearing with one another 33:29 and forgiving one another." 33:31 Amen, amen. 33:32 "If anyone has a complaint against another, 33:37 even as Christ forgave you, you also must do. 33:43 But above all these things, put on love." 33:46 "Which is the bond of perfection. 33:49 And the peace of God will... 33:52 let the peace of God rule in your hearts 33:54 to which you were called in one body." 33:57 Love it, love it. And be thankful. 33:59 Love it, love it. 34:01 And yeah, and what it is saying Shelley Quinn, 34:03 is that the test of my religion really comes out 34:07 when there is conflict. 34:08 How many of us if we're in conflict 34:09 want to sing Kumbaya holding hands. 34:11 There's no problem with that, 34:13 that's not attached to your faith. 34:14 The thing is when we agree and when we both hold opinions, 34:18 that we believe our "Godly opinions". 34:20 You know, God's on my side, we know He's on my side. 34:23 Now, we've got to we've got to let the love of God 34:27 help us wrestle with this 34:29 so that even after the conflict, 34:32 we're still friends, we're still Christians. 34:34 And during the conflict, Christ is glorified. 34:36 Yeah. 34:38 Yeah, you can't move away. 34:40 The, the starting of this movement after 1844, 34:45 you remember, they came together, 34:47 what did they do? 34:48 You had people of all different denominations, backgrounds. 34:51 They had thoughts about the second coming. 34:53 They had thoughts about pre-destination, 34:54 they had different thought. 34:56 But you know what? For the sake of unity, 34:58 they came together, sat down and studied, 35:00 and they had to let go some previously thought ideas 35:04 of what was truth. 35:05 Well said. Yes. 35:06 And so I'm just under this impression 35:08 and people disagree if they want. 35:10 Every truth in here can be substantiated by the word, 35:13 line upon line, precept upon precept. 35:14 I agree 100 percent. 35:16 And the God's last day church needs to come in unity. 35:19 Yes, yes, yes. 35:20 And when you can't unify, 35:21 to me it's not the best thing to leave it on the table 35:24 when everybody do what they want to do. 35:26 that you can do that, that's the choice, 35:28 but the bottom line, to maintain unity, 35:30 we need to come and really look at the word, 35:32 see what it says and then decide by the grace of God. 35:35 And sometimes I've to let some things go a little bit. 35:37 Not principle, never principle of God's word. 35:40 Go ahead, did you... 35:42 No, no, I mean, just to add something. 35:44 I got something that I want to add to that because I think-- 35:47 I mean, I don't want to cut you out. 35:49 Are you done? 35:50 All right, right up. So-- so, okay, great. 35:51 What you're saying is so true is that the study of the word 35:55 is how we become unified. 35:56 Yes. Studying together. 35:58 But also how did the disciples who scattered 36:03 when Christ was arrested in the Garden of Gethsemane, 36:06 who even some denied, Peter specifically denied, 36:11 Thomas doubted after the crucifixion, 36:14 how did these scattered disciples come together? 36:20 They went to the upper room, 'cause Christ said, 36:23 "Go wait until the... And so the... 36:25 but it was 10 days of united prayer 36:30 that brought them, 36:31 it's what the scripture says next that 36:33 when they were of one mind because one mind, 36:37 back to your question before, 36:39 to be of one mind is to be seeking God's will 36:43 and to be open to whatever God is telling. 36:45 Amen, amen. 36:46 So as we come together in united prayer, 36:48 seeking God as our ancestors did to say, "Okay Lord, 36:53 if we understand something incorrectly, show us." 36:57 They came-- they were of one mind 36:59 because what they were seeking was the mind of Christ. 37:02 Yeah, yeah. 37:04 And we find the mind of Christ in the word, 37:05 do we not? 37:06 But they also were seeking 37:10 the imbuement of powers, 37:13 the person, the allos Parakletos, 37:17 the other comforter, 37:18 another comforter, just like Christ. 37:21 They were looking for him and it is the Holy Spirit 37:25 that really unites us. 37:26 So there has to be a lot of changes that take place. 37:30 You know, the spirit living God knows 37:31 because Jesus prayed, in John 17, 37:34 we will know, that we may be one, 37:35 as Him and the Father are one. 37:37 I know that prayer is going to be answered. 37:39 I know that it is being answered. 37:41 And not just in this country but worldwide. 37:44 God's last eight people will come into unity. 37:48 That means that we're talking about principle and teachings 37:51 and doctrines of the word of God. 37:53 Paul was bringing it out in Ephesians chapter 4, 37:57 to have this unity. 37:59 He was talking about-- let me just read a verse here quickly 38:01 and then-- Ephesians chapter 4, 38:04 he said that-- starting with first verse, 38:05 it's very interesting. 38:07 He said, "I therefore the prisoner 38:08 of the Lord beseech you that you walk worthy of what?" 38:10 Your calling. 38:12 "Your calling, your vocation where when you are called." 38:14 Notice this, how do we do it? 38:16 We're called the gifts, he's calling all of us, 38:18 no one used to be jealous of one another. 38:19 That's not what he's calling us to be. 38:21 "With our loneliness and meekness," with what? 38:24 We were talking, Lord's suffering. 38:26 Now let's go back to loneliness and meekness as humility. 38:29 Precisely, it is. 38:30 And it says there, "Forbearing one another in love 38:34 and in endeavoring to keep the unity of the spirit 38:38 in bond of peace." 38:40 The whole chapter 4, Ephesians chapter 4, 38:43 outlines how we may maintain, have and maintain the unity 38:48 which Christ prayed for if we were just...And of course, 38:51 you brought it in Acts chapter 2, 38:52 Acts chapter 4, 38:54 to maintain the unity, the real unity of heaven. 38:58 And that means giving up on myself 39:00 and relying totally upon God, the Holy spirit in my heart, 39:03 in my life to change my thinking. 39:06 Back to Shelley's point, there's no way that 39:09 the disciples could have moved forward 39:12 unless they were on the same theological place. 39:13 Exactly, exactly. 39:14 There's no way that group of men 39:16 with their prejudices and all of their problems 39:17 could have been the power 39:19 that were in the early centuries. 39:20 Vying for who's going to be the most important, 39:22 who's gonna sit at your right hand, you know. 39:24 Yeah, that kind of thing. 39:25 How in the world can we move further 39:27 than pulling really for themselves? 39:28 So Christ had to lock them in and questioned them, 39:30 to use the term that we use now a days, 39:32 in room for 10 days, you've got to get rid of that stuff, 39:34 man so that we can come together 39:36 and move the Church of God of Law. 39:37 Now here's another thing 39:39 that I saw from the writings of Ellen White. 39:41 Ellen White says this. 39:42 Just because everybody's in agreement 39:46 does not necessarily mean 39:47 that the spirit of God is working. 39:49 Someone said to me sometime ago, 39:51 you remember Jonestown? 39:53 Everybody drank the Kool-Aid. 39:54 You know, so just because there is no disagreement 39:59 and just because we're all kind of on the same page, 40:02 and we think we're all right, 40:03 it doesn't necessarily mean so that 40:05 when we are of different opinions, 40:07 the answer is Bible study. 40:09 When we are of the same opinion, 40:11 the answer is Bible study-- 40:12 Bible study. 40:13 Amen, good. 40:15 Always seeking the will of God for what we want to do 40:19 and every step that we make, do you not agree? 40:21 So the last thing Jesus did, right? 40:24 In the Garden, he prayed for that unity, did he not? 40:28 We talked about that, he prayed for the unity 40:31 that would take place 40:32 and this is also... he knew this. 40:34 He knew that after his death, 40:37 disciples needed something to turn them around 40:39 because they just weren't right. 40:41 Yes. 40:42 Just like we look at ourselves when days that don't work out, 40:44 we're not right, the church is not right. 40:46 We need more of your spirit, we need more of your humility, 40:48 we need less pride, 40:50 we need to esteem others higher than ourselves. 40:52 And that's...in order to have this unity, 40:54 self has to be abased, it has to be put down. 40:56 Amen. 40:57 Christ knew right after his death, right? 41:00 After his death, disciples would be changed men. 41:03 It would change their lives forever. 41:05 And you know what? 41:06 It did. 41:08 That, I think that encouraged him, 41:09 motivated him, 41:10 not only threw everybody through the stream of time, 41:13 for it brought him joy, 41:14 thought of Calvary brought him joy. 41:16 Even though the humanity was shrinking, and crying, 41:18 "Oh, Lord..." 41:20 He counted it a privilege and a joy to Calvary 41:23 for you and for me. 41:25 'Cause he knows, you know what? 41:26 We look at Calvary, we behold, 41:28 we become changed into his image. 41:29 This is what it is all about, by beholding him, 41:31 I become changed into his image. 41:33 2 Corinthians read... 41:35 I want to continue with something 41:37 form the Ephesian's quote 41:38 because you touched down on it earlier 41:39 when you were talking about we all have different gifts, 41:43 we've all been given gifts and it doesn't matter, 41:46 you know, we even say here at 3ABN 41:49 that it doesn't matter if you are in housekeeping 41:53 or if you are Danny Shelton. 41:56 We're all part of this body, 41:57 we're all part of this ministry 41:59 and each one is equally important. 42:01 We don't treat people-- you know, 42:03 there's one thing I love about here 42:05 is that there are no prima donnas here, 42:07 you know. 42:08 Occasionally, occasionally we'll have someone 42:11 who might come through that, 42:13 we recognize a hint of that and we ministered to them 42:17 but you couldn't reside here as-- 42:22 We all have to be humble to work. 42:24 Amen. That's all there is to it. 42:26 But what Paul went on to say in Ephesians is, 42:29 he said-- he was talking about the five fold ministry, 42:32 how he gave some to the Apostles, 42:34 the prophets, evangelists, pastors, teachers 42:37 for the equipping of the saints, right? 42:41 For the work of ministry, 42:43 for the edifying of the body of Christ. 42:46 We are called to some kind of ministry. 42:49 It may be you have the gift of hospitality. 42:52 Whatever your gift is, you are supposed to use it. 42:55 But then he says here, 42:57 for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, 43:00 for the edifying of the body of Christ 43:02 till we all come to the unity of the faith 43:07 and of the knowledge of the son of God. 43:11 In John 17:3, Jesus said, this is eternal life 43:16 that you would know the Father and the one whom He has sinned. 43:21 That is to know in an experiential way. 43:26 It's like the same word that when it's talking about... 43:31 Abraham knew his wife or Adam knew his wife, 43:34 it's an intimate connection. 43:37 So the one thing that I have to say 43:41 when I became an Adventist, 43:43 there was one thing that surprised me. 43:46 And here's what surprised me. 43:49 Having come through the Church of Christ, 43:52 study my way out into a non-denominational arena, 43:56 then study my way in to these beliefs 44:00 before I even knew about Adventism. 44:05 In the non-denominational arena, 44:07 it is very popular, the teaching is, 44:12 in the belief system is that the pastor 44:15 is called not to do all the ministry 44:18 but he is called to equip the saints. 44:21 And the saints are called to go out and minister. 44:24 Coming in to the Adventist Church, 44:27 I saw some places 44:29 that I've been where people will say, 44:32 "Our pastor doesn't go do, 44:34 you know, he is not good at doing hospital visitations." 44:37 and I said, is that something 44:38 that the Lord has laid on your heart, 44:40 you need to go do hospital visitations. 44:44 You know, we cannot-- 44:45 if this body is going to be unified, 44:49 everybody's got to get into action. 44:52 Yeah, Amen. 44:53 It's like you said earlier, we at 3ABN, 44:56 when you got hold of the rope, 44:57 you know, everybody's pulling it with you. 45:00 You can't pull that ship in and anchor 45:03 and tie it up by yourself. 45:05 Same in the body of Christ. 45:06 Unity means that if this-- 45:11 and this is what happened I think, 45:15 in some part, the church started off as a movement. 45:19 Everybody was moving. 45:22 And then what happened is some became satisfied thinking 45:26 they've got all the truth and they quit moving 45:29 and some are trying to move. 45:30 So what's happening? 45:32 You're not in unity anymore. 45:34 So we've all got to get onboard and you know, 45:38 I talk about this all the time is, 45:42 to me the Go Evangelistic team for 3ABN, 45:47 the blessings on the Go Evangelistic team. 45:49 I see this as a way that God is trying to wake up his people 45:54 to get them involved and until we get people 45:58 who are more-- who come to be equipped to go to the ministry, 46:03 who come to that intimate 46:04 personal relationship with Christ, 46:07 knowing him, we're not going to have unity. 46:09 Very true. 46:10 And I think this idea that we leave ministry 46:12 to the paid professionals, 46:14 the Shelley Quinns, the Kenny Sheltons, 46:16 the whoever, is an aberration, 46:20 it is a block on what Christ wants to do 46:24 because every person has to be pulling on that rope. 46:26 And every person has to be pulling in the same direction. 46:29 It's very, very important that we all pull together. 46:32 Quickly in going back to John 17:11, 46:35 that we may be one as my Father and I were. 46:38 And looking at that word, 46:40 I can't remember the Greek word, 46:41 it's heis or hies or H-E-I-S, H-I-E-S, 46:44 just trying to think at the back of my mind, 46:46 but it has to do with the idea of many different parts 46:51 welded together like the point of a pencil kind of a thing. 46:54 You know, a lot of parts all coming together. 46:57 And that's what Christ wants, 46:58 he wants all the parts to come together 47:01 and pull in the same direction. 47:02 And therein is Christ glorified 47:04 when the world sees this church pulling together, 47:09 by this shall they know. 47:11 That's how they're gonna know what John says. 47:12 That's how they'll know, by the love for one another 47:15 even when... You know, one of the things 47:17 that I said the other day, 47:18 why people join the church today. 47:20 They don't know necessarily join the church 47:22 because it says, "I'm the remnant." 47:23 First of all, nobody knows that term means that, 47:25 advent speak. 47:26 Two, people only want to know, one, do you believe the Bible? 47:32 Do you practice what you preach? 47:34 And do you shoot a wounded? 47:35 You know, if I make a mistake 47:37 if I, if I show myself to be human, 47:39 are you going to help resurrect me 47:42 from my dead condition? 47:43 Or you just gonna put a bullet me and put me on my condition 47:45 out of my out of my, my misery? 47:48 So, if you live the Bible, teach the Bible, 47:52 and help people when they fall, I'll join your church. 47:55 And I'll stay. 47:57 But that's what unity does unity says, 47:59 "If, if I make a mistake, Shelley Quinn, 48:01 is not going to put me on a misery, 48:03 she is going to come and lift me up. 48:05 Shelley Quinn is going to come and pray for me. 48:06 That's why I want to stay. 48:08 Why would I want to stay? 48:10 Because I know that there are people there 48:11 who will love me even I'm undone condition. 48:14 And we can work together and be united 48:15 in serving the Lord. 48:17 You know, in 1 John 3:18, John said, "Little children, 48:20 let us not love in word only." 48:24 Yes. "But in truth, in action." 48:27 And we have to be to be unified, as you said, 48:32 we can't shoot a wounded. 48:33 We can't shoot those who, who hurt us. 48:36 What we have to be is forgiving. 48:39 If we are not humble and as you said, giving as Paul, 48:45 even said, you know, 48:46 preferring others above ourselves. 48:49 We've got to, to hold other people up edify them. 48:53 We've got to be forgiving 48:55 even if someone hasn't come and asked for forgiveness. 48:58 Because that's the Christ-like thing to do. 49:00 Amen. 49:02 And to be of one mind, 49:03 we have to be seeking God's will. 49:05 Yeah. 49:06 Walking in obedience, as he said, 49:08 to his commandments which are what? 49:11 Love him. Yes. 49:13 Love others. Well said. 49:14 Amen. John says, and John 13: 35. 49:18 "By this you will know that you are my disciples 49:20 if you have..." what? 49:22 Love. "Love one for another." 49:24 And Jesus said, that 1 verse 34. 49:26 He told the disciples interesting. 49:28 "A new commandment I give you, that you love one another." 49:33 Jesus was telling right there. 49:34 "You haven't loved one another. I've been here." 49:37 All love, his love, he showed love, 49:39 what love is all about. 49:40 And they had not espouse that in their in their life. 49:44 And he said, "So a new commandment 49:45 that I give you that you love one another 49:47 as I have loved you." 49:49 And I've often said I read one time where it said, 49:52 "Unless, unless I have the love 49:55 that Christ has for my fellowmen. 49:58 Heaven will never be my home." 50:00 I wept. Powerful. 50:01 Well, I wept 'cause I believe it, 50:03 the spirit of prophecy. 50:04 Unless I have that same love that Christ has for me, 50:08 for my fellowmen, heaven will never be my home. 50:11 Yeah. 50:12 And I immediately, the Lord forgave me 50:14 and help me to have that love. 50:16 Not that, we don't have to say, 50:17 "Well, I have no have hard feelings. 50:19 I'm not in a quarrel with somebody. 50:21 I'm not..." 50:22 The love the way Christ loved. Absolutely. 50:25 And then if we have that kind of love, remember, 50:27 before we go to try to correct somebody else, 50:29 we have to be willing to give our life for that person 50:33 before we first go try to correct them. 50:35 Are we willing to give our life for them? 50:37 Powerful. It is just heavy duty. 50:39 What you just said though is you said, "Lord, help me." 50:42 We cannot do that, Romans 5: 5 says, 50:44 "That he pours his love into our hearts 50:46 by the power of the Holy Spirit." 50:48 So we cannot love others 50:50 without the spirit of Christ in us. 50:53 But just very quickly I know our time is running out. 50:57 John in 1 John 2 verse 9, 10 he says, 51:01 "He who says he's in the light 51:02 and hates his brother is in darkness unto now. 51:06 He who loves his brother abides in the light. 51:08 And there is no cause for stumbling in him." 51:14 Just a couple of verses before he says, 51:17 "I'm not going to give you a new commandment." 51:18 And then right after he says, "I'm giving you a commandment." 51:20 It's like, what is Christ saying? 51:22 Well, he's saying it's not new, 51:24 it's new to you because you forgotten it. 51:26 It's like, it's like buying a used car. 51:29 It's new to me, it's not a new car, but it's new for me 51:32 because in ever had it before. 51:33 And that's what he says, 51:34 "I'm not giving you something brand new 51:36 but it's new to you because, you strayed from it. 51:38 So, now I'm bringing it back to you 51:39 so it is new to you and that you strayed from it." 51:41 And then he goes into the thing that Shelley just said 51:44 that you got it you love is the emblem 51:47 the ensign of all that we're trying this. 51:49 And then just real quickly I want to recap. 51:52 So to come into unity in the body, 51:55 we've got to do it through united prayer, 51:58 through the study of the word, 52:00 through the infilling of the Holy Spirit 52:01 so that we can love one another. 52:03 It's says...just quickly..." 52:04 Where oneness exist, 52:06 there is evidence that the image of God 52:08 is being restored." 52:10 Amen. "In man." 52:11 And that's the whole key. Powerful, powerful. 52:14 We're going to go to our news break. 52:15 We've got a couple things want to talk to you 52:17 about then we are going to come back 52:19 and sort of put a little bit bow on this and wrap it up. 52:21 We'll be back in just three minutes. |
Revised 2016-04-14